Tonic

Okay, this is not exactly food related, but it's important news in my world. Tonic's in trouble!  For those of you not in the know, Tonic is a club on the Lower East Side that's hosted hundreds of nights of music -- pop, rock, avant-garde, amazing music.  The proprietors, Melissa and John, are some of the kindest, most generous people in the business.  They need our help.

In a lot of ways, I feel like I grew up at Tonic.  When I first moved to New York, I remember seeing a show there for the first time -- might have been a Thurston Moore solo show or something.  My friend commented that the place was like a scene from a Wim Wenders movie.  I didn't even know who Wim Wenders was, but I liked the sound of it.

And what strange and wonderful music it was.  I felt a little like Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face -- you know, that scene when she goes down to the bohemian cafe in her black ballet flats and beret, and there are all these weird "artist" types making strange noises and doing interpretive dances. 

But after letting the music wash over me for a few months, it really started to get under my skin.  I began to listen to avant-garde music not as an exercise in understanding, but as an experience of feeling.  And it felt exciting, because anything could happen.

Which is not to say that Tonic was only ever home to dissonant improvisation.  Tonic also provided a home for the first Smokey and Miho shows -- a strange idea, to be doing Brazilian music from the '60s.   Or Jewlia Eisenberg and Charming Hostess -- 3-5 part a cappella vocals in German and English, in doo wop and Bulgarian close harmonies.  What other venue would take a chance on those vastly different bands? 

I've had the privilege of sharing the stage with everyone from the Masada String Trio, John Zorn, Marc Ribot, Jewlia Eisenberg's Charming Hostess, Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda in their solo projects and with Cibo Matto, Petra Haden, Sean Lennon, Duduca, Smokey Hormel and lots of other cool cats.  It's a really special place, near and dear to many NYC hearts. If you still haven't been there, please visit sometime this month with a couple of friends, buy lots of drinks, and enjoy the music.

Check out the website for info on benefit concert dates.  Here are my quick picks for pre- and post-show eats around Tonic.