Going to see Cut Copy with The Presets tonight and am pretty amped up. I’ve been listening to some old Cut Copy stuff to brush up and came across this track “1981″. Yeah I know Cut Copy isn’t that old, but hell this track came out in 2001, that’s 7 years. Here’s a brief history lesson. Cut Copy was a side project that Dan Whitford, then a DJ and graphic designer, started and  from there released the EP, I Thought of Numbers. From there he recruited additional members Tim Hoey, Mitchell Scott and Bennett Foddy (left group in mid-’04) in 2003 and released their debut LP, Bright Like Neon Love. Then in 2008 came the release of In Ghost Colours and the eventual acceptance from mainstream media. Anyways check out the video above and hear where the sounds of Cut Copy originated and after that, go and check out our interview that we did with them earlier this year in May, here.

So let me start off by saying this was one of the longest days in my life as I started off earlier in the day / evening at the N.E.R.D / Common concert at the Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park and then I had to quickly get my butt out of the Stanley Park area, which wasn’t too bad actually and get to the Commodore Ballroom where the CSS concert was being held. Huge thanks to the crew at Sealed with a Kiss Promotions for allowing us to attend the show and take photos, check out their website for upcoming shows, www.sealedwithakisspresents.com. Now you all know my mind frame as I entered the show, exhausted. I didn’t get a chance to catch any of the openers.

First things first I had to find a good spot for taking photos, which I have to admit I didn’t get that many great shots, but worth checking out nonetheless. The lights came down, the crowd in anticipation started cheering louder and erupted as members of the band came out and got setup on their instruments. The set started off with “Jager Yoga” and goddamn it kicked my ass. Immediately woke me up from my exhausted state and had me wildin’ out. Lovefoxxx was insanely energetic and there was no way that that wasn’t going to transfer to the audience, so in return everybody else wilded out. Gotta say though that outfit choice of hers was f’in awesome, a leotard, sexy that’s all I can say. Fast forward to the third song “This Month, Day 10”, the crowd went crazy again as soon as the melody and drum line dropped. Again Lovefoxxx just killed it, pouring all of her energy into the song. The crowd was singing and dancing along with every hook and lyric.

There was definite interaction between her and the crowd and she even made note that this was the third time they were in Vancouver, having performed previously at Celebrities and Richards on Richards. Offering shots of tequila to the crowd as well, pretty fantastic.

Then the infectious jam “Move” came on and my ass hit the roof. I love this jam and I love the recently discovered Cut Copy remix as well, which is on Killahbeez.com. The drum line, melody and hook, fuck it. Everything about this song just makes you want to, well get up and “Move” and the video for this is pretty hilarious and quite creative. After this song ended there was a bit of a break as a prop was being brought out onto the stage. Whatever it was, it was under a black curtain and soon to be revealed. A few moments go by and Lovefoxxx pulls off the curtain to reveal a huge Britney Spears microphone stand, I was drinking redbull and it all ended up coming out my nose at this point. It was pretty hilarious to say the least, check out the pictures to see it. This lead into the song “Music Is My Hot, Hot Sex”, which the mainstream folks will remember it for being in the Apple iTouch commercial, but the crowd ate this song up, myself included. I love it when they break into the Portuguese rhymes, that shit is hot. The set seemingly ended with “Let’s Reggae All Night”, and the band left the stage. There was about 2 – 5 mins of chanting from the crowd as we clearly wanted more and more is what they ended up giving us as they came back out on stage and did another three songs before ending the night off with their jam “Alala”.

Overall, great concert and it seriously woke my ass up and out of my slight coma and kept me partying the whole time. Great job on Sealed with a Kiss’s part for bringing in another solid act and at a great venue. CSS killed it playing a good mixture of old and new material and great energy on their part in keeping the crowd amped from beginning to the end. Check out the rest of the pictures on our Flickr page.

