Xx DJ SET at LPR!

Yes, I am BACK! I was on a 6 month or so hiatus, but here I am. Miraculously, Blogger was able to recover my long since deleted blog. Kudos to you, Blogger.

So the Xx is having a DJ set at Le Poisson Rouge tomorrow, April 22!!


Tickets are only $10 in advance and $12 the day of the show. Le Posson Rouge is located at 158 Bleeker Street; their motto is "serving art and alcohol." This is sure to be a fun party!

Recent Shows: Chromeo and Raveonettes

Below are some pics from last week's shows!

Chromeo:







And the Raveonettes:


And tonight I am going to the CMJ marathon at Bowery Ballroom, which will include headliners Fanfarlo, the Postelles, and Midnight Juggernauts.

Indie/Punk Times

So yesterday night, after a teaching extravaganza of a day, I ended up at the new Knitting Factory, which is now in my neighborhood: Williamsburg, Brooklyn. And the best thing was that it happened to be Moisturizer's last show. (My friend wanted me to come, hearing that Moisturizer was legendary, while I hadn't ever heard buzz on them, except I had happened to catch them at Zebulon the other week!) I didn't even know what show I was going to see when I agreed to check out the Knitting Factory last night. So I just so happened to see Moisturizer twice, and each time was incredible: with their psychedelic/jazz/funk sound, they definitely imbue a certain sense of sexy magic into the evening.

And tonight I am going to see Punk Princess, an off-Broadway show about a blue-blooded Londoner girl who escapes to NYC to make it into the punk scene. Good times.

Marathon '33 at Webster Hall... If I Had the Disposable Income!!

I would sooo be at this tonight if I had the disposable income... But I've already overspent to see Chromeo, The Punk Princess (off-Broadway show), and the Raveonettes this coming week....! Here's to enjoying the decadence of the city!

Celebrate the recession with
THE ORIGINAL REALITY SHOW:
MARATHON DANCING

ENJOY AN EXCITING STAGE SHOW
We're transforming Webster Hall, 125 East 11th Street, into a 1930's dance hall for MARATHON '33 — a special presentation of a new stage show inspired by Miss June Havoc's 1963 play of the same title — for one night only on Monday, October 19, beginning at 6:30pm. Tomé Cousin and Peter Gregus will direct and choreograph a cast of more than twenty performers as they jitterbug and jive to the sounds of a bygone era.

Tony Award-winning Broadway Star
Karen Ziemba
will entertain with 30s era songs!

CLASSIC FUN FOOD OF THE TIME
In addition to the entertainment, we'll be serving the comfort foods of the era, and of today too,
including hot dogs, pretzels, peanuts, cotton candy and beer.

RAFFLES & DOOR PRIZES
Chances to win trips, jewelry, theatre tickets - including FINIAN'S RAINBOW and THE TOXIC AVENGER - and more,
along with other surprises will add to the evening's fun.

This Once-In-A-Lifetime, Theatrically Historical Event will honor Abingdon's Board Chairman Emeritus Margot London,
and our Special Guest of Honor Julie Harris,
who created the role of Jean Reed in the original Broadway production of
MARATHON '33.

The fun begins at 6:30pm with swing lessons taught by Myrna Caceres from The 92nd Street Y with the assistance of Fred Velde from the Workshop Theater. This will be followed by a featured duet by the Mark Stewart Dance Theatre. The stage show begins at 8:00pm, and will be followed by drinks and dancing into the wee hours. Vintage dress is optional.

Premium tickets at $250, including a Private VIP Reception,
are available by CLICKING HERE

or Balcony view tickets at $50 are available by CLICKING HERE

In Memoriam Show at Issue Prject Room for Suzanne Fiol

This is incredibly sad. I worked with Suzanne and at Issue for a number of years. Suzanne was an amazing woman, beautiful inside and out, and she founded an incredible venue dedicated to emerging music and the arts. She will be profoundly missed, by many!

IN MEMORIAM of Issue Project Room founder and director Suzanne Fiol, who passed Monday.
in memoriam with love
Please honor her by supporting IPR.

