The Mermaid Parade is underway in Coney Island today (6/18). At 6pm head to the boardwalk near the aquarium for:

...millions of bubbles fly through the air as we converge for a magical bubble battle! Loosely based on the Dr. Seuss Classic The Butter Battle Book. Bring bubble toys, bubble generators, bubble solution, and plenty of AA batteries :) We will meet, fill our weapons and pull the trigger!

Last year over 1,500 people came to disseminate joy by the bubbles per minute. Be creative with your contraptions and take sides: butter side up or butter side down! In the spirit of the day, dress like a mermaid, Neptune, or various sea creatures. This is a family-friendly event. See you on the boardwalk! [NewMindSpace]

At 6:30 pm, the Brooklyn Cyclones play their first baseball game of the season against the Staten Island Yankees. it's a lively day in Coney Island for sure.

Mermaid Parade last year (more by Chris La Putt)

Siren might be gone, but the Mermaid Parade is returning to Coney Island this Saturday (6/18). The parade of scantily clad people starts at 2pm at West 21st St and Surf Ave and ends at Stillwell Ave.

This year's king and queen are Adam Richman from the Travel Channel's Man V. Food and Cat Greenleaf from the Talk Stoop with Cat Greenleaf. You might remember that last year it was Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson.

The official after party aka the Mermaid Parade Ball takes place at 7 PM at the New York Aquarium. The party features live music, burlesque, hula hoopers, DJS, magicians, and more. Tickets are on sale.

More details below...

Continue reading "The Coney Island Mermaid Parade is Saturday, afterparty too"

photos by Chris La Putt

The 2010 Mermaid Parade happened Saturday afternoon in Coney Island with special guests Lou Reed & Laurie Anderson acting as king and queen. More pictures from the annual event (NSFW), which unfortunately included a captive elephant from the circus this year, below...

Continue reading "Mermaid Parade pictures (w/ Lou Reed & Laurie Anderson) "

photos by Erez Avissar

Queen Mermaid Laurie Anderson (at Santos Party House)...

Mark your calendar for this year's Mermaid Parade, happening Saturday, June 19th at 2pm. Leading the proceedings will be "King Neptune" Lou Reed and "Queen Mermaid" Laurie Anderson. The parade's afterparty, featuring burlesque and music, is at the nearby NY Aquarium later that night. More details on the route and transportation are here.

Check out some pictures from the 2009 parade (which had Harvey Keitel and wife Daphna Kastner as the king and queen) and 2008's ball/afterparty

Laurie Anderson has a new album on the way.

Laurie Anderson's forthcoming Nonesuch release, Homeland, is due out on June 22. To count down the weeks till then, Nonesuch will release one short video clip featuring Anderson's male alter ego, Fenway Bergamot, every Tuesday now through release day. In today's inaugural clip, Bergamot revisits the early days of the 2008 financial crisis. BAM has announced that Anderson will give the NY premiere of her new work, Delusion, at the Next Wave Festival this fall. [Nonesuch]

Delusion will run at BAM's Harvey Theater Sep 21-25, Sep 28-30, Oct 1 & 2 at 7:30pm and Sep 26 & Oct 3 at 3pm. Tickets will be $20, 35, 45, 60. "Next Wave Festival subscription tickets for Friends of BAM (as well as subscribers to both the 2010 Spring Season and 2009 Next Wave Festival) are on sale Jun 7; subscription tickets for the general public are on sale Jun 14. Single tickets for Delusion and Vollmond are on sale Aug 30 (Aug 23 for Friends of BAM)."

The above-mentioned Nonesuch videos get posted here. There's also a remix contest for the song "Only an Expert" off that record, which runs through May 27th (the winner will get $1,000 and their song will be available on iTunes).

Looking way into the future, Laurie Anderson joins Lou Reed, Mike Patton, Marc Ribot, Dave Douglas, and Uri Caine to perform with John Zorn in "a series of mind-bending sonic compositions and no-holds-barred improvisations" at NYC Opera on Wednesday, March 30, 2011. Tickets...TBA?

Lou recently took part in the Anthology Film Archives benefit at Hiro, but never made it to the Codes Festival in Poland where he was scheduled to play with Laurie and John Zorn on May 15th (Laurie and John did go though). All three of them are next scheduled to appear together on July 2nd at the Montreal Jazz Festival.

The pictures above and those below are from an April 28th benefit show at Santos Party House with Laurie Anderson, Tony Conrad, Erik Friedlander and (not pictured) Text of Light. More pictures and videos (including one with Laurie talking about Delusion) are below...

Continue reading "Laurie Anderson & Lou Reed are king & queen of the 2010 Mermaid Parade, playing BAM & other shows & stuff "

photos by Barry Yanowitz

"The tradition of the Coney Island Mermaid Parade began in 1983, when the first event of this kind was conceptualized and organized by Dick Zigun, who is sometimes dubbed the "Mayor of Coney Island", and who was the founder of the non-profit arts group Coney Island USA.

