SiS night

Wow.

What a turnout! And I'm not talking about the amount of people, either. No matter how long you live in New York, there will always be something new waiting for you. Take, for example, a simple Stranded In Stereo show, which happens every month, and adding to it a gaggle of S&M party goers. No one expects it, but that's what makes NYC great!

I'll never be able to write well enough to give a scene like that justice, so I hope two pictures of Hello Tokyo (who were great, by the way) dancing with a massive man/woman-pleather-cat-woman/man-thing in heels, will help.

Oh Blog! How I Have Neglected You!

Dear Planetary Blog,

I've been a bad friend to you, I know. I haven't written in a really long time. Have I been too busy, you ask? Do I not love you? I have to say blog, it is the former rather than the latter. I really have just been super busy. With what you say? Well, let's see...

1) Lost - Let's face it. This season of Lost has been friggen intense (as if they other seasons weren't). I've decided that I really like Ben's character now. He's so friggen funny! I don't know if he's supposed to crack me up, but he does. Soon, this TV show-turned-abusive relationship will be over, for now. Which is good, because I can focus my attention to The Shield, which should be returning soon.

2) The Boston Red Sox - It's baseball season and my fave boys of summer have been captivating my attention, especially since I have been fortunate enough to get tickets to an ok amount of games this season. This past weekend I saw them defeat the Milwaukee Brewers, much to the dismay of the hordes of Brewers fans sprinkled throughout the bleachers.

3) The Boston Celtics - I'm not even that big of a basketball fan, but all of this playoff action has gotten me excited. I went to my first Celtics game a few months ago, and I do have to say after seeing a game in person I have more of an interest in the game.

4) Allergies - They basically rule my life. No joke. I have been in a constant state of almost dying from pollen for the last 4 weeks and with the weather.com pollen forecast saying this week is going to be super high pollen levels, I for one am not psyched. I mean, I am already on prescription pills, prescription eye drops and prescription cough medicine, and those only provide minor relief - I might as well plan on not leaving places with self contained air for the rest of the week...

5) Museums - Bank of America, each May, has a promotion for their cardholders to show up to many museums and get in for free. Each year since living in Boston I've taken part of this and it has generally worked out. Two weeks ago I was dismayed to find that the JFK Presidential Library and Museum was not participating (even though it appeared on the list provided by Bank of America) so I didn't go (I've already been). This past Thursday, I went to the new ICA down on the Boston Waterfront (free to the entire public year round, Thursdays 5-9pm, sponsored by Target) and I have to say, I wasn't really impressed. I'm not generally one for contemporary art anyway, but had I paid the $12 to get in, I would have felt ripped off. The exhibits are small and only took us like an hour, tops, to get through, unlike a museum such as the MFA, where you could spend a few hours. I mean, if you don't have anything else to do, check it out on a Thursday night - the building itself is really cool and right on the water, but if you ask me, don't make a special trip.

6) Cooking - I've had a resurgence in my desire to cook and make new things as well. Cooking can be so much fun - and healthy! - if you sit down and do it. I've recently gotten into going to sites such as www.allrecipes.com and see what sort of things they suggest and then tweaking them to be awesome.

So, those are the things right now eating my time, dear dear Planetary Blog. I know you miss me, I promise to write again soon!

<3

your friend,

jess pye

Myat Haggart Benefit

If you're in New York this weekend, keep reading. This isn't something Planetary is working on officially, but the Haggart family are good friends and very special people. Please come show your support, and the show will not disappoint either!

Myat Moondog Haggart benefit
$20 (7pm)

May 18th 2008, at St. Mark's Church in New York City, marks an evening where decades of experimental performers from around the world will gather to buoy the spirits of their friend, 2-year-old Myat Moondog Haggart.

Confirmed acts include *Captain Sons and Daughters* (artist Kara Bohnenstiel and Drew McDowall of Coil), *Vito Acconci* (delivering a 'textual architecture' oration), *Scott Haggart and Lary Seven performing DISKONO 017* (announcing the rebirth and continuation of legendary Scottish Dada-anarcho record label DISKONO), *David Grubbs* (Squirrel Bait, Gastr Del Sol, myriad solo projects collaborations and critical works), *Backworld*(World Serpent, Current 93), *Little Annie *(CRASS, Coil, go-to chanteuse for 30 years plus), and DJs *J.G. Thirlwell* (Foetus, Steroid Maximus, Manorexia) and* Fabio Roberti* (WFMU).

This bill forms a roster of incessant voyagers, passionate collaborators, true anarchists, and conscientious scholars. It is a festival-quality roster, and a rich, beautiful roster: please graze the Internet for a moment to see how deep these artists' creative roots run.

A door raffle and silent auction will take place on the sidelines: donations thus far include a package of Coil rarities, Vito Acconci artwork, Terry Richardson photography, Sebastian Mlynarski photography, Todd Fisher photography, Mae Fatto photography, Little Annie painting, Andrea Aimi painting, Shannon Lucy print, Cameron Michel collage, and many more. Melissa Rocha will present a puppet-filled animated short.

Myat Moondog Haggart is a hilarious, pugnacious, beautiful and beloved child beset by health problems relating to his brain that are proving very difficult to diagnose. This event exists as a party for him as he begins what may be a difficult journey to health, and as an immeasurably helpful boost as his medical bills continue to mount. This is an event for punks, nerds, parents, perverts, students, children, priests, pagans, ravers: an event for everyone.

The Last Waltz

After a long time holed up in my house doing nothing, a good friend took me out on the town. New dinner spots, good beer, charity bookstores, and the last night of the Baggot Inn, a relatively historical place. They've had a bluegrass jam in there for years, and while I never went before, and it was relocated on this night because of sewer problems, I was happy to see the last one.

Notice the harmonica guy sitting down? You've just spotted Jon Hull from The Jones Street Boys. I know, it's hard to see, but try seeing with your ears this time.

Live Concert Spoiler Alerts.

Remember when you first saw Titanic, and you knew right away that most everybody was going to die? When you can see the end right from the beginning, it's something of a spoiler alert.

The same thing happened last night at Planetary/Stranded in Stereo's club night at Rehab. Since the singer of Breaking Laces looks like this:




and Ben Gibbard looks like this:




I already hand a notion that they were going to play a Death Cab for Cutie song. And they did, and it was great, but come on. His glasses and haircut totally gave away the final song even before they started playing it.

You should know from the beginning that the Planetary/SIS club nights are always going to be fun, and thus you should join us next month (May 28th) at Rehab for another round of it.