By Shani R. Friedman

A few years ago, I was at this exact same spot when it was Jeffrey Chodorow’s Wild Salmon, the last of his multiple attempts to make the location successful. I had a great meal in a beautiful space, but it folded.

Now it’s chef Richard Sandoval’s turn. Perhaps the impresario behind 14 other restaurants around the world will have the Midas touch with his Asian and Latin fusion cuisine. Partner Placido Domingo, a friend of Sandoval’s, opened Zengo weeks after surgery, so things may already be looking up.

Zengo is invading midtown with scrumptious Asian Fusion cuisine and three levels of seating, a basement tequila bar and sake lounge.

When we arrived on a recent August night, my friend noted how enormous the restaurant is. There are 170 seats and three levels (the main floor, with the dark mood lighting, suspended wood beams, and wrought-iron screens, plus a basement tequila bar and sake lounge upstairs). The staff was accommodating as we tried out a table and two different booths before we found one that was just right. The two of us perused our menus at length since we had decided to forego large plates for some of the tantalizing smaller plates that showcase the different culinary cultures.

I finally decided on the ceviche tasting ($16) and the Peking duck-daikon tacos ($12). The two ceviches were the rainbow (with tuna, salmon and fluke) and the corvina, a fish I was unfamiliar with. Much to my surprise, the medley was not my favourite. The corvina, on the other hand, a simple preparation of onions, cucumbers and apples and shiso (Japanese basil), had the perfect balance of flavors between the fish, the citrus and the rest of the ingredients. My other dish was a fun, play-with-your-food experience because you have to put the mini tacos together yourself. The tartness and crispness of the curried apples was a good contrast to the duck confit.

My friend had a United Nations-style dinner and sampled the steamed buns al pastor ($12), the Thai chicken empanadas ($10), the vegetarian rolls ($10) and the yucca fries ($5). He didn’t love the buns, which lacked the expected release of steam and were more like stuffed pancakes, but the combination of Oaxaca cheese, mango-curry salsa and chile poblano in the empanadas really grabbed him. We both dug into the fries, which were thick, a little sweet—but less so than a plantain—and a bit salty.

Since there’s always room for dessert, I ordered the Mexican chocolate tart ($8) and he picked the lemon yuzu cake ($8), both of which looked like petite works of art. The cake was accompanied by ginger ice cream and Chinese five spice custard sauce. My tablemate said he could definitely taste the myriad spices in the sauce. My tart was adorned with cocoa nibs, cinnamon whip and chili ancho anglaise. It may be the best thing I’ve eaten all summer! I spooned it in tiny bites so that I could savour it for as long as possible.

I could have lingered in the comfortable booth for hours and let the very solicitous waitress keep refilling my water glass, but it was past my friend’s bedtime. Although it was a sleepy Sunday evening with just a few diners, people continued to come in as the hours passed. That’s a good sign for the restaurant having legs, which means I will get to go back and hopefully find the tequila snow cones still on the menu. To the staff I say, buenas suerte!

By Shani R. Friedman

Many fried chicken devotees believe that you have to travel south of the Mason-Dixon Line or north to Harlem to have your bird cooked as God intended. Chef Charles Gabriel, of Charles’ Country Pan Fried Chicken fame, brings a little of that Southern flair to Midtown’s Aretsky’s Patroon with his latest creation. On Friday nights for a fixed $25, diners feast on three pieces of chicken, two sides and dessert, with live jazz accompaniment.

Get your soul food fix at Patroon Friday nights, with live jazz accompaniment.

I’d postponed eating there until my friend was able to come, so by the time we finally met up, I was practically drooling. She, with a Southern family, considers herself a soul food connoisseur with strong opinions on how it should be cooked. Fortunately for us, judging by the unobtrusiveness of the restaurant’s Gibson Room, the emphasis is clearly on the food. Even the musical interludes from the piano player and bassist receded into the background.

I deliberated over the sides because, really, how can you choose between macaroni and cheese, candied yams, black-eyed peas and collard greens? I went healthy with the peas but then killed the whole notion by ordering the macaroni and cheese. My friend opted for the greens and yams.

The chicken was moist, juicy and meaty, and the pieces were well sized. But onto the true test: the skin. Instead of being heavily breaded, it was thin and crispy with a little spice. Following my tablemate’s lead, I tried the chicken with hot sauce, which was a novel way for me to eat it. I liked it that way, but the bird had more than enough seasoning for my tastes without the extra kick. Though a tough critic, my friend gave the signature dish strong marks. She was less won over by the sides, saying the kitchen should use more butter for the yams and add cinnamon and nutmeg. She also wanted more heat in the greens. The macaroni was light on cheese, which worked for me because we were eating such heavy foods. I stuffed myself on that and the peas so that I could have some leftover chicken and cornbread to savor at home.

Dessert was banana pudding. It was small and light after a big meal, which was definitely a good idea. But for me, a Southern dinner ends with peach cobbler, so hopefully the menu will have at least two items featured for summer.

Now that I have tasted the legendary Charles Gabriel chicken, I must head uptown to Harlem. Life is too short for just a one-night-a-week indulgence.

–
Aretsky’s Patroon
160 E. 46th St.
Between Lexington and Third avenues
212-883-7373
Fried chicken dinner: $25

By Shani R. Friedman

On a steamy Friday evening in June, a friend of mine and I sought air-
conditioned refuge and a soothing atmosphere after a long week. Unlike many other places responding to the unexpected heat wave with open doors and windows, Yorkville Crêperie offered cool relief and the prospect of savory and sweet crêpes.

A cozy crêperie offers relief from a stressful week.

We took a table near the back, past the bar, and were sandwiched between two flat screen televisions, with a sprinkling of late night diners around us. My friend ordered a glass of pineapple juice ($2) to perk him up while I checked out the colorful art on the walls for sale. Some Edith Piaf in the background would have been très magnifique, or even no music, but instead we got a random mix of pop songs.

The menu featured the sweet crêpes first. My kind of place, thinking of dessert before anything else. But I was going to save that for later and started with a Mediterranean panini ($6), made of turkey, feta, tomato and basil pesto on rosemary ciabatta. I asked the waitress to swap in sun-dried tomatoes, which she forgot to do (a sign of things to come), but it was better with regular tomatoes due to the saltiness of the feta and turkey. The different flavors of the panini melded together nicely, and it was such a generous portion that I only ate half in order to save room for the crêpe that I was already drooling for.

My friend, who was skipping the sugary side of the menu for the evening, chose the spartan crêpe ($8.50), made with spinach, garlic and ricotta. He said everything tasted fresh, but that he would have been OK with a little less ricotta.

While we were still eating's my fork, in fact, was in my hand's the waitress asked if we were interested in dessert. I noted the oddness of this, not sure if it had ever happened to me before. She came over twice more within the next few minutes, once while I was taking a call from my friends who would be coming for the last course.

Yorkville Crêperie lets you design your own crêpes, with ingredients such as Snickers, dark chocolate and candied walnuts, which sounded like a grand kind of indulgence. But I decided to keep it simple and picked the country crêpe ($8.50), with Nutella, bananas and strawberries. I"ve had a lot of crêpes over the years, some done with no care at all, looking like a sloppy mess on a plate, but this was a thing of beauty with a lovely presentation. There was no Nutella oozing out, the dough was light and delicate and the fruit was bountiful.

While we waited for my friends, we also wondered where my companion"s tea was, since my dessert arrived at the table but not his beverage. I had to call over to the waitress to remind her. My other guests joined us and, dazzled by what was left on my plate, ordered the same. I got a cup of tea as well, which came without delay. The waitress seemed to pick up her game as the evening went on, coming over to top off the hot water. The music situation, though, became more disruptive. We realized that the crêperie provided food for the bar next door and every time the door opened, loud songs drifted into our cozy confines.

Unless the bar moves out, chances are you"re going to have to deal with some excess noise. But grab a seat at the front on one of the comfy couches by the windows, gaze at the artwork and tell the staff you want la musique Français to go with your crêpes.

's
Yorkville Crêperie
1586 York Ave.
Near East 84th Street
212-570-5445
Entrées: $6 to $14

By Shani R. Friedman

When you think Yorkville, the words “dining destination” don’t generally come to mind. In fact, it’s often difficult at all to find any interesting place to eat that far to the east. Coming to the rescue on an otherwise barren stretch of the avenue is Palacio Azteca, where you can kick back with cerveza and tuck in for a bountiful, inexpensive Mexican meal.

We arrived close to starving on a balmy Tuesday night when the place was nearly empty. Unlike many other Mexican restaurants that look like a piñata exploded inside, decorations are limited to a chandelier and native wall art. We took a seat at one of the eight tables and dug into the crispy chips and salsa the waitress

Unlike many other Mexican restaurants that look like a piñata exploded inside, Palacio Azteca’s decorations are limited to a chandelier and native wall art. Photo by Andrew Schwartz

quickly set down. You can’t have chips without drinks, and I chose sangria ($6), which didn’t overwhelm me with booze, while my dining companion picked a non-alcoholic mango horchata ($2), which is made with milk and rice. When my friend said her “amazing” horchata “tasted like summer,” I did wonder if I had picked unwisely.

