To think there are people in this metropolis that aren't going out regularly is depressing, and a bit insulting to the ethic of New York City. But the sad reality is that, despite the strenous efforts of musicians, artists, DJ's, club managers, transit workers, buggy drivers, mood enhancers and drunk people, many are missing out on the most important cultural moments of their time. Here at Santos we pride ourselves in making those moments happen with the help of the city's most creative individuals. Here are some recent examples of the shit that's been going down.
Uproot Andy, who rocks our weekly Wednesday night Tropical Bass residency Qué Bajo?! alongside Geko Jones, has just released a new track for you listening pleasure. Tomorrow night (9/29), Qué Bajo?! will feature a live performance by El Guincho. Check out Andy's track below:
On September 16, we hosted the mixtape release party for Das Racist, the po-postmodern rap group with psychedelic beats, hilarious yet socially aware lyrics and an enigmatic hype man. TimeOut Magazine had their cameras up in here to give you an idea of the madness that went down:
Choice Cunts, our rare(monthly)party for raw (awesome)queers brought to us by promoter mastermind Ellie Conant (read her AfterEllen interview here) went neon this past Saturday. Grace Chu took some amazing flicks, here's a pap smear of the full gallery:
True, not enough New Yorkers are partying. And asThe Atlantic's Ricardo Guiterrez points out, the malaise is spreading to those of us who do go out. Of course, now it's a matter of knowing where to go, and where the actual fun people are. That's why we're not mad at the magazine for letting the people know what time it is:
The closest I came to experiencing an exception was at Santos Party House about a month ago. It was a disco night, a mostly gay crowd and everyone was dancing and having a good time. If only that could be the norm here and not the exception because I've been to too many parties where people just stand around and talk, where the music is too hip and precious to risk looking uncool to.
Efterklang, Buke & Gass, Xylos, and Arpline live! Friday, October 1 7:00 PM ALL AGES TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE Enter code "ModernDrift" and save $2! EXPIRES 9/24 6pm
EFTERKLANG Copenhagen natives Efterklang create alternative pop with an epic, spacious scope. Harmonically ambitious, the songs contain nods towards minimalism and choral music, all while remaining catchy and infectious. They are one of Denmark’s most prominent musical acts, and their critically acclaimed sophomore LP Parades (released on the bands own Rumraket imprint) was performed live with The Danish National Chamber Orchestra. In 2010 they released Magic Chairs (4AD) to critical praise; the Guardian says, “It's emotional music, full of subtle tension and lurking drama.”
BUKE & GASS The huge sound of this Brooklyn duo is thanks to the two homemade stringed instruments (the Buke and the Gass) that are their namesake. The sound reflects their very analogue inventiveness, driving and unpredictable with a bluesy, classic psychedelic tendency and soaring harmonized vocals. The Village Voice declares that their debut album Riposte "manages to recreate the cyclone of activity involved in watching these two mad scientists do their decidedly one-of-a-kind thing."
XYLOS Xylos is a pop ensemble that plays full, bright arrangements that move from twee to shoegaze to electronica, a style that sways from jarring to jocular. Their debut EP Bedrooms was produced by Britt Myers, who has run the boards for Chairlift and Yeasayer.
ARPLINE As quickly as they lull you with nebular synth textures and evocative lyrics, they shatter the comfort zone with off-kilter rhythms. ArpLine earns their psychedelia stripes bravely pushing the limits of intellectual pop. They have played alongside Bear In Heaven, Electric Tickle Machine, Oh No Ono, and Dinowalrus. Glide Magazine called their 2010 album Travel Book "your electronica-pop soundtrack to the summer."
Just about anyone in nightlife will tell you that your venue is only as suave, sleek and sultry as the people in it. So it only goes to a show that our good friend Elliot Aronow has been pubicly lauded by TimeOut New York as one of "the most stylish New Yorkers" with a full online profile featuring a gallery of pics. Aronow is the creative director and cofounder of the essential RCRD LBL blog that specializes in breaking new free music by hand selected artists. As of January he has also been hosting the Our Show online series, filmed on location at Santos Party House, which has featured the the most innovative minds in emerging talent including Tim Harrington (Les Savy Fav), Ted Leo, Kyp Malone, Das Racist, Dave 1 (Chromeo), and Christian Joy.
Thee Oh Sees live with Sex Beet, Happy Birthday and Fergus & Geronimo Tuesday, September 21 7:00 PM 18+ TICKETS HERE (Other Music: 15 East 4th St, New York, NY 10013)
THEE OH SEES John Dwyer had established himself as aleader in Providence's underground rock scene by the time he moved to San Francisco in the late 90's to front and play guitar for several more bands. His resume includes cult Frisco outfits like Pink and Brown, Coachwhips, and The Hospitals, stretching back to include Rhode Island favorites Landed. Thee Oh Sees was created as his solo project, yet another outlet for his relentless productivity, but ended up becoming his most well known and prolific project. Over the project's 13 year existence it has expanded into a full quartet with a furious, noise-punk sensibility reigned in by tight songwriting. Their 2010 LP Warm Slime, latest in a discography boasting about 24 releases, was produced by Chris Woodhouse (Erase Eratta, FM Knives).
SEX BEET Backed by Vice, Neu Magazine, and the blogosphere, London’s Sex Beet are a natural remedy for indie rock’s withering libido. Their songs are raw garage punk jams heavy on surf riffs and jagged synths. The Weareinvolvedblog called them “the perfect soundtrack for a modern beer fueled beach party.” With tracks like ”Nice Hair/Nice Titties,” Sex Beet make charged rock for the vegetably active.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Happy Birthday are an emerging talent thanks to delicately arranged vintage garage-pop tunes mixed with post-punk riffs and songwriting. Originally formed as a one-off performance, they were signed to Sub Pop a few months after independently releasing their first LP.
