Sheena Beaston

MEN: Sweat Off Our Backs at Knitting Factory

After Friday night's ragingly-rad MEN show at Knitting Factory BK, there's really no question or denying why the three-piece is one of my most oft loved and raved about bands you need to know. Performing on the second eve of Northside Festival, and headlining a night that saw CREEP open the festivities, JD Samson, Michael O'Neill and Ginger Brooks Takahashi cemented a memorable night of music and emotions, as well as a lasting footprint within these pages.

 

 

The social relevance (and timeliness) of music has never been more evident than within the lyrics and arrangements of MEN's songs. With a penchant for tightly-crafted electropop, the trio's compositions speak volumes of their combined talents, as well as the importance of their cultural and personal devotions.

 

Powering through a 45 minute set balanced on the material we can't quit (Off Our Backs, Credit Card Babie$ and Simultaneously), along with Make It Reverse (which we'd only heard in some early demos), MEN also welcomed audience feedback, a guest speech from Emily Roysdon and a thoroughly-deserved encore, in which they performed a cover of Bronski Beat's Smalltown Boy. As the show fell on the eve of NYC's Pride Weekend festivities, we couldn't have been prouder to share in MEN's fascinating display of music and passion.

 

Video of Make It Reverse is below a few images, in which the full gallery can be viewed here. You can also catch my 2-minute clip of Simultaneously here. I was too busy swoon-dancing to film it all.

 

 

   

 

  

 

mp3: MEN - Simultaneously (Live Version) (HQ)  

 

 

The Hundred In The Hands: In To It at Warsaw

You might have thought at this point, I'd run out of praising words to write about The Hundred in the Hands. So not the case, in fact, I've got hundreds of heartfelt hurrahs in my hands (see what I did there?) to dish out, especially after catching the pair live at Warsaw last night, playing to a full crowd of kids on the first night of Northside Festival.

  

 

Chalk it up to being on tour for the past month with The Golden Filter, or maybe it's a refinery of their sound since the release of their EP, but The Hundred in the Hands blew me away with a perfect performance, that was both engaging and entrancing. Beginning with the fan favorite, Tom Tom, the half hour set included an extended version of one of my favorite songs in Ghosts (video of that below) before rounding out with the much riffier and totally danceable song, Dressed in Dresden.

 

If I might...one more time...do your ears the hugest favor in the world and start obsessively listening to The Hundred in the Hands. Buy their This Desert EP here.

 

More images from last night's show can be viewed here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

mp3: The Hundred in the Hands - Ghosts (Sun Airway Remix)

 

 

Menya - You Can't Hurry Love (The Supremes Cover) [new video!]

Here'a a "just because" post for you. Just because we're used to hearing our pals Menya sing and rap about "eating someone's cheesesteak" and being "down to f**k", doesn't mean that they can't get all gushy and sappy and crank out a simply sweet video and cover song.

 

  

Here, the trio of Coco Dame, Angie Ripe and Good Goose do a little Supremes with their take on You Can't Hurry Love.

 

Man, that hippo is a jerk.

 

Watch below, then catch Menya during Northside Festival this Sunday June 27. Details here.

 

 

  

mp3: Menya - DTF

 

 

Northside Festival is June 24-27, 2010: Enter to Win Badges and an iPad!

To help you get excited about this year's Northside Festival, The L Magazine is giving away some cool shit and free badges. You can win a hot new iPad and VIP All Access badges. Just do as the below instructions state and bam bam bam, you're entered like a boss!

 

 

  

So what all can you win? Entry link is here.

 

 

1 Grand Prize Winner
- iPad 3G
- VIP All Access badges for you and a friend
- Free t-shirt

2 Runner Up Winners
- VIP All Access badges for you and a friend
- T-shirts for you and a friend

5 3rd Place Winners
- Regular festival badge
- T-shirt

**Note: Winners will be notified via email the week of the festival. Northside Festival is June 24-27, 2010. 
  
See you at the fest!

 

 

  

mp3: Moby (featuring Gwen Stefani) - Southside

 

MEN - Credit Card Babie$ (Stereogamus Bath House Remix) [new video!]

Been a hot lil' minute since MEN came popping into Beastonia, so here we go with a brand new video for their super infectious jam, Credit Card Babie$. A while back, we loved up on the Stereogamus Bathouse Version of the song, and with some colorful new visuals, we have every reason to give it the one-two spin again today.

 

 

In this video, directed and produced by Frankie Martin, the remixed sounds of MEN see a ragtag crew of characters dancing all over the city. Special effects help comes courtesy of Alex Miller, with a mural by Maya Hayuk. Watch all the fun below.

 

Oh and NYC, get ready to dance your socks off...because MEN hits Brooklyn's Knitting Factory on June 25 as part of Northside Festival. Get a ticket here.

  

 

  

mp3: MEN - Simultaneously (Lauren Flax Remix)