One of the things we’ve missed most during the pandemic is live music, and we suspect we’re not alone. Whether it was going to see a friend’s band, going to an open mic to listen and share, or just dropping by a bar that had reliably good acts and checking out what was going on, the lack of live music has left one of the bigger holes in our life. This week at S&W we’re dipping into our archives to celebrate some of the great live performances we’ve witnessed over the years.

The late great Sidewalk Café certainly deserves its own painstakingly researched tome someday, but suffice to say that in its day it was the type of space that is quickly becoming a memory here in NYC: a late night venue with live music every day, where anyone could get on stage and do anything, and you wouldn’t get kicked out for not having any money. A true community. When we talk of spaces where you peek your head in late at night to find an incredible band blowing the mind of all three people in the audience, that’s the kind of magic you found at Sidewalk. You also found lovingly curated bills featuring packed rooms and bands you never heard of but were perfect for the space: and one night we wandered in to see a friends’ band but ended up being blown away by this incredible performance by Miwa Gemini instead.

One of the things we’ve missed most during the pandemic is live music, and we suspect we’re not alone. Whether it was going to see a friend’s band, going to an open mic to listen and share, or just dropping by a bar that had reliably good acts and checking out what was going on, the lack of live music has left one of the bigger holes in our life. This week at S&W we’re dipping into our archives to celebrate some of the great live performances we’ve witnessed over the years.

Up today is one of our absolute favorites in the NYC songwriter scene, St Lenox. With an absolute tank of a voice and thought provoking lyrics delivered with super creative phrasings, St Lenox is a truly unique artist and one of the city’s true gems. Here we share a performance of his song Thurgood Marshall, which is almost certainly the best song about a Supreme Court Justice ever written

One of the things we’ve missed most during the pandemic is live music, and we suspect we’re not alone. Whether it was going to see a friend’s band, going to an open mic to listen and share, or just dropping by a bar that had reliably good acts and checking out what was going on, the lack of live music has left one of the bigger holes in our life. This week at S&W we’re dipping into our archives to celebrate some of the great live performances we’ve witnessed over the years.

First up is Flying Pace, a band we saw at the great Footlight bar and music venue. We were there early for la sudar’s EP release but ended up sticking around for most of the afternoon and caught this great band having their record release / swan song show! Too bad really, we enjoyed their dreamy pop sensibilities, especially this song, Pollen. One of the great joys in life is seeing a band at random and ending up loving the show, and though Flying Pace may be no more, we’ll always be grateful for this experience.