Sonic Youth Play Live and FREE on July 4th! Photo Credit: Anders Jensen-Urstad


Friday July 4

Location: Financial District, NYC
Band: Sonic Youth + The Feelies
Show time: 8:00 PM FREE
Venue: South Street Seaport, Pier 17
Food: Burritoville
Drink: Jeremy’s Ale House
Miscellaneous: Century 21

If you haven’t figured out if you want to party at a show or close to some fireworks display, then this show will solve both of those problems as Sonic Youth play at the Seaport for FREE. Expect long lines to get in, but in the end, it’ll be well worth the hassle. While most people buy hot dogs and grab a beer at expensive restaurants in the Seaport mall, you’ll be smart and head over to Burritoville for inexpensive and delicious California inspired burritos, all under $10. For drinks, Jeremy’s Ale House has a lively crowd and a beer list that will get you a pint for $5 and under. If you get down to the financial district early, check out Century 21. They won’t try to sell you some property, but they have some great designer clothing on the cheap, plus the place is huge to roam.

Friday July 4

Location: Park Slope, Brooklyn
Band: Marc Ribot y Los Cubanos Postizos
Show time: 4:00 PM
Venue: Jalopy Theatre
Food: Los Pollitos II
Drink: Pacific Standard
Miscellaneous: Gorilla Coffee

For fans of Cuban music with a twist, Marc Ribot y Los Cubanos Postizos play the music of Cuban legend, Arsenio Rodriguez, while Ribot puts own exotic stamp on the songs, creating groovy rhythmic jams. While Mexican restaurants may be everywhere, not all are created equal. One that stands out, in that hood, is Los Pollitos II. Having gone several times, what makes me come back for more are the Chilaquiles for brunch and the gorditas for dinner. The guacamole is damn good too. Did you say you like beer? I like beer! Hooray for puppies! At Pacific Standard, the front bar has 16 beers on tap and the back room looks like a high school library. I think this is my new favorite bar. Don’t forget to ask about the frequent drinker card program! I’m totally serious. If you like your coffee black, Gorilla Coffee specializes in deep roasted flavors and provides it through fair-trade.

Saturday July 5

Location: Long Island City, Queens
Bands: Warm Up
Show time: 3:00 PM
Venue: P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center
Food: Sripraphai
Drink: Saints and Sinners
Miscellaneous: Baruirs

In its tenth year, the curated Warm Up series features live music and DJ’s. At this first show of the season, the Nublu club and label host, and feature the Nublu Orchestra conducted by Butch Morris, DJs Justin Carter & Probus (Nublu), Dex aka Nomadico (Underground Resistance), and So Percussion performing Steve Reich. Being that you’re in Queens anyways, you HAVE to take the 7 train to Sripraphai, one of New York’s top Thai restaurants. What makes it better than most is the fact that the ingredients are fresh, and instead of choosing your entree with a choice of meat, they offer a novel sized menu with pics of every dish, most under $10. Once a heavily Irish neighborhood, Saints and Sinners is one of the best looking Irish bars left. Grab a Guinness at the bar or traditional Irish food. If you can, head over to Baruir’s in Sunnyside for one of the best cups of coffee in Queens.

Saturday July 5

Location: East Village, NYC
Bands: RZA as Bobby Digital featuring Stone Mecca
Show time: 6:00 PM
Venue: Webster Hall
Food: China 1
Drink: Hi Fi
Miscellaneous: Second on Second Karaoke Bar & Lounge

Wu Tang Clan’s RZA returns with his Bobby Digital persona and his new album Digi Snacks. A master beatmaker, he’s had a lot of practice doing soundtracks since his last album, getting even better, and it shows on his album. He’s also fun to watch live. Part restaurant and part club, China 1 serves up more upscale Chinese food than you’re used to. With décor that’s more dungeon lounge than China, this is a fun place to hang. With an MP3 jukebox that has 3000 albums to choose from, nicknamed “El DJ,” Hi Fi is a rock lover’s wet dream. With daily drink specials, this place is cheap, and that’s a rare thing in NYC these days. If you’re still in the mood to party after this early reading, hit up Second on Second for some karaoke, where you can sing till your throat is sore!

