By going to this event tonight. Think about it - a bunch of awesome bands and two lovely ladies throwing an awesome party - what else are you looking for on a friday night? Don't be stupid - go to this show.

Congratuations to the Dirty On Purpose camp for their huge, sold out release party at the Mercury Lounge. Last night was a true celebration for the Brooklyn boys and they did it in style.

The end of my day was a bit of a wash. I couldn't focus and after the previous evening's ample amount of partying, digging deep didn't seem to be an option. Fortunately a crew that included Jackilynn, Jean, Rob and Chris was there to rally. After work we headed downtown to snag a quick bite at Boca Chica. It was my first time having their Cuban, and let me say this - because I rarely do - it was very sub-par. Boca Chica does a whole lot of things right (read: Coco Shrimp and Plantain Chips), but that sandwich is definition Weak Sauce. It did fill me up so in that respect it was successful. By the time our dinner finished the sky had opened up and the downpour prevented us from getting all the way back to 186. In fact, we only made it to One & One were we ran into Ghory who had the same idea. Eventually the sun returned and we made it back to 186 to pregame before the show. We were joined by Matty K, Builder, lil' Belin and Angela.

We rolled to the club with the hopes of catching some of the Little Ones set, but no dice. The room was getting full with familiar faces by the time Say Hi To Your Mom took the stage. Eric, Chris and Jeff (x-Sea Ray) played a set of new songs from their forthcoming release Impeccable Blahs (Eurphobia Records) which is Eric's fourth release under the Say Hi To Your Mom moniker, but the first that included the full band on the record. From what I heard the new album adheres to their inheirent indie sound, but they step it up and douse it with a bit more rock than we've grown accustomed to hearing from these guys. To be honest, I think the new songs sounded fucking fantastic and if it is any indication of what's to come from this maybe, possibly, solidified lineup, than the future is bright for this Brookly trio. You can pre-order Impeccable Blahs before the July 25th street date from Insound or if you find Eric and give him a back massage, he'll probably hand one over. Insound also has a new track available for download - "Your Fangs". Thanks to Eric for tossing me a record last night. I look forward to snuggling to it.

The main event quickly followed and by the time Dirty On Purpose took to the stage, the room was completely packed. The four gents played a set that consisted mostly of new material from their release Hallelujah Sirens. Again, on the honesty tip, the sound had really bad moments, but toward the second half of the set all the feedback seemed to calm down and the band stepped right into their groove. To replicate the album they had a unknown (foxy as hell) female vocalist, a horn section and a string section join them on selected tunes. The entire show felt like a great party. There were smiles, Builder's parents (shout out to Mrs. Builder!) and tons of pretty indie rock kids. The night had a resounding positive feel and I couldn't be more psyched for the band, management, label, agent and anyone else involved who I hold near and dear to my little black heart.

After the show Anna and I slipped over to Annex in an attempt to catch Gil Mantera's Party Dream who played in honor of Ms. Gitlin and Karen +1's Bday, but after nearly an hour of waiting we decided it was a lost cause and bounced. I stopped by the Mercury on the walk home to throw down one more round of congratulations - well done.

Make sure you check out DOP and SHTYM on a number of dates this summer:

Wed Jul 5 First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, PA
Fri Jul 7 The Century Lounge Providence, RI
Sat Jul 8 Great Scott Allston, MA
Sun Jul 9 BAR Nightclub New Haven, CT
Sat Jul 15 Siren Festival Coney Island, NY
Tue Jul 18 Andyman's Treehouse Columbus, OH *
Wed Jul 19 Southgate House Newport, KY *
Thu Jul 20 Firehouse North Manchester, IN *
Fri Jul 21 Beat Kitchen Chicago, IL *
Sat Jul 22 7th Street Entry Minneapolis, MN *
Sun Jul 23 The Aquarium (Dempsey's Upstairs) Fargo, ND *
Wed Jul 26 Paradox Seattle, WA *
Thu Jul 27 Towne Lounge Portland, OR *
Fri Jul 28 Bottom of the Hill San Francisco, CA *
Sat Jul 29 Spaceland (w/ Papa M) Los Angeles, CA *
Mon Jul 31 Kilby Court Salt Lake City, UT *
Tue Aug 1 Hi-Dive Denver, CO *
Sat Aug 5 Street Scene Festival San Diego, CA
Fri Aug 11 Local 506 Chapel Hill, NC

* Both bands are on these bills.

First and foremost, get your ass to the Mercury Lounge tonight for this show. It will be absolutely bananas. If you haven't heard the new Dirty on Purpose record yet, download it for FREE from eMusic or snag it at your closest indie retail outlet. I also hear it is front racked at Tower. Openers include A Place To Bury Strangers, Little Ones and Say Hi To Your Mom. Check out the Loose Preview by Mike Ayers and the flyer below:


Just another quick note and a Happy 5th Anniversary to Tag Team Media! They are truely a joy to work with and I couldn't be more psyched for their success. Last night Nick, Cara, Paul, Anna and I headed out to The Hook for their celebration that featured tons of awesome grilled food, an open bar and a solid set by Broken Social Scene. The show was fantastic. Anna and I found a top row seat in the back of the room and enjoyed the intimate setting of a band that is privy to playing much larger venues. The love doused set was opened by a brief speech by Tag Team founders Brendan and Julie who looked so elated to make it this far. My heartfelt congrats to them and everyone involved. From there the BSS crew ripped a warm set that included new and old hits along with a guest spot by Texan Andrew Kenny who came in to celebrate. It was a beautiful evening.

