Sail on Down the Line: Peter the "Not So Great" Sculpture May Be Searching For Another Port To Call Home

Zurab Tsereteli's sculpture of Peter the Great in Moscow

Duvet is curious to know what your opinion is of this statue of Peter the Great near Russia's Kremlin? The 322 foot, copper, stainless steel, and bronze sculpture by Zurab Tsereteli has the great Russian ruler on a island both literally and in terms of public opinion. Many are saying, "Ship him out!" I say it's kind of cool looking and should find safe harbor somewhere on the Vegas strip in front of a Soviet themed resort/hotel.  This is not the first time Tsereteli has drawn criticism for his work, which has be described as, "pompous and out of proportion".  We think Peter has never looked, well, GREATER!  maybe they can motorize the statue and offer rides along the Moskva River.  Or, will the time-honored tradition of banishing the statue to Siberia win the day?  Click on the title above to read more about the controversy.

If You Only Saw One Act At Treasure Island This Weekend...It Should Have Been Die Antwoord

Strike a MUTHAFUCKIN pose!

South Africa's Die Antwoord made their US debut at this year's Coachella Festival and was by all accounts a polarizing and eye-opening experience.  Several months later the Hip-Hop trio were causing jaws to drop at the Treasure Island Music Festival on Saturday.  It's hard to know how seriously to take Die Antwoord but judging by their performance I would say VERY seriously.  Band leader Nija definitely has the flow of Eminem and the conviction of N.W.A.  His rhymes are as outrageous as they are confusing.  His foil, Cape Town's version of a "hood rat", is the pre-pubescent looking Yo-Landi Vi$$er.  She matches Nija's moxy spitting verses with a tone that can only be described as child-like.

Yo-Landi Vi$$er in action...

 Her performance in a half-shirt and gold lames skin-tight pants was downright NASTY!  It was so disturbing to my buddy that he felt guilty watching it and I suggested maybe a shower was in order when he got home.  The beats are supplied by DJ Hi-Tek and are as inventive as any DJ's in the game.  The strike a balance between minimal and otherworldly.  The South African "culture" the proudly boast presenting was certainly not the one FIFA wanted highlighted in this year's World Cup.  It will be interesting to see if Die Antwoord has staying power or if they will be relegated to a curious side-show on the 2010 music landscape.  Below are some vids to give you a better idea of what all the fuss is about.  

They Be Jammin: Parisian Trio Jamaica Kick Out the Sub-Zero Jams at the Treasure Island Music Festival!!

Parisian Trio Jamaica play island music...photo by Robert Celli

When one hears the word Jamaica it is easy to imagine being transported to an island paradise.    A place where tin-roofed shantytowns keep a quarantined watch on the pampered tourists below enclosed in their Club Med encampments.  One thinks of Bob Marley, bobsledding, Red Stripe, ganja, and escargot?  You may have to readjust your definition of Jamaica to include a trio of Parisians.  Jamaica, the band, made their San Francisco debut this past Saturday at the Treasure Island Music Festival.  Hailing from Paris, France, with a debut record No Problem due out sometime in the near future stateside, the three-piece tore through a tight forty-five minute set.  Their music has hints of fellow countrymen Phoenix in it's pop-meets-dance sensibility, but owes as much to the French electronic music duo Justice in its hard-hitting bite.  In fact Justice's Xavier de Rosnay helped co-produce their album.  Jamaica's songs are at once nervy and polished, with plenty of muscle delivered by the syncopated playing of rhythm section Florent Lyonnet (bass) and David Aknin (drums).  The piece de resistance for me is vocalist/guitarist Antoine Hilaire.  His easy vocal delivery is contrasted perfectly with angular riffs and some downright HEAVY guitar squalls.

Live the band has an easy charm with plenty of confidence in its material.  There was a formidable French contingent in attendance and everyone, band included, dealt with the arctic conditions as the wind whipped off the Bay, by bouncing in place.  It was also the first time since a U2 video that I saw a drummer play in a parka.  I look for this trio to be popping up at festivals all over the world next year.  Jamaica are also known to do DJ gigs in addition to the more traditional RAWK set-up.  Their single "I Think I Like U 2" is a sure bet for many remixes in the coming months.  Below is some video I took with my trusty FlipCam.  I apologize for the shaky parts but shivering will do that.

