Dynamic duo

During last night's Comedy Central telethon concert to benefit autism education, Tracy Morgan and Chris Rock dared cover Simon and Garfunkel. Paul Simon came onstage to school them, and the result? An autotuned version of "Scarborough Fair," Chris Rock in a turtleneck, a bewigged Morgan, and ... Paul Simon rapping? Just watch.

via ArtsBeat

Further Falliteration

Free Fela!
St. Ann's Warehouse presents the music of Fela Kuti, the originator of the Afrobeat genre, on Monday, October 4th on Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park. If you haven't seen the Broadway show, this is your chance to check out the incredible talent of Sahr Ngaujah and the band. If you snag a seat, you won't be able to stay in it.

Wyclef for President

Despite criticism of his foundation, Yele Haiti, in the months following the earthquake that devastated his homeland, Wyclef Jean has announced his decision to run in the next Haitian presidential election. The question of how adequately prepared he is for this role is up for debate. In his favor, Wyclef was appointed Haiti's ambassador-at-large in 2007 and since then, has done his part to promote awareness of the dire situation plauging the country. He plans to promote dual citizenship and voting rights for Haitians that have left the country.
At worst, this election may give Haiti a much-needed push back into mainstream media, whose coverage of Haitian issues has slowed significantly following the natural disaster, and bridge the gap between the country's expatriates and its citizens. At best, Wyclef's popularity with Haiti's youth (who are utterly disillusioned by their politicians) will allow him to practice what he preaches.

Politician or musician, I'll always have love for Wyclef. Catch his live public announcement on Larry King this Thursday at 9pm.

Pool parties at the Waterfront

The moment we have all been waiting for (or maybe it's just me?) is finally here. The Jelly NYC Pool Party lineup for Summer 2010, this year at the Williamsburg Waterfront thanks to Señor Schumer, is as follows:

July 11: Deerhoof + Xiu Xiu performing Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures; Why?; Fang Island; Pictureplane

July 18: Murder City Devils; Obits; Jeff the Brotherhood; Silverghost

July 25: Cap 'N Jazz (Only NYC Reunion Show); Lightning Bolt; No Age; The Death Set

August 1 (at Brooklyn Bowl): Pool Parties present FREE BLOCK PARTY, lineup TBA

August 8: Cut Copy; Memory Tapes, Restless People, Glasser

August 15: !!!; Lee Fields and the Expressions; The Strange Boys; Future Islands

August 22: Chromeo; SECRET SPECIAL GUEST!; The Suzan; Telephoned

August 29: SECRET SPECIAL GUESTS!; Delorean; Dominique Young Unique

Damn, August looks hot. Thanks to BrooklynVegan for staying on top of it.

Hot town, summer in the city

Considering a staycation this holiday weekend? Here's a rundown of reasons not to leave the city, so long as you can brave the heat.

FRIDAY, JULY 2
Pay-what-you-wish to see High Places & Toro y Moi, playing Whitney Live @ the Whitney Museum at 7pm. From there, dance the night away to a DJ set by Flashing Lights ft. The Martin Brothers at 88 Palace.

SATURDAY, JULY 3
Head to Long Island City for the P.S. 1 Warm Up season opener with Delorean, Janka Nabay and more.
The Hester Street Fair and Santos Party House team up for an Independence Day cookout, with ribs from Malbon Bros., grilled corn on the cob, kimchee dogs, lobster rolls, and more from the fair's regular vendors.
The Brooklyn Museum's Target First Saturday event celebrates their new exhibit, "Andy Warhol: The Last Decade," and screens Mary Harron's I Shot Andy Warhol. What's more American than free art, live music, a dance party and a cash bar?

SUNDAY, JULY 4
If you don't have a rooftop BBQ, watch other people stuff face at the famous Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island. If you'd rather not witness mass vomiting, spend the day on a different island: head to Water Taxi Beach at Governor's Island and sway in the sun to the tunes of She & Him (get there early to catch Roseanne Cash's set at 2pm).
Sunday night, TimeOutNY tells you where to watch the fireworks and what to do after. If you just want to rage 'til 3am on a Monday morning, hit up the outdoor TeknoColor Dream party, featuring a crazy lineup of techno DJs in a secret location to be revealed upon RSVPing. If you're straight-up crazy, head back to Governor's Island and get your head pounded by Benny Benassi's beats on Monday.

Happy Independence Day - don't forget the sunscreen!

Aural report

Wacky Wednesday is here, and with it a mishmash of music to get you through those last few days before the blissfully long weekend. The best part? It don't cost a thing.

Music festivals are part of the glory of summer, and missing out, whether due to low funds, being cooped up in office buildings or sheer lack of proximity to Scotland, hardly feels festive. Just because you weren't there doesn't mean you can't still experience the magic: NME provided a free album of the acts they were most excited to catch at Glastonbury, and Flavorwire dedicated their latest mixtape to last week's Northside Festival, featuring ten bands to watch.

