Note to the viewers of Lady Sovereign’s show at Highline Ballroom last night: when a musician points her microphone at you, you’re supposed to sing. Yes, that’s right. You sucked as an audience.
You could see it on Lady Sovereign’s face, as she rhymed her Brit-rapper heart out – she was annoyed. She kept trying to pump the crowd up with her hilarious stage antics: flipping the Sovereign-goers off, grabbing and caressing her boobs, and even splashing beer all over the kids right in front, à la Gallagher. She handed beers out, too, and went around the stage pouring Heineken in fans’ mouths. Who cares about swine flu?
Lady Sovereign pours beer into a fan's mouth
In fact, the sharing of the booze sparked a “Swine flu, Fuck you” chant during her hit song “Love Me or Hate Me.” A few enthusiastic admirers reveled in the messy beer fountain, and these people were generally the ones with their arms pumping at all times. There were a handful of people rocking out to her electro-grime music, but the majority of the audience refrained from dancing and cheering. When Lady Sov left the stage the first time, she looked back at the crowd members and indicated that they should go nuts in about two minutes (just in time for her encore).
Read the rest of my review for the New York Presshere!
Dreading the start of the week? Me too. Here are some things to distract you, at least for a little while.
Many people are now familiar with "singing sensation" Susan Boyle from Britain's Got Talent, and yeah it's a great story, blah blah blah. It's heartwarming and surprising and funny, just like a reality contest show should be. Whatever. But check out this kid, also performing on Britain's Got Talent. I mean, I have been listening to Michael Jackson all day now and this kid is spot on. He's 12!
After reading articles about those two, I got a little carried away looking at the Daily Mail Web site. I never read trashy celebrity news, but Sunday Fundays (more like Sunday hangover day) are perfect for this.
Look what else I found! Sir Richard Branson kite surfing with a naked model on his back and Peaches Geldof, who just recently got divorced at the age of 20, plans to record an album. Ha! I feel bad for Max in this divorce – no one is quoting him! I've met him before and he's a really nice person. I have also met Peaches, but I can't say the same for her. At least his band will be opening up for Lady Sovereign soon, which is good news for Chester French.
And now, to get us out of the rut of disgusting celebrity news, here are some videos you should watch if you want to feel happy and sentimental and a little bit artsy. Here is one of Icelandic band Sigur Ros playing a Take Away Show in a cafe in France. A friend of mine who lives in Paris said the guy who makes those videos is a dick, and I believe him, but the video is still pretty good.
Also, even though this is another Sigur Ros song, it may be one of my favourite music videos ever. It always makes me happy:
If that's not your thing, check out Chew Lips, a London-based band. (Think poppy, think indie, think electro.)
To close the post, here are a list of shows in the New York area that you should try to see: 04/21 – Ratatat at Terminal 5 (Check out the photos I took of them at the Guggenheim in 2006 on the Ratatat Web site!) 04/23 – Simian Mobile Disco at Highline Ballroom OR Lou Reed at Gramercy Theatre OR Suckers at Glasslands (who will soon be opening for MGMT) 04/24 – Julie Doiron at Cake Shop OR DJs SNOB and HOMO at Sweet Ups 04/26 – Gang Gang Dance at Barnard College 04/30 – Bat For Lashes at Bowery Ballroom 05/02 – The Kills at Webster Hall OR Bat For Lashes at Music Hall of Williamsburg 05/04 – The Kills at Music Hall of Wiliamsburg 05/05 – Lady Sovereign and Chester French (Peaches Geldof's ex-hubby) at Highline Ballroom 05/06 – Patrick Wolf at le poisson rouge 05/13 – Animal Collective at Terminal 5
Cultural clashing from across the pond. **Italics at the end of each post indicate the song I am listening to. Collect them to make an eclectic play list.
Note to the viewers of Lady Sovereign’s show at Highline Ballroom last night: when a musician points her microphone at you, you’re supposed to sing. Yes, that’s right. You sucked as an audience.
Lady Sovereign pours beer into a fan's mouth
Read the rest of my review for the New York Press here!
