Joe's Pub Announces The Unthanks 6/30, Canada Day Bash 7/1

Joe's Pub at The Public Theater debuted in October 1998 and has quickly became one of New York City's most celebrated and in-demand showcase venues for live music and performance. With its genre-blind booking and vast diversity of interests, the stage at Joe's Pub gives voice to a world of varied and stellar artists.

With impeccable sound and lights, the warm and intimate candlelit atmosphere of Joe's Pub is filled with plush velvet couches, softly glowing lucite tables and gorgeously understated architecture. Joe's Pub is open seven days a week, regularly hosting as many as three shows a day. Dinner and drink service is available during every performance; the venue offers a classic Italian dinner menu and a fully stocked bar.

JUST ADDED MIKABEN

Saturday, June 19 at 11:30 PM

Bridging the gap between Traditional Haitian Music and the younger Pop audience, Mikaben blends Haitian Kompa with a taste of Reggae, Hip Hop, and Soulful R&B. Son of musical legend Lionel Benjamin, MIKA Benjamin is no stranger to the stage. Whether playing in a band or solo with his guitar, Mika has a little something for any crowd on this planet. Many have called him "the missing link between Haitian Music and main stream International Music Community" . $15 in advance / $20 at the door

JUNE 30 - JULY 5

THE UNTHANKS

Wednesday, June 30 at 7:00 PM

Following on from their Mercury Prize nomination, Geordie folk inventors The Unthanks are back with a name tweak (formerly Rachel Unthank & The Winterset), a revised line-up and a brand new album Here's The Tender Coming (EMI) that rests not one jot on the incomparable sound that has earned them admirers from the ranks of Radiohead, Portishead, Robert Wyatt, Ben Folds, Nic Jones, Ewan McGregor and Nick Hornby.

"The Bairns was so bleak and sparse that we didn't feel we could build on its intensity," explains Rachel, "and besides, we like to keep stimulated and moving creatively. We were never going to do the opposite and make a happy album!.. but Here's The Tender Coming is hopefully a warmer, calmer shade of sad than The Bairns."

Here's The Tender Coming is named after the title track of the album, in which the Tender is the boat coming to press the men of the North-East into war, but as an album title, it works as a metaphor for the melancholic, reflective shift in mood from The Unthanks. $15

OUR HIT PARADE STARRING Bridget Everett, Kenny Mellman AND NEAL MEDLYN

Wednesdays, May 26, June 30, July 28 and August 25 at 9:30 PM

Our Hit Parade is a live top-ten countdown show created by Tony nominee and Obie winner Kenny Mellman (Kiki & Herb), carnal chanteuse Bridget Everett (At Least It's Pink at Ars Nova), pop song opera impresario Neal Medlyn (Neal Medlyn's Unpronounceable Symbol at P.S. 122), producer and MTV cameraman Brendan Kennedy, and writers Ada Calhoun and Peter Schjeldahl. The show is inspired by the musical sketch series "Your Hit Parade" that ran on radio and then television from 1935 to 1959. On that show, cast members performed the week's most popular songs as comically literal skits. In this show, the hosts and special guest stars from the local performance scene present their renditions of current popular hits live on stage! $20

