around town today

free art openings:
brooklyn college mfa open studios (thru 3/27) >>
justin hagar: ‘gangstas paradise’ @ kinfolk 90 project room >>
nina leen: ‘lenslady’ @ daniel cooney fine art (thru 5/16) >>

8am-10pm (thru 4/24): six 22 to 28 feet-long swirling, fabric forms reminiscent of skirts will be suspended from the top of the ten-story winter garden at brookfield place as part of the u.s. premiere of ‘soft spin’, a sculptural and sound installation by artist heather nicol. free. >>

12-5pm (daily): a sign of spring: prospect park’s 1912 carousel opens for the seasontoday. $2/ride, $9/book of five. >>

5:30pm: dorothy parker complete broadway author and president of the dorothy parker society, kevin c. fitzpatrick, hosts a dorothy parker talk, reading, and speakeasy-style toast at the drama book shop. bonus: complimentary cocktail provided by the new york distilling company. free admission. >>

6pm: le tigre’s johanna fateman and artists dread scott and carlos motta discuss the question, ‘what could a revolutionary art be today?’ as part of nyu’s the left front: radical art in the ‘red decade’ 1929-1940 exhibition. city college of new york, compton goethals hall, room 249 (w. 140th st @ amsterdam ave.), free. >>

6-9:30pm: the ‘art off the wall’ series of site-specific performances inspired by exhibitions at the brooklyn museum explores themes in chitra ganesh: eyes of time. activities include an exclusive screening of ganesh’s video work, a talk with the artist, a zine installation, a bhangra dance workshop, and a dance party hosted by dj rekha (basement bhangra). suggested admission: $16 general, $10 students seniors. >>

6pm: co-authors brent schlender and rick tetzeli talk about their new biography,becoming steve jobs, at apple soho. free (rsvp required). >>

6:30pm: food writer, cookbook author and cooking teacher rinku bhattacharya (spices and seasons: simple, sustainable indian flavors) gives an illustrated lecture on essential indian spices and their health benefits. nypl mid-manhattan, free. >>

6:30pm: photographer christopher payne gives an illustrated talk on his book, north brother island: the last unknown place in new york city. mcny, $16 general, $12 students/seniors. >>

6:30pm: bold soul sisters: a revolution of sound + style: music journalist christian john wikane interviews four women who helped power music groups of the 1970s: rochelle fleming (first choice), nona hendryx (labelle), ruth pointer (the pointer sisters), and kathy sledge (sisters sledge). the apollo theater, free (rsvp). >>

6:30pm doors, 7pm show (monthly): storytellers share true, bizarre tales about their lives at leslie goshko’s ‘sideshow goshko’. tonight’s guests: caitlin brodnick (glamour, ‘shut up’ storytelling show co-host), calvin cato (my crazy love) and natalie wall (‘awkward sex… and the city’ host). kgb, free. >>

7pm: journalist-turned-carpenter nina maclaughlin profiles her vocational and personal transformation with hammer head: the making of a carpenter. she’ll be in conversation with rosie schaap (drinking with men), cara nicoletti (the meat hook,voracious), and kate bolick (spinster), and drinks and snacks will be provided. housingworks, free. >>

7pm (ends today): the architectural league’s annual ‘emerging voices’ lecture seriesspotlights individuals and firms. $10. >>

7pm (weekly): jiji lee hosts the split personality storytelling and character open mic show at williamsburg’s  the eight. tonight’s guests: jia jung and brad howe. free. >>

7pm (thru 3/28): we love tv takes on parks and recreation with an original live staged episode at the pit. $10 general, $1 students. >>

7pm (weekly): bow tie cinemas screens robert aldrich’s noir classic kiss me deadly(1955), starring ralph meeker, as part of its ‘chelsea classics’ series. new price: $10 (was $8… grrr…). >>

7pm (ends today): see the spell tutor, night of the living relatives, tom’s restaurant), films from all over the world at the 1st annual multiverse film festival. black door (127 w. 26th st.), free (rsvp). >>

7-10pm (monthly): mingle with like-minded veggie lovers at the vegan drinks mixer/fundraiser. food by jay astafa will be available for purchase, and a raffle with prizes from local businesses will benefit positive tails. fontana’s, free admission. >>

7, 7:30pm (+ 3/31): a 30th (!) anniversary screening of the breakfast club comes to select movie theatres. various prices. >>

