Get Personal with St. Vincent. Photo Credit: Tod Seelie


Friday Feb 29

Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Bands: Dean & Britta + Keren Ann
Venue: Warsaw
Food: SEA
Drink: Zablozki’s
Miscellaneous: Hugs

Former members of Luna, Dean & Britta together create 60s sounding pop music that is beautiful, intimate, and playful. On their latest album Back Numbers, expect more of the same. Just as much fun as any show and just as big a venue, SEA is one BIG Thai restaurant. Big enough to have a pool surrounded by tables as a giant Buddha stands above it. Luckily, the food is really great. Offering traditional Pad Thai ($7) to more involved dishes like the Mummy Fish ($14). On N6th, a street full of bars and restaurants, Zablozki’s is the local bar of the bunch, with a pool table and a friendly atmosphere and 12 beers on tap. What looks like some dark basement with tables and some couches, Hugs will end up being a dance party with an awkward blend of music genres that you will grow to love quickly.

Friday Feb 29

Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Bands: St. Vincent + Foreign Born + Basia Bulat
Venue: Bowery Ballroom
Food: Chickie Pig’s
Drink: Mason Dixon
Miscellaneous: 151

Since her solo album “Marry Me, St. Vincent A.K.A Annie Clark, has proven herself a great singer/songwriter as well as being able to help the Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens shine as side guitarist. Also playing are Foreign Born and Basia Bulat, a Canadian singer/songwriter making waves in music as of late. What sounds like a vegetarian’s nightmare is actually a gourmet pizza restaurant. Chickie Pig’s offers some interesting brick oven thin-crust pies like The Pig’s Fig Pie with fig jam reduction, gorgonzola, proscuitto, and chives ($15). If you have the urge to ride a bull when you order a pint, then you’re in luck! Mason Dixon offers both. Seriously, you can drink and ride a friggin’ mechanical bull here! For a good time or if your goal is to get trashed, hit up 151. There’s no sign outside but know that happy hour is 2 for 1 everyday from 6-10pm.

Saturday March 1

Location: Bushwick, Brooklyn
Event: Perfect from Now On Book Release Party with Times New Viking + Matthew Friedberger + Doug Gillard + Textbook Committee
Venue: Don Pedro's Restaurant
Food: DuMont
Drink: Bushwick Country Club
Miscellaneous: Huckleberry Bar

Rock critic John Sellers celebrates his newly published memoir, Perfect From Now On: How Indie Rock Saved My Life with this release party. Joining him are Times New Viking, Matthew Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces), Doug Gillard (Guided By Voices), and the Guided By Voices cover band, Text Book Committee. This is an indie-rock fan’s wet dream! For dinner, DuMont boasts a revolving menu of new American cuisine, one thing that is constant is the fabulous Dumac & Cheese, made with cheddar, gruyere, parmesan, bacon, and radiatore. One of my favorite Brooklyn bars, Bushwick Country Club has a photo booth in the back, white trash mini-golf in the backyard, cheese doodles to snack on at the bar and cheap booze. Nearby, the newly opened Huckleberry Bar is way upscale for this neighborhood but has the charm of a local hang. Beautifully designed, it offers a great selection of alcoholic beverages.

Saturday March 1

Location: East Village, NYC
Bands: Roky Erickson and the Explosives + Thurston Moore and the New Wave Bandits
Venue: Webster Hall
Food: Hip Hop Chow
Drink: Decibel
Miscellaneous: Sundaes & Cones

Roky Erickson knows psychedelic music having been part of the 13th Floor Elevators and now with the Explosives. Thurston Moore is another musician who takes the spirit of psych and improv, and churns out audio landscapes. This show should be interesting. One place that takes two awesome things and makes them work is Hip Hop Chow. Serving Chinese and soul food, the fried chicken and waffles are fantastic, while the mac & cheese, with it’s hint of cinnamon, will karate kick your taste buds. For drinks that are not beer nor mixed, Decibel has a large menu of Junmai, Ginjo, and Honjozo types of sake’s along with shochu vodka’s. For those with a sweet tooth, Sundaes & Cones has a remarkable list of ice cream. Looking for something different? Try flavors like wasabi, chrysanthemum, honey ginseng, or durian. But don’t worry, they your faves!

Sunday March 2

Location: West Village, NYC
Bands: Ben E. King
Venue: Blue Note
Food: Koo Sushi
Drink: Blind Tiger Ale House
Miscellaneous: Peanut Butter & Co.

One of the greatest R&B singers that’s still alive today and performing, Ben E. King plays the Blue Note, a small and intimate place to see one of soul music’s legends sing “Stand By Me,” and more of his amazing catalog of songs. A little known sushi joint, Koo Sushi offers affordable and fantastic fish with an impressive number of specialty rolls. For a bar that looks like any other, Blind Tiger Ale House offers an impressive number of beers including draught, bottled, cask and one called Louise’s Bloody Beer. Try it if you dare! If you’re in the mood for some comfort food, Peanut Butter & Co., offers some PB heavy hitters like the Elvis, a PB, banana, and bacon sandwich that tastes better than it sounds.

Moto
394 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Tel: (718) 599-6895

Diminutive Moto, tucked under the cozy rattle of the JMZ, is a quaint, bubbly bistro frequented by local loft-dwellers and venturesome city-folk alike.With live nightly music, intimate seating arrangements and decent prices, it's hard to focus on the static menu and the so-so service. Gas-lit ambience and antiqued mirrors do make all the difference. Menu standouts include the olives with pomegranates, herb-marinated mushrooms and yes, the oft-written about date cake, which pairs quite nicely with the Black Velvet cocktail.

--Deann Horack

The Private Side of Petra Haden

Location: Tribeca, NYC
Bands: Fred Armisen + Petra Haden and the Sellouts
Venue: Knitting Factory
Food: Pakistani Tea house
Drink: Walker’s
Miscellaneous: J&R

Not just a “Not Ready for Prime-Time Player,” Fred Armisen is a brilliant comedian who started out as a drummer, while Petra Haden, daughter of Jazz bassist Charlie, has had a great career as a singer, even covering the complete album “The Who Sell Out” and Michael Jackson’s song “Thriller.” Tonight she plays with the Sellouts. Perhaps a pun on that Who album? For eats, the Pakistani Tea house is a great little discreet Indian restaurant serving five to six different types of Indian food that is way cheaper than this show. For a drink, try Walker’s. This local hang serves up inexpensive drinks and makes a great burger. Being in the financial district, there’s not a lot going on in Tribeca, but thank god for J&R. With music, electronics, and computer stores all in one area, you chances of getting bored are slim.

