The Five Points Variety Hour

TONIGHT APRIL 8TH: ALEXA CABELLON, CHRIS FRASCO, AND MATT SIA

2010-04-01T13:09:00.025-04:00

Join us April 8th when we showcase Alexa Cabellon, Chris Frasco, and Matt Sia

With guests such as the hypnotic Liam Drennan, comic Tom Hudson, and from the upcoming indie label Harlem Music Group: Ty the Artist, June Money, and E Da Don.

$5 cover + 1 drink minimum

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AND WE ARE BACK

2010-03-10T11:11:00.009-05:00

The Five Points Variety Hour will now be hosted at Asia Roma Cafe, 40 Mulberry Street (a block downhill from our old venue.)

We will be hosting weekly on Thursdays, from 7PM-9PM.

Our first show at Asia Roma will be on Thursday, March 25th, with special guests:

Jeni Nielsen - Singer/Songwriter
Joshua Higgins - Singer/Songwriter
Ray Low - Singer/Songwriter
Jin Park - Singer/Songwriter
Alec Sobel - Comic
Luke Thayer - Comic
Brian Jian - Comic
Air Tabigue - Comic

$4 cover + food/drink minimum

Performers interested in doing a set may contact us at fivepointsvarietyhour@gmail.com

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THIS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH: KELLY BAZELY

2010-02-07T21:29:00.007-05:00

***OUR LAST-SHOW AT SILK ROAD CAFE!!***

Kelly Bazely grew up a gypsy, wandering the world and never having one place to call home. She was classically trained at a young age, but began writing and singing songs when she was fifteen. Music was the one consistency in her life that she didn’t have to fear losing.

Independent and passionate, Kelly’s soft melodies burn like fire and her songs reveal her innermost complexities. She spends a lot of time inside of her imagination - her fascination for magic and dreams bleed into her whimsical, and sometimes eerie music.

She has performed in venues throughout New York and Canada, and even in Colombia. She hopes to continue her vagabond way of life, sharing her heartfelt music wherever she goes. She is currently working on her first CD, Fear Not, which will be available later this year.

http://www.myspace.com/kellybazely

$5 cover + one drink minimum

Show starts at 8PM

***Kelly Bazely comes on at 9:30PM and will play a full set**

With special guests:
Lance Weiss - Comic
Mike Giannelli - Comic
Gem Starr, Stephen, Toya - Singers/Songwriters
Mark Rosenburg - Singer/Songwriter
Steven Henriquez - Magician
Billy Thai - Singer/Songwriter
Jermaine Fowler - Comic
Al James - Comic
Avery - Rapper

THIS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH: RENATO

2010-02-01T20:27:00.022-05:00

***OUR SECOND-TO-LAST-SHOW AT SILK ROAD CAFE AND POSSIBLY EVER!***

Raised in Queens, NY, Renato takes his mix of influences along with notable song-writing, to a level original to his own. Growing up listening to a plethora of diverse music very much like everyone in the early to mid-90's, Renato draws likeness to early R&B, folk, alternative, and pop inspirations. With a mentality that music and lyrics should stand for itself, Renato brings contemplative and sensible themes along with emotional drive and inspiring vocal weaving. Look for Renato to burn memorable melodies into your sub-conscious with style, emotion, exceptional playing, and meaningful writing.

$5 cover + one drink minimum

Show starts at 8PM

***Renato comes on at 9:30PM and will play a full set***

With special guests:
- Brendan Fitzgibbons - Comic
- Brian Jian - Comic
- Tom Hudson - Comic
- Luke Thayer - Comic
- Cynthia Wang - Singer/Songwriter
- Ray Low - Singer/Songwriter
- John Kim - Guitar Virtuoso
- Avery - Rapper
- Steven Henriquez - Stage Magician

Saturday, January 30, 2010: Two More Shows Left at Silk Road Cafe

2010-01-30T16:32:00.013-05:00

Dear Friends,

The Five Points Variety Hour (or "Teabag" for our old-timers) has called the Silk Road Cafe home for nearly 6 1/2 years. It's been a wonderful run and I can't even begin to express how grateful I am to Silk Road's owner, Martin Choy, for allowing my team and I virtual free reign of his venue for all these years. Without his support, guidance and passion, there would have never been a Five Points Variety Hour, Teabag Open Mic or any of its various permutations. Mr. Choy, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

As someone who doesn't subscribe to any spiritual philosophies whatsoever, I believe all things are finite: they begin, spin around for a bit, and then come to their inevitable conclusion. All you can really do is take a few photos along the way and hope the experience wasn't a complete waste of your time.

