Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Band: Micachu & the Shapes
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Pianos
Food: San Loco
Drink: Max Fish
Miscellaneous: Sugar Sweet Sunshine

Micachu & the Shapes take pop music and turn it on its head adding disoriented electro beats, live instrumentation, and vocals. Yeah, it’s been done before, but here it’s slightly different with the addition of frequent stuttering rhythms that make them feel slightly annoying at first but by the end genius. Let’s face it, San Loco does not serve the greatest Mexican food ever. But it certainly isn’t bad. The prices are inexpensive, you can get a heaping amount of nachos for as little as $3.75, and telling by the heavy traffic, the place is doing just fine. What I like about Max Fish is that it’s a local bar for local artists. It’s walls play host monthly for art exhibitions, there’s a pool table in the back, and drinks aren’t pricey, like many new bars springing up in this neighborhood. For one of the best cupcakes in the city, Sugar Sweet Sunshine has 10 varieties, on top of cakes. Try the Sexy Red Velvet or the Bob, a yellow cupcake with chocolate almond buttercream.

We’re giving away 3 copies of the new album INVADERS MUST DIE by The Prodigy. It’s the fifth studio album from this British electronic act who are most known for their album The Fat of the Land from 1997 with songs “Firestarter” and Smack My Bitch Up.” You remember the videos!

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John Wetton was the lead singer/bassist for King Crimson, was one of the songwriters (as well as vocalist and bassist again) for UK, recorded and sang with just about anybody who was anybody in the late 70's, early 80's and has released brilliant solo albums. He currently fronts the all-original line-up of 80's super group ASIA and as you'll read below he was recently in town for some "School of Rock" shows. Bolstering twenty or so students with his musicianship and support (as he did three years ago with an earlier 'graduating' class) Mr. Wetton lends his time to yet another one of the many projects he's got on his very busy schedule.

Let's first talk about the 'School of Rock' shows. How did you get involved with that organization?

Three years ago, when I first agreed to do it, I remember coming back from the rehearsal with those 20 kids attempting King Crimson tunes and thinking, what the fuck am I doing? But 10 days later I was in love with kids, their personalities came through and I saw how much work they'd done and I was completely smitten by them. They all graduated, so we have a new generation now and so the process starts again, so when I was asked to do it again, I said yes.

What's your role in it all?

A lot of the stuff we do is like 35 years old, and I was there when the stuff was recorded originally so they learn from me stuff that's not necessarily on the records. Because like I did, even when I was learning classical music, I listened to the record to learn the music.
I'm there so they can ask me anything they want, what kind of tea were we drinking when we recorded, anything.

And these are mainly younger players, right? I mean most of them would not have even seen you in some of the projects you are known for, back in the day.

They are between 13-17, they have to learn it and they work really hard; they are damn good.

And some of the graduates have gone on to actual careers in the business, right?

Out of the twenty last time, three went on to do stuff. One plays with Trans-Siberian Orchestra and another with Adrian Belew. It's really a combination of personality, confidence, and whatever.

Do you keep in touch with the kids?

Yes, we swap emails; we keep in touch.

And the actual shows, themselves; what can someone expect to see and hear?

They play 30 minutes before me and I really have no idea what they’re gonna play. When I get on stage we start off with RED, 7-8 other King Crimson tunes, some UK tunes, 5-6 Asia. It's 2 hours of me singing all the time and I play some acoustic guitar, bass.
My function here is that they all get to play

Lots of people of course know you from your work with Asia and with the original hit-making line-up back together, can you tell me how long you think you might continue touring, playing, recording?

It’ll go as long as we’re still vertical (laughs). It's already lasted longer this time around then the first time. Looks like we'll make another record in September. We start a tour of Europe after I come off the School of Rock tour, we'll be in America all summer, Japan, the rest of my year it's Asia.

One of my most favorite performances of yours is on Steve Hackett's Genesis revisited album. I was wondering, and I know all these instances are different, but how does something like that come your way? Does Steve Hackett just call you up, or does your management get an offer?

Just from Steve, he said this is what I'm doing I want to get other people to do a different version of Genesis. He wanted to try some of the tough ones-that went well-so we just went with that. Played shows in Japan with a great great band.

Forgive me for not knowing, but where do you make your home these days…when you're not touring!

