A HOBO Theater Blast From The Past

And so this blog post, this passage, happens to be about one of those blast from the past Facebook messages I got from Angel the other day, about HOBO Theater company and KITCHEN, a theater company consisting mostly of homeless and squatters, that I rehearsed and acted with back in my homeless days in New York City, about 30 years ago. And he found me from Stan Mack, who documented HOBO Theater in his Stan Mack’s Real Life Funnies in the late 80’s. And this was an era before the age of the internet, social media and the digital age, where one could document things more easily. And some of those I guess you can call it underground or progressive groups have become a forgotten part of time. Unforgotten Voices, a homeless artists group that I once participated in can be one of them. It was the era of the 80’s and 90’s, of  Tompkins Square Park and tent city, an era that Amy Starecheski documents in her Ours to Lose WHEN SQUATTERS BECAME HOMEOWNERS IN NEW YORK CITY book, it’s description that reads: “Though New York’s Lower East Side today is home to high-end condos and hip restaurants, it was for decades an infamous site of blight, open-air drug dealing, and class conflict—an emblematic example of the tattered state of 1970’s and ’80’s Manhattan……”. And it was also an era of when I met Bobby Fuller when he was recruiting people from Kochville, a 200 day encampment at New York City Hall Park in 1989, to be a part of his HOBO Theater Company. This City Hall Park encampment was something similar to the more recent Occupy City Hall. And so Angel wanted to get whoever was still around 30 years later after HOBO Theater had disappeared, together for a memorial for Bobby, for his wife’s Chea’s birthday, via a virtual zoom video conferencing meeting. And this email thread for the zoom meeting, titled “Merrie Melodies and the Toons that knew em”, consisted of myself, Stan Mack, Casey, Angel, Mary Beth, Dave, Jack and Liz. And it is Chea that I remember as an infant of 1 years old with her mother Mary Beth and dad Bobby at those HOBO Theater rehearsals and events, mostly at a squat in the Lower East Side, before her dad, Bobby, passed away of cancer in 1989 when she was 1 years old. And Chea is how I remember the passage of time, as she is now 31 years old, with her own family, 30 years after Bobby passed away. And I missed that zoom meeting as I attempted to vend that DecorForU Black Lives Matter jewelry at Washington Square Park the other day. Though Dave and Chea shared some really interesting blast from the past photos from HOBO Theater 30 years ago, including one of that Hare Krishna tree in Tompkins Square Park where Bobby’s ashes were scattered, that find themselves posted in those photos above. And I was able to add a couple of blast from the past photos to this blog post also. And so fast forward in time, to current events of the year 2020, 30 years later. These are now the days of that scary virus that came from out of nowhere earlier this year and Black Lives Matter protests seemingly on a daily basis, and both have gone global. And I guess because of this coronavirus panicdemic, old New York is back and everything old is new again. Babylon is falling as New York City slides back into the 70’s and 80’s with headlines of the day that read like: Escape From New York: Wealthy Residents Flee In Droves As The City Degenerates Into A Hellhole, Retail Chains Abandon Manhattan: ‘It’s Unsustainable’, NYC moms fleeing Upper West Side amid crime and chaos,  New York City may take YEARS to recover after mass exodus, A mad rush for the exits as New York City goes down the tubes, New York has grappled with gentrification for years. Covid has brought it to a head,  Empty apartments in Manhattan reach record high, topping 13,000, ATM ripped out of Manhattan deli as new crime ‘trend’ hits NYC, New York City is dead forever, NYC IS DEAD FOREVER. HERE'S WHY, New York City is a Sh*thole and  Hollywood’s Apocalypse NOW: Rich and famous are fleeing in droves as liberal politics and coronavirus turn City of Dreams into cesspit plagued by junkies and violent criminals. And I can’t really think of any way to end this blog post, that seems to be about theater, birth, life, death and the passage of time, except to say, the only thing constant is change and it is given to us all an appointment once to die, and one generation passes away and another one comes but the earth abides forever. Have a great HOBO Theater Company and KITCHEN blast from the past day. In Memory Of.

The End Of An Era

And as the world burns from fires and floods due to global warming and climate change, I find myself looking at the moon today, December 12, 2019 or 12.12.19 which almost sounds like 12.21.2012. And according to twitter posts and articles, The decade’s last full moon will occur at 12:12 a.m. on 12/12, Wednesday night’s full moon is the last one of the decade. It’s also a “cold moon. And other twitter posts and comments go on to say

"Whether you believe in the energy of a full moon or not, tonight is a great night to let go of everything that no longer serves you from the past decade. All those negative experiences, all those old thoughts, all of the living in the past... let it go."

and

"This full moon is really exposing the truth about people in your life especially friendships/relationships. Pay attention and if it doesn’t feel right, don’t keep it there anymore."

and

"The Full Moon in Gemini is attracting some discomfort in order for you to realign your balance. It will serve you best to meet this humbly, without trying to hide from your inner truth."

and a host of other twitter full moon comments and thoughts. And even though it's not really the end of the year yet at I type this blagh post, winter solstice, the holy dayze and Jesus Christ's birthday are upon us again and the end of the year, the end of a decade and maybe the end of an era as that blog post title says above is almost here. And some things have come to pass again, and it was the end of some peoples lives this past year. And Blogger is still here about 10 years later after I started blaghing these blog posts in web 2.0 user generated content internetland. And I guess this is another Gregorian calendar year where there are more memories to be remembered or forgotten and more recaps to be recaptured. And One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
And so that I am no queen passage comes to mind again that I find myself posting on this blagh every so often: It seems to be finally here on this day and in this year again.


I am no Queen
I sit a widow and shall see sorrow
I kannot walk any further
my journey may end here
there are no words to take away the pain
to replace a person who is gone
my eyes are dim and heavy with grief
I kannot close them
I do not wish to see the darkness they hold
this thing which I have greatly feared
has come upon me with trembling
kausing all my bones to shake
I am scared with dreams and terrified
with visions of what will my funeral be like
when I die today at this very moment
will there be a funeral
who will come and who will pay
will they eulogize me and what will they say
leave me to sit and decay
make me your centerpiece in a chair dressed up dead
preserve me with spices, mummify me
let the birds of the air pluck me
the beast of the field tear me
till I be consumed by maggots and
dust and fly away when I die
there hath been no greater love than
that which hath been
it is the sound of Rachael mourning for
the children that never were
no one to comfort her
no where to wail lament save the ocean
why died they not from the womb
why died they not the breast prevent them from suck
why died they not the knees prevent them
why died they not give up the ghost that
no light shine upon this day
cursed be the man that saith the child is born this day
it is the wake of a funeral procession about to begin
it was a sunny day that day across the street from the graveyard
and we all laid down in our coffins to die

Auld Lang Syne

A Holy War Again

And so I turned on the news today and there one of the many headline news of the day read, "Israel Attacks Targets in Syria After Iranian Drone Enters Israeli Airspace and Jet Crashes", and as usual, world war III and all of those other religious fanaticism thoughts of Israel, Jerusalem, The Middle East, the holy land, holy war, that Dome of the Rock and the Temple Mount that seems to be written in bible prophecy somewhere start coming to mind, here on planet earth, enough to make me want to sign into this blagh again in another attempt to maintain web 2.0 social media user generated content for this blog and my other blagh whenever blaghers block possible. And so I thought to post another one of those The The Prophecy of John of Jerusalem posts again, as I seemed to have posted on this blog many times in times past. Is Israel becoming a nation?  The war is not meant to be won, it is meant to be continuous. - George Orwell.

