08/01/2010 - 09/01/2010

Music To Tease Your Taste Buds @hearnohomusic

By: Hear NoHo | 8/31/2010 | View Comments

We have another TASTY lineup for you this month. Don't miss your chance to catch some rising stars. Order your tickets in advance at Wantickets.com and get 2 for 1. We have been busy this month with new developments. Hear NoHo is now a proud member of the Zune Social!

We are looking forward to sharing some cool stuff with you so be sure to add us to your list of friends.

BIG SWIRL TRUCK is coming!!!
Come out to enjoy some good music and tasty frozen treats! You just might win some free Gelato! yummie :D

@BIGSWIRL_TRUCK | Site

***Hear NoHo Lineup for September 2nd 2010***

View MAP

Jennifer Quiroz, 8:00pm at Cella Gallery
@jenniferquiroz | Site

An up and coming singer/songwriter whose debut EP "And So I Sing" - released in February at LA's famed Hotel Cafe - mixes the raspy, warmth of John Mayer with the catchy melodies and honest lyrics of Taylor Swift. Her exposure includes "The Ghost Whisperer" and major radio play on Tokyo's JWAVE. In March, she was nominated for Triple A Artist of the Year award at the 2010 LA Music Awards.

Sarasona, 8:30 at The NoHo Arts Center
@LeArnold | Site

Alternative, Rock
We are fans and appreciate all types of music. Our influences range from all the musical spectrum.

Arnold Aldana- Lead Vocals
Andre Aldana- Drums and background vocals
Randy Laforett- Guitar and background vocals
Josh Laforett- Bass
Josh Gutierrez- Guitar
Gustavo Miranda- Keyboard

Jade Giorno, 9:00pm at Cella Gallery
@jadegiorno | Site

Jade was born in Italy in 1984 and discovered her love for writing at a very early age. She studied piano as a child and wrote her first lyrics for a song when she was 12. after high school, she moved to barcelona, spain, to enroll at university of barcelona in the english philology department where she managed to develop her skills as a writer, essayist, philologist, and teacher.

Vonyse, 9:30 at The NoHo Arts Center
@vonyse | Site

Vonyse has toured with Gomez & Cake, been featured on Fox National News, Named by House of Blues as one of the top 5 new artists of 2006, and chosen as Jane Magazine as one of the top unsigned female artists. Her music is straight from the soul - not following rules, but making her own.

Jessie Payo, 10:00pm at Cella Gallery
@jessiepayo | Site

Jessie’s opened for The Black Eyed Peas, Jason Mraz, Lauryn Hill, Lupe Fiasco, Etta James, and Boyz II Men. And her music has appeared on MTV’s hit series’ “The Hills”, “The City”, “My Super Sweet Sixteen”, ABC’s “Make it or Break it”, FOX’s “So You Think You Can Dance”, CBS’s “Criminal Minds”, E!’s “The Daily Ten”, and Disney Channel’s “Halloween Town High”. Jessie also received a Gold Record for her performance on Disney’s “Jump In” soundtrack.

Jared Swanson, 8:45pm at The Art Institute
@abbot_kinney | Site
Jared is lead Singer of the band Abbot Kinney.
He is performing an acoustic set for us on Thursday. This is sure to be a real treat. Check out his video, "No Time To Waste"
http://www.vimeo.com/13322626

Comedian Meghan Parks
from Upright Citizen's Brigade @ucbtla | Site

As a comedian, actress and writer, she has studied improv and sketch at the UCBTLA and the IO West. She continues to perform sketch and improv at the UCB and hits up several comedy venues all over LA on a weekly basis to show off her fancy character work. Some of Meghan’s credits include: Maude Night, UCB’s Quick 'n Dirty Musicals, Sketch Cram, Spank Night, Freak Dance: The Forbidden Dirty Boogaloo, SF Sketchfest, Patsy and Annette , and FOD exclusive: Intervention With Kristen Chenoweth on the internets. And she thinks you’re neat.

Comedian Daniel Kinno
@danielkinno | Site

AMERICAN LIKE YOU

And now MEMORIES OF MUSIC!

Artist: JEFF
Title: Something Special
"Jeff is one of those bold fellows who never let his many disabilities get in the way of a career on stage. Really, when a guy shows up with deformed legs and a hook hand, it's probably best just to let him do what he wants. Jeff also has a comedy tape about being drafted into the military." ~ Nick DiFonzo

Submit your band today! www.sonicbids.com/hearnoho

@hearnohomusic | www.hearnoho.com

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Conversation Piece: $20 ticket + $200 service charge!? Oh, sure!

