September 2006 (PDF) - Antigravity Magazine

[vol.3 no.11 sept.‘06][your new orleans music and culture alternative]SUFJAN STEVENSALL DRESSED UP AND 48 STATES TO GOALSO: ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKIBRICE NICE I JEFF HANSON I JUNIOR BOYSCALEXICO I JOSE GONZALEZ I SEPT. ‘05?www.antigravitymagazine.comFREE!

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Vol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05[Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]THE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[www.antigravitymagazine.com]FREE!Vol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05[Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]THE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[www.antigravitymagazine.com]FREE!Vol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05Vol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05[Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]THE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[www.antigravitymagazine.com]FREE![Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]THE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[www.antigravitymagazine.com]FREE!Vol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05[Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]THE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[www.antigravitymagazine.com]FREE!Vol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05[Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]THE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[www.antigravitymagazine.com]FREE!FREEFLOATING RAMBLINGSSEND HATEMAIL TO: FEEDBACK@ANTIGRAVITYMAGAZINE.COM OR: P.O. BOX 24584, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70184Let me preface this issue witha warning: We’ve never, inour two-plus years of existence,had a September issue ofANTIGRAVITY not affected byan H-word. I’m writing this onAugust 28th, which obviously isthe day before the anniversaryof you-know-what and a yearafter the AG staff broke off work on our September‘05 issue and vacated the premises. We didn’t get topublish that September issue, and that’s after ourSeptember ‘04 issue was rendered moot halfwaythrough the month after H-word Ivan gave us thechills and cancelled a bunch of shows. My point (thereis one in here somewhere, I believe) is that the thirdtime’s the charm. This September’s slate of music isas close to the quality of last year’s as it could be,and may even be better. Last September had BuiltTo Spill and the Fiery Furnaces, this year has SufjanStevens and Architecture In Helsinki. Last year hadMagnolia Electric Co. and Minus the Bear, this yearhas Calexico, Jeff Hanson and Art Brut. And that’sbarely the tip of what’s on tap. If everything goes well[knocks on wood] we’ll be able to enjoy this monthof music as we were to enjoy last year’s Septemberline-up; More, maybe, because of what we’ve all gonethrough. In dedication to that missed month we’reusing our would-be cover from September ‘05 asthis month’s rating system. You can see, besides itbeing not quite finished, that we were changing ourlogo a little bit, making it italicized. Like that wouldhave made us seem to be in action, or something.Anyway, enjoy this issue and enjoy September–we’veall earned it, I think.––Leo McGovern, PublisherLast month’s e-mail contest called for people to sendin notes on their favorite TV show that’s based aroundmusic. I expected a bunch of snarky e-mails sayingAmerican Idol-this and Shasta McNasty-that. Heck,I’d’ve even taken a few e-mails about a John Stamosshow just because he played a guy who played guitarin Full House. Instead we got one e-mail from Mallorywith Distmantled Designs, who exhibited at the Expo andwrites this recap (edited for space and to make us lookas good as possible) on her blog at missmalaprop.com:The Expo has been a great place for me to meetand network with cool new people. I first metRachelle, founder of the New Orleans Craft Mafia,at the Spring 2005 Expo. This year I chatted withsome of the Big Easy Roller Girls, met a sociologyprofessor from Tulane (who happens to be teachinga class about craft & culture this semester) andanother teacher from UNO (who has written apaper about the same subject). I also got a chanceto speak with one of the founders of Staple, anindependent media festival in Austin, Texas.Even though it was hotter than Hades at theHowlin’ Wolf that night, fun was still had by all. Ialways really enjoy these types of things, and I can’twait until the 6th installment of the AlternativeMedia Expo!The other nightI woke up at3:30 a.m. in extremepain. My wrists andelbows felt as if theywere being jabbedwith screwdriversand my hands werecompletely numb.After packing myarms with bagsof frozen peas, I finally called the doctorand made an appointment. It seems thatI have something called “Harvey TunnelSyndrome,” an ailment that usually affectsWestbank writers and renders their palms,like the tunnel, functionally obsolete. Theyhave no idea how I got it since I’ve neverbeen through any tunnel in SE La. and havenever even slept on that side of the river. Gofigure. As such, I can’t write much. So, sincemy arms and hands are useless, I will just saythat I will give an extra effort to do things thiscoming month that don’t require the use ofmy upper extremities; like listening to musicwith my ears, dancing like Peanuts charactersand absolutely NOT touching myself. Goodthing I work for a music mag, for how elsewould I know of all the good shows? Now, allI need is a driver.––Patrick Strange, Associate EditorOh yeah, in answer to the email contest...myfavorite music tv-show is “So You Think You CanDance.” Partially because I really love dance andI used to do ballroom, but mostly because I reallywant to do Benji, the Mormom West-CoastPrince of Swing.And who wouldn’t give her a CD for an e-maillike that?While going through the latest stack ofANTIGRAVITY mail and opening dozens of envelopes,I said to myself, “Leo, wouldn’t it be nice if you got arandom doctored photo in the mail? It’s been so longsince the picture of Ray Nagin with the word “Thug”printed on top of it came to us in the mail.” Lo andbehold, one of the next envelopes yeilded this find:There’s a palpablefunk currentlygripping our croissantshapedcity, and I don’tmean the kind Papagrows. It’s August 29 asI write this, and all overNew Orleans peopleare commemoratingand commiserating theAnti-versary in theirown personal ways: Surely, somewhere oldfriend Kimberly Williamson Butler is plottingan ill-fated State Senate campaign; elsewhere,Renegin’ Ray Nagin is simultaneously filling apothole, putting his foot in his mouth and planninga wholly inappropriate Central City parade. (Youhave to hand it to him—if nothing else, the mancan multitask.) Each day this week we’ve flashedback to the corresponding date in 2005 (“Hey,right now we were still in the Tchoups Wal-Martbuying PB&J and batteries!”), a depressing activitythat only dampened our collective mood as thecalendar counted down to K-Day. As always, welook to music as a leavening agent, and luckilySeptember’s got more lift than Leidenheimer’s:No less than 14 shows in its 30 days qualify foryour hard-earned cash, headlined by first visitsfrom the coolest kid in the Christian Coalition(Sufjan Stevens), the looniest dudes from theLand Down Under (Architecture In Helsinki) andnotable second dates with many more (JuniorBoys, TV On The Radio, Art Brut, Ted Leo). Asa good friend was fond of saying in earlier, easiertimes: We’ll see you out and about.-Noah Bonaparte, Senior EditorVol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05[www.antigravitymagazine.com][Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]BUILT TO SPILLNo More SecretsTHE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXFREE! BUILT TO SPILLNo More SecretsBUILT TO SPILLNo More SecretsBUILT TO SPILLNo More SecretsBUILT TO SPILLNo More SecretsBUILT TO SPILLNo More SecretsYes, we had tons of fun at the Expo and we’recurreently figuring out when the next one will be.Despite a few people requesting it, the next Expoprobably WON’T be in six months. It’s just too much toplan and take care of so quickly. Anyway, on to Mallory’se-mail response:Thanks to Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine and Dr. Howard,all evidently from Baton Rouge, for sending this in.You know, I’m not quite sure if this is disparaging ornot. Are these people jealous of Metronome The City?Trying for a cheap laugh? What do you think?BUILT TO SPILLNo More Secrets04_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

