Yesterday was an appropriately blistering day for this year's eighth annual Village Voice Siren Music Festival at Coney Island, which, with the right frame of mind, can be a total blast. Yesterday had everything we've come to expect from the annual indie rock extravaganza: massive crowds of dehydrating hipsters, fresh clams on the mobbed boardwalk, and a bulging, unmanageable lineup of 14 bands on two stages. more ›

It certainly says something about the state of the music industry that perhaps the biggest music story of the week is the placement of some tunes in a video game. But what tunes! At the E3 conference out in LA, Harmonix announced the 80+ songs that will appear in the upcoming sequel to the plastic instrument rock sim. While the list overall is excellent, hitting many genres from the last 5 decades, there were some interesting standouts. Sure, it was a surprise to see a Turn on the Bright Lights-era Interpol track make the cut, and even more shocking to see a 30 year old Bob Dylan classic among those ranks. But who woulda thunk a GnR Chinese Democracy track would make it on here before seeing store shelves? Axl has decided to debut a track from the vaporware album in the game before anyone has even ever heard it -- this may be a legit sign that this album will actually come out before the end of the decade. more ›

ART: Artist Tom Sanford's installation show, titled Mr. Hangover, is something to check out before it comes down in June. "Featured in the exhibition are new works modeled after ubiquitous street posters that are plastered around most cities to advertise events, movies and products. Comprised entirely of hand painted posters that are unframed and tacked to the wall, they suggest influences that come as much from the broader consumer culture as they do from the arena of fine art." Get a preview here. more ›

READING: Dave Eggers has delivered two (out of three) great novels, and tonight he reads from last one (which is just out on paperback), What is the What. He'll be at the Strand discussing the book and he'll also give a slideshow presentation from a recent trip he took to Sudan. More info here. Friday // 7pm // Strand Bookstore [828 Broadway] // Free EVENT: We love a good pillow fight, and tonight there's a... more ›

It's a big outdoor weekend, so good thing there are 51 outdoor pools opening up for the season around the city today (here's a "best of" list). If you prefer to stay dry, here are some options... more ›

We'd like to use this space to say that our thoughts are with the friends and family of John Pike (pictured). The 23-year old drummer of Syracuse band Ra Ra Riot was found dead yesterday in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. more ›

THEATER: For a limited run at HERE, James Scruggs and Kristin Marting are presenting RUS, a “multimedia psychosexual murder mystery”, that uses experimental “video puppets”, salsa and tango-inspired movement to “recreate the seedy reality that lies just beneath our everyday lives. Lost in a labyrinth of repeating memories, and trapped in a failing marriage, Rus, an African American man, yearns to feel something new, full and real. But when a car accident connects Rus to Sonny, a gay hustler, he descends into a world of sex, drugs and violence, inevitably leading him down the path to destruction. When Sonny turns up dead, Rus becomes the prime target of a police investigation… but is he a murderer?” Ends Saturday. - John Del Signore more ›

THEATER: It’s “go time” for The Butane’s Group’s Operation Ajax, which ingenuously sets the CIA’s 1953 overthrow of Iran’s first democratically-elected government in the context of a casino. “Constructed from no less than 25 text sources (memoirs, documentaries, plays, poetry, novels, films, reality tv shows), the densely-layered performance explores how the addiction to risk and gambling has become a potent metaphor for U.S. foreign policy.” (For an enhanced theater experience, explore the show’s thorough bibliography, with links to all source material.) - John Del Signore more ›

PARTY: What's the holiday season without awkward office parties? Metro Metro is having their office party tonight, think of it as more of a Christopher Guest version of the office party. A mockumentary, if you will. Nametags and job titles will be assigned at the door! Dress code: office holiday attire. more ›

As we stated before, there is far far more to CMJ than our little series of parties. Over 1000 bands were in town last week, and while nobody could possibly catch them all, the idea is to see as much as you can and maybe discover a few new favorites. Rather than scrape together a drab roundup of the day by day, we decided to award certain aspects of CMJ for making a mark on the 2006 marathon. Here we go... more ›

READING: Tonight at 192 Books, Marisha Pessl reads from Special Topics in Calamity Physics, her buzzy and well-received first novel. Seating is usually limited at 192 Books so call (212) 255-4022 to reserve a spot. - Krissa Corbett Cavouras more ›