Speaking of Broken Social Scene, don't forget to tune into Letterman tonight. The cute batch of loveable Canadians are performing "Fire Eye'd Boy" for Dave and the rest of the Late Show crowd.

After the show we split a car back to the city. Anna and I decided to stop by Bside for a drink and to say hello to Frenchkiss Steve and Syd who DJ over there every other Wednesday. Dana, Danny and Sonya were in the house showing some love, but my ass couldn't handle the late night so the bounce came sooner than later.

Here are some more pictures of the shitshow that was Intonation. Enjoy. Yes, that is now my permanent face.

Also, if you are out in East Burg tonight, check out the Brooklyn Vegan's event:

THURSDAY JUNE 29, 2006 (TONIGHT)
BrooklynVegan & Todd P present:
Land of Talk, Tokyo Police Club and The Ballet with DJ's Ramesh from Voxtrot & Finger on the Pulse (+ SURPRISES)
@ The Syrup Room in Brooklyn, NY (ALL AGES, $8 at the door)

Bushwick is Beautiful says: "The venue is pretty easy to find. Get off on the Morgan Stop on the L train (morgan street exit) and walk two blocks up Ingraham. It's about half way down the street on the right side."

SET TIMES: 8-DJs, 9-Ballet, 10-Tokyo Police Club, 11-Land of Talk, 12-DJs till ??
NOTE: Land of Talk added a keyboard to their show & 1 of the DJs requested a guita

The Streets put on a killer show last night as Jay already mentioned. Skinner and Co. played all the hits, got the first three rows drunk, and even teased some Arctic Monkeys and Pussycat Dolls.

Lady Sovereign was also rad. She reminded me of my friend Ona. Cute, small, abrasive, and rowdy.

When I got home last night I watched another stellar episode of Rescue Me and it featured a Wolf Parade song towards the end. Pretty awesome.

Tonight is the NBA Draft and there is a chance of 5 Uconn players getting drafted. Also have Pedro returning to Fenway, so this might be the night to skip all the indie bullshit and get your sports on.

Last night Mike Skinner aka The Streets put on a rowdy show at NYC's Webster Hall. Despite my attending the Intonation Festival, last night was the first time I'd seen the Brit's show, (I was busy eatting Megan's left over cheese fries). It was quite a crazy event. He played with a full band and a hype man. By the time the encore hit, the crowd was bouncing like crazy despite the rooms think air. More pictures and a full review to come in the near future courtesy of Abbey and Yaps respectively.

If you are looking for more Streets info, check out the Loose Review of his latest Vice Records' release The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living.

Tickets will go on sale any minute for the Wu Tang Clan shows at Webster Hall on August 17th and 18th. Get your tickets early. This is sure to sell out. It's been awhile since they played such a small venue.

Yes, that chubby man in the foreground is me, but that toweled man in the back is Ghostface Killa. Yes, he was in our hotel room after the festival on Saturday. Yes, we drank Henny and Goose with him, his crew (J Love, Trife, etc) and all their ladies. It was so surreal. Thanks to them for being so awesome and making our whole trip. After a hour or two of chilling we busted out to the after party while Mr. Starks went to his room with a pretty lady.

More photo's are here courtesy of Cara. More to come.

I wrote this post on the flight out to Intonation last Friday. The picture to the right is Rory being awesome. In fact, everyone was awesome the whole fucking time. Thanks to all the folks who made it such a killer event. Vice knows how to throw a party. More to come later... for now...

I'm currently on a flight to Chicago. As many of you know, Loose is heading to Vice's Intonation festival. Personally, I'm giddy with excitement. Sitting to my left if my boy Rob and flanking my right side is the always fashionable Christie Z. Personally, I'm scared shitless of flying. Yup, your super hero has some kryptonite. It didn't help the cause when after a 20-minute delay Flight 347 had to sit on the runway waiting out the weather and a backlog of flights. It seemed as though we might be doomed, but our pilot flashed his VIP laminate and we skipped ot the head of the class. Currently or rather presumably we are somewhere over my home state of Pennsylvania. By the time this post is finished we should be high above Ohio with little time left before our final decent. By the time this gets posted (also presumably) I will be waking up after a night of heavy partying in Chitown. I'll fill you in on all that at a later date. Let me use this time to catch you up on another rad night in the neighborhood.

After work Stacks and I cruised down to the 186 to watch some ESPN and grub while awaiting our respective shows. 9pm quickly snuck up on us, and despite our will to chill we peaced out. He was headed to Rockland while I aimed to meet Anna outside of the Mercury. As Heart on a Stick pointed out, the show was backed up due to an early showcase by douche-pop boy wonder number whatever. To be honest I couldn't give a good goddamn who it was; I just wanted his crowd to clear the room so we could see White Rabbits aka Blanco Conejos. Anna and I slipped into the back corner after talking Chicago excitement with Cara (who is currently headed to Newark to tail our us). We caught some space with Beach, Lucy and Gigs who were equally unimpressed with White Rabbits more than inadequate soundman. To be fair White Rabbits sounded good, but there where points in the set that made me wonder where they found the chap twiddling the knobs. They played their hearts out to a room full of bouncing hipsters on the cusp of everything cool, (including my company and me).

