sweet troubled soul

TONIGHT, i will be spinning at Lit upstairs for Justine D.'s party! If you've been there when i DJ on a friday, you know how insane it gets, and i really recommend that kind of sanity on a gray friday like today. I'm on 11 to 4am and because i have 5 hours, i'm usually open to requests, just don't request anything i don't have (i know i'm funny like that).

Last night stellastarr* played a sold out show at Irving Plaza, and for most the time, i stayed in the back observing the performance and the crowd around me. It was fun seeing the reactions, people were most excited to hear the old stuff (more prominent than the new songs during the set), which is normal considering this is the first new york show since the album came out. But above all, the band really impressed with the performance, i was debating if in terms of pure delivery this was their best show yet, and i couldn't tell because my memory is completely failing me at the moment. In any case, the tunes from Harmonies for the haunted came out great live, and the entire set sounded solid. The curtains and the beautifully designed backdrop was a lovely added touch to the show.
Check out photos from last night at Central Village.

waltz (better than fine)

Fiona Apple will be playing new york on december 11th at the Nokia Theatre. Hope it's a decent venue. I really urge you all to get her new album Extraordinary Machine, i went from skeptical to completely converted, almost to the point of saying that it could be better than When The Pawn... There are some songs that i thought were better produced by Jon Brion (Better version of me comes to mind), but overall, the record is very coherent, very strong and quite amazing. Right now, my favorite song is Waltz (better than fine).

In local news, if you're a guitarist looking to join a band, Split Over Drapes is looking for someone, in their words: "Melodic and lush... multi-instrumentalist a plus. We're all mid twenties and rehearse in Williamsburg. Email derrickupchurch@mac.com if you're interested".
Here's an mp3 to give you an idea:
Split over drapes :: Do you know where you are [mp3]

take you on a cruise

I haven't been listening, or even been paying attention, to Interpol in a very long time, but as i was getting ready to go see them play at Webster Hall last night, i slowly started to get excited. Kinda like when an old friend you haven't really thought about happens to be in town and gives you a call to meet up.
First off, let me just say, i haven't witnessed as entusiastic a crowd in what seems forever... the kids were just going nuts, it was great to see. Being the last date on the Antics tour, i sort of expected them to be tired and sloppy... but i was completely wrong, they looked happy and full energy and ended up playing quite a fantastic show reminiscent of the earlier bowery/irving gigs. It pays off to go on the road and play the newer songs live, because the entire set made up from both albums sounded tight and on point. Not even jail especially came out on top, so did Take you on a cruise and the segue to PDA. Best surprise was that they ended the show with The Specialist...
Being there surrounded by the old school faces and hearing tracks from Turn on the bright lights made me strangely feel like it was 2002, and to my surprise, it was actually quite nice to be taken back for a moment.

Interpol playing Stella was a diver during the first encore...

P.S. I need a new digital camera, who's feeling generous?!