Where the wild thangs are…
by Jonathan
Weds, Apr 30, New York Night Train Wednesdays, Motor City (127 Ludlow), 10pm, free: Tonight NYNT’s weekly Motor City was initially intended to be the grande finale of New York Night Train’s Store Wars series featuring Crypt Records’ legendary proprietor Senor Tim Warren. Due to an unfortunate turn of events yesterday Mssr. Warren has had no choice but to postpone the date. So New York Night Train pulled out the classic rolodex to locate the only a replacement that can even come close to filling these very big shoes – and, despite time constraints were able to do so. Who you ask? There’s only one way to find out. Turn up pup!
Thurs, May 1, Shakin’ All Over Under Sideways Down!, Beauty Bar (231 E. 14th, East Village, Manhattan), 10:30pm, FREE: This partee’ is a collaboration between the NYNT’s Soul Proprietor Mr. Jonathan Toubin rock machine Ms. Melissa Fanni Tutti. Turning dance music platters centered smack dab in the middle of popular music’s greatest and most diverse decade, the terrible two channel the variety inherent in the playlists of the discotheques and radio of the era plus many of the tunes that were either too underground or geographically removed at the time to find their way to the same spot, we attempt to cover soul, garage, freakbeat, boogaloo, AM radio pop, British Invasion, electric blues, girl groups, bubblegum, frat rock, late r&b, early funk, early psychedelics, discotheque schmaltz, boogaloos, tropicalia, yé-yé, latin delights, and anything else that moves. Tonight’s party will double as a going away event for filmmaker Alex Lee – who’s sadly departing to greener pastures…
Fri, May 2, Ants In Yr Pants Dance Party, Home Sweet Home (131 Christy), 10pm, free: NYNT Conductor Mr. Jonathan Toubin is proud to announce that he’s settling down his mobile Ants In Yr Pants Dance Party and bringing it to a fixed spot - the new home…. Home Sweet Home. Expect to get down to MAXIMUM ROCK’N’SOUL party favors - obscurities, novelties, and classics at this Lower East Side hot spot – think Bo Diddley, Shangri La’s, The Creation, Link Ray, James Brown, the Kinks, the Stones, the Sonics, Ike and Tina, Slade, Thee Headcoats, Screaming Lord Sutch and everything else hot, nasty, and classic with a big heartbeat. Tonight will also serve as the afterparty for the opening night of Eva Aridjis’ feature film The Favor at the Quad Cinema - award-winning director and her crew will be on hand partying down.
Sat, May 3, Soul Clap and Dance-Off #10, Glasslands (289 Kent, Williamsburg), 11pm, $3: At this new and improved event, New York Night Train Soul Proprietor Mr. Jonathan Toubin spins the finest in soul 45s spanning late-r&b to early funk but centering on mid-60s burners - exclusively for your dancing pleasure. As always, there’ll be five celebrity judges, MC Laura Lee, free beer early, a dance competition at midnight (open to the public. sign up early!), and a get-down til 4AM. The soul clap and dance off is rapidly turning out to be one of the city’s more unusual dance contests and one of NYNT’s kookiest events as more and more freaks from god knows where show up to win the pot of gold. This time contestants will wear a number and only five will be selected to compete in the round for the sake of brevity. The party starts at 11 but the Dance-Off doesn’t happen ‘til after midnight! Only $3.
Mon, May 5, Cinco de Mayo and Annual Margareza Debut, Daddy’s (435 Graham Ave, Williamsburg), 10pm, FREE: While we will of course celebrate General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín’s 1862 victory over Frenchies at the Battle of Puebla, tonight is also kinda special in that the Daddy’s signature beverage, the Margareza, makes its annual pilgrimage out of its hole and into the sunlight to gaze upon its own shadow. Neither beer nor margarita, the Margareza is a little of both - frosty, sudsy, and slightly sweet and tart - a Mexican beer with a dollop from the frozen margarita machine on top. Rumor has it that Senor Seguín toasted to Mexico and downed one of these after the battle. Others argue that the beverage was invented at Daddy’s itself when a member of Black Dice, racing across the bar, pint in hand, tripped and bumped into the handle of the margarita machine - getting its chocolate in his peanutbutter and thus changing the world forever. Whichever myth you accept, a true reason to party either way. Mr. Jonathan Toubin keeps it festive on the wheels. Viva Cinco de Mayo! Viva la Margareza! Viva Daddy’s! Viva el Night Train!
