Date: Sunday, June 1st Time: 10:00am - 7:00pm Location: Marcus Garvey Park (E 120th St & 5th Ave) Cost: Free
"In the dead of winter, when your neighbor is blasting reggae as if the puke-colored slush on the ground were just irie with him, no one would blink if you kicked down his door and put a boot through his subwoofer. But at the third annual Mafrika Music Festival, the multi-culti grooves and riddims just mean that summer is finally here. This year's lineup features Israeli art-rock band Pink Noise, Burkina Fasoan vocalist Mai Lingani, Nigerian ensemble Zozo Afrobeat, Afro-soul Bostonians the Superpowers, hip-hop/rock weirdos Apollo Heights, and many others. There's something for everyone, so kick the season off proper with an all-day bashment in Marcus Garvey Park." All Ages. [via flavorpill]
Date: Sunday, June 1st Time: 3:00pm - 9:00pm Location: The Yard (400 Carroll St bet. Bond and Nevins, Gowanus) Cost: Free with RSVP
The Sunday's Best series is bringing some pretty heavy hitting DJ names to the lovely Gowanus Canal this summer for a weekly, all ages, dance up with local food and brews. This weekend is a special free afternoon as Ovum's King Britt (original Digable Planets member and purveyor of smooth house and hip hop beats) swings through. Residents DJs Justin Carter, Eamon Harkin and Doug Singer play along. All ages.
Note: This party moved from Saturday due to rain. It is now on Sunday. The Subdrive crew has solved my biggest gripe with Hope Lounge (besides dancing on carpeting) the "no music outside during the BBQ problem." The solution... throw a daysidee BBQ jam with the DJs outside! And with a sweet line-up like DC electro-rockers Terror Dactel, HiDeaf, and Bradley D... its sure to be a good time and cheap dinner. And a pretty sweet Crooked Disco pre-party. 21+
Date: Monday, June 2nd Time: 6:00pm - 10:00pm Location: Hudson (356 West 58th Street) Cost: Free with RSVP
Those Giant Step cats do it again… bringing some of the worlds finest DJs to you on an otherwise drab Monday evening. Tonight's set features the UKs Daz-I-Kue from the Bugz in the Attic crew. Fan's of broken beat, jazzy breaks, and good old soulful house know that the Bugz - along with other contemporaries such as Jazzanova - have been pioneering these sub-genres across the pond for a while now. Their recent remix of Ruben Blades Plastico on the excellent Fania remix compilation is on constant rotation in my studio and a perfect example of the breath of their work (sample found here). Get your Monday dance on! 21+
Date: Monday, June 2nd Time: 7:00pm Location: Ramscale (463 West St, PH 13th Floor) Cost: Free with RSVP
"The 'Urban Renaissance' art exhibit will feature three of New York’s blossoming artists (Dister Rondon and Diana Reyes) and three of New York’s emerging photographers (Dwayne Rodgers, Barron Claiborne, Alaric Campbell). The event will be accompanied by a live dance performance from the Sybarite Dancers. The 'Urban Renaissance' will feature The DJ stylings of Tommy Bones, Jaquelyn Sommer and DJ DatKat as well as live paintings by Ibrahim Yahut along with MTV art battles winner, Concep." Oh, and there is some sort of open bar of an undisclosed type for an undisclosed amount of time.
Date: Tuesday, June 3rd Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm Location: Museum Mile (5th Ave from 82nd to 105th) Cost: Free
Now in its 28th years, The Museum Mile Festival is the one time of year that nine of the country's finest museums, all ones that call Fifth Avenue home, collectively open their doors for free to New Yorkers and visitors for a mile-long block party and visual art celebration. This traffic-free, music and art-filled celebration fills the street and sidewalks of Fifth Avenue from 82nd to 105th street. Over 50,000 visitors attend the festival annually. Click here for map and schedule.
Date: Tuesday, June 3rd Time: 8:00pm Location: The Cake Shop (152 Ludlow St) Cost: Free
We're just gonna go with what we're told on this one but, come on, it's called Pogo in Togo... how can you go wrong? "Supersonic audiovisual dance party featuring music from the farthest reaches of time and space. International, cinematic and ecstatic. Happens monthly at Cake Shop... and other points 'round the town." With music by Alias Pail, Bradford Reed, Paraguay Lo Fi, & live videos by YrFriendMatthew. 21+
Date: Tuesdays Time: 10:00pm Location: Darkroom (165 Ludlow St) Cost: Free Open Bar: Vodka, 11 til gone
Gotta hand it to those Dark Room folks.. most places are barren on a Tuesday night but they seem to always have a decent crowd of rowdy LES folks. Maybe its the free mid-week booze, or maybe its the DJ sets. Whatever it is, if your looking to get down with a bunch of strangers tonight then this is the spot. 21+
Date: Wednesday, June 4th Time: 7:00pm Location: Wagner Park, Battery Park Ciy Cost: Free
"Domingo Quiñones is considered to be one of the most complete singers in the contemporary salsa scene. His music is romantic with a natural swing of Caribbean salsa. In addition to being a well-rounded singer, he is also a composer, producer and actor."
Date: Wednesday, June 4th Time: 8:00pm - 2:00am Location: Rose Live Music (345 Grand St btw. Marcy and Havemeyer, W'burg) Cost: Free
"Kiss and Tell is a girly after work cocktail party [and] each month has its own theme and guest DJs and performers are invited to perform. The party started three years ago as a place for Seze's coven of gothypants ladyfriends to get together to knit, have a few drinks, and, well kiss and tell. The party attracts a laid back crowd of techno hipsters, witchy ladies, and creative professionals who want to have a few drinks, hear amazing music, and meet like minded folks. Whoever tells the hostesses the sauciest kiss and tell secret of the night wins a fabulous prize. $mall ¢hange DJs and they are screening Pretty in Pink early. Plus photo boot, plus tarot cards. 21+
Date: Wednesday, June 4th Time: 10:00pm Location: Bowery Poetry Club (308 Bowery bet. Bleecker & Houston) Cost: Free
"Every first Wednesday of the month come see the greatest music show ever! Sean T. Hanratty Presents: Theater of Fools is a night of nonstop fun with live music, a multi-prize free raffle between sets and drink specials all night long. It¹s magical. Don¹t miss it... June will feature live music from Ursa Minor, Brook Pridemore, The Fools and Sean T. Hanratty.
Date: Thursday, June 5th Time: 11:55pm Location: Fat Baby (112 Rivington Street) Cost: Free Open Bar: PBR 2:30am
Tonight, in the seedy basement of Fat Baby Rockit! will be featuring Bul!m!atron(Era Disco, LA), Zelenka featuring Meliss FX (L.a.), Unknown 23, and resident DJ Electrochris, spinning Electro, House, and Synth Pop. And if you are a late owl, stay out for the PBR open bar at 230 am!
Date: Thursday in June Time: 5:00pm - 9:00pm Location:Queensbridge Park (21st St & East River, Queens) Cost: Free
So you think you've got DJ skills. Head uptown tonight as "three decades of legendary party rockers, producers, battle champs and turntablists unite to cut, rock, beat juggle, scratch & transform the park" as this summer's Turntablist Sessions hosted by PopMaster Fabel of the legendary Rock Steady Crew. This week features 5th Platoon with DJs Daddy Dog, Roli Rho, & Neil Armstrong. All Ages
Michael Hartney (who is in every commercial for Spike TV and played a wrestling piece of cheese on a Nickelodeon show) and his hilarious sketch comedy comrades, Secret Hospital, bring a new one time only show to the PIT. Only 5 bucks, and deeply discounted beers at Mustang Sally's afterwards if you mention you were just at the PIT. Advanced tickets advised and available here.
Date: Thursday, June 5th Time: 7:00pm Location: Angels & Kings (500 East 11th St.) Cost: Free; 2 drink minimum
As most of you know from reading FreeNYC, every once and a while I like to nerd out on some science and all around geeky stuff. Lately I am finding more people of a similar dorky mindset. And apparently the people over at Angels and Kings do too as they host Nerd Nite. It's described pretty accurately as "like the Discovery Channel with beer." Tonight's Nerd Nite edition features a lesson what Chinese tattoos do and do not mean as you learn about Chinese characters, and you'll even find out why you should drink even more beer as Adam Kavalier talks about the anti-cancer ability and other healthy qualities of hops and beer. Full details of each discussion below.
*Presentation #1:
Home Is Where Your Pig Is and Other Ancient Chinese Secrets
by Mike Love
Description: Ever wonder what that Chinese tattoo actually means? Or whether the Chinese word for "crisis" is really the same as the word for "opportunity?" Or how many keys are there on a Chinese computer keyboard? We'll learn the answers to these and many other questions as we explore the rich and befuddling world of Chinese characters.
Bio: Michael Love has been studying Chinese since he was 12, making a living off of it since he was 19, and has visited China a grand total of 10 times, yet still hasn't managed to perfect his Kung Pao Chicken recipe. He has, however, occasionally been known to perform Chinese karaoke if you get him sufficiently drunk.
Presentation #2:
Some Like It Hop(py)
by Adam Kavalier
Description: Now there are more reasons to drink beer than ever before! As the main flavor ingredient in beer, hops possess a broad spectrum of healthy compounds. These wonderful flowers contain the most potent phytoestrogen known to date as well as produce a broad spectrum anticancer compound, among other friendly little compounds. So who says beer is just a bunch of empty calories? Drink up! Cheers!
Bio: Adam Kavalier is a doctoral student in biology trying to avoid politics and survive the CUNY system. He works in a phytochemistry lab studying the composition of plant stuff. When he's not at the bench or standing on his head, Adam can be found drinking his beverage of choice, that's right a hop-filled pint of pale ale!
Date: Thursday, June 5th Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm Location: Fontana's Bar (105 Eldridge St) Cost: Free Open Bar: Miller Lite & Fred Water, 7-9
Oh Kazaa... how I miss your 3am deliveries of Ben & Jerry's and beer (and a walkman if you needed such thing.) But alas the "get anything you want any time you want" internet delivery biz has been slow in NYC since folks like Kazaa and Urban Fetch went belly up. Enter, Wakozi, a middle man of sorts between you and your local delivery bodega. Celebrate the site launch today with a little party featuring two hours of Miller Lite (which needs to be served for two hours to get the alcohol content of one normal hour of open bar) and Fred Water. I guess that makes for a pretty cheap happy hour. 21+
Date: Thursday, June 5th Time: 7:00pm Location: Halcyon (57 Pearl St at Front St, DUMBO) Cost: Free
When it comes to dedication, creativity, and all out skills, few can measure up to DJ Vadim. The man of a hundred styles and a thousand crates will be swinging through Halcyon Records in the Brooklyn neighborhood of DUMBO to bless the decks with a taste of his turntable antics. All Ages.
Tonight check out Dance Dance Library Revolution, complete with Dewey Decimal themed cocktails. Its all hosted by the Desk Set, a group of librarians devoted to soaking in the area's literary and alcoholic offerings. Proving once again that I'm a huge dork, I gotta say any event that references the dewey decimal system is pretty awesome in my book. Oh and speaking of books, anyone who brings a paperback dictionary, thesaurus, Spanish-English dictionary or book stamps to donate to Books Through Bars gets a free drink!
