Friday October 8
Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Bands: Wanda Jackson
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Knitting factory
Food: Fette Sau
Drink: Spuyten Duyvil
Accessory: Union Pool
She’s a rockabilly legend and even dated Elvis Presley, but it’s her growling vocal delivery that will drive you wild. Even at her age now she puts on a killer show, plus her soon-to-be released album The Party Ain’t Over is produced by Jack White. If you’re feeling German BBQ, you can head over to Fette Sau (fat pig in German), where the owners of nearby bar Spuyten Duyvil have opened up this meat only restaurant serving up some of the best pork and beef in NYC. For drinks, Spuyten Duyvil is a beer lovers dream, with a selection from all over the world, friendly and knowledgeable bartenders and a neighborhood feel, it’s no wonder this place has been so successful. If you’re still ready for more, you must hit Union Pool, where there’s always a band playing, great DJs, and plenty of action.
Friday October 8
Location: Chelsea, NYC
Band: Gorillaz Get Tickets Here
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Madison Square Garden
Food GoGo Curry
Drink Stitch
Miscellaneous Leisure Time Bowl
The Damon Albarn led Gorillaz not just play MSG but bring along an army who guest on their newest album Escape to Plastic Beach. Should make for an incredible multi-media experience. The owner of GoGo Curry is obsessed with the Yankees Hideki Matsui and his Jersey (55). The menu’s theme is baseball and katsu, a fried meat, chicken, or shrimp cutlet served in a curry sauce is the specialty here. Portion sizes are Walk (small), Single (Med.), Double (L), and Triple (XL) and are inexpensive. The mascot, a gorilla for some reason, is plastered everywhere, making this place even quirkier. In the heart of the garment district, Stitch, a cozy after-work bar/lounge, stocks a cocktail menu with a design theme. If you still have energy and are in the mood to bowl, check out Leisure Time Bowl. Located in the Port Authority, this place is stylish and fun.
Saturday October 9
Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Bands: Kyp Malone + Sharon Van Etten Get Tickets Here
Show time: 10:30 PM
Venue: Mercury Lounge
Food: Three of Cups
Drink: Whiskey Ward
Miscellaneous: Sugar Sweet Sunshine
Anytime you can get to see two great songbirds in one show is a great show. While Kyp Malone is famous for being part of TV on the Radio, his solo material shows that he is not only a great artist in his own right but how much he brings to his band. Sharon Van Etten has this great quiet voice and is known for creating some fantastic vocal driven songs accompanied by guitar. She is one of the only artists I’ve seen live that quiets audiences down to hear every word she sings for the length of her performance, which is no easy feat. What I like about Three of Cups the most is that the food is classic Italian fare like Pizza made in a wood-fired oven, risotto, pasta, while also offering more exciting dishes like lamb stew in a barolo wine reduction, served with potato gnocchi. The atmosphere is relaxing, bordering on romantic. With a name like Whiskey Ward, it’s expected that they deliver the goods, which lucky for this bar, they do. Whether it’s Scotch, Bourbon, Whiskey, or Single Malts, they got em’ along with a pool table and a damn good jukebox. Who doesn’t like cupcakes? Sugar Sweet Sunshine has one of the best in the city. With 10 different kinds, it’s hard to beat.
Saturday October 9
Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Event: New York Air Sex World Championships Get Tickets Here
Show time: 9 PM
Venue: Music Hall of Williamsburg
Food: Fornino
Bar: D.O.C. Wine Bar
Miscellaneous: Verb Café
Prepare to blush and see plenty of “Oh†faces at the New York Air Sex World Championships as competitors get on stage and perform sexual acts for a crowd of strangers, mind you there will be no nudity, just someone interpreting their best, worst, most embarrassing intimate moment. Less embarrasing and more delicious is finding a great pizza! Fornino offers just that, wrapped up in an original concept. Serving wood oven burning pizza, the menu is broken up into three generations, the first being your basic pizza ingredients while the second and third go off the gourmet deep end, giving you more than 20 options total. For drinks, the D.O.C. Wine Bar has a homey atmosphere and an excellent wine list of strictly Italian wines and small plates of food. If coffee is your thing, The Verb Café offers not only coffee but sandwiches, desserts, and soup. Chill at a table and write that novel, look for jobs online, or hang with a friend like everyone else there.
Sunday October 10
LocationPark Slope, Brooklyn
Band: NEeMA Get Tickets Here
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: The Rock Shop
Food: Chiles & Chocolate Oaxacan Kitchen
Drink: The Gate
Miscellaneous: Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co.
Though her name might not seem familiar, NEeMA is one to look out for. Her new album Watching You Think is produced by Leonard Cohen and Pierre Marchand, plus she is already performing select dates with The Chapin Sisters. Ever have Oaxacan food? Chiles & Chocolate Oaxacan Kitchen serves up some fantastic, not exactly Mexican food. Try the smoky flavored Mole Negro, one of the best mole sauces I’ve had in NYC. Before leaving, you must try one of the hot chocolates like the Chiles Y Chocolate. A hint of chipotle without too much heat is a nice kick start for the night. The Gate is a great Park Slope bar with excellent beers on tap and a outdoor courtyard to chill. If time permits, you must, and I mean MUST go to the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co., a non-profit organization that helps kids with their writing, that’s fronted by a store selling super powers.
