this week in music

CMJ MUSIC MARATHON 2012: DAY ONE

Dave Wakeling will be playing both acoustic and full-band sets on the opening day of CMJ (photo © Eugene Iglesias)

Multiple venues
October 16-20
www.cmj.com/marathon

The 2012 CMJ Music Marathon begins Tuesday, kicking off five days of hundreds of bands from all kinds of genres playing venues all over the city, in addition to panel discussions and conferences on the state of the industry. There are a few main ways to go about attending CMJ, especially for those who have either gotten a ShowPass ($149), a Student Badge ($325), or a Full Badge ($549). One is to scout out a specific location, say, the Lower East Side or Williamsburg, and then just wander from club to club, checking out groups along the way. Another is to pick one hot showcase and just hang out there all night long. But you don’t have to have a badge to get in; the majority of CMJ shows are less than ten bucks for the general public. There are not as many major acts as there have been in recent years, with the marathon getting back to its purer, more indie roots, although day one features both an acoustic and full-band set by Dave Wakeling and the English Beat, who still put on quite a show. Here are our recommendations for Tuesday, October 16.

Reybee / Mezzoforte / A-Sides Showcase: Dave Wakeling acoustic (5:00), Luther (6:00), Glocca Morra (7:00), No Way Josie (8:00), Wild Adriatic (9:00), Brick + Mortar (10:00), Teen Commandments (11:00), Basement Batman (12 midnight), Spike Hill

The English Beat, B.B. King’s, 9:00

Live Stand-Up featuring Robert Kelly, Joe Derosa, Colin Quinn, Rich Vos, Keith Robinson, Comedy Cellar at the Village Underground, 9:20

The Mountain Goats, Bowery Ballroom, 10:00

The Ettes, Santos Party House Basement, 11:00

Alex Winston, Santos Party House, 11:15

THE PUBLIC THEATER’S BLOCK PARTY AND OPEN HOUSE

Lafayette St. between Astor Pl. & East Fourth St.
Saturday, October 13, free, 12 noon – 5:00
www.publictheater.org

The Public Theater will show off its $40 million renovated home, which includes a restored facade, new terraced steps and glass canopy, an expanded lobby and balcony with a lounge (the Library at the Public), and more, on Saturday with a free block party. Outside there will be live performances by Jessy Carolina & the Hot Mess, Sasha Allen, banjo legend Tony Trischka, and Colombian band M.A.K.U. SoundSystem, while inside the Public will offer sneak peaks at several upcoming productions: the New York premiere of Giant, a musical by Sybille Pearson and Michael John LaChiusa based on the Edna Ferber novel; the world premiere of Fun Home, a musical by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron adapted from Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel; the world premiere of Here Lies Love, which features music by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim and choreography by Annie B-Parsons; and Stew and Heidi Rodewald’s The Total Bent. Inside, food will be available from their new menu designed by Andrew Carmellini, including pizza popcorn and kielbasa sandwiches on a soft pretzel roll, while seven food trucks will be outside, including Gorilla Cheese, Korilla BBQ, the Treats Truck, Solber Pupusas, Valducci’s Pizza, Rickshaw Dumplings, and Go Burger.

NEW YORK COMIC CON

New York Comic Con celebrates King of the Nerds and more at the Javits Center (photo by twi-ny/mdr)

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
655 West 34th St. (11th Ave. between 34th & 39th Sts.)
October 11-14, sold out
www.newyorkcomiccon.com

If you’ve ever attended New York Comic Con, you know that the biblical prediction “The geek shall inherit the earth” is certainly true. For four days at the Javits Center, sci-fi and comic-book nerds will descend on the far west side, lining up for autograph signings (beware: some require substantial additional fees), giveaways, film screenings, panel discussions, concerts, and other special events that get bigger and bigger every year. The 2012 edition, which is completely sold out, includes a bevy of A-list, B-list, and C-list celebrities; among the wide variety of guests are Batman’s Adam West and Burt Ward, Carrie Fisher, Bill Paxton, Stan Lee, Bruce Campbell, Chris Columbus, Christopher Lloyd, Dee Snider, Anne Rice, Guillermo Del Toro, Kevin Bacon, Julianne Moore, Kirk Hammett, Tess Gerritsen, Rob Corddry, Ned Vizzini, Sean Astin, Seth Green, Kim Harrison, Terry O’Quinn, Vanessa Williams, Sir Terry Pratchett, Kevin Smith, Ron English, and legendary nerds Curtis Armstrong and Robert Carradine. Below are some of our recommendations for this massive celebration of a lot more than just comic books.

