''The L Magazine'' was a free bi-weekly magazine in New York City featuring investigative articles, arts and culture commentary, and event listings. It was available through distribution in
Manhattan
Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
,
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
,
Queens
Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
''The L Magazine'' was created in 2003 by brothers Scott and Daniel Stedman and editor Jonny Diamond in Dumbo, Brooklyn. The brothers named it for the L train, a subway line that connects Brooklyn to Manhattan. It ceased publication in July 2015, with resources shifted to sister publication '' Brooklyn Magazine''.
New York Press
''New York Press'' was a free alternative weekly in New York City, which was published from 1988 to 2011.
The ''Press'' strove to create a rivalry with the ''Village Voice''. ''Press'' editors claimed to have tried to hire away writer Nat Hento ...
. The distribution boxes used by ''Express'' and ''The L'' looked very similar; both were bright orange, and they were the same shape and color.
While most likely a coincidence, ''Express'' editor-in-chief Jeff Koyen decided to print a series of barbs against Scott Stedman, The L's publisher. Stedman responded with a full-sized ad in ''The L'' challenging Koyen to a boxing match. On October 25, Koyen and Stedman boxed at Gleason's Gym in Dumbo, Brooklyn to settle the score. The match ended in a draw, and no re-match was rescheduled.
The boxing match was re-created on the TV show Bored to Death. Jonathan Ames claims in his blog that the season finale was based on this match.
Events
In 2005, ''The L Magazine'' launched Summer Screen, a free weekly film series in Brooklyn's McCarren Park.
In 2009, ''The L Magazine'' launched the Northside Music Festival. Headliners included indie rock acts
Cymbals Eat Guitars
Cymbals Eat Guitars were an indie rock band from Staten Island, New York,The Dodos,
Screaming Females
Screaming Females were an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey comprising Marissa Paternoster on vocals and guitar, Jarrett Dougherty on drums, and Mike Abbate on bass. They released their debut album ''Baby Teeth (Screaming Females a ...
, and Real Estate (band). In 2010, The L Magazine hosted the second Northside Festival, featuring performances by
Polvo
Polvo is an American indie rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The band formed in 1990 and is fronted by guitarists/vocalists Ash Bowie and Dave Brylawski, with Steve Popson playing bass guitar and Brian Quast playing drums. Eddie Watk ...
,
Liars (band)
Liars (stylized as LIARS) are an Australian-American experimental rock band formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2000. Angus Andrew is the founding and only constant member of Liars, currently joined by multi-instrumentalist Cameron Deyell and drum ...
James Franco
James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has starred in numerous films, including Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (2002 film series), ''Spider-Man'' trilogy (2002–2007), ''Milk (2008 American film), Milk'' (200 ...
and Life During Wartime by
Todd Solondz
Todd Solondz (; born October 15, 1959) is an American filmmaker and playwright known for his style of dark, socially conscious satire. Solondz's work has received critical acclaim for its commentary on the "dark underbelly of middle class Americ ...
.
Awards
In November 2010, The L Magazine art critic Paddy Johnson was nominated for Art Critic of the Year in the Rob Pruitt Art Awards