Maxwell's facts for kids
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| Address | 1039 Washington Street, Hoboken, New Jersey, USA 07030 |
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| Location | Southeast corner at Washington and 11th Streets |
| Coordinates | 40°44′58″N 74°1′36″W / 40.74944°N 74.02667°W |
| Owner | Steve Fallon (founder) |
| Type | Music venue, restaurant, brewpub and contemporary art gallery |
| Genre(s) | Punk, grunge, and indie rock |
| Capacity | 200 (backroom stage) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | August 1978 |
| Renovated | July 26, 1998 |
| Closed | February 2018 |
| Website | |
| http://www.maxwellsnj.com/ | |
Maxwell's, also known as Maxwell's Tavern, was a famous music club and restaurant in Hoboken, New Jersey. For many years, it was a popular spot for bands looking for a different place to play outside of New York City. Maxwell's first closed in 2013. It then reopened in 2014 as Maxwell's Tavern with new owners. However, it closed its doors for good in February 2018.
Contents
The Story of Maxwell's
How Maxwell's Started
Maxwell's opened in August 1978. Steve Fallon started the club. His family bought the building, which had a small tavern. They wanted to turn it into a restaurant. A local band called "a" asked if they could practice in a back room. They also wanted to play a few shows for the restaurant's customers.
People really liked the live music. Soon, Steve Fallon started booking more bands in the back room. He treated musicians with respect. This made Maxwell's a favorite stop for many bands on tour. The club helped make Hoboken a cool place for artists and musicians.
Growing into a Music Hub
Maxwell's became very successful. It even led to a record store called Pier Platters. There was also a special "Hoboken Sound" in music. Steve Fallon also started his own record label, Coyote Records.
In the mid-1980s, Todd Abramson took over booking the bands. He booked most of the acts until the club closed in 2013.
New Owners and Changes
At one point, one of the Fallon family members wanted to sell their share of the business. Peter Buck, the guitarist from the band R.E.M., bought it. He wanted to help his friend Steve Fallon keep the club open for new music fans.
Later, Steve Fallon and his partners sold Maxwell's in 1995. The new owner, William Sutton, turned it into a brewpub. But Todd Abramson, Steve Shelley (drummer for Sonic Youth), and Dave Post worked to bring Maxwell's back. They renovated it and reopened it in 1998. Maxwell's once again became a very important place for independent music.
Famous Moments at Maxwell's
Many famous things happened at Maxwell's:
- Bruce Springsteen: Parts of the music video for his song "Glory Days" were filmed there in 1985.
- The Feelies: Their music video for "Away" was recorded at Maxwell's in 1988. After a long break, The Feelies reunited and played at Maxwell's every July from 2008 to 2013.
- Nirvana: The band Nirvana played at Maxwell's in 1989. A famous photo of their lead singer, Kurt Cobain, was taken around Hoboken that day.
Awards and Recognition
Maxwell's received many honors:
- In the early 1990s, The New Yorker magazine called it the "Best Club in New York — Even Though It's in New Jersey."
- In 2005, The Village Voice voted Maxwell's "Best Reason to Leave the State for Dinner and a Show."
- Also in 2005, The New York Times said Maxwell's was "so New York that it's in New Jersey."
- The indie rock band Yo La Tengo often rented the club for eight nights during Hanukkah.
- In 2013, Rolling Stone magazine listed Maxwell's as third on its "Venues that Rock" list of best clubs in America.
The Final Closure
In June 2013, it was announced that Maxwell's would close. The club had its last night on July 31, 2013. There was even a block party to celebrate its history.
Maxwell's reopened temporarily in August 2013 as just a bar and restaurant. Justin Timberlake even filmed a commercial there.
In early 2014, new owners reopened it as Maxwell's Tavern. They first tried to make it more of a family-friendly pizzeria. But they soon realized that music was what people wanted. They brought music back in October 2014, but mostly booked cover bands.
The tavern continued to struggle. It never quite got back the famous bands it used to have. In February 2018, Maxwell's Tavern announced it would close for good. The final shows were on February 10, 2018.
Bands That Played at Maxwell's
Maxwell's was a very important place for new bands. It helped launch many careers. The first band to play there was "a." This band included members who later formed the Bongos. The Bongos were one of the first bands from Hoboken to sign with a major record label.
Many other bands played there often, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. These included:
- The Feelies
- Pylon
- R.E.M.
The club was important for different music styles like punk, grunge, and indie rock. Some of the many famous bands that played at Maxwell's include:
- Pixies
- New Order
- Ween
- Husker Du
- the Replacements
- Sonic Youth
- Fugazi
- Dinosaur Jr.
- Neutral Milk Hotel
- Soundgarden
- Screaming Trees
- Mudhoney
- Melvins
- Hole
- Nirvana
- the Smashing Pumpkins
- Buzzcocks
- the Fall
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- the Pogues
- Joe Jackson
- Living Colour
- David Byrne
- Joan Jett
- the Psychedelic Furs
- the Strokes
- Jeff Buckley
- My Chemical Romance
- Screaming Females
- Titus Andronicus
Maxwell's also hosted country, rockabilly, and 1960s rock and roll shows.
Live Albums Recorded at Maxwell's
Several bands recorded live albums at Maxwell's. This means they recorded their performances there and released them as albums. Some of these include:
- Guided by Voices (For All Good Kids)
- The Reigning Sound (Live at Maxwells)
- Meat Puppets (Live at Maxwell's 2.08.01)
- My Chemical Romance (The Black Parade Is Dead!)
- The Wedding Present (Live Tape No. 7 - Hoboken, 10th June 1990)
- Imperial Teen (Live at Maxwell's)
- the Replacements (For Sale: Live at Maxwell's 1986)
About the Venue
Maxwell's was not a very large music venue. It could hold about 200 people. Some neighbors sometimes complained about noise from the club. However, Maxwell's was a beloved place for many music fans and artists for decades.
