and the fingers bleed in the factories...

As expected, Editors were fantastic at Webster Hall last night. Also as expected, the packed house didn't move much. As Tom Smith became more and more Chris Martin-like (Tom, stay away from the keyboard!) by frantically running around the stage guitar slung around his neck, the crowd just stood there. A pocket of people jumped around during "Munich", as they should, but it wasn't until show closer "Fingers in the Factories" did the crowd show any excitement. Nevertheless, the packed house loved the show.

It was a good show. Probably not as good as the Mercury Lounge performance, but I think that had more to do with the fact that the Webster Hall sound was muted. Tom's vocals were up, but the music wasn't as loud as it could have been. Anyway, they ran through most of The Back Room (which is finally out in the States, not that you didn't pick up the import a while ago) including "Lights", "Camera," "Blood," "Bullets" ("this is for Rolling Stone") and played an encore of two new songs - one of which I swear I've heard before and the other which sounds a lot like "Munich" (and had a chorus of "retreat...retreat"). "Fingers in the Factory" was probably the best tune of the night - man, I love that stomping chorus.

And finally, I love the juxtaposition of the outgoing and incoming Webster Hall crowds. As they hustled all the indie rock kids out at 10:45, the line to get in was full of B&T'ers getting ready for the standard KTU night at the Hall. I think it was amateur strip night or something.

Goth war

From the Depeche Mode news service:

We are getting preliminary reports that Robert Smith (lead singer of The Cure) is looking to stop further production of the album "Playing The Angel". It is said, through sources, that Robert has a concern that the "Mister Feathers" character that Anton Corbijn created for the "Playing The Angel" cover bears more than a passing resemblance to the cover for The Cure's "Boys Don't Cry" single.

Smith does have a point - both are dark figures turned slightly ascew, both have crazy hair, and both are on album covers for similar bands...but one is just a drawing, and it doesn't look substantially similar to Smith (where are those high tops!). Nevertheless, it's an interesting piece of info.

MMMMM...Munich

To gear up for Thursday's show at Webster Hall, here's the video for Editors' "Munich." Top notch.

Show Your Bones

Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Show Your Bones comes out tomorrow. Stream it @ AOL Music. It's pretty good - a lot cleaner and smoother than Fever To Tell. Nothing as good as "Y Control", although the Zinner remix of "Gold Lion" is quite tasty.

I'd also like to thank Rob at Interscope for hooking me up with the 7" and 12" of "Gold Lion" (which has the remix, although you can just buy that at iTunes). I'll thank him again if he hooks me up with some Interpol schwag when they put out their Interscope material.

Amusement Parks

I know I've talked about them a lot already, but I've been listening to Amusement Parks on Fire's EP and it's incredible. A lot of nice distortion and feedback, but very melodic. Michael Feerick's voice really soars over the droning guitars. "Smokescreen" and "Venus In Cancer" are the highlights. And they're good blokes as well - after the Rothko show, they said they've enjoyed their time in the States and had a blast at SXSW.

Crushin' It

Great time at Corrosion last night. The crowd was outstanding, and I played one of my best sets yet. Full dancefloor at Luke and Leroy. Those kids really like The Smiths too - actual screaming when the opening chords of "Bigmouth Strikes Again" began and a full on groovefest to "Glamorous Glue" (who would have thought?). Under the category of "hey, what song are you playing?", the answers would be Goldfrapp's "Slide In," Electronic's "Disappointed," and We Are Scientists' "Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt."

The Smiths / Moz - Corrosion at Luke and Leroy

Corrosion at Luke and Leroy
The Smiths Tribute Night

This Saturday night, DJ Mister X plus special guest The Christopher Effect spin the best of New Wave, Synthpop, Electro, Indie & more at the infamous Luke + Leroy. No cover.

When:

Saturday, Mar. 25, 2006 at 10:00 PM
(The Christopher Effect spins from 10 to 11:45)
(Mr. X spins from 11:45 to 4)

Where:

Luke and Leroy's, 21 7th Avenue South, betw Carmine & Leroy Sts. New York, NY 10014

How:
1/9 to Houston St.
A/C/E, F/V, B/D to West 4th Street

Why:
So you don't forget the songs that made you cry and the songs that saved your life.

