SXSW/CRASHED ICE/WMC Megabloggg!

Ok as some of you know every march there are two big music conferences in the US: SXSW in Austin and WMC in Miami. This year we went to both with a trip up to Red Bull's Crashed Ice event in Quebec City in between. It was the weirdest routing ever - but it make for a great couple of weeks. Here is what happened:

The number one thing first thing to do in Austin, Texas is eat mexican food &/or BBQ with Prince Klassen &/or Dj Mel - we got to do both so that was a good sign that the whole trip was going to be ok.

The first night we started off playing with a bunch of Canadian friends of ours at an event called Oh Canada. Bonjay, Grand Analog, Co-op & Hunnicutt, DJ Huggs and Birdapres were all there too. We were all bragging about the gold medal and drinking Rye while saying please and thank you incessantly to everyone we saw.

Top Billing


Co-Op


Then we made the move to Beso Cantina where we played the Gigacrate party with the great crew of Sammy Bananas, Bird Peterson, Apt One & Jayceeoh. Big thanks to Nick at Giagacrate for having us - it was great night to kick things off.

Sammy & Mike


Jayceeoh


The next day we played with Sammy again in the afternoon at a great skate shop in Austin called Complete. But not without squeezing in some time for BBQ. MMMMMMMMM.





Look at this guy - a top banana.


Then it was over to Do it To It 3, Burlesque's annual SXSW shakedown. Burlesque Design are the dons from Minneapolis and they have great taste in music so we knew it would kill. Thanks Mike Davis!

DJ Pump & Hedspin, Mike 2600, Dj Mel & Smalltown Klassen got the room going with some heavy disco vibes



Then Cubic Zirconia blew everyone's faces off - wow they were great. Like Cajmere meets LCD Soundsystem meets Aaliyah.



And that was it for Austin - short and sweet - and we were headed to Quebec City for Crashed Ice. Literally hours after landing I was on a snowmobile in the Quebec forest (I don't look official at all - what a ski-doo nerd):


And Saturday night was the big Crashed Ice event. It's basically a full contact downhill hockey race through the streets of Old Quebec, and a hundred thousand people come to see it. It's like human Nascar in the winter.


We played the big afterparty with Team Canada DJs also Grahmzilla was there so it was great to catch up with those dudes - the club was crazy.


Team Canada repping Les Nordiques. Les Thugs.


Thanks to Kenny and Pete at Red Bull for having us to the event again. Quebec City is one of Canada's gems - if you haven't been there try to check it out sometime. The old buildings and awesome french people who love maple syrup make it the best time ever. Je Me Souviens!

Au Revoir Quebec, Bonjour Miami.



Miami was a big blur of clubs and beaches and clubs. I remember Toddla T, Jack Beats, Shy FX, & 12th Planet killed it the first night:


So did Camo UFOs - with MC ? on the mic!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lighta!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Plus I got to meet The Fat Jew - a life goal of mine achieved. He is better than everyone else.


Hanging out with Miche and Jess Jubilee two of my favourite animals. Jess is like a party angel.


Then the next night we played the Stirling Showcase with Ayres, Jubilee, Sammy Bananas, Tittsworth, FK5, Camo UFOs and Neoteric aka the best crew ever. Splack Pack and 2 Live Crew played in the main room too - Miami is crazy!


Mike B and Neo (two of the best djs)


Zeeee!!!!!!!!!!! and the Vancouver crew were in the building


So those were some of the fun parts of the trip. I've been sleeping for days since getting home so that's why it took a while for the update sorry. But seriously - next time you should come. Thanks for reading.

Treat myself?! Well, yes, that does sound like a mighty fine idea...

I don't really need it, but I've been eyeing it for awhile and just decided to say "oh, what the heck" and go and buy this simple and neat and cool "Rhombus" necklace by edor. Pretty little gift I'm giving myself for absolutely no reason, don't you think?

Wednesday Covers - "Waiting for the Man"

"Waiting for the Man" is arguably one of the greatest rock songs of all time, and unarguably the best song ever about scoring drugs (except maybe "I Got 5 On It").

Here's an early recording.

