Check out DJ Deuce’s exclusive interview with J-Mo at last month’s FRESH: Hip Hop Showcase!
DJ Deuce hosts UrbanRootsRadio alongside DJ Technical Difficulties every Saturday morning at 10AM.
He is one of the station’s longest active hip hop DJs.
Check out DJ Deuce’s exclusive interview with Dorrough at last month’s FRESH: Hip Hop Showcase!
DJ Deuce hosts UrbanRootsRadio alongside DJ Technical Difficulties every Saturday morning at 10AM.
He is one of the station’s longest active hip hop DJs.
It has been rumored for months, if not years, that Apple has been wanting to debut a new “tablet” computer to the electronic gadget market. The day finally came yesterday when Steve Jobs (Chairman and CEO of Apple) announced the new iPad starting at $499, the first ever Mac Tablet! Totally touch screen, with only a single button, it looks like an iPhone injected with a massive dose of steroids! Yeah, before you scream I’m a “Mac Hater”, I absolutely have adored Apple these last few years, as I am the owner of not one, but two Macbooks at home. Anyway, NEVER has a product by Apple received so much criticism in the last decade!
Here’s where the first BIG issue starts …
Steve Jobs had the audacity (granted, he’s one of the biggest names in the business) to diss netbooks, in comparison to the new iPad. Oh, I wish he didn’t!
So what’s my problem with the iPad?
1. Unlike netbooks, iPad does NOT support multi-tasking. That means you can’t listen to “Fisting” on UCLARadio.com from 4-6pm on Monday’s (shameless plug) and browse the Internet at the same time. You can only do one thing at once! Sounds familiar? Yeah, because it’s a big fat iPhone (or iTouch — same thing basically).
2. The Maxi… erhmm.. iPad. Yeah, WTF?!?! Are there any women in the marketing department at Apple or men living with women for that matter? The name is horrendous and has already been the victim of millions of LOL’Z across Twitter and the rest of the Internet. What’s even more hilarious is that MadTV predicted in 2006 that Apple would make a product called exactly the iPad! Watch the video here.
3. iPad can’t play any Adobe Flash videos. Now wait wait… you can play YouTube videos in HD on the iPad. But that’s really the ONLY exclusion, as YouTube made a deal with Apple not to use Flash (but another software) for their iPhone/iTouch/iPad devices. Any other website you visit will most definitely require Adobe Flash or their own propriety software to play video. So say goodbye to Hulu, DailyMotion, ABC Video, TVLand, and all the other websites that offer free video content in Adobe Flash.
4. No physical keyboard included. You’re going to have to pay $69 extra for a docking station with a physical keyboard. Have we gone back to the stone age with old palm pilots? That’s not to say the iPad doesn’t have a virtual keyboard (and it seems quite revolutionary). BUT, it’s one thing to type a text message with the iPhone, but try thinking about typing an essay on a virtual keyboard screen! That’s going to leave a lot of fingerprints. Also, it looks like the manucurists will be getting business again from women complaining of broken nails.
5. No USB slots, video out, or media card slots on the iPad. You probably will have to pay for an additional device yet again to connect your flash drive and whatnot. But the Apple iPad does have BlueTooth support (not that any of the netbooks or cellphones don’t).
Oh and just a few more things…
6. iPad is still only for AT&T users! I’m sure the hackers will be in line to jailbreak this like the iPhone. Nevertheless, it would have been nice for Apple to offer the iPad to Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile customers. Oh and that’s not all… here’s the price breakdown (yeah, there’s a monthly bill too for this iPad) —
“- $14.99/month for 250MB of data transfer
- $30 /month for unlimited data transfer
- Free use of AT&T wifi hotspots
- No contract, cancel anytime”
The last two sound pretty cool. But they failed to mention that AT&T has already began offering free wi-fi spots in many popular locations, such as Barnes & Noble and McDonalds. And contracts? Nobody wants that anyway, as that SHOULD BE mandatory!
