Gothamist Winter Guide: 16 Ways To Have Fun In NYC This February
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<br/><br/>If the mid-winter doldrums are getting to you, take heart: February is packed with food fests, film screenings, phenomenal concerts, and most importantly a whole lot of politically-minded partying. Rock heroes Japandroids are coming to town, Brooklyn Bazaar is throwing a progressive fundraiser, and in Queens chefs are gearing up to do battle by way of delicious cured meats. Read on to find out what's going on around the five boroughs this February, and don't worry: this events guide is 100 percent Valentine's Day-free.
via Andrew Mohrer/flickr<br/><br/>In the spirit of Progressivism and taking down The Donald, Brooklyn Bazaar is hosting <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1710908022572705/">No Enemies to the Left</a></strong>, an arts and activism night intended to bring together Democrats, Liberals, Leftists, and Socialists alike. Can a dance party create party unity? That's up for debate, but all proceeds benefit the ACLU, which is currently working overtime <a href="https://www.aclu.org/blog/speak-freely/aclu-and-other-groups-challenge-trump-immigration-ban-after-refugees-detained">against the Muslim immigration ban</a>. Music from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wet/">Wet</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ALKCM/">Alex Cameron</a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DjKittyCash/">KittyCash</a> will keep things moving, and speakers include activist, journalist, and author <a href="https://twitter.com/sarahljaffe">Sarah Jaffe</a>, as well as Ben Wizner, who directs the ACLU's Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project. A few comedian comrades will also be in attendance, and a silent auction of goods made by local designers and artists will be running all night. If you've had your fill of Leftist Infighting for a while and just want to concentrate on beating Trump, this will be your jam.<br/><br/><em>Saturday, February 4th, 6:30-11:30 p.m. // <a href="http://bkbazaar.com/">Brooklyn Bazaar</a>, 150 Greenpoint Avenue, Brooklyn // <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/no-enemies-to-the-left-an-aclu-benefit-show-tickets-31344974663?aff=efbevent">Tickets $25</a></em>
Flier By Olivia Russin via facebook<br/><br/>Twenty years ago, Wyclef Jean released <em>The Carnival</em>, a mesmerizing album that fused hip-hop, reggae, dancehall, and disco into a seamless new sound that packs plenty of Haitian Creole. Today, dancehall's influence over the pop mainstream continues to grow and Wyclef's album sounds better than ever. The Haitian polymath will play a special anniversary show at Terminal 5 this month, with support from Kassav and The Janes Life. <br/><br/><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kI6MWZrl8v8" width="640"></iframe><br/><br/><em>Saturday, February 4th, 9 p.m. // <a href="http://www.terminal5nyc.com/">Terminal 5</a>, 610 West 56th Street, Manhattan // <a href="http://www.terminal5nyc.com/event/1402356-wyclef-jean-carnival-20th-new-york">Tickets $40</a></em>
via facebook<br/><br/>If Atmosphere is where your Minneapolis rap knowledge begins and ends, then put on a neckbrace and prepare to get your shit rocked by <strong><a href="http://www.mercuryloungenyc.com/event/1327593-pos-new-york">P.O.S.</a></strong> The tenaciously gritty MC has been releasing albums that blur the lines between jagged thrash and smooth hip-hop for well over a decade, and his latest release, <em>Chill, Dummy</em>, is perhaps his best yet. Born Stefon Alexander (P.O.S. stands for Pissed Off Stef) and raised on a healthy diet of punk records, his songs frequently bounce from relentless rhyme volleys into detuned guitar explosions. It's rap as it was always meant to be: unpredictable, noisy, and mad as hell. New York is getting treated to two P.O.S. shows this month; catch one of them, and be prepared to catch a couple elbows in the pit.<br/><br/><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vfo-EGDBEAY" width="640"></iframe><br/><br/><em>Rough Trade Show Tuesday, February 7th, 8 p.m. // <a href="http://www.roughtradenyc.com/">Rough Trade</a>, 64 North 9th Street, Brooklyn // <a href="http://axs.com/events/325908/p-o-s-tickets">Tickets $15</a></em><br/><br/><em>Mercury Lounge Show Wednesday, February 8th, 9:15 p.m. // <a href="http://www.mercuryloungenyc.com/">Mercury Lounge</a>, 217 East Houston Street // <a href="http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1327593">Tickets $15</a></em>
