And... Go.

I finally got a new gallery up on Mallfellows . An incomplete, blurry, lo-res travelogue of my whirlwind trip to Charlottesville a few weeks back... And a kinda accurate representation of just how it seemed for me to be back in the old hometown for a few days, and catching up with everyone. -PAR

Saturday evening I fly to California for nine days. See some friends in the Bay Area, then a little over a week in Santa Cruz. Sitting back and relaxing, enjoying incredible coffee and great food, seeing the family that I see far too rarely, real live vacation. It's been too long since I set foot in the Pacific, and it's almost time to remedy that. But I've got a typically manic week in NYC to get thru first... -PAR

This Tuesday on the fabled isle of Manhattan... The next installment of dance-party-rock-show-MAYHEM . Three live acts, two DJs, one awesome summer night. My pal Stephen Thorne kicks things off with his inimitable singer-songwriter shtick, Tin-Pan Sioux follow with their distorto-bluesy goodness, and then Jersey's finest The Meltdowns will unleash their thrash-surf poppery upon an unsuspecting crowd. Three of my fave musical acts all on one stage... And then, of course, it's time for the boogieing to ensue. I'm trading sets with my old pal ADDJ Padati (better known to some as Alex Jost), and we promise a late night filled with the funkiest sounds and the hottest beats. All for your enjoyment. Show up and say howdy if you're around. It looks to be amazing. -PAR

I've not been writing much, as I've been non-stop busy doing things... Went to VA for five days, ran around, drank, saw old friends and made a couple new ones, finished a long-standing collaborative art project, DJed an art opening, returned to NYC, DJed another art opening, made ginsicles, went to parties and rock shows, sent flowers to a girl (in an uncharacteristic move), put together a new gallery for Mallfellows (which should be up by tomorrow), watched the weather turn absolutely crazy-go-nuts, all while still working endlessly. Have two DJ gigs coming up this week, trying to organize a bunch of stuff in Charlottesville in October, and running off to California in 14 days. Life is awesomely crammed full of stuff, and it's a blast. More reports from the front soon. -PAR

This Tuesday, New York City. The next in the ongoing saga of hot hot dance parties . Two bands and two DJs performing for your enjoyment. My good pals Paper Fleet will kick off the proceedings with a dose of intricate indiepop, followed by the US debut of In Corridors who will rock you with insane psychedelic dancepunk goodness (direct from Tokyo). Then, of course, it's time to dance. My buddy Egg Foo Young and I will be swapping off on the ones and twos, mixing the hot beats and making the people shake. It all happens downstairs at Lit Lounge , starting at 9:30. Drop in, say hey, and join us in the good times. -PAR

-PAR

Yeah, I know it's only June. But the new Sonic Youth album is a near-lock for best record of 2006. They've stripped back the excess, the lengthy instrumental interludes, the affectations, the trademark squalls of noise... And what's left behind here is the best set of songs they've ever crafted. The guitars still entwine, there's still judicious use of feedback and distortion, but these elements are employed to enhance the songs rather than becoming the focus. Clean, sharp, poppy, emotionally engaging; not neccesarily the first adjectives that one associates with NYC's art-punk standardbearers, but that's what's on display here. 25+ years into their career, SY still have the ability to surprise, and with this, they might've made thier best record to date; a mainline injection of melody and feeling. It hooked me on first listen (some two weeks ago now), and has only gotten better each succesive play... It's the sound of spring and summer. ...