The weekend cometh. Seems like just yesterday when Donald Trump, as Muhammad Ali would say, "shook up the world," although Mr. Trump is shaking it with hate, as he basks in the stupidity of a nation that elected him to be the next president of the USA.
It's been non-stop protest since then, with riled up Americans taking to the street to announce that Trump is "NotMyPresident," and online movements started to persuade the dodgy electoral college to change their vote. Conversely, it's also been hate and harassment, with swastikas and racist messages scrawled on walls across Brooklyn, creating an unsafe environment for anybody not a White, straight, Christian man.
So against that backdrop, we need some art, culture, booze and music and we need it in quality doses... So Brooklyn, here are my top picks:
Drink More Fest, Bushwick Public House, 1288 Myrtle Avenue, 6pm, Nov 18th-11:30 pm, Nov 20th, $7 (Bushwick)
This is a three day, Brooklyn based festival put on by Drink More Records, with a deep lineup of bands, including The '94 Knicks, Tattoo Money and Omega Sirius Moon. There will also be vendors, cheap drinks, a daily podcast, prizes and copies of the newest zine put out by Drink More Records. The super cool thing is that ALL PROCEEDS are going to Planned Parenthood, ACLU and Now, so you can definitely party with a purpose. Check out the Facebook Event Page by clicking here. A three day pass costs $15, and is probably the best deal, if it hasn't sold out!
Thanksgiving Quaffs, Bed Vyne Wine, 370 Tompkins Avenue Saturday, Nov 19th, 4pm-8pm Free (BedStuy)
You're going home to the parental units for Thanksgiving, or maybe you've convinced them to come see you this year, which is actually neither here nor there (you see what i did), because ultimately, it all comes down to the drinks.
Sure, somebody stayed in the kitchen all day, sweating like an undocumented Mexican after Trump won the election, making pies and birds and greens and mac-n-cheese and all of the other holiday favorites; but it's really all about the drinks. This year, make sure you bring some quality bottles of booze or wine, by hitting the Thanksgiving Quaffs at Bed Vyne Wine Shop.
You can taste and sample a range of Brandy, International Whiskey and after dinner wines, so your bottle game is Hulk strong for Thanksgiving.
Now, will you have an argument with your Republican uncle, or have to watch a Dallas Cowboys blowout of the Washington Redskins? Well yes, yes you will; but at least you won't be drinking Yellowtail at the same damn time. And obviously, you can purchase whatever you taste, at the shop.
Richard Beavers Gallery 9th Anniversary, 408 Marcus Garvey Boulevard, Sat, Nov 19th, 7pm-1am, $5 (BedStuy)
The Richard Beavers Gallery is celebrating nine (9) years and the new Leroy Campbell exhibition, "The Fight Continues" honoring Muhammad Ali, Saturday 19th at 7pm.
In honor of the the anniversary and Campbell's new work, the Gallery is presenting Tai Allen & Dasan Ahanu performing the works of Gil Scott-Heron & Oscar Brown, Jr. Plan to dance and nod your head as the duo, with a live band, shows the influence of the two ascended masters with reduxes of Gil Scott's Revolution Will Not Be Televised & Take Care (recently covered by Rihanna and Drake) while redoing Oscar Brown's Sixteen Tons & Afro Blue (recently remade by Erykah Badu and Richard Glasper)
Like Ali, the two ascended masters were legendary artists and community responsible activists. It was important to create a program that reflected the work of Leroy Campbell. Check out some things on the Facebook Event Page, including footage of both artists performing together.
Super Art Fight, Sunnyvale, 1031 Grand St., Sat November 19th, 7pm-11pm, $15 (East Williamsburg)
Super Art Fight INVADES Brooklyn
The GREATEST LIVE ART COMPETITION in the KNOWN UNIVERSE heads into Brooklyn, NY for an unforgettable evening of their trademark "Art Fights", a unique mixture of live art, improv comedy, and pro-wrestling-styled characters and storytelling. Cheer your favorite artists to victory as they try to crush their competitors on a giant wall of canvas, but be ready for anything when the artists encounter the crowd-sourced topic generatorÂ…THE WHEEL OF DEATH! Featured in the pages of Wired and The Washington Post, this event has a following and lands in Brooklyn this weekend for the first time.
You can purchase tickets by clicking here and visit their website by clicking here.
Go: Organic Orchestra, Brooklyn Conservatory Of Music, 58 7th Ave, Sun, November 20th, 8pm-10pm, $15 (Park Slope)
This is one of those performances that is easier to see and experience, than it is to write and capture the in words, but quite simply, it's an orchestra concert of music composed and improvisationally conducted by Adam Rudolph. While Rudolph has taught hundreds of musicians world-wide in the Go: Organic Orchestra concept, it is the New York City based ensemble that has evolved the most full expression of this creative vision.
Since 2005, Rudolph has worked with a consistent core of 42 technically and creatively-skilled musicians from the diverse worlds of classical, jazz and world music. Using innovative notation and conducting signals, Rudolph leads the NYC Go: Organic Orchestra members to create works that the ensemble "reinvents" with each performance.
The ensemble has attracted an audience of thousands into New York City's experimental performance venues, helping to establish a dynamic new scene for a boundless, contemporary vision of 21st century music. A five year residency at Roulette Intermedia, followed by four years at Shapeshifter Lab and two years at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music have helped to make Go: Organic Orchestra a widely appreciated chamber ensemble. It's probably one of the kookiest and entertaining things anybody can do this weekend in Brooklyn!
So there you have it. You're now armed with weekend even knowledge, so tell your friends and neighbors, because they probably don't know what to do this weekend either!