FRIDAY OCT 9
Poetry to the Infinitive Powers
At 7pm -- The Way of the Word
Poetry Extravaganza curated by Bob Holman, Suzanne Fiol, and Kenneth Goldsmith

At 9:00pm -- These Are Powers Dance Party
performance by drum and trapeze duo Lone Wolf and Cub
The PREMIERE of our new video for "Candyman" off our forthcoming RVNG 12"
DANCE PARTYw/DJs Ryan Sawyer, Matt Radune and Jeremy Campbell
Video installations by Secret Project Robot

TAP performs live and will be joined by a horn section and Ryan Sawyer on congas!

The Garage @ (OA) Can Factory
232 3rd St. Brooklyn, NY 11215
$12, sorry this event is not all ages

As the date says, this is at Issue Project Room tonight.

Crooked Disco Tomorrow!

First, I have to say that the Anti-Pop Consortium show was excellent - quality "nerd-rap" music styling... my friend and I even had our pictures taken by band promoters with their stickers when we walked in. (Who knows where these pics will end up, if anywhere...)

Then Thursday night I enjoyed the free music at Zebulon in Williamsburg and discovered the funk-soul band, The Moisturizers. Good stuff.

And now, for an evening with friends tonight, and hopefully tomorrow, Crooked Disco at Public Assembly (yes, also in Williamsburg!) It will be a Freaktoberfest celebration. Hmm...

GBH Events: Dollar Daze at Webster, Anti-Pop Consortium and More!

I have to re-post this informative and exciting e-mail from the party-promoters at GBH.

BLACK DEVIL DISCO CLUB LIVE
Mike Simonetti (Italians Do It Better) DJs
$1 DRINKS & $1 ADMISSION B4 MIDNIGHT
Friday September 25 at Webster Hall

The legendary Black Devil Disco Club are coming to New York to play a live set for us. Our spines are tingling... these guys are not only the most mysterious and enigmatic electronic act in history, but their spooky electro disco sound is so essential, it feels like it is casting some weird voodoo spell over you.
Those italo disco basslines, and creeping synth lines, weird sound effects, amazing melodies... it's what you might imagine they play on a Saturday night in Beelzebub's brothel... take a listen
The Devil In Us //// Coach Me //// H Friend //// Open The Night

The excellent Mike Simonetti of Italians Do It Better will also be DJing.

And not to forget our resident Girls and Boys DJs: Alex English, Gavin Royce, Kids With Snakes and Rekles.

$1 DRINKS & $1 ADMISSION TIL 12 WITH RSVP: CLICK HERE

Webster Hall: 125 E11th St between 3rd & 4th Ave.s
Doors 10pm. 19+ w/I.D.
_________________________________________________________

Official Phoenix After Party
SVEDKA VODKA OPEN BAR 10-11
Tribeca Grand - Saturday Sept. 26

That's right... it's the Phoenix After Party... and DFA's Holy Ghost! will be DJing.

Plus Matt and Maia are back to rock the turntables (we'll be celebrating Matt Kaye's Birthday). Alex English will also be DJing.

Your hosts for the evening will be: The 66Sick Girls,and Aaron Kolfage.

And let's not forget the drinks speciasl:
$10 Sol and Jim Beam shot combo all night (Red Stripe and Jim Beam shots are both $6 if purchased separately).

PLUS SVEDKA VODKA OPEN BAR 1OPM-11PM

FREE WITH RSVP: CLICK HERE
When you arrive, tell the door person you are on the GBH Guest List.. Admission at doorperson's discretion.

Tribeca Grand: 2 Avenue of the Americas
Doors 10pm. 21+ w/I.D.
Admission at doorperson's discretion.
__________________________________________________________

ANTI-POP CONSORTIUM LIVE
Tuesday Sept 29 at Santos Party House

Legendary underground Hip-Hop renegades, Anti-Pop Consortium are back and they have a new album. This will be the release party for 'Fluorescent Black', with a live performance by the boys themselves plus CX Kidtronik and special guests.

$10 TICKETS AVAILABLE: CLICK HERE

Santos Party House: 96 Lafayette Street betwn Walker and White. Doors 7pm. 18+

Donna Summer Tonight - FREE!

UPDATE: I went to see Donna Summer - pictures and videos below!!

So I didn't make it to the last free Coney Island concert I had wanted to check out (with Blondie and Pat Benatar) but tonight I have another chance! Part of the Brooklyn Seaside Summer Concert Series, the show should begin at 7:30 pm. Limited chairs available.

