Sweet Sweet Sycophant

So.

2008-10-19T16:33:00.004-04:00

I think that for the time being, I will be flitting around here: http://citysleep.tumblr.com/

Reading tomorrow at MIXER.

2008-02-20T00:19:00.001-05:00

MIXER presents: The Competition
(A reading by the hosts of our favorite rival series)

Amanda Stern, Nicole Steinberg, Evan Glasson, with music by Spectacular Bird

Wednesday, February 20, 7:00 PM
FREE!

Cakeshop
152 Ludlow St. bet. Rivington and Stanton
F, V to 2nd Ave., F, J, M, to Delancey
http://www.myspace.com/mixernyc
Hosted by Melissa Febos and Rebecca Keith

From the ladies at MIXER:

We are proud to present Mixer's first theme night (aside from our impromptu theme of "Man Month" last July): The Competition, on Wed. Feb. 20. We've invited two of our favorite hostesses, curators, founders, and writers (yes, two people who are both all of these things) to dazzle you and us with their wit and skill. These ladies are Amanda Stern and Nicole Steinberg. They will be joined by a fantastic New School MFA poet (and one of our coworkers), Evan Glasson. The L Magazine made it sound like we've invited these folks to read so we can heckle them, but we, like our readers, are a classy pair, and would do no such thing (plus, we'd be terrified of the retaliation). We've invited these writers for the same reason we invite anyone to read -- because they're talented (and easy on the eyes to boot). We may be classy, but perhaps we're also a little shallow and like to surround ourselves with good looking people, like our audience. As always, Mixer is free and during happy hour, which makes the lighting even more flattering than usual. Oh, and music by Spectacular Bird, featuring one of last month's readers, Quentin Rowan. See you there!

Evan Glasson is from Providence, RI. He TAs in the Writing and Democracy Program at the New School, where he is pursuing an MFA. His work has appeared most recently in Poetry East.

Nicole Steinberg is the co-editor of LIT and Web Director of BOMB magazine. Her poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in Gulf Coast, No Tell Motel, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, RealPoetik, Barrelhouse, MiPOesias, Pebble Lake Review, The Agriculture Reader and elsewhere. She’s the founder, curator and host of EARSHOT, a Brooklyn-based reading series dedicated to the work and presence of emerging writers in the New York City area (http://earshotnyc.com). She lives in Queens, New York.

Amanda Stern is the author of the novel, The Long Haul. She founded, curates and hosts the popular Happy Ending Music and Reading Series. She is at work on her second novel, "The Guthrie Test".

Spectacular Bird consists of former members of Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, Joan of Arc, The Eaves, and The Young Destroyers. Their music draws inspiration from 1960's and 1970's pop music and typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, econosmical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Their first 45" single "Emma Lane/Where Did the Sunshine Go?" will be released shortly by the Ernest Jenning Record Company.

AWP, New Poems, Etc.

2008-02-04T00:27:00.000-05:00

Once again, someone has implored me to update my blog more often, namely my friend Gregory Crosby, who I ran into a few times at AWP this weekend. One thing AWP is good for: reminding me of the sheer number of people I know. How did it happen? I have no idea.

Speaking of AWP, here's my haul from the three days of bookfair fun.

Books:
The Tragedy of Waste by Anna Moschovakis, Belladonna Chapbook #102
National Anthem by Kevin Prufer, Four Way Books
Never Before: Poems About First Experiences, ed. by Laure-Anne Bosselaar, Four Way Books
Talk Poetry by Mairéad Byrne, Miami University Press
The Splinter Factory by Jeffrey McDaniel, Manic D Press
The Four Questions of Melancholy: New and Selected Poems by Tomaz Salamun, White Pine Press
Octopus Books Eight Chapbook Pack (The Knife-Grasses by Julie Doxsee; The Ohio System by Jen Tynes & Erika Howsare; Perfect Villages by Sueyeun Juliette Lee; DJ Spinoza’s Dozen by Eugene Ostashevsky; The Book of Truants and Projectorlight by Joshua Marie Wilkinson; The Tides by Genya Turovskaya; The Continuing Misadventures of Andrew, the Headless Talking Bear by Jonah Winter; Goodnight Lung by Samuel Amadon)

Journals:
Another Chicago Magazine, No. 47
Barrelhouse, No. 5
Burnside Review, Vol. 3, No, 2
Copper Nickel, Nos. 8 & 9
Court Green, No. 5, 2008
Hobart, No. 7, 2007
HOW, No. 1, Fall/Winter 2007
The Saint Ann’s Review, Vol. 7, No. 2, Winter 2008

Not to mention various CDs, catalogs, contest flyers, etc. How I managed to drag all that home, I'll never know.

***

Hey, here's something fun: in mid-January, I was the featured poet at No Tell Motel, an online poetry journal I admire and adore. Please check out my five poems, all listed in the archive (under Nicole Steinberg).

And speaking of No Tell, they held a poetry pageant at AWP with Bloof Books and Coconut Books. I took some photos; here's a sampling.

2007-10-11T23:57:00.000-04:00

Some braggery, while I have a moment.

I have a poem called "On This Day in History" in the Autumn 2007 issue of The One Three Eight, edited by Gregory Crosby and Danny Rivera, two gentlemen if ever there were.

You can also listen to a mp3 of meeee reading my poem "Drown" in the Audio Project section of the Pebble Lake Review website. "Drown" appears in PLR's Summer 2007 issue.

And my chapbook Shouldering the Tombs was a finalist in this year's Burnside Review Chapbook Contest.

Yes, for now, this is one of those blogs. I'll have something of substance to say soon. Maybe.

2007-08-27T18:00:00.000-04:00

I redesigned the Earshot website, so that's fun. First Fall event: Friday, September 14th.

2007-08-17T17:48:00.000-04:00

Liam Rector, Poet and Educator, dies at 57.

