CITYist

A true New Yorker can’t deny that they’ve never heard of BowieBall. Well, we’ve got some good news. Whether you’re nostalgic for the days of glam rock or you weren’t even born yet, we all know who David Bowie is and the influence he has put out there. This is an event to mark on your calendars (even though we know how busy you all are). On Saturday, December 17th, Le Poisson Rouge will be filled with beautiful people celebrating Bowie’s 65th birthday in true glam rock style, hosted by nightlife mastermind Deryck Todd.

From amazing DJs, glam rock music and live bands to make overs, gift bags and celebs, the list is endless. So whether you’re dressing up as Ziggy Stardust or glittering yourself out, we hope to see you there at 11pm or later. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 the day of, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to non-profit organization I’m From Driftwood. Who said you can’t be a good citizen and still party all night?

On Monday August 15th, 2011 Steve Madden Music held its third and final event of the 2011 Summer Concert Series with an exclusive live performance by Tennman/Interscope recording artists FreeSol, at Le Bain in the Standard Hotel, NY.

Some cute KEDS are on sale today, inspired by the Texas city of Austin and its cultural music and art festival SXSW. This is the first city of nine where the KEDS company has driven its “How Do You Do?” mobile bus on the tour that aims to raise money for the Austin Art + Music Partnership.

A lot of great things (coffee, music, you name it) have been trailing from Portland, Oregon these days. Otis Heat, who opened for Bruno Mars and Janelle Monae last year, will be kicking off their Spring Tour in their hometown on Friday, March 11th and continuing all the way to San Francisco. You can download their four song EP here. Be sure to check out their spunky hit, “Everybody Loves Me the Same Way.”

2011 will be nothing short of stellar for the music industry. From titillating debuts, to anticipated sophomore releases, the New Year is bringing with it the prospect of some truly awe-inspiring musical acts. Here are four albums dropping in 2011 that any and all music enthusiasts should invest in.

Enter Ellie Goulding. This doe-eyed, Herefordian canary emerged on the scene in 2010 with her March release of Lights by Polydor Records. Co-produced by British electropop veterans Starsmith and Frankmusik, among others, the album has garnered instant success. Since then, it has gone on to sell 300,000 copies in the United Kingdom, 40,000 of which were sold in its first week debuting at number one on the UK Albums Chart.

The Jackson 5 brothers, save the late Michael, can officially add clothing to their vast franchise collection. Launched in August, the J5 Collection, which offers tribute clothing items for both men and women, consists of tees, long-sleeved shirts, and tanks featuring vintage prints and illustrations of the famed group throughout their many years together.

On Monday, The Gramercy Park Hotel hosted The Rose Bar Sessions, a series of intimate exclusive performances for a hand picked crowd, featuring a live performance by music legend Liza Minnelli. VIP guests including Mary Louise Parker along with her new boyfriend Charlie Mars, Sandra Bernhard, Tony Danza and Alan Cumming were on-hand as Minnelli performed tracks off of her new album, Confessions, which debuted on September 21.

Photo by Seth Browarnik/WorldRedEye.com

Ra Ra Riot has come a long way since its first days at Syracuse University in 2006—far gone are their days of playing house parties and small shows. They immediately won the hearts of many an indie rock fan with their debut The Rhumb Line. Now, two years later, their sophomore album The Orchard (released August 24) makes a wonderful addition to their repertoire. And with four shows in New York City starting today—two each at the Bowery Ballroom and the Music Hall of Williamsburg—there’s no excuse to miss them.

We’ve talked a lot about Wavves this summer, mostly because we think their California lo-fi punk sound is quintessential summer tunage. And now, they’ve released a fittingly juvenile SoCal video to go along with it. Watch as the Wavves guys, ensconced in suburban boredom, meet an alien who shows them how to party in the video for “Post Acid.” It’s the perfect way to start your weekend.

When Jay-Z and Beyonce give their blessing to a pair of hardcore headphones, then you know they’ve got to be good. Co-designed by Jay himself, these Roc Nation/Skullcandy “aviators” come in minimal white, black and brown with heavy padding to keep city street noise out and music in. Buy a pair online (for $149.95) or pick them up at your local Apple store for what Jay-Z calls “the best way for people to experience the soundtrack of their lives.”

Have You Heard? is our weekly roundup of items we may have previously missed (or would like to remind you of again). So as you plan the week ahead, take a look at our cherry-picked selections of what’s hot in art, music, film and fashion right now.

Have You Heard? is our weekly roundup of items we may have previously missed (or would like to remind you of again). So as you plan the week ahead, take a look at our cherry-picked selections of what’s hot in art, music, film and fashion right now.

M.I.A.’s recently released single for song “XXXO” is in no way comparable to the controversial Born Free video. But that’s not a bad thing. Perhaps this is a way for the artist to “take a chill pill” between tweeting the phone numbers of harsh critics and instilling fear into gingers of the world. Whatever the reason, the song’s catchy tune and crazy gaudy graphics are, dare we say—fun? M.I.A.’s signature 80s style—gold lamé, red lips, hoop earrings—are scene throughout, but this has to be the most glam we’ve seen her in a video. It actually looks like a bad Myspace page in motion. But surely that’s the point. What do you guys think?

