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« July 2008 | Main | September 2008 »

August 31, 2008

Sonic Youth at McCarren Pool

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Sonic Youth, c/o Clarissa Roudabush

Sigh! Last night it happened -- the concluding McCarren Pool concert. A venue that’s been short-lived and yet extraordinarily popular, providing the alt masses with live music, outdoor film screenings, theater, even dodgeball and slip and slide opportunities is dying a sad death this year.

Fortunately, this final show was far more invigorating than depressing. The 3-hour long opening lineup kicked off with the smiling and cheerful trio Vivian Girls -- who are playing at a variety of NYC venues soon, including Death By Audio on the 2nd. Ohio’s Times New Viking provided additional lively attitude as the beach ball tossing commenced, interacting talkatively with the audience and joking with each other. The final opening act, Wolf Eyes (from Detroit) added a degree of darkness and aggression to the evening, with their avante noise and lo-fi sound.

Sonic Youth finally took the stage at dark, and they played some of their best tracks from the past three decades, taking from EVOL to Daydream Nation to newer material. Favorites like “Disappearer,” “The Sprawl” and “Hey Joni” were crowd-pleasers, and more obscure songs like “Making the Nature Scene” and the closer “Expressway to Yr Skull” revealed the depth of this group’s catalogue and longstanding talent. Dancing, smiling, and resplendent throughout, the band (with Pavement’s Mark Ibold helping out on bass) seemed to be having as much fun as the audience.

The evening couldn’t have been more appropriate in terms of bridging together the past and future of NYC’s independent music legacy, and even if we might be bummed out that summer of 2009 won’t involve concrete sessions in the pool, at least, in the words of Thurston Moore, “next year we’ll all be swimming like fish.”

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Vivian Girls


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Times New Viking


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Wolf Eyes

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All photos by Clarissa Roudabush

August 30, 2008

NYC Sound Tracks

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There's been a show on the MSG network this summer (I've never heard of the MSG network either, until now), and it's a reality show/contest for New York's subway musicians. It makes me feel as though perhaps I have been living in a different city, because I don't recognize any of the contestants. SIgh.

The series will culminate this week with a big 'ole concert at The Cutting Room on 24th Street for the remaining musicians on September 3rd. However, I'm still unclear on what the prize is. Hopefully something involving money and a record deal? And no, unfortunately, the Beatles cover songs guy is not one of the final four.

More info available HERE
and HERE TOO!

SUV Violence at Critical Mass

Friday night's Critical Mass came a month after the NYPD takedown and four years after a couple hundred of riders were arrested at 2004's Republican National Convention in NYC. So, last night's vicious and unexpected attack on one rider's lifeline to the world couldn't have occurred at a more sensitive time. A friend of mine wrote in this morning with a play by play of the malicious attack on one of our most honored New York icons - the cellular device!

My phone got run over by an SUV while i was riding in critical mass tonight. it was one of those ancient nokias that had lasted me about 5 years, so it was about time. but i have to say, that thing didn't have a single glitch when it died. if it hadn't been for that damn SUV, it probably would have gone on working for the next 5 years. i recommend a Nokia for your next cell phone purchase.

Sweet cellular Jesus, no one is safe. Freedom riders of New York City, hide your phones, because we are under attack!

Here's a photo of the now destroyed Nokia. I warn you to close one eye and peak between your fingers, because it's simply horrifying and will haunt your dreams. Ready? Ok, look!

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August 29, 2008

Power Series Show Saturday Night

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Just a quick reminder that the awesome Power2 show that we recently posted about is going down this Saturday at Issue Project Room at 9pm. The show features contributions by Kristina Donello (choreographer), Nick Lesley (video artist) and music by Finnish sound collective Avarus. Go check it out, and wear white, cause apparently you're part of the show too!

Barack Obama Becomes the Nominee [Video]

This is rather inspiring. If you were planning on objecting, you had about 1.2 seconds to get that out cause that gavel was coming down faaaaast! And now, the battle of 2008 that is Obama/Biden vs. McCain/Palin officially begins.

