In Liam's own words:

LIAM McENEANEY:
LIVE IN BROOKLYN:
AN ALBUM TAPING

JUNE 5th:
WITH ROB PARAVONIAN & JANEANE GAROFALO
TICKETS: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=3549104

JUNE 6th:
WITH ROB PARAVONIAN & JIM GAFFIGAN
TICKETS: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=3549184

at Union Hall
702 Union Street, Brooklyn
DOORS: 7:30
SHOW: 8:00
TICKETS: $8.00

Liam is recording his debut album with ASpecialThing records (home of Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman, WTF with Marc Maron, Doug Loves Movies).
It doesn't have a title yet. It used to, but then he changed his mind.
Also, Cathryn Lynne took this lovely art:

by Klaus Kinski

The United States is rife with three things; assholes, podcasts, and assholes with podcasts. For me, podcasts are an unnavigable medium because anybody with a computer and 1/8th of a normal sized human brain can produce a podcast. Don't get me wrong; there are some incredible podcasts out there and the world is taking notice. Julie Klausner's podcast How Was Your Week has reached an almost legendary status and even got a glowing write-up in the Times recently. Marc Maron's WTF podcast basically set the standard for what constitutes a quality podcast. Greg Proops, Dave Hill, and Doug Benson also all have wonderful podcasts. And yet, the only reason I know of and can vouch for the quality of these podcasts and the people behind them is because I was a huge fan of these people in a pre-podcast world.

NYC is an epicenter of podcasting. If only there was a way where a guy like me could see, say, over 20 live podcasts on 2 stages over the course of 2 days consuming nearly 12 amazing hours of my life. Of wait. THERE IS! The naugural New York City Podcast Festival will take place at on 2 stages at The Pit on January 12th and January 13th 2013!! This show features a staggering line-up of talent including Dave Hill (Klaus Kinski favorite), Nick Turner (Klaus Kinski favorite), Kevin Allison, Wyatt Cenac, Gary Gulman, Craig Rowin, Jeff Rubin, Jermaine Fowler, Liam McEneaney, TV's Frank Conniff , Halley Feiffer, Julieanne Smolinski, Dan St. Germain, Sean Donnelly, Jackie Kashian, Myq Kaplan, MC Mr Napkins, Jared Logan, Anthony Antamanuik, Dan Soder, Mike Pace, and many others. This, my friends and enemies, is probably the greatest crash course in awesome podcasts on the planet and it's happening in our very own back yard. Keep your (dead) eyes on the NycPodFest Facebook Page for updates!

You can see the FULL SCHEDULE BELOW. You can buy tickets for individual shows, buy a festival pass, or you can win tickets right here! We have 5 SINGLE tickets to give away for Dave Hills Podcasting Incident with guest Gavin Mcinnes for 1/12 at 11pm. We also have 5 SINGLE tickets to give away for ThisMyShow on 1/13 at 7pm with guest Nick Turner. Contest deets are waaayyyyy down there...

Continue reading "Inaugural NYC Podcast Fest is this month (schedule, win tix!)"

by Klaus Kinski

I am going to spare you my usual editorializing and get right to the meat of the situation here. Basically, there is an absolute shit-ton of comedy and benefit type shows coming to the Bell House. I hope you like brass tacks, because I'm going to get right down to them.

Hey, did you get tickets for PROFESSOR BLASTOFF LIVE with Hosts Tig Notaro, Kyle Dunnigan, David Huntsberger plus a special guest? It happens at the Bell House on Saturday November 17 (aka this Saturday!) and, man, it sure as hell sold out.

On Wednesday (11/21), the Bell House will play host to The Musical Extravaganza to Restore Red Hook! starring Rosanne Cash and featuring Alex Battles and the Whisky Spitter Rebellion and B61: A film by Michael Buscemi. Here's more:

The evening kicks off with a square dance, hosted by NYC Barn Dance. Roseanne Cash will headline the evening, and Jesse Lenat, John Pinamonti and the Brotherhood of the Whiskey Spitter Rebellion will play. Michael Buscemi will screen his new film on the bus that runs through Red Hook, called "B61."

This show will benefit Restore Red Hook. Restore Red Hook aims to raise funds to help the small businesses of Red Hook, Brooklyn reopen their doors as soon as possible after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.