Sidenote: I think this altitude makes me a jackass. Yeah, it's either the altitude or my brain.

Back to the lecture at hand: White Rabbits - they are going to flip some indie switches. Their sound is light and playful, (Anna couldn't get over how much they sounded like the soundtrack to a surfing video - but don't think Dick Dale). Their sound (as I've said before) will agree with fans of The Walkmen and Sound Team, but they seem to take the sting out of any seriousness that grounds their predecessors' attitudes. They look and sound as though they want to be there and more importantly they want you to be there. Next time they gig find yourself someone who enjoys that old past time known as fun and go bounce along with some agreeable rock.

Next on the chop block was a trip to Sin-e. Being the consistent moron you've grown to love, I forgot earplugs. Anna and I quickly ducked out of the club and hustled back to the 186 to snag a couple pairs from my seemingly endless stash. We returned to see LEVY play the final few songs of their set of mostly new tunes. In they past they've been compared to the Strokes, but not before last night was the comparison so warranted. Their swagger, their sound and their confidence (don't think cocky) add up to a mix that feels like you're witnessing one of the fab-five's Luna Lounge shows circa 2000. Don't get your bandana panties in a bunch - we here at Loose love the Strokes. Like it or not, that band was the catalyst for a backlash of indie bands - for better or worse. This much is true: they will always be near and dear to me. Much like how my mother can't help but to shake her hips when she here's The Rolling Stones play "Satisfaction"; I can only imagine my arthritic ass attempting to do the white man shuffle when my kid plays "Hard to Explain". Again, hold up on those panty bunches. I'm not saying the Strokes will have the timeless, lasting affect of the Stones, but here is one indie kid who is hoping so.

As LEVY finished their set, we ducked out to have a drink at Sin-e Bar located just down the block. We were joined by a few of Anna's friends who were instantly offered some cocaine from one of the neighborhood dealers. It had that old-timey B-Side feel to it - before the pool table was pulled out.

Eventually the 11th hour drew near and I ducked back over to Sin-e where The Big Sleep had just commenced their assault. Typically the levels they play would force me to rip the plugs from my pockets and shove them into my ears faster than Mustachimo and a cored cantaloupe, but there is something about their live shows that requires the full attention of all the body's senses, (well, maybe not smell). Long and short of it (Rob and I just started a Family Guy episode) their set was unreal. They are going to make some serious waves, but you already knew that didn't you?

So I was at the Bowery Friday night like everyone else for Ryan Adams. Everyone has heard about the late start time, long line, and what felt like a Yankee Stadium rain delay. As for the show itself, it was pretty amazing. I'm not the biggest Ryan Adams fan, but his skills are pretty undeniable and it is apparant seeing him live just how much girls love him. They were swooning and sighing for practically the entire two hour set.

Also noteworthy during the show, and this really surprised me, is that during his reworked version of "To Be Young," all I could think of was Bob Dylan. For me, Dylan is my #1, the first guy I was ever religous about. I have seen him tons of times and as everyone knows, one of the highlights of his live shows is hearing new versions of songs thirty and sometimes forty years old. Well, Ryan Adams did that on Friday to enthusiastic results. Really solid, interesting, fun performance.

Oh yeah...one more thing about the show. Could it be possible for the bass player, Catherine Popper, to look like she was having less fun. My god, she spent the entire time on stage looking bored, unenthusiastic, and uniterested. That was pretty much my only complaint during the whole set. Did anyone else feel that way? Beach gave me a little perspective though when I told him I didn't like her, he quickly, and accurately, replied "Well she doesn't like you." Thanks Johnny.

This is funny. On Friday, before heading to Bowery, my friend Shark got a call saying that if we headed to BB King's we could go backstage and meet Robert Plant who was going there after the benefit at th Beacon. Needless to say we hopped in a cab immediately, prepared to meet one of the best frontmen in rock history.

Fast forward one hour later as we walk out of BB King's dejected, having just spent the whole time in Keith Emerson's dressing room guiltily drinking amstel light and watching this crazy woman scarf down deli turkey. Weird and disappointing and sorry for posting about this Charlotte after swearing we wouldnt talk about it again.

Finally, has everyone been watching the world cup? The Argentina goal on Saturday was probably the best live action goal I have ever seen. And what about the travesty that was the Portugal-Netherlands game yesterday? 16 yellow cards? 4 red? Total bullshit. Oh well. There are some great matchups in the next round to look forward to...the only problem is figuring out who to root for now that the US is out.

It's time to get Dirty On Purpose! The guys landed near the top of Pitchfork today. The indie barometer gave their debut full-length - Hallelujah Sirens a 7.7. Fuck yeah! I have to admit, the first time it hit my ears I wasn't quite sold. A spin or two later and I was hooked. It's been in my steady rotation ever since. You can buy the record when it drops next Tuesday courtesy of North Street Records or you can get it for FREE by clicking the below icon, signing up for 25 FREE downloads and picking up their record. Don't worry, Dirty On Purpose still gets paid for the downloads.



Additionally, one of my favorite four-pieces is playing Mercury Lounge next Thursday in celebration of this release. Here is your opportunity to see them live and score the record along with some other swag absolutely FREE. Check out what comes courtesy of the Loose Contest page:

...Don't let this release fall to your wayside - it is well worth your time. Here is your chance to score a pile of DOP gear along with copies of both releases and a pair of tickets to join us in celebrating the release of this fantastic LP. Check out the prize package:

- Pair of tickets to the Record Release show at Mercury Lounge (NYC) on June 29, 2006.
- Copy of "Hallelujah Sirens" and "Sleep Late for a Better Tomorrow" EP.
- Signed Dirty On Purpose poster.
- Dirty On Pupose t-shirt.

To enter the contest for the one of two Dirty On Purpose prize package, simply send an email to contests@looserecord.com with Dirty On Purpose in the subject. Make sure your full name is included in the body of the email. We will randomly pick out a winner and contact them for their measurements. Good luck!

Check out the contest page to see more offers for tickets to NYC area shows!!!

Thankfully most of my days fall on the former end of the spectrum. Consider this, in less than 36 hours I'll board a flight with Rob and Christie in the direction of Chicago where we'll meet up with the Vice kids for the Intonation Festival. I'm also looking forward to snagging drinks with my main lady in Chicago, the always awesome Hilary Rawk, the terribly autistic Mustachimo, the guru Ed, Mr. Selman and many other Loose kids. By the time a proper level of intoxication sets in, the NYC kids will be made four strong with the late inclusion of Cara Rawsome. Seriously, I can't wait. Sure, there will be some rad music (Ghostface, Bloc Party, The Stills, Bob Pollard, Blue Cheer, etc), but I just can't wait to catch up and bring the destruction to another part of the country. I'm giddy with anticipation.

In the mean time I have to stay occupied. Thankfully my home town is New York. Tonight has a ridiculous amount of options. In a perfect world I could fit all three of these into the works, but it isn't looking good. First on the block is White Rabbits who are opening an evening at Mercury Lounge that features Pas/Cal and Asobi Seksu, (the latter is playing Part 2 of their celebration for the release of their LP Citrus). Back in early May I caught the White Rabbits for the first time at the suggestion of my friend Christy. They are a medolic indie pop band on the rise... bloggers take note. If you have plans to hit the Merc, get there early. You'll dig it - I promise.

If it was a perfect world, I'd be able to run over to Annex to catch the Tigercity show, but it isn't looking too good. There is a small chance this will happen, but if not, I'll roll over to Sin-e to catch LEVY who is opening for The Big Sleep. If you are in the loop, than you know Danny, Sonya and Gabe just signed a deal with Frenchkiss Records who is home to Les Savy Fav, Rahim, Thunderbirds are Now and the first home of The Hold Steady. As a friend I couldn't be prouder of these cats. As a lover of the rock, I couldn't be more psyched. They found a great home with great people steering that ship. Come out and celebrate with us. Don't forget - Danny got a new guitar and he'd like you all to bare witness to his new face melting tactics.

In other festival news, the Siren Music Festival schedule has been posted, (image taken from Brooklyn Vegan). This is always such a good party. Why oh why did my mom decide to come to town this Saturday?

First of all, let me point you in the direction of my boy Mike Ayers (a famed Loose Writer) who is currently working on a new project:

I'm in the beginning stages of a new book - one on fandom - called Uber-Fan - and I'm blogging about several things for the next year and a half, such as: the writing process, my adventures and travels on finding and hanging with the Uber-Fan, the inside world of publishing (from start to finish) and all sorts of other goodies, such as what has been aiding my procrastination from time to time.

Check out the blog here and the press kit here (for fancy banners and images like the one above). Check out what this guy has to say - he knows what he's doing. Any help to spread the word is much appreciated.

Additionaly, if I wasn't going to Chicago for the weekend, I would be in Brooklyn rocking this hip hop festival. It seems to be filled up, but I'm guessing if you show up there is a solid chance to get in. You could also attempt to say you are from out of town and looking to show love. They are making some suggestions. Just head to the Brooklyn Bodega for information.

Yesterday I had a fairly rough day at work, but nothing could bring me down from my seat on Cloud 9. My post-work plan morphed into one of my all time best rock show experiences. Early Tuesday morning I received an email reminder that not only was Petty playing the Garden later that day, but I had a ticket! This came as a more than welcomed surprise since the ticket had been discussed from time to time, but I never got the date of the show. In any event, by midday I knew that my evening would consist of my first Tom Petty show. (Wait, Gigs and I had this discussion - it isn't a "show" when you're at MSG; it's a concert.)

Noah waited outside the office as I finished up the day. We proceeded to walk through the ailing streets of midtown before ducking into Blaggard's Pub for some terrible pub food. From there we cruised over to Hickey's for a quick glass of whiskey and some locker room style BO. We got the call and met all the Beachs and Gigs in front of MSG. There was a tremendous amount of excitement in the air for Petty who looked to be the Pied Piper for white people of all ages. Trey was busy noodling as the opener so we figured our time would best be spent at the bar one level below our seats. After a few more whiskeys, we were all properly bevvied and ready for the Petty.

