City That Never Sleeps has an endless playlist of things to see and do
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There’s that famous old joke about a pedestrian on 57th St. who sees a musician exiting a cab and promptly asks, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” The artist responds: “Practice.”
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The zinger served as a harbinger when I got turned around not once but twice before finally finding my way into the world-renowned New York concert hall. (I clearly need practice with straightforward directions before I can captivate an audience from the Perelman Stage.)
Once inside, though, I didn’t want to leave. Lock me up in here and throw away the key. There might be a more beautiful, storied hall than the Andrew Carnegie-financed Midtown masterpiece, but probably not.
Carnegie Hall and its perfect acoustics are manna from the heavens for the music lover and so is the city itself, a grid brimming with an endless playlist. We recently accepted the difficult assignment — taking in six performances and visiting six iconic venues over three nights — to curate some liner notes for the ultimate music-themed getaway in NYC.
To quote Frank Sinatra, “start spreading the news.” Or, for our Swiftie readership, “Welcome to New York, it’s been waiting for you.”
INTRO — ESTABLISHING THE RHYTHM
Before getting to the greatest hits, “rehearsal space” is needed.
The property doubles as a sort of museum with memorabilia spread across 36 floors, including Elton John’s Statue of Liberty costume in the main lobby and on my 27th floor the trademark VW medallion necklace worn by the Beastie Boys’ Mike D.
Merch can be purchased in the street-level Rock Shop. Fans of the Hard Rock Cafe brand should know that it’s a quick six-minute walk from the hotel to the café on Broadway.
The 3,765 square feet, two-level Rock Star Suite can be had at the Hard Rock Hotel for a rumoured $15,000 or so per night.
VERSE — WHERE THE SONG’S STORY BEGINS TO UNFOLD
The museum does not charge admission and it’s open Monday through Saturday as scheduling permits.
CHORUS — THE CATCHIEST PART
Every music fan visiting New York City should make time to learn about the city’s flourishing hip-hop scene.
Learn about the culture’s main elements — DJing, MCing, graffiti and breaking — and even get a breaking lesson (don’t call it breakdancing) from a local expert.
Our guide RayZa (also a globetrotting freestyle artist) kept the energy at maximum levels throughout the bus tour. Some key highlights included the Graffiti Hall of Fame at 106th St. and Park Ave., Spanish Harlem, the Apollo Theater (be sure to rub the Tree of Hope, a stump that artists rubbed for good luck before going on stage), James Brown Way, Harlem World (site of a legendary rap battle that makes Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s look like child’s play), and the famous Rucker Park basketball court where NBA stars have gathered.
“It’s all about community. It brings people together,” RayZa told us of the culture. “Hip-hop has helped and changed lives.”
Hush Tours offers various tours and experiences in Harlem, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Times Square.
BRIDGE — OPTIONAL, INTRODUCING NEW ELEMENTS
The city’s wealth of concert venues is truly unmatched.
OUTRO — BRINGS CLOSURE TO THE SONG
New York. Concrete jungle where dreams are made of, indeed.
WHERE WE STAYED
HOW WE GOT THERE
