Gotta love how customizable this bitch is. For some reason I can't get over this bank of arcade buttons. Must have something to do with my childhood years spent in arcades coupled with my fetishizing of midi gear. The Midifighter I won in May started with a clear top and exposed sides.
It's funny how this brings back memories of watching action and horror movies in the 80s, even though these are just the intros you see before the movie starts. Man, I need to dig up some of those movies again.
The East Side Drive In is basically a large, empty lot on East 6th street. Last time we went to a show there was during SXSW 2010. Last night, Big Boi put on a great performance. I love outdoor venues when the weather is nice. No ceiling or walls, just the backdrop of downtown. We were nice and close to the front.
Awesome meme....watching this slowed and throwed is creepy shit.
Earlier this month, we went to a cool music festival in a downtown Austin park. Three stages, three days and dozens of bands. We went Saturday. Here's some of my iPhone video.
Here's their professionally produced recap of FFF 2010.
I did my best to take a video, but we were kind of far in the back. It was a great show for Pavement fans, even though I wish they played more hits. But it was entertaining to see all these 30-somethings rocking out to what is essentially a "nostalgia" act. I never was a huge Pavement fan, even though I did like a lot of alternative rock from that decade. But I started becoming more interested in punk rock in the mid-90s. Still, very cool to see the legendary Pavement perform live.
My only complaint is about Stubbs. Shows start way too early and their booze is ridiculously overpriced for a downtown Austin venue. Five bucks for a 12 oz can of Shiner? I guess ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
Went out to see these guys play at ND last night. Really was a great high energy show in a nice small venue. Here are some pictures. Listen to their single Let's Go Surfing below.
My old pal over at Chungking Mansions in Shanghai re-taught himself objective C and made this iPhone game! Pretty awesome if you ask me. I love the 8-bit music and graphics, and the strange concept of bubble pets. Can't wait for it to come to the App store! Hopefully this will make him very rich.
A couple weeks ago we had a 5 day mini-vacation and it kicked off with a bang. Began with a taping of The Roots (plus John Legend) at the Austin City Limits studios. Always been a fan of the Roots, especially now that I see them on a regular basis as the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
Never been to an ACL taping before, so I was surprised that a) they give out free beer before the taping starts, b) they allow photography during the taping (as long as it's not flash). I just had my iPhone, but you can catch a glimpse of what it was like. I happened to be getting some water just before the Roots showed up in the freight elevator. A cop got in my way and told me not to move, so I whipped out my iPhone camera only in time to catch their backs walking in.
After the Roots, we rushed back downtown to have a quick jello shot and to recharge my phone before going to Stubbs BBQ for Chromeo, Holy Ghost!, and Telephoned. I had been really looking forward to this show, but by the time we got there (early, like 10 pm), Chromeo were already half way through their set! WTF! Then I looked at the ticket and it all made sense. 7 am start time. All ages. The place was packed with like 2,000 college undergrads. Anyway, we caught a couple of Chromeo's hits - Night by Night, and Don't Turn the Lights On - and then got out of there right when they began their encore. (I have always hated encores, except in those extremely rare circumstances when they occur organically, but that's for another post.)
After Chromeo we went to Red 7 to catch Questlove of the Roots spinning a DJ set. Must say, the guy is an amazing DJ. He was playing a wide range of hip hop and funk and disco, and he would do these really fucking amazing transitions. Definitely an educational experience, not just from a DJ technique perspective but also from a music history perspective. He would take you on a journey and make these really fascinating connections between songs, like mixing Notorious B.I.G.'s Big Poppa seamlessly into the Isley Brothers' Between the Sheets, which was the sample in the Notorious song. Except it was like on and on like that all night. Here's a crappy video that doesn't come anywhere near to capturing his skills or the energy of the set. We danced for three hours and then I was done.
This electro funk duo's song has been stuck in my head since I found the video on 4 Hours of Funk a couple weeks ago. If you were partying at the clubs in 1983, this would be old news, but it was a new discovery for me. Just an awesome dance party song.
