Company Freak, Jesus on the Mainline, Storm Large and More Set for Joe's Pub, Now thru 4/6
By: BWW News Desk Mar. 24, 2014
Looking ahead at Joe's Pub at The Public, now, March 24, through April 6, performances will feature: VINCENT D'ONOFRIO & DANA LYN - TRANS FORMATIVE: AN EVENING OF SONGS THAT PROPEL US - PT WALKLEY - UBU SINGS UBU - CHARLES YANG - COMPANY FREAK - JUSTIN VIVIAN BOND - BRIDGET EVERETT - NEVER SLEEP ALONE - MATES OF STATE - JESUS ON THE MAINLINE / NATALIE CRESSMAN - CARMEN SOUZA - SUSANNA - KYRA MILLER - THE STRAY BIRDS - BEN WATT W/ BERNARD BUTLER - ROY NATHANSON & SOTTO VOCE - STORM LARGE - THE LOSERS LOUNGE - CHAMPAGNE JERRY - ISLE OF KLEZBOS and EARL DAX & FRIENDS. Details below!
Monday March 24 at 7:30 PM
$15
Vincent D'Onofrio started sharing his exquisitely written journal entries about a year ago. In these sharp, scary, funny, inviting, original prose poems, presented with live music by Dana Lyn's Slim Bone Head Volt, we meet both Manchester and Pilot Wolf. We can no longer look at nature, the body (human or animal, it matters not), or ballet the same way. D'Onofrio says, "My private journals read by me in a private way in order to change the world and stuff. When I read them to myself, my mind--the mind in my head--fills with music, yet I can't find the source of the music because I refuse to look around me. It is below me to look around. Around, below. Yet the music plays for you on stage, for you. I refuse it while you listen. I refuse to look around. You."
TRANS FORMATIVE: AN EVENING OF SONGS THAT PROPEL US
Mondays, March 24 9:30 PM
$30
TRANS Formative is an evening of song showcasing Downtown's most illustrious performers, produced by vocal coach and teacher Barbara Maier Gustern with Downtown producer/performer Eric L. Schmalenberger. Proceeds will benefit New York Voices, Joe's Pub's artist commissioning program, and the Ali Forney Center. Performers (subject to change) include: Justin Vivian Bond, Michael Cavadias, Eisa Davis, Earl Dax, Angela Di Carlo, Miguel Gutierrez, Nicholas Gorham, Soozee Hwang and the Relastics, Mai Hisaishi, Our Lady J, Carol Lipnik, Heather Litteer, Amber Martin, Nancy Magarill, Carlos Ponton, Lady Rizo, Viva Ruiz, Chris Rael, Tammy Faye Starlite, Sofia Tosello, Roseanna Vitro, Natti Vogel, Sanda Weigl, Geo Wyeth and Pinky Weitzman with Not Waving Not Drowning.
On April 28, TRANS Formative features performances by Penny Arcade, Louisa Bradshaw, Seth Bedford, Machine Dazzle Flower, Miss Guy, Heather Greene, Kathleen Hanna and the Julie Ruin, Benjamin Ickes, John Kelly, Taylor Mac, Julie Atlas Muz, Sofia Rei, Rob Roth, David Sloane, Esq., Vlada Tomova & her Bulgarian trio.Tuesday, March 25 at 7:30 PM
$14
PT Walkley's record release party at Joe's Pub will feature the entire ensemble from the his latest album Shoulders and promises to pack a wallop. PopMatters said, "Walkley's songs emerge as fully-formed catchy pop nuggets with hooks galore. Power pop-rock and classic R&B combine in the songs from Shoulders, releasing February 18th. Shoulders plays very much as a song cycle, one based around an emotional year in which Walkley's son was born and his best friend passed away. This is classic stuff, easy to love from the first few notes...honestly, you had me the second those Stax-esque horns first appeared." Proceeds from this evening will benefit New York's oldest preschool, Little Missionary's Day Nursery, and the school's plans for expansion.
Tuesday, March 25 at 9:30 PM
$20
Ubu Sings Ubu is a tribute band playing the obscenely classic songs of cult band Pere Ubu, as sung by the classically obscene character of Pere Ubu from Ubu Roi. The band includes Tony Torn (Ubu/Vocals), Julie Atlas Muz (Ma Ubu), Vera Beren (Queen of Poland/Keys/Theremin), Emmitt Joe George (Captain Edge, Bass, Backing Vocals), Matt Butterfield (Bougrelas, Guitar, backing vocals), Patrick "Paddymyke" Conlon (King Of Poland, Drums) and Dan Safer (Co-Director/Bear). Stew is special guest.
Wednesday, March 26 at 7:30 PM
$20
Described by The Boston Globe as one who "plays classical violin with the charisma of a rock star," Juilliard graduate Charles Yang began his violin studies with his mother in Austin, TX, and has since studied with world-renowned pedagogues Kurt Sassmanshaus, Paul Kantor, Brian Lewis and Glenn Dicterow. He has performed as a soloist with orchestras and in recitals in the United States, Europe, Brazil, Russia, China and Taiwan, and is the recipient of numerous awards and honors.
