SOULCIALISM and Northern Soul; the global funk PANDEMIC; Psychogeography; Radical anglophilia and the Old Weird Albion; Iain Sinclair; Peter Ackroyd; Alfred Watkins; Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.; Funk; Afro-beat; traditional American and English music; Liverpool F.C.; redneck wrestling; Ninja stuff; crop circles, chalk hill figures, and other traditional rural graffiti land-art; Pittsburgh Steelers; contemporary technological artwork; contemporary conceptual art; get-rich-quick plans and pyramid schemes; receiving as much spam email as possible.
Music
As of November 9, 2008: For writing - Rachel Unthank & the Winterset, The Copper Family, Carthy & Swarbrick, Mekons "Natural" [] For dancing - Marvin Gaye, "Love Starved Heart," Tom Jones, "Dr. Love," The Vibrating Vibrations, "Surprise Party for Baby," Ace Spectrum, "Don't Send Nobody Else," Delegates of Soul, "I'll Come Running Back," Sitar Beat Vol. 2, American Bhangra, Fanfare Cio. [] For review - Hot Chip, Connie Price & the Keystoners, James Murphy & Pat Mahoney, The Four Mints (wow!), The Pipettes [] For research and the love of it - CHUCK CORBY!!
Movies
The Wicker Man (original) [] Stax/Volt anniversary DVD's [] Miller's Crossing [] Barton Fink [] Big Lebowski (notice a trend?)
Television
30 Rock, The Office (USA), SPACED (as usual)
Books
Iain Sinclair, "Edge of the Orison" [] Jean Overton Fuller, "The Magical Dilemma of Victor Neuburg" [] Graham Greene, "Brighton Rock" [] E.V. Lucas, "Highways and Byways of Sussex" [] Hilaire Belloc, "The Old Road"
Heroes
Iain Sinclair, Hilaire Belloc, The Numero Group, Mekons, Bill Drummond, The Antiquarian Society, Circlemakers, etc.
I also just got back from Jamaica with - a whole heap of incredible new ska, rocksteady and early reggae 45s on labels like Beverley's, Top Deck, Tuneico, Treasure Isle and more! - a selection of Jamaican vinyl LPs we've never had in the store before! We've also got a new batch of Roots Reggae titles (not yet available on the regular site) in the CD Sale, and a huge selection of clearance 45s. You can only find out about the Secret Sales by signing up for the Stubborn Records e-mail list at http://www.versioncity.com/lists
Join us this coming Saturday 27 June at Dig Deeper for Virginia soul legend Lenis Guess's first NYC show in 20 years, this time backed by the Solid Set! Guest DJs the Scorpio Brothers will be spinning Virginia soul and funk 45s for the dancefloor with us until 4am.
$10 advance will call tickets still available via our myspace page - click the blue "Buy Tickets" button - save money by reserving early...tickets will be $15 at the door if we have not sold out. Look forward to seeing you there!
thanx & soul love from lisbon badass motherfunkers.
tell me, do you move to james brown groove, do you shake to a meters break? get your kicks with a marvin fix? move your money maker with a otis soul shaker?
Join us for the once in a lifetime re-discovery of Chicago soul legend Renaldo Domino this coming Saturday 23 May at Dig Deeper - his very first NYC show EVER, and second anywhere in 39 years, backed by the Sweet Divines and the Divine Soul Rhythm Band!
$10 advance will call tickets are still available via our myspace page - click the blue "Buy Tickets" button - save money by reserving early...tickets will be $15 at the door if we have not sold out. Look forward to seeing you there!
Classic Material #25-Selecta's 36th B-Day Bash/CM Does the 80's-This Saturday @ the Shadow Lounge w/ Special Guest DJ Sean Ski (illadelph) + hosted by Gene Stovall
Come and party with Squonk Opera on Friday May 22nd at 8:00 pm at the Pittsburgh Filmmakers’ Melwood Screening Room for the Galaxy Premiere of Astro-rama!
Astro-rama is a joyous large scale outdoor event that unifies an audience in creating humanity’s message for far-flung galaxies. The show features live music, dynamic video, 3 stories of scaffolding, a 40' radio telescope, cherry pickers, scissor lifts and a giant robot. Astro-rama was filmed over 2 chilly nights in October 2008 at Pittsburgh's Schenley Plaza.
