Good work out there, team. Everyone’s hitting it pretty hard. It’s bulking season for sure.
Apparently Charli XCX is hanging out at Harrison’s apartment and Ecco2k is showing up to Home Sweet Home. Up to you to decide whether this is what Bladee looks like:
Tuesday, October 11 ~ Remi Wolf x Jordana
After the brief high & lasting heartbreak of my Fat Possum Records follow/unfollow experience, I was excited to link with an industry professional who sees my true potential. On the 11th, the venerable Hill Coulson of Island Records got me into Remi Wolf x Jordana.
Meetka and I kicked the night off at Toad Hall. We talked a bit about writing and a lot about other stuff. Tár is her new favorite movie.
On my trip to Terminal 5, I sent Hill a selfie with the text, “So you know who I am.” 20 minutes later, though, I realized I had typed “Do you know who I am.” Pretty psycho energy for me to be pulling up with at the Remi Wolf show.
I hung with Heather by the merch table and we talked about how tall and kind Hayden is. I’ve wanted to see Jordana for a while. She’s a professional hit machine. They sounded huge. Kind of like hearing a band at a festival. But if the festival had really good sound.
I spotted Hill on the balcony and went up to meet him. He handed me a new wristband from a giant Telfar bag.
Remi Wolf is a real ass performer, and she belongs in a room that big. Such a pro at manipulating the crowd’s energy level.
I think Hill and I mighta talked to the guy who runs the Grammys, but I’m not 100% sure. Hill plugged “Pixies,” so this really could be the year that changes everything.
October 12 ~ Taxidermists x Bossa
The Taxidermists dropped off the bill at Chaos Computer, so I dropped off too. I briefly thought I’d be heading over there with Marcus and Zach Sokol. Maybe someday. There was a Japanese psych rock band playing Baby’s, so that was also briefly in the running. But Jack and I opted for a low key Wednesday night bro-down at Bossa. Later, Cooper texted Jack to hang at CC. I thought I’d give them some alone time together.
October 13 (Thursday) ~ Gods Wisdom x Evanora Unlimited
Casino night. Thoroughly up in the air.
Hayden Betts was standing by the door when I arrived. He just had brain surgery but the mans is already back at it—ready to get one little hoop earring and start making hits.
The rest of the crowd standing outside was hard for me to place. I’m not sure where they hang out and I think that’s probably because they’re underage. Felt like a lot of their outfits were in kinda crust-punk x hype-beast territory. Pretty lit.
Gods Wisdom called his new sound “glue-me reggae” (or maybe gloomy reggae?). Ten seconds into the first song, he stopped the track, said, “Oh this is me on piano by the way,” and started it over. Later in the set, Gods asked if he should play an aggressive song. Everyone cheered. The aggressive song started out with at least 32 bars (I lost count) of straight snarling and vocal fry.
In love with God with every breath
Gods Wisdom also played a “sensitive song.” Which was a bizarre experience. His eyelashes were fluttering and it looked like he was struggling to keep his eyes open. The award for the most strung out love song definitely goes to this one. “You’re my medicine / I need more medicine.” It felt like he was looking out at someone in the audience, but I didn’t want to turn around to see and break the magic.
Cooper was on aux between sets. We were listening to his remixes through the speakers but he was just kinda standing there in the crowd.
Ivana and Sedona came : ) Ivana passed a tequila shot to me through the crowd during the Evanora Unlimited set.
Evanora walked onstage wearing a long parka, Bean Boots, and a red visor. I asked Sedona if I should get Bean Boots and she said no. Evanora smeared his face with fake blood and bounced around the stage, grinning ear to ear like a deranged goblin. It didn’t look like he was trying crowdsurf—he just kept ending up on top of everybody. I held his boots above my head and there’s a non-zero chance that it’s my hand on his leg in the pic below.
I appreciate being able to retreat to the green room with Jack. He kept having me re-count this one stack of $1 bills. It started as $35 and it continued to be $35.
After, we stopped by Baby’s and Brandon bragged about serving Ted Kennedy “multiple gin and tonics” in Harwichport.
October 14 (Friday) ~ Summit
I’m new to the hosting game. Very happy to have so many generations of wisdom passed down in Angel’s Host Manifesto.
Approaching Baby’s from the Marcy Ave stop, I ducked behind a corner to finish off my second biscuit and small (but really pretty large) diet coke.
