Satisfied

If there's anything to be learned from going out at night, is that past 10h30 p.m. the temperature goes from a comfortable 55 degree Farenheit, to a -90. While Camden may be warm and snuggly, Richmond and the area surrounding the Thames is DEFINITELY not.
Enough environmental rant. I just saw Lykke Li tonight, and it was every bit of brilliant.
Did some dancing, did some shaking.

What I love about Lykke Li thought, is her energy. She sings about dancing, and boy does she play the part. You couldn't help but at least flail your arms from side to side.
But in any area with a heavy concentration of these, and there is music/concerts involved, do not expect anyone to be gesticulating an inch of their body; which sparked Ms. Li's comment of "Come on, Manchester was better than you guys, and there were like fifty people". She was not the only one to notice, as the band I will talk about in a few dedicated their "Don't Dance" song to the crowd. Class!
True story. Manchester probably WAS better than that crowd at Koko.
still an awesome show.
I guess it wasn't until we reached the end, when people realized they should start appreciating this a bit more, and well...really got down.

The best part about the whole night was that Esser opened for Lykke Li.

Esser is fucking incredible. Yes, we have some funky acoutrements involved, questionable hairstyles/cuts, but the sound is unlike nothing I've heard before. It's as if Crystal Castles [Alice Glass] and Vampire Weekend [Ezra Koenig] had a baby. That's what Esser sounds like.


Why exactly do they not like dancing?

photos by Soulk!d

In A Nutshell: A Pictorial Reaction

I'm two months in. Still fresh and all, but after countless trips here and there, dodging TFL 'construction work' [codename for fucking up transportation for the rest of us, as does the MTA], I can pretty much paint a decent picture of this city.
So. There isn't a shortage of some pretty freaky shit around here: public bathrooms who turn into underground clubs at six in the morning, clubs under tube stations, and San Pedro Cactuses sold in open-air [please, do look up San Pedro Cactus]. The hipsters, are, as expected, pretty much everywhere, but their main concentration include the area surrounding Liverpool St. up until Chesire St. [yep, that whole block, and that's only the part I've seen...so who knows really], and around Old St., Shoreditch, Hackney, bref, Hoxton, it's notorious for 'the creative types' as they call them here.
They use 'reconstruction' as a euphemism for gentrification, those bastards.
People take looking good seriously. I mean seriously. The girls all look the same though, dissapointing. The guys all wear plimsolls, ALL OF THEM. Jesus.
Eerily enough, loads of French people in town every two weeks, or so. I mean loads, they're EVERYWHERE.
This place [where these kids are standing], is Blackman's. They sells plimsolls for £5, and you don't go inside to get your good either, you order up front, description/color/size, and head off happy, like at a swap meet, you know.
This seemingly normal building [yeah, the one riiight at the center] is The Old Blue Last, Vice's official pub. It looks peaceful from here, once night breaks, and sun goes down, it's fucking chaos. Trivial fact: there is a Gross Jar atop this building that I wish I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT.
The CobraSnake left his mark pretty much everywhere.
As did IHeartComix & Only Joe.
And CobraSnake again...

Everyone's a DJ...
They love Bam Bam
You can see where Coldplay got their inspiration...
You cannot walk into Soho and not be delighted by this fella. At all.

It is impossible to walk a mile, and see blank walls. Simply impossible...
Because London has been invaded.
They loooove this.
They do a lot of this.
But Mark Hunter wants to make it clear to you that he's been here...a lot.

All pictures by Soulk!d

Une Petite Diversion

I'd love to talk about how stellar Hedi Slimane's black and white photography happens to be.
I've got distracted by the Vogue Homme March 08 Josh Beech spread that he was in charge of.

And the ones of the Californian skaters.

Whoever suggested he should go back to Dior Homme? The guy's just fine with his lens.
Okay, so maybe skinny boys would be happier if he did go back, but he better not drop his camera.
Cole Mohr, Louis Garrel, Daft Punk, Ash Stymest, Kate Moss, Amy Winehouse, Gus Van Sant, Beck. Is there someone he hasn't shot?
City Slick wrote a superb post on Slimane's Photography. He's mustered a solid appreciative fanbase for his works as a photographer, cause he's pretty much good at everything he does.

Touch Too Much [Fake Blood Remix] - Hot Chip

The Young & The Banging

A yearbook, like you've never seen before. This ain't your plain, regular high school 'memories' pack, these are The Young & The Banging.

"Inspired by both the traditional American high school yearbook and Ezra Petronio's yearbook, "Bold and Beautiful", The Young and the Banging is the very first ever co-created yearbook dedicated to the new wave of young, cool and creative youth in downtown NYC"
- Heron Preston

About LAgirlsNY

Bam Bam!

Of all the places I'd love to have been on the 4th of November, Union Square's probably at the top of my list.
I know loads of public places went wild with excitement after Obama's lanslide victory, but none like Union. None.
Here are a few pics my friend Christina took on over there, entitled "What You've Missed In Union On Election Night".

"Idiocracy Avoided: Ooh, I like That One."

Pictures by: C-Photos.

So...

I've been getting some serious junk mail from Nylon, for about a week now, it wouldn't bother me unless I knew how the fuck they got a hold of my email.
So you're selling your soul to the worshiping of 'It Girls' AND you're spamming me? Bastards.
It's Officialy Do or Die day. I know I can't be in my comfortable liberal state of New York, where it's easy to proclaim your support for Obama and not get stoned, but the feeling in London, although not as strong, for obvious reasons, is still very much alive.
My friend from class was sporting her Obama tshirt today. Made my face light up. All over the Tube, there's jassive posters of Bam Bam plastered. Makes me feel at home a bit.
Do or Die, people. Show Up or Shut Up.

Obama 08, Ya'll.

The Rag Factory

I tought this was interesting. So the good people at Zineswap threw their launch party, on Heneage Street just off Brick Lane at The Rag Factory last night. All for the sake of swapping home made goods, in which case zines, from all over Europe and beyond.
Some seriously interesting display. Some funkily clad bastards and some good music were of essence, the likes of Mirror! Mirror!, DEFN, My Panda Shall Fly, Wasp Display, and Sportsday Megaphone [the lead singer is fucking mental].
Bring Your Own Booze. Nice, cannot complain about that. Ever. Cupcakes all around [can you say fancy?], and a unisex bathroom. Fucking love it.
I, managed to take a few shots.
My favorite 'zine', should I mention, was possibly the one with the WasteYourself artists' display and scribbles on it. They do some pretty dope shit.
A little bit of Kraffhics doens't hurt either.

We managed to walk past a Public Bathroom on our way back, which, to my amazement, apparently hosts an underground basement club soon as it hits 6 in the morning. I wouldn't ask...

Pictures by Soulk!d
More Pictures Over There.