The Sounds of VTech

Last night was one of those nights. Choices had to be made. You could have A) waited in line with a bunch of tweens who stayed up past their bedtime to watch the new Twilight movie, New Moon or  B) waited in line with a bunch of electro funk music loving fans and watch the energetic duo from Austin rock out SPIN on Sunset at the Key Club. Dilemma right? I opted for B. And though I had a moment of uncertainty when I was being crushed by the crowd who were desperately vying for front row viewing, the moment Aaron Behrens and Thomas Turner aka Ghostland Observatory took the stage, any doubt was wiped away. 

When Turner came out on stage in his Count Chocula cape, and Behrens grabbed the mic to perform their first song, it was the best of both worlds. The packed crowd went wild. Guys dressed in capes, one dressed as a banana, the blinding flashes of dozens of cameras, you could tell it was going to be one of those nights. And the energy in the audience continued to rise as Behrens gyrated for the crowd, strutting up and down the stage to their cheers. 

You had to be there. But if you weren’t, here’s a quick photo recap and next time, keep it here on the Sounds of VTech and don’t miss out. 

On Friday, the crowds were out in droves with open hearts and open minds to experience a night of amazing music. And what a line-up VTech and Mochilla had in store for that evening!! Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, the young musical genius behind “Suite For Ma Dukes” and his ensemble, DJs Madlib, B+, and Coleman, and last but not least, the headliners, The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. 

One by one as each act took the stage, the crowd cheered them on with equal enthusiasm. From Madlib’s spacey set inspired by Sun Ra which featured a lot of new music to Miguel and his amazing group of musicians, the nods of approval from the audience could be seen by everywhere.  And before we knew it, it was time for the musical brothers from Chicago to take the stage. With their infectious upbeat hip-hop influenced sound, the HBE came out of swinging, and the crowd was enthralled. Among the scores of admirers who were there to bear witness to it all were musicians Flea, the bassist from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phil Ranelin, American jazz and experimental trombonist, MF Doom, MED, and more. And though the HBE performed an amazing live set, living up to their well-deserved hype,  one moment stood out from the rest. Miguel Atwood-Ferguson returned to the stage to perform “Scrabble,” a song in tribute to Dilla, with the HBE, and the energy in the Echoplex was electric.

It is truly incredible to think that in one evening you had kids cheering for a viola solo, a DJ set and a brass ensemble all in same setting. It’s moments like that fill me utter and complete joy that real music is still being created, performed, supported, and most of all, appreciated by fans new and old.

Thank you Los Angeles, Mochilla, Miguel, Madlib, B+, Coleman, the HBE, and all the fans who come out to our events. We couldn’t have done it without you.

*photos by Mike Park

Last week was a whirlwind of music and events. Can you even remember all the acts you saw and the places you went? Instead of straining your already exhausted brain, which is slowly recovering from all the events of CMJ 2009, just sit back and relax. Download this exclusive podcast featuring our friends, Exile, Blu, Pharoahe Monch, J. Rocc, Spinna, Large Professor and more from our special VTech evening last Wednesday, and let the music help you get back into the groove of things. 

Don’t sleep… just listen.

Right click to download:  Can I Get You High: Podcast

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All the way from Portland, Oregon, HOCKEY took the stage at the latest edition of SPINhouse Live series on Thursday night, presented by VTech and rocked the crowd with their music and charm. This dance-rock band entertained an intimate crowd of 200 on the rooftop of SPIN’s downtown Manhattan office as part of last week’s CMJ Music Festival. 

With a setlist with songs like “Work,” “3am Spanish,” “Learn to Lose,” “Song Away,” “Too Fake,” and “Put the Game Down,” Hockey’s set was as tight as their pants. Their six-song show pulled from the group’s recently released debut, Mind Chaos, combined retro dance-punk with synth-heavy New Wave. A mix of genres leading to a most contagious hodge-podge of song. 

What a great night for music. Last week we had Hockey, Bilal, Blu, Exile, Spinna, and more. And to finish it off, a NYC version of LA’s own Nightlife. Mr. Choc, Babu, J.Rocc, and Shortkut were on the decks bringing you there funky beats all night long. 

Thanks for coming out and playing with VTech. We hope you’ll keep it locked here as we have plenty more to bring you. More music, more events, more downloads. So check back with The Sounds of VTech as we bring you more exciting events in the weeks to come. An exclusive NIGHTLIFE CMJ Podcast is on the way!

From front to back and side to side, the Blvd on Wednesday, October 21st, was packed. And why wouldn’t it be? VTech and Plug Research were bringing Bilal, Blu, Exile, Shafiq, J. Rocc, Spinna, and more, all to perform for the music hungry crowds at this year’s CMJ. With upbeat energy and soulful singing, the music that night was not to be missed. Be sure to check back later this week on the Sounds of VTech to download the exclusive podcast. 

*photos by Mike Park