today in NYC
* ASSSSCAT 3000 @ UCB
* Alon Yavnai @ Barbes
* Kama Rupa @ The Stone
* Pharmakon @ The Stone
* Nicolas Jaar ("From Scratch") @ P.S. 1
* Lacrymosa, Sea of Bees @ Joe's Pub
* Sunday Night Live: Ed Vallance @ The Ace Hotel
* Narc, Alexander Trust, Jaja, Big Ups @ Cameo Gallery
* Fred Armisen (Fred Armisen's Playlist Live!) @ Union Pool
* Stephanie Wrembel presents The Django Experiment @ Barbes
* Permanent Wave presents Allison Weiss, Traveling, Swearin', Early Riser @ Big Snow Buffalo Lodge

I can't tell if Eugene Mirman will be hosting the Superbowl party at Union Hall tonight or not. I guess he is, that is if they're able to show it.

Brooklyn Bowl is probalby a great place to watch the Superbowl (if you like football and don't mind lots of people).

Madonna, Nicki Minaj, and most interestingly, M.I.A. are performing during the Superbowl's Halftime show.

Fred Armisen, who like Bon Iver, performed on Saturday Night Live last night, and like St. Vincent, appeared on a new episode of Portlandia one night before that, plays his first residency show at Union Pool tonight.

Lana Del Rey was on SNL last night too.

Papermag shows us "Downton Abbey Stars On-Screen Vs. Off-Screen." The Guardian has an article about how they got the World War I trenches. A new (for the US) episode of Downton Abbey premieres tonight on PBS. A new commercial for Downton (or is it Downtown) Abbey on Spike TV premiered on Saturday Night Live last night. Watch that commercial below.

Dominick Fernow of Cold Cave (and other projects) curated Feb 1-15 at The Stone.

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What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Sunday? (Superbowl)"

Pat Kiernan

Demtetri Martin has added a third show at NYU which is on sale now. It doesn't appear to also be a taping (just a rehearsal), and happens towards the end of his tour and three days before his other two NYC shows which are tapings.

That same week, astrophysicist Neil de Grasse Tyson returns to the Bell House along with Eugene Mirman for another edition of Star Talk Live! Tickets just went on sale.

NY1's Pat Kiernan hosts trivia at the Bell House on February 27 (which is one day before Stephen Tobolowsky appears at the venue).

Meanwhile, you have ONLY THREE MORE CHANCES to see Daniel Kitson at St. Ann's.

Watch "Shit Pat Kiernan says" below...

Continue reading "Demetri Martin adds 3rd NYC show; Neil de Grasse Tyson & Pat Kiernan returning to the Bell House; Kitson done soon"

Though it doesn't say it on their website, Mike Birbiglia promises that he's performing "Sleepwalk With Me" at Comic Strip Live tonight (12/12).

UPDATE: Mike's show starts at 8:30 and tickets go on sale at noon.

I don't know what time it starts and ends, but if it's done early enough you can then head to UCB West for this week's edition of Whiplash with Leo Allen and guests.

Alternatively, you can spend your Monday night with Kurt and Kristen in Brooklyn at Littlefield. Their guests at Hot Tub this week include Michael Showalter.

Head back to UCB West on Wednesday after work for a live WFMU broadcast of "7 Second Delay" with guests Lou Reed and Suzanne Vega.

UPDATE: Lou Reed is also making an appearance at Book Court tonight.

In other "live" comedy news, tickets are on sale for Star Talk Live at The Bell House on Sunday, December 18th. The lineup includdes Neil de Grasse Tyson, Eugene Mirman, and John Hodgman.

One night after that is the Hot Tub Holiday edition at Littlefield with Kurt, Kristen, Jon Glaser, Hannibal Buress, Adam the Real Man, and musical guest River City Extension.

Speaking of Hannibal Buress, he opened two shows for Aziz Ansari at the Bell House on Saturday night. We posted pictures.

Speaking of the Bell House, Rocket from the Tombs plays there tonight!

by Klaus Kinski

Reggie Watts, Lisa Delarios & Arden Myrin

And now for the good news that will hopefully serve as an antidote for the terrible news. Have you been one of the lucky and smart mofos who has managed to catch The Party Machine at one of its many appearances at Brooklyn's Union Hall? Those shows, hosted by Lisa Delarios and Arden Myrin, are always off the f-ing chain and always rife with incredible guests. RIFE I tells ya. Structurally, Union Hall can barely withstand the ruckus the Party Machine inflicts on the place, so on Thursday December 8th, The Party Machine will test The Bell House's mettle with The Party Machine Holiday Benefit for The Stiller Foundation.

