As reported previously, '90s alt-rockers that dog. are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on May 24, the band's first NYC show in 15 years with Fred Armisen opening. That show sold out and the band added a second MHoW show the next night, Friday, May 25 with comedian openers Kurt Braunohler and Baron Vaughn. Tickets are still available to that one.

If you'd like to go for free, we're giving away a pair of tickets to the show of your choice. Details are below.

Oh, and speaking of Kurt Braunohler, he isn't playing the "Tell Your Friends! It's The Spring Fling!" at the Bell House tonight (5/15), but his partner in crime Kristen Schaal is along with host Liam McEneaney and fellow comedians Janeane Garofalo and Christian Finnegan, plus musical guest Hand Job Academy. Tickets are still available.

Continue reading "that dog. playing 2 Brooklyn shows (win tix); Kristen Schaal & many more playing the Bell House (tonight)"

Rob Delaney @ Bowery Ballroom (pic by jkspix)

As @BVComedy tweeted, Rob Delaney is a guest at Kurt & Kristen's Hot Tub tonight (5/14). Tickets are available. Rob came to town to play multiple shows at Bowery and Music Hall, and also played 92YTribeca and Comedy Cellar while he was here.

Eugene Mirman is also a guest at Hot Tub tonight. More Delaney dates HERE.

So, comedian Rob Delaney, who is in town to play two sold out shows at Bowery Ballroom and two sold out shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg is also playing 92YTribeca tonight (5/10) on a bill of all Daily Show contributors inclyding Jenna Kim Jones, Elliott Kalan, and Adam Lowitt. Not sold out. All Rob Delaney dates are listed below...

Continue reading "oh, Rob Delaney plays 92YTribeca tonight (not sold out)"

alternate headline: GetHard with Tasteful Nudes

by Klaus Kinski

Back in January, I briefly mentioned the profoundly hilarious book A Bad Idea I Am About to Do by one of NYC's most brilliant performers Chris Gethard. I was so focused on all the other bullshit I was writing about in that article that my short, simple, brief mention of this masterpiece of a book was a profane oversight. Gethard is a phenomenal comedian and storyteller who also happens to have his own Manhattan cable access show every Wednesday night at 11:00pm. The show is absolutely crazy, insane, funny, irresistible, addictive and totally viewable LIVE online. Each week the show manages to feel somehow crazier and funnier. Sometimes Chris is in a great mood and the show is brilliant. Sometimes he's in a crummy mood and the show is brilliant. He's got a lot of help, care of his fabulous in-studio audience, but the dude carries that sucker to an unprecedented plateau of brilliance. But, the book... the book is one of the funniest, most well articulated canons of short (true) stories I've ever read. Even if you knew nothing about Chris, what he does, where he's coming from... if you read this book with absolutely no precedent or preconceptions about the author, you'd still laugh your eyebrows off. The stories are funny and even touching, but it's Gethard's agilities as an author that is most remarkable. I've said it before and I will say it again; I am nobody's shill. But when something is this good, this under-appreciated, this remarkably-not-in-the-hands-of-people-who-read-on-the-subway, I feel that it is my duty to make things right. Buy it. Unless you hate laughing. And good writing. Then f-off outta here.

In keeping with the concept of a bad idea someone (Chris) is about to do, Chris recently announced that he would be making his way from Los Angeles, California all the way to the 2012 Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee on foot. By June 7th. Without any money. Or places to stay. Or a phone. Or anything. This is a fan-propelled mission. It sets out to determine whether a person can get from point A to point B with just the help of his admirers and fans. Murder, starvation, molestation, exploitation, dehydration, masturbation(?) are all perils of a project this stupidly brilliant. The entire journey will be documented for your viewing pleasure. Want to help out? Check out the video below and allow Gethard do the 'splaining for me. There's tweetables and hashtags and cyberwhatnots for you to know about.

Oh, hey! Speaking of comedians I love who are also now published authors and are into Bonnaroo, I am sure you have by now done the right thing and pre-ordered Dave Hill's new tome Tasteful Nudes, right? Another absolutely hilarious and well executed book from another absolutely hilarious and well executed NYC based comedian. At the end of May, Dave will embark on a completely non-pretentious book tour that will make its way to The Bell House on Thursday May 24th (one night after Dave has a public conversation with Ira Glass in SoHo). This no holds barred event will have Mr. Dave Hill pulling out all the stops with appearances by John Hodgman, Janeane Garofalo, David Rakoff and music by Doug Gillard (Guided By Voices, Nada Surf) and TAB the Band. There may even be an appearance by Little Michael Jackson, a bunch of lowrider cars, live animals, and maybe even a dunking machine. All tour dates, which were too difficult for me to cut and paste into this article because my hands hurt, can be found here. Tickets for the Brooklyn show, which are a measly $10, are available now. Oh, and buy the book if you haven't already because maybe he'll sign it or throw it out a window at one of his apperances, depending on the vibes. Check Dave's awesome book related rock and roll video, as well as a video featuring him, Dick Cavett, and Malcolm Gladwell, below.