I took my first graduate seminar with Liam. My friends and I would often laugh about how much he obviously enjoyed gossiping about the literary world, sometimes more so than getting through his own curriculum. He was an entertaining man, a friendly and kind man, inviting his students into his home, quick to offer us words of encouragement. It's saddening news for the poetry community.

It's hot.

2007-08-05T01:20:00.000-04:00

It must be August. My poor room fan can officially do no more to cool me. Level 3 is no longer helpful. I need a level 42.

August 11th is my birthday, and also the date of the Other Rooms Press launch/reading, which I'll be participating in, between bouts of 25 year old badassery. 4-6 PM, $7 cover gets you a free chapbook. You should check it out. And hey, my *NSYNC poem is going to be in Barrelhouse. Finally, it will no longer be the poem that only does well when read aloud.

Another cool thing about August this year is that it's been great for concerts. I saw 1990s twice this week, and also caught the free CSS/Shout Out Out Out Out show last night. (A good lesson to be learned: Brazilian girls = hot; Canadian men = hot.) This upcoming week includes the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Cribs, and legends Daft Punk. We have seats for Daft Punk, but it's okay because I've got a busy weekend after that.

And one more good thing: the release of Superbad.

I can't fucking wait.

Poet Laureate

2007-07-29T01:17:00.000-04:00

According to Amy & Alex, anyway. Which is all that counts!

Last night I finally got to read at the MiPO Reading Series, hosted by the seriously cool Amy King. She recorded the whole thing and took photos, which is bad news for me; between the lack of A/C and the spotlight shining down on my skull, I was sweating like a pig. Eventually, the photos and video will be uploaded and the reflective sheen of my forehead will blind you all.

The reading went well, though. A nice number of people showed up, including lots of folks I actually know. Everyone seemed to dig my new stuff, which was great. I'm still recovering from workshop/"please validate me" mode. Richard Grayson blogged about the evening over here.

Anyway, what else is going on. Last weekend I went to Atlantic City with some friends. I don't think the word "gaudy" has ever crossed my mind so often in the span of 36 hours. Our favorite part was probably the giant candy store in Caesar's Palace.

I wish I had a dress made from Twizzlers. And I wonder if the bit Leminem's pointing to also tastes of lemons. I'd stick with the Twizzlers.

Queen-sized bed with a fully-stocked mini bar, please.

2007-06-02T16:38:00.000-04:00

Some photos from the join No Tell Motel/New School poets reading at the Frequency Series @ the Four-Faced Liar on May 26th.

PF Potvin & John Findura.

Peter Bogart Johnson.

Mike Reilly & Mark Bibbins.

Mike & Steve Roberts.

Steve and myself.

Steve Roberts & Alex Smith with bonus Danielle Ben-Veniste in the background.

Mike Reilly reads. In the background: John Findura & Alexandra Mendez-Diez.

Joan Biddle reads.

The Post to End All Posts

2007-05-20T01:44:00.000-04:00

...Or not. Michael Quattrone made me feel guilty for never updating, so I thought I'd turn on the dramatics. He's a nice boy. His new chapbook Rhinoceroses is super good, and I'm not just saying that because I'm in the acknowledgements.

Past Earshot reader Ed Go and his friend, poet Mike Whalen, have started Other Rooms Press, and the first edition features many talented acquaintances of mine, including Chip Livingston, Matt Reeck, and Melissa Goodrum (who I sometimes run into on the street). It also contains three poems by me from my brief "My Mother..." series.

In other poetree news, my poem "Drown" will appear in the Summer 2007 issue of Pebble Lake Review and you can now purchase PMS #7, featuring my poem "Seymour": http://www.pms-journal.org/

Beyond that, I recently came back from a 15-day vacation in Tokyo, though I was so busy and filled with snot, that it wasn't much of a vacation. It's inspired a few new and bizarre poems, so maybe I'll post them soon. Or maybe not. Wouldn't you like to know.

Reading this Sunday, 3/18 @ 440 Gallery

2007-03-16T23:47:00.000-04:00

I have a cold and I'll probably sound like an old coal miner, but the other readers are guaranteed to be awesome, at least. If you're in the area, please check it out; it's free!

JOIN US FOR A READING AT PARK SLOPE'S 440 GALLERY!
WHEN: Sunday, March 18th from 4:30-6:00 pm
WHERE: 440 Gallery, 440 Sixth Avenue (at 9th St., F to 7th Ave.)
CONTACT: Brooke Shaffner at brshaffner@hotmail.com
Admission: FREE!

AMY LAWLESS
CHRISTINE HAMM
NICOLE STEINBERG
MATTHEW THORBURN
Featured Artist: RICHARD EAGAN

AMY LAWLESS
Amy Lawless is completing her MFA in poetry at the New School. Her work has appeared most recently in The Agriculture Reader, Canon Magazine, and she has work forthcoming in Red China Magazine. Her poem "Tennis Court at Bat" was recently awarded honorable mention in the Best American Poetry Poem Contest #1. She lives in New York.

CHRISTINE HAMM
Christine Hamm is working towards her PhD in English Literature at Drew University with a full scholarship. Her poetry has been published in many journals, including The Adirondack Review, Pebble Lake Review, Lodestar Quarterly, Poetry Midwest, MiPoesias, Rattle, Blue Fifth Review, Horseless Review, Snow Monkey and Exquisite Corpse. She has been nominated twice for a Pushcart Prize. Her work was anthologized in Homewrecker: An Adultery Reader and The Murdering of Our Years: Artists and Activists on Making Ends Meet, both by Soft Skull Press. Christine is on the editorial board of several literary journals, including Vernacular. She teaches English at Rutgers University and poetry writing at Women's Studio Center in Queens, NY. She has two chapbooks-- The Animal Husband from Dancing Girl Press and The Salt Daughter from Little Poem Press. Her full-length book of poems, The Transparent Dinner, is just out from Mayapple Press. For more about her, go to http://chamm.blogspot.com.

