Ahead of Our Wicked Lady’s closure, we asked members of the scene to share their favorite OWL memories and notes to the venue

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When you’ve been so immersed in a world for so long, it’s hard to remember how you entered it in the first place. I know I wasn’t born into the Brooklyn music scene. I certainly wasn’t conceived in a green room, and I sure as hell didn’t crowd-surf my way out of the womb. (Doctors: “The Baby’s All Right!!”) It took some time before I found my way in. 

After all, you can’t discover your community via Google Maps, and you can’t ask Siri to find you a scene. You just have to pound the pavement, follow your ears, make friends, figure it out. And while it took some years of stumbling around the city, I finally found my NYC home where so many others have–at Our Wicked Lady. 

Since 2015, OWL has served as Bushwick artists’ home base. A sticky-floored church for the sweetest of sinners where, for the last decade, bands, fans, friends and creatives of all kinds have congregated IRL to practice our unique, particularly rowdy kind of religion. But after this weekend–after Keith and Zach and the whole OWL fam, with the support of our community, put up one hell of a fight to save the space—the venue will be forced to close its doors.

While heartbreaking, this is the tragic reality of life in NYC. I wrote the Bands do BK book with the understanding that this city is ever-evolving—that scenes shift and bands blow up or break up (or move to LA). And I’ve learned firsthand that far too frequently our beloved venues close. I’ve used this line too often recently, but that’s because it remains relevant: New Yorkers are used to mourning the loss of our favorite places; it’s the real reason we wear black. But just because impermanence is the name of the game, it doesn’t make it hurt less. While our scene will go on (what choice do we have?), the closure of OWL creates a huge hole that can’t be filled. And it’s a loss that our community will feel for a really long time.  

I know that it’s impossible to define a musical age while you’re in the middle of it. You need time and space for perspective; you have to know what comes next to understand the influence of what’s happening right now. But I don’t require any hindsight to understand how much OWL has mattered. To understand the pivotal role it’s played in the growth of hundreds of local bands and in the lives of thousands of fans. To acknowledge the connections, conversations and real fucking fun that have happened within those walls. And regardless of what follows this particular NYC era, I’m certain that when I’m old and gray and almost certainly deaf–my OWL THX tattoo still inked on my sagging upper arm–I’ll look back fondly through foggy, rosé-colored glasses at the nights spent at OWL.

As will so many others.

Ahead of their last run of shows this weekend, I reached out to some artists and members of the scene and asked them to share what Our Wicked Lady means to them. <3

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Share your favorite OWL memory/story/note to the venue…

SKORTS

“OH BOY – too many to count. I just tallied that I’ve played OWL 13 times in 2 years (SKORTS has 15 total with two when I was out of town). I bop around so much in my life, my day job taking me to all different parts of the city every week, that I don’t get to feel like a regular of many places, but I felt like a regular at OWL. It was so special to get to know so many of the amazing people that made OWL tick, to run into so many friends of the scene in the crowds or backstage. I grew exponentially as an artist on that stage over those 2 years, so did our band. Getting to participate in Winter Madness last year was a huge turning point for us. It pushed us to grow and showed us what we are made of. Playing to a room full of people that wanted the best for us, alongside other bands also raising the stakes and giving their all. I will never forget those nights. Thank you OWL for being one of the biggest parts of raising my artist self here in the city. Thank you for everything you’ve done for this community, for giving artists a space to grow and play. We love you so much and we’ll carry these memories forever <3” – Emma Welch (SKORTS)

“OWL is where we had our first real show. I remember being in awe that we were going to play a venue with a real stage and real lights and real everything. I’ll always remember OWL as one of the places where it all started for us. And not to mention the countless nights going there to support friends and check out new bands. Oh and I attended a Jeffrey Lewis show there right around COVID. It was when people just started leaving their houses again and thing were coming back. Jeffrey’s band opened with the most tranquil synth pad I had ever heard and it just consumed me completely. That night and that synth pad is where the lyrics to our song ‘Cold Fingers’ were formed- ‘So let it hit, and just bathe in it.’ Thanks for the countless memories and inspiration OWL!” – Mitchell Vinokur (Two-Man Giant Squid)

