So right now I'm sitting in my office, and I can hear the Save CBGB's event in Washington Square Park. It would be great if I knew the lineup because I've got more work later tonight, but its probably better off. I should spend my between shift hours doing more work. Work Work Work. Hopefully I'll sneak onto the Bouncing Souls boat cruise. If you don't have work this evening and you live in Los Angeles, here is an event for you. The Blood Arm and Innaway rock some house, and its all ages so you can go score yourself a young one who needs a ride home.


Also, I was able to sneak into the King of France at Mercury Lounge for the last few songs of their set including "The Beast". They've added some fancy bass thingy that Matt plays in addition to the keys. They sounded better at Southpaw, but the new edition is certainly welcome. Then Alec CYHSY and the Pelican Brief (did you know Beach wrote this book) played a set of alt-country jams, (began sounding like Dylan meets Neil - ended sounding like Alec CYHSY meets Willie Nelson). I can't do it much justice so check out what Brooklyn Vegan and Yeti Don't Boogie had to say.

Awhile back a friend of mine asked me for my shoe size. She didn't really know what the project entailed, but she said I could probably score a free pair of sneakers out of it. Now, I'm always reluctant to purchase a pair of kicks that aren't Converse Chuck Taylors, but free is free so I gave up my stats. Until yesterday I'd nearly forgotten about the strange request when I received an email about a contact who was ready and willing to run a pair of kicks down to my office. To my surprise the shoes (pictured here) are pretty kick ass. I'm a big fan of skate shoes, but its been ages since my last purchase, (and my last time on a deck). The brand in question is Sneaux Shoes which is a new company backed by the infamous Stevo, (see the crazy bastards spots here). Being the typical skeptic, I threw the Sneaux on before a shift at the Bowery, and though they need some breaking in, they were super comfortable. There is some extra padding by the balls of your feet, and if they claim to be as tough as Stevo makes them out to be, then this company should do well in the skate industry.

Fucking hell. The fog is slowly lifting from the weekend and good news is rolling in for the Loose kids who like bad news. We'll fill you in with our upcoming party details, but for now, take a look at this information snatched up from the always informative bulletin board on Myspace. Speaking of, if you aren't already our friend, do us a favor and join the party. We can be found here: Loose Record.

First is a party from the Folks at Kanine Records:

Tonight Kanine Records Presents:

The Official Screening Party For Mommy and Daddy "Franconia Road" and Mixel Pixel "At The Arcade" debut Videos with a live performance by Mommy and Daddy at 8:00pm along with Dj Paulie(Addvice/Crashin' In) all night long.

Director: Jordo Merz
Video Production: Matt
Photography by: Justin

At: The Cake Shop (152 Ludlow St., NYC)
Tuesday Aug. 30, 2005
7:00pm-10:00pm

FREE PIZZA from Little Frankies, FREE Vitamin Water, and Two for One Beers

For guest list please RSVP to: info@kaninerecords.com

Mommy and Daddy "Duel At Dawn" U.S. debut album out Sept 27, 2005 on Kanine Records and Mixel Pixel "Contact Kid" out now on Kanine Records.

Another party in tonight's mix is The Ad Lib at Rare (info from David):

TONIGHT, TUESDAY the 30th, THE AD LIB Live party returns, this time to the RARE nightclub (formerly The Cooler) on 14th street between 9th and 10th avenues. Doors at 9pm, ($7 cover). Lineup includes:

FRESHKILLS
STYLOFONE
CHEESEBURGER

and...

a VERY special guest headliner-some BUDDIES of ours from KEMADO records.

And finally, Shindig is returning to a new space with a rad lineup:

SHINDIG IS BACK
598 Broadway @ Houston St. 6th Floor.
Wednesday September 7th 2005.

Presented by The Sexy Magazines
Vacancy Records
Josh Barash
and Michael Fujikawa.

OPEN BAR ALL NIGHT LONG!!!!!

THIS IS NUMBER 5!! As many of you know the last Shindig, in March, was shut down by the fire department. After a long hard search for a new place to set up shop we've finally found the right spot. The new place is much larger and should provide for a far better time. The cost remains the same, a modest $10, and it'll still be open bar all night long and you'll still get the great bands and artists. In addition you'll experience great catering from Vinny Vincenz Pizza (1st ave. btw 13th and 14th st in Manhattan) and a host of other great surprises.

Live Music from: The Sexy Magazines, The Natural History, Five O'Clock Heroes & La Laque.
Artwork from: Josh Barash, Felix Olivieri, Ryan Myers, Kim Ibricevic, J.P. Samedi.
DJ: Michael Fujikawa
Photographs to be taken by: TheCobraSnake.com and LastNightsParty.com

Party Party Party.

So I'm a little hurt, but its my own damn fault. Builder and I had coinciding returns to 186 last night. He was dying for a drink so we walked over to 2A where Greg was slinging drinks. The single drink quickly became two. Then Liz and Nick joined us for a couple beverages. Greg was cool with me fucking about on his iPod while I got to know Casey and her friend Janet. Eventually Dr. Rocktagon showed up and it was all over. We were at the bar for a good 4 hours before realizing Monday had snuck up on us. Now I'm in the office, nursing what is left of my Sunday evening hangover while trying to piece together something coherent in regards to a weekend recap.

Friday was a massive blur that began with Jin stopping by to watch the shit show that is Kyle when he has a phone in his hand and MNN on the television. The motherfucker kept calling this program to fuck with Tana and her guest. Shit was piss your pants (twice) kind of funny. Around 9pm Noah, Merrida and stepped over to Angelina for a quick bite to eat and some flirting with my (I wish I was gay) waiter friend. It was great to run into Alistair and Elise who dined a few tables away. Then we moved over to 2A to have a happy birthday drink with Kelley (I hope she is getting through the hurricane with little problem). We rolled deep to the upstairs bar where we bevvied for an hour before Greg, Christie, Matty and I cruised by the Mercury. Oxford Collapse was already a few songs into their set, but we were lucky enough to catch most of it - including a couple of my favorite tracks off the new record. There were some slight technical difficulties on their last song, but I still think they delivered a solid show. They are currently one of my favorite local bands and you should check them out in September during CMJ (Pianos) or when they open for Thunderbirds Are Now! (Mercury).

