Wetlands Preserve, commonly referred to asWetlands, was anightclub in New York City that opened in 1989 and closed in 2001.[1][2] It was located at 161Hudson Street inManhattan'sTribeca neighborhood.
Wetlands has been called "ground zero for post-Grateful Deadjam bands", fostering a community of semi-improvisational rock bands who went on to achieve mainstreamsuccess in the 1990s.[3]
The original concept for the Wetlands Preserve came from founder-owner Larry Bloch,[3] who set its course for over eight years before passing the helm to Peter Shapiro in 1997. Shapiro remained faithful to the mission until September 2001, when thegentrification of TriBeCa caused the building to be sold and the club was forced to close before being converted into condominiums.[1] Acts that played at Wetlands include,Disco Biscuits,Blues Traveler,Spin Doctors,Phish,Dave Matthews Band,Oasis,Ween,Maroon 5,Pearl Jam,Widespread Panic,The Tragically Hip,The String Cheese Incident,Joan Osborne,311,Rage Against the Machine,The Wallflowers,Counting Crows,Gov't Mule,The Allman Brothers Band,Cypress Hill,The Roots,Robert Randolph and the Family Band,Jeff Buckley,Frank Black,At the Gates,R.L. Burnside withNMAS,Paul Kantner,Yonder Mountain String Band,Jorma Kaukonen,Paul Kelly andSublime.
In addition to semi-improvisational rock, Wetlands hosted experimentalhip-hop andneo-soul performers as well. The Roots built a loyal following in New York partially by driving up from Philadelphia for Wetlands' weekly open-mic nights.[4] Neo-soul duoJazzyfatnastees launched their weekly women's showcase "Black Lily" at Wetlands before moving it to The Five Spot in Philadelphia. Black Lily alumnae includeJill Scott,Macy Gray andErykah Badu.[5]
The Wetlands' independent, in-house booking strategies and the freedom to play all night nurtured a scene that helped bands develop a following. Late-night jams lasting until dawn were common. It was the intimate connection fostered between artist and audience, the continuity of a live DJ connection to the vibe of the night, and carefully balanced sound throughout the club, including the halls and bathrooms, that would bring the 7,500-square foot, two-level space to a pulsing unity thatJohn Popper of Blues Traveler would lastingly nickname "Sweatglands".[6] Supported by the music, Wetlands spent over one million dollars during its lifetime to fund the Activism Center at Wetlands Preserve, originally named the Eco-Saloon.
In July 2001, the venue announced its plans to close on September 15.[7] However, Project Logic would end up being the final show on September 10, hours beforeplanes hit the nearbyWorld Trade Center.[8] The club was able to reopen for one final jam session several weeks later.[9] Zen Tricksters hold the record for most performances at the club.[9]
On October 24, 2012, Larry Bloch died frompancreatic cancer at age 59.[3] The Activism Center, now called Wetlands Activism Collective, continues to operate.[10]
Wetlands Preserved: The Story of an Activist Rock Club,[11] a 90-minute documentary that commemorates Wetlands Preserve, was released in 2008. Produced and directed byRelix'sDean Budnick, the film gained accolades on the film festival circuit[12] and then aired for several years on Sundance Channel.
In 2014,Wetlands NYC History: A Visual Encore, a book documenting the club's history and event lineup was compiled by Bloch's former wife, Laura Bloch Borque, and released via Frog2Prince publishing. The 248-page book features copies of each of the club's hand-drawn monthly event calendars.[13]
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