Today marks the beginning of a new era for My Social List. From this day onward, we will be known as MI SCILL LIIST. We really don’t give a fuck about the name. We originated this project in a bedroom with no internet and didn’t know it would ever leave.
We’re taking a cue from DIIV, formerly known as Dive; aka Zachary Cole Smith of Beach Fossils’ side project. Apparently, he’s changing the name out of “respect” for some early 90s industrial act from Belgium.
Come on dude, how have you never heard of Dive? Their experimental sound, consisting of abused drum machines pulsating through crackling distortion influenced everyone from Frontline Assembly to Klinik.
If that all sounds ridiculous… it’s because it is. My guess? The guy never heard the “original” Dive in his life, and Wikipedia’d his band name before his LP came out. Dude. It’s totally ok. I have idea who the hell Dive is either. The last sentence of the previous paragraph is a combination of Wikipedia’s “Dive (Belguim Band)” page and industrial acts from Allmusic.com.
Maybe this perceived insecurity over not knowing obscure foreign bands from dead genres is some sort of sad commentary on the resentful post-internet era we live in. Who knows? Maybe he just wanted a more stylized name? If that’s the case… they should have totally went with ▲DDIIVVEE▲ instead. Or maybe he realized “Dive” was un-google-able?
Somewhat ironically, I’d like to use this opportunity to announce the launch of the MII SCIIL LIIST iPhone app (get it here) It launches TODAY, and it’s 100% free. Now you’ll be able to access our buzz list right on your phone, buy tickets to shows, find shows near you (via current location), and text them to your friends. Really, there’s no better app for tracking buzzworthy shows in the city despite my INTENSE bias.
Did you hear? Everyone’s favorite cat-lady band, Best Coast, jumped on the Planned Parenthood train this week, putting out a video about why the group is so important and announcing they’ll play a benefit show with country-punk group Those Darlins this summer.
As if you needed a reason aside from the fact that this is the only not-sold out (well not yet) show the band is playing in NYC this summer, tickets to the show are a direct donation to the Planned Parenthood of New York City Action Fund, which does important things like make sure we don’t have politicians in office that hate your lady parts.
What are you doing this weekend? Why not go see some art shows?
A piece from "SeenoEvil..." opening at Factory Fresh on Friday
Friday Night: At FactoryFresh the crazy/weird/surreal show “seenoevilseenoevilsee evil” is opening – featuring work by Jeremiah Maddock, Daniel Trocchio and Amanda Wong. All three are showing crazy hypnotic and colorful pieces, ranging from drawings to paintings to video.
And then, Saturday! Artist-run gallery Pandemic is opening their latest show,”Split Personality,” with a Pabst-Blue-Ribbon sponsored party. Split Personality is the first solo show by Laos-born artist Vilaykorn Sayaphet and features work split between two sides – an impressionist/painterly body of work and a more serious collection of illustrations.
“seenoevilseenoevilsee evil” opens Friday September 24 from 7-10pm, and is running from September 24-October 24 at Factory Fresh, at 1053 Flushing Avenue between Morgan and Knickerbocker, off the L train Morgan Stop.
Split Personality opens on Saturday, September 25th, 2010, from 7-11 PM, and runs through October 10th at Pandemic Gallery, on 37 Broadway (between Wythe and Kent) off the Marcy stop on the J/M/Z.
A piece from the Split Personality show opening Saturday night at Pandemic
After yesterday’s false alarm, here’s your official 2010 schedule for the Pool Parties at the Williamsburg Waterfront (East River State Park). This year’s lineup includes Deerhoof (playing Joy Division?), Cut Copy, Lightning Bolt, No Age, Cut Copy, Restless People, Future Islands, etc. etc. etc.
Dodge ball is back. Something called “The Allsaints Pub” will be keeping everybody hydrated.
First up is Sunday, July 11: with Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof play Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures, Why?, Fang Island, and Pictureplane.
Last night Reading Rainbow and The Beets played at Knitting Factory, for an L Mag late night show. When we arrived the bouncer informed us that the DJ had called out sick, so Reading Rainbow had gone on early. No matter. The show was great — both bands have fantastic energy, with Reading Rainbow harmonizing along to frantic drum beats and guitar riffs and audience members starting up a dance party. At some point, perhaps inspired by the music or just out of pure competitive energy, there was a pushup contest in the corner. The Beets were great too — same energy but with more of a raw sound (if a full band can sound more raw than just a guy and girl with a guitar, snare drum and tom tom). No more pushups, but lots more dancing.
I unfortunately missed the Zaza set, although heard from some folks that they were one of the better sets that night. DOM rocked it, with trippy projections on a big screen behind them (that would also flash “DOM” between songs, lest you forget who you were watching) and trying to rouse a chorus of “USA!” after they finished their song “Living in America.” One poor audience member attempted to stage dive at the very end of their set, to be met with nothing but the cold, hard floor of the Music Hall of Williamsburg.
Twin Sister absolutely killed it, filling up the entire venue with their fantastic sound while Andrea Estella was running around stage barefoot singing and dancing.
Next came Memory Tapes, whose drummer is I think one of the better I’ve seen in a while. They were great, getting almost jammy at times but in a really good way, but did anyone else feel like the vocals sounded a bit flat?
I know I know, there are so many shows going on a the Northside festival it’s hard to catch all of them. I’ll just say: I caught Free Willy faveSteel Phantoms at Spike Hill for the Ear Farm showcase. And? I absolutely love the energy of these guys. Classically trained musicians, their punky pop tunes sound at times a little like Vampire Weekend got married to Joy Division and had a baby where the drummer could sing. Anyways, they’re playing Sunday night at Music Hall of Williamsburg (WHICH YOU CAN’T GO TO BECAUSE YOU’RE COMING TO OUR SHOWCASE, RIGHT?) or checkout their Myspace for upcoming shows.
So, thanks to server issues, this recap is going up now, but I caught Au Revoir Simone at the Warsaw on Thursday night.
I’ve had a soft spot for Au Revoir Simone since they did a benefit with Regina Spektor for Planned Parenthood two years ago. This was my first show in the Warsaw, and while the space is nice (they have a kitchen that serves Kielbasa next door) I have to say. The sound system? Waaaaay too heavy on the bass.
It would be one thing if we were having a trance party or maybe a punk show, but when you’re talking about the lovely, atmospheric melodies played by those three adorable girls with bangs, you want to be able to hear the music. Not, as my friend put it, feel like your teeth are vibrating in a massage chair.
Overall the show was good, and they even ended with a great cover of Summer of ’69 Don Henley’s “Boys Of Summer”. But, I’d strongly advise being strategic about which shows you see at the Warsaw.