With that said, it's with great regret that I announce our final two shows at the Silk Road Cafe, which are scheduled for February 5 and 12 at 8PM.

It's been an amazing ride with significantly more ups than downs. Some of those ups include coverage in the New York Times, MTV, National Public Radio and the chance to meet so many incredible people from all over the world. And the downs? Hmm... The only gremlins that even remotely spring to mind were a few pathetic boycott attempts lead by a couple of humorless, anal retentive fascists -- you know who you are.

Anyway, my staff and I are hoping to continue The Five Points Variety Hour at a new location. We're currently in talks with several venues but, unfortunately, we can't guarantee any of these working out. Either way, we will post up an announcement regarding the show's fate within the next two weeks on this site.

Until then, you know where to find us.

Best,

Telly Wong
Founder / Executive Producer
The Five Points Variety Hour

THIS FRIDAY, JANUARY 29: JINNY KIM

2010-01-29T16:23:00.009-05:00

Jinny Kim grew up in northern New Jersey and has always chose to march to her own beat. At the same time, she has always been acutely aware of God’s hand in her life. And behind her carefree individuality is a rock-solid identity that shines through in every facet of her life.

Sensitive but strong, deeply caring and passionate, Jinny is not afraid to bare her soul through her singing and songwriting. She is that little girl with the ‘big’ voice that takes people by surprise. But the message she carries is even bigger and she is anything but timid about it. For her, it’s the reason she sings and shares her songs at all.

Currently, Jinny is married and living in Northern New Jersey with her husband Koo Chung. Her sophomore album The Ugly Duckling and the Bittersweet January is due to release next year in
2010.

$5 cover + one drink minimum

Show starts at 8PM

***JINNY KIM comes on at 9:00PM sharp and will play a full set***

with special guests:
Lance Weiss - comic
Chelsea White - comic
Al James - comic
Phil Murphy - comic
Jin Park - singer/songwriter
...and a few other surprises!

THIS FRIDAY JANUARY 22ND: OURSELVES BETWEEN US

2010-01-20T23:05:00.011-05:00

Ourselves Between Us is an acoustic/alternative duo comprised of Joseph McGlynn (Guitar) and Yurby Aquino (vocals). The group is based in the Bronx, New York City and has been playing shows and writing music since late 2008.

With Special Guest:
Evon Campbell - Comic
Lance Weiss - Comic
Youjean Chang - Comic
Waty - Singer/Songwriter
MC C.B - Hip Hop Poet

$5 cover + one drink minimum
Show starts at 8PM
*****Ourselves Between Us comes on at 9:30*****

THIS FRIDAY JANUARY 15TH: CYDEROBIN

2010-01-14T11:27:00.008-05:00

Cyderobin is an Astoria Queens based rock trio consisting of Mark Tubridy on guitar and vocals, Sean Tubridy on bass and vocals and Carl Lella on Drums and percussion. Cyderobin started out in Connecticut and relocated to Astoria five and half years ago. They have been playing shows throughout Queens and Manhattan and are currently working on their debut EP. Songs are available for download off their site www.cyderobin.com and more information can also be found at www.myspace.com/cyderobin .

with special guest:
Monkey Pudding Face - Band
Christian Polanco - Comic
Anna Troy - Singer/Songwriter
Han Feng - Stage Performer
Michael Giannelli - Comic
Sagar Bhatt - Comic

$5 cover + one drink minimum
Show Starts at 8PM
*****Cyderobin comes on at 9:30PM*****

