Photos: Fucking Nostalgic's 1st Anniversary Concert (ZZZ's, The Barrens, Grandfather, EULA & Liquid Light Lab)

Fucking Nostalgic’s 1st Anniversary Concert @ Fontana’s – April 21, 2012
Photos: Nadia Chaudhury

Well… we did it. On Saturday night, we threw our first anniversary concert at Fontana’s—something we hope to make an annual tradition. And if the turnout was any indication, we shouldn’t have any problem doing that. First and foremost, a huge thank you to everyone who came out and partied all night with us and I also need to give special gratitude to all of the bands who played, Liquid Light Lab’s Steve Pavlovsky for providing lights all night long, our DJs Debbie and Damien, all of our contributors who came out to support us, plus Nadia for taking all of the photos that adorn this post. And now for a little rundown of what took place…

Fucking Nostalgic's 1st Anniversary Party reminder & additions!

We're getting really excited about our upcoming first year anniversary blowout at Fontanas next Saturday April 21st, and things just got even more awesome. As if our lineup of the Barrens, Grandfather and EULA was not sick enough to blow your fragile little minds, Japanese noise band ZZZ's -- who coincidentally we caught play a jaw dropping set at Xpo 929 last week (more on that in a bit) -- have jumped on the bill to get the show off to an amazing start at 8pm. Keep in mind that our news editor Damien (DJ Drago) will be DJ'ing starting at 7pm, and all night afterwards switching off with Debbsnake (aka iMeowww).

In addition to the four aforementioned bands playing, premier NYC light artist Liquid Light Lab will be providing a psychedelic experience like no other throughout the entire night. If you're unaware of what LLL does, it's pretty much the closest thing to taking some form of hallucinogenic and enduring an extended colorful trip through time & space -- without actually doing any of those things. Check out LLL's website, and be sure to like them on Facebook. They will also be showcased tonight (4/13) at Spike Hill as a solo pop-up gallery. Definitely check that out.

So our show is looking like this:

7pm    Doors - DJ Drago set
8pm    ZZZ's
9pm    The Barrens
10pm  Grandfather
11pm  EULA

w/ DJ Drago & Debbsnake dance party all night long!

Be sure to get there early. RSVP over at our Facebook event page. Below check out assorted videos from all the artists on the bill, and we'll see you in person next Saturday...

Fucking Nostalgic Presents... Magic Sundae

When Fucking Nostalgic launched back in April, I intended to post mixtapes on a weekly basis of songs that represented the very website itself. What I didn't intend was for it to be extremely difficult to actually do that. Luckily, the notoriously awesome podcast Magic Sundae (long hosted by two frequent FN contributors), has agreed to become the official podcast of Fucking Nostalgic. The deal actually happened three months ago, but the three-year contract we signed with them has taken a ridiculously long time to negotiate. More on that later...

If you haven't listened to the show already, it's one of the weirdest, most psychedelic, hilarious and fulfilling radio shows you'll ever listen to, and I'm extremely excited to be presenting it on Fucking Nostalgic on a weekly basis. Because we feel very strongly about the element of surprise being such an important factor in listening to the show, we will be posting each week's episode without a tracklisting--but fear not--the tracklisting for each episode will appear on the following week's post.

The premiere episode of Fucking Nostalgic Presents... Magic Sundae will be up THIS SUNDAY. And now enough of the boring stuff, check out the video announcement of the partnership below, created by the delightfully disturbing ArgonFritz...

This Week's Dropbox Assignment: Songs about Fucking Up

Fucked Up @ Terminal 5 in June (more here)

Oops... totally never posted a dropbox assignment last week. I fucked up. Dropped the ball. Shat the bed.

Okay, maybe that's going a bit far, but anyway it inspired this week's dropbox assignment. If you're on Spotify, head over to The Fucking Nostalgic Dropbox and start dropping your favorite songs about fucking up in there. There's a lot of them, so don't be shy. And make sure you subscribe to the playlist so that you can get in on the fun each week when we post an assignment.

The last assignment we asked for your favorite songs from movies. That playlist has been archived over here. Until next week...

Playlist for The Fucking Nostalgic Dropbox Assignment: Week #2

For last week's Fucking Nostalgic Spotify Dropbox assignment we asked you to drop in your favorite songs that played a pivotal role in a film. There were some great contributions, including "Are You Ready For The Sex Girls" by Gleaming Spires (from Revenge of the Nerds), "Rollin' With My Homies" by Coolio (from Clueless) and "Afternoon Delight" from Anchorman.

We've archived this playlist right over here so you can still access it as we'll be clearing out the dropbox shortly. Check out the full playlist below, and stay tuned for next week's assignment which will be up tomorrow morning...

This Week's Dropbox Assignment: Songs From Movies

This week's dropbox assignment is a little trickier. We're looking for songs that played a pivotal role in a film, but are not merely songs that appeared on the film's soundtrack. Furthermore, the song must have been diegetic. If you're not sure what that is, read this (via Wikipedia):

"As with film, the term "diegetic" refers to the function of the music within a work's theatrical narrative, with particular relevance to the role of song. Within the typical format of opera/operetta, characters are not "aware" that they are singing. This is a non-diegetic use of song. If however the song is presented as a musical occurrence within the plot, then the number may be described as "diegetic"."

Basically, the characters in the film are aware that the music is playing and it's not just playing the background. We've gotten it started with "Goodbye Horses" by Q Lazzarus & Garvey (from Silence of the Lambs) and "Flowers on the Wall" by The Statler Brothers (from Pulp Fiction).

Head over to The Fucking Nostalgic Dropbox on Spotify and start dropping some songs in there. If you missed last week's assignment, check out the "Epic Songs" playlist here.

Playlist for The Fucking Nostalgic Dropbox Assignment: Week #1

Last week, we gave you our first assignment for the Fucking Nostalgic Dropbox on Spotify. We asked to hear your favorite most epic songs, with the only qualification being that the song passed the six-minute mark. The result was a playlist of 36 songs that played for over five hours. Quite epic, indeed.

Take a look at the playlist below. My favorite contributions were "The Everyday World of Bodies" by post-hardcore band Rodan, "Police and Thieves" by The Clash, and "Banshee Beat" by Animal Collective. Thanks to everyone who contributed! Our next assignment is coming up tomorrow morning so the dropbox will be wiped clean, but this playlist has been archived so you can still listen to it here.

This Week's Drop Box Assignment: Epic Songs

I think it's safe to say that once a song passes the six minute mark, it's gotta be pretty epic or you're going to get bored real fast. So now that many of you have gotten used to dropping songs into our Fucking Nostalgic Drop Box on Spotify, we want to hear your favorite songs that pass the 6:00 mark! If you've already subscribed to the playlist, then you've already got it on your Spotify library, so start dropping some epic songs in there.

We'll be changing up the theme of the drop box each week on Mondays so that the playlist is always different and gives you something to look forward to what would otherwise be a crummy start to the week (sorry to be such a downer). We've already gotten this week's playlist started with Radiohead's "Paranoid Android," The Beta Band's "Dry The Rain" and Television's "Marquee Moon." Let's hear what you have in store for us...

And why not, here's the video for "Paranoid Android"...

Introducing the Fucking Nostalgic Dropbox on Spotify!

We've brought up Spotify quite a few times since it launched here in the US last month. Since then, the contributors at Fucking Nostalgic have all been pretty much obsessed with the service, sharing songs and playlists with each other, and often dropping absolutely ridiculous tracks into each others inboxes. There is a distinct form of pleasure experienced by having your friend suggest you listen to "Things That Make You Go Hmmmm..." by C+C Music Factory, I'll tell you that much.

The ability to share music with ease is one of the greatest features of the service, and we want to get you in on the action. We're working on getting invites to hand out to our readers, but if you already have a Spotify account head over to The Fucking Nostalgic Dropbox and add some songs to the playlist that you feel particularly nostalgic about. This is a collaborative playlist, meaning anyone with a Spotify account can add songs and anyone with a Spotify account will be able to listen to it. Also be sure to subscribe to it so that you can keep checking in on what other users are adding. Be funny, be creative, be introspective, be fucking nostalgic. Have fun!

