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~ :: Variety :: ~

<||> *Woman In Dub* <||>

Dubblestandart is a dub collective from Vienna, Austria that also officially backs Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, wherever he decides to display his insanity. So U know, just to handle that sort of task, is heavier than the bass sweltering through any speaker. On their latest upcoming release, Woman In Dub - the collective features a whole heap of gals such as Marcia Griffiths, Caron WheelerChezeré, AmA, Ari Up n’ many others - singing n’ dubbin’ it up in their many styles that’ll mostly relax your nerves, in ‘slow motion’. Yes U could also add your fav’ kush to enhance the experience too, why not? However, U won’t absolutely need it ‘cause these ‘women in dub’ divas gotcha covered, June 21. So dub it up mi selecta, come down!

|*| $ummer: Continued |*|

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From what we’ve been hearing, Eagle Rock is the underrated real hipster-ville of LA, NOT Silverlake (anymore). Swoop by Gg’s opening of “Tightrope” exhibit on Sat, June 15 from 8-midnight.

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If you’re in Brooklyn, check The Vim Dicta live. Trippy isn’t it? A real experience: Brooklyn Wildlife Party on Friday, June 14 @The Living Gallery, at night. Lots of wild ‘tings a gwaan. 

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B_Space invites U, U + U to play some backyard cricket (yes, they’re Australian), drink beer (who doesn’t?) n’ hear live music (let’s hope the band’s good!) on Friday, June 14 from 2-10p, in Venice.

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This Sat, June 15 from 5p ‘til LATER - KCRW’s Summer Nights in Chinatown (DTLA), hits up its first series of fun, DJ-infused nights. Let’s hope it’s on the warmer side, in n’ out - if U catch my drift…

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Lately, it’s been all this talk about quality cocoa crops, exquisite chocolate n’ more C’s than U can imagine - here’s your chance (C?) - to become a comparable Compartés chocolatier ($45 damage) via the Craft in America Center’s workshop on chocolate bar wrapping n’ tastings, in two sessions on Sat, June 15 @12noon n’ 3p. Yum, w/a “Y” NOT ‘C’!

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Didn’t even know she’s still in it to win it. Talkin’ bout alternative soul/rock singer, Alice Smith - Troubadour bound - Monday, June 17 @8p in West H’wood. Not to be missed!

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Frank Ocean hits the road - the international circuit that is. Peep his tour dates below, probably staying far away as possible from Chris Brown? No wonder that BMW’s screeching!

TOUR DATES
06/27/13 @ Tap 1 - Copenhagen, Denmark
06/28/13 @ Bravalla Festival - Norrkoping, Sweden
07/02/13 @ Heineken Music Hall - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
07/03/13 @ Le Zenith - Paris, France
07/04/13 @ Hovefestival - Arendal, Norway
07/06/13 @ Rock Werchter - Rotselaar, Belgium
07/09/13 @ Brixton O2 Academy - London, United Kingdom
07/10/13 @ Brixton O2 Academy - London, United Kingdom
07/12/13 @ Wireless Festival, Olympic Park London - London, United Kingdom
07/13/13 @ Phoenix Park - Dublin, Ireland
07/14/13 @ T in the Park - Kinross, United Kingdom
07/16/13 @ Laugardalshollin - Reykjavik, Iceland
07/28/13 @ Splendour in the Grass Festival - Byron Bay, Australia 
08/03/13 @ Osheaga Music and Arts Festival - Montreal, QC

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The Major Lazer/Mad Decent Block Party insanity continues, w/their “bubble butt” tour inflating your city! Peep the dates below, or land your butt HERE.

