BEST ALBUMS of 2008

Everybody's gotta have a best of, right? Thanks for reminding me, Erin...

BEST OF THE YEAR: Oracular Spectacular by MGMT

Close runner-ups, i won't even try to rate them:

In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy
Feed the Animals by Girl Talk
Only by the Night by Kings of Leon
We Started Nothing by The Ting Tings
Apocalypso by The Presets

NEWSFLASH Michael Jackson is not dying

As if anyone believed him, Michael Jackson is not dying. He's not even sick. Okay, not that kind of sick. He's prepping for a World Tour! Can this be a britney-esque comeback?

Even adults have fun at work

To all of you who are afraid of your boss, i just looked across the office and saw that the Vice President of my agency is watching this and singing/dancing along right now. There is a lot of air drumming going on.

And We're Live...Concert sales are up

Check it: The concert industry is on the rise!! While the recession has threatened everything (besides the whiskey industry.. looks like people need their medicine), music lovers have turned to their favorite live performances more than ever.. keep it coming!!

According to Billboard Magazine, concert sales grossed just under $4 Billion worldwide in 2008, up 13% from last year... crazy. Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen and Madonna topped the list of total sales.. (i managed to miss all those shows, unfortunately..)

So what does this mean? i doubt we're safe from a loss in ticket sales now that the recession is escalating, but it's still nice to know that despite financial troubles, people still need their music. like i've said before, music is medicine.

Save Michael

Growing up near Neverland Ranch may have prompted me to have a soft spot for Michael Jackson, which is why I don't want to believe this. What do we think? Is Michael really dying?



reports have said that Michael is half blind and needs a lung transplant. hm.

yea right.



on another note, have you ever seen this music video? The video that he and Janet made for Scream might be the best ever. it cost $7M to make, and i believe michael's makeup alone took $3000. it makes sense: these days you could produce something like that easily with easy to use computer programs. this thing, in 1995, way surpasses its time, and reigns as possibly the most expensive music video ever made.

poor michael.

Don't get any ideas...

Music industry drops effort to sue song swappers..

Today, The Recording Industry Association of America announced that rather than suing music pirates, it will just try to get rid of a way for users to actually illegally download music!

In the article, i quote:

"The move ends a controversial program that saw the industry sue more than 30,000 people since 2003 for swapping songs online. The recording association said Friday that its new efforts with several leading U.S. Internet service providers would provide a meaningful deterrent, so it will wind down its legal assault. The group says it will still carry out cases already filed. The decision was first reported in The Wall Street Journal."

Now, just because you won't be sued.. DONT start downloading a bunch! seriously, unless it's that rare remix or some song that you just NEED to hear and can't find it.. pay the $.99.. do you remember when albums were $16-20? when everything else around us is going up in price, just think about how it's actually pretty great that albums are around $9.99 on ITunes..

Local Bands Rule: Room For a Ghost

I had the pleasure of hearing a few local bands the other night at Kimo's on Polk Street, a great little bar with an upstairs stage... My friends Jesse, Mike and Ben are the incredible talent of indie rock band Room For a Ghost.. they were the second band of four-- Mosshead, The Monarchs, and The Slow Trucks also played..

They played a short set, and have been playing just instrumentally at the moment, but those guys can really play.. i especially like the song "Burn".. listen in on their Myspace website.. although their sans-vocal sound is only temporary, it's refreshing to hear great musicians.. so much of the time a singer will take over the stage, losing the effect of the actual instruments..

Jesse's on bass, and besides wearing amazing snakeskin boots, he does this cool thing where he'll play with his back facing the crowd (just to switch it up a bit)...

Ben is on guitar and doesn't miss a beat.. i've heard through the grapevine that guitar playing is just one of many musical talents.. you can tell.

Mike is on the drums - i told him in my tipsy voice, "you are mesmerizing", because his intensity mixed with his long arms just draws you to him.. also, my friend Morgan mentioned that at one point he was fixing something on the bass drum while still playing with the other hand, and then switched to fixing with that hand and playing with the other... no barriers in his way.

they are in transition with a singer, and hopefully we'll get to hear the likes of her soon!! check them out if you can.. especially if you want to crash a house party with me tonight in Daly City to see them...

