First, a little open letter to Bret Michaels: You are cordially invited to come perform one of the below songs for us at Gothamist House while you are in New York. Now, secondly, and lastly: did anyone tell you that Poison, Motley Crue, and the New York Dolls are playing a show together?
Magical Hair Band Bus Will Deliver You To Poison, Motley Crue, NY Dolls!
New York Doll Turned Doorman
In the 1970s the New York Dolls took on another member, their roadie Peter Jordan, who often filled in on bass for Arthur Kane (allegedly when Kane's drinking became bad or, you know, when his girlfriend tried to cut off his thumb with a kitchen knife). While Jordan hasn't been taking part in their "comeback" shows over the past few years, he is still very much a part of New York. The former rockstar is now a doorman at a non-residential building in Midtown, near Grand Central. If you see him, show some respect...and ask him if he's working on a memoir (during his years with the Dolls he kept a diary, which was used as a reference for one book on the band). And did you know guitarist Sylvain Sylvain used to drive a cab?
Rock on the Block
Christie's is finally getting on the overpriced vintage concert t-shirt bandwagon. Today they bring 30 rock tees to the block as part of their Rock and Pop Memorabilia auction, and all are expected to sell for up to $4,500 each. Remember when Stella McCartney was creating overpriced rock tees for Chloe? We sort of blame her for this."The fact that these T-shirts exist in such pristine condition is remarkable because most people didn't keep these...
The Sirens Sing Us to Coney Island for Another Year
We've survived the sirens for many years, and if this truly was the last Siren Fest ever, it certainly went out with a bang. Coney Island was packed full of thrifty music fans for the 7th annual Siren Festival this weekend. Despite the current trend of awful weather for every worthwhile free outdoor concert this summer so far, nobody could complain about the perfect day at the beach this past Saturday.
Pencil This In
MOVIES: Seriously, like there is anything else to see this weekend besides Snakes on a Plane. C'mon, you know you wanna.
New York Dolls, Outdoors
This just in: the New York Dolls are playing the Seaport Music Festival on August 18th.
NYC Album Art: New York Dolls
The New York Dolls first album cover was shot in New York. In this case, the back cover is more interesting than the front. It features a photograph of the band in front of Gem Spa, the legendary newsstand that is said to have invented the egg cream.
Gothamist Music Picks: The Tuesday Night Edition
There are a ton of shows we want to catch this week, most of them fall on Tuesday night - so we'll be consulting the magic 8 ball and various street psychics on what show to go to. Let's get to it, shall we?
F-Train in Winter
Here's a pretty video of a ride between 4th Avenue and Carroll Street on the elevated F line-- sort of similar to Kdunk's video of the same stretch of track, but shot in the opposite direction (facing northeast, as opposed to southwest.) Not sure about the music-- maybe the New York Dolls?
Upcoming
ART: The NY debut of Guerra de la Paz is this weekend. The collaborative team of Cuban artists Alain Guerra and Neraldo de la Paz creates among larger-than-life Pieta recasting Michelangelo's masterpiece to honor the pathos of the Gulf warrior. Tribute, a 2-ton rainbow pyramid of used clothing and more.
The Pita's Weekly Music Picks, Buried Edition
Gothamist is feeling a bit under the weather today, literally and figuratively, so we'll just get straight to it, if you don't mind:
The Pita's New Year's Eve Music Picks
What? No New Year's plans? Leaving it a bit late, no? Forget the overcrowded bars, the swarms of amateurs, the lame-o house parties. There are a ridiculous number of shows happening around town, some of which are worth your time and some of which not so much. Many of them are sold out, but it's highly possible you could score with the scalpers. Let's have a little look-see, shall we?
This Week's Music Picks
This week requires you to make some very important decisions. It all starts on Wednesday with the question, "will it be SPIN or Summerstage?" SPIN is celebrating their 20th anniversary at Webster Hall with an incredible lineup that includes Public Enemy, Death Cab for Cutie, LCD Soundsystem, Drive-By Truckers, Lady Sovereign, Diplo, and Afrika Bambaataa. All that can be yours for only $10 more than it'll cost you to see just Death Cab in a venue twice the size a few weeks later. BUT WAIT, Summerstage had to go ahead and mess everything up by planning a Katrina-related benefit show on the very same day. Strangely, this benefit featuring Lou Reed of the Velvet Underground and J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. is free, though we doubt you'll be able to live with yourself if you enter the premises without paying at least the $25 "suggested donation." Can't decide which show? You can try to hit both. That's what the Drive By Truckers are doing. They're listed on both bills (and they're at Warsaw in Brooklyn the next day).
Coney Island Mermaid Parade Tomorrow
Tomorrow, head to Coney Island and experience one of the New York's wildest (and funnest) events, the Mermaid Parade. The Mermaid Parade always has crazy (usually barely there) costumes and even more colorful people... and the Cyclone and pizza are just steps away! This year, the King is David Johansen (Buster Poindexter and New York Dolls) and the Queen is Karmen Guy (Mad Juana). Keep in mind it's going to be hot, so wear your sunblock and have some water by your side.
Sell Outs
We'll have a full list of April and May shows coming up soon, there are A LOT to cover. We find it somehow comforting that we're already buying tickets for shows in the springtime ... we're ready to thaw! Moving on, so as not to repeat ourselves here is last month's sell outs list which has tickets that are still on sale for upcoming shows. And as for the below list we have starred the shows that have a high risk factor of Hilary Duff being in attendance, consider this a public service.
Coolfer's Music Picks
The Thrills have a great new album, Let's Bottle Bohemia (I hear a bit more pop and less California country), and are stopping by Irving Plaza tonight. The much-buzzed-about and Mercury Prize-nominated band The Zutons are opening the show. If your wallet is a little light these days, don't fret. The Thrills are playing at Tower Records at 4th and Broadway tonight at 6pm.
Coolfer's Music Picks
Coolfer hasn't attended a music festival since the 1995 edition of Lollapalooza, but this Saturday's Little Steven's International Underground Garage Festival is promising enough to prompt a ticket buy. Most bands won't play more than a few songs, but the line-up is amazing and mixes the old and new very well: The Stooges, the New York Dolls, the Strokes, Chocolate Watchband, the Pretty Things, Big Star (Alex Chilton is pictured to the right), the Raveonettes, the Romantics, the Mooney Suzuki, the Fuzztones, the Shazam, the Electric Prunes, the Star Spangles, the High Dials, the Dictators and too many more to mention. That's a lot of bands for $20 ($25 at the gate). The concert will be held at Randall's Island. Gates open at--are you ready for this?--10am. Show starts at 11am. It's gonna be a long day, and a very long day if the rain hangs around through the weekend.

