Not on the Guest List

Knitting with Grizzly Bear and Patrick Wolf

Last Saturday I spent the day listening to Grizzly Bear and knitting. My idea of the perfect day (now only if it was in London or Paris. . .)
Anyway, much in the words of Grizzly Bear's 'Shift', I wouldn't have it any other way.

'Shift' Grizzly Bear Acoustic MP3

Watch the magic as it unfolded while being recorded

And actually, I would have it another way-Grizzly Bear wouldn't have been looted in Belgium.

And for a more literal take on "knitting with," here is Patrick Wolf knitting with friends on the London tube back when he was still in his Lycanthropy phase

My current knitting project is to raise capital for starting my clothing line of screen printed shirts and zip-up hoodies. More info hopefully soon. . .

A whole lot of Islands going on

So it took me like forever to blog about the Islands show at Disjecta last week-because I already reviewed it for Pitchfork. However, that review was crazy short (and written at 4am) so I'm gonna go into the opening acts and all that here.
This post could have easily been titled "I love me some Islands" as I certainly do! My photo was used to preview them in the Portland Mercury as seen below. I took it last time they were in Portland, which I will eventually blog about in an "On this Day" post.

Subtitle was first to take the stage at Disjecta that Tuesday night, overcoming a burned out laptop to deliver his set via i-pod. Even with a crowd still filling in, he successfully coerced couples into waltzing for a few bars of a track-yes actual waltzing.

Next was Blueprint who elicited a more enthusiastic response having everyone salute him with the middle finger, hold up their cell phone, count aloud, and participate in chants of Maury Povich during different songs made up of his socially aware lyrics.  The highlight of his set came in the form of his rhyming over Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean".  Not only was it one of his stronger numbers, the choruses also induced an audience wide sing-along.

So anyway, they had string holders-yes string holders-seperating the over 21s who chose to drink from the all agers. It looked pretty lame them using a string, as they at least had orange netting at the Islands show in Seattle.

Islands lineup was tres different than the last time they came through town and played at the now closed Loveland. First, the best of the best Jim Guthrie is STILL gone (I thought he was only sitting out their Euro tour) and Nick's girlfriend Kate Perkins wasn't singing (not to mention J'aime Tambeur's expected absence-duh). They also changed their stage positioning-the Chow brothers switching sides with bass-clarinetist Patrick Gregoire.

It was the best I've seen Islands yet! They SO reminded me of Les Savy Fav with their multitude fo props for no reason. They opened with 'Humans' and then swiftly launched into 'Volcanoes'.
There were a few shouts for Patrick (surprisingly not from me haha) and Nick continued to take items from audience members. It was actually funny because he snatched some hipster sunglasses from this one kid (too young to already have an ironic hipster moustache in my opinion) and it turned out to be the same kid he snatched striped sunglasses off last time.

It appears they opened or at least didn't close with 'Swans' at shows on the rest of their tour, but that was their encore for Portland, and a very fitting one at that.

Read my Pitchfork review for more and look at my million photos of the gig

'Where There's a Will There's a Whalebone' Islands MP3

*I totally wanted my Pitchfork review to be the first not to mention the Unicorns as I know Nick hates it and knew he'd read the review. However, the editorial team saw otherwise :) No worries-such a THRILL

Hot Chip in Charge

Last night I went to see Hot Chip. I interviewed Al and Alexis about their next album before the show (interview MP3 will be posted next week) then ran home, threw down my computer and headed back out in time to sneak right up front and catch Shy Child's (pictured above) set from beginning to end.
They are hot. Both musically and otherwise. They're on Epic Man's 679 label Good and Evil and will soon be releasing music through a PIAS offshoot.
They sound and look kinda like Supersystem crossed with Copy crossed with the Presets. Take away all of Supersystem's science influenced lyrics, keep the keytar of Copy and only have two people on stage making a hell of a lot of dance inducing noise and you've got Shy Child.
About two songs into their set when everyone was applauding, this really drunk guy-of course standing next to me-started yelling at them about how much they suck. He then said by suck he meant they were good as they rolled into another tune.

