Willifest kicks off with an opening night gala at Galapagos in DUMBO tonight (maybe they forgot it moved!), and then continues with a full schedule of events/movies happening in Williamsburg on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

One highlight of the fest (well, I haven't seen it) includes a new documentary about the McCarren Pool Parties. In it you'll see a bunch of photographs by Bao Nguyen that first appeared on BrooklynVegan.com. Bao writes:

"A documentary that features my concert photography will be playing this weekend at the first ever Williamsburg International Film Festival. It's opening the festival on Thursday night but all the tickets sold out so they added a second show on Sunday afternoon at 3 PM at the Knitting Factory. Let me know if you can make it. Unfortunately tickets can only be bought at the door."

Continue reading "Williamsburg Film Fest (Willifest) kicks off, new Pool Party documentary included "

photos by Chris Doss

DOWNLOAD: Dominique Young Unique - Show My Ass (MP3)

"Jelly pool party was historic/epic. DMC + Andrew WK + Les Savy Fav+Doug E Fresh : unforgettable. Gucci mane is the gertrude stein of hip hop" -erikhinton

Gucci Mane @ Williamsburg Waterfront Sunday

When they said "surprise" they meant it, though as rumored (and here), Gucci Mane was on the lineup of the final Jelly Pool Party on Sunday, August 29th, at Williamsburg Waterfront. Andrew WK hinted at his participation the night before, but for the most part, the lineup remained a rumor until the artists hit the stage. Featuring DJ sets by The Rub and Smalltown DJs, Sunday's Pool Party-that-almost-didn't-happen featured performances from DMC (of Run DMC), Andrew WK (and Cherie Lilly), Doug E Fresh, Doug's son's group, Big Freedia (and dancer), The Cool Kids, Tim Harrington (of Les Savy Fav), and Atlanta MC Gucci Mane in addition to the previously announced Dominique Young Unique and Delorean.

Unlike Run, Andrew WK and Tim Harrington helped DMC perform "It's Tricky" and "Walk this Way". Delorean, already headlining multiple nights at 600+ capacity venues in NYC, played 2nd on the bill after an opening set by Dominique Young Unique who was busting out of her top as she played songs like "Show My Ass" (download that song above).

Dominique Young Unique

But Dominique's outfit was nothing compared to the stage show of New Orleans's Big Freedia who brought "Ass Everywhere" to a NYC crowd for the third time in two days (Freedia also performed at PS1 on Saturday and at Coco66 later that night) (Dominique also played again later Sunday night at Brooklyn Bowl).

So was it the final pool party ever?

...Series' co-founder, Sarah Hooper, has said that she "hates" what the beloved Pool Parties have become: lame concerts with muted speakers, too many security guards and too much oversight from the state and its patron, Open Space Alliance. She even hinted that Jelly's current side-project, a six-show free series called "Rock Yard" on Wythe Avenue, could replace the Pool Parties (so named because they began at the McCarren Park pool).

Hooper didn't fork over any of the juicy details when she took the stage on Sunday to give a crammed park its final farewell.

"Thank you so much, we love being in Brooklyn," she said to a roaring crowd. "Don't ever let anybody tell you that you can't be yourself." -[Brooklyn Paper]

More pictures and some videos from the whole day, below...

Continue reading "Gucci Mane, Doug E Fresh, Dominique Young Unique & the Cool Kids played the final Pool Party too (pics) "

photos by Chris Doss

"It was all worth it to see DMC, Andrew WK and a yeti-dressed Tim Harrington on stage together singing "Walk This Way."

Watching that. Then turning around and seeing the Manhattan skyline over the East River. And seeing the hundreds of people sitting in the grass behind the tents. Then walking home to my apartment. And realizing that this is something real that has actually happened. It's hard to be mad at the pretentiousness of a crowd, or peoples' ignorance (heard a dude say "Who is that guy?" when Tim Harrington came out. Made me giggle.) when this is a world where things like this can happen" [Times Ain't That Rough]

Continue reading "Andrew WK & Tim Harrington played w/ DMC (instead of Run) @ the Pool Party @ Williamsburg Waterfront (pics & video) "

photos by Chris Doss

After much hub-bub, the final Jelly Pool Party at the Williamsburg Waterfront of summer 2010 (and possibly ever) went down as planned on Sunday, with a multitude of special guests, and two pre-announced acts. Guests included Gucci Mane, Doug E Fresh, DMC, The Cool Kids, Tim Harrington, Andrew WK and more. Pre-announced bands were Dominique Young Unique and Delorean.