When we returned to our seats, Tumbleweed was there waiting for us. He quickly put Noah to work to ensure that we'd have a joint to smoke once the band hit the stage. As the band took the stage, the entire room took their feet. I've never heard a room of folks sing-a-long so passionately, (was I blind to it at the Rolling Stones show). The two hour set consisted of huge jams like "You Don't Know How It Feels", "Free Fallen", "I Won't Back Down", "Runnin Down a Dream", a psychedelic light show for "Don't Come Around Here No More", "Learning to Fly", "Mary Jane's Last Dance" and "You Wreck Me Baby". Just rest assured that my intoxication prevented my memory from retaining the order. What it does remember is one outstanding piano solo that felt like it clocked in just under 10 minutes and another guitar jam that did the same. With each hip shake, Petty whipped the crowd into a bizarre frenzy of noise that became deafening when he requested to hear "The Garden louder than ever before." The show was everything I wanted it to be. The jams, the acoustic rock, the old folks sneaking down to smoke joints, the persistance of Stevie Nicks to to be on stage, the company and the Sean Bones text messages added up to a Tuesday night that has to be considered for "Top of the Pops" - at least in terms of Tuesdays.

After 30 years of rocking, Tom Petty still has the stuff to make 20k people go apeshit. Here's to hoping he can pull another 30 out of some magical hat.

I don't particularly know what to take away from this flyer, but I can feel safe in recommending this because Nic is the voice behind !!! (Chk Chk Chk). A couple words to the wise - don't be to rowdy, don't bring your cop brother-in-law and for goodness sakes tell me what happens!

On Saturday, September 9th, Gov't Mule - with Special Guests Wolfmother - will be Rockin' The Burro at McCarren Pool in Brooklyn, NY. Also appearing will be Two Gallants. Tickets go on sale through Mule Ticketing on Wednesday June 21st at Noon Eastern Time. Tickets go onsale to the public this Saturday, June 24th through Ticketmaster, (thanks Jackilynn).

It's about time we all know and thanks to the killer programmers at BAM, we've got the chance to get schooled. Check out this Afro-Punk festival kicking off at the end of the month.

FILM / DVD RELEASE
The critically acclaimed, ground breaking documentary film is officially being released to stores as a DVD and a CD compilation album. This film has inspired a massive worldwide network of people whose lives this film has touched. Limited BAM release July 11, in stores August 22nd.

AFRO-PUNK COMPILATION
The first release by Afro-punk Records is a cd compilation featuring 15 of the bands that are part of this movement; some of the bands featured on the record are actually in the film. Limited BAM release July 11, in stores August 22nd.

AFRO-PUNK FILM & MUSIC @ BAM (JUNE 30 - JULY 4)
The Brooklyn Academy of Music is hosting a 5 day long festival of music and film directly related to Afro-Punk and black music / experience / rebellion in America. Last year's event was one of the best events BAM has seen over the 4th of July weekend with over 3000 people attending screenings. The opening nights will be presented with the legendary Trojan Records and feature seminal dj Don Lett's & Dj Spooky along with many Afro-Punk bands. Scroll below for a full listing of films (with descriptions) and musical performances.

The Highlights of the Music portion would have to be this party at Southpaw.

Friday, June 30th @ Southpaw (125 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY)
DJ Spooky & The Legendary Don Letts battle it out on the decks

DJ Spooky - To Perform Live video mash up of vintage Trojan footage
DJ culture's most intellectual turntablist, DJ Spooky, raided the vaults of Trojan Records and came out on the other side with the double-disc set "In Fine Style: 50,000 Volts of Trojan Records". Featuring legends Lee Perry, Sly and Robbie and Peter Tosh. www.djspooky.com

Don Letts - Live DJ set
From the legendary DJ that single-handedly turned a whole generation of punks onto reggae. "The Mighty Trojan Sound" presents Lett's collection of all killer, no filler Trojan classics. 2 disc set features John Holt, Dennis Brown, The Heptones and more.

So Pitchfork has a feature that focuses on the direction and challenges of digital music. Check it out here. This is worth mentioning because my new nine-to-five is at The Orchard. Get educated on me and the direction of the music industry.

Busy as shit this morning and there is definitely a weekend update in the works, but for now, I just wanted to point you to this show going down this Thursday at Annex. You gotta believe in 8-bit graphs.

It is imperative that you all know this - Band of Horses was fucking unreal last night. One of the best shows I've ever seen at the Bowery Ballroom, (and I've seen a few). We were all a bit nervous about the overcrowding, but nothing could take away from the outstanding set. The room never sounded so good. Everything was absolutely perfect. I only wish you would have been there with us. Good looks on the entire crew for going large last night. Captain Empanada was missed, but the ship sailed on in your absence. Seriously, go buy the album today and pray that they will be back before we have a chance to come down from this highest of highs.

So many double meanings it hurts. I'm sorry Yaps is still permitted to blog here. The kid refuses to use proper grammer and punctuation, but you know what - one day you'll be seeing bands at his club - The Bandanna. The purpose of this post isn't to bash Pearl Jam, but rather to make sure y'all know about the going's on for what looks like a beautiful Saturday. I'm going to attempt to hop the rivers tomorrow and touch three of the five burroughs. First it will be out to the Water Taxi Beach for Stevo's pirate booty birthday bash. From there I'll head back to the LES for the East River Music Project featuring sets by Mobius Band and Human Television. If I'm still standing and out of brown bags, I'll head back ove the water in an attempt to catch Taylor Bow at the Wassup Rockers party outside of OfficeOps. This shit looks legit and i love Larry Clarks work, (even if it's simply because of the hot Bijou sceens). Anyway, check this shit out. From there it's a possible Mr. Lif perfomance at Bowery, but I'll probably be in the bag.

Partying, working, wallowing, celebrating, bbqing, not cleaning, partying.

Well, I have decided to add to that list blogging, if for nothing else than to bother jay and provoke some mustachio comments. Also, how could i let the announcement of a strokes song recorded with eddie vedder pass without comment? Especially considering that 97% of all of my posts have been about one of those two bands. I nearly blew my load at work when i heard about this marvin gaye cover. Holy shit!

I went to Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night for bandana night (thanks beach). A 1-0 pitchers duel and a free yankee bandana. Life is good.

Also, I have a friend who needs to unload an extra madonna ticket for the July 3rd show. Good seat, section 97. Face value plus ticketmaster fees. Let me know in the comments if you're interested (and paul, i'm really excited for the sarcastic jokes you will make, go for the gold buddy).

Thanks to Merida for her suggestion of using Melatonin for a sleep aid, but last night I found exactly what was necessary for a full night's rest. As you can tell by the accompaning photo, my answer lied at the bottom of an ice cold margarita. Yesterday we had a happy hour party for our dearest Jacckielyn who left the company last Friday for bigger and better things. We partied at this Mexican joint called El Rio. Word to the wise - if you aren't looking to be completely shithoused, don't drink three of their frozen ritas on an empty stomach. They shitwhipped me. I even smoked a cigarette. It even prompted to miss a big dinner with some close friends and to you folks - I apologize. My sorry ass was home and in bed by 8:30pm. Good looks to the Real NG for fronting me the cab and making sure I made it back to the LES.

If you're like me - I presume you aren't if you're headed to Dashboard at Radio City - you're more than pumped for the Band of Horses show at Bowery. Their latest Sub Pop release, Everything All the Time is an early contender for 2006 Best Of Lists everywhere. Personally, it took some time for me to jump on the... um... er... band wagon, but now I can't get enough of their sweet emotions. They are a band that will appeal to every MMJ fan hidden deep inside of all the rockers. Maybe you missed the boat and didn't get tickets early enough. Don't worry, they will be back for Siren Fest (I WAS WRONG, THEIR NAME WAS KICKED AROUND EARLY BUT THEY AREN'T PLAYING - SORRY), but don't waste tonight sulking around the house. My highest of recommendations would be the Standing Nudes show at Cake Shop for those of you looking for some rock that leans heavily on some of the better Nugget style psych bands. Coming in a very close second - hell, I might even call it a tie - is the Saints + Lovers show at Sin-e. With this many options there is no reason to miss a beautiful evening like this.

Holy Fuck am I ever tired. The past few days I've struggled to sleep. It doesn't make much sense. I've tried prescription drugs, recreational drugs and even alcohol, but nothing is working. Oh, I even tried to sleep naturally - no go. So if you have an ancient remedy; please let me know post haste. Last night was my trial by alcohol that ended with two-for-one V&T's at Sapphire Lounge with Audrey on the decks and Emily celebrating her 23rd birthday. As I held on to the end of the bar, I chatted all things Chicago with Jim who is equally pumped for next week's Vice installment of the Intonation Festival. Get your asses out there.

But let me rewind and start at the beginning. Last night I got home from work with enough time to do a bit of nothing before Anna came over. From there we snagged some grub at Mama's Food Shop before walking over to the Mercury. Upon entry we found Yaps and George hugging the end of the bar along with their Grey Hounds. We did some catching up until the first rumblings of the Holy Fuck set leaked from the backroom. As we slipped up front my body fell prey to their tight as hell rhythm section while my eyes became fixated on the bevy of toys set up for the front men. To be honest there is no real front man in this band. It's a Canadian four-piece that consists of the traditional rhythm section (drums and bass) while the two guys in the foreground play a table of guitar pedals, keyboards, mixers and even a film reel. The results are funky and danceable, but smarter than a few of their contemporaries. They don't attempt to fill the vocal space with mindless lyrics. Instead they clutter the room with blips, beeps and other anomolies that find a home on the canvas provided by the rhythm. To be completely honest - I'm obsessed. Some may not get it, but at this point in time Holy Fuck has everything I look for in a band.

During change over a quick debate was hatched outside that pursuaded me to stick around for Forward Russia. I knew if it was missed - Jerry, Cara and Jeff (pic courtesy of Central Village) might have my head. Being that I really trust their collective taste, the latest buzz band was more than worthy of a shot. If you could wrap one word around this band, I would choose spastic. The lead singer is a crazy mess, but in the beautiful kind of way. He bounces around stage with no particular pattern outside of his hell bent attempt to strangle himself with the mic chord. His voice ranges from a punk scream to a Justin Hawkins-esque falsetto. The band backs him with a buttoned up post punk style that is ingrained in the sound that has swept England over the last few years. There were a number of moments that got my neck breaking, but on a whole, I couldn't muster the excitement felt throughout the room, (I can now pick Jerry's fist out of a lineup). Expect some big things from this band after their domestic debut on Mute - think new t-shirts.

