London Eye

Beth Ditto is the 8th Wonder of the World

2009-10-11T11:14:00.002-04:00

Gossip, Apache Beat & Men @ 9:30 Club DC 10.7.09

Take One: APACHE BEAT: I'm introduced to a fabulous shirt with wings on the arms

Take Two: MEN: I'm introduced to Sia's lover?

Take Three: GOSSIP: I'm introduced to Beth Ditto, the 8th Wonder of the World

As Beth Ditto, a gay idol of the world, chugged on stage the Washington, DC crowd actually went mentally insane! People were crying, people were falling over, people were screaming, but most of all, people were pushing and dancing like crazy! All I can say, was that this was one of the most fun crowds I've ever experienced in my life. I love you Beth Ditto (and I especially love it when you get hoisted into your floral dress by your guitarist Brace Paine)!

Stay tuned for when Beth Ditto snapped a pic with my camera

Photo By: Beth Ditto

In the crazy mosh pitting, my camera got catapulted from my hand onto the stage. Once Ditto had finished the song, she then exclaimed "a camera!" Then as I screamed, almost in tears, Ditto calmed me by stating "don't worry, I know it's your camera". She proceeded to snap a pic and hand it back to me. Yes Beth Ditto, I touched your sweat, now my life is complete!

Princeton in a "Cocoon of Love" @ 9:30 Club 10.01.09

2009-10-07T11:41:00.000-04:00

Fun So Cali band, PRINCETON, opened for Ra Ra Riot at the 9:30 Club DC last week. Let's just say if you don't have their new album Cocoon of Love, you need to buy it. It's the perfect blend of Morning Benders, Ra Ra Riot, The Dodos and a little of Vampire Weekend thrown in there yet with a sound that's totally their own.

Read the full review of the concert @ BrightestYoungThings.

Guest appearance by Ra Ra Riot bassist, Matthieu Santos

Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ 9:30 Club 9.25.09

2009-10-04T14:17:00.001-04:00

Yeah Yeah Yeahs & Services @ the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC!

Set List:

-Dull Life

-Black Tongue

-Rockers to Swallow

-Phenomena

-Kiss, Kiss

-Gold Lion

-Zero

-Cheated Hearts

-Skeletons

-Soft Shock

-Honeybear

-Heads Will Roll

-Y Control

-Maps (Encore)

-Date With The Night (Encore)

To learn more about Karen O's spectacular wardrobe, her "Zero" jacket appearance, the Cheated Hearts "I Love You" incident & much more, read Emily Tess Katz's article here!

"One mistake in a subtle way...."

Shake it like a ladder to the sun.....

Cheated by the opposite of love....

"oooo, oooo, oooo....." - Man #1

"oooo, oooo, oooo....." - Girl #1

"ooooo, I LOVE YOU, oooooo....." - ETK

Yeah Yeah Yeahs are hot hot hot by ETK

2009-10-01T15:01:00.003-04:00

With the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, it’s the small things: The fact that Karen O put on the notorious leather jacket she dawns in the Zero music video for the performance; the fact that guitarist Nick Zinner snaps pictures of the crowd during the show to put on the band’s website; the fact that they could be seen dancing to opening band Services from the upper balcony. While the music is great, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are far more than just the sound they elicit.