Sunday Rooftop Party w/ Ninjasonik and Team Robespierre

Since most of you will have off this coming Monday thanks to the great American holiday that is Labor Day, why don't you run on over to the all-ages show on the Office Ops roof this Sunday! Here's the info:

CELEBRATE THE LAST DAYS OF SUMMER IN STYLE *TEAM ROBESPIERRE* *NINJASONIK* *WHALES & COPS*(MEMBERS OF MAN MAN) *POPO*(PHILLY) DJ C-LO (BIKES IN THE KITCHEN) DJS between sets!

OFFICE OPS ROOF!!!!!
3PM SHARP- 9PM. (BANDS START AT 3:30)
$10 W/ RSVP BEFORE AUG 29 AT
BROOKLYNBYHAND.COM/ROOFTOP

BYOB (21+ ONLY)

OFFICE OPS IS AT 57 THAMES ST/ MORGAN L

Click on through after the jump for the flyer.

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August 28, 2008

Lykke Li at (le) poisson rouge

Tonight, Ms. Li will be performing at the (relatively) new Greenwich Village spot (le) poisson rouge. The show is already sold out, but if you happen to be one of the lucky few who will be attending, then consider yourself blessed since it's sure to be an amazing performance.

If you are without tickets, then don't fret my pets! Go on ahead now and buy your tickets for her October 20th set at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

And, if you are too lazy to do that, then just watch this amazing/creepy video for "I'm Good, I'm Gone."

Cops vs. Music People

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photo via flickr

So over the last couple days, some fairly influential people in the music/internet universe have been either A. beaten up by security guards while cops watched, or B. arrested by the FBI after leaking some Guns N' Roses tracks.

In the first case of general misjustice, the founders of the F Yea Fest and Videothing.com were beaten up after a Radiohead show, and then beaten up even more when security forcefully pried the video tape evidence from their hands. As you may recall, they rocked Williamsburg a short while back when they played Club Exit. La Weekly has a nice play-by-play of that fiasco. Here's an outtake from that story:

Dawes alleges that one of the security guards threw Carlson into an electrical box. “He hurled him into it, then threw him onto the ground -- at this point there are two or three officers there. [The security guards] smashed his head into the pavement as they're trying to cuff him, the cops aren't doing anything. I'm yelling, 'Officer, this is your jurisdiction -- this isn't Hollywood Bowl property anymore. Don't let them do this.'” Dawes recalls that the officers replied that they “give event staff leeway.”

And then secondly, the guy who runs music blog Antiquiet was arrested by the FBI this morning for leaking nine unauthorized tracks from Guns N' Roses long-awaited album, Chinese Democracy. They could use some legal help. The La Times has that scoop.

While both of these mishaps took place across the dirt in LA, we Brooklynites should take notice, as we're probably the highest music blog per capita city, and also have craptons of unauthorized shows with big mean security guards.

Mr and Miss Williamsburg Pageant Announces Celebrity Judges

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The judges for the upcoming Mr and Miss Williamsburg Pageant have been announced, and they're made up of a couple professional hybrids, a musician, and Sam Brown from Whitest Kids U' Know.

The official line-up is:

DJ/Designer Kesh, journalist/model Sarah Morrison, Jason Poranski (of Beirut) and Sam Brown (from The Whitest Kids U'Know)

Feel free to revisit our earlier interview with pageant founder Misha Calvert, and don't forget, the pageant is next Friday, September 5th at Supreme Trading. RSVP on Facebook or Going.

Ticket Giveaway: Sonic Youth At McCarren Park

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Green Point wines has launched a contest to win 4 VIP tickets to this Saturday's Sonic Youth concert at McCarren Park Pool. The winery has included a trivia question about the pool on the main page of their Web site, and the first person to answer the question correctly will win - tickets include VIP seating with comfy couches, food and Green Point wines throughout the night. To enter... visit www.greenpointwinesnyc.com

In Williamsburg, It's Like The 80's All Over Again

And this time we're not talking about the haircuts and post-punk reemergence. From Metro

Crime has become a hot topic in Williamsburg -- especially tales of machete-wielding kids roaming the streets.

Williamsburg’s 90th police precinct has experienced the sharpest rise in crime since last year of any neighborhood in Brooklyn, making some locals nervous. “My friend said they’re attacking white hipster boys on bikes,” Neil Campbell, a tattooed South Fourth Street resident who fit that bill, said. ...

