Whenever I come across Vancouver based Dace Moore’s designs, dace, I always get excited as it has always symbolized impeccable quality with charming style. Lucky for everyone, I’m happy to announce she’s having a sale! An online one too, so it doesn’t even matter where you are.

Items such as the Vanzenten skirt, pictured below, is $95 from $149. While the stunning Morgan coat with a cashemere wool blend, also pictured below, is $165 from $352.

Some other choice pieces are up to 80% off!

Check out the dace sale (and everything else dace) here: http://www.dace.ca

Images borrowed from and copyright to Dace Moore/dace.

I didn’t know what it was exactly that I had bought at that consignment store, but I knew I loved it. I soon found out when I sat down in my hair stylist’s chair and she exclaimed: “Is that an Erin Templeton bag?!”

I could only reply, “Uhh… I don’t know.”

She peeked inside and spotted the leather tag by the zipped inner pocket, name lovingly worn away, and confirmed that it was, indeed, an Erin Templeton bag. My appreciation simply grew when I found out more about this lovely brand and the designer it’s named after.

That black leather bag, the Hobo bag (pictured above in brown beside the red Hobo Mini) has accompanied me on many adventure. From dance parties, to the Cambie, the Templeton, Celebrities, Trout Lake, English Bay and back again. It has withstood so much and worked with so many outfits I can’t imagine my wardrobe without it. I acquired a white and yellow Hobo Mini as soon as I could.

And that’s exactly what I told her when I ran into her at an event downtown. I held it up to her (because of course I had it at my hip that night) and proclaimed, “Do you know how much I love this bag? You’re wonderful!”

The beauty of these bags is their simplicity and versatility. Also, often the styles are available in reclaimed leathers and fabrics. Lending them, once again, (do I repeat myself?) to appreciate the recycled aspect. For the quality of the design and the power to withstand even my most vigorous efforts at putting it in peril, I promise it is more than worth your time and money.

Visit Erin’s store in Vancouver’s Chinatown area to purchase one of your very own. Or find her bags at one of the online stores linked through her website here: Erin Templeton.

All images were respectfully borrowed from and copyright to Erin Templeton.

When something this clean and sweet comes along, you sit up and take notice. I’ve always been a fan of design that hints at detail and steps outside the norm. This dress by francis has a familiar silhouette, but with a vintage print. The New York City subway map. My eyes are generally always drawn towards anything with colour. Easily distracted, perhaps. But with this dress, it works. Upon closer inspection, you can study the map details or marvel at the adorable pleating. This isn’t the first time that Killahbeez has featured a NYC Subway Map design. Our very own DT write a piece on Massimo Vignelli’s 1972 NYC subway diagram, found here.

If you’re more interested in wearing the map, rather than looking at it, then you can find it at Nordstrom. On sale no less!

Images copyright Nordstrom website.

Since 2004, Spend on Trend has been showcasing our local Canadian designer talent, allowing the public to feast on unique jewelry and clothing. As it’s an all weekend event, starting Friday August 21st and ending on Sunday August 23rd, you’ll have ample opportunity to peruse the various wares.

Along with those of the fashion persuasion, the event will also prove to appeal to the greener minded folk out there, as the show’s producers, Fiona and Jim inform us that, “The show… [has]…a mix of fresh and established independent Canadian designers who ethically produce their work”.

Some of the many interesting features will surely be Catalyst Reaction who design cuffs, belts and buckles, Filou Designs with their Sterling Silver Acorn necklace and Megan Kathryn’s signature jacket.

You’ll find me lining up early for sure, as the first 25 people through the door each day will receive a gift bag stuffed with items valued up to $50! Even if you don’t get there early, the $5 entry fee is pittance for all the lovely things you’ll get to see.

When was it again?
August 21st – 23rd, 2009

Where at?
Scotia Bank Dance Centre – 677 Davie Street

Need more info? Check out their website here: Spend on Trend

The moment I was first introduced to Adhesif Clothing, I knew I was going to have to keep watching out for them. Upon viewing the 2009 Fall collection I wasn’t disappointed in the least. How could I be? The women’s line hit all my hot-points: Tartan, tweed and feminine structure.

