American Apparel even got in on the act... yup, we partied like it was 1999 and it was the Frenchest Year ever. We didn't even leave LA. How scary is that? The year started with the Suzanarchist going to eat at the French Market at Disneyland, tipsy off Alizé and Hpnotiq she'd smuggled in Gatorade bottles. It was funny seeing Anoraak at the Echoplex the following month... but as the year continued, stuff like the Ooh La La Festival and the Crème de la Crêpe restaurant by my house happened. And did the Suzanarchist ever anticipate getting called "Gaspard", and so often (and "Mr. Oizo" even once)?? And somehow Shimosh speaks perfect French while all I can say is "I'm funny and lazy". Inside jokes misfired, but our retarded predicaments always hit the target. The end is near! The end of the year, that is (but never our stupidity (unfortunately)); we thought it'd be a fun idea to make our own "best of" list. People, events, moments that have topped our 2009 DGAF list!
Most DGAF DJ (Duo): 2ManyDJs Sorry Justice, Crookers, The Bloody Beetroots, Mixhell, & others—the DGAF DJ Duo of the year is 2ManyDJs. Have you seen these guys live? They really Don't Give A Fuck. It's amazing. Crookers came a close second for providing the most relentless beats of 2009...
Most DGAF DJ (Solo): IT'S A TIE!
Peanut Butter Wolf Crams all the hits while leaving absolutely no room for boredom, and rocks eclecticism you won't find anywhere else (besides 2ManyDJs). The undisputed master of '90s hip hop. Nobody mixes nostalgia and entertainment like PB Wolf. Forget YouTube, it's all about getting your vintage video fixes from his VJ sets! He did a short tour of 9 dates with all 90's videos. He was the "first time they allowed hip hop" at Fuck Yeah Fest. He kicked off that set with Bell Biv Devoe's "Poison." ANYBODY who can effortlessly and seamlessly mix Serge Gainsbourg into Michael Jackson into O.D.B. without missing a beat wins the highest DGAF honor. AND for finishing your set with Wu-Tang's "Triumph" at West Coast shows. Could've played some West Coast hip hop or "California Love" but why be predictable when you can be DGAF?
Mr. Oizo So DGAF that we had to be him and Flat Eric for Halloween. His DJ set at Control at the Avalon may not have had the visual splendor of 2ManyDJs (but hey, nobody else did) but he set the bar for originality and did not rely on clichés, predictable songs, or formulaic dynamics (even if he DID play Pon De Floor). Hell, he guzzles champagne, smokes, and breaks CD's on his head and throws them out to the audience. He doesn't even need a crowd to party. He will do the Chivers handshake with suspecting and unsuspecting fans alike. He directed Steak. Enough said.
Most DGAF event: Busy P's Cinespace Birthday What other event happened during FINALS of Senior Year at Otis, had a collection of drunk French guys, Thomas Bangalter (yes, of Daft Punk) DJing without the robot mask, Kavinsky miming a saxophone on a bottle of Vodka and then distributing said Vodka in the bottle cap to random people, a fight between Kavinsky/Mehdi/So-Me vs Cinespace Bouncers, Busy P telling us to get out, and Kavinsky drunkenly stumbling across Hollywood Blvd. while stopping traffic?
None other, thankyouverymuch.
Most DGAF Pop Performer: Lady Gaga So, after seeing Lady Gaga perform at the Nokia Live on Monday, December 21st, 2009, it's super official—Lady Gaga wins at pop, at performance, and at DGAFness in general.
Most DGAF Restaurant: The Waffle Fuck Denny's. They're always busy, they have mediocre food, and no vegan menu. The Waffle literally has something for everyone. Even your dog. Now THAT'S DGAF. Where else can you get $12 bottomless Sangrias, Mimosas, Margaritas, and Bloody Marys? Perfect for pre-parties when you know drinks are going to be too expensive where you're going, and perfect for afterparties when you're hungry from dancing all night. Be DGAF while giving a fuck about your food!
Most DGAF Director: 2Michel Gondry I STILL don't know why he turned down the chance to direct Steak.
Most DGAF friend: Don There's too many Don moments this year. Too many stupid Don moments to count. When CMYK go out, we're always certain that "something stupid's gonna happen." When CMYK + Don go out, it's guaranteed that the stupidity is increased tenfold (that's an understatement, but i just want to use the word "tenfold"). Every time we go to a club event, there's always someone on ecstasy the he finds and messed with. If there's anyone who knows how to fuck with rolling e-tards in the funniest way, it's Don. Ex: at Control to see Etienne de Crecy: "DON PATROL!" Don is truly a pioneer in Not Giving A Fuck about ANYTHING, and for that, we love him. And hate him a lot.
honorable mention: amanDon Amanda Blaze Pillon + Don Okuda = amanDon a pretty DGAF duo. When amanDon gets together, things just get ultra stupid.
