Net Results
The Bottom Line is closed forever. I only went a few times over the years, most often probably for John Cale, who was a regular, but always saw a terrific band and a solid performance, sometimes unexpectedly, as when I saw the Violent Femmes while they were both still good and new as well as only just signed to a label. Lou Reed is probably the most memorable musician I saw there from an iconic NYC standpoint, and although I can’t think of an exotic night, at least I never had to sit behind one of the pillars or posts that framed the outer seating area. Sure, the Palladium in its heyday was a better overall concert venue, but in my time, only Folk City would have rivaled the Bottom Line for an intimate musical experience. To be fair, they couldn’t pay the rent, but a 250% mark-up is pretty severe.