Here we are in late June. The last day of school is near, the solstice just recently passed, and the July 4th weekend will soon be at hand.
This means that true summer has begun. Spring's weather played tricks like a mischievous forest troll, with 25-30 degree ranges in temperature and sudden rain storms, all of which made mother nature seem schizophrenic. I just checked the farmers almanac, for summer's long-range weather forecast, and I have bad news... they actually want you to pay for the Farmer's Almanac's long range weather forecast.
They can kick rocks on Atlantic in front of Barclay Center, cause I'm not paying for the weather, unless it's read by a Nostradamus hologram wearing a fitted Yankee cap. I, instead went to weather.com, and although it wasn't detailed, it listed July and August, in the northeast, as having cooler than normal temps. This is good. This means a summer full of fun events without heat exhaustion, and it's no better time to start than the first weekend of summer
Unfortunately, the weather man says we're going to have a bit of rain on Saturday and Sunday, but that's no reason to stay in the house. Netflix are for weekdays and yes, also for rainy weekends. But when the season is gone and the thermostat drops, you'll want these weekends back.
I have quite a few outdoor events listed for this weekend, so umbrellas and fun dispositions are recommended!
Here we go:
BAM FISHER, 321 Ashland Pl, 8pm-2am, $20-$25 (Fort Greene)
This is going to be 4 floors of gay revelry, as this full on art immersion event, that is celebrating and closing out Pride Month, takes over all 4 floors of BAM Fisher, including the basement and the roof! And I tell you that the roof is magnifique, since I sometimes grab my lunch, after doing Dick & Dave, and eat it on the BAM Fisher roof, enjoying the view and having a ciggie.
It's a lot going on for this event, with DJs, live performances, visual art, go-go dancers, Tarot readers and much more, so I suggest you just visit their Facebook page by clicking HERE for more information. It's right by the Atlantic Avenue train station, so public transportation is a breeze.
BLACK FLAMINGO-168 Borinquen Pl., 10pm. $0 (Williamsburg)
I haven't been to Black Flamingo before, but it sounds like it's a fun dance floor, in a basement in Williamsburg, that programs good DJs, which is a winning formula. This Friday they have DJ Nickodemus, who has been getting down since Giant Step says in the 90's to Turntables On The Hudson, the party that still rocks dancefloors in the city.
Nickodemus has a indie record label, Wonderwheel, which is teaming up with another Brooklyn indie label, Bastard Jazz (hence WonderJazz) to bring you a reason to put on your dancing shoes this Friday. This will also be the official after party for NovaLima, the new record from Cobra Sound System, from Lima Peru, who will also spin a DJ Set. To get more information, you should visit their Facebook event page, by clicking HERE.
OTHERWILD, Baggu, 242 Wythe Ave #2 $Freebird ($0) Wllmsbrg
Otherwild is a L.A. shopping experience, that's popping up in Brooklyn this weekend. It's a hybrid retail, design studio, event space, gallery in Los Angeles, which is always up my alley. I actually thought they would pop-up in Greenpoint or Bushwick, but people are always attracted to Williamsburg.
The opening reception is this Friday, from 6pm-9pm, and I suggest you go to their Facebook event page by clicking HERE but you should also check out the OTHERWILD WEBSITE
SATURDAY
C'MON EVERYBODY, 325 Franklin Ave, $8-$10, 11pm-4am (Bed-Stuy)
This party is literally the meaning of the term "you already know what it is". It's Rich Medina, back in Brooklyn, making you dance at a new place, C'mon Everybody". House, Rare Grooves & Garage Classics. Brooklyn comes out for Rich, so it's bound to be fun. You can grab tickets by going HERE.
Don't know who Rich Medina is? Hit his WEBSITE.
Jason Moran's Fat's Waller Dance Party, Prospect Park Bandshell, 7pm, $free
This is the type of Celebrate Brooklyn event that makes you grateful of their existence. Jason Moran creating a bridge from Fats Waller, to House to Hip-Hop and whatever else he brings to the mix, with dancers, costumes and a hell of a good time. Butler, Burnstein & The Hot 9 is opening and they are apparently, hot like a C train station in late August.