Some Photographic Booty From The Treasure Island Music Festival

In anticipation of Miike Snow...photo by Robert Celli

Ferris Wheels are now obligatory at music festivals apparently...photo by Halli Forster-Celli

Not a mythical gnome but rather Little Dragon singer Yukimi Nagano putting a spell on the  gathering...photo by Halli Forster-Celli

Jamaica's Antoine Hilaire breathes in the cold, bay air...photo by Robert Celli 

Sun sets on the huddled masses...photo by Robert Celli

Trip on this!...photo by Halli Forster-Celli

If only the weather was worthy of palm trees...photo by Robert Celli

Monday's Breakfast Special: The Fresh & Onlys "Waterfall"

"Waterfall" is the first video from SF's the Fresh & Only's new release Play It Strange on In the Red Records.  They are hitting the road and should return home conquering heros in late November!  The album is garnering great reviews and it seems this latest release puts the "PRO" in prolific, as the band used the Fucking Champs Tim Green as producer (breaking with the low-fi, home recording tradition  of previous releases).  Bath in it my Duvidians!

Caitlin Rose Does New York?

One of the highlights of this past weekend's ACL Festival was Caitlin Rose's set, at the seemingly impossible hour of 11:15am...Yea, thanks again whiskey!  This Nashville based singer-songwriter is a GREAT talent and should be on the tip of your pierced West-Coast tongues!  Her songs ache and swell, fueled by a heart-felt conviction and wisdom that belies her youth.  She was joined on stage by the Mountain Goats John Darnielle, who is an unabashed fan,  to sing "Shanghai Cigarettes" from her new record Own Side Now currently out only in Europe, with a US release pending.  That song can be found on her MySpace page along with the song below, "New York", that I shot with my trusty FlipCam.

Texas TV: ACL for the Masses...

Is there anything prettier than a Gold Top Les Paul shimmering in the sun?...photo by Robert Celli

The stars are bright...deep in the heart of Texas!...photo by Robert Celli

Miike Snow...photo by Robert Celli

LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy preaching to the converted...photo by Robert Celli

Silversun Pickups...photo by Robert Celli

Miike Snow in midday heat...photo by Robert Celli

Lissie basking in the sun...photo by Robert Celli

Silversun Pickups leader Brian Aubert...photo by Robert Celli

Today in Pictures...Who's Your Jesus? or Isn't He Pretty in Pink?

HOTT!! (yea, with two T's): Sleigh Bells video for "Infinity Guitars"

Sleigh Bells singer Alexis Krauss performing at this year's Coachella Festival; photo by Robert L. Celli Jr.

Singer Alexis Krauss marching down the street in a Catholic school girl uniform, clutching a baseball bat and guitarist Derek E. Miller RAWKING a black Jackson axe by her side...HOTT!

Be In This Woman's Dreams...Click on Link to Learn More!

Singer/Songwriter and Actress Alicia Witt sits down with us to discuss music, songwriting, the darker side of Paul Simon, and so much more!

"It's always been my dream to play my songs in front of people."

HOPE YOU LIKE SWEETS? Click Here For EAR CANDY! Jason's Interview with Alicia Witt...See Below For Eye AND Ear Candy!

"I think McDonald’s is funny in a certain way that Arby’s is not.": The Tao of Tao Lin

Tao Lin just might be the prototype for a new breed of writer.  The 27-year-old Brooklyn based novelist/poet/publisher/blogger/artist/musician/brand belongs as much to the Internet, as the generation of writers tethered to the paperback that preceded him.  He is surprisingly accessible I found out, after reaching out to him via his blog.  His meme obsessed parlance and quantifiable world view can confound and dazzle readers.  Below is my unedited interview with Lin from two years ago.  His current novel "Richard Yates" is out now!

So, I guess my first question would be have you always been conscious of the value of social networking and the power of blogs as a way to distribute your work?

I feel like someone who drives a car to deliver pizzas in a suburban area, like if someone asked them, “Have you always been conscious of using a car to deliver pizzas?” It seems like the default method, so I do not feel it has any added “power” or “advantage.” Rather if you took away the pizza delivery person’s car they would feel incapacitated or something.

Was this something that was stressed when you were studying writing/journalism at NYU?

