You can go catch him live tonight at 697 North Miami Ave. Miami, FL. Doors open at 11PM.

Here’s a long overdue interview with him.

Theophilus London |  Vashtie |  Jesse Boykins

Video By:

Edit/GFX: Andy Blazquez
Director of Photography: Markus Oskarsson
Production: Barbie Bertisch

Special Thanks to:

Overthrow, Sam Baum, Caleb Gauge, Grand Central

The Old 4th Ward

Don’t Give Up  (Cover – The Whitest Boy Alive)

Show Stokeswood some love:

iTunes |  Website |  Facebook |  MySpace

Documented by: Life.is

Directed By: Stian Roenning
Edit & GFX: Andy Blazquez
Camera Artists: Markus Oskarsson & Sam Gualtieri
Location: Studio 1415

Video by: Andy Blazquez & Ingi Larusson
Photography: Stian Roenning
Produced and Styling: Aban Sonia
Hair and Make-up: Naomi Robles
Panic Bomber Manager: Paddy Scaca
Assistant Styling: Brandon Fogel
Production Assistant: Lauren Portilo
Location: Studio 1415
Additional Thanks:
Dead Legend Doors: Stian Roenning & Sam Gualtieri
Authentic Sarajevo Minefield Street Sign: Mike Raveney

Winter Music Friday…  We met with Pirate Stereo to document the making of WMC Safehouse – the ultimate after ultra EP release party. Besides PS, the event featured Dj Santiago Caballero, Chris Schoen and Ayad & Jeff of Passion Pit. Click. Play. Now.

The EP: The Thrive of the Thrill

The new EP (listen/download here) is the first release on their new label, PS Records. We’re liking it and so shall you.

Befriend & Follow:

piratestereo.com | TOTT | Myspace | Facebook | Twitter

Video Credits:

By: Andy & Ingi for Life.is  -   Photography: Markus Oskarsson

Pirate Stereo as Pirate Stereo  -  Legion as Event Producers

Santi as Dj Santiago Caballero  -  Chris as Chris Schoen

Guy at the end of the video  in the crowd as “That guy”

With that concept in mind, Diesel decided to help boost the music industry and take Diesel:U:Music, a project that began in 2001, and turn in into what has now become one of the largest world tours yet. Diesel:U:Music has stopped by Berlin, New York, Tokyo, Helsinki, Oslo, Paris, Madrid, London, and Vienna, with the next two stops being Miami and Sydney. The tour featured artists like Passion Pit, Theophilus London, The Roots, Peaches, Heartsrevolution, Lilly Allen, The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, Big Pink, The Cool Kids, The Glimmers, special appearances by Kanye West and Lykke Li, and more.

The next stop of the D:U:M tour will take place on Tuesday, November 17th in Miami, bringing headliners Kid Cudi and Santigold to the Paris Theater (550 Washington Ave) for a night of fun, music, and drinks. A limited amount of passes were handed out at the local Diesel stores and, as an employee, I get in on the fun! Doors open at 9PM on Tuesday, so, if you get a chance, go pick up a ticket at any Miami location.

I’m excited about this upcoming event and I hope to see you all there. In the meantime, check out these videos from the previous stops of the 2009 tour:

Saturday nights at Stian Roenning’s Studio 1415 can get pretty interesting, to say the least. This week included a photo shoot with Boston based DJs Pirate Stereo. Also, fish-tank head-dunking, jean-ripping high-kicks and jumping off the top of 12 foot ladders on to a makeshift safety mattress… All in a days work.

In between ladder jumps, we sat down with Pirate Stereo and talked about their music, groupies and the odd requests to play “cumbia” at their gigs.

Myspace: @piratestereo |  Twitter: @piratestereo |  Facebook: Link

Directed/Edited/GFX: Andy Blazquez

Director of Photography: Ingi Lar

Still Photography: Stian Roenning

Creative: Sam Baum

After five minutes of hanging out with Danny Daze, one thing becomes outstandingly clear – This guy IS NOT messing around. Because of a very busy schedule, he hadn’t slept for three days prior to the interview and was leaving to London a few hours after we wrapped. Surprisingly, he remained focused and well-spoken as he shared his thoughts on following his dreams, music and… umm, Dolly Parton?

