Even More 'Tubular' Festival Coming This Summer

 

As I've mentioned, I generally hate music festivals. But where was this line-up -- even sans Dave Ball (RIP) -- when I let my guard down for the Totally Tubular Festival last month?! I quickly ran afoul of the male singer from Animotion when I mentioned that these things typically attract the "wrong" nostalgia acts. (No word on how Astrid Plane feels.) But if I'm honest, I just as easily could have cited "headliners" Men Without Hats and A Flock of Seagulls, especially when compared with the Human League, Soft Cell and Alison F**king Moyet. All I can say is I doubt tickets will go for 22 bucks the day before!

Am I his obsession? 

Tennis Tuesday

See if Frenchman Rayan Ricci can quench your thirst BELOW.

Broadway, Booze and a 'Blizzard'

Was a little MIA these past few days because we had my brother Terence in town to celebrate his 61st birthday. 

It was a bit of a whirlwind, including but not limited to:

Two plays: "All Out" at the Nederlander Theatre (sort of "Laugh In" meets "SNL" with a band playing in between sketches) and "The Honey Trap" at the Irish Repertory Theatre (suspenseful and thought-provoking) 

And he wasn't even the honey trap!

Five restaurants (Viand Cafe, Westside diner, Friend of a Farmer, Rosa Mexicano, Elmo) 

Three bars (Dublin House, P.J. Clarke's, Central Park Tavern)

and 

One reunion with our former colleagues from our college jobs answering phones in the Arizona Republic and Phoenix Gazette circulation department. 

Photo highlights below:

Thursday: Toasting the birthday boy on the Upper West Side 

Friday: Woke up to a winter wonderland that amazed Harvey

 Catching Simon Rich's latest, which consists of live readings of short stories about "ego, envy, greed, and basically just New Yorkers in general." Simon is the son of my former NYT colleague Frank Rich. 

Saturday: Can't say enough about this one. Bravo to writer Leo McGann and director Matt Torney -- and to actor Harrison Tipping's tits 

Have been friends with these two lovelies since 1986, sisters Mary (far left) and Kristin, who happened to be in town from Arizona and Italy for their uncle's 96th birthday. On weekends we would sometimes arrive to work at the Republic & Gazette's circulation call center having been out partying all night -- still lightly drunk of in the early stages of a hangover -- to field calls from angry subscribers whose papers weren't delivered or even worse: were missing the coupons on Sunday!

Mary and Kenny

Terence

"Circulation, may I help you?" 

Terence left on Sunday and Damian and I even managed to go to the gym despite another snowfall! 

From my Instagram HERE.

'Injustice Anywhere Is a Threat to Justice Everywhere'

Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested 29 times.

Not for crimes, but for conscience -- acts of civil disobedience and the kind of trumped-up charges designed to slow a movement: loitering, minor traffic violations, existing while demanding justice.

It was from an Alabama jail cell, on April 16, 1963, that King wrote his "Letter From Birmingham Jail," laying out a truth that still makes people uncomfortable: that unjust laws deserve to be broken, and that waiting politely for justice often means waiting forever.

King understood that progress doesn’t arrive on schedule, and it certainly doesn’t come from silence.

As he put it, with clarity that still cuts:

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

On MLK Day -- and every day -- it feels less like a quote and more like a warning Americans are needlessly living inside.

Weekend Tennis Roundup

Aussie Open warm-up titles for Machac, Menšík, Andreeva and Cocciaretto. Full report plus all the ATP beef that's fit to post BELOW.

On the Rag, Vol. 891

 

This week's rag 'n' mag roundup features the Boxers Super Bowl party; Colton Underwood; Paul Mescal; Douglas Sills; and more BELOW.