Still Punk, Henry Rollins Does Spoken Word at Warsaw Tonight

Location: Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Bands: Provoked with Henry Rollins
Venue: Warsaw
Food: Wasabi
Drink: Bar Matchless
Miscellaneous: The original Soupman

Henry Rollins has effortlessly made the transition from musician to spoken word artist, having crafted a funny, opinionated, and highly entertaining way of telling his stories of life on the road and where America is right now. Expect ranting and laughs. There’s a lot of restaurants popping up in Greenpoint nowadays. The Japanese restaurant Wasabi has been there before many of them and serves up some of the best sushi in that hood. A good local bar, Bar Matchless is that low-key place where you can chill, get a drink and not have to scream at the top of your lungs to make conversation. He’s been called “The Soup Nazi” on Seinfeld, but Al Yeganeh knows how to make soup. Try the Lobster bisque, it’s the best I’ve ever had, and don’t forget to follow his rules or “No Soup for You!”

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova - Oscar Acceptance Speeches

by: Amy Wagner

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, the musical twosome at the center of the break-out indie film Once went from being the hopeful makers of a DIY movie to Oscar winners when the duo won Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly" at the 80th Annual Academy Awards. That would have been good enough right there but the best moment of the night was still to come. Hansard and Irglova took the stage to claim their statues where Hansard delivered a speech that ended with a shout to "Make art!" Irglova then stepped forward for her turn at the mic only to get the "time's up" play-off music from the orchestra. Then, incredibly, after a commercial break host Jon Stewart invited Irglova back on stage to say her peace, which turned out to be one of the most moving awards show speeches that has ever been seen or will ever be seen for quite some time. It was both a rallying cry and a love letter to the artists who struggle, against all odds, to hold onto their dream and get their music out. You can watch the speech below and then, catch Hansard and Irglova live in NYC at Radio City Music Hall on May 19th where they will be playing under the moniker The Swell Season.

Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow!

Location: Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Bands: George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic
Venue: Warsaw
Food: La Locanda
Drink: Enid’s
Miscellaneous: Royal Oak

Long gone are the days when musicians could wear diapers on stage and still be cool, and while most of the original lineup have moved on, George Clinton still knows how to bring the cosmic funk like no other, and tonight he brings it to Greenpoint. One of the last vestige’s of real Brooklyn in this hipster neighborhood, La Locanda serves simple Italian dishes like Chicken Parmigiana and pasta, but don’t be fooled, the food here is excellent, affordable and the vibe is homey. A good place to drink and talk nearby, Enid’s has cheap beer, a friendly atmosphere, and even food. Another good place for drinks if you feel like bar-hopping, Royal Oak offers a dark and sexy vibe, where excellent DJs play old-school R&B and 80s metal all mixed up like Britney Spears!

Pure Spa and Salon
40-15 Queens Boulevard
Sunnyside, NY 11104
Tel: (718) 784-6400

Like other European owned and operated spa’s, Pure seems to adhere to a higher standard. You’re greeted with an authentic smile and a warm cup of tea. The reception area leads to a separate and spacious manicure and pedicure area (no awkward elbow touching) then through a long, candle lit hallway, off of which are generously sized treatment rooms, locker rooms for men and women and the first of two relaxation areas with complimentary snacks and more tea...score. Walk downstairs and the exposed brick and dimly lit relaxation area creates a cozy, urban shelter before you enter a treatment room and fall into a drooling abyss. No issues with pushy sales, overly chatty therapists or scary burning flesh, just an effective variety of relaxing, quality facials (using tried and true Dermologica products) and massages (shiatsu too) from therapists and technicians who know what they’re doing.

--Sheehan McGuirk

Location: Midtown West, NYC
Bands: Steve Winwood + Eric Clapton
Venue: Madison Square Garden
Food: Fat Annie’s Truck Stop
Drink: Stout
Miscellaneous: Jack’s 99 Cent Stores

While Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton evoke everything from heavy blues jams to sitting in a car with your parents singing along to their recent hits, the fact that these two were in Blind Faith is worth going to see if they’ll play “Can't Find My Way Home.” Fat Annie’s Truck Stop offers truck stop style food oddly positioned in Herald Square. Burgers, chilli, po boys and pie are some options in this fun restaurant. Right next store, Stout may look like a sports bar but it has one of the largest selections of dark stout beers in the city. Yeah, it’s a 99 cent store but Jack’s is more like watching a train wreck happen slowly. The place is packed with people trying to get by, yelling, and elbowing each other. True the deals are great, but you’ll either find it hysterical or swear you’ll never go back.

Black Mountain Play Glasslands Saturday

Friday Feb 22

Location: Upper West Side, NYC
Event: Purdie, Wilson and Green: The Godfathers of Groove
Venue: Smoke
Food: Symposium
Drink: Broadway Dive
Miscellaneous: Sip

More for the NYC musician and the avid jazz fan, get ready to be schooled by three of music’s groove greats. Catch legendary drummer Bernard Purdie, Reuben Wilson on the organ, and Grant Green, Jr. on the guitar perform together and prepare to take notes. Low priced anything near Columbia is getting harder to find, but at Symposium, you’ll get Greek food that won’t force you to take a mortgage out. The Pastitsio (baked macaroni with ground meat $9.95) is out of this world. Not the kind of dive bar you’re thinking, though Broadway Dive has a single malt scotch and bourbon menu big enough that you won’t even know where you are after a few. A coffee bar that also serves liquor, tapas, and baked goods all in one place? Sip sounds good to me.