NICOLE STEINBERG
Nicole Steinberg is Co-Editor of LIT and Associate Editor of BOMB Magazine. Her poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in Gulf Coast, McSweeney's, The Bedside Guide to No Tell Motel—Second Floor, MiPOesias, PMS, Lumina, and Half Drunk Muse, and she writes concert reviews for Axis of Live (http://axisoflive.com). She's the founder, curator and host of EARSHOT, a Brooklyn-based reading series dedicated to the work and presence of emerging writers in the New York City area (http://earshotnyc.com). Nicole is a native of Queens, New York and received her degrees from The New School's Graduate Writing Program and Brandeis University.

MATTHEW THORBURN
Matthew Thorburn's first book of poems is Subject to Change (New Issues, 2004). His poems have also appeared recently in Paris Review, Pool, and Michigan Quarterly Review. He writes about writing at www.matthewthorburn.blogspot.com.

RICHARD EAGAN
Richard Eagan, March's featured artist, will give a brief talk on his work. Eagan, an artist, performer, and beekeeper, is a founding director of The Coney Island Hysterical Society, and the author of a play for multiple characters and one actor, Alive on the Inside. His work at the 440 Gallery has included architectural portraiture of Coney Island structures, and abstracted multi-media work described as "constructed paintings." For the past four years he has performed in Red Hook as "Brooklyn's Beloved Karaoke Lady, Kay Sera." For more information, go to http://www.440gallery.com/artist_reagan.htm.

About 440 Gallery: Park Slope's only artist-run gallery, a jewel box space offering an alternative venue for nine Brooklyn artists. 440 Gallery seeks to present surprising, unexpected art to the community through exhibitions, talks, readings and events centered around direct contact with the artist. Open Thursdays and Fridays, 4-7 pm and Saturdays and Sundays, 12-6 pm, or by appointment.

Happy 2007!

2007-01-13T03:37:00.000-05:00

A clean-up post of sorts:

1) Check out the Earshot Spring 2007 calendar at earshotnyc.com and read a spiffy interview with myself at Until Monday: BKLN.

2) Read my sestina "I'm Obsessed With My Wife" at McSweeney's and look out for my poem "Kidnappers" in the upcoming issue of Gulf Coast.

3) Peter Bogart Johnson and I are now the new co-editors of LIT. Cool things are hopefully on the horizon.

4) Sadly, I learned tonight that I will never acquire www.nicolesteinberg.com, because it's already taken. It has a bat.

People like me!

2006-10-17T16:14:00.000-04:00

I've been getting some acceptances! It's very weird.

Right now, you can read two of my poems at MiPOesias, along with a photo of myself that my mother thinks will ensure a dateless, loveless life for me. I'll also have a sestina up soon at McSweeney's and a poem in the next issue of PMS. So watch out for meeee.

I also reviewed Basement Jaxx last week at AXIS|OF|LIVE. This week I'm seeing Goldfrapp, Beck, and maaaybe Art Brut, if I can get up the energy. The week of CMJ is also going to be a killer. Why doesn't anyone pay me for this stuff?

I might consider changing the look of this blog. And I should update more often. Silly of me not to, I'm just a lazy girl.

Ramblings.

2006-09-27T01:07:00.000-04:00

You know, I've never really googled Earshot before, but it's amazing how many websites and blogs reference it, some I've never even heard of before: futurefunk.net, Until Monday, upcoming.org, everythingny.com, etc. And a lot of past readers drop the name in their bios and such. One guy even mentioned it in an interview. Also, David is reading in December and it's mentioned on the Best American Poetry website, eee.

In other news, Earshot's fall schedule is now up and I've got some recent reviews up on AXIS|OF|LIVE: The Gossip with Erase Errata, Junior Boys. Seeing Ladytron and Regina Spektor this week, so stay tuned for thoughts on those shows.

Woohoo!

2006-08-26T02:26:00.000-04:00

Two poems will appear in The Bedside Guide to No Tell Motel 2007: "Fortune" and "My Dick Strikes Twice in New York." The title of the latter stems from a misheard lyric at a concert performance by Men, Women & Children; the song is actually called "Lightning Strikes Twice in New York." See Mom, loud rock concerts are good for something!

Thanks to Salwa Jabado, who encouraged me to submit to this anthology.

Seen: Dirty Pretty Things

2006-08-16T02:28:00.000-04:00

Dirty Pretty Things, Bowery Ballroom, 15 August 2006

Let's face it: when you head off to see a band that consists of one half of the former Libertines, you can't expect not to get your share of shoves and nudges. Of course, that's only the extent of it if you're lucky. I attended the Dirty Pretty Things show at the Bowery tonight accompanied by really huge fans, and while I'm not the expert on DPT nor the Libertines by a long shot, I got into the swing of things, ending up quite drunk by the time DPT took the stage. As the opening numbers sped by my ears much faster than the recorded versions, I couldn't tell if my clouded brain was responsible, or if they were just playing really, really fast. I hoped I'd be able to write a proper review. Luckily, I was in the right mindset as everyone else: old, drunk, and ready.

Read the rest of the review at AXIS|OF|LIVE.

Seen: Sleater-Kinney

2006-08-15T13:13:00.000-04:00

Sleater-Kinney, Webster Hall, 2 August 2006

You’d probably have to be crazy to go to a sold-out show in the middle of a New York City heatwave when a blackout looms at all possible times and they’re selling bottles of water for $4 and not giving away any cups of ice or tap. But luckily, crazy is what I am and I was on hand for one of Sleater-Kinney’s last performances ever in good old, brokedown Webster Hall, where the A/C was on at a minimum and they only gave you free water if you were two seconds from fainting. Mike and I aren’t completely insane, however, and instead of joining the diehards in the pit, we headed up to the balcony. Much to my surprise, the fans up there were just as excited as the ones below, clamoring for good views and perching on top of chairs to watch Corin, Carrie and Janet one last time before their final New York curtain call.