Now I just have to get some work done and maybe make it a beach afternoon before the show!!

The Circus: Featuring Britney Spears

Don't judge. 

I went to see Britney Spears last night at Madison Square Garden, as part of her tour, "The Circus Featuring Btitney Spears." Knowing it would be a full-scale circus act, I decided I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see such an icon, as mixed as Britney's publicity has been. 

Britney also plays tonight at tomorrow! And, I believe, owing to the recession, shows are not sold out. (See the Ticketmaster site here.)

So, to sum up the show: I was both more impressed and more disappointed than I had expected to be.

Britney had two openers, Kristinia DeBarge and Jordin Sparks. I didn't expect Britney to begin until 10 or so, though it was a Monday. The 20-minute countdown for Britney began at 8:40 pm; at 9 pm, the Circus began, but Britney's appearance, of course, was later, after the crowd had built up its anticipation even further.

Britney truly gave a strong performance, with stunning -- and scandalous -- outfits, stunts and dance moves. What impressed me was how confident and happy she appeared; of course, it is her job to give off that charismatic aura, but she sincerely appeared to be loving every minute of it. What disappointed me was that there were many circus interludes and her stage/performance time was only a fraction of her actual show. Surprised, no, but a little disappointed, yes.

Yes, it was definitely a circus. Which is not to say that it was appropriate for children; parents, next time, leave your kiddies at home when you watch a scandalous show such as Britney's!

Dreaming of Fun... Like Webster Hall's Dollar Daze

If my scratches from this past weekend's fall off my bike have healed significantly by this upcoming weekend, I may go to this:

Dollar drinks and dollar admission before midnight! (Apparently, admission is 19+, the dollar specials are only for those 21+). See the Webster Hall site here. Even a DJ set by Does It Offend You, Yeah? Will definitely be an interesting time.

But I may just have to dream about it and wait for another night for some dancing debauchery.

Last Night: Emiliana Torrini at Highline Ballroom

On a whim last night, I decided to take myself - by that, I mean, bike - to Highline Ballroom to see Emiliana Torrini. Torrini, hailing from Iceland, has a wonderfully lilted singing voice and puts on a charming, moving show.



Her opener, Anya Marina, was equally captivating. I am still chiding myself for forgetting to stop by the merch table and pick up their latest albums there... Definitely music worth checking out!



Pics and videos from the show to come!

I also hope to see more shows at Highline in the future -- it's a lovely intimate venue to enjoy live music and other performances!

This Weekend: "Intergalactic Planetary" Danger Parties

Weekend Events Brought to You - and Me - by The Danger List.
Read on for information on these large underground parties and nights of summertime decadence.

From their e-mail.

The summer is slowly fading but our New York City nights are as warm
and wide-eyed as ever.  Thank you to the hundreds who adventured out to
our last event "Rights of Passage". It was your energy that carried the
party past dawn into the early afternoon light.  Because you've shown
such love and respect for the new location and the neighborhood, it
looks like we have a new home for many events to come.

Your moments of infamy have been captured here:
http://www.alexey-studio.com/rightsofpassage/

Below are three invites for this weekend.  The first is an outsized,
low-key house party of amazing music to raise funds for our camp at
Burning Man.  The second is not a Danger event, but another special
night on the hidden ferry.  The third invitation is... a story of
crime.

1 |_______________________

Friday : Intergalactic Planetary
This Friday you are invited to an all night house-party within a three
floor self-made mansion deep in the dark heart of Brooklyn.  Musicians
from around the world mix live energy with jump-up and dance dj’s,
aerial performance and unEarthly acts.  Money from this event goes to
fund an international tribe building a special project for Burning Man.

This Friday : August 14th
9pm to very late...
Bushwick, Brooklyn

This is a simple, cheap and easy house-party.  Bring your own beverages
and share with your new best friends.  Food and drink will be provided
for the early arrivals.

RSVP for the location at: http://www.africagalactica.com/

The Planetary:  Music from Across the Planet
If you haven't heard the exploding hip-hop sensation Bajah + The Dry
Eye Crew, this is your moment.  After packing the national stadium for
performances in their home country of Sierra Leone, African superstars
Bajah + the Dry Eye Crew are poised to conquer the global airwaves with
their unique sound, which blends the swagger and funk of hip-hop, the
passion and energy of dancehall, and the socially conscious vibe of
reggae. The group has generated so much buzz in the hip-hop world that
major stars including ?uestlove, the Roots, Talib Kweli, K'Naan, Res,
and El-P have contributed their vocal and/or production talents to
their upcoming release.

