Pressed For Time: 11.19.08 - 11.25.08
Autumn leaves, faded dreams, the echoes of a forlorn fall. Seasons change, what remains? All the friends you forgot to call. The sky grows dark, the air gets colder, you get S.A.D. and a season older. But do not worry, panic notall is not lost to rack and rot. This week holds hope and melted cheese and Jewy movies and comedies, dance from a long way off, plus Klonopin and Zoloft. Enjoy. ------
Fondue Takedown Nov. 23, Union Pool, 484 Union Ave. (at Meeker Ave.), Brooklyn, $10 or free with entry.
Aint no party like a cheese fondue party because a cheese fondue party dont stop. A sibling of the famous Chili Takedown, Union Pool hosts hipster foodies (hipsties? foodsters?) as they compete for Best Fondue. Not for the weak of stomach or the intolerant of lactose, each contestant brings two pounds of cheese. Sternos are provided, but you must bring your own Pepto-Bismol.
Bottom Line: Monday youll be a gassy, bloated hung-over fart bag. But who cares? Life is for living (and eating bits of bread and meat dipped in melted cheese).
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Outre Island Featuring the Magic Caravan Nov. 21, Ars Nova 511 W. 54th St. (betw. 10th & 11th Aves.), 8, $10.
Outré Island exists only in the rummy mind of Chris Rozzi, the swarthy comedian who plays all roles and all citizens of the imaginary nation. Hes Martin Suckle, the strangely Marty Markowitzian mayor. Hes Fluff, the islands singer-songwriter. Its a one-man show of many men. But not quite. Tonight Rozzi has some company in the form of the Magic Caravan, the islands musical ambassadors who blend funk, vaudeville and marching band tunes.
Bottom Line: A funnier (live) version of Lost, with an awesome house band.
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John Zorns Shir Ha-Shirim & Khmer Arts Ensemble Dance Nov. 23 and 24, Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Ave. (betw. E. 88th & E. 89th Sts.), 7:30, $30.
Yet another downtown Jew, John Zorn performs his avant-garde version of the Song of Solomon at the Gugg. (Sigh, he used to do something similar at Tonic before that place bit the dust.) Tonight hes accompanied by a troupe of Cambodian dancers. The story of traditional Cambodian dance is as compelling as any biblical tale, having survived Pol Pots murderous campaign against the arts through the courage and dedication of people like Sopheline Cheam Shapiro who leads the Khmer Arts Ensemble in a rare New York performance.
Bottom Line: This unlikely pairing succeeds where bacon-and-blueberries and other combos fail. Zorn and Shapiro, artists who go wall-eyed looking both to the past and to the future, animate not just their art forms but each other.
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The Third Annual Heeb Film Festival November 22 & 23, 92YTribeca, 200 Hudson St. (betw. Desbrosses & Watts Sts.), times vary, $10.
This two-day film festival, sponsored by hip Jew rag Heeb, briskly moves through a host of Jewish neuroses: hoarding (the NYC premiere of the doc My Mothers Garden); guilt (My Mexican Shiva) and the Holocaust (nearly every other film). But far from being depressing, the talented filmmakers suss out the latent joys of suffering. On Saturday, The Silver Jew, the first and only and totally fucking awesome tour doc of goy genius D.C. Bermanof my favorite band The Silver Jewsas he takes his group around Israel.
Bottom Line: Go! Itll be good for you (But before I go, Ive gotta ask you, dear, about the tan line on your ring finger )