Yang's improvisational abilities as a violinist, electric violinist and vocalist have allowed him to crossover and perform with artists like CDZA, Steve Miller, Jake Shimabukuro, the Orchestra of St. Lukes, Ray Benson, Marcelo Gomes, Misty Copeland and Jonathan Batiste. He has performed everywhere from the Metropolitan Opera House to The Forbidden City in Beijing. Most recently, Yang completed a week at Lincoln Center as the solo violinist with American Ballet Theatre's revival of Twyla Tharp's Bach Partita.
Wednesday, March 26 at 9:30 PM
$20
International dance music super band Company Freak is masterminded by recognized producer-DJ-journalist Jason King. Their deep-pocket, sophisticated dance pop is a throwback to 1970s and 80s orchestral disco, soul and funk when groups like Chic, Change, Kool and the Gang, Boney M, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, and Midnight Star ruled the airwaves. Company Freak is above all else a concept: a revolving, multi-generational affiliation of awe-inspiring vocalists and musicians, anchored by King's original dance tracks, recorded in international cities like New York, Istanbul, Addis Ababa and Paris. Engineered and mixed by Eric Broucek and Alex Nizich (LCD Soundsystem, Hercules and Love Affair), Company Freak's effervescent debut LP, Le Disco Social, features fiery vocalists Shayna Steele (Rihanna, NBC's Smash), Matia Washington (Clark Sisters, John Legend), Melissa Musique (Jessie J., Florence and the Machine) and King himself. Storied session musicians from bands like D-Train and Chic, plus a return-to-form from R&B and theater legend Vivian Reed are featured as well.
JUSTIN VIVIAN BOND's THE DRIFT
Thursday & Friday, March 27 & 28 at 7:00 PM
$25
Longtime Joe's Pub favorite Justin Vivian Bond returns to the acclaimed downtown venue for a new long-form show based on the work of Tennessee Williams. In The Drift, JVB creates a new, free associative, collage of spoken word and song inspired by Williams' novella The Roman Spring of Karen Stone about a retired actress who drifts from one space to another through couture, bed, or her own mind. Performances run on select dates through mid-April.
BRIDGET EVERETT & THE TENDER MOMENTS
Thursday, March 27 at 9:30 PM
SOLD OUT
Every month, Bridget Everett & The Tender Moments bring their funny yet gut-wrenching and outrageous performance to Joe's Pub. Led by the singing tour de force Bridget Everett, "a mouthy, flesh-jiggling early Bette Midler" (New York Times), the band has sold-out venues nationally and instantly developed a cult-like following with their edgy, sexed-up, punk rock cabaret. Each performance is as explosive as it is unpredictable, welcoming special guests as varied as Fred Armisen, Patti LuPone, Flea, Dan Finnerty (The Dan Band), Tonya Pinkins, Marc Shaiman, Erin Markey, Peaches, Neal Medlyn and Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters) while fans such as Ben Stiller, Jonah Hill, Andy Cohen and Lily Taylor can be seen laughing hysterically in the audience.
Dr. Alex Schiller's NEVER SLEEP ALONE
Friday, March 28 at 9:30 PM
$25 Singles / $30 Voyeurs
Finally, a show designed to help you hook up! Sexual evangelist and best-selling author Dr. Alex Schiller brings the hot, the single and the curious together for a night of delirious laughter, music and socio-sensual interaction. Dr. Alex insists that her audience be filled with the sexy and seeking. During the show, Singles mix in the front and become active participants in the show while Voyeurs watch from the back. The provocative and irreverent Dr. Alex dispenses sex advice from her new book, Never Sleep Alone, and leads her audience through a wildly entertaining evening. Willing singles are invited to join Dr. Alex on stage for free champagne, blind dates and interactive demonstrations. The night continues at an exclusive after-party and the secret location is announced at curtain call.?
If you're interested in participating in a live, on-stage date or demonstration at the show, or would like to share your opinions on dating/sex (anonymous letters welcome) with the audience, please send your request to NSAshow@gmail.com.
Saturday, March 29 at 7:30 & 9:30 PM
$25
The first thing you notice about Mates of State's latest album Mountaintops (2011) is the energy and force of it - you won't be able to sit still. Go slightly deeper and you find the song-craft. Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel's voices effortlessly harmonize and volley back and forth, through movements of a song - going from upbeat to pastoral so fluidly, from melancholy to buoyantly hopeful. Indie pop rock mainstays since the late 90s, the husband and wife duo play complex pop songs with the sound of a full band. Their instruments join their voices to move as one piece, inseparable. Through the years, Mates of State's textures have become more intricate and deep as their instrumentation has grown from keyboards and drums to include guitars and horns.
JESUS ON THE MAINLINE / NATALIE CRESSMAN
Sunday, March 30 at 9:30 PM
$12
A 15-piece rag-tag group of New York's finest young musicians, Jesus On The Mainline has played to sold out crowds since their inception in mid-2012. Led by GRAMMY-nominated musician Andrew Neesley, their music is reminiscent of The Black Keys, Mumford and Sons and The Black Crowes, with a dash of Joe Cocker and Janis Joplin for good measure. They are known for their epic soul cover of Nirvana's "Lithium" and the striking original songs of Neesley and Tim Emmerick.
