It’s New Year’s Day, that first day of the rest of your life…
Hopefully you enjoyed yourself on New Year’s Eve and now you’re ready for some activity. Or not. My recommendations are not for everyone but I enjoy the marathon poetry reading at the St. Marks Church in the East Village. A movie might be good, the ballet (The Nutcracker reimagined by ABT’s genius-in-residence, Alexi Ratmansky). Click on read more for all the essential details.
Movies:
At BAM: The Fighter, Black Swan, The King’s Speech
At the Pavilion: The Fighter, The Tourist, The Chronicles of Narnia, Tangled, How Do You Know?, True Grit and Meet the Fockers.
Dance
Through January 2nd at BAM: The Nutcracker reimagined by ABT’s resident genius with toy soldiers, sparkling fairies, mischievous mice, and all the enchanting inhabitants of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s whimsical world. Performed with a live orchestra, together with extraordinary sets and costumes by Tony Award-winner Richard Hudson (The Lion King), Ratmansky’s new version of Tchaikovsky’s classic unites more than 100 superb performers for a sublime retelling of the beloved story.
Music
Saturday night at The Bell House: The Detroit Cobras if you want to hear some of the greatest r’n’b, soul and rock’n’roll songs you can spin hundreds of 45’s or go out and see The Detroit Cobras. Whether performing songs by Mickey Lee Lane, Art Neville, or The Oblivians, the Cobras always bring their unique Motor City energy to the table. Frontwoman Rachel Nagy’s voice is sexy smooth with just the right amount of lust, grit and heartache.
Saturday night at Barbes: Sambatown with authentic Samba and Pagode from Rio with all the flavor and ginga (swing) necessary to keep your feet moving. It’s the sounds of Rio in New York; a shortcut to Lapa (a traditionally musical Rio neighbohhood). It’s the party within. Not to be missed if you want to exorcize the gloomy vibes of winter. With Ronaldo China – Cavaquinho/Vocals; Ze Mauricio – Percussion/Vocals; Humberto – Percussion/Vocals and Sapel – Percussion.
Poetry
37th Annual New Year’s Day Marathon Poetry Reading at St. Marks Church: Poets and perfromers include: John Giorno, Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye, Philip Glass, Suzanne Vega, Taylor Mead, Eric Bogosian, Anne Waldman & Ambrose Bye, Vito Acconci, Foamola, Anselm Berrigan, Ariana Reines, Peter Gizzi, Elizabeth Willis, Ted Greenwald, Bruce Andrews & Sally Silvers, The Church of Betty, Thom Donovan, Tim Griffin, Todd Colby, Tom Savage, David Shapiro, Jonas Mekas, Josef Kaplan, Judith Malina, Albert Mobilio, Alex Abelson, Maria Mirabal, Bill Kushner, David Freeman, David Kirschenbaum, Diana Rickard, Don Yorty, Dorothea Lasky, Douglas Dunn, Alan Gilbert, Alan Licht w/ Angela Jaeger, Charles Bernstein, Christopher Stackhouse, Citizen Reno, Cliff Fyman, Corina Copp, Aaron Kiely, Adeena Karasick, Bill Zavatsky, Bob Holman, Robert Fitterman, Rodrigo Toscano, Brenda Iijima, Brendan Lorber, Brett Price, Corrine Fitzpatrick, Curtis Jensen, Dael Orlandersmith, David Vogen, Derek Kroessler, Diana Hamilton, ARTHUR’S LANDING, CAConrad, Akilah Oliver, Douglas Piccinnini, John S. Hall, Samita Sinha, Sara Wintz, Secret Orchestra with special guest Joanna Penn Cooper, Shonni Enelow, Bob Rosenthal, Brenda Coultas, John Yau, Julian T. Brolaski, Evelyn Reilly, Filip Marinovich, Douglas Rothschild, Drew Gardner, Eleni Stecopoulos, Elinor Nauen, Eve Packer, Jo Ann Wasserman, Joanna Fuhrman, Dustin Williamson, E. Tracy Grinnell, Ed Friedman, Edwin Torres, Eileen Myles, Elliott Sharp, Emily XYZ, Erica Hunt, Erica Kaufman, Evan Kennedy, Joe Elliot, Joel Lewis, Frank Sherlock, Gillian McCain, Greg Fuchs, Janet Hamill, Jeremy Hoevenaar, Jessica Fiorini, Jibade-Khalil Huffman, Jim Behrle, Julianna Barwick, Julie Patton, Michael Lydon, Lisa Jarnot, Maggie Dubris, Marcella Durand, Marty Ehrlich, Merry Fortune, Michael Cirelli, Kristen Kosmas, Laura Elrick, Lauren Russell, Leopoldine Core, Nina Freeman, Paolo Javier, Patricia Spears Jones, Paul Mills (Poez), Michael Scharf, Mike Doughty, Karen Weiser, Lewis Warsh, Linda Russo, Penny Arcade, Peter Bushyeager, Rebecca Moore, Mónica de la Torre, Murat Nemet-Nejat, Nathaniel Siegel, Nick Hallett, Nicole Peyrafitte, Pierre Joris & Miles Joris-Peyrefitte, Kathleen Miller, Katie Degentesh, Kelly Ginger, Ken Chen, Kim Lyons, Kim Rosenfield, India Radfar, Tonya Foster, Stephanie Gray, Susan Landers, Tony Towle, Tracie Morris, Valery Oisteanu, John Coletti, Rachel Levitsky, Edmund Berrigan, Jamie Townsend, Macgregor Card, Wayne Koestenbaum, Will Edmiston, Yoshiko Chuma, Nicole Wallace, Arlo Quint, Stacy Szymaszek and more T.B.A
Dark Matters: The Alternative New Year’s Day Spoken Work/Poetry Extravaganza at the Bowery Poetry Club: We have Dark Matters: The arts that hold all us disparate individuals together! When the city, the country and the world splits into fighting fragments, music, poetry, and dance keep us intact. Come celebrate our unity when other factors attempt to drive us apart.