Zune Social: tromboneforhire | By: Marques Lyons | 8/31/2010 | View Comments

I had the pleasure of reading a great 'open letter' today. The writer, Allan Stackhouse was writing to Nathan Hubbard, CEO of Ticketmaster. While he appreciated Mr. Hubbard's transparency of addressing customer concerns with buying tickets from Ticketmaster, Allan was distressed by the lack of speed at which Ticketmaster is doing something about those ticket concerns.

And let's face it, I would be at a ton of shows if it wasn't for the fact that most shows cost enough money at face value -- but then you add service charge, tax, printing charges, shipping charges, computer is on charge, you are in your seat charge, blinking charges and the all-important 'hitting the keyboard' tax you end up with a ticket that costs the same price as two or three face-value tickets. Allan Stackhouse makes the great point that it's things like this that cause people to second-guess if they want to attend shows and, by extension, miss out on many once-in-a-lifetime opportunities or the chance to expand their musical palate.

For me, I know artists aren't making enough from CD sales, so they're becoming more dependent on concerts and merchandise, but if I get turned off from attending a show because the price is way too much to even consider that bodes well for no one.

Here, I invite you to read Allan Stackhouse's open letter and then report back here and discuss your thoughts. Or if you want to use this opportunity to go off on Ticketmaster, be my guest.

Sound off!

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musicHEADsphere 1.4

Zune Social: ultimate jwing | By: Julio Angel Ortiz | 8/30/2010 | View Comments

The darkness is suffocating; your brain buzzes with the dread of the limited light and the enormity of what lay behind you- the edge of creation, the wall of night culled from myth beyond which nothing you or I can comprehend exists. At this proximity to the edge of the universe, one’s sense of self becomes transient, because you- as I know you are doing right now- are attempting to contextualize your place in the face of such enormity.

I almost wish that I could alleviate your concerns, but it would be a pointless endeavor.

The real issue becomes not that you are feeling this way, but why you are feeling this way.

***

The genetic memory of music could find its genesis in another area that has been woven into humanity; that of mathematics. It is inevitable that, as long as mathematics (and by proxy, science) exist, music will continue to manifest in any civilization that dares to better itself via numeric discipline.

Music, by it’s very nature, is based upon the idea of numbers. Music without rhythmic structure is analogous to water without hydrogen. The metre, the beats, are all based around a number of instances occurring within a predetermined space of time. Without numbers- and at its core, mathematics- music would descend into an amorphous cacophony (much like what the Neanderthal music may have sounded like to modern ears, had there been modern equipment to capture and digitize the experience. Never mind the Neanderthals’ reactions to modern equipment and the fate that would most likely befall the hapless time traveler who would attempt such a foolish feat. Consider that for a moment. A time traveler journeys into the past, having paid the extra fees for bringing back recording equipment such as a digital audio recorder and perhaps one for video as well. This time traveler is a documentary film maker, working on a new piece that examines the history of music from its earliest beginnings to the present. The sheer impossibility of the task current task- capturing some of the earliest music clips- should have been apparent before even beginning the journey. To record the Neanderthals, he would need to be within close proximity. Considering that, in all likelihood, a modern day human would look as different to them as apes look to humans, their instinct to hunt and kill him would be strong. But let’s put aside that point. The Time Traveler appears, lugging his temporal carry-on. There are several Neanderthals, bone flutes and stones in hand, hammering out a new piece. The Traveler steps into view. They stop, stunned at his arrival. Assuming he is even able to take out his recording equipment, and also assuming that he is able to prevent them from hunting him, killing him, and trashing his equipment, he spends time working to get them to play their instruments again. As if any such Neanderthal could be lulled into such a calm state by a Traveler from the future in a strange spacesuit, the resulting music would still be incredibly disappointing to the Traveler. This is the most raw of all music, without the thousands of years of refinement and advancement of technique and music theory. The Time Traveler sees the Neanderthals for what the rest of the viewing audience would see- a group of mindless cretins haphazardly breathing into a bone flute and clanging rocks together. I would suspect the Time Traveler, after about five minutes, would merely pack his equipment up, mutter under his breath, and return to the future, deciding that a documentary on the mating rituals of Tsetse flies would be more interesting.)

