for your reading pleasure whenever the hell she feels like it.
Enjoy!
Smitten by Detroit:
NYC summary 1.6.09-1.12.09
How would you describe New York City?
"complete ambiguity to sum up in a collection of words...no word could describe the freedom, wakefulness, progression, ecletic vibrations boiling in the underbelly of Brooklyn's underground music community.."
Walking along the icy streets of Williamsburg, Brooklyn I took in the sounds, people, foods, sights, smells and felt a surge of inspiration.......
My New York City experience was filtered through the prism of multiple perceptions. My view is a reflection of where I have been, who and what I know, things Ihave read or seen in movies or on television. Or listened to on albums, studios or the radio.
"New York is the biggest collection of villages in the world."Alistair Cook
I traveled to NYC earlier this month to relax ( yeah right) and take in a new environment and learn what I could about the art/music scene in a part of the city. I choose to travel to [Williamsburg] Brooklyn....it seemed the be the birthplace of a bunch of amazing bands: Grizzly Bear, Yeasayer, MGMT, Free Blood, etc and I looked forward to submerging myself in the midst of it all.
I checked out an amazing bar with a name that paid homage back home to Detroit: Motor City Bar located on 127 Ludlow on the Lower East Side. It was ironic stepping into a bar with support for the motor city auto industry as NYC is probably the least likely city to have car owners.
It was a appreciative feeling though seeing all the Detroit city knick knaks on the wall: Red Wings flag, iconic Ford symbol in neon lights, various street signs (WOODWARD!), old time photographs of the city.......not to mention they had a kicking jukebox with all many motorcity rockers (iggy and the stoogies, MC5). Jodi, the barista was serving up drinks to my friends and I and we did a shot for her birthday! I recommend the Brooklyn Lager for all the beer drinkers out there. If you find yourself going to Manhattan in the future check out Motor City Bar.
Coming back to Detroit Rock City:
Have Erotic Thoughts to Electronic Music I was able to make a trip down to Eastern Village to the territory of Scrummage University and sit down with the band:
Lenny Stoofy for a impromptu interview for MCB.
These young 20-something year olds, Alex and Conor are the masterminds behind the obsessively head bobbing, toe tapping, eletrobeat jams that will invade all of your 10! Senses (yes 10 not 5, you heard right.)..........
See:
It's not just the traditional five.
1. sight (visual sense)
2. hearing (auditory sense)
3. smell (olfactory sense)
4. taste (gustatory sense)
5-8. touch: The skin senses
Because touch involves four different sets of nerves,
the skin senses are considered four separate senses:
5. heat
6. cold
7. pressure
8. pain
9. motion (kinesthetic sense)
10. balance (vestibular sense)
6. cold
7. pressure
8. pain
9. motion (kinesthetic sense)
10. balance (vestibular sense)
Lenny Stoofy will channel through your ears and grasp hold of every damn one. Check out their website at: www.myspace.com/lennystoofy
Below is a random dialogue (Q & A?) interview we had:
MCB=Motorcityblog (anna)
LS=Lenny Stoofy/Scrummage University
MCB: "Give me a glimpse of Scrummage University and what it entails":
LS: "good shows that we put on with a collection of musician/artists, usually electronic music, noise bands, dj's....cover is cheap ranging from 3-5 dollars, before it was more touring bands, now we play for Detroit located bands"
MCB: "You have a new place, I hear. A new Scrummage University HQ?":
LS: Grand Blvd. and Beaubien ........ 2937 E. Grand Blvd
MCB: "How is the transformation going in your new space?"
LS: "going good. it's a building by an old toy factory. so that's cool"
MCB: "What kind of monthly shows do you have or events in the future?"
LS: " We play the 1st Friday of the Month @ THC in Hamtramck as a monthly show. website: http://www.thc313.com/come out and DANCE!
Lenny Stoofy is playing a show in the very near future @ The Berkley Front in Berkley, MI. This is January 27th, 2009. Drs @ 8pm.
MCB: "Yeah, so clique but what are you influenced, driven, inspired, turned on by?"
LS "robot from the future- name: Lord Scrummage" ( they candidly told me he is going to save the world on July 17th, 2010) "Space and Time" "This holography picture of a dog on our wall" "points that ARE points" "points that are rounded"
"We are into being reborn over and over-wrapping ourselves in a blanket-preferably a dark colored one and holding a sound device mimicking the sound of a beating heart (or applicable nature sound)"
***********************************************
Alex and Conor wanted to let anyone know that they are always expanding their musical mission with new members.
"We are into being reborn over and over-wrapping ourselves in a blanket-preferably a dark colored one and holding a sound device mimicking the sound of a beating heart (or applicable nature sound)"
***********************************************
Alex and Conor wanted to let anyone know that they are always expanding their musical mission with new members.
Didn't mention any specific instrument to play, whatever fits.
Bring booze and a positive attitude.
Below is a photo of the boys at work creating space and time with music in their home/studio or jungle habitat:
Noman CD Release Party/Deastro @ Magic Stick 1.15.09
Intellivision @ the Pharmacy in Detroit 1.17.09:
DJ's playing: Steven Robert and Joe Vargas. DJ Ava opened up the party. Hula hooping provided by the pixi-elves: Anna, Elise, Corinne, Molly and Cait! If you missed this event, you missed a part of your soul.
If a trick of the light makes two people standing together look like one two-headed person, that is an illusion.
If you see a two-headed person where there is nobody at all because you're just plain drunk, that is a hallucination.
If you think you are a two-headed person, that is a delusion.
thanks for reading,
Anna {Smitten by Detroit} "see you at the show!"
video of NYC and Intellivision coverage found at: http://www.youtube.com/user/kalihel
Photo's at:www.flickr.com/heartstohearts
www.myspace.com/olive_yew
www.flickr.com/heartstohearts
"SBD IS DETROIT"