Erotic City

Aw, crap. We'd spent too much time at the The Waffle again. But it's not difficult when you've got good company and good food, all at 25% off because of a Facebook promotion. Red velvet waffles, and gluten-free waffles that taste like cake are not a game, and neither are waffle ice cream sandwiches. PB Wolf was due to play at Freak City down the street in 15 minutes, and we hadn't even got our check.

We did our best to hurry to Freak City before midnight, but with so much stuff going on that Saturday night in Hollywood, parking of course was a bitch. I didn't think we'd make it. It was approaching 12:30 when we were finally walking into the venue. The $5 cover charge was a good deal, but shit, had we already missed half his set? Or maybe his entire set if he was only doing a short one! Argh! Dammit!

Whatever... as I was waiting for Lisa and Shimosh to pay, I saw a man wearing a racoon cap suddenly appear behind them. Uh... um... HOLD UP. There is only ONE person in the whole world who can rock that look... and YES, OMG IT WAS PB WOLF!!! Wait! WTF? What the hell was he doing here? Right when we happened to come in? Wasn't he already playing??? Had he already played??? I was so taken by surprise that I only managed a lackluster "hi" when he passed by.

But that's ok, a few minutes later I managed to get a picture with him:



WU-TANG! He was super nice and down to earth. The best part was finding out that he hadn't played yet... I'd seen him play nothing but '90s videos at FYF last year and I caught him at Club Nokia on New Year's Eve, and I was kinda blown away both times, so I was expecting nothing less tonight. It's an '80s night tonight. He HAS to play Prince, I thought.



When he launched into a ton of eclectic '80s shit I'd never heard or saw before, I was impressed. He KNOWS his shit. He doesn't have to rely on hits to rock the party. Some of it sounded familiar, and I know I've heard more than one or two songs on 93.5 KDAY or HOT 92.3 (formerly The Beat). The videos make it so much more engaging and nostalgic. He introduces you to so much new shit while bringing you back to the stuff you already know, and it's so fucking fluid how he does it, you barely notice the songs/videos changing, no matter how many genres he treads...



...LIKE WHEN, WITHOUT WARNING, HE SUDDENLY HIT US WITH RASPBERRY BERET!!!



It felt like pure blissful victory. He chose the right song with the right video for the mood. He could have gone the obvious route and given us something from "Purple Rain", but he's PB Wolf and he knows what the fuck he's doing. Especially when he played what looked like a rehearsal video of Michael Jackson's "Thriller".

There is something undeniably hypnotic about what he does. You have to witness PB Wolf VJ to truly understand the magic. I've suddenly found myself getting more into the '80s lately, bizarrely enough. I've never particularly liked that decade much until pretty recently. Maybe it's too much French electro? Or Prince? But whatever the reason, PB Wolf gave me even more of an appreciation to the ridiculous aesthetics and decadence of that era. Not every DJ has that kind of effect on you.



Freak City is an interesting venue; it's got tons of rooms, it's got a little shop upstairs, and it's full of coked-out hipsters. In fact, I swear I saw an American Apparel model there. It's got a cool intimate vibe but sadly became apparent that most of the people were there to be seen and not really there for the music. I saw so many people just randomly start dancing out of nowhere for a few songs then just completely disappear upstairs or to another room. I couldn't tell if they were even feeling it, and a lot of them weren't even paying attention the videos. But whatever, that's their loss if they're too cool to appreciate PB Wolf but are hip enough to go to Freak City and know when to dance because the '80s are kind of in right now.

But props to the people who were there for real, like this guy, who wins DGAF audience member of the night. He was constantly at the front, feeling every note of every song, dancing his ass off, I mean this is what I am talking about and this is how it should be:



Wow, even Mayer Hawthorne made an appearance:



A dope end to a dope night, yeah, fuck Ed Hardy:



And one more thing: PB Wolf, will you marry me?

ChromeOMGUG

HAPPY 2010, everybody!

To celebrate the end of a ridiculous year and the beginning of another ridiculous year, CMYK + some DGAF friends went to see Chromeo & Peanut Butter Wolf at Club Nokia. 2009 was great, but in 2010, we're doing it again! The first song we heard as we went in was Skee-Lo's "I Wish", and we knew it was gonna be a night to remember.



The show started off with Gaslamp Killer, who has the best hair I've ever seen on a DJ. The way he was rocking out, our friend BJones commented "it looks like his hair's going to fly away." Dubsteppy and fun.

Then Vega hit the stage. The singer had a fro and a leather vest. He is full of inside jokes. Let's not forget that they looked like At the Drive In if they were a Jonas Brothers cover band. Ok, they weren't THAT bad. They were cute indie pop.

And then... PEANUT BUTTER WOLF. Sorry everybody, I love Chromeo, but this was the main event for me. After experiencing the magic of PB Wolf back in September at FYF, I was expecting nothing short of genius. Chromeo was a definite contender, but this was pretty much the deciding factor for me to ditch HARD NYE this year and go to Club Nokia. I waited in anticipation to end 2009 with PB Wolf... and let me tell you. He KNOWS how to end a decade.

Of COURSE he starts off with Serge Gainsbourg, as if he saw Shimosh's "I Love French Boys" t-shirt. We all laughed and stared at the video projection in disbelief. But when Michael Jackson's "They Don't Care About Us" suddenly popped into the mix with no warning, I was awestruck. When ODB came in out of nowhere, I swear I almost broke out in tears. I mean I'd witnessed 2ManyDJs mix Dolly Parton into Slayer... but this was on another level for me.