The Prophecy of John of Jerusalem VIII

"When the millennium that follows this millennium ends, Men will have finally opened their eyes.
They will no longer be imprisoned in their heads and cities,
But will be able to see from one end of the Earth to another, and understand each other.
They will know what makes one suffer hurts another.
Men will form one huge body of which each will be a tiny part.
Together they will form the heart of this body.
There will be a common language spoken by everybody, and thus, finally, a glorious humanity will come into existence...
Because Woman will arrive to reign supreme; 
She will govern the future and decree Her philosophy to Man.
She will be The Mother of the Millennium that follows the millennium.
She will, after the days of the devil, radiate the gentle sweetness of a mother.
She will, after the days of barbarity, embody beauty.
The Millennium that follows the millennium,
Will metamorphose into an age age of lightness:
Men will love each other, sharing everything, dream,
And dreams will turn into Reality...
Thus Man will have his second birth.
Spirit will possess the mass of men,
Who will be united in brotherhood.
So an end will be proclaimed to barbarity.
It will be an era of a new strength of belief.
The dark days at the beginning of the Millennium that follows the millennium, will be ensued by days of jubilation:
Men will once more find the righteous path of humanity,
And Earth will find harmony once more...
There will be roads that connect one end of Earth, and the sky to the other;
The woods will once more be dense, the desert will once more be irrigated, and the water will once more be pure.
The Earth will be like a garden:
Men will take care of every living thing,
And he will clean everything he dirtied,
He will understand that the whole of Earth is his home,
And he will think with wisdom of the morrow.
Man will know everything on Earth and his own body.
Diseases will be cured before they are manifested,
And everybody will cure themselves and each other.
Man will have understood that he has to help himself to stay upright; 
And after the days of reticence and avarice,
Man will open his heart and his purse to the poor;
He will define himself curator of human species,
And so, finally, a New Era will begin. 
When Man has learnt to give and share,
The bitter days of solitude will be at an end.
He will once more believe in the Spirit,
And barbarians will once more be unheard of...
But all this will happen after the wars and the fires.
And this will arise from the ashes of the burnt Towers of Babel.
And a strong hand will be needed to bring order to chaos, and to put Man on the right path. 
Man will learn that all creatures are bringers of light, and all creatures must be respected.
Man, in his lifetime, will live more than one life,
And will learn that the Light never goes out."

A New Year 2014

And so that Gregorian calendar on the wall has rolled around again to where it finds itself that end of the year Anno Domini 2014 in North America to where all of those end of the year retrospective articles start popping up and all of those over priced end of the year parties start appearing. And then there's that Auld Lang Syne song that plays on the radio and television over and over that also finds itself posted above. And it is also that year of the horse according to that Chinese zodiac sign calendar.  And so with this end of another Anno Domini year, finds itself Jeff Stark's nonsensenyc: 12.27 to New Year's Day‏ list of these really cool happenings and underground and above ground parties that find themselves in and around that city of New York for this before and after New Years Day week. And that email list subscription that found itself in that email inbox reads something like as follows. Happy New Year 2014.

#2014

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.

Edith Lovejoy Pierce
 

X, Jeff Stark and the Nonsense NYC staff

XXXXX FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27 XXXXX

Head On: 2003 vs. 2013

The end of 2013 is fast approaching, and we're furiously reviewing the songs that came out over the last year to find our favorites. We decided that we'd like to put 2013 to the test. Was it that good of a year for music? Ok, we dug that Daft Punk record, and the return of Justin Timberlake, and Chvrches. And a lot of good indie things came out by the likes of Classixx, Holy Ghost!, Duke Dumont, Young Galaxy, Vampire Weekend, Cut Copy, the Arcade Fire, etc. But what if we compared it to the best songs from, say, 10 years ago? The more we looked back, 2003 was a killer year for music. Not only was pop radio actually pretty damn good with the likes of Outkast, Beyonce, Fanny Pack, and even the Darkness, but there were plenty of good underground hits we loved by the likes of Junior Senior, Goldfrapp, and Head On champion LCD Soundsystem.

So we're doing what any good Head On DJ would do: we're pitting 2013 against 2003 in a no-holds-barred cage match. Anno a anno. Resident DJ Brian Blackout and guest DJ Fucci will do battle, and you'll help us pick a winner. Are all those old people who say music keeps getting worse right? Or was 2003 just a really great year? Help us decide (by dancing). With resident DJ Brian Blackout (representing 2013) and guest DJ Fucci (representing 2003). Two DJs enter, one DJ leaves.

Bell House

149 7th Street, Brooklyn

10p-late; $free

facebook.com/HeadOnParty

***** Also on FRIDAY *****

Competitive Erotic Fan Fiction: NYC Championship Edition

Competitive Erotic Fan Fiction is a comedy show (and podcast) held every month at the Nerdist Theater in Los Angeles, created and hosted by Bryan Cook. Each show features 10 comics, writing and performing Erotic Fan Fiction pieces, based on their whims or audience suggestions. It's really stupid. This month CEFF is thrilled to host its first-ever NYC Championship Edition, featuring all past NYC winners.

Union Hall

702 Union Street, Brooklyn

7:30p doors, 8p show; $10

21 and over

XXXXX SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28 XXXXX

Telekron Communication's presents:

Great American International Ugly Holiday Sweater Dance Party

Come out and rock your ugliest holiday sweater (sweater not required). Free drink and mystery prize goes to the ugliest sweater. Banging audio by Banginclude, Deejay Chaotic, Bigears, Madaro, Mamajuana, Rtype , Driver, Joe Safari, and Roger That. Programmed visuals on three Screens by the Sperm Whale.

La Sala, back room of Cantina Royal

58 North 3rd Street, Brooklyn

10p-4a; $10 all night includes free draft slider before midnight

facebook.com/events/220985414750950

XXXXX SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29 XXXXX

Magic at Coney: The Sunday Matinee

Magical Promotions, together with Coney Island USA, presents an afternoon of fun and wonder for the entire family. "Magic at Coney!!!" is a magical variety show highlighting a vast array of magicians; featuring illusionists, escape artists, mentalists and close-up magicians from around the world.

With Master of Ceremonies Gary Dreifus, plus escape artist Thomas Solomon, magician Omar Olusion, and mind reader Torkova.

Sideshows by the Seashore

208 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn

$12 adults, $8 for children under 12

coneyislandusa.com

***** Also on SUNDAY *****

Comedy at Katz's

A monthlong series of pop-up comedy shows featuring the best NYC comedians (and free beer) at Katz's Deli. This Sunday's show features Rob Cantrell, Josh Gondelman, Phil Hanley, Joe Zimmerman, Chesley Calloway, and RG Daniels. Hosted by Chris Duffy.

Katz's

203 East Houston Street, Manhattan

7p; $5 includes free beer

facebook.com/events/200094376843839/

XXXXX MONDAY, DECEMBER 30 XXXXX

Chaos Cooking: Taste Tripping

A participatory taste-tripping cooking extravaganza commandeering an entire East Village Restaurant. It's time to give our taste buds a psychedelic flavor experience they will never forget. From the depths of West Africa comes Synsepalum dulcificum, also known as the miracle fruit. When you eat this berry it causes sour foods (such as lemons and limes) to taste sweet. This effect is due to miraculin. Please join the Chaos Cooking Community for a very special event where we confuse our mouths and laugh at the results while enjoying endless food, drinks, and conversation. Everyone brings the ingredients for one dish and then cooks together in one space. All recipes must be finished and space returned to original condition by the end of the event, while everyone is socializing, enjoying drinks and eating tasty dishes. Each berry lasts one-two hours. There will be three berries available per person. We will have real berries, not tablets.

Guidelines: Everyone must prepare something; no exceptions. Everyone must pitch in to help restore the space to its original condition, without being asked. Try not to lose any fingers.

Location revealed with tickets, Manhattan

6-10p; $11 early bird, $18 otherwise

tastetripping2.eventbrite.com

***** Also on MONDAY *****

The Salon: New Year's Eve Eve

Some say New Year's Eve is amateur night; that's because all the dames and dapper gents know the real party is the night before at the Salon, what we like to call New Year's Eve Eve.

