I saw a show at the Knockdown Center. It was like a house party but better

Navigating New York City’s live music scene can be a bit daunting for a newcomer to the Big Apple.

Yes, one of the five borough’s greatest perks is its diverse arts offerings but finding what venue suits your aesthetic best is a tough task for any transplant.

So, we broke it down.

Obviously, the biggest acts perform at arenas and stadiums — think Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center, MetLife Stadium, Prudential Center. This is where household name A-Listers like your Andrea Bocellis, Mariah Careys and David Gilmours live and thrive. They’re big and meant to fit tens of thousands of fans which can make them feel larger than life and, at times, a bit impersonal.

A step below the biggies are vaunted cultural institutions like Radio City Music Hall, Beacon Theatre, Forest Hills Stadium and Carnegie Hall. Up-and-comers on the cusp of superstardom, fading familiar legacy acts, big-name comedians and more run rampant at this level. We’d argue these spaces are the classiest — but also the stuffiest. If you like to sit and appreciate music, these are the places for you (well, maybe not Forest Hills, but that’s for a different story). Dancers beware.

Right under the the second tier are hot spots like the Paramount Theatre, Brooklyn Steel, Webster Hall, Irving Plaza and The Music Hall of Williamsburg. Brooklyn and the Lower East Side are all about fostering exciting indie talent that’s a bit more underground or niche (and usually come with a small, dedicated army of fans). All are general admission which means you’re free to let loose and go a little crazy.

Then, hidden in Maspeth, Queens is the Knockdown Center, one of New York’s raddest, grimiest and punkest indie concert venues that defies categorization. “I think that there’s a movement in nightlife away from sparkly Champagne bottles and more towards collective engagement,” creative director Tyler Myers told City Days.

He’s right.

The Knockdown Center is a place that makes you feel more like you’re having the time of your life at a house party with 500-700 fellow music lovers than watching a band you paid money to see.

In fact, LCD Soundsystem is such a fan of the off-the-beaten-path music mecca that they decided to put on a 12-concert residency there this fall.

Always wanted to go but never been? Not on your radar? Curious what kind of acts play the venue?

Let’s talk Knockdown Center, New York newbies (and scene vets).

The Knockdown Center 2024-25 concert schedule

As noted above, the Knockdown Center is truly a one-of-a-kind concert venue that marches to the beat of its own drum.

To give you a taste of the many musical flavors they host, here are all the acts headed to Maspeth these next few months.

Knockdown Center concert calendar
Halloween Spooktacular Thursday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m.
Show Me the Body Saturday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m.
Klangkuenstler Friday, Nov. 8 at 10 p.m.
Jeff Mills Saturday, Nov. 9 at 10 p.m.
AG Cook Friday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m.
MK Saturday, Nov. 16 at 10 p.m.
Mayhem Sunday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.
LCD Soundsystem Thursday, Nov. 21 at 8 p.m.
LCD Soundsystem Friday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m.
LCD Soundsystem Saturday, Nov. 23 at 8 p.m.
LCD Soundsystem Sunday, Nov. 24 at 8 p.m.
LCD Soundsystem Thursday, Dec. 5 at 8 p.m.
LCD Soundsystem Friday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m.
LCD Soundsystem Saturday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m.
Horse Meat Disco NYC Saturday, Dec. 7 at 11 p.m.
LCD Soundsystem Sunday, Dec. 8 at 8 p.m.
LCD Soundsystem Thursday, Dec. 12 at 8 p.m.
LCD Soundsystem Friday, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m.
LCD Soundsystem Saturday, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m.
LCD Soundsystem Sunday, Dec. 15 at 8 p.m.
Freakquencies Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 9 p.m.
Mahmut Orhan Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025 at 10 p.m.
Molchat Doma Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 at 8 p.m.
Bon Entendeur Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025 at 8 p.m.
Floating Points Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at 10 p.m.
Nico Moreno Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025 at 10 p.m.

Getting to the Knockdown Center

In order to get to the Knockdown Center (the building was the Manhattan Door Factory in the ’50s and became well-known for the Knock-Down door frames produced there in case you were wondering how they got their name), you won’t be able to take the subway all the way there.

For those coming from Brooklyn, your best bet is finding the L train route to the bus of your choosing. The B57, Q54 or B38 will all do the trick and you can board near almost any stop.

If you’re in Queens, the Q39 will get the job done although there’s a bit of an uphill shlep to reach your destination. Make sure you have Google Maps on and you’re paying attention. No need to get turned around and miss an exciting opening act.

Uber will do the trick too, of course. Still, there’s just something a bit more romantic about taking the bus or biking to an underground venue that’s more in line with its underground ethos.

WARNING: The New York Times recently reported that a concertgoer named Damani Alexander was at a Knockdown Center show before being found dead in a creek.

Although it hasn’t been confirmed, there may have been a serial killer in the area.

“I think dudes trynna kill me,” a text Alexander wrote that was shown to The New York Times by his mother read. “Dudes waiting for me outside,” another said.

“It was with heavy hearts we learned Damani’s story,” Tyler Myers of the Knockdown Center said. “We have cooperated with NYPD requests related to their investigation into this matter. We have not found nor been informed of any special continuing threat to our community. The safety of our public and neighborhood is always a primary priority, and our operations will continue to reflect that.”

Should you make the trek to Maspeth, make sure to exercise caution and be safe.

Entering the Knockdown Center

You made it. You’re here. You found the Knockdown Center. Take it all in.

This place, with its bright, hot lights and faded marquee, is your hometown indie venue on ‘roids. You’re back at your favorite Nebraska punk show, the hottest Wichita metal room, the artsiest dancehall in Phoenix.