On Sunday, November 25th at 8:00pm, as mentioned, the Bell House and Pretty Good Friends team up for a Hurricane Relief Benefit featuring A Very Funny 'F*ck You' To Sandy. The show will be hosted by Eugene Mirman and feature comedy from a powerhouse line up including Jon Glaser, Wyatt Cenac, Mike Birbiglia , Michael Che and more. I am vexed that this show isn't sold out, so get your tickets now!!

Wyatt Cenac at Prospect Park, August 2012 (more by Jessica Amaya)

And speaking of Wyatt Cenac, check him out a little less than a month later at the much smaller Union Hall when, on Friday December 21, he'll be part of the comedy roster at The Afterlife Comedy Show. The show is gang-hosted by Emily Heller, George Gordon, Erin Judge, and Josh Gondelman. The show is a measly eight bucks and besides Wyatt and the awesome hosts and hostess there will be more comedy to boot!

On Friday November 30 Nick Kroll, one of my all time favorite comedians, takes the stage for a headlining show at the Bell House. Sadly, this show sold out faster than a speeding bullet. I am still recovering from wounds sustained during a self-flagellation sesh I performed on myself upon realizing this had happened. But keep your eye on the Bell House twitter feed in case they release more tickets. Or, go hang outside the venue before the show because I promise you there will be many-a nimrod out there with extra tickets they'd sell for face.

Allow me to go ahead and continue to mention another great Wyatt Cenac related show, this one happening at the Bell House on Wednesday December 5th; for on Wednesday December 5th you can thrill to the THE TELL YOUR FRIENDS! THE CONCERT FILM! RELEASE SHOW/SANDY BENEFIT (caps totally necessary). Join host Liam McEneaney as he brings to the stage Wyatt Cenac, Aaron Freeman (formerly Gene Ween), Christian Finnegan, Victor Varnado, A Brief View of The Hudson, Rob Paravonian , and more! The guests WILL be quite special, your money is going to a good cause, and it's not sold out yet. Get yer tix now!

And don't forget about Wyatt's weekly show "Night Train" which happens at Littlefield.

On Thursday December 6 the Bell House will be the site of two live podcast recordings of How Did This Get Made? A Live Podcast With Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas and June Diane Raphael. The early show went on sale and promptly sold out, but they added a late show (Thank Cod!) and tix for that are currently still available. Kaboom!

Flash forward a week later to Thursday December 13 and the Bell House will play host to The Party Machine's 2nd Annual Holiday Benefit Blowout! The show is hosted by the EXTREMELY funny and wonderful Arden Myrin and Lisa Delarios and features and atomic line-up of comedians including Jon Glaser, Chris Gethard, Sheng Wang, Janeane Garofalo and Adira Amram and the Experience. Tickets are only $12 and it will sell out, so git along l'il doggie and buy some tix!

Then on Wednesday December 19th catch TODD BARRY 25TH ANNIVERSARY IN COMEDY SHOW featuring Janeane Garofalo, Ted Alexandro, Jim Gaffigan and more! Thanks to that skank hurricane Sandy, Todd's first attempt at a 25th anniversary show was left in ruins so this is your make up date people. No excuses. This show WILL SELL OUT, so get your tickets right this very second. This show is a benefit for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Two days later on Friday December 21, toddle on over to the Bell House for John Hodgman: That Is All. December 21, 2012 is the last day of the Mayan long count calendar and many buffoons and dipshits are prophesizing that this day marks certain doom for mankind. Along with musician Cynthia Hopkins and other special guests, Hodgman will count down to midnight, when his predictions will be proved TRUE! Or else FALSE! Tickets are on sale, but not for long! I prophesize a sell out!

(drawing via New Yorker)

In addition to there being a bunch of Hurricane Sandy Relief benefits in NYC tonight (11/6), you may also be aware it is Election Day and what is looking like is gonna be a real squeaker. Any bar with a TV is likely to be showing election coverage but there are some more thought-out viewing parties are happening around NYC:

The Bell House have a free one at 7:30 PM co-presented with Vanishing Girl with host Liam McEneaney and DJ Mike Doughty.

Le Poisson Rouge have a free one at 7 PM presented by Kevin Powell and BK Nation with DJ Herbert Holler and special guest Pete Rock.

HiFi Bar will be open and showing a live broadcast of the election with "$4 Radeberger Pilsner and $5 Stoli Flavors from 9pm-12am."

SuperVegan is hosting an Election Party at Fontana's starting at 8pm with "delicious, organic, local, savory food from Chickpea & Olive and delectable, organic, artisinal doughnuts from Dun-Well Doughnuts!"

