Monthly Archives: November 2010

11.10.10
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The Octopus Project Release ‘Hexadecagon’ as a Double-ish Album

Vinyl’s been back in style for a while and people have already gotten bored with it. Not bored enough to abandon the format again, thankfully, but enough to try to update the technology in a race to follow some analog subset of Moore’s Law. First there was Jack White’s Triple Decker Record, now The Octopus Project, with their preternaturally conceptualized double album, Hexadecagon, have their own innovation to share. Though on two slabs of vinyl, Hexadecagon will only occupy three sides. The fourth side will contain exclusive tracks in an arrangement described as “roulette grooves,” meaning you never know what track will play when you put the needle down.

On top of this, the band is including a DIY Zoetrope you can lay over the record while playing, and each song will produce it’s very own stop-motion animated sequence. Does this album even have to be good for you to enjoy it? Regardless, even if these features are just gimmicks, they’re pretty damn cool gimmicks. If your confounded as to the mechanics of a Zoetrope, The Octopus Project have included a wonderful instructional video so you can make your own.

11.10.10
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More Chances To Dance Onstage With Girl Talk

Everybody’s wondering when the new Girl Talk album is going to drop, but what they don’t know is that Gregg Gillis’ craft is patience.  Girl Talk is at its best when you already know everything he’s going to put out.  So just wait, keep listening, and let it sink in because you’re listening to the new album right now and don’t even know it.

Girl Talk is notorious for outrageous live performances that masterfully blend pyrotechnics and on-stage stripping with audience participation in the form of leg-humping.  If you want a piece of Gregg Gillis’ thigh, here’s a slew of recently announced opportunities:

Fri. 11/12/10 – Omaha, NE @ Sokol Auditorium

Fri. 11/19/10 – Buenos Aires, Argentina @ Hot Festival

Sat. 11/20/10 – Sao Paulo, Brasil @ Planeta Terra Festival

Fri. 12/3/10 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE

Sat. 12/4/10 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE

Wed. 01/05/11 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues

Thu. 01/06/11 – Columbus, OH @ LC Pavillion

Fri. 01/07/11 – Covington, KY @ Madison Theater

Sat. 01/08/11 – Louisville, KY @ Expo Five

Mon. 01/10/11 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues

Thu. 01/13/11 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues

Fri. 01/14/11 – Austin, TX @ Austin Music Hall

Sat. 01/15/11 – Dallas, TX @ Palladium

Mon. 01/17/11 – Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall

Tue. 01/18/11 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant

Thu. 01/20/11 – Birmingham, AL @ Workplay

Fri. 01/21/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle

Sat. 01/22/11 – Charleston, SC @ Gaillard Municipal Auditorium

Mon. 01/24/11 – Knoxville, TN @ Valarium

Tue. 01/25/11 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore

Thu. 01/27/11 – Raleigh, NC @ Disco Rodeo

Fri. 01/28/11 – Norfolk, VA @ NorVa

Sat. 01/29/11 – Richmond, VA @ The National

Mon. 01/31/11 – Baltimore, MD @ Ram’s Head

Tue. 02/01/11 – Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club

Fri. 02/04/11 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory

Sat. 02/05/11 – Montclair, NJ @ Wellmont Theatre

Thu. 02/24/11 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5

Fri. 02/25/11 – Providence, RI @ Lupo’s

Sat. 02/26/11 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues

Mon. 02/28/11 – Portland, ME @ State Theater

Mon. 03/01/11 – Montreal, QC @ Metropolis

Thu. 03/03/11 – Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Music Hall

Fri. 03/04/11 – Chicago, IL @ Congress

Mon. 03/07/11 – Madison, WI @ Orpheum

Tue. 03/08/11 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Ave

Fri. 03/11/11 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre

Mon. 03/14/11 – Missoula, MT @ Wilma Theater

Tue. 03/15/11 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox

Thu. 03/17/11 – Portland, OR @ Roseland

Fri. 03/18/11 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater

Sat. 03/19/11 – Pomona, CA @ Fox Theatre

Mon. 03/21/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ Palladium

Tue. 03/22/11 – San Diego, CA @ SOMA

Wed. 03/23/11 – Tempe, AX @ Marquee

11.10.10
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Give The Wombats Your Email, Get A Song

It’s an age-old practice — bands have songs you want to hear, they want you on their mailing list — the solution: barter.  If only politics were so simple.  The Wombats are freshly mastering their upcoming sophomore album, set for release February 2011 on three different labels, with four different producers.  Not as simple.

After the success of “Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves),” which became the band’s highest charting single in several English and a German-speaking country, they must be feeling pretty confident about the new record.

The Wombats have another preview track to offer, “Jump Into The Fog,” for the paltry price of your email address.  The song represents stylistic changes for the band on the new album, including a more dance-able rhythm section and some darker lyrics, with hooks intact.  Give it a listen HERE.

11.09.10
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Playtime!: Empires in Brooklyn, NY – CMJ 2010


We caught up with indie up and comers Empires after a photoshoot during CMJ. I’m not going to lie, if I had to find this studio in Brooklyn again I would never make it. It’s on the edge. The roads are paved with cobblestone. I’m glad I made it out there though where we filmed a Playtime! session with the band that was truly incredible. Enjoy!

“Spit the Darkness”

“Bang”