Powers are playing tonight, Friday night in Bastard, you bastards. Plus, it's Jessica(moog player)'s birthday. Plus Kate Boss is going to dj your ass off. DOORS 10.30PM.
Hey, imagine three girls with long hair and blouses playing keyboards and bopping to a drum machine. Theyre singing about lying in the back yard measuring the stars with a ruler and a compass.
Au Revoir Simone, leaving a trail of swooning boys wherever their soft steps wander. They popped into the office yesterday morning, but I wasn't there yet, so I missed out. But I got to type up an interview Annie did. (I'm not saying anything, but guess who used to have a shaved head.)
They played last night in Magnet, as the opening band for Mono. It might seem like an unlikely pairing, but let me tell you all those long-haired noise-rock boys were totally under the spell of their dreamy pop lullabies. We were all waving from side to side, sighing longingly at the end of every song. They kept reminding me of someone, but i couldn't put my finger on it 'til my friend said "Postal Service". They also reminded me of the Lisbon sisters, though in a more well adjusted, less fatalistic kind of way. My favourite song from the night was the last one, a cover of Rod Stewarts "Young Turks"...(Why did he call it that? Why isn't this cover all over the INTERSPHEREOFLOVE yet? Listen to the original here! Oh, Rod Stewie.)
i'm sorry. these are the best lyrics EVER:
"Paradise was closed so they headed for the coast in a blissful manner. They took a tworoom apartment that was jumping evry night of the week. Happiness was found in each others arms as expected, yeah Billy pierced his ears, drove a pickup like a lunatic, ooh!"
And it really is the best chorus melody ever. Especially the keyboard bits. No wonder they picked this one to cover.
And they have names like Annie and Heather. And surnames like Hart and D'Angelo. And i think i just fell in love with Annie's boyfriend's band though i haven't heard the music yet. This is two of the boys talking about a video for one of their songs:
...in the video for "No Radio." it started off with this real upbeat guitar track, and it just made me want to move my feet, and I was like, 'Oh, how funny would it be if we made this video that was like '80s Jazzercise?' And two months later, I found myself in short shorts, jumpin' around.
I hope that this week you are not going to miss:
Powers . Bastard . Fri 24 November. (also a Kate Boss dj night. There will be dancing.)
http://www.myspace.com/powersofpowers
Poopsy Club. WestGermany. Also Friday. I just got the newsletter on this one. There will be a hairdresser called Charlie offering his services and there is "Queer darkroom" for "sexy chillout". I don't know, it's all in German..I think there is a band called Riots Not Diets from Argentina. You can read about one of the djs here. (Scroll down to A.Ona).
Field Music . Mudd Club. Sun 26 November. Playing support to Cold War Kids.
Almost Tropical (That's me.) djing at Dr Pong. Sun 26 Nov. From 11pm.
Field Music have put up some songs from their new album Tones of Town today. Get them while they are hot. Sit Tight and Give It Lose It Take It.
ps i missed Cansei de ser Sexy last night because tickets were TWENTY EUROS.
THAT IS RIDICULOUS CANSEI DE SER SEXY, WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!
CA$H MONEY PARTY LAST NIGHT!!!!!!! It was on in a very Stanley Kubrik type of setting, on the second level of a shopping centre @ Alex. There were rows of square refridgerators behind the bar with LCD displays telling you what was inside. And a live light show going on. The huge windows were actually sliding doors, and they even opened them up! Lots of dancing and people watching going on. I was kind of all danced out from Klaxons, but still didn't leave til way after 4.
ON THE DANCEFLOOR: Whitney "How Will I know", Shannon "Let the Music Play", "Ice Cream" New Young Pony Club, "Over and Over", Hot Chip..."Everything She Wants", George Michael.
One Klaxon, sporting a rather dishy jumper, hairdo and instrument.
Also, just about, is the bicycle helmet of one of the girlz from Robots in Disguise. Yeh i guess the Robots in Disguise girlz were up the front wearing bicycle helmets.