(Download the mp3)
Shit is 80s as fuck! I love how the white dude in The System, David Frank, is jamming on an old computer keyboard with a monochrome monitor displaying a waveform. I have no idea if that machine is actually doing anything, but it looks cool/nerdy enough that I don't care. The retro futuristic music technology fits with the lyrics, which I presume are using the metaphor of a computer system to explain a love obsession.
You are in my system
I just want you to know that, oh
You're in my system
Got me burnin', burnin', baby, oh
You're in my system
Happy fucking Friday friends!
I gotta hand it to Grum. He releases entertaining music videos, even if they are sometimes mildly disturbing. He played a couple blocks from our home in May, but we had to miss it because it was super late on a Sunday night and we had to get up early the next day to like, you know, work?
Anyway, here's a touching cop buddy themed video for his song Through The Night. Not exactly what I pictured when I first heard the song, but it totally works. (I've already got cop buddies on the mind in anticipation of Will Ferrell's new movie.) [UPDATE: Will Farrell's movie sucked.]
Check it out!
Here's a mashup I made in May of Grum + Durrough I called Wired To This Feeling.
Holy shit there are a lot of artists called Marz. These guys must be the best. Stumbled across this awesome funky disco track last night on YouTube.
I'll admit I know very little about Marz, except that this LP is rare enough to be fetching upwards of $75 on Discogs. Of course, that made me want it even more!
I couldn't find this album for sale anywhere in digital form, but luckily I stumbled across a friendly blog that zipped up the whole album and offered it for download. But I'll be honest, this is the best song on the album.
Here's the mp3: Marz - Move it Groove It
"Move it... awl night!"
This music video features two things close to my heart: new disco and cats. It's also the first music video I've seen that was shot entirely on an iPhone 4.
I have been enjoy Bit Funk a lot lately. And not just because he's a Canadian in America.
Here's another one of his remixes. He takes a fairly busy electro house song by this dude Joman and slims it down to a funky disco track perfect for listening to when you're speeding low over Earth at night in your love-fueled flying saucer.
Joman - Another Late Night (Bit Funk remix)
(You can buy the full quality mp3 on Beatport.)
I first heard this song as a sample in Pig Poppa by Notorious B.I.G. but the original is so sweet. I love the soulful, filtered subtractive synth bassline that drives the entire song.
The folks at DJ Tech Tools have come up with a new mapping for the Midifighter. It's designed for DJing with just two Midifighters. Pretty cool shit! If you're at all into midi gear you will probably find this video very interesting. For more info, visit the original post.
I have been loving the Midifighter I won in May. But I probably will stick with the original mapping. I have been using it with a modified VCI 100 and a Novation Launchpad, and it makes me very happy. New mix coming soon!
Yes! August 24th will be happening at STUBB'S BAR-B-Q on Red River in downtown Austin! In honor of our ticket purchase I will post the new Chromeo song and some other great musics we will hear.
New Chromeo single
Download the mp3
Their last single before that one was even better.
Download the mp3
This Holy Ghost! song/video never gets old for me.
Download the mp3
Telephoned is new to me but according to this, they dancey synth covers of pop songs that only slightly reference the original. Here's an example.
The original version of the Dream's Rockin That Thang
...and the Telephoned version.
Really looking forward to outdoor dance party. Here's hoping it doesn't rain!
This drag/witch house shit whatever is definitely a "growth meme" right now but I can't help but love the creepy video aesthetic.
Happy Friday friends! Ed Banger Records put out this cool video for a song I have been loving lately, Breakbot's Baby I'm Yours. The video, like the song, has a kind of psychedelic disco vibe.
Download song
Baby I'm Yours is one of those songs begging for some four on the floor remix action. There are probably about a half dozen iterations out there. Here are two of my favorites.
Breakbot - Baby I'm Yours (Adam Smith Remix)
Breakbot - Baby I'm Yours (Color Blaster remix)
Today is also the one year anniversary of Michael Jackson's death. We miss ya buddy!
Here's my blend of two songs I like a lot, Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars and Major Lazer - Keep it Goin' Louder. I produced it in Ableton Live.
