Tag: New York

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Coldest Easter Ever

Happy Easter! and make sure you still have those parkas! I don’t have time to research NY but it’s certainly close to the coldest Easter on the East coast in spots south of here like VA, NC and KY (Accuweather.com). We had snow flurries today, which made this a colder day than the week of Christmas last year as well as forcing the ladies to keep all those “ultra-short” shorts I’ve been seeing around town new, for 2007, from coming out for the first time:

We started the morning with a hectic “Easter” brunch at Grey Dog’s Cafe, which is not an uncommon spectacle in this U of Michigan alumni owned west village spot (I now only go for the banana bread, chai and maybe a sandwich if it’s not too busy). Gotta say I thought the breakfasts were better before but I’ll still wander in when in the hood. We killed some time across the street at “Unoppressive Non-Imperialist Bargain Books” store, which if ever on Carmine St, is a good walk in for those that like cheap books with cheap covers (lots of hon-fiction mixed with political and philosophy).

We headed to the NY International Auto Show shortly after and I’ll make a follow up post on that sooner than later (I hope).

Enjoy the rest of the week, it can only get warmer right? …to think spring was supposed to start over 2 weeks ago.

Presidential Easter Egg roll:

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Weekender

A couple good finds this weekend. Saturday went out all night with the locals to watch the final four at a friends house in the upper west. Unfortunately G-town went down even after I thought they had the momentum to take it. The Gators came out on top with a stomping of the best defensive team in the country, UCLA. Great work as the Gators have a repeat of their Florida match up, with Ohio St (keep in mind the Gators blew out Ohio the last time they played, by 26 points).

Off to the Mill, the Gator’s central haven in NY for a few pitchers, games and the gator chants… “It’s great to be…” Not long after we broke off to go to Karma, a spot I will never go to again.

How ironic their name begets a tranquil and positive vibe, when the environment, employees and management promote nothing of the sorts. For one, there’s a line to get in, once in, the spot is barely 30% occupancy. I despise bars/clubs that create an artificial line to give the illusion, it’s a hot spot and they are at capacity. Drinks here are expensive and when asked for a hookah I was charged 15$ for what I found out was actually a $10 charge for girls or other patrons. Not sure if the surcharge was to add a tip for the waitress but this was bull shit. Last they have DJ playing dance tunes for both the upstairs and downstairs, yet they don’t have a cabaret license and will use this excuse to selectively kick out the guys to improve the girl-guy ratio they try to maintain.

So when half my friends were asked to leave, and not the women they were dancing with, we bounced.

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New York Dolls, in New York

The New York Dolls, along with Iggy Pop and The Stooges are considered to be the inventing forces behind the music that became known as “Punk” rock.

The Dolls came on the scene from New York City in 1972 and literally and figuratively blew the city away. Dressing up like women and belting out raw, sweaty, pulsating blues licks, it might have seemed to many that this group of five men came from the planet Mars.

They quickly became incandescent the city, and were by far and away the toughest ticket in town. Led by singer David Johansen and guitarist Johnny Thunders, the Dolls are and where a one in a billion type band. They directly spawned bands like the Ramones and the Clash, along with today’s punk derivations The Strokes and The White Stripes. A young Steven Morrissey of The Smiths fame credits the Dolls with getting him interested in becoming a musician, and indeed he started the UK New York Dolls fan club in 1974. Over the past two years, he has been instrumental in getting the Dolls to reunite after thirty years apart. Unfortunately, only two of the original five are still alive.

You see, this was a true mother fucking rock and roll band–Thunders and Billy Mure both died of heroin overdoses, and tragically bassist Arthur “Killer” Kane died suddenly two years ago of undiagnosed leukemia. But don’t let that get you down, Johansen still is the quintessential frontman and original guitarist Sylvain. Sylvain will still blow out your ears.

I do not think I am exaggerating by saying one of their shows will be the monumental rock concert to witness. Three hundred years from now, when music historians are writing about rock and roll, punk music will be a very important chapter of that history. Punk and The Dolls were spawned in the filthy, bankrupt, rat infested, no mans land that was New York City in the early 70’s in order to save Rock and Roll from itself. This Wednesday we witnessed history, the rock and roll equivalent of watching Van Gogh paint.

Headlining the
Little Steven’s Underground Garage Tour this summer, they roll into Irving Plaza in mid tour. The Supersuckers, going on right before the Dolls were great, I must check them out again

Some photos to be added later. Or Try Brian Romero’s here