The two of us are guacamole junkies, so of course we ordered a plate to share ($6.95). At first I worried that they had been skimpy with the portions, but I realized that if they had given us any more, we would have just stuffed ourselves with an excess of chips. The guacamole was smooth and very fresh, but we fanatics wouldn’t have minded a little fire mixed in.

Since we had already gorged ourselves, we decided to scale back a bit, rather than go for massive entrées like burritos or enchiladas. My friend found the appetizer version of the chorizo and potato flautas ($6.95) to be more than enough food. I had a hankering for hard tacos, which weren’t on the menu, so I subbed in a pair of soft tacos with tilapia, which came with rice and beans and more guacamole ($11.50). I had a bit of a back-and-forth with the waitress trying to find out if the refried beans were made with lard or were vegetarian. After consulting with the cooks, she reported that they’re made with vegetable oil and onions, which satisfied this non-pork eater. Again, we concluded that the food was tasty, but a bit bland. The dessert menu (flan and tres leches cake) didn’t tantalize us enough to risk exploding stomachs, and we were already close to uncomfortably full.

Perhaps it’s the neighborhood, where diners are perceived as not very adventurous. But given that the crowd picked up later in the evening, the kitchen clearly has a following. Palacio Azteca should reward both old and new devotees by showing a little more imagination in the kitchen, and putting some olé on the menu.
–
Palacio Azteca
1374 York Ave. Between East 73rd and 74th streets
212-249-7313
Entrées: $9.50 and $19.50

I Love You

Thurs., Jan. 6

The last time I previewed an I Love You show, I wasn’t wrong to evoke Hole
and Sleater-Kinney and PJ Harvey. That’s what came to mind when I listened to their five-song CD.
But I’d never seen them live—and live, it’s a whole different game. More Siouxsie than Courtney,
more Poly Styrene than Liz Phair, I Love You singer and frontwoman Edi puts on a performance that’ll
make you embarrassed for not trying hard enough in whatever it is you do. The night I went,
she rocked ‘n’ rolled while dressed up as Marie Antoinette (or was it the Queen of Hearts?) while
an adorable lil’ sidekick danced around in similar garb, in front of the stage—topless.
I can’t guarantee nudity for tonight’s performance, just great old-style punk rock and a hell of
a stage show.

Mercury Lounge, 217 E. Houston St. (betw. Ludlow & Essex Sts.), 212-260-4700;
7:30, $8.

—Jeff Koyen

Michelle Shocked

Mon., Jan. 10

Michelle Shocked goes acoustic for an early set at Joe’s Pub in support
of her upcoming studio release (due out this month). Shocked owns and publishes her own complete
catalog so is something of a figurehead for artistic independence. Plus, she kicks it with her singing.
Shocked is joined by Raul Midon, the jazzy pop singer/guitarist whose debut disc (with a guest appearance
by Jason Mraz) arrives early this year.

Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St. (betw. E. 4th St. & Astor Pl.), 212-539-8778; 6:30,
$30.

—Alan Lockwood

GlobalFEST | Sat., Jan. 8

The second annual globalFEST, produced in connection with the World
Music Institute in NY, Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) and World Music/CRASHarts
of Boston, promises 13 acts from five continents on three stages. There’s renegade New Yorkers
such as the salsa-licious Spanish Harlem Orchestra and Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra; songstresses
from Peru (Eva Ayllon), Argentina (Juana Molina) and shamisen boyos from Japan (Yoshida Brothers)
and Poland (Warsaw Village Band); and Basement Bhangra’s.

For me, it’s the French cafe and Gypsy swing of Paris Combo and Guinea’s
Mory Kanté that’ll sell the most tickets. Griot, kora player and singer Kanté is
to Guinean dance-folk what DJ Rekha Caetano Veloso is to Brazillian Tropicalia: an untouchable
master of form, funk and subtlety whose oral histories should be as historical as any holy text.
After having not performed in New York City for 14 years, Kanté comes representing the acoustic
funk of Sabou, a CD filled with ancient traditionalism kept sacred while being pushed into
modernity—a cool rootsy groove whose dusted nastiness makes the Dirty South seem as spotlessly
gleaming as Kraftwerk’s Dusseldorf studio in comparison. Like singer Salif Keita only chattier,
Kanté’s richly textured voice lives each portrait he paints—even if you can’t tell
what he’s singing.

With Paris Combo and cosmopolitan cool singer Belle du Berry, you can’t
help but tell what’s she’s singing about. Even when she’s singing in cheery picturesque jibberish
(“I’m going round and round in my box, like a fish in a furnished apartment”), du Berry tops each moment
of Paris Combo’s electro-gypsy-jazz-Brazi-funk with seared sexuality and a pointed sense of
universal consciousness so rare in Latin-lover lounge sounds. Their due-soon CD, Motifs,
like the bebopping Django-like Living-Room, explores everything from the dread of boredom
and the suffering of silence to modern romance to their multicultural mix. Bon appetit.

The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St. (betw. E. 4th St. & Astor Pl.), 212-539-8778;
$40, 7:30.

—A.D. Amorosi

Winter Jazzfest | Sun., Jan. 9

This wintry Jazzfest is a genre-jumping affair, one where the Dirty
Detroit grit of saxophonist James Carter’s Organ Trio meets trumpeter Dave Douglas going through
his Miles vibe. (Douglas will hate me saying that.) Having recorded languid blues, muddled hiphop
and music with Middle Eastern twists, Douglas spent 2004 on Strange Liberation, a CD that
recalls Davis’ moody twilight-toned Filles de Kilimanjaro. With his own new label, Greenleaf
Music, Douglas is promising that its debut release, his own Mountain Passages, featuring
tuba player Marcus Rojas and cellist Peggy Lee, will roll between contemplative solemnity and
drunken ecstasy.

While we await Douglas’ debauch, Detroit saxophonist Carter—a
tenor man who came to Manhattan under the aegis of Lester Bowie in order to hook up with the New York
Organ Ensemble—keeps his Hammond groove grinding with fellow Motor City men, drummer Leonard
King Jr. and organist Gerard Gibbs.

But for a lot of ears, this gig is a chance to hear Los Angeles-born singer
Gretchen Parlato after her victory in the 2004 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition.
You could spruce up the compliments and say “voice like angel” and compare her to Sinatra in terms
of dynamics and subtone, or Chet Baker in terms of cottony cool. You wouldn’t be far off the mark.
Parlato’s sense of subtle rhythmic interplay and understated theatrical nuance takes the ache
of Frank and implicates it throughout an improvisational-based esthetic that rests, most often,
on Brazilian master-class moments from Caymmi and Jobim as well as classics by Parker, Gershwin
and Bjork. As simple and restive as she sounds in print, her voice—scatting, cooing, leaning
back then soaring—can leap through complex tempo and rhythmic shifts as if riding rapids.
Anyone who goes on after her will have their work cut out for them.

Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard St. (betw. B’way & Church St.), 212-219-3132; 6,
$25.

—A.D. Amorosi

Duets with Ghosts

Weds., Jan. 5

As led by classically trained pianist Daniel Kelly, Duets with Ghosts
is a jazz quartet that plays alongside found and vintage recordings. The quartet of live musicians,
including Dave Wood on guitar, Shanir Blumenkranz on bass and Chris Michael on drums, create original
and improvised compositions to fit Kelly’s sampled apparitions, bringing together two time periods
in one live performance. The effect is rich, almost cinematic. Not to be missed.

Freddy’s Bar & Backroom, 485 Dean St. (6th Ave.), Park Slope, 718-622-7035, 9:30,
free.

—Steven Psyllos

Theo Bleckmann

thurs., Jan. 6

Theo Bleckmann brings his Weimar Kabarett back to the intimate surroundings
at Joe’s Pub. The set is subtitled “German songs of war and peace, love and exile,” and draws material
from songs banned as degenerate during the Nazi era. Much of it has lyrics by Bertold Brecht; all
of it gleams with Bleckmann’s refined emotional tracery. Gary Versace offers a honed, resonant
accompaniment on piano and accordion. Bleckmann’s worked and recorded with Meridith Monk, Laurie
Anderson, Ikue Mori and Elliott Sharp, among others. His own Anterroom arrives on Traumton
early in ’05; plus, he lends his prime vocalise to Matt Moran’s pending disc of Charles Ives music.

Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St. (betw. E. 4th St. & Astor Pl.), 212-539-8778; 7, $15.

—Alan Lockwood

Lunchtime Organ Recital

Tues., Jan. 11

Why not? All you have to do is eat your Wendy’s value meal a little bit quicker
than usual, maybe skip the baked potato, head over to Central Synagogue, and allow yourself to be
blown away by the most powerful, least-portable instrument going around today. You’ve always
loved the occasional organ solos as featured in your favorite Tears for Fears songs; haven’t you
imagined there could be something more? Come see potential realized as Gregory D’Agostino plays
works by Widor, Vierne, Langlais and Duruflé. Then, go back to work.

Central Synagogue, 652 Lexington Ave. (55th St.), 212-838-5122; 12:30, free.

