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.

This Weekend: "Intergalactic Planetary" Danger Parties

Weekend Events Brought to You - and Me - by The Danger List.
Read on for information on these large underground parties and nights of summertime decadence.

From their e-mail.

The summer is slowly fading but our New York City nights are as warm
and wide-eyed as ever.  Thank you to the hundreds who adventured out to
our last event "Rights of Passage". It was your energy that carried the
party past dawn into the early afternoon light.  Because you've shown
such love and respect for the new location and the neighborhood, it
looks like we have a new home for many events to come.

Your moments of infamy have been captured here:
http://www.alexey-studio.com/rightsofpassage/

Below are three invites for this weekend.  The first is an outsized,
low-key house party of amazing music to raise funds for our camp at
Burning Man.  The second is not a Danger event, but another special
night on the hidden ferry.  The third invitation is... a story of
crime.

1 |_______________________

Friday : Intergalactic Planetary
This Friday you are invited to an all night house-party within a three
floor self-made mansion deep in the dark heart of Brooklyn.  Musicians
from around the world mix live energy with jump-up and dance dj’s,
aerial performance and unEarthly acts.  Money from this event goes to
fund an international tribe building a special project for Burning Man.

This Friday : August 14th
9pm to very late...
Bushwick, Brooklyn

This is a simple, cheap and easy house-party.  Bring your own beverages
and share with your new best friends.  Food and drink will be provided
for the early arrivals.

RSVP for the location at: http://www.africagalactica.com/

The Planetary:  Music from Across the Planet
If you haven't heard the exploding hip-hop sensation Bajah + The Dry
Eye Crew, this is your moment.  After packing the national stadium for
performances in their home country of Sierra Leone, African superstars
Bajah + the Dry Eye Crew are poised to conquer the global airwaves with
their unique sound, which blends the swagger and funk of hip-hop, the
passion and energy of dancehall, and the socially conscious vibe of
reggae. The group has generated so much buzz in the hip-hop world that
major stars including ?uestlove, the Roots, Talib Kweli, K'Naan, Res,
and El-P have contributed their vocal and/or production talents to
their upcoming release.

Plus music from Zimbabwe to Bali and everywhere in between from
Akim Funk Buddha, The Two Griots, dj's $mall Change, Sirak and Prolific
spinning into the late night.

The Intergalactic : Performance from Other Worlds
The Lady Circus performs overhead with aerial acts by Amanda Silaski,
Nikki Borodi, Katie Clancy and Elena Delgado along with spontaneous
floor performances and other acts of anti-gravity action. ://grove.nyc
provides photon bending art projections as Swiss Chris plays his
extragalactic light percussion show.

Kae Burke and Make Fun will be hosting a costume creation session on
the second floor for anyone heading west in need of new style for
adventures in Black Rock City.

Suggested donations for entry:
$10/Intergalactic (dress in your best extra-planetary formal wear)
$15/Earth-bound.

For the location and details, RSVP at:
http://www.africagalactica.com/


2 |_______________________
[ Note: The event detailed below is not a Danger party.  Many artists,
dj's and performers are coming together for a special fundraiser to
help pay for renovations and upkeep on the Bushwick Ferry Boat.  They
have a good thing going there and we are helping to spread the word. ]

Saturday : Volatility
Another all-night adventure on the infamous ferry boat docked on the
hidden East Kills Canal in Bushwick.  Music, drinks, sunrise, acts of
daring and moments of fire; this will be a gorgeous summer night.

These events have been incredible and this one will continue the fine
tradition. Featuring: Miho Hatori (of the Gorillaz/Cibo Matto) with her
band, New Optimism, Sistine Criminals, Bellringerzzzz with the Swedish
Meatballs.  With dj's:  Kimyon, Uproot Andy, Geko Jones, Feliz Cumbe,
Zack Shadetek, Blacky II, plus an array of other musical mischief
playing through dawn.

The adventure begins at: 
L train to Grand St.
$20 donation to get in, 21+ only


3 |_______________________
Sunday : Three Course Meal
A meal.  A drink.  An illicit location.

The second in our series of free renegade dinner parties happens this
Sunday. There are experiences in this city that are too precious to ask
permission for.  These we take without asking... and we never take them
for granted.

Details: http://www.thedanger.com


Invites will be distributed in person at the events detailed above.

____________________________________

TheDanger List
http://www.thedanger.com

BLONDIE - Playing FREE Tonight at Coney Island!

And speaking of free things to do in the city, Blondie is playing for free tonight at Coney Island, along with Pat Benatar and The Donnas. The show starts at 7:30 pm... what time Blondie will go on is anyone's guess, but my hunch is probably closer to 10 pm or later...


The show will be at Asser Levy/Seaside Park -- address below:
West 5th Street and Surf Avenue
Coney Island/Brighton Beach
Brooklyn, New York 11206
Across from the New York Aquarium

The event is part of the Seaside Summer Concert Series, which provides a write-up on Blondie, Benatar an The Donnas as well.

Disclaimer from the Summer Concert Series website:
Performers are subject to change without notice. Call the concert hotline for updates at 718-222-0600.


I plan on being there!!

My Current TOP 10 Favorite Free Things in NYC (SUMMER Edition!)

I have greatly depleted my funds in the past few months, as I work in education and have been traveling in Peru for most of the summer. So, I've been more money-conscious and looking out for the free/cheap way of life recently! Below is my current Top 10 List. Enjoy!

10) Using my neighbors' wi-fi networks. Free internet from the comfort of my home. All the better to read up on the latest cultural and news events, job hunt and update my blog! Alternatively, I enjoy hanging at the free wi-fi cafes in Williamsburg.

