But last night wasn't one of them. After a slightly crazy work day due to me trying to tie up loose ends before leaving the world of Academic Administration, I returned home and settled into a night of work with Law & Order as background music. Until 10pm I sat all cozy like on the couch with a computer in my lap. Then the evening pulled a 180. Shannon called and said she was on her way to Stanton Social to meet some folks. I snapped into action and by 10:30pm Warren handed me the first of many margaritas. Smitty, Emily, Nic(holas), Enzo, Sam, Shannon and I got comfortable by the bar while drinking away the collective case of the Monday's. Once Tuesday unfairly ushered itself in, I was lit up and decided to stop the bleeding. I stumbled home and continued to email well into the night. I think it's a sickness.

Album Issues ::

The first issue is with Wolfmother. Since last week's Mercury Lounge show, Kyle and I had a few conversations in regards to their sound. We can agree that the voice behind the band rips straight from the Bible of Ozzy, but at the same time, the sound is a welcomed rehash. Over some burritos at Juanita's, Kyle told me about a Black Sabbath album that was required listening for any Wolfmother fan. Now I have to be honest; during my impressionable years my mom fed me a steady diet of The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath. Think of these as the basic food groups. The only Sabbath record we really rocked was Paranoid. Yes, it's a classic and I hold it near and dear, but as I developed my own taste I tried to stay away from what my parents rocked which means I also turned my back on Motown. Anyway, on Sunday, Kyle totally destroyed my previous notion of Sabbath when he played me Vol. 4. Holy shit - that record is like sex. Though the record finds it root in the sound that brought Black Sabbath fame, they manage to branch out a bit and drop some psychedelic on your ass. It also sounds like the band spent some time with the Detroit sound that hit full stride around the time of recording. Bottom line remains: call your best drug dealer, buy a pile of grass, lock yourself in a room and blare this record at unsafe volumes. If "Supernaut" doesn't blow you mind, then we just shouldn't be friends.

Issue numero two comes at the hand of Dana's latest love child - Tapes 'n Tapes. Now everyone in the blog community already shit various houses about this band, and if it hasn't been very clear, I didn't really give a shit. Sure, they have a couple great songs. Yes, they seem to be very nice gentlemen. This coupled with the massive support of various tastemakers has proven enough to put them on the map. Now their debut full-length, The Loon has gone through the Pitchfork test and came out with a score of 8.3. Now I'll give PFM credit for dropping the Wire influence on us, but I can't get behind this album and it's for the same reason they love it. All these loose ends bother me. It feels rushed or incomplete. Now someone who knows the history of the band could tell you better, but for me it sounds like four guys came together and slapped together a shoebox full of ideas. I'm not looking for a concept record, but a record that makes sense as whole body of work. When they finally produce that, I might jump on the train, but for now I'll just keep using my 8-Track.

My third issue comes at the hands of Two Gallants. Now I love this band and have since the first time I laid ears on them. I've got no time to dive into this issue, but on their new album What the Toll Tells one question seems to pop up; do you have a problem with brevity? I think it was Jerry who first brought this up, and after giving the record a couple listens - I have to agree.

Bowery Presents at Webster Hall announced two very awesome shows today. Check this shit out and don't sleep on buying tickets. Also, don't be stupid and buy from scalpers. The dudes on that block sell bogus tickets and the club doesn't honor shit fakes.

Two Very Special Nights With:
THE FLAMING LIPS
(with Pink Mountaintops)
March 31 (Fri) & April 1 (Sat) / 6:30pm doors
$35 advance - $40 day of show / 18+
***ON SALE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1 @ NOON***

RICHARD ASHCROFT
March 29 (Wed) / 8pm doors
$22 advance - $25 day of show / 18+
***ON SALE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1 @ NOON***

Going into the weekend, I had the grand idea that one night would be devoted to catching up on some personal work, but the idea never made it off the cutting room floor. Friday began when Noah stopped into 186 to sit around and listen to some records before our 7:30pm call. When the time arrived, we walked over to 2A where Donovan tended bar. The two of us populated an empty booth until Beach, Gigs, Christie and Merida joined the crew. Maggie joined us for a drink as she waited for Christina to show up. Around 8:30pm we hit the streets and eventually settled on El Nuevo Amanecer for some tip-top Mexican food. There are a lot of kids upset with the closing of Juanita's - totally justified by the $3 margaritas - but this Essex street joint will certainly step up and fill the shoes of our favorite bought-out establishment. Apparently Juanita's will be an Aussie inspired Fish and Chips restaurant. Here's to hoping it still rocks.

After dinner we hustled down to Bowery, but only managed to catch the last Blood on the Wall song. It didn't leave any impression on me so I just got set for my first live Yeah Yeah Yeah's experience. Wait, what's that? Yup, I've never managed to see Karen O roll around the stage in a leotard prior to this weekend. I've been a fan since the Self-Title EP came out in 2001, but for one reason or another; I always seemed to miss their shows. Does this destroy the last thread of indie cred on my finely knit sweater? Yeah, you're right - I could give a shit. Unfortunately, the reports were correct, and the set ended up being an 80%-20% ratio of new to old tunes.

(Photo from Brooklyn Vegan) Don't get me wrong, the new tunes were good, but I wanted to hear Fever To Tell from start to finish, (though I didn't expect to). The crowd lacked much excitement, but maybe they were just mesmerized by the half-retarded love child of Yoko Ono and Ziggy Stardust who pranced around the stage in a get-up that was stolen from the Norwegian ice dancers in Torino. Yes, Karen O is quite captivating despite her ability to sing. She has voice that is perfect for the style they've grown to embody. By the time they came back for an encore that included Maps and Date With The Night the back corner was out of control. So much tequila and so little memory. It's what I always expected from a Yeah Yeah Yeah's show. Tons of bloggers chimed in on the YYY's weekend:

** Brooklyn Vegan
** Yeti Don't Dance
** Modern Age
** Stereogum's Armit

Also, a note to all the bitchy folks crying about security not allowing people to shoot the band. From working at a club, I know this is not to be blamed on the staff, but rather the band. The security staff merely enforces the request of the band and their management. It was probably a "No Pro" show which is why they had to dish out some hell. Just because you have a digi-cam doesn't mean a band wants you to use it.

Saturday was a bit of a wash. After a meeting got canceled, I just sat in Kyle's room listening to records and updating my iPod. Around 4pm I cruised over to Dr. Rancheros to watch some college basketball before work. Later that evening I walked up to Webster to help set up the Stars show. For some reason Noah and I acted a bit on the crazy side the entire shift. Thankfully the show went smoothly and by 10:30pm I was back at my house trying to rally.

Somewhere before the witching hour I caught my second wind, bundled up and headed to Park Slope where Andrew, Noah and Ryan had a throw down for the Sam Champion kids who are heading on tour tomorrow with Apollo Sunshine and The Slip. When I arrived the party was a bit dead, but by 1am the place was jammed full of awesome kids. It was a good mix of new and old friends, but by the time I was clad with a bottle of tequila - it was time to go home. The night ended with a search for pizza in the frozen tundra.

Yesterday was such a toss up. The whole day was wasted on the couch until Dee, Kyle and I decided margaritas were a good way to face the evening. We hit up Juanita's to continue our self-denied alcoholism. God bless tequila.

At this time last week, I was finally in receipt of the upcoming Voxtrot EP Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives thanks to my good pal James who manages the band. After a single listen it's easy to say that they are the number one prospect going into this year's draft. If last year spawned Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Wolf Parade and Tapes 'n' Tapes, then this year will definitely start with a Voxtrot craze. No, their sound isn't familiar to the aforementioned buzz bands, but they do have the requisite amount of talent needed to take their game to the next level. Sure, you'll be able to see them at SXSW more than once (and maybe more than once courtesy of Loose), but you those of you left behind should beware, your only window to see this Austin based five piece is quickly closing. They come highly recommended for fans of Belle & Sebastian, The Smiths and nice guys playing pretty yet danceable pop.

The April 10th Mercury Lounge show has sold out (maybe 2 tix left), but there are still a few tickets available to the April 9th show so get them while you can because I won't be taking any calls for requests come the first week in April. Yes, I'll be throwing out my phone, (Tickets for April 9th).

April 9th also boasts Brilliante recording artists New Sense who recently spent the better part of a work week winning me over with shows at Pianos, Rothko and Living Room. They are well worth the price of admission. Bring a date; I promise you'll get some tongue with hand potential.

While wasting some time on Myspace this morning, I leaned two things. The first came courtesy of Evan who saw Less Than Jake last night in New Mexico:

Saw Less Than Jake last nite.....Just like being a 16 year old virgin all over again..........I almost skanked one out for you, almost. Did talk with Roger for about 3 min afterwards about the old State College days in which he devulged that they loved that place because of the girls from PSU/

Lesson learned - LTJ love college pussy.

The second and more important order of business involves a band that helped push me into the New York Music scene. When I checked my "New Friend Request" tab, on top of the heap was a request from The Realistics. Yes, the same Realistics who fell off the map in early 2004. Are they back? Well, it remains to be seen. The page acts as an indication that there is some stirring of the pot, especially since their tag line is "Stranded in Stereo" which is the new Cornerstone Player-esque style compilation being thrown on the market by Chris and the kids at The Planetary Group.

The Realistics was (I speak in the past only because I'm uncertain of the future) comprised of four New York kids including Dennis Cahlo (of Saints + Lovers) and Mike D (who played with the now defunct Blue Sparks) along with Will and Dave who both worked on different projects following the Realistics' demise. If you were around in the days when Tiswas ruled Saturday night while MisShapes was still a shitstain on some 11 year old tighty whities, then you probably caught this burst of energy at the Mercury Lounge. They were a ball of spastic energy, but I'm not talking Todd P style spastic. The Realistics was the fresh face of the Neu New Wave or whatever the fuck it was called. The problem with this band is they had fun. They didn't invest in all the dark dancey bullshit that blew up in late 2001. Unfortunately they got lumped in with the ill-fated garage revival when they were anything but. Hopefully they'll be back and we'll all get the chance to enjoy ourselves without having to bite our lip to avoid a smile.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM TEST ICICLES MEMBER RORY ATWELL:

Hmm, well, I not really sure how to explain this, but I gather from the comments that have been left on our myspace page over the last twenty-four hours that you all know that our 'group', band', 'project' or whateveryawannacallit is going to split up.

I've just spent the last hour writing a dissertation about what our band is/was/intended-to-be and have twisted my brain inside out trying to explain the chaos, dilemmas and confusion that has engulfed this band in the past 18 months, I'm not even sure I understand what has happened to us let alone trying to explain it to someone else.

We started this band in August 2004, our only intention was to have bit of fun, to play a few shows, cause some trouble and to split up shortly afterwards, the fact of the matter is that we played our 5millionth gig the other day after a year of multiple tours and we're sick, tired and miserable, and to put it simply, it just isn't fun anymore and hasn't been for a very long time, so we've decided it's time to find something that does make us happy because unfortunately this isn't it.

The original plan was to play a UK tour, European Tour and American Tour all in succession, finishing up with our final 5 shows around the UK in April.
I think we always suspected that at some point during this three month period of constant touring that something would go wrong and unfortunately that time came after the final show of our European tour in St. Malo last week, I'm not say who it was who snapped or in what circumstance but it had been a long time coming and I was almost relieved when it actually happened.

I'm really sorry to anyone who was looking forward to seeing us playing at that NME show or catching us on tour in the US, I hope that anyone who bought a ticket manages to get their money back without too much hassle. I would've loved to have toured the US, but in our current state of disrepair it was never going to happen and if we did try and make it happen it probably would have led to something much worse happening and the three of us disappearing somewhere near Utah never to be seen again, or something like that, so unfortunately the US tour wasn't to be. We will however play our final shows in April, that'll give us some time to sort our heads out and hopefully we can all have a week long 'fuck the Test Icicles' party together ? should be a good way to kill us off I think, bring your shovels and we'll bury Test Icicles once and for all.

