Friday June 10
Location: Union Square, NYC
Bands: Dengue Fever Get Tickets Here
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Highline Ballroom
Food: Chat N’ Chew
Drink: Beauty Bar
Miscellaneous: Max Brenner: Chocolate by the Bald Man
Blending Cambodian vocals and American rock, Dengue Fever are reminiscent of rare Cambodian psych bands from the 60s, capturing the spirit of that fearless style that you never even knew existed. Joining them are The Eternals and Minerva Lions. A good drink spot that will be just as interesting is Beauty Bar. This former beauty parlor is one of the most happening bars in the city. Where else can you get a manicure with your drink (seriously, drink/manicure specials on weekends $10). Chat N’ Chew is a down-home comfort food spot with plenty of faves like meatloaf, Mexican, and milkshakes. If you’d prefer to just escape the cold, head over to Max Brenner: Chocolate by the Bald Man and cool off with a variety of hot and cold chocolate drinks that will blow your mind.
Friday June 10
Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Band: Memoryhouse
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Glasslands Gallery
Food: Wild Ginger Pan-Asian Vegan Café
Drink: Teddy’s Bar & Grill
Miscellaneous: Verb Café
The dreampop duo of Evan Abeele and Denise Nouvion, AKA Memoryhouse make dreamy pop soundscapes with beautiful vocals. The band has been getting a lot of hype lately, and they are one of the few who are living up to it. Also on board for this show are the High Highs, North Highlands, and Wonder Bear. For vegetarians and those not in the mood for meat, Wild Ginger Pan-Asian Vegan Café offers Pan-Asian cuisine in a relaxed earth-toned environment with a menu featuring veggies, tofu, seitan, and soy. The best thing about Teddy’s Bar & Grill is that it’s just got this great neighborhood vibe that’s warm and friendly, while also having a great menu of drinks and American bar food favorites like burgers, salads, sandwiches, and steak. A great place to get good coffee, take a seat, and watch the passing hipsters stroll by, Verb Café even has excellent sandwiches and baked goods to snack on before the show.
Saturday June 11
Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Bands: Vision Festival
Show time: See website for schedule
Venue: Abrons Arts Center
Food: San Loco
Drink: Max Fish
Miscellaneous: Sugar Sweet Sunshine
The 16th annual Vision Festival is a celebration of the innovative avant-garde jazz music coming out of the Lower East Side and this year they celebrate the greats who have passed (Rashied Ali and Sirone) and the greats who are still making history (Peter Brotzman) along with the current crop of musicians who have been relentlessly making amazing music (William Parker, Josh Roseman, Charles Burnham, Mark Helias, and many many more). Let’s face it, San Loco does not serve the greatest Mexican food ever. But it certainly isn’t bad. The prices are inexpensive, you can get a heaping amount of nachos for as little as $3.75, and telling by the heavy traffic, the place is doing just fine. What I like about Max Fish is that it’s a local bar for local artists. It’s walls play host monthly for art exhibitions, there’s a pool table in the back, and drinks aren’t pricey, like many new bars springing up in this neighborhood. For one of the best cupcakes in the city, Sugar Sweet Sunshine has 10 varieties, on top of cakes. Try the Sexy Red Velvet or the Bob, a yellow cupcake with chocolate almond buttercream.
Saturday June 11
Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Bands: Coheed & Cambria
Show time: 5:30 PM; FREE
Venue: Williamsburg Waterfront
Food: SEA
Drink: Zablozki’s
Miscellaneous: Lovin Cup Cafe
Now that summer is just around the corner, the Williamsburg Waterfront begins it’s season of concerts highlighting some of the biggest and best bands out there. Headliners Coheed & Cambria play a blend of prog, punk, and metal and usually play big venues like MSG. Joining them are Adrian Belew Power Trio, and Tiger Jaws. It’s summer. Get excited! Just as much fun as any show and just as big a venue, SEA is one BIG Thai restaurant. Big enough to have a pool surrounded by tables as a giant Buddha stands above it. Luckily, the food is really great. Offering traditional Pad Thai ($7) to more involved dishes like the Mummy Fish ($14). On N6th, a street full of bars and restaurants, Zablozki’s is the local bar of the bunch, with a pool table and a friendly atmosphere and 12 beers on tap. Cafe, bar, restaurant and music venue (Cameo) in the back, Lovin Cup Cafe is an all-in-one that offers up some incredible stoner food like nutella and banana on grilled sourdough ($9), making this a fave joint if you’re in the mood for comfort food with a twist.
Sunday June 12
Location: Upper East Side, NYC
Art: Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
Show time: See website for schedule; Through July 31
Venue: Metropolitan Museum of Art
Food: Barking Dog Luncheonette
Drink: The Auction House
Miscellaneous: Uptown Lounge
This exhibition celebrates the contributions of the late Alexander McQueen to fashion in Savage Beauty, which offers up much from his short-lived career and already iconic designs. If you love dogs, not hot dogs but real doggies, then you’ll really love the Barking Dog Luncheonette, as the décor features everything with a dog on it. The food, is your regular diner fare with plenty of burger, sandwich, and hot plate options. Grab a drink and feel like you were transported to the late 1800’s at The Auction House. With ornamental red velvet couches, exposed brick walls, and vintage chandeliers, this hidden gem of a bar is cozy. Beautifully designed, Uptown Lounge is a bar and restaurant serving American fare like Apple Peppercorn Pork Chops ($18), while being big enough to stick around afterwards for drinks.
