:: ELEVATE YOUR INNER WIZARD ::

STREETS (Skating Totally Rules Everything Else Totally Sucks), the skate metal band from Canada, played a reunion show with Hightower last Saturday. It was one of those shows that makes you puke and smile at the same time.

Hightower set it off.

Then STREETS. The concept of a stage diminished immediately.

:: KILLING BUILDINGS FOR A LIVING ::

(photos from lovely New Orleans, including the Termite & Vine squat and performance by the Little Lambs)

Things have been quiet around here, and for good reason kind of. New Orleans was an interesting trip, with veritable ups and downs. But after spending an evening in Orleans Parish Prison I had to admit defeat (more on that later, maybe). Some great kids in NOLA, and it is truly one of the most beautiful and unique places in America. However it kicked my ass so I got the hell out. Headed to Richmond next for Slaughterama with Matt & Kim. Should be a good pick me up. Now if my knee would just heal up I'd be back on track.

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MP3:

There's very little that can compare to a band whose sound you really love doing a cover of a song you really love. This is off that aforementioned Cardboard Records compilation. I told you it was good (new Japanther track too!).

- Shooting Spires - Sailin' On

A band's place in myspace.

:: SHAKE IT OUT NOW ::

How is that Suckapants is outta town in Texas and New Orleans and posting everyday and I'm sitting in my bedroom with nothing for y'all? Well one reason is all that Mike Belleme's Uncle Dirty story got so many hits that it sent my website haywire. Turns out the Mormons were hosting the site they discovered how rad we got. They couldn't handle it and suspended our account. We switched hosts, but it was a miserable way to spend my time. Here are the other reasons I haven't been posting.

I felt like this for a week. Actually this was the person that sold me a new camera body and this was a test shot.

I got Pat started on Morrissey.

Went to Boston.

The Stalkers.

Drawing straws.

Titty City did a collaboration with Manik Skateboards and made a T-shirt out of one of my photos.

Boob appetit.

Emerica turned one of pictures into an ad. Jerry Hsu shoe coming soon.

:: YOUR TENDERNESS TANGLED WITH MY TONGUE ::

(photos from Chief Mag's mud wrestling event at Galapagos with Ninjasonik,full gallery here)

Well, while most of my photos from the past week of Austin fun are M.I.A., it does give me a chance to post these photos that I had totally forgotten to put up before I left town. Chief Magazine threw this little shindig in Brooklyn, and well, it's pretty self-explanatory really.

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MP3:

No idea why I wanted to post this, but it just seemed to make sense.

- The Dollytrots - Brand New Key

:: STRAIGHT BASHER ::

(NOLA has it down when it comes to gnarly)

I woke up this morning to get my SXSW pictures posted, and discovered that my ipod/external hard drive had mysteriously "disappeared" all of my SXSW photos, along with my shots of the Skidmarxxx's first Bike Kill/mud wrestling party (yes it was as awesome as it sounds).

Just like that - Poof!

So no SXSW or Skidmarxxx photos for you guys, or anyone else for that matter. Sorry.

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MP3:

In light of recent circumstances, things might be a bit quiet around here for a while. So I wanted to make sure I shared this with you before things go dark. Possibly the most slept-on stand-out performers at SXSW. After all, Spank Rock, Diplo and Cadence Weapon can't all be wrong. . .

- Ninjasonik - Holla For A Dolla

A band's place in myspace.

:: US VS. US ::

(Obama poster on an abandoned house)

It's not often I see something that I think of as a statement. But this is a rare exception. I stumbled across this while being lost in East Austin, Texas. (PS. Shepard Fairey should win an award for this design.)

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MP3:

This song has been really getting to me as of late. So just in case you don't already have the whole album (unlikely, I know). . .

- Feist - The Park

A band's place in myspace.