Now there are way many more DGAF and stupid events, but too many to mention here. Video contests, fake Facebook pages, Busy P's blog, drunken encounters in hotel lobbies, random wristband distribution, Thanksgiving Day fasting, the frightening phenomenon that is LMFAO, and of course the many mind-blowing, face-melting events and club nights that the HARD team put on. If you want all the details, read our blog, which only chronicles a fraction of what we get in to and up to.
We have a feeling that 2010 will be an even more DGAF decade. Stay tuned, stay DGAF...
Seeing the one and only Lady Gaga Live was a very highly anticipated DGAF event of the year. We managed to get score some very inexpensive tickets on eBay a month before the show at the Nokia Theater, and we felt even luckier as we saw tickets to up to hundreds, and even thousands of dollars as the date approached. Neither of us had been to a large-scale pop show before, and we had no idea what we were in for, especially as it was Lady Gaga, who'd proved to be nothing short of a show-stopping spectacle herself. Not only was she a genuine musician and performer, but it there was so much more to her "image" than just her "look". Lady Gaga is an actual multi-talented and multi-dimensional artist who doesn't feel the need to be safe or sterile to win over fans. But she still acknowledges she's a pop singer in an artificial genre: "We're plastic but we still have fun!"
We are the crowd, we're comin' out
We had to dress up of course. When we arrived at a parking lot near the Nokia Theater, we took a next to someone's Hummer with various Lady Gaga motifs drawn on the windows. It was cute. Here's a word to the wise: there is nowhere really fast or inexpensive to eat directly around the Nokia Theatre, and getting the cheapest parking lot possible means you'll only have to walk literally a minute or two from the venue... why pay twice as much because you don't wanna walk for 60 more seconds?
The opening act was Semi-Precious Weapons, who were pretty DGAF. I thought the singer was a fierce tall supermodel woman, and it wasn't until halfway into the set when I realized it was in fact, a fierce man in stilettos!!! Even his voice sounded androgynous, and he rocked everyone in the Nokia Theater like the glamazon that he is. They were raw, energetic, and knew how to put on a show. We're not surprised that Lady Gaga would choose such a DGAF opening act. And awesome that she'd keep it diverse.
We were looking foward to Kid Cudi but to our dismay he never quite materialized. We found out later that the was either kicked off or dropped out of the tour.
But we got over it quickly as we were transported into flashy futuristic darkness... and Lady Gaga emerged out of smoke and a screen of lazers during the glorious "Dance in the Dark", wearing a costume with flashing lights on it. Fucking intense. Wow. It was over the top without trying too hard... but that could be used to describe her entire show.
There were costume changes, avant-garde videos playing during songs, a set that could only be described as abstract... it was theatrical without being cheesy, it was eye-catching without being tacky. Lady Gaga not only invites you to her party, but welcomes you to her world. And yes, she really does sing live! She performed most of the songs from "Fame Monster", which I definitely got more into after seeing them live. "So Happy I Could Die" was a highlight for me. There was a medley of "Money Honey", "Beautiful Dirty Rich", and "The Fame", much to my delight.
Hell, the remix of "Fancy Footwork" by Crookers even played during one of the videos shown during breaks between songs. Could Lady Gaga get any cooler?
She also does understand subtlety, which you would not expect. There were songs like "Alejandro" where she would be the only one on stage, and then of course there's the songs she plays on the piano. She put on an Elton John-like feathery costume and sang a moving rendition "Speechless" and then the magically mind-boggling ragtime acoustic piano version of "Poker Face". Her stage banter seemed unrehearsed and genuine. It may have been rehearsed, but the way Lady Gaga delivered it felt personal.
"Boys Boys Boys" was a total riot, and "Paparazzi" was as mesmerizing and haunting as I've ever heard. You have to see this to believe this, I can't even describe what went on in her performance. Totally captivating. She ended with "Eh Eh [Nothing Else I Can Say]" as she came out of the stage in that giant metal orbit ball, then went into the dance version of the all-conquering "Poker Face", which got the whole theater dancing. The encore, which was the unstoppable "Bad Romance", was the most victorious, anthemic finale that could not be topped.