I don’t remember being taught about distribution or promotion.

How has having your blog brought attention to your work?

When my first book came out I maybe had 200-300 unique visitors a day, from having the blog for maybe 2 years already, and an amount of those people probably bought my book. My blog also brings attention to my work because the top of my blog has my name and my oeuvre and links to my Wikipedia page.

You seem to be really involved in various social networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), how do you view these sites and what purpose do you see them fulfilling with regards to bringing people to your work, if at all?

I view Twitter as a place where I can post things I would normally put in poems or maybe text message specific people. I plan to use things I have twittered in future poems. I work hard on my twitter updates. If I post an update on twitter and it seems out of character in a not-exciting way I will feel bad and delete it. I also view Twitter as a place where I can easily read what people are doing in order to relieve certain feelings and to feel more motivated to do things by reading funny things. I view Facebook as a place to start groups, feel clean and professional to some degree, post links to certain of my blog posts in my “status” area, look at people’s pictures, and write on certain people’s walls to arrange social things. I view MySpace as a place to look at people’s pictures and listen to music. I prefer not going to MySpace, it feels “dirty” to me. In terms of bringing people to my work I sometimes feel that all those sites are valuable. I try to control my internet persona to some degree. Overall I currently feel that I am not successful at controlling my internet persona, but that maybe in not being able to control it, and releasing conflicting information and tones about my existence, I will be viewed as more of a “round” character, a real human being, with multiple emotions, which will maybe cause certain people to buy my books. I almost never feel that I confidently know the long-term effects of what I am doing. But I am almost always thinking about the long-term effects.

I noticed your blog post from 2/04 "Do I Need To Blog", where you were expressing some anxiety over whether you could keep the blog going.  I think that is a shared anxiety among a lot of folks operating in the "blogosphere".  I would love if you could elaborate on that a bit more?

Sometimes I feel like my blog is repeating itself in a way that makes me feel bad, like I am building a new Arby’s location, like I am spending time building something that already exists and already doesn’t excite me. It is the same feeling I get if I am working on a book and I see that many of the sentences are really boring, even in context. However sometimes I feel like my blog is repeating itself in a way that makes me feel okay (if I do it with an amount of control over the tone and level of self-awareness), like I am expanding on a single thing that already exists, for example building a really giant McDonald’s. In conclusion sometimes I feel like I’m building a really giant McDonald’s whereas sometimes I feel like I am building a lot of different Arby’s locations. I prefer the first feeling most of the time in terms of my blog. I think McDonald’s is funny in a certain way that Arby’s is not.

With all these different avenues for publishing thoughts, musings, and writing, do you feel overwhelmed to have to be constantly updating, responding, defending, etc.?

I don’t feel overwhelmed. I have many emails but no real job. If I worked as hard as an Olympic ballet dancer or someone with two jobs in construction or something, like 360 days a year, I could do like three or four times as much as I do now probably. I feel no pressure to defend myself or anything like that. I feel like I honestly don’t believe I am more viable as a person than anyone else, even murderers and things like that, and so do not defend myself. “My worldview is existential, after all.” I don’t really feel pressure to update my blog. I do feel pressure but it’s like a sarcastic pressure. I can process that my brain is thinking, “Update your blog, hits are decreasing,” but it just seems funny instead of urgent or even “real.”

What is the idea and rationale behind the "promotional posts" for you novel "Shoplifting from American Apparel"? 

The idea is that if I make a lot of promotional posts, like 100 promotional posts, I’ll maybe feel like I’ve done something funny and also effective. People who read each promotional post can click a link to the previous promotional post, causing them to read many promotional posts by “idly” clicking links post-to-post because they don’t know what else to do. The more time that people spend reading about the book the more they will feel inclined to buy it when they are inside a bookstore and do not know what to buy. Maybe 95% of the time when I am in a bookstore I have “completely no idea” what to buy. During times like that just knowing what exists, what I already have a context for, is probably influential in what I buy.

Could you talk a little bit about the inspiration for this book? 

