People Don't Dance No More NYC, White Ts & White Belts PHI, New Indie Party CHI and more

Updated with more LA and Chicago ish

Wow, there's lot of good stuff, but the top choice was an easy one. The legendary D.I.R.T.Y. party from Paris is in New York City, joining forces with the People Don't Dance No More to create one of those events that I truly am excited to attend. Just look at the names involved: the Dirty Soundsystem, My Cousin Roy of Wurst Edits, residents David Bruno and Robot Blair and special guest Lauren Flax! Yeah! That's a who's who of some of the best DJs in the world

-You're also gonna want to make sure to hit up the Fashion Indie Magazine launch party at Boucarou (64 E. 1st St.) It's Fashion Week in NYC, but leave that crap above 14th where it belongs. Head to the East Village to check out the amazing clothing that Williamsburg's Love Brigade have been making, as they do a runway show at midnight. You're gonna be talking about these designers in a few years and trying to get into their parties in the Meatpacking District, get in now at the ground floor and say you were there when. Even better, my bol DJ Tiny Pants (where ya been?!?) will spin for the dance party later. Oh, did I mention that there's a 3 hour open bar, as well. RSVP at the going.com site; a warning though: there's over 2000 people interested in this event, so get there early or you may want to roll through late. Just FYI.



-For the fashionable, it makes sense to hit up the weekly Trash party at Rififi (332 E. 11th St.), where everyone looks hotter and cooler than seems possible. DJ Jess and Alex Malfunction host the Editors afterparty, this one will be the typical packed house with go-go dancers and indie rock/new wave goodness, free before 11, $5 after, 21+. Shout out to my bol Jules Dassin.



-For those of us who get the shakes when we cross into Manhattan, there's two cool events going down in the hood (or my hood at least) that are highly recommended,. First, the FUN party returns from a week vacation with a serious night of dancerockelectro. Yuksek are playing live, along with Dandi Wind, Fluo Kids and Brodinski are guest DJs, Rok One of the Bangers and Emon Harkin are the excellent residents, June D and Finger On The Pulse and Studio B (259 Banker St.) are the gracious hosts. RSVP for free entry, otherwise it's $10 at the door, 10pm, 18+, it'll be fun.



-macri



-Ahh, White Ts and White Belts, it's good to have you back here. I believe I missed a post the last Friday this one went down and that is a devastating omission. This is without a doubt one of the best parties I've been to anywhere. EMYND & Bo Bliz and Dan the Swede have put together one of those perfect Philly parties - great crowd, no pretensions, less-than-official venue, BYOB, actual rap music, all scenes, people dancing, g-d I miss it. It's got a new home at The Arts Garage (1516 Parrish St.), $10, free Vodka and Sparks all night (!!!!), but it's also BYOB if those two don't work for you or they work too well for you. It starts at midnight, goes til 4 AM.




-Before that, hit up Fluid Nightclub as The Rub is in Philly tonight! That's right, the legendary Brooklyn party featuring Cosmo Baker, DJ Eleven and DJ Ayres is doing its thing in the 6th borough, greater than the other 5 combined. RSVP here for the $5 reduced admission list. Don't believe me, perhaps you will take the word of this brilliant writer for the Philly Metro today.



-I'm running out of words to describe how impressive it is to look at what's going on in Chicago on any given night. Just look at the packed schedule tonight, from a crazy one-off to one of the best monthlies in the country to a great weekly, you've got it all. Okay, this isn't quite a one-off, it's the monthly New Indie First Fridays Party at Sonotheque (1444 W. Chicago Ave.) However, tonight's special guest DJs are an up and coming band called Bloc Party. That's right, the Vice/Dim Mak band is stopping by as this is the Hideout Block Party Afterparty, where the boys are playing. You also get sets by the resident Jordan Z, Erica from Office and Hollywood Holt. It's hosted by Jillian Valentino of Avant Trill, photos by Everyone Is Famous, rsvp ASAP to THE_NEW_INDIE@gmail.com for reduced admission. $3 Svedka cocktails and $3 313 beers all night.



-You're also gonna have to hit up the monthly I referred to above, as the Life During Wartime party hits the Darkroom (2210 W. Chicago Ave.) as it does the first Friday of every month. This is Bald Eagle and DJ Mother Hubbard's jawn and it's essential that you make it here. Great music, dancing, drinks, no cover before 11, so you can make this the early part of the night. You also get a guest DJ set by the Arcadias, i.e. Rob and Darren from The Changes.



-Finally, Avant Trill (two parties in one night!) and Blacklisted bring you 1st Fridays at Debonair, featuring the new residents Trancid and Mark Gertz along with the normal residents Heather Doble and Ryan Paradise. Hosted by Scott Cramer and Jenny Shah, it's just another great option for Chicagoans, who are quickly getting spoiled. 10-2, $2 Colt 45s and vodka drinks, no cover (I think), 21+.




-Here's a late addition to the Chicago line-up: the Kampfire Killaz take over the Burlington (Fullerton & Kimball) Misa and Jay have Das Beats as special guests, you will dance, you will have fun. Head out now, as it's gonna be a busy night.



-Ooh boy, it's gonna be a fun night in San Francisco, as Tittsworth make his debut in the city for the Slap party. Brought to you by Blasthaus, they've brought in the Baltimore club DJ to you how things get done on the East Coast, as he brings his patented rapid-fire mixing to create an unrelenting set of booty and Bmore club and hiphop. You also get sets by Sleazemore of Lights Down Low and Shane King of At Large, who need no lessons. For real, this is gonna be an amazing night of dancing, music and DJs, so rsvp at the going.com site for free entry, it'll cost you $10 if you don't. Once you've done that, you just need to show up at Rx Gallery (132 Eddy St.) and these guys will take care of the rest.



