ZOMGZ! This touch screen DJ interface is a wonderfully nerdy wet dream come true... well, ok at least for me. Apparently, it's a prototype and needs a bit of work, but the possibilities are endless (and the price tag will be massive... just like the Lemur).
A bunch more videos of the interface and related development are here. Nerd out to the max.
Let's ignore all the of pointless discussions going on right now asking if REM are still relevant. That kinda talk is draining... on Friday REM reminded everyone that they could rock as hard as new bands half their age. REM were phenomenal live, and here's the funny thing, I'm not even a fan of their music. Excluding the new album, I can name about 4 of their songs off the top of my head. Under these circumstances, capturing my attention is pretty impressive.
The one thing that stood out to me was how consistently solid the band's chops were. Simply stating the band's set was polished doesn't do them justice. These guys were focused and still vital after 14 albums. There was a lot less theatrics and a lot more guitar that I had expected. With all that said, I really liked how the new songs came off live. Very no-nonsense. "I'm Gonna DJ" might have been my favorite.
Also - we completely missed Modest Mouse and The National as openers. Lesson learned: when they say doors at 4:30pm at Deer Lake Park, they actually mean the bands start about 6 seconds after that. Unlike every other venue in town.
My long was better than your long weekend... unless you too have a fresh tan, were around the water, and cooled off with beer all weekend. If so, then we're all in the same gang, so to speak.
First 24 update in what feels like 5 billion years: (A) There's a 2 hour season seven prequel for in November (via). (B) Another Larry Sanders Show alum has been added to the cast. (C) This promo pic feels a bit photoshopped
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Tiffany won the Crash Parallel contest a few posts down. Congrats.
Hipster cred be dammed: I like the new Sam Roberts single.
Josh Rouse has launched a members-only download site called Bedroom Classics Closet Archives. Members get to download all songs and videos posted to the site -- over 100 songs. A premium membership for $99.99 gets his new EP, a two-CD bootleg of rare tracks and a copy of his next album once it is completed. After 750 of those memberships have been sold, the basic digital membership plan will cost $29.99
This is kinda insane and kinda awesome, all at once. Mr. Rouse taking a big step in connecting to and targeting his core fan base. The question is - will (750) people pay $100 up front, for access to a single artist's material? There are lots of bands who I've spent way over $100 bucks on, but it's been in tiny, digestable chunks... an album here, a concert ticket there, an mp3 or two. But never $100's of bucks all at once.
Josh Rouse sits in a good space to make something like this work. He's popular enough to have built a dedicated fanbase over the years, but small enough to not be weighed down by major label overhead. If he can get this to work, he's my new hero. Note: if he can sell 750 memberships at $100 and another 750 basic memberships at $30, the guy would be bringing in $100,000. I realize that's not heaps of money in the land of rock and roll. But it's a pretty solid pull for an independent artist. Nevermind,the other revenue from existing albums, touring, merch, etc.
Hey, it's a long weekend! This year, that much means I'm in a car and driving across the province. This isn't a bad thing. Especially after seeing this:
Since I'm pulling a roadtrip of marathon proportions I've created a dj mix to keep myself going long after the coffee has run out. The songs chosen for this mix are strictly for my entertainment. I'm not looking for cool points or sticking to a theme here... there's some old school hip hop, old school electronica, hell even a Spoon track. It's stupid, but in a good way. Sidebar: I have no idea how a Justice track snuck in, but whatevers. Here's the set list:
Jamie Lidell - A Lttle Bit Of Feel Good (Son Lux Remix) The Notorious B.I.G. - Party And Bullshit Keefy Keef - 'Cause I'm Keefy Keef Daft Punk - Something About Us Cassie - Me & U (Siik Remix) Spoon - I Turn My Camera On Eric B. & Rakim - Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em (Quarterbar Remix) Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence Justice - D.V.N.O. (Snippet) S'Express - Superfly Guy Daft Punk - Television Rules The Nation Moby - Go (Barracuda Mix) The Artful Dodger - Re-Rewind
Hey, this could easily be the soundtrack to your long weekend BBQ/houseparty/sitting at home and drinking by yourself. The possibilities are endless. Sorta.
Straight from my inbox to your mouse-clicking hands... we've been hooked up with 2 tickets to the Crash Parallel show next Wednesday's (May 21) at the Media Club and with 2 copies of thier latest CD. We're giving all this away via contest. For those who haven't heard of Crash Parallel, they're from Toronto and do the singer-song writer thing with a full, glossy, band sound. More details and tunes at their myspace space.
To enter all you need to do is send an email with your details to vanmega@gmail.com before bedtime on Sunday. A winner will be picked at random and notified by email. Good luck/Get on it!
Good gravy! That remix of Charlie Brown on the new Ghostface album is kinda restoring my faith in contemporary hip hop. Ok, perhaps that's a bit of an overstatement, but the combo of Ghostface's delivery and the Hot Music sample is total insanity. I get completely fired up when this track comes on. I can't remember feeling this way about a hip hop track since, well, forever.
With all that said, there's no way I can't reference that K-Os track, Superstar Part Zero, that came out 6 years ago. Same beat, same fired up vibe. I ended up dorking out today and mixing the two tracks together. Figured I'd share it, 'cause everyone loves a download:
Was it me, or was this weekend the first warm spring weekend of the year? Either way, I spent a lot of time on patios with drinks, listening to tunes. Warm weather just calls for new stuff... so here's some new stuff for yr walkman.
adventures in fake dj'ing: fake dj battle edition...
Carpet flew in to visit us a few weeks ago. Not surprizingly, a sizable strip was torn off Vancouver and things were generally bonkers. One afternoon, the girls went out and did some wedding related shopping, leaving me and Carpet back at the apartment... we did the only sane thing we could think of: opened a couple bottles of wine, and started to collaboratively fake dj on the laptop. The premise was that we'd take turns mixing... one of us would select the record for the other to play, and then we'd rotate. This started out all well and good with some old school hip hop, but then we started trying to make things challenging for each other by introducing some sickly sweet pop music. After realizing we were yelling at each other about which Britney Spears track was most appropriate for our mix, we agreed to class up/round out the later half of the set with some delicious French house. The result, shockingly, is a pretty solid please-all party mix, (fake) battle scars be dammed.
Whoomp, here's the set list:
Wrecks-N-Effect - New Jack Swing Armand Van Helden - Hot Butter The Beatnuts - Watch Out Now M.I.A. - Come Around Janet Jackson - So Much Better De La Soul - A Rollerskating Jam Named Saturdays Alan Braxe and Fred Falke - Intro Crystal Waters - 100% Pure Love Rihanna - Please Don't Stop the Music Britney Spears - Piece Of Me Ready For The World - Oh Sheila (T-Wrecks Remix) Count & Sinden - Beeper (A-Trak remix) The Knish Hit Squad - Modjo vs 90210
This is kinda awesome, in a lo-fi sorta way. Note: you've got to hit the ENTER to pick - and - hit the number keys at the same time to play notes. Kinda frustrating if you don't.
How retarded meta would it be if I played the tiny this version of Guitar Hero on the Wii web browser?
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