Shut Up and Dance

New EP

2009-11-10T11:56:00.000-08:00

If You're looking For Something

2009-04-19T23:16:00.001-07:00

You might as well go here

www.grogansocialscene.com

Cop Out

2009-04-02T02:00:00.001-07:00

Sorry I'm being a Narc.

Learning CSS is a wee bit tougher, but we will all be better for it. In either case, a quick low down-

I am working. A lot.

Here are links to movies I have watched while I've been working the past few weeks.

Red Dawn
Amazon Women on The Moon <- I definately saw this on WPIX back in the day.
Insomnia < - Famous actors/actresses, bad movie. I can't wait till I do it for the money.
Wet Hot American Summer < - First saw this in Chinn's room

String Bell is on 'The Office.'

I picked MSU vs. UNC for my championship game.

Opening day is pretty soon, who will end up with a better record? O's or A's?

Cool band I saw open for the Handsome Furs.
Railcars.

Don't worry, I've been teaching ping-pong.

"I love you all" ~ Ozzy

A good sign of things to come

2009-03-11T22:16:00.000-07:00

Well, I think Spring is here. Not really, but at least there is light now when I leave work. Speaking of work, we just had our newest software release, and it is NARTSY. Be prepared. I know , I know, you're thinking I'm just gonna talk about it, but no, its true, there will be changes here at Shut Up and Dance!

Anyhow, after we had our 'pedal to metal' all hands Friday, I found this in our office supply of Goldfish. Miracle? or Marvel Of Modern Science?

I got my pre-production set-up and rolling, and started tracking some songs. We'll see what makes the cut, but except some pretty cool offers for you, my loyal reader.

Ok, I'm gonna see Monta Friday play the Mavs. Possibly check these guys out, and go to this Monday.

Also, Toshie Sagz will apparently be in town next week.

Its all happening

2009-03-05T19:12:00.000-08:00

I just bought www.grogansocialscene.com. Expect this blog to move in the near future. And don't forget to "spring" your clocks forward this weekend.

I'm watching New Orleans slowly beat down on Dallas. CP3 is dirty. My co-worker Stan the Man wiped my computer clean yesterday, its awesome, but I don't have FoxyTunes any more.

This is some cool stuff.

Also, remember how good this album was? Too bad the old way of doing things is gone. A band like that couldn't break it that big in the new era of music.

The Dashboard Melted...

2009-02-24T21:06:00.001-08:00

but we still had the radio. Those guys are awesome. I thought I had heard they would be playing here? but it looks like it got canceled. AC is though, and TVoTR. w00t!

Its also pretty crazy they are playing here. Kinda wish I was in B'more for this. Another thing I miss about B'more was driving around and listening to local radio stations. The two best were 89.7 WTMD,run outta Towson U, and 103.1 WRNR from 'Nap Town.

I recently invest in an alarm clock/radio player/iPod docking station thing-a-ma-jingie and have been taking full advantage of the radio. Top pick in SF is KPOO 89.5.

Hopkins vs. Princeton is this Saturday. We Want More!

These guys are releasing their new album as we speak. Eric was my guitar teacher when I was 18 and 19 and taught me a great deal about playing, and I'm looking forward to seeing all the guys Friday.

----------------
Now playing: Van Morrison - The Way Young Lovers Do
via FoxyTunes

Live Blogging on the Holidaze

2009-02-16T12:33:00.000-08:00

While watching this guy is on IFC. This is the Setlist from my gig at Maxfield's a few weeks ago.

Set I
Pls. Don't Speak My name
Tiny Cracks
Good
The Factory

Set II
(New Song)
Portraits & Landscapes
Get Rich Quick Scheme
Everybody Waited (Nobody Came)

Special Encore- All Along the Watcher w/ Christopher Ward

Christopher Ward's band Basecamp will be playing the Rockit Room March 20. Info here.

Maxfield's said that was the most white wine they ever sold on a Friday. Thank you Ty Taylor!

I listened to "The Pains of Being Pure At Heart." Kinda sounds like "Loveless." The new rock is this band from West Virgina called 'The Demon Beat.' I saw them at the Ottobar back in the day(Fall 2007), and I think they were in high school. Contact for the hookup on both these albums.

----------------
Now playing: Woodhands - Be Back Soon
via FoxyTunes

Live Blogging

2009-02-11T00:04:00.000-08:00

From Pennsylvania Ave. And you know what, I'm watching Sneakers. Another reason why this movie is awesome- its set in San Francisco.

Alright, time to make some more music fans happy.

Hot New Hip Hop

2009-02-09T20:45:00.000-08:00

Check out these guys.

Spike Jonez brother and some dude from Brazil. North America/ South America - Hit me up with you want the full knowledge.