The parade pays homage to the Coney Island Mardi Gras parades of the early 20th century. During this era, Coney Island was the primary amusement park destination for those in the New York area. Like the much larger annual Village Halloween Parade, the mermaid parade embodies the spirit and artistry of Mardi Gras." [Wiki]

Despite the rain, this year's Mermaid Parade went down as planned in Coney Island (Brooklyn, NY) this afternoon (6/21). Harvey Keitel, with his wife (the queen) by his side, was the the king (Neptune) of the parade. More pictures (NSFW), below...

Continue reading "pictures from the 2009 Mermaid Parade in Coney Island"

Coney Island Mermaid Parade- June 20, 2009, 2PM (cellphone pic by Shawn Lynch)

The 2009 Coney Island Mermaid Parade is going on as planned as we speak... in the rain. If you're there or plan on hurrying up and getting there, check out details of the (indoor) (roller rink) afterparty, below...

Continue reading "Mermaid Parade is happening in the rain ++ afterparty details"

by Andrew Frisicano

2008 Mermaid Parade Ball (more by Eric M Townsend)

The 2009 Mermaid Parade will take place on Saturday, June 20th (2PM) along Coney Island's boardwalk. If you'd like to march (or volunteer) in this year's parade, registration is now open. Directions and new parade route, below.

Also at Coney Island this summer is the Siren Festival, taking place Saturday, July 18th. Bands playing include Built to Spill, The Raveonettes, Spank Rock, Frightened Rabbit, Japandroids and more.

The beaches at Coney Island, as well as the Cyclone, are both now open for the summer. The fate of the destination spot has been in limbo for quite a while. Astroland's "final year" was initially to be 2007. That was delayed until after the 2008 summer season -- since then, the old rides have been dismantled, and new ones have been put in their place, kinda, sorta...

What will finally end up in the spot is still in question. Thor Equities, the company that runs the former Astroland lot, announced earlier this year that it'll be setting up "Dreamland" amusement park. Curbed (which has recent pics of the condition of the site) reported on the new park's Friday, May 15th opening...

What was supposed to be a big day on Coney Island is already a bit of a bust. Today marks the grand opening of Festival by the Sea, the summertime amusement park and flea market set up by developer Joe Sitt on the former Astroland (pardon us, Dreamland) and other parcels owned by Sitt's Thor Equities. The hyped attraction is supposed to serve as Sitt's proof that he knows what's best for Coney Island's redevelopment, but a funny thing happened on the way to the freak show: the Brooklyn Paper reports that half the rides haven't arrived and the vendors will be "exposed to the element because of a tent mishap." [Curbed]

Add that to the fact that the City has made an offer on the lot to the tune of $105 million.

If the Coney Island development circus isn't enough, the actual circus is coming to the boardwalk on June 18th -- the Times makes the appropriate connections. Luckily, there's at least a slim chance that the circus' days in NYC may soon go the way of Astroland...

Almost half of City Council members [have signed] onto a bill that would prohibit "the display of wild or exotic animals for public entertainment or amusement." Other animals included in the bill: dolphins, walruses, hippopotamuses, giraffes, koalas, kinkajou, sloths, tarantulas, rhinoceroses and armadillos. Despite the extensive taxonomy in the bill, essentially everyone admits that the primary target for the legislation is the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

The bill, which has circulated for many years in different local legislatures, has [recently] drawn renewed attention in New York City with Ringling Brothers arrival [on March 26th] and [late-March] closing arguments in a federal lawsuit that accused the circus of mistreating its Asian elephants. [NY Times March 26, 2009]

Footage of the 2008 Mermaid Parade (kinda NSFW), with directions and its new route, below...

Continue reading "Coney Island 2009 - Mermaid Parade returns (w/ new route), the circus (groan), "Dreamland", Siren & more "

DOWNLOAD: Rob Dickinson - The End Of The World (MP3)

Amy Winehouse @ the Mermaid Parade - June 21, 2008 (heartonastick)

today in NYC
* FREE STUFF
* Coldplay @ MSG
* Annihilation Time @ The Charleston
* The Fashion & Bodega Girls @ The Annex
* Annihilation Time & Vermefug @ Cake Shop
* Herman Dune and Jeffrey Lewis @ Maxwell's
* Bride of Frankenstein showing @ Bryant Park
* Richard Lloyd and the Sufimonkeys @ Knitting Factory
* Harvey Milk, Growing, A Storm of Light, & PIGS @ Europa
* Rob Dickinson (Catherine Wheel) & The Sharp Things @ Mercury Lounge

The Fashion are back in town from Denmark and I'm being told that there will be open bar at their show at The Annex tonight from 11-12. The show is a night off from their tour with Alkaline Trio that actually does hit NYC on July 12th (at Irving Plaza).

Richard Lloyd and the Sufimonkey trio (that's Richard Lloyd of Television fame) are also playing Southpaw on July 23rd. "Richard Lloyd in the guise of Jamie Neverts has finished recording and mixing his record of Jimi Hendrix covers which will likely be released by Parasol Records in the fall. It will contain 10 songs on nine tracks."

Rob Dickinson's Fresh Wine for the Horses (deluxe 2-CD set) was released June 10, 2008 on Fontana International.

