just before the recent -interesting but over my inexperienced head- Resident Advisor article "machine love: john tejada" was released, i squealed and immediately pressed the purchase button at the good life website.
john tejada coming to boston on the heels of a set at london's legendary fabric club to celebrate the latest release on fabric records, his Fabric 44 mix?
yes, please. how very fortunate.
tejada is an impressive dj and musician whose melodies and beats are complex and simple and seemingly constructed with thought, effort, and personal choice. most of his tunes seem crafted rather than simply pumped out to cause people to "move for them".....
Move For Me - Kaskade & deadmau5
saturday night was a perfect night for a good set and enjoyment out of all attending. having no sunday shift at work, i knew i could dance as hard as possible and get sleep enough to make up for it the next day. so, the hope was that the set + crowd would not disappoint either. *a warning to anyone who has yet to attend an electronic music event in boston:::
the crowds are not so overly interested in the enjoyment of the dj and the having fun while hearing great music and sometimes talk throughout a set, don't dance, and even block the speakers.
luckily, last saturday was not an example of this type of experience and the hopes of the night were perfectly granted. randy deshaies and sergio santos, the latter being an integral part of the midweek techno night [a fun time in its own right], really warmed up the decks for tejada who calmly and collectedly took the set from blasting to stellar in a few short loops and flicks of the wrist.
the set proceeded to get awkward for a moment when tejada was prolonging a trebly, very simple beat with little beat and the crowd seemed ready for something heavy to drop. other than that the one difference between dancing crowd and performer...the night was a pleasant success for all. the only complaint being the one that stands for interesting fun times had while going out in boston::: the ever-present 2am curfew.
furthermore, the venue -to which i have never ventured- was marvelous. the good life was an interestingly constructed space. its downstairs lounge [where the beats happen] is a small space with a bar running the length of the room down one wall and cavernous booth spaces along the other wall. with no coat check, i was a bit unnerved at first, but after finding a stash spot for our outerwear, my companions and i felt fine about where we had left our exoskeletons against the cold.
and for the two best things about the lounge: there were fans at the front of the room for sweaty dancing masses [to which subset of attendees at shows i absolutely always belong, no excuses] and NO LINES in the bathrooms. really, john tejada, whether you picked the good life or they sought you for saturday night...it was a wonderful decision. that show is easily one of the best in enjoyment and most importantly musically, that i have attended since perhaps booka shade this summer.
heavy sigh and high hopes for the midweek techno on february 25th::: tiefschwarz the legendary electro pop/house fraternal duo from berlin.
til then.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
i have found you.
amidst much searching and scouring of the pages on this nice inter-space i finally found a perfect bag:::
the samsonite black label waifer tote.
after receiving a new computer in august -because the old faithful of four years finally went kaputt [a cup of tea might have been involved]- i have been very patient in delving to find the "perfect" laptop bag. in my life to this point, i have not really been a handbag/bag sort of person. i can understand the appeal of them, but it is a rarity to find a bag that is simple and quirky enough to be considered for hanging use on my arms. when there isn't a "too much hardware" problem, its a shape issue and when it isn't either of those, the bags i find seem to be just too simple and boring for my style.
alas, through my scouring of yoox -so positively sure i was going to find the perfect bag for the perfect price- it suddenly came to me! i remembered a press release from late 2007/early 2008 announcing a new collaboration for samsonite black label: viktor & rolf. being very visually pleased with the skeletal and exo-skeletal creations of the alexander mcqueen/samsonite black label collab i thought i would mosey on over to the sbl website for a closer look at the lines. though the v&r line hasn't been released yet ([ from the pictures i've seen it doesn't look as though they'll be including and tote/laptop bags in the line], i was somewhat impressed with the bags. who knew that such a "tough" suitcase and briefcase company which gained popularity in the '70's could have such interesting taste in their black label which targets:::
"unit[ing] luxury materials, superior workmanship and unique designs to appeal to the dynamic lifestyle needs of the most sophisticated consumers around the world" [from samsonite corporate brand portfolio]
it is a shame that now that i've finally found the bag it happens to be out of stock at the moment...ah fate!
however, after a bit of calling to samsonite i have found that it will come back in stock. bad news: i have to stalk the bag online until it becomes available because the person i spoke with could not tell me when the restock would occur.
