Brooklyn is being put in the spotlight from June 8-14 for the 7th annual Northside Festival! Celebrating over 400 artists and bands, 150 innovative speakers, and 50 films, this event lets fans witness an incredible showcase of the next big hits.
To kick off the affair, growing filmmakers will have the chance to showcase their work to large audiences from June 8-10. Nitehawk Cinemas, Videology, the Wythe Hotel and UnionDocs will be the home base for the viewings of the films such as, The Stanford Prison Experiment by Kyle Patrick Alvarez, The Winds That Scatter by Christopher Bell and Tired Moonlight by Britni West and much more.
On June 11, innovation and music join in. The Northside Innovation has two major components: the Northside Innovation Expo and the Northside Innovation Conference. The Conference commemorates technologists, entrepreneurs, designers and content creators who are influencing our generation. Keynotes, fireside chats, panels, workshops and pitch competitions from the world of entrepreneurship content and design leaders will be present.
Since opening in 2009, Northside Festival has been a stage for local rising musicians. The so-called “Brooklyn sound” that has defined independent music for today’s generation is expressed here for four days. There will be performances by Neko Case, Built To Spill and Best Coast. Last year, over 90,000 people converaged in Brooklyn for the fest.
To create a more simple and efficient way for festival goers to see their favorite performances, a official Northside Festival app has been created! This free app includes full schedules for music, film and innovation, a detailed venue map, a list of all bands, speakers and films and direct links to the festivals social media outlets. The app will also feature push notificiations for special giveaways, events and exclusive announcements throughout the event and lets users create their own personalized schedule. It is now available in the iTunes app store.
Broadway celebrates and says farewell to ONCE on Tuesday, January 6th. The night started with a set from Ben Hope and the “Uptown Outfit,” and concluded with songs from ONCE, preformed by the beloved original cast. Ben Hope, the standby for “Guy” for three years running, played with his band the “Uptown Outfit” to start the show off right. The audience then enjoyed performances by original cast members, “Guy,” Paul Alexander Nolan, and “Girl,” Jessie Fischer. This was a night to remember for a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical production that touched the hearts of many. Before the event started DOWNTOWN was able to interview Ben Hope about his acting and musical career.
DOWNTOWN: What made you move from Alabama to NYC?
BH: I got the idea of moving to Manhattan ultimately because of my passion for theatre. In 2005, I finished up at the Flat Rock Playhouse in North Carolina. My plan was to move back home and figure out the next step. A few days later my friend called me to tell me he had a room open up at his place in NYC. I figured that I wanted to go eventually, so why not go now? It was a spontaneous, but good decision.
DOWNTOWN: What was your musical experience like in Alabama?
BH: I played mainly with my brother and father, they taught me the ropes. I had a band with my buddies in high school, but looking back on it I’m not sure we were all that great. We sort of peaked at our first gig for Miss Hoover High School, which was awesome, there were 4,000 students that attended the high school. We also played at the Alabama Theatre, which is a big venue.
DOWNTOWN: Who are your favorite country artists?
BH: My all time favorite country artist is Garth Brooks. He’s a member of a group of artists called, “The Class of ’89,” the artists who cranked up the Rock ’n Roll side of country and brought it to the forefront.
DOWNTOWN: Do you like any modern country artists?
BH: I am not completely familiar with modern country artists. I currently follow Hayes Carll, he is a great song writer with an awesome gravely voice.
DOWNTOWN: What is the best country song of all time?
BH: Of all time? That’s tough, I don’t think I could pick just one. I would probably say, “Lost Highway” by Hank Williams, “Much Too Young to Feel This Old” by Garth Brooks, or “Grand Tour” by George Jones.
DOWNTOWN: Do you prefer acting over music?
BH: Luckily, I have a degree in musical theatre, so I can combine the two. My theatre career is at a good level, so for now, I am putting it on back burner to focus on music. My goal is to get the band to a place that matches the level of my theatre career. Most of the band is made up of actors, which makes it hard to stay together due to the high demand.
DOWNTOWN: What was your experience with “ONCE”?
BH: It was a dream come true. This was one of the most talented groups of people I have worked with. Everyone was so easy to be around, we appreciated each other on and off stage. We are still all so in love with each other. The last three years working and performing together has made us into a family, it was truly a life-changing experience. It was a higher level of work than I was used to, which created a steady comfort in my life. I was able to get married and live more like an adult than I had before.