UCB East has an 'Election 2012 Coverage Extravaganza' at 8 PM with "color commentary from UCB comedians." It's free, but reservations are "sold out", but there will be a standby line.

Freddy's Bar in Brooklyn will be showing the election coverage on their big screen in the back room at 7 PM.

Zebulon lists tonight's show as "Election NIght Shenanigans" with "a bad lip reading of the first 2012 presidential debate" being among tonight's features.

Union Pool "will be holding Election Night coverage in the front room. With our hi-res, bi-partisan projector, we will be projecting MSNBCrap & Comedy Central's sweet news coverage starting at 8pm. Please, come join us for drink specials throughout the night as we await the fate of our country's next four years."

These are the ones we know about. What else?

Almost everyting was cancelled on Sunday and Monday, and now Tuesday (10/30) is also shaping up to be a mostly-showless night in NYC (and NJ and elsewhere too).

The Rock Shop in Park Slope is open for drinking. Show is cancelled though.

Cypress Hill and Action Bronson at Best Buy Theater is postponed (new date TBA).

Public Assembly, who have another Action Bronson show coming up, will be closed Tuesday night.

Deftones and Scars on Broadway at Terminal 5 is postponed (new date TBA)

Dita Von Teese may or may not postpone Tuesday's show, one of four this week. UPDATE: Dita's Tuesday night show is cancelled, and a 2nd Thursday night one was added.

Journey and Pat Benatar/Neil Geraldo at the Barclays Center is cancelled.

The Freedom to Love Concert at Beacon Theater (with tons of artists scheduled to play it including Rufus Wainwright) is postponed (new date TBA).

The Tell Your Friends comedy show with Gilbert Gottfried, Myq Kaplan, Liam McEneaney, Rena Zager & more at The Bell House is postponed. (new date TBA)

Kitsune Club Night at Le Poisson Rouge with The Twelves, Yuksek, New Moods, JDH & Dave P is cancelled.

Le Poisson Rouge also says that Sean Hayes and Behind the Groove events have been canceled but "The Sean Hayes show will be rescheduled. All tickets will be honored."

Ute Lemper at Joe's Pub is cancelled.

Everything at 92nd Street Y is cancelled.

Lincoln Center will remain closed Tuesday.

All Rocks Off Concert Cruises are cancelled.

All events at BB King's are cancelled.

As of this post, Aimee Mann & Ted Leo's Music Hall of Williamsburg show is still on (their Monday Bowery show was rescheduled for Wednesday), as is the Soft Moon/Pop 1280 show at Bowery Ballroom.

UPDATE: Aimee Mann and Ted Leo are now also cancelled.

UPDATE: The Soft Moon/Pop 1280 show at Bowery Ballroom is cancelled.

UPDATE: Rita Ora, Iggy Azalea, and Havana Brown at Highline Ballroom "is postponed due to weather complications Rescheduled date will be announced as soon as possible. All tickets will be honored." Rita Ora's Philly show was also cancelled.

Keep checking this post for updates.

Monday's cancellations are listed HERE.

by Klaus Kinski

Reggie Watts on Late Night last night (video below)

As a longtime fan of the great Mike Birbiglia, I always do my best to spread the word whenever I hear of an upcoming NYC Birbigs happening. The other day someone forwarded me a Ticketweb link to a show happening at the Highline Ballroom on Sunday December 2nd called 'Inside Jokes': a benefit for NYWC's Justice Writing Program featuring Mike Birbiglia. "Sweet. Article time," thought I. So I go to get started on a quick write-up for BV, head over to the ticketweb link and, KABOOMsky... no more Birbiglia. Turns out, he is no longer on the bill but other Klaus favorites Janeane Garafolo, Dave Hill, Eugene Mirman ARE on the bill as are Special Guests. Could Birbiglia be a special guest? One wonders. Either way, it's a great line-up regardless, and the charity NYWC is more than worth some of your time and money.

NYWC stands for New York Writers Coalition (not New York Water Closets, as I initially ass-umed).

NYWC creates opportunities for formerly voiceless members of society to be heard through the art of writing. We provide free, unique and powerful creative writing workshops throughout New York City for people from groups that have been historically deprived of voice in our society, including at-risk and disconnected youth, the homeless and formerly homeless, the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated, war veterans, people with disabilities, cancer and major illness, immigrants, seniors and others.

