If It's Memorial Day, This Must Be A Punk Rock Concert – Part 1

I was walking up Avenue B yesterday, when I saw this sign taped to a lamppost, at East 7th Street:

Take the city back.

Take the city back? Take it back where? Hasn't it always been here?

There was also this sign, outside the beloved Vazac's:

Torn sign.

It looks like someone took a disliking to this sign.

This concert was to commemorate a riot that occurred around Tompkins Square Park, Memorial Day weekend, 1991. (Even East Villagers need a reason to grill!)

When I got to the park, the first band, Karnage, was already playing. There was someone on stage dressed as a super hero — Wonder Man, Flash, I don't know. I thought he was part of the band, so I didn't hurry to video tape him, but it turns out he wasn't!

This is Karnage, without Wonder Man:


The ever-present swag table was present:

Present!

There were not a lot of people, but it is Memorial Day weekend. East Villagers are notoriously late anyway.

I couldn't stay either. I had to go to Metro Bikes, on East 14th Street, to buy a new wheel for my bike. (You can read about that here.)

When I got back, the band Universal Truth Machine was finishing up:


After them came Sewage:


After Sewage, this woman got onto the stage, who had been going up onto the stage during each band's set. It seemed like she was going to speak, but then she didn't:


After that incident came Coach + Commando:


It was getting late, and I had a date at home with some tacos, so I wasn't able to see the last two bands: The Nihilistics and The Undead.

Here is a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Undead though:

Mr. and Mrs. Undead.

The organizers should put on the good bands first, and the… less-good bands after. That way, people could come see the good bands in the afternoon, and then go home and eat!

Continued…

#eastvillage #7thstreet #avenueb #chrisflash #coachandcommando #karnage #memorialdayweekend #punkrock #punkrockshow #sewage #signs #tompkinssquarepark #universaltruthmachine #vazacs

Scofflaws

East Villagers are notorious scofflaws!

Here is an example of scofflawing, across the street from the beloved Vazac's, on East 7th Street at Avenue B:

Scofflaw.

As if that were not evidence enough, here is more:

Unpicked-up dog poop.

What if there were a fire at Vazac's? The fire department would arrive and have to go around the illegally-parked SUV to get to the fire hydrant, not see the dog poop, and slip on it!

It sounds funny, but it's not.

#eastvillage #7thstreet #avenueb #dogpoop #firedepartment #firehydrants #scofflaws #suv #vazacs

Cementing the Cellar Doors

Round about ten days ago, I was walking down Avenue B, past the beloved Vazac's, when I saw this bit of fixer-uppery:

Cementing the cellar doors.

I wonder what happened to the bottom left part of the wall? Did some steel-toed-booted anarchist kick it, back in the 80s? Probably!

"Kick me out, will you?! Take that, beloved Vazac's!"

#eastvillage #cellardoors #cautiontape #orangecones #vazacs #cement #renovations

Filming and Filming

Hot on the heels of filming Jonathan on East 3rd Street, more filmmakers are filming more films in the East Village!

Except this is not a movie, it's a TV show — and it's not called Jonathan, it's called The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel!

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel sign.

This next picture will come as a surprise to East Villagers, because it's a bar scene being filmed not at the beloved Vazac's!

The bar beneath the black tarp is the beloved Josie's Bar, on East 6th Street, famous for having a statue of a bear in front of it, that you can't see because of the black tarp!

Tarp-hidden bear statue.

But fear not, Vazac's has not been ignored! It's just been rebranded as Milston's Tavern:

Milston's Tavern.

Here is a close-up:

Close-up.

And for added effect, they built a subway entrance right outside!

Subway entrance.

In real life, there couldn't be a subway station there — the East Village was built on a swamp!

#eastvillage #6thstreet #avenueb #filmmakers #josiesbar #subway #themarvelousmrsmaisel #vazacs #swamp

"A" Christmas Stencil

I was walking past the beloved Vazac's bar on the corner of Avenue B and East 7th Street recently, when I saw their Christmas window stencils:

Christmas window stencils.

