Shea Stadium, one of the most iconic DIY concert venues in Brooklyn, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help them reopen their doors as soon as possible. We thought it was a good time to dig into the rich archives of all the shows that were recorded there over the last eight years.
Shea Stadium. It’s a name that means something to more than just baseball fans. Named in honor of the famous New York stadium that was demolished in 2009, Shea Stadium is also the name of a recording studio and DIY concert venue in East Williamsburg. Founded in 2009, the studio had to close its doors in March due to permit issues and fines. The story sounds pretty familiar. Death by Audio (see our article “Goodnight Brooklyn: The Life and Death of a DIY Venue in Brooklyn”), 285 Kent, Market Hotel and many other bastions of the Brooklyn music scene have gone through these closures and reopenings.
But the three founders of Shea Stadium aren’t giving up hope. On March 22, less than two weeks after announcing the closure, they launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. Their goal is to pay off their debts so they can reopen Shea Stadium as soon as possible and give it legal status in the city. A few days before the end of the campaign, they doubled their $50,000 goal. The initial goal was reached in only six hours! A clear sign of how much New York loves this space.
In eight years of existence, Shea Stadium knew exactly what to do to stand out. And they were even able to gain notoriety beyond the local music scene. All the concerts they ever held there were recorded. Homeshake, DIIV, Wavves, Future Islands, SUUNS, King Krule, Bass Drum of Death, and more. From 2009 to 2017, 1,500 live shows were recorded. You can access all the recordings for free on the Shea Stadium website. Check out a few of our favorites below before diving deep into the archives yourself.
Discover our selection of alternative spots in Brooklyn and NYC with our city guides Indie Guides Brooklyn et Indie Guides NYC.
Photo: Kickstarter
Article translated by Andrea Perdue