CITY favorite Janelle Monae has just released the video for her single “Cold War.” A minimalist, emotional affair, the video is shot entirely in close up of Monae’s face as she belts out the tune. Her face a nude palette with the exception of her expressive, coal-rimmed eyes, the focus here is entirely on the song and Monae’s own emotions (she bursts out crying at one point). “Cold War” comes off critically lauded album The ArchAndroid, which Monae produced at The Wondaland Arts Society, her home studio in Atlanta. In our interview with Monae, she explained, “We were listening to what our minds were telling us, but even more so from our hearts and our souls.” That’s certainly evident here.

Have You Heard? is our weekly roundup of items we may have previously missed (or would like to remind you of again). So as you plan the week ahead, take a look at our cherry-picked selections of what’s hot in art, music, film and fashion right now.

Recently, we expressed our excitement over Kanye West’s upcoming album, Good Ass Job. Now, the video for the new song “Power” is out, and it’s a rather short, artsy and, well, powerful affair. Wearing what appears to be the Egyptian-influenced jewelry he designed, Kanye stands out like a Greek God against a backdrop of stormy sky and pillars of columns. Mythical, horned creatures, lots of draping Grecian garb and what appears to be an angel surround him as the song seems to blast from an unseen stereo. It’s like a gothic Botticelli painting come to life. Enjoy it after the jump.

Outdoor concerts at Central Park and Governor’s Island? Been there, done that. Starting August 28, you can catch none other than an outdoor opera performance at Lincoln Center, home to the world renowned Metropolitan Opera. Following its successful debut last year, the Summer HD Festival is back, featuring ten stellar productions that will be screened on the Met’s grand facade. The 10-day festival features opera classics such as La Boheme (September 2) and Aida (September 5) , as well as an interpretation of the popular children’s tale Hansel & Gretel (September 3). Newer productions, such as the Italian show Tosca, described as an “operatic thriller,” will show on opening night. With more than 3,000 free seats available each night, you really don’t have an excuse—it’s time to add some high brow entertainment to your summer routine.

Hot Chip brought its brand of eerie, love-sick, droning indie electro-rock to Central Park’s summer stage last night. The humidity also showed up in full force, causing Panama hat-wearing and Blue Moon-guzzling hipsters to seek relief from handmade fans and lemon Pellegrino. Beneath a hazy, cloud-filled sky, Hot Chip followed the upbeat theatrics of Holy Ghost! and Hercules and Love Affair, who brought some fabulous dance moves despite the heat and still-shining sun. Once darkness descended, the London-based headliners (minus vocalist/synth player Joe Goddard, who was home waiting on the arrival of his first child) took to the stage with an arsenal of hits, including “Boy From School,” “One Life Stand” and “Over and Over.”

Arcade Fire’s new album, The Suburbs, is out today, igniting a thousand adolescent fantasies from its original fans. The subject of the Montreal-based indie mega-group has always been childhood and suburban living, so it doesn’t hurt that the new album’s title fans the flames of nostalgia. In an interesting turn, Arcade Fire has also produced a trailer of sorts for the album, in what seems to be a first in the music world. Watch the video after the jump and be sure to get your hands on the new album—which has already been deemed “Best New Music” on Pitchfork.

Have You Heard? is our weekly roundup of items we may have previously missed (or would like to remind you of again). So as you plan the week ahead, take a look at our cherry-picked selections of what’s hot in art, music, film and fashion right now.

We don’t think we were the only ones perplexed by Kanye’s last album, the auto-tuned departure 808s and Heartbreak. So it’s nice to hear news that he’s returning to form with his next effort, Good Ass Job, expected this fall. Now, some videos are drifting about the Internets of Kanye performing in a rather strange venue—the Facebook office, that is. Regardless, the three songs dropped, even without a back beat or any accompaniment, are making us pretty excited. Check out the videos after the jump, as well as Kanye’s blog-released statement in regards to the reception, and let us know if you think this album will help Kanye weather the post Taylor Swift storm.

Have You Heard? is our weekly roundup of items we may have previously missed (or would like to remind you of again). So as you plan the week ahead, take a look at our cherry-picked selections of what’s hot in art, music, film and fashion right now.

Check out our photos from the annual Music and Media Conference and Festival, South by Southwest!

Photography: Dominick Mastrangelo, Rebecca Davis, and Victoria Stevens

Indie pop-rock band Rooney made the 24th stop of their Eureka tour in New York City last night. And though it wasn’t their first time at the small and intimate Irving Plaza, the California-based band is on a tour of many firsts: it’s their first major tour after dropping Geffen/Interscope Records and going the independent route, which means it’s also their first tour promoting their independently recorded album, which hit stores June 8th. It’s also the first time without one of Rooney’s original members, Matthew Winter, the bassist who, curiously, quit the band to pursue medicine. But Rooney is a quintessential California band, something like a Beach Boys version of Wavves for the high school set–and the tunes were just as sweet as usual.