B.B. Kings CLOSING

[marybrewster]

To Our Valued Patrons,

It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share that after 18 wonderful years bringing you live performances by some of the most talented names in music and entertainment, we have announced our final run of shows in the current Times Square location. As a result of escalating rent, we are being forced to close our doors at the end of April. While we are in the process of selecting a new location in Manhattan to relocate the venue, we wanted to curate a special closing week celebration to thank you all for your support over the past two decades. None of this would have been possible without you and we are eternally grateful!

The celebration will consist of performances by Rick Ross [[4/23), Slick Rick & Doug E Fresh [[4/25), El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico [[4/26), George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic [[4/28), and Buddy Guy [[4/29), who will be headlining the final B.B. Blues Club show. See below for the current schedule and ticket links.

All shows scheduled beyond the April 29th closing date will be moved to various venues throughout the city. The weekly Sunday Gospel Brunch featuring The Harlem Gospel Choir will give their two final performances on April 22nd & 29th, and we are currently working with the group to find a new home for their weekly residency which will be announced shortly. Lucille's Grill, located inside the venue, will remain open until April 29th and will feature sets by club favorites B.B. King Blues Club All-Stars, Jon Paris, A Decade of Soul, and more.

We look forward to celebrating the past and looking toward the future with you all. Your patronage means the world to us and we cannot thank you enough. We will see you soon!

Sincerely,
The B.B. King Blues Club & Grill Family

[Motown Eddie]

Wow! I've enjoyed many great shows at B.B. King's in Times Square and I hope they find a new location soon. Thanks for the news MaryBrewster.

[marv2]

Oh no, I can't stand it. I just can't take it. LOL! I was there for shows their first year and throughout the years. Some really great memories there. So many great places that were somewhat landmarks along Broadway and other places in Manhattan have closed due to escalating rents, leases and taxes! It is all about GREED! When the Colony Record Store closed after over 50 years about 10 years ago, I knew it was over and the only constant would be change. I am going to miss B.B. Kings like all the other places that have disappeared from the city since the 80s.

[marv2]

Wow! I've enjoyed many great shows at B.B. King's in Times Square and I hope they find a new location soon. Thanks for the news MaryBrewster.

Motown Eddie, I remember hoping the same thing when the Motown Cafe closed. They still have not found a new location and it is going on something like 15 years now.

[marv2]

Wow! I've enjoyed many great shows at B.B. King's in Times Square and I hope they find a new location soon. Thanks for the news MaryBrewster.

Remember SweetWaters?

[gman]

I've never been there, but saw the show listings and it was always impressive.

Colony and other OOP record shops were in my opinion smothered by Ebay. No need to pay $40- $75 for a record you can buy for under $10....NYC had many pricey used LP stores....Footlight was always the best bet for a decent price. When Daytons did overstock clearance they were competitive too.

[luke]

I’m shocked. I realize how much I depended on B.B. Kings to see great soul stars from past and present. I pray they find a great place. You’re right Marv. Greed greed greed. Sad.

[marv2]

I've never been there, but saw the show listings and it was always impressive.

Colony and other OOP record shops were in my opinion smothered by Ebay. No need to pay $40- $75 for a record you can buy for under $10....NYC had many pricey used LP stores....Footlight was always the best bet for a decent price. When Daytons did overstock clearance they were competitive too.

What happened to Colony Records was that their lease was doubled to about $1.5 -2 million a month! They could not afford to sell records any cheaper. Their entire inventory was moved to somewhere else that I cannot remember at the moment.

[marv2]

I’m shocked. I realize how much I depended on B.B. Kings to see great soul stars from past and present. I pray they find a great place. You’re right Marv. Greed greed greed. Sad.

It is like a plague on New York. I remember when the price to buy of a one bedroom apartment hit the $ 1 million average back in 2000! It is quickly becoming so un-affordable that you have to be a millionaire to afford living in Manhattan.

[milven]

...... It is quickly becoming so un-affordable that you have to be a millionaire to afford living in Manhattan.

Or to visit Manhattan. I used to be in NYC a few times a week seeing shows and concerts and going to restaurants. But it is so expensive now. I will still do it , but much less often. To see Bette Midler in Hello Dolly, for premium tickets, parking, tolls and dinner close to a thousand dollars was spent.

I wonder how tourists can come and spend an entire week here. Maybe I should follow them and learn their tricks.

I'm old so I have seen many great NYC place disappear. Colony, the original Copa, Madison Square Garden, and now B B Kings and Carnegie Deli.

If you stay out of NYC for a few weeks, you'll come back and see change. Something new or something gone.

"NYC will be a great place if it is ever finished"

[marv2]

Or to visit Manhattan. I used to be in NYC a few times a week seeing shows and concerts and going to restaurants. But it is so expensive now. I will still do it , but much less often. To see Bette Midler in Hello Dolly, for premium tickets, parking, tolls and dinner close to a thousand dollars was spent.

I wonder how tourists can come and spend an entire week here. Maybe I should follow them and learn their tricks.

I'm old so I have seen many great NYC place disappear. Colony, the original Copa, Madison Square Garden, and now B B Kings and Carnegie Deli.

If you stay out of NYC for a few weeks, you'll come back and see change. Something new or something gone.

"NYC will be a great place if it is ever finished"

NYC will never be finished. They have even built on top of old railroad bridges, trussels. All those clubs and music venues we use to go to in the 80s are gone. All of smaller stores have changed over at least 4 times since the late 90s. Mamma Leone's closed in the early 90s along with so many other landmarks. "Hogs and Heifers" closed in 2015. All because of rising rents, leases etc.

[marv2]

This is a perfect of example of what is going on:

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-styl...icle-1.2300233

[Motown Eddie]

Motown Eddie, I remember hoping the same thing when the Motown Cafe closed. They still have not found a new location and it is going on something like 15 years now.

That's so right Marv. After the bad news about B.B. King's Club sunk in, I remembered other great music venues that closed for one reason or another and never came back [[at least not in NYC).

[marv2]

That's so right Marv. After the bad news about B.B. King's Club sunk in, I remembered other great music venues that closed for one reason or another and never came back [[at least not in NYC).

I guess greed overrules sentimentality!