Well it's that time again for you guessed it Bonnaroo! The Music and Arts Festival which is an annual, four to five-day music festival, created and produced by Superfly Productions and AC Entertainment, first held back in 2002. The festival is located at the Great Stage Park on a 700 acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee. So in it's ninth year of celebrating I will get to par take in this monumental festival on June 10th-13th. Bonnaroo which brings together some of the best performers in rock and roll, along with dozens of artists in complementary styles such as jazz, Americana, hip-hop, electronica, and just about any contemporary music you can think of. In addition to dozens of epic performances, the festival's 100-acre entertainment village buzzes around the clock with attractions and activities including a on-site cinema, silent disco, comedy club, theater performers, yoga classes, and more. This year looks to have some great bands and artists like: Dave Matthews Band, Kid Cudi, The XX, Local Natives, Miike Snow and I could go on and on but I will put up the flier and you can check it out for yourself.
The 2010 Lineup
Note:Lineup is subject to change per Bonnaroo's website.
Today I came about the works of Rachel Caldwell. She is a graphic designer and illustrator from Philadelphia, PA. From what I can tell on her blog "Thirsty Fly" is that she does great work and she has a good sense of humor. I chose some of her works to showcase that were minimal yet eye catching. My favorites out of her works is the "Wisdom of the Nines" which shows different styles of owls and one of them is like "Yo". To me that funny and I think Owls are cool creatures. If you get a chance check out more of her work on her blog.
There are now a number of apps like PocketGuitar, Virtuoso, Ocarina and DigiDrummer which can make your phone into a virtual symphony. So today I found a couple of people who have put down there instruments and have picked up there iPhones, iPod Touches and other devices that can generate sounds.
iBand
The first band is iBand who are truly unique group of musicians. The band's first YouTube video generated over 4.8 million views. Their song "Vitality has also been a huge hit. The applications that they choose to use are iAno, PocketGuitar, IphoneSynth and BeatPhone.
The Mentalists
The Mentalists are a group of girls from the UK that play great covers only using their iPhone and their voices. They have covered songs like "Kids" by MGMT and "American Boy" by Estelle. Their favorite apps are NLog Synthesizer, MiniSynth, RetroSynth, DigiDrummer Lite and Ocarina.
In being that I'm an Android Phone user I'm getting excited to know that soon my Google Nexus One will have Flash capabilities. I will soon be able to watch and see different content on my browser that for so long has been denied. This update will make it so that users of Android will now be able to listen to my Playlists on the go from their phone browser. (self promotion anyone).
The update to Android 2.2 is to be released at Google I/O starting May 19. From the looks of the video in this post. It seems that the update will also have an updated launcher, Android tutorial, and global search box when the OS is revealed. So without a further a do. Check out the video below made by Ryan Stewart so you can see the wonders of Flash 10.1 playing on a Nexus One.
Talented architect Gary Chang, from Hong Kong, has made his tiny 330 square foot apartment into an amazing wall system. It lets him transform his apartment into 24 different room configurations. He built a sliding wall system that allows him to transform his place into a kitchen, library, laundry room, dressing room, and an enclosed dining area or a lounge with a hammock.
Gary has also written a book about his life growing up in his apartment that he has lived in since he was 14. He also talks about how he has renovated it five times. It's called My 32m2 Apartment, a 30 Year Transformation. If you want to see this apartment in action watch the video blow.
So you're probably wondering what is "The City of Abacus". Well let me explain, it's a comic series that was created by VV Brown. If you haven't heard of VV Brown before let me tell you a little about her. Vanessa which is her real name is a British singer-songwriter with retro flair infused into both her look and her sound. She is also a model who loves comic books. What more could you ask for right? She has been listed on many different outlets as a top person to look out for in 2009. So now in 2010 she got another outlet to share with you and that is "The City of Abacus".
The story goes a little something like this: Blinded, the MX41 takes full control of the City Of Abacus created by the evil queen; nothing will open the eyes of the people, nothing except one, a young girl called Freeda. This is a long twisted journey of surprise, rejection, incest, love, politics and mystery. The realization of their world is soon to be discovered.