THIS FRIDAY JANUARY 8TH: JERMAINE FOWLER

2010-01-05T16:06:00.007-05:00

Jermaine Fowler is one of the most hard-working up and coming stand-up comics today. Being only 21, he’s in the third year of his career and has already worked with some of the country’s biggest names and is stirring up quite a buzz. He was also featured in the New Post’s 50 Funniest Jokes alongside David Letterman and Steven Wright. you can listen to him as a guest host on Comical Radio and watch him as a featured comedian on RooftopComedy.com

with Special Guest:
Youjean Chang - Comic
Brian Jian - Comic
Domino - Singer/ Songwriter
MC C.B - Emcee
Wilmer Diaz - Singer/Songwriter
56 Boyz - Rap Duo
Chelsea White - Comic
Renato - Singer/SongWriter

$5 cover + one drink minimum
Show Starts at 8PM
*****Jermaine comes on at 9:30PM*****

THIS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18TH: KEVIN SO & FRIENDS

2009-12-15T09:56:00.026-05:00

In over a decade of performing his music around the country, Kevin So has earned the respect of fellow musicians (Keb' Mo', Amos Lee), won over members of press and radio, and has built a loyal fan base across the US. In the summer of ‘07, Kevin was recipient of the Overall Excellence Award (Outstanding Music & Lyrics) for his work in Victor Woo: The Average Asian American, a musical loosely based on his life. It debuted at the New York International Fringe Festival to packed houses. His highly anticipated solo acoustic release Best Foot Forward is supported by concert dates this year.

Read our interview with Kevin here.

with special guests:
Joanlie - singer/Songwriter
Brendan Fitzgibbons - comedian
MC C.B. - Hip Hop poet
John Travis - singer/songwriter
Carl Corrusso, Jr. - singer/songwriter
Jeffrey Paul Bobrick - singer/songwriter
Sagar Bhatt - comedian
Youjean Chang - comedian
Ky Hote - singer/songwriter

Mike Hernandez - comedian
Ourselves Between Us - singer/songwriter

$5 cover + 1 drink minimum
Show starts at 8PM
****Kevin So comes on at 9:30PM****

Interview: KEVIN SO

2009-12-14T18:59:00.004-05:00

SO FAR, SO GOOD

Journeyman singer/songwriter Kevin So talks about life as an independent artist, moving to Nashville and dim sum.

By Telly Wong

Forgive me if this sounds harsh, but when it comes to today’s indie music scene, I truly believe we’re living in end times. Signs of the impending apocalypse include the A.D.D. nature of music listeners these days, the public’s insatiable –and inexplicable-- appetite for karaoke versions of classic songs (i.e. American Idol) and the mass extinction of small music venues across the city. Furthermore, the whole singer/songwriter paradigm --someone who writes and performs his/her own music armed with nothing but an acoustic guitar and a set of balls-- is a deteriorating art form, becoming relegated to Bob Dylan-wannabes and emo dickheads who don’t have enough friends to form an actual band.

But these precarious circumstances are precisely what make Kevin So a true singularity: an independent artist who’s been crafting his own personal brand of R&B-infused folk rock for over a decade. Despite the industry winds blowing in the direction of tween pop and song-and-dance types with no surnames, So has managed to carve out his own little niche; selling nearly 20,000 self-produced albums and developing an incredibly loyal fan base along the way.

Born and raised in Boston, So spent the early part of his career paying his dues by performing at any and every open mic and showcase he could book a spot on. Word quickly got around and So soon became the darling of the local critics, leading to a slew of award nominations and opening gigs for the likes of Joe Cocker, Amos Lee and Billy Bragg. Since then, So has been the proverbial bird with no legs, floating from city to city without the ability to stay in one place for very long. After a brief stint in New York, So decided he needed a change of scenery -- so he packed his guitar and headed to Nashville, where he’s been planted since June.

These days, he’s collaborating with country singers, touring to promote his new album, Best Foot Forward, and working on a musical. I caught up with So to find out how the folks of Nashville were treating him and what other journeys may lie ahead.

