Holy wow, you guys, I can’t tell if this week is going by quickly or slowly! (Or both! Time is a flat circle!) I think I’m finally caught up on sleep at this point after a confusing (but v. good) whirlwind week in Norway and Denmark, meaning I can (presumably) string together sentences slightly more coherently now than I could a week ago. That’s great news considering I am (again, presumably) your weekend compass! There’s a ton of great stuff happening in NYC the next few days, but Drake dominates the conversation. That’s why Jimmy Brooks is our GIF theme this go-round, because NEVER FORGET YOUR ROOTS.

Before we talk details, let’s quickly go over some rad stuff you might’ve missed on the site this week if you were asleep at the wheel:

I went to a music festival called Øyafestivalen in Norway and got to stand real close to St. Vincent and Lykke Li and Patti Smith, and so I wrote about it!
I also wrote a general recap of my four day trip to Oslo, so if you’re thinking of going (or just want to live vicariously), then go ahead and read about what I did and ate and packed etc.!
Plus Color Factory opened to the public on Monday, and as someone who got to do a preview, I can affirm it is REAL GOOD and REAL WORTH YOUR TIME AND MONEY! (It’s like if Pantone and Willy Wonka had a whimsical baby.)
Jenn Tisdale interviewed Detective Joe Kenda of Discovery’s Homicide Hunter, and it was a real joy!
In case you’ve ever wondered about why someone would subject themselves to Burning Man, here’s a first-person account of that thought process.
Wanna get out of town but are strapped for time and resources? Philadelphia might be just the ticket. Here’s our guide of what to do once you’re there.
And I also had a chat to Charles Fauna about his brand new EP, which is out right now!

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23

For starters, get to Littlefield for Live! From! Snackland!, aka a live cooking comedy show with Ana Fabrega, Catherine Cohen and more! Tickets are just $8-$10.
Speaking of foodie vibes, it’s the opening party for our buddy Jenn de la Vega’s rad new comfort food exhibition Masarap at Babycastles! Admission is just $5, or FREE if you bring along an ingredient for the Dampa Project, which is a reimagining of open air fish markets in the Philippines.
(And there’s a closing party for the Hide & Seek installation over at MoMA PS1! Tickets are $15.)
Shifting into cinematic territory, Videology will host a $20 screening of Stranger Than Paradise ft. bonus shot o’ Jack, plus Ten Bones Theatre Company will be doing Twilight (Entirely From Memory) for $10!
Plus Wonder Woman is screening outdoors at Brooklyn Bridge Park! (Free!)

Tunes-wise, ya GOTTA get to Elsewhere for PopGun’s TENTH (!!!) anniversary party! Everyone from Charly Bliss to Bodega will be playing, and tickets are $25 each.
(It’s also super important to note that DeVotchKa will be playing a record release gig over at Rough Trade for $36.)
Just wanna cut a rug? It’s a new round of Dirty Thursday at House of Yes, and they’ll be spinning new wave tunes all night fo’ FREE.
Or if you’re of the literary persuasion and think an event called Read Dating > Speed Dating sounds like a blast dot com, then grab $15 tickets to potentially find the well-read love of your life at Strand Bookstore! (This appears to cater to heteros, just FYI. But sexuality is a sliding scale, so.)

FRIDAY, AUGUST 24

First, it’s Dreamland Roller Disco’s TENTH ANNIVERSARY! Celebrate tonight by skating your heart out in costume for $24-$34!
For music vibes, if you weren’t lucky enough to snag tickets to see Drake and Migos at MSG tonight (SOLD OUT!), do not despair! For starters, you can catch Bridget Kelly, Liana Banks and Synead at Baby’s All Right for $15-$18…
…plus Cape Francis will be posting up at Elsewhere Zone One for just $10-$12…
…AND Parrot Dream will have a record release show at Union Pool ft. opening support from The Natural, which is a new project from our buddy Kip Berman (of The Pains of Being Pure At Heart)!

More into comedy? Head to Joe’s Pub for the first of three $20 evenings with Scott Thompson (of Kids In The Hall), who’ll be performing The Buddy Cole Monologues all weekend!
Or if movies are more your jam, Videology is hosting a $24 Dazed & Confused kegger, plus there’s a $12 Drive edition of Drinking Game after that!
Personally, I feel like we should all make a beeline for the Knitting Factory – it’s a new round of Take Me Out, the 2000s disco punk dance night, and it’s FREE until midnight with RSVP. ($10+ after.)
Unless you’re more into belting than dancing, in which case get to Schimanski for a 90s hip hop and RnB singalong! Tickets are $13.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25

Okay, let’s first talk about how Drake is apparently hosting a day party at Brooklyn Mirage. Tickets will run you $50-$190 each.
If that doesn’t sound like your cup o’ tea, maybe consider spending your daytime hours at House of Yes instead, where they’ll get you going with a new round of Deep House Yoga! Tickets are $20, action kicks off at noon.
Speaking of yoga, Catland is hosting a $15 tarot inspired yoga session, which sounds out of my depth but also p. cool!
Meanwhile, although I don’t always recommend trekking out to New Jersey, when I do, it’s because Bleachers, Hayley Kiyoko, Julien Baker and more are playing Stone Pony. Tickets are $36.50 a pop.
Back in Brooklyn, while tickets to Afropunk are SUPER SOLD OUT, you can head to the Brooklyn Masonic Temple for Afropunk After Dark ft. Kaytranada! Tickets are $25.

If LOLs are more your jam, steer your Afropunk After Dark hours to the Knitting Factory for Sisters of Comedy ft. Sasheer Zamata, Wyatt Cenac and more! Tickets are $25.
Returning to Aubrey land, Drake and Migos have unsurprisingly sold out MSG again, but Migos will host an afterparty at Highline Ballroom for $50+.
For late-night d-d-d-d-dance vibes, Papi Juice is ALWAYS a good time, and it’s happening at Elsewhere tonight for $10-$20 a ticket.
Swinging back around to the realm of comedy, you can pop over to Joe’s Pub for another $20 evening with Scott Thompson!
Or if you’re just in the mood to watch movies, Videology is hosting an $18 screening of Ghostbusters ft. bonus Stay Puft marshmallow roast, plus stick around for a Hangover edition of Drinking Game after that!

SUNDAY, AUGUST 26

Hit up House of Yes today for what’s sure to be one of their last pool parties of the season! Free with RSVP, just $5 without.
Or if you’re more into the Adam Shankman version of Hairspray (which I sternly disapprove of), head on over to Videology for a $15 singalong! (And/or stick around for free It’s Always Sunny trivia after that!)
In terms of tunes, Gringo Star will be at Rough Trade for just $10…
…and Belly will be at Music Hall of Williamsburg down the road for $35!

Of course, if you feel like hitting the road, Dashboard Confessional will be at Stone Pony for $40+…
…although, if you’re gonna put on the miles today, you may as well catch a free set from AlunaGeorge at Montauk’s Surf Lodge, right?
Comedy-wise, my top pick for tonight is 50 Lady Bits at the Bell House ft. Ana Fabrega, Claudia Cogan, Jo Firestone, Catherine Cohen, Marcia Belsky, Shalewa Sharpe and SO MANY MORE! Tickets are $15-$20, and all proceeds will go to Planned Parenthood.
Plus Scott Thompson is back at it again at Joe’s Pub for $20 tonight!