FERGUS & GERONIMO The duo of Andrew Savage and Jason Kelly are members of Teenage Cool Kids, and formed Fergus & Geronimo as an off-shoot. Their music encapsulates the competing sounds of the 50’s, namely soul music and garage rock. Initial leaks made waves in the Texas indie scene, and they released three singles in 2009 all to critical praise. They have plaid alongside Wild Beasts, Tyvek, Wavves and Harlem. Stereogum, Fader, and BrooklynVegan have all fallen in love with their Motown influenced sound.
Sit Down, Man Release Party! Das Racist, Maluca, Keepaway and Tecla with Chairlift (DJ), hosted by Dallas Penn FREE ENTRY 8:00 PM 21+ OPEN BAR 8-9PM
We've been jocking Das Racist since way back. Since dormitory ciphers, before Das Racist and Santos were even real things. We've been glad to have them all up in us time after time, and we fully support their mission: hella love for rap music, complete irreverence towards everything else. They've gotten together with some old friends (Diplo, the Mad Decent crew, Mishka, Hima Suri's own Greedhead Ent) to put together a new mixtape, Sit Down, Man, the follow-up to Shut Up, Dude which prompted Pitchfork to declare them "the truth." We will be celebrating the new tape's release on Thursday with a bulletproof lineup of acts and tunes. It's going to be neo-Wild Style up in here.
DAS RACIST Currently the most sought-after force in experimental hip-hop, Das Racist is a trio that eschews any posturing whatsoever in lieu of confronting the truth, however brutal or hilarious it may be, on top of bizarre electro production. Their breakout single "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell" has become rap music's most successful foray into absurdism. But the real meat of their lyrical repertoire are the densely constructed and prophetic commentaries on imperialism in the Gawker era, as well as hilarious multi-syllabic thought trains as unpredictable as the subways for which they are written.
MALUCA With commercial interests attempting to slip into every crack of culture, Maluca remains as one of the rogues whose identity define her art. She spits saucy vocals and raps over futuristically textured production. Quickly after getting signed to Mad Decent, her single “El Tigeraso” set the indie world ablaze, landing her on the cover of Fader magazine and on stage with with Amanda Blank, Midnight Juggernauts, and Araabmuzik. She is a consider a pioneer of “speed meringue,” mixing traditional latin rhythms with the kinetic nature of indie dance.
KEEPAWAY Keepaway build their songs the way the best hip-hop beats are made, by arranging undeniable grooves and samples into a heady post-pop composition. Their easy-going and approachable attitude buffers their intellectually dense music. The result is something groundbreaking yet reflective of the outsider pop that defines New York.
TECLA Classically trained pianist Tecla Esposito is as well known for her work with others (like Gordon Voidwell) as she is for her brilliantly produced, snarky and witty electropop. She selects her band members cleverly, often perusing players that are emerging talents in their own right (including Will “Gordon Voidwell” Johnson and Guillermo E. Brown), resulting in seamless, passionate sets.
with DJ sets by Chairlift and the DR boys themselves!
Home & Home Tour Afterparty! with DJ's Alchemist, Just Blaze, Skibeatz and Iron Lyon! Monday, September 13 11:00 PM 21+
Though the game has a tendency of chewing up and spitting out its most notable talents, two virtuosos of rap music have maintained their jaw-dropping rhyme skills and top positions on the charts. Jay-Z and Eminem are celebrating their immortal legacies at their hometown arenas, Comerica Park in Detroit and Yankee Stadium in New York City repectively. Of course, at the end of Jay-Z's set is when the night truly begins; from that point on the party moves on down to Santos with an all star cast of DJ's and producers that have worked extensively for these superstars. Alchemist laid tracks for Eminem's The Re-Up compilation and has been his tour DJ for the recent gigs. Just Blaze produced 3 tracks on Eminem's chart-topping Recovery, and has produced a slew of hits for Jay-Z including "The R.O.C.," "Girls Girls Girls," "Public Service Announcement" and "Show Me What You Got." Skibeatz is a golden era legend who is making waves in the scene with his new project Skibeatz & The Senseis. He is well known for producing "Dead Presidents (pt 2)" on Jay-Z's classic Reasonable Doubt. DJ Iron Lyon is a master turntable technician with an ear for chilled out breakbeat production and East Coast style MC. His new full-length album Time Capsule featuring guest appearances by C-Rayz Walz, Vordul Mega, and Craig G.
Brought to us by Alchemist, DD172's Bridging The Gap (every Monday at Santos!), The Burnitdown Group and The Life NYC.
DANCE PARTY NYC: Spoek Mathambo, Josh Madden and Melo-X Saturday, September 11 11:00 PM 21+ RSVP for $5 cover price here: vashtiespoek@santospartyhouse.com
Va$htie Kola, fashion designer, video director and nightlife icon, is curating a new series of Saturday events designed to bridge the gap between pop, hip-hop and the underground dance music that shape the contours of downtown music. On the wheels this Saturday are remix prodigy and stylist Josh Madden with Melo-X the DJ, producer, MC, photographer with an aggressively creative mindset and a taste for eclectic funk.
Performing live will be Spoek Mathambo, Johannesburg's self-proclaimed "post-Apartheid glam-rap prince" whose music features elements of afro-beat, elecro-pop, and the underground dance sounds. Check his cover story in Fader Magazine.