It used to be where Issue Project Room was located. They moved and the outdoor Gowanus Canal space opened as the Yard, which then changed to BKLYN Yard. Always a mystery as to whether the outdoor venue will return each year, last summer it was shut down just as it was getting started. You might remember when all events were cancelled in June which was followed by the weekly daytime dance party 'Sunday Best' un-cancelling but becoming alcohol-free, and then cancelling again (and moving to Brooklyn Fireproof).

WELL, they haven't given up! Sunday Best, put on by the people behind Mister Saturday Night, have changed their party name to Mister Sunday and will return to the space this summer, though the location is now known as Gowanus Grove (identity crisis!). They write:

We've been keeping this one under our hats for a while, but the time has come to spill the beans. In just over a month, on Memorial Day Weekend, we're introducing Mister Sunday, the outdoor, Sunday afternoon spinoff of Mister Saturday Night. Clever name, we know.

If you ever came to Sunday Best at BKLYN Yard, you'll know the place: it's the same canal-side, tree-spotted plot of land at 400 Carroll Street between Bond and Nevins in Brooklyn, now rechristened Gowanus Grove.

If you never made it down, let us count the ways you're going to love it. First, kids and dogs - you can bring them. We love them, and we don't get to see enough of them on Saturday nights. Second, superb food - we're teaming up with Brooklyn Flea to install a small but ace team of food vendors. Right now, we've confirmed Mile End, who will be serving a bunch of stuff you can't get at the storefront in Boerum Hill, and we're soon to confirm at least one more. Third, our friends from Botanica, the best little bar in the five boroughs, are taking care of the booze.

And last, but certainly not least, is the music. The Mister Saturday Night residents, Justin Carter and Eamon Harkin, the gents that pull the strings to bring it all together, will be playing records each and every Sunday through the summer on the big, blue soundsystem. There'll be guests alongside them occasionally as well. Moodymann, Todd Terje, Horse Meat Disco, Optimo and Space Dimension Controller will all take their turns, and on opening day, Four Tet will drop by.

And that's all there is to say about that. We'll see you outside.

Stay tuned for whether there will be non-Mister Sunday events held there. Mister Sunday flyer and current lineup below...

Continue reading "BKLYN Yard is now Gowanus Grove, will be open this summer"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Little Girls - Tambourine (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Hundred in the Hands - Dressed in Dresden (Zip)
DOWNLOAD: The Hundred in the Hands - Undressed in Dresden (Zip)

Littlefield

Little Girls

We knew it was coming, but just realized that new Park Slope/Gowanus venue Littlefield opens this weekend with two nights of free shows! First a little info on the venue from their website:

littlefield is a new performance and art space in Brooklyn's Gowanus neighborhood nestled between Park Slope and Carroll Gardens. Housed in an old, 6200-square foot warehouse, littlefield merges the Gowanus' industrial past with an organic, eco-friendly future. Green elements include a landscaped interior courtyard, sound walls formed from recycled rubber tires, a bar constructed of salvaged bowling alley lanes, and energy supplied by wind power. Future projects include a greywater system and a landscaped roof, which will reduce littlefield's footprint to virtually zero.

I'm curious enough to go just to check out the space, but both of these free shows look pretty good and would actually be worth paying for. Tonight (5/22) features TWII-approved bands Golden Triangle and Sisters, plus Toronto post punks Little Girls. The latter have records out de rigur labels like Paper Bag, Mexican Summer and Captured Tracks, which might be enough to picque your interest. Personally, I dig that gothy, garage-y sound (more Blank Dogs than Crystal Stilts in this case) which you can hear for yourself -- there's a Little Girls MP3 above.

Cruel Black Dove

The Hundred in the Hands

Saturday's (5/23) free show features Brooklyn duo The Hundred in the Hands who you may have seen back in March opening for Handsome Furs. THITH features former Boggs frontman Jason Freidman and Elanore Everdel who was a touring member of the Boggs and has sung with TV on the Radio. Their sole single to date, "Dressed in Dresden" was produced by Chris Zane (he did Passion Pit and Harlem Shakes' new albums) and sort of sounds to me like Au Revoir Simone being remixed LCD Soundsystem. It's a good track, and you can download it (and the dubby "Undressed" mix) via the link above. Sharing the Saturday night lineup are fellow Brooklynites Cruel Black Dove who swipe more than a little from early-'90s club/goth, and if you like Curve and/or Garbage you might find them appealing. You can download a couple tracks at RCRDLBL and watch a video, and check out the flyer (with more show details), below.

Continue reading "Littlefield - new Brooklyn venue! opening this weekend - free shows w/ Little Girls, Golden Triangle, Cruel Black Dove, more.."

Despite rumors to the contrary, the outdoor Brooklyn venue on the Gowanus canal (at the Issue Project Room's former address) will be open again this summer. Last year it was called The Yard. This year its new name is The BKLYN Yard (388 Carroll St., Brooklyn, NY).

A few events have already been announced (below), and that includes the return of Sunday Best - the dance party happening at the venue every Sunday from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend. As an added bonus, this year they've secured the Bell House as a rain location. Full schedule and more details below...

Continue reading "The Yard (now called The BKLYN Yard) is back - initial summer 2009 schedule includes Sunday Best "

photos by Chris La Putt

September 18th was the official opening of the Bell House, the new venue in the Gowanus of Brooklyn. Though a private show happened Wednesday, Thursday night was the public's first look at the place which bears a slight resemblance to its sister bar, Union Hall. No bocce at this one though. What did you think?

The night was a celebration that included sets by Takka Takka, Robbers on High Street, Matt Pond PA and headliner Lilys - all free.

Tickets for upcoming events at the Bell House are on sale. That includes the BV Presents Department of Eagles show on October 6th.

More pictures of the venue, and of all three openers, below...

Continue reading "Takka Takka, Matt Pond PA & ROHS @ the Bell House - pics"

The new Union Hall-affiliated Gowanus/Park Slope/Brooklyn venue called The Bell House opens September 18th. Check out a bit of the initial (unofficial) schedule below...

Continue reading "The Bell House is opening Sept 18th -- initial schedule"

This fall Gowanus gets another venue! Located at 622 Degraw Street, this one is called Littlefield and will be housed in an old, 6200-square-foot warehouse renovated with an eco-friendly touch. They tell us "Green elements include a landscaped interior courtyard, sound walls formed from recycled rubber tires, and a bar constructed of salvaged bowling alley lanes."

Expect live music, film screenings, and art installations from the owners, Julie Kim and Scott Koshnoodi, as well as talent buyers (who include FrictionNYC's Justin Carl and Nghia Nguyen). A moveable partition is designed to separate the main performance space from the bar/courtyard, to give each area an intimate feel. "When the partition is fully closed, the performance space can accommodate up to 200 people while the bar/courtyard can hold up to 100. For larger performances, the partition can be moved to one side and the warehouse can accommodate up to 300 people." [Gothamist]

See the floor plan HERE.

The Bell House is opening not far away in Gowanus too.

Yes, it's true, we will have a new music venue opening sometime later in 2008. We are JUST beginning construction which should last well into the spring. It is the main owners of Union Hall.

It is one main floor of an old warehouse. The space will be split into a lounge area in the front and a music venue in the back. Capacity is undetermined at this time, but the music venue portion will likely be under 300. It is on 7th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue, it is NOT on the corner and not what Browstoner posted this morning.

Nothing will change at Union Hall regarding booking policies. In fact, we expect our schedule to get stronger with the ability to bump shows over to the new place, when the time comes.

I'll hit you with more info when we have some. No, we don't have a name yet. [Jack McFadden, Union Hall] (photo by Justin M)