Hi All. This edition of NYC Best Weekend Bets has been carefully calibrated for maximum fun and minimum stress on your part over the course of the next few days. It features a little something for everyone (music, movies, weird theatre, free drinks etc) and will be punctuated with inspirational images of the perfect summer Spike Lee joint “DO THE RIGHT THING” because, baby, it is hot outside (+ I saw Spike on Lafayette Ave last week and it was such a perfect Brooklyn moment, there were really no “ands,” “ifs” or “buts” about this week’s theme)
Before we kick off though: do sign up to get this as a newsletter/tell all your friends to sign up for it too + follow us on twitter @BYTNYC so you can keep track of all the fun content to come.
‘Today’s temperature’s gonna rise up over 100 degrees, so there’s a Jheri curl alert! That’s right, Jheri curl alert. If you have a Jheri curl, stay in the house or you’ll end up with a permanent black helmet on your head fuh-eva!’
OK-READY FOR THE WEEKEND NOW?
THURSDAY
- Welcome to MAKE MUSIC day. Not sure if this sounds like our best dream or worst nightmare but from 10am to 10pm today, all over the city, people will be playing music for free, all the time. And while this is essentially a big free-for-all there ARE some highlights (outlined on their website here): A 24-hour-long interactive electronic piece under the Manhattan Bridge by British artist Nick Franglen, 99 percussionists playing John Luther Adams’s Inuksuit outside in Harlem, presented by Miller Theatre, a Lincoln square block party featuring NYC Opera performances and more….
- In terms of MORE free music Deer Tick and Johnny Corndawg (read our very special interview with him here) take the summerstage @ Red Hook park
- And the River to River festival features something involving 64 toy pianos which, if nothing else, definitely makes us curious.
- Then… Sneak out of the office/coffee shop/your bed you work out of a little early and head over to INSOUND’s offices for their Vinyl Sale. Stock up.
- Then…Becoming Brooklyn and EveryBlock New York City are joining forces to co-host a Brooklyn-centric meetup on June 21, 2012 7-9pm at one of our favorite bars, Mission Dolores. Bonus: first drink is on them.
- SOCCER MANIA CONTINUES!
- And the always (ALWAYS) entertaining Air Guitar Championships are back @ The Bowery Ballroom. You know what they say about airness? It is like porn, you can’t quite do it justice with words but when you see it you know it.
FRIDAY
- On the early side: swing by Fool’s Gold offices for the 6th installment of their Dust LaRock curated artist series. 7-9pm, free drinks, cute photographers, etc.
- Then… things that sound good on a summer night in NYC (or anywhere, really): a screening of Dazed & Confused, $3 beers, classic car displays and a Moon tower. Welcome to BBQ Film nights.
- Things that ALSO sound good on a summer night in NYC (or anywhere really):
- A dance party boat cruise feat. Nickodemus, Noki and more. Ship sails at midnight.
- PHOTOVILLE!
- We know saying we’re pumped to see The Hives sounds very 2007 of us BUT! the show they just played in DC was a masterclass in high energy entertainment and megalomania so check them out @ Terminal 5 SO we can all talk about it on Monday, k?
- + BYT BFF Laura Burhenn is back with a new Mynabirds record and playing Mercury Lounge
- And PRIDE WEEKEND KICKS OFF. With a KICK OFF PARTY.
SATURDAY
- Governor’s Ball festival kicks off. Beck, Fiona, Santigold, Kid Cudi, Modest Mouse and more for 2 whole days at Randall’s Island. Check out our awesome Spotify playlist to get you into the swing of things.
- Also: Orion Music Fest (granted-in New Jersey)
- Also a great daytime activity: Mermaid Parade @ Coney Island. Mermaid enthusiasts, a DJ set by Moby, the rides…nothing not to love.
- As well as: BACON BASH 2012 (which despite the potentially mis-interpreted name is a CELEBRATION and not a BASHING of all things bacon)
- The Total Astoria Immersion food tour
- Ghostface Killah @ the Prospect Park band stand (for free)
- Movie options: TROPFEST kicks off , Cinemafest is @ BAM and at 92Y Tribeca, there is a screening of this great documentary nugget: GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling
- + LOS CAMPESINOS!
- And Bowerbirds with Basia Bulat
SUNDAY
- PRIDE! PRIDE! PRIDE!
- Not only the Governor’s Ball festival but also the Governor’s Ball after party @ Brooklyn Bowl with Penguin Prison, Art vs. Science and more…
- Last day of the J.Crew Sample Sale (don’t make us explain why this genuinely matters to us)
- Alabama Shakes are playing a free Central Park show and if you’re more in the get-out-of-town mode Real Estate is doing the same thing (as in-playing a free show) @ the Kasschau Memorial Shell
- Perfect for a lazy (yet sensual?) Sunday – checking out the Body Language DJ Set at the South Street Seaport
LEAVE US COMMENTS WITH THINGS YOU THINK WE MAY HAVE (not on purpose) MISSED. And remember: if you have tips, an event you want to let us know about or would like to get involved with BYT NYC, shoot us an email at: [email protected] with #BYTNYC in the title. See you around and all the time. And, one for the road:
