Rhythmism.comThe Good, The Bad, The Messy: Summer Is Here
by rhythmism
Monday, Jul 6th 2009, 04:40 PM
Summer has arrived. It is time to look at what there is to do.
THE GOOD – SUMMER
Summer has arrived again. For some reason summer doesn’t really kick in in NYC until July 4th weekend. That is when loads of big parties happen and of course the opening of PS1. So as we arrive at Independence Day it is time to check out what is cooking for summer.
PS1.
When it is good it is amazing and it has some promising stuff on the schedule this summer.
July 25th: Alexi Delano, Derek Plaslaiko
August 1st: Chez Damier
August 22nd: John Selway, Tim Love Lee
August 29th: Shelter with Timmy Regisford
Water Taxi Beach
WTB is only a beach in that it has sand. You can’t get in the water like a normal beach, but that is probably for the best since the water is the East River. Don’t forget to eat a hamburger while you are there. They are incredible.
The Beach Party (Saturdays)
July 11th: Demon Days with Carl Craig and Gamall
Sept. 5th: Dennis Ferrer
Turntables on the Hudson (Fridays)
TOTH takes over WTB on Fridays.
Sunday Best at The Yard.
The Yard is another waterfront party spot where going into the water is not an option.
Sunday Best Highlights
July 19th: I-Cube
Aug 2nd: Maurice Fulton
Sept 5th: DJ Harvey
Outdoor Festivals
The big ones this year are All Points West and Electric Zoo.
All Points West Festival on July 31st thru August 2nd.
Starting Friday with the Beastie Boys, Pharcyde, Mstrkrft and others, Tool, My Bloody Valentine, Coldplay, Echo & The Bunnymen and many more round out the weekend.
Made Events opens the Electric Zoo on Sept 5th & 6th on Randall’s Island.
Ben Watt, Francois K, Tiga, Luciano, Cassy are the highlights on Saturday.
Richie Hawtin, Tom Middleton, Frankie Knuckles, Steve Bug and Heidi are the highlights on Sunday. http://www.electriczoofestival.com
Boats
The main Boats still patrolling the waters around Manhattan are the 718 Sessions with Danny Krivit as well as the Global Frequencies boats. More could float by at any moment so keep your ears open.
THE BAD: MJ IS DEAD! LONG LIVE MJ!
Dance and club music as we know it owes much to the legendary Michael Jackson. That is inarguable. With his death of course everyone in the world has something to say about him. Musically nobody can deny his talent and influence. But of course he was a human being and a weird, crazy, screwed up one at that. So whatever one says about the music, someone else has something to say about his lifestyle and the crimes he is accused of.
It is strange that this is a fairly common issue with many artists in pop culture: great artists who do dreadful things. It is a shame I guess, but I think many people would take the art in return for some human suffering inflicted. It is not that people are so heartless about suffering, but just that art can be so inspiring and exciting and enjoyable. It has the ability to make us happy, which is extremely powerful thing in a world where many people do not know how to be happy.
Whatever shitty things Michael Jackson might have done as a human being are despicable if they are true. Yes. But the fact is his music and his entertaining made millions, or probably billions of people all around the world happy. Billions of people. That is a lot of happiness to bring to the world. Even if it is divided into 4 minute and 55 second intervals.
His creative actions on earth, the music he made or was a part of, brings enjoyment to people to this day. I watched footage the night of his death of people outside the Apollo Theater in Harlem congregating, listening and dancing to his music. It made them happy. It made me happy watching it. Anything that makes people come together and laugh and dance and enjoy themselves and each others’ company like that is a pretty fucking significant thing.
How many people were listening to Michael Jackson songs around the world in the days after his death? How many are doing it right now? How many are enjoying it, smiling because of it, bobbing their heads, remembering good times, thinking of their friends, being happy. I know I am. Music is a fucking powerful thing. Whether some folks like it or not, or believe it is right or not, the positive power of music is stronger for most than the negative feelings we get when we hear about someone who has done something horrible to another.
