Music Hall of Williamsburg: Close, But No Guitar

Contractors hustled sheetrock into a gaping hole in the newly-exposed facade. One of the project's principals paced up and down North 6th Street, working his cellphone with that high-elbow intensity reserved for "I'm down here and you're not; Its my call." conversations. That was the scene at Brooklyn's newest music venue at seven o'clock tonight, just an hour before doors were to open on its inaugural show.

Despite a valiant sprint toward the finish - which for days has included a sidewalk clogged with truckload after truckload of furniture, staging, stanchions, lighting equipment, and all the other stuff that makes a rock club a rock club, Bowery Presents came to their senses and called off opening night. At some point in the late afternoon, the MHOW website's page announcing tonight's Patti Smith show was updated to include the sober pronouncement: "*POSTPONED* New Date TBA. Check Back Soon."

With another sold out show (Against Me!) slated for Wednesday night, we imagine it will be a long night at 66 North 6th.

Update: 8:15 pm

Dozens of bewildered concert-goers descend upon the unfamiliar, shady-looking block, drawn by the buzz of activity and the rumble of rock n' roll. But instead of a will-call line and an opening act, they encounter a swarm of contractors and a tech crew sound checking the PA for the first time ever. Stage lights competing with welding torches for attention.

The more adventuresome visitors wander into Galapagos. Others chuckle on cellphones to friends en-route, "they're laying down the floor right now!" An inauspicious beginning to what's sure to become a hot venue; but in Williamsburg, is anything really surprising?