One Stop Beer Shop - A New "Beer Mixology" Bar Opens in East Williamsburg

On Dec. 28th, One Stop Beer Shop opened in East Williamsburg. This new bar has over 100 diverse beers, 16 taps and specialty beer mixology cocktails. The tap selection currently includes beers from Van Steenberge (Belgium), Brooklyn Brewery (New York), Sly Fox (Pennsylvania) and Dogfish Head (Delaware) along with the non-alcoholic Kombucha Brooklyn (a fermented tea beverage) and the selection will change from season to season. For anyone who lives in the area, the bar also offers 64 oz. growlers to-go and is planning on offering delivery service later this year.







While the beer selection is great (and there was a food menu that I didn’t pay a lot of attention to…though the Cajun-spiced popcorn on the bar was frighteningly addictive), the real attraction at One Stop Beer Shop is the beer mixology cocktails. The concept behind beer mixology is to creatively do more with beer, using a variety of beer blends and quality spirits. For opening night, there were four cocktails being served and all of the drinks were patiently hand-made (as opposed to the recently sprung-up trend of “cocktails on tap”).

I tried three of the four cocktails and the “Orange You Glad?” cocktail was the highlight. This drink consisted of: The Original Moonshine whiskey, orange juice, agave, muddled orange and lemon which is then topped with Brooklyn Winter Ale. “Sinfully Original” was a close second and this drink is made with Original Sin Cider over tea infused Tito’s Vodka. The bloody mary tasting “MiShinelada”, which is made with The Original Moonshine whiskey, tomato juice, lime juice, Sriracha sauce, Chipotle Tabasco and topped off with Brooklyn Lager was a bit too esoteric for my taste and I never got around to the whiskey, mint and blueberry flavored “Clandestine Moon” .

One Stop Beer Shop is located in a pre-war storefront and the interior is beautiful with a lot of wide open spaces (though it was standing room only on opening night but I got to meet some great people). The bar was designed by Tanya Beuyukian who “was inspired by the property’s original 1920’s aesthetic and features an eclectic collection of furniture, floor to ceiling brick walls, and many reclaimed materials within an open bar space.”

One Stop Beer Shop is located at 134 Kingsland Avenue and it is about a 10 minute walk from the Graham Avenue stop on the L. The bar is open Sunday-Wednesday 11am-2am; Thursday-Saturday 11am-3:30am.

Links:
www.onestopbeershopny.com
www.facebook.com/onestopbeershop
http://www.twitter.com/onestopbeershop

Rob Sacher (former owner of Luna Lounge) Opens His New Bar, Satellite Lounge, this Weekend

Rob Sacher, former owner of the Luna Lounge, was always one of the nicest guys in the industry. Rob's new bar, Satellite Lounge, is having its grand opening this weekend.

Friday, May 8th at 10PM and Saturday, May 9th at 10PM

Satellite Lounge is located at 143 Havemeyer Street (between South First And South Second Streets)

Given Rob's years in the local music scene, I would expect the bar to have a fabulous jukebox.

On a related note, what happened to the Knitting Factory's move into the old Luna Lounge space? I was by there last weekend and it doesn't look like any work has been done and the exterior looked bad. A couple months ago, this place looked "kept up". There were flyers for shows at the Knitting Factory in the display cases, the building walls were clean, etc. The display cases are now gone and the walls are covered with graffiti. You have to wonder if this move is really taking place. The Knitting Factory has shows booked in the "old location" through July and this is completely contradictory to the "closing in January, reopening in Williamsburg in March" story that was going around last year.

Black Cobra Announce Headlining Show at The Charleston in Williamsburg

Psychedelic sludge rockers, Black Cobra, are currently on the road with Genghis Tron and Yip Yip for about another week.

After this, the band is getting right back in the van and touring the clubs across the country. A wide range of bands are joining Black Cobra at some of their shows which include Weedeater, Greif, Sourvein, US Christmas and labelmates Dark Castle and Stinking Lizaveta.

The only area tour stop is at The Charleston in Williamsburg on October 26th. Check out the video for "Sugar Water" (which is from the 2007 release Bestial) and bring your earplugs to the show.