And so he began his onslaught of hip hop videos, from old skool to '90s and '00s, while still somehow managing to fit Flight of the Conchords, Phoenix, and the Cure into the mix! (And by the way, did anybody notice that Modjo probably got "Lady" from the very first verse of Michael Jackson's "Working Day and Night"?) DAMMIT! I realized I should have requested DMX's "Up in Here" when he was requesting videos for this NYE show on Twitter!

During PB Wolf's set, a very small child came out on stage. His name is Miles, aka Baby Boogaloo. Maybe you've seen him on Ellen, but he's an adorable and tiny dancer! He was actually on stage for FYF but we could barely see him from where we were standing. Check those terrible videos I took with my phone...



Miles, aka Baby Boogaloo


look at him go!!!


Miles & his daddy

Sorry for the terrible quality. But regardless, it was a treat! Baby Boogaloo is DGAF!

And again, PB Wolf ended his set with Wu-Tang's "Triumph". Another tear in my eye... but once the projections stopped and the screen was put away, he proved himself still a formidable DJ without the visuals. I could not have asked for a better finale to 2009. Thank you PB Wolf. What a way to countdown to 2010...

10!

9!

8!

7!

6!

5!

4!

3!

2!

1!

CHROMEO!



Yup, they brought on the non-stop dance party to kick off 2010 with a whole lot of 80's style funk... WOW!!! The 80's were 3 decades ago now! Who cares when Chromeo brings it, it never sounds outdated. Songs like "Tenderoni", "Fancy Footwork", and "Night By Night", have you almost wishing for a jheri curl revival (or is that just me?). And P-Thugg is the world talkbox champion, let's not even kid ourselves. We at DGAF are so glad we got to see them play live finally. They're pretty slick DJs, and again P-Thugg's talkbox is unbelievable during mixes, but they are a fun live party band!



Thee Mike B ended the night with a schizo mash-up of club hits, dance tracks, hip hop jams, and pop songs. It was the start of a new year, a new decade, and the finish of another exhausting night of dancing.

Now all 2010 needs is a Club DGAF.

DGAF of the year 2009

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...

it's driving me out of my mind... that's why it's hard for me to find... PB WOLF IS DGAF!!!

I think I just broke a DGAF record for laggiest blog... it's nearing the end of October, and we saw PB Wolf at FYF on September 5. But that's why this blog is called DGAF, right?

I would do a review of Fuck Yeah Fest 2009 but I thought it wouldn't be complete without photos... and since we took the Metro, we decided to leave Shimosh's camera at home so we didn't have to risk not being able to get in. It was an $8 well spent, as we caught the one-day sale. Some of the highlights included Lightning Bolt, who were gloriously brutal experimental art punk, Tim & Eric, who did a hilarious and ridiculously legit parody of a '70s rock set, and No Age, who blew me away with their fractured distorted '90-style noise pop. I couldn't believe the sound and energetic buzz that this 2-person band could make, and the drummer was dropping relentlessly tight beats while doing vocals. PROPS!!!

But let's not even mess around here. The undisputed highlight of FYF was none other than the mighty PEANUT BUTTER WOLF. Sorry if this isn't punk or indie enough for you hipsters, because this was the only VJ at FYF and that's DGAF.

I'd heard all about him, and after tons of missed opportunities to see him, I realized what I'd been missing:

(Thank you to atwaterville for posting this!!!)

I wasn't sure what to expect at first, but the moment he introduced himself to the crowd and proclaimed, "I'm gonna take you back to the '90s for the next 45 minutes", I almost had a damn seizure. I almost pissed myself when Bell Biv Devoe 's "Poison" came on the screen, complete with bad green screen and a mean ass hook. If you don't understand what I mean, you definitely need to see this:


It continued with a total onslaught of nothing but '90s hip hop videos, including ODB, Snoop Dogg, Kriss Kross (I HATE to admit this but I realized these fucking kids actually had a bit of flow!!!), Portishead, Naughty By Nature, Cypress Hill... I can't even remember them all but all I can remember for sure is that he kept on assaulting us with '90s classic after '90s classic!!! I didn't know whether to laugh or dance! I did both for the entire 45 minutes! I TOLD YOU THE '90s WERE BACK!!!

I must say, however, I give him the most props the finale with WU-TANG'S "TRIUMPH". He even asked the crowd if anyone knew the lyrics, and I think I was the only one who raised my hand. TO END YOUR SET AT A WEST COAST SHOW WITH AN EAST COAST RAP SONG, ESPECIALLY ONE WITHOUT A CHORUS TAKES SOME MAJOR DGAF!!! I threw up the Wu-Tang sign while getting teary-eyed. Truly a triumph. Truly DGAF. He admitted that this was the first time FYF allowed hip hop! Thank you, PB Wolf, for making my night, and thereby possibly ruining my life in the best possible way.

I barely caught him out of the corner of my eye as I was talking to someone from my old school later, and he disappeared into the crowd... but that's ok, I gave him props on Twitter later, which isn't even a fraction as cool. I personally wanted to thank him for taking me back to the '90s.

He's playing in LA at Club Nokia on NYE... I'm definitely placing my bets for going to that. What a way to ring in a very DGAF 2010. To be continued...