Date: Friday, June 6th Time: 11:59pm - late Location: Crash Mansion (199 Bowery at Spring St) Cost: Free before 11, $5 after with RSVP Open Bar: something, 9-10
We've been huge fans of NY Underbelly's weekly Crash Mansion party for a minute now so we're stoked to be throwing a Crooked Disco afterparty tonight once the bands are done. DJs Morsy and Kestar spin all that wobbly electro, fidgety house, club bangers, and assorted guilty pleasure you've come to love from midnight until last call. Get there early for free entry (before 11), an open bar (9-10), and four rock bands. Or, just show up after midnight when your tired of that barstool and ready to get, get down. Mention "Crooked Disco" at the door for $5 admission after 11. 21+
Date: Friday, June 6th - Sunday, June 8th Time: Various Location: Various Cost: Free
"In 2006 the Come Out & Play Festival turned New York City into a playground for a weekend, then did the same for the city of Amsterdam in 2007. Hundreds of players gathered to play dozens different games across each city. Players raced through the night in a city-wide game of zombie tag. Friends faced off in life-sized Pong using only their ears to "hear" the ball. Payphones produced points and Tompkins Square Park became a putt-putt course. 200 people performed stunts to display on the Reuters screen in Times Square. It has been darn good and fascinating fun. Well, the festival is back. [and this weekend] New Yorkers will have the chance to come out and play again across the Lower East Side of Manhattan." There's way too much to talk about so just check the details here.
Date: Friday, June 6th Time: 8:00pm - 11:00pm Location: Vlada Lounge (331 W. 51st St btw 8th & 9th Ave) Cost: Free with RSVP
The crew from Bi the Way, "a documentary on bisexuality and the 'whatever generation'" present "a night of bi-curiosities, gender contortion, and sexual illusion" following their NYC premiere tonight. The always-fun Finger on the Pulse DJ and the night will feature "performances/edible climates" by comedian Seth Herzog from VH-1...
"the priest in robes Seth Ludman waiting in his confessional booth ready to hear all your dirty secrets, Amy Uzzi as the Weight Lifter (sexuality is an athletic event,)" and more. 21+
Date: Friday, June 6th Time: 10:30pm Location: Savalas (285 Bedford bet. Grand & South 1st) Cost: Free
Local wonderkid Cousin Cole (who's remixes are spun by everyone from Diplo to Hot97) celebrates his birthday tonight as his monthly residency, The Panty Raid. Joining in the fun is Chicago's Willy Joy (flybynight) and Erock. A great stop off if you're wondering Bedford Ave tonight and there's even a power hour beforehand (9:30) for like $15. 21+
Stussy and Turntable lab have colab'ed on this little here music/clothing project and tonight is the launch party with left-coast psych-hoppers Gaslamp Killer. Expect some esoteric abstract hip hop rooted in the good old boom-bat. Turntable Lab's own Egg Foo Young spins more accessible Gems. 21+
Date: Saturday, June 7th - Sunday, June 8th Time: 12:00pm - 6:00pm Location: Madison Square Park (Madison Avenue Between 23rd and 26th Street) Cost: Free Admission; Food Plates $8
What says summer more than a big, hot plate of BBQ? Today the Big Apple BBQ sets up their grills for the 6th year in a row. They bring together the country’s top pitmasters who cook up their award-winning food for over a hundred thousand barbecue enthusiasts. Add to that an ample supply of beer ($6) and live rockabilly, bluegrass, country and soul bands, and you've got yourself a fine day in the park! Pitmaster list here. Performance schedule here.
Date: Saturday, June 7th - Sunday, June 8th Time: 12:00pm - 7:00pm Location: Various Bushwick locations (click for details) Cost: Free
Take a walk around Bushwick this weekend and check out hundreds of artists who will open their studios to the public. There will also be dozens of artist organized events throughout the weekend, and no doubt parties! Check out the artist index here.
Date: Saturday, June 7th Time: 1:00pm - 5:00pm Location: Various Cost: Free with RSVP
Spend your afternoon today taking a tour of music venues on the lower east side. The LES Band Crawl stops at 1pm for Panther Tighter at Slipper Room (167 Orchard) or Dan Peluso at Le Lupanar (103 Essex). The second stop is at 2pm for Moe Isaac at Living Room (154 Ludlow) or Peter Hadar at Fat Baby (112 Rivington). And rounding at the day at 3:30 is Ghost Ghost & Misnomer(S) at Arlene’s Grocery (95 Stanton) and The Last Minet & Trajik Magic at Pianos (158 Ludlow). Don't forget to RSVP!
Date: Saturday, June 7th and Sunday, June 8th Time: 1:00pm - 6:00pm Location: All along Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn Cost: Free
ARTWALK08 is a tour of open studios, exhibits, public art projects, and special events on Atlantic Avenue featuring over 250 artists. A wide range of artists across media will open their private studios to the public for a special, rare glimpse into the artist¹s workspace and creative process.
Special events in local businesses, galleries, and many more locations throughout these historic neighborhoods also includes music, film, vibrant public art projects, and activities for families and children of all ages. Details here.
Date: Saturday, June 7th Time: 7:00pm - 10:00pm Location:Fuse Gallery at Lit (93 2nd Ave at 5th St) Cost: Free
Extremely talented with attention to detail, Jason D'Aquino creates miniature tableaus on found materials such as matchbooks and other small findings.They may be tiny, but the work is intricate and rich to the scrutinizing eye. Jason is also an amazing tattoo artist and owns a parlor in Buffalo, where I just happened to get my fave tattoo to date. Show runs until July 5th.
Date: Saturday, June 7th Time: 7:00pm - 10:00pm Location: MF Gallery (157 Rivington St btw. Clinton & Suffolk) Cost: Free
Over 20 artists will cover every square inch of [the MF Gallery] wall space with brand new original artwork, turning [the gallery] itself into a work of art! Artists such as Angie Mason, Joe Simko, Jenny Harada, Michael Alan, Kirsten Flaherty, Jaz Harold, Aya Kakeda, Hans Gullickson, Mike Nirenberg, Frank Russo, Martina Secondo Russo, Drew Maillard, Lawrence Van Abbema, Matt Brennan, Fernando Carpaneda will permanently paint, draw, paste and scratch their artwork into the walls. Come to the live painting party, have a drink and be swallowed in to a sea of imagery, as the artwork is created right before your very eyes!
Date: Saturday, June 7th Time: 10:00pm Location: Jalopy Theatre (315 Columbia St, Red Hook) Cost: Free
Celebrate the release of the latest slice of "modern americana rock n roll" from Frank Hoier with The Weber Brothers tonight at their Red Hook release party. "Hoier has that rare gift of writing a song that sounds like it's been around
forever – that mystic, instantly-classic feel." (Eric Wolfson, Pop Headwound) Featuring sets by Feral Foster & Jessy Carolina, Frank Hoier & The Weber Brothers Band, and The Weber Brothers Band. Since this is Red Hook, directions to venue here.
Date: Saturday, June 7th Time: 10:00pm Location: Glasslands Gallery (289 Kent Ave, W'burg) Cost: Free with RSVP
Following suit with Red Stripe or Sparks, Colt 45 is high on the tales of sponsoring all things hipster (which is awesome 'cuz I'd much rather some malt then some orange battery acid). Tonight their mini tour hits home with Señor Drop the Lime (aka Curses), Snakes say Hisss, Stay High, and Terry Diabolik dropping by south W'burg for some free booze and great tunes. 21+
Date: Saturday, June 7th - Sunday, June 8th Time: 12:00pm - 6:00pm Location: Madison Square Park (Madison Avenue Between 23rd and 26th Street) Cost: Free Admission; Food Plates $8
What says summer more than a big, hot plate of BBQ? Today the Big Apple BBQ sets up their grills for the 6th year in a row. They bring together the country’s top pitmasters who cook up their award-winning food for over a hundred thousand barbecue enthusiasts. Add to that an ample supply of beer ($6) and live rockabilly, bluegrass, country and soul bands, and you've got yourself a fine day in the park! Pitmaster list here. Performance schedule here.
Date: Sunday, June 8th Time: All Day Location: Cold Stone Creamery (Astor Place and Broadway) Cost: 8¢
Those crazy Ocho Loco kids are at it again... this time they are sweetening your weekend with 8-cent scoops of Cold Stone Creamery ice cream! Just hit up the site and do the little mobile text thing and they'll shoot you a coupon.
Date: Sunday, June 8th Time: 1:00pm Location: 3rd Ward (195 Morgan Ave., Bushwick) Cost: Free
This afternoon at 3rd Ward they kick off their summer bbq series and get their honky tonk on and sharing our space with you. There will be grilling and dancing their honky tonk hearts out to celebrate Arts in Bushwick in conjunction with the annual Bushwick Open Studios & Arts Festival. The afternoon will include live music, tours of 3rd Ward and badminton! They will do one BBQ a month for the rest of the summer!
Date: Sunday, June 8th Time: 2:00pm - Midnight Location: Rose Live (345 Grand St. btw. Havermayer & Marcy, W'burg) Cost: Free
The Sunday Social is a new weekly daytime jam that goes into the night, finishing at midnight. There will be DJs, a BBQ, and good drinks. Come and wind down the weekend, or wind it up one more time. Resident DJs Monk One (Waxpoetics / Black Betty), Hamish Anderson (Wonk party / Out Of The loop Recordings) and Tim Giles (Prime Numbers) will be playing everything from reggae and soul through to Latin, boogie, disco, and a few things that defy categorization. There’ll be a bar-be-cue in the garden featuring jerk chicken, and something delicious for the vegetarians. There will also be rum punch, sangria and other splendid beverages." 21+
Date: Sunday, June 1st 8th Time: 3:00pm - 7:00pm Location: Solar 1 (East River Waterfront at East 23rd St) Cost: Free with RSVP
Please note that this was originally incorrectly listed as June 1st, the correct date is June 8th. Sorry for any confusion (I was sleepy). "Come celebrate the 40th anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, the Supreme Court case that legalized interracial marriage in the U.S." It's the 5th Annual Loving Day Celebration with special guest (and personal favorite) DJ Spooky. Plus Dhundee, free BBQ, Free beer from 3-4, Free Ben & Jerry's from 3-4, and raffles all day. Plus, its all ages!
Girls Write Now is "a nonprofit volunteer mentoring organization that has been matching bright, creative teenage girls from New York City's public high schools with professional women writers in the community since 1998." Today is Girls Write Now 10th Anniversary Spring Reading. "New York City's most talented teen writers, along with celebrity host Amanda Diva (Def Poetry Jam, HipHopNation, MTV2, Floetry), will turn a downtown bookstore into a showcase for a collection of powerful new poems, stories and essays that reflect an electrifying community of girl writers spanning often hard-and-fast lines of race, age, economics and geography in New York City"
Date: Sunday, June 8th Time: 9:00pm Location:Lakeside Lounge (162 Ave. B) Cost: Free
Summer is here, with its bevy of free things to do. This Sunday, Lakeside Lounge offers up a free show featuring alt-country band, Tatters and Rags. The show is early for all you Monday morning workers. So mellow out with a cheap drink, the bluesy stylings of Tatters and Rags and a trip to the bar's premium photo booth.
Date: Friday, May 16th Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm Location: Steven (100 Rivington St & Ludlow) Cost:Free with RSVP
First Katy Perry got down with the good folks from Gsus for a launch party and now the Capital Records artist is singing away your Monday blues with an intimate show for Steve Madden... Clearly there's some big machine behind this girls. Maybe tonight is the night to find out what they hype is about while Stoli and Perrier Jouet wet your pallate with complimentary drinks. 21+
Date: Monday, June 9th Time: 8:30pm Location: Other Music (15 E 4th St) Cost: Free
"My Brightest Diamond, who is actually singer-songwriter Shara Worden, releases her second studio album, A Thousand Shark's Teeth later this month. The multifaceted musician mixes her classical music background with more experimental rock, featuring everything from a string quartet to wind chimes. She samples some of her freshest efforts tonight." All Ages
Date: Mondays Time: 10:00pm Location: Beauty Bar (231 E 14th Street) Cost: Free
Stephen Merritt is a man of many faces, he creates music with his bands The Magnetic Fields and The 6ths, as well as under the names Future Bible Heroes and The Gothic Archies. Every Monday night he takes to the decks at the Beauty Bar to spin his favourite tunes, expect underplayed classics of psychedelia, bubblegum, garage, girl groups, etc., along with candy and other distractamenta. (old flyer) 21+
Date: Tuesdays through August Time: 6:30pm Location: Pier 45 at Christopher St Cost: Free
Tuesdays hit a high note with jazz and classical performances from Mannes College The New School for Music and The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music on one of Hudson River Park's most beautiful piers by star students from around the city. Tonight the Mannes students play a selection of classical compositions while you watch the sunset. All Ages.
Date: Tuesday, June 10th Time: 7:00pm Location: Apple Store Soho (103 Prince St) Cost: Free
Early arrival is obviously suggested as that dynamic, Grammy Award Winning un-hip-hop duo, Gnarles Barkley, stop by for an intimate instore today to celebrate their new release, The Odd Couple. "Like its predecessor, the highly acclaimed St. Elsewhere, this album weds dark emotions with compelling beats." All Ages
Date: Tuesday, June 10th Time: 10:00pm - late Location: Music Hall of Williamsburg (66 N 6th St, W'burg) Cost: Free
"Hailing from Brooklyn, NY The XYZ Affair makes epic power pop with theatrical vocals and instrumentation. It’s a sunny sound with rich, four-part harmonies and driving guitars. Their latest album, A Few More Published Studies is a consistently upbeat, multi-layered and melodic collection of progressive power pop." Tonight they play for free along with Action Painters after the Deathcab for Cutie show in the park. 18+
Action Painters do twinkly heartache with the best of them ("Cold Dead Corner"), and their up-tempo numbers ("Never Say I'm Sorry") are convincingly jagged. It's when they let the excitement of being young and romantic make them dizzy, though, that they excel. Album opener "Absolutely Clear" can't decide whether it wants to be classic rawk or post-punk, so Haslow lets his voice tremble and shake and splits the difference, landing somewhere frenetic and epic and sweet. It all sounds sort of tossed off, as if the band doesn't care, but buried beneath the artsy fury lies AM radio gold. Think the Replacements if they had given a damn more often. (Spin.com)
Date: Tuesday, June 10th Time: 10:00pm - late Location: Angles and Kings (500 E 11th St bet Ave A & B) Cost: Free Open Bar: RIZE Energy Drink: 10:30pm -11:30pm
The MyOpenBar kids say this is where its at to get your drunk on tonight so I'll just leave it at that. Plus, its the official afterparty for the Kooks with DJs The Wonder Twins. Note the updated info here is now correct. 21+
Date: Wednesday, June 11th Time: 10:00pm - late Location: Rebel (251 West 30th St bet. 7th & 8th Ave) Cost: Free with RSVP Open Bar: ???, 10-11
The Jump is a culmination of a lot of conversations that have been going on over the last few months that usually go something like "Let's get all these dope DJs together with proper sound and lights, lots of free and cheap booze, and do it up." Consider it a gathering of the tribes if you will. You've got some of the premier electro bangers coming out such as Marc-Alan Gray (Changez le Beat), Stretch Armstrong (Plant Music), Paddy Boom (Scissor Sisters), Jesse Murphy (Brazilian Girls), and Alexander Technique (DJs are not Rockstars). Plus, you've got some of the finest from the new school of electro beat slingers like Morsy + Kestar from Crooked Disco), Rok One of The Bangers), & DJ Elle and you've got a room full of raging breakbeat electro bass (you know, that baltimore, figit, bassline, whatcha-call-it stuff). Plus, giveaways all night from Urb, Nameribbon, & Killshopkill. Plus, open bar from 10-11. Plus $5 cosmos or whisky&beer all night long. Plus, its all free! For serious, this one is not to be missed! 21+
Date: Wednesday, June 11th Time: 12:30pm - 1:45pm Location: Bryant Park Reading Room (42nd St btw NYPL and 6th Ave, in the park) Cost: Free
Bryant Park's summer lunch-time reading series continues today with Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi. "Crime-novelist Douglas Preston’s chilling account of a legendary serial killer, known as the 'Monster of Florence', who continues to haunt the Italian police, courts, people, and himself – even after 40-years. Mario Spezi is an Italian journalist who has been investigating the Monster of Florence case since the first murders in 1974. Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi will be interviewed by Sarah Weinman, author of Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind, followed by a Q & A and booksigning." All Ages.
Date: Wednesday, June 11th Time: 6:00pm Location: South Street Seaport, Pier 17 (Fulton St and East River) Cost: Free
Now that the head is back down to relatively bearable, sitting on the pier and listening to some live jazz from Ed Palermo's Big Band perfoming the music of Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck, Cannonball Adderley, Neil Young, Duke Ellington and more seems like a nice treat. Jazz in the big band style is a site to behold, beyond the free-flowing intamacy you get from a trio or quartet, these larger ensambles - 15+ in this case - come with a unique power and intensity. Highly composed sections run remenicent of classical music yet the improvisational swing of jazz is still present. Tonight's a great chance to catch it sans the $25+ cover charge you'd usually pay. And if you like what you hear, make sure you check out the Mingus Big Band who play Tuesdays at the Iridium. It will blow you away. All Ages.
Date: Wednesday, June 11th Time: 6:00pm - 10:00pm Location: Chelsea Art Museum (556 West 22nd St) Cost: Free with Spread ArtCulture Magazine and Volume 16. There will also be live tattoo design (what, no real tattooing?) from Scott Cambell of SAved Tattoo and Darren Brass of Miami Inc. Alex Moulton spins.
"Otis Clay is universally hailed as the proud standard-bearer for Chicago's enduring soul tradition. Ryan Shaw began singing when he was only three years old. 'This Is Ryan Shaw', is a hip-shaking collection of covers from artists like Wilson Pickett, Bobby Womack, and Jackie Wilson, along with a few terrific originals." Both perform free after work today. All Ages.
Date: Thursday in June Time: 5:00pm - 9:00pm Location:Queensbridge Park (21st St & East River, Queens) Cost: Free
So you think you've got DJ skills. Head uptown tonight as "three decades of legendary party rockers, producers, battle champs and turntablists unite to cut, rock, beat juggle, scratch & transform the park" as this summer's Turntablist Sessions hosted by PopMaster Fabel of the legendary Rock Steady Crew. This week features Ill Insanity with Rob Swift, Total Eclipse, & Precision. All Ages
Date: Thursday, June 12th Time: 6:00pm - 12:00am Location: The Leopard Lounge (85 2nd Ave at 5th Street) Cost: Free Open Bar: Vodka 7:00pm - 7:30pm
After some other events you may remember, including one appropriately titled Fuck Rehab, SpinSpinNYC continues it's legacy with another round up of electronica-dance-madness at Leopard Lounge tonight. "Ranging from the wildly outrageous to sweet sonic bliss, SpinSpin's synergistic party throwing tactics always brings out some really cool and down-to-earth people." DJ Nutritious spins and free vodka from 7:00pm to 7:30pm helps things get started right.
Date: Thursday, June 12th Time: 8:00pm - 10:00pm Location: China 1 (50 Ave B) Cost: Free with RSVP
After 5 months of campaigning and finally winning the Democratic nomination, Barack Obama supports come out for a night of jazz, drinks and celebration. There will also be a screening of a documentary on Senator Obamas' return to his native Kenya, followed by stops in South Africa and the Sudan. Come show your support!
Date: Thursday, June 12th Time: 8:00pm Location: Prospect Park Bandshell Cost: $3 Suggested Donation
In case the weeks worth of 90º weather wasn't a clear enough sign of summer, the opening night of Celebrate Brooklyn should clear up any doubt. Isaac Hayes kicks off the park's 30th season with his signature sounds of Soul and R&B. Free shows continue all summer long. Check back soon for all the seasons listings.
"The Journal of Popular Noise is a semi-annual audio magazine inspired by the traditions of pop music, printed periodicals, and the delight of a finely crafted artifact." Tonight they celebrate the release of issues seven, eight and nine with a party at Listen:Space with a performance from Bora Yoon.
Date: Thursday, June 12th Time: 10:00pm Location: Porch Bar (115 Ave C btw 7th & 8th) Cost: Free
Nick Catchdubs and Rezound are back with their 3rd installment of Space Cakes, this time with special guest and FreeNYC favorite DJ Caps of Caps and Jones. Mysterious cheap drink specials and an actual porch to sit on are added bonuses to the spaced out dance jams the boys will be dropping all night. 21+
Date: Friday, June 13th Time: 5:00pm Location: City Hall Park Cost: Free
A daily showcase of R&B legends and brand new soul artists, J & R Summerfest helps you unwind on your summer Fridays. Tonight's sow features Casely, The Dey, Yung Berg, Tiffany Evans, and Noel Gourdin. All Ages
Date: Friday, June 13th Time: 6:00pm Location: Whitney Museum of Art (945 Madison Ave) Cost: Free
The Wordless Music Series "is devited to the idea that the sound worlds of classical and contemporary instrumental music - in genres such as indie rock, free jazz, and electronic music - share more in common than conventional thinking might suggest." Tonight, they pair the Philly based brother/sister pop combo A Sunny Day in Glasgow against the American Contemporary Music Ensemble performing Ingram Marshall's Entrada and John Adams' Shaker Loops, for seven strings. Shake it up, see what happens. More here. Old image. All Ages.
Date:Friday, June 13th Time: 7:00pm - 10:00pm Location: Summerstage, Central Park (directions) Cost: Free
Celebrate opening night of Summerstage with two women who cross the generations of gospel and soul. A member of the legendary Staple Singers, Mavis Staples has taken her roots in gospel and given them an uncanny boost of soul. Staples’ deep voice and spiritual resonance make her one of the most important singers to grace stages today. Stephanie McKay has resurrected true soul through bold songs like her flawless first single and title track, “Tell it Like It Is,” shows off her gutsy style and seamless voice. A child of the Bronx, she has contributed to projects with Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Tricky, and Roy Hargrove. All Ages.
Date: Friday, June 13th Time: 7:30pm Location: Reciprocal Skateshop (402 E 11th St) Cost: Free
"Reciprocal Skate Shop Presents the second in a series of in store performances. The intimate setting will be hosting Rejouissance, an acoustic and baritone guitar trio from Greenpoint, the solo performance of Jon Davies of the Nojons, and the cello guitar duo of Red Tag Rummage Sale from Buffalo. The show begins at 7:30 pm and the event is free. Beer will be served."
