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It is so lovely outside today that I almost don’t want to be indoors writing to you, however, I would be a terrible blogger if I failed to inform you of some of the wonderful events the Big Apple has to offer this weekend.
First, an addition to tonight’s lineup; a new exhibit is opening at Mixed Greens– X 10th Anniversary Exhibition:
With X, we present a large selection of the many amazing artists with whom we’ve been privileged to work. Their techniques and subject matter vary widely, but all of these artists captured our attention either by their extraordinary use of materials or through their deep examination and investigation of their subjects. There is no theme uniting the 84 participating artists—the only common denominator is Mixed Greens. Some might call it narcissistic. Others nostalgic. We consider it to be a celebration of some of the best artists working today.
I’ve heard tell that the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck will also be there!
If you’ve never been to a Contra Dance event you should experience the madness Friday night at the LGBT Community Center; this event will have the added twist of being “gender neutral.” There are a lot of twists in contra already, that one makes this a true ‘only-in-New-York’ event.
Contra Dancers
If you’re looking for a nice way to enjoy the evening outdoors you can enjoy a childhood favorite on the shore of the Hudson River; The Wizard of Oz will be screening on Pier 46!
Inside, and a bit further north, The Raspberry Brothers will be tearing apart the 80s classic Pretty in Pink! This is a must see if you’re going to attend the Pretty in Pink Prom Saturday night (keep reading for details). I guarantee their antics will give you excellent cocktail conversation.
So, The Prom, well, Pretty in Pink Prom Night is happening Saturday night at The Bell House (where else?). It’s going to be an epic nostalgia trip complete with a “totally radical giant 80s prom backdrop,” in front of which you can have your prom pictures professionally shot, a “50 foot balloon drop” AND “bathrooms stocked with Aqua Net for heavy primping.” Not to mention one of the best 80s cover bands available- The Engagements! Get out there and have the prom you always dreamed of!
Also on Saturday it’s Bronx Gridlock vs. Brooklyn Bombshells at the Hunter College Sportsplex! If you haven’t made it out to a Gotham Girls Roller Derby bout this year, this is a great time to go!
ALSO on Saturday Rooftop Films is screening a movie at The Old American Can Factory- 45365 won Best Documentary at SXSW 2009:
45365 captures the plain pathos of a single place like few other films ever do. It is amusing and informative, exciting and realistic, tragic and eternal. But as I said, this synopsis is inadequate. To get at these emotions and ideas, you could live all your life in Sidney, Ohio, or you could see this film.
The Oberlin band Like Bells will perform before the screening; my little sister is currently an Oberlin student so all things Oberlin have a special place in my heart.
Of course I’m also a tremendous francophile so I may have to celebrate Bastille Day on Saturday. There are a number of celebrations in the city; my pick is the Petanque Tournament at Cornichon. Petanque is sort of like frenchified bocce ball; there will also be lots of wine and good cheer!
Libertie! Egalitie! Fraternitie!
On Sunday you can continue to embrace your inner francophile at Le Poisson Rouge, where they will be screening one of the most influential French films of the French New Wave- The 400 Blows. François Truffaut‘s masterpiece gives you an intimate look into the Paris of the 1950s.
Also on Sunday you can swing under the stars with George Gee’s Big Band at Moondance on Pier 54!
Monday is the start of the Metropolitan Opera’s Summer Series; Paulo Szot, Lisette Oropesa, Alek Shrader, and Vlad Iftinca will be performing on Central Park’s Summerstage. If you can’t get any of the free tickets for this event check out the performances in the outer boroughs throughout the week.
Also on Monday, Wilco will be performing in Keyspan Park; Yo La Tengo will open. Check out this video:
Have a marvelous 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!
It’s my first week of funemployment and NYC has never felt so full of promise! There are lots of excellent events to consider attending this week.
The Summer Play Festival (SPF) starts Tuesday at the Public Theater:
The Summer Play Festival (SPF) stages original new plays and musicals by emerging writers during the summer months at the legendary Public Theater in New York City. Since its inception in 2004, SPF has invested millions of dollars in emerging theatre artists, produced over 500 public performances, and has provided an opportunity for 75 writers, as well as hundreds of directors, designers, actors, stage managers, and interns to present their work in a protected environment.