CANADA'S BIRTHDAY BASH FEAT.THE GREAT CANADIAN SONGBOOK

Thursday, July 1 at 7:00 & 9:30 PM

Celebrate Canada's 143rd birthday with this all-star celebration of the Great Canadian Songbook, produced and emcee'd by Jeff Breithaupt and featuring a stellar international line-up (to be announced soon!), backed by the all-star "Workin' for the Weekend House Band" led by Music Director Peter Kiesewalter (Brooklyn Roadfunk Orkestrata, East Village Opera Company). Join the evening's sparkling cast of special guests as they lay down unforgettable versions of all your favorite Canuck anthems. From Cohen to Cockburn, Joni to Gino, Lightfoot to Lighthouse, Nellie to Neil, Rufus to Raffi, B.T.O. to k.d.l., the Cowboy Junkies to the Crash Test Dummies, Barenaked Ladies to Men Without Hats, you never know whose songs you might hear. We've been oot and aboot looking at the border from Both Sides Now, and we're rarin' to Share the Land north of the 49th with this town's Sweet City Women and Sk8er Boi's alike. Sure, Life Is a (Carefree) Highway, but on July 1, life is happening at 425 Lafayette Street. So, come on, Old Man, let down your Hair, grab Mimi from the Beach, and take a Magic Carpet Ride to Joe's Pub for the year's rocking-est birthday bash! Think you know The Great Canadian Songbook? You Ain't [Heard] Nothin' Yet. $25

HUNTSVILLE / OPSVIK & JENNINGS

Friday, July 2 at 7:00 PM

"[ Opsvik & Jennings'] instrumental tides incorporate stray elements of folk, jazz, and country with an impressively gentle touch" - Pitchfork.com

"This group advanced a series of tuneful provocations, self-contained and pregnant with detail. And it balanced precision against a spirit of wonder." - Nate Chinen, The New York Times

Opsvik & Jennings

Eivind Opsvik - bass, synthesizer

Aaron Jennings - guitar

Rich Johnson - trumpet, laptop

Brian Drye - organ, piano, trombone

Dave Christian - drums

A New York-based experimental chamber-pop twosome formed in 2003. Jennings, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, focuses his energy mainly on song-writing and unusual guitar and banjo parts for the band. Opsvik, who grew up in Oslo, Norway, has made a name for himself primarily as a bassist in NYC, but also as a composer, record producer, and general multi-instrumentalist. Perhaps, in part, their unique sound is a result of their different backgrounds and inspirations - Jennings has a quirky melodic sensibility stemming from his interest in a wide range of old and new pop music, while Opsvik is heavily involved in the improvised music scene and finds inspiration in his classical training. But they feed off each other in creative ways and use these differences to their advantage. For this live show, Opsvik & Jennings get assistance from their friends; Dave, Brian and Rich.

"...a hypnotic trip through percussive ragas, electro-acoustic scree and Morricone-like dreamscapes." - MOJO (UK)

"..they alternate between brief Americana-esque instrumentals and lengthier excursions into fast, fluid motion, attaining trance-velocity like some rare amalgam of Miles Davies, Steve Reich and early Tortoise." - ROCK-A-ROLLA (UK)

Huntsville

Ivar Grydeland - guitars, banjo, pedal steel guitar, etc

Tonny Kluften - bass, double bass, bass pedals, rhythm machine

Ingar Zach - sruti box, tabla machine, drone commander, percussion

The Sound Wiz - sounds

Norway's Huntsville delves further into an adventurous crossbreed of rock, drones, country, jazz and electro-acoustic improvisation. After their 2006 debut "for the middle class" (Rune Grammofon) Boston Weekly wrote: "armed with a banjo, a double bass, a pedal steel, a bizarre tabla machine, shruti boxes and a fondness for freeing folk from its folk songs - from Santa Fe to Bombay." Huntsville's unexpected sounds and textures, allied with echoes of traditional genres in a radical new conceptual language have been described as abstract drone Americana and yoga country.

On their second album, the double release "eco, arches & eras" (Rune Grammofon, 2008), they dig even deeper into their striking and original sound world - this time with riffing electric guitars, hard-hitting drums and their secret weapon: a drone commander...Huntsville had special guests during the making of "eco, arches & eras". Norwegian singer Sidsel Endresen joined in on one track, while guitarist Nels Cline and drummer Glenn Kotche (both of Wilco) visited Huntsville on an hour-long track captured live in 2007. $15

STRAIGHT UP VAMPIRE

Friday and Saturday, July 2 & 3 at 9:30 PM

Straight Up Vampire:The History of Vampires in Colonial Pennsylvania as Performed to the Music of Paula Abdul. book by Nick Jones, Zak Vreeland and Peter James Cook

directed by Peter James Cook

music and lyrics by Paula Abdul,
music direction by Michael Iannantuono,
with music performed by Dr Steam Whipple and the Prescriptions

It's 1763 and there are vampires in Philadelphia.
Paula Abdul Blackwood is a beautiful young quaker girl being forced into marriage with the wheelwright's son.
Jack Sheridan, a politically idealistic young vampire, is the man she loves.
Everywhere there is dissent. Fractious parties debate the future of the colony.
MC Skat Kat and Benjamin Franklin vie for power in the Assembly.

