BY LILY BOUVIER | The 10th annual “River To River Festival” opens with a boom (a 13-hour-long “Bang” to be exact. The “Bang on a Can Marathon” — starting at 11am on Sun., June 19 and lasting until midnight — will kick off this year’s festival with a super-mix of genre-defying musicians. The lineup features more than 150 performers and composers — Philip Glass (live with the Bang on a Can All-Stars), Maya Beiser (“queen of contemporary cello”) and new takes on compositions by David Byrne, Yoko Ono and Frank Zappa. The epic event closes with music by sonic downtown legend Glenn Branca. Free (no tickets required), with a relaxed jeans-and-t-shirt atmosphere. If you don’t think you can last from dawn until dusk (and beyond), check out the full schedule of performances: bangonacan.org/marathon/schedule. At the World Financial Center Winter Garden and Plaza (220 Vesey St.). Following the “Bang on a Can Marathon,” the “River To River Festival” launches into a month crammed full of concerts. Look forward to Rufus Wainwright and the New York City Opera (June 28), Patti Smith (July 14), Vijay Iyer (June 23) and many others. Visit rivertorivernyc.com for a full schedule of events.
NEW YORK BRAIN TUMOR WALK
Governors Island is the setting for the very first New York Brain Tumor Walk. Sponsored by the National Brain Tumor Society, proceeds will help fund new research and cures as well as support for people who’ve been diagnosed. Registration begins at 7am on Sat., June 18. The scenic walk and family activities last from 8:30am-12pm. To sign up online, visit braintumorwalk.org/newyork. For info, 866-455-3214 or braintumor.org.
PHOTOGRPAHY: AN EYE ON ARCHITECTURE
The Center for Architecture’s exhibition “An Eye on Architecture: Photographs from the Archive of Norman McGrath” reveals the artist’s photographic mastery throughout the past 50 years — including some iconic shots of the original Penn Station (documented during its demolition), and recent photos of the reconstruction of the World Trade Center site. The black and white silver prints, from McGrath’s archive, date back to the early 1960s. The exhibit also includes more recent color work and digital prints. Of that new digital format, the artist notes, “You can learn faster because you can see your mistakes right away. But the aesthetic challenges remain the same. With all modern technology at one’s disposal, there is still no substitute for the discerning photographer’s eye; in my case, it is an eye for architecture.” Through June 25. At The Center for Architecture’s Helfand Gallery (536 LaGuardia Place). Open Mon.-Fri., 9am-8pm and Sat., 11am-5pm. For info, cal l 212-358-6126 or visit aiany.org.
