i rock i roll

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

WE ARE THE WILEY : Benefit Concert for Jon Wiley

I've met Jon a few times and his band Spacecamp played one of our Spicy Times parties - I can't say enough nice things about him. I ran into him the other night at the Phoenix show at MHOW and was so happy to see him out and about after such a scary ordeal. Please come out and support!

WE ARE THE WILEY: A Benefit for Jon Wiley

A circle of Brooklyn-based friends have joined together to throw a benefit for beloved, local musician, Jon Wiley. We Are the Wiley: A Benefit Concert for Jon Wiley will feature Adam Green, Lightspeed Champion, DJ Johnny Tropical, and Chairlift at The Shank—an art space and concert venue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn—on Thursday, July 9, 2009 at 8PM.

On March 5, 2009, professional guitarist, bassist, and keyboardist, Jon Wiley awoke without feeling or mobility in his arms and legs. He was subsequently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and incurred more than $30,000 worth of medical bills for his week-long hospital stay. After a lengthy recovery process, Jon has regained most feeling in his limbs and has gone on in recent months to record and perform with Lightspeed Champion, Adam Green, and his solo project, SpaceCamp. However, he is still without the means to afford his own healthcare.

Join us to celebrate the extraordinary talent of Jon Wiley, and raise funds to cover the expenses of a musician in need. This is a concrete opportunity to help a friend who, like so many artists and musicians in the United States, lack affordable healthcare. Jon’s story highlights the importance of healthcare for every person and the value of living each day to the fullest.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

We Are the Wiley: A Benefit Concert for Jon Wiley

@The Shank

98 Bayard Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn

CHAIRLIFT + LIGHTSPEED CHAMPION + ADAM GREEN w/DJ Set by Johnny Tropical

Doors at 8PM (Ages 21+)

Tickets $15 - all proceeds go to Wiley's medical bills.

To make a donation, go here:

http://wearethewiley.blogspot.com/

Spacecamp - Girls On Bikes

Spacecamp - High

posted by n. @ 6/23/2009 06:25:00 PM

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Thursday, June 11, 2009

JEZEBEL MUSIC - Feature Show tonight - I'm djing!

I'm super excited to have been asked to DJ at this show tonight, so come out! It isn't associated with Northside Fest either, so you don't need a badge

All info can be found here!

posted by n. @ 6/11/2009 01:06:00 PM

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Friday, May 22, 2009

SPICY TIMES at Union Hall this Saturday!

It's that time again, when the fantastic Jinners and I bring spicy goodness to Union Hall for a night of awesome bands and all kinds of fun! This time around we have an amazing line up of up and coming bands that you should def check out...

JAGUAR CLUB

This is the kind of new wavey indie music that I personally go ga-ga for. So if you generally like what I like, you are totally going to love Jaguar Club. Also Jaguars are totally sexy as fuck, so that doesn't hurt either.

"The Jaguar Club is a Brooklyn band we're pretty excited about. They've got all the right 80's influences, and they put 'em all together in a way that's sparse and upbeat like Felt. The band not the material." -- The L Magazine

Jaguar Club - The Sirens

Jaguar Club - Who Says We're The Last

SPANISH PRISONERS

Spanish Prisoners are a band that I'm a horrible person for not writing about sooner. One of their songs, Los Angeles Guitar Dream, is pretty trippy with it's hazy grooves and I'm VERY excited to check them out live tomorrow night.

"Leo Maymind is at his finest when he’s sorrowful, but still feigning optimism as his musical alter ego Spanish Prisoners. The repetition of life delivers a strangling or two every once in a while, just turning whomever’s closest purple and red from the disconnection of air, but Maymind tries to find the little glimpses to be excited about in the mix of all the unpleasantries, when the backs are against the wall and everything’s shown in the pall of overcast skies." -- Daytrotter

Spanish Prisoners - Los Angeles Guitar Dream

ECHOECHO

We could not have been more thrilled to add brand-spankin new band ECHOecho to the bill as a last minute replacement, and I think this Brooklyn rock and roll quintet may be everyones favorite new local gem soon enough. I love Sean and Mary's charming dual vocals on their debut single, Cool Spring Day - and apparently these two were only born four minutes apart from each other so perhaps that explains why they seem so totally in sync.

