Saturday's parting shot

Photo by Derek Berg 

From Ratfest 2024 in Tompkins Square Park today...

An East Village Halloween

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Families, friends, and ghouls of all ages were out yesterday — Halloween. 

Here are a few shots from around the neighborhood...

... and at the Show Brain-promoted concert in Tompkins Square Park during the afternoon...

A Halloween afternoon concert in Tompkins Square Park

Tomorrow (Halloween) afternoon, Show Brain presents an afternoon of music featuring TDA ... Pinc Louds... and Adult Human Females... and more! From 2:30-6 p.m.

This weekend in Tompkins Square Park

There are several shows this weekend in Tompkins Square Park. 

Tomorrow (Saturday) a slate of bands is on the bill for Mike Lewi's Psychobilly Halloween Extravaganza. 

 

East Village resident John Holmstrom, the co-founder, editor, and illustrator of PUNK Magazine, will also be on hand giving away copies of PUNK #23 and selling some PUNK Mag merch. 

The music is scheduled from 2-6 p.m. 

At 6:30, East Village resident Eric Drooker presents an illustrated history of Tompkins Square Park ...

Then, on Sunday, it's an afternoon of "Hot Metal and Punk" ... set for 2-6...

Organizers will also be collecting donated canned or sealed food for those in need...

A moment in Tompkins Square Park with Robert Leslie

From last evening, traveling troubadour Robert Leslie played a set in Tompkins Square Park. 

Per Allan Yashin, who shared these photos, "he played Dylan, Neil Young and his excellent originals."

A fall Friday of live music in Tompkins Square Park

Free live music continues this fall in Tompkins Square Park. 

Tomorrow (Friday) afternoon, see a four-band lineup via Show Brain. 

The tentative times:

• 2:10-2:40 — Genre Is Death 

• 3:05-3:40 — Giveth 

• 4:05-4:50 — A Cloud of Ravens 

• 5:15-6 — Ecce Shnak

PUNK in the rain

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Despite the crummy weather, the show went on today in Tompkins Square Park... as longtime East Village resident John Holmstrom, the co-founder, editor, and illustrator of PUNK Magazine, celebrated the release of his latest issue with a Battle of the Bands. 

We were there to see the 50s-rock twang of Labretta Suede & The Motel 6 ...

The new issue is available at several local businesses, including Trash & Vaudeville on Seventh Street and East Village Vintage Collective on 12th Street as well as a paper box on St. Mark's and A...

PUNK Magazine is back with a new issue and a battle of the bands in Tompkins Square Park

East Village resident John Holmstrom, the co-founder, editor, and illustrator of PUNK Magazine, is ready to release a new issue (Punk #23) with a free show in Tompkins Square Park. 

On Saturday from 2-6 p.m., Holmstrom (with some help from The Shadow) is hosting a Battle of the Bands. 

Here's more info from Holmstrom's Newsletter:

It’s happening! We will be printing a new issue of PUNK Magazine in time for the Sept. 28 Battle of the Bands at Tompkins Square Park. This will be the first new issue since ... 2023! 

It will be printed in the same format as PUNK #1: Reverse quarter fold, 24 pages, only on newsprint instead of offset paper. This issue is meant to be a "Temporary Thing" (as Lou Reed said in a great song). 

Despite many efforts to revive PUNK Magazine over the years, I've been unable to get back on our feet. BUT! It looks like this one just might be successful. I still believe that the print medium is better than the internet: It lasts longer. It doesn't keep track of who reads it, doesn't spy on everything you do. And it's so much fun to work with people to put together a magazine! Web stuff is too often a solo project… 

So here we are: A new issue of PUNK Magazine is on the way. This issue is devoted to the upcoming Sept. 28 event at Tompkins. I'm not expecting to get rich, just want to promote a few bands I like. Which was my intent back in 1975, when I discovered the CBGB scene.

Free copies of the new PUNK will be distributed during Saturday's show. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Q-and-A with John Holmstrom, founding editor of Punk Magazine 

Showing some summer love for Show Brain

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Tomorrow afternoon (Sept. 14), Show Brain is presenting a free concert in Washington Square Park featuring Shilpa Ray, Shred Flintstone, and Dead Tooth — plus a special guest! 

So, it's a good time to thank Show Brain's Ozzie Silva (pictured below), drummer extraordinaire for several local bands who, like The Shadow's Chris Flash, have been bringing live music to city parks. This time-consuming endeavor includes securing sound permits, wrangling bands and schedules, and setting up sound equipment, among many other things.

We saw — and discovered — many good bands (for free!) in Tompkins Square Park this summer via Show Brain. Here's a look at a few of them, starting on Aug. 10 with Balaclava.

... and Thus Love (who put out a great pop single this summer)...

... and on Aug. 11, Pop Music Fever Dream...

... local faves Pinc Louds...

... and new faves Skorts...

... and some faces in the crowd...

On Sept. 1, we caught Genre is Death for the first time...

...also on this day, Pippy...

... and Winterwolf...

... and in the crowd...

You can follow Show Brain here. There's also a Facebook page for The Shadow's Tompkins Square Park Concert Series.