Date: Saturday, June 14th Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm Location: Brooklyn Bridge Park Beach Cost: Free with Reservation
Anyone else ever wonder what sort of creatures live in the East River? Apparently it's not just bodies and syringes down there! Today join experts from the Coastal Marine Resource Center and the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy as they use a 30-foot seining net to catch fish and other remarkable East River creatures. Families and kids can take a good look at the fish before we release them back to their homes and keep a tally of our catch. They provide field guides and identification keys. Space is limited to 30 kids plus their parents/guardians, so be sure to reserve your spot!
Date: Saturday, June 14th - Sunday, June 15th Time: 11:00am - 7:00pm Location: McCarren Park Pool (Lorimer Street, between Driggs Avenue and Bayard Street, W'burg) Cost: Free
First off, anything entitled 'renegade' conjures crazy images in my head, add that to 'crafts' and 'McCarren Park' and in my mind there are Williamsburg-hipster-rebels hiding behind trees weaving baskets. In reality though, the 4th annual Renegade Craft Fair is a two day event, featuring over 200 artists who will be showing off their wares! Popshop DJ Squad will be playing tunes throughout the weekend, and tasty treats will be provided by: Lefty's Silver Cart, The Treats Truck, Wheeler's Frozen Desserts, Fizzy Lizzy, 1 Bite 7 Days and Mr. Softy.
Date: Saturday, June 14th Time: Festival starts at 11:00am; Parade Starts at 8:30pm Location: Prospect Park Bartel Prichard Circle Cost: Free
This weekend the Brooklyn LGBT community celebrates with Brooklyn Pride! It begins with a festival at Bartel- Pritchard Circle at Prospect Park West and 15th Street. And then later tonight catch the parade as it heads down 7th avenue. Last year I'm pretty sure I saw Marty Marokwitz shakin' his groove thing on top of one of the floats!
Date: Saturday, June 14th Time: 12:00pm - late Location: South Street Seaport, Pier 17 (Fulton St & East River) Cost: Free
Children's Day! Fun for all Ages! The seaport becomes baby-fest today as Gordon from Sesame Street, Curious George, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and more invade the seaport. Plus, there are puppets, live music, folk tales, art activities, and a synchronized performance by the Brooklyn Philaharmonic complete with fireworks. Way too much to talk about so check the schedule here. All Ages.
Date: Saturday, June 14th Time: 2:30pm Location: Central Park, Great Lawn Cost: Free
The environmentally conscious part of me says that maybe a giant water fight in the middle of Central Park is a waste of precious natural resources. However, the 10 year old, silly little girl part of me thinks that a water fight on a hot summer day in the middle of Central Park, is like the best idea ever! To be honest, I am not sure who is organizing this event, it seems to be circulating on the internet via this facebook event posting but it seems like a lot of people are into it. Participants are encouraged to bring buckets, water guns, water balloons, and just about anything else you can fill with water. Afterwards dry off and head over to Summerstage!
Date: Saturday, June 14th Time: 4:00pm - 8:00pm Location: Central Park SummerStage (Directions) Cost: Free ($5 Suggested Donation)
One of the best things about summer in New York City is Central Park's Summerstage. Their opening weekend starts the summer out right, with performances this afternoon from New York Foursome Vampire Weekend, Canadian indie rock trio Born Ruffians and the first artist signed to A-Trak's own label, plus one of my recent faves, Kid Sister!
Date:Saturday, June 14th Time: 4:00pm - 10:00pm Location: Huckleberry Bar (588 Grand St, W'burg) Cost: Free
DJs Cousin Cole, Benny B, Soul Korea, & Rut Roh spin 70's, 80's, rare disco and rnb while you eat (not free) BBQ. There will be 2 for 1 drinks between 4 & 7 PM, and food being grilled up by Chef Seth (formerly of 11 Madison Park) on the outdoor patio.
Date: Saturday, June 14th Time: 10:00pm Location: Supreme Trading (213 N 8th St., W'burg) Cost: Free
If you are in Williamsburg tonight swing by Supreme Trading for their new(ish) party Seamless. DJs Teenwolf (aka K-ross), Elsewhere, and Knomad providing the danceable cure to the common party. They'll be tag teaming all night to keep everyone on their toes! Expect hip hop, reggae, funk, disco, soul, dance, 80s, and more. Plus, there's free BBQ at 9 for those who arrive early. 21+
Date:Saturday, June 14th Time: 11:00pm Location: Union Pool (484 Union Ave, W'burg) Cost: Free
"Seminal East Village glam/pop trio I Love You Airlines... [have] been storming the East Village a few years now (with shows at The Mercury Lounge, Luna Lounge, Studio B, et al), and are waist deep in the Brooklyn underground playing parties like Rubulad, Glasslands, and The House of Yes." Tonight they rock Union Pool in the main space, immediately following the Stars Like Fleas CD release show. Some Free download links below. Ed Note: The Union Pool site says this show is $8 but the band says that its free after the CD release party. You may want to do some research if your real concerned 21+
Date: Saturday, June 14th - Sunday, June 15th Time: 11:00am - 7:00pm Location: McCarren Park Pool (Lorimer Street, between Driggs Avenue and Bayard Street, W'burg) Cost: Free
First off, anything entitled 'renegade' conjures crazy images in my head, add that to 'crafts' and 'McCarren Park' and in my mind there are Williamsburg-hipster-rebels hiding behind trees weaving baskets. In reality though, the 4th annual Renegade Craft Fair is a two day event, featuring over 200 artists who will be showing off their wares! Popshop DJ Squad will be playing tunes throughout the weekend, and tasty treats will be provided by: Lefty's Silver Cart, The Treats Truck, Wheeler's Frozen Desserts, Fizzy Lizzy, 1 Bite 7 Days and Mr. Softy.
Date: Sunday, June 15th Time: 3:00pm - 7:00pm Location: Summerstage, Central Park (directions) Cost: Free
"Victor Manuelle is Latin music royalty. The Puerto Rican-born sonero is considered salsa’s leading man. With the release of his new album, SOY, SummerStage will be his first US appearance where he will debut songs from this highly anticipated release. With seven Sony Music albums to his credit, Manuelle has appeared on the Grammys with Marc Anthony and Gloria Estefan in a tribute to Latina diva Celia Cruz. Manuelle was also invited to the White House in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month." All Ages.
Date: Monday, June 16th Time: Films begin at Dusk (about 8ish) Location: Bryant Park (40th and 42nd Sts & Fifth and Sixth Aves) Cost: Free
Every Monday throughout the summer HBO dusts off some old classic movies and plays them on a big screen in Bryant Park. Bring your picnic baskets and pull up some lawn for an evening under the stars with the HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival. For the season's first showing tonight check out Dr. No. "Sean Connery, the original James Bond, visits Jamaica and gets more than he bargains for. Setting the standard for all 007 films, Bond faces a mad scientist with unlimited resources and succumbs to the charms of Ursula Andress, the ultimate Bond girl." Seating begins at 5:00pm, and the film begins at dusk.
Date: Monday, June 16nd Time: 6:00pm - 10:00pm Location: Hudson (356 West 58th Street) Cost: Free with RSVP
Those Giant Step cats do it again… bringing some of the worlds finest DJs to you on an otherwise drab Monday evening. Tonight's set features Dego of 4hero. Old school heads will know 4hero as one of the founding fathers of Drum and Bass, recording for such luminary labels as Sm:)e, Talkin' Loud, and Raw Communications. Since then, they've gone on to produce some of the worlds finer nu-jazz and broken beat for the likes of Sonar Kollektiv, Quango, and Jalapeño Records and have worked with artists such as Jill Scott. Tonight, Dego helps you get your Monday dance on at this bi-weekly party! 21+
Date: Tuesdays through August Time: 6:30pm Location: Pier 45 at Christopher St Cost: Free
Tuesdays hit a high note with jazz and classical performances from Mannes College The New School for Music and The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music on one of Hudson River Park's most beautiful piers by star students from around the city. Tonight the New School's Mimiaga Quartet play a selection of jazz and contemporary music. All Ages.
NJ lovin' Nicole Atkins (from Neptune for all you tri-state transplants) plays nostalgic, soulful rock about the Jersey Shore (you know, the days before MTV set up shop every summer) with some sweeping, dark, undertones. Tonight she trades the atlantic for the East River with a free outdoor show in the LIC. Opening the night is Brooklyn's own Salt & Samovar who have more of a neo-americana songbook vibe with a little (just putting it out there) TV on the Radio thrown in. Definitely worth showing up early for. All ages weather permitting.
Its another edition of Chelsea Mind Games, everyone's favorite shipping market variety show! Hosted by Jennifer Dziura, tonight's edition features music by Craig Chin, a vocabulary tournament, and Dorothy Von Irony's Hour of Literary Comedy and Comic Literature. All ages.
Bring your picnic baskets to the 'front lawn' of Poets House' future home in Battery Park City for this unforgettable evening of outdoor readings and musical performances overlooking the Hudson River. Audience members are invited for a pre-reading walking tour of Battery Park City, featuring an introduction to some of its literary and artistic niches. The free tour will begin at 6:00pm at the Poets House booth, near the bandshell in Rockefeller Park. Following the tour will be an outdoor reading featuring poets Cornelius Eady, Matthea Harvey, Hettie Jones, Li-Young Lee, & Kay Ryan, and a musical performances by Jill Sobule. All Ages.
Date: Wednesday, June 18th Time: 7:00pm Location: Bluestockings Bookstore (172 Allen St) Cost: $5 suggested
Stories about travel and far-away places. New Yorkers go all over the world but the city has a way of swallowing their homecomings. Orbit the earth and your friends just ask if you missed the pizza... This homespun live talk show offers a chance for travelers to tell stories, to bring the world home and share it with the rest of us — travelers as well as those of us who don't get out much. Tonight features interviews with three intrepids: Martin Dockery performs a segment from Wanderlust, his one-man show about West Africa, Chris Kannen investigated the Mcmurdo Dry Valleys, a polar
desert wilderness about 100 miles from Mcmurdo station in Antarctica, and Dara Greenwald intervened in Kucevo, Serbia. Interviews by Jeff Stark. Gorgeous slideshows tightly edited and mercifully short.
"In the rolling hills of central Italy's Umbria, the Pandolfi-Elmi family has been producing olive oil for centuries. Olga, Oriana, Luigi and Renato have been harvesting those olives for more than 50 years. As these villagers recount their stories of the harvest over a generation, they reveal their shared passion for nature and a culture tied to the land. LA RACCOLTA (THE HARVEST), a film by Donna Lennard (of NYC restaurant Il Buco), offers a glimpse of the people, the landscape, and culture behind the olive harvest and the changing social fabric which threatens the future of this lyrical tradition." Tonight, La Raccolta screens as part of the NYC Food Film Festival followed by an olive oil tasting with Lennard.
