Lush Life never met a pork belly it didn’t like- especially if that pork belly is miso glazed and butterscotch coated.  And, as expected, Sam Mason delivered his signature dish along with about a dozen other incredible dishes at last night’s Finger On The Pulse event at Hope Lounge. 

All summer long we’ve enjoyed the events put on by Greg and Darren Bresnitz from Finger On The Pulse, and last night, we got a chance to talk with them about their uncanny ability to bring food, booze, music, and art together- all at a reasonable price.  “Our friends can’t afford a plate at Tailor, but tonight they got a taste of the good life,” said Greg.  And, tonight, their friends (of which, they must have hundreds) dug into a stylized assortment of barbecue standards with Sam’s flavor-centric haute stylings perfectly framed by a greasy paper plate that barely held the feast together.  It’s honestly surprising with downscale being the trend among NYC’s culinary elite that an event like this could happen all for the price tag of just $5. 

Chef Mason brought out his [un]usually spiced twists on paper plate standards such as a thoughtfully harissa-laced potato salad and one of the most useful advances in molecular mixology to date:  vodka watermelon gel shots that didn’t crumble at the touch of a fork, allowing everyone to get the mouthful they always wanted.  This was all before he made his way back to his homebase, Tailor, where he was prepping for a primetime rush made even more difficult by a party of 40 seating at 9 p.m.

Of course, the food line wasn’t our only stop at the event.  $5 PBR and Le Tourment Verte Absinthe shot specials that brought the taste of the 80s back (ice cold cheap American beer and something that faintly tasted of Pierre Cardin cologne- put the two together and you’ve properly distilled a Member’s Only jacket and gotten a fine buzz).  Top that off with sangria (that was far better than it had to be), the crowd found enough inspiration to groove along to the non-stop DJ sets provided by our hosts Finger On The Pulse, Miss Toats, and Live Forever. 

Finger On The Pulse throws these events at least once a month, and if you’ve missed them this summer, make sure you make it to the next food, booze, music, and art orgy happening sometime around Halloween.  These guys are all about bringing you under the radar quality- making sure you’re that much cooler than the hipster telling you they made out with Mickey Avalon.  Let’s just hope they got a mouthful of that watermelon gel before they got a mouthful of Avalon.

Jelly NYC  hosted it's last pool party Sunday, with Ebony Bones, Titus Andronicus, and Yo La Tengo potentially becoming the last groups to grace the stage for free Sunday shows in Brooklyn.  Additionally, the show was billed as a fundraiser for Barack Obama's presidential campaign, complete with places to donate money, booths to learn more about his platform, and lots of men and women adorned with stickers, buttons, and handmade shirts showing support for the democratic candidate.

Ebony Bones was up first, and this woman is strange in a completely compelling and infectious way.  Her blend of punk attitude, dance beats, and an extremely strange and colorful fashion sense puts her in the league of Santogold as one of the most talked about new artists to worm their way into hipster iPods.  I can't really say that I enjoyed her set, although, at points, it reminded me of a particularly strange acid experience that I had in college, but many in the crowd loved it.

Next was Titus Andronicus, one of our favorite new bands.  These guys are simply insane, and for those in attendance that had yet to witness them, the experience was jaw dropping.  Their energy is incredible, their songs are catchy, and it is no mystery that they are beginning to get the attention that they deserve.  Between jumping around the stage like toddlers on a sugar high, and popping beach balls given away to the crowd with drumsticks, the band got everyone moving to some guitar rock 'n roll without a hint of dance beats.

Yo La Tengo are one of those bands that I have loved for years, yet am still surprised when I see them how many other people feel the same way.  They have an ability to retain that small band accessibility while still drawing thousands of people to their shows.  In my opinion, they should be as revered and respected for their role in the development of indie rock as Sonic Youth or the Pixies, but the unassuming trio doesn't demand it.  Instead, they keep chugging along year after year, putting out consistently great albums and playing consistently great shows, with this show being no exception.