DOWNTOWN: What sets “ONCE” aside from other shows?
BH: “ONCE” has a pre-show, which makes it a unique production. It made the story that we melted into relatable for our audience. They could interact with us and then trust us as musicians and actors. This aspect really made for a special night.
DOWNTOWN: Did you have any interesting interactions with audience members during the pre-show?
BH: One thing I will always remember about the pre-show was when DP Kelly would dance with audience members. It was funny to see how they would react. Personally, I found in strange when my mother would come on stage during a pre-show. I would be interacting with audience members that I didn’t know and then be like, “Hey Mom!”
DOWNTOWN: Would your family come to a lot of your shows?
BH: Yes, my family is extremely supportive. If they didn’t live in Alabama they would be at every show. Otherwise, they work very hard to be present.
DOWNTOWN: How long has your band been together?
BH:“Uptown Outfit” has been playing together for five years. Tonight, we have three original members, which is very rare with how hectic all of our careers are. We have a new drummer and base player, who are both awesome.
DOWNTOWN: Where does “Uptown Outfit” typically play?
BH: We play everywhere, we try to spread love to all the boroughs. We play in the East Village, Queens, and Brooklyn. We haven’t played in Staten Island yet, but we are considering it for the future. As a band, we haven’t left the city, but we plan to hit the road late this summer or early this fall.
DOWNTOWN: What are your favorite places in downtown Manhattan?
BH: That’s tough, downtown has a lot to offer. I love the dessert/restaurant bar, Milk. My favorite dessert on the menu is cereal milk ice cream, it tastes exactly like the sugary milk at the end of a bowl of cereal. I am also a big fan of Momofuku, right across the street from Milk.
DOWNTOWN: What is the ideal venue to preform at?
BH: We played at Hank’s Saloon, in Brooklyn. It’s an awesome place, and attracts a crowd that is very fond of our music and country vibes. As a band, we are still kind of learning the best places to play. We have gotten way more love for our music in Manhattan and Queens than expected, since our music genre isn’t the most popular in this area. In the future, we would love to play at Skinny Dennis, in Brooklyn. It fits the dive-bar vibe that we give off as a band. In ten years, we hope to go big, hopefully ending up playing at the Garden.
-Writing and interview courtesy of Deirdre McAndrew
Entourage and Jerry Ferrara are back and he and his career are looking better than ever.
Known for his infectious portrayal of every dude from the old neighborhood, Salvatore “Turtle” Vacara in HBO’s Entourage, Jerry Ferrara has certainly emerged from his shell. It is safe to say that his fast-paced success and fast-food ventures have propelled him towards the victory line.
Ferrara radiates with charming modesty, and in light of his success, it’s hard to believe he has kept his ego in check. With his impending film releases and courageous business ventures, it is safe to say that this Brooklyn-born actor is well and truly at large.
Jerry recalls his youth in New York, when Downtown was a favorite getaway from his Brooklyn ’hood. “I always liked the vibe,” he told us. Today, Jerry’s affinity for Lower Manhattan has evolved into a profound appreciation. “I feel like people live [Downtown], as opposed to Midtown where people work there and then leave.” Jerry says, stressing the word live, as if to draw home the idea that downtown is a community, a place to work, and a place worthy to escape from after the slog.
All New Yorkers possess a certain aura, and Jerry’s is reflected through the eyes of each and every one of his deeply authentic characters. “It’s something that’s in you. If you’re born and raised here, you can’t just turn it off. It has influenced everything, every character for sure.”
Ferrara plays a funny-man role in Entourage, but don’t be fooled into thinking that if you know Turtle, you know Jerry. Turtle, quite obviously, goes everywhere Jerry goes, and there are glimmers of the character in Ferrara’s warm candidness and humorous persona.
During our interview, Ferrara self-consciously admits that people might be disappointed when meeting him. He worries that fans expect to cross paths with a zealous, extroverted Turtle, and instead are greeted by a reserved Jerry. But both combine to make up the real Jerry, the Jerry who exudes an air of gracious confidence that plays a vital role in his magnetic personality.
Jerry made it in Hollywood, the way most blue collar folks from Brooklyn do—by working hard. Like the character he plays, Jerry’s success stems from motivation, and a drive to make it big in Tinseltown.