Seeing as I didn't watch them, I figured I'd have a guest post from my mom-

Grammy's

"Rick Rubin got producer of the year. Robert Plant and Allison Krauss album of the year. Coldplay got multiple awards. They seem like really nice guys. They all get paid equal amounts of money which I like.

Check out ASCAP.COM there might be something there you would want to link to your blog re: song writing

Radiohead was brilliant. "

----------------
Now playing: The Demon Beat - The Shakes
via FoxyTunes

One Of The Many Reasons I Love My Job

2009-01-29T19:32:00.000-08:00

Read all about it here.
----------------
Now playing: TV On The Radio - Modern Romance
via FoxyTunes

Musical History

2009-01-26T00:11:00.000-08:00

A friend asked me this weekend what the Number 1 song was on the day I was born. I was impressed with the question and didn't have the answer. Being the music junkie that I am, I have found the answer.

Billie Jean by Michael Jackson.

What was yours?

Also, someone tried telling me Heat was the best ensemble cast movie, but I think it was this one.

Time For A Change

2009-01-20T19:01:00.000-08:00

That's right, I finally got a new pair of sneakers. My first pair in over a year.

I will probably retire my BMORE Air Force Ones with the Management laces. Anyone who can explain the irony of my sneakers will get a ticket to a concert of my choosing.

Just to put everything in perspective.

Old soul, and new.

This is pretty rad, I guess.

Well, they did it again

2009-01-15T20:33:00.000-08:00

Death Cab makes a new record, and I don't listen to it for the first 8-12 months its been out, and when I finally come around to it, its awesome. I would have definitely put this on my Tops of 08 list had I listened to it. In all fairness, I did listen to "Cath" about 13,000 times in a row after Craig posted it on his blog back in April or May. An "We Have The Facts And We Are Voting Yes" will always be an all-time Top 10.

The reason I know 'Narrow Stairs" is great is because I've been listening to it here.

Honestly, this Hype Machine application/special/whatever you would call it definitely one of the best music releases of 09. Super sleek and smooth and useful. Its one of those things that make me say, "I would actually spend money to have access to this." Not alot of money, maybe somewhere between $2.99-$4.99, but still.

The Gaslight Anthem album has struck a particular chord with me. Also, what's up with these guys. Better announce a West Coast tour.

Tonight is an hour long episod of "The Office" and I almost finished writing a new song on my back deck today. Life is good.

----------------
Now playing: Lee Perry - People Weird - Original
via FoxyTunes

So This Is The New Year

2009-01-10T10:41:00.000-08:00

Na- Na- Na- Naaaaa-Na-Na

Get it? Its Chris Walla's guitar line. So what the difference between lettuce and cabbage?

Yeah, me neither.

So I've been doing some thinking, and felt I want to write more introspective and meaningful blog posts, but I don't think I will have time. For those who don't know, I just hit my one year anniversary for living in San Francisco. I moved here to work for this company. To say I've been busy would be an understatement.

But... that doesn't mean we can't have a good time, does it. I am please to announce that I will be playing at Maxfield's over in Dolores Park on January 30th. I expect this gig to be a once a month type thing. The fire is back, baby.

I am really digging the Bon Iver EP Blood Bank, and the copy of their/his MySpace Transmission session. Also, this Hype Machine thing is sweet. I am diggin the Gaslight Anthem because it makes me want to get all emo in a hard rock kinda way.

Also, I just realized I went to about 3 movies in the theater in SF, one of them being the Flaming Lips' movie "Christmas on Mars."

Not much else going on. Stay in touch.

Ho Ho Ho, Merry Fishmas

2008-12-25T09:02:00.000-08:00

Be gentle with the spreaders.

Here it is, my Tops of 2008 Lists.

The Top...

Albums Released In 2008

Dear Science – TV on the Radio
At Mount Zoomer – Wolf Parade
Santogold - Santogold
Car Alarms – The Sea and Cake
Fate – Dr. Dog
Loyalty to Loyalty – Cold War Kids
Fucked Up Friends – Tobacco

Album that technically was released in 2007, but I am putting on my Top of 2008 list
For Emma, For Ever Ago- Bon Iver

Album that was released in 2008 that I put on my Top of 2007 list
Oracular Spectacular- MGMT

Album that I would have put on my Top of 2007 list, but I only listened to it 2008
In Rainbows - Radiohead

Albums I listened to in 2008 that are good, but I can’t bring myself to put them on my Top list
Red, Yellow, and Blue- Born Ruffians
April- Sun Kill Moon
Only By The Night- Kings of Leon
Real Blasty- Kyle Andrews
Fleet Foxes- Fleet Foxes
Everything That Happens Will Happen Today- David Byrne and Brian Eno

Albums that came out in 2008 that I only listened to a few tracks but I’m sure are good
Made in the Dark - Hot Chip
Narrow Stairs – Death Cab For Cutie

Albums I did not listen to in 2008, but will probably give a try in 2009
You & Me - The Walkmen

Bands that I hope drop and albums in 2009
These Dancing Days
The Postal Service

Too much snow

2008-12-22T19:16:00.001-08:00

and I had to shovel it all. Right now I am watching some lo-fi documentary on the Athens, GA music scene.