For its Revival Recordings project, Levi's Pioneer Sessions called in modern artists to cover timeless tracks, resulting in 13 incredible collaborations. Personal favorites include Passion Pit's Billy Corgan-approved cover of the Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight, Tonight" and The Shins taking on the 1979 Squeeze hit, "Goodbye Girl."

The Roots' 9th studio album, How I Got Over, is one of their most cohesive yet genre-bending efforts. With guest appearances from Joanna Newsom, John Legend, Monsters of Folk and more, their fusion of funk, soul, jazz and hip-hop is daring, insightful and forward-thinking.

Turn on, tune in, drop out.

Warm up, cool down

At temperatures heat up (The National Weather Service declared a heat advisory for NYC after temps reached the 90s on Monday) city officials have deemed it necessary to open New York's cooling centers. Find the nearest one to you here, or do the old-school thing and jump into one of the 54 Parks outdoor pools, open today until Labor Day.

The only thing hotter than this week's highs is the P.S.1 Warm Up lineup. The Warm Up kicks off with the sounds of Delorean, and continues through August with acts such as Air France, Ratatat, DJ/rupture, Animal Collective, James Murphy, ?uestlove, Treasure Fingers, and more. Starting July 3, on Saturdays from noon to 9pm, visitors can rock out within the confines of an architectural installation created by the winner of the annual Young Architects Program, and check out the stunning experimental exhibition space.

Eat that up, it's good for you

It is a crazy end to a crazy week, one in which I've had to remind myself more than a few times to breathe, to close my eyes, and do things that are beneficial to my own sanity.

Planning vacations (even ones you don't end up taking) is good for you.
Blogging is good for you.
Laughing is good for you.
Single-servings of wine are good for you.
Hugging is good for you.
Music is good for you:


Don't forget to smile, my friends.

A sea of CDs

Artist Bruce Munro collected 600,000 unwanted CDs from the public for his temporary CDSea installation in Warminster's Long Knoll Field. The scaly rainbow of discs, bisected by a public footpath, was inspired by Munro's meditation on light and water during his days living in Sydney, Australia. People from all over the UK and abroad donated to the cause, the first of a number of self-funded art installations using recycled materials planned for Long Knoll Field. This stunning exercise in collaboration is the gift that gives back to the community: for the next two months, anyone who visits the space can experience what it's like to walk on water.

Play me, New York

Today, over 1,000 artists bring free music to the streets of all five boroughs for Make Music New York, which the New Yorker has called "an eleven-hour escapade of musical creativity." As part of the project, catch my dad playing Brazilian percussion with Maracatu in Fort Greene Park at 6pm.

Also part of MMNY: 60 pianos are set up around the city for free public use from now until July 5 (after which they will be donated to local schools and community groups) as part of an artistic venture called Play Me, I'm Yours. So go ahead, play something - or just listen.

Brazilian baby boogie

After Tuesday's win in which Brazil (the only nation to qualify for every World Cup) seized the lead in the so-called Group of Death, the country's fans (hey Dad!) are flying high. And despite issues with Morumbi Stadium, Sao Paulo is still set to play host to the 2014 World Cup. This ridiculously talented baby is dancing samba to celebrate with the exuberance and flamboyance that define Brazil's virtuosity.

Grand Central gig

Rumor has it Band of Horses will be playing a secret free show tomorrow night. The venue? Grand Central Station! Not exactly the most music-friendly of venues in theory, but if you get there early enough (it's first come, first served and the concert starts at 6:30), I'm sure BoH won't disappoint.

Island in the sun

I know it's only midweek, but I know I'm not the only one looking ahead to the weekend. If yours isn't already jam-packed, I've some outer-borough and off-island Saturday events to share that just might strike your fancy.

If it's live music you're after, catch the ferry to Governor's Island to sway to sunny tunes from The Morning Benders with Freelance Whales and The Wild Nothing at 8pm. Free.

Get to Governor's early to get your buzz on by sampling beers from over 100 breweries at the 4th Annual NYC Brewfest from 3:30-8pm. Win tickets here, pay $55 for general admission (unlimited sampling), or just $25 for Music Lovers Tickets (includes water taxi transportation).

For the weird and wonderful, the Coney Island Mermaid Parade is a can't-miss summer tradition. Wave your freak flag high (registration to march in the parade ends tomorrow at midnight), or just watch - it's free.

Until then, happy humpday!

Retro renegade

If it's feeling like one of those Mondays to anyone else but me, I have something to share that should blast the doldrums from your desk (provided you have a set of headphones). My brother recently returned from a semester in Barcelona, and has just finished his second half-hour demo tape that, sibling obligation completely aside, I think is pretty freaking rad. The jumped-up jams mix old and new school (think Jay-Z and Johnny Cash) and blend the badass with the downright bizarre.

