I've moved!

After many years here I'm making the jump to Wordpress. You can find me at:

http://www.nicolecifani.com/

Create / Fixate's annual photography show (LA)

I've never been to one of these, has anyone? Are they fun? -n.

---------------------------------

CREATE:FIXATE presents

BACKSCATTER
The Annual All Photography Show
AUDIO LAB
HOUSE : TECHNO : DOWNTEMPO : BREAKS :EXPERIMENTAL : WORLD RHYTHMS : LIVE MUSIC

LAB .01
John Tejada Palette / Pokerflat :
Palenke Soultribe WC MUSIC :
AquaVee Beatnonstop / C:F
Dream Electric- Vibration Institute :
Alfonso Recline Sounds

LAB .02
Raul Campos KCRW
Wolfie- Hipgenesis :
Henry Strange- Fateless Flows
Lyndon Hill Aries Underground
Djun Djun -Pure Tone

OPTICAL LOUNGE
PHOTOGRAPHY : FILM : DIGITAL : MANIPULATED : EXPERIMENTAL
Alyssa Nicol Elias : Anne Hieronymus : Bob Cook : bd Miller : Craig Fritz :
Kitty Clark Fritz : Daisy Rast
David K. Hauver : Flounder Lee : Francis Poland : Greg Cohen : Harry Kao :
Jason Elias : Jim Gentry
Jaimie Trueblood : John Busch : Marianne Williams : Martin J. Waterman :
Ross Johnson : Steve Elkins
Steven Wolkoff : Tim Francis : Vasco Nunes : Walt Jones

INSTALLATION
Franklin Londin

INTERACTIVE LIVE PHOTOGRAPHY
Polite in Public : Michael Rababy

VIDEO PROJECTION
Pascual Sisto : Ross Johnson

JEWELRY
KarmaKulture : Brooke Benson Designs : Yara Afshar

FASHION
F.T.T.K.

CURATED BY Jason Elias PRODUCED BY Michelle Berc MUSIC COORDINATOR
Andrea Giardina


SATURDAY, JULY 28th, 2007 : 7pm - 2am : $15 Admission
Gallery Preview from 4-7pm : $5 suggested donation
1535 Ivar Ave., Hollywood, CA

Bring the Kids during the Gallery Preview from 4-7pm!
The Kids Kreativity Zone will be overflowing with art supplies and is a
Place where youth can dive into their own expression while
parents explore the exhibit. Kids are free before 7 o¹clock.

For more information please visit:
http://www.createfixate.com/nexteventM06.html

Twitter, Twitter everywhere

Although it's been described in many different ways, I like to explain Twitter as a hybrid of one-way Instant Messenging paired with blogging on a small-scale. A user can input info about what s/he is doing at virtually any moment (however inane) provided the user has access to an internet connection or mobile. This message is immediately published and can be accessed in a variety of ways.

The power of Twitter is not in the content itself which can prove to be rather boring (and obnoxious if you're subscribing to many users via mobile). A typical message can be as simple as "eating noodles", "sleeping", or "at a loft party downtown". The power of Twitter is found not granularly within each message but in it's vast assortment - and convenience - of methods used for publishing and receiving messages.

Twitters, blogs, or IM's - whatever you want to call them - are snippets of information kept in snack-sized bits by limiting the content to under 120 words. Messages can be made via mobile, IM, or by publishing from the Twitter website. The can be received via feed, text message, posting to a widget, by visiting the users Twitter webpage, and more.

By being able to know where your friends are and what they are doing at theoretically any moment, an intertwined social web is thus created. This web becomes an extension of one's own personal network. Think of it as your assortment of myspace friends with the switch in the "on" position.

Just as Marshall Mcluhan describes the car as an extension of the foot and the wheel an extension of the hand, so is the social breadth of messenging - taking communication to a whole new level.

For further reading:

-> Clive Thompson on How Twitter Creates a Social Sixth Sense (Wired)

NY77: The Coolest Year in Hell (LA)

Internet radio lives on

Many internet radio stations continue streaming today, despite warnings by the SoundExchange that they will be sued if they cannot pay the new music royalty fee. This fee to be paid by today was imposed upon all stations regardless of size or revenue base, creating concern that this may be the end of internet radio.