More about the whole day is coming shortly, but in the meantime: Delorean have already announced two more NYC shows because the Spanish band can never stay away long. The new dates are November 21st at Bowery Ballroom and November 24th at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Both shows will be opened by their True Panther lablemate Lemonade, as will their entire November tour that starts in Texas and includes Fun Fun Fun Fest..

Tickets for both new NYC shows will go on sale Friday at noon (with an AmEx presale beginning Wednesday at the same time). All Delorean dates and some more pics from Sunday, below..

Continue reading "Delorean played the Pool Party (pics), adds MORE NYC shows (as part of their upcoming tour w/ Lemonade) "

Delorean @ Coco66 in March (more by Ryan Muir)

today in NYC
* Bill Frisell @ Village Vanguard
* Hannibal Buress @ Knitting Factory
* Autolux, This Will Destroy You @ Maxwell's
* Dominique Young Unique, Smalltown DJs @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Michael Jackson's Birthday Party in Prospect Park w/ DJ Spinna
* Delorean, Dominique Young Unique, ??, ?? @ Williamsburg Waterfront
* Nellie McKay, Spencer Reed (Highline Piano Series) @ Highline Ballroom
Jimmy Scott, Vijay Iyer, The Cookers, Catherine Russell @ Tompkins Square Park
* Telecult Powers, Mazing Vids, Slasher Risk, Pygmy Shrews, Peopling, Millions @ Glasslands
* Ecstatic Rain (Prince cover band w/ Sam Mickens & band), Charlie Looker, avant bachelor auction & more @ Death By Audio
* Bunnybrains, PG Six, Zaimph (feat. Marcia Bassett from Double Leopards), Diane Cluck, Hat City Intuitive, Nonhorse (G Lucas Crane of Woods) @ Knitting Factory
* Hermit Thrushes, Natureboy, Generifus, Elizabeth Devlin, Gunfight!, Liv Carrow, Will Stratton, Trevor Wilson, Johnny Houx, PAPS, Soft Black, Erin Regan, 1985, Bad Braids, Bigger Princess (OK BBQ) @ Silent Barn

Michael Jackson's birthday party is being celebrated in Prospect Park.

Sam Mickens and friends will be celebrating Michael Jackson too, but also Prince.

If there was ever a show where Devendra Banhart might be spotted in the audience, it would be the one at Knitting Factory tonight.

Dominique Young Unique opens today's Pool Party and then plays its free afterparty at Brookloyn Bowl.

Speaking of the Pool Party, yes it is definitely happening, and no they won't say who the special guests are.

Silent Barn is hosting an end of summer "OK BBQ" from 3pm till late. Set times, and other stuff, below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Sunday?"

Schumer @ the 1st Pool Party of 2010 (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Summary: Senator Chuck Schumer (says he) saved the final, August 29th, Pool Party (that had been cancelled), OSA points out that they also found other financial donors to cover part of Jelly's tab, Assemblyman Lentol was working on this too, and OSA Board member Adam Perlmutter said "OSA looks forward to presenting diverse free programming in the future, from Chromeo to Copland". Today's Pool Party (with Chromeo) happens in the rain?

Press releases from Schumer and from OSA, in full below...

Continue reading "the final Pool Party is back on! (today's on the other hand...) "

Kid Sister @ Summerstage 2008 (more by Ryan Muir)

Still no word on who the two special guests were supposed to be on the August 29th cancelled Pool Party (or where Delorean will end up playing), but Kid Sister has been revealed as the special guest opener for Chromeo this Sunday at Williamsburg Waterfront:

August 22nd - Curated by Fools Gold
Chromeo
Kid Sister
The Suzan
Telephoned

PREVIOUSLY: Jelly responds to OSA, says thanks to everyone else

..."New York is creating a two-tier system," said Geoffrey Croft of New York City Park Advocates, a frequent critic of the Parks Department.

"The nightmare is that all these deals are going on behind closed doors and that people are taking city dollars away from other parks," Croft said.

The situation is unusual. Although it is not uncommon for the city and nonprofits to hire from the same pool of advocates and experts, it is extremely rare for people to work for both at the same time....

...In 2008, Stephanie Thayer became director of the Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn - and the Parks Department's director of North Brooklyn Parks.

Records show Thayer got $86,528 from the city. She said her work for the nonprofit is voluntary.

"I'm still fighting the good fight," she said. "I'm just doing it in a different way."

Figuring out which hat Thayer is wearing has created frustration among some park advocates.

Laura Hofmann, a member of Open Space's steering committee, said Thayer spurned her when she tried to find out how many trees would be planted in a new park.

