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Party Down Podcast

I kind of envision this as a bookend to my Don't Party Podcast of sorts.

1. 'Freight Elevator' - The Rogers Sisters
2. 'All Rights Reversed' - Chemical Brothers featuring Klaxons
3. 'The Girls' - Calvin Harris
4. 'Girls in the Back' - White Rose Movement
5. 'The Party' - Justice featuring Uffie
6. 'How We Do' - Mount Sims
7. 'Je Ne Te Connais Pas' - Prototypes
8. 'Awfully Deep (Lambeth Blues)' - Roots Manuva Metronomy Remix
9. 'Dance to Our Disco' - Punks Jump Up
10. 'Ce Jeu' - Yelle

Download Party Down Podcast (in MP3 format)

1. 'Freight Elevator' - The Rogers Sisters
"Lick the envelope." I want to photograph them licking envelopes. Their press shots are some of my favorite ever.
Jonas of Be Your Own Pet used to have this song on his personal myspazz. I discovered the Rogers Sisters via Artrocker and I am oh so happy I did. I've been waiting to see them live forever. How much longer will I have to wait?

2. 'All Rights Reversed' - Chemical Brothers featuring Klaxons
This track sounds just as subversive as Klaxons' own material. I love Chemical Brothers so much. Yes, maybe Push the Button got more than redundant, but they made me love Kele Okereke with his guest on 'Believe'. That song could very well be my personal motto. Shame it's only an album track on itunes ie you can't purchase it on it's own as you can with the rest of the album's tracks.

3. 'The Girls' - Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris has all the girls and he certainly has me. I've been drafting my marriage proposal for the past few days. It involves oranges. How much do you love his more than once daily random bulletins? Is he ever not on myspace? I remember when I first made my way onto his page. Even with the accent (that doesn't sound Scottish) I attributed 'Acceptable in the 80's' to some thirty year old DJ who often played in Detroit and in all likelihood the track had only just made it's way to the west coast after bouncing around in various Scandanavian clubs for the past five years. Seriously - I never expected nearly one million page views when I happened across his - he is BIG! Not underground at all! Then imagine my surprise when I find out he is 23 and Scottish. So of course my next reaction was: "How were we not friends in Glasgow?" Then I find out he's producing some of the new Kylie album. Oh that's why.
He has some time off in September. It better be reserved for some American dates... or our honeymoon.

4. 'Girls in the Back' - White Rose Movement
I saw them support the Cribs a little over a year ago at Glasgow's QMU. Interesting set. Interesting band. They seriously have the most authentic sounding synths of any of the 80's throwback bands out right now. It doesn't sound like it's supposed to sound 80's. It sounds 80's.
I refer to them as the lost band - the only Paul Epworth produced band in the era of Maximo Park, Bloc Party, the Futureheads, and all the rest not to reach the status of all Brit bands he was producing in '04 and '05. Like in my Klaxons interview when Simon and I start talking producers around 17 minutes in and start naming all affiliated with his production my contribution is "White Rose Movement," while he goes onto name the biggies.

5. 'The Party' - Justice featuring Uffie
What can I say? I love the little brat. Even more with every track. And it's funny. Every time I hear a new one, I'm like "Oh, it's not as good as her first four." Then I find myself coming back to it again and again, and then I find I like it even more than the first four. Like this. I consider this song to basically be a split bill between Justice and Uffie rather than just a "featuring" track.
Too many lines to quote! My head is going to explode! I seriously speak only in song lyrics which really puts some people off who don't listen to my type of music and don't get why my inflections and timing are so weird. Lately, Uffie lyrics have become my guide to the English language. Is that scary?

6. 'How We Do' - Mount Sims
"Have I told you lately that I love you" David? He introduced me to the wonderfulness that is Matthew Sims aka Mount Sims at a party at the Green House in May. What are parties for if not for geeking out on a laptop while live music is made around you?
PLEASE watch the video for this on youtube. It's an awakening of sorts. The twist of the hair, the dancers, the robot (?), the costly cinematography. . .

7. 'Je Ne Te Connais Pas' - Prototypes
The first ipod shuffle commercial - remember that earlier this year? With the changing of the clothes? This isn't that song, but it's by that band.

