Dirty Welsh Sanchez, Lee Dainton has just released his second shoe on Etnies, which you can see him posing with here.
Coming in both white and black mixed with tasteful luminous green, these are available at you local skateshop right now.
For more info you can visit etniesskate.com
14.03.08,
Brixton Academy, London.
The Mars Volta never have a support act. Tonight was no exception as it belonged wholly to the band and all who witnessed what they were about to create. The introduction of trumpeted western music (with a Latin kick) was met with a cheer from the crowd as the low white light illuminated the stage and the band took their places for the three hour journey ahead of them. Silence ensued and then, from nowhere and executed with such precision, Roulette Dares became the first song of the night.
Thriving on drawn-out instrumentals, the opener lasted around seven minutes longer than it does on record, each song flowing effortlessly into the next. The trumpets, guitars, keyboards and synths built up bone heavy beats and samba rhythms as Cedric accompanied them in voice and dance – as always, i actually thought he was close to knocking himself out. The energy and eccentricity of the Mars Volta never looks out of place.
Wax Simulacra, a release from the most recent album The Bedlam in Goliath, refreshed the set halfway through, pleasing fans that were new to these prog masters of the instrumental whim. Highlights included the Drunkship of Lanterns from 2003’s De-loused and Ouroboros from the current album which sounded epic within the acoustics of the Brixton Academy.
Despite the crowd’s adoration, after three hours even the most dedicated fans had undergone a mighty endurance test albeit spellbound with the performance. This band are indeed a rarity but if you do not like them now, you probably never will.
Leonie Milner
Ah, Foals. Time was when no-one had heard of these Oxford lads, and they were playing in underground (literally below sea-level) clubs, which flooded whenever it rained, had sewage coming up from the blokes toilets, and flies buzzing round your pint.
However, the buzz is not floating in your watered down lager, but surrounds their latest single Cassius from the debut album ‘Antidotes‘. A mix of ultra-cool haircuts, sharp guitar beeps and dancey beats, this is by far the best track on the album and is getting throughly rinsed on the old electric shitbrick.
With the NME hopping onboard the fanlist, but with brilliant music to back up the hype, Foals definitely get the thumbs up from me, as well as about a million other people with better haircuts than mine.
They’re named after an animal as well, which is a serious bonus. A baby animal at that.
Moose
So a couple weeks ago, I had a little impromptu house party; a quaint get-together, where the guests were kindly asked to bring their own particular catalyst for self-destruction, though this was primarily due to me lacking in such a department – naturally. Amongst the uninvited was Jessica Insomnia, her cousin, Eduardo Fatigue, his significant other, Felicity Unenthusiastic and of course, what kind of party would it be without the one and only Quentin Growing-Impatience.
Sebastian Routine called me up and said he couldn’t make it because he was feeling a little bit under the weather. I replied, “Whilst the weather is firmly beneath me, I have no idea what you’re talking about, there is no party here.” I was of course, mistaken. Accidents happen, and by this time whisky was spilt where the sun never bloody shines and I was busy trying to avoid Wendy Malnourishment, who I had a fling with once.
I should mention that not all impromptu accidents result in a metaphor heavy hoopla involving personified negativity. Take Crystal Castles superb debut single from 2005 ‘Alice Practice‘, as a perfect example; pure mayhem, shrieks and glitches, all confined tightly in angst fuelled euphoria thanks to the pressing of a record button by a multi-instrumentalist genius. After three years of yearning, and one appearance on that programme that instantly makes you cool, their mind bending, self titled debut is ready to take on our unprepared ears.
This is a more than just a step forward; this is sheer unadulterated bliss. A gorgeous soundtrack of the electronic apocalypse Drop any track off this monstrous LP, and any uninvited Chris Waddle will leave in a plethora of tears. Then you, Sally Sexual, Alice Wonderland, Stephen Shakedown, Zachary Boogie and Stephanie Feel-Good can boogie, wiggle and shake until the world as we know it, exists no more.
