VICE's New HBO Series Premieres Tonight

Last night I went to the screening party for VICE's new series which premieres tonight on HBO. It's very similar to the travel guides and the MTV series but it seems a little more journalistic and edgy. The episodes we were shown last night included interviews with the head of the Taliban in Afghanistan, child suicide bombers, North Korean escapees (still en-route to freedom) and more wild shit like that.

VICE goes where no other news outlet has the balls to go. Whether you can call them "news" is questionable, I suppose, but either way it's interesting. Say what you will about VICE the magazine but the TV programming they've been creating recently is fantastic.

Black Lips Playing VICE Halloween Party @ Webster Hall

Black Lips are coming to NYC for Halloween! VICE put together a rager at Webster Hall with Davila 666 and X-Ray Eyeballs. The tickets are $25 which is pretty cheap considering it's Halloween. Nonetheless, put me on the list yo!

Link:

Buy Tickets

VICE Throws One Hell Of A Party

On Thursday I was one of the lucky few who managed to get into the VICE.com Launch Party. The domain name was being held ransom by some porn site and VICE finally got their hands on it. Obviously this is calls for celebration so they invited Rick Ross, DFA 1979, Tanlines and more to perform at some gigantic old bank in Brooklyn.

I've been to many VICE parties in the past and sometimes getting in, even if you're on a list, can be an issue. So I made sure to get there as soon as doors opened. When I arrived there were maybe 40 people in line, which is nothing. It took us about 15 minutes but we got in. Considering that there weren't many people waiting and the doors just opened I was surprised to walk into a nearly packed room. Apparently some press and VIPs had been there partying since 7:30.

The Black Lips were on the main stage DJing when we got in. We took a quick tour of the main floor and then grabbed a few drinks. They were serving up free rum, vodka and Grolsch. There were bars in just about every inch you could cram one - a setup I very much approve of. There was not going to be a shortage of booze tonight, that much was certain.

We hung out on the main floor as more and more people funneled in. Word is there ended up being quite a line outside. Familiar faces started popping up all over the place including Hima from Das Racist, Rob from Wild Yaks, Nick Zinner, various VICE Guide To Everything reporters and every photog ever. It was pretty much impossible to take ten steps without someone taking your picture. Good for posterity I suppose.

The call of nature arose and we went in search of the bathrooms. It was at this point that we discovered the downstairs vault. There was a whole other party going on downstairs and it was awesome! It reminded me of a Brooklyn DIY party back in 2005 or so, only with endless free booze and better sound.

Full Frontal VICE Launch Party w/ Rick Ross, DFA 1979, Black Lips, Nick Zinner & More

VICE is putting all of it's various websites under one roof, www.VICE.com, and want to celebrate. So they've put together what looks like the best fucking party in history. The line up is fucking insane and best of all it's free! Hurry the fuck up and RSVP now though because this will fill up fast. I generally hate shit shows but this is so crazy that I don't think I'll even care.

Link:

www.vice.com/rsvp

Full Frontal VICE | The Official Launch of VICE.COM | Presented by boinc 

Thursday, September 15th | 9:00PM - 3:00AM 

Skylight One Hanson | One Hanson Place, Brooklyn
General public can RSVP (space will be limited | 21+): http://www.vice.com/rsvp 

Performances by:
Rick Ross | A Trak | Death From Above 1979 

Bands also scheduled to perform:
Tanlines
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
The Men
Hanni El Khatib
Anamanaguchi
Total Slacker 

DJs:
Nick Zinner
Black Lips
The New York Night Train
Lemonade
True Panther
Greenie 

Tonight: Eddy Segal Photo Opening @ Pushpin Gallery (I'm A Model); VICE Cinco De Mayo Party @ Hudson Hotel

Back in like 2004 or so I was offered a gig as a fitness model for Nike. Despite my hatred for Nike I was pretty excited about it. Hell, stand around modeling clothes and get a big fat paycheck after a few hours? Fuck yes! I filled out the proper forms and waited to find out location and time. And then I got an email informing me that the gig got cancelled and with it my modeling career was over before it ever started.

Well tonight I get to relive the dream. My friend Eddy is an awesome photographer and has a photo exhibit opening at the Pushpin Gallery tonight. She asked me to model for it so you can go see my ugly mug up on a wall, all zoomed in and porous. Don't worry, there's only one photo of me in the entire space so it'll be okay.

After you've had enough there's an after party at the Hudson Hotel, which also happens to be the location of the VICE Cinco De Mayo party which has bands, booze and Mexican wrestling! That's my night.

Tonight, 6:30-8:30

@ Pushpin Gallery

(Fordham University Lincoln Center, 60th & Columbus)

FREE

Black Lips Premiere Video For "Modern Art" On VBS

A new tune from Black Lips and it's fucking awesome! "Modern Art" is one of the Ronson produced tracks and if they all sound like this then I couldn't be more excited to hear the album. The most notable difference is how the vocals are loud and up front in the mix. Historically the Black Lips, and all garage bands, tend to bury the vocals and keep them kinda muddy. Ronson has the boys sounding like a proper rock n' roll band. I like it! Oh, and the video is weird as shit and totally awesome.

