photos by David Andrako

Aziz Ansari booked two last minute Saturday night shows at the Bell House to test out material for a new album he hopes to release next year. Hannibal Burress opened both the early and late shows. We've got some pictures from the the late one in this post.

Aziz's friend James Murphy wasn't in the audience (he was over at Terminal 5), but his other GQ friend David Chang was spotted.

Two days earlier Aziz got some major internet attention thanks to a post on his blog. As Gizmodo says:

Jay-Z and Kanye West's N*ggas in Paris is an epically hard, head bumping anthem that's ruled rap for the better part of the year. Aziz Ansari and Matthew Shawver just one upped it by translating it into a hilarious rendition filled with emojis from their iPhones. This is the best thing to happen to music all year.

More pictures from the Brooklyn show below...

Continue reading "Aziz Ansari played shows @ the Bell House w/ Hannibal Burress (pics), transcribed a Kanye/Jay-Z song in Emojis"

Aziz Ansari, David Chang & James Murphy

AZIZ ANSARI with Special Guest HANNIBAL BURESS
This Saturday, December 10th at The Bell House
21+ / $15
Two shows:
7pm: TICKETS
9:30pm: TICKETS

Both shows on-sale at noon

words & photos by David Andrako

"Everyone here looks like they are in a band. You guys are going to do great things for no money." -Big Jay Oakerson

Reggie Watts

Comedy Central held an invite/CMJ-only "Midnight Showcase" at Comix Comedy Club last night (10/21). The show literally began at midnight aned ran into Friday morning. It was hosted by Julian McCullough and featured sets from Big Jay Oakerson, Amy Schumer, Hannibal Buress, Anthony Jeselnik and Reggie Watts. Previously announced acts Joe Derosa and Bo Burnham didn't appear due to scheduling issues. The crowd greeted the news of Burnham's no-show with an audible groan, to which McCullough remarked "We'll we know who the underage table is at the club tonight."

The most remarkable set of the evening was Reggie Watts's which closed the show. Accompanied by his looping machine, Reggie worked through 20 minutes of beat-boxing, singing and even took the time to answer his phone and chat with a friend who called mid-set. Having seen Reggie at The Conflict of Interest show at REBEL NYC on Monday and several other shows over the last couple of months, it has become apparent that every set he performs is unique and while he may perform the same song at multiple shows, they almost always morph into a freestyle riff on a audience member or a callback to joke earlier in the evening. Be sure to check out him out at the BrooklynVegan Day party on Saturday at Public Assembly or later that night at Union Hall, or any time you get a chance.

More pictures from the show below...

Continue reading "Comedy Central held a 'Midnight Showcase' (pics) "

by Klaus Kinski

As I get older, I just I don't have the wherewithal to see as much comedy as I should. It's really depressing. There are so many goddamned GREAT comedy shows happening in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and even Queens that rather than pick one to go to, my brain shuts down and says "Just go home and watch Wheeler Dealers on the ole DVR, KK." It was easier to decide when Rififi was around. So thank Cod there's a yearly comedy festival in Brooklyntown that brings my ever flabbening body out of hibernation and reacquaints me with a sliver of the current roster of the greatest living comedians. That festival is the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, and this year it takes place from September 16th - September 19th and will impregnate The Bell House, The Rock Shop, and Union Hall (or as I like to call them, the most annoying venues to go if you don't have kids or play bocce) with its comedy seedlings.

As with previous years, the 2010 Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival brings together a supremely jaw-dropping group of comedians and performers. What can one expect? Oh, I don't know. Maybe (definitely) Emo Philips, Daniel Kitson, Jon Glaser, Max Silvestri, David Cross, Jon Benjamin, Kristen Schaal, Kurt Braunohler, Yo La Tengo, John Wesley Harding, Sarah Vowell, John Mulaney, and so many more I'm liable to puke with glee should I continue. What am I most looking forward to? Thanks for asking! I'd have to say it's a toss up between the bill Yo La Tengo falls on and a rare Tinkle performance (without Todd Barry, sadly)(although, Todd is opening for Superchunk at MHOW on September 19th, so that's something) (sold out though) (probably because Todd is on the bill).

The festival line-up will be tweaked, added onto, emboldened, modified, and made better as we make our way to the opening date, but have a gander at what's already planned below. In the immortal words of the person who put the roster together for me, "This is what's happening; but not everything that's happening". Ticket info to follow, but many shows will be on sale in advance. Also, please see a message from enfant terrible David Cross below...

