The Worms

Discovery Channel Meets Disco...enjoy

Nightmares on Wax - Jan 31st - Abbey Pub

N.O.W is headed to Chicago this January at one of my favorite venues, Abbey Pub. I can't say I know songs from the latest album specifically, but the ones I do know seamlessly mix the energy of old school hip hop while injecting melodic jazz and hypnotizing down tempo sounds. They have posted a few songs from the latest album on his MySpace page, here . N.O.W's tasty beats provide a quick escape from the hustle and bustle of the big city life. Listen, Chill, Repeat

Mushroom Jazz 6 - Farina & J-Boogie's Dubtronic Science

Mark Farina is set to release yet another record in the Mushroom Jazz series. MF is a kick arse house DJ from Chicago, who also makes gnarly trip-hop, down tempo mixes. The highlight of this evening may very well be J-Boogie's Dubtronic Science. I've heard it can be life changing. They rarely play live together, its a mix of jazz, dub, funk, reggae, soul, hip hop and R&B (basically the good bits of everything). J-Boogie is usually out and about in SF, hitting the scene. Their label, OM records, has yet to disappoint. They have signed an extended list of talented artists. If you're in the Bay Area, this one is a must see.

Black Kids and The Virgins - Abbey Pub 10/6/08

The Black Kids are returning to the Abbey Pub this evening, this time as a headliner. WHOOT!! They have performed at Abbey before, warming up the crowd before Cutters back in April. I unfortunately missed them at Lolla '08. Their new CD has been remastered and sounds less "raw" than before. I am really excited to see another band to come out of NYC, The Virgins. I just heard that they've gained popularity due to their songs played on MTV, 90210, and Gossip Girl. I did not get to see them at SXSW this year, so this could be the best time to catch songs like, Murder and Rich Girls. If you get a chance, watch the video below. This tune is very, very catchy.

UPDATE: Great Show....the Virgins didn't get to play "Murder". Shortly after their set I got a chance to speak with drummer, Erik Ratensperger. He said that “Murder” is a very difficult song to perform live and they were still trying to get the kinks out of it. Practice makes perfect. Not sure when I’ll be able to catch them again, but I really wish I could of heard that song. In light of the fact they didn’t play it, Cummings had a pretty hilarious Miley Cyrus t-shirt. The Black Kids have really polished their act since early May; they left the stage with “Hurricane Jane”

MGMT / BECK - OCT 2 & 3rd

Had tickets to this show but since I am WAY against paying over $25 to see a band (more on that later) it was really hard for me to let these go. I ended up selling them to someone who actually thought MGMT was the headliner and Beck would go on first...phew! Rookies! I ended up watching the cubs lose another playoff game while drinking extrememly cheap beer at LION"S HEAD PUB.

I am interested to hear how the shows went. If anyone went, please let me know.

Treasure Island Festival - San Fran Sept 20

Throwing caution to the wind, I used a few free Southwest Airlines credits and hopped on a plane to the Bay area. Visited friends in Palo Alto, before taking the cal-train into the city. Treasure Island festival is a two day festival on an island in the bay called, you guessed it, Treasure Island. It used to be a naval base but now it is the center for environmental projects. There was a solar and wind turbine stage that did go out a few times (specifically during the FOALS set). I could only go to the Saturday show due to scheduling conflicts, but it was a great time. FOALs, Hot Chip, CSS, TV on the Radio, goldfrapp, and Jusice. Cali is a great place. My friends and I got in a habit of calling everyone a hippie that weekend; cab drivers, waiters, hotel bellmen, "businessmen" , and of course, each other. We went to "hippie" ground zero (Haight and Ashbury) and caught a lady by the name of mary Jane on tape. It is NSFW. But to give you a hint, she was wasted, 55+, and basically thought it was marti gras. Ewwwwwww

http://www.treasureislandfestival.com/home.php

PRESETS/CUT COPY Sept 17th

YOU have to check out these two bands. I was extremely lucky to catch Cutters at SXSW during the TX/NYC Jelly garage party this year. Then again in Chicago at Abbey Pub. The presets show in late May was on a Friday. Needless to say, that was was outrageous. It was interesting to see how the crowd reacted to Presets. Lots of standing around, which was the direct opposite of the Presets show at Abbey. Regardless, Presets and Cutters at $20 is a steal in my book. The show was amazing and I almost got kicked out for multiple reasons. I blame jameson, et al.