So that was last night, but before last night there was Monday night. After work Anna met me at 186 for a quick beer before walking down to Bowery for the dios (malos) show with the Starlight Mints. Now up to this point I've always stood in dios (malos)'s corner, but at this point they've lost me. They always appear that they could give less than a fuck about the people who come to their shows. Maybe I'm missing something, but the vibe has been felt over their last few appearances. They write amazing pop songs and yet when it comes to performing them it comes off as boring as sex in the fifth year of a relationship. They try to spice it up and be weird, but in the end - no one is excited and no one got off. It's a fucking shame. If there is one way to rebound from that kind of relationship, it's to go out and sleep with a young peppy partner like the Starlight Mints. This group of quirky rockers kept all the senses happy with mesmerizing visuals projected on a big screen behind the band. This was my first taste of these folks and as a man who enjoys bands like The Shins, Of Montreal and Arcade Fire - Starlight Mints was the perfect rebound.

If you are still reading this, consider yourself a champion. The weekend recap that never was has been erased from my memory. I never want to remember it, but I can say this - there wasn't a bad band in the bunch. From Friday's Lovely Feathers and Dr. Dog show at the Bowery, to the Loose BBQ featuring Shade, The Picture and Love as Laughter, to Melody Nelson's birthday party, to The Phoenix Foundation's Mercury debut, to Mr. Brownstone's unbelievable farewell performance at Bowery, to Knowledgist's goodbye to me and the east coast - this past weekend ruled. Well, it ruled, but I could have done without all the puking on Sunday.

If you're like me - meaning you have a Weezer tattoo plastered on your body - then you couldn't be more excited about the chance to see The Rentals in action. You see, before the days of that abortion also known as Scott Shriner joined the band. Ok, maybe he isn't that bad, but their records continue to be awful. Maybe Rivers recent graduation (it only took him 11 years - I've still got a chance) will assist in the free flow of ideas, but in the mean time go see the Rentals who will be gigging all summer long.

From the Press Release ::

The Rentals new lineup features the original founding members Matt Sharp (ex-weezer) and Rachel Haden (that dog!) along with new members Sara Radle (multi-inst/vocals), Ben Pringle (synth master), Lauren Chipman (viola/vocals) and Dan Joeright (drums). The band hopes to hit the studio later this year to record a new full-length for release in 2007.

07.02.06 :: Solana Beach, CA :: Belly Up Tavern
07.07.06 :: Los Angeles, CA :: Henry Fonda
07.21.06 :: Bakersfield, CA :: The Dome
07.22.06 :: San Francisco, CA :: Great American Music Hall
07.24.06 :: Seattle, WA :: Neumo's
07.25.06 :: Vancouver, BC :: Richard's on Richards
07.26.06 :: Portland, OR :: Roseland Theatre
07.28.06 :: Salt Lake City, UT :: Club Sound
07.29.06 :: Denver, CO :: Bluebird Theatre
07.31.06 :: Minneapolis, MN :: First Avenue
08.01.06 :: Chicago, IL :: Double Door
08.02.06 :: Milwaukee, WI :: Pabst Theatre
08.04.06 :: New York, NY :: Irving Plaza
08.05.06 :: Washington, DC :: 9:30 Club
08.96.06 :: Norfolk, VA :: The Norva
08.07.06 :: Atlanta, GA :: Masquerade
08.09.06 :: Dallas, TX :: Gypsy Ballroom
08.10.06 :: Austin, TX :: Emo's Alt. Lounge
08.13.06 :: Tempe, AZ :: Marquee Theatre
08.15.06 :: Anaheim, CA :: House of Blues

So I just checked out the lead on Brooklyn Vegan that points readers to as set of photos on Gorilla Vs. Bear covering the first ever Post-Blog Rock Bowl. Ok, first of all I don't want to start beef, but Mr. Bear - where did you get the Post-Blog Rock saying? I explained the concept to Tapes 'n Tapes during an interview with them at the Bowery earlier this month. Where is my TM? Do I get credit? This is some bullshit. Hold on to your genre - that's all I'm saying. Oh, the funniest part of the post is this comment coming courtesy of an appropriately named snark:

jerkstore said...

Tapes and CWK gangbanged Beirut after the game in celebration of being flavors of the month for the last 6.

Any pics or audio of that Chris? I hear Beirut's sex noises sound almost identical to his gentle unintelligible crooning.

Holy cow. Thanks to everyone who came out to the party this weekend at Union Pool. Thanks to all the folks at Loose Record who helped make it so awesome. Thanks to Jamie at SESAC. Thanks to Tara with The Picture. Thanks to the bands: Shade, The Picture and Love as Laughter for making it one to remember. Most of all - thank you for making it out. Who knew all you had to do was offer $2 High Life and free burgers to score a big win. We did it baby! Isotopes rule!

Anyway, full report coming sometime in the near future (actually, probably not). In the mean time here is a contest - if you can correctly list the four slides I appear in from the BBQ's slideshow found on our Events Page, I will send you five free albums. I can't promise you'll like all five, but that's why we have Ebay.

