jean, i'd do it myself, but there's no where to do it. plus, i'm not a kid anymore.

what was the name of the artist and the song you played on sound check. It was a female artist and I thought the song's name was hasti. The artist must be persian because the song was sang in persian. Thanks!

it was today on sound check about clubs at about 2:30. Thanks!

SOUNDCHECK SAYS: The artist was Haale. More info at http://www.haale.com/

I had heard great things about le poisson rouge in the past weeks but haven't been there yet. Anyone know how it compares to a Joe's pub or Living room in terms of sound and atmosphere?

The real question is; where is the next great musical movement and who will be a part of it? The earth shattering venues are those that house the musicians who crack open our skulls and make us look inside.

I should have elaborated. I thought CBGB was a pretty crappy venue for the past 20 years. I thought it literally should have been turned in to a sort of interactive rock museum/ cafe. Haven't been to ABC in a dogs age. I miss that place and I miss helping out with the day to day ops of it. ABC No Rio is a place that should be a lot more present in peoples minds.

In terms of where are the all age shows, a la the glorious punk age from the 70's to the 80's; you gotta make it man. All the great music movements and venues throughout our time have been created by the kids in the scene themselves. DIY NATION!!! Dig in and don't wait for someone to do it for you.

Do any of the clubs you're talking about OWN their spaces? Is that ever a possibility in the context of the business plan of a club? Seems like it would make a lot of sense.

Tonic was great when it opened, but it really was not a great venue. By the time it closed, I hadn't been there in a couple of years. But it was infinitely better than the Stone.

oh, and the saddest loss in recent years was north six. north six was the best. and now it is gone and replaced with a creepy bowery ballroom clone.

you're wrong. cbgb's, for at least the past 20 years, was one of the worst clubs in nyc. seriously, being a band playing there was -awful-. seeing a show there was only slightly less bad. i'm so glad it's gone. it was running on it's reputation far too long to suck so freaking badly.

that said, coney island high was good times. i think a question you need to ask, where are the all ages shows these days? because so far as i can tell, you're either playing a tiny all ages show at abc no rio, or a huge one at bowery ballroom. you know? it's pretty much completely bullshit.

having been to (le) poisson rouge twice in the past two weeks I've got to say I couldn't be happer with the revival of the Gate venue.

Great eclectic line up (I went to see Soulive and Rickie Lee Jones with the fab Petra Hayden) -serious kudos to Brice Rosenbloom

I miss The Wetlands and Cony Island High. Two great clubs that have gone the way of the dodo and CBGB should have been preserved as NYC's own little rock n roll hall of fame. Little by little I watch my formative years become smokey memories and it's a shame, because a lot of these places are the United States equivalent to so many churches and artistic landmarks that the rest of the world seems to cherish and preserve.

Can your guests comment on the effect that the cabaret laws have had on the club scene?