Continue reading "Chris Gethard walking to Bonnaroo; Dave Hill touring with book"

Tenacious D have added a 2nd NYC show, and other dates, to their upcoming tour in support of "Rize of the Fenix." The old NYC date is June 28 at Hammerstein Ballroom. The new NYC date is June 29 at Hammerstein Ballroom and it goes on sale Friday, May 4, at 10am. We also have another pair of tickets you can win (to the new show). Details and an updated set of tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Tenacious D add 2nd NYC show (updated dates & a contest) "

Pretty Good Friends @ Williamsburg Waterfront 2011 (more by David Andrako)

New Brooklyn outdoor venue Williamsburg Park (located at 50 Kent), which formally announced itself along with news that Refused were playing there, and then today announced a My Morning Jacket show, also have three other shows on the schedule, and they are all listed below...

Continue reading "Williamsburg Park announces more shows (5 total, 1 is free) "

by Klaus Kinski

For those of us prone to agoraphobia, Comedy Central really brought the stank on Saturday April 21st when they premiered not one but TWO epic specials. First up at 10pm was Patton Oswalt: Finest Hour followed by Paul F. Tompkins: Laboring Under Delusions at 11pm. Patton's Finest came out as an audio cd back in September 2011, so to many of us the material has already been heard, only this time we can see the munchkin himself in action. Both specials were phenomenal and if you missed them because you have a life, don't worry. Patton's special has been available for ages on CD and download and is now available, uncensored and extended, for download on iTunes and Amazon Instant Video and available in HD exclusively on Xbox Live and Sony PlayStation Network. I am sure it'll be on reruns too. PFT's special is also available, uncensored and extended, for download on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Vudu, Samsung Media Hub and in HD exclusively on Xbox LIVE and Sony PlayStation Network. Cripes, Comedy Central really made sure you nerds were covered on the download front.

Speaking of Comedy Central, one of the most egregious errors they ever made was cancelling the great Jon Benjamin Has a Van. CC has canceled many, many, many shows over the years and most of the time it was the right move because a lot of their original programming is/was horse shit. However, the loss of JBHAV really stuck in my craw. Jon Benjamin starred as a man on the street reporter, with a van, who always became a part of the stories he was reporting. The show was so goddamned funny I curse the day it was ever canceled. However, GOOD NEWS EVERYONE! Jon left this note on my pillow this morning (he calls me America) (You had to be there) (be glad you weren't):

HI AMERICA, it's me again, Jon Benjamin. I know we haven't spoken since my bar mitvah speech (sorry about my controversial opposition to the IDF's 1978 attack on Lebanon) Anyway, I made a show in 2010 called Jon Benjamin Has a Van and after a full season, myself, Leo Allen and Nathan Fielder decided to celebrate our middling ratings by launching a tour. Soon thereafter, Comedy Central cancelled our show, but the tour will still go on. So, without further adieu, I formally announce our Cancellation Tour. We will be in 7 cities over the course of ten days (a national record) and we'll perform comedy, magic and show uncensored footage and deleted scenes from American Reunion. It will be cheap, fast and easy. Thanks and hope to see you there. Love, Jon.

Speaking of comedy at the Knit, it has been announced that Neil Hamburger will be playing there on a tour too.

Check out JB's tour dates and a video below...

Continue reading "Jon Benjamin Has a Tour (but not a Comedy Central show)"

by Klaus Kinski

Before Hamburger, you have GOT to catch Eddie Pepitone at the Gotham Comedy Club on May 29th. Eddie, who one could argue is the original Brooklyn Vegan (true! Born in Brooklyn, adheres to the Vegan lifestyle) (there's a hamburger vegan joke in here somewhere), released his first ever live album A Great Stillness in December 2011 and it is nothing short of brilliant. Pepitone, also regarded as The Bitter Buddha, is a living legend in the comedy world and has the respect and adoration of just about everyone in the biz. He is even the subject of a hopefully-to-be-screened-in-NYC-and-beyond documentary The Bitter Buddah. Hopefully he'll also do some smaller, more indie rooms around the city during that window of time when he is here for that Gotham show. He simply does not perform in NYC that often, and I urge one and all to see this man dominate. Check out the official teaser for the Bitter Buddah below.

Continue reading "Eddie Pepitone released a live album, is the subject of a documentary, is playing Gotham"

by Klaus Kinski

Neil Hamburger (more by Samantha Marble)

Speaking of those Faith No More reunion shows , it has been announced that America's funnyman Neil Hamburger (who opened those Faith No More shows) will be hitting the road with Duncan Trussell in June and performing at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on Sunday June 17th (as part of the Northside Festival). Tickets are on sale right now but get them now while it's on your mind (or you can try to get in with your Northside badge). Because you will forget, it might sell out, and your friends will have to put up with your belly-aching.

The great Hannibal Buress has his show in the front room that Sunday (and every Sunday for that matter), so for my money the Knit is THE place to be on Sunday June 17th.

All dates, including NJ and CT, are listed below...

Continue reading "Neil Hamburger schedules tour dates w/ Duncan Trussell"

by Klaus Kinski

Fred Armisen & a fan @ Coachella

Did you go to Coachella this year? I didn't. More importantly, just like he did back in February, Klaus favorite and Buzzcocks fan Fred Armisen will have another 3 Sunday long residency at Brooklyn's Union Pool! The shows will take place May 6, 13, and 20 and are currently on sale now!