via facebook<br/><br/>It's probably the absolute last thing we want to relive at this moment, but looking back at the 2016 Election with critical eyes is a very necessary task. At the International Center of Photography, three journalists who followed the campaign circuses and witnessed the growing divide in our society will be present to talk about their <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/790408781106629/">beautiful new photo book</a></strong>, a CNN-backed volume dubbed <em><a href="http://www.cnn.com/interactive/unprecedented/book/">Unprecedented: The Election That Changed Everything.</a></em> Melissa Golden, David Kennerly, and Vincent Laforet will discuss their work and give away free copies to guests in attendance. The election was hell, but the photos are stunning.<br/><br/><em>Thursday, February 9th, 6:30 p.m. // ICP Museum, 250 Bowery, Manhattan // Free</em>
via facebook<br/><br/>Odds are, if you've heard Sampha before, it's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPwCd9vjO6E">thanks to Drake</a>. Before being sampled on the Toronto rapper's <em>Nothing Was The Same</em>, the silky-voiced British R&B songwriter enjoyed a short bout of indie recognition when he released his <em>Dual</em> EP, and was quickly compared to Frank Ocean and James Blake. Those comparisons were spot on, and Sampha seemed poised to ascend to the high roundtable of the modern indie/electronic kingdom. But then, he vanished. For three years, hardly a note was heard from him; rumors of a debut LP in the works were few and far between. But at the end of last year, Sampha delivered, and new singles "Blood on Me" and "(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano" have made good on his haunting R&B chops. When he <strong><a href="http://www.terminal5nyc.com/event/1379642-sampha-new-york">takes the stage at Terminal 5</a></strong>, bodies are sure to swoon with every chorus. Maybe he'll even dust off <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRH0NJUwMNw">his "Air" cover.</a><br/><br/><em>Thursday, February 9th, 8 p.m. // <a href="http://www.terminal5nyc.com/">Terminal 5</a>, 610 West 56th Street, Manhattan // <a href="http://www.axs.com/events/327857/sampha-tickets?skin=terminal5">Tickets $25</a></em>
still from Sampha's "Blood On Me" music video<br/><br/>In its own beautiful and batshit crazy way, <em>Romeo and Juliet</em> is probably Baz Luhrmann's strongest film. The frenetic 1996 adaptation of Shakespeare's classic packs the perfect amount of beauty, emotion, and Hawaiian shirt-adorned gunmen. <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/little-cinema-throwback-romeojuliet-immersive-tickets-31242284514"><strong>House of Yes's Little Cinema will put on an immersive screening of <em>Romeo and Juliet</em></strong></a>, complete with live dancers, aerialists, 3D projections, special cocktails, a post-film dance party, and something called "video remixing." Montagues, Capulets, and Friar Johns are all encouraged to don Renaissance costumes and be present as the light breaks through yonder window.<br/><br/><em>Wednesday, February 15th, 7 p.m. // <a href="www.houseofyes.org">House of Yes</a>, 2 Wyckoff Avenue, Brooklyn // <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/little-cinema-throwback-romeojuliet-immersive-tickets-31242284514">Tickets $30</a></em>
