Friday March 25

Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Bands: If By Yes Get Tickets Here
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Mercury Lounge
Food: The Stanton Social
Drink: The Magician
Miscellaneous: The Pink Pony

A super group of sorts featuring vocalist Petra Haden, Cibbo Matto’s Yuka Honda, guitarist Hirotaka “Shimmy” Shimizu and drummer Yuko Araki, both long time members of the Japanese band Cornelius. On their album Salt on Sea Glass they make sunny downtempo music while being joined by guest vocalists like David Byrne and guitarist Nels Cline, so you never know who might show up. Opening for them is Summer Fiction. 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.

Friday March 25

Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Bands: J. Mascis Get Tickets Here
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Music Hall of Williamsburg
Food: Fornino
Bar: D.O.C. Wine Bar
Miscellaneous: Verb Café

Former Dinosaur Jr. frontman and guitarist J. Mascis offers up his new solo acoustic album Several Shades of Why which is pretty beautiful. Plus openers Kurt Vile and the Violators are definitely worth getting to Mercury Lounge early to check out if you haven’t already. What also rocks is finding a decent pizza! Fornino offers just that, wrapped up in an original concept. Serving wood oven burning pizza, the menu is broken up into three generations, the first being your basic pizza ingredients while the second and third go off the gourmet deep end, giving you more than 20 options total. For drinks, the D.O.C. Wine Bar has a homey atmosphere and an excellent wine list of strictly Italian wines and small plates of food. If coffee is your thing, The Verb Café offers not only coffee but sandwiches, desserts, and soup. Chill at a table and write that novel, look for jobs online, or hang with a friend like everyone else there.

Saturday March 26

Location: Park Slope, Brooklyn
Music: Bad Reputation
Show time: 7 PM
Venue: Barbes
Food: El Viejo Yayo
Drink: Buttermilk Bar
Miscellaneous: The Chocolate Room

Singer and composer Pierre de Gaillande sings the songs of legendary French chanson Georges Brassens, a French anarchistic bard who became one of the biggest French singers of the 20th century. Keeping the night going, try  El Viejo Yayo for dinner. This gorgeous and warm restaurant has an elegant dining room and an affordable menu offering Dominican/Latin cuisine. The outside of Buttermilk Bar may look non-descript, but looks are deceiving . . . just not in this case, as this low-key watering hole is where you can grab a cheap drink in a friendly atmosphere, while playing a board game or two. With a near insane menu of chocolates from coffee and tea to delectable dessert, and even beer, The Chocolate Room is a great way to end the night on a high note.

Saturday March 26

Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Band: Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears Get Tickets Here
Show time: 8:30 PM
Venue: Bowery Ballroom
Food: The Stanton Social
Drink: The Magician
Miscellaneous: The Pink Pony

Catch blues and soul act Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears when they hit the stage at Bowery Ballroom. If you’re a fan of James Brown and Howlin’ Wolf, you’ll love this band! 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.

Sunday March 27

Location: East Village, NYC
Art: Lynda Benglis
Show time: See website for schedule; Through June 19
Venue: New Museum
Food: Oyama
Drink: Grassroots Tavern
Miscellaneous: Mudd Cafe

Sculptor Lynda Benglis is known for her wax paintings and latex sculptures that see organic imagery confront new media. Here, the New Museum presents a retrospective featuring many of the works that influenced and continue to influence the art world. With sushi that’s 50 percent off all the time, you might think, “Something’s wrong with that?” but the fish is good and the rolls are inventive, making Oyama one of the best low-priced sushi joints in the city. Though St. Marks all of a sudden lost its charm, Grassroots Tavern hasn’t. This large dive bar has cheap drinks, darts in the back, and old men behind the bar, things a good dive bar should have. Excellent coffee served in a big mug and a healthy menu of food coupled with a year round enclosed outdoor backyard patio make Mudd Cafe a great little coffee shop in the area.