Results tagged “mccarrenpool”

              

Yesterday afternoon the Pool Parties made their debut off the McCarren Pool grounds and on the Williamsburg waterfront, at East River State Park (Mission of Burma, Fucked Up, Ponytail and Jemina Pearl all played). This new home is even more temporary than the last—which is currently undergoing a $50 million makeover—only one summer of shows will be held here before it's time to find a new home. In the meantime, the crowds from yesterday were aTwitter with thoughts on the new space. Most of the reviews have been positive, and for the most part the same elements are there, with some slight changes.

Earlier this month it was announced that naming rights to certain locations around the city would be up for grabs to anyone with a few million bucks. Of course the city needs money, but is it right to strip away the history behind certain places? The Brooklyn Paper reports that there's some uproar over the re-naming of McCarren Park Pool, which might go on the block for $3 million, originally named for Senator Henry Patrick McCarren (D-Greenpoint). The Pool Aid folks have set up a petition, currently holding about 165 signatures, and the founder told the paper, “This is not a rootless community that just sprang up. We have a history, and we are seeing it just torn down before our eyes everyday. He is an important guy, he is a benefactor to this community, and he deserves to have his name on the institutions he worked to create." McCarren died in 1909, and you can learn more about his life and death in his New York Times obituary, as well as this Bowery Boys profile.

Last year as the the McCarren Park Pool parties were coming to an end forever (not forever), we talked to JellyNYC organizer Sarah Hooper about where they might revive their series this summer. At the time she told us that they were working closely with the Open Space Alliance, Parks Department and Marty Markowitz’s office to find a new space, but no matter what, the show will remain free and they'll always have a Slip n' Slide. Well, it's all happening people.

Have you come to terms yet with losing McCarren Pool as you've known it for the past few years? It's time to move on, because last night the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved the new plans for the space. Expect all that stuff you've been hearing about and seeing in renderings: ice skating rink, pool, cafes, umbrellas and other resorty type things. As we noted last month, there will still be performances, and the Brooklyn Paper reported that the future community center (set to open in 2011) will include an indoor performance space, according to the Parks Department spokesman Phil Abramson. [via Curbed]

                      

Well, that's that. McCarren Pool – the giant Robert Moses-era landmark that's been revived as a music, theater, dance and film venue after decades of neglect – hosted its last free 'pool party' yesterday. The Bloomberg administration has allocated $50 million to renovate the pool for swimming, restore the historic bathhouse building, and build a year-round recreation center that is to include a skate park and an ice rink.

Last Sunday marked the first of many epic Sundays this summer at McCarren Pool. Despite some crazy weather all afternoon, with beautiful sunny stretches interrupted by apocalyptic monsoons, the skies stayed clear for the Hold Steady's headlining set. While there are persistent rumors about an eventual pool renovation, which would relocate these free parties, this summer will go off as planned. Upcoming shows include sets from The Breeders, MGMT, Liars, Deerhunter and a whole bunch more to look forward to.

Yesterday Javier Téllez brought some wildlife to McCarren Park Pool for a new project based on the blind men and the elephant. Beulah (pictured) is apparently "39 years old and loves gumdrops, apples and empty pools," not unlike many Greenpoint/Williamsburg residents (though a tad older). NYC Art in the Parks has more info on the Creative Time project:Javier Téllez, Games are Forbidden in the Labyrinth November 2007 McCarren Pool, Brooklyn Artist Javier Téllez brings...

What started off as an excellent concert lineup just got better and better as the date approached. The additions of Spoon's Britt Daniel and Kevin Drew were a bonus treat. Music, reading and charity aside, perhaps the biggest wow moment was show headliner Jim James' new closely cropped haircut. The My Morning Jacket front man sheared his trademark Muppet locks since the last time we've seen him about. Not that it affected the music in any way, which nearly stole the show from some other very capable performers. Check out more thoughts and pics at BV and Stereogum, and check out our interview with 826NYC's Sarah Vowell. (pic via Muzicspy's flickr)

Sick of all that boring "indie" music polluting your fresh Greenpoint air this summer, Mr. cynical anonymous Gothamist commenter? Well maybe you prefer the jam-trance mania of the Disco Biscuits instead! No? Well a whole crowd of people did, comfortably filling McCarren Pool earlier this week with people who (no joke) bought their tickets on 4/20 @ 4:20 in the afternoon. Those in attendance seemed to have a blast, despite some complaints about the sets being a bit too short (openers Umphrey's McGee only got 90 minutes.) If you missed the show, NYC Taper recorded the whole thing and posted both bands sets online the day after. Check em out. (pic via i y e r's flickr)

The OSA (Open Space Alliance) has been working with the Parks Dept and between two community planning sessions, surveying at a concert and at McCarren's track & field they have surveyed 500 people. They also have their own outlet for your opines available online here. Those looking for more concerts will be disappointed to learn that this summer will likely be the last of the pool parties - the NY Press reports:

The mayor’s money has pool advocates confident that these large, loud concerts will soon be a thing of the past. “It’s not going to be the concert venue that it is now,” notes Joseph Vance of the Open Space Alliance, an organization expected to partner with the Parks Department for the renovation and subsequent administration of McCarren Pool. “There will be a pool with water in it,” he adds.

Continue reading "McCarren Park? Pool? Public Art Space?"

