Music - News

Short & Sweet NYC Friday May 9th

Friday May 9 Location: Midtown West, NYC Bands: Erykah Badu + The Roots Show time: 8:00 PM Venue: Radio City Music Hall Food: Heartland Brewery Drink: House of Brews Miscellaneous: Entertainment Outlet Known equally for her head wraps as for her distinctive and soulful voice, Erykah Badu hits the stage at Radio City with one of the most versatile groups out there today, The Roots. While the Heartland Brewery is one of the last chain restaurants to make their own beer on their premises left in the city, it’s still not a bad spot in midtown for dinner. While the menu is American, it’s a pretty good place for a steak and a home-brewed pint. With more than 80 draft and bottled beers combined, it’s hard not to like House of Brews, though with more than 20 screens playing sports on game night, it can get packed. While iPods and Tivos have nearly replaced CDs and DVDs, the good news is that Entertainment Outlet sells new and old movies in all formats cheaper than any megastore in midtown. Location: Lower East Side, NYC Bands: Midnight Juggernauts + Shy Child + Holy Ghost! Show time: 8:00 PM Venue: Bowery Ballroom Food: Three of Cups Drink: Whiskey Ward Miscellaneous: Sugar Sweet Sunshine Prepare to dance as Melbourne, Australia’s Midnight Juggernauts bring their electronic/disco/dance rock. Seriously, this band is one of my new faves. Joining them are two great electro rock bands, NYC’s Shy Child and Holy Ghost! What I like about Three of Cups is that the food is classic Italian fare, like pizza made in a wood-fired oven, risotto, or pasta, but they also offer more exciting dishes like lamb stew in a barolo wine reduction, served with potato gnocchi. The atmosphere is relaxing; bordering on romantic. With a name like Whiskey Ward, it’s expected that they deliver the goods, which lucky for this bar, they do. Whether it’s Scotch, Bourbon, Whiskey, or Single Malts, they got em’ all, along with a pool table and a damn good jukebox. Who doesn’t like cupcakes? Sugar Sweet Sunshine has one of the best in the city. With 10 different kinds, it’s hard to beat.

El Perro del Mar & Lykke Li NYC Bowery Show

Swedes El Perro del Mar, Lykke Li & Anna Ternheim graced New York's Bowery Ballroom this Thursday evening. Lykke played her hits "Little Bit" and "I'm Good I'm Gone" and the first tune she ever wrote "Tonight." She even got the stone-like New Yorkers to full on dance. The show was sold out but the crowd quickly thinned after Lykke Li's short but energetic set. The silky voiced El Perro del Mar took the stage around eleven o'clock to a now roomier Bowery Ballroom and played songs off her new album The Valley To The Stars which have a much more hypnotic feel than her debut. Lykke Li later joined El Perro del Mar on-stage for a few songs, one of which was "Inner Island." The only thing that would have topped this fine evening is if they had brought out fellow Swede Jens Lekman with a ukulele. Hit up Short & Sweet NYC for an interview with Sarah Assbring of El Perro del Mar here.

Now and Then: Mates of State

Mates of State are back with a new song called “Get Better.” The song is the first single from their upcoming release Re-Arrange Us. The new album will be their first since 2006’s Bring It Back, and the band will be touring to support it. “Re-arrange” your schedule for these dates (including All Points West for our NYC readers): May 16 New Haven, CT - Toad's Place 22 San Francisco, CA - Slim's 24 Bend, OR - Les Schwab Amphitheater 25 George, Washington - Sasquatch Festival 28 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater June 06 Lawrence, KS - Wakarusa Music Festival July 25 Pemberton, BC - Pemberton Festival August 1 Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza 8 Liberty State Park, NJ - All Points West Festival 26 Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Festival Below check out the brand new video for “Get Better” and under it, watch the video for the ditty “Fraud In the ‘80s” from Bring It Back

Elvis Costello new LP represents the Noodle

Did Elvis Costello name his new album Momofuku after NYC chef David Chang's Momofuku Noodle Bar and/or Momofuku Ssam Bar, or the late instant ramen king, Momofuku Ando, the Taiwanese founder and chairman of Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd. and the inventor of the world's first instant noodles and cup of noodles? We just don't know yet but even Rolling Stone is doing research on the topic. Take a listen to the album and see for yourself if you can hear a pork bun or ramen noodle by clicking here. Guests Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley) and Johnathan Rice appear throughout the record. Just in: Elvis Costello released a statement from his website: "Well, obviously the title is a tribute to Momofuku Ando, the inventor of the Cup Noodle. Like so many things in this world of wonders, all we had to do to make this record was add water."

