New York City: My Brain Feels Like a Pigeon Coop
okay, so. new york. right? everyone’s been there, everyone’s got an opinion. mine? it’s… a lot. like, a lot a lot. i just checked and it's drizzling a persistent, grey sort of rain, the kind that soaks you through before you even realize it’s happening. hope you like that kind of thing.
I’m a touring session drummer, which means I’m usually hauling gear through airports and sleeping on questionable couches. but this trip? this was different. i was supposed to be scouting locations for a potential music video - something gritty, something real. ended up feeling pretty gritty myself, honestly.
I spent most of my time wandering around *Brooklyn, specifically Bushwick. the murals! seriously, the murals are insane. like, someone clearly had a lot to say with spray paint. i took a million photos, naturally. my phone’s practically begging for mercy.
I stumbled into this tiny, hole-in-the-wall bar - The Cobra - and overheard some serious gossip.
“Don’t go near the laundromat on Knickerbocker Avenue after dark. Heard it’s a whole thing with… well, let’s just say you don’t want to know.”
Probably just drunk advice, but still. added it to my mental list of things to avoid.
I was trying to find a decent rehearsal space, something with good acoustics and, you know, not infested with cockroaches. Yelp wasn’t super helpful, to be honest. Mostly just a bunch of five-star reviews from people who clearly hadn’t spent more than five minutes in the place. I did find a few leads on a local musician’s forum - check it out https://www.nycmusicscene.com/ - but nothing concrete yet.
Someone told me that the pizza at Roberta’s in Bushwick is life-changing. I tried it. It was… good pizza. Not life-changing. Maybe my expectations were too high. I’m a drummer, not a pizza connoisseur.
I spent an afternoon wandering through Greenpoint, which felt… calmer. More residential. I even saw a cat wearing a tiny sweater. A tiny sweater. New York, you’re weird.
If you get bored, Philadelphia and Newark are just a short train ride away. I considered it, honestly. Just hopping on a train and disappearing. But then I remembered I had a gig in Long Island next week.
My gear list for this trip was pretty minimal, mostly just my laptop, a notebook, and a ridiculous amount of earplugs.
Laptop (obviously)
Notebook & Pen (for scribbling down random thoughts and potential song ideas)
Earplugs (essential for surviving the subway)
Portable Charger (because outlets are a rare commodity)
Rain Jacket (apparently, I needed one)
Comfortable Shoes (seriously, you’ll be walking a lot)
I also checked out a few vintage clothing stores in the East Village*. Found a pretty rad band tee for twenty bucks. Score! If you’re into that sort of thing, check out Beacon’s Closet - https://www.beaconscloset.com/
I overheard another snippet of gossip while waiting for a coffee (which, by the way, was overpriced but decent - I’m a sucker for a good latte).
“Apparently, there’s a secret speakeasy hidden behind that bookstore on Bleecker Street. You need a password or something. Good luck finding it.”
I didn’t try to find it. I was too tired.
Honestly, New York just… overwhelms you. In a good way, mostly. But also in a way that makes you want to curl up in a ball and hibernate. I’m already dreaming of a quiet cabin in the woods. But hey, at least I got some photos and a few potential leads for the music video. And a cat in a sweater. That’s gotta count for something, right? Check out some more tips on visiting NYC here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g607-New_York_City-Vacations.html