Jay-Z to reopen New York City's iconic Webster Hall with B-sides show
A New York icon is helping another return to its former glory. Rapper Jay-Z will headline the reopening of New York City's Webster Hall on April 26. The Brooklyn native's show will consist entirely of B-sides, the venue announced on Monday.
Jay-Zs "B-Sides 2" show is the first performance at the venue in nearly two years. The concert hall, located on East 11th Street in Manhattan, closed its doors for renovations in 2017. Anschutz Entertainment Group took over the lease and oversaw construction, CBS New York reports.
At the time, the renovations were expected to last only a year. More than year and a half later, the venue has finally started to announce upcoming shows. Jay-Z's opening concert was announced via Instagram.
Webster Hall has been an East Village staple since 1886, CBS New York reports. Inside the iconic venue are the 1,500-capacity Grand Ballroom, the 600-capacity Marlin Room, and the 400-capacity studio. Big names from Madonna to Bill Clinton have headlined events at the historic theater.
Before it became known as Webster Hall, the building was used as a "hall for hire" and a recording studio that captured the sounds of Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and even film soundtracks, according to the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. The building itself is of architectural interest and holds decades of music history.
In the Instagram video announcement, a Webster Hall employee is seen hanging letters on the classic theater marquee announcing the opening night performer is Jay-Z. The music star, whose real name is Shawn Carter, has not made any personal announcements about the upcoming B-sides show.
Webster Hall has also booked DJ and musician Dillon Francis for the following night, and an all-day Vampire Weekend concert on May 5, among other acts.
