Spring Fling 2009: CLIPSE

The first confirmed act for Spring Fling this year is CLIPSE.

Confirmed by Myspace, which has them performing at Wesleyan University on the 6th of May this year, two weeks after they're at Coachella.

So we've got a big rap act down. Based on previous years I would still expect another headlining act with indie cred, and a smaller opening act with indie cred... which doesn't usefully narrow the field of existing artists.

Grainy two-year-old footage of the Clipse:


Although, anonymous respondent #21 on this ACB thread claimed earlier today that the full lineup will have King Khan and the Shrines joining Clipse and SONIC YOUTH (!!!), which would fit the established pattern and be fantastic. But Clipse is the only one of those confirmed so far, so as of now this excellent lineup is an only partially substantiated rumor.

Sonic Youth's official site has the band booked through May, although there is a conspicuous gap between their shows in Luxembourg on April 26th and Brooklyn on May 16th. It's possible that they could make it to Middletown halfway between those dates.

King Khan and company also have a May 6th gap on their itinerary - they're in New York on the 3rd of that month, and in Boston on the 7th, so a stop at Wesleyan the day before the latter date is feasible.

But this is unsubstantiated! In the meantime, keep speculating. Post rumors/further substantiation as you wish.

Sewing Machines, Tall Tales at WestCo Cafe

The Sewing Machines and Tall Tales were going to play at Eclectic tonight with the Noms and Decora, but, you know, this.

So they've relocated to WestCo Cafe, which is only just large enough for two bands but still solid as a venue. From Aural Wes:

If civil disobedience isn't enough to get you out of your rooms and into the Cafe, then the music definitely should. Under the leadership of Future Folk, the Cafe is going to become a real venue again. Sounding the horns of revolution are Sewing Machines, featuring Jake Gold, Ted Feldman, Max Horwich, Max Lavine, Jess Jones, Sam Moss, Brian Papish, Sylvia Ryerson, Ben Seretan, Eric Sherman, Ian Staub, and Adam Tinkle. Driven by folksy guitar and an incredibly diverse instrumentation, Sewing Machines sweat catchy hooks and rich harmonies that will have you toe-tapping and humming the choruses hours later.

Tall Tales features Fareed Sajan, Adam Tinkle, and Joshua Koenig, and according to their myspace, "potential for other members to be added." This band is a little more ambient, sounding what I assume a hybridization of Grizzly Bear's Yellow House and Sparklehorse would sound like. Definitely do not miss it.

So sound the horns of revolution, be active in supporting Wesleyan's vibrant music scene, and no matter how much the administration tries to take it away, we can prove that we can keep it alive.

Date: Thursday, March 5
Time: 10:00 pm
Place: WestCo Cafe

MGMT to Sue French President

A hilarious bit of MGMT news - France's conservative UMP party, led by President Nicolas Sarkozy, illegally used "Kids" in two online videos and at campaign events. And MGMT is suing their asses for compensation. From NME:

Sarkozy has admitted using the song at the UMP party's national congress, but claims the lack of permission was a mistake and offered the band one euro as a gesture, reports BBC News.

The duo rejected the offer and are now seeking compensation. Their lawyer, Isabelle Wekstein, said, "This offer is disrespectful of the rights of artists and authors. It is insulting. We are dealing with acts of counterfeiting, an infringement of intellectual property."

A fee of 53 Euros (£47) had initially been paid to gain use of the song, but Wekstein said that the sum was not enough to cover repeated plays of the song in the online videos.

According to Prefix, ideological opposition to the conservative organization is also a motivating factor. This is additionally funny because the UMP is strongly in favor of copyright laws, and is currently pushing a law calling for tougher penalties for infractions.

If anyone can find these campaign videos online, we will post them. In the meantime here is a video of MGMT on French television, apparently explaining the meaning of Thanksgiving:

[via You Ain't No Picasso]

Prefix Mag: French Political Party Steals "Kids"
BBC: MGMT to sue Sarkozy for Music Use
NME: MGMT Suing Nicolas Sarkozy Over 'Kids'
Pitchfork: MGMT Grapple with the President of France

[Thanks to Sayre Sundberg '11 for sending this in like, a week ago]

Mentaltown: support local artists

Lauren Barth '09 sends in some info about a local blog/tv-show by Elvee, a Middletown resident:

Do you like idealistic local musicians? Tune into Connecticut Public Access Channel 15 the first and second Tuesdays of the month at 11pm, or visit mentaltown.blogspot.com to see what rap/hip hop artist Elvee has been working on. Mentaltown episodes are part goofy talk show, part music video, and part political commentary with a lot of local pride, all shot here in Middletown, CT. (Most of them mention Wes!)

