Our last Dim Mak Studios event was a total riot and full of amazing and beautiful faces.  We hope you all return for round 2 of the festivities.  This time Dim Mak has agreed to pony up 1 free drink for each drink you buy from 9pm-10pm.  For more information on this event, visit http://on.fb.me/GDmorg.

See you there!

Recently the UK band, Morning Parade, took a call from me to chat about SXSW, their upcoming album and goals for the future. They are passionate, excited and thankful to be out enjoying all the things that music is inspiring them to be a part of.

Me: How was SXSW?

Steve: Amazing, manic, crazy, kind of everything everyone said it would be and more, everyone in and out of bars and lots of live music and very very very hot.

Me: What was it like playing 6 shows during a 4 day period for you guys?

Steve: It might be a new record for us, it was definitely good for our stamina, it kept us nice and strong. It was amazing we started off the week with some quite shows but ended the week with bigger and bigger shows.

Me: The UK Guardian, your local paper, recently stated that is was likely that you would be playing to 100,000 person stadiums with the audience singing along to your music – even though they didn’t approve. Do you think SXSW will play a part in that manifesting?

Steve: Yeah, definitely. I liked the crazy vibe of just jumping on a stage in a tiny little bar and playing to people who have never been before. I don’t know about stadiums and arenas, that is crazy talk. The UK Press is silly, we are gunna go on and do what we wanna do.

Me: You only have a single out currently; do have a song besides “Headlights” off the forthcoming album that you are excited about?

Steve: I think we like the whole collection but “Under the Stars” is really exciting for us, it has been kind of a calling card for us in Europe and has already been featured in the Vampire Diaries in the US. It’s kind of cool, but we are a band this about an album, a journey and a piece of work. I think people when they get their hands on the record will realize that there are a whole bunch of great songs on there, we spent our last time trying to write as many great songs as possible and not just be a one-hit wonder.

Me: You are still touring, how is Portland today?

Steve: I am in Portland, I am actually standing outside the restaurant in Portland. Yeah, we are still here touring, we’ve still got a few more tours here and then we are back to Europe for a headline tour there but the US is just so big and different and everywhere you go in a crazy different vibe it’s almost been like a big giant blur for us.

Me: What has been your favorite stop on the tour?

Steve: We played a great show in New Haven, CT it was such a strange vibe but we played this really cool venue called Cold Place, but I think as a whole the one thing that really stood out was SXSW, as an experience. For a lot of us I don’t know it was just one of things that you will always remember the vibe and the feel of being in Austin, TX, for SXSW.

Me; I’ve been before, and this was my first experience to sit-out since the first time, I went. I was a little bummed but I remember it being a lot of work.

Steve: It’s a lot of work but it’s fucking awesome. It doesn’t feel like work, it’s like you wake up and you’ve only had a couple of hours and your yelling, “Go guys, let’s go, lets party or something. “

Me: So you have a lot of touring planned before the release, what do you plan to do once it is released?

Steve: Ummm… yeah, I think we’ll find some stuff. It will come festival season in Europe and we’ve put in a lot of groundwork in here and I think we are going to go and enjoy the record being out and people learning the songs while playing the festivals. And then we’ll start working on the next record, ya know, we gotta start thinking about the next record. I think our headspace is even already there, thinking and planning on the next record.

Me: Has touring allowed for some time to think and plot about the next record?

Steve: It’s quite hard actually while you are on the road because you are pretty busy, there is quite a bit of promo to do and a little bit of sleeping to do and you are sleeping where you can and doing what you can. When we get back we will take a bit of time off to get back together as a group, to have a few weeks back to our grassroots and into the studio. No shows, no promo, no television just getting back into the studio and writing again. The touring thing has been going on for so long now, nearly two years. We’ve been all over Europe, the UK and the US, I guess it’s time to put our flag down. Touring has become the part we love the most, almost second nature to us it’s not really hard work it’s just fun. We are ready and excited to get on to doing some more and new songs.

Me: Do you have anyone that you see yourself touring or working with or playing songs with in the future that you are excited about?

Steve: Yeah, we have these guys back home with a band called Dog is Dead from the UK that are really cool. We are looking at some more touring around the end of the summer here in the US with a couple of cool bands we saw at SXSW, we are still weighing out our options and what’s going on, it’s kind of just ideas at the minute but it’s a really cool lineup that we do need to talk about. It would be amazing.

Me: Well, thanks for sharing with me!

Steve: No worries, that is cool with me. I hope you make it to SXSW next year.

Don’t forget to check “Headlights” off their forthcoming EP release “The Hated and the Loved,” and for all of you that like to be the first to get something, you can pre-order their EP off their website, www.morningparade.com.

Enjoy!

New York, hip-hop Duo Chiddy Bang have released their first US Tour, “Opposite of Adults,” dates.

6/09 WEDS – WA – Seattle – Nuemos
6/10 THU – OR – Portland – Berbati’s Pan
6/11 FRI – UT – Salt Lake City- W Lounge
6/12 SAT – NV – Reno- Knitting Factory
6/13 SUN – CA – Chico – Senator Theatre
6/15 TUE – CA – Los Angeles – Key Club
6/16 WED – CA- Pomona – Glasshouse
6/17 THU- CA – San Diego – Brick By Brick
6/18 FRI- PA- Philadelphia – Private Event
6/19 SAT – NV – Las Vegas – Hard Rock Live Pool
6/20 SUN – AZ – Scottsdale – Club After Life
6/21 MON – AZ – Tucson- Club Congress
6/22 TUE – CA – Los Angeles – Cinespace
6/23 WED- CA – San Francisco- KYLD

The electro inspired group is calling this a US tour?  It’s more like an ode’ to the West Coast, but it’s cool because we love the beats these boys are bringing – even if they are sampled.  Chiddy Bang has also been added to the line up of several high profile festivals including Lollapalooza and the UK Festivals Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds.   As much hype as hip-hop normally brings, this duo isn’t simply hype, they’ve even been featured on my favorite man and leader of the game, Kanye’s, blog, so if you’ve got the dough, make sure your get your butt out to the show.

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/chiddybang.

Well, sorta.  They did however, make an appearance on the Kimmel show last night, don’t fret.  If you missed it, we’ve got the vids right here for ya.

Also, Los Angelenos, you can catch Nas & Jr Gong this Friday, 5/23/10 at the Wiltern. For more details and to get tickets, visit here.

For the Nashville Flood Relief Efforts that is, with 24 American tour dates and their recent promise to donate $.50 of every ticket sold to local Tennessee charity, Hands on Nashville (HON) – an organization that has been aiding Nashville with a clear initiative to provide service and volunteers for projects that support the community since 1991 and now has 20 dedicated project initiatives to rebuild Nashville.  If the tour sells out that means HON could expect something near $230,000 to assist their organization in rebuilding their community. So throw on a pair of wranglers, sneak in a flask and have a shit-kickin time as the Country Throwdown tour makes a pit stop in your neck of the woods.

Headliners include: Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Little Big Town, Jack Ingram, Eric Church, The Los Trailers, Eli Young Band, Heidi Newfield, Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses, Jonathan Singleton & The Grove, Emily West, Ashlye Ray, Brad Tursi, Corey Banan, Dave Pahanish, Jedd Huges, Sarah Buxton, Troy Olsen, Heather Morgan, Walter Hayes and more…

Fri       5/14                Tampa, FL                             Ford Amphitheatre
Sat      5/15                W. Palm Beach, FL                Cruzan Amphitheatre
Sun     5/16                Jacksonville, FL                     Metropolitan Park
Thu     5/20                Cleveland, OH                       Blossom Music Center
Fri       5/21                Cincinnati, OH                       Riverbend Music Center
Sat      5/22                Chicago, IL                            First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Sun     5/23                Indianapolis, IN                      Verizon Wireless Music Center
Thu     5/27                Charlotte, NC                         Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Fri       5/28                Raleigh, NC                           Time Warner Cable Pavilion
Sat      5/29                Pittsburgh, PA                        Post Gazette Pavilion
Sun     5/30                Saratoga Springs, NY            SPAC Amphitheatre
Mon    5/31                Gilford, NH                             Meadowbrook US Cellular
Fri       6/4                  Virginia Beach, VA                Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Sat      6/5                  Philadelphia, PA                    Susquehanna Amphitheatre
Sun     6/6                  Bristow, VA                            Jiffy Lube Live
Wed    6/9                  Houston, TX                           Sam Houston Racepark
Thu     6/10                Dallas, TX                              Superpages.com Center
Sat      6/12                Salt Lake City, UT                  USANA Amphitheatre
Sun     6/13                Denver, CO                            Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
Wed    6/16                Bakersfield, CA                      Rabobank Arena
Thu     6/17                San Diego, CA                       Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
Fri       6/18                Phoenix, AZ                            Cricket Wireless Pavilion
Sat      6/19                Irvine, CA                               Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Sun     6/20                Mountain View, CA                 Shoreline Amphitheatre
To purchase tickets and for complete details, visit www.countrythrowdown.com

At least for one night, and on none other than Mother’s Day, so if you’re feelin like washin up southern tears and bringing your horse back to life so you can rope yourself a nice lil’ lady come on down and check out Atlanta’s own Blackberry Smoke.

Show starts at 8pm.

Oh, they are for real… watch this.

Alison Sudol and her maestros that make up A Fine Frenzy, didn't miss a note, the sound of their performance was not a tweet different than the recorded sound. - Scratched Diamond

A Fine Frenzy, Alison Sudol, took an April residency at the Coronet Theater at the Largo in Los Angeles, CA, and it’s safe to say if you missed this unique opportunity to spend an intimate night with Ms.Sudol wrapped in her love songs, you may never truly understand the spice a hopeless romantic craves.  It is quite unbelievable that a woman as dainty, adorable and sweet could find herself writing the woes of romance.

As Sudol sweetly sipped hot tea while sharing the innocent tales of her life between songs her manly maestros would quietly play musical chairs just behind her, switching not only chairs but instruments – the crews simplicity and impeccable musicianship along with the intimate setting provided by the Largo made it seem as though they were all just invited over for an afternoon brunch; providing the comfort needed for Alison need to pour out personal secrets during the evening.  My favorite peer into her life was the depiction of how her home looked like the seven dwarfs, when she explained this was not her intention but this is “what happens when you leave her alone with a piece of property.” The innocence and honesty emanating from songs was rang true of her tales as well, forcing your mind to race on wondering how Ms. Sudol was still a misses as the crowd would drown in soft, friendly laughter. From the moment each song started, the laughter of the crowd would come to a complete hush allowing the music to call on the hearts of passionate kissers, especially those hopeful of long awaited kiss described in Electric Twist.

A Fine Frenzy started off her set with the upbeat and first track off her latest release Bomb in a Birdcage, “Wouldn’t Do,” and then it was though her set list had a mind of it’s own, traveling through her passionate songs from both A Fine Frenzy albums.  Sudol was so cute she caught herself excited and played a few additional songs even after her encore and she ended up perfectly closing with a solo performance of “The Minnow & The Trout“ off of her first album, One Cell in the Sea, reminding us that what we are not that different after all.

During her finale, she shyly asked the audience if she could just play one more as she was already softly skipping over to the piano and waving her band off the stage, a man called out to her from the silent audience, “You are adorable,” she misunderstood him and asked for him to repeat, “You are adorable,” he proudly shouted for a second time.  She maintained her admirality when she released a small giggle and retorted, “Oh, I thought you said I was purple!  And purple is actually my least favorite color, I like violet and lavender just not purple.”

Once you’ve spent an affectionate night with A Fine Frenzy, you wonder how hopeless romantics survived this planet without her beautiful face and well-fit music.

It's so much better than a love tantrum, it's real, faithful, honest and beautiful. - Scratched Diamond

I am telling ya, this girl exudes endearment. - Scratched Diamond

And that's a wrap for this perfectly timed explosion of colorful sounds and intimate tales called A Fine Frenzy. - Scratched Diamond

Now tune it to the Mutha F**in' greatest!

Welp, all Coach goers feel victim to the rumors of hip-hop (ex: surprise appearances from Dr. Dre, Eminem etc. etc.).  Hey, at least the gossip spiked audience desires to be at the main stage for all the hip-hop performances but even though no rumor bloomed into truth, Jay-Z, B.o.B, Gorillaz and De La Soul all still delivered straight gangster performances. My boys are smart, their rumors got all those hipsters away from their usual indie rock love and had them standing through whole sets and not simply awaiting the guest appearance, stunned at how awesome hip-hop can be live.  Hellz gggeah! I love that not only did the Gorillaz and De La Soul come with a full band so did Jay-Z and B.o.B

No pretending like you are on stage and oh yes, when your beat dropped, we went insane.

Not even five problems, not even five. - Scratched Diamond

Old school but keepin it real cool. Photo by Scott Dudleson

Jay was out a voice and still put forth a 100% love for the game performance, it was worth the stress of making my way to Indio, CA to be there for that alone.  Also, Jay-Z did better than bringing Dr.Dre out, he brought the woman he loves, Beyonce Knowles, and tell me what would could be better than showing off your beautiful wife, listening to her sing and capping off  day one of a hippie festival with thuggish ruggish romance?

Thank you for waking up. - Scratched Diamond

Then Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros straight killed it with a smashing performance and heart felt entrance.  All I can tell you about them, is if you have the chance to go see these guys live, don’t hesitate just buy the tickets.

You won't catch this act being sold for dimes, they keep it classy.

Then came the Gossip.  Recently, Bill Withers was speaking during a panel at the ASCAP Expo at the Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood and I had the pleasure of being part of the niche audience in the room.  Bill told an endearing tale where he was asked to leave a recording studio by an artist who had just arrived for their session, just as Bill got into his car the artist who had previously asked him to exit the facilities came running out with an apology, where he cutely shrugged and stated, “Hey, in my day nobody knew what I looked like. I didn’t have my own line of shoelaces either.” Beth Ditto is like that for the American appetite. Her voice is stunning, her band rocks, they are everything that modern music and promotion should be – real and really bloody good.

All you skinny brats can talk all the sh*t you want, Beth will always be able to wail harder than you, punk better and look rad all while doing so. - Scratched Diamond

A kiss with her fist is better than none - at least that is the hersay. - Scratched Diamond

Wow!  You’d think I’d be done with highlights, but I am not. Florence and the Machine was extraordinary. Florence Welch her self is more than an UK dame, she is a quite riot.  Her vocal range is stunning and for it to come to life on stage and not just on her first album release “Lungs” that won the 2010 title for Best British Album, really makes you smile because she is a woman who has honestly landed where she was always flying to be.

Clap your hands for another successful year of Coachella. - Scratched Diamond

Oh Coachella, I will return next year and better prepared.  Check back next year for your Coachella forecast. <3

Hova! Hova! Hova! - As much as I love Jay, I still know if the audience knew better they'd be screaming Flak! Flak! Flak! Why you ask? Simply because he always keeps us loving life and well informed.

P.S. If you thought you lost your shit checking Jay-Z and then really lost your shit, visit here to find out the details of Coachella’s lost and found.