DMX: The Return to NYC
Article & Photography by Billy Ludwig
I stepped onto Varick Street, greeted by a line stretching down the block. The excitement and anticipation was palpable in the air as fans waited patiently for Sounds of Brazil to open its doors, ready for one of the most anticipated events of the year – DMX’s return to New York City.
Leroy Benros, the CEO of Noizy Cricket and director of urban events at S.o.B.’s, met me at the front door of the venue. He had a smile on his face that stretched ear to ear at the sight of the line of fans eagerly waiting for doors to open. He, and everyone else, knew this night was going to be something special. We walked into the venue together. The VIP sections were littered with Source Magazine issues while S.o.B crew members ate Brazilian food that made my stomach rumble with hunger during sound check. By the time the crowd started pouring in, I had already claimed my spot in front of the stage. I guarded my territory, knowing it would quickly be absorbed if I moved away for a minute.
First up was Murder League All-Stars, who fared well in front of the fans; heads were bobbing as they played their Limp Bizkit-meets-Beastie Boys style set. They failed, however, to excite the crowd enough to produce a circle, even after asking. Although they were clearly out of their comfort zone, MLA did Jersey proud and performed a tight set.
Next was D.A. the Future featuring A.D.D. Intimate and heartfelt lyrics, combined with melodic harmonies, wailing guitar solos, a monstrous seven-string bass that was handled with ease, keys, and drums set this band apart. D.A.’s Misfits jacket was pretty sweet too.
Bazaar Royale, founder of GhettoMetal, lived up to his creation’s name. Songs about strife in the hood and guitar riffs that would leave you deaf for three days kept us all entertained. He seemed to talk between songs just as much as he sang, professing his love for DMX and his pride that he brought X to the show. He did get a little pissed off at the people back at the bar for making too much noise and not paying attention, threatening the crowd with the one thing they were most afraid of – making them wait. They shut up.
The crowd stood anxiously in anticipation for DMX to take the stage. I started to doubt he was there at all. After hearing “DMX is in the building” four or five times, one starts to wonder. DJ Mary Mac kept the crowd entertained, as she did between sets all night. No genre was off limits, and we all ate it up. She did her thing, and she did it big.
Finally, the moment we all were waiting for had arrived. DMX took the stage with force, and felt right at home. There was an electricity in the air that can only be felt at a hometown show, and we all felt like family. The ceremonial passing of Hennessy, with DMX reminding us to “sip and pass” only solidified this sentiment. “FLESH OF MY FLESH,” DMX would say repeatedly, only to receive a resounding, “BLOOD OF MY BLOOD,” from the crowd. We all witnessed an important moment in music history, the return of a legend to the scene.
Bazaar Royale said it best, “New York needs this; Hip Hop needs this.”
Fast Years, Shark?, and Lost Boy? @ Big Snow Buffalo Lodge
Because their DIY venue is totally more DIY than your DIY venue…
Fast Years, Shark?, and Lost Boy? @ Big Snow Buffalo Lodge
Article and photography by Joe Rocha
At Big Snow Buffalo Lodge, a gaggle of local musicians are blowing the back out of a small rented party hall in Brooklyn. It’s a VFW/Knight o’ Columbus/whatever your geographical region happens to call it. And it’s reminiscent of all your best times in high school, if you were jus cool enough to have good times but not cool enough to have your stomach pumped. The venue was pretty sparse when the doors opened, but packed up with some interesting characters as the night progressed. The vibe was laid back, with genuine appreciation for the music trumping any wild partying atmosphere, though between sets there was a very social vibe with some pretty serious booze-and-drug-infused mingling.
Fast Years are an indie surf punk band with a pop tinge. Their feel and sound is reminiscent of early Weezer. I wasn’t sure that would resonate with the crowd at first, but they seemed to take to it. They are playing The Delancey on an upcoming Thursday, March 8th, with I’m Turning Into, Hawt Me$$ and Family Photos, which is totally worth catching.
Fast Years was followed by a band that Oh Come On is taking a strong editorial perspective on- we’re not going to mention their name. Because, in our opinion, they were boring. We didn’t even enjoy drinking to the sound of them. And we really enjoy drinking.
Shark? came on after The Band Which Shall Not Be Named (and I am definitely filing that name away for future use). The musicianship was awesome, and they really got some rapt attention from the audience, warmly receiving their subtle and modest stage presence. If you’re a Dinosaur Jr. fan you want to check these guys out. And you can, this Saturday, March 3rd, at Cake Shop with Diarrhea Planet.
Lost Boy?, with a similarly interrogative eroteme-ended name, is all garage punk and limp wristed dissonant intensity- but in the best possible way. It’s lazy party music that isn’t easy to make and even harder to pull off. They were thoroughly enjoyed, like the rest of the night. And we got home safe thanks to a lenient officer of the law and an iron gullet.
Fuck Me!: Celebrating the Quarter-Centennial of Billy Ludwig with A Bunch of Ravers
Fuck Me!: Celebrating the Quarter-Centennial of Billy Ludwig with A Bunch of Ravers
Article and photography by Joe Rocha
Who: Presented by Blue Star Productions, the standout acts are Noomi Ra, Candy Kid vs. Starkiss, Retlif and Epic Cloudstrife.
Where: The Electric Warehouse at The Lab in Brooklyn
When: 2.10.12
What: Heartless Valentine: A Kingdom Hearts Rave. A funky themed gamer-inspired rave revolving around the world of Kingdom Hearts.
Why: Billy Ludwig’s birthday
In this quarter-life-crisis-inspired adventure into the party scene of today’s crazed youngsters, we find out that contemporary youths are up to the same shenanigans they’ve always been up to. Please let us know if any of these pictures make their way onto a milk carton.
We met up at around 8 PM at Billy’s house and left to pick up Chris before heading to the train and getting off in the West Village. While we were on the train we started talking to a rando named George who insisted on tagging along because he was planning on bouncing around the West Village to bars all night anyway. I’m pretty sure he was hitting on me.
On the way to the Sullivan Room for Anthony Nero’s going away party we stopped to pick up packaged goods. I got a flask of Jameson that I stashed in my pocket. Billy and Chris got two 40oz.’s and started pounding them from paper bags. We made a beeline straight for the venue. The owner just so happened to be standing outside, spotted up with the packaged goods, and proceeded to have his bouncers tell us we were banned for the night.
We were bounced to a nearby dive where the people sucked and start getting hammered while one of our friends and Nero tried getting us in.
It wasn’t happening, so we hitched a ride across the boroughs to a rave in Brooklyn at The Lab. The theme was Kingdom Hearts, and it was called Heartless Valentine’s. The venue was pretty enormous, with a second space and sound system, as well as balconies that looked down on the main floor.
The glow was everywhere and the music was hopping. The night is a bit of a blur, mostly due to some orange concoction we all ended up chugging. There was the crazy chick who didn’t even need to put down her drink while hoolahooping like a fiend. Then there was Kevin the Carpet, which made getting a smoke like fighting a Snorlax.
Billy managed to get a hold of a florescent marker that he began tagging up everyone in sight with.
After, we hitched another ride to our hotel, the Mave off Madison Square Park. Donning robes, we crashed for the five hours until check-out, scarfed a huge comped breakfast, and jumped a train back home.
