Southpaw

I loved this place. RIP Southpaw. You are greatly missed for your excellent live bands and the lines that wrapped around the block to see them. Cheap drinks, variety of music, nice staff, good seating area, just grungy enough. Love you!

RIP Southpaw :(
From the Rub, to the Punderdome, to special Soul and Bluegrass nights – you filled a gaping hole in the Park Slope scene.
You will be missed.

I’ve been to Southpaw a few times since 2008. My friends discovered The Rub, a group of awesome and talented deejays. They perform every first Saturday of the month. Their music is AMAZING! We’re never disappointed and they make the trek to Brooklyn worth it.
Whenever The Rub is deejaying, there’s always a long line… after 9:30ish. Be prepared to wait in that if you get there after 10:30. But once you’re inside, you’ll enjoy yourself. The bartenders are quick and efficient with your drinks. There are some sofas and chairs towards the back of the venue in case you want to chill out. If you’re in the mood to dance, the main floor is wide and gets packed with sweaty bodies. (Yucky!) Head downstairs to some smaller rooms with a different deejay spinning. The bathrooms can be a little scary, especially when they run out of toilet paper and soap. (!) But if you have to go, go.
Southpaw is a classic, chill New York spot. I enjoy coming here when I can!

I went here once for a concert years ago and back again last night for The Moth Storytelling Slam. It was PACKED. Get there early for these storytelling events, people!
The bar was very crowded but service was great. We never had to wait very long. There is a good variety of space to stand and also tables and chairs. I would take off a star because they don’t serve any food and I was starving, but wait! they let you bring in food from outside and I got to try some yummy birthday cake so that might be even better.

George and I finally made it to Southpaw on a Friday night for Freaktoberfest thanks to our trusted friends at Unilocal hooking us up.
It was just awesome. We sampled beer, watched burlesque and live bands, and really just had an absolute blast.
I always see a line outside of Southpaw and if every event is as surreal as this one, I cant wait to get in on the action.
Its totally low key, totally New York, and just totally awesome.

Finally made it to Southpaw for Freaktoberfest 2011 and had a awesome time! Between being surrounded by award winning craft brewers (turns out one was a old hs buddy!), sipping on some kick-​ass Fall beers, jamming out to that funky blues/​jazzz band, getting a kick out of that weird magician dude and just lounging out in the basement on those comfy couches, my gf and I had a really fun night. Really looking forward to coming back for another event or maybe popping back in on a regular Friday/​Saturday night.

I’ve always like the programming that Southpaw brings in. Great country, folk, and roots music all the time.
The enthusiasm of this review comes from their classy business practices too. Last night I was there to see Jimmie Dale Gilmore and I was right up by the stage and they had a high table up there. I set my backpack down underneath it, watched the rest of the show, got a little tipsy, got distracted by my buddies, then wandered off for a few more drinks down the way. An hour or so later I realized I had forgot my backpack which contained my laptop and just about every other thing I own that’s worth a damn in it (I know it’s stupid to carry it around but i was coming straight from work!).
So I rushed back but they were already closed. I properly freaked out and realized I had tracking software on the laptop, so i figured out how to check it and it said the laptop had moved from North Park Slope to Crown Heights, so I assumed it had been stolen and I was effed and was gonna have to go through the whole recovery process with the tracking company and cops etc.
I reckoned I’d at least stop by Southpaw to see if they might at least have the rest of my shit. I got there right as they were opening, asked the manager, and she said they indeed had it. All of it. Even the laptop! She said the other manager had found it while closing up and put it aside.
I don’t know what the hell kind of shit that tracking software was trying to pull. But god bless Southpaw and their honorable managers! One of them is an incredibly stunning woman too! I kind of have a big crush on her now. Thanks!!!

My review is in regards to THE MOTH events only.
This is hands-​down the best place to see The Moth (Storytelling) events. There’s ample seating (in the back), a rarity for performing arts venues anywhere in NYC.
There’s something very «New York» about this place. The set-​up and interiors have a cool, ‘natural’ Rock & Roll vibe, if that make sense (and it might not, sorry).
My friends and I have been at Southpaw numerous times for The Moth shows, and even at it’s busiest, we’ve never had an issue getting drinks or decent service from the folks who work there. The sound is perfect as well. A great place to see the show. A truly great venue.

update… Went this past weekend to see THE RUB and they had a DOWN SOUTH theme and I will have to say I was not diggining it at all. As a fellow dj there were no smooth transitions and it just didnt sound right to me… it was all cut it up/​off.
I love the rub but it rubbed me wrong this past weekend but it will not dissuade me… i will be back next month… step it up THE RUB!

You go here and you will have a great time! We had a Blast!!!
Great performances, great underground HIP HOP vibe.
We came for «The Rub» and is a great atmosphere, drinks are reasonably priced and well made. The space is huge, no reservation for tables needed, just get there early to get a good spot, the line moves pretty quickly is a $ 10 cover.
Just visit you will like! :)

Came out here for The Rub’s 9^th anniversary party. Excellent music, great crowd, great vibe. But this review is for the venue.
Was really happy about the ease of getting into the venue. Line moved quickly and we were inside in no time. It was a little overwhelming upon entrance since the party was already bumpin. We were pretty much fed right into the bar and dancefloor.
The set-​up isn’t bad, especially with the elevated lounge/​dancefloor. The main floor got pretty crowded, which was a good and bad thing. The party was just too big for the space and people couldn’t help but smack into each other. I’m all for people dancing and letting lose but honestly, elbows don’t belong in other people’s faces, ya dig?
Bartenders were pretty quick and attentive, but the «special» Ginny and shot deal was pretty wack. They poured my well whiskey shot into a plastic cup and got way sheisty. You could hardly call it a shot.
Overall it was a good/​not great experience for me. The Rub is a fun party with solid music but it was just too packed for my tastes. I could see myself having a blast if the place was even 25% less crowded.

