This Must Be the Place

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This captivating history explores the interplay between real estate, gentrification, community, and the evolution of New York City's music scenes, from folk to house music, and their reciprocal influence on the city. As you stroll through Manhattan, you may pass by iconic music venues that have been demolished or repurposed, erasing their significance and impact on local neighborhoods. Traditional narratives attribute the emergence of famous music scenes to individual artists, but a closer look reveals that affordable rent, vacant spaces, and less glamorous factors are crucial for nurturing artistic communities. For instance, the 1960s folk scene thrived due to access to Washington Square Park, while the city's financial crisis in 1975 paved the way for punk rock. The indie rock movement in 2000s Brooklyn was similarly enabled by the availability of empty warehouses. However, these vibrant scenes are also intertwined with urban gentrification, often displacing communities and the musicians themselves. Drawing on over a hundred exclusive interviews with a diverse array of musicians and deejays, Jesse Rifkin meticulously reconstructs the physical history of New York's music scenes, illustrating how they formed, evolved, and ultimately remind us that artistic experiences are accessible to everyone, not just the elite.