There is some sweet band called Squalls being interviewed.

A little teaser...

2008-12-17T19:42:00.000-08:00

to get you ready for my tops of 08 lists, the following are the top "old" albums I started listening to this year.

Black Moth Super Rainbow - Dandelion Gum
The Forms - Icarus
Modest Mouse - The Fruit That Ate Itself
Modest Mouse - Sad Sappy Sucker
Dntel - Life Is Full of Possibilities
The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead

There may be more, but I can't remember.

I went the whole week

2008-12-09T21:42:00.000-08:00

without drinking coffee. Green Tea all the way, all about the anti-oxidants. I caught the band Charlift Saturday night. You might know them from this.

Had a ridiculous jam session with the co-workers and an old friend on Thursday down in Santa Monica.

End of year music recap/list coming soon.

Today

2008-12-03T20:58:00.000-08:00

I did not drink coffee. I did use the same tea bag to make 4 cups of tea throughout the workday.

These guys are good, and I like their new cover.

I went the whole day

2008-12-02T19:11:00.000-08:00

without drinking coffee. Maybe I'll do it again tomorrow.

Droppin' Knowledge

2008-11-28T12:50:00.001-08:00

Michael Lewis is a real good writer. I am currently reading The New New Thing, about Jim Clark, the entrepreneur who started SGI and Netscape. Other books I've read are Liar's Poker and Moneyball. Anyway, this article is interesting. The East Coast is cold.

Sorry about that

2008-11-18T10:14:00.000-08:00

I've been real busy out West. I travel back to the 'Cut for the holidays next week. I will try to get a comprehensive end of year wrap up for next month.

Wondering what I've been busy doing? Check out my CEO's presentation here

Funday

2008-10-26T18:00:00.000-07:00

Today is Sunday, and RayRay and Co. gave a beat down on the Raiders.

I used to have a tradition in B’more where every Sunday night my friend Amanda and I would go see a movie. The main destination was The Charles Theatre, hands down the best independent movie theater on the East Coast. A few exceptions were seeing The Golden Compass at Towson Cinema, and No Country For Old Men at the Landmark down in the Harbor.

The great thing about The Charles was the quality of movies playing. On several occasion, Amanda and I essentially just showed up at the theater, and picked a movie on the spot. Two examples were “Before The Devil Knows your Dead” and “Sleuth.” My rambling here is to explain that I never saw a disappointing movie at The Charles. I was reminded of this when I made the mistake of renting “The Strangers” yesterday. Feeling the Halloween spirit, and being up unusually early on a Saturday because I slept on a living room floor, I was walking past the Blockbuster on 16th and Potrero and stopped in. There was something disturbing about this guy, so I figured I’d rent it, hoping to be somewhat scared.

Anyway, what happened was exactly as I expected. The movie was horrible. And I was left wondering, How do I get my money back? Now, I know its my own fault for renting, but I went to the movie theater, and it was an atrocious movie, can you get your money back?

Let's Shred!

2008-10-22T18:59:00.000-07:00

Whoever makes these are genius.

Metallica

Creed

Scott Stapp kinda looks like Colin Farrell. Are yall gonna see that new movie he is in with Eddy Norton?

Halloween next week and my costume is 90% complete.

I miss Autumn

2008-10-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

or Fall, as I usually referred to it, back East. In San Francisco there are no seasons, and there is actually very little gray in Potrero Hill. As Sunday football was on TV, and the Ravens were losing to the Colts, I remember how I miss the gray weekends in Autumn, when the leaves were on the ground, and you could start to *see* the cold.

I saw David Byrne at the Davies Symphony Hall. It was awesome, my favorite parts were obviously when he played Talking Heads songs, especially "Houses in Motion" and "Life During Wartime." I was really hoping for either "Naive Melody" or "Born Under Punches," but I can't complain.

Whats up with the economy, yall.

From the Vault

2008-10-03T13:37:00.000-07:00

In a former life, I had a brief stint at this place of employment.

Please ask me about it, I beg you. Charm City all the way.

Stars is playing on the office stereo, David Byrne concert on Monday. Happy Friday.

Big Things Be Happen'

2008-10-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

Today is my Mom's birthday, yippie.

She is from Brooklyn, but from before it was cool to live there.

I saw My Bloody Valentine last night at the Concourse. All I can say is I can now imagine what it would be like if you were to attempt to fly into the sun.

TV on The Radio *KILLED* it at Treasure Island Fest. What other music do you want me to blog about, yall?