Complete set list here (big up to my home girl Mae Lynn for lookin’ out):

Jager Yoga
Meeting Paris Hilton
This Month, Day 10
Left Behind
Off the Hook
Rat is Dead (Rage)
Move
Music Is My Hot, Hot Sex
Alcohol
Let’s Reggae All Night
Air Painter
Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death from Above
Alala

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A few of us Killahbeez peoples will be hitting tonights show in Vancouver at the Commodore Ballroom thanks to the hospitality of the city’s beloved Sealed with a Kiss promotions. Anyhow, my man DT put me on to this dope Cut Copy remix of CSS’ “Move”. It has the distinct soundscape of a Cut Copy production with the melodic arpeggio’s and sweeping strings -but is less sweet and more punchy than what you may expect from them. Its quite apparent these guys can pretty much successfully freak anyone’s music. 

Also below is the official video for the said song “Move”, which is directed by Keith Schofield who has also directed videos for Supergrass and Death Cab for Cutie.

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to link up for lunch with Dave 1 whom I’m sure many of you know is 1/2 of Chromeo, the beloved and infectiously dope electro-funk duo pictured above.

I ordered the grilled chicken panini and a diet Coke, he ordered the smoked turkey wrap and an orange juice - Then I pressed record and the following conversation spanning everything from the beginnings of the band to the current state of hip-hop is what transpired…

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The latest single/video from The Presets’ Apocalypso album - “Talk Like That”.

The video is directed by Jonas & Francois - known for their collaborations with So-Me for Kanye’s Good Life and Justice’s D.A.N.C.E. videos.

I suppose now would be a good time to also mention that they will be playing with Cut Copy in Vancouver on October 9th at the Commodore - tix are on sale now @ Ticketmaster.

Bit a minute since I’ve hit you all with some new tracks. So here goes. First up is a new track from Santogold featuring M.I.A., I know there’s been a lot of comparisons between the two, but honestly folks I don’t see it nor do I hear it. Just cus Rolling Stone says they’re the same don’t mean they are. Next is a track from Swizz Beatz, an interesting sample on this song, give it a listen and you’ll know what I mean. Third track is a new joint by the Mixtape Messiah himself, Chamillionaire and the fourth is a new remix by The Hood Internet, whom we had the chance to interview and can be seen here, between Dizzee Rascal and Cut Copy, very interesting indeed. Last but not least is something for the ladies, well kinda cus Freeway thugs this track up quite a bit. It’s the remix for Robin Thicke’s single “Magic”.

Santogold Ft. M.I.A. & Gorilla Zoe “Get It Up” (Prod. by Radioclit)

Swizz Beatz “That Oprah”

Chamillionaire “Put On”

ABX “Strangerole (Windskool)” (Dizzee Rascal vs Cut Copy)

Robin Thicke Ft. Freeway “Magic” (remix)

Recently Killahbeez.com had the opportunity to interview Reggie Youngblood of Black Kids. We took this opportunity to talk about their influences and styles as well as discussisng their current tour throughout North America and Europe and the upcoming album Partie Traumatic, which is coming out on July 7th in the UK and July 22nd in North America.

Let me start off this interview by saying that I recently saw you guys in Vancouver on April 29 and it was a crazy show. Vancouver crowds are generally known to be a bit mild, but you guys really got the whole crowd into the show. How was the whole North American tour? Were there any standout cities in particular?

Reggie Youngblood: Aw, thanks! The North American tour was criminally fun. We had just left the winter behind in the U.K. and everything was sunshine and flowers in the States. D.C. was quite good and so was San Francisco and Seattle. Oh, and Portland. Really, it was all wonderful.

You guys were part of another band called Cubby previously. What made you guys decide to move away from that and start Black Kids?

RY: The problem with groups previous to Black Kids was that the vibe tended to be way too severe. A bunch of guys posing on stage real hard. It got stale.

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Man…lol…I’m starting to feel like a bit of a Modular groupie - but for real, Ladyhawke’s “Paris is Burning” is already such a great track - add Cut Copy’s magic touch and it pretty much puts this jam at the top ranks of my summer playlist. The percussion is ridiculous and the grand build up to the chorus will have you cutting the rug/pumping your fist (whichever you’re more prone to) once it kicks.

Now we just gotta wait for this to release in North America, but in the meantime have a taste.

Ladyhawke “Paris Is Burning” (Cut Copy Remix)