One More Day w/ Lloyd (WMC Edition)

Starting off with an extendo-mission to get my man's station up and running w/ a live broadcast from Bar/PS14, I'll let Lloyd tell the rest via his Twitter:

[You gotta kinda read this from the bottom up to get it chronologically.]

Follow him.

And a big fail stamp on the heads who not only didn't look out for us at Diddy's soiree, but put the block up. Ya'll were on that luke-warm pee-in-a-pool shit!

Organized Konfusion - Prisoners of War

WMC Wrap It Up.

Not much to say except it was relatively a bore. A lot of DJ's playing the same exact songs, the return of ravers (candy or otherwise), the thin line between the horrible house I hate that Tiesto plays and the generic sound that is all too common right now that not only sounds like womp womp, but in 2 years, will make me think of the trumpet sound in old 40's comedy movies, when things just didn't work out.

The upside to it all was that I got to see some people I don't get to see too often and had a nice time with them, even got to know some people a bit more. It was also nice to see some people incorporating an art show into a music event, and even more so one that I actually like. It was also nice to see some people take initiative, show some spontaneity and bum rush events, perform one song, and confuse the hell out of alot of people, as those crazy German friends of mine, Klaus & Ulrich, did. No one was really ready for that to happen.

Anyway, here's a parting gift, laughs courtesy of our friend DJ Huggs who, after getting back to the house around 9am, found the door locked so he decided to get cozy with our friends, the staircase. outside. In the sun. outside. Until about 1pm. mmmm. sweet staircase.

DJ Huggs Loves 'Ye

Today Mr. Montreal (but now faking the funk living in LA) put me up on, of all places, Kanye West's blog, where he's just posted up the individual parts to his latest voo-oo-occ-ood-eded-ed-d chune, Love Lockdown.  

Get them stems here; then go ahead and spend some time working out a remix.  Then put it up on your MySpace/Facebook.  Then blast it out to all your friends and internet acquaintances.  Then wait for erryone to lurvv it.  

Go Kanye!  Get bizzy!(?)  Let someone else make that song good for ya!  Oowa oowa!

It's finally over!

Last time I was in Canada was w/ M.I.A. -- but we really didn't get much of a chance to 'experience' the cities we played in.  It was pretty much: Sleep in bus, wake up at venue > Sound-check > Eat quickly > Perform > Sleep in bus > Repeat.  

This time around, w/ Huggs, I had a completely different viewpoint.  

Things I learned in Canada:

1) They drink a lot.  

Miamians tend to restrict themselves to nightly hours unless you've got a bbq or WMC in town.  In Canada any hour is fair game.  People even plan out their daily schedules accordingly: 

"Mimosa for breakfast, then I'll get drunk for lunch, take a nap, maybe finish that report, and then go to the club/bar to get wasted."  

2) Drinks are super-expensive.

If you ever find yourself about to complain about the price of a drink, just picture a freezing-cold Canadian, all wrapped up in a parka, dropping almost twice as much dough on that same drink.  And yes, the exchange rate is pretty much equal.   

I bought an 18 pack for this hostel/hotel place I was staying at; it cost ~$48!!!  Yeah, I can't believe I bought it either.  Depending on where you are in Canada, you could be paying 3-5 different taxes for that sweet nectar of the Gods. 

3) Canadian hipsters are:

a) 3-10 years younger than those in Miami.  

This may have something to do w/ the fact that the legal drinking age is 18 or 19 (depending on where you are).

b) Way more open to whatever music you're playing.

During the course of the tour I found that I could play anything from Creedence to Blaqstarr to Justus Köhncke and the crowd would respond equally well.  'Responding well' is code for shirts off, hands in the air, jumping/dancing on the stage insanity.  

At the Ottawa show in particular, I was completely impressed with the party!  500 thumbs up to the Jokers of the Scene boys who were throwing it!  Super-evident that they have put in work (~5-6 years) in crafting such a refreshing party.  Granted most of the music can be found on the innrnet, but 85% of it i've never heard played out -- especially not in Miami!   

That said, most of the clubs/parties were heavily focused on hard and new dance (read: internet) music.  They were also not particularly into 'extended' mixing.  By 'extended' I mean, keep the song under 2 minutes, and don't bother running a mix longer than 8 bars.   

c) Into partying and not just 'being there'.

Maybe its just my jaded outlook, or maybe its that they're a bit younger, or maybe its the truth, either way Canadians love having fun.  Using just my fingers, I could count how many people, throughout the duration of the trip, came to the club to stand in the corner(takes one to know one).  Even when you've got a half-full club, everyone is either dancing or arm-thrusting. 

4) People from Quebec can find something bad to say about the USA no matter what the topic.  

Hey, funny guy, i heard you the first time; now, let's not get you hurt.  

5) When someone tells you its 'sweatshirt weather', bring a coat.

6) Bubble tea is set to sweep the nation.  

I had never heard/had this concoction before this trip.  Not that amazing, but I found places serving it everywhere we went.    

7) DJ Sega has the best work-ethic ever.

This kid cranks out tracks everywhere he goes; constantly working.  Not the most depth ever, but who needs depth when you're dropping dance-floor bombs every 1.5 minutes?

8) Facebook rules Canada.

That said; here are some random tracks you need in your life.

MGMT - Electric Feel

I heard good things about this band for a minute.  My connect for all things emo/hipster/indie-dance sent me this a while ago.  Into it.

