Fleet FoxesFleet Foxes 2011 Pitchfork Music Fest

http://pitchfork.com/news/43253-pitchfork-music-festival-2011-video-portraits/ –  So i’m a year late, and several dollars short but thought i’d share this for posterity.

The cavalcade of hipster magic that adorns most summer festivals now comes in animated .gif form.  Okay so yeah, this is partly a post about how photographers Sanchez and Kitahara (http://www.higgsandboson.com/) have gone forth and made animated .gifs into something i’d love to hang in a digital poster frame above my bed (tis the future after all).  Plus, if  i’m going to have a seizure i’d rather have it induced by something cool n’pretty.

My kingdom for a press pass and a trusty SLR.

Cut Copy Cut Copy avec Balloons

Twin ShadowTwin Shadow

Geeks of NatureA show by podgypanda

For all of you who couldn’t make it to the opening here is a preview of the Geeks of Nature show by Podgypanda complete with pricing.

For purchase inquires please email: info@thisisnation.com

Digital Prints each ed. of 50 (clockwise)

• Tea Party $60 cdn
• Godzilla Greg $60 cdn
• Whales $60 cdn
• Kristopher Kong $60 cdn
• The Last Sushi $60 cdn
• Boof $60 cdn

Note: All prints are 11.75″ by 16.5″ including a 1″ white matte.

Canvas Prints (clockwise)

• Kristopher Kong $300 cdn
• Whales $300 cdn
• Tea Party $400 cdn SOLD
• Boof $300 cdn
• The Last Sushi $300 cdn
• Godzilla Greg $300 cdn

A3 Original Paintings Framed (clockwise from top left)

• Kristopher Kong $185 cdn
• Nora Narwhal $185 cdn
• Betty Yeti $185 cdn
• Livi Unicorn $185 cdn
• Godzilla Greg $185 cdn
• Bigfoot Bryan $185 cdn
• Walk (A4 size) $250 cdn

Custom Sculptures (clockwise from top left)

• Livi $300 cdn
• Kris $300 cdn
• Snowpal $150 cdn
• Bryan $300 cdn
• Betty $300 cdn
• Greg $300 cdn SOLD

A4 Sketches (clockwise from top left)

• Main Wall
• Drool Puddle $80 cdn
• Dreamin $80 cdn SOLD
• Waterballon to the Face $80 cdn
• Raining Legless Catspuds $80 cdn SOLD
• Vandals $80 cdn SOLD

Ahoy! We have a special treat this month in the Nation space. Mommy Still Likes Me: The art of Pete & Jo features wood. Art on wood, that is! If you’re in the Calgary area this month, make sure to stop by anytime. Even better yet, if you’re in the Calgary area tonight then we’re having a little shin-dig from 6pm to 9pm. Did I mention these are the two responsible for many fantastic projects such as custom artwork for Beatroute, illustration and branding for the Market Collective and album artwork for local band Günther’s Nuclear Stallions … to name a few.

Here’s a drop from the artists:

Peter and Joyelle Komierowski are illustrators living in Calgary, Canada. They are NOT brother and sister as some would believe. They draw things that are funny, weird, cute, scary, but mostly moronic. Their work is wrapped up in nostalgic memories of childhood and it is a sort of grown-up fairy-tale.

Also, make sure to check out more of Pete & Jo’s work on lovefrompeteandjo.com

555 KUBIK | facade projection | from urbanscreen

Just a quick tip for this lovely humpday set upon us. If you live in the Montréal area, and are not already pre-occupied by the Concordia Electro-acoustics festival you should check out Pop Montreal premiere of NOSAJ THING’s visual show (see above video).

Oh, oh yes.

In my younger years I would play a song or entire album on repeat. These days, it’s not usual for me to loop good content over and over for fear of ruining it, but I just can’t help it with this one. I believe my only recent regret is not knowing about Nova Scotia’s Amelia Curran before this month’s trip to Halifax. Anyhow, this tune seems like a suiting mood for the brisk fall Friday headed our way.

Amelia Curran – The Mistress – { Album: 2009’s Hunter Hunter }

This past weekend I was introduced to Imaginary Ordinary; which is both wonderfully imaginative and far from ordinary. The concept has been dubbed a social networking & community mapping project. I love this community mapping idea. I’ll let them explain in their own words:

Imaginary Ordinary is a social networking site [physical location] where different groups or individuals of all ages can meet and connect with one another. Imaginary Ordinary is a community centre—a place where everybody in the neighbourhood can come to participate in activities, share information, or simply to browse and hang out. Community centres can create a “map” of a community. They identify and connect the people who live, work, and play within a neighbourhood.

The project is curated and managed by the dynamic duo of Eric Moschopedis and Laura Leif.   I had the chance to speak with both during an event this past Saturday. I must admit I was inspired by their creativity and commitment to community building.  I will leave you to visit their website to learn more, but sadly their current location is a temporary installation.  So be sure to get down there and enjoy one of their numerous events before the closing party on Aug. 29th.  Psst, might I recommend Choose Yer Own (Aug. 13th – Aug. 16th).

Okay so it’s been a week since my return from SDCC. Typically I would have so much to immediately say… and it’s not that I don’t… it’s that there is an overwhelming amount to say.

Mindstyle had some incredible Stitch customs and some great new products including the Godfather by Michael Lau.

Kidrobot wasn’t so much a booth but more of a perpetual lineup.  I did get a sniff at their new releases from behind glass, but unless I waited in a 4 hour lineup the Huck Gee, Deph & Amanda Visell releases were a no go… apologies to all the collectors.

Strangeco was the most gracious of incredible toy making & distributing machines.  I managed to fenagle some exclusive Tokidoki platinum editions from them. Their Kaiju wrestling after party was incredibly weird… nah it was just incredible with a side of weird.  The venue was incredible too, we need more Wonderhaus style venues in Calgary (it was a well renovated old Wonderbread factory)

Tokidoki’s booth was just impossible! Too busy to even venture a walk by.

Rocketworld had some new tricks and products up their sleeves and we should be seeing more toys from them coming our way! These guys are also doing a fantastic job at providing socially conscious products which support the WWF and everyone on team Splash loves animals so hells yeah, Rocketworld.

Poketo’s team was overwhelming cool, great to meet and even greater to line up as a new vendor.  Plus anyone who carries DGPH is in like flynn in my books.

I thought a strategic visual approach would be to somehow categorize my experience via photos, using my own version of the dewey decimal system (more slideshow and less dewey). So here goes:

First the vinyl!

SDCC 2009 Part 2: Celebrity (on it’s way…)

I say with great certainty that one day I will own an original Josh Keyes painting.  His work is perfectly haunting and meticulous, to the point where you think it’s a digitally compiled piece. The shadows and dissections are seemingly both random and abstract, though somehow make sense alongside the visual juxtapositions of Wildlife v.s. Man-made Monuments/Artifacts.

There is something so calming about his work and I’m not sure if the post apocalyptic vibe is supposed to have that effect… but hey that’s just me. Anyway, if you’re lucky enough to be in the Oakland CA area this August you can head over to the Swarm Gallery to check out his latest creations up close and personal.

Also, be sure to head over to www.joshkeyes.net to see how beautifully talented this artist is.

The above print is available for purchase through David B Smith Gallery.  Only $175!

If you’re looking for a pick-me-up with a side of melancholy, than here’s the group for you. I had the opportunity to see Forest City Lovers perform at Pop Montréal last year and they didn’t disappoint; they kept the crowd entertained and cast an overall fun mood. Seems as though they’re hard at work on a 3^rd album. Wondrous! Anyway, here’s a couple of tunes to get you through Tuesday.

Forest City Lovers – Pirates (can’t all sail the indian ocean) – { 2008’s Haunting Moon Sinking }

Forest City Lovers – On The Basis – { 2006’s The Sun & The Wind }

Pick up their tunes from Zunior.com or iTunes on their discography page.

Photo Credit: LADYLUX

James and I ventured to the Warehouse last week to see Crystal Castles. The opening act was Calgary based band Azeda Booth who turn piercing vocals, glitch effects and dissonant instrumentation into something quite melodic… they were a good fit for the show.  We talked with Jordan (lead singer) after they wrapped up and they mentioned that they had never listened to Crystal Castles but the sound check was 3 hours and the lighting check was 6 hours long… I knew we were in for a big freaking treat.

