Let me first give some day late Happy Birthday wishes to my older sister Rachel who turned something like 43 yesterday. Actually its more like 26, but you didn't know this because Rachel keeps a much lower profile in New York. She hasn't come up to rock out as much as the little sister, (who is actually heading to Manhattan today). Anyway, much love to the older sister. Keep up the hard work and have a killer birthday weekend. The blog post was half homage to her and half how I'm feeling right now. Her favorite dwarf is Dopey and I'll be damned if I'm not a cranky son-of-a-bitch this morning.

Did you see Last Night's Party's pictures of the Spin anniversary party yet? So many familiar faces. So many tities. So many fame hungry hipsters. There is even a picture of one of the owners in the mix. Spot Elliot, Sarah, that girl that comes to ever show, Seven, Sunshine (who spun to a room of loaders), Karibomb, Megan, Andrew Andrew, Lady Sov, Mommy & Daddy, that door bitch from MisShapes, Mark Spitz, Sia, Juliet Licks, Flava Flav and a bunch of tits. Pretty hilarious stuff.

When I got home last night my progressive boredom had my extremely tired ass playing around on the interweb. While checking yesterday's blog post to see if there were any hateful comments - there are always so many - I clicked through the LCD Soundsystem page hoping to find out that the new "Tribulations" single had some rare b-side I'd never heard. No dice there. Instead the disc, 7-inch and 12-inch all contained remixes of the track. I'll probably end up purchasing the 12-inch because of my personal obsession, but it will just get shelved with the hopes of showing it to one of my nephews so they think I'm cool 20 years from now. Anyway, in the video section, the "Tribulations" video is posted (among others) and its actually super fresh. Check it out. Great concept, awesome song and one man who I constantly causes me to stain my jeans. Another great clip is the "Disco Infiltrator" video that showcases a day in the life of LCD Soundsystem. It shows the entire day for the band from when they wake up, through a Bowery Ballroom gig, it's subsequent after party and them bedding back down. Solid Gold.

** Tribulations (Quicktime)
** Disco Infiltrator (Quicktime)

Here is another quick notice that might help your Friday afternoon slide by that much quicker. The Mobuis Band is playing a Live Lounge Act Session at WOXY this afternoon. Check them out when they hit the airwaves around 3:30pm. Loose has been a big fan of this group for quite some time, and we think it's only fair you give them your attention, (at least for a modest four-song set).

So this evening is the last night of four straight shows at Webster Hall. Last night we had Aqualung and The Perishers in the house. It was a super smooth night, but I'm super beat today. Thankfully Aqualung made it all worthwhile by closing their set with a rousing rendition of Queen's "Somebody to Love" which might be one of my all time favorite songs. Following the shift I hopped a cab to Ace Bar where Howerton and Builder were dutifully playing Buck Hunter. Sky and Beach eventually joined us for a couple drinks, but after much talk of face beatings, I had to call it quits and return to my beloved 186. Last night's surprise guest was Keats and Chris from my old days at Flavorpill. Keats and I got a solid chance to catch up which was great because he was one of my solids in the office. Hopefully we can get rowdy at the Halloween party.

Everybody loves the Yankees! Much like Mr. Shop, my weekend will revolve around one thing - baseball. The Yankees take a one game lead into Fenway park where they will battle the Red Sucks for the AL East Division crown and a spot in the post season. It's likely that both teams could make it depending on how Cleveland plays over the weekend, but the mission is simple. Win two of three and the Yankees are in. Tonight we have Wang faces off against Wells. If the Yankees only squeeze one win in beantown then the two teams will head to the Bronx for a tie-breaker. If the Yankees get swept, then the season will be over and I'll be drunk at my Interpol shift. Go Yanks!

Parties are such a pain in my ass. It now seems like I work production for more parties than I attend. It's the curse of always wanting to party. At some point you have to pick up the reigns and do it yourself. Last night was a bit of an exception as SPIN invaded our home turf aka Webster Hall. Upon my entry to the club, the evening looked to be a logistical nightmare, but to be honest it went really smoothly which freed me up to take care of much cooler tasks than ripping tickets, giving smoking stamps and breaking the hearts of those left off the guest list. In fact, last night I was a multi-tasking motherfucker so I want to shoot a quick apology to all the friends who I only saw in passing. If I looked rushed, I was. It seemed like I was always on my way to do something, but hence the nature of the beast and 17 hour work days. I work hard for da money.

The highlight of my evening came when the entire LCD Soundsystem showed up about a half hour before their set. I got to meet one of my favorite artists, meaning James Murphy, and show one of my favorite bands around the club. My coworkers made fun of me because they knew it was such a huge deal for me and I rarely get star struck, but when you are talking Murphy, my eyes light up. I also got to bring Death Cab up from their van to the dressing room, but to be honest, I don't know any of their music nor do I desire to hear it. Ben Gibbard rocks that's for sure. My affinity for the man can be proven by the worn nature of my Postal Service disc.

Anyway, thanks to the party I now have a bunch of hair care products I probably won't use, but I also scored some CD's (thanx Nado!) and a couple magazines that have been placed in the 186 library (read: bathroom). Now let me discuss my other three highlights of the evening.

The first involves my friend Kevin who always had a beer in his hand which helped him grow increasingly funnier as the night progressed. At one point I ran into him on the bathroom steps. He just finished shoving something in his mouth and proceeded to tell me about the hidden green room, (the basement bar). He told me how he tripped into this velvet curtain and on the other side was a room of free booze and food. He said he asked the guy behind the catering table if he could grub and the gentleman simply replied, "Go Nuts". So Kevin did. He told me he destroyed so much food. A couple hours later I ran into him again and he was stuffing Nutter Butters in his grill. He was an all star.

