If there’s one thing we should have all learned by now it’s that Trouble & Bass throws one hell of a party, and last night’s installment of No Escape from New York was no exception. The featured guests, 12th Planet and Flinch, brought their west-coast grime to The Studio at Webster Hall for a rager that also served as the backdrop for AC Slater’s music video shoot for his upcoming release, “Take You” featuring Ninjasonik.
The Trouble & Bass Crew was in full effect, with The Captain, Drop the Lime and Star Eyes joining AC Slater for alternating sets. Diplo, Roxy Cottontail, Dances with White Girls and Apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas all dropped in to get their dose of bass on a Wednesday evening.
CLICK HERE to check out photos of the night, and don’t miss the Trouble & Bass Crew when they take over Miami at the end of the month for the Winter Music Conference.
AC Slater recently recorded a guest mix for Annie Nightingale’s show on BBC Radio 1. Listen to the mix below (“Take You” starts at the 2:52 mark), which features a healthy selection of tracks from the Trouble & Bass Crew. Peep the track list after the jump…
AC Slater – Guest Mix for Annie Nightingale on BBC Radio 1
Last week, ?uestlove took to Twitter to announce the initial line-up for the third annual Roots Picnic in Philadelphia. Vampire Weekend, Mayer Hawthorne, and The Very Best will join The Roots, along with Clipse, Tune-Yards, Das Racist, DJ Jazzy Jeff, MM Jam Boys, and Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew.
In his video announcement, ?uestlove promised to top last year’s spectacular performance with Public Enemy with a special surprise reunion. “This is a reunion that we thought we would never get,” he said of the surprise guest, “We’ve been waiting to make this reunion happen for the longest. It’s so incredible, I don’t even want to tell you who it is.” Judging by his hint – a gold chain and black fedora – we’re putting our money on Run DMC:
The Roots Picnic will take place at the Festival Pier in Philadelphia. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets, and be sure to check out photos from last year’s picnic, featuring Antibalas, Santigold, The Black Keys, Public Enemy, T.V. on the Radio, The Roots, and more. Watch ?uestlove’s video announcement after the jump…
Nicolas Sfintescu and his stage partner Ezechiel Pailhes form the brillant duo NÔZE, a daring electronic band from Paris. On Thursday, March 18th, New York will be blessed with the return of the musical wonder-duo, who will be playing their highly acclaimed live act. Contributing their own singsong vocals amidst jolly pianos and drunk-step minimal beats, these two bring a fresh perspective to the techno scene whose truly original rhythms keep the dancefloors moving and the drinks flowing.
GBH resident Alex English will be opening the evening as well as a special closing set by Time To Get Ill founder Crazy Larry. This historic event will be held at Hiro Ballroom and we have a pair of tickets for one lucky reader…
Simply fill out the form below to win. A winner will be chosen at random on Monday.
Last Thursday, Mayer Hawthorne made a stop in New York City for a concert at Webster Hall. The singer, who hails from Ann Arbor, Michigan, was joined by The Country, whose four members wore matching crimson v-neck sweaters and button-down shirts. Mayer Hawthorne (real name: Andrew Mayer Cohen) stepped up to the microphone dressed in a gray three-piece suit paired with custom-made red Nike Dunks. This geek-chic look is just the surface of the infusions that make Mayer Hawthorne’s style interesting.
Hawthorne engaged the audience at Webster Hall with his unique play on revival soul and jazz. When he sang “Green Eyed Love,” he sparked a mellow sensation that inspired a collective shimmy and sway. The boys held on to their girls, listened and sang along is if the performance were just for them. With guitar, drum and key solos, his show is built on progressive transitions for an audience that is familiar with his songs and words. Hawthorne’s sound breaks the expected format with surprises that included covers of N.E.R.D’s “Fly or Die” and Biz Markie’s “Just a Friend”. The band stopped abruptly during “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out,” which prompted Hawthorne to ask the audience if they wanted to hear a remix. And just like that, he flipped a switch to falsetto over reggae to the audience’s surprise and delight. Hawthorne’s encore came with a tease of a Doctor Pepper jingle before the quirky singer closed with the song “When I Said Good Bye”.
The singer/producer brings new meaning to old-school classics. With a richness in song that can be pulled from a library of records from the 1960’s, Hawthorne can swing his vocals and beats to a melody that may serve as a harmonious soundtrack for couples – his debut single, “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out,” was released on a red heart-shaped 7″ vinyl in 2008. While he may be a newcomer to an old genre, he demonstrates a refreshing youthful grasp on soul and translates it into ‘retro’ fashion that is beyond charming on the stage. Mayer Hawthorne is clearly an intelligent musician who takes his music seriously – citing Isaac Hayes, Leroy Hutson, Mike Terry and Barry White among his influences. The audience could relate to what was saying and felt it in how he said it. It takes talent and showmanship to convey these qualities and character on a stage. (Especially to demonstrate and teach the audience the Errol Flynn dance from Detroit)
In collaboration with Converse and Wax Poetics, Mayer Hawthorne and James Pants will release a 7” vinyl, in which Mayer Hawthorne covers the James Pants track “Thin Moon” and James Pants covers Hawthorne’s “Green Eyed Love”. If you’ll be in Austin for SXSW, Mayer Hawthorne will appear at 45 Live on March 17, where Stones Throw will be giving away limited edition copies of the record (you can grab the early digital release here).
