Ridgewood Masonic Temple (more by Jessica Amaya)

"A local events venue is in trouble with the police after a series of liquor licensing issues, with possibly dire financial consequences for the organization that owns it.

The 83rd Precinct elected to block alcohol sales at the Ridgewood Masonic Temple, at 1054 Bushwick Avenue, which caused a last-minute site change for a scheduled New Year's Eve show thrown by local indie-rock promoter Todd Patrick. Patrick is known to Brooklyn showgoers as Todd P.

...According to Ridgewood Masonic Temple manager Frank Williams, an organizer for a non-music event in November did not get his permit in time, but threw his event anyhow. The police randomly dropped in on the event and discovered the infraction. Because of this and other previous incidents at RMT, the precinct decided to block the issuance of any more temporary liquor permits for events held there. Patrons are not even allowed to bring their own alcohol. Though the NY State Liquor Authority issues the permits, the local police precinct has jurisdiction to deny one. As a result, Patrick moved the event to 285 Kent Avenue in Williamsburg, where he could legally sell alcohol.

"[Community Affairs] Officer [Damarys] Franco was very understanding," Patrick told BushwickBK, "her feeling is just that they've given [RMT] a lot of chances, and she's going to stop cutting them any slack."...

..Patrick's decision to move the event was social as well as economic. "New Year's Eve is not any fun dry," he said. "If we don't sell alcohol, we can't pay for the place. Unless you're not paying the talent, you're either [charging] $25 a head or you're selling alcohol." $15 tickets for the show sold out shortly after the location was moved. -[BushwickBK]

That scheduled New Year's Eve event was Todd P's Titus Andronicus, Real Estate, Andrew Cedermark and Julian Lynch show which relocated to 285 Kent Ave and sold out quickly thereafter. 285 Kent Ave is the same venue that will house Monotonix on February 5th.

Deerhoof is is scheduled to play Ridgewood Temple on 2/8, but the BushwickBk article makes it seem like there's not much of a chance we'll be seeing a show at the venue anytime soon (unless someone buys the building, changes the zoning and keeps having shows there). We'll keep you posted if the venue changes. Tickets are still available for advance purchase @ Desert Island Books (540 Metropolitan Ave @ Union Ave | 718.388.5087).

We're not sure what the non-music event that caused the trouble in November was (see above article if you don't know what I mean), but Todd P last succesfully hosted a show at Ridgewood Temple on Halloween.

Oh, and as some commenters pointed out last week, this is not the first time a Todd P show (that Titus Andronicus was playing) that didn't happen at Ridgewood Masonic Temple because of alcohol issues. In 2008 a Titus Andronicus/Black Lips show was moved to Market Hotel last minute. Market Hotel meanwhile still can't host shows anymore either.

Listen to the speech Titus singer Patrick Stickles gave on New Year's Eve (at 285 Kent), below...

Continue reading "Ridgewood Masonic Temple can't have alcohol anymore (which is why the Titus Andronicus show moved)"

Titus Andronicus @ Webster Hall (more by kolored)

NEW YEARS EVE @ RIDGEWOOD MASONIC TEMPLE

:: TITUS ANDRONICUS
:::: REAL ESTATE
:::::: Andrew Cedermark
:::::::: Julian Lynch

| RIDGEWOOD MASONIC TEMPLE |
1054 Bushwick Ave @ Gates | Bushwick, Brooklyn J-Gates | 8pm | all ages | $15 | no phone

For Real Estate, that makes three upcoming shows, all of which are in NYC. The other two are at Union Hall and Brooklyn Bowl.

For Titus Andronicus that makes four upcoming NYC-area shows and even more elsewhere now that they've been added as the opener on the upcoming Pogues tour. Passion Pit play Wellmont Theatre on New Years Eve with Slick Rick, and one night earlier with Titus. All dates below...

Continue reading "Titus Andronicus touring w/ the Pogues, playing New Years Eve show w/ Real Estate (dates)"

Deerhoof at LPR (more by Chris Gersbeck)

Deerhoof will welcome their new split/collaborative 7" on Saturday (11/6), featuring Busdriver and Physical Forms (Busdriver plus members of The Mae Shi). Preorder that now. Deerhoof's new full length LP, Deerhoof Vs Evil, being released on 1/25/11 via Polyvinyl/Joyful Noise. And it's around that time that the band will go on a headlining tour with Nervous Cop, and Ben Butler & Mousepad. All dates below.

Recent NYC shows were at Le Poisson Rouge and Williamsburg Waterfront (collaboratively with Xiu Xiu). Deerhoof will return to one of those venues in March, but first skip the conventional venues to play Ridgewood Masonic Temple on February 8th, 2011 with all of the openers mentioned above (the same venue that Todd P just hosted a Halloween party at). The March show is actually after the tour, on March 14th at Le Poisson Rouge, and is entitled "Deerhoof & Friends: A musical event within Carnegie Hall's 2011 JapanNYC Festival, presented by Wordless Music." Not much else is known about the rest of the LPR lineup, but tickets are now on sale.