This year’s lineup includes a “testosterone-driven new musical” (Departure Lounge), which is possibly the most questionable statement I’ve heard this summer. All tickets are $10, so this is an excellent way to get your dose of questionable theater cheaply!
Tuesday night you can be part of the drama at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, where an interactive retelling of an 1873 Murder Mystery casts the audience as the detectives. You can learn about the underbelly of NYC a century ago and test your intuition.
If you’re looking for a slightly more athletic participatory event on Tuesday, you can head out to The Bell House and join the Ping Pong Tournament. The Tournament is strictly amateur and just $5 to join but be forewarned- “whiners will be paddled!”
On Wednesday night at The Slipper Room you can experience a book release party of an unusual nature; this dirty book needs an array of naughty performances to usher it into the world:
On July 8th, Fugu Press will release “Scarlett Takes Manhattan,” the first graphic novel by Dr. Sketchy’s creator Molly Crabapple and her longtime collaborator John Leavitt. Set in the demimonde of Gilded Age New York, “Scarlett Takes Manhattan” tells the story of poor Bowery girl Shifra Helfgott, who rises to become the premier fire-eater of her age. Chock full of rigged boxing matches, dirty politics, and turn of the century lesbian culture, “Scarlett” has been described as “disgustingly wonderful” by Warren Ellis and led Margaret Cho to call Molly “THE artist of our time.” Hosted by Amber Ray, New York’s “Salvador Dali of Burlesque” / Book signing by “Scarlett Takes Manhattan” creators Molly Crabapple and John Leavitt / Burlesque by Gal Friday / Fire performance by Jo Boobs / Vaudevillian music by The Two Man Gentleman Band, who will debut their new song “Scarlett Takes Manhattan” / Free red-hot flavored cupcakes by Glittle Cupcakes.
Also on Wednesday you can see Reality Bites at the ball fields at McCarren Park, as part of the Summer Screen Series by L Magazine. This is the movie that used the trope of home video years before youtube would propel our angst into the public realm. Check out the original trailer here.
ALSO on Wednesday, if you want to see some truly vintage movies head over to Dead Herring, where there will be a screening of “rare old-time cartoons hand-picked by Owen Kline and Tom Stathes, all projected on 16mm film.”
Thursday afternoon, if you’re funemployed (like me!), you can grab some gourmet munchies for a pittance at the World Financial Center Restaurant Showcase:
The 16 eateries of the World Financial Center will offer a tasting of world class cuisine for as little as $1 (and as much as $5) under the palm trees of the World Financial Center Winter Garden.
This may be the last week to see Twelfth Night at the Delacorte, but Thursday is opening night for another distinguished outdoor Shakespearean theater- Shakespeare in the Parking Lot! This year the parking lot, on the corner of Ludlow and Broome, will open its season with Midsummer Night’s Dream; what could be more dreamlike than Puck in a parking lot?
Finally I have one special advance theater notice: there will be two performances of Cirque Jacqueline July 25 and 26 at the Players Loft. This one-woman play about the life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis has received excellent reviews and the tickets are likely to sell out quickly, particularly as they’re only $20 apiece! The New York Times says that its author and star, Andrea Reese, “becomes uncannily Jackie-esque.”
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!
One of our clients was arrested this morning so you’ll have to forgive me for posting a bit late (oh the exciting world of law).
Tonight you can learn all about black holes! Professor Janna Levin will give an hour-long lecture entitled: Songs from Space: Black Holes and the Big Bang in Audio on Columbia’s campus in Lerner Hall:
Black holes may be heard but not seen. Black hole motions play out a song on space itself, causing space to ring like a drum. Since our ears are unable to catch their songs, the gravitational waves pass through us unnoticed. Monumental experiments on Earth and planned for space aim to record the sounds of space for the first time, turning on the soundtrack to the Universe.
