Cory Branan: Mercury Lounge 10 October 2015

Out for the fifth night in a row, this time to see Cory Branan as the opening act at Mercury Lounge. Mercury Lounge is one of my favorite venues – intimate and great sound. And Cory Branan is one of the best storytellers you’ll ever hear. He started with one of our favorites, “Prettiest Waitress […]

Lucero: Webster Hall 8 October 2015

Sorry that the next few reviews are so late in coming. It was one show after another while I was fighting off what I thought was allergies but grew to realize was actually bronchitis. But now I’m medicated and ready to write things up. Lucero opening for Lucero at Webster Hall. You can’t have too […]

Gad Elmaleh: Joe’s Pub 7 October 2015

While British comedian Eddie Izzard is off in France doing his act in French, French comedian Gad Elmaleh is in NYC doing a workshop of his act in English. Actually, Elmaleh is a Moroccan Jew, who lives and works in France. He is sometimes described as the Jerry Seinfeld of France. Elmaleh is also very […]

Fall for Dance: Program Three 6 October 2015

Before last evening’s Fall for Dance program there was an interview with two choreographers. Stanton Welch, artistic director of the Houston Ballet, and Stephen Petronio, director of the Stephen Petronio Company, would each have dances at Fall for Dance. The Houston Ballet was performed last night. Both men came to dancing late in life but […]

Fall for Dance: Program Two 3 October 2015

It was the second night of the second program of Fall for Dance and the night began with a panel discussion with the FFD commissioned choreographers for the year. One piece was going to be performed that evening and the other later in the week. Choreographer Pam Tanowitz heard a five-minute string quartet by Greg […]

The Writing Process: New Yorker Festival 3 October 2015

Next for me at New Yorker Festival was The Writing Process, a panel with Jeffrey Eugenides (“The Virgin Suicides” “Middlesex” “The Marriage Plot”), Sheila Heti (“How Should a Person Be?” “Ticknor” “Women in Clothes”), and Ben Lerner (“Leaving the Atocha Station” “10:04” “Angle of Yaw”) moderated by Cressida Leyshon (deputy fiction editor of The New […]

Fall for Dance: Program One: NY City Center 1 October 2015

Autumn means it’s time for Fall for Dance, the inexpensive way to see many types of dance. There are five different programs and I’ll be seeing all five this year. The Miami City Ballet performed Allegro Brillante, which could be a primer for ballet. There is every move you can think of that’s part of […]

Frank Turner: Irving Plaza 29 September 2015

Irving Plaza is not one of my favorite venues. It’s a large ballroom that holds about 1000 people. Sound can be iffy. Sightlines are difficult. I don’t like standing in the middle of the huge crowd, so I stand in the back where there’s more space and some air. But what I mostly see is […]