In fact, just hit up their event page for more information, by clicking HERE, because if I start talking about Jason Moran being the Artistic Director for Jazz at Kennedy Center, it will lead me to other topics about Jason Moran and then I'm just waxing far too poetically. Click HERE for his website, or just put his name into wikipedia.
The Roof, OUTPUT, 74 Wythe Ave, 3pm-10pm, $10 (Williamsburg)
Tiki Disco has carved out quite a name for itself as a dance party. My first Tiki visit was at Roberta's Pizza, in Bushwick, though it may have started elsewhere. I know one-third of the DJs, Eli Escobar, from my days of throwing Halo Sundays in lower Manhattan, and ElI was one of our DJs. We had him playing far more Hip-Hop back then, which he rocked and has morphed into a very accomplished producer and party rocker on the dance music side.
There will also be food from Bolivian LLAMA Party, which is a popular pop-up food situation. They can also be found out at Rockaway, serving their Bolivian fare.
Click HERE to go and cop tickets and HERE for the Facebook event page.
REBELUTION, 560 Grand St, 12pm-8pm, $Free (Williamsburg)
This is a two day, pop-up shop, brought to you by the Ladies Love Project, led by the lovely and talented TooFly (visual artist ) and Patty Duke (a sound sensation). It's their 9th pop-up shop and their first in Brooklyn, so they'll be looking for that Brooklyn Welcome. They'll bring a host of dope vendors, from accessories to food and also CIRCA '95's REPH, and DJ ENGYMA, who will rock the 1's and 2's for non stop jams all day. Hip Hop, Classics, and more!
They'll also have a $5 Happy Hour! It's a two day affair, so you have an option in case one of your weekend days get jammed up. Click HERE to go to their FB event page and get more information.
ALL OVER BED-STUY | CULMINATING ARTIST SHOW-Restoration Plaza, Free, 12pm-7pm
STooPS is a community-building event that uses the arts to bring people outside and promotes social interaction among artists, homeowners, residents, and businesses of Bed-Stuy. Bed-Stuy homeowners collaborate with local artists to host performances and art showcases on their stoops, storefronts, yards, or sidewalks. To encourage family-wide participation, the Kiddie Korner will feature various children's art activities. STooPS culminates in performances by a local youth group, Viewers' Choice STooPS Artist (selected by social media fans), and Brooklyn-based headlining artist.
Now in its third year, STooPS has been a huge success, connecting 8 organizers, 80 artists based in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, and beyond, 50 Bed-Stuy homeowners and 30 local businesses. It happens all over Bedford Stuyvesant, though the highlight is the culminating artist, who is selected via voter's choice. This year's culminating artist is none other than Bed-Stuy's own, Tai Allen, the well traveled singer, producer and poet, who will perform with Kayo Charles. Tai and Kayo Charles (Def Poetry Jam) will be rocking with a full band, doing originals and select covers. Expect poetry, spoken word and some blues inspired Electro Soul from the culminating artist show, which happens at Restoration Plaza, at Fulton & Marcy Ave, from 5:30pm-7pm. Visit the StooPS Facebook page by clicking HERE
TBA BROOKLYN, 395 Wythe Ave, 2pm-10pm, Free (Williamsburg)
This is a no-brainer. Normally you have to pay for an I Love Vinyl party, where the DJs rock it with all vinyl (no laptops). So if you can get a free I Love Vinyl party, which is actually a block party, and you also get Food Snob on the grill, selling burgers (meat & veggie), Mexican corn and chicken, with all the high end sauces and condiments that they're loved for, then you should definitely be on the block!
They have some guest DJ's on Sunday, including DJ Lovestory, who's a quality mixologist as both a DJ and a bartender/cocktail maker. For more information, visit their Facebook event page by clicking HERE. It sounds like an ideal way, to close out your weekend on an outside note!
THAT'S IT...GO DO SOMETHING