Friday Feb 22

Location: Chelsea, NYC
Film: Slaughterhouse-Five
Venue: Rubin Museum of Art
Food: Cafeteria
Drink: The Trailer Park Lounge & Grill
Miscellaneous: Entertainment Outlet

Based on Kurt Vonnegut’s book, the film Slaughterhouse-Five follows Billy Pilgram (Michael Sacks) as he becomes “unstuck in time” revisiting his life in random order. The film will be introduced by philosopher David Velleman. Cafeteria ain’t your school cafeteria by any means, though the theme of comfort food continues here. The Buttermilk Fried Chicken with warm waffle and Vermont maple syrup ($15) is excellent while the revolving blue plate specials will have you coming back for more. For trailer park fare check out the Trailer Park Lounge & Grill. Offering chilli, burgers, and mac & cheese, grab a PBR and marvel at the tacky crap on the walls! A good place to buy new and used DVDs for a slightly cheaper price than Virgin, Entertainment Outlet is the go-to store to find plenty of movies under $10.

Saturday Feb 23

Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Bands: Black Mountain + Bon Iver
Venue: Glasslands
Food: Viñas
Drink: Radegast
Miscellaneous: Roebling Tea Room

Psychedelic rock band Black Mountain play the Glasslands in support of their second album In The Future, with ten blistering tracks. Bon Iver, a folky and soulful singer opens and is not to be missed, so get there early! With great ambiance, the food also has great personality at Vinas. The menu offers Latin cuisine including faves like ceviche and empanadas, while upping the ante with the likes of Truffled Honey Glazed Pork Belly. Williamsburg’s first beer hall, Radegast has a number of German and Austrian beers on tap, and an even greater selection of bottled beers. There’s even a menu of German food to soak up all the booze! Get your tea fix at Roebling Tea Room, where the menu offers a vast array of teas and inexpensive food.

Saturday Feb 23

Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Event: Farewell: The Closing Party
Venue: Triple Crown
Food: My Moon
Drink: Mug’s Ale House
Miscellaneous: Ella Cafe

Looks like Triple Crown is the next club to close due to issues with the community. Going out with a bang, some amazing hip hop artists perform like Rob Swift, 9th Wonder, DJ Premier and Pete Rock, along with local DJs spinning here one last time. Gorgeously designed, My Moon offers Turkish cuisine. While the menu can be hit-or-miss, they smartly serve tapas like the delicious Tuna Stack, a tuna tartar with vanilla vinaigrette, topped with toasted beets and almonds ($12), while entrees include some standard Turkish fare and others that are out of this world. Mug’s Ale House looks like a divey sports bar from the outside, but the beer menu is surprisingly long, covering beer from all over the world, and having nearly 30 beers on tap. For coffee, the recently opened Ella Café also offers an organic heavy menu in a beautifully designed wood eco-friendly environment.

Sunday Feb 24

Location: Midtown West, NYC
Bands: The Magnetic Fields + The Interstellar Radio Company
Venue: The Town Hall
Food: Havana Central
Drink: The Campbell Apartment
Miscellaneous: Beatific Soul: Jack Kerouac on the road

Touring in support of their eighth studio album “Distortion,” The Magnetic Fields play The Town Hall with The Interstellar Radio Company, made up of four NY based producers of experiments in narrative sound. While Times Square is obviously an expensive mess of restaurants, Havana Central offers affordable Cuban food like Camarones con Coco - coconut dusted jumbo shrimp fried and breaded with pineapple ($12). The former office of 1920s mogul John W. Campbell, this utterly spectacular bar is in Grand Central Terminal. Who knew? If you have the chance, stop by the New York Public Library and see the Kerouac exhibit. Get close to one of the twelve scrolls he used to write On the Road and a ton of other photos and hand writings from this mad genius before the exhibit closes on March 16.

Daniel Johnston at Home and at Work

Location: Chelsea, NYC
Bands: Daniel Johnston + Spanish Prisoners
Venue: Highline Ballroom
Food: Better Burger
Drink: Passerby
Miscellaneous: ’sNice

Bipolar and autistic, Daniel Johnston is also a brilliant singer/songwriter and performer who combines music and art to create childlike songs inspired by comic books, love, and religion that have inspired many songwriters like David Bowie and the Flaming Lips. Hormone and antibiotic free, Better Burger focuses on serving a fresh and healthier alternative to the grease burger you can get anywhere. With a tiled floor that lights up, other than that, Passerby is a non-descript bar, which is why it’s a place artists flock to for a cocktail without being disturbed. While not the best named coffee shop, ‘sNice is a nice and quiet coffee house offering vegetarian sandwiches and baked goods, while being a large enough space to spread your legs out and not worry about stealing another seat from someone.

Bring Your Inner Know-It-All to Tonights Quizz-Off at Pete's Candy Store

Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Event: Quizz-Off
Venue: Pete’s Candy Store
Food: Chimu
Drink: Union Pool
Miscellaneous: Eks

Win a $25 bar tab at Quizz-Off . . . if you can answer a night of ridiculously hard questions. Yeah, nothing in life is easy, but thank god for booze and quiz shows in bars. With so much good food in Williamsburg, you should not forget about Chimu. A Peruvian steakhouse right next to Union Pool, the rotisserie chicken and every other dish I’ve had here is amazing, and it won’t break the bank! For drinks, Union Pool is still one of the best bars in town. If you’re single, it’s a goldmine for ass, the drinks aren’t pricey, and the DJs play an eclectic mix of ridiculously good music. Not exactly Pinkberry, yet just as expensive, Eks is Williamsburg’s answer to the yogurt fad currently popping up.

The Raveonettes
Lust Lust Lust
Vice Records

by: Amy Wagner

The Raveonettes have a vibrant new album out today on Vice Records called Lust Lust Lust, the follow-up to 2005s Pretty in Black. This time out the Danish popsters have created a haunting, almost ominous echo that hangs over their throw-back harmonies and electric riffs. "Aly Walk With Me" plays like the long lost soundtrack of a ghost town that you instantly want to hum along to. "You Want The Candy" is lighter in tone, but for the crunching guitars and lyrics that mention "dirty treats," it could have easily been cooed by harmony kings The Everly Brothers, one of The Raveonettes biggest musical influences. It might be a little early for summer but that season's first fun in the sun song is here in the form of a shiny tune called "Blitzed." You can hear bits of old surfing themes dipping in and out of the tracks blissful serenade to some serious summer lovin.'