:: BLACK BOOTS BUSTIN' ON BROKEN BROWN BOTTLES ::

(the Death Set, Ponytail, Team Robespierre, These Are Powers and Bourbon S.t in New Orleans)

- My first shower in a while reveals a ton of scratches on my feet and legs, mementos from the Floristree kittens.
- Meeting Jay who is working on the Todd P. documentary, adventures commence.
- Dropping in to New Orleans A) during spring break, and B) the day before 03/11/08, otherwise known as "311 eve," as in the night before the band 311 plays a concert on 3/11. Bourbon St. is thick with Mardi-Gras-style revelers getting wasted, taking off their shirts (well the guys anyway), and singing 311 songs when they aren't chanting "311" together. There are t-shirts being sold with nothing but the date on them, and passer-bys wish each other "Happy 311." Think I'm kidding? I have proof (scroll down).
- Some of the Death Set discovers the Bourbon St. "Hand Grenades."
- Kinda-too-old-for-this guy trying to keep the "Mardi Gras spirit" going.
- After escaping all the 311 fun, we catch Team Robespierre's set at a Black Label party at the Whirling Dervish. Jah Phet gets a little too brave dancing with a girl at the underwear dance party afterward and is almost chased out.

311 day celebration in New Orleans

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MP3:

"One of the best live shows I've seen."
- Peter of the Death Set

- These Are Powers - Chipping Ice

A band's place in myspace.

:: BORN TO BE YOUR STEPPING STONE ::

(the Death Set, Cadence Weapon, Ninjasonik, Team Robespierre, and Ponytail)

And the SXSW bus keeps rollin'. . .

- Almost getting side-swiped off the road by a barreling semi. Life flashes before eyes, verdict = not too bad, considering.
- Meeting Roland, aka Cadence Weapon, and his DJ. Nice chill dudes.
- Meeting some nice girls in ATL who take us out to the Claremont Lounge, Andy falls a bit for "Ms. Barbie" the stripper. The DJ there was as impressive with his tunes as he was with his outfit.
- When we leave the bar, we are met with a small-dog-sized pile of human feces on our vans tire. We figure out it was one of the band members sleeping in the van, too drunk to make it to the bar. We were able to match small bits of puke near the feces to another vomit spot made earlier.
- Our hosts let all nine of us crash at their place, and provide air mattresses before going out at 5am to get groceries to cook us breakfast in the morning.
- We wake up to waffles, pancakes, eggs, coffee and juice, It's the first real breakfast I've had since the 3rd.
- They also had a tiny cute baby squirrel one of their co-workers had rescued, much "awww-ing" commenced.
- Getting a good dose of pure Pensacola butt-crack.
- Venturing into the L Q OR STORE, where we are promptly reminded that we don't blend in down here.
- Meeting all the sweet kids from Ponytail.
- Being well taken care of by Ryan the super-bro at the Homestead in Pensacola. He cooked us breakfast too.

Here's the Death Set in Pensacola:

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MP3:

If this song is any indication, these guys are bringing us some seriously good tunes with their new album.

- The Mae Shi - Run To Your Grave

A band's place in myspace.

:: NOW AVAILABLE IN HARDBACK ::

&Hamburger Eyes had a show and book release at the Powerhouse Arena in Brooklyn. It was a beautiful venue that almost dwarfed the huge 30"x40" prints. Good work and good people. SF needs to come to NY more often.

Mr. and Mr. HamburgerEyes.

Watch out, Maggie Lee will make you a Don't.

Benny the Bruiser was in town.

As was Jesse.

And Vic.

You guys again.

:: YOU WILL BE ECLIPSED BY THE YOUNGER VERSIONS OF YOU ::

(the Death Set performing in Athens, GA)

Ninjasonik karaoke in Raleigh, NC.

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MP3:

"We are here on earth to fart around."

- Cathy Davey - Sing For Your Supper

A band's place in myspace.

:: DEPTH IN CHAOS ::

(the Death Set, Team Robespierre and Ninjasonik performing in Raleigh, NC)

On tour with the Death Set down to SXSW:
- Saying goodbye to the cute kittens of Floristree.
- Ninjasonik mosh pit at the Ottobar in Baltimore.
- When Ninjatigers attack.
- Taco Bell is not really food.
- Some of our crew getting stopped and frisked by cops in Raleigh after a club owner made some false accusations.

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MP3:

The title speaks to me. And it's a Ratatat remix, which almost always means it's going to be great.

- Television Personalities - You Kept Me Waiting Too Long (Ratatat remix)

A band's place in myspace.

