Baker Falls

Walking down Allen Street on a Friday night, you can hear the low bass bleed right through the front doors of Baker Falls before you even reach the threshold. The Lower East Side sidewalk is usually packed with smokers and people checking their phones. Cash at the door. Security doesn't mess around, so keep your ID ready and move inside.

It's dark and loud inside this performance room. People crowd tight near the stage because the floor space isn't huge. The walls absorb the noise, and the air gets hot fast when a local rock band starts playing. You won't find any fancy VIP areas here. Grab a cheap drink from the bar and squeeze into the middle of the room.

Sound rattles right through your chest. Fans bounce off each other near the front monitors while the guitar feedback rings out into the back. When the set wraps up, the crowd spills straight back out onto the pavement to catch their breath.