Big Girl (by Sydney Tate)

“Big Girl played our first real show at OWL, as I remember. But it was the first show I played after my mom passed. It was sort of my first night out in public after my mom passed. We played on the first floor of OWL and it was my birthday. The audience sang me happy birthday at the end of our set. It was incredibly special and makes me tear up when I think about the friends that came through to support me at that time.” – Kaitlin Pelkey (Big Girl)

“My son is part of a band named Moonunitt. Sometime in 2021/2022 the band was given the opportunity to perform at OWL and my son made the biggest deal about it. When I attended, I saw why. First I was welcomed at the door by someone I later found out was Sanie a/k/a doorgirlnyc . I went upstairs to see the most unique open air set up I’d ever seen at a night club. I started attending more concerts there and Sanie continued her welcoming ways by remembering my name as soon as I showed up. I felt like family at that point. Always knowing I’d see familiar faces there Then in 2023 my son wanted to put together a show for his birthday. A city location didn’t work out, but one of the talent buyers at that venue (someone known as Sam) offered to let him take the 3/31 date at OWL and run with it. Joining Moonunitt that night were OWL staples AVATAREDEN, Thesaurus Rex and Tula Vera. The evening was an outstanding success and Moonunitt was given the opportunity to appear at a hometown music festival based on that performance.

A few months later, my daughter insisted I see a band called Mary Shelley. I was blown away by what I saw. It brought me right back to the days of CBGBs seeing a band of such talent on a local stage. At that show I was introduced to the previously mentioned Sam. Turns out she wasn’t just a talent buyer, but had strong community ties through many roles including her entity Bands do BK. She in turn introduced me to dozens of musicians, fans etc. Many of whom I will be connected with forever,

On May 2nd and 3rd of this year OWL gave me an opportunity I will never forget. I was able to put together a full weekend event featuring 13 bands. The highlight had to be when owner Zach Glass jumped on stage after Shred Flintstone’s set proclaiming it was one of the best sets of music he’d ever seen. Wow! Also of note we had a talent showcase which was door polled. The vast majority were there not to see a particular band, but ‘just to see what was going on.’ Yup. OWL is all about that What makes Our Wicked Lady so very special, and an institution not to be forgotten is the opportunity it provides artists, the feeling of family for fans, as well as a truly inclusive, safe place for all. Thank you Keith Hamilton and Zach Glass for all you do.” – Marc Seligman (The Music Matters – Rock and Roll enthusiast/DIY music supporter)

“Last year, we showed up early to load in for a late show at OWL with Caitlin Starr. When we walked back into the green room a bunch of old rockers were back there crushing beers. They were real friendly, tossed us a few beers, and started shooting the shit. Turns out they were the Dead Boys and they had just finished playing. This guy is kind of leaning against the fridge in the kitchen wearing a cap and he leans forwards and mumbles to Jon (bass) and Mudge (guitar)… ‘your shoelace seems to be a bit loose.’ It was fuckin Richard Llloyd. We were all pretty in awe by the whole experience. Long story short, our friend Marc started talking to Richard’s people that night and a year later we were supporting Richard at Union Pool. He was so kind to us that night and really left such a positive impression on us. OWL has always been a big connector for our group; we have met so many cool bands and people there and our web has grown so much because of OWL. We will never forget OWL… thanks for everything!” – Sean (Short Porch)

Shadow Year (by Justin Buschardt)

“I have a very vivid memory of going to one of, if not the last, OWL show before lockdown happened… Was going to see my friends Scout and Tyler‘s (TVOD) band Shadow Year and I remember a video of me pulling Goldfish out of my red jacket pocket and snacking on the way there.

