Nitehawk cinema in Prospect Park, one of the small movie theatres that has had to shut down during the Coronavirus pandemic, still tries to keep spirits up with its marquee message.
Dear Reader
It’s the weekend, which, ordinarily, would be a booming time for artists of all disciplines. But as we know, things are not what they were even just a week ago. As an entertainment journalist, my life is/was filled with movie premieres, concerts, museum visits, gallery openings and a myriad other wonderful IRL events that come from living in the greatest city in the world. NYT music critic Jon Pareles describes how he’s missing the physical experience of seeing a musician play live for him (and even missing the person spilling beer on him at the same time), while LA Times movie critic Justin Chang talks about anticipating the day we’ll be able to get back to the communal adventure that is going to watch a movie at a cinema, loud popcorn-crunching and all. I, too, have been missing things that I used to take for granted about being in public with others: “showtime!” on the train, bumping into someone while being engrossed in looking at an artwork, even a person singing too loudly at a concert. Okay, maybe I don’t miss that a lot. But oh, how much we have to look forward to when we are back out in the real world, together, again.
As it is the weekend, here is a bumper edition of entertainment things to do, not IRL. If you know anyone who’d appreciate this list, please share it, and also please send me any suggestions for next week. This weekend’s list, then, maestro:
1. Arguably one of the world’s greatest DJs of our time, Black Coffee is hosting a live stream as a “one man band” on Twitch. It’ll be a lunchtime party at 1pm NY time, 7pm Joburg time.
Meanwhile, Erykah Badu is hosting the Quarantine Concert Series, “interactive livestream experience from her bedroom,” this weekend. Entry is $1 and you can find out more here. Also, check out This Must Be The Gig podcast for tips on how to support your fave bands at this time.
2. Many bars and restaurants are offering food, cocktails and adult beverages to go. But if you’re still missing your local happy hour, why not also take part in Dani & Jackie’s Virtual Happy Hour? If you’re a patron or a bartender, reach out to them here. My friend Clair, a bartender and author in Pittsburg, wrote this piece for Adweek about ways to help your favourite bartender, for Adweek.
3. Cinemas like Nitehawk, pictured above, have really been hit hard. As many have suggested, supporting them in any way you can, like buying gift-cards, is vital. The Tribeca Film Festival, which has also been cancelled, is sharing select short films from alumni filmmakers. And if documentaries are more your thing, the world’s largest documentary festival, IDFA, is making over 200 titles available to watch too.
4. You can get lost in a new Frida Khalo exhibition on Google’s Arts & Culture site, where you can dive deep into more about the artist, beyond the myths and legends that are already well known about her.
5. I know this isn’t an entertainment item, but mental health is key, so I’m adding in this in for sanity’s sake. Dan Harris is hosting daily meditations at 3pm EST on YouTube.
Thank you for making it this far — in my newsletter and also, you know, into this thing we’re going through. Today’s newsletter is brought to you by a meme that really made me laugh out loud — the kind of delirious loud you get to when you’ve been on your own for too long!
Stay safe, stay sane
Your neighbour
Nadia