a week later at Branch Brook Park
April 22nd, 2018 by Mr. C
(Branch Brook Park – Park Avenue and Lake Street – Newark, NJ 07104)
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Today was a sunny and warm Sunday morning at 50 degrees. I had an hour or two to spare so I drove back to Branch Brook Park to get a visual update on how the park and its Cherry Blossom Trees were doing after attending last week’s cold and windy Cherry Blossom Bloomfest event! A week later, I’m happy to report that the Cherry Blossoms at the park were certainly blooming, colors from plant life were starting to get vibrant, and I’m noticing that people have more pep in their step doing the happy truffle shuffle enjoying mother nature at its finest!
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(I should be paying attention to the road, but I had to snap a few photos while entering the park on Mill Street – Newark)
(Prudential Grove area)
(the Sacred Heart Cathedral across the lake)
(The Sacred Heart Cathedral)
Tags: 2018 bloomfest, bloomfest, branch brook park, cherry blossom festival, cherry blossoms, nature, new jersey, newark, parks
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Cherry Blossoms & Graffiti blooming together!
April 15th, 2018 by Mr. C
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Spring has sprung! Baseball season is here and New Jersey’s 360 acre Branch Brook Park located in Newark & Belleville plays host to the 2018 42nd annual Cherry Blossom Bloomfest! Before I get too enthusiastic, damn was it cold for Bloomfest this year! It was 40 degrees at about 11am but it really felt like below freezing with the wind-chill! The skies looked gloomy and mother nature was ready to open up and downpour with rain at any moment. For those not familiar with the event, Bloomfest is an annual celebration that sets aside a day for folks to admire the more than 5,000 cherry blossom trees waiting to bloom in Branch Brook Park as well as a day to celebrate Japanese culture like Taiko drumming, Samurai sword demonstrations, sushi making, How to Wear a Kimono Demonstration, Ikebana Flower Arrangements, & more!
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(Soh Daiko on the drums!)
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The turnout today for Bloomfest was not at full capacity because of the weather but I do have to take my wig off to the Essex County Cherry Blossom gods & organizers for getting the show on despite the cold and the wind. I think I heard one official say at the event that this was the coldest day on record in the 42 years of Bloomfest! With the Cherry trees in full bloom, Branch Brook Park really is a spectacle to behold! There are so many nooks and crannies of this park that I haven’t even ventured out to yet because the park is just that huge.
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(How to Wear a Kimono Demonstration)
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If you get a chance, I definitely recommend for you to take a stroll in this park. You won’t be able to walk the whole park so just pick an area like at the Cherry Blossom Welcome Center and peruse around the grounds. It’s also awesome to just drive around the perimeter of the park when the trees are blooming with all the colors bleeding and blending into each other. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to stay long at Bloomfest this year but I did my usual one-two punch combination of Newark’s Cherry Blossom Trees and Graffiti blooming together!
Branch Brook Park
Park Avenue and Lake Street
Newark, NJ 07104
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(Ikebana Flower Arrangement with Ikebana Society)
(Essex County Cherry Blossom Welcome Center)
(nearby Graffiti in full bloom!)
Tags: 2018 bloomfest, bloomfest, branch brook park, drumming, japanese culture, newark, soh daiko, taiko, traditional japanese drumming
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Paterson, NJ celebrates her native son – Lou Costello – 112th birthday party at the Paterson Museum
March 18th, 2018 by Mr. C
(The Paterson Museum)
(Outside of the Paterson Museum – Museum is housed inside a former erecting shop of the Rogers Locomotive & Machine Works)
(Lou, hummina hummina hummina… why are you looking at me like that? Is it my Yankee cap?! )
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Today, we attended an annual event that celebrated the life of Paterson’s own Lou Costello on his birthday. Though, Lou (born Louis Cristillo in 1906) died in 1959 – many still honor and pay tribute to Lou to recognize not only his Hollywood persona but more importantly, Costello’s humanitarian & herculean efforts and desire to help the needy, especially sick children. Being a big fan of Lou Costello only from his onscreen presence from Abbott & Costello, I honestly did not know too much of Lou’s charitable and selfless ways until I did a little more research. Also, watching “This is Your Life, Lou Costello” really explained a lot. I encourage you to spend a few minutes to watch this, too! It really shined a whole new spotlight on Costello which made me admire him even more!