Vazac's is known for their stencils, which are defaced almost immediately by their customers, who write their names or clever slogans in the Ice Crystals Aerosol Spray!

They won't be able to deface that "A" rating though!

It's comforting to know that the bags of pretzels you can buy at the bar are kept at the right temperature!

#eastvillage #christmasdecorations #icecrystalsaerosolspray #vazacs #avenueb #7thstreet #pretzels #sanitationinspectiongrade

Vazac's is Now Wheelchair Accessible

East Villagers will no doubt be excited to learn that the beloved Vazac's Bar, on Avenue B and East 7th Street, directly across the street from a children's playground, is now wheelchair accessible!

I was walking by this morning, when I saw this:

Vazac's with new, blue signs.

Here is a close-up:

Close-up.

The beloved Manitoba's (across the street and down a bit) recently became ADA Compliant, but they don't have cool signs like these!

It waits to be seen how someone in a wheelchair will request assistance, or from whom,  or if the door is even wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair — but they certainly are nice signs!

#eastvillage #7thstreet #avenueb #signs #vazacs #wheelchairs

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

Or maybe I should say: Here Yesterday, Gone Today!

While walking up Avenue B yesterday, I saw these two signs:

Two signs.

Who can read all that?!

Anyway, today:

One sign.

Maybe the people from the beloved Vazac's took it down? It was right outside their bar. There were probably so many people gathered around the post, trying to read this proclamation, and it blocked their customers getting in and out!

East Villagers love short signs!

#eastvillage #vazacs #signs #avenueb

More Filming

I was walking down East 7th Street yesterday, when I saw a film crew setting up at the intersection of Avenue B, in the same location as the recently filmed "A.K.A. Jessica Jones"!

Take a look-see:



I think they were a low-budget operation, because they didn't post any signs announcing that they were shooting, and they didn't have any P.A.s telling me "No videos, please."

This is the kind of stuff I used to shoot — the crew — until Jessica Jones ruined me for good!

#eastvillage #filmmakers #avenueb #7thstreet

Fin

This is the end of the A.K.A. Jessica Jones material, for now! I hope you enjoyed this little foray into every-day life in the East Village, with its celebrities and explosions and such! I mean, how often does something this cool happen? OK, every day, it's true, but it was still fun!

Here are a few remaining pictures:

Lucy and Desi,

Krysten Ritter's and Mike Colter's (I found out; not David Tennant's) trailers. Last time, you may recall, they used the names Ralph and Alice! Last time, their doors had stairs too!

The beloved Vazac's door is replaced:

Exploded door, back in place.

Here is where I sat:

Where I sat.

I sat on the back of the bench, with my feet on the seat, to avoid rats running over the top of them!

Finally, one last look at Krysten Ritter. I took this on East 6th Street, outside her trailer:

Ms. Krysten Ritter.

I think this was the first time I ever took a picture of someone I didn't know without trying to disguise the fact that I was taking their picture! And she smiled!

East Villagers love smiles!

#eastvillage #6thstreet #jessicajones #desi #krystenritter #lucy #tompkinssquarepark #vazacs

Pure Fanzine Stuff

This is the last of my A.K.A. Jessica Jones videos from the other night, and what would be a better send-off than images of the star herself, Ms. Krysten Ritter?!

Before I do this though, I just want to say I'm sorry I didn't get any scenes with David Tennant in them. For all I know, he was there in the earlier pictures, and I just didn't recognize him, what with his beard and all!

So with no further ado, Ms. Krysten Ritter:

#eastvillage #jessicajones #krystenritter #vazacs avenueb #7thstreet #filmmakers

T Minus 54 Minutes and Counting

When we last left off, I had gone home to eat supper, seeing that the one-time simulated explosion™ was not yet ready to occur.

After eating, I ventured back over. They were still setting up, but they were further along, and it was dark: the perfect setting for a night shot!

And here it is, the crew of A.K.A Jessica Jones, setting the stage:


The cameraman was from WLNY.