Their set was SO GOOD. I decided I want to stalk them out when I go to NYC in February as they hail from Brooklyn. Maybe take polaroids of them. For the last song which thankfully went on FOREVER-it was crazy good-they brought out a saxaphonist which reminded me of the other show in Portland last night that I skipped in favor of all that is Hot Chip-the Presets with the Rapture. Since I've already seen the Rapture twice and the Presets once, it wasn't too hard of a decision.
People kept screaming at the lead singer for him to blow the whistle around his neck until he finally did.
Whistle Whistle Blow Blow
During the change over, Al from Hot Chip came out to help the other techies and their tour manager. The drunk guy, while Al adjusted a cord, reached out and untucked Al's shirt from his pants!!! It was mortifying in that watching-cable-access kind of way-where you're so embarrassed for the people involved but it's also funny.
Hot Chip strutted out to an unlit stage and played 'Shake a Fist' as their first track. Next they launched in 'Boy From School' which had a much more upbeat vibe when played live-but that didn't interfer at all with the song's lyrical meaning.

I'd say their best songs of the night and the one's with most audience appreciation would have to be 'No Fit State' (one of my personal favorites both on record and in person) and 'Keep Fallin''. They also played 'Colours', 'Beach Party', and 'Out of the Picture' among others.

Drunk guy, aside from swinging into me non-stop also continued to annoy and harass the band. He went grabbing for set lists, then started pulling and shaking the mic base. At that point their tour manager Ian came into the crowd and told him he'd be thrown out if he did it again. Only a few seongs later, he picked something up off the stage and threw it at one of them. The guy asks in the mic "Did you just throw that at me?" and drunk guy goes "Yeah." As for me-yes every one was dancing like crazy, me included, but he was going a little overboard. I asked him if he could swing the other way (literally haha) and he then started screaming in my ear about how stupid I was. I think he should live in Scotland instead of Portland-it might be more suited to him.
The drunk guy climax occured when they walked off the stage before their encore. He got on stage and grabbed a set list for him and this girl standing next to him. The tour manager Ian came out and ripped it from her hands and put it back on stage, not having seen it was drunk guy who got it for her. Ian angrily walked back off stage, and drunk guy again got on stage and snatched back the set list! Security came out and removed him and everyone in the front row was relieved and laughing.

There was an audience call for 'Sexual Healing', but they laughed it off and stuck to the set list. Their final song for the sold-out night was an extended version of 'Over and Over' and if anyone needed any confirmation as to why to skip the Rapture for Hot Chip, they got it in that song. It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Afterwards I hustled into a cab as the concert got out at 12:30am, headed across the river and caught my final bus of the night completely buzzed to hopefully see them again soon. Coachella anyone? (Don't they seem like they were born to play there?)
I have been trying to see them FOREVER and thankfully I finally did!

'Technicrats' Shy Child MP3
(if you wanna hear Shy Child's tunes that sound more as how I described them in the second paragraph, listen here and here (html pages))

'Over and Over' Hot Chip MP3

(And if you know me, you know this post's title is an Uffie reference :)

Take Away Au Revoir Simone

Not the most magical of the LaBlogotheque Take Away concert series, which Beirut had to cancel this past weekend, but I do love me my girl groups-esp. ones with synths. It gets better after they ditch the reflection shot.
I wish I could bottle them and take them everywhere with me. Actually I think that's what cds are for. . .

'Backyards Of Our Neighbors' Au Revoir Simone MP3

Previously including in my Chillax Podcast.

Partie Partie Podcast

November's edition of Not on the Guest List's Podcast. Already got December in the bag. This one is a bit shorter than the others, but I think it out-does the previous, or at least I hope so :) God-I so want to use my frequent flyer miles to go harass Metronomy at the Klaxons Christmas party. SO do. I am in lust with his Circa 2000 track. I only half know why.

Oh-and in a follow up to October's Podcast-I get my state id on Monday!!!!!!! My social security card arrived and I paid for expedited delivery of my birth certificate so here we go! I saved money out of my normal weekly food budget to afford the fee. More concerts here I come! (Holocene has been accepting a photocopy of my passport, the only venue to do that)

Tracklisting:
'Blag Flag' - Duchess Says
'Something was Wrong' - Boys of Brazil
'Tales of Ordinary Sadness' - Electrocute
'Circa 2000' - Metronomy
'Ice Cream' - New Young Pony Club
'XR2' - M.I.A.
'Youth Alcoholic' - Fox N Wolf
'No Fit State' - Hot Chip

Download Podcast (in MP3 format)

'Blag Flag' - Duchess Says
French-Canadians that have been remixed by the Juan MacLean. Currently on tour (and coming to Portland on the 27th!!!)