7:30pm (bi-monthly): the pete’s reading series returns with readings by veterans of the iraq and afghanistan wars: teresa fazio, brandon willitts, pete molin, and chris wolfe. pete’s candy store, free. >>

7:30pm (weekly): the ‘lasers in the jungle’ comedy show features stand-up by john fugelsang (tell me everything), frank conniff (mst3k), kyle ayers (comedy central), alison leiby (someecards), tim dillon, and hosts sean crespo, katina corrao and dan wilbur. ucbeast, $5. >>

7:30pm: ukulele cabaret brings a cabaret art show to williamsburg’s lp ‘n harmony bar, including 11 acts with punny names such as uke skywalker and jon bong jovi. free. >>

7:30pm: performance artist joseph keckler presents music, mischief and mind-bending stories at spectrumnyc. $18 adv ($20 dos) admission includes free wine, cheese and cookies. >>

7:30pm: the heath quartet performs beethoven and janáček at the david rubenstein atrium at lincoln center. free. >>

7:30pm doors, 8pm show: field trip, rivergazer, the teen age, dinowalrus and caverns play knitting factory. $10. >>

7:30pm doors, 8pm show: play hooky at a drinking game/live staged reading of ferris bueller’s day off at union hall. $15. >>

8pm: eric bleich gives an illustrated lecture on saws, specula and surgical instruments: the absurd and disturbing world of biomedical patents. morbid anatomy museum, $8. >>

8pm: for the xyz nyc dance series, dancers and choreographers were randomly grouped together, and given a week to create new dances. see the results and vote for your favorite tonight at the tank. $10. >>

8pm: the film society of lincoln center’s sound + vision series presents music and visuals from ben seretan, middle grey and ginny benson. $10. >>

8pm (thru 3/29): the string orchestra of brooklyn’s inaugural string theories festivalfeatures four days of 21st-century music for strings by 40 performers and composers. south oxford space and roulette, $15-20 general, $10-15 students/seniors. >>

8pm doors: tod slant, free cake for every creature, florist, and trace mountains play shea stadium. $8. >>

9pm-2am: dance to the alt hits of the late 80s and early 90s at the pre-93 alternative dance party at cameo gallery. free. >>

9:30pm: r.l. stine (goosebumps), arthur meyer (fuds, fallon), jo firestone (‘punderdome 3000′ co-host, wfmu), and scott’s french teacher are tonight’s special guests at therunning late with scott rogowsky show at carloline’s. free admission with promo code ‘theskint’ here (note: a 2-drink minimum applies, reg. admission $16.50). >>

9:30pm: astronomy on tap = galactic lectures + chats in a bar. tonight, the cluster moves to videology for a screening of neil degrasse tyson’s cosmos: a spacetime odyssey, with discussion, games and prizes. free (rsvp). >>

10pm: drop the weight of something you’ve never told anyone and tell your secrets to a dark room. treehouse theater, $5 >>

10pm (thru 3/28) the jon spencer blues explosion celebrates the release of their new album with free/cheap intimate shows across the boroughs and jersey city. >>

10:30pm (thursdays thru 4/30): art battles! lpr, $10. >>

thru 3/28: the fourth annual brooklyn girl film festival screens the work of women filmmakers from across the globe. brooklyn fireproof temporary storage galleries, $10-15. >>

thru 3/29: the fifth new voices in black cinema series showcases narratives, documentaries, and shorts that cultivate dialogue on the black experience in america and around the world. bamcinématek, $14 general, $9 students/seniors. >>

check our website for ongoing events. >>

coming up

3/27 9am-12pm (+ 3/28): volunteer to help spruce up and cut back brooklyn bridge park in preparation for spring plant growth. tools and gloves provided. >>

3/27 11am-5pm (thru 3/29): get to the affordable art fair at the metropolitan pavilion for $5 (plus ticket fees, reg. $18). >>

3/27 6:30pm doors, 7pm show (monthly thru 6/24): st. paul’s chapel’s neighborhood movie nights series screens the goonies (1985). bonus: free popcorn and soft drinks. free admission. >>

3/27 7pm: comedians put the films annie and sophie’s choice to the bechdel test at videology. free. >>