"She basically told me you have to trust the Parks Department and you have no business asking for this kind of information," Hofmann said.
[Daily News, July 11, 2010]

Outside a Pool Party, July 2010 (more by Kurt Christensen)

""The whole goal of Jelly was to be this umbrella situation where all of our cool, artistic friends were able to make money off of doing the things we love," [Sarah Hooper, the co-owner of Jelly NYC] says. "I kind of hate the Pool Parties now. They make us all really sad when we go on site. And then I go to a Mad Decent block party or our things at Rock Yard, and it's exactly how it used to be."" [NPR, August 11, 2010]

OSA Presents @ The Williamsburg Waterfront (more by Chris La Putt)

Whoah. Earlier today I got a tip, from someone that would know, that the final (August 29th) Pool Party has been cancelled. While trying to confirm that tip, I got the below insane press release from the "Law Offices of Adam D. Perlmutter, P.C.". Adam also happens to be on the board of OSA

"The Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn (OSA) is a nonprofit that raises funds and works with our community, elected officials and the New York City Parks Department, to improve existing parks and help create new parks in North Brooklyn."

August 29th
SECRET SPECIAL GUEST!
SECRET SPECIAL GUEST!
Delorean
Dominique Young Unique

Continue reading "Final Pool Party cancelled, OSA blatantly blames/hates Jelly"

photos by Tear-n Tan & Natalia Moena

Lee Fields / Darren Mabee

Lee Fields was probably the first act to ever perform at a Jelly Pool Party that promised the crowd his autograph after the show if they bought a CD, and that's part of the reason to love him. He's an old school genuine performer, now living in a land of modern day hipsters, at least that was the case on Sunday where he shared a bill with Future Islands, the Strange Boys and !!!.

Lee's soulful set included may of the great songs off his new album, "My World", including the title track, "Money is King", and "Ladies". The latter was one of many songs where Lee asked for crowd participation, and the rained-on crowd usually obliged. Many, including Darren Mabee, showed off their dance moves. Most at least swayed their arms back and forth in the air. For Lee, and some of his large backing band, it was their second big Brooklyn appearance in a short amount of time. The first was at Sharon Jones's headlining gig in Prospect Park.

Future Islands and the Strange Boys opened the free show for those that got there early enough. !!! headlined for those that stuck around around. More pictures from the whole day, below...

Continue reading "Lee Fields, Strange Boys, Future Islands & Chk Chk Chk played the Williamsburg Waterfront Pool Party (pics) "

photos by Tear-n Tan

Nic Offer of !!! (chk chk chk) @ Williamsburg Waterfront

"You were near the front at chk chk chk today, dancing all silly with your friends.
I was in a white t shirt and jeans, to your left. Thought we made eye contact a couple times.

Just wanted to say: you're a cutie."
[pink and stripes brunette at !!! - m4w (waterfront)]

Last we spoke, Chk Chk Chk announced plans to return to Brooklyn (their favorite place to play because they can say "What's up Brooklyn?!") in October to play one show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Ends up that's TWO shows at the Williamsburg venue. The dates are October 6th and 7th, and tickets go on sale Friday at noon (like they do for the BrooklynVegan CMJ showcase happening at the same venue in the same month). They'll also be selling a $40 2-day pass which will save you $4+fees if you want to go both nights.

No openers have been announced for the Brooklyn shows, though maybe Light Asylum will open like they did when LCD Soundystem played that venue earlier in the year.

!!! also played a secret warm-up show Saturday night at Union Pool where they reportedly played six songs.

All the rest of the !!! tour dates are HERE. More pictures and some videos from the Pool Party, below...

Continue reading "!!! played a Pool Party (pics), playing TWO shows @ MHOW"

photos by Benjamin Lozovsky

"the memory tapes / cut copy show was pretty epic tonight. i was in the air half the time, jumping with the rest of the crowd. so. good." - Chris Casual

"Cut Copy went on about a quarter after 6, opening with "Lights & Music." This is one of their most popular songs and a great opener. The group was fully into it, head banging and jumping to their own music. I love when a band feels what they're doing and you feel it too. You could never tell that they had just flown in from Chicago and had barely slept. Other hits were "Nobody Lost, Nobody Found" and "So Haunted." The sound system was more to be desired - and bassist Tim Hoey's mike was too low for the first few songs - but a small setback.

The band brought a nice surprise when they played 2 new songs off of their untitled upcoming album. "Where I'm Going" was an instant crowd pleaser. It's a blend of 60's beach/psychedelia harmonies and poppy rhythms. Later they played "Blink and You'll Miss the Revolution," and I just have to say wow. You can tell a new song is a success when the audience is dancing uncontrollably. It's much heavier on the drum and bass than their typical stuff, yet still maintains an essence of 80's nuwave. This will definitely be one of the hits off the album.

Cut Copy ended after an hour long set, an encore, and soaking through their shirts. It was a great day, an outstanding show." [guilt free pleasures]

Continue reading "Cut Copy, Memory Tapes, Glasser, Restless People & Punches played the Pool Party (pics, new song & tortilla videos)"

Ted Leo @ Siren Fest (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

So the rumored headliner for the Sunday, August 1st Pool Party at Brooklyn Bowl isn't a rumor any more. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists will be headlining the free show - their second in Brooklyn in as many weeks. Also on the bill are two of Brooklyn's own, Darlings and ArpLine. The venue reports that doors are at noon, show at 6pm. It's not clear if the show is taking place outside, but it has been billed as a "block party" up until now.

Jelly also has music at the Rock Yard the day before, with Skeletons Big Band, Priestbird (do you remember what they used to be called?), Family Band and PC Worship.

Future Pavement opener Thee Oh Sees opened the bi-weekly venue on Saturday, July 17th. Download their set, recorded by Newtown Radio, here.

Ted Leo videos and the flyer for Saturday's Rock Yard show, and the flyer for the block party happening in Philly this weekend, are below...

Continue reading "Ted Leo confirmed for 'Pool Party' (1 of 2 weekend Jelly gigs)"

photos by Leia Jospe

Cap'n Jazz @ Brooklyn Bowl....

Sunday was an eventful day. TheDeathSet kicked off the 'Pool Party' at Williamsburg Waterfront in the afternoon, but was quickly told to stop due to rain. The organizers got on stage and announced that the free show was moving to Brooklyn Bowl, and the race was on. Those lucky enough to get to Brooklyn Bowl quick enough were let in before the show reached capacity, but thousands of others who had planned on seeing Lightning Bolt, No Age... and the only NYC appearance of the reunited Cap'n Jazz, were out of luck.

Luckily Cap'n Jazz was also playing that night at Maxwell's in NJ, and No Age were playing Death By Audio, so a few more people got to see each of them (especially Cap'n Jazz) (though you had to decide between Cap'n Jazz and Universal Order of Armageddon).

Back to Brooklyn Bowl though...

"Cap'n Jazz was amazing, no better word for it. Tim Kinsella's stage presence was ridiculous and prickish in the best way possible. When people jumped on the stage to crowd surf, he'd push them before they were ready. He rolled on the crowd while he sang, grabbed the shoe off one guy as he floated past, held the French horn comically high above him when he played, and was just all around entertaining. Davey von Bohlen was also really into it. He thrashed on the guitar, rocked out with the drummer, and was having a blast.

The audience loved it too and knew every word. A high note was during "In the Clear" when Kinsella was supposed to scream the alphabet. He couldn't seem to find his microphone in time and everyone picked up the slack, "A! B! C!" Kinsella shrugged.

"Oh Messy Life" and "Little League" were other high points to the show, the audience seemed to go most crazy for Cap'n Jazz's only cover song, "Take On Me." People danced and screamed the words, the same words Kinsella read from a paper as he sang." [NY Press]

For No Age, this was the second year in a row that they played a Pool Party in Brooklyn Bowl due to rain,

More pictures and some Cap'n Jazz videos from Sunday's show at Brooklyn Bowl (and Williamsburg Waterfront), below...

Continue reading "Cap'n Jazz, Lightning Bolt, No Age & the DeathSet played Brooklyn Bowl/Williamsburg Waterfront (pics & video) "

photos by Chris La Putt

the race to Brooklyn Bowl

Chris got to Williamsburg Waterfront today just as they were making the announcement that things were moving to Brooklyn Bowl due to the rain. He, along with more people than could fit in the new venue, then raced to the new spot. He made it in, but only stayed for No Age who went on at 5:30. After that he left to make room for someone else who might want to catch Cap'N Jazz and Lightning Bolt more than him.

The rest of the show (which is still happening as this is being typed) is safe in Leia's hands (photographically speaking). Chris's pictures continue below...

Continue reading "Pool Party moving to Brooklyn Bowl (and No Age) in pics "

...due to lightning

UPDATE: I think it's already at capacity, but here are the new set times:

Continue reading "Pool Party moved to Brooklyn Bowl..."

