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November 5
Brooklyn opens in theaters
Take pride in your borough and see this sweeping period epic about an Irish immigrant (Saoirse Ronan) torn between a charming Italian beau in Brooklyn and a dashing suitor in her home country.
RAC + Big Data + Filous + Pink Feathers Webster Hall; 6:30pm; $35
If you’re looking to get down to indie electropop that you can actually dance to, then you’ll be bouncing in ecstatic delight as RAC blasts joyous remixes of “Let Go” and “Cheap Sunglasses” with the aid of Brooklyn’s own Big Data.
Explosive Coming-of-age Graphic Novels Albertine; 7pm; free
Graphic novelists Phoebe Gloeckner (The Diary of a Teenage Girl) and Riad Sattouf (The Arab of the Future) chat about how their intense childhoods, dysfunctional families and unconventional creative processes have inspired their art.
DTF Fridays Atlas Social Club; 8pm; free
DJ Xavier Mazara headlines this new Friday night shindig for gorgeous boys who love to dance. With past visits by Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper, the party is already drawing in a top-notch crowd.
Martyrdoom IV St. Vitus, Brooklyn; November 5–10, 8pm; $30
Authentic Metalheads get their due at this annual hardcore hootenanny. The Death Metal fest opens with a banging set from Sweden’s cult sensation Necrophobic.
Wasabassco’s Macbeth The Bell House, Brooklyn; 9pm; $20
Before Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard give the bard’s seminal tragedy their own sexy spin, let the wild ladies and bawdy gents of the Wasabassco burlesque crew take the likes of Macduff, Lady Macbeth and the Three Witches for a naughty ride. We can’t wait to see how they get rid of those spots.
Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival: Masters at Work + Soul Clap Verboten, Brooklyn; 11pm; $30–$35
Start your BEMF weekend off with a night of smooth, romantic beats and remixes by the ubiquitous Soul Clap duo, followed by high-octane jammers from NYC’s own high-octane Masters at Work.
The George Lucas Talk Show UCBEast; midnight; $5
What if George Lucas gave up directing to become a stand-up comic? Would it have been more painful than his directing of Hayden Christensen? Find out as pro Lucas impersonator Connor Ratliff hosts this surreal and hilarious tribute to the man who gave us Star Wars.
Scream IFC Center; November 5 and 6, 12:15am; $14
Like movie-inspired serial killers, it seems that Scream screenings in NYC will never die. Watch the still-brilliant meta-horror gem on the big screen among other die-hard fans. Just make sure you don’t fall in love with the killer.
November 6
National Beard & Moustache Competition Kings Theatre, Brooklyn; 1pm; $28
The many merry mustachioed men of Brooklyn and beyond will gather at the Kings Theatre to prove the mettle of their beards at this intense competition. Make sure you’ve been checked for ticks.
“Sodom by the Sea Salon” Coney Island Museum, Brooklyn; November 6 and 7, 1pm; free
See how the kitschy Americana vibes of Coney Island have influenced artists around the world at this retrospective of tributes that range from gaudy to impeccable.
Target First Saturday Brooklyn Museum; 5pm; free
Pack in all your culture for the weekend in one classy (and free) night at the museum. Grab a cocktail and check out ten-minute art talks, dancehall beats by singer and producer Lafawndah, brand new documentary shorts and more.
Diwali Motorcade & Cultural Show Arya Spiritual Center, Queens; 5:30pm; free
Queens gets lit up in celebration of this joyous Hindu holiday, with decked-out cars and floats illuminated to honor the goddess Lakshmi. The Indian-American community of Queens will be partying all day long, with dance performances and vendors selling yummy holiday desserts, lush fabrics and more.
Baby Jane Dexter: It’s Personal! Metropolitan Room; 7pm; $25 plus two-drink minimum
This fearless cabaret vocalist will look you dead in the eye whether she's singing a heartbreaking rendition of R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts” or a brassy cover of a Beatles hit. Don’t try to take Saturday night away from this gal-about-town.
Labyrinth Videology, Brooklyn; midnight; $5
Until the glorious day when Tilda Swinton graces the human race with a Labyrinth remake, you can always indulge in the innocent camp pleasure of the original goblin-masquerade musical from 1986. Enjoy rich beers and classic David Bowie numbers with other fans in Videology’s back room.
Bushwick A/V Presents Official BEMF Saturday Afterhours Location TBA; 2am; $15
Sure, Halloween was just one week ago, but that’s plenty of recovery time for another psychotic warehouse party. Take a disco nap and gather with other Electronic Music aficionados for a late night of slamming sets from Manuel Sahagun, Volvox and other wild DJs.
November 7
Comics Arts Brooklyn: Talks and Panels Wythe Hotel; 11am; free
Hear free talks from some of your favorite indie comics darlings, including cartoonist power-couple Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly, Ghost World author Daniel Clowes, Derf Backderf and more.
Fantasia 75th Anniversary Peter Jay Sharp Theater; 3:30 and 7:30pm; $18, children $16
Pack your tissues with your wands, because you’re certain to be blubbering by the end of this operatic Walt Disney masterpiece. And with a live score by the Philadelphia Orchestra, iconic scenes like “Dance of the Hours” will be more beautiful than ever.
The National Circus and Acrobats of the Peoples’ Republic of China Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, Bronx; 4pm; $10–$45
Prepare to be dazzled by the ridiculously nimble, speedy and hyper-coordinated performers of this globally beloved circus troupe as they perform their splendidly colorful Peking Dreams show.
Be Kind Rewind Museum of the Moving Image, Queens; 4:30pm; $12
Catch this sweet 2008 treasure about two video store employees (Jack Black and Mos Def) who recreate all their favorite movies after accidentally erasing the tapes. After the movie, artist and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind writer Pierre Bismuth speaks with museum curator Robert M. Rubin.
Submerge/It is Our Duty to Spit: A TQPOC Take-Over Brooklyn Arts Exchange; 6pm; $10–$16
Trans and Queer artists and performers of color take the stage and command your attention at this powerful showcase of poetry, dance, percussion and comedy. See some of the city’s finest rising acts before they come to conquer the mainstream.
James Bond Trivia Videology, Brooklyn; 7pm; free
How well do you know Doctor No? Who is your favorite Bond girl: Ursula Andress, Eva Green, or someone in between? Bring every last bit of 007 knowledge in your arsenal for this grueling battle of wits between Bond fans, hosted by Maggie Ross.
Nellie McKay: “A Night for the Birds” The Cutting Room, Brooklyn; 7pm; $25–$75 plus $20 minimum
Head out for a night of batty comedy and sweet melodies from the clever songstress, whose show packs enough razor-sharp lyrics beneath the innocent rhythms to send Zooey Deschanel running for the hills.
Norah Jones Beacon Theatre; 8pm; $45–$65
Before Adele and Lana Del Rey joined the scene, Nora Jones was the reigning chanteuse, with over 50 million albums sold and nine Grammy awards in her back pocket. Catch the superstar lounge singer as she belts out hits from her five-album catalog.