This series will consist of 7 comics that will be released between May and November with a graphic novel at the end to finish off the epic tale. In each of the released comic's there will be a down loadable song that will go with each story. I have also been informed that the comic will be available soon on the iPhone and on the iPad. You can also buy a physical copy in a store near you or via their website, thecityofabacus.com. Follow the comic on your social sites for more info and updates.
I was reading the Unless You Will issue #6 and I came across Susanne Willuhn and her photography. So I went to her site and viewed all of her photos and picked out some that I enjoyed the most. Susanne has had many of her works shown in online and print magazines and I can see why. She captures some mystery and wonder in each of her shoots. The photo's that I enjoyed the most give that feeling of being out and exploring the world and the little hidden wonders that make us curious. If you get a chance you should check out some of her other works. I would also suggest checking out Unless You Will Blog due to it has some amazing photography artists that are showcased in different issue each month.
It has finally arrived as of yesterday the anticipated new album "Take a Bow" by Greg Laswell. All 12 new tracks were recorded in a studio in a cabin outside Flagstaff, AZ. "Perhaps the biggest difference with this album", observes Greg Laswell of his new Take A Bow, "is that I'm not miserable." His new album definitely is about goodbye's and embracing resolution over surrender. This album gives a sense of not someone who is hurting or not happy but of a person who has learned and is ready to take the next step to evolve.
Greg Laswell has a voice that can raise and fall with his precise precision in his singing abilities. So you will feel the emotional storytelling within his songs on this album. This CD mostly has mid-tempo songs which have that dense, richly textured keyboard-soaked sound that we've come to expect from Laswell. Although, this album is not as dirge-like and melancholy as the last album it definitely is a great new album by Greg Laswell.
I have been reading up on some styles of typography lately and learning some more in-dept understanding of type and fonts. So that I can have a better understanding of typography and to assist in my creativity when it comes to design. Then while I was doing my research I came across some typographic posters that I wanted to share.
Here we are again with another great Playlist to fill your ears. This one is a special playlist from the past. Playlist-13 is a playlist that was made back when I was about 20. I came about getting my hands on this copy of the playlist from my old roommate. When I last visited Ohio I went out on a nature walk with her and her son. So on our little journey to the park I was looking through her CD's and found a CD labeled "Damion Mix". I thought it was going to be like a CD of me mixing back in the day. Nope. It ended up being this playlist which I use to listen to none stop back in the day. So it was awesome to find a treasure of music from my past that has a lot of great memorizes attach to them. It not only made my trip home more meaningful but I now get to share the sounds of distance past. Hopefully some of these songs will bring up some memories of good times when you have a listen to Playlist-13.
On a side note if someone can tell me the artist and name of the first track. I will burn you a copy of Playlist-13 with the album cover art.
If you want to check out any of the other playlist then click on Archived Playlist in this post or on the right hand side of this blog.
Cover art by: Damion Schweizer
Tracklist
1. Unknown
2. Imagine by John Lennon
3. Film by Aphex Twin
4. It's a Fine Day by Miss Jane
5. Careful Where you Stand by Coldplay
6. 6 Underground by Sneaker Pimps
7. Love Song by The Cure
8. Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve
9. Only In Dreams by Weezer
10.Yellow by Coldplay
11. Isobel by Bjork
12. GodSpeed by BT
13. Nannou by Aphex Twin
14. Bigger Stronger by Coldplay
15. Trouble by Coldplay
Check out this Eco-friendly enclosure. The Solid Wood Hard Drive Enclosure ($100-$145). It will keep your hard drive from getting banged up and it will give it a slick new look. These are handmade by two men in their Seattle shop using 100% reclaimed or discarded materials. These are one-of-a-kind drives typically house an included 500GB drive. It boasts its unique shapes with a hand oiled finish that are polished with a protective finishing wax to keep them looking great long after the drive has ceased to exist.
Keith Loutit is known for his Little Sydney series of short films, that present Sydney and its surroundings in miniature form. He basically scaled down, and sped up the film and it challenges people's perceptions of scale, helping them to distance themselves from place they know well. The videos that Keith has produced are one of wonder and and great imagination. I can only imagine how long it took for him to just put on of these masterpieces together. In an interview by "It's Nice That" it states that his work is heavily stylized, his aim is mostly documentary in nature. Keith stated I saw the combination of tilt shift and time-lapse photography as a means of creating a new style of documentary film-making. Keith is currently working on a new project called Small Worlds in which he documents the world's great cities, landscapes and monuments of the ancient world in miniature. Keith states from the interview that in a time of population explosion, impacts to our environment, and concern over limited resources our world feels smaller than ever and I hope that this work inspires people by presenting mankind as a positive collaborative force, and for people to see wonder in the ordinary.