Link:

"Modern Art" on VBS

VICE Is Huge Now

VICE is becoming a proper corporate entity. The NY Times is reporting that VICE is,

...preparing to announce investment partnerships with Tom Freston, MTV’s co-founder; WPP, the giant media conglomerate; and the Raine Group, a boutique investment firm. To help it expand, Vice has also enlisted William Morris Endeavor Entertainment and its chief executive, Ari Emanuel, to represent the company.

Well, shit. Lot's of the old schoolers are already crying sell-out but when it comes to VICE that's nothing new. People have been calling VICE sell-outs for the better part of ten years. Whether you agree with that sentiment or not, the fact is they're still one of the more honest and edgy media groups out there. VBS for example produces pretty amazing documentaries about everything from the plights of war-torn, third-world countries to black metal to underground sex parties. And now with their MTV show they're bringing much of that footage to the masses (although it is highly cut down).

Frankly, I'm happy for them. They turned a Canadian punk mag into a worldwide media empire. The only thing I'm pissed about is that I never tried getting a job there. I know people there, I work in marketing and music, I produce events, I live in Brooklyn and I've been in shitty punk bands - how the fuck do I not work at VICE? Oh well, congrats VICE.

Link: 

VICE Media Empire Is Near A Big Infusion Of Cash

***PS: VICE, I won a free subscription on Twitter. You never sent it. What the fuck? 

The Vice Guide To Everything

Last night we attended the screening of the new MTV/Vice series The Vice Guide To Everything (premiers Dec. 6th, 11pm on MTV). The show goes all over the world exposing weird customs and debunking myths. I love the VBS documentaries so I was looking forward to seeing what this new series was all about. The show is much like the documentaries but much lighter. It's the Vice attitude and boldness but with an MTV sense of humor.

Of course, I had my concerns about MTV being involved but about 5 minutes into the first episode all concerns were put at ease. Frankly, it's one of the best travel shows I've ever seen and that's because they go places every other show wouldn't dare - North Korea for example.

Things I learned: North Korea is just as weird and scary as you would expect, maybe even more so. Yemen on the other hand looks like a rad place and now I want to visit. The Russian Mafia is even more terrifying than you thought. And finally, the coolest dude in America lives in Detroit and his name is Jay Thunderbolt.

Speaking of Jay Thunderbolt, the man himself was hanging at the after party at Lit. We over to say hello and ended up partying with the guy all night. He's one bad ass dude! We started talking music and turns out he loves Van Halen and hard rock. Carlos (who I throw Smell The Glove with) showed Jay a picture from Smell The Glove, it was of one of our go-go gals with her boobs out. Jay then one-upped Carlos and busted out his camera and proceeded to show us about 100 nude pictures of girls who dance for him doing all sorts of weird shit. We also hung out with one of the producers of the show and he told us that when they talked to Jay about flying to NYC he asked how many guns he could bring onboard and if they could book him a smoking seat. Apparently he hasn't left Detroit in 20 years. After his episode airs I have a feeling Jay might become a bit of celebrity.

We had a killer night partying with the Vice crew and especially Jay Thunderbolt. Thanks for all the free booze Vice!

Link:

Vice's Photo Gallery From The Event

Episode 2:

The Vice Guide to Everything - MTV Shows

The Vice Guide to Everything - MTV Shows

The Vice Guide to Everything - MTV Shows

Hardcore Punk Skate Jam 5/4

On Tuesday night I went to one of the raddest parties I've attended in years. It was at the Autumn Bowl in Greenpoint. It's a massive warehouse with a huge kidney shape bowl and a half pipe. Every once in a while they have a blow out there and it's always fucking insane.

This time around they had a bunch of skate punk / hardcore bands play: Razor Tail, Bad Shit and The Goat. All three of these bands are fucking awesome. When I got in The Goat just started and holy shit are these dudes good. They sound kinda like pre-Rollins Black Flag but with more fun stuff going on. I would go see this band anywhere. Bad Shit were the next band and let me just say they have the gnarliest chick drummer ever. She was ripping it super hard and playing lightning fast punk beats. Did I mention she was super hot? Yeah, she was, and she was also playing in short shorts and a bra.

While the bands were playing there was all types of wild shit happening. People were skating on the half pipe right next to the bands. Boards were shooting off the ramp into the crowd and moshers were falling onto the half pipe. There were dudes setting off fireworks inside the building, which actually works wince the ceilings are about 200 feet high. At one point someone threw firecrackers into the pit. The moshers had little explosions going off around their feet. It looked like a Western where the gunslinger makes some poor sap dance - only there were 50 poor saps. The smoke from the fireworks added a nice war zone feel to the whole thing.

The Autumn Bowl was jam packed full off kids drinking forties and having a good time. The corner store a block up looked like it got looted. There wasn't a tall boy or 40 left in the whole place. Brooklyn needs more jams like this. In all honesty this was the best punk party I've been to in 10 years.