Ok, well, I don't really know what else to say other than thanks to anyone who invested their time, money and effort into this band, i.e. the people who bought our records and came to see us play, I know it probably doesn't always seem like it, but we do appreciate it. With a bit of luck the next projects that we undertake, whether they be comic books, Nobel prize winning scientific discoveries or, who knows, maybe just maybe another band, will be better than Test Icicles and you'll look back and be glad we split up ?

For the time being I'm going to grow a beard, move to the forest and work on my hillbilly-psych-out-jams and we'll see you in April, clean shaven and ready to fuck some shit up for the last time as Test Icicles!!!!

Take care of your badass-mudda-fuggin-selves, Luurve,

Raaaaaary Decihells/Aggwelt/Atwell

XX

There are a number of concepts my pea-sized brain can't seem to grasp; love, recycling, foreign relations, Radiohead and most recently - student loans. Does anyone have the answer? Everyone I've spoken to has directed me to someone else. At this juncture in my life, I feel as though my ship has arrived at a crossroad. No more dicking around. It might be time to become an adult. The cufflinks on my shirt would indicate I'm ready. Well, maybe not, but I'm thinking about making moves. The puzzle pieces are coming together, but a lot remains to be seen.

Take for instance last night. After my work day at NYU Law, I went up to the new offices to meet some co-workers and get a brief introduction to the new job. Though initially it appears to be intimidating, I'm guessing it will take me a month or less to find my sea legs. Once we finished in the office, the team met for a beer and I realized this is the environment a kid like me needs to navigate. Thank god my holding pattern only lasted six years. Now it's time to take off and take over.

Bitches.

If I ever manage to trick some pretty lady into marrying me, hopefully she'll be the type of gal who digs on shopping because I'm terrible at it. Some of you already know this through experience. While engaging in our beautifully democratic capitalism, I get nervous and can't make decisions. This is why I usually take a trusted friend along with me. Lately Christie and Dana have come to my aid, but last night I braved the isles of J Crew on my own. After work I stopped by the Apple store to say hello to Michael, but he was a busy body so we only got a quick chat before I popped into the Soho J Crew. Thankfully the regular, sharply dressed clerk was there to help me out. I'm trying to get some smart gear for the new job. I went as far as buying a pair of chords, but after wearing them last night my thoughts on them have soured.

Sorry, my mind is bouncing off the walls. I didn't mean to bore you with my shopping routine. Around 7:30pm I walked over to Juanita's to meet Dana, Gigs and Cap't Pulled Pork for some dinner and margaritas. My plan was to have one drink which quickly turned into a half dozen before 10pm. By the time we finished at Juanita's my belly housed an awesome mix of nachos and frozen goodness. I was supposed to meet a friend for a drink, but she canceled due to jetlag (or some lame excuse - I kid) so Gigs and me went over to the Mercury for a drink.

Around 9:30pm, Beach, Gigs and I headed over to Annex to catch a set by Fields who were flown in by Atlantic to play a special showcase. It was my first time in the space since it was went under new management, but I was also told it was the space's first show. It was evident by the lacquer smell that crowded the air. The room has the dimensions of Rothko in that it's a long space, but it is narrower than its Suffolk Street counterpart. There is a nice long bar that makes for an easy drink, but traffic flow could definitely be a problem for over stuffed shows. I can't imagine what The Editors show might have been had the Annex been ready. We didn't venture upstairs, but it seemed like a decent sized space. All and all I'd say it would be a good spot for something like 250 folks, but you could definitely squeeze more in there.

The stage is near the front of the venue (read: street). It is a tiny stage, but the five members of Fields managed to look comfortable. After saying hello to the lovely Nora and her friend Jessica, I slipped into the back to snag a beer and a better sound spot with the kids. We were treated to some indie rock that is unique in the sense that it doesn't really adhere to one set of influences. Fields takes a bit from various indie genres including (but definitely not limited too) electro, shoegaze, post-punk (only a bit), psyche and even some ambient rock. Though they didn't have a song that completely blew me away, I'd say the most memorable track was "Songs For the Fields". At some point I overheard someone say they sound just like Stars which is easy to agree with. They look to stir it up in the UK when they do dates with The Editors and Mystery Jets in early March. Look out for them. Maybe the word "Fields" will become the UK equivalent to North America's "Wolf".

The show was the end of my night as my head begged for a pillow. My apologies for not taking a shot with Yeti on the Sabbath aka Tequila Tuesday - soon my friend.

** FYI: Stranded in Stereo is giving you the chance to win a FREE trip to SXSW. You might as well sign up. It would be a lot cooler if you did.

Maybe deep down I'm a sick person. Not like Pete Townshend kiddie-porn sick, but sick like acid reflux. All morning long I've been fighting the pukes, and sure there is a small army of vodka fighting a larger force of tonic in my belly, but I'd like to think I'm past the days of hangover puking. Yes, I know - wishful thinking, but let a girl dream. While my day off was spent watching 10 straight hours of Jerry Orbach and Sam Waterson, my evening managed to spiral out of some unwanted control.

The night kicked off somewhere around 9pm when I met Shannon and Nicholas upstairs in Stanton Social. Warren tended the bar and made me delicious margaritas and offered us some tasties on the menu. I sampled the White Bean Crostini along with a Kobe Beef and Lobster Roll Slider. It all provided a magically delicious party in my mouth along with a solid base for a night of crazy drinking and balls to the wall rock n' roll.

As Shannon and I cruised into the club, we were met by a pile of folks like Dee, Kyle, Beacheros, Brendan, Lil Beacheros, Tumblehawk, Mr. Han(ly), Jinners, Mike and Liz. When we finally reached the back corner there were even more folks there to witness the Wolfmother including Kelley, Susan, Sarah, David Fricke (ok, he wasn't with us, but he was back there rocking), Bolog (Happy Birthday), Baz, Rory and Chris. Yes, everyone was there and I couldn't give less of a shit. I was there for Wolfmother and nothing else. With a serious buzz brewing in my veins, the band hustled to the stage and proceeded to knock the dick straight out of my mouth for the second night in a row.

