Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex coming to SoHo in November

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Billy Joel, Clive Davis, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Terry Stewart and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation CEO Joel Peresman recently revealed that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum will open an annex in New York City in the heart of SoHo. When the 25,000 s/f annex opens in November, it will be one of the first locations outside the museum's home in Cleveland. NYC & Co. CEO George Fertitta and Dept. of Cultural Affairs commissioner Kate Levin joined the unveiling, which took place at 76 Mercer St., the future site of the annex. "New York City is well known as a vibrant place for aspiring artists and musicians, and some of the most internationally-celebrated musical performers of this century have had their start right here on our streets," said mayor Bloomberg. "It's only fitting that the role New York City has played in launching the careers of so many of the world's most talented artists-like Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Paul Simon, Blondie and the Velvet Underground-on the world's greatest stages-like the Fillmore East, the Apollo Theater, and Madison Square Garden-be recognized and honored with the opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex." The facility will focus on the defining moments in rock and roll history and will be designed to resonate with both the casual music fan and the seasoned rock enthusiast. It will feature exhibitions, including a permanent "New York Rocks" gallery that will highlight key locations around New York City that have musical significance. The annex will also showcase selected relics from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's vast collection, including Bruce Springsteen's 1957 Chevy, John Lennon's Record Plant Piano, Elvis Presley's motorcycle jacket, a handwritten poem by Jim Morrison and more. The annex will open in November, but advance tickets will be available beginning in October. NYC & Co., the city's official tourism, marketing and partnership organization, partnered with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum to help create the "New York Rocks" exhibit and develop co-branded merchandise and promotional items for the annex, including maps and itineraries so that visitors can experience historical sites firsthand. The annex will be sponsored by Citi, Best Buy, Diesel for Bloomingdales, Gibson and Continental Airlines, with additional supporting partners Sony, Sennheiser, Klein + Hummel, and Kohler. Visitors to the annex will receive headphones connected to a state-of-the-art wireless audio system so that when they visit different exhibits, they hear relevant music specific to the gallery they are in. The galleries include: * Hall of Fame; * Immersive Theater; * Roots & Influences; * Moments to Movements; * New York Rocks; * Cleveland Gallery; and, * Special Rotating Exhibit, which will feature one select artist or band, with special attention to their time spent in New York City, rotating every six to nine months.