Jumping onto the stage five minutes after the other band members, Karen O delighted the crowd by sporting another one of her token esoteric ensembles; this time, in the form of blue and green tie-dyed tights, a neon painted top, and a Japanese kimono she would repeatedly take on and off for dramatic effect.  She greeted the crowd while the chords to “Dull Life”, a track off the latest Yeah Yeah Yeah’s CD It’s Blitz, began.  The perfect choice of entry song, she started off slow and then progressed into the punch chorus, jumping and dancing around on stage as though she was at a private dance party. The audience was floored.
            “I’ve never seen such an engaged performer,” GWU sophomore London Venturelli said.  “I’m simply awestruck.”
            “Her [Karen O] stage presence reminds me of Marilyn Manson,” GWU alumni Dakota Fine said.  Fine was at the show to take pictures of the band for his photography website, Brightest Young Things.
            It was not just Karen O’s energy that hooked the crowd, but also the conviction with which she sung.  Her forlorn eyes spoke for themselves during the encore-song --their most famous hit Maps--  as she sang “Wait- They don’t love you like I love you.”
            “I almost cried,” Venturelli said. “Both during Maps and when Karen O came into the crowd. “
            Karen O’s visit to the crowd took place during Cheated Hearts, a song off their 2006 cd Show Your Bones.  After creeping into the crevice between the stage and the barrier, Karen O held out the mic for the audience to sing the words.  The crowd stampeded to the front, and many were within a mere few inches of their beloved rock idol.
            “She was amazing.  I just love her energy,” Said Taylor Deville, a senior at Chopticon High school in Maryland.  “The show totally exceeded my expectations.  The crowd was a little uncomfortable at times though.”
            The 9:30 club was filled to capacity by 8:30, an hour before the opening band got on stage.  The Yeah Yeah Yeahs show was sold out, having had all tickets acquired almost instantaneously after they went on sale in mid-august.
            Despite the close quarters, not all disliked the crowd.  “The crowd was loud and energetic,” Troy McConnel also of Chopticon Maryland, said.  “They made the show that much more exciting.”

BY EMILY TESS KATZ

tunes i <3: LADYHAWKE

2009-09-02T09:20:00.010-04:00

Let's just say LADYHAWKE's "Another Runaway" & "Magic" have gotten me through many a road trip along the coast. Pip Brown of New Zealand became Ladyhawke after her Wellington band, Two Lane Blacktop, with Nick Littlemore (of Pnau & Empire of the Sun) broke up. Sorry Two Lane Blacktop, but your break-up led to the creation of two INCREDIBLE music sensations (Empire of the Sun also helped with my treks up the coast). Ladyhawke's special edition self-titled album was finally released in the US this Monday. Best part of this special edition album is the addition of acoustic versions of three of my Ladyhawke favorites, "Paris is Burning", "Dusk Till Dawn", & "My Delirium". On another note, the albums first single, "Back of the Van" was produced by Michael Di Francesco from one of my favorite bands, Van She (love their song "Strangers"). To sum it up, Ladyhawke has been surrounded by pretty talented people, and it shows. She's AMAZING!

Ladyhawke Recommendations:

Road Trip: Magic - Ladyhawke & Dusk Till Dawn - Ladyhawke feat. Pascal Gabriel (right click to download)

Favorite Remix: My Delirium (Chateau Marmont Remix) - Ladyhawke

Best Two Sunny Day Songs: Another Runaway - Ladyhawke & Back of the Van - Ladyhawke (right click to download)

Top Night Driving Tune: Paris Is Burning - Ladyhawke (right click to download)

Also check out Cut Copy & Peaches remixes of Paris Is Burning

Funnest Beat: My Delirium - Ladyhawke (right click to download)

The Slow Sad Song: Love Don't Live Here Anymore - Ladyhawke (right click to download)

Thanks Circle. Square. Triangle. & Indiecent Music for the Downloads.

Vinnie Ferra Video Shoot 8.25.09

2009-08-28T18:15:00.000-04:00

10pm-6am the never ending video set...

sweatin' til my clothes come off: GABRIELLE 8.20.09

2009-08-22T00:39:00.019-04:00

Gabrielle's one year old and we're celebrating in true LA style with sushi sushi SUSHI! Followed by an industry party in The Hills @ the Entourage house (bring on those sexy sixty year old men, we're ready!!!). Wow, I just said The Hills, but sadly the night was in a very Lauren Conrad fashion...trendy LA restaurants, Mercedes convertibles, and straight blonde hair, EEK.