Siren Music Festival 2008 Initial Lineup

The Village Voice Announces Initial Lineup for the 8th Annual Village Voice Siren Music Festival™ at Coney Island Saturday, July 19, 2008. The Lineup for the free summer show is Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Broken Social Scene, The Helio Sequence, Beach House, Times New Viking, Jaguar Love, The Dodos, Annuals, Film School, Parts & Labor, Dragons Of Zynth, These Are Powers and more to be announced!

NIN Release Free Album entitled The Slip

Trent Reznor is keeping his Nine Inch Nails very sharp! He released yet another new album called The Slip and it's available right now so click here to download a copy. This new ten track album unlike the much hyped thirty-six track Ghosts I-V he released a wee bit back is available for free in a variety of formats including high-quality MP3, FLAC or M4A lossless at CD quality and even higher-than-CD quality 24/96 WAVE.

My Bloody Valentine Tour Dates

My Bloody Valentine, the guys (and gals) who put the “shoe” in shoegazer, have reunited and their tour dates for 2008 are below. In other related news, My Bloody Valentine frontman Kevin Shields also has a music project with the Godmother of Punk, Patti Smith, entitled The Coral Sea, which is an homage to the book Smith released in 1996. This project should not be confused with the Santa Barbara band The Coral Sea, who are, in fact, busy in the studio finishing up their own new album. A double live disc by Smith & Shields will be released on the pair’s own PASK label imprint on July 11th. June: 20 London, England - The Roundhouse 21 London, England - The Roundhouse 22 London, England - The Roundhouse 23 London, England - The Roundhouse 24 London, England - The Roundhouse 28 Manchester, England - Apollo 29 Manchester, England - Apollo July: 02 Glasgow, Scotland - Barrowland 03 Glasgow, Scotland - Barrowland 03-06 Roskilde, Denmark - Roskilde Festival 09 Paris, France - Zenith 17-20 Benicàssim, Spain - Festival Internacional de Benicàssim 25 Naeba, Japan - Fuji Rock Festival August: 08 Oslo, Norway - Øya Festival 05 Isle of Wight, England - Bestival 19-21 Monticello, NY - Kutshers Country Club (ATP New York) (back on sale) 22-23 New York, NY - Roseland September: 25 Toronto, Ontario - Ricoh 27 Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom 30 San Francisco, CA - The Concourse October: 01 Los Angeles, CA - Santa Monica Civic 02 Los Angeles, CA - Santa Monica Civic

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings Tour info

2008 picked up where 2007 left off for renowned soul and funk maestros Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. The nine-piece band has maintained the torrid pace they kick-started last year with the release of their now wildly-acclaimed album, 100 Days, 100 Nights, from Brooklyn's Daptone Records. Their third full-length effort has garnered rave reviews from across the globe on its way to cracking the upper echelons of numerous "Best of 2007" charts and Editor's picks. The band has become a bona-fied multi-media favorite, having appeared on CNN, Good Morning New York, MTV News, and recently were allowed to funkify the famous Ed Sullivan Theater for the Late Show with David Letterman. Future television appearances are quickly approaching as the band will soon tape Austin City Limits and play Late Night with Conan O'Brian on June 11th. May 31 Hunter, NY Mountain Jam Festival Jun 4 Austin, TX @ Stubb's BBQ (Outdoor) Jun 6 Chicago, IL Toyota Park (w. Dave Matthews Band) Jun 7 Philadelphia, PA The Roots Picnic (with The Roots & Gnarls Barkley) Jun 14 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Music Festival Jun 21 Aspen, CO Jazz Aspen Snowmass Jul 2 Athens, Greece Theatre Vrhahon Jul 4 St. Etienne, France Oulala Festival Jul 5 Belfort, France Eurockness Festival Jul 6 Roskilde, Denmark Roskilde Festival Jul 9 Stockholm, Sweden Berns Hotel Jul 10 Grimstad, Norway Skral Festival Jul 11 Namur, Belgium Cactus Festival Jul 12 La Haye, Netherlands North Sea Jazz Festival Jul13 London, England The Rise Festival Jul 15 Juan les Pins, France Juan les Pins Festival Jul 17 Pori, Finland Pori Jazz Festival Jul 20 Hollywood, CA The Hollywood Bowl (w. Feist) Jul 25 Portland, OR Summer Concerts at Oregon Zoo Aug 2 Chicago, IL Lollapalooza Aug 3 Montreal, QC Osheaga Festival Aug 9 Baltimore, MD V Festival Aug 17 New York, NY Central Park Summer Stage Aug 21 - 22 Minneapolis, MN Minnesota State Fair Aug 23 San Francisco, CA Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival Sep 5 - 7 Berkeley, CA The Greek Theatre (w. Dave Matthews Band) Sep 27 Austin, TX Austin City Limits