Wolfmother blasted out the same set as the night before, and even through the Northsix show was a bit crazier, I'm proud of the folks at the Mercury Lounge. There was enough fist pumping to prove Manhattan isn't a bunch of arm-crossed, A&R giblets. In between sips of vodka I managed to head bang along with nearly every jam. They didn't go off the space jam deep end last night, but it was still very impressive. Anyone with access to the full-length should send me one. You'll get free press you can show to your boss and get a raise and shit. I'm mad influential. Right.

After the show, Shannon and I returned to Stanton Social to finish the night with Enzo and some margaritas. The later it got the harder it was to stay on my barstool so somewhere around 2am (shot in the dark), I walked home. I'm attributing all the goon hands perpetrated on Christen's face to all the alcohol playing around in my belly. Sorry Christen!

For the record, yes, a Black Lips dude peed in his own mouth and spit it on the crowd or so I was told. Gross.

New York sports (at least my teams) are in a bit of trouble. A day doesn't slip by without me wondering who will pilot the Jets offense next summer. The Knicks are currently 13.5 games back and lost 9 of their last 10. They are the longest of shots to reach the playoffs, but the future is bright with a cast of young players that is growing together. Check out our boy Nate Robinson dunking over Mr. Webb. Seriously, what a great throw back. Nice work kid. Now if we get rid of Marbury and let Robinson run the offense, we might see some passion in the players. Think about it - we are one center away from having a really strong club. Deal Marbury before the trade deadline and start rebuilding for next season. Get Frye, Curry, Robinson, Crawford and Lee playing together as a unit. Oh, and please fire Larry Brown - we all know you're going to do it.

As Sunday night leaked over to Monday morning, I texted Builder, who is spending the long weekend in Vermont, "You need to get back in time to see Wolfmother tomorrow. Your balls depend on it." A truer statement has never been spoken. Seriously, reach down there and assess the situation. If you have a set and don't see this band, kiss them goodbye. If you don't, see this band and within a week's time you'll understand the concept behind pinch 'n roll. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me breakdown this weekend.

Friday was one of the best days of my life. It began with my resignation and ended with a fantastic party. It's time to bid farewell to my life in academic administration and usher in a new chapter. After a daylong smile, I bolted down to 346 Broadway where the man behind the counter told me that my open container ticket was dismissed. Celebration was in order. It began at Juanita's where Hawkins and I slugged a couple margaritas before meeting Stevo at Welcome To The Johnson's for some pool and PBR. Gigs, Beach and Christie linked up, and we decided to snag dinner at Paladar. It could have been all the drinks coursing through my veins, but holy shit - the Cuban sandwich was so mean on Friday. It did me right.

After dinner we slipped into the Mercury Lounge to catch a set by the Philly four-piece Mazarin. Never having seen this band, there was little expectation. At first their songs had the appearance of catchy pop with some interweaving of psych rock twinges that added a bit of dynamic to their tunes, but by the end I realized there wasn't single standout track. Mazarin is a talented slacker band. Yup, it sucks to have to use this term because it obviously means lazy. It's like when my mom used to take me to JC Penny to buy blue Dockers for my Catholic School uniform. She'd ask the clerk for "Husky" sizes, and I would get pissed because we all know it's just a mother's term for fat.

It took awhile to get situated, but as midnight approached, Shannon, Gigs, Beach and I hopped a cab to Northsix for some Dirty On Purpose action. The club was full of familiar faces including the DOP camp of Jin, Mike, Josh, Sky, DTL and Howerton along with a pile of robotic kids. I was pumped for this show because it's been quite awhile since my last DOP show and they've worked through a bunch of new tunes, (that will be included on their May full-length release). With my excitement at a high, I was mildly bummed that they opened with such a sleeper of a song. I know they broke out "Monument" for the encore, but if you wrote the best warm up tune on the planet, shouldn't it be played first at every show?

Following the warm up, the band got into a groove and road it out well into the early morning. They played a pile of new songs and brought Jaymay onstage for a few jams. She reminded me how the extra layer of vocals really adds a nice touch to their overall sound. As the show wound down, party plans began to develop. Before we left the club, Builder and I managed to Culkin Beach. Then we paraded to DJ's house for the after show. He lives in a massive apartment with what should be 20 people, but I think it is more like five. We rocked until 3:30am before calling it a night.

On Saturday afternoon Shannon, Noah and I grabbed brunch at Angelina and returned to 186 to watch Groundhog Day and School of Rock before Noah and I had to work at Webster Hall. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club played a long set with Elefant and Morning After Girls on the bottom of the bill. The night was a bit crazy so I was psyched when we packed up shop. Noah and I returned to 186 and started the party with Kyle and Dee. Eventually Matt, Kabir, Shannon, Stevo, Dana, Billy, Shannon and Warren stopped in to play some games. Later that evening a few of us went over to the bar on Orchard Street where Warren's lady Megan works. The night ended back at 186 with more beers and a blurred finish.

Sunday was another toss-up. My couch is starting to develop a groove from my ass. Around 6pm I went to Shannon's to snag her before we took a cab to Lincoln Center for her friend Clancy's senior play at Julliard. Clancy played the lead in an adaptation of Christopher Marlowe's Edward II. Now if you know me, you know I can't sit still for more than five minutes without fidgeting, but the performances in this play were enthralling. It also reminded me why I was so fond of the theatre only a few years ago. Yeah, it all sounds a bit strange, but once you get into music, it becomes tough to get out. So a sidestep into another world was a welcomed change. After the play we hung around for a minute to congratulate the man of the hour before I caught the train back downtown.

I grabbed a quick slice at Rosario's and then went to pick up Hawkin's on the way back to Northsix. When we rolled up to the club, Nate and Homer were outside smoking just to avoid the opening band. The cold was too much to bear so we slipped into the back room where a drunk Brandon told me he spent the last two-songs at the front of the crowd telling the band they sucked. Now that's something I'd never do, but I'd certainly agree. We made our way to the corner of the bar where we found a few friendlies.

We saddled up for one of the best shows I've seen in quite some time. Wolfmother destroyed and Northsix was a hand clapping, head banging, fist pumping mess of kids. They played all of my favorite songs including "Dimension", "Woman", "The White Unicorn", "Apple Tree" and "Mind's Eye". They jumped around around stage like wiry balls of kinetic energy and melted my face with some extended jams. I walked out of the club blown away from what my eyes just witnessed. My only hope is they don't go the way of Jet, The Vines or even The Datsuns.