Tomorrow at the 1889 Gallery you can contribute to the art community in Northern Brooklyn and see some interesting new works:
North Brooklyn Public Art Coalition (NbPac) proudly presents RE/PAINT RE/BUILD, a benefit for the India Street Mural Project. This project is the kickoff project for the North Brooklyn Public Art Coalition (NbPac). The NbPac is a new initiative whose goal is to work with local artists, community members, arts organizations and businesses in order to increase the presence of public art in North Brooklyn. By doing so, NbPac hopes to beautify, revitalize, and energize the Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Bushwick neighborhoods through public art. The event will occur in the atmosphere created by Gallery 1889’s ongoing RE/BUILD exhibition, which features design objects made from reclaimed materials. The benefit will feature local food and drink, music, live screenprinting, haircuts, and a silent auction. All proceeds will go to benefit the India Street Mural Project and NbPac. The event is co-produced by Susie Watkins.
Also on Wednesday, you can get a free chicken dinner and see Jack/Skippy McFadden (aka DJ French Toast) spin some hot dance tunes at The Bell House. Jack/Skippy McFadden is the booker for both Union Hall and The Bell House and the co-owner of the latter; as you know from the vast number of events at The Bell House that I’ve posted in the past, he has great taste! I’m sure he’ll get you over hump day smoothly.
Thursday is the big party night this week, with a plethora of amazing events to chose from.
If it’s not raining (one can only hope), you should join Gemini & Scorpio on a private rooftop (RSVP to find out where), where they’ll be screening two episodes of Firefly- the prematurely cancelled sci-fi TV series w/a cult following. Here are the opening credits:
Also contingent on the weather gods, William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe will be shown outdoors as part of BAMcinemaFEST, which I wrote about last week.
ALSO at the whim of the weather gods, New York City Opera will perform The Magic Flute at Rockefeller Park River Terrace and Warren Street. The one-hour production will be sung in English, featuring outstanding soloists from the NYC Opera. This is one of three operas showing outside this week; I’ll be telling you about Friday and Saturday’s performances in my weekend post.
If it rains it’s not too late to sign up for the Exceptional Wealth Building Opportunities Event taking place at the Russian Tea Room. Settle down in a dark corner and share investment advice with other wily young players.
If you’re more interested in investing in your love life you’ll want to experience The Best of Craigslist: A Night of Monologues & Missed Connections at the 92Y Tribeca!
Don’t miss this satirical look at the cult-like culture surrounding the website that provides “local classifieds and forums for communities worldwide”. Philip Galinsky (The Manhattan Monologue Slam), Adrianne Frost (The Daily Show, Best Week Ever) and Ben Hersey (Late Night w/ Conan O’Brien) have adapted some of the most outrageous Craigslist ads into comedic monologues. The results are classifiably hilarious. Who knows, maybe your “missed connection” will be at the show!
Last but certainly not least, I will be watching Top Gun get the Raspberry Brothers’ treatment at Clearview Chelsea Cinemas. It should be a great show, what with Top Gun being one of the most ridiculous films of the 80s! Come out and get your giggle on!
Have a good 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!
This weekend New York City is going to be one GIANT PARTY, or to be more accurate, you will have a variety of massive events to choose from. I’ll start big and then return to the smaller gems.
Saturday and Sunday Madison Sq. Park (5th Ave. and 23rd St.) will be the center of the BBQ universe:
The Seventh Annual Snapple Big Apple Barbecue Block Party returns to Madison Square Park June 13-14, 2009, from 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM. The weekend-long event takes place every June and brings together the country’s top pitmasters who cook up their award-winning food for over a hundred thousand barbecue enthusiasts.
Big Apple Barbecue 2008
It is going to be intense. I’m considering not eating until then.
If you haven’t gorged yourself on BBQ there’s another marvelous food-centric event starting this weekend and running through next week- the NYC Food Film Festival! The concept is both simple and brilliant- you watch films about food and you eat the food while watching them. Last summer I ate some of the best samosas I’ve ever had, while watching a film about making samosas (they’re hard to make) and sitting on Water Taxi Beach overlooking all of Manhattan.
Food Film Festival 2008 at Water Taxi Beach
This summer the films cover delicacies ranging from peeps to mushrooms. Check out the trailer here.
A somewhat more movement oriented event is taking over Governors Island this weekend:
FIGMENT is an explosion of creative energy on Governors Island. It’s a free, annual celebration of participatory art and culture where everything is possible. For one weekend each summer, it transforms Governors Island into a large-scale collaborative artwork… and then it’s gone.