Links:
Black Cobra's MySpace Page
Black Cobra's Website

Good Night, States are Playing Supreme Trading Tomorrow Night

I love it when a band that I am not familiar with puts out a disc that grabs my attention. I was planning on reviewing metal CDs tonight but thought I'd listen to a track or two from Good Night, States' new disc Short Films of Self-Control just to hear what the band sounds like. I've now listened to the whole disc through.

The band's music is solid, thoughtful indie-rock but it is the multi-part harmonies, the tasteful synth/piano and the multi-instrument/multi-layers of sound that grabbed and held my attention throughout the disc. This is good stuff...

Check out a couple of the tracks from this release:
Only Thing
The Family Dark

Good Night, States have been releasing singles as "name-your-price" downloads on the 1st and 15th of each month since April 2008 so keep an eye on the band's website for new material.

Tickets are $10 for tomorrow's show and the band is playing with The Shackeltons and Skeleton Breath.

Austerity Program's Record Release Party @ Rocky's (Williamsburg) on Aug. 23rd

Austerity Program have just released their second CD, Black Madonna, on Hydrahead and are playing a record release party at Rocky's in Williamsburg tomorrow night. Austerity Program can make an incredible amount of noise for being just a two man (+ a drum machine) band and the band is a lot of fun live. (Check out my photos of the band's show last November at Water Street Lounge)

The band's member have uber-serious jobs (PhD candidate and researcher) so the band plays very few shows these days. I'd make a point of checking out the show tomorrow night. It is only a $5 admission...

Links:
Austerity Program's Website
Austerity Program's MySpace Page

Music Hall of Williamsburg Announces Initial Lineup of Shows

A few weeks ago, The Music Hall of Williamsburg announced Patti Smith as the opening night show (and the show sold out very quickly). Bowery Presents has just released the initial bookings for the club and there looks to be a number of solid acts.

The initial Fall lineup for the Music Hall of Williamsburg is as follows:

September

4: Patti Smith and Her Band (previously announced)

7: Joseph Arthur & The Lonely Astronauts

8: Vampire Weekend

10: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
*fan presale July 10

14: The Walkmen

15: Bonde do Rolê with Plastic Little

19: The Black Lips with The Selmanaires and Nice Boys

21: Les Savy Fav
*tickets on sale July 18, presale July 14

27: Medeski, Martin & Wood

28: Fujiya & Miyagi with Dirty on Purpose

29: Jose Gonzalez
*tickets on sale July 17

October

3: BORIS and Damon & Naomi with Michio Kurihara

8: Sunset Rubdown

9: High On Fire with Mono, Panthers, Coliseum
*tickets on sale July 20, presale July 13

Tickets for the initial September and October shows will go on sale Friday, July 13 at noon, unless otherwise noted. Additional Music Hall of Williamsburg shows will be announced soon.

Through the new agreement with Ticketmaster, fans will be able to purchase tickets for events at all Bowery Presents venues at a fee structure virtually the same as that of former ticketing partner, TicketWeb.

"This decision to move to Ticketmaster allows us to maintain our dedication to providing easy access to tickets and entry into clubs, given our recent expansion," said Michael Swier, a partner in The Bowery Presents. "Considering our solid history with Ticketmaster as the owners of TicketWeb, we believe they have come to know not only our market but also our commitment to low ticketing fees."

In September, The Bowery Presents will open a second box office at the Music Hall of Williamsburg that will sell tickets to all of The Bowery Presents' venues -- Music Hall of Williamsburg, Bowery Ballroom, Mercury Lounge and Webster Hall - and to select Bowery Presents concerts. As at the Mercury Lounge box office, this outpost will offer cash-only ticket sales with no additional fees.

The Music Hall of Williamsburg will open on September 4th with a sold-out performance by Patti Smith and Her Band and will be the first Brooklyn music venue to be managed and operated by The Bowery Presents. Inspired by the look and feel of the Bowery Ballroom, and committed to providing the best experience possible for bands and fans, the 550-capacity Music Hall of Williamsburg will have a focus on acoustics, sightlines and space. The venue will feature state-of-the-art sound, lighting, broadcasting and recording systems, which will also have the capability to be used for Internet, TV and radio broadcasts.