7. The iPad is already being acclaimed for being a product that might just revamp the eBook industry. Directly competing with Amazon’s Kindle (which reads electronic books), the iPad will support books in color and flicking of the page with your finger. Sounds nifty, right? I agree it does … however, there’s a big difference reading a book from a backlit LCD screen for hours and reading from the Amazon Kindle or Sony eReader with a grayscale display. Yep, that’s right, go grab your Kleenex box! The tears will be rolling from your eyes from all that eye strain and you can guaren-damn-tee it!
8. Finally, you can’t make phone calls with the iPad (no webcam either). Not that you’d want to hold a HUMONGOUS phone in the palm of two hands. Goodness gracious, that would cause a lot of car accidents for those “risk takers” I see on the 405-freeway everyday. Try imagining someone trying to drive with one hand on the wheel and another holding the iPad. That’s a funny sight that *thankfully* won’t happen.
9. Holy MOLEY! I almost forgot about the WONDERFUL price break down (see pic to the left)….
That’s all in addition to the monthly bill you will be paying for the data transfer. I can drive to Best Buy right now and buy a 10inch Netbook with a 160GB Hard drive, Wi-Fi support, BlueTooth, 2 USB-slots, and a bunch more things for $300. Simply put, and once again, iPad = iPhone + Massive Steroids Injections into the Booty.
Sorry Apple… but this is major FAIL!
–Paymon Jalali
Fisting Mondays 4-6 PM
My love of the Cold War Kids started almost three years ago when I stumbled upon them while browsing around Myspace Music. With their release of Robbers & Cowards in 2006 and their follow up album Loyalty to Loyalty in 2008 it is no surprise that they have managed to make a name for themselves in today’s music scene. Just last month the band released their new EP Behave Yourself. The new EP preceded the band’s four city tour in late January. Last Friday night the tour was kicked off in Los Angeles’ Wiltern Theater. After arriving late we found that the line went down the block and turned around the corner. Hundreds of fans were lined up in the cold to see the Cold War Kids. After a short wait and the threat of more rain we were let into the warm venue. On your first entrance into the Wiltern there is a sense of awe. The high ceilings and elegant feel of the venue are a great setting for a great concert.
The fans anxiously waited for the band to take the stage. When the lights went out Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah took the stage and opened the show. The crowd wasn’t very interested in the opening band but the band did manage to get some people dancing. Alec Ounsworth recently released his solo debut Mo Beauty and has announced his first headlining tour beginning in February.
Finally after the techs finished setting up, Nathan Willett, Jonnie Russell, Matt Maust, and Matt Aveiro took the stage. After technical difficulties with Nathan’s guitar the band opened the show with “I’ve Seen Enough,” and everyone started singing along instantly. If you’ve seen the band live you know the antics they do while on stage. Nathan and Matt Maust would casually walk over to each other and give each other little kicks, hits, or pushes as they played. “Hang Me Up To Dry” had everyone dancing around and singing along. Before playing “Santa Ana Winds” from their new EP, Nathan took time to talk about Los Angeles and where the band began. After playing “Something Is Not Right With Me” the band left the stage for a break and the crowd kept screaming for the band to come back on for the second half of the set. Before ending the show with “We Used to Vacation” Nathan didn’t forget to remind us all of the tragedies in Haiti and the opportunities we all had to help.
The crowd sang along to every song that the band belted out, including the new songs from their recent EP. The hour and a half show left everyone happy and excited. If you have not seen this band live I suggest that you find a way to do it. Their set is always full of energy and they always have fun while on stage. They make you want to dance, sing, scream, and just go crazy.
After the show every person in the crowd was given a card that allowed them to download the whole set. I still can’t stop listening to it. I think I might go on a Cold War Kids music binge for a couple of days or until the next concert I go to. Until then I guess that ends this review.
(more…)
Though young and nubile, Seth Troxler has quickly made a name for himself by not only DJing the best clubs in the world, but also producing some of the most refreshing and intriguing dance music in recent years. We will be discussing his personal Journey, playing the legendary Robert Johnson when he was still in high school as well as the state of dance music in the United States and what the future has in store for this already prolific figure. We will also be covering his wonderful new Boogybytes Vol. 5 to be released in the coming weeks on the BPitch label.