--

Meanwhile, you can catch Janeane Garafolo (and Reggie Watts and others) on 11/1 at Todd Barry's 25th Anniversary in Comedy show at the Bell House, if you have a ticket because it's now sold out. Tickets are still available however for the Tell Your Friends! The Halloween Spooktacular with Gilbert Gottfried, Myq Kaplan, Liam McEneaney, Rena Zager, and more at the Bell House on 10/30.

Tickets go on sale at noon today for the live Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert show happening in NJ.

Louis CK, who recently released a live Tig Notaro album, hosts SNL soon and is meanwhile in the midst of his NYC run of live shows.

Speaking of Reggie Watts, he was on Conan last night. Watch below...

Continue reading "Comedy for NYWC, Gilbert Gottfried at the Bell House, Reggie Watts on Conan, Jon Stewart/Colbert tickets & more"

Ra Ra Riot @ BAM in 2010 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

today in NYC
* Veveritse @ Barbes
* Adam Levy @ Barbes
* Tanya Morgan @ Southpaw
* Harris Eisenstadt @ The Stone
* John Wesley @ Rockwood Music Hall
* Bizi Gara w/ Marco Benevento @ Cameo
* The Vinny Golia Septet @ The Stone
* Justin Bond, Doveman @ Bowery Ballroom
* Soft Landing, Zula, Koelie @ Cameo Gallery
* Wire, Weekend @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Wise Blood, Zambri, My Gold Mask, Lavalier @ Pianos
* David Liebe Hart (Tim & Eric), The Press @ Maxwell's
* Das Racist, Small Black, Wallpaper @ NYU
* Fostercare, Blissed Out, Megafortress @ The Delancey
* Royal Bangs, Fine Peduncle, The Grand @ Knitting Factory
* Hand, Sophia Knapp of Cliffie Swan, Hairy Sands @ Zebulon
* Alex Winston, Warm Ghost, Two Lights, Dirty Gold @ Mercury Lounge
* This City Defects, Multitudes, Noxious Foxes, Inzinzac @ Death By Audio
* AraabMuzik, Telephoned, Jasmine Solano, Zuzuka Poderosa @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Ra Ra Riot, Sean Bones, Eugene Mirman, Todd Barry, Diamondsnake (Japan Benefit) @ The Bell House
* Dred Scott Trio, Stripmall Ballads, Michael Daves, Dina Rudeen, Christopher Paul Stelling, Griffin Anthony, Beatie Wolfe @ Rockwood Music Hall
* Jesse Harris, The Cosmo Band featuring Larry Goldings, Anthony Wilson, Michael Leonhart, Clark Gayton, Mauro Refosco, Bill Dobrow, Rob Jost, Tony Scherr & more @ Le Poisson Rouge

Liam McEneaney hosts the Japan benefit with Ra Ra Riot, Sean Bones, Eugene Mirman, Todd Barry, Diamondsnake, and more at the Bell House tonight. (Liam's weekly "Tell Your Friends" comedy show at Lolita Bar seems to have the night off).

Nellie McKay recorded a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR. You can watch that below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

Ra Ra Riot @ MHOW in 2010 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Speaking of Japan benefits, The Bell House has two special ones scheduled....

Continue reading "Ra Ra Riot, Wyatt Cenac, Tim Harrington, Todd Barry & many, many more playing Japan benefits @ the Bell House "

Tom Allen

Very funny UK comedian Tom Allen, who just completed a mini 'Pretty Good Friends' east coast tour with Eugene Mirman, Reggie Watts and Kumail Nanjiani, is now on their homebase and playing his own show at Union Hall tonight (3/8).

It's a late show - begins at 10pm. If you want to make a night of it, another comedy show, with Kristen Schaal and more, is happening at the same venue earlier.

The next 'Pretty Good Friends' with Eugene Mirman happens at Union Hall on Sunday, 3/13 at 7pm. That's an early show that is followed, strangely, by a "CONAN O'BRIEN STAND-UP GUEST SHOWCASE" with Eliot Glazer, Andy Haynes, Matt McCarthy, Eugene Mirman, John Roberts, Dan St. Germain, Myq Kaplan, Joe Mande, Dave Hill, Jay Oakerson, and Kurt Metzger. It is unclear if Conan even knows about this intimate Park Slope basement show with his name on it, but it should be good nonetheless.