Big and Little Edie, Pink Room, 1975. Photo Credit: Albert Maysles

Location: Chelsea, NYC
Event: Albert Maysles: Photographs/Cinemagraphs/Documents
Venue: Steven Kasher Gallery
Food: Cookshop
Drink: The Half King
Miscellaneous: Pinkberry

If the filmmaking team of David and Albert Maysles don’t sound familiar, then maybe the films Grey Gardens, Gimme Shelter or Salesman ring a bell. This exhibition, “Albert Maysles: Photographs/Cinemagraphs/Documents” features photographs of those Kennedy’s from Grey Gardens and the Rolling Stones, among others. Helping take new American cuisine to the next level, Cookshop’s chef Marc Meyers offers your palette seasonal and local flavors like Vermont Suckling Pig in porcetta, with polenta, swiss chard, and cider sauce ($28). A great bar in this neighborhood, The Half King provides an excellent selection of beers and one of the better burgers in Chelsea. As addictive as crack but way better tasting, Pinkberry has been taking NYC by storm with their non-fat yogurt and healthy toppings.

Put Your Dancing Shoes on for Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings

Friday Feb. 15

Location: Chelsea, NYC
Film: Ichi the Killer
Venue: Rubin Museum of Art
Food: Monster Sushi
Drink: Slate
Miscellaneous: Donut Pub

One of my favorite splatter flicks out of Japan, Ichi the Killer is a movie that takes gore to another level here, and it’s a comedy! Anthony Swofford, who wrote the film Jarhead introduces this great film directed by Japanese horror master Takashi Miike. While a full belly before seeing this film may be a bad idea, a good one, going along with the theme, is to eat at Monster Sushi. Though part of a chain, this Japanese restaurant serves up affordable sushi while not being skimpy with the raw fish. Known as the place to shoot pool, Slate is also is a very stylish lounge and restaurant that goes far beyond your typical pool hall. Not a bar yet definitely an institution, the Donut Pub has been serving up doughnuts, crullers, and eclairs since 1964 and their made fresh daily.

Friday

Location: Upper West Side, NYC
Band: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
Venue: Beacon Theater
Food: Hummus Place
Drink: Jake’s Dilemmal
Miscellaneous: Alice’s Tea Cup

Even before backing Amy Winehouse, The Dap Kings have been brewing up a funk storm. With Sharon Jones leading the band, expect the earrings and shoes to come off as she dances across the stage. This show is not to be missed unless you’re bedridden. If you’re gonna see this show you’re gonna dance and eating a big meal won’t work. Cheap yet not too heavy, Hummus Place serves up surprisingly great hummus in the uptown version of their original downtown location. More a game room for adults than a sports bar, Jake’s Dilemma offers more than 50 beers to choose from while you can play pool, video games, or foosball. Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, Alice’s Tea Cup is as much for adults as it is for kids. Get one of a vast assortment of teas flown in from around the world here or a gorgeously designed slice of cake.

Saturday Feb. 16

Location: SoHo, NYC
Event: Rated X: The Panty Party’s St. Valentine’s-Presidents Day Panty Massacre
Venue: Don Hill’s
Food: Ear Inn
Drink: Naked Lunch
Miscellaneous: Jacques Torres

The infamous panty party returns at Don Hill’s, so expect to dance next to half naked people and a lot of weird shit to go down plus there will be DJs, bands, and a hot body contest. The presidents will be proud on their celebratory weekend. For dinner, show some respect and go to the Ear Inn. This restaurant and bar is housed in a 200 year old building that strangely enough was built for James Brown, not the godfather of soul, but the aide to George Washington. The food here is better than your standard bar food but the atmosphere makes the place. Named after William S. Burroughs novel, Naked Lunch is a cool and comfortable bar where local artists usually gather. No shooting up though! If you like chocolate, stop in at Jacques Torres for some of the sweetest morsels of chocolate in NYC or anywhere else.

Saturday

Location: Red Hook, Brooklyn
Event: Smokey Hormel’s Western Roundup
Venue: Jalopy Theatre
Food: Schnack
Drink: Moonshine
Miscellaneous: Mazzola Bakery

If you don’t know Smokey Hormel, you probably have heard him play guitar for the likes of Beck, Neil Diamond, Tom Waits, and Justin Timberlake, among others. Here he plays western swing music with a great cast of studio musicians. Schnack is a throwback to American food from the 50s offering hot dogs, burgers and fries, of course beer, and a really good brunch. Moonshine is a bar that’s part dive and part hipster with a pool table and Big Buck Hunter. It’s a can’t lose situation. Nearby, at the Mazzola Bakery, try the Neapolitan Lard Bread, tasting better than it sounds it’s made with two types of parmesan cheese and a hardboiled egg, seriously!

Sunday Feb. 17

Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Event: Kapow! + The Walking Hellos + Colorways
Venue: The Delancey
Food: Tiny’s Giant Sandwich Shop
Drink: Schiller’s
Miscellaneous: Dash Dogs

Brooklyn band Kapow!, featuring Toshi Yano of the Fiery Furnaces, members of the Negatones, and keyboardist Tris McCall, who’s in too many bands to count, play 60s sounding pop with The Walking Hellos featuring ex-Babe the Blue Ox vocalist Rose Thomson and Myla Goldberg, author of the best-selling book Bee Season. Now that’s too weird to pass up! While space is limited, Tiny’s Giant Sandwich Shop offers a rather large menu of specialty sandwiches and salads that both veggie and meat fans can appreciate. For drinks, Schiller’s is an excellent place to grab a beverage. The wine menu is broken down into three categories: Cheap, Decent, and Good, with there being no bad choice. For those who just want a bite to eat, Dash Dogs is the place to get a beef or veggie dog before you disappear into the bar or show, without regretting it later!

Skip the chocolates This Year and Get Creative!

That’s right, it’s Valentine’s Day and while most enjoy sticking to the routine of buying chocolate and a card, having dinner, and maybe getting a drink before sexy time, your options are really not all that limited. So, here’s a list of 5 great shows to go to after work and before getting it on. If you don’t have a special someone, then these are really cool shows where you can possibly meet your next boy or girlfriend.

Location: Chelsea, NYC
Event: Jennifer Charles’s Valentine Duets
Venue: Hiro Ballroom

Lead singer of the band Elysian Fields, Jennifer Charles takes her sexy, breathy voice and pairs up with other performers like Mark Ribot, The Honorary Title, members of TV on the Radio, and even The Cardigans own Nina Persson.

Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Event: Bury Me in Brooklyn Valentine’s Party with Golden Triangle + Knyfe Hyts + Robot Death Cult
Venue: Death By Audio

With kissing booths and a date auction on top of performances by Golden Triangle, Knyfe Hyts, and Robot Death Cult, this sounds like a night of debauchery all in one location. If I was with you and dressed as the devil I’d be on your shoulder going “Do it. Do it,” every time someone looked your way.

Location: Park Slope, Brooklyn
Bands: The Duke Spirit + The Jaguar Club
Venue: Union Hall

The Duke Spirit, hailing from England are as much fun as they are talented, bringing driving rock songs led by frontwoman Leila Moss. Awesome live, they are an underrated band who are about to make a big splash. Catch them at Union Hall in this small cozy space and then head upstairs to play bocce ball or sit by the fireplace.

Location: Lower East side, NYC
Event: John Zorn’s Valentine’s Day Improv Night
Venue: The Stone

John Zorn is not your typical jazz musician and he has a deep catalogue to prove it having worked with Mike Patton and a long list of some of the best improvisers all over the world as well as in his home base of NYC. Tonight he’ll bring his noise fest playing with the likes of Zeena Parkins on harp and surprise guests. All proceeds going towards The Stone, you’ll be showing love and helping keep this underground jazz scene thriving.

Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Event: Roaring 20th Valentine’s Day Party
Venue: Galapagos Art Space

With a roaring 20s theme, burlesque, and silent films with a real band scoring them live, a 1920s hot jazz orchestra, and DJs playing music spanning the entire century, er . . . the most recent one, this may be one of the best themed parties going on in NYC. Dress up in your niftiest duds and celebrate Valentine’s Day with some pizzaz!

Sufjan Stevens plays at the Benefit for Tibet House

Location: Midtown West, NYC
Event: Tibet House Benefit Concert
Venue: Carnegie Hall
Food: Gordon Ramsey at the London
Drink: Social
Miscellaneous: Tuck Shop

This annual benefit for Tibet House has an amazing cast of indie and classic rockers playing including Sufjan Stevens, Band of horses, Ray Davies, Tom Verlaine, and Philip Glass. Everyone’s favorite celebrity chef, who most are likely afraid of, Gordon Ramsey serves a three-course French menu with international flare at Gordon Ramsey at the London. Make reservations early and wear a jacket, as the place only has 45 seats. If you’ve seen his shows, I’m sure you know that you don’t want to piss off this chef! Social, a three floor bar and lounge is big enough to never get bored in and is a great place in that area of town to drink and, well you know the rest! For something different, check out Tuck Shop. This small Australian eatery serves individual sized meat pies wrapped in pastry you have to try if you’re in the hood.

She & Him Ready "Volume One"

by: Amy Wagner

Back in 2006 M. Ward got together with Zooey Deschanel (the sister from Almost Famous who leaves home to become a stewardess) and recorded a duet. They had fun and wouldn't you know it, she (Deschanel) just happened to have a ton of home recordings hidden away. She shared the demos with Him (Ward) and the story ends/or begins with the upcoming release of She & Him's debut album Volume One due out March 13, 2008 on Merge Records. The twelve track disc includes covers by The Miracles and The Beatles. The album celebrates the musical styles of some of their favorites - artists like Nina Simone, Chet Atkins, Linda Ronstadt and the Carter Family. It's hard to imagine a singular cohesive album coming from such an eclectic array of influences, but if the album's first single, the Ronstadtish "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here" is any indication - their musical melting pot works! Track Listing - Volume One 1 "Sentimental Heart" 2 "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" 3 "This Is Not A Test" 4 "Change Is Hard" 5 "I Thought I Saw Your Face Today" 6 "Take It Back" 7 "I Was Made for You" 8 "You Really Got a Hold on Me" (The Miracles) 9 "Black Hole" 10 "Got Me" 11 "I Should Have Known Better" (The Beatles).

Find a Mate and a Pet at Leashes and Lovers Valentine's Day Party

Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Event: Leashes and Lovers Valentine’s Day Party
Venue: Crash Mansion
Food: La Esquina
Drink: McSorley’s Ale House
Miscellaneous: Rice to Riches

With Valentine’s Day a few days away, the heat is on to find someone special. If you love your dog as much as you’re hoping your future boy/girlfriend will, then this singles party at Crash Mansion is where you may find the perfect companion and pet. My new favorite Mexican taco stand, La Esquina, serves up amazing tacos and tortas. Try the Aguacate Con Queso taco with avocado, queso fresco black bean, pico de gallo, and salsa verde ($3.25). This place will blow your mind. If you can get in, McSorley’s is the oldest bar in NYC, having served up pints since 1854, it has the chair President Lincoln sat in when he stopped in for a drink after a big speech at Cooper Union, among other artifacts. Serving rice pudding in a variety of flavors, this SoHo located dessert shop is as funky as it sounds, in a good way!

Location: Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Event: Spelling Bee
Venue Freddy’s Bar & Backroom
Food The Smoke Joint
Drink Total Wine Bar
Miscellaneous The Old Brooklyn Parlor

Bone up on your wordsmithery if you want in to this Bee as Freddy’s Bar hosts a spelling bee for adults. Being that it’s in a bar I’d guess that’s because there’s liquor? If you like your meat bbqued, The Smoke Joint is where it’s at. With a menu that gets straight to the point, offering hacked chicken, beef, or pork among a few other menu items, like southern sides and a variety of local beers, this place will keep your fingers joints deep in Southern fare! Total Wine Bar creates a warm atmosphere, but it’s the wine list that’s the draw, offering a reasonably priced and eclectic selection leaving you with more than enough dough to order some cheeses and snack foods on menu. For a taste of Brooklyn from yesteryear, hit up The Old Brooklyn Parlor and grab yourself an old school Brooklyn Egg Cream or Lime Cherry Rickey.

Siouxsie Sioux. Still Goth and Still Great.