Amusement Parks on Fire / The Diggs recap

Incredible performance by Amusement Parks on Fire last night at Rothko. In the words of Dieter, their music "intimidated me to the point of humiliation." Swirling, droning guitars, melodic vocals. This is what a 4AD show must have felt like in 1991. And they're nice guys too.

And The Diggs, as always, were brilliant. They trotted out a new song as well.

What the hell?

White Rose Movement cancelled their show next Monday at the Mercury Lounge. Didn't they already cancel once on us?

The Smiths / Morrissey / Sway / New York / Sunday Night

Apparently, the most common way to find This Twilight Garden via Google is to type in The Smiths / Morrissey / Sway / New York / Sunday Night or some combination thereof. I guess people are really interested in going to Smiths/Morrissey night at Sway, something I mentioned a while back. Well, it's on Sunday nights, after 11pm, they play Smiths/Moz songs once in every four or so. It's a good time, but...

Instead, why don't you come out to Luke + Leroy this Saturday night and see Mr. X and I spin a tribute to The Smiths and Mr. Morrissey. So many benefits: no cover, it's Saturday night, and there's a full-fledged dance floor. The kids really have a good time. And I may even throw in some Johnny Marr & The Healers for ya.

The Diggs / Amusement Parks on Fire

Great show tomorrow night at Rothko. Nu-shoegaze band Amusement Parks on Fire bring their distorted, sonic melodies at 9pm, and a band that-must-be-seen-live The Diggs play at 10pm. I'm really looking forward to Amusment Parks, who do a great cover of MBV's "You Made Me Realize," and as always, it will be great to see The Diggs.

Free "Munich"

Editors' "Munich" - one of my top 3 singles of last year - is the free download on iTunes this week. You should hurry over to iTunes and pick that up.

Corrosion at Luke and Leroy - this Saturday - Depeche Mode Tribute + Yeah Yeah Yeah's Show Your Bones CD Listening Party!

For those of you not in Austin, this Saturday night, DJ Mister X plus special guest The Christopher Effect spin the best of New Wave, Synthpop, Electro, Indie & more at the infamous Luke + Leroy. No cover.

When:

Saturday Mar 18, 2006

at 10:00 PM

Where:

Luke and Leroy's

21 7th Avenue South, betw Carmine & Leroy Sts.

New York, NY 10014

View Map

How:
1/9 to Houston St.
A/C/E, F/V, B/D to West 4th Street

Why:
Because it's all fun and games. And maybe some Yeah Yeah Yeah's giveaways.

Point Break live!

Another secret (well, not really, it's pretty well known) - I'm a huge Point Break fan. An outstanding look at early 90's, adreneline-seeking SoCal'ers. I think this was Swayze at his peak, and Busey should have received an award for his performance. ("Utah, gimme two!").

Anyway, I raise this because this Friday I will be attending Point Break Live!, a staged reproduction of the movie!

The show, which garnered a “Seattle P-I Best of Seattle 2004” award, as well as
rave reviews across the nation, tells the story of former college football star
Johnny Utah—Keanu Reeves in the film—in pursuit of the bankrobbing, skydiving,
bare-hand-fighting adrenaline-junkie-cum-Zenmaster Bodhi Sattva (Patrick
Swayze—here played by Gearick Matthies), and features armed robbery, big-wave
surfing, car chases, explosions, and no less than two extended skydiving
sequences.

As absurd as this sounds, it gets better - "Best of all, the starring role of Keanu will be selected at random from the audience each night, and will read their entire script off of cue-cards!"

Are you kidding me? The little hand says it's time to rock and roll.

Project Chloe

I have a secret. I love Project Runway. And I hate "reality" shows. But at least they get something accomplished on PR. And the editing and production is so slick, it's like everything shown actually happened.

Anyway, I think Daniel V. got robbed. Chloe's stuff wasn't as good as his. But what can you do.

And doesn't Daniel resemble Richard Ashcroft (who's playing Webster Hall on March 29th)?

Mondo

Our friends at Mondo have been throwing great indie dance parties around town for a while now, but they've now found a permanent home at Luke and Leroy every other Friday night. Mondo has also revamped its website a bit - now we have a lot of party pics, mp3s, and the random musings of the Mondo DJs. The next Mondo at Luke and Leroy is on Friday the 17th. Great music for free - you should be there.