glee! i've finally found a bag for toting my computer around that i really find classic and interesting.
not so gleeful! i have to stalk the samsonite black label website in hopes that it is restocked soon.
ah well, if it were easy the search would not be so fruitful...
right?
the samsonite black label waifer tote.
after receiving a new computer in august -because the old faithful of four years finally went kaputt [a cup of tea might have been involved]- i have been very patient in delving to find the "perfect" laptop bag. in my life to this point, i have not really been a handbag/bag sort of person. i can understand the appeal of them, but it is a rarity to find a bag that is simple and quirky enough to be considered for hanging use on my arms. when there isn't a "too much hardware" problem, its a shape issue and when it isn't either of those, the bags i find seem to be just too simple and boring for my style.
alas, through my scouring of yoox -so positively sure i was going to find the perfect bag for the perfect price- it suddenly came to me! i remembered a press release from late 2007/early 2008 announcing a new collaboration for samsonite black label: viktor & rolf. being very visually pleased with the skeletal and exo-skeletal creations of the alexander mcqueen/samsonite black label collab i thought i would mosey on over to the sbl website for a closer look at the lines. though the v&r line hasn't been released yet ([ from the pictures i've seen it doesn't look as though they'll be including and tote/laptop bags in the line], i was somewhat impressed with the bags. who knew that such a "tough" suitcase and briefcase company which gained popularity in the '70's could have such interesting taste in their black label which targets:::
"unit[ing] luxury materials, superior workmanship and unique designs to appeal to the dynamic lifestyle needs of the most sophisticated consumers around the world" [from samsonite corporate brand portfolio]
it is a shame that now that i've finally found the bag it happens to be out of stock at the moment...ah fate!
however, after a bit of calling to samsonite i have found that it will come back in stock. bad news: i have to stalk the bag online until it becomes available because the person i spoke with could not tell me when the restock would occur.
glee! i've finally found a bag for toting my computer around that i really find classic and interesting.
not so gleeful! i have to stalk the samsonite black label website in hopes that it is restocked soon.
ah well, if it were easy the search would not be so fruitful...
right?
Friday, January 30, 2009
whirly.
in an attempt to calm down
from this past rapid weekend in new york city
the bus ride home was spent winding down to the soundtrack of Orchestra of Bubbles by Ellen Allien and Apparat.
driving from the herald square/madison square garden area [thanks to boltbus...a new love of mine] uptown by morningside park [a beautiful past haunt of my brother's in his bygone Columbia days] and cathedral parkway and emerging out of Harlem, then seemingly out of the city. the music prodded me along with the journey rather than dwelling of thoughts on the long weekend just spent.
it always seems unfortunate to leave new york, especially now when i would be there over living here in boston if the choice was offered. however, this option has not yet presented itself and to ease my mind from the lovely, exciting, vanishing scenery of the city listtening to a favorite travelling album of mine was really the only way to go.
the album is really a perfect listen for travel in all forms:::
train
bus
car
subway
plane...
perhaps only hang gliding would not mesh with a listen.
the music itself is light enough to allow for multiple thoughts and introspection processes...if that's what you want. OR just a good listen. Allien's voice is entrancing in a way that keeps the listener focused introvertedly on the music. however, the industrial pumping sounds fueled by allien's aesthetic paired with what can only be described as pretty embellishments so characteristic of apparat maintain this thought process, which generally happens when travelling.
my personal thoughts when travelling are ever only focused on where i've just been and where my compass is currently pointed.
in this case, New York...was a success in part due to being avle to just be comfortable around some old/good friends that have been sorely missed in the past few months, like my very talented friend alex [who has been making some excellent music that i will be blogging about in the very near future] and new friends, like the guys and gal that are "the slowest runner in all the world." Listening to the cello, violin, and keys of a song they were recording in the brooklyn apartment/studio where i was staying was a rare treat. so nice and relaxing it all was.
did i mention modeselektor?
to continue from my last post:::
YES.
the show on 24 january at the bowery ballroom was one of the most exciting [and excited] shows I have ever enjoyed. the venue was cool and classy though the sound system clearly was not intended for techno shows but rock shows instead. the lack of good volume and thumping bass was actually noticeably a drawback to the bowery for a show like this.