The Voodoo Experience fest announced their lineup. Modest Mouse played a very late show at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

A Storm of Light are playing with Harvey Milk at Europa tonight. Check out our interview with Josh Graham.

What else?

photos by Eric M Townsend

Eric stopped by the ball after the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island on Saturday (June 21, 2008). More pictures below....

Continue reading "photos from the 2008 Mermaid Parade Ball in Coney Island"

Coney Island Mermaid Parade - June 21, 2008 (more photos by See-ming Lee)

today in NYC & NJ
* DANCE
* free stuff
* Sunday Best
* Polvo @ Maxwell's
* Blondie @ Nokia Theater
* Salif Keita & Haale @ Prospect Park
* Yael Naim & Herman Dune @ Summerstage
* PG Six, James William Hindle, Don Lennon, The Human Hearts @ Union Hall

Folk singer James William Hindle is playing Union Hall with PG Six tonight (the Sunday night comedy shows are on hiatus). Check out James' video for the song "jamie" below. James is also playing a free in-store at Cake Shop on June 27th.

Franklin Bruno is in The Human Hearts. They're playing Union Hall tonight oo.

Franklin Bruno will be reading from his 33 1/3 book Elvis Costello's Armed Forces at Solas Bar on June 26th. His old bandmate wrote one of those books too.

"Salif Keita (born August 25, 1949) is an internationally recognized afro-pop singer-songwriter from Mali. He is unique not only because of his reputation as the Golden Voice of Africa, but because he has albinism and is a direct descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire, Sundiata Keita. This royal heritage meant that under the Malian caste system, he should never have become a singer, which was deemed to be a griot's role." [Wikipedia]

Salif Keita is playing the free show at Prospect Park today with Haale. David Byrne is a fan of Haale. Another free option for today is a visit to David Byrne's "Playing the Building" installation.

Did you watch the "Toe Jam" video yet?

Against Me! were on Leno the other day. Video below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Sunday?"

The pictures from today's Mermaid Parade are already appearing on the Internet. Here's one photo that Joe Holmes took....

today in NYC
* FREE
* DANCE
* URB ALT
* MAKE MUSIC
* After the Jump
* Free Blood @ Santos
* Green Velvet @ Studio B
* Polvo @ Bowery Ballroom
* Stars Like Fleas @ Sound Fix
* Baby Dayliner @ Mercury Lounge
* Steely Dan @ the Beacon Theater
* The Cure @ Radio City Music Hall
* The Muslims @ The Castle in Hell
* Sharon Van Etten @ Rooftop Films
* Ponytail & Deer Tick @ Silent Barn
* Children, TK Webb and The Visions & Miguel Mendez @ Union Pool

E.S.T. were supposed to play (le) Poisson Rouge tonight. Esbjorn Svensson, RIP.

TK Webb & The Visions recently announced that their debut album Ancestor will be out on Kemado on September 2nd.

Free Blood (ex-!!!) at Santos Party House tonight is $10. The flyer is below. Free Blood is also playing PS1 this summer.

More of Joe's Mermaid Parade pics at Flickr.

After Steely Dan @ The Bitter End tonight:

Brian Sizensky (7PM)
Pauline Pisano (CD Release)
Baywa
The Undisputed Heavyweights
Jeff Young & Friends (featuring present members of Steely Dan)
The Jon Herrington Band (featuring present members of Steely Dan)

Someone told me it's a tradition that Steely Dan always has an afterparty like this.

The Fratellis played Ferguson last night. Video below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday? (Mermaid Parade - 2008 pictures)"

Why does the Mermaid Parade have to be the same day musicians are playing for free all over the city including punk bands on Governors Island and blog-approved bands in Brooklyn at the After the Jump Festival?

If you do go to the Mermaid Parade, consider also going to the ball afterwards.

2007 Mermaid Parade, NYC - June 23, 2007 (CRED)

2007 Pride Parade, NYC - June 24, 2007 (CRED)

I missed two of my favorite parades this weekend. Saturday I had to take care of something that ended up taking all day, and Sunday I just stuck with McCarren Pool. Good thing there's Flickr. More Mermaid Parade pics HERE. More Pride Parade pics HERE.

This past Sunday (June 17, 2007) was Todd P's Springtime Unamplified Acoustic BBQ on Roosevelt Island in NYC. Sandwich! was there and took pics - like this one of Aa...

Aa is playing again this weekend at The 2007 Mermaid Parade Ball which is the official after-party of the 25th annual Mermaid Parade in Coney Island, Brooklyn, NYC, USA. Also playing the ball: Jill Cunniff of Luscious Jackson, The Shapes, Mighty Fine, The Atomic Grind Show, DJ Jess, DJ Xerox and a whole bunch of burlesque dancers. It's at the Childs Building (June 23).

Speaking of Luscious Jackson, Gabby Glasser is also pursuing her solo career. She has a new album ('Gimmes Splash') out next week, and is playing Union Hall in Brooklyn on June 28th. She's also offering the chance to hang out with her if that's your thing.

More Jill Cunniff tour dates & mermaid stuff below...

Continue reading "the Mermaid Parade, Luscious Jackson, Aa, Roosevelt Island"