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Big changes will be coming to TheBigRedApple next week; www.thebigredapple.net is still in Beta version (as Google would say) but once it’s ready to go I’ll be writing to you from my very own domain!
This weekend is chock full of excellent events. Be sure to check my previous post for fun stuff happening tonight and tomorrow. Plus, a quick addition for tonight, if you won’t be able to make it to the Excess Energy party at Hugs Thursday you can check out Brian Blackout at Fontana’s tonight; he’ll be spinning a lot of 70’s arena rock, funk, psychedelia and indie rock- sounds like a party to me!
It turns out that Mayor Bloomberg is the one who dubbed this Good Beer Month! Go out and celebrate his stroke of genius Thursday night at Pacific Standard, where they’re having an Epic New York State Beer Throwdown, featuring (according to Brooklyn Based):
beers from Keegan Ales,Captain Lawrence Brewing Company, Ithaca Brewery, and Lake Placid Brewery, as well as our very own Kelso of Brooklyn and Sixpoint Craft Ales.
Friday night Rooftop Films takes the show the the ground (the lawn of Automotive High School in Wburg) for Animation Block Party! They’re “dedicated to exhibiting the world’s best independent, professional and student animation,” and they’ve definitely followed through in the past. This is going to be a fantastic show, full of comedy and drama and animation in all sorts of styles.
If you’re looking for a classic film join kids of all ages in Hudson River Park for a screening of Ghostbusters! Check out the trailer to remind yourself of just how great it is:
On Saturday night you can go to the rave you always dreamed of attending- FIXED is coming back to the basement of the Tribeca Grand! Guest DJs Riton, Lemonade and Free Energy will keep you dancing all night long!
Also on Saturday Indian Idol Kailash Kher will be rocking the Prospect Park Bandshell! His music is described as “adding elements of folk, reggae and rock to Indian pop” and he definitely looks like he knows how to put on a show.
On Sunday, for a change of pace from all the beer celebrations, celebrate pork at 3rd Ward’s 2nd Annual Pig Roast and Dance Party! Butchers from Marlow & Sons will be slicing and dicing for your culinary enjoyment (there will also be beer, don’t worry). Here’s an impressive (and kind of gross) image from last year’s event:
3rd Ward's Pig Roast and Dance Party 2008
Sunday night finish off your weekend with Our Lady J: Gospel for the Godless at Joe’s Pub:
Our Lady J is a New York based singer/songwriter known for her visionary gospel stylings and powerhouse pianistic skills. Along with her “Pink Champagne Orchestra” and “Train-To-Kill Gospel Choir,” she has sold out crowds at The Zipper Factory, Ars Nova, The Beechman Theatre, as well as world venues including London’s prestigious South Bank Centre and the Spiegeltent (in Manchester, UK). She has also traveled the globe as music director and arranger for Justin Bond’s recent original song cycles. This year, Out Magazine named her as one of the “Out 100,” a list of the people who helped shape LGBT culture in 2008.
On Monday MetroMetro is hosting the 3rd Board Game Olympics at Union Hall; games include Trivial Pursuit, Jenga, Uno, Battleship, Connect Four, Memory and Operation! Sign up in advance and use those skills your parents said were useless!
Stay tuned for additions and have a great weekend!
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I have also been meaning to tell you about several concerts I snuck out to while supposedly studying (no wonder I was unprepared).
I saw The Wet Spots at Joe’s Pub with G; I told you about the concert in a post about upcoming events somewhat beforehand. They were hilarious; I downloaded their first album on iTunes and have been singing inappropriate lyrics under my breath on the subway ever since. G’s favorite song is Texas Annie:
I was back at Joe’s Pub a couple of weeks ago to see Naomi Shelton with one of my bosses, SW, (I mentioned that show to you in advance as well).
Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens
I don’t have much experience with Gospel music but I enjoyed it a good deal. SW said that it paled in comparison with the Gospel tents at the New Orleans Jazz Fest, where the “almost sexual religious fervor” of the singers electrifies the audience, but I guess there has to be some reason for leaving NYC from time to time.