Read the rest of the review at AXIS|OF|LIVE.

Seen: Bloc Party

2006-07-30T01:57:00.000-04:00

Bloc Party, McCarran Pool, 29 July 2006

Just a few brief notes on the BP show tonight at Williamsburg's McCarran Pool. I was mainly there to see BP and was rather uninterested in Mew (who I decided would have been much cooler if they simply came out, posed like cats and went "mewww") and the pleasant but vaguely dull set from Secret Machines. I spent their sets people watching, gazing upon Brooklyn's finest hipster stock. The day was a blur of tattoo sleeves, leggings, two-toned hair, chunky boots, billowy dresses, tiny shorts, shrunken vests, oversized sunglasses and band t-shirts ranging from the Arctic Monkeys to Blink 182 to Heaven 17. The beer lines started off small and ended up astronomical; who knew there were so many people willing to pay $5 for a cup of Brooklyn Brewery? The lines for bottled water and food were much shorter and we indulged in cans of Dr. Brown's and organic, locally-raised beef hot dogs. They were yummy.

Bloc Party were their usual adorable selves and Kele spread the love accordingly, bouncing around stage with Russell and Gordon and announcing that things were officially getting "serious" when Matt took his shirt off after song #2. They played a few new tracks from the album they're recording, including "Waiting for the 718" and the awesome "Hunting for Witches." Old favourites included "Positive Tension," "Banquet," "She's Hearing Voices," "This Modern Love," "Like Eating Glass," "Blue Light," and "Helicopter." The encore, if I remember correctly, was "So Here We Are," "Price of Gas" and two personal favourites of mine, "Compliments" and "Pioneers." Kele began and ended "Compliments" by stating that they didn't play it often, but this was a "special occasion." Isn't he the sweetest? No wonder everyone loves him.

Seen: The Long Blondes

2006-07-28T14:12:00.000-04:00

The Long Blondes, The Knitting Factory, 27 July 2006

I thought I could protect myself from the impending rain by placing my hand over my head as J and I ran from the restaurant to the Knitting Factory, but no such luck. It was just starting to turn into a full-blown shower when we reached the front door and were asked for our IDs by the requisite burly bouncer. I said thank you, as I always do with bouncers, and we headed inside. First off: get a spot. Secondly: drinks. Thirdly: spot The Long Blondes chilling by the bar, stand next to Reenie as I order my Corona and feel really, massively cool that I know her name is Reenie, dude.

(Read the rest of the review at AXIS|OF|LIVE.)

Axis of Live.

2006-07-12T00:06:00.000-04:00

Am posting my show reviews now to Axis of Live now, a site run by my pal Christine. A slightly spruced up version of my Radio 4/Small Sins review is up there now, along with lots of reviews and photos of other good bands, so cheeeeck it out.

Seen: Radio 4

2006-07-07T15:00:00.000-04:00

Radio 4, Bowery Ballroom, 06 July 2006

Once again, Sarah and I ventured to ye olde Bowery Ballroom for another night of dance rock glory. I kind of had to drag her along, but that's beside the point. We arrived a bit late but still easily snagged a spot up by the stage where my beloved Radio 4 would be appearing many hours later. Le sigh. Upon entrance, we were greeted by the sight of frontman Anthony Roman wandering around the bar area, looking vaguely bewildered. He also poked his head out from the stage door during opener Professor Murder's set, saw the very empty space and pouted. Poor dude. First Pitchfork gives him (another) crap review and now this.

But people did trickle in, very slowly. It probably didn't help matters that Professor Murder was a mess. Well, they were all right. An obnoxious girl in both voice and appearance nearby kept insisting to her friends after their set that they were "like Radio 4, if they had b-sides." Nope, that's not true, sorry. Then she tried the description, "like a Radio 4 cover band." No, still wrong. My own description was "a reggae-ska-punk-indie-disco jam band," which I stand by. For the most part, they were all percussion with a very lackluster bass player and a gangly guy in a Mets cap who smacked a drumpad, made plinky sounds and danced off-beat in a horrendously awkward way. Their drummer was quite skilled and I wondered what the hell he was doing there. The lead singer kept blowing on a whistle, which is the only reason I include "disco" in my description. But god, the best part was when they came on stage and kept playing a sample from that old reggae song that went, "They call it MUUUURDAHHH!" I'm pretty sure I gave Sarah a look of sheer alarm at that point.

Next up were Small Sins, a crazy ass band from Canada. Engaging in their motherland's long-standing tradition of The Bizarre, they bounded onto the stage wearing matching outfits of white t-shirts and white jeans. They were like The Polyphonic Spree on crack. They were quite decent and had a very talented guitarist who made the song "Small Sins/Big Within" awesome by banging wildly on a drum between verses. Their music reminded me of those strangely haunting 80s new wavey songs that played during dramatic scenes of movies back then. I don't mean "haunting" in a Sigur Ros sort of way, I mean it in a Corey Hart, I wear my sunglasses at night sort of way. They have a Myspace (doesn't everyone?) and now that I'm listening to the recorded versions, I can safely say they're much better live. But weird and cultish, too. One of them kicked his sampler machine thingy over and nearly hit their roadie in the head with a wooden board. And he had a triangle. Small Sins uses a triangle.

We were antsy for Radio 4 to come out and save the evening and I was pleased when they did. Anthony Roman declared that it was the end of their tour and they could safely say that the Bowery Ballroom was their favourite venue in the world. That's kind of depressing, considering their sound was terrible (everything was so loud, you could barely make out the vocals or the music itself sometimes) and the crowd was absolutely dead. Sarah and I were part of a small handful of people that actually danced. The band didn't seem to care much; they seemed psyched that their tour was over and they were back home. Anthony and guitarist Dave Milone jammed and jumped around and were generally in love with each other. The crowd also included a section of elderly folks which Sarah believes were Radio 4's parents. Aww. I wonder if they went to Hi-Fi for the afterparty. Standout numbers included the classic "Caroline," "Struggle," "Too Much to Ask For," and the showstopper "Dance to the Underground," when Small Sins emerged and joined the band for a crazy jam session. Then they all hugged and squeed amongst themselves while the crowd waited for the song to continue. As Sarah noted, summer camp was over.