Plus music from Zimbabwe to Bali and everywhere in between from
Akim Funk Buddha, The Two Griots, dj's $mall Change, Sirak and Prolific
spinning into the late night.

The Intergalactic : Performance from Other Worlds
The Lady Circus performs overhead with aerial acts by Amanda Silaski,
Nikki Borodi, Katie Clancy and Elena Delgado along with spontaneous
floor performances and other acts of anti-gravity action. ://grove.nyc
provides photon bending art projections as Swiss Chris plays his
extragalactic light percussion show.

Kae Burke and Make Fun will be hosting a costume creation session on
the second floor for anyone heading west in need of new style for
adventures in Black Rock City.

Suggested donations for entry:
$10/Intergalactic (dress in your best extra-planetary formal wear)
$15/Earth-bound.

For the location and details, RSVP at:
http://www.africagalactica.com/


2 |_______________________
[ Note: The event detailed below is not a Danger party.  Many artists,
dj's and performers are coming together for a special fundraiser to
help pay for renovations and upkeep on the Bushwick Ferry Boat.  They
have a good thing going there and we are helping to spread the word. ]

Saturday : Volatility
Another all-night adventure on the infamous ferry boat docked on the
hidden East Kills Canal in Bushwick.  Music, drinks, sunrise, acts of
daring and moments of fire; this will be a gorgeous summer night.

These events have been incredible and this one will continue the fine
tradition. Featuring: Miho Hatori (of the Gorillaz/Cibo Matto) with her
band, New Optimism, Sistine Criminals, Bellringerzzzz with the Swedish
Meatballs.  With dj's:  Kimyon, Uproot Andy, Geko Jones, Feliz Cumbe,
Zack Shadetek, Blacky II, plus an array of other musical mischief
playing through dawn.

The adventure begins at: 
L train to Grand St.
$20 donation to get in, 21+ only


3 |_______________________
Sunday : Three Course Meal
A meal.  A drink.  An illicit location.

The second in our series of free renegade dinner parties happens this
Sunday. There are experiences in this city that are too precious to ask
permission for.  These we take without asking... and we never take them
for granted.

Details: http://www.thedanger.com


Invites will be distributed in person at the events detailed above.

____________________________________

TheDanger List
http://www.thedanger.com

BLONDIE - Playing FREE Tonight at Coney Island!

And speaking of free things to do in the city, Blondie is playing for free tonight at Coney Island, along with Pat Benatar and The Donnas. The show starts at 7:30 pm... what time Blondie will go on is anyone's guess, but my hunch is probably closer to 10 pm or later...


The show will be at Asser Levy/Seaside Park -- address below:
West 5th Street and Surf Avenue
Coney Island/Brighton Beach
Brooklyn, New York 11206
Across from the New York Aquarium

The event is part of the Seaside Summer Concert Series, which provides a write-up on Blondie, Benatar an The Donnas as well.

Disclaimer from the Summer Concert Series website:
Performers are subject to change without notice. Call the concert hotline for updates at 718-222-0600.


I plan on being there!!

My Current TOP 10 Favorite Free Things in NYC (SUMMER Edition!)

I have greatly depleted my funds in the past few months, as I work in education and have been traveling in Peru for most of the summer. So, I've been more money-conscious and looking out for the free/cheap way of life recently! Below is my current Top 10 List. Enjoy!

10) Using my neighbors' wi-fi networks. Free internet from the comfort of my home. All the better to read up on the latest cultural and news events, job hunt and update my blog! Alternatively, I enjoy hanging at the free wi-fi cafes in Williamsburg.

9) Myopenbar.com - free drinks, free events, free mingling, free people-watching! - There are seven open bars listed in NYC for tonight alone!

8) Museums. And galleries. Many are free or low-cost, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History, which both offer a suggested donation. See a more comprehensive list here.

7) Art gallery openings, such as this one. (Leo Kesting) Free art and complimentary drinks, maybe even snacks too! Also good for people-watching.