During their set, a few of us got text messages and phone notifications to let us know that Tom Hanks just got this new thing called COVID-19. Something about these indicators made things more and more real about this thing we’d been hearing about, and the rest of that night shifted and felt as if it was a going away party to all of us though we didn’t have really any idea what that would eventually look like. I snapped some film photos of the band outside that felt victorious — Scout resting on the shoulders of her bandmates.

I ended up not being able to get them developed for quite some time. it wouldn’t be until nearly two years later that things started to open back up again… A couple of friends started hosting very limited backyard shows while wearing masks and then eventually Our Wicked Lady hosted me and none other then Scout to play a very limited and masked outdoor set up on the roof — we weren’t even allowed to plug into the PA as to not bring too much attention to what we were doing for fear it would be a  bad look.

Eventually OWL would open their doors again, starting to host what would be some of our first proper venue shows back as restrictions lifted. My band Sharkswimmer got to play after reforming the band as we endured some lineup changes due to a divorce/life stuff. That would be our very first sold-out show. People were mashing. Room was completely full of smiling sweaty faces, new and old—and all the bands were on fire. There was so much joy and hope pouring out of everyone in that room. Every show I would see there during that first month or two were sold out because people were just hungry to get back to seeing music. To seeing their friends… to seeing what it feels like to not be just alone in your apartment, looking at videos of the way things used to be.” – Justin Buschardt (Sharkswimmer)

“We met so many great friends and bands through OWL and are still incredibly grateful for giving us the platform to grow and create- from Winter Madness to SXSW to the one off show with friends. Really wouldn’t be the band we are today without a space like yours. So thank you once again, and although this may be the end of one chapter we are excited for whatever the future holds for you!” – Jeremy (Pamphlets)

“OWL has been such a pivotal venue in my own development as a musician and performer. Played my first show there in 2018 for the Thursdays for A Cause series when Greg and the King Pizza folks were synonymous with the place… getting your band photo in front of that light sculpture in the main space felt like an achievement. Then the first time you got to play the roof felt like you had leveled up as a band. With Catty, we rehearsed in the OWL studios, so hanging in the bar after practice became a great way to meet other musicians and bands and shows would just come together over a drink. Then with Ilithios, OWL was one of the few spaces that could handle our multiple members while still having room to move on stage and let the performance flow without worrying about getting knocked out by a guitar or bass. Having a space where your full potential comes thru is so crucial with winning people over. Anyone who plays in a band without the blessing of buzz can tell you that at some venues, you can feel like you’re burdening them by being there. At OWL, Keith, Zach, Sarah, Sanie, and Christiana always made us feel like we were home. When we were there, they made us feel like we’re the most important thing to them. There are no venues quite like OWL and we’re gonna miss it terribly, but also are so grateful for the time they were here. xo” – Manny Nomikos (Ilithios/Catty)

Pencildive

“I’ll never forget the night of our EP release show — rooftop open, sun setting, friends serenading us from the stage, the whole place full of kind people. OWL was a magical and supportive place for our band and for our community. Thanks for all the good times, we’ll sure miss ya.” – Zach Hirsch (Pencildive)

“I was pretty confident we were gonna suck. I had spent the last year and a half sitting alone in my studio writing all these songs for my brand new project Jelly Kelly and had no real clue as to whether or not any of em were any good. There’s really only one clear way to know… play them live. The band was formed and for our second show ever in NYC we were very graciously asked to play the rooftop of OWL as part of like a 15-band event in Sept 2019. I was so grateful to even be included as no one had ever seen us play, but we were welcomed right in as part of the community. This day was so impactful for me both personally and as a musician. We met the owners who were so inviting and supportive, we met all these rad ass bands, some who went on to become lifelong friends and found a port of sorts, where you can always come in from the crazy shit storm of NY that can sometimes envelope you. Turns out on that beautiful, crisp, sunny late summer, early fall =, afternoon on the rooftop of Our Wicked Lady, we did not suck, and that day specifically became such a source of inspiration. Our Wicked Lady has become such a source of inspiration for all of us in the community, a port of sorts, where we all knew we can get some shelter, and have a place to call home. Thank y’all for everything!! Y’all the best!! Love forever, Jelly Kelly.” – Keith Kelly (Jelly Kelly)

