Let me start by saying that if you are indoors around 12:25am this evening, take a second to tune into The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The Shout Out Louds are scheduled to perform. It seems as though they are still flying below the radar, but they've made appearances on all the big talk shows. It blows me away. Make sure you purchase your tickets to their Mercury Lounge show on August 8th. Sharing the bill is the young chaps known as The Redwalls - think Strokes with more Beatles than Velvets. Prepare for an evening of developing healthy man crushes.

Speaking of buying tickets, there are two amazing shows happening in NYC this weekend that still have available tickets. On Friday you can see The Ponys, Chin Up Chin Up and Be Your Own Pet for a measly 5 bucks! Seriously folks, the last Ponys show at the Knit knocked me out and the last time Chin Up Chin Up played Mercury Lounge, they confirmed my suspicions - they fucking kill. The first comes recommended if you like dirty rock and roll (Television is an easy starting point) and the second is for fans of The National. Be Your Own Pet is the newest southern sensation. Its three southern boys and one hot lead lady playing rapid fire punk rawk. While Sam Champion was in BYOP's hometown of Nashville, we stopped at Grimey's and the super nice clerk let me listen to their singles. They sound like they'll be a good time. Buy your tickets now!

The second show is happening on Saturday night at Mercury Lounge. Sure you might be beat after a long day of drinking in the sun and blowing coke in arcade bathrooms, but you need to rally because Dungen is playing at midnight. Don't give me the excuse that you are seeing him earlier that day. It's not going to fly. This music was built for a small club. It's supposed to engulf you and melt your insides. If anything you should come down to the show and listen to my jackass roommate yell things at the band, (he's notorious for it). Anyway, we're planning (actually, I just decided) we are having a Siren Festival Afterparty / Dungen pre-party at 186 so if you want to join us, buy a damn ticket and get ready to be rocked. Be warned, the band is billed under the name Ta Det Lugnt.

Ok, enough gushing about shows. You can read about the new stuff on other blogs. This blog is all about me. Ok, I'm just kidding, but it's starting to feel like there isn't much for me to write about in terms of music. I know we are in the middle of the summer slump, but I can't help to think my attention span is growing even shorter. Thankfully my killer team of writers comes up with great suggestions. Last night I got some work done, passed out for a bit and then met Christie for a drink at 2A before calling it a night. She got all girl on me for a bit, but every once and awhile its welcomed because my interaction with people is so minimal these days.

My highlight of the evening was when I received a call from Beach asking for some advice. He wondered if it was worth it for him to jump off the RANA boat cruise and into the East River in exchange for Tumbleweed getting a Mohawk. Naturally I said yes, but today I found out Tumblepussy wouldn't go for it. You had a chance to have Beach jump in the fucking East River and you don't take it? You are not men. You are Culkin.

Tonight's Suggestions:
Austin: Ted Nugent @ La Zona Rosa
Chicago: Mixel Pixel @ Bottom Lounge
Los Angeles: Coheed and Cambria @ Spaceland
New York: 5 O'clock Heroes @ Rothko
Portland: Evan Dando @ Crystal Ballroom
San Francisco: Built To Spill @ Slim's