No Police State

It was cold and rainy on that next to the last day of April, a few days before MAY DAY 2019. that I found myself attempting to vend those #blacklivesmatter, #notmypresident, #occupywallstreet, #nopolicestate, #berniesanders, #yoga, #squat, #morus, #theshadow, #brooklyn #tompkinssquarepark, #eastvillage #lowereastaide, #manhattan and #iloveny necklaces, magnets, key chains and pins for $1 each on a drum set kit, makeshift vendor table next to Kelley and her really cool Police State cassette tapes she was selling, at another one of The Shadow"s Tompkins Square MAY DAY! concerts at Tompkins Square Park, before Chris came with the merchandise tables for The Shadow and all of the other bands merchandise. And I have blaghed about May Day before on this blagh many times in times past and could almost just recycle the same post over and over as each holiday year rolls around. And the rain held off for most of the concert. And Metropolitan Anarchist Coordinating Council held a May Day in the Park 2019 on this day as well with lots of good food and their Facebook event invite read something like

"Guess who's back! Join radicals and anti-fascists from across the city for a fun, sunny day of free food, talks, games, crafts, sunbathing, zine-reading, face-painting, daydreaming, hand-holding and more as we celebrate May Day, community, radical life and the dream of a world where we can one day enjoy the commons every day! This year we will have childcare accommodations. "

And then there was Food Not Bombs sharing good vegetarian food as well during the concert hours. And so the bands played music, music and more music, and everyone danced, danced and damced some more until the concert hours ended and another MayDay concert in the park has come to pass. And there is to be more Shows in Tompkins Square Park this coming season. And a host of other May Day events in the New York City area as well.

And the band played on. Have a great May Day and more.

And I almost forgot about this blog for a second, as it has been a while since I signed in to this blog in an attempt to post something to maintain web 2.0 user generated content for this blagh and my other blagh whenever blaghers block possible. And what else is there that I can say about year ends and new years in all of the years that I have been blogging on this blog that has not already been said in the bloggers time that I have posted about new years day times before. Well, another Gregorian calendar year has come to pass here on planet earth. And in between being consumed with those holiday markets in that New York City area, reading the headline news of the day and being consumed with what seems like a Facebook, Twitter, social media and internet addiction, I find myself reflecting on the ghosts of the past, present and future to realize that even though life can be a struggle and that my New Years resolutions sometimes seem to wind up being one of those Realistic New Year's Resolutions that finds itself in one of those photos posted above, that there are some people with seemingly no New Years Resolutions at all who have taken their lives and who are no longer with us here on planet earth, as there seems to have been an epidemic of suicides, particularly in the squatter community here in New York City the past year or so of squatters and their kids and the stories of other squatter related suicides as well as hollywood and other suicides in the headline news in the past year or so of people ending their lives for whatever reason. Now I am no mental health professional but I do know that psychiatry kills and to abolish forced psych cia treatment and that psychiatry has its roots in nazi Germany and that for all things alternative to the mental death system, mindfreedom.org is a good website to visit, as I have blaghed about psychiatry and the mental death system on this blagh times before. And as I ramble those other thoughts that come to mind on this New Years Eve 2018 day amidst all of the wishes of peace, love, prosperity, creative energy, good health and great happiness in the new year and beyond, those overpriced New Years Eve events are going on again this year in the New York City area and come to mind. There's that annual Times Square New Years Eve event where one goes to see the ball drop that looks like one will be descending into a war zone police state with all of the polizei and drones that will be surrounding that event this year. And then there's Jeff Stark's nonsense nyc list again, with a list of those really cool independent New Year's Eve culture events in New York City that reads as follows:

XXXXX NOTE XXXXX

NOTE: Once a year we ask for cash donations to support this list. Here’s the link: http://nonsensenyc.com/special/

XXXXX NEW YEAR’S EVE XXXXX

Time’s Up New Year’s Eve Bike Ride

This year the bike ride is reversing direction. It is going downtown instead of uptown, ending up at an indoor dance party. Both rides will end up at time’s up’s Musical After-Party at the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space in the legendary C-Squat.