Believe the hype because Lady Gaga has lived up to it and left a trail DGAF for all of us to follow. It's up to you to catch up and catch her live.
Well, we couldn't finish this story without mentioning something stupid that happened. We thought we were safe until we got back to Shimosh's car and she realized she'd lost her keys.. luckily someone had left them with the attendant.
(I'm going to spare you from a whole bunch of Lady Gaga song title puns right now...)
12/18/2009 Control @ the Avalon in Hollywood: the one year anniversary crazy super party extravaganza with none other than THE Armand Van Helden. We tried to get in for free, but we didn't make it. We still got in for cheaper than the regular price of $25, but it definitely still would have been worth that. Shit, this is Armand Van Helden we're talking about here... bringing us another party like it's 1999.
James Monroe helped kick it off, and all we can say she is one badass DJ who knows how to get the crowd started. We'd definitely like to catch her again!
Now a sign of a good DJ is when their 2-hour set seemed more like 20 minutes, and they completely wear you out from dancing, only to drop a track that revives your energy for another half hour. A good DJ never lets up for a second, not even near the end when everyone's getting tired. Armand Van Helden accomplished all these with flying colors. He came out with a steady start, then continued to work his nonstop magic.
I was really, really happy when he dropped this track. Armand Van Helden rocked the party hard! Unfortunately, Shimosh couldn't bring in the camera, so there's no ridiculous pictures of our friends, but as always, Suzanarchist was being dumb, and Don was dancing with people who were fucked up on E. It's always fun to watch that.
There was a couple who were dancing together, if you can call it that. They were close to passed out over each other's shoulders, swaying back and forth, eyes closed, hair swinging everywhere. It would have been THAT funny if the couple still hadn't been doing the EXACT same thing literally over half an hour later. We are not exaggerating. If that couple is reading this now, thank you for contributing to an insanely funny night.
I was seriously starting to fade over halfway into the set, but when he played his 1999 classic "You Don't Know Me" I suddenly came back to life. That burst of energy burned me out though, and by the time we were approaching the end, I was feeling totally beat (no pun intended). Suddenly, he hits us with the BEST MIX OF "LET THE BASS KICK" I HAVE EVER HEARD, and I was once again resurrected from the dead. Armand Van Helden is a legend. Without a doubt one of the best DJ sets of the year.
So I guess we can go to Control if we can't have any...
Since Discotheque went on hiatus, we've been getting our Friday night fixes at the Avalon lately. As we await its return, we continue to check out the consistently good guest DJs at Control and get up to our usual adventures in our electro playground. Something stupid always happens, and tonight was no exception. DGAF's very own Don managed to befriend a group of men who were convinced that he had E. He was nicnkamed "Don Patrol", while Shimosh was dubbed "Amy Patrol" when she was mistaken for Don's sister. It's times like these were you actually HOPE certain people ARE on drugs.
Don won't slow your roll
I don't know what was funnier, Mr. Oizo being called Mr. Oye-zo or Etienne De Crecy being called "ATN" the whole night by both Mr. White and people from the crowd. Come on, peeps, that's just one letter off from an Automated Teller Machine.
No control at Control
Etienne was a pretty solid DJ, and he kept the crowd going for over 2 hours (he still wasn't done when we left!). So mad props to him! Don't get me wrong, he's a great DJ, but his dynamics were pretty similar throughout and his drops got sort of predictable. But hey, if the formula works and keeps everyone dancing, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. I just like to hear more twists and turns and standout tracks in the mix, but that's just me.
Tuesday, 12/08/2009 — Steve Aoki's birthday bash @ Cinespace!
the lineup
So Steve Aoki had a birthday party, and we decided it would probably be ridiculous, and we were right. It was a ridiculous night of fun times, fun music, and craaaazy kids. Special secret international DJs turned out to be Adam Freeland, along with Richard Vission and LA Riots. Hippest birthday in town. Oddly not as epic as the now infamous Busy P Birthday Bash earlier this year in April, at the same place, however... google that shit and you'll see what we mean.
mark "the cobrasnake" hunter
Of course, Steve's good friend The Cobrasnake was there.
Breakbot is an artist on the Ed Banger record label based in Paris, France. He is a crazy man.
flier for Control
No, just kidding. But he did DJ in Hollywood at the Avalon, at Control on Friday, November 27th, 2009 (yeah, yeah, this post is really late. We DGAF).
Dancing in the infinity net
CMYK and Ed Banger—we just can't resist their French charm. The night started off with the opening acts C-Town, Sleazemore, and resident Mr. White.
OHHH BREAKBOT
For some reason, DGAF and friends went really overboard with freaking the entire night. We apologize to Breakbot if we freaked him out in any way, because he's pretty low key. But it was a sign of good times, and let's face it, Breakbot dropped every tune like it was hot. We just wanna thank him for tolerating us and putting on a freak-worthy set. That's quite a feat.
Breakbot surrounded by a bunch of crazy LA kids
Next superstar DJ of Ed Banger? I don't see why not!
We said it couldn't be topped. This year we were treated to not one, but TWO consecutive nights of LA's most epic Halloween Party. Even with the candy and costumes, Halloween was never this cool as a kid. Sure, trick or treating was fun, but this time around, you've got the dopest DJ's on the planet handing out their beats... and of course there's still costumes, a different kind of candy... and possibly a temporary identity crisis or two.
So it's a bit late, but we're also a bit DGAF. HARD Haunted Mansion was hands down one of the most undisputedly DGAF events of the year. HARD has certainly protected its reputation and is back and better than ever after HARD Summer which was definitely a drag. Now, HARD Haunted was even more of a drag... but in a COMPLETELY different way:
How creepy is that??? The guy with the beard is none other than I, the Suzanarchist. I hadn't seen my friend Emely in a little while, so I put my arm around her without thinking about how I looked at the moment. How much of an old perv do I look like? People were mistaking me for a man from the start to finish. Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting.
If you haven't guessed already, Shimosh and I were none other than Flat Eric and Mr. Oizo on night #1 of HARD Haunted Mansion. Judging from previous successful attempts in drag, we decided to outdo ourselves yet again. Shimosh being a fuzzy yellow puppet and sewing her costume was a new venture, but me being a male French DJ with facial hair was absolutely nothing new. The results were startling and surreal. Ugh.
Our costumes were partially yet another inside joke come to life, and partially a reaction to what we've seen generally at all ages raves/parties/events lately. We've been noticing that girls and women of all ages (it's even more disturbing when they're underage) are basically showing up dressed in skanky underwear. We here at DGAF personally don't understand the urge to go anywhere dressed up like a stripper, and we respect other people's decisions, but let's face it, it's honestly CREEPY. We don't really see the appeal, or feel that it's in any way DGAF. I mean in a way, yeah, you obviously don't give a fuck if you decide to rock that look, but is it really necessary? Do you need to show that much skin to have a good time? Well duh, it gets hot as hell when you're dancing around all those people, particularly indoors, but what's wrong with a tank top and shorts or a skirt? There's exhibitionism, and then there's showing off your still developing breasts to straight guys who might be more than twice your age. Actually, nobody needs to see them, regardless of age, gender, or sexual orientation! It was just really bizarre, looking like a creepy man with a beard, seeing all these half-naked teenage girls around me, and wondering if they had any idea that we shared the same body parts. So wrong.
Oh yeah. Back to HARD night #1.
We'd arrived just in time for Danger, who was one of our top priorities of the night. I wasn't just intrigued by his music but also his image/concept/design; I mean, have you seen his MySpace page??? After going through an initially intimidating but surprisingly efficient line, we rushed past Staccato, who we also wanted to see, but not as badly as we'd seen them previously at Discotheque. Danger played a solid set that helped kick off HARD into an early dance frenzy. He played a clean, consistent set yet managed to steer clear from monotony and repetition. A pretty badass opener I'd say. I was kind of upset that he was wearing a vest but other than that his look is pretty DGAF. He doesn't just wear a mask but he covers his arms up too! There HAD to be some kids, who were either already rolling or who just didn't know any better, who thought that he was supposed to be dressed up as one of the Bloody Beetroots but got it wrong. Hell, someone must have been rolling so hard they thought it WAS one of the Bloody Beetroots.
We caught a little bit of Don Rimini, who was pretty relentless as usual, and kept the party going at a frenetic, glitchy pace. He looks like a Crooker, and kind of has a similar style to the Crookers. I like hard beats, and Don Rimini didn't disappoint. We walked outside to see A-Trak finish, and waited for the Bloody Beetroots, who we were dying to see due to Romborama being a pretty legit album, and also because of some hype from friends. We saw a few people dressed like them, but not as many as we'd thought. I realized that they could have actually walked around and no one would have known for sure if it was really them.