“When I moved into the OWL studio rooms in June 2015 I thought it would be just another rehearsal space in a long line of rehearsal spaces I’d rented in NYC. Perhaps a more prescient person would have felt the potential radiating from the walls of the building, but I just wanted a space with air conditioning and a clean bathroom. The bar opened a month later and Our Wicked Lady quickly became a second home for myself and countless other artists and musicians who walked through its doors. For the ten years that followed, OWL was the cornerstone of my Bushwick music experience. For many, it will be remembered as an incredible music venue, a place where you could discover your new favorite band on any given night. For me, I will always remember it by the deep friendships that were formed in the small moments most people never saw: writing music on the floor of studio 8 on a Sunday afternoon; sipping beers with the other bands on the roof during soundcheck; walking home in the summer heat after Soul Scream. This is what I’ll hold on to when OWL is gone, lost—like so many other storied New York City places—but kept alive in the memories of those who were fortunate enough to experience it while it was here. Long live Our Wicked Lady!” – Kevin Marksson (Endearments)

NEVVA

“In 2017, me and my friend Meagan (dj/producer QRTR) wanted to put on a full day party at Our Wicked Lady with punk bands during the day and then a dance party through the night. A party to highlight both sides of our personalities – punk rock and raving, things we love equally and are more connected than you’d think. It was also a release party for QRTR’s Absinthe Party EP. Certain to be a good time. NEVVA and Tonya Harding would open the show on the roof. We enlisted a friend David to do the food which we thought would be a fun an enticing marketing incentive – free tacos if you get there early! So much planning went into the event which was thrown by our little dance party collective, WAVCAVE. The day arrived and we were setting up and noticed we had not heard from our friend David who was in charge of the “free tacos.” More time passes and no word from him. The party starts. It’s a rager, bands on the roof, tech-house bumping downstairs. Hungry people starting to show up and mention the “free taco” that we advertised on the fliers. Meagan and i were panicked and furious at our friend who seemed to have ditched, no food and we haven’t heard from our friend David all day, WTF was up. In a desperate moment we called in a 100-taco catering order to Taqueria el Fagon down the street. Not exactly what we had promised, but nevertheless it would do. The tacos were a hit and people we’re happy. The DJ sets ended up getting moved inside due to a massive thunderstorm coming thru. The house was packed and people were vibing all night. The next day we learned our friend David was allegedly implicated in a crime and in jail all night LOL. Honestly not sure if that’s for real or it was just his alibi but at that point it didn’t matter. The release party was sick and we’ll never forget that little blunder! We love OWL so much and we will miss it!!!” – Jenny Palumbo (NEVVA)

“How can I possibly sum up what Our Wicked Lady means to me? There are just too many memories to count. Too many sweat-slicked summer nights. Too many rooftop conversations that started with nothing and ended in lifelong friendship. Too many times I looked around and didn’t stop to think, ‘This. This is the moment I’ll miss someday.’

OWL was the first place in New York that felt like home—for me and for my band. Ten years ago, I was still pretty new to the city, armed with little more than a guitar and a desperate need to find my people. After a stint of playing bad shows in all the wrong bars scattered across Brooklyn and the Lower East Side, I was learning the hard way that while New York is as electric as everyone says, it’s just as merciless. It doesn’t slow down to welcome you—you have to find your own pulse in the noise.

Being a new band in Brooklyn also meant constantly trying to break through the dense, unspoken wall of cliquey cool that seems baked into every corner. But then—thank god—Greg Hanson and The Mad Doctors (who spent more time dodging empty beer cans being tossed at them than they did playing their songs) invited me to a King Pizza show at a dark little bar on Morgan Avenue. Rather unassuming, apart from its unforgettable neon sunburst floating behind where the bands played, you immediately felt invited by a friendly face behind the bar to pull up a stool, to stay and watch the bands. You were home.