Meet in front of the Plaza Hotel

59th Street and 5th Avenue, Manhattan

9:30p; $free

Meet at Madison Square Park

23rd Street and Broadway, Manhattan

10p; $free

Meet at at the Brooklyn-side entrance to the Williamsburg Bridge, Brooklyn

9:30p; $free

facebook.com/events/258896011485796/

***** Also on NEW YEAR’S EVE *****

Future Positive New Year’s Eve Party

This Future Positive New Year’s celebration is brought to you by two amazing all volunteer nonprofit groups that have been partnering for five years and we are celebrating together. The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space is celebrating its sixth anniversary. Time’s Up environmental organization, which has made so many sustainable positive changes in NYC, is celebrating its 31st year.

The New Year’s Eve bash will be held at the museum in the legendary C-Squat, so put on your best dancing shoes and join us for this Future Positive start to 2019. There will be performances by Seth Tobocman, Rude Mechanical Orchestra marching band, and Banji.

You can join one of our free feeder New Year’s Eve bike rides, equipped with the latest sound bike technology.

Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS) / C-Squat

155 Avenue C, Manhattan

8p-1a; $5-25 sliding scale

eventbrite.com/e/future-positive-new-years-eve-party-tickets-52286938641

facebook.com/events/266324983949207/

***** Also on NEW YEAR’S EVE *****

Rinsed presents:

Gusto NYE 2019

The private, low-key house party is the family vibe New Year’s Eve we’ve all been craving. No $100 tickets or bottle service foolery, legit taking over a legendary theater — turned someone’s crib (one of the last few around in this fair city …), and celebrating NYE the right way, with all our loves and zero fuckery.

No hyperbole on the venue, Steve Buscemi used to crack jokes here. A few feminist mud wrestling matches hosted by Andy Kaufman. Casual. These days the spot is actually an apartment, a relic of the old New York where you may just happen to stumble into a hidden blood diamond. He’s been generous enough to let us invite a hundred or so unruly friends and family members in and celebrate the New Year the only way we want to.

Including: an intoxicating 1-hour long open bar (11:30p-12:30a); dynamic music by some well-known DJs (we’re not telling you who); lights by Ocular Presence; and a giant head sculpture DJ booth (yes there’s a giant head inside, and it vapes).

East Village Loft

RSVP for address, Manhattan

10p; $25

restlessnites.com/gusto

***** Also on NEW YEAR’S EVE *****

NYE LES Art Party

Come party with artist from Con Artist Collective and make some art of your own. We’ll transform our gallery into a mini studio with supplies and equipment while we dance and celebrate the ball drop in the back of the shop.

Con Artist

119 Ludlow Street, Manhattan

8p-2a; $free

21 and over

***** Also on NEW YEAR’S EVE *****

NYE Dance Party for Community Solidarity

DJ Thadeaus will be spinning your fave pop, hip hop, and dance hits all night, also featuring: prosecco at midnight, the party light, and groovy projections.

136 Lawrence Street 2A, Brooklyn

10p; $10 suggested donation at the door for Community Solidarity

***** Also on NEW YEAR’S EVE *****

Hot Rabbit Resolutions

LGBTQ events for the whole community. With DJ TRX, DJ Monstar, and DJ Boston Chery. Special midnight performance by TRX featuring Neil Schwartz, José Rivera, and Samoncé. Performance by Scarlett Snow of Honey Queer Burlesque. Drag and dance performance by VanityQ, vogue-go magic by the House of Olympus, featuring Legendary Omari Mizrahi and Monster LaBeija. Complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Special door prizes for best dressed.

Industry City’s Filament Bar

274 36th Street, Brooklyn

10p-4a; $15 presale, $30 door

eepurl.com/c7Ajo1

eventbrite.com/e/hot-rabbits-resolutions-lgbtq-new-years-eve-tickets-52075328710

hotrabbit.com

***** NOTE *****

NOTE: Once a year we ask for cash donations to support this list. Here’s the link: http://nonsensenyc.com/special/

***** Also on NEW YEAR’S EVE *****

Spectrum NYE: Diamonds Are Forever

We present Diamonds Are Forever, the final NYE spectacular of the Spectrum at the Dreamhouse. From the first party back in 2011 where all we had were two blown out speakers and 100 rough diamonds in that secret mirrored infinity room. Fast forward to 2018 its final metamorphosis and the project’s final physical resting place. We will be starting early and inevitably going until late. Come celebrate one last time in our sanctuary with Mazurbate, aCeb00mbaP, Mister Wallace, Gooddroid, Dicap, and A Village Raid.