CLICK HERE to view photos of Mayer Hawthorne’s performance at Webster Hall. Be sure to listen to Mayer Hawthorne’s cover of James Pants’ “Thin Moon” below and click through for his latest video for “I Wish it Would Rain”.
For the curious: Mayer also goes by the moniker Haircut. Check out some of his hip hop infusions on his MySpace page.
This Friday, One Step Beyond, The Fader’s monthly party at the American Museum of Natural History, will return with live performances by The Very Best, Theophilus London and Ninjasonik. One Step Beyond, which is held in The Rose Center for Earth and Space, pairs the museum’s unique ambiance with top musical acts from around the world. Past performers include Kanye West, Talib Kweli, Simian Mobile Disco, Switch, Matthew Dear, Jazzy Jeff, Amanda Blank and Kid Sister.
The Very Best and Theophilus London have crossed paths (so to speak) on London’s remixes of “Warm Heart of Africa” and “Julia”, and while we’ve witnessed stellar independent performances of “Julia” by both artists, we look forward to the prospect of a live collaboration. As for Ninjasonik, they’re the type of band you just have to see live.
Make sure you get your tickets in advance; the last installment of One Step Beyond - featuring Animal Collective and Fischerspooner - was completely sold out.
After the jump, catch a sneak peak of Theophilus London’s latest mixtape, I Want You, with a behind-the-scenes video from Va$htie, who is featured on the song “Flying Overseas”. The songs previewed on the video reveal a more laid-back side of London, who has clearly evolved since his last two projects, Jam! and This Charming Mixtape. Be on the lookout for I Want You when it drops this spring.
This Wednesday, Trouble & Bass‘ No Escape from New York returns to The Studio at Webster Hall with special guests 12th Planet and Flinch. 12th Planet (aka John Dadzie) got his start in the drum & bass scene as Infiltrata. He evolved into 12th Planet when his sound – inspired by the likes of Skream, Benga and Technical Itch – took a turn towards dubstep, with influences of electro and hip hop.
Flinch (aka Adam Glassco) got his start with the LA-based electro team True Pseudo, that also counts 12th Planet as a member. On his own, Flinch has been breaking genre barriers with what RCRDLBL calls “Dutch Step”, a cross between cumbia dubstep and Dutch house.
As always, the Trouble & Bass Crew – The Captain, Star Eyes, AC Slater and Drop the Lime – will shake the walls with their bass-heavy beats. This is a party you don’t want to miss.
CLICK HERE to RSVP for reduced $5 admission. When you RSVP you will be automatically entered to win a pair of tickets to the party. To prepare for the madness, listen to 12th Planet and Flinch’s remix of Dave Nada’s Apocalypse Theme (streamed below), and be sure download the third installment of the Trouble & Bass Smashcast, which is free on iTunes.
Last week, the third and final phase of the Ultra Music Festival was posted, adding LMFAO and Sander Kleinenberg (among others) to the already massive line-up that includes Damian Marley and Nas, Passion Pit, Tiesto, A-Trak, Bassnectar, Crookers, The Bloody Beetroots, Major Lazer, and hundreds more.
This year will feature some special collaborations – Florence (from Florence and the Machine) will join Swedish House Mafia on the Ultra Main Stage on Saturday, and Kelis, whose sound as taken a turn towards electro, will team up with Benny Benassi for a few songs.
Four new arenas have been added to the festival grounds – the UMF Ibiza Tent, the UMF Brazil Tent, the Root Society Dome, and the Heineken Dome Experience – bringing the total to a staggering ten (yes, TEN) stages.
Another new addition to Ultra is Sonic Forest, an interactive installation by artist/composer Christopher Janney that will entice festival goers into a unique environment with aural and visual components. Sonic Forest is composed of eight-foot tall aluminum poles that trigger melodic and environmental sounds as people move through the “electronic trees”. Independent drummers will be present in the Forest during various parts of the installation. Sonic Forest has been featured at Bonnaroo, All Points West, and Coachella in the US, and various festivals around the world.
Every March, the top DJs in the world gather in Miami for the Winter Music Conference. With six straight days of music and hundreds of events to choose from, the schedule can be a little daunting, which is why we’ve put together this guide to help you with the planning process.
CLICK HERE to view the guide, which we will continue to update in the coming weeks. If you know of any awesome events that we’re missing, please EMAIL US your suggestions or leave them in the comments section below. And for those of you who will be staying in New York – fret not, there are tons of great events in NYC… CLICK HERE to check them out.
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