this week in music

MLK DAY 2015

New York City celebration of MLK Day includes a screening of KING: A FILMED RECORD…MONTGOMERY TO MEMPHIS at Film Forum

Multiple venues
Monday, January 19
www.mlkday.gov

In 1983, the third Monday in January was officially recognized as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, honoring the birthday of the civil rights leader who was assassinated in Memphis on April 4, 1968. Dr. King would have turned eighty-six this month, and you can celebrate his legacy on Monday by participating in a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service project or attending one of numerous special events taking place around the city. BAM’s twenty-ninth annual free Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. includes a keynote speech by Dr. Cornel West, live performances by Sandra St. Victor & Oya’s Daughter and the New York Fellowship Mass Choir, the theatrical presentation State of Emergence, the NYCHA Saratoga Village Community Center student exhibit “Picture the Dream,” and a screening of Ken Burns, Sara Burns, and David McMahon’s 2012 documentary The Central Park Five. The JCC in Manhattan will host an Engage MLK Day of Service in Brooklyn: Feeding Our Neighbors community initiative, a screening of Rachel Fisher and Rachel Pasternak’s 2014 documentary Joachim Prinz: I Shall Not Be Silent, and “Thank You, Dr. King,” in which Dance Theater of Harlem cofounder Arthur Mitchell shares his life story, joined by dancers Ashley Murphy and Da’Von Doane.

The Harlem Gospel Choir will play a special matinee at B.B. King’s on MLK Day

The Children’s Museum of Manhattan will teach kids about King’s legacy with the “Martin’s Mosaic” and Mugi Pottery workshops, the “Heroic Heroines: Coretta Scott King” book talk, and Movement & Circle Time participatory programs, while the Brooklyn Children’s Museum hosts the special hands-on crafts workshops “Let’s March!” and “Let’s Join Hands,” screenings of Rob Smiley and Vincenzo Trippetti’s 1999 animated film Our Friend, Martin, and a Cultural Connections performance by the Berean Community Drumline. The Museum at Eldridge Street will be hosting a free reading of Kobi Yamada and Mae Besom’s picture book What Do You Do with an Idea? along with a collage workshop. Also, Film Forum will show the 1970 three-hour epic documentary King: A Filmed Record . . . Montgomery to Memphis at 7:00, and the Harlem Gospel Choir will give a special MLK Day matinee at 12:30 at B.B. King’s in Times Square.

TICKET ALERT: TIBET HOUSE US BENEFIT CONCERT XXV

Who: Artistic director Philip Glass, the Flaming Lips, Laurie Anderson, Tenzin Choegyal, Ashley MacIsaac, and more performers to be announced, with honorary chairpersons Chuck Close, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Uma Thurman, and Arden Wohl
What: Twenty-fifth annual concert raising funds for the nonprofit Tibet House US, celebrating the Year of the Wood Sheep and Tibetan New Year
Where: Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, 881 Seventh Ave. at 57th St., 212-247-7800
When: Thursday, March 5, $35-$200 (special packages with meet-and-greets and dinner reception start at $500), 7:30
Why: Tibet House US was founded in 1987 at the request of the Dalai Lama, “dedicated to preserving Tibet’s unique culture at a time when it is confronted with extinction on its own soil”; the annual benefit concert is always one of the cultural highlights of the year in New York City (for a look back at past concerts, including full setlists, go here)

VIDEO OF THE DAY: “SHADOW PEOPLE” BY DR. DOG

Who: Dr. Dog
What: The Dr. Dog 4×4
Where: Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 North Sixth St., 718-486-5400, and Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St., 212-533-2111
When: January 9-12 at Music Hall of Williamsburg, January 14-17 at Bowery Ballroom, $25-$35
Why: Philly six-piece celebrates next week’s release of its first concert album, Live at a Flamingo Hotel (the Anti- two-LP set can currently be streamed here), featuring live versions of songs from such albums as 2002’s Toothbrush, 2007’s We All Belong, 2008’s Fate, 2010’s Shame, Shame, 2012’s Be the Void, and 2013’s B-Room, playing Music Hall of Williamsburg with Twain (1/9), the Districts (1/10), Elvis Perkins in Dearland (1/11), and mewithoutyou (1/12) and Bowery Ballroom with Roadkill Ghost Choir (1/14), mewithoutyou (1/15), Yellerkin (1/16), and Field Mouse (1/17)

