If you’re going to the Winter Music Conference in Miami this week, then you’re undoubtedly in the same head-throbbing situation as I am. With hundreds of parties to choose from, where do you begin?
Here’s a start: click through to check out my personal WMC itinerary — a (semi) realistic list of all of the parties and events I plan to attend throughout the week. And since modern science has yet to produce a human clone, the honorable mentions section includes all the parties I wish I could go to but can’t.
Here’s hoping that my headache is someone else’s headbanging good time…
LMFAO – “Shots” (Skeet Skeet’s Ignorant Dance Music Mix)
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.
Matisyahu is getting in the spirit of Fashion Week with a free show tonight at the Kenneth Cole store in Rockefeller Center. His performance is part of Fashion’s Night Out, a global effort to bolster the fashion economy. Participating stores will stay open until 11 PM tonight and host events that will help spread the fashion industry’s message.
This isn’t the first time that Matisyahu has collaborated with Kenneth Cole. In Fall 2008, he appeared in a commercial and print ad campaign for the designer. Tonight’s event goes from 8 PM to 11 PM at Kenneth Cole (610 Fifth Avenue). You can RSVP here.
Click here to check out Matisyahu’s Kenneth Cole commercial.
After months of anticipation (not to mention mysterious tweets), we are finally in on the secret: “Duck Sauce” is the new collaborative effort between DJs A-Trak and Armand Van Helden. Their first single, “aNYway”, has already been making its way through the club circuit at recent Fool’s Gold events, but with the advance release of “aNYway” and “You’re Nasty” on Beatport, we are finally privy to the phenomenon that is “Duck Sauce”. Listen to “aNYway” below, and let us know what you think…
Duck Sauce – “aNYway” This song has been taken down at the request of the artist.
Last Sunday, we hit up Washington DC for Rock the Bells, a touring festival featuring this summer’s hottest hip-hop line-up. The day started off with disappointing news: co-headliner Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley would not be performing due to a family illness. Fortunately, K’Naan, Tech N9ne, Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek), Common, The Roots, and Busta Rhymes almost made us forget that Marley was a no-show.
Tech N9ne stood out with a powerful set. They thought through every aspect – including blocking, delivery, costumes, make-up – and it showed in their performance. The skill and speed of their rapping was unreal and they even threw in some popping and locking.
It wasn’t until Nas took the stage that we were reminded of Damian Marley’s absence. Not to say that Nas wasn’t great, but the main draw of the tour was the collaboration between the two artists and a preview of their upcoming album, Distant Relatives. To his credit, Nas did his best to make it up to the crowd, bringing in pal AZ (who, along with Nas and Foxy Brown released 1997′s The Firm), Styles P and Pharoahe Monch to help carry the show. Still, I can’t help but feel like we missed out on something major.
Despite Marley’s absence, the show was stellar and everyone on the tour more than delivered. If you’re a fan of hip-hop, we highly recommend that you check it out this weekend. Tickets are still available for shows at the Comcast Center in Boston on July 18 and at the Jones Beach Theater in New York on July 19.
Check out some photos from the show below and watch a preview of Distant Relatives after the jump…
On Friday night, the boys at GBH treated us to an international line-up, featuring live performances by Sneaky Sound System and Adam Tensta. Busy P joined DJ Daruma for a surprise set.
We caught a preview of Swedish hip-hop MC Adam Tensta at our event on Wednesday, but the full stage and atmosphere at Webster Hall allowed him to showcase his true ability. Fueled by the crowd’s energy, he performed six songs, which of course included My Cool.
Hailing from Tokyo, DJ Daruma took over the turntables, spinning a solid electro set. The audience buzzed with excitement when French DJ Busy P emerged for a few songs.
While Webster Hall was lacking a lot of their regulars, Australian band Sneaky Sound System was quite the draw. Their musical style fit in perfectly with the Friday audience, who sang along to their hits. Lead singer Miss Connie was sporting the ultimate accessory – a massive Chanel necklace fashioned out of Legos. Sneaky Sound System ended their hour-long set with UFO, and not since Crookers back in April have I seen the crowd go so wild.
We’ll be out of town next weekend, but if you’re around, be sure to check out Adam Freeland…
Last night, The HiFi Cartel stepped out with a preview event at Mr. West, featuring HiFi Contest Winner DJ M, Nick Catchdubs, Adam Tensta and DJ Price.
DJ M (a.k.a. Matt Heckman) proved himself worthy of your votes, putting his unique spin on old favorites. Highlights included mixes of Dance Dance Dance (Lykke Li), Use Somebody (Kings of Leon) and my personal favorite, M.I.A.’s Paper Planes mixed with Loser by Beck.
We’ve seen Nick Catchdubs spin all over the city, so it came as no surprise that his set was off the hook, flowing seamlessly between genres. His set ranged from remixed club tracks to Fool’s Gold favorites like A-Trak’s Say Woah and Shake it Down (with Laidback Luke). We also loved his shout-out to Santigold, playing both Creator and a great remix of Shove It (for which we are still searching).
DJ Price teased with the Rusko remix of Pro Nails (Kid Sister) at the start of his predominately electro set. Adam Tensta hyped the crowd before taking the stage for a few songs, including his hit single, My Cool. Price manned the decks for the rest of the night, briefly joined by DJ M for a high-energy cameo.
Thank you to everyone who helped us with the event and showed their support.