Thursday, October 11

Neal Adams Spotlight, with Josh Adams and Neal Adams, 1A14, 3:45

Robert Kirkman Autographing, Booth #1229, 5:00 – 6:00

Comic Studies Conference: Power and Sexuality in Comics, with Beverly Taylor, Cameron McKee, Evan Johnson, Mark Head, and Sam Cannon, 1A07, 5:15

Friday, October 12

CBLDF: The History of Comics Censorship, with Charles Brownstein, 1A08, 11:00 am

Adam West and Burt Ward Spotlight, with Adam West and Burt Ward, 1A23, 12:15

Christopher Lloyd Q&A, with Christopher Lloyd, 1A10, 12:30

Sir Terry Pratchett Introduces . . . Dodger, with Sir Terry Pratchett, Unbound Stage, 1:00

AMC Presents Kevin Smith’s Comic Book Men, with Bryan Johnson, Kevin Smith, Michael Zapcic, Ming Chen, and Walter Flanagan, IGN Theater, 2:45

Joe Simon Memorial Celebration, with Angelo Torres, Carmine Infantino, Jim Simon, Mark Waid, Paul Levitz, and Stephen Saffel, 1A01, 5:15

Robot Chicken, with Clare Grant, Kevin Shinick, Matthew Senreich, and Seth Green, IGN Theater, 6:30

Kirk Hammett, Lead Guitarist for Metallica, Talks to Kevin Clement about His Passion for Collecting Monster Movie Memorabilia, with Kevin Clement and Kirk Hammett, 1A23, 9:00

Fans will be on their hands and knees, begging to get in to several special WALKING DEAD events at this year’s New York Comic Con

Saturday, October 13

Once More with Feeling: 15 Years of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, with Jane Espenson, Jenny Frison, Rebekah Isaacs, Scott Allie, and Sierra Hahn, 1A21, 11:15 am

Mad about MAD, with Al Jaffee, Bob Wayne, Drew Friedman, John Ficarra, Peter Kuper, Ryan Flanders, and Sam Viviano, 1A23, 12:15

Bill Paxton and Johnn McLaughlin’s Seven Holes for Air Introduction, with Bill Paxton, David Uslan, Eric Reid, and John McLaughlin, 1E13, 12:30

Stan Lee’s World of Heroes, with Peter David and Stan Lee, 1E13, 3:00

Carrie, with Chloë Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, Kevin Misher, and Kimberly Peirce, IGN Theater, 3:45

AMC’s The Walking Dead Panel Event, with Andrew Lincoln, Chandler Riggs, Chris Hardwick, Danai Gurira, David Morrissey, Gale Anne Hurd, Glen Mazzara, Michael Rooker, Norman Reedus, and Robert Kirkman, IGN Theater, 5:00

Sunday, October 14

666 Park Avenue Special Video Presentation and Q&A, with Dave Annable, David Wilcox, Erik Palladino, Helena Mattson, Matthew Miller, Mercedes Masöhn, Rachael Taylor, Robert Buckley, Samantha Logan, Terry O’Quinn, and Vanessa Williams, 1E13, 11:00 am

The Following Pilot Screening and Q&A, with Annie Parisse, James Purefoy, Kevin Bacon, Kevin Williamson, Marcos Siega, Natalie Zea, and Shawn Ashmore, 1E07, 12 noon

Josh Gates Q&A, with Josh Gates, 1A10, 1:30

Ian McDiarmid Spotlight, 1E13, 2:45

VIDEO OF THE DAY: “KEEPER OF ATLANTIS” BY PUJOL

“My bootstrap of austerity’s / a service sector BFA / in post-industrial malaise,” Pujol declares on “DIY2K,” the opening track of his debut full-length album, United States of Being (June 2012, Saddle Creek). On the record, Nashville-based Daniel Pujol sings and plays guitar, piano, and drums, receiving help from such friends as Stewart Copeland, Mitch Jones, Jack Lawrence, and Dillon Watson on a dozen tracks in which he tries to find his place in contemporary America. The more abstruse the lyrics, the more successful Pujol is, particularly on such songs as “DIY2K,” “Mission from God,” “Providence,” and “Reverse Vampire,” which incorporate elements of surf punk, 1960s melodies, Joe Walsh bombst, and Bob Mould fury. (You can stream the album for free here.) “My old man he used to say / I do a good thing like every day,” Pujol sings on “Keeper of Atlantis.” You can do a good thing on Thursday by checking out Pujol headlining the early show at Mercury Lounge on October 11 with Little Racer opening up or on Monday, October 15, when they’ll be at Death by Audio with Nude Beach and Strip Mall.