9) Myopenbar.com - free drinks, free events, free mingling, free people-watching! - There are seven open bars listed in NYC for tonight alone!

8) Museums. And galleries. Many are free or low-cost, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History, which both offer a suggested donation. See a more comprehensive list here.

7) Art gallery openings, such as this one. (Leo Kesting) Free art and complimentary drinks, maybe even snacks too! Also good for people-watching.

6) PARKs - especially the free events, such as Hudson River Park's RiverFlicks and RiverRocks. Tonight they are screening Sex and the City, and tomorrow Yeasayer and Amazing Baby are playing. Both are at Pier 54 (located at the West Side Highway and 14th St). See here for the full Hudson River Park events calendar. They even have free yoga!! Also see New York Magazine's list of free and cheap movies. (Lots of parks offer free film screenings!)

5) Speaking of yoga, I really need to go back to Yoga to the People, which offers free yoga classes every day, throughout the day. (Classes are by donation, and mat rental is $10 if you need one.) They now not only are in the East Village but also offer classes at studios on 27th St. and 38 St. (See directions here.)

4) Even more convenient exercise, and an animal-bonding time, is volunteer dog walking with BARC (Brooklyn Animal Rescue Coalition) Shelter. They need volunteers from 9-12 pm and 5-8 pm every day. It's a great excuse to stroll around McCarren Park! You also get to meet and play with some lovely pooches in need and maybe some interesting doggie-lovers in the beighborhood as well! (See volunteer info here.) They also need volunteers for the cat loft!

3) The GBH and Shaw Promotion parties. I am still an addict for NYC nightlife. Many events are free or cheap with RSVP (or if you simply know the party promoters' names or get to know the doormen). A lot of large acts play and/or DJ at these parties, and they have fantastic indie dance parties at swank, and not-so-swank, venues around the city.

2) The beach. See the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation for a list of beaches.

1) And, I must admit, my favorite free activity: riding my bike around NYC! Just too convenient -- it's a great form of exercise, active commuting and sightseeing. And check it out: NYC is having its fair share of bike share demos -- maybe bike share in the city will one day become widespread here! And downtown Manhattan is offering free bike rentals, through September: http://www.downtownny.com/bikearound.

So who said living in NYC has to be expensive? Or that you need lots of money to enjoy the city?

See also NY Mag's "78 Days of Fun: The best concerts, outdoor events, and culture happenings of summer 2009."

Guggenheim "It Came from Brooklyn" concert series

I have to share this Time Out New York highlight: the "It Came from Brooklyn" Guggenheim shows, which feature the Walkmen, High Places and the Brooklyn "Steppers" Marching Band. Looks promising!

Save the date, Friday, August 14! This is just the kick-off event; the series will run through the fall.

See the "It Came from Brooklyn" Guggenheim site here. And click here to buy tickets!

The event is in honor of the Guggenheim's 50th anniversary! Below info and picture from the Guggenheim website, http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/about-us/50th-anniversary/it-came-from-bk.

It Came from Brooklyn celebrates the Guggenheim’s 50th Anniversary by showcasing Brooklyn’s emerging and established talents in the fields of music and literature. Beginning on August 14 with headliners the Walkmen, the monthly concert series occurs through the fall and takes place in Frank Lloyd Wright’s famed rotunda from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m., reinforcing its identity as a versatile, dynamic site for a variety of mutually invigorating art practices. Coproduced by Sam Brumbaugh, the series continues the recent tradition of acclaimed performances that have symbiotically activated the space: Marina Abramovic’s Seven Easy Pieces (2005), Cai Guo-Qiang’s collaboration with the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre (2008), and Meredith Monk’s Ascension Variations (2009).

With comedian Leo Allen serving as MC, the August 14 concert kicks off with a special performance by the Brooklyn Steppers Marching Band, followed by opening band High Places, whose warm optimism and intricately layered songs have been described as “short studies in escaping urban claustrophobia” (Mike Powell, Pitchfork). Later, the Walkmen will fill the rotunda with the hypnotic ebb and flow of ramshackle guitar and upright piano, with bursts of beautifully anguished songcraft. Novelist Colson Whitehead reads selections from Walt Whitman between performances.

The second It Came from Brooklyn is scheduled for September 25.

Join our mailing list to receive news on upcoming shows and events.

Special thanks to Christina Lee.

Artwork by Mike Paré, 2009

Cary Grant Week at BAM!

I am a sucker for Cary Grant films, and it seems they are being featured at BAM. See here for a full schedule.

I missed the double-feature tonight, but Tuesday night is the film Topper, Wednesday features Rome Express, Thursday features Penny Serenade, and Friday features The Philadelphia Story.

Saturday presents multiple screenings of To Catch a Thief, while Sunday will present The Awful Truth.

And the Cary Grant films continue next week as well, thanks to BAM's repertory film program!

Sunday Night Swank

Even after a muddy, musically soaked weekend at APW, I decided to meet my friend Sunday night for a prospective music and dancing adventure in the city. We met at Broadway East, a small restaurant and bar in the depths of Chinatown. (See dining reviews on Yelp.) The party is one that apparently changes venues for each event. While the party at Broadway East last night featured a relatively sparse crowd, it was a lively, hip group of cool cats who danced and jived to the jazz, soul and funk music of the night. The highlights: the candle-lit passageway to the bar, the outdoorsy feel of the venue, the exhuberance of the party-goers, and the live saxophone player to complement the DJ's tunes. The best fun I've had on a Sunday night in quite some time.

(above: my friend, and the seating above the bar and dance space))

When I find out the name of this party, I may share it... but then again, some of the best things are left better largely undiscovered to revel in their underground status.