Between originals from their fifteen full lengths and covers like "S-W-I-M"  by Bobby Freeman, Yo La Tengo played with a stamina usually reserved for much younger bands.  Singer/guitarist Ira Kaplan created walls of feedback and noise, sweating as he thrashed around the stage while drummer Georgia Hubley bashed out beats and bass player James McNew kept a steady bassline, even when playing with his teeth or bashing his instrument into his amplifier.  The band also switched instruments frequently, all getting a chance to play drums and guitar, and filled out their sound on certain songs with a four piece horn section.

After their intial set, the absolutely gigantic crowd called for two encores, which included a Misfits cover performed with Titus Andronicus, in which Ira proclaimed the end of Brooklyn as a result of the discontinuation of pool parties, as well as a ceremonial refilling of the pool with giant jugs of water.  The crowd called for a third encore, which was quelled by the house music and the security guards telling people to head for the exits.  Ten minutes later, where the crowd had danced and sang along was home to a few stragglers and a mess of empty bottles and destroyed beach balls.  And, simply as that, the last summer of free pool parties at McCarren Park ended.

Everyone's favorite rock 'n roll dive, The Trash Bar is hosting local legend Dean Rispler's birthday blowout this weekend, with fifteen bands over two days this Friday and Saturday, August 29th and 30th.
 
Bands include The Lost Crusaders, Mighty Fine, The Bamboo Kids, Cheri Love Affair and many more.  Open bar with paid admission each night from 8-9pm. So if you love your rock n' roll with an element of filth, or just want to bring someone home with a distinct risk of contracting a social disease, this is your weekend.
 
Happy Birthday Dean!

Stand By Me is tonight's film as part of the Films in Tompkins series at Tompkins Square Park.  Am I the only one that finds it kind of funny that they are showing a movie about kids looking for a dead body in a park that almost every New Yorker has seen a dead body?
 

This summer in NYC has certainly been all about BBQ, and tonight is no exception.  Sam Mason (Tailor) hosts the American Barbecue Blowout tonight at Hope Lounge, complete with DJs, giveaways, and....absinthe?

 
If you like your pulled pork with a more conventional drink pairing, Southern Hospitality, Justin Timberlake's ode to his fake redneck upbringing, is offerring a bourbon class and tasting tonight at 7pm.  The selection of small batches is nothing special, but for $25 you can tune out the blabbering about the production and get down to business with a glass and a plate of ribs.  Just don't sit too close to SH's 8 foot long beer pong table...

Sometimes the feeling overtakes you and you just want to sit by the Hudson River, listen to the blues, and eat barbecue.  Luckily enough, the 9th annual Hudson River Park Blues BBQ came around just in time to satisfy each of those cravings.  With stands from the likes of Dinosaur, Brother Jimmy's, Dallas Jones', and Mara's Homemade as well as a bunch of top-notch blues acts all on Pier 54 in Manhattan, you couldn't ask for much more from a Sunday afternoon.
 

Of course, not everything can run as smoothly as planned, but, the doors opened approximately one hour behind schedule, due to a late visit from the fire marshal. Some of the barbecue stands accommodated the restless crowd by peddling bottled water along the line, although they failed to concede to the people's demands for pulled pork and ribs.
 

As the gates were finally opened, half of the attendees rushed the chairs set up in front of the stage, while others formed lines in front of the four stands selling barbecue. All the food vendors seemed swamped with orders, but the line for Dinosaur was the longest.  One could hear the low murmurs of satisfied mouths as the standing tables filled with remnants of meat and dirty napkins.
 

Having seen Lightnin' Malcolm and Cedric Burnside almost two years earlier while down in Mississippi, it was obvious that the entertainment was going to be top notch as well.  Malcolm, having been pretty much adopted by the families of legendary bluesmen Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside, is the real deal when it comes to the next generation of authentic Delta blues.  As far as Cedric Burnside is concerned, his last name should tell it all.  He toured and recorded with his grandfather R.L. as a teenager, and quickly developed into one of the best drummers in the country.  A few years ago Malcolm and Burnside joined together as the Juke Joint Duo to play a style of blues updated with elements of funk, soul, and rock 'n roll.
 