I was supposed to get an interview, photopass, golden ticket to the gig and a slice of cake, but no. It transpired that none of this was going to work out for me. It was really disappointing to not have a chat with them and have to spend money that i don't have at the last minute. I really couldn't afford to get a ticket, my friend Kaffrin was gonna buy me one, and I was reliably informed by two different people that i was on the guestlist. But in the end...well you know the words to the song, innit.
I couldn't miss the show, and it was bloody worth it to be there. i have the big smile, sore feet, bruises, aching limbs, empty wallet and ringing ears to prove it.
"Magick" is going to do insane things on dancefloors..That wailing guitar and ooh-wee-ee-oooh-wee-ooh in the background and the chanting and the glitter on the snow...It seemed like the people who had been going fucking mental to "Atlantis to Interzone" didn't really know this one too well. Yet? but i did!..thanks to bigstereo. "Not Over Yet" is still my favourite. On the new album?!?!?!?!?!?! Hope so.
There are some evil scum walking the earth. You know the kind who steal honest, hardworking people's vans full of expensive gear and valueable personal belongings. Such is the fate of Grizzly Bear, who have had to cancel the last 12 dates of their tour, thanks to some nasty motherfucker who stole their van in Brussels last night. They already felt unsure about continueing because Daniel's father is ill. I am sure they felt the pressure from all the people who were depending on them to show up and be professional. But also the need to return home, for Daniel to be with his family at a time like this. My heart goes out to the band, I'm really sad we won't get to see them in Berlin. But hopefully things will work out. They will get their stuff back and Daniel's father will get well again.
If anyone has ANY information regarding their van that was stolen, they should contact the band at their myspace page.
Hello. Coming at you from my fancy office chair in the City Slang / Cooperative Music office. Yes! I am the new slave. It is great to be in this fancy office chair, let me tell you. The office is pretty quiet at the moment – the aftermath of CMJ = several empty fancy office chairs. We are listening to the new CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH album. It has “Satan Said Dance” on it!
So. I haven’t updated my weblog in a couple of weeks, but..i have been working behind the scenes you see. On a podcast thing. It was very fun to do this…and slightly horrifying to hear what I sound like. Wiiiiiierd. I’ll leave that one as my practise effort and will get to work on another which, if I don’t sound like an alien hiding under a duvet, I shall post up for you to listen to. Watch this space.
JUNIOR BOYS, Friday night in White Trash..It's just an unsuitable venue sometimes. There seemed to be way too many rude people there who didn’t really know what was going on. So it was a real battle of emotions., being swept away completely by the music to another place, a happy place, while simultaneously fighting the urge to deck the complete tossers who kept pushing and shoving.. Live, J B's heartwrenching disco pop was like a dreamworld of George Michael and Prince slow-dancing, with Frank Sinatra sulking under neon lights. They are so great. It's like a soundtrack to some lost and great '80s movie. They seemed a bit tired, apparently have been braving the tour on a freezing cold tour bus.
It was pretty sad that PLANNINGTOROCK was unable to continue on to America with THE KNIFE. Doctor's orders to cease and desist after inspecting her strained vocal chords means absolutely no singing for the next few weeks. PTR's performance is really vocals heavy, and after playing such a steady stream of shows on three seperate tours for the past few months, its no wonder she's got to give herself a break. Watch out Australia and Japan, she's coming and she will be fighting fit. Check it.
This is her video for so far unreleased song "The Havers". If you think there is something missing, you are right. This doesn't have the main vocals laid down yet. It has become my number one favourite song from the live show, and it might just be on the second album.
...The breakdown at 2.29 makes explosions in my brain.
I never really imagined i'd be sitting on a tourbus watching [in awe] a Prince dvd (Revolution tour) drinking gallons of whiskey and taking "arty" photos under the weak glow of crappy bus lights. Peaches is dancing appreciately to Prince, Planningtorock is chatting with her mates who came down to see the show, Snax and Jamie Lidell are singing along, JD Samson pokes her head around the door and asks if anyone wants pizza.
And if i'd ever known that i would be discussing crisps with Olaf from the Knife i would probably have tried to think of something better to talk about than crisps. Though Olaf from the Knife is quite animated when talking about crisps; is an animated sort of person in general really.