Once you’ve soaked in the anti-establishment atmosphere, wait in line, show your tickets at the door and shuffle in through the semi-chaotic chaotic entrance (pictured below). Be patient. Don’t push. You’ll be in soon enough. We promise.

If you arrived at your show late like I did, you can already hear the music bleeding in while waiting to have wristband slapped on by the attentive staff checking IDs. You’re so close.

Seeing a concert at the Knockdown Center

Show time, baby.

The former glass-manufacturing facility turned door factory turned music mecca in 2013 is the perfect place for impassioned gutter punks, indie queens and sports bros to come together to appreciate their favorite artists.

Everyone seems so in sync that the vibe is more raucous house party where everyone knows each other than room full of strangers. There’s an unspoken understanding here — here we’re all true fans and we’re here to have the time of our lives.

As for physical space itself, the Knockdown Center’s main room has high, high ceilings which lend themselves well to bouncy acoustics. Sound doesn’t drown here; it lives.

Since every show is general admission, where you choose to exist during a set can dictate how comfortable you are and what kind of night you have. For the strivers who love being in the thick of the action, you may get stuck in a throng of equally ambitious concertgoers who came here to flat-out party. It’s sort of like being on a packed 6 train except everyone is jumping. And it rules. The energy is absolutely juiced. This is what live music is all about.

Best of all, the crowd parts like the red sea should you need a bathroom break. Not having to elbow your way to the men’s or women’s room is a gift that any seasoned concertgoer should never take for granted.

If you prefer to hang back, your experience may be more akin to a walk in the park. Sure, you won’t be as close to the performers onstage but you’ll be free to wild out a bit and won’t have to worry quite as much about losing your primo spot if you have to split for a phone call or drink.

OK, disclaimer for the next one.

Truth be told, I’m not that cool. Standing and dancing and jumping for too long can be a drag (Editor;s note: the writer of this piece is 36. Take his words with a grain of salt). Should you get tired, there is a small stadium-style seating area in the back to recharge. Chill for a song or two and then hop back into the action.

Also, it should be noted there’s an underground techno club called Basement here, too. Just when you think you’ve seen everything, the Knockdown Center has another trick up its sleeve.

The Voidz with Crack Cloud

There’s a great joke in “Girls5eva” (well, there are a lot of great jokes in “Girls5eva” but bear with me here). In the Season One finale, the titular girl group goes against a dull dude act to determine who opens for a headliner on tour. Although Girls5eva clearly win, the worse band is chosen as the victor because the promoters believe fans who arrive early will want to get up and buy concessions while the boring band performs. Makes me laugh thinking about it right now.

That’s simply not the case at the Knockdown Center, though. Openers shine here.

At the show I attended, Crack Cloud delivered an acid jazz freak out set that had the general admission audience eating from the palm of their hands. If you’re not familiar with their unique sound, imagine Primus meets Sparks with a touch of propulsive punk and the occasional sax solo.

The lead singer also happens to be their drummer (very cool) and the gifted Canadian ensemble employ experimental Residents-style openings to songs and equally unexpected left field transitions between them. More than anything, their guitars sound like a sneer. In short, they’re wicked good fun.

Around 9:30, Julian Casablancas and The Voidz took the stage.

From the jump, it was clear they are a GA band. Their tropical metal and sun-soaked ‘80s neon nostalgia backed by The Strokes’ frontman’s disaffected Lou Reed voice or David Lee Roth yelp (the man can hit ungodly highs) depending on the song has to be experienced on your feet (and amongst fellow passionate yet ironic fans who request “Is This It” and “Reptilia” in between almost every song).

This was just the right venue for them, too. Sizable but intimate, underground but accessible. The marriage of artist and venue couldn’t have been more perfect.

Early in the show, I realized The Voidz’s songwriting strategy is to alternate between dream pop and nightmare noise. By the time we reached the encore when Julian, Beardo and the band delivered their ephemeral rock ballad “Human Sadness,” they took the dreaminess and noise to a new plain. I’d seen them perform this timeless, foreboding beauty before but the song never hit for me quite like it did in the Knockdown Center. That night, it was like we all ascended to the heavens. I pounded my fists, my tired, 36-year-old knees unlocked and I was free. The sound drowned everything out and as we all sang along, somehow we all sounded like Julian.

Transcendent. Unforgettable. Beautiful.

Hopefully, that gives NYC newbies just a little taste of what a Knockdown Center concert is like. Welcome.

We’ll see you at the next show.

Leaving the Knockdown Center

Once the concert’s almost over, you can do one of two things.

If you had a great time, stick around. Soak in the experience and straggle. My friend stayed behind and actually got his hands on The Voidz’s set list. I thought that was pretty sick.

Alternately, if you’re an aging Millennial that wants to book it back to your bed, I recommend approaching the exit as soon as the band teases an encore. Check Set List FM and see what the group closes with and once they launch into that track, check bus times or set up an Uber ride ASAP.

When the lights turn back on, speed walk to the exit, hang a left out of the venue and keep an eye on the plates. My driver showed up surprisingly fast, we beat the traffic and I was home in no time.

Exciting artists coming to New York City

Once I got back, I was already jonesing for more shows in the City.

After doing a bit of scrolling research, I found five acts stopping by the five boroughs in the next few months that are absolutely unmissable live. We’ll see ya there.

• Phish

• Shakira

• Pixies with Kurt Vile

• Jason Isbell

• Oasis with Cage The Elephant

Who else is dropping by in the near future? Take a look at our list of the 50 biggest concert tours in 2024 to find the show for you.

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This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.

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