—Dan Migdal

Patricia Barber | Mon., Jan. 10

Though Barber is one of jazz’s most brilliant live interpreters of song
(hers, others), it’s simply not fair that she’s representing herself solely with a new Live:
A Fortnight in France. This recording doesn’t do justice to her dusky musicality,
her odd poetic métier or her deconstructionist takes on popular song. That’s not to say
it isn’t brash and ideal.

The disillusioned irony-laced sentiment (or pungency) of new songs
“Whiteworld” and “Gotcha” fuses neatly with the gray sexuality of the Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood.”
(Her forte is re-ripping others’ classics into utter unrecognized-ness) The moldy languor of
“Call Me” mixes well with the prickly prick-tease of “Pieces”; “Dansons la Gigue!” takes the suggestive
words of the poet Verlaine and adds to them a haughtiness the guitarist might hold as his own. But
she, Barber, lends Live a speechiness that’s oddly disconcerting for the dry iced-over
Barber. “Whiteworld” has an almost preachy feel that those connected to her cool vocalese and elegiac
lyrical chilliness might be confounded by.

That said, a little steam heat placed under Barber goes a long way to creating
a new weirdly warm Patricia—one who promises, within, “Whiteworld,” that a new, similar
eight-song cycle is afoot.

Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. (betw. MacDougal St. & 6th Ave.), 212-475-8592; 8 &
10:30, $10.

—A.D. Amorosi

Yanira Castro’s Beacon | Fri.-Sun., Jan. 7-23

For four years, Yanira Castro has been crafting small-scale choreographies
into an odd array of public and private non-traditional spaces. In July 2000, she participated
in the Judson House Project, a multimedia memorial to the history of that important site of early
happenings and counterculture, before it was razed to make room for another NYU monstrosity. Castro
found that providing such a unique environment for her movement created a specific, unexpected
relationship between audience and performer. Last year’s project, Cartography, clarified
this theme by placing four intimate duets in spaces around the Old American Can Factory in Brooklyn.
Castro and her collaborators (lighting designer/installation artist Roderick Murray and costumer
Albert Sakhai) housed her movement, which can look quite formal or casually gestural, in haunting,
evocative visual and aural worlds throughout this industrial complex while audience members
perambulated from one environment to the next.

Castro’s new project, Beacon, is set in the echoing, abandoned
(and potentially cold as a witch’s tit) pool of the Brooklyn Lyceum. Working with the same collaborators,
plus four stunning dancers and composer Dan Siegler, Castro will seat the audience in pens within
the space, separated by Plexiglas. While the dance only tacitly references the history of the public
bathhouse, Castro’s methodical vocabulary and background as a writer promise a poetics of movement
that evokes claustrophobia and absence. After “osmosing everything” for years and looking to
both film and dance forms for inspiration, Castro believes in this piece she has found a voice of
her own, more specific and more personal. She says, “I’m no longer interested in the canon; what
can I say?”

Brooklyn Lyceum, 227 4th Ave. (President St.), Park Slope, 212-924-0077; 7 & 9,
$20.

—Chris Dohse

Russ Meneve

Fri. & Sat., Jan. 7 & 8

The only thing funnier than Russ Meneve’s humor is his casual, “by the
way” delivery—that or the fact that he was once an accountant for Price Waterhouse. “I think
I like food better than sex,” goes one of the Jersey native’s bits. “I was watching a porno the other
day, and this pizza delivery guy was just giving it to this housewife—and all I could think
was, ‘Aw, that pizza’s getting cold.’ At least put it in the oven—he’s bending you over the
stove anyway.” Those boys by the watercooler sure do miss you, Russ.

Comedy Cellar, 117 MacDougal St. (Minetta Ln.), 212-254-3480; 12:30 a.m., $15, 2 drink
min.

—Sean Manning

Patrice o’neal

Thurs., Jan. 6

Patrice O’Neal is not big. I mean, he’s physically a large specimen,
a former Northeastern football recruit. But he’s not a household name yet. That is a surprise, as
he’s maybe the funniest black comic since Eddie Murphy (yes, funnier even than Chappelle, Rock,
Wallace or any Wayans brother). He has no shtick but delivers the jokes with precision timing, honed
no doubt on the streets of Roxbury, MA. His bit Tough Crowd appearances didn’t do him justice.
He’s, yes, big enough for his own prime-time special.

Caroline’s on Broadway, 1626 B’way (50th St.), 212-757-4100; 10, $19.50, 2 drink min.

—Lionel Beehner

Under the Radar Festival | Through Mon., Jan. 10

Under the Radar Festival spills the theatrical cornucopia at St. Ann’s
Warehouse for an extended weekend, courtesy of PS 122′s former artistic director Mark Russell
and Susan Feldman of Arts at St. Ann’s. Pegged to the annual APAP Conference (when New York hosts
arts presenters from around the nation), “Under the Radar” gives audiences here a packed and eclectic
program of happening theater on rotating, day-long bills—as well as upping the ante for
the participating companies’ tour bookings.

Cynthia Hopkins alt-country musical Accidental Nostalgia opens
the fest (and continues this month for a return run at St. Ann’s), along with Part 1 of Elevator Repair
Service’s full-text reading of the Great Gatsby, GATZ (which runs in full at the
Performing Garage in Soho) and the Foundry Theater’s K.I. from “Crime”, with Oksana Mysina
playing Katerina Ivanova from the margins of Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment. L.A.-based
Herbert Siguenza plays Mario Moreno, the Mexican Charlie Chaplin, in ÁCantiflas!; Bay
Area spoken word and tap man Marc Bamuthi Joseph brings his Word Becomes Flesh; Big Dance
Theater melds Richard Nixon and Kaspar Hauser in Plan B; and New York’s own Civilians do
some 30 characters in Gone Missing, with music by Michael Friedman.

For more on the music tip, downtown’s string juggernaut Ethel plays
their tape/improv Streaming Ethel for one matinee—”that’s the cherry on top on Saturday,”
says Radar’s co-mastermind Russell, “and it’ll make for an afternoon of great theater. We wanted
to get a mass of things going early in the year, to show viewers and producers the tip of the iceberg
of a lot of creative theater work going on around the country.”

St. Ann’s Warehouse, 38 Water St. (betw. Dock & Main Sts.), Dumbo, 718-254-8779;
www.artsatstanns.org, $15-$25, $40 festival pass.

—Alan Lockwood

From Imagination to Reality: The Art of Science Fiction

Through Fri., Jan. 28

Between Interconnectedness | Through Sun., Jan. 16

Art and science are old companions, yet they rarely meet today, as science
has become extremely complex and art increasingly self-absorbed. We normally think of art as the
more inspiring practice, but two shows currently running explore the role of science as muse.

“From Imagination to Reality: The Art of Science Fiction”—curated
by Vincent Di Fate, a leading sci-fi illustrator and author—is on display at the New York
Academy of Sciences. A small but impressive collection of paintings, the show considers aliens,
androids, man-eating monsters, altered states, other worlds and dire predictions for this world.

Straight out of a sci-fi B-movie, the Academy is the perfect home for
a “mad scientist.” Located in a beautifully preserved, 1919 neo-Renaissance mansion, it still
has its original, dark, Elizabethan-era woodwork, large creaky doors and tiled floor. Originally
created as book covers, the finely painted illustrations of colorful bug-eyed monsters, irate
cyborgs and stylish spaceships are on display in the main hallway and waiting room. Divided thematically,
sci-fi film props punctuate the images, such as an alien rocket, the head of the Creature from the
Black Lagoon, and—gracing the 16th-century Florentine mantel—the severed hand
of X.

Highly skilled, these sci-fi artists are unconcerned with contemporary
art theory. And the ethical conundrums that do concern them border on the futuristic, like John
Schoenherr’s picture of an alienated astronaut, Michael Whelan’s robot at the moment of self-awareness
and Donato Giancola’s depiction of species-to-species communication.

What’s missing in the sci-fi art exhibit can be found in profusion at
Smack Mellon’s exhibition “Between Interconnectedness,” curated by Suzanne Kim. Illustrating
art theory, the seven artists use engineering and science’s pictorial qualities to dress up their
ideas, rather than explore ethics or future horizons.

Angie Drakopoulos applied the terminology and imagery of physics and
biology to create a video, a deck of cards and a series of resin paintings. Her paintings apply the
natural abstraction of cells and stars to create intriguing necklaces of dots and diagrams suspended
in layers of milky resin.

Shown upstairs at this foundry-turned-spice warehouse-turned gallery,
Eva Lee’s three videos, titled The Liminal Series, blink hypnotic patterns and rhythms that also
refer to the micro and macro.

David McQueen created kinetic landscapes. One portrays a desert with
a slowly rising and setting sun (lamp); the other features snow falling on a cabin. The snow is made
by spidery wire fingers striking suspended chalk cubes. Inside the tiny cabin, a camera feeds a
live picture of the snowy scene to a back room, where yet another snow machine dusts the floor.

Though several of the works are visually serene and others mechanically
entertaining, the rhetoric is overbearing, the artistic outcome meek, and the science a playful
device.