But I digress.

The Pythagoreans of ancient Greece were the first to investigate the relationship between the musical scale and number ratios. Their creed was simple: "All nature consists of harmony arising out of number.” This examination of harmony- as it relates to physics- expanded over time, and eventually become a branch known as musical acoustics. When a sound is played, it creates a wave that varies depending upon the pitch. These waves can interact with others, altering them to create new, unique tones; pianos and guitars operate along these basic principles.

The resonance of strings is the crafting of gods.

***

(Another flash. Large, milky-white hands with four bulbous fingers reach out. Lavender sky. A scream. A star dies. A whisper: “Another universe?” Static. 1.6180339887. “Somewhere in the-”

Darkness.)

***

The music resonates. Music is far more than a cultural or creative aspect of humanity. It is engineered into the very fabric of the universe. You could no more remove music from the universe than remove the steel framework from a building and expect it to stand. Nature resonates with life, because anything that is no longer moving, vibrating with the thrum of a heartbeat and blood rushing through the roadways of the body is sure to be dead.

Which makes this discussion with you vaguely ironic.

The universe is slowly dying. The strings powering the universe, the underlying framework on which all things are built, are crumbling. Some are breaking down faster than others; though the heat death of the universe is an unfortunate inevitability, it is happening faster than was anticipated. The acceleration can only be attributed to one thing: the structure is being sabotaged. That is why you must accomplish your mission; the Light must move forward with you.

***

Julio Angel Ortiz, when not terrorizing the Inside the Circle community, maintains a blog at http://www.signaldotnoise.com.

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Conversation Piece: A Zune HD 2 or a Zune HD Plus?

Zune Social: tromboneforhire | By: Marques Lyons | 8/29/2010 | View Comments

I’ve heard the rumblings that people believe Microsoft should release a Zune HD 2. Apparently, the Zune HD has already ran it’s course and it’s already time to talk of a new device that will basically read your mind, make you burgers, potty train your dog and have an alarm clock.

I can understand the sentiments, but I want to propose a different idea: What if instead of introducing a totally new device, what if Zune HD got such a firmware upgrade that it felt new all over again? Does anyone remember when the Zune 80s and 120s came out? Remember that firmware update that the Zune 30s got and how suddenly it felt like a totally new Zune.

How about the XBOX 360? People should already be talking about XBOX 720 in the wake of what types of offerings the PS3 has (remember people wanted the “new” XBOX 360 to have a Blu-Ray player). When all of these major upgrades didn’t happen, people thought XBOX 360 was going to fall behind… insert firmware updates, software and services.

With additions such as avatars, Kinect, Netflix, Last.FM, Twitter, Facebook, Zune, etc XBOX 360 is being given great new life that could last it at least a couple of more years. So what if the current Zune HD got the same type of firmware boost?

I have this strong feeling that we really are only scratching the surface of what the Zune HD can do. I would be hard-pressed to think that this device would be released only to be used as a stepping stone to the beefier device that’s REALLY supposed to show what Zune is about.

With Microsoft on a current software+services drive, their making it about the internals that run a device. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a firmware update to the Zune HD that would suddenly make it feel like a new machine, much like how they were able to do the same with the Zune 30.

But what do you guys think? Is it possible for enough of a firmware update to give the Zune HD more life, or do you believe that it’s just high time for a new device altogether?

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"The Best Latin Music You Don't Know"

Zune Social: raiderette 87 | By: Alfa Santos | 8/25/2010 | View Comments

For the last three years, Latina magazine has offered up the best in little known "Latin" music from all over the Spanish-speaking world, including the US.

I've gladly shared that music with you.

The first year (2008), I shared the free music download link in the Zune forums. Then last year, I let you know that you needed iTunes to get the free downloads. This year.. Latina magazine is more than lacking; there aren't any free music downloads anywhere to be found.

Hell, there isn't even a page online that I can direct you to read up on the featured artists.

But si

nce I'm stubborn as all hell and because I've really loved the past "Best Latin Music" articles from Latina, I'm more than willing to share this year's by any means necessary.

Which mostly involves my organizational skills (or lack there of) and me typing.

The following 18 artists/musicians/bands are from 12 different parts of the Spanish-speaking world.