The second involves Flava Flav and his flare. He has gone so far as to put one of his own alarm clocks that features a plastic Flava Flav with his signature clock on a chain and around his neck. It was beautiful. On another Public Enemy tip, during my brief conversation with Chuck D, I thanked him for registering me to vote in 2004 and he thought that was hilarious.

My favorite part of the evening was the LCD Soundsystem set. I went into the shift figuring I wouldn't have the chance to see the show. That wasn't the case. I managed to see most of the set that started with my second favorite song "Losing My Edge" and included some favorites like "Daft Punk", "Tribulations" and a 10 minute long jam of "Yeah". By the time they played "Yeah" I had snuck into the bird's nest aka the sound booth thanks to Mark. I jammed front and center while twitching and singing along to my jam. I smiled with delight when I glanced at the sound guy's set list that had my number one tune "Beat Connection" bringing up the rear. Unfortunately they got a little long winded on the "Yeah" outro and Murphy decided to call an audible. He called out there last song as they ripped into "Movement" which wasn't even on the list. A bit of a disappointment, but much more memorable than my last LCD Webster Hall experience where Greg bought me so many tequila shots that I lost both my mind and my born again virginity.

As Murphy walked off stage he said, "Happy 20th Birthday Spin. You Look Great!"

One big blast from the past note: Jon Watts was trolling around the venue with his new people from Atlantic and the DCFC camp. Congrats to Jon on wrapping the video for "Soul Meets Body". It was nice to share a drink with the busy man.

Over the past couple weeks, the new Strokes single, "Juicebox" leaked all over the internet. While it took a couple of paper towel rolls to cleanup the mess (those fuckers stained my new white shag), I'm leaning toward the impressed side of the spectrum for the new jam. If you haven't heard it yet, take a second to pop by their website to hear the beast before I take a minute to spill my opinion all over your new sweater. Just enter the site, click on news and it should be the first entry. Everyone do it together. Ready... One... Two... Three...

Did you listen yet?

What do you think?

I'm not writing about it until you listen?

Do it.

Ok, ok, I'm sorry.

At first listen, "Juicebox" is bit different than what we've grown accustomed to hearing from the post-post modern golden boys, (if Bea Arthur was a Stroke she would be Nikolai). The track begins with this menacing bass line that reminds me music from The Munsters where the gang of social misfits are cruising down some spooky road in their black whip with Uncle Fester rocking comfortably from shotgun, (thanks to the comment who pointed out that Fester is with the Adams Family camp - my B). It almost makes me think there are some horns on the horizon, but instead some feedback ushers in the first hook followed closely by Julian's first verse in which he calls for "some action". The versus were sung very quickly in that patented Casablancas razor sharp drawl (read: Lou Reed), but the choruses are backed by some increased passion. I don't quite know which city Casablancas wants to burn, but it sounds like his threat should be taken seriously. Then the song jumps into some harmonizing before a brief guitar solo that seems like a premature bridge if only it didn't show up again later in the song which means it was part of a chorus built around two very different parts. They bust through another brief versus before addressing this two part chorus for the second time only this time they take ride the sweet riffing all the way to end of the track.

By the time it dies off I'm left with the feeling that this is vintage Strokes and no matter how much they try, their sound has been carved out before they even pick up a peering knife. It's a good thing too because I fucking love both of their records and can't wait for the third.

"Juice Box": Quicktime (Hi / Lo); Real Audio (Hi / Lo); Get Window From Their Site.

Most of you could give a shit when it comes to sports, but for me, contest is near the top of the food chain. Last night Beach and I met with the hopes of grubbing at 1 and 1 while watching the Yankee game. Unfortunately they were on rain delay so we decided to stop into Boca Chica for some of their delicious Coconut Shrimp. The meal was laced with indie rock conversation while the desert drinks at 2A were graced by all things football, (both professional and college). Why can't there be more kids out there who love sports as much as they dig on the rock? Thankfully I'm surrounded by a few like Builder, Beach, Yaps, Matty G. and even Dana (who can hang in both venues). Its funny to see how the world's are colliding. The networks continue to license songs from Franz, Arcade Fire, The Killers and so on. So let's just embrace the fusion of the two best things ever, (after make out parties). We finished the evening back at 186 where Kyle was trying to watch the Dylan movie, but quickly buckled for the Monday Night Football. Last night was just what I needed prior to a week of Webster shows that will keep me cranky, sleep deprived and rich, (bitches)!

Oh I had a point - the Jets are in need of a quarterback. Pennington is out. Fiedler is more than likely done. Who will step up? They signed Vinny Testaverde (again) much to my dismay. I don't think the guy is a good decision maker, he hangs on to the ball to long, he is immobile and his only positive attribute is his cannon arm. We should have just resurrected Boomer from the pregame show.

Words From The Street.

** Today The Crimea are playing a Live Lounge Act Session on WOXY. The band hits somewhere around 4pm, but they typically run late in the studio. Their new record Tragedy Rocks has a terrible name, but the songs are quite good. They lyrics can be a bit tongue and cheek at times, but they certainly add a little fun to the material.

** Central Jeff points out that tickets for Wolf Parade's Northsix show (October 25) are currently on sale and you should snatch them up quick after Pitchfork rated Apologies To The Queen Mary 9.2 and the fact that their Bowery show is now sold out.

