Building in the inaugural success of 2008, Famous Friends, a New York-based promotion company, in conjunction with Noise Problem, a leading multi-faceted music agency, are pleased to announce the line up for The Second Annual Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival (BEMF). Spanning two stages, indoor and out, BEMF will be headlined by The Juan Maclean (live) and also feature Young Love, Jupiter One, Adventure, Shy Child, Home Video, Free Blood, Awesome New Republic as well as dozens of other DJs and performers.

Famous Friends will be announcing a very special surprise guest headliner via twitter on the day of the show. RJD2 will not be performing as previously announced.

The fest will take place at Brooklyn's Old American Can Factory. Tickets are currently on sale through PayPal. Lineup and more info on the fest, below...

Continue reading "Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival (Aug 8th) - full lineup (w/ Juan Maclean, Cloud Room, special guest headliner, NO RJD2)"

DOWNLOAD: Tittsworth - WTF (Nadastrom remix - Stretch Armstrong Edit) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Tittsworth - WTF (Eli Escobar remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Presets - This Boy's In Love (Lifelike remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Runaway - Use Me (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Midnight Juggernauts - Into the Galaxy (Grandmaster Flash remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Daisy O'Dell - (3 live mixes): Electro Bounce, Groovy Disco Breaks, and Boogie Hits (yousendit MP3 link)
DOWNLOAD: Mikix The Cat - Freeze (Kanji Kinetic remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Captain's Holiday Mix '08 (Mediafire MP3 link)
DOWNLOAD: Evil Nine - All the Cash (Glitch Mob Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: John Acquaviva - November '08 Mix (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Drlkt Freddie - Airtight (MP3)

Fake Blood is not Soulwax

I took two nights off after my early start Wednesday night, leaving me eager to hit the B Saturday night for a party that featured a nice mix of deejays that were both familiar and new (to me). I arrived in time to catch the tail end of Van Scott's set which featured a dancey Lykke Li remix, a super-voded mix of Little Boots' "Meddle" (which I later found out was by Treasure Fingers), and lots of other recent tracks.

Franki Chan followed with an excellent mix of some tracks I didn't recognize along with some new favorites including Whomadewho's "TV Friend" (one of the remixes that just came out at the end of last month) and a lovely hybrid version of the Soulwax remix of the Chemical Brothers' "Hey Boy, Hey Girl" that featured the original "super star deejays" vocal sample instead of "2manydj's" but as far as I could tell, retained all the instrumental parts from the Soulwax remix.

Princess Superstar took the evening in a highly dancey meets retro direction, dropping some current stuff mixed with some updated, oldie but goodie classic 90's tracks. Her set segued into Larry Tee's with the pair performing a live version of their hit "Licky" that's had dancefloors freaking out since last winter. Larry's set had everyone getting down and remembering what an innovator the pioneer of electroclash was and continues to be.

The night ended with a bang that unfortunately, hardly anyone was left to see: Nadastrom absolutely killed it. I'm not sure what specifically was great about their set ...it might have been the song selection, excellent mixing, just the right amount of wobbly bass...but one of the most satisfying elements of their set was the enthusiasm the pair maintained as the not too big to begin with, Studio B crowd dwindled down to a few handfuls of people:

Continue reading "the week in Dance w/ Showtrotta (Fake Blood, Lifelike, Larry Tee, Tittsworth, Moby, Evil Nine & more)"

This weekend is officially "The Dance Music Invasion" so coined by Larry Tee and co...

I know a lot of hard work went into the "Invasion" but it doesn't seem to be much more than a listing of regularly occurring dance parties. Arthur Baker is worth checking out on Saturday night at Studio B. It's just the first year though - much more time to grow this thing.

The Village Voice talked to Larry.

More upcoming events worth dancing at in NYC, below....

Continue reading "the Dance Music Invasion is here"

Adam Kesher @ Knitting Factory, NYC - Sept 10, 2007 (CRED)

Those of you who missed Adam Kesher's NYC debut on Monday night are going to have to wait through a long, cold Adam Kesher-less winter as the band heads into the studio to complete their debut LP upon their return to France on Thursday.

La Decadanse isn't one of you:

I'll cut to the chase. Having only heard Adam Kesher's cover of Para One's "Dun-dundun", I thought it'd be a fun gig to drop by and wasn't expecting much as I admittedly don't frequent venues to see bands. Instead I was awed, absolutely starstruck, completely floored, stupified even! The songs, the actual performance and showmanship which included some heavy fancy footwork and instrument rotations... it just all coalesced into a supercharged set that left the room, which wasn't even packed to capacity, dense with energy.

Their new songs incorporate everything from hip-hop beats, to harmonized and glistening pop vocals, to shredding punk riffs, a cowbell, and of course, a dancey swagger. The boys head home to France on Thursday, but will be laying down a DJ set tonight at the Calvin Harris Afterparty at Happy Ending. Buy them a drink ask them to come back sooner.

Speaking of Calvin Harris, the UK dance sensation has been in town hustling the press circuit in anticipation of his sold out US debut at the Mercury Lounge tonight. I'm looking forward to seeing how the album translates live and I imagine the infectious grooves will have all the girls dancing like crazy. Haven't heard it yet? AOL is streaming the whole thing this week.