For our sixth annual extravaganza we return to the beautiful and historic Players Club to continue the tradition with a spectacular lineup of more than 40 performers, including five bands, on three floors for your lounging and dancing pleasure.

After a hiatus of more than four years, we are thrilled to return to the historic Players Club. This beautiful private club on Grammercy Park is a snap shot of old New York, whose members included luminaries such as Bogart, Bacall, and Sinatra. The Club was home to the Salon in 2008. Prohibition Productions is elated to be part of a new era at the Players as it enters its 125th anniversary.

Live music by George Gee Swing Orchestra featuring vocalist John Dokes, Queen Esther and the Hot Five, Ron Sunshine and band, Gelber and Manning, and Svetlana and the Delancey Five. More music by Dj VaVaVoon, DJ Mac on the antique phonograph, and Benjamin Ickies.

Performances and more with the Minsky Sisters, classic burlesque by Legs Malone, Calamity Chang, go-go dancers and stage kittens Sydney Sunrise and Miss Kacie Marie. Master of ceremonies and emcee extraordinaire Dandy Wellington, Dave Cremin's amazing magical card tricks, and free beginner swing dance lesson on main dance floor from by Arturo Perez.

The Players Club

16 Gramercy Park South, Manhattan

7p doors, 7p-1a; $30 advance, $35 door

21 and over

thesalon.biz

***** Also on MONDAY *****

Bridging Bushwick: Potluck and Performances

Our goal is simple: Get to know your neighbor. Potluck: Bring a dish that represents you and your culture. Performance by ELM (local youth group).

The Living Gallery

1094 Broadway, Brooklyn

8-10p; $free

BridgingBushwick]at]gmail.com

XXXXX NEW YEAR'S EVE XXXXX

Rubulad presents:

Cheap and Dirty New Year's Ball

With live music by Les Sans Coulottes, Batala NYC, and Morricone Youth. And your DJs Shakey, Ol' Stark, and friends. In the cabaret room: Terry Dame's Science Music Roadshow, Viva, and Mary-Go-Round. Plus G. Scopitronic's Non-Stop Film Fest, Modern Dance Awareness Society, Visionary Visuals by the Sperm Whale, Light Circus Extraordinaire by Norm Francoeur, and Midnight Champagne Bunny Toast. Dress cheap and/or dirty.

893 Bergen Street, between Franklin and Classon, Brooklyn

9p doors, 10p show; $20, $10 before 10p or way, way late

facebook.com/events/563715397037398/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming&source=1

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S EVE *****

Gemini and Scorpio presents:

The Bootleggers' Ball

The contraband has been ordered, authorities paid off, and performers lined up for a New Year's Eve speakeasy ball in a 19th century church with soaring ceilings, stained glass windows, and a wraparound balcony. Expect the intimacy of a daring cabaret mixed with the intrigue of a vintage costumed ball, expansiveness of a warehouse dance party, excitement of live swing, a splash of fine cocktails, and just a dash of illicit adventure and unpredictable moments.

Dance till 1a to live big band swing by the 13-piece Hot Shim Sham Orchestra, followed by infectious electro-swing grooves by underground favorite DJ Barney Iller until late. Glamorous burlesque by Kat MonDieu and Apathy Angel, performed with the band. Daring aerial by Ivory Fox. Old-time strongman and sideshow stunts by Adam Realman. Hosted by dashing magician Nelson Lugo. Fabulous face and body painting by Painteresse Elysabeth. 2014 divinations by gifted psychics. Vintage photo booth. Absinthe and other mind-altering potions by The House of St Eve. Easy beginner swing dance class at 9:30p by Brooklyn Swings. Champagne flows free 9-10p. Dress code: depression glamour, evening ball on the Titanic, hobo formal, desperation derring-do. No casual attire.

Irondale Center

85 South Oxford, Brooklyn

9p-5a; $40-60, $30 after midnight, $20 after 2a

21 and over

geminiandscorpio.com/events.html

thebootleggersball.brownpapertickets.com/

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S EVE *****

Time's Up 16th Annual New Years Eve Bike Ride and Afterparty

Start the year off right -- on your bike or skates. Come celebrate New Year's Eve in the great outdoors. We'll be riding up to Belvedere Castle in the middle of Central Park for the best (and free) New Year's Eve dance party in town -- with fireworks. Dress festive, don't forget your noisemakers and party favors, and bring food and drink to share. Meet up for the ride, or just meet us at 11:45p at Belvedere Castle.

Meet at Washington Square Park

5 Avenue and 8th Street, Manhattan

10p; $free

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S EVE *****

Bathsalts, Dungeon, and Secret Project Robot present:

NYE 2014 Dance and Drag Party

Champagne hosts. Midnight countdown. Cheap bar. Stay in Brooklyn. Free love. With DJs Schwarz, Stallone the Reducer, Dungeon, and Cartel. Shows by Macy Rodman (evil priestess of Bathsalts) and friends Amber Alert, Severely Mame, Stevie Zar, and Moon Baby.

Secret Project Robot Art Experiment

389 Melrose Street, Brooklyn

10p-4a; $10

facebook.com/events/430130430422473/

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S EVE *****

Mister New Year's Eve

Into 2014 we go. Not quite what Isaac Asimov predicted, but pretty darn close. (Google it!) Here's how we'll be celebrating -- in Mister Saturday Night style:

There's a set number of tickets, so it'll be intimate, with enough room to dance without crazy lines for drinks and such. We'll stock the bar with bubbly and deck 12-turn-13 in black and white, so we ask you to deck yourself out in all black and/or white, too. You don't have to wear a tux (although you certainly can) -- just whatever's comfortable.

Festivities start at 9p for ticketed folks, and the ball drops in an easy-going way, so it doesn't feel forced. If you're celebrating midnight elsewhere, doors open for non-ticket holders at 2a, space permitted.

12-turn-13

172 Classon Avenue, Brooklyn

9p–5a; $40 advance, $25 after 2a, space permitted

residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?547225&p=friends

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S EVE *****

New Years 2: Galaxy Quest

Four years ago, Neil Fridd and I joined forces to organize an all night, time-travelling NYE party with countdowns every hour and bands performing live from their favorite eras. This year, to celebrate the year anniversary of the Silent Barn's new location, we're organizing a space-travelling party.

New Years 1 ended in the future, with aliens taking us up and away, so this sequel begins there. We will transform the venue into a spaceship, and travel every hour to a different planet, landing back on earth light years after we left.

Expect an installation by Title: Point in the Center For Strategic Art and Agriculture, a ship captain to guide us through the strange musical lifeforms, lots of guest DJ friends, possibly a hot tub out in the yard, champagne toasts, and us all eating breakfast together in the morning.

With the Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, Unstoppable Death Machines, Rich Aucoin, My Body, and Heeney.

Silent Barn

603 Bushwick Avenue, Brooklyn

9p; $10

all ages

facebook.com/events/610297299007806/?notif_t=plan_user_invited

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S EVE *****

Bang On Presents New Year's Eve 2014: Time and Space

Our journey through Time and Space begins in a gargantuan 60,000 square-foot former steel factory with 45-foot high ceilings. We have a massive door and coat check team ready to expedite your entry. We recommend early arrival as there is generally a large rush from 10:30p-12:30a.

With two main stages of electronic music, custom lighting, and stage design. Featuring illuminated art installations, circus performers flying overhead, Burning Man Art Cars (including Thunder Gumbo), themed lounge areas, food trucks, funky clothing vendors, body painting by Kirxworx Dupuis and Bodyworx.me and much much more. Our midnight countdown will feature a rocket launch and aerial performance you won't want to miss.

