Sandra Bernhard celebrated New Year's Eve with a run of performances at Joe's Pub -- blending comedy, music, and glamour.

Danish-born, Berlin-based musician Agnes Obel has made waves overseas with her debut album, Philharmonics, a hypnotic blend of classical instrumentation -- think piano, harp, cellos -- with tender, graceful lyrics. But while the album has gone double platinum in her native country, you’d be hard-pressed to find many fans Stateside. (You might have heard her single, “Riverside,” on Grey’s Anatomy.) Before her show at Joe’s Pub last week, we caught up with Obel at the Gershwin Hotel to discuss her creative process, love songs, and performing live.

Wednesday nights have been my favorite for a long time. Right dab in the middle of the week, it deters day workers who need to be on point for their day jobs on Thursdays, and most believe they can cruise through a Friday after a Thursday night debacle. Clubs that can create a decent Wednesday have a great advantage over the rest. Most operators can make Thursday through Saturday work. For a myriad of reasons, Tuesdays have always banged -- they've always had an industry ring. The weekend hangover has diminished and patrons need to feed their savage beast. Wednesday is a night for the stir crazies, the crazies, out of work, early strippers, club people, and tourists who go out every night they are in town. It's a sexy night with looser door policies. Those who are turned away later in the week have a better shot at getting in and enjoying the fabulous joint experience. It’s often a throw-away night for owners, who will just say “what the hey?” and try new or experimental programming until something clicks. When something clicks, it can be great gobs of fun. New kinds of fun.

Sad because no one’s invited you to The Hamptons this weekend? Bummed you won't be lounging by a pool in a last-ditch try for tanned skin, eating gray hamburgers overcooked by your host’s salmonella-fearing father? Well here’s some good news: there’s lots of fun shows in the city this weekend. And they’re all from bands you liked in middle school, or high school, or else are too young to know. Apparently the 90s are the new 80s, so it’s no surprise some of the stars of that era’s Alt-music scene are still in action, and drawing big crowds again. Three shows this weekend caught my eye.

"I wanted to write a novel but I had no idea how to do it"

Michael Dorf first opened the legendary Knitting Factory in 1987. More recently, he's built City Winery, a fully functioning winery in downtown Manhattan. Never one to forget his musical roots, the space doubles as a concert venue. Dorf’s vision of music and wine coexisting in the same place has people flocking to City Winery to sample the grapes and sounds.

Jack Dakin and Corbin Plays are two Northern California Bay boys who came to New York City to create lounges and restaurants that combine functional design with the cool factor. They ended up working for the likes of Serge Becker, Sean MacPherson, and Eric Goode and on venues such as: Joe's Pub, The Bowery Hotel, Jane Hotel Ballroom, The Park, Dirty Disco, and Duke & Duchess. The duo plans to soon branch out to New Orleans, Dallas, and Philadelphia. We caught up with them before their national invasion.

The Brooklyn eight-piece, going note-for-note with the best.

I’d never in a million years peg singing songstress Diane Birch as a former goth. Apparently it’s true, and she told this to over a hundred people during her Joe’s Pub performance last night. Diane’s recent album release -- Bible Belt -- received a great deal of critical and popular acclaim earlier this month. Her music bleeds raw truth told through her deep, soulful voice and piano keys; her tone is up, peppered with moody temperament. Certainly not goth, though ... it’s more Carly Simon and Carole King, not Marilyn Manson or The Sisters of Mercy.

As of tomorrow, Pete Yorn’s fourth studio album, Back & Fourth, will be officially released. I wanted to talk with Pete about his latest sonics, and thankfully an opportunity presented itself for us to meet at Joe’s Pub. When I arrived -- thinking it’d just be Pete and his manager -- I walked into a full-blown performance from Yorn and his band. Apparently, he was performing a special set for a small group of fans. As I entered the venue, Pete was playing “Paradise Cove,” my favorite track on his new album. The song -- and quite frankly the entire album -- breeds a wave of fresh warmth with layers of musical journeys. I must say it was quite a treat and huge surprise to walk into a blissful room of music and smiles.