Style Tribes Vol. 2: The DIY Music Scene of Bushwick’s Market Hotel
Photo: Pari Ducovic
The dimly lit Bushwick living and performance space known as the Market Hotel might not function as an official music venue anymore — the city shut it down in April 2010, while an anonymous $100,000 donation is going toward renovations — but its status as archetypal grungy Brooklyn DIY space remains intact. Since it opened in 2008, bands like Real Estate, Fucked Up, and Wavves have played there, and on the recent fall day we sent photographer Pari Dukovic to hang out with the building’s extended family of former and current tenants, there were impromptu performances by dance-friendly funk-poppers Friends* and punk outfit The So So Glos (who co-founded Market Hotel with promoter Todd P). Up the rickety stairs, the eight tiny bedrooms (more like cubbies) in the cavernous space are still home to a rotating cast of musicians and artists who have a stage for a living room. The style here is neglect, whether studied or not — mismatched patterns, well-worn shoes, cheap clothes “borrowed from a friend,” or, “found” in the space itself. Whether hair is long or short, you can be sure of two things: They cut it themselves and it wasn’t super-clean. Makeup, with the exception of a few cases of dramatic eyeliner, was an afterthought, if anything. House accessories were mostly a lit cigarette and an open smile.
Related: Style Tribes Vol 1: The Gallery Girls of Chelsea
* This post has been updated from its original version.
Ai, architecture student at Cooper Union, musician, former resident
"I make music, but right now I'm focusing on hardware innovation. Ther...
Ai, architecture student at Cooper Union, musician, former resident
"I make music, but right now I'm focusing on hardware innovation. There isn't an instrument right now that compels me to play, however I do have one in mind. I just need to build it."
Style notes: "I made this lipstick with cocoa butter, jojoba oil, and Crayola crayon. It's really ideal, because you can basically make any color you want."
Photo: Pari Dukovic
David Tassy, guitarist in Night Manager
“I’ve known of Market since I lived in Connecticut and heard they threw great punk shows. I would come ...
David Tassy, guitarist in Night Manager
“I’ve known of Market since I lived in Connecticut and heard they threw great punk shows. I would come all the way here to see them.”
Style notes: “This shirt is from when I went to Disneyland in 2002.”
Photo: Pari Dukovic
Samantha Urbani, vocalist in Friends
“I lived here from September to May of last year— all through the winter. It totally feels like home to me...
Samantha Urbani, vocalist in Friends
“I lived here from September to May of last year— all through the winter. It totally feels like home to me. The crew I lived with still feels like they are my family. People think that we are clique-y or elitist, and it’s not that way at all.”
Style notes: “I just found this hat today. I asked Rick, who’s lived here the longest out of anybody, whose it was, and he said I could have it. The gloves belong to the band we’re on tour with right now, Ganglians. The lead singer, Ryan, put them down the other night and I picked them up. And my necklace is actually a key to the Market Hotel!”
Photo: Pari Dukovic
A performance by Friends Samantha Urbani sings the song, “I’m His Girl” while dancing among the crowd.
Photo: Pari Dukovic
The crew in the kitchen
The So So Glos, musicians, co-founders of the Market Hotel (from left: vocalist/guitarist Alex Levine, vocalist/bassist Ryan Levine, and vocalist/drum...
The So So Glos, musicians, co-founders of the Market Hotel (from left: vocalist/guitarist Alex Levine, vocalist/bassist Ryan Levine, and vocalist/drummer Zach Staggers
Alex: “We found the space, we built it out. We lived here with the whole band and four of our other friends. It was just a construction site—on the night of the first show, there were ladders and sheet rock and dust everywhere.”
Style notes:
Alex: “I have no idea who this jacket is by — I stole it from my friend Julian.”
Ryan: “This jacket is from the movie American Gangster. We had a friend that worked for the wardrobe department who called us up — we got to go over there before the public, and we bought a lot of the stuff. A lot of the clothes I own are from that movie.”
Zack: “The hat is from a dollar store in Greenpoint called Bang For Your Buck. I think it was a little more than a dollar. The company is Dog Daze — with a Z. My jacket is from an outdoor flea market in Austin, Texas. It got it during South By Southwest — I only had $11 left, and I spent it all on that. I was broke for the rest of the tour. The shirt was left in Shea Stadium, a different venue we started, where I live. I get a lot of my clothes from there. And I stole this necklace when I was 11.”
Photo: Pari Dukovic
Oliver Duncan, drummer in Friends
“We filmed both of our music videos here, and I’m good friends with most of the people who’ve lived here. I’v...
Oliver Duncan, drummer in Friends
“We filmed both of our music videos here, and I’m good friends with most of the people who’ve lived here. I’ve known Griffin, who lives here right now, since high school.”
Style notes: “I stole this shirt from Matt Correzeli, who lives here, and the pants are Levi’s. I can’t remember where the hat is from.”
Photo: Pari Dukovic
The Extended Family Gathering for a group portrait in the living/performance room, just before an impromptu performance by Friends.
Photo: Pari ...
The Extended Family Gathering for a group portrait in the living/performance room, just before an impromptu performance by Friends.
Photo: Pari Dukovic
Sasha Winn, musician, former resident
“I lived here for almost two years and worked here a long time. I’m a singer, a producer — I’ve been invo...
Sasha Winn, musician, former resident
“I lived here for almost two years and worked here a long time. I’m a singer, a producer — I’ve been involved in a lot of different projects.”