Download a high quality mp3 here!
I am loving the Scoot Inn a lot lately! Last Saturday night it was blazing hot, and even though we RSVPed for this event, we decided to say screw it. At like 10 pm it was 90F/32C humidity was at 75%. Not the best weather for an outdoor dance party.
But by midnight it had cooled down and there was a pleasant late night breeze, so we decided to give it a shot. I'm glad we did!
I really enjoyed the stage lighting. It's hard to see in my shaky iPhone video, but they had banks of what appeared to be color-changing fluorescent lights. I think they were actually rows of LEDs covered in a plastic tube.
The event was billed as "Chronic Vibrations". The idea was that local DJs Prince Klassen and DJ Orion were to play a lot of Beach Boys and Dr Dre. Unfortunately, they didn't play much of either (while we were there), but they still got the place moving!
Later that night, Orion tweeted that 900 people came out. Pretty good turnout for two local DJs!
I learned the hard way that if you want to replace your DJTT VCI 100 overlay, you'll need to remove every shred of glue left over from the old one. With some helpful advice from DJTT, I devised this easy method that requires no disassembly of your VCI 100. It will, however, require that you are extra careful not to allow any moisture into your device. It's all explained in the slideshow below.
For details on how to apply a DJTT VCI 100 overlay, check out their video.
Saw DJ Nu-Mark of Jurassic 5 fame at Scoot Inn last week. I was stoked when I noticed he was using a midi controller with his Serato set-up, because often the experienced masters who learned on vinyl don't stray too far into button land. I was however a little surprised that he was using a piece of crap like the Korg Nanopad.
I bought one of those $60 pieces of junk, and several buttons stopped working after just a few months of fairly light use. It seems like Nu-Mark would be the perfect candidate for the new Ean Golden-designed Novation Dicer, a tiny midi controller that fits right on the edge of a turntable.
There was also another guy working video with an Akai APC 20. And to add some analog artistry to the performance, a dude in the background was painting a picture! Live!
We had a great time dancing that night, and when I took time to watch Nu-Mark it was totally educational. Here's a crappy iPhone video. Sorry it's shaky and low quality. I forgot my Mino Flipcam at home.
(Vimeo version)
A guy named Ander made this insane midi controller. It reminds me of something you might see on the flight deck of the Starship Enterprise mashed up with an awesome disco floor. Really a work of art in and of itself. Obviously this is not your average weekend hobbyist.
Check out the video. Ander says he's not aiming to create inspiring music here, just showing us how this monster works.
I was sooo happy yesterday when after months of drooling over the arcade button-based midi controller, the Midifighter, my very own arrived in the mail! These are produced in very limited quantities and had been out of stock for months. Making matters even sweeter was the fact that I won this one in a DJ Tech Tools contest.
One of the cool things about the Midifighter is the ability to customize your own. This isn't a mass produced controller that everyone has. You choose the color of your Sanwa arcade buttons, and you can spraypaint the arcylic faceplate. The result is a whole bunch of different looking Midifighters.
There is a fair degree of assembly required, so I thought I'd walk you through it.
These are all the items that arrived in the box. The circuit board, two acrylic plates, screws and stuff, arcade buttons, a super high quality DJTT usb cable, four stickers, and a letter with assembly instructions printed on the back.
This weekend we went to a local Latin music festival called Pachanga Fest. Man it was hot outside.
I enjoyed the band Brownout. The guitar player in the black shirt was extra cool with his Les Paul and Wayfarers.
We also had what was definitely the best sandwich I've eaten in months. It was made by Austin restaurant Sazon. They had a little table set up in the vendor area.
UPDATE: HOLY SHIT! I WON!!! http://www.djtechtools.com/2010/05/20/midi-fighter-contest-winning-videos/ THANKS DJ TECH TOOLS!!!
UPDATE: Contest winner won't be announced until Monday, May 24 Friday, May 21. Stay tuned.
I am in love with the concept of this midi controller. (A midi controller is this.) Not only does the Midifighter look cool as shit, but arcade buttons were designed by engineers to be rapid fire. That is a very useful thing with midi controllers.
