photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

Karen O gets her Santa and JT on @ Brooklyn Bowl

The ongoing "I heart Jonathan Toubin" movement now has a website in addition to a Facebook. Check those sites for info on more upcoming JT benefits like the big one that happened at Brooklyn Bowl late Friday night into Saturday morning with appearances from Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Reverend Vince Anderson (who plays Union Pool most Monday nights), Heavy Trash (with Jon Spencer), Stabbing Eastward (Tunde Adebimpe & Ryan Sawyer), Royal Baths and more. Here are some pictures. More of them below...

Continue reading "Yeah Yeah Yeahs & friends raised money for Jonathan Toubin @ Brooklyn Bowl (pics)"

BKLYN YARD 2009 (more by Sarahana)

BKLYN Yard (previously The Yard) will be back in summer 2010, with weekend events running from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend. They'll be doing Beer Garden Fridays, Summer Saturdays and Sunday Best.

Sunday Best will host resident DJs Mister Saturday Night (Justin Carter and Eamon Harkin), Doug Singer and a whole special guest schedule, which is posted below (Dam-Funk spins there June 13). Sunday Best writes:

It's official, folks. We'll be back on the Gowanus! Justin Carter, Eamon Harkin and Doug Singer are already digging through records for their best outdoor jams, and we can already smell Margarita Hernandez's huaraches and taste the cold sangria. BKLYN Yard has announced a bunch of great new additions to their space -- not least of which is a bocce ball court -- and we're happy to announce the full lineup of guests who will be playing alongside the residents this summer, an eclectic grouping of folks from New York and abroad who specialize in everything from rare Nigerian disco to shimmering, summertime techno.

Advance tickets for Sunday Best are available.

More on the parties, a flyer and the full BKLYN Yard schedule (including an Asobi Seksu show) is below...

Continue reading "BKLYN "the" YARD returns in 2010 - Friday Beer Garden, Summer Saturdays & Sunday Best - full schedule"

photos by Rachel Carr

DOWNLOAD: Garotas Suecas - Codinome Dinamite (MP3)

Garotas Suecas (Swedish Girls in Portuguese) comprises Guilherme Saldanha (vocals and harmonica), Irina Bertolucci Chermont (organ), Perdido (bass), Sesa (guitar) and the Paoliello brothers, Nico (drums) and Tomaz (guitar).

The Brazillian band just released a 7" on American Dust. Grab one of the songs off that above for free. Now on a tour that started at SXSW, they played Spaceland in LA on 3/24 (pictures in this post), and will be at Kungfu Necktie in Philly tonight (3/29). The NYC shows are April 1st with Golden Triangle, Jonathan Toubin, and Rev Vince Anderson at Knitting Factory, and then April 2nd at Cake Shop w/ The Beets and Grooms. All dates with those pictures, below...

Continue reading "Garotas Suecas released a 7" (MP3), played Spaceland in LA (pics), now on tour (2 NYC shows) "

Screaming Females @ Terminal 5 in December (more by Chris La Putt)

New York Night Train, the almost-nightly dance party run by DJ Jonathan Toubin, will be hosting New Year's Eve events at three LES venues this year. Cake Shop, Home Sweet Home and Motor City (127 Ludlow) are signed on for the event with all-night liquor licenses. Cake Shop is the real highlight though. Bands playing the basement there include Talk Normal, Screaming Females, Frankie and the Outs and CSC Funk Band (ex-USAisamonster), while the other two venues get a few bands (like A.R.E. Weapons) and a slew of DJs, comedians, burlesque performers and more. More details are below.

For Frankie & The Outs, it's one of two New Years Eve shows. They'll also be at the Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn with Beach Fossils, We Are Country Mice, Lemonade and Surfer Blood. Tickets are on sale.

Screaming Females have a few upcoming shows too - they play with Bouncing Souls in Asbury Park on December 29th, and kick off their February tour with JEFF the Brotherhood with a Feb. 6 Bowery Ballroom showcase for their label Don Giovanni.