So as not to make it seem like I'm playing favorites (because I'm only human), I will list the artists in alphabetical order by the country they are originally based out of.

→ ARGENTINA

Sofia Toello

born in Cordoba
moved to New York to study jazz around 2000
her music is said to be Soulful, Latin jazz
recommended download: "La Clarosa Cruz"

Banda de Turistas

these 20-somethings have opened for Coldplay
won the Latin Alternative Music Conference "Artist Discovery Award" in 2009
their music is psychedelic pop
recommended listen: "Día de Prosperidad"

No Lo Soporto

won "Best Independent Artist" at Los Premios MTV 2007 after Soda Stereo lead Gustavo Cerati praised them in a newspaper in 2006
the female trio has digitally released Avión in the US
sounds like new wave, indi rock
listen to "Nunce Iré"

→ BRAZIL

Mallu Magalhães

recorded her first song at 15 and posted it online
at 17 years old, her MySpace page has had more than 4 million visits
MTV Brazil says she is "mini-Feist"
her music is Feist-like with folk
recommended download: "Make it Easy"

→ CHILE

Ana Tijoux

born in 1977 in France during the Pinochet dictatorship
raps in French
moved to Chile and formed Makiza; went solo in 2006
collaborated with Julieta Venegas in "Eres Para Mi"
she has an old-school rap sound
listen to "1977"

Valentina Fel

labeled to Lizard King; same as Santigold
great dance music
her music sounds like electro-gypsy-esque rap
recommended listen: "Sin Control Sin Diversión"

→ COLOMBIA

Eka

is the side project of Erika Muñoz; the band she's a part of is the electro-Latin Sidestepper
Muñoz showcases her Caribbean heritage with Eka
she was born in Barranquilla
sounds like: Afro-Colombian Soukous
download: "Corre que Te Corre"

→ COSTA RICA

Debi Nova

has received six Grammy nominations
wrote songs for RDB
she's preformed with Ricky Martin, the Black Eyed Peas, among others
her music is Spanglish pop
recommended download: "Drummer Boy"

→ MÉXICO

Carla Morrison

inspired by Patsy Cline and Lola Beltrán
native of Tecate
Natalia Lafourcade will produce Morrison's Mientras tu Dormías
her music has a country heart with minimal pop
listen to "Esta Soledad"

→ PANAMA

Los Rakas

Panamanian slang for "ghetto folk"
duet is made up of two cousins, Ricardo Guilliam Bethancourt and Abdull Dominguez, that have been spittin' rhymes since '05
are positively compared to KRS One, Mos Def, etc
currently based out of Oakland, Calif
their music sounds like El General and Clipse had a child
recommended listen: "Miel"

→ PERÚ

Autobus

the band formed in 2006
have opened for Franz Ferdinand, The Killers, Soul Asylum, and more
they sound like vintage Brit pop-rock, with an electro feel
download: "El Duelo"

→ PUERTO RICO

Suturee

Rebecca Adorno and Julian Brau form the duo
now based out of NYC
they have a healing, folk pop feel to their music
recommended download: "Afraid of Hands"

→ SPAIN

Huecco

is composed of Ivan Sevillano
his 2006 self-titled album went gold in Spain
he's compared to the equally socially conscious Manu Chao
Sevillano mixes rock, rumba, cumbia, flamenco, hip-hop, and punk
listen to: "Reina de los Angelotes"

→ UNITED STATES

Rana Santacruz

born in Brooklyn, Santacruz has Chilango (name given to people from Mexico City) roots
his music sounds like Mexican bluegrass/ Irish mariachi. Basically, Mezcal-spiked Celtic folk
download: "El Funeral de Tacho"

Fancy Me Yet

lead singer, Natasha Dueñas (formally known as JD Natasha), received three Grammy nominations when she was solo
the Miami based band was formed in 2009 and consists of Alex Gaynor on guitar and Chris Bernard on drums
their music is like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, a la 305
recommended download: "Amusing Me"

Gustavo Galindo

another Chilango, Galindo is now bases himself from Los Angeles
he's labeled to Surco; as is Juanes
if Bruce Springteen and Juanes' music had a baby, it'd be Galindo
listen to: "Amor de Alta Mar"

Maleco Collective

is composed of Chicano rapper Malverde, Peruvian producer Marthin Chan, Puerto Rican bassist Ibo Rodriguez, and Mexican guitarist Cuevo Perez
together, they "make a savory and soulful mix" of tropical hip-hop
recommended download: "Serenata Para Ti"

→ VENEZUELA

Jóvenes y Sexys

this duo is made up of Lorena Orlando and Ezequiel Bertho
they're from Caracas
covered "Amor Platónico" by Los Tucanes de Tijuana in the 2009 film Rudo y Cursi
their music is said to be sticky sweet lo-fi pop
recommended listen: "El Reloj"

If you would like to read more on these artists, you can back order the June/July 2010 issue of Latina magazine. It's the one with Christina Aguilera on the cover in a green, strapless dress.