Was Michael Jackson a bad person? Who knows, I don’t think so. Was he a broken person because of how he was raised? Probably. Did he go through horrible times himself? I imagine so. Did his experiences lead to Thriller, Bad, Off The Wall and the Moonwalk? Without a doubt. Did those albums and his cultural impact make life enjoyable for millions and billions of people? I think it did. When Billie Jean comes on in a club does everyone rock the fuck out and bounce off the walls? Hell yeah. Years later when people are remembering a fun night out do they laugh and reminisce about that one time that DJ dropped Bille Jean and everyone rocked the fuck out? Yes to that too. Did this weird, screwed up man do horrible things to innocent children? I don’t know, maybe he did. But for 25 + years his art has been making people happy. And it will keep doing so. Does that make up for what he may have done? Probably not but who the hell knows. Do the millions of dollars raised by We Are The World that helped so many people make up for it? Not sure.
But the question I do know the answer to is this... Am I still going to rock the fuck out and bounce off the walls the next time a DJ drops Bille Jean, Beat It, Wannabe Startin’ Something, Off The Wall, I Want You Back, Thriller, The Way You Make Me Feel, PYT, Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough, or any other classic track from this crazy mofo? Fuck Yes.
THE MESSY
I have not gone out much at all in the past months. I have shirked my duties, although I did have a good excuse. However that doesn’t mean there wasn’t at least one Messy that stood out from the rest. A few weeks ago Blk|Market Membership took over LOVE and welcomed the one and only Richie Hawtin for two nights of madness. One night was more than enough and Richie and the Blk|Market boys lived up to the hype. With Taimur opening up with some really nice chunky warmup funk, Hawtin came on just after midnight to a full and up for it room. Hawtin delivered too, avoiding too much minimal or weirdness and provided solid techno that sounded great on the best system in NYC. The party went through the weekend for some with his Saturday night gig welcoming fellow Minus DJs Barem and local favorite Ambivalent.
Looking forward, Messes not to miss include Marques Wyatt returns with his Deep party at Cielo July 10th and again in August. Martinez Brothers hit Cielo on July 30th, Basic NYC brings Hector Romero to the Water Taxi Beach on July 19th.
THE GOOD – SUMMER
Summer has arrived again. For some reason summer doesn’t really kick in in NYC until July 4th weekend. That is when loads of big parties happen and of course the opening of PS1. So as we arrive at Independence Day it is time to check out what is cooking for summer.
PS1.
When it is good it is amazing and it has some promising stuff on the schedule this summer.
July 25th: Alexi Delano, Derek Plaslaiko
August 1st: Chez Damier
August 22nd: John Selway, Tim Love Lee
August 29th: Shelter with Timmy Regisford
Water Taxi Beach
WTB is only a beach in that it has sand. You can’t get in the water like a normal beach, but that is probably for the best since the water is the East River. Don’t forget to eat a hamburger while you are there. They are incredible.
The Beach Party (Saturdays)
July 11th: Demon Days with Carl Craig and Gamall
Sept. 5th: Dennis Ferrer
Turntables on the Hudson (Fridays)
TOTH takes over WTB on Fridays.
Sunday Best at The Yard.
The Yard is another waterfront party spot where going into the water is not an option.
Sunday Best Highlights
July 19th: I-Cube
Aug 2nd: Maurice Fulton
Sept 5th: DJ Harvey
Outdoor Festivals
The big ones this year are All Points West and Electric Zoo.
All Points West Festival on July 31st thru August 2nd.
Starting Friday with the Beastie Boys, Pharcyde, Mstrkrft and others, Tool, My Bloody Valentine, Coldplay, Echo & The Bunnymen and many more round out the weekend.
Made Events opens the Electric Zoo on Sept 5th & 6th on Randall’s Island.
Ben Watt, Francois K, Tiga, Luciano, Cassy are the highlights on Saturday.
Richie Hawtin, Tom Middleton, Frankie Knuckles, Steve Bug and Heidi are the highlights on Sunday. http://www.electriczoofestival.com
Boats
The main Boats still patrolling the waters around Manhattan are the 718 Sessions with Danny Krivit as well as the Global Frequencies boats. More could float by at any moment so keep your ears open.