Happy Saturday night!
This three years old, but it's so awesome I had to share it! Sweden keeps impressing me. (via iheartcomix.com)
I got to go to Las Vegas for the first time ever a couple weeks ago. It was for a conference, and I was alone and poor, so it wasn't exactly a ton of fun. But I was still happy to see the strip for the first time. Now I look forward to returning for pure leisure!
Anyway, while I was there I recorded this impressive display of fountain technology. Pretty sweet!
(YouTube version here.)
The annual Texas Relays in Austin, Texas is an opportunity for the best high school and college track and field athletes to compete, but it's also a time for the owners of pimped out automobiles to show off their sweet rides!
(YouTube version here.)
This is the problem with SXSW: no matter where you are, there's always something else awesome going on. Here's an example. Fucking Bill fucking Murray serving drinks at our local watering hole a block away, the Shangri la.
At least someone made this video. Cheers. And TGIF!
Here are some pictures from the SXSW Flatstock poster trade show.
Here are some other various pics from SXSW 2010.
These guys put on great Saturday day party at Galaxy Room. The idea was to have a bunch of Montreal bands playing on alternating stages for 20 minutes each. You can take in a lot of bands when there's almost no wait time and sets are short.
Ever since I was a kid going to punk shows in BC, I preferred rock sets that were 20-25 minutes long. Concise sets leave a crowd wanting more.
Think About Life were energetic even though it was cold and early in the afternoon.
Later, Canadian funnyman/journalist/musician Nardwuar took the stage to introduce Quebec metal legends Voivod!
Voivod unleashed the metal beast!
(Click here for Youtube version)
It's hard to make videos of DJs entertaining unless they're crazy controllerists or turntablists. Treasure Fingers is getting there though, using Traktor and the X1 to create some pretty innovative mixes.
I like Treasure Fingers because he plays a lot of disco influenced dance music, and his production skills are hot!
Treasure Fingers - Cross the Dancefloor
Miami Horror - Don't Be On With Her (Treasure Fingers remix)
Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream (Treasure Fingers remix)
iPhone video of Montreal's Think About Life playing to people waiting in line to get their wristbands at Fader Fort. I think it's the best ever.
From last night's M is for Montreal showcase at Paradise on 6th Street, Duchess Says perform their frequently remixed song Black Flag at SXSW 2010.
Singer Annie-Claude Deschênes was in typical form, going crazy all over the place, crawling up the walls, jumping into the arms of people from the audience, and writhing on the floor. You can see at around 1:57 in this video she tries to grab my camera from me. I wouldn't let go. Others weren't so lucky. Ha!
During their last song (not in this video), she had a bunch of maraschino cherries in some kind of sticky red sugar syrup that wound up being splashed all over the audience. We got hit, but not as badly as some people. It was definitely a WTF moment.
I took this video about an hour ago with my iPhone. It's getting pretty crazy already here, and it's only Wednesday night. SXSW Music is a whole different animal than SXSW Interactive or Film.
Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!
It's the time of the week during SXSW when crowds of geeks wearing badges are replaced by crowds of hispters wearing badges. I resist the urge to yell, "Hey dudes, you don't need a badge to walk down 6th street!" I wonder if they shower with those things.
It is amazing how much stuff there is for free. There are so many free events that promoters compete for your attention by offering free booze and food.
Organizing evenings over the next few days is like a part-time job. It gets overwhelming very quickly! We've been compiling gradually over time, and here are some of the free events on our radar.
Saw this display next to the cash register at the 99 Cent Only store in LA.
If you buy 99 cent condoms.... What can I say, I'm a sucker for irony!
One interesting Los Angeles park where our fantastic hosts/tour guides took us was the La Brea Tar Pits. In pre-historic times, animals used to go drink from the water and get sucked into the tar.
The cries of the animals attracted more animals, and they would get stuck as well. That sucks for the animals, but it's great news for paleontologists today who can dig out the fossils.
It's also great news for tourists and locals who can enjoy a nice afternoon at the La Brea Tar Pits.
(Click here for YouTube version.)