Don’t worry guys, you aren’t left out. The hoodie pictured below with plaid and print detail left me quite positive I’d fall for any man who wears it.

Adhesif’s designer, Melissa Ferreira describes the designs as her, “…interpretation of what a lady would wear to a socialite’s tea party, after a morning on her horse.” While I haven’t had the joy of experiencing anything of the sort, I can see the clear influence of such a refined and romantic vision.

If I wasn’t a little weak in the knees already, the sheer knowledge that every detail reflected in the designs is handmade sent me over the edge. On top of that, many of the fabrics are reclaimed and of exceptional quality.

You can find Adhesif Clothing online at Etsy or at various locations in Canada. Check their website: Adhesif Clothing for details.

Photo Credit: Gregory Crow (gregorycrow.com)

Honestly, I wouldn’t look like a LV fan. And even more honestly, I wasn’t for a really long time and won’t admit to being one now. But after a stroll into the Vancouver Louis Vuitton store last winter (wearing one of my best outfits) I quietly judged my surroundings and left with a begrudging appreciation. One can hardly fault the quality of the pieces. But I’ll refrain from commenting on the prices.

One thing I AM a fan of is animation. Which is how I ended up stumbling across an animated short on YouTube by Takashi Murakami. This short celebrates six years since the inception of collaboration between Murakami and LV. While I may never understand the monogram craze, I can understand and appreciate how art influences art.

It’s also cute. So I felt the urge to spread the cute.

The site Closet Couture was recently brought to my attention. This site mashes together two concepts: a Facebook/Twitter type profile page and your wardrobe. You can use this site to get help with choosing outfits or help others discover new looks. What a fantastic idea! And ever since my best friend (and key personal stylist) moved to Winnipeg, I’d been feeling like I needed some new tips and tricks. Well hell, she can still help me out! From Winnipeg!

So how does it work?

Basically, you register a profile and pick between three different base wardrobes to start you off: Downtown, Uptown and Classic. Unfortunately, Softcore Hipster wasn’t an option and so my style wasn’t really represented. My first stumbling block.

I decided Downtown was the closest to my style but was determined to upload a few pieces from my own wardrobe. So I set about doing this. First, I thought I could just upload any picture and select the item of clothing I needed. Well, if I could, that window wasn’t working. I went with the basic uploader instead.

So I took a picture of myself, against a blank background in the dress I wore today, my green American Apparel (wear it so many different ways) dress and tried again. After mucking about in Photoshop for a bit, I still couldn’t get it to work exactly right.

What I did enjoy was being able to resize the dress. Of course I made myself look slimmer than usual and felt better immediately.

The site also allows you to edit properties of the item. Brand, colour etc. American Apparel was no where to be seen. In fact, the majority of the brands were the likes of such designers as Diane von Furstenberg and Marc Jacobs. I love so many designers. However, I own about five articles of what I consider to be designer clothing.

Adding my wardrobe was becoming a daunting task.

So what do I think? I think the premise of the site is fantastic. I think if I had the time, I would be busily taking photos of everything I own and editing those photos for optimal resizing and ego adjustment. However, I don’t feel like I have that amount of time. So I’m just going to have to be content with getting fashion advice from the fabulous friends that still live in Vancouver. I think this is one online phenomenon that I won’t be jumping on.

It seems we’re on the brink of full-fledged Spring, so it’s definitely time to find that one perfect bikini to rock all summer long (by one I realistically mean 3 or 4, obviously). I don’t think I’ve been so excited about something that I’m only sorta going to wear in public in a long time. Swimwear trends are normally pretty standard – less is more – with the changes year to year being pretty minimal. Spring/Summer ‘09 is letting everyone know we’re on a whole new tip here, and I freakin’ love it. Three words pretty much sum it all up: monokinis, one shoulder & neon, neon, neon! One thing I struggle with every year is that it’s hard to find a bikini that properly expresses my style; neon’s here to fix that in one fell swoop. I tried this look out on vacation a few weeks ago and had a friend promptly remark that I looked like I belonged in “a Kanye West video”. Kanye comparisons aside, this is a legit way to bring the street to the sand and I have never been happier. Next we get monokinis (surprisingly we may have to thank Paris Hilton for popularizing this look), which are a girl’s best friend. Those of us who are shuddering to think of a bikini in March should fear not; monokinis are flattering on almost all body types, provided you find the right one. Finally, for those who firmly want to be fly on the beach instead of just half-naked, we’ve got the one-shoulder look. I love this because it adds a bit of glamour and is pretty unexpected.