I snagged a setlist from the rather mean roadie and took some photos, like the one above. You can view the setlist here.

Seen: The Rakes

2006-07-06T01:31:00.000-04:00

The Rakes, Bowery Ballroom, 05 July 2006

Sarah and I showed up at the Bowery Ballroom not expecting to have a good time. We're old ladies, you see, and upon hearing that The Rakes wouldn't take the stage until 11 PM after a full day of work, we let out a collective groan of agony. I ended up having a great time, however, and so did she, I think-- all the grunting made it hard to tell. But I saw her dancing, oh yes, I did.

Opening band The Adored were better than I thought they'd be. Truthfully, I was disappointed with their album, A New Language, and I expected them to be crap. They were decent enough. The Adored have a schtick, it seems. They're the perfect model of an indie/punk boyband. There's the Jock (Nat the drummer), dressed in a regular t-shirt and jeans, the Punk (Max the bassist), with his flipped collar, elevated hairdo and penchant for keeping his guitar against his knees, the Dapper Gentleman (guitarist Drew) who wore a suit and rocked out with his cock tucked in, and vocalist Ryan, the NYC Scenester Girl Who Is Actually a Dude, Who Knew. Dude was rocking the quintessential scenester chick hairdo (long in the front and the sides, short in the back, very fringey), had zero going on in the hips department and was wearing a girl's shirt from Urban Outfitters. I know this to be true because I tried that shirt on once. Girly girl deluxe. Honestly, if that guy doesn't have to shave his armpits, I dunno why I do.

Next up was Every Move A Picture, or as I liked to call them, EVERY! MOVE! A PICTUUUURE! I thought these dudes were famous for some reason, but they're not. Though they do have over 24,000 Myspace friends. Yeesh! I commented to J that they're like The Bravery with more plinky-plunky sounds and she mentioned that The Bravery went to Vassar. So I decided these guys probably went to Mount Holyoke. They looked like a band of clones and were relatively entertaining. I enjoyed them more than The Adored, mainly because they had a higher dance content. The best part was when the singer said, "This song is about civil war!" because, y'know, that's not too broad of a statement. Their album drops next week and it's called Heart=Weapon. You know you need that album.

And then, The Rakes. Bless their undernourished hearts. They were so fun! Singer Alan Donohoe is absolutely crazy and in desperate need of Ritalin, with his jerky dance moves and inability to drink his Heinekens properly. He was backed up by guitarist and vocalist Matthew Swinnerton, who is adorable in an odd John Denver way and had my utmost attention, for some reason. They opened with a somewhat weak version of "22 Grand Job," but the set quickly picked up from there. Memorable numbers included "Open Book," "Violent," and "Terror!" which had the whole place dancing with the disco ball glowing bright, lighting up every corner. "Retreat" was also fantastic; it's a song I've been waiting to dance along to since the first time I heard it, and I did, I danced my little heart out. I was amazed at how much breathing room I had and definitely took advantage (big thanks to Pam's suitcase included; she's following The Rakes around on tour and her luggage provided me with a very nice comfort zone). Closer "Strasbourg" had everyone jumping up and down and begging for more, but there was no encore, probably because they played every song they've ever written. Oh well, there's always next time.

Also, a very animated fellow was behind us who engaged in lots of banter with the band. Alan invited him to join them afterwards at The Sapphire Club, but he stumbled on the name at first and I thought he said The Sappho Club. That would have been much cooler.

Seen: The Futureheads

2006-07-01T02:39:00.000-04:00

The Futureheads, Webster Hall, 30 June 2006

Gosh, The Futureheads are cute. They absolutely killed tonight, which I expected. They're a real treat to watch, not just because they're skilled musicians and vocalists, but also because each one of them is genuinely, honestly, so SO excited to be in a band, doing what he loves. Jaff is especially happy. He can shimmy and shake a tambourine like nobody's business. He definitely rivals Ross as my favourite Futurehead, after tonight.

French Kicks opened, who were fine if a bit low-key and shoegazing. They're all very dapper dressers, except for the guitarist who was wearing all white and still managed to look like a bum. Then our boys stormed out on stage and delivered an opening 1-2 punch of "Yes/No" and "Area." After that came "Cope," my favourite song off the new album News and Tributes. So, y'know, I was pleased. Other great numbers included "Burnt," "Stupid and Shallow," "Skip to the End," "A to B," "Hounds of Love" and their closer before the encore, "Man Ray." Man, that was good. Their encore was fantastic too: "Decent Days and Nights" followed by the excellent song from their first album, "Carnival Kids."

The only bad thing about The FHs is the number of obnoxious meatheads they seem to attract. They all tried to crush my small friend Perin, but she remained strong. She's a good person to go to concerts with; she was smiling the whole time and looked like she was really having fun! How odd, right? She and I (and lots of others, I'm sure) got sprayed in the face with Barry's DNA when he tossed his sweaty hair. My Neutrogena facial wash is now unnecessary, as I can never clean that area again.

Spin This Shit:
The Futureheads - Man Ray

You Should Be Listening To... Spank Rock

2006-06-19T21:44:00.000-04:00

Spank Rock, Yoyoyoyoyo
[Big Dada, 2006]

Rapper Naeem Juwan spits seriously sexy rhymes over the head-snapping beats and samples of producer XXXChange, together concocting hip-hop that's a throwback to the 1980s with a fantastic modern edge. Ladies, don't be offended by the smack talk rapping; just enjoy the ride. The guest rap in "Bump" will easily provide a little self-empowerment, if need be.

