Not on the Guest List

Noisy Sunday Night

Where will you be this Sunday night? Well, if you're in Portland, you should come down to the Towne Lounge for a night of noise!! And it's FREE! I'm curating the 15th edition of LocalCut's Portland Lounge Series. What will be in store? Well - it's the Portland debut of Feather Figure which is the new noise project from Nathan aka The Chain aka Brace Paine of the Gossip. I'm so excited for what's in store!!! There may be a chainsaw or if he takes a cue from his last noise project (with John Weise nonetheless) he may be performing inside of a sleeping bag!

Here's an MP3:

"Deep Purr" Feather Figure MP3

Also sharing the bill is Night Wounds who I've yet to see live, so I'm uber excited for the experience! They're experimental punks with a penchant for understated shouts. And they have a saxophone! Let's party it down Lisa Simpson style! Also - in another nod to FOX sitcom's - they totally remind me of that episode of Seinfield called "The Bizarro Jerry." You know, the episode with "man hands." Another arch in that episode was Elaine discovering a whole group of friends that mirrored Jerry, George and Kramer. Well, Night Wounds may live in Portland, OR now, but before they lived in Portland, ME! I wonder if living here feels a little Bizarro? I'll be asking!

Come out, come out, wherever you are! It's FREE! Doors at 9. I may or may not be "DJing" in between sets and mini-interviews with some Metronomy remixes.

More info about the night is over at LocalCut.

Towne Lounge = 714 SW 20th Place

Bike, walk, bus, drive or board the MAX (get off at the PGE stop and walk one block West).

Antonioni R.I.P.

If I can point to any film that has changed my life in terms of understanding and creatively as well, it is Blow Up.

There's far too much for me to attribute to this film. Far too much. But it has continued to pop into my life over and over in many forms. When I first watched it, I didn't get it. It moved so slowly and was confusing - certain scenes inclusion's seemed to make no sense at all. Then after it ended, my mom asked me what i thought it meant. I hadn't thought about it because I didn't think it could mean anything, but then she started asking a couple more questions and I began to grasp the genius of the film. Before I had wanted to pursue the cinema for it's entertainment value. After watching Blow Up, I wanted to pursue it for what it could mean.
She first saw it at 15 because the Yardbirds were in it. Here's their scene:

I love it! Funny in a subtle way - the fight over the guitar and then it's careless disposal.

Anyway, rent and watch this movie if you haven't then let's discuss it! Seriously! Every scene has it's place.
It has influenced my intended output quite a bit. I've had an indie film in my mind for a while titled Frietag Freundin. I'm not ready to tackle it yet, but in time and the idea of it wouldn't exist without Blow Up.
A couple years ago I shot portraits of the Kills and oh how I wanted to have Hotel and VV emulate the scene in which he shoots one of the many skinny mod girls that flock around his studio - a still of which graces the video cover.

But seriously, Michelangelo Antonioni was so cool! Having the Yardbirds appear in Blow Up, and having Pink Floyd soundtrack another of his films.

He died the same day as Bergman, yet his death barely made the news by even the next day.

NPR does his death and a life recap

BBC does his funeral

Blow Up on Wikipedia

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. . .

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

Uffie Gets Political

In a post on her myspace blog yesterday entitled: insanisty in U.S laws, the Uffster had this to say:

"Right... So I am just enjoying my morning coffee skimming through whats going on in the world and stumble upon this
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/06/06/teen.sex.case.ap/index.html

How incredibly stupid, unfair, and retarded is this! Isn't the goverment supposed to be looking for murderers, terrorists, and people that are actually a threat? Oh and wait for it...apparetnly there is a "Romeo and Juliet" law, saying its kinda ok two teens in love can have sex, but oral the guys can go to prison for 10 years.. even if hes under 18 as well? Does anyone else think this is compltely insane?

Protest time!"

I agree!
1. If it would have been intercourse as opposed to oral sex, he would not have gone to jail as dictated by the law!
2. It was consenual act - between a 15 and 17 year old.
3. The boy was 17 - not legally an adult, yet charged as an adult.
4. TEN YEARS for oral sex! Yet child rapists and murders often get sentences of 7 years or less.

Today the AP covered a case of a woman killing her preacher husband. Her sentence? Only 3 years! And she will only have to serve 67 days of it! For murder!

Tenn. wife sentenced in preacher's death

yet this boy gets TEN YEARS for a consenual act with his girlfriend!

PLEASE send an email to Georgia's top Republican senator Eric Johnson about this as he is the most vocal opponent to Genarlow Wilson having his sentence appealed. Seriously - an email is simple!

eric.johnson@senate.ga.gov

And if you agree with my numbered points, simply copy and paste them and that can be your email. See! - Simple!

'In Charge' Uffie MP3

When Metronomy met Kate

How excited am I about his latest remix!?! 

(She kinda looks like Sleepy Sparrow)

Noticed Kate Nash on Perez Hilton back on December.  She's churning out the (deserved) hype of recent - has a new video as directed by Kinga Burza who did the Teenagers' 'Homecoming' and is soon to announce Euro festival dates.  She plays King Tut's in Glasgow on the 10th.  Her playing there means she'll soon be big, plus she has the talent, so yeah. . . expect to see her everywhere if you aren't already.  She's got the realism of Lily Allen going on, but with her own spin.