But wait, there's more: Check out this thing starting at the Kitchen in NYC TONIGHT

"Just a friendly reminder about The Kitchen's U.S. premiere this week of BAND, Adam Pendleton's new three-channel video installation. Pendleton's BAND is a form-and-content refashioning of Jean-Luc Godard's Sympathy for the Devil, which stands in open contrast to the earlier film. BAND tracks the indie rock band Deerhoof working on and recording a new song, I Did Crimes for You over the course of a day during the Toronto International Film Festival in 2009. Using the structure and techniques of avant-garde film as a means to explore ideas about contemporary experimental practice, language and the (re)making of history, BAND acts as a meditation on the present, read backwards through the canonical traces of history. The exhibition also features new wall-based works from Pendleton's ongoing System of Display series.

Curated by Rashida Bumbray, BAND will be on view from November 3-December 23, 2010. The Kitchen's gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, 12:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. and Saturday, 11:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Admission is free. There will be an opening reception for the exhibition at The Kitchen (512 West 19th Street) on Wednesday, November 3, 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M.

The trailler for BAND, Deerhoof's full tour schedule and some other videos, below...

Continue reading "Deerhoof touring, playing a Wordless/JapanyNYC Fest show, part of a video installation @ the Kitchen (opens tonight)"

photos by Andrew St. Clair

Cassie & Justin as the White Stripes

"Todd P's Halloween party took place [Sunday] night at the Ridgewood Masonic Temple. most people were probably still recovering from Halloween observed the night before, but a respectable amount of ghouls and tricksters made their way to the show, headlined by so-hot-right-now hip hop ensemble Das Racist.

Halloween is a time when you can see what people are really about. They're either in a pre-packaged costume or they're trying too hard or they are legitimately clever and good-spirited. And for Das Racist, it can be all of the above all the time. These guys walk the lines between irony and sincerity; between novelty and legitimacy; between gimmickry and credibility. And while some people show up at the party dressed as a can of Four Loko, others as zombies or superheroes, Das Racist can just take the floor as themselves and still be baffling and maybe a little frightening.

This set was, by all definitions, a shit show. You know when your friends have an inside joke and they are cracking up about it, and the joke is sort of independently funny, but not nearly as funny as your friends' uproar would suggest? Combine that feeling with the feeling of seeing your little brother get way too drunk at a party you invited him to. That was what the stage presence of Das Racist was like. And it was a fucking party." [Free Williamsburg]

Das Racist headlined the show of mostly locals which included a set by Vivian Girl Cassie Ramone and Justin (both in the Babies) as the White Stripes, but more notable was that The Intelligence, in from Seattle, were on also on the bill (the Intelligence also played Cake Shop one night earlier). Denver's Pictureplane, who was the special guest at the show that took place last night (11/2) at Brooklyn Bowl, was one of the artists who played too. Boshra AlSaadi aka SAADI played with Janka Nabay & the Bubu Gang.

Blissed Out went on right at 8:00 along with the doors opening which meant not many people around to hear their set, but the 9-band show filled up as the night went on. More pictures below...

Continue reading "Cassie did play Jack! - Todd P/Panache Halloween show pics w/ the Intelligence, Das Racist, Pictureplane, Beets & more "

DOWNLOAD: The Intelligence - Thank You God for Fixing the Tape Machine (MP3)

Sunday October 31st @ RIDGEWOOD MASONIC TEMPLE
:: PANACHE + TODD P HALLOWEEN PARTAY
:: DAS RACIST
:::: PICTUREPLANE
:::::: the Intelligence
:::::::: the Beets
:::::::::: Cassie & Justin from the Babies --- as WHITE STRIPES
:::::::::::: Janka Nabay
:::::::::::::: Blissed Out
:::::::::::::::: more to come!!!!
| RIDGEWOOD MASONIC TEMPLE ]
1054 Bushwick Ave @ Gates Ave | Bushwick, Brooklyn
J,Z-Gates Ave, L,M-Myrtle/Wyckoff | 8pm | all ages | $13 in costume - $15 w/out

I suppose it's possible that she is actually playing Jack.

As mentioned all the way back in September, The Intelligence are currently on tour and will also play a NYC show at Cake Shop one day before Halloween with German Measles and The Beets.

By the way, Das Racist also play Southpaw, with Homeboy Sandman, on November 5th.

Updated Intelligence dates below...

