by Klaus Kinski

OK, rather than bore you to tears with one of my usual exhausting preambles about how great the NYC comedy scene is, I am simply going to throw out a handful of shows coming up that are well worth your attention. (Unless you're a humorless slob who has nothing better to do than hate everything.) For everyone else, what follows is some totally awesome news. You're welcome, in advance.

First off, as mentioned already, the great Louis CK will be doing two pretty last minute shows at The Bell House on Friday September 30th aka TODAY at 7:00pm and 9:00pm. The shows go onsale Friday September 30th aka TODAY at 10:00am, so get those refresh button fingers limbered up. After that, your next official opportunity to see Louis in NYC is on Thursday November 10th at the Beacon Theater as part of the New York Comedy Festival.

And speaking of comedy in Brooklyn, don't forget that tickets are on sale for Mike Birbiglia's show happening on Tuesday October 18th at Union Hall. Though, there's a good chance the show will be sold out by the time you read this. This is a CMJ show believe it or not.

But back to the Bell House for a second. On Thursday October 20th, the really and truly wonderful Julie Klausner brings her podcast How Was Your Week? to the Bell House stage with a truly incredible line-up that actually sort of reads like the guest list on a good night of The Best Show on WFMU. The line-up so far includes Ted Leo, Paul F. Tompkins, Billy Eichner, and Special Surprise Guests. And knowing Julie, those surprises are bound to be way beyond worth the cost of admission. And speaking of the cost of admission, I am truly dumfounded that this show isn't sold out yet. Oh, but you know what is sold out? The TWO Paul F. Tompkins shows happening at The Bell House on October 22nd and October 23rd. You know what's nuts about those PFT shows? He won't be doing the same material both nights. Holy!

On Tuesday November 1st, the House will play host to a John Hodgman "That Is All" Official Book Release Party. The cost of admission will get you a copy of the book as well as other treats, including Jonathan Coulton. Totally brunchcore.

Yikes! Lemme loop back to CMJ comedy shows taking place at Union Hall this year. I'd be an idiot (well, a bigger idiot than I already am) if I didn't mention that one of NYC's most awe-inspiring comedy/variety/brainz shows Heart of Darkness will bless Union Hall with its majesty on Saturday October 22nd. The show is hosted by Greg Barris and will feature Greg Johnson, Dave Hill, Mind Warrior Michael Wigler and a SPECIAL GUEST! For the uninitiated, it might make sense to learn about the show here. Best to go into these things prepared.

Oh, but before I go to bed, here's another show worth noting, but be warned, this one takes place in Manhattan. Comedic wunderkind Michael Ian Black will be doing a show at Bowery Ballroom on Thursday November 10th as part of the New York Comedy Festival. Bowery does seem like an odd venue choice for me because, well, it's too small for MIB and, well, ya don't often see comedy there. I am pretty sure the last comedy show I saw there was the Invite Them Up CD release party way back in 2005. But I ain't complainin. Bowery is one of my favorite rooms in the city, and I love MIB ever so much. Tickets are on sale, though I doubt for much longer. Shit gone sellout ASAP, son.

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."

This particular episode featuresJaneane Garofalo, John F. O'Donnell, BV favorite Reggie Watts, and MIND WARRIOR: from the Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit at Johns Hopkins University - Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D. This is something you experience, not passively watch. I really urge you to see this. If I had my way this show would happen nightly.

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)"

most of the photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

I know Girl Talk doesn't write the music that makes his set magical. He (Gregg Gillis) just mixes the songs together in a good way. He also creates the perfect visual party experience to go with it. Everyone I talked to that saw him at All Points West on Friday agreed that it was one of the best sets of the weekend. The stage was packed with people dancing, and so was the field. Not the most environmentally friendly artist at the Radhioead and Jack Johnson-headlined 'green festival', but the large plastic blow up things and toilet paper shooting into the wild crowd just made it that much more of a fun and debaucherous spectacle.

I've seen Girl Talk a bunch of times and I liked the bigger outdoor festival show way better than the the small cramped ones, or maybe Greg just got better at it. Or maybe a festival, where Girl Talk is just one of many acts, is better because of the variety. Regardless, his next NYC show was just announced. And it's big, and hopefully it will be just as fun...

GIRL TALK
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS THE DEATH SET, CX KiDTRONiK & HEARTS OF DARKNESSES

SAT. NOV. 15 • 8:30 PM @ TERMINAL 5
$20 advance tickets are on sale Friday August 15 at noon.

This new date comes at the end of his fall tour. More APW (August 8, 2008) pics below...

Continue reading "Girl Talk played APW (pics), adds NYC show @ Terminal 5"

This weekend in Baltimore:

in addition to my set and greggs trey told em set on sunday july 20, at whartscape, gregg gillis (girltalk), naeem juwan (spankrock) and i (dan deacon) will be doing a joint set of all new material jams eternal.

gregg and i have been talking about doing a band together for some time and i'm really excited naeem is going to be a part of it for this rad first birth. hopefully our sick jams turn out sick. tickets are still available but close to selling out. getting tickets would be safer than just showing up.

ok baltimore, see you soooooon

also "get funky"

dan'

Where does Hearts of Darkness fit in? Hearts of Darkness is half of Trey Told Em. The other half is Greg Gillis (as Dan also pointed out). Trey Told Em will perform live at Whartscape (as Dan also pointed out).

Hearts of Darkness is also playing the Delancey in NYC tonight (with a secret guest) (thx SAK).

Girl Talk tour dates HERE.

WHITE WILLIAMS - Violator

Limited Edition , UK 7" Vinyl, In A Picture Sleeve.

Tracklisting:
A. Violator
B. Violator (Hearts Of Darkness Remix)

There is "a secret special guest" playing with Hearts of Darkness, Suckers and Girls @ The Delancey tonight (July 18). My guess is White Williams who probably can't play any NYC shows until his one at the Seaport with Dirty Projectors

Tonight is the 2nd of four NYC shows Girls are playing this week.

DOWNLOAD: The Cool Kids - That's Stupid (The Mixtape) (ZSHARE LINK)

The Cool Kids are playing Rock The Bells. All the tour dates below.

I'm assuming Girl Talk will announce a NYC date after All Points West happens. Will it be October 8th to kick off the big tour he just announced or will it be when he gets back in the middle of November after playing Massachusets? The new record is out now. All dates below.

ALSO BELOW: A new video by No Age who are playing NYC soon.

Continue reading "Girl Talk tour, Cool Kids mixtape, No Age video "