Next shows:

Tonight: House Show in Daly City w/ Bears Bears Bears, O Lucky Man, and Evacuee

1/4: Annie's Social Club w/Toiling Midgets and TBA

1/22: Bottom of the Hill (yay!) w/ TBA

2/1: The Crepe Place in Santa Cruz w/ Thorns of Life and Street Eaters

*wanna come to Santa Cruz with me to see them/go to Cafe Brazil (home of the famous Acai Bowl) my favorite place in the world?

A Housewife to Cher...hilarious.

You too can go from a housewife to Cher... just a few strands of human hair away.

One Sweet Day at the Mezzanine....

Hey all you girls and boys of the 90s R&B generation.....

those Boyz II Men are back.. definitely not boyz anymore, and playing a show at the Mezzanine on January 18... the influence to so many R&B groups such as KC & JoJo, Blackstreet, and even Jagged Edge, Boyz II Men made every girl weak with their sexy and soulful harmonies...

bottom line, i'm going. i may have been on the young side when i listened to Boyz II Men (i was more of the KC & JoJo era), and now that i listen to the lyrics again, i was definitely too young to engage in such things as the lyrics imply... but i will be there to be serenaded by those well-dressed men... hmmm will it be oldies or newsies?

My Christmas List

Dear Santa,

Please drop tickets on my doorstep for the following concerts, as i have no ways of getting them besides fluttering my eyes:

12/11 (TONIGHT) . Not So Silent Night at ORACLE arena
12/12 . The Killers at the Warfield
12/13 . The Ting Tings at 330 Ritch
12/18 . Tiesto at Ruby Skye
12/31 . Justice in Chicago please please please and a plane ticket? one way is fine.
1/7 . courtside Lakers tickets at the Warriors
1/18 . Boyz II Men at the Mezzanine

love,
dc

Why music is important.

I need music.

I have had this realization time and time again, but seriously, folks.

there are the days i sit at my desk with a cluttered mind, and the only medicine to straighten things out is music. i swear. turn on cut copy when you are having writers block at work and the pulsing beat will smooth everything out.

think of pre-homecoming game mixes for the jockiest of jocks. think of sad mixes for the emo-iest of emo. think of mariah carey or britney spears when the birthday sleepovers got boring. think of sublime when someone finds a guitar. and what about that song that makes you cry every time you hear it?

"Music's the medicine of the mind." -John A. Logan (i have no idea who John A. Logan is)

Don't do this at Work.

It's official, no matter how much sleep you get or coffee you drink in the morning, James Brown pandora radio is not the choice music at 9:00am.

Bwooooooooooschh You Rock!

After a full afternoon of Guitar Hero yesterday, and already hearing half the songs at work today (top gun radio perhaps?), i decided to do a little research...

Guess what? DJ Tiesto broke the secret that there will be a DJ-focused Guitar Hero game next year!!

First reaction: cool! all my favorite songs! time for a homemade dance party!

Second reaction: how in the heck are they gonna do this???? turntables? maybe i'll just stick to DDR for my techno fix. anyway, here's the article.

what do we think... destined for euro success? or is guitar hero taking it too far?

Fleetwood Fridays meet MGMT Fridays at ole PPC...

So, there's this tradition (okay, i started it) at my office that we play the Fleetwood Mac Pandora station every friday in honor of the weekend... It may be the best classic rock selection possible, and since Fleetwood Mac continues to be my favorite band of all time (no, really), it makes me really appreciate my job.. especially during winethirty.*

BUT- for the first time ever, last Friday my mind was wandering and i just couldn't get in the groove, so i changed it to MGMT fridays. WELL WELL WELL..... take a minute to listen to Little Lies and then listen to Electric Feel, with an open mind. Humor me: similarities? Could it be that one of the newest and greatest music groups of 2008 has a Fleetwood Mac influence? Stevie Nicks' sorcerer robes and MGMT's psychedelic outfits...similar instruments...drug use in general...

i think i'm on to something. and if i'm not, appreciate both bands anyway. Seeing Stevie Nicks in concert when i was 16 was one of the best musical experiences i've had. MGMT has a lot more to come after their debut album, and who knows? if they ignore their lyric, "live fast, die young" from "Time to Pretend" and choose to be around for a while, they could be one of the next greatest..

*winethirty is 4:30 in the afternoon when we open a bottle of wine at work. usually follows a stressful event.

All Ages 6 and Over.