Got this track this morning.  So here is:

'Foundations' Kate Nash Metronomy Remix MP3

exclusively on Not on the Guest List (for now :)

Did you gasp at the sight of Metronomy's tour dates?  Question how there could be no west coast dates - not even LA! not to mention San Francisco, Seattle, or god forbid Portland.
Well amid my own eye-brow raising, I went straight to the source - Mr. Mount himself.  What did Joseph have to say?

"I'm not sure, hopefully sometime soon, but I guess next year might be more likely than this year...sorry.
but we'll be there one day.
see you then"

So here's to 2008!

In the mean time you can catch him at his just confirmed Reading Festival date or in any of the fine cities listed below lucky enough to be graced with their talent:

Jun 16 - 02 Wireless Festival - London
Jun 17 - 02 Wireless Festival - Leeds
Jun 19 - TBA - Vienna
Jul 4 - Academy 3 (with the Noisettes) - Manchester
Jul 28 - Secret Garden Party - Near Huntingdon, London
Aug 3 - Sweet Janes - Hartford, Connecticut
Aug 4 - RocknRoll Hotel (V-Festival afterparty) Washington DC
Aug 5 - Sonar - Baltimore, Maryland
Aug 6 - Walker art outdoor series - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Aug 7 - TBA - Chicago, Illinois
Aug 9 - Andy Warhol Museum - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Aug 10 - Studio B (brooklyn) - New York, New York
Aug 11 - Pure/Making Time - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Aug 18 - Loop Festival Brighton - Brighton
Aug 25 - READING FESTIVAL (a dream come true) - Reading
Aug 26 - LEEDS FESTIVAL (just as good as reading) - Leeds

Kate Nash myspace
www.myspace.com/katenashmusic

Metronomy myspace (he just hit over 100,000 views!)
www.myspace.com/metronomy

Jamila has a Hot Club de Paris Metronomy remix over at Fucking Dance.  I find it a bit difficult, but I think that's the intention.

 

PDX Music Scene and Overheard

An insider bit about the Blow:
You know that show Grey's Anatomy that really blows bands up and has actually earned a spot in my heart due to them being cool enough to play a Chalets song -- multiple times? Yeah? Well they've come knocking on The Blow's door! And guess what? They're home, but just not answering. Apparently Khaela doesn't want "to sell out."
I have mixed feelings about this as a general topic. I'm now of the school where I want bands to gain as much exposure as possible, and earn a little money at the same time. Musicians that can actually afford to feed themselves off their music and have a little security? I totally support that.
And because I just mentioned them, here is:
'Nightrocker' The Chalets MP3 (though it's been 'Love Punch' on Grey's)

On Friday Panther sent out a bulletin wondering if anyone was going to Pierced Arrows' show at Ash Street on Friday. Jason Simms and I were there covering it for Willamette Week and Harp Magazine (breaking my self-imposed week of social exile for an assignment)
In between his sentences of excitement about the show, he happened to mention:

"i haven't been out for a while cuz ive been working super hard on the new record with A DRUMMER joe fausten kelley, the new jams are super super different,lots of dirty cello loops and weird guitars!!! cant wait till our first show together june20@ berbatis"

That should be interesting!

I do however take issue with "haven't been out in a while" :) He's everywhere! Just a couple weekends ago I was scaring him half to death yelling at him and Maggie from a moving car on 34th and Hawthorne on the way to Jonnie's BBQ.

Meanwhile, he has new vinyl out on Gold Robot Records. The single can be bought here.
Hunter who runs Gold Robot Records also does the blog Macktronic. Go right-click-save-as (or if you're like me option-click) a Secret Lawns mix MP3 in this post.

And while you're at it, pick up the latest issue of Skyscraper Magazine pictured above. A couple of my Panther photos run alongside the interview feature. Panda Bear, Explosions in the Sky, and Graham Coxon also feature in the issue.

PDX Gossip Roundup

I've still yet to finish my Klaxons+Fist Fite review I posted yesterday (now finished) and have yet to post a review of last night in Portland, but it's Gossip time!

➔ Fresh off opening for Klaxons for their first ever shows, Fist Fite will be joining Klaxons on their UK headline tour later this year!!!!!! Brooklyn's Shy Child are along for Klaxons' UK May ride.

➔ Got a message from Nathan aka Gossip's Brace Paine. Guess what they did in LA? Aside from Beth hanging out with Kate Moss, they had a meeting with RICK RUBIN! Speechless! He said it was surreal. I am in love with Rick Rubin! He slept with his parents in their bed until age 18 and what he did with Def Jam in his NYU dorm room is what made me want to go to NYU (though I eventually never even applied)

'Rick Rubin' Spank Rock MP3

➔ Men's Journal magazine contacted me last week about Portland music photography as their summer issue is a music issue and they're doing a feature on the Portland music scene! I sent mine over of Quasi, Hey Lover, the Shins, Viva Voce, Gossip, Y.A.C.H.T., Panther, and the Thermals (all linking is to my photos of each act on flickr). I think they're passing on my photos, but it's still pretty sick that Portland music is drawing this attention!

➔ Yacht has his CD release party next Saturday at OMSI on May 5th 2007. Doors at 8:30, show at 9pm. GO if you live in Portland and are in town! Adrian Orange who went to my middle school (and high school for a portion of freshman year) is playing as is E*Rock and of course the man of the evening is doing a set as well. A concert at OMSI! Too cool!
Tix are available at Jackpot Records, but haven't appeared yet online on Brown Paper Tickets

Here's a cool video Y.A.C.H.T. made of Portland bands at this year's SXSW:

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.