Friday Feb 8

Location: Gramercy Park, NYC
Band: Siouxsie Sioux
Venue: Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
Food: Souen
Drink: Revival
Miscellaneous: Trader Joes

At 50, Siouxsie Sioux is still cool. On her new first-ever solo album Mantaray, she still sounds as good as she did back in the 80s. While the big hair is gone, the attitude, substance, and eyeliner are still there. For fans of the vegan lifestyle or if you want to try something new, Souen is one of the best places to go for macrobiotic food. With a menu offering mostly tofu and seitan, the closest you will get to any meat is fish if you can’t handle a meatless meal. Speaking of revivals, Revival is a two story bar nearby with a lounge up top and a cozy garden in the back open till midnight on weekends. If you’re feeling dangerous, step into Trader Joes. Once you get over the insane shoppers and lines, the very moderately priced gourmet goods will make you understand why the lines here are never-ending.

Friday

Location: Chelsea, NYC
Band: Fountains of Wayne
Venue: Highline Ballroom
Food: Pastis
Drink: Red Rock West Saloon
Miscellaneous: Ninth Street Espresso

Indie-rock band Fountains of Wayne have been writing catchy songs like “Stacy’s Mom,” the video featuring former supermodel Rachel Hunter (Me-ow!), since 1996. On tour in support of their new album Traffic and Weather, they stop off at the Highline Ballroom. If French cuisine is what you’re after, Pastis a French bistro run by Keith McNally offers some of the best classic French food and bistro fare in the city. Usually crowded, it’s not known for its intimacy. Also not known for being quiet, Red Rock West Saloon is a biker and blue collar bar where you can throw back a beer and listen to some Southern rock. What’s a night in NYC without a great cup of coffee in a low-key café? Ninth Street Espresso offers that kind of setting on top of a well-chosen and executed selection of coffees.

Saturday Feb 9

Location: Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Band: Beat the Devil + Renminbi + Stray Volts
Venue: Club Europa
Food: Shanghai Lee
Drink: Black Rabbit
Miscellaneous: Peter Pan

Beat the Devil, a Brooklyn based three-piece band comprised of Mishka Shubalay on bass, Mitchell King on drums, and singer Shilpa Ray are amazing live. Shilpa’s hypnotic voice belts out dark and brooding lyrics as the band creates beautifully warped songs. For dinner, get your Chinese food cravings under control at Shanghai Lee. Though serving your standard Chinese fare, the atmosphere here is fun and the cocktails drinks come in special tiki glasses. Black Rabbit, the newest bar in Greenpoint, with its dark wood and dark lighting make this place look like a pub transported from somewhere deep in England. With a great vibe and even better beer selection, grab a booth and hit a button when your cup is empty. Genius! If you like donuts, then Peter Pan will be your downfall. Making huge donuts stacked with creams and jellies, they are well-worth the stomach ache to come.

Saturday

Band: Human Bell
Venue: Sound Fix
Food: Juliette
Drink: Spike Hill
Miscellaneous: Reel Life

Blending blues and experimentation, Nathan Bell and Dave Heumann create a beautiful landscape of instrumental music. Catch them at this FREE show before they get BIG. What used to be the club Red & Black not too long ago, is now the French restaurant Juliette. This 2 floor (the second being an open air terrace) outdoor restaurant is quite impressive. The food, though not cheap is excellent. The Moules Frites ($16) are some of the best steamed mussels in white wine, shallots, and thyme I’ve had. An Irish Bar right in the heart of Williamsburg, Spike Hill has a pretty tight selection of single malt Scotch and beers on tap. You can call it the Kim’s Video of Williamsburg, but Reel Life is the best video store in the hood with a great selection of everything from new releases to cult classics.

Sunday Feb 10

Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Band: Nomo
Venue: Zebulon
Food: Relish
Drink: Radegast Beer Hall
Miscellaneous: Iona

Combining afrobeat with dance music, Nomo is a horn heavy electronic band that will make you dance till dawn. Tonight they play Zebulon for FREE, so go check them out! What looks like a diner from the 50s is actually far from it. With a menu classified as “New American,” Relish also takes its culinary cues from European, Spanish, and Middle Eastern cooking creating dishes like the Pork Tenderloin Mignonette, made with Spanish rose wine, pear, honey and rosemary sauce, served with garlic roast potatoes and watercress salad ($21). For drinks, the recently opened Radegast Hall is a beer garden in the heart of Williamsburg with a wide selection of German, Austrian, and Belgium beers. For one last drink of the night, head over to Iona, a bar with a bit of local flavor mixed with the occasional live DJ spinning records into the wee hours of the night.

Location: Union Square, NYC
Event: Luc Sante
Venue: The Strand Bookstore
Food: Oyama
Drink: Bowlmor Lanes
Miscellaneous: The Virgin Megastore

More New York than Ray’s Pizza, social critic and New York historical writer, Luc Sante reads from his new book “Kill All Your Darlings,” a book of his essays from 1990 to 2005. My favorite 50% off sushi joint, Oyama serves good and cheap sushi including inventive rolls like the Oyama Special Hand Roll, which includes lettuce, tobiko, cucumber, avocado, shrimp, and mayonnaise ($5.95). For drinks, sitting at a table in Bowlmor lanes is a good way to enjoy watching people fall on their behinds trying to bowl in this rather large bowling alley. What better way to waste anywhere from a few minutes to several hours than at the Virgin Megastore. With two floors filled with CDs, DVDs, books, games, and plenty more, you can catch up on what’s hot and figure out what’s worth buying.

Get Some Cranberry Pancakes at Tom’s Restaurant.
Photo Credit: Keyboard Samurai

Tom's Restaurant Brooklyn
782 Washington Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11238-4506
Tel:(718)636-9738

Despite the line to get in, Tom’s Restaurant is well worth the wait. For your troubles, the staff brings out trays of coffee and random food, like fries with chipotle sauce to snack on. This is the kind of love waiting for you inside. While being the place Suzanne Vega wrote the song “Tom’s Diner” about, the random photos of celebs and locals on the walls tell you this place is famous for other reasons. The menu, filled with breakfast and lunch items has an eclectic variety of pancakes like lemon ricotta or pumpkin walnut and egg dishes like crab cakes florintine. While Tom, the man who opened the restaurant in 1936 has passed away, it’s his son, Gus Vlahadhas, who currently runs the establishment, playing host, shaking everyone’s hand and joking around like you were family. Fortunately, the food here is as good as the line out the door would have you believe.