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This celebration of Lou Costello was held at the Paterson Museum and it was the most perfect place to do so. Paterson itself has so much rich history, life, community, beautiful people, folklore, & Americana – it really explains why so many talented individuals rise from this City’s bosom. I would say about 150-200 people gathered today to remember the great diminutive one! There were many guests that attended including Lou Costello’s great grand daughter, Maryam Cristillo and Lou Costello’s daughter via conference call – Chris Cristillo. Sal Rinella (actor, producer, and founder of the volunteer group “Lou’s Angels”, a charitable organization in the name of Lou Costello to help keep Paterson clean in many ways) was the emcee/host of the event. He did a great job keeping things lively, funny, & flowing. Other notable guests included the President of Lou Costello’s Boxing gym in Paterson: Pierre Benoist, the Director of the Fort Lee Film Commission – Tom Meyers, and comedian from Saturday Night Live and the Friars Club – Bob Greenberg! The chosen Abbott & Costello impersonators were great in performing classic skits as well! Supposedly, Uncle Floyd recommended these two “Abbott & Costello” actors/re-creations to the Paterson Historical Preservation Society. Comedians Tom Mongelli and Doug Max were on-hand as well discussing their new online radio show “Funny Talk with mongelli and max.” Their podcast will showcase a number of legendary Hollywood icons whose talents and techniques helped shape the art of twentieth-century comedy. Of course the 1st episode of “Funny Talk” was about Lou Costello. Radio show guests included Costello’s youngest daughter Chris, great-granddaughter Maryam Cristillo, Sal Rinella, actor (Good Friday) and Jeff Solimando, Trentonian columnist. I’m looking forward to listening to Funny Talk!
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(Maryam Cristillo – great granddaughter of Lou Costello and Sal Rinella)
(Pierre Benoist – President of Lou Costello Boxing gym discusses the importance of the gym in Paterson and influence of Lou Costello. Coach/Trainer of gym looking on. On 5/21/18, the Lou Costello Sportsmen Club will be holding its annual Golf Tournament with attendance by former pro boxers Gerry Cooney & Bobby Czyz. Click HERE for more info. All proceeds from the event will go towards their youth boxing program and equipment.)
(Abbott & Costello in fine form!)
(“Funny Talk with mongelli and max” hosts)
(Comedian Bob Greenberg doing impersonations of Lou Costello, Jackie Gleason, Laurel from Laurel & Hardy, Curly from 3 Stooges)
(Curator of the Paterson Museum)
(Tom Meyer – director of the Fort Lee Film Commission discussing organizing more events to recognize our Jersey boys, Abbott & Costello. Tom mentions a film screening of Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein sometime in August.)
(Lou’s Angels – a charitable organization in the name of Lou Costello to help keep Paterson streets clean)
(The Paterson Historical Preservation Society presenting a gift for Maryam Cristillo)
(Happy Birthday Lou!)
(Sal Rinella promoting his latest film – GOOD FRIDAY)
(Larry Doby – another Paterson bred – Legendary Professional Baseball player Negro Leagues & MLB)
(Paterson also manufactured Trains)
(Artifacts from Musuem)
(Paterson also manufactured a lot of firearms)
(Paterson was also known as silk city. Paterson had a huge fabric industry.)
(I took a stroll over at the Paterson Great Falls before attending the event)
(The Historic Hinchcliffe Stadium is right next to the Great Falls – was primarily a Baseball field but played host to other events. Abbott & Costello performed here as well. Currently in shambles but said to have funds to restore soon hopefully)
(Slideshow at event)
(I also took a quick walk by the Art Factory – a set/lot of well known art studios in Paterson close by the Museum. Not much has changed on the outside since I’ve been there last a few years ago it seems.)
