The Underachievers @ BrooklynVegan-SXSW (more by Bruno Simões)

Summerstage presents free shows in parks around NYC each summer. One of those parks is Red Hook Park where 2013 shows will happen on June 4 - 7. Check out the exact schedule below...

Continue reading "free shows in Red Hook Park (2013 schedule includes Rakim, Flatbush Zombies, and Ty Segall)"

The weird mutual appreciation society between Vampire Weekend and actor/director Steve Buscemi will not be stopping anytime soon. As mentioned, Buscemi is directing the webcast of their upcoming show at NYC's Roseland Ballroom (4/28) which is part of the American Express Unstaged series. Leading up to that, the band (who just played Coachella) is releasing a series of web videos detailing how all this supposedly came about. Fans of awkward comedy will surely enjoy the first installment which you can stream below.

Continue reading "watch behind-the-scenes "documentary" on upcoming Steve Buscemi-directed Vampire Weekend webcast"

Mr. Winters was at his best when winging it, confounding television hosts and luckless straight men with his rapid-fire delivery of bizarre observations uttered by characters like Elwood P. Suggins, a Midwestern Everyman, or one-off creations like the woodland sprite who bounded onto Jack Paar's late-night show and simperingly proclaimed: "I'm the voice of spring. I bring you little goodies from the forest."

A one-man sketch factory, Mr. Winters could re-enact Hollywood movies, complete with sound effects, or create sublime comic nonsense with simple props like a pen-and-pencil set. - [NY Times]

Comedian and improv legend Jonathan Winters died last night (4/11) at his home in Monteceto, CA. He was 87. A few clips of his still-hilarious comic mind are below. Rest in peace, Jonanthan.

Continue reading "Jonathan Winters, RIP"

As mentioned, Marc Maron is taping a new comedy special at Le Poisson Rouge on Monday (4/15) over two performances. Those are sold out, but Marc revealed via Twitter that as a warm-up he'll be performing at Union Hall on Sunday (4/14) at 10 PM. No advance tickets. This is happening after the Creaghead & Company comedy show that happens earlier that night.

Marc's IFC series, Maron, debuts May 3 and you can watch a couple 30-second previews below. He's also got a few other live dates coming up and those are listed below too.

Continue reading "Marc Maron performing at Union Hall before sold-out tapings at Le Poisson Rouge"

Tickets to see Adam Ant on two nights at Irving Plaza go on Livenation and Music Geeks presale today at 10 AM (Music Geeks password is "musicgeeks.")

Tickets to see Mobb Deep and Waka Flocka Flame at Best Buy Theatre go on AmEx presale today at 10 AM.

Punk vets Social Distortion play Warsaw on June 23. Tickets go on Music Geeks presale today at 10AM (password "musicgeeks").

Tickets to see Gaslight Anthem at Pier 26 at Hudson River Park go on AmEx presale today at 10 AM.

Free tickets to see The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Faceless, Royal Thunder and Primitive Weapons at Music Hall of Williamsburg are available via Ticketmaster today at noon.

Tickets to see OBN lIIs and Ex-Cults at Mercury Lounge go on AMEx presale today at noon.

Dan Kennedy (host of The Moth podcast and author of the forthcoming novel, American Spirit will be speaking at The Bell House on April 8 as part of NPR and WNYC's Ask Me Another. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Owen King (author of the novel Double Feature) will be speaking at The Bell House on April 15 as part of NPR and WNYC's Ask Me Another. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Julie Klausner (host of How Was Your Week?) will be speaking at The Bell House on April 22 as part of NPR and WNYC's Ask Me Another. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Lizz Winstead (comedian and co-creator of The Daily Show) will be speaking at The Bell House on April 29 as part of NPR and WNYC's Ask Me Another. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Bob Schneider is playing Bowery Ballroom July 26. Tickets for that show go on AmEx presale today at noon.

Pacific Air are playing Mercury Lounge on June 20. Tickets for that show go on AmEx presale today at noon.

John Waters is playing a one-man show at City Winery on June 28 with a meet-and-greet dinner on June 28 and 29 . Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Cult folk legends Kath Bloom and Ed Askew, who play together a lot will be playing at Sycamore on April 18. Admission is $10 at the door.

