manic mess

do you have a problem with drunk-dialing?

this rules.

work may suck, but life doesn't.

last week i was in jersey celebrating thanksgiving and enjoying a nice long weekend of wine-drinking and woods-exploring. i took time out on friday night to go hear britt daniel play at maxwell's. the show was absolutely sick, and we were basically front row. rejoice! his voice sounded absolutely great, and instead of using a drum machine for the songs that wouldn't work as acoustic, he used a little boombox! so cute. he also boogied a little toward the end. also cute. anyway, let's see...he played sister jack, metal detektor, car radio, agony of lafitte, take the fifth, and a bunch of others. he totally forgot the words to 'the way we get by,' which was pretty awesome. of course all the kids in the audience sang along; i'm sure he was quite relieved. here are some ok pictures.

in other news, productshop links to a very preliminary, highly unconfirmed lineup for coachella 2005! i didn't even know that pressing gossip about nine inch nails existed, but there you go.

and if you're looking for something to read (yes, i do actually read things from time to time), check out this awesome article from new york magazine. it's about the east village arts scene in the early 80's, and it's written by someone who chilled with the artists, shared needles with the junkies, etc. good stuff.

do you like the flesh? i kinda don't.

oh, and there's a new party kicking off this wednesday. here's the flyer. . .

hm. seems to be a slow week. here's some info for the vice show at rothko saturday night, which should be good if it's not totally overwhelming and annoying:
Sat 4 Dec - CALL THE COPS Presents.
Rothko. Upstairs. Vice Records Tour With Panthers 12 AM, Death From Above
1979 11 PM, Vietnam 10 PM. Doors 9 PM, $10."

and on sunday i'll be going to shout to hear a canadian band called uncut. i like what i've heard of them so far. jake fairley's in the band, and if you're a techno geek, that's probably all you need to know.

cheers!

punk rock squirrel.

check out the little guy i spied on my way to the subway this morning.

seriously, how weird is that? in case my photo doesn't do justice to the splendor of this supernatural creature, here's a blown-up version.

that's right. it's a giant, BLACK squirrel. totally weird!

go ahead, make someone happy.

my good friend (and erstwhile boston correspondent) kellie has been busting her bum trying to get a really worthwhile charity project off the ground, and things are finally rolling, so i want everyone to know about it. the organization is called labels are for jars, and it's run entirely by volunteers who are trying to raise funds to build a meal center for the people living in lawrence, a poverty-stricken neighborhood in massachusetts. they are selling shirts that say things like 'addict', 'homeless', and 'troubled teen' on the front, with 'labels are for jars' written on the back. find out more about the project on their website, or go shopping here. the bonus is that your t-shirt will come in one of these nifty jars. see?

it's 100% not-for-profit, and it's a really good cause, so buy a shirt for someone in your life who likes stuff like that. or buy one for yourself because you're such a good person. whichever. :)

hives/fever madness!

funny, i never noticed until just this minute that both of their bandnames are physical ailments. discuss amongst yourselves.

ok. sunday night. webster hall. the fever went on at 8:30pm-- holy early! since nobody told me it was a matinee performance, i almost missed their set. when i got there they were playing 'put it on you' which is one of my favorites: it's doo-wappy and fun and i love how geremy sings it. anyway, they rocked as always. here's a photo:

next up were the hives. i'd never heard them live before, and i was excited because i like what i've heard of their new-ish album. alas, the end result of seeing them live was that i realized. . .that i totally don't like the hives. i thought their show was boring and pretentious. and they seem to have decided to ban anything resembling a catchy hook from their music. they do rock out, but there's no point. manicmess found herself bored and cranky by half-time.

they are definitely entertaining, though.. the singer (pelle almqvist) opened the show by saying something to the effect of, "You're all shite compared to the people who actually went out and bought tickets for last night's show. Tonight's show isn't going to be anywhere near as good." uh, ha ha? anyway....i snapped some pictures, but they're pretty sucky. hopefully you can at least tell what they're wearing (black suit-like outfits with white pa ingalls ties).

as i peruse the rest of my pictures from the weekend, it becomes more and more apparent how wasted i was for most of it. friday night was drunken sloppiness at black and white, and then on saturday i went to a funny, b-and-t club called Taj, for a friend's birthday. it was the kind of place where they probably hassle you at the door if you're wearing sneakers, whether or not they're $300 imports (aka: totally gross). anyway, i realize i don't venture out of my neighborhood much, but goll-Y! the way people dress these days! here's a prime example. i saw this guy's shirt and had to sneak a photo...

...or two:

and then we spotted this other dude who was totally brian krakow! this photo definitely doesn't do him justice.

and then on the way home, our cabdriver's name was doodoo, which made us giggle because we're retarded.

good times. oh! and after the hives show at webster hall, a messy bunch of us went to shout. i was too drunk to take pictures, but luckily someone else was taking care of that.

happy monday!

oddities.

in ipod news, now you can snorkel while you rock. for only 150 bucks.

how much do you wish you'd broken your "i don't play the lottery" rule? the winning mega-millions ticket is somewhere in new york city. . .

vice records has posted a bunch of new junk on their website, including the streets video for "blinded by the lights" that caused such a hubbub in the uk. i find it surreal and strangely depressing. . .but that might be the hangover talking.

and it looks like the local hipsterati need to find a new watering hole: the new york post thinks the dark room is "happenin'".

in case you don't read any of the other 10 million nyc blogs. . .

productshop reports that u2 is indeed playing a secret show today. it's in brooklyn at 3 pm. have fun!

crazy busy this week!

so all i have the time to post are flyers. zut alors. anyway, here you go:

after being closed for a couple of weeks, rothko would like to welcome you back. how sweet:
This weekend as a special "welcome back", Rothko is offering up a ton of free and cheap drinks, not to mention some great music. Why? because we missed you. Come back and help us warm up the place.
Friday 11/19 - SOCIAL!SM Presents:
New Lows 12 AM, Stylofone 11 PM,  My Victoria 10 PM, X-Wife 9 PM, Doors 8:30, $7
Downstairs Lounge – "Pudding" W/Julie Stein, Alex English & Spencer Product – Help welcome our new weekly dance party “Pudding” to the downstairs-
FREE RED STRIPE FROM 1 AM TO 4 AM! FREE WELL DRINKS 3 AM TO 4 AM!! 
Doors 8:30 PM, FREE (Downstairs), $7 To See Bands Upstairs

Saturday 11/20 - CALL THE COPS PRESENTS:
The Double 12 AM, Psychic Ills 11 PM, Queens 10 PM, Doors 9PM $8
Downstairs Lounge- We Are 138!, W/JDH & Guests
1/2 PRICE DRINKS FROM 1 AM TO 4 AM!!! (that’s cheap y’all)

. . .long-ailing williamsburg venue volume, on the other hand, has closed for good. as for me, i'll be seeing the hives and the fever on sunday night--and you can too! tickets are still on sale here.

cheers!

so much going on tonight!

and i believe i've finally conquered the flu, so bring it. i've already posted a few of the invites, but here's some more.

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melody nelson's atomique party has moved to thursdays. here's the info for tonight:
Tonight, Filter Magazine is sponsoring The Beatles: The Capitol Albums Vol. I (box set) listening party and giveaway tons of cool stuff! Guest DJ Oil will be spinning after midnight, and as always, we're doing the blue light special where you get free drinks for 15 mins every hour or so!
:: Party starts at 10pm
:: Beers and Well Drinks 1/2 off for the first 2 hours!
:: NO COVER! - 21+
Eleven (Downstairs Lounge) :: 152 Orchard St. between Stanton and Rivington St.

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WWF: WRASSLERS..... WHISKEY..... FOOD COURT DRUIDS
MAX FISH presents: Wrasslers 'Round the World
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 6:30pm—?
178 Ludlow Street, Lower East Side (212.529.3959)
Join us for a combination art show opening and book signing.
• Meet the author and illustrator of The Hipster Handbook follow-up:
Food Court Druids, Cherohonkees and Other Creatures Unique to the Republic (Plume Nov. 2004).
Get your book signed by author Robert Lanham!
• Browse portraits of The Animal, Hulk Hogan, The Junkyard Dawg, Andre the Giant, and many more posing in front of international landmarks. Buy some cheap art!
• Drink Cheap Whiskey!
FREE ADMISSION!
FIRST 10 PEOPLE GET A FREE BOOK!

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THU 11/18@ TOMMY'S TAVERN doors @8, $5==>
----> Navies
--------> Like Language (x Q and Not U)
------------> Oxford Collapse (playing first?)
----------------> Diamond Nights (playing last?)
everybody's favorite dive, cheap 2 dollar tap beer, $2 pbrs, loud as fúck,comfy, play pool with the regulars, lounge on the couch, stay late, get drunk.1041 Manhattan Ave @ Freeman St | Greenpoint, Brooklyn | G train to Greenpoint Ave | doors 8pm | $5 cheap | 718.383.9699

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Wanted to alert you to a record buy/sell/trade happening 10pm this
Thursday at The Lucky Cat.
The Lucky Cat, 245 Grand St. , BTW Driggs & Roebling , Williamsburg
Whether you're a dj or collector -
Just starting out or old-time crackhead -
Genre-specific or all-inclusive -
This is for you.
So come on down, talk smack about records, spin some, forget the name of that one artist on that green label that sounds like bao-ba-dumpa-dum, and perhaps walk away with a gem or three.

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this morning i lit my paper towel rack on fire.

true story. anyway, holy hip hop news!
some guy from chicago was just arrested for trying to extort r. kelly (how hard could that be?).

plus, an article about stabbings and mayhem at the last night's vice awards.

and, of course, some parties.