The site looks pretty cool. Def worth checking out!

Dar Williams on campus, March 26th

According to her tour website, Dar Williams '89 will be on campus to give a concert on March 26th.

Edit: Get tickets for $5 at the Box Office.

Mathematicians at Psi U for Nicaragua

Rock out for Nicaragua with the Mathematicians at Psi U this Friday, sponsored by ICBM to benefit the Nagarote-Wesleyan Partnership:

The Mathematicians
A little bit electronica, a little bit punk, and a little bit indie-rock, the Mathematicians are always a Wesleyan favorite.
http://www.myspace.com/mathematicians

Beware! the Other Heads of Science
synth melodies and punk vocals blend with tempos taht make you dance to bring you the experience that is the Other Heads of Science.
http://www.myspace.com/bewaretheotherheadofscience

Thick as Thieves
Cambridge alt-rock that starts off sensitive and soft and winds itself up till you're rockin' along.
http://www.myspace.com/musicforthieves

Date: Friday, February 27th
Time: 10-2am
Place: Psi U
$4 at the door

Weekend Music

A brief roundup of shows to check out this weekend, from Aural Wes:

Friday, February 20th:

Earth House, 10:30 pm:

• Future Folk Showcase: Adam Tinkle, Mute with Stupefaction (Ben Seretan '10), Aliza Simons '09, See/Saw (Fareed Sajan '09).

  Hey, remember that time we told you about FUTURE FOLK RECORDS, the brainchild of brainchildren Max Horwich and Rod O'Connor? ...Well. Tonight's show celebrates three new Future Folk releases, all of which are original, high-quality, and free (!).

Psi U, 10:00 pm:

• Wordsmith and the Concert G's, Dear Lamp, The Last Minutes. Check out Wesleying's interview with Wordsmith and the Concert G's.
  
• WordSmith: Josh Smith ‘11 (the WordSmith) rhymes with raw emotion on a serious level as images of late night innovation, childhood innocence, and liberating contemplations concerning coming of age, soulfully dance through the lyrics. Through the incorporation of the Concert G’s, WordSmith embodies a sophistication and depth that is often lost in music today.
• Dear Lamp: The southwest twanging of Carlos Nugent ‘11 and rhythmic banging of John Myers ‘11 lent to my ears as the sweet violin of Katherine Schahill ‘11 intoxicated my heart. Lost in the sophisticated interplay of guitarists Hannah Overton ‘11 and Ian Cross ’11 with bassist Daniel Hymanson ‘11, I knew the notes that danced around the dust-ridden shelves should not be forgotten in the back of that thrift store.
• The Last Minutes slow down anxious thoughts by diverting them toward uplifting chord progressions and strong rhythms. The beautiful voice of Katherine McDonald ‘11 harmonizes with guitarist, Ryan Rogers ‘11. Ben Block ‘11 and Bella Loggins ’10 sustain the funky core with bass and drums.

Saturday, February 21st:

Beckham Hall, 10:00 pm:

• Buru Style with Toussaint Liberator, the Last Minutes

Crowell Concert Hall, 8-10 pm, $5:

• Jubilee, with Lancelot Drummonds ’06.

  Breath of fresh air, anyone? If so, you might want to head on over to Jubilee. Lancelot Drummonds ’06 will be here to provide some much needed r&b rhythm. this Saturday. You heard me; Wesleyan’s Black History Month cultural show stands to really liven things up! Apart from a number of student performances, singer/songwriter

Buru Style with Toussaint Liberator at Beckham

Wesleyan's favorite reggae/funk/dub band, Buru Style, will be playing with Toussaint Liberator, a vocalist with credits ranging from singer of Soulive to collaborator with Talib Kweli, with the The Last Minutes, described by AuralWes as "Wesleyan's newest musical darlings", opening.

