The Sunday Irish Seisún at 11th Street Bar.
Musicians know: 11th St. Bar is place to play
BY PUMA PERL
The 11th Street Bar is the pub equivalent of
a musician’s musician. Not everyone knows
about it and it’s easy to miss since it’s located
on a side street, between Avenues A and B. It’s
that neighborhood place where music lovers of all
stripes congregate with bartenders heading home
from shifts, where locals and travelers meet to enjoy
live performances in the back room or hang out
at the bar.
These days, as we watch rents rise and favorite
venues disappear, it’s gratifying to learn that longtime
bartender Dan Sweeney bought 11th Street
Bar, joining the ranks of tavern owners with rockand
roll hearts. Sweeney, the principal owner,
made sure to acknowledge his partners, Diarmuid
and Meghan Joye.
“I could not have done it without them,” he said.
“They’re neighborhood people. Their kids go to
school here. They’re invested in the community.”
Sweeney has worked in bars since age 15. His uncle
owned six taverns in Nassau County. In 1999,
he left Long Island to enter the fi nancial world and
continued to bartend on the side. On 9/11, he was
working in 7 Word Trade Center, and ultimately
lost fi ve friends, including his best friend’s brother.
He and his friend decided to change their lives
and focus on music, eventually forming Acquiesce,
a band that successfully toured and played locally
until 2007, when it became nearly impossible to
make money. By that time, Sweeney had moved up
from bartender to manager at the St. Mark’s Ale
House, but had no idea that he would one day buy
the place he calls his “favorite bar.”
Asked why 11th Street Bar earned that title, he
responded, “They stay open until 4 a.m. and it’s a
PHOTO BY BRIGITA JANSEN
Emily Duff playing at the 11th Street Bar.
great meeting place for musicians, bartenders and
waitresses heading home from work. Since I lived
on 12th St., I’d always stop off. There are two large
TVs, but they don’t blare — it’s not a sports bar.
They always play cool music and there’s a sense of
community. And,” he added, gesturing toward the
beamed ceilings and wood panels, “It’s gorgeous!
The wood construction dates back 100 years!”
After leaving St. Mark’s Ale House in 2010,
Sweeney, on the suggestion of bartender/legend
Kenny O’Conner, took on fi ve shifts at 11th Street.
O’Conner has been a staple since 1997, when the
bar opened. About a year later, he began booking
music, and the music continues. One of the longest
ongoing series in the city is the Sunday Night
PHOTO BY JIMMY O’KELLY
Irish Seisún, run by Tony De Marco and Eamon
O’Leary. On Mondays, Richard Clements and Murray
Wall lead a jazz quintet with a rotating group of
musicians. Tuesdays through Thursdays, you’ll fi nd
rock, country or blues bands.
Whether the performers are widely known or local,
a devotion to authenticity prevails, one reason
so many musicians love to play and hang out here.
Members of the Mark McKay Band feel that love.
They play a two-hour set here the second Thursday
each month. They used to play regularly at the
dearly missed Lakeside Lounge until it closed, after
a 16-year run, in 2012. Like Lakeside, 11th Street
Bar avoids booking fi ve bands nightly, allowing one
or two to shine with full sets.
“I love the way my band has evolved at 11th
Street Bar,” McKay said. “We make and play our
own music with a serious commitment to originality.
The back room sit-down gig is the perfect vessel
for our creativity.”
“Every time my phone dings that I have a text, I
become giddy and hopeful that it’s Kenny O’Conner
asking me to play,” said singer/songwriter Emily
Duff. “11th Street Bar still feels like my New York
and that doesn’t often happen these days.”
As a musician, Sweeney is attuned to the bands’
needs. His band, East River Bandits, often plays at
special events. There’s now an updated, user-friendly
Web site, new signage and a new logo. But this
place is still that rare jewel in our changing neighborhood,
offering a no-cover, “no frills” New Year’s
Eve, and staying open until 4 a.m., even if there’s
only one person at the bar. And you never know
who just might pop in for a nightcap or a song.
11th Street Bar, 510 E. 11th St. (between Avenues
A and B), 212-982-3929. For events, booking and
party reservations, see https://11thstbar.com/ .
Schneps Media TVG December 20, 2018 23
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