“Participatory” means it’s nothing like your average gallery show, this is the sort of art that is to be experienced. This video, about last summer’s event, should give you a taste of what the island will have to offer you this weekend:
Yesterday was the first night of a fairly unique theater festival- Planet Connections, an eco-friendly theater festival intended to foster social awareness:
Each of the more than 30 productions will be set up to benefit a particular nonprofit organization by donating a percentage of proceeds, soliciting volunteers or otherwise supporting the organization. The ideas behind the comedies, dramas and musicals range from the overtly political, like “The Katrina Project: Hell and High Water,” based on interviews with the hurricane’s survivors, to lighter fare, like “Suckers,” about a group of vampires. (The latter benefits the Red Cross Blood Bank of course.)
If you missed all those out of town music festivals this weekend you can have the awesome line-ups close to home! L Magazine is throwing a massive music event in Brooklyn- the Northside Festival.
Brooklyn Based and Gothamist are getting in on the action with ‘Our Very Own SXSW‘.
Now, let me start again at Friday…
If you’re looking for a romantic way to spend a Friday evening I can personally guarantee that drinking wine in the rose garden of the New York Botanical Garden tops the charts:
Stroll through the Rose Garden during the height of its beauty, stay late and enjoy a musical performance, talk with Botanical Garden experts about rose care, and purchase a glass of wine to complement the colors and aroma of the roses.
If you’ve always chosen sci-fi over romance you should be at 92Y Friday night for an evening of Battlestar Galactica:
Cast members from Battlestar Galactica join leading roboticists to explore scientifically, philosophically and ethically the approaching frontier where intelligent machines are commonplace and cybernetic technology enhances human capabilities. Featuring sneak previews from the forthcoming Battlestar spinoff The Plan as well as live appearances by some of the shows favorite cylons.
Also on Friday, there’s a fabulous event at the Guggenheim:
In honor of its 50th Anniversary, the Guggenheim has produced a documentary film on the history of its building, collections, exhibitions, and the development of its international network. The 27-minute film combines archival materials—including talks given by Solomon Guggenheim and Frank Lloyd Wright—with contemporary footage featuring artists, art historians, architects, architectural historians, and curators.
ALSO on Friday, for those of you who enjoy public pillow fights, I give you… a Bubble War in Times Square. At 6:15 on the corner of W 47th St. & Broadway the bubbles will fly! Once you’re covered in sticky bubble suds head to the afterparty at Club Exit in Greenpoint.
On Saturday the Queens of Pain will be playing against Manhattan Mayhem at the Hunter College Sports Complex- it’s always a good weekend for Gotham Girls Roller Derby!
You may recall how much I enjoyed the Young New Yorkers Chorus‘ last performance; they’re playing again Saturday night at St. Peter’s Church- check them out!
On Sunday rediscover Brooklyn’s suburban past by going on the Victorian Flatbush Houses Tour:
Developed more than 100 years ago to be a piece of suburban living just minutes from Manhattan, Victorian Flatbush maintains that special atmosphere today — right in the heart of Brooklyn. Stroll the streets of this spectacular neighborhood, home to five NYC Historic Districts, and tour interiors of 10 stunning homes, each lovingly preserved and restored.
Also on Sunday, I simply can’t resist adding an awesome event at the Bell House:
THE MODE MERR FASHION SHOW SPECTACULAR- Enjoy an afternoon of live music, burlesque, hot rods, DJ’s & the unveiling of the newest Mode Merr collection! SHOP THE DAY AWAY WITH A FULL BOUTIQUE OFFERING THE LATEST MODE MERR LOOKS AND OTHER FUN ITEMS! w/ performances from Angie Pontani & The World Famous Pontani Sisters, Dirty Martini, Helen Pontani, The World Famous *BoB*, Peekaboo Pointe, Miss Delirium Tremens, Little Brooklyn, GiGi LaFemme, The Lady Iye, The Fisherman Xylophonic Orchestra & many more to be announced!
I need not remind you that 1) I adore burlesque and 2) GiGi LaFemme and Peekaboo Pointe are two of my favorite performers, in fact, this interview with GiGi LaFemme made me a true fan.
GiGi LaFemme
On that note I shall end this post but please stay tuned for additions and have a marvelous weekend!
NOTE: The Big Red Apple is now TheBigRedApple.net
To view this post at its new location click HERE!
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!