The Stiller Foundation is a philanthropic effort led by Ben Stiller (never heard of him) whose aim is "to support children around the world by providing educational opportunities to help them realize their full potential." The line-up for this show is EPIC to say the least. Like, so epic that if you suffer from incontinence or heart murmurs, you might want to take some meds before reading on. So far, the published line-up includes Colin Quinn, Michael Showalter, Eleanor Friedberger, Ana Gasteyer, the gorgeous Bobby Tisdale, Seth Herzog (no relation to my nemesis), Andy Kindler (!) and Adira Amram and the Experience. And that's just the talent I am allowed to tell you about. I've heard whispers of special guests what would knock the socks off a shoe cobbler. And the show is only $10! Tha fuck?! I know! Get tickets for the comedy event of the century, and help Ben Stiller in his crusade to help kids who have it so much worse than you whining tarts could ever imagine.

And check this out; Arden's now on the ABC show Suburgatory and doing a pilot with Fred fucking Savage for MTV.

And while you've got your wallet out maybe you should get a coupla tickets to the previously mentioned Pretty Good Friends Holiday Show at the Bell House on December 11th featuring Eugene Mirman (please don't show those slaughterhouse pics again), Kristen Schaal, John Mulaney, and MORE. And when I say more, I mean "Damn, I should have bought a ticket when Klaus mentioned it" more. This show is a benefit for you, the ticket buying smarty-pants, who will get a massive dose of laughter which, I am told, is the best medicine.

Meanwhile catch Eugene Mirman, Dave Hill, Bobby Tisdale & Todd Barry at UCB East on December 5th. It's the Comedy Central Corporate Retreat show and Eugene will be giving a sneak peek of a pilot he made for the basic cable channel.

Todd Barry is filming a Comedy Central one hour special at Gramercy Theater four days earlier! Maybe you saw him practice the material at the Pit.

Oh, and don't forget that Ted Leo and the Pharmacists is playing the Bell House on December 30th. Tickets are still, inexplicably, available.

Conan O'Brien is filming his late night show live from the Beacon Theater in NYC all this week. One of last night's musical/comical guests was Reggie Watts. Check out the video of Reggie doing a special rendition of "The Boys Are Back in Town" below.

Conan's writers are doing standup at Gotham Comedy Club tonight (11/1) (tickets still on sale), and at UCB Wednesday (standby list only).

Fallon writer Sara Schaefer co-hosts her weekly show at UCB East.

Also tonight: Todd Barry celebrates his 24th year in comedy with a one-hour Comedy Central special run-through show at the Pit. Tickets are still available.

Hopefully Todd also makes it over to Bowery Poetry Club in time to see the FAKE HIM perform as part of The 4th Annual SCHTICK OR TREAT. Other fake versions that will perform include:

Anthony Jeselnik
Aziz Ansari
Bobcat Goldthwait
Colin Quinn
David Cross
Emo Phillips
Jerry Seinfeld
Judah Friedlander
Larry David
Marc Maron
Maria Bamford
Paul F. Tompkins
Richard Lewis
Rodney Dangerfield
Susie Essman
Todd Barry
Whitney Cummings
Zach Galifianakis
...and more!

Eugene Mirman, Kristen Schaal, and John Mulaney aren't on the list of comedians getting roasted tonight, but you can catch their real versions at the Pretty Good Friends Holiday show happening at the Bell House on December 11th. Tickets are on sale. Take a peak at Eugene's tour page for more upcoming gigs including one in Turners Falls, MA this Saturday (and Union Hall the night after that).

Continue reading "Conan O'Brien & his writers are back in town, Todd Barry @ the Pit, more Eugene Mirman shows, fake Aziz & more"

photos by Chris Graham

"John Wesley Harding just sang a song with an Atlantic Yards reference." - Kate

John Hold Steady Walkmen Mountain Goat Wesley Harding

"Well, you know, I've been making music for twenty something years now, and over the years, you meet many people in and out of your lives. They may or may not be your best friends, and you may or may not be close with their families, but there is a mutual respect and in some cases, that blossoms into very long friendships. For example, when I first came into America in 1990, I think my first ever solo show here was in Athens, Georgia. There, I was invited to stay at Peter Buck's house, and staying there was Nikki Sudden who has since sadly demised, and Billy Bragg; it was quite a wild scenario. It was my first time in town really, and my first solo show in America, so I've known Peter 21 years now. Scott, the producer of the record, came up to me at a show in Seattle in 1992 and said, "I'm a fan, I'm in the Young Fresh Fellows," and I said, "Fantastic." Now, bizarrely, he's not only in the Young Fresh Fellows, he's also in The Minus Five who was the backing band of my last album, and R.E.M who are now no more. Rosanne Cash, I met totally by chance in a New York lunch place. We were introduced, and I'm an artist-in-residence at this university, and I asked her to do a talk for the students with me because she's also a writer and musician. We've become very good friends, she's a great user of the social networking device Twitter, and we kind of keep in touch through that. So, I've known her a few years now, and her voice is so very recognizable to me, and I've loved it for so long that she is a very easy person to summon how good she would be in your mind of how good she would be in a song; then there's John Roderick of The Long Winters who is quite a recent friend; also Laura Veirs--I needed a woman to sing the parts of the ghost of my ex-girlfriend in one of the songs; and Steve Berlin of Los Lobos does the horns on everything, and he produced an album for me in 1992 called Why We Fight. He also found me a place to live. I was his neighbor for a couple of years. So, as you can see, it's a lovely web of friendship and mutual history."
- John Wesley Harding to Huffington Post

Tickets are still on sale for the Decemberists-filled Cabinet of Wonders that will go down in the same venue on 11/18. Many of the same musicians will also be in the house the next night at the Bell House and then at Maxwell's right after that.