<br/><br/>The Bronx and Havana mix in a beautifully funky way throughout <strong><a href="http://www.bronxmuseum.org/exhibitions/wild-noise-ruido-salvaje">Wild Noise/Ruido Salvaje</a></strong>, a new exhibit dedicated to Cuban culture at the Bronx Museum of the Arts. Works made both on the island and throughout the worldwide Cuban diaspora will be on display, many of them on public display for the very first time. Curators in the Bronx worked in close contact with the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Havana, and have previously brought Bronx art to Cuba for local aficionados to enjoy. Now it's New York's turn to enjoy the fruits of a bond that spans across many miles and years of diplomatic detachment. Highlights include new sculptures from Humberto Diaz and a suite of photographs from Ana Mendieta. Finally, in early March there'll be an Open House gathering at the museum centered around multiculturalism and the complex national identities at play all across the Bronx.<br/><br/><em>Exhibit opens Friday, February 17th // <a href="http://www.bronxmuseum.org/">Bronx Museum of the Arts</a>, 1040 Grand Concourse, the Bronx // <a href="http://www.bronxmuseum.org/visit">Free Admission</a></em>
via facebook<br/><br/>Japandroids have <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSkrhQiwFcE">a new album out</a>. Janapdroids are <strong><a href="http://www.terminal5nyc.com/event/1381712-japandroids-32-new-york">playing at Terminal 5</a></strong>. No gods, only Japandroids.<br/><br/><em>Thursday, February 23rd, 7 p.m. // <a href="http://www.terminal5nyc.com/">Terminal 5</a>, 610 W 56th Street, Manhattan // <a href="http://www.terminal5nyc.com/event/1381712-japandroids-32-new-york">Tickets $25</a></em>
via facebook<br/><br/>What could be better than a bunch of hilarious video geeks celebrating the beauty of old dusty VHS tapes while getting wasted? At the <strong><a href="http://www.thebellhouseny.com/event/1396280-found-footage-festival-brooklyn/">Bell House's Found Footage Festival</a></strong>, The Onion's Joe Pickett and Late Show with David Letterman alumni Nick Prueher will play all sorts of weird clips found in the used dollar bins of thrift stores around the country, including a 1980s instructional tape dubbed "The Law Enforcement Guide to Satanic Cults" and a batch of on-air bloopers from a decade of North Dakota local news. Also on the docket are highlights from Letterman's own video collection and a celebrity Desert Storm parade sponsored by, yes, Taco Bell. Be kind, rewind, and be sure to adjust that tracking!<br/><br/><em>Friday, February 24th, 7 p.m. // <a href="http://www.thebellhouseny.com/">The Bell House</a>, 149 7th Street, Brooklyn // T<a href="http://www.thebellhouseny.com/event/1396280-found-footage-festival-brooklyn/">ickets $15 </a></em>
via facebook<br/><br/>When yeast and sugar get together it's a beautiful, oft-boozy thing. At the very first annual <strong><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2017-nyc-fermentation-festival-tickets-30687848180#tickets">NYC Fermentation Festival</a></strong>, libations of all sorts will be on hand, from homebrew beer to cider wine to kombucha. But this isn't just a "buy a ticket and walk around" sample fest, in fact, instruction is the primary goal as beverage-makers of all stripes teach lessons on how to make your own personal moonshine. There's even a fermented vegetable popup for kids on the agenda, a live podcast recording, and music from, and we're not kidding here, the "Homebrewsicians." Tickets are eminently reasonable, and whether you're looking to cleanse your gut or punish your liver, the drinks will be flowing all day.<br/><br/><em>Saturday, February 25h, 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. // <a href="http://brooklynexpocenter.com/">Brooklyn EXPO Center</a>, 72 Noble Street, Brooklyn // <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2017-nyc-fermentation-festival-tickets-30687848180#tickets">Tickets $20</a></em>
