Last year, Kid Koala released the graphic novel Space Cadet and an accompanying score. He premiered the piece with a multimedia headphone concert and gallery in Europe and is now debuting it in the US with two NYC shows this April. If you'e wondering what the "headphone concert" will be like, a press release writes...

Space Cadet is a unique immersive headphone concert experience. The audience sits in inflatable "space pods", listening to the show through individual headphone systems as Kid Koala brings the Space Cadet score to life on a piano and several turntables. Part music, part storytelling, Kid Koala invites you into the world of the Space Cadet graphic novel in a show suitable for all ages.

The NYC shows happen on April 3 and 4 at Irondale Center in Fort Greene. Before the show starts, a gallery will be open in the Biosphere with "Space Plant Sculpture installations, an interactive Music Spaceship Console, a Space Cadet Soundtrack Cassette Jukebox, and original etchboards from the Space Cadet book." Tickets for both shows are on sale now.

The flier for the shows, more info and trailer videos for both the headphone concert and the book are below...

Continue reading "Kid Koala throwing 2 'immersive headphone concerts' in NYC"

by BBG

I followed the music and ended up in the middle of the park, surprised that there weren't too many people there- maybe a few hundred? He deserved a few thousand, at least. During his last song there were flashes of lightning illuminating the night sky followed by a torrential downpour at the end of the song. Some ran away, some (including me) ran for a few small tents that were set up for the sound guys and stayed for the encore song (undoubtedly worth it- wet clothes dry but his voice will stay in my mind forever).

Even from a ways away, I could see his bright smile and feel the positive energy shooting out of him. He was wonderful and the kind of singer who's meant to be heard live, in his element there. I feel so lucky that I heard even a few of his songs in person. -[blogonlyknows]

Charles Bradley & The Menahan Street Band played their encore during the sideways rain last night as part of the Greene Music Series in Fort Greene Park. Though the show started bright and sunny with DJ Todd-O-Phonic Todd and a performance from Beans (of Anti-Pop Consortium), it grew darker/more ominous by the time the soul crooner took the stage around 7:45PM. Video of the rainy encore and more pictures from the mostly-dry show are below.

Charles Bradley was fresh off a July 21st appearance on Jay Leno where he helped The Tonight Show's bandleader Rickey Minor pay tribute to Marvin Gaye by performing "What's Going On" with Grace Potter, Sharon Jones, and The Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles. Video from that appearance is also below. Charles' other recent accomplishments include covering Nirvana for SPIN's new Nevermind tribute album.

The show was one of two scheduled for Beans in the past week. He opened for Buck 65 at Bowery Ballroom a few days earlier.

Charles & The Menahan Street Band continue on tour this summer. Their festival-filled schedule includes Osheaga, Outside Lands, Bumbershoot, MusicFestNW, Austin City Limits, and POPPED!, all before they head to Europe.

An updated set of tour dates, video from Leno, and more pictures & video from Fort Greene below...

Continue reading "Charles Bradley played Fort Greene Park w/ Beans (pics), played Leno w/ Grace Potter & Sharon Jones (video)"

The Stepkids will release their debut LP on September 27th via Stones Throw, and have provided a new video for "Wonderfox" to tide us over. View director Henry DeMaio video's of spacey Steely-Dan-goodness below and/or stream samples of the psyche-funky grooves at the Stones Throw site & two full songs at the Stepkids site. Stepkids will play a FREE show in NYC next week (July 12th) supporting Antibalas at Fort Greene Park.

Where: Fort Greene Park
When: Tuesday, July 12th, 6 to 9PM
Join Antibalas for a free homecoming in Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn. The band is excited to be back home and playing to their friends and family. It's been awhile, so make sure you don't miss the show!

Joining Antibalas that evening will be DJ Frank Gossner (VOODOO FUNK) and an opening set by The Stepkids.

The show is one of a handful of dates scheduled for the the Stepkids, all of which are below with that new video, and album details...

Continue reading "The Stepkids album info, new video, free show w/ Antibalas (and other dates)"

Janelle at Afro-Punk 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

Afro-Punk 2011 will take place in Fort Greene's Commodore Barry Park on August 27 and 28. This year's crazy lineup consists of Cee Lo Green, Janelle Monae (who played the fest in 09), Fishbone, Santigold, Jay Electronica, Toro y Moi, Reggie Watts and more. The festival will also a hold a Skate and BMX competition, and other related events. Admission is free to the general public.

Full lineup below...

Continue reading "Afro-Punk 2011 -- free Fort Greene fest lineup (Cee Lo, Janelle Monae, Toro y Moi, Santigold, Fishbone, Reggie Watts, more)"

photos by Graeme Flegenheimer

Charles Bradley in LA -- 5/4/2011

Charles Bradley & The Menahan Street Band are in the midst of a whirlwind West Coast tour that includes a date in Oakland on 5/6 which is the same night they'll appear (again) on Carson Daly (they'll be doing "Golden Rule"). Last night (5/4), they played The Echo in Los Angeles and pictures from that show adorn this post.