Honestly, I can’t even remember if that was the first show I saw there. I’ve played dozens and dozens and must’ve seen hundreds. Back then—before there was even a rooftop, can you imagine?—we all crammed ourselves downstairs every night of the week and quickly became friends. I lost track of how many times I stayed out way too late, didn’t care that I had an hour and a half subway ride home ahead of me, didn’t care I had to be at work in a few hours. Because somehow, none of that mattered.

Over time, OWL just became the hub of our scene—especially once Thursdays for the Cause started. It was there that we learned how to be bands. How to bands for others. And how to take care of each other. And then we took what we learned and brought it on the road and took it out into the world.

Before the rooftop even had a roof, we sometimes would have to stop mid-show when it rained—everyone working together frantically breaking down gear, running everything downstairs, setting it all back up to start the show over. That happened to us more than once.

It was our refuge for human connection during the ever-changing and always evolving scary dark days of the pandemic — taking bites of mandatory hotdogs we didn’t want in the first place from under our masks and asking each other what our worlds would look like should live music never came back.

It was also there in a singular intimate moment, that we watched Shadow Monster and Grandma turn the lights back onto our universe. And a week later Nihiloceros released iamananimal to a sold-out rooftop during a sideways lightning storm.

If it felt like OWL was figuring it all out with you, it’s because they were. They were fans first. They loved your band. They wanted you to succeed—just as much as you did.

That was the magic of Our Wicked Lady. It never asked you to show up polished or perfect. It just asked you to show up—with your gear, your weird ideas, your tired bones, your heartbreak, your friends. It held all of it. It held us.

There’s something sacred about a place that gives you permission to fail publicly. To try something dumb and loud and maybe kind of brilliant. To bomb a set, cry in the stairwell, and get picked up by the same person who booked you. We played some of our best and absolute worst shows there. You couldn’t fake it at OWL. And you didn’t need to.

And even though the building may go dark, OWL lives on. In the bands who played there. In the stories we tell. In the friendships and relationships it made possible. It lives in the warped setlists stuffed in junk drawers, in millions of blurry photos and grainy videos. In our hearts.

There’s a kind of grief that only comes from losing a place that loved you back. OWL wasn’t just a venue. It was where we went when we didn’t know where else to go. It was the backdrop to a decade of growing up, growing louder, and growing closer.

I don’t know what will take its place—if anything ever could. But I know this: OWL was never just a bar. It was built by people who gave a damn. About art. About music. About us.

To Zach, Keith, Sarah, Sanie, and the rest of our family—thank you. It’s been a wild ten years. OWL THX.” – Mike Borchardt (Nihiloceros)

“Back in winter of 2023, we had only a handful of shows under our belt, and had no idea how to break into the NYC scene as an unknown band from Jersey. We released our first recordings on the same day that we entered Our Wicked Lady’s Winter Madness. Much to our surprise, this led to our band playing 3 consecutive weeks to packed crowds, where we made tons of friends, got to know lots of great bands, and started getting show offers that haven’t stopped since. To say we are grateful is an understatement. There aren’t many venues that push so hard for small bands. Keith, Zach, and the entire OWL family have been a gift to the local community.🖤” – Kyna Damewood (The Dracu-Las)

Vanessa Silberman

“When I first moved to NYC in 2019, OWL was probably the venue I spent the most time at. There were always incredible shows and amazing artists and bands playing — I was constantly discovering new music. It truly felt like my home venue; a space that fostered community and connection. I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to play so many shows there — both solo and with my band LOVECOLOR — and to meet incredible artists, as well as host shows myself. Working with their booker, Christiana, over the years was always such a great experience. OWL will always hold a special place in our hearts.” – Vanessa Silberman (Artists, Record Producer, Owner of A Diamond Heart Production (label) & member of the band LOVECOLOR)

