Our buddies over at Austin Town Hall will be having another one of their “Council Meeting’s” aka wild and unadulterated dance parties this Friday at The North Door. If you haven’t stopped by this dark East-side bar quite yet, you are missing out on Tamale Molly and one strong “Son of a Gun” whiskey drink. This dance party will also be celebrating DJ Ray Ray’s birthday, and it’s FREE! (Merch made the poster, recognize what the image is?)
It’s been quite some time since M.I.A. released any new tracks, and I’m glad to see she’s back to her old self. Not taking herself too seriously, “Bad Girls” showcases M.I.A.’s world music and hip hop influence and laid-back flow.
Regardless of a completely insane person (like taking a limousine to collect his welfare check while he still had an album in the Top-10), the ODB was unstoppable in the 90s. Even after numerous arrests that concluded in jail time, getting shot on multiple occasions, and (not really) taking care of his 13 children, Ol’ Dirty Bastard is still regarded as a legend of hip hop. “Got Your Money” was his highest-charting (solo) single, and featured Kelis (who would later do that stupid “Milkshake” song) and production by The Neptunes (who, as both producers and two-thirds of N.E.R.D., would continue to kick-ass for eternity).
The video for “Got Your Money” is basically 4-plus minutes of the 70s blaxploitation film, Dolemite, with a wigged ODB and Kelis mixed in. Dirt McGirt, you will be missed.
A DAY Show for Esme will be held in honor of the young lady who worked at Waterloo Records, and who recently lost her life. You can read her story here on Waterloo’s site. Performers include Knife in the Water, Ted Leo, December Boys, Simple Circuit, and Literature. The show will be January 28th, 2:00pm at Beerland. Buy tickets here.
Esme was a great gal, and you can see her funny sense of humor in this video:
Our favorite Philly diva, Santigold, is back with a new single (and a ridiculously 90s-quality video). “Big Mouth” offers Santigold’s signature world music-meets-new wave sound, and she even takes a jab at Lady Gaga (in the video a Lady Gaga-like mermaid is eaten by a cartoon tiger… excellent!). It’s good to know after 2+ years without releases, Santigold is bringing back the flavor.
Look out for a new album this Spring.
Yeahhhh! King Kahn and The Shrines will be making their way to Mohawk February 4th at 8pm. Jacuzzi Boys will be joining them; this is going to be a major funky dance party! You can buy your tickets here.
We’re reaching pretty far back into the Outkast catalog with this one, but ATLiens (the album) was Outkast’s first true taste of chart-topping success. “ATLiens” (the song) is still considered one of their best tracks (and one of my personal favorites). It came out when Outkast was still putting out laid-back southern jams with slick flows.
Now, if only the rumors of an upcoming Outkast reunion (and album) ring true, we’ll all be sayin’ “Oh-yay-yerr”
Hot on the heels of At The Drive-In announcing a comeback after 11 years of silence, they are listed among the artists playing this year’s Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California.
I’m extremely pumped about this year’s line-up, not only because of my love for At The Drive-In, but Justice, Radiohead, Avicii, Calvin Harris, Arctic Monkeys, a Dr. Dre/Snoop Dogg collab set, and Santigold will all be there. Not to mention Madness and Jimmy Cliff (some favorites from my rude-boy days).
And I wouldn’t put it passed Coachella to announce some huge surprise headliner the closer we get to the festival in April (i.e. Prince a few years ago). My predictions? Daft Punk, My Morning Jacket, Kanye West/Jay-Z collab.
EDIT: This is a TWO-WEEKEND event. I have no idea what the schedule of bands will look like, or if each band will perform each weekend. This does complicate things for those who won’t be able to stay in California at the end of April for a full week.
Twitter blew up today with the announcement that post-hardcore outfit At The Drive-In are… doing something. A post on the band’s official website said simply:
“¡ ATTENTION ! To whom it may concern: AT THE DRIVE-IN will be breaking their 11 year silence THIS STATION IS …NOW…OPERATIONAL.”
This announcement has come just days before Coachella will be unleashing their line-up, coincidence?
I began listening to At The Drive-In a year before they broke up, and never got a chance to see them live, and, after 11 years, thought I never would. I still remember the first time I heard “One Armed Scissor,” it felt like someone had set off dynamite in my brain, and I wanted more.
Though no tour dates have been released, they are originally from El Paso, so I’d expect to see at least a couple of Texas dates in the future.
Here’s a couple of videos so we can all remember how insane they were live, and I hope they can bring that fury back after over a decade.
And, of course, “One Armed Scissor,” the song that you know, even if you don’t listen to At The Drive-In:
Tim Berg (aka Avicii) blew up in 2011 with his hit “Levels.” He’s been busy running the festival circuit this past summer with his insane live sets, creating a ridiculous music video for “Levels,” and being sampled by Flo Rida for his song “Good Feeling” (which would become a club hit in its own right).