With pretty much every designer touching on at least one of these trends, we’ve got a lot of options ladies! One of the best brands to look to would definitely have to be Insight, for properly representing the neon look and offering some one piece options that are actually flattering.

Agent Provocateur brings the sex appeal with monokinis that range from good coverage to next to nothing; not to mention the pin-up-esque bows & polka dots on the bikinis that are my hands down favorites.

I arrived nice & early for this show for a few reasons; it sold out well in advance and I knew space would be tight; more importantly I was curious to see exactly what kind of a crowd Glasvegas would draw. I’d heard rave reviews from friends who had seen them live before & was equally as curious to check out openers Ida Maria. The crowd didn’t disappoint; I spotted at least two families (complete with young children), older couples and the usual crop of teenagers looking excited just to be at a show on a weeknight. Ida Maria was bumped back to 10pm and the crowd was definitely ready by the time they took the stage. Let me preface this by saying that I have a weakness for bands with female singers, so my expectations were high. I had heard one Ida Maria song before (“Louie”) and read one short piece on them a few weeks prior; neither of which had properly prepared me for their live show. They were raucous as soon as they took the stage; singer Ida looked every bit the rock star part and had a voice to match. The band’s recordings make her voice far more glossy and subdued than it is in actuality. Most of the bands songs are short & loud, with topics ranging from drinking, being drunk, sex & nudity (see “Stella” & “Oh My God”), while Ida’s voice adds a layer of vulnerability. The comparison that immediately popped into my head was Brody Dalle of the Distillers, but with a more genuine, devil-may-care attitude. Pair that with the band’s finesse with their instruments and you get an interesting result. It’s rare to see a live band who really tears it up while actually being really good musicians. Ida Maria balances this perfectly; from Ida swinging mic stands dangerously close to her band mates and pouring water all over everything onstage to sweet guitar solos & bassist’s Stefan’s sweet falsetto. “I Like You Much Better When You’re Naked“ was the high point of the set; seemingly everyone in the crowd knew the words, which was a bit surprising. It’s not quite as shocking now; the band just won a Norwegian Grammy and released a new version of their album Fortress Round My Heart.

Having such a strong opener certainly stacked the deck for Glasvegas, I was unsure if they would be able to match the intensity of Ida’s set. Glasvegas came out after a short intermission and  I was pretty sure they’d be fine. Dressed in all black & looking pretty stoic, they didn’t hold back and opened with “Geraldine”, to which the crowd obviously went insane. I was pretty surprised by the light show & the fog machine, you don’t normally see bands with this serious of a set-up at the Blackcat, but it definitely worked. The sound was way less crisp than the record, although this is always the case with live shows, it seemed to be way amped up for Glasvegas, giving the songs a less ambient and more rocking feel. This definitely worked to their advantage; they seemed to take on a persona onstage that differs hugely from what you think they’d be like from hearing their record. Their female drummer did it all standing up, there were the requisite jumps and guitar-swinging; all the right ingredients to make a good band way better live. They saved one of my favorites, “Daddy’s Gone”, for the encore; after a set of about an hour and change they still maintained their energy and sealed the deal. For a pretty straightforward band they certainly rose to the task of rocking out like they’re pros, all the hype we’ve been hearing is well-deserved.

A huge thank you goes out to all the good folks over at Blackcat, especially Arnold, for always hooking it up!

Morrissey set the bar pretty high this time around, calling Years of Refusal his “strongest work to date”. He didn’t disappoint; this record is arguably stronger than the work he’s put out this decade (following 2004’s You Are the Quarry & 2006’s Ringleader of the Tormentors), and easily finds it’s place next to the best of his solo work. Not a small feat for an aging icon who seemingly won’t go down without a fight. Years of Refusal marks a (certainly welcome) return to form for Moz; loud, self-absorbed but still lovable. On the first single “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris”, Morrissey quips that “I’m throwing my arms around all of paris/because only stone and steel accept my love”. Morrissey may be an icon of modern times, but he’s still content trying to convince us all that he’s never going to be happy, ever.