“Gang violence in the community [has] re-emerged into something we haven’t seen since the 1980s,” said William Orellana of community group El Puente.

Last month, Richard Duran, 22, who residents say was not a gang member, was shot at the bus depot on the South Side near the Williamsburg Bridge. Some believe the shooter was a member of the PBGs, or Pretty Boy Goons. Later that night, young men with machetes -- allegedly Trinitarios -- slashed two people on South Third Street near Bedford Avenue.

August 27, 2008

We <3 Jamie T

Jamie T is my new favorite hybrid rocker/singer/white-boy-rapper/22 year-old from the UK. This video for “Calm Down Dearest” helps illustrate his style and dental situation.

The video looks like it was perhaps filmed in a drunk guy’s dorm room with a handheld camcorder, but the song is undeniably loveable and so is he. I would pay TONS of money to get drunk with him and Lily Allen (who actually has an appearance on Jaime T’s new album “Panic Prevention”). TONS OF MONEY.

Enjoy!

Clinton Redeems Herself

She morphed into a unscrupulous, fear-mongering, pant-suited Karl Rove in the primaries, but last night Hillary redeemed herself. Now, one question remains... what are these lunatics going to do:

In case you missed it, watch Clinton's speech after the jump. We can't decide if we're touched or repulsed by Bill mouthing "I love you." (At the 2:35 minute mark).

On another note, our pals at Rumproast have been covering the PUMA movement (Party Unity My Ass) in hilarious detail. Check out Rumproast's Puma Pounce Radio show.

August 26, 2008

A Look at Williamsburg's Other Bowling Alley

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Rendering by Elizabeth Bolognino/Learned Evolution

We found a few renderings of Brooklyn Bowl, the new 20,000 square-foot bowling alley opening on Wythe St. in Williamsburg later this fall, and it's looking like they won't be holding anything back. Aside from being a 16 lane 600-person capacity bowling center, Brooklyn Bowl will be a place for events, parties, concerts, screenings, corporate schmoozing, a restaurant, and hopefully layers of that famous Brooklyn debauchery that we've all refined so well. Design wise, it sounds pretty cool. Not only will they have audio designed by Harmon Kardon, and Dolby engineer Paul Sacco, it's going green. Here's some more from BizBash:

Design-wise, the 600-capacity Brooklyn Bowl is not looking to hide the rough interior of the 1889 building, rather the design will accentuate it with custom ironwork, furniture, and other pieces. For example, for the lanes the venue's designer, Tristam Steinberg, is using old leather Chesterfield couches and iron coffee tables instead of typical alley seating.

Click through the jump for a rendering of the bar, and get your bowling shoes ready for some neighborly competition to The Gutter, although I think the two will end up serving different clientele in the long run. Until I see the place, you'll probably find me with the rats.

Story via BizBash

Brooklyn Bowl Bar...notice what I assume to be the elevated VIP area in the rear left:
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Rendering by Elizabeth Bolognino/Learned Evolution


August 25, 2008

Ask Dr. Jay

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Dr. Jay Parkinson (image Noah Kalina)

The doctor is in! Dr. Jay Parkinson, the so-called "Hipster Doctor" of Williamsburg—featured on Gawker, The Brooklyn Paper and dozens of other places—will begin answering your health-related questions here, on FREEwilliamsburg.com. Effective immediately.

First order of business: we are hereby disposing of the name "Hipster Doctor." It's dorky. Jay hates it. And sure, he'll talk with you via IM, but he doesn't wear skinny jeans or use PBR for anesthesia.

He's now simply Dr. Jay, your friend, our doctor, and resident Williamsburg health expert. He wants to help.

If you're not familiar with Jay, he runs Hello Health which, uh, pretty much rules. They provide professional healthcare for a wired generation that often can't afford the premiums. From the Hello Health website

Once upon a time, going to your doctor was simple. You knew his first name, or perhaps just called him "Doc."? He lived just down the street and made house calls. And if you were sick, you would see him that day, because, well, you were sick.... Hello Health serves as your old-fashioned neighborhood doctor, remodeled for today's lifestyle, an experience found nowhere else in health care. And, on top of being accessible and affordable, we focus on you, as a real live, busy person.

