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!

Recommenations of (Semi-)Underground Dancing/Music/Cultural Venues

For those of us seeking alternatives to the traditional clubs, or even to what I like to call the “dance-bars” (those places without an actual so-called cabaret license, which is the license to permit dancing in private spaces; you can read about it here), there are many semi-unknown, not very largely publicized venues in the city to be found for a night of bustin’ a move and/or catching upcoming artists, musicians and DJ’s.

Spiegeltent, located in the South Street Seaport, is one such venue. Only up until November 2nd, the place hosts evenings of salsa, AfroBrazilian and other music and dance parties. Spiegeltent hosts parties from Wednesday night to Sunday afternoons. If you are looking for a good, cabaret-styled show, I also recommend checking out the shows at Spiegelworld!

Another place I recently discovered is a bar called rehab. Located in the Lower East Side (LES) on Ave. B, where club midway once resided, rehab is a venue featuring live bands and other performances. Wandering into the place expecting to find a simple bar, I was delightfully surprised upon discovering a live band and an enthusiastic dancing crowd. This is a place I recommend if you find yourself in the LES or the East Village without a specific plan or destination in mind, or if you simply want to check out some lesser-known bands. Rehab also features a regular reggae party on Sundays.

And from here, we move on to Brooklyn, my borough of residence and where I know most of the edgier music and dance venues to be found. Crooked Disco is, just as the name suggests, a disco party. The party often features live performances in addition to disco, electro, breakbeat, and other jivin’ dance tunes brought to you by the DJ. Crooked Disco is hosted both at Galapagos Art Space (in DUMBO) and Public Assembly (in Williamsburg).

Galapagos Art Space and Public Assembly also feature a diverse slew of other events, from theatrical performances to film screenings to lectures. They are both worth checking out; their events cater to a wide variety of audiences!

For an experience reminiscent of a (dirty/fun) college house party, try the Glasslands in Williamsburg. The performances of many up-and-coming bands in this venue, and its small size, are its high points; but be ready to accept an evening in an overcrowded place where very possibly most people seem (and maybe are) younger than you and there is a very distinct aroma of mildew in the air. These drawbacks aside, it is a fun venue to visit every now and then, especially if you are previously familiar with the band playing there. Visit ohmyrockness.com for listings of events at Glasslands along with musical shows across the city.

Finally, let me briefly name a few places where free or cheap musical performances may be found, often of the experimental and jazzy variety. In Williamsburg, Zebulon is a bar which boasts of free live music performances nightly. Shows begin at 9 pm, if they are on time. Though some of the bands are more experimental than, say, conventionally musical, there are some big names who perform here. Improv and free jazz, as well as poetry and comedy, are some of the features to be enjoyed here. Their website features a full calendar of up-and-coming events.

In Park Slope, ISSUE Project Room is a venue that features experimental music, interdisciplinary and multi-media performances, as well as art exhibitions, dinner events, literary readings and film screenings. Located at 3rd St. and 3rd Ave., at the Old American Can Factory, ISSUE is an artist-centered venue that boasts a board of such notable people as Steve Buscemi, Jonathan Lethem and Moby, among others.

(ISSUE Project Room, above)

Similarly, The Stone in Manhattan’s East Village is a space devoted to innovative, avant-garde and experimental music. Located on Ave. C and E. 2nd St., The Stone is under the artistic direction of well-known musician John Zorn.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, or whomever you are, is only the tip of the iceberg of the musical, cultural and dancing opportunities and venues in the city.

The Black Kids: Poppy Cure-esque Fun

So I saw the Black Kids perform at Webster Hall on Wednesday. The Black Kids, with songs like "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You," are full of youthful pop tunes. I first heard of the Black Kids in Spin Magazine, with their article promoting the Black Kids as an up-and-coming group. Reggie Youngblood, the band's songwriter, leading singer, and guitarist, admits that the Cure was a major influence in his musical stylings: that much is transparent in the music. I have to think that it's kind of ironic that I have previously complained that the similarly-named band, The Black Keys, also strikes me as a clearly derivative band. Yet, acknowledging their derivative sound and moving on, you find that the music's quality is appealingly addictive.

The Black Kids played a short set, only an hour long. They played their album songs, as well as a cover of a Magnetic Fields song, and one song not on their album. Why such a short set? They don't yet have a larger repertoire of songs. But, that said, they played a solid performance. The crowd (see picture below) was packed. I found myself watching their set from the balcony, where, while I did not consistently get a clear, unobstructed view, I had space to enjoy the music and see the event from a bird's eye view.

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.

DUMBO Arts Festival, Dance Parties and Ratatat

The title just about summarizes my weekend. Friday evening started with an exploration around the art "happenings" of DUMBO, where art, just as it was promoted, really was to be found under bridges, in elevators, and projecting off buildings (in addition to the standard gallery displays of art). I was so impressed with this array of artwork, this blurring of convention, and the general charm of the neighborhood, that I returned to DUMBO again Saturday afternoon to get a chance to see openings and happenings not yet open or going on the previos night. Below are some photos to give you the general idea of the festival.