-Wow, this flier seemed almost too dirty, which means it's excellent. The B-Sides party in Costa Mesa celebrates the birthday of Lady Lush and apparently the S+M scene of Southern California. Hit up the Avalon Bar (820 W. 19th St.) for all of the dirty fun with DJs Lady Lush, Ryan Esca, Dirty-Lo and Rob TV. This is a weekly jawn, so here's a good chance to check it out and make it a regular stop.


-LA, it's like an MTV show tonight. OMG! OMG! It's Sarah's 1st Annual Sweet Sixteen Party and it's got a who's who of LA DJ superstars - Keith 2.0, Daniel Le Disko of LA Riots, Dirty Dave, Young Americans, Royal Rumble, Scarlett of Hang The DJ, Louisahhh, Gina Turner, Cheyne of Gang of Neon and Stuart of Cinespace. It goes down at Cinespace (6356 Hollywood Blvd), it's $5, free if you bring a gift for Sarah, photos by cobrasnake, happy birthday Sarah!



-The Institubes Paris Terror Club heads out of the States tonight to commune with its French-speaking brethren in Montreal. You know the details and people, sickest flier ever! Siiiiiiccccccckkkkkkkkk!!!



-Finally, DJ Almost Tropical is back to rock your body and blow your mind. Berlin, get to KIM (Brunnen Strasse 10) immediately and begin to dance and get sweaty. She will knock that fucking wall down if it's still up!

Turntable Lab MP3 Store, IPhone and more

Since I just mentioned Turntable Lab, I had to remind everyone that the store has opened an online mp3 store where you get HQ versions of all of the stuff they carry. The Turntable Lab Digital Store had a soft opening, so I'm not sure how many people heard about it or how well it has worked in its first week. But, I'm super psyched for this, such a logical next step for the shop. The permanent page isn't ready yet, but you can order through the new releases section. Mang, just a a quick scan and I'm already overwhelmed with choices, The Presets, Modular, Ed Banger, Justice, Kid Sister.

-Mang, Apple is just killing it lately. Love that iPhone price drop and 140 gig (!) iPod and the touchscreen iPod. On a related note, can we not coddle the douchebags now complaining that they paid too much for their iPhones? They bought so they could be the first to have this new technology; they didn't seem to be complaining when I saw them in Union Square cheering coming out of the AT&T store, showing everyone what they didn't have. Also, can the Washington Post not find anything better to cover on the op-ed page than these pathetic gripes by early adopters? I guess anything to make us forget the blood on Fred Hiatt and co's hands from their support of this war and the lies that I got us there.

-Finally, since this one is a technology post, if any DJ out there can recommend a good, affordable mixer and cartridge for a newbie DJ who isn't looking to do much more than mix and do some parties, I'd be ever grateful. I think it's time for Pound for Pound to make a move to the DJ booth, as clearly the world needs another deejay.

-One more music post, then parties, then Friday night. Cheah.

Amy Winehouse - Tears Dry On Their Own

Amy Winehouse, "Tears Dry On Their Own (live at the Kalkscheune, Berlin, Germany)" (YSI link)

Amy Winehouse, "Tears Dry On Their Own (NYPC's Fucked mix)" (YSI link)

Amy Winehouse, "Tears Dry On Their Own (Alix Alvarez Sole Channel mix)" (YSI link)

Ahhh, my girl. There's no way we were doing a series of posts devoted to the amazing women making music today without a look at Amy Winehouse. I had a terrible run last night of running into kids I went to college with, including a close friend of the girl I dated there. I'm struggling desperately to not email someone, I'm trying to find a home for two abandoned kittens and I'm wondering if things are ever going to feel good and normal and settled. I was literally a running into my ex away from weeping on 7th Avenue. I can't think of a singer today who sings about these sorts of things, let alone with such honesty and talent.

Here's one of the best songs, "Tears Dry On Their Own," off the breathrough album, Back To Black. I'm not gonna lie, the title alone had me in love. So good, love the defiance in those 5 words. The song is excellent as well, I've thrown up a live version from a reissued edition that's been floating around. The real treat here is the NYPC's Fucked Mix, with the NYPC standing for New Young Pony Club, the Modular Records group. It doesn't overreach and try to turn this one rave-ready or anything; instead, it tones down the vintage soul and adds a more funked up, dancefloor-friendly vibe. They keep more vocals than I expected, put them on top of a really nice electro-house mix. The Alix Alvarez Sole Channel Mix is for the house fans, no doubt. This one turns the synths to 11, so warm and nice; the upbeat house beat doesn't hurt and while it takes away from the sadness of the original, who cares? Both are recommended, taking Winehouse out of the 60s and 70s and putting her in the 80s and 90s dancefloor world. Grab the 12" with the Alvarez mix and more and the 7" with the NYPC mix from Turntable Lab. If you don't have the LP, make sure to get a copy ASAP especially for the under $10 price.

Finally, I do hope that Ms. Winehouse can overcome her recent hardships and find solid ground. She's a talented artist and too often we naively respect watching those people self-destruct. Thank you for your music Amy, thank you for not changing your last name.

Graeme Park - Essential Mix 12.08.96

Graeme Park, BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix December 8, 1996 (YSI link)

We're a little late on the Essential Mix this week; the holiday threw me off. I was gonna skip it this week, but it seems like this is the perfect time to drop the second Essential Mix that Graeme Park did for the BBC Radio One program. I hope that we all remember Park, one of the DJs who made the Hacienda legendary, one of the residents at the Nude party with Mike Pickering, one of the men who brought house music to the UK, etc.