Photos: Peaches + Planningtorock tour September/October 2006
i dont know why i took photos of toilets instead of..other stuff that wasn't toilets..
i saw milan, brussels, paris, london, amsterdam, copenhagen and everywhere in between from the window of a car, which is quite amazing really. i will never, ever forget driving through Mont Blanc (see glacier, above). Most of the time i was like a kid in the backseat with my nose pressed up against the window or eating crisps and drinking coke or asleep. Justin Timeberlake's "FutureSex/LoveSounds" was the soundtrack for most of the 2 weeks we were on the road for the Knife tour, aswell as Blonde Redhead's "Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons", Nick Drake and Elliot Smith. That's how we roll. Needless to say the shows were all amazing. the Knife sold out the two shows in Copenhagen in 5 and 7 minutes.
It's been a strange week. A mosquito bit me on the eye. My drink got spiked.
But never mind that. I'm going on tour with Planningtorock and the Knife!
on Friday PTR will play with Die Goldenen Zitronen in the Postbahnhof. Then it's Hamburg for the last night of that tour. Then Brussels for the last date of Planningtorock playing on the Peaches tour. I'm so happy i get to work at the another Peaches show, she is an amazing lady and I had such an amazing time during that week I was on the road last month.
Woo hoo!
The dates for the Planningtorock + the Knife shows on their European tour ARE:
Oct 10 MAGAZZINI GENERALI MILAN Oct 13 E-WERK COLOGNE Oct 14 THE FORUM London Oct 15 PARADISO AMSTERDAM Oct 16 VEGA COPENHAGEN Oct 17 VEGA COPENHAGEN
PTR is also opening for them on the dates they are playing in the US. (unfortunately i won't be going that far)
Nov 1 WEBSTER HALL (tbc) NEW YORK Nov 3 MEZZANINE (tbc) San Francisco Nov 4 EL RAY THEATER (tbc) LA
To celebrate, here is one of the songs from Planningtorock's new release, "Have it All Stringed Up". it's an absolutely beautiful EP of a selection of string versions of songs from the album. Viola, cello and contra bass. The vocals are different too.
Friday I missed the Final Fantasy, El Perro del Mar + Vetiver show at festsaal. I'm getting used to missing Final Fantasy, every time he comes to town it just doesn't work out for me to be there. I can't wait to hear how it went.
The Presets were in town again though the same night, playing Magnet. While I had a feeling that their show is a little out of place in this venue (but it was absolutely bloody perfect in Rio last Friday) i really didn't want to miss them. They are twice-in-one-week-goodness. I knew their tour schedule had them here last week, then on to Vancouver and back to Berlin. I imagined they'd be knackered after that, and you could tell by the way Julian rubbed his eyes and leaned against his Roland that this crazy touring is taking it's toll. But a couple of songs into the show they played "Are You the One", everyone went crazy and the two boys became energised.
The Daft Punk moment happens and Kim stands up from the drums, waving his arms in the air, urging the crowd to go hard. Then he sits back down and gets back into the beat. Their eyes were glued to the everyone dancing, feeding off the energy.
This pair always have a mischievious glint in their eyes, and are always shimmying around the stage. Kim + maracas = the best thing ever. Hooray! (Yes, his t-shirt says, "the kids want techno".) I can't wait to get my hands on Beams. Please go here and download the Cut Copy mix of The Presets "Girl and the Sea". It is very good.
Modular People must be a happy home. They've signed MSTRKRFT and the first MP release coming out in October is gonna be "Work on You" including the remix by Para One which you can hear, here.
Saturday
Spent the day getting dj equipment sorted for the gallery opening. Tis a hectic affair doing that, and i couldnt have done it without the help of Oliver from Dr Pong. The place i rented the mixer and players from didnt give me enough cables..which was really lame. Of them, and me for not doublechecking. Plus as the gallery is brand new, there were no back up extension cords or anything which i really needed as i was set up outside in the courtyard. It finally worked out in the end, even though one of my speakers was kaput, i wasnt supposed to be playing too loud anyway...Which was sad as Oliver had provided a kick ass fancy sub-woofer..Oh well. The party was cut short unfortunately as the gallery crowd were exhausted i guess. I'm glad i've had the experience of organising and setting up (with help) equipment stuff. After packing up (why? why? there were lots of people and they were enjoying the music!) we went for drinx at a friends house before hitting a former swimming pool for the after party of this.
