Camp Bisco

Last year, Philadelphia Weekly writer Brian McManus stirred things up a bit with Disco Biscuits fans when he called their annual summer festival Camp Bisco “the largest most drug-crazed electronic music festival on the East Coast.” It wasn’t that they disagreed with the characterization; they just didn’t appreciate him blowing up their spot.

In its ninth year, the festival truly has become the East Coast outdoor dance music bacchanal, whether or not you choose to partake of the aforementioned accessories. In fact, it doesn’t even matter anymore if you much like the Disco Biscuits. The festival features three days of nonstop house, dub, dubstep, breakbeat, glitch, electropop, livelectronic, hip-hop, trip-hop, post-rock and every other derivation by the likes of LCD Soundsystem (pictured), Thievery Corporation, Girl Talk, Bassnectar, Diplo, Pretty Lights, The New Deal, The Album Leaf, Caribou, Major Lazer, Ween, members of STS9, members of Wu Tang, not to mention three nights worth of Biscuits. Pack your glowsticks.

Camp Bisco comes to the Indian Lookout Country Club (Mariaville) tonight (July 15) through Saturday (July 17). Three-day tickets are $155, Saturday only is $80, and there’s something called the VIP Experience for $199, with the Platinum Experience at $349. Go to campbisco.net for more info.

 

Photo: Paul Kolnik

New York City Ballet

We’re coming to the end of another season of the New York City Ballet at SPAC. So now—as in today—would be a good time to attend one of these wonderful performances.

There are two shows today (Thursday, July 15). At the 2 PM matinee, there will be choreographies by Peter Martins, George Balanchine and Christopher Wheeldon—and Ulysses Dove’s Red Angels (pictured). The 8 PM performance will be all Balanchine and Wheeldon.

Tomorrow (Friday, July 16) at 8 PM, the NYCB will present an all-Jerome Robbins evening, in cluding NY Export: Opus Jazz.

The season ends Saturday (July 17) with performances at 2 PM (featuring different works by Balanchine and Wheeldon) and 8 PM (an all-Balanchine evening).

The New York City Ballet will perform at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (Saratoga Spa State Park, Saratoga Springs) today (Thurs day, July 15) through Saturday (July 17). Tickets are $18 to $72.50. Visit spac.org or call 584-9330 for more info.

 

Imagining Madoff

Earlier this year, Theater J in Washington, D.C., (once hailed by The New York Times as “the premier theater for premieres”) canceled its anticipated production of Obie Award-winning playwright Deborah Margolin’s new play, Imagining Madoff. The script imagined a fictional discussion between humanitarian and Bernie Madoff victim Elie Wiesel and his moral counterpoint, the convicted Ponzi schemer. But when Margolin sent a copy of the play to Wiesel, he unexpectedly objected. The ensuing cancellation spurred a national debate about artistic license, libel in fiction and freedom of speech.

As the dust settled on the debacle, Margolin set out to find a new venue willing to present the controversial work. She reshaped the script—the new version replaces Wiesel with a fictional (but strikingly similar) character—but sought to retain its poetic examination of compelling ethical issues.

True to their mission of producing “ambitious programming,” the folks at our very own Stageworks/Hudson offered Imagining Madoff a new home. The world premiere of the already familiar title opens on their stage this week starring film and Broadway veteran Mark Margolis as the master scammer.

Imagining Madoff opens for preview at Stageworks/Hudson (41A Cross St., Hudson) on Wednesday (July 21) and runs through August 7. Talkbacks with the cast, director and playwright will be held following the July 29 and Aug. 5 performances. Tickets range from $18 to $29, with discounts available for students and seniors. For more info, call at 822-9667.