Peep his bio here!
Check out the interview in the player below!
Tyler Honeycutt has been on fire lately. After battling multiple injuries early on in the season, the freshman forward has really begun to shine and has become one of the Bruins’ most reliable pieces. He has led the team in rebounding in each of the past five games, averaging 7.8 boards and 5.4 points during that span. As he gets closer to being fully healed, Honeycutt is getting more comfortable with his shot and put up 10 and 8 points against the Washington schools this past week. As the Bruins start to get on a roll, it is clear that the Bruin’s top recruit this offseason is at the front of the surge. I got the chance to speak with Tyler about the season so far and how music influences his game:
What is your greatest UCLA moment so far? TH: Mustafa [Abdul-Hamid]’s game winning shot to beat the University of Washington [this past Thursday].
Passenger’s sophomore album “Wide Eyes Blind Love” is everything I wanted to be and more. I am still honestly expecting this band from Brighton, UK to blow up in the U.S. of A hard….But on to a more serious review of the album:
The second time around, Mike Rosenberg — founder and lyricist — has stripped down his music to its earnest, most basic elements. He weaves powerful creative poetry with simplistic, beautiful melodies that carry his audience to the dark, deep places.
Generally, the album is much more acoustic and far less produced than Wicked Man’s Rest…and to their credit I might add. There is no where to run from the raw power of his often sorrowful lyrics; they force you to face emotion head on and really wallow in the experience.
The female vocalist who figures rather prominently on “What Will Become of Us” and “Underwater Bride” was a stunning addition. Her voice is soft, but it rings so pure that I can’t imagine these tracks now without her. She adds a beautiful dimension to an album that it is very instrumentally minimal. Now, don’t get me wrong, its not one man and his guitar. It is more like a man and two guitars, but each instrument functions together so flawlessly and softly that the focus can’t help but be Mike’s vocals.
The song that first stole my heart was “Caravan”. As if the lyrics weren’t enough, the wistful sorrow in his whistling (yes, he whistles) made me well up a little bit. No tears, but definite glistening.
If you enjoy artists like Iron and Wine, The Weepies, Elliot Smith, and Simon & Garfunkel (or British artists)–give Passenger a shot and let the music work its magic.
Lady Downstairs The Backseat – Thursdays 6-8pm
Come by the Improve in Hollywood this Sunday at 9PM to enjoy an evening of comedy by Drew Carey, Ian Edwards, Aristotle Athiras and more in a benefit show to aid the earthquake victims of Haiti! Tickets are $5 at the door.
Coming up on Saturday, February 13 in downtown Los Angeles is the unique music and art festival known as Lucent L’amour, presented by The Do LaB.
If you ask many of the top artists who have performed at the event in the past including renowned electronic artists, Z-Trip and Adam Freeland, Lucent L’amour is unlike any other festival around the world. Many festivals have become large corporate endeavors: simply slapping their name onto everything, giving artists a stage and watching the dollars roll in. But at the Lucent L’amour, it is a far less a commercial event and more of an experience. Basically, its going to be an incredible, dare I say epic, party that you will certainly not want to miss.
First off, the artist line-up for the event is packed with the best artists in the party music industry. It is full of acclaimed artists and DJs including Bassnectar, N.A.S.A., Stanton Warriors, Yard Dogs Road Show, and Lucent Dossier Experience. I know you may not recognize any of those names so here’s the skinny for you to realize the quality coming to this event. On the DJ team N.A.S.A. (North America South America)’s most recent album, The Spirit of Apollo, they collaborated with artists like Kanye West, Santigold, Lykke Li, Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Gift of Gab, M.I.A. and dozens more. They are truly recognized as one of the best DJ teams around the whole world! At last year’s Coachella, they put on such an incredible performance that many reviews of the entire festival have said that it was the best set of the entire weekend. Rocking their spacesuits they look and sound so much like Daft Punk, but their main difference is that they choose to work with and sample tons of mainstream and popular artists.
