New York DJ Jonathan Toubin, who in December of 2011 was injured during a freak accident, will be making his return to the decks in May. Toubin was sleeping in his hotel room in Portland last year when a taxi came crashing through the wall, fracturing his skull base, pelvis, collarbones, ribs, and sternum, as well as leaving him with many internal injuries including a punctured liver and crushed lungs. He talked about his injuries, and waking up a month later in the hospital, earlier this year, and will now finally make his triumphant return. An announcement on his NY Night Train site reads, "The good news is that, after months of healing in Portland, Jonathan Toubin is finally ready to come back home and get back to work." more ›

Last December New York-based DJ Jonathan Toubin was injured in a freak accident while visiting Portland, Oregon. Toubin was asleep in his hotel room when a cab crashed through the wall and pinned him beneath the vehicle. He was in critical condition at Oregon Health and Science University Hospital in Portland—with fractures in his skull base, pelvis, collarbones, ribs, sternum, and many internal injuries including a punctured liver and crushed lungs; since the accident, benefits have been thrown for him. Now the New York Night Train DJ has spoken for the first time, to Rolling Stone. more ›

Last month, we reported the sad news that much-loved DJ Jonathan Toubin, known for his New York Night Train soul-music dance parties, was critically injured in a horrific freak accident in Portland, Oregon. Since then, dozens of shows in New York and a tour across the country have been launched to raise funds for Toubin, who remains hospitalized in Portland. Tomorrow night, the nationwide tour is coming to the Music Hall of Williamsburg, and it looks to be a doozy. more ›

Brooklyn-based DJ Jonathan Toubin, the host of the popular 45rpm rock-and-soul dance party New York Night Train, was critically injured yesterday in a horrific freak accident in Portland, Oregon, where he was visiting to spin a party. more ›

The Yankees do pomp and pageantry well, but they don't have a mascot. The Mets have Mr. Met, but they aren't in the playoffs. Thus, in honor of the start of the playoffs, we want to acknowledge DJ Kitty, the Tampa Bay Rays' sensation who mans the turntable with an ALCS ring around his neck. Plus, he's a cat! Check out his moves to Gucci Mane and The Movement: more ›

Earlier this month, we wondered what was going on with the dual investigations into the Paterson administration. One probe, you may recall, centers on allegations that Paterson and the State Police tried to silence a woman who accused Paterson's top aide of beating her; the other scandal has to do with the same aide, David Johnson, soliciting free Yankees World Series tickets for the boss. Well, today the Times reports that Johnson has been called to testify twice, but has kept his mouth shut, invoking his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself. Neither the state attorney general’s office nor Johnson's attorney will comment, but on the lawyer's law blog, he calls the Fifth Amendment the "safe harbor of the innocent" and "not the refuge of the guilty." more ›

The Times has at last published its hotly anticipated bombshell exposé anticlimactic profile on Governor Paterson, and, as it turns out, the piece contains no salacious details on the rumored "drug fueled swinger parties" in the Executive Mansion. Instead, the article mainly focuses on Paterson's longtime right-hand man, David Johnson, and his shady past selling crack and (allegedly) beating women. Paterson and others call him D.J., and colleagues say that because he's 6-foot-7, with a booming voice, he makes the legally blind Governor feel safe. And when arguments with constituents got heated in Paterson's former Harlem office, one source explains, "It was good to have a big guy in the office." more ›

Madonna's 22-year-old boyfriend Jesus Luz gets the NY Times Styles section treatment. Sure, he met his ridiculously famous 51-year-old girlfriend for a W fashion shoot last year, but now, he's not only modeling. "He enrolled at a D.J. school in Manhattan and in no time has landed high-profile gigs. For the 90-minute set he was spinning Nov. 12, only his second professional D.J. outing in the city, he was being paid around $15,000" (PR people hope Madonna will show). The Brazil native also loves New York, "I like the strong energy of the people in the city and how they work and run behind your ideals here. It is very contagious in a good way. Sometimes when I look at the Statue of Liberty, I feel a sensation similar to when I look at the statue of Christ in Rio.” more ›

