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Mon 4
Hot Snakes + Vundabar Bowery Ballroom; 8:30pm; $26–$35
West Coast posthardcore quintet Hot Snakes—fronted by Rick Froberg, formerly of Drive Like Jehu and currently of Obits—airs its loud, wiry anthems in the wake of its first new album in fourteen years, Jericho Sirens. The band's first three studio albums were reissued on Sub Pop at the start of this year; consider it an invite to reignite your devotion before the well-loved outfit cuts loose on stage.
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to things to do in NYC this week
Tue 5
Bill Clinton + James Patterson Skirball Center for the Performing Arts; 7pm; $75
Former president Clinton and perennially best-selling thriller author Patterson have teamed up to write a nail-biter about a president suspected of clandestine activities. Well, they say write what you know. We know this book will sell, and we know going to this event is worth it, even if it's just to get a glimpse of Slick Willie in person.
Punderdome 3000 Littlefield; 8pm; $10
Jo Firestone and her Rodney Dangerfield impersonator father, Fred, host this beloved competition, in which the first 18 individuals or duos to sign up at the door attempt to pun-up each other’s spontaneously-produced wordplay. Winners are determined by the Human Clap-O-Meter and go home with a Mystery Box prize. Get ready to laugh—and groan.
Common Prospect Park Bandshell; 8:15pm; free
The Chicago rap vet—who recently joined Robert Glasper and Karriem Riggins under the moniker August Greene for a joint LP—returns to the city to kick off BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!’s 2018 season. Whether he plays upbeat hits like 2005’s kinetic “Go!” or sensuous newer singles like “Love Star,” you can expect a silky-smooth, danceable start to your summer.
Scott Colley Trio Village Vanguard; 8:30pm, 10:30pm; $35
Bassist Colley, who's anchored many jazz legends including Andrew Hill and Jim Hall, offers a supple yet sophisticated take on postbop, with a little avant-garde at the fringes, in his own trio.
Wed 6
Sex and the City 20th Anniversary Screening Nitehawk Cinema; 7pm; $16
Drink Cosmos and toast 20 years of the fab four with this special screening of the movie, followed by a panel featuring Sex and the City and Us author Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, Kate Ward, Hunter Harris, Naveen Kumar and Leigh Altshuler.
Question Party?! Freehold; 8pm; free
Every Wednesday, this everyman’s trivia night has rounds like “Basic AF,” “Bad Ass Acting” and “Got Alotta Enemies.” Teams of six are encouraged to reserve a spot via rsvp@freeholdbrooklyn.com. Grab five friends and get ready to show off your knowledge of random facts or just throw back some drinks and have a few laughs.
Riverdale Live Union Hall; 8pm; $6, at the door $8
The endlessly cheerful duo of Sophie Santos and John Trowbridge make a loving tribute to the high camp, hot bodies and hard aesthetic of the CW's dark Archie Comics adaptation. To prove their knowledge of the lovers of Kevin Keller, South Side Serpents and other Riverdale characters, Santos and Trowbridge will take on nearly every role from the series' cast. They're joined by Tim Platt and Sydnee Washington for some horny fan fiction. Hide your secret love-children and six-pack abs now—none will be spared from this satire.
Reveries Littlefield; 8:30pm; $8, at the door $10
Pull up into a warped Bret Easton Ellis fantasy at this fascinating comedy experiment from Matt Barats and Anthony Oberbeck. Through absurd, self-serious monologues, stories, video projections and beyond, they'll uncover the secrets of two trippy dudes on the road. They're joined by gonzo comedy mavericks Ana Fabrega, Ruby McCollister, Carmen Christopher, Wes Haney, Bardia Salimi and Peter Smith.
Carly Ann Filbin: This Doesn’t Mean I’m Your Boyfriend Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre; 7pm; $7
Fearless UCB vet, Let Me Break You Up host and Single Blonde Failure webseries star Carly Ann Filbin invites you to her heartbreaking and hilarious storytelling hour. She looks back on the formative—and often damaging—relationships that defined her sharp sense of humor. The June 6 show also serves as her birthday party, so expect a particularly festive evening.
Salty Brine: I’m a Lot Like You Pangea; 7pm $20, plus $20 minimum
Pangea a great place to be on Wednesdays, when Brine performs his weekly Spectacular Living Record Collection Cabaret. An outrageously talented singer-actor in the vein of Taylor Mac, Brine takes a different classic pop album each month—from Joni Mitchell’s Blue to the Dirty Dancing soundtrack—and weaves its songs into funny, perceptive tapestries of storytelling. The show is highly addictive: Once you’ve been dunked into Brine, you’ll want to dive back in every month. The latest edition is a mash-up of Weezer's Pinkerton and Puccini's Madame Butterfly.
Mutoid Man Saint Vitus; 7pm; $15
Indie-metal MVPs Stephen Brodsky (Cave In) and Ben Koller (Converge) fire up their collaborative venture, Mutoid Man, whose output is a raw, wildly exhilarating collision of psych-fried hard rock and proggy post-hardcore.
Depeche Mode Barclays Center; 7:30pm; $30–$156
The vital veteran synth-pop trio hits the NYC area for two shows in support of its lean, slick and tightly coiled recent LP, Spirit, its second release for Columbia Records. Expect to hear a strong assortment of DM classics—yes, "Enjoy the Silence"—alongside the new tunes.
The Voidz Elsewhere; 8pm; $25
Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas plays with his other band, the Voidz, a group's that released two albums of unabashedly weird indie-rock. The crew settles in for a monthlong weekly residency at Elsewhere, with opening sets by rising indie bands including Surfbort, Dilly Dally and Priests.
Thu 7
BAM R&B Festival at MetroTech Commons; noon; free
BAM's outdoor R&B series—which also features funk, gospel, soul, jazz and world music—returns to give your lunchbreak a boost with free performances from Savion Glover, Vivan Green, PJ Morton, Ranky Tanky, Delgres and more, going down every Thursday at noon. Grab a sandwich, kick back in the shade and get your groove on before heading back to the grind.
Vinyl Nights with the MM Crew at Plaza 33; 7pm; free
The Mobile Monday's crew takes over Thursday nights with a free outdoor dance party. DJs play funk, soul, disco, pop, house, hip hop and salsa while you cut a rug, on the street. On June 7, catch DJs Woof and Joey Carvello spinning dope tracks, all on vinyl.
Panels to the People Vinyl Fantasy; 7pm; free
Bushwick comic book store Vinyl Fantasy hosts this free monthly event featuring live readings from top comics creators. At the June edition, grab a drink from the bar and sit back while Alfonso De Anda, Andrew Alexander, Ally Shwed and Sofia Warren bring their works to life.
Peter Smith’s Diana Ars Nova; 7pm; $15
The most luminous performer in NYC’s comedy scene takes one of pop iconography's most tragic figures, Diana of Wales, in this unprecedented reimagining of her infamous 1995 BBC interview. Call it a lip sync, call it performance art, call everyone you know to make them jealous: You're about to witness the master in a one-night-only, history-defying feat.
Horse Feathers Bowery Ballroom; 8pm; $20
Portland, OR, indie-folk outfit Horse Feathers celebrates its new album, Appreciation, its sixth, on Pacific Northwest institution Kill Rock Stars with a show a The Bowery Ballroom.
Liz Phair National Sawdust; 8pm; $35–$40
The alt-rock icon celebrates the 25th anniversary of her raw breakout record, Exile in Guyville, with a gig that promises cuts from her protean demo recordings under the name Girly Sound.