Visqueen - stripped down and on demand! - from KEXP Seattle

This is the tour I left you for, hopefully you understand, xoxo GSNYC:

Visqueen - stripped down and on demand! - Visqueen's MySpace Blog #pm_cmp=O_25_NewBlog

Album Launch of Note: Visqueen's "Message to Garcia"

Please Guerillas, I implore you to check out Visqueen's third album, "Message to Garcia." It's rock by Rachel Flotard, a lady who is really good at rocking. She's the ultimate kind of leadin' lady that girls want to be and guys want to be with. In fact, she was named Seattle's "fifth most bangable rocker" by The Stranger. She has been known to travel and sing with Neko Case, and in return, the lovely and talented Neko sings on "Message."

But wait! There more! Inspired by her dad's NYC Steamfitters union, Rachel has launched the new album on her very own new label called Local 638 Records. As the touching but excellent story goes, she was the primary caregiver to her dad for six years. She moved him out from NJ (where she grew up) so they could be together. Sadly, he passed away a little more than a year ago, but not before this Visqueen mini-biography was filmed for kstw.com. It's worth the seven minutes it takes to watch Rachel in action, and ol' George steals the show: http://kstw.com/underground/Visqueen.Seattle.Band.2.480734.html

And if you don't believe me, then believe John Richards, the host of KEXP's Morning Show in Seattle: "If it's possible to top their excellent debut, Visqueen has done just that. The long awaited third album from one of Seattle's best bands shows a ton of growth with even catchier songs and really tight songwriting. Every song is a single. One of the best records of the year."

Buy it here, $11.99 album/$0.99 per groove: http://www.amazon.com/Visqueen/e/B000APSR14/ref=ntt_dp_epwcd_T1_0

Virgin Megastore on Death Row

From my least-favorite news source (i.e. Fox):

The Virgin Megastore in Times Square is said to be preparing to shut its doors next February. Also, the Virgin Megastore in Union Square is being marketed by real estate agents, now that the "record biz has died." Some 80 record stores in Manhattan and Brooklyn have closed since 2003.

Anti-Style from the Beastie Boys

I love the Beastie Boys for many reasons, one of them being that during their extensive career they have pretty much maintained the same demeanor and style. The urban-anti-style that so many a white boy have taken on. It allows you to be cool and lazy at the same time. It says "I'm smart but not stupid." I saw them last night at Terminal 5 and am glad to report they are still as unfashionably fashionable as always.

Shiny Shoes at R Bar

I went to see my friends' band at the R Bar last night, fittingly named (well, fittingly named for the purposes of this blog anyway) "Shiny Shoes." And isn't that what we'd all like our shoes to be a little bit more of? Shiny? I mean except if they are suede.

I've been to this venue before, and while it is definitely not one of my favorites, it supplied a good space for SS to rock out - and actually sound better than perhaps I have ever heard them. But that was probably because of their awesome bass player and his lightening-fast fingers. Go Jeffy GO!

Arcade Fire on Randall's Island: Sat. Oct. 6

Thought this sounded like a good show, but my favorite part is that it costs a whole 50 cents less to order tickets in advance than on day-of.

Rachel Flotard Rocks the Mike

For my second musical outing of the weekend, I had the great good fortune to see my good friend Rachel Flotard, who is usually the lead songstress of Seattle-based Visqueen do her best Billie Holiday in front of Jon Rauhouse and his band of merry men (who are incredible musicians who you need to see and/or hear, I might add).

We saddled up to the tables at the Living Room - after having to hand our IDs over to the doorman who put them in some portable machine...has anyone seen one of these before? What the hell is that all about? Is big brother now keeping track of what bars I go to? Good grief Charlie Brown.

Anyway, back to the important musical issue at hand...I was pretty much astounded by Rachel's singing voice and ability. It's like there are two people living inside of her, one with her regular Flotard speaking voice, and the other with this unbelievable singing talent that I can hardly grasp. I guess this is what happens when you go to high school with someone, you all still think of each other as being 16 years old and half-retarded.

RoFlo is not only multi-talented in the realm of music, but she also doubles as a hilarious stand-up, providing great rapport with the audience and her bandmates throughout the set. Basically if you don't fall in love with her voice, you will fall in love with her personality, and more than likely: BOTH.

Underworld in Central Park: Sept. 14

The GSNYC spent most of the weekend entertaining herself with musical interludes. The first was the Underworld show in Central Park. Amidst the 'boys' and Europeans, I was able to get a couple of photos and videos of the show, which was quite good in a "sh*t, I haven't been to something like this in a looooong time." Why is it that Euros and Vegans alike love electronica so much?

For the uninitiated, Underworld is the band with the song in the film Trainspotting, to be perfectly depressing.