Date: Thursday, June 19th Time: 10:00pm Location: LeRoyale (21 7th Ave South @ Leroy) Cost: Free with RSVP
Kinetika Music and a who-who of NYC's new school funky-electro bangers get together for two floors of DJs and dancing to ease in that weekend. On the top floor you've got Rok One of the Bangers brings his chameleon DJ skills dropping uptempo breaks, glammy electro, and whatever moves him to move you. Also, Morsy and Kester of our beloved Crooked Disco bring their usual mixed up bag of disco house and funky-tech-fidgity-electro. Downstairs is Kinetika's own J.A.D. who takes things to the darker tech side of the spectrum while recent Houston transplant Witnes does a 180 and brings the TX hip hop effect to the floor. Enough variation to keep you movin' all night. 21+
Date: Monday, June 16th - 19th Time: 12:30pm Location: Bowling Green Park at Cobblestone Plaza (Broadway and Whitehall) Cost: Free
"In Doorknob Company’s new dance satire, The Miracle Show and the Death of Optimism, co-directors Shannon Gillen and Elisabeth Motley invite you to the funeral for optimism. Funeral Attendants will guide you on a journey through exhilarating dance, woeful song, and uproarious theater, as we gather to mourn optimism's death and hope for a miracle. Doorknob Company creates a world of deep physicality, virtuosic extremes, and peculiar happenings. It's high time for a miracle, and this one happens on your lunch break. Musical arrangement by Malina Rauschenfels" All Ages
Date: Thursday in June Time: 5:00pm - 9:00pm Location:Queensbridge Park (21st St & East River, Queens) Cost: Free
So you think you've got DJ skills. Head uptown tonight as "three decades of legendary party rockers, producers, battle champs and turntablists unite to cut, rock, beat juggle, scratch & transform the park" as this summer's Turntablist Sessions hosted by PopMaster Fabel of the legendary Rock Steady Crew. This week features Roc Raida, Steve Dee, Boogie Blind, & Mista Sinista. All Ages
Date: Thursday, June 19th Time: 7:00pm Location: KGB Bar (85 E. 4th St.) Cost: Free
Drunken! Careening! Writers! is a monthly reading series dedicated to the proposition that readings should be: excellent, well-read pieces that have at least one thing in them that makes people laugh (nervous laughter counts), and don't run more than 15 minutes each. This months writers are Christopher Bram, Robin Cloud and Joel Derfner. More info about the writers after the jump.
CHRISTOPHER BRAM is the author of nine novels, including GODS AND MONSTERS, which was made into a wonderful movie starring Ian McKellan and Lynn Redgrave. His most recent books are LIVES OF THE CIRCUS ANIMALS, which is about a pack of actors in New York City, and EXILES IN AMERICA, which is about a gay open marriage in a college town in Virginia.
ROBIN CLOUD has been seen spewing her innermost thoughts, passions, and comedic observations to the masses at Caroline's, The Duplex, New York Comedy Club, and The Peoples Improv Theatre and Emerging Artist Theatre’s One Woman Standing series; at times in the form of characters Jerri Beige, Angela Davison and JD West. Robin is one of the founding members of the sketch group Connecticrack. Robin’s one woman show turned feature length screenplay, “Tales from the Big House” is a comical coming of age story about a young African American woman who gallantly claims her lesbian identity at the age of 16 only to find that being a lesbian is only half the battle.
JOEL DERFNER is the author of Swish: My Quest to Become the Gayest Person Ever and Gay Haiku. Musicals for which he has written the scores have been produced in London, New York, and various cities in between (going counterclockwise). In an attempt to become the gayest person ever, he joined Cheer New York, New York’s gay and lesbian cheerleading squad, but eventually he had to leave because he was too depressed. In desperation, he started knitting and teaching aerobics, though not at the same time. He hopes to come to a bad end. He is currently hosting a competitive gay-off (internet entries accepted!) at www.joelderfner.com.
Date: Thursday, June 19th Time: 7:00pm Location: Prospect Park Bandshell (enter at 9th St & Prospect Park West) Cost: $3 Suggested
It's a night of modern jazz pioneers at the bandshell this evening as pioneering trio Medeski, Martin, & Wood take the stage with their funked out grooves. These boys hold a special place in my heart since their breakout album Combustication along with DJ Logic. Also on the bill are equal luminaries rising from the downtown jazz scene including guitarist Marc Ribot and his newest project, Ceramic Dog, and Taylor McFerrin's Cell Theory. Seriously, nothing sounds better than sitting in the park and spacing out to this stuff, but that' just me. All Ages.
The Inwood Shakespeare Festival (ISF) was conceived and developed by Ted Minos as a way to bring theatre to the greater Inwood community. Each summer they bring some of Shakespeare's finest to life for the uptown community and it's visitors. This is the last week to catch this year's "Season of Love and Justice" kick-off, Romeo and Juliet. Check out the full schedule here. All Ages.
Date: Thursday, June 19th Time: 9:00pm Location: Studio B (259 Banker St, Greenpoint) Cost: Free
Those Studio B cats continue to stop some serious DJ talent midweek. This time around its that hipster-lovin, chiptune inspired duo of Crystal Castles. One part Ed Banger and one part Super Mario Bros. so if your into such things then this is the place to be. Woodhands and Frankie Chan are also on the bill, along with Radioclit who - IMHO - should probably be headlining. 21+
And here's a track from Chiptune purist Nullsleep just because:
"As human beings we live in the dream and fantasize, getting in touch with our greatest fears and deepest desires. In reliving the past and foretelling the future, dreaming is simultaneously universal and personally unique. The photographs in this group exhibit invite the viewer to step outside of our every day world and allow the ephemeral visuals into our waking mind."
Comedy Central brings an evening of free stand-up and live musical comedy hosted by Julian McCullough, and featuring Steven Lynch and Mike Birbiglia. More on the comedians below. All ages but adult language so maybe not so family friendly.
Friday, June 20, 2008
From 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Central Park SummerStage
An evening of free stand-up and live musical comedy hosted by Julian McCullough, and featuring Steven Lynch and Mike Birbiglia. Presented in association with Comedy Central.
This evening's performance may contain adult content and language.
Stephen Lynch recently starred in the Broadway musical The Wedding Singer, for which he received Tony, Drama League and Drama Desk nominations for his performance as Robbie Hart. A comedic singer-songwriter, Stephen has appeared on Comedy Central Presents, The Opie and Anthony radio show, and produced three bestselling albums, including his most recent The Craig Machine. He has performed at the prestigious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, two Comedy Central Presents specials and Last Call with Carson Daly.
Mike Birbiglia’s 2007 CD of personal stories, entitled My Secret Public Journal, was hailed by Time Out New York as “comedy album of the year.” Punchline Magazine called it “the best comedy album of this generation.” Such accolades led to star appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman and two highly rated half-hour specials on Comedy Central Presents. His new album, entitled What I Should Have Said Was Nothing, was released on April 8, and CBS is shooting his new pilot, My Secret Public Journal.
Julian McCullough is one of the fastest rising acts in NYC who has appeared at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, and on Comedy Central's "Live at Gotham."
Date: Friday, June 20th Time: 8:00pm Location: Prospect Park Long Meadow Ballfields (closest entrances are 9th st or 15th st and Prospect Park West) Cost: Free
"The Met's summertime tradition of free outdoor performances returns with a special one-night only event in Prospect Park. Celebrate the start of summer with two of opera's biggest stars - Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna- singing popular arias and duets. Ion Marin conducts the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus in the operatic event of the summer"
Date: Friday, June 20th Time: 10:00pm Location: Hugs (108 N. 6th, W'burg) Cost: Free
Some of our favorite locals are getting together for their monthly installment of round of knob-working debauchery at Williamsburg hotspot, Hugs, tonight. Cousin Cole and Rezound are joined by Robot Blair for a night of the fun disco, classic house, new house and 90s house. Good plan for Friday night in the 'burg.
Date: Friday, June 20th Time: 10:00pm Location: Sapphire (249 Eldridge Street btw Houston and Stanton) Cost: Free
Sapphire is one of the doper spots to hear music in the city. A proper champion of DJ culture in NYC, it lives on the underground house scene with such defining spots as Shelter or Sullivan Room. And - like all proper systems in the city - it usually carries a door charge which doesn't make us hate them (man's gotta eat) but it means they don't find their way onto our site so often. But tonight, DJs Rut Roh and Soul Korea of the Simply Smashing party have set up a little wiggle room for you and open those doors for free. They'll be dropping their own blend of hip hop, soul, disco, funk, etc. all night long. This ain't your standard bar gig so be ready to get down. 21+
Date: Friday, June 20th Time: 10:00pm Location: Sutra (16 First Avenue) Cost: Free with RSVP
Sutra’s One Night Only series kicked off a few weeks back bringing the top-tier selection of hip-hop DJs to LES's Sutra. They continue what they have started tonight with Kool DJ Red Alert. Space is limited so early arrival is recommended, and dont forget to RSVP.
Date: Friday, June 20th Time: 11:00pm (sign up at 10:00) Location: Knitting Factory (74 Leonard St at Church) Cost: Free
So its about time I finally update my write-up for Hip Hop Karaoke. This monthly event draws serious heads and serious (and drunken, and not-so-serious) rhymers to the Knit once a month for one of the best Karaoke night's in the city. There's no screen, just a hype man and a DJ for you to work with as you get on stage in front of hundreds and strut your skills. I finally got a chance to go after talking this event up and it was live, we're talking packed house Friday night, and lots of fun.
Date: Saturday, June 21st Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm Location: Fort Greene Park (DeKalb Avenue sidewalk perimeter starting at intersection of Washington Park) Cost: Free
Fort Greene Park's Artisan Market is presenting a wildflower seed give-away for plants favored by foraging honey bees today. As I am probably one of the few who know about the worldwide colony collapse disorder in bees (nerd alert!), click here to learn more. "Thousands of seed packets are being provided by Haagen Dazs as part of their 'Help the Honey Bee' campaign. Local beekeeper, John Howe of Brooklyn Bee Apiary, will be on hand to offer advice and answer any questions you may have about bees and their role as part of our ecosystem."
Date: Saturday, June 21st Time: 10:00am - 10:00pm Location: Various Cost: Free
Today is the second Make Music Day where "for one day, public space throughout the five boroughs – sidewalks, parks, community gardens, and more – will become impromptu musical stages, dance floors, and social meeting points. Thousands of amateur musicians, in every genre, will be able to play on the sidewalks for the biggest crowds of their lives. Professional musicians will be able to attract new audiences, who will come out from under their headphones to hear unfamiliar groups risk-free." You can check out the full schedule here. All Ages!
Date: Saturday, June 21st - Sunday, June 22nd Time: 1:00pm - 9:00pm Location: Crane Street Studios (46-23 Crane Street, LIC) Cost: Free
Long Island City's Crane Street Studios are hosting an open studios weekend today and tomorrow with free tours, a silent art auctions, and live bands from 5pm - 9pm. Lots more on their site so get the details here. All ages.
Date: Saturday, June 21st Time: 1:00pm - 9:00pm Location: The Yard (388 Carrol St, Gowanus) Cost: Free
"The famous Dante and his famous chicken come canal-side -- he's bringing smorgasbord of underground artists and culinary treats to our Gowanus-front property. So munch on a tapas plate ($5) of yam-banana catfish, strawberry-blueberry beef brisket (tofu options abound!), apricot-pecan cabbage salad, roasted vegetable potato salad, sock-it-to-me nuggets and a complimentary dessert. And then lean back and watch NYC’s rising stars perform the newest sounds from the underground." With performances by Theophilus London, Ninjasonik, Liv Lraynge, Daru, Muhsinah, DJ Unruly G, & DJ ProbeDMS. 21+
Date: Saturday, June 21st Time: 2:00pm Location: Starts at West 10th and Broadway, Coney Island Cost: Free
There are two great reasons to head out to Coney Island in the summer time and one of them is the Mermaid Parade. Its kind of like the entire East Village went on vacation together (via subway), met a bunch of circus freaks, and decided to have a party. "The Mermaid Parade pays homage to Coney Island's forgotten Mardi Gras which lasted from 1903 to 1954, and draws from a host of other sources resulting in a wonderful and wacky event that is unique to Coney Island. The Parade is characterized by participants dressed in hand-made costumes as Mermaids, Neptunes, various sea creatures, the occasional wandering lighthouse, Coney Island post card or amusement ride, as well as antique cars, marching bands, drill teams, and the odd yacht pulled on flatbed." More info here. All Ages.
