Maxwell's, last known as Maxwell's Tavern, was a bar/restaurant and music club in Hoboken, New Jersey. Over several decades the venue attracted a wide variety of acts looking for a change from the New York City concert spaces across the river.[1] Maxwell's initially closed its doors on July 31, 2013, and reopened as Maxwell's Tavern in 2014, under new ownership.[2] It closed again in February 2018.[3]
The club was opened in August 1978 by Steve Fallon.[4] When the Fallon family bought the corner building in uptown Hoboken with its street-level tavern, Steve Fallon's sisters Kathryn Jackson Fallon and Anne Fallon Mazzolla along with brother-in-law Mario Mazzola were interested in turning the factory workers' tavern (General Foods' Maxwell House Coffee factory was a block away on the Hudson River[5]) into more of a restaurant.[6] The Hoboken band "a" (featuring Glenn Morrow, Richard Barone, Frank Giannini and Rob Norris; the latter three later forming the Bongos) asked if they could rehearse in an unused back room and play a few gigs in the front for the restaurant's patrons. The live music quickly caught on and Fallon started booking bands in the back room. Over time, his booking taste, freewheeling personality and respectful treatment towards musicians made Maxwell's and Hoboken a stop to look forward to on many bands' tours.[4][7] By making the blue-collar mile-square city with a rough-and-tumble reputation a cultural gathering place, Maxwell's was instrumental in sparking Hoboken's first wave of early 1980s gentrification— the artists and musicians.[8][9] In that light, it is also believed that the Mazzolas may have offered the first successful Sunday brunch in Hoboken.[10]
The entrance vestibule to Maxwell's on 11th Street
Maxwell's eventually become so successful that it spawned Pier Platters, an independent record store near the PATH train station that Fallon invested in; a whole music and cultural "scene" epitomized by the "Hoboken Sound" (which was featured in an hour-long television special on a local NYC station);[11] and Fallon's own record label, Coyote Records.[12] Fallon hired Todd Abramson to take over the booking of the acts in the mid-1980s. Abramson essentially booked the venue until its 2013 closing (except for a short period in the late 1990s after Fallon sold the club and Maxwell's was converted into a short-lived brewpub).[4]
When Fallon wanted completely out, he and his partners sold Maxwell's in December 1995 to William (Silverback) Sutton,[13] who then turned it into a brewpub.[4] Abramson,[14]Steve Shelley (drummer of Sonic Youth) and Dave Post of the Amazing Incredibles and Swingadelic arranged to bring Maxwell's back, and renovated and reopened it on July 26, 1998.[4] While some longtime patrons missed the more freewheeling Steve Fallon days, Maxwell's again became as vital a part of the independent music community as it was in the 1980s and 1990s.
The video for the song "Away" by the Feelies, directed by Jonathan Demme, was recorded at Maxwell's in 1988. After a 17-year hiatus, the Feelies reunited to appear at Maxwell's in July 2008,[16] and they made appearances again every July from 2009 through 2013.[17]
While on tour supporting their debut album Bleach, Nirvana appeared at Maxwell's on July 13, 1989. Early in the day, before the show, photographer Ian Tilton took several pictures of the band around Hoboken while John Robb interviewed them for a Sounds front cover feature. The picture of frontman Kurt Cobain has since been used in dozens of magazines, newspapers and websites before and after his death.[18]
In the early 1990s, Maxwell's was voted the "Best Club in New York— Even Though It's in New Jersey" by The New Yorker magazine.[19](subscription required)
In the 2005 Village Voice Best of NY poll, Maxwell's was voted "Best Reason to Leave the State for Dinner and a Show". Also in 2005, The New York Times wrote that Maxwell's was "so New York that it's in New Jersey".[20]
In April 2013, Maxwell's came in third in Rolling Stone magazine's "Venues that Rock" list of the best clubs in America.[23]
In June 2013 it was announced that Maxwell's would not renew its lease and the club would close in July.[24] The club closed its doors on July 31, 2013, preceded by an afternoon block party on 11th Street between Washington Street and Hudson Place, beginning that afternoon, to commemorate its final night.[25]
Maxwell's reopened temporarily in August 2013, solely as a bar and restaurant, while the owners sought to sell the venue;[26]Justin Timberlake was allowed to film a commercial there.[27]
In early 2014, it reopened under new ownership (a group of investors headed by Pete Carr and Rick Sorkin), with the name changed to Maxwell's Tavern.[28]
The new group decided to refocus the tavern from music to food, converting the "venue's fabled backroom—which in the '80s and '90s had proved a launching pad for up-and-coming bands like R.E.M., Hüsker Dü, the Replacements and Nirvana"—into a dining room.[29] The front room was fitted with large flatscreen televisions. However, when Maxwell's Tavern opened as a family-friendly pizzeria in April 2014, the owners realized it was a mistake,[30] and for the next sixth months, retooled the premises to again present music. It reopened in October 2014, but was only able to book cover bands.[30] By 2015, the owners gave up the pizzeria idea and engaged local promoter Dave Entwistle, who redesigned the sound stage and booked local talent.[31]