More pictures from City Winery below...

Continue reading "John Darnielle, Rosanne Cash, Hamilton Leithauser, John Hodgman & others played John Wesley Harding's show (pics)"

photos by Chris Graham

"I just saw Craig Finn play a theramin with a beer bottle." - Kate McKean

Craig Finn, Eugene Mirman & friends @ City Winery

"Craig Finn, frontman of The Hold Steady, has confirmed the November 25 release of his new 7" single "Honolulu Blues," a preview of his highly anticipated solo debut out early 2012. The limited edition 7" vinyl, released with new b-side "Rented Room," will only be available in select record stores nationwide on Record Store Day's "Black Friday" sale. Both songs will be available via all digital retailers on November 29.

Produced by Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Trail of Dead) in Austin, Texas earlier this year, Finn's solo album features backing by members of White Denim, The Heartless Bastards, Phosphorescent, and Centro-matic." [PR]

Continue reading "Craig Finn releasing Record Store Day 7", played Cabinet of Wonders (pics)"

Mountain Goats @ Knitting Factory, Halloween 2005 (more)

As previously mentioned, John Wesley Harding is holding a "Cabinet of Wonders" variety show at NYC's City Winery on October 28th with Hamilton Leithauser (The Walkmen), Eugene Mirman, John Hodgman, Emma Straub, Paul Harding, and more TBA. Since our last mention, two very special guests have been added to the bill: Craig Finn (The Hold Steady) and John Darnielle (The Mountain Goats). Hopefully you didn't sleep on tickets because the show is now sold out.

Tickets are however on sale now for A Haunted Hot Tub Halloween at Littlefield, also a comedy and music variety show, happening one day later (10/29) with Kristen Schaal, Kurt Braunohler, Wyatt Cenac, Andres du Bouchet, and... John Darnielle, and more.

Tickets are also on sale for Hot Tub on 10/10 and 10/17.

Tickets are also still on sale for the 11/18 Cabinet of Wonders at City Winery with The Blue Fisherman (from Edinburgh, Scotland), Howe Gelb, Myla Goldberg, Ted Leo, Eugene Mirman, Audrey Niffenegger AND "Plus for this Cabinet of Wonders, and this Cabinet of Wonders only, the House Band will be THE KING CHARLES TRIO, comprising: Peter Buck (REM), Jenny Conlee-Drizos, Chris Funk, John Wesley Harding (Appearing as Himself), Scott McCaughey (The Minus Five), John Moen, and Nate Query." That's a lot of Decemberists. More upcoming JWH shows HERE

Speaking of Ted Leo and Craig Finn, both are scheduled to make appearances at the BrooklynVegan-presented Replacements tribute shows happening at Bowery Electric in November. The previously announced two shows (and movie screenings) are sold out, BUT a third tribute concert - a late one on 11/17, has been added. Tickets for the new show are on sale. More info HERE.

Mountain Goats dates and flyers below...

Continue reading "3rd Replacements tribute show added, John Darnielle schedules guest appearances, Craig Finn too"

photos by David Andrako

The 2011 Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival concluded on Sunday night (9/18) with two shows at the Bell House. "A Special Food-Themed Comedy Show For You" was hosted by Eugene Mirman and Leo Allen, with Ron Funches, Sarah Vowell, Larry Murphy, Raquel Pelzel and David Rees. "Pretty Good Friends", hosted by Michael Showalter, was with Eugene Mirman, Marc Maron (who plays the same Brooklyn venue again tonight/Monday), Hannibal Buress, Jared Logan and surprise musical guest Andrew Bird.

Andrew played four songs: Goin Home (Charlie Patton), So Much Wine (Handsome Family), Bein' Green (Joe Raposo), and Give It Away (new song).

Congrats to Mirman & co for another great year! Looking forward to 2012. Pictures from 2011 are HERE, HERE, HERE, and below...

Continue reading "Andrew Bird played! -- Eugene Mirman Comedy Fest Day 4 pics (Marc Maron, Sarah Vowell, Michael Showalter & more)"

BH photos by David Andrako, UH photos by Ryan Muir

Saturday was the biggest day for the 2011 Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival which started with just one show at the Bell House on Thursday, and continued with one show each at the Bell House and Union Hall on Friday. Saturday looked like this:

6 PM @ Bell House: The Archer Variety Hour (and Panel)

9 PM @ Bell House: The Talent Show Presents: The Drunk Show

6:30 PM @ Union Hall: An Evening Of Very Likable Comedians

8:30 PM @ Union Hall: The Rick Jenkins Comedy Studio Showcase

The first show at the Bell House was moderated by Eugene and had Jon Benjamin, Aisha Tyler, Jessica Walter, Chris Parnell, Amber Nash, Lucky Yates and executive producer Matt Thompson. That was preceded by a talent show involving the Archer cast. Miss Whitney says, "You guys. The Archer Variety Hour at the Bell House earlier tonight was pretty fucking fantastic... enjoy H. Jon Benjamin's performance of "Non-Dueling Banjos." (video below)" The late show was the 'Drunk Show' hosted by Kevin Townley and Elna Baker featuring John Hodgman, Ira Glass, Rachel Maddow, Eugene Mirman, Jodi Lennon, Leo Allen, Dan St. Germain and Ptolemy Slocum.

