Hey y’all. Sorry I have basically fallen off the face of the planet in terms of updates. August was a great month — saw lots of good music. Here are some of the shows I witnessed:

The biggest blowout I attended last month was on August 11th for Celebrate Brooklyn‘s last concert of the summer, featuring Aussie dance party gods, Cut Copy, and California wunderkids, Foster the People. So much crazy dancing, so much fun! (And a damn near Lindsay Lohan sighting!)

Lead singer Mark Foster told a story about how when he was a teenager he approached Rivers Cuomo at a party and tried to get him to listen to his demo. Fast foward to 2011, and now Weezer has been known to cover “Pumped Up Kicks” in concert. As an homage, FTP did a cover version of “Say It Ain’t So”:

The only bummer was during the show I decided to head into the crowd to get my groove on and instead some dude burnt me with his cigarette. BAD CONCERT DUDE, BAD!

Oh and every time I went to Celebrate Brooklyn this summer I had a foodgasm because The Farm on Adderley was the fancy food purveyor. Delicious fried green beans, life has never been the same since you’ve touched my lips!

The next night (Aug 12), after Sir Jeisenhair brain explosion, I headed to Rockwood Music Hall to catch Platinum Hit reality TV cutie Johnny Marnell do his thang.

Of course the venue was packed with chock full o’ lady admirers, dreamily looking up at Mr. Marnell. Adorable! Oh and apparently the New York Times was there — explains why that less than thrilled camera dude was at the show.

The next week I had the absolute JOY of hanging out with my friend from Iceland and his friend Karl, who is the brains behind the Icelandic band, Kalli. Managed to catch his act twice — once during a stripped down solo gig at Pianos, and then another with an accompanying percussionist at Fontana’s. It was like Iceland Airwaves 2006, all over again!

Kalli at Pianos

Hey Rachel-

Remember when we went to Iceland and we literally stood inches away from Hot Club de Paris at 12 Tonar in Reykjavik? Remember how we basically had to dodge their guitars when they swung them while playing? Remember how we totally loved them and thought they were so awesome?

Well I’m happy to report that Hot Club de Paris is still making music. They just released Free the Prerodactyl 3, which is a compilation of EP releases from 2010. According to the HCdP website, you can get it on CD in Europe and download only in the US.

Here’s a video for their song “Free the Prerodactyl 3.” Yes, it reminds me a little bit of The Proclaimers’ “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” meets the Polyphonic Spree, but I like it!

Later,
MM

PS – The same day we saw Hot Club de Paris we also saw lenticular clouds. It all comes around!

The last year’s worth of bad news about Iceland (bankruptcy, volcanic ash, etc.) has saddened me quite a bit. When I visited the country in 2006 for the Iceland Airwaves festival I fell in love with the uniqueness of the landscape (from glaciers to geo-thermal heated pools) and the quirkiness of its people.

I never get so excited about dispensing travel advice about places I’ve been as I do about Iceland. It’s truly a magical place that seems like the spot where civilization ends and the wild, beautiful wilderness begins.

I hope the country can quickly rise back on its feet after all these catastrophic events have dissipated. Here’s to wishing the best to Iceland.

My Icelandic viking figurine guards the contents of my freezer. (After William Eggleston)

In some sad news, the band members of the well-known Brooklyn band Dirty on Purpose has decided to go their separate ways. In an email sent to their mailing list this morning, the rock quartet announced that DOP will no longer be in existence for the foreseeable future:

We got back from tour about a month ago and sat down to talk about recording another record, and realized we didn’t really want to record another record. Not now anyway. So we’re going our separate ways.

The band, which had been together for six years have released 3 EPs between 2005-2008 and one full-length album titled “Hallelujah Sirens” in 2006. In 2005 founding member Erika Forster left the band to concentrate on her group Au Revoir Simone.

As one of the first people to blog about the band (I first saw them in 2003–I believe in the Old Office of the Knitting Factory), this is an especially sad announcement to make, but you can still see the guys in their own respective projects: Joe and Doug belong to Neckbeard Telecaster; George plays bass in Coin Under Tongue; Joe also has another solo projected called Joe and the Flying Spoons; and Doug also plays with Purse Snatchers and Black Acid.

Wishing the guys well in all their future endeavors!