The Velvet Underground, 1967



Former VU bandmates Lou Reed & John Cale performing it live in Paris, 1972



David Bowie f. Mick Ronson on guitar, live in Santa Monica, 1972



Belle and Sebastian, live in Belfast, 2001




Man I could really go for some heroin right now.

thinking about gardens and poems

"Natalies Garden, Agapanthus and Bee"

My mother is visiting next month and part of the reason I am so excited for her stay (aside from all the mending and re-sewing of buttons that I have planned for her to do) is that she is going to help me set up my first ever garden. Therefore in preparation, I am reveling in these gorgeous watercolors by Jinn 'n Tonic and reading this book by the poet Stanley Kunitz. Yeah, I know, I probably should be reading up on soil and pest control, but all in due time. Right now I'm just loving this...

from "never trying to explain"

by Stanley Kunitz

"Thinking of a new season in the garden feels different from imagining a new poem. The garden has achieved its form; it doesn't have to be new each year. What it has to do is grow. You're not going to uproot the entire garden and start all over. The poem is always a new creation and aspires to a transcendence that is beyond telling at the moment when you're working on it. You know you are moving into an area you've never explored before and there is a great difference."

(published in Kunitz's last work, "The Wild Braid: A Poet Reflects on a Century in the Garden")

"The Garden in July"

This Friday in New York

This Friday April 2nd Smalltown Romeo is playing Flashing Lights in NY - with our great friends Catchdubs, Jubilee and Dj Ayres. If you are on the east coast come party! RSVP HERE for free admission. Ok lets go!

So frequently it is dragged on about how your thoughts make your reality, and you know what, I've decided I don't go for it. What you think has little effect on the outcome. What you say has little effect on the outcome. Its what you DO. I agree that a positive outlook is far more productive and beneficial than a negative outlook, but you can't sit on your ass and "think positively" -- that won't make marvelous things happen. And every fear and doubt you think will not come true. Thoughts are a rough draft. You can entertain every positively unfathomable and negatively dreaded thought, but I don't think that means its gonna come to you. Its what you make of them, how you act upon them. The choices you make, the actions you take... THAT is what determines your life. Not your own thoughts. So you know, FUCK the universe. Fuck The Secret and whatever else promotes this wishy washy bullshit. Think wildly, in the privacy of your own mind. I don't think unfortunate situations should be shied away from. They exist. For everyone. Its all about how you deal with things, not how you "think" of them. So even if you somehow managed to drain every negative thought from your brain, things would still spring upon you. Things you didn't think about. You DON'T think of every moment before it happens to you. That eliminates the possibility of miracles. What's lovely is that we're all entitled to think and believe anything we want. Some people desperately believe in this "think and it will come" philosophy, and I tried, and it didn't just didn't jive. And I, like you, have the freedom to not think that way then. I think what brings the positive aspects of life into full view is work to get it. You have to put in effort into things to reap the benefits. I don't believe that you can just think it, and voila! The universe delivers it to you? Bullshit. It sounds nice, fine. But I don't want things that come easily. I want to work for it, earn it. Make it meaningful. Work hard, and build the ability to deal. You have to be able to keep a level head throughout the rough times to get to experience life's glories. And oh, how much you get to experience...

And another unrelated pet peeve, I hate people who possess too much goddamn self-importance. Your life is your life, you're important, you must keep your own interests at heart and take care of yourself. YES. I totally agree with all that! But that simply puts you on an even keel with others. They watch out for themselves, its all good. All that is SO much different than being a selfish prick and thinking you're above people. UM, NO. I do not care what someone does, how much money they make... I generally believe in being kind and respectful to people. If they're total assholes, then please, do not calmly take that... But never believe you're above anyone. Even when social status looms heavily, especially since people high up the social hierarchy tend to be the biggest assholes. Never turn your nose up to someone whom you know nothing about. Confidence and comfortability WITH YOURSELF, is one thing. Being stuck up and rude towards others is another. General cattiness for the sake of making oneself feel better is something I don't get down with and simply don't understand. I can definitely tease for a joke, but that's an immense sign of affection. As far as genuinely offensive remarks, for the sake of being rude and cruel, I don't do it. It just makes no sense. Why would you intentionally make someone feel bad, or try? Its a sign of insecurity, I think.

Everything will be up and running soon it seems, so my weird late night ramblings about pet peeves will soon end. But I do like that about blogs... Randomly bitching about something in your own little space because you've got the ability to! All will be back to normal soon, xo.