NYC EDM fest Electric Zoo will return to Randall's Island over Labor Day Weekend 2013 (Aug. 30 - Sept. 1) and includes Avicci, Tiesto, Bassnectar, Diplo and many more. 3-day passes are on sale now.

by Klaus Kinski

Comedy Bang Bang are Bonnaroo-ing it

While you are noodle-dancing your way to, and at, the 2013 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee (June 13 - 14), you might not be aware that this year marks the milestone 10-year anniversary of their annually-awesome and totally legendary Bonnaroo Comedy Theatre (Hosted by IFC). This year they are really shooting the works with a gold-standard, rock-solid, pant-shittingly awesome line up. So while you're at the festival, take a break from those dumb bands and thrill to the air-conditioned comedy of, in alphabetical order, James Adomian, Cristela Alonzo, Eric Andre, Maria Bamford, Mike Birbiglia, Jerrod Carmichael, Michael Che, Comedy Bang! Bang! with Scott Aukerman and Reggie Watts, David Cross, Kyle Dunnigan, Chris Gethard, Nikki Glaser, Ed Helms' Whisky Sour Radio Hour, Improvised Shakespeare Company, Jared Logan, Bob Saget, and Daniel Tosh.

If you'd like to see Ed Helms doing music here in NYC, his bluegrass trio plays Rockwood Music Hall on April 6 and tickets are on sale now.

Video of David Cross' comedy line-up announcement, shot on the Brooklyn shores of the east river, below.

BYE.

Continue reading "Mike Birbiglia, David Cross, Ed Helms, Bob Saget, Scott Aukerman & Reggie Watts playing Bonnaroo Comedy Theatre"

Offerman in 'Somebody Up There Likes Me'

Nick Offerman, who we recently interviewed, produced and stars in new comedy Somebody Up There Likes Me, which also features Keith Poulson, Jess Weixler, Stephanie Hunt, and Kevin Corrigan. The film also features a score by Vampire Weekend bassist Chris Baio. Here's the synopsis:

Parks and Recreation's Nick Offerman stars in this deadpan comedic fable with touches of the supernatural. In possession of a magical suitcase, Max (Poulson), his best friend Sal (Offerman), and the woman they both adore stumble through 35 years of unfulfilling entanglements. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at last year's Locarno Film Festival, this "highly original and delightfully unorthodox" (The Hollywood Reporter) ensemble piece features an original score by Vampire Weekend's Chris Baio, showcases stunning animated sequences by Bob Sabiston (A Scanner Darkly), stars Will & Grace's Megan Mullaly and character actor Marshall Bell (Total Recall), and boasts cameos by indie stalwarts Andrew Bujalski, Alex Ross Perry, Kate Lyn Sheil, and others.

You can watch the trailer below.

The film premieres in NYC this week at BAM Rose Cinemas (Mar 29--Apr 4). The 7 and 9:30 PM screenings on Friday, March 29 will also feature Q&A's with Offerman, Baio, Poulson and director Bob Byington. On Saturday, March 30, the 7 PM screening has a Q&A with Offerman and Byington, and the 9:30 with Offerman, Byington, and Poulson. Get your tickets now.

Doug Benson, in caricature form...

In other comedy/movie news, Doug Benson will be in NYC on April 2 at Gramercy Theatre to do a live taping of his popular Doug Loves Movies podcast. That is sold out, but he just added another Gramercy DLM appearance on July 1 and tickets for that show are on sale now and still available. All Doug Benson dates are below.

Wyatt Cenac

Wyatt Cenac's Night Train comedy show happens at Littlefield every Monday. This week's (3/25) guests include Hari Kondabolu, John F. O'Donnell, Rojo Perez, Ed Gavagan, and John McKeeverTickets are still available.

Speaking of Wyatt, he'll also be at The Bell House on March 31 as part of Tell Your Friends! The Spring Fling! with Janeane Garofalo, W. Kamau Bell and Allison Castillo. Tickets are still available.

Similarly named and at the same venue a few days later, Pretty Good Friends with hosts Eugene Mirman and John Hodgman comes to The Bell House on April 3. Wyatt Cenac will be at this one too, as will H. Jon Benjamin of Archer/Bob's Burgers/etc fame. Tickets are still available!