Read more: 'Music on Hold'

Court rejects Webcasters' plea for relief - CNet news

Via CNet News, 'A federal appeals court has declined to grant a petition by Webcasters to delay the onset of new royalty fees. In a one-page order, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia said the opponents of the fees "have not satisfied the stringent standards required for a stay pending court review".'

For the entire article including a PDF of the new rules click here

The Decemberists "Los Angeles I'm Yours", Live with the LA Phil

Granted, The Decemberists fall into the category of annoying-indie-band-with-cutsey-name that I love to hate on but for some reason I adore them. And I adore this song.

Phat Kat

One of the most overlooked emcees from Detroit, Phat Kat aka Ronnie Cash was an early collaborator to the legendary Detroit hip-hop producer Jay-Dee. The two collaborated under the name 1st Down until the label folded and the two parted ways. Cash went on to collaborate with Slum Village and reunited with Jay Dee later to release the Undeniable ep. Look out for Phat Kat's solo record on Look Records this year. I've heard a few tracks and can't wait to get my own copy. It has the bangin' electro tinged sound of Detroit hip hop that tells it like it is. Check out Phat Kat's myspace page for a spin.

Columbia Records creates channel on YouTube

Daft Punk debuts "Electroma" in LA Friday night

Daft Punk's Electroma
New Beverly Cinema
7165 Beverly Blvd. at La Brea
Friday June 29 at 11:59pm
Tickets $5 available at the door
Trailer: http://www.daftpunk.com/videos/ELECTROMA-TEASER.mov


today's LA Times feature

Google Earth - Is 'Real Skydiving Better'?

The foundations of Google Earth aose from one man with a mission - to replace many maps with a singular one that pinpoints several locations within one area.

Keyhole, a company partially-funded by the CIA, ran with his idea to develop the technology further. In October of 2004 Keyhole was purchased by Google for an undisclosed amount. Larry and Serge moved the team to Building 45 at Google's HQ in Cupertino and dubbed the genesis of Google's new project Google Earth.

I was amazed to discover how Google Earth obtains data. From what I gather, initial topographical information is gathered by satellites. To flesh out the satellite information, Google Earth depends on locals to submit "layers" containing detailed info about city or neighborhood's streets, points of interest, and more. These layers can be turned on or off within the program.

Besides contributing layers, users are taking the mapping to an entirely new level by creating personalized maps detailing items such as favorite restaurants, walking paths, and favorite places to vacation. Sites like Yelp and Socialight overlap personalized maps with social networking - creating a uniquely new experience.

This social collaboration has extended beyond contributing to where we live and what we know. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has collaborated with Google Earth to display visual evidence of the destruction in Darfur.

Learn more about how Google Earth works here:

http://www.howstuffworks.com/google-earth.htm

Thursday night in LA

The Sounds of Silence

Today, thousands of webcasters across the nation shut down in a 'Day of Silence' to protest the proposed royalty rate increases slated to take effect July 15.

The proposed fee would require every webcaster to pay per song, per listen, per play, in addition to $500 per month per channel that would irrevocably put sites like Pandora out of business.

Radio stations are encouraging everyone to contact their local congressperson and ask them to support the Internet Radio Equality Act if they have not already.

This act eliminates the minimum fee per channel and charges webcasters the same 7.5% of revenue that satellite radio pays.

Today Save Net Radio has exceeded it's bandwidth and switchboards in Congressional offices all over Capitol hill are tied up with listeners phoning in on the issue.

Read more and act now: http://www.savenetradio.org

Music review: the quiet return of 'Client'

Ok, so critics have been bashing Client's new record. I've got to tell you, this may be my favorite record by them yet. A self proclaimed "anonymous" duo, the two girls of Client have added a third member to the group for this record. While they still embrace 'electronic-nouveau' (or whatever you want to call the second wave of mainstream electronic music), Client has developed a mature sound with this record - one that is transcending obscure electronic avant-garde for a sound that is melodically true to form. Check it out on Amazon .