Please visit www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com for ticket information and schedule updates.

About The Bowery Presents

The Bowery Presents is an independent promotion company based in New York City. With a core business based around great music, its mission is to bring the best bands to the NY metropolitan area and to provide the best concert experience for fans and artists, along with reasonable ticket prices. Over the years The Bowery Presents has worked with a vast cross-section of some of the most talented performing artists, including Arcade Fire, Bloc Party, Bright Eyes, Billy Corgan, Guster, Interpol, John Mayer, Moby, Modest Mouse, Muse, Queens of the Stone Age, Sonic Youth, The Sea & Cake, The Shins and The White Stripes. Michael Swier and John Moore of The Bowery Presents have presented music at the Mercury Lounge, the Bowery Ballroom and Webster Hall over the past 15 years. Jim Glancy, former president of the New York division of Live Nation joined the company as partner in 2006. In addition to opening the Music Hall of Williamsburg in September 2007, The Bowery Presents, headquartered on Manhattan's Lower East Side, will open a larger venue in Manhattan in October 2007. For more information, visit www.bowerypresents.com.

The Stalkers 4th of July Party Moved to a New Location

The Stalkers posted an updated address for their 4th of July party tomorrow:

July, 4 2007 at WILD HOUSE PARTY!!!!
252 NORMAN AVE. Rooftop!, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York
Cost : FREE!!!

THIS IS IT!!! ROOFTOP! LIVE MUSIC!!! BBQ!!!! BEER!!! LIQUOR!!! FIRECRACKERS!!! FIREWORKS!!! & A LIVE PERFORMANCE BY.... STALKERS!!!! NOT TO BE MISSED!!!! FREE!!!!! Party Starts @ 6 Live Show @ 8pm. Fireworks @ 9

Links:
The Stalkers' MySpace page (link)

The Stalkers Play a 4th of July Party in Greenpoint

This sounds pretty crazy... (from The Stalkers' MySpace page)

July, 4 2007 5pm at a WILD HOUSE PARTY!!!!
730 Manhattan Ave Ground Floor, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York
Cost : FREE!!!

THIS IS IT!!! ABANDONED APARTMENT! DJs!!! BACKYARD LUAU!!!! BBQ!!!! BEER!!! LIQUOR!!! FIREWORKS!!! & A LIVE PERFORMANCE BY.... STALKERS!!!! NOT TO BE MISSED!!!! FREE!!!!!

The band is playing both the Leeds and Reading Festivals next month and has a couple of dates in town before going off to the UK.

Jul 7 2007 9:00P THE QUARTERLY ORGY @ GALAPAGOS Brooklyn, NYC
Aug 11 2007 9:00P CLUB MIDWAY NYC, New York
Aug 23 2007 8:00P DIRTY WATER CLUB FOGGY LONDON TOWN, London and South East
Aug 24 2007 8:00P Leeds Festival Leeds
Aug 25 2007 8:00P TRASH (Formerly the Mixing Tin) LEEDS UK, Northwest
Aug 26 2007 8:00P Reading Festival Reading, London and South East

Links:
The Stalkers' MySpace page (link)

Oxford Collapse are Playing Free Fest in Williamsburg on June 21st

This looks like a fun one...

I haven't seen Oxford Collapse but keep reading great reviews. The band is playing a free fest on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg next Thursday. Also on the bill are Best Fwends and Cheesburger.

Bedford Ave (between 7th and 8th) will be blocked off for this fest and the show runs from 6PM - 10PM.


Here are some details on the Make Music New York festival:

Make Music New York is a new live, free musical celebration across the city that will take place for the first time on June 21, 2007.

For one day, public spaces throughout the five boroughs (sidewalks, parks, community gardens, and more) will become impromptu musical stages, dance floors, and social meeting points. Thousands of amateur musicians, in every genre, will be able to play on the sidewalks for the biggest crowdsof their lives. Professional musicians will be able to attract new audiences, who will come out from under their headphones to hear unfamiliar groups risk-free. And everyone will be invited to sing along and enjoy the first day of summer.