Natalie Cressman's versatility and enthusiasm has propelled her musical career, putting her on stage at Carnegie Hall, House of Blues and the Apollo. An accomplished improviser, Cressman has performed with Nicholas Payton, Wycliffe Gordon, NY Hieroglyphics Ensemble, and toured with Trey Anastasio for two years. At the same time, she attended the Manhattan School of Music and performed all over NYC with her own band. Her album Unfolding captures her rapidly blossoming sensibility, shaped by Cuban, Brazilian and West African music, indie rock, funk and the post-bop continuum.
Sunday, March 30 at 7:30 PM
$15
Lisbon-born Cape Verdean songstress Carmen Souza has it all: excellent repertoire, a mesmerizing, expressive and versatile voice that glides effortlessly through a huge range of registers, and a spellbinding, charismatic stage presence. Whether she is singing the plaintive morna (the Cape Verdean variation of the blues) or an exuberant batuco, Souza is always convincing owing to her swingy jazz sense of timing and her virtuoso voice full of nuances from the highest to the lowest notes she sings. Singing in her ancestors' Creole language and mixing traditional African and Cape Verde rhythms with contemporary jazz influences she creates a unique sound that is all her own.
Monday, March 31 at 7:30 PM
$18
Susanna is the Norwegian singer and founder of the former duo Susanna and the Magical Orchestra, founded in 2000 with keyboard player Morten Qvenild. Susanna has been active for more than a decade, with nine albums in her various iterations. The Oslo-based artist has recently been taking great steps towards greater independence and autonomy, while increasing the range of her considerable talents as a songwriter, vocal interpreter and producer. Susanna is known for both her own songwriting, with songs such as "Believer" and her highly personal interpretations of other people's songs. She is an intensely arresting performer; holding audiences captive with her hypnotizing vocal timbre and the powerful, all-consuming sound of her band, her concerts are truly magical.
Monday, March 31 at 9:30 PM
$15
Kyra Miller - actress, singer, hometown girl - sings from the American songbook to illustrate the classic New York story about blind ambition, fairy tales, Rabbis, baseball and electrolysis. Miller performs with Matt Ray on piano.
Tuesday, April 1 at 7:30 PM
$15
When The Stray Birds take the stage, the spotlight falls on three voices raised in harmony above the raw resonance of wood and strings. Their sound is drawn from the richness of American folk music traditions, spun with a stirring subtlety and grace. From bustling street corners to silent halls, their shows speak to an uncompromising reverence for songs. Raised within miles of each other in rural Pennsylvania, they began as friends. Maya de Vitry and Oliver Craven first collaborated during a snowy winter in 2010, spawning their first EP, Borderland. Two years later, Charles Muench, who played upright bass on Borderland, joined as the third voice. The trio recorded their debut full-length album by packing instruments into a station wagon and setting out to sing for an endless road of towns. The self-titled album was lauded by radio stations and listeners and named to the Top 10 Folk/Americana Releases of 2012 by NPR. The trio will release their second full-length album later this spring.
Tuesday, April 1 at 9:30 PM
SOLD OUT
After 20 years in Everything But The Girl, and 10 years as a respected DJ and record label boss of Buzzin' Fly, Ben Watt stopped everything to complete two long-planned creative solo projects. The first is his second book, Romany and Tom (Bloomsbury, UK, February 2014; North America, June 2014), a dazzling portrait of his parents. The second is Hendra (Unmade Road, April 29th), his first solo album in over 30 years. It is, in Watt's words, "simply a folk-rock record in an electronic age."
The songs for Hendra came unexpectedly. Watt's sister passed suddenly as he was finishing Romany and Tom. He took to his basement nightly, retuning his guitars to unfamiliar tunings as a way of restarting and began singing. This resulted in 10 songs - unsentimental, impressionistic - about close family and strangers, resilience and hope. Recorded in London and Berlin, the music is a meeting of worlds: languid folk, distorted rock and fizzing electronics; in part a result of the album's two central collaborators, ex-Suede guitarist, Bernard Butler, and Berlin-based producer Ewan Pearson.
Wednesday, April 2 at 7:00 PM
$20
Complicated Day is the new album from Roy Nathanson and Sotto Voce (Enja/Yellowbirds Records). The consummate multi-tasker, Nathanson balances an exhausting schedule as a musician and bandleader, composer and poet, educator and actor. Nathanson is always looking to expand his artistic reach and on Complicated Day, he has done so once again, augmenting the Sotto Voce's spoken word format with a greater emphasis on sung lyrics. Nathanson and Sotto Voce conjure an innovative compositional mix of songs, going where free jazz meets the far stretches of the human voice while remaining within classic song arrangements that emulate stories of romance, reflection and hope. Complicated Day features Nathanson on alto, soprano and baritone
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