By the time Wilderness finally took the stage, it was getting late and thoughts of missing Les Savy Fav for the millionth time got me nervous. Wilderness sounded a lot like the recorded material which is probably where they should stop. You hear me guys? No more gigging. You write fucking awesome songs, but your live act doesn't work. It just scared me. The theatrics of the lead singer reminded me of a poor soul begging to be Culkined. By the time they hit their fifth song we couldn't take it anymore so Christie, White Lightening and I shot over to Bowery. Admittedly I remember very little of the Les Savy Fav show. It could have been the tequila or even my need for sleep, but I couldn't hack the show. Jin, DTL, Cara and a few others rocked in impressive fashion, but I couldn't hang so a Belin was pulled.

The next morning I woke up to find Noah on my couch. Tumbleweed joined us as we made our way to Grand Central. We met Beach, Lucy and Daylen by the platform before finding a spot on the train to Mount Kisko. Adam and Jenny's wedding was planned for 5pm, so we had a bit of time to kill. After a stop at the Beach house, we went over to Macchia's to hang out, set up and eventually rock out. Instead of giving the entire rundown, I'm going to post a few pictures with brief stories since my time is very limited. Thanks to Windskill (aka Jon) for passing these pictures along.

This is the bachelor in question. Congratulations to Adam and Jenny. You guys pulled off a great wedding. I'm psyched you asked me to come dj for your family and friends. This picture shows Adam stripping off his pants. He was giving an intro to the couple's wedding song, when out of nowhere, Lucy and Virginia Coalition Culkined him. He spilled beer everywhere so the dropped his pants and did the wedding waltz in his birthday suit.

This is how Oveis showed up. The kid is balls to the wall. I mean who owns a seersucker suit, green suspenders and a rainbow bowtie - well, besides Hawkins?

Noah was clad in this jacket slash bottle of wine combo all night long, (all night). He busted his ass at bartending and then tore the dance floor a new asshole. If it wasn't for Jens amazing moves (new brother-in-law) then Noah would have taken home the gold medal.

This is Tumbleweed and Lucy AKA the drunkest kids at the wedding. They were a fucking all-star team. Lucy spent most of the night jumping around like a monkey or crawling around trying to Culkin. Tumble gets a medal simply for being the one person to puke at the wedding. All around top notch effort.

This is Noah eating my butt. Yes, we were that drunk. Windskill wanted me to pose for a picture so I jumped on a cooler and grabbed my ankles. I had no idea Noah was all nose deep. Genius. This came about 15 minutes after I played "Beat It" the second in about five songs without even noticing.

After the wedding we went to some diner where I hung out of a hatchback and tugged on a gallon of tequila. Good stuff. Following a brief Tango Fry fight, Beach threw me into some bushes and I cracked my kneecap. It was all a plan to fuck up my game for badminton the next day. He destroyed me all day long, but it was still tons of fun. Thanks to the Beach family for putting us up and taking care of us. I've never seen a mom so psyched about Culkins - she also calls me "Chain Boy". God I love mini-vacations.

There is one thing about summer that I'll really miss - besides short skirts and hot dresses - the BBQ's. Last night kicked off with a brief hang with Tropical Storm before we packed it in and rolled out to Carol Gardens. The evening was a farewell celebration for Simon and Scott who are heading onto life in higher education. It was a gathering of old friends. Jeff held the grill down while we funneled beers and passed some bubbley. Karl and Jane Anne returned from their summer in the Northeast and if for only a brief minute, it felt like the good old days. The evening turned to night so I decided to hop a ride with Erin and Sascha who were heading back uptown. After trying to track down some people, I threw in the towel and watched more Arrested Development with Builder and Herman.

This weekend I'll be DJ'ing a buddy's wedding in Bedford, NY so you'll have to get on without me Saturday night. Tonight is a different story. My plan is to bounce around hoping to catch Oxford Collaspe, Wilderness and Les Savy Fav - unless something even crazier comes across my desk. For now, here is my best of the best for the weekend:

** New York **

- Friday: Wilderness w/ Oxford Collapse @ Mercury; Les Savy Fav @ Bowery (Sold Out); Ted Leo @ South Street Seaport.
- Saturday: Levy @ Mercury Lounge; Of Montreal @ Northsix; The Perceptionists @ Southpaw.
- Sunday: Lou Reed @ Joe's Pub; Make Believe @ Northsix.

** Austin **

- Friday: Wrens w/ Jim Yoshii Pile-Up @ Emo's (outside).
- Saturday: Knitters @ The Parish.
- Sunday: Float the River.

** Chicago **

- Friday: Heiroglyphics @ Abbey Pub; DEVO @ House Of Blues; Suicide Machines @ Bottom Lounge.
- Saturday: Puffy AmiYumi @ Vic Theatre.
- Sunday: Head to Wrigley for the Cubs vs. Marlins.

** Los Angeles **

- Friday: Murs @ Knitting Factory (Main); Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings @ The Echo.
- Saturday: Sunset Junction Festival @ 3600 – 4400 Sunset Boulevard, (Foreign Born, Rilo Kiley, The Walkmen, Black Mountain & More).
- Sunday: Desmond Dekker w/ Hepcat @ Hollywood Bowl; Sunset Junction Festival @ 3600 – 4400 Sunset Boulevard, (Gossip, The Weirdos, NY Dolls, The Eagles of Death Metal & More).