The tavern continued to struggle, however. One cause was Carr's "disastrous interview" with the Hoboken Reporter, in which he slammed the previous ownership's maintenance of the building. The interview alienated many locals, who withheld their patronage.[31] The owners were never able to book the up-and-coming bands that the older venue was known for, and eventually focused on trivia nights and country music. In early February 2018, the tavern announced on Facebook that it would close, and the final performances took place on February 10.[31]
Bands
The first band to play at Maxwell's was "a", which included the three original members of the Bongos (Barone, Norris and Giannini; the latter was Maxwell's cook and devised their first menu), fronted by Glenn Morrow (later of the Individuals and founder of Bar/None Records). The Bongos rehearsed in the club by day, were the first from the new crop of bands to be signed to a major label (RCA Records) after a series of British singles and tours, and were seen at the time as ambassadors of the new Hoboken pop scene. The Cyclones, the Individuals, Urban Allies, WKGB, Gut Bank, the Fleshtones, the Raybeats and the dB's were also mainstays in the beginning,[dead link][32] with the Feelies playing frequently towards the later half of the 1980s.[33]
In 1980, the Athens, Georgia band Pylon played there three times.[34] In the mid-1980s, fellow Athens band R.E.M. played there on a frequent basis.[35]
The club was important to emerging 1980s and 1990s trends as diverse as punk, grunge and indie rock. Notable bands that played the venue during those years include:
As a music venue, Maxwell's was not very large. In fact, it only held about 200 people[4] and was considered dark.[1] The live music at a club in a residential area led some neighbors to complain about the noise as well as dancing in the streets during the early days of the club, before the expansion into the back room for appearances by musical acts.[4] A Hoboken restaurant survey website gave Maxwell's a rating of 3.33 out of a possible 5 in October 2008.[54]
Yo La Tengo is an American indie rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan, Georgia Hubley, and James McNew. In 2015, original guitarist Dave Schramm rejoined the band and appeared on their fourteenth album, Stuff Like That There.
The U.S. state of New Jersey is located in the Northeastern United States and is part of the Mid-Atlantic region.
The Vaselines are a Scottish alternative rock band. Formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1986, the band was originally a duo between its songwriters Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee, but later added James Seenan and Eugene's brother Charlie Kelly on bass and drums respectively from the band Secession. McKee had formerly been a member of a band named The Pretty Flowers with Duglas T. Stewart, Norman Blake, Janice McBride and Sean Dickson. Eugene Kelly had formerly played in The Famous Monsters.
Robyn Rowan Hitchcock is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. While primarily a vocalist and guitarist, he also plays harmonica, piano, and bass guitar. After leading the Soft Boys in the late 1970s and releasing the influential Underwater Moonlight, in June 1980, Hitchcock launched a prolific solo career.
The Feelies are an American rock band from Haledon, New Jersey. They formed in 1976 and disbanded in 1992 having released four albums. The band reunited in 2008, and released new albums in 2011 and 2017.
Satyricon was a nightclub in the Old Town neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, United States that operated from 1984 to 2010. It was the longest-running punk venue in the western United States, and has been referred to by some journalists and historians as the "CBGB of the West Coast." It is also the place where musicians Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love are said to have first met.
Hoboken, New Jersey, is home to many parks, historical landmarks, and other places of interest.
The Starland Ballroom is a concert venue located in Sayreville, New Jersey. Beginning in the 1960s, the building was known as the Jernee Mill Inn, a local bar with a banquet hall. It was originally known as the Hunka Bunka Ballroom and then Willy's in the 1980s. It has operated as a dance music club but more often hosted concerts with primarily metal, punk and ska lineups.
The Joiners is a small music venue in a former pub on St Mary Street, St Mary's, Southampton, England. It has played host to many up-and-coming bands. The pub started having live acts in the back room in 1968. The maximum capacity is 200 people.
Tiny Lights was a music group formed in New Brunswick, New Jersey by John Hamilton (guitar/vocals) and Donna Croughn in 1985. Original members include Dave Dreiwitz (bass/trumpet), Jane Scarpantoni (cello), John Mastro (drums). Based in Hoboken, New Jersey, the group frequently performed at Maxwell's and the Court Tavern in New Brunswick, New Jersey. They recorded a total of seven albums, two of which were later released on Psychic TV's Temple Records. From 1988 to 1994 Tiny Lights toured the United States extensively. A compilation album, The Young Person's Guide to Tiny Lights was released on Bar/None Records in 1995. Other members include Stuart Hake (cello), Andy Demos (drums), Catherine Bent (cello), Andy Burton, and Ron Howden.
