Thursday, April 30, 2009

Greenpoint Graff

Oh my Sashe Frere Jones- you are just sooo fing cool. This is from his New Yorker blog...

Alphabeta is a gallery and store in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Apparently Jones was there a few weeks ago for a book release party called "Graffiti Kings" by Jack Stewart. 

I'm so totally obsessed with this spot. There's a wall with 800 different spray cans. 

Very Observant

Thanks to Kfir for letting me know about the NYC newspaper "The Observer." He says they have great movie reviews but I'm forever a fan for this article - about a shaddy hipster ripping men off and telling them she has cancer.. which also made NY magazines' intelligencer list. Hurrah cross referencing. 

Life's a Beach..at Governors Island

According to brooklynvegan blog there's a new spot called the Beach at Governor's Island that will host shows this summer. God I love summer in NYC. Highline Ballroom is in charge of the first show- which is July 11 - featuring Dark Star Orchestra, Keller Williams, Pete Francis and Barefoot Truth. Learn more HERE.

Groovy

Alice told me about this web site Grooveshark where you can hear any song but tons and tons of artists for free. Kind of like Pandora. Alice also told me about Citizen Cope, mix of hip hop, folk and blues according to his bio on his web site.  I told her about Clipse. - which is Pharrel and the Neptunes (who DID NOT show up to their Coachella gig. Bastards.)

Beat Generation

George Harrison's son Dhani Harrison is compared to his father - his physicality, his playing, his looks...

Harrison juniors band Thenewno2's album You Are Here is worth checking out.  I, obviously, missed them on Saturday at Coachella. 

Put it in the blender

I found this in Blender magazine (while waiting anxiously for my train at Penn Station... FML)

In a quick piece about sampling and copy right infringement these guys were mentioned. They were only allowed to release their album as of last year. 

Take me to the river

NYC's River to River Festival line up still hasn't been announced either. Are these people really trying to make me angry?! It's May 1 already guys, get it together. I want free events outside in my life. 

Rock My Face Off

So this is a little bit late but my Coachella post is ready for the blogosphere. I'm far enough away from the binge now to talk about my amazing experiences.

My "my mind is blown" moments came from the art installations so I'll put that at the top since you won't want to read my tremendously long post. 

Pyrocardium- guys from SF brought this to Coachella. A spiral fire follows the patterns of your heart beat monitored from your finger by your pulse. WOW. COOL. 

The Quad Cubatron- I literally want to go to art school and make this my career or my really insane hobby. Basically this guy Mark Lottor programmed 30 minutes of 3D graphics in a matrix 10 ft off the ground that's 20X20ft. It's a cube that features 5760 computer controlled LED lights. Crazy. 

Friday I saw: Switch, People Under the Stairs, Los Campesinos, The Black Keys, Franz Ferdinand, Leonard Cohen, Beirut, Girl Talk, Paul Mccartney, Bajofondo and the Crystal Method. 

Now that's a lot of great music. Some awesome moments came at Bajofondo. GT was a dance party as always and the Crystal Method was just one big rave in the Sahara tent.

Saturday got a bit hectic and I missed Ida Maria, Paolo Nutini, TV on the Radio, Blitzen Trapper, Tinairwen, Booker T, Junior Boys, Gang Gang Dance, Glasvegas, Fleet Foxes and the Killers... DAMN IT. What did I see you ask??

Some Thievery Corporation (I got bored easily and only saw the first few songs) The Bloody Beetroots killed it ..even though I had never heard of them before, M.I.A was bad live yet again, the Chemical Brother's DJ set rocked my pants off, caught a glimpse of Band of Horses which was pretty then hit the MSTKRFT show. That was tight but they play in NY all the time so I'm mad at myself for being so irresponsible to miss all the music I was aching to see. 

Sunday: I wasn't letting myself get away with anything today. I saw 12 hours of music.
Mexican Institute of Sound = conga lines in the desert!
Friendly Fires - Reminded me of the Talking Heads. Brilliant.
Busy P - WOW ...FUN
Okkervil River- Beautiful desert music
Peter Bjorn and John - Good but I think I like them inside smaller venues.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Yes, yes great live show.
Lykke Li- Chiller than I expected, awesome.
My Bloody Valentine - Just classic rock music here
The Kills- Saw the whole set, great performers 
Public Enemy - These guys are still kicking. Flavor Flav is old as shit though.
The Orb - Way too chill "ambient" for my taste.
Groove Armada - WOOP! 
The Cure - Old oldies playing oldies but goodies
Etienne De Crecy- Yes the box, the box. He's a french electronic DJ with a cool box. Now stop taking ectasy for 5 minutes, geeze. 


