IN: Shamelessness
OUT: Attention-starved sad sacks

My dear friends Dillon and Tim put on this regular ping-pong experience called PADL BATL. It's a great place to meet fun people and have some chuckles. Competing in the tournament requires registration and the roster may be full, but you certainly don't have to compete to enjoy the event. This year's tournament will be held in a church in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Stop by and see what it's all about!

Labels: event, ping pong, vampire weekends

In: Arbitrary blog format rules

Out: Freedom of expression

In: Cheeky inside jokes

Out: Seriousness of any kind


If anyone made it out to Piano's or Union Hall this weekend you caught The Eames Era in peak form. We tried to warn you. It's not our fault when you don't listen. Weirdly enough, on Saturday night the headliner was Washington, D.C.'s The Exit Clov (filed under: I don't care how good or bad your music is but GET. A. NEW. NAME). They were solid and mostly memorable for being fronted by two, twin (biologically speaking) Asian women. Tell me the last time you saw that shit in the indie community? Seriously, tell me. They sound like The Cranberries circa "Everyone Else Is Doing It So Why Can't We" and graduated from George Washington University. In this case, you take the good with the bad. Maybe something interesting for the kids to check out.

Also, if you were paying attention you saw a Loose Record (extended) family member exchange numbers with The Eames Era lead-singer. We are happy to report they had a nice conversation in the bar. She is a dynamic little flirt on stage and he, well, he's just a great guy.

Didn't catch the Vampire Weekend art-space show with Bear Hands. Any word on how that turned out? Hipsters? This was in your hood. You should have some information for us.

Labels: gulags, i am not allowed to speak to the western media, mina the stalin picture is a joke, this blog is a state secret

IN: Washboard players
OUT: Consistently bad sound at a venue

I got exactly what I wanted at the O'Death show last night. A bunch of ragtag performers playing their hearts out, a friendly-insane crowd of hipster hillbillies, and a friend working the door. What I could do without are these hickeys...hello, homeroom.

Look for a real live review with slideshow in about a week on the front page.

Labels: luna lounge, o'death

"Vampire Weekend: noun : Meaning to engage in weekend activities that will make you act like a vampire; avoiding sunlight, sleeping during the day, fearing sunrise. Red Bull and vodka can both be prominently involved.

Alternate Definition: noun : An afro-beat inspired, indie-rock band from New York City who write songs about Cape Cod."

So join us for what is definitely going to be a Vampire Weekend of drinking and maybe seeing Vampire Weekend.

Friday night if your wallet is flush ($18-20) and you're feeling behind the buzz, hit Webster Hall for Voxtrot, Favourite Sons, and Au Revoir Simone. Voxtrot has been sucking up press from the likes of the New York Times and for some reason no one noticed their new album is pretty terrible. I'll go to war with their first two EPs but the "long awaited" LP is ... tough. The live show is usually middling but I hear they're doing a lot of cocaine now (unfounded accusations alert!), so things might have amped up a little bit.

You can also run down to Park Slope's Union Hall and catch The Eames Era. If you're looking for a band that plays the kind of music Jenny Lewis and the Rilo Kiley kids wrote when they were hungry for a record deal, this is probably the best show on the schedule. If you miss it, don't lose your shit. There's always ...

Saturday night when you can catch The Eames Era again at Piano's. They're the 10.30pm band and Piano's almost always runs on time so don't go for the "cool kids show up late" arrival.

And if you're brave you can head out to the Glasslands Gallery (or is it an "Art Space?") in Williamsburg and catch Bear Hands (one great song, "Long Lean Queen") and Vampire Weekend (not to be missed). Yes, attending this show might make you a fucking hipster but keep in mind, Vampire Weekend graduated from Columbia and performed at the Bowery Ballroom in docksiders. Docksiders. Preppy-Hipster tensions could be running at an all-time high - which for my money is more than reason to go. Show kicks at 9.

MP3s:

The Eames Era - When You Were A Millionaire

Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma

Labels: thanks mina, this blog just went to a new level, vampire weekends

Out: Sunscreen
In: Salvation

Currently, the lighted sign on the church nearest my apartment reads: "Exposure to the son may prevent burning."

Get it? I imagine it has nothing to do with this study, but it's pretty insightful regardless.

And yes, I realize this is the most random post, but I felt the need to spread the gospel.

The Shout Out Louds are back and swinging with a new EP for the summer, followed by a full-length release and the first US tour in two years. Be excited!

Shout Out Louds - Tonight I Have To Leave It (mp3)