8. 'Awfully Deep (Lambeth Blues)' - Roots Manuva Metronomy Remix
Keeping it London themed, if this were my tune I'd put Brick Lane Blues in the parenthesis. I can totally picture myself walking from Whitechapel tube station towards Algate East and passing whatever it is - is it an infirmary? and then turning the corner overhearing conversation of charlie and making my way down Brick Lane seeing the 5p copy signs and wondering if I want to spend what's in my pocket on cheapo fish and chips at that place like a block up from the brewery. Of course the rest of contents of my pocket would a children's tube fare, which would increase my paranoia by ten of being caught when I made my way back home to Bayswater, transferring to the Circle line at Kings Cross.
One of my big show regrets of Glasgow was not going to see Roots Manuva at the Arches with M.I.A. as support in early early 2005. That was right as she was beginning to gather buzz on her debut and just off the hype without hearing a song I needed to see her. I didn't. Then I watched her 'Galang Galang' video and my regret was sealed.
I like when Joseph sings on his remixes like on this one and on the Kate Nash one. It adds even more of a Metronomy touch as if that were possible.

9. 'Dance to Our Disco' Punks Jump Up
Is this what the last Rapture album was supposed to sound like?

10. 'Ce Jeu' Yelle
While we wait for Pop-Up to leak.

Their name is Chromeo and they put on a show

You could tell the Chromeo show was gonna be a big deal even before it began.  Aside from numerous myspace bulletins from a good number of friends noting their intended attendance and a LocalCut item even though the duo isn't local, when I left the venue 15 minutes before it opened as Beyonda was taking to the decks, there was a huge crowd already amassed waiting to get in - I'd say easily 40 people, if not a handful more.  Typically the slogan is "fashionably late," but it didn't seem as though anyone was adhering to that concept.

When I rearrived towards the end of Flosstradamus' set, I found out from a ticketless Justin Kent that the show was sold out.  Luckily I had a plus one.  Chatting with the Chromeo crew earlier in the evening, they noted how this tour has been going great, but it didn't seem like they expected the show to be a sellout - earlier that evening and also when they took to the stage with enough enthusiasm to give that impression.

So. . . Flosstradamus. . .  Is there really anywhere to begin with their set?  Really?  There really isn't.  They put even your most favorite local DJs to shame which me and Justin both said aloud the instant we made our way upstairs.  They are the example of why DJs tour.  God damn - they are SERIOUSLY amazing - now I know why everyone raves about them.  They mixed Daft Punk with Daft Punk with Daft Punk!  God - their mixing skills were insane!  So much old skool hip hop too and despite the sauna/rainforest like conditions inside, everyone danced as if their lives depended on it - imagine Tube on a Tuesday magnified ten times and then times that by ten - so many people and so much dancing and so much synchronized hand claps.  It was so great to take in, and so great to take in from the top of the stairs where there was a little bit of a breeze.  By breeze I mean the amount of air if you asked a person to blow on your shoulder.  Sad, but a better temperature than in the thick of it all with the crowd.  I love being around people that are so excited to be experiencing what they are experiencing!

Chromeo came on a little later than planned to rapturous applause and cheers.  It been a long time, since they left Portland without their dope beat to step to, but they brought it - opening with 'Me & My Man'.

They truly are a sing-a-long band as they've said.  Oh - 'Needy Girl' was SO good!!  As was the rest of the set including 'My Girl Is Calling Me (A Liar)' and 'Momma's Boy' - Dave 1 smiling and rocking his guitar while Pee held it down with the keyboard and vocoder - it was semi-entrancing to watch him rock both that and the mic.  They closed their regular set with 'Fancy Footwork' and everyone was loving it - dancing, reaching out, going wild in general.

Their encore included an Outfield cover of 'I Don't Want to Lose Your Love Tonight' that went down a storm.
They'll be back soon with the keyboards that rock their album cover - the ones with legs.  There'll be more covers and with that there'll undoubtably be more cheers.  If one thing was clear when they left the stage Saturday night it was that if there was anything on the audience's mind - aside from "Wow!  They were insanely amazing!" it was "How soon until the next time?"  That's even better than "I can't wait to see them again."  There was just such a serious thirst for Chromeo and it was really awesome being apart of that - a very very fun show - huger than many thought it would be.  Seems like this is their town.  Fitting since Dave 1 noted the hills Rotture's patio looks out onto resembles Montreal where they first formed.