So i'm 22. Besides a bit hungover from the weekend, i don't feel any different. I went to Slims Wednesday to see Mickey Avalon, Dirty Nasty and Beardo.. i've never heard so many raunchy lyrics in my life, it was so entertaining!! Too many desperate girls reaching their arms toward a little skinny boy with racoon eyes, though..


This kid. he looks 14, puts on this face like "i'm the shit", way too much eyeliner, and an awful black western shirt...

i couldn't help laughing during the show, it was such an odd scene-- girls wanted him. i mean, WANTED. screaming and reaching and looking at him like he is brad pitt or something.

Too Short showed up at the end of the show and all performers came out on stage..


i'm glad i got that overwith...


oh, did i mention he said happy birthday to me?



not sure what my next show will be but COMING UP david guetta recap from friday. ohhh baby when the lights go out.......

Things to come...

See you there:
11.19 TONIGHT! -- Mickey Avalon at Slims, SF
11.20 -- since only my friends read this, come to Fishbowl at 9:30... it's someone's birthday.... i'm 22!
11.21 -- David Guetta at Ruby Skye, only one of the best DJs in the world

Do you hear the people sing??

I apologize for being MIA this past week.. My blog is not just a fad! I promise! But until I sort my life out, bear with me.

So, to lighten the mood, i thought i'd mention a little blast from the past:






Oh, just Les Mis back at Cabrillo High School in 2003...




yea. that's me trying to be scandalous in a brown peasant's outfit, fourth from stage right.. thank god lily got over her awful cold so i didn't have to wear that awful white wedding dress as Cosette. (okay i secretly wished she would be sick) instead i was a lovely lady, or shall i say "whore #1" as dubbed in the script. a high school script, i tell you.

if you ever have a chance to be in musical theater, i say go for it. no matter how young or old.

The Song of the Damn Day.

I think we listened to this song 10 times at work today. so good.

EMPIRE OF THE SUN ~ WALKING ON A DREAM

My Top Songs Right Now

Listen to these songs when you're at work, you find your earphones buried at the bottom of your purse, and your coworkers are sending out bad vibes on the day you got a good sleep and prepared for work by getting extra strong coffee.

Since my favorite songs change every day, just consider these GREAT songs, and check them out. I won't even rank them, that's just not fair to my brain. These aren't necessarily new, not necessarily top of the charts, they just represent my addiction to music.

Shut Up and Let Me Go ~ The Ting Tings

I Go Hard, I Go Home ~ The Presets

Heartbeats ~ The Knife

Electric Feel ~ MGMT

Come into My World ~ Kylie Minogue

Play Your Part (Part One) ~ Girl Talk

Stars In Their Eyes ~ Just Jack

Also good times to listen to these songs:
-7:30am: on the commute to work (assuming you have a cd player, i don't)
-5:30pm: the 3 mile walk/run around the neighborhood (please remember to charge your ipod. there's nothing worse than running back home, up Divisadero, and having your ipod scream at you before it turns off for good)
-10:30pm: there's something great about your night ahead-- that new outfit makes your (insert here) look amazing, that one special person is gonna be at the dive bar where you're headed, or someone left a full fifth of JD in the freezer... and your roommates hate JD...
-2:15am: you just got home from the bars and you don't have work tomorrow.. how about a dance party in your room with the roommates, followed by a massive bowl of macaroni and cheese covered in cayenne pepper?

OBAMARAMA

source

I can't wait.

Sorry, i've been ecstatic for a few days after my first ever presidential election.

And for all you fashionistas, i LOVED Michelle's dress.

Also, McCain's true colors shone bright during his speech. Poor guy got swept up in the icky lies and fake bullshit of his campaign and forgot who he really is, which isn't a bad guy. SUCH a gracious speech.

I'm so sorry to all those effected by the results of Prop 8. It was really heartbreaking to see the candlelit parade of "no on prop 8" supporters walking down Market street around 8 last night.. i just hope the next efforts are more widespread and targeted towards the closed-minded people. OH -- and to all of you who are complaining about the "liberal whiners who didn't get what they wanted," i've heard plenty of conservatives complaining about McCain. Did you hear the booing during McCain's last speech? so please, let's all get along and be excited about our new president, no matter who you voted for, and let's all realize what CHANGE really means in the year 2008.

People can be old fashioned, just don't keep others from being modern.