** Jerry Don't Dance points out that tickets for Art Brut's Mercury Lounge show (November 10) are currently on sale. This is another hot ticket since their record is fucking fantastic and they publicly fight with Bloc Party.

** I just got passed the latest e-card by The Magic Numbers that has both audio and video samplings by comfortably chubby four-piece. If you don't remember, The Magic Numbers is the group who refused to take the stage at Top Of The Pops after some unwelcome comments in regards to their portly nature. They are running a contest to win copies of their new record and some NYC concert tickets. It's all the fun of the lottery without the horrible wallet killing addiction.

** Finally, the good people at V2 remind us that the White Stripes concert will be aired this evening on NPR.

Hear the rock duo The White Stripes in a live, audio webcast from the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD tonight (September 27). The full concert will stream on NPR.org along with opening acts M. Ward and The Shins. It's the latest in NPR Music's live concert series from All Songs Considered.

Webcast Schedule
7:00 p.m. ET - M. Ward
8:00 p.m. ET - The Shins
9:10 p.m. ET - The White Stripes
All Times Approximate

First person to guess which show this TV dad was on wins a chance to play quarterback for the new your Jets! Just Vin Baby! And all guesses of "Paul Bothe" will automatically be disqualified because Paul will probably die well before he hits this age.

Tonight there are a couple options for getting down. The first is a benefit for the Hurricane Katrina Victims at Rothko. Now I'm all for hitting up this event, but I'd like to ask Crackers United what their beef if with The Mercury Lounge. The end of the URL for the above flyer pulled from their site reads "CU_Benefit_Flyer_mercury_sucks.jpg". Why all the animosity? Is there a story behind this semi-tech nerd bashing? Anyway, check out the show tonight as its only $10 and features the following line-up:

Nicole Atkins & The Sea (12AM)
Other Passengers (11PM)
THE DIGGS (10PM)
The Go-Station (9:15 PM)
The Upwelling (8:15 PM)

DJ Nora K (i rock i roll) spins between bands

Some of you might be more inclined to head down to the Knitting Factory to support some friends and family who are playing a big show. Tonight is the first time Trick and The Heartstrings take over as headlining band at The Knitting Factory. You can read Jin's Loose Preview for the show, but rest assured this will be a great show. Dennis and the boys of Saints + Lovers play early so get down to the club with plenty of time to spare. Sandwiched between Trick and Saints is The Head Set who continue to impress me with each passing show. For the love of rock, get down to this show.

Here is one of my favorite Head Set tracks "Way Past Used": Windows Media / Real Audio

Weekends like the one I just lived through should be reserved for your late teen years. Once they pass you need to understand that two days of straight boozing and partying won't make your Monday's very easy. Sure, I sound like a douchebag, but if your body was full of the trembling feeling of impending doom you might rethink the previous actions that ushered you to this state. This uneasiness could be due to the five short hours of sleep I snuck last night, but pointing fingers won't help anyone. To be honest, it was a killer weekend full of rock and good people.

Friday started with a serious hang in the neighborhood. Noah and Dan were the first kids to arrival at my apartment and they were quickly followed by Jin, Gabe and Builder. Around 7:30pm we took the short trip to Juanita's where we met Tumbleweed, Lucy, Dana and Beach for some dinner. Kids continued to pile into the back bar area and by the show time we had Jack, Sean, Matt, Greg, Lance and a few others slugging pints of margarita in preparation for the big night.

Ok, so let me introduce you to one of those shitty blogger moments. I just finished this blog update at my coworker's desk while filling in for another sick coworker. It is no apparent that blogger didn't save the last five paragraphs I wrote, and I'll be damned if they are going to be regurgitated. So here, in bullet form, is the rest of my weekend:

** Saw The Octagon, The Big Sleep, Spinto Band and Sam Champion play at the Sold Out Mercury Lounge. I drank too much. Thanks to everyone who came out to support the bands.

** DJ'd at the Hanger Bar with help from Josh. Can't remember anything I played, but it was a good time. Sorry about the beer mix up. Thanks to everyone who came out to support Loose.

** Skated around the East Village Saturday morning. Hung at the Mud Truck with Kyle. Had breakfast with Sam and Kristen. Laid in the park with Julia.

** Watched Notre rebound from last week's OT loss by beating the Huskies. My favorite Irish friend joined me for the clubbing.

** Christie, Dee, Kyle, Matt and I watched the Family Guy movie before heading to Northsix to see The Ponys.

** Taking the bus to Williamsburg with a take out margarita is a brilliant idea.

** The Vietnam has one song I like and they played it early so we bailed from the show room.

** The Ponys killed, but they need to learn how to play "Get Black" and "Make You A Star". I'm in love with all of them.

** Ace Bar and 2A are bad ideas when you are already shitfaced.

** Doing drugs on the street is a terrible idea.

** Why do the Jets suck so hard? You're breaking my heart. Thankfully, Noah, Sean, Matt and Dana were there so I had to hold back the tears.

** We watched the Family Guy movie again because it was hilarious.

** Stoney Bologna should stay off the pizza - enough said.

Who's There?Fuck You!
Don't forget to come to the Mercury Lounge this evening to see Sam Champion, The Spinto Band, The Big Sleep and The Octagon. Then join Loose Record at the Hanger Bar for the official after party featuring Noah Champion and J Good Times (thats me) playing our favorite mixtapes while you drink FREE Red Stripe from 2am until its gone. Remember two things: drink responsibly and tip your bartenders.