BRMC & Duke Spirit Free Chicago Show

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Duke Spirit performed a free show at Chicago's Metro this Sunday. BRMC played around a two hour set for the Jack Daniels sponsored event, performing tunes from all four of their albums. JD gave away free booze, t-shirts, song downloads, and even raffled off a guitar, which ended up being won by the singer/guitarist of Chicago's AMFM, Jeremy. The bands will depart ways after touring the US together. BRMC will head to Europe for some shows and Duke Spirit will play some more US shows including a performance on Conan O’ Brien this Wednesday May 7th.

SummerStage Heats Up

Every summer, Central Park's SummerStage at Rumsey Field, that usually quiet little piece of green near Bethesda fountain, comes alive with the sounds of everything from world music, to folk, to pop and this year looks to be more eclectic than ever.  For the most part, the events are with the exception of some  (read - highly popular artists)  that are held as "benefit concerts". You can check out the full schedule here at but here are some of the major music events: Saturday, June 14th - Vampire Weekend, Kid Sister Sunday, June 22nd - Yael Naim, David Donatien, Piers Faccini Thursday, June 26th - Thievery Corporation Wednesday, July 23rd - Mark Knopfler Tuesday, July 29th - Crosby, Stills and Nash Thursday, August 14th - Los Lonely Boys, Los Lobos Saturday, August 16th - Battles, Black Dice Sunday, August 17th - Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings

Short & Sweet NYC Sat May 3rd & Sun May 4th

Saturday May 3 Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn Event: Dead Prez + Umi Massive B + K-Salaam + J. Period + Blitz the Ambassador + Jahdan + A-Alikes Show time: 9:00 PM Venue: Galapagos Art Space Food: SEA Drink: Zablozki’s Accessory: Academy Records While politically inspired rappers in hip-hop are nothing new, very few have remained as relevant over the years as Dead Prez. With a great line-up of up-and-coming artists supporting them, don’t miss the A-Alikes spit state of the union knowledge. A great restaurant on the same block is SEA. Asian inspired from the décor to the food, this huge and gorgeous space serves up a mostly Thai menu from massaman curries to house specialties like Red SEA Duck (Half duck in red vinaigrette-tomato gravy sauce served with stir-fried mixed veggies). SEA is inexpensive and visually impressive for Brooklyn. With an increasing amount of new bars on the block, Zablozki’s is a standout that’s cozy, mostly mahogany, and has great drinks specials. A great stop off if you’re early is Academy Records. As one of the biggest vinyl shops in NYC, if you are a vinyl fan, you will be blown away. Saturday May 3 Location: Lower East Side, NYC Event: Cake Shop’s Three Year Celebration Show time: 3:00 PM Venue: Cake Shop Food: San Loco Drink: 151 Miscellaneous: Bereket Cake Shop celebrates its third year of existence with a full day of bands starting at 3PM for $3. Among the many, many bands to play include Holy Hail, Oakley Hall, Cause Co-Motion, and Soiled Mattress and the Springs. One of my favorite cheap eats places on the L.E.S. is San Loco. Serving Mexican, this chain restaurant has several locations, but the one on Stanton Street is right around the corner from many great bars and you can get a heaping plate of bean and cheese nachos for $3.75. I’m sure on your walk through the L.E.S. you’ve passed 151 Rivington. While it has no sigh out front, this bar has a seven-day a week 2-for-1 happy hour special from 6-10PM. A longstanding place to get a great falafel, Bereket has been the go-to place for Turkish food after hours for as long as I can remember. Sunday May 4 Location: Midtown West, NYC Event: Divas with Heart featuring Diana Ross + Patti LaBelle + Chaka Khan + Gladys Knight Show time: 7:30 PM Venue: Radio City Music Hall Food: Zip Burger Drink: Subway Inn Miscellaneous: Kinokuniya Bookstore Performing together for a benefit for the Masonic Medical Research Laboratory, Diana Ross, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, and Gladys Knight will all be under the same roof belting out the songs that made them legends. Declaring yourself a chef-driven burger joint is one way to separate yourself from the competition. At Zip Burger they prove their point, offering farm-raised, organic, grass-fed meat and poultry, letting you build your own burger with plenty of gourmet toppings. The first time I went to Subway Inn I thought it was completely strange that there was a dive bar off Lexington Ave., in this neck of the woods, but somehow it works. Born in the 30s, this bar has somehow remained, and thank god, as it’s easily the cheapest place in the area for a drink. For fans of Japanese pop-culture, Kinokuniya Bookstore has a large selection of Japanese themed books, videos, CDs, magazines, comics, and stationary. For more info on what’s going on in NYC on the other four days of the week and more, check out Short and Sweet NYC