One of my favorite things about this album is it’s straightforwardness. Morrissey has never been the type of lyricist to beat around the bush; on Years we see the in-your-face bravado reminiscent of his early solo work that made those songs classics.  Another plus is that there are more than a few tracks that will hopefully replace the Moz staples that are seriously overplayed on Brit-pop nights; it’d be nice to expand the repertoire with something we can actually jam to. His band delivers a solid, thundering sound to match the intensity of Moz’s songwriting; combined you get a sound that’s smooth yet fiery.

There have been whispers that Moz may be considering throwing in the towel soon; citing that it would be undignified to continue indefinitely. If that’s the case, I am content blasting this for the summer & continuing to keep my fingers crossed for that Smiths reunion! The tour following the release of Years of Refusal got going just a few days ago (with the first few dates being cancelled due to illness), catch the dates here.

I have definitely had my share of the cupcake phenomenon, but MAC may have turned me around a bit. Set to launch March 19th (what would be their Spring collection), Sugarsweet is based on the uber-popular confectionary treats, even down to the color palette. Anyone who’s even seen a few S/S ‘09 shows knows that the color story consists of some of the most fun colors in recent memory – mint green, cotton candy pink, lavender, peach, light corals and baby blue. Pastels are back in a big way, and MAC has some of the best offerings for those girls looking to chase away those winter blues. The collection features a re-launch of the classic lipstick Bubbles; a pale vanilla shade that has reached almost iconic status within the industry and is seemingly mythical due to the fact that it was discontinued years ago. MAC has been slowly introducing some more adventurous colors over the past few weeks but there will be no denying that spring has sprung once this delicious collection hits the streets!

D.C. showed Minneapolis hip hop some love on Friday night; this time around with more Doomtree! For those who aren’t familiar (and you should be), Doomtree is a kind-of mash-up of emcees & producers/DJs who dabble in a little bit of everything – hip hop, hardcore, spoken word, indie rock (and that might just be one song). The theme of the night was definitely “expect the unexpected”. This tour features more of the crew than I had ever seen before: P.O.S, Sims, Hand Over Fist. Doomtree does a great job of covering all their bases and leaving nothing to be desired.

I arrived just in time to catch P.O.S (aka Stefan Alexander) outside & narrowly escape a fight that had spilled out of the lobby and out onto H street (or more accurately: into the car behind us). Considering we all had our back to the doors, I was pretty excited to have my camera in one piece; the two guys throwing punches did take a couple guys with them on the way out the door. Stef didn’t really flinch and once it blew over, he resumed picture taking and hung out for a bit.

After that slight delay, we made our way inside to catch the beginning of Sims‘ set. Now I’ve seen Sims twice before and I was ready to hear some new jams; he’s one of the Doomtree who tours faithfully and is super versatile onstage. His last album, Lights Out Paris, got rave reviews (Urb gave it a 4.5 out of 5) & he’s cultivated quite a serious stage presence backing up P.O.S and putting on shows with Doomtree. Sims didn’t disappoint and debuted a few new tracks (his next full length is due sometime in the next few months). Sims really likes to tell stories and his songs are often filled with social commentary; his new tracks are in that same vein, albeit less angry than his last album. He offered explanations of the new songs here and there; joking that he didn’t want to preach.

Next up was Hand Over Fist, aka Mike Mictlan & Laserbeak. Mike Mictlan’s steez is a a little less serious than Sims’; he wants to make you dance more than he wants to tell you a story. That’s not to say that his verses weren’t serious, but his beats were more a bit more playful. Mike didn’t let the crowd down when cheers for the song “Slow Burn” erupted; Sims promptly jumped onstage to perform the song that was definitely a high point of the night. The whole vibe of the two openers was very intimate; both Sims & Mike joined in on each other’s songs periodically which gave the show a very lighthearted feel. The crowd definitely had more fun because it seemed like Doomtree just has so much fun.

The last time I saw P.O.S in D.C, he was opening on Atmosphere’s last tour and had lost his voice, but carried on with his set anyway. A few guys in the crowd weren’t amused & yelled out for him to get off stage. This was probably one of the highlights of that night; those guys were a couple people over from me & Stef was pretty defiant about carrying on. I’m pretty sure the guys made their way to the bar or the door after that because the rest of his set was stellar. Stef opened his set this time around by recounting this episode; no doubt hoping we’d redeem ourselves tonight. One noteworthy aspect of his live shows are hus his uber-dedicated fans. I ran into people from North Carolina, Baltimore & Philly. Even if he’s going to hit up those places as well, P.O.S fans are notorious for road-tripping to see his shows (and yes, I’ve seen him in 3 cities near D.C.) P.O.S responded to calls for older songs by stressing that this is the Never Better Tour (ie he just released that album, so that’s what he was playing). Both Mike & Sims joined him onstage at some point & added verses here and there. If you’ve heard the new single “Drumroll“, then you have some idea of how intense the new record is. The beats are still abrasive, the rhymes are still raw and the delivery is still killer; but he’s just taken everything up a few notches. The end result was a set that rocked harder than any set I’ve seen him play; as he’s just beginning to get more recognition he’s found his niche balancing super-intense with emotionally charged.

Special thanks to our good friends over at Rock & Roll Hotel for the hook up; check out their site, www.rockandrollhoteldc.com, for more shows & assorted fun.

Finally! Sneaker fiends finally get shown some love on March 1st with the premiere of the first ever Sneaker Con at the Times Square Arts Center in New York City. The event is a buy/sell/trade sneaker & apparel convention featuring 30 vendors who will be debuting the hottest kicks & gear for 2009. It’s also going to feature exclusive sneaker collectibles & the chance to view a collection of rare/never before seen Air Jordans, Nikes & more. I’m already hyped for new footwear (especially for girls), as I touched on here not too long ago; but I’m especially into the idea of a chance to check out all of it in one place.

March 1st, 2009
12-7pm
669 8th Avenue
Between W. 42nd and W. 43rd St.
Times Square, New York

Photograph: Sebastian Mlynarksy/Getty

I was lucky enough to catch Cat Power’s sold out set in D.C. last week, and I was not disappointed. I’ve never had the chance to catch her live (her shows always sell out quite early) and I was stoked to experience it. When I arrived at 9:30 club, it was pretty packed, so I knew I was in for a good night. The crowd seemed enthusiastic and the openers hadn’t even taken the stage yet. Anticipation seemed to be in the air – Cat Power has a repertoire that makes it extremely hard to know what to expect, and I had heard her live shows are always unpredictable in the best way.

The Dex Romweber Duo took the stage and caught me a little off guard with their rockabilly-esque sound. The sibling duo (sister Sara’s on the drums) went from bluesy to soul-inspired tunes to straight up rock, and the crowd was definitely into it. Dex commanded the stage like the vet that he is – having fronted rockabilly outfit Flat Duo Jets back in the day (he is also noted as Jack White’s idol, if that helps to elaborate). The duo worked together effortlessly and left nothing to be desired, which I consider a big feat for a band that consists of a guitar, drums and one voice. Unlike other duos, Dex’s voice was so versatile that it almost functioned as another instrument (now I see why they’re on tour with Cat Power) and were able to rock just as hard as a full band.

Cat Power’s the type of artist whose repertoire makes it hard to anticipate her next move. She released the Dark End of The Street EP in December, which continues in the vein of bluesy covers with the help of the Dirty Delta Blues. I assumed this was the direction she’d be taking the live show, so I was pretty excited when she came out with the boys in tow. I really enjoy it when solo artists bring a full band on tour; it adds a whole new layer and intensity to songs that didn’t have that aspect before.

I must note that capturing Cat Power on film is no easy feat; she is notorious for her aversion to photos and twirls around the stage like a little dervish, steadily avoiding the middle. Add to this the fact that it was almost completely dark (it did fit the ambiance), I found myself distracted for most of the first 3 songs just trying to get a shot of her.