I live on the South Coast of the UK, in Bournemouth where I grew up. I went back to roost when my son was born 11 years ago and I kinda stuck there.

I can't thank Mr. Wetton enough for his time; this guy is one busy musician/writer/producer and with his work with "School of Rock" he’s also a champion to all that's good about the future of rock and roll.

Ralph Greco Jr.

Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Bands: Ladyhawke Get Tickets Here
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Bowery Ballroom
Food: San Loco
Drink: Max Fish
Miscellaneous: Sugar Sweet Sunshine

New Zealand singer/songwriter Ladyhawke makes 80s inspired dance music with tons of synth. Though I’m not the biggest fan of the 80s, her music is infectious and fun, so if you think your going to see this show and stand there just nodding your head, think again hipsters! San Loco serves inexpensive Mexican food. You can get a heaping amount of nachos for as little as $3.75, and telling by the heavy traffic, the place is doing just fine. What I like about Max Fish is that it’s a local bar for local artists. It’s walls play host monthly for art exhibitions, there’s a pool table in the back, and drinks aren’t pricey, like many new bars springing up in this neighborhood. For one of the best cupcakes in the city, Sugar Sweet Sunshine has 10 varieties, on top of cakes. Try the Sexy Red Velvet or the Bob, a yellow cupcake with chocolate almond buttercream.

By now I believe that many of us have resolved that we will not be marrying Brad Pitt or adopting multiple children from name-your-ethnicity.org (or whatever the adoption agency is really called). However perfect and impossible she may seem to replicate, a new product on the market allows us to not give up on achieving one of Angelina's other most signature assets. I am referring to her impossibly plump lips.

It looks like regular lipstick, but Physicians Formula Plump Potion is no ordinary stick of pigment. As promised by its promotional label, results are rather instant. Following application of the product, after just a short moment of a tingling sensation, my lips appeared magically enhanced. Sure, I was concerned of the see-what-I-want psychological factor to the product, but overall I have to say this plumper truly proved its ability to pump up these smackers needle-free, as guaranteed by the box (and the fact that I don't have needles lying around my apartment). Furthermore, for those concerned about the potential of Lisa Rinna-esque results, and for the record, no such ballooning took place. Thus, for safe, botox-free lip enhancement, the safe and effective way to achieve that Angelina pout seems to be just one purchase away.

Jessica Stein

Location: Midtown East, NYC
Talk: Diane Von Furstenberg
Show time: 7 PM
Venue: French Institute/Alliance Française Florence Gould Hall
Food: Peking Duck House
Drink: Blackstones Pub & Restaurant
Miscellaneous: New York Milkshake Company

Fashion icon Diane Von Furstenberg, who shot to fashion fame when she created the wrap dress in 1972 and has created some amazing dresses since then, stops by the French Institute/Alliance Française to discuss what she will be putting out this Fall 2009 and more. 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.

You know that when you’re watching an Arthur Miller play some heavy caca bricks are gonna hit the proverbial fan. This is certainly true of his 1964 play, Incident at Vichy, currently running at Theater Row’s Beckett Theatre.

It’s a tight 90 minutes (without intermission) at an intimate theater, with a stark set by Scott Bradley and some effective lighting by Mary Louise Geiger. Taking place in Vichy France in 1942, this is a taught character piece, where a bunch of men (and one boy) from various occupations and economic backgrounds are brought into a detention cell after being rounded-up on the street. At first we think it’s all about the German’s concern over forged identification papers, but there is of course the Nazis need to destroy Jews that is really at the source of why these men are here and what will become of them. Through rumors of concentration camp atrocities, suspicions over occupations and even a nobleman’s stories of his home world being ripped asunder, we learn about the men on the bench and feel their palatable fear as one by one they are brought into an office and humiliated into ‘revealing’ themselves

Incident at Vichy supports a 15 character cast, all brilliant: from the burly electrician Bayard played by Ron McClary to the wounded German officer Major, played by Jack Koenig in a constant state of inner conflict to the nobleman, Von Berg played by Todd Gearhart, whose entire inner being is rocked to the core until he makes one last perfect sacrifice. Incident at Vichy is definitely tough stuff, but its damn good theater.

For more info on Incident at Vichy including purchasing tickets, the schedule, and more, go to The Actors Company Theatre

Ralph Greco, Jr.