The Crocodile is a music club at 2505 1st Avenue at Wall Street in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. Opened by Stephanie Dorgan as the "Crocodile Cafe" on April 30, 1991, it quickly became a fixture of the city's music scene. The Crocodile Cafe closed in December 2007, before being reopened as The Crocodile on March 19, 2009. Since then, the club has been owned by Alice in Chains' drummer Sean Kinney, manager Susan Silver, Portugal. The Man guitarist Eric Howk, Peggy Curtis, and Capitol Hill Block Party co-founder Marcus Charles. The Crocodile relocated to a bigger building at 2505 1st Avenue, four blocks away from its original location.
Asbury Lanes located in Asbury Park, New Jersey is a vintage bowling alley and bar with live performances ranging from live musical acts, burlesque, hot rod, dance parties, film and art shows. It is one of the many historic music landmarks located within Asbury Park. These include The Stone Pony, the Wonderbar, the Saint and the Fastlane.
The Saint is a music venue located in Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States. It is reminiscent of places like The Cellar Door in Washington, DC, CBGB, CB's 313 Gallery, and The Living Room in New York City, and features live, original music. The Saint was founded by Adam Jon Weisberg along with business partner Scott Stamper, and opened its doors on November 18, 1994. Stamper bought out Weisberg in 2013 and became the sole owner. He is also a co-founder of the Wave Gathering Music Festival.
The Bowery Presents is the East Coast regional partner of AEG Live. It owns and operates multiple venues in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Virginia, and Maine. The capacities of the venues operated by The Bowery Presents range from 600 people to 20,000 people.
Trees is an American live music venue opened in 1990 in the Deep Ellum district of downtown Dallas, Texas. The venue has hosted international touring musical acts such as Nirvana, Snoop Dogg, The Flaming Lips, Death Grips, Daughter, The Wailers, Nick Jonas, and Run the Jewels. It has received numerous accolades from the Dallas Observer.
The Mayo Performing Arts Center (MayoPAC) is a nonprofit multi-use performing arts center located in Morristown, New Jersey, United States.
The Hoboken Music Awards were an annual award show. Bands and artists from the Hoboken area of New Jersey are eligible for receipt of the awards.
Central Saloon is a bar, restaurant and music venue in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington. Established in 1892, the bar is among the city's oldest.
The Court Tavern was a live music venue and bar located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Home to local and national acts across all genres, including punk, hip-hop, indie, and hardcore, it has stood closed at 124 Church Street since 2019. The building reopened as a vegan restaurant and bar in 2024.
The Melody Bar was a live music and dance club on French Street in the 1980s and 1990s in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
↑ See the description of Melissa Holbrook Pierson's book The Place You Love is Gone: Progress Hits Home as reviewed in: Sharpe, Katherine (March 7, 2006). "Books". The Village Voice. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
↑ DeMarco, Jerry (March 8, 1982). "On the waterfront. . . sounds of music". The Record (Hackensack, New Jersey). p.B-1. Retrieved December 31, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
↑ Brunch was also served at the reopened Maxwell's. See: "Maxwell's: Our Menu". Archived from the original on 2009-02-25. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
↑ The special appeared on channel 5 according to Pareles, Jon (October 18, 1985). "Movie Review - - 'Hoboken Sound,' A Rock Documentary". The New York Times.
↑ Reilly, Patrick (April 3, 1985). "Go West, young rocker!". New York Daily News. p.37. Retrieved December 31, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
↑ Pristin, Terry (September 10, 1996). "A Nightclub's Return". The New York Times.
↑ Todd Abramson is identified as an "owner of Maxwell's in Hoboken" in an article about the breakup of a Hoboken based band in: Woliver, Robbie (April 1, 2001). "A Hoboken Musical Force Is Breaking Up". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-09-30.
↑ Pareles, Jon (July 3, 2008). "A Low-Profile Band Reaches Its Next Stage After a Break of 17 Years". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-06-30. Endless possibility/Time is right for us to be," Glenn Mercer sang when the Feelies performed at Maxwell's on Tuesday night, at this New Jersey band's first public show in 17 years. "Time — right — now — tonight.
↑ Doughten, Kevin (October 9, 2005). "MUSIC; Shed a Tear for CBGB, But Maxwell's Is Still Rocking Hard". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-09-30. But when the fanfare fades and the lights finally dim at CBGB, at 315 Bowery on the Lower East Side, the region's lovers of underground music will still have Maxwell's, a club so New York that it's in New Jersey.
↑ "Maxwell's Bar & Restaurant". Hoboken 411. October 19, 2008. Archived from the original on June 19, 2006. Retrieved 2009-06-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
