Chikinki Video Shoot in London Today: Extras Needed!

This just in! Chikinki are shooting their new video for 'SUNRISE' TODAY Monday 31st March at Goldsmiths Student Union (Dixon Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW) at 7pm. If you would like to be in it then please send an email to alex@spiderandfly.co.uk. Should be fun.





By the way, I've been a bit of a slacker the past two weeks (maybe too many margaritas?), but my holidays are over after today, so I'll be diligently posting the rest of my SXSW recaps this week!

SXSW 2008 Recap: American Rag / Filter Day Party @ Cedar Street Courtyard

Day 2 (Thursday) I went to the American Rag/Filter day party. Though I was interested in some of the other bands as well, I mainly wanted to see The Duke Spirit's full set. I wasn't familiar with the first few bands, so I just sat down with my whiskey ginger (about 1.5 sets before The Duke Spirit were about to go on) ready to plan my showcase strategy for that night. But when Low vs Diamond came on playing their music with so much conviction, I couldn't help but be drawn to the front of the stage. They were definitely my most pleasant SXSW surprise. The Duke Spirit set afterwards was incredibly soulful and dynamic as always; they had me shaking what my momma gave me inbetween shots as if I were Liela's tamborine. They most definitely beat out The Kills for The Most Sexy and Photogenic Band of SXSW. Nashville's Be Your Own Pet followed up with their wide-eyed, dizzying, breath-of-fresh-punk energy. Robyn, who I didn't recognize at ALL until she busted out with my old favorite "Show Me Love", continued the leading blonde theme and softened things up a bit, ending the party on a pop note.

Low vs Diamond

The Duke Spirit

Be Your Own Pet

Robyn See more pictures here!

SXSW 2008 Recap: The Black Ghosts, Cut Copy, The Duke Spirit

I swear I've never danced at SXSW as much as I did this year. Holy Fuck! and The Cool Kids were just a warm-up. The Black Ghosts (London) and Cut Copy (Melbourne) REALLY heated things up and even reversed my hot-weather-induced energy slump (I actually felt like the Energizer bunny after their sets were over).

Warning to future Karma Lounge showcase attendees though: their speakers by the stage are rank! They seriously emitted a smell comparable to sauerkraut and fish farts, so either stay clear or dance in their proximity at your own risk!

So after seeing those two, I barely made it into Buffalo Billiards in time to see The Duke Spirit's showcase. Even the last small bit I did see was sensational, and I am totally loving their new album "Neptune". I first saw them at SXSW in 2005 and this wouldn't my last time either!

The Black Ghosts @ Karma Lounge









Cut Copy @ Karma Lounge

The Duke Spirit @ Buffalo Billiards

SXSW 2008 Recap: Gorilla vs. Booze

After the Fader party, we taxicabbed it to The Peacock in East Austin for the Gorilla vs. Booze party hosted by gorilla vs. bear. Unfortunately, all the free beer was gone and it was all hot and steamy inside by the time we got there. When Holy Fuck! first started playing, I pegged them as being as ADD-inducing as Ratatat, but my nonstop dancing quickly proved me wrong. The Cool Kids followed, keeping the energy up and my hips shaking.

Who ordered pizza?!?!

Liz: brownie points for the wolf t-shirt!

SXSW 2008 Recap: The Kills @ Levi's/Fader Fort

It's already been a week since SXSW descended onto li'l ole Austin, Texas, "monopolizing touring schedules for more than a week" (as Flavorpill New York put it). The festival keeps growing exponentially every year, with sunglass-donning hipsters packing the streets and unofficial daytime parties and shows starting to outrival even the official evening showcases (like why did I even bother to buy a wristband??). With so much to offer, it seriously becomes an embarras de richesse, and every year is a give and take; for every amazing band I saw, there's one or two I missed. That's why it's all about strategy (Which bands can I see for free during the day? Where can I get up close enough to make it worth it? Where can I even get in? etc.). But no matter what, there's always next year!

At any rate, my 2008 SXSW experience started out with The Kills at the Levi's/Fader Fort party. I scored me some free and refreshing SoCo lime and mosied on up to the front. (I'm always surprised at how easy it is to mingle with the press photographers in front of the stage. This usually a result of one of two things: either a high population of badge-carrying industry wannabe scenesters who have no real musical clue but are just checking off their "what's hot" list of bands to see OR the laidback attitude of SXSW and the genuine music fans who are just out there to enjoy the festival--which is luckily, in my experience, slightly more often the case.) It was the first time I'd seen The Kills since they played the Berlin Festival two or three years ago, and it was amazing to see them live so up close and personal. They get my second place prize for The Most Sexy and Photogenic Band of SXSW.

Check out the whole set here. Plus more photos (and videos) to come!

Ladyhawke DJ Set @ Expect Excellence (Feb 29th 2008)

The other week my friend Liz hosted another Expect Excellence party at Kim on Brunnenstrasse featuring DJ sets by Ladyhawke (Modular / Island), Cache Cache Cache (Rio / Picnic / Happy Endings) and Huzr (Rap History / Tape), as well as a Divine Vintage fashion showcase. It was an incredibly fun night (which was, of course, to be--err--expected!). I got a little sidetracked in the midst of preparing for my U.S. trip and SXSW, but I finally got around to sorting through all the party photos. So here are some of my faves. Check out the whole set here.