The 'Drunk Show' kicked off with Rachel Maddow being interviewed by Hodgman while she made several cocktails from the Savoy Cocktail Book. The show had the participants drinking, arm wrestling "wheelchair style", and ended with a karaoke sing along to "Do They Know Its Christmas."

More pictures from the whole night, both venues, below...

Continue reading "Eugene Mirman Fest 2011 --- Day 3 in pics (Rachel Maddow, John Hodgman, Jon Benjamin, Ira Glass & many more)"

photos by David Andrako

Jon Glaser as Bobby Tisdale

After kicking off on Thursday, the Eugene Mirman Festival (which ends tonight/Sunday) continued on Friday with two shows, "A Night Of Very Likeable Comedians" at Union Hall and "Invite Them Up" at The Bell House. The Union Hall show featured standup from Tom Allen, Tom Shillue, Kurt Braunohler, Seth Herzog, John Mulaney and Jane Borden. Kurt and John also headed over to The Bell House to perform alongside Eugene Mirman, Slovin and Allen, Janeane Garofalo and Jon Glaser, who filled in as/for Invite Them Up host Bobby Tisdale. A set of pictures from the show at The Bell House continues below...

Continue reading "Eugene Mirman Fest 2011 --- Day 2 @ The Bell House in pics (Jon Glaser as Bobby Tisdale, Janeane Garofalo, more)"

photos by David Andrako

The Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival is underway, and continues tonight (Friday, 9/16) at both Union Hall & the Bell House. Thursday night's show at the Bell House (the only Thursday night show there was) was a live taping of Neil deGrasse Tyson's radio show, Star Talk. Eugene Mirman was a guest as were Kristen Schaal and Scott Adsit. Neil's guest, unannounced, was Alan Alda. They recorded the show for future broadcast and had a lengthy Q&A after the taping (stay tuned). Here are some pictures. They continue below...

Continue reading "Eugene Mirman Fest 2011 --- Day 1 @ The Bell House in pics (Neil deGrasse Tyson and... Alan Alda!)"

UCB East (photo by the Apiary)

The Apiary reports:

The UCBT officially unlocked its East Village expansion Tuesday night, The UCB East (aka The Beast). But judging by the utter lack of wacky inflatable arm tube dudes and the three random people in the crowd for its first show (a screening of Wild Girls Gone), it's not ready for a Theater Magazine feature story yet. I strolled through, snagging shots of the new space. It seats a 100 maybe and is both long-ish and narrow. You'll need to speak with your diaphragms inserted to reach the lurkers in the back. Oh, and the stage is small, probably 12-14 feet wide? UCB West devotees will be majorly disappointed by the clear, unobstructed view from every seat. The venue has a foyer and a roomy spillway, which means you'll be able to shotgun PBRs before and after a performance without getting rained on. BYOB for now though til the liquor license fairies come by.

Continue reading "UCB East aka UC Beast aka the Beast opens in East Village"

by Klaus Kinski

Kristen Schaal & Eugene Mirman (more by David Andrako)

When the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival reared it's beautiful head for the first time in 2008, the sheer magnitude of the thing was really and truly mind-blowing; 10 epic shows, 4 nights, 2 venues. And for reasons which I can't fully explain because I don't quite understand them myself, I thought the festival would be a one-off thing. The whole thing had a slight whiff of irony, like it was lampooning the very concept of a comedy festival. Then the sucker was back in 2009 with a similar formula; 10 epic shows, 4 nights, 2 venues, and loads of shiver-inducing top-shelf talent. "Huh," I thought, "Maybe this really is something I can look forward to as an annual event." Then, BAM, Fall 2010 comes around and with it The 2010 Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival. That time around, the festival included The Rock Shop as a third venue (note: did you get your 8/27 Ted Leo tix yet?) and featured yet another magnificent roster of talent.

Well folks, it's nearly Fall 2011 and I have some really bad news for the humorless, hummus-eating commenters out there and really GREAT news for everyone else; The Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival is BACK and will take over the Bell House and Union Hall from September 15-18, 2011. And as with previous years, the 2011 Fest is sure to blow the toupee or merkin right off your body. Expect appearances from H. Jon Benjamin, Kristen Schaal, Jon Glaser as Bobby Tisdale, Aisha Tyler, Matt Thompson, Adam Reed, Jessica Walters, Jon Hodgman, Ira Glass and way way way way way more. Brace yourself, the whole schedule with ticket info is below. Check out the coverage and news from past fests to get an idea how truly remarkable they have been.