Before then, there are plenty of chances to catch the NY Night Train crew in holiday party mode. Tonight (12/21) Jonathan Toubin DJs with Revered Vince Anderson at his weekly Union Pool residency. Toubin will also be spinning at the BV-sponsored Jewltide 7 party happening at Southpaw on Christmas Eve (12/24). Tickets are on sale and the flyer is below with a full schedule...

Continue reading "Screaming Females, Frankie & The Outs & Talk Normal playing Cake Shop NYE ++ other New York Night Train events "

photos by Tim Griffin

Their new friends Dirty Projectors didn't jam with them, but plenty of others joined the Roots at their $10 show on October 1st at Brooklyn Bowl. Pictures and video below...

Continue reading "The Roots played Brooklyn Bowl w/ Talib Kweli, Pattern is Movement, Mayer Hawthrone & special guests - pics & video "

On June 15th, Black Betty regulars Rev. Vince Anderson and his Love Choir played the final show at that Brooklyn venue. Since then, after 4+ years at Black Better, Reverend Vince has moved his act to Brooklyn venue Union Pool for a Monday night residency, which debuted on June 22nd. Admission to the shows is free.

More info on Rev. Vince and his residency, which includes "special weekly guests," below...

Continue reading "Reverend Vince Anderson every Monday at Union Pool"

"When I stopped into Black Betty last night [June 15th] around 8:30pm, there was an eerie sense of calm and night-like-every-other-nightliness in the air. The kitchen was smoky, the waitresses conferring about honoring reservations, and the tables populated, but not overly cluttered. It was hard to believe this place that embodied so much of Williamsburg's spirit would never again open its doors.

About two months ago, partners Bud Schmeling and Sandy Glover were given the sad news that they would not have the opportunity to renew their lease on Black Betty (366 Metropolitan Ave), the restaurant/music venue that has become a beloved neighborhood institution. Despite holding fundraisers in preparation to meet the rising rent of the neighborhood, and operating a business that, even in the worst of economic times, has flourished, Schmeling reports his landlord signed over the space to another restaurateur without notice or explanation, leaving Black Betty and her devoted patrons without a home." [Williamsburg Greenpoint News + Arts]

Rev. Vince Anderson and his Love Choir played the final show at the Brooklyn venue. Jonathan Toubin was in the house during that performance and tweeted that "Reverend vince and his love choir are breathing fire!" After the show, Chris said, "Closing night at Black Betty with the Rev was one of the most amazing musical experiences I've ever heard." Reverend Vince himself says, "Thanks to everyone that came to the show last night. I love you all."

According to Brooklyn Based, "Stephen Tanner, currently of Egg and formerly of Pies'n'Thighs, will take over the Black Betty space." The above picture is an actual screenshot of what Black Betty's website looks like today.

Video of the Rev performing in 2006, and other videos shot at the club, below...

Continue reading "Black Betty, RIP "

Tonight = Black Bety's last night (lachance)

Bud Schmeling and Sandy Glover, owners of Black Betty, announce the long-time Williamsburg boite and eatery will close its doors, effectively Monday, June 15th 2009, with Rev. Vince Anderson and his Live Choir taking the stage at 10:30pm featuring a special appearance from TV on the Radio's Jaleel Bunton.

According to Schmeling and Glover, the Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn, NY lease was renewed for 10 years at the end of April 2009, however the lease was also offered to other perspective candidates under more lucrative terms. At the end of the battle, Schmeling and Glover conceded and agreed to close by mid June. "We are saddened and heart-broken that this is the end of the Black Betty era," said Glover. "But at this time we're focusing on what a fantastic place Betty means to Brooklyn bands, DJs and of course all of our amazing patrons and friends" she added.

The kitchen and bar, offering North African and Mediterranean dishes and extended happy hours, will be in full swing until close.

A bit of history on the bar, with videos of Rev. Vince sitting in with The Roots at their Highline residency in April, below...

Continue reading "Williamsburg bar/club Black Betty closes tonight (June 15th)"