One more: A live taping of Julie Klausner's How Was Your Week? podcast happens at The Bell House on April 5. Guests include Max Silvestri, Ted Leo, chef Pichet Ong, and Siggy Flicker. Tickets are still available.

The Somebody Up There Likes Me trailer and Doug Benson tour dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Nick Offerman, 'Doug Loves Movies,' Eugene Mirman, John Hodgman, Wyatt Cenac ++ more NYC comedy stuff"

by Klaus Kinski

There's a fantastic recurring NYC-based comedy/talk show that I think I may have mentioned here once in passing but I am totally zoning out to a Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here Trance Remix CD and can't muster the energy to use the search bar staring me in the face on the BV home page. [Ed: you did, Klaus.] The show is called Running Late With Scott Rogowsky and it has taken place within the confines of places like The Pit, 92Y Tribeca, and, more recently, Galapagos Art Space.

Running Late with Scott Rogowsky is NYC's only live talk show hosted by Scott Rogowsky combining the traditional, familiar late-night format -- monologue, house band, sketches, celebrity interviews, musicians/comedians to close -- with a fresh, millennial sensibility (whatever the hell that means). New York Magazine calls it "the comedy talk show for the Internet age." I call it "The Chevy Chase Show" meets "The Pat Sajack Show" meets "The Magic Hour." Or Cavett meets Conan meets Rupert Pupkin. Oh, and my 64-year-old dad Marty is my sidekick.

His roster of past guests is truly staggering and boasts names like Chris Elliott, Rachel Dratch, Reggie Watts, Michael Showalter, David Wain, Judah Friedlander, Janeane Garofalo, Big Ang, R.L. Stine, Jonathan Ames, A.J. Jacobs, Chris Barron, Jean Grae, Todd Barry, and more. The next installment of Running Late will take place at Galapagos on Thursday March 28 and will feature David Cross (who recently appeared at the 92nd Street Y), Andrew WK, the great Alan Zweibel, and Scott Wiener of Scott's Pizza Tours. Andrew WK will perform Party Hard with the Running Late band and maybe a few more jams! Scott Wiener will be giving away pizza! David's wife Amber might make the scene! Legends David Cross and Alan Zweibel will be dropping knowledge down our gullets! Tickets are on sale now so get em while you can.

Future Running Late's are already starting to pop up on the radar, so mark your whatever-you-mark-to-save-dates because on Thursday April 11 (Merry Klausmas!) Scott welcomes pale giant comedian Jim Gaffigan, Pulitzer Prize winning author/journalist Anna Quindlen, and more! On Thursday April 25 Scott welcomes Jon Glaser and more! So keep your dead-eyes on the Running Late website.

Sate your appetite for Running Late with some xtreme coverage on Thrillist and watch a couple "Scott's Pizza Tours" below.

Continue reading "David Cross, Andrew WK and more appearing at live NYC comedy talk show 'Running Late with Scott Rogowsky'"

Comedian Mike Birbiglia is about to head down under for a series of shows where he'll be peforming "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend" and promoting his movie Sleepwalk With Me. Between then and mid-June you can catch Mike around the U.S. of A. including at fests like Sasquatch and Bonnaroo, and back at his favorite intimate Brooklyn venue Union Hall on May 6th. Tickets for that one are on sale. All dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Mike Birbiglia schedules more dates"

Marc Maron will be taping his new comedy special with two performances at Le Poisson Rouge on April 15. Tickets are on sale now.

In other Marc Maron being funny on TV news, his new IFC series, Maron, debuts May 3 on IFC. The scripted series is based on Maron's life and his very popular WTF podcast. The series also stars Judd Hirsch, Norah Zehetner, Andy Kindler and Josh Brener. There's a cavalcade of guest stars appearing in its debut season, including Dave Foley, Ken Jeong, Aubrey Plaza, Adam Scott, Bobcat Goldthwait and Dennis Leary. You can watch the teaser trailer for Maron below.

Continue reading "Marc Maron's new IFC show debuts in May; taping new stand-up special in NYC"