example::: i could hear myself talking throughout the night...
yet, the berliners of modeselektor knew how to make up for that fact in intensity and -in a word- showmanship? let me say i've seen some crazy stage additions to Dj's like fairies on stilts and spiky headed gas mask monsters on stilts. but, at some point during the crazy dancing and hard beats, the audence was treated to dancers of a different sort. two guys dressed up, one as a butcher and the other in a proper silly chicken costume began to shake it on stage. about that time a...real pig's head, no joke, was beginning to be passed around among the crowd at the front of the stage: 44% more meaningful?, in this case, yes. All of a suddent, modeselektor are announcing their love and desire for champagne which was then opened and sprayed on the crowd, supplemented by bags of tiny white feathers.
vielen dank for that, germany. really.
needless to say my shoes and shirt from that night happen to still be covered in white feathery remnants.
on that note, its time for some delicious/free food from the boy at his job and then a bit of a workout conducted to Hello Mom!
good day and good luck.
from this past rapid weekend in new york city
the bus ride home was spent winding down to the soundtrack of Orchestra of Bubbles by Ellen Allien and Apparat.
driving from the herald square/madison square garden area [thanks to boltbus...a new love of mine] uptown by morningside park [a beautiful past haunt of my brother's in his bygone Columbia days] and cathedral parkway and emerging out of Harlem, then seemingly out of the city. the music prodded me along with the journey rather than dwelling of thoughts on the long weekend just spent.
it always seems unfortunate to leave new york, especially now when i would be there over living here in boston if the choice was offered. however, this option has not yet presented itself and to ease my mind from the lovely, exciting, vanishing scenery of the city listtening to a favorite travelling album of mine was really the only way to go.
the album is really a perfect listen for travel in all forms:::
train
bus
car
subway
plane...
perhaps only hang gliding would not mesh with a listen.
the music itself is light enough to allow for multiple thoughts and introspection processes...if that's what you want. OR just a good listen. Allien's voice is entrancing in a way that keeps the listener focused introvertedly on the music. however, the industrial pumping sounds fueled by allien's aesthetic paired with what can only be described as pretty embellishments so characteristic of apparat maintain this thought process, which generally happens when travelling.
my personal thoughts when travelling are ever only focused on where i've just been and where my compass is currently pointed.
in this case, New York...was a success in part due to being avle to just be comfortable around some old/good friends that have been sorely missed in the past few months, like my very talented friend alex [who has been making some excellent music that i will be blogging about in the very near future] and new friends, like the guys and gal that are "the slowest runner in all the world." Listening to the cello, violin, and keys of a song they were recording in the brooklyn apartment/studio where i was staying was a rare treat. so nice and relaxing it all was.
did i mention modeselektor?
to continue from my last post:::
YES.
the show on 24 january at the bowery ballroom was one of the most exciting [and excited] shows I have ever enjoyed. the venue was cool and classy though the sound system clearly was not intended for techno shows but rock shows instead. the lack of good volume and thumping bass was actually noticeably a drawback to the bowery for a show like this.
example::: i could hear myself talking throughout the night...
yet, the berliners of modeselektor knew how to make up for that fact in intensity and -in a word- showmanship? let me say i've seen some crazy stage additions to Dj's like fairies on stilts and spiky headed gas mask monsters on stilts. but, at some point during the crazy dancing and hard beats, the audence was treated to dancers of a different sort. two guys dressed up, one as a butcher and the other in a proper silly chicken costume began to shake it on stage. about that time a...real pig's head, no joke, was beginning to be passed around among the crowd at the front of the stage: 44% more meaningful?, in this case, yes. All of a suddent, modeselektor are announcing their love and desire for champagne which was then opened and sprayed on the crowd, supplemented by bags of tiny white feathers.
vielen dank for that, germany. really.
needless to say my shoes and shirt from that night happen to still be covered in white feathery remnants.
on that note, its time for some delicious/free food from the boy at his job and then a bit of a workout conducted to Hello Mom!
good day and good luck.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
delight-full.
oh why is it so tempting to drop everything and move here?
the show last night was in a word...
YES.
the show last night was in a word...
YES.
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