Reggie Watts!!! Magnificence at Highline Ballroom

I saw Reggie Watts on Friday, who was an absolutely incredible performer. Both a comedian and a musician, Watts's performaces are improvised acts that blend stream-of-conscious storytelling with incredible beats and comedy. He used a looping machine and a piano, very quickly veering from a musical performance to comedic storytelling to everything in between.

As reviewed by Brian Eno: ""Reggie Watts is a most unusual talent: a huge vocal range, a natural musicality, and a sidesplitting wit. Is he a comedian? A singer? A performance artist? I've seen him a few times since then and I still can't decide. Whatever, he ain't like nobody else."

And that is how Reggie Watts is. See him if you ever can.

LivingSocial Deal: Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating and Marriage

Oh, yeah, I did succumb to an online bargain yesterday. Only it wasn't the massage. It was a LivingSocial discount for tickets to Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating and Marriage.



An off-Broadway show starring Eve Plumb, who played Jan Brady in The Brady Bunch, and Manuel Herrera, the performance is a comedy about "the story of Miss Abigail, the most sought-after relationship expert to the stars (think Dr. Ruth meets Emily Post), and her sexy sidekick Paco, as they travel the world teaching Miss Abigail’s outrageously funny 'how-to's' on dating, mating and marriage!"

Hmm, now to book the performance date and figure out who I'm going to see this comedic show with!

Cabinet of Wonders at Le Poisson Rouge Tonight!

Yes, blog and blog follower(s), I have neglected you. Work and personal life has been a little consuming. I have had time to enjoy the culture and nightlife of NYC, but I haven't had the time or focus to blog about my adventures (and misadventures) lately.

Just have to say, Massive Attack at Terminal 5 was amazing, as was Chelsea Handler's stand-up at Radio City!! In some ways, they were both commentaries about society being fucked up, yet seeing life as still somehow beautiful and funny.

And now, tonight, I am going to see John Wesley Harding's Cabinet of Wonders at Le Poisson Rouge.

The event features

John Wesley Harding and His Band, The English UK
w/ Janeane Garofalo , Robbie Fulks , Paul Muldoon , Eugene Mirman , Buffalo Tom and Kristin Hersh.

I am not familar with any of the names, with the exception of Janeane Garofalo




... but I can't wait. I need some more comedy in my life right now...

The event has been tagged as "alternative indie comedy new york folk singer-songwriter blues alt-country country" - should be interesting - well, more than interesting!! It should be entertaining.

Free Comedy Over Free Music Last Night

As much as I really, really wanted to see Blondie live last night, I wasn't quite prepared for the combination of the long subway rides and the crowds that were surely there - in masses and masses, out for the free show with legendary rock performers Blondie and Pat Benatar, along with the Donnas.

So I stayed semi-local and saw a free comedy show at the Nightingale Lounge, in the East Village.

Thursdays they offer free comedy -- which started out strong and generally very enjoyable, and slowly declined with each successive comedian. Anyway, it was free, so I can't say it wasn't worth it! Nightingale Lounge has a very relaxed, intimate set-up, with the small stage central, across from the bar and encircled by the audience.

I recommend checking out this lounge and seeing their Calendar of Events, which features nightly happenings, such as open-mics of all kinds, poetry readings, music jam sessions and dance parties.

Of The Kills and Margaret Cho

It's been a busy week. While getting over my cold this past week, I continued with my plans; and perhaps, in this more sickly, weary state of mind, I was more critical than I would otherwise be, though I am not entirely sure that's the case.

The Kills, who played at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, were great, lively performers. The Kills, a boy/girl duo (Alison "VW" Mosshart, the female lead singer, as well as guitarist, and Jamie "Hotel" Hince, lead guitarist) were both rockstar musicians with frenetic energy on the stage and humble performers who continuously graciously thanked the audience. Mosshart especially was apologetic and sincere in her remarks to the crowd; after I initially wondered if she might be under the influence of something after seeing her flying around the stage, she gravely apologized to the crowd, saying she was actually a bit sick and would get through the performance as best as she could. Huh. If she hadn't made these remarks referring to her poor state of heath, I would have been left suspecting exactly the opposite; so I give her credit in her truly stellar rockstar performance.
The Kills' live music set lived up to my expectations.... with one exception. They were not a full band. While apparently they receive a lot of comparisons to The White Stripes as an indie boy/girl band, The White Stripes play all of their instruments, while The Kills rely on a drum machine (and other pre-recorded music, possibly?) for their song beats. This somehow makes their music seem a bit less impressive and, well, more inauthentic, to me. But I am still hooked on their riffs, their energy, and their attitude. Their bio can be read here, which gives an intriguing account of how they started out working together as well as how they avoided approaches from major record labels.

And, a video to share with you:


Of Margaret Cho at Radio City Music Hall: The sheer crowd and lustre of Radio City Music Hall promised a good night for Cho.

(Radio City Music Hall, above)

As I expected, she included a substantial amount of comedy about the presidential campaign, staunchly emphasizing that Palin is not a feminist. I was proud of her opinionated contribution to the campaign, as well as of the audience's enthusiastic response to her remarks. As for the rest of her act, suffice it to say that she is very LGBTQ friendly and also very adult-themed. She was a strong crowd-pleaser and a good beginning to a Saturday night, if a little over-the-top!

Upcoming: The Black Kids, The Kills and Margaret Cho

And that's this week alone!!! I will be seeing the Black Kids tonight at Webster Hall. (See their website here and their Myspace page here.)
(The Black Kids, above)

Then, Friday night, I will be seeing the Kills at Music Hall of Williamsburg (see their website here and their Myspace here.) They play Thursday and Friday, and both shows are already sold out!
Then, Saturday, I am seeing Margaret Cho at Radio City Music Hall. (There are still tickets for her!) I am so excited!! I actually saw her years ago at Oberlin and remember her raw energy and humor.

And that's it for now.