With the inclusion of Franz Ferdinand and Chaka Khan to the bill of the already impressive Diesel 30th Birthday Party in NYC (that is if you consider M.I.A., N*E*R*D*, and Hot Chip impressive), the jeans company has guaranteed that their fete will be the biggest blowout this side of the Atlantic.

Prepare thyselves for long lines, rowdy drunks, and probably an amazing time.

Oh and don’t forget, your last chance for tix will be tomorrow (Friday) at 10am at either Diesel store in NYC.. While you’re there you can pick up one of the cheapie jeans seen on these two comely looking youngsters… one of which looks an awful lot like Daisy Lowe (y/n?).

I was looking up some ethical shopping stuff today (I know, totally granola of me) and read that Diesel Jeans were actually produced more ethically than Calvin Klein jeans. So with that in mind, I’d like to mention that Diesel Jeans is planning what sounds like an amazing party “event” on it’s 30th birthday…on the same day in 17 different cities across the world, one of which is our very own NYC.

The location of the October 11th party is “top secret” (er.. it’s Pier 3 in DUMBO) but will feature a truly star-studded musical lineup like M.I.A. and Hot Chip… and you can get tickets by stopping by the Diesel stores in NYC, or a number of bars/record shops in the city.

Oooorrrr… you can send an email to contest @ themodernage.org with the subject line “DIESEL,” and your name, address, and telephone number in the email body. I’ll pick 5 people who will each receive a pair of tickets delivered at your doorstep. (Sorry, you must be 21+.) That’s right, you + M.I.A. + free food + cotton candy. Sounds rad, right? (The giveaway has ended, sorry!)

If this awesome sorta SFW video is any indication, this fiesta is going to rock:

Also on October 10th, there will be some limited edition “Dirty Thirty” jeans for sale at the Diesel store for only $50.

More info on the jeans:

‘Dirty Thirty’ denim will be available in two top selling styles: Matic for women and Heeven for men. The product features unique detailing such as a back patch with the xXx sign in Roman numerals to commemorate Diesel’s 30 years along with the words ‘Dirty Thirty’.’ Side embroidery will state the dates 1978-2008 and buttons will be customized with ‘Diesel 1978.’

The favorite new party haunt of TMA…

VICE LIVE
NYC Edition
Vice Magazine Mexican Issue Release Party

Free with RSVP to:

http://www.viceland.com/vicelive

21+ w/ ID
Complimentary 42 Below Vodka & Colt 45 until it’s gone.

with
HONG KONG BLOOD OPERA (Mexico City) – First Ever NYC Show
VIVIAN GIRLS
THE MUSLIMS

and DJs
Semen Sperms
Max Wowch
+ special guests

Thursday, June 19th
9pm til…
SANTOS PARTY HOUSE
100 Lafayette St

VICE FASHION – TOKYO UNDRESSED
Rikki Kasso is a 27-year-old American photographer who moved to Tokyo a couple of years ago. He takes photos of pretty Japanese girls in various states of undress and puts them on a blog called Tokyo Undressed.

NAME: The Holloways
HOMETOWN: London, Holloway, United Kingdom
WEBSITE: http://www.the-holloways.com/

HOW I HEARD ABOUT THEM: I was listening to my friend Imran’s awesome BBC 6 music radio show called This Music Week and The Holloways were doing a cover of “Starman” [MP3] in honor of David Bowie’s birthday.
LATEST RELEASE: So This Is Great Britain? [TVT Records, BUY]
SONG LISTENED TO: “Generator” [MP3 over at Denuvian]
WHAT THEY SOUND LIKE: Reminded me a lot of Hot Club de Paris with plunky guitar rhythms and choc full o’ melodies…oh and those trashy Northern accents. Hooray! The chorus states that they can “get a record player and a generator to generate the music that makes you feel better,” and judging from this song (about appreciating everything you have and looking on the bright side), I would have to say this is probably true. Catchy, upbeat, and almost completely free of irony. It makes you feel like a warm hug. Great motivational song for exercising…or carefree partying!
1 to 5 RATING: 5
OTHER BLOGS THAT HAVE TALKED ABOUT THEM: Denuvian, You Ain’t No Picasso, Music Snobbery, Photo over at Gregory Nolan, Caught in the Crossfire
LISTEN TO MORE: “Dance Floor” and “Two Left Feet” on the Myspace

Check out this ridiculously awesome video with SAD CLOWNS for “Generator”: