Until a few weeks ago First Avenue had a very long running weekend dance night called Danceteria. Two of the resident DJ's for the night were PD and Roy Freedom, both masters at mixing different styles of dance and rock music together. When I was blessed to work at the club their love of music was both an inspiration and an education. Roy will be our guest next week and he still DJ's at some gigs at the club, like the upcoming Ladytron show. PD has a new gig in the works that I'll update you on when it happens.
Here's the set list;
Suzanne Vega vs 50 Cent "toms diner"
Panjabi MC "jogi"
Basement Jaxx "rendezvous"
Royksopp "so easy (derrick carter remix)"
Nuyorican Soul vs Gusto "runaway disco"
D-Shake "yaaah!"
Franz Ferdinand "take me out (daft punk remix)"
Blur "song 2"

MN Rollergirls Last Bout of the Season!
Saturday April 14th
Roy Wilkins Auditorium, St. Paul
Doors 6:30pm/Bout 7:30pm
Half-time entertainment by Safety Last

There's a pre bout BBQ from 5-7pm in Rice Park. Post bout party at Station 4 here in St. Paul. And yes, it's actually at Station 4, I'm not lying this time.

If you've never seen the MN Rollergirls in action, this is your last chance until next season. I'll be there along with The Current. You can celebrate the fact that this year you can put off your taxes until Monday. Not that anyone reading this did...

Have a "Good" Friday! (Thanks Wheat, ha!).

Biggest Tuesday night for a long time, with a ton of tunes that we've been playing making to the bricks and mortar;
Built to Spill; Black Angels; Beat Pharmacy; Calexico; Crystal Skulls; Eagles of Death Metal; Gotan Project; Lambchop; Mono; Pretty Girls Make Graves; Tom Ze; Wire re-issuing the first three albums AND the biggest reissue of the year so far IMHO...
Brian Eno & David Byrne's "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts".
A couple of extra tracks and a nice booklet about the making of this seminal album which would be in my top 5 of all time. It's ambient before we called it that and uses samples in a way that was revolutionary back in 1980 when it was originallt released.

Seems as though Coachella is right around the corner. Probably because it is! I'm getting more and more pumped everyday. Assistant Music Director Melanie Walker and I are traveling out to California for the festival at the end of this month. There are so many bands I want to see, but there just won't be enough time in the day. Plus the fact that I would have to be in two places at once. Check out the lineup and see what I mean. Either way, I know we're going to have a blast.

http://www.coachella.com

On a lame note I'm depressed because I HAVE to get new brakes. I've put it off and now I'm regretting it. I swear the gods of the savings account know exactly when to act up. "Hey Jill, new brakes won't be that bad." Of course not, but the fact that I can now hear how damaged the rotors are as well... ya, that hurts. Ouch. Moral of the story: Don't put off car maintenance. What starts as an easy fix can turn into a pocket drainer.

But- how can I be blue with this gorgeous weather lately?

The Nudie Suit, that is.

Bobbie Nudie passed away a couple days ago. She was the widow of Nudie Cohn, the guy who created the "Nudie Suit," a style of flamboyant clothes made popular by country western stars like Hank Williams and Porter Wagoner, as well as Gram Parsons. You just know them when you see them. Check out the offical Nudie site, and the Wikipedia entry for more background.

Long live the Nudie Suit!

Jay Ungar and Molly Mason were featured in a studio interview today. They are excellent musicians and wonderful people who have been through quite a trial the last few years. Molly had a hard-to-reach brain tumor that was successfully removed – 100%! She’s got a titanium plate in her head and a fresh appreciation for the fragility of life. It was amazing to listen and watch as she played guitar and piano for us in the studio, knowing a surgical team had to find a way through that mysterious place where the music lives to get the tumor and then get out without hurting anything. Incredible!