Style notes: “The pants are from my brother. He was a junglist, and he would wear these type of pants with a plaid shirt. These are the type of hand-me-downs that I got. The shoes are from Elegant Thrift — all-denim heels!”
Photo: Pari Dukovic
Alex Levine, guitarist in So So Glos Performing the song “Market Hotel” (the space is named after it) in the loft-living area of the space.
Phot...
Alex Levine, guitarist in So So Glos Performing the song “Market Hotel” (the space is named after it) in the loft-living area of the space.
Photo: Pari Dukovic
Jesse Hlebo, artist
“I’ve worked here for a long time, and I’m friends with a lot of the people that live here and I’ve done a number of projec...
Jesse Hlebo, artist
“I’ve worked here for a long time, and I’m friends with a lot of the people that live here and I’ve done a number of projects here.”
Style notes: “The jacket is from an Army-Navy surplus store on Houston , and the shirt is by Sumi Ink Club. My glasses are from Paul Frank.”
Photo: Pari Dukovic
Oscar Allen Guinn IV, musician in Baby Birds Don’t Drink Milk Style notes: “My glasses are Ray-Ban, and this jacket was eight bucks at an antique...
Oscar Allen Guinn IV, musician in Baby Birds Don’t Drink Milk Style notes: “My glasses are Ray-Ban, and this jacket was eight bucks at an antique store in Lawrence, Kansas. I saw it in the basement and said, ‘I need to do this.’ The bracelets are from Cambodia — they are like a good luck thing for the consecration of a temple that I was helping out with around that time.”
Photo: Pari Dukovic
Phillip Berreta and Joies McCoy, musician and friend
Phillip: “I’ve worked the door, I’ve mopped the floor, and a lot of my good friends have l...
Phillip Berreta and Joies McCoy, musician and friend
Phillip: “I’ve worked the door, I’ve mopped the floor, and a lot of my good friends have lived here.”
Josie: “This is my first time here.”
Style Notes:
Phillip: “The scarf is YSL, my shirt is from Atelier, and the jacket is Levi’s.”
Josie: “My jacket is from H&M, sweater from Urban Outfitters, and the shirt is from the Salvation Army. I stole these earrings from the Hobby Lobby.”
Photo: Pari Dukovic
Lesley Hann, bassist and vocalist in Friends Photo: Pari Dukovic
Lesley Hann, bassist and vocalist in Friends
“My boyfriend lives here — he’s in a band called The Royal Baths.”
Style notes: “I got th...
Lesley Hann, bassist and vocalist in Friends
“My boyfriend lives here — he’s in a band called The Royal Baths.”
Style notes: “I got this denim jacket at a thrift store in London. I can’t remember what it’s called, but it’s really big and the major thrift store next to the venue Shacklewell Arms. The leotard is from American Apparel and the jeans are from a Salvation Army in Scranton, Pennsylvania.”
Photo: Pari Dukovic
Mallory Butler, ballet dancer Style notes: “I borrowed this jacket from my friend Jigmae, who’s a singer for Royal Baths. The leggings are from s...
Mallory Butler, ballet dancer Style notes: “I borrowed this jacket from my friend Jigmae, who’s a singer for Royal Baths. The leggings are from some boutique in Pennsylvania. And the necklace is actually a Sailor Jerry’s dog-tag thing that I got from my friend Leslie.”
Photo: Pari Dukovic
Richard Allison, vocalist in DEAD//BEAT, current resident Style notes: “This sweater is from Iceland, and I’m wearing a Crass T-shirt.”
Ph...
Richard Allison, vocalist in DEAD//BEAT, current resident Style notes: “This sweater is from Iceland, and I’m wearing a Crass T-shirt.”
Photo: Pari Dukovic
Jessica JV Reid, works at clothing store Lavai Maria
“I was brought to the space by my friend Sasha — I met him at Party Expo. Ever since then,...
Jessica JV Reid, works at clothing store Lavai Maria
“I was brought to the space by my friend Sasha — I met him at Party Expo. Ever since then, I’ve been here.”
Style notes: “This coat is my grandmother’s — it’s called Safari by Russel Taylor.”
Photo: Pari Dukovic
Rebecca Huston, vocalist in Bermuda Bonnie and An American Chinese, current resident
“I found the place on Craigslist via another guy that used...
Rebecca Huston, vocalist in Bermuda Bonnie and An American Chinese, current resident
“I found the place on Craigslist via another guy that used to live in this room named Paul, who’s apparently one of the eight roommates who’s lived in this room.”
Style notes: “This is a thrift store cardigan — it’s Country Traditionals by Penn West. I got it at Urban Jungle. I got this dog tag from Etsy. It’s brass and says ‘Don’t Give Up’.”
Photo: Pari Dukovic
A meeting of the minds in the living room Photo: Pari Dukovic
Todd Patrick, co-founder of the Market Hotel "The Market Hotel was more than we ever imagined it would be, and that is true for myself and f...
Todd Patrick, co-founder of the Market Hotel "The Market Hotel was more than we ever imagined it would be, and that is true for myself and for the people who came to see or play shows. It was a real loss when we stopped being able to present to the public, but I'm really excited for it to be open again once we get all of the renovations done."
Style notes: “I only own one blazer, and I got it at H&M. And I only own one pair of jeans, and they're from Uniqlo. The sweater is from a thrift store, and I found this shirt on the floor at a show.” Photo: Pari Dukovic
Coffee-table tableau Photo: Pari Dukovic
A stash of sneakers in one of the bedrooms Photo: Pari Dukovic
Inter-roommate communications Photo: Pari Dukovic
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