Tonight at 7:30pm, Pete’s Candy Store (709 Lorimer St) presents Kimber VanRy as part of their bi-monthly lecture series they call Open City Dialogue.

Few things better evoke the poetic pleasures of a Brooklyn summer than drinking a beer on the stoop on a hot evening.  Just one little thing, though: it’s ILLEGAL!  So Kimber VanRy found out last summer when he received a $25 summons for the nefarious act in his home hood of Prospect Heights.  He could have just paid the small fine–but where’s the fun in that? Mr. VanRy decided instead that he would fight for his right to party! After numerous court cases and even a New York Times profile, Mr. VanRy is ready to give the full tale!

Kimber VanRy grew up in rural Western New York State and has been a Brooklyn resident for more than 13 years. He has worked for more than eleven years in the stock footage and photography industry, and currently manages an international film-licensing partner program reaching more than 35 countries worldwide. VanRy holds a B.A. in English with a Minor in US History from the State University of NY at Buffalo and a M.S. in Historic Preservation Planning from Eastern Michigan University. VanRy , his wife and two sons currently reside in the Prospect Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn.

Open City Dialogue  (OCD) is a bi-monthly lecture series unraveling on alternating Mondays in the backroom of Pete’s.  Short (35-40 minute) lectures are woven together from the common thread of people’s obsessions, with guests coming from allover Greater New York. Whether academic or crackpot; celebrated or unsung, our lecturers all have something to tell you…..

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OperaOggiNY

Menotti’s “The Medium”

Performances June 22 – 28

With smaller seasons at City Opera and the Met, people are finding that a surprising magic exists in small micro budget performances led by OperaOggiNY‘s artistic director Thomas Toscano and music director Bill Lewis. In the spirit of bringing affordable opera to the people, they have created a new concept in local opera performances called “Walk to the Opera.” By focusing upon the drama, text and music rather than pomp and extravaganza, they are forging an expressive repertory ensemble with up and coming young professionals. Beginning with Menotti’s “The Medium” they bring this opera to five different neighborhoods. Starting in Washington Heights, Manhattan, and with subsequent performances scheduled in Astoria, Queens, and Greenpoint, Williamsburg and Ft. Green in Brooklyn.

Soon to follow will be new productions of operas by Vaughn Williams, Lockwood, Moniusko, Puccini, and some contemporary operas by American composers as well. In addition to these, Suor Angelica, L’Oracolo and Massenet’s Sapho, all now part of OperaOggiNY’s repertoire, will be presented  in neighborhoods which have not yet experienced these performances throughout the metropolitan area.

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Make Music New York, in conjunction with music festivals around the world, takes place all over NYC—and 186 bands and musicians will be performing in Greenpoint, Williamsburg and Bushwick alone!  Complete TimeOut listings here, and Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Bushwick listings after the jump.

Now in its third year, Make Music New York, “the largest music event ever to grace Gotham” (Metro New York), is a unique festival of free concerts in public spaces throughout the five boroughs of New York City, all on Sunday, June 21st, the first day of summer. MMNY takes place simultaneously with similar festivities in more than 327 cities around the world — a global celebration of music making.

From 11 in the morning to 10 at night, musicians of all ages, creeds, and musical persuasions — from hip hop to opera, Latin jazz to punk rock — perform on streets, sidewalks, stoops, plazas, cemeteries, parks and gardens. From high school bands to marquee names, MMNY is open to anyone who wants to take part, enjoyed by everyone who wants to attend.

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