More to Come: Diplo review (i know, it's backwards, but this has been on my mind)

Upcoming Shows:

Guttermouth at The Fillmore 11.6

The Day (my friend Mike's band!!) at Blakes on Telegraph 11.7

Cal vs. USC 5:00 11.8 (okay it's not music but i'll be singing my version of the stupid USC fight song the whole time)

"oh yelle"

i have been out of commission for a few days following my halloween extravaganza, mixed with a lot of rain and a newly installed cable box in my house.... however i just want to relay how INCREDIBLE yelle was..

what could be better than:

1. a black and white striped bodysuit

2. jack-o-lanterns spelling out "YELLE"

3. everyone in costume, including a Quailman and plenty of boys dressed in green tights calling themselves peter pan

4. passion pit's lead singer stripping on stage

5. leah and jackie getting kicked out for sneaking backstage

6. walking in the rain at 2:30 in the morning to telegraph hill

next show: tonight, Diplo at Great American Music Hall be THERE.

Me and the the lights guy are old friends...

Soulwax and 2 Many DJs last night at the Mezzanine. WOW. started off with a documentary about Radio Soulwax, a big combination of mixed interviews and snippets of music, which basically was just time for people to drink or do what they gotta do, get excited for the set, and then start dancing seconds after it ended. before the show started, morgan and i stepped outside and met Hugo the lights guy... imagine: i talked to someone who is travelling around the world with Soulwax. Tonight they're playing with Justice, Crystal Castles, Boyz Noize, etc. in l.a. He's living my dream! he's a roadie, i want to be a bandaid!

we managed to make it to the front for the show-- the FRONT. whoo hoo glamorous i could touch their feet.... however i had to FIGHT for my spot. i have a bruise on my stomach at the height of the stage rim, my foot is a bit sore from a girl purposely stomping on it to make me give up and move (i didn't honey, but nice try, i hope your friend liked the third row), and i had to prevent a boy from pulling all the equipment off the stage.

Let me focus on that for a second: now, i'm not a hero. i'm not a superstar. but i do take credit for making the show run smoothly. this boy was holding on to the cords hooked up to the keyboards and the light fixtures as if they were handles on the stage. he was swaying, bringing them down with him, all so he could be in the front. I was constantly pulling them back onto the stage and watching with fear at the spotlight at the center front of the stage... so Soulwax, thank me later.

similar to girl talk, when the brothers (David and Stephen Dewaele) were spinning as 2 Many DJ's, half the people were on stage. this was much easier to maneuver, and i ended up looking those sexy men straight in the eye for most of the set, me against them. the music was spectacular, definitely check them out, and if you ever see a blonde guy with long hair smoking a cigarette at their shows, it might be Hugo.

Upcoming Shows:

Yelle at Mezzanine 10.31 tonight!

Paul Van Dyk at Craneway Pavillion

"the next best thing."

i guess this is music related. Lil Wayne has experienced something some of us never will: holding his newborn son's left leg during birth. according to sfgate.com, here's the story:
source



Rap superstar Lil Wayne delivered his own baby son last week.
The 26-year-old became a dad for the second time on October 22, when his unnamed girlfriend gave birth to Dwayne Michael Carter III.
And Wayne insisted on getting involved in the delivery room.


The "Lollipop" hitmaker, who also has an 8-year-old daughter Reginae with his ex-wife Antonia Johnson, tells Power 105.1, "I delivered him. I held the left leg the whole time. It was nasty, very nasty, but it was wonderful. He's the best thing to ever happen to me, next to my daughter."



i figured i'd post it so in a few years lil dwayne III would know he isn't the favored child. man, lil wayne was probably in the way of the doc the whole time, poor guy. just one lil hold on a lil leg of lil dwayne.

Can it be so?

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Tsunami Bomb, my favorite band from my high school days, decided to split ways a few years ago... i've since seen M (lead vocals, FEMALE, my inspiration) fronting her new gig The Action Design at BFD this summer and was impressed with the more catchy dance vibe, but there's nothing like a little "Take the Reigns" or "Russian Roulette" to intensify those 17-year-old punkish, angry thoughts....

high school memories aside, GOOD NEWS: it looks like they're playing one last show. Can it be so??? On January 17th, Tsunami Bomb will come together at their local stomping grounds, The Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, as a benefit to their friend who recently fell ill.