This Essential Mix started off slow for me, to be honest. I was working on something, trying to make plans to go out and the mix let me do all of those things, stayed in the background. Not a good sign. Then, about 15 or 2o minutes in, the bug hit me. For me, that means the head nod, the infamous white man response to musical stimuli, a little overbite too. Suddenly, a gorgeous, perfect house music set started to unfold and I found myself unable to get done what I had been doing. That's a good mix. I don't know if people are feeling this stuff or what, but I do hope that you've given these old Hacienda mixes a listen. I know classic house music isn't for everyone, but damn this is such happy, ecstatic music that I can't imagine that anyone couldn't find something here. "It's all about love."

Smash And Crunch CHI, Fuck Yesss ATL, Modular NYC and much more

Apologies for last night's post not going up, I thought it had posted but it seemed to have saved instead. I believe that blogger just could handle my focus, sabotage us. I may have missed a day but the city of Chicago just keeps on rolling. For real, the place is just nice right now. Here's a new crew/party to add to the mix, Smash and Crunch. They're combining with Avant Trill tonight to bring the first stop of another French invasion. This time, it's the dudes from the Fluokids blog, the best thing this side of Pound for Pound in the blogodome. They'll be spinning, the amazing band Yuksek will play a live set, Brodinski will spin and Pharrell

-Chicagoans will also want to head over to the Dance Party Magic jawn at Empire Liquors (1566 N. Milwaukee Ave.) This one features Chicago indiedance LMNOP live, along with DJ sets by E6 & Matt Roan and B$. RSVP right now to DPM@crossfaderking.com to get in for free and you're all set. Free Red Stripe from 9-10, photos by Everyone Is Famous. Ahh, but that's not the end Chi-town...



-There's also the ole' reliable weekly Debonair Thursdays, for those of you like to show your support for those doing it week in and week out. Trancid and Mark Gertz do that for sure every Thursday at Debonair Social Club (1575 N. Milwaukee Ave.) and tonight their fellow Dark Wave Discoer Greg Corner is back from touring with the Velvet Revolver and Alice In Chains to join in for a full-on Dark Wave experience. That's not all, as there's also special guest DJ Shaka 23 in from NYC to make this another jam-packed night in the Windy City. 21+, no cover, it's gonna be a fun night out there.




-Back here in New York City, there's lots going on. The monthly Modular Records party is getting top-billing because it has two of my favorite DJs in the world as special guests, Dave P and JDH of the Fixed party at Studio B. Combine them with the Bang Gang Deejays and you have yourself a rave, Dave. It all goes down at 200 Orchard (btwn Houston & Stanton), 10-4, no cover, great spot, good times.



-Nearby, you'll also want to hit up the Common Folk party at Home Sweet Home (131 Chrystie St.), as the boys - Johnsville, Lucas Walters and Pizza & Piano - welcome all of the students back to the city to help teach them the ways of debauchery, good music and bad choices. They've got Rok One as guest DJ as well; yikes, I'm worried for these kids. Free, nice flier, great DJs, young girls. Win, win, win, win.



-Finally, make your weekly stop over at Happy Ending (302 Broome St.@Forsythe) for the Even Further party in the basement. This week Carmine P. Filthy and Rudy Mungi are joined by the lovely Vida, who will ironically play dirty, ugly beats. We're gonna have more on this crew next week, as they've got some fun stuff going down and a mix to put up. Prepare for that by hitting up the basement tonight. Yeah!



-For those who like to stay right by the L, you know where to be, the Cheeky Bastard Thursday night weekly at Hiro Ballroom (371 W. 16th St.). These guys put together an amazing line-up every single week with big names; tonight's no different as this one's the Peter, Bjorn & John afterparty and the boys will spin a DJ set later that night. The real reason you need to go though is to hear MR. Stretch Armstrong on the decks. Dude is a legend, dude is one of the best DJs I've heard, dude. You also get a live show by Bloody Social early in the night, while Johanna Fateman of Le Tigre will spin at some point as well. Head to the going.com site to RSVP for free admission. Free, people, for all of this, no charge. There's also a Svedka open bar from 10-11, plus vodka drink specials from 2-3, this is highway robbery people!



-The Wurst monthly at APT, that's all I need to say I think. I also don't have a flier for it, so I'm hiding that fact behind my hipster pretentiousness. You love me, don't you?!?

-Finally, I saved the best for last. In the ATL, the Fuck Yeahh party goes down at the Drunken Unicorn (736 Ponce de Leon Place) This is the monthly first Thursday party that Le Castle Vania and Treasure Fingers are putting on in their hometown. Dudes are spinning everywhere in the world at this point, but they still looking out for their people. Tonight's edition is sponsored by Vice and Colt 45, has free Colt from 12-2, indiedance bangers from 12-til whenever this thing ends. It's 18+, $5 for 18+, free for the 21+ people. All Atlanta people should be super psyched for this one, sure to be an essential part of your month.

John Cage On WNYC, New Releases and more

So, I'm gonna try to start trying to put together a few posts a week dedicated to links to other sites and cool things, trying to break out of my Pound for Pound-absorbed world. This one's gonna be a quick one, but please feel free to get at me and send me cool links or your blog or whatever. It'll give me a chance to hype some non-music related stuff, give heads on cool upcoming events that you'll need to RSVP or buy tickets for, etc. Sound good?

It's ironic that I referenced John Cage in the Bjork post, as unbeknownst to me, today would have been his 95th birthday. WNYC, the amazing public radio station here in New York City, is doing 24 Hours 33 Minutes: The Playful and Playable Cage, dedicated to the man and his music, some of the most challenging and beautiful music ever made. It started at noon today and runs until tommorow at 12:33 p.m. I've been tuning in for the past few hours and can vouch that this is a really amazing tribute, complete with rare interviews, lots of music and history. Click here for those of you not in NYC to stream it; it comes in clear and consistent. For those in NYC, you can head to The Kitchen (512 W. 19th St.) at 8 p.m. for a night simply called Cage at 95. It's $25, $15 for students and members. Yeah, get your avant garde on!

