After eight years of shows, the Brooklyn DIY venue Shea Stadium is temporarily shutting its doors, citing “pressure from the local authorities.” Shea alerted fans about the closure via a Facebook post this morning.
Located on a mostly deserted block in industrial East Williamsburg, Shea Stadium hosts shows with major indie acts and small-time bands alike. After the demise of the venerated Death by Audio in 2014, it’s probably the best-known DIY spot in the city. Titus Andronicus’s S+@DIUM ROCK: Five Nights at the Opera was recorded at a series of shows there in 2015, and Superchunk’s “Void” video shows the band hanging out with the likes of Jon Benjamin and Jon Glaser in the venue and its famously steep staircase.
“After increasing pressure from the local authorities it’s no longer sustainable for us to continue to operate the way we have over the past 8 years,” the statement from Shea’s organizers reads in part. “Though steps are being taken to acquire the necessary permits to secure both the short and long term future of Shea, it’s become increasingly clear that we won’t be able to keep having shows in the meantime.”
The news follows another temporary shutdown at Shea earlier this year, after police and firefighters raided an Ovlov and Sinai Vessel show in January, and the full closure of other NYC DIY institutions like Palisades and 285 Kent in recent years. The decision to close seems to have been made quickly, as the Shea Twitter account was still announcing new shows as recently as yesterday, and today’s statement makes reference to rescheduling upcoming events. A member of a band with an upcoming show there told SPIN he hadn’t yet been contacted by the venue.
We’ve reached out to the venue for more information about the closure and to inquire about when they hope to reopen, and will update this post if we hear back. Read Shea’s full statement below.
