It Doesn’t Matter How Old Blondie Get. They’ll Always Be This Hot
Friday June 20
Location: Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Band: Daniel Johnston
Show time: 8:00 PM
Venue: Warsaw at the Polish National Home
Food: La Locanda
Drink: Enid’s
Miscellaneous: Royal Oak
Bipolar and autistic, Daniel Johnston is also a brilliant singer/songwriter and performer who combines music and art to create childlike songs inspired by comic books, love, and religion that have inspired many songwriters like David Bowie and the Flaming Lips. One of the last vestige’s of real Brooklyn in this hipster neighborhood, La Locanda serves simple Italian dishes like Chicken Parmigiana and pasta, but don’t be fooled, the food here is excellent, affordable and the vibe is homey. A good place to drink and talk nearby, Enid’s has cheap beer, a friendly atmosphere, and even food. Another good place for drinks if you feel like bar-hopping, Royal Oak offers a dark and sexy vibe, where excellent DJs play old-school R&B and 80s metal all mixed up like Britney Spears!
Friday June 20
Location: Upper East Side, NYC
Band: Wordless Music at the Whitney with Prefuse 73 + American Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME)
Show time: 7:00 PM
Venue: Whitney Museum of American Art
Food: Jackson Hole
Drink: Metropolitan Museum of Art Balcony Bar and Roof Garden
Miscellaneous: Café Sabarsky
Prefuse 73’s cut-and-paste method of putting beats together is as original and faraway from hip-hop as classical music, which, though are in no way comparable in style, should make for an interesting evening of music with the American Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME). If you like your burgers big, Jackson Hole is where you want to bring your appetite. Home of the 7oz. burger, you can get a beef, turkey, or the veggie kind prepared in a number of ways. Try the Eastside, a bacon cheeseburger topped with ham, mushrooms, tomato and fried onions ($12.50). For drinks on top of the world, the Metropolitan Museum of Art Balcony Bar and Roof Garden has an amazing view of the city and some delicious cocktails. Located in the Museum of German and Austrian Art, Café Sabarsky offers a menu of traditional Austrian delights like strudel and linzertorte while it’s design is straight out of Europe’s 1920’s.
Saturday June 21
Location: East Village, NYC
Band: Dan Maxwell & His Band
Show time: 8:00 PM
Venue: Rehab
Food: Oyama
Drink: Grassroots Tavern
Miscellaneous: Mudd Cafe
Rock band with a country twang, Dan Maxwell & His Band stop by Rehab to perform. With a new EP available on iTunes and a new full-length album not too far behind, this looks like a fun show to check out. With sushi that’s 50 percent off all the time, you might think, “Something’s wrong with that?†but the fish is good and the rolls are inventive, making this one of the best low-priced sushi joints in the city. Though St. Marks all of a sudden lost its charm, Grassroots Tavern hasn’t. This large dive bar has cheap drinks, darts in the back, and old men behind the bar, things a good dive bar should have. Excellent coffee served in a big mug and a healthy menu of food coupled with a year round enclosed outdoor backyard patio make this place a great little coffee shop in the area.
Saturday 21
Location: East Village, NYC
Band: Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine + Linnzi Zaorski
Show time: 7:00 PM
Venue: Webster Hall
Food: Momofuku
Drink: The Village Pourhouse
Miscellaneous: Sundaes and Cones
The first time I heard Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine, he was covering Nirvana’s “Rape Me†and doing it swing style. At first it was uncomfortable and slightly funny, and then became downright infectious. That in a nutshell is what you can expect at his live show. Joining the Cheese is torch singer Linnzi Zaorski. If you like ramen noodles and pork, then Momofuku is your spot for food. The Berkshire pork is the best I’ve had and it’s the only place I’ll eat pork period, which should tell you just how good Momofuku really is! What looks like a neighborhood bar to watch sports actually has three more rooms, where you can order food or find a quiet place to smooch! For dessert a little left of the dial, Sundaes & Cones offers eclectic flavors like wasabi and corn and many more flavors that are familiar.
Sunday June 22
Location: Midtown West, NYC
Band: Blondie + Miss Derringer
Show time: 6:00 PM
Venue: Nokia Theatre Times Square
Food: Island Burgers and Shakes
Drink: Smith’s Bar
Miscellaneous: Colony Music
Being the 30th anniversary of their hit album Parallel Lines, everybody’s favorite New York rock band, Blondie, play Webster Hall. Also on board for this show is LA based rockers Miss Derringer who had Blondie drummer Clem Burke play on their new album. For a kickass burger or chicken sandwich, Island Burgers and Shakes specializes in making great burgers like the Bourbon Street Burger that’s blackened, with bacon, Jack, bayou mayo, and onion on sourdough. One cheap bar in midtown, Smith’s is a dive bar with cheap booze, friendly locals, and live music daily in the next room. Though the place is way expensive, Colony Music is a fun music store that sells albums and sheet music. You can walk around and check out the entertainment memorabilia. Whether you’re looking for an autographed guitar signed by the Rolling Stones or an autographed 8×10 of Linda Carter, they’ve got it.
