Friday 12.12

State by State

Fifty writers tell us something lasting and revealing about each state in the good ol U.S.A. in new book State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America by New York Times’ editors Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey. Tonight, a few of Matt and Sean’s celebrity BFFs stop by to read, including Jonathan Franzen, Parker Posey, and Molly Shannon.

Tishman Auditorium at the New School for Social Research, 66 W 12th St bet Fifth and Sixth aves, 212-229-5488, 7pm, $10

Stanton Public Two-Year Anniversary

Although Stanton Public has the look of an authentic pub, it still suffers from the current L.E.S. syndrome of trying too hard to be the bar for every bloke. Tonight they’re celebrating two years of beer snobbery with Scissor Sister’s drummer Paddy Boom in the DJ spot, and Other Music’s Gerald Hammill in the host position.

Stanton Public, 17 Stanton St bet Bowery and Chrystie Sts, 212-677-5555, 10pm, free

Saturday 12.13

Rachel Trachtenburg’s Homemade World

The weirdness that is the Trachenburg Family Slideshow team have a little spawn that is on her way to ladyhood. Check out Rachel Trachtenburg’s holiday show full of arts, cut and paste, and holiday songs before she dumps all the pigtails and pieties and hits the pipe!

Galapagos Art Space, 16 Main St at Water St, Dumbo, Brooklyn, 718-222-8500, 3pm, $15

Sunday 12.14

Bar d’O Reunion

Raven O and Joey Arias

NYC was at its best in the 90s, and the same stars of yesterday are still the best in show today. Now defunct West Village cabaret lounge Bar d’O is having a holiday drag revival with original showgirls Joey Arias, Sherry Vine, Lady Bunny (maybe), Flotilla DeBarge, Sade Pendavis, and more!

Indochine, 430 Lafayette St bet Astor Pl and E 4th St, 212-505-5111, 10pm, $20

Drag Nog

One of the first drag queens to sing live and actually carry a tune is back in NYC with her annual holiday show. Jackie Beat was one of the most talented performers in New York back-in-the-day…15 years later, she still fudge-packs the house. Tonight’s show includes tons of her re-worked pop songs, plus favs like Cancer Don’t Care That It’s Christmas, Alcoholidaze, I Kissed A Girl, Jew Christmas, Sleigh Ride in Leather with You, and more!

The Cutting Room, 19 W 24th St bet Broadway and Sixth Ave, 212-352-3101, 9pm, $20