Kokayi, Lemon, JLove Calderon, Will Power, and La Bruja bring an evening of live music and poetry featuring innovative and powerful spoken word artists, musicians and writers. More info here. All Ages.
Date: Sunday, June 22nd Time: 3:00pm Location: East River Bar (94 S. 6th St Bedford and Berry, W'burg) Cost: Free
"The Sooth Move party returns for another summer! As usual, El Sailmore, Empanadamn and Soul Korea will be playing the soothing soundtrack to your hangover recovery...from soft rock to smooth jazz and everything in between. It's also Empanadamn's birthday so we'll be grilling food for you all for that outdoor bbq vibe." 21+
Date: Sunday, June 22nd Time: 7:00pm - 10:00pm Location: Prospect Park Bandshell (9th St & Prospect Park West) Cost: $3 suggested donation
Known as the “Golden Voice of Africa”, Salif Keita blends the traditional griot music of his own Mali with sounds from Guinea, the Ivory Coast, and Senegal, along with influences from Cuba, Spain, and Portugal. “Keita’s voice leaps out of every song with tender urgency.” (NY Times) Persian rock goddess Haale’s enchanting vocals soar over her band’s amplified rumble, which serves “as a reminder of the extent to which rock bands like the Doors and the Velvet Underground turned to the East for their hypnotic efforts.” More Info. All Ages.
Date: Sunday, June 22nd Time: 7:00pm - 10:00pm Location: Central Park SummerStage (Directions) Cost: Free
One of the best things about summer in New York City is Central Park's Summerstage. Today's headliner is Paris-born, Israeli folk singer of Tunisian decent, Yael Naim. Wondering who Yael Naim is? Remember a few months back that infectious song for the MacBook Air? That was Yael Naim. The evening of French-based songwriters with subtle storytelling styles is rounded out by Piers Faccini and Herman Dune.
Date: Monday, June 23rd - 26th Time: 12:30pm Location: Bowling Green Park at Cobblestone Plaza (Broadway and Whitehall) Cost: Free
"In Doorknob Company’s new dance satire, The Miracle Show and the Death of Optimism, co-directors Shannon Gillen and Elisabeth Motley invite you to the funeral for optimism. Funeral Attendants will guide you on a journey through exhilarating dance, woeful song, and uproarious theater, as we gather to mourn optimism's death and hope for a miracle. Doorknob Company creates a world of deep physicality, virtuosic extremes, and peculiar happenings. It's high time for a miracle, and this one happens on your lunch break. Musical arrangement by Malina Rauschenfels" All Ages
Date: Monday, June 23rd Time: 1:00pm to 7:00pm Location: McCarren Pool (Lorimer St btw. Driggs and Bayard, W'burg) Cost: Free
"SKATE is just like the basketball game HORSE on here, each skater must try to successfully complete a trick or gain a letter. SKATE was first played in the 1970's by vertical skateboarding legends Lance Mountain, Neil Blender and John Lucero, and was adopted by street skaters in the 1980's. The game of SKATE tournament was created in 2003 by the folks at eS footwear, who also developed the original set of rules." Today is the preliminary round and the finals take place tomorrow. Entry and Admissions is free. To compete, sign up here. All Ages.
Date: Monday, June 16th Time: Films begin at Dusk (about 8ish) Location: Bryant Park (40th and 42nd Sts & Fifth and Sixth Aves) Cost: Free
Bring your picnic baskets and pull up some lawn for an evening under the stars with the HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival. Every Monday throughout the summer HBO dusts off some old classic movies and plays them on a big screen in Bryant Park. Tonight get a look at The Bride of Frankenstein! "Dr. Frankenstein’s monster is lonely, and his creator has just the remedy. Starring Boris Karloff and the inimitable Elsa Lancaster, this brilliant movie is funny, thrilling and ultimately heartbreaking. One of the few sequels widely considered to surpass the original."
"Monday is Music Night at the Hudson! Kelsey Jillette will be performing, playing classical jazz bearing modern & world music influences, drawing on styles from Latin traditional to country, pop to bebop. Bring your own picnic and make a night of it! Free kayaking is also available on site." All Ages.
Date: Mondays Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm Location: Bar BQ (689 6th Ave at 20th St, Park Slope) Cost: Free Open Bar: Rebel Yell Bourbon, 7-8
Blue Monday is a classic southern take on easing in your work week. A bourbon open bar can be dangerous, luckily there's some tasty BBQ available (not free) and live blues to keep you sedated if you can get out of work fast enough to hit the slope. note: since I finally got a chance to stop by this place, here's a little bit of info... it's only free bourbon with food purchase. Man's gotta eat through, right?
Date: Tuesday, June 24th Time: 12:00pm Location: Time's Square Military Island (7th Ave. btwn 43rd and 44th St.) Cost: Free
To gear up for the Season 2 premiere of Shear Genius next week, Bravo’s giving out free professional blowouts on Military Island in Times Square today. The cast of the show will be on hand to provide free hair styling, plus host, Jaclyn Smith, will be there as well. You will also leave with a little Nexxus gift bag too.
Date: Tuesdays through August Time: 6:30pm Location: Pier 45 at Christopher St Cost: Free
Tuesdays hit a high note with jazz and classical performances from Mannes College The New School for Music and The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music on one of Hudson River Park's most beautiful piers by star students from around the city. Tonight the Mannes students play a selection of classical compositions while you watch the sunset. All Ages.
Date: Tuesday, June 24th Time: 7:00pm Location: Gantry Plaza Station (East River btw. 49th and 50th Aves, Queens) Cost: Free
Live at the Gantries brings together some of the city's great music maker's for sunset performances every Tuesday this summer. Tonight is their kickoff with Corina Bartra, "a vocalist-percussionist who has studied rhythms from around the world and incorporated various influences into her music. She is known for blending original jazz compositions with the rich, magical traditions of Afro-Peruvian and Brazilian music." All Ages.
"The gut-shaking sound of bass-heavy, progressive dance music will snake its way up from the underground this summer" as the River to River festival pulls a gutsy move and brings some of the worlds premier low-end electronic specialists to. Tonight they kick things off with Berlin's rather-undancy Ulrich Schnauss and his unique electro-shoegaze. Chrysler beguiles [opens] with her unique brand of vocal and theremin, and is accompanied by media artist Watanabe’s video projections. All Ages.
Date: Wednesday, June 25th Time: 6:30pm Location: Tenement Museum Shop (108 Orchard Street at Delancey) Cost: Free
"New Yorkers have been mixing it up on city trains since the first 'elevated' opened in 1868. Today we all have a subway story to tell, whether it’s the thrill of a first ride, the surprise of an unexpected encounter, or the frustration of losing your wallet to an artful Dodger. Share your tale at our latest LES Stories open-mic night, dedicated to the serendipity of our city’s public transport system." Readings will include Matt Bresler, Michele Carlo, Brad Lawrence and Regina Ress (more info on each below).
Matt Bresler is a public school theatre teacher, storyteller with The Moth, and an LES regular.
Michele Carlo has been published in the short story anthology Chicken Soup For The Latino Soul, online in Mr. Beller's Neighborhood and is the curator of GeT LiT, a literary/ performance series at Tribeca's Collective:Unconscious Theater. She is a frequent contributor to NYC’s storytelling community, appearing with The Moth, (two-time Grandslammer and MainStage), Speakeasy, TalkingStick, The L.I.A.R. Show and her own show, It Came From New York.
Brad Lawrence is a writer, actor, and storyteller based in Brooklyn, NY. In addition to appearing in several plays and independent films, he currently has his first feature length screenplay in production and his one man show, Monsters In The Wood, will be making its premiere at the 2008 NY Fringe Festival.
Regina Ress, award winning storyteller, actor, teacher, and writer with programs ranging from world folk tales and mythology to original stories about life and love. She has performed across the US, Latin America, and Europe, telling stories in both English and Spanish in such varied venues as Lincoln Center, homeless shelters, prisons, and the White House. She is a long-time Board member of the NY Storytelling Center and is an adjunct instructor of storytelling for New York University’s Program in Educational Theatre.
Date: Wednesday, June 25th Time: 7:00pm Location: Madison Square Park (24th St & Broadway) Cost: Free
It’s rare that an artist arrives on the pop scene as fully loaded with musical potential as singer/composer Raul Midon. Straddling latin jazz and soul, “His style is a febrile amalgam of Stevie Wonder vocals, feel-good pop songwriting, sophisticated jazz harmonies and a ferociously aggressive way of playing acoustic guitar” raves The Washington Post. After years as backup vocalist for Enrique Iglesias and pop diva Shakira, Midón is out on his own with a syncopated, flamenco and jazz infused virtuosic approach to music. All Ages
Date: Wednesday, June 25th Time: 7:00pm Location: Studio B Rooftop (259 Banker St, Greenpoint) Cost: Free
The Finger On The Pulse djs, David Bruno (Slap You In Public) & Harvard Bass throw together a midweek BBQ for you today in lovely Greenpoint. They'll be spinning some sunset cosmic disco and assorted other electronic melodies while you chomp down on food ($4 plates) from Avery Wittkamp (Pastry Chef at Marlow & Sons), Gabe McMackin (formerly at Stone Barns at Blue Hill,) Lesley Stockton (Executive Chef of Dram Shop), and Heather Meldrom (formerly at Craftsteak NYC). Mmmmm... Dram Shop burger, my new favorite happy hour beer in Park Slop (tangent I know). 21+
"Orchestra Baobab is a Senegalese Afro-Cuban band, and among the most important world music artists of today. Organized as a multi-ethnic, multi-national club band, their 2002 album "Specialist in All Styles" was produced by fellow Senegalese superstar Youssou N'dour." All Ages
Date: Wednesday, June 25th Time: 8:00pm - 10:00pm Location: Life Cafe (343 E. 10th St. at Ave B) Cost: Free
"Two charismatic hosts will moderate a snarky evening of live trivia questions with wit and whimsy. Life Cafe gift certificates towards future meal and drink purchases will be awarded to those with the biggest brains. First prize is $25 off next purchase, second prize is $15 off and third prize is $10 off. Assorted sundries will be offered to those still left on the playing field when the dust is clear."
Date: Wednesday, June 25th Time: 9:00pm Location: Shangri-La (100 Sutton St btw. Nassau and Norman, G'point) Cost: Free with RSVP; $10 w/out Open Bar: Newcastle and Sparks
I am not exactly sure what constitutes an "Emergency Party" but I was told that this is one. Tonight, check out this loft party in Greenpoint with free booze from Newcastle and Sparks. Performances from Burning Brides, Made Out of Babies, The Naked Heroes and Crackula, plus a DJ set from Sweatshop Labor.
