The Meatlocker stands as a secret treasure for music fans. I walked into the Meatlocker without any expectations but discovered an incredible live music experience that delivered unfiltered authenticity.
Used to be my studio (Tanglefoot) in the 90s...Glad to see it's still ROCKIN'...Also, the place hasn't really changed much either...Rock On, Meatlocker!!!
❣️???????????❣️
Family fun! Grab the kids pack the car and head down to the meatlocker! super clean, the floor won't leave your shoes red, paper towels and toilet paper in both bathrooms. Yes there are 2 doors for the bathrooms! Your kids will love this place !
This place is great for what it is. A small venue for DYI bands. It is known for the punk, heavy metal and Ska bands. There is a small pit and an area for stepping back and listening. The vive is great!
Local underground (figuratively and literally) venue in the heart of Montclair that hosts some pretty dope and weird shows. Queer positive space. DIY art decorates nearly every inch the walls. FFO punk, hardcore, metal, noise.
Small venue for live underground music. It's quite the contrast from the fancy boutique shops and vegan cafes that are located nearby. The Meatlocker is definitely a very important part of the music community. Small local bands and national acts pass through here. The club has two bathrooms and consists of two rooms that face the stage. There is also a side room for the waiting stage equipment. It's a no frills venue but that's really all you need for good live music. Parking is ample in the metered parking deck directly across the street. Also a pay parking lot is located behind Just Jake's off of Park. Thousands of stickers and numerous colors of graffiti fill the falls. The only place that I can compare it to is the legendary CBGB's in terms of band stickers and graffiti.
Oh man this was the spot when I was younger. It still is. I wish they would do more venues but I understand with the way the world is currently. I'm currently waiting for more shows to pop up there but man it's a fun place to be. There's no Grimyer venue in the world in this place, but that's what gives it the charm honestly. You can't beat this place and you'll be regretting it if you never visit it once in your life.
One of the world's great true underground music venues. 40 years as a rehearsal space and for the last 15 or 20, hosting six bands a night seven nights a week year-round barring the occasional catastrophe. I've seen bands from Asia the UK Eastern Europe South America and every state of the USA. Bring Your Own Everything. The extreme DIY aesthetic provides a bulletproof background for music ranging from mellow to mayhem. An archaeologist could chart the last 30 years of hardcore by lifting layer upon layer of graffiti from every square inch of the walls. Not for the faint of heart or musically incurious. The Meatlocker is a rare tarnished gem of a space that delivers authentic outsider performance art without pretense or hesitation.
All around wonderful venue, good friendly staff- amazing owner and respectable crowd. It may be underground but it sure is up to snuff in my books. You gotta catch a show at least once x
IT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE COOLEST PLACES I'VE BEEN. WENT TO SEE MY WIFE, GLASSY HONK AND HER BAND, THE FAMILY FRIENDLY CRIMINALS PLAY. WE HAD THE GREATEST TIME. NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE. NOT KNEW WHAT TO EXPECT. THE STAFF IS FANTASTIC. IT IS DARK, GRAFFITI COVERED DUNGEON? BASEMENT IN AN AFLUENT NEIGHBORHOOD. UNLESS YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING YOU WOULDN'T KNOW IT IS THERE. NO FOOD OR ALCOHOL IS SERVED. NO SMOKING. I ACTUALLY LOVED IT.
CANNOT WAIT TO GO BACK.
The Meatlocker in Montclair has only the finest assortment of Bavarian meats. Do not be deterred by the graffiti-covered hallways and claustrophobic basement location. The German butchers here are knowledgable and offer a wide selection of beef, pork, venison, horse, poultry, and even exotic meats like camel and hippo.
the meatiest locker ever. Filled with tons of talented musicians. This place is a hole in the wall but it's all character. Very chill spot managed by super cool and reasonable people. Keep this place alive! Do it for the v neck dinosaurs.
Let me be clear, most will probably rate this place one star or less...it reeks of weed and stale beer, you feel a pressing need to shower after you leave and there were ridiculous issues with the sound system the night I went..it reminds me of house parties in my friends basement or the abandoned buildings we broke into when I was a teenager, which is why I rated it the way I did, more out of nostalgia for my teenage delinquency than anything tangible...most ppl will be so skeeved out they'll never even walk in the door or return, it'll NEVER be a regular hangout for me but if I've gotta reason to I'll def go back
I haven't been here in 10 years, so I didn't know what to expect...but in a very real sense, I knew EXACTLY what to expect. I feel like The Meatlocker has a gravitational pull that attracts the same type of person. People that would otherwise be on the margins in their respective communities. Not at The Meatlocker. The "Cheers" of Essex County, if you will.
Most of the night, I picked the safest spot in the room (a habit of mine). There was a brief moment that I relocated. Even after a shower and some 12 hours, I still smell like the dude that collided with me. I like the new addition of the carpet. I found that people were either staunchly pro-carpet or anti-carpet. No one was really carpet-neutral. Oh and the music was pretty good.
Yo this place is so creepy and gross. I don't know how it's allowed to operate. But I guess it's a right of passage for NJ music lovers...but remember kids, live above the influence.
What music is all about. This local DIY venue gives up and coming and currently established musicians a platform for exposure. Raw, youthful and necessary if you care about music
Website
