what's new, LES?

As always, the new and the old are in competition between East Houston Street and East Broadway. This week though, there are both conflicts and peaceful unions of the past and present Lower East Sides apparent in everything from events to news headlines.

Throughout the Lower East Side, signs advertising “CMJ Madness” cover the windows and sidewalks of bars and clubs. This week, the neighborhood will be hosting indie bands across the country for CMJ, the annual College Music Report festival. Free shows will be going on all week at almost all Lower East Side music clubs in addition to the official showcases of individual artists that require a festival pass.

As the neighborhood welcomes the new indie bands of our future, it says goodbye to a store that has called the Lower East Side home. Due to skyrocketing rent prices, Johnson, a boutique on Orchard Street will soon be closing its doors for good. To clear out inventory quickly, everything is marked down between 50 percent and 80 percent.

While one Lower East Side business suffers from the changes occurring within the neighborhood, another recalls the good ‘ole days. The Museum at Eldridge Street, the organization responsible for restoring the Eldridge Street Synagogue, will begin holding “Preservation Detectives Family Tours” every Sunday. These family tours will allow children ages 5 to 10 to learn about the neighborhood’s history through participating in various activities such as role-play and even an arts and crafts project. Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children and senior citizens. Click here for more info.

Another area museum isn’t having such luck in its efforts to preserve the past. The Lower East Side Tenement Museum may be headed into some legal troubles. Robert DeNiro (yes, the two-time Academy Award-winning actor) claims that an item on display in the museum is actually a prop from the film “Analyze This.” DeNiro is threatening to sue the museum for the mystery item’s return. Read more about the dispute here.

Embodying the current vibe of the Lower East Side, Seward Park Urban Renewal Area Matters (SPURA) wishes to remember the past while looking forward. Community members wishing to examine the park’s history and contribute to its future evolution can attend meetings at various locations in the coming months. The next one is tonight, Oct. 22, at 6:30 pm at the University Settlement on Eldridge Street. RSVP to register@goles.org and learn about future meetings from the Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES) website.

Join me on the good old LES this week to usher in future musical obsessions while remembering the fixations of the neighborhood’s past.