Viva la Chromeo!

'I Am Somebody (Paris Version)' DJ Mehdi featuring Chromeo MP3

Chloe was there too

Flosstradomus on Wikipedia

Flosstradomus on myspace

Chromeo on myspace

Grizzly Bear hit the 'hood

My what a blue shirt you have. My what blond hair you have. My what organic food you're holding. Wait! - you're not my grandma! You're Grizzly Bear!!!
Actually that's not how I approached them, but the result was still the same - it wasn't only regular shoppers at Whole Foods, but a band in disguise. Actually they weren't in disguise at all - they were just plain old Chris and Chris from favorite band Grizzly Bear.

It was sehr fun running into them only 20 minutes before their set opening for Feist and let me tell you, their last song was worth the ticket price alone, maybe because I only saw their last song due to photopass issues.

Of course they closed with 'On a Neck, on a Spit' - magic, pure magic I tell you!

And then, the unbelievable happened.
Where I work a guy occasionally walks by that resembles Grizzly Bear lead singer Ed Droste to a T. Every time he walks by I excitedly announce with glee to whoever is standing next to me, "It's Ed! It's Grizzly Bear! Oh my god - it's Ed from Grizzly Bear!"
Who was in the dimly lit audience that night? Why only fake-Ed!!! So I caught him with my camera:

He has since walked by several more times at work and uncomfortable smiles have been exchanged. How delightful. I think my fangirldom for him may scare him, but I can't help it. Previous to seeing them open for Feist, he had never seen them before so when he spied Ed onstage it was more than a little weird for him. Yes!!!!!!

So who else was in the audience? The drummer from Helio Sequence and also Spoon's Britt Daniel who was quite the social butterfly of the evening. He gave me his email - meticulously spelling and repeating it without prompt, but you know I totally disappeared for about a month so I have yet to send one over. I'll put that on my to-do list right now.

On a stage decorated by very little light, Feist semi-surprisingly brought her current single 'My Moon My Man' out of the gate pretty early on - 3rd or 4th song in.

She closed her set out with '1,2,3,4' and 'Mushaboom'.
A lot of people played a lot of musical chairs over the course of her fairly long set. I especially liked when she made her way over to the piano sans guitar to singalong to accompaniment.
I enjoyed when she led the audience in singing along and knowingly offended a large segment by commenting they were too old to be at a concert. Ha - saying so at a concert sponsored by KINK. Ha...

'Reprise' (Acoustic Version) Grizzly Bear MP3

'My Moon My Man' Feist MP3

Grizzly Bear myspazz

Grizzly Bear Flickr

A Klax-a-laxin' good time

Did they bring it or did they bring it to the Doug Fir? They all-too-easily outdid their show at Dante's and so did the audience! There was no sitting down! There was dancing! (aided in part by Fist Fite's mid-set stage diving and subsequent moshing) This latest Klaxon's set was on-par with with their Crocodile Cafe set and each Klaxon seemed to feed off of the frenzy that developed that for sure had something to do with their exhuberence.

The quartet were dressed to the nines and joked onstage that they had attended a wedding earlier in the day. In reality they slept and thrift shopped.

James got all YACHT-y when it came to set closer 4 Horsemen - pausing to intricately fasten a bandana around his neck.

While Simon took on the guise of Alex Turner crossed with Albert Hammond Jr. in terms of guitar holding:

(with my Dreamboat "boyfriend" in the background hahahaha)

Dare I say it, but I cannot love Klaxons more. Actually, everytime I say it, my love for them gets outdone yet again. So let's hope that pattern holds for the next time they breeze through town one fine autumn day.

