This past Tuesday was just like a lot of other Tuesdays: Slavic Soul Party, dancing, a few drinks with friends. Except for once, I wasn't at Barbes. I was on a boat. Specifically, the Rocks Off Concert Cruise, which left from 23rd St. on the east side and sailed all the way down to the Statue of Liberty and back. And it only cost $14, drinks and merch not included. (More pics below.)

I visited Governor's Island for only the second time this past weekend for the Dutch-hosted New Island Festival, part of this year's NY400 celebration honoring the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's discovery of New York. Inspired by the annual Oerol Festival on the Dutch island of Terschelling, there were theater and dance performances, visual art installations, and live music - most of it free. Most of the performances could be witnessed from a 400 foot long wooden table, from which dinner was served in big metal pots dragged by clog-wearing servers. As one might expect of the free-thinking Dutch, the musical offerings were all over the map: everything from singer-songwriter Divera, to wacky electronic experimentalists PIPS:lab, to a Silent Disco, where all the dancers wore wireless headphones. Oh, and there was De Levende Jukebox (The Living Jukebox): a tongue-in-cheek cabaret featuring a pair of old cougars, Yvonne and Helen, who performed requests culled from a list of Dutch and American standards. "White Rabbit," anyone? (More pics below.)

Jemsite , a website primarily aimed at Ibanez guitar enthusiasts, has just posted an interview they did with me this week, asking about my varied concertgoing expereinces and my perspective on the guitar, at least from a listener standpoint. It's part of their Scene Around Town series, and I'm honored that they chose me to represent good ol' NYC (even if I've been spending a bunch of time elsewhere of late.) Go check it out if you're curious to learn more about my past and present history around music.