Ferrara has never been under the illusion that his career can shift into cruise control, despite the momentum he’s built. Actually, it has always been quite the opposite. From the very start, Jerry’s drive was motivated by fear. It took five seasons of a hit show for his lens of achievement to come into focus. “It wasn’t because I didn’t think [Entourage] was any good,” he says. “But you know, it was out of superstition, I didn’t want to think it would be any good so it wouldn’t get taken away,” he told us fervently. “It wasn’t until season five I was able to say, ‘Okay, we’re going to be here for a while.’” [Continues]
By Rachel Sprague & Elizabeth Sutherland
Jerry Ferrara is featured in DOWNTOWN’S Summer 2014 edition. Read the whole interview in our latest issue on newsstands now! Or subscribe to DOWNTOWN Magazine for home delivery by clicking here.
There’s no better way to start your 4th of July than with a morning run through Lower Manhattan.
This Friday at 7AM, take part in a City Running Tour and see some of New York’s most spectacular views — all before noon.
Beginning right in the heart of Lower Manhattan, registrants will meet on the corner of Chambers Street and Centre Street by the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge. Participants will first run through the bustling streets of Chinatown, and then over the East River on the Manhattan Bridge. After crossing the bridge, runners will find themselves in the premier art district of DUMBO, taking in some of Brooklyn’s finest views.
Runners will then head back to Lower Manhattan, running across the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. After covering four and a half miles of busy streets and remarkable New York City views, the run will end back downtown in front of City Hall.
See Manhattan and Brooklyn in a new and unique way and start the weekend with a workout.
Registration for the 4th of July is only open until Wednesday, July 2nd at 7:59pm. Don’t miss out on this awesome opportunity!
In a world that tends to be dominated by mass produced fashion and conventionality, .Bk designer, Teghvir Sethi, strives to be different. .Bk, which stands for .Brooklyn—the dot representing the technological culture that influences the brand— makes comfortable, yet unique, limited edition menswear.
As stated in .Bk’s blog, “Clothing is dominated by under a dozen mass retailers, while the smaller stores are shuttered. This is the era of mass fashion. Your red plaid shirt is circulating the globe on fifteen thousand people, with a thousand probably in the subway alone.” Choosing to deviate from the mass produced fashion method, .Bk releases a new collection of unique pieces every month that will never be repeated, with each shirt containing a handwritten print number denoting its originality.
Their launch collection, Founders, is “an homage to independent thinkers, garage inventors, and disruptive innovators.” The collection is composed of ten-luxury button down shirts with 100 of each make available. According to Sethi, Founders was designed for the hands-on, self-starter lifestyle. Sethi also emphasized the versatility of each shirt. They can be dressed up with a tie for the office or unbuttoned and rolled up for the warehouse.
The brand works around the principle that good fashion relies on dedicating time and care to each individual piece. According to the brand’s website, .Bk is “doing away with the conventions of fashion—and replacing them with genuine storytelling.”
.Bk’s next collection, Old Souls, is geared towards young men who enjoy an older lifestyle. When seeking inspiration for the launch of this collection, Sethi and his team spent time hanging around shuffleboard clubs and the Belmont horse races.
Production for the Old Souls line commenced in March, but an official release date for the collection has yet to be revealed. Come take a gander and learn more about these clothing visionaries at dotbk.com
Internationally acclaimed artist, Latifa Laâbissi delivers her moving performance of “Self Portrait Camoflauge” of at Chez Bushwick.
Internationally renowned dance artist Latifa Laâbissi dazzled a New York audience recently with aperformance of Self Portrait Camouflage held at Chez Bushwich and presented by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States.
Latifa Laâbissi’s astonishing performance offered a unique perspective on the issue of identity and cultural belonging. The artist is originally from North Africa, and her performance put a spotlight on several current controversial issues in France including immigration, integration, colonialism and the social integration of women.
“This solo was created prior to the French presidential election of 2007,” says Latifa Laâbissi. “It had a highly political tone, and its statement remains strong todays. It’s about how we see the “other,” the “stranger,” “the outsider,”and turn that into a political argument, subjecting minorities to their status of foreigners.”
Latifa Laâbissi studied at the famed Cunningham Studio in New York, but began her career as a dancer and choreographer in France. She collaborated with innovative dancers and choreographers including, Jean-Claude Gallotta, Thierry Baë, Georges Appaix, Loïc Touzé, Jennifer Lacey and Nadia Lauro, and Boris Charmatz.
For a schedule of upcoming events promoted by the French Embassy, please visit: frenchculture.org/front
To learn more about And here for Latifa Laâbissi and her work, please visit: figureproject.com