Speaking of costumes, I think the funniest part of the night was when we were moving toward the stage to see the Beetroots, and I heard some random guy say "Mr. Oizo!" and then go up to me and ask for a photo. I assumed he'd already seen Shimosh, because obviously I wasn't as recognizable on my own. But apparently he hadn't, and instantly recognized me as Mr. Oizo. WTF??? HOW CREEPY IS THAT??? Not as many people as we thought were recognizing Shimosh as Flat Eric. They just thought it was a cute costume.
Bloody Beetroots had good energy and played an eclectic set that never got boring. Total DGAF badasses who kept us dancing from start to finish. An obvious highlight of the night! Kinky Malinki!
Shimosh was feeling sick that night, unfortunately, and we'd decided to leave after the Beetroots. Fair enough, we'd had a good time, and we'd be back tomorrow. Hell, I was glad we were able to make it in the first place! But fortunately for us, we'd been talked into staying for 2ManyDJs by someone we'd met in the crowd. We were not prepared for what we would witness next...
We'd seen 2ManyDJs last year at HARD Haunted, and we thought they were cool. I've probably seen Soulwax live more times than any other band, and they were my favorite band for a couple of years. (I was living in the UK, where they actually got the exposure they deserved.) I'd also seen them DJ before at a small club, and that was pretty dope too. So we were down to stay for a few songs...
But once we did, we could not bring ourselves to leave until the very end of their set. 2ManyDJs was a REVELATION. We had no idea they would emerge as the all-conquering DGAF winners of the night. They started out really cute and low key, with Stephen Dewaele walking out on stage, appearing to be adjusting a hand-held radio. They rolled out their equipment, and started spinning. The big suspended "Radio Soulwax" Banner suddenly fell and revealed a huge screen with the cover of the Gossip's "Standing in the Way of Control" single cover. They played a remix of the song, and the fucking cover started MOVING to the song!!! I mean, we'd seen PB Wolf VJ a few months before, but this was a whole new level...
We thought we'd heard eclectic mixes before, but this was something else. We don't know ANYBODY else who could effortlessly mix Dizzee Rascal, MGMT, Queen, Major Lazer, Daft Punk, Aphex Twin, Donna Summer, Dolly Parton, Slayer, Justice, the Eurythmics, Depeche Mode, Kid Cudi, Tiga, The Clash, and even fucking LIL WAYNE into their set without breaking a sweat? And that's not even all! I rocked out so hard and victoriously when Sidney Samson's Riverside came on, and let's not EVEN talk about when they played not one, but TWO Mr. Oizo songs!!! We almost shit our collective pants when Cut Dick and Positif came on. I mean one was enough, and we thought we were safe, but TWO? In fact, my beard mysteriously started falling off when they played Mr. Oizo. My face was melting off too, as a matter of fact.
But things were starting to get a little '90s and I didn't even know it yet... they dropped a reggae song, which sounded awfully familiar. When it went into the Prodigy's "Out of Space", I went apeshit. But when they transitioned into Nirvana's "Breed", I just couldn't handle it anymore. My beard and wig were falling off, and I had to let loose and take that shit off before they flew off and hit someone and they got lost in the crowd. My mind was blown. And the whole time, animated album/single covers of the song were on the screen, moving to the tracks and keeping the audience visually engaged as they danced their asses off. It's a win-win situation, with often intentionally hilarious results.
We knew nothing would top 2ManyDJs and didn't even bother to stay for anything else. We were planning on leaving anyway... but realized how much we would have regretted it if we'd left before or during 2ManyDJs!!! Shimosh suddenly didn't feel so sick anymore, but we'd witnessed something so unforgettably epic that we had to call it a night. We realized that even after Flat Eric was up on the screen during their set, still no one recognized her except for one guy who'd seen Mr. Oizo a couple of weeks before. Shit! I wish my getup hadn't come off. THANKS A LOT, 2MANYDJS FOR MAKING ME ROCK OUT TOO HARD!!!
We headed to Norm's to reminisce and eat some cheap but legit filet mignon. We felt so inspired and enlightened. But we still had ANOTHER night of HARD coming up...
HARD Night #2
Justice CMYK with Emely (photo by Emely Portillo)
So of course we decide to reprise our Justice costumes from last year... which got us into this whole mess in the first place. Disgustingly enough, our costumes were actually refined and improved from last year's. Shimosh even had the right haircut this time, and I had a legit cross. We somehow managed to look more like them than we did last year. We were terrified at what the second night would bring us.