Download here, check out more of his beats, mash-ups and photos here, and if you want to hire this young gun for the summer, he's available for everything from Photoshop tutorials to poolboy duties.

Lazerproof

Redheaded synth-pop princess Elly Jackson of La Roux has teamed up with Major Lazer (comprised of dancehall DJ duo Switch and Diplo) for a free mixtape called Lazerproof. The name is a combo of Major Lazer and La Roux's single, "Bullet Proof." With Jamaican-inspired blends and dubplates, and a star-studded guest list that includes the likes of Drake, Gucci Mane, and Amanda Blank, it's no surprise that Diplo has done it again. The Floridian mixmaster is a true musical savant - not that Jackson isn't utterly breathtaking on her own, but he knows what to exactly how much space to give to allow her unusual, breathy pout to shine. Lazerproof does for La Roux what Top Ranking did for Santigold, and what Piracy Funds Terrorism, Vol. 1 did for M.I.A.

Speaking of M.I.A., whose latest effort feels show-offy and ultimately unoriginal - maybe she needs some help from ex-flame Diplo once again. Not to say girlfriend deserved that nasty blast of a NY Times mag article, but it does feel like she's lost a bit of her je ne sais quoi.

Cop Lazerproof fo' free at the Mad Decent site.

Your summer calendar is here

This is going to be a short post, both because there's enough in one link to last you more than a few procrastinatory hours, and because this blessedly abbreviated week means more work in less time. Without further ado, I present Vanity Fair's infamous all-access guide to all things summer in NY - the 2010 edition.

Also, I kind of love this Summer Goals blog. Working on my own - so far I've got: a tan, a positive balance in my bank account, and a functioning liver. What are yours?

To go away on a summer's day

Vampire Weekend's video for the third single off their new album takes a Holiday from their preppy Ivy-Leaguer image in favor of some badass New Romantic flava.

Vampire Weekend - New Music - More Music Videos

Pretty sure VW got their sexy composer inspiration from last year's Halloween costume:
Happy Memorial Day Weekend to all - I'll be back & blogging Tuesday!

Beat the heat

Memorial Day weekend is approaching, which means summer is finally officially upon us! If you're staying local for the holiday, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the season. Here's a few:

Water Taxi Beach's Memorial Day Party, 11am-11pm: from 4-6, nab clams, shrimp and oysters for 80 cents apiece, and slurp $6 pints of Sixpoint and Gaffel plus $9-12 cocktails all day long.

What better way to celebrate Fleet Week than by doing it on a boat? Join Wayne Kramer and political rap group The Coup on the 31st for their Rocks off Concert Cruise show.

Speaking of boats, the Intrepid's free Summer Movie Series begins Friday with a Flight Deck screening of Top Gun.

Relish your hot dog, and the fact that you're not stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Grilling is for those with tricked-out rooftops or suburban backyards. Do it up city-style and celebrate the opening weekend of BKLYN Yard with PARKED: eats from NYC's best food trucks. I have a feeling Van Leeuwen's is going to rake it in.

Sip a summer seasonal, slather on the SPF, and blast some songs of summer:
Admiral Radley - I Heart California
She & Him - In the Sun
Dom - Living in America
Quadron - Pressure
Math & Physics Club - Jimmy Had a Polaroid
Sleigh Bells - Tell 'Em

More of my warm-weather playlist to come. Happy holidays!

Summerfests

I know I already gushed about all the amazing concert series in NY this summer, but there are a couple more I can't not share with you.

The Northside Festival (four days of music, film and art in Williamsburg, June 24-27) is slowly but surely releasing a pretty bomb lineup: Au Revoir Simone, Memory Tapes, Dom, Liars, Forest Fire, Lissy Trullie, and many more. Four-day festival badges are just $50, which gets you access to every Northside event as well as a bunch of drink specials and food discounts at local establishments. Super-cheap tickets to individual concerts are available as well.

If it's a one day hip-hop extravaganza you're looking for, Rock the Bells (Governor's Island, August 28) is already starting to blow every other lineup out of the water. Rumor has it Lauryn Hill may appear as a special guest (although girl is fickle as they come), but even more exciting is the theme of the show, which is artists performing four classic albums in their entirety. That means Slick Rick will do The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, Krs-One will perform Criminal Minded, Rakim will perform Paid in Full, and Wu-Tang will headline with Enter the 36 Chambers. In addition to the four full album performances, special guests include Wiz Khalifa, Clipse, Immortal Technique, Jedi Mind Tricks, and more, plus surprises that may well include a Guru tribute. Keep checking the site for ticket info, which should be posted soon.

NY pride

LCD Soundsystem ended each of their NY shows this weekend with a version of "New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down," that incorporated this fall's NY anthem, "Empire State of Mind." I thought nothing could make me want to hear that Jay-Z jam again, but LCD really did us proud. Aw.