6) PARKs - especially the free events, such as Hudson River Park's RiverFlicks and RiverRocks. Tonight they are screening Sex and the City, and tomorrow Yeasayer and Amazing Baby are playing. Both are at Pier 54 (located at the West Side Highway and 14th St). See here for the full Hudson River Park events calendar. They even have free yoga!! Also see New York Magazine's list of free and cheap movies. (Lots of parks offer free film screenings!)

5) Speaking of yoga, I really need to go back to Yoga to the People, which offers free yoga classes every day, throughout the day. (Classes are by donation, and mat rental is $10 if you need one.) They now not only are in the East Village but also offer classes at studios on 27th St. and 38 St. (See directions here.)

4) Even more convenient exercise, and an animal-bonding time, is volunteer dog walking with BARC (Brooklyn Animal Rescue Coalition) Shelter. They need volunteers from 9-12 pm and 5-8 pm every day. It's a great excuse to stroll around McCarren Park! You also get to meet and play with some lovely pooches in need and maybe some interesting doggie-lovers in the beighborhood as well! (See volunteer info here.) They also need volunteers for the cat loft!

3) The GBH and Shaw Promotion parties. I am still an addict for NYC nightlife. Many events are free or cheap with RSVP (or if you simply know the party promoters' names or get to know the doormen). A lot of large acts play and/or DJ at these parties, and they have fantastic indie dance parties at swank, and not-so-swank, venues around the city.

2) The beach. See the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation for a list of beaches.

1) And, I must admit, my favorite free activity: riding my bike around NYC! Just too convenient -- it's a great form of exercise, active commuting and sightseeing. And check it out: NYC is having its fair share of bike share demos -- maybe bike share in the city will one day become widespread here! And downtown Manhattan is offering free bike rentals, through September: http://www.downtownny.com/bikearound.

So who said living in NYC has to be expensive? Or that you need lots of money to enjoy the city?

See also NY Mag's "78 Days of Fun: The best concerts, outdoor events, and culture happenings of summer 2009."

Sunday Night Swank

Even after a muddy, musically soaked weekend at APW, I decided to meet my friend Sunday night for a prospective music and dancing adventure in the city. We met at Broadway East, a small restaurant and bar in the depths of Chinatown. (See dining reviews on Yelp.) The party is one that apparently changes venues for each event. While the party at Broadway East last night featured a relatively sparse crowd, it was a lively, hip group of cool cats who danced and jived to the jazz, soul and funk music of the night. The highlights: the candle-lit passageway to the bar, the outdoorsy feel of the venue, the exhuberance of the party-goers, and the live saxophone player to complement the DJ's tunes. The best fun I've had on a Sunday night in quite some time.

(above: my friend, and the seating above the bar and dance space))

When I find out the name of this party, I may share it... but then again, some of the best things are left better largely undiscovered to revel in their underground status.

Upcoming Shows!! APW and Erykah Badu

NYC, I have missed you during my travels in Peru! (Although I already miss the jungles and mountains and overall lushness of Peru; to remedy it, I plan on taking myself later today to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, which has free admission on Tuesdays!

Beyond that, I am absolutely thrilled about this coming weekend, when I will be going to the All Points West Festival all three days, from Friday July 31 to Sunday, August 2.


AND, two days later, I will be seeing Erykah Badu! She is playing at the beach on Governors Island! (For tickets/show info, click here. And for info on Governors Island beach shows, click here!)

Ah, NYC, I have missed you.

Tribeca Grand Party This Saturday (GBH Hosts!)

Aww, the good old days of the GBH parties... they are back!! And I will actually be in town to possibly enjoy one, especially as the line-up looks rather promising.

From the GBH website:

Terrible Records... Fixed... Daryl from Head Automatica DJs... Lemonade Live... Free Energy (DFA), Riton... JDH & Dave P... Nick Hook... Class Actress Live... Chris Taylor from Grizzly Bear... and more
Tribeca Grand - Saturday July 25

It's going to be a bigger night than usual this Saturday, as the Fixed guys join us for a night of music so epic that it almost all didn't fit on the flyer.
We are really excited by Class Actress who will be playing live upstairs, and Lemonade, who will be playing live downstairs... (hopefully not at the same time)... and Riton (who is on Erol Alkan's record label) and Daryl Palumbo of Head Automatica who will be DJing... and then there is Nick Hook of Cubic Zirconia... Free Engergy (a new DFA signing, who will be playing live), Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear, Ethan of Terrible Records, JDH and Dave P. of Fixed and of course, our own Alex English.