Oh and these guys are getting back together.

TREASURE ISLAND FEST

2008-09-19T10:37:00.000-07:00

Hello world,

The Treasure Island Fest is this weekend, and I will be in attendance. Here is the list of bands I will definitely see.

TV on The Radio
Hot Chip
CSS
Spiritualized
Dr. Dog
The Ranconteurs

Bands I will watch some of

Okervil River
Vampy Weekend
The Joostices Band

Who are The Kills?

I got an advance copy of Dear Science, and it is the best album of the year.

I had a dream that Trey had left a voicemail on my office phone, and my phone would keep buzzing until I listened t the message.

Here is the moon from the other night.

Breaking news

2008-09-09T18:05:00.000-07:00

Phish reunites for Brad's wedding.

I will be going to the Hemlock tonight to see Future Islands.

International Shout Out

2008-09-06T15:55:00.000-07:00

I recently was going through my iTunes and noticed I had The Unicorn's album " Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?" Its a great album, and I remember first being turned onto it by JonJon and Shad back in 2004. Those two inherited the DeSoto after I moved out and are now in China and South America respectively. This ones for you both, hope you're doing great and will have to get together when you're all in the States.

Check yourself

2008-09-03T20:54:00.000-07:00

Summer is over, and SF is getting hotter. What's up with that?

I saw Love as Laughter last night at The Rickshaw Stop. Solid show, they are kinda like a cross between Tom Petty and Wilco before they kicked out Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Tonight, Delta Spirit is on Conan O'Brien. This is the 2nd time a band I'm friends with have performed on Conan.

Who was the first yall?

RIP LeRoi Moore 1961-2008

2008-08-25T18:44:00.000-07:00

LeRoi Moore was the sax player from the Dave Matthews Band, he he passed away last week. The first concert I can truly remember was DMB at Jones Beach, June 9, 1996, with Ben Harper as the opening act. What made DMB so great was the diverse musical styles that fused together, and LeRoi, being a classically trained musician who loved jazz, was the perfect fit. I'm positive they will continue to tour, but it won't be the same.

In happier news, TV on the Radio release their new single "Golden Age," from the forthcoming album "Dear Science." This album will be awesome.

Single here

First things first

2008-07-31T14:23:00.001-07:00

I owe a shout out to Jennifer and Amanda, who are two very wise women I met a while back at the Citizen Cope show. I told them they would get mentioned in my blog, better late then never. And my birthday was a good one!

Interesting article.
"Ten years ago, a man wearing a plain V-neck tee and drinking a Pabst would never be accused of being a trend-follower. But in 2008, such things have become shameless clichés of a class of individuals that seek to escape their own wealth and privilege by immersing themselves in the aesthetic of the working class. "

I hope hipsters never discover Natty Boh. Also, I think Brian Mead might be Bloghouse, or at least an alt.bro. I have evidence somewhere. I'm neither; I guess I'm more of a scenester.

Finally, my list of top 5 rock docs.

1. Bittersweet Motel
2. The Last Waltz
3. (Tie) I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, DIG!
5. The Language of Music.

On this date in history

2008-07-28T16:51:00.001-07:00

San Francisco looked like this on my morning commute.

These are the albums that have been on my iPod the past few weeks.

Wolf Parade- At Mount Zoomer
Dr. Dog- Heart It Races
Radiohead- Kid A
TV on the Radio- Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
TV on the Radio- Return to Cookie Mountain
Dr. Dog- Fate
Kyle Andrews - Real Blasty
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Derek Trucks Band - Songlines
Interpol- Antics
Modest Mouse- Building Nothing Out of Something

This Looks Like Fun

2008-07-23T15:53:00.000-07:00

SF JAZZ FEST

Derek Trucks is, in my opinion, the most talented guitarist currently performing. His wife is a great singer too. I will probably try to go to this show.

I am currently listening to a live bootleg of Coldplay in England from this year. Parachutes was actually a really good album, and A Rush f Blood to The Head ahas all the epic anthems, whats up with their new album? I haven't heard it, I signed up to get the free single, and I didn't like it. Also, why are they dressing in the pseudo-French Legion uniforms?

I know you want more...

2008-07-15T15:32:00.000-07:00

and I'd love to give it to you, but I've been busy. I traveled back home and went to my friends wedding. I also got a haircut and shaved, so I can infiltrate society.

I was at a show and was talking to a musician about about knowing what songs your fanbase likes, and if you knew people in Bumblefudge, Kansas really liked "You Look Like Your Pet," you could put it in your setlist when you play there.

My concern though, is if you keep playing those songs, you'll get sick of them, and, as a musician you will want to expose new, and different songs to each other.

I remember being at the Coventry Festival for Phish, and all people wnted was to hear Fluffhead. For the past few years people wanted to hear Fluffhead, but Trey wouldn't play it. What's up with that? Of course, Trey ruined Phish. Just kidding, but he definitely went mental.