ANTI-NEWSSOME OF THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO PRINTDJ Shadow, 10/3 @ House Of BluesRotary Downs CD Release, 10/6 @ One Eyed JacksEOE (formerly Atman Roots) CD Release, 10/13 @ RepublicBuilt To Spill, 10/17 @ House Of BluesMC Chris, 10/18 @ RepublicDecemberists w/ Lavender Diamond, 10/26 @ House Of BluesEl Radio Fantastique, Baby Rosebud, 10/30 @ One Eyed JacksJolie Holland, 11/08 @ the ParishBe Your Own Pet, 11/9 @ Republic...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, 11/20 @ House Of BluesDeath Cab For Cutie, 11/29 @ RepublicDr. Dog w/ the Black Keys, 12/12 @ House Of BluesIn a July 30th message to his e-mail list the White Bitch,a.k.a. Michael Patrick Welch, announced his “last show ever”would be that night at One Eyed Jacks. When asked why hedecided to quit the guitar-playing business he replied, “Lackof sunlight, water and other nutrients. The natural course ofthings. Bitterness.” Deep stuff, huh? Well, the White Bitch’sdeath lasted about as long as an A-list comic character’s––on August 16th he announced that on September 14th he’sset to reprise his role as opening act for TV On The Radio(Welch opened for TVOTR at TwiRoPa in November of ‘04).The White Bitch was offered the opening slot by the band’sagents (after direction from the band itself) and will also prepTVOTR’s crowd the following night at Dallas’ Gypsy TeaRoom. “I suddenly don’t care if the Ninth Ward boho snobsdon’t like my music,” the Bitch said in his most recent message.“Suddenly I feel the need to rock. And rock I will.”Hexing A Hurricane,the new documentaryby ten18films’ JeremyCampbell, is nominatedfor “Best AmericanDocumentary” at theRome International FilmFestival. The winnerwill be announced onSeptember 10th, the dayHurricane is scheduledto screen at the festival.Hexing A Hurricane cannow be seen online at http://www.nola.com/hurricane. Director’sCut DVDs are available at www.ten18films.com.Zeitgeist Multi-disciplinary Arts Center is celebrating its 20thanniversary in November and is looking for filmmakers, musiciansand other artists who have presented work at the center to comeback for an encore. The center is booking twenty-five nights ofprogramming, and interested artists can contact Rene Broussardat (504) 525-2767 or zte@bellsouth.net.The New Orleans Filmmakers have created Shutter Magazine,a free resource for events related to the film industry, includingcasting calls, screenings, production updates, parties and more.The magazine can be found at several locations in Mid-City,the Marigny, the French Quarter, the CBD, Uptown andMetairie. To find more info on Shutter, go to www.myspace.com/shutternola.The Noomoon Tribe is now accepting submissions for twoopen slots at the Noomoon Sitori Sonics stage at Voodoo‘06. Deadline for submissions is October 4th and artists mustbe a member of SonicBids (www.sonicbids.com) to apply. Formore info, go to noomoontribe.com/voodoo.As The World Turns couldn’t come up with a story thisgood. In last month’s issue we reported that SIP WineMarket concept-creator Jen Powell was ousted from theday-to-day operations of the store that had been one ofAG’s favorite post-K success stories. Now we’re glad toreport that Powell, armed with two new business partners,has bought the business back from the former associate whounceremoniously kicked her to the curb. With her plans totravel across the country and sell egg burritos along the waynow on hold, Powell has returned to SIP on an everydaybasis–literally. You can now find Powell at the Magazine St.location seven days a week.Please submit sightings to feedback@antigravitymagazine.com.Celebs in compromising positions preferred.Ex-Romanian Andrei Codrescu and internationalCajun superstar Coco Robicheaux were seencommiserating over several pints at Molly’s on Sunday,August 20. Although witnesses admit they too weregripped in an alcoholic haze, reports suggest that bothmen seemed “buzzed from beer and too much talking.”After several rounds, Coco supposedly commented onthe elaborate tattoo gracing the bartender’s breasts, atwhich Codrescu likened the ink to the way the “moon’sreflection shattered into a thousand fragments” whenhe used to throw stones in the “waters of his nativeRomania.” After several moments of complete and uttersilence, all the patrons at the bar reportedly demandedin unison that Codrescu immediately give “all theirpennies back.”British thespian David Tennant (pictured withClockwork Elvis’ DC Harbold and Spooky), star of theUK’s new TV version of “Dr. Who” and actor in suchroles as Barty Crouch Junior in Harry Potter and the Gobletof Fire and the Traffic Warden in The Traffic Warden, wasbarely noticed at One Eyed Jacks on Wednesday, August23. Sources say Tennant was at the club filming a featurefilm in which Andre Williams, a.k.a. “Mr. Rhythm,”makes a cameo appearance. Details are elusive at best,for most people in the venue didn’t really know “whothe star of ‘Dr. Who’ really was.”- A Rose is a Roseantigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_05

After a year of obstacles, Backporch Revolution’s Proudto Swim Home compilation has finally been released.The local collective/record label will be presenting,through international distribution, a snapshot of the localexperimental electronic scene that includes drone, ambient,noise, and more. No offense to the comp’s creators, AlecVance and Dan Haugh, but I was surprised when the CDwas wrapped and mastered with professional artwork andband descriptions. I expected something more simple andthrown together from an underground organization knownfor their DIY ethos, but their hard work is exactly why theCD may yet have national legs. Artists on the disc includeChef Menteur, the Buttons, Potpie, the UptownCajun All-Stars, Archipelago, Liteworks and AntonVs. Nature.The idea of the disc came to Vance and Haugh during theirevacuation in Memphis. After Haugh thought of the “Proudto Swim Home” phrase and turned it into a bumper sticker,the two figured it’d be a good title for somethingthey’d always wanted to do, something that could bringneeded attention to their (favorite style of) music–acompilation. After they received money from theMusicCares foundation, they decided they’d give backto the organization by streaming all proceeds from Proudstraight into the MusicCares bank account.I sat down with the duo at Vance’s Uptown home inlate August as Vance’s cats scurried, the couple nextdoor loudly argued, and the sun set without warning orworry. We smoked, drank and tried to get to the heartof their passion.ANTIGRAVITY: Is it difficult to build acollective because there are fewer people inthis city who play or follow this type of music(that’s featured on Proud to Swim Home)?Alec Vance: You’re right in the sense that New Orleanshas a small group of musicians that are doing these kindsof music, and therefore...Dan Haugh: The electronic experimental scene is reallyminimal in New Orleans. Austin is taking off. Two orthree hundred people are showing up to see some dudedo noise. In New Orleans there’s like 5 or 10 people thatshow up, and I think that’s going to change eventually.AG: Why do you feel that way?DH: I don’t know, I think it’s starting to get someattention finally and before long there’s going to be fivemore people that go to the next show. Three of those are goingto hate it...AG: But they might tell their friends that theyhate it, and their friends are going to go, “Well,let me see if I hate it.”DH: Exactly, and there will be two people that might like it,and they’ll tell their friends it’s awesome, and hopefully it’ll bea chain reaction of people liking it here and there. I don’t see itbeing to the extent that some guy with a sine wave generatoris going to sell out the the Howlin’ Wolf, but (he) may get a fullaudience at the Circle Bar.AG: Why do you feel like it’s turning around?Is it certain events that have happened, or is itbecause of the compilation, or...DH: It’s just because we’re all putting so much energy into itright now. We’ve got so much stuff going on. The compilation isa big step forward. McKeown’s Books is doing monthly shows.The more this stuff happens, the more it’s going to catch on. Ithink it’ll take off, but it’s not going to sell out Tipitina’s.AV: At the same time, New Orleans is a smaller city, and evenif it weren’t it would still be a small city. It’s never going to bea Chicago or a San Francisco, New York, Austin.DH: We’re dominated by the Nevilles and that type of music,but look at Salt Lake City, Utah. There are more Slayer recordssold per capita in Salt Lake City, Utah, so maybe that same kind ofbacklash will happen here, where people will get into noise.AG: Or they get tired–see, this is what I hate,because I actually love going out and seeingcertain live jazz and funk bands, so I don’t wantto put it down, but at the same time I could seehow people would get tired of it so much thatthey just totally...DH: I don’t have a problem with that type of music.AV: Me either. The only problem I have with New Orleansmusic is it tends to be dominated by a certain retro nostalgiakind of thing. What we’re doing is not about the kind of nostalgiathat people in New Orleans would be attracted to, especiallytourists. There’s a certain focus in New Orleans music–peoplefrom out of town will go, “I’m coming to New Orleans, I wantto see some jazz.” Well, they’ll see some great jazz players, butthey’re probably going to see some jazz players playing tunesthat have been played a million times over the past fifty years.That’s great if that’s what they’re looking for. It’s like going toDisneyland and riding Space Mountain. Great, you had a greattime, but we’re from the perspective of the ride attendant atSpace Mountain, you know? Not so exciting (if that’s the onlything you’re doing). We want to do something new, and wehappen to live in New Orleans...AG: Do you happen to live in New Orleans, or isthis just where you belong?AV: Both. We happen to live here, but the improvisationalquotient that’s a big part of almost all New Orleans’ traditionalstyles of music is also a big part of almost all of the acts thatperform with Backporch Revolution. Nobody does the samesong structure every time. Every song has a couple minutes ofimprov, and it’s not just a guitar solo. It’s like a complete noisefreak out, an acid freak out, or minimalist drones, or whatever.Potpie never plays the same show twice. Chef Menteur neverplays the same show twice. That’s the cool thing about doingelectronic music, and when I say “electronic music,” I don’tmean dance music. I mean music made with the equipmentyou’re using and you’re fulfilling the role of the performer andthe mixer. We’re looping our own stuff while we have a guitaror keyboard in hand and we’re increasing the feedback orchanging the delay times. Or changing different things on themodular synthesizer. It’s always a little bit of a surprise what’sgoing to happen on analog equipment, which can be a coolthing. It’s the fun of it. It’s like, I guess, when a jazz musicianstarts freaking out on the saxophone and he just lets his mindgo crazy and he doesn’t really know what notes are going tocome out.AG: Where do you think the meeting point is forall the different sub-genres you put under yourumbrella? What does everybody who’s in thecollective agree upon?AV: Everybody has similar ideas of it not being about how manynotes you play but the sounds you make. Everybody’s tryingto explore what can be made with their instrument and focusmore on different textures. Trying to do something new withthe instrument. There’s still melody, along with noise, but at thesame time, even the really melodic stuff has a certain kind of...DH: For example, one night after our practice room flooded,Alec and I were practicing in the living room, and all we weredoing was fucking around on the Farfisa (organ), hitting somenotes and then putting a microphone into a bunch of effects,and the microphone had an on and off switch. And just turningit on and off, on and off, on and off, and we put it through adelay pedal. It was like (makes chugging sound). And then Istarted to beatbox into that and it sounded fuckingawesome, and that’s half of it right there.AG: What do you think predisposes youto put so much energy into and make thiskind of music, as opposed to any other kindof music that you like? Is it just because youlike this music a little bit more?DH: That’s a really good question. Heck if I know.AV: There are lots of types of music I like but don’tknow how to play...DH: And don’t want to play.AV: There are types of music that I know how to playbut I don’t feel–like bluegrass or honky tonk or 12 barblues or garage rock. It would just feel insincere tome, or it just feels too rote. I used to play in a punkrock band. I was the singer-songwriter in a band in themid-’90s, and I got tired of the whole indie rock vocalguitarsolo-put your heart on your sleeve-being ironicthing. I got tired of hearing my voice.AG: I get the feeling that people that do thistype of music have already gone throughtheir other cycles. They’ve already playedeverything else, so there’s nothing left topush that boundary and they find this typeof music.AV: I wouldn’t say I’ve mastered or grown tired ofeverything else. There are lots of types of music I reallyenjoy, like Indian classical music, which if I tried to play I wouldsound like a complete amateur. For me there’s still a lot of growthpotential.DH: I don’t know what it is I like about it. When I movedback to New Orleans, I saw Potpie play at McKeown’swith his sine wave generator, and I was like, “That’s reallyfuckin’ cool.” A guy by himself and it’s music. It’s one simpleelectronic instrument. I thought that was really interesting.That same night Anton did his thing on the Moog, and again,that was really cool–sounds I’m not used to hearing. It wasn’tstructured. It was very refreshing.AV: The other thing that’s cool about being in New Orleansis that we’re almost doing what we’re doing in spite of NewOrleans, and in a weird way that makes it easier.AG: You don’t have to rely on anything, and youdon’t feel like anyone has to give you anything.AV: Right. We feel like, as a group we’re creating somethingput of nothing. Potpie is the best example of this. If only fivepeople listen to him and twenty people walk out, he feels like itwas a success because it’s New Orleans. With Chef Menteur,it’s the same thing. We know from the beginning that people inNew Orleans in general aren’t drawn to it, and that just makesit more challenging and interesting.For more information on Backporch Revolution and to buy a copy ofProud to Swim Home, go to www.backporchrevolution.com.06_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