I was caught shoplifting from American Apparel in 2006 or 2007. I wrote around 800 words about it and emailed it to a friend for purposes of relating what happened. Then Vice Magazine solicited me for their fiction issue and I emailed them an excerpt from my second novel, Richard Yates (Melville House, 2010), which they rejected. Then I emailed them a longer version of what I emailed my friend, about being caught shoplifting from American Apparel, and they accepted it and published in their fiction issue. Then my publisher suggested making it into a novella. I denied the idea for 4-10 months because I felt I could not do it successfully in terms of artistic concerns. Then at some point I felt I could do it successfully in terms of artistic concerns and that I really wanted to do it. Then I did that. The novella is around 18,000 words and features 2x shoplifting arrest, 5x vague relationship.

You had a recent post on your blog where you were recruiting interns; I loved reading that how did that play out?  Did you get many "applicants"?

I got 3-15 applicants. I don’t remember what happened. One person sent a long email then never responded to my reply email I think. Previous to the blog post you referenced I have had maybe 10-40 interns of various levels of commitment ranging from “extremely vague” to “they do things when I tell them to do things but I feel bad doing that and so never tell them to do things unless I also offer them some kind of compensation.”

It seems that you have an almost "Warholian" approach to your writing, art, image, was he an inspiration?

I had little or no knowledge of Andy Warhol before various people mentioned him in a context involving me. Today I have read maybe half of his book, from A to B; been to an exhibit of his life and art in Taiwan’s beautiful [some museum place]; read portions of his Wikipedia page maybe 3-10 times; and viewed him on YouTube in commercials for Japanese things I think.

Do you see-as many articles forecast- the death of "traditional" publisher/writer relationships?  I guess what I'm asking is, do writers still need big publishing houses in the same way as twenty years ago?

I feel that things are not changing in that there always seems to be steady change, like I am inside a large boat which is moving, but because I am inside the boat most of the time I just think that I am on land, or something. I feel that feature articles probably are one of the least accurate things in terms of what is factually happening due to college students being taught repeatedly to write about “newsworthy” things, most newspapers and magazines existences being based on increasing circulation, and people wanting to relieve boredom or feel excited, which can be done by dramatizing their “era” or “their week.” But I feel that statistically there must exist moments in history where things actually are changing more than other moments in history, with “history” being a certain context. But I feel no interest in those things currently, I think. In terms of writers and publishing houses I feel that from a certain perspective, from which I currently view things, no one “needs” other certain things like publishing houses. I have no perspective on twenty years ago vs. now. If I did I feel that I would not think about it, because thinking about it would be like listening to someone talk that I did not want to talk to, or like being in a relationship that I do not want to be in.

Has this economy affected you as a writer in any measurable way? Beyond the graphs and charts displayed on your blog of course.  Has it evened the playing field to any extent in New York with regard to who the real literary/publishing power brokers are?  Or is the status quo still the lay of the land?

I feel not affected, or maybe 5% affected, by the economy. I bought American Apparel stock but after the economy “crashed” or whatever it did. I think I lost 40% on that, even after buying it after it went down a lot, but I feel that that loss affected my life very little. I can say that the economy has not affected the “businesses I frequent” in NYC, in my view. In terms of publishing I don’t know what is happening on a larger scale. I feel focused on what I am doing. I think I subconsciously operate on some kind of idea that I will create something and focus on what I have created instead of looking at other things and seeing how I can “fit in” to that, at least in terms of the publishing company, Muumuu House, that I started. Currently I feel that “profitability” seems easily attainable with Muumuu House.

Do you consider yourself a brand and if so how would you describe that brand to someone?

Yes, I am a brand, I think. I am a person so I am some kind of thing, which is what I view a brand as a being, any thing that exists, that can be thought about. I would describe my brand variously as “existentially-minded, strives for health, and ultimately is life-affirming,” “moral within an existential framework,” “neutral dialogue tags, clean, and allergic to cats,” and maybe “maybe is passive, or detached, or something, yet seems able to promote heavily, often mentioning ‘steady cash flow.’” According to Facebook I am “gay-friendly, clean, and allergic cats.” Any of those seem accurate.

About the shares of your next novel you were selling, how did that pan out?  Would you then have to answer to "shareholders" when it came to the content of those books?

I sold shares to six people for $2000 each. Each of those people will receive 10% of the U.S. royalties to my second novel. The shareholders have no input on the content of my books or anything I do in my life. One shareholder is Mattathias Schwartz, who has published feature articles in the New York Times Magazine, Harper’s, and others, and whose writing I like, and who said I could say he is an investor. One shareholder lives in the UK and one in I think Singapore. I plan to email them mass emails (six people) with subject: “Investor Relations Update [a number].”