I just wanted to take a quick second to point you to a weekly column I'm contributing to WOXY's site. It's called the Weekender and its purpose is to steer you in the right direction, (read: help get you shittarded and rock out).

Last night was a decently busy evening off. It began with Lucy stopping by the house so we could run over some tasks for her to do as the new Loose intern. After she peaced out, I met Builder on the street, and we proceeded to hit up Juanita's for some drinks and grub with Jamie who we are hoping to collaborate with on some upcoming projects. Eventually Dana met us there before we headed back to 186 for a Bweiser. We tried to take in the Second Dan show at Mercury, but it was running nearly a half hour behind so we decided to pull the plug on the evening. I continued my evening by lying in bed with a Bweiser in one hand while the other hand filled out surveys on Myspace. I'm a fucking waste. Since there isn't much to talk about, here is an email warning I received from Stevo's coworker's mom:

I do not know if the following is true, but it is scary and I wanted all to be careful (my brother relayed this to me) September 23rd and September 24th are National Blood (the gang) initiation day. On these days, you will see a car driving with its lights out. DO NOT GIVE THEM A COURTESY FLASH. They want you to flash them, they will follow you and kill everyone in the car, this is their initiation into the gang.

As I stated, I do not know if this is true or not, but I thought that it was worth sharing. I am sending this to all the females in the office, if you wish to share with the males, please pass it on.

This was immediately followed up by an infamous Paul Bothe email:

As co-leader of the Eastern Kenosha Branch of the Bloods, I would like to say that this so-called "initiation rumor" is nothing more than a myth. The stigma of gang violence, drugs, and crime is in our past. We now focus on community service, compassion, prayer, and education for our youth. The new Bloods are ready to strengthen family bonds, community activism, and set our children on a path of righteousness, love, and community.

We are, however presenting a new charity this coming weekend whereby, we may flash our headlights to raise awareness for Hurricane Rita... for everyone who flashes us back, $1 will be donated to The Bloods' Hurricane Relief Fund.

Please pass this on to all family members and co-workers.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Your Brother in Christ's Name,

P-Murder to the Motherfuckin Bizzle
Co-leader Eastern Kenosha Bloods (Local # 187)

What a sadistic little fuck. Thank god he has no balls so his seed can't be passed down. Did I miss Evil Jesus day?

The image and the style that we're used to. Are than any DJ Shadow fans out there? If you remotely enjoy his beats, then you must must must check out this link One Louder posted today. In the words of Gwen, this shit is banannas. Seriously. It's a group of students called The Shadow Percussion Project who play tracks from the phenomenal record Endtroducing. Don't sit on this one. Stop whatever it is you're doing and check them out here:

The Best Thing I've Seen All Week, (give it some time to load).

Hi Bitches! So I'm hoping ya'll know what to do on Friday meaning stop by the Mercury for the big show then come by Hanger Bar to hear me spin The Cribs over and over. Friday isn't this weekend's only night of rock. On Saturday (post Chilis, post Notre Dame) there is a great show in the depths of Hoboken. Actually, I don't know if there is such a thing, but get on the path and find out. Dirty On Purpose will be kicking some ass at Maxwell's with The Trembling Blue Stars. Here are the details:

Saturday, September 24
@ Maxwell's / 10 p.m. / $10
The email promises new songs (ask for "Car No Driver")

Post Sunday football the Shout crew has put together another bitching party featuring a FREE set by the Living Things. From what I'm told this will be their last NYC show for a bit because the three Berlin brothers are punking out and moving to Los Angeles, (I'm considering a move to LA). You might have a good idea why after you see the video for their latest single "Bom Bom Bom", (Windows Media: Hi / Lo; Real: Hi / Lo). Its a psychedelic good time. They came highly recommended by my CMJ cohort Hilary who caught them at the Fader space. To put some gem in the doughnut, they are opening for The Greenhornes who kick so much ass. Here are the details:

Shout! @ Bar 13
35 E 13th St (and University)
10:30pm
Living Things w/ The Greenhornes
NO COVER / 21+

Don't forget the Ponys are playing two shows this weekend: Saturday at Northsix and Sunday at Magnetic Fields. If you are in the LES on Sunday stop by the Hanger Bar (217 East 3rd) to celebrate their first year of operation. Natalka and Betsy will be your hostess’s extraordinaire. Go support an quickly growing institution that helps support even the cheapest drunk!

Today one of my co-workers is out sick so instead of holing up in my office during my lunch break, I have to spend it covering the fort for another co-worker. This means I'm going to miss The National's Live Lounge Act session on WOXY. Hopefully you tuned in for the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah set yesterday which was great even if they didn't play "Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth" or whatever its called. Both bands played the Southgate house last night and you can expect a review from Mandy - our lady in the Queen City. Anyway, The National hit at 1pm and will play the typical four song set split by an interview. Tune in and enjoy.

Also, I enjoyed Jerry Yeti's tale of getting his Insound Cribs trading card signed. It reminded me of the good old days of waiting in lines to have cock knockers like Louis Lips sign football cards. I'd also like to say in my defense that I was singing along like a 14 year old Jewish girl at a Guster concert.