Telly Wong: You're a Boston and New York city slicker. What's it like living in The Heartland?

Kevin So: I never thought of myself as a city slicker, but now that I've been living here in Nashville, I can definitely feel the difference. Things are much slower paced here. You don't experience a lot of road rage down here. There's more space to move around.

Telly: How would you compare the music scene in Nashville to the one in New York?

Kevin: It's hard to say right now. I've only been here since June. Even still, I've been touring quite a bit this year and have hardly scratched the surface in Nashville. But what I do notice is the amount of songwriters down here. They're not necessarily good singers either. It's tough to generalize actually. In any city, be it New York or Nashville, you're gonna come across some great songwriters and some great singers/performers. Very rarely are they one and the same. The ones that are both are usually touring and hardly in town.

Telly: That dude from Hootie & the Blowfish [lead singer Darius Rucker] recently won Best New Artist at the Country Music Awards, making him the first black musician to ever achieve that feat. Being an Asian guy in Nashville, has that inspired you in any way?

Kevin: I think so. I guess it means that the music industry in general is becoming much more open to anything. But then again, it's a chicken or the egg effect. There aren't too many black country singers anyways trying to break into the country music scene. I haven't seen any here in Nashville so far. Maybe one dude, and he wasn't Darius Rucker by any means.

But in the US, generally speaking, the music industry has, for the most part, been a black and white world. Not sure how ready Nashville is for an Asian American. But we'll see. So far, I've been getting a tremendous amount of good feedback and my being Asian hasn't hindered me from any opportunities as far as I can tell. I always try to stay positive about that. Negativity gets you nowhere.

Telly: When I first saw you perform a few years ago, you had a R&B/pop/rock sound going and were backed by a full band. These days, you’re a solo act that’s much more folk-based. Was this a conscious decision?

Kevin: Yes and no. I've always made 180 degree turns from what I was doing previously. Having a band for over 5 years was a wonderful experience and I wouldn't trade that for the world. But I never really stepped away from the solo acoustic thing. When I toured around the country, most of the time I was performing solo acoustic. It was just in New York, where I was doing the band thing -- with exception to the CD release shows that I did in other cities.

But yeah, the studio recordings I made (A Brighter Day and Leaving the Lights On) were definitely a step away from the folk-based stuff I'd done previously. So after 5 years, I felt it was time for a change. I wanted to revisit the acoustic side of life. I have to admit, things were much simpler then, and perhaps I was more relaxed because of that. When someone offered me a gig, I wouldn't have t o call or email 3 or 4 other band mates to find out their schedules.

Also, once I made the solo acoustic recording (Best Foot Forward), I could tour anywhere and the CD I was selling was consistent with what I was doing live. That's really important to me these days. But then again, who knows? I'm already thinking about recording in a band setting again. There are so many great musicians here in Nashville. It would be a waste to not experiment with something down here.

Telly: Many of the songs on Best Foot Forward are moody, introspective pieces about trudging forward -- and in certain cases, rather reluctantly. What are the inspirations behind some of the new tunes?

Kevin: I think that the new songs are variations of things I've written in the past. I learn something through writing songs. So hopefully the new material will reflect that. But I'm also trying to not write about myself this time. But that's hard because I think that's why I write in the first place. If I'm going through something emotionally and writing songs helps me get though it all. I'm always observing people around me, so I suppose some of their character gets in the song, too. I've got a new song that I'm excited about called "New Man In Town" but it's definitely not all about me. Got another song called "June Carter Cash" which is just a fun song to perform because of its wordplay. Inspiration doesn't have to come solely from the heart. I write because it's just a fun thing to do sometimes.

Telly: It seems impossible to get a recording contract these days unless you get yourself on some stupid reality show. Where does that leave those earnest singer/songwriters out there who have something to say but prefer not to humiliate themselves on national television?

Kevin: I try to remind myself that I am a singer/songwriter looking to write the best songs that I can write, and if the right recording contract comes my way, then great. But for now, I'm completely fine with having some privacy. Being a celebrity can lead to many great opportunities, but I also believe that everything has a price. My dad used to tell me that nothing in life is free.