This is awesome. Loose Record loves sport. We thought we were alone. Share the love:

Join Product Shop NYC and Melody Nelson every Saturday and Sunday from June 10th through July 7th to watch the World Cup on a big screen at Pianos (158 Ludlow Street, NYC).

The bar starts serving drinks at 9am on Saturday and noon on Sunday. Food service begins at 3pm.

Tuesday solidified my place on 2006's Blog All-Star team. I was everywhere doing everything awesome with all the best people in the world. Ok, I'm not trying to be a dick, it was just funny because I felt like a super-blogger. When the shoe fits - or even if it doesn't - I'll cram my chubby foot into it. Anyway, the evening started with Nate and I hanging in the Bowery's basement to interview and shoot Tapes 'n Tapes for an upcoming issue of SLAP, (I'll post when it hits stands). If you haven't already gathered this, they are a bunch of really nice guys who are completely well adjusted - at least on the surface. I had a great time chatting with them and the results should be funny and quite loose, (pun me this).

On my walk back into my part of the hood with Kelley and Andy, I got a call from Rox who was blogging in Cake Shop (that's so indie) so we decided to hit up Paladar for some delicious eats and a refreshing mojito. We parted ways so I could go home to do some work when all of a sudden Dana called to remind me that Cold War Kids hit early (8:30pm sharp). I popped back out to the street and hustled back to Bowery to see them in action. The LA four-piece (at one point five) was surprisingly kick ass. I didn't really know what to expect and with Dana and I varying on taste as of late my concerns were valid, (she is so post blog rock while I'm straight hip hop - this is all an exaggeration). They have all the quark of your favorite blog rock bands, but with this soulful side that reminded me of the Guillemots at times without the David Gray-ish vocal style that made me puke in my mouth, (only a little). The lead singer looks like a brut, but the kid can get down. Their energy really put them over the top, and if I wasn't such a lazy ass, y'all would have heard this from me sooner, (I tried my best to get off the couch for one of their Pianos' shows). Anyway, I'd put some solid money on them blowing up this year. I've yet to hear the record, but if it reflects what they pulled off Tuesday - the future looks bright.

After their set, I moved to the back corner to have a couple Bango-rita's with the crew while the Figurines did their thing. The Danish quartet reminds me of the good old days at Fat Wreck Chords though they wouldn't fit in their current roster. They look the part of a Northern European band, but their sound comes across as very accessible American pop-almost-but-not-even-close-punk. They kept me entertained and to their credit; I woke up Wednesday morning singing their jam "The Wonder". With the right folks behind them, especially the folks at Big Shot, they should have a fruitful year.

Now onto the main event. Christen and I wasted the first half of their set bullshitting down at the bar, but at some point we cruised upstairs and caught us some Tapes 'n Tapes. Unfortunately we didn't soak in enough of the set for me to formulate a solid opinion, but they did sound like some screws have been tightened and any sort of freshman jitters were left at home. They continue to ascend to the top of the mountain (where they will duke it out with the champs for King) and I'm looking forward to seeing them rock out at this year's Siren Festival.

Toward the end of their set Christen and I hustled up to the Mercury to catch one of Yeti's favorites, The Gaskets. My first impression of this Richmond, VA two-piece can best be expressed in the overused, highly utilized abbreviation WTF. We cruised into the backroom amongst Gigs and Bucket who flew the VA flag high, but we hung in the back with the likes of Beach, Kip, Nora and Karen who decided to say to see if these kids were up to snuff. I hate to use the analogy of rubbernecks at the site of an accident, but this might best describe how I felt. The Gaskets create a vibe akin to an airborne virus. The entire room falls subject to their infectious party electronic pop. The two gents give it their all, and in turn the small crowd did the same. I kept thinking that maybe I shouldn't like this, but they are a band that sucks you into the moment and takes you to a Happy Gillmore style happy place, (complete with midgets and girls in lingerie). By the end of their set my grin was ear-to-ear and I walked home with thoughts swirling in my head. I wanted to write something about them that would change the world or at least the path of popular music. Then, in perfect Belin fashion I passed out next to my laptop. Here I am three days later telling you that The Gaskets are as close to a must see as you can get. Leave your snarky, chipped shoulder at home, pretend you are some sort of post hippy who doesn't care about your cred and go dance the night away. These boys have a permanent spot on every Loose Party guest list - ever.

Last night I had to work the Mason Jennings show at Webster which was cool because it felt like my time there had all but evaporated. Now I'm back in the mix. Afterwards I caught up with Cara and we cruised to Midway (RIP Scenic) to check out the new Modular party. We arrived to find folks like Aaron, Kip and Elz hanging upstairs so we saddled up to the bar, got talked into a Bramas (some Brazilian beer with a weird bottle) and waited for Shy Child to hit the stage. As you know from the past, I'm a big fan of what this Brooklyn duo is producing. With the use of an unreal drummer and a keytar, these guys pump out some hard ass, booty inducing jams. They closed the set with and extended version of my favorite track from One With the Sun (Say Hey Records) - "Summer", but they also got down with the radness that is "Sunshine", "Echo and Throb" and "Break Your Neck", (the latter has a cowbell section that will drive your feet wild). Expect to see alot more from these boys once their new record gets announced - it's got some major indie cred leaking all over the producer.

To be in their video...