-I got the heads up about this from Justin Carter's amazing wesbite New Releases. He sends out an email every Wednesday featuring one amazing NYC event per night. I cannot recommend signing up more highly, as it's alerted me to a ton of cool stuff going on in the city and on the internets.

-The French bloggers are coming! The French bloggers are coming! Fluo Kids are hitting the states for a ton of DJ gigs and they're starting out in NYC at the FUN party at Studio B in Brooklyn. They're being joined by the most excellent band, Yuksek, along with a DJ set by Brodsinski. You can experience all of this for free, you just need to rsvp at the FUN going.com site for Friday. Simple, easy, fun.

The Dykeenies - New Ideas

The Dykeenies, "New Ideas (Riton Re-rub)" (YSI link)

The Dykeenies, "New Ideas (The Black Ghosts remix)" (YSI link)

Okay, we're going to slowly but surely work our way back to our normal fare here at Pound for Pound, the latest from the club and dancefloors of the world. I wasn't really expecting to dig so deep into either the current indie stuff or the Manchester years, but I'm having fun and hopefully you are too. If not, this Dykeenies track should do the trick.

The Dykeenies are a Scottish group comprised of three Henderson brothers, Steven Ramsay and John Kerr, continuing that grand tradition of rock bands with an eye and ear to the dancefloor. The group makes poppy, new wave music, nothing too breathtaking or original. However, they seem to be tapped into all of the amazing stuff going on between indie bands and dance remixers, as they invited three to have a go at their first single, "New Ideas." The original is the best thing I've heard from the band, a song that reminds me of everything I love about Bloc Party - cacthy song with an almost emo-vibe, nice buildups, that cleaned-up and mixed-up post-punk and new wave sound. There's an amazing Kissy Sell Out remix on the re-released single that you'll want to pick up ASAP, but I wanted to give you a taste of the other two.

I've mentioned Riton, a.k.a. Henry Smithson, before here, I believe, and he does not disappoint. This remix's a sick, Dubsided-y version, filled with chopped-up vocals, massive bass, relentless drums, synths, the whole nine yards. However, the Black Ghosts remix is my choice of the lot, as they actually let the original breathe a little bit.

Like it? Well, the band is about to drop their first LP, supposedly on September 16th and they're kicking things off with a nice package of singles in advance. I'm gonna check it out, as I really hope that the band lets the dance remixes influence the originals a little more.

Section 25 - Always Now

Section 25, "Dirty Disco" (YSI link)

Section 25, "Be Brave" (YSI link)

Section 25, "Haunted" (YSI link)

Section 25, "Girls Don't Count" (YSI link)

It's funny, as I wasn't really listening much to this Factory stuff when I decided to do some posts on it after Tony Wilson passed away. But, I've quickly remebered how great this music was, how it sits in the interstices of so many musics that we talk about her, like electro, acid house, indie rock, robot rock, etc. One of the bands I hadn't listened to in awhile was Section 25 and that was a big mistake.

Section 25 is another of those overshadowed bands that came out on Factory Records in the 80s, lost in the New Order/Joy Division din. This band is in a similar vein, one definitely hears the desiccated post-punk sounds of JD here. Hell, the band's first LP was produced by Ian Curtis and Joy Division producer Martin Hannett. But, you shouldn't forget that this band was making music as early as 1978, right about the same time that Ian Curtis and crew came together.

Here's some selections from their first LP, Always Now, and a few extras that are a part of the reissue by the label Les Temps Modernes. The first two of the from the original release, the second two are extras for the reissue. It's brilliant stuff, imo. Originally released in 1981, this album was produced by Martin Hannett and recorded at Pink Floyd's Brittania Row studio. This is some of the coldest, darkest, most haunting music ever made; it sounds like the voices and instruments are coming from the afterlife, here to haunt us with their frightening vision. The drums are heavy and mechanical, vocalist and bassist Larry Cassidy sings with a mixture of complete dispassion and buried anger. It's probably not a good sign that I find this music so moving and real and I'd kindly ask that my therapist and ex-girlfriends remain silent here; for me, the group has this cold, dead sound and lyrics that can't quite stay that way. The album ends on a song called "New Horizons," which sings of jkust that. The music is typically moody, slowly and deliberately paced, featuring active pounding drums, creepy guitar effects and bass. But, one can't help but feel a sense of trying, a desire to break out of this mindset and that, in the end, is the greatest part of the album. That bleakness, coupled with a searching, a slight hope, that would come to fruition with the next album. Another example is the amazing "Girls Don't Count" (and no I don't just like it for the title). Cassidy sings a list of things that don't count; underneath, however, a massive, almost-grooving song develops over the four minutes. As Cassidy sings, "None of it counts" over and over for the minute, you just aren't sold. Oh mang, people, this is so good! Yeah!

I highly, highly recommended picking up their reissued debut album. It includes the original 10-track LP along with 9 bonus tracks of hard-to-find early singles. I know that this music isn't for everyone, but I hope that people will give it a chance and see if there's something there for you. We're gonna have a little more on these guys this week, so stay tuned.