Continue reading "The Intelligence coming, Cassie Ramone playing Meg White (at Panache & Todd P's Halloween Partay)"

"...the urban lumberjack army has sullied the turn-of-the-century Ridgewood Masonic Temple, the sacred orgy fortress (at least that's what Stanley Kubrick taught us) has been put up for sale for a cheapish sounding $1 million. According to the Madison Estates listing, the four-story building in "the heart of 'Up and Coming' Bushwick" is ripe for conversion or additional development." [Curbed]

photos by Jessica Amaya

"happy to see Sleigh Bells packing Ridgewood Temple, sadly secret famous guest is ill, won't be appearing. mild bummer, awesome show" - Todd P

"Yeah, people were going bonkers. There were a lot of cameras and a lot of guest list action going on, but people came to rock. "A/B Machines", "Kids," "Crown On The Ground"? Total bangers." [Fluxblog]

Celebrating the digital release of their new album on the same day that anyone who cares heard it (stream it at NPR now), Sleigh Bells headlined a sold out show at Ridgewood Temple in NYC last night (5/11). Not only was a special guest originally advertised, M.I.A. did actually show up to the band's show at Coco66 a few days earlier. No such luck this time (see above). Cults and Sundelles opened the show. More pictures and SB's setlist below....

Continue reading "Sleigh Bells, Cults & Sundelles (but no special guest) played Ridgewood Temple in NYC - pics & setlist"

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Sleigh Bells - Tell 'Em (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cults - Go Outside (MP3)

Sleigh Bells @ SXSW (more by Andrew Frisicano)

Sleigh Bells' show at Webster Hall tonight with Yeasayer, their brief tourmates, is sold out. But there are more chances to see the highly buzzed band soon. One of those, originally scheduled to take place at the now-closed Market Hotel, happens May 11th at Ridgewood Temple (1054 Bushwick Ave @ Gates St, Bushwick). Advance tickets available in-person through Record Grouch/Old Made Vintage (441 Metropolitan Ave at Meeker St) in Williamsburg (1pm-7pm daily). Past shows at the venue have included Vivian Girls/Crystal Stilts on Halloween and Dan Deacon/Ed Schrader in '08.

Sleigh Bells also play the intimate backroom at Coco 66 on May 7th with Mr. Dream (Matt Morello, Adam Moerder and Nick Sylvester) and DJ Rezound. MNDR was supposed to play the show too, but "A last-minute request from Massive Attack to open for their North American tour is taking her away to Canada." Advance tickets are sold out, and "A very limited number of tickets will be avail at the box office on Friday May 7th at 10:00 PM." UPDATE: "20 tickets will be available at the door at 9pm, not 10pm."

Also on the bill for the Ridgewood Temple show are Brooklyn band Sundelles, "secret guests," and Cults. Cults are a new duo who NME says recently expanded to a four-piece for live shows. Their debut 7", noticed already by both Pitchfork and Perez, is available for free at their site.

Cults is real-life couple "Brian Oblivion" (not his real name presumably) and Madeline Follin, and their songs have a girl-group-influenced, retro pop sound. This gig will be one of their first shows ever (they played Mercury Lounge recently). This summer they're also playing an afternoon show with Titus Andronicus at Newtown Barge Park on Saturday, June 26th (Part of the Northside Festival). One of their tracks is above.

Also above, the first track off Sleigh Bells' debut. That record comes out on N.E.E.T., MIA's label, who Sleigh Bells are opening for on Governors Island along with Die Antwoord and others.

All Sleigh Bells tour dates and Yeasayer's setlist from their Chicago show are below...

Continue reading "upcoming Sleigh Bells shows & Cults - MP3s & dates "

DOWNLOAD: Vivian Girls - When I'm Gone (MP3)

photos by Joseph Xu, words by Andrew Frisicano

7:07 p.m.: The Vivian Girls put out one of my favorite albums of 2008, and their brief but hard-hitting set [at the Pitchfork Festival] doesn't disappoint. Big, melodic bass lines provide a foundation for innocent harmony vocals, a mix of tart and sweet that proves irresistible. Only disappointment, they didn't play "Where Do You Run To." [Chicago Tribune]

That's a review of the Vivian Girls' July 19th set at Pitchfork Festival. The group will be kicking off their (relatively) short North American tour on August 25th with a show at Death By Audio. The Beets, who join them on most of their tour, open that gig. The trip leads up to the release of their sophomore album, Everything Goes Wrong, which comes out September 8th on In the Red. A track from that is above.

After a set of September/October tour dates in Japan & Australia, Vivian Girls are also tentatively scheduled to play a Halloween show that will "tentatively" (how Todd P lists it) happen at the Ridgewood Temple (1054 Bushwick Ave). Todd also lists two other shows that same night: Mount Eerie at the Market Hotel with Malkuth and Liturgy, and a show with Wooden Shjips, Religious Knives, and Crystal Stilts (who feature ex-Vivian Girl Frankie Rose on drums) at a venue TBA.