Continue reading "the 2010 Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival is coming"

Lollapalooza tickets go on sale at 10am CST, or to be more specific ("Three-Day passes for Lollapalooza 2010 go on-sale March 30, at 10am CST. A limited number of Advance-priced three-day passes will be available for $190. When this allotment sells out, Regular-priced three-day passes will be available for $215. Prices are inclusive of all service fees. VIP Lolla Lounge passes will also be on-sale [too]"

in semi-related news, "We are excited to announce that Sasquatch! Music Festival has officially sold out! The sellout occurred in record time, selling the highest number of tickets since the festival's inception. Additionally, the day schedule has been finalized with the addition of comedian Aziz Ansari, They Might Be Giants, and more. See below for [the full lineup which also now includes Bobcat Goldthwait]."

Continue reading "Lollapalooza on sale, Sasquatch sells out & adds more acts"

Devendra Banhart @ Webster Hall in October (more by Vincent Cornelli)

tonight in NYC
* Devendra Banhart @ Town Hall
* Hannibal Buress @ Knitting Factory
* Bonfire Madigan, Spirit Child @ The Cameo
* Mike Bones, Pillars and Tongues, Coconuts @ Cake Shop
* Camera Obscura, Papercuts @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Performa: Scratch the Grand Finale @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Talib Kweli, Jean Grae, Mickey Factz, Skyzoo @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Dirty Projectors, tUnE-YaRds, Juliana Barwick @ Bowery Ballroom
* Noveller, Picastro, Aiden Baker, The Color Guard @ Death By Audio
* Jack Oblivian & The Tennessee Tearjerks, John Paul Keith & The One Four Fives @ Southpaw

Echo and the Bunnymen were supposed to play Hammerestein Ballroom today.

What else?

photos by Tim Griffin

Knitting Factory's move to Brooklyn is finally complete and the doors are open. After a friends and family performance-less soft opening on Tuesday, Les Savy Fav truly broke in the place with one of the band's trademark bonkers performances on Wednesday evening (9/9). Comedian and new SNL writer Hannibal Burress warmed up the attentive, approximately-250-capacity crowd with a solid 20 minute set. The room was full, but never too packed. Bill wrote a little bit more what it was like inside on the previous night.

Check it out tonight (9/10) when Boss Hog hits the Brooklyn stage (with Shilpa Ray opening). On Saturday, Boss Hog perform at ATP in Monticello. Full Knitting Factory schedule HERE.

More pictures from opening night, below...

Continue reading "Les Savy Fav & Hannibal Buress helped open the new Knitting Factory in Brooklyn - pics "

Max Silvestri, Jenny Slate & Gabe Liedman @ Rififi (Marianne Ways)

Hi buds,

Woah, get ready. I have some huge news! As you know, one of my lovely Big Terrific co-hosts Jenny Slate has been absent as of late doing "showbiz" stuff, and a lot of you have been all "more like no-biz!!" Well first, stop saying that, and also, it's paid off! She is the newest cast member on Saturday Night Live, which is a long running television show that you have heard of. Won't that be amazing? She is going to be their go-to person for Gloria Estefan impressions. Also, she is going to be their go-to person for everything because she is the best, we love her so much, are so very proud, and cannot think of anyone who would be better on that show. It's really just perfect. Like, we were all surprised to get the news but also we totally weren't, you know? That's how great she'll be.

Jenny will be back at Big T soon to tell lots of showbiz stories about what Megan Fox smells like and how Ted Danson always has mints handy or whatever. Come this Wednesday and celebrate with Gabe and me, before all of us are too famous.

We've got super guests too: Eugene Mirman, Leo Allen, Brent Sullivan and more! We're so psyched. It's Wednesday September 2nd at 8pm at Cameo Gallery, 93 North 6th St between Berry & Wythe in Williamsburg. Come hang out!!

Thanks guys. You guys make Big Terrific the most fun. (Also us, but definitely you a bit too.)

-Max Silvestri

Continue reading "Jenny Slate joins SNL, Max & Gabe continue @ Cameo "

August 25th, 2009 (Austin, TX) - Transmission Entertainment is pleased to announce the lineup for the 2009 Fun Fun Fun Fest, taking place on November 7th and 8th at Waterloo Park in Austin. Fun Fun Fun Fest made its first appearance on a cold Friday evening in 2006, offering a unique approach to festival booking, filling stages with talent bubbling from the underground: what sounded great, and what was making an impact, regardless of what mainstream media said was cool. What started out as a show for a few touring acts and local favorites has become a movement -- a festival that fans and bands alike realize needs to be experienced year after year.

Now in its fourth year, Fun Fun Fun Fest has made a significant impact on the country's winter calendar, successfully combining the vast worlds of indie, punk, rap, electronica and comedy while showcasing some of the city's most unique local businesses.

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest 2009 lineup (Jesus Lizard, Of Montreal, Gorilla Biscuits, LSF, 7 Seconds, D.R.I. & DANZIG!! & more)"