Hammerstein Ballroom

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This concert hall—built by one famous musical theater lyricist’s grandfather as a rival to the Met—is a multi-purpose venue which has hosted everything from the VH1 Fashion Awards to NYU graduations to Beck concerts. The soaring space boasts a 75-foot ceiling (with the original fresco of angels restored), two balconies and a jumbo proscenium. Depending on how the adaptable stage has been configured, the Hammerstein can hold up to 3,500 people. In recent years, the hall has increased its reputation not just as a launching pad for alt bands with major label deals, but also as a stop for legendary artists looking for something more intimate than the Garden. For concerts, general admission is the law of the land, so early birds (or big-shouldered ones) get the front row. Several full bars are available to those with the ubiquitous over-21 wristbands. — Andrew Paine Bradbury