NOTE: The Big Red Apple is now TheBigRedApple.net
To view this post at its new location click HERE!
This studying thing is killing me; missing events is against my nature. This seems like a negative sign in terms of law school. Why isn’t going to burlesque shows and art exhibits a job? Sigh… Well, for those of you with free time there are some great events this week.
Tonight at the Japan Society you can learn the subtleties of sake:
Koji-making is the heart of the sake brewing process. Koji is steamed rice onto which a special mold has been grown with great precision and skill that converts starches to sugars, which in turn are fermented to yield alcohol. Making good koji requires precise regulation of temperature and moisture, and nothing has a greater impact on the final flavors and aromas of sake. Like much of sake brewing, koji-making is more art than science. Sake expert John Gauntner discusses the art and science of making koji, what it is, the myriad ways it can be accomplished, and how tiny changes to koji can result in major differences in sake flavor. Followed by a sake tasting.
If you want a bit more madness in your Tuesday head over to Galapagos for the ISSUE Project Room’s Sixth Anniversary Party. There will be shows by a range of performers including Elysian Fields, (“They carry a torch for nature, sex, love, the cycle of death and rebirth, and the sounds of folk and jazz ballads, new wave and classical music, seamlessly interwoven into a style that is at once languorously romantic and tough.”), Ray Sweeten and Brock Monroe.
Elysian Fields
Tomorrow you have a chance to check out one of the bands I’ve raved about recently– The Woes. As I said before, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many instruments used in a rock concert… their music blends jazz and blues and country into something unique and catchy.” Check them out at the Bell House.
Also tomorrow the Mixer Series is back at Cakeshop! This week there will be readings by Bret Anthony Johnston, Tracy K. Smith, Alex Mindt and music from Young Lions.
On Thursday there are two absurd and marvelous parties to consider. First, at Monkey Town, Twi the Humble Feather will be performing their [ahem] extremely original music, with L Magazine calls “part Gregorian chant, part Christmas carol and part Panda Bear’s Person Pitch unplugged.” They will be accompanied by the psychedelic visuals ofNobuko Hori.
Was your High School prom a disaster? Don’t worry, on Thursday you have a chance to be the cool kid you couldn’t be at 17- The Music Hall of Williamsburg is hosting ‘The Prom You Were Promised.’:
The night will feature rare DJ sets by VAMPIRE WEEKEND, PAT MAHONEY (of LCD Soundsystem), and HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR, and will be hosted by one of our favorite comedians (and 826NYC advisory board member!) LEO ALLEN. So fire up the limo, dust off that tux (or not), break out the hairspray, and get ready to dance!
It’s currently listed as sold out but some tickets may be available at the door, or you can always look for someone who needs a hot date.
Prom Dress (I almost wish mine had actually been this bad)
Have a lovely 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’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!
It’s been awhile since I chronicled my adventures in the Big Apple so these span a rather large period of time.
A couple of weeks ago I saw Scott Mathews and his band play at the Glasslands Gallery. I hadn’t been to the venue before and I fell in love with the pure whimsy of the place; it feels like a fort out of Peter Pan’s Neverland. B’s friend Eugene, who I’ve mentioned in his role as DJ Eugene Tambourine, is part of the band; he and another band member opened as their side project- The Readers. It was their first show as The Readers and while they’re clearly not confident yet you can tell that they have talent. Scott Mathews on the other hand is the consummate performer- no lack of confidence there. He backs it up with interesting lyrics and a lot of raw emotion. They’re on tour in Europe at the moment but I would recommend checking them out upon their return.
Scott Matthews at Glasslands
Later that week I attended a very different sort of musical performance; I saw the St. Matthew Passion at BAM. S and I had stage seats, which was a really unique experience. I was close enough to touch the violinist in front of me and there was the somewhat disconcerting feeling that the whole audience was watching me; I was afraid to fidget throughout the 3 hour performance. This was the Jonathan Miller (Director) version – semi-staged, in the round, two choruses, two orchestras – sung in English (translation by Robert Shaw) (for more info on the St. Matthew Passion click here). The vocalists were incredible and I think the director’s choice to have them wear street clothing really added to my ability to connect with the piece. I couldn’t take pictures once the performance began but here’s a shot from the stage as people were taking their seats:
BAM Harvey Theater before the start of St. Matthew Passion
Last week I saw Brit Boras and the Cavalry play at Spike Hill. All four of them are incredibly talented musicians. I expect their performance will feel a bit tighter when they’ve played together more but you can already see that they have a huge quantity of potential. Brit has a very big voice for such a petite girl; it takes you by surprise. Liam Veuve is wonderful on the cello and both Alex Beckmann and Jay Goodmann bring talent to the table. They’ll be playing again May 24th at Mercury Lounge and I would definitely urge you to check them out.