Up in the Buzz Chart player, is the incredible ‘Untrust Us‘, which takes that eerie sample used on Death From Above 1979’s ‘Dead Womb‘, puts in through a shredder and then unleashes it into freedom. Mmmmm… great.
Joe Moynihan
Birdhouse have launched a really creative competition for the budding video editors out there, with prizes of a years supply of Birdhouse decks.
All you have to do is download the video clips from the The Beginning, and re-edit it into a 60second video in any way you like. Full details and the clips can be found at www.birdhouseskateboards.com/videocontest where all the info on where to upload your footage can be found. Get involved and win some top notch prizes!
Yet another reason to visit Corby skatepark is SS20‘s birthday celebrations on April 4th, with a skateboard-only jam and party coach trip for their 20th year as Oxford’s finest skate owned shop.
The night runs from 8pm til late, with a coach going from the shop. This is guestlist and invite only, so don’t turn up at the park without getting in touch with Zac well before to book your place.
Give him a shout on Zac@ss20.com and donate your £2 to get in on the action. All proceeds go towards saving and renovating the Oxford Wheels Project.
Kid Koala
The Roundhouse
13.03.08
If Kid Koala were an expression, he’d be a smile. A big, beaming, toothy smile. The Ninja Tune turntablist gives off an aura of infinite bliss whenever he is behind his decks and as he shuffled behind them to open the night, the feel good vibes resonated around the brilliant Roundhouse venue.
Mixing up funk and hip hop, the Canadian brought the crowds streaming in before knocking them down with his ever trusty and always impressive Moon River routine. Juggling, scratching and mixing seemed as easy as blinking and when he topped it off with an interlude about koalas and their wives, every single person in the house was grinning as much as he was.
Then came the main event. 2 DJs. 8 decks. Numerous guitar pedals and an even larger number of 7 inches. DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist moved out of the darkness and introduced the evening’s ideas via a helpful guide on the screens, explaining there would be no computers involved, they were simply using the much vaunted 45.
The two hour set got underway with a huge blast of noise from the crowd who were then entertained with music from the likes of Aaliyah, The Pharcyde, Digable Planets [which was followed, amazingly, by The Whisper Song by the Ying Yang Twins] and the like. Mixing up Stairway To Heaven with the vocals from Gilligan’s Island was another prime example of the fun the two DJs were having as they crossed over from the UK to the US and back again.
Dizzee Rascal was soon followed by the Foo Fighters and Blur with a casual break where the DJs sat on a patio table at the front of the stage, sipping drinks and reading newspapers before rejoining their equipment. The finale saw them don portable turntables, ask the crowd who liked metal and proceeded to scratch a solo over an early Metallica tune with the record strapped to their chest.
One looped interlude continued to ask “If you were a domestic appliance, what would you be?” with the answer coming back from the sample as “A plug. Definitely a plug”. And on the form these two giants were on, let’s hope that plug would never be pulled out.
Abjekt
Photos by Ian Hsieh
Bonde Do Role have announced their two new members.
Laura Taylor and Ana Bernardino will share vocal duties after the depature of the incomparible Marina last year. The core members, Pedro and Gorky auditioned prospective members through reality TV on MTV Brazil with the wannabes having to live in Gorky’s garage, perform at karaoke and, you guessed it, mud wrestle.
Check out the new members here:
Episode 4 of Atmosphere‘s Paint It Gold Q&A sessions has just gone live. What are Ant and Slug’s most embarrassing moments on stage? Find out below!
Tilly And The Wall have announced the release of their third album, but have revealed it will not have a title.
The record was written in Omaha and will be released on June 17th and there will be limited edition runs of handmade prints available that will act as the cover. The tracklisting is:
‘Tall Tall Grass’
‘Pot Kettle Black’
‘Cacophony’
‘I Found You’
‘Jumbler’
‘Chandelier Lake’
‘Dust Me Off’
‘Falling Without Knowing’
‘Blood Flowers’
‘Poor Man’s Ice Cream’
‘Too Excited’