The Post-Privacy Age

'Privacy on the Internet' - the oxymoron of our time.

By revealing personal data online, what kind of risk are we setting ourselves up for?

Ten years ago most of us were hesitant to enter our credit card information online. Today, many are posting intimate details of their everyday life alongside personal editorial - propelling them to the status of semi-celebrity.

Yes, the internet works based on the premise of sharing information with the world. Fringe Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul who as of late has become a superstar in part to his success on the news-ranking site Digg. According to FacebookObama enjoys
'Basketball, writing, loafing w/ kids', and his favorite music is 'Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Johann Sebastian Bach (cello suites), and The Fugees'. Hilary is on MySpace with links to her various sites and Youtube videos of her stance on the issues. Sites like Myspace, Facebook, and Moveable Type allow users to manage privacy by implementing features that allow us to have what they call 'total control'.

But what are the by-products of this sharing of personal information? I've heard of employers who will visit one's Myspace page prior to moving forward with an interview process. Will those photos of you boozing it up with your friends at last winter's trip to Aspen cost you your dream job? It it easier to attract stalkers and what about selling your soul to the marketing devil? Plenty of companies aggregate demographical information and sell it to third party vendors. Are you becoming type-cast in a world that is meant to 'set you free'?
We're all celebrities in post-privacy age

Interactive advertising heats up: for real this time

It's been clear for a few years that "convergence" - the merger of the internet, radio, and television - is quickly becoming the next outlet for media syndication.
Like any industry comprised of several huge conglomerates, the advertising industry has been no slouch to recognize this and make efforts to accommodate change. Although the paradigm shift is already here, brands are slowly inching their dollars away from network television spending and towards the internet. What are the trends in new media advertising, and who will win out?

A few years ago, advertising on the internet meant building a sleek site in flash with marketing ad-ons like wallpaper and buddy icons.

Two years ago, blogs and social networking was king, but no one knew how to leverage it.

Last year, viral marketing was king and this year, we return to what was there all along - the precedent that Google had created years ago with cold, hard, data. Adwords, SEO, and Analytics. Not very sexy, but it's the whole point of advertising on the internet, isn't it?

My prediction is two-fold. The first is that social media sites will quickly replace social networking. A social media site is a social network that is niche-specific and includes content created by the member or user. User generated content (or UGC) is no longer defined by music, movies, and images, but now includes practical information such as reviews, feedback, and rankings. So, when a user does a search for a restaurant review the chance of accidentally stumbling across that review increases, hence traffic is driven to the site. This endemic environment becomes conducive to ad placement and targeted marketing at the 1-to-1 level.

Secondly, we'll see small, well placed and hard working text based adverts. Because ultimately, it's the hard numbers that rule.

Then there is the material that interests me the most and lives outside of the net- installation-based advertising. More on that to come...


Cannes opens door to Internet World, WSJ
Gone in 30 Seconds, Washington Post

Changing Tech keeps Ad Firms Hopping, USA Today

What the World Eats (Time Magazine)

An interesting take of what familes across the globe eat in a weeks time, from Time Magazine .

I pledge allegiance, to technological determinism

An article from the Guardian UK explores how the utopian future that technology promises us 40 years from now is the same set of expectations from 40 years ago. The belief that technology can "transform society" is one that has been perpetrated since the Cold War in an effort to keep control of class and instill notions of anti-communism. So we're never gonna be like the Jetsons?

Music Discovery May be Slacking

Today, internet radio company Slacker announced a $40 million dollar cash infusion in their second round of funding. Last.fm's last round before being purchased by CBS for $280 million was only $5 million. Why the huge difference, and what does that mean for the music discovery race in becoming the next mainstream music player?

Last.fm is a music discovery tool that enables the user to "scrobble" tracks from his or her music library and find related music based on what fellow members are listening to. In addition to the stand-alone scrobbler, the listener can tune in to various radio stations.