Telly: What's the last album or artist you listened to that really excited you?

Kevin: I really like John Mayer's Battle Studies. It's his latest album and he's a master at writing catchy melodies and producing classic recordings. The songs "All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye," "Half of My Heart" and "Assassin" are just amazing. He keeps the pop songwriting bar up high and that's a good thing for all of us.

Telly: Speaking of pop, what do you make of pop music these days? I can't tell the difference between a Top 40 station and Radio Disney anymore.

Kevin: I don't listen to a lot of current pop music. I should though. I hate being out of touch with anything current. I grew up listening to the music on the radio. So from time to time, I'll listen to 92Q in Nashville, which is an excellent R&B station. They play a lot of current artists and blend it well with the old school. I'm listening for subject matter and production most of the time. My TV doesn't have any channels so all I watch is DVDs unfortunately. But I understand where you're coming from.

Telly: You've been trying to get your autobiographical musical –Victor Woo: The Average Asian American-- off the ground this past year. How's that coming along?

Kevin: My partner, Kevin Merritt, and I are still in the process of finishing a draft for potential producers. There's a theater company in Connecticut that's very interested in adding it to their 2010 season. We've also been approached by The Public Theatre in New York as well as the 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle. So we're just trying to find the right fit. But as far as the actual content of the musical is concerned, I think it's going to blow people away. I'm pretty excited about this new and improved draft.

Telly: Who's gonna play you?

Kevin: Not sure right now. Once we figure out where we're going to do it, then we'll hold auditions.

Telly: By the way, where does a brother go to get some good Chinese food in Nashville?

Kevin: There's the Golden Coast on West End Avenue. On weekends that have a pretty decent dim sum buffet. Nothing like New York or Boston Chinatown of course. But for Nashville, it's better than nothing.

Kevin So’s new album, Best Foot Forward, is available now on iTunes. For more info, visit KevinSo.com.

Telly Wong is the Executive Director of The Five Points Mission and Editor of god Crimes.

Photos by John Mazlish.

THIS FRIDAY DECEMBER 11TH: JOHN-FLOR SISANTE

2009-12-09T01:37:00.000-05:00

John-Flor Sisante is a Philippine-born, New York based singer-songwriter who writes songs about love, relationships, and Filipino historical figures. In the Summer of 2004, John-Flor released his debut CD, The Music of Things, which New York Newsday called the "#1 local artist CD of the year". In 2005, John organized a series of benefit concerts in Bayshore where all proceeds went to tsunami relief for major charities. Currently, John will be releasing a highly anticipated EP under the his moniker, Foxfur, in the Spring of 2010.

With Special Guests:

Brendan Fitzgibbons - Comic

Jeni Nielsen - Singer/Songwriter : MySpace

MC C.B - Emcee : MySpace

Anna Troy - Singer/SongWriter : MySpace

Lissa Fahrquar - Singer/SongWriter : MySpace
Steven Michael Zack - Singer/SongWriter

Ray Low - Singer/SongWriter

Ashley Maas - Singer/SongWriter

...and other unexpected guests!

$5 cover + 1 drink minimum

Show starts at 8PM

John-Flor comes on at 9:30PM

THIS FRIDAY DECEMBER 4TH: DAWEN

2009-12-02T11:17:00.001-05:00

DAWEN is a soul/r&b singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles. His music fuses the grooves of funk, soul, and r&b mixed with heartfelt and socio-conscious lyrics that appeals to both the emotions and intellect.

As a singer-songwriter, Dawen hopes his music will further the dialogue on racism and social injustice in American society.

with special guests:

Alfa - Singer/Songwriter
Lester Greene - Emcee
Stephen Henriquez - Stage Magician
Brian Jian - Comic
Jeni Nielsen - Singer/Songwriter
Billy Thai - Singer/Songwriter
MC C.B. - Emcee
Phillip Murphy - Comic
...and other unexpected guests!

$5 cover + 1 drink minimum
Show starts at 8PM
Dawen comes on at 9:30PM