LISTEN UP: Last month we set up shop at White Rabbit, which was transformed into Gothamist House, with WOXY for 4 days of shows. Now WOXY has put together "Best of" podcasts from each of those days, and the first one is up -- so give a listen! Gothamist House Day 1.mp3 ART: First Friday's are so over, tonight come to Williamsburg for Every 2nd Friday. Pick up a copy of "the only comprehensive guide... more ›

MOVIES: It's a perfect night to head to the movies. Get a double-feature in at the MoMA with Fabricating Tom Zé followed by David Cronenberg's Crash. Let's focus on the former film. Tom Zé (pictured) is a Brazilian songwriter and composer and this documentary (filmed during a 2005 European tour) charts his "personal universe". Zé is an "uncompromising and inspired artist...seen by many (including David Byrne and Arto Lindsay) as revitalizing the ever-evolving Tropicalia movement. Zé, who narrates his own story, is a very special musical phenomenon in a genre mostly associated with Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil—both of whom warmly assess the musical genius of their friend." more ›

We can't possibly choose only one music event for the weekend, so check out OhMyRockness for the jam packed weekend listings. We will say, however, that one of the openers for Snowden at Maxwell's tonight...is We Are Scientists, trying out some new tunes. Though closer to home are The Clientele and Beach House at Bowery Ballroom. Listen: Apple Orchard.mp3 - Beach House more ›

THEATER: Theodora Skipitares is a Greek-American playwright, director and puppeteer who uses near life-size puppets and Greek tragedies to look at our current situation in Iraq. (Her rendition of the Iliad and the Odyssey was a sold-out hit at La MaMa last year.) Her new show, which features puppetry and video, is The Exiles, an adaptation of the Orestes/Electra myth. “In this particular story of betrayal and vengeance, these puppets are an eerie construction of facade and public display, while their operators are a shadow of primal, often raw emotions and personal desires.” (Read last month's Times profile of Skipitares here.) - John Del Signore more ›

THEATER: Katharsis Theater Company has been developing The Polish Play for the past two years; it’s a fusion of Macbeth and Ubu Roi, the play by Alfred Jarry that was partially inspired by Macbeth. This work of Grand Guignol fusion, which mixes puppetry with live acting, swerves between broad satire, tragedy and plenty of ultra-violence. (Although puppets are decapitated and disemboweled on-stage, rest assured that no puppets are permanently harmed for this production.) Jordan Gelber, who some may recall from Avenue Q, plays Pere Ubu. Read about the rehearsal process on the company’s weblog to learn more about director Henry Wishcamper's search for shit squibs. - John Del Signore more ›

Starting tonight, the Under the Radar Festival of new theater will be cleared for take-off. The three-year-old festival is produced by indie theater impresario Mark Russell, who, as Executive Artistic Director of P.S. 122 for over two decades, nurtured the venue into the alt-performance epicenter it is today. more ›

MUSIC: We've been enjoying us some Ford & Fitzroy, and are eager to hear what they've got in store sonically (as there is only one track available online right now). But the ex-Asobi Seksu bassist and his talented bandmates have got us hooked off just that one tune. Give a listen at their MySpace. And check them out tonight with V2's Roman Candle. more ›

Bread and Puppet is coming to town for the holidays! And it looks like they've got an adult show and a kids show lined up: more ›

but a very reliable source on comedy assures us that "it's the funniest movie ever." While the officials from Kazakhstan may not be happy about how their people are being satirized, it's just the kind of humor that appeals to us young urban professionals. So get your tickets for this weekend early, it's sure to be hugely popular at the cineplex. more ›

READING: The reclusive "Lemony Snicket" (known to grown-ups and non-believers as Daniel Handler) will be showing up - hopefully in a cloak and mustache disguise! - at Barnes and Noble tonight to celebrate the release of The more ›

-- Jewish lifeguards are being discriminated against at Jones Beach. Opines Krucoff: "I suggest sending in the IDF to secure the beach." more ›

On Sundays Gothamist runs opinion pieces relevant to life in New York and reviews of recent books and performances. The judgments expressed below are entirely those of the author. more ›

Often Gothamist runs opinion pieces relevant to life in New York and reviews of recent books and performances. The judgments expressed below are entirely those of the author. more ›

Maybe it’s just us, but even with spring’s approach an unusual degree of anomie seems to be hanging over everything, slightly twisting and darkening many of the new season’s shows. Not all of them, of course; it is possible to still to see truly lighthearted fare on stage. So do you want to see something that matches the prevailing mood or challenges it? Here are a few options that go both ways: more ›

The Times’ season previews are always a shot in the arm of a little excitement, a chance to see some splashy ads and to fantasize about the shows you’re not going to be able to get tickets to. Actually, we could have used the buzz we got from Sunday’s listings more a couple of weeks ago; at this point there’s so much starting up that it’s hard to avoid, much less that anyone needs to be told about them, at least with the big-name productions. Littler shows wouldn’t be able to afford sets or costumes if they advertised or put together fancy press kits for listings editors, but we’re psyched about them anyway. more ›

There are so many holiday theatre offerings right now, many of them closing when Christmas is still a week or more away, so we are going to be ornery and focus on non-seasonal stuff, of which there is plenty, as usual. One show that just caught our eye is Under a Montana Moon, performed by the mime Bill Bowers. We get a lot of puppetry on stages here, but miming, not so much, and Bowers is a top guy in the field, so this solo piece is very much worth catching. It’s comprised of various stories set in the West, where Bowers grew up, and aims to “use the Art of Silence to investigate the Idea of Silence.” This weekend he’s also performing his other main solo piece, It Goes Without Saying, to benefit the Rattlestick Theatre, so there’s more than enough opportunities to fit seeing this unique artist into your schedule. more ›

THREE DAY WEEKEND! THREE DAY WEEKEND! THREE DAY WEEKEND! THREE DAY WEEKEND! THREE DAY WEEKEND! THREE DAY WEEKEND! more ›

EVENT/MUSIC: It's Children's Day at South Street Seaport this Saturday. With Gordon from Sesame Street, The School House Rock Stage Show and They Might Be Giants! Wait...AND fireworks! [via FreeNYC] more ›