There was no easing into the show, it started with a virtual attack on the senses from a sporadic white strobe combined with Atari-esque beats and the intensity of front-woman Alice Glass … we were stuck, not because we couldn’t move if we wanted to but because the show was hypnotic.  Traditionally, this 2 person band native to Toronto consists of Alice Glass (vocals) and Ethan Kath (instruments/production), and for the past few years they’ve been busy remixing for the likes of The Bloc Party, Uffie and the Klaxons while hitting every major European music festival (along with being openers for Nine Inch Nails latest tour). This go ’round they had a drummer which certainly did not detract from their sound, but I’m amazed at how he kept up.  I loved that from the get go there was no traditional separation between stage and audience, as Alice spent the better part of the show over the barricade and perched above the crowd, her energy was infectious!

FYI: Crystal Castles is a play on the 80’s cartoon She-Ra’s fortress (to the 80’s illiterate: She-Ra was a spin off of He-Man, and also his twin sister)

I might not be a show for everybody, but as you can fathom from my perspective, it was magic.

Flickr Set

Andrew BirdPhoto by Cameron Wittig

Andrew Bird used to be a well-kept, little-known secret of mine. Mr. Bird’s music has graced my headphones since I set sails and settled in Montréal at the end of 2007. It was to my surprise when I saw an ad broadcasting the message that he was playing at local venue Le National, and even more to my surprise when I found out my good friend had already procured tickets for my birthday.

Andrew Bird – Not A Robot, But A Ghost – Album: Noble Beast { Released January 20^th, 2009 }

Andrew Bird – Spare-Ohs – Album: Armchair Apocrypha { Released March 20^th, 2007 }

A Hawk And A Hacksaw’s tunes hit our ears when we arrived, and held my interest for the performance; but I can safely say I can only take so many 32^nd notes in a row without feeling a bit antsy for something different. I was ecstatic to learn that Le National had more than adequate seating for plenty of guests. I’m thinking of starting a “sit for musical performances” revolution, anybody with me on this one?

LivePhoto by Keith Klenowski

At first glance of the stage from up above, you’ll notice Bird’s violin, glockenspiel, elec guitar and various looping/effect pedals, Martin Dosh’s drum kit and synths, among other dreamlike gear. But the centerpieces on stage which really stood out were the giant fantastical horns I belived to be tasteful decorations. I was completely fooled at thinking they were solely decorative, until two of them (attached together, see above photo) started spinning to add a Leslie-style tremolo effect. After a bit of research, it seems these horns are all active and not just gorgeous eye-candy.

A tremendous affair. If you get the chance, go check it out. Worth every penny.

(UPDATE: While researching Le National I noticed that Doves will be playing there in June. See ya there!)

Crocker on a Good DayPhoto by Joe Kelly

Jay Crocker – The Delicious

As I’ve recently been experimenting with drum kits, I’ve realized how much of a soft spot I have for snare driven rhythms with the kick taking the backbeat. This tunes ramps up into just that (around 1:10m). Jay’s recorded (and sometimes live) stuff also comes complete with a kick-you-in-the-clavia horn section. Rock & Jazz enthusiasts shall not be disappointed by Crocker’s sometimes vanilla, sometimes experimental spectrum of genres.

You can catch Jay on (yet another) cross Canada tour, jump on the Jay Crocker site for showtimes and listenings. Or, pick up Jay’s album from KERFMUSIC (digital) and Artunit (tangible).

mcbess The art of Matthieu Bessudo

Here be an extravaganzalopagos of media from the mind of Matthieu Bessudo @ mcbess.com.  I’ve admired Matt’s illustrative style for sometime now, and in the vein of ISO50 I caught on to the notion that supplementing your talent with more talent is the way to go!… as you can see in the following show reel after the jump.

If video killed your radio star, head to mcbess radio for resuscitation.

And the frosting on the cake that never gets stale: blog.mcbess.com

This past Wednesday in Montréal I saw the advent of “In The Wake Of Hinamaturi”, a Japanese night at La Sala Rossa social club. I arrived just in time to catch Dynamo Coléoptera which was the first MTL band I fell in love with since moving here.

Between two musicians and a dancer, these sexy machines can put on quite the spectacle. They’ll entertain your minds in both the visual and audial spectrums using a large array of props, instruments, gadgets, magic tricks, languages, synchronized movement, and waves of emotion you can’t put in words.

The entire event seemed to have all the charms of a carnival show, rather than squished between two sole musical acts. Experiencing them is best served live, as throwing down $10, $20, even $30 is a small price to pay in comparison to how rich it was. There are just some things that cannot be translated  properly in recorded format. How can you go wrong with a band whose named loosely translates to “Dynamo Beetle”?

Photo Cred: Ulysse L. B.