Monthly Archives: October 2011

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Music Peep My Stilo: Gustavo Alfonzo

by Dynast Amir
October 26, 2011 - 10:12 am

When the young ladies first see Gustavo Alfonzo, they are quick to notice his easy going persona with a drop of charm. His smooth good looks win them over as the Venezuelan born heart throb turns most females into adoring fans. With his boyish good looks you would think that he was a Spanish boy model, yet his blend of street salsa and urban hip hop is without question some of the best this reporter has heard in a mighty long time.

Don’t believe me check it out for yourself. his energetic and eccentric music video “Malibu Bash” sets the standard and contains all of the elements that every hetero/metro sexual male who wants to properly throw an epic pool needs to have… bad bitches, fat blunts and cases of brew.

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Geek In A ChinaShop Hughes the Force – Where the Rebel Alliance Meets The Breakfast Club

by Teresa Jusino and Emily Heyer
October 26, 2011 - 10:11 am

The sweltering heat didn’t stop members of the 501st Legion from donning their stormtrooper armor in support of the world premiere of Hughes the Force, a new short film from director J.C. Reifenberg and writer Stephen J. Koistinen Jr. that combines a love of Star Wars with a love of the films of John Hughes.

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Music Tuesday Newsday: New Music From Tom Waits, Metric, Russian Circles, Justice, and Thomas Dolby

by Shop Keeper
October 26, 2011 - 1:13 am

Russian Circles’ Empros is the one to get…Metric remixes, Skinny Puppy returns with a vengeance…Scott Weiland releases a Christmas album…dad, Santa filled my stocking with dirty needles!…and Brian Wilson covers Disney songs…clearly The Rapture is at hand…see you in a week…

Kid Koala, Space Cadet
Metric, Fantasies Flashbacks [Vinyl box set] – Remixes of tracks from Fantasies
Raleigh Moncrief, Watered Lawn
Chris Watson, El Tren Fantasma
Ozric Tentacles, Paper Monkeys
Of Montreal, Cassette Box Set [10xCASS] – Limited edition of 500; includes tape versions of 10 LPs
Russian Circles, Empros
Roots Manuva, 4everevolution
MF Doom, Operation: Doomsday [2xCD or 4xLP] – Expanded reissue of 1999 album
Tom Waits, Bad As Me
Brian Wilson, In the Key of Disney – Covers of songs from Disney movies
Christina Vantzou, No. 1
Surfer Blood, Tarot Classics EP
Skinny Puppy, handOver
Christina Vantzou, No. 1
Scott Weiland, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Featured Music Never Mind The Venue, Here’s Portishead

by Rich Thomas and Catie Laffoon
October 25, 2011 - 8:27 am

When it was announced that Portishead would be playing the massive main stage at Coachella 2008, my reaction was a mix of elation and fear. The former because it would be the iconic band’s first U.S. show in nearly a decade. The latter because that particular spot had been known to swallow up even the most raucous acts, like the Prodigy in 2002. As any rabid concertgoer will tell you, your surroundings can make or break a show, or at the very least tip the scales. So how did the Bristol trio fare in the great wide open? Amazing. Intimate and powerful at the same time. When it was announced that Portishead would be playing two shows at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, I was less concerned. Big, indoor venue, general admission, easy drive. I liked my chances for a repeat experience. Until, of course, I walked inside.

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Film Something Big is Going Down… “Margin Call” (Film Review)

by Ariel Maccarone
October 25, 2011 - 8:26 am

The rise of the Occupy Wall Street movement has forced popular confrontation of the meaning of phrases like “these are hard times.” Unless you’ve spent time with a talkative grandparent who was alive during the Depression, not many of us understand what it means to wait in a soup line or to know a man who has killed himself after losing his life savings overnight. Recently released film “Margin Call” starring Kevin Spacey and Demi Moore effectively rams home these concepts for audiences in a way recent generations have yet to fully internalize.

