arts

Need a Distraction?

Fri, 28 May 2010 20:16:08 +0100

Warning: train wreck ahead! Enjoy!

The Art of Flattery: Swimwear

Thu, 27 May 2010 18:21:05 +0100

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim is presented annually in Miami Beach, Florida. The event provides a runway platform for designers' swimwear and resort collections. Fashion comes to South Beach to celebrate the hottest swimwear designs for summer. The art of flattery will be from July 15th-19th.

Lady Gaga and Beyonce Telephone Music Video

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:01:19 +0100

Miss Conan O'Brien?

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:05:49 +0100

Fear not! Conan is taking his show on the road! The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Televison Tour starts April 12th. You can purchase your tickets at www.teamcoco.com. Here are the list of locations and dates:

Eugene, OR Hult Center For the Performing Arts

April 12

Buy Tickets

Vancouver, BC Orpheum Theatre

April 13

Buy Tickets

Vancouver, BC Orpheum Theatre

April 14

Buy Tickets

Spokane, WA INB Performing Arts Center

April 16

Buy Tickets

Enoch, AB River Cree Resort & Casino

April 17

Buy Tickets

Seattle, WA Marion Oliver McCaw Hall

April 18

Buy Tickets

Seattle, WA Marion Oliver McCaw Hall

April 19

Buy Tickets

San Francisco, CA Nob Hill Masonic Center

April 22

Buy Tickets

San Francisco, CA Nob Hill Masonic Center

April 23

Buy Tickets

Universal City, CA Gibson Amphitheater

April 24

Buy Tickets

Universal City, CA Gibson Amphitheater

April 25

Buy Tickets

San Diego, CA San Diego Civic Theatre

April 29

Buy Tickets

Phoenix, AZ Dodge Theatre

April 30

Buy Tickets

Las Vegas, NV The Pearl Concert Theatre - Palms Casino

May 01

Buy Tickets

Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort & Casino - Grand Theatre

May 04

Buy Tickets

San Jose, CA San Jose State University Events Center

May 05

Buy Tickets

Sacramento, CA Sacramento Memorial Auditorium

May 06

Buy Tickets

Boulder, CO Mackey Auditorium

May 09

Buy Tickets

Dallas, TX McFarlin Memorial Auditorium-SMU Campus

May 13

Buy Tickets

Austin, TX Austin Music Hall

May 14

Buy Tickets

Tulsa, OK Brady Theater

May 15

Buy Tickets

Kansas City, MO Midland Theatre

May 16

Buy Tickets

Minneapolis, MN Orpheum Theatre

May 18

Buy Tickets

Chicago, IL Chicago Theatre

May 19

Buy Tickets

Chicago, IL Chicago Theatre

May 20

Buy Tickets

Toronto, ON Massey Hall

May 22

Buy Tickets

Atlantic City, NJ Borgata Spa & Resort - Event Center

May 30

Buy Tickets

New York, NY Radio City Music Hall

June 01

Buy Tickets

New York, NY Radio City Music Hall

June 02

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Boston, MA Wang Theater

June 04

Buy Tickets

Boston, MA Wang Theater

June 05

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Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena

June 06

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Upper Darby, PA Tower Theatre

June 07

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Washington, DC Constitution Hall

June 08

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Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Music Festival

June 11

Buy Tickets

Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre

June 14

Coming Soon!!!!!!

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:42:01 +0100

In Case You Missed It

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:14:14 +0100

TheMensFashionBlog.com Congratulates Pink for her amazing artistic performance at the Grammy Awards.

Before the Music Ends. 9.30.09.

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:40:47 +0100

When is it too much?

What takes a local joe blow from being another guy in a local band to an international rock star is not the amount of bling hanging from his neck, or the number of tattoos on each arm. It's the fans. Without the fans, they are nothing, a bunch of nobodys. But where do they cross that line from being a devoted fan to become more?

Having been in this industry for a while, I've seen all kinds of fans. And depending on who it is, I fit different kinds of fans. However, I had an encounter with some mega uber fans this past weekend that made me rethink the way we define what a "fan" really is. Having scored two second row tickets to the sold out The Killers' show in Las Vegas, we were surrounded by "victims", the most exclusive and most hardcore of fans of this group. Now, I consider myself to be a HUGE fan of The Killers, but I would never pay to join a club that takes your money in return for some sort of validation that you could maybe be of some importance to a group that already makes millions. But hey, thats just me. One girl had the audacity to try to push my sister out of the way because it was her last The Killers' show on her mini tour-- meaning this girl had been going to every single show for the last two weeks, and sadly it was coming to an end. Sorry, little victim, but you're not going to get any sympathy from me; this was my sisters' first Killers concert, and this was my one and only show of their tour. I just simply had more important things, like a life, to do than to blow $1000 bucks to see the same show 10 times.