Fashion Club SJ, Seven Sins LA, Outdanced CHI, Hercules & Love Affair NYC and more

Little did I know when I recommended sleep last night was that we would have the busiest Tuesday I can ever remember. How is this helping the kids get to bed early and prepare for school? But, who gives a shit? We're gonna be at war with Iran soon and global warming will flood all the cool cities in a decade, so let's party! Here's a new party for our roster, Fashion Club in San Jose. This one advertises its musical repetoire plainly and concisely - electro, indie, booty, 80s. Short and sweet, I like it. An old name here at Pound for Pound, San Fran's Sleazemore, is tonight's special guest, joining resident DJ David Q on the decks. It's hosted by Schmee, Mike Jones (Who?) and Teej, it happens every Tuesday at the Fahrenheit Ultra Lounge & Restaurant (99 E. San Fernando St.), $3 beers, half-price Jagr, free before 11 on the guestlist, fashionclub@fultralounge.com. It's called Fashion Club, so dress nice.

-In LA, check out Seven Sins at Seven (7929 Santa Monica Blvd) in West Hollywood. IHeartComix's Franki Chan headlines with Josh(ua) of Bloodcat Love and Highspeed Dub of Fix Up and Get Famous for a pretty sick night of music and drinking on an off-night. It's presented by Have Not and Shadowscene, photos by Shadowscene, 21+ there's no cover, rsvp@havenotmusic.com.



-I had no doubts that Chicago would be first out of the gate with great parties and the city hasn't let me down. Tonight, Outdanced lays down its weekly challenge. Dark Wave Discoer Mark Gertz and Pete Augusta will provide the tunes, you need to show up to the Funky Buddha Lounge (728 W. Grand Ave.) to accept the dancing challenge. $1 drinks and $1 shots will help.



-Another member of the Dark Wave Disco crew, Trancid holds down the Industry Tuesdays party at Lumen (839 W. Fulton Market St.) tonight. He'll be joined this night by Zebo, providing the tunes for all of you dear people who must put up with shitty, drunk, obnoxious customers. Snow Queen Vodka is there to help ease the pain, as bottles will be half price and there's specials on cocktails featuring said vodka.



-For those in Philly, I'm guessing you probably look and feel like the skeletons in this flier after that all-night rave Sunday night. Hit up Upstairs at Sal's (200 S. 12th St.) for Totally Tue$day with DJs Scotty Too Dope and JRL. It's an anything goes dance party, with only rule: there is no fight club. No cover, 9-2, drinks specials until 11, a great night to get back in the swing of things.



-Ridiculously huge night in NYC tonight, continues to make me think that people should stay in Friday and Saturday and make Tuesday and Wednesday your new weekend. I'm gonna make this DFA-centric night at 205 Club (Chrystie&Stanton) the top choice. I caught the No Comprendo Disco jawn in the basement there last weekend and really fell in love with the space. I figure there will be a similarly nice, dance-y, dirty vibe there for this night with Hercules and Love Affair, a.k.a. Andy Butler and Kim Ann. Those two are joined by Justin Miller and Jacques Renault for a serious night of dance music. Honestly, if I wasn't up late finishing an article and worrying about saving two kittens, I'd be at this right now.



-Oooh, you need to also hit up the DJs Are Not Rockstars jam tonight in the Annex (152 Orchard St.) basement, as Modular's Bang Gang Deejays continue their American takeover. They're joined in this fight by Alexander Technique, Ruff Club Denny Le Nimh and Van Scott. They're gonna be in NYC for another few nights, so if you miss out, there will be other chances. Not sure on the entry cost, but it shouldn't be too bad since it's a Tuesday night.



-Oh mang, can't forget about my man Dimitry, who is the guest DJ at tonight's Trainwreck Tuesdays at Angels & Kings (500 E. 11th St.) Unfortunately, I have no idea who is behind this party or who the resident DJs are. But, Dimitry's a good enough to show up, until I can get all of these facts sorted out. Oh, and the $5 PBR and a shot special from 10:30-11:30 & 2-3 doesn't hurt. Also, happy birthday to young

-

Club Genre LA and Sleep, Perchance to Dream

Okay, I was gonna only recommend that everyone stay in tonight, chill out, watch some TV, read a book, make out, whatever. But, Club Genre is having a Labor Day Massive Monday and they ain't fucking around. There's like a gazillion great DJs and the dudes behind this party are good dudes and so I recommend those of you in the LA area hit this up and party the night away. Lordy, look at this line-up. Guns'n'Bombs of Kitsune headline the main room along with residents Luv Tek, S!n and Paparazzi. For those who like to move around rooms or those who fear the devastation that line-up can do over the course of a night, there's also a front room featuring Barry Weaver of San Diego, Dirty Dave from all of the cool shit going on in LA, Sleazy V of Loud Noises, plus fellow residents Zendo and Billy Noorlag. This one goes down every Monday at Cinespace in LA, tonight's a great chance to check it out and realize why it's one of the best new parties in that city. Free before 10:30, $5 from then until 11:00, hosted by Jo-Joon, smoking patio, 2 bars, 18+, 21 to drink.

-For the rest of us, get to bed early, as we've got school in the morning and school all week at Pound for Pound, as we continue to do Madchester and Factory Records, we've got a ton of recent female-centric albums and the return of our normal fare, current dance bangers. I actually have plotted out the week in advance for the first time since I started this thing; for real, your boy is soooooo focused. I mean, like real life focused too. Look for some myspace-only goodies in the form of bulletins. Lots of other big news coming this month on all sorts of fronts. We shall fall in love all over again, my friends.

Stockholm Monsters - All At Once (Singles 1981-1987)

Stockholm Monsters, "Happy Ever After" (YSI link)

Stockholm Monsters, "How Corrupt Is Rough Trade? (12")" (YSI link)

Stockholm Monsters, "Militia" (YSI link)

Stockholm Monsters, "Partyline" (YSI link)

I can't think of a more appropriate post for Labor Day than one dedicated to the music of Manchester, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, early home to the labor movement and site for Friedrich Engel's great work, The Condition of The Working Class In England In 1844. Of course, it's also a great example of the devastating effect of deindustrialization, conservative goverments and disinvestment. Factory Records came out of this latter period, forming in 1978, on the prescipice of the Thatcher years, at the end of Labour's dominance; it's a key context, imo, to understand the sounds that came forth from the label, especially in its earliest days.