I hope you enjoy these new found artists!

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Conversation Piece: Don't Worry, Get Appy!

Zune Social: tromboneforhire | By: Marques Lyons | 8/25/2010 | View Comments

Yeah, I kind of took that from Zune, but I wanted to discuss the current crop of applications that have came out for the Zune HD. Frankly, is anyone even using/playing most of these things on a regular basis? I'll admit that some of these games are pretty darn cool looking (i.e. Gotham Racing, Skate) and even Animalgrams can keep me enthralled for bouts at a time, but um... I don't find myself scrambling to start up the Weather application or the Money application anymore. Sudoku is just lingering on the sidelines and don't even get me started on Shell Game... of the Future.

I know we go after Zune all of the time about their lack of applications (because seriously, who doesn't want to use their Zune HD as a flashlight or have it make awesome lightsaber sounds?). Frankly (as a side note) having a crapload of applications is fine as a number to brag about but when a high majority of them are apps I'd use once and throwaway, give me a number of quality (use everyday) applications you have and then let's talk). But that's a topic for another day.

I want to know what you guys think of the CURRENT crop of Zune HD applications. I know you have an app wishlist somewhere, but you don't have to share that right now. I want to hear which of the current batch do you find yourself using more often than not and which ones are stuck in your application hell.

Speak up, #ZuneNation!

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musicHEADsphere 1.3

Zune Social: ultimate jwing | By: Julio Angel Ortiz | 8/23/2010 | View Comments

musicHEADsphere is a weekly column by Julio Angel Ortiz; part fictional narrative, part historical memetic exercise. In short, it's an experimental piece that aims to explore the history of music through some unique viewpoints.

***

You are startled as we begin the transition; we are now sliding down- if “sliding down” were even the correct term, but in this case it will be the easiest for you to understand- a Riemann surface, down into a temporal Calabi–Yau manifold that will allow us to travel where and when we need to. If you feel that slight disorientation- ah, yes, that was it; don’t worry, it will pass quickly- it was us puncturing through some superstrings that are powering this particular manifold.

The next bit of disorientation will be your own timeline looping in on yourself like Möbius strip. I can assure you that it will only be temporary. You may experience-

***

(Flashes: a dark-skinned man with leathery skin reaching out to you. A pale stone column with an old woman leaning against it. A smokey old room with cherry wood furniture. Blood on russet earth. A man with a star bleeding from his forehead. A whisper: “Somewhere in the present you-”

Light.)

***

The ancient Neanderthals, despite their pioneering efforts in the realm music instrument construction and improvisation, lacked the sufficient cultural intelligence to manifest those intellectual pursuits into tangible form. Such innovation would have to wait thousands of years, until around 2000 B.C.E.

In the ancient Sumerian city of Nippur, life was hard, which is what tends to happen when you build a village in the middle of a marsh. In fact, Nippur was destroyed by a flood, and then rebuilt over the ruins of the previous iteration of the village. Repeatedly. This stubborn persistence eventually paid off, when a subsequent version of the city, having built over the numerous corpses of previous ones, actually survived a flood or two.

It also helped that, instead of using reeds to build their huts and other structures, the inhabitants of Nippur began using adobe-brick. We can only surmise that one fellow, tired of having his house, wife, and young children swept away by flood after flood, uttered the Sumerian equivalent of no mas (or, simply carved it in cuneiform and used it as the cornerstone of his new home) and built an experimental house out of adobe-brick. When the next flood came, and he was safe on top of his russet home while most of his neighbors had either fled or were drowning, they would look upon him and ask themselves, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Once the waters had subsided and the hapless townsfolk returned to the ruins, said Innovator made a remarkable profit in helping construct the newest building craze in Nippur. What they didn’t realize, at least initially, was that adobe-brick, being sun-baked from sand, clay, and water, eventually deteriorated (erosion had not entered the Sumerian lexicon, it would seem). As a result, homes were frequently torn down and rebuilt over their ruins, which had a the curious effect of elevating the city above the surrounding region, alleviating their flooding concerns. The original brick building Innovator, however, still needed to provide refunds for this unforeseen development.