It will be like Coachella... but smaller... and more comfortable... with nicer bathrooms...

And let's not forget the drinks special:
$8 Red Stripe and Jim Beam shot combo all night (Red Stripe and Jim Beam shots are both $5 if purchased separately).

FREE WITH RSVP: CLICK HERE

Tribeca Grand: 2 Avenue of the Americas
Doors 10pm. 21+ w/I.D.

Peaches at Webster Hall!

So I am a little preoccupied currently with my very quickly approaching sojourn to South America, and thus I have been neglecting this blog of mine. I will probably not be updating my blog so frequently during the next two months; and if I do, it will be about the magic/mystery/mythology of Peru, and all my adventures & misadventures there.

So I have been packing the fun in before the upcoming departure date (May 21!!).

Peaches at Webster Hall last night, May 16, ROCKED! She fully delivered on all raunchy, musical promises made in her albums. Categorized on her Myspace page as Electro/Rock/Hip Hop, Peaches was simply fun: she was tough, yet vulnerable, and cheeky, yet clearly working for the love of the crowd.

Rooftop Films Opening Party This Weekend

So, checking my e-mail this morning, I noticed the following listed on myopenbar:

Rooftop Films Opening Night afterparty
Radeberger Pilsner, $9 cover / 11:30pm-1am
Fontana's
105 Eldridge Street,
btw. Grand and Broome
Lower East Side
(212) 334-6740

Thank you, Pitchfork, for yet another tepid "Best New Music" call on Cymbals Eat Guitars – the band that's performing here tonight before the films. Oh, the hype.

The open bar isn't actually at the screening but at the afterparty, over at Fontana's. You might have to buy the ticket to the screening to get in on the booze, or pay $9 at the door.

Well, that's the after-party.

The Rooftop Films opening night actually begins, as the myopenbar listing metions, with live music by Cymbals Eat Guitars at 8:30.

See the Rooftop Films Listing:

FRIDAY, MAY 15
THIS IS WHAT WE MEAN BY SHORT FILMS
Opening Night ! Open Bar After Party!
We kick off our 13th year with short films that don’t take long to astonish, amaze and inspire.
CYMBALS EAT GUITARS
Venue: on the roof of the Open Road Rooftop
Address: 350 Grand Street @ Essex (Lower East Side, Manhattan)
8:00PM: Doors open
8:30PM: Sound Fix presents live music by Cymbals Eat Guitars.
9:00PM: Films
11:30PM - 1:00AM: Open Bar at Fontana’s (105 Eldridge St), courtesy of Radeberger beer
Tickets: $9 at the door or online at going.com


Also, note that in the event of rain, the show will be re-scheduled for Sunday... does that mean that this applies to the after party at Fontana's, or not...?

Double Trouble With Shows: the Presets and Bunny Rabbit

Friday night was the perfect Springtime NYC evening jaunt, with two shows, free pizza, lots of dancing, and a free street poem written just for me. Oh, NYC in the Spring, I love you.

The Presets at Webster Hall this past Friday night actually went on at the given showtime, 8 pm, apparently! My friend and I arrived around 9, to a packed (though fast-moving) line to Webster Hall, and were promptly greeted by the Presets already playing mid-set.



While the Presets were enjoyable, the oppressive heat and crowds of Webster Hall detracted a bit from the show. I found myself fluctuating between thoroughly enjoying their industrial pop sound, the pulsating light show, and the very charismatic audience, to mellowly reflecting on how one's experience of a show's quality so subjectively depends on our own individual states at the time. Of course, the presence of someone in front of me checking his e-mail during the show didn't help matters, either...





Overall, the Presets were a fun time; but it was only setting the stage for the fun of the evening to come. After a stop at the Crocodile Lounge for free pizza, my friend and I proceeded to Glasslands in Williamsburg for another show.


The "Secret Faggot" party at Glasslands featured Bunny Rabbit, a Peaches-esque singer with a
wonderfully fun dance-arty vibe.