Artist: Danny Daze  |  Twitter: @dannydaze |  Myspace: @djdannydaze

Director / Editing / GFX: Andy Blazquez
Director of Photography: Ingi Lar
Special Thanks: Bianca Alvarez, Arlette Carlin

Expectations were through the roof as I stood in line waiting to get in. it was definitely a weird set up; wooden tables in the middle of the dance floor made Kukaramakara look cluttered. People were sitting and chatting like it was a picnic on a Sunday afternoon, but the music set a different tone. The DJ was spinning some familiar south American tunes and it was a nice atmosphere, which I did not expect out of a Colombian club, sorry!

I had made my way to one of the guys from the crew and told him about my intentions of sitting down with the band to have a quick chat, he took my card and said I might be able to after the show. I was a woman with a mission.

Needless to say, the show was beyond amazing. Babasonicos sounded great, better than ever, and with that classic badass attitude that they exude. The set list consisted of mostly newer songs, but I was surprised to hear their classic “Seis Virgenes Descalzas” (or six barefoot virgins). Opening with Cuello Rojo from their latest album, Mucho, they started off with great energy and made us dance from the get-go. Considering I wasn’t at my usual concert alcohol levels, it was amazing.

During the show, I had set myself directly in front of the stage, right in the middle. I could have smelled their sweat, if I had tried, that is.  When the show ended, Mariano, the guitarist, approached me and asked if my name was Barbie. I nodded, shocked, but I tried to keep it together. One of the crewmembers approached me and told me he would take me backstage for an interview. Ten minutes and a backstage wristband later, there I was: smoking cigarettes with Babasonicos, my favorite South American band.

This is my attempt to explain the oddness of the situation. There were girls everywhere, alcohol, and equipment being moved back and forth. I sat down and chatted with them about fans, travel, music, and fashion. I sat with lead singer Adrian Dargelos, Mariano “Roger” Dominguez, Diego “Uma-T” Tuñon, and Carca, and went on and on for about two whole hours, while the rest of the band walked around the place.

One of the first things I noticed was that there were no more camera flashes in the room. I then learned that it somehow bothered some of the guys in the band that people would only take pictures or record videos from the show… for them, it is all about living the moment through your eyes, not a screen. I agreed. Besides, how else would you enjoy the hypnotizing music and moves if you were living it through a lens?

I asked guitarist, Mariano “Roger” Dominguez, how the tour had been so far. He said that he was happy to have toured again, but that playing 40 cities in 90 days is exhausting. Miami was their last stop in the US, and they are playing in Chile in a few days.

For those who know about the beginnings of Babasonicos, the band started off with a very experimental sound, which made people label them as indie music, or new wave. It was after their album Jessico, that they reached a mainstream fan base. Mariano discussed how people now accuse them of selling out, but then I looked around the room and thought, if selling out allows you to travel the world, play for a crowd, and party? Why not? If it pays the bills…

They explained how they are humbled every time they visit the US. This is not their turf. Apparently, they are allowed to go all out in South America while touring, but being in this country is different. They have yet to break through the American market. This topic made me drift off to the more personal questions and fans. What was it about them that made the girls want to tear their clothes off for them?

It seemed like every guy in the room was chatting some girl up. There was something about this group of Argentine men that drove us nuts, not going to lie. Somehow, though, it didn’t seem as if the guys were all trying to find a female companion for their last night in Miami. As I looked over to say hi to a friend, I asked Diego “Uma-T Tuñon (keyboards), why he hadn’t stopped dancing throughout the show. He joked around and said that he enjoys dancing more than playing. He was definitely the funkiest looking guy out of the bunch.

I began to talk about music. Being a huge Depeche Mode fan, I brought the subject up. As some of you might know, DM is performing this Saturday, September 5^th. Mariano enlightened me and told me which album he liked the most (Ultra) and that they opened for Depeche Mode, along with INXS and Soul Asylum, in Argentina back in 1994. He said that everyone hated them. Funny how things work, right?