Led Zeppelin-a-Day: "D'yer Mak'er" + "Houses of the Holy" + "Stairway to Heaven"

Whoa dudes, I'm mega apologetic for skipping TWO DAYS. I've been seriously tired and super busy, but here I am, making up for it! Its getting to the point where I'm forgetting what I've reviewed already. I'm gonna have to craft a playlist, excluding those that I have already. But bam bam bam, I'm rambling! So let's just do this thaaaang:

FUCK, I thought I hadn't done "The Crunge" but apparently I have. Yes, that playlist is definitely necessary.

"D'yer Mak'er", Houses of the Holy
First of all, let's say: I'm very much American. And it took a long for me to get the "D'yer Mak'er" = "Jamaica" memo. Thankfully, I had a premonition I was wrong, so I simply didn't say the title aloud. But uh, there it is. With that aside, onto the tune itself! "The Crunge" and "D'yer Mak'er" were intended as jokes, and for being that, they come off very well. They aren't meant to be taken seriously, and their lighthearted feel is absolutely appealing. "D'yer Mak'er" is probably one of the first songs off of Houses of the Holy that I got into, and I used to quiz people. What's the most said word in the whole song? Its "I", not "oh", as you may expect. I love the smooth dub feel, with the chunky reggae guitar, and the doo-wop beat. Its breezy. Its fun, airy, and maybe a little dainty. An effective summer jam, I'm sure. It does just fine on Houses of the Holy, not bringing down, but keeping it casual and ethereal.

"Houses of the Holy", Physical Graffiti
This song is really fun. I always find this one on random jukeboxes, and so it epitomizes sauntering around, mingling and the like.  The funky, distinctive, chunky riff. I love it. A riff group, simple and thriving. Yet, intricately dynamic... It doesn't happen too often. I love when his guitar goes off on those little tangents. There's mini solos and surprises throughout the whole song. The whole thing is just rollicking and enticing. Uncomplicated, but easily drawing you. "Are you dizzy when you're stoned? Let the music be your master." Its all very comfortably brilliant. It doesn't inspire reckless prose, fire and passion. No. But its just bouncy and energetic. Those synonymous ooh's. The guitar solo that indeed sounds more 1972 than 1975. All good. Comfortably brilliant, it fits.

The wizard behind the curtain.

"Stairway to Heaven", Led Zeppelin IV
The time is now! Hilarious. Let's just do it... I really can't do this without laughing. But I feel I owe it to make something great. It makes me laugh, because "Stairway" in itself, is a monument. Its snowballed into an anthem, a song that everyone knows. When you think of it, "Stairway" isn't immensely accessible. Folk guitars, recorders, endless solos. Yet, somehow, it has the ability to reach everyone. It makes me laugh, because it is so massive. Its the quintessence, a stroke of brilliance. My squeamishness simply reaffirms that. Its incredibly long, it experiences erratic fits -- and yet, it stands up. Still, and eternally. Jimmy Page has stated that it sums up the band, showcases their every whim... And as much as I want to say it isn't so, it is. Within a single number, they showcase their lilting and delicate side, they cross over to rambunctious and... fuck, I'll say it, HEAVY. Each member is delightfully exhibited. It isn't at all self indulgent in doing so either. Its masterfully thought out, with very particular arrangements. It sweeps and it soars. It roars and hums. And just builds and builds, to momentous heights. From a tiny grain of sand, to the tallest mountain. It manifests into an opus, and the band works in intense unison. Driving and abundant. Rich and exuberant. Everything to the extreme! Go go go! It hits unfathomable peaks, with the guitar just sounding so delicious. The tone, the movement. Its all there. For a brief instant, everything is superlatively immaculate. Sublime and utopian. Without a single flaw, untainted and UNRIVALED.

"I GOT A FUDGING JUNKIE FOR A WIFE!"

Scarface school play. Kinda funny. So cute.

back to blogging

via SweetLoveVintage

I have been a very bad blogger as of late. I decided that in order to finish my dissertation this semester I was going to write like a madwoman for a month or so. Of course, this was not the brightest idea since I ended up isolating myself from everything that I actually like about my life including our little blog.

I've recently decided that it's okay to take an extra semester of graduate school in order get back to being a normal person now. And I'm so happy about this decision. I've cleaned my office, played scrabble on facebook, and am sheepishly starting to explain myself to the oh-so-patient friends who's emails and calls I've so rudely backburnered. Will they take me back? Who knows. Keep your fingers crossed. But I do so miss every day stuff like tea with my friend Ruby, going to the movies with my bf, stalking my favorite blogger, taking naps with my cats, and just being a normal person.