So we rolled with our friends Daniel and Emely, and pondered what insanity awaited us. We were so amped and excited that we'd forgotten how tired we were from the night before. I WAS GOING TO FINALLY SEE CROOKERS, WHO I HAD BEEN WAITING ALL YEAR TO SEE. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW EXCITED I WAS. In fact, we'd dressed up as Justice but were mostly there to see Crookers, mostly because we'd never seen them before. We were instantly and repeatedly recognized as we stepped out of the car and walked to get in line. Again, I was being mistaken for a man, but this time, pretty much everyone knew who I was supposed to be. Fucking ridiculous.
Shinichi Osawa was clearly getting the party started. He's got some serious skills, let's face it. His beats were pretty fierce, and his mixing was totally sick. We went outside to check out Buraka Som Sistema, who were fun, bassy, energetic, and made you wanna freak with their baile funk/funk carioca flavored beats. They were the perfect segway into... MAJOR LAZER. Yes, the one who brought you "Pon de Floor", the year's most played club track, via Diplo and Switch. Yes, dry snares are back along with monstrously deep bass and ear-bending high frequencies. Not to mention ladders on stage, with dancers jumping off them and lots of gratuitous dry hump dancing. No, it doesn't get much better than this. The whole spectacle was nothing short of entertaining. Laughing and dancing are definitely two things that are not done enough together.
I think the most disturbing part of the night was when we found ourselves standing right next to the two guys who decided to dress up as LMFAO, complete with glasses with no lenses, an afro wig, and official LMFAO designed t-shirts. No offense, but that has to be the scariest costume of the night. All time maybe? Well, DGAF can't lie... we'd joked about being LMFAO for the first night of HARD, and we end up running into the two guys who actually went ahead with the LMFAO costume. Of all the people in the whole place at that exact time and location, we had to encounter them. That's just our luck. Of course, we girls would have looked more like them...
Justice? no, CMYK! (photo by Emely Portillo)
The whole time we were out there though, people in all stages of rolling were coming up to us and taking pictures of us, or asking to have pictures taken with them. We felt like celebrities, or those people who dress up as characters at Disneyland. "OH MY GOD JUSTICE!" was the most used quote of the night. We wish you could have been there with us, just to see the look on people's faces. As we were hanging around after Major Lazer waiting for Basement Jaxx to come on, some guy yelled "GASPARD!" repeatedly when he saw me, and when I pointed out Shimosh he screamed "XAVIER!" and then jumped around and did some cartwheels or backflips or something, while shouting "JUSTICE!" and he disappeared into the crowd howling like a dog. We wish we were making this shit up. Actually, we don't think we could have.
When Shimosh went to get tacos, she happened to run into some other guy who was dressed up like Gaspard. He wasn't with a Xavier, though. When I ran into him later that night, I was pretty appalled that of course, I looked more like Gaspard than he did.
So I've never been that impressed with Basement Jaxx, I mean they've come out with some fun, catchy songs, but nobody was expecting them to come on as BASSment Jaxx, because it was a pretty bassy night, but I'm pretty sure they outbassed everybody else. It sounded like a straight up attack. This did not sound like the Basement Jaxx that I was familiar with. Wow. I'm pretty into bass rape, but even that was a little much for me. I did enjoy what I heard though, and it was pretty unexpected. But shit, I NEEDED to be near the front for Crookers, so we took shelter from the bass assault outside and were welcomed by a set from none other than Steve Aoki.
While we were in the bathroom, we could not believe our ears as we heard Darude's "Sandstorm". REALLY, Steve Aoki? I mean, we know hipsters are ironic, but what the fuck??? Like 2ManyDJs, he ended with a Nirvana track, wow. Who would have thought grunge would have permeated the electro scene? All hail the '90s! Then came the moment I'd been waiting for. My favorites of 2009... CROOKERS!!! We made our way to the front of the stage. I didn't give a FUCK that we were dressed as Justice... of course I was getting the usual "You're the guy from Justice!" remarks, and I wasn't quite sure what to do with myself when a girl exclaimed "You look exactly like him!!!" How disturbing!
