Fort Knox Recordings and The Vinyl District are proud to present Memorial Weekend Blowout at U Street Music Hall this Sunday night, May 29th. Get your summer started off right, and blow out that three day weekend with the best DC funk, soul, reggae, and dub beats.
Continuing our spotlight on the Memorial Day Blowout artists, Chip Watkins aka DJ Who, is what a journeyman deejay’s deejay is all about. A pop musicologist, as well, the DJ gave me the scoop on the Baltimore scene and yonder.
You’re pretty much a resident at the Mosaic.
Yeah, I’m still DJ there on Saturdays.
How did you and [the lounge] Mosaic come to be?
It was a project that we built several years ago. And it’s gone through multiple lifetimes. I’ve always been involved. It was pet project of mine.
Tell me about the world of DJ Who, Mosaic and beyond.
Well, at Mosaic we got about 900 people screaming and yelling every week. My people focus on all the social networking [to reach out]. I’m playing at the Starscape festival this year. I [played] with Afrojack at the Bourbon Street live, another venue [in Baltimore]. And Thievery [Corporation], I’ve worked with them from the very beginnings of all of the above, at a bajillion different venues and dance parties. We’re grown up together, a lot of us.
Our good friend Cory Branan stopped by Ardent Studios to chat and play a few songs before his show tonight at The Hi-tone. He played songs from his long awaited follow-up to 12 Songs, which he swears will be out sometime this year. Yeah, we’ll see. Memphis faves Jeremy Stanfill and our very own Chris Milam join him tonight. Show starts at 10PM.
I still have one pair of tickets to give away to the Bad Manners show tonight at Emo’s. Ryan Parker and Cat have already each won a pair, but Cat, I need your last name!
I’m closing this contest at 3pm today, so if you want to go, either comment or email me at bobby@thevinyldistrict.com and I’ll select a winner.
This past weekend I had the chance to sit down with Pullman based band Yarn Owl after their KEXP in-studio to ask them a few questions. Over the past few months the group has started to get some attention in the Seattle music scene, landing them a spot on the Capitol Hill Block Party line up. When asked how the Seattle crowd reception has been, the band said that all the shows have gone well. The crowds have been very appreciative and out of the handful of shows not one has been a flop. Capitol Hill Block Party is the most well promoted show the group has played and they are really excited to be a part of such a popular event.
Being from Pullman created a few barriers for Yarn Owl to overcome, considering that the town’s population is primarily college kids. They are looking to get signed to a label to assist them along the way, which is resulting in some of the members possibly moving to Seattle in the near future. Doing everything on their own has been a fun but difficult process, and the fact of the matter is that Yarn Owl has begun to outgrow Pullman, and the band is ready to take things to the next level in Seattle.
One of the things I was curious about going into this interview was where the name Yarn Owl came from. Javier had a collection of yarn art covering the walls of his room; turtles, castles, and of course an owl. The underappreciated art and ideal behind it fit the group, hence their name, Yarn Owl, not Barn Owl. Their debut album, Montaña y Caballo, has a unique title as well. This translates to “Mountain and Horse” in Spanish, which came from the small amount of Spanish vocabulary Tim could remember from school. It also helps that Javier is fluent in Spanish.
The song writing process for Yarn Owl consists of Javier or Tyler bringing an idea to the group, followed by them jamming on it for awhile until they fit all the pieces together. Sometimes Javier will have more or less of an idea of what he wants, and in that case the group helps turn that idea into the song that was envisioned. The recording process brings in Chris Early who worked with Tim before Yarn Owl in other groups, which was perfect for the group because there isn’t an abundance of people to work with musically in the Pullman area.
When asked who some influences were Ted told me Javier likes the Beatles, and then there was silence. That silence spoke for itself. The Beatles are a large influence. Along with the Fab Four the group is into a lot of music people may not expect such as, jazz, instrumental music, and on the ride from Pullman, a lot of 80’s music.
Before Yarn Owl had recorded their full length album they played a show in Spokane at Terrain. Over four thousand people attended, James Pants DJ’d, and it was an all around great experience with good energy for the band. The response they got from the crowd was a huge boost of confidence and brought them to the realization that they should record a full length album.