Slacker is undoubtedly simpler than the scrobbler technology. Flash based, the radio player is embedded directly within the Slacker website. The player incorporates Pandora-like technology to play music based upon what the user likes and does not like. The problem I see with Slacker is that although there are "indie" stations, they don't leave much room for musical discovery. The company brags about direct partnerships with the majors and therefore exemption from any CRB ruling on internet radio royalities. And that cash infusion? Slacker is developing a WiFi-enabled mobile player for listening on the go. The device to be released later this year will even have a satellite linkup for in the car, fully able to compete with the frankenstein of Sirius/XM.

My problem here is that the long-tail is completely being erased. What happened to indie music re-gaining a voice with technology? How about one of the reasons the industry is sinking - listeners yearning for a way to discover new and/or underground music? If the new music scene truly is a global one these companies need to focus on programming as just as equal as the technology that drives it. I applaud what Slacker is doing - it's about time someone figured out how and where we want to listen. But how about that content? Why not feature music from different parts of the globe, different styles, genres, etc?

If we've learned anything these past few years, the listener prescribes success. Not the dollar signs behind it.

two goings-on early this week

Higher bitrates required for digital music converts?

An article in the New York Times today says that bitrates for music downloads must be significantly higher for listening to music at near-CD quality. Since CD quality does not compare to the rich quality of vinyl, are we degrading the quality of our music files?

I remain optimistic. The process is still sorting itself out. Download speeds are increasingly faster and storage is becoming cheaper and larger. All we need is for some standards to be set. Mp3, WAV, AAC?  We need a hi-res codec to produce a file that is not overwhelmingly large yet still efficient.

Where’s the Other Half of Your Music File? - New York Times

Tennman Records - another imprint of Interscope

Seems like many successful r&b/hip hop artists get rewarded with their own record label these days. Is there some leveraging going on? Are artists given a label so they don't leave their current homestead in pursuit of a better deal?  Maybe it's an added value thing...or maybe I'm simply reading too much into it.

Timberlake Goes Corporate With Own Label

check out Flock

Flock is a new browser that I just discovered that makes it really easy to integrate social networks, blogs, pics, and all that shizz. Check it out.

Bye, Bye EMI

From Digital Media Wire...

EMI Accepts $4.7 Billion Buyout From U.K. Private Equity Firm
Submitted by Mark Hefflinger on May 21, 2007 - 12:22pm.

London - Major record label EMI announced on Monday that it has accepted a buyout offer of about $4.7 billion from British private equity firm Terra Firma.

The company had received a number of other offers, most notably from fellow major label Warner Music Group; other suitors included Cerberus Capital Management, Fortress Investment Group and One Equity Partners.

"Terra Firma's offer is the most attractive proposal received and delivers cash now, without regulatory uncertainty and with the minimum of operational risk to the company," said EMI chairman John Gildersleeve.

"The global music industry is undergoing significant change and, whilst EMI is confident in its ability to deliver its recently announced restructuring plans, significant uncertainty exists as to the timing and extent of future market developments."

The takeover announcement comes as EMI reported a $568 million loss for its fiscal year, as compared with a profit of $170 million in the year prior, and sales of $3.6 billion, down from $4.1 billion last year.

http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2007/05/21/emi-accepts-4-7-billion-buyout-from-u-k-private-equity-firm

The Howling Bells (click for myspace profile)

I found this band through what the record label brass calls hyperdistribution (or, a friend of mine) and can't stop listening to this single. Check out their myspace page for a nice remix by The Presets.

getting sued by the RIAA

Here's an interesting article about a student who got sued by the RIAA. The process is interesting...read it here

Friday Night at the Echoplex

Justice "D.A.N.C.E."

JUSTICE - D.A.N.C.E.
Uploaded by edbangerrecords

Death to the DVD

Today the New York Times covered a product called Vudu that allows users to browse, download, and watch movies in high res from the comfort of your couch/ottoman/vintage-chair-from-copenhagen-
but-we-all-know-it's-really-IKEA.

In an industry of declining movie rentals, the studios are open to making deals and this may mean the end of limited on-demand choices, awkward dinner/movie dates and employment for stoners everywhere. Read the full article here.

So will Apple need to become compatible with other devices, now that a legit competitor is on the loose? Will Apple snap them up (don't you just love the tech industry right now? It's more gossipy than InTouch Magazine) I Digress: The Apple TV.

