So maybe my title is a little bit misleading because the physical space has not gone anywhere at all and still sits firmly where it has stood for decades on Irving Place, just off 15th Street in NYC. Despite that, Irving Plaza did “go away” for a few years but was now back. Let’s continue shall we? I start with a little background history on the place.

The venue known as Irving Plaza opened its doors way back in 1860 when it was referred to as Irving Hall. Now, I didn’t know this from experience of course and learned it from some historical research that I would need for this little side narration. After a number of interesting changes and owners it came to be called Irving Plaza and the venue would feature Rock, Punk and Heavy Metal shows. My own first experience as a concert goer would be in September of 1997 when the British Progressive Rock legends Marillion were performing for their “This Strange Engine“ album. Having never been inside the place before I had some high hopes as to what I would feel once inside its walls. I liked what I was seeing, but since I was so interested in the show more than my surroundings I had to leave it as “really good” as an experience. Of course I wish I could have said the same for Marillion who had seemed to lose me with this recording and show. Musically it was true that the band was different with Steve Hogarth now on vocals, but I had enjoyed his earliest stuff with them and based on all the changes to format was growing distant from the band as his tenure progressed. Anyways, this is not about my Marillion concerns and is slightly off topic from where I was going with this narrative.  So where was I? Oh yeah, the Irving Plaza venue.  Well, in 2007 Livenation (a division of Clear Channel Communications) took over the place and did some serious renovations.  The standard stuff in regards to paint, interior sprucing up and oh yeah – they also renamed the joint.  Ladies and Gentlemen presenting “The Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza”.
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