Susan Hwang

Actually, there’s no psilocybin. I mean, there is. In my refrigerator. But in the title, it’s just there for alliterative effect.

There is, however, this video I just cut from the live stream footage from the latest SIDE DISH at Barbès. SIDE DISH is one of my favorite new things I started this year because it’s on a Sunday afternoon in one of my very favorite performance spaces in NYC/Brooklyn, Barbès. It’s laid back; it can be whatever it wants to be; and it ends before sundown.

This particular show was extra sweet for many reasons. It was Ralph’s last show in the western hemisphere before he heads to Far East Asia for a few months. We played the first SIDE DISH together after we became fast musical friends last winter.

Also, we got to bring friends Anthony Coleman (piano) and J Granelli (bass) to the stage with us which just added dimensions and realms to the music. It felt like an alternate reality to me. Reality shmeality. It was dreams coming true; I’ll tell you that much.

The song was written for the Bushwick Book Club event for Edgar Oliver that happened at Caveat earlier in the month. Holy. What a month.

You know it’s a good month if you start it with a nose dive into the gorgeous work of poet, playwright, actor Edgar Oliver and end it with a string of shows at Barbès with my favorite songwriters and musicians including Don Rauf, Jackson Pinks, Ralph Denzer, Anthony Coleman and J Granelli.

Also come on… Trout and Edgar Oliver.

Oh, and here’s this great review of the Bushwick Book Club/Edgar Oliver show from writer Maux Kelly:

Okay, so the songs from that night are out there and growing and eating snacks and making friends. Mine just learned how to ride a bicycle. My how the time flies.

Show is June 4th, 6:30pm doors at Caveat in the Lower East Side (21 A Clinton St.)

It’s an indulgence. But I have to remind myself that Bushwick Book Club has always been so. It was born out of an indulgence of my curiosity by Steve Trimboli, so it always feels right when BBC moves from this impulse. Undulating to a little indulgence.

This time, the pleasure to give-in to is Edgar Oliver. He’s an East Village art/theater/literature treasure that if you haven’t heard of yet, you have the pleasure of coming to know now. His written work is not the easiest to get a hold of (I didn’t find any listed in the NYPL stacks) but you can start with enjoying this playlist:

AND we’ve got a tremendous line up of NYC and Brooklyn talent responding to Edgar in song and art, including fellow East Village art/theater/literary treasure, PENNY ARCADE hosting. In addition to Edgar being there to watch the show and of course give a reading in his singular (I would say inimitable, but we all try to imitate it) voice, we have performances from these most creative of NY’s creatives (the cream of the creatives?):

Penny Arcade (hosting)
Adira Amram
Ralph Denzer
Bob Holman
Rachelle Garniez
Susan Hwang
Charlie Nieland
Don Rauf
Lianne Smith
Jason Trachtenburg

TICKETS are $20 at the door /$15 advanced purchase / $10 live stream

Related show

• Artist: Bushwick Book Club
• Date: 06/04/22
• Time: 7:00pm
• Venue: Caveat
• City: New York , NY
• Address: 21 A Clinton St.
• Venue phone: (212) 228 – 2100
• Country: United States
• Admission: 20
• Age restrictions: No Minors
• Box office: (212) 228 – 2100
• More information
• Notes: Bushwick Book Club celebrates the work of East Village playwright, poet and performer EDGAR OLIVER. NYC musicians, filmmakers, artists, chefs and choreographers draw from the body of Edgar’s work as inspiration for new work of their own. *Enjoy performances of brand new work from downtown and Brooklyn favorites along with readings from the author himself.* *Fellow East Village theater and performance legend, PENNY ARCADE hosts this incredible night of new art inspired by the written word.* PERFORMING: Penny Arcade (hosting) Adira Amram Ralph Denzer Bob Holman Rachelle Garniez Susan Hwang Charlie Nieland Don Rauf Lianne Smith Jason Trachtenburg