Here is an interesting article entitled "11 Steps To Fixing the Problem That Occurs When You Work Harder Then Everyone Else in the Band."

My suggestion- Let them tell you that you are not good enough, and then become more successful without them. In reality, if the people aren't willing to invest the time in *EVERYTHING* that is involved with being in the music business, they don't really care. Anyone whose attitude is "I just wanna play music, I don't need to deal with anything else" will get left behind. Or live off their parents. Either way, would anyone actually want to be that person?

Halfway to the New Year

2008-06-30T18:58:00.000-07:00

Hello world,

Its been a bit, but I’ve been busy; traveling, partying, going to shows, and the like.

I saw the band Fleet Foxes on Thursday night at Bottom of the Hill. I think BOTH is now the establishment I have been to the most. They have amazing harmonies and will be opening for Wilco in the Fall. I got to see the band fIREWATER there on a Friday night, and that was fun too. I hit up the Haight Street Festival, as well as the North Beach Festival, Haight Street was probably cooler.

I have also picked up a nasty little habit called “10-40 Shorty.” It was much appreciated on my visit down to Santa Monica by my co-workers.

I think there might be more, but for now, I will leave you with this article. I would not try to eat while reading it. Yikes

A single ant or bee isn't smart,

2008-06-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

but their colonies are.

Swarm Behavior

I'm a Birthday Party DJ

2008-05-27T13:37:00.000-07:00

From My Music Intelligence Quiz

You are a rabid consumer of music. You get a rush every time you hear something new but remain faithful to those artists you love. Your music collection represents who you are and what you care about and your home may even bear the tell-tale signs of your affections – posters, old band t-shirts and the odd music biography. But you aren't a completist, you know what you like and make sure you have it. Simple as that. To expand your repertoire, perhaps there are some genres that you'd benefit from giving a little more attention to – perhaps now is the time to hear something new or get hold of that missing album from your collection.

Photo Essay

2008-05-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

This is graffiti in the Dogpatch, next to my neighborhood.

This is what I drink.

Just kidding, that would be gross.

This is the bass at my desk. I play Cissy Strut, Chameleon, Bullet in the Head, and Led Zeppelin on it.

This is my co-worker Jason's drum kit. It was 10ft away from my old desk, but now it is only 7ft away from my new desk. I can now play three different beats in 4, and one beat in 3.

This is my friend Matt at a party.

This is my friend Gareth at the same party.

This is when Geoff came into the party and Matt saw him.

This is a cat I met at a different party.

This is the view from J. Ma's rooftop patio.

WOW

2008-05-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

Who remembers Opie & Anthony? I never listened to them except when I had a summer job working maintenance for my town. And why did I listened to them? Because my co-workers loved them. And who were my co-workers, you ask? Only the finest men ever assembled on God's green earth:

Mo
Steve
Irwin
Hill-Billy.

I won't even go into details, but if you ever want to know, ask in person.

Anyway, Opie and Anthony had a thing called "WoW" and one of my coworkers put a "WoW" sticker on the back of a ride-mower. that didn't go over to well with the locals.

Here is my "Wow" for today.

"Charlie Bit Me."

Need a Video?

2008-05-13T13:58:00.000-07:00

If you have a band, are in the LA area, and would like to have a music video made on a very reasonable budget, please consider contacting me and we'll try to make something happen.

This is an unofficial video for MGMT. The guy and the girl are not MGMT.

However, though I can't say much, you can expect to see the guy and the girl in this video in the OFFICIAL vid for MGMT's "Electric Feel."

Oh Really!?!?!?

Thirsty Thursday

2008-05-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

Here's something to quench it.

Take 1
Didn't she do "Sonny Came Home?"

Take 2
Aren't these guys Canadian?

Ahhh... here's what you've been looking for.
Notice the bass line stutter on the first 4 measures... classic.

I am seeing Dark Meat tonight at the Hemlock

The Best Band in Hip Hop

2008-05-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

Check this old skool footage, son.

This is true

2008-04-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

I wonder what they have to say about Rawkward Records?

Oh No They Didn't

2008-04-28T14:41:00.000-07:00

Leave my peoples alone.

----------------
Now playing: The Cure - Close To Me
via FoxyTunes

Food for thought...

2008-04-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

"The internet can also give us tools more narrowly to target specific demographics and to strengthen those assumptions that prevent acceptance of new ideas, nudging people towards algorithmically determined tastes or styles. Companies can use demographic models and track people's search patterns to pander to their initial tastes and to strengthen those tastes, rather than broaden their horizons. This problem doesn't lie within the technology of the internet, but within the realities of capitalism and human psychology." - Robert Rich (in response to the idea of "1000 True Fans").