Dreamhouse

10-22 Wyckoff Avenue, Ridgewood, Queens

$10 before midnight, $20 before 2a, $25 before 3a, $30 after, and $5 off door price in Diamonds Looks

thespectrum6]at]gmail.com

facebook.com/events/290266458293094/

***** Also on NEW YEAR’S EVE *****

The Roast of 2018

Say goodbye to 2018 in style with a lovingly irreverent comedy show where all the celebrities who died this year come back from the grave for one night only to roast each other senseless. If you’re easily offended, stay home. But if you want to see what kind of acerbic one-liners Stan Lee would aim at Stephen Hawking, then this is the show for you.

Hosted by Sam Evans as John McCain and Eli Sairs as Anthony Bourdain. Featuring J.P. McDade as Avicii, Maddy Smith as Kate Spade, Jacob Williams as Stephen Hawking, Chloe McGovern as Mac Miller, Carmen Lagala as Women’s Rights, Maria Wojciechowski as Romaine Lettuce, and Raanan Hershberg as Rosanne.

The Creek and the Cave

10-93 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, Queens

7p; $5

creekcavecomedy]at]gmail.com

creeklic.com

***** Also on NEW YEAR’S EVE *****

Mister Sunday Holiday Party

Theo Parrish will kick off the daytime part of this marathon club session, which stretches for over 24 hours starting at 6p on New Year’s Eve. With Physical Therapy, Nina BC, Matt Werth, Justin Carter, Hypnotic Spa, Eamon Harkin, Duane Harriott, DJ Voices, D. Tiffany, Christy Love, Beta Librae, and Anthony Naples.

We’ve had lots and lots and lots of fun times down this way in 2018, but we’re kissing them goodbye and rolling in the New Year with a fresh batch of those nice, heavy, heady party vibes that you’ve come to expect inside (and outside) these walls.

We’ve enlisted a big crew of our always incredible resident DJs and a few gifted guest selectors to set the pace for one major party that’ll kick off at 6pm on New Year’s Eve and go into New Year’s Day and likely beyond — no stopping at the bar, no stopping in the booth and no stopping on the dance floor. We’ll start the festivities with a special, communal-dinner-inclusive Planetarium session featuring RVNG boss Matt Werth, Nina BC of Working Women and Planetarium mastermind Justin Carter.

At 10pm we’ll switch gears with residents Beta Librae, Duane Harriott, Eamon Harkin, Anthony Naples and Physical Therapy joined by special guests Christy Love, Theo Parrish (who’ll be playing for six hours on New Year’s morning) and D. Tiffany for one massive session between the hi-fi stacks.

We’ll have tasty snacks from the kitchen to keep you nourished throughout, and there’ll be plenty of action out in the back yard, too – the fire pits will be roaring, the outdoor bar will have the hot drinks on lock, the sauna will be in full swing and there’ll be an ambient sunrise session in the the yurt from DJ Voices and Hypnotic Spa (that’s DJ Sofiia and Milo McBride for this occasion).

Tickets will be timed for this one, and there’s a full explanation below on how that will work. Nothing too complicated, but do have a read if you’re coming. Just remember that you must arrive between the hours listed on your ticket. Once you’ve come in during the designated window time on your ticket, you can come and go as you please. If you don’t enter during the time designated window of time, you’ll lose your spot and need to buy a new ticket (assuming there’s space inside). Once you’re inside, can also stay as long as you’d like as long as you abide by our safer space policy (more on that below).

Nowadays

56-06 Cooper Avenue, Ridgewood, Queens

6-10p Planetarium (communal dinner included), 10p to 5a New Year’s Eve, 5a to 2p entry New Year’s Day Morning, 2p onward New Year’s Day; $15

residentadvisor.net/events/1185168

***** Also on NEW YEAR’S EVE *****

Gemini and Scorpio present:

Masked

2018 needs a “fuck you” sendoff. Be bold, be wild, as you enter 2019. A hedonistic masquerade to activate your senses with pulsating beats, swirling visuals, sensory games and activities, and many kisses. Tickets are limited to keep the event comfortable and welcoming.

Music by DJ Ceremony and Poodlecannon, masters of eclectic dance floor surprises. 2018 passion predictions with our tarot experts. Custom projections by CJ. Free champagne 9-10p and 3-4a. Strict formal or lingerie dress code. Masks required (some will be available for sale).