'Something was Wrong' - Boys of Brazil
Why is Faris' from the Horrors last name Rotter? Well, as I understand it, there used to be a band named the Rotters who got signed by a small label, apparently didn't produce any output, and now said label wants their advance back. In order to avoid being sued, the Rotters can't use their name, therefore breaking up and forming new bands. One being the Horrors. The other being Boys of Brazil.

'Tales of Ordinary Sadness' - Electrocute
Proof Germans do it better. At least faux Germans.

'Circa 2000' - Metronomy
Um-why is he so good!?! He made this back in 2000-how is that possible? It sounds so current-retro! Ahead of his time is all I'm saying. I love this track too much. I may have to ask him to marry me. I wonder who did the vocals? If it was him or someone else?

'Ice Cream' - New Young Pony Club
Old-skool version and the BETTER version! They should have never done a re-edit.

'XR2' - M.I.A.
New-ish track. I was mildly obsessed with it, then it got annoying, and now I mildly like it again, esp. the "whistle, whistle, blow, blow" parts. I love it!

'Youth Alcoholic' - Fox N Wolf
Swedish duo. They FINALLY got a myspace.
Discovered via Smashed Robot! last year while sitting around bored at my data entry job at Scottish Power.

'No Fit State' - Hot Chip
In 2004 I was at a party in Mornington Crescent and all the people were talking about this band they are involved in called Hot Chip and kept trying to convince me that the band was worth checking out and was going to be big. It was a guy who owns a recording studio, an A&R rep from Island- unfortunately the man responsible for Keane, and this guy who had a fashion label with his sister and they went on and on and on about gigs at the Spread Eagle and such so I had to listen and thank god I did.

I didn't quite "go" to Girl Talk

Photo courtesy of Tom Purves

Well I did go, I just didn't go in. I was told Gregg wouldn't be getting in until 10pm, so I didn't turn up to the venue until 10:45 to be on the safe side. I was already on the fence about going even though I have been looking forward to the show for SO LONG, but it was raining horribly and my friend Josef canceled because he is still sick.
Apparently 10pm was the time he gets into PDX and Holocene had no idea when he'd turn up to the venue. He'd be bringing the guest list with him and so I had the option to stand out in the rain without an awning until he arrived which could've been two hours from then. Uh no way. I am/was too broke to pay the cover of $8, given I only have $10 towards next week's food budget and only enough food at home for the next two days. Oh well, you see some, you don't see some.

'Bounce That' Girl Talk MP3

How did YOU celebrate?

Happy FedEX Day!

A New National Holiday!

There is no way I couldn't blog about this! I mean definitive proof that there is a God? Now Margaret doesn't have to ask. Britney and Fed-EX are OVER! (Different Perez Hilton links for each letter in OVER)
So here is some Poni Hoax

'She's On the Radio' Poni Hoax MP3

I've said it before (third item), and I'll say it again-the French band are SO CLEARLY singing about her.

How blogs are celebrating the single greatest event of the year:

I HEART the comments over at Gawker (they are the best blog comments I have read EVER):
Breaking: Britney Spears FINALLY Divorces K-Fed

Pink is the New Blog jazzes up the divorce papers:
SPEDERLINE IS DUNZO!

And some commentators over at Idolator point out that this is likely a republican conspiracy to distract people from voting or the lack there of.

Go enjoy Scott's TWO in ONE DAY posts about Britney over at Stereogum.
Here und here.
He is so indie!

Remember the Ben Folds Contest is still going strong.

Contest!!!

(This contest is almost as good as winning the diapers lottery. I promise)

Yayness!!! It's Not on the Guestlist's first contest! I include three exclamation marks in the title as I'm also going to clue you in on two more. I've got a lot of posts coming up including a live review of Beirut, another electro podcast (with a "new" Metronomy track-I am IN LOVE with that man!), maybe an Islands live review, and a Belgian theme week-Viva la Fete anyone?! But before that, I've got a contest to win a signed copy of Ben Folds' latest offering Supersunnyspeedgraphic that is one part scavenger hunt, one part question and answer.

Part 1: Scavenger Hunt
Answer and also include the link to the post you got it from:
1. Identify 2 of the people whose polaroids make up Not on the Guest List's title image and include two links from this blog that reference two of them (though not necessarily in the same post)

Part 2: Question and Answer
Clue me in on your thoughts about this site! What is it you like best? What will keep you coming back? Do you lean more to indie or electro? Do you like the MP3s, the live reviews, more news, interviews? Share you thoughts whatever they be.

