photos by Alyssa Tanchajja

As mentioned before, Reggie Watts really loves to perform and will do so just about anywhere if he's got the time. He's headlined Webster Hall and yet still plays shows like the one he did at Glasslands over the weekend (1/13), a night that also featured bands Baby Alpaca and Shining Mirrors. Pictures from that show are in this post as is a video of Reggie performing.

Brooklyn has another chance to catch Watts do his thing tonight (1/15) at Union Pool as part of the monthly variety show The Moon that he has performed at before. Tonight's show is The Moon's fifth season premiere and also features Marina Franklin, Rob Cantrell, Chris Rozzi and musical guest The People vs. Larsen. $5 at the door and the show starts at 8 PM.

More pictures and that video from Glasslands below...

Continue reading "Reggie Watts played Glasslands with Baby Alpaca and Shining Mirror (pics, video); playing Union Pool tonight"

by Klaus Kinski

Jesse Popp

Speaking of Hot Tub with Kurt & Kristen, maybe you were at the weekly variety show this past Monday when Andy Blitz, one of my favorite people in the biz, performed. It has been a really really long time since I last had the good fortune to catch him live, but all of a sudden multiple opportunities are popping up!

In general, I try to remain apolitical in my writings here on BV. Believe me, if you knew my views on society it'd be like a scene in a movie where some dude (me) farts in a crowded elevator and everyone in there (you guys) nonchalantly scuttles to the other side of the elevator. However, there is no denying that many many many members of the comedy community are still very much involved in the Occupy Wall Street community. Perhaps not always physically, but definitely philosophically. Case in point; an event called 99 Comics For The 99% happening at the UCB Theater East on Tuesday May 1st at 8:00pm (May Day). This massive undertaking will feature 99 Comics telling jokes in support of the 99% and OWS. Man I don't even think I could name 99 comics. Anyhow, the line-up (included below) features some seriously great talent and many Klaus faves including Adam McKay (via video), Adam Newman, ANDY BLITZ, Eliot Glazer, Giulia Rozzi, Greg Johnson, Jamie Kilstein, Jimmy Dore, John Frusciante, Jon Friedman, Murderfist, Rob Cantrell, Sara Shaefer, Seth Herzog, Stucky & Murray, Tom Shillue, Two Fun Men, and, well, many many more. Two Fun Men were actually on Fallon the other day in what has to be one of my favorite sketches in ages. Video of that below too!

I am also really happy to announce that Jesse Popp, one of the most pants-shittingly funny up and coming NYC comic geniuses of our time, is recording a Comedy Central special over two nights at Union Hall. The shows will take place on May 2nd and May 4th. Both shows have 7:30pm doors, 8:00pm shows. Tickets are only $5, so you not only get to see one of NYCs finest comedians on the cheap, but the back of your numbskull might even make it on TV. Check out Jesse in the New York Times' One in 8 Million series. Jesse is a great down to earth comedian with a good head on his shoulders. This country will be a much better place when the name Jesse Popp becomes a household name, I tell ya.

Continue reading "99 comics telling jokes for 99%; Jesse Popp taping a special"

Todd Barry at MHOW in 2010 (more by Chris Gersbeck)

Comedy variety show Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen [Schaal] continues to hit Park Slope/Gowanus club Littlefield every Monday. Tonight's lineup includes Todd Barry, Rob Cantrell, Leibya Rogers, and musical guest Adira Amram and The Experience who performs at Hot Tub this whole month. Tickets are still available for tonight (6/13), 6/20, and 6/27.

If you want to go June 27th, you should probably act quick because the "very special musical guest" on that one (as it was listed before today) has been revealed as Ted Leo. The bill also includes comedy superstar Wyatt Cenac, so it's a great one all around. Ted also plays a free headlining show on July 9 at South Street Seaport. Ted recently performed a new song in 'Room 205' which you can listen to at their site.

Todd Barry, who is on tonight's Littlefield show, also plays a headlining show at Maxwell's on July 31 with Ted Alexandro. Tickets are on sale. Todd also plays at this month's Mr. Coconuts Comedy show at Union Hall (6/21). The new monthly comedy show (which I think started in May) is hosted by Gabe Delahaye and the June bill also includes Gabe Liedman, Jessi Klein and more. Tickets are on sale.