#eastvillage #jessicajones #vazacs #avenueb #7thstreet #filmmakers #wlny

Violet, Before the Explosion

As readers may recall from my post yesterday, the one-time simulated explosion, featuring air cannon with debris, was scheduled to take place some time between 6:00 and 11:00pm.

Being the punctual sort of blogger that I am, I arrived as soon after 6:00 as I could, which was at approximately 8:20. They were still setting up around the beloved Vazac's, and didn't look like they were anywhere near setting off an explosion, one-time or not, so I went home to eat.

This is what I got in the time I was there though:


Stay Tuned! There's more to come!

#eastvillage 7thstreet #jessicajones #avenueb #vazacs #filmmakers

One-Time Simulated Explosion

This… was… AWESOME! Quite possibly, the coolest thing that's ever happened in the East Village!

So with no sound effects, no commentary, I bring you: One-Time Simulated Explosion:

I'll put up more videos tomorrow, but they won't be nearly as cool as this!

#eastvillage #jessicajones #krystenritter #vazacs #avenueb #7thstreet #onetimesimulatedexplosion

T Minus 9 Hours and 19 Minutes

I passed by the beloved Vazac's this morning, where preparations are underway for tonight's shooting of A.K.A Jessica Jones, complete with one-time simulated explosion, an air cannon with debris, and atmospheric smoke and/or fog!

This is what I was trying to get a better shot of last night, that I thought might be components of the one-time simulated explosion:

Components of…

I think I figured it out, though. I think this is a component of the air cannon with debris.

Here is what I think will happen: the one-time simulated explosion will occur inside the beloved Vazac's. It very well may not include sound, since that can be added later, but it certainly would be cool if it does! At some point, these air cannons will fire their debris. This might not occur simultaneously — again, this can by synched-up in editing.

The atmospheric smoke and/or fog will be constant, I'd guess, otherwise it wouldn't be atmospheric! The weather calls for isolated to scattered thunderstorms this evening. That'll certainly add to the atmosphere!

East Villagers are sure to be out in number tonight!

#eastvillage #jessicajones #vazacs #onetimesimulatedexplosion #aircannonwithdebris #atmosphericsmokeandorfog

Violet, The Night Before

As I wrote last week, preparations are afoot to shoot another installment of A.K.A. Jessica Jones in the East Village!

I walked down Avenue B yesterday evening after work, to see what was happening.  First, the sign:

The sign.

A one-time simulated explosion! An air cannon with debris! Atmospheric smoke and/or fog! Right here in the heart of the East Village! Who could ask for more?!

Most of the excitement will occur at the beloved Vazac's, a faux-dive bar on Avenue B and East 7th Street.

Here is a preview:


Unfortunately, I won't be able to be downtown tonight until about 7:30. I sure do hope they don't simulate the explosion before I get there!

* * *

As a side note: I found out that last month, the "A.K.A." was dropped from the name, leaving it: Marvel's Jessica Jones. I will continue to use the "A.K.A.", however.

East Villagers love aliases!

#eastvillage #vazacs #jessicajones #avenueb #7thstreet #onetimesimulatedexplosion #aircannonwithdebris #atmosphericsmokeandorfog

Ninja Turtles

It seems everyone wants to film in the East Village these days!

I was walking up Avenue B this morning, when I saw this at East 7th Street:

Vazac's lit up to look like daytime.

Here's a close-up:

Close-up.

Tourists were caught up in the excitement:

"I wonder if that's that East Village Today I've heard tell about?"

So what was filming, you ask? Here's a hint:

No Parking sign with project name.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Half Shell!

And here they are:

Famous actors.

Why would turtles film in a bar? Or teenagers, for that matter? Mutants, I can understand!

And no overview of a film set would be complete without a picture of the food table:

Fruit? That's it? No bagels or muffins or anything?

What do you expect turtles to eat… in the East Village Today?!

#eastvillage #7thstreet #avenueb #filmmakers #halfshell signs #teenagemutantninjaturtles #vazacs