Link:

VICE Coverage

Tonight: Ninjasonik & Cerebral Ballzy @ PA; Secret Dance Party; VICE Party w/ Free Energy

Start the night with free Jameson at The Charleston. That kicks off at 9PM. Once you're nice and stupid hit one of these jams.

Titus Andronicus Did Not Have Fun At The VICE Party

Saturday night I checked out the VICE 15-year anniversary / Halloween party at some giant warehouse on N.10th. I got there early and didn't have to deal with any of the door drama that ruined the night for a few people. The space itself was impressive, the booze was free, the bands were pretty awesome and the DJs were playing 90's tunes. Apparently though all types of fucked up shit was going on, which isn't surprising at all. I didn't experience any of this but I left kinda early.

Patrick from Titus Andronicus wrote about his experience and I commend him for still playing his set after all this bullshit. Read all about it here:

Link:
Patrick Got Assaulted By Hired Goons

***By the way 75% of the people at the party were wearing costumes that had more to do with 1984 then 1994. Is it that people just didn't give a shit about the theme or has pop culture bled together so much with our generation that we no longer recognize the difference between 84 and 94? I'm just saying, in 1994 we fucking hated all things 80's so it's weird that people are mixing the two...or maybe I'm just an old bastard.

Tonight: Halloween Parties (Mostly Brooklyn)

Here's some shit to do tonight. We've got loft parties, warehouse parties, bars, open bars, bowling, live bands, dead bands, deth rally...you get the point. Good fucking luck getting into the VICE party.

Tonight: Drink Up Buttercup @ Glasslands; The Rapture

So yeah, The Rapture are playing Matchless tonight. That's going to be the biggest clusterfuck of the year. It's not easy getting a beer in that joint in under 5 minutes on a slow night there so this is going to suck. Also, it's tiny and everyone knows The Rapture are playing so expect 2,000 people to show up trying to sneak in the back door. It's awesome that The Rapture are playing a tiny little venue like Matchless (I think the stage room holds 75 people) and kudos to VICE for setting it up but this WILL SUCK, I promise you. Instead go to Glasslands and check out Drink Up Buttercup, they just got signed.

Tonight: LES Metal Show (Cerebral Ballzy Secret Guest); Wild Yaks @ Matchless

I just got back from seeing O'Death at Music Hall. As always they were fucking awesome! Meryl Streep was hanging out next door at Public Assembly.

Anyway, I'm resting up at home, gonna chow down on some chicken corn chowder and then head out. There are a million things to do tonight, where I'll end up I have no idea but it will likely be one of these.

Wild Yaks
@ Matchless
11:30PM
Cover?

Vice & Colt 45 Present:
White Mice, Orpans, Acid Tiger
Secret Guest = Cerebral Ballzy
Free Colt 45

Free Show: White Mice, Orphans, & Acid Tiger (Free Booze Too)

Children, maybe we can thank the doom and gloom of modern times (recession, war, climate change, etc.) for the sudden resurgence of metal. Well, metal never really went anywhere but recently the hipster kids have been getting in on the action.

You see, despite all the shit talking over the years the fact is most Brooklyn hipster kids are secret metal heads. In high school they were totally pumping fists to Pantera - don't even try to deny it.

Nowadays bands like Mastodon, Converge, The Sword, Early Man, etc. have been dubbed hipster friendly (which still freaks me out a bit - I mean why Mastodon but not Lamb Of God?). To take advantage of this trend Vice and Colt 45 are giving us metal heads some free beer and three bands to make our ears bleed. Oh and bring your girlfriend, there will likely be a shortage of females - don't worry, you won't be able to hear her complain anyway.

Get drunk & head bang!

Video: King Khan "Land Of The Freak"

Land Of The Freak - King Khan & The Shrines (MP3)

Vice is offering up a free MP3 of "Land Of The Freak" by King Khan & The Shrines.

MP3:
Land Of The Freak - King Khan & The Shrines

Free Download: Vice Holiday Sampler + Raveonettes MP3

Times are rough, you probably lost your job (if you had one to begin with). So free shit is especially appreciated these days. Say thanks for Vice for putting together a nice holiday sampler with tracks from Black Lips, King Khan, Dark Meat (my new fave band), and more. Sure, you probably illegally downloaded these tracks months ago but it's still a nice gesture.

Link:
Vice Holiday Sampler

MP3:
Come On Santa - Raveonettes

Vice CMJ Parties

Monotonix!

Link:
RSVP here

No Age Plays Ping Pong Also Plays A Vegan Grocery Store

Here are a couple of cool videos I thought you might dig. The first is No Age vs. Vice in a ping pong match to the death... well, actually a t-shirt and haircut were at stake. The other video is No Age playing a vegan grocery store.

Link:
Ping Pong VBS
No Age Vegan

Hey, so uhh, No Age - I'm having a party on May 6th. That's the same day as your show at Bowery Ballroom. It's at Crash Mansion which is on Bowery, right around the corner. You should stop by after the show, feel free to invite everyone at Bowery... seriously.