Kek Lok Si @ CNY Night_11

Times Square | NYC

Seeing Bands in New York

Arlene Grocery and Butcher Bar 95 Stanton St. between Ludlow and Orchard Sts. (358-1633). Every night this venue hosts at least three bands back-to-back. Mostly local indie acts, but big names like Sheryl Crow have also played in this intimate space. Show starts at 7. Stop by next door at the Butcher Bar--a leg of the "grocery"--where drafts cost $5. Cover on the weekend $5.The Bitter End 147 Bleecker St. between Thompson and LaGuardia Sts. (673-7030). Small space hosts folk, country, and roots rock acts; they claim artists like Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Woody Allen, and Rita Rudner performed here as unknowns. Look for their likenesses in the gaudy mural. Call for show times. Cover $5-12. Open Su-Th 7:30pm-2am, F-Sa 7:30pm-4am.

Another event you shouldn't miss while in the USA is the Rothbury Music Festival. Check out the link for more details.

Brett Whiteley - Nudes

Some 40 paintings, drawings and sculputes make up this exhibition of Australia's most charismatic artist's work. The heart of Whiteley's inspiration was his wife, Wendy, who is the subject of many of these artworks and the subtext of most of the others. Whiteley freely admitted his obsession with sexuality, explaining that 'I see sensuality, sexuality everywhere - in clouds, in mountains, in fruit. It's a very, very deep force. I try as overtly as possible to allow that - that force - to key my painting'.

La Fête de la Musique

This festival, dreamed up by the French in 1982, which takes place simultaneously in 107 countries world-wide has now become well established in Berlin. Last year there were over 100,000 visitors and 400 bands. Bars, cafés and venues all over the city present live - mostly open-air - concerts and performances from all musical genres and countries; from klezmer to hip hop, classical to techno. Particularly worth looking out for will be: Les Tam Tams du Monde's (the drums of the world), 'Boulevard de la Musique' along Unter den Linden (street music) and 'Fête de la Nuit' in Haus der Kulturen der Welt (Parisian raï).