Maxwell's sits just across the river from Manhattan in the town of Hoboken. The meager 200-person capacity venue has managed to live fairly comfortably off the leftover musical acts that visit New York every day. Maxwell's has hosted bands that include the likes of Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and R.E.M.--groups that, even at the time, would have filled venues twice the size just across the river. Although the club briefly shut its doors, it has since reopened and continues to attract respected musical acts from around the world.
Maxwell's
1039 Washington St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030
201-653-1703
maxwellsnj.com
The Stone Pony, located in Ashbury Park on the Jersey Shore, has grown into a landmark for original music. Having opened in 1974, the club arrived just in time to catch a wave of original music in the area, which included the now legendary Bruce Springsteen and later Bon Jovi. Other bands from that era, from the Ramones to Blondie, made it a point to head to the shore for a gig. Like Maxwell's, the Stone Pony was shut down, only to reopen in 2009, largely in response to public demand.
The Stone Pony
913 Ocean Ave.
Asbury Park, NJ 07712
732-502-0600
stoneponyonline.com
Although the Court Tavern in New Brunswick may not have quite as illustrious a history of Maxwell's or the Stone Pony, it has been entertaining audiences since the mid-1980s. Bands that first gave the Court Tavern its reputation for original music were the hordes of punk and indie rock groups of the time period. Bands such as Black Flag, the Circle Jerks and the Flaming Lips have all graced the stage, setting the tone for a venue that has become a haven for independent rock.
The Court Tavern
124 Church St.
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
732-545-7265