Cat Power and the Dirty Delta Blues Band. Photo Credit: Samuel Kirszenbaum

Location: Midtown West, NYC
Band: Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues + Appaloosa
Venue: Terminal 5
Food: Empanada Mama
Drink: Circus
Miscellaneous: Vintage


With a beautiful and fragile sounding voice, Cat Power AKA Chan Marshall takes to the stage at Terminal 5 with blues veterans to perform songs from her new covers album Jukebox. Though small, Empanada Mama packs a hefty punch with more than 40 kinds of empanadas. Choose from a wheat or corn flour shell to start as ingredients include basic rice and beans to what they have dubbed “Viagra,” a wheat flour empanada stuffed with shrimp, scallop, and crab ($3). Appropriately, at Circus, you’ll get free hot dogs, peanuts, and popcorn without the animals, screaming babies, and clowns at this Rudy’s Bar spin-off that has beer just as cheap and a neighborhood feel. If cheap beer ain’t your thing, Vintage has a wine list with over 200 wines by the glass or bottle from most of the boutique wineries in Long Island and Upstate New York.

by Amy Wagner

Grammy-nominee Feist is hitting the road for another trek that is sure to have music fans skipping behind their favorite piped piper and singing "1,2,3" at the top of their lungs. The Canadian singer/songwriter will kick off her latest U.S. tour April 10th at the Fillmore in Detriot, MI after spending February and part of March criss-crossing Australia. Her U.S. outing will conclude at the end of April with two nights (April 29th and 30th) at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. From there, Feist will play a string of dates in the U.K. and Europe that will keep her on the road through early June. Tickets for the Hammerstein show will go on sale Fridat, February 8th at 10:00 a.m. EST via ticketmaster.com. U.S. Tour Dates: Apr 10 Detroit, MI | Fillmore Detroit Apr 11 Bloomington, IN | Indiana University Apr 12 St. Louis, MO | The Pageant Apr 14 Tulsa, OK | Cain's Ballroom Apr 15 Austin, TX | Stubb's: Outdoors Apr 16 Dallas, TX | The Palladium Ballroom Apr 18 Atlanta, GA | Tabernacle Apr 19 Nashville, TN | Vanderbilt University Alumni Lawn Apr 20 Asheville, NC | Thomas Wolfe Auditorium Apr 22 Athens, OH | Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium Apr 23 Cleveland, OH | Palace Theatre Apr 25 Northampton, MA | Smith College Apr 26 Charlottesville, VA | Charlottesville Pavilion Apr 27 Philadelphia, PA | Academy of Music Apr 29 New York, NY | Hammerstein Ballroom Apr 30 New York, NY | Hammerstein Ballroom

For Those About to Rock, We Salute You.

Location: East Village, NYC
Band: Punk Rock Heavy Metal Karaoke
Venue Club Midway
Food Minca
Drink Ace Bar
Miscellaneous Le Gamin Café

The original punk rock heavy metal karaoke band makes their residency at Club Midway every Tuesday night in February, breaking out all your favorite rock anthems for you to sing on. Close by is the ramen noodle bar called Minca. After recently trying this place, I’d highly recommend it. The ramen noodles are made fresh and way better than those you’d buy and boil. What makes the soups here great is the broth. Take the Minca Ramen, a mild broth with pork, chicken and dried seafood ($8.50), it has impeccable flavor that hits the spot. Plus it’s way less expensive than other ramen specialty restaurants and just as good. Right across the street from Minca is the Ace Bar. Sort of divey, it’s also where you’ll find people playing skeeball and shooting pool, while drinking some decent beers on tap. For dessert and coffee, Le Gamin Café is the place for crepes.

Get Beautified at Priti Organic Spa

Priti Organic Spa
35 East First Street
NY, NY 10003
Tel: (212) 254 3628

Lot’s of salons smell more like a mortuary than a sanctuary. That’s courtesy of all the chemicals wafting through the air. Priti Organic Spa doesn’t compromise your health for your outer beauty. Have your feet soaked in mint and rosemary while your fingers are scrubbed with lavender and polished with 100% organic products. Bamboo flooring and an earthy design make this Lower East Side hideaway feel like a little slice o’ Thailand. Priti also provides organic facials using Stella McCartney’s Care and Dr. Alkaidis product lines as well as massages; both are very popular with mommies to be. After you’ve been beautified, walk across the street and get your brunch on at Prune. You may have to wait in line for a while but you’ll have the time considering how you just helped save the earth and got cuter at the same time. -- Sheehan McGuirk

Get Your Groove on!

Location: Midtown West, NYC
Event: Indian Bollywood and Bhangra Dance Classes
Venue Champions Dance Studio
Food GoGo Curry
Drink Stitch
Miscellaneous Leisure Time Bowl

Even better than watching a Bollywood film is learning the dances! Mixing classical and traditional Indian dance with modern dance, you will learn everything from Indian film dancing to Bhangra (high energy dance). The owner of Go!Go! Curry is openly obsessed with Yankee player Hideki Matsui and his Jersey (55). The menu’s theme is baseball and katsu, a fried meat, chicken or shrimp cutlet served in a curry sauce is the specialty here. Portion sizes are Walk (small), Single (Med.), Double (L), and Triple (XL) and are inexpensive. The mascot, a gorilla for some reason, is plastered everywhere, making this place even quirkier. In the heart of the garment district, Stitch, a cozy after-work bar/lounge, stocks a cocktail menu with a design theme. If you’ve still got energy and are in the mood to bowl, check out Leisure Time Bowl. Located in the Port Authority, this place is stylish and fun.

Since receiving a star rating from Michelin, Dressler has been doing very well.

Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Dressler
149 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY
Tel: (718) 384-6343

If you want to go someplace a little boisterous, Dressler is an excellent option that offers a very detailed dining space with metal work designed by Brooklyn Navy Yard sculptors. Owner Colin Devlin, who also owns Dumont and Dumont Burger created a small menu, which presents fish, chicken, and meat with standouts being the Roasted Free-Range Chicken with confit crepinette, house made dumplings, Swiss chard, Portobello mushrooms and pearl onions ($20) and the Braised Domestic Lamb Shank with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, roasted tomato and baby carrots ($25). While entrees are in the mid-twenties range, the quality is top-notch and being within walking distance to Williamsburg’s bars makes this place great for a first-date and worthy for a second.