New York Academy of Sciences, 2 E. 63rd St. (5th Ave.), 212-838-0230; 9-5, free.Smack
Mellon, 56 Water St. (Main St.), Dumbo, 718-834-8761; 12-6, free.

—Julia Morton

Un-Ho-Hum

Tues.-Sat., Jan. 4-8

You might say an exhibition lasting less than a week but advertising
both an opening and a closing reception (6-9 p.m. on each day) has its priorities a bit confused.
But this group show featuring “intentions in time and space” by Gigi Gatewood, Layla Lozano and
other mixed-media locals has many reasons to celebrate. Foremost among them is RUN.EXE,
a video painting by Transmodernist John Bonafede. Best known for his tombstone-style etchings
of manhole covers, Bonafede’s Abramovic-like use of body as both canvas and brush proves a unique
commentary on human transit—all the more pertinent in lieu of those impending fare hikes.

The Proposition Gallery, 559 W. 22nd St., 2nd fl. (11th Ave.), 212-242-0035, Tues.-Sat.
10-6, free.

—Sean Manning

Chris Larson: Pause

Through Sat., Jan. 22

Life is on pause for further investigation. Using popular tv
culture and real events to explore the American character, Pause, a sculpture by Chris
Larson, is a study of duality and contrast.

Pause is a life-sized, room-sized wooden reconstruction of
the Dukes of Hazzard’s car, aka the “General E. Lee,” smashing into the cabin of Unabomber Ted Kaczynski.
The outlandish humor of the piece drives us to question the artist’s intent. Rugged individualism
and righteous indignation come head to head in Larson’s instructive, destructive display of raw
lumber.

Rare Gallery, 521 W. 26th St. (10th Ave.), 212-268-1520; Tues.-Sat., 10-6, free.

—Julia Morton

Sugar and Stress | Through Sat., Feb. 5

It’s easy to see greatness in the artwork of respected masters, but how
many of us would have seen potential in their earliest works? Dealers who show unknowns have the
difficult (sweet and stressful) job of discovering those emerging talents. The Fredericks Freiser
Gallery presents four new painters, each on display for the first time in a major group show. A test
of the young artists’ ability to create a buzz, the exhibit also puts the dealer’s eye for good art
on exhibit.

Selma Hafizovic paints porn. Camouflaged by thick strokes of harsh
color, her seductive women appear through angled slices and hacked shapes. Loud and disturbing,
Hafizovic bucks the recent wave of young women painting cheesecake nudes. We’re looking at sex,
but seeing hypocrisy, greed and violence. Not an easy subject to sell, this artist gets points for
having the guts to step away from the easy-bake crowd to tackle an ugly truth.

Justin Craun paints adolescent males. Dummy Drone features
an adult ventriloquist holding his dummy. And Psycho Private depicts a row of four teenaged
boys, dressed in private-school uniforms, grinning at us through ski masks. In both pictures,
the predominant colors are red, white and blue. Though arranged like a snapshot and filled with
smiles, the mood is as anxious as the paint (which flies off the figures, drools or hangs in globs).
Suggesting intimidation and exploitation by the powerful and privileged, Craun’s subject is
not news, but his alarmed approach is visually exciting.

Looking for a new way to paint the old abstract, Miyeon Lee edited and
flattened ordinary objects, turning them into pure graphics. BCN is a mixture of thin horizontal
lines in gray and white dissecting an almost vertical piece of folded red clothing. Harmony
is a broken window with a curtain at one side. The cracks and shards of the pane are taped together,
creating a star pattern. What do they mean? Nothing and anything—they’re abstracts. Gently
challenging, they’re also quite lovely.

Gregory Edwards has just two paintings displayed, the others have three
each. The first, Future Primitive, a close-up of a wild spotted cat, looks like a black-light
poster. The highly contrasted face is painted half in red and half in turquoise, with the background
done in the opposite colors. The second painting, Nobody, is a head wearing a ribbed
ski mask. Done in black and white, it’s surrounded by a grayish smoke that goes black at the bottom
of the small canvas. Perhaps a comment on concealment, it’s harder to get a read on Edward’s style.

The dealer saw something though, now it’s your turn.

Fredericks Freiser Gallery, 504 W. 22nd St. (betw. 10th & 11th Aves.), 212-633-6555;
call for times, free.

—Julia Morton

Thomas Ashcraft’s Laboratory

Through Sat., Jan. 29

What’s behind the long black curtain? Same planet..different world.
It’s the world inside Thomas Ashcraft’s head. Chosen for exhibition by fellow artist and neighbor
Bruce Nauman, Ashcraft’s installation is a trip.

Dimly lit, the room is neatly arranged with draped lab tables, catalogued
boxes and glass cases filled with mock artifacts. There are magnifying glasses, carefully posed
lights and daily, logs that recount the installations progress.

The artifacts made of twigs, metals, coins and seeds are curious, but
not as visually absorbing as the fantasy of scientific investigation this enveloping environment
explores.

Cue Art Foundation, 511 W. 25th St. (betw. 10th & 11th Aves.), 212-206-3583; Tues.-Sat.,
10-6, free.

—Julia Morton

Dalek

Sat., Jan. 8

At the forefront of the newer generation of graffiti artists turned
pro is Dalek, who this week begins a three-week stint at McCaig-Welles Gallery, cited for Best Graffiti
(Indoors) in the 2004 Best of Manhattan issue. He brings along with him new explorations of his odd
little “space monkeys” that always seem to be maliciously smiling at the viewer from afar. Like
Shepard Fairey’s “Andre the Giant” grill, these characters were first seen on the avenues of most
metropolitan communities across the world; now, they’re the signature work of an internationally
recognized artist. This exhibition is also a rare opportunity to purchase an inexpensive piece
of graff history in the making.

McCaig-Welles Gallery, 129 Roebling St. (betw. N. 4th & N. 5th Sts.), Williamsburg,
718-384-8729; 8-10, free.

—Steven Psyllos

Electronics Recycling | Sun., Jan. 9

There comes a day when you can blow no more. It’s not that we’re unimpressed
with your saved game of Zelda—knocking on Gannon’s door with two bottles of life potion,
and every heart container full. We especially enjoy how you’ve chosen a biting nugget of profanity
rather than your own name for the Link character, even if we did this some 13 years ago. Excitebike
is another story. You were right all along; we could never touch your custom Excitebike
course designs. They were the most optimal placements of ramps, jumps and oil slicks imaginable.
Our tongues were held purely by jealousy.

Now that we’ve come clean, it’s your turn to face the facts. You can blow
into your Nintendo cartridges all you want; you can even use the trutsy, advanced technique of blowing
through your shirt. You know very well that the blinking light on your NES is no longer a simple matter
of dust. Your gray lady is 20 years old. It’s time to put her down, and get a tax deduction.

Old computers, monitors, network devices, peripherals, components,
tv’s, VCRs, DVD players, A/V stuff, radios, stereos, cellphones, pagers, PDAs, phones, answering
machines—all will graciously be taken off your hands this Sunday at Union Square Park. Of
course, this is true of most every day in the park, but this promises to go down in a more organized
fashion, thanks to the Lower East Side Ecology Center, the New York Community Trust, the Parks Dept.
and their efforts to redistribute unwanted goods to the needy. You could always try your greedy
luck in the flooded eBay electronics market, but are web-savvy customers going to let you unload
your broke shit without giving some negative feedback in return? That’s right, today’s collection
accepts devices, “working and non-working.” At least drop off your pager, caveman.

Union Square Park, North Plaza, 17th St. (betw. B’way & Park Ave.), 212-407-4022;
9-5, free.

—Dan Migdal

Counter-Inauguration Planning Meeting | Thurs., Jan. 6

Eight years ago I stood in the middle of the Washington DC mall with a buddy
of mine and a flask of vodka in hand, marveling at how Bill Clinton had so smoothly handed defeat to
an ailing Republican Party. I was interning at the time at the American Enterprise Institute. Little
did I know that the walls around my cubicle housed some of the Right’s greatest and most dangerous
thinkers, as well as several future deputy cabinet secretaries and Bush appointees.

What was striking about that day was not that Clinton was being re-inaugurated
for another four years. More shocking was the missing outrage among the far right. There were no
protests that I could see. No boos or hissing or Heritage Foundation interns forming human chains.
The right did not waste its time in protest but instead regrouped, redoubled its get-out-the-vote
efforts, and waged an ideological and robust war against Clinton and his would-be successor.

Everyone knows what happened next. Clintonism lost and Rove entered
our kitchen conversations. What’s worrisome is that Democrats have not learned from their mistakes.
They continue to spout the same platitudes and promises, which is Mozart to the ears of New Yorkers,
but elevator music to most of the country.

In three weeks our commander in chief will be inaugurated for a second
term. Washington DC, come January 20, will be full of well-wishers waving at his motorcade, some
with five fingers, some with one. To join the latter category, meet at Judson Memorial Church this
Thursday.

Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Sq. S. (Thompson St. side), 212-477-0351; 7pm,
free.