THEATER: The annual Soho Think Tank Ice Factory, arguably New York’s most impeccably curated theater festival, has been hosting an exhilarating array of new shows every weekend since July 4th . Starting tonight you can sink your teeth into Vampire University, in which “a struggling vampire family descends on an evangelical college in the Midwest, the dad’s mid-life crisis of immortality triggers a desire to come back to life and the gulf between first and second generations vampires has never seemed greater.” Scored to live Theremin! John Del Signore

Suckers may be saying they can take out Adam Horovitz, but after all these years with The Beastie Boys – it’s now two decades since License To Ill dropped! – he’s still rocking steady. Having just released The Mix-Up, a new all-instrumental album, the three are set to drive the lane like Evan Bernhard with a trio of NYC shows in as many days. Tomorrow night and Thursday they’ll do two of their more familiar rap shows at Central Park Summerstage and McCarren Pool, respectively. Then Friday night finds them at Hammerstein Ballroom for a special, all-instrumental “gala event”. We recently spoke with The King Adrock about the dress code for the gala events, his solo career and his long awaited presidential endorsement.

COMEDY: This weekend marks the 9th Annual Del Close Marathon. Del Close, if you don't know by now, "was the driving force behind improvisational comedy in Chicago for over 30 years influencing Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Mike Myers, John Belushi, Chris Farley and the Upright Citizens Brigade to name a few." The annual weekend began after Del's passing in 1999.

EVENT: If you haven't taken a trip back to the Summer of Love yet, head over to the Whitney tonight for the exhibit and enjoy their Whitney Live event. DJ Scientific and Dana Leong will be providing the tunes.

Thousands of people line McCarren Pool on Sundays, standing in place of where water used to be. This summer JellyNYC's Sunday Pool Parties are continuing, in what has become an instant summer tradition.

Who doesn't love the ice cream man? Not many people. Which is why Matt Allen is pretty popular, since he is, after all, THE Ice Cream Man. Allen drives around the country handing out free frozen treats - so far his travels have taken him (and his '69 Chevy ice cream truck affectionately named Bessie) from St. Jude Children's Hospital to Bonnaroo to McCarren Park Pool (where he'll be this Sunday). Recently, we asked him what life on the good ship ice cream truck is like...

READINGS: Russell Simmons has written a self-help book and will be at Border's today promoting it (okay, now all of this recent noise he's making makes more sense)! It's called "Do You! 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success." None of the laws include any of these three words.

There may be March Madness in the air, but East Village Idiot has the cure for New Yorkers who can't get behind the NCAA: March Radness, which take 64 disparate NYC moments/ people/ objects/ stores/ trends/ nonsense and sees who will reign supreme.

(pic via Maryanne Ventrice's Flickr)

Even though the streets are covered with icy slush right now, soon enough we'll all be sweating again in the giant empty cement pool at McCarren. There's a group that wants to make sure we are able to enjoy the pool events for years to come, and they've started Pool-Aid.

-- Oh, and that pesky Anthrax problem is back at the New York Times. [Via Gawker.]

So we've been racking our brains as to what excuse Gothamist had at a music festival in Chicago, but we were there nonetheless and had an absolute blast. Compared to the mess that was Mccarren Pool on Saturday night, the Pitchfork Music Festival went off without a hitch. There was plenty of cheap beer, water and food for all. We spent a lot of time hanging out near the Fuze beverage tent, which provided shaded couches, free juice and a mist tent for all, which was all more than welcome in the 100+ degree heat.

PARTY: Superheroes are all over the big screen this summer, so come celebrate one of the originals. Lynda Carter: A Celebration of the Birth and Life of a Wonderful Woman is a party going on tonight with Shakey and Justin Carter (from Nublu). They invite you to come celebrate the 55th birthday of Wonder Woman! There will be a best Wonder Woman costume contest and "revelers are also invited to bring a record of their favorite wonder woman to play during the evening."

Well, I think we all have a new favorite outdoor venue. Yesterday, on a picture perfect Sunday afternoon, thousands flocked to the long abandoned Mccarren Pool in Williamsburg for a free concert from Post-Punk mainstays Les Savy Fav. It was as a New York summer weekend should be. Endless stretches of dirt and concrete filled with beautiful people of all ages out to enjoy the weather. On one side was a frequented slip and slide, on the other was a fenced off dodgeball ring, which made for a fantastic spectator sport between bands. In between those two was the massive elevated stage, which may have been the main draw for some, but acted as simply just another ring in this magical hipster circus.

One of the most well respected and truly underground bands in New York, Japanther rarely play traditional venues. You find them in warehouses, lofts, restaurants, basements, bedrooms, bathrooms...anywhere you can squeeze two guys, a bit of equipment, and a mass of sweaty fans. The Bass and Drum Art/Noise/Punk duo are one of the most revered live acts in New York, and this weekend we have two chances to see them. On Saturday, they are playing the Billyburg Short Film Festival at McCarren Pool with MC Michael Showalter. Then Sunday they're playing The Solar-Powered CitySol Festival at Stuyvesant Cove Park. Make it your beeswax to get to one of these shows.

- Really? NYU banned showing those controversial Danish cartoons at a campus talk called "Free Speech and the Danish Cartoons?"

Gothamist really enjoyed our visit to Noemie LaFrance's Agora at the McCarren Pool complex in Greenpoint this week. We were exicted to hear the performance has been extended until Saturday night, so you still have a chance to catch it. Tickets are $15-30 online, but Noemie's Sens production team has given us 15 tickets to give away free-- you can use them at any of the three shows between tomorrow and Saturday (Weds, Friday, Saturday night). Enter using the form after the jump, and we'll inform the 15 winners by email sometime tomorrow. [Related: Goth interview with Noemie.]

Last night, Gothamist headed over to McCarren Pool in Greenpoint to watch Noémie Lafrance's Agora. Lafrance, a site-specific choreographer, and her team of more than 30 dancers transformed the pool, which was closed since 1983, into a giant 50,000 square foot stage. While she does make beautiful use of the space, we think it could have been much better in a space maybe half the size. That said, it's worthy of checking out, if not only to see the inside McCarren pool.