So maybe you were one of the few hundred kids who dutifully waited outside of the Mercury Lounge last Friday praying to the god of indie rock (read: Malkmus) that someone might roll up to you and hand you a ticket to see Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Well, I'm fairly certain that didn't happen which means you probably missed an hour or more of good rocking just standing around whiffing the stench of day old brats (I guess its hotdogs) from Katz's Deli, (might actually be a good thing). Today is your chance to catch them live when they play a WOXY Lounge Session at 3:30pm this afternoon before heading to the Historic Southgate House for their show with The National.

Additionally, if some reason (you had David Bowie's dick in your mouth) you missed our party last Friday at the Tribeca Rock Club (Voxtrot, Chin Up Chin Up, dios (malos), The Cribs), you've been given the chance to hear it live courtesy of WOXY on Thursday, September 22nd at 4pm. Tune in and support independent radio.

Its time form me to air some grievances. Number one on this morning's list of bitch-worthy items is that douche bag "genius" Anton Newcombe. If you read this blog, you know the gentleman in question. Newcombe is the force behind Brian Jonestown Massacre. By now anyone with a DVD player can attempt to understand the madness that clouds the reality of this prolific songwriter. I write the last part of that sentence with the utmost sincerity. Newcombe is a fantastically talented musician. He was blessed with a gift most of us can only dream of. He understands the structure, composition and recording of music more than the average bear. His creative flow is rarely stifled, and yet Newcombe can barely function as a human being. Maybe it has something to do with his refusal to take medication; a fact learned from Dig that may no longer be valid. But I'm not buying it. He is like one of those kids in high school whose girlfriend claims he is so smart, but he doesn't want to try. FUCK YOU THEN. Get off your ass and give it your all. If you want to start a revolution, quit being a goddamn pussy and do it.

My contempt for Newcombe stems from the two reports I've received in regards to his shows in New York. The first came orally from a Bowery coworker who claimed he was a mess. Ok, his equipment got stolen; I'll give him that handicap. Any dickless prick that took a quick score and subsequently ruined an artist's life should be more than ashamed of themselves, but we live in a dog-eat-dog world. The fact remains that Newcombe played to nearly 600 people on Sunday night, and they all got what they came for - the patented Brian Jonestown Massacre meltdown. Newcombe was drunk, bitchy and out of control. He fought with the band, the crowd and went as far to berate the entire audience, (yes, the people who bought tickets). The second report comes via Brooklyn Vegan who attended last night's acoustic set at Pianos. Once again Newcombe, who - by the looks of it - carried his drunken binge straight through Tuesday, broke down and criticized everyone from the staff to the opening band. When you look up "jackass central" in the dictionary, there should be a picture of this dickbag hugging the margins.

My point is, what kind of legacy do you hope to leave? I've resigned to the notion that my mark will go unnoticed, but it won't tarnish me or those I held close. As for Newcombe, he systematically pulls down anyone near him (no matter what the arm length) and uses them until they disappear from his life. He's one of those cats who is destined to die alone in a shower at a truck stop in southern Illinois. Music enthusiasts will remember him for his amazing ability while the general public - if they caught wind of him - will chalk him up to another less glamorous Courtney Love. Maybe one day he'll make it to the big time and Leno can kill jokes about him at 12:40am on any given weeknight. If that's what he's shooting for, then Newcombe should keep it up. He's so close to making it.

Another thing that bother's me about the whole Brian Jonestown Massacre shitshow is the so-called fans. Do you really buy tickets to hear the music? I've never been one to keep a close eye on the BJM, but I own a couple albums and have a few favorite jams. This much I'm willing to admit, but I refuse to go to a show because of the guaranteed waste of money. Don't get me wrong; spectacle is great, but the line has to be drawn somewhere - otherwise you are just a redneck. Think of it in terms of sport or contest. For years sports fans clutched to the four basic food groups: Baseball, Football, Basketball and Hockey, (though who gives a shit about the latter anymore). Now we have to sit through NASCAR updates on SportsCenter because Middle America wastes all their time watching a cars go around in a circle with the hope that one will crash, (or like this weekend a driver will get out of his car, run on the track and throw his helmet at another driver). If only we could convince these cut-off wearing, rubber-neck fucktards to turn off the television we could go back to the glory days. This goes for BJM. If we just ignore it, Newcombe might continue to make music, but without support he'll slip off into bargain bins around the country. Don't give this guy the credit his music deserves until he starts to treat his fans with the ounce of respect that is long overdue.

If you want to do the public a favor - the same public in which your hard working, money wasting fan base reside - do us all a favor. Seek help or pull a Kurt Kobain. It might be harsh words, but in all seriousness someone as self-centers and self-righteous as Anton Newcombe makes me puke in my mouth.

(Second picture courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan)

We finally got all the details nailed down for this Friday's Sam Champion party fiesta. The good people at Red Stripe donated some beer in the name of a good party and we'll be giving them away at the Hanger Bar from 2am until they are gone, (and you can bet they will go quickly). Please make sure you tip your bartender. Otherwise Noah and I will play so much Sade (not pronounced shade) that it will make you puke.

:: The Schedule ::
:: The Jam - TV Fever ::
:: The Video - TV Fever ::
:: FREE Tickets & Album ::

So this information has been around for the past couple days, but it just became official. The Spin 20th Anniversary Party tickets go onsale tomorrow at 12noon.

We had a huge crew rocking out at Bowery for Wolf Parade. If by chance you know or saw this gentleman, then you know why he had seven stitches sewn into his cheek on Sunday. Poor guy!