Anyway, in order to not get caught up in another marathon of writing/mental breakdown - I've looked into ways to better manage my time and right now I'm all about the Pomodoro Technique. Essentially, you just time yourself in order to get work done in 25 minute increments (broken up with 5 minute breaks). For some reason this system seems to be working well for me probably because I find such pleasure in making lists (manage your own time on the free mytomatoes.com). And yes, indeed, you should expect to be reading posts written in 5 minute breaks between 25 minute blocks of work, but it's 5 minutes (or so... one can cheat a little after all) of time that I am so happy to finally be giving myself again...

Lydia Remix

While on the subject of new releases - we also had a new remix come out last week on the awesome T&A label. It's for Steve Starks' tune Lydia and it's a bit of a disco banger. Now available at Turntable Lab (link below). Big thanks to Ayres & Tittsworth for putting it out.

Starks & Nacey

Time Run Out Digi-EP

Download M3U »

Powered by Turntable Lab Digital

BOOM HA

Our new song/video called Boom Ha just came out on Plant Music. PLEASE BUY IT HERE. Check out the amazing and wild video done by the super talented Matt Luckhurst.


Big ups and thanks to Shad K for being a really cool dude and rapping his ass off on the tune. So excited that this is finally out.


YEAHHHHHHHHH

Finally saw this movie...

...and cried my face off.

{"Up" images via here and here}

a pretty desk, please

via the goodie life

My desk is presently littered with pages and pages from a dissertation that I don't don't see an end to anytime soon. There are no pretty notebooks or books left open that are being read for pleasure or desk lamps that stand slim and tall like bright flowers, but it is lovely to think that one day (maybe soon?) I'll be swapping out stacks of scribbled notes with bunches of poesies. And these darling desks just make me happy to think that I will be able to some day reclaim my own pretty work place....

(These images first found here, here, and here - all on the lovely tumblr blog, "it's mary ruffle")

via Hooked on Houses

via My Scandinavian Retreat

Smalltown Romeo at WMC

This Thursday I'm playing in Miami at WMC with a bunch of our super talented and looney friends.  If you're in the area come through!  Gloria Estefan will be making a special appearance.  Without Miami Sound Machine unfortunately.  The party goes from 9pm to 3:30 am - See you Thursday night! 

Hatching Inspiration

WHATEVER YOU ARE, BE A GOOD ONE  ceramic egg with Abraham Lincoln quote courtesy of Paloma's Nest

I am not one for those motivational/inspirational posters or the wall art with the precariously dangling "Hang In There" kitten, but there is something very different about the inspiration Paloma's Nest offers. The simple white ceramics and their messages are just darn cheery and I think they could find a home on any desk or shelf. I am also really fond of her ring bearer bowls- what a lovely touch and lasting sentiment for a wedding day. 

All images courtesy of palomasnest via etsy

Happy Birthday, Wax Romeo!

Tender twenty-seven! Hope it's a good one.

Now... GROW UP and quit taking naps in wheelbarrows!!

:(

Big ol' RIP to Alex Chilton, dead at 59.

Luck of the Irish

Them - Walking in the Queen's Garden
Thin Lizzy - Whiskey in the Jar
The Pogues - Old Main Drag

Happy St. Pat's.

Twig Hutchinson

Without even knowing her name, I am already a huge fan of Twig Hutchinson (see this post and what may be the mis-credited image in this post). She's a English stylist who's beautiful work is probably best recognized in the pages of Toast. I just adore her palette of cool colors with those pops of warmth in the yellow or pink or the texture of a wool blanket or bunny ear...

{all images via www.twighutchinson.com}

Led Zeppelin-a-Day: "Friends"

"Friends", Led Zeppelin III
"Friends" is another one of those songs that I'm not sure where it lies between rarity and classic. I think it leans more towards rarity, but I believe it to be one of the best Led Zeppelin songs of that era. It certainly ranks as one of my all time favorite off of III. It commences with atmospheric chatter, before the addition of one incredibly catchy riff. The entire song is absolutely magical, with the swell of the JPJ-arranged strings and the overall Eastern influence. "I'm tellin' you now, the greatest thing you ever can do now, is trade a smile with someone who's blue now. Its very easy, just-a." The whole track is very thick, though not necessarily dark. Closing with the Moog's drone, it ends a very compelling number. At just under four minutes, they crafted a track that is enduring and powerful.