“My fondest OWL memory has to be about the Tilden/Wild Yaks show a couple years ago. I believe it was two years ago Soul Scream if I am not mistaken. It was truly the wettest show I’ve ever seen. Everything was wet! The stage, the instruments, the people. My hair was frizzing up like Gerald from Hey Arnold! And the show went on!! It was a euphoric experience watching two bands (one from Rockaway Beach, the other named after the beach) bring the tidal waves onto OWL. It was a space where we felt like no matter what happened, even if there was a hurricane, the show would still go on. Nobody cared about the water, they were there to groove down as if we were all swimming in the ocean.” – Di Ivories

“OWL was such a great example of balancing quality events and a low barrier to entry — you could be assured any show you’d see at the place was going to be great, and yet it was an achievable place to play for local musicians looking for a leg up.

Of the many, many events we participated in at OWL, 2 stand out. First, we released the music video for our song ‘Sleepy Pie’ on the rooftop and it was such a blast. We were able to screen the video before our set and also shower our video-makers with public praise. You could always count on OWL to come through with the technology you need, too — which is truly no small feat for a community-minded venue.

Next we also fondly remember the Look at My Records! Holiday Party in 2023, hosted by our friend Tom Gallo. It was a classic OWL 2-stage event, with bands on the roof and downstairs in the main bar. It was fun, chaotic, and miraculously ran more or less on time. And to top it off, Tom Gallo kept it all running while dressed as Santa.

We will miss you very much, OWL, and look forward to seeing what your stalwart leaders do next!” – Desert Sharks

Ozzie

“Farewell to Our Wicked Lady. It’s hard to put into words what Our Wicked Lady has meant to me over the years. It wasn’t just a venue, it was a launchpad, a sanctuary, a mecca, a place where wild ideas turned into unforgettable shows, friendships, and sweaty mosh pits and dance floors. Some of my earliest and most meaningful musical moments happened on that rooftop and in that room. Whether it was seeing a band blow the roof off or stepping on stage myself, OWL gave me the courage, the platform, and the community to push forward with my musical endeavors. It was gritty and beautiful, raw and real. Everything a DIY space should be. Thank you to everyone who kept it running for a full decade. You helped shape the Brooklyn/NYC scene and gave so many of us a place to grow. I’m forever grateful. Long live the spirit of OWL.” – Ozzie (Show Brain/Dead Tooth/Pons)

“I’m forever grateful to the OWL community and the work they poured into the NYC music scene. There will be a gaping OWL sized hole in all of our hearts.” – Kira Metcalf

Color Tongue

“We’ve had a lot of amazing shows at OWL over the years. I remember even going there the week before it opened when Mac Demarco was giving out free hot dogs to promote his newest album! But of all the shows we’ve played, I think my favorite was the acoustic show we performed outside on the sidewalk in October of 2020. It was the first time anyone had gotten a chance to play live in months and it was a really special moment for us and all those who were able to participate. Thank you OWL!!” – George M (Color Tongue)

“OWL was my first ever live sound gig. I remember hounding them for months before I joined the team. It was the perfect place for me to hone my craft and develop lasting friendships. I’ve had the honor of mixing, and attending, shows for a lot of my favorite local bands here. These early opportunities gave me the skills necessary to become the engineer and musician that I’m proud to be. I’m eternally grateful to Our Wicked Lady for giving me the space and opportunity to grow as an artist. I can’t pick one memory that sticks out. It’s the collective presence that has always meant so much to me. The community that Our Wicked Lady has cultivated means more to me than anything else. I will miss the sweaty downstairs punk shows, the wild rooftop shows, the late nights, drunken hangs and, above all, the people. Long live OWL 🤘🏼” – Zach Rescignano (Zach From The Show, Audio Engineer, Debbie Dopamine)

“Before Vram Kherlopian & I were officially a couple and making music together, we both happened to be at OWL on the night Trump got elected in 2016. It sucked. But one of my favorite (and only memories) of the end of the evening was kicking a piñata of Trump’s head around the bar. We’ve spent almost every day together ever since. True love was born. Thanks OWL!” – Tarra & Vram (Gustaf, Tea Eater & MamajoeVramajoe)