This is not a play party. It’s a night to let go and let your senses guide your way: dance party meets makeout party. As always, we will have zero creeper tolerance, and please no photos without explicit consent from your subjects.

Gemini and Scorpio Loft

RSVP for address, Gowanus, Brooklyn

9p-4a, $40-60, $30 after 12:30, including afterparty with continental breakfast

21 and over with ID

geminiandscorpio.com/events.html

masked.brownpapertickets.com

***** Also on NEW YEAR’S EVE *****

New Year’s Masquerade

It’s the best party we’ve ever thrown. Ring in the New Year with aerialists, an open bar, live music, hors d’oeuvres, a midnight champagne toast, dancing, and great DJs. Broadcast ball drop on the projector, aerialist human disco ball drop, and a MASSIVE midnight balloon drop. Live hip-hop and jazz: OJ in the Yams. Aerialists: Ariel Iasevoli, Elena Delgado. DJs : Remniqe, DJ Karen, the Crvz, and No Burden.

Secret Loft

RSVP for address, Manhattan

L train to 6th Avenue station

9p-4a; $50-70

21 and over

secretloft2019.eventbrite.com

***** Also on NEW YEAR’S EVE *****

2019 NYE Warehouse Fundraver by Melting Point

Melting Point is happy to announce 2019 NYE Warehouse fundraver. Uniting several New York based collectives, this is a cross collective event, bringing you diverse sounds and scenes in a celebration of the best of NY’s underground and electronic music. We are coming together under one massive warehouse roof, as we continue to stand in solidarity for deportees and asylum seekers. Featuring 70-plus artists, performing across five stages presented by the following collectives: Melting Point, Dae Dham, Cipher, Fight Club, Unseelie, re:nü, Sermon 3, and Nevermind.

RSVP for address, Brooklyn

8p-10a; $50, a portion of proceeds will be donated to Al Otro Lado.

facebook.com/events/1921959661446496/

***** Also on NEW YEAR’S EVE *****

Rubulad Proudly Presents 2019 Blast Off

A veritable explosion of joy. With live music by Preachermann and the Revival, Funkrust Brass Band, Van Goose, and Les Sans Culottes, with your MC Tanya Solomon Magic. Plus DJs $mall ¢hange and Baby K. And visuals by the Sperm Whale, Mike Flaherty’s Art Hole, Blue June Tarot, Adornments by Prince Peacock, and Midnight Champagne Bunny Toast. Dress to sparkle and shine.

RSVP for Bushwick address, Brooklyn

8:30p doors; 9p show; $20 in advance, before 10p, or way late; $30 otherwise

rubulad]at]outlook.com

artery.is/showcases/blast-off

facebook.com/events/284017769137544/

***** Also on NEW YEAR’S EVE *****

NYE in the Forever Basement

Itsforever.xyz presents an underground art party in the Forever Basement, in Crown Heights. Live music all night, and performance artists in the backyard. Cash bar and free champagne toast at midnight. The future is impossible, why not enjoy your time?

RSVP for address, Brooklyn

10p; $5 door

itsforever.xyz]at]gmail.com

***** Also on NEW YEAR’S EVE *****

JunXion

JunXion has always been a place where different roads converge, a place for diversity, a place to play, a place to explore and a space to transform. Our celebrations and Xperiences are a direct expression of the richness of who we are. From parking lots, to renegade parades, to mansions and beaches, to secret bus rides and endless sunrise. To the djays, and musicians, the performers and the artists. To the lovers and the dancers and the friendships that have been fostered. We see you. We love you.

We are all the co-creators in this grand play. That is why we are committed more than ever to creating safer more transformative spaces. And now the next Act is upon us. This NYE we plant the seeds for what’s to come and give rise to A New Dawn.

We have assembled some of our dearest collaborators to give life to this night and now all we need is you. Tickets for A New Dawn will move up Wednesday. As a token of gratitude for those on this list, use this special discount from now till Wednesday.

Brooklyn Bazaar

150 Greenpoint Avenue, Brooklyn

9p-6a; $60

anewdawnnye.eventbrite.com

And I cannot think of anymore photos or words to post with this blog post except to say the only thing constant is change and some stories do not end as you expect. Happy Holy Days. Happy New Year 2019.