The Danger of Underground/Danger Parties

So, last night there was going to be a huge take-over of a building in the Wall Street area, with the theme: "Beautiful things come out of desperate times." True enough, but not in the Financial District, apparently.

We arrived around 1 a.m. and the Danger party had already been shut down by the cops, who were blocking off the entire street from entry, unless you seemed to clearly live there. "It's a fire hazard," they said.

And were the people at the Danger party hoping it would open up again?? -- because despite the ability to send mass e-mails via even a regular cell phone these days, there as yet *hasn't* been any mass e-mail to the would-be party-goers of the party's shut-down. Not impressive.

I have to say, though, their party did sound well worth it; but next time, I won't try to attend underground debacles in such havens of convention, but rather try to stay in Brooklyn and seek out the abandoned warehouse parties closer to home, where they will be less likely to be shut down!!!

The Danger's original post follows... :sigh:, I wish it had really been able to live up to all of the hyped-up glory!

TheDanger, Lady Circus, Space Haus, UnderandAbove & DjProAudio present a
late night adventure enveloping five floors and a roof deck with saucy
antics, grace, music, beauty, humor, fanfare and scandal.

This Saturday, May 9th you are invited to explore...

Multiple floors of hip-hop to tech house to gypsy funk featuring: Alex
Dirttt of Halcyon, Adultnapper, dj Grimace, Zemi17, Jesse Mann, Vintage DJ
and the notorious Joro Boro.

The half-constructed space will be alive with roving bands, live acts,
strong drinks and dark corners infused by: The Lady Circus bringing
beautifully explicit acts accompanied by the gritty, whiskey-soaked songs
of the Stumblebum Brass Band and That Handsome Devil's infectious
rockabilly funk.

Plus the artistry of Jessi Klien and Zev Deans in the Bordello lounge, the
rooftop fire-arts of Pyrophorus Pixxie and video projections by Sebastian
Patane Masuelli.

$15 with RSVP at: http://www.thedanger.com/
(RSVPs close at midnight tonight.)
$20 for the uninitiated.

Doors open at 10pm : 21+ exclusively : Arrive early.

17 Rector St. between Trinity Place and the West Side Highway
Way-Down-Town Manhattan.

Take the: 1 or R train to Rector St, the 4 or 5 train to Wall St., The JMZ
train to Broad St or the A,C,2 or 3 to Fulton St and walk a bit.

This event has no official name and very few boundaries. Our goal here is
simple; to reinvigorate a forgotten corner of Manhattan with the passion
and promise it was built from. The space will be dark, a little decrepit
and exquisitely out-of-control.

But it wasn't as out out of control as planned!

This Sunday - Free Bikes at 3rd Ward Block Party!

I hope this kind of thing becomes a regular event! I have yet to decide if I am going to sell my vintage Fuji bike, since I will be traveling out of the country for two months this summer... and kind of want a bike upgrade, anyway (though I have become a bit attached to my bike...!).

 

See the following, from myopenbar.com (listed because in addition to free booze, the offer is free bikes!). 3rd Ward's Green Bikes Birthday Block Party
Colt 45, no cover; free bike with membership / 2pm-8pm
3rd Ward
195 Morgan Ave., btw. Meadow and Stagg St.
East Williamsburg
(718) 715-4961

For NYC Bike Month, 3rd Ward is offering a free bike with purchase of a membership. That trumps free booze (sorry, booze). To promote all that jazz, and celebrate their third anniversary, they're throwing a concert in the streets. Stagg St. will see action from: bands Wild Yaks, Aa, Pterodactyl, Afuche, and Lam, DJs Drew Heffron and Clay Franklin, bike competitions, bike films and demos, music videos, a photobooth, badminton, BBQ, drinks, live screen-printing, free workshops and the proverbial "more."

RSVP to events@3rdward.com. And ride your bike there, dodo.

-----------------------------------------
So I looked for the caveat. Well, how much is membership, and what does it entail besides a free bike?

From the 3rd Ward website: "JOIN Why you should join... 3rd Ward provides all the space and tools necessary for success without sacrificing creative freedom. Our members are the driving force behind what we do and why we do it. They enjoy a wide range of perks, designed to provide a complete creative experience, from start to finish.

NEW! Sign up for any annual membership and get a free bike!

Membership also includes access to health insurance, classes, a free subscription to Time Out New York, admission to 3rd Ward events, unlimited use of co-working space and access to a huge network of creative, active and successful professionals." To see more info, click on their membership page.

Membership starts at $39/month... and includes access to health insurance?! Hmm, I have to wonder exactly what that means... Good things can come true in Brooklyn!

Lily Allen NYC Show: Pictures and Videos

The promised pictures and videos below.

Go Lily!

"Brooklynnovation": Poster Boy Party

Funny, I just wrote about Poster Boy last month in my post, "Poster Boy and Sleep Deprivation Across the Nation". And now, Poster Boy is having an exhibition at 3rd Ward.