“OWL was a bastion of indie ethos now bygone in Williamsburg. May this closure live in infamy!” – Eamon Rush (Pan Arcadia)

Eclectic Charango Beats

“Nothing will erase from my memory October 31st 2021. That day my band Eclectic Charango Beats made its first ever gig at Our Wicked Lady’s stage. For this and many other reasons, OWL will be forever an integral part of our development as musicians and artists in the city of dreams. I was also honored to be a judge for the Winter Madness music festival, getting to see the immense talent that grows year by year and that OWL make happen supporting individuals and bands to be seen and listened. I know that after all these years, friends for life will remain, along with the immense legacy of the one and only OWL. You guys will be missed!” – Sebastian Gonzalez (Music Director at Eclectic Charango Beats and Agua Brava Lab)

“Thanks for truly too many to count. Long live owl, thx.” – Nick LaFalce (Atlas Engine)

“We played our first show as a full band at OWL in January 2023 to a near empty room. Only three of us in the band (now four), we thrashed around violently. It felt like the start of something new. Flash forward to December 30, 2023 and we ended up selling out OWL alongside Star’s Revenge, Ekko Astral and Flossing — it was our first sold-out show. Since then, we’ve played some our favorite shows there with some of our favorite bands in the scene. OWL holds a special place in the band’s collective heart <3” – Tim Seeberger (Pop Music Fever Dream)

“It must have been the first year Our Wicked Lady was open, and I was working with a band from Austin, TX called A Giant Dog. They had announced their tour schedule and the venue listed for their Brooklyn show wasn’t one I had heard of previously. When the day of the show came, I looked up the address and headed to Bushwick. Much to my shock and delight, when I arrived, I realized that the venue was ON THE ROOFTOP. Wow! I fell in love with it immediately. I mean, where else can I see smaller bands that I love in the open air?! At this point this was unheard of (and it mostly still is). As my relationship with Keith and Zach grew over time, and I found myself throwing events there myself on a regular basis, I never lost that initial feeling of bright-eyed wonder every time I set foot on that roof. I know I’ll carry the memory of that feeling with me into the future, and I know nothing will ever find a way to fully replace it. OWL is a moment in history, a feeling that existed in a certain timeframe, and a high that I will continue to chase forever.” – AJ Tobey (Trash Casual)

My Son the Doctor

“Mesh release show Sep 2022” – My Son the Doctor

“The first show I ever went to in the city was at Our Wicked Lady in 2023. I had just recovered from a broken leg and taught myself how to manage bands. I met a guy on okcupid who introduced me to OWL and we booked/filmed together. We no longer work together, but I was given the opportunity to book at Our Wicked Lady by Keith. He asked me if I wanted empty slots and I immediately jumped on it. I have never been accepted anywhere for who I am until I came to Our Wicked Lady where they welcomed me with open arms. I am now a full-time booker and it’s the happiest I’ve ever been. All my best memories are at OWL. When I was asked to judge Winter Madness 2025 by Keith, i choked on my joint and said ‘yes??!!’ The highest honor of my life. I always wanted to do something again with a local music scene, and I couldn’t have started anywhere better than OWL. I have found my family here, everything amazing that’s happened to me I owe OWL the credit. I owe my life to this place and the family within it. I only wish it could continue.” – Alexa (“The Hella Sketchy” CEO of The Hella Sketchy Records, freelance booker, multi-band manager)

“I played the first show back during the pandemic in the summer of 2020. Rooftop was totally jam-packed, sound was eccentric and everyone was so thrilled to be back out again. Will miss that place. Was also happy to play the final rooftop show ever last night. Onward!” – Viktor Longo

“It’s hard for me to pin down one little moment but I guess I’d just like to express how cool it was that OWL managed to be a multi-stage venue compound that had the perfect ‘chill to skill’ ratio where you could always expect good sound and good venue staff and good shows while not having to deal with the stuffy-ness and strictness you come to expect in most NYC clubs.