NYC's Other Music launches digital download store

Here's a good reason to buy full-length records again. Preview the entire track, pay a reasonable price, and discover something delightful!

http://digital.othermusic.com/

Klaxons

Go see this band! I saw them at the Echo tonight and was quite drawn to their energy and talent. They rocked their set without overly compensating for lack of talent with on-stage luster (i.e. Whitey- although maybe I caught them on an off night). Anyways check these guys out. They just signed to Geffen which may explain why Ron Fair was in the audience.

I've been searching for 2nd generation bands to replace three of my favorites from a few years back - !!!, LCD Soundsystem, and the Rapture. The Klaxons and bands like Shout Out Out Out, Black Devil Disco Club and Kubichek! are emerging, replacing the tight punchy sound with something looser. This sound embraces the bonkers new rave mentality with catchy, punky rock and roll. I have a feeling that we're going to hear tight production take a back seat in the upcoming years.

Tonight at the Natural History Museum

APR 06, 2007 - DIVERSITY OF LIFE SERIES, PART 4

FAST FORWARD

5:30pm, TOUR:
Kimball Garrett, NHM Ornithology Collection Manager

6:30pm, DISCUSSION:
Michelle Wyman Pawar, Executive Director of ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability), USA Office
Margaret Wertheim, host and series curator
Hope Schneider, moderator

MUSIC:
PLAID feat. video by Bob Jaroc
THE SUBMARINES
DJ sets by Hoseh and Dntel of dublab

Undoubtedly a controversial topic, but one that the Museum will approach from a special point of view: the ongoing, long-term development of the earth's biodiversity into the future and the very essence of our collective, complex existence, say, by the end of the next century. What is likely to happen here in California and elsewhere, notwithstanding predictions about global climate change, as well as other challenges, which all species will undoubtedly pass through?

for more info
directions and parking

3 great links for Los Angelenos

http://losangeles.ohmyrockness.com/

http://www.artslant.com/la/

http://la.myopenbar.com/

Alexandra Patsavas launches Chop Shop Records

From reuters.com By Brian Garrity

NEW YORK (Billboard) - The woman behind the soundtracks to "The OC" and "Grey's Anatomy" is launching her own label.

Alexandra Patsavas, the influential TV and film music supervisor who has helped put Death Cab for Cutie, Snow Patrol and the Fray on the mainstream map, has inked a deal with Atlantic Records to form a new imprint, Chop Shop Records. The label shares the name of Patsavas' 10-year-old California-based firm, Chop Shop Music Supervision.

Patsavas had been in negotiations with the Warner Music Group unit about creating a label since last year. The subject was first broached in a meeting with Atlantic president Julie Greenwald at the Coachella music festival.

"It's something we came up with together," Patsavas says. "A label seems like a natural extension of what a music supervisor does . . . You can come across things very early, and there have been bands along the way I would have loved to have worked with more closely."

Many basic details of the venture are still being sketched out. Patsavas says she will look to hire a label manager as well as handful of additional talent scouts and assistants to supplement the efforts of her existing Chop Shop music supervision team of three coordinators. But this much is known: It will be headquartered in South Pasadena, Calif., and is expected to handle as many as three acts at the outset.

No signings have been announced yet. Patsavas is aggressively on the hunt for acts. During a recent trip to New York, she attended nine different artist showcases.

She says Chop Shop's direction will bear a strong resemblance to the creative direction she has pursued in her music supervisory role.

continued...

Interesting approach to signing cool bands. So many lesser-known bands get licensed but after the spot airs/movie goes to DVD they drop off the radar. It will be interesting to see how warner markets these acts. They could be great testing ground for new media like virals and user generated content. I just hope the artists are given a square deal.

Q1 choonage

Here's a coupla tunes I've been enjoying over the past few weeks. Newer stuff to come, as I'm just getting the hang of this crazy flash schtuff. Enjoy!

