Record Heaven
September 21, 2010
Last year, after visiting a great little music shop in Laguna Beach, California on my honeymoon, I posted about some of my favorite places to buy music. Well, Rolling Stone magazine recently came out with their own Top 25 list of The Best Record Stores In The USA. We both were in agreement that Amoeba Music is the best store out there (Come to New York!). Check out the rest of their list in the link below. And to think, NYC only has one store on here (check the picture above of Greenwich Village’s Other Music). Shout out to Baltimore for having a couple spots in the Top 25, that’s what’s up (Max Bee just recently took me to one of them last time I was in town)….
ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE’S 25 BEST RECORD STORES IN THE USA
Man, I’d love to take a road trip across country one day to visit all these shops. Better do it soon before they all go out of business! Support your local record store! I wish I could say I had one, but honestly, there are NONE in Westchester County. Bummer dude.
Beach Boys
July 23, 2010
Matisyahu was in town this week on tour with Sublime at the Nikon Theater at Jones Beach, and he invited me to join him on stage. It’s been a while since I performed with him, almost exactly a year, and it was great to be back up there rocking our collabo “WP”. But before we got to that, he brought me out for a little warm up, where we exchanged raps over a dope beat by his band The Dub Trio. Here’s a pic someone posted on Twitter…
And check the guerilla video footage filmed from the crowd by my boy Timmy P. Audio is actually pretty nice on this. And if you recognize my verse, it’s because it’s from “Druss Park”…
Shout out to my boys in the pic up top for a great night. It was my first fellas night out since my son was born, and it was a memorable one, filled with awesome music and tons of laughs. Always great to catch up with Matis too, sounds like he’s got some cool stuff happening very soon. That’s what it is.
*Bonus*
Here’s a throwback pic from the summer 2007 of me and Matis on that same Jones Beach stage…
Cheah!
It’s A Wrap
April 26, 2010
It’s only right that the first Chipotle in Westchester County is opening up in my neighborhood. See you Friday. And then every day after that. For lunch. And dinner. Let’s get salseated!!!!!
Get Him To The Greek
February 12, 2010
Get Him To The Greek, the highly anticipated Forgetting Sarah Marshall spin-off starring Russell Brand and Jonah Hill (see above), finally released its official trailer. Looks like quite an adventure. I’m very excited about this movie for a few reasons. One, I’m a big fan of Judd Apatow movies, and FSM is a classic. Two, my boy Nick Kroll is in it, as is his boy Aziz Ansari (they popped up together briefly in I Love You, Man too). Check them both out in the first couple seconds of the trailer with Diddy. Yes!
My third and final reason why I’m excited about Get Him To The Greek is because I’ve performed there! Ahh, the summer of 2006. Check the pic of me rocking with Matisyahu at the Greek Theatre…
Finally, a movie I’m looking forward to seeing. Anything else good coming out?
Birthday Dog
August 27, 2009
Walter’s hot dog stand, located in Mamaroneck behind the high school, is celebrating its 90th birthday this week. Pretty amazing. I wish the picture above was more accurate, because every time I try to go eat there’s always a long ass line. But I admit, they make a mean hot dog, and it’s well worth the short wait. Check out a close up below of their most famous menu item, and peep the cut-in-half style and secret sauce. Then, when your mouth is done watering, read the article from this morning’s Journal News about Walter’s b-day. Here’s to 90 more years!!!!
Chipotle On The Way
August 11, 2009
Chipotle, my favorite fast food Mexican joint on the planet, is finally coming to Westchester County. Praise the lord. Construction has begun on their new location in Rye Ridge (in place of the old movie theater in the Rye Ridge Shopping Center), and will be opening within the next several months. This is fantastic news!
Back when I was a senior at the University of Maryland, Chipotle opened up one of its first locations in College Park. And I ate there EVERY DAMN DAY. Sometimes twice a day. Those who know me best will tell you I have a deep love for Mexican cuisine. In fact, the term “salseated” was created for me to describe when I go in. And Chipotle is awesome because it allows you to create your own burrito. And their ingredients are very tasty.
Slowly but surely, Chipotle made its north to New York and flooded Manhattan, but still there has never been a location in Westchester (the closest one to me is by Columbia University). So when my geeee Jon Jo texted me the other day (who is a fellow Maryland grad and Chipotle feign), I jumped through the roof in excitement. I can’t wait to eat lunch there EVERY DAY. Dinner too. Hollerrrrrr.
Groupie Love
June 20, 2009
Chester French is on tour overseas, and they are keeping a video diary along their journey. Recently, during a stop in Bristol, England for a gig, they documented a couple of fun interactions with some local gals. Above, watch as they attempt to invite two ladies walking on the street to their performance later that night. And below, enjoy their post-show antics with a group of lovely female fans outside the venue.
I respect how CF incorporates the camera into their G with the ladies. Very fun. One question though boys. Did you smash? Finally, for those interested in their actual music and not just their groupie success rate, here’s a peak into a recent rehearsal session, where they work on a reggae version of their album cut “C’mon (On My Own)”….
Seems like these guys are having a good time across the pond, wouldn’t you say?
River Ciphers
June 18, 2009
For background info on the event CLICK HERE. Hope to see you at the first cipher. Come through and represent!!!!
*UPDATE*
THIS EVENT WAS POSTPONED DUE TO A SCHEDULING CONFLICT.
STAY TUNED FOR NEW DATE AND MORE INFO!!!!!
Shopping Spree
June 15, 2009
Amoeba Music may be the dopest record store on the planet. I used to raid the one in Berkeley every summer when I would go to California to visit my homeland. And I’ve been to the ones in San Francisco and L.A. a few times too. They are the best! I wish they had a location in New York. Well, I stumbled upon a little web series thing they’ve been doing called “What’s In My Bag?”, where they catch different musicians and celebrities shopping in their stores and see what they’re buying. Check the episode above featuring Alchemist (one of my favorite hip hop producers of all time) and his rapping buddy Evidence to peep what they copped. And below, take a listen to a really dope song off Alchemist’s last project The Cookbook EP featuring Evidence, Blu, and Kid Cudi on the hook. It’s called “Therapy”…
And here’s a nice LA themed video for an Alchemist and Evidence duet called “So Fresh”, off Ev’s latest EP The Layover…
Alchemist has a new album on the way, so keep your eyes open for that. And if you want to see what was in my shopping cart recently from amazon.com, CLICK HERE. Amoeba please come to New York so I don’t have to shop online all the time!!!!!
I got two other favorite record stores that I’ve been to recently outside the New York area. Westchester County has no cool record stores, and it never really has other than big chains (don’t get me wrong I heart Borders but it’s not exactly a COOL RECORD STORE). I grew up going into the Bronx to buy mixtapes and vinyl, but the rise of the internet made those types of trips basically unnecessary. But I still appreciate going to a great hometown spot to buy music, probably more than any other activity on the planet. Check these two out…
Jack’s Music Shoppe is in Red Bank, New Jersey, near where some friends of mine live. The town and general area surrounding it is the backdrop for all those Kevin Smith movies like Chasing Amy (a scene in the movie takes place there and the famous Secret Stash comic book store is across the street). My boy told me Jersey locals like Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi have been known to pop in, and they’ve got a great selection of stuff in there. Stop by if you’re ever in the area.
Sound Spectrum (above) is a tiny but super cool music store in Laguna Beach, California. I was there a couple months ago, and struck up a conversation with the owner Jim Otto after noticing how sick his reggae section was. Turns out he was a total reggae enthusiast, and put me on to some great stuff that I wasn’t up on. He also gave me a tour of his back office which was filled with vinyl and collector’s items and pictures from old tours and movies and album promotions. Great guy, and awesome store. Definitely visit if you are in the area.
BRING AMOEBA TO NEW YORK!!!!!
Band of Horses @ Carnegie Hall
June 12, 2009
“This is just like the place we played in last night.”- Ben Bridwell, Band of Horses Lead Singer, joking about Carnegie Hall
I used to review live shows for XXL Magazine (you know, the hip hop publication), and I would always start my article with a quote from one of the acts. Well the one above is most fitting to describe last night’s performance. It was special, for the band and the audience, because it is certainly not a normal place to see your favorite indie rock group. Band of Horses is a small town southern band, so I doubt they’re used to venues that give you the feeling that Abe Lincoln is sitting in the front left row of the dress circle. I’d assume they feel at home on a bar stage, or at least some place where the ceiling isn’t a football field high and the seats made of red velvet. I picture them jamming on the side of a an old gas station looking out at a country road. Still, Carnegie Hall was quite a place to see them play.
First off, the sound in there is absolutely amazing. I mean, it’s so crisp, it’s like you’re listening to a studio recording by yourself with the best headphones on the market. The house was definitely packed with a lotta white people, mostly young, but not Miley Cyrus young, more like 20 and 30 somethings out after work or fresh off finals. Our seats were in an ill spot: front row of the very top balcony, which was pretty high up but gave us a clear overhead view of their acoustic set up (below). And Bridwell reached for a variety of other unseen instruments through the show (he even grabbed a melodica at one point even which was pretty cool).
They played lots of tunes from both Everything all the Time and Cease to Begin, and kept true fans on their toes by playing some of their slower songs more upbeat and vice versa, slowing down their heavier stuff. I anticipated one of them, “Wicked Gil”, because I have a great live recording I found on the net somewhere last year of them playing it nice and slow, though the original version from the album is way more uptempo and rocky (is that a word?!) Check it out and download it too…
Band of Horses “Wicked Gil (slow version)”
The thing I love about BOH is their vocals. Bridwell, the lead singer, has the most amazing voice, and the greatest melody lines. And the harmony!!!! WOW!!!! Especially in a venue like that, but man, it was so beautiful. They played lots of country style ballads, and nailed the faster tunes too, keeping the flow of the show moving without losing the nicely seated crowd. It’s pretty stiff and tight in there, but people still managed to yell stuff out between songs to soften the mood. In fact, I strategically yelled out “play ‘Detlef Schrempf’!” during their encore, and my heckle was answered as they immediately dropped into the tune. I would’ve been pissed if they didn’t play that (it’s my favorite song of theirs) so I’m glad they heard me, though I think it was that we were just on the same page. Me and BOH have that type of connection, you know?!?! Ha.
All in all, two thumbs up. Simply a great band with beautiful songs. They played a few new songs off their upcoming album that were VERY NIIIIIICEEEEE, and the piano player and one of the guitar players both showcased original tunes too, grabbing on to lead vocals respectively at different points in the set. But Bridwell is their bread and butter. That guy is really talented. One of the best vocalists and songwriters of my generation. Can’t wait to hear the new album, and I hope to catch them next time around in a smaller venue, plugged in, just to see how they rock out. Click the link below to peep the set list from last night, and read a little more about the show…
Brooklyn Vegan- BOH @ Carnegie Hall Set List
Special shout out to my dudes Jiggs and Timmy for rolling last night, we had a blast. And big ups to Al Jiggy, my dog from UMD who was coincidentally sitting only four rows back from us in the same section. Crazy! Great to see you!
*UPDATE*
I’ve been checking youtube for video clips from the show. They were being really strict about people taking pics or filming in there (the guy next to me got knocked early on so I didn’t even attempt), but it looks like a bunch of fans were able to get some fairly decent footage after all…check the link…