We can do all that because we love technology, the Internet, and especially our iPhones. You can talk to us like you're talking to a friend: through emails, texts, phone calls, instant messages, or face-to-face conversations. Also, everything's online, from making appointments to accessing your records. It also helps we're close by, living and working in your neighborhood. We like talking with you and spending the right amount of time with everyone. We believe that good communication in a close relationship, whether you're feeling fit or not feeling well, is what keeps you at your best.


Now, Jay will also be answering your questions on this site. Next time you wake up bleary-eyed on a Saturday morning, with a blazing rash on your thigh, shoot a question off to Dr. Jay. He'll advise you on safe sexin'. Or, if you're just an everyday person with a mundane life suffering from a standard-issue virus, Jay can help too. Nothing's off topic. (Though he does get sick of jokes about gynecological exams). Just fire off an email to askdrjay[AT]freewilliamsburg.dotcom whenever you feel like it, and the Dr will be in weekly to answer your calls.

Yo La Tengo Helps Us Say Adios

Last Sunday brought the end of the free JellyNYC Summer Pool Parties at McCarren Park Pool, and yea, everyone was sad to see them go. I just wanted to post a few pictures real quick, sans commentary, that we took while hanging out with everybody.

Line-up was: Yo La Tengo, Titus Andronicus, Ebony Bones with DJ sets from David Cross and Syd B (Les Savy Fav).

Here's the goodbye from JellyNYC:

It’s weird to see “no upcoming shows listed” over there on the right. Yesterday was our last Pool Party of the summer, and the last Pool Party ever at McCarren Park Pool. And it was a doooozy. Expect lots of pictures and a recap soon, and feel free to hit the message boards at ThePoolParties.com to share some of your favorite pool memories and stories. Thanks for another great summer.

We've posted some photos for your enjoyment, compliments of Angela & Robert, and yes, that is David Cross (who dj'd) with a funky David Cross hat.

The final show for McCarren Park Pool (non-pool party) is September 30th, with Sonic Youth.

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Thanks all y'all for the good times, music, bikinis, and a special thanks to JellyNYC! A few more photos after the jump.

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Matt & Kim are Grand!

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photo via flickr user oracle monkey

Our favorite musical couple of awesomeness, Matt & Kim, have been touring so much lately (2 years!) that they have adopted the ability to be seen in two places at the same time. That's how I caught them this summer, first at McCarren Park Pool and then later that night at the F*ck Yea Fest. Anyways, they've got a new album out on RCRD LBL called Grand, and released the single "Good Ol' Fashioned Nightmare" for your enjoyment.

Download: Matt & Kim - Good Ol' Fashioned Nightmare

info via stereogum

Actor Turned Rocker Of The Week

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In the rare scenario that you’ve not been exposed to the assault of Gossip Girl promos and build-up for the upcoming season throughout our fine city (see: “Every parent’s worst nightmare”), then we’re here to help.

With just one week left until their September 1st Season Two premiere, a bit of an homage to the ultra-cunt of the cast – Ed Westwick (a.k.a. “Chuck Bass”) is in order. Did you know that he has a band??? A mildy uncreative, brashly British, glam-boy actor’s wet dream of a band?

They are called The Filthy Youth, and they sound absurdly similar to The Libertines and have songs with titles like “Le Soliel” and “Boy Don’t Smoke.” Check out all the hits here: www.myspace.com/thefilthyyouth. Who would have guessed that Chuck Bass has such a ruff ‘n tuff (albeit unoriginal) rocker alter-ego? I expect all of the self-professed GG addicts to be playing his tunes on loop all week, and if by next Monday you can still embrace Westwick (sans accent), then you are a true fan.

XOXO.

Freewilliamsburg Girl.

Ride The City

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RideTheCity is a really great tool for getting bike directions in New York City. And, it was created by three bikers!