Links:
Oxford Collapse MySpace page (link)

Soundfix Is Hosting Wilco DVD Screening with Open Bar on Monday, May 14th

Below is the post from Soundfix's site:

We're celebrating the release of Wilco's great new record, "Sky Blue Sky," with an exclusive screening, an open bar (yes, free) and a midnight sale. We kick things off at 10pm with the band's new DVD, featuring eight live performances and interviews in Wilco's loft, followed by an open bar at 11pm (yes, free). Be the first to purchase the new album "Sky Blue Sky" at midnight and receive an exclusive EP featuring two unreleased tracks. The first 20 people to buy the album will also get a free Wilco T-shirt. To top it off, everyone in attendance will have the chance to win (1 of 5) Wilco t-shirt/tote bag prize packs.

Frauke Plays Trash Bar in Williamsburg on Wednesday, May 9th

How can you say no to Frauke, a low $6 cover and open bar for an hour (8PM - 9PM)



Frauke is playing with nuh-uh and the Trash Bar is located at 256 Grand Street in Williamsburg.

Links:
Frauke's Main Website (link)

The Stalkers Play a Free Show Tomorrow at Pass Out Records in Williamsburg

The Stalkers are playing a free show tomorrow afternoon at Pass Out Records in Williamsburg. The show is at 3:00PM and Pass Out Records is located at 131 Grand Street. There are a couple bands playing with The Stalkers which include The Makeout Party (from Los Angeles)and Blondsai (from Chicago).

Luna Lounge Is Booking Some Solid Acts

Well, NorthSix closed with a fizzle as ConEd turned off the power a day early (See BrooklynVegan's site for more details) but it looks like some strong acts are being booked into Luna Lounge. Right now, Rob Dickinson (former vocalist for The Catherine Wheel) is playing on Feb. 28th (tickets are $12) and The Young Knives and The View are playing on March 3rd (tickets are $10).

With all the hype around The View's show at The Merc last month, I am surprised tickets are still available.

Below is a picture from The Comas show from the club's opening night (thxs Rob)

NME.Com Just Ran a Feature on the Reopening of the Luna Lounge

NME.Com published this yesterday...

The new Luna Lounge moves to Brooklyn

New York venue Luna Lounge is set to reopen in it's new location in Williamsburg, Brooklyn this Friday (January 19). The venue, which closed its doors on Ludlow Street in June 2005, was a significant venue for much of the Lower East Side music scene for ten years. The venue saw performances from many of the city's most successful indie rock bands including Interpol, The Strokes and Stellastarr*. The venue's relaunch will see a performance from lauded Brooklyn/Chapel Hill band The Comas, and will continue to operate on weekends until February when it will announce a nightly schedule.

Luna Lounge Reopens Next Friday, Jan. 19th, in Williamsburg

After losing its lease on the Lower East Side 18 months ago, the Luna Lounge reopens next weekend in Williamsburg. The new location of the club is 361 Metropolitan Avenue (which is right off N. 4th). The new space is bigger than the previous location (I have read the capacity is between 300 - 350 people) which makes the club slightly bigger than The Mercury Lounge.

Bands for opening night are The Comas and Falcon. Tickets are $10.00.

Unsound @ The Lucky Cat, Sat., Nov. 25th

Unsound hosts its final event for the year at The Lucky Cat in Brooklyn on Saturday, November 25th.


Bands playing are:

MUSTARD GAS AND ROSES (solo guitar ruminations from Mike Gallagher of Isis)
in a special joint session with DESTRUCTO SWARMBOTS (the soundtrack to a suicide)

Also appearing:
MARCH BURCH member of Schloss Tegal
MUTUS LIBER drone electronics from upstate new york
RICARDO SHEETS member of DisassociateAudio

interludes by HEATHEN PANZER

Doors @ 10PM and Tickets are $5.00. Come early and join in on a vegetarian Thanksgiving Feast.