Tags: abbottandCostello, burlesque, comedy, lou costello, new jersey, paterson, paterson historical preservation society, paterson musuem, patersonnj
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Cro-Mags played Debonair Music Hall
March 14th, 2018 by chocko
John Joseph of The Cro-Mags at Debonair Music Hall March 9, 2018
New York Hardcore legends were in the building at Teaneck, New Jersey’s Debonair Music Hall last week. Cro-Mags featuring original members John Joseph and Mackie Jayson along with Craig Ahead (Sick Of It All) and A.J. Novello (Leeway) started off a tour in The Garden State which will see them joining forces with EYEHATEGOD later in the month and hitting stages all across the southern states, midwest and up and down the east coast. Openers at the Teaneck show included Jersey hardcore bands Threat 2 Society and Wastelands. Both bands did a splendid job getting the crowd warmed up with fists flying and bodies moving. The big dudes in the house responded with big sasquatch stomps and juggernaut bum rushes to the stage. The Wastelands set was noticeably short due to 2 new members still having to learn all of the band’s songs. Keep practicing…super psyched to see the band in full force next time! Both bands sounded tremendous but Razorblade Handgrenade from Newark, NJ got the crowd forming circle pits and even more hyped with positive, high-energy songs straight outta Brick City. They been in this game for years (decade plus) and RBHG still put on a phenomenal set and be on the look out for their new album…Til The Casket Drops. Cro-Mags capped off the evening with a set that mostly featured crossover thrash from their first album, The Age Of Quarrel. John Joseph paced the stage like a maniac and shared the stage with veterans of the hardcore scene, mean mugging and bringing the fury. They played one song, “Crush The Demoniac” off their second album, Best Wishes and back to back Bad Brains covers with “Right Brigade” and “Attitude” which got the stage divers amped up. Definitely check out the Cro-Mags when they play a venue near you. If you live in the NYC area, they’ll be playing Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on April 7. In the meantime, check out some videos below. Be safe and keep living with that Positive Mental Attitude!
Threat 2 Society
Razorblade Handgrenade
SET LIST: Cro-Mags at Debonair Music Hall 03/09/18
World Peace
Show You No Mercy
Malfunction
Crush The Demoniac
Street Justice
Seekers Of Truth
Signs Of The Times
Right Brigade (Bad Brains)
Attitude (Bad Brains)
It’s The Limit
Life Of My Own
Don’t Tread On Me
We Gotta Know
Hard Times
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Tags: cro-mags, debonair music hall, hardcore punk, new jersey, njhc, nyhc, punk rock, teaneck, threat 2 society, wastelands
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Rockness Monsta sighting at Rough Trade NYC
March 1st, 2018 by chocko
Rock of the rap duo Heltah Skeltah along with DJ Sky (Anthony Mason lookalike) were at Rough Trade a couple weeks ago to promote Rock’s first solo album titled ROCKNESS A.P. which initially was released on Digital Deja Vu Records last year in September. The A.P. in the title of the album stands for After Price and for those that don’t know that refers to the 2015 untimely passing of Sean Price, an extremely talented and larger than life Brooklyn MC and other half of Heltah Skeltah. The album can be considered a tribute to Price because even Rock admits “every song either has a mention, sample or it’s just all the way about Sean Price.” The album features a stellar list of guest MC’s including Kuniva of D12, Ras Kass, Tek & Steele, Method Man, Inspectah Deck and Raekwon. Most of the production on the album was done by Ford Tuff & Pascal Zumaque. Other producers on the album include The Arcitype, Ron Browz and Coptic. Right now, my favorite track is hardcore banger “FaxMachine” featuring 90’s heavy hitters M.O.P. guaranteed to get you hype to run to Brownsville and back. Another favorite track is “Poof” featuring fellow Boot Camp Clik member Buckshot…hypnotic cali flow. “GW BaG” is probably the catchiest of all the tracks and will have you repeating the chorus in no time and the track “Rockness A.P.” needs a good listen…an honest, autobiographical song where Rock lays it all out. I can’t forget the opening track “Just Rap” with classic sounding drums and keyboards that will get your head nodding until your fitted falls off.
