“Live from the Peach Pit,” it’s the twins from the Brooklyn Band The Forms. Via Gawker

If he wants to be authentic, he’ll have to title the work “The shittiest, pothole-filled stretch of highway in America.” From Pitchfork

The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is a stretch of road that any vehicle-owning New Yorker (or anybody who’s ever taken the bus to/from La Guardia) probably knows well…from being stuck in traffic on it for hours and hours.
But, apparently, it’s also a source of inspiration for one Mr. Sufjan Stevens, who has been commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music to write a “music and film work” titled “The BQE”, which will make its world premiere at BAM’s Next Wave festival November 1-3.
Here’s what a press release had to say about “The BQE”: Merging a virtual road trip (shot in beautiful 16mm film) with a live band and orchestral ensemble, The BQE discovers abstract patterns and stories in the snaking traffic, stunning city views, potholed pavement, billboards, and badly marked exits. The work, commissioned for the 25th Next Wave Festival, muses on an urban planning project–then controversial, now overcrowded and antiquated–that tore through neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens in a zealous period of urban development.
“The performances at BAM will also feature new songs by Stevens and orchestrated selections from his acclaimed albums.”
So…does this mean the next state is New York?

Under threat by developers, this sign appeared last night on Domino’s. Curbed has the story.

Add TV on the Radio to the McCarren Park Pool summer concert series. They’ll be playing one of the free Pool Party shows in July. We’ve been updating the full schedule at McCarrenPark.com.

The priest who fired her says that selling vibrators and dildos is not “consistent with Church teachings.” We don’t remember reading about dildos in the bible.
From The Associated Press [thanks Judah]

Linette Servais, 50, played the organ and sung with the choir for 35 years. Much of her work as choir director and organist was done without pay. When her parish priest asked to meet with her, she thought it was to say thank you. Instead, she was told to quit her sales job with company known as Pure Romance or she would lose her position in the church.
Pure Romance in Loveland, Ohio, is a $60 million per year business that sells spa products and sex toys at homes parties attended by women. It has 15,000 consultants like Servais.
She said her decision was not hard: She began working with Pure Romance after a brain tumor and treatment left her sexually dysfunctional. The job allows her to help other women who have similar problems.
“After I got over the initial shock, I prayed over this a long time,” she said. “I feel that Pure Romance is my ministry.”
The Rev. Dean Dombroski felt differently, removing her from the choir loft just before Thanksgiving and gradually taking away other church duties. Servais can no longer take pictures during First Communion services or lead the committee planning St. Joseph’s annual late-summer picnic.
Dombroski said he couldn’t discuss the situation because it involves personnel. But in a letter to his rural congregation, he wrote: “Linette is a consultant for a firm which sells products of a sexual nature that are not consistent with Church teachings. Because parish leaders are expected to model the teaching of our faith … she could stay on as the choir director/organist or she could continue to be a consultant but she could not do both.”
Servais responded with her own three-page letter to church members, saying she felt compelled to help other women, especially those suffering from problems caused by cancer. Many choir members quit in support, she said, and some have gathered at her home on occasional Thursdays to sing hymns.
“Father Dean made it sound so sinful,” she said. “There is so much more to this business than toys.”

Our friend and former Williamsburg writer, Bill Powhida, will be at Williamsburg’s Spoonbill and Sugartown Thursday to present his new book The Back of the Line. Did we mention, there will be free beer. The book is awesome so swing by and check it out if you can.

From Gothamist

There have been murmurs of Galapagos moving from its current space for a while now. The Burg even did an entire episode about saving it. From that show:
“Galapagos is many ways is the heart of Williamsburg, the oldest consistently operating bar in the area, it’s been around for seven years – it’s historic. And now I hear Clear Channel’s trying to buy it.”
“I hate Clear Channel, first McCarren Park Pool and now this!”
Clear Channel didn’t buy it (that we know of), maybe Northsix The Music Hall of Williamsburg did – but likely it’s going to be another set of condos (with neighbors complaining about the noise). Either way, the rumors of it moving have been confirmed, as The NY Times reports that the North 6th Street art space will be leaving Williamsburg for a brighter future in Dumbo. They also note this has great symbolic significance, given it was an establishment that pioneered the neighborhood it will now be leaving. READ IT ALL

Bizarre. From Ebay via Buzzfeed

t was originally owned by me but I lent it to Neko Case for the pictured photo. At the time, Neko wore a size 12 and begged me to give it to her so she could “squish away her flab”. She bugged me relentlessly for a year until I finally caved in and gave it to her. We dubbed this little number “The Secret Weapon” because it made you look hot in or out of your clothing and mysteriously attracted members of the opposite sex for either of us when worn. Then, she went on a diet and fitness program and got down to a size 7. Two years after I gave it to her, she gave The Secret Weapon back to me. Why am I selling such a nostalgic piece of my past, you may ask? Because I couldn’t stand the competition and went on my own weight loss regime. Now, The Secret Weapon is too big for me too. Not to mention, I’m presently in a long term relationship and it would be far, far too dangerous for me to wear The Secret Weapon out of the house. In the heyday, however, my measurements were 38-31-40 meandering somewhere between a size 10 and size 12. Though it is in very good condition, The Secret Weapon has experienced (among many things) some gentle stretching along the sides of the waist and hip area. It has some very slight fraying around each side of the bra cups and is missing two eyes from it’s six hook and eye set that fastens down the front. It also zips up in front so I have never felt the need to replace the missing eyes. All six garters are in tact and in good condition. No holes or stains. Overall, it’s in great shape for it’s age and considering what it’s been through (many, many adventures indeed). I hope I look as good at 50+! The winning bidder will receive an original 8×10 color print of the photo (pictured here) of Neko wearing The Secret Weapon. Though magazines such as Rolling Stone, Esquire, and GQ have requested permission to print the photo it has only been published in a year 2000 girlie calendar put out as a promo piece for the record label Sympathy For The Record Industry which can be viewed here, http://sympathyrecords.com/calendar/2000/index.shtml. Neko is Miss February. She’s wearing The Secret Weapon again in a photo shoot published on the web only for Kutie Magazine and in a never released super 8 stag loop reel shot in a rest stop bathroom at 3 AM in Minnehaha County, South Dakota. Those two scandously sextacular secrets are presently more closely guarded than Fort Knox by me and no bribe is big enough for anyone to see them and the full naughtiness involved. The pictured Miss February print is also available for sale separately through my website, http://victoriarenard.com/. More photos of this rare and seductive item also available upon request to serious bidders. THE CHARITY: Partial proceeds from this sale will go to Great Expectations Greyhound Rescue in honor of Neko’s beloved greyhound, whom she rescued. Thanks for viewing my auction. Happy bidding!

In other Neko News, Pitchfork has a new New Pornographers track available for download.

We’re glad that other people think this ad is as FUCKING RETARDED as we do.

From Pitchfork:
Kanye West: Young Folks Remix
Via lanewshit
Young Folks (Diplo Pussy Remix) / zShare
Young Folks (Datashat Remix) / zShare
Young Folks (Diplo Drums of Death Remix) / zShare
Young Folks (Punks Jump Up Special Disco Remix) / zShare
Young Folks (Thomas Andersson Remake) / zShare
Young Folks (Cousin-Cole Re-Edit) / zShare
Young Folks (OrtzRoka Remix) / zShare

Dawn Landes: Bluegrass “Young Folks” via Pitchfork

Weird German “Young Folks” via Pitchfork
And finally, some weird dude with a dirty-ass apartment who calls himself Glitter Parade dancing to “Young Folks.” (Stick around until the end to see him dancing with his dog…. hilarious).