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Fri 5
Friday Night Poetry Slam Nuyorican Poets Cafe; 10am; $13–$25
Performing poets make things lively at this weekly spoken-word event. They spit their best verses onstage in hopes of charming the crowd and winning over the judges. Judges are chosen at random from the crowd, so you could end up wielding some serious power. Tickets are sold at the door, but if you don't want to wait in the cold, grab a $25 V.I.P. ticket at nuyorican.org beforehand and skip the line.
Feeling Gloomy Presents: Never Wave Bye-Bye (A Bowie Party) Brooklyn Bazaar; 10pm; $5
The ever-melancholy party boys DJs Gordon and Nathaniel Gloom—known as music collective Feeling Gloomy—throw this two-years-out commemoration of the eternal prince of glam rock. Show up in your finest jumpsuit, get a lightning bolt painted on your face at the photo booth and groove to hits and deep cuts from Bowie’s half-century of music.
Thank You for Everything: House of Yes Two Year Anniversary; House of Yes; 10pm; Free–$20
Brooklyn disco palace House of Yes expresses gratitude to its regular revelers with a night of jubilant dancing, circus acts and psychedelia. This two-part edition marks the nightlife hot spot's second birthday, so count on especially lively affairs, thanks in no small part to an excellent DJ lineup that includes Eli Escobar and Lauren Flax.
Pat Regan: Unrepped (and Loving It!) The Duplex; 7pm; $10, at the door $15 plus two-drink minimum
A dark power is about to rise over the West Village. Not content to throw himself in with the shenanigans of his peers in the improv and sketch scenes, droll stand-up Regan instead observes the downfall of the human race from a brittle, bizarre vantage point. Catch his bleak, gut-busting takes on sex, shame, sobriety and working in retail at this breakout show, where he’s joined by Aaron Jackson, Josh Sharp, Dara Katz and Naomi Ekperigin.
ThatShitRay: New Year, No Games Pine Box Rock Shop; 9:30pm; suggested donation $3
Best buddies and very funny power pack Rachel Pegram and Rachel Joravsky return with another glorious tag-team show, this time sending off a grim 2017 and toasting a triumphant year to come. Carmen Christopher, Ayo Edebiri and Jon Wan serve dope sets. All donations benefit Latino community nonprofit Make the Road NY.
Sat 6
Pop Punk/Emo Karaoke Brooklyn Bazaar; 7:30pm; $10
Pop punk lovers, rejoice. Gone are the days when the only venue you could find to belt out your favorite hits was your own shower. Take your love of My Chemical Romance and Good Charlotte onto dry land with the help of emo band Be Yourself at this karaoke night at Brooklyn Bazaar.
Two Hour Superhero Tour of New York JHU Comic Books; 2pm; $17.50–$35
New York City has inspired Superman’s Metropolis and Batman’s Gotham City. Those dudes—plus the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, the Avengers and more—are on the agenda as guests visit comic-book sites both real (Grand Central Station) and pretend (the Flatiron Building as the headquarters of The Daily Bugle in Spider-Man). It's a walking tour, so suit up accordingly.
Party Like It’s 1999: 20 Years of “Truly Madly Deeply” Edition The Bell House; 10pm; free
Has it really been two decades since Savage Garden arrived stateside with “Truly Madly Deeply?” Get down to other iconic Australian acts of the era—think Natalie Imbruglia and Divinyls—along with American favorites like Nirvana, Whitney Houston and Coolio, all from celebrated Brooklyn mixmaster DJ Steve Reynolds.
A Drinking Game NYC: Clueless The Bell House; 7pm; $15
A brave crew of actors performs this 1995 classic as a live staged reading while you drink at the mention of certain buzzwords—namely “as if,” “whatever” and “way harsh.” By the time Cher starts to make amends, you and the cast members will be more wasted than Tai at a Valley party. After the reading, roll with the homies to hits from the ’90s at a lit after-party.
The Gimmick and You Peoples Improv Theater; 7pm; $7
In this daring improvised solo show, PIT regular Michelle Drozdick interviews an audience member about an experience in their life, pulls a presentation format (like a children's show) out of a hat, then pulls a stage narrative out of her, uh, mind.
Sun 7
Matthew Morrison Feinstein’s/54 Below; 7pm; $85–$175 plus $25 minimum
The multitalented Morrison performs standards and favorites from his past productions, including Hairspray, The Light in the Piazza, South Pacific, Finding Neverland and—of course—Glee, on which he played singing-club director Will Schuester.
Brad Mehldau Trio Village Vanguard; 8:30pm, 10:30pm; $35 plus one-drink minimum
Even as lyrical piano genius Brad Mehldau tries his hand at various other projects, including a duo with mandolinist/singer Chris Thile and Mehliana, his plugged-in pairing with drummer Mark Guiliana, he always makes time to gig with trusty comrades Larry Grenadier and Jeff Ballard in the trio he's led for more than two decades. Show up for one of these sets, and you're in for a gorgeous evening.
Sundays with Ana Starr Bar; 8pm; free
Gonzo character performer and future HBO favorite Ana Fabrega hosts a monthly night of droll delights, with different themes to send her crazed crew of stand-ups over the edge. At this month's Resolutions edition, Fabrega invites Connor O’Malley, Patti Harrison, Marie Faustin, Max Wittert, Rob Haze and Greta Titelman to look forward to the year ahead.
Harmon Leon Infiltrates Trump America Caveat; 6:30pm; $12
VICE contributor Harmon Leon riffs on his experiences while deep undercover in Trumpland (think anti-immigration groups, anti-abortion protesters and Christian conversion therapy) in his new multimedia show. Get ready to laugh until you cry.
Coffee’s for Closers West Side Comedy Club; 8pm; $15, at the door $20
JC Best and Brian Rabadeau bring you this delightful and dope night of stand-up from a diverse mix of talent. Catch sets from Gordon Baker Bone, Aaron Berg, Jessica Kirson, Jacob Williams and Greer Barnes.