With Nick Jones, the O'Debra Twins, and Corn Mo as Benjamin Franklin. $15

Crystal Monee Hall: CD RELEASE

Saturday, July 3 at 7:00 PM

"Singing the octave-leaping solo in "Seasons of Love," Crystal Monee Hall offer(ed) a stirring breakout moment." - Peter Marks, Washington Post
"CrystAl Hall embodies everything you want in a soul singer. It's not just the runs and riffs...it's not just the warmth of her voice..it's what she is SAYING that is so stirring!" - Tituss Burgess, star of Broadway's 'The Little Mermaid' and 'Guys and Dolls'

Crystal Monee Hall is a world class singer whose voice has often been compared to the jazz gospel styling of Kim Burrell. Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Crystal now splits her time between Oakland, California and New York city as a voice in high demand, both as a session singer and vocal arranger, recording with such amazing artists as Spencer Day, Jason Mraz and Elton John. She has performed with Disney Entertainment as well as starred in lead role in the Tony-Award winning musical RENT. The singer/songwriter's much sought after compositions have been presented at Rivers of Honey, The Laurie Beechman Theatre's "After Party," and The Triad Theatre's "Just a Piano" series hosted by Lee Summers. Also a member of the acclaimed Jazz Mafia Symphony, Ms. Hall will be touring as they perform their suite Brass, Bows & Beats at major jazz festivals nationwide this summer 2010 including the Newport, Montreal, and Monterey Jazz festivals. Crystal Monee Hall is set to release her highly anticipated debut album River Train on June 22, 2010. $18 in advance / $20 at the door

BAMBI & WATERWELL: GOODBAR
Monday, July 5 at 7:30 PM

Reviving the lost art of the Live Concept Album, Waterwell teams up with NYC rock band, Bambï, to tackle one of the most controversial pop culture artifacts from the '70s, Looking for Mr. Goodbar. Taking inspiration from both the film starring Diane Keaton and the novel by Judith Rossner, Bambï and Waterwell explore the timeless themes of sexuality, independence and persona as seen refracted through a disco ball. Join us for this special first look as we take on this dark classic, celebrating New York in all its grim glamour. $15

NIIA BERTINO

Monday, July 5 at 9:30 PM

Niia is a classically trained pianist/vocalist originally from Boston. Niia moved to New York to attend New School for Jazz where she met Wyclef Jean. Niia was featured in the Wyclef song "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" (peaking at #12 on Billboard Hot 100, and #10 on Billboard Pop 100) with Lil' Wayne and Akon. The success of "Sweetest Girl" landed Niia with appearances on "VH1 Soul Stage," "The Late Show with David Letterman," "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," " The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," the "BET Awards" among others and a worldwide tour with Wyclef. Perez Hilton called Niia "a singer whose voice is as sultry as she looks." Niia is currently working on her debut album which explores a darker side of electronic pop music. $14

TICKETS

Online at joespub.com, phone 212-967-7555, in Person At The Public Theater Box Office (1 PM to 6 PM), or at the Joe's Pub Box Office from (6 PM to 10 PM) both located at 425 Lafayette Street, NYC

For table reservations please call 212-539-8778. Purchase of tickets does NOT guarantee a table reservation; you must call to reserve seats. Seating, as well as standing-room, is available only on a first-come, first-served basis for all shows without a dinner reservation. Two drink or $12 food minimum per person is standard.