What a cool venue. You walk in and the vast space presented by a cavernous, empty swimming pool just swallows you up. There are armchairs dotted around the floor bottom, people slow-dancing and even a game of skipping going on down there.
The contrast of the ornate cornicing and really decrepidly peeling walls inside the building was an urban decay dream. The djs in the main pool area were playing eerie music that totally matched the strange echoey acoustics. Unfortunately I had to go home after a couple of hours as it had been two very long days and i badly needed some kip. It was around 3am and as I departed there was a mighty crowd battling to get in.
i am going to start saving up my pocket money so i can go see Beyonce's show here next year!
Hot Date: 13 May 2007, Max Schemling Halle....BEYONCE! 59.75 € or 68.35 € (ouch).
Thanks JAPANTHER. I think i have a crush on you. They played last night at WestGermany, with THE GOOD GOOD openin' up for them. The awesome Japanther banner was hanging behind the stage. Big and black with the silver letters. It's very impressive. The almighty gallons of sweat, the pink and yellow telephone receiver-mics, the bart simpson t shirt, the nasty stage dive, also very impressive.
The Good Good were amazing and great. Their lead singer lady said, "it's really cool to see all these rad ladies up in the front." She sings and plays her keyboard, guitar and siren with the fervour of a child at play. A sample they used in one of their songs was a recorded conversation she had with her father from when she was 5. The band have this frenetic energy, lead by their insanely fast drummer. Shouting, clapping, drumming, bleeps and bloops coming from a siren thingy with buttons. THIS BAND IS SO CLASS. I loved their ghetto equipment:
Check out this high-hat. It looks like it got attacked by a dinosaur.
The floor tom kept falling over. the lead singer of Japanther was on hand to hop over fix it. he was up the front rocking out for the whole thing.
And the drum machine thing. Held together with those elastic-y bike things with hooks at the end. Aw!
Were you there? Thanks for comin'. There was alot of people. It got really hot. And i was a bit nervous.
It looks like i'll be djing at the inaugural opening of the Curators Without Borders gallery this Saturday night, Brunnen Str. 5. It starts at 6 and i'm djing from 7 til 11 (if it doesn't get shut down). It's not confirmed but maybe im djing at the party afterwards...somewhere..
i met kate boss tonight in monster ronson's. it was magnificent. he is from sao paulo and while i was talking to him he played the klaxons, cansei de ser sexy and the presets.
SWOON.
i like to play all them songs too. so come along.
tomorrow (tonight - tuesday) night from 11 - Almost Tropical @ Dr. Pong, Eberswalder Str 21.
Anyways, on Friday night, after an 8 hour car trip from Munich totally squashed into a Renault with 4 complete strangers, the only thing i wanted to do was get on my bike and cycle to Rio to catch the Presets playing a show as part of the Gigolo records night.
By some nice good luck, i bumped into Peaches boyfriend at the door and he waved me in. He had accompanied his lovely girlfriend earlier that week for some of her "business trip". It was really nice of him to do that. Yay.
Rio was teaming. I gulped down a leitungswasser after my speedy bike ride and stood around. I might have looked a bit odd. My friends couldnt make it at the last minute and there was some baaaad music on that everyone was dancing to. I didn't reall care though, I just wanted to see the band!
Which was good because they came onstage pretty soon. The Presetsin all their glory ARE REALLY REALLY GREAT AND THEY DO THIS ELECTRO/LIVE PERFORMANCE THING THAT DRIVES ME CRAZY
and every one else too.
Drums that will knock your socks off and dance-antics that will make you giddy like when you had too much ice-cream in your coke that one time at your best friend's 9th birthday party in 1991. REMEMBER THOSE GOOD TIMES?!
All to be repeated THIS FRIDAY in bleughMAGNETbleugh where im sure nowt of the atmosphere, but as much, if not more of the sweat will be present. I'm gettin' up the front. I don't want to miss the chance to witness Kim's fancy A$$ drumming one more time.