Hey. If you think I'm done talking about Eugene Mirman, you are so fucking wrong bro. Because there is another important aspect of the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival that I've mentioned before but absolutely bears repeating; The Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival Kickstarter page. No, Eugene didn't have a DIY venue packed with $40K worth of stuff that he forgot to insure that was subsequently robbed. The Festival costs a lot of money to produce, and the talent and people behind the scenes bust their asses to make it work for little or no money. The purpose of the Kickstarter is to amass a solid kitty (a pool of money, especially one to which a number of people have contributed for a designated purpose) that Festival organizers can use to produce a series of shows that will knock your socks off. Ticket costs can only cover so much. I donated because I am not an idiot who thinks this money is going to line some doofus' pockets; I donated because I know everyone who sees these shows will end up reaping the rewards of our collective generosity. Currently at 81%, The Kickstarter Campaign ends on AUGUST 17th, which is like so soon, so please donate and make this an amazing festival for EVERYONE.

In other Mirman-related news, be advised that there is a Pretty Good Friends 5 Year Anniversary Show happening at The Bell House on Sunday, August 21 at 7:30pm featuring the great David Cross, AD Miles, and more. Tickets are $15 and are currently on sale. Get em while they last. And if you find yourself in riot stricken London at some point between October 5th and October 15th, catch one of many Pretty Good Friends shows happening at the Soho Theater. Tickets are on sale. Don't be a pratt, wanker. Shag baby! Oh, behave! Don't give me that codswallop!

Mirman Fest schedule below...

Continue reading "Eugene Mirman Comedy Fest 2011 -- lineup & tix"

John Wesley Harding (aka Wesley Stace) has three 'Cabinet of Wonders' scheduled at City Winery for his second season this fall. The dates scheduled are September 23, October 28, and November 18. Each night features a collection of special guests. The first night (9/23) includes Eleanor Friedberger (of Fiery Furnaces), Andrew VanWyngarden (of MGMT), Todd Barry, Jami Attenberg, Tony Visconti, Dan Zanes, and more TBA. The October 28 lineup includes Hamilton Leithauser (The Walkmen), Eugene Mirman, John Hodgman, Emma Straub, Paul Harding, and more TBA. The November 18 lineup includes Howe Gelb, Eugene Mirman, Audrey Niffenegger, and Myla Goldberg. Check the Cabinet of Wonders website for updates on the shows. Tickets are only on sale for the first one at the moment.

John Wesley Harding is also playing a few shows in November, some of which are with The Minus 5. Those dates include November 19 at The Bell House in Brooklyn, and November 20 at Maxwell's in Hoboken, both with The Minus 5. Robyn Hitchcock also plays the The Bell House on November 19, and there's a combo ticket for both shows.

John Wesley Harding also appears with 'friends' and Josh Ritter at the New York Public Library on December 6. The show starts at 7 PM and will be held in the Celeste Bartos Forum. The event is listed as discussion/reading/singing.

All dates and a video of a past Cabinet of Wonders below...

Continue reading "John Wesley Harding shows, The Minus 5, Robyn Hitchcock, MGMT, Eugene Mirman, Todd Barry & others too"

photos by David Andrako

Like those who chose to spend their Friday night at an outdoor Long Island amphitheater watching Weezer & Flaming Lips, and those caught in the long line outside House of Vans, the people who decided on the free They Might Be Giants music & comedy show at Williamsburg Waterfront got wet. Visual proof continues (more about this show later), below...

Continue reading "comedy, rain & music @ Williamsburg Waterfront in pics (They Might Be Giants, Eugene Mirman, Kristen Schaal & more)"

by Klaus Kinski

Wet Hot Showalter @ Mirman Fest 2010 (more by David Andrako)

If you're like me (you wish), you were looking forward to going to the Wet Hot American Summer 10 Year Anniversary Show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Tuesday July 26th. Then you were looking forward to making your way to the Williamsburg Waterfront just a few days later (July 29th) to catch the FREE Eugene Mirman & Pretty Good Friends show featuring Todd Barry, Patton Oswalt, Kristen Schaal, They Might Be Giants and more. Please be advised though that 50% of those plans have changed as the Wet Hot 10th Anniversary Show has been rescheduled to Tuesday August 2nd. This sucker has been sold out forever, but rest assured that your July 26th tickets will indeed be honored.

There has has been a shit ton of Kickstarter talk going on around here lately and I'd like to throw another cause your way. This year, The Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival has started up a Kickstarter campaign. I actually think the main tenents behind this Kickstarter campaign make a lot of sense, as it's aim is to benefit the people putting the show together, the talent that will be performing, and the people who will be spending money on tickets to the shows.