TechCrunch reports:

RideTheCity is a cool mash-up application that allows you to plan bike routes based on safety and speed. By typing - or selecting - a start and end location in New York City, the application will find the safest and quickest routes by factoring in bike routes for “safest” trips and the shortest travel distance for the quickest trips

RideTheCity via TechCrunch

Renegade Party on the Williamsburg Bridge

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photo via vice

Vice mag reports of an impromptu, renegade-style party that went down this weekend on the Williamsburg Bridge. This was no Pandamonium...indie loves Japanther and Ninjasonik played for the 100+ crowd for about 2 hours, before cops eventually came and stamped the fire out.

From Vice:

...for some reason it took the cops forever to catch on to the fact that there were an easy 100-odd kids listening to amplified music in the middle of the bridge in the middle of the night. The original estimate was 20 minutes from start to getting broken up. At around two (the thing started at 12) we decided it wasn't going to happen and headed off to a bar. Right as our car was pulling away from the bridge we just barely caught sight of a couple patrol cars whipping up the bike path in the rearview and were like, "Dang."

PSFK thinks it's a trend, and between Pandamonium, The Danger, and the recent Silent Raves in Union Square, they're right.

...It’s also impressive that this party happened at all. In our hyper-connected age, within hours of being announced, potentially anyone could have found out about this secret party - including the police. Keep an eye out for more illicit gatherings in the future.

Read more on the event at Vice, and for more on the comeback of illegal raves, PSFK has your fix.

Update: GRL Founder and 5 others freed in Beijing

In an update to this story, Brooklyn's own Graffiti Research Lab founder James Powderly, and five other American citizens/artists [bios], were released yesterday after spending ten days in beautiful Beijing, China. They were detained after lighting up a "Free Tibet" LED banner outside the main Olympic's stadium. Here's that video, from Vimeo:


Beijing: Activists detained after lighting up "Free Tibet" LED Throwies banner near Olympics site from Students for a Free Tibet on Vimeo.

And here's a photo of James Powderly's homecoming, titled The Eagle Has Landed via GRL:

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more info at Students for a Free Tibet

August 23, 2008

Final McCarren Show Becomes A Fundraiser

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From BarackObama.com

On August 24th, Brooklyn for Barack is partnering with JellyNYC to co-host the Last Pool Party (ever) at McCarren Park Pool in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Held one day before the start of the Democratic National Convention, the event hopes to not only raise money for Barack's campaign but to celebrate the increased participation of youth in this election. The Pool Party is an all day concert, featuring Yo La Tengo, Titus Andronicus, Ebony Bones, and other special guests. Although the Pool Party is free to enter, there is a suggested donation of $20 that will go directly to Obama for America. There will be a free concert poster- designed by Jessica Hische- for the first 1000 people who donate $20 or more. Please donate by clicking [here]!

Note: donating here does not guarantee your entrance to the concert! Please arrive early! When the event reaches capacity, they will turn people away.

And oh yeah, David Cross and Syd B (Les Savy Fav) will now be DJing as well. (Even though we'd rather see some stand-up from the former). Other surprises are rumored. More information at mccarrenpark.com.

August 22, 2008

Greenpoint Glam Favs, Semi Precious Weapons, Getting Evicted

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image c/o The Brooklyn Paper / Allison Bosworth

From The Brooklyn Paper:

Justin Tranter, lead singer of the quartet, Semi Precious Weapons, rents an illegal 1,800-square-foot loft in the shadow of the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant for six years -- but he and his bandmates received a 30-day eviction notice earlier this month...

“Things are going well for us, but we aren’t a famous band yet, so we don’t have any money,” the oft-stilettoed singer said. “This city just isn’t about artists being able to live fabulously anymore.”

That may sound sad coming from Tranter, whose band was named “best local rockers” by the Village Voice and have made more appearances on the Perezhilton.com blog than, well, Paris Hilton. But, unfair as this may sound, there just aren’t mega-millions to be made in recreating the sound that made David Bowie so fabulous in the 1970s.

The band can barely scrape up the $1,400 monthly rent, which is less than half the market rate for Greenpoint lofts....

“Everyone knows that Greenpoint is changing,” said the spandex-clad Tranter, whose band is considering moving to (gasp) New Jersey. “It’s no longer for artists here. You used to be able to move here and figure it out, but it costs too much now. Now you have to have a plan, you have to have a job, and you have to have rich parents. We don’t have any of those, so we don’t know what to do.”