Location: East Village, NYC
Moustache
265 E 10th St, New York 10009
Tel: (212) 228-2022

Let’s face it, a good first-date restaurant is a place that’s not too loud, where not too many people are around to bother you. A relaxed place to talk helps, especially if the food is pretty damn good. Moustache serves up excellent Middle Eastern food that won’t break the bank, while serving up healthy portions. This place is not decked out in anything fancy by any means, but is quiet and cozy to get along. There’s even an outdoor backyard garden to relax in when the weather is nice. While the service is nothing amazing, the food is. The pitzas are crisp and I’d recommend trying the Moustache Pitza (roasted red bell peppers, tomato, onion, parsley, chili and fresh mozzarella $11) or the Chicken Kebab Plate (chicken breast with cilantro, garlic and lentil puree $9) as the people here put their own spin on Middle Eastern favorites.

Come Party with Hot Chip Saturday at the Highline Ballroom

Friday Feb 1

Location: Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Band: Joanna Newsom
Venue: BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
Food: Juniors
Drink: Moe’s
Miscellaneous: Tillie’s

Music critics and fans were happily blown away when singer/songwriter and harpist, Joanna Newsom, released her lush and ambitious second album Y’s. Tonight with the help of conductor Michael Christie and member s of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, they recreate it. Known for their amazing cheesecakes, Juniors offers a pretty damn good menu too. Though it’s your old school deli style food, personally, my favorite dish is the Bar-B-Q fried chicken and the Mac & Cheese is officially the best traditional version of it I’ve ever had. Probably one of the best bars in the area simply due to its ethno-Brooklyn vibe. Everyone looks cool here and is friendly. Good music and great drinks, its a great place to chill. For dessert, stop by Tillie’s. It’s one of the best places in the area to get coffee, cupcakes, and cookies. The environment here is laid back.

Friday

Location: Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Bands: Black Rock Coalition:Rachid Is Rasalus + Honeychild Coleman
Venue: BAM Café
Food: Thomas Beisl
Drink: Stonehome Wine Bar
Miscellaneous: O’Connors

What better way to start off Black History Month than with Bam Café’s Black Rock Coalition bringing you solo artist Rachid Is Rasalus, playing rock, pop, soul, and electro, while Honeychild Coleman takes you into the world of dub music. Right across the street from BAM, Thomas Beisl, a Viennese Bistro and bar, offers staple food like Wiener Schnitzel ($15) and Beef Gulash ($16), while even offering something for vegetarians like the Polenta Gratin with fontina cheese mushroom ragout, roasted peppers, and curried coconut lentils ($14). Cozy and eclectic like the surrounding area, Stonehome Wine Bar features a very thorough wine list hitting all the best winemaking spots in the world. O’Connors, though dark, has cheap pints, and the half hipster half old man clientele makes the vibe here all the more interesting, plus Eliot Smith drank himself silly here on many a night.

Saturday Feb 2

Location: Chelsea, NYC
Bands: Hot Chip + Devlin & Darko
Venue: Highline Ballroom
Food: Il Bastardo
Drink: APT
Miscellaneous: Café Grumpy

With their recently released third album, Made in the Dark, Hot Chip return with a great album that will have you dancing long after the show ends. Spank Rock DJs Devlin & Darko join the party with genre-bending beats. For fans of Italian, Il Bastardo offers itself up as a Tuscan grill, raw bar, and wine bar. Spacious and romantic, yet cutting edge, exposed brick walls meet modern design. The menu, filled with mostly Northern Italian fare, is heavier on the meat than on the sauce, creating fantastic food in a beautiful environment. Not just a hot spot for top DJs, APT is also a lush lounge where you can get great cocktails and sit among the city’s most interesting hipsters. Probably one of the top coffee spots in the city due to a newly designed coffee machine called “The Clover,” Café Grumpy grinds out the freshest cup of Joe you’ll ever have.

Saturday

Location: Upper West Side, NYC
Band: They Might Be Giants
Venue: Beacon Theater
Food: Josie’s
Drink: Candle Bar
Miscellaneous: Emack & Bolio’s

Eclectic and quirky are just two ways to describe the music They Might Be Giants have been creating since the 80s. Now they can add ipodcasting and children’s songwriters to their credit. See what they’ll bring to Beacon Theater. Dairy free, organic, and free-range are things that come up often on the menu at Josie’s, offering dishes like the Warm Macadamia-Crusted Natural Chicken Breast Dinner Salad ($17.75), several tofu and seitan specialty dishes and the Freshly Ground Char-Grilled Brandt Natural Beef Cheeseburger ($15.75), so everyone here will walk away happy. Comfortable and dimly lit, the Candle Bar has a pool table in the back and drink specials daily. For some of the best and most interesting ice cream in the city, Emack & Bolio’s offers some eclectic flavors like Deep Purple Cow (Black Raspberry ice cream with white and dark chocolate chips and blueberries). This place thakes their ice cream serious.

Sunday Feb 3

Location: Chelsea, NYC
Event: Reverend Billy’s Hot and Holy Highline Revival with the Stop Shopping Gospel Choir + Not Buying It Band
Venue: Highline Ballroom
Food: Better Burger
Drink: The Half King
Miscellaneous: Chocolate Bar

Somewhere between activism and performance lies Reverend Billy, a performance artist and anti-consumerist who lives it and preaches it through song. This will undoubtedly be informative and entertaining!Owner Louis Lanza, owner of Josie’s has created a burger joint with organic meat and ingredients that are healthier than any fast food restaurnat you can think without losing the taste. Better Burger offers hot dogs and burgers made of 100% meat. And yes, fries do come with that shake! Named after a Seneca Chief from the 18th century, The Half King is a great Irish bar offering pub food and beautiful wood décor. Grab a pint and hang at a table or sit in the backyard.I hope you like chocolate, because the Chocolate Bar, which looks like a chic café is a great NYC chocolatier run by Alison Nelson and creates retro wrapped chocolate that is as delicious looking as it tastes.