Time stage: Pete Fraser, Rambo Springsteen, Sleepy and Boo, Damian Lazarus, Bob Moses, Behrouz, the Golden Pony, and Gino Santos. Space Stage: The Magick Report, Wildlight, Sean Glass, Deniz Koyu, Polish Ambassador, Space Jesus, and Kellam.

699 Scholes, at the corner of Onderonk, Brooklyn

9p-6a; $60-70

facebook.com/events/230020700514053/

brownpapertickets.com/event/GinoSantos/496002

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S EVE *****

Unicorn Meat NYC’s 2014 The Wander Event

A uniquely experiential event with cosmopolitan inspired art installations featuring heavyweight dubstep producer Rusko and world-class circus performance. Unicorn Meat NYC’s secret warehouse location will lend itself to a creative backdrop of aural and visual grandeur. Our clandestine venue features spacious area of music and art to explore with nine hours of nonstop music, high end sound and lighting production, and large-scale country/city-based art installations. Also supporting Rusko will be a number of West Coast style bass music producers David Starfire, KiloWatts, and Skytree.

77 Morgan Avenue, Brooklyn

L train to Morgan station

9p-6a; $60-75

facebook.com/events/552188494856099/

unicornmeatnyc.com

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S EVE *****

New Years Eve's Masquerade Ball

Ladies and gentlemen, Midnight Disco Society cordially invites you to our New Years Eve's Masquerade Ball. Join us on the dance floor as we welcome 2014 in true Venetian fashion. Music by Midnight Disco Society. Masks and formal attire encouraged but not mandatory (we will have masks at the venue to distribute).

Radio Bushwick

22 Wyckoff Ave, Brooklyn

9p; $10 doors

917 893 8935

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S EVE *****

Deep Trouble New Years Eve

We'll prep the vibe with cocktails at 7p. Of course, before all the revelry, it's good to start with a solid foundation: nourishment. At 8p, we'll start things off with the last supper of 2013: A four-course dinner presented by Body Actualized and Intuitive Catering, soundtracked by Deep Trouble. All ingredients sourced from Beyond Organic Farmers at Union Square Farmer's Market. After that, dance vibrations begin with Deep Trouble DJs at 10p. Midnight champagne toast. And roll from there with guest DJ Tom Noble. Late dance vibrations by Deep Trouble. Visuals by Alice Cohen and Ivy Meadows.

Body Actualized Center

143 Troutman Street, Brooklyn

7p; $45 dinner and dance, $20 just the dance

eventbrite.com/e/deep-trouble-new-years-eve-at-body-actualized-tickets-9760200021

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S EVE *****

New Year Carnival at Wherehouse

Hue-Mans Don't Race is a group of angels/ aliens/ guides who have been sent by the universe to save Hue-manity. We shed the light in which hue-mans find their hue. Providing palette space for colors to be dipped/ blessed in hue causing a color trail to stain and sustain the grounds of life. This space we call Fred's Warehouse is our holy canvas where all who dance in are blessed with the light of magic. Here the human race are transformed to Hue-Mans That Don't Race. After descending from our happening, the hue will follow you to shine others with light causing a domino effect of color.

Activities: spray paint open wall, swings, tarot reading, body painting, light tricks, parachute, private teepees, and spontaneous improv. Performance and visual art: aerial/contortion stunts, bellydancing, visual array projections, orbing and hooping, living a painting creation, and interactive sand mandala. DJs and Live bands: Rumblefilthskin, Songsten, Beechwood, Dub Caps, Ex Astra, Okestura, Cartomancy, and Dead Hounds.

210 Paterson Plank Road, Union City, NJ

9p-6a; $10

facebook.com/events/557871147633439/?ref=br_tf

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S EVE *****

Le Chat Noir Masquerade Ball

For one night only, We'd like to invite you on a special journey. From the cobblestone streets of Montmartre at the turn of 20th century Paris through the back roads of old Europe in a little gypsy caravan, and out into the assorted corners of the world. The night will have it all - glorious vaudeville and world music DJs, a gypsy-cabaret live band and gorgeous burlesque dancers, dancing and merry times. Jubilant, whimsical and deranged, life is a cabaret, my friends -- celebrate it with us on New Year's Eve. Costumes strongly encouraged. With Amour Obscur live, DJ Spinach, DJ Earthian, and burlesque dancers.

Drom

85 Avenue A, Brooklyn

8p doors, 9p show; $30-50

dromnyc.com/events/2921/new-years-eve-at-drom-le-chat-noir-masquerade-ball#.Urd0Do3g6mG

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S EVE *****

Pratt Steam Whistles

makezine.com/2008/03/04/steam-whistles-pratt-inst/

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S EVE *****

4ShortDudes presents:

Notorious NYE

A LGBTQ New Year's Eve event. Let's start this year off cute: Dancing, cruising, and boozing. Your hosts: Topher Gross, Nicky Cutler, Jo Collura, and Rocco Katastrophe. Plus DJ Jo Collura, with special guest DJs J Lamar Wright and Abdullah Saeed. Photos all night by Grace Chu.

Loki Lounge

304 5th Avenue, at 2nd Street, Brooklyn

10p; $15 pre-sale, $20 at the door

notoriousnye.brownpapertickets.com/

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S EVE *****

The Vinyl Countdown

Celebrate the New Year by digging through the crates. It's New Years Eve and you want to go out, but you really want to find a place with no lines, no outrageous cover, no disgustingly drunk people, and great music. Celebrate the New Year by digging through the crates. With a Undakova performances, resolution board, rooftop, vinyl madness, and soul train line.

Alphabet City Sanctuary

638 East Sixth Street, between Avenue B and C, Manhattan

8p doors, 10p performances, 1a soul train; $20, or $free with RSVP

facebook.com/events/444779732288490/

XXXXX NEW YEAR'S DAY XXXXX

The 40th Annual New Year's Day Marathon Reading

There are three things to consider when the New Year’s Day Poetry Marathon sweeps you into its gracefully uncouth embrace -- what it is, what it was, and who you will be when it’s over. An untamed gathering of the heart’s secret, wild nobility -- over 140 poets together revealing not just that a better life could exist, but that it already does, sexy and wise, rancorous and sweet, big hearted and mad as hell. The Marathon measures its success through insurrectionist reframings of the universe, an in-it-together courage that crafts a community out of the riot of lineages and traditions we all emerge from. This collective effort also helps fund as many as 85 additional events every year. It’s our largest fundraiser of the year, and arguably the most inspired ongoing literary event in the city.

This is the 40th anniversary of the New Year’s Day Poetry Marathon. We have a lot of bonuses in the works to commemorate the occasion: Sean Cole, independent producer for public radio, will emcee the 7-10p hours of the event; there will be a raffle for desirable items from the Poetry Project’s collection; plus we’ll reveal a series of three special edition Project tote bags made by three different design students at Parsons. They did great work for this.

131 East 10th Street, Manhattan

2p-midnight; $20

brownpapertickets.com/event/521827

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S DAY *****

Coney Island Circus Sideshow

They're here, they're real, they're alive, and you can see them performing on New Year's Day after the Polar Bear Swim. The World Famous Coney Island Circus Sideshow will perform continuously at Sideshows by the Seashore.

New Year's Day cast: Ray Valenz, Princess Pat, Rush Aaron Hicks, Adam Realman, Scott Baker, and Betty Bloomerz.

Sideshows by the Seashore

208 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn

2-6p; $10 adults, $5 kids

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S DAY *****

Coney Island Polar Bear Club Annual New Year’s Day Swim

Bring warm clothes, surf boots or old sneakers, towels, and definitely bring your camera. The NYC Parks Department provides changing facilities on the Boardwalk at Stillwell Avenue.

