The Birth of Punk Tour

In this tour through the East Village, we'll see how punk rock developed — from forebears like the Velvet Underground, the New York Dolls, and Jayne County, to it's commercial peak in the late 70's with Patti Smith, the Ramones, Television, Talking Heads, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, and Blondie.

Destinations include:
- Pre-fame homes and rehearsal spaces belonging to the Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads, the Cramps, and Robert Mapplethorpe
- Where the Velvet Underground’s Lou Reed, John Cale, and Sterling Morrison first performed together
- Where classic album cover photos of the Ramones, the New York Dolls, Television, Richard Hell & the Voidoids, and the Velvet Underground were taken
- The loft where Kiss played their first Manhattan show, opening for  transgender punk icon Jayne County
- Where Nico made her live debut as a solo act after leaving the Velvet Underground
- Where David Bowie first saw the New York Dolls, Television, and the Velvet Underground
- The locations of legendary venues, including CBGB & OMFUG, the Mercer Arts Center, the Dom/Balloon Farm/Electric Circus, the Filmmakers’ Cinematheque, and Club 82
- And much, much more!

Special attention is paid to punk's deep but often-overlooked roots in the city's LGBTQ+ community. We'll also discuss the larger history of the East Village, how the neighborhood impacted the music that came out of it, and how that music in turn transformed the neighborhood for decades to come.

Details

- Begins and ends in the East Village
- The tour lasts approximately two hours and fifteen minutes and covers two miles
- Comfortable shoes and bottled water are strongly recommended
- Gratuities are welcome but not mandatory
 

Check out this Tidal playlist to dive deeper into the music behind the destinations

Rates

$45/person

- two person minimum -
in the event that only one person books a tour, they will be offered the chance to cancel or have a private tour for an additional fee

Private tours and large group rates available by request