The most entertaining part about interviewing a band is hearing some of their quirky stories, and luckily I was able to get a gem from Yarn Owl. Upon asking them who they’ve been listening to lately I was told Fleet Foxes, Beach Fossils, and The Lonely Island. The Lonely Island isn’t exactly something they intentionally listen to, but on their weekly musical bowling excursion in Pullman, the Lonely Island gets played a lot. Yarn Owl and fellow Pullman band Buffalo Death Beam are a part of the Dead Beat Degenerate Bowling League, where before each match they hold their drinks up in respect to Dick Berger, the finest bowler in Pullman history. Dick Berger where ever you may be, know your legacy continues in the D.B.D.B.L.
Wrapping up I asked the guys who they have been listening to in terms of local music. Aside from Fleet Foxes, they have been listening to Craft Spells, Buffalo Death Beam, and Portland band Yeah Great Fine. All of which I would also recommend to anyone looking for some cool new Pacific Northwest music.
Yarn Owl will be performing with Chapter and The Young Lions this Friday, May 27th, at the Columbia City Theater celebrating their CD release. Tickets are $6 and the doors will be at 9PM/21+.
For your chance to win a free CD and ticket to Yarn Owls show this Friday, please be 21 years of age and email your name to seattle@thevinyldistrict.com
Another season of American Idol is over and what could have been a disastrous career move for rock icon Steven Tyler might actually turn out to be strategically brilliant. Steven was an important addition to the show simply because he wasn’t a dick, he made the show watchable (in moderation), and he had the resume to back up everything that came out of his mouth, even if at times it was utterly unintelligible. Throughout the season Tyler entertained, inspired, plugged his book, debuted his upcoming solo record, and topped it all off by turning on yet another entirely new generation to an absolute classic in the form of “Dream On”.
If you missed last night’s finale, and I have to admit I was flipping back and fourth between this and watching my beloved Giants fall to the Marlins, here is what you missed:
1. He can still hit the high notes at the climax of “Dream On”. – Even though the classic blues infused 1973 power ballad was edited down considerably from the original, Tyler’s performance was right on.
2. Where was Aerosmith? In an interview earlier this month Tyler claimed that the band would be playing the last show of the season. With the bands absence and The DeLeo Brothers from Stone Temple Pilots backing him up (flawlessly I might add), I would guess it’s safe to say that the Aerosmith we all know and love it may be finally over.
3. Randy Jackson and Jennifer Lopez finally realized that they had been sitting next to one of the greatest rock n roll singers of all time. During the performance I thought Randy was literally going to fly out of his seat while Jennifer was one fist pump away from tossing her sequined bra on the stage.
Check out the performance for yourself and please add your comments below.
This Tuesday the 31st, Minglewood Hall will be hosting one of the best indie prog-pop bands in the nation. Minus The Bear are on tour supporting their new record, OMNI, that just came out ate the beginning of the month on Dangerbird.
Traditionally, this band is known for their odd song structures and time signatures as well as their unusual guitar techniques while maintaining a real pop mentality when it comes to melodies and hooks. However, this new record (from the songs I’ve listened to and read about it) is a little more straight forward, but not anything die-hard fans wouldn’t still love. I’m sure their shows are still awesome displays of instrumental talent. Check out this older video of them playing “The Fix.”
Oh yea, and you can get a new EP of theirs called Hold Me Down for free on their website here.
Anyway, they’re a solid band and have been since they started 10 years ago. So go check em out. It’s all ages and starts at 8pm.
Also, check out this fantastic three song set from Atlanta’s The Constellations! They’ll be the opening act!
The New Orleans Wine and Food Experience has evolved into a high-end event. The Grand Tastings are very expensive despite the fact that you get to eat food from the city’s best restaurants and taste some of the best wine on the planet. Unless you are in the restaurant or bar business and the event is a business expense, the cost makes attending prohibitive for many.
However, there is an option for enjoyingtheambiance of the NOWFE without busting your budget—head down to the French Quarter this evening between 5:30 and 8:30 PM for the Royal Street Stroll. Dozens of galleries and shops stay open late and music fills the air as people with custom-embossed glasses sample wine and food at the various authorized stops.
Participation in the stroll costs nearly $100 dollars and it sells out early, but the street is still open to the public. Along the way, there are musicians stationed at many of the intersections between the 300 and 900 blocks.
Last year we saw the intriguing combination of the clarinetist Christopher Kohl of the Hot Club of New Orleans performing a duet with the guitarist Rafael Bas of the Gypsy Swing Trio. JaynaMorgan and the Sazerac Sunrise Band and MargiePerez were also playing.
