This Saturday, Another Version returns to Lovers Rock in Bed-Stuy! Miss Hap and I had a blast the last time, so we’re reloading our crates full of roots, digi, and early dancehall for the people. Don’t miss it.
Saturday, April 21 – Lovers Rock – 419 Tompkins Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11216 – No Cover
The Mix Up is back again, with my longtime sister Grace of Spades providing an assist. Grace and I have been playing records together for about a decade, and we’ve been around the block together. We’ve rocked Brooklyn DIY parties and supported tons of musicians in NYC between sets at their shows. Our makeshift DJ tour from NYC to New Orleans and back years ago was one of the most memorable trips I’ve ever taken. I can’t actually remember the last time we split a bill together, but we’re gonna do it again this Friday. Free as always, so you can enjoy more delicious cocktails.
Friday, April 13 – Robert Bar – 104 Bond St, Brooklyn, NY – No Cover
Thursday night, Ticklah (Victor Axelrod) and I are joining forces once again with plenty of soulful records to slide into the weekend right. This is a beautiful and unique space on Fulton Street with food and drink. Pardon my lazy flyer, inspired by a friend. Come hang!
Thursday, March 29 – Sisters – 900 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY – No Cover
Tonight, Dave Hillyard and The Rocksteady 7 return to Hank’s for one of the final times. As the big demon himself puts it:
This venerable Brooklyn bar has provided a home for our regular New York shows for the last four years. It’s a great old bar. I had my first drink here when it was still the Doray Tavern when I first moved to New York in 1992.
This will be the last year we are playing here as it has been slated to be demolished and replaced with luxury condos after December. So it will be with a little sadness that we begin our last series of gigs here.
I wasn’t in the neighborhood in 1992 myself, but Hank’s always kinda defined the start of “South Brooklyn” for me, if that designation even means anything at all these days. The part of this boro south of Atlantic Avenue has always felt different from what’s above it. It wasn’t until rumors of the Barclays Center deal started that anyone from outside its confines really paid it any mind. Fast forward to 2018 and here we are: a sports arena / stadium, new traffic patterns, and a fancy shopping complex in what used to be a below-average strip mall with a Pathmark.
Brooklyn has changed almost immeasurably in the last decade or so, and Hank’s is the canary in the coal mine to a lot of us. We knew this day was coming, we just didn’t know when – and now that it’s official, we want to celebrate the space while we still can. Come hear a fantastic band tonight and listen to great records between sets while you grab a drink… one that won’t cost you $15.
Saturday, March 24 – Hank’s Saloon – 46 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY – $8
Tonight at the Sonos store downtown, a heap of friends are presenting a free panel about obscurities from this subgenre of reggae that has touched hearts worldwide. Selector Twice, Jonny Go Figure, and Joseph Demension (AKA The Youngest In Charge) have been keeping a killer Lovers Rock dance in Brooklyn for a while now. Amy the Night Nurse and Tony English will round out the group with some serious knowledge. Personally, I’m really looking forward to Amy’s photos from Kingston in the 80s. The hours are dwindling, so please RSVP as soon as you can to reserve your spot:
Special thanks to Monika Julien for putting this crucial event together.
The Friday after next is this month’s Mix Up, with Tony Conquerrah and I joining forces! As usual, our selections are kind of a free-for-all, but plan on hearing plenty of reggae, soul, and funk. Tony is a great selector and radio host (Shanty Town) who put my Soon Come project on the air when it was in its infancy. I love his show and tune in often, so I asked him to do The Mix Up with me, and here we are.
Friday, February 23 – Robert Bar – 104 Bond St, Brooklyn, NY – No Cover
Tonight, The Mix Up returns to Robert, with Jah Measels in tow! This time, we’re bringing punk, soul, and of course, Jamaican sounds for your listening pleasure. Free to all. Jah Measels and I first met in a Flatbush basement, and instantly hit it off talking about skinhead reggae, punk, and hip hop. I’m sure you’re gonna love his records.
Friday, January 5 – Robert Bar – 104 Bond St, Brooklyn, NY – No Cover