"Seth" @ Union Pool - July 24, 2010 (amythistle)

TheDeathSet, No Age, Lightning Bolt and Cap'n Jazz play today's free Pool Party at the Williamsburg Waterfront Brooklyn Bowl. Afterwards? Well, Cap'n Jazz is playing Maxwell's (yes, they are), and it looks like a band with five letters total in their name (?? ???) are headlining that Universal Order Of Armageddon show at Death By Audio. hmm...

Speaking of secret shows, Les Savy Fav guitarist Seth Jabour is getting married. To celebrate, his bandmates held him a bachelor party at Union Pool last night which was a ladies-only Les Savy Fav concert. That's a picture taken at the show above. One more, along with the invite, below...

Continue reading "Pool Party today, secret shows later & last night"

JEFF the Brotherhood @ Williamsburg Waterfront (by Keith Marlowe)

JEFF The Brotherhood soldiered through their Pool Party set on Sunday, despite singer-guitarist Jake's flu/pneumonia, which clearly had him worn out. The band was then forced to cancel another week's worth of tour dates (and they also couldn't play a post-Pool guest set with labelmates Heavy Cream later that night).

The cancelled dates run through July 22nd. So far all shows beginning on July 31st are still on. They start touring again in earnest this September with shows along the West Coast and in Canada and Texas. They'll return to NYC for a headlining show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday, October 28th. Tickets are on AmEx presale now, and general sale Friday at noon.

The band will soon be in the studio recording the follow-up to Heavy Days, titled Mellow Out, expected on vinyl in the fall and on CD early next year. They just released a 7" single of the LP's title track, and they recently released a split with Ty Segal, which you can get at Infinity Cat.

JEFF also has a new video for "Mind Ride," a clip that features lots of fire, desecrated wicker furniture and human sacrifice. That's posted, with another picture from their Waterfront show, and all tour dates below...

Continue reading "JEFF the Brotherhood cancel dates, schedule more (headlining MHOW) ++ new video, new album, more Pool pics & more"

photos by Kurt Christensen

Murder City Devils, Obits, Jeff the Brotherhood and Silverghost will play the free Pool Party at the Williamsburg Waterfront this Sunday, July 18th. The free series of shows kicked off this past Sunday with a headlining set by Xiu Xiu/Deerhoof who played after Why? who played after Fang Island who played after Pictureplane. We missed the two openers in our last post, so here are some more pictures from the event. They continue below...

Continue reading "more Pool Party pictures (Fang Island & Pictureplane) "

2 shows tonight @ Brooklyn Bowl, 1 last night in Medord NJ...

Dan Deacon in Medford, NJ - Aug 1, 2009

Dan Deacon, Deerhunter, and No Age were supposed to play a 'round robin' show in the giant space that is the Williamsburg Waterfront today. Due to rain, that 'Pool Party' got moved to Brooklyn Bowl which only holds around 600 people. That meant a lot of people were going to get shut out, so they awesomely added a 2nd show (also ALL AGES).

The late shows starts at 10pm. Everyone from the 6pm early show will leave, and then they'll start letting people in for the late show. Those who are on line for the early show, but don't make it in, will get wristbands that guarantees them a spot for the late show.

Videos from last night's rain-free pool party in NJ below...

Continue reading "2nd Dan Deacon, Deerhunter, No Age show added (TONIGHT)"

Polvo @ Brooklyn Bowl on Friday (iPhone pic by windupgodzilla)

Like Friday's free Polvo & Obits show, today's free Dan Deacon, Deerhunter & No Age Pool Party show has been moved from the Williamsburg Waterfront to Brooklyn Bowl due to rain. Doors are at 6pm, sets will start at 7pm. Full lineup ("Special round robin set including Ed Schrader, White Rainbow, Infinite Body"). FREE. ALL AGES. First come, first served.

As you've noticed, the weather really sucks which really sucks for All Points West and the Dan Deacon/No Age/Deerhunter Pool Party at the Williamsburg Waterfront. Another outdoor show today (8/2) is the Merce Cunningham Dance Company Performance in Rockefeller Park...

Due to current weather conditions, the Merce Cunningham Dance Company performance at 2 pm and the Dance in the Park: Family Movement Workshop at 4 pm have been cancelled.We are still doing everything possible to make the 6 pm performance at Rockefeller Park. Stay tuned!

Friday at All Points West was also rainy, though Saturday was beautiful all day.

UPDATE: All Points West is opening late

UPDATE 2: The Pool Party has been moved to Brooklyn Bowl.

UPDATE 3: APW supposedly opening at 3:40

UPDATE 4: APW doors are open

UPDATE 5: The 6pm Merce Cunningham show is happening as scheduled.

I'll keep you posted with any news.