Straight out of Brooklyn NY, Olive is responsible for creating 'roof music' a genre of dubby dance tunes that have an urban edge, his solo debut cd from 03 is callled 'Bodega'. But he loves using vocal samples from the south seas, so live in Australia is an interesting way to hear his unique mix. This set is taken from the new cd "Heaps As; Live in Tasmania" all originals mixed live and layered so beautifully that you never notice the join!

Here's the titles;
all'a'ya'alls
budgie smuggler's cove
dancing with poxy stingers
follow me I'll be right behind you
they make us all want to hate each other don't do it!
at least some knots get untangled
snail trails in my arms
(Has a way with title doesn't he?!)
Here's his record label;
www.theagriculture.com
or
http://www.ableton.com/index/artists/dj-olive
where there's a great interview with him.

I'm so glad it's Friday.

I'm thinking about seeing the movie The Benchwarmers tonight. It's got Jon Heder in it (aka Napolean Dynamite). Looks like my kind of humor. And thankfully I have a sense of humor. Not that she doesn't have a sense of humor, but I'm sure the Movie Maven would be disappointed with my choices in movies.

I keep meeting people around here who have never seen License to Drive. Are you kidding me? The dynamic Corey Haim/Cory Feldman duo!
"An innocent girl, a harmless driver. What could possibly go wrong?"

Movie quotes are my specialty. I should have included that in my resume'.

This is what I did today...

I met Mates of State. I met Ben Harper. I met Maria Taylor.

Sweet.

All of you have been very delicate and well mannered, not to be asking me how the exercise regime is going?! Remember my New Years Ressie? Well I am actually enjoying the twice a week stretch and run, an hour on the machines in the gym, something I have never done before. Now I feel ready to get on the REAL bike and perhaps play a little footie!? I think the trick is not to try too much too soon and build a little each week...see, now i'm an expert!

Our Morning Show “idea man” Spin Williams offered us a chance to invest in a spectacular disaster movie today – The Day The Earth Really Stood Still!
The scenario goes like this: A mysterious force called “Global Drag” causes the Earth to literally stand still, turning it into a planet where one side is perpetually lit, and one side is always totally dark.
Spin says: “It’s got billions of characters all facing a moral dilemma, looking deep down into their souls, asking themselves “who am I?” really? And then it’s got a wacky “road movie” travel component, as all these people try to get to the side of the planet where they think they belong, the ‘light’ side or the ‘dark’ side.”
His real purpose in calling was to sell the idea of a Minnesota investment in the film so our region would get favorable “positioning” when the world stops spinning, but my concern is about the ultimate resolution of the story, getting the world turning again.
Spin was a bit vague, saying it involved giant redwoods and leverage, but I don’t think he’s got the whole process figured out.
Any ideas?

Big night for stuff that we have been playing reaching the old fashioned distribution centers known as shops...
Flaming Lips
The Concretes
Massive Attack ( a best of with one new song)
Soul Position (Blueprint & RJD2)
Lila Downs
Rainer Maria
Gecko Turner

Next Tuesday Eagles of Death Metal/Strokes or Etta James?
I'm thinking Etta.

Another great Sunday for snuggling down with the DVD player!
Me and the missus caught the 'documentary' about Rodney Bingenheimer,
one of the most famous DJ's in the country who has been on KROQ in LA for over 20 years. It is cool seeing Liam from Oasis and Bowie with a mohawk as they add to the legend. But the best bits are his family, which is a little messed up to put it mildly, and his close friend Kim Fowley who is very very messed up!??!

A new video for "I Can't Live Without My Radio" (complete with explanatory note from the band) is on their website.

Rainy Sundays used to be my favorite. I used to spend them wrapped up in a blanket on my recliner. Only thing is now I enjoy rainy Mondays. While all you folks are at work on the dreaded Monday, I'm sleeping in and catching up on talk shows.

I'm liking the new Flaming Lips album At War With the Mystics. And yes, I now fully love the new Mates of State. It just took me a little while. Anyone going to the Mates of State show on Wednesday night?