Stockholm Monsters are a great example of how fertile the Manchester scene was; they are a great way to follow the progression of that city's sound from its post-punk beginnings to Madchester end. Often labeled a Joy Division and/or New Order clone, the band is far more interesting than that tag might lead you to believe. Les Temps Modernes collected all of their singles on one nice package a few years ago, Singles 1981-1987. It shows a band that developed their sound over the years, moving away from the stark, stripped down post-punk sound to a more dance-oriented one that prepared the way for Machester and the Happy Mondays. Most of all, this release gives you a chance to actually hear the band, move them out from under the comparisons. You will hear a band that eludes the Manchester tag with its horns, its electro-styled drum machines, its 80s keyboards, its huge, slinky basslines, its soul. Sure, there's anger and despair and coldness here too, but that's not all. You'll hear a band that can write a concise pop song and a long, experimental track that would kill a dancefloor. Most of all you'll hear a band that had the courage to follow its own path, regardless of the success or critical treatment.

I highly recommend picking up this singles compilation. It looks like it's still in print, although sometimes I can't tell with Amazon. It's a great choice for anyone looking to dig deeper into the music we've discussing recently, for fans of Joy Division, New Order, the Happy Mondays, for fans of the post-punk period or the pre-acid house days, for people who just love to discover those bands that came and went without much of a bang but made amazing music nonetheless.

Paris Terror Club! Philly! Warehouse Party! Click! Rizumu!

Holy shit, this might be the party of the century. It's like everything Pound for Pound stands for all wrapped up in one night. It combines Paris and Philly, it features some of the best new DJs in the world, it's in a warehouse spot, it's BYOB, it goes til it can't go no more. This is the latest and best stop on the Institubes Paris Terror Club tour, as Para One, Surkin, Curses! and DJ Orgasmic hit the City of Brotherly Love tonight. This one brings together the two amazing Philly DJ party/collectives, Dave P.'s [click.] and Rizumu. So, not only do you get the Parisians, you also get some of the best Philly DJs too. Dave P. and Pink Skull, Thomas La Obscure of Rizumu, Accidentally of Philly's Foundsound label and John Schenk of Pop Ambient and Tantrum Tonic party fame (on the deck outside) will all spin tonight. Things start at 11 at The Vacuum (1740 N. 2nd St., i.e. 2nd & Tilghman, i.e. half block from 2nd & Cecil B. Moore Ave.). $10, byob, so no paying the ridiculous bar prices, food provided by 2 Potatoes vegan catering service, outside deck for smoking and hanging out. Philly, get into this! It's a rave, Dave! I want you all to go extra hard for me, as I'm so sad I won't be in attendance.

I promise, a part of this night will never die.

DJ Funk in SF, Bang Gang in CHI, Le Disko in LA, Motherfucker in NYC and more

It's a massive night of big parties, so let's get down to business, west to east. Despite some great parties, the pick of the night was pretty easy. Funk You Burning Man IV sees the return of Chicago ghetto house legend DJ Funk to the Bay Area. I really can't think of a better way to spend the last night of summer than with a night of booty music, insane drunkenness and embarrassing debauchery. Funk is joined by the Frisco Disco bols (Richie Panic + Jefrodisiac), who never sleep, and the band Hot Tub on the decks. Oh my G-d, San Fran, are you ready for this? Are you ready to bounce dat ass? Pound for Pound will be there in spirit, you need to be there in person. Hopefully, you've RSVP'd like we said during week. However, there's over 1100 people interested on the going.com site, so you need to get their EARLY if you want to guarantee entry. Don't worry about your hair looking great, it's only going to get messed at some point tonight. Again, get to The Rickshaw Stop (155 Fell St.) early, then go crazy. Free, 18+, they've saved the best night of summer for the last possible moment.

-Speaking of returns, the most excellent Sunday night weekly in LA, Le Disko, returns to its original site, Safari Sam's (5214 Sunset Blvd). Daniel of LA Riots and Keith 2.0 have brought in guest DJ Treasure Fingers for this homecoming and it should be a great night. This is one-night only return, so get out there and celebrate the three day weekend the right way LA. 18+, free with flier til 10



-Mang, another huge party in Chicago, as this time Modular Records' Bang Gang DJs come to the Debonair Social Club (1575 N. Milwaukee Ave.) to melt your face. These dudes have a new mix out of Modular, have their amazing podcasts and have been killing some of the best US parties for the past month. Tonight, they're joined by Jordan Z in the basement of Debonair, while upstairs the Dark Wave Disco dudes continue their domination. 9-2, not sure on the cost, but it shouldn't be too steep. This seems like a great one to close out an amazing summer, Chicago.



-It's always nice to hear something good coming out of D.C. Literally, Will Eastman seems to be one of the few people able to provide good news out of that city. He's doing his Drop Down party tonight with Brian Billian, a party dedicated to that Top 40 shit you know you love, the rap, r&b, pop, the radio hits that get you sing along and get the girls dancing and get everyone happy. Get to the Black Cat Backstage (1811 14th Street NW), $6, all ages, a really fun night out to those who go.