Brit Boras and the Cavalry
This past Saturday my grandmother and I saw our first ballet of the spring season- Concerto Barocco (Bach/Balanchine), Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux (Tschaikovsky/Balanchine), La Valse (Ravel/Balanchine) and Symphony in Three Movements (Stravinsky/Balanchine). I vastly enjoyed all four though the Pas de Deux was definitely my favorite; I just adore how pairs of dancers move together.
Later that day I met up with JBM & Co. at the Bell House to watch the Kentucky Derby in style. It was hellishly crowded but many of the ladies were properly decked out in enormous hats, which made them amusing enough to tolerate the lack of breathing room. There wasn’t anything quite as fabulous as Audrey Hepburn’s hat in My Fair Lady, but hey, they don’t make hats like they used to…
Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady
I’m looking forward to attending another event there sometime soon.
On Monday I went to Solas for the St. Mark’s Bookshop reading I mentioned in my first post this week. Andrei Codrescu was vastly amusing and while I’m not sure I’ll read his book I certainly hope to see him read/perform on another occasion.
Please check out my roster of events for the week and my recent additions and stay tuned for my weekend post!
NOTE: The Big Red Apple is now TheBigRedApple.net
To view this post at its new location click HERE!
Don’t let the nasty weather prevent you from getting out tonight! It may very well be the best night to go out this week as there are 3 very different but equally awesome events taking place!
First off, I will be attending a St. Mark’s Bookshop reading at Solas; Andrei Codrescu will read from ‘The Posthuman Dada Guide’:
The Posthuman Dada Guide is an impractical handbook for practical living in our posthuman world–all by way of examining the imagined 1916 chess game between Tristan Tzara, the daddy of Dada, and V. I. Lenin, the daddy of communism. This epic game at Zurich’s Café de la Terrasse–a battle between radical visions of art and ideological revolution–lasted for a century and may still be going on, although communism appears dead and Dada stronger than ever. As the poet faces the future mass murderer over the chessboard, neither realizes that they are playing for the world. Taking the match as metaphor for two polesof twentieth- and twenty-first-century thought, politics, and life, Andrei Codrescu has created his own brilliantly Dadaesque guide to Dada–and to what it can teach us about surviving our ultraconnected present and future.
The Roller Derby season has begun (the next match is the 16th!); if you want to be an informed spectator head to Barbes tonight where the Brooklyn Independent Cinema Series presents ‘Hell on Wheels’:
HELL ON WHEELS documents the birth of the rollergirl revolution and chronicles the creation of the first modern-era women’s roller derby league, the Lonestar Rollergirls and their rival breakaway league, the Texas Rollergirls.
If you happen to be polyamorous and you want the world to know, head over to the Slipper Room tonight where the Polyamory Party will be filmed for MTV’s award-winning docuseries True Life: I’m Polyamorous. There will be burlesque (one of my favorite performers- Anita Cookie, will be there!), burlesque hula hooping (!), spoken word performances, a crazy light show and of course you’ll get to mingle with other members of the sex-positive community.
Anita Cookie
If you missed out on the Kentucky Derby party at the Bell House on Saturday (I was there; it was awesome and I will tell you all about it shortly) there’s another awesome event there on Tuesday- Guactacular AND the Sudden Death Gameshow! Restaurants will compete for the title of best guacamole and you’re the judge, plus it’s free! At the same time contestants will compete in a form of Jeopardy that also happens to involve drinking. Sounds like the best way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!
On Wednesday experience the work of controversial Yiddish writers at Symphony Space:
Funny, surprising, and poignant stories by controversial Yiddish writers who sometimes scandalized their mainstream critics. Isaiah Shefferperforms “Gimpel the Fool” by Isaac Bashevis Singer, John Shea performs Moishe Nadir’s “My First Love,” and Laura Estermanperforms Sholem Asch’s “A Quiet Garden Spot.”