The in-store wasn’t what I expected it to be. Rock didn’t really perform any songs, he just let his DJ play choice tracks off the new album, made comments and interacted with the crowd. He did get out in front of the turntables and rap over the album for a few verses which was sort of a disappointment because the dude is a veteran on the mic and can definitely move the crowd. On a positive note, Rockness was more than gracious in signing albums and posing for photos. Definitely get the album if you love that hip hop music with boom-bap beats and lyrics. You won’t hear real hip hop on the radio and it’s harder to find but it’s out there! Get the album ROCKNESS A.P. at a record store near you!
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Tags: brooklyn, CD, heltah skeltah, hip hop, in-store, record, rock, rockness a.p., rockness monsta, rough trade nyc
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Dr. Demento at Forbidden Planet
February 4th, 2018 by chocko
Forbidden Planet in New York City was jam packed recently with demented fans of Dr. Demento and punk rock music. The album release and in-store signing event was for the brand new album titled “Covered In Punk” which features punk rock versions of popular songs closely associated with the Dr. Demento radio show. The show originally aired in 1970 and featured Dr. Demento showcasing obscure and funny songs and was best known for bringing Weird Al Yankovic to national attention.
The line outside stretched from Forbidden Planet to 13th Street for the duration of the event. It was pretty slow moving because everybody wanted to chat, get collectibles signed and take selfies with the doctor.
John Cafiero (left) of Osaka Popstar produced “Dr. Demento Covered in Punk” and we’re definitely looking forward to John’s next weird and off-the-wall projects. I kept Dr. Demento (right) busy for a minute with collectibles and a stack of CDs to autograph. Easy on the budweiser!
Many other contributors to the album were in the house including seated in the Fred Schneider (of the B52s), standing up is Uncle Floyd Vivino (legendary comdedian of TV and radio), Drew Friedman (cover artist of “Dr. Demento Covered in Punk”) and in the front Jerry Only (The Misfits). Anybody out there going to the Sold Out Misfits reunion show in New Jersey on May 19 which happens to be Joey Ramone’s birthday?
I love the Stephen Blickenstaff drawing of William Shatner in the CD packaging which is a parody of Blickenstaff’s original art featured on the cover of the 1984 album “Bad Music For Bad People” by The Cramps. Very cool. Jerry Only decided to add a little more art work and give Shatner a devil lock and some Misfits eye makeup. Who wore it better?
left to right: Sal Maida (Roxy Music, Milk ’n’ Cookies, Osaka Popstar), Dean Rispler (Dictators NYC, Karen Black, Osaka Popstar), Dennis Diken (The Smithereens, Osaka Popstar) and Evan Dorkin (Milk & Cheese).
left to right: Evan Dorkin along with fellow comic book artist Sarah Dyer (House Of Fun Studio), Fred of B-52’s, Uncle Floyd and Drew Friedman. What were they all discussing? Perhaps talking about the excellent illustration of Uncle Floyd that Evan and Sarah did inside the album packaging, maybe they were discussing old timey radio or maybe they were asking what was on every Uncle Floyd fan’s mind “Where Is Oogie?”
Demented Punk Records shirts and collectible pins were also for sale which featured art by Stephen Blickenstaff. Collect them all.
The fine folks at Forbidden Planet deserve a big shout out for putting together the “Covered In Punk” signing event and making sure things ran as smoothly as possible. I’m not sure if they can top it but something tells me that they’re brewing something up for the future. Stay tuned!
Tags: covered in punk, dr. demento, forbidden planet, jerry only, new york city, nyc, radio legend, signing, the misfits, uncle floyd
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Handsome Dick Manitoba and The Soul Punk Kings played The Bowery Electric
January 14th, 2018 by chocko
Handsome Dick Manitoba, lead singer of The Dictators recently played The Bowery Electric on the Eve of New Year’s Eve. Manitoba performed with his new band The Soul Punk Kings and played songs by The Dictators and debuted a couple new songs from a new upcoming solo album. At the age of 63, Manitoba sang and moved with the energy of a front man half his age and without a shadow of a doubt, still has the power to rock a stage which he’s been doing for decades. Still hungry and ready to save rock and roll, Manitoba debuted songs he wrote for a solo record which sound nothing like any of the songs he’s done before.
HDM started the night with a triple threat of classic Dictators tunes before telling a story about the first time writing a song which happened just a few years ago. The results of the brainstorming and soul searching resulted in “Supply And Demand” and the confidence to write more than a dozen songs. Manitoba gave the crowd a sample of songs which probably will end up on the new album including “Cali May” and “The Soul Punk King Of New York City” a bluesy number that oozes of coolness that can only come from a Certified G. Manitoba also took the time to pay homage to some of the great lead singers of rock with a couple covers including “Sonic Reducer” by The Dead Boys, and “Search And Destroy” by Iggy Pop and The Stooges. “American Ruse” by MC5 was also in the mix and the band ended with “California Sun” which I loved seeing Manitoba and Joey Ramone sing together back in the Coney Island High days and finally “Kick Out The Jams” by MC5. At one point in the show Manitoba hopped off stage to check out the band and nod in approval. Check out the photo below along with some videos! If you are a fan, definitely support HDM when the album drops. Also, a quick birthday shout out to Handsome Dick Manitoba who turns 64 on January 29! We wish you many more years of rocking out and playing faster and louder.
SET LIST: Handsome Dick Manitoba at The Bowery Electric 12/30/17
The Party Starts Now
Haircut And An Attitude
Weekend
Supply And Demand
Sonic Reducer
Cali May
(I Live For) Cars And Girls
Eve Of Destruction
American Ruse
New York, New York
Search And Destroy
Faster And Louder
Stay With Me
Soul Punk King Of New York City
California Sun
Kick Out The Jams
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Tags: dick manitoba, handsome dick manitoba, HDM, live, proto-punk, punk, punk rock, show, The Bowery Electric, the dictators, the soul punk kings
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Coming Soon: Metal Allegiance 2
December 28th, 2017 by chocko
Mark Menghi at Gramercy Theatre in NYC (April 2016)
The all-star heavy metal collective, Metal Allegiance have recently announced that their second album will be released in 2018. Bassist Mark Menghi along with the core members of the group Dave Ellefson (Megadeth), Alex Skolnick (Testament) and Mike Portnoy (Winery Dogs) will also be taking the show on the road. Hopefully shows in the NYC area will be announced but for now the band will be playing the House Of Blues in Anaheim, CA on January 25, 2018 and heading out to Europe in the summer to play a few festivals. Those shows should be a blast…last time I saw them play was at the Gramercy Theatre in April 2016. You never know who’s gonna show up at a Metal Allegiance show and you never know what they’re gonna play but you know it’s gonna be heavy metal. Ellefson wasn’t part of the NYC lineup but Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal filled in quite nicely rocking out with the double neck guitar. Taking turns on the vocals were the legendary Chuck Billy (Testament), Mark Osegueda (Death Angel) and Chris Jericho (Fozzy). It was a thrill to watch Chris Jericho on stage singing metal songs only a few days after competing at Wrestlemania in Dallas, Texas. They played some original Metal Allegiance songs and the rest of the set was comprised of metal covers spanning the decades which included classic tunes by Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Accept and Metallica. We dug some photos and videos from the April 2016 NYC show from the musty Chocko vaults. Check them out below and be on the look out for Metal Allegiance 2!
Chris Jericho kicks off the night with some Judas Priest!
Jericho rocking the microphone with Bumblefoot and Menghi in the back.
Testament in the house…Chuck Billy and Alex Skolnick. Thrashers unite.
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal getting his Jimmy Page on.
Left to right: A Heavy Metal triple threat…Alex Skolnick on guitar, killer vocals by Mark Osegueda of Death Angel and Mark on the bass guitar.
Another one of Alex Skolnick from Bay Area Thrash legends, Testament.
Mike Portnoy provided the booming thunder all night in New York City.