Mumm-Ra "These Things Move in Threes"
Sunshine Underground "Commercial Breakdown"

Jahcoozi "Bln"

Tokyo Police Club "Citzens of Tomorrow"

The Noisettes "Sister Rosetta"

Yppah "In Two, The Weakly"

Albert Hammond Jr. "It's Hard to Live in the City"

EA Games and Nettwerk Team on Record Label Venture

From Digital Media Wire
Submitted by Mark Hefflinger on March 26, 2007 - 1:06pm.

Los Angeles - Video game developer and publisher Electronic Arts announced on Monday that it has partnered with Canadian record label Nettwerk (Barenaked Ladies, Sum 41) on a joint venture label, Artwerk, that will sign and develop new and established artists for physical and digital distribution.

The label's first signing -- producer Junkie XL -- has previously provided tracks for EA games like "Madden NFL 07" and "Need for Speed Carbon."

The companies said they will accept music submissions for consideration by the label from artists worldwide on the EA Trax website.

"For the past five years, EA has been instrumental in breaking new artists, but we have been limited in our ability to grow them. With Artwerk, we can now directly sign, develop and launch artists for publishing, master recordings, sync deals and beyond," said Steve Schnur, worldwide executive of music and marketing at EA.

The Xerox Teens

If you do anything this week to satiate your musical hunger, check out this band called The Xerox Teens on the Big Billy label. These guys are ridiculous rock, punk, drum and bass all rolled into one. They remind me of the spazmatic energy that The Rakes have except way more overdramatic. You can download toons from their website located at http://xeroxteens.com.

Bloc Party live @ SXSW

Simian Mobile Disco "It's the Beat"

Simian Mobile Disco - It's the beat
Uploaded by v2music

Thief on Sonar Kollektiv

This recent release on Jazzanova's label "Sonar Kollektiv" is a beautiful departure from the jazzy avant-garde we're accustomed to, venturing into full-tilt singer songwriter territory. Visit the website below for samples of the record and links to purchase.

From the website:

THIEF is a collaborative project between SASCHA GOTTSCHALK and two members of JAZZANOVA STEFAN LEISERING and AXEL REINEMER (together EXTENDED SPIRIT). So far THIEF is best known for his outstanding contributions to the SECRET-LOVE compilations as conceived by JAZZANOVA and RESOUL (Soultrade Record Store). He has also collaborated with people such as CLARA HILL, ANDRE ZIMMA and AIRMATE. After two singles (SK125 and SK129) the long awaited debut album by THIEF is finally standing on the starting blocks.



more info here: http://www.sonarkollektiv.com/releases/SK135LP/

Egyptian Lover tonight at Turntable Lab!

concert calendar (courtesy of Filter Magazine)

FEBRUARY
2/26 Eastern Conference Champions @ Silverlake Lounge
2/26 Division Day @ Spaceland
2/26 Simon Dawes, Sabrosa Purr @ The Echo
2/27 Foreign Born, The Hectors, Molecules @ Boardner’s
2/27 Mezzanine Owls @ El Cid
2/28 French Kicks, Scissors for Lefty @ Troubadour
2/28 Great Northern @ Little Radio Warehouse