Check out the write-up at Aural Wes, and Myspace. Here is Toussaint liberating with Wyclef:


Buru Style with Toussaint Liberator and The Last Minutes
Date: Saturday, February 21st
Time: 10 pm
Place: Beckham hall
Free w/ ID

New Chrome Punch Track

Chrome Punch, with Ian Johnson and Harrison Schaaf '11, is currently working on a college tour, with anticipated shows at Brown, Yale, Clark University, and of course Wesleyan.

Check out a new track from the Chrome Punch Spring Mixtape, scheduled for release in early March:

SHORTY (Put It On The Floor) ReMix

Ian Johnson (Yea Mannn)

Shorty (Put It On the Floor) (Yea Mannn Remix) by OE Music

If you haven't already, download the Chrome Punch FREE WINTER MIXTAPE. Also, remember to check out Chrome Punch online at myspace.com/ChromePunch or on FACEBOOK.

Vote Joe John (Again) on Queerty

Probably because many of you voted for him last week, Joe John Sanchez III '07 is currently a finalist to become Queerty's next music reviewer.

Here's an excerpt of his test review of Empire of the Sun's new album:

The psychedelic elements and falsetto vocalizing may elicit comparisons to MGMT, but a deeper listen indicates that the androgynous duo conjure their flamboyant image from older influences. Their mix of outer-space antics, soul searching and appropriated culture calls to mind George Clinton’s P-Funk mythology and David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust, with pitch-shifted vocals on some songs eerily evoking Bowie’s minions in Labyrinth. But unlike Jareth the Goblin King, Emperor Steele and Lord Littlemore act as benevolent leaders fixated on spreading peace, joy and colorful imagery. As contrived and idealistic as their goals may sound, they resonate heavily in our distressed times, making these boys as close to indie-pop Obamas as humanly possible.

Help him seal the deal, vote here until Monday.

Musical Madness at Crowell Concert Hall

Musical Madness, the inter-class musical competition, is tonight at Crowell. President Roth opens on the harmonica, which is reason enough to go, but your classmates and deans will also be performing. Come show your support, and kick off your weekend with some great music!

Opening act Lou and the Blues and Michael Roth, followed by:

• Banish the Rabbit
• Skye LoGuidice
• Toan Tran
• The Walrus Hunters
• Molly Baum
• Elizabeth Gauvey-Kern
• Off Constantly
• Alex King
• Phineas Gage & the Nothingheads
• Calipigious
• Mike Kuhn
• First Aid Kit
• Sweat Factory//Party Patrol

- Presented by the Office of Student Affairs/Dean's Office

Date: Thursday, February 19th
Time: 7 pm
Place: Crowell Concert Hall

Decora Dinner Show at Eclectic

Decora, The Wailing Wall, and Tiger Saw will be playing a dinnertime show at Eclectic Thursday evening, with cheap and tasty beef, jerk chicken, and vegetarian patties from Pattie Palace available throughout.

Decora features Ben Bernstein '10, Will Brant '10, Ian Staub '10, Josh Koenig '09, Ben Seretan '10, and George Pritzker '10, whose "sonic sculptures meld a kind of domed-out technicality with waves of overpoweringly rich complexity" (AW). They are good.

I don't know The Wailing Wall, but they are apparently folksy and feature Jesse Rifkin with other people. Tiger Saw is also presumably folksy.

According to Ben Bernstein, the music will range from loungey folk to folky lounge, with some gut-busting tidbits in case you have indigestion.

More details at Aural Wes.

Date: Thursday, February 19th
Time: 6:30 pm -9:00 pm
Place: Eclectic Dining Room

Vote Joe John for Queerty Music Reviewer

Joe John Sanchez III '07, former Wesleying blogger and currently of It's The Money Shot, is in the running to become a regular music reviewer on Queerty.com:

I worked in gay media for 2-3 years, including a gig with a prominent gay social-networking site, I have a firm grasp of what my fellow gays are listening to. And with modesty aside, my eclectic tastes and already-existent press connections put me in a position to be a tastemaker. From personal connections to lesbian rappers (Shunda K of Yo! Majesty totally loves me) to up-and-coming crunchy guys with guitars, I'd love to explore upcoming queer artists while continuing to evaluate mainstream pop, indie, electro, hip-hop and other genres.

Help a brother get some exposure writing about music on the Internet, vote here and make Joe John's dreams come true.

