December 29, 2010

Hopefully folks are finally starting to roll in to the Big Apple after the Planes, Trains, and Automobiles horror stories, as we know it hasn’t exactly been a smooth ride. Blizzard 2010 has taken its toll on anyone heading out for the holiday run, as the travels have almost begun to rival those of Coventry. In fact, one of our friends coming from Boulder actually got stuck in Louisville and had to rent a Dodge Ram to drive through the middle of the night, while another had to cancel their entire trip coming from Florida as their were no flights until the 4th of January. It’s been grueling to say the least.

Well, we’re wishing the best for everyone, and hopefully it’ll all be worth it in the end. And inasmuch as New York City probably seems like a colossal pain in the ass at this point to anyone visiting for the week, there’s still plenty of reason for it to feel like a vacation. In fact, New York City is a blast in the winter assuming you’re willing to brave the elements and a few crowds. The holiday spirit is still in the air, and there’s no shortage of great activities to keep you busy.

With that in mind, we thought we’d take a stab at pointing out a few ideas that might be of interest to fill the days prior to showtime. We’ll spare you the obvious, as I’m sure everybody knows the basics: there’s the tree, ice skating, the museums, the Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero, the Stock Exchange, Central Park and all the usual suspects.

Eat in Korea Town: Everyone knows about Chinatown, but just a short skip away from MSG is the delicious, and much less intrusive younger brother, Korea Town. K-Town technically runs from 31st and 36th Streets between Fifth and Sixth, but definitely just head to 32nd Street between 5th and Broadway, as that stretch has tons of great restaurants in a concentrated area. Each restaurant tends to have a specialty, but in my experience it’s hard to go wrong. The best bet for a cold winter day if you can handle some spice is Seoul Garden at 34 West 32nd St. Note that the restaurant is located on the 2nd floor, so it’s a tad hard to find. They specialize in a dish called Soon Du Bu, which is a delicious spicy stew made from natural tofu, but also comes with the option of beef or seafood. You also crack a raw egg into the stew and it’s so hot, it cooks right into the broth. It’s one of the world’s great winter dishes. They also have good Korean Barbecue for the less adventurous eaters.

READ ON for more places to visit in NYC…

A tumultuous 2010 for the Disco Biscuits will end on a sad note as drummer Allen Aucoin will not be able to perform with his band mates after all at the December 30 and 31st shows at the Tower Theater. Aucoin’s doctors weren’t able to clear him to travel and perform after the drummer suffered a severe asthma attack. Biodiesel’s Johnny Rabb and former Biscuits drummer Sam Altman will sub for Allen at the pair of shows.

READ ON for the complete statement from the band…

This week, in the midst of Phish’s NYE Run, featured columnist Brian Bavosa looks at the Phishtory of Madison Square Garden in NYC…

The Mecca. As long as the epicenter of the universe, New York City, has been bustling, there has seemingly been “The Garden.”  Originally established in 1879 at 26th and Madison (MSG I), the original venue hosted events much like its predecessors, including boxing and track cycling – very popular during that period. The second incarnation of The Garden (MSG II) was built and held such events as the Democratic National Convention.  However, MSG II did not become profitable until around 1920, when the esteemed promoter, Tex Rickard took the reigns and focused on prizefights, bike races as well as the circus – which still take place in the current MSG today.

This led to MSG III on 8th Avenue between 49th St. and 50th St., which was dubbed ‘The House That Tex Built,” after Rickard, who continued to promote like no other. Unfortunately, after World War II and throughout the Fifties, economic and social situations caused a decline in certain events, eventually leading to the building of the current Garden (MSG IV) in 1968, which is the one that stands today atop Penn Station between 7th and 8th Avenues, smack dab in the heart of NYC.

As much as the current MSG is home to Patrick Ewing, Mark Messier’s Stanley Cup Miracle in ’94, Ali/Frazier’s legendary prizefight in ’71 and Larry Johnson’s 4-point play, it has also become quite the home for Phish, since first playing there in 1994.  (Much like this venue was for The Grateful Dead). I figured that on today’s off-day of their five-night, New Year’s Run, including their first-ever show on New Year’s Day, that this would be a great opportunity to not only glance at MSG’s history as a whole, but specifically focus on the Phishtory The Garden has witnessed throughout the years.

1994

The band’s first-ever venture was a 12.30 show in ’94.  It saw a pretty straightforward, rocking first set, with a blown-open second frame that boasted a half-hour Tweezer and acoustic Blue and Lonesome.  A solid show stuck between the madness of 12.29 and the flying Hot Dog of 12.31 in Boston, this show simply taught the band what it was like to grace the stage at “The World’s Most Famous Arena.”

READ ON for more on Phish @ Madison Square Garden…

We’ll have a report and photos from Monday night’s Disco Biscuits show at Terminal 5 soon, but we wanted to share a clip of the band rehearsing for tonight’s T5

Last night, CBS aired the Kennedy Center Honors concert, taped on December 5th, which featured a slew of legendary performers from rock history paying tribute to Paul McCartney. Those feting

Longtime Cartoon Network collaborator and great nephew of John Coltrane, Flying Lotus, packed a quite wallop in his latest video. Coming in at just one minute and forty seconds, this