- New York

77 BOA DRUM trailer from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

Directed by Jun Kawaguchi.

There are some concerts that are so epic, you regret missing them for years to come. Such happened on July 7th, 2007 at 7:07PM, when Japanese group Boredoms orchestrated a mass performance by 77 drummers at the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn, NY. According to those in attendance, the din and clamor was a near spiritual experience. Now, three years later, the show is watchable on DVD for the first time. 77 Boa Drum is the official live performance documentary of the event, with behind the scenes rehearsal footage, interviews, and of course, lots of footage of the actual performance. With shots this close, just consider yourself the “78th drummer”.

The event was filmed by Jun Kawaguchi, who in the past has shot for web-TV sites like VBS TV, Viva-Radio, and several others. Kawaguchi, perhaps one of the biggest Boredoms fan of all time, spent a decade recording the band’s live performances. You can catch a trailer of the video below, and the full DVD will be released in the US on Thrill Jockey Records September 7th, and come with a series of photo postcards.

- New York

The reigning king of the La Beat Scene Flying Lotus has just debuted his new album Cosmogramma and we are obsessed!  Featuring collaborations with Laura Darlington and Thom Yorke, the album meshes sonic video game sounds with jazz influences from his aunt- Alice Coltrane (wife of famed musician John Coltrane). Cosmogramma can be described as a “space opera”- combining elements of electronica, instrumental hip-hop, with and jazz rhythms.

If you’re curious to check him out, Flying Lotus will be playing two upcoming shows in LA at the Echoplex.

- Melrose

Here at Dolce Vita, we’re constantly inspired by the effortless style of Charlotte Gainsbourg. Most recently, we’ve been playing her latest album IRM nonstop in the store. A collaboration with producer/artist extraordinaire Beck, Gainsbourg’s ghostly vocals (synchronized with Beck’s subtle accompaniments) provide a haunting soundtrack inspired by the singer’s recent near-fatal experience water skiing. The album delves into themes of fear, death, and paranoia, all the while maintaining an etheral aura of calm. Be sure to have yourself a listen!

- Melrose

For those of you in LA, be sure to  drop by First Fridays at the Natural History Museum. Every first Friday of the month, the Museum runs events complete with music,  talks, food- everything you need for a darn good time. Past performances have included Seawolf, Wolfmother, and other indie darlings. Since the event runs only till 10, it’s  the perfect way to start your night.

- Los Angeles

We are sure you have heard  about the amazing Coachella lineup already, but in case you haven’t… this year’s annual pilgrimage to the desert will include headliners Jay Z, Muse, and the Gorillaz, as well as feature indie and hip-hop heavy hitters such as MGMT, Spoon, Vampire Weekend, De La Soul, Sly and the Family Stone, and Flying Lotus. We are so excited about the stacked lineup that we’ve been debating  if this may be the best Coachella ever! Other exciting artists include Fever Ray, Major Lazer, and Julian Casablancas.

Those of you bold enough to brave the crowds of half naked 20 somethings and 100+ degree weather will surely be in for a treat!

Coachella

- Melrose Place

Experience our latest obsession: Nosaj Thing. ‘Nosaj Thing’ is 24 year old California native Eric Chung, whose innovative blend of sonic, bass-heavy beats and funky everyday noises (think peeling of masking tape and jingling change) has put him in the ranks of Flying Lotus, Daddy Kev, Jeremy Ellis and other underground hip-hop locals. His premiere album, ‘Drift’ earned a 7.9 rating on Pitchfork and has piqued the interests of devout FlyLo fans. Nosaj Thing is currently touring till late February up and down the west coast (he hits Seattle 2/10!) and is playing for Daedelus – the two of them are certain to make for a great show!

- Melrose Place

We were intrigued when we found out that the Black Keys were doing a hip-hop collaboration produced by Damon Dash and featuring underground MC heavy-hitters like RZA, Q-tip, and Mos Def. While we would call ourselves fans of both the indie blues duo as well as the various underground rap artists, it was hard to imagine the fuzing of the very different genres they represented.

The result: fantastic! We can’t stop listening to the album. The Black Keys provide the perfect bluesy backdrop laced with all the grit and soul so characteristic of the pair. Atop these instrumentals, the MCs provide a various range of lyrics – from the wistful ‘Why can’t I forget him’ to the shake-your-ass tune ft. Ludacris and ODB, ‘Coochie.’ Musically, neither the Black Keys nor the guest artists does too much in breaking new ground, but the collaboration itself is making waves. We hope it will inspire other unlikely collaborations of different genre artists.

Check out Blakroc

- Melrose

We’re so excited to present Tiffany’s band, Rainbow Arabia, which will be opening for Julian Casablancas tonight at The Orpheum. A couple of us have tickets for tonight’s show and are anxious to hear the debut of Julian Casablancas’s (the lead singer for The Strokes) solo work. After tonight, Rainbow Arabia will continue to open for Julian Casablancas during his LA stay, then follow him north, where the two bands will reunite for a show in Vancouver. We can’t wait to see them in action… wish Tiffany luck!

Get tickets to upcoming shows

- Melrose

Leave it to Karin Dreijer Andersson of the music groups Fever Ray and The Knife to put out a Halloween mix. Their haunting brand of electronic music has the ability to get you dancing and frightened all in the same 5 minute song. Read the interview with her from RA Podcast and download it here.

We were also lucky enough to see her perform here in New York on her tour to support her self-titled album Fever Ray last month which was one of the best shows we have seen in years. With the lazer show burning into our souls while smoke blanketed the room and the performers dressed in outlandish costumes, we felt like we were joining a cult as much as attending a concert. Seeing the faces of everyone leaving the show, we could tell that everyone felt as drained from the sensory overload as we were. If you ever have the chance, I would highly suggest going to a show that will surely stay with you.

- New York