After a couple of years of floundering about during CMJ, I felt like this year it was time to take it back to the days crazy scheduling and head spinning runs through town. Thankfully Hilary was so down for what would prove to be four days of over stimulation. Since I'm still on the fence in regards to whether or not the Marathon will receive Feature treatment, I decided to informally recap with a set of haiku's, (at Noah's suggestion). If you are looking for full on reports you should check out Brooklyn Vegan, Central Village or Yeti Don't Dance since they were the ships we passed the most. There are no regrets from this weekend. If they could all be this killer my life would end a lot quicker. Can anyone make this happen?

Also, a big thank you goes out to all my old friends, new friends, fellow writers, fellow rock lovers and of course - the strangers, who made it out to the Loose / WOXY show at Tribeca Rock Club. It was an early show, but the room felt full for each band. Good looks to all who helped out and made it a success. The production was smooth, the bands were amazing and the crowd was full of familiar faces who dug on the rock. Thanks again - and don't forget there is another Loose Event this weekend.

Wednesday:

Sam Champion @ Virgin Megastore
Party Gets Started
Celebrate Record Release
Only Played Five Songs

King of France @ Bowery
People Take Notice
They Continue To Impress
Matt Is So Damn Good

The Lashes @ Mercury
Fashionista Flare
It Sounds Like High School Music
Way To Hip For Me

LEVY @ Arlene's Grocery
Believe What You Read
They Will Probably Make It
This Band Is Awesome

The Cribs @ Bowery
This Was My Round One
Beer Chugging Guitar Work
Can't Wait For Round Two

Holy Fuck w/ Beans @ Bowery
Chk Chk Chk Junior
Drunken Rhythmic Riot Gear
Could Have Gone Bean-Less

Man Man @ Rothko
Group Of Sweaty Boys
Sounds Like A Demented Fair
Quite Interesting

Devendra Banhart @ Bowery
Showed Up On Last Song
Devendra Looks Like Jesus
Give Me Tequila

Big Boi @ Knitting Factory
Our Extra Innings
My Tired Drunk Ass Bailed Out
Told They Played "Hey Ya"

Thursday:

Wolfmother @ Fader Space
Personal Highlight
Aussie Sabbath Wannabes
Blew My Fucking Mind

Aesop Rock @ Webster
More Work And Less Pay
Lady Sov Is So Damn Cute
Jay-Z Didn't Show

Gang of Four @ Hard Rock Café
"Return The Gift" Rocked
Harrington Front And Center
Free Tequila Dream

Grand Buffet @ Knitting Factory
They Had Six Minutes
To Prove That Nobody Does
Juice Like Jamba Juice

Of Montreal @ Knitting Factory
Freshman Festival
The Crowd Went Completely Nuts
Allie Made Carbombs

Friday:

Voxtrot @ Tribeca Rock Club
A Bunch Of Sweethearts
Got The Party Started Right
Austin Breeds The Best

Chin Up Chin Up @ Tribeca Rock Club
I'm A Longtime Fan
Can't Wait For A New Record
Please Give Them A Shot

dios (malos) @ Tribeca Rock Club
Set Was Way To Short
But They Did Play Starting Five
The Most Reserved Group

The Cribs @ Tribeca Rock Club
The Cherry On Top
Of My Afternoon Sundae
Rocked Out Something Fierce

Vaz @ DOP Loft
Brooklyn Loft Parties
Always Have Super Loud Bands
No Exception Here

Dirty On Purpose @ DOP Loft
The Perfect Setting
For Good Friends And Solid Rock
DOP Brought It

CocoRosie @ S.O.B.'s
Sneaking In Is Rad
S.O.B.'s Was A Sweat Box
This Band Is So Hot

Supersystem @ S.O.B.'s
Don't Remember It
I Was Fisting Some Champagne
Girls On My Shoulders

!!! (Chk Chk Chk) @ S.O.B.'s
Set Up Took Too Long
I Missed My Favorite Songs
A Belin Was Pulled

Saturday:

Voxtrot @ Rothko
Cheap Margaritas
Indie At It's Catchiest
Once Wasn't Enough

Boy Kill Boy @ Fader Space
Caught A Couple Songs
Somewhat Uninspired Set
Nothing Like Free Sparks

Foreign Born @ Cake Shop
Walked In At The End
Still Impressed By The Last Song
Where Is The AC

Soft @ Fader Space
Cheeky Bunch Of Lads
Wish They Hailed From The UK
Settle For Brooklyn

We Are Scientists @ Fader Space
This Was My First Time
Herky-Jerky Rock Done Well
They Will Be Massive

Apollo Sunshine @ Cake Shop
Seen It All Before
Never Get Tired Of Them
Big Time Jam Session

The Joggers @ Cake Shop
They Had Some Tough Luck
Technical Difficulty
Managed To Fight It

David Dondero @ Knitting Factory
I Had No Idea
But His Set Was Fantastic
Drink Tickets Kill Me

Chin Up Chin Up @ Mercury
Played All The Best Jams
Polished Chicago Pop Rock
Keep An Ear On Them

Dirty On Purpose @ Mercury
Always Support Friends
They Opened With "Monument"
Saw Two Songs And Bounced

Wolf Parade @ Bowery
I Could Barely Stand
But Still Managed To Rock Out
As Good As It Gets

Thank god that's over with. Who wants to cuddle?

This is just a (not-so) healthy reminder that Sam Champion is playing a set at the Virgin Megastore this afternoon. They will be followed by The Giraffes which should make for an interesting one-two punch. This is all part of their rockstar day that began with a gig at the Sony offices this morning followed by a panel at CMJ and ending with this nice little cherry.