Astro-rama premiere and party with the Squonkers. Friday, May 22, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. for $25 Pittsburgh Filmmakers’ Melwood Screening Room 477 Melwood Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Dig Deeper this coming Saturday 25 April with soul and funk legend and current Daptone and Truth & Soul recording artist LEE FIELDS in his first solo NYC performance in roughly 5 years! This time backed by the Sweet Divines and the Divine Soul Rhythm Band! Also, behind the decks, special guest DJ Dave Griffiths!
$10 advance will call tickets still available via our myspace page - click the blue "Buy Tickets" button - save money by reserving early...tickets will be $15 at the door if we have not sold out. Look forward to seeing you there!
Dig Deeper this coming Saturday 28 February with Chicago soul legend GARLAND GREEN in his first NYC performance in some 35 years since headlining the Apollo in the 1970s! This time backed by the Sweet Divines and the Divine Soul Rhythm Band!
$12 advance will call tickets still available via our myspace page - click the blue "Buy Tickets" button - save money by reserving early...tickets will be $15 at the door if we have not sold out. Look forward to seeing you there!
..Classic Material's 2nd Annual "We Love Dilla" Party W/ Special Guest From The D-Waajeed-This Saturday @ the Shadow Lounge-Hosted by B-Tree and Live Dilla Painting by Anire Mosley..
THE LAST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH FEB.28TH WE GOT IT SUPER CRACKIN' A FREE PARTY FROM 9PM-2AM !! TAKIN' IT BACK TO NEW AMSTERDAM WHERE THE VIBE IS THICK! REAL HIP HOP AND INFINITE SKILLS STILL MEAN SOMETHING HERE!
"THICK OUT THE FOG OF THE CUBAN SMOKE SESSIONS, LYRICAL GENIUS EXTRA BEAST MODE" --BZE LIVE ON THE MICROPHONE BABY!!--
"THE LEGENDARY UNDERGROUND HIP HOP TURNTABLIST DJ MASTERMIND OF THE 412 BRINGIN' HEATCAKES" --DJ SPAED!!--
The Craic Festival 2009 has invited FairplayCollective to play at this years Festival. All members will be playing in the round. The show is at The Mercury Lounge, March 14th at 8pm. This is the last night of the festival and Foy Vance is also on the bill.
What more can I say, a great night for music and film, with the odd star thrown in. Come show your support.
Looking to play Softball this Spring? Sports Monster Pittsburgh offers the best leagues around, and Registration is currently open for Coed and Men's Leagues. Check us out online at www. sportsmonster. net or call 412-253-7474 or email travis@sportsmonster.net
Squonk Opera and the Lively Arts College of Fine Arts Performance Plus present Indiana County: The Opera.
Come celebrate Indiana County with a new installment in our ‘Hometown Series’, a show that has been called “noisy, colorful, funny, outrageous” by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and “a quirky, playful, music- and image-driven piece of performance art “ by the Tribune Review.
Our show is not exactly ‘opera’, but a multi-media live concert that weaves music with video projections, props and puppets. To see more of what we do, check out our website at http://www. squonkopera. org.
Indiana County: The Opera includes amazing Indiana based dance and choral groups, and lots of video interviews with Indiana County residents.
Friday, January 30 at 8:00 pm Fisher Auditorium IUP Performing Arts Center
Tickets are available in advance at the Hadley Union Building, at iuptickets. com, the door starting at 7:00 p.m. or call (724) 357-2547 for information
Come join us and say Hi! Hope to see you there! Squonk Opera
Dig Deeper this coming Saturday 24 January with Atlanta, Georgia soul and funk legend (and current Bronx resident) the MIGHTY HANNIBAL in a rare NYC performance, backed by the Sweet Divines and the Divine Soul Rhythm Band. Special guest DJ Mr. Finewine!
$7 advance will call tickets still available via our myspace page - click the blue "Buy Tickets" button - save money by reserving early...tickets will be $10 at the door if we have not sold out. Hope to see you there!