MAJOR LAZER SUMMER DATES:
** = MAD DECENT BLOCK PARTY
6/8: Guadalaja, Mexico - Plan Ballantines
6/14: Barcelona, Spain - Sonar Festival
6/15: Bologna, Italy - Bologna Fiere
6/18: Ibiza, Spain - Amnesia
6/22: Las Vegas, NV - EDC
6/29: Glastonbury, UK - Glastonbury
7/4: Belfort, France - Eurockéennes Festival
7/5: Werchter, Belgium - Rock Werchter
7/6: Cologne, Germany - Summerjam
7/9: Rome, Italy - POP Circus
7/10: Helsinki, Finland - Vuotekno Warehouse
7/11: Trencin, Slovakia - Pohoda Festival
7/13: Elindhoven, NL - Extrema Outdoor
7/19: Calgary, TBA**
7/26: Toronto, Fort York**
7/27: Philadelphia, The Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing **
8/2: Washington DC, Merriweather Post Pavilion **
8/3: Ft. Lauderdale, Revolotion Outdoors **
8/9: Atlanta, Masquerade Music Park **
8/10: Brooklyn, Williamsburg Park **
8/14: Cannes, France - Les Plages Electroniques at Palais
8/22: Charleville Mezieres, France - Cabaret Vert
8/23: Redding, UK - Redding Festival
8/24: Leeds, UK - Leeds Festival
8/25: Paris, FR - Rock En Seine
8/31: Dallas, Club Zouk Outdoors **
9/6: Detroit, Elektricity Festival Grounds **
9/7: New Braunfels, Whitewater Music Amphitheater **
9/14: Los Angeles, TBA **
9/15: San Diego, Petco Park Lot **
9/28: Champaign, IL - Pygmalion Music Festival
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Stones Throw (featuring The Lions, amongst many others!) Premiere Party for their documentary, “Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton” happens on Thursday, June 20 @Exchange LA in DTLA. This sure rivals this vinyl!

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If you’re in NY, catch a midnight frolic w/Kes The Band @BB King Blues & Grill, Friday, June 28 in the heart of Manhattan. Oh yes, carnival is seasonal - just not on 6/28 @midnight in NYC!

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The LA STREET FOOD Fest - 4th Annual Tasting Event - hits the Pasadena Rose Bowl on Sat, June 29 from 5-9p, but if U wanna be a VIP, pay extra for 3-4:30p entry! 

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Hollywood Bowl’sReggae Night” is always epic, no matter the line-up. Guess why? I’ll let U smoke n’ ponder that for a moment. But on Sun, June 30, cloudy or smoke-free, Jr. Gong will delight-up the arena w/his Marley-ful world of talent

U.S. Tour Dates:
Fri. Jun.14 @ MACC in Kahului, HI
Sat. Jun.15 @  Kaka’ako Waterfront Park in Honolulu, HI
Sun. Jun.16 @  Kilohana in Kauai, HI
Wed. Jun. 19 @ Marymoor Park in Redmond, WA
Fri. Jun 21 @ Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, OR
Sat. Jun. 22 @ Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in Boonville, CA
Sun. Jun. 23 @ Avila Beach Resort in Avila Beach, CA
Tue. Jun. 25 @ Belly Up in Solana Beach, CA
Wed. Jun. 26 @ Belly Up in Solana Beach, CA
Fri. Jun. 28 @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - Sound Waves Pool Stage in Las Vegas, NV
Sat. Jun. 29 @  Santa Barbara Bowl in Santa Barbara, CA
Sun. Jun. 30 @ Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA
Tue. Jul. 2 @ Belly Up in Solana Beach, CA

If you’re ever thinking of that feeling of ‘lack’ when it comes to soul - real soul - but not wanting to dig back into the crates of yesteryear, I’ve got the solution. Actually, not me specifically - but let me recommend a modern, progressive soulster, who’s as authentic w/out some visual stimulation as he’s with. Anyone will tell ya, Omar is “The Man”. I remember being introduced to him back in 1996, n’ ever since - his voice - no matter what song it resonated from, never disappointed. Some people are truly born w/this gift to bless us w/song. And on his latest LP, the UK sensation sounds solidly better than in his hey day of the mid-1990s or even when he resurged w/a few select shows throughout the U.S. in the mid-2000s. And today’s no different. Sorry, it is. Better. Mr. Lye-Fook is indeed STILL, the man.