During the show they morphed one of their songs into a Daft Punk tune from Homework. It was genius. And they finished us off with "I Go Hard I Go Home"
At 8MM Bar you may have seen a notice that hangs precariously behind the counter; hastily scribbled and attached in a rather desultory fashion to a shelf bearing the weight of alcohol.
Powers 7” 6euros, the notice says.
This is the first ever release from Powers, featuring two startling songs, “Butchers Arms” and “Battery”, which mingle their dark and atmospheric charms in an enchanting blend of eerie vocals, noisy guitar and some seriously demented drumming.
They remind me of My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth and sometimes the Pixies. Behold the power of Powers! They make a lot of noise for a threepiece. A band of three: drums, guitar and moog - the small size belies their big sound. Though based in beautiful Berlin the three members of the band came from England, Ireland and America. They all arrived in the city around the same time and got together to form Powers nearly a year ago. Joe used to be play drums for Add N to X, Paul is also a member of Boy$ and Jessica has been on tour lately playing moog for IAMX.
(ok, how class is that? the still from the video which is displayed until you press "play" is Jessica! It's actually my favourite shot aswell. Deadly.)
Elsewhere in Berlin, the record can also be bought at:
Freak Out Mr. Dead & Mrs. Free Downtown Records Leila M Dense, Drehmoment 8MM BAR
In Hamburg, the record can be found in: Zardoz Rekord Michelle Burnout
the beautiful cover art was designed by Paul and his girlfriend. The band is currently working on recording new material and putting together a tour. So watch out!
Hello. I just wanted to pop in here and say I highly recommend to all of you a Sunday evening spent in White Trash Fast Food; it is surely a delightful thing.
See, on Sundays it gets real fancy at WTFF. From the glamourous broad who greets you at the door to the yummy candlelit dining and the burlesque dancer who fans her feathers at you at end of the night, fancy and fun are two really good words to describe the experience. I mean, it's still White Trash. Your maitre'd may be poised elegantly in a pin stripe suit, sipping from a glass of red wine - but check out his tats, yo. It's certainly bustling and the dj will keep you jiving in your seat as you await your Marquis de Fuck burger.
Apart from the restaurant there's a venue downstairs in a sort of cave. Bands who have played there recently include the Things, Two Gallants and Liars. And it's not just Sundays when its gonna be a good time:
**Swedish heart-melters Lampshade are playing there on October 23. Listen to "New Legs".
Peaches came to town and put on a very good show. There was a giant inflatable penis, there was J.D Samson in a shiny silver get-up, swinging her keytar with a groove that made Peaches want to hump her leg alot, there was Peaches on a bike and Peaches stage-diving and there were two roadies, whose job specification seemed only to be to undress her as the show went on.
It wasn't really the theatrics of the show that really impressed me though. I'm not that familiar with previous fruits born from the Peaches tree, apart from the obvious ones...but anyway, I really like her new album. It is really good! Josh Homme and Beth Ditto are on there. YO. Her voice is gorgeous and she plays the guitar like a rock goddess. With a full band backing her up there's an almighty kick to the album and the live show is like a glam rock opera extravaganza. She finished up with that one, "Fuck the Pain Away". My favourites from the night were new one "Boys Wanna Be Her" and "Give 'Er", which Peaches definitely did.
The show attracted quite a few of the the underground Berlin musician folk. While i was working merch i saw IAMX, Robots in Disguise and one half of the Knife walking about. Swoon, thud. The after party was on in Rio. While hanging about in the dingy corridor waiting for my friend to come out of the loo I somehow rescued Peaches from the toilet she'd locked herself into. She was happy to get out...The band had Rio as a practise space for a week before this first date of the tour in Berlin. I wish i'd known..
Basically the night was quite like this video. Minus the blood! I think..Watchout it's a bit gorey.
this week was really mad and alot of stuff happened. mostly good! i dont want to say anything, i dont want to jinx it. i guess im overwhelmed and it kind of all hit me today, i didnt get up to much apart from going out for a sushi dinner and so i guess im missing out on all the fun tonight. It's the first Ca$h Money Party after the summer break, tonight in 103 Club. Dance!
