It’s a blog eat blog world. That said, one of the dominating music blogs on the internet is no doubt, Pitchfork. But if you’re anything into indie music, you probably reaped over the discontinuation of Altered Zones. Altered Zones branched off of Pitchfork, featuring the most underground music. Basically, the ones that weren’t big enough to make it onto the main site. Fans were loyal to Altered Zones and their logo empowered the lives of many. Some hipsters even tattooed the design onto their skins.
Now, the grievance of Altered Zones can now be rejoiced because founding members, Emilie Friedlander and Ric Leichtung have started a new project called Ad Hoc. With the same elements of their previous blog, here is their purpose ” a collective of ten tastemaking music blogs from all over the world, Ad Hoc is a daily destination for MP3s, videos, mixes, interviews, artist’s writings, and cultural commentary– curated for quality, and with an emphasis on emerging artists and musical movements that best exemplify the new grassroots, Internet-fueled DIY.”.
Back in October, I met one of the most iconic indie rockers during CMJ. This would be the handsome man behind Mister Heavenly and Islands, Nick Thorburn. My meeting with him was strictly business and before gazing deep into his eyes, I was captivated by this little piece of plastic around his finger. Then as he motioned his hand, I noticed it was a white LEGO ring.
That was my first stumble upon this toy/accessory and on my second, I decided to personally own one. Still unsure if it’s the reason that Nick Thornburn has the same designer copy of the ring or how my childhood memories evolved around building LEGO forts, either way, I have fallen for this trend. Mine was $5 at the Brooklyn Flea which probably added to the desire of purchasing it. You can find high quality editions online or go cheap, and head to your nearest hipster flea market. These kind of creative crafts are always a hit in the DIY community but what are your thoughts, the trend of Lego Rings, Yay or Nay?
Why not break up the music monotony with some visual indie stimulation? Northside introduces the Do-It-Yourself Film Festival hosted by Union Docs, where emerging filmmakers will showcase shorts and features before a jury comprised of local luminaries. The winner will score a coveted Northside Rooftop Films screening among other prizes. The screening series at indieScreen also returns.
Although my experience of the venue was less anarchist and more casual DIY fun, Alternet provides an intimate portrait of the 13 Thames lifestyle. The “punk house in deep Bushwick, [where] a collective of punks lives a communal lifestyle that shuns government greed, while their music and art blast government corruption” made news last year when police raided the space.
According to the Alternet author:
At 13 Thames, one might meet a Trinidian black metal kid who grew up in Bed-Stuy, a punk rock woman mechanic who worked for six years at a law firm, a dreadlocked community gardener, or an interestingly “off” German man. They come together to accept people that society fails and rejects, and they pride themselves on open-mindedness. And then they party – often with a conscience. They throw film screenings, noise, metal, and punk shows, art galleries, showcasing whatever parcel of the underground they deem cool enough.
This is pretty bohemian though. Read the whole story at Alternet.
Ok, so maybe it’s not that serious. I just checked out the site, and I’m liking what I see– Oberhofer, Tennis, Sun Araw, Games, and so on. Again, a bunch of people with good taste are pooling their content into one (Pitchfork monitored/edited?) place, but doesn’t my Google Reader already do that for me?
The regular posting schedule starts Monday, where you’ll be able to find recommendations from Visitation Rites, Friendship Bracelet, Chocolate Bobka, Gorilla vs. Bear, and Yours Truly– not us truly, luckily/sadly, but the capital Y, capital T. Obviously our feelings are mixed, but as long as the content doesn’t suffer then I guess we don’t actually care that Pitchfork may have gone the route of Standard Oil, at least they’re not BPing it! Amirite!?
RJOiii sent in video of Future Islands playing the Silent Barn Saturday night. Here’s Inch of Dust:
He writes:
Future Islands played the Silent Barn in Brooklyn last night. I was there with my camera. This is video of the track “Inch of Dust”. You can’t see it, but the floor was shaking.
Behold, the sweatiest, happiest, most bad-ass show I’ve seen in a Brooklyn DIY venue in a long long time.
Future Islands wrapped up a two-month spring tour last night and have a month off before starting back up in July for a week. Then, they’re off to Europe in September. They released their latest LPIn Evening Air May 4th.
.JPG "Lego Rings")