There was a time when one might have been surprised to find an article about, say, Girl Talk nestled within the fussy pages of The New Yorker. But for years now Sasha Frere-Jones, the magazine's pop music critic, has been broadening the magazine's appeal with his perceptive and funny observations on everything from Radiohead to Coldplay. (Ha.) (See also: Miscegenation.) Jones is also that rare breed of critic who actually creates in his field of interest; his band Ui has been a presence in the downtown avant-rock scene since 1990. more ›

When we first noted this incoming Brazilian restaurant/bar back at the beginning of January, we incorrectly referred to it as Favela. Turns out it's Miss Favela to you (and us); the South Williamsburg "Brazilian Botequim" is currently in soft opening mode. Co-owner Alain Denneulin (of Soho's French Bistro Felix) tells us they're shooting for an official opening June 2nd. more ›

Long Island Lolita Amy Fisher has been happy to talk about her sex tape, her DJ-ing career, and her current life to pretty much any and all press. But throw in a question from the daughter of Joey and Mary Jo Buttafuoco, you don't get Amy. more ›

Some good news in the ongoing saga to save 1520 Sedgwick, better known as the Birthplace of Hip Hop. Today Senator Schumer, who has been lobbying on behalf of the tenants to preserve the building's affordability, announced that "the city Department of Housing Preservation and Development rejected the proposed sale to developer Mark Karasick because current rents could not be sustained if the sale had gone through." The move doesn't insure that the building’s owner won't still opt out of the Mitchell-Lama program, however. more ›

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Bronx legend Clive Campbell, who as DJ Kool Herc is widely credited as one of hip-hop’s founding fathers, is not suing Jay-Z, developer Bruce Ratner and Barclays bank, as previously reported by the Observer online. The $5 billion lawsuit is being brought by a much less famous Brooklyn activist also named Clive Campbell, and the mix-up is probably a big publicity boon for his lawsuit, as it echoed far and wide across the internets before the Observer corrected it. Campbell is demanding the money as slavery reparations because of Barclays’ history with the slave trade; the bank has secured the naming rights for the controversial Nets stadium Ratner is trying to build at Brooklyn’s Atlantic Yards, which would be part of a bigger residential development. more ›

Back in 2004 we talked to KEXP deejay John Richards, who was here broadcasting from the (then named) Museum of Television and Radio. KEXP is a Seattle listener-supported station, but while they're based in the Pacific Northwest, they are heard worldwide via their online stream. more ›

tre dici STEAK: The second floor of Chelsea’s Italian restaurant tre dici has been transformed into an intimate, 50 seat dining room (pictured) designed in the style of a sexy New Orleans speakeasy, circa 1920. Heavy fabrics covering the windows evoke a feeling of timelessness in the candlelit room, which is lined with luxuriant claret leathers and sensual artwork under an antique silver tin ceiling. The food arrives via dumbwaiter from chef Giuseppe Fanelli’s kitchen and features entrees like Kobe Beef Ravioli with black truffle, caramelized onions and parmigianino; and, no surprise, a 16 oz. Black Angus Hanger Steak. A lobster salad with watermelon, avocado, red onion & yuzo vinaigrette walks on the lighter side, and an elegant bar pours a selection of bourbons and scotches. [Closed Sundays.] 128 West 26th Street, 2nd Floor, (212) 243-2085. more ›

London-based solo musician Yoav is a singer/songwriter who works hard to go beyond the usual “man with a guitar” conventions. By looping beats created with his voice and acoustic guitar, his songs are often inflected with an unusual drum 'n' bass flavor. His debut album Charmed & Strange crystallizes this aesthetic with an effect he describes as “DJ-ing with my guitar.” Yoav plays Mercury Lounge Saturday night at 7:30; tickets cost $10. more ›

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Fellas, if you’re in some sort of relationship and haven’t nailed down the V-Day itinerary yet, it’s about time to start making some quick decisions and, regrettably, commitments. Reservations fill up fast and no matter what she says about ‘not expecting anything special’, we all know that’s a big trap. But it doesn’t mean you have to submit to an overpriced prix fixe dinner at a stuffy, overcrowded restaurant; here are some less predictable ways to impress your date this Love Day. (We suggest starting now by ordering one of these fine Law & Order SVU Valentine's cards.) more ›