I have a feeling we’ll be talking about these ‘exhibitionists’ soon again. Superhumanoids - from LA - on this delightful chill/lounge track, “Bad Weather”, isn’t that ‘bad’ at all actually…

Chi-Town aka Chiraq is a dangerous place these days. Ask Chi City, their bullets fly! And apparently, bullets aren&#8217;t the only wicked thing that they&#8217;re shootin&#8217;&#8230;

Chi-Town aka Chiraq is a dangerous place these days. Ask Chi City, their bullets fly! And apparently, bullets aren’t the only wicked thing that they’re shootin’…

“This Generation” - a track produced by Beatnick & K-Salaam - might’ve been the most slept on beats from 2012, by me at least. If U bypassed this being too stuck on the birth of Blue Ivy, Mitt Romney’s lies or something else, don’t miss this collab from emcees Fashawn + MURS. It’s a chemistry so natural, cancer patients skip chemo for this cure, no lie

Raekwon AKA “The Chef” - up to fishy biz - as an ‘Akomplice’ in making the Pelican Belt.

Why can’t more mainstream American music videos be as creative as this? Oh yea, I forgot it’s all about dumbing down, watering down n’ mass appealing - yet I find this very appealing. In fact, besides enjoying the groove of the soul-enriching sound of New Zealand’s Fat Freddy’s Drop on this “Clean The House”, how could U stop watching the theatrics of these FFD replica of puppets? And there’s also some dirt going on behind closed doors. Director Mark Williams does a fab job, but it’s the marionette master Jon Coddington who deserves the credit for these personified puppets jamming, gambling, driving, shooting, n’ crashing! 

Off their latest LP, Blackbird (out on July 9), U could expect more stomach-filling soul n’ even sweet syrup ‘one drop’ reggae, like on their title track, as part of their ongoing diverse-blend of music for fans from every corner of the world that listens more w/their ears, than what they see ‘under the influence’ w/their eyes. And building fans worldwide, they still sell records!

A nice blend of pop + yard vibez - compliments songstress/rapper Elliphant n’ spliff-soldier Ras Fraser Jr. And if U like what U see hear, do stalk her if she passes thru your ‘hood!

06/15 - Black Cat - Washington, DC*
06/16 - Cat’s Cradle - Carrboro, NC*
06/18 -Terminal West - Atlanta, GA*
06/20 - Maison -
 New Orleans, LA*
06/21- Fitzgeralds - Houston, TX*
06/22 - Emo’s East - Austin, TX*
06/24 - Granada - Dallas, TX*
06/26 - Tricky Falls - El Paso, TX*
06/27 - Crescent Ballroom - Phoenix, AZ*
06/28 - Glass House - Pomona, CA*
06/29 - Fonda Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
*

*with Twin Shadow

DL - *Summer of '93* (Rrrrrremix)!

…cause The Dolls asked my boy Jillionaire (Major Lazer) to drop it like it’s summer of ‘13!

Here Comes The French STEPPER - Saxophoner! Murdering over Sly & Robbie’s Taxi Gang riddims, Guillaume Briard’s Stepper Takes The Taxi LP drops on July 2. Hop on board…

~Saying Absolutely Nada~

More like Joey Dumba$$ to me…it’s so sad a cloudy beat like this always goes to waste YO!

Nope, it’s not part of any “throwback Thursdays” post. The video above is the first release off of Brand New Heavies’ latest LP, Forward. U can stream here to listen to the entire LP in case you’re craving that 1990s phenomena called ‘Acid Jazz’ that BNH was so instrumental in bringing to the forefront of the music industry. Forgetting the tag of yesteryear, it was just plain ol’ great musicianship. And today, after 7 years since they’ve dropped an LP, nothing’s changed (except for an addition of singer Dawn Joseph) about their sweet, soulful organic grooves that usually has N’dea Davenport’s vocals leading the progression. On this new single “Sunlight”, the blend of island street-life n’ high-life sophistication is evident throughout the isle of Trinidad, moving from the coastal scenic beach travels to the inner city aesthetics of coconut vendors, the joys of Trini carnival n’ smiling faces so stereotypical of the artful Caribbean. And there’s even more stereotypes - Trinidad’s naturally beautiful women. Not models. Just everyday gals, trekking towards the spring waterfalls, booty-hiking their way while we enjoy the sounds of BNH’s funky bass line, blending that acid jazz into disco. Kes even makes a cameo, rep’n his island for this legendary British outfit. Daft who?