Reggae and dancehall in New York usually means a DJ set and a microphone, so a headline show with an actual band behind the artist changes the whole texture of the night. Sony Hall's tiered art-deco basement is one of the better-looking rooms in Midtown to see anyone in, and it is built so the seated tiers and the dancefloor coexist. If you want a night that is a concert rather than a party, take this one.
What to expect
A basement room with tiered seating and booths around a floor that turns into a dancefloor once the band starts. Table service operates in the seated tiers while the floor stays standing. The set runs late and the crowd treats the last stretch as a party rather than a performance.
Good to know
- Take the A/C/E to 42nd Street-Port Authority or any Times Square line; the entrance is on West 46th.
- Sony Hall is below street level with tiered seating, so ticket type determines whether you get a table or the floor.
- The floor is where the dancing happens; the tiers are for watching and eating.
- Times Square exits get congested late, so plan a walk east or west before descending to a train.
- Doors are well before the headline set, and the room fills gradually rather than at once.
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Common questions
Is there a live band?
Yes, the show is billed specifically as Armanii plus a live band rather than a DJ-backed set.
Is it seated or standing?
Both. Sony Hall has tiered seating and booths around a standing floor, and your ticket type determines which you get.
What genre is it?
Reggae and dancehall, performed with full band instrumentation rather than over backing tracks.
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