what goes on?
June 11, 2008
by Jonathan
New York Night Train is thrilled to announce that tonight’s guest Motor City DJ is, all the way from London, noneother than Bruno Aleph Wizard the leader of the seminal proto-punk/punk/post punk legends The Homosexuals (previously known as The Rejects from 1972 to 1976). The eternally adventurous Homosexuals didn’t only predate and inform the experimentation of post-punk, but, particularly in recent years since the release of the band’s cumbersome, but not a second too short 81-track career-spanning box-set, Astral Glamour, have become widely regarded as towering figures in contemporary music. But, for those of you who won’t take my word for it, and not to quote Pitchfork Media, but, the Homosexuals were, “punk visionaries who were at least as questing, untamed, and ultimately listenable as any of their more renowned contemporaries.” (Dang, did I just quote Pitchfork?) The good news is that Bruno is at it again and with a band whose recent live performances indicate that they are every bit as vital as 30 years ago.
Swing on over, grab a cool one from Harry, and check out which tracks Bruno selects! And, as always, you’ll get your weekly fix of the exquisite party vinyl of New York Night Train conductor Mr Jonathan Toubin…
Check out this 2008 BBC interview with Bruno
Read Pitchfork’s Review of Astral Glamour
what goes on?
May 13, 2008
by Jonathan
Wednesday, May 14, Motor City (127 Ludlow, Lower East Side, Manhattan), 10pm, FREE: Tomorrow at Motor City New York Night Train is holding its second “Record Release” party. A concept developed by Mr. Eric Z of Secret Project Robot and Wolfy of Red Dawn II, the “Record Release” is a DJ set in which every record is given away to the party-goers immediately after play. The set will include all kinds of recordings, half 12-inches and half 45s, from practically every genre - punk, funk, hip hop, doo wop, rock, pop, disco, soul, easy listening, comedy, etc. While the majority of the vinyl will be used, a few of NYC’s finest labels, the Social Registry, Vacancy, etc., will be on hand to present you with a few of their latest and greatest! You heard me right - Mr. Jonathan Toubin spins six straight hours of nothing but vinyl that is yours for the taking - a total of well over 100 free records. FUN! Get there early and stay all night to fill up yr gut, yr ears, and yr record collection…
and, Thursday, as always:
Thurs, May 15, Shakin’ All Over Under Sideways Down!, Beauty Bar (231 E. 14th, East Village, Manhattan), 10:30pm, FREE: NYNT Soul Proprietor Mr. Jonathan Toubin turns dance platters centered smack dab in the middle of popular music’s greatest and most diverse decade, channelling the variety inherent in 60s discotheque and radio playlists plus many of the tunes that were either too underground or geographically removed at the time to find their way to the same spot - laying down 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.
and, Friday, the conductor will be taking a week off from his Ants In Yr Pants Dance Party at Home Sweet Home (this week covered by Smashed Blocked’s Josh Styles) for both a good time and a good cause…
Fri, May 16, The Desk Set Presents: Dance Dance Library Revolution dance party & dictionary drive, Enid’s (560 Manhattan Ave, Greenpoint), 10:30 - 4am, FREE: NYNT conductor DJ Jonathan Toubin spins this amazing benefit brought to you by the Desk Set in which you can bring a new or gently used paperback dictionary OR thesaurus to donate to Books Through Bars (a non-profit that mails books to prisoners in the US) and pioneering Greenpoint bar/eatery/institution Enid’s gives you a free drink. This is the third such party that the soul proprietor has provided the soundtrack for and he’s come to the conclusion that you haven’t ever really partied until you’ve gotten down all night long with a room full of wild librarians. Not to be missed…
and, next weekend…
what goes on?
May 7, 2008
by Jonathan
Weds, May 7, New York Night Train Wednesdays, Motor City (127 Ludlow), 10pm, free: NYNT’s weekly Motor City hoodang of course featuring NYNT’s Mr. Jonathan Toubin, tonight includes special guest DJ, direct from Los Angeles, CA, Cold Sweat Records head honcho Sam James Velde! His adventurous, eclectic, and prestigious label, with a rich history that includes releases by the likes of Starlite Desperation, Battles and Wives (pre-No Age), now has a roster that includes HEALTH, Ya Ho Wa 13 and Phantom Family Halo. Mssr. Velde can also be caught DJing everything from Bitch Magnet to Bitches Brew coast to coast and/or using his vocal chords for rock n roll band Nighthorse. Get Up Get Down!
Thurs, May 8, 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.
Fri, May 9, Ants In Yr Pants Dance Party, Home Sweet Home (131 Christy), 10pm, free: NYNT Soul Proprietor Mr. Jonathan Toubin has settled down the mobile Ants In Yr Pants Dance Party in a fixed spot - Lower East Side hot spot 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 Stones, Sonics, Stooges, Small Faces, Shangri La’s, Shirelles, Steppenwolf, Sweet, Slade, Shocking Blue, Sly Stone, Screaming Lord Such, Specials, Stevie Wonder,and a bunch of stuff that doesn’t start with an “S” and you’re not familiar with but wish you were - anything hot, nasty, and classic with a raw pumpin’ heartbeat from the 1950s to the present.
Sat, May 10, New York Night Train Loose Caboose, Rehab (ex-Club Midway), 10pm, free: Tonight is the grand finale of NYNT’s 5-month old party that highlighted distinguished guest DJs from the funky five boroughs music scene. Tonight the Conductor himself, Mr. Jonathan Toubin, makes a rare Loose Caboose appearance for the party’s last ride. Expect a gaggle o’ guests DJs from all over the NYC rock map - and lots of hugs and tears and…. ROCK’N'ROLL! We roll ’til 4AM - fall by to pay your last respects. Not with a whimper, but with a bang bang bang!
what goes on?
April 30, 2008
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.
click me
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!