—Lionel Beehner

Makor’s Pins and Pints

Sat., Jan. 8

It’s finally safe for Jewish singles to engage in awkward matchmaking
events at Bowlmor Lanes again. Just weeks ago, it was uncovered that the Ramallah-based Palestine
Commercial Services Company had invested $1.3 million in the downtown bowling hot spot on behalf
of—who else?—Yasser Arafat. Arafat, an avid disco-bowler in his day, was said to
have approached his beloved sport with such vigor that it seemed he was trying to drive the pins “out
into the sea.” Bowlmor parent-company, Strike Holdings, has since returned the departed chairman’s
investment, encouraging Jewish recreation, and subsequent procreation, to proceed as usual.

Bowlmor Lanes, 110 University Pl., (betw. 12th & 13th Sts.), 212-255-8188; 9,
$60.

—Dan Migdal

Non-Fiction Books & Paper Fair

Sat., Jan. 8

Back in 1992, some famous artist was selling hand-made pieces of paper
at the Guggenheim for several thousand dollars a sheet. We thought it was ridiculous back then,
but who knew? In a world where paper is becoming as much a thing of the past as shoehorns and Phoenicians,
maybe one day that misaligned photocopy you’re about to crumple up and throw away will be a much-sought-after
collectors item. Fine antique paper and dusty books about other things long gone come together
at this annual fair that, if nothing else, helps remind us what weird shit people used to use, think
and create in those forgotten days before laptops, TiVo and iPods.

Tip Top Shoe Bldg., 155 W. 72nd St., 4th fl. (B’way), 212-579-0689; 10-2, free.

—Jim Knipfel

Dia de los Reyes Parade

Thurs., Jan. 6

Three Kings Day is the last of the Twelve Days of Christmas, and for many
is the traditional gift-giving day. On the night of Jan. 5, eager children leave shoeboxes full
of hay under their beds for the camels of the Magi, hoping that when they wake the hay will be replaced
with presents.

Today’s parade, which is organized by El Museo del Barrio, features
camels, sheep, horses, tall puppets, floats, costumes and music. The fun begins at 10 a.m.
at 106th St. and 5th Ave. The Three Kings—this year, it’s community leaders Moises Perez
and Augustin Díaz and local poet Jesus “Papoleto” Melendez—will lead the way to
El Museo’s Teatro Heckscher, where those same eager kids who traded hay for Bratz dolls will get
even more gifts handed to them by los Reyes themselves. Inside, students of Ballet Hispanico
and Grupo Folkl—rico Tepeyac will perform (unfortunately, the show is already sold out).

106th St. (5th Ave.), 212-660-7144; 10, free; those wishing to march in the parade should
show up at 8:30 a.m. to register.

—Brett Gelbord

Dance on Camera Festival 2005

Jan. 7, 8, 14, 15, 21 & 22

Celebrating its 33rd year, the Dance on Camera Festival features documentaries
on sacred trance-inducing dances (The Gods of Bali), the importance of ceremonial dance
in the Pueblo Indian culture (Dancing from the Heart), tributes to the great Michael Powell
(The Red Shoes), dance and design (Somewhere In Between) and the lives and struggles
of modern dancers (Carmen and Geoffrey). The scope of this festival is its greatest
asset. For those not patient enough to sit through documentaries from early-20th-century Russia,
consider instead one of the many docs in which the body’s movement is a starting point. Of particular
note are Counter Phrases 2 by Thierry de Mey in Program 7, Amelia by Edouard Lock
in Program 6, and the eight short films of Program 4: Short Stories from Around the World.

Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center, 165 W. 65th St. (betw. B’way & Amsterdam
Ave.), 212- 875-5601; call for times, $10, $7 st.

—Steven Psyllos

ASCAP Songwirters Night
w/Claire Jenkins, Joe Rogers, Morgan Clamp, Nina, Jennie Arnau, Randy Frey
Sidewalk Cafe, 8, 2 drink min.

"Bands Against Bush"
feat. Aqui, Ghost of Lester Bangs, Bedouin Thieves, Timber!, Death Pool, Man
In Gray Luxx, 8, $6.

Bettie Serveert, Courtney
Kaiser Southpaw, 9, $12, $10 adv.

The Black Keys, Magic
Magicians, the Double Mercury Lounge, 8:30, $12.

Bourbon Princess, Mesmer,
Red Rover, Surface, Nikki & Dara, the Jon Frederick Band Acme Underground,
7.

Jim Campilongo, the Animators,
Katie Pfaffl, Gregory Douglas Living Room, 7.

Captain Danger Downtime,
8.

Martin Carthy Makor,
8, $15.

Paul Clements, Bluu,
De Sol, Nun Bet, Josey Miller, Sirsy Bitter End, 7, $5.

The Color Bars, Shazam,
the Boss Martians Maxwell’s, 8:30, $7.

Cracker, Cowboy Mouth
Irving Plaza, 8, $28, $25 adv.

The Dolly Ranchers
Superfine Gallery Restaurant.

Mike Farris (the Screamin’
Cheetah Wheelies), Cache Tolman Tribeca Rock Club, 9, $12, $10 adv. 18+.

Fearless Management Night,
Four Piece Suits, Nefertiti Jones Cutting Room, 8, $10 min.

GNYC pres. Plastic East,
Neon Thrills, Cabbage UK, McHenry, Cristina Williams, Broke Continental,
8, $5.

Jucifer, Jet By Day,
Suffrajet, Friendly Bears Sin-é, 8, $8.

The Kills, the Fever,
X27 Bowery Ballroom, 9, $15.

Ron Long, Wha? Band
Cafe Wha?, 9:30, free.

Loser’s Lounge Trib.
to George Harrison Fez/Time Cafe, 8, $20.

Maplewood, the Spades,
Drive Til Morning, Blizzard of ’78 Luna Lounge, 8:30, free.

Matty Charles & the
Valentines Pete’s Candy Store, 10.

Movies With Heroes, Evelyn
Hope, Sleep Station Knitting Factory Old Office, 8, free.

Music Grinders Lakeside
Lounge, 9:30, free.

123min., Cloned, Pocket
Band, 20 Trap, Less Nessman Lion’s Den, 7:30, $8, 18+.

Phistine Verona, Defect,
Secret Agent, Little Bill and the Beckleys, Negative Space, Poptart Monkeys
CBGB, 7, $7.

Jonathan Richman, Michael
Goodman Northsix, 9, $10.

Röck Cändy
pres. the Slags, Regenerated Headpiece, Deminer, Blue Winter w/DJ Steve Blush
Don Hill’s, 8.

Second Sky, the Grift,
Boombazi Tobacco Road, 8, $10, $8 adv.

Sixth Great Lake, James
William Hindle, Currituck County Knitting Factory Tap Bar, 9, $8.

Supergrass Warsaw,
9, $20, $18.50 adv.

Shania Twain Continental
Airlines Arena, 7:30, $45-$80.

Urban Sun, Stasis, Jeff
Saphin, Rana, the Skivz Arlene’s Grocery, 7, $7.

The Witnesses, the Noise,
the Dagons, Essex Knitting Factory, 8, $8.

"Women In Music
Night" feat. Jeneen Terrana, Anne Margaret Redding, Mouse (Owl Motel),
Lisa Gould C-Note, 7.

Zach, Mr. McGregor, Kirsten
Dehaan, Scorpio Thunderbolt, Adrian Romero CB’s 313 Gallery, 7, $5.

Jazz/Experimental

Sam Bardfield Barbes,
9, $8.

Dee Dee Bridgewater
Blue Note, 8 & 10:30, $25-$35.

CoCo & Co. Detour,
9, free.

Tony Danza Feinstein’s
at the Regency, 8:30.

Eddie Davis & His
New Orleans Jazz Band Cajun, 8.

Jonathan Finlayson w/Roy
Hargrove Jazz Gallery, $15.

Maria Friedman Cafe
Carlyle, 8:45, $50.

Hot Pants Funk Sextet
w/B3 Smoke, 9, 11 & 12:30 a.m., free.

Jonathan Kreisberg Trio
Bar Next Door, 8 & 10:30, $5 & 1 drink min.

Nathan & Max Lucas
Organ Trio Lenox Lounge, 6:30, free.

Kate McGarry Jazz
Standard, 7:30 & 9:30, $15.

Mr. Vivo Via Della
Pace, free.

Nicole Pasternack
Chez Suzette, free.

Mike Stern 55 Bar,
10, $15.

Mike Stien Renaissance
Restaurant, 7, free.

Ray Vega Kavehaz,
8:30.

Blues/World/Other

Bobby T’s Downtown
Jam A & M Roadhouse, 9:30, free.

Circus Mind Lucille’s,
8, free.

The Glamour Boys
Satalla, 8.

Tania Libertad Joe’s
Pub, 7 & 9:30, $20.

Scrapomatic Ear Inn,
12 a.m., free.

Simaku Galapagos,
8, $10.

The Skatalites B.B.
King Blues Club, 8, $15.

Tchaikovsky’s Duo
12:31, 7, free.

Classical/Opera

American Composers
series starts tonight w/Steve Reich’s Different Trains; Carnegie
Hall, 8, $15-$42.