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MPFREECOMPILED ANDSPONSORED BY:Scared to download music from Kazaa or other services thatcould get you sued by big business? No worries here. These are100% free mp3s from artists who know how to promote theirmusic--by letting people hear some of it for free. So check theseout and buy the album or see their show if you enjoy hearing it.Calexico - “Black Heart”Country-infused rock from Feast of Wire,Touch and GoSufjan Stevens - “Jason”Minimal, experimetal pop rock from A Sun Came,Asthmatic KittyJoanna Newsom - “Peach Plum Pear”Childlike, folkish something from The Milk-EyedMender, Drag CityCocoRosie - “Noah’s Ark”Pop from Noah’s Ark, Touch and GoCansei de Ser Sexy- “Let’s Make Love andListen to Death From Above”Disco from CSS, Sub PopDeVotchKa - “How it Ends”Indie meets orchestration from How It Ends, Cicero[+/-] - “Surprise”Clicky indie-tronic from You Are Here, TeenbeatVisit TWX for these free songs and others not listed here.TWX does not profit from the information provided onthe blog or from the mpFree column. ANTIGRAVITY is notresponsible for the content on The Witness Exchange. Pleasecontact the site author if you are one of these artists and wishto have any links or files removed and your request will behonored immediately.Are you an artist with mp3s available on yourweb site or another free music service? If so, sendan e-mail with your URL, along with a descriptionof your sound (press clipping preferred), to:mpFree@antigravitymagazine.com.08_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

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EMO, BAILE FUNK, PUNK ROCK AND EVEN DISCOBRICENICESPINS IT ALLBY DAN FOXNew Orleans might be hundreds of years old,but it’s still America’s teenager. What other cityhas such a rebellious, raucous attitude; and what other cityabsolutely hates to be told what to do? It’s part of our provincialcharm and Southern heritage. We’re wary of outsiders comingto live amongst us and thinking they know “what’s up,” collegestudents, activists, and Northerners especially. When BriceWhite arrived from rural Pennsylvania onto Tulane’s campus inthe Fall of 1993, New Orleans was getting all three in a single,extremely motivated individual. It didn’t take long for Brice tofi nd WTUL’s basement studio, where he took over the WorldOf Punk show for most of the ‘90s and introduced the city to alot of new hardcore, emo, and political punk rock. A lot of thesebands toured through New Orleans, playing in spaces that noone had thought to look into before Brice—places such as theFirst Unitarian Church on Jefferson and Claiborne and the nowlegendary Faubourg Marigny Center. Performances from bandslike Unwound, Sleater Kinney, Elliot Smith, Team Dresch, HisHero is Gone, and Lightning Bolt are now part of our local musichistory thanks to Brice’s diligence. His talent for fi nding showspaces led him, with others, to create Nowe Miasto (Polish forNew City), a warehouse in Mid-City that has hosted countlessshows, readings, meetings, community potlucks, and prisonerbook exchanges.Brice has also worked tirelessly for social justice and equality,giving New Orleans a much-needed kick in the ass. He played acrucial role in starting a Food Not Bombs chapter that servedfree, vegan food in Lafayette Square and Jackson Square foryears. Brice has also immersed himself in the history of theBlack Panther Party in Louisiana, most notably with his (andpartner Shana griffi n’s) documentary, Sooner Or Later Somebody’sGonna Fight Back. The footage and interviews in the fi lm refl ectBrice’s ability to entertain, engage and charge an audience withinthe context of such weighty and sobering subject matter. Groupssuch as the National Coalition to Free the Angola 3 and theJuvenile Justice Project of Louisiana have also benefi ted from hisparticipation and work ethic.In recent years, Brice has devoted a lot of his energy to the art ofplaying recorded music for public consumption. His appreciationand appetite for classic soul and funk has helped foster a friendlyworking relationship with DJ Soul Sister, who originally broughthim into WWOZ as her substitute for the ever-inspiring SoulPower show. Currently he hosts his own show, the Block Party,which features dance music from around the world and airsfrom six to eight p.m. on Saturdays. As DJ Brice Nice (formerlyDeejay Assfault) he has booked a demanding schedule, starting atHandsome Willy’s on Wednesdays for a Ladies’ Night with [DJ]Beatgrrl. Be warned, meatheads: “Not Ladies’ Night where dudescome to try and get laid, but Ladies’ Night where women canfeel comfortable and hang out. No bullshit from dudes or you’reout.” Friday nights he’ll DJ at the Republic for the Refi x, a nightsponsored by Ditto, Baby Productions and ANTIGRAVITY. Ofcourse, there will always be the occasional block party, shindig,throwdown, wedding, bar mitzvah, protest, social action—anything with a soundtrack. Take that funky music and stick it inyour earhole.10_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

AG: What were some of your preconceivednotions and first impressions of New Orleanswhen you arrived?BW: Total culture shock for a long time. Believe me, it was reallybad especially because I had to live on Tulane’s campus whichis the most heinous place to have to live, to be surroundedby people who go to the Boot every night, which I couldn’tstand. And I didn’t drink and I [was] vegetarian/vegan, so thosewere biases I brought down here, in a way, but they were alsojust personal choices that I didn’t change and I don’t thinkare contradictory to anything about being in New Orleans ... Iwas always trying to fi nd something that I had at home, whichwas going to all-ages punk rock shows at spaces that seemedinviting. It was a totally different world coming down here.AG: But you brought a lot of that with you.BW: I think what I did was what a lot of people do when theyfi rst come here: they try to fi nd what they have somewhereelse and make it in New Orleans. Over and over again you seepeople do it and it falls off, it doesn’t happen. I tried to bringcertain types of punk rock and certain ways of doing things.Some things worked and some things didn’t.AG: You booked a lot of emo shows back in theday, when it was kind of a new sound. Did youever think someone would be asking you aboutthe “early days of emo?”BW: The thing that’s so depressing is that emo is the mostawful thing to be called now; it’s so horrible. I was really intowhat was called “emo” at the time and it became an ongoingjoke here, which I was part of. But I was defending this wholestyle which was a certain type of hardcore [punk], a certainaesthetic ... Bands like that were political, but they werepersonal. And I was 17; that’s an angst-fi lled time in your life,you know? Those sort of things speak to you.AG: How did you transition between punk rockand what you play now, the Baile funk, dancehall,soul, hip hop, etc.?BW: I always buy records from fl ea markets [and] thriftstores; it’s something that I’ve done since I was old enough toknow music. I remember buying an Eddie Bo 45 at Thrift City,this track “Hook and Sling” which is his biggest song, probably.The drums on it are really insane; I don’t even know how todescribe it. It’s hard; it grabs your attention; it’s aggressivebut it’s not hostile. It had the energy of a punk rock record,and I was like, “What the hell is this?” I always thought funkwas a bad word, and disco. I actually had soul records but Ididn’t understand how music progresses and is connected ...It’s a certain sound; it’s people making stuff at home out oftheir own emotions, and I think that I grew up in the contextof rock and roll that way. I realized that in all these differentgenres there’s that same feeling and drive and motivation andenergy. It affects you the same way; it makes you dance. To me,New Orleans Bounce is like that, too. It’s raw and it’s createdby people in their bedrooms with what little equipment theyhave and it speaks to people; it’s a release and it’s a commenton your surroundings. Same way, to me—totally differentcircumstances and demographics—punk rock 45s weresomething that helped me get through my adolescence.AG: Does disco not suck?BW: It’s true that tons of disco sucks, and it’s also true thattons of hip hop sucks but it’s also true that tons of rock musictotally sucks through every era, through the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80sand certainly the ‘90s. Today, there’s tons of shitty music ofall genres. Why does disco get such a bad rap? There’s a lotof great disco music. Disco in itself is just a word that meanssort of a new era of funk and soul. And really it’s all soul music,R&B, rhythm and blues music, doo wop and things like that.AG: As a DJ and record collector, do you have any“best of” collecting moments?BW: There are soooo many at this point it’s absolutelyridiculous. I love when I fi nd a record that I didn’t even knowexisted. Someone like Eddie Bo, who is my favorite artist interms of music. He’s made hundreds and hundreds of recordsand every time I think I’ve found them [all] I fi nd another one,one that no one else knows about. I was in Kingston, Jamaica,and I found a Liquid Liquid 12” earlier this year and I was reallyexcited about it. And then I was at this guy’s house and I foundthis record that there’s probably only 50 of, that was made inKenner, this disco funk 12” ... I don’t know, there’s so many!AG: What happens when you’re in a record storeand DJ Soul Sister walks in?BW: Switchblades come out! [Laughs] You know what? It’s notabout the commodity of records. That’s what happens a lot oftimes. You start thinking about records as an object. I don’t putrecords before people at all. There’s a lot of these psycho yardsale guys who, if [the sale] opens at eight a.m., they get thereat six. Or they get there the day before and knock on people’sdoors. And when you’re there they’ll be trying to nudge you outof the way so they can get to the records. This is totally insane!This piece of vinyl is not more important than other people.AG: How does DJing tie into your activism?BW: I’ve spent a lot of time over my life and most of my freetime doing activist work. I feel like sometimes you end upbeating your head against the wall a lot and not getting realfar with certain strategies. I think it’s important to step backsometimes and make sure that you’re enjoying your life, thatyou’re comfortable with the way that you live and the thingsthat you do. It makes you more successful in the other workyou’re doing. What I get down to is the basics: food, clothing,shelter, safety and freedom. Those are important things, right?So I try to think that whatever I do in my life, is it reachingthose goals? If I’m going to meetings all the time or if I’mprotesting all the time, does that reach those goals? A lot oftimes it doesn’t. If I’m DJing out, does that help reach thosegoals? Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t. I like todo block parties in my neighborhood in Mid-City. I did a blockparty earlier this month in the Lower Ninth Ward for folkswho were trying to gut their houses ... I think these things areall connected. There’s a lot of value in dance, a lot of spiritliftinginvolved in music of all sorts, whether it’s punk rockor funk or soul or even dance music that I totally hate, liketechno music. Anything you do depends on how you do it andhow you use it.AG: Now that you’re somewhat of a party DJ, doyou play stuff that you don’t like?BW: I’m a total snob when it comes to music; I only playthings that I like, if possible. If someone’s paying me to do aparty, especially if it’s a wedding or [an event] where there’ssomething riding on it, sure, I’ll play things that people wantto hear. I think being a DJ is playing music for other people. Ifyou don’t respond to what the crowd came to hear, then youmight as well forget about it, because you’re not really DJing.You can be an incredible mixer and scratcher, and there’s alot of DJs that are way better at that than I am—for sure—butif you’re not responding to the crowd, you might as well doit at your house. I’ll play requests, within reason. I used to DJ“You know what? It’s not about the commodity of records.That’s what happens a lot of times. You start thinking aboutrecords as an object. I don’t put records before people at all.”for this mobile service on the Westbank and I had to do lotsof weddings and Christmas parties for car dealerships and stufflike that. If I ever have to hear “Lady In Red” or “WonderfulTonight” again I’ll shoot myself.AG: What about “Strokin’?”BW: “Strokin’” is one of my favorites! [Laughs] Fuckin’“Strokin’.” The worst song ever.AG: But that’s what you have to do, right?BW: If they’re paying you to do that and you agree to doit, that’s on you, that’s your mistake and you have to do it.And I’ve done that and I still do it. I’ve gotten to the pointlately where I can play what I want most of the time, which issomething that I’m grateful for.antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_11

Somewhere between Joni Mitchelland Mason Jennings, the title “singer/songwriter” inherited something of abad rub. As folk music gets a bracingly fresh reintroductionby new-millennium innovators like Devendra Banhart, SufjanStevens and Joanna Newsom, so too has the modern singer/songwriter stigma been updated and altered forever by thelife (and self-imposed death) of its fellowship’s torturedcrowned king, Elliott Smith.Smith was the archetypal late-‘90s singer/songwriter, aniconic musician blessed with just three discernable tools:whispery pipes, labyrinthine picks and a songwriting panacherivaling that of the original masters. Since his fall fromgrace following Sony’s release of his penultimate album, Figure8, every guitar-slinger with a thunderously soft voice hasthrown their hat into Smith’s pitiable ring, none pulling offhis seemingly contradictory pastiche—god-given melodicgifts star-crossed by an immense sense of mortal self-loathing—withany real aplomb.St. Paul, Minn., songwriter Jeff Hanson has only producedtwo records, but the race to fi nd the heir to Smith’s throneseems to have ended before it started. On 2003’s Son, thesinger’s debut for Smith’s old Kill Rock Stars label, Hansonspins affecting fi rst-person yarns in a fl oating, instantlyunforgettable falsetto, while his unadorned acoustic guitarbuilds a bed of crushing minor keys that recall both BottleRocket-era Elliott and John Lennon’s “Oh Yoko!” For hiseponymous follow-up, Hanson redoubled his efforts, addingmore instruments and longer arrangements but keeping thesignature elements intact: a comfortingly familiar six-stringsound and that discomfiting, almost elfi n voice.Hanson took a break from tracking his third record tospeak with ANTIGRAVITY about the compliments andcruxes of being compared to Mister Misery.JEFF HANSONFINDS HIS VOICEBY NOAH BONAPARTEANTIGRAVITY: How’s it going Jeff?Jeff Hanson: Doing just fi ne. Little tired today, but otherthan that I’m fine.AG: Have you started recording?JH: Yes, I’m kind of slowly getting into it, but we’re gonnastart moving along pretty soon I think.AG: What stage are you in now? How does theprocess begin?JH: My process is always kind of a painful one. [Laughs] Justtrying to see the big picture, when there’s really nothingthere yet. Trying to hear what cellos sound like in a song Ihaven’t played yet. But I think it’ll work out alright.AG: Are you headed back to the same studio asyour previous records?JH: No, I’m actually recording in Minneapolis, where I live. Ilive in St. Paul, but … it’s nice to be able to go home to myown house and sleep in my own bed, not have to sleep ina hotel or studio couch or something. Not be seven hoursaway from home.AG: I was checking out your MySpace page, andI have to ask: Are you really friends with Sen.Russ Feingold?JH: Well, I’m from Wisconsin. I absolutely can’t toleratethe Bush administration, but at the same time I also thinkthere’s a lot of weak Democrats out there. But I think RussFeingold is one of those that isn’t. He’s the only senator tovote against the Patriot Act, so that’s why I like him.AG: Makes sense. Tell me about your first band,M.I.J.JH: M.I.J. started when I was in middle school, just a bunchof friends.AG: Much better music than most 13-year-oldsmuster.JH: Well, thank you very much. I think it was so much easierthen, because we didn’t really think about anything—just gettogether and write songs and basically hang out as friends.So that was great. I was able to tour—if you can even considerthem tours; I played about two shows that weren’tcanceled at the last minute. I was in a van, touring at about16 years old. Sleeping on the fl oor in a basement isn’t sobad when you’re 16 and out on the road, so I thought itwas pretty cool.AG: That’s probably the only time in your life10-hour van rides can seem romantic.12_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

JH: Yeah, absolutely. I look back at those fl oors and can kind of smile and laugh aboutit. Sleeping on fl oors nowadays isn’t so funny.AG: Why’d you break up? Just everybody going their own direction?JH: Going our separate ways and wanting to do something else. I was tired of beingin an emo/indie rock band. I couldn’t really see myself singing like that for too muchlonger.AG: Even listening to the old M.I.J. records, you can hear bits andpieces of your current style coming through. What do you thinkabout all the Elliott Smith references you’ve gotten? It seems likeeveryone who’s written about you concentrates on both your voiceand how much you sound like Elliott Smith.JH: I guess that’s their job. If that’s what they think, that’s what they think. He’s a greatsongwriter, and if somebody hears an element of that in my music, there’s not muchI can do about it.AG: But you have to admit the similarities are eerie at times. Wereyou a fan of his? Did you consider him an influence when you startedwriting songs?JH: Not necessarily when I was making an album or writing songs, but when his recordswere fi rst out I was, what, 16 or 17 years old. I don’t want to take anythingaway from someone who was putting out good records. But just going back to the“beaten to death” thing: I’m sure Elliott Smith got tired of hearing about Paul Simon,just like I get tired of hearing about Elliott Smith, or Bright Eyes gets tired of hearingabout Dylan or whatever. Everybody gets it. There’s nothing I can do about it.AG: I don’t hear it as much on the self-titled record as on Son.JH: Everybody has a starting point, and Son was my starting point. The self-titledrecord, I just felt a little freer to do exactly what I wanted. I’ll never do exactly whatI want to do, but I felt a little freer to make the songs a little longer and doing whatfelt comfortable for me. I also think though, when I look at journalism as a whole,everything rides a wave and then it just disappears.“I was in a van, touring atabout 16 years old. Sleepingon the floor in a basementisn’t so bad when you’re 16and out on the road.”AG: That’s definitely true, the cannibalistic nature of music journalism.I read something from you about the making of Jeff Hanson,about how you had a complete lack of confidence in what you weredoing half way through. The record turned out great—are you curedof that now?JH: You know, I think I said “lack of confi dence” but I don’t know if that was theright word. I’m never sure how something’s going to turn out and I’m never sureof anything, so put those two together and if that equals lack of confi dence, I don’tknow. [Laughs] But I’m at the point where, even talking about this new record, we’vejust started the tracking of it and whatever. Something that’s going to be different onthis record is I’m bringing in other musicians, and that was a real strain on me for thefi rst few records. I have a smaller recording budget to work with; I have a numberof days to work with, not weeks. So when I had to play the drums, and play the bass,and then sing, and do backup vocals, and then work on arrangements, and then writeout string arrangements, by the end … it really wasn’t a lack of confi dence, but maybemore like a lack of focus—trying to see this entire project from start to fi nish anddoing it all by myself.AG: What are you focusing on with regard to the new record?JH: I think with this record the songs will be a little freer, a little more improvised,bringing in players and saying, “OK, this is the idea, these are the chords.” It’s not goingto be jammy, but a little more open. And the other songs will be me and a guitar.AG: Session players? Quite a concession for a DIYer.JH: Players, pro players. [Laughs] Piano, drums, bass, possible some other guitars. Youknow, then I can focus more on the arrangements. Not necessarily worrying aboutthe actual playing of it, which I enjoy doing, if I had six months in the studio. So we’llsee how it goes.WTUL91.5 FMTULANE UNIVERSITY • NEW ORLEANSwww.wtul.fmWE’RE BACKON THE AIR!Music is the doctor.Welcome home!antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_13