Assemble on the Boardwalk at Stillwell Avenue, Coney Island

1p sharp; $20 suggested donation to Camp Sunshine

polarbearclub.org

***** Also on NEW YEAR'S DAY *****

HiChristina Fifth Annual Love Corners

New Year's Eve is so celebrated, but what happens the next day? HiChristina has the answer, with the youngest New Year's Day tradition. Wake up sometime in the afternoon (say 3p), put on something red (a hat or fingernail polish or scarf or something), walk outside to a sunny street corner, and project love. There you have it. That's what HiChristina's 5th Annual Love Corners is all about. This year it's the corner of 23rd and Broadway in Manhattan on the sunny side of the street, at 3:30p.

Not only are you projecting love, so are people in from Uzebekistan to Auckland. Love corners is simultaneous and worldwide (like the internet). Unlike the internet it's a person-to-person connection all the way. Stand still. Take a deep breath.  Relax.  Open your eyes. And boom: Projecting Love. You'll know your compatriots by the red they wear. Stay on the corner for a bit.  Feel it.  Hold hands.

Last year someone showed up with 100 red balloons, and the year before there was a giant panda suit and a homemade electronic instrument!  You never know what the new year brings. Afterwards, grab a cup of tea or stroll in the park with your newfound friends. If you or someone takes a picture or video send it to us.

23rd and Broadway, sunny side of the street, Manhattan

3:30-4:30p; $free

fritzandchristina]at]gmail.com or thehichristina on instagram

 

nonsense nyc is a discriminating resource for independent art, weird events, strange happenings, unique parties, and senseless culture in new york city.

A WBAI Death Watch

Hey again bloggers or whoever could be reading this blagh. And I have been following the story of this WBAI headline that has made the light of day in the headline news the past few days with a WBAI, Pacifica Radio in New York City, Lays Off News Department, and Most On-Air Talent Village Voice article facebook post that led me to reading even more facebook pages such as Pissed - Off WBAI Workers, Save Kpfa, and Pacifica Foundation Radio and then to even listen to WBAI on the radio for what's the latest news drama. And if I must blagher say, the guy who wrote this The Excruciating Demise of WBAI article has said everything that I would have wanted to say and could not say in my wbai commentary as I have been following this story since it came to light. And if I must blogger say again, this guy seems to have summed up the latest WBAI radio drama up so well that I thought to repost his article on this blog in it's entirety as follows, because hey, it's less writing sometimes, I think. And what if anything does this have to do with a No Police State.

The Excruciating Demise of WBAI

By Doug Henwood

On August 9, WBAI, the listener-supported radio station, announced that it was laying off most of its paid staff. The only surprise in the announcement was that it took so long.

WBAI, one of five stations in the national Pacifica network, has been failing for years. Some of its problems are the familiar ones of “legacy” media, to use that annoying but fashionable term. But most of its problems were home grown. The programming was mostly unlistenable. Hosts who couldn’t talk very well yammered on about material they didn’t understand. Interviewers knew nothing about their interviewees. Health nuts flogged miracle cures and conspiracists spun elaborate theories. I recall turning on the morning drive time show and listening for 20 minutes to someone the host never identified—and, in all that time, I never got an idea of what the interview was supposed to be about.


It wasn’t always like this. I grew up listening to WBAI as a teenager in the late 1960s. Stranded in the desert of suburban New Jersey, it was thrilling to discover all the rich radical culture and politics happening just 20 miles from where I languished. But it wasn’t just a hippie outpost. There was plenty of high culture—radio plays, classical music festivals—mixed in with live coverage of the 1968 Paris riots and the explosion of Stonewall-era gay politics.

Starting in the 1970s, conflicts grew over the largely white, male, and “elitist” programming, conflicts that became so intense that the station went off the air for a month in 1976. But the station survived, and remained a fixture of the New York countercultural scene. (It makes a cameo appearance in Dean Friedman’s 1977 top 40 hit, “Ariel.”) Its complexion changed dramatically in the 1980s and 1990s, a transformation capped by the appointment of Samori Marksman, a sophisticated and charismatic Caribbean Marxist, as program director in 1994. Marksman had been a producer at the station since the late 1970s, and gave me my first radio break in 1987, interviewing me on his show right after the great stock market crash. He then promoted me to doing regular commentaries on his show, and then in 1995, gave me a weekly show of my own.

But when Marksman died suddenly in 1999, there was no one of any stature to succeed him. There began a decade of civil war within WBAI, with faction fighting faction. Charges of “racism” were lobbed constantly. A succession of managerial mediocrities drove the station into the ground. Excruciating stupidity was embraced in the name of populist programming. For several years in the mid-2000s, the station was run by a cabal of black nationalists of an antique and alienating sort. They were forced out by Pacifica central, only to be replaced by an even less distinguished (though not black nationalist) set of sub-mediocrities.

Through all this internal turmoil and on-air rot, the audience predictably dwindled to the point of becoming nearly immeasurable by the Arbitron surveys. Once a major presence in New York City politics and culture, it became utterly irrelevant. It didn’t even earn a mention in the NYPD’s intelligence files around the 2004 Republican convention, and it was irrelevant to Occupy Wall Street, which occurred blocks from its headquarters.

And since the station gets most of its income from listener contributions, cash flow shriveled. Fundraising marathons, which once took up a week or two every quarter, were lengthened, and featured ever-crazier premiums: 9/11 conspiracy videos, of course, but also things like DNA water, whatever that is. The remaining sane and solvent listeners turned away, making for longer, crazier fundraisers. Staff morale plummeted with all the infighting, crises, and endless fundraising, which eventually took up a third of every year.

I’d somehow managed to survive all the internal hostilities until 2010. I’d teased the interim program director—a fellow named Tony Bates, with no discernible talent other than promoting dubious conspiracy and quackery fundraising premiums on air—about “hawking merchandise,” and it annoyed him so much that he squeezed me out. Fortunately, Pacifica’s Berkeley flagship station, KPFA, had been picking up my show, and I continued doing it for them. I really like doing radio, and it was a relief to be delivered from all the madness that characterized WBAI during its decade-long death spiral.

From a distance, I continued to watch as the station approached the terminal phase. WBAI fell seriously behind on studio and transmitter rents, and earlier this year payroll checks started bouncing. Its studios—oddly located on Wall Street—were hammered by Sandy, which was close to a death blow. Driven out of its home, it’s been essentially couch surfing since.

Pacifica management had no choice but to move in and fire much of the paid staff, which was costing it $25,000 a week that the station didn’t have. The network has appointed Andrew Philips as interim program director at WBAI. Mr. Philips is a refugee from KPFA, where he was interim program director (there are a lot of “interim” managers at Pacifica, because the hiring process is so fraught with controversy), but was suspended for some alleged misconduct about which no one, including Mr. Phillips, has been fully informed, though it’s thought to involve charges of “racism.”

Mr. Philips, a lively and sharp-tongued Australian who was program director at WBAI from 1989 to 1994, has the unenviable task of trying to revive a near-corpse with almost no staff and an empty bank account. He figures he has six weeks to come up with a strategy. A generous beneficiary has offered studio and office space in Brooklyn, but it’s going to take money to build out the new digs.

For now, Mr. Phillips is importing programming from Pacifica’s California stations, most of it far better than anything that WBAI has managed to produce in more than 20 years. (Disclosure: he wants to bring my program back on the air.) Mr. Phillips ambitiously wants to go up against Don Imus and NPR and create vivid, listenable programming instead of the dismal fare the station had been serving. If he’s right, the station might survive. If not, well, the license could be sold for a lot of money. By a historical quirk, WBAI is on a commercial frequency, 99.5, rather than one of the noncommercial ones at the low end of the dial. That means that WBAI is worth more dead than alive, at least in monetary terms. God only knows what Pacifica would do with scores of millions of dollars, though.

Doug Henwood is the editor of Left Business Observer, a newsletter on economics and politics he founded in 1986, and host of “Behind the News,” a weekly radio show broadcast on KPFA, Berkeley. He is the author of Wall Street (Verso, 1997) and After the New Economy (New Press, 2004). He lives in Brooklyn.