Da Capo Chamber Players
kick off season w/salute to NY composers at Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center,
8, $15, $10 st./s.c.

Clubs/Lounges/Nightlife

Cuchifritos DJ T-Pro
& friends provide pulsating bliss; SBNY, 10, $5 after 11, 18+.

Damaged DJ Dandy
Sex w/punk, glam, goth & metal to shove you into the second half of the
week; Raven, 10, free.

Diff’rent/Strokes
What chu’ talkin’ bout Johnny McGovern? Oh, guilt-filled Thursday
mornings; Happy Ending, 10, $5.

Scratch Stormin’
Norman & Co. get you open like fallopian tubes; Suede, 10, $10.

Spirit of Solaris
Solaris is the spirit of the night…the na-ight…oh yeah–MC La Reine
& DJ Nova; Alibi, 10, free.

Surf Gang Fundraiser
Support filmmaker Katina del Mar’s partially completed "girl gang
surf" flick & drink $2 Pabst; Remote Lounge, 7, $10 sugg. don.

Transgender Madness
Three levels & two bars full of "trend-setting" trannies; Edelweiss,
$20.

Worship Wednesdays
All hail DJ Lola X’s punk & rock sex grooves; Three of Cups, 10, free.

THURSDAY
10/9

Rock/Country/Hiphop

Aloke Dutta Knitting
Factory Tap Bar, 8, $10.

The Asteroid No. 4
Lakeside Lounge, 9:30, free.

BeavHer’s 80s Dance
Party w/DJ Frankie Inglese Don Hill’s, 11.

Bettie Serveert, Rosa
Chance Well Maxwell’s, 9, $12, $10 adv.

Bigger Than A Breadbox,
Toke Squeally, Fallen From Grace, the Mar-Tays Bitter End, 8, $5.

The Black Keys, Magic
Magicians, Runner & the Thermodynamics Mercury Lounge, 8:30, $12.

Cracker, Cowboy Mouth
Irving Plaza, 8, $28, $25 adv.

The David Kolker Band,
the Darklings, All Female Anniversary Showcase, Lee Feldman Baggot Inn,
7, $5.

The Deep End, James Carrington,
Eric Nicolas, the Syrups Cutting Room, 8, $10 min.

Deminer Siberia,
9.

The Drive, the Bamboo
Kids, Gravy Luna Lounge, 8:30, free.

Jean Grae, Cannibal Ox
Knitting Factory, 9, $15, $12 adv. Jean Grae CD release.

Headmasters Daughter,
Plastic Eaters, Ronin, the Mynks, Reverend Tribble & His Angels Continental,
8, free.

The High Caliber, This
Radiate Boy, Cheatin’ Soccer Mom, Graze Acme Underground, 8.

Vince Jackson, Wha? Band
Cafe Wha?, 9:30, free.

Jucifer, Jet By Day
Luxx, 9, $8.

Patty Larkin, Merrie
Amsterberg Makor, 7:30 & 10, $15.

The Latin Project, Goldblade
Southpaw, 9, $10.

LCD Soundsystem, Casiotone
For the Painfully Alone Bowery Ballroom, 11, $16, 18+.

Los Vinos, the Oneliest,
the Femme Nameless Knitting Factory Old Office, 9, $8.

Marmalade, Joanaspolicewoman
Pete’s Candy Store, 9.

Michelle Newman 12:31,
7, free.

The Noise, Michelangelo,
Derek Buckner, Kathy Zimmer CB’s 313 Gallery, 8, $5.

P.I.C. Stinger, 11,
$5.

Pristina Verona, Coral,
Oblivious, Sofia Ramos, Slack, the Houston Brothers Arlene’s Grocery,
7, $7.

Pushrod, 10% Reptile,
Seven Ender, Jeremiah Freed Don Hill’s, 7.

Quintron & Miss Pussycat,
Baby Rosebud Northsix, 9, $12, $10 adv.

Radiohead Madison
Square Garden, 8, $49.50.

Sift, Days Of This, Words
Away, Stinking Lizavetta, Iconoclast, Barbiana Complex CBGB, 8, $7. Words
Away CD release.

Chris Smither, Stacy
Earle & Mark Stuart Bottom Line, 7:30 & 10:30, $20.

Soce the Elemental Wizard,
Danny Kelly, Testosterone Kills, Beau Johnson, Leah Hayes, Dave O’Neal
Sidewalk Cafe, 7, 2 drink min.

TJ Swan, Dan Neustadt
Group, Bill McGarver Living Room, 8.

Julian Velard, Passerby,
Eclectic Troubadpurs, "Theresa Sareo’s Songwriter Circle"
C-Note, 7, $5.

White Magic, Blood On
the Wall, T.K. Webb, Sleepy Doug Show, Dark Little Rooms Sin-é, 8,
$8.

Steve Winwood Beacon
Theater, 8, $30-$78.

Witness Protection Program,
Avatar, Madison Greene, Bad Faces Clan, Garret Saucy Lion’s Den, 7:30,
$8, 18+.

The Ziggens, Sound Of
Urchin, Bargain Music Tribeca Rock Club, 8, $10, $8 adv., 18+.

Jazz/Experimental

Dee Dee Bridgewater
Blue Note, 8 & 10:30, $30-$40.

Judy Carmichael &
Mike Hashim Knickerbocker.

Citigrass, Barefoot Manner,
Terez Tobacco Road, 8, $12, $10 adv.

Dankfunk Arts & Science
#11 feat. the Shift Galapagos, 10, free.

Tony Danza Feinstein’s
at the Regency, 8:30.

Dominic Duval 55
Bar, 8, free.

Mary Foster Conklin
Chez Suzette, free.

Maria Friedman Cafe
Carlyle, 8:45 & 10:45, $50.

Full House Smoke,
9, 11 & 12:30 a.m., free.

Vince Giordano &
the Nighthawks Cajun, 8.

The Les Goodson Quartet
(John Coltrane Trib.) St. Nick’s, 9:30, $3.

Sean Jones w/Roy Hargrove
Jazz Gallery, $15.

Peter Mazza Trio
Bar Next Door, 8 & 10:30, $5 & 1 drink min.

Mingus Big Band Fez/Time
Cafe, 7:30 & 10, $10-$18.

Charles Owens Quartet
Kavehaz, 9.

Danilo Perez Jazz
Standard, 7:30 & 9:30, $20.

Ben & Frank Perowsky
Cornelia St. Cafe, 9.

Kurt Rosenwinkel
55 Bar, 10, $7.

The Savage 3 C-Note,
11.

Solo Trio, Eric Biondo’s
Small & Medium Jazz on the Park, 9.

Mike Stien Renaissance
Restaurant, 7.

Matt Wilson Quartet
Detour, 9, free.

Blues/World/Other

The Cracow Klezmer Band
Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center, 8.

Flamenco Masters
Town Hall, 8, $25-$45.

The Klezmatics Joe’s
Pub, 7 & 9:30, $18. CD release.

Loup Garou Zydeco
A & M Roadhouse, 9:30.

Strunz & Farah
B.B. King Blues Club, 8, $25.

Classical/Opera

Music for the Spirit
Artek ensemble in program of "German Baroque Duos" at St. Francis
of Assisi, 1:15, free.

Clubs/Lounges/Nightlife

Bonita "Surrender
to the frenzy of this romantic night"–DJ Grim supplies Top 40 favorites,
sizzling salsa & a bone for your "ita"; Now Bar, 10.

DJ Claudio Medusa
spins an eclectic mix of Brazilian rare grooves, soul, samba-funk, tropicalia
& some good old samba; Coz, 11, free.

The G Spot Hit it
again…sexy, successful & mature minglers plus DJs Playtime & June;
Joe’s Pub, 11.

G-Spot Hottest, most
intimate lesbian night–save Talbot’s fitting room before closing–w/DJs
Missy, Triny & MK upstairs & reggae downstairs, plus 2-for-1 drinks;
2i’s, 8, $5-$8.

Harmony! Keith Blackwell
promotes togetherness, musical & otherwise w/deep house & Frankie Feliciano
(Ricanstruction); Sullivan Room, 10, $10, $7 st.

Party Rite DJs Lorenzo,
Mello & Smoke’s grade-A selection of hiphop, r&b, reggae, latin
& 80s–feat. Fatfingaz (Sound Assassins/IPB); Sapphire Lounge, 7, $5
adv.

Quality Jamaican Pressings
spin reggae, ska, dub & hiphop; Southside.

R ’n’ R Get
Down DJs Tor & Eric 13 mix punk, hard rock, metal & local music;
Three of Cups, 10, free.

Restricted DJ Punk-Ass
Jason provides rock & soul to go along w/plenty of booze; Lit, 10, free.

Rocks Off Two floors
of rock from its origins to now–that’s a lot of rock, bro; Rivertown
Lounge, 10, free.

Subliminal Sessions
Dimitri from Paris guests w/residents Eric Morillo & Dean Coleman; Discotheque,
11, $10.

TGIT Steve Travolta’s
muscle fest of dance perfection; SBNY, 10, $7 after 11.

Vice Versa Bi/gay/lesbian
pop dance party feat. DJ Steelow; 219 Flamingo, 10, $5.