REMINDER: Come Party With Us Tonight!

Tonight's the night! If you live in the NYC area, you're not gonna want to miss our second FREE Fucking Nostalgic party taking place at our most favorite of bars, Fontana's, in the Lower East Side from 10pm-4am. Our first party was a total blast, and we're looking to make this one even more awesome.

The DCD Collective (Debbsnake, DJ Drago and DJ CGerzzz) will be up all night spinning your favorite nostalgic punk and indie rock tracks and much more. In case you haven't noticed, these are the same three people who run Fucking Nostalgic - not only do we dish up awesome photos and reviews, but we can rock a DJ booth like no other.

We'll also be giving away a brand new cassette mixtape curated by all three members of the DCD Collective. The first one we gave out at our last party, curated by CGerzzz and our photographer Dana Distortion, is still available at our Etsy shop for just five American dollars. And getting to Fontana's is easy, just a short walk from the Grand St. stop off the B or D train.

Mixtapes, dancing, and booze - get excited, and we'll see you there!

Fucking Nostalgic Presents... Look Back and Laugh

We said it wouldn't be long before we announced our next event, and we weren't lying. If you missed us at Motor City last Saturday, mark your calendars because we're bringing the party to Fontanas Bar (a.k.a. the coolest bar in Manhattan) on August 5th. On the decks will be Fucking Nostalgic photographer Dana Distortion, and the DCD Collective (Debbsnake, DJ Drago and DJ CGerzzz), who inadvertently also happen to run Fucking Nostalgic. Weird, I know...

As we did at our last event, we'll be giving away some awesome items, including a brand new cassette mixtape curated by all the above DJ's. If you haven't picked up one of our incredibly groovy mixtapes yet, head over to our Etsy shop and buy one for a cool five bucks. Getting to Fontanas is easy, just a short walk from the Grand St. stop off the B or D train. The party goes from 10pm-4am, and is 100% FREE to get into. Hope to see you there!

Introducing... the Fucking Nostalgic Etsy Shop

Currently the only thing on sale... that will change soon!

If you didn't hear, Fucking Nostalgic threw a party at Motor City Bar on Saturday night and raged it till 4am, spinning the likes of the Buzzcocks, T. Rex, the Stooges, Echo & the Bunnymen and much, much more. We also gave away mixtapes (pictured above) to seven lucky fans, and we would have given away more had we been able to mass produce them quicker. But if you weren't there, you now have the opportunity to purchase one from the Etsy shop we just opened.

For now, all we have for sale is Fucking Nostalgic #1, which was compiled by myself and FN photographer Dana Distortion, but that will change soon as we plan to rollout a series of cassette mixtapes curated by other Fucking Nostalgic writers & photographers. Each tape costs you only $5.00, and comes encased with the artwork shown above, as well as your very own Fucking Nostalgic sticker. Below, check out the tracklisting for Fucking Nostalgic #1, and head over to our Etsy shop to buy yourself a copy.

This Week's Nostalgia (6/27-7/3)

Ah, what a crazy week. To recap: we announced that Mission of Burma will be playing a free show at the new Beekman Beer Garden on August 7th, the Descendents are playing Roseland Ballroom on September 23rd, Radiohead released a new song and played a surprise set at Glastonbury, Nirvana announced a 20th anniversary reissue of Nevermind, Thurston Moore and Bob Mould stopped by Jimmy Fallon, and Dinosaur Jr. played an amazing show at Terminal 5. Shit.

We're checking out the Archers of Loaf show at Webster Hall tonight and will have a review and full set of photos up tomorrow. Moving on, let's take a look at what's in store for us this week:

Matt & Kim @ Terminal 5
Wednesday, June 29th

I first saw Matt & Kim at the Lollapalooza festival in 2007, playing to a pretty full crowd at like 1pm. Since then, they've become one of the bigger "indie" acts out there, who are about to go on tour with Blink-182 (wow, really?). If you're into two really smiley people playing silly synth-driven dance-punk, then they should be right up your alley. Tickets are so very sold out, but I'm sure you can pickup a pair on craigslist from some guy who was just dumped by the girl he was going to take as his date. Punk band the Thermals open.

