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July 5, 2007
Strung precariously from the ceiling were the smiling, cheeky faces of orange primates. They toyed with me as I tried to take their picture, turning in the breeze of the much-needed air conditioning. Their expressions suggested a cross between fun and menace but not as much as the more childlike features of the monkey maracas set out on a nearby table. Created by my friend and artist Nina 57, these buggers helped set the mood for One Night Only III: Animals. On the first Thursday evening of each month, the cavernous Luna Lounge (361 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn) is converted from it's usual music venue status to that of an oversized art gallery and each event has a different theme running thru it. Of course there's great music as well. After all, this is Luna Lounge. Tonight along with Nina's monkey creations were sketches, sculptures—and even the music from the bands and DJ—that captured the essence of the wild. I wasn't able to stay for too much of the music thanks to a combination of feeling ill and the hot, wet weather bringing me down. I was able to catch the first act that had me a bit bewildered. Here was this guy with what looked like a GameBoy and all sorts of sounds pumping and swirling and crashing around him. As it turns out, it was a GameBoy. Joey Mariano (aka Animal Style) uses the handheld toy, a guitar and an array of effects to create very unique, entertaining music. Curator Oscar Alzate is really on to something here. Despite the years of gentrification in NYC, Williamsburg has somehow survived with a remarkably large percentage of its artistic identity intact. Oh sure there will always be that steady stream of artier-than-thou hipsters who try to snob their way thru life. And yes there are those hideous and overpriced stacks of condominiums being built. But people like Oscar and this group of artists prove that there is still hope for the arts in NYC. This was the kind of night that I wish could go on and on considering that earlier I had no intentions of even leaving my apartment. I'm so glad I did though if even just briefly. Except well ... now those monkeys are trying to control my mind. I haven't even invited them into my home yet. Nina warned me of their mischievous—and at times evil—telepathic tendencies, but I thought she was joking. However, to be honest ... I don't mind. I'll still adopt a couple of them. I just can't resist. Links: Artists: Bands:
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