Sunday July 6

Location: Murray Hill, NYC
Bands: Love Trio & U-Roy + Afrika Bambaataa + Seun Kuti & Egypt 80
Show time: 3:00 PM FREE
Venue: Central Park, SummerStage
Food: Seven’s Mediterranean Turkish Grill
Drink: Shalel Lounge
Miscellaneous: Boat Basin Cafe

A mix of hip-hop, dub, and Afro-beat, this FREE show puts on stage the legendary, new and second generation talents of dub group Love Trio with legendary Jamaican dub singer U-Roy, the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame inducted DJ Afrika Bambaataa, and Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, the son of Afrobeat father Fela. For good Mediterranean food on the UWS, Seven’s is an excellent choice. Specializing in Pides (stuffed dough), they also serve most of the staple Turkish dishes. Hidden, though well worth the hunt, Shalel Lounge is a romantic spot with a cave-like atmosphere, and an excellent though pricey beer and wine list. Overlooking the water in Riverside Park, the Boat Basin Café is a really beautiful outdoor café with one of the best views of the Hudson River and NJ. You heard me, NJ! The menu is mostly burgers and sandwiches and plenty of BBQ. Best of all, it’s affordable and fun.

Grab a Pint, Sit, and Relax at Williamsburg's First Beer Hall

Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Radegast Beer Hall
113 N 3rd St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 963-3973
Hours: Mon-Fri 5 PM - 4 AM, Sat & Sun 1 PM - 4 AM

Though there seems to be no end in sight for the gentrification of Williamsburg, with the boom of food and drink centering in this area, now comes Radegast Hall & Biergarten. As weird as it may be to have a full on Beer Hall in this hood and not have to trek out to the Czech Beer Garden in Queens, it surprisingly works in this area, and works well! A gorgeously designed and large all-wood interior greets you upon entering its doors and the neighboring room filled with big wooden benches made for communal seating is rather nice. Get some sausage and schnitzel, bbq style, or German inspired fare off the menu, and/or grab a beer off the two sided beer list that includes some top-notch German, Czech, and Austrian beers in the $7 pint range and your night is set. What’s next in Williamsburg, a movie theater? Please say it’s a movie theater!

DaVe Lipp

Brian Nice 8 AM, plate 11, 2008 Silver Gelatin Print, Paper size: 11 x 14 inches

Location: Midtown East, NYC
Art: Meltdown: The Icebergs of Greenland
Show time: Tues to Fri: 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, Sat: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Thru July 9
Venue: Pace Prints
Food: Supermac
Drink: Stout
Miscellaneous: Jack’s 99 Cent Store

Meltdown: The Icebergs of Greenland takes a look at the Icebergs in Greenland, which have been getting alarmingly smaller the last few years due to climate change. Artist Don Nice, and his photographer son Brian Nice, documented the meltdown of the icebergs around Greenland and Michelle Icahn filmed their journey. Though small, Supermac packs a hearty punch with it’s gourmet mac & cheese’s like the Mac Cheesesteak with shaved steak, caramelized onions, roasted peppers, cremini/shitake, provolone, and white American ($8.25 mini; $10.95 mega). A great place in NYC to get a full-bodied dark beer is at Stout. With a very detailed beer list with descriptions, I’ve never had a bad pint at this bar and restaurant, plus the food menu is American and quite good. Probably the biggest 99-cent store in NYC, Jack’s is three floors of some of the finest values you can find, especially in an overpriced area like Herald Square.

Dead Child
Attack
Quarterstick Records






Who says that hard rock is all about tight leather pants and cookie monster growls? The guys behind Dead Child believe so and it painfully backfires on them. Their debut album Attack, a supposed homage to ‘70s and ‘80s metal, is as bad as the big hair that once dominated these eras. Dead Child was born only to disappoint.