In the middle of the show, I had typed up the name of one of their songs on my phone: PARAGUAYANA. I got his attention while he was playing; he came up to me and read what I had written. He then told me that he thought it was hilarious. I guess I had managed to amuse him by wanting them to play one of my favorite songs… Mariano said it was an old song, that somehow, they might have forgotten how to play it.

After that, I was the one answering the questions. How long ago did I leave Argentina? Who do I live with here? Do I ever go back? It seemed surreal to be hanging out with the guys that give a soundtrack to my life.  I explained that I am a fashion design student, that I work retail besides interviewing people backstage (and write about fashion) for Life.is.

The conversation turned to fashion. Babasonicos stopped by The Webster. They said they were mesmerized: so many cool clothes, so expensive. I told them that it was pretty much the most exclusive boutique in Miami.

It was getting late, I was exhausted but wanted to keep chatting with the band. When some girl walked in to have the boys sign some underwear she had bought, the guys seemed a little put off. Mariano whispered saying she had made him sign eight of those already.

I offered to take them on a night out on the town, but, apparently, their entourage was too big to try to organize anything. Wanting to spend more time with them, I sadly hugged them goodbye. I knew I had gotten what I wanted. My goal of stepping backstage had been accomplished and it was time go home.

Here is the complete set list for those crazy fans, like me:

Cuello Rojo

El Idolo

El Colmo

Las Demas

Como Eran Las Cosas

Seis Virgenes Descalzas

Pijamas

Yo Anuncio

Irresponsables

Carismatico

Yegua

Pendejo

Asi Se Habla

Y Que?

Putita

Estoy Rabioso

Microdancing

Encore included Risa and Sin Mi Diablo.

Last sunday I had the pleasure to enjoy an amazing music-filled day in my new neighborhood (Williamsburg-Brooklyn). The city has been doing summer concerts every sunday called The Pool Parties, just a couple of blocks from where I live. The months of July and August were filled with 3 to 5 band sets in one amazing location overseeing the East River and Manhattan…Unfortunately, missed most of them.

The Pool Parties performances include bands like Dirty Projectors, The Black Lips, Deerhunter, Fiery Furnaces, Girl Talk and more. Grizzly Bear was the headliner for the end of the concert series and this time I couldn’t miss it for anything in the world. It was stunning to hear such a talented group of guys, all singing and switching instruments without any effort from clarinets and flutes to electronic ones and some instruments I couldn’t even recognize. I’ve always been a fan of their harmonies and the mix between electronic and traditional instruments so it was great to see how it is that they do it.

There were two more bands who I’ve never heard of but they were pretty cool, Vega and Beach House, Vega was more like a happy band from Texas, they reminded me a lot of Black Kids. Beach House was a good combination of a head singing girl with a beautiful voice, a good looking guy with experimental guitars and a drummer who just kept the beat. Overall I enjoyed their songs.

One of the highlights of Grizzly Bear’s performance was the song “Two Weeks” which is a very popular one, they brought out the girl from Beach House to do the harmonies while the sunset was reflecting rays on the stage, so the combination of a pink sky with the empire state building as the backdrop just made the whole experience almost surreal for a Miami girl who’s used to driving 2 hours north to hear the good music in an amphitheater overseeing a parking lot.

I realized this weekend that my little Samsung cell phone actually take decent pictures, check them out.

I found this video online

Check out the Pool Parties Website

Check out Grizzly Bear’s Website

Check out  Beach House’s Website

A few years back, Life.is/art writer and all around badass, Stian Roenning got dragged out of bed to interview one of the founders of Punk Rock… Marky Ramone.

The tape remained buried away in Stian’s studio until recently when he remembered: “Oh shit, I think I have an interview with Marky Ramone”

…and sure enough, he did.

In the video they discuss the origins of Punk and what advice he has for young musicians… We even added a few Ramones performances for good measure. Check it out below:

Interview by: Stian Roenning

Shot by: Stian Roenning

Edited by: Andy Blazquez