Wolfmother will change your life.

Sam Champion is looking for some help playing some Texas shows.
See their below craigslist posting...


Sam Champion is a four-piece rock band that turns big city
distractions into both smart pop songs and wooly rock epics. At their
craftiest, the Champions combine solid rhythms with mangled guitar
playing to allow thoughtful lyrics to shine through the fuzz. Their
live experience is a dexterous call back to shirtless festival crowds
and the innocent grunge workouts of yesteryear. Crucial.

Looking to perform in Austin, TX March 15 - March 19 anytime, anywhere.

myspace.com/samchampion
contact: manager@samchampion.com

Mother Nature is a crazy old coot. I mean seriously; what the shit? On Sunday we were buried under nearly two-feet of snow and today its t-shirt weather. Get yourself together... shake shake shake shake. Anyway, before I get ahead of myself an announcement must be made: YOUR ASS NEEDS TO BE AT THE NORTHSIX TONIGHT! Dirty On Purpose will hit at 11:30pm (you know what that means) so grab some dinner, sip some drinks and come get crazy with the crew in Brooklyn. Here are the details:

Those Productshop NYC kids have been busy little boys and girls. They are putting on another party this evening at Rothko and with a heavy hitter like Celebration squatting on top of this bill, you can expect a mad house like the Tapes 'n Tapes and Sam Champion bill. Here is the flyer, (click for less blurry copy):


There are a few other options for New Yorkers this evening, (don't you love our city):

End of the World w/ Saints + Lovers :: Fat Baby :: $8
(Happy Bday Shouting!)
New Sense :: Living Room :: FREE
The Like w/ Nethers :: Knitting Factory :: $8
Margot and The Nuclear So & So's :: Mercury Lounge :: $8
Dave Deporis :: Mo Pitkins :: $10

Whether you know any of these kats or not, bottom line remains that tonight is not an evening to bro'down with your couch. Get out and see something new.

I'll explain the Gavin picture later. Once again I skated through a night of drinking without stopping to chow on some grub. This has left me with a man-sized growl of a hungry stomach that be rectified until I visit my favorite sandwich artist at Subway. Let me take a quick second to let you all know that a steaming pile of shit has once again been tossed into the fan here at the office. Since a co-worker left (you fucker!), my department head decided to toss her biggest project of the year on my shoulders. As you can imagine, it's a total nightmare, but I'm at the point where if I can focus, it should be done by the end of the week. Yeah, that is a pretty big "IF".

So last night was a bit crazy for a Tuesday especially since the past few have been spent on the couch watching back-to-back-to-back episodes of Law & Order. After sometime spent in midtown for a meeting, I returned back to the hood and managed to catch the second half of Sideways before walking over to Pianos. It was kind of the perfect movie to catch on Valentine's Day. It always helps to see a couple of jackasses navigate that terrain - it made me feel good about myself.

Upon entering the club, I found James and his lady friend Andrea hanging out at the bar. We chatted for a bit until Sarah and Emily joined us. As New Sense began to take the stage, we had to leave Emily to wait for Shannon on her own (she was her guest) because no one wanted to miss their favorite song. Thankfully we didn't, and even though they didn't play my jam "Outside Chance", they did manage to impress the early crowd. The band consists of five guys who definitely look like a peppered group of New Yorkers, but the catch is they come from Milwaukee. New Sense did get to a couple of the solid tracks off their Flowers Before Hours EP (Brilliante Records) including "What If I Get Sick", "Songs on the Radio" and the sets closer "Sticks and Stones". They also blasted out "Ready to Leave" which has carefully placed guitar picking in between some straight up dancy programmed beats.

New Sense delivered exactly what I'd expected; there were times that I was reminded of all the reference points my little mind webbed to their sound: Happy Mondays, Phoenix, Soft and New Order. My favorite part of their sound was Ryan's moves on bass. The guy understands what it is to get groovy, and there were parts of songs that had my mind wandering, but before it got too far, Ryan snatched it and placed it firmly back in the room. My least favorite part, and I hate to say this because no matter how bad a band is or how bad someone sucks, the bottom line remains that the artists have the balls to lay themselves on the line. Me, well, I hide behind a monitor of a different sort. My only instrument is a black keyboard, and though it might be easier for most to tell when I miss a note - I could give a shit which I'm hoping is the same for William. Hey man, I say this with a heavy heart - please don't pantomime. It takes away from the beautiful set of pipes you scored. It's a distraction and it has the ability to turn off big fans, (note: Wilderness). Anyway, do what feels right and kick me in the dick if need be, but dude, c'mon - you're killin' me. Check them out here:

02.15.06 :: New Sense :: Rothko (9pm)
02.16.06 :: New Sense :: Living Room (8pm)

After the show, we milled about for a few until someone mentioned free beer at Fat Baby. At this point Shannon, Sarah, Emily, Jeff and I hit the street, but once we got in Fat Baby we realized no one wanted to be there so we pressed onto some 2-for-1 action at 151. While sipping on the finest ales, Jeff quizzed us on our personal musical history:

First Show: Bush, GooGoo Dolls & No Doubt (this was my first show because in Central, PA there weren't many options. I did see a number of VFW and Community Hall shows - RIP LongFuseTrigger, Blinder, Not Your Friends, Dullard, Nicotine Kids & Entropy - but the Bush show was my first big one).
Best Show: Toss up - Trail of Dead @ Bowery, Rolling Stones @ MSG, Beck @ Radio City (and a late entries - Bouncing Souls @ The Continental and Libertines @ CBGB's)
Biggest Disappointment: Weezer @ American University
Biggest Surprise: Big Sleep @ Mercury
Best Bill: David Cross, Guided by Voices & The Strokes @ Apollo Theatre
Band You've Seen The Most Times: Umphrey's Mcgee (ok, it's a lie, but hopefully it makes someone laugh)

Around 11pm I ran upstairs to find out if Juanita's would still serve us margarita's. Naturally, Christen, Jeff and Danny stood outside huffing down the good stuff. After a quick inspection, I returned to the hole for one last Bud before we stepped next door to close out the night with some mad robotic Margaritas, (what the shit Nicolas). All and all it was a solid Valentine's Day. It was definitely a lot different from last year when my face got rocked off by Blue Sparks, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Kaiser Chiefs at the Mercury Lounge or the year before when I saw the Shins at Irving (a day before hanging with them in their hotel). Wow, Valentine's Day rocks.