“Sweet Chariot” has a barely-practiced garage band sound with erratic guitar riffs and vocalist Dahm screeching. While the track “Eye to the Brain” is a slight improvement, Dahm’s attempt to sing of gore is just a bore. If you make it to “Wasp Riot,” don’t let the growing guitar riff fool you. Dahm’s virginal wailings are no match for Thor-like frontmen in metal who can wreak havoc. Dead Child, stop attacking listeners with a first draft attempt to rock and stick to Guitar Hero.

--Stephanie Nolasco




The B-52’s
Funplex
Astralwerks






With a title like, Funplex, you cannot help but expect a party, but with a band like the B-52’s, you get originality and a little bit of the future. The disc is the band’s first full-length album of the twenty first century. Encompassing funk, disco, pop, and good ole rock, the album is sure to please their old fans and garner them plenty of new ones. The title track, “Funplex,” has plenty of vocal interplay among the three singers, Fred, Kate, and Cindy, and raucous guitar from their main man, Kevin. Another noteworthy track on the album is the first track, “Pump,” which is full of the famous drawl and lyrics that seem absurd at first yet work well with the funky and eclectic group.

This album showcases the brand of music and originality which brought the B-52s fame over twenty nine years ago. For a good time at anytime, check out Funplex.

--Corey Crossfield

Location: Midtown East, NYC
Art: Takashi Homma
Show time: 6:00 PM
Venue: Kinokuniya
Food: Peking Duck House
Drink: Blackstones Pub & Restaurant
Miscellaneous: New York Milkshake Company

Leading Japanese photographer Takashi Homma will be signing his newest book from Aperture, Takashi Homma: Tokyo, in which he documents the ever-evolving megalopolis of Tokyo. At one of my favorite places to get duck, The Peking Duck House, the meat is succulent and the skin crunches like a potato chip. Sometimes you just want to grab a pint without paying a cover charge or playing host to a group of people after work, which is why I like Blackstones Pub & Restaurant. It looks like an old-time saloon and has two pool tables in the back and plenty of other games, while also being big enough to grab traditional American food from the menu. If you’re still hungry, check out the New York Milkshake Company for one of the best $6 shakes of your life.

Katy Perry
One of the Boys
Capitol Records






There’s a reason why Lindsey Lohan is puckering up for Samantha Ronson and it isn’’t just because girls are cheaper to shop for. With a beat that sticks for hours at a time, it’s no wonder girls just wanna have fun. Katy Perry, the 23-year-old daughter of ministers, is celebrating girl power with her debut album, One of the Boys.

“I hope you hang yourself with your H&M scarf, while jacking off, listening to Mozart,” croons Perry in “Ur So Gay,” a hip pop dance off to her metrosexual ex. “Hot n Cold” has an infectious hook, where Perry sweetly claims that her man’s ways are a case of “love bipolar.” “If You Can Afford Me” should have been a fist-pumping melody for today’s material girls, but instead is an acoustic track with pseudo-punk influences. Although One of the Boys isn’t a bold, rebellious album, if it’s good enough for Madonna, then it may just be good enough for us.

--Stephanie Nolasco

Check out the video of Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl”

Ash Wednesday by Anthony Goicolea (b. 1971). Photo courtesy Postmasters Gallery, New York

Location: Midtown West, NYC
Art: Dargerism: Contemporary Artists and Henry Darger
Show time: Sun thru Sat 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Venue: American Folk Art Museum
Food: Zip Burger
Drink: Subway Inn
Miscellaneous: Kinokuniya Bookstore

Self-taught artist Henry Darger (1892-1973), created nearly 300 watercolor and collage paintings to illustrate his epic masterpiece, The Story of the Vivian Girls. This show features 11 artists’ works, including Darger’s, which were inspired by his art, and the idiosyncrasies of this self-taught master. At Zip Burger they offer farm-raised, organic, and grass-fed meat and poultry, letting you build your own burger with plenty of gourmet toppings. The first time I went to Subway Inn I thought it was completely strange that there was a dive bar off Lexington Avenue, especially in this neck of the woods, but somehow it works. Born in the 30s, this bar has somehow remained, and thank god, as it’s easily the cheapest place in the area for a drink. For fans of Japanese pop-culture, Kinokuniya Bookstore has a large selection of Japanese themed books, videos, CDs, magazines, comics, and stationary.