Living here, one of the things that really opened my little naive Australian eyes was that there are so many people who move here to be cool. To be with the “in” crowd. To develop an innate sense of entitlement. (And yes – the same can be said of LA or San Francisco or any other big city – but since I live in New York and I’ve developed an untimely sense of nostalgia about this city in my less-than-three years here, I shall hop onto my soapbox for a minute.)

I first heard about Don Hill’s in my first weeks living in NYC. At the Tribeca film festival in 2008, I saw Squeezebox The Movie!, a documentary about a rock-’n-roll drag night at Don Hill’s back in the 90s. It was all-inclusive and as the film continued to assert, it was a place where anything went and anyone was welcome, no matter how weird or different.

I went to a couple of parties at Don Hill’s during my first year in NYC. The most memorable was the  “Panty Party”, even though I didn’t dare wear anything to0 revealing, where I enjoyed dancing to The Cure with a tranvestite from Connecticut who was going to sleep in his car that night (even though this took place sometime in November). I didn’t feel weird, I wasn’t out of place, and it was really fun.

I’m sad to say that those days are over.

Recently, Paul Sevigny “took over” and the place has become a mecca for the hot, stylish and famous. Don’t believe me? Seriously, It’s All About Don Hill’s.

The articles linked above pay absolutely no mind to the fact that Don Hill’s was a place to enjoy way before the current party set took it over. If Paul’s darling sister Chloe Sevigny thinks it’s the new Beatrice, there’s no way in hell anyone like you or I will be enjoying that place anytime soon.

You watch. Next thing you know, Mars Bar will be cordoned off by a velvet rope. I guess experiencing this over and over might be the thing that makes you real New Yorkers so jaded.

Mark Ronson & The Business INTL – Bang Bang Bang

I love this. I love the video. And I dare you to try waking up not singing it.

(And goddamnit I really like MNDR … and that Q-tip guy from that rap group,  sure, he’s kinda great as well.)

If you’re a true blood fan, or you’re just like me and watch it hoping Sookie and Bill will disappear into the vampire ether and be replaced with Tara,  Sam and – especially – Lafayette, you’d best be checkin out this here song by Snoop Dogg.

“I kind of want to be an outsider,” she said, eating a truffle-flavored French fry.

Here’s an article in the NY times about MIA and her brand of politics-meets-pop-meets-lifestyle:

What Maya wants is nearly impossible to achieve: she wants to balance outrageous political statements with a luxe lifestyle; to be supersuccessful yet remain controversial; for style to merge with substance. “If you want to be huge, you have to give up a lot,” Michelle Jubelirer, Maya’s longtime lawyer, told me. “Maya vacillates between wanting to be huge and maintaining her artistic integrity. That’s her dilemma.”

So, I guess that means  she’s abandoned her place in Bed-Stuy.

Video below: MIA with Australia’s Wilcannia Mob.

Pretty sure this was not the intended effect, but if you stare at this for too long it starts moving. Kind of awesome.  (via gbh.tv)

(not that I’m affiliated with this thing whatsoever, but in the interest of being a kind person, you can click on the poster to RSVP)

This is getting me through the rain in a big way.

It’s officially summer in NYC, and I know because the Pool Parties are back in action.

Only this year, they’re not actually at a pool, since McCarren Pool has closed to be restored to it’s former glory as – you guessed it – a pool.

Last year, this Sunday ritual was the absolute highlight of my summer, so exploring the new location at the Williamsburg waterfront was met with mixed feelings. The result: breeze, check. Manhattan views, check. Great bands, check. Dodgeball, check.

The existence of a beer section and the inability to sit and enjoy the outdoors with decent sitelines (while sipping on beer) are probably the most disappointing element. The pool had a more communal feel – we sat in the same spot weekly, and most everyone knew we’d be there. Our large groups of sometimes 20+ people made summer a fun group activity. This past week felt a little more disjointed. Still, congrats JellyNYC for doing so much with the space available. I’ll definitely be heading to the pool parties this year weekly, and the summerscreen at McCarren Park, too (equipped with special bottles of sprite).

Review: JellyNYC pool parties @ threedollardrinks

One of the first things to change in my life after my move to NYC was the amount of shows I go to. Not to say that there weren’t a lot of bands touring in Melbourne or Sydney, but suddenly in here it seemed as if there was a band I liked playing at one of the awesome NY venues every week or more.

The other night, I was offered a spare ticket to an X show. I hadn’t really heard much of their music (a massive oversight on my part – one which I’ve since sought to rectify) but one thing that struck my eye as soon as we entered was the unbelievable poster for that night’s performance:

It had unfortunately – but not surprisingly – sold out.

Some snooping online, leading to a visit to gigposters.com, listed the artist as Bootsy Rizzak, and his other stuff is just as exciting. Check it out here. Silkscreened expertly by Luther Davis in Brooklyn, with a run of only 50. It was by far the best poster I’ve seen in a while.

(far be it from me to post about the poster rather than the show. The show was phenomenal, and I have no words. There may be a review forthcoming from my gig companion soon)