Also on Wednesday The Coral Universitat de les Illes Balears will perform at St. John the Divine as part of the Catalan Days festival, which is being presented this month by the Institut Ramon Llull. The events showcase a variety of creative talent from Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, including music, dance and drama, at a number of venues in the city. Check out their calendar of events and find one that appeals to you!
On Thursday check out Max Tundra and the Junior Boys at Webster Hall. Here’s the video for Junior Boys’ single ‘In the Morning’:
Have a great Monday and stay tuned for additions!
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That’s right, tomorrow is the first day of May! That means, amongst other things, that it’s the start of Wildflower Week! There are tons of events in all 5 boroughs and you can browse by borough, day or type of event. My pick for the weekend is the Wild Project Green Roof Tour on Saturday:
The Wild Project Theater lives up to it’s name with a mix of native wildflowers, groundcovers and sedumon its roof. The roof is one of the few green roofs in New York City that include native species. It is 1,500 square feet with a small deck area, solar panels, and lightweight pavers made from recycled materials. The roof was installed by the green roof installation company Alive Structures in September 2007.
You can help add some wild color of your own by donating brightly-colored fabric, sheets, and other clothing to Amanda Browder for use in her newest project- The House Blanket. She plans to cover her apartment building in Greenpoint in its own technicolor dreamcoat. Drop off your donations and check out her other work at 303Grand (her opening reception is Friday).
Saturday is another notable art opening- The Great Out Doors opens at Artbreak Gallery; this exhibit showcases 30 doors decorated with some of the most unique street artwork being created today.
Friday night head over to BAM to see a free performance by Baba Israel:
Emcee, poet, and beatboxer Baba Israel is known for his powerful lyrics and freestyle skills. Debuting at the legendary Nuyorican Poets Café, BabaIsrael has since gone on to collaborate with such luminaries as Meshell Ndegeocello, Rahzel, Afrika Bambaataa, and Vernon Reid. Backed by Yako440 and DJ DP One with special guests Core Rhythm, D-Cross, Eagle Nebula, Duv, and Breez Evahflowin, Israel explores the intersection of hip-hop, theater, and politics.
On Saturday The Millions is running its first Indie Bookstore Walking Tour. The tour will include six bookstores and will end with a party at Freebird Books & Goods.
Saturday is also one of the only sporting events I am willing to watch, after all, it involves mint juleps and enormous hats. Yes- I speak of the 2009 Kentucky Derby! This year I will be celebrating at The Bell House where there will be…
• Tailgating BBQ 2-5pm
• Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream Truck During BBQ
• Free Mint Julep Happy Hour 5-6pm
• The first Annual Live Under Card “Horse” Race
• Call to the Post Performed by Bugler Jason Rambler
• My Old Kentucky Home Performed by Ms. Carolyn Sill
• Race shown on HUGE screens with BIG sound
• Live Band Karaoke After Race
• Prizes Given for Best Hat & Best Dressed Man
• Free Dub Pies In Between Karaoke Sets
Add to that New York City Barndance and hats by La China Loca and you have quite the day at the races!
On Sunday you can be the first to experience The Greenwich Village Follies:
High spirited and deliciously raunchy, The Greenwich Village Follies offers an overview of the Village’s history in the form of an old-school musical revue.
Use discount code EBGVF when purchasing online to get your tickets for $20 (no need to thank me).
On Sunday you can also be the first to experience jazz brunch at Swing46; George Gee and his big band- the Make-Believe Orchestra will play smoky Count Basie arrangements while you sip unlimited bloody marys and mimosas.
If you didn’t make it to the party at Montien’s that I posted, you have another chance to party for a cause at Arts in Action- an art auction to support the filming of the pilot episode of ‘Foreign Bound’:
A travel-reality show that focuses on inspiring and educating the younger demographic and aims to promote cross-cultural understanding and effective communication between borders. Pilot episode set to shoot in Thailand this summer.
The party will be on the rooftop of 304 W 90th (buzz Apt. 4F) from 1 to 3 on Sunday.
Have an excellent weekend and check back for additions!
The Big Red Apple 