** Portland **

- Friday: Shellac @ Berbati's Pan.
- Saturday: (smog) @ Doug Fir Lounge; Rufus Wainwright w/ Ben Folds & Ben Lee @ Roseland Theatre.
- Sunday: Hella @ Holocene.

** San Francisco **

- Friday: Eat burritos in the Mission.
- Saturday: Vinyl @ The Great American; The Matches @ Slim's.
- Sunday: Magik Markers @ Bottom of the Hill; Black Mountain @ The Independent.

Jay's quest for sobriety hit the day two mark yesterday. Yup, I've spent two whole days without any substance touching my body. It would be three if not for Builder holding me down and blowing smoke on me Monday night. Beach and I realized we haven't had a drink since our margaritas at Chili's on Sunday. He might have broke down last night, but I held fast simply because I've physically felt like shit all week. In order to be in top form for Macchia's wedding this weekend, I figured it is best for me to bring it down to a 6 instead of the fully cranked 11. Thankfully the evil demons have been escaping by way of my ass, (as Jin points out on the sly). Anyway, enough about my bowel movements, let's get on to last night.

The evening began with a quick haircut, (want to look sharp for the wedding only later realizing that haircuts make me look 12) before running over to Mo Pitkin's which is a new spot on Avenue A. Desperately in search of a party spot, I went in to speak with the owner who showed me the upstairs’ stage space. It was kind of crazy because Debbie Harry was sound checking. I nearly shit a house. The space is cool, but a bit too clean and swank for the hood. Then I stopped by the Mercury Lounge to say hello to The Big Sleep before cruising down to Parkside Lounge to check out their stage.

Around 8pm Jin, Builder and I took a cruise out to Joe's house on South 2nd Street in the Burg. Their party space is totally raw and awesome. I just wish the roof was accessible for parties. You could throw Siren Fest on that thing. Once we got back to town, Jin and I headed to the Mercury where Stevo waited with margarita in hand. We cruised into the show just in time for a set by The Most Serene Republic. Now I can't completely go apeshit for this band yet, but its very safe to say that last night's show was great. They are a super fun six-piece that includes a lady on guitar and backing vocals as well as a lead singer whose theatrics are hilarious, but his trombone playing takes the cake. We couldn't see much from the back so we snaked our way right up front along with Glenn who was snapping some shots of the photogenic band. I'll agree with Jin in regards to their drummer pounding out some serious beats that complimented the bassist work on his five-string, (but next time dude, put on sock - you aren't Tim Harrington). Anyway, their songs were strong, but I wish they would have let Mark do their sound because some levels felt off and there were times that the lead singer’s voice wasn't audible. They have an innovative dynamic that takes them one step beyond the label of Broken Social Scene Jr. Their songs are extremely upbeat driven which gives them a ska like appearance on the surface, but they intermix a ton of guitar / keyboard interplay along with some male / female vocal harmonizing to full even the most discerning ear. Watch out for these kats in the coming months. You can see them at Bowery opening for Metric on October 5th, (tickets).

Additional Loose Dates:

10.06.05 :: Brooklyn, NY :: Southpaw
10.18.05 :: Chicago, IL :: Empty Bottle

Next on the chop block was The Big Sleep. By the time they were ready to play, I had joined forces with Mike, Mike, Lee, Kyle, Dee, Dan, DTL, Kevin, Beach and Gigs (welcome home!) to enjoy the sonic assault that is The Big Sleep. For a three-piece band they sure make a lot of racket. Unfortunately Danny and Sonja broke my heart earlier in the evening by letting me know they didn't bring any of the finished product with them for me to sample. So it was my mission to pay close attention, but that shit gets difficult when you are head banging around the room flipping out with friends in regards to the amazing songs. This band has so much control its ridiculous. Between the work on the keys, bass, drums and danny's seemingly endless loop on guitar, they manage to create a wall of sound that crumbles at the sound of any heart pounding bridge. For my money they could do away with vocals all together, but it does add a nice layer to their sound. Maybe it’s just my gluttonous want of having them bring the balls the entire 35 minutes. Unfortunately they don't have any shows scheduled, but hopefully we can change that in the very near future.

As I began to fad, Kinski took the stage and cruised through three songs from their new album. Though their sound is very epic and pounding, I couldn't take the heat and had to cruise home to crash. There are still a few tickets available to the Sub Pop night at Bowery Ballroom on the Saturday of CMJ - so don't miss out, (tickets).

Yesterday was very trying on the soul. Today is a new day - wish me luck.

*** Broken Social Scene tour dates thanks to More Cowbell. Expect a NYC date soon, (the easy guess is October 23rd - Bowery and Webster have yet to book talent on that day).

*** Sleepytime Gorilla Museum has finally scheduled a NYC date. They get set to hit the Mercury Lounge on October 16th, (tickets). This band is one crazy bunch of goth metal fuckshow that is sure to be entertaining. They put together some interesting noise.

Like This...Ladies and Gentlemen: Sean Champion.

*** Brooklyn Vegan points out that the tickets to all of the Bowery CMJ Showcases go onsale today at noon on Ticketweb. Don't be a jackass by missing your chance to see Wolf Parade, Fruit Bats, Rogue Wave, Kinski and the Constantines all on one bill.

Also onsale:

- Bouncing Souls @ CBGB's (August 30) (can someone spot me a ticket?)
- Wolf Parade @ Bowery (October 24)
- My Morning Jacket @ Webster (October 18) (the new album is unreal)


*** Mr. Simple Mission dropped his weekly dose of exclusive tracks on my inbox this morning. The suspect in question is the dirty indie rock outfit Blood On The Wall. Elliot informs us that their new record, titled Awesomer, will be released on September 6th by The Social Registry. Now I've never been to vocal about this band, but their self-titled debut LP was one of my favorite records of last year. It still gets regular attention on my iPod. It's like a step-father with his teenage daughter. I can go a couple weeks without checking in, but then I take it out for ice cream and its all butter.