Bring on some more crispy rice with spicy tuna please!

we're going back to 505: FELIX CARTAL & SKITSNYGG 8.9.09

2009-08-12T13:43:00.001-04:00

I'm going back to 505, if it's a 7 hour flight or a 45 minute drive, in my imagination you're waiting lying on your side, with your hands between your thighs....

Documentation of our trip to what can only be described as Mexico. Summer Fest in El Monte with FELIX CARTAL, SKITSNYGG, LA VICE and many more. Slurpees and a crazzzzy party at the Standard room 505 to follow.

Photos By: London Alexandra & Mandy Sea

Rough Cuts @ Nomad Art Compound 8.01.09

2009-08-04T12:21:00.000-04:00

Late Saturday night, I found myself in Silverlake (I think) at the Nomad Art Compound, listening to Daniel Berkman's (otherwise known as Rough Cuts) beautiful voice. And when I say beautiful I mean he sounds like Justin Vernon. His music has a definite folk vibe to it that sounds like a cross between Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver and Okkervil River. As an ending note, I have to comment on how much I loved this venue with benches graffitied in extremely random paintings, a crazy video instillation, and art plastered on every wall.

For more on Rough Cuts visit his myspace here...(EP soon to come)!

we're playing with VINNIE FERRA at the el rey 7.30.09

2009-08-01T19:38:00.003-04:00

Melting from the Los Angeles heat, I walked into the El Rey on Thursday afternoon only to find Daniel already on the stage in what I determined to be the best outfit ever. I needed his short shorts and tank top, it was the only acceptable outfit for the serious fucking heat. Then I looked over at Mike in the "Vinnie Ferra is my #1 bitch" t-shirt, Vinnie in his cut off jean shorts and tank top with Bowie's wings peaking out the sides, and Garrett in his hospital polo. The point is the group was just too random, yet somehow everyone blended together to create amazing music. Vinnie Ferra was the star on Thursday night at the El Rey in Hollywood accompanied by Mike Freesh (bass), Garrett Ruggier (piano), Daniel Berkman (guitar), Annabel Graham (violin), David Hertzberg (cello), Blair Bishop (back-up vocals), and ME singing with Vinnie. The show went fabulously, opening with a cover of The Beatles "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", then some of Vinnie's originals like "Nala", finishing with a Sufjan Stevens cover of "John Wayne Gacy" and finally Vinnie's newest song "LD", more recently known as "It Hurt To Be Hard". Finally the rooftop after party in Santa Monica was a perfect ending to the night.

VINNIE FERRA is my #1 bitch

2009-07-29T19:02:00.001-04:00

My summer of rehearsing & recording with Vinnie and the gang (Mike, Daniel, Garrett & David).

Visit Vinnie's Myspace here!

Spin the Bottle: Shwayze & DJ Spider 7.27.09

2009-07-28T16:12:00.000-04:00

Once again the kids lined the sidewalk of Sunset Strip last night at Spin The Bottle waiting for performances by DJ Spider and Shwayze (a Southern California favorite). The night opened with a somewhat drab 2 hour set by Filthy Habits, but whatever, we made it work. Best part of the night: I learned how to fist it into a crowd.

this sign makes me so happy

A Night of Pickup Music @ The Whisky 7.19.09

2009-07-23T18:56:00.001-04:00

Last Sunday, Pickup Music hosted a concert at the Whisky in West Hollywood in support of new and upcoming artists in the Los Angeles area. Pickup Music is a group that organizes shows and recording time for young artists. Stephen Becker (Brentwood School), Kevin Nahai (Brentwood School), and Julian Black (Crossroads) of The Interludes headlined the night and were amazing as usual. They also played back-up for young artist Morgan Brown.

To learn more information on Pickup Music, join their facebook group here.

For more information on The Interludes and to listen to their music, go to their myspace here.

THE INTERLUDES

MORGAN BROWN

upon their request...