THE BAD: MJ IS DEAD! LONG LIVE MJ!
Dance and club music as we know it owes much to the legendary Michael Jackson. That is inarguable. With his death of course everyone in the world has something to say about him. Musically nobody can deny his talent and influence. But of course he was a human being and a weird, crazy, screwed up one at that. So whatever one says about the music, someone else has something to say about his lifestyle and the crimes he is accused of.
It is strange that this is a fairly common issue with many artists in pop culture: great artists who do dreadful things. It is a shame I guess, but I think many people would take the art in return for some human suffering inflicted. It is not that people are so heartless about suffering, but just that art can be so inspiring and exciting and enjoyable. It has the ability to make us happy, which is extremely powerful thing in a world where many people do not know how to be happy.
Whatever shitty things Michael Jackson might have done as a human being are despicable if they are true. Yes. But the fact is his music and his entertaining made millions, or probably billions of people all around the world happy. Billions of people. That is a lot of happiness to bring to the world. Even if it is divided into 4 minute and 55 second intervals.
His creative actions on earth, the music he made or was a part of, brings enjoyment to people to this day. I watched footage the night of his death of people outside the Apollo Theater in Harlem congregating, listening and dancing to his music. It made them happy. It made me happy watching it. Anything that makes people come together and laugh and dance and enjoy themselves and each others’ company like that is a pretty fucking significant thing.
How many people were listening to Michael Jackson songs around the world in the days after his death? How many are doing it right now? How many are enjoying it, smiling because of it, bobbing their heads, remembering good times, thinking of their friends, being happy. I know I am. Music is a fucking powerful thing. Whether some folks like it or not, or believe it is right or not, the positive power of music is stronger for most than the negative feelings we get when we hear about someone who has done something horrible to another.
Was Michael Jackson a bad person? Who knows, I don’t think so. Was he a broken person because of how he was raised? Probably. Did he go through horrible times himself? I imagine so. Did his experiences lead to Thriller, Bad, Off The Wall and the Moonwalk? Without a doubt. Did those albums and his cultural impact make life enjoyable for millions and billions of people? I think it did. When Billie Jean comes on in a club does everyone rock the fuck out and bounce off the walls? Hell yeah. Years later when people are remembering a fun night out do they laugh and reminisce about that one time that DJ dropped Bille Jean and everyone rocked the fuck out? Yes to that too. Did this weird, screwed up man do horrible things to innocent children? I don’t know, maybe he did. But for 25 + years his art has been making people happy. And it will keep doing so. Does that make up for what he may have done? Probably not but who the hell knows. Do the millions of dollars raised by We Are The World that helped so many people make up for it? Not sure.
But the question I do know the answer to is this... Am I still going to rock the fuck out and bounce off the walls the next time a DJ drops Bille Jean, Beat It, Wannabe Startin’ Something, Off The Wall, I Want You Back, Thriller, The Way You Make Me Feel, PYT, Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough, or any other classic track from this crazy mofo? Fuck Yes.
THE MESSY
I have not gone out much at all in the past months. I have shirked my duties, although I did have a good excuse. However that doesn’t mean there wasn’t at least one Messy that stood out from the rest. A few weeks ago Blk|Market Membership took over LOVE and welcomed the one and only Richie Hawtin for two nights of madness. One night was more than enough and Richie and the Blk|Market boys lived up to the hype. With Taimur opening up with some really nice chunky warmup funk, Hawtin came on just after midnight to a full and up for it room. Hawtin delivered too, avoiding too much minimal or weirdness and provided solid techno that sounded great on the best system in NYC. The party went through the weekend for some with his Saturday night gig welcoming fellow Minus DJs Barem and local favorite Ambivalent.
Looking forward, Messes not to miss include Marques Wyatt returns with his Deep party at Cielo July 10th and again in August. Martinez Brothers hit Cielo on July 30th, Basic NYC brings Hector Romero to the Water Taxi Beach on July 19th.