Last week K and I attended the Santigold concert at Terminal 5. We drove back and forth across the country last summer and my friend MGF gave us Santigold’s album Santogold when we reached CA; we then listened to it as we drove through the desert and are now great fans. It was therefore especially meaningful to us when she said “I don’t know if you’ve ever gone from town to town in this country [K and I hug ecstatically] but I have on this tour and I can tell you NO ONE DOES IT LIKE NEW YORK!!” I couldn’t have said it better myself. It was in general a fantastic show. Her dancers/back-up singers had amusing robotic dance moves and everyone had very gold costumes. Amanda Blank opened and her crazy LED decorated pants were an excellent way to start the show. Here is a somewhat shaky video:
And here is a somewhat indistinct photo of mine:
Santigold
I will write about my more recent adventures this past weekend as well as the events coming up this week later today- stay tuned!
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It’s good to be back! The LSAT is behind me for another few months (I’ve decided to cancel this score and try again as I think I can be better prepared next time) and it is time to paint this town red! I started last night with a fantastic concert at Terminal 5; Santigold was phenomenal! I will tell you all about her stunning performance, as well as two other concerts I snuck in during my months in exile (The Wet Spots and Naomi Shelton, both at Joe’s Pub), as well as the fantastic films of the Media that Matters Film Festival, which you can watch online. Before I start gushing about the past, let me gush about the wonderful events happening today and tomorrow.
Tonight Brooklyn Based is presenting the premier of Food, Inc.; it’s currently sold out but there will be standing room seats available starting at 7:45.
More than just a screening, this event is the grand finale of the spring installment of our Drinks on the Doc series. We’ve asked Roebling Tea Room, Sweet Deliverance, McClure’s Pickles and Nunu Chocolatesto whip up some tasty bites for a pre-film reception, and Brooklyn Breweryis providing us with Cuvee de Cardoz and BrooklynSummer Ale, for a pre-film, seasonal beer open bar. After the movie, director Robert Kenner will participate in a Q&A, answering all your burning questions about food politics, ammonia-laced hamburgers and the challenges of documenting the work of huge corporations that don’t want to be documented.
Though this is the Brooklyn premier, Kate1 and F saw a press screening some time ago and tell me that…
It was interesting – you should check it out! The producer (and muckraking journalist/author of Supersize Me), Eric Schlosser, was on the Colbert Report a couple of days ago promoting the film. It’s made by Participant, the same production company that did An Inconvenient Truth.
With that recommendation coming from my favorite world-saving power couple I feel comfortable saying that standing room will be a hot commodity.
Tomorrow night at Don Pedro’s you can see some of the hottest DJs spinning leftfield disco in the big apple- Cowboy Mark, Fucci, Trus’me and Jacques Renault.
Also tomorrow Adult Swim presents the Summer at Santos Series; the fantastic line-up includes Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head, the name alone makes them worth investigating, but this video clinches it:
Head to Santos Party House to get in on the action!
I’ll be adding a very intense weekend post shortly as well as the promised details of my recent adventures so stay tuned!
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In addition to the extensive list of events I’ve already given you for the next 7 days, there are a number of events that have recently come to my attention.
Tonight, and several other nights this week, Art Brut is playing at Mercury Lounge. Gothamist calls them “wildly entertaining,” which is probably why every show is currently listed as sold out. If you’re in the mood for a high energy concert exert your cunning and find a way through the door!
If you need to save up your cunning for other shenanigans you can still buy tickets for an awesome show at Le Poisson Rouge on Tuesday- Emilie Simon will satisfy your francophile needs and get you dancing into the bargain!
Emilie Simon
On Wednesday Clubbed Thumb will be celebrating the start of Summerworks 2009 with a grand (free!) party entitled O*H*I*O! featuring Susan Bernfield, David Herskovits, Melanie Joseph, Robert Lyons, Kristin Marting.
Clubbed Thumb commissions, develops and produces funny, strange, and provocative new plays by living American writers. Since its founding in 1996, the company has earned 4 OBIES and presented plays in every form of development, including over 70 full productions. Clubbed Thumb is an incubator for artists and their work, staging plays to critical acclaim while supporting an ever-growing creative community.
If you can’t make the shindig on Wednesday be sure to check out the first Summerworks play- punkplay by Gregory Moss, running from June 7-13 at the Ohio Theatre.
On Friday there’s an even more questionable production opening at P.S.122; the Amoralists Theater Company is presenting The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side. The plot summary is as follows:
An extraordinary gathering of young idealists live as a modern day urban tribe above a vegan restaurant in NYC. Billy, Dawn, Dear and Wyatt are an extended sexual family battling their fears and addictions in order to live their utopian dream.
I believe that is the most hipster thing I have heard all week! It sounds absurd and marvelous- enjoy!