Well Sussed DJ Jonny
Metro & guests suss you up w/early Who, Sam & Dave & Marvin Gaye–or
at least their records; Raven, 9, free.

FRIDAY
10/10

Rock/Country/Hiphop

Aida, Kelly Buchanan,
Den of Wolves CB’s 313 Gallery, 8, $7.

Alabama Blacksnake, the
Regs, Hoy Knitting Factory, 6:30, $7.

Anatomy of a Ghost, Bear
vs. Shark, My Hotel Year, Fear Before the March of Flames Knitting Factory
Tap Bar, 8, $8.

Ants Marching (Dave Matthews
Band Trib.), Omnisoul, the Shantee, Blackhand Lion’s Den, 7:30, $12,
$10 adv.

Bad Wizard Luxx,
8.

Beyondo, Dee Farace,
Q2QL3, Bobby Stewert & the Contraires, Aviv roth, Jack Benjamin C-Note,
7, $5.

"Big Mouth Bout"
feat. Itsrealight vs. Buddha Luvjonz CB’s 313 Gallery, 11.

Bill Carney & the
Jug Addicts, Beacoup Blue, Adrian Mowry Freddy’s Backroom, 9:30, free.

The Black Keys, Magic
Magicians, the Dagons Maxwell’s, 10, $10.

The Brians, the Killer
B’s, Black Death, the Latest Nonsense Three Jolly Pigeons, 10:30, free.

Calexico, the Flames
Irving Plaza, 8, $18.

Cathy-Ann, Prom King,
Carla Holden, Cynthia Dillenbeck Baggot Inn, 8, $5.

The Code Talkers, the
Cosmic American Derelicts Tobacco Road, 9, $15, $12 adv.

Congregation w/DJ Goldie
Galapagos, 7, $5.

"Daniel Pearl Music
Day" w/Marmalade, the King of France, the Rappaport Account, Louis Epstein,
Jeffrey Foucault, Rachel McCartney Living Room, 7.

Dark Horses Lakeside
Lounge, 11, free.

Days Of Wild, Jared Booty,
Dyvr, Knee Deep Shag, Pete Schmidt Bitter End, 8, $7.

Evil Queens, Slow Wire,
Snakes & Musaque, Bodhi Siberia, 9.

The Father and the Son,
the Voyces, Zerobridge, Rob Hogan, Robin Aigner, Danny Rocket Sidewalk Cafe,
7:30, 2 drink min.

Redd Foehl Tribeca
Rock Club, 8:30, $12, 18+.

The Frogs, the Everyothers,
the Summarians Knitting Factory, 10, $12, $10 adv.

Beth Gibbons (Portishead)
& Rustin Man, Devendra Banhart St. Ann’s Warehouse, 8, $27.50.

GNYC pres. Plastic Fantastics,
Elastic Engines, Vaeda, Iydai, Trio Grande, Dirty White Fashion, Green To Think
CBGB Downstairs Lounge, 7, $7.

Guignol, Barbez, Gutbucket,
Pink Noise Northsix, 9, $10.

Schon Jomel, Wha? Band
Cafe Wha?, 9:30 & 11:45, $10.

The Latin Project
Joe’s Pub, 7:30, $10.

Leanin 6, Torture Sermon,
Brett Rothenhaus, Temple of Echoes, True Nature, Atomic Missiles Arlene’s
Grocery, 7, $7.

Loser’s Lounge Trib.
to George Harrison Fez/Time Cafe, 9, $20.

Dan Lotti 12:31,
7, free.

The Malarkies, Ill Ease,
Lo Fine Pete’s Candy Store, 9.

Melange, Julius Klein,
Kreisor, Two Minute Hute, Jiggers Is King, Dr. Spunk Rare, 9, $5.

Mofro, Jonah Smith, Spookie
Daly Pride Bowery Ballroom, 9, $13, 18+.

Naiobe, Product Of You,
Downpore, Strength In Numbers, Ecotone CBGB, 8, $10.

Opium Pillowcase, the
Hissyfits, the Hong Kong, the Blondes, Inc., Quality In Bed Sin-é,
9, $8.

Opti-Grab CD Release
Party feat. Silver Don Hill’s, 8, $10. Visuals by Eyecandyusa.

The Panthers,TV On the
Radio, the Vexers Southpaw, 9, $10, $8 adv.

Pink Slip, the Billionaire
Boys Club, 3rd Degree, 10 Heads High, Triniti, Vs. the Earth, Split Fifty
Acme Underground, 7.

Ther Pocket Band
Knitting Factory Old Office, 9, $6.

The Priests, McAllister,
MYTVs, Lez Zepplin, Four Trips Ahead Continental, 9:30, $5.

Pupster, BenZona, Candy
From Strangers, I Love You Luna Lounge, 8:30, free.

Quintron & Miss Pussycat,
Baby Dayliner, Baby Rosebud, the Six Parts Seven Mercury Lounge, 8:30, $12.

Radiohead Madison
Square Garden, 8, $49.50.

Colleen Sexton Cutting
Room, 8:30, $12 & $10 min. CD release.

Tom Brian Thompson
Joyous Life Theater, 9:30, $10.

Tower of Power B.B.
King Blues Club, 8 & 10:30, $30, $25 adv.

Yo La Tengo, Sun Ra Arkestra,
the Aislers Set Warsaw, 8, $20.

Jazz/Experimental

Monty Alexander Trio
Smoke, $25.

Dee Dee Bridgewater
Blue Note, 8 & 10:30, $30-$40.

Maxine Brown, Beverly
Crosby, Ella Garrett Lenox Lounge, 9, 10:45 & 12:30 a.m., $15.

Maurice Brown w/Roy Hargrove
Jazz Gallery.

The Canal Street Dixieland
Band Cajun, 8.

Judy Carmichael &
Mike Hashim Knickerbocker.

Marci Castro Chez
Suzette, free.

Tony Danza Feinstein’s
at the Regency, 8:30 & 11.

Dave Douglas Quartet
Cornelia St. Cafe.

Maria Friedman Cafe
Carlyle, 8:45 & 10:45, $50.

Sunna Gunnlaugs Trio,
Groove Apparatus Kavehaz.

Jazz at Noon Cafe
St. Bart’s, 12 p.m.

Randy Johnstone Magnolia,
10.

Lapis Luna Blue Water
Grill, free.

Tiombe Lockhart BAM
Cafe, 9.

Danilo Perez Jazz
Standard, 7:30, 9:30 & 11:30, $25.

Will Sellenraad Detour,
9:30, free.

Squirrels from Hell
Otto’s Shrunken Head, 10.

Dave Weckl Band Bottom
Line, 7:30 & 10:30, $20.

Blues/World/Other

Mac Benford & Upsouth
Blarney Star, 9 & 10:30, $15.

Jonathan Kalb Lucille’s,
10, free.

T.N. Krishnan, N. Rajam
Leonard Nimoy Thalia, Peter Norton Symphony Space, $15-$30.

Strunz & Farah
Inter-Media Art Center, 9, $37.50.

Classical/Opera

Guitarists Liam Wood
& Ben Moran pres. "mix of Renaissance, Baroque and modern music"
at Third St. Music School Settlement, 7:30.

Irish Organist Anne Leahy
in concert at Church of the Transfiguration, 7:30, $10 don.

"The Only NY Concert
Commemorating the Centennial of the Armenian Composer Aram Khachaturian’s
Birth" tonight at Carnegie Hall, 8, $15-$45.

Clubs/Lounges/Nightlife

Alt-Sinsation For
when your everyday Sinsation just doesn’ t cut it–DJ Grim spins synth
core, punk, metal, ska, 80’s & new wave; Now Bar, 10, $20, ladies $15.

Bang the Party EMan
does it outer-borough style w/live music from Tortured Soul; the Duplexx, 10,
$10, $5 before 12 a.m.

Blend Mike T. Brown
& Davidson Ospina head an armada of DJs–dinner res. 212-594-9355; Global
33, 6, free.

Bunker Timeblind
& DJ Spinoza’s weekly genre-clash is the safest place to be when shit
goes down. A la Deep Impact, not Armageddon. Eat it, Ben; Subtonic,
9, free.

Diabolik DJs Dandy
Sex & George spin wild punk & 80s; Raven, 10, free.

DJ Andee of the Pop
Star Kids spins new wave, rock & rare grooves; Galapagos, 10, free.

Famous Lovely DJ
Mark Raskin gives you your very own 15 mins. w/altered rock beats, trippy visuals
& pretty faces; Shebeen, 9:30, free.

Frisky Fridays After-work
slammer w/"NYC’s sexiest" DJ Lex; Groovejet Lounge, 5, free.

Full Frontal Fridays
Pulp Friction becomes much more than just your favorite porno, whatever that
means–feat. David Knapp; SBNY, 10, $5-$15.

Futurefunk Sessions
"Electro-acoustic-organic-signal relay DJs"; Lucky Cat Cafe, free.

GBH Carl Kennedy
& Frank Delour spinning hiphop & classics downstairs; Lotus, 10, $20.