Failures, Total Abuse, Ripshit at WestCo Cafe

Hardcore/punk show tonight at WestCo Cafe, with Failures, Total Abuse, and Ripshit. From Aural Wes:

• Failures: Breakneck 3-chord progressions recall a gaggle of coked-out lemmings, hurdling and collapsing over each other in an all-out sprint to who-the-fuck-knows-where, but without sacrificing what can't be mistaken for anything other than high-level musicianship and tight-knit song structures, even as they make you bleed out the ears.
• Total Abuse: listening to Total Abuse its impossible not to notice the constant collision of meat n' taters American hardcore punk with a stagnant, tense, indeed abusive quality that recalls the more facemelting extremes of no wave and noise rock. Punx and pedal-pushers, together at long last.
• Ripshit: Ripshit fucking rules. Hard. If you like punk rock, you'll probably like this band; and if you don't, to borrow from one of Ripshit's own song titles, "You're not punk and I'm telling everyone." Short, fast, loud, and unmistakably demanding a circle pit, these paragons of the Ct diy hardcore scene are not to be missed.
  

Date: Thursday, February 12
Time: 9 pm
Place: WestCo Cafe
Free w/ WesID

Spotlight: The Yes Way

Here's a Wes-alum-fueled music act which has yet to tour Europe or be incorporated into a six-figure company: The Yes Way, based in Brooklyn, features Mike Drucker '05 and Nick Burleigh '06, both switching between guitar, bass, and violin, along with Aaron Mendelsohn on guitar and vocals, and Jessie Bilotta on drums and vocals.

In December they released an EP, "Who is Better Than You", and over the past few months they've played shows at various venues in New York, including the Central Park Bandshell and Public Assembly in Williamsburg.

At this point they're conscious of themselves as a work in progress (they have a blog!), but The Yes Way is ambitious and optimistic about the coming year as they continue to work on their sound. More importantly, they are showing some Wesleyan love - according to MySpace, these dudes will be trekking up to Middletown to play at Public on February 18.

This clip from a Central Park show last March should serve as a visual aid, not a general representation of their music - the tracks on MySpace give you a much better idea of where they seem to be going as a band.

[Thanks to Adam Bernier '06 for the tip!]

MySpace: The Yes Way
The Yes Way Blog

Musical Madness: an Inter-Class Competition

The class deans encourage some good-natured inter-class rivalry with "Musical Madness: A Musical Competition between the Classes", to be held on Thursday, February 19 at Crowell Concert Hall. All undergrad musicians, singers, and performers are welcome to join:

Acoustic, elecric, or a capella. Ensemble or solo. Original or cover. Prizes for Best Performances and Best in Class. Get your act together and feel the love! All performers must be in the same class year for ensemble entries. Performances must be no longer than five minutes.

Available equipment: Five mics, a couple of monitors, and a piano. You must bring your own amps and drum kit, if necessary. Return your completed entry form to your class dean by February 12.

Date: Thursday, February 19
Time: 7 pm
Place: Crowell Concert Hall

Seven Bands at Eclectic

(My ability to form words together into a coherent and interesting title is not manifesting itself right now, sorry.)

Bands playing are:

• Extra Life
• Little Women
• White Suns
• Mark Brown
• Javelin
• Thrust Lab
• D. Gookin

That's a lot of music, so things will be moving quickly. They have two PAs, and things will start promptly at 8:30pm--which is when they really want you to get there.

[EDIT by Sheek, 7:05 pm]
More info: The first three bands are more experimental, and the next four are more electronic/dancy, so I suppose you will want to plan your time of arrival and level of intoxication accordingly.

Check out Aural Wes for a full write-up of the acts and a roughly chronological guide to your Friday night at Eclectic.

