Description
The door to the Jalopy Theater near Red Hook could be mistaken for a portal to H.G. Wells’ old-fashioned time machine, to a world where modern rock hasn't yet been invented and steamboats are the main way to visit your relatives. This spot is off the beaten path but offers an eclectic range of music, including roots music, blues, old-time Americana, country and everything else found under that flag. There’s a tiny bar, but the main draw is the theater in the back. The space functions as an instrument repair shop during the day, and the setting reflects that: scattered guitars and wires and tools strewn everywhere. The tunes are always the focus--you’re unlikely to find over-drunk or noisy patrons, considering the effort it takes to get here and the specialized program the Jalopy offers. Grab a mason jar full of beer and sit back in one of the old church pews and fall into a different age--your mutton chops that look out of place in Williamsburg seem to make sense down here. --Dale Eisinger