Short & Sweet NYC Friday May 2nd

Friday May 2 Location: East Village, NYC Bands: Breaking the Band with The Hold Steady + The Virgins + The Republic Tigers + Bad Veins Show time: 6:30 PM Venue: Webster Hall Food: Hip Hop Chow Drink: Decibel Miscellaneous: Sundaes & Cones The Tribeca Film Festival plays host to this event showing off the talent of Brooklyn’s The Hold Steady, The Virgins, plus up and comers The Republic Tigers, and Bad Veins. One place that takes two awesome things and makes them work is Hip Hop Chow. Serving Chinese and soul food, the fried chicken and waffles are fantastic, while the mac & cheese, with it’s hint of cinnamon, will karate kick your taste buds. For drinks that are not beer nor mixed, Decibel has a large menu of Junmai, Ginjo, and Honjozo types of sake’s along with shochu vodka’s. For those with a sweet tooth, Sundaes & Cones has a remarkable list of ice cream. Looking for something different? Try flavors like wasabi, chrysanthemum, honey ginseng, or durian. But don’t worry, they have your faves! Friday May 2 Location: Midtown West, NYC Bands: Breaking the Band with Mary J. Blige + Jay-Z Show time: 7:30 PM Venue: Madison Square Garden Food: Supermac Drink: Stout Miscellaneous: Jack’s 99 Cent Store Fresh off his marriage to Beyonce, Jay-Z didn’t even wait till the honeymoon was over to start touring again as he co-headlines with the amazing Mary J. Blige at MSG. Though small, Supermac packs a hearty punch with it’s gourmet mac & cheese’s like the Mac Cheesesteak with shaved steak, caramelized onions, roasted peppers, cremini/shitake, provolone, and white American ($8.25 mini; $10.95 mega). A great place in NYC to get a full-bodied dark beer is at Stout. With a very detailed beer list with descriptions, I’ve never had a bad pint at this bar and restaurant, plus the food menu is American and quite good. Probably the biggest 99-cent store in NYC, Jack’s is three floors of some of the finest values you can find, especially in an overpriced area like Herald Square. Saturday May 3 Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn Event: Dead Prez + Umi Massive B + K-Salaam + J. Period + Blitz the Ambassador + Jahdan + A-Alikes Show time: 9:00 PM Venue: Galapagos Art Space Food: SEA Drink: Zablozki’s Accessory: Academy Records While politically inspired rappers in hip-hop are nothing new, very few have remained as relevant over the years as Dead Prez. With a great line-up of up-and-coming artists supporting them, don’t miss the A-Alikes spit state of the union knowledge. A great restaurant on the same block is SEA. Asian inspired from the décor to the food, this huge and gorgeous space serves up a mostly Thai menu from massaman curries to house specialties like Red SEA Duck (Half duck in red vinaigrette-tomato gravy sauce served with stir-fried mixed veggies). SEA is inexpensive and visually impressive for Brooklyn. With an increasing amount of new bars on the block, Zablozki’s is a standout that’s cozy, mostly mahogany, and has great drinks specials. A great stop off if you’re early is Academy Records. One of the biggest vinyl shops in NYC, if you are a vinyl fan, you will be blown away. Saturday May 3 Location: Lower East Side, NYC Event: Cake Shop’s Three Year Celebration Show time: 3:00 PM Venue: Cake Shop Food: San Loco Drink: 151 Miscellaneous: Bereket Cake Shop celebrates its third year of existence with a full day of bands starting at 3PM for $3. Among the many, many bands to play include Holy Hail, Oakley Hall, Cause Co-Motion, and Soiled Mattress and the Springs. One of my favorite cheap eats places on the L.E.S. is San Loco. Serving Mexican, this chain restaurant has several locations, but the one on Stanton Street is right around the corner from many great bars and you can get a heaping plate of bean and cheese nachos for $3.75. I’m sure on your walk through the L.E.S. you’ve passed 151 Rivington. While it has no sigh out front, this bar has a seven day a week 2-for-1 happy hour special from 6-10PM. A longstanding place to get a great falafel, Bereket has been the go-to place for Turkish food after hours for as long as I can remember. Sunday May 4 Location: Midtown West, NYC Event: Divas with Heart featuring Diana Ross + Patti LaBelle + Chaka Khan + Gladys Knight Show time: 7:30 PM Venue: Radio City Music Hall Food: Zip Burger Drink: Subway Inn Miscellaneous: Kinokuniya Bookstore Performing together for a benefit for the Masonic Medical Research Laboratory, Diana Ross, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, and Gladys Knight will all be under the same roof belting out the songs that made them legends. Declaring yourself a chef-driven burger joint is one way to separate yourself from the competition. At Zip Burger they prove their point, offering farm-raised, organic, grass-fed meat and poultry, letting you build your own burger with plenty of gourmet toppings. The first time I went to Subway Inn I thought it was completely strange that there was a dive bar off Lexington Ave., in this neck of the woods, but somehow it works. Born in the 30s, this bar has somehow remained, and thank god, as it’s easily the cheapest place in the area for a drink. For fans of Japanese pop-culture, Kinokuniya Bookstore has a large selection of Japanese themed books, videos, CDs, magazines, comics, and stationary. For more info on what’s going on in NYC on the other four days of the week and more, check out Short and Sweet NYC