You Tube eviction announcement after the jump.

Fleshmap: Studies in Desire

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A new cultural project is afloat at fleshmap.com, where its creators are hosting "an inquiry into human desire, its collective shape and individual expressions." Throughout a series of studies, they aim to "explore the relationship between the body and its visual and verbal representation."

It's all rather quite fun, interesting, and at times, NSFW. Regardless, go check out the musical genres Fleshmap and explore which body parts are popular per different music genre (Hip Hop is big on butts, while Gospel is all about the hands).

Oh, and you might notice some white circles blanking something out in the image above. I'm not a proponent of censorship, but I felt it'd be curteous of me to blank out the penises and vagina just in case you're not out of the office yet. Click on through to Fleshmap for the full monty.

THIS WEEKEND: Bushwick Film Festival, The Last Pool Party & More

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Grand Archives

-----------------
FRIDAY
------------------

  • The Bushwick Film Festival begins. More information and the full schedule here.
  • Grand Archives at South Street Seaport
    7pm, FREE
    more information here
    From Flavorpill
    Grand Archives sound like summer (the drowsy front-porch afternoons, not the oppressively hot dog days). The Seattle five blend sunny, multi-part harmonies, lazily strummed acoustic guitars, cheerily whistled melodies, and laid-back hooks with ease. Equal parts Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and the Shins' Oh, Inverted World, Grand Archives' self-titled Sub Pop debut is a study in the joys of easy, breezy baroque pop. Although the band fronted by Band of Horses' Mat Brooke — has only been together for about a year, they've enjoyed fawning press and opened for indie icons Modest Mouse.
  • -----------------
    SATURDAY
    ------------------

  • End of the Weak 8 Year Anniversary Party
    East River Amphitheater (Grand Street and East River)
    6:30pm - 10:00pm, FREE
    more information here
    From FREENYC
    Today marks the 8 year anniversary of New York’s most venerated weekly hip hop show, End of the Weak. That's 416 consecutive weeks of New York’s best live hip hop show. To commemorate this milestone EOW will be celebrating with a free outdoor concert on Manhattan’s East River water front. The all day free outdoor concert will feature "hip-hop up and comers as well as respected Hip Hop legends" such as Scram Jones, SOUL Purpose, EODub All-stars, and many many more. Check the flyer for full line-up. All Ages.
  • -----------------
    SUNDAY
    ------------------

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    Yo La Tengo

  • The Last Pool Party: Yo La Tengo w/ Titus Andronicus and Ebony Bones
    McCarren Park Pool, 2–8pm, FREE
    more information at mccarrenpark.com
    From Flavorpill
    Sports and indie rock are pretty wary companions, but, in the case of Hoboken's Yo La Tengo, action is everything (mimicking the call of a baseball player, the band's name translates literally to "I've got it!"). The group has been an indie-rock centerpiece since 1984, releasing more than 11 full-length albums and a variety of covers (Cat Stevens, the Kinks, Daniel Johnston). In that time, the band's sound has spanned everything from affable pop to the reflective garage-rock ballads of its 2006 effort, I Am Not Afraid of You, and I Will Beat Your Ass. This afternoon, YLT take the stage, along with lo-fi punks Titus Andronicus and wacked-out chanteuse Ebony Bones, for what is purportedly the last. Pool Party. ever
  • 25th Annual Roots of American Music Festival
    Damrosch Park (at Lincoln Center)
    62nd St (between Amsterdam and Columbus Aves)
    begins at 4pm, FREE
    more information and directions here
    From TimeOut
    Lincoln Center celebrates a quarter century of its awesome, far-reaching roots series with a fascinating show featuring punks, jazzers, hillbillies and more. The always entertaining Patti Smith finishes things off, but the vital set might come from the Haden Family--a country and bluegrass ensemble starring Charlie Haden and his talented family, along with some of Nashville’s finest players. (These include Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Bryan Sutton and Dan Tyminski.) It will most likely not return to New York. And don't dare forget the Knitters--X’s folksy spin-ff band--and the big opening Blues Revue.
  • August 21, 2008

    As Requested...

    previously.... John "Ordinary Joe" McCain Unsure How Many Houses He Owns

    From 88BoaDrum to Power 2

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    Nick Lesley is a video artist and a drummer for the band Necking. He most recently occupied drum set #43 at the Boredom's 8/8/08 drumming event (known as 88BoaDrum) on the Williamsburg waterfront. His fellow Necking band mate Dong-Ping Wong was at #44, and after only 20 minutes of practice time the normally improv Brooklyn band joined 86 other drummers in a structured performance that can only be described as "massive".