There's an unmissable show happening in Postbahnhof tomorrow night. Peaches + PLANNINGTOROCK.
The Show starts at 8 pm and if you're planning to go, i would be there on time as I know for a fact that venue has an early curfew and is bound to start on time.
PLANNINGTOROCK is an amazing lady. A visual artist who escaped to Berlin and started making music, she is a classically trained violinist, and her love of strings has resulted in a special issue of "Have it All" being released: a purely string (violin, cello and double bass) + accappella version of the album. Aswell as deeply rooted love for classical music, PTR's circle of friends, which includes Mocky, Kevin Blechdom and the Knife has no doubt influenced the sounds on her album.
Peaches will have a full band with her. That means Samantha Maloney (Hole, Motley Crue, Eagles of Death Metal), Radio Sloan (Hole) and JD Samson from Le Tigre on keytar and sequencing. JD's already been spotted in Berlin this week doing some shopping in Immaculate Heart, a great little vintage/thrift store in Mitte. (Em, on a sidenote, the owner of the shop, Meg, moonlights as hairdresser, cutting hair in 8MM bar. Make an appointment!
I'm gonna be working the merch stand tomorrow night. So come over, say hi and buy some stuff. There will be some amazing t shirts designed by Kristian Goddard and also some eccentric hoodies by Chicks on Speed designer Cathi Glas. Plus special edition white vinyl copies of "Have it All" and lots, lots more...
IT'S NEW! IT'S NICE TO LOOK AT! IT'S ABSOLUTELY LOVELY!
Upcoming SIMPLE KID Shows, Swit Swoo! Sep 16 End Of The Road Festival Dorset near Shaftesbury Sep 27 ICA London London Sep 29 GALWAY Roisin Dubh Galway Sep 30 LIMERICK Dolans Warehouse Limerick Oct 1 CORK An Cruiscin Lan Cork Oct 4 DUBLIN The Village Dublin Oct 5 BELFAST Spring & Airbrake Belfast Oct 6 DERRY Nerve Centre Derry Oct 7 DUNDALK Spirit Store Dundalk Oct 31 BIRMINGHAM barfly BIRMINGHAM Nov 1 GLASGOW barfly GLASGOW Nov 2 LEEDS The Brudenell Social Club Leeds Nov 3 LIVERPOOL barfly LIVERPOOL Nov 4 MANCHESTER night and day MANCHESTER Nov 5 CARDIFF barfly CARDIFF
None in Berlin, though.
Anyways, apart from Simple Kid here are some hot dates that are actually happening in Berlin this month: woah.
Hot Chip Lido 19.09.06 The Rapture Lido 20.09.06 The Black Keys Magnet 23.09.06 JAPANTHER WestGermany 27.09.06 The Presets Magnet 29.09.06
..a rapidly diminishing bank balance + no job = me = this video = yeh.
Check it out, "Staring at the Sun" by Simple Kid...From 2003. How is it that old? i dunno, it doesn't seem like it.
THE SIMPLE KID NEWS HEADLINES:
Simple Kid will be releasing 'Serotonin' & 'The Ballad of Elton John' at the beginning of September, it will be available as a ltd edition 7in and digital download.
It will be the first release on Country Gentleman Recordings and will initially be available in the UK and Eire. The album will follow a few weeks later and is called 'Simple Kid 2'. The album comes with a 24 page booklet. Nice.
Full track listing:
Lil' King Kong Self-Help Book The Twentysomething Old Domestic Cat Serotonin A Song of Stone Mommy n Daddy Oh Heart Don't Be Bitter You Love's An Enigma (pt II)
It was really sweaty in Rio last night.You Say Party! We Say Die! were on the Saturday night bill. She sings good. They have some good songs. She's not afraid to grab silly boys by the necktie, if they so much as dare to manhandle her tambourine.
In about three weeks, the Presets will play Rio. YES. Though, that might be a secret. Anyways, a week LATER they'll be playing Magnet aswell. YES YES.