Cat Power’s voice is just as good live as on any record; “Fortunate Son” showcased her versatility and really let the band get into the show as well. The set featured more covers than originals, but the crowd seemed to love every selection. I was keeping my fingers crossed for an encore with “The Greatest”, but true to form, no encore appeared. I walked away with a new appreciation for the bluesy direction that Cat Power’s taken on the last few records and was left with one question – what can Cat Power possibly do next?

We’d like to thank the 9:30 Club in D.C. for working with us and graciously helping us to get this review done. Check out www.930.com for more information on upcoming shows, and let me tell you I had a look at their upcoming concerts and they’re definitely bringing in some of the top acts out there.

MAC’s super-hyped collaboration with Hello Kitty launched on Saturday, almost a full week early & just in time for Valentine’s Day. The collection is one of the biggest in MAC’s history; if you think they’re stopping at makeup this time around, you’d be dead wrong.

The collection features two distinct looks: Mild Kitty & Wild Kitty, each featuring it’s own shadow quad, lipsticks & lipglasses. Throw in Hello Kitty lashes (half lashes with a feline feel), beauty powders, blushes, pigments & reflects glitter (normally a MAC PRO product only or with exclusive launches), 3 nail laquers with Hello Kitty designs on the bottles (also a first) & glitter eyeliners. All of the packaging features embossed designs & a glossy, sparkly finish.

Beyond the color story, MAC Stores are featuring an exclusive Hello Kitty brush set, a plush doll, charm bracelets & keychain mirrors. Maccosmetics.com is offering an exclusive reversible tote featuring the Pucci-esque print of the product packaging. I’ve had mine for about a month & it’s been quite a hit.

Hello Kitty 2.0 is called Kitty Kouture & will only be featured at MAC Store locations. Official release date for this collection is set at March 5th, but may very well be bumped up. Kitty Kouture features Dazzleglass with Swarovski crystal charms & mystery powders in metal compacts covered in Swarovski crystals. Kouture retails at $28-$90 & will be more limited than the basic collection. These are (obviously) definite collectors items, so my only issue is that it’s going to be so hard to use something so pretty!

MAC also released a ridiculous promotional video for the collection & it’s funny to note that the one that I saw a month ago (I’m assuming it was industry only) was substantially more pornographic (i liked this one more, go figure) & definitely NSFW. This one is more tame, but your boss might think you’re a bit strange.

I must admit that I was kind of on the fence about “skinny dunks” when I first heard about them a few months ago. I like my dunks just fine the way they are. You just can’t improve on perfection. Maybe I was overreacting, but it’s an understatement to say that I LOVE my dunks. Turns out they’re not setting out to reinvent the wheel over at Nike, just to make the fit of the shoe more catered towards a woman’s body. The silhouette isn’t going to change (cue my huge sigh of relief), but it will be less bulky thanks to innovations & adjustments to the basic dunk formula. Think the classic dunk look that feels better & complements the way a woman’s body moves; I’m in. Not only do we get a new & improved shoe this season, but some of the sweetest designs in a few seasons, including a collaboration with iconic French designer Paule Marrot. New designs are rolling out steadily at the Nikestore as well. Availability (as always) is limited, so I suggest you get on it soon if you wanna snag a pair in time to be fresh for spring!

The OGs over at Upper Playground are turning 10 & are celebrating by re-releasing ten of their all-time most popular graphic tees as a “Best Of” collection. The collection is meant to celebrate the best pieces of the brand in the past ten years & features the work of David Choe, Denis Kennedy, Sam Flores, Jeremy Fish & Dora Drimalas. 2 of my personal favorites made the cut – the Walrus Blocks Tee by Denis Kennedy & the Deer Tee by Dora Drimalas. Upper Playground is a seriously pioneering brand in the streetwear industry, so getting one of these tees while they’re hot is a must. The series is available at Upper Playground retail stores & their site.

P.O.S has been making me quite a happy girl as of late; in between the new record Never Better, the Never Better Tour (which is probably going to blow my mind in 2 weeks), we find this little gem. The fact that it’s eerily reminiscent of the film Children of Men is like the icing on the cake. In a genre that usually offers videos that range from ridiculous to mind-numbingly typical (see Cool Kids latest…sorry guys, but really?), it’s refreshing to see something unexpected. And by unexpected I mean buildings on fire, dodging gunfire in the snow, abandoned buildings covered in graffitti, etc. The song alone is a perfect blend of P.O.S’s hardcore roots & his rhymes, directors Todd Cobery & Scott Wenner put together an equally intense video for it. Enjoy!

