Slope Weekday Event Spotlight: May 2-5
Welcome to the week, which features oodles of events: NY1’s Roger Clark punks out, an assassination complex, gallery events to stun, and more.
Lena Hovanesian 4tet
When: Monday, May 2, 8:15pm
Where: ShapeShifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Place (between 1st and Carroll Streets)
What: Alto saxophonist Lena Hovanesian presents her quartet featuring original compositions from her debut album irwinorange and free improvisation. Some of her influences include the Billy Hart Quartet, Bill Frisell and Mark Dresser. Joining her will be Manuel Schmiedel, Chris Lightcap and Gerald Cleaver.
How much: $10, at the door.
Slavic Soul Party
When: Tuesday, May 3, 9:00pm
Where: Barbes, 376 9th Street near 6th Avenue.
What: If you’re looking for “fiery Balkan brass, throbbing funk grooves, Gypsy accordion wizardry, and virtuoso jazz chops,” don’t miss Slavic Soul Party, hitting the Barbes stage on Tuesday night. 7pm show by Vicki Kristina Barcelona.
How much: $10 (strongly) suggested donation.
Punderdome 3000
When: Tuesday, May 3, 7:00pm (door), 8:00pm (show)
Where: Littlefield, 622 Degraw Street (between 3rd and 4th Avenues)
What: Punderdome® is New York City’s wild & crazy monthly pun competition created and hosted by comedian Jo Firestone and her “Rodney Dangerfield impersonator” alleged dad, Fred. Part of New York’s comedy landscape since 2011, the Punderdome® has been a regular fixture at Littlefield since 2012. The first 18 individuals/duos to sign-up at the door have a chance to participate in competitive spontaneous pun-making. Pun-masters are determined by the “Human Clap-O-Meter” who “accurately and scientifically” assesses levels of audience applause. “Mystery Box” prizes are awarded to the top two competitors. Warning for the faint of heart: the ’Dome is THE spectator sport, it gets loud – decide to attend at your own risk!
How much: $8-$10, available at the door.
Death Cafe with Funeral Director Amy Cunningham
When: Tuesday, May 3, 6pm-8pm
Where: Morbid Anatomy Museum, 424 3rd Avenue at 7th Street
What: Morbid Anatomy remains committed to hosting monthly Death Cafes, salon-like gatherings where amazing people meet to sip wine, tea or coffee, and converse with fellow wayfaring strangers on one of our favorite subjects–death and all the lovely conversational tangents death inspires. “Because you are so busy, you do not notice you are dying,” says Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. There’s no better thing to do, at a Morbid Anatomy Death Cafe, than to open-endedly discuss death’s existence. Stop by the museum to converse with fellow wayfaringstrangers, sip tea or coffee, and observe all the amazing conversational tangents death inspires. NY funeral director Amy Cunningham takes the reins from past convener Louise Hemmings. Amy Cunningham is a Brooklyn funeral director who helps families with green burials, pre-cremation services in Green-Wood’s crematory chapels, home vigils and other sorts of memorials. Her blog, where she discusses these topics, can be found at theinspiredfuneral.com.
How much: Free
Launch of The Assassination Complex
When: Wednesday, May 4. Doors: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Where: The Bell House, 149 7th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues)
What: A new book by Jeremy Scahill and the staff of The Intercept on U.S. drone wars, based on secret documents provided by a whistleblower. The book includes a new essay by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. Speeches by Glenn Greenwald, Jeremy Scahill and the journalists who reported The Drone Papers series. Special musical guests MC Sole and DJ Pain 1, performing tracks off their new albums, Nihilismo and Death Drive.
How much: $10, $5 for students/low income attendees. Purchase tickets online.
Rebecca Dinerstein in conversation with Mira Jacob
When: Wednesday, May 4, 7:00pm
Where: Community Bookstore, 143 7th Avenue, between Garfield Place and Carroll Street
What: The Sunlit Night, the debut novel by Rebecca Dinerstein, breathes life into the beautiful, barren landscape of the Arctic Circle. Frances and Yasha, fleeing loss and heartbreak, find refuge in each other in the Far North, forming a bond that will fortify them against both the harsh climate and the turmoil in their lives. The Sunlit Night, written with wit and–despite the cold–great warmth, has been praised by Jonathan Safran Foer as “lyrical as a poem, psychologically rich as a thriller.”
How much: Free
One Canal View: Paintings by Joel Beck
When: Through May 7, Thursday and Fridays, 3pm-7pm, Saturdays and Sundays, 11am-7pm
Where: Gowanus Souvenir Shop, 543 Union Street (the entrance is on Nevins Street, and down the alley, and on the left)
What: An exhibition of paintings by Joel Beck.
How much: Free, art available for purchase.
Perp Walk, a punk bank featuring NY1’s Roger Clark
When: Thursday, May 5. Perp Walk goes on at 8:30pm
Where: Hank’s Saloon, 46 3rd Avenue (at Atlantic Avenue)
What: Clark is putting his newscasting acumen aside when his band Perp Walk plays Hank’s Saloon. Perp Walk also features bassist, singer, and songwriter Bunny Hirsch and guitarist Joe O’Carroll. With other sets by Karabas, Tingles, and Queens with a Megaphone.
Tickets: Free.
Listen: Songs by Perp Walk can be heard here. Check out our preview article with Roger Clark.
Fear Not To Appear — Paintings, Drawings, and Books, 1980-1997 by Dale Williams
When: Through Friday, May 6. Opening tonight from 6pm-9m with an artist talk at 7:30pm. Regular hours Friday-Sunday, 11am-6pm and by appointment.
Where: Gowanus Loft, 61 9th Street #C8 (between 2nd Avenue and the Gowanus Canal.)
How much: Free — contact colby@vanderbiltrepublic.com for an appointment.
Karen Gibbons: Pachamama
When: Through May 29. Thursdays and Fridays, 4:00-7:00pm; Saturdays and Sundays, 11:00am-7:00pm.
Where: 440 Gallery, 440 6th Avenue, between 9th and 10th Streets
What: 440 Gallery is pleased to present new sculptures, drawings and collage by Karen Gibbons. This exhibit is a continuation of Gibbons’s idiosyncratic sensibility, where collaged elements create a dream-like near-narrative. Her new work introduces the use of plaster substrates, a material that gives each piece a substantial, weighty dimension. Gibbons’s work entwines feminine imagery and references to the earth. In the large scale piece, “Pachamama”, Gibbons creates a mountainous structure out of plaster, painting the form in earthy greens and yellows. Through collage elements, the face of the Virgin Mary peers from the top of the mountain; her hands surround her mountain/body in a comforting embrace.
How much: Free.
