Freehold (45 South 3rd St), located in south Williamsburg, is widely known as a freelancer’s oasis to get some work done while having a burger, taking a break to enjoy the large outdoor space and having a beer to close out the day. Or you can hit up Freehold to celebrate your friend’s birthday brunch or during one of their epic Halloween parties. But if you have caught a studio session, you probably know Freehold’s latest hit is as non-traditional music venue. Freehold Studio Sessions have been happening for more than a year, beginning with bands such as St. Lucia, that served as a sort of test to see how the space would work for live music. Once the Freehold folks realized that their space could work well as a music venue, it was important to event director Lydia Mazzolini, creative director Tony Pytleski and the rest of the team to keep bringing in quality bands to give Freeholders (their members) the gift of enjoying a great live show that would be rooted in community. They brought on Joey Garofalo of Beacon Events to book bands, and the rest is recent history.
What makes Freehold stand out as a venue is the intimate vibe it creates for both the bands and the concertgoers. Hospitality is number one for the Freehold team so after an early sound check, bands are welcome to make themselves at home, hanging out for food and drink while Freehold’s game room turns into a luxe green room. These types of luxuries are harder to come by at other venues, as is hanging out with the band after the show—something that happens often after artists perform at Freehold. These shows really bring the attendees close to the performers which strengthens one of the attributes which Freehold finds most valuable: community. Having a Cheers-like atmosphere is important to the Freehold team. Many of North Brooklyn’s DIY spaces have closed, and Freehold is able to capture that spirit by providing a pop-up music venue for these sessions.
In case you missed it, last year’s bands were Saint Motel, St. Lucia, The Knocks, Panama Wedding, Sinkane, Rubblebucket, Wet, Breakbot, Muna and Miami Horror. The sessions officially started on March 20 and went on until October, with the performing band always being unannounced, adding an element of surprise for guests. For this coming season’s studio sessions that will start in spring, you can expect them to be “bigger and better” with a shorter season of sessions that will happen more frequently with shows happening weekly or even more often.
To keep the atmosphere of community, becoming a Freeholder gives you easy access to shows and allows you to bring guests. You can apply here.
Freehold | 45 S 3rd Street
Coffeeshop hours: Mo-Su 7am-7pm
Lobby Bar hours: Su-Tu 11am-12am | We-Th 11am-2am | Fr-Sa 11am-4am
Courtyard hours: Su-We 11am-11pm | Th-Sa 11am-1am
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