*** The next Motherfucker Party is (surprise) scheduled for September 4th. You can pick up advanced tickets to the party at Ticketweb. Here are all the get-down-and-dirty details:

A Live performance by OUT HUD @ 11:30pm. If you aren't familiar with this AMAZING band, they've played with such acts as ESG, LIQUID LIQUID & LE TIGRE and they share members with !!!

One of our favorites to spin out and to dance to, be sure to get there by 11:30 to see them or earlier to enjoy the OPEN SVEDKA & RED BULL bar from 10-11.

There are 3 rooms of music and 9 DJ's! Michael T., Justine D. & Dave P in the main room! You know what we spin!

Carlos, Phil South, Justin of OUT HUD/!!! & Ron take over the upstairs room of GYPSY TEA with Disco, Classic House and Techno!

In the basement, FITZ and ARTHUR, the legendary TWISTED ONES spin soul, old R&B and Funk to keep you moving!

MOTHERFUCKER always goes til' 5AM so stick it out til' the very end!

You bring the coke! I'll bring the bitches!

*** Jeff Village sent me an email pointing out the fact that the Mercury schedule now lists the Editors show on September 19th as postponed. After a bit of digging, I found out that they were offered a huge TV show appearance in the U.K. that they cannot pass up. Signs of rescheduling look promising. If any news hits me, you'll know first.

*** Would y'all do yourself a favor and head down to the Mercury Lounge tomorrow night for some epic psych-noise rock? One of Loose's favorite local bands - The Big Sleep - is sandwiched between Arts & Crafts' newbie The Most Serene Republic and Sup Pop's Northwest insturmential rock band Kinski. You already heard me profess my love for The Big Sleep. They claim to have a few new songs up their sleaves along with some final recordings so I'm hoping they'll slip me something new as 186 has nearly worn out the three-song demo we scored awhile back. As for Kinski, I scored their record Alpine Static this weekend and it made me a beliver. Click here for samples of the album. I'd strongly advise you to get there early to catch The Most Serene Republic. Loose Writer Jeremy Koren would agree. He gave their July release, Underwater Cinematographer a glowing review. To avoid being shut out of the club; you may want to purchase some advance tickets.

*** Get your fucking skank on! I know Mina and Dan will be pumped for this tour if it reaches the East Coast. The Dangermen aka Madness are doing a few dates on the Left Coast. I recently scored the first disc of the Dangermen Sessions and to be honest - it totally fucking rocks. It is tasty 2nd Wave style ska with some killer covers, (Lola being one of them) and splashes of the traditional Trojan island sound. It will be interesting to see how these shows draw, but if you are looking for a good time - you just found it. Now go dust off your porkpie hat.

Dangermen US 2005 tour:

09.17.05 :: San Bernadino, CA :: KROQ Inland Invasion
09.18.05 :: San Diego, CA :: House Of Blues
09.20.05 :: Los Angeles, CA :: Troubadour
09.21.05 :: San Francisco, :: Bimbo's
09.23.05 :: Portland, OR :: Crystal Ballroom
09.24.05 :: Seattle, WA :: Fenix Underground

*** The same friend of mine who is pimping LEVY recently hit me with another gem, but this one comes from the land down under. The Morning After Girls are a five-piece from Melborne who are sneaking back into the States for the CMJ Festival. The recently signed to Rainbow Quartz and will be playing their showcase at Arlenes Grocery, but don't sweat it if you can't make that show. There are a number of chances to catch them in New York as they plan a little marathon of their own.

09.14 :: NYC :: Secret Show (TBA)
09.15 :: NYC :: Sin-e (KCRW Show)
09.16 :: NYC :: Arlene's Grocery (7pm)
09.16 :: Hoboken, NJ :: Maxwell's
09.17 :: Bklyn, NY :: Warsaw (NY2LON)
09.19 :: NYC :: Pianos
09.21 :: NYC :: Hiro Ballroom (DJ Set)

Get a taste of the girls with these tracks: Hi Skies (Video) and Straight Through You.

*** The Yeti points out that !!! (Chk Chk Chk) tickets for their CMJ show at S.O.B.'s are now onsale. You might as well buy a ticket because you'll already be in that area for the Loose Record party. Our lineup is one step away from being finalized, and if your taste is anywhere near mine - you'll fucking love it. Thankfully our party is early so I can get tanked and then go dance my ass off. Who's coming with me?

Over the summer I purchased an import copy of Art Brut's Bang, Bang, Rock & Roll at Other Music after hearing the single on WOXY. The album instantly found a place in my heavy rotation. Even Mr. Chernin loves the record, and we all know he has a reliable pallet. The band has made heaps of noise across the pond with their epic live shows and karate matches with Bloc Party. New York City finally gets the chance to see Art Brut in action when they invade The Mercury Lounge on Thursday, November 10th. Do y'all remember when Franz played their gig at The Mercury in November of 2003? Well, this show could be of the same historic proportions so make sure you keep an eye on Ticketweb in the coming weeks. It is sure to sellout in a hot second. I'll let you know if any ticket info comes across the Loose News Desk.

SAVE THE DATE:

11.10.05 :: Art Brut :: Mercury Lounge (NYC)

You can learn a lot about your brothers when the door gets locked and there are two naked girls making out in front of you. On Friday we did just that, but it started with some heavy drinking to loosen up the groom.

The night began with a 5pm call time to The Library where I met with some of the work crew from the clubs. We downed four carbombs a piece before returning to our respective offices (read: my apartment) to finish the work day. Around 7pm Noah showed up and we continued the pregame with some Red Stripe, (thank Christ the 10 cases are almost gone). We met Dr. Rocktagon in the Mercury for a quick Tequila shot in honor of Pedro's birthday, (the guy behind the guy). With a hearty buzz worked up, we hopped a cab and cruised downtown to Bubby's for some BBQ.