Spin This Shit: Backyard Betty, Bump, Sweet Talk
Spank Rock on Big Dada: Spank Rock
Spank Rock on myspace: www.myspace.com/spankrock

Seen: Goldfrapp

2006-05-16T00:12:00.000-04:00

Goldfrapp, Irving Plaza, 15 May 2006

Picture it, then: me, Sarah and a club full of New York's most fabulous gay men, fidgeting in our individually allotted slots of space for an hour and a half, waiting for Alison Goldfrapp to grace us with her presence. Then she does, with fans whirring into her face, whipping her blond curls back, smoke surrounding her frame, and a heavenly blue background giving the illusion of a mermaid rising from the water. "Utopia" commences and it's not far from the truth.

Jesus Christ, does Alison Goldfrapp have an amazing voice. A heathen next to me covered her ears during the high notes of "Lovely Head" and I silently asked Buddha to smite her for such a heinous act. If only we were so lucky to experience stuff like this every day. Alison and her amazing band were right on target from the moment they walked onstage to the moment they left it. Aside from the stifling heat and the overpacked crowd, it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. The lack of an opening act was completely refreshing, too. We paid for "an evening with Goldfrapp" and we got it.

Showstoppers included the underrated "U Never Know," the normally unassuming b-side "Beautiful," "Ride a White Horse," "Satin Chic," "Train" and closer "Ooh La La," which had the entire venue jumping up and down. The first encore of "Black Cherry" and "Number 1" left me slightly unsatisfied, but the amazing second encore of "Strict Machine" made up for it, and then some. There should be more shows like this: one set by one band, put on for the biggest fans. Alison was very good to the audience and seemed flattered by the rousing response to every note she sang. She's an absolute chanteuse.

Sarah was scared of the dancers, who wore wolf masks during "Train," glass mosaic horse heads for "Ride a White Horse" and various masks paired with latex outfits in between. She said they were "harshing her mellow." I rather liked them. They were spunky and the wolf masks were rad.

Spin This Shit:
Goldfrapp - "Beautiful"
Goldfrapp - "Utopia"

Seen: Pretty Girls Make Graves

2006-05-14T21:35:00.000-04:00

Pretty Girls Make Graves, Irving Plaza, 13 May 2006

I wondered, as I watched Andrea Zollo wail and pump her fist in the air, what it would have been like to see Pretty Girls Make Graves before Elan Vital, when they had two guitarists and more of a raw, edgy sound. This was my first time seeing them in concert, and even though I enjoy the new album more than most critics seem to, I was slightly worried they would be a bit off. Luckily, the band has tackled their foray into a new sound with great energy and skill, though I'd expect nothing less from the folks who brought us The New Romance, one of my favourite albums of 2003. Andrea's amazing voice doesn't hurt things, either.

Zollo and co. burst onto the stage with the accordion-fueled "Selling the Wind" and didn't let the flow quit. Even their break before the encore was super quick; it was described as a "pee break." Some songs fell a bit flat; stompers like "This Is Our Emergency" didn't quite make the cut in a live performance. But then there were songs that sounded surprisingly better in person. "Parade" saw the inclusion of two drum kits at once and some very fierce percussion, and "Pictures of a Night Scene" was erratic and wild, grabbing the interest of even the most nonplussed audience members. The band also dug into their old bag of tricks for the die-hards by the stage, playing "The Get A Way" as their second encore song. Other great numbers included "The New Romance," "The Number," "Domino," "The Grandmother Wolf," "The Nocturnal House" (I love the opening whistle), and the perfect closer, "All Medicated Geniuses."

I wasn't as impressed with their opener, Giant Drag. Maybe it was the waifish singer with the little girl voice, maybe it was the fact that their songs seemed to blend together. Our favourite song during this set was their rendition of "Wicked Game." The remarks made about Chris Isaak breaking her eight year-old hymen through song left something to be desired.

Craig bought me a PGMG t-shirt on his way back from his own pee break. That was very sweet.

Arctic Monkeys and etc.

2006-02-07T15:24:00.000-05:00

Arctic Monkeys, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
[Domino, 2006]

Really should start updating in here more regularly. Instead of writing poetry like a good MFA student, I'll give my assessment of the Arctic Monkeys, the most overhyped band out of the UK since the Kaiser Chiefs or Coldplay, or... take your pick, I guess.

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not is a good album. It's enjoyable, for the most part. It makes you want to jump and down and flick someone in the forehead. The NME, ass-kissers that they are, placed the LP as #5 on their 100 top British albums of all time, which is akin to bloody murder. Parklife was something like #89, so you know something is wrong. AM also placed above the Beatles and Radiohead. I'd give the album a 7 out of 10, at most. It's dancey and catchy and that's the sort of thing I like, admittedly.

What fascinates me about AM is their policy of making friends by making enemies, as exemplified by their poorly-titled debut album. The whole "I'm not a poseur, but you are!" stance, which-- according to their extraordinary album sales, anyway-- has gotten the poseurs themselves to sit up and take notice. And it's not just in the UK; both upcoming NYC AM shows at Webster Hall have long since sold out and are sure to be filled with hipsters shuffling about in their blazers and ripped jeans. And AM will be onstage, pointing at the crowd, telling them they're all "vampires." And the people will eat that shit up.

"Fuck you. Buy my record." It's a tried and true approach, so it's not surprising that nearly every track on the LP is about how everyone is a faker or a sucker. I find "Still Take You Home" an especially amusing track: "You sold your soul to the fashion / You're a top-shop princess, a rockstar too / Where's the love and the passion? / Oh I suppose that's nothing to do with you / But it's alright, put it all on one side." Yeah, maybe you're as vapid as Paris Hilton, but you also resemble her, so let's go fuck in the bathroom.

Saving this album, most obviously, is the musical talent on display in every song. The two-faced message, however, is schtick. I mean, haven't we heard this all before from, say... Good Charlotte? Yet the Arctic Monkeys are enjoying a great deal of success. Expect their sophomore effort to be about how said success is such a drag.

The best part? The album won't even be released in the US until February 21st. You can buy it at Insound HERE.

Pitchfork Media also has a fair and accurate (I think, anyway) review in their files HERE.

I will say one thing for sure: with the hugeness of Franz Ferdinand and now the Arctic Monkeys, Domino Records is quickly becoming a major force in contemporary music.

Top 40 of 2005.

2006-01-02T17:21:00.000-05:00

Happy 2006!

You can view my top music picks of the previous year here: the somechick Top 40 of 2005.

Worst Blogger Ever!

2005-11-06T17:29:00.000-05:00

It's been a million years (or seconds) since I last posted. Hello. Lots of stuff to mention.

1. I am doing a reading this month! It will be at The Barbes Bar as part of their Barbes Reading Series. Barbes is pronounced "Bar-bess," because it's fancy and Frenchy, but I can't be bothered to put the accent over the E right now. It's co-hosted by my friend Jessica Liese and writer Robyn Schneider. They bake cookies for the crowd and it's free! It will be at 6 PM on Sunday, November 20th. I'm reading with Joel Keller and Mitch Levenberg (two -bergs in one night, you can't go wrong). And it's FREEEE. Barbes is at 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.) in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Click the links for more details.

2. Earshot is back in full swing, and speaking of Jessica Liese, she'll be reading there on Friday night, November 18th at 8 PM, with Marie Bertino from Brooklyn College and Mac Barrett from The New School opening. Earshot is held at 87, on 87 Ludlow Street, below Delancey. $6 plus a free drink!

3. idothisidothat.com is up in full swing. I have two music reviews posted there now. My next article is due in 9 days (yikesy!) and will probably be about something ~~lame~~ awesome.

More later!

Another Poem.

2005-09-12T21:16:00.000-04:00

In Dreams My Mother is Mute

In dreams my mother
is mute. In dreams
she says nothing. She is silent
on the day a nest
of insects births in my room.
They have bronzed,
segmented bodies and angled,
shit-kicker legs.
I can’t get them out.
What should I do?
I ask her, but she is mute.
One bug maps out her face,
digs into pores like grooves
on a mountainside. Her eyes
are angling too, away from me,
towards the TV, which once
was black and white
and also appears in these dreams,
with its admirable laugh tracks.

Gosh, hello.

2005-09-12T00:41:00.000-04:00

I am the worst blogger ever. Well, that's not true, I just forget I own this particular blog sometimes.

Now that school's back in swing and I'm struggling to kick my own ass to write poems again, I'll share some first drafts here. I can guarantee they will all be different in the final versions (if not trashed completely) and warn that they might often suck. Most times, they will.

That being said, don't yank my stuff, because it's rude. And because you can do better, I'm sure. Don't give me a complex. Haha.

The title of this is by Dan Hoy, this dude I know.

Note to Self: Detergent

Somehow she sleeps.
The sun fucks with my face.
Someone across the street
whistles so loud I can hear it.
She wakes up and goes
to the bathroom,
to sort out her things.
She separates boy
shampoo from girl shampoo,
based on the color of bottles.
I gave her a notepad for her new place;
she can stick it on her fridge.
It reads, Fuck you, you fucking fuck,
in bright pink along the top.
The leaves are lined for lists
of all the things she’ll need:
Tylenol, lettuce, Tide. New shampoo.
I ran low and used hers all week.
My hair is falling out
and she saves the clumps in jars.
They’ll be conversation pieces
when you’re famous, she says.

Birthday and E-mail Poems.

2005-08-13T15:20:00.000-04:00

Hey, it was my birthday the other day. I'm an old lady now. The big 2-3. Luckily, I have a bunch of geezers in my MFA program who refer to me as "the baby," which makes me feel young and sprightly. Yes, sprightly.

I really need to get my act together and send out some new submissions. I've gotten everything back from my last round except for Open City and Barrow Street. I'd say this is a good sign, but it could be that they just decided to use my poems for toilet paper and didn't tell me about it; which is good, because that would just be a rude thing to say.

Mike and I are toying with the idea of putting together a chapbook from these found e-mails poems we write. The e-mail poems are lifted from e-mails that we write to each other, usually from work. They're mostly written by me originally and then crafted into something poem-esque by Mike. Sometimes they have titles and sometimes they don't. Here's the most recent example:

I always ask for onions
and then never eat them,
unless my fork snags one
by accident. For some reason,
I think they'll add
flavor to the salad
with some sort of onion
osmosis or whatever.

Anyone interested in funding/publishing such an endeavor? I mean, we're going to be the next Beckman and Rohrer; get in on the ground floor with us while you can. We're thinking about calling the chapbook Brett & Jon, which are our middle names, respectively.

You Should Be Listening To... Thunderbirds Are Now!

2005-08-09T01:00:00.000-04:00

Thunderbirds Are Now!, Justamustache
[French Kiss, 2005]

Straight outta Detroit (though possibly a different part of town than say, Marshall Mathers), the four girly-sounding men of TAN! bring the funk and the punk and the disco boogie to a dancefloor near you. Known for their ecstatic live performances and general penchant for the bizarre, you can't hold their start as a TOOL cover band against them (yikes). Onward and upward, kids. Catch them on tour this summer/early autumn.

Spin This Shit: Enough About Me, Let's Talk About Me, This World is Made of Paper... Held Together by a Stapler, Better Safe Than Safari
Thunderbirds Are Now! Website: http://www.thunderbirdsarenow.com/

Disappointment.

2005-07-30T15:53:00.000-04:00

So, I didn't get into the anthology. Oh well.

I'm fine with it; just very glad I didn't get my hopes up. I suppose it's an "honor to be nominated." At least I know I have the support of my MFA program, especially David. So, that's good news.