So, does it make me less of a fan if I'm not out chasing a tour bus or checking my twitter every 2.3 seconds to see if the guys have tweeted their exact location? No. But it makes me think about why I am a fan. Let's face it, the Killers are not known for their existentialist lyrics, but rather far from it (i.e., somebody told me you had a girlfriend that looks like a boyfriend that i had in february of last year... what?? huh??) They are a fun and entertaining group. They put on a hell of a killer show (no pun intended), and I pride myself in knowing that I've seen them develop as artists. Yes, and Brandon Flowers is one sexy mo-fo.

But then I look at myself as a fan of someone like, say, Springsteen. What he stands for, and what he sings about, combined with his talent as a musician and as an artist makes him the ultimate artist to me. Yet, i still wouldn't travel the world to watch him perform the same 1.5 hour long set 17 times. What differentiates me from the "victims" of the music world is that I live for listening to the messages that these people put across, and for the once in a lifetime experience that I get from every tour. Had I seen the Killers the same amount of times as any of those people at the show would have, for me, taken away from the magic that is to see your favorite performer on stage. So, I will apologize to the girl in front of me who was upset I called her ridiculous for twittering every song they performed and for having seen them 8 times in the last week, but, call me a bitch, or call me a snob, music and the performance of it, tends to have somewhat of a bigger significance to me. (I know, I'm going to get a lecture from our wonderful editor in chief, and uber Britney stalker for this one... but we still love him!)

Music for the week:

Two things I am BEYOND obsessed with. One track of the week, and one album of the week.

1) Track of the week is The Bravery's new single, Slow Poison, which makes me just want to wear my tightest skinny jeans, bright red lipstick, and head to the trendiest hipster spot and break out in an 80s dance. Enjoy!

2) Album of the week: The Pains of Being Pure At Heart's self titled Debut. Think late 1980s-early 1990s new wave pop-punk-grunge. Think The Smiths, Sleepyhead, and everything in between. New Wave is coming back, or as I call the the second wave. I hope you are all as obsessed with this record as I am!

-Dalit

dalit@themensfashionblog.com

Blink 182 Reunion Tour.

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:48:18 +0100

It has been a decade since Blink 182 became a mainstream band who flashed their naked bodies all over TRL in their What's My Age Again video. Since then, the band has gone through some turbulent times. Artistic differences caused Tom DeLonge to split from the band and join Angels and Airwaves while Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker went on to form the band +44. In 2008, a devastating plane crash happened involving Travis Barker and DJ AM; sadly, DJ AM passed away just recently from a reported drug overdose.

Earlier this year, the band decided to regroup and go on tour. On September 6th, I had the amazing opportunity to see them live again. Along with opening acts Chester French, Taking Back Sunday and Weezer, Blink went on to perform one of the first shows since their friend DJ AM passed away.

Blink 182 is back, and in my opinion, better than ever! Returning with the same dirty humor that we all fell in love with, Tom Delonge said he wanted to "do it with John Elway" only to suprise and plase thousands of fans in Denver. The music, of course, was amazing! They played all of my favorites, and I'm sure some of yours, too, including All The Small Things and Josie. I saw them about 4 years ago at the same venue and I must say, this concert was 200 times better with much more mature vocals and graphics. Travis Barker was definitely the highlight of the show, jamming out to songs and even doing a few solos. The encore was the best part of the show as Travis blew the audience away when he performed a solo on a flying drumset!

If you've got the chance to see Blink 182 live, do it! It was well worth it!

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.com.
Here are some upcoming dates and locations:

Sept. 12th- Wheatland, CA
Sept. 13th- Mountain View, CA
Sept. 14th- Bakersfield, CA
Sept. 23rd- Dallas, TX
Oct. 4th- New York City

-Joey

joey@themensfashionblog.com

Before the Music Ends. 8.25.09

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:11:28 +0100

I've been moving around in the last week from city to city (hello Los Angeles!) and amidst all the packing, I came across remnants of my late high school years and early college years. There were pictures, diaries, notes from friends, ticket stubs, and lists I had been compiling over the years for CD mixes that I had planned to make. So, I've decided to go ahead and finish my lists, look them over, and narrow them down to bring you a weekly playlist of songs to listen to for any given occasion. This week we're starting with the dreaded, yet highly entertaining list to research.... The Break Up Mix.