Date: Thursday, June 26th - Labor Day Time: 10:00am - 10:00pm Location: Pier 1 (East River and Old Fulton Street, Brooklyn) Cost: Free
Opening to the public for the first time, Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 1 will offer spectacular views of New York Harbor and The New York City Waterfalls by Olafur Eliasson, presented by the Public Art Fund. Pier 1 will also offer a cafe run by local restaurant RICE, along with picnic tables, benches, landscaping with trees and grass, and sand play area. The 26,000 square foot site was designed by landscape architects dlandstudio.
Date: Thursday in June Time: 5:00pm - 9:00pm Location:Queensbridge Park (21st St & East River, Queens) Cost: Free
So you think you've got DJ skills. Head uptown tonight as "three decades of legendary party rockers, producers, battle champs and turntablists unite to cut, rock, beat juggle, scratch & transform the park" as this summer's Turntablist Sessions hosted by PopMaster Fabel of the legendary Rock Steady Crew. This week features Davy DMX, Supreme, Spictakular, Glenbrowski, & Johnny Juice Rosado. All Ages
Date: Thursday, June 26th Time: 6:00pm – 9:00pm Location: The Grady Alexis Gallery/El Taller Latino Americano (2710
Broadway btwn 103rd and 104th, 3rd floor) Cost: Free
"The Kids Project is proud to showcase a photo exhibit by some of New York City's inner city kids, particularly kids from East Harlem. The exhibit will display 48 images, including self-portraits and other still shots. All photographs were taken with disposable cameras by children ages 6-10."
Date: Thursday, June 26th Time: 7:00pm Location: 123 Community Space (123 Tompkins Street at Myrtle Ave, Bed-Sty) Cost: Free
"Enjoy a selection of films with Freegan related themes. Past films include documentaries about trash pickers around the globe, exposés of capitalism's wastefulness, instructional films explaining DIY building projects, and current media clips of freegans." Tonight features The Gleaners & I and Operation Ivy: Dumpster Diving at Elite Colleges. There will be free food (all food will be both freegan and vegan)! Discussion and Trash Tour (on bicycles) to follow the films.
Date: Thursday, June 26th Time: 8:00pm - 2:00am Location: South Street Seaport, Pier 16 (Fulton St & East River) Cost: Free
"The Seaport Soul Series will offer the most vibrant music of the global dance community. Some of the best DJ's from the House, Latin and World Music Scenes will play in front of the stunning background of the harbor. Come dance to the music and energy that makes Manhattan sizzle and be part of the Big Apple's soulful celebration during this Thursday summer series. Experience the magical sounds with a spectacular view of the Brooklyn Bridge which is having a birthday party this year as it turns 125 years old!" Tonight is a special edition In2Deep celebrates Gay Pride Week with Carlos Sanchez and Charo. All Ages.
Date: Friday, June 27th Time: 6:00pm Location: Boundless NY (143 Roebling Street, W'burg) Cost: Free with RSVP Open Bar: Vodka and Whiskey
The Australian company, T-World, is releasing the 4th Issue of their celebrated Tee Shirt Bible at Boundless NY tonight. Come through and party, get free give-a-ways. There will open vodka bar and whiskey bar with sounds from Pete Leonard and Teddy King.
Date: Monday, April 27th Time: 7:00pm Location: Barnes & Nobles, USQ (33 East 17th Street) Cost: Free
Today kicks off the new edition of the "Upstairs in the Square" series where Barnes and Nobles pairs best selling authors with singer-songwriters for an evening of words and music. This evening features John Wesley Harding and Bestselling Author Laura Lippman in conversation and song. More below.
After a brief hiatus spent authoring the internationally bestselling novel Misfortune (nominated for the Guardian First Book Award and the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize) and By George (named a 2007 New York Public Library “Book to Remember”) under his given name, Wesley Stace, singer-songwriter John Wesley Harding (www.johnwesleyharding.com ), returns to his musical roots with his latest record, Who Was Changed And Who Was Dead. Harding recorded Who Was Changed, his first album since 2004’s Adam’s Apple, with backing band The Minus Five (featuring Scott McCaughey and Peter Buck of REM). The record also features Mike Viola (Candy Butchers), Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) and Kelly Hogan. Since his debut Here Comes The Groom on Sire Records in 1990), Harding has explored many of the darker corners of contemporary music, from traditional folk to garage rock. His songs have been featured in movies such as High Fidelity, and he has recorded duets with Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed and Josh Ritter among others. He has recorded 10 albums for both major (Sire, Hollywood) and independent (Mammoth, Rhino, Appleseed) labels alike, and was also the subject of an ambitious concert movie, A Bloody Show, filmed at Seattle’s Bumbershoot, featuring the songs from Misfortune performed by an a capella group, a string quartet and a rock band, with Robyn Hitchcock in the role of the narrator. His novels have been published by Little Brown in the U.S. (with Misfortune’s film rights optioned). His third novel is due in late 2009.
Since the publication of her first novel, Baltimore Blues, in 1997, Laura Lippman (www.lauralippman.com ) has won virtually every major award given to U.S. crime writers, including the Edgar Award, Anthony Award, Agatha Award, Nero Wolfe Award, Shamus Award, and the Quill Award. What the Dead Know, published in 2007, was a New York Times bestseller and was chosen as one of the best books of the year by critics at the New York Times, Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, People magazine, Village Voice, and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Lippman has published fifteen books to date. Her thirteenth, Another Thing to Fall, is the tenth installment in the popular “Tess Monaghan” series, which centers on a young private investigator in Baltimore. Hardly Knew Her, a collection of her short stories and a never-before-published novella, was published in September. Her new novel, Life Sentences, was praised by The San Francisco Chronicle for the laudable way that it “explores the untrustworthiness of memory and the gulf in understanding that can exist even among friends and family. And Lippman filters it all through the prisms of class and race.” In The Guardian (UK) recently, she notes, “I am drawn to stories about the quotidian – marriage, friendship, childhood, work, life, death.” A former Baltimore Sun reporter, Lippman lives in the city with her husband, the writer David Simon, creator of The Wire and Homicide: Life on the Street, and is at work on her next novel.
Date: Friday, June 27th Time: 7:00pm - 12:00am Location: Huckleberry Bar (588 Grand Street at Lorimer St, W'burg) Cost: Free with RSVP
Brooklyn Royalty encourages you to take a break from all that work and join them for a garden party tonight. They want to "transport you to an era when vacations were long, drinks were cold, and relaxation was an art. Celebrate the summer and soak in the sun to the beats of Brooklyn's own Jacob Jiles Band as they perform an outdoor set in the most beautiful yard in Williamsburg...
As with any good party, there will be plenty of free gift bags and Brooklyn Royalty giveaways, and DJs Full Time Fun and Mickey Durivage will keep things moving well into the evening."
Date: Friday, June 27th Time: 7:00pm Location: South Street Seaport, Pier 17 (Fulton St & East River) Cost: Free
A Place to Bury Strangers "with their tension-wracked, Joy Division-meets-Ministry backdrop, tinnitus-inducing noise-pop start the summer off on the pier. Joining them will be the super bad ass 10 piece soul inferno know as King Kahn & the Shrines and Richard Fearless’s new band Black Acid." All Ages.
Date: Friday, June 27th Time: 7:00pm Location: Prospect Park Bandshell (9th St & Prospect Park West, Park Slope) Cost: Free, $3 suggested
Unleashing “cave-stomp drums, barroom piano and chiming post-punk guitars,” (Rolling Stone) Cold War Kids eschew preciousness for grit. Live, they’re all smoldering energy and raw power. Joining them are local favorites Elvis Perkins in Dearland with their dream-like folk rock “drenched in equal parts sunshine and cloudy grey skies,” (Drowned in Sound) and the tuneful but hard hitting Sam Champion, “an absolute force of nature.” (Sterogum) All Ages.
Date: Friday, June 27th Time: 8:30pm Location: Triangulo (135 West 20th, #301 btw 6th and 7th Ave) Cost: Free
What do I love more than a dance class? A free dance class! For those of you not dressing up and boozing tonight check out a free absolute beginner workshop in Argentine tango. "Featured in Vogue, the National Herald Tribune, and The Economist, TriANGulO specializes in Argentine tango, the original, more intimate predecessor to international ballroom-style tango. Founder Carina Moeller is a professional dancer with training in modern dance and ballet who has worked and studied with such tango greats as Fabian Salas, Pablo Veron, and Mingo Pugliese. Known for her engaging and precise teaching style, Carina creates a stress-free atmosphere that is particularly appealing to novice dancers."
Date: Saturday, June 28th Time: 10:00pm Location: Galapagos Art Space (70 N 6th St btw. Wythe & Berry, W'burg) Cost:$5 with RSVP
We're celebrating our mixtape release at Crooked Disco this month with more DJs, more lights, and more giveaways than ever! We're taking over both rooms of Galapagos tonight with the city's best electro, nastiest fidget, heaviest bassline, and downright most infectious disco. Plus, we're giving out free mixtapes to the first 100 through the door and there's an open bar to kick it off from 10-11!
In the front of the house we've got those Crooked Disco boys, DJ Morsy & Kestar, showcasing their unique blend of cosmic disco, hip-hop infused wobbly house, and bassline electro goodness. Their joined by Denny le Nimh of the always-poppin Ruff Club to bring some of that LES electro-sleeze to the table. Plus, the boys from Even Further bring some figdet house madness to the floor. And, in the back, things get down-right nasty as BK wonderkid, Dre Skull (Vicious Pop) takes the decks along with Jubilee (Trash Menagerie, Modular Records) and Nick the V (Mad Decent) for bass-heavy bangers all night. Don't forget to RSVP, 21+
Date: Saturday, June 28th Time: 2:00pm Location: East River Amphitheater (Cherry St. and FDR Drive) Cost: Free
"The East River Music Project is a group of people dedicated to putting on free summer concerts of local music at the East River Amphitheater." And we here at FreeNYC applaud this! Today's line up includes Titus Andronicus, Obits, Emperor X, and Blood City. More info on that show and others here.
West Africa shines at Summerstage this afterniin with a dynamic line-up featuring superstars from Mali, Senegal and Nigeria. Featuring performances by Ali Farka Touré, Fallou Dieng, Zozo Afrobeat, & DJ Sirak. More details below. All Ages.
With the DNA of his father- the Malian legend Ali Farka Touré- running through his veins, and the Mississippi delta in his soul, Vieux Farka Touréexudes the blues with a global perspective. Warm and seductive, his skills bring the deepest blues into the light.
Fallou Dieng is the elder statesman of a new generation of Senegalese artists emerging from the long shadows and rich legacy left by the country’s most famous son, Youssou N’Dour. Dieng is a rising star in the mbalax tradition, which he uses to great effect, along with his lyrical voice, to create his own unique sound.
A thirteen piece ensemble from New York City, Zozo Afrobeat feature musicians from Nigeria and around the world, and is led by African music luminary Kaleta. Kaleta, who is known for his considerable on-stage energy and presence, performed with Fela Kuti for years, and has also worked with Femi Kuti, King Sunny Ade and Lauryn Hill. Their newest album, Country of Guns, uses their own special mixture of percussion, dancing, and guitar to bring a message of hope to people of all nations, most especially Africa.
DJ Sirak has established himself amongst the New York hip-hop underground, but not by neglecting inspiration from his native Ethiopia. Afro-beat is a prominent influence on DJ Sirak's style, adding an urgent yet smooth rhythm to his Bronx beats. DJ Sirak is also co-founder of The Mic Goes Global, an events organization dedicated to breaking down cultural barriers through the spread of music.
Date: Saturday, June 28th Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm Location:Jonathan LeVine Gallery (529 W 20th St, 9th fl) Cost: Free
One of my favorite artists, I highly anticipate Ray Caesar's new show. "In the Garden of Moonlight" will feature pieces of all sizes, some reaching 48 x 72 inches, and elaborately framed in ornate gothic style. The show runs until July 26th. Full press release below.
NEW YORK, NY (June 3, 2008) — Jonathan LeVine Gallery is pleased to present In The Garden of Moonlight, a solo exhibition featuring new works by Ray Caesar. The Toronto-based artist returns for his third solo show at the gallery, having created a new series of large-scale original pieces and limited edition multiples. All works will be installed in ornately designed frames, with an elegant fabric backdrop hung along the walls beneath them. The drapery will envelop the gallery space entirely, creating a parlor-like setting and intimate viewing experience.
In The Garden of Moonlight is a collection of beautifully bizarre images, in which Caesar expands upon his signature style. A hauntingly captivating cast of doll-like figures are depicted with physical abnormalities, dressed in costumes from both the past and future, fashioned from deep within the artist’s own whimsical imagination. They appear in elaborate Rococo style interiors, peering at the observer with the innocence of a child, yet also possessing an underlying awareness of dark truths—their inner strength and courage seemingly in contrast with the fragility of their physical appearance. These characters are messengers, or spirit guides from another realm. Caesar offers them a window into ours, where he has created a safe place beyond the cruelty of humanity. They arrive carrying clues with them, layered in mystery and meaning, trusted only to eyes sensitive enough to witness.
Ray Caesar has said that he is often able to access his creative subconscious through time spent in a waking dream state, bringing back memories and bits of detail, which appear frequently in his artwork. An expert in his digital medium of choice, the artist uses Maya, a 3D modeling program, to create his figures and the virtual environments in which they exist. His meticulous process incorporates elements of drawing, painting, collage, sculpting, and more, to achieve his completely intricate digital world. He has compared working in this software to the experience of lucid dreaming, as in both situations, one has the ability to control and manipulate a simulated reality.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Working for 17 years in the Art and Photography Department of The Hospital For Sick Children in Toronto, Ray Caesar documented things such as child abuse, surgical reconstruction, psychology, and animal research. Coupled with inspiration from the dreamlike works of Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dali and Paul Cadmus, Ray’s experiences continue to linger and present themselves through his haunting, evocative scenes, which are all digitally created. Using a 3D modeling software called Maya, he builds models and wraps them in painted and manipulated texture maps. The models are set up with an invisible skeleton that allows him to pose each figure in a 3D environment. Digital lights and cameras are added to simulate shadows and reflections, completing the effect of a mysterious and strange alternate world.
ABOUT JONATHAN LEVINE GALLERY
Jonathan LeVine Gallery exhibits a genre of work influenced by illustration, comic books, graffiti and pop imagery. Our goal is to expand this genre beyond its Pop Surrealism, Lowbrow, and street art roots, bringing this movement to the forefront of Contemporary Art. With this in mind, we represent a mix of emerging and mid-career level artists with an emphasis on cultivating new talent and creating an environment where artists can further develop their work. The Gallery is located at 529 West 20th Street, 9th flr, New York, NY 10011. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday,
Date: Saturday, June 28th Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm Location:Jonathan LeVine Gallery (529 W 20th St, 9th fl) Cost: Free
I really REALLY want one of Adam Wallacavage's octopus chandeliers. The Philadelphia-based photographer/sculptor/painter/wall paper creator is creating an under-sea fantasy for this show. Flocked (that means fuzzy!) kelp wallpaper, chandeliers and sconces create "the treasures of Neptune's Lair".
This will be a sight- one not to miss. Show runs until July 26th. Full press release below.
NEW YORK, NY (June 3, 2008) — Jonathan LeVine Gallery is pleased to announce Les Trésors de la Tanière de Neptune, a solo exhibition featuring new works by Adam Wallacavage. Inspired by nature, and organic sea life in particular, Wallacavage finds inventive ways to blend Art Nouveau and Surrealist influence into something “Biomorphically Baroque,” as described by fellow artist Lord Whimsy. Having created a new collection of his famous octopus shaped chandeliers, the Philadelphia-based photographer and sculptor extraordinaire returns to the gallery for what will be his first solo show in New York.
Les Trésors de la Tanière de Neptune (French for: The Treasures of Neptune’s Lair) brings together the largest collection of Adam’s chandeliers to date, creating a sub-aquatic spectacle on dry land. Striking creatures of varying shape and size mingle together in a shining sea of vibrant color, their curvaceous tendrils appear dripping wet and writhing with life. Self-taught in the traditional craft of ornamental plastering, Wallacavage uses this method to cast his trademark tentacles which he then paints in pigmented epoxy resin, adding iridescent powders and glitter to further enhance their eccentric beauty.
The pieces—all functional light fixtures—will be shown as a site-specific installation in the project room of the gallery, fully illuminated and suspended from the ceiling. Complementing his under-water theme, the walls surrounding Adam’s chandeliers will be covered in custom designed, flocked-velvet wallpaper featuring a multi-colored sea kelp pattern, created by the artist himself especially for the show. This will be the third custom wallpaper Adam has produced for installation at Jonathan LeVine Gallery (after collaborating with fellow artists on the two previous designs) as part of his latest venture Curio Wallcoverings.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Inspired by an obsession with the ocean and a fascination with extravagant interiors of old churches, Adam Wallacavage transformed the dining room of his South Philadelphia Victorian Brownstone into something from the pages of a Jules Verne novel. Teaching himself the traditional craft of ornamental plastering, Adam evolved his new found skills into making plaster cast octopus shaped chandeliers as the final touch to his underwater themed room. Adam continued his experimentation by making more and more. He changed the shapes and colors and even collaborated with famed jewelry designer, Tarina Tarantino, who supplied the beautiful pearls for his pink glitter chandelier featured in his first showing at Jonathan LeVine Gallery in June of 2006. Beyond making chandeliers, Adam Wallacavage is also an accomplished photographer, documenting artists, musicians, daredevils and all things weird and wonderful. His first book, Monster Size Monsters, was released in August of 2006 through Gingko Press and spans fifteen years of his photography.
Date: Saturday, June 28th Time: 7:00pm Location: Prospect Park Bandshell (9th St & Prospect Park West, Park Slope) Cost: Free, $3 suggested
Brooklyn hip-hop history will be made as the open mic pioneers of Lyricist Lounge return the Bandshell to assemble for the first time the MCs and DJs responsible for the classic ‘90s singles Crooklyn Dodgers and Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers, soundtracks to the Spike Lee films Crooklyn and Clockers. Featuring O.C., Jeru the Damaja, Chubb Rock, EMC featuring Masta Ace, DJ Premier, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and hosted by Buckshot of Black Moon and Special Ed. All Ages.
Here's another one that we received dozens of individual entries for so I'm just going to sum it all up for you. Figment 2008 is a free, non-profit, non-commercial participatory arts event taking place all weekend on Governers Island. There are highly interactive and collaborative art exhibits, performances, events, and workshops, and even arty mini-golf. Way to much to cover here so check out the side for full details. All Ages.
Date: Sunday, June 25th Time: 11:00am - 10:00pm Location: Greenwich and Washington St. bet. Christopher and Spring (map) Cost: Free
Pridefest is the annual LGBT street fair following the annual Gay Pride March. Back this year from a temporary cancellation, Pridefest seeks to bring together local residents and families, community leaders, and area business owners to celebrate in the street. Additionally, we expect to attract thousands of out-of-state visitors and volunteers. This will be the 15th annual Pridefest event. Please note the new location! Though in a smaller area, we will still combine vendors, entertainers, and community activities for a day of fun celebration of LGBT Pride in the name of equality. All Ages.
Date:Friday, June 27th - Sunday Time: 1:00pm - 8:00pm Location: School of Audio Engineering (1293 Broadway, 9th Floor) Cost:Free with Ticket
Attention all you bedroom producers out there. The Remix Hotel is back in town for 3 days of panel discussions, technology forums, and all out digital music production geekery. Learn audio fidelity, music mixing, self promotion and more from the likes of Hank Shocklee, Math Head, Andy Horsfield, DJ Logic, Rob Swift, and more. This is some serious knowledge for all of you with aspirations but empty pockets. It's free all weekend but be sure to register for a ticket. All Ages.
I am not sure when Mosh Ben Ari became a "reggae roots artist," probably about the same time as that other famed Israeli reggae artist started tearing up the festival tour. I'm more familiar with his campfire-ready acoustic guitar melodies that friends would bring back from their Taglit Birthright Israel trips. Personal, meanderings aside, throw in a few off-beats and here we are. "The Israeli roots Reggae singer Mosh Ben Ari delivers warm and catchy songs of world unity in his native language of Hebrew. Having studied music in India, the Sahara, and Sinai, he is a master of multiple string instruments, such as acoustic and classical guitar, Indian sarod, Persian tar, Turkish jumbush, Moroccan ginberi, and bass. With a global fan base and many ravenous American fans, Mosh Ben Ari’s soul stirring pop star sound may be the call to prayer from the Middle East that we have all been waiting for." All ages.
Date: Monday, June 30th Time: 7:00pm - 11:00pm Location: Hudson (356 West 58th) Cost: Free with RSVP
Wondering how to spend your Monday night? How about starting off your work week with a gentleman named Afrika Bambaataa. Giant Step invites you to kick it at the Hudson tonight, have a drink and get an earful.
Date: Monday, June 30th Time: 7:30pm Location: Chelsea Market (75 Ninth Ave at 16th St) Cost: Free
In the event space near the waterfall of Chelsea Market, Rejection Show creator Jon Friedman presents a night of comedy, music and booze featuring Max Silvestri, Michelle Collins, Mike Weingartner, Giulia Rozzi, Greg Johnson, Eliot Glazer and Jiwon Lee.
Date: Monday, June 30th Time: Films begin at Dusk (about 8ish) Location: Bryant Park (40th and 42nd Sts & Fifth and Sixth Aves) Cost: Free
Bring your picnic baskets and pull up some lawn for an evening under the stars with the HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival. Every Monday throughout the summer HBO dusts off some old classic movies and plays them on a big screen in Bryant Park. Tonight check out Paul Newman, in one of his signature roles in The Hud. Set around "the ne’er do well son of a rancher of infinite rectitude played by Melvyn Douglas. Patricia Neal co-stars as the housekeeper attracted and repelled by Newman’s character. Douglas and Neal both won Oscars."
Date: Monday, June 30th Time: 10:00pm Location: Zebulon (258 Wythe Ave bet. Metropolitan Ave and N. 3rd St, W'burg) Cost: Free, passed hat
"Propelled by an impressive assortment of local horn aces—drawn from the ranks of Antibalas, Steely Dan and other illustrious outfits—the Eternal Buzz Brass Band plays behind its Evolution disc. Drummer-composer Geoff Mann’s boisterous tunes are built for fun, and they don’t disappoint." 21+