Email me the answers to Part 1 and Part 2 at:
notontheguestlist (at) gmail (dot) com

Include your name and address. As soon as I get home from Girl Talk on Friday November 10th (the deadline) I will select a winner at random. Open to everyone across the internets whether they be in the US or abroad.
If you want to do a link swap include your link too. I'll link swap with anyone who enters.

This summer I entered a blog contest where I had to write a haiku about Grandaddy. My entry was AMAZING I tell you, but I didn't win. Boo!

PS-If you want an invite to gmail let me know.

Now moving onto other contests and a MP3.

One of my fave bands is having a contest of their own and a very viable one at that! Good Shoes want people to send in pictures of themselves "throwing shapes" aka dancing to those not in the know. They're selecting a whole 300(!) to appear in the sleave artwork for their next single 'Photos on My Wall'
Stream the song on their myspace:
www.myspace.com/goodshoes

Dance to it, snap a pic, then enter it here:
http://www.thephotosonmywall.com

Deadline November 6th.

And now listen to their by far greatest song. I want to direct the video. More on that later.

'Never Meant to Hurt You' Good Shoes MP3

And even if you don't speak German, you should enter this:
Sing 'Das Zelt'
http://www.sing-das-zelt.de/singdaszelt.php

Stream it, cover it, then send it back in. You win two tickets to be used in 2007 on German Wings which is like the best airline ever. Whenever I'd take the tube in London, I'd see their posters advertising fares for only £13.50 one way from London-town to Berlin! I ended up flying Ryanair, but there's always next time and once I move to Deutschland I presume I'll be using German Wings a lot.
I really want to go crazy in GarageBand and do up an electro cover (what else would I do?) Deadline is November 30th.

Pushing Drugs Be Your Own Pet

Today my BYOP photos were used on Pitchfork

Not on the Guestlist's point of references for point of reference Be Your Own Pet

Favorite live reviews:
Serving as an introduction:
The Swish Blog: Be Your Own PET.. plus The Rakes Vid!

In October 2005 I was supposed to photograph them with sock puppets and hang at their sound check upon return to Glasgow after a week visiting Portland, but then they decided to go sight seeing with their parents. Test Icicles were playing the same night with the Rakes on the Gonzo tour, so I didn't get to see their set opening for the Kills on that tour.(though BYOP came down to the Barfly after their set at which point Jonas was promptly attacked by every female at the bar)
Serving as a reminder of the excitement I missed:
Take Your Medicine: >148: The Kills/ Be Your Own Pet/ Covers/ Paddingtons

Serving as reminder to watch out when crossing paths with Jemina and that they are never off the internet reading about themselves (see the comments on the post) (learned both the hard way in March):
The Modern Age: Teenage Riot: Be Your Own Pet

Backlash is always fun even when it's unintential, therefore making it not really backlash, but. . .:
Items sechs und zwei (6 and 2)
Gawker: Blue States Lose

Randomness:
How all did they come up with that there name of theirs?
FaceCulture: Jemina Pearl and Jonas Stein

Which ex-member is vegetarian, allergic to cats and dogs, and wrote all the lyrics to Damn Damn leash?
Peta2: Man’s Best Friend Is Be Your Own Pet
(Yes it's obvious, but pretend it could be either Jake or Jamin)

'Love Your Shotgun' Be Your Own Pet MP3

Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/beyourownpetmusic

6 degrees of releasing a record:
Single 'Damn Damn Leash' out on Rough Trade in UK
Single 'Fire Department' out on XL in UK, stick with them
Co-release 'Let's Get Sandy' single on Infinity Cat
and Steve Aoki's Dim Mak in US
Then mix in a US full length on Ecstatic Peace (division on Universal)

Did you know they HATE when Jemina's infamous throw-up/T-shirt incident is mentioned in the press?

My FULL Don't Party feature is soon to follow. Interview+photos

My pink BYOP shot frontpage on Pitchfork (upper right hand corner)

To see some other shots I took of BYOP from the same set as the one Pitchfork used in this post's header screen cap see Whirlwind Heat +BYOP

To watch a video of a song from the same performance at which I took the photo that Pitchfork used on their front page see BYOPoint of reference + video