Their set did not disappoint.  With a mix of covers and originals, older songs as well as many making their New York debut, the crowd danced and stomped along to their songs.  Both men frequently referred to "the family" that was in attendance today, and Malcolm called out many names and smiled at those he recognized in the crowd.  Closing with a cover of R.L. Burnside's blues classic "Jumper on the Line", those in attendance wiped their greasy sauce stained hands and cheered, before heading back to the long lines for seconds.

After a summer filled with some great shows, it's almost over.  This week McCarren Park Pool hosts it's last show ever, The Giraffes and The Stalkers lead a bunch of drunks out on the Hudson River, and one of early 2000's most hyped bands plays Santos.

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead
at Santos Party House (100 Lafayette St. at Walker St. Manhattan)
Monday 8/25 at 10pm $tba
 
Andrew WK's club has been hosting some pretty good shows lately, and, depending on your opinion of ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, this Monday might be a perfect time to check out the place.  After flirting with mainstream popularity early in the decade, Trail of Dead have kept a lower profile, although continuing to release albums of arty guitar rock.  Having left Interscope, it is not certain who will release their upcoming LP, but their rabid fanbase will be out in full force to catch this one.

The Giraffes & The Stalkers
Rocks Off Concert Cruises (W. 23rd St. and FDR Dr. Manhattan)
Friday 8/29 11:45pm $20
 
The Giraffes and The Stalkers bring a rock 'n roll party to the seas this Friday, playing a midnight show aboard the Half Moon as part of the Rocks Off Concert Cruises (www.rocksoff.com).  Although the combination of open water, a moving vessel and two crazy rock bands may seem like a recipe for disaster, I'm sure you won't find a better excuse for drinking till you vomit than you will at this one.

Sonic Youth at McCarren Park Pool
(Lorimer St. between Diggs and Bayard Williamsburg)
Saturday 8/30 at 5pm $35

Finally, say goodbye to McCarren Park Pool in all it's decrepit glory with Sonic Youth this Saturday.  Their show at Central Park this summer was incredible, and you can't find a more quintessential NYC band than these 25+ year indie rock veterans.  Bring some sunscreen, a towel, and something to throw at the assholes with water guns, and say goodbye to summer (at least as far as the pool is concerned). 

If you're reading this, I already know one thing about you: you are a sophisticated gentleman. You love complex drinks, the coolest bars and the hottest music. You know how to dress the part for wherever you go, and you go many, many places.

So why would you be interested in comedy? Because sometimes you just want to sit back and be entertained. You want nimble, able practitioners of the art of funny to ply their wares for you. You want to come home feeling like a million bucks while spending only $5—and without the cast of Stomp playing a matinee in your brain the next morning.

Well, high roller, let me tell you a secret: It's never been a better time to see comedy on the cheap in New York City. Some of the best bars in the city feature regular comedy nights, and sometimes comedy acts share the stage with some of your favorite musicians (likes Tapes 'N Tapes did at Sound Fix recently). And improv comedy factories-the topic of this post, in case you missed it-have become one of the hottest things in town.

If you've watched "Whose Line Is It Anyway?", you're familiar with improv comedy. The idea is simple: a group of talented performers take a suggestion from the audience and proceed to weave hilarious stories out of that suggestion. A good improv troupe can take a word like "watermelon" and mine an hour's worth of material from it.

Just like Caroline's and The Comedy Cellar have traditionally been factories for stand-up comics, improv comedy aficionados (and wannabe performers) now have their own havens. The vast majority of them take their inspiration from Del Close, the legendary teacher at Chicago's Second City who created the Harold, the form of improv comedy you'll most often see at a show.

All of the theatres boast cheap beer (with no two-drink minimum) and shows seven night a week, with no show over $10 and some shows free. And, all of them have training facilities, allowing anyone—and we mean anyone—to take a class and learn the basics of improv as Del Close himself taught it.

