The Bottom Line is that people aren't going to shows, and that is a trend that was happening before 9/11. 9/11 only sped up the demise.

What is happening at the Bottom Line is happening all over the country. "Fans" of the music that the Bottom Line presents do get out to concerts as often as they used to because many of them have grown older and moved out to the suburbs.   Students at NYU really aren't making up the audience at the Bottom Line anymore.

The other side of the coin is that NYU is hurting for classroom space. To paraphrase a quote from someone interviewed in a New York Times article, the closing of the Bottom Line may hinder the growth of the next Bruce Springsteen, but the lack of a classroom could hinder the development of the next Albert Einstein.

It is a great club and a historic landmark. Alan Pepper is one of the nicest people in the industry - a true visionary. I hope that something can be worked out. I will miss their french fries in addition to the great music.