On the afternoon of Sunday June 7, a group of artists will lead ‘sonic excursions’ throughout New York as part of a rare live sonic arts experiment — the ISSUE Project Room Soundwalk-a-thon. We’ve featured Soundwalk previously, and they have since updated the content for Dumbo.

Led and designed by some of New York’s most exciting sound artists and musicians, these walks will take groups of 10-20 people at a time on an intimate journey of sonic discovery to experience our community in a way they may never have done before — through sound. Walks range from meditative deep listening, to sing-a-longs, to noise-making walks incorporating instruments, iPods, boomboxes, cell phones, or silence in order to amplify the nuances of our ever-changing soundscape.

There are two Soundwalks in the Dumbo area on Sunday at 3pm:

1) Demasking The Bridges led by Daniel Neumann: “Demasking The Bridges” will explore the small triangle between the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge on the Brooklyn side. The soundscape of this area is mainly dominated by the traffic of the two bridges. By slowly oscillating between the bridges, crossing through diverse surroundings the group will learn about and experience the “Masking Effect”. Focusing on the weaker maskees and shifting the threshold of the masker with our movement will then slowly uncover more and more sound events underneath the threshold.

Artist’s website: danielneumann.wordpress.com

2) Underpass Walk led by Bruce Tovsky: “This soundwalk will replicate many excursions I have made throughout Dumbo and the adjoining areas doing research and recordings (both video and binaural audio) for my 2007/8 piece titled UNDERPASS. While exploring this area I was struck by the incredibly resonant spaces under and around the bridges and overpasses at the intersection of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges. This fascination became an obsession and grew into an hour long video/live sound performance that premiered at Issue Project Room in a workshop form and took its full form in a month long residency at Diapason. In 2008 it toured the EU, with performances and installations at Literaturhaus in København, Steim in Amsterdam and at “64″ in Paris.” – Bruce Tovsky

Artist’s website: skeletonhome.com

To sign up, go to issueprojectroom.org/walker-sign-up-form/. To sponsor a walker and donate to ISSUE Project Room, go here. Also check out the Soundwalk blog at soundwalk.com/blog.

The Dumbo Farmer’s Market will begin this Sunday, June 7, and on every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00p.m until November 22nd at the entrance of the Brooklyn Bridge Park on Main Street. There are some new vendors and live music.

Along with last year’s vendors, shoppers will find Greek yogurt, hand-made planters and artisan bread, as well as lively, old-timey music by Johnny Sheppard and Billy Swing. Community Markets is proud to welcome the following vendors to the Dumbo Farmers Market:

Orwashers Bakery: Along with his other beloved artisan loaves, Keith Cohen, the new owner of Orwasher’s Bakery in the Upper East Side, will be selling his “wine bread” or pain de campaigne. To make the bread, Cohen infuses the starter with clusters of Chardonnay grapes from the local Channing Daughters Winery. Cohen plans to recreate new starters with each new vintage. Eventually he wants to get local wheat too!

Likistakos Specialty Foods: Also from the Upper East Side, will be selling their homemade Greek yogurts that are flavored with seasonal local fruit like nectarines, grapes, and peaches, Likistakos also offers dips, spreads and tasty Greek desserts and will be selling at the market beginning on June 21.

Alive Structures: This is a woman owned business that is based in Brooklyn. They have a practical plan to improve air and water quality, reduce energy dependence, and create open green space in New York City. With a focus on native plants, they will be selling planters made from recycled paper and concrete. The planters have an industrial and organic aesthetic and are handmade using entirely local materials.

{Dumbo’s Farmer’s Market Photos, 18June2008}

What: CornerMRKT design collective
When: Sat/Sun June 6-7, 11am-7pm
Where: Corner of Jay and Front Street in Dumbo Brooklyn

Participating designers:

• Aimee g
• Arza Design
• Cinderloop
• Lauren Wimmer Jewelry
• naturevsfuture
• Pinhole New York
• Radka Design
• Rebecka Froberg
• SAMOY LENKO
• + more

(Image from dockstreetdumbo.com)

[UPDATE: See Sarah Portlock's detailed account of the voting at BHB.]

The Land Use City Council Committee voted to approve the zoning changes for a 17 story tower known as Dock Street Dumbo today by a wide margin (17-4), and the Zoning and Franchises subcommittee approved the vote by 6-2 according to a Brooklyn Paper article. Per the article:

The Council’s land-use committee voted 17–4 to support Walentas’s request for a rezoning on his Dock Street site so that he could build a 300-unit tower — which includes a public middle school and scores of units set aside as below-market-rate rentals — a project that opponents claim will forever damage views of the historic and landmarked span.

“I have to vote yes … because it’s in the best interest of the community overall,” said Councilmember Robert Jackson (D–Manhattan), speaking for many on the panel.

The vote came less than a week after the opposition requested an investigation into the activities of the SCA, the Department of Education (DOE), and Two Trees Management, its principals, lobbyists and attorneys, who say that there is strong evidence that there has been ongoing collusion and improper dealings between the SCA, the DOE and a private developer – Two Trees Management – in the developer’s quest to gain zoning changes for the Dock Street site. (See Brooklyn Heights Blog for the full letter by the DNA to Barbara Ditata, Inspector General for the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA).

The Brooklyn Paper states that the decision to support the project was “a rare instance when a council committee opted not to defer to the wishes of the local member, in this case, project opponent Yassky.”

