The Final Stretch Of August At Rapture Café & Books


The most gripping, white-knuckling read on the Web this week has
been, unquestionably, postings by the Motherboards' very own Anna
Nicole (a.k.a. the lovely, fascinating and Rapture regular Jane
Buchanan) in reports from her hotel in Kingston, Jamaica and the
eye of Hurricane Dean. Experience the phenomenon of hunkering down
with one of New York's most intellectual, fashionable and
interesting lusty ladies (on her birthday, no less). See more at
www.motherboardsnyc.com under the Elsewhere – Jamaica topic on what
to wear, who to call and what to drink during the onslaught of
160mph fierce winds. She's also unexpectedly doubled as a BBC
correspondent for storm coverage, and gives a much more honest,
non-tabloid picture of a life outside of the U.S. in which the
people actually sit and talk, trade stories and live rather
anxiety-free, even during Mother Nature's most unsettling times.

In other news, we highly suggest you think twice about that new
iPhone. AT&T's recent censorship of Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder as he
launched into a critique of George W. Bush smacks of the kind of
information control that the major web access providers (including
Verizon, Time Warner and Comcast) are hoping to accomplish as they
continue to line the pockets of the reigning administration at all
branches of the U.S. government.

After slippery statements by AT&T's spin department (claiming the
Pearl Jam incident was isolated), it came to light that the same
webcast "blackout" occurred during controversial moments of
appearances by Flaming Lips, John Butler Trio and others. Then
last Monday an AT&T employee came forward to disclose that he had
instructions to "shut it down if there was any swearing or if
anybody starts getting political." Sounds like censorship to us.

As champions of free _expression, we present the final stretch of
events at Rapture in August.


TUESDAY, AUG. 21
Art On Our Walls: "Meltdown" by Suzanne Coley (ongoing through Sept. 25)
Opening Night Reception 6pm - 9pm

Suzanne Coley is Art Director of a Art Collective, a Community
Access program for New York City artists with mental disabilities
just up the block from Rapture. On August 1, 2006, she began a
visual journal combining traditional painting technique with
manipulated photographic imagery. For her current exhibition this
month at Rapture (ongoing through Sept. 25), Suzanne has selected
one arresting piece from each of the twelve months of the past
year. Tonight's opening reception will include performance by
Carole Leigh Podell, Michael Burke and Bill Hall, with desserts
catered by our very own Lee Chappell of Scrumptious Bakery.

Inspired by her battle with cancer and Heidegger's Existence and
Being, this series focuses on the subject of existence, emphasizing
the cycles of creation and destruction, (physical, aesthetic and
emotional). By mastering traditional techniques, 17th century
marbleized paper making, and 1950's printing techniques, today she
explores ways to incorporate these techniques with new computer
technologies. By combining the old visual vocabularies and
techniques with the new, the artist constructs new narratives and
images that reflect modern life (see the attached image).

Suzanne's work has appeared in exhibitions at such prestigious
institutions including Art Students League of New York, Anschultz
Cancer Pavilion, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Lakewood
Civic Center (Denver), I.M. Pei's National Center for Atmospheric
Research, and Spark Gallery (Denver). Upcoming exhibitions include
Estrogenius 2007 at Manhattan Theatre Source (Washington Square
Park) and SPECTRA '07 as part of the National Photography Triennial
in New Canaan, CT (Oct. 14 – Nov. 17, 2007).

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THURSDAY, AUG. 23, 8PM
Please note that we will close to the public at 8:00pm for a private party. We appreciate your patronage.

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Monday August 27th, 8PM
"FEATURING..." hosted by Linda James
Free Admission

Linda James owns Mondays at Rapture. In addition to a show-stopping, jaw-dropping, eye-popping number, tonight Linda will screen a classic drive-in film. Popcorn will be served. Music by DJ Baby K! This week's installataion: ELVIRA - MISTRESS OF THE DARK!

http://www.myspace.com/lindajames

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Tuesday August 28th, 8PM
Fun Fest!
Free Admission

We do love watching short films here at Rapture! Tonight, the people from FunFest! will be showing short, indie cinematic gems of all genres, speaking with the filmmakers themselves and encouraging much mingling with like-minded souls out for a good time.

For more info:
http://www.filmbasics.com/funfest/

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And...

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 29, 11pm
Rapture Co-hosts release of STRAIGHT TO HELL (Issue 66) at The Cock. Linda Simpson's Wednesday night SLURP party takes Route 66 "Straight to Hell" with a celebration of the latest edition of Manhattan's Review of Unnatural Acts. Rapture proprietor Joe Birdsong is a contributor to the new edition of this historic 'zine, and will be on hand to assist in the debauchery...stick around as he helps Linda re-create the 'zine's cover with a rotating roster of hot models. And, of course, Straight To Hell is always available for sale here Rapture!