3/27 7pm (thru 3/29): get tickets to the tempest songbook, a premiere from gotham chamber opera + martha graham dance co. at the metropolitan museum of art 3for $18-40 (plus ticket fees, reg. $30-125). >>

3/27 7pm-1am (fri-sat, weekly): the weekly brooklyn night bazaar night market brings bands, food, drinks, vendors, light installations, mini golf, ping pong and skee-ball to a 24,000 sq ft warehouse. this week’s live music comes from teen suicide, amanda x, lvl up, crying, flagland, washer, honeyblood, cassie ramone, mannequin p*ssy, bong wish, and aye nako. free admission. >>

3/27 8pm: the puppets and pasties burlesque variety show returns to standard toykraft. $12. >>

3/27 8pm: the found sound nation concert series at pioneer works features people’s champs, florent ghys, glockabelle, and sandunes. $10 suggested donation. >>

3/27 8pm: brass/queer/feminist dance party: five bands, ranging in size from a duo to a 12 piece, take over cake shop. $8. >>

3/27 8:30pm doors, 9pm show: free pizza, free comedy, free music and cheap drinks await at the secret loft show’s comedy show + dance party. free admission. >>

3/27 9pm doors, 9:15pm show: the late night basement with chris rose comedy/talk show returns to bushwick’s pine box rock shop with guests amber tamblyn (two and a half men), chris distefano (guy code), aparna nancherla (conan). bonus: 2-4-1 heavy seas beer. free admission. >>

3/27 9:30pm (monthly): hoff’s horrorfest: comedians hoff matthews (‘hp5000′ co-host) and myka fox (someecards, snl‘s ‘weekend update’ contributor) perform stand-up, followed by a screening of poltergeist (1982). byob. brit pack, free. >>

3/27 9:30pm: improvisers live-dub over episodes of tv comedies will + grace and the cosby show during the ‘live dubbed sitcoms’ show. hosted by jo firestone (punderdome 3000 co-host, wfmu). videology, $5. >>

3/27 9:30pm: the rubin museum of art’s weekly ‘cabaret cinema’ series screens albert lewin’s the picture of dorian gray (1945). neuroscientist dr. susana martinez-conde introduces. $10. >>

3/27 10pm-late: the ‘oscillate wildly’ – smiths/morrissey tribute dance party moves to the bell house. $7, free with smiths/morrissey attire or tattoo. >>

3/27 10pm-late: 12 djs are scheduled to take over 2 floors of a tba bushwick location at the chromed dance party. bonus: open bar 10-11pm. $15. >>

3/27 11pm (monthly): adult amateur (or worse) dance teams perform choreographed dances in front of a live audience and comedian judges at the new nationals: an amateur adult dance competition comedy show. we’re told that this month’s show may or may not be a tribute to dirty dancing. hosted by dara katz and betsy kenney. treehouse theater, $5. >>

3/27 11pm doors, 11:30pm show: har mar superstar, kahli abu and vhs safari play the knitting factory. $8. >>

3/27 11:30pm: comedians make fun of terrible 80s rock music videos for the ‘comedy killed the video star’ show. tonight: frank conniff (msk3), amber nelson (comedy central, time out’s ‘comics to watch’), reid faylor, and hosts amanda baramki and robbie collier. bonus: free pizza! videology, free admission (rsvp requested for pizza count). >>

sponsored 3/27-29: fans of funny women unite! for bad assery: the women and comedy conference at the bell house, littlefield and ?what if! innovation. $40/day pass, $15-20/panels and shows (cash only). >>

sales, deals, freebies

sponsored: enter to win free subway rides for a year, courtesy of the skint, wakefield’s uncubed, gothamist, donyc and brooklyn based! >>

stream new albums from sufjan stevens, death cab for cutie, missy mazzoli, and more on npr. >>

ticket deals

get free tickets to see the national festival chorus + manhattan chorale performing handel, elder and pwell at lincoln center’s alice tully hall 4/6 (plus ticket fees, reg. $55-85). >>

get tickets to behind the fig leaf, a lecture on art history and hidden meaning at the metropolitan museum of art on 4/8 for $20 (plus ticket fees, reg. $40). >>

get tickets to drunk shakespeare at the lounge at roy arias studios thru 4/11 for $29 (plus ticket fees, reg. $50). >>

get free tickets to artexpo new york at pier 94 4/24-26 (plus ticket fees, reg. $20). >>