Freebird Hosts Punk Party

Friday, July 30, 7:30 pm

Freebird, in conjunction with Books Through Bars, sponsors an evening of punk reminiscences from author and New Bomb Turks frontman, Eric Davidson. Two tickets (valued at $40) will be raffled off to that evening's Gories concert at the Bowery Ballroom. In addition, winners will receive a copy of Eric's new history WE NEVER LEARN: The Gunkpunk Undergut, 1988-2001 and a cab ride to the concert following. All proceeds go to Books Through Bars.

Freebird's backyard will play host to Eric who will recount his experiences and those of his contemporaries (like The Dwarves, Gories, Supersuckers, Mummies, Oblivians, Cheater Slicks, and Teengenerate) who forged ahead making raw, lo-fi, and gunky music despite an almost complete lack of interest from the mainstream. Mike Edison (drummer for the Raunch Hands and GG Allin and the author of I Have Fun Everywhere I Go) will be on hand to introduce Eric, and Eric will screen rare concert footage from many of the bands he writes about in We Never Learn.

A worthy successor to Our Band Could Be Your Life, WE NEVER LEARN is a celebration of the last great wave of down-and-dirty rock before the internet completely changed the game.

Join them for beer, chips, outrageous stories, and digitized VHS tapes and you may win an opportunity to blow out your eardrums in the wee hours afterwards!

PortSide NewYork Programs this week and weekend

PortSide NewYork programs on Pier 11, Atlantic Basin this week and weekend:


Thurs 9pm TankerFlick "Random Lunacy" screened on the deck of the Mary A. Whalen

Sat 10am-4pm "City of Water Day at Atlantic Basin" (waterfront stuff for kids, wonks, tourists, shoppers of waterfront collectibles, books and art)

Sun 11am Walking tour, Industral history of Red Hook led by Mary Habstritt

Sun 5-9pm TankerTime - public is free to enjoy the deck of the Mary A. Whalen

Ticketing info, and full calendar and description of an exciting array of PortSide programs on Pier 11, Atlantic Basin until 8/24 at
http://www.portsidenewyork.org/PortSideNewYorkSummer2010programs.htm

Includes a tall ship visit with a pirate cabaret aboard, talks, readings, walking tours n more!

More Backyard Films at Freebird

In response to the recent heat wave, Books Through Bars sponsors a few Friday night "summer in the city" films in Freebird's un-airconditioned backyard.

This Friday, July 23, at sunset (approx 8:15 pm) they screen Do The Right Thing, that classic Brooklyn sweatfest of overheated temperatures and tempers.

On Friday, August 13, at sunset, athey will show Dog Day Afternoon featuring Al Pacino's sweltering, scene-chewing performance. It's based on the botched holdup of a Brooklyn bank in 1972.


And don't forget the BTB sponsored event on Friday, July 30, at 7:30 pm, when Eric Davidson discusses WE NEVER LEARN: The Gunkpunk Undergut, 1988-2001 and screens rare (no doubt hotter-than-a-match-head) concert footage from the period. Mike Edison (drummer for the Raunch Hands and GG Allin and the author of I Have Fun Everywhere I Go) will introduce.

COWNA General Meeting this Thursday

The Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Association is hosting a neighborhood meeting this week. Can you join us?

When: Thursday, July 22
Time: 6:45 - 8:30 pm
Where: 29 Tiffany Community Room, 29 Tiffany Place

On the agenda: beer trucks, bike racks and bus cuts -- plus whatever else is on your mind. If your have an idea for improving the neighborhood or just a gripe to get off your chest, this is your opportunity to have your say.

Hope to see you on Thursday!

Music in the Garden - Today at 5pm - Summit St. Garden

The Summit St. Garden is having a free performance and sing-along for kids tonight at 5pm hosted by local musicians! Bring out the whole family and enjoy music and the outdoors.

The Summit St. Garden is located at the corner of Columbia St. and Summit St.

Bike stolen from TIffany Place - DO NOT BUY THIS BIKE

The bike pictured above was stolen from Tiffany Place last weekend. It is an orange Schwinn with a basket in the front and a red banana seat (not in picture) in the back.

If someone tries to sell you this bike, please report it.

If you have any other information, feel free to email me at cbarker1 { at } gmail.com and I can put you in touch with the owner.

I have heard of many other bike thefts in the area recently - so remember to be extra careful!

Former B71 rider(s) needed for "People's Hearing"

The Straphangers Campaign is looking for a former B71 rider to speak at a "People's Hearing" on Tuesday, July 13th at 5 pm.
This event will take place at Cooper Union in Manhattan before the MTA's public hearing on Station Booth Closures. If you are interested in participating, please contact Cate Contino at ccontino { at } nypirg.org or by calling 212.349.6460.

Brooklyn County Fair - THIS SATURDAY July 10th - at Urban Meadow and Jalopy

If you missed the Brooklyn Folk Festival that Jalopy held at the Urban Meadow a while back, you missed a good time had by all that included great music and square dancing (who knew so many people in Brooklyn would jump in and get excited over a square dance!).

You know have another chance to check out a Jalopy sponsored event at the Urban Meadow called the Brooklyn County Fair 2010!

The daytime portion of the fair, starting at 12 pm, will be at the Urban Meadow

The nighttime portion will be at Jalopy

They've stepped it up this time to include food by Columbia St. favorite Jake's BBQ and beverages by Red Hook favorite Six Point!

See the official site or Jalopy's site for more details

A safer access to Pier 6 on its way!

We got news through the Cobble Hill Association blog that the DOT responded to public outcry (with a little push from elected officials) about the dire street crossing situation on Atlantic Ave toward the Pier 6 playgrounds.


Here are the DOT comments:

-“Stop Here on Red” sign on Atlantic Avenue at the eastbound approach to the on-ramp, to communicate to drivers that they do not have a free left turn when the light ahead is red and the pedestrian indication across the ramp is WALK.

-“Turning Vehicles Yield to Pedestrians” sign on Atlantic Avenue at the westbound approach to the on-ramp, to emphasize to drivers that they must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk.

- Conducting a traffic study to determine if further signal or regulation changes that will reduce vehicle-pedestrian conflicts at this location are feasible. Additional recommendations will be shared publicly in near future.

- Evaluating medium term opportunities for more significant reconfigurations to the street network around Pier 6 that will assist with bicycle and pedestrian park access, including the intersection of Columbia Street and Atlantic Avenue, and Atlantic Avenue west of Columbia Street.

Let's hope they will act on it before the end of the summer.