Sloan @ Bowery Ballroom / Knitting Factory
Wednesday, June 29th / Thursday, June 30th

Sloan, the Canadian band whose lineup has not changed since forming in 1991, have long struggled to become as big in the US as they have in their home country. Pitchfork recently gave their latest album, The Double Cross, an 8.1--a feat most bands this day and age only dream of. You have two chances to catch the band, on Wednesday at Bowery Ballroom in Manhattan, and Thursday at the Knitting Factory in Williamsburg. Tickets are still on sale for both.

The Feelies @ Maxwell's
Friday, July 1st / Saturday, July 2nd / Sunday, July 3rd

When I think of Hoboken music venue Maxwell's, I think of two things: Yo La Tengo, and the Feelies. The latter will be playing my favorite venue outside of New York City three nights in a row, still celebrating the release of their first album since reuniting in 2008, Here Before, which came out in March 2011. As usual with the Feelies (and shows at Maxwell's), you can expect special guests and surprises, and there's still tickets for Sunday's show (Friday & Saturday are both sold out). Definitely a great way to spend your Fourth of July weekend, so don't miss out on your chance to see this classic underground band.

The (English) Beat @ Irving Plaza
Saturday, July 2nd

I've written before about my waning interest in ska, but if there's one band whose records still stand the test of time, it's the English Beat. Dave Wakeling, who has recently dubbed himself "the King of Ska," still tours regularly with his band and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. Last time I caught the Beat was around 1999 or so, and even back then it seemed pretty amazing to still see them live. Saturday's show at Irving Plaza should be no exception. Tickets are still available. Make sure to say hi to Dave, as from everything I've heard, he's one of the nicest guys out there.

Fucking Nostalgic Presents: A Fucking Nostalgic Saturday Night Out! @ Motor City
Saturday, July 2nd

We here at Fucking Nostalgic are very proud to present our first party in the Lower East Side of Manhattan at Motor City Bar (which will be the first of many events). If you're into drinking on Saturday nights in dive bars and hearing great music blasting on the sound system, than this is the party for you. I will be spinning vinyl along with DJ Boozy Jo and Fucking Nostalgic contributor Dana Distortion, who made the event happen. Expect loads of old school punk, garage rock, psychedelia, new wave, no wave, noise rock, indie, and everything awesome. We'll also have some free stuff to take home with you, so be sure to come down this Fourth of July weekend to party your face off. Motor City is located at 127 Ludlow Street and admission is 100% free. Can't wait to see you there.

Notable mentions: Radiohead will be performing their latest album the King of Limbs on Friday, July 1st on Palladia here in the US, though according to Radiohead fan site At Ease, no air time has been confirmed. We'll be sure to keep you updated on that one. And if it tickles your fancy the same night, my band the Barrens will be celebrating the release of our self-titled debut album at Cameo Bar in Williamsburg.

If there are any shows you feel we failed to mention, please let us know about it in the comments section below. Until next week...

Fucking Nostalgic presents...

We are very excited to announce the first event presented by Fucking Nostalgic, "A Fucking Nostalgic Saturday Night Out," which will be held at the extremely awesome Motor City Bar in the Lower East Side of Manhattan on Saturday, July 2nd! The party goes from 10pm-4am, is totally free to get into, and we will have plenty of giveaways for you to take home with you, so make sure you come say hi and grab some freebies.

On the decks, spinning high voltage rock & roll, will be myself (DJ CGerzzz), FN contributor DJ Dana Distortion (who organized the event), and DJ Boozy Jo. Motor City is located at 127 Ludlow Street (between Rivington & Delancey), and is easy to get to via the F train to Delancey St. If you haven’t been there before, it is the epitome of LES rock & roll dive bars, and 100% fitting for Fucking Nostalgic. Can’t wait to see you there!