The Bitter End and Other Concert Venues Say They Won’t Survive Without a Bailout
Hundreds of clubs have already gone out of business while politicians debate a new coronavirus recovery package.
Lady Gaga performs on balcony of The Bitter End in 2016.
Photographer: James Devaney/GC Images via Getty Images
The Bitter End has survived seven recessions, two changes in ownership and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It might not survive the coronavirus.
The club, located in the heart of Greenwich Village, has been a staple of New York nightlife since it opened in 1961, offering a mix of big-name celebrities and young talent from nearby New York University. Joni Mitchell played there after the release of her debut album in 1968, the same year Nina Simone performed a rousing rendition of “House of the Rising Sun.” Nearly 20 years later, it’s where a young comedian named Jon Stewart first garnered attention.