via facebook<br/><br/>Get your fix of sausage, salami, bacon, lardo, prosciutto, and pate in Queens at the 2017 <strong><a href="http://www.nyepicureanevents.com/charcuterie-masters-2-25-17">Charcuterie Masters</a></strong> at the beautiful Flushing Town Hall. Dozens of chefs will compete throughout the evening in 12 different categories, each of which features pork prepared in styles from across the globe. A culinary celebrity panel will determine who wins the Charcuterie Masters Crown, but every guest in attendance will get to savor the competitors' entries and purchase smoked, pasture-raised, heritage pork sundries to enjoy later at home. There'll also be cheese and beer, so you've really got no excuse but vegetarianism to miss out on this one.<br/><br/><em>Saturday, February 25th, 6-10 p.m. // <a href="http://www.flushingtownhall.org/">Flushing Town Hall</a>, 137-35 Northern Boulevard, Queens // <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/charcuterie-masters-2017-tickets-28199570675">Tickets $60-100</a></em>
via facebook<br/><br/>Don't let <em>La La Land</em>'s inevitable Oscar sweep ruin all your fun: the Academy Awards also means you've got an easy chance to see the year's best short films all in one night. At Bushwick's <a href="http://syndicatedbk.com/">Syndicated</a>, the nominees for best Live Action <em>and</em> Animated Short will be <strong><a href="http://syndicatedbk.com/events/2017-02/">screened on six separate nights near the end of the month</a></strong>, which gives you plenty of time to see them, pick favorites, and then mercilessly berate the Academy when they inevitably choose the wrong winner. Nominees this year include <em><a href="https://vimeo.com/165890547">Timecode</a></em>, a lighthearted tale of parking garage attendants who work separate shifts and pass love notes via CCTV, and <em><a href="http://shorts.tv/theoscarshorts/trailers/live-action/ennemis-interieurs/">Ennemis Interieurs,</a></em> which tells the story of a French-Algerian man accused of harboring terrorists during the 1990s.<br/><br/><em>Showtimes Thursday-Saturday, February 17-19th and 24-26th; showtimes vary // <a href="http://syndicatedbk.com/">Syndicated</a>, 40 Bogart Street, Brooklyn // <a href="http://syndicatedbk.com/events/2017-02/">Tickets $10</a></em>
<br/><br/>You've made signs, marched, and hopefully donated to a few of these crucial organizations. What's next? Find out at <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/616188425247618/">City Council Member Brad Lander's Get Organized BK</a></strong>, a political workshop hosted by Congregation Beth Elohim in Park Slope. The often not-so-sexy particulars of how to get involved in local politics and breathe fresh Progressive life into local bodies of government will be the topic of discussion, and after a larger presentation the night will break off into small groups dedicated to a number of causes. In light of the catastrophic failure of the Democrats' 2016 strategy, nights like these are crucial in the work to mobilize against the border wall, Muslim ban, Obamacare repeal...<br/><br/>Have we included way too many politically-themed events in this month's guide? Absolutely. Are we going to apologize? Not a chance.<br/><br/><em>Monday, February 27th, 6:30-9:30 p.m. // <a href="https://congregationbethelohim.org/">Congregation Beth Elohim</a>, 274 Garfield Place, Brooklyn // <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/616188425247618/">Free</a></em>
via facebook<br/><br/>At the rate things are going, a loud, wild party like Mardi Gras is going to be extra-necessary this year. Local brass group <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hungrymarchband/">Hungry March Band</a> will join forces with DJ phenom <a href="http://www.newyorknighttrain.com/">Jonathan Toubin</a> for <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1821455764808643/">a wild Fat Tuesday night</a></strong>. Through good times and bad, New Orleans has managed to never really stop partying, and it's in that spirit that we recommend you go especially crazy this Mardi Gras. We hear there'll be gumbo, we hope there'll be po' boys, and if there's any justice on this Earth, they'll have a hurricane machine working at full clip.<br/><br/><em>Tuesday, February 28th, 9 p.m. // <a href="http://www.thebellhouseny.com/">The Bell House</a>, 149 7th Street, Brooklyn // <a href="http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1412407?utm_source=fbTfly&utm_medium=ampOfficialEvent">Tickets $15</a></em>
via facebook