So I came about this musician Vital from Change The Thought Blog. They posted a motion graphic video up called Airport. Which is Vital's video for his song called Airport. It was directed by TAKCOM. This video is not only interesting and intriguing but the music goes so well with the video. Vital is currently providing people with a free download of his EP which consists of 5 songs on his website. I highly recommend downloading his CD and just an FYI you should be able to download it as well on iTunes for free this month. Here is a little bit of information about Vital. Prior to starting his solo career Vital wanted to be behind the music scene, writing and contributing by recording demos for other musicians in the Bay Area. After being persuaded by the many people he met, he released two EP’s in the genre of Hip Hop and R&B. “I never found my true self while doing what society expected me to do, I never felt at home doing what’s expected”. Wanting to experiment more with the music, he felt it was a better reflection of himself. He then went into the studio to record his first solo album in the summer of 2008. Now, almost two years later he is now letting the world hear his music. His CD is one that I will consistently be playing and I think you should do the same.
I posted a while back ago on Playlist-08 a band called: Bombay Bicycle Club and their song "Always Like This". It's a deliciously danceable number, with an almost afro-pop melodious riff that would make Vampire Weekend jealous. Topped with Bombay's typically quivering, Devendra-esque vocals, the track looks to be a summer favorite. Bombay Bicycle Club are an indie rock band from Crouch End, London. This band is composed of Jack Steadman (lead vocals, guitar, xylophone), Jamie MacColl (lead guitar, backing vocals), Ed Nash (bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals) and Suren de Saram (drums, guitar, backing vocals). They released their first full length album back in July 2009 called: "I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose". So I have been getting down on the sounds of Bombay and thought it would only be fair to share the sounds of this talented band. They are currently working on a Acoustic album that will be available on CD and Vinyl, which is due to be released in July 2010. They are also filming a video for each song with the "watch listen tell" people, at locations which means a lot to the band.
Today I decided to finally start my Flickr account to share some of the photography shoots that I have taken over the last couple of months. I personally enjoy taking photos of nature and adding a little bit of a vintage look feel to them. There is something nostalgic when being in nature and that is what I try and capture. In my mind when I'm taking a picture I can already visually see it in a different light and layer context. I don't only just take nature shoots but that seems to be what I enjoy taking the most at this point. I'm still in my infant stage of photography and I look forward to learning more techniques and getting inspiration from others. In the meantime enjoy some of shoots. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think. If you want to add me to your Flickr account click here to add me.
I have been viewing a lot of photographers lately and I came upon Anna Verlet. Who I found her work to be amazing and translucent. Anna goes about her work with an admirable delicacy and there seems to be something so nostalgic and pure in the air of every shot. (abduzeedo.com) She takes a lot of unique and analogue type nature shots. Which I'm a fan of this style. I have been enjoying the vintage style and the still look of each shot. Many of them look like it was a not so sunny day and it was a little bit hazy in the morning mist. I highly recommend taking a look at more of her work because this girl has some great photography skills.
Check out more of her work on flickr or see more from Anna and give her a shout on twitter or facebook.
Last Thursday when I was in Ohio I played at a Sushi Spot called: Kasai. Nice place. I had an amazing time eating good sushi and playing with my DJ friends from back up north. Dom and Diddle both played some good tunes to keep me listening while delighting in my decadent sushi. If you didn't get a chance to listen to the live stream of my set then don't you worry your little self's because I recorded a mix the night before. So have a listen to Thoroughly Raw or download the sethere.
Cover Art by: Damion Schweizer
Tracklist
1. The Last Song I Wrote for Her by Dj Egadz
2. Intro by XX
3. Dictaphone's Lament by Tycho
4. Sunshine Recorder by Boards of Canada
5. Toothlike Tokens by Ben Benjamin
6. Sunday is a Travel Day by Chris Fortier
7. Inside River by Kaito
8. Coastal Break by Tycho
9. Lost Zoo Remix by GDEB
10. Letters Home by CFCF