A Jeff Stark Nonsensenyc List Again

And so another one of those weeks has rolled around here on planet earth to where I find myself receiving another one of those weekly email Nonsensenyc Lists that I have found myself subscribing to with that discriminating resource for independent art, weird events, strange happenings, unique parties, and senseless culture to be found in New York City, this really cool list of just about underground everything when it comes to parties and events. And as far as I blogger know, Jeff Stark had this really cool before we were ghosts illegal party in an abandoned subway station deep under NYC a few weeks ago on that Make Music New York day of a year. And with the exception of the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority wondering why are you going your way in that subway tunnel, it became a question of why was I not invited to this really cool subway party. And so a few weeks later another one of those Jeff Stark nonsensenyc.com lists has arrived in that email inbox again that reads something like as follows. And I decided to post this list on this blagh again because hey, it's less writing sometimes I think, in an attempt to maintain content for this blog and my other blog whenever blaghers block possible. Have a great Jeff Stark party list day.

Friday, July 26

* Salish, Brooklyn

* Head On: Punk vs. Glam, Brooklyn

* Music Producer and Artists Networking Party, Manhattan

* Haunted Murder Mystery Beach Party, Brooklyn

Saturday, July 27

* Tribes By Air, Manhattan

* Coalition of the Illing, Brooklyn

* Reverend Jen's Troll Stroll, Manhattan

* Fall of Rome: An Unofficial History, Brooklyn

* Rumble, Brooklyn

* The Motor Room, Brooklyn

* Fourth Annual Coney Island Talent Show, Brooklyn

* Pronto Comics's Third Phrases to Pages, Manhattan

* Pulsewave: Quebec Edition, Brooklyn

Sunday, July 28

* James Bond NYC Presents: Welcome to the Orange Club, Manhattan

* The New Amsterdam Pastiche Regatta, Manhattan

* My Brooklyn, Brooklyn

* SnapCrackle, Brooklyn

* Hissy Fit, Queens

* Flux Fest: 10 Short Films About Time Travel, Brooklyn

* Traces, Manhattan

Tuesday, July 30

* Dogs in Space: A Variety Show, Manhattan

Wednesday, July 31

* Date My Friends: Grow Young With Me, Manhattan

* The Skinny: America Under Surveillance or Let's All Show Each Other Our Privates, Manhattan

Thursday, August 1

* The Future Is Now, Manhattan

* Twin Peaks: The Beginning, Brooklyn

Wishlist

* Vendy artists

Spectre

* The Easy Ice

Free Summer Stuff

* High season

Learning

* Excess Anonymous

Help

* Chinatown Summer Street Festival

NOTE: For some navigation help, or an explanation for what this is all about, scroll all the way down to NONSENSE. You'll find snarky editorial comments and little bits of praise littered throughout this list. These nuggets are marked with all caps, like this: NOTE. You can donate to this project at nonsensenyc.com/special.

Also: We make a lot of mistakes, especially with dates; you should always double check our work before you go out.

XXXXX COVER ART XXXXX

A Brooklyn Bridge getaway.

XXXXX FRIDAY, JULY 26 XXXXX

Title:Point presents:

Salish

A maddening trip through the dark comic ruminations of the defeeted. Title:Point is excited to invite you to Salish, a full-scale theater production in New York's coolest altarts mecca, the Silent Barn. Salish is Title:Point's fifth event of 2013 and a worthy follow up to the Wild Boys, the immersive exploration of William S. Burroughs' classic novel as well as May's Q and Y: A Brief Comedy About Death.

Salish is the journey of two isolated strangers who must navigate through an obtuse landscape and it's mysterious inhabitants to answer the question: Where did all of these severed feet come from? It is a comedy.

Created by the Silent Barn's resident psychedelic theatre company, Title:Point Productions- Ryan William Downey, Theresa William Buchheister and Scott William Ries. Featuring: Sam Mickens, E. Jim Ford, Catrin Lloyd-Bollard, Joey Lepage, Ryan William Downey, and Theresa William Buchheister.

Silent Barn

603 Bushwick Avenue, Brooklyn

7:30p doors, 8p show; $8

facebook.com/events/208010779352778/

***** Also on FRIDAY *****

Head On: Punk vs. Glam

Head On is a dance party where every month we pit two themes against each other, head-to-head, Thunderdome-style. This month we've decided to get back to our all-ages rock show roots by pitting punk against glam. You'll have to decide whether you should pogo or ... er, do whatever it is people do when they listen to glam? Oh, that's right: dance their asses off.

At midnight, two of our DJs will take opposite ends of the stage and pit song after song against one another while you work yourselves into a frenzy. Based on your dance moves and your cheering, we'll crown a winner, who gets a victory lap as we settle in for more glam rock, punk rock, and a smattering of post-punk for good measure.

Will the winners be the Clash, the Ramones, the Sex Pistols, and their be-leather-jacketed brethren? Or will the likes of Bowie, T. Rex, and Queen end up as champions? And what side does Iggy Pop fall on anyway? With resident DJs Brian Blackout, Spoolwork, and Lepaux. Two DJs enter, one DJ leaves.

Bell House

149 7th Street, Brooklyn

10p-late; $free

facebook.com/HeadOnParty

***** Also on FRIDAY *****

Music Producer and Artists Networking Party

The Set NYC presents a night of music producers, DJs and producers, and visual artists. Featuring Mason Gross School of Art Bethany Robertson, Sullivan Room music producers, and projection mapping visual art by Jiggy Wiz among others. Showcase your art, talent, music, original beats, and network with NYC's industry people. Tell your friends and send some invites, post it on your wall and remember to bring business cards.

Featuring visual artist and producer DJ Exit, Mason Gross School of Art Bethany Robertson, DJ Neon Mansion, painter Meghan Oare, producer Etai Tarazi, DJ Viberous, pro beatboxer Spencer Polanco, photographer Tobia St. Germain, producer George Vala, abstract artist Christiano, producer Jay Pluto, artist Michaelle Fiore, artist Murjani Holmes, photographer Jessica Glick, and art by Iwona Drelich.

Klimat Lounge

77 East 7th Street, Manhattan

10p-2a; $free

klimatlounge.com

residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?501992

***** Also on FRIDAY *****

Haunted Murder Mystery Beach Party

Celebrate summer, art, and good times at LaunchPad's Haunted Murder Mystery Beach Party, an interactive evening where the audience will work together to solve a murder mystery while experiencing awesome art and performances, or just hang out, drink, dance, and party amid the artistic chaos. It's up to you.

One year ago legendary boogie-boarder, Chip Rigby, died in a freak accident at the national boogie-boarding championship (hosted by LaunchPad, of course). Some say that ever since that day his ghost has been haunting LaunchPad trying to solve the mystery of his death, which prevented him taking the championship title in 2012. On July 26th, LaunchPad hosts the 2013 boogie-boarding championship featuring many of the same competitors, who are all suspects in Chip's eyes. Strange vibes are afoot, dudes and dudettes.

Featuring surf rock by the Ape Hangers, readings by Niina Pollari and JD Scott, video by Julianna Schley, MIDI karaoke madness, home brewed by Honest Pete, wine provided by Wino(t). Beach attire strongly encouraged.

LaunchPad

721 Franklin Avenue, Brooklyn

9p, $10 suggested donation

XXXXX SATURDAY, JULY 27 XXXXX

Tribes By Air

Tribes By Air will take place on the top floor of a parking garage in Chinatown that we're calling the Flight Deck. We're bringing in our boys Thesthetics to transform the space as well as it's rooftop with installations and projections and have an incredible list of DJs lined up to pump jams all night long. With Obey City, Dkds, Sophia M.A. back to back with Medina, and Wodge Daddy.