But my personal favorite part of the Royal Street Stroll is the parade by the Krewe of Cork (pictured). This wine-themed marching group dresses up in costumes that reflect their collective passions with the grape and they always hire some of the bestmusicians in town who join with the leader, trombonist Freddie Lonzo, as the Cork Poppas Brass Band.
Expect to see trumpeters Leroy Jones and Gregg Stafford, trombonist Lucien Barbarin, clarinetist Dr. Michael White, drummers Lawrence Batiste, Shannon Powell or even Herlin Riley.
The Krewe of Cork parades up and down the street and you don’t have to be an official participant in the Royal Street Stroll to tag along and enjoy the music.
A brand known throughout the electronic music industry, Space Ibiza has graciously decided to bring the ruckus this Saturday, May 28 to Toronto’s Sound Academy.
With a lineup sure to please the house head in you, TVD‘s more than a little excited about it. Including DJs like M.A.N.D.Y, Adam Beyer and Camilo Franco, as well as Toronto debuts from Oliver Ingrosso, Jay Lumen and Chrispy, it’s bound to test your partying skills to the fullest.
So leave a bottle of water on your nightstand and have an Advil tucked under your pillow – you’re gonna need it.
Check back on Monday for a review on what you might’ve missed!
Five years ago, I was staring at the back of her neck and the long bleached blonde hair cascading down her neck. She was a freaking Amazon goddess, and she was dating my ex. I was finally over him, but seething with jealousy just the same. After all, she was a gorgeous punk-rock model, and she was also friends with the band we all were going to see. Also, I couldn’t stop picturing them having “playful sex” (Asobi Seksu is Tokyo slang for this). My friend and I attended the show because of the ex’s recommendation. He swore up and down that we would fall in love with Asobi Seksu. So, I was lucky enough to catch the NYC quartet in 2006, during their Citrus tour, and I was pretty blown away.
The Citrus tour was intense. Speakers were stacked high and Yuki Chikudate’s vocals were buried behind distorted paisley underground jangley guitars. It was heaven for lovers of shoegaze fans.
Last Friday, the unexpected happened. I thought I was going to see a dream-pop band, and I got more of an arty pop-rock show.
I arrived with Sun Airway finishing their last song, eager for something amazing from Asobi Seksu, who did a quick sound check. I spotted Crispin Glover on the drums—oh no, it was just Larry Gorman. Before I knew it, Yuki Chikudate took to the stage, and they were ready to start. It was odd seeing them at the 9:30 Clubopening for White Lies. They are completely worthy of the venue, but I feel like they would be more at home on the Red Palace stage, where they could flood the audience with their wall of sound but also connect with the audience on a more intimate level.
As “Trails” opens the band’s set, I was a bit shocked as Chikudate’s voice was pasted over the guitars like a band-aid that I wanted to rip off, a bit too loud and unexpectedly a little garish. She angled her delightful cooing over the track, decoupaging the audience with her vocal range. “Strawberries” is noisy and delightful as expected, but this time Hanna’s guitar is ferocious, and the Sonic Youth noise influence trumps any obvious My Bloody Valentine reference I could insert into this review.
The fall out of singer Chikudate and guitarist James Hanna’s decision to replace two band members and head in a pop-friendly direction is evident on this tour… “Sooner” is not layered in the plush guitars it was five years ago during their Citrus tour, but takes on a much more Jesus and Mary Chain feel this time around. In fact, many of the songs start with more aggressive, almost grimy, Big Black-like intros. The juxtaposition of Chikudate’s vocals over the new sound is alarming, but not as interesting they could be. I have no fear of pop music, and Asobi Seksu are heading in a more accessible pop direction. I am more fond of the flowery shoegaze side of Asobie Seksu, which I didn’t get from this live performance, but they were still quite enjoyable and worth the effort of hobbling up stairs on crutches to see.
Oh, and what was with that ’80s new wave regurgitated on me in hostile retaliation, like a baby rejecting mashed peas onto an adoring mother? Yeah, that was just White Lies spitting out the thrice processed sounds of The Editors into my poor unsuspecting eardrums.
I have to admit that when I first took interest in local boys gone (nationally) wild The Parlor Mob , it was for the wrong reasons. A few years back the guys were still rehearsing over at The Hot Dog House in the room next to ours over on Asbury’s main drag, Cookman Avenue.
