CHANNELING STEVEN

Kevin Larmon's band Joan performing on stage at Goodbye Blue Monday, Buschwick

The artist Steven Parrino would have celebrated his 51st birthday this coming June 3rd. Almost 4 ½ years after his death, Kevin Jones, one of Parrino’s closest friends, thought it was time to celebrate his life and the energy he brought to New York and the International world of art and music. On Saturday night, together with the alternative post-punk garage band, Airport Seven, he organized an amazing evening of entertainment: The After Party at Goodbye Blue Monday in Buschwick. Bob Nickas and John Tremblay were spinning some of Parrino’s favorite tunes at the bar while live performances from Good Greasy and Baked featuring Jennifer Sirey (formerly of Blood Necklace that featured Parrino), set up in GBM's outdoor garage. Around 11 o’clock, people crammed back inside the bar to give it up for Kevin Larmon, former gallery mate of Parrino’s at Nature Morte, who took the stage with Joan. Joan, an eight-piece psychedelic storm of a band named after the painter Joan Nelson, was one of Parrino’s favorites.

The venue looked like it had been transplanted from the East Village circa 1982. Cluttered with 50s thrift shop finds, battered toys, stacks of old books and vinyl and an intimate crowd of mostly close friends of Parrino’s who gathered together, clanged their beer bottles and caught up on old times. I kept over-hearing people say Steven would have loved this.