Flight Deck

Buy tickets for address; Manhattan

10p; $10 presale, $15 door, $20 weekend pass

on.fb.me/13aNY58

on.fb.me/1c3bJnv

***** Also on SATURDAY *****

Coalition of the Illing

Brooklyn's flagship beat scene party is coming to the new outdoor back patio stage at the Paper Box. After a spring and summer of parties and live-streaming events, let's all gather together under an open roof and groove out this Saturday night. With a few favorite beatmakers from past parties as well as a headliner from Modeselektor's own label, we guarantee you will get your beat fix this weekend. The party is hosted by Brooklyn's prolific MC Fresh Daily. In case it rains, we will be inside in the other brand new stage. Lineup: eLan, Ohbliv, AwNaw (Josh Hey and Swarvy duo), and Suzi Analogue. Hosted by Fresh Daily.

Paper Box back patio

17 Meadow Street, Brooklyn

L train to Montrose or Grand stations

9p-3a; $12 advance, $15 door

facebook.com/events/619913884685503

ticketfly.com/purchase/event/322395)

***** Also on SATURDAY *****

Reverend Jen's Troll Stroll

Have you ever wanted to stroll the Lower East Side led by one of New York City's last remaining eccentric bohemians who actually lives on the LES? Now you have the chance. Reverend Jen, an elf who lives in a Troll Museum will give you one.

There will be several fascinating stops on this stroll. It will start on the southeast side of Delancey and Orchard, directly across from the Tenement Museum where the Rev. was just unjustly fired after 12 years of loyal service, then head to various historic sites (like Jade Liquors and BandB 99-Cent Plus) before finally heading to the world famous Troll Museum. It will be fun (though walking shoes are advised). The Troll Stroll's mission? To keep the Lower East Side weird while also celebrating its history as a birthplace of diversity, labor reform, and drinking. Rev. Jen will even throw in a Tarot Reading for a small extra charge. And there will be a bikini-clad assistant involved (weather permitting.) There is no dress code, by the way.

Southeast corner of Orchard and Delancey, Manhattan

3p; $20 heavily suggested donation and maybe a beer or too, but no one will be turned away because of lack of funds

revjen]at]revjen.com

301 655 2820

***** Also on SATURDAY *****

Small Claims Court presents:

Fall of Rome: An Unofficial History

A performance in vignettes, Fall of Rome is a contemplation of strangers and strangeness inspired by Anne Carson's the Fall of Rome: A Traveller's Guide. Small Claims Court is a newly formed devised performance group based in Sea Cliff, Long Island, led by Sarah Matusek.

Silent Barn

603 Bushwick Avenue, Brooklyn

10p, after Title:Point's show Salish; $8

smallclaims.biz/

smatusek]at]bennington.edu

***** Also on SATURDAY *****

Rumble

Rumble is Brooklyn's finest retro greaser rock n roll party for queers, freaks and the otherwise sexual. Summer got you sweltering? Dance it off to our signature mix of soul, garage, rockabilly, and punk. Featuring on the ones and twos: DJ Johnnie Valentine and DJ Drumpelstiltsken. Be there or be square, and don't be square.

One Last Shag

348 Franklin Avenue, Brooklyn

G train to Bedford-Nostrand station

9:30p-3:30a; $free before 11p, $5 after

***** Also on SATURDAY *****

The Motor Room

An interactive evening of dance, music, food, and celebration, featuring Lea Fulton.

501 Union

499 Union Street, Brooklyn

7:30p doors, 8p show; $15

brownpapertickets.com/event/399644

***** Also on SATURDAY *****

Fourth Annual Coney Island Talent Show

Join Hostess World Famous Bob and the fanfare of legendary talent. Categories for this year's talent contest are, creative kids 9-12 years old, creative kids 13-17 years old, circus freaks and sideshow geeks and song and dance. First prize in each category will receive a cash prize of $250, and day passes to participating Coney Island Amusements.

The Best Dressed person in each category will receive a special mystery prize. This year's celebrity judges include; Balkan accordionist with Raya Brass Band and music director of the NYC Village Halloween Parade, Matthew Fass, the Burlesque mayor of NYC, author and playwright, Jonny Porkpie, the Tap Dancing Tornado Helen Pontani, and Brooklyn Based Performance Artist, Dancer and Producer, Darlinda Just Darlinda aspiring musician, 14-year-old Sequoia Harrison.

Coney Island Boardwalk, between 10th and 12th streets, Brooklyn

3-8p; $free

coneyislandtalentshow.com

***** Also on SATURDAY *****

Pronto Comics's Third Phrases to Pages

The event will feature contests, industry guests, refreshments, and music -- plus free drinks. Bring your portfolios and scripts, as Pronto Comics will also be reviewing portfolios and scouting for new talent. Contests will consist of writers and artists pairing off, being given a mystery phrase, and drawing and writing one comic book page based on the phrase. Winners will be published in a special portfolio comic, given to industry professionals and available at conventions.

Pearl Studios

500 8th Avenue, 12th floor, studio 1209, Manhattan

7:30-10:30p; $10

21 and over

facebook.com/#!/events/534671656595208/?fref=ts

***** Also on SATURDAY *****

Pulsewave: Quebec Edition

Pulsewave started in March 2006 as a way for chip-music composers from all over the world to showcase their live music, paired with live visuals, on a monthly basis. Chip music is a kind of music made from archaic hardware, including Nintendo Game Boys, Nintendo Entertainment Systems and Commodore 64s. This month's event features Battle Lava, Pocaille, XC3N, and visuals by DIY Destruction.

LaunchPad

721 Franklin Avenue, Brooklyn

2,3,4,5,C to Franklin Avenue station

8p open mic, 9p show; $10 suggested donation

XXXXX SUNDAY, JULY 28 XXXXX

James Bond NYC Presents: Welcome to the Orange Club

Influential elements have resurrected an old and cherished institution: the Orange Club. Once the playground for the powerful, the Orange Club was a private casino club where often the fates of man were decided. Today's society views such clubs as the romantic subject of yesteryear; a bygone era of catchy mad men spies and campy super villains. Surely civilization no longer stakes its future interests at a poker table.

A poker tournament involving international persons of interest will be conducted in a secret Midtown location. Right under the noses of the cable media, Google, Facebook, Congress, even the NSA, the fates of man are being decided again. Cards are not electronic, cards are not traceable. Trust is always in the cards.

Gaming by Traveling Poker Academy, LLC, story by James Bond NYC and Everything Epic Games, featuring Ember Flame as Katja Malin, photography by Gianna Leo Falcon. One-third James Bond Live Action Role Play adventure, one-third casino gaming, and one-third cocktails, all shaken, not stirred. James Bond NYC is the only 007 themed role-play group in the world. This group is for Bond fans that appreciate creative and exotic escapism. We specialize in professional casino gaming plus detailed role-play challenges. Every event is deeply immersive within the universe of Bond. Beginners encouraged.

Secret midtown location

RSVP for address, Manhattan

5-10p; $20

shaken.not.stirred.nyc]at]gmail.com

jamesbondnyc.tumblr.com/

***** Also on SUNDAY *****

The New Amsterdam Pastiche Regatta

An afternoon on rowboats on Central Park Lake, featuring competitions of rowing skill, social graces, sartorial extravagance, and exterior portable dining prowess. Rain date: August 4.

Central Park Lake, Manhattan

2-5p; $36 per boat, or $9-18 per person (cost of renting a boat)

facebook.com/events/477277919022224/

saomsdangledthreads.blogspot.com/2012/06/pastiche-regatta-primer.html

***** Also on SUNDAY *****

My Brooklyn

People were so moved by this film when we showed it last September at the Myrtle Village Green Opening, 596 Acres is doing it again. My Brooklyn tells the story of the changing of downtown Brooklyn in recent years and explains the role of city policy is determining what our neighborhoods look like. You can read about the film below.