Set list:
Bouncer
Atlantis to Interzone
Hall of Records
Totem
Golden Skans
As Above So Below
Two Receivers
Magick
Forgotten Works
Gravitys Rainbow
Isle of Her
It's Not Over Yet
Four Horsemen

Afterwards, I snapped some random photos with Simon's film camera (fastest shutter speed in the biz, or so it'd seem) and then with my own. Marvel at Fist Fite's new full length:

Then we all hopped over to Bside for some shenanigans until everyone dissipated a bit after last call - Klaxons to catch some shut-eye before departing on a 10am flight in route to Pitchfork Festival, Justin - the latest edition to Fist Fite trying to make his way out to Linton or make-out in exchange for a place to sleep, and me and Marisa off to Alberta where we got accosted by a big group of gangster-ish guys knocking on our windows and saying that with as tinted of windows as we had they thought we were coming to shoot them. Yeah. But not before Simon's threats to quit the band and become a matchmaker.
Three and half hours later I was out the door for work still drunk (one of my shots purchased by the lovely Dreamboat. Simon at least got that far in his coupling plans :D).

'Gravitys Rainbow' Kavinsky Remix Klaxons MP3

We all saw Ms. Ditto on Nightline, right?

Multiple appearances throughout the Friday segment!! My mom and I could not be more proud (yes, we geeked out over the phone over her being on it).
Is she fabulous or is she fabulous?

'Standing in the Way of Control' The Gossip MP3

Thanks to Marisa for the link - for once I actually checked my email before Perez. . .

The Horrors Interview

I didn't take any photos of the Horrors, just one of Spider Webb interacting with fans. artStar was there (ie the glitterati from Fist Fite's first show).
After Spider Webb signed some autographs, we headed onto their tour bus where I proceeded to leave my computer bag after we were rushed to a close. By computer bag I mean Bumbershoot 2006 canvas tote that I was only using for the first time that day, complete with glow in the dark plastic vampire teeth inside.
While I was sehr impressed with their soundcheck, I didn't have enough personal investment in the band to go to their concert and I was sick from staying up pretty much the entire night before (what am I talking about? - entire week prior). Oh, and the fact that this interview was so uncomfortable and that the tour manager didn't seem to have anything together, so being left off the guestlist was a shoe-in. So my Test Icicles, Klaxons, Horrors trifecta was completed with this interview.

We talk vinyl, Glastonbury, photoshoots, and that canceled Black Rebel Motorcycle Club tour:

The Horrors Interview MP3 11 minutes

It's really funny because we walked back into the venue with Faris for their soundcheck and el Senor Webb totally gave me an exclusive on their next album. Did my MacBook record it? Hells no. Well a little bit actually - 50 seconds to be percise:

The Horrors Talk a little Second Album MP3

'She is the New Thing' The Horrors MP3

Sound on the Sound was there to catch their live show. Looks rather entertaining, but would you expect anything less from a band that leaves a trail of paint and wrecked art behind them wherever they tour?

The Horrors on Wikipedia

Klaxons Audio Interview

Battle of the hyphenated surnames!
Nilina Mason-Campbell vs. Simon Taylor-Davis

My first Pitchfork feature! It wasn't even for Pitchfork either. It was for this blog, but then I realized Simon was saying things that more than two people should hear (understatement, but you know what I mean) so I clued my Pitchfork editor Scott into it and he said the most magical words to my ears "You're right." Rewind to this time last month and it hit the site in pretty much a lot of it's glory.

Simon was sipping diet coke (which you can actually hear at times). I however had been drinking tequila upstairs where we hung out for a little bit just prior to pushing record. I can be inarticulate when intoxicated. I couldn't even remember Hunter S Thompson's name! "He does road trips. . . He writes about Vegas. . ." - that's as close as I could come to naming him! It totally reminds me of in Can't Hardly Wait when Amanda is asking about Preston at the party and the guys are like "He has hair. . . he wears shirts sometimes."
Yeah, so just keep in mind I was a little drizz-unk during this hahahahaa

It was supposed to be a half hour interview, but we ended up chatting for two hours (including some drawing with chalk time).
We talk about their next album, future tours, the recording of Myths of the Near Future, the merits of Metronomy, Test Icicles, limos, Test Icicles, Philip K Dick, Fist Fite, the Strokes, Japan, Test Icicles, screen-printing, his girlfriend (now wife) Lovefoxxx and a whole lot o' other stuff too including Test Icicles. It's long. Listen to it.