The next and final step is a full City Council vote on Wednesday, June 10. Council Speaker Christine Quinn told a Council member that she intended to support the project, according to The NY Observer article published yesterday. This looks good for Two Trees in their final hurdle for a zoning change that will allow them to build residential apartments on the site known as Dock Street Dumbo.

{Past Dock Street Dumbo articles}
Other articles on Dock St posted this week:
{On Dock Street, Victory Is Near for Walentases, 3June2009, NY Observer}
{Council committee approves Dock Street project!, 04June2009, Brooklyn Paper}
{Opponents of Dock Street Project Ask for Full Investigation, 01June2009}
{Selling The Brooklyn Bridge: Will Corruption Mar National Landmark? , 03June2009, Air America}

The L Magazine reports that the neighborhood Mexican bar restaurant, Pedro’s, had to take away their outdoor seating due to permit issues for 120 days (that’s October!). The L writer also wonders if Cafe Baco (discussed in a prior post) would also get their outdoor seating revoked. Whether you love-it-or-hate Pedro’s, it will be a blow to those who enjoy mingling outside with a cold Corona and a nachos during the hot summer.

NY Mag also writes “We kinda disagree with L’s reporter when she says the low-ceilinged bar isn’t a destination in its own right (especially when the jazz band is wedged in there), but this is definitely a blow.” What now?

Pedro’s Bar Restaurant
73 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-797-2851 (Free delivery; Click for their menu.)

Gelf’s Varsity Letters sports reading series returns to New York on Thursday, June 4, at 7:30 p.m, with a night dedicated to baseball and tennis. At this free monthly event at JLA Studios in Dumbo Brooklyn (63 Pearl Street), hosted by Gelf, Bob Luke, Jeff Pearlman, and Jon Wertheim will read from and talk about their work, and take questions. Luke relates the history of a storied Negro League team and its ties with its hometown of Baltimore and its people. Pearlman is the biographer of fallen baseball hero Roger Clemens. And Wertheim examines the most fascinating rivalry in sports, between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Doors open at 7:00.
Event starts at 7:30.
FREE!

Visit reBar, around the corner, afterward; attendees of Varsity Letters and other Gelf events get discounts on food and drink.

Tonight in Dumbo: A festive occasion each month for art lovers. A chance to visit many quality galleries at night in the Dumbo Historic District – galleries showing works from artists of many disciplines, especially photography, while hosting receptions, producing live music performances and curator/artist talks among other highlights.

Let’s not forget the incredible views you can enjoy as you walk from one gallery to the next and the local drink specials afterward. Most of the art is for sale. Printed maps and 1st Thursday cards are available on-site.

Participating galleries may vary each month. For more information contact Zannah Mass at zannah@twotrees-dumbo.com or 718-222-2500 x38.

Check gallery websites for updates.
A.I.R. Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 228
Amos Eno Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 202
Aswoon Gallery, 14 Jay St.
Brooklyn Art Project
Brooklyn Arts Council, 111 Front St., Suite 218
Caption Gallery, 55 Washington St., Suite 802
DUMBO Arts Center, 30 Washington St.
Farmani Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 212
Henry Gregg Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 226
Klompching Gallery, 111 Front St.
Kris Graves Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 224
Melville House, 145 Plymouth St.
Pochron Studios, 20 Jay St.
Powerhouse Books & Powerhouse Arena, 37 Main St.
Rabbithole Studio, 33 Washington St.
Randall Scott Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 204
Safe-T Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 214
Smack Mellon, 93 Plymouth St. @ Washington Street
Spring, 126a Front St.
Umbrage Gallery, 111 Front St.
VII Photo, 28 Jay St.
Watermill Brooklyn Gallery, 55 Washington Street, Suite 216

2009 Vinegar Hill Annual Yard Sale

Saturday June 6th, 2009, 12-5 PM

Items will be for sale on Front Street between Bridge and Gold, Gold Street between Water and Front and Water Street* between Gold and Hudson.

*Refreshments will also be sold on Water Street.

What: A Job Grows in Brooklyn: How to Advance Your Career in Digital
When: June 5th, 1-3pm
Where: DUMBO Arts Center
Who: The stellar executive team at HUGE

A Job Grows in Brooklyn: how to land a great career in digital

On June 5th, some of the biggest brains from Brooklyn-based interactive agency HUGE challenge you to steal their jobs in this 1pm-3pm seminar.

Think you’re good? Then take it to the next level by pitching yourself (and your work) to HUGE’s celebrated senior team. Find out what they’re looking for in the next big talent. We’ll share on-the-job insights from developers, visual designers, project managers and interaction designers and take you through examples of applicants that did (and didn’t) make the cut.

Did you do some hot Django coding? Prove it. Execute a project plan that never once lead to scope creep? Show us. Do you have graphics that have been passed around Ffffound and wowed your clients? Bring it. Bring your resume and portfolio and prepare to present two of your best pieces of work.

Drinks, snacks, good people and a better job are a borough away.

all are welcome. Please RSVP to events@hugeinc.com

To find out more about Internet week and their schedule, go to internetweekny.com.

A film called Bored To Death, starring Jessica Blank and Ted Danson will be filming in Dumbo on June 2 between 5am – 11pm on:

• Front Street between Old Dock and Washington Streets
• York Street between Front and Washington Streets