-Finally, we come to my current city, New York City, the town so nice they named it twice. First, there's a new weekly starting at Darkroom (165 Ludlow St.) tonight called Yeah Yeah! Now, I'm not complaining, but for anyone who has read this blog and/or received an email or text from me will wonder if that name is a shoutout to me or an homage. I don't know, but it's nice to see someone trying to make Sunday night a night to go out. Tonight, Dances With White Girls, TKOmri of the East Side Club and DJ Neon Music spin, not sure if they are gonna be there every week or what, but, as meditation has taught me, do not look to the future. Stay in the present. Can we do that NYC?



-Finally, let's end all of this on the craziest, most massive ending possible. Motherfucker in New York City! Michael T, Justine D, Johnny T and Georgie Seville are putting on a Labor Day edition that has a perfect line-up. First, you get a live show by Kudu at 11:30, maybe the best band in the city today. Then, in the Side Room, Moby is spinning an old-school rave set. I feel bad for the dude, as he's totally going to be overshadowed by Lauren Flax; go for the celebrity, stay for the real deal amazing DJ. Of course, Michael T, Justine D and DJ Jess will hold down the main room, all extremely talented DJs in their own right. In the basement, Josh Styles, Lil Davey and William M will spin some 60s soul, r&b and pop stuff. This one happens at Eugene (27 W. 24th Street btwn 5th and 6th Aves.) $15 with invite, $20 without, Red Bull and vodka open bar from 1o-11, lots of crazy kids and over-the-top personalities, but the amazing music more than offsets that. 18+, 21 to drink, that's the end of the post and of the summer.

Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight

Rilo Kiley, "Silver Lining" (YSI link)

Rilo Kiley, "Breakin' Up" (YSI link)

Here's one for all of you doing a little Interneting on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I kinda want to sneak this one through, as it kinda hurts to have to give a less than stellar review of a Rilo Kiley album. But, alas, their new one, Under The Blacklight, just doesn't really do it for me. Ever since my friend TA introduced to me to their music a few years ago, RK quickly became a favorite. They've gotten bigger and bigger with each subsequent step, culminating in the amazing soloish album by Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins last year, Rabbit Fur Coat.

This new album sees the band moving up to the major label big leagues, their first for Warner Brothers. I'm sure a lot of people who dislike this album will look at that as the key fact; I don't buy it. I don't really feel like they needed to change their sound to appeal to a large audience. Their earlier stuff wasn't exactly some free noise act; they wrote catchy, country indie rock music. I feel like they just wanted to have some fun, try out some new sounds. Get over yourselves with this "sellout" shit, it's sad and pathetic and one of the reasons why indie rock bores the shit out people. Pop music and selling records doesn't equal boring and your desires to have your favorite bands make the same albums in perpetuity is disturbing. Indie cred + 1.50 won't get you a cup of coffee.

On first listen, the album was a total flop for me. Like, I had to look down at the iPod to make sure that this was really the new Rilo Kiley album. Repeated listens have enabled me to adjust a bit. Some of it isn't their fault, to be honest. Part of me really wanted to hear another Jenny Lewis and/or More Adventurous album and that's not fair. The most noticeable shift is to a more upbeat, shimmering sound, it sounds so clean and produced. Even when the song is more like their previous efforts, it still sounds different. The Fleetwood Mac references seem like a good starting point, that 70s classic rock sound that wasn't afraid to sound good and polished and danceable and sexy. I've chosen two of my favorites, one that hearkens back to past albums ("Silver Lining") and one that is a good example of where they are heading to today ("Breakin' Up") Both are excellent, the great lyrics taken b

So, I don't think I'd recommend this one. It's funny though, as Jenny Lewis' gorgeous voice can almost wipe out any bad thoughts about a song, even singing a repetitive single line of refrain. Almost. I do hope that the band continues to play around with the sound, it's nice to hear a band do different things and I feel like this poppier sound could really work for them. Grab a copy of the CD here, I'd love to hear what other people are feeling about this one. We're gonna spend this week ahead looking at the ladies and some great albums that have come out from women and women-fronted bands the past few months.

24 Hour Party People Chicago

This one deserves its own post. I've been hyping Chicago a lot lately, and it's events like this one that help me know that I'm on the right path. 24 Hour Party People is a tribute to the life of Tony Wilson and the music of Factory Records and the Hacienda. The party is going down tonight, Saturday, at Sonotheque (1444 W. Chicago Ave.) and it features some great DJs spinning the amazing music of Manchester. Let's see, you get DJ sets from Brad Owen, my dudes Trancid and Mark Gertz of the Dark Wave Disco, Pogo and Arturo of Panic! and some special guests. It's hosted by Paulinchicago and CT Couture and presented by Blacklisted and Panic. Props to all of the people involved for doing something unique like this and huge props for giving half of the proceedds to a kidney cancer research foundation in Evanston. $10, 21+, 9-3, this is a great one Chicago.

Throne Of Blood NYC, No Comprendo Disco NYC, Misshapes NYC and more

Another big night for New York City, I would say. I'm gonna give Brooklyn the nod for the Throne of Blood party, mainly because we already hyped the midweek No Comprendo Disco at 205. Anyway, Studio B is going off again tonight, as The Rapture and their label, Throne of Blood, are throwing a massive party, Mustaches Wild!, to help Greenpoint forget about that toxic spill dealio. For real, this one's another dream Pound for Pound line-up, a good follow-up to last night's good times. Just check the labels involved - Throne Of Blood, Ed Banger and Get Physical. DJ T of the Get Physical label is headlining, a great and surprising choice. Busy P is back in NYC, he'll drop his usual dose of Banger bangers, Druzzi from The Rapture, James F!@#$% Friedman (who I recently heard kill it at 205), Andy Pry and Dances With White Girls. $12 for all of this ain't bad at all, should be a packed house, definite pick of the night.