The Sumerians, acknowledged as the earliest civilization in the world (as opposed to the free-wheeling, disorganized nature of the Neanderthals before), made a great many strides in the realms of technology, agriculture, and, most importantly, music. And in developing music, using instruments such as the harp and lyre, they also came to develop a written form of music notation using a diatonic scale. The diatonic scale is a seven note octave-repeating musical scale comprising five whole steps and two half steps for each octave. Curiously enough, it has been claimed that the ancient Divje Babe flute was tuned to a diatonic scale. The relevancy of this point cannot be understated; despite the inability for Neanderthals to write down and maintain a historical form of their music, these concepts could very well have passed on via genetic memory. In essence, from the very first moments of the Promethean discovery of music, its impact has been such on humanity that our DNA is now encoded with it, ensuring its very survival until the very last embers of civilization fade away.

***

We have arrived.

You are disoriented. Slowly, the malaise passes and you notice that the stars are few and far between. Distant shards of light, puncturing a blanket of darkness. You are scared; don’t be. The fear is a natural reaction, of course; whereas previously you had the despondent landscape and failing stars above you, subconsciously your mind was able to contextualize your place within that environment. Out here, with so few stars and only darkness threatening- again, only subconsciously - to engulf you, your instinct kicks in to fight or flight. Considering the darkness is incorporeal and you are hardly in a position for flight, given your present condition, this untenable situation causes your mind to deadlock. No need to worry; again, this is normal.

We are, after all, at the very edge of the universe.

***

Julio Angel Ortiz, when not terrorizing the Inside the Circle community, maintains a blog at http://www.signaldotnoise.com.

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Tromboneforhire’s MP3 Bonanza: Post #4

Zune Social: tromboneforhire | By: Marques Lyons | 8/21/2010 | View Comments

Let’s pump up your Zune (HD) with some more great free music from your Friends at Inside the Circle. Once again, special thanks to Ariel Publicity, for providing the MP3s and the great artists who are creating this awesome music.

Let’s GO!

See You Tonight [Kotadama]
Robot Lover [Lord T & Eloise]
The Return of Point of No Return [Nu Shooz Orchestra]
143 [Million Dollar Mouth]
You Are No Angel [Kelly Greene]
Reveal [Underwhelmed]
Joytime Bound [The Pimps of Joytime]
There’s a Fire Inside [Daydream on Autopilot]

Prior MP3 Bonanzas: [Post #1] [Post #2] [Post #3]

If you want the complete listing of MP3s we’ve made available, use our RSS feed.

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We have two upcoming #MSMVP events!

Zune Social: tromboneforhire | By: Marques Lyons | 8/19/2010 | View Comments

It was always my hope that MSMVP, would become an event that would take place yearly in every Microsoft Store across the country. Currently there are four Microsoft Stores open (with 3 more coming down the pipeline). With a successful #MSMVP that took place at the Mission Viejo store, I'm proud to announce the next two #MSMVP events that are coming up:

MSMVP: Scottsdale

Saturday, September 25, 2010
Microsoft Store (Scottsdale, AZ)
[RSVP] via Facebook

MSMVP: San Diego

Saturday, October 9, 2010
Microsoft Store (San Diego, CA)
[RSVP] via Facebook

I also want to take this moment to thank everyone: The MVPs, the community, the Microsoft stores, the members of the Microsoft staff and all those who support this project. MVPs, from what I've learned in my 2 years as a member, are a viable part of bridging the tech gap between the community and the Microsoft technologies that they use everyday. This event serves as another chance and opportunity for MVPs to give back and I'm honored and happy to see it grow like it is.

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Recap: An Evening @DelMarRacing

Zune Social: raiderette 87 | By: Alfa Santos | 8/18/2010 | View Comments

This past Saturday, August 14, I went with my mom and sister to the Del Mar Racetrack to see Matisyahu preform after the last pony ran in a circle. Thanks to Facebook and the Cool As Ever Tech event (#coolasever), I was able to get us in for free.