Source: Rhymesayers, MTVu

Blog darlings Passion Pit played their first ever show in DC on Tuesday night with Cale Parks & Paper Route. About a week before the show, we got word that it was being moved from the backstage (which is unbearably tiny, but is mainly the home for bands who haven’t ‘hit it big’ yet) to the mainstage. Quite a feat for a band who doesn’t even have a full length out & has been together for less than 2 years. I was extremely curious to see how a band that features both a singer who sings almost exclusively in falsetto & hip-hop beats (two of my favorite things, incidentally) would translate onstage.

Cale Parks opened the show & I was less than prepared. The fact that he moonlights in two other bands (Aloha & White Williams) may explain his ability to play like, 3 different instruments at once; he’s pretty much a one man band. He mixed samples & snare drum effortlessly while singing some seriously catchy M83-esque jams. At some points it was hard to focus on his vocals just because he had so much else going on; I definitely vote for some instrumentals next time around. He also had great hair & some sweet dance moves (even while playing everything in sight), so all in all I was quite impressed.

Paper Route took things in a bit of a different direction with their set being fairly straightforward and more guitars, less dance. I kind of liked the mixed bill; we all know that listening to synth-heavy dance jams for 3 hours straight can be alittle tiring. Paper Route definitely seemed to be channeling more of an arena-rock sound; keyboards kept it catchy and not too epic. They were a definite crowd pleaser as well; in fact it seemed like quite a few people in the crowd were there just to see them.

Passion Pit came on to a pretty full house (good lookin’ out Black Cat!) & opened with “I’ve Got Your Number”. I’m pretty sure that a more than a few people in the crowd were alittle dumbfounded by a bearded dude in a purple v-neck singing about ‘crying tears like diamonds’, but yeah, he really does sing like that. Maybe about two minutes later it didn’t matter because everyone was too busy singing along & trying to keep up with the frantic hand-claps. For a band that only has an EP out, I was a little worried if they’d be able to keep the pace up & if they’d throw in a couple of covers to really show us their chops. They wisely decided to play their hit “Sleepyhead” right in the middle of their set & I must say the drummer killed it on this song. “Better Things” was another highlight for me as it’s just a perfect live song that made the crowd go pretty wild. After they played all of Chunk of Change, singer Michael Angelakos came back with a new song, I wish i’d caught the name of it because it was a little more low key & really showcased his vocal skills. The only complaint I heard again & again was that it was too short; they’re supposed to be dropping a full length in “early ‘09″, so be on the look out for it & a (hopefully) longer set list next time around. Once again we’d like to thank the venue Black Cat as they continually to host some great jams, check out their website for upcoming shows www.blackcatdc.com.

Mark Ryden has long been one of my favorite artists out of Los Angeles, and he doesn’t disappoint with his new exhibition “The Snow Yak Show”, on the heels of his new book “The Tree Show”. “The Tree Show” chronicles his iconic 2007 exhibition of the same name. Ryden has long been a jack of all trades, dabbling in album covers (anyone from Michael Jackson to 4 Non Blondes, oddly enough), computer games, feature film & a landmark clothing line (Broken Label) with late designer/director/artist Nagi Noda. More recently, Ryden commissioned a work for Obama, entitled “The Pumpkin President” (see below) with all proceeds going to Obama’s campaign. Ryden’s upcoming solo exhibition is a marked return to form; featuring prominently the surrealist & cartoonish aspects of his best pieces. Unfortunately, the LA staple has decided to launch “The Snow Yak Show” only in Tokyo on February 7th, but is showing the hometown crowd love with a book signing at the MOCA Store in Los Angeles this Saturday. For those of us who can’t make to to LA or Tokyo, the book goes on sale to the general public on February 1st & rumor is that we can expect another exhibition back in the USA in the summer.

Saturday, January 31, 3–5 pm
MOCA Store, MOCA Grand Avenue
250 South Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Ph: 213-621-1710

Image Source: markryden.com