How does one recap a weekend that was determined to be awesome with or without a blizzard? If you don't live in the Northeast, then you may not know that we got pounded by a winter storm on Saturday night and into Sunday morning. According to NY1 the storm ranked second on New York's all time total snow fall list. Though my feet are consistently wet, I welcome the snow and the chance to taste winter. Without this taste, the summer wouldn't be nearly as sweet.

The weekend began with a shift at Webster Hall for the Feist, Mates of State and Jason Collett show. The show was totally sold out which had me a bit worried, but most of the folks were pleasant and the bands were sweet hearts. As I walked into the office, the dressing room door was open and inside Feist performed a couple tracks for a video shoot. My heart melted as I watched her move through a couple beautiful tunes. I'm nowhere near a fan - mainly because I've never heard her music - but a woman that stunning with a voice of equal proportions is bound to win over any guy. Though I didn't watch too much of the entire concert, I did manage to sneak upstairs to see Mates of State rock out "Goods (All In Your Head)" (Quicktime video) which became one of my favorite songs after seeing the video on New York Noise. See them on tour in early March deep into April.

After the show, Shannon picked me up in a cab and we hit the Bowery for a couple of drinks with Julia, Beach, Kelley and Will. The club was packed full of sweaty dudes who smelled something fierce. Mission of Burma is definitely not a young girls in short skirts style rock band. We opted to leave the locker room behind and jumped out to the Bushwick Country Club in Brooklyn. This is PBR Roberts' establishment, and you could never tell he's the owner by the way he busts his ass behind the bar all evening. I thought they were just supposed to put their feet up while sitting in a pile of liquid revenue. Anyway, we were joined by Nate, Amy, Sonya, Ian, Meredith and some other folks before the evening (and miniature golf) grew old. After some major disappointment at the hands of Dr. Tequila Pants, I snagged Shannon and we cruised back to the city.

We waited outside the Orchard Bar for a few minutes to wait for folks to leave so the bar could accommodate two kids like us. Once we got inside we took up some space against the wall and didn't really raise much of a stink. The night grew blurry, but we managed to stop into Mercury Lounge where Greg hooked us up with a couple drinks. We couldn't get through them and decided the an end to the night was long overdue.

Saturday began as a work day. The Loose crew met at 186 somewhere around 1pm and had a solid session. Then I dicked around on the future for a couple hours putting together a couple mixtapes for Christian and Lucy's party. Around 9pm I slipped into the back of the Mercury Lounge to catch the Sound Team set with Ackerman, Beach and Smitty. Outside of the crackling from the bass cabinet, their set was great. Those Austin boys always seem to impress me. Their sound approaches fellow Texan Spoon and New York City's The Walkmen, but they keep it bouncy and fun despite what must be a self-imposed "No Smiles" rule for the band.

When I went back out into the snow it was apparent that a walk to Fontana's with my crate of CD's would be a pain in the ass, so I cabbed with some jackass who didn't know where he to go, but refused to take direction. I finally got to the bar around 10:30pm, and was instantly swept upstairs into the DJ spot. If you haven't been to the bar yet, you are in for a treat. To say it is huge would be an understatement. If feels like three bars in one with enough room for the LES douche clientele and the tragically hip to co-mingle. With all this lounge space there were friend's littered all over the place.

My brief DJ set was so fun. Shannon kept me company up in the perch until the larger portions of the crew began to trickle in. If I had to hand out a MVP award, it would definitely go to Ms. Erickson who was out of control from the moment I saw her. She was fantastic. Other super drunk kids include Kyle, Dee, Dan and Sean Bones. The big winner of the evening was definitely (me, wait, no) Ackerman for reasons only folks at the party would know. I'd also like to thank the bar guy from the bar (sorry I can't remember your name) for keeping my hands full of drinks. Around 4am Dana, Nicky and I put Shannon and Meredith in a cab before heading North through the snow. In the middle of Allen Street Dana performed a perfect Running Man into a wipe out; a great night indeed.

Sidenote: Whoever unscrewed the top to the hot peppers in the pizza shop on Essex can eat a dick. You ruined a beautiful slice of chicken, tomato and onion.

Sunday was crazy. The day began with the roommates plus Dee trudging through the snow in search of food. When Clinton Street Bakery looked like the only open spot on the block, we decided to eff the crowd and head toward Supper. After the meal we went to Key Foods and Discover Wine for Snow Day provisions. We returned to 186 where a "No Shoes and PJ Pants Only" rule was imposed. We wasted the day doing work, watching A Few Good Men and eventually I cooked a big dinner. We dined on roasted chicken and potatoes, asparagus and zucchini with parmesan. Thankfully Dan waited until most of the chicken was gone before he threw it on the ground.

Later that evening I met with Shannon, Sarah and Emily for another round of Sound Team at Bar 13's weekly Shout party. The room was rightfully empty when we arrived, but by the time they went on around 20 folks braved the weather to check out their set. Seeing them back to back night's proved they are consistently tight. The volume was at startling levels, but it was nothing a couple napkins couldn't solve. They seem like such nice guys, and a conversation with bill the bassist only confirmed those suspicions. Head out to Fat Baby tonight where they'll play their final show before heading out of the 212. Pray they play "No More Birthdays" and "Fastest Man Alive".

We finished off the show with a nightcap and some tipsy conversation before I ducked out and returned home to do some work. I was completely satisfied by this rollercoaster of a weekend.

** Ramie passed this hot link over: Make a video for Pretty Girls Make Graves and win cash, a trip to NYC and other hot Matador prized. Check it out.

