Warsaw At The Polish National

09/16/06

Warsaw? What a joke!

by holden_smith at Citysearch

Doors at 7 huh? How about 7:50 waiting in the snow? Yeah, that's Warsaw. i couldn't figure out if I was in New York or Poland. Worst sound system I've ever heard and by the most inept front of house sound guys I've ever had the displeasure to have to listen to. Upon closer srutiny, I could hear several speakers either heavily distorting or blown completely. The band couldn't hear the monitors. There was feedback on stage and in the house. The food made me sick. The drinks so weak, I had to spend $60 just to get a slight buzz. The glasses where dirty. The staff, rude and unitelligble with thick Polish accents. I thought I was at a gulag rather than a rock show. Warsaw? Yeah, this is how I thought it would be like in Poland. What a joke! A Polish joke. Avoid this venue like the plague.

• Pros: Uh, none.
• Cons: Bad food, drinks, staff & sound

10/29/04

A unique music venue where the old world truly meets the new.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Scene
Brooklyn's Polish National Home, a meeting room-cum-performance-space for the neighborhood's Polish community for nearly 100 years, is leading a double life in the new century. In 2001, Village Underground and former Tramps guru Steve Weitzman convinced the old guard to open the doors to its ornate 800-capacity ballroom (complete with fleur-de-lis plasterwork and framed oil paintings) a few nights a week for music more suited to Greenpoint and Williamsburg's hipsters, the new breed of Brooklyn immigrants. And Warsaw was born.

The Draw
Monday nights are free, featuring spinners like DJ Cheyney, who pump out old and new wave. More notably, Warsaw is becoming a performance destination for indie-rock icons and up-and-comers, likes Luna, Le Tigre, Cat Power and New Pornographers. At the bar, enjoy a cheap ice-cold draft beer in a plastic cup--or an ample cocktail--while an inter-generational mix of locals shoot the breeze (and pool) in Polish.

12/19/02

Great space, bad vibe

by susanchenelle_citysearch at Citysearch

The ballroom is a great space, and often hosts great acts--from Jello Biafra to Amon Tobin to the Butchies--but the sound and lighting systems suck, the security people are rude and obtrusive, and the bar staff can be nice, but is often not, and pours some of the weakest (though also cheapest) drinks you'll ever have.

• Pros: Great events
• Cons: Poor treatment, Bad sound

05/30/02

Amateur Night?

by theWanderer at Citysearch

The sound here stinks and its too bad because it's a great location, and they've been getting some really good bands lately. Also, no smoking at a Rock concert? C'mon! Combine that with the gymnasium ambience and crappy sound; it's like being at a junior high-school dance.

Northsix is a much better place to see a show in Williamsburg.

• Pros: Good Bands, Good Crowd
• Cons: Sound, No Smoking

05/21/02

a treat

by DylanSiegler at Citysearch

The sound is a little boomy at this out-of-the-way rock haunt, but after all, this is a ballroom we're talking about. The bookings are sporadic (i.e. not every night), but they're generally spot-on, thanks to the longtime NYC rock-club mavens bringing in the talent. If you know the neighborhood, have fun watching lost Manhattanites try to find the club from the Nassau G station--it's almost more fun than the main event.

05/20/02

The new king

by justinhartung_citysearch at Citysearch

Just saw Sleater-Kinney there this weekend and it's the new champ of my favorite NY music spots. It's distance from the subway is a good thing (and perhaps its no smoking rule), as it seems to keep the scenesters at a minimum--it's about the music here. That said, it was easy to get a beer, and staff was very nice. But the best thing: It's a very intimate space, and at least for this sold-out show, they don't seem to be oveselling tickets--lots of elbow room.