(above: my friend standing next to a laser light with mohair string tied to it...)
(above: the new Galapagos space in DUMBO. The former one in Williamsburg is now called Public Assembly.)

Dumbo art happenings: definitely worth it. The area, DUMBO, in general is pretty adorable, from the panoramic views from the park to the cute galleries and cafes along the streets.

Friday night I attended the "No Big Deal" party at alphabeta, a warehouse space in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, after accidentally scoring a free taxi ride. (I got upset that the driver didn't know where Franklin Ave was, and he refused to take my money, telling me to get out of his cab. Upon my exit, a group of people immediately veered to take the cab, and he curtly replied that he was off duty, to which the girl in the group replied, "No, we're going to New York." Not able to help myself, I replied back, "Honey, this is New York," and walked the remaining three blocks to my destination (after they managed to convince the cabbie to take them and I was informed by friendly local kids that my destination was indeed only a few blocks away).

The "No Big Deal" party was part grafitti warehouse and store, and part totally hoppin' house party -- complete with free Sparks drinks -- with an expansive backyard Below are some pictures of the event.





And then, true Brookyln undergound party-style, it got shut down by the police.

We proceeded afterwards to a bar by the name of CoCo 66 (see their myspace profile here and the NY Mag write-up here), which was a fun dancing time to be had.
Luckily, though tired, I was not too exhausted to make it back to DUMBO the next day, OR go to the Ratatat show and have a blast there.


The show exceeded my expectations. Terminal 5 was packed, their performance had the crowd fully pumped, and their set was short but sweet. And that perfectly describes how my weekend felt: short but sweet.

Art. Music and Parties This Weekend

I am--mildly--bummed. Not that I plan to dwell on it or anything: there are other plans to be made, and believe me, I will make them. But I am bummed because, duh, the weather is so crappy and promises to continue in the same vein for the entire weekend. I had planned to go on a hike tomorrow, Saturday, and I had even sold my Ratatat tickets for Saturday night, figuring I would be slightly exhausted after a long day hike and early morning. (See their Myspace page here.) Well... Ratatat's show had been sold out for some time, and I managed to sell my tickets for slightly more than I had paid for them: apparently they have recently exploded. I saw them perhaps two years ago play live at the Guggenheim, and yes, they were fun, but at the time, their audience mostly consisted of high school/young college kids. Also, the Improv Everywhere event I mentioned on my last posting: still happening in the rain! Hmm... should be interesting. And I have to say, I am mighty curious what the synchronized song is that they have everyone to play tomorrow at exactly the same time.

ANYWAY, so I think I may be going to go to the BAM Takeover event this Saturday night instead of Ratatat, featuring the lovely St. Vincent performing, among other featured events of the evening at BAM. Unless... I end up going to Ratatat after all, with my friend who still has extra tickets... NYC life: part complete spontaneity and flexibility, and part meticulous advance planning... the two are currently uncomfortably and excitingly colliding in my life (but aren't they always?).

Apart from this dilemna, I also plan on going out tonight, possibly to this:
For a full description of this event, see the Going.com write-up. And a snippet from their description:
"No Big Deal is new art/music/remix collective project, and of course, party. Whoever you are, it doesn't matter, come for the love of music and art. Dance with your eyes closed. Go crazy, who cares. It's no big deal."
The party is tonight, at alphabeta, located at 70 Greenpoint Ave in Brooklyn.

Also, ongoing this weekend:
The website gives details of this extensive festival, sponsored by Current. From the website:

For the 12th year running, the entire neighborhood of Dumbo, Brooklyn, will become a multi-sensory art arena, FREE and open to all.

Over the FESTIVAL weekend, art will be happening everywhere: streets, sidewalks, storefronts, elevators, lobbies, the water, the waterfront, parks, nooks, crannies, NY Water Taxi, and more. Along with the 65+ new public art projects, over 100 local artists will open their studios to the public and at the new Galapagos Art Space, video_dumbo will feature a non-stop program of cutting edge video art from NYC and around the world.

The FESTIVAL presents art that breaks the white cube: art that is touchable, accessible and interactive. The appeal is universal: for many of the anticipated 150,000 visitors, the FESTIVAL will be their first encounter with art and artists.

DAC, the big impact small non-profit, has been making the annual 3-day event possible since it was founded by local artists in1997. As New York City's creative edge is increasingly threatened by skyrocketing rents, DAC is committed to preserving what is possibly the last urban oasis of its kind: a site where young artists can test their ideas in the public domain, have unprecedented freedom and play. Visual artists have a long tradition of harnessing New York City as their canvas, seeing no boundaries between studio and street. The FESTIVAL allows artists to act upon that impulse by providing them with a place where the unpredictable, the spontaneous and the downright weird can still happen.

I will let these words from the DAC website speak for themselves.

My Art!!

I am actually getting remotely together with my art... just took a lot of pictures of them and uploaded them on my Artwanted portfolio website.



And now, on to my first Magazine Copyediting class at NYU's SCPS for the semester.