Everyone there always made you feel welcome as an artist and didn’t bark at you about weird little things, and when the vibe is good, the shows are VERY good. Their closing will be a hole in the scene that will be very hard to fill and they will be truly missed.” – Jer (Arlo Indigo)

“Just want to say I love ya’ll & thank you for being my favorite stage in Brooklyn. You gifted me with my first ever tour experience & show OUTSIDE of NY with the SXSW showcase as well as other really beautiful memories. Although this chapter is coming to an end, I can’t imagine anything other than beautiful things coming your way. <3” – Richie Leone (LEONE)

Wetsuit

“First time I saw a show at OWL it was like 2018 and I went to see Anders’ (my then-boyfriend, now-fiance & bandmate) old band Sun Abduction play and the roof stage when it was literally just some amps, a drum kit and an umbrella. No contingency plan for rain, very punk 🙂

Fast-forward to our first Wetsuit show at OWL in 2021, I kept saying ‘I used to come see my boyfriend play here, and now I’M playing here and he’s in MY band’ — it was a really special full-circle moment. Also OWL is where our moms met for the first time at one of our shows summer 2022. OWL gave us some of our earliest opportunities to play shows, to meet and bond with other bands in the scene, to experiment with our sound and get more comfortable with our stage presence… We will always be grateful.

I honestly think my favorite OWL memories aren’t shows I’ve played but shows I’ve been to. One of my favs was the Bands do BK all-day book release show, the Dead Tooth/Shred final Winter Madness show, there was this TVOD show in 2022 that I think I had a religious experience at, a super sweet upstairs/downstairs Favorite Friend holiday show, and so many more….

Thanks for being there for us. I can’t wait to see what you all do next!

Love, Allison & the Wetsuit crew” – Wetsuit

“Obviously going head to head with so many amazing bands during Winter Madness. Such a community came out to support homegrown music. It was an amazing feeling and time.” – Josh Brocki (Night Spins)

A Very Special Episode

“We truly haven’t stopped saying it but we love OWL and all the people that made it special. It was such much a community home that truly cared about bands and artists. Owl was the first Brooklyn venue we saw a local show at once we moved to NYC and we were incredibly intimidated by how cool everyone was. It was immensely rewarding to get to feel like such a part of its fabric these last few years and to have gotten to participate in the last Winter Madness. We love y’all so much!!! 🤍” – Kasey Porter
(A Very Special Episode)

“I have countless fond memories of Our Wicked Lady. From the early days of Bloodless Management & Bloodless Presents showcases to judging nearly every Winter Madness, OWL has been more than a venue to me — it’s been a second home. A place where music wasn’t just heard, it was felt, shared, and celebrated among friends old and new.

More than just a rooftop or a room with a stage, OWL was our clubhouse — a place where creativity ran wild, where strangers became collaborators, and where you could always count on a familiar face behind the bar or beside you in the crowd. I’ll always hold this place — and especially Keith, Sarah, and Zach — close to my heart. Their spirit, generosity, and belief in artists helped build something rare and real.

OWL wasn’t just where we made noise — it’s where we made community. And that lives on, even as the doors close.” – Rich Weiss (Bloodless Management)

Charmaine & Del karaoke

“The Karaoke Nights with Del back in 2019 were CRAZY!” – Charmaine (former OWL bartender/drummer in NEVVA)

“I have performed on the OWL stage in so many iterations and bands, trying out so many new things! Debbie Dopamine participating in Winter Madness was one of the highlights of our year, and I’ve met so many of my favorite people backstage in the OWL hallway. So grateful to have this space to throw things at the wall, to forge new connections, and to revel in the community of artists you have built. OWL forever <3” – Katie Ortiz (Debbie Dopamine)

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Photos provided by the bands.

Feature image of Winter Madness 2024 champs SKORTS (provided by SKORTS): Tyler B

Intro repurposed from the ODE TO OWL column in the newest episode of Nico Malvadi‘s MANI, available for free at these locations.

OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX OWL THX <3