Friday May 28

Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Bands: The Besnard Lakes + Land of Talk Get Tickets Here
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Bowery Ballroom
Food: Social
Drink: 151
Miscellaneous: Bereket

Canadian indie rockers The Besnard Lakes make music that’s both atmospheric and epic. Check out their newest album The Besnard Lakes are the Roaring Night. Also performing are fellow Canadians Land of Talk, made up of Elizabeth Powell (singer/guitarist), Joseph Yarmush (bassist), and Andrew Barr (drummer) who together make sweet indie rock. Where to go afterwards? Go straight to the bar, and that bar would be 151, where happy hour is 7 days a week from 6pm till 10pm and includes 2 for 1 drinks. For those that don’t want a liquid dinner first, check Social for comfort food including the Mac and Cheese (Macaroni covered in Three Cheese Truffled Mornay Sauce and topped w/Seasoned Bread Crumbs). For a late night eat, a favorite spot of mine is Bereket for falafels and to watch drunks succeed at spilling their food all over themselves and failing at picking up chicks. Not for the faint of heart!

Friday May 28

Location: Chelsea, NYC
Art: Reality is Overrated
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Postmasters
Food: Pop Burger
Drink: Gaslight Lounge
Miscellaneous: Amy’s Bread

In the exhibition Reality is Overrated, Brooklyn based artists Eva and Franco Mattes aka 0100101110101101.ORG. include several new net-based performances as well as their very first work together, a project that has been kept secret for 14 years. Burger joint in the front, upscale lounge in the back, the menu at Pop Burger includes basics like 2 pop burgers for $5 for a quick fix or if your lounging, the likes of tuna tartar with soy truffle jus ($15). The Gaslight Lounge, a great hotspot bar in the meatpacking district, is dark and cozy while affordable for the area. If you don’t know Amy’s Bread, when you order a sandwich at a café or restaurant in the city, ask where they got the bread. There’s a good chance it’s from Amy’s because she’s one of the best bread makers in the city.

Saturday May 29

Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Band: Thalia Zedek
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Knitting factory
Food: Fette Sau
Drink: Spuyten Duyvil
Miscellaneous: Union Pool

Thalia Zedek has been around since 1981, having been in bands like Dangerous Birds, UZI, Come, and Live Skull. Having gone solo since Come ended in 1999, her music is reminiscent of Nick Cave though she’s influenced PJ Harvey and more. Joining her is Chrome Cranks and Clockwork Mercury. If your feeling German BBQ, you can head over to Fette Sau (fat pig in German), where the owners of nearby bar Spuyten Duyvil have opened up this meat only restaurant serving up some of the best pork and beef in NYC. For drinks, Spuyten Duyvil is a beer lovers dream, with a selection from all over the world, friendly and knowledgeable bartenders and a neighborhood feel, it’s no wonder this place has been so successful. If you’re still ready for more, you must hit Union Pool, where there’s always a band playing, great DJs, and plenty of action.

Saturday May 29

Location: Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Band: D.R.I.
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Europa
Food: Wasabi
Drink: Bar Matchless
Miscellaneous: Christina’s

Crossover thrash band, the legendary D.R.I. are back together and touring again after a hiatus. Check them out for a history lesson on hardcore music. There’s a lot of restaurants popping up in Greenpoint nowadays. The Japanese restaurant Wasabi has been there before many of them and serves up some of the best sushi in that hood. A good local bar, Bar Matchless is that low-key place where you can chill, get a drink and not have to scream at the top of your lungs to make conversation. Though many of the Polish residents and several key restaurants have gone and moved to Ridgewood, Queens, one Polish mainstay of Greenpoint ain’t going anywhere and for good reason as Christina’s was and still is the best Polish restaurant in Greenpoint. Try the pierogi’s which will run you around $6.50 with most menu items under $10.

Sunday May 30

Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Band: Mono Get Tickets Here
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Bowery Ballroom
Food: The Stanton Social
Drink: The Magician
Miscellaneous: The Pink Pony

With cinematic leanings, Japanese rock band Mono make massive sounding albums like their new one Hymn To The Immortal Wind which encapsulates their wall of sound gorgeously. For dinner, The Stanton Social has earned a reputation for being a beautifully designed restaurant/lounge while serving up some delicious multi-ethnic cuisine. For drinks, a favorite of mine is The Magician, this bar’s chill atmosphere just may be the cure for a well-earned night of rocking. A great way to end the night? Stop by The Pink Pony. This boho café has been serving French food and coffee since the 80s and has a relaxing vibe. It’s as punk as that neighborhood gets nowadays.