Once on the fairgrounds (the racetrack is in within the county fairgrounds), we head to the a restroom. It was a long ride. What do you want from me?
I was appalled that one of the wealthiest cities in the country couldn't afford toilet paper in the restroom; well over half the stalls were fresh out. Luckily, my mom and Amy have allergies. So there's always some tp around. I didn't let it ruin my sun-less day.

We try to make our way to where ever it is we're going; there doesn't seem to be anyone around to ask, so we just walk with the masses. My sister, Amy, goes to ask some woman where it is we go with our tickets. She just takes Amy's ticket, rips it, and another woman hands Amy a Del Mar Thoroughbred Club booklet with all the racing information on it. My mom and I follow Amy. Neither of the two women said a word to us. I don't even think they looked up at us, either. But we say "Thanks" anyway 'cause my momma raised us right.
Bitches.

Once past the gates, we make our way to the west end of the track, to the Seaside Cabana. I only know we're there 'cause it's gated off from the general public. The "VIP" signs help. Haha.
The guy that gave us our green VIP bracelets seems to be in a bad mood. He doesn't even greet us, just asks if we have tickets. Dude was giving off such horrid vibes that we didn't even bother asking him where the concert would be.
The festivities were well underway under the tent; bets being placed, things being raffled off, insane long lines for beer. Although around 600+ people placed an RSVP, the amount of people still actually there was closer to 100, if even that. Those that were left had a good laugh during the raffle; iPod Touch, iPads, HP merchandise, Mophie juice packs and hoodies were all going unclaimed for three or four rounds of ticket number calling.
We saw the eighth and ninth races, then decided to head to the Infield for the concert.

Before this event, I didn't know who Jimmy Cliff is. So I wasn't sure that I'd be able to wait through his set for Matisyahu. Even though Cliff wasn't who I wanted to see, I really liked his performance. For having been born in 1948, he sure does have tons of energy! For most of the songs, Cliff was highly energetic and didn't keep still while on stage. I cannot bring myself to dance to music I don't like, even if I'm drunk. However, Cliff had me jammin' to many of his songs. Amy, on the other hand, really wanted to get to what we'd gone there to see, and was feigning sleepiness before Cliff was finished his set.

Then Matisyahu took the stage at around 9pm. I wasn't able to recognize/didn't know the first few songs he did. I've seen Matisyahu before, at the 2009 Kick Gas Festival, and I noticed that he added a synthesizer/techno element to his songs. I personally don't like it. My mom didn't care for it either. But his set was amazing. The only video I shot of Matisyahu was when he started to beat-box. The beat-boxing turned into "King Without A Crown" and it was epic.

Regardless of the fact that "smoking isn't allowed during concerts", people were lighting up before, during, and after both artists were finished. Not cigars and cigarettes, either. Mota, bud, weed, blunts, skunk, pot, hash, ganja, broccoli, Mary Jane, 420, joints, grass, reefer, marijuana.. Basically every kind of cannabis was being smoked. I know this because it all smelled different. Next to where Amy and I were standing there was a bunch of, what looked like, high school aged kids. Amy says that they were smoking the biggest blunt she'd ever seen.

Since my mom decided to hang back and not be in the mess, Amy and I tried to get as close to the stage as we could. This concert was the furthest we've ever been from the stage. =-0

Once everything was said and done, people wanted to get to their cars. So everyone decided to leave at the same time. The way the fairgrounds is laid out, you have to go through an underground tunnel to get to and from the Infield. Don't ask me why, I don't know, but as soon as people got inside the tunnel, they started screaming, yelling, whistling, and just basically being loud. Both ends of the tunnel were quiet, the middle was not. I mean, it's just a tunnel. What's the big deal?

The service we received at the beginning of this little adventure was lacking. So was the bass and overall loudness of the concert. It could have been louder. I mean, I was able to hear Amy talk to me during both sets and I didn't even go partially deaf. Sub-woofer, anyone?
The only up side to a quiet concert is that you can actually understand what being sung in the videos.

I didn't take that many pictures for several reasons. One of them being that I've already seen Matisyahu perform, and two is that the lighting wasn't the greatest. But if you care to see the 10 I did take, go for it.

The overall experience was fun. My mom and Amy feel the same way.