For more cutting edge hipster fun this weekend take a stroll through Bushwick; the Bushwick Open Studios event gives you access to hundreds of artists’ garrets as well as a chance to experience all sorts of performance art! Some of the hot spots are venues I’ve mentioned in the past, such as 3rd Ward and Goodbye Blue Monday. There will be art for sale and munchies up for grabs, (both details conveniently marked on the maps), so you can add some pizazz to your apartment and be a freegan for the day!
On Friday Black Taxi is playing at the Bowery Ballroom. G and I have recently become huge fans of theirs (I’ve mentioned them before) and if you just see one concert this week this would be my pick.
Black Taxi
On Monday, while I am recovering from the trauma of the LSAT, you can enjoy Mike Daisey’s newest bit of madness- Mysteries of the Unexplained- BACON! at Joe’s Pub:
Mike Daisey returns to Joe’s Pub with a one-night orgy of all things bacon: from sizzling fat to swine flu, from baco-bits to Hasids to Charlotte’s. In one delicious hour we’ll explore bacon in all its filthy, gorgeous deliciousness.
Have a great week/weekend and I will be back and better than ever as of next Tuesday!
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If your Memorial Day weekend was a fraction as awesome as mine was I expect you are still much too glowy to sit still at work, in which case you’ll be pleased to hear that there are a number of excellent events coming up that will fit your mood!
Tonight I will be at Joe’s Pub enjoying the vocal styling of Naomi Shelton; she is celebrating the release of her album ‘What Have You Done, My Brother?’ This clip should pique your interest:
For a more active evening, my friend DJ Fucci will be partying at the Modular event- Downtown Downturn:
As you may already know, we at Loudcrowd have been sponsoring Modularrecords’ scintillating Downtown Downturn event, a merging of superior DJs from our partnership with labels such as Fools Gold’s Nick Catchdubs and DFA’s Marcos Cabral (of Runaway) and Nomi (of Hercules and Love Affair). Modular, as I’m sure you’re aware, is responsible for putting out records by the beloved Cut Copy, Ladyhawke, and Soulwax, to name a few. On Wednesday May 27th —that’s tonight— we are excited to crown off our sponsorship by celebrating Loudcrowd’s presence New York, featuring LC residents Fucci and our newest edition, the talented Dirty Jean. Joining us on the decks is Rok One of the beat-poppin’ super crew The Bangers; Rok One has played all over the US and Europe alongside the likes of Grandmaster Flash, A-Trak, Afrika Bambaataa, Diplo, and MSTRKRFT.
ALSO tonight, Michael Muhammad Knight, author of “The Taqwacores,” which has been called “‘The Catcher in the Rye’ for young Muslims,” will be participating in a Literary Death Match at Pianos. I may not understand the concept of such a competition but I have read “The Taqwacores” and I can tell you that it would be hard for anything short of “The Catcher in the Rye” to truly compete. If you go be sure to report back!
The Marathon Festival of One-Act Plays is in full swing at the Ensemble Studio Theater; Series A is currently showing and Series B will begin next week. I interned with EST a few summers ago and I remember the Marathon being a highlight, especially as Philip Seymour Hoffman attended one of the performances. This year the titles alone inspire curiosity, (‘Face Cream’?). Go and see for yourself!
On Thursday you can celebrate America’s favorite food- pizza, at 3rd Ward:
The Greatness of Pizza is not unknown to Man. The drama of sinking one’s teeth into gooey, melted cheese and a deliciously crisp crust is familiar to all. But pizza is not “just a pie”, it’s a way of life! Join us for a night of eating, drinking, dough tossing and Pizza! The Movie. Stand by as The U.S. Pizza Team heads to the The World Pizza Championship in Italy, revel at dough tossing acrobatics and gasp at pizza sabotage! Filmmaker Michael Dorian captures the laughs, the cries and the scandals that surround this provocative source of pleasure and nourishment.
Thursday is also opening night for New York Classical Theater’s summer season. King Lear will begin at Central Park West and West 103rd Street; scene changes involve the cast and audience wandering to another are of the park, so don’t get too settled!
The Tragedy of Macbeth Central Park 2001 Season
Starting on Thursday and running through the weekend, see aerial acrobatics on a whole new level- Suspended Cirque at Galapagos!
