We Chin Chin

I went to a handful of shows last weekend. I missed The Dirty Projectors at the Seaport b/c of the rain, but Saturday was a perfect day to see Battles, Black Dice, and Gang Gang Dance at the Central Park Summerstage. And I ran into Zak and Nate and Jeannie and some of their friends after getting into the Bandshell. Gang Gang Dice went on first, a week after assuming the Boredoms' role on the East Coast leg of the sold-out 88 Boadrum project on 08/08/08. Black Dice were next, who sounded kind of muddled and not-so-great outdoors. But Battles made up for them, playing almost all of Mirrored. I have some viddys for Tij & Race In, with John Stanier looking like a fucking hummingbird playing the durms on the latter vid. After the show we all went to the Loreley Beer Garden on the Lower East Side, which is my new favorite place to drink. They only have fine deutsch hops served in liter and half-liter steins, and brots and schnitzels and things. And I made some new friends who share my affinity towards northern California bands like Hella. After that I went to Brynne's Bday party at Home Sweet Home and hung out w/ her and Maya and Tom.

Sunday was Aesop Rock, Panther, and Chin Chin at the JellyNYC Pool Party show at McCarren. I was going to buy a soccer ball to take out there, but the only ones the Adidas store on Bway had were $130 MLS balls. I met up w/ Natalia and Dominque before the show and we went and had lunch on the rooftop garden at Juliette on N5th in Williamsburg. I had an applewood bacon & gruyere juliette burger and an excellent bloody mary. Panther was kind of boring at the Pool, but Chin Chin was the shit. They sounded like a cross between !!! and a 70s prom band. And had some little kids come out at the end and play trombone and recorder, which was hilarious. Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic, an DJ Big Wiz were up next, and El-P came out as a guest for one of the songs. I have vids for Big Bang, Daylight, and None Shall Pass up on my Youtube channel.

Monday night I went to at this place in Chelsea called the Half King. I met Lexie and Maya and Tom there for dinner & drinks after work and before The Faint show at Terminal 5/Maya's last night in the city before moving to LA for bidness school. We were sitting in the back garden having appetizers and salads arounds of Delirium Tremens and Yuenglings and Amstels, and Brooke Shields was there with a group of people at the table next to us. After the show Maya drove us up to the show. We missed Shy Child and caught the end of Antipop Consortium's set before The Faint. I hadn't been to T5 before, and it wasn't anything like I thought it would be. It was kind of like a not-lame version of Webster Hall, with better sound. Theres videos for Drop Kick The Punks and I Disappear on the aforementioned channel. Professor Murder, Free Blood, Don Cab, Islands, Japanther, and Yo La Tengo this weekend. Cheers.

1. Gang Gang Dance
2, 4. The Brothers Frentz/Summerstage Crowd
3, 5, 6. Battles
7-9. Tom, Maya, Lexie, Ellie @ Home Sweet Home & Terminal 5
10-12. Chin Chin
13-15. McCarren Park Crowd
16-23. Aesop Rock
24-27. The Faint/Terminal 5 Crowd