Located not far from the newly renovated Atlantic station in Brooklyn.
It’s in decent neighborhood and there was plenty of on-​street parking available when we visited during the week.
It was a $ 10 cover charge when we went, which we anticipated because we were actually there for the music show that our friend was performing in. However, after paying a $ 10 door charge, who wants to pay $ 6 for a Strongbow… Sorry, but if canned Strongbow is the ONLY cider that you have available… who can you charge 6 bucks?!
I liked this place because it did not have nasty bar-​scent.
I didn’t visit the bathrooms though, so I can’t comment on those.
All in all, I would say that this is a good place to hang out. Maybe even for an after-​dinner drink with your date. They have video game machines in the back too.

I came her by accident once in the past year.
I went to Pizzatown before for a snack then made it in here for what I thought was a dubspot Night (drum-​n-​bass). I got my dates wrong though, ended up seeing a hip hop show and it was only $ 5. I didn’t get any drinks though. Had a good time. I am hardly in this area but next time I am for Sushi or whatever I will come back.

Hey whatever! It’s fun here! They serve beer and there is music! Whatever!
I like it when they have music that plays songs and also when there is beer in my mouth. Is that so wrong!!!

Good stuff. Good stuff. Came to see my friend’s cousin perform and was presently surprised when CL Smooth and Keith Murray came out and performed.
I wish they had A good Belgian Beer selection though… if any.

This isn’t a typical spot you would find me in, but since we were with some other folks, we didn’t really have a choice. But good thing we were dragged out there because this place was crackin’! Southpaw has a very grungy, underground hip-​hop feel and if you’re into that — this place is for you.
This place is pretty spacious too. Good for people like me who HATE to get stepped on. Move, bitch, get out the way!

«Open letter to? uestlove: Thank you for the lesson.
Open letter to Southpaw: Keep the got’damn children out. How hard is it to check an ID?»
Lemme backtrack; never one to look a gift horse in the mouth (especially when said horse comes equipped with awesomeness), I graciously accepted Peter D’s offer for 2 tickets to the? uestlove show at Southpaw MLK weekend… and the verbatim quote from my friend Carlos’ facebook status immediately preceding the show succinctly summed up my experience, too.
Don’t get it twisted — ?uestlove (and opening turntablist Waajeed) were GREAT. I’ll be the first to admit that I usually think of Ahmir Thompson as *THE* drummer with the luscious ‘fro in The Roots, or as a founding member of the Soulaquarians production team (aka the driving force behind the Neo-​Soul movement circa ’00−05.) So I was completely shocked upon realizing that he can spin, too! The majority of his set played much like a Crash Course in Hip-​Hop; first he’d play a few measures of an obscure soul hit and then gradually crossfade in with the rap song that sampled/​remade/​chopped-​n-​screwed it. Perfect example; Michael Jackson’s ‘PYT’ gradually became Kanye’s «The Good Life.» Granted, thanks to my parents being children of the ‘60s and his love of music, Carlos and I already knew most of the originals, but we still appreciated? uestlove’s concept.
But on the other hand, we were fucking annoyed; call me a hypocrite, an ageist, or even just a hater, but why were there so many under aged kids in Southpaw? The majority of the pre-​show was spent exchanging eye-​rolls with Carlos in regards to the teen aged shenanigans; boys barely past puberty two-​steppin’ like thugs during ‘Bonita Applebum’ (which is, for the record, a good song but also one of the most non-​hard hip hop songs ever made), while their training-​bra wearing girlfriends facebook’ed it up in the corner… because the world clearly needs more photo evidence of what happens when stupid seventeen y/​o sluts sip Schlitz.
Southpaw, as a venue, was alright — yes there were some crowding issues when trying to leave the main floor for the bathrooms in the basement, however, there also was a pretty cool bar in the lounge with a direct feed from the stage, for those who wanted a more low-​key setting, in contrast to the hot-​n-​sweaty show happening upstairs.
I’m not sure if that’s the normal crowd for Southpaw, but I can assure you (excluding another awesome show featuring? uestlove), I prolly won’t be back to find out.

so, my pal alan has his bday partay here last night! how lucky and fitting that this LA cat (and myself an LA pup) show up here to find DJ Nu-​mark on the 1s and 2s! His set was so good, so good, so good w/​just a touch of westcoast steez thrown in for good measure. the place was packed, but not horrible. the ambiance and décor is so NY and the crowd was so Brooklyn — meaning they were all about the music and dancing, nothing pretentious or douchey.
it was hot and humid inside but im all about free heat since its bout to be a long, brutal winter and my landlord’s been shaisty w/​the radiator thus far…

Went to go see Styles P & The Lox here when they performed. Great venue, very cool vibe, drinks were affordable, the sound was bangin’ and the selection was pretty ok.
Otherwise, the place can get real hot & humid.
Great place to be for a live show.
When I think about Southpaw, I think about a classic Hip Hop stomping ground.

I have never seen a bad show here. The last review said it was bands you’ve never heard of 364 days a year — well, sure, but when your favorite obscure band drops in, it’s awesome (CAMP LO!!! PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS!!! SOUL POSITION!!!).
I wish bands went here instead of the Knitting Factory… sigh. You can actually get to the bar (without carefully wading through a herd of drunk kids beating the piss out of each other — does this say more about the kinds of bands I see than it does about the venue?), you can actually hear the music, drinks are pretty cheap, staff is friendly, and you won’t get ebola from the bathrooms. It’s laid back, but not in that «are we going to die in some kind of fire/​floor collapse» way that Rothko (RIP?) did so well — it’s one of my favorite venues for sure.