SETLIST: Metal Allegiance at The Gramercy Theatre 04/07/2016
Electric Eye (Chris Jericho – lead vocal)
Ides Of March
Wrathchild (Chuck Billy – lead vocal)
Can’t Kill The Devil (Chuck Billy – lead vocal)
Fast As A Shark (Mark Osegueda – lead vocal)
Balls To The Wall (Chris Jericho – lead vocal)
Heaven And Hell (Mark Osegueda – lead vocal)
Creeping Death (Chuck Billy – lead vocal)
Territory (Chuck Billy – lead vocal)
Dying Song (Mark Osegueda and Chuck Billy – lead vocal)
The Prisoner (Chris Jericho – lead vocal)
I Don’t Know (Chris Jericho – lead vocal)
Pledge Of Allegiance (Mark Osegueda – lead vocal)
Into The Void (Mark Osegueda – lead vocal)
Iron Fist (Chuck Billy – lead vocal)
Running With The Devil (Chris Jericho – lead vocal)
Eruption
Whole Lotta Rosie (Mark Osegueda – lead vocal)
Seek And Destroy (Chris Jericho, Mark Osegueda and Chuck Billy – lead vocal)
Tags: alex skolnick, chris jericho, chuck billy, death angel, fozzy, Gramercy Theatre, heavy metal, mark osegueda, metal allegiance, mike portnoy, new york city, nyc, thrash metal
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L.A.M.F. at The Bowery Electric
December 7th, 2017 by chocko
40th Anniversary of L.A.M.F. at The Bowery Electric November 29, 2017
Walter Lure formed a justice league lineup of punk rockers to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the album, L.A.M.F. by Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers. L.A.M.F. (Like A Mother F*cker) was a classic album that featured Walter Lure (lead guitar, vocals), Billy Rath (bass guitar) and 2 former members of the New York Dolls: Johnny Thunders (lead guitars, vocals) and Jerry Nolan (drums). When they released their New York street punk, rock and roll record in 1977, The Heartbreakers painted a gritty picture of the streets of NYC with anthems such as “Born To Lose” and “Chinese Rocks” while providing a soundtrack to safety-pin wearing, leather clad rebels and junkies. Despite the untimely deaths of Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan in the early 1990’s, Walter Lure carries on and contiunes to put on killer shows. The 40th Anniversary of L.A.M.F. was recently celebrated with shows in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. We were in the house for Night One at The Bowery Electric which featured Walter Lure, Glen Matlock (The Sex Pistols), Clem Burke (Blondie) and Mike Ness (Social Distortion) playing the album from start to finish with a little help from Jesse Malin (D-Generation). Everybody got their turn on the microphone and during the encore the band played more music by Johnny Thunders including “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory” and “So Alone.” Glen Matlock brought out more fury by hammering out “(I’m Not You’re) Steppin’ Stone” a song both The Sex Pistols and Johnny Thunders covered but probably best known as a hit by The Monkees. Walter Lure closed out the show with another Thunders’ ode to drugs, “Too Much Junkie Business.” Check out the Set List and some shaky videos below. If you missed out on the L.A.M.F. shows, you can catch Walter Lure performing another show at The Bowery Electric on December 29 with his band The Waldos. Get your tickets now!