"In the past, our festival has been funded by our ticket sales, a small gift from Sub Pop Records, and a few ads in our program. We'd originally started the festival as a joke, but enjoyed putting it on and wanted to keep it going. Each year the costs (pig roast, a limo to take audience to the subway after shows, cotton candy machine, giant banners for made-up sponsors, etc.) and time put in have grown and we toy with the idea of corporate sponsors to cover them, but mostly shy away from it. This year, we thought we'd try to raise money with Kickstarter so we can pay employees, keep ticket prices affordable, and still do ridiculous and fun things. Here's a list of the things we will do with any money we raise:

• Pay a living wage to the people who work really hard to make this event possible.
• Build an ice cream limo or buy an ice cream truck
• Pay comedians enough money to afford one very nice meal and maybe even buy a pair of shoes.
• Fly out and put up some performers so that we can have more events/ panels/ shows/ comedy/ music
• Set up a petting zoo outside of our venue
• Awkward Party Bus
• Have musical guests on some of our shows
• Have fun after-parties
• Pay recent college grads to have sex in a pit (probably not, but we'll see how much money we raise)
• Delicious free food!
• More surprises!

by Klaus Kinski

Euegene Mirman @ The Eugene Mirman Festival (more by David Andrako)

Ladies and gentlemen, we are approaching that time of year when I feel so oppressed and destroyed by the heat and humidity that I can't help but contemplate suicide knowing that I must endure this for many many many more weeks. As the sweat and grease springs forth from every pore of my body... as the sweat that begins at the back of my neck rolls its way south and converges with my back sweat and picks up momentum and girth as the sweaty tidal wave approaches my butt-crack... as I wince through this every day I think, "Dead people don't have to deal with this. It must be much cooler and shadier being entombed." (it's DEFINITELY cooler being in the band Entombed). People migrate to the beach not just to enjoy the sun and the water; they do so to escape the revolting sight of people like me panting and sweating through our clothing and the sheer lack of comfort we exude. It is at this point in the calendar year that I feel my lowest and need a serious and somewhat sustained pick-me-up. Thankfully, the fine folks at Creaghead & Company have a pile of comedic fare for me to ingest in the coming weeks that will hopefully keep me from the edge. It will do nothing for my perpetual moisture and shininess, but it'll make life more tolerable!

For those of you not in the know, Creaghead & Company is a small, mom and pop outfit from Brooklyn that puts together some seriously rad music and comedy events. You may not have known it, but Creaghead & Company was/is behind events and tours such as Pretty Good Friends (a weekly comedy show at Union Hall hosted by Eugene Mirman) (there was also a PGF tour that featured Mirman, Reggie Watts, and Kumail Nanjiani), The Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, Heart of Darkness (brain child of Greg Barris), Marking Out (hosted by Matt McCarthy), and more. The shows C&Co put together aren't just standard stand-up fare. Each and ever yone of these shows DO feature some of the best minds in comedy currently drawing breath.

A more elaborate listing of their upcoming events are listed below, but allow me to take time out of MY busy day and give YOU a quick de-briefing (not the underwear kind) of what to expect in the coming days/weeks. The fun starts, like, soon... as in, like, Monday July 11th when Matt McCarthy's show Marking Out hits the Ace Hotel with guests including Michael Showalter, Joe Mande, Adam Lowitt, and musical guest Toys & Tiny Instruments. For the record, McCarthy is an absolute comedic force. Sort of like the real Klaus Kinski, only hilarious and completely different looking. Or maybe like the Minor Threat of comedy where you want to be up front gnashing your teeth and pumping your fist with him, but instead reel it in and respectfully listen while he does his thing. One of my favorites in the biz.

Marking Out is at 8pm which means you can probably catch it before Whiplash, which, like every Monday night, starts at 11pm at UCB.

Then on Wednesday July 13th you can catch Tom Shillue's FunnyStory.biz at Caroline's On Broadway. The show is hosted by Klaus favorite Tom Shillue and features Kurt Braunohler, Rich Vos, Swords, and John Flynn. Yes, it's at Carolines but it's only 10 bucks. And as side note, I know Caroline's gets a lot of shit for being a corporate Time's Square tourist venue, but they have made a serious effort lately to have $5 shows, one of which is hosted by the great Joe Mande. So give 'em a break. You pompous shrill.

Then on Saturday July 16th you can catch Heart of Darkness at Union Hall. Hosted by Greg Barris, Heart of Darkness is waaayyyy more than a stand up revue. I spoke about it in my little corner of the internet, but to sum:

"It is an incorporative show," explains the project's charismatic creator, 28-year-old comedian Greg Barris, who will also take the stage. "The band and the comics will all be performing together, the audience will be involved, special guests will be involved--the whole way through. And people's sins will be forgiven."

Head back to Union Hall on Monday July 18th for a pretty serious Creaghead & Company Mandatory Staff Meeting featuring Head Creaghead Caroline Creaghead. The meeting will also feature Department Heads: Eugene Mirman, Murderfist, Mike Pomranz, and intern Roger Hailes. And more. This event is actually not optional. If you don't go you'll be fired, from life. Pretty serious stuff.

