“Do you remember what it was like? There was garbage everywhere.” AB and I are talking about New York City in the 80s, when he used to ride along with his father, who drove all over the city for work. I remember what it was like. It was the total antithesis of this sanitized college-town vibe that’s been creeping up and down the East River for the last decade or so. It was nasty and it was New York, and the denizens of that nastiness knew how to look for beauty in the rough. For AB and his boys, that beauty was graffiti art.
F.A.M. Shindig is a curated experience of art, music, and food from around the 5 boroughs. For the third Shindig, the Queens-based event comes to East Williamsburg tomorrow, Sunday, August 9th (2-10pm) at The Paper Box NYC (17 Meadow St) for the biggest production yet.
AB, which stands for Always Blessd, and Angel, lead singer with the band Progress, which performs regularly out of the venue, artist Domingo Carrasco, along with One Six and Oscar Toro, are a few of the artists who have done the bulk of the planning for the event. The crew–most of whom have known each other since the sixth grade–were also around during The Paper Box’s construction, and feel like they’ll be home away from home.
The last two Shindigs, one at a barbershop in Long Island City, and the other at a tattoo and piercing shop in Corona, each had their own flavor. I’m talking body painting and people screaming during a raffle for original artwork. And ain’t nothing done right unless it’s done with a raffle. Classic Queens.
We have yet to see whether or not there will be painted ladies at F.A.M. Shindig tomorrow, but with sprinklers and meat smoking on a grill, they might not be missed. That–and the live music, graffiti, paintings, sculptural work, photographs and other original pieces by 34 local artists–should be draw enough. And, you might be able to support one of those local artists by buying a piece of underground NYC love.
Musical performances by Progress, Crysto Martyr, Amo 1, Precise O Mega, Project 79, Run P, DJ Smoke L.E.S., DJ Killz, DJ JJ Love, and Krishy555.
Art/Graffiti By:
Domingo Carrasco
Always Blessd
Stephan Souffront
Antonio Kel5MH
PZONE
Oscar Toro
Hektic 718
Tito Gutierrez
Corinne Siguin
Klash One
L. Tineo of Unhinged Image
Miguels Canvas
Kron
Path
Werd Mok/Optimo NYC
One Six
Richard Muller
Philartist
Rohini
Asteez
Ribs Gak
SR NBK
@alisonrohpark is a writer and arts collaborator from Queens.