OMG JUSTICE!!! With Daniel... watching CROOKERS??? (photo by Emely Portillo)
Phra and Bot came on the stage... wearing... dreadlocks? We couldn't tell. We later realized that they were Steve Aoki wigs. LOL Oh my god. Those guys. When they started, I almost started crying. Those relentless Crookers soul claps sounded way more epic live... I let myself drown in the intense bass and HOLY SHIT, I was in fidget house heaven. YOU HAVE NO IDEA. I don't even have words for the way I felt. It was glitchy, frenetic, the frequencies were pulling me in all directions. Freefall drops? OH FUCK YES. Their remix of "Thunderstruck" almost brought a tear to my eye. Listening to this song in your bedroom does not do it Justice (ok, the pun was COMPLETELY intentional). "Knobbers" kept us all dancing, they even dropped some dubstep, of course "Il Brutto", but they didn't let up for a second. I KNEW THEY WOULDN'T LET ME DOWN!!!
Crookers!!! (photo by Emely Portillo)
And OF COURSE they HAD to play Mr. Oizo. I did NOT see that one coming. Shimosh sure didn't. But somehow they worked "Cut Dick" into their set... and of course we freaked out. Now HOW DGAF are Crookers? You should have seen Bot with his Super Mario shirt, and Phra looking like the world's biggest coolest most effortless badass on the decks with his sunglasses on. There was dancing, LOTS of beer drinking, and they still managed to keep it completely together, even when some girl who was obviously high on something jumped on the stage and danced around in something more skimpy than a string bikini. I was not down, but at least it didn't kill the music. Crookers ended with the a remix of Day n Night which they didn't do, which involves lyrics about smoking weed and the bass drop from the Crookers remix is performed vocally. This I found hilarious.
I walked outside feeling like I just had really good sex, and I felt horrible for not being as excited about Justice as I should have been, BUT I'D JUST SEEN CROOKERS!!! Justice were noticeably less bassy than most of the other acts, and I was hoping that Gaspard would not be wearing those nasty glasses he started wearing this year. Ugh... yes of course he was... but what the fuck? Were they wearing matching beige shirts? LOL Um... ok... I went closer to inspect, and the bootleg Gaspard (me) met up with the bootleg Xavier (Shimosh) in front of the real Xavier and Gaspard. It was such a dumb moment. I then noticed they were dressed like cops which was kinda hot. I was kind of hoping they'd arrest me the whole time. Ooops, I mean I managed to catch the end of their set, which was cute, as they mixed "Never Be Alone" into "Why Can't We Be Friends?" by War. At the end Xavier stood up on the platform and bowed and I think he flicked his lit cigarette into the crowd, but I saw a lit cigarette in his hand right after, so maybe he just flicked the ash. Who knows. I just wanted them to arrest me. Oops, I mean they did some cute high five/handshake/hug thing and I started craving a sandwich and we at DGAF really hope they come out with new stuff soon! (And for Gaspard to PLEASE STOP WEARING THOSE GLASSES!)
Up next was 2ManyDJs... who were the "special guests" of tonight, MUCH to our delight!!! We didn't give a FUCK if they played the same set... and though some of the songs were, they did manage to mix it up enough for another unbelievable experience, still complete with visuals!!! We felt so fortunate to catch them both nights... and of course to hear "Flat Beat", which we'd been waiting all weekend for. We collectively died and then came back to life cracking up and dancing really hard. "Positif" was played again... what is up with the Oizo revival lately? I have no complaints whatsoever, but it somehow validated our costumes even more, as if they needed to be in the first place... But anyway, DO NOT MISS 2MANYDJS AT ALL COSTS. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT. YOU WILL REGRET MISSING THEM. I DON'T CARE WHO ELSE IS PLAYING AT THE SAME TIME. I wonder if I'd miss Crookers for them? Let's not talk about that right now...
LOL JUSTICE (photo by Emely Portillo)
...And let's NOT talk about how the Gaspards almost met. Yes, the REAL one (or at least the one from Justice). During 2ManyDJs we were at the barrier at the front of the stage, and we just happened to be right next to the backstage entrance. I randomly looked away from the stage at one point, and I wasn't sure if I was about to have a seizure or a heart attack when I saw him standing several feet from me, about to walk out into the crowd. Fortunately for him and fortunately for me, he decided not to after the bouncer made the wise decision to direct him to an alternate exit that didn't involve being swallowed up by a sea of rabid and rolling fans... not to mention a female impersonator of him. UGH!
Will the real Gaspard please stand up? (photo by Emely Portillo)
As you could imagine, tonight was a way more tiring night. It was generally a more bassy, energetic night, and the double header of Crookers and 2ManyDJs left me completely... flat beat. I don't remember dancing harder in one night in my whole life. Modeselektor were good, and people were raving about them afterwards, but I was too tired to enjoy it as much as I could. After Crookers and 2ManyDJs, I don't think I could care about anything else anyway, even with the fake alien autopsy happening onstage...