Now and Then: Elbow

Elbow have been a relatively unknown but consistent band since their debut album Asleep in the Back was released back in 2001. Their new album The Seldom Seen Kid was recently released to strong reviews. The band has come a long way since their early unfair Coldplay comparisons. Check out the video for their new song “One Day Like This” and below it see “Powder Blue” from Asleep in the Back.

Thievery Corporation tour info

If your in the mood to chill, Thievery Corporation has announced six new full-band US tour dates as part of the Outernational Music tour. The shows will begin on June 20th, in San Francisco and will end in the band's hometown of Washington DC. These shows will feature performances by artists such as Seu Jorge, Gnarls Barkley, TV on the Radio, Ladytron, Bebel Gilberto, Los Amigos Invisibles, Ocote Soul Sounds, Federico Aubele, and Turntables on the Hudson. June 20 @ Greek Theatre, San Francisco CA (with Los Amigos Invisibles) June 21 @ Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas NV (with Gnarls Barkley) June 22 @ Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles CA June 24 @ Stubb's BBQ, Austin TX June 26 @ SummerStage, New York NY June 28 @ Merriweather Pavilion, Washington DC (with TV on the Radio and Ladytron) Federico Aubele and fellow ESL labelmate Natalia Clavier have just announced they will be appearing at four major festivals in Europe. Federico will also be joining Thievery Corporation for four of their shows during the Outernational Music Tour and will see them again at The Big Chill at Eastnor Castle on August 1st 7/01: @ Ottawa Bluefest , Ottawa, ON 7/11: @ Balaton Sound Festival, Zamardi HUN 7/24: @ Nice Jazz Festival, Nice FRA 7/25: @ Blue Balls Festival, Luzern SWI 8/01: @ The Big Chill, Herefordshire UK Ticket information is available through the festival's websites Keep an eye on the news and tour pages of ESL's website for updates.

