A tipster to Brownstoner sent in some photos of a new construction trailer set up at the back of the Pool, where the construction fence has been removed. They say, “Ground may have been officially broken at McCarren Pool last month, but it looks like the heavy lifting may be ready to begin in earnest now.”
Moving along, moving along.
I’m still upset that such a great, world-renowned live music venue was wiped out by a few community groups looking to score some political points. Can’t wait for the floating band-aids!
Here’s Matt & Kim playing the pool back in July 2008, from Baeblemusic (w/ a Final Countdown opening!):

Watch the full concert at baeblemusic.com

With the weekend just 48 hours away, why not plan a unique Euro-twist to your Friday night happy hour plans?
On Friday the 22nd The Richardson will be hosting a traditional ‚”Galette Des Rois” party, complete with Kir Royales and Edith Piaf songs. What’s more, they’ll be serving pastry cakes with prizes inside for whoever is lucky enough to snag the winning slice.
The celebration will be hosted by Sam Maher, a local French instructor who has been teaching out of a studio in Williamsburg for several years. Check out samteachesfrench.com for more information about course levels, cost and blogging en francais. For more details about the party, RSVP on the Facebook invite.
Friday, January 22
6:30-8:30 PM
The Richardson, 451 Graham Ave

The Beatles have been done, but I am always and forever a sucker for a good mash-up.

Faaaantastic. Find a few more hits after the jump, including “L service restored with residual delays,” “New L express route experiencing service interruptions,” and “L is experiencing delays due to police investigation,” all with esteemed hat-tipping to @FakeMTA & Buzzfeed.

(more…)

Monkey Town: WOODS FAMILY CREEPS

A friend of mine, the artist Borbay, is hosting a one-night only exhibition at M&T Bank, Flatiron branch, tonight at 6pm. I suggest you go. Not only is he a fantastic individual with a broken leg (an injury sustained in a Friday night beer league hockey game), he is a fine painter who’s done everything from the Brooklyn Bridge, Neils Coffee Shop, and the Woolworth Building. AND, for those of you who like magazines and the things they say, he was recently named the Most Creative New Yorker by Time Out New York.
And as for why he’s holding this thang in a damn bank?

‚”I decided at the inset of my art career I was not going to be another one of a thousand artists begging a gallery to put my work on their walls once a year, be 100th in-line for promotion and give them a 50% cut. Instead, I decided I can be my own business and promotional entity – so what better venue to host my first show than a bank? You like that painting? Good, there’s an ATM behind you, withdraw $500 for a down payment and my manager will send you a contract tomorrow. Warhol said, “Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.” I fail to recognize how joining some sterile gallery in Chelsea with no interest in my work or brand at the price of 50% a pop is good art.”

So, come check out the exhibition, Urbania, tonight at M&T Bank, the Flatiron branch (200 5th Avenue). It runs from 6 – 9PM.
Disclaimer: As I said in the first four words of the post, he is a friend of mine. But an intelligent, creative, and fine-looking friend at that!

Does this mean Wolf Blitzer is going to start wearing skinny jeans and doing blow with Terry Richardson at Market Hotel? Bizarre.

CNN announced today that it will be teaming up with Vice’s VBS.TV, overseen by Spike Jonze, on certain reporting projects on its website. The first will be the Vice Guide To Liberia. Vice’s founder, Shane Smith, has a pretty classic quote in the release:
“Most people who hear about this partnership will think, ‘Vice and CNN, hmmm… That’s an odd pair of bedfellows for you.’ And you’d be right. The ‘Hipsters’ Bible’ hooking up with the World’s News Leader is a bit odd. But as our company began to evolve and cover stories around the globe, CNN was our first and only choice for a partner. In a world of hyper-partisan opinion-led ‘news,’ CNN’s credibility and reach put it in a class by itself. We couldn’t be more excited with a partner unless it was Jimi Hendrix (nod to all the Baby Boomers out there) joining our rock and roll band.”
CNN is also teaming up with Sub Pop band the Handsome Furs to show their band’s first tour across Asia, filmed on Flip cams: www.cnn.com/IndieAsia

Speaking of CNN, if you missed this footage yesterday of Anderson Cooper in Haiti, it’s pretty revealing—and also very upsetting.

photo via themikebot‘s flickr.
Developers recently cleared the way to building housing at the Domino Factory. Final approval needs to happen, but the plans actually aren’t half bad. Don’t worry, since it’s a landmark, they are keeping the sign. But what are we going to do about all these awful Duane Reades?

Tattoos come to Cameo from 8pm – midnight tonight for a launch of the book Tatted that will show off “nearly 200 images that did not make it into the book based on photographer Marianne Bernstein’s Tattoo Series 2007-2009.”

Tonight at Cameo (8pm‚Äìmidnight, free), Bernstein presents 300 images, with music courtesy of Terry D and DJ Never Forget. There will also be a fashion show by Brooklyn Royalty and the only chance to snap up a limited-edition GritCityInc (the book’s publisher) versus Brooklyn Royalty T-shirt ($32).

Cameo’s behind Loving Cup on No. 6th. More info on the book/event. Check it.

It’s been said that the best thing we can do is get cold, hard, cash in the hands of those leading the relief effort in Haiti. To help make that happen, a few local venues have stepped up to offer benefit concerts in the upcoming days. Here are three. Feel free to leave any others you know of in the comments.
Tonight at Union Pool, Joe Driscoll, Living Days, Pagoda, and Sam Bisbee will perform at the Chances for Children Benefit for the Creche De L’Enfant Jesus Orphanage. It’s $15. They have an eye-roller on Gawker today with the quote, “Show the world that hipsters care,” which makes me cringe but whatever, just suck it up and donate for the children. Here’s the story: “The orphanage lies on the outskirts of the city, but because of the devastation in the Haitian infrastructure their food and water supply will be depleted by next week. New Yorkers, Duke and Lisa Scoppa, are in the process of adopting two children from the orphanage and are now heading this fund raiser to get the orphanage the supplies they need to survive.” Aside from door proceeds, all taco truck proceeds will go to the Red Cross, so go hungry.
Tomorrow night, Robert Randolph and the Family Band will be playing “a very special jam session” at Brooklyn Bowl as a benefit for the Red Cross & Wyclef’s Yele Haiti. This one’s $25 and 100% of the event’s proceeds will go to organizations. You can also bid on a package that includes eight tickets and three hours of bowling on lane 6 (“best sight lines in venue”) at Charity Folks.
The Bell House is hosting Strength Through Unity: A Benefit for the Victims of the Earthquake in Haiti next Weds., Jan 27th at 6pm. It’s $50. Jimmy Fallon, The Walkmen(!), the Cold War Kids, Sondre Lerche, and a few more bands are set to perform and 100% of the proceeds are due to go to Save The Children and Partners in Health.
image via BBC