We arrived to find most of the crew was running late. By the time everyone got the group consisted of the three of us, Justin, Jens, Joe, Action, Jersey Dan, Oveis, Windskill, Rubio Soho and the maid of honor - Mr. Macchia. PBR's were slugged down while we dined on various pig products. Noah and I split some pulled pork platter that knocked my socks off. The best part of the dinner was the blue cheese kettle chips we rocked as an appetizer. Those shits are the business. Around 10pm we settled up and blew the joint.

Joe was kind enough to drive Beach, Noah and I to 186 so we could grab all the booze housed in my fridge. On the way there, Rocktagon and I hung out the window tormenting passersby with the theme song from the Price Is Right. One guy nearly shit his pants. I love being a dick. We picked up Jack and the booze before heading to Williamsburg. We hit Justin's roof for a few drinks before the skank patrol showed up. This was my first NYC home delivery stripper experience and it couldn't have been more hilarious. Now I'm not permitted to discuss what happened once the music started, but rest assured Adam heard the ocean that night. There were also great performances by some other gents, but we don't want to get anyone in trouble. The strippers were like Jekyll and Hyde. One broad was pretty good looking while the other was down right nasty. I pounded my way through the performance with some powerful vodka grapefruits.

Later that evening (following open mic night), I bailed out on the boys with the hope of finding the Dirty On Purpose house party. After wandering around by the water for 45 minutes, it dawned on me that I was standing below the bridge without another soul on the street. This was a good point to call it a night.

Saturday was another shitfest. Matt and I snagged some brunch at Angelina before I broke off to hang at Rocktagon's house with him and Oveis. Halfway through the Yankee game Time Warner had a fit so we cruised down to Standings to finish the job. Jersey Dan and Noah showed up so we decided it was time for our first margarita. We went down to Juanita's for an outside happy hour hang. During our first margarita a fight broke out on Rivington. A couple neighborhood kids were going at it. Things heated up when the numbers grew and one kid began swinging a knife at one of the kids in the initial fight. Then they broke out and the whole sea of people ran up Suffolk Street. The neighborhood is getting crazy!

We continued the evening at 186 where we had a big bro down before heading to the Mercury Lounge to catch Hockey Night's set. By the time I played we were joined by Yaps, Lucy, Tumbleweed, Daylen, George and a couple more kids who rocked the fuck out to the super fun show. Yes, they sound like Pavement. Yes, I love Pavement. Go see them at CMJ, you'll dig it. The night cap came courtesy of 2A, but after a couple drink Oveis and I went home to cuddle.

Note: Jersey Dan and Tumbleweed were both victims in Saturday night Culkins.

Yesterday Beach, Action and I decided to go big. Around 2pm we headed to Jersey City for some Chili's action. We had a delicious meal that did me right for the rest of the day. My evening was spent fighting with Memphis Rub Ribs while doing a pile of Loose Work.

So it just came to my attention that The Editors have confirmed a Mercury Lounge show on September 19th. Its finally time for these press darlings to get their full slice of NYC blogger love. Expect tons of Flicker entries and blog posts. I can't wait to see them even if I haven't heard the whole album.

Speaking of brits... word on the street is there will be a BRUTAL show in November. Two big UK bands making serious waves will crash the shores in the first half of that month. I'll keep you posted on those so don't make the mistake of Moving to LA anytime soon.

After recent conversations with Builder, we've decided to get back to our roots so I've been spending the afternoon putting various albums from my early teen years on the Future, (our music hard drive). This includes - but not limited to - NoFX (The Decline, Shitting Bricks & I Heard They Suck Live), Gorillas Biscuits (Start Today - "Stand Still" makes me want to break shit), Schleprock (America's Dirty Little Secret), Rancid (Let's Go, And Out Come The Wolves), The Impossibles (Self-Titled, Return), Bouncing Souls (The Good The Bad And The Argyle, Maniacal Laughter, The Bad The Worse And The Out of Print), Assorted Jelly Beans (Self-Titled). There have also been some new additions that are blowing my mind: Wilderness (Self-Titled), King of France (Self-Titled), Roy Ayers (Virgin Ubiquity II), Wolf Parade (Apologies to the Queen Mary), Foreign Born (In the Remote Woods), The Cribs (The New Fellas), Madness (Dangermen Sessions I) and the new BRMC. If you want to stop in and pillage the future, you should - its loaded with all sorts of shit.

Oh, The Decline might be the best thing ever.

Thursday's cannot continue in the same fashion of the last few weeks. If they do, I may collapse by the end of year. Well, better now than later, but we'll save emo for another time. Yesterday began with some emailing and then a little business over nachos with my favorite little Hebrew business partner, (not Serkan - he's Italian or something). Then we met Adiera back at 186 for some wine, cheese and my first ever peach experience. Up until yesterday I've been afraid of the round, hairy fruit, but it was time. Around 8:30pm Dr. Rocktagon stopped by with a falafel and a serious buzz. We grabbed a Red Stripe, hopped in a cab and headed out to Southpaw.

Speaking of firsts, last night was my first trip to the Park Slope club. I've never made it out there for a number of reasons, but most importantly its faraway and I don't like going to Brooklyn if it isn't necessary, (sorry Noah). We arrived with enough time for Doug to pour us a tequila shot, say hello to Jen and settle in for a great set by King of France. It was my first live experience with the band since I've received their awesome self-titled, Echo Records debut, (street date is September 27th). To put a magical gem in the doughnut, Matt (from RANA) has recently been added to their lineup on keys - the boy can wail. Their live show has some hilarious elements thanks to the deadpan humor of the front man and the fancy stick work of the drummer. Their songs revolve around melody, but have a sinister vide compliments of the spooky front man who supplies guitar and vocals. They played my two favorite songs - "Moon" and "The Beast" - before the quirky set came to an end.