Virgin Mobile Festival Announces 2008 Line Up

Virgin Mobile Festival Announces Line Up for August 9th & 10th in Baltimore. Artists on the bill include Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop & The Stooges, Nine Inch Nails, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Chuck Berry & The Silver Beats, Cat Power, She & Him, The Black Keys, Gogol Bordello, Wilco, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, The Swell Season, Andrew Bird, The Go! Team and many more . . .click here for more details.

Cover Songs of Coachella 2008

Every band played their own songs in the desert during Coachella 2008 but some played other bands songs. We're compiling a list of these cover songs with a You Tube videos if available. The most covered band was The Beatles. Prince "Creep" by Radiohead Prince "Come Together" by The Beatles The Swell Season "Cactus" by Pixies The Swell Season "The Model" by Kraftwerk No video St. Vincent "Dig a Pony" by The Beatles (Not the Coachella 2008 video) The Bird and The Bee "How Deep is Your Love" by Bee Gees Carbon/Silicon "Not Fade Away" by Buddy Holly No Video Spiritualized "Soul On Fire" by Daniel Johnston No Video Dwight Yoakam "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash No Video Raconteurs "Rich Kid Blues" by Terry Reid No Video The Breeders "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" by The Beatles No Video Mark Ronson "Stop Me" by The Smiths No Video If you know a Coachella 2008 cover were missing please contact us and let us know.

Stereolab Preps New Album

Veteran UK band Stereolab are gearing up for the release of their new 13-track album Chemical Chords which drops August 19. It will be the first full length release from the band since 2004's Margerine Eclipse. Full Track Listing for Chemical Chords: 01. Neon Beanbag 02. Three Women 03. One Finger Symphony 04. Chemical Chords 05. Valley Hi 06. Silver Sands 07. Pop Molecule (Molecular Pop 1) 08. Self Portrait With 'Electric Brain 09. Nous Vous Demandons Pardon 10. Cellulose Sunshine 11. Fractal Dream Of A Thing 12. Daisy Click Click 13. Vortical Phonotheque

Live at Coachella 2008

Click here to watch bands live at Coachella via AT & T Blue Room. Set times our EST. We caught Portishead last night and have bolded our not to miss choices for Sunday night. Sunday Schedule: 06:00 PM Brett Dennen 06:50 PM Electric Touch 07:40 PM Shout Out Louds 08:30 PM Duffy 09:20 PM Manchester Orchestra 10:15 PM Stars 11:10 PM Spiritualized 12:15 AM Gogol Bordello 01:10 AM Metric 02:05 AM Love and Rockets Saturday Schedule: 06:05 PM The Bird and the Bee 06:55 PM Man Man 07:45 PM Dredg 08:35 PM VHS or Beta 09:30 PM DeVotchKa 10:25 PM Hot Chip 11:25 PM Animal Collective 12:15 AM Portishead 01:10 AM Flogging Molly 02:10 AM Yelle Friday Schedule: 11:00 AM Breakfast with Jack Johnson 06:00 PM Jack Johnson 06:50 PM Redd Kross 07:40 PM Les Savy Fav 08:35 PM Architecture in Helsinki 09:30 PM Slightly Stoopid 10:25 PM Rogue Wave 11:15 PM John Butler Trio 12:10 AM Tegan & Sara 01:05 AM The Raconteurs 02:10 AM Serj Tankian