My heart goes out to their poor friend, though i can't help feeling a bit tingly about seeing them one last time. When I covered "Take the Reigns" with my friends' band Del Mar back in 2004 at Southside Coffee Shop in Lompoc, CA, i wanted to be M so bad. (Johnny, if you're out there, i know you just wanted to marry her)

so to all of you who have rocked out to tsunami bomb, whether it was at warped tour, the troubadour, slims, or just in your car.... come see them with me! (lucia, no excuse. you're from petaluma. brittany, it will be claustrophobia friendly) now, if only we could get del mar to play again.........ohhhh matias. i can't believe i'm posting this.

Upcoming Shows:

Soulwax at Mezzanine 10.30 TONIGHT!

Yelle at Mezzanine 10.31 HALLOWEEN

Paul Van Dyk at Craneway Pavillion 11.1

Willow Willow at 330 Ritch 11.2

Diplo at Great American Music Hall 11.3

Kid Cudi and Smashing Pumpkins

"Classical music is not always work friendly" - thanks, Morgan.. i quote my friend and coworker while i try to tone out the dramatic strings and brass blaring from the office "music computer".... you're right morgan. i'd rather be listening to this.

Kid Cudi "Day n Night" Crookers remix.. now THAT is an office tune. plus, the standard twirling happy face and boombox high top that comes with any YouTube song without a video just seems to fit perfectly with the beat.... (someone should tell the guys at YouTube, or however that works)

Kid Cudi is one of Rolling Stone's Best New Indie Hip Hop in 2008 so far.... whenever i hear that remix on Energy 92.7 on my way home from work (which is every day guys, maybe mix it up a LITTLE bit...?) i get pumped...

On a side note............. Halloween is only a few days away. What are you doing? Yelle is playing at the Mezzanine and i'll be there in costume. I carved pumpkins last night too, mine's on the far right. First one to guess what it is gets to smash it!

Coming up:

Crystal Castles sold out TONIGHT boo hoo

Soulwax at Mezzanine 10.30

Yelle at Mezzanine 10.31

Paul van Dyk at Craneway Pavillion 11.1

Diplo at Great American Music Hall 11.3

Gregg Gillis

i had a dream last night that i swallowed a high heel and then gave birth to it. my friends have decided that, after falling in love with girl talk last night, it means i'm going to have a glamorous baby with gregg gillis. okay okay, i did touch his arm and spent much of the time on stage (he is known for having people dancing up on stage with him).

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Girl Talk (Gregg Gillis) and his laptop were on fire last night. the Fillmore was sold out and filled with dance-crazed, happy, trendy people... I did not see one girl in heels either. (which makes my dream even weirder) he mixed rock with hiphop with pop with rap, from kelly clarkson to daft punk... i need to start drinking less at shows so i can give a good example. basically, i was behind the game with Girl Talk, and just recently got into him.. i heard a few samples online (last.fm, the BEST place to hear music before you buy it on Itunes, and a great link to upcoming shows and tickets) but this is the kind of music where you have to be there for the whole experience. i'm looking forward to hearing about the show tonight (also at the fillmore, also sold out, not many scalpers last night).. much props to the openers too... all around a great weeknight, and i was in bed by 2am (i had to watch my favorite show before falling asleep)


best part of the night: touching his arm and watching him sway his sweaty long hair to the music. oh, and the long island iced teas are super strong.


source
worst part: taco bell was closed after the show at 11:30pm (geary and steiner, in case you have the same cravings as me)




Coming up this week:
Crystal Castles at The Independent, Wednesday 10.29
Soulwax at Mezzanine, Thursday 10.30
Yelle at Mezzanine, Friday 10.31 HALLOWEEN

You're moving to Canada? Oh, I'm becoming a band-aid

This is the best time to be a bandaid.

1. thank god for music downloading. i don't fall into the music pirating group, i sure do feel like i'm benefiting from it-- every band is on tour. THANK GOD i am irresponsible and spend all my money on shows and booze rather than food and outstanding parking tickets.

2. the recession makes everyone afraid of losing their jobs and the election next week is even scarier. i'm not scared, if i lose my job or if that troll gets elected then i'll just go follow some band around. why not?

i should have started this weeks ago... in case you didn't catch kings of leon last week, they were incredible. besides the nose-ringed, badass girl next to us who said "will you stop RUBBING me?", the light show was mezmerizing, and when they played Knocked Up during the encore i think i got the chills for the whole 7 minutes. see you tomorrow, just got home from girl talk.