Webster Hall is a historic nightclub and concert venue at 119-125 East 11th Street in the East Village of Manhattan, built in 1886. It has a capacity of 1,500 across three rooms: the Grand Ballroom (1,500), the Marlin Room (600), and the Studio (300 to 400). Webster Hall is best suited for touring acts and established independent artists who can fill a mid-sized room in New York City. The venue hosts approximately 184,000 visitors per year and has 70 concerts scheduled for 2026-2027.
Prince performed at Webster Hall on April 20, 2004, in one of the venue's most legendary shows. Here is "Cream" from that performance, uploaded to the official Prince VEVO channel with over 18.5 million views:
About Webster Hall
Webster Hall was built in 1886 by architect Charles Rentz in the Queen Anne style, with a Renaissance Revival annex added in 1892. It is one of New York City's oldest entertainment venues, widely considered the first modern nightclub in the United States. The building was designated a New York City landmark on March 18, 2008. Throughout its history, Webster Hall has served as a venue for labor rallies, drag balls, costume events, and political protests. From 1980 to 1992, it operated as The Ritz, a pioneering rock venue. Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Julie Andrews, Woody Guthrie, and Pete Seeger all recorded or performed there.
BSE Global and The Bowery Presents (a subsidiary of AEG) acquired the operating rights in February 2017. After a nearly two-year renovation, the venue reopened on April 26, 2019 with a concert by Jay-Z. The renovation preserved the original stage in the Grand Ballroom while upgrading acoustics, adding air conditioning, expanded restrooms, additional stairwells, and the building's first-ever elevator. The Marlin Room was revamped and renamed The Ritz Lounge, with gold stenciling on the walls that references the original historic design. The building is owned by Unity Gallega (Casa Galicia of New York) and leased by AEG Presents, Brooklyn Sports Entertainment, and The Bowery Presents. Gerard McNamee has served as venue director since 1993 (with a gap from 1997 to 2008).
Room Breakdown and Booking
Webster Hall's three rooms operate independently, allowing different show sizes on the same night:
- Grand Ballroom (1,500 capacity): The main concert room on the second floor. GA standing main floor with a wraparound balcony. Gothic chandeliers and the original preserved stage. ADA viewing area on house left. This is where most headline concerts take place.
- Marlin Room / Ritz Lounge (600 capacity): A separate room for smaller headlining acts, club nights, and private events. Revamped in 2019 with a bar and meeting space design.
- The Studio (300 to 400 capacity): A venue-within-a-venue for emerging artists and intimate shows. Opened in October 2008. Hosts a range of smaller-scale performances.
All tickets are sold through AXS. Age restrictions vary by event (regular club nights are 19+, concert nights vary). Bags over 14 inches by 14 inches are not permitted. The venue is accessible by subway at 14th Street-Union Square (4, 5, 6, 6 express, L, N, Q, R, W trains) and Third Avenue (L train).
Booking is controlled by AEG Presents and The Bowery Presents. Artists typically need agent or manager representation to secure a show. For private events and rentals, contact Brooke Uris, Director of Special Events, at buris@bowerypresents.com.
Notable Performances Here
- Prince (April 20, 2004) - Performed an intimate show at Webster Hall. Multiple songs from the performance were officially released on the Prince VEVO YouTube channel, including "Cream" (18.5 million views, see embed above) and "Sometimes It Snows In April" (6.8 million views):
- Jay-Z (April 26, 2019) - Reopened Webster Hall after its nearly two-year renovation with a "B-Sides 2" show. The two-hour performance included deep cuts, a reunion with Nas for "The World Is Yours" and "Dead Presidents II," surprise appearances by Cam'ron and Jim Jones, and a freestyle tribute to Nipsey Hussle. A Roc-a-Fella chandelier hung from the ceiling during the show
- John Mayer (September 13, 2006) - Performed a 90-minute set at Webster Hall during the Continuum tour, professionally filmed for the "Control Room Presents" series and broadcast on MSN and DirecTV. The band included Pino Palladino on bass and Steve Jordan on drums
- Jack White (April 27, 2012) - Performed at Webster Hall as part of the American Express "Unstaged" series, directed by Gary Oldman and streamed live on YouTube and Vevo to celebrate the release of his debut solo album Blunderbuss. White performed with two separate bands (one all-female, one all-male) across a 21-song set
- Sugar (May 2 to 4, 2026) - Bob Mould's band Sugar played three sold-out reunion shows at Webster Hall, their first concerts since 1995
- TV on the Radio (November 27 to 30, 2024) - Played a sold-out four-night reunion run at Webster Hall, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of both their debut album Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes and The Bowery Presents
- Doechii (October 15, 2024) - Sold-out show on the Alligator Bites Never Heal tour, with the stage decorated to resemble a swamp
- The Hard Quartet (October 17, 2024) - Featuring Stephen Malkmus, Matt Sweeney, Emmett Kelly, and Jim White, performed their debut New York City show at Webster Hall
Key Benefits for Independent Artists
- Three-room scalability: Artists can play the room that matches their draw, from 300 (The Studio) to 1,500 (Grand Ballroom).
- 140-year cultural history: Webster Hall's legacy gives it credibility that newer venues cannot match. Playing there connects artists to a lineage that includes Elvis Presley and Tina Turner.
- East Village location: The neighborhood attracts a young, music-savvy audience near NYU and Union Square.
- Bowery Presents booking pipeline: The Bowery Presents team has a track record of developing artists from small rooms to larger venues across their NYC portfolio.
- Modern production quality: The 2019 renovation upgraded sound, lighting, and HVAC while preserving the building's historic character.
- High concert volume: With 70 upcoming concerts in 2026-2027 and over 4,000 past concerts logged, the venue maintains an active booking calendar.
Drawbacks / Things to Consider
The 1,500-capacity Grand Ballroom is large for emerging artists, who should target The Studio (300 to 400) instead. Booking is controlled by AEG Presents and The Bowery Presents, meaning artists typically need agent or manager representation. Direct booking without industry connections is difficult. The East Village has become increasingly expensive, changing the neighborhood's demographic and pushing some music audiences to Brooklyn. The building's landmark status limits technical modifications and production flexibility. Parking in the East Village is extremely difficult for tour vehicles and loading is tight. The venue competes with many other New York clubs, including Brooklyn Steel, Bowery Ballroom, and Music Hall of Williamsburg. The three-room layout can create noise bleed between spaces during simultaneous events. New York City's high costs for accommodation and transport significantly affect touring budgets. Tickets are sold exclusively through AXS, which charges service fees that some fans find high.
Related Resources
- Venues Directory
- How to Book Your First Tour: Step-by-Step Guide
- How Much Does It Cost to Go on Tour in 2026
- How to Price Your Live Performance as a Musician
- How to Find a Sound Engineer for Live Shows
- Visit Webster Hall for upcoming events and rental inquiries
- Bowery Ballroom - Another Manhattan venue operated by The Bowery Presents, at a smaller capacity (575)
- Brooklyn Steel - A larger Brooklyn venue in the Bowery Presents portfolio, representing the next tier up from Webster Hall
- Madison Square Garden - The arena-tier New York venue where Webster Hall headliners may eventually graduate to
- 930 Club - A comparable mid-sized historic venue in Washington, D.C. with similar cultural significance
- The Marquee Club - A London venue with a similar legacy of hosting legendary performances across multiple eras
