Portlandia! It stars Carrie Brownstein of Sleater Kinney and takes the mick out of that indierock Utopia, Portland, Oregon. A program this blog was born to write about! I just watched the first program and really enjoyed it, though some of the jokes maybe lost on someone who doesn't know the city, or the kinda middle class-eco-hipster that they're talking about (think Stoke Newington or Brighton and you're getting closer...). I still chuckled, and spent the whole time watching it thinking "yeah, I wanna be back in Portland now".
I like the picture above cause it shows Carrie and costar Fred Armisen in one of Portland's legendary "food pods". Basically, Portland is so much like a middle class festival, everywhere in the city there are food trucks selling gormet but generally cheap food (check out Potato Champion for awesome poutine!). Did you know the ex drummer from The Shins now owns a a Mexican taco stand?
Check out the video to see the opening choon to the program, check out the double height bikes, people actually ride those things, god knows how you stop at the lights! Enjoyxx
HAPPY NEW 2011!!! Where did 2010 go? I didn't even get a chance to write a best of 2010, all I can tell you is I watched too much It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia and 30 Rock! Aw maaannn!
Anyway I did do my best of 2010 Spotify playlist and I wrote this blog post as a guest blogger for The Donnybrook Writing Academy on the train up to Leeds to see one of the last ever Yummy Fur shows. I'm still amazed that someone I don't know has read my blog, hello any new readers that Donnybrook may attract!
I'm good, frantically working and what not and gearing up to play some last few shows with The Loves before we stop being a band. Our last ever show is on the 13th February at The Lexington in London (is this a shameless plug? bah whatevs!) And I am super excited that Greek and Californication are back on telly.
Anyway, I digress, here's a video of my favourites New Order avec Baywatch....
Firstly, I'm so sorry for being rubbish and not updating this website for ages. And yes I also apologise for apologising, it is some kinda cliche to begin a blog post by apologising for not posting. I've been busy trying to find a job and then also working for very little money. I guess I'm technically unemployed but I think I've had the least amount of spare time I've ever had, even when I was working! My band The Loves have been playing some shows, we went to Spain which an insane awesome party, and also to Nottingham which wasn't such an insane party, just involved a lot of shouting about 'Withnail and I' and watching "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia".
Of course as ever, I've found the time to watch all my favourite telly programs, though am slightly disappointed with the lack of indie music references, what is going on in the world? I guess it's still early days though, Gossip Girl had a slightly pointless Robyn appearance (and Rachel Zoe got covered in chocolate! Yess!) and I'm sure it's only a matter of time until they wheel out another 90's indierock star soon. Why can't The Walking Dead have a popstar in it like The Stand did, so that he can batter a zombie with a flying v and then sing a song over their bloody corpse? Instead we have to listen to Egg from This Life's bad bad southern accent? (I like the program though, apart from the accent...) Have I not been watching the right tv programs? Or are people not interested in minor indie celebrities any more?
I did see two really cool documentaries though which you should try and see if you get the chance. The first is the awesome "Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and The Magnetic Fields" which is a total must for fans of The Magnetic Fields, the film tells the story of the band in a very fitting manner, aswell of having lots of funny little interviews and some hilarious photos of Stephin Merritt and Claudia Gonson looking very 80s goth! It's touring the world at the mo, become a fan on the old Facebook to find out when it's next in yr city. After watching the film, I stood next to Stephin (too indie to say anything to him apart from a squeeky "hi" and that was after three glasses of wine) and listened to him have a good grump about someone's baby in the bar, I feel like I've had the Merritt experience now!
And I also saw a cool documentary about Le Tigre at Ladyfest Ten just before MEN (JD Samson's new band!) headlined the Saturday night. The film documents the bands last tour and is mainly on the road footage and live shots, there are some funny bits like when they met Slipknot! Check out the Le Tigre blog for details of screening and whatnot
Oh yeah, you may remember a while back I talked about Chris Packham quoting The Smiths on Springwatch? Well he only went and did it again in 2010 by name dropping Cure song titles, man he's so indie! Check out this interview with him, where he talks about his love of the Mary Chain and Cocteau Twins and his collection of 2000 punk vinyl singles.
There's also this playlist (and moody aging indie boy photo) on his website. Who thought this guy from The Really Wild Show was that cool?(apart from Snow Patrol, of course)
If he didn't have such bad hair maybe I'd fancy him.
I really enjoyed season 2 of Bored To Death, I LOVE Jason Schwartzman (go short people!) and would like to have a hug from Zak Galifianakis. It was the season finale last week, and they ended the series with this awesome song by Yo La Tengo I've had it in my head all week, I found this lovely live version of the song so you can too! Watch enjoy! Until next time, which I promise will be sooner Alicexx
Check out Thrill, dancing roadie with the awesome Still Flyin have his mullet shaved off on this Jimmy Fallon show this week. So many questions and so little answers, hella funny though, and pretty cool to see an Excalibrah shirt on TV,
Still Flyin are just about to embark on a European tour, come join the party... 9/23: Hamburg- Instore show at Freiheit and Roosen @ 5 pm 9/24: Hamburg - Reeperbahn Festival @ Prinzenbar 9/25: Berlin - Uncle Sallys Clubnacht @ Comet 9/27: Brighton, UK - Jam 9/28: Glasgow, UK - Captain's Rest 9/29: Sheffield, UK - Plug @ The Forum 9/30: London, UK - Hoxton Bar & Kitchen 10/1: Schaffhausen, Switzerland - TapTab 10/2: Genova, Italy - Museo Luzzati 10/3: Ferrara, Italy - Zuni 10/4: Treviso, Italy - Club Macaco 10/5: Munich, Germany - Atomic Cafe 10/6: Dresden, Germany - Ostpol (Wimp Club) 10/7: Vienna, Austria - Arena 10/8: Innsbruck, Austria - Bierstindl 10/9: Weyer, Austria - Bertholdsaal
Check out what you'll miss out on....
I think they have a new record out soon, too which you should really buy, more info here when it's all ready.
Yes appologies for the awful pun but this is one of those rare occasions where some of the worst type of television (the Cops reality TV show, bleugh!) collides with our little indie word. OK, so not Beat Happening but The Halo Benders one of Calvin Johnson's many other awesome bands. Watch as they get stopped and man handled by the 'Real Stories of the Highway Patrol' Rather unsavoury viewing, my favourite bit is when Calvin talks back at the self important cops, go him!
And yes welcome back, sorry there hasn't been an update in like forever, I myself have been travelling all around the USA which was as you imagine pretty awesome! And lucky me I got to see The Hive Dwellers, Calvin's new band twice, they're awesome, I can't wait for their record to come out. Here's a video of them performing one of my favourites.
It's been ages hasn't it? Sorry indiekids, been swamped with University work, sorting out stuff for the Indietracks Festival (please come!) I also went to ATP which was one awesome party. Yes yes, I know all excuses!
So yeah last night reading my Bust magazine as any indie girl should, the Riot Grrrl article mentioned in passing that there was an episode of Roseanne where she picks up a riot grrrl hitch hiker who gives them a Bikini Kill tape. So yeah, here is it, god the riot girl is bad! But yeah Roseanne is awesome and says some cool stuff, isn't her baby freaky looking though?
And also, USA go and check out Cyrus at the cinema, featuring music from everyone's favourite party band Still Flyin'! Apparently John C. Reilley dances to their track "The Hott Chord is Struck". Check out the trailer and spot Jonah Hill playing an omnichord!
