I’m heading to Las Vegas tomorrow and Matt from Ear Farm has kindly created a mix for me. I’m happy he chose The Dead Kennedys instead of Elvis!
photo courtesy of infohostels.com
Check out Ear Farm for even more mixes - the chemistry mix is fun!
Rick Miller does Bohemian Rhapsody in a variety of voices. My fav is Dennis DeYoung.
via Rich
New video by Frauke out today for the song “Atom Smasher.” Directed and animated by Ana Monroe and Teresa and Pepin, the video explores the darker side of one of our favorite inanimate (or are they?) objects. Enjoy!
Shameless self promotion post here by way of Frauke. The band Frauke has been selected for the CMJ: Zig Zag Live Contest.
There are 27 bands competing for a spot at next year’s CMJ festival along with various other prizes. Frauke actually just found out about it today, the day the contest started! How nice is that for them. Anyway, if you are interested in helping frauke win money and fame, or if you just like our song “canadian girlfriend” please go here http://www.zigzaglive.com/live/ and click on the “vote” button. You will unfortunately be asked your age and stuff but really it’s worth it to give advertisers a smidge of your valuable personal information for the sake of supporting Frauke. You can vote everyday if you like, we won’t stop you.
I’ve recently introduced myself to the world of podcasts (i know i’m kinda late to the game) and quite frankly it is awesome. I am currently on my 20th Spanish lesson (in preparation for a trip to Spain). The series is called Coffee Break Spanish and you can subscribe via iTunes. Each podcast is about 15minutes and its been a wonderful refresher on my rusty Spanish. The show has very nice production values, writing and pacing and the hosts are Scottish which somehow makes it more fun. This particular group also produces a French series. But the cool thing is that you can find just about ANY sort of language lesson on podcast.
Ok so this led me to a day or two of cruising for podcasts and other media to put on my ipod. I hadn’t done much with it except drop my own favorite tunes on, or use it as a hard drive.
Here is what I’ve found. Or, perhaps we should call this - whats new on “COMMENCICON”:
IndieFeed Hip-Hop - you get one track a day, a good way to listen to some new music without being overwhelmed.
IndieFeed Indie Pop Music - same business but indie music. They also have Electronica, Blues, Performance Poetry and guess what else AUDIO DOCUMENTARIES… oh yes, thats next.
IndieFeed Audio Documentaries - honestly, I’ve started grabbing these but haven’t started listening. Too busy with the Spanish lessons
NPR Music
And they even have video podcasts. COMMENCICON now includes
Best of Youtube (video podcast) : the sad thing is that the sound isnt functioning on my computer. So, all those cool youtube videos people send me - i don’t watch - whats the point without sound? I’ve been getting my fix this way.
Onion News Network (video podcast): clearly I’m going for the funny with the video
I’ve also made my first stupid impulse purchase on itunes.
I am sure most of you have crossed this line before. My downfall? The first complete season of the Logan’s Run TV show (from the 70s). This was not a good purchase. First of all, I should have just bought one episode, just to test it out, but I didn’t. Secondly, it just isn’t very good - hard to believe I know.
So my question, for those of you who have made it this far, what (if any) podcasts do you listen to? Any recommendations?
Dont forget about the FREE concert tomorrow in Park Slope (Sackett and 4th ave)
Click here for more info on the Brooklynbretta Music Festival (with Frauke, Man in Gray, The Exeter Popes, Twice as Bright and more…)
Chances are it wont last long so check it out now.
Last night I had the pleasure of tagging along with Dolly Esquire and Bitch Cakes to Otto’s shrunken Head for the monthly Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co. show. I’m no music critic, but I know a good time when i sees one - and this was it. Not only was it my first trip to Ottos (a most excellent tiki bar in the east village) but Sit and Die Co was fantastic. The songs are exceptionally clever and catchy and the band had really funny banter. They have a great snappy sound which they call “hillybilly-styled ballads, boogie and blues.” As I don’t know much about their genre of music - the best I can say is that they’d easily trump the the peppier numbers from “O’brother where art tho,” plus they serve baskets of chips at the show. I highly recommend giving them a listen on their myspace page.
Check them out live at Otto’s the last Thursday of the month from 8-10. Good stuff!
p.s: Michael is clearly an excellent designer! They have the best posters, and table cards, and packaging for their classic western bow-ties!
This week is a very busy week for the bands we love to love. Here is a quick recap!
Thursday August 23rd - Frauke plays Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park New Jersey.
Seriously a bowling alley - with live bands and BOWLING!
Friday August 24th - Goes Cube Plays The Bowery Ballroom unleashing a torrent of rock on the lower east side. This is a must see! A MUST SEE! In other Goes Cube news: Check out their new website, or read their latest interview, or download one of the new tunes (#46).
Saturday August 25th - NYC bloggers put on the After the Jump Festival. All day, all night baby! Lots of bands, free show during the day. OMG - will I sleep at all this week?
FREE Day Show Schedule:
Oh to have been in Manchester, England during the late ’70s, early ’80s.
So sad.
Here’s a video from my favourite band, Joy Division (one of the first members of the Factory family), performing New Dawn Fades:
I just saw on Brownstoner that Rocky Sullivan’s has moved to Red Hook. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Liam will start giving Irish language lessons at this location as well as hosting Trivia Night. Ah…one more reason to love my neighborhood…
hey hip cats, need something to do tonight? Check out the Hot Rocks Party at the Delancey.
Performances by:
FRAUKE (8pm)
AMERICANS UK (9pm)
THE ART OF SHOOTING (10pm)
GOLD STREETS (11pm)
oh, and Pop Tarts Suck Toasted recently named Frauke band of the week, nice review including download of their latest song Canadian Girlfriend.
Went to the Neon Lights show this past friday. Unfortunately I couldn’t stay the entire night as I had an important karaoke appointment in Red Hook . But, I did catch a few dj sets by Matt from Earfarm (nice!) and a special acoustic set by Mancino. So, being as this was my first ever Mancino set I couldn’t tell you how it differs from the electrified version - but they were great. They were down their drummer, but with just the guitar and keyboards (and a little help from some tamborinists in the audience) they pulled off a number of lovely, catchy numbers. They often bust out these very Beatles-y moments too which are a total treat. Ok, so I am not much of a music critic - but these guys are good ‘ol indie-rock. No forced quirkiness, no preciousness, no weird outfits or hair-dos, just solid, sometimes rocking, sometimes sweet music.
But an even sweeter find on Friday night were the cookies baked up by The Cookie Revolution! Andrew and I split a three cookie sampler, and they were all so good I actually couldn’t even say which one was my favorite. I took a bite of the first and was like “oh this is my favorite,” and then I did the same thing for the second and the third. They were perfectly flat-ish and chewy (how I like my cookies) and chock full of whatever bits and flavors were promised. The sampler included Oatmeal Blueberry, Chocolate Peanut butter, and I believe a Chocolate Chocolate Chip. This was nearly the last sweet sugar morsel I had this weekend before starting the raw diet (more to come on that later). In any event, I think they are just getting started and have a website in the works but I’m sure we’ll be hearing more on Cookie Revolution in the future! Go order some cookies from them! Yum.
not quite the same as it ever was…