ZIKRAYAT, a Long Island City based Arabic Music & Dance Ensemble

The ‘Live at the Gantries’ summer performance series brought to us by the QCA continues tonight at Gantry Park with an Arabic Music and Dance Ensemble, ZIKRAYAT »

Bjork lovers: Deitch studios in LIC presents a free public screening of Bjork’s new video ‘Wanderlust’ on Thursday, March 13th. First come, first served.

Deitch Studios
4-40 44th Ave, At the East River, Long Island City
Thursday, March 13th, 7pm

• Deitch Studios presents Wanderlust

For those music lovers out there, here’s a Press Release from a local Long Island City business, Amie Street, which provides a great website promoting independent music. Check them out.

Hello:

Today, 2/26/08, Amie Street is releasing the entire catalogs of Beggars Group (XL, Rough Trade, 4AD), Matador Records and Polyvinyl Recording Co. — more than 15,000 songs.

Thom Yorke, Cat Power, Interpol, of Montreal, Devendra Banhart, The New Pornographers, Sigur Rós, Yo La Tengo, Pavement, Belle and Sebastian, and Architecture In Helsinki are just a few of the artists now available on AmieStreet.com.

This is an exciting new development in the digital music world, as more and more artists embrace fan-based pricing as a viable music sales model.

These artists, like all songs on Amie Street, are initially free to download and rise in price based on popularity, up to $0.98.

Check out the [press release] for more information, go to AmieStreet.com for the music, and feel free to call or email me with any questions.

Thanks, Zane

• Amie Street [Official Website]

Full Press Release »

Domaine, bar a vins – 50-04 Vernon Blvd @ 50th St, 718.784.2350

Tucked away quietly on Vernon between 50th & 51st Street’s, is Domaine, a cozy and beautiful French wine bar (bar a vins). Owned by the fabulous proprietors who brought us Tournesol, the hood’s iconic French bistro just two doors down, Domaine serves up an exquisite selection of ‘old & new world’ wines along with killer snacks of raw oysters, artisan cheese (hello), sliced prosciutto, and shrimp cocktail. In a word: YUM.

If you’re dragging yourself up the subway stairs after your “lengthy” commute back from Manhattan, you only have to hobble about 5 feet to the quiet entrance of Domaine. It’s dark. It’s rustic. It’s romantic. It’s French. Perfect for a date (almost too perfect), yet acceptable for savoring a luxurious wine that you definitely don’t have sitting on your kitchen counter. At $8-15/glass, it’s a deal for the quality and selection. As usual, the carafe’s and bottles are more economical, so if your wallet’s a bit light from the holiday shopping frenzy, bring friends.

Hit up the joint on Thursday nights for live jazz. »