Thanks to all who were gunning for me.

Encouragement.

2005-07-26T01:10:00.000-04:00

"Dear Nicole--

Thanks for sending work for WE ARE WHAT WE WATCH. We're sorry to report that we're going to have to pass on your work-- the submissions for this project far exceeded our expectations [...] Many poems did not make our initial cut, but the quality of your submission was such that it was around until the very end."

Etcetera. Probably the most encouraging rejection letter I've gotten in a while. Unfortunately, letters like these make me want to bash my head upon a sharp object.

A few months ago, I was nominated by some dude named David Lehman to appear in a new anthology called Best New Poets 2005. While this is quite rad in every conceivable way, my hopes aren't high. I'm supposed to find out very soon (end of July) if I'm in or not, due to a measly two poem submission. I let David pick the poems for me, figuring he puts together anthologies for a living and knows what works and what doesn't. According to the anthology's website, my poems have officially gone through the hands of two (hopefully) capable readers and are in contention with hundreds of other people. They only pick fifty poems. It would be one of the greatest things to happen to me, I reckon.

Because of that, my expectations are low. I sent good work, but I can build myself a fort out of previous rejection letters and I just don't think it's going to happen. Fingers crossed, of course, because an acceptance might very well lead to many more publications in the future. But I'm already telling myself not to count my chickens.

Of course, I sound all humble now. But an acceptance will have me jumping up and down and screaming about how I am the NUMBA ONE BEST POET EVAAAA and a rejection will probably have me secretly crying in private for a week.

Being a poet is hard. I recommend law school for the faint of heart.

Must-Have of the Week: Gotham!

2005-07-20T16:26:00.000-04:00

Gotham!, Radio 4
[Gern Blandsten, 2002]

What's Been Said:
In title and subject matter, Gotham! is a tribute to the pre-9/11 New York City — a celebration of the people and the parties, and the vibe is believably strong throughout. From the jumpy opening of "Our Town" to the record's jittery finale, this trio never lets up on the grooves and wild percussive rhythms that have more than a touch of world music in them [...] Half dance party, half political rally, Gotham! is a rock record for a new era. Radio 4 may have their heads in the past, but the music is still decidedly forward-thinking and it puts the group at the top of their class in the rebirth of rock. -- allmusic.com

Spin This Shit: End of the Rope, Start a Fire, New Disco
Radio 4 website: http://www.r4ny.com/

You Should Be Listening To... The Soviettes

2005-07-09T13:57:00.000-04:00

The Soviettes, LP III
[Fat Wreck Chords, 2005]

On the first full-length release with Fat Wreck, Minneapolis-born The Soviettes kick out the pop-punk jams with style and flair. Think Green Day meets Le Tigre meets driving your dad's car into a McDonald's drive-thru window. Oh, and don't forget the zebra-print leggings and Adam Ant make-up. Check out the website for the kickass video to "Multiply and Divide" and summer tour stops at a backwater town near you.

Spin This Shit: Multiply and Divide, Paranoia Cha Cha Cha!, (Do) The Stagger
The Soviettes Website: http://www.thesoviettes.net/

EARSHOT: The First Offenders

2005-07-02T00:27:00.000-04:00

Hey gang:

As you may or may not know, I took it upon myself to edit a chapbook for my reading series, entitled EARSHOT: The First Offenders. The chapbook features work from featured EARSHOT readers between the months of February and May of 2005. It is, in my humble opinion, a fantastic collection (and I'm not just saying that because I put it together).

I've put a special page up on the EARSHOT website so that people can purchase the chapbook without having to worry about not making the readings themselves (though I'll still be selling them at the readings because I have a ton of copies left). The chapbook costs $5 plus shipping, which is cheeeeap cheap cheap. You should all buy a copy (or eight) and support the series.

The chapbook features work from the following New York City-based writers:

Michael Andrews, David Applegate, Hannah Baker-Siroty, Danielle Ilyana Ben-Veniste, Jeff Boyle, Gregory Crosby, Emari DiGiorgio, Will Edmiston, Kate Fallon, Lonnie Feldman, John Findura, Porter Fox, Kate Gilliam, Marie Holmes, Peter Johnson, Sian Killingsworth, Doretta Lau, Esther Lin, Chip Livingston, Zach Miller, Michael Montlack, David Pemberton, John Rauschenberg, Steve Roberts and Nicole Steinberg!

You can purchase the book by pressing the "Buy Now" button on the page and pay via Paypal, debit card or credit card. Easy breezy, no?

So, yes. EARSHOT: The First Offenders! Buy your copy today!

Curtsy/Applause.

2005-06-30T20:48:00.000-04:00

I'm starting this blog on a lark. Not new to the blogging world by any means, but I figured I needed a place where I could rant about poetry, fiction & music the way I often need to.

Here's some basics about me:

- I am Nicole and I was born and raised in the oft-forgotten borough of Queens, New York.
- I hold a B.A. in creative writing from Brandeis University and I'm currently pursuing my M.F.A. in poetry at The New School.
- I am the founder, host and curator of the Earshot Graduate Reading Series, which is held in conjunction with the Ludlow Artists Series as a part of Cafe Ludlow Presents in downtown New York.
- I currently work part-time as a Publishing Assistant for BOMB Magazine.
- I write a music column called "Beats at the Office" for idothisidothat, an as-of-yet unpublished website run by my loverboy, Michael J Andrews (no period after the "J").
- In my spare time, I like to listen to music, shop, sleep and talk shit. It's good times all around.

I'll be using this blog to rant about music you should be listening to, books you should be reading, people you should be sucking up to, and also to advertise my awesomely awesome reading series. There will also be updates on publications and literary goings-on in NYC. It will be exciting, I assure you.

Now I'm going to watch that train wreck of a show, "Hit Me Baby, One More Time." Animotion is on! ANIMOTION!