MARCH
3/1 State Radio, New Amsterdams @ Troubadour
3/1 Josh Ritter, The Submarines @ El Rey
3/2 Alexi Murdoch, Midnight Movies @ El Rey
3/2 Clinic, Seawolf @ Troubadour
3/3 Annuals, Aqueduct, Pilot Speed @ Spaceland
3/3 Midlake @ Troubadour
3/3 Moving To France @ The Roxy
3/3 MSTRKFT, John Digweed @ The Vanguard
3/3 Snowden, Malajube @ The Echo
3/3 Weird Science @ El Rey
3/4 The Spinto Band, dios (malos), The Changes @ Troubadour
3/5 Great Northern @ The Viper Room
3/6 Young Knives @ Safari Sam’s
3/6 Expatriate @ Cinespace
3/6 Albert Hammond Jr., Mooney Suzuki @ El Rey
3/7 Young Knives @ Spaceland
3/7-8 Bright Eyes @ El Rey
3/8 Bright Light Fever @ Spaceland
3/8 Spindrift @ The Echo
3/8 Expatriate @ Silverlake Lounge
3/8 Dustin O’Halloran performing live on KCRW @ 11am
3/9 Sebadoh @ Troubadour
3/9 Earlimart @ Getty Center
3/9 Razorlight, Mohair @ El Rey
3/10 Sebadoh @ Spaceland
3/10 Do Make Say Think @ Troubadour
3/10 Menomena @ The Echo
3/11-12 The Mountain Goats @ El Rey
3/11 Viva Voce, The Village Green @ The Echo
3/13 Youth Group @ Spaceland
3/14 Dr. Dog @ Troubadour
3/14 El Perro Del Mar, The One AM Radio @ Hotel Café
3/15 The One AM Radio @ Tangier
3/18 Under Byen, Frida Hyvönen, & Au Revoir Simone @ The Knitting Factory
3/19 The Fratellis @ Troubadour
3/19 The Horrors @ The Echo
3/19 Amy Winehouse @ The Roxy
3/19 The Western States Motel @ The Viper Room
3/19-20 Bloc Party @ The Wiltern
3/19-20 The Feeling @ House of Blues
3/20 The Helio Sequence, Dirty On Purpose @ The Echo
3/20 Amy Winehouse @ Spaceland
3/21 The Electric Soft Parade, Goldrush @ Spaceland
3/21 Sondre Lerche @ El Rey
3/21 Expatriate @ The Gig
3/22 Badly Drawn Boy @ El Rey Theatre
3/23 Let’s Go Sailing, Elvis Perkins @ Largo
3/24 West Indian Girl @ Spaceland
3/24 As Tall As Lions, Cute Is What We Aim For, Circa Survive @ Avalon
3/26 El-P @ Troubadour
3/26 Dustin O’Halloran @ Hotel Café
3/27 Kate Havnevik @ Hotel Café (Record Release)
3/29 Jill Cunniff (Luscious Jackson) @ Hotel Café
3/30-31 TV On The Radio @ Henry Fonda


APRIL
4/2 Ratatat, 120 Days @ Henry Fonda
4/4 Richard Buckner with Six Parts Seven @ The Echo
4/5 Ken Andrews @ Troubadour
4/6 The Thermals @ The Echo
4/6 Richard Swift @ Spaceland
4/7 The Gossip @ Troubadour
4/7 Mew @ Henry Fonda
4/12-13 Ted Leo & The Pharmacists @ El Rey
4/13 Hella @ The Echo
4/14 The Ponys @ The Echo
4/20 Trans Am @ Troubadour
4/21 Art Brut @ Troubadour
4/24 Sean Lennon @ The Roxy
4/25 The Cinematics, Mutemath @ House of Blues
4/30 The Kooks @ Slim’s

When it's snowing....Chin Up!! Chin up.

the girls are back in town

I'm really into the recent DJ set buy the Acid Girls from Costa Mesa. I'm sad that I missed them when they played in Los Angeles and really hope they they drop more remixes soon, if not venture out into the world of original production. Get the Guns 'n' Bombs remix and DJ set here.



I'm also digging Oxy Cottontail , who combines punky disco with simple rhymes a la Fannypack. She's produced by Aaron LaCrate and Low B so you know it's good.

Grammy Roundup: STEVEN COLBERT

LA - Acid Girls at Safari Sams TONIGHT

The Lefsetz Letter

For those who like to follow what's going on in the music "industry" - sales, trends, et cetera, you must read this blog. Bob Lefsetz is an industry veteran who has been publishing his weekly newsletter for over 20 years. Meaning, "I have no clue what he does" (don't you love how informative this blog is??), he is one cranky mother-effer. Please give it a spin. If you're jaded like me, you will love it.

http://www.lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php

Love is All

Because I work on a PC during the day now and a MAC at night (sucky - I'm a devoted mac fan), I've been looking for an instant messenger that works on a PC besides trillian. I downloaded the new AIM 6.0 which comes embedded with interactive features such as video, radio, and add-ons for mobile. I went straight for the embedded XM radio which works like a charm. It's totally seamless, integrating well with the AIM and has had no buffer time in the past 6 hours. So my point is that I stumbled across this adorable little band called Love is All from Sweden. Give them a listen, they're super cute and punky like a looser version of the Noisettes.