Sam Champion w/ The Giraffes
@ Virgin Megastore (14th & Bway)
Today (September 14th)!
FREE / All Ages / 4pm

Check out this demo version of Wolf Parade's "Modern World" that landed in the inbox thanks to Elliot of Simple Mission fame.

Last night served as a proper warm up to the next few days that should prove to be absolutely crazy. It all started with some post work additional cleaning to the amazing job Grace did on our apartment. Kyle somehow has a connection to a nice lady who comes in and cleans our place before our company arrives. It’s a luxury I don't mind paying for ever so often. After a brief visit from Xtina, I headed to Key Food's so there would be some munchies in the house, (rolling out the red carpet). Upon my return, Builder and I ate dinner and talked some shop before going to our respective parties.

Around 9pm I stepped into the Mercury Lounge and was immediately welcomed by Beach, Shannon, Lucy and Tumbleweed. We picked up some drinks and made our way to the back corner for a set by SOUNDteam, (I haven't been able to pick out the proper way to type their name. It's listed so many different ways, but last year I worked merch at one of their Bowery shows and can remember it looking like this).

My first impression was SOUNDteam sounded like the Walkmen if they'd picked up Brit Daniels off of free agency and traded Hamilton back to The Recoys, (for a Hugh to be named later). This was a definite plus because I'm a huge fan of both Spoon and The Walkmen. It also makes sense because SOUNDteam has a direct link to each band; they are from Austin along with Brit and they are now under the same management that helped jumpstart The Walkmen's career, (at Big Hassle). The beautiful part about this whole connection was the six-piece's ability to rise above it and stand beyond these obvious check points.

Visually speaking, SOUNDteam are a somewhat shaggy bunch of college types. They have an even ratio of T's to collars, but each guy recalls a friend you may have shared notes with during your years in higher education. One of the guitar players even looked like Oveis with a porn star moustache and a Texas kissed tan. Sonically speaking, they produce sophisticated pop so layered one might get lost in the sound. The band features the standard trio of guitar-drums-bass, but they also add a lead singer who splits time on a piano and guitar along with another keyboardist and a moog player. Their songs are anchored by at drummer who's fondness for the overused Neo-Brooklyn 4-on-the-floor beats actually keep the songs light and bouncy while Bill, the artsy bass player (they said he stitched up their t-shirts), climbed up and down the neck of his guitar playing lines that felt rooted in early funk.

Halfway through the set, their piano fell off its stand and subsequently knocked a few of their songs off the set list. It didn't matter much to me as this was the first time I'd heard most of their material. The songs were so dynamic that each member seemingly followed their own groove, but each track was grounded by a different musician. I'd highly recommend you getting to the Arcade Fire show early (you'll need to anyway) on Thursday because SOUNDteam is definitely worth your time.

We milled about in front of the club for a few minutes before heading over to Scenic with the hope of catching the tail end of King of France's set. We were way late as The High Strung neared completion. There were a pile of kids out front so we stood around talking to the like of Durant, Brett, Zach, Rosie, Donnovan and Xtina before stepping into the club. We were under the impression that Robbers on High Street was up next, but that wasn't the case. Mark, who looked awfully sharp, told me it was a displaced, New Orleans singer/songwriter who moved to the city on Monday. She sounded good, but that’s not my bag so I broke out in the direction of Tonic.

I ran into Dave and his friend (name I can't piece together) around the corner from the club. This reminds me, Dave IM'd me a joke yesterday. Sure its sensitive material, but its a dig on Bush so enjoy:

Q: What is President Bush's stance on Roe V. Wade?
A: He doesn't care how people get out of New Orleans.

Speaking of Katrina, the three of us stepped into Tonic for Brooklyn Vegan's BMJ. A portion of the proceeds were donated to the hurricane relief so I had no problem paying the cover charge. We'd just missed Doveman's set which was a bummer because I'd like to see why they had a bunch of lamps on stage. After a beer and some hello's to Jeff Village among others, we did catch a short set by Aziz Ansari who had a couple solid jokes about Kanye West (not as topical as you would think), Googling himself and trying to turn back the clock so he could fuck with cops in Chinatown. At the close of his set, he introduced the Minneapolis based five-piece (plus a Bob Ross style interpretive painter?) Cloud Cult.

Now I'm not to savvy or keen on the whole MP3 thing so this was my first time hearing the band. The first song was an acoustic jam featuring the lead singer and the cellist (??? - didn't see what she was playing). The song was endearing, but not what I was looking for on a sleepy Tuesday night. Fortunately they stepped up their game on the second track with some sparse, hollowed out drum sounds and fuzzy yet danceable bass lines. They managed to keep the pace for the next few songs, but I had to bail out to make sure Hilary wasn't waiting outside my door.

Builder and I spent the next hour watching whatever was on FOX. He eventually crashed and somewhere around 1:30am Hilary showed up. Her flight from Chicago was on time, but the damn airport shuttle kept fucking her over. We got her settled, went over today's CMJ plans and eventually crashed out.

This was only the being. If you don't get regular updates the next couple days, don't fret - I'll return to form next week.

FREE Pre-Show Coctail Hour!

