This face? This is my “I am so very, very, very relieved you are over” face. To all the readers of this blog, I hope you are ringing in the new year somewhere safe, and that you are content. Here’s to a fantastic 2008!

Really, what else are you going to do? Attend some lame ass hipster DJ party? Go to a bar? Allow me to remind you who made who — or more specifically, who made Y-O-U: Pylon. This group of Athen folks put out some amazingly gutwrenching but thoroughly danceable rock post-punk back in the tail end of the 1970’s (and onward). A band so great, R.E.M. covered them. Every person that’s passed through the doors of a Making Time is totally indebted to this group, in some shape or form. DFA Records has kindly reissued Gyrate very recently. It’s definitely worth owning.

I caught Pylon at the Music Hall of Williamsburg yesterday, mainly because last night’s bill was pretty much unfuckingbeatable — Pylon, Oxford Collapse, and Hugo Burnham from Gang of 4 as the night’s DJ. (Not that Saturday’s gig in Philly is lame; this was just better.)

I’m quite hesitant to attend reunion shows for a variety of reasons, but the main one being that a lot of reunited bands can’t resurrect the ghost of former glory. Last night though, I have a strong feeling I was sucked back into 1978. The band was tiiiiiiight! Vanessa sounds amazing. That voice. Oh my god, that voice. It was so worth it that I didn’t even notice they had played such a long set. And to the crowd, bless you my dear children, for dancing along. It was one big happening of freaking the fuck out.

The only crappy part is that it’s going down at World Cafe Live, which is probably my second-to-last least favorite venue in this city. At least MHW/Old Northsix’s industrial space made a nice match for jagged nature of Pylon’s material. Anyway, guess we’ll have to suck it up and get Cosi with Pylon. MOTHERFUCKING PYLON. PYLON!!!Q!!!!! Can’t you see how psyched I am to see them again?

SAT 11/10, Pylon at World Cafe Live, with DJ Shawn Ryan (of Hurrah) »

P.S. Beth Ditto — Vanessa Briscoe-Hays called and she wants her style back. F’reals.

L.A. friends, I’m looking at you. These are only available in-store. Hook a lady up!

Granted, the city blew its wad with primary coverage, but the lack of information & news about tomorrow’s election is disturbing. Subtext be damned, tomorrow matters. There are some crucial elections for judicial positions and more. If we want to make this city move forward, paying attention counts.

The Committe of Seventy has plenty of information and links to check out — it’s a good start. Check out the CP’s post on this as well.

I don’t believe in telling you who to vote for but I think you should vote, whoever your candidates may be. In the immortal words of Dave P, “LET’S DO THIS PHILADELPHIA!!!!!”

I am a total slacker when it comes to the whole link reciprocation thingy, so please let me know if I’ve missed your site/blog/etc by commenting on this entry.

Found this quote from my journal about the very first radio show I ever did:

oh gosh, what a frightening experience of a radio show today. too many PSAs, not enough time to pick out records - but the rush! so good.

Today. 6-8PM. WPRB.com or 103.3 FM. Listen today and make a donation — support the good cause that is WPRB!

To borrow from the James McNew/Dump album, a plea for tenderness, folks: WPRB is quickly approaching on its inaugural membership drive, and please, I hope you’ll consider making a pledge.

Read on for details!

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Here’s three events happening at my day job very soon that might be down the alleys of random readers of this blog. All programs are FREE and open to the public. The Writers House is located at 3805 Locust Walk, on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.

A lot of the times programs at work wind up being background noise to me, but that’s mainly because I deal with the administrative end of things. If you couldn’t tell from this blog that I have some slight interest in music/culture writing, and so for once it’s like, finally, something that appeals to me. It would be fantastic if you could come out and support these events, in order to keep them happening at KWH! (And feel free to check out our calendar for other great events.)

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Ahhhh, I start school in exactly two weeks!!! On the one hand I’ve been waiting for this moment, on the other I’m just not ready to think about homework and grades just yet (despite the fact that I’ve been TAing a film history course all summer long, so really, this is a non-complaint). Make no mistake: I am psyched. More psyched than you could ever imagine.

On that note…

» More blogging for Billboard is up. As you know, it’s a competition and the grand prize is covering an awards show from the red carpet. I could be the greatest writer since Dickens and a better photographer than Ansel Adams* but this is a game of cold, hard numbers, folks, and right now an entry about C14y 41k3n is kicking my ass. I need your comments and pageviews now so that I can fulfill my destiny of attending a red carpet event in a satin gown. Tell your friends, family and dogs to log on.

[* I don't like Dickens or Adams, but I think you get the symbolic nature of the references.]

» The baritone sax player from the Budos Band is really, really hot.

» Jancee Dunn’s memoir is very funny. Probably the best out of the current round of “I Lived Through The 90’s” memoirs.

» My last radio show of the summer is 8/21, don’t forget to tune in.

I’ll be posting updates from Pitchfork and other assorted travels here.