I for one, will not be corrupted

2008-04-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

I smell Shenanigins

From the Collective

2008-04-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

The Change of the Seasons

2008-04-15T16:14:00.000-07:00

Not really up here. It was in the 80's over the weekend and now back to the mid 50's, but I'm not complaining.

I am going to see the Handsome Furs tonight at Bottom of The Hill.

I work with some very smart people, and today I learned how to hack into someone's computer and get their MySpace password. Of course, I'm not linking to that.

This studio is about 10 minutes from the house I grew up in and I never knew it, Tarquin Studios.

I played at a coffee shop in The Mission last week, here is the set.

The Factory
All The Things I've Seen
Get Rich Quick Scheme
Baby Blue Sedan
Pls. Don't Speak My Name

----------------
Now playing: Interpol - Evil
via FoxyTunes

Its All happening

2008-04-02T15:21:00.000-07:00

I saw Black Moth Super Rainbow at Bottom of the Hill

and then Citizen Cope at The Independent

My album dropped last week for a select few, and pretty soon it will be available here, and elsewhere on the interweb.

If you want to know whats new in SF too

----------------
Now playing: The Forms - Alpha
via FoxyTunes

Too many blogs, too little time

2008-03-26T12:30:00.001-07:00

Greetings,

I've had more requests for blogs then ever before! Here's some recaps

I was at SxSW for work/pleasure. Had some good meetings during the day, and saw some good shows at night. Here are the top groups I saw.

Shout Out Out Out Out
Working For A Nuclear Free City
Totally Michael
<------- Who would have thought there'd be BabiesPushingBabies fans there!?!? Maybe it was the 'My Bloody Valentine' t shirt. All these groups were at the IHeartComix party. Also good- Dr. Dog

and a nice surprise Sea Wolf.

Thats my SxSW recap. Will blog more. Soon.

Notable Quotables

2008-03-03T18:41:00.000-08:00

"he's sketchier than grogan on a good day" - C. Smith, in reference to jbeard, who was in town Saturday night for the Delta Spirit/Port O'Brien/ What Made Milwaukee Famous show that was part of Noise Pop.

This is a dope site, check out the Professor Murder "Civilization Three." here

Blind Melon is in my opinion one of if not the most underated bands. Ever. People who don't know are like "The guys who wrote 'No Rain'?" Yes those guys. Their debut album 'Blind Melon' is probably the best alt-rock album of the 90s and their subsequent follow-up, Soup, was just as good, but lead singer Shannon Hoon died right after it came out, so they never got a good chance to promote it.

Shannon was boys with Axel Rose and contributed background vocals and appears in a video for a song off of Use You Illusion, but I don't know which volume.

Anyway, they are touring now under the name 'Blind Melon' but obviously have a different singer. I am fine with that. The other guys in the bands' careers have been on hold since Shannon's death, and it looks like they are bringing strong crowds out, so why not? The Dead still play... Melonheads unite.

Finally

2008-02-28T13:49:00.000-08:00

Corporate TV with a sweet soundtrack! Be still my heart...

Heroes Soundtrack

Also in TV news, Frank from Real World Vegas pulled an upset on par with my G-Men by knocking out MJ, (Real World Philadelphia) in the Gauntlet.

Subsequently, the girl who was Jim's girlfriend from Dunder-Miflin Stamford branch is gonna have a show on Fox.

Seriously? They should give one to Sagar, because he loves celebrity gossip too.

Team Avon Barksdale

2008-02-27T10:30:00.000-08:00

was not victorious at Trivia, but we had a respectable finish considering we were the only two person team and had never been there before. The place is Elixir, on 16th and Valencia, and it gets the thumbs up. I think I'm gonna have to have try-outs and assemble a team together, so we can bring home the gold.

Four Females For Friday

2008-02-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

Guess which two will be irrelevant in a year? Of course, I guess that depends on what you consider irrelevant.

Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton- Our Hell

Sara Bareilles- Love Song

Yael Naim- New Soul

Feist- I Feel It All

Jukebox'..

2008-02-15T16:38:00.000-08:00

are the Jam. While I enjoy the new technology out there that allows you to more or less play any song you want, depending on how much you are willing to pay, the best is when you go to a place and see the pre-screened selection available. PJ's had Billy Breathes, and I think Slip, Stitch and Pass.

Down(out) here in the SF, the jukebox selection has been pretty tasty. The Dogpatch Saloon, (less than 4 blocks from my house) has hands down the best music selection I've seen. Basically old blues and jazz albums by the greats, enough said.

Kilowatt was eclectic, heavier stuff than my usually likings, but they had Return to Cookie Mountain, so thumbs up.

Homestead had a similar selection to Kilowatt's but some 80's/Classic Rock thrown in.