During the last couple days of the tour my k'd version of Aibltun decided to catch me; and now prevents me from reopening earlier projects.  So here's something that's still playable, but not what I wanted as a finished project.  

Quality control?!  Never heard of it.

Take a listen for yourself.

Genesis - That's All (Contra Unfinished Remix)

Divshare is acting up, so I'll upload more later.

Calling Any Canadians

Go here:


and then here:


I (*read: Huggs) will buy you a drink if you say you saw this blog.

random newishfunkish:

Context - If I Had A Band


B.D.M. - No Rest For The Wicked

Frank Popp Ensemble - Hip Teens (Don't Wear Blue Jeans)

In Canada

Took the Amtrak from NYC straight after rocking at Sway.  

In comparison to Greyhound - or even planes - u can't front on the train.  

Modestly priced ($61).  Lots of room for my long legs.  Not crowded w/ people all up in your grill.  The only downside is the length of time (12hrs); but sleep, pirated movies, and a bar/food train-car pretty much makes it a comfortable journey; that, and the oh-so-not-Miami scenery:

So, we left around 8am, and after 3 hours of watching over our gear as Huggs passed out face down (*imagine the photo I forgot to take here) in the middle of Penn Station, I fell asleep on the train till about 5pm.

As we approached the US/Canadian border, all of the stories Huggs has told me about dj's getting caught trying to sneak across the border w/o work visas flashed on repeat in my head. Sure enough, T-minus 5 minutes til the border, Huggs casually walks to my seat and quietly asks: 

"So, what are you doing in Canada?  Wedding?  Funeral?  What?"

In retrospect, I probably picked the worst of those options as a cover-story; but congratulations go out to Jake Jefferson, you're getting married this Saturday in Montreal!  

James Bond I am not.

Anyways, after the border guards did a 2-minute interview asking totally pertinent questions that I mumbled and stumbled my way through, ("Why did you buy your train ticket so last minute if you knew about the wedding?  Why don't you have a return ticket?  Did you not bring any gifts for the bride/groom?), they kept my passport and went on to interview others.  

After the border guard had moved a distance down the aisle, Huggs whispers: 

"Did they keep your passport?"

"Yup."

"Hmmm . . . ", he responds, with one of those 'That's not a good look' faces.

Luckily for me, there were 4 other passengers on the train with worse border-crossing techniques than I.  

1. Mariah Carey look-a-like w/ out-of-this-world fake padded butt.

"Where are you going in Canada?"

"To see a guy I met on the Internet," she responds as she continues to chew on her bagel.

"What are you doing?!  Please stop eating.  Now, where does this guy live?" 

"I don't know, he said he lives 7 blocks away from the train station," she again replies mid-chew in a disdainful voice.

"Ok.  You need to put down your food now, grab your bags, and come with us."

2. Dude w/ a knife.

I didn't really catch this whole interaction -- I was pretty focused on preparing for my next interrogation which was sure to happen.  But at some point he starts yelling about how the border guards were embarassing him and that: "Canada fucking sucks, France too!"

They start a search of his bag, and pull out a knife . . . 

Ooof.  

That was all she wrote for that guy.

3 & 4.  Didn't see them, but Huggs made sure to make a point of telling me as I was trying to memorize solid replies for my wedding cover-story.  

To shorten this up, I get my passport back w/ no further questions.  4 other suckers got kicked off the train.  Played the Peer Pressure party last night w/ Sixtoo, and now I'm in a web cafe in Montreal~!

 Apparently it's 'sweatshirt' weather for Canadians, but i'm pulling the 5-layer look.

Madonna - Borderline (320kbps)

Lone Catalysts ft. Talib Kweli - Due Process

Winter Music Conference - SUNDAY

One More Day Family Reunion (vol. 17) is going down during Conference.  

Of course, after most WMC-attendees begin to call it a wrap(also known as wet blankets), its only natural OMD throws a party .  Expect any of our family thats in town to drop by.  I know its A-Trak's b-day that night.  It's also Craze's last night in Miami for a long while so I know he's coming through.  I probably shouldn't really blow up everyone else's schedule; but expect some very special guests!!!  

Written up in the latest Flavorpill.

Party's gon be @ Purdy Lounge, and its FREE!!!!!  

[*Note: For WMC badge holders it's $20 and -2 guestlist(you and 2 friends leave)].  

$2.50/beer.  You can try to beat it, but you'll fail.

  

For those not from Miami - this is the best weekly party in Miami, hands-down!  Infuse that with a roster of invite-only OMD DJ's/Artists/Family, and you've got a Nick Nolte vs. Gary Busey Stare-Down right before a Kurt Russell vs. Patrick Swayze Hair Shakedown!!(yes, THAT awesome).

There are also rumors of a national cash-prize arm-wrestling contest goin down.  More details TBA.

Steaming Disco Tune
Larry Wood - Pumping Iron (Dim's Edit)


Still playing down here:
DJ Khaled & 305 - Bitch I'm From Dade County

Playing during WMC:

Laidback Luke - Krispy Belly

After WMC, eh?

Going around playing tunes with Huggs starting March 31st -- mostly in Canada. Looking forward to see if its really jumping off as everyone tells me --- that, and the cold.

Starting off in NYC at homegirl Roxy's party.



Justice - DVNO (CD Rip wit dem Remixes)

RapidShare MegaUpload