I just got an email asking if there was any truth to my post about LES club the Annex closing. That reminded me that I did leave that one with a "?" on it. So just to confirm, the venue closed on September 12th.

Ruff Club held their final party there on September 11th. On September 17th, DJ & promoter Spencer Product wrote:

As we close in on the one week anniversary of the end of three and a half years of Ruff Club..and the Annex, I think (as I speak for myself) recovery has been reached. It was an epic evening. Men were great live ! The A.R.E. Weapons kicked ass as usual and everyone who came made this night amazing ! Thank YOU, New York ! Stay tuned to this website for new events, projects, ideas, thoughts, pictures ...and whatever the hell else we decide to put up! Love, Product

Ruff Club's Danny Le Nimh then posted a video of his final walk through of the club on September 16th. You can watch that below...

Continue reading "in case anyone was wondering, The Annex is closed "

DOWNLOAD: James Yuill - Over The Hills (Milberg remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: James Yuill - A Lighter Shade of Red (MP3)

Hello America!

It seems my album "Turning Down Water For Air" comes out today (26th May) on Nettwerk. Hurrah!

I'm currently doing a short tour with M83 across the west coast and then working my way to the east side...

Hope you like the album... I wrote and recorded it in my bedroom during many evenings and weekends after getting back from work...so basically it's very home made...

Cheers.
- James Yuill

James's M83-supporting dates have already past, but it's not too late for his three remaining US shows, which happen this week. He'll play Chicago June 3rd, then visit NYC for two shows on June 4th and 5th. On Thursday, June 4th, he'll be joined at the Music Hall of Williamsburg by Viva Voce and Cut Off Your Hands. Tickets are on sale.

On Friday, June 5th, Yuill plays the weekly Ruff Club party at NYC's The Annex with Field Recordings and True Widow.

After that, it's all summer dates around Yuill's homebase of London. The laptop whiz last visited NYC for a pair of shows in April. Cut Off Your Hands were here in May. Last weekend, James's tour partner M83 played Sasquatch...

M83 @ Sasquatch 2009 (more by Chris Graham)

James was at the festival too, but as a member of the crowd....

...this was effectively a day off for me and Paul we took in the sights and watched a few bands. Namely, The Walkman (who were amazing!), TV on the Radio (whose sound was less than amazing), obviously M83 (who in my unbiased opinion were on top form and gave a particularly special show. That's when I took this first video [below].

Then it was the highlight of my day when I got the chance to see Deadmau5. Oh my lord was it brilliant. That's where the second video comes in [also below]. I know the quality of these two videos is not great, but hopefully the mood of the what was going on translates. I haven't felt this good at a dance gig than when I saw Justice at the mean-fiddler in London when they did their album launch party. -James

On June 16th, Yuill will release his new Over the Hills EP in the US via Nettwerk Records. (It's already out on Moshi Moshi overseas.) Two tracks from that EP, the "Over The Hills (Milberg Remix)," featuring Lisa from the Concretes, and the b-side, "A Lighter Shade of Red," are posted above for download. Title track "Over the Hills" also has a new video, and we're premiering it. Check it out, along with the full EP track list, all tour dates, and the videos James shot at Sasquach, below...

Continue reading "James Yuill - video premiere, EP, 2 NYC shows & other dates"

DOWNLOAD: Little Boots - Meddle (AC Slater & DJ Skeet Skeet remix feat. Goldielocks) (MP3)

Matthew Herbert @ Studio B - February 7, 2009

Last week in dance wound up being a lot of fun. Friday night I went to see Little Boots at Studio B. I arrived sometime around midnight and was shocked at how packed the floor was by the time she went on around 1:15. Despite her set being good, especially her cover of Giorgio Moroder's "Love Kills", and including everything I expected after seeing her at CMJ, overall I wasn't as engaged by her performance this time around. It was just me though. Everyone in the place was bugging out and there really wasn't any good reason not to. As brief as her set was, the late start (she was originally scheduled to perform at 12) derailed the entire rest of the night and I ended up missing both One Man Party and Danger at Webster Hall. A friend there texted me highlights of One Man Party's set which read like a more intensely awesome mix of the Soulwax/2ManyDJ's remixes and current electro that he played at Webster last month. As great as it sounded, the regret really hit when I watched the following video of the beginning of Danger's set which started with "Ave Maria" and went into a great live version of "9h20":

Continue reading "the week in Dance w/ Showtrotta (Streetlab, Matthew Herbert, Justice, One Step Beyond, DJ Sneak, more...)"

DOWNLOAD: Spencer Product - Ruff Club mix (MP3)

He coasts through, with nonchalant hello-nods and Zoolanderish fingerpointing, he knows everyone in attendance. Who is that dark-framed man? Spencer Product: Johnny Appleseed of NY night havens, director of the scene such clubs have subsequently bloomed, and quite the turntable mix-maven. A pioneer of the electroclash movement (remember that?), and former frontman of Black Moustache, Product is now primed for first his solo ...Product. [URB]

TheDeathSet play the release party tonight (sep 5) at The Annex aka Ruff Club aka Spencer Product's weekly NYC party. The flyer and all Death Set dates below...

Continue reading "TheDeathSet - Spencer Product CD party tonight, tour dates"

by Showtrotta

A Touch of Class

Tonight (Friday April 11th) is the 2 year anniversary of the electro-meets-rock rager - Ruff Club at the Annex. There is a pretty long list of deejays/bands on the flyer (see below), but I have to call attention to A Touch of Class. ATOC is Oliver Stumm and Dominique Clausen. They are based out of New York and run an electronic/dance label by the same name, home to several New York Bands such as the Ones and Services. Oliver and Domie have also done numerous remixes for many diverse artists, everyone from the Gossip to the Scissor Sisters to Joss Stone.

When it comes to deejaying, their sets are all over the place in the best way possible. I was truly blown away when I saw them at PS1 this past summer. They went from 45 minutes of old school, funky disco to everyone from Mr. Oizo to the Police. Tracks with nothing in common seemed like they were always meant to be played together. Not dancing was not an option. Strongly recommended

Continue reading "Ruff Club turns 2 tonight w/ A Touch of Class, Pop Levi..."