One of the reason I got into music in the first place is because of it really is universal. Name any emotion, and I guarantee you there is a song somewhere that will help you get passed it, or simply describe exactly what you're feeling. Music is something that people can always fall back on as a support system. I'm choosing to start with The Break Up Mix because a breakup is something that everyone goes through at some point. And during that time (assuming you were the dumped) you feel alone, sad, depressed, and like no one understands what you're feeling. Chances are, you're also asking yourself "why me?" and "will I ever survive this?" or something along those lines. Well guess what?!? Turn on the radio. You're not alone!! Did you know that songs about relationships ending account for about 70% of the music out there? Just a little trivia for you. Someone somewhere has already gone through what you're going through and has decided to turn it into music for you to listen to when you need to get all those tears out, or when you want to feel angry at the asshole (or bitch) that left you, or when you're simply reminiscing. During breakups, some people fall into their Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream modes, or sappy chick flicks like The Notebook... I choose to make a mixtape (CD, playlist... whatever theyre called these days). So here is my list. There are PLENTY more I have on there, but I can only write so many... Feel free to add your comments and suggestions.. I'm always looking for new songs to add to my mix!!

Don't Think Twice, It's Alright- Bob Dylan

"I'm walking down that long, lonesome road, babe. Where I'm bound, I can't tell. But goodbye's too good of a word, gal. So I'll just say fare thee well. I ain't sayin' you treated me unkind. You could have done better, but I don't mind. You just kinda wasted my precious time. But don't think twice, it's alright."

Last Goodbye- Jeff Buckley

"Well this is our last embrace. Must I dream and always see your face? Why can't we overcome this wall? Baby, maybe it's just because I didn't know you at all"Somebody That I Used To Know- Elliot Smith

"I had tender feelings that you made hard. But its your heart, not mine, thats scarred. So when I go home, I'll be happy to go. You're just somebody that I used to know"

You're ExLover is Dead- Stars

"There's one thing I want to say, so I'll be brave. You were what I wanted. I gave what I gave. I'm not sorry I met you, I'm not sorry it's over. I'm not sorry there's nothing to save"

Walk Away- Ben Harper

"They say time will make all this go away. But it's time that has taken my tomorrows and turned them into yesterdays"

I Wanted You To Feel The Same- The Radio Dept.

"It breaks my heart to say that when I was in pain, I wanted you to feel the same. But nothing gets you really, it's a shame. Can't believe you didn't feel a thing"

Skinny Love- Bon Iver

"I told you to be patient. I told you to be fine. I told you to be balanced. I told you to be kind. And in the morning I'll be with you, but it'll be a different 'kind'"

The Fight Song- The Appleseed Cast

"We're finding fault, when you kissed her, or you slept with him, or you didn't care. Now it all breaks, disintegrates. Well this is the last thing I'll take, cause I can't face you now."

Shespider- Mew

"In right wing fashion with paste and generosity because no one is safe from someone, somewhere's embrace, and so I have decided to dislike you now."

Kill- Jimmy Eat World

"I can't help it, baby, this is who I am. Sorry, but I can't just go turn off how I feel. You kill me, you build me up, but just to watch me break. I know what I should do, but I just can't walk away."

Don't Come Around Here No More- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

"I've given up. Stop. You tangled my emotions. I've given up, honey. Please admit its over. Don't come around here no more"

With or Without You- U2

"My hands are tied. My body bruised, she's got me with nothing to win and nothing to lose"

It's Cool, We Can Still Be Friends- Bright Eyes

"And you say that I hurt you, in a voice like a prayer. Yeah, well maybe I hurt you sometimes, but let's contrast and compare. Lift up your shirt. The wound isn't there"

Go Your Own Way- Fleetwood Mac

"If I could, then I would give you my world. How can I? When you won't take it from me"

And others...

- Sometime Around Midnight- Airborne Toxic Event

- How's It Gonna Be- Third Eye Blind

- Backyard- Guster

- Boo- Pinback

- Hope You're Happy Now- The Sounds

- Song For The Dumped- Ben Folds Five (hilarious!)

- It'll All Work Out- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

- It Ain't Me, Babe- Bob Dylan

- The Winner Takes All- ABBA

- I've Been Loving You Too Long- Otis Redding

And I have to end my list with The Killers'- "Mr Brightside" simply because I WAS Mr. Brightside and the song describes it for me perfectly.

So go ahead... comment your own picks... becuase I know there's more out there that I forgot! And in the meantime I'll leave you with a cool song by an awesome new band called White Rabbits... "Percussion Gun" There's no way this song can't cheer you up after going through all those breakup songs!