Are you a literary snob? A book worm? A fan of libraries? Perhaps you simply look hot in glasses? Well, on Friday there’s a dance party for you! The Desk Set is hosting the Dance Dance Library Revolution at Enids!
Also on Friday, if you like your films ultra short and as chancey as possible you must check out Art By Chance- The Ultra Short Film Festival at Angels and Kings:
The Art by Chance Film Screening/Launch Party in New York will give you a chance to see all the films in the inaugural festival as well as be part of a very unique experience. To keep with the “by chance,” we are inviting musicians to create impromptu soundtracks live to all the films. 31 films, four different music sets, one party for all. Performances by Dave Fischoff, DJ Chad North, Dalis Elvis, and Anthology Strings and Friends.
There seems to be a bit of confusion about the time, but either Saturday or Sunday afternoon, (give the Coney Island people a call if you’re interested), there will be an epic showdown between former Wall St. Moguls and their currently unemployed former employees- The Great Coney Island Tug-of-War:
The event, hosted by Coney Island, is an attempt to move beyond the festering animosity created by the economic collapse. The Great Coney Island Tug-of-War is a wide-ranging dispute resolution mechanism that will feature multiple different match-ups, including firefighters and police officers, vegans and carnivores, green-minded cyclists and unapologetic motorists, and Cyclone fans and Wonder Wheel fans. The 1,000-foot tug-of-war rope also will be offered as a platform to any two groups with an intractable disagreement.
On Sunday show the hipsters what you’ve got at The Gutter, where the admission gets you those hot bowling shoes, a chance to win big and a burger into the bargain!
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I’ve already told you about several awesome events happening this weekend, including but not limited to the opening of The Love Armor Project, a Gotham Girls Roller Derby match, an awesome dance party at Studio B and the Wet Spots’ show at Joe’s Pub. Check out the details of those events and others in my last post.
I have some additional events to announce…
Friday night there will be a benefit for Figment down at the Battery Maritime Building. Figment is “an annual arts event on Governors Island, with artwork in every medium, from installation to performance to music to games and many things in between. Participation is open to any artist who would like to share their work. It is a free, non-profit endeavor run by volunteers.” Figment will be taking place this summer from June 12-14. Head downtown Friday in your best nautical attire; the benefit will be almost as fun as the event:
On May 15, drop anchor and walk the plank at OVERBOARD, an all-night dance party to benefit FIGMENT. For one night only, we will transform a haggard ferry dock into a merry port of call, featuring the siren songs of the city’s finest bands, DJs and performers. Maritime, mermaid, sailor, pirate, deep sea creature or other nautical attire is encouraged.
You have three chances to see Hiroaki Umeda perform at the Japan Society this weekend:
Multidisciplinary solo artist Hiroaki Umedacommands all elements of his unique spectacle: choreography, dance, lights and computerized sound and video images. Minimal and radical, subtle and provocative, Umeda’s extraordinary butoh/street dance-inspired choreography appears within an environment of sparse, dramatic lighting, flashing cyber-imagery, electronic beats and crackling digital soundscapes.
Hiroaki Umeda
His performance has to be experienced in person so don’t miss this opportunity!
Do you remember jump roping in second grade? Were you one of the cool kids who did double dutch while the rest of us looked on in awkward admiration? On Saturday head to McCarren Park and see if you have what it takes to compete in the Punk Rope Olympics. First, check out this video to see what you’re in for:
This is the opening weekend of an exciting new exhibit at the International Center of Photography; the exhibit is the the largest survey of Richard Avedon’s fashion work since the Metropolitan Museum show in 1978. The New York Times review says:
Avedon’s photography has always amounted to a plea for beauty — to see it mysterious, to see it raw but ultimately to see it whole. To view his portraits in the ’50s and ’60s is to see the flip side of the decades’ stylish obsessions. And whether the faces were beautiful or ravaged, famous or not, the portraits relentlessly informed the fashion images, and vice versa… The I.C.P. exhibition, picking up where the 1978 Metropolitan show left off and allowing the first complete view of Avedon’s fashion photography, strips away the last shadows on his art.
Richard Avedon ' Evening Dress' 1957
On Sunday I simply must mention yet another awesome event at The Bell House. I know, I tell you about them all the time, but this one is just irresistible. They’re screening four films by Jean Painleve; there will be mollusks making love and an octopus falling in love amongst other absurdities- enjoy!
Have an excellent weekend and stay tuned for additions!
NOTE: The Big Red Apple is now TheBigRedApple.net
To view this post at its new location click HERE!