Monday, April 27, 2009

CELEBRATION

Celebrate Brooklyn's line up for Prospect Park shows will be announced on May 4. Stay tuned.

Silverlake, CA

So I heard Silverlake, CA mentioned as a hipster enclave along with Williamsburg, BKLYN in the introduction to this "Hipsters in Space" episode on Current TV skit on my flight back from the Bay Area Monday. 

Then I realized, I've already posted about the Kogi Korean Taco trucks being in this area! Butin keeping with travel news... here's some other stuff to check out if you're cool enough to rock a mustache and neon t-shirt in the area...

1.  Famous modernist architect Richard Neutra's home on Silver Lake Boulevard
2. Buzzed about band Silversun Pickups

And here's an article about the burg from the LA Times.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

COOKIES and ICE CREAM

 If you're in LA hit up Diddy Riese in Westwood. This ice cream shop gives you the opportunity to pick any cookie you want and they'll make you an ice cream sandwich with the flavor of your choice for ONE DOLLAR. YUM recession proof snacks---- Now you just have to get to California. 

*** Thanks to Kelsey for this tip 

Thursday, April 2, 2009

I <3 you so I'll hit you in the face- Pt. 2

Newmindspace's Pillow Fight is this Saturday, April 4 at Wall Street at 3pm.

WHACK - the official after party - think PAJAMAS!!! - will be at 73 West St. at Greenpoint Ave. Although I'm kind of bummed this information was published in Time Out NY, I think they may change the location at the last minute. I'll be on the look out for that. 

Roller Derby

I'll be in California but if you want to strap on skates and show off fancy varsity sweaters - hit the Down and Derby party at Studio B on April 17.  Woop! 

Only $5 admission with RSVP at www.downandderby.org

Click here for more information. 

Classical Music for the Electronic Age

Ricardo Romaneiro is originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil but he's been living in NY for 14 years. A graduate of Julliard, Romaneiro is working on a commission at Avery Fisher Hall to create a full score for orchestra and electronics. He's worked as part of the Wordless Music Series and creating an electronics version of "Rite of Spring" played at Le Poisson Rouge and Celebrate Brooklyn.

His performance at Lincoln Center will be on September 2. 

Here are links to some of his music, which is a combination of classical and electronica.


24h Berlin

Interactive multimedia event shows the people and city of Berlin for one 24 hour period. Eighty film crews shot hundreds of hours of video on Sept. 5 2008 and the project will air one year later on Sept. 5 2009. 

Can watch it here : www.theauteurs.com 

For additional footage visit: www.24hberlin.tv

www.twitter.com/24hBerlin 

Look into movie Berlin: Symphony of the City 

Party in Berlin - A DREAM

This is the party section. The DJ's girlfriend recommended the following spots along with others I found interesting to hit while in Berlin:

Bar 25 - Summer after hours spot on the water. Many scenes in "Berlin Calling" take place here and it looks AMAZING! People recommend the rope swing?!

Kiki Blofeld - not recommended to me but found this bar on a web site that also sounds great. 
Outdoor bar across from Bar 25 on Spree River. Relaxed, far less posh with different areas: sandy beach, outdoor dance area, restaurant and pool table. 

Panorama Bar - Many sites about Berlin mention this club as one of the best in the city if not all of Europe. It's open on Fridays and Saturdays at midnight but doesn't get going till around 5am. Doormen are supposedly strict and do not want to let tourists into their club. 

Maria am Ostbahnhof (MARIA)  - Also appears a bunch in Berlin Calling. You can see the big M in the background of a lot of the shots. SO FUN! 

Watergate - Reviewers note great views of the Spree River and floor to ceiling windows1

Other clubs noted elsewhere: Tresor, Sage Club, 90 Grad, Cafe Burger, Cafe Moskau, Club der polnischen Versager.


To get in touch w/ my source: simina.grigoria (u?) @live.com