Facebook blurbs:

D. Gookin: http://www.myspace.com/dgookin
Hartford, CT -
Smooth Electro Funk for your Sinful Soul

Thrust Lab: http://www.myspace.com/thrustlab
Baltimore, MD -
Epic Prog Rock Rhythm Section From Valhalla Battling in the Casino Night Zone

Javelin: http://www.myspace.com/hotjamzofjavelin
Brooklyn, NY -
Crunk MPC Masters of the 16-bit GhettoDrome

Mark Brown: http://www.mcbrown.info/
Baltimore, MD -
Acid Trip 8-Bit Freak Out Hyperdub Bmore Booty Bass + Visuals

Extra Life: http://www.myspace.com/extralifetheband
Brooklyn, NY
labyrinthine ballads and ghost worship

Little Women: http://www.myspace.com/littlewomensounds
Brooklyn, NY
how to give jazz a botched facelift

White Suns http://www.myspace.com/whitesuns
rock music turned inside out; exposing the bile

When: Friday 2/6, 8:30pm
Where: Eclectic Ballroom
(Cost: Free)

Show @ Eclectic Friday Night

Playing are:

Zabby
BOBO
and
Kocho-bi-Sexual

Then someone will DJ until 2

When: Friday January 30th, 9 PM
Where: Eclectic
Cost: Free

For some reason, the title of this post reads like some super-ironic headline from the Onion. It's not: there really is a show at Eclectic on Friday.

[Edit by Mad, 1/29] For more info about each of the bands, check out AuralWes

Rosen '11 organizes music show at Psi U

Mike Rosen '11 took advantage of our call for submissions over Winter Break and let us know about his efforts at setting up a show this week at Psi U. Here's the story:

This summer, working for The Fader, it dawned on me that I liked bringing people together and helping them have a good time. So, at one of our events I introduced myself to the three artists that I had just witnessed turn a chill event into a bumping party. The first artist I approached, Wildabeast, a longhaired emcee who raps to Portishead samples and calls himself the “hood-hippie"—if there was anyone in the room who could definitely relate to a Wes student, it was Wil—introduced me to Sixth Sense and Jelani. So began my life moonlighting as a concert and event promoter. This would be the first time I would do an event by myself, or so I thought.

Rather, what I thought would be an independent project soon morphed into a truly Wesleyan story. As a transfer student, I was welcomed with open arms (in true Wes fashion) into a new community for which the school provided ample resources. My RA, for example, was the first person I talked to about my hopes of bringing these musicians to Wes, and he took a lot of time to explain everything to me about policies and procedures. Leaders of student groups were more than happy to meet with me to talk about their experiences, and ICBM allowed me to file an SBC request under their name. The SBC members then walked me through the proposal process... I was enthralled with my new environment. This was what I had come to Wesleyan for: people who were down to make things happen, and for the resources to actually follow through.

As with all Wesleyan stories, it wasn’t the institutions (the groups, group officials, etc.) but the individuals that really gave form to this project. Sure, a number of people offered help because it was their job, but they were excited, they asked me questions, and they got involved. My RA helped me get money from ResLife for the show. Everyone who found out about it seemed excited and happy for me. From the get-go, I had a core group of kids who agreed to help out as a street team of sorts, even though most of them didn’t even know the artists!

The thing is, people at Wesleyan love art, especially music. But, perhaps what we love even more is the very fact that people love art, no matter what kind of art it is. In other words, it’s the practice of taking joy in art—even if it’s not necessarily our “bag of tricks”—because we know that other people enjoy it the same way we enjoy the art forms we like. This proved itself as people began offering their help. One person offered to write an article, another to help with posters, and so on. And it was Wesleyan’s talented student-body that came to my aid when I needed an opening act.

I’m thrilled to say that the event is finally set. On Jan. 23 I will be bringing three of my favorite artists, Sixth Sense, Wildabeast, and Jelani to Psi U, with an opening set by Chrome Punch. This project has weaved its way through Wesleyan, and a lot of hands helped to form this final product... and all on their own accord in the name of art. Thank you, Wesleyan!

Coming Soon: Monotonix

Something to look forward to this semester: Monotonix, a purportedly insane rock band known for its debaucherous live shows and hailed by Spin as "the most exciting live band in rock 'n roll", is coming to Wes in April thanks to the Alternative Music Social Collective.

From the band's bio:

"Eventually finding themselves banned from most of the venues in Tel Aviv, the band decided to leave Israel so they could tour the United States and Europe. From 2006 to 2007, Monotonix played over 300 shows around the world, including SXSW and a tour with Silver Jews. These tours furthered their reputation as a band whose shows are not watched, but experienced. Monotonix have become known for setting themselves and their equipment on fire, stealing drinks from audience members to pour on themselves, and generally turning their shows into unabashed, frenzied dance parties."

Alright! Here's a taste, a clip from a recent show:


MySpace: Monotonix