Wheat beer drinkers rejoice! In a big departure from its usually hops-heavy line-up, Sixpoint Brewery in Redhook has just introduced Apollo, a wheat ale, to its seasonal rotation. more ›

Today marks the one year anniversary of Michael Jackson's death. The performer died at the age of 50 after going into cardiac arrest in his home last year. Chances are wherever you were one year ago, his music was playing in the background, and tonight you can expect the same. WCBS reports that Manhattan clubs are planning tribute nights, and the Apollo Theater, where many fans flocked a year ago, honored him earlier today. more ›

The only thing more fun than watching people get booed off the stage at the Apollo is watching teachers get booed off the stage by their students. Someone at the Education Department thought it would be a hoot to have a Teachers' Amateur Night at the Apollo, and it sure was, because the upper mezzanine was filled with rowdy students hungry for a little payback. Four of the first five acts—the "cannon fodder"—were booed off stage; they included a bluegrass band, a spoken word poet, tap dancers, and modern dancers. more ›

Earlier today the Apollo Theater unveiled their Apollo Legends Walk of Fame, featuring plaques honoring Quincy Jones, Patti Labelle, Smokey Robinson, James Brown, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Little Richard, and Ella Fitzgerald. While you might be wondering where MJ's plaque is, it's coming next month, along with Aretha Franklin's. So the 125th Street Walk of Fame will continue to grow, honoring performers with ties to the venue, which is currently celebrating its 75th anniversary. President of the Apollo, Jonelle Procope, explained the decision to create the Walk of Fame, saying, “Since 1934, we’ve been an epicenter for African-American culture, and we launched careers of practically all the legendary performers. The walk of fame, the idea of publicly paying tribute to the Apollo’s legends, made absolute sense.” more ›

This June 14th both the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, and the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, will be inducted into the Apollo Theater's Hall of Fame. Jackson first performed there with his brothers in the late 1960s... as part of Amateur Night. They won, and the rest is pretty much history. But did you know that MJ was an insane beatboxer? We didn't until seeing this video, and his honor as an Apollo Legend is as good a time as any to share it: more ›

Finally, we all have closure for a 2004 incident where a tiger from the Cole Bros. Circus escaped, ran along the Jackie Robinson Highway, and then passed out in some bushes. See, drivers who caught glimpse of Apollo, a 450-pound tiger, were naturally startled and ended up in a five-car pile-up (started when one driver didn't want to hit the huge creature). And, naturally, those drivers sued. 1010WINS reports that the tiger's trainer will pay a near $1 million settlement to two drivers "both claimed to have suffered devastating back injuries in the chain-reaction car crash." Apollo's escape at the time gave State Senator Carl Kruger more reason to ban the circus, especially considering Cole Bros. had also included flying cats. more ›

Harlem resident met with city planners in a public forum yesterday afternoon to discuss whether a major rezoning plan will enhance the historic neighborhood or rip out its heart. The zoning plan, covering 124th, 125th, and 126th Streets, paves the way for condos, a 21-story office tower, a hotel, and more. more ›

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It's been quite a 24 hours for Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama. Last nght, he was at the Apollo for his first Harlem event. And this morning, he had breakfast with Mayor Bloomberg at a Midtown diner. At last night's $50-per-ticket fund-raiser, both Cornel West and Chris Rock introduced Obama. West asked the audience to think about entertainers like James Brown and Billie Holliday, who "represent a way of life that goes all the... more ›