Short & Sweet NYC Sat & Sun April 26th & 27th

Saturday, April 26 Location: Soho, NYC Band: Bent Festival 2008 Show time: 7:00 PM Venue: DCTV Food: Nha Trang Drink: Knitting Factory Miscellaneous: La Esquina Get ready to geek out as the annual Bent Festival comes to town! Featuring art, music and DIY electronics, hacking, and all kinds of circuitry, prepare to see bands from all over the world playing home-made instruments, artists giving workshops, and bear witness to just what these circuit benders are creating. One of the best affordable Vietnamese restaurants in the city, Nha Trang, is right near the downtown courthouse, making it a high volume place. Despite that, the food is great and the Pho (rice noodle soup) dishes are $5 and under. A hip and eclectic place for drinks, the Knitting Factory, is also a music venue. The drinks here aren’t expensive and the crowd is fun and artsy. Esquina, one of the best taqueria’s in the city, features Mexican food that is authentic and to die for. While tacos will set you back $3, plates are in the $6 to $7.25 range. Saturday, April 26 Location: Park Slope, Brooklyn Band: The Fiery Furnaces Show time: 8:00 PM Venue: Southpaw Food: Press 195 Drink: The Gate Miscellaneous: The Chocolate Room The genius of The Fiery Furnaces is well documented and tonight they take their recording process to another level as they debut “Democ-Rock,” a series of recordings written with the help of their fans. Taking the pressed sandwich to the gourmet level, Press 195 offers 30 kinds of hot pressed sandwiches that make this place hard to get tired of. One of the more social bars in Park Slope, The Gate, is a great bar with a wide selection of local beers on tap and an outdoor patio overlooking the park. A great little dessert and coffee shop, The Chocolate Room has a menu filled with everything made with some form of chocolate. Try the hot chocolate, you won’t regret it. Sunday, April 27 Location: Tribeca, NYC Film: Tribeca Film Festival Venue: See here for times and locations Food: Ear Inn Drink: Village Lantern Miscellaneous: Jacques Torres With Robert Deniro’s Tribeca Film Festival, new films come first though there will be plenty of events, music, art, panel discussions, and special screenings including Tina Fey’s “Baby Mama” and “Speed Racer.” One of my favorite places for food, Ear Inn is a 200-year-old bar with a small menu featuring burgers, sandwiches, and a chalkboard with specials including jerk chicken that’s under $10. With $3 pints Monday thru Friday, 12pm to 7pm, along with comedy and music performances, the Village Lantern is a great bar to chill at after work, especially now that it’s finally getting warm outside. Watch Jacques Torres make some of the best chocolate in the world right in front of your eyes or browse through the store and sample for yourself the fruits of this master chocolatier’s labor. For more information on what’s going on in NYC on the other four days of the week and more, check out Short and Sweet NYC

Short & Sweet NYC Friday April 25th

Friday, April 25 Location: East Village, NYC Band: Baby Dayliner + Blockhead Show time: 4:25 PM Venue: Rehab Food: Veselka Drink: B-Side Miscellaneous: ChiKaLicious Local frontman/one-man-band and crooner extraordinaire Baby Dayliner comes across like the great frontmen Morrissey and Frank Sinatra while sounding all his own. His live show is always fun. Don’t miss beatmaker Blockhead either; you may know some of his work from Aesop Rock and Murs, among others. Part diner with a Russian menu, Veselka stays open 24 hours and offers blintzes, pierogis, and stuffed cabbage along with standard diner fare. One of the L.E.S.’s favorite rock n’ roll bars, B-Side, has a kickass jukebox, and an excellent happy hour from 3-8pm, where you can get a PBR and a shot of Whiskey for $5. If you’re serious about your desserts, then ChiKaLicious will blow you away with a $12 pri-fixe that includes an amuse, choice of dessert, and petit fours (with wine pairing, $7 additional). Friday, April 25 Location: Fort Greene, Brooklyn Bands: Paul Simon: American Tunes with Olu Dara + Grizzly Bear + Josh Groban + The Roches + Gillian Welch Show time: 8:00 PM Venue: BAM Howard Gilman Opera House Food: Junior’s Drink: O’Connor’s Miscellaneous: Thomas Beisl Now at the tail-end of Paul Simon’s month-long residency at BAM celebrating his long and storied musical career, tonight he performs with an eclectic group of modern artists he’s influenced, including Olu Dara, Grizzly Bear, Josh Groban, The Roches, and Gillian Welch. Known more for its cheesecake than anything else on its menu, Junior’s also offers fantastic diner- and deli-style eats from steak burgers to deli sandwiches. If you can make it through dinner, the cheesecake will be worth the wait! One of Brooklyn’s most interesting dive bars, O’Connor’s, offers cheap drinks in a place where Park Slope hipsters meet old-time drinkers, making for one of the oddest pairings that just somehow works. An excellent place to get schnitzel, goulash and other Austrian delights, Thomas Beisl, is right across the street from BAM. For more information on what’s going on in NYC on the other four days of the week and more, check out Short and Sweet NYC