I hope everyone had a great weekend and a great Monday. I am in full LSAT study mode (or at least I should be) so I won’t be able to attend many events until after June 8th but I will certainly tell you all about them and hopefully live vicariously through you!
Tonight you have a choice between indie rock, a tribute to The Bed In and a night of neuroscience!
First, if you missed the Heliotropes concert I told you about last week you have another chance to check them out tonight. They’ll be playing at Public Assemblywith Ancient Sky and Beloved Rogue.
If the term The Bed In means something to you, you should undoubtedly be at the Gershwin Hotel tonight where Neke Carson and Michael Wiener will be presenting “Give Peace a Chance”:
Book launch benefit celebrating the 40th anniversary of John and Yoko’s historic Bed In. With a Give Peace a Song Cabaret. Celebrate the 40th anniversary of John and Yoko’s famous Bed-in for Peace 1969 in Montreal. Get a sneak preview of the photo exhibition that will open May 26 in Liverpool. Launch Joan Athey’s new book. Brooklyn-born photographer Gerry Deiter, on assignment for Life Magazine was the only photographer there the entire eight days. Special guests Guitar Legend Gary Lucas and composer Steven Lynch will be on hand to add to the proceedings plus more surprise quests. The Cabaret includes a presentation of Bed-in images, a reading from eye-witnesses to the recording of Give Peace A Chance, a special guest — writer Charles Childs (who worked with Alex Haley on Roots) presents excerpts from his unpublished interview with the couple. Climb into bed and talk peace like John and Yoko did. Local musicians rock the room with their favorite John Lennon songs. This is also a fundraiser for music writer Paul Williams. He sustained a head injury in 1995 while cycling and needs 24 hour care for the dementia that has recently manifested itself.
John & Yoko Bed In
Finally, at the Bell House tonight the Secret Science Club will be meeting to discuss recent developments in neuroscience on the topic of memory.
Dr. Arancio is a cellular neurobiologist at Columbia University’s Department of Pathology and Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain. In his lab at Columbia University, neuroscientist Ottavio Arancio explores the molecular mechanisms of memory formation.
Settle down in the comfy couches and learn about the workings of your brain (or at least the cells you didn’t kill with tequila last week).
On Wednesday you can satisfy all your local food/wine cravings in one place- Brooklyn Uncorked at the spectacular Brooklyn Academy of Music at 30 Lafayette Avenue in Fort Greene. This lovely event is run by the trio of Edible Publications and features wine from local wineries including:
Baiting Hollow, Bedell/Corey Creek, Bouké, Bridge Vineyards, Brooklyn Oeneology, Castello di Borghese, Channing Daughters, Clovis Point, Diliberto, Grapes of Roth, Harbes, Lieb, Long Island Merlot Alliance, Macari, Old Field, Osprey’s Dominion, Palmer, Raphael, Roanoke, Sherwood House, Shinn, Sparkling Pointe, Waters Crest, Wölffer Estate
as well as food from:
Amy’s Cookies, Bodum, Bridge Winery, Buttermilk Channel, DiPalo’s, Fizzy Lizzy, Get Fresh, Great Performances, iCi, North Fork Potato Chips, NuNu Chocolates, Palo Santo, Plowshares Coffee, Rick’s Picks, SerendipiTea, Stonehome Wine Bar, The Farm on Adderley, The Smoke Joint, Vere Chocolate, Wine Cellar Sorbets
Get your tickets here!
Also on Wednesday, Wye Oak will be playing at Mercury Lounge along with the Pomegranates and Winter Gloves. Check out the video for Please Concrete:
B is a big fan of Wye Oak but he won’t be able to attend because he will be spinning at Hugs. I am pleased to announce that Sunday Singles was a big hit (it was written up in Gothamist amongst other lovely blogs) and Excess Energy is bringing you Love Machine:
On Thursday there will be a reception at the Brenda Taylor Gallery for their new exhibit- the Love Armor Project. Check out their website for the history, as far as I’m concerned this picture says it all:
Also on Thursday you can check out the second Puppet Playlist- Magnetic Fields at The Tank Theater.
