Check out singing head David Byrne at Radio City Hall this weekend
Friday February 27
Location: Midtown West, NYC
Bands: David Byrne Get Tickets Here
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Radio City Music Hall
Food: Koo Sushi
Drink: Blind Tiger Ale House
Miscellaneous: Peanut Butter & Co.
When a music legend like singer David Byrne plays a show, it’s always a big deal, especially with a history like he has. His last album alone, Everything that Happens Will Happen Today, saw him collaborate with another music legend, Brian Eno. With a back catalogue of golden hits, this will be nothing short of amazing. A little known sushi joint, Koo Sushi offers affordable and fantastic fish with an impressive number of specialty rolls. For a bar that looks like any other, Blind Tiger Ale House offers an impressive number of beers including draught, bottled, cask and one called Louise’s Bloody Beer. Try it if you dare! If you’re in the mood for some comfort food, Peanut Butter & Co., offers some PB heavy hitters like the Elvis, a PB, banana, and bacon sandwich that tastes better than it sounds.
Friday February 27
Location: West Village, NYC
Bands: Wordless Music: Juana Molina + Lukas Ligeti
Show time: 7:30 PM
Venue: (le) poisson rouge
Food: Tortilla Flats
Drink: White Horse Tavern
Miscellaneous: Magnolia Bakery
Argentinian singer Juana Molina has a knack for making some beautiful acoustic music all by her lonesome self, but on this tour she’s backed up by a full band, which should breathe new life into her mellow songs. Joining her is Lukas Ligeti, who has been hailed as the future of music, creates music that takes electronica, jazz, African music, synths, improvisation and much more and turns them into some of the most interesting compositions out there today. For dinner, check out Tortilla Flats. The food is Mexican and delicious, but it’s the insanity within (bingo and hula-hoop nights) that is the real calling for this place. For drinks afterwards, hit the White Horse Tavern, a great bar and the old haunting grounds for Dylan Thomas. If you somehow have time before all of this, stop by Magnolia Bakery for some of the best tasting cupcakes in the city.
Saturday February 28
Location: Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Bands: Final Fantasy + Grizzly Bear
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Gilman Opera House, BAM
Food: Bonita
Drink: The Hideout
Miscellaneous: Tillie’s
Indie experimental band Grizzly Bear teams up with Final Fantasy (AKA Owen Pallett) to not just play BAM, but to perform with the Brooklyn Philharmonic under composer Nico Muhly, who will add some orchestral extras to their songs. The sister restaurant of it’s Williamburg location, Bonita makes really delicious Mexican food like the chicken burrito. The rub they use on the meat makes it taste out of this world. The Hideout, a new bar on Dekalb St., might have a name suggesting it’s desire for secrecy, but most who know about it love its unconventional style. Though tiny, it’s known for its cocktails, falling on the expensive side for Brooklyn ($12-14) but are well worth the price. Tillie’s is a coffee shop where you can sit and relax, get a great cup of joe, eat baked goods with vegan options, and people watch while waiting for the show.
Saturday February 28
Location: Chelsea, NYC
Event: Coney Island Circus Sideshow Get Tickets Here
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Highline Ballroom
Food: Il Bastardo
Drink: Brite Bar
Miscellaneous: Café Grumpy
Now that most of Coney Island has “For Rent†signs where businesses like the Sideshow used to be and where these performers called home, now you can see them at the Highline Ballroom. Now a traveling sideshow, you can see a ten in one (10 performers for 1 price) including Donny Vomit, Serpentina, Insectivora, Heather Holliday, and more. With an interesting menu of cosmos and cocktails like the Fother Mucker, made with Zygo, a locally distilled energy vodka, Brite Bar is a gorgeously designed bar that looks like a lounge but is way more fun. One of my favorite coffee houses due to the fact that they are doing a great job of reinventing the wheel when it comes to making coffee, is Café Grumpy. Here, every cup is freshly pressed and the latte’s are thick and rich tasting.
Sunday March 1
Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Bands: The Serpent Power Festival
Show time: 9 PM
Venue: Glasslands Gallery
Food: Relish
Drink: Radegast Hall & Biergarten
Miscellaneous: Zebulon
Featuring girl-led groups from NYC, The Serpent Power Festival has a lineup featuring Sharon Van Etten, She Keeps Bee’s, Scrambler/Seequill, Sea Sick, The Naked Hearts, and PWRFL Power. Though Relish looks like a 50s diner or an even larger version of an L train car, this restaurant offers up some gourmet treats for dinner. With influences from all over the globe, Relish features diner classics like burgers and onion rings, and step it up with the likes of Blackened Yellow Fin Tuna ($21). Williamsburg’s first beer garden, Radegast, has a beautiful all-wood interior, an enclosed outdoor backyard, and 12 German/Austrian beers on tap and more than 30 bottles. Another great bar in the area, Zebulon offers free live jazz and afrobeat. The drinks here are inexpensive, and I’ve never seen a bad show here before.