The most well-known improv theatre, without a doubt, is The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (307 W 26th St), and its biggest attraction—probably the biggest comedy attraction in the city—is ASSSSSCAT, the star-studded improv show. ASSSSSCAT performs two shows, both on Sunday. One's free and the other is $10. As you might expect, its somewhat of an endeavor to catch the show; either you camp out in front of the theatre for the free show or order your tickets way in advance. But the UCB Theatre's other shows give you plenty of bang for your buck. One of the better shows the UCB offers is Gravid Water, where improv comics share the stage with Broadway actors. The actors memorize scenes from famous plays; the improvisers have no prior knowledge of the play to be performed and have to improvise around the actor. The Aug. 25 show features "SNL'' actor Jason Sudeikis.

Rapidly gaining notoriety is The People's Improv Theatre (154 W 29th St). While lacking the pedigree of the UCB, the venue (commonly known as The PIT) does boast a nicer theatre and many more opportunities for audience interaction, if you're drunk brave enough to get up on stage. One of The PIT's most revered house teams, Elephant Larry, is performing on Sept. 7, and the PIT's house sketch teams take the floor every Wednesday for a free comedy marathon. That's right: from 7 to 11 p.m., you can just lie back and enjoy the funny for five hours straight, while opening your wallet only at the bar.

Less well-known are The Magnet Theatre (254 West 29th St.) and Gotham City Improv (48 W. 21st St., eighth floor). The Magnet was co-founded by Armando Diaz, a close confidant who also helped get The PIT off the ground. The Magnet's productions are said to have more of a theatrical feel. Gotham City Improv, meanwhile, is the New York sister company of The Groundlings, the West Coast-based comedy factory known for the amount of alumni who have ended up at "SNL."

I'd be remiss if I failed to mention Ochi's Lounge (353 W 14th St.), the downstairs venue of Comix Comedy Club. Unlike its big brother, Ochi's has no cover charge but a one-drink minimum. Having been closed for summer renovations, it reopens the day after Labor Day. The website promises "a liquor license, clean spacious bathrooms and no rodents dropping by for unexpected guest spots," and, really, how bad can that be?
 

Do you believe in the "Power of Love?"  Brooklyn sure did last night as the over 50-set congregated at Asser Levy Park to hear the sweet sounds of Huey Lewis and the News.  We were there to capture some of the sights as the pop powerhouse rocked Coney Island.

If you missed it, you can check out The Danimals performing a Huey Lewis Tribute at Union Hall next Wednesday in honor of the 25th anniversary of Huey's groundbreaking album, "Sports."

Union Hall
702 Union Street @ 5th Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11215
718.638.4400

Doors open at 7:30
Show starts promptly at 8:00 (Seriously, don’t be late or you will
miss greatness or at least hilarity!)
$7 cover
 

The bar industry is not often known as a place where dreams come true.  In fact, I'm pretty sure most of the bars we frequent are commonly referred to as "No-Disneyland" by the grizzled bartenders offering whiskey neat (despite that toothless guy at the end of the bar inviting us to his "Magic Kingdom"). 

But, for the owners of South Slope's newest bar: Safe Haven Bar and Grill, opening a locally focused homestyle spot has been a dream for years.  After slaving in other kitchens and behind half of the bars in the city, this foursome banded together to create one of the most comfortable spots in the city.

The walls are still pretty bare and the place has a half finished vibe (they are waiting on everything from art to new seating), but the friendliness and enthusiasm behind Safe Haven are evident as soon as you walk through the door.... and are accosted by Patrick Meagher, one of the owners.  Literally, the moment we opened the door, Patrick was there to greet us- ushering us to his favorite spot. 

He explained that their food license had not come through yet, but, in the meantime, they were happy to offer a pint of one of their local beers of which six were on tap.  Donna Jane Sampler, the chef at Safe Haven, says as soon as the city will allow, she'll offer her down home style food made from only local ingredients to keep this place feeling like the neighborhood joint it aspires to be. 

Safe Harbor might be one of the most aptly named bars in the city, and while the decor might not dazzle you, there's no doubt you'll feel right at home.