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Gallery Music Ninja, Please: Amon Tobin, Eskmo and Emika hit LA

by Rich Thomas and E.M.S.
October 24, 2011 - 11:27 am

Confetti. Lots and lots of confetti, blowing out of two large air canisters like a paper orgasm at the end of a Super Bowl. Who’s the big winner? You are. The above photo was taken at the close of Amon Tobin’s (inter)stellar performance at the Music Box in L.A. on October 16. If you were fortunate enough to be in attendance, scraps of write paper most likely fell out of your shirt whilst you were changing into your jammies later that night. Maybe your hearing has returned. Maybe not. Depends on where you were standing and whether or not you brought earplugs to combat the onslaught of sound, courtesy of “Big Sam” and his Pure Filth system. Maybe you bought an Amon Tobin onesie for your friend’s newborn—they were on sale—or perhaps you went home and downloaded songs from opening acts Eskmo and Emika. The traveling circus known as Ninja Tune once again rolled through Southern California, transforming the eyes, ears and expectations of a healthy Sunday night crowd.

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Film Violent Women in Film: Part Du

by Ariel Maccarone
October 24, 2011 - 11:27 am

Sex and violence sell. They are brands of identity just like the 1984 Ray Bans you sport alongside your trending saddle shoes and skinny jeans. It is the world we live in, and none of us will be able to drastically change it anytime soon. We can, however, begin to understand the culture that influences how we see one another and ourselves.

Today’s lesson: the relationship between violence and women as illustrated by upcoming horror film, “Julia X.” We touched upon “Julia X” in our recent article “Ladies Fight Back (and Win)” but the film is so dynamic that it warrants its own story. To refresh your memory, “Julia X” tells the story of a man and a woman who meet on an online dating site, which leads to an in-person encounter filled with an unexpected slew of macabre acts. In order to get the bottom of this film’s importance, we kidnapped its lead actor, Valerie Azlynn, and took our minds for a drive (no rope or duck tape required).

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Music Going Richter: Aoki and Cuomo Collaborate on “Earthquakey People”

by Shop Keeper
October 24, 2011 - 11:26 am

International party starter and the man behind the highly influential independent record  label Dim Mak,Steve Aoki is gearing up to release his highly anticipated debut artist album Wonderland this winter on leading dance label Ultra Music (with whom he has forged a worldwide deal). Leading the charge of what’s to come is “Earthquakey People.”

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Featured Film Fridays Geek 5 Geeky Star Wars Items That Will Actually Improve Your Day

by Jeff Nau
October 21, 2011 - 8:43 pm

Here are 5 Star Wars items that you absolutely need to both a)feed your crack-like addiction of all things Empire and also b)serve a useful purpose in day-to-day life. In order of usage throughout the day:

5. The Darth Vader Alarm Clock. Too tired to get outta bed, lazy-ass? Well perhaps he can find more ways to motivate you. The crick in your neck isn’t from sleeping the wrong way, it’s because you dared to hit snooze.

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Gallery Music Tycho: A Deep Dive into Art and Music

by Rich Thomas and Dustin Downing
October 21, 2011 - 8:30 am

When it comes to the melding of music and design, few have cultivated a more intriguing and appealing aesthetic than San Francisco artist Scott Hansen. As Tycho, the songs he composes are lush, deeply emotive pieces that shimmer and buzz with analog warmth; the soundtrack to a long drive up the coast at sunset. As ISO50, his bold, colorful design exudes a simple sophistication that’s both classic and futuristic. See him live—as we were able to this summer, backed by a new band setup—and you’re in for a complete sensory takeover. An unfortunate leak caused Ghostly International to bump up Tycho’s latest LP release by a month, which means Dive is now available for purchase from the label’s online store.

We got Scott on the line to talk about the new album, his artwork, and how both halves paint a picture of who he is at the core. We’re also giving away one of his amazing t-shirts to one lucky ChinaShopper. All you have to do is Like us on Facebook and post your best sunset or sunrise camera phone photo to our Wall, or follow us on Twitter and TwitPic your shot. Just use the hashtag #tychosun so we know to look for you. We’ll be taking submissions until midnight PST on Monday, October 31.

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