Also, you might want to make sure that on July 29th you get your cut-off wearing ass over to the Williamsburg Waterfront for Creaghead & Co. related event Pretty Good Friends featuring Eugene Mirman, Patton Oswalt, Todd Barry, Kristen Schaal, and They Might Be Giants. The setting is beautiful, the event is free, and you deserve a good laugh. Trust me, you do.

More details on all these shows below...

Continue reading "Klaus Kinski's Comedy Canon (07/11/11)"

People at Williamsburg Waterfront last year (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

This summer's Williamsburg Waterfront concert season begins this weekend with a free show on Saturday (6/11) (5:30pm doors). For what it's worth, that show is Coheed and Cambria, Adrian Belew Power Trio and Tigers Jaw, but it is free. It's also one of three currently announced free shows (there will be five free shows total, one of which will be classical music). The other two announced free events are Eugene Mirman and Pretty Good Friends (Patton Oswalt will be one of those friends!) and special musical guests They Might Be Giants on July 29, and a children's show with Moey's Music Party and Story Pirates (who recently hosted a benefit) on June 19 at noon.

Ticketed shows include Death From Above 1979, Death Cab for Cutie, Sonic Youth, Bright Eyes, Thievery Corporation (with Dam-Funk & Master Blazter and Raphael Saadiq opening), TV on the Radio, Fleet Foxes and more. Check out the full lineup with openers listed below...

Continue reading "Williamsburg Waterfront opens this weekend, here is the full updated summer schedule"

DOWNLOAD: Alina Simone - "Beautiful Machine" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Alina Simone - "Glitterati" (MP3)

Alina Simone

"It's probably one of the weirdest thing if not the weirdest thing that's ever happened to me," said Simone. "I was not even on the cusp of writing a book, or an article or a short story or anything."

The resulting book is a collection of funny, cynical essays on meeting sketchy producers off of Craigslist, her obsession with Skopsy, a Russian castrati set, and battling fleas in her Williamsburg apartment. [The Brooklyn Paper]

Alina Simone is also performing at Largehearted Lit: Singers Who Write, Writers Who Sing tonight (6/8) at WORD in Brooklyn with Wesley Stace (aka John Wesley Harding). In July she'll appear at the second Girls Write Now benefit at Brooklyn Winery (7/14) with Deb Olin Unferth, Jami Attenberg, Maud Newton, and Kio Stark.

Amanda Palmer has some of her own upcoming shows as well. She plays a show at a secret location in Boston on 6/25 (details at her site), and NYC-area shows at Maxwell's on June 22 and The Bell House on June 23. Both of those NYC-area shows, both with Sarah Borrello and Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, unfortunately sold out before we even realized they were announced to famous Amanda's 500,000+ Twitter followers.

Speaking of which, Alina started videotaping her friend Amanda 12 years ago. "She wanted to be famous" and "succeeded", says Alina in the video of lost 1999 footage she recently posted to Youtube. Check that out below.

You can pick up a copy of Alina's book You Must Go and Win and her album Make Your Own Danger as MP3, CD, and LP. Grab two songs off the album for free above too.

All dates, some videos where Alina's friend Eugene Mirman gives her book marketing advice, and Alina's video of Amanda Palmer, below...

Continue reading "Alina Simone & Amanda Palmer have appearances coming up, Alina wrote a book & made a new CD too"

photos by Amanda Hatfield, words by Andrew Frisicano

The "Our Band Could Be Your Life" tribute Sunday night at Bowery Ballroom ran more than four hours with 14 bands playing the music of 13 bands (plus a special encore act that covered Nirvana). Set changes were kept short, and bands generally played about 10-15 minutes (between one and four songs). Unannounced guests included Tim Harrington and Lee Ranaldo singing the Minutemen, Craig Finn playing the role of Minneapolis cop, and Dan Deacon's multimedia barrage and three-piece band. More highlights, lots of pictures, and a bunch of videos (UPDATE: NPR has audio of the show) are below...

Continue reading "'Our Band Could Be Your Life' in pics, video & review (Dirty Projectors, St Vincent, Dan Deacon, Ted Leo, Wye Oak & more)"

today in NYC
* Whiplash @ UCB
* Chicha Libre @ Barbes
* Son of a Gun @ Joe's Pub
* The Lonely Island @ Apple Store SoHo
* Ulysses S. Grant @ The Living Room
* Josh Roseman Water Surgeons @ Barbes
* Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen @ Littlefield
* The Features, Backwords @ Mercury Lounge
* Jim Campilongo Electric Trio @ The Living Room
* Kinky Friedman, Mary McBride @ Highline Ballroom
* Karl Berger's Stone Workshop Orchestra @ The Stone
* Corridors, Bow Ribbons, Greenpot Bluepot @ Zebulon
* Yael Naim & David Donatien, Anath @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Sherlock's Daughter, New Moods, Slowdance @ Knitting Factory
* J-Roddy Walston & The Business, These United States @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Freak Owls, Murder Mystery, Ravens & Chimes, Secret Gordon @ Rock Shop (free)
* Small Beast w/ Craig Casey & The Fresh Juice Party, Burnt Rome, Val Opielski @ The Delancey
* John Maus, Gary War, Holy Shit, DJ International Tapes, DJ Weird Magic @ Glasslands

You can see New Moods at Knitting Factory tonight for free.