-Make sure to stop by Macri Park (462 Union Ave.) in Williamsburg before or after, as the Sweatshop Labor bols - Johnsville and Lucas Walters - hold it down as they do every first and third Saturday at the new spot near Union Pool. These dudes are picking up steam, so check them out now before they're like spinning during Interpol concerts or something. No cover, goes til 4, 21+.



-Some really great stuff happening in Manhattan too, none more great than tonight's Misshapes. It's like a who's who of our favorite DJs, with Dimitry!!! of High Voltage and DJ Never Forget and Terry Diabolik of Finger On The Pulse in the house. You also get Neighborhood DJ and Jacksonnn at the legendary party. It's at Don Hill's (Spring&Greenwich), it's definitely a great time to check this party out if you haven't already. Yeah!



-Oooh, for those of you who missed out Wednesday night (and you did miss out), the No Comprendo Disco party is doing an upscale version tonight at the Tribeca Grand Hotel (2 Avenue of the Americas) called No Comprendo Discotel. That means you get to hear the cosmic disco of Todd Terje and the mutant disco of Prince Language in posh surroundings, a pretty sick deal. Making it even sicker, it's free. Honestly, this is not to be missed, the Wed night thing is one of the best parties I've been to in NYC. Stay classy, New York City.



-Okay, I know what you're thinking. 30th Street? Why would I go up there or down there for anything, especially some giant club night for an Om Recordings DJ? Simple: Lauren Flax. Ms Flax is one of my favorite DJs anywhere and she's holding it down in The Gallery tonight at Rebel (251 W. 30th St. btwn 7th and 8th Aves.) In the theater, Chuck Love is spinning, there's a ton of other DJs and rooms. This will definitely be something new and different, which is good for us. Say Lauren's name at the door for reduced admission.



-I caught this last night and I can't recommend more highly the next stop in the Institubes Paris Terror Club tour. It hit Orlando tonight, which is interesting. I've heard little about that city, but there clearly must be a good scene down there. Get at me if you can give me some leads. Para One, Surkin, Curses, Orgasmic all are at Club Firestone (578 N. Orange Ave.). It's $10, $7 if you are a member and you can become one at the Blackout Orlando site, 18+, you will have a great night if you go to this.



-WTF, Richie Panic and Jefrodisiac are at it again. They did it up for Blow Up SF last night, tonight's their weekly party Frisco Disco at The Transfer (198 Church St.). This one's a back to school edition, definitely hit this one to learn about all of the really important things in life they don't teach you in school like dancing, booze, sex and how all of those things go together so well. RSVP at the going.com site for free entry before 10:30, $5 after that. Go check out their site and all of the flicks and videos; if you don't want to go after that, you're either dead or a Republican. Oh, and guestlist closes for DJ Funk tomorrow night shortly, get on the list, then hit up Frisco Disco tonight for a voucher that will let you skip the line tomorrow night.



-Some nice stuff going on in and around LA tonight. First, the Super Sonic party goes down at the Good Hurt nightclub (12249 Venice Blvd) in West LA with IHeartComix's Treasure Fingers, LA Riots, Joey Turbo and Travi$. It's gonna be a great night of indielectro, I'm confident these dudes will do it right. $5 before 10, $10 after, beer and shot specials before 10:30, clearly the early bird gets the worm and drunk and has a little extra cash.



-Finally, Johnny Love of Kitsune's Guns n Bombs is guest spinning at the Discoteca party in Costa Mesa, California. He joins NOMSG, Tea Long, BB Guns and Sean K for this night at the Detroit Bar (843 W. 19th St.) $10 cover, rsvp to discotecaparty@gmail.com, 21+, make it happen.

The Wake - Harmony + Singles

The Wake, "Favour" (YSI link)

The Wake, "Patrol" (YSI link)

The Wake, "Something Outside" (YSI link)

I want to do a few more posts dedicated to Tony Wilson and his life. Here, we're digging a little deeper into the Factory Records catalogue, back to its early days.

The Wake are another band that Factory brought to the world for a brief, brilliant run, one of the second-level bands that help make the label legendary. The Wake were a Scottish band that formed in the early 80s when guitarist/vocalist Caesar left the Altered Images. Some considered them a New Order clone, which seems unfair to me. Sure, they share a similar electronic pop sound, the same label, toured together and New Order's manager Rob Gretton discovered them after their first single. But, The Wake's music stands on its own for quality, especially this first LP. Oh, one last cool fact. Their bassist is Bobby Gillespie, who would later go on to form Primal Scream, after a stint as the drummer for the Jesus & Mary Chain.

Harmony was the band's first LP, I guess it was more of a mini LP or big EP, 8 tracks released in 1982. Fortunately, it's been reissued by Les Temps Modernes and they've given this album the full treatment by compiling some extras like their first two singles for Scan 45 and Factory Benelux and their John Peel session, put together nice liner notes. I started listening to this one again this week and was blown away. I knew it was good, but I'd forgotten or my tastes have shifted, but I really feel like Harmony is a classic. It's def not for anyone looking for happy music; this is rather cold and dark music. But, when has that ever been a bad thing here at Pound for Pound? "Favour" is the opener, sets the tone and sound well. Forceful drums, amazing guitar work (I wanna say it's swirly sounding, but I don't know what that means), Caesar's echo-y vocals. It's "Patrol" that really hits me. Here, the keys turn this into a genuinely disturbing song. They're slow and organ-y and haunted; with the vocal shrieks it reminds me of Suicide on downers. Finally, the A-side to their first 12,"Something Outside." This is the extended version, it's much poppier than the LP stuff, would be great for the right dancefloor, I think.

Go grab a copy of the reissue, as this is well-worth the import price. This is amazing music, one of those albums that is so special because it comes from a lesser-known band that came and went and left us with a moment of brilliance. It's more proof of just how