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Coming in September...

Sizzlin' September Book Sale
Howl Festival Events
GOD SAVE NEW YORK and DAZZLE DANCERS Present 9/11 Remembered: Fashion Week Extravaganza
Jackie 60 Further Art Exhibtion
Premiere Weekly Party hoted by Dee Finley: DAGS & FYKES


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Get Smart.
Rapture Café & Books

200 Avenue A (Between 12th & 13th Streets) NYC

212-228-1177

http://www.rapturecafe.com

"Holy the groaning saxophone! Holy the bop
apocalypse! Holy the jazz bands marijuana
hipsters peace & junk & dreams!"

"Holy the supernatural extra brilliant intelligent
kindness of the soul!"

--Allen Ginsberg, "Footnote to Howl," Berkley, 1955

This week, Rapture and all of East Village celebrate the "supernatural extra brilliant intelligent kindness" of Allen Ginsberg via the annual HOWL! Festival. Proof that one man's unapologetic sincerity in acting on a vision can affect change, Ginsberg's influence on our culture continues to be felt 52 years after the publication of HOWL. He championed fellow writers and activists; lived as an out-of-the-closet homosexual (and wrote about it) long before Stonewall; encouraged us, no, pleaded with us to listen to our hearts, to speak, and to act peacefully and without censorship.

Hilly Kristal, who operated CBGB's from 1973 until 2006, died last week. Ginsberg was no stranger to CBGB's Рboth men supported many of the same ideals and generously gave space to and encouraged young artists Рthese two men changed the world. Without these two cultural ancestors, we would not be exposed to the music, the poetry, the sexuality, the politics, the art, or the soul-drenching blood, sweat and tears it takes to forge a higher plateau of consciousness. Without these two there would be no Rapture Caf̩ & Books. Rest In Peace, fellas!


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HOWL! Events At Rapture (& Nearby):

The Howl Festival, named in honor of Allen Ginsberg's groundbreaking 1955 poem, began in 2002 and regularly attracts more than 100,000 visitors to New York's East Village and Lower East Side. This year Rapture Café & Books is proud to be one of the Festival venues, located in the area surrounding Tompkins Square Park, which will host Howl! events this year from September 5th through 9th. For further information. please visit http://www.howlfestival.com .


Wednesday September 5th
All-Night Howl! Opening Party At Bowery Poetry Club

For More info:
http://www.howlfestival.com/imgs/Malina.jpg

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Thursday September 6th, 6:30- 8PM
HOWL! Presents At Rapture:
The Arteries Group's
Comics ThinkTank Panel
Free Admission

Featuring:
R. Sikoryak (The New Yorker, Nickelodeon)
Karen Berger (DC Comics' Vertigo)
Gene Colan (Marvel, DC Comics)
Calvin Reid (PW Comics Week)
Dr. Hillary Chute(MetaMaus, Village Voice)
and more!


http://www.thearteriesgroup.com/
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Friday September 7th, 7- 9 PM
HOWL! Presents At Rapture:
From the Vaults Of the Pyramid: The Theatre Archives
Free Admission

A showing of rare video footage from the movers and shakers of the Pyramid's "Theatrical Wing," illustrating that the Pyramid Club was not only a venue for drag artistes and disco dancers, but also regularly presented groundbreaking theatre.

Including works by:
The 1980's
Kestutis Nakas (The Andrew Carnegie Story, Your Show Of Shows)
John Jesurun (Chang In A Void Moon)
The 1990's
Blacklips Performance Cult
and more!

and then...

Friday September 7th, 9PM
Glenn Marla Presents HEAVY!
The Heavy Make Up Edition

Glenn Marla was Miss LES 2006, and IS NYC's hottest fat go-go dancer! Onstage Glenn explores, celebrates, and plays with gender, fat, and sex.

Performances By:
Cary Curran
Dan Fishback
Dottie Lux
La JohnJoseph
Virginia West
Zhenesse
Video Installation By Val Killmore

2-4-1 Vodka Drinks From 9-10 PM
Suggested Donation $5

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Saturday and Sunday, September 8th and 9th 11am - 7pm
Tompkins Square Park
Free Admission

Look for the Rapture Cafe & Books table in Tompkins Square Park.
Mr. Ginsberg's estate has generously given their table over to Rapture for this year's HOWL! Festival. Our very own Linda James and Ericka Toure Aviance will be "manning" the booths (so bring cash!). We will be presenting a variety of Allen's works (books, DVD's, CD's) as well as many of our own goodies from Rapture (Goodie 'zines, Straight To Hells, PinUps, Verbal Abuses, etc.).

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Saturday September 8th, 5-7PM
The Jackie Factory Presents LowLife
Tompkins Square Park
Free Admission

Take a break from the myriad indoor events of the Howl! Festival and have a gander at this outdoor spectacle onstage in Tompkins Square Park, as some of New York's most exciting and influential late night performers pay homage to their creative roots. Produced by The Jackie Factory's Chi Chi Valenti and Johnny Dynell, Lowlife, named for the Luc Sante book, showcases the East Village-- and especially the Bowery-- as the birthplace of Nightlife performance traditions from Vaudeville to Neo-Burlesque. as some of New York City's most

http://www.mothernyc.com/lowlife/index.html

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Saturday September 8th, 6:30 PM
HOWL! Presents At Rapture:
Book Event: Punk Love By Susie J. Horgan

Author Susie J. Horgan will be on hand to speak about and sign copies of her great new book which documents the early Washington DC punk movement including such legendary bands as Minor Threat & SOA.

http://www.punklovebook.com/


Saturday September 8th, 8 PM
HOWL! Presents At Rapture:
Remembering Allen: A Paen To Allen Ginsberg
Free Admission

With:
Lissa Moira
Richard West
Marguerite Van Cook
Joe Birdsong
& More!

http://www.lissamoira.com

Special Video Presentation...

The evening will also include video footage of Allen reading "On Jessore Road," shot by groundbreaking video/computer artist Marjan Moghaddam at approx. 8:30 PM.

http://www.marjan.com/


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Sunday September 9th, 6:30- 8PM
HOWL! Presents At Rapture:
The Downtown Literature Panel
Moderated By Brandon Stosuy

Sunday September 9th, 7:30 PM
HOWL! Presents At Le Petit Versailles Garden, 346 East Houston Street (at Avenue C)
HOWL! Out Against The War

An evening of the art of outrage, including live performance and film curated by M.M. Serra at our favorite garden... including Celeste Hastings' incomparable Butoh Rockettes!

http://www.alliedproductions.org/cgi-bin/view.cgi?n=/lpv/home.xml
http://www.lpvtv.blogspot.com/

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Further September Events At Rapture...

Monday September 10th, 7pm
DJ Baby K spins the evening exotic!
Free Admission

FEATURING...Linda James will return next week.
Seems our celluloid Chimera will take one more Labor Day after HOWLing the weekend away in Tompkins Square Park.

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Tuesday September 11th, 9PM
The Dazzle Dancers Remember 9/11
Free Admission

You probably already realize by now the Rapture is the Dazzle Dancers' "Clubhouse". And who better than the Dazzle Dancers to represent the principles of peace, freedom, creativity and fashion? New Yorkers who have passed on that tragic day, and New Yorkers whose spirits thrive today are celebrated on our fair city's most important anniversary. Walk through the Dazzle Age – a decade of wear-and-tear. The infamous Dazzle Fashion Retrospective takes a bow tonight – one last look at a fashion story inspired by the love and creative juices that politics and terror just cannot destroy.

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Thursday September 13th, 9PM
Dee Finley & Lulu Present:
Dags & Fykes

Downtown icon Dee Finley kicks off this first night of her weekly pan-sexual gathering at Rapture geared toward "gents and ladies, gangsters & molls, pirates & wenches, and all residents of Weimar..." Drinks in a teacup, anyone?

http://www.myspace.com/dagsandfykes

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Tuesday September 18th, 8PM
FunFest!
Free Admission

We do love watching short films here at Rapture! Tonight, the people from FunFest! will be showing short, indie cinematic gems of all genres, speaking with the filmmakers themselves and encouraging much mingling with like-minded souls out for a good time. Come early as seating is limited.

For more info:
http://www.filmbasics.com/funfest/


Coming...

9/21- Rosy Red Burly Q!
9/25- Rami's Reading
9/26- Johnny Dynell's Jackie 60 Invitation Retrospective
10/1- Book Party Coop Village
10/2- FunFest!
10/3- Registration For the Evil City Film Festival
10/12- SAFH Drag Bingo

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Get Smart.
Rapture Café & Books

200 Avenue A (Between 12th & 13th Streets) NYC

212-228-1177

http://www.rapturecafe.com

This message has been edited. Last edited by: hatches,

OMG...we have the gayest table over near the dog run...I think Allen would be proud!

I noticed that it was ALL just books with pictures of dick.
Yeah, that's pretty gay.

So, we come to the close of this chapter. The story continues at:

Rpature Café & Books, Part 3