During the past two work days, I'm had two awesome things happen to me. The first occured yesterday when I ran into a kind-of, sort-of coworker who asked if I was, "Loose Record". Apparantly she reads Brooklyn Vegan and saw my name on his website. Despite me trying to keep my Loose-ness underwraps here at the office, this discovery because my other coworker-in-arms recently quit. New coworker (whose name you can find in the NYTimes and I had lunch today; it was totally sweet. Word is bond.

The second piece of awesome happened after my first piss of the day. While washing my hands, I noticed my fly was down but up. Yes, my zipper broke within my first hour work today. My barn door is open as a motherfucker.

But maybe I brought extra pants.

Don't forget to come to Fontana's tomorrow to watch me switch cd's out of a double disc man. If you have any reservations, I promise this shit will get mad robotic sexy taco. Just deal aka my favorite WB show.

Today the recently "Listener Supported" and our always beloved WOXY welcomes in two solid bands for a Lounge Act Session. Around 11am, Sydney's finest - The Morning After Girls - will join Mike and Barb in the booth. Later this afternoon they'll welcome the weekend with the guitar driven indie rock of The High Strung.

Today is an important day for WOXY because on Monday they will switch to their subscriber based format. This means those of you who have the extra flow to support this amazing station will be able to listen to some high quality rock n' roll. Now they don't want to strip the less fortunate of their ability to listen to the station, so non-subscribers can tune into a low quality stream. Read about the whole situation here and if it's within your means, donate some cash to the cause.

Morning Y'all. While parked on the leatherette last night, I realized something - Saturday I'm going to be a human jukebox at Fontana's and the word hasn't been spread. Here's the deal, Christian and Lucy are both moving away and they want one last chance to get topless and dance to We Are Scientists. Who am I to deny? Ok, so maybe they don't want any scientists at the party, but someone will be there to mix chemicals. Word on the street is they offer some cheap drinks (read: PBR). Can anyone confirm this? Stop by after you catch the SoundTeam and Apollo Sunshine sets at the Mercury Lounge. Here are the details from Christian's email:

Lucy is moving to Georgia to tend to her new Farm.

I am heading to London to Study the art of the English accent and to further my career in graphic Design (see above). So come hang out while you can, mates.

DJ Jay Good Times (Loose Record) will be spinning us right round... baby... right round. And no cabaret law can keep us from getting wild (see above again)... so don't be wankers (ya'll) and come hang.

Details:

Saturday, Feb 11 (9:30pm)
@ Fontana's (FREE)
105 Eldridge (btwn Grand and Broome)

A wise prophet Beaver once said: "Fontana's is the new Fat Baby is the new Darkroom".

Expect this to be a tits out kind of rager despite how homosexual Christian might look in the photo. You can guarantee tons of fake gold, old skool kicks and me double fisting bottles of champaign. We promise this one won't get shut down by the Fire Department - unless Christian wears a button down - then all bets are off.

Check out what the Newsday DB crew had to say about Fontana's (who print's this shit) ::

Robert Plaut, 28, Forest Hills :: One of the first qualities I look for in a bar or club is its proximity to public transportation. Fontana's is conveniently located close to a station that will take me straight home. It is also a great thing when you aren't forced to wait in line outside for no reason when the weather is cold. Fontana's had an easy door that let me right in, even though I was going solo that evening. Inside, the place is nicely laid out, with a very welcoming bar area and staff.

Liliana Cipriano, 21, Howard Beach :: If you like rock/alternative music mixed with an artsy/modern-day hippie-type crowd, this place is for you. The walls are covered in eccentric pictures and there was a film projector showing old black and white movies. Girls were wearing anything from silk nightgowns and white gloves while guys with afros sported red and white striped socks. I felt like I stepped onstage during an old play. The drinks aren't expensive, but make sure you get there early because seating is limited.

Marah Ramirez, 22, Flushing :: Not that I'm an expert on Andy Warhol or his art, but Fontana's has a Warholian feel to it. In no other bar/lounge can a still black-and-white movie be playing and not be considered outlandish. At Fontana's, however, the movie goes with the electrifying blue and fuchsia walls, the Marilyn Monroe-type photographs, the crystal chandelier, the high ceilings and even the pool table in the back. What's best is that the bartenders are super friendly-from patiently giving driving directions over the phone to happily exchanging a bitter Boddington for a Corona.

Over the weekend, Bruce kept telling me about the Ali G NBA spots on TNT. They are hilarious. I'm partial to the Richard Jefferson and Steve Nash clips. Worth a look if you're a fan of da mainz man.

Let's goto Bora Bora - right now. Who's up for some white sandy beaches and a couple of palm trees? Yeah, me neither, but that's the picture on my daily desktop calendar. Yup, I have one of those. It is reminding me of vacation aka SXSW which has put a knot in my stomach because planes and I don't mix. Though this anxiety never stops me from traveling, it does manage to eat a hole in my stomach the size of Rhode Island. Speaking of Rhode Island and SXSW; last night I ran into Ben, who came from the smallest state, of the band The End of the World and the label Pretty Activity. This is just a quick plug to look out for the Pretty Activity showcase in Austin featuring The End of the World, Ume and Vague Angels.

Yesterday Builder and I met with Howerton, Stefan (also of TEOTW fame)and Beacheros at Juanita's to quickly slug down a margarita and some Mexican. In a panicked rush we hustled to the Bowery in fear that we missed Luke Temple's set, but we arrived with time to kill. As we huddled around the show room bar, Bango described his recent vaporizer purchase with Christmas morning delight. After a brief wait, a skinny unassuming figure took center stage with a moustache and stature that recalled Edward Norton in 25th Hour. Though my judgment was on the downslide thanks to a couple of Bangoritas, I can tell you this - if Temple's stunning voice hits the right set of ears he may land himself a record deal. He's a talented songwriter who could definitely appeal to fans of Jack Johnson, but there is something more playful in his strummy pop and thoughtful lyrics. If a man, his guitar and some emotion is what you crave, check Luke Temple out at Southpaw on February 17th.

