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Camera Obscura at the Brooklyn Flea

By Tom Ran

Published: June 2, 2010 under Music

Camera Obscura at the Brooklyn Flea

Photo: Brooklyn Flea

Though it’s not officially summer until June 21st, the weather is warm enough to warrant that distinction. That hot and sticky feeling is slowly creeping towards us. Personally speaking, the only way to remedy this situation is to eat as much ice cream as possible. And the Brooklyn Flea is here to help by hosting an Ice Cream Social this Sunday. Blue Marble Ice Cream will be on hand to serve up a new flavor called “The Sweetest Cream” based on Camera Obscura’s song “The Sweetest Thing,” who by the way will also be in attendance from 2-4pm. The band will be performing and will have a table of their own filled with their merch. Brooklyn Flea at One Hanson Pl. (via Racked)

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Chris Cunningham at SOS 4.8

By Tom Ran

Published: March 3, 2010 under Music

Bjork's "All Is Full of Love," directed by Chris Cunningham

Photo: Chris Cunningham

Chris Cunningham has been away from the public eye for the better part of the last decade with only a handful of commercial and public appearances. His career was a lot more prolific in the 1990s when he teamed up with Warp Records and other musicians to direct some of the most memorable music videos. In 2005, Cunningham performed live for the first time at Electraglide, a two day music festival in Tokyo and Osaka, arranging original and remixed music to film. The performance proved to be a success and was followed up with other events several years later, teaming up once again with Warp. He is now set to recreate his cross visual and audio performance at this year’s SOS4.8, the 48 hour non-stop music, art, and conference festival based in Murcia, Spain. The festival takes place on April 30 and May 1st. Travel more!

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Woody Allen at The Carlyle

By Tom Ran

Published: February 1, 2010 under Music

Woody Allen & The Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band in Lisbon Portugal 2005

Photo: Tiago Petinga

No other director is capable of romanticizing New York City like Woody Allen. His love affair with the city on film began in 1977 with Annie Hall but it was in Manhattan where Allen paid homage. From the opening shot of the film, George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue builds from the introductory note of the clarinet and swells to a crescendo while the Manhattan skyline stands at the forefront. Allen embraces all its grittiness in lovely black and white. His appreciation for the music