The Inner Mission Bar's was sweet, having an ample selection of Prince, and The Moon and Antarctica. I'm ready to go back, spend 3 bucks, and listen to it in its entirety, just to make sure every patron at the bar hears it for what it is.

Funny anecdote from last night was Dave Scott telling me how he'd go into PJ's, pick the most offensive song off The Downward Spiral, throw in a 5 and then bounce. Shindog loved Thunder Road.

Only Baltimore...

2008-02-08T18:15:00.000-08:00

would produce this...
http://www.blogotheque.net/article.php3?id_article=3880

Delta Spirit show review coming soon, I've been busy trying to make an honest dollar.

Also... I don't care what I've heard people say, I've seen every episode of "The Wire" thus far and its awesome in my book. People need to relax, Season 4 might have been the most dramatic, but until Season 5 is played, people can't complain.

Laying a Beatdown

2008-02-04T11:26:00.000-08:00

Having a good drummer can help a band go from mediocre to awesome, and it doesn’t take much. Really, the drummer has to fill the sound, and keep time. He doesn’t need to play complicated arrangements, but just hold it down. The best drummers are probably the subtlest. However, there seems to be some correlation between solid beat keepers and amazing drum skills. Anyway, here are 5 clips of admirable drum performances.

Max Roach- http://youtube.com/watch?v=dNpDQztqWQw
And again http://youtube.com/watch?v=cS-xiX64HGQ&feature=related

Billy Cobham - http://youtube.com/watch?v=I2VYKgFBH3A

Stevie Wonder- http://youtube.com/watch?v=4SCZv7786KY

Carter Beauford- http://youtube.com/watch?v=KOatIrazULw

Live Show for the Week

Delta Spirit and Matt Costa at Slim’s- February 5th, 2008 http://www.slims-sf.com/

www.deltaspirit.net

I saw Delta Spirit open for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah at the Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington, DC back in November, and they are the bomb dot com. Their album “Ode to Sunshine” is definitely in my 10 of 2007. Prior to their CYHSY shows, they opened for Cold War Kids, Tokyo Police Club, and Dr. Dog.

I do not know who Matt Costa is, but he is on Jack Johnson’s label, Brushfire Records.

And now a comment not related to music.

As a NY fan, I feel redemption for the Yankee collapse in the ALCS in 2004. It would still be sweeter if the Red Sox had never won a World Series since 1918, but having the Giants be the team who stopped the Patriots undefeated run was great. I wonder, if the Patriots had lost the final game of the season to the Giants, but ended up winning the Superbowl, Compiling a record of 18-1 (the same as they have now), what would people’s reactions have been? They couldn’t be compared to the ’72 Dolphins, and most people would remember the fact that they didn’t go undefeated, even though they won the Superbowl.

Put yer Fangs Away

2008-01-31T11:57:00.000-08:00

The hot buzz this week was Tuesday’s release by Vampire Weekend, entitled Vampire Weekend. This band has been getting serious buzz for the past 8 months or so, and it seems like this has been beneficial for them, as their tour opener was a sold out show at the Bowery Ballroom. Not an easy feat to sell out Bowery, let alone the 1st show of your first tour in support of your first album.
Now, being the responsible journalist that I am, I will weigh in my opinion on Vampire Weekend, based on my limited knowledge of the situation. For starters, I do not have the album. I have heard most of the songs in one capacity or another, and in that sense, I have to authority to make rash generalizations about this band. This is the angle I’m going for with the rest of my writings here at Shut Up and Dance.

First hearing the songs, I immediately thought Paul Simon’s Graceland sound, and then I watched some on their stuff on La Blogotheque (www.blogotheque.net) and they definitely have some post-punk influences. They’re not bad musicians, not in any sense, and live, they might even rock, but for me, the deal breaker is the lyrics. I mean they are SO pretentious, c’mon. These romanticized notions of industrial England or turn of the century New England is just absurd. What? You we’re English majors? Well GREAT. Guess what, I found most of the English majors at my college pretentious and obnoxious, what makes you think you're gonna be different? Hmm? The bottom line to me is that these guys play “Ear candy.” (NB -I came up with this term last night, and hope to expand on this soon.)

Talented? Yes. But there’s a huge leap artists must make to go from talented to, you know, the next level. I see their careers like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Debut album is the critics’ darling, tour the world for a year or too, plays major festivals (they already made Coachella), and then the second album comes out and everyone is disappointed. And they are disappointed because it wasn’t as good as the first. When in actuality, it is exactly the SAME as the first album, but because of the hype and the praise the first album received, they can’t live up to it. These guys have one sound, one style, which is fine, but I don’t see them deviating from the Afro-post-punk-pop equation they got going for them, so they’ll have that niche market covered. Unique? Check. Mind blowing. Not now, maybe with time; they are young.