There wasn't much changeover between artists, but we still had a short wait before dios (malos) took the stage so I popped downstairs to say hello to Merida. As I ran back upstairs, the band took the stage and requested that the lights remain low. Besides a bit of spotlight action, the Bowery obliged. The low lit band pumped out a psychedelic groove that complimented their so-called California sunshine pop. They played all of my favorites off the new record including "Feels Good Being Somebody" and "I Want It All". The set definitely trumped the last time I saw them which coincidently was their strange set at our (not so) CMJ party last year. I did have a problem with the changes they made to "Starting Five". The up-tempo style made it sound rushed, but maybe that was on purpose. Halfway through their set I slid into the back to introduce myself to this guy Craig who is at every show double fisting Coronas. Always happy to talk with a grade-A rock enthusist.

After the dios (malos) set, Builder, Beach, Bruce, Howerton and I headed to Mercury, and we managed to pick up Sha-na-na-na and Nicholas on our way. The club was all sorts of jammed up in anticipation of a Nada Surf underplay. We squeezed ourselves into the back corner where we found Smitty, Eric, Jeff, Ramie, Kelley, Gigs and a few other kids floating around. Now I don't have much to say about Nada Surf, but they sure can write one hell of a pop song. The jam "Always Love" off their latest album sounds like an early candidate for hippy anthem of the new century. They do manage to get somewhat aggressive, but that could simply be the power of their bass player's Soul Asylum-esque dreads calling for the glory days of grunge rock. You can catch them on the road with Rogue Wave and King of France, (Webster Hall show on March 8th).

We hung out in the front bar until everyone grew tired of my mad robotics and decided to call it a night. Another fine tequila Tuesday is in the books.

This just hit my inbox:

Hello websites and bloggers!

I implore you to help Matt Pond PA! Last night following the first show of their tour in New York's Bowery Ballroom, all of the band's equipment was stolen from their trailer as it sat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn overnight.

Please post this list of items missing and a note about what happened on your site if you can. Maybe this can help the band recover some of their stuff. Anything you can do to help would be greatly appreciated.

Gibson 1968 ES335 guitar, sunburst
Gibson 2005 ES335 guitar, black
Guild Starfire guitar - natural finish
Guild Starfire guitar - red finish
Gibson Epiphone ES335 guitar - sunburst
Gibson Epiphone casino elitist guitar - natural finish - serial T403863
Gibson Epiphone Sheraton guitar - black
1994 Fender Jazzmaster guitar - sunburst
1992 Fender reissue 1957 Precision Bass
1973 Ludwig 5 piece drum set with Zildjian cymbals
Rivera Quiana studio 212 guitar amplifier -
2 Roland KC350 keyboard amplifiers
Nord Electro 2 61 key electric piano
Line 6 guitar delay effects pedal
Ernie Ball volume pedal
Boss tuner pedal
Boss tremolo pedal
Ibanez tube screamer pedal

If you have any information regarding this equipment, please contact their manager:

Andy Kipnes: (212) 924-2929, andy@aaminc.com

Well, the blogger circle jerk must have worked because the Editors are coming back to NYC on March 30th for a gig at (your favorite) Webster Hall. Expect tickets to go onsale at noon on Friday. You'll want to pick these up asap because the buzz is way beyond anything a Monkey could summon. FYI - I'll be selling undies on the corner of 11th Street and 3rd Ave following the show so you can swap out your soiled loins for a more comfortable ride home.

It's always surprising when a band is able to skip the 2nd stepping stone in the Bowery Presents family. Congrats to the folks who work with Editors - you're doing something right.

So if you were out and about this weekend, you may have noticed my absence. Well, you may have welcomed my absence. I didn't get to the Plug Awards, and in a miraculous turn of events - I managed to go a whole weekend without stepping foot in the Mercury Lounge. The reason for all this hooky was a family emergency back home. During a Thursday lunch session with Christie, I got a call from mom who was in dire straights and had to get some work done on her heart. It didn't sound all that serious until I talked to Bruce who made it clear that my presence would be needed in the event any big decisions had to be made by a family member. Thankfully Tugboat was kind enough to lend me his car and by 5pm I was headed down I-80 on my way home.

After getting my mom to bed (thank you xanax), I went out for a beer with an old friend who pretty much confirmed my biggest fears - everyone is doing hard drugs. This news got me what some might call fired up, so I asked for a ride home and vented on my little sister while we watched TV and I pounded whiskey. It's such a fucked up situation, and I'd never want to give up on some people, but they are forcing me to that point.

The next morning we headed to Pittsburgh around 7am. Upon arrival to the hospital, we quickly realized that we were unwillingly thrown into the heart of Steeler country. Their fans are definition - Out of Control. Somewhere around 80% of the people I came across sported Steelers gear. It got me a bit nervous especially with Bruce being such an outspoken hater of the team. Anyway, after a solid six hours or so, we finally got word that mom was ok and we could take her home later that evening. We piled mom into the car, and I drove us back home where Rachel and Sean awaited. After a xanax, some whiskey and a J, I was able to breath a sigh of relief. Thank you to everyone who sent their thoughts, prayers and concerns - that shit helps.

On Saturday I was back on the road headed home with a smile on my face. It's been a long time since anything of this nature flipped my world upside down, but luckily we came out relatively unscathed. It does put a lot of things into perspective though I can't guarantee it will change my lifestyle. Here's to hoping.

Thanks to all the folks who came over on Saturday night for the big bro'down. I felt right at home playing cards, carving initials into my coffee table, throwing snaps at each other and inviting new games involving shots of beer, Trivial Pursuit and dice. Good looks all around. Sunday was a bit on the insane side. Shannon and I cruised into Chinatown on a hunt for cheap dumplings, but what we got was a wild party in continued celebration of the New Year. We navigated the streets and at one point found ourselves in the parade so we had to back track, but almost got trampled. We finally found the store Sarah recommended, but officer Dickface aka Medina tried to make an example out of me and we got into a mild shouting match. I fucking hate cops. We continued to circle the area, but all we could find was the fanciest dogs in the business. Chinatown dogs are the best dressed dogs in our fair city.

So we searched to no avail, until Shannon bailed to head home. It was at this point that I found a magical shop on Grand Street that had all the fix'ns. After a stop at the house, I met with Stevo and Jordache for a veggie burger at Croxley Ale House. Then it was back to the house for 8