You can see Ravens & Chimes @ The Rock Shop tonight for free.

Eugene Mirman's special musical guest at Union Hall last night was Evan Dando. His special comedy guest last night was Zach Galifianakis. Eugene Mirman appears at Whiplash at UCB tonight. So does Colin Quinn.

The Lonely Island appears at the Apple Store SoHo tonight for free. Their new video for "Jack Sparrow" featuring Michael Bolton, off their new/second record Turtleneck & Chain which is out Tuesday, below....

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

Williamsburg Waterfront last year (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

As I previously wrote, "there will be concerts at the Williamsburg Waterfront this summer. In fact, the plan is to have 10 ticketed shows and 5 free shows." And, "The five free concert dates are still TBD, but one will be of a classical/philharmonic nature, and one will be geared towards kids. The free shows may or may not be on Sundays or even on weekends, and they will definitely not have anything to do with Jelly."

Since then three ticketed shows have been announced: Kid Cudi on Wednesday, July 6th (on sale), Death Cab For Cutie/Frightened Rabbit on Tuesday, August 2nd (on sale 5/6, but a presale starts 4/29), and Sonic Youth/Wild Flag on Friday, August 12th (on sale Friday). Seven more announcements to come.

Service Charge-free tickets are available at the Best Buy Theater Box Office (44th and Broadway in Manhattan) and at Sound Fix Records (44 Berry St. at North 11th St. in Brooklyn).

Two of the five free shows have also now been announced. The first is nothing like what Jelly would have booked: Coheed and Cambria, Adrian Belew Power Trio, and Tigers Jaw play the Williamsburg Waterfront on Saturday, June 11th. The second is sort of like what Jelly might have booked, but more closely resembles what you'd get at Celebrate Brooklyn: Eugene Mirman "& Pretty Good Friends Featuring Kristen Schaal & Many Surprise Guests" open for They Might Be Giants at Wiliamsburg Waterfront on Friday, July 29th.

Assuming TMBG won't be playing a kids set, and that the comedians will tell a few dirty jokes, the free kids show announcement is still to come, as is the classical concert date info (which means just one more completely unknown free lineup to come). Both announced free shows open their doors at 5:30pm.

All five shows, ticketed and free, are part of the "2011 T-MOBILE WILLIAMSBURG WATERFRONT CONCERT SERIES PRESENTED BY OSA" and "supported by Onitsuka Tiger, Vitamin Water, and Brooklyn Brewery."

All five shows are listed in an easy-to-read format below....

Continue reading "Williamsburg Waterfront adds 2 free shows (and 3 pay ones)"

Ra Ra Riot @ MHOW in 2010 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Speaking of Japan benefits, The Bell House has two special ones scheduled....

Continue reading "Ra Ra Riot, Wyatt Cenac, Tim Harrington, Todd Barry & many, many more playing Japan benefits @ the Bell House "

Tom Allen

Very funny UK comedian Tom Allen, who just completed a mini 'Pretty Good Friends' east coast tour with Eugene Mirman, Reggie Watts and Kumail Nanjiani, is now on their homebase and playing his own show at Union Hall tonight (3/8).

It's a late show - begins at 10pm. If you want to make a night of it, another comedy show, with Kristen Schaal and more, is happening at the same venue earlier.

The next 'Pretty Good Friends' with Eugene Mirman happens at Union Hall on Sunday, 3/13 at 7pm. That's an early show that is followed, strangely, by a "CONAN O'BRIEN STAND-UP GUEST SHOWCASE" with Eliot Glazer, Andy Haynes, Matt McCarthy, Eugene Mirman, John Roberts, Dan St. Germain, Myq Kaplan, Joe Mande, Dave Hill, Jay Oakerson, and Kurt Metzger. It is unclear if Conan even knows about this intimate Park Slope basement show with his name on it, but it should be good nonetheless.

Reggie Watts may or may not being playing a free show at Cake Shop tonight (3/8), but he's definitely playing TWO shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg on March 30th.

Aziz Ansari may or may not be on the bill of "Tell Your Friends" at Lolita bar tonight, but host Liam McEneaney has leaked the following clue:

JUST ADDED TONIGHT:
A guy whose name is very nearly an anagram for "ZZ Sariani."
You might know him from his show that is anagrammed as "A Crankiest Pardoner."
And his sketch show on "VTM" might also be known as "Giant Human."
And his first name is "Aziz."
And I "farted."

Eugene Mirman can also be found at City Winery with John Wesley Harding (and Andrew Bird) on April 22nd.

A Tom Allen video below...

Continue reading "Tom Allen is here + Aziz Ansari, Brody Stevens & other stuff"