I finally got my hands on a copy of Underworld's new album Oblivion With Bells and I couldn't be more excited to see Rick and Karl rip Summerstage apart on Friday night. From even before I heard the first bassline, I haven't been able to shake comparisons to my first encounter with Underworld, 1993's "debut" dubnobasswithmyheadman. The minute I saw the album artwork I've associated the album to that other chaotically black and white designed disc. I don't think the comparison stops at the visual elements. The album is decidedly dark and distinctly Underworld, with pulsing rhythms and conceptually poetic lyrics, but some tracks delve into more atmospheric and funky melodic soundscapes that remind me of the album progression and urban feel of their earlier disc. Stay tuned for an interview with Karl next week: we'll get into all that. The latest tour dates are at their site.

Simian Mobile Disco bring their mobile live rave and light live show back to NYC this weekend on Saturday night at Gramercy Theater. If you missed their stellar Studio B gig, get to this one. It will be a good musical benchmark for next weekend's Chemical Brother's double header: one indoors midtown, one outdoors pool. The pool show also features Ladytron. All CB tour dates in a previous post, and don't forget SMD will be at CMJ too.

Larry Tee is gonna be busy this month. He's launching TWO new parties this weekend at Sugarland (221 N. 9th St in Williamsburg). Clever readers will note that 221 N. 9th is indeed the old Capone's and its not all going to the boys. While Fridays are the aptly named "BOYQUAKE," Saturday is the more mixed Happy Birthday Club.

Time Out also catches up with Larry as he is launching the multi-day Dance Music Invasion 2007 in just a few weeks on October 3 - 6. Ferry Corsten, Erick Morillo, and Christopher Just are the only confirmed artists. Stay tuned to the official website for more news.

Diplo and Switch are going out on tour together, they hit Studio B for Meanred's Korupt night on Saturday Sept. 29th (rescheduled from Sept 08th). Pitchfork sat down with Diplo to discuss the tour, his work with Switch, and his Pitchfork Mix (MP3), very cool that he gives Drop the Lime a shout out.

Heading out to Austin this weekend for the Austin City Limits Festival? Grizzly Bear and Art Brut not your thing? Can't decide between M.I.A. and LCD Soundsystem? Well, maybe see M.I.A. in the day, and then check out LCD Soundsystem at night - Friday night at Red 7. Or see LCD Soundsystem twice. UPDATE: Thanks commenters for bringing up the fact that the "LCD Soundsystem" set is only a DJ set.

More Austin party details, and NYC event listings, below....

Continue reading "the week in Dance w/ David Bruno (09/12/07)"

DOWNLOAD: Dirty Down Mix Vol. 1 (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cornelius - Point of View Point (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Wicked Pase Rock mix live from Miami (MP3) (via Fluokids)

Cornelius is touring. He gets to NYC on May 10th. I caught him this weekend at Coachella (hence the reason for no dance post last week). Here's a picture of his show in LA on Monday...

Cornelius @ The El Ray - Apr 30, 2007 (CRED)

Spank Rock @ Coachella - 2007

Chk Chk Chk @ Coachella - 2007

I'm going to geek out on Bjork too.

Wow. What an amazing show last night. After seeing her at Coachella and last night, I really hope that crunchy dance version of "Declare Independence" she rocks at the end of her set gets a proper release. "Raise Your Flag!" would go down well in the clubs. Speaking of da clubs, Spank Rock (who destroyed Coachella on Sunday night) remixed "Earth Intruders."

Zeitgeist: DANCE? Can You Feel It?

Larry Tee in this week's Village Voice:

"Dance music finally has an opportunity. It's kind of hot. I sense something is changing here."

Tricia Romano delves into the comings and goings of the fight against the Caberet Law, Larry Tee's proposed "Dance Music Invasion Festival" in NYC October 3rd through 7th, and the Dance Parade on May 19th (partly to protest the Caberet Law, partly to showcase dance (as in the act of)). Dance illegally this weekend: declare your independence.

Speaking of legality, the recent decision by the FCC's Copyright Royalty Board of Royalty Oversight, Discussion, and Redundancy that hiked up fees for internet broadcasters is being challenged by the SaveNetRadio organization. Internet radio is a crucial promotion vehicle for dance music. Go there and read up. Call your congressperson.

Moby is kicking the dust off his stack of "Go" remixes and playing an old school rave set for the Cut & Trouble + Bass crews at the Masters of the Universe party at Studio B on Saturday (May 5th) night. Wear a mask and rave out. Other techno legends dropping through town this weekend: Sven Vath at Cielo tonight (Thursday May 3rd) and Juan Atkins at Sullivan Room Saturday (May 5th) (Tix).

Lots of Justice news this week. After a wild live set at Coachella that featured 45 minutes of cut, chopped, and fuzzed originals and pieces of their remixes, all performed from a Marshall stack stage. The boys have released their video for their massive next single "D.A.N.C.E." Its basically a pretty amazing ad for So Me's work with the Revolver clothing line. If this song isn't on every radio station this summer, I'd be very surprised. All of you PYTs make sure to kick the B.E.A.T. loud. Possibly one of the most anticipated dance albums of the past few years, Justice's † is out on Vice SOMETIME soon?

Justice video, more news, downloads, parties, and other surprises, BELOW....

Continue reading "the week in Dance w/ David Bruno (05/03/07)"