Reggie Watts may or may not being playing a free show at Cake Shop tonight (3/8), but he's definitely playing TWO shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg on March 30th.

Aziz Ansari may or may not be on the bill of "Tell Your Friends" at Lolita bar tonight, but host Liam McEneaney has leaked the following clue:

JUST ADDED TONIGHT:
A guy whose name is very nearly an anagram for "ZZ Sariani."
You might know him from his show that is anagrammed as "A Crankiest Pardoner."
And his sketch show on "VTM" might also be known as "Giant Human."
And his first name is "Aziz."
And I "farted."

Eugene Mirman can also be found at City Winery with John Wesley Harding (and Andrew Bird) on April 22nd.

A Tom Allen video below...

Continue reading "Tom Allen is here + Aziz Ansari, Brody Stevens & other stuff"

Todd Barry @ Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 (more by Tim Griffin)

Want to laugh Tuesday night? Head over to Lolita Bar at Broome and Allen for another edition of "Tell Your Friends!". This week's special guests include HANNIBAL BURESS (who performs a free show every Sunday at Knitting Factory) (and who recently opened for Aziz Ansari at Beacon Theater), LIAM McENEANEY, ANDY DE LA TOUR, and a "MYSTERY GUEST" who "is doing a big big show later in the week, and can't be advertised for this. He appears all over television and films, though, and this may be your last chance to see him in a basement before he's too famous for our show. - A MUST SEE!" Hmm.

Speaking of a big big show later in the week, Nick Kroll's two tapings at Music Hall of Williamsburg take place this Thursday, 11/18.

Nick also did a show at UCB tonight/Monday right before Whiplash (with special guest Mike Birbiglia). How was that? Whiplash takes place every Monday.

MGMT's Andrew VanWyngarden will be a guest at the live broadcast of WFMU's comedy/variety show "Seven Second Delay" at UCB Theatre on Wednesday (11/17). $5.00 tickets are still on sale, though note that he won't be performing. They'll be interviewing him, but they promise they have a couple of surprises planned. Other guests appearing on the same show: former New York Times Ombudsman Dan Okrent, and author / gambling expert / former bookie Beth Raymer.

That WFMU thing is early - like 6pm. Stick around after for an edition of Joe Mande and Noah Garfinkel's Totally J/K with special guests Hari Kondabalu (Comedy Central Presents), Greg Johnson (Sirius/XM Radio) "& more!" Then stay even longer, cause Joe Mande is also part of the show right after that too. Anthony Atamanuik, John Flynn & Ed Gavagan also perform in "The Nights of Our Lives"

Much like Pee Wee Herman, Colin Quinn has a new show on Broadway (which is directed by Jerry Seinfeld) (the Colin show) (Jerry didn't direct the Pee Wee show). We are giving away tickets to see Pee Wee. The Apiary has a pair up for grabs to see Colin.

What about Eugene Mirman you ask? Well, in addition to stuff we've mentioned in the past and his somewhat regularly scheduled Sunday night shows at Union Hall, you can catch him along with John Roderick (as Santa Claus), A.C. Newman, John Hodgman, Gary Shteyngart, and Ollabelle on December 17th at City Winery for the next edition of John Wesley Harding's Cabinet of Wonders. Tickets are on sale.

You will also find Eugene Mirman at the Bell House on December 12th for "Pretty Good Friends (formerly Tearing the Veil of Maya) End of the Year Holiday Blowout" with Kristen Schaal, Jon Glaser and "more to be announced." Tickets are on sale.

Speaking of Kristen Schaal, was she at Littlefield last night/tonight/Monday night for "Hot Tub with Kurt"? It's unclear from the listings whether Kurt Braunohler is doing "Hot Tub" without her every Monday night through 11/29. Upcoming listed guests include Wyatt Cenac, Laura Krafft, Dan Friel, Jon Friedman, Liam McEneaney, and Chris Rozzi.

Patton Oswalt has four shows coming up at Caroline's - two on January 7th and two on January 8th. Tickets are on sale.

Last but not least, after postponing the original date, honorary Juggalo Gallagher will appear at Gramercy Theatre on April 8th. Tickets are on sale.

Continue reading "Andrew VanWyngarden, secret guests, John Roderick as Santa, Dan Friel, AC Newman & other upcoming comedy shows"

...with Liam McEneaney, John Oliver, Caroline Rhea, Kristen Schaal & more TBA @ Comix in NYC on December 8th.