Adira Amram is part of the very musical Amram family, much of which just played Bruar Falls. Adira's sister Alana (their father is composer David Amram), the force behind Alana Amram and the Rough Gems, is releasing Snow Shadows: Songs of Vince Martin on June 21. Vince Martin is a NYC folk singer who got his start in the late '50s recording with The Tarriers and with Fred Neil in the '60s. Martin was more recently discovered by Thurston Moore who he has since performed with. Alana stumbled upon him on her own though. She told WNYC:

I got pretty heavy into Greenwich Village, urban, folk musicians who I felt that I could really relate to a lot of their stories. I ended up moving down to New York City and here I am, kinda this country kid isolated, trying to find my way. And I'm playing in a bunch of rock and roll bands, everything's loud and crazy. And then I discover Fred Neil. He did that song "Everybody's Talkin' At Me," the theme from Midnight Cowboy. That led me to finding Karen Daulton who eventually led to Vince Martin. Now, he's my really good buddy and I'm really lucky to get access...to this cannon of songs that have been lost and kind of hidden.

Alana was scheduled to play Maxwell's tonight (6/13) with Carrie Rodriguez but that show is cancelled. She does have other upcoming local shows though. Those include a country folk Northside showcase on June 16 at Teddy's Bar with Carrie Ashley, June 30 at Union Pool, the Clearwater Festival, and August 18 at Union Hall with Frankpine and Doc Marshalls. Tickets for the Union Hall show are on sale.

Listen to two songs off Alana's new album below...

Continue reading "Alana Amram covered Vince Martin, Adira Amram playing Hot Tub ++ special guest Ted Leo, Todd Barry gigs & much more"

by Klaus Kinski

Did you know that The Benson Interruption was picked-up by Comedy Central for 6 half-hour episodes? It premiered on Thursday, October 28 at Midnight (or it hasn't premiered yet if you believe Comedy Central's website), and although I didn't see it, I have seen the live show and cannot begin to accurately describe how funny it is. Essentially, Doug sits on stage (or in the front row) and interrupts awesome comedians as they try to get through their bits. It isn't heckling. It's more like DVD audio commentary that the actors can actually hear and react to. If you're in LA, then you might like to know that The Benson Interruption is taping in your town on November 4th (8:00pm) and November 15th (7:30pm, 9:30pm). Sign up for your chance to be in the audience! I know I would if I was in LA.

On a related note: Personally, I don't smoke weed. I have, and it's ok, but it's just not my bag. I'm a drinker. I am not against weed, however. I've done it, most of my friends do it, and I'd bet dollars to donuts I have family that have done it. For two years I lived with one of the most habitual pot smokers I've ever known. If anything, I think legalizing it could close some weeping gaps in America's hilarious federal deficit; a deficit that's getting so big that we may actually see a new number invented in our lifetime. That'd be awesome. Also, weed is at the source of so many preposterous incarcerations, fines, and expensive legal battles that I think decriminalizing it would benefit Americans of every financial strata and allow the pigs in charge to pursue real criminals.

The worst thing about weed? Weed Culture. Bongs are ugly. Pipes are ugly. The more ornate the glass, the more it looks like Henry Hill's mistress' apartment in Goodfellas. The 420 motif is beyond arbitrary. The clothes the culture generates could ONLY be worn by people who a baked out of their gourds. And the posters. Good grief. The posters. When I hear the word "pot head" my mind simultaneously conjures up two different images of a pot smoker. The first is that of a burrito selling hippy with a lot of baggy corduroy and bright colored shirts and accouterments bouncing around devil sticks and noodle dancing. "Wanna get a hack?" The other pot head archetype my mind conjures up (editor's note: The opinions expressed by Klaus Kinski's mind are not necessarily the opinions of other BrooklynVegan.com minds) the brooding, small town dude who loves Korn, wears oversized black hoodies, baggy dark shorts, and clunky shoes 365 days a year. Pride bothers me. Pride in something as stupid as smoking pot is laughable. Pot smokers are the only people who should follow a don't ask don't tell policy.

"Jesus Klaus. Do you have a point here or are you just using BV as a pulpit for your kind of irrational and basically irrelevant thoughts on weed?" I know, right? But I do have a point. And that is to tell you that the ONLY good thing to come out of weed culture, The Marijuana-Logues, will be hitting The Gramercy Theater at 4:20pm on Saturday December 18th (3:30pm doors). I haven't seen the Marijuana-logues in many years, but the last time I saw the show I laughed like a man under the influence of some serious Big Buddah Cheese brah. What are the Marijuana-Logues? Simply put, it is three men, one stage, many many many stories about marijuana. The line up for the 12/18 show will feature comedians Doug Benson (of the Benson Interruption), Rob Cantrell, and Tony Camin, all of whom a absolutely hilarious. Tickets went on sale on October 15th and are still available, so GET YOURS. Pot heads, straight edges, and squares alike will enjoy the living crud out of this show.

Video of Zach Galifianakis smoking a joint on a recent episode of of Bill Maher's Show, below...

Continue reading "Doug Benson is on TV, Marijuana-Logues coming to a theater"