http://www.myspace.com/loveisall8
loveisall.se

mumm-ra

Oh no, another super poppy band from the UK - but wait, they rock in a sunshiney and non-threatening sort of way? Check out the videos on the myspace page. Totally too cute to say no.

http://www.mumm-ra.com/
www.myspace.com/mummra

check me out - January 2007 mix (link tbd)

Lou Rawls "Lifetime Monologue"
Charlie Parker and Dizzie Gillespie "Relaxin' at Camarillo"
J-Dilla & Madlib "The Red"
Flevans "Dumb Ballad"
Mumm-Ra "These Things Move in Threes"
The Sunshine Underground "Commercial Breakdown"
The Rapture "Whoo! Alright! Yeah...Uh Huh"
The Noisettes "Sister Rosetta"
Tokyo Police Club "Citizens of Tomorrow"
DeVotchKa "Curse Your Little Heart"
The Good, The Bad, and The Queen "Three Changes"
The Little Ones "Cha Cha Cha"
Albert Hammond Jr. "Hard to Live (in the City)"
The Harlem Shakes "Carpetbaggers"
Yppah "In Two, The Weakly"
Bonobo "Recurring"
Air "Mer du Japon"
Saint Etienne "Through the Winter"
Mates of State "California"
Inara George "Fools in Love"


stream coming soon

Modeselektor DJ set at MIDEM

These guys are incredible. I've been following them for awhile and it's one of those things where the show always makes the final decision on your public stance on whether like them or not.

This was by far the best performance at MIDEM this year. Modeselektor blew out
hi-fi grime/dubstep/dub and some of the deepest bass that was EQ'ed and tweaked beyond belief. Along with freaking dirty ravey electro in front of a huge led screen, everyone was going mad. Keep an eye out for these two.

www.myspace.com/mdslktr
http://www.modeselektor.de/

Coachella lineup announced

MIDEM Day 3

What time is it, you ask?

My watch says 10:45am but my laptop says 1:46am.

Nevermind!

Just look around.

10am – everyone sips espresso.

12pm – the ladies are sipping wine.

4pm – the guys are drinking beer.

6pm – everyone is drinking vodka. Where did it come from??

Has an hour gone by? Just wait for the intercom having to remind people that this is a non-smoking building and you’ll know.

Don’t bother to ask someone if they’re American, you can tell by the following:

1. Tumi business carry-all
2. blasphemously outdated cell phone or Bluetooth headset
3. excessive yak yak yakking or barking into aforementioned headset
4. speed walking

to be continued....

The NRJ Awards

Cannes is abuzz with the MIDEM Music Conference and last night was no exception as the convention center welcomed the NRJ Awards.

Apparently there are a few French celebrities staying in my hotel as papparazi and autograph-seeking fans lined the walkway and jammed the lobby - quite entertaining.

For the full list of winners, go here.

Albert Hammond Jr., Yours To Keep

So The Strokes lead guitarist and frontman has come out with a solo debut. I've always been enamoured by his vocal talent and this record is just amazing. It's lighter than the typical Strokes stuff but isn't a boring exploratory of the inner workings of a pensive musician gone solo. Keep an eye out for this one.

www.myspace.com/alberthammondjr
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Hammond,_Jr.

The Good the Bad and the Queen

The Good, The Bad And The Queen is the new project formed by Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz) and features the legendary Paul Simonon from The Clash on bass, drummer Tony Allen (Fela Kuti) and guitarist Simon Tong (Verve). I'm really digging this record, at first I thought it would be much more uptempo but it's actually not at all.

The guys at NME have this to say:
http://www.nme.com/reviews/the-good-the-bad-and-the-queen/8113

more info:
www.myspace.com/thegoodthebadandthequeen
www.thegoodthebadandthequeen.com

Liberation EP

I highly recommend grabbing this collaboration between the infamous producer Madlib and the amazingly talented (and amazingly well dressed) Talib Kweli - "Liberation". The beats are quality and vocal stylings catchy as all hell. I received it a few days ago and have been listening to it since. http://www.rappcats.com