Bushwick Open Studios happens this weekend (May 31 - June 2) and is "a three day arts and culture festival that celebrates the community's vibrant arts scene with the goal of fostering dialogue and collaboration between local artists and residents." You can wander around the Brooklyn neighborhood and check out local artists' works where they made it. It's free and open to the public. Full artist listings are here.

There is also lots of music going on with BOS as well, which begins with an Official Launch Party at Shea Stadium on Friday (5/31) with Darlings, LODRO, Air Waves, and EULA. Tickets are $10 at the door and includes a Brooklyn Brewery open bar from 8 - 9 PM. More info at the facebook event.

There is also the BOS Music Festival which happens Saturday (6/1) at Don Pedro with The Othermen, Twin Guns and more; and Sunday (6/2) at Lone Wolf with Ken South Rock, Sorceress and more. Full line-ups are below and more info on the event flyer, which is also pictured below.

There's still more. The BOS '13 Electronic Music Showcase happens Saturday night at the Bossa Nova Civics Club with Octo Octa, Datalog, Tomeeo, Nanohumans, and Stephane Bonefant. More info at the facebook event.

On Sunday at Brooklyn Fire Proof East is "Moving On," a "fringe concert series" hosted by composer and performer Ian M. Colletti, (Vaudeville/ Vaudeville Park) and includes performances from Sam Mickens, Yeah Yeah Yeahs' drummer Brian Chase, Deerhoof's Greg Saunier, Dysrythmia's Kevin Hufnagel, Au Revoir Simone's Erika Spring, Sophia Knapp, and lots more. Line-up for that is below and more info at the facebook event.

Line-ups for BOS Music Festival and "Moving On" and that flyer below...

Continue reading "Bushwick Open Studios happens this weekend: music includes Greg Saunier, LODRO, Erika Spring, YYY's Brian Chase & more "

The second-annual Spy Music Festival happens June 29th through July 15th, featuring "46 sets of music at 7 venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn." That's a big expansion from last year when it took place on two nights at Shea Stadium and Zebulon. This year's fest, run by the folks at Northern Spy Records, will happen at Union Pool, the Issue Project Room, The Stone, Vaudeville Park, 285 Kent, Death by Audio and Roulette. Amongst the artists performing are Rhys Chatham, Matthew Shipp, Dustin Wong, Arthur Doyle, Eugene Chadbourne, PG Six, Guardian Alien and Magik Markers.

The full Spy Music Festival schedule -- bands, venues, prices -- is below. There's no all-inclusive festival pass, but tickets to all the shows are available here. And the fest organizers have also made a sampler featuring the artists performing this year and you can stream that below as well.

Continue reading "Magik Markers, Dustin Wong, Eugene Chadbourne, Matthew Shipp and more playing NYC's Spy Music Festival"

Todd Sickafoose & Mary Halvorson

Speaking of Andrew Bird (who has a big headlining free Brooklyn show coming up), check out who the players in Todd Sickafoose's Tiny Resistors are:

John Ellis * sax + clarinet
Alan Ferber * trombone
Andrew Bird * violin + looping
Steve Cardenas * guitar
Jonathan Goldberger * guitar
Ted Poor * drums + percussion
Todd Sickafoose * bass + piano

Meanwhile catch Mary Halvorson with Jessica Pavone at Littlefield in Brooklyn tonight (4/28). All Mary dates below...

Continue reading "Andrew Bird is part of Todd Sickafoose's Tiny Resistors who play w/ Mary Halvorson who also plays tonight..."

by BBG

* Toby Driver photo by Gemma Fleming

Toby Driver is an "other". Not like Benjamin Linus or one of the Dharma Initiative, but in that his artistic endeavors Kayo Dot and Maudlin of The Well exist in the in-between, and outside. Driver's current project, Kayo Dot, is prepping to release their fourth album Coyote via Hydra Head on April 6th. On Coyote, elements of goth, avant-jazz, prog, ambient, and the kitchen sink meld with the avant-garde, making for an intensely fascinating and eclectic listen.

Driver was recently asked to curate the month of February at The Stone, John Zorn's non-profit club in the East Village. We sat down to ask Driver about some of the bands he chose which include solo sets from members of Krallice, Dysrhythmia, Extra Life, and Bloody Panda in addition to Baby Dee, Oxbow, Gnaw, and a full performance by his own band doing Coyote from start to finish, and the recent resurrection of Maudlin of The Well.

Full interview and Stone schedule, below....

Continue reading "Toby Driver curated Feb @ The Stone - interview & schedule"