As described by 3rd Ward:
"Pomp & Circumstance celebrates in the heart of the art and culture movement in Brooklyn. Featuring salsa-makers, ad creators and mash-uppers as well as DJ's and drinks, come to the Spring Event showcasing the groundbreaking advertising cut and pastery of Poster Boy (but this time endorsed by the advertisers? Could this be?). Engage with the brands, artists and creators of a new class of tastemakers. Celebrate the diversity, creativity and innovation of the hottest borough in NYC. "

The event is April 24, 7 pm to midnight.

Also, myopenbar.com lists the event and rates it with the highest rating, 5 cups.

The event description on myopenbar: "I've been obsessed with Poster Boy on flickr for a while now, but the biggest thrill is spotting his stuff around town. At the 3rd Ward exhibition tonight, I'm hoping to spot him in person (yeah, I'm a lurker). Even New York Magazine reported on his recent shenanigans. Next thing you know he'll be more bank than Banksy.

RSVP to gallery@3rdward.com."

What's the open bar? Dogfish Head beer. No cover. Myopenbar lists the event as starting at 8, not the 7 listed by 3rd Ward. Hmm...

3rd Ward is located at:
195 Morgan Ave.,
btw. Meadow and Stagg St.
East Williamsburg
(718) 715-4961

Blogging About Culture: A Family Tradition?!

It is a little strange to me that even my mom is blogging; and I even find her blog impressive, for a beginner. (Way to go, Mom!) Her blog, titled "Pittsburgh's Art, Dance, Films, Music & Theater" has a layout far clearer than mine (even if her latest link to the Russian film symposium cuts off the text on the left).

Lost and Found, NYC

I have to say it has been a strange, jarring past two weeks. A strange, jarring past two days, especially.

So last weekend, I had my camera and my phone in my bag; I was carrying my bike down the stairs from my apartment, and my bag fell out of my basket. The consequences, I found: my computer was and is completely intact, my camera screen was broken. What’s a blogger to do without a camera??

Well, I did have my phone camera… and then I was off to prepare to go to the Down & Derby rollerskating party at Studio B in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Of course, during my preparations, my bottle of water spilled over all the belongings in my bag. And, for the night, my phone screen was also broken.

Miraculously, my phone was fine the next day; and I also was able to find an upgrade version of my camera on sale for $100 plus tax (cheaper than the cost of repair or the price of my original camera). Everything was looking up…

Then I saw Lily Allen perform at Roseland Ballroom on Monday, 4/20, armed with my new camera, my phone, and happy as a clam.

(Pictures and videos from the show coming soon… watch out for another post!)

Of course, I ended up losing my wallet… which must have fallen out of my bag… and I was freaked out and agonizing over my stupidity and losing all of my wallet’s contents. Another girl’s wallet turned up, which she gratefully retrieved, but the place cleared out - well before midnight - without a trace of my wallet. A staffer there gave me $10 for a cab ride, which I thankfully accepted (thank you!!).

And my cabbie, noticing I was upset, and wondering why my initial request to be driven to Williamsburg, Brooklyn changed to a request to be dropped off on 14th St, was similarly sympathetic: he offered me the extra ride back home free of charge. I returned home, exhausted and grateful for the kindness of strangers, only to find out that I had left my phone in the cab!

And then I found I had an e-mail from a girl who found my wallet, and who returned it to me, complete with all its contents — even the cash — the next day. The irony of losing a phone over a lost wallet, only to have the wallet returned. I swear I am not usually this ditzy.

But I have to say, it has been an interesting lesson/example in both the kindness of strangers and the maxim of “don’t trust anyone.” All in all, I guess I was pretty lucky: only my phone was lost, which I have insurance coverage for. The trials and tribulations of NYC life. I think it can be summed up pretty well by this poster I saw the other day, a rip-off of the “I heart NYC" t-shirt: "I can't afford to heart NYC." 

(See my story also on LostFoundReturned.com!)

Danger Party This Friday

It's an old-school underground party, brought to you by the Danger List (part of Complacent Nation), which collaborates with art and political collectives to create everything from politically-charged artistic parades to parties.

The parties basically all tell you,  "forget about the bad times and consumerism, let's just unite to party." In this one, if you arrive early, and/or dress as a banker, you are eligible for a "stimulus package."

{Feel free to forward / post this invite. } 

You are invited to: The Brooklyn Bailout

Everyone else seems to be getting theirs, now it's time
for your stimulus.  This is the party that pays you back
with a half dozen dj's, wild acts of abandon and low-down
dirty bands leading up to a late-night surprise that will
stimulate even the brokest amongst you. (Hint? See our site.)

Featuring:
Dirty gospel, to brilliant house to dark techno from:
King Britt, Justin Carter, Twilight Tone, Reverend Vince,
Derek Plaslaiko, Zemi 17, David Last & Yusuke Yamamoto
and more to be announced.

Plus, fire/ice and end-of-the-world performances by:
Reverend Billy, The Lady Circus, Josh Kalin, Chika
Imagima, Jessi Klien and more...

The best amongst you will win the ultimate Bailout Package:
a years supply of alcohol will be awarded to the "Baddest Banker".
Think naughty, clever or notoriously nihilist and dress/act the part.

All this will be nestled within the cavernous rooms and secret
niches of the Brooklyn Masonic Temple, a historic fortress of
hidden passageways and lost-world charm.

Full details will be released in the coming days.

http://www.thedanger.com