MOST EPIC WEEKEND EVER. Oh yeah and we saw a guy with a Germs t-shirt too. LA NEEDS HARD!!! FUCK THE HATERS, BECAUSE HARD IS BACK WITH A VENGEANCE!!! I feel sorry for anyone who missed out on HARD Haunted. I already can't wait til next year... any costume suggestions?
On November 14th, 2009 the monthly PartyGirls was back at Señor Fish for Riot Grrrl Night. It was a night of 90s and Riot Grrrl awesomeness. Unfortunately, we got there too late for the bands, as we were at the Tribal Café. But we were there for the dancing and DJs.
DJ bringing it back to the 90s
Having fun!
Michaelvincent is soooo 90s
Our friend Michaelvincent always knows how to put on a good party! I don't know how long I've been waiting for a Riot Grrrl club night! Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be many other fellow Riot Grrrls, but whatever, I still danced my ass off to all the Bikini Kill tracks, and I think the funniest part of the night was when a mid-90's triple header came on: Veruca Salt's "Seether", Republica's "Ready to Go", and Lush's "Ladykillers", all in a row! I swear my adolescence was never THIS amusing! What made "Seether" even funnier was the fact that a girl came up between me and Amy , grabbed us, and started grinding us in a bizarre dance sandwich! LOL I had a chuckle when they played Suede's 1999 single "Can't Get Enough" (argh I hate how they had to be called The London Suede here in the US), and I was really delighted to hear Chromeo. Fun, eclectic, and I have a question for those kids who apparently requested electro: You're at a Riot Grrrl night, what did you really expect to hear?
Unlike a lot of other clubs, they even have affordable GOOD food: they serve tacos in the outside patio for $1.50, they're freshly made and it's the REAL shit... and yes, they have chorizo, al pastor, and lengua! To me, a place is for real if they have more than just chicken and carne asada. The only criticism I have is that there doesn't seem to be anything veggie friendly at the moment.
It's on every second Saturday night of the month, so do yourself a favor and check it out: Facebook: PartyGirls, Inc
DGAF has discovered that you just can't go wrong at the Tribal Café . It's definitely become one of my favorite venues to see friends' bands. It's a small, cozy place, but the vibe is good, and it's a nice little place to hang out. It also doubles as a surprisingly decent place to see bands. The best part is that it's all ages, and it serves delicious food!
Don't let the word "café" fool you, because I've seen places way bigger that are actually labeled "restaurants" or "diners" and they don't have a FRACTION of what's on the menu at the Tribal Café. They have an endless selections of smoothies, shakes, freshly-made juices, and that's not even counting all the other canned and bottled beverages that they carry. And don't even get me started on the food! I still can't even remember half of what I saw on the menu... but they serve everything from chicken adobo to tortas to veggie burgers to vegan waffles and everything else in between. Like The Waffle that we previously reviewed, this place literally has something for everyone! And yes, the food is delicious and inexpensive. There's couches to sit on and books to read...
It's also rare to be at such a cool venue, eating good food, AND seeing a show where every single band was good! Thanks to Last Legs for setting such an awesome night up!
Our friends The Stoned Koalas opened with a fun, energetic set. Odi, John, & Efrain definitely brought it! They're all so down to earth and friendly... so don't be afraid to say hi to them! They all genuinely love music and their diverse influences show. They're not afraid to go up on stage and just be themselves. They don't need labels or pretentiousness, they just play and have a good time... the party's on this side!
I was surprised and impressed by the sass and catchy tunes of On the Five. They were kind of punk, kind of poppy, and yet managed to rock the violin in each song!
Last Legs, though, are the troopers of the night. They were not only short a member (Deirdre, who was at home sick with food poisoning!) but Maria had just recently had foot surgery and had to walk with crutches! Andrew and Maria performed as a duo, with Maria sitting down and Deirdre's pre-recorded drum tracks playing in the background, and still managed to WORK IT! The sound levels were good, It was still a tight set, and they pulled it off with flying colors. Be sure to check them out! I can't really describe their sound... I'd call it noise-pop, and you'll find yourself singing and dancing along to their songs.
DGAF stands for Don't Give A Fuck, and we use it to describe the most ridiculous, hilarious, craziest, badass people/places/events/crap we know in existence. Yes, we are in this category. You don't start a blog about DGAF without being a little DGAF yourself. CMYK is the Coolest Motherfuckers You Know: Suzanarchist and Shimosh. and we Don't Give A Fuck
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