Gumbo Downtown trendy
crowd dances to DJ Reach’s hiphop, rock & 80s mix–he’s on
the Carson Daly Show in case you doubted his street cred; Joe’s
Pub, 11.

Oktoberfist "Herr
Daniel Nardicio brings back this 3rd annual fistfest celebrating Germany &
the art of fisting" feat. all-night erotic bavarian beer garden, leather
& live music from Chris March, Taylor Mac, Lady Ace, Sweetie & gay rockers
Pink Steel–plus live Fisting For Dollars! gameshow; Slide, 11, $10.

Rise DJ Red Boy rocks
r&b, hiphop & reggae upstairs; downstairs, chill w/soul, funk &
deep house–guestlist 212-807-1775; 2i’s, 10:30, $10-$15, women free
before 12 a.m.

Rock Lives Here It’s
official–DJ Morgan keeps the local scene alive; Three of Cups, 10, free.

Trash! DJs Jess &
Alex Malfunction cater to new wave/britpop/rock/electro/indie junkies; RiFiFi,
8, $5.

True New York Fridays
All types of tunes spread over three floors–guestlist 212-560-5616; China
Club, 10, $25.

SATURDAY
10/11

Rock/Country/Hiphop

"Bands Against Bush
Benefit" feat. Semiautomatic, the Double, Victory Riot Youth Orchestra,
Tomorrow’s Friend Knitting Factory Tap Bar, 9, $8.

"Bands Against Bush
Benefit" feat. Langhorne Slim, Juan Guerrero (the Victoria Lucas), the
Lonely Samoans, Gina Young Knitting Factory Old Office, 8, $8.

Joe Barnes, Wha? Band
Cafe Wha?, 9:30 & 11:45, $12.

The Big Wu, the Recipe,
Bluestring, Ludo Lion’s Den, 7:30, $10, 18+.

Blueberry, the Sydney
Alexis, the Somebodies, Gabrielle, Jennifer Glass, Happy Chichester Living
Room, 7.

Bossa Noga, Za, Dogs,
Pavlov, Goodseven, Tzofa, Cheredaanie, Pike CBGB, 6, $15.

Richard Buckner, the
Cash Brothers Mercury Lounge, 8, $12.

Captains Of Industry,
Scorpio Thunderbolt Siberia, 9.

Bradley Coles Cutting
Room, 8, $10 min.

The Dimestore Dance Band,
Patrick McGrath Pete’s Candy Store, 9.

Dusty Wright & the
Jaguars Lakeside Lounge, 11, free.

Electric Frankenstein,
Goldblade, the Blam, Triplecreme Sin-é, 9, $8.

Engine Orange, Sickdeep,
Veraspeed, All Styles Wicked, Alexis Machine Continental, 8, $5.

Evil Queens, Groovsky,
Crooked Road Freddy’s Backroom, 9:30, free.

Fannypack, Chromeo w/DJ
Ayers Knitting Factory, 9, $14, $10 adv.

Beth Gibbons (Portishead)
& Rustin Man, Devendra Banhart St. Ann’s Warehouse, 8, $27.50.

GNYC pres. Wired, Cube,
Sed, the Better World, No Return, Sonagirl, Gina Kaz Band CBGB Downstairs
Lounge, 7, $7.

Grandfather Ridiculous,
the Bridge, Cold Duck Complex Tribeca Rock Club, 9:30, $10, 18+.

"Gray vs. Blue 2003:
North-South Battle of the Bands" w/the Blind Pharaohs, Candy Snatchers,
Wanda Jackson 5, Jimmy & the Teasers, Barnyard Playboys, Deviltones, Snake
Charmers, She-Wolves, Disruptors, Dragstrip Syndicate, Tremors, Pistolwhippers,
Bad Checks, Leadfoot, Lords of the Highway, the Goons, Satan’s Teardrops,
the Buzzards Union Pool, 2 p.m., $10.

The Handsome Family,
Jim White Bowery Ballroom, 10, $13.

Hot Hot Heat, the French
Kicks, Ima Robot Irving Plaza, 8, sold out.

Hypertonics Galapagos,
7, $7.

Kieran Ridge Band, Barn
Burning, One Star Hotel, the Trolley Vox, Oneside Baggot Inn, 7:30, $5.

Knockout Drops, Acquiesce,
the Houston Brothers Maxwell’s, 10, $7.

Loser’s Lounge Trib.
to George Harrison Fez/Time Cafe, 8 & 11, $20.

"McQ’s 20th
Anniversary Underground Music Festival" w/Autobot City, Farewood, Nicola,
the Screaming Meemies, the KudaBins, GW Lounge C-Note, 7.

Metric, the Desert Fathers,
Stella Link, Upwelling Southpaw, 9, $8.

Niagaras Cutting
Room, 12 a.m., $10 min.

"Pong the Tournament"
w/Huge, Pisser, Onceler Redemption, Dan Fuchs Arlene’s Grocery, 8,
$7.

The Six Parts Seven,
the Neal Pollack Invasion Luxx, 8, $8.

Slick 57, Stupid, the
Twelve, Electric Engine Luna Lounge, 8:30, free.

Spitfire, Chasing Sunday,
Mara Levi, Jacob, Julian Velard Sidewalk Cafe, 8, 2 drink min.

Strange Light, the Stereotypes,
Cosmopolis, Audio Fiction, Prankstar, Random Computer, Finespun Acme Underground,
7.

Ronley Teper, Self Contained
Unit, Tama Waipara, Electrik Shoes CB’s 313 Gallery, 8, $7, $5 after
10.

Tiswas pres. Saintface,
the (5 O’Clock) Heroes, These Bones w/DJs Nick Marc & Justine D.
Don Hill’s.

Tower of Power B.B.
King Blues Club, 8 & 10:30, $30, $25 adv.

Jazz/Experimental

Monty Alexander Trio
Smoke, $25.

Anti-Social Music
CAMI Hall, 8, $9.99.

The Benevento/Russo Duo
Mercury Lounge, 12 a.m., $12, $10 adv.

Dee Dee Bridgewater
Blue Note, 8 & 10:30, $30-$40.

Maxine Brown, Beverly
Crosby, Ella Garrett Lenox Lounge, 9, 10:45 & 12:30 a.m., $15.

Judy Carmichael &
Mike Hashim Knickerbocker.

Tony Danza Feinstein’s
at the Regency, 8:30 & 11.

Dapp Theory Jazz
Gallery, $15.

Rick DellaRatta Jazz
on the Park, 8, $15 don.

Maria Friedman Cafe
Carlyle, 8:45 & 10:45, $50.

Giacomo Gates Chez
Suzette, free.

The Groove Trust, Cyrus,
Ryan Montbleau Tobacco Road, 9, $12, $10 adv.

Sunna Gunnlaugs Trio,
Groove Apparatus, Anastasia Rene Kavehaz.

Fran Landesman w/Jackie
Cain & Bob Dorough Joe’s Pub, 7 & 9:30, $30.

Danilo Perez Jazz
Standard, 7:30, 9:30 & 11:30, $25.

The Red Onion Jazz Band
Cajun, 8:30, free.

Rick Stone Brooklyn
Conservatory of Music.

Uncle Moon BAM Cafe,
9.

James Yarish Trio
Magnolia, 10, free.

Blues/World/Other

Nikki Armstrong Lucille’s,
10, free.

Hazmat Modine Terra
Blues, 7.

Kwaakye Obeng Trio
Cornelia St. Cafe, 8 & 10.

Joe Zook & Blues
Deluxe A & M Roadhouse, 9:30.

Classical/Opera

Dazzling Works of the
English & Italian Baroque w/Jessica Gould (soprano), Lucas Harris (lute
& guitar) & Carlene Stober (viola) at the equally dazzling Morris-Jumel
Mansion, 2, $15.

Krzysztof Penderecki
The Walden Chamber Players perform work by Polish composer as part of the "Portraits"
series at Columbia’s Miller Theatre, 8, $20, $12 st.

Clubs/Lounges/Nightlife

Cupcake DJs Jason
Williams & Markus Miller’s frosting-topped techno derivatives for frosted-tipped
clubbers; Subtonic, 9, free.

Decadence DJ Kasper
gets decadent on your behind; Joe’s Pub, 11, free.

DJ Salinger Break-beat,
afro-funk & jazz; Galapagos, 10, free.

DJs Law & Disorder
throw rock, classic alt & britpop in your general direction; Southside,
free.

Femme Fatale Jayne
County hits you w/ravenous mix of glam/punk/garage; Raven, free.

Latin Passport Hot
jam for all you border-crossing crazies w/Latin tunes–plus VIP room feat.
dance & reggae/hiphop; Club NY, 10.

Loca’s Lounge
Mad DJs for "boys, girls & everything in between"; Stingy Lulu’s,
9, free.

Madonnathon Hear
new "Peter" remixes of Madge’s latest "music"; Roxy,
11.

Midnight Party Criuse
DJs & dancing till 5 a.m. aboard The Star of Palm Beach–www.eventlinks.com
for info; Hudson River Park, 11:30, $25.

Pop Gear! 60s pop
from DJs Michaa