None of my readers will be surprised to hear that Tom Moore likes his mood lighting. That was the main challenge of this event from my perspective. There were a lot of people there that I know, and a lot of people I half-know. Also a lot of people I’ve probably seen at one time or another. I couldn’t really tell who I was looking at until they were within about three feet of me. That’s a pretty quick turnaround time for figuring out 1. Who someone is, 2. If I know them or not, and 3. How we’re supposed to interact.
Alex Gleeson stayed home, and that’s how you know he’s a real professional. The man knows where to draw the line and prioritize his vocation. My role model. Beth was working door. She’s one of my role models too. She was working on a crossword puzzle with Eamon. Jeff told me a story about getting paid a buttload of money to open for Duran Duran in LA. In the end, they ended up playing under a tent in front of a small patch of grass as people walked into the venue. Still got the money though.
I must have been nervous about hosting, because I definitely hit it too hard. Really pushed the boat out. I went outside and walked over to Isaac, Mattie, Caila, and Lily in pursuit of somewhere to sit. Caila and Lily were standing and I felt bad taking the spot, but it was an extenuating circumstance—seemed like it would be best for the collective good if I steadied myself. I explained that I was not of sound mind body and spirit.
While I was collecting my thoughts, someone approached me and revealed that the two of us had almost gone on a blind date together. My friend Lance tried to link us up, but when I texted she didn’t respond. As you can imagine, I was not in any shape to be fielding that kind of interaction. I told her I was compromised and that I was gonna take a spin around the block to decompress.
Really felt like I needed to go incognito mode. Sipper was the last person I talked to before I took my leave of absence. Fast forward forty-five minutes. Jack met me with a bottle of water and a pack of gum and we got back after it. In it for the love of the game.
I talked far too much in my first real conversation with Chloe MK.
Tom said Dev Hynes and John Wilson were going to be there. I did not see Dev and honestly would not have known if I saw John Wilson.
October 14 (Saturday) ~ Booze Cruise x Gift Release Show x Rich Girls
Ella and I planned the official Gift pregame sunset booze cruise. Only Alex showed up. But it was a special night. Thank you John Lewis for recommending joyrides on the ferry. The most cinematic way to experience the cityscape.
We got off on Wall Street. I saw Sarah through a window while she was at work. I’m still just getting to know Sarah, so it was funny figuring out how to interact. An unlikely sighting in an unlikely part of town, and there was glass between us.
Ella and I got to the Gift show while the opener was on. This was my first proper Gift gig. I understand how fucked up it is that I missed their headlining set at Otis Mountain, and I was relieved to put that in the past.
Gift reminded me that I should really Google the difference between a phaser and a flanger. These guys give new meaning to the term “wall of sound.” Whirling drones and whispery harmonies. TJ has one hell of a hair flip.
Real industry event vibes. Every A&R and talent buyer in town. Also the guy writing Gift’s Pitchfork review and all of TJ’s exes. I talked to Bamm Bamm presents, and Carson from the Knitting Factory. The Knitting Factory is trying to open a new space in LES which will be sick.
I was sad to miss Julia Cumming’s post-show DJ set, but I’m a professional club promoter, and I have to go where business takes me. Simple as that.
October 14 (continued) ~ Rich Girls
You may have already read Chris Sp*rgo’s account of this party at the Broadway. When Chris arrived, he said, “How do I look? I figured if I just dressed like myself it would be ironic by now.” Jack booked this one so I asked him if I could be a host. I love taking credit for Jack’s work.
Outside, I approached a group of local heartthrobs—members of Lowertown, Birthday Girl, Sipper, and Lazylazy. They were talking about the first time they masturbated. I didn’t share. I admire their openness, but I think I should wait to meet the Lowertown people like 2 or 3 times before I start volunteering information like that.
October 15 ~ Gift After After Afters
I woke up at 2:30 PM and walked over to Tina’s to write my postgame analysis. But on the way, I ran into the Gift release show post-post-post-game. I don’t know where the energy comes from for something like this, but members of Carinae (one of the first bands I ever saw play a Boston house show) were running through the street and leaping to catch a frisbee.
TJ told me that Justin and Alex stumbled into some sort of finance party at 7 AM. So scratch what I said earlier about Gleeson being my role model and a beacon of professionalism.
TJ also said that people were talking about my Substack at the gig. I guess someone from the New Yorker knows about it maybe? But I get the New York Times / New York Magazine / the New Yorker mixed up, so it was probably actually the New York Post. Brandon asked if I talk about Harvard in the Substack, and TJ said I don’t. Brandon said, “Oh. So it’s legit.”
Thanks Brandon.
More soon <3