Klaxons Interview Part 1 MP3 One hour, 5 minutes

*Note that it stopped recording, so it gets sketch in continuity between part 1 and part 2 when we pushed record again

Klaxons Interview Part 2 MP3 7 minutes

And you know what? I'd totally sound like this and be acting out a scene from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat starring the incredible Donny Osmond (which you can't see with this MP3 obviously) tipsy or not.

Needless to say, I absolutely adore Simon.

For much of the text, head on over to Pitchfork.

When it was edited, it totally came down to how many Test Icicles references could be included. I of course was like, "more, more!"

Additional >>>>>>>>>>>>

Photos that sync with the interview:
The limo:

care of Simon

James pre-intervention:

care of Ollie

Boring yet interesting mic check on behalf of Simon (only click if you want to waste 19 seconds of your life. I however did learn something from it):

Simon Mic Check MP3

Can somebody PLEASE remix this? Hahahaha

Wanna know how much of a delusional Metronomy geek I am? Read the comments on this screen cap cackle cackle

First ever gig:

My how they've progressed

HotRock or DataChip?

How is it that both Datarock's and Hot Chip's names can be broken up and put together two different ways and make sense? Maybe it has something to do with how much amazing sense their double bill made when they came to Wonder Ballroom as part of a triple bill including Planningtorock.

I arrived mid-way through Datarock's set - my did they start early and my were they already in the swing of things. If their coordinated red jumpsuits and sound weren't enough to make you love them, than their live show certainly is. They were having almost too much fun up on stage which in turn made everyone else in the crowd have just as much - especially when they took to jumping off the stage and into the pit and sharing their mic with anyone ready to yell "fa fa fa fa fa."

It was a fist pumping, jumping, and yelling good time.
At the close, "I've Had the Time Of My Life" came on and my oh my - how Datarock played it out! They were sooo into it! Grabbing and hoisting mic stands into the air! Their lead singer took a spot behind the drums and mouthed all the lyrics in time to his beat matching. They sang, they hugged, they celebrated and I think it was at that moment it became impossible not to absolutely adore them.

Berlin based British songstress Planningtorock came on shortly after. Brendan and I played a game of "who does she look like?":

With Hot Chip I wondered, other than dancing - what was the point of coming to see them live at the Wonder after seeing them at the Doug Fir late last year? That set was the epitome of fantastic and it's not like they have a new record out, so what would be different about this show? Was it even possible for it to come close, let alone top what they'd achieved at the Doug Fir? The answer was resounding - it was just as amazing in an entirely different way. Where at the Doug Fir they'd played their songs as they were - with a few added live elements, just repeating that would have caused me to ask aloud "what's the point?"
Boy did they change it up! It was like a set of live mash-ups!

They busted out some Peter Gabriel and New Order's "Temptation," among other tracks, melding them seamlessly into and out of their own so subtle that I'm sure a lot of the audience didn't pick it up. They whipped out "Boy From School" as their second track of the night and also threw some new tracks into the mix.

(is that a look of contempt? hahahaha)

Dancing was of course first order of business for the crowd as it rightfully should be at any Hot Chip show.
Oh and my family was there! By family, I mean complete strangers up until we boarded that fateful yacht known as the Crystal Dolphin for YACHT on a yacht back in early May. It's so crazy how we're like a family now - trading enthusiastic hellos and hugs. It was super cool seeing everybody's favorite scene-star Garrett (who has a kick-ass last.fm), though I never made my way back up to the front to continue our conversation. Tyler was working the door on behalf of Monqui and we made myspace friends the next day. There were other Yoay-ers there too, but not that I know by name, but it was super fun running into "the gang" again. That boat was like a bonding experience hahahaha
It was kind of funny too because I started talking about the CSS show and the girl Tyler was with was like "I heard that too."
And I was like, "It wasn't only me!"
"I read it on Pitchfork."
"Oh, then it was only me."
And for the record - I saw the guy a few days later on the bus that had been absolutely pummeling me at CSS and he had this massive head wound.
I didn't hit up the Hot Chip aftershow at Holocene cos I've already seen Hot Chip DJ back at Koko in Londontown a year or so back in between Battles and Four Tet and yeah.