Tequila flowed like water as we teamed up with Pooja, Emma and Matt for the next band - a two-piece Pittsburgh outfit know as Grand Buffet. Not only are they repping Pennsylvania, but they also have fat beats under some hilarious hip hop stylings. Then between songs its like a fucking Abbott & Costello on mushrooms. They have mad jokes, but it isn't what you'd think. They talk about girls giving birth to cheeseburgers (twice), shrimp and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Drop your plans and check out their 12am set at the Knit tonight. You'll have so much fucking fun. I'd go, but some strippers are going to be shaking their tits in my face at Justin's house.

During changeover our numbers grew as Tugboat and Jersey Dan joined the crew. JD is up for the weekend from the city of brotherly love so come out and show the kid what's up. We popped back into the club for some Magnolia Electric Co. I couldn't concentrate on the music because the lead singer's uni-brow was freaking me out. Eventually Rocktagon was so drunk that he kept shouting at the band so we had to hop a cab back to the city. We got dropped off at Hanger Bar where Natalka was celebrating her 24th birthday. Happy Birthday sweetheart! The drinks came fast and heavy. Builder and Gabe quickly joined the force, but after a final carbomb we had to roll.

My head hurts so much.

Enjoy your weekend! Go see Hockey Night tomorrow at the Mercury Lounge.

When I ran into Tom Yaps (Loose Contributor) on Wednesday night, he just finished up a session at Indie Night School upstairs at Pianos. He was really excited about the evening so I asked him to give a little recap for the blog. I might ask this of various other contributors when I see you out so make sure to hide from me. Here is a barely edited recount of Tom's experience. Watch as he goes to the head of the class:

Indie Night School was fucking rad. Upstairs Piano's was packed, filled with a million skinny white kids with glasses. The line-up of panelists was top-notch with managers of Interpol, Stellastarr*, VHS or Beta, Blonde Redhead, Morningwood, and a bunch more. Tom Sean from the Black Spoons moderated and did a great job keeping the pace moving and encouraging the audience, although his request to turn the AC down was questionable.

The panel, particularly Brandon Schmidt from Interpol, Jonny Kaps from Stellastarr*, and Tom Sarig from Le Tigre did a great job addressing the needs of both bands looking for managers and aspiring managers. The evening was kept very loose and informal, with all the attendees super interested in everything the panel had to say.

One sobering statement was made by Schmidt, who said very firmly, that if you begin seriously managing a band, do not expect to make any money for at least two years, if you're lucky. The entire panel also said that once you begin managing, you have basically adopted 4 or 5 or 8 children. Also addressed were issues such as when is the right time for a band to look for a manager, what are the pros and cons of joining a conglomerate like The Firm Vs a boutique management company, and the conflict of interest issues that arise when your management is also your label.

It was a super informative night and all of the panelists were incredibly gracious and stuck around to speak with audience members individually. The night was sponsored by ASCAP, and before the workshop began, Tom Sean made a great announcement. ASCAP will be sponsoring four more workshops, to be held in NYC over the next 3-4 months. Also, Indie Night School will be going on a 15 city national tour, also sponsored by ASCAP.

Basically, last night was awesome, and if the topic for any future session catches your eye, I strongly encourage you to attend. Although I think they already had their session on hipster douches who give head to Paul Bothe.

Thanks Tom!

I just wanted to give you a friendly reminder that tomorrow (let's say around noonish) we'll be cutting off the contest to win tickets to see Hockey Night w/ Jim Yoshii Pile-up, Hopewell, The High Dials and Syd Matters at the Mercury Lounge on Saturday, August 20th. To enter, send an email to contests (at) looserecord.com with Hockey Night in the subject and your full name in the body. It's that fucking simple. As an added bonus, if the winner finds me at the show, I'll buy you a tequila shot.

Click the contests link (below the feature on the right of this page) to see all the details. Don't forget to enter the Wilderness w/ Oxford Collapse contest. You'll be punching yourself in the groin if you miss that show.

It's a celebration BITCHES!

And my apologies to Joe - who for some reason I've been calling Doug for two days. I need Builder to stop feeding me grass.

Check out this hilarious dude rocking the fuck out to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah at the South Street Seaport gig, (via Cooler).

Also, Noah says I'm late to the game, but this is the first time I've ever seen this site. Its a page that has the origin for a shit load of band names, (thanks to Paul for last night's chobbler and this link).

Stop the fucking bleeding? As Christie and I bounced around the balcony of the Knitting Factory last night, I sent a text message trying to get a Yankees update from Superfan #99. His reply, "They blew it." This is the second night in a row that the Bombers have blown a lead in Tampa Bay. I'm all but ready to throw in the towel, but with this group of kids - and the amount of games left - there is still hope. The bullpen better step the fuck up and start doing their job or I'll switch gears to football. Once I'm there; I'm there for good.

Sports Are Stupid, Right?

Wrong! But I know you aren't hear to read me bitch about matches, games or whatever you kids who don't dig on contest call them. Last night began with a serious work session following a long day at the office. Around 9pm Christie stopped by to drop some gear off for Builder before heading over to Pianos. As we pulled up to the club Joe was skating by so we had a quick chat and got the scoop on this Friday's party at their space in Brooklyn, (look for details later). We cruised inside and ran into the usual suspects - Lee, Elliot and Rosie - who were upstairs catching the latest edition of "Indie Rock School". We saddled up to the bar for a drink where Mr. Yaps popped in to say hello before heading outside for a smoke, (which he lit with his new Loose Record lighter - just ask for one).