Check ‘em out at Popscene tonight, for free no less, but keep in mind I won’t be going. Frankly, I was more excited to discover that a new season of Real World/ Road Rules Challenge, this time in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, has started. This year it is The Guantlet III: Rookies vs. Veterans. If this season isn’t the most extreme, gut-wrenching display of humanity, then I don’t know how civilization can be saved.

I will consider checking them (Vampire Weekend) out next time they swing through town March 22 and 23, as they will be hitting up the Independent and Rickshaw Stop.

Bonus Material-

The Complete Cast listing of ALL the Real World/Road Rules Challenges http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_World_Road_Rules_Challenge

-Also-

I clicked next blog on the top of the page here and was brought to this. http://tonythebaker.blogspot.com/
I’m glad to know I’m in good company.

2008-01-29T10:22:00.000-08:00

Last night I went to Bottom of the Hill(www.bottomofthehill.com) to see MGMT, Yeasayer, and the Morning Benders. This was the first show I went to since moving to San Francisco(NB- This is not technically correct, as I have actually seen three other live music performances over the past 2 weeks, but, last night’s show was the first where I bought tickets in advance and made a conscious effort to actually attend the show).

I guess I’ll just jump right into it. I got in the building after a 10 minute wait outside, which was not bad at all considering the show had been sold out for a week, maybe more. The club had a capacity of 249 people, and the Morning Benders were somewhere in the middle of their set. I had no idea who the Morning Benders were, and while eating dinner with friends prior to attending the show, nobody could say anything more than “MGMT, Yesayer, and some other band,” followed by somebody else remarking “There’s a third band?” and so forth.
To be honest, they were good, and I was really impressed by the tightness of the bass player and drummer really locking in, and I happened to notice the bass player had black X’s on his, which is another prop to him, to go with his fashion style of only buttoning the top button of his dress shirt. They had a Strokes-ish sound, consisting of two guitars, bass and drums, and even did a New Order cover. However, what collective talent the band had was lost on me by the snarkiness of the front man, who made multiple complaints about his monitors and comments to crowd about whether they were interested in dancing. Sorry DUDE, but you hit the lottery by getting this opening gig, probably several months ago, when half the crowd in attendance didn’t even know who MGMT or Yeasayer was. There are probably 300 bands in the Bay area with just as much talent who would be grateful to have your slot. Musically speaking though, these guys brought it.

Yeasayer was next, and I was really only familiar with this one song- Yeasayer- 2080

They had more or less a blank canvas of a fan to work with. Sonically, they reminded me a lot of Animal Collective, and their guitar player had eccentric, angular guitar riffs. The bass was too low in the mix to here at most points, and the drums had to have some effect on them, cause I was completely confused by what I was hearing on certain songs… in a good way.
My disappointment was that the front man looked down and to the side almost the whole set. I understand you guys are avant-garde Brooklyn musicians, I get it, but when you’ve been playing as much as these guys have recently (check out their tour schedule), I expect, nay, demand better stage presence. Bonus points for having a bass player who can be a part of the Social Scene whenever he wants, no questions asked, based on his appearance.

Which brings us to (dun… dun… dunnnnnnnn) the headlining act, MGMT( or management as I say- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MGMT)

FULL DISCLAIMER- These guys are the reason I bought tickets for this show. I first heard some of their songs 3 months ago and soon after got a hold of the album, and the album is awesome. It easily made my top 10 albums list of 2007, assuming I have a top ten albums list of 2007. When a friend alerted me to their playing, we immediately got tickets.

Ok, to start things of MGMT is two guys, or at least, the album was. Now they have 3 other backing musicians. After the show, one person in my group made a comment how live, MGMT was more of a rock band. While this is a fair statement, I will say this. I DID NOT WANT A ROCK BAND. Oracular Spectacular has some of the catchiest dance songs I have heard, and all I can say about last nights’ performance was …meh. I don’t want to see white kids who went to an elite liberal arts college in Connecticut and do blow try to be a pseudo glam-rock band. I WANT INDIE DANCE PARTY, that’s what Oracular Spectacular is. I will admit the crowd was pretty dead, just a bunch of people standing there, checking out the hot new scene. The only point when it remotely resembled a good time was during the performance of “Kids” in which it was just the two main guys, accompanied by a backing track, and they only did the 1st verse and chorus before leaving as the music played.

Now, I’m not saying that they were bad, they weren’t, its just not what I was hoping for. I can say, in context, that for $8 and the $3 surcharge, the evening was worth it.

Some quotes from the evening:

“There was alot of reverb on their guitars”- G. McCann- in reference to MGMT
“You have a blog?” B. Mead- in reference to me claiming I will write a review on my blog

Bonus Material

Wow, now way, really, I woulda never thought it
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/01/29/people.spears.walters.ap/index.html?eref=rss_latest

Here it is.

2008-01-24T16:10:00.001-08:00