Note campaign begins against the Hot Chicks Room sign

Thanks to Dave on 7th for the photo taken outside the coming-soon Upright Citizens Brigade on Avenue A.

Previously.

The last 'Wave'

I had to remove the video box ... it was on auto-play...

"Blank City: The No Wave Years," a documentary about New York's DIY film scene, opens April 6 here.

Focusing on the mid-70s and 80s No Wave movement in New York, Celine Danhier’s new documentary paints a vivid portrait of the underground scene through interviews with its most notable fixtures: John Waters, Jim Jarmusch, Amos Poe, Vivienne Dick, and John Lurie among them. “New York was a very different and dangerous place to live then, like the Wild West,” says Danhier, whose film also references the East Village institutions that served as the genre’s unofficial headquarters, including the Mudd Club and CBGB. “It was run-down and almost bankrupt. But from that, this amazing do-it-yourself attitude grew.”

The clip above shows Steve Buscemi, Vincent Gallo and Mark Boone Junior in "The Way It Is" from 1985.

Via Nowness. Thanks to Shawn Chittle for the link.

A look at the more 'contemporized' Acme Bar & Grill

A few weeks ago, we first reported that Acme Bar & Grill was closing after 25 years on Great Jones Place. Then! Owner Bob Pollock apparently changed his mind...

Pollock told the following to Rebecca Marx at Fork in Road on March 16:

When it reopens, Pollock says, "it's not going to be the roadhouse look anymore. It will have a more contemporized look. Warm and at the same time contemporary. When you go in there, you'll have the reminiscence of Acme. It'll be on the walls."

After taking a look inside yesterday, it doesn't seem likely that any former regular would even recognize the walls...

Previously.

Perez Hilton posts pics of the EV stainless-steel slide condo, for some reason

A few weeks ago we posted some photos of the penthouse combo that's connected by a stainless steel slide in the A Building. Anyway, something prompted Perez Hilton to post some shots the other day...

The condo belongs to Phil (OMGClayAiken) Galfond. According to his PokeronAMac.com bio, he "is part of the 'Ship it Holla Ballas,' a crew of young poker players who live an extravagant lifestyle on their poker earnings. 'The Ballas travel the world in search of sweet parties, hot girls and play in some poker tournaments on the side.'"

He has come to the right place here.

Uh-oh — more chicks invading the East Village!

Dan Nguyen spotted the Peeps Mobile on First Avenue between 10th Street and 11th Street the other night. From Eye Heart New York. (H/T Neighborhoodr)

Outside the MLB Man Fan Cave

Last evening, I swung by the former Tower Records on Broadway and East Fourth Street to check out the new MLB Fan Cave, in which two contest winners are living in a "Real World"-esque building and getting paid to watch every Major League Baseball game this season... Seeing as today is the first game of the season for many teams, I thought the place might be a little more ready for baseball action ...

Uh, play ball!

Save UNDER St Marks — on Facebook

Following the news that a) 94 St. Mark's Place is for sale and b) the Horse Trade Theater Group, who operate UNDER St. Marks, are hoping to buy the building...

There's now a Facebook page for interested parties titled Save UNDER St. Marks.

Group description:
As you may know, 94 St. Mark's Place is for sale. This building is the home of our beloved UNDER ST. MARK'S THEATER, run by the fine folks at Horse Trade Theater group. Horse Trade is launching a campaign to buy the building and keep the theater and we want to help! Consider this a place to brainstorm and organize!

Find them on Facebook at Save UNDER St. Marks

Previously on EV Grieve:
94 St. Mark's Place on the market, and what will it mean for Under St. Marks?

Today in photos of a large crane on First Avenue

Courtesy of EV Grieve crane correspondent Bobby Williams.

Scoring position: Former Towers Records space now a dude cave for baseball

Major League Baseball has transformed the former Tower Records space on Broadway and East Fourth Street into a "fan cave" for two lucky bastards guys who won a contest. Per the Daily News:

Starting tomorrow, Opening Day, [Michael] O'Hara, 37, will watch virtually every MLB game this season, tweet about them and - Oh, My God! - get paid for it.

Major League Baseball has outfitted the high-tech home run haven with 15 huge HD screens so O'Hara and sidekick Ryan Wagner can catch all the action right through the World Series.

And what does it look like?

"Extreme Makeover" star Paul DiMeo has installed a machine to test pitching speed, a fantasy baseball counter, a memorabilia museum, pool table, bar, a '50s diner, ever-changing photos in electronic frames and a tattoo parlor.

In homage to the downtown neighborhood's creative legacy, artists will conjure up players with portraits in ice, cheese and on Etch-A-Sketch screens, all under an 18-foot tall picture of Willie Mays' famed over-the-shoulder catch in the 1954 World Series.

Photo via. H/T Gothamist.

Horse Trade Theater Group launches campaign to buy 94 St. Mark's Place

Following up on our news yesterday that 94 St. Mark's Place is now for sale... the building houses Under St. Marks, which is operated by Horse Trade Theater Group. Horse Trade just released this statement...

Despite the announcement that 94 St. Marks is now for sale, Horse Trade Theater Group has no plans to close UNDER St. Marks anytime soon, and all scheduled resident productions and rental contracts will be honored. Horse Trade also announces that they will be mounting a capital campaign in order to purchase the property themselves.

“Horse Trade Theater Group is poised for a wonderful expansion. We are looking forward to all of the possibilities owning our own space might realize,” said Horse Trade Artistic Director, Heidi Grumelot. Anyone interested in donating to Horse Trade Theater Group or taking part in the capitol campaign should contact office@horsetrade.info.

Under St. Marks is a downtown performance venue with a rich history. An experimental theatre space since the 1970’s, this 45-seat basement theater is now home to a wide variety of performance artists including The BTK Band, Penny’s Open Mic, Revealed Burlesque, Thank You Robot, Adam Wade, Tanya O’Debra, The Management, Little Lord, the Rising Sun Performance Company, No Tea Productions, Wide Eyed Productions, Animal Parts, Subjective Theatre Company, The Pumpkin Pie Show, and the FRIGID New York Festival.

Previously on EV Grieve:
94 St. Mark's Place on the market, and what will it mean for Under St. Marks?

Subway stops at Billy's Antiques again

The subway sign saga at Billy's Antiques & Props on East Houston comes to an end today. Last March, the MTA busted Billy for allegedly selling stolen subway booty. Prosecutors eventually dropped the charges. But! The city never returned his prized props. (BoweryBoogie has a nice recap of all this here.)

However, Billy tells us that he's picking up his signs at the NYC Property Clerks office in Long Island City today at noon. "And then I'm bringing them to Billy's to splash them all over the sidewalk," he says.

[Photo via Curbed]

Noted

[DNAinfo/Patrick Hedlund]

OK. So, let's just go right to Patrick Hedlund's article on DNAinfo:

The Upright Citizens Brigade recently hung red drapes in the windows of its forthcoming venue near East 3rd Street, after the comedy troupe agreed to remove a humorous "Hot Chicks Room" sign due to local residents' complaints that the babe-inspired billboard would draw hordes of rowdy bar-goers.

Now neighbors are taking issues with the theater's rose-colored curtains, claiming they make the venue look like a house of ill repute.

"They look like red velvet, like you would see in a bordello," said Felicia Caggiano, 66, whose window looks out onto the theater and who previously planned to start a petition against the "repulsive" Chicks sign.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Your 'Hot Chicks Room' sign update

[Updated] Resident starting a petition to have the 'Hot Chicks Room' sign removed at the Upright Citizens Brigade


Breaking: UCB will remove the 'Hot Chicks Room' sign!