I am sincerely not trying to piss off any girlfriends, and I mean this in the most flattering, non-coveting way, but man, when it would get hot in the middle of the summer and we’d all be trying to keep cool while roasting away in our respective spaces, the dudes would sometimes take their shirts off to deal with the soaring sauna temperatures, giving the common areas in the building a sort of a locker room feel.
Which was, to say the least, fine by me. Of course I had an appreciation for The Mob’s musical talent as well. I remember back in about 2005ish, my band The Obvious, was sharing a wall with The Parlor Mob, and I’d hear them working out a lot of their material right next door. Their swaggering Southern Rock sensibilities would bleed through the brick and we’d get a tasty earful of both the tunes and the sound at large of the band as the boys hashed it out with steady dedication.
An Example Of What I Was Referring To: Drummer Sam Bey
Dedicated is probably the first adjective that comes to mind when I think of The Mob. They’ve been working hard for years now. I can remember stumbling into the now defunct Harry’s Roadhouse on Cookman Ave and hearing the unforgettable voice of Mark Melicia when the band was in their first incarnation, What About Frank.
Punk rock legends the Dwarves will perform a special acoustic set at Rasputin Music in Berkeley on May 27th at 4pm to celebrate the bands 25th anniversary and the release of their new album “Born Again”.
Described as “one of the last true bastions of punk rock ideology in the contemporary musical age, this is quite simply a legendary band with a very “colorful” past. Here are just a few fun facts from the bands web site:
THE DWARVES first tour in 1988 covered over 6,000 miles and highlights were featured in the Village Voice. The tour consisted of 3 cities, 4 shows and $165 dollars cash. The band slept in a cargo van and booked gigs on stolen telephone cards.
THE DWARVES singer Blag the Ripper sang the novelty hit ‘Do the Sponge’ on the cartoon series Spongebob Squarepants. Dwarf Sgt. Saltpeter has written and performed over 20 musical pieces featured since the show began. That’s Balls Folks!
THE DWARVES are arty intellectuals who live in San Francisco. Their notorious ‘Blood, Guts and Pussy’ album cover, depicting a dwarf clad only in dead rabbit and blood spattered Amazons, catapulted photographer Michael Lavine to fame across the globe, but led to widespread banning of the record and protests at gigs for years to come.
THE DWARVES have been members of groups like KMFDM, Gnarls Barkley, Mondo Generator, Motochrist, Excel, Penetration Moon, Juliette and The Licks, The Queers, Scream, N.Y. Loose, My Head, John Cougar Concentration Camp, Kyuss, The Uncontrollable and End of Power. Don’t hold it against them.
In addition to ticketsfor Sunday’s Memorial Weekend Blowout at U Street Music Hall, we are damn skippy happy to give you all a chance to win an amazing collection of hot, hot wax, some right off the [record] presses, from the showcase artists. The following is up for grabs for one lucky winner:
…apparently tonight might be my last night on the planet. (Which is cool . . . I have jury duty next month.)
But if I DO shuffle off this mortal coil—or survive—it’ll be in a blaze of vinyl at tonight’s DJ Battle to the Death!at vitaminwater uncapped LIVE. Yours truly is going toe to toe, track to track, with some of the city’s biggest music nerds (and I mean that in the most self-reflective way possible.)
As the City Paper’s Jon Fischer concisely put it, I’ll be up against him, and “…Aaron Leitko (WaPo/Pitchfork), Rick Taylor (of DJ night We Fought the Big One), Patrick Kigongo (of various cool local bands), man-about-town Andrew Bucket, Comet Ping Pong booker Sasha Lord…” and our host and ring leader, Mr. John Foster.
Here’s how John spelled out the rules to all involved yesterday:
“Two people start off head to head for a half an hour. Again, the idea is to build/react to the song played before you. I will be judging based on how creative you are with your choices while keeping the flow going. I will do a loose 1-3 points system per song and then total it up. We will be just having fun, but we need a system to send people on each round. Don’t get too crazed over it. I also don’t know everything, so I may ask you why you chose something if it is not obvious to me. Holding the vibe is a legitimate reason, it could be a play on a lyric, other band with some member, band from same city, used to date so and so – any connection what so ever.
