Patti Smith is an artist without parallel. She is an innovator and an original, completely unique. From her early rock/punk roots to her now aged and soulful voice, she has shocked and amazed. And not just with her music—Smith’s poetry is unnerving, deep and inspired. Her love of classic poetry and poets, her respect for those who have come before her, her outspoken political views and her drive make her a true force of nature. She is a widow, a loving mother, a friend and a caring and concerned citizen of planet Earth.

Filmmaker Steven Sebring has mustered every ounce of his formidable talents to create this powerful, moving documentary. With the cooperation of Smith, together they have created nothing short of a masterpiece. The film has already been awarded with the Best Cinematography prize at the 2008 Sundance Festival. Sebring has also taken on the legendary position of photographing Smith for her CD covers, a position of prominence once held by the brilliant Robert Mapplethorpe; to date Sebring has photographed Patti Smith for her Gung Ho, Land, and Twelve covers.

If you go to this film with the expectations of seeing a Patti Smith concert you’re going to be deeply disappointed. This not a Martin Scorsese, Rolling Stones, every shot planned out, scripted and over-edited film, and it’s not the typical rockumentary with the obligatory black and white, slow motion in and out of a limo shot—although a good portion of the film is in black and white. This is an uncensored, unrehearsed open door look into the private life of one of the great artists of our time. Continue Reading »

After many sour fights against city agendas, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation applauds the City for their formal request to convert 75 Morton Street into a public school rather than sell it to developers. This,in no small way, is also the result of months of letters and requests from concerned neighbors and parents that the building be saved.

75 Morton was built in 1919 as an office building and a warehouse. With this endorsement from the City, the State should grant its proposal. However, due to the rapid rate of development in the area surrounding the building, there is increased pressure to sell the site as well.

Make your voice known and come join the GVSHP August 6th at 5:30 pm in front of 75 Morton Street and Greenwich Street to rally to save the school!

Kenny Mellman

Tony Award Nominee Kenny Mellman presents a 45 minute musical about homophobia, murder, and the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy. It’s a surprisingly earnest cabaret style show that tells the true story of Allen Schindler, a gay Navy officer who was beaten to death by fellow sailors in a public bathroom in Sasebo, Japan in 1992. Mellman interjects tales of his own brushes with homophobia and includes a verbatim reading of one of the killers’ descriptions of the murder. This is powerful stuff, and not at all what one might expect from the camp genius behind Kiki and Herb. Part of the 2008 Dixon Place HOT! Festival: The 17th Annual NYC Celebration of Queer Culture.

Say Seaboy, You Sissy Boy?
Aug 7, 8, & 9 at 8pm and 10pm
Tickets: $15, $12
Dixon Place
258 Bowery, 2nd Floor
Between Houston & Prince
212.219.0736

This will be an excellent show for fans of smart music that’s also a little rough around the edges. The French Kicks mix rocks both garage and indie to great effect, while Headlights are said to mix psycehedelia with elecctronics and strings, with a little 60’s girl group thrown in just to keep things fun. And the evening kicks off with Union Hall’s Secret Science Club, a lecture/cabaret series that brings science geeks of various pedigrees together to wax scientific and maybe, just maybe, keep that part of your brain from atrophying.

The real stars tonight, though, are Tiny Masters of Today, a scrappy punk outfit featuring Russel Simmins of The Blues Explosion on drums and fourteen-year-old Ivan on guitar and vocals and his twelve-year-old sister Ada on bass and vocals. Their debut album drops in September and will feature guest appearances by Karen O and Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kimya Dawson of the Moldy Peaches, Fred Schneider of the B-52s, and Butthole Surfer Gibby Haynes. Apparently David Bowie is a big fan. Oh yeah, and it’s all a short walk over the bridge to DUMBO, and if you’re like me, you need the exercise. So go.

Music at the Bridge
8/6/8 @ 6:30pm
Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park
New Dock St. at the East River
Dumbo, Brooklyn
(718-858-4708)
FREE

Amy Ray, a.k.a the Indigo Girl who sounds like she could probably kick your sorry ass, is a hero to all kinds of people - folk music fans, lesbians, feminists, and anyone who appreciates rough, soulful voices that are the complete opposite of the studio-perfected dreck that kiddie pop stars and kiddie emo bands alike shove down our ears every day.

Her third album, Didn’t It Feel Kinder, is being released on her own not-for-profit label Daemon Records, which has championed such great underground band as The Rock*A*Teens, Cordero and The Ellen James Society. She’s a good fit for The Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, for which this show is a benefit. Yeah, it’s a little pricey, but Housing Works does good work for folks with AIDS and your chances of seeing Amy Ray in a venue this intimate again are pretty slim. Go.

Amy Ray
8/6/8 @ 7:30pm
$50
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe
126 Crosby Street
Get tickets here.