FIRST SATURDAYS: MICKALENE THOMAS’S ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE

Mickalene Thomas, “A Little Taste Outside of Love,” acrylic, enamel and rhinestones on wood panel, 2007 (© Mickalene Thomas)

Brooklyn Museum
200 Eastern Parkway at Washington St.
Saturday, October 6, free, 5:00 – 11:00 (some events require free tickets distributed in advance at the Visitor Center)
212-864-5400
www.brooklynmuseum.org

The Brooklyn Museum will celebrate Brooklyn-based artist Mickalene Thomas in the October edition of its free First Saturdays program. Thomas, who explores the concept of female beauty and power in sparkling works that incorporate rhinestones, acrylic, and enamel into 1970s-style tableaux, recently received the Asher B. Durand Award from the museum, along with Martha Rosler and Amy Sillman, for their contribution to Brooklyn culture. The First Saturdays programming is built around Thomas’s “Origin of the Universe,” her first museum exhibition, which continues through January 20. Visitors are encouraged to come dressed in 1970s clothing as they check out musical poet Candice Anitra; a multidisciplinary performance by Latasha Diggs, Beatrice Anderson, and Jaime Philbert, followed by a Q&A; an artist talk with G. Lucas Crane, who will create a live sonic collage and place it in context with Thomas’s work; a curator talk by Eugenie Tsai about Thomas’s painting “A Little Taste Outside of Love”; an art workshop showing how to make a Thomas-like collage; an interactive performance and discussion with poet and conceptual artist Harmony Holiday; “Betty’s Story,” a musical tribute to Betty Mabry Davis (Miles Davis’s ex-wife and singer in her own right) by Nucomme and the Curators; and a fashion show, open to all, hosted by Raye 6, Marcus Simms, and Gizmovintage Honeys Beeline.

DEAN AND BRITTA — 13 MOST BEAUTIFUL: SONGS FOR ANDY WARHOL’S SCREEN TESTS

Dean & Britta will reprise their audiovisual Andy Warhol tribute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on October 6 (photo by twi-ny/mdr)

Metropolitan Museum of Art
Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium
1000 Fifth Ave. at 82nd St.
Saturday, October 6, $35, 7:00
www.metmuseum.org
www.deanandbritta.com

Two years ago, at the CMJ Festival, Dean & Britta announced that they would play “13 Most Beautiful: Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests” for the last time ever in New York City at the Skirball Center in October 2010. Well, it seems that the Met has gotten them to change their mind, as they will once again be performing their outstanding set piece on October 6 in the Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium, in conjunction with the new exhibit “Regarding Warhol: Sixty Artists, Fifty Years.” In 2006, the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh commissioned Dean & Britta to compose scores for screen tests that the silver-haired artist shot at the Factory from 1964 to 1966; they searched through hundreds of the black-and-white films (each four minutes and sixteen seconds in length) until they decided on Lou Reed, Nico, Edie Sedgwick, Dennis Hopper, Paul America, Susan Bottomly, Ann Buchanan, Freddy Herko, Jane Holzer, Billy Name, Richard Rheem, Ingrid Superstar, and Mary Woronov. The result is a stunning collection of gorgeous instrumentals (“Silver Factory Theme,” “Incandescent Innocence”), covers (Bob Dylan’s “I’ll Keep It with Mine” and the Velvet Underground’s “I’m Not a Young Man Anymore”), “Knives from Bavaria” from the Dean & Britta record L’Avventura, and other trippy tracks, including the phenomenal “Teenage Lightning (and Lonely Highways),” that the duo, accompanied by Anthony Lamarca and Matt Sumrow, performs live while the screen tests are projected behind them. Dean, who was previously in Luna and Galaxie 500, introduces most of the songs/films with a little historical detail about the subject, adding both nostalgia and, unfortunately, tragedy to the proceedings, as most of the people being shown on the screen are no longer with us.

VIDEO OF THE DAY: “BLACK & WHITE MOUNTAINS” BY SNOWBLINK

“The sages of antiquity did not treat those who were already sick but those who were not sick,” explains the Huangdi Neijing, an ancient Chinese medical text also known as The Inner Classic of the Yellow Emperor. “When a disease has already broken out and is only then treated, would that not be just as late as to wait for thirst before digging a well, or to wait to go into battle before casting weapons?” With that in mind, even if you’re not sure you’re hungry for Inner Classics (September 2012, Arts & Crafts), Snowblink’s follow-up to 2010’s Long Live, you are sure to benefit from its many healing qualities. The nine songs on the album are highlighted by lead singer Daniela Gesundheit’s extraordinary voice, which ascends into the heavens, floating on clouds and flying through the ether, backed by Dan Goldman’s harmonies, guitars, and keyboards and such special guests as Barbara Gruska, Ryan Driver, Thom Gill, Misha Bower, and Caley Monahon-Ward. (Yes, her name is Gesundheit; insert your own sneeze joke here, because we won’t.) Originally from California and now based in Toronto, Snowblink takes listeners on an otherworldly journey on Inner Classics, which includes such tracks as “Pray for Surf,” “Best Loved Spot,” “Black & White Mountains,” and “Inner Mini-Mississippi.” Snowblink also has a thing for Michael Jackson; you can check out their unusual covers of “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough,” “Human Nature,” “P.Y.T.,” and “Thriller” here. And continuing Gesundheit’s unique unpredictability, on the band’s website she offers anyone the chance to have her call them or a friend and sing a song just for them through her Book a Treatment program, which she calls “a complimentary new-age singing telegram.” But you won’t have to wait for her to call you back on October 4, when you can see her and Goldman in person at the Bell House, where Snowblink plays with Great Lake Swimmers.