Saturday, October 30, 2010

NYC Haunted Spots to Visit on Halloween

Its the time of year to dress up, have fun and see something scary. This city is an old one. So there is no shortage of haunted spots to check out. Here are a few that may just surprise you. Starting with the oldest haunt in town "The Bridge Cafe." This is in a building that dates back to 1794. Believe it or not this was a old pirate bar and brothel. In what was The Fourth Ward this bar was in a hood that was no joke. "A travel guide of the day called it the most violent street on the continent." If you messed around in this place a 6-foot-tall Irish bouncer would bite or cut off an ear and pickle it in a jar above the bar. Her name was Ms. Gallus Mag, a woman not to piss off. Then there is "The Death House" on West 10Th. It is said that 22 people have died in the house. This was once Mark Twain's old stomping ground and he is said to haunt the stairwell of the house. Then in 1987 Joel Steinberg beat his 6-year-old adopted daughter Jessica Steinberg to death. Just walk by and feel the death coming out the windows. Some spots with ghosts are places people walk passed every day. Like Empire State Building where there has been 14 suicides from the Building's observatory. Five in 1947 alone. Also in 1945 a B-5 Bomber crashed into the building killing 14 people. It is said if one was to walk by at Midnight screams can be heard from above. Then Washington Square Park was once a potters Field where the poor bodies that were unwanted by the church were put to rest. Most of the graves were not deep enough and reports of stepping on crushing bones were made. In the 18Th century the park was used for hangings. It is said that the large tree in the northwest corner of the square is Hangman's Elm, but there is some evidence that the tree was where the fountain is now. In 1825 the cemetery was closed. So when walking through this park that is now a tourist attraction think about the people hung there and the 20,000 bodies that remain under foot. Happy Halloween!!

Bridge Cafe
279 Water St
The House of Death
14 West 10Th Street (near Fifth Avenue)
Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue
Washington Square Park
West 4Th Street and MacDougal

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Can a Little Trash Be Good For You?

In a big city like New York maybe a little trash could be good for you. The Trash Bar in Brooklyn that is. This Rock and Roll dive bar in Brooklyn is a place to go if your down and out or just out. They have got live music, a pool table, and a gritty kind of wisdom. Like the all-knowing, the all-seeing, Trash Heap from Fraggle Rock. "I'm orange peels, I'm coffee grounds, I'm wisdom!" The trash bar knows their are trash and are proud of it. Every now and then one should wonder into Brooklyn for some loud music and good times. You might get there and find a divine truth or just get drunk. There is even some rat like cheaters around the bar like the Muppet's Philo and Gunge. On Sundays they have small music acts for hardly a cover. Last Sunday the line up started with an open bar before nine. On the stage first was "Slide FX." A DC band that has a blond in front and a Classic Rock/Alternative Pop sound. Kim Cameron has a professional voice backed by a tight band. Her voice can sing bubble pop and pull out some blues. If someone was a songwriter that needs a pop sound to cut a demo get "Slide FX" for the recording. There own songwriting need some work, but the sound is good. Next to set up was "The Never Evers." New transplants of Brooklyn from Canada. This band has bad Youtube videos but are really good on stage. Also with a chick up front, but with a garage rock trio behind. This is like "The Yeah Yeah Yeahs" without the Art Rock. The Punk tunes work with the hot chick singer. These Canadian kids know how to Rock, EH? They would be a great warm up band for any young crowd. Next up a Industrial duo with a light set up, feed back and looped radio broadcasts. Its dark, its creepy, it works. They are "Food Stamps." The guitar was thrashing and he was singing with her in the background. This would sound good in headphones and is a sight on stage. Last was an all dude trio from Switzerland, "Stevans." In town for the CMJ's, they played this last night before going back over the Atlantic. This brit pop band kicked ass during a kinks cover. Other then that there was a football game. It was Sunday night. So If you are into new bands, are in a band that wants to play a trashy bar, or are just into getting drunk and watching football without all the frat boys, go down and see Trash Bar on Sundays. You'll have a good time and maybe learn that a little trash isn't a bad thing.
Trash Bar
http://www.thetrashbar.com/
Side FX
http://www.sidefxband.net/
The Never Evers
http://www.facebook.com/pages/the-Never-Evers/329915225481
Food Stamps
http://www.myspace.com/foodstampsspace.com/foodstamps












Stevans
http://www.stevans.net/

Friday, October 22, 2010

Night of the Living Dead a Full Moon and The Thriller!!





This weekend New York will be host to many creepy events. The Moon will be full and this makes the cool October night even more strange. Friday and Saturday night the Sunshine Cinemas on Houston in the LES will run "Spooktacular!!" With "Night of the Living Dead." the first feature-length film directed by George A. Romero. "They're coming to get you, Barbra!" This is what Zombies are all about!! Also on Saturday they will creep and crawl across the land, they will make you want to shiver. Their sliding and dancing might prepare you for "THE THRILLER." The world will fill with half dead fans of Michael Jackson for a dance off. So in the next two nights with Halloween still over a week away you might just see some clumsy and staggering beings that are not the normal New York drunkards.

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/NewYork/SunshineCinema.htm
http://www.thrilltheworldnyc.com/


Monday, October 18, 2010

New York Philharmonic's Night With Brahms


This last Saturday was a night full of fall colors and winds. Lincoln Center was alive with people dancing in the courtyard to a free concert that ended just in time for all to find their seats at the Opera or Symphony. The New York Philharmonic, lead by Conductor Alan Gilbert, had a full evening of Romanticism. Starting this concert with Passacaglia, op. 1 from one of Schoenberg's pupils Anton Webern. This was Anton's last piece completed while working with Schoenberg. This Passacaglia uses the basic late-romantic complements of instruments of a standard orchestra. This "passacaglia melody" is made up of eight-measure phrases that repeat through the piece in one way or another. This passacaglia theme is also heard in Brahms 4Th Symphony that rounds out the evening. Then Pinchas Zukerman a world-renowned violinist that studied in the 60's at the Juilliard School came out on stage to play Brahms Concerto in D major for the Violin and Orchestra, Op. 77. This was Brahms first Violin Concerto. He had the pleasure of working with the top Violin around in the 1850's Joseph Joachim. Who helped his good friend with this composition. On this night in October 2010 Pinchas Zukerman chose to play Joachim's Cadenza, the over-embellishment that Joachim played when performing this concerto. After a standing ovation and a small violin encore of one of Brahms lullaby's there was a intermission before the main event. The Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98, was Brahms last Symphony and is considered one of the masters best works. In 1872 Brahms Said he would never write a symphony. He went on to finish 4 very different pieces in this medium. The forth shows opposing emotions. This is a bittersweet piece that evokes many different feelings. With a intense first movement and a second that seems serene. Then the third seems to build and fall to build again and leave you ready for the finale movement where we see the passacaglia. This symphony takes forms of a romantic love affair that is striking, then easy, then faltering to end in a over emotional build up of unconditional love and discontent. This is what romance is and always will be.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Win Tickets to a New York Movie Premiere!!

There is a new thriller in town and its name is "Kalamity." This high suspense indie film is having its Premiere at the Village East Cinema here in New York City on October 22. We at NYC youarehere want You to be there. We have two tickets to give away for the premiere and two tix to give out for the rest of the run. The first two people to email bleyer@gmail.com will win the tickets. It's that easy to get a free thrill ride at the movies. This film has a young cast of talented players including Jonathan Jackson, Nick Stahl, Alona Tal and former GUSS Girl Beau Garrett. Check out the Trailer and be one of the first to see the film. NYC youarethere!!

http://www.kalamitymovie.com/