Walter Lure
Glen Matlock
Mike Ness
Jesse Malin and Clem Burke
SETLIST: L.A.M.F. 40th Anniversary Show at The Bowery Electric 11/29/2017 (7PM Show)
Born to Lose (Mike Ness – lead vocal)
All by Myself (Walter Lure – lead vocal)
I Wanna Be Loved (Glen Matlock – lead vocal)
It’s Not Enough (Jesse Malin – lead vocal)
Chinese Rocks (Walter Lure + Mike Ness – lead vocal)
Get Off the Phone (Walter Lure – lead vocal)
Pirate Love (Jesse Malin – lead vocal)
One Track Mind (Walter Lure – lead vocal)
I Love You (Mike Ness – lead vocal)
Goin’ Steady (Mike Ness – lead vocal)
Let Go (Mike Ness – lead vocal)
Can’t Keep My Eyes on You (Clem Burke – lead vocal)
Do You Love Me? (Walter Lure – lead vocal)
ENCORE:
You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory (Jesse Malin – lead vocal)
So Alone (Mike Ness – lead vocal)
(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone (Glen Matlock – lead vocal)
Too Much Junkie Business (Walter Lure – lead vocal)
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Tags: 40th Anniversary, Glen Matlock, Jesse Malin, Johnny Thunders, L.A.M.F., lamf, mike ness, new york city, nyc, punk, punk rock, social distortion, The Bowery Electric, walter lure
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Vigilante: The Incredible True Story of Curtis Sliwa and The Guardian Angels (2017) – DOC NYC Film Festival
November 23rd, 2017 by Mr. C
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Vigilante: The Incredible True Story of Curtis Sliwa and the Guardian Angels is a fascinating documentary on a very, very intense man that loves his city. Sliwa’s personality is one that you either love or you hate. There’s no denying his brutal honesty & his in your face, punk rock way of delivering the message. By any means necessary and an eye for an eye would be great phrases that can be used to describe Sliwa. He is very well spoken and his street cred goes beyond saying ever since those days working as a night manager at a McDonald’s in the Bronx in the late 1970s. Sometimes I feel he is too much of a good storyteller which makes it seem like he is over embellishing the story but then I realize, he had to always be a good salesman, a good leader to trail-blaze the way for justice in the streets. He is no doubt a survivor though an alpha male through & through, he shows some feline tendencies with having more than 9 lives. When it’s said and done, Curtis Sliwa was a man that had the intestinal fortitude to take a licking but kept on ticking (literally & figuratively). As a result, he was able to change things in a City that he was clearly passionate for. You may not agree with his methods but you can’t deny the outcome.
Vigilante is a great word to describe Curtis Sliwa. He lived in a time in NY in the 1970s,80s, & part of the 90s that better chronicles NYC as a dystopian society as opposed to an utopian one. NYC street gangs, NYPD, pimps, the Italian mafia, crime, the crack epidemic, drug dealers, & Mayor Ed Koch were all Sliwa’s nemesis’. Curtis was vigilant and took it upon himself to create his Guardian Angels to help keep the streets safe at a time when NYC lacked resources, will, & knowledge to do so. The Police were clearly under staffed, misinformed, incorrectly trained, & often ignorant to the diversity of the people living in her arms.
Curtis Sliwa and the Guardian Angels will remain as one of a few images ingrained in my mind while growing up in the NY/NJ area in the 1980s & 90s. The TV news broadcast were always plastered with news of Curtis and his Guardian Angels, Roy Innis, Al Sharpton, NYC Mayor Ed Koch, & David Dinkins on a New York that was anything but Disney like. More times than not, The Morton Downey Jr Show would be a forum that would house some of these mentioned guests in a debate of race relations, crime, politics, and other controversial subjects. Some of these verbal wars would often get heated and spill over to fist fights which made for a sight to see!
Whether you like the man or not, this documentary will most definitely enlighten you on how NYC was when Mickey Mouse wasn’t king of Times Square.
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Tags: curtis sliwa, doc nyc, docnyc 2017, guardian angels, lisa evers, nyc documentary, the magnificent 13
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My Friend Dahmer (2017)
November 23rd, 2017 by chocko
Last month, The Williams Center in Rutherford, New Jersey hosted an advanced screening of the movie MY FRIEND DAHMER followed by a Q&A with the writer/director, Marc Meyers. The film is based on the graphic novel by John “Derf” Backderf which tells the real life story of Derf’s friendship with a teenager named Jeff Dahmer who just happened to later become a notorious serial killer. A lot of you still remember the headlines and recall what a monster Dahmer was, but give this movie a chance because it’s a great movie about life in high school in Akron, Ohio in the 1970’s. The director paid a lot of attention to detail from the wardrobe, props, soundtrack which features local bands such as The Numbers Band and Rocket To The Tombs to the locations. Most of movie was filmed on location in Akron at Dahmer’s high school and the actual house he lived in. Disney star Ross Lynch superbly plays the role of the young Dahmer, a high school outcast who collects roadkill and lives with a family that’s falling apart by the seams. Anne Heche is also great in the movie as Dahmer’s unpredictable and crazy-as-a-bat mother. I highly recommend checking out this movie. It’s not a horror movie so don’t expect any gore, zombies, cannibals or scary scenes that will make you jump. It might be a little creepy and sad but I guarantee that MY FRIEND DAHMER will be the best portrait of a teenager turned serial killer that you will see all year.