This screening is part of a series of house parties this July for people to see and talk about the film. There will be a facilitated discussion after the film, based on questions and suggestions for concrete action that the filmmakers have developed. If you'd like to volunteer as a facilitator, email us with My Brooklyn in the subject.

Myrtle Village Green

636 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn

dusk; $free

organizers]at]596acres.org

mybrooklynmovie.com/

facebook.com/events/393759567397097/

***** Also on SUNDAY *****

SnapCrackle

The SnapCrackle party pops up (and pops off) at a new location. It's on a roof and it's in Brooklyn. And it's got a lovely view of the sunset over the Manhattan skyline. And it's close to a subway. RSVP to find out the rest. Join DJs Agent Trevor, Malik Work, Misbehaviour and Kenny Nix, on rotation on the (now mobile) SnapCrackle sound system playing top-notch classics of the past, present, and future.

RSVP for location, Brooklyn

4-11p; $free

snapcracklenyc]at]gmail.com

***** Also on SUNDAY *****

Hissy Fit

Brought to you by the guys behind Bushwick's queer electropop party Tantrum. Featuring live performances by North America and Ca-The-Drals. DJ sets by Jessamess, Scot Bowman, and DJ Pegasus. Drag shows by Untitled Queen and Lady Simon.

Ripper's

98-1 Shore Front Parkway, Queens

1-9p; $free

all ages

86badvibes.com/

facebook.com/events/468173846601977/

***** Also on SUNDAY *****

Flux Fest: 10 Short Films About Time Travel

Mythic Bridge, a non-profit organization committed to providing filmmaking education to the underserved and Big Vision Empty Wallet (BVEW), a networking platform to develop and showcase creative projects, have teamed up to present Flux Fest 2013. Flux Fest is a film festival that commissions up-and-coming NYC filmmakers to make short films about time travel in under eight weeks.

The third in an ongoing series of festivals, Flux Fest follows in the footsteps of its predecessors -- Spooky Fest and Love Fest -- in challenging a group of young filmmakers to produce high-quality, entertaining works of cinema inspired by a series of creative prompts drawn by each filmmaking team at random. The teams have only eight weeks to take their projects from concept to completion, all culminating in a night of screenings, networking, and celebration.

Sandbox Studios

154 Morgan Avenue, Brooklyn

6p; $10-15

fluxfest.com

fluxfest.eventbrite.com

***** Also on SUNDAY *****

The Harvard Alley Workshop's presents:

Traces

Traces is an original multimedia performance devised in collaboration with Jennifer Restak, Catalina Lavalle, and Amanda Alef of the Harvard Alley Workshop, a multi- disciplinary performance workshop incorporating visual arts, writing, music, and sculpture into the creation of original performances.

The piece incorporates movement, video, music and spoken word combined to locate the audience within the process of dislocation and recovery experienced by the main character. A live performance can become both enhanced and eclipsed by video and multimedia, as the screen competes with the performers for the viewer's attention. Traces engages this conflict, using video-- specifically the footage of traces, social media and communications technology-- to depict the emotional struggle of this woman and our creative process. Moreover, through social media technology, we self-curate a public image and identify with that. The tension between rehearsal and performance is similar to what happens when technology substitutes for lived experience: we ourselves watch ourselves living.

Theaterlab

357 West 36th Street, third floor, Manhattan

7:30p doors, 8:30p show; $10

theaterlabnyc.com

XXXXX TUESDAY, JULY 30 XXXXX

Dogs in Space: A Variety Show

With Matt Koff, Emmy Blotnick, George Gordon, Florence, and Fantastic Gary, hosted by Ashley Brooke Roberts. Plus interactive games for the audience (that involve space and dogs).

Brit Pack Theater

153 Lafayette Street, Manhattan

9p; $1

ashleybrookeroberts.com

XXXXX WEDNESDAY, JULY 31 XXXXX

Date My Friends: Grow Young With Me

Matchmaker to the stars, Amy Van Doran, hosts her seriously fun monthly singles mixer for her gorgeous and amazingly cool friends. This month, she is turning Culturefix an art gallery/ bar into the most glamorous of singles retirement communities for your mingling pleasure. Make new friends, fall in love over musical chairs, throw a hip out during the limbo contest, or win the bingo jackpot.

Culturefix

9 Clinton Street, Manhattan

8-10p; $15, and ticket sales go toward the big bingo jackpot

brownpapertickets.com/event/430758

amyvandoran.com

facebook.com/events/633559123335888/

***** Also on WEDNESDAY *****

The Skinny: America Under Surveillance or Let's All Show Each Other Our Privates

Imagine Meet the Press crashed into the Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson. The end result would be the Skinny with Peter DeGiglio, a comedy news talk show that tackles a new hot button sociopolitical issue each month; often ripped right from the headlines.

For each month's show the Skinny features two guests: the Skinny Exclusive, a local artist commissioned to create a performance centered specifically around that month's theme, and the Very Special Guest, a high-profile figure from the world of journalism, literature, politics, academia, grassroots or the media. This month's show features comedian Ike Ufomadu as president Barack Obama and Dr. Alice Marwik, professor of Media, Culture and Communications at Fordham University.

Under St. Marks Theater

94 St Marks Place, Manhattan

9p; $10

212 777 6088

smarttix.com

XXXXX THURSDAY, AUGUST 1 XXXXX

The Future Is Now

This unique invitational brings together a curated selection of prolific street and urban contemporary artists and musicians for a weekend of cutting edge art, music, technology, and performance.

The Future Is Now serves as the blueprint for the 21st Century's multimedia art experience. Please join us while we make history together. Roster of artists: Jordan Betten, John Breiner, Ross Brodar, Alison Buxton, Garrison Buxton, John Arthur Carr, Cern, Deedee Cheriel, Chip Love, Steve Cogle, Joseph Conrad Ferm, COPE2, Spencer Keeton Cunningham, Cycle, Cyrcle, Dalek, Adam Dare, Katrina Del Mar, Elle Dead Sex, Brian Ermanski, John FeknerEric Foss, Mike Fitzsimmons, Ellis Gallagher, Mike Giant, Maya Hayuk, Hellbent, David Hochbaum, David Hollier, Michael Holman, Ben Horton, Kimyon Huggins, Indie 184 , Ian Kuali, Dave Kinsey, Koralie, Kool Kid Kreyola, Nick Kuszyk, Greg LaMarche, Craig LaRotonda, Don Leicht, Chip Love, Adam Ludwig, Joe Lurato, Tara McPherson, Alice Mizrachi, Billy Mode, Morning Breath, NDA, Nobody, Olek, David Ortiz, William Quigley, Leon Reid, Skewville, Specter , Beau Stanton, Chris Stain, Swoon, Nick Taylor, Thundercut, Chris Uphues, Michel Bellici, An drea Von Bujdoss, Kennedy Yanko, and Deborah Yoon. Special musical performances by Gray, Ralph McDaniels, and Todd Sines Live.

The Highline Loft

508 West 26th Street, Manhattan

4-11p; $free

Continues through SUNDAY

tinyurl.com/mhzwamn

***** Also on THURSDAY *****

Silent Drape Runners present:

Twin Peaks: The Beginning

The final live performance. After selling out numerous performances across the country of their critically acclaimed calling-card Twin Peaks: The Beginning live Twin Peaks resoundtracking, Silent Drape Runners are putting an end to it. And themselves. Tonight, say goodnight and goodbye to Laura Palmer and to Silent Drape Runners the band as they perform Twin Peaks: The Beginning for the final time.

The Bell House

149 7th Street, Brooklyn

8p; $20

ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionDataandeventId=3640594andpl=bellpl

 

XXXXX UPCOMING XXXXX

* Gemini and Scorpio 10th Anniversary Celebration, August 9-11

* 10th Anniversary Blackout Party Re-Enactment, August 14