Meanwhile over in South Brooklyn, the Bell House will host a late show with Junior Boys and an early show with the King Khan & BBQ Show and Dum Dum Girls (who feature ex-Vivian Girl and current Crystal Stilt Frankie Rose on drums) (maybe not again though), on a Halloween that is shaping up to be a big night for NYC concerts this year (many that should not be competing).

Mroe pictures and interviews of the Vivian Girls at the Pitchfork Festival, with all tour dates, are below...

Continue reading "Vivian Girls vs Crystal Stilts vs Dum Dum Girls - Halloween 2009 in NYC & tour dates & pics & stuff"

---> 2NITE BLACK LIPS SHOW IS -MOVING- TO MARKET HOTEL!!
---> SHOW IS NOT @ RIDGEWOOD TEMPLE!!

new location: MARKET HOTEL - 1142 MYRTLE AVE @ BDWY - BKLYN - JMZ TRAIN TO MYRTLE - 8PM - $10 - 2NITE JUNE 5TH

here's what happened: due to recent fights at the venue's weekend parties, the 83rd Precinct & the NYS Liquor Commission have suddenly, temporarily banned -all- alcohol from the Ridgewood Temple - we can't sell it (we had applied & paid for a license) and you can't bring it in yourself. We went to pick up our license to sell today and this is the news we got! Faced with the prospect of a completely dry Black Lips show (that wouldn't work now, would it?), we've decided to relocate the show. Sorry, this all happened with no notice! S'OK THO - THIS SHOW WILL BE AWESOME & MARKET HOTEL IS TERRIFIC!!

---2NITE---> BLACK LIPS . Gringo Star . TITUS ANDRONICUS . So So Glos @ MARKET HOTEL

The above photo was taken by Leia Jospe the other night @ Maxwell's.

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Thursday June 5th @ THE RIDGEWOOD TEMPLE

:: BLACK LIPS

[ THE RIDGEWOOD TEMPLE ]
1054 Bushwick Ave @ Gates Ave | Bushwick, Brooklyn
J,Z-Gates Ave, L,M-Myrtle/Wyckoff | 8pm | all ages | $10

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By June 5th Black Lips will have already also played a show at Maxwell's and three at Terminal 5. Watch your stuff. Check out pics from Coachella.

whoah...

Ed Shrader & Dan Deacon @ Ridgewood Temple (April 17, 2008 (Jonny Leather)

....Moments before Deacon's exhilarating performance--which got someone as tightly wound as myself to dance--four Hispanic dudes entered the venue. Before that moment, I had felt like my companion and I were the ones who didn't fit in, but these guys in their expensive baggy clothes obviously weren't part of the intended clientele or demographic for this event.

Naturally, I was prejudiced against them, suspect of their motives for entering into this hipster Temple party. With the crowd, in tight, circled around Deacon, the party began, with everyone in the place dancing along. Even these "thugs" were dancing and seemed to be enjoying it.

Of course they were into it. We were easy prey. The geeky, scrawny white kids--many of which looked ridiculous--had their backs were turned, allowing these "thugs" to easily rummage through our bags that we naively expected to be safely stashed. My lady and I had let down our guards, in order to loosen up and have fun, but also because of our unwillingness to hold prejudiced feelings towards people based solely on how they looked. Though we were naïve enough to set down our bags, we kept a watchful eye on the culprits. Those watchful eyes watched those young assholes steal all of her cash (leaving her without a dime for food for the entire rest of the month) and a credit card. We acted just in time to grab our bags before they made with the big heist. The thief who had stolen my friend's money had his hand on my camera bag, while we plucked it away without confrontation.

We quickly made our way to security to warn of the theft that had been taking place. The culprits were fully aware that they had been caught, and quickly made their way to an escape. While the security staff could have easily taken action and saved a lot of kids from the disappointment of losing a lot of money and valuables, they decided to let the thieves pass by unquestioned..... [Jonny Leather - NY PRESS]

I missed all of that because I was at the Cloud Cult show at Union Hall instead. As far as I know, nothing was stolen from there, but I did overhear some stock tips that turned out bad, and I almost got hit in the toe with a bocce ball (just kidding).

Masonic Temples are all the rage lately. The Ridgewood one is where Dan Deacon & Michael Showalter are appearing tonight (April 17).

THE RIDGEWOOD TEMPLE is a gorgeous, turn-o-the-century Masonic Lodge, with a rad old stage, wood floors, and a wrap around balcony. Still has all the old accoutrements and charms! you gotta see this space! [Todd P]

More about tonight's show below...

Continue reading "Ridgewood Masonic Temple (a show there tonight)"

Dan Deacon @ Market Hotel (more by Ryan Muir)

Continue reading "Dan Deacon - 2008 Tour Dates (Ridgewood Temple)"