In July and August 2022 we offered our first Rock Tours of the year, and the demand was overwhelming. So we’re bringing it back in 2023, offering our East Village Rock Tour: Part 2, including a celebration of East Village history and Jane Jacob’s legacy with Jane’s Walk 2023. 

Rock n’ roll has been deeply rooted in our neighborhoods since the art form was first invented, with many of its greatest practitioners drawn here to live or perform, while others had their careers launched here. Alongside Rock n’ Roll history is the rich history of architecture in our neighborhoods. We’ll discover the history of those who impacted music as well as the architectural history of the places where they made such an impact.

From the Ramones to the Beastie Boys, and Patti Smith to Nirvana, our neighborhood is lined with buildings that opened their doors to these icons of rock n’ roll. Songs such as The Ramones’ “I Just Wanna Have Something to Do” reference the precise locations in our neighborhoods. 

The venues that once set the stage for legendary bands may be past, but the buildings still stand in the present. No one tour can comprehensively cover all of the rock history in our neighborhood.

This tour will begin at Abe Lebewohl Park (corner of 2nd Avenue and East 10th Street) and will end at 315 Bowery (between East 1st and East 2nd Streets) where CBGB made an indelible imprint on music and culture in New York and beyond. There will be a few stops in between featuring a classic Ramone’s reference and the “Church of Rock n Roll.”