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Paul D'Elia & SOMETHING FROM NOTHING @CellaGallery

By: Hear NoHo | 8/16/2010 | View Comments

By Jennifer Colley
Co-Producer, Hear NoHo Music Festival
Edited By Raymond L'Heureux

Saturday was a great treat. SOMETHING FROM NOTHING opened at Cella Gallery. This is a retrospective containing 100 punk gig posters by artist Paul D'Elia. www.cellagallery.com

I was running late and my anxiety was building because I knew this was going to be a special show. Getting there late I missed a free limited edition print by the one and only Paul D'Elia. Damn!! Not to worry though, there are still 100 punk gig posters on display until September the 4th. I'd like to encourage you all to check out this BLANKET of eye candy at Cella. You won't regret it.

In no time an awesome print caught my eye, "Into The Wild" #1 of 40. This is a special print, the same design was printed on a number of limited-edition t-shirts now on sale at Cella Gallery, all proceeds go to benefit the Surfrider Foundation, www.surfrider.org, @surfrider

Here is a little bit about Surfrider: This organization recognizes that the biodiversity and ecological integrity of the planet's coasts are necessary and irreplaceable. Surfrider is committed to preserving natural living and non-living diversity and ecological integrity of the coastal environment.

"Protecting ocean waves and beaches. It is one thing to value something and another entirely to act to protect that value. We're here for the simple reason that we value the coasts and we're working to protect them."
~ Jim Moriarty, Chief Executive Officer

Read his blog: http://oceanswavesbeaches.surfrider.org/

I believe with the recent oil disasters and environmental degradation threatening our coastlines and bodies of water, this organization is of vital importance. We desperately need to ask the right questions and demand truthful answers. How are the chemical dispersants going to affect the costal ecology, wildlife and HUMANS? What kind of real help are we going to receive? …if any.

Now back to the man, and his art. Paul D'Elia has been a prolific artist in the DIY Punk Movement. I found myself drooling over his work. With much diversity and wonderful abstract color schemes, you'll have a hard time grasping his intensity through my words. His work strikes me with bright, colorful, dark, ironic and playful imagery. Once you see this stuff you will urgently need more and more. He's managed to pack an enormous PUNCH with an awesomely bold style. It speaks truth to power, my language.

I broke down an hour later and bought a couple of pieces. Purchasing the second and third in my personal ever-growing art collection, one "Double Negative" is a Monoprint purchased for only $120.00 and man, is it an eye-catching piece. What a bargain. It came with a secret double surprise, discovered by my boyfriend Ray. ;)

I hope you get a chance to check out Paul D'Elia's artwork. No disappointment shall fall upon you or yours. www.screenin4achange.com

It was an extremely enjoyable experience meeting Paul, his wife Anna and their cute little Chihuahua, Exene, that tongue wagging little bitch who gets to ride in mommy's handbag like an arabian princess being chauffeured around by a gaggle of scimitar wielding servants. :P

While experimenting, Paul started screen printing in 2004. Roughly a year later he embarked on a journey constructing gig posters. Then in 2008, he dove into full on art printing. His work expresses his love of found objects, and collage. That's what seems to be the inspiration for "Into The Wild". It's not a gig poster but a mature piece of art. His process is as plain as the title of the show, "Something From Nothing". No pretentious philosophy or grandiose explanations. Each screen takes about 24 hours to produce and he says it's a ton of fun.

I remember helping my mom make an actual silkscreen back when she was an activist, going to school at UC Davis. What fun, spreading the inks with a squeegee! Hell Yeah, I could do that for a living. Paul also designs album covers and record layouts. He works full-time designing t-shirts for Quiksilver. http://blog.quiksilver.com/category/music_art/ If you know the surf and skate scene you might already be familiar with his stuff.

Quiksilver is a company that surfs, skates and boards. They are an international company, working and playing in every environment. Consequently, the Quiksilver Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to benefiting and enhancing the quality of life for communities of boardriders across the world by supporting environmental, educational, health and youth-related projects. For more information visit www.quiksilverfoundation.org

Among their varied relationships are organizations like Surfrider. Together they share convictions that our world’s oceans and coral reefs are precious and must be treasured and protected.

I had to do it. I asked if Paul would be interested in possibly designing something for Hear NoHo and he said yes. :D You just never know unless you ask… Now we need to find a mess of t-shirts and a printer... FUCK YEAH!!!!!

www.hearnoho.com | @hearnohomusic

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