The William Carlos Williams Center is located in downtown Rutherford, New Jersey. The performing arts and cinema complex is home to many events including special movie screenings and makers markets.
The director of MY FRIEND DAHMER, Marc Meyers followed the screening with a Q&A. Check out the video below! Once again, go see the movie which is presently playing in 80+ theaters across the United States.
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Tags: cinema, Marc Meyers, movie, My friend Dahmer, The Williams Center
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The Iron Triangle (2017) at DOC NYC 2017
November 15th, 2017 by Mr. C
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The struggle is real at the Willets Point section in the borough of Queens NYC, an industrial area that has been occupied by auto mechanic shops, junkyards, chop shops, & machinery businesses for decades. The time has come for the City to start evicting these businesses for new real estate development under the shadows of Citifield ballpark & NY Mets ownership. The Iron Triangle documentary takes us on a rough ride of this gritty neighborhood & its inhabitants and what they will have to endure to survive. It’s really a heartbreaking story about blue collar workers hustling for their dollars vs billionaire development companies hustling for even larger dollars. Which side do you think the City of NYC will stand by? We all know cash rules everything around us but you would think humanity and compromise would win out but I’m not so sure these days. In 2008, Mayor Bloomberg cut a deal with the City & the NY Mets ownership to start this project of redeveloping Willets Point, and the time has come to pay the greedy piper. Some owners/workers from Willets Point are looking for detailed specifications with help on relocating their businesses as a community while some owners/workers are looking to stay and have the city redevelop the property for the existing businesses. An even bigger majority of the community is more concerned about the plans for new development of the biggest mall in NYC instead of concentrating on creating more affordable housing in the area. The NYC Economic Development Corp, of course is trying to make the process a one sided affair in favor of the developers and less about compromising or helping the current Willets Point shop owners with sustaining their livelihoods in another cooperative. What will the final verdict be for this project? What is the current status of Willets Point?
There are many layers of deceit here like the overall neglect of the property by the City of NY at Willets Point meanwhile tax dollars are being collected from these business owners. Roads are left unpaved, sidewalks are non existent, area is prone to flooding, and toxic waste is left unmanaged. The commmunity of Willets Point had also mentioned that NYPD rarely responds to calls here. It was as if the City of NYC had already flagged this area as a wasteland many many decades ago and was just waiting until the grim reaper to be called on. Will the council vote yes or no for the Willets Point development? If yes, will the wishes of the auto shop owners and the community be met? Either way, The Iron Triangle aka the Valley of the Ashes aka Willets Point is a microcosm of the society that we live in today from NYC to Timbuktu. Gentrification and urban renewal is the name of the game but is it necessarily the best thing for the community? It seems like we are always pushing a lower income bracket out and replacing with a larger one to eradicate the smaller fish. WE as immigrants of this nation and I mean WE from all colors, creeds, & ethnic backgrounds came to the United States for a better tomorrow. Sometimes a better tomorrow doesn’t come until years later, sometimes decades, maybe even longer?…maybe it will never come but we keep on fighting for our rights & equality for a possibility of this better tomorrow.
We recommend THE IRON TRIANGLE with a solid iron fist in the air!
Catch THE IRON TRIANGLE at DOC NYC on THU. NOV. 16, 12:30PM (IFC Center, 323 6th Ave. NY,NY)
I would like to add that watching Foreign Parts (2010), another documentary focused on the heartbeat & day in the life of this Willets Point neighborhood will give you a good understanding on the lives and community that are at stake here. The Iron Triangle documentary will fill in the cracks, iron out all the creases, and give you a better grasp of the stipulations involved between the fight with the auto-shop owners, employees, & their families vs the City of NY and the land developers.
Tags: citifield, docnyc, docnyc 2017, gentrification, new york documentaries, ny mets, willets point
Posted in art, community, movies, mr. c, theatre | Comments (0)