    Next week, Nick is doing a live-feed, generative video project that incorporates choreographed dancers and sound as part of the one-night Power 2 show at the Issue Project Room (232 3rd Street, 3rd Floor). I shot a few questions via email to Nick earlier this week to get an idea of what it was like preparing for a crazy event like 88Boadrum, and what we can expect from him in Power 2.

    You can catch Power 2 at Issue Project Room next week. Doors are at 8:30, show’s at 9pm; $10 suggested donation; on Saturday, August 30th. The following video is a *test video* for Power 2, shot w/o sound but gives you an idea how the dancers affect the generative video on screen. The actual show will of course feature a sound element, more screens, and that sense of real-world interactivity that never fully comes across in web video.

    After the video, click on through the jump to get behind the scenes at 88BoaDrum, Necking, and Power 2 in our e-interview with Nick Lesley.


    Power 2- rehearsal pt. 2 Aug. 17 from Power Series on Vimeo.

    FREEwilliamsburg: I understand you participated in 88boaDrum. Can you elaborate on your role, how you got involved, and what it was like?

    Nick Lesley: It was a blast. Last year I'd heard about 77BoaDrum through the dudes from Big A Little A (who I used to play with sometimes). They suggested I email Hisham Baroocha about playing in it then but it was already full. Hisham was really nice about it. However, my drums got to be in it that year. My professor, David Grubbs, borrowed my kit to play in it. So afterward I was trying to feel the vibe from them. Yeah.

    So anyway, as soon as heard there was going to be an 88 BoaDrum I wrote to Hisham again and he forwarded me to Ryan Sawyer, who ran it here in NY this year. Then I passed Ryan's correspondence to my bandmate Dong-Ping Wong and we both got to play in it. We both drum in Necking and have been like best buds since high-school. We were also side by side for BoaDrum, which was nice. I was #43 and Dong was #44.

    It was really good being around a ton of other drummers. And being able to play that much in one day. Necking doesn't really practice (we're mostly improv) and we don't have a rehearsal space, so Dong and I were both stoked to be able hit for most of the day, outside, not bothering people besides other drummers. Then we only practiced the BoaDrum piece for about 20 minutes to get everyone acquainted with the cues and such. It was a great day. Oh and the actual performance was fun too. It felt massive. Parts were very structured and maybe more repetitive than I expected, but the ending and the whole thing felt very liberating; free though still part of a giant collective mind, to put it hippy-dippily.

    FREEwilliamsburg: What are some of your past projects you've worked on, and what's coming up in the future?

    Nick Lesley: I play in Necking regularly, which is soooo great. We used to have a rotating line-up but in the last year have settled into a regular 4 piece with Dong, Rop Vazquez (electronics), Daniel Martens (guitar), and myself. It's great, I love those dudes. I also play in Gunung Sari, which is a kind of organic, electronic, noise, multi-media thing with Stanley Ruiz and Michael Dotolo. Also fantastic, genius dudes. I met them through grad school.

    This spring I finished my MFA in Performance and Interactive Media Arts at Brooklyn College. Through that, I became involved in working with dance and other multi-media performances. I did music for a few dance pieces and have been working with video more lately. I'm doing video for a dance piece that will be performed August 30th at Issue Project Room, choreographed by Kristina Donello with a sound contribution from Finland's Avarus.

    FREEwilliamsburg: Can you tell me a little about your upcoming show?

    Nick Lesley: It's called Power 2 and is curated by Lisa Baldini. She's done a great job organizing all of the contributors and it's been great having her lead the way and keeping us on task, more like a director. The choreographer, Kristina Donello, and I have been collaborating a lot in figuring out the structure and movement of the piece.