Dalit

dalit@themensfashionblog.com

Before the Music Ends. 8.12.09

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:11:34 +0100

Being the music buff that I am, one of the constant things I get asked is, "where do you get all your new music from?" If you take a look at my i-pod and my CD collection (yes, I do still buy CDs), most of the stuff I have is underground music or literally, barely up and coming musicians- musicians that have a demo or an EP to their name. Well I thought I'd be nice for once, and let you all in on my daily life of scanning the internet. I live by certain websites (as I hope you will one day live by what I write) that I read and re-read every day. Through these websites comes new music, new artists, and new ideas. So take notes by little butterflies:

My Top 8 Music Websites (In No Particular Order):
1. All Musi c- This website is dedicated to giving you all the information you could possibly want regarding any musician, group, composer, writer, producer, you name it. There is a full biography, full discography (by both albums and songs), credits, and any awards they have received. While this site is really dedicated to the information about a particular person or group, every now and then brand new music pops up. I use this website to look at upcoming album release dates and such.

2. Hypebot- Quite possibly my favorite blog, but I can only assume that most of you will just find this one boring. This one is one that I consider my bible as it relays up to the minute information about all music industry information. Whether livenation decides to merge with Ticketmaster, or whether Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls made $10,000 in one night via Twitter... all that is in this lovely little blog. There is even a community network you can join where you begin to network with people from all aspects of the community to give each other advice, suggestions, etc. If you're really into whats going on in the business side of the industry, then this site is for you.

3. Pollstar- This website is the free version of Pollstarpro.com, which is a magazine/website used for industry professionals in the concert aspects. The free version just gives up the minute details on all concerts going on around the world. Its a bit hard to get your concert dates added if you are a brand new musician, since this website is regulated by major booking and promotion companies, but it still serves a great purpose for the rest of us out there who just want to know the next time Bruce Springsteen will be in town!!!

4. Stereogum- Ahhh! Now here's one you're sure to be interested in. This website dedicates itself to all things indie and alternative. This includes news on upcoming projects and upcoming bands. But the best part about this website is that it has daily free downloads that are completely and legally free!! Keep in mind that this is still indie music, so if you're looking for something that sounds like Katy Perry, Britney Spears, or Akon, then you're better off heading over to MTV.com.

5. Pitchfork- This, my friends, is the go-to website when it comes to ANYTHING underground or indie. Pitchfork does have the reputation of being the leading new independent music website, but it also has the reputation of being the biggest snob about music. Getting music reviewed by Pitchfork can be one of the highest honors (if you even get them to look at your demo, be honored then too), but they also have the ability to tear you to pieces. Their reviews and articles are superb, and you must have the patience and humor to deal with the things these writers say. But hey, through Pitchfork I discovered some of my now favorite bands (Bon Iver, M85, Animal Collective). While you can't download mp3s from here, they do have a player with their picks of the best new music, most of which I can guarantee you won't ever have heard. Swing by, I think you'll be impressed.

6. New Music Tip Sheet- This website is great to stay on top of upcoming releases, TV listings, and news. This is directed more towards the general population and mainstream music realm, but it does what it is supposed to do, and it has become a tool for the industry to look into music placement as well. For all of you who couldn't find your music at Stereogum or Pitchfork, you may just find it here.

7. Artist Rise- Okay, so as a manager to a local band, I LOOOOOOOVE this site. This in a way, is sort of like pollstar, only for up and coming artists. While for the time being, this is directed towards the Los Angeles and New York music scenes, it is a great way to see what new artists are playing where. Artist Rise is sort of like a facebook or myspace, except that once a profile is created (whether your an artist, band, venue, booker, promoter), you use your profile to network and get gigs.

8. Crazed Hits- So this technically is another industry site, but don't worry. This could potentially be the best website to find completely unknown music. It is an industry A&R website which takes unsigned bands or artists, places their music on this website, and distributes it to labels, publishing, other a&r agents, etc. Through this site, a virtually unknown artist has the chance to become the next Justin Timberlake (horrible analogy, but I thought I'd talk in simpler terms). For example, some of the artists that were featured on this site before they were signed to major labels are: Katy Perry, Iglu & Hartly, Drake, LMFAO, and a tons others.

So there you have it... my top 8 websites that I go to daily as both a music fan and music manager. But there are hundreds more that can tell you about upcoming music. Just one word of advice, you may be overwhelmed over just how much new music is out there. Myspace helped for a while in this area, but new blogs are taking over, and they are wayyyyy better.

Happy Searching!

Dals

dalit@themensfashionblog.com