ECHOecho - Cool Spring Day

And now all the important show deets for you:

Saturday, May 23rd
Union Hall
Park Slope, Brooklyn
$8 cover - 8pm door
--------------------------
Sponsored by Filter Magazine

Have a lovely (and hopefully spicy) weekend!

posted by n. @ 5/22/2009 12:01:00 PM

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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

PRETTY & NICE - UNION HALL TOMORROW! w/The Dig & Middle Distance Runner

OMG YOU GUYS.

So my friend Pat from Pop Tarts Suck Toasted and I recently got word from the lovely lads in Pretty & Nice that they were going to be rolling through Brooklyn on their latest tour jaunt and jumped at the chance to present this way SUPER AWESOME bill for them tomorrow night (Thursday 5/14 at Union Hall).

They are playing with Middle Distance Runner, who I saw recently play to a packed room of stoked label peeps and blogger friends at the Annex, and up and comers the Dig who totally impressed me when they opened for Mystery Jets at Bowery.

The show is at UNION HALL, doors are at 9:30 and you can buy tickets here! total win.

And now some sample tunes!!

Middle Distance Runner Naturally

Pretty & Nice - Grab Your Nets

The Dig - Penetentiary

posted by n. @ 5/13/2009 01:33:00 PM

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Friday, May 08, 2009

DATAROCK - The Blog

I'm so happy that Datarock are back with new music, since I have a special place in my heart for their geek-tastic dance tunes. This time around the band certainly doesn't disappoint - as you will see with track "The Blog." Anyone who rhymes "information highway" with "to the break of day" is pretty awesome in my book

Datarock - The Blog

Datarock - True Stories

Their second album, "Red" is out this month.

posted by n. @ 5/08/2009 01:22:00 PM

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Wednesday, May 06, 2009

WHEN I STEP IN THE CLUB - Events Round-Up!

These are my favorite kind of blog entries, because even though I just write a little music blog here, sometimes I get invited to some crazy events and parties. These usually involve giving my liver a good beating, finger food goodness, live tweeting and general geek-ery, gabe saporta (sometimes), go go dancers, good djs, horrid djs, etc. etc. So here is a little event round-up, so I can give out some love to the people who are kind enough to invite me to these soirees.

First up we have last week's Food 2 event, at the Food Network Test Kitchen (a place I have often dreamt of). Food 2 is the kind of a food site that a shitty cook like myself can totally embrace because they make food FUN. I mean seriously, if you go to their page right now there's something about a BURGER TACO (want!) - this is not cooking Martha Stewart style... well unless Martha did a bunch of tequila shots, smoked a doobie and desperately needed something to snack on while playing World of Warcraft... but even then she'd probably make some kind of crepe with fresh creme or whip up a lobster thermidor in lieu of burger taco.

Anyways, the event featured fun comfort foods, my favorite of which was a VERY tasty grilled cheese sammich - simple enough that I could make it but way more delicious than my standard kraft singles fare. They also had some whoa yummy sliders (which, you may recall, are my main criteria for knowing that you are at an AWESOME party).

We finished up with some nom-tastic Whoopie Pies and egg cremes which I devoured while oogling Top Chef hottie Spike, before I had to head off for a DJ gig.

Then last night, on an entirely different spectrum, I went to a launch party for Hennessy Black Label. The night started with a cocktail reception where I slowly sipped something called a Hennessy Black Spice, which the cute server explained to me was a mix of Henny, ginger and APPLE JUICE. What is spicy about that I am not entirely sure, but it was actually tasty and helped ease me into drinking Henny since it's a bit stronger than what I usually imbibe. Everyone was dressed to the nines, including miss Kim Kardashian, the armenian sister of Jen Music Slut. Eventually they opened some giant doors and everyone stampeded down a dark hall way to the star wars theme music (seriously) where we were greeted by MORE bars, MORE Henny cocktails and shots, and a live dance performance from the JabbaWockeeZ (who, I was told excitedly by a friend, were on that show “America’s Best Dance Crew”).