    FREEwilliamsburg: What exactly will you be doing and what you're most excited for?

    Nick Lesley: The video I'm doing is all live-feed and processed/operated live, so there's an improvisational element as well. Working that way keeps me excited in that there's so much room for me to work off the dancers as well as the sound element. I think it's gonna be a really great show. The more we rehearse the more excited we are all getting about it.

    View the series website at Series of Power, and if you choose, Get more info on Facebook.

    John "Ordinary Joe" McCain Unsure How Many Houses He Owns

    Does this mean the gloves are off for the senility jokes? If not, we'll just use the old fallback of he's an elitist. Wait... are you allowed to say that about GOP candidates or does it just work with Democrats? From Politico:

    Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said in an interview Wednesday that he was uncertain how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, own.

    "I think -- I'll have my staff get to you," McCain told Politico in Las Cruces, N.M. "It's condominiums where -- I'll have them get to you."

    The correct answer is at least four, located in Arizona, California and Virginia, according to his staff. Newsweek estimated this summer that the couple owns at least seven properties.

    Now we can only hope the Dems will run with this. We need an ad now. You know Rove would do be all over this if the tables were turned. He's already tried to smear Obama with this doosy:
    "He's the guy at the country club with the beautiful date, holding a martini and a cigarette that stands against the wall and makes snide comments about everyone who passes by."
    Who's the real elitist? This video does a solid job of answering that question.

    Cat Chiropractor with Zach Galifianakis

    Since we feel it our duty to bring you all things related to Zach Galifianakis:

    See more Bobby Tisdale videos at Funny or Die

    Panda Charges Dropped

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    photo via pandamonium

    The Brooklyn Paper is reporting that charges were dropped against the caged Pandas arrested Saturday night, and also that Pandamonium is already planning another party! Oh, and there was a "message" to that whole mess. It was, "to retake space and transform it in a way that suits us". They report:

    The four caged pandas were arrested and charged with misdemeanors including unlawful assembly, disorderly conduct, and inciting a riot, Fulton said. Despite the police presence — which included an NYPD helicopter — another panda party is already in the works.

    Read the rest at The Brooklyn Paper.

    August 20, 2008

    When Misha Met Lola

    fate_FW.jpg
    photo via flickr user skimaskprod

    Fate, in Williamsburg, works in funny ways. Last week when we posted about Misha Calvert of 'Mr and Miss Williamsburg' fame, and Lola Wakefield, of Stuff Hipsters Don't Like, we had no idea that their post proximity on FREEwilliamsburg would equate to real world conversational relations and a potential publicity allegiance between the two rising stars of Brooklyn Internet. But, it happened. From Stuff Hipsters Don't Like:

    I e-met this hipSTAR after our pet projects were featured 2 posts away from each other on FREEwilliamsburg.com, which I’m sure you all check daily, if not by having the page perpetually open and refreshing the screen every few minutes or so. (ed: thank you lola) .... One day, Misha said, “I’d love to do an interview.” My narcissistic inclinations shining through, I asked when she wanted to interview me. Her narcissistic inclinations trumping mine tenfold, she explained that she was asking me to interview her.

    In the publicity stunt...er, interview that follows, Misha and Lola exchange questions, compliments, and comparisons as they explore the pretentiousness of the New York media to the reality of Facebook stalkers. I'll let The Allegiance take it from here.

    FREEwilliamsburg presents: The Misha & Lola Interview

    The Muslims At Union Pool

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    The Muslims

    This evening's show at Union Pool will be a splendid one, headlined by The Muslims. The San Diego-based group plays likable, stripped down garage-punk, in the tradition of Iggy or Richard Hell, with even a touch of Jonathan Richman or Dinosaur Jr. here and there.

    While they spent the past 2 nights opening for The Walkmen at the Bowery Ballroom, tonight The Muslims are playing with Howlies from Georgia, and Brooklyn's The Gang. The three acts compliment each other perfectly, and I'm predicting a rowdy, rock 'n roll Wednesday involving lots of and PBR and sweaty people.

    8 pm, $8.