a slice o’ cielo…

I scribbled a lil something about a lil disco in NYC. Louie Vega sounds off…

12. Cielo, New York

Nightclubs are not built to last. The velvet rope is a fickle, wandering beast. In NYC’s cobblestoned Meat Packing District, Cielo has not only endured, it has thrived. Over the last five years, the little space with the big sound system has cultivated a loyal mix of nightcrawlers, from fly-by dilettantes to hardcore connoisseurs—both on the dancefloor, and in the DJ booth. Beloved stalwarts and white-hot upstarts, including co-founder and owner Nicolas Matar, Francois K, Carl Craig, and Loco Dice, work the decks like every night is the last night on the Titanic, giving dancers a blissfully different kind of soaking with remarkable consistency. Cielo aims for the sky—and fortunately for music lovers everywhere, the night only gets better from there…
- Jorge Hernandez

Louie Vega sounds off:
“Cielo captures New York City nightlife at its finest. Perfect sound, decor, atmosphere, and a great crowd.”

Metro Mix

New York discophiles were treated to a perfect Saturday afternoon mix of art, live music and a DJ set last weekend when Metro Area and Kelley Polar performed at PS1’s Warm Up. When I mentioned it to BPM, the editor requested a hang-out with Morgan before the interview. Who am I to object?
Previously, I’d also interviewed Kelley Polar, so the publicist hooked us up with stage access – free beer! If this keeps up, I’ll start looking like a mouthpiece for Environ, but when you’re talking about disco-rati like Geist, Polar and our chum Danny Wang, fuck it. A few moments on the dance-floor, and you’ll be gushing too.
Terre and I took a “trip” out to LIC to meet up with Anna, who was there to take pictures; we all pulled up to the line at the same time. Inside there was some confusion with bracelets – beer, or VIP, or both? How many stamps and plastic bands does one need?
Polar performed with a live band and strings for that full-on old-school real disco effect. Metro Area, naturally threw down a smart, sexy set that touched on all their influences – disco, new wave, R&B, Italo House.
Morgan’s new solo disc “Double Night Time” features Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys and will be out in October. Meanwhile, here’s some pix and flix of the boys in action. You know where to go for more.

Go West!

I‘ve already (just) mentioned All Points West a few times – did ya hear, I went?!

So instead of distant fuzzy Blackberry shots of artists on stage,here’s a few snaps of getting and being there.

Beautiful Burnouts

Underworld came rolling into town for All Points West, and for an exhibit at the Howard Gallery on the Upper East Side. Even though I missed the whole “East 50’s” art thing back in the day, it’s fun trying to sniff out ghosts. The Beautiful Burnout Artjam was part of the pro-Tibet Art of Peace Foundation’s collaboration with APW and a CD. Several artists, including Underworld contributed a track.
I finally landed an interview with them for Resident Adivsor, so I was looking forward to meeting Karl Hyde and seeing them live again. At the reception, I ran into fab shooter Tina Paul and Arhlene (Hi Tina, you self-Googler, you!) and met the ladies from Magnum PR. Siouxz the queen bee of NYC indie publicists gave me my first interview with Dot Allison for Urb – 6 years ago. Ever since, we’ve had a good time working together, despite all the unfulfilled RSVPs. Also there was Craig Roseberry, whose BPM write up on Marving Gaye’s “Here, My Dear” album was in the same issue with my Quiet Village piece.
We got drunk on free beer and wine, talked shit about the state of the magazine and music business, swore to start something new, and dripped sweat into our drinks in the hot, crowded gallery. One piece included fresh paint, and as the night wore on and the kegs tapped out, I noticed more than one person wiping their clothes off. Tragic groupie that I am, I introduced myself to Karl, and stalker-like babbled about seeing them “in Miami, in Central Park, and now New Jersey!” As he began to point out a few of his pieces (Artjam’s a collaboration with their Tomato studio), someone else came along and snatched him up. Touché! (Besides, there was a Brazilian beast across the gallery playing look-away with me.)
After the exhibit, a few people made their way to Gilles Peterson at Cielo, or Soulwax at Hiro – or both. Me, I had an early meeting the next day, so I stumbled to 5th Ave and hopped a cab across the park and home. The next day, after work and several meetings, I hopped the ferry to Liberty Park in Jersey City. Whenever I burn out on this whole hustle, I have a beautiful night (and weekend) like this and I remember why I lived on unemployment and couch-surfed for 2 years to make it happen. Up next, Morgan Geist for BPM, and Bomb the Bass for Earplug. Hey, somebody’s gotta do it.

Girl Talking

On a sweltering day in July, I met up with Gregg ‘Girl Talk‘ Gillis for an Earplug interview at Bubby’s in Tribeca – “famous for their pies and homemade sodas”. Anna met up with us and took a few pictures, one of which they liked for the story – and one, which clearly did not. (Sadly, the Sakamoto interview is “on hold” – but at least we got a good couple pictures.) We sweet-talked the hostess into giving us a private corner so we could “do this in peace”. The interview will be up soon.
Here’s a link to a PA Rep Dolye speaking up in defense of him – comparing sampling to Paul McCartney lifting a Chuck Berry riff. There’s also a cool rotoscope video made by some Canadian university students. Such is the devotion.
To download the album on a pay-as-you-wish basis, check the Girl Talk site.
A few days after this interview, Gillis played All Points West. I went courtesy of Underworld, and as much as I dug them and mopey Radiohead, Friday night was all about the Girl Stage. In the crowd and on stage, it was a beach blanket mashup. I forgot my camera, so Youtube away.

I Know ur Girlfriend Hates Me

Oh, Annie. Ur cute, stylish, throw down a mean set, hang with the funkiest white boys, and then, then there’s that winking Betty Boop voice, those bubbly beats, and ricochet lyrics to match the dicey titles. Ur like Parker Posey on helium. You sent a demo to Saint Etienne and wound up touring with them. You both diss hysterical girlfriends that turn the disco down. Girlfriends may hate you, but we heart you, madly, deeply. (And lord knows, we ain’t turning the disco down any time soon…)