This week also marks the digital release of Charles Bradley's new soulful cover of the Neil Young classic "Heart of Gold". Released in April as a 45 via Daptone Records (where you can preview it and buy it in both formats now), you can now also get the song on iTunes. Bradley also recently released his album No Time For Dreaming.

After a tour in the EU in June and July, Charles Bradley will return to NYC and play a free, headlining show with The Menahan Street Band in Brooklyn's Fort Greene Park on July 26. Soon after that he head heads to Canada to play Osheaga and Sappy Fest, and in August he returns to California for Outside Lands. Check out all tour dates and more pictures from The Echo below.

Continue reading "Charles Bradley released a Neil Young cover, played the Echo (pics), playing a free Brooklyn show & other dates"

by Andrew Frisicano

The second annual New Music Bake Sale is happening at Irondale Center in Fort Greene tonight (9/25). Performers include guitar quartet Dither, pianist Kathleen Supové, violinist Todd Reynolds, diverse jazz ensemble Respect Sextet, plus cookies and cake. More details are below...

Continue reading "New Music Bake Sale in Fort Greene (TONIGHT)"

photos by David Andrako

Fort Greene Park - Sept 14, 2010

The Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival kicks off tonight (9/16) at The Bell House and other venues. One of the performers you'll find on Friday's bill is the multi-talented Reggie Watts. Hopefully you have a ticket for that one though, because that is actually one of the two Bell House shows that is already sold out. Four of them, including the one Yo La Tengo is showing up at, still have tickets though.

You can also now buy a ticket for a comedic CMJ show taking place at Union Hall on Saturday, October 23rd, which also features Reggie Watts:

SAT 10/23: 8pm Doors / $10 ADV / $12 DOS
2010 CMJ Music Marathon
HEART OF DARKNESS: A NIGHT OF FORGIVENESS AND SALVATION
FEATURING COMEDIANS:
GREG BARRIS, REGGIE WATTS, KURT BRAUNOHLER, DAVE HILL AND KRISTEN SCHAAL
Music by The You Are Forgiven Choir featuring Ariel East, Mother of Three and New Beard

You can also try to get in to that, whatever it is, with your CMJ badge if you have one.

Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens and Reggie Watts played a free show in Brooklyn's Fort Greene Park on Tuesday night (9/14). According to David Andrako, the mixing of gospel and comedy worked out wonderfully. A set of pictures from that outdoor event continues below...

Continue reading "Reggie Watts played Fort Greene Park w/ Naomi Shelton (pics), playing Mirman Fest & CMJ (dates) "

"Hipsters, old-timers, and barflies will raise their glasses at Freddy's Bar for the last time on Friday -- making a final toast to a Prohibition-era watering hole, but one man won't be there: the man whose name is on the awning.

Freddy Chadderton, who sold the bar to its current owner in 1996, lives on Long Island -- but at age 82, he isn't looking back at his salad days.

"I had a good run," he told us this week.

But Chadderton is one of the few people connected with this bar that isn't crying at least a bit in his beer this week, recalling a neighborhood joint that apparently has to be torn down so that Bruce Ratner can build a basketball arena.

It was indeed a good run." [YourNabe]

Some related videos and a letter from the bar owners, which outlines their plan and hatred for Bruce Ratner, below...

Continue reading "Freddy's is closing on Friday, but opening somewhere else "

photos by Tim Griffin

"The other day I attended the Afro-Punk Festival at the BAM skate park. I had the pleasures of seeing Janelle Monae and Saul Williams. There were also cats skating [and biking] around and doing tricks. All around there was just a good ol' merry vibe and I had fun for the short time I was there." [Phantastictful?]

Janelle Monae has been added as opener to the Erykah Badu show happening on the beach at Governors Island on August 4th. Tickets are still on sale. More pictures from Monday's Afro-Punk Fest show, below...

Continue reading "Janelle Monae played the Afro Punk Festival w/ Saul Williams (pics), playing Governors Island w/ Erykah Badu"

The Brooklyn Academy of Music has announced plans to open a new black-box theatre behind its Gilman Opera House.

Variety reports that BAM, located in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, will open a 263-seat black box theatre to be named in honor of late BAM supporter Richard B. Fisher. The new venue, which is aiming for a 2013 debut, will be in use by BAM for half of the year and made available to the local arts community for low-cost rental during the other half.

The new space will be a flexible black box, allowing for reconfigured seating and playing spaces. This offers artists a contrast to BAM's other venues, the proscenium Harvey Theatre and the Gilman Opera House. BAM hopes to break ground on the black box in the fall.

BAM currently presents The Cherry Orchard, the inaugural production of the Bridge Project, a collaboration between BAM, The Old Vic and Sam Mendes' Neal Street Productions that unites actors from both sides of the Atlantic. [Playbill]

Laurie Anderson, Dirty Projectors & friends play BAM this Wedneday, January 21st.