Drew Hart, talent buyer for Village Presents, has confirmed that the company’s new Greenwich Village listening room, Bleecker Bell, will open its doors in September. The 200-capacity venue is the first new music space built in the historic New York neighborhood in two decades.
Hart books original music programming across Village Presents’ portfolio, which also includes Cafe Wha? and Groove. He described Bleecker Bell as a room designed to extend the area’s live music legacy while offering a fresh layout. “It has the same super intimate feel of the historic Greenwich Village venues, but we added a mezzanine overlooking the stage to create a unique element and to give fans a little more space than some of the other more tightly packed rooms in the neighborhood,” Hart said. The fall lineup is expected to be announced later this month.
Marketing with precision tools
To promote shows across multiple intimate rooms, Hart’s team relies on a platform called Cymbal to streamline email and advertising campaigns. He noted that the tool simplifies targeted email blasts and cleans up the process of running ads on Meta platforms. “The backend for running campaigns on meta is a total nightmare these days, so it’s been huge for cleaning up that process and making sure we are getting the most out of those ad spends,” Hart said.
The hiring of a dedicated marketing and design specialist last year has also sharpened the team’s ability to analyze campaign performance and adjust tactics in real time. Hart pointed to Spotify concert listings as a growing discovery channel, particularly for connecting with fans when an artist has new music out.
Partnerships and special events drive organic buzz
Hart emphasized that the right timing and collaborations often outweigh software and ad budgets. He cited a recent sold-out 600-capacity boat ride show co-promoted with Queens-based country promoter Honky Tonkin’ and headlined by The Deslondes. The event succeeded, he said, because the band had just released new music, the promoter brought a dedicated audience, and the floating venue created a distinctive experience. “Lining up all of those factors really goes a long way in creating buzz organically,” Hart said.
Advice for artists and teams
Hart urged artists to be more proactive in sharing assets with venues, such as new promo videos, and to approach touring with greater intention given current challenges on the road. He also encouraged acts to make each show feel like a special event, whether by booking a strong local support act, staging a pop-up performance, or tying a date to a new release. “Anything to make the show feel like a special event can really help create buzz and sell tickets, and will also usually make for a better fan and artist experience,” he said.
