Photo by Stacie Joy
From a visit to Cherry Tavern on Sixth Street, just west of Avenue A... (the shots and PBR belonged to someone else!)...
Friday, August 7, 2026
Along for the ride
NYC's the booyah! kids are on the Sunday afternoon schedule for this weekend's Show Brain Fest in Tompkins Square Park.
The trio just released this video today for "rwm," from their upcoming covers EP. (This is a cover of Nelly's "Ride Wit Me.")
Show Brain Fest returns to Tompkins Square Park this weekend
Here's the lineup for the free Show Brain Fest...
Aug. 8/Saturday
• ISTA
• Bonny
Aug. 9/Sunday
• Dogpark
Per the organizers: "Show Brain Fest is a weekend built by artists, fans, volunteers, and everyone who believes people should be able to access live music."
As always, these shows are a budget-friendly way to see some local touring bands ...
At Night Club 101 with Pop Music Fever Dream
Photos by Stacie Joy
We had to catch another set by EVG favorites Pop Music Fever Dream last Friday at Night Club 101 on Avenue A.
One thing we've learned: You never quite know what's going to happen. A band member might end up in the crowd. Someone might be climbing on the amps. The songs rarely let up.
PMFD — vocalist-guitarist Tim Seeberger, guitarist Nicole Harwayne, bassist Carmen Castillo and drummer Violette Grim — continues to deliver a thrilling mix of punk fury and no-wave chaos.
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Tim from PMFD encouraged us to arrive early for the first band — singer-songwriter Lex Walton... we're glad we did...
Friday's opening shot
Thursday, August 6, 2026
Thursday's parting shot
Photo by Stacie Joy
As seen at Spooksvilla + Friends, the cool gift shop at 309 E. Ninth St. between First and Second Avenues... here's Mazyar, owner Shahrzad Ghadjar's son, who comes with a warning sign and a toothy grin.
Noted
Thanks to EVG reader Annabelle for the pic!
About 'Gin Joint,' the Apple+ series that filmed in the East Village yesterday
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
We fielded a lot of questions about the filming in Tompkins Square Park yesterday...
Film notices pointed to a TV series called "Gin Joint." However, crew members were tight-lipped about what exactly this was.
A little digging via Deadline turned up an Apple+ series with the working title "Gin Joint" — an "upcoming untitled thriller
series created by Alex ("Homeland") Cary and starring Dakota Fanning and Stellan Skarsgård."
And!
Plot: An undercover Treasury agent (Fanning) infiltrates a massive international conglomerate and grows conflicted about her target, the corrupt corporate heir. Cast: Features Dakota Fanning, Stellan Skarsgård, Daryl McCormack and Grace Gummer.
Other working code names for the show include "Ella" and "Foxglove."
Filming yesterday took place on the closed-off multipurpose courts/TF...
The casting call for Park extras went like this:
Seeking NON-UNION to portray various park goer roles such as: Shaved Ice Vendor, Park Goers w. Dogs, People Smoking Pot, Moms, Men Playing Ping Pong, Sunbathers, Basketball players, Etc. Some of these roles will change over into diner patron/bartender/waiter roles as well later in the day.
Being very method-y, we spent the day smoking pot to prepare for the call... but fell asleep and missed the whole thing.
Also, the cast cooled their heels in some nice production trailers on Fourth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue...
Above shot by EVG
Another location of the Bean closes, leaving 1 East Village outpost
Photos by Stacie Joy
And then there was one.
The Broadway location of the Bean at Ninth Street has closed, following the May shuttering of the café's Third Avenue outpost.
A 14-day eviction notice is on the front window over the closure notice...
This closure leaves just one remaining East Village location: 54 Second Ave. at Third Street.
At one point, the brand had five NYC locations.
Reminders: 'Irregular,' filmed at Sophie's, makes its world premiere on Sunday
The first screening at 6 p.m. is sold out... and so organizers added a second at 8 p.m.
Directed and co-written by Sophie's bartender (and photographer and filmmaker) Kyle de Vre, the 80-minute film unfolds through a series of barroom vignettes set over random Tuesdays, populated by quirky regulars, curious newcomers and the occasional unexplained smell. (Trailer here.)
As we noted in our January Q&A with de Vre, who also plays The Bartender, "Irregular" is a love letter to both Sophie's and the East Village.
Find the screening details at this link. The Chain Theatre is at 312 W. 36th St., between Eighth and Ninth Avenues.
You can revisit our January conversation with de Vre here.
Champions Martial Arts taps out on 11th and C
Photos by Stacie Joy
A recent closure to note: The Champions Martial Arts outpost on the SW corner of Avenue C and 11th Street shut down earlier last month...
The business also offered Little Tigers, a program for kids.
EVG regular Jose Garcia first told us about the closure, noting: "What was most lovely about it over these last years was the parents who would bring lawn chairs and sit on the sidewalk on the 11th Street side to watch their kids inside. They brought their dogs, too."
There are more than a dozen other locations for the brand in the metropolitan area... 80-plus in the US.
Champions Martial Arts arrived here in 2019... taking over from the New York Health Choice (aka Eastside Market): RIP 2017.
As for what is next, a reader said: "I hope it doesn't become a bar."
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Sunday in the Park
Photos by Stacie Joy
People of all ages gathered in Tompkins Square Park on Sunday afternoon as the annual Tompkins Square Riot Reunion unfolded. Here's a look at some faces in the crowd...
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