Well this was unexpected! Not afraid to wear a fur coat to the Natural History Museum, Kanye West made a surprise appearance at last Friday's Cool Kids/Kid Sister party. As Kid Sister was finishing up her set, Kanye jumped up on stage to throw in his part of their duet. He then stayed up there to play a short set of all his current hits. DJ A-Trak claimed it to be a last minute arrangement, getting thrown together by text messages that evening, and it was a well kept surprise. It certainly made the several long will call lines attendees were forced to wait in more tolerable in hindsight. (Pic by Justin Charles for Flavorpill, who hosted the event) more ›

Last year we visited 1520 Sedgwick Avenue's past and uncertain future. The "Birthplace of Hip Hop" was, and still is, in danger of losing its lifeblood when the landlord (BSR Management) announced they wanted to abandon the Mitchell-Lama program. Essentially buying out of the program and leaving the doors open for a rent increase. Then things got worse when BSR made it clear they would be selling the building to a real estate mogul Mark Karasick, which was set to happen next month. more ›

THEATER: Over the summer the Belarusian Free Theater was arrested, along with their audience, during a performance of their play Being Harold Pinter, which uses Pinter’s magnificent Nobel Prize acceptance speech as a springboard for theatrical dissent, something the Belarus police state isn't really so into. (For that reason, the company’s performances are normally held secretly in alternating private apartments.) Unable to bring the entire production to New York for his Under the Radar festival, Artistic Director Mark Russell instead invited journalist/playwright Nikolai Khalezin (pictured) to present Generation Jeans, his solo show with DJ; it’s a semi-autobiographical account of a freedom fighter and the beginning of the “Jeans Revolution.” – John Del Signore more ›

LECTURE: NYU and the Department of Sanitation present a trash talk tonight, titled: Gotham and its Garbage: A History of the Department of Sanitation. The illustrated lecture will include an exhibition tour and status report on the DSNY Museum-in-the-Making (which we wrote about last year). Robin Nagle, Ph.D., DSNY Anthropologist-in-Residence, and Haidy Geismar, Ph.D., Professor of Anthropology, NYU will both be there to lead the discussion. more ›

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a bank robbery on Richmond Ave. on Staten Island, an injured corrections officer at Rikers Island in the Bronx, and a gas leak on East 68th St. in Manhattan.
• Chris Booker, the NY radio DJ boyfriend of Philly news personality Alycia Lane who allegedly punched a female NYPD police officer after calling her a dyke, says that she's being singled out because "[she's] a babe." Or it's because she allegedly punched a female NYPD police officer in the face after calling her a dyke.
• The Observer directs the politically inclined to Iowa Caucus-watching parties around town.

Alycia Lane, the anchorwoman from the CBS owned station KYW in Philadelphia , who was at one time linked to WCBS anchor Chris Wragge, sent bikini photos to a married man, and is frequently mentioned in the Post’s Page Six column got into some more hot water in Chelsea around 2 a..m. Sunday morning. The Long Island native, allegedly punched a female police officer from the 10th Precinct in the face at W. 17th Street and 9th Avenue. more ›

In November, Charlie Rose sat down with rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z. The musician is originally from Brooklyn and late in the interview Rose queries about the expected success of the Nets once they move to Kings County. Jay-Z is very enthusiastic about the potential of the team and the virtues of the borough, as he prefaces every statement about Brooklyn with the words "we" and "ours." It is unintentionally comedic then when Rose immediately follows up with the question "And where do you live now?" The answer is a terse "In Manhattan, uh." The exchange begins around 48 minutes and 45 seconds into the interview and a quick transcript is available at the Atlantic Yards Report site here. It reminded us of the first time that we heard that director Spike Lee had moved to the Upper East Side. more ›

Kuta Satay House & Wine Bar: Taking its name from the tourist beach town in Bali, Kuta Satay House (pictured) is bringing its modern Southeast Asia menu to the Lower East Side. The main attraction here are the skewers, such as short ribs with asian pears and sesame barbeque sauce. Entrees emphasize seafood and steak, but there’s also a spicy duck curry and side dishes like garlic fries. 65 Rivington St, (212) 777-5882. more ›

DJ Star, who was fired from Power 105 after some remarks about a rival's child, will be coming back to radio stations. While publicists for the DJ, born Troi Torain, would not disclose where he'll be headed (not before tomorrow press conference, at least), the Daily News reports that it will probably be WNYZ, which is 87.7FM: "Its current format is Russian popular music, but with the hiring of Star, it will reportedly switch to... more ›