Finally, Swizz Beatz came out and performed his ode to all things Hennessy and clubbing, "When I Step In The Club." It went something like this:

Fast forward to this morning, when I awoke to find a fedora and a bottle of Hennessy Black Label in my purse. Has this vodka drinker been converted? Hmm...

posted by n. @ 5/06/2009 04:09:00 PM

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Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Little Boots - Rich Boys!

Things that are awesome today:

This Little Boots amazing cover of "Rich Girls", by the Virgins - turned into "Rich Boys"

Little Boots - Rich Boys (The Virgins cover)

Baja Fresh is coming to NYC...

posted by n. @ 4/28/2009 02:07:00 PM

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deli mag / after the jump artist preview: APRIL SMITH

One of the artists playing the Deli Mag / After The Jump shows next week is April Smith. This girl is seriously amazing. A total spitfire with a huge voice and really cute outfits to boot. I heart her.

Below is a video of a song she performed when I saw her at Mecury Lounge a while back. It’s called “Stop Wondering” and I’d like to dedicate it to all of my exboyfriends.

Here's the line up she is playing on:

Wednesday 05.06 [$10 at the door]
(sponsored by BMI)
@ Southpaw
11:10 Lowry
10:30 Elizabeth & the Catapult
9:40 The King Left
8:50 April Smith
8:10 KaiserCartel
7:30 Mia Riddle

April Smith - Colors

GO HERE TO BUY TICKETS!!!

posted by n. @ 4/28/2009 11:26:00 AM

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Thursday, April 23, 2009

After The Jump + Deli Mag = THE BEST OF NYC (forrealz)!!! 3 shows! OMG!

After The Jump Fest is helping to sponsor this upcoming series of shows for The Deli Magazine, which they have dubbed "The Best of NYC." The booking was based largely on the results of their 2008 Best of NYC Poll.

The line ups for all three nights are pretty super sweeeeeet and in the next week I'm going to highlight a few of the artists playing that I personally really enjoy, including some choonz for you.

Go here and click on the storefronts to get your tickets!

posted by n. @ 4/23/2009 06:37:00 PM

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Tuesday, April 21, 2009

French Kicks - Abandon Video

Although this song came out approximately 238579293857235 months ago (I mean srsly, I first blogged the song over a year ago!), now it finally has a video to go with it, which makes me happy. Have I ever mentioned how much I heart French Kicks. I used to get outreached to all the time about them too and now nada? What happened? Have I been "abandoned" (haha)? HELLOOooooo?

Anyways, my Chicago friends should go see them at Schubas tomorrow night! xo

French Kicks "Abandon" from THE FEAR on Vimeo.

French Kicks - Trouble (from the Covers EP that they released... sometime recently?)

posted by n. @ 4/21/2009 05:09:00 PM

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Monday, April 20, 2009

Skybox - In A Dream

I'm happy to let you all know that Skybox, one of my favorite Chicago bands, is back with new music after spending the past few months in the studio and changing up their lineup a LOT.

The new tunes so far sound awesome -- they certainly seem to be going in a very "Of Montreal" direction here on first track "In A Dream" - it's very pop friendly stuff.

Skybox's new album Morning After Cuts, will be out this summer.

Skybox - In A Dream

Track Listing:

1. Morning After Cuts
2. Light
3. Slipping
4. In a Dream
5. Buckets
6. Fences
7. Plastic Cups
8. Everyone Falls In
9. Trout

posted by n. @ 4/20/2009 02:56:00 PM

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SQUARE ONE!

I twittered about this show the other day and got a huge response. Seriously, I used to be totally obsessed with this - even though it was all about math (aka my worst subject). Who remembers Square One? Math Man? Mathnet? Anyone?

The story you are about to see is a fib.

NINE NINE NINE!

Foals - Mathletics

posted by n. @ 4/20/2009 12:35:00 PM

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