Christie and I ducked into the backroom and made our way up front to say hello to Brenda and Helen. The boys took the stage and did some tuning while a hip hop mix that included some Tribe was brought down by the house. It felt like some time had passed since my last Head Set experience, and I haven't seen them since Jordan passed me their new record so there was some excitement brewing. The room seemed to instantly fill as they took the stage and we quickly found ourselves with a Ghory and Yaps in tow. The boys took little time to warm up, and we quickly found ourselves surrounded by rock.

The one thing that really stood out was Mike's drumming. Mike sounded really clean behind the kit and the hits were sharper and his little bit of ghosting went a long way. There were also a couple of fills that sounded really smart on the floor tom. Couple this with Brett's fuzzy (but not fuzzed out) yet funky bass and you get a rhythm section more capable than most. In typical fashion, Elliot was solid as a rock on the guitar. This kid simply gets it done without much flair. Though most of his guitar parts share the same tone, they are a crucial part to this bands dynamic - they sound like the band's defining factor. Rounding out The Head Set is front man extraordinaire Jordan who confidence continues to grow with each show. He adds some sass to the band while texturing each song with a soulful white boy voice that isn't so obnoxious that it only appeals to kids who read Jambase. He stomped around the stage with sass while his greasy (think black haired Cobain) hair flopped around and sat perfectly in front of his eyes when he took to his guitar.

Now I don't want to gush, but more often than not it happens. More than ever, the band is ready to break. They no longer wear the press imposed comparisons - U2, Strokes, Walkmen - on their shoulders. Maybe it was my position in front of the speakers, but The Head Set produce something powerful. They do it without the hang ups - the fashion, the hipster attitude or much of the formulaic rock revival. Take for instance the new song (it was new to me) where Elliot and Jordan gayed it up by sharing a microphone. The track has a distinct Doo Wop feel that had me creaming my jeans for more. For such an unsuspecting bunch, they've written some great material that should draw the attention of a larger audience.

Christie and I said our good byes and quickly exited the club. We picked up a 24oz Coors for the ride down to the Knit. Did you know a 24oz Coors is $2.25! For a fucking can of beer? Where the fuck do we live? You can still find places that only charge you $2 for a 40oz, but since this deli is on Ludlow they can over charge you? I flipped, gave the dude $2 and walked out. We got down to the Knit just in time to grab a beer and get in the back for a set by the cutest fucking two-piece ever - Smoosh. Downstairs was a bit sweaty so we took it to the balcony for a great set by these young girls who have serious chops.

Think back to your younger days. What were your preteen evenings filled with? Nights at the Little League park? Trips to Dairy Queen? Club house hang session? Your nights weren't spent playing to a packed room in New York City's Knitting Factory. Well, for Smoosh its just another day at the office. The girls really surprised me. The last time Whit stepped foot on the East Coast he turned me on to their record, but it quickly got written off as novelty. After seeing them live, I now know its the real deal. They sounded great, but the most intriguing part of the evening was wondering where they would land a few years from now. They might be someone's A&R dream, but hopefully they won't get molded by whatever major decides they are worth their weight in gold. These girls are perfect as is; 'nuff said.

For a more in depth look at Smoosh, check out what Nora had to say in regards to the Spin House performance yesterday. Speaking of, who do I have to blow to get on the invite list for those gigs?

*** Ever wonder what the the writers over at the Village Voice make? Check this leaked letter from senior writer Robert Christgau explaining the upcoming paycuts that will inevitably make the publication struggle. This just goes to show you being a writer doesn't pay, but this isn't news to our staff!

*** Have a listen to yesterday's New Pornographers' studio session at WFMU, (minus Neko) or if you are feeling particularly curious there is some video available.

*** Word around the interweb is that Clap Your Hands Say Yeah will sign to 4AD and eventually tour Japan with The Pixies, (Junkmedia & Brooklyn Vegan). Can anyone confirm or deny this? Does anyone really care?

Seriously folks. I know there are kids (and friends) out there who boot up everyonce and awhile, so please take a minute to read this story Noah tossed me from today's Daily News. Its in reference to the bad heroin being sold around town and more specifically in my neighborhood. People have been found dead at 484 E. Houston, 223 Ave B, 238 E. 7th and Spring Street. Kids are popping off all around us, so please be careful - even if its coke. You never know what that shit is cut with so you better protect yourself. Take Grandmaster's advice and don't do it.

Loose Record has never been bashful about our love for WOXY (dot-com) - the best online radio station and the self-proclaimed "Future of Rock n' Roll". Now is your chance to get some love back from the Cincy based station. They are taking submissions from unsigned artists looking for some solid exposure. Read on for details and tell your friend who is pretending to be your manager to get your pieced together presskit out to Mike, Shiv and the rest of the crew:

ATTENTION ALL UNSIGNED MUSICIANS:

We're debuting a new program soon that will also become our latest podcast, Unsigned@WOXY.COM . As many of you know, we've been the Future Of Rock & Roll since 1983 and during that time, 18 97Xposure competitions sought out the best unsigned talent in our area.

And now - we're gonna start it all over again.

Not a contest, but a showcase for the best unsigned talent...anywhere! Our coverage area has changed but not our desire for discovering new music. It doesn't matter if you're in New York, LA, Cincinnati or London, we want your music. We'll select what we feel is the best of the bunch to spotlight in a regular program Unsigned@WOXY.COM and then we'll turn the show into a podcast that music lovers around the world can download. This is Xposure you don't want to pass up.

IMPORTANT: Click here & read carefully to get started: http://www.woxy.com/unsigned/ (a link on the site will follow shortly)

Good luck!

Mike Taylor / Program Director
Matt Shiv / Music Director
WOXY.COM

*** Did anyone notice that The Go! Team are playing Webster Hall on November 2nd? What this blog presupposes is - maybe we didn't? Hopefully they beefed up their live performance since the last time I saw them.