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ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKIBRING THE THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDERBY NOAH BONAPARTEWhy eight hyperactive Australians making ridiculously catchy, attention deficit pop records wouldchoose to call themselves “Architecture In Helsinki,” we have no idea. But in 2005, the octetfrom Melbourne took the baton from their countrymen in the Avalanches and ran with it, comingacross like out-of-work, ʻ80s-dance-party DJs moonlighting down-under as cheerleaders for the Go!Team. In Case We Die, the groupʼs jaw-dropping sophomore record, showcases snippets of New Wave,krautrock and classical music sewn together in seamless 60-second squares and highlighted by vocalshouts, random instrumental breaks and the most unshakeable hooks since that first Shins record.Globetrotting via the magical medium of email, ANTIGRAVITY queried ringleader Cameron Bird onboth big bands and severed hands.antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_15

ANTIGRAVITY: First time heading to New Orleans,I presume? What can the NOLA audienceexpect from this rare treat? What are you expecting?Cameron Bird: Well. We did actually have a day off in NewOrleans on tour last year, which of course ended in us drinkingone dollar Jägermeister from test tubes at some seedybar on Bourbon Street ... But yes, as far as playing a showthere, this is indeed our debut. I have no idea what to expect.I mean, I guess I am curious to see the city itself andhow people have coped with everything there since Katrina.I am also super excited to be playing in a venue named afterHowlin’ Wolf, who is a total genius. All in all we could not behappier to be coming back there.AG: Can you give us a brief introduction and anobscure detail of each of the band members?CB: Cameron Bird—gets into onstage operetta, plays guitarsand synthesizers. Grew up in outbackAustralia is currently living in one bedroomapartment above a laundromat ina foreign city. It stinks.James Cecil—plays hot drums andSheila E-inspired congas. Obsessed withespresso and Prince’s entire discography.The father figure.Gus Franklin—MVP. Plays everything,sometimes at once. The most authenticallyAustralian member of the band.Also supports the shittiest footballteam.Sam Perry—man with magic fingers,mostly when playing Primus licks on afive-string bass. His ability to jump outthe window of a moving vehicle willsurely see him being a Patrick Swayzestunt double in the not too distant future.Jamie Midren—food critic / garbagedisposal unit by day, wild man on the axeby night. Jamie has more hair than threesmall villages in Guatemala. The DarkHorse.Kellie Sutherland—woozy synthesizergenius. Vocalist/show stopper extraordinaire.Lists the panda as her poweranimal.AG: What are the details of Architecture’stoddlerhood? It’s toughenough getting three or four bandmembers on the same page, letalone eight or more. How did everyone come together?Was it conceived as an ensemble project?CB: AIH is a naturally occurring amorphous blob that kind ofjust wiggled its way across the countryside absorbing memberswilly nilly. There has never really been a rational orreason for what constitutes AIH; it is more a case of what isright at any particular time.AG: Who’s coming to the States for this leg ofthe tour?CB: This tour will be our first as a six piece, a prospect whichwe are all equally excited and daunted by. So, we will beplaying almost exclusively new songs and probably writingand rewriting them each and every night jamming in the van.This tour is definitely a real chemistry experiment for us. Wehave a whole lot of folks in different ports that we like tohook up with and get onstage to play: a French horn in NYC,a sax in San Fran.AG: Is your name a random non sequitur, or isthere a story behind it?CB: The first time I ever played live the booking agent waslike, “Well, you need a name,” and I was like, ohhhh right ... Ilooked at the newspaper and circled some words, and two ofthem happened to be architecture and Helsinki. I wish therewas some sort of profound significance, but that couldn’t befurther form the truth.AG: The Rocky Horror Picture Show seems to bean obvious (and oft-mentioned) touchstone foryour music—are you fans, and what else do youlove?CB: I am embarrassed to say I have never seen Rocky Horror. Iknow Kellie loves it ... and it is definitely a reference that hascome up more than once in the press. Maybe I subconsciouslychannel it from another dimension when I write songs?AG: There’s a strong theatrical element to muchof what AIH does. Is musical theater in anyone’sbackground?CB: I definitely agree, and although Kellie would happilyplay you her teenage jazz ballet videos, none of us comefrom a theatre background. I feel like we all have a love ofsoundtracks and musicals; [Ennio] Morricone is a huge influence,as is Krzysztof Komeda. So I guess we kind of aspiredto those kinds of dramatic filmic arrangements. As far as thenature of the vocals, I guess I am a huge fan of vocalists thatdon’t really adhere to any one style and have the ability toswitch into character or use their voice as an instrument—people like Scott Walker and maybe more recently Mike Patton,who has always really pushed notions of what voice cando in pop music. That is definitely a direction in which ourvocals and music are going. I mean, in our dream world wewould hope that someone would fund us to make a RockOpera in the vain of a modern day Tommy, but somehow Ithink that those days are gone.AG: Architecture In Helsinki and Tilly And TheWall are the only pop groups I know of that haveused tap for rhythm. What other odd instrumentalflourishes are you currently experimentingwith?CB: Ah yes! We did use tap in a song once ... That was in afriend’s bedroom about four years ago. I had kind of forgottenabout that. We are all huge fans of percussion in any form, allthe way from an obscure African tribalgathering to a Gloria Estefan song. Soinstrumentally, we are definitely movingmore in the direction of songs like“Do The Whirlwind” and “Need ToShout” from the last record—denseand tropical sounds.AG: What makes [your studio]Super Melody World sosuper? Can you give us a tourin print?CB: Super Melody World, by definition,is anywhere James decides he isgoing to set up his studio. It has beenin a myriad of locations over the pastfew years, from laundries to abandonedchurch halls to garages. The“Super”? Well, I guess that’s what happenswhen you throw a few melodyobsessed misfits into the brew.AG: Many tracks from In CaseWe Die have an “aural collage”feel to them—was the songwritinga collaborative process?CB: I think the key to AIH is the factthat there really is no formula ormethod. We are really random in theway we write. I will come to the groupwith an idea in varying states of completion,and we will build it in somealternative fashion before throwing itout the window, picking it up off of thestreet and re-recording it.AG: Which songs are your favorite to play live?Which ones draw the best response, at home andabroad?CB: “In Case We Die” is my favourite song of ours, both onrecord and in a live context. I cannot really tell you why, butevery night when we play it I feel like there is a storm ragingon my insides. It definitely makes me proud. As far as partystarters, “Do the Whirlwind” has always been the one thatgets the kids moving.AG: What’s the status of the next record? Any exclusivescoops you can give a small, regional, blackand-whitemonthly?16_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

CB: Like I said, we are going to be playingabout eight or nine tracks from it onthis tour (which we are kind of still writing).At the moment the songs are slightlyless schizo than those on ICWD, maybeemploying similar elements, but definitelyin a totally different way. I think it is musicallymore confident in every way. It isdefinitely a natural progression for us. Theloud gets louder and the dance gets dancier.I feel like the more we play live themore we improve as a studio band. Andfor me those two things are wildly differentversions of the same concept. Myheart is torn between the two. Part of mewould like nothing more than to be in thestudio forevermore and being able to learnand refine that craft. But at the same time,the feeling of playing in a sweaty room topeople is so spiritual and demented thatyou cannot help but love it.AG: There’s a pretty huge sonicleap from the subdued whispersof Fingers Crossed to the exuberantshouts of In Case We Die. Whatkind of changes did you set out tomake between the two albums?What about between In Case WeDie and your new project?CB: I always forget that a lot of peopledon’t see bands live. So, when you putout two albums over the course of twoyears, there is a lot of time spent promotingand touring, and as is the casewith most bands, songs really do developin the live realm for us. By the time wecame to recording In Case We Die wehad played a lot of shows supporting biggertouring bands in Australia, everyonefrom Polyphonic Spree to Yo La Tengo,David Byrne to Belle And Sebastian. Wealso played a couple of big festival shows;in some of these instances we were playingto anywhere from 2000 to 8000 people.And as a quiet, timid band, it wasalways a battle to be heard. So, I guess ina way we wanted to make a record and alive show that made people not want torelegate us to dinner party soundtracks. As well as the factthat we are constantly determined to change what it is weare doing with our music. I feel as though as soon as I becomecomplacent or satisfied with the music I am makingthen I will surely quit. I aim to be constantly inspired.AG: How much does the band rely on samples?CB: We usually just sample guns from hip hop records ...but I think now we are entering a phase where we are fullyrealizing and working out ways to use sampling a lot morein the way we play together. I guess I just see it as a wholenew world of possibility. I mean, Since I Left You by the Avalancheskind of raised the bar as far as sampling goes. Theywere just so wildly inventive in the way the used sampling inpop songs.AG: I saw your show at Brooklyn’s Northsix last“Architecture In Helsinki is a naturallyoccurring amorphous blob that kind ofjust wiggled its way across the countrysideabsorbing members willy nilly.”summer, and along with instruments there weremultiple props and gadgets tossed around—asevered hand stands out. What such surprises doyou have in store for this tour?CB: I forgot about that severed hand! Mmm, well, nothingplanned as of yet, but I’m almost certain that by the timewe get to California we will have concocted some ridiculousscheme. Almost definitely involving live animals.AG: For those who’ve never been to Australia,what is the music scene like in Melbourne?What Aussie musicians do we not know of thatwe should?CB: Melbourne’s music scene is probably as vibrant as anywhere.There is a huge amount of venues in Melbourne ...I think it has the second-most live music venues per capitaof any city in the world after Austin,Texas. Due to the tyranny of distance,there is a lot of incredible bands thatnever leave Australia. The sense ofisolation that distance breeds mostdefinitely benefits us in a positive way.There are too many great bands toname, so I’ll just reel off a few: Qua,Clue To Kalo, Macromantics, GroundComponents, Mountains In The Sky,New Buffalo, Kes, Crayon Fields, Artof Fighting, Curse Ov Dialect, Bumblebeez... that covers quite a few bases.AG: Who are your favoriteAmerican bands?CB: I feel like there are a lot of greatbands at the moment. I think there isa lot of great stuff going under the radar,bands like Dr. Dog and Still Flyin’are genius and no one really seemsto know about them. Then there arebands like Deerhoof, Fiery Furnaces,Clap Your Hands, Sufjan Stevens, ManMan and Wolf Parade that are all doingsuper interesting and exciting thingswith pop music. I guess for my moneymy favourite band is Animal Collective.They just seem to exist in a world untothemselves.AG: One of my former colleagues,music writer AnthonyCarew, contributed to the makingof In Case We Die—what washis role, and who else that wedon’t know of was involved?CB: Ha, Tony the Lonely’s role!? Hestood in a rather large room full ofpeople, about 40 I think, which we conductedas a choir on a few songs on therecord. I am sure he will tell you his rolewas pivotal!AG: Is “The Whirlwind” a dance?Can you tell me how to do it?CB: The Whirlwind is whatever youwant it to be. Actually, how about youmake one up and post in on YouTube?Maybe we can screen the best ones onour website!antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_17

Friday, 9/8: The Hush w/ The VettesFriday 9/15: Kaki King @ 9pm,The debut of THE REFIX @ MidnightFriday 9/29: A Dirty Coast Fashion Showwith the N.O. Craft Mafia, Go-Go Jewelryand music by DJ Soul Sister18_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

SUFJAN STEVENSPENS A NEW PATRIOT ACTBY MARTY GARNER“All research, he decided, beginswith your imagination and with yourintuition, relying heavily on theconvictions of the heart.”—Biography of Sufjan Stevens,asthmatickitty.comListening to his records, onegets the sense that SufjanStevens lives in the clouds.Not in that vapid, no-place-likehome-Totosense, but in a veryliteral sense. He lives amongthe vapors, surrounded by anatural and all-engulfing haze,and it may be the 19 th Century.Regardless of where Sufjan (firstnames only this month) actuallylives, he lives in the clouds. Thisis what I choose to believe.antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_19

ILLUSTRATIONS22_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

The focus of this column, and my personal focus as areader, has generally been on print comics, but thismonth we’re taking a bit of a divergence into theburgeoning webcomics field. I am by no means an expert onwebcomics, which have been around probably since the first daythat the Mosaic browser transformed the text-driven Internetinto the image-friendly World Wide Web, but I have noticed asharp rise in the number of great webcomics available, even if youonly want to dip your toe in those waters. So without furtherado, here’s a rundown of a few places to start looking around forwebcomics and why you should bother in the first place.Webcomics offer a few advantages that paper comics can’t.For one thing, most of them are free or at least offerhefty-sized free samples before you have to commitany cyber-dollars to the product. Because printing isn’tinvolved, beautiful full color is more common than not.Because distributors/retailers/printing costs, etc. aren’tinvolved, webcomics can go on being a cult phenomenon,enjoyed by only a few for a much longer time. You’reunlikely to get your favorite webcomic cancelled outfrom underneath you like a personal favorite smallpress print comic. Perhaps the best reason to checkout webcomics now, though, is that there seems tobe something of a critical mass as more and moretalented creators are making comics for the web.I should state up-front that no one could possiblyread all the webcomics out there and you are bynecessity getting my filtered view of favorites. But oneof the other advantages of webcomics is that they allfeature links to other comics, so it’s easy to find newmaterial whenever you’re looking for it. There truly issomething for everyone out there, as the variety ofgenre and style is much greater in webcomics than inthe superhero-dominated print comics field.At any rate, I’ve got my old favorites, and no doubtsome of you have heard of those. Daily humor comicslike PVP (www.pvponline.com) by Scott Kurtz, AmericanElf (www.americanelf.com) by James Kochalka, DieselSweeties (www.dieselsweeties.com) by R Stevens andthe more irregularly-updated humor at Perry BibleFellowship (www.pbfcomics.com) by Nicholas Gurewitchor Girls With Slingshots (www.daniellecorsetto.com/gws.html) by Danielle Corsetto have long been partof my regular reading routine. You can find some ofthe creators of comics in ANTIGRAVITY, like ShannonWheeler (www.tmcm.com) and Keith Knight (www.kchronicles.com) online as well, although both maketheir creations available more easily in print.What I’ve noticed of late is an increasing numberof “art collective” websites. The first and probablymost well-known is Modern Tales (moderntales.com),originally created by Joey Manley and run by ShaenonGarrity as of early August. The site offers a number offree comics, but is largely a (very affordable) subscriptionsite that offers dozens of different comics and severalaffiliates that focus on different genres or specialties.Girlamatic (www.girlamatic.com) is a female-friendlysite edited by Lisa Jonte with a ton of female creators,GraphicSmash (www.graphicsmash.com) featuresaction-oriented content and is edited by T. Campbelland, up until about a year ago, Serializer (www.serializer.net) had been a site focused on alternative cartoonist.Manley also recently began Webcomics Nation (www.webcomicsnation.com), a full-featured hosting site foronline comics that takes care of a lot of the technologyorientedback-end stuff so that the creators can focuson their work. It would be impossible to list everyone doingwork for Modern Tales or using Webcomics Nation, but namesyou might recognize include Lea Hernandez, James Kochalka,Roger Langridge, Toby Craig, Donna Barr and plenty more.The art collective that made me really sit up and take notice,though, was Act-i-vate (community.livejournal.com/act_i_vate),an alternative comics site spearheaded by Dean Haspiel (artistof Harvey Pekar’s The Quitter and long-time indie creator) andfeaturing a number of other alternative cartooning voices.Act-i-vate launched in February of 2006 with a “first wave”of eight cartoonists, from indie mainstays like Haspiel, LelandPurvis (creator of the critically-acclaimed print comic Vox),Josh Neufeld (a travel cartoonist currently working on astory about his experiences as a Red Cross volunteer afterKatrina) and Nick Bertozzi (Eisner-, Ignatz- and Harvey-awardwinner) to newcomers like Dan Goldman (currently earningraves for his online comic Shooting War about the Iraq Warin 2011) and Nikki Cook (a recent art school graduate).The site had great success with their initial eight features,so in April they brought in a second “wave” of creatorsthat included Dave Wallin, Rami Efal and Dean Trippe,along with Chip Zdarsky, whose occasional contributions,like Jake Mansworth: The Kissing Detective Who Also Drinksare bizarre and hilarious. As of this writing, there is a“third wave” planned for September 10, although thecreators joining the online studio haven’t been announced.To be honest, navigating the archives of Act-i-vate seemslike something of a chore as it’s organized by date ratherthan by creator or by feature, but as I’ve been readingdaily using their RSS feeds it’s entirely possible there’s aneasier archive reading function that I just haven’t stumbledon. At any rate, there are some truly impressive indietalents working on this site and I’d recommend checkingit out. I particularly would recommend the work of ChipZdarsky, Dean Haspiel, Dean Trippe and Josh Neufeld.In early August, inspired to some degree by Act-i-vate,a new website calledThe Chemistry Set (www.c h e m s e t c o m i c s . c o m )launched to the web. TheChemistry Set is headed upby Vito Delsante, a comicwriter who has workedfor Marvel, DC andSpeakeasy in his careerthus far and who writesone of the strips, Stuck,for The Chemistry Set. Thelineup of The Chemistry Setalso includes a number oftalented indie artists andwriters, including TomWilliams (Oni Press’s NoDead Time), Daniel Warner(Slave Labor’s Cocopiazo),Eric Kim (Oni Press’s LoveAs A Foreign Language),Jim Dougan (ChatterboxComix’s Crazy Papers),and Xeric-award winningwriter Neil Kleid, not tomention some impressivenew names in the artand writing lineup. Thecomics include a storyset on a subway car inNew York, a Westernfeaturing an investigativeundertaker, the strugglesof a rock and roll bandtrying to make it big and amodernization of the 1001tales of Scheherazade,among others.The Chemistry Set iseasier to navigate than Acti-vate,and it is organizedby webcomic and not justby date, plus it featuresall the same technologicalbells and whistles, likemessage boards andRSS feeds.In addition, Warren Ellis,who is a paid sponsorof Act-i-vate’s Livejournalaccount, is planning onlaunching a new webcomicssite in either August orSeptember called RocketPirates (www.rocketpirates.com) using the technology ofJoey Manley’s Webcomics Nation. As of this writing, Ellis hastemporarily suspended his open call for submissions, havingreceived well over 600 entries in the week and a half sincehe sent it out. The future for Rocket Pirates, and indeed forwebcomics as a whole, would seem very bright indeed.antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_23

Vol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05 [Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]THE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[www.antigravitymagazine.com]FREE!Vol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05 [Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]THE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[www.antigravitymagazine.com]FREE!Vol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05 [Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]THE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[www.antigravitymagazine.com]FREE!Vol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05 [Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]THE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[www.antigravitymagazine.com]FREE!PROJECTIONS BUILT TO SPILLNo More SecretsBUILT TO SPILLNo More SecretsBUILT TO SPILLNo More SecretsBUILT TO SPILLNo More SecretsLittle Miss Sunshine is a roadfi lm about a family tryingdesperately to get to a childbeauty pageant in California. It’s asweet, wonderful little movie thattakes a realistic look at modernfamily dynamics, and it’s also one ofthe best fi lms of the year. Richard(Greg Kinnear) is a struggling selfhelpguru who believes that “thereare only two kinds of people; winners and losers.” He’s trying to geta book deal but it’s just not coming together as planned. This meansthat his wife Sheryl (Toni Collette) is the breadwinner. She caresfor her children deeply but is so busy with the minutiae of daily lifethat they eat buckets of fried chicken on paper plates for dinner.Sheryl receives a call to pick up her suicidal brother Frank (SteveCarell, in a great, understated performance) from the hospital. Heis the country’s #1 Proust scholar and recently slit his wrists afterhis graduate student boyfriend left him for #2. Carell is so adept atplaying damaged characters; it’s a joy to watch him gradually openup to the rest of the family, especially Sheryl’s son Dwayne (PaulDano). Dwayne, who has taken a vow of silence because he hateseverybody, must watch Frank to ensure he doesn’t attempt to offhimself again. Directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris get greatperformances from the entire cast, even the 7 year-old daughter,played by Abigail Breslin. As a fi lm about the American family, thisranks right up there with You Can Count on Me as one of the best.—James Jonesantigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_25

Vol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05 [Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]THE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[www.antigravitymagazine.com]FREE!Vol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05 [Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]THE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[www.antigravitymagazine.com]FREE!Vol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05 [Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]THE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[www.antigravitymagazine.com]FREE!Vol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05 [Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]THE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[www.antigravitymagazine.com]FREE!Vol. 2 No. 4Sept. ‘05 [Your New Orleans Music and Culture Alternative]THE FIERY FURNACES All In The Family l MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. XXXXXMINUS THE BEAR XXXXXXXXXXX I KING LOUIE Barbeques The 9th WardAnd ALLEN JAEGER & VANCE KELLY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX[www.antigravitymagazine.com]FREE!REVOLUTIONSTHE OFFICIAL RECORD STORE OF ANTIGRAVITYMUSIC, DVDS & MORE SINCE 196910am–MIDNIGHT7 DAYS1037 BROADWAYNEW ORLEANS, LA 70118504-866-6065IT’S WORTH THE TRIPBUY-SELL-TRADE NEW + USED MUSIC + MOVIESYOUR ROCK ‘N’ ROLLHEADQUARTERSBUILT TO SPILLNo More SecretsBUILT TO SPILLNo More SecretsBUILT TO SPILLNo More SecretsBUILT TO SPILLNo More SecretsBUILT TO SPILLNo More SecretsIt’s exactly 49 seconds into“Double Shadow” that yourealize that So This Is Goodbye,the second album from Canadiansynth-pop duo Junior Boys, is going to be a different kind of affairaltogether. It comes when a crisp, crunchy snare/handclap combokicks off what actually appears to be a fairly straightforward dancebeat. For, while their full-length debut, Last Exit, had a few upbeatnumbers, it was for the most part an icy, icy record, almostdangerous to listen to alone. The claustrophobic microbeats,Jeremy Greenspan’s brittle croon, and the spare but lush synthspainted a bleak but voluptuous picture, so that those 53 minutesof anxiety became more comforting with every listen, with theemotional lynchpin “Teach Me Howto Fight” an anthem of self-doubt andstifled passion.Remarkably, for So This Is Goodbye,they’ve managed to keep the generalaesthetic more or less intact, even whilepulling an almost complete about-face inmood. The beats have breathing roomthis time around, the tunes have a newvibrancy and buoyancy, and unless I’mmistaken, Greenspan seems to soundconfident here and there. Of course,this is still not “feel good” music, by anymeans; there’s always something slightlysinister lurking here, but this time it’sasking you to dance with it insteadof sending you scrambling to hideunder the covers. Lead single “In theMorning” recalls Phoenix in more thanjust the phrase “too young,” “CountSouvenirs” could be a Martin Goresungtrack off any of the best DepecheMode albums, and the chugging intro to“The Equalizer” just begs to turn intoTelex’s “Moscow Discow.”The last quarter of the album slowsconsiderably, but instead of turning brooding and cagey, thesongs open up even more. “Caught In a Wave” is a tensenear-instrumental, like a Balearic John Carpenter. And, as onLast Exit, the penultimate track, a staggering cover of FrankSinatra’s “When No One Cares,” bears the emotional weightof the rest of the album, with the flitty “FM” acting as thenecessary respite and spirit lifter, a humble ending to anothermagnificent achievement.ANTIGRAVITY spoke to senior Junior Boy JeremyGreenspan about said achievement, and what New Orleanscould expect from their September 13 performance at OneEyed Jacks.ANTIGRAVITY: There’s a definite change in moodbetween this album and the last. What were thefactors in that?Jeremy Greenspan: Yeah, the first album had more nervousenergy, and was kind of frantic. This one is more stretchedapart, more open. It’s hard for me to say why, though. Forone, I think records should sound different from each other.Another thing is a lot of the Last Exit songs were pretty old. Andwe changed equipment. All the writing was done on computerfor the first, where we used software synthesizers, mixed withsoftware, used software compression and volume—everythingwas software. This time we had more hardware: older, beatup synths and a mixing console. Older analog equipment, butfiltered through precise digital arrangements.AG: What did you find yourself listening to duringthe creation of this album?JG: Well, a lot of new wave, a lot of early house—pre-houseand late disco.AG: Italo stuff?JG: Yeah, Italo stuff, French stuff, and a lot of pop. Just a largeamount of disco and disco-tinged stuff.AG: Well the new songs are definitely moredancey.JG: It is dancey, but it’s not really club music. It’s moredistanced and melancholy.AG: Yeah, it’s not exactly “feel good.”JG: No, it’s not “feel good.” And a lot of the original disco islike that, where it’s slower and a bit melancholy. House hasall this adrenaline, but it’s not as creative. When you get intothat 4/4 beat at 140 beats per minute, it comes with all theserules. We wanted to make something that was in the dancetradition, but would frustrate DJs.AG: That energy must add quite a bit to the liveshow.JG: Yeah, it does. We try to open things up live. These songsare more loop-based, and a lot of the things happen off-mic,where we’re nurturing weird mistakes in our equipment.Things are more malleable and loop-based.AG: What does it take to pull off a Junior Boyslive show?JG: What does it take? [Laughs] Determination. No, we try topull off the songs but make them unique to the live setting. So,we have a live drummer, which we don’t have on any of therecords, and we have changed and extended instrumentation.AG: What have you been looking to for inspirationlyrically?JG: I like the moods in early house.And I’ve been into crooner recordslately. I rarely look to other lyricistswhen writing songs. I’ll usually pullstuff from movies and my ownsurroundings, sometimes novelsand paintings. Drawing from otherlyricists, you get stuck. For one,most of them aren’t very good, andthey’re usually riddled with clichés.I think you lose a degree of honesty,and instead of being able to filterand distill what you were trying tosay, you just get bogged down.AG: You mentioned croonerrecords; the second to lastsong…JG: The Sinatra cover.AG: Oh, is it? I wasn’t awareof that. That makes sense,then. It sounds like it couldbe from the Verve Remixedalbum you were a part of.JG: Yeah. The whole album is sortof my homage … well, not homage… my version of a contemporary take on ‘40s and ‘50s pop. Ididn’t want to feel part of the rock ‘n’ roll tradition. There’s somuch subtlety and fragility in the pop of that era.AG: Vulnerability?JG: Vulnerability, but a soft vulnerability. It’s not overwroughtwith pain and despair. Just hints at small emotion.—Darren O’BrienNOTE: Junior Boys play One Eyed Jacks on 9/1326_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

Mike Hood Band, Spotted Cat, 10pmWayne Maureau Trio, Snug HarborPing Pong Heroes, Todd Deatherage, Red Star BarRebirth Brass Band, The Maple LeafWednesday, Wednesday, 9/20 9/20Unearthly Trance, Facedowninshit, Fuck theFacts, Big Baby, The Big Top, 7pm, $5The Gossip, Mika Miko, Terror in the Sea,Spanish MoonWalter Wolfman Washington, d.b.a., $10pmKenny Holiday and the Rolling Blackouts,Checkpoint Charlies, 9pmPfister Sisters, Spotted Cat, 6:30-9:30pmWarren Batiste Trio, Snug HarborLargely Ironic Karaoke, Red Star BarWhole Wheat Bread, Killah Priest (Of Wu-TangClan), Super Villains, The High GroundArt Show, Dance Fever, Red Star BarSaturday, 9/23Tuesday, 9/26Thursday, 9/21Thursday, 9/21Architecture in Helsinki, The Blow, Big BlueMarble, The Howlin Wolf, 10pmPackway Handle Band, Ogden Museum ofSouthern ArtJeff Hanson, Southerly, Republic, 8pm, $8Robert Walter Trio, d.b.a., 10pmMusic For Millionaires, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 7pmThe American Cheese Trio, Checkpoint Charlie’s,10pmFast Times ‘80s Dance Night, One Eyed JacksInSideOut Productions presents TheWoolgatherer, Big Top, 8pmDevon Allman’s Honey Tribe, Tipitina’s, 10pm,$10Gypsy Blue, Spotted Cat, 10pmMartin Krusch, Magnetic Ear, Snug HarborAcross Five Aprils, Crash Romeo, Alesana,Tenfallsforth, The High Ground, $6Theresa Anderson, Red Star BarFriday, 9/22Friday, 9/22Papa Grows Funk, Le Bon TempsThe Roots, Jean Grae, House of Blues, 9pm, $20Hot Club of New Orleans, d.b.a., 6pmThe Fessters, d.b.a., 10pmDamn Hippies, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 7-9pmRoberto and Lissa, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 10pmHobson’s Choice, Checkpoint Charlie’s, MidnightSullivan, Flee the Scene, Chasing Victory, SpanishMoonThe Long Winters, Menomena, What MadeMilwaukee, One Eyed JacksInSideOut Productions present TheWoolgatherer, Big Top, 8pmTrombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Hot 8Brass Band, Tipitina’s, 10pm, $10Jazz Vipers, Spotted Cat, 10pmDonald Harrison Quartet, Snug HarborGoatwhore, Bloodchurn, Southern Whiskey,Rebellion, Da Capa Preda, The High Ground, $8We Landed on the Moon, Pompeii, Red StarBarSaturday, 9/23Saturday, 9/23Particle, Republic, 7pm, $18Elise’s Playground, Howlin Wolf, 10pm, $10Project Color 3, The Stock Market Crash,Smiley With a Knife, Margot, ShilohThe French Kicks, The SuperSystem, The LittleOnes, Zombi, Spanish MoonAngie Stone, House of Blues, 7pm, $30John Boutte, d.b.a., 7pmMad Monk, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 7pmI Tell You What, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 11pmInSideOut Productions present TheWoolgatherer, Big Top, 8pmSupagroup, Dash Rip Rock, Tipitina’s, 10pm, $10Beau Soleil, Michael Doucet, Tulane UniversityWashboard Chaz Blues Trio, Spotted Cat, 6:30-9:30Herlin Riley Quintet, Snug HarborArt Brut, Spinto Band, We AreScientists, One Eyed Jacks, 10pmFrom May ‘06’s ANTIGRAVITY (availablefor download on the AG website):Art Brut, along with the considerably morecommercial Bloc Party, are at the forefrontof the new London scene, and their bio is thestuff of which rock ‘n’ roll mythology is made.Argos came to London in the early part of thisdecade desperately wanting to be in a band. Hemet guitarist Chris Chinchilla (later replaced byJasper Future) at a party and told him he couldsing like Aretha Franklin, probably wisely notmentioning that he has dyspraxia, which makeshim incapable of playing an instrument orsinging what we recognize as notes. So he laidlow as the rest of the band was assembled fromvarious happenchance, including overhearingsomeone on a bus mentioning that they knewa drummer. Legend has it that within fiveminutes of the first practice they had written“Formed A Band,” one of the best singles ofany year it could be released in, which, in ourreality, happened to be 2003.-–Darren O’BrienSunday, 9/24Linnzi Zaorski, d.b.a., 6pmLynn Drury, d.b.a., 10pmMike Darby Band, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 9pmDirty Mouth, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 11pmMC Battle with DJ Impulss, One Eyed Jacks“Sunday Music Workshop Series” Featuring JohnnyVidacovich, Jesse Boyd, Mike Pellera, Tipitina’s, 12:30-3:30pm, FREE“Cajun Fais Do-Do” Featuring Bruce Daigrepont,Tipitina’s, 5-9pm, $7Chi Town Skip and the Red Hots, Spotted Cat, 10pmAdonis Rose Quartet, Snug HarborMonday, 9/25Jinxed At Twelve, Radio Atlantic, Angry Banana, TheBig Top, 8pm, $5Jeff Albert Quartet, d.b.a., 10pmPatient Zero, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 7pmThe Fens, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 10pmDrive In SIN, One Eyed JacksJazz Vipers, Spotted Cat, 10pmCharmaine Neville and friends, Snug HarborTuesday, 9/26Sunday, 9/24Monday, 9/25Tuesday, 9/26Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Tipitina’s, $12Clutch, The Bellrays, Year Long Disaster, House ofBlues, 8pm, $16Johnny Vidacovich Duo, d.b.a., 10pmAcoustic Open Mic Night with Jim Smith, CheckpointCharlie’s, 9pmMike Hood Band, Spotted Cat, 10pmSteve Masakowski Trio, Snug HarborPing Pong Heroes, Ipod Shootout, Red Star BarRebirth Brass Band, The Maple LeafJose Gonzalez, Death Vessel, Parish@ House of Blues, 8pm, $10The Swedish invasion hits New Orleansfor the first time when José Gonzálezplays the Parish. On his 2005 debut, Veneer,González transforms the Knife’s single“Heartbeats” from funky dance beats to amelodic, comforting ballad for a sunny-daybackseat car ride. He continues to surpriseon 2006 EP Stay In The Shade, which featuresanother cover of a popular hit, “Hand OnYour Heart” by Kylie Minogue. Both coversseem like unusual choices, but are successfulin offering a completely fresh interpretationof the songs. Nothing about González’ musicis immediately striking, but his pleasingvocals and pretty guitar playing manages tolinger in your mind, conjuring up a need foranother listen.-Sally TunmerWednesday, 9/27Wednesday, 9/27Magnolia Electric Company, Spanish MoonReverend Horton Heat, Horrorpops, House ofBlues, 8pm, $13Walter Wolfman Washington, d.b.a., 10pmKenny Holiday and the Rolling Blackouts,Checkpoint Charlie’s, 9pmBob O’s Rock and Roll Karaoke, One Eyed JacksEd Barrett CD Release, Snug HarborLargely Ironic Karaoke, Red Star BarThursday, 9/28 Thursday, 9/28Brian Coogan Plus, d.b.a., 10pmAmerican Cheese Trio, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 10pmFast Times ‘80s Dance Night, One Eyed JacksNeil Stastny and Dane Fouchet’s Comedy Show,Carrollton StationFriday, 9/29Tuesday, 9/29Matt & Kim, King Tuff, The Robinson’s, TheZydepunks, Coach’s Haus, 7pm, $5Delbert McClinton, House of Blues, 8pm, $30Roberto and Lissa, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 7pmMike Darby Band, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 11pmZ- Man from the One Block Radius, Pins andNeedles, Spanish MoonBowser, Landmines Baby, Lobster Machine, TheSilent Game, The High Ground, $6Archibalds, Lowry, Red Star BarSaturday, 9/30Ratatat, Republic, 8pm, $12Z-Man, Pins and Needles, Soapbox, ShilohGrayson Capps & Stumpknockers, d.b.a., 11pm, $5Lazarus Project, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 8pmResurrection, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 10pmMOTT, Checkpoint Charlie’s, MidnightBenjy Davis Project, Sera Buras, Tipitina’s, 10pm, $10Subject Optional, The High Ground, $6Sunday, 10/1Saturday, 9/30Sunday, 10/1smog, One Eyed JacksSerena Maneesh, Woven Hand, Evangelicals, Republic,8pm, $1030_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

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WORSHIP THE MUSICOCT 28/29TDURAN DURANWU-TANG CLANTHE FLAMING LIPSBLUE OCTOBER . BRAZILIAN GIRLS . FERRY CORSTEN . BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE . DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS . OZOMATLIYERBA BUENA . KINKY . JACK’S MANNEQUIN . THE RENTALS . JAMIE LIDELL . THE FIERY FURNACES . THE LIVINGTHINGS . THE WHIGS . JOSEPH ARTHUR . OTRA . MUTE MATH . COWBOY MOUTH AND FRIENDS . FATTER THANALBERT . KERMIT RUFFINS . MORNING 40 FEDERATION . JOSE CONDE Y OLA FRESCA . ALICE SMITH . BIG SAM'SFUNKY NATION . HOT 8 BRASS BAND . ELLIPSIS . SOUL REBELS . TERRA DIABLO . TROY “TROMBONE SHORTY”ANDREWS . SAM AND RUBY FEATUR ING DAN DYER . I MAG INAT I ON MOVERS . BALLZACK . AMANDA SHAWNOOMOON TRIBE . WORMS UNION . NAG HAMMADI . ATONE PAIN TRIBE . F.I.S.T. . ZYDEPUNKS . RATTY SCURVICSS INGULAR I TY . SPOONFED TRIBE . RAY BONG & MAD M I KE . SIX FOOT SHALLOW . THE EYELASH CARPETSUOODOO MUSIC EXPERIENCEFIND THE LATEST AT VOODOOMUSICFEST.COMTEXT RITUAL TO MBKST (62578) A REHAGE EVENTThis campaign supported on Sprint/Nextel, Cingular, T-Mobile, Verizon, Alltell and Midwest Wireless. Standard messaging rates may apply. Please check with your wireless carrier for information on your text messaging plan. To cancel your alerts, please text STOP to 62578. View our terms and conditions at www.mobkastr.com.