Tonic is a quirky little shoebox of a club that specializes in what they term as "avant-garde, creative & experimental jazz/rock/electronic music." It's a tiny place, with tall bistro tables lining one wall and A long bar lining the other. Sometimes there are folding chairs. The best thing about Tonic is that it is so intimate - you are right there with the musicians. The stage isn't elevated, so you are literally face-to-face with the band (unless you get there late, then you are standing way in the back and can't see a thing).

We saw Michael Gira, former frontman for the Swans, here several times, and his shows rank among my all-time favorite concerts. One night, there were about 200 people in the place (and it was packed!) and Gira had a band of about 8-10 musicians playing mostly accoustic instruments. We were at a table right up front - it was as if the band was playing just for us. Very memorable. Very intimate. It is a great memory.

There is a dank basement bar that offers some private little nooks made of out of what appear to be giant wine casks - its a good place to hang out before the show.

Tonic is located on the Lower East Side at 107 Norfolk Street between Delancey and Rivington. You can take the F train to Delancey Street or the J/M/Z trains to Essex Street. Walk along Delancey towards the Williamsburg Bridge and take your first left onto Norfolk.

Check out Tonic's Website to see who's playing: http://www.tonic107.com/ or call them at 212-358-1237.