L’Amour, the venerable punk and metal venue
in Borough Park that’s hosted such disparate and legendary acts
as the Dead Kennedys and Judas Priest, celebrates its 25th anniversary
in November.
L’Amour has long been Brooklyn’s bastion for local and national
acts, including such notables in the coming weeks as L.A. Guns
and King Diamond. This Friday, Halloween perennials The Misfits,
who are also celebrating 25 years of rock ’n’ rollin’, will perform
at L’Amour, located on a warehouse-flanked and otherwise eerily
quiet building at 1545 63rd St.
The venue itself is a monument to dingy simplicity. Think of
your basement cellar, but with a couple of beer bottles strewn
about. Turn out the lights, drop a stage in front and a bar in
back, add some hair, and there, headbangers, is L’Amour.
Alone but for the Brooklyn Zoo, a punk and New Wave club in Sheepshead
Bay during the 1980s, L’Amour has showcased the borough’s metal
scene while giving a leg-up to young unknowns like Guns N’ Roses,
who played at the venue in the mid ’80s, according to the venue’s
Web site.
The list of bands that have rocked L’Amour’s stages since 1978
number in the hundreds and include hordes of local bands like
Dashboard Mary and Sir Duke. But many, like Metallica, Faith
No More and Megadeth, visited Borough Park long before becoming
the household names they are today.
"I had known about it as a metal place – Metallica came
out of there from what I understand," said Mike Shine, 26,
lead singer of The Act, which will open for The Misfits on Halloween
night. Shine said The Act’s theatrical shows employ everything
from smoke machines to confetti cannons and "we always try
to play every show like it’s Madison Square Garden."
Although intrigued by L’Amour’s history, Shine told GO Brooklyn,
"I’m even more excited about seeing The Misfits – Jerry
Only and Marky Ramone and Dez – those [The Misfits, The Ramones,
and Black Flag] are three of my favorite bands of all time, so
I will be in the audience watching the show, too."
At press time it had not yet been announced how L’Amour, the
self-proclaimed "Rock Capitol of Brooklyn," would be
celebrating its silver anniversary, so keep your eye on www.lamourrocks.com
for more information.
L’Amour is located at 1545 63rd St.
at 15th Avenue in Borough Park. On Oct. 31, The Misfits, The
Act, Carnival of Souls, Scarred by Life, Kayden, Turn for the
Worse, Leviathan, Agnosis, Black Moon Rising, Subjected and more
will perform at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $20.
On Nov. 1, The Color Guard, Down One, The Perfect Mistake, Voice
of a Secret, Six Second Crush, Wail and Vertyle perform at 7:30
pm. Call for admission price.
On Nov. 2, Six Feet Under, Behemoth, Skinless, The Black Dahlia
Murder, Cyanide Breed, Deadwait, Divine Signs, Dimentianon, Locked
in a Vacancy and Raza Odiada perform at 5 pm. Call for admission
price.
For more information, call (718) 837-9506.
