Note: A year to the day of its opening, the Museum of Modern Arthur was closed by the city of New York. Joseph Arthur & The Lonely Astronauts performed there on the final two days, September 26th & 27th, 2008.
Museum of Modern Arthur is on the corner of Jay and John Streets, in the DUMBO area of Brooklyn, right off the East River. It’s really more of an art gallery than a concert venue, but it is the repository of the art of musician Joseph Arthur (QRO album review). MOMAR, as it is nicknamed, only opened in July 2007.
The walls of MOMAR are filled with Arthur’s paintings, including in the center of the main space, and a separate room to the far left of the entrance. The actual stage is located on the far right of the entrance. The art in the center of the main space can create a bit of a bottleneck, going from the front half to the back, as people are extra careful when crossing, and sometimes don’t even realize a space in front of a piece of art is actually a pathway. The price can be a little steep, more for the wine & modern art set than the beer & rock show set, but drinks are included.
The small area naturally lends itself more to the solo singer/songwriter vibe than a ‘big rock show’; when accompanied by his backing band, The Lonely Astronauts, drummer Greg “G. Wiz” Wieczorek, “G. Wiz” eschews a normal drum set for a bongo and a shaker. But the crowd also retains that artsy, egalitarian nature, from young to old, trendy to more salt-of-the-earth. And you really don’t know who might show up, unannounced – R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe dropped in (though he did his best to hide himself).
Capacity: 100
Address:
25 Jay Street at John Street
By Subway:
F train to York Street – walk 4 blocks west on east side of Jay Street
QRO Coverage:
-Joseph Arthur & The Lonely Astronauts with The Lonely Astronauts, April 26th, 2008 – Joseph Arthur & The Lonely Astronauts live review, Joseph Arthur & The Lonely Astronauts photos, The Lonely Astronauts photos