*** You know this kid is on it which is why I wasn't surprised by the IM received last night instructing me to check out the new Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand tracks on the latest updates at Productshop NYC. Get them quick before the man forces him to take them down.

*** Longwave is bouncing back from their plague of tour date cancelations. They recently scored an opening slot on some Doves dates throughout the country. Check out their new video for "There's A Fire" (Real / Windows Media / Quicktime) along with the newly scheduled Doves dates.

09.12.05 :: Boston, MA :: Avalon
09.17.05 :: Baltimore, MD :: Sonar
09.19.05 :: Carrboro, NC :: Cat's Cradle
09.20.05 :: Atlanta, GA :: Roxy Theatre
09.22.05 :: New Orleans, LA :: TwiRoPa
09.23.05 :: Houston, TX :: Meridian
09.24.05 :: Dallas, TX :: Gypsy Tea Room

*** Nouvelle Vague is heading back to the U.S. to make you swoon. Check out the French kids who are bringing back the Nova:

09.10.05 :: New York, NY :: Joe's Pub
09.11.05 :: Philly, PA :: World Cafe
09.12.05 :: Boston, MA :: Paradise
09.13.05 :: New York, NY :: Joe's Pub
09.14.05 :: New York, NY :: Canal Room
09.17.05 :: Chicago, IL :: Schuba's
09.18.05 :: Chicago, IL :: Hothouse
09.20.05 :: Seattle, WA :: Chop Suey
09.22.05 :: Portland, OR :: Holocene
09.24.05 :: San Francisco, CA :: Bimbo's
09.25.05 :: Los Angeles, CA :: Hollywood Bowl (w/ Dead Can Dance)
09.27.05 :: San Diego, CA :: The Casbah

*** Sufjan Stevens Symphony Space show gets properly announced (and brought to my attention thanks to Manic Mess). Click here to purchase tickets.

*** Finally, check out this FREE event for this Wednesday in New York. Don't forget to RSVP if it tickles your fancy:

This weekend was totally random, but in the end it had tons of bright spots. Friday night was frustrating. After a stop by Tumbleweed and Matt's new apartment, I returned home to catch some sleep, but ended up indulging in the Arrested Development marathon. Then a series of plans began to fall through. First I was supposed to hit up a Brooklyn roof party with Mike, Sarah and Rebecca, but the heat prevented our trip. Then I met with Christie and Sam to hit up some open bar party on 37th Street, but there ended up being a cover that was too pricey for me. Sam and I bailed out and parted ways on 14th Street. Around 11pm I stopped into Rivington Bar to have a couple drinks with Dan, Fabian, Dave, Leclare, Erin and Leah. By 12am Johnny had joined us and we managed to clean the bar out of PBR.

We hopped a cab down to the Knitting Factory to catch a hip hop show featuring DJ A-Trak and The Roll Deep Crew. We ran into Rory and Ryan who joined us for tequila shots at the front bar before sliding into the sweaty backroom for a set by A-Trak. He was definitely the highlight of my evening if only because I couldn't understand a word coming from the mouths of the four-piece Roll Deep Crew. I understand that my ear can't really pick up anything in terms of a live grime show, but good god damn it sounded like a jumbled mess of incomprehensible weed references.

We bounced after half of their set and returned to the East Side where we met up with the kids for some karaoke. If you haven't been to the spot on Third Avenue and Fifth Street, you should give it a try. We had a huge room all to ourselves. There was a lot of bouncing around on the couch, throwing beer cans at the TV screen and various table dancing vocal solos. It takes a heavy level of intoxication to get me to grab a microphone, so Saturday night I must have been drunk because I was singing a lot of backup. On our way out, I managed to pop into various rooms and tried to sing some tunes with randoms. Let's just say it didn't work out. We closed the night in Beach's backyard finishing off what was left of the karaoke joint's BYOB.

Sidenote: Word up to my little sister who turned 20 on Friday. I can't believe the girl is already 20!

Saturday was a shotgun from the second I sat up in bed. There were a few messages on my phone from Dr. Roctagon who had procured a couple tickets to the 1pm game at Yankee Stadium. I threw on some clothes and hustled to Union Square where we proceeded to touch every Green Line Train in an effort to quickly get to the Bronx. We arrived at the top of the second inning. Moose managed to pitch a gem as we watched from a pair of killer seats about 30 rows behind the dugout. It was such a hot day, but thankfully we were in the shade and the beer guys cruised by in heavy rotation. The game was outstanding despite Mariano blowing a save; Bernie Baseball came back with a walk-off homerun in the bottom of the 11th. We left happy and buzzed.

We got back downtown as some rain started to fall so we stopped by One and One to have a pint with Stevo. Once the rain subsided we walked to Juanita's to have margaritas and grub with Noah, Lucy, Tumbleweed and Matt. This is where my day goes overboard. Three margaritas and a tequila shot later, and I was two sheets on a three sheet sliding scale. After a quick stop at Tumbleweed and Matt's house, Beach and I ran over to Sarah's house to wish her a happy birthday. We bailed out at some point, and proceeded to pop into various Broadway establishments to howl the Price Is Right theme song to for their patrons. Beach also informed me that I told and old lady to eat a dick, but he might be making that up.

Sunday was one big hang with Christie and I catching lunch at Mary Ann's before heading back to Beach's for some margarita's and the PGA Championship. The evening ended with the boys of 186 hanging out and watching some Family Guy. It was a bit uneventful, but still a ton of fun.

Is there anything going on tonight? Someone should make plans for me as its looking to be a slow evening.

My second home is beginning to confuse me. While sitting on the couch playing with the new Loose Record / WOXY lighters (ask me for one - I'll pass it on), I couldn't figure out what the hell happened on Tuesday evening. Maybe this is due to the fact that I've spent five nights in a row checking out some new stuff at Mercury Lounge. You all know about the exploits with Shout Out Louds and Five