VIDEO OF THE DAY: “HEAVENLY ALL” BY INVISIBLE FAMILIARS

Who: Invisible Familiars
What: Friday-night January residency in Brooklyn
Where: Bar LunÀtico, 486 Halsey St., 718-513-0339, and Baby’s All Right, 146 Broadway, 718-599-5800
When: Friday, January 9, 16, and 23 at Bar LunÀtico, followed by release party January 30 at Baby’s All Right
Why: Invisible Familiars leader Jared Samuel has returned from his houseboat with the band’s debut album, Disturbing Wildlife (Other Music, January 27, 2015), which channels ’60s psychedelia and ’70s glam rock through a decidedly twenty-first-century filter; Samuel, guitarist Robbie Mangano, and drummer Tim Kuhl will be previewing songs from the disc, which includes such tracks as “Clever Devil,” “Elaine Serene,” “Bestial Western,” and “New Mutation Boogie” and guest appearances by Nels Cline, Jolie Holland, Yuka Honda & Miho Hatori, and Stuart Bogie, Friday nights in Brooklyn, first at Bar LunÀtico in Bed-Stuy, then with a big blow-out at Baby’s All Right in Williamsburg.

VIDEO OF THE DAY: “ONE GIRL / ONE BOY” BY !!!

Who: !!! (Chk Chk Chk)
What: Sacramento-Brooklyn dance-punk band plays four-night stand in its East Coast home borough, with DJ Mister Saturday Night (1/7), DJ Van Rivers (1/8), Cheap Shots with J. and Jay (1/9), and DJ Degal and !!! DJs (1/10)
Where: Union Pool, 484 Union Ave.
When: January 7-10, $10, 9:00
Why: Always fun group behind such albums as Myth Takes, THR!!!ER, and Strange Weather, Isn’t It? is promising a big year, “because 2015 is gonna be our year, and u want to say u started it off with us. and if u don’t then please please please have a very good time doing whatever it is u do to start the year.”

VIDEO OF THE DAY: “COPPERHEAD ROAD” BY STEVE EARLE AND SHAWN COLVIN

Who: Steve Earle
What: Annual Winter Residency
Where: City Winery, 155 Varick St. between Spring & Vandam Sts., 212-608-0555
When: Monday, January 5, 12, 19, 26, $45-$75, 8:00
Why: Folk-rock troubadour Steve Earle, whose next album with the Dukes, Terraplane, comes out on February 17, teams up with special guests every Monday in January at City Winery, beginning with Willie Watson on January 5, followed by Shawn Colvin and Kate Davis on January 12, Willie Mason on January 19, and Willie Nile on January 26

LIVE WEBCAST OF TIMES SQUARE NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION

Who: Times Square Alliance and Countdown Entertainment
What: Six-hour commercial-free live webcast, preceded by highlights from last year’s celebration
Where: Times Square
When: Wednesday, December 31, free, 6:00 pm – 12:15 am
Why: Annual New Year’s Eve celebration in the Crossroads of the World, beginning with the ball raising at 6:00, behind-the scenes stories, live performances by O.A.R., American Authors, Alejandra Guzmán, and Jencarlos Canela, a military salute by the USO Show Troupe, and more, hosted by Allison Hagendorf with correspondents Maggie Rulli, Andrea Boehlke, and Jeremy Hassell, and celebrity guests, concluding with Waterford Crystal ball drop at midnight