:: IT'S ALL OVER FROM HERE ::

(Double Dagger, Parts & Labor and Ecstatic Sunshine performing at Floristree in Baltimore)

Well I'm traveling again, and so that means list time:

- A good ol' Philly basement show.
- Team Robespierre's singer breaking lightbulbs with his head.
- Impose Magazine pulling up in their RV.
- Loading equipment in and out of a basement through a trap door.
- Breakfast cooked by Ecstatic Sunshine.
- Kittens waking you up, many times throughout the night.
- Listening to P&L performing/soundchecking 50 ft. away while taking a shower.
- Rolling Stone doing a photo shoot at Floristree in Baltimore.
- Some girl trying to sleep in everyone's spot at Floristree, and then telling one of the people who lived there to turn their music down.
- Nate the Impose photographer trying to sleep in a chair while the kittens nursed on his lap.

Here's another video of the Parts & Labor boys in Baltimore going at it.

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MP3:

This song always sounds good when you're on the road again.

- Uncle Tupelo - I Wanna Be Your Dog

A band's place in myspace.

:: IT'S NOT YOUR BEAUTY, IT'S MY BAD VISION ::

(Parts & Labor and Team Robespierre performing at the new Danger Danger in Philly)

I'm off and starting the tour down to SXSW with good-people Parts & Labor. They played at the new Danger Danger in Philly with Team Robespierre, Ecstatic Sunshine, and house-band Red Rocket. It was in a dingy basement with a low bare-beam ceiling. So of course it wasn't long into Team Robespierre's set when they broke something. First it was a lightbulb with Tomasz's head, and then unfortunately later it was their laptop/beat machine. Regardless of the problems, they took it lightly and soldiered on. Parts & Labor filled the basement to the gills with their sound, which included their new member, Sarah Lipstate. Fans of avant-garde/experimental music and guitar virtuoso's in general might already know of Sarah, or her solo project Noveller. She lent her licks to Rhys Chatham’s Guitar Army, and as a member of Glenn Branca’s 100 guitar ensemble. But now you can catch her hanging out with the scruffy dudes of Parts & Labor, tour dates here.

Oh yeah, and I shot some video of the show. Gotta love my special effect, yeah?

Impose Magazine was there too (rolling deep in a full-blown RV, SXSW or bust). They had this to say.

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MP3:

From the recent excellently-curated Cardboard Records compilation, here is Trey Told 'Em (Hearts Of Darknesses + Girl Talk collab) remixing all of the song submissions that didn't make it onto the comp into one track.

- Trey Told 'Em - All Of The Other Songs Remixed

A band's place in myspace.

:: IF YOU GET ANY SHADIER, NOTHING WILL BE LEFT BUT AN EVIL SHADOW ::

(Genghis Tron, Big A Little A, Shooting Spires and Ponytail performing at the Market Hotel in Brooklyn)

In my preparations to tour down to SXSW I have been falling behind in my duties. So this is me trying to catch up with NYC before I'm all over the Southeast and Texas. Whoo-hoo.

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MP3:

I saw Gowns for the first time this past year at CMJ. I really was impressed and became the fan-boy at the merch table, "Do you guys have any band shirts or stuff?" And coincidentally they had one of the coolest band shirts I've seen. Anyway, here is a track courtesy of Cardboard Records. Reminds me a bit of the Velvet Underground, but better.

- Gowns - White Like Heaven

A band's place in myspace.

:: FACES OF A MILLION HELLS RAGE INSTEAD THESE VEINS ::

This metal show left everything sounding like it was underwater for two days.

Children shreds. Johnny is playing with STREETS later this month at Cakeshop. It's gonna be good.

Titan.

Respect the goat.

Saviours.

:: THE HEARTS VS THE BRAINS ::

(St. Vincent performing at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC)

I know I just gushed about Black Mountain, but if you haven't seen St. Vincent live you are missing out. When she was alone on stage doing a cover of The Beatles "Dig A Pony," the hair on my neck literally stood on end.

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MP3:

One definition of talent is when something that should be a gimmick turns out to be something really beautiful and moving.

- Imogen Heap - Hide And Seek (Strings Mix)

A band's place in myspace.