Anyway, Datarock's live show is so good at selling music that I even bought tracks off the Dirty Dancing soundtrack on itunes after the show.
"How do you call your lover boy?"

"Computer Camp Love" Datarock MP3 - Genius take on "Summer Nights"

"Playboy" Hot Chip MP3 - Bit of a grower, but one of my faves

"Temptation" New Order MP3 - Name checked in Adverbs!!

Datarock myspazz

Planningtorock myspazz

Hot Chip myspazz

Microfest

Before turning up at Camp Rainbow I went to Pix Patisserie's Bastille Day event, but I don't know if I had the wrong schedule or what, but I was under the impression that Bobby Birdman would be on at 7. Come 8 o'clock, after an hour of no music and a guitar being checked onstage - a sign that didn't immediately point to the Birdman, I left for some Burgerville, only to receive a text 13 minutes later that the sea victor had taken the stage. Oh well.
After a series of unfortunate events, I made my way home, then popped back out at 10:20 and headed over to Microfest in time to catch Starfucker. It would have been enjoyable to have had the day off work and been able to see Eskimo & Sons who at this point I am desperate to catch live, but you take what you can, and Starfucker is a pretty good give.
Of course on my way I realized not only had I forgotten my phone, but I had also forgotten my cash. So I was a bit unsure if I'd be able to get in. Luckily Arya hooked me up, but it's really important for me to support coolio events like Microfest monetary wise. I was really impressed how close to the schedule everything was kept. It was an alcohol free event due in part to liability what with the many under-agers and there was bottled water available in addition to Boy Gorilla brand hair cuts.

Heading down to the basement, the heat was hot hot hot. What is up with people putting Josh in the basement? Oh how many people were crowded down there too. At first the frontlines of the audience stayed sitting down, but when more and more turned up, they all stood up to make more room. A 20 inch fan was held up in the corner populated by some Hurah Hurah and Boy Gorilla crew, but alas it did improve the sauna-like conditions.

Starfucker got things started with two new untitled tracks, then veered into "German Love", "Hard Smart Beta," and others before closing with "Hula-hooper." There wasn't too much camera action other than a couple random flashes and a polaroid taker up at the very front.

The last song was my favorite of the set because that's when I left the sweaty confines of the crowd and made my way to the back where it was just a degree cooler and there was more space so I could dance it out.

"Hard Smart Beta" Starfucker MP3

After that, I made my way out in a search for air and water. While I didn't find any water, I did find ice cubes in a freezer decorated with a polaroid of Dhani Rosa.

Dirty Mittens were playing just across the way in the dining room.

The atmosphere of Microfest was fantastic and it was pleasant meeting Boy Gorilla-er Tyler. I am a bit enchanted with the idea of them scoring a distribution deal - I think that should be the number one priority and I also think it's just around the corner with enough promotion. The more people that know about Boy Gorilla, the more people that love Boy Gorilla is my thinking. They just scored a wholesale deal with K Records' website for their vinyl! Yay!

There was some great socializing happening in the front yard and sidewalk. Here is Lawton, me, and Arya on the porch making some purposely uncomfortable smiles for no reason at all:

Let's Hear it for the Blitzen boys!

Blitzen Trapper just signed to Sub Pop!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoo-hoo!!!!!!!!!

Two weeks ago I went to Blitzen Trapper's CD release show at Holocene. I was so so so impressed when lead singer Eric Earley took to the stage with a banjo to begin their set. I heart heart hearted their set constructed out of painted cardboard - it kind of reminded me of this old skool Pet Shop Boys appearance on I think Top of the Pops where they performed in front of a city scape made out of cardboard. Blitzen Trapper's was of trees and waves backlit with earthy projections.
Sadly, it's the sickest I've been in over two years so yeah. When I was running to make the last bus downtown before the close of their set, I bumped into Carrie and Cary separately (no kidding) and barely said hello in an effort to avoid throwing up and/or coughing on them. The concert was one of the first times I stepped outside of the house for days.

Anyway - there are several more of my photos in my Pitchfork post on the night.

And it was super sweet to spy my photos on their myspace as their default - and credited at that!

'Crazy on You' Blitzen Trapper (Heart cover) MP3

Blitzen Trapper myspazz:
www.myspace.com/blitzentrapper