AEG and Bowery Presents No Longer Booking Bowery Ballroom or Mercury Lounge

“After careful thought and consideration, The Bowery Presents is parting ways with The Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge," John Moore said in a statement provided to Billboard. "We have a long history with the venues as the exclusive booking and marketing arm and wish them well in the future. On the heels of our recently opened Brooklyn Steel, the largest GA room in Brooklyn, and taking over booking duties for Webster Hall, we are constantly exploring new opportunities for music-lovers in New York City. Stay tuned for more announcements from The Bowery Presents very soon!”

Earlier this year, AEG Presents purchased Bowery Presents after a lengthy courtship and negotiation. Included in the deal were Terminal 5, Rough Trade and the Music Hall of Williamsburg, as well as the newly opened Brooklyn Steel in Williamsburg. Not included in the deal were the Bowery Ballroom and the Mercury Lounge, which are owned by Michael Swier, who also owns the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles.

While the acquisition of Bowery Presents kept the 575-capacity Bowery Ballroom and the 250-capacity Mercury Lounge temporarily in the AEG/Bowery column, both sides agreed to part ways once their contract expired. Besides the venues acquired in the Bowery deal, AEG also owns Webster Hall, which it partnered with Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment to purchase earlier this year, and will reopen after a lengthy renovation.

The change leaves open the opportunity for Live Nation to book both venues. Billboard has reached out to representatives from Live Nation, who told us they could not comment for this story.

It's also unclear what this means for Ticketfly, which tickets both the Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge. Ticketfly signed both venues in April of last year, though it's unclear how long the agreement is for, or what happens if the building switches promoters or brings Live Nation onboard.