Dumbo NYC

After the Water Street ‘wall’ was painted by the Concrete Alchemy group in May, looks like the wall is being readied for another new mural/street art. No word yet on when or who but we’re looking forward to some new visuals soon.

{Water Street Art Vandalized, 10June2008}
{Concrete Alchemy Street Art Displays Their Talent on Water Street, 17May2008}
{Revok, Retna, Saber Live Wall Painting on Water Street, 06Aug2007}

Will Scott will be performing every Wednesday night in July, August, and September at 68 Jay Street Bar in Dumbo with Wylie Wirth on drums. This weekly event continues to be one of the best mid-week gatherings in the neighborhood and is in its second year. Stop by, order a pint, and enjoy his music during the hot months. Scott’s music is a mix of Rock, Mississippi Blues and Americana.

“Will Scott, his voice as thick as blood, sometimes accompanies with guitar; his weird liturgies bring out the pathos in pop.” –New York Press

Shows start at 8:00pm and run until 11:30p.

July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
August 6, 13, 20, 27
September 3, 10, 17, 24

See www.myspace.com/willscottmusic for details, bio and press.

{68jaystreetbar.com}
{willscottmusic.com}

The following are selected links from this past week on blogs and websites with discussion about Dumbo (and its neighboring areas):

• Urban Hieroglyphics, 21June08, bikedummy.blogspot
• Carving the Presidents in Dumbo, 27June08, NY Times
• Gushing over ‘Waterfalls’, 28June08, Brooklyn Paper
• Denis Leary, Firemen Extras Invade Dumbo, 25June08, Brownstoner
• Outdoor Movies In Brooklyn, 28June08, Brooklyn Paper
• KRS-One Headlining at Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, 28June08, Brooklyn Paper
• DUMBO Paint Out Mural, 23June08, Green Brooklyn
• Summer Celebration for Kids, 24June08, Treehugger
• Jacques Torres Top 10 Ice Cream Sandwich?, 24June08, Serious Eats
• What’s A ‘Scape’?, 24June08, shacket.blogspot
• Newsweek visits Dumbo, 30June08, Newsweek
• Correspondents’ Picks: Brooklyn, 21June08, Newsweek

FX Drama Rescue Me is filming in Dumbo again on Monday along Plymouth, Adams, and John Streets on Monday, June 30 between 5am and 11pm. I told you I couldn’t keep up with all the filming in Dumbo. But our friends at filminginbrooklyn.com have been following the recent filmings such as a Hungarian comedy, Valami Amerika and Rescue Me (here and here.)

East River waterfall from Brooklyn

Model shoot in Dumbo with the East River waterfall

Olafur Eliasson’s Waterfalls project started this morning at 7am. Seems like every NYC news channel and blogs are covering this. From what we’ve seen, there is an increase in number of foot traffic in the area. As we previously mentioned, the installation will create at least $55 million in extra tourism revenue for the city and a lot more people coming over the Brooklyn Bridge to check out the falls.

Also open now is the Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1. Pier 1 offers a cafe run by Dumbo’s RICE along with picnic tables, benches, landscaping with trees and grass, and a sand play area. Pier 1 will be open June 26 - Labor Day, seven days a week, from 10:00am - 10:00pm and located on the East River at the base of Old Fulton Street and Furman Street.

The rendering from a Daily News article shows what the Brooklyn Bridge Park will eventually look like:

The waterfalls will operate from 7am to 10pm every day until October 13th, except on Tuesdays and Thursdays, when they’ll be turned on at 9am. Check out some initial photos from rsguskind of The Gowanus Lounge. (Above image from rsguskind).

{Pop-Up Park Pops in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brownstoner}
{The Waterfalls Start Falling, Brownstoner}
{The Waterfalls are Here!, Gothamist}
{Where To See The Waterfalls, Gothamist}
{The Freakin’ Waterfalls Are On: The Press Conference, Curbed}
{The Freakin’ Waterfalls Are On: Brooklyn Bridge Edition, Curbed}
{And, Now, the Brooklyn Bridge Waterfall, Gowanus Lounge}

Please join our childrens’ book reading and signing with John Rocco
Saturday, June 28, 2008, 4PM–5PM
37 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

John Rocco, award-winning children’s book author and DUMBO resident, reads from his just-published picture book, Moonpowder. Original artwork from Moonpowder will be on view in The powerHouse Arena.

Rocco’s first picture book, Wolf! Wolf!, won the Borders Original Voices Award.

On Moonpowder:

“Using spreads combined with comic-style panels, Rocco creates a hint of a graphic novel for the youngest readers. This original fantasy melds high adventure with a retro 1940s look in a long narrative perfect for older preschoolers and early elementary children. Readers will linger over the pictures and cheer for the businesslike but heroic Eli, who discovers tha sometimes things can just fix themselves.”
—School Library Journal

powerhousearena.com/Moonpowder.html

Previously: {Event: Wolf! Wolf! Book Release Party at Pomme 3/2/07}

Dumbo Brooklyn based Anthem In releases their self-titled album on iTunes and in stores today. Their songs have great vibe and catchy beats without being too pop. Their video of Down was filmed at Allen Orr’s studio and around Dumbo. It’s a great song and we love the Wurlitzer sounds. We checked in with Allen Orr (vocals, guitar):

DumboNYC: What does “Anthem In” mean?
Allen: The name was loosely based on the Ayn Rand book “Anthem”. There were some definite parallels between the events happening in my life and the theme of the book.

DumboNYC: Are you guys based in Brooklyn? Where?
Allen: We are based in Dumbo. Actually the majority of the album was recorded at my place on Front St.

DumboNYC: The video is filmed in Dumbo. Was it for convenience or intentionally for the streetscapes?
Allen: It was intentionally chosen for the look and feel of the streets. It was fitting that the video was shot in Dumbo since the album was written and recorded here. Actually a few of the songs are about living in Dumbo and how the bridges, water and streets have influenced me.

Check out their video:

Anthem In - Down from Anthem In on Vimeo.

anthemin.net

(Photo by Rosalie O’Connor, courtesy of musictheatregroup.org)

The Music Theatre Group is launching a monthly performance series at 10 Jay Street, entitled HEAR/SEE. HEAR/SEE composer and songwriter Peter Whitehead will perform live on self-made and traditional instruments, found objects, and toys through words and music. June 26, 27, and 28 at 8:00 PM at MTG 10 Jay Street in DUMBO. Tickets can be purchased through smarttix.com or by calling 212.868.4444. $15 general admission.

Be there to see how Whitehead is redefining musical performance and composition through his songs and the unique instruments he makes from eclectic objects. For more, go to musictheatregroup.org.

The following are selected links from this past week on blogs and websites with discussion about Dumbo (and its neighboring areas):

• Zakka: The Place to Shop, 12June08, wejetset
• Chancellor Klein on Brooklyn Schools, 18June08, Brownstoner
• Congrats to Jed Walentas, 21June08, Brooklyn Paper
• Pedro’s Wall Gets a Mural, 21June08, Brooklyn Paper
• Out, Out, Outdoor Macbeth, 20June08, WNYC
• Temp Park at Fulton Ferry Landing, 21June08, Brooklyn Paper
• More People Renting in Brooklyn, 20June08, Brooklyn Daily Eagle
• Development Watch: 109 Gold Street, 19June08, Brownstoner
• Olafur Eliasson’s Waterfall One Week to Go, 16June08, NY Times
• Two Trees Leases More Photography Studios, 20June08, NY Real Estate Journal