What is the inspiration behind your publishing venture Muumuu House? What types of projects are you currently working on?

I don’t know of a specific unit of inspiration. It was “just” something I wanted to do. The first books published will be two full-length poetry books. Sometimes "My Heart Pushes My Ribs" by Ellen Kennedy in March and "During My Nervous Breakdown I Want to Have a Biographer Present" by Brandon Scott Gorrell in June. I am also publishing things by various people on the website continuously.

I seem to recall that you are publishing Gmail chats?   As a publisher what are you looking for in these chats, what makes for compelling "chat"?

Yes, I am publishing Gmail chats at muumuuhouse.com. I look for Gmail chats that I think are funny and that do not contain shit-talking against anyone specific.

Do you see yourself as part of any particular literary movement or scene?

Yes, I view myself as part of the literary movement/scene generated by Muumuu House, Bear Parade, and, in part, Melville House.

Who are some inspirations, as far as careers you admire?

I admire currently the proprietor of Hipster Runoff. I looked at his 12-month site meter chart and felt impressed. I like his writing. I think I admire anyone who seems productive. I admire people who are “nice” or “passive” also. But I don’t really use the word “admire,” even in my head, I think, so I am not sure exactly what I mean.

Do you feel any pressure to live up to the "Lit It Boy" title you recently received from New York Magazine?  If you could title yourself, what title would you prefer?

I do not feel pressure from that. If I could title myself I would title myself “http://heheheheheheheeheheheehehe.com/” (my blog url) or something else “pragmatic” like that.

Try As I Might to Not Be, I Still Am a Fan of Tao Lin...Or, at least 88% of a Fan.

Check out this interesting interview in this week's LA Weekly with author cum "Indie Musician" Tao Lin. The 27 year old writer, who recently released his second novel entitled "Richard Yates", is now one half of the duo Jesus Christ with the blogosphere's Carles of "Hipster Runoff" fame (warning, the two may be one in the same).  The song that is leaking around the internet is called "Is This really What You Want?" (the song can be found by clicking on the band link above).  Lin's vocal mirrors his writing in it's cryptic, conversational delivery over a atmospheric electro dance beat.  The post above contains an interview I had over e-mail with the writer about two years ago in all its unedited glory!

Enough said...Just watch it!

Let's hope this is the beginning of the backlash and the ironical end is near! Bring back ironic Hair Metal memes, followed by Grunge co-opting....will the youth of today ever have an idea of their own that isn't a self-congratulatory, ironical, "notice me!" plea for attention?

Glam, Bam, Thank You Mam!!! Some timelessGlam RAWK vids....

Enjoy some RAWK Candy for the eyes...while clicking on the above to listen to "What Duvet Said....about MusicCast" This week's "DuvetMusicCast Three" focuses on Glam Rock from the 1970's!!! Get you platform boots, fishnet bodysuits, boas, and eyeliner ready because if you lived it, YOU LOVED IT! If you didn't, hear what influenced the 80's Hair Metal onslaught.

The Arrows "I Love Rock n Roll" (Yes, Joan Jett covered this version)



Sparks "This Town Ain't Big Enough For the Both Us" (Yes, the Sparks of "Cool Places")



New York Dolls "Jet Boy"



T Rex "Hot Love"



Silverhead "Sunset Strip" (Michael Des Barres on vocals, he who bagged Pamela Des Barres of groupie fame)



Wizzard "See My Baby, Jive" (get a load of this guy!)



Nick Gilder "Hot Child in the City"



Girl "Hollywood Tease" (yes, that is Phil Collen from Def Leppard on guitar)

Free Energy (unedited) performing the song "Free Energy" @ The Independent SF on 9/8/10

Free Energy opened for Titus Andronicus and really slayed those in attendance...You can go to the "What Duvet Said..." iTunes podcast to hear a live review of the show and much more...Video taken with my trusty FlipCam right in front...look for an edited video "Imagining" of this song in the coming weeks!

Duvet's Eye Candy: Fun with a Green Screen

Great song and great video merge to make for a GREAT day! Check out the video for Surfer Blood's "Floating Vibes" below and ride the wave of mutilation...The band is currently touring the states and will be making a appearance at the Treasure Island Music Festival in October.

You can't make this SH#T up! Well, I guess you can?

As we mentioned on yesterday's "What Duvet Said..." podcast, this mash-up of mash-ups is a stroke of pure GENIUS! Have a listen and bathe in the glory...the messages of the two songs are actually quite simpatico.

Trip on this...

Love this video from Wavves for their song "Post Acid". It goes to show you how inflated video budgets have become and how completely unnecessary it is. Jiffy Pop, a green leotard, a skate ramp, digital camcorder, and a cool concept are all you need. Wavves new release "King of the Beach" is also one of the summer's best....so CHECK IT OUT! And remember, stay away from the brown acid.

The Video Says it All...Which One is Pink?

M.I.A on "The Late Show with David Letterman" last night performing "Born Free". Anyone wondering if Maya be slippin need only watch this performance (teamed with Suicide's Martin Rev on keyboards) to know she still has the "Shock and Awe"! If only Waldo was this HOTT, I'd actually care where he was. Album "Maya" out yesterday, "Born Free" INDEED!

The Xx Kill It Softly at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall

London, England's deserved buzz band The Xx played the second night of their first headline tour at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall with New York's Phantogram last night. Equipped with a stadium worthy light show, the three-piece played their critically acclaimed debut album to a ecstatic sold-out room. Their romo-electro cum indie sound is one of the more unique on today's musical horizon. Singer/guitarist Romy Madley Croft and bassist Oliver Sim, deliver call and response vocals delivered with barely more than hushed voices, while beat generator Jamie Smith made sure hips swayed. The Xx are a sexy band and one could imagine many of the women in the crowd singing their songs into their hairbrushes at home in preparation. The men in attendance allowed themselves the luxury of relishing in their sensitivity, with both genders seemingly performing the songs for the band. The strobe and light heavy package served to further the emotional noir at the heart of their songs.

From the Vault: Live Song of the Day

UFO's "Long Gone" from 1981 concert at London's Hammersmith Odeon. This song features Paul Chapman, Micheal Schenker's replacement, on guitar and is from their LP, "The Wild, the Willing, and The Innocent".

Future Senators and Congressmen of America

Why METAL RULZ!!! In case you forgot what life was like back in 1987, or, wondered what you are trying so hard to re-live. Enjoy the next 17 minutes of FUCK YEA!!!

Black Flag Rides Again! Well, kind of...

Great little article in this week's LA Weekly (linked to title above) discussing new collaboration between former Black Flag frontman Keith Morris, who left to form seminal hardcore band the Circle Jerks, and renown underground artist Raymond Pettibon. Pettibon supplied the visual accompaniment for much of Black Flag's history. Morris' new band Off! includes Red Kross bassist MacDonald and members of other indie notables and will feature a flyer and art installation by Pettibon. The collaboration marks a return to the D.I.Y spirit of the early 80's, with the upcoming event to be held in a downtown LA warehouse. Who says you can never go back?

Check it! You Won't Regret It!

Because you should really see this....Major Lazer's "Keep it Going Louder"

Major Lazer is producer duo Diplo and Switch (men behind M.I.A's "Kala") collaborative project. This song was off last year's "Guns Don't Kill People...Lazer's Do", which was conceived at famed Jamaican recording studio Tuff Gong.

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: M.I.A. This Generations John Lennon or Malcolm X with a Beat?

This video of M.I.A's new song "Born Free" from her upcoming album due out soon, has been BANNED from YouTube. The video was directed by Romain-Gavras, who also directed Justice's controversial music film of "Stress" (see below). Apparently the idea of living in a police state hits a little close to home for the information Gestapo, also known as Google. The search giant owns YouTube but not Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam's right to free expression. Enjoy this thought provoking commentary set to electro-punk. Warning: Might want to rethink the phrase, "treated like a red-headed stepchild."

M.I.A, Born Free from ROMAIN-GAVRAS on Vimeo.

People who like that, will also like this!

Jus†ice, Stress from ROMAIN-GAVRAS on Vimeo.

Coachella 2010 in Pictures

Coachella 2010 kicked off on Friday April 16th with more than 75,000 music fans/drug test tubes roaming the Empire Polo Fields in Indio, CA in search of memories to last a lifetime, or at least until their Smart Phone memory cards filled up. The festival was by most accounts over-sold and ticket-taking snafus and wristband shortages led to many being admitted with fake xeroxed ticket confirmations. Most tents saw fans spilling out from all sides making for a more challenging concert experience than in years past.

An early highlight was Brooklyn "dancepop" duo Sleigh Bells. Led by energetic singer Alexis Krauss, (seen below holding court to a capacity crowd inside the Gobi Tent in the mid-afternoon heat) the album-less neophytes performed a short 35 minute set of material from the upcoming "Treats" slated for release on May 11th. The duo mix big beat sequencers with a super-charged, heavy surf guitar squall. Krauss provides the sass and counterpart, songwriter, guitarist, and producer Derek Miller (not pictured), provides the sauce. Miller is one of many being tapped to produce tracks for M.I.A's upcoming album.



With seemingly everyone swarming to the Outdoor Stage to see Boston Mass's Passion Pit, Memphis based Lucero played a rousing set of impassioned country-tinged guitar stomp to a half-full Mojave Tent. The band was unfettered by the size of the crowd delivering song after song of gritty and earnest road-weary fables (that probably aren't fables). Frontman Ben Nichols possesses the type of voice that can only be achieved by chewing on cigarettes and gargling whiskey. They slayed those that were lucky enough to escape the sea of hipsters ebbing from the Outdoor Stage.



Another stand out performance was Beach House's eagerly anticipated Coachella debut. The dreampop trio showcased their trancey lullabies to another beyond capacity Mojave crowd. Riding on their music blog endorsed "it thing" status and with the phenomenal "Teen Dream" album to support, Beach House mesmerized an audience that included Friday headliner Jay Z and wife Beyonce.

Another "Imagined Video" by Robert Louis Celli Jr of Atlas Sound's "Recent Bedroom"

Another work of digital genius or a hackneyed art film, either way enjoy! This time I was inspired by the circular groove of Atlas Sound's "Recent Bedroom" off their eponymous album Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel. All footage was taken with a crappy digital camera with no permissions asked for or granted. Video taken in San Francisco's North Beach, New York City during the St. Patrick's day parade and when you were not looking.

Jim Jarmusch, Bradford Cox, and No Age's Randy Randall covering Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer"

Came across this video courtesy of Pitchfork and wasn't expecting such an ethereal and sublime rendering of the Neil Young classic. Who knew film director Jim Jarmusch could sing? He looks like the ultimate indie parent crashing his son's bedroom jam session.

Girls "Lust For Life", Some Holiday Cheer and Then Some...

This is a FABULOUS band from San Francisco who are both naughty and nice. Enjoy the yule tide cheer and give their debut "Album" a listen. See how much FUN everybody seems to be having and try and spot the special "Christmas tree" scene in the video.

Alicia Witt at Room 5

When Alicia Witt sings, the heavens themselves stop and listen. On a cold evening in Los Angeles Saturday night, December 12, a rare downpour that washed the city all day took a break from raining as Witt performed her tight 45 minute set at Room 5 on La Brea. A well known movie and TV actress, Witt performs as part of a trio, seated stage right at a piano while accompanied by Alisha Bauer on cello and Kaumyar Delkash on drums. Aside from one shout out to members of the crowd who are also working on her current film, there is no pretense or showiness coming from Witt. Using concise, informative patter between songs and flashing a genuine, radiant smile, Alicia lets her music do the talking instead of her celebrity. And what a voice. It comes from tender, intimate appeals, soaring to roof raising heights, as she all the while works the piano with an ease and command that, in her own words, is like her "weekly cardio workout." She promised to let the audience rock before our holiday parties, and in some tunes, the band takes off and she really lets her inner Pat Benatar out, especially in her self-described "female power song" and her "creepy cover song." But where Witt really excels is in her ballads, personal and universal poems of love, longing, and everyday girl issues. Her lyrics flow with a poetic polish, and her piano playing rivals that of rockers Billy Joel or Elton John. Do yourself the favor and catch her next time she is in LA or in her love/hate town of New York. You can download Alicia Witt's eponymous EP of songs from iTunes.