Location: West Village, NYC
Bands: MATA Festival
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: (le) poisson rouge
Food: Blue Ribbon Downing Street Bar
Drink: Village Tavern
Miscellaneous: Bleeker Bob’s

Founded in 1996 by Philip Glass, Eleonor Sandresky, and Lisa Bielawa, MATA Festival presents pieces by young composers they have selected and commissioned. For an eclectic menu that mixes upscale and down-home food, Blue Ribbon Downing Street Bar, a wine bar and restaurant, offers lighter fare including foie gras, cheese plates, caviar, and steak tartare. The Village Tavern is a really comfortable neighborhood bar that’s great for catching sports games or just chilling for a drink, which is what I prefer to do when I’m in the vicinity. Also in the area is Bleeker Bob’s . It’s one of the oldest independent record stores in NYC and the selection is deep. The place looks a mess, but the staff is surprisingly friendly and extremely knowledgeable about what they have.