Friday May 1

Location: Midtown East, NYC
Band: No Doubt
Show time: 7AM
Venue: Rockefeller Center Plaza
Food: Island Burgers and Shakes
Drink: Smith’s Bar
Miscellaneous: Colony Music

Looks like No Doubt are reuniting for a summer tour and a new album. To kick things off, Gwen Stefani leads her ska playing band with this FREE outdoors performance on The Today Show at Rockefeller Plaza. It’s at 7 AM but at least you’ll be awake when you get to work. 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.

Friday May 1

Location: Chelsea, NYC
Bands: Night of a Thousand Stevies
Show time: 9 PM
Venue: Highline Ballroom
Food: Pop Burger
Drink: Gaslight Lounge
Miscellaneous: Amy’s Bread

An homage to Fleetwood Mac’s enchantress Stevie Nicks, Night of a Thousand Stevies will offer up a tribute to her “Songs of Rhiannon” a series of 10 songs she wrote during her Buckingham Nicks days. The night will feature plenty of Stevie covers by plenty of singers along with choreography, an aerialist, and more Stevies than you ever in your lifetime imagined. Burger joint in the front, upscale lounge in the back, the menu at Pop Burger includes basics like 2 pop burgers for $5 for a quick fix or if your lounging, the likes of tuna tartar with soy truffle jus ($15). The Gaslight, a great hotspot bar in the meatpacking district, is dark and cozy while affordable for the area. If you don’t know Amy’s Bread, when you order a sandwich at a café or restaurant in the city, ask where they got the bread. There’s a good chance it’s from Amy’s because she’s one of the best bread makers in the city.

Saturday May 2

Valerie Hegarty
Harpoons
Wood rope papermarche poster
2009

Location: Lower Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Art: Sea Worthy
Show time: Fri & Sat: noon-6 PM, or by appointment Tues to Thurs 10 AM-6 PM; Through May 30
Venue: Corridor Gallery
Food: Bonita
Drink: The Hideout
Miscellaneous: Tillie’s

With New York’s coastline as it’s theme, the exhibition Sea Worthy, sees several artists use sculpture, photography, performance, painting, tattoo flash, and collage to explore one of the world’s most famous and historical water ways. 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 May 2

Location: Coney Island, Brooklyn
Bands: The Sway Machinery Get Tickets Here
Show time: 10 PM & 12 AM
Venue: Banya Russian Baths
Food: Nathan’s Famous
Drink: Ruby’s Old Tyme Bar and Grill
Miscellaneous: Brooklyn Cyclones

The Sway Machinery, whose members are from bands like Balkan Beat Box, Arcade Fire, Antibalas, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs play afrobeat drenched blues music sung in Hebrew. At this record release party, they play in one of the most unusual spots you could think of, the Banya Russian Baths. Taking over every steam room and sauna, the band will perform two sets at 10 PM & 12 AM and there will be an open vodka bar from 10-11 PM. Don’t forget to bring your bathing suit. I’m not joking either. While you may not be Kobayashi, eating a hot dog, a corn dog, or even cheese fries at Nathan’s Famous goes back several generations. Expect long lines, but it’ll be worth it! Not just a tradition but an institution on the boardwalk, Ruby’s is a great dive bar for cheap drinks and watching local drunks belt out Rat Pack songs. Even if this minor league Mets team isn’t playing a baseball game, The Brooklyn Cyclones stadium is worth the short walk over on the boardwalk to check out it’s size and beauty.

Sunday May 3

Location: East Village, NYC
Bands: Jake Shimabukuro
Show time: 7:30 PM & 9:30 PM
Venue: Joe’s Pub
Food: Minca Drink: Ace Bar
Miscellaneous: Le Gamin Café

Hawaiian virtuoso ukulele player, Jake Shimabukuro really has to be seen to be believed. The guy is super talented and does an amazing cover of George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” which will blow you away. His new album Live has plenty of originals and covers of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” along with an insane version of J.S. Bach’s “Two-Part Invention No. 4 in D Minor.” Not far away is the ramen noodle bar called Minca. After recently trying this place, I’d highly recommend it. The ramen noodles are made fresh and way better than those you’d buy and boil. What makes the soups here great is the broth. Take the Minca Ramen, a mild broth with pork, chicken and dried seafood ($8.50), it has impeccable flavor that hits the spot. Plus it’s way less expensive than other ramen specialty restaurants and just as good. Right across the street from Minca is the Ace Bar. Sort of divey, it’s also where you’ll find people playing skeeball and shooting pool, while drinking some decent beers on tap. For dessert and coffee, Le Gamin Café is the place for crepes.