The next two come in and start by building off the last song played from the previous pair, and then go head to head. That will continue until we have four winners that do it all over again in the semis and then a head to head for the winner.
What do you need to bring with you? Great question!
Basically, as many songs as you can have on hand, while not making transport uncomfortable. You won’t know what you need exactly until the person before you has played their song. I am sure you can make do with an ipod or a single crate of records. I leave it up to you. I have to think a crammed laptop gives you the best bet but everyone has their individual favorites in whatever format they can grab them. You may play as few as 8-10 songs or it could be 30-40 should you go all the way.”
Interesting, hm?
I’m playing it all with vinyl or CDs. (Yea, I do have a few of the latter.) So, can the physical media triumph over the digital?
TVD-Memphis checks in with Memphis Hates You Festival Founder Benjamin Aviotti to see what all the fuss is about!
How did the idea for the festival come about?
Memphis Hates You is a local web resource for rock, metal, and experimental bands and shows that are not typically covered by the normal channels. It started as a messageboard 4 years ago and there were so many bands posting that we decided to try and throw a little 2 day fest at the Hi-tone. It was an overwhelming success and now we’re on year 3.
What makes this festival different?
We feature rock and metal acts that aren’t novel or gimmicky enough to get noticed by mainstream outlets but that are making some of the most important music in this region right now.
Where does the name come from?
I think anyone who has tried to do anything genuinely creative in Memphis knows where we’re coming from.
Who was involved in putting the festival together?
Myself and Nathan Raab are the event coordinators but we’ve had a lot of outside help. There’s a list of sponsors on the website.
How many artists / venues will be involved?
21 bands over 3 days and 2 venues.
Friday, May 27 – @ Hi Tone
Galaxicon
8:00 – 8:30
Process of Suffocation
8:40 – 9:10
Ragpicker
9:20 – 9:50
Cremains
10:00 – 10:30
Incineration
10:40 – 11:10
Epoch of Unlight
11:20 – 11:50
Sons of Tonatiuh
12:00 – 12:30
Saturday, May 28 – @ Hi Tone
Saurus
8:00 – 8:30
The Heavy Eyes
8:40 – 9:10
TWAR
9:20 – 9:50
Hosoi Bros
10:00 – 10:30
The Dirty Streets
10:40 – 11:10
Gypsy Hawk
11:20 – 11:50
Music Hates You
12:00 – 12:30
Sunday, May 29 – @ Buccaneer
The Unbeheld
8:00 – 8:30
GR Robinson + Band
8:40 – 9:10
Youniverse
9:20 – 9:50
Tanks
10:00 – 10:30
Dead-I-On
10:40 – 11:10
Chinamen
11:20 – 11:50
Blackset
12:00 – 12:30
How much will it cost?
10 dollars per day or 20 dollars for a 3 day pass.
Why should people be excited about this?
We’re giving away compilation CD’s and we’ll have the MHYF DVD 2010 for sale as well as our Memphis Hates You “Your Band Sucks” t-shirts!
Do you need any help?
Just to get as many people as we can to come out and support good music! Get the word out!
British multi-instrumentalist Brendan Perry of Dead Can Dance has been unleashed in America, signing up with The End Records in New York, giving us faster access to his music and the first taste of his new album Ark. Perry will be touring the US, Canada, and Mexico with an old friend, Cocteau Twin’s Robin Guthrie. They kick off their US tour Memorial Day, Monday, May 30th at 6th & I Historic Synagogue, and wouldn’t you know it, we are giving away a pair of tickets to the show!
Perry will be playing songs from Ark and Eye of the Hunter, as well as music from his forthcoming, unrecorded, and unnamed album. You lucky ducks get the first sneak peak.
Prepare to shake up your senses with Robin Guthrie’s unique, dreamy music style and discography… His animated films are the perfect touch to his concerts, making it a truly unforgettable experience. The Scottish artist has been making albums since he was 19, and adds Emeralds to his stack of accomplishments during his thirty-year music legacy.
To win a pair of FREE tickets, all you have to do is tell us your favorite artist who has been making music for as long as you can remember, or maybe, gasp, even longer. Write your musical veteran choice in the comment box below to enter a chance to win tickets for Brendan Perry and Robin Guthrie.
The deadline is noon Friday (5/27), and the winner must confirm by 5pm that night because we’re all off work Monday, so stay on top of your email! Bon chance!