Tuesday, September 13th 6:00PM - 7:30PM
Seize sur Vingt
243 Elizabeth Street
RSVP: store@16sur20.com

Today is a momentous occassion for many reasons. One being its the day I lost my virginity - ok, maybe not, but I wanted to make it personalized. You could say today's accomplishments are a bit personal in that my good friends of Sam Champion are celebrating the release of their debut LP, Slow Rewind (Razor and Tie). The album was recorded a long time ago, but they sat on it after signing to the label. It's finally here for everyone to enjoy, (purchase from their website to get free schwag). To celebrate this release, Loose Record and WOXY are presenting the Album Release Party at the Mercury Lounge on Friday, September 23rd. Check out the Loose Contest page for information on how you can win a pair of tickets to the show. Additionally, stop by the Virgin Megastore tomorrow (September 14th) for a 4pm set by the band.

Today's Specials.

If you thought tonight might be a good night to take in a movie or catch some sleep before the CMJ Marathon blows through town - you thought wrong. Hopefully you got some extra zZz's last night because the shit is definitely hitting all sorts of fans this evening. Here is a list of tonight's menu:

1. Brooklyn Vegan is hosting BMJ at Tonic featuring Dave Deporis, Aziz (stand up), Doveman, Aziz (more stand up) & Cloud Cult. A portion of the ticket sales will be donated to When the Saints Go Marching In - benefitting the Katrina Relief - so stop in to support the cause and the man who continues to be one step ahead of the hustling New Yorkers, (Tickets).

2. There is a Pre-CMJ spectacular rocking at Pianos tonight. Daylen is producing this event and told me its a benefit for something, but there isn't any information on the web sites so I can't confirm it. Anyway, the show will feature sets by HOLY FUCK, Dub Trio, Services, Gil Mantera's Party Dream, Anamnesis & Braille, (Tickets).

3. Not to be lost in the CMJ shuffle is tonight's 9pm set by the Sound Team at Mercury Lounge. They are one of those band's you are sure to hear from in the coming year so be one of those people who can stick their nose in the air and say you saw them with 100 other indietards.

This weekend was a bit more productive than I've seen over the past month or so, but it still isn't anywhere near what I need to accomplish. This could be due to one thing - football. Yes, we are approaching sweater weather which means two things: 1. The BHC will soon be roaming a street near you (we are taking submissions for new members until October 1st), 2. Football season is full on. It couldn't have come sooner. The only problem I see is that Webster has a couple Sunday shows on the horizon that could seriously fuck up my game. Here's to hoping the Jets play early as much as possible.

The weekend started with me doing some writing before Mia came by to hang for a few. We cruised over to Juanita's for a margarita and some chips before we were joined by Nate Dog and Sean Bones. Mia peaced out, and we hit the street in search of cheap beer. We found Noah and Merrida who were on their way to meet up so we took the party to 186 for a bro' down with beers and some tunes. During the hang, Nate introduced us to Wolfmother which is this super heavy, Aussie trio that sounds like Black Sabbath if Jack White would have grown up with Ozzy. We grew to a six-piece when Nate's buddy Will (???) cruised through. By 9:30pm Noah wouldn't shut up about getting down to the Bowery so we bailed.

Noah and I headed to the Bowery to catch Clap Your Hands Say Yeah who opened for The National. We popped in the upstairs and found the whole crew was ready to get down. CYHSY took the stage and blew through a couple tunes that seemed somewhat uninspired, but still sounded fantastic. By the time they got to The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth, Noah and I had snaked our way to the front of the room and rocked out something fierce. They followed with Satan which quickly sold me on the band. Sure, I've seen them a few times. I've read all the hype. I even purchased the record at Etherea, but I'd never completely bet the farm. On Friday night, in the words of Stevie Wonder, the paper work was signed, sealed and delivered. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - I'm yours. They held that stage with so much confidence without being cocky while the crowd ate from the palm of Alec's little hand.

The back corner hang continued to grow after CYHSY finished. We had a number of folks including Lucy, Tumble, Gigs, Bucket, Beach, Leif Erickson, Kelley, Sarah, Daylen, Doug, John and a few more I'm failing to rep. The Culkin report is as follows: Bucket went down, but I don't know who the actors were. There was an attempt on Noah that was quickly foiled followed by the dumping of a whiskey on Lucy's head.


The National took the stage somewhere around 11:30pm and impressed me with their range. My only complaint was the howling of lead singer, Matt Berninger, which registered at ear bleeding sound levels. The room had lost about 30 people, but there will still a number of dedicated National fans pledging their allegiance to the lush, bass heavy sound. They played most of my favorites from Alligator including "Secret Meeting", "Looking for Astronauts" and a balls out rendition of "Lit Up". I can only hope this kind of thing doesn't happen throughout the tour, (via Central Village).

After the show Noah and I hit the street to pass out flyers to the couple of Loose Events we have on the horizon. Dana popped out to help a bit, and was hilarious. She is what we might call the aggressive type when it comes to promotion. A few minutes after the place cleared out, I pulled another fantastic Belin.

Cheer, cheer for Old Notre Dame
Wake up the echoes cheering her name,
Send the volley cheer on high,
Shake down the thunder from the sky,
What though the odds be great or small
Old Notre Dame will win over all,
While her loyal sons are marching
Onward to Victory.

All Hail Charlie Weis! Yup, this was the rally cry on Saturday. My morning started with brunch at Angelina with Dana and Sylvia. We hustled through our delicious meals because Notre Dame played Michigan at noon. The game was unreal. I caught the first half with Dana and the second half with Matt and Noah. The team is really looking strong, but I know you don't care so I won't break it down. Following the game, Kyle, Noah, Matt and I grabbed some To-Go margaritas and made our way to Washington Square Park for some rock.

I'm not quite certain how they pulled it off, but RANA scored a perm