Last Sunday at Public Assembly and Monday at The Flat the fifth installment of Annihilvs’s Apex Fest tried to annihilate Brooklyn with a tidal wave of power electronics, harsh noise, ambient and other forms of electronically fueled sonic warfare. Below is a complete video recap of every single artist

En Nihil

The [Law-Rah] Collective

More onslaughts after the break (more…)

Chrome Canyon at Cameo Gallery

With its weekend crowds and its surplus of shops and eateries, navigating North 6th street can be as confounding as it is invigorating. There’s the overcrowded tourist trap known as Sea. There’s Future Perfect where beautiful, artisan-crafted statement armchairs, are displayed in a storefront only blocks away from more affordable wares at Artists n’ Fleas. There’s an American Apparel on North 6th too: chicken or egg? And, of course, its main attraction are its live music venues all in a three block radius of each other: Music Hall of Williamsburg, Cameo Gallery and Public Assembly.

Electronic, indie, pop, international and domestic; from Lemonade to Sky Ferreira to A$AP Rocky, I feel confident in saying your favorite artist probably made at least one appearance on this bougie block. So, where to eat when you’re pressed for time, Toro y Moi is coming on in 10 minutes, and MHOW can’t even scrounge up a bar snack for you? These five dining options are the cream of the primarily Asian-influenced crop of eateries, and with a range of flavors to enjoy, from Japanese to Cuban, you’ll be able to enjoy your dish, tip your waitress and make it into Cameo while there’s still a square of space to stand.

Cubana Social

For filling and affordable without much time to spare, Cubana Social’s ‘bocaditos’ will have you sated and stuck in the winding line heading into either of its next door neighbor venues in no time.  For less than $5, vegetarians and carnivores can find an empanada to their liking and bite into crispy, flaky heaven. Heartier options to prepare for the fortitude of an open bar range can be found in Cubana Social’s sandwiches stuffed with plantains, black bean patty, or eight-hour long roasted pork between deliciously thick Cuban bread. The dim lighting and a rotation of older films showing on a projector cast a relaxing lull over the eatery. And speaking of music, they provide their own. Stop by for live jazz on Saturdays.

Cubana Social
70 North 6th
718.782.3334

Chai Home Kitchen

Less intense than the winding maze of Zenkichi and lacking the shadowy air of intimidation at Sea Thai, Chai Home Kitchen is a cozy, traditional Thai eatery on the corner of 6^th and Berry to indulge in a heaping pile of pad thai or slurp some tom yum noodles and broth.  Starters from the sweet corn fritters to the satay are reliable favorites to quell hunger and pair with a Thai iced tea. Suspended bird cages and isolated daisies floating in pools of water provide a very calming vibe; perfect to forget about how hard you’re about to be pushed into a wall by an erratic electronica enthusiast at Public Assembly.

Chai Home Kitchen
124 North 6th
718.599.5889

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Beach Day is another band I caught over at Public Assembly during CMJ. More girl power, yes! I’ve actually tracked down the route of all this loveliness. One of the members of Leda messaged me and said “The show featured so many bands with rad women in them because it was co-presented by Permanent Wave, a feminist arts group that puts on female-fronted shows in NYC (and a few other cities as well).” Well someone is going to have to track this group down and tell them how much they love what they’re doing. And by someone I mean me of course. Have a look at the trio doing their thing. Enjoy!

PS: I love shoes too!(well sneakers) “Oh my gaaaaaah” we have so much in common!

via: blaqbook.com

During my CMJ run I caught Leda’s set over at Public Assembly. They’re a very lovely bunch. One thing I noticed about Greenpointers entire showcase was the fact that every band had pretty rad girls/women in them. I go to about 4 shows a week and I believe this is the first time this has happened. Correct me if I’m wrong. The Suzan, Leda, Backwords, and Beach Day all had woman rocking my world. I love you 20 hundreds! OK enough babbling, get in tuned while Leda melts your heart. Enjoy!

PS: I thought that bassist was all sorts of radical so I waved to her on stage and she waved back. Eat your hearts out lads!

via: blaqbook.com

Late night during music festivals everyone starts getting a little sauced/intoxicated. This is where the fun begins. When you add music to the mix and a bunch of pretty hipsters you got yourself a great recipe for a classic Brooklyn night! In this clip I interview Tim Pioppo of Backwords at Public Assembly. Then go into some live footage from their set. Catch them tonight at Legions. Enjoy!

via: blaqbook.com

I don’t even know where to start with these ladies. The Suzan are so good that I couldn’t possibly cut after the first song. The transition was perfection so I just kept it moving. Saori, Rie, Ikue, NICO and Fool Gold I love you all. Please continue to kick tons of ass. Enjoy! Let me know what you think.

via: blaqbook.com

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, The Fools Gold team are fucking geniuses. Do yourselves a favor and head over to Public Assembly and catch The Suzan. I shot them over a year ago. If they managed to get better from the perfection I saw the last time you people are in for a treat!

7PM DOORS

11:15 – Heliotropes
10:30 - Leda
9:45 – Beach Day
9:00 – Backwords
8:15 – The Suzan
7:30 – Easy Lover

Tuesday, October 16th
21+
$8

Sponsored by Narragansett – Free beer from 7-8pm

Public Assembly
70 North 6th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 384-4586

A bit late on this but Public Assembly is having a week of events as part of Et Cetera 2012. If “week-long version of a state-funded liberal arts college” at a bar/event space sounds like a good time, this is your festival.

Yours truly will be helping run the investigation panel by Her Girl Friday on Wednesday. Four lady journalists from across different platforms are going to reveal the secrets of getting the scoop. Doors at 7 with a boozy mixer to follow the hard hitting stuff.

Brokelyn has a nice write up on the rest of the events.

BrooklynVegan just posted a video of Japanese band, Peelander-Z, during their stay in Brooklyn over CMJ. Peelander-Z are pretty much exactly what you would expect from a band that has the “word” Peelander in their name – Amazing. They had me at, “My name is Peelander Yellow. I love your mum. I love your father. I love your grandmum.” BV explains, “The video was filmed on North 6th Street in Brooklyn not long after they played an insane set at the free BrooklynVegan party inside Public Assembly.”

This Saturday Public Assembly will be hosting the Holiday Handmade Cavalcade, a biannual craft spectacular put together by the New York Etsy seller super team known as The {NewNew}. “Over 35 local artisans, designers, and crafters” will be showcasing their best work so you can score unique handmade Christmas gifts without having to extensively search through the Etsy universe (and weed through some of its less desirable products.) Jewelry, clothing, bath products, house wares, children’s items, fine art… you name, they made it, and it’s all a hell-of-a-lot cooler than what you’ll find in chain stores.

To make the shopping experience even more enjoyable, there will be a raffle, sweets from local vendors including First Prize Pies, and the first 200 shoppers will receive a free goodie bag with fun loot created by The {NewNew}’s talented team – hoorah! Stop by Public Assembly anytime between 10am-6pm this Saturday, or better yet, enjoy a boozy brunch and make a day out of it. There are plenty of great brunch and lunch spots in the area to alleviate a hangover and help you get in the warm, fuzzy holiday shopping mood.