MTV Labs

One of the things about being with hipsters is figuring out just how they discover and find hipster activities. A long long time ago, MTV created a group that specifically collected the activities of employess and then passed them around to each other, thus MTV Labs was born.

MTV Labs does some interesting things here, they find strange and interesting people to come talk to the employees. So we've had Harry Shearer come speak, The Tratchenberg Family Slideshow Players, who buys vacation slideshows at estate sales and then create songs about the pictures, and various other acts all come and perform exclusively for the employees.

For many years, I got an email into my inbox tempting me with different and odd activities. Yet, for about 6 months, I've gotten nothing. Recently, MTV Labs had the 2nd Annual Talent show, the "safe place to suck" at BB Kings. Below is the latest offerings:



Thursday 6/23
Roulette 2005 Festival of Mixology
8:30 PM
$12
David Lintonwill presents two new works: a real-time audio/visual piece called "Stroboscopy: GODBOX 101" -- with two sine tone generators and stroboscopic lights -- and a collaborative improvisational duet with video artist Chiaki Watanabe.
Location One
20 Greene Street between Canal and Grand Street
(212)219-8242
http://www.roulette.org/

Friday 6/24
Gary Lucas and Friends Birthday Celebration
8 PM
$15
Captain Beefheart guitarist Gary Lucas celebrates the day of his birth with special friends Ernie Brooks, Michael Schoen, Felice Rosser, Fay Victor and more.
Bowery Poetry Club
308 Bowery
(212)614-0505
http://www.bowerypoetry.com/

Rev.99
7:30 PM; 9 PM
$8
Multimedia collective Rev.99, led by spoken-word artist/musician/filmmaker Hooker 99, remixes hours of interviews with avant-garde filmmaker Stan Brackhage and adds visuals that would make the master proud.
Anthology Film Archives
32 2nd Ave.
(212)505-5181
http://www.anthologyfilmarchives.org/

Camera Lucida: Sonochemical Observatory
6 PM
Tonight is the opening reception of a sonic collaboration between artists Evelina Domnitch and Dmitry Gelfand, where sound waves are converted into luminescent light patterns to allow viewers to actually see what they hear. The installation will be up through July 8th.
I - 20 Gallery
529 West 20th Street, 11th Floor
(212) 645-1100
http://www.i-20.com/

Saturday 6/25
A Hundred Wheels of Death: The Brooklyn Bike Brawl
Noon - 8 PM
Free
Weird mutated bicycles and their creators flock to this block party event that includes strange competitions like The Flaming Barenuckle Tallbike Jousting of Death, The Most Hellish All-mighty Footdown, and the Bike Toss. After checking out people trashing their bikes, hit the afterparty at The Hook.
Waterfront at Browne and Imlay Sts
Red Hook, Brooklyn
http://www.blacklabelnyc.com/BikeBrawl/index.htm
http://www.thehookmusic.com/main.html

The Mermaid Parade
2 PM
Free; $10- $50 for Mermaid Ball
Coney Island continues to host the bizarre, as Mermaids, Mermen, Neptune and some garishly dressed chickens of the sea go marching by. Followed by the 3rd annual Mermaid Ball at 6 PM.
1208 Surf Avenue at W 12th St.
Coney Island
(718) 372-5159
http://www.coneyislandusa.com/mermaid.shtml

The Kitchen House Blend Finale
8 PM
$10
The Kitchen's ten piece house band performs experimental works by Matthew Shipp, Kitty Brazelton and Lee Hyla to close out the season in spectacular, avant-garde fashion.
The Kitchen
512 W 19th St between Tenth and Eleventh Aves
(212)255-5793
http://www.thekitchen.org/

Sunday 6/26
The 36th Annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender PRIDE March
Noon
Say it loud and proud at the 36th annual gay pride parade.
5th Ave and 52nd St to Christopher and Greenwich Sts.
http://www.nycpride.org/events/march.htm

Tuesday 6/28
Showcase Tuesdays
5 PM
Free until 7 PM
Hot off their third place win at the 2005 Labs Safe Place to Suck MTV Networks Talent Show, On The Grind Entertainment joins Bluchips International and Big Ray Production for a fashion and talent showcase every Tuesday. There is casting for industry magazines from 5 PM, a hot DJ party at 6 PM and a Fashion Show at 10 PM. Contact Commercial Operations' Steve Rivers (aka Young Skoob) at (917)803-3964 for more info and to get on the guest list.
Gallery
7 East 27th St. between 5th and Madison
(917)803-3964

Enjoy the ride.