Brooklyn beats the winter blues

By Meredith Deliso

While we may be in the throes of winter, the summer will be here before you know it. And it’s not a bad time to think about it either, with acts slated for Celebrate Brooklyn! already being released.

Big among them is the June 29 benefit show from the Boston-based Passion Pit. The electronica act seems to be this year’s answer to one of last summer’s popular festival acts, MGMT. Since the release of their first full-length, “Manners,” out last spring, Passion Pit has been lauded for the album, which was on countless year-end best lists, as well as for their live performances.

The band is excited to join the acts that have passed through the festival over its 30-plus year history. “As more and more of us have come to call New York ‘home,’ it’s an honor to take part in a Brooklyn tradition,” keyboardist and guitarist Ian Hultquist told us. “We are really looking forward to these shows to be something special.”

Also on the June 29 bill is the Canadian indie rock band Tokyo Police Club. Tickets for the show go on sale January 30 at noon on http://www.ticketmaster.com/, and are $32 in advance, $35 day of show.

In unofficial line-up news, Bumpershine writes that jazz legend Allen Toussaint will be playing the park in some capacity on June 12, three days after the festival kicks off (no word yet on who will headline that show; last year’s opening night saw record-breaking numbers thanks to headliner David Byrne).

Until then, you can help celebrate Brooklyn with BRIC Arts Media, the group that runs the summer festival, with several “warm up” events. On February 3 and 4, for instance, there’s Melvin Van Peebles & Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber at BRICstudio (647 Fulton St.) in a work-in-progress preview of the “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadassss Song (the Hood Opera),” a musical stage adaptation of his 1971 film, “Sweet Sweetback.” Tickets are $10.

Then, on February 27, Eugene Mirman and friends present a night of comedy and music to kick off the 2010 Friends of Celebrate Brooklyn membership campaign. Friends include usual Brooklyn suspects like Kristen Schaal and Michael Showalter, and more, at the Bell House (149 7th St.). Tickets are $10 and are currently on sale.