The FUVBlog - R.I.P IMAC

A sad story, for anyone who's ever been there...

The FUVBlog - R.I.P IMAC

Posted June 16, 2009 by John Platt

Lots of NY area concert fans are distressed to learn about the closing of IMAC (the Inter-Media Arts Center) in Huntington after 36 years. The reason given…it’s grown “too old, too flawed and too decayed” to operate. It reminds me how I felt about the Bottom Line’s closing. back in 2004.

So many special memories… Bromberg, Joan Armatrading, Keb Mo, Phoebe, Snow Jonatha Brooke, etc. I’ll never forget tango-ing across the back of the stage with Jonatha while Michael Rothbard was making announcements. (Talk about being upstaged!)

The room always had good sound, good sight lines, and a great vibe. And Michael, who loved the music, was always the mensch. He and Kathy are excited by the next (still vague) chapter, so we should be glad for them, even if we feel the void. Doors close, let’s hope doors will open, too…

And, my comment there:

Huntington boy (now out east, @ exit 68) who’s seen a number of great shows there, from The Roches and Louden to Ritchie Havens (though not the most recent show, I’m sorry to say) to… …well, a whole bunch of performers, large and small. (The best? Seeing one time Who bassist, John Entwhistle, with Long Island bar band natives, Rat Race Choir, I guess–Great show, but LOUD!!! What did I expect though, right? He played bass for The Who…)

I also remember and, (with all respect to IMAC and the folks here who’ll miss it at least as much as I will), still mourn the loss of what it was prior to that, the great Balcony Theatre, where I took in all those great music films, in the days when VCRs were just getting going, and my tastes in music were still forming… I’d buy my ticket at 8pm or so, and not come out until the weekly midnight showing of “The Song Remains The Same” was over. Got a little “smokey” in there, but that too, was part of it’s charm…

Hopefully it’s next incarnation will do justice to it’s wonderful, memorable, music and entertainment past.