Puppet Playlist takes talented puppeteers and brilliant musicians and slams them together into an evening of live theater to stir the senses. Our second Playlist will feature new works of puppetry set to a litany of love songs by The Magnetic Fields. Between sets, hear new interpretations of Magnetic Fields music — on cello, accordion, guitar and more. A chance to see some of New York’s most interesting puppet artists and musicians at play. Performers (and their work) have been seen all over New York and throughout the world, on, off- and off-off-Broadway, at Here Arts Center, Shakespeare in the Park, the Metropolitan Opera, FringeNYC, Lincoln Center, with Jim Henson Productions, and on both American and International TV (yes, that includes the Muppets). Featuring pieces by: Eric Wright, Melissa Creighton, Marta Mozelle MacRostie, Ithai Benjamin, Darragh Martin, Maja Rajenovich, and Mary Robinette Kowal and Jodi Eichelberger. Musical performers include: Hannah Temple, Matt Singer, Emily Hope, Anna Leuchtenberger, Jon Levin, Jo Williamson.
There are two shows but they will sell out so be sure to reserve here.
A few early weekend announcements…
Friday night, weather permitting, there will be telescope observation at the Columbia observatory. Regardless of cloudy skies there will be a lecture, The Good the Bad and the Ugly- Astronomy in the Media, by Jackie Faherty.
On Saturday I am already torn between three events (who knows what I’ll do when I discover even more!). First, there’s a roller derby match well worth seeing- Brooklyn Bombshells take on Manhattan Mayhem at the Hunter College Sportsplex. Check out this video from last season!
Also on Saturday Finger on the Pulse presents Louis La Roche, Justin Faust and Danger at Studio B. B is a major fan so I can guarantee this will be an awesome dance party!
Last but not least, The Wet Spots have a late show at Joe’s Pub. They are described as “vaudevillian, oversexed, and weirdly Canadian: think sex club by way of Monty Python.” I was deeply skeptical until I watched this video and now I’m kind of hooked:
Have a wonderful week and stay tuned for additions!
NOTE: The Big Red Apple is now TheBigRedApple.net
To view this post at its new location click HERE!
I apologize for not posting yesterday; there were extenuating circumstances involving Time Warner and other factors. I hope everyone had a good weekend and a good Monday!
Tonight you have the opportunity to check out a truly hipster-y event at the most hipster-y venue I know- Zebulon. I first described the space some time ago. Evil Horns’ Noir and Not Waving But Drowning will have a free multimedia spectacle tonight:
Smack in the middle of their theater run providing dark sounds for the Noir show at the Voorhees theater, the Evil Horns perform music that sounds like if Angelo Badalamenti and Cecil Taylor met Tom Waits in a dimly lit back alley. With black and white 40s style projections by Linsey Bostwick and Cory Einbinder, and burlesque by Darlinda Just Darlinda, followed by the amazing Not Waving But Drowning playing timeless music on mandolin, Stroh violin, viola, lute, bass fiddles, and percussive devices.
Today is the first day to check out the new installation on top of the Met. Roxy Paine’s Maelstrom is all set up against the dramatic backdrop of Central Park and Midtown Manhattan- be the first to experience the rooftop this summer!
Roxy Paine on the Roof- Maelstrom
If all this nice weather has put you in the mood to embrace earth-friendly wares you should check out Nimli’s pop-up store, where you can find everything from home décor, beauty products and jewelry to clothes for men, women and kids- all eco-friendly!
Also tonight, you can embrace your inner 50s housewife (you know she’s in there longing to throw dinner parties and wear cute little dresses, ok, well, maybe she’s not in everyone) at the KGB Bar where the editor of the new anthology “Dirt: The Quirks, Habits, and Passions of Keeping House” and some of the contributing authors will be discussing all things housewife-y.
Wednesday night check out Heeb Storytelling at Joe’s Pub:
Heeb Magazine’s critically acclaimed Storytelling series returns to New York City for a night of irreverent storytelling: seven-minute tales by actor Nathan Phillips, comedian Jenny Rubin, writer Amy Sohn, musician Robin Gelfenbien and others. Hosted by comedian Hannibal Buress!
On Thursday there’s a great line-up at the Mercury Lounge– Bryan Dunn, Wakey! Wakey! and Casey Shea. Now you know how I feel about the Mercury Lounge, but I think Wakey! Wakey! might be worth putting up with the troll.
Also on Thursday you can be the first to experience the insanity that is XRay NYC:
Billed as an over-the-top Big-Top and an Eclectic Cabaret, XRay will feature a wild mix of elements: DJs, go-go dancers, burlesque, performance art, spoken-word, short videos, magic, and live music (with an electronic edge).
Apathy- one of the performers for XRay NYC April 30th
Enjoy your week and stay tuned for additions!
NOTE: The Big Red Apple is now TheBigRedApple.net
To view this post at its new location click HERE!
I hope everyone had a good Monday! I’m sorry I didn’t post earlier; I was down at Southern District for hours dealing with self-important clerks… blah blah blah, I’m sorry. So… we have a great week ahead of us!
Tomorrow Brooklyn Based is hosting their first documentary movie night at the Bell House:
Come watch Jesus Camp, just in time for Easter, and enjoy $3 pints of Fisherman’s Brew and Fisherman’s Navigator from Cape Ann Brewing Co. We’ll be hanging out with BB totes for sale and marshmallow peeps for all our BB peeps. Whether or not you float one in your beer is entirely up to you.
I’ve seen Jesus Camp and, not to get political on you, but it will be a relief to see it without Bush in the White House. Check out the trailer to get a taste:
Also on Tuesday, Inbred Hybrid Collective and Mix NYC present Greased Palms at Parkside Lounge:
A book club burlesque inspired by Please Send Money: A Financial Survival Guide For Young Adults on Their Own, written by Dara Duguay. Get on the path to financial security with a variety show featuring the bizarre, strange, and subversive; including Darlinda Just Darlinda, Jessica Delfino, Devon Gallegos, Kim Harmon, and many more at New York’s Parkside Lounge. With useful and engaging chapters including Credit: It’s Not Your Money, and Bankruptcy-Is There An Easy Way Out? this book is a prime example of a style of book that has become ever more necessary: personal financial advice. With simple, timely advice, these books helped us through the 90s in managing our money and taking control of our debt. What more appropriate subject could we ask for as the first Book Club Burlesque of 2009?
Now, I know I’m always recommending B’s gig at Hugs, but I want to be clear that this Wednesday is going to be better than ever. Excess Energy is spicing things up with ‘Sundae Singles Night.’
Sundae Singles Poster
Go and mingle! Spring is the time to start something new.
If you’re not interested in mingling and happy dance music you can rock out to some great new Punk/Americana at R Bar. One of my friend W’s oldest partners in crime is in town with his band, ‘A Life Worth Living,’ for their first NYC show.
Thursday night Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin will be playing at Mercury Lounge. Check out this video of them playing live:
Looks like a fun show; I for one feel like dancing.
Thursday is also opening night for The Loser’s Lounge Tribute to Dolly Parton at Joe’s Pub.
Dolly Parton
They’re famous for their tributes and now and then the famous people themselves will stop by and sing for their adoring fans.
Have a great week and stay tuned for additions!
NOTE: The Big Red Apple is now TheBigRedApple.net
To view this post at its new location click HERE!
The last five days have been so full that I can hardly believe it has only been five days. I will chronicle my adventures and leave it to you to decide which you would like to try for yourselves.
On Wednesday I attended the InDigest Reading Series at Le Poisson Rouge, which I wrote about in an earlier post. I like the space for the most part and while the bartender was a bit clueless there was free absinthe, which was an excellent way to start the evening. Paul Dickinson read first; I found his list-style poem about the various kinds of poets (the poets who write in their cabins, the poets who write about flowers, etc.) amusing but it was the second reader, Jibade-Khalil Huffman, who the four of us found truly compelling. F and G were especially interested in him and on an impulse I bought them both copies of his book, ’19 Names For Our Band.’ The cover of the book is fantastic and probably was at least partially responsible for the impulse.
19 Names For Our Band by Jibade-Khalil Huffman
Our minds full of poetry G and I went over to Rhong Tiam to fill our stomachs with Thai chicken soup, which was fantastic.
On Thursday evening I treated myself to even more poetry at the St. Mark’s Bookshop Reading Series at Solas, which I also mentioned in an earlier post. Tom Raworth read first. His poetry wasn’t really to my taste, though to be fair I think it was probably more about the reading style. Peter Richards had a more dynamic style; he engaged me more and I was less likely to drift into my own thoughts. There was one line of Peter Richards’ I particularly liked:
There is no extra charge for this extra charge.
I apologize that I have no idea which poem it is from; if anyone does know please tell me and I will credit it properly. Post-poetry we had a drink at my favorite secret bar, Angel’s Share, before walking over to Polonia for authentic Polish food. There were pierogi and potato pancakes and Polish beer and finally slow painful walking to the train.
Friday, my sleep-deficit already at a dangerous level, I opted out of most more elaborate plans and limited myself to the aforementioned free whiskey tasting followed by dinner at one of my favorite Italian restaurants. The whiskey tasting was held at Bottlerocket Wine and Spirit .
Bottlerocket Wine and Spirit
We were tasting bourbon, vodka and whiskey made by the only New York State distiller- Tuthilltown Spirits. All of the products we tasted were single-ingredient products, which means that there’s no recipe per say; it’s all in the quality of the ingredients and the methods by which they’re processed. I enjoyed the whiskey, though generally it’s not my beverage of choice, (I’m a gin girl), and Kate1 liked the bourbon. However, I adored the tiny squat glass bottles.
Tuthilltown Whiskey
Warmed by liquor we walked deep into the W. Village to one of the best Italian restaurants in the city- Malatesta. I first discovered this restaurant through an ex and while it was at first an emotional feat to go back there following the break-up (he met my parents there among other things), it was well worth it and I have now thoroughly reclaimed it for myself and my friends. Their cheese ravioli and gnocchi are most definitely the best I’ve ever tasted and where it lacks comfort (cramped, shaky wooden tables, etc.) it makes up for it in superb quality. Go. Eat. Be glad I never let men get between me and amazing restaurants.
Saturday was quite the day. It began with brunch at Jane, which I know I’ve told you in the past is one of my favorite brunch spots. It was delicious as always. I then meandered around Union Sq. for a bit and witnessed this classic Union Sq. tableau:
Classic Union Sq. Tableau
In the foreground we see a man with an alarming number of tattoos and a vintage-looking bike. In the background on the left is a man who is informing the general public about god, and the devil, and the likelihood that we will all go to hell (apparently quite high) and what hell will be like (apparently not pleasant). In the background on the right are a group of teenagers advertising free hugs. I post this only to lead up to the following statement- I LOVE NEW YORK.
On that note… I went up to Grand Central and G and I took the Metro North train to the New York Botanical Garden for the annual Orchid Show. The Orchid Show will be ongoing until April 12th and I would highly recommend that you head up there sometime before then; the conservatory is simply stunning.
After strolling through the grounds and watching the sunset behind the conservatory, we took the train back into the city and dared to walk through Times Sq. in search of a secret bar I had recently heard tell of… It is called Bar Centrale and I suggest that you seek it out as well. The entrance is satisfyingly hidden and the bartender is snooty (he reminded me faintly of Truman Capote for some reason) and the jazz is soothing and the carafes of extra martini are exciting.
Once I was properly giggly we hurried downtown to a screening of short films being considered for the Downtown Short Film Festival; I wrote about the audience choice screenings in an earlier post. I found out about this series through one of my bosses, SW, and we were supposed to go together but she was called away. In this case I can’t say she missed anything too exciting, however, I look forward to seeing the actual series in April as I suspect only the better films will make it in. This screening consisted of the following films:
- Tunnelrat: Soldiers from opposite sides trapped in a tunnel. They get out and then one ironically gets killed by his own side. Predictable and unpleasant to watch.
- Der Pfandlaie: This involves a pawn shop and a dominatrix; there was a lot of wasted potential.
- Reach: A tiny robot is given life but is confined by the length of his power cord; he dies seeking to reach a mysterious bird. Sad and beautiful. Maybe WallE has conditioned me to find robots adorable.
- The Last Leaf: Illness, melodrama, survival, hope, sacrifice. Too much to contain in a not particularly well put together piece.
- An Angel Stops By: The Angel of Death tells a porn director he must make his film into a biblical tale to avoid death. There is death. With a small twist.
All that rating made us hungry and we were lucky enough to find space at Persimmon, a marvelous Korean restaurant in the E. Village.
Persimmon
To finish up the day (yes- this is still Saturday, astounding as that may seem) I attended the aforementioned Jackson-themed burlesque show at Joe’s Pub- ‘Beat It Burlesque.’ I had a burlesque-virgin with me and I am pleased to say this was a perfect first show; Tigger did slightly disturbing things on stage, Anita Cookie was as bubbly as can be and GiGi La Femme was the hottest pussycat out there.
Today my grandmother and I saw the final performance of Uncle Vanya at the Classic Stage Company. If you missed it I highly recommend that you look into their upcoming productions. The theater is tiny and intimate and if this show is any indication this is a company worth watching.
The Big Red Apple 