To go along with the electronic party music that many of us know and love, there will be a huge art gallery curated by Mike Russek and Deborah Vogt featuring the work of over 30 incredible Los Angeles artists. And even that’s not all for the artsy people: the amazing duo known as The Mac and Retna will be painting a large scale mural at the festival!
And to top it all off, its only a few miles away at the historic downtown Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium. You can get your tickets now at www.lucentlamour.com, or keep your eyes peeled because The Do LaB is working on selling tickets on UCLA campus, for a lot cheaper. The festival has been summed up as “a festival where art and music collide in an explosion of self-expression!” You shouldn’t miss it.
–Peter Wardell Mix-Ups and Mash-Ups, Sundays 4-6
This event will be taking place in the Grand Horzion Ballroom on Friday, January 29th to experience Almost Famous: West Coast Edition with performances by Myko, Miss Mykie, Roccett, Willie Joe, Sho Zoe, & Nate Walka.
2009 brought us some interesting videos from some interesting artists. Lady Gaga taught us all about bad romances and pokerfaces. MGMT gave us some videos reflecting their drug-induced parties. Coldplay showed us that yes, even a band of puppets can put on quite the stage show. Tons of websites have versions of these, so I figured I’d throw my hat in the ring and share my favorite videos from 2009 with you. Get ready for a lot of Youtube embedding after the jump. In no particular order, these are my 9 favorite music videos from 2009.
| January 9, 2010 9:00 pm | to | January 10, 2010 2:00 am |
| January 9, 2010 9:00 pm | to | January 10, 2010 2:00 am |
Tonight, January 9th, experimental electronic hip-hop act, The Glitch Mob comes to the El Rey Theatre, here in Los Angeles.
The Glitch Mob is such a unique group that I promise you it is unlike any other group that you’ve heard of. Their very unique style takes elements of rock, experimental electronic and hip-hop to produce an overwhelming wall of sound with deep bass licks, massive drops, synth stabs and lots of glitchy asides of course. Basically, they know how to start, continue and finish a party.
The Glitch Mob are three guys, Ooah, Boreta, & edIT, but their live performances flow from DJ to DJ seamlessly. These three guys have been the leaders of a new generation of music. With this last decade came the popularity of lots of experimental music, and the Glitch Mob are innovators in the experimental party music scene, along with two up-and-coming openers tonight, MartyParty of PantYRaID & Jupit3r.
Their style was best summed up by the Electrorash blog: “The vibe’s not so much dance your sweet ass off as it is throw your whole body into every beat”. Regardless, tonight at the El Rey is going to be epic. You shouldn’t miss it.
–Peter Wardell Mix-Ups and Mash-Ups, Sundays 4-6Kelsie’s set:
I’ll Go Crazy – James Brown
The Laundromat Blues – The 5 Royales With Charlie Ferguson & His Orchestra
je prends tout mon temps – Roxane Chatel
Don’t Let Him Shop Around – Debbie Dean
he’s not there anymore – The Chimes
Minor Section Theme Song (Sweet Tooth Is High) – Hey Girl! – Big Fat Ski
Lame City – Parasites Go! – Faxonitis vol. 1
Crows – Sexy – Por Vida
We Would Never Do That – Sharp Knife – Sharp Knife
Summertime – Crimpshrine
Alice and Friends – Box Elders – Alice and Friends
Waddlin’ Around – The King Khan & BBQ Show – The King Khan & BBQ Show
Whose Heart (Are You Gonna Break Now) – Don McKenzie
Snake Walk, Pt. 2 – Beans Bowles & The Swinging Tygers
What’s So Good About Good Bye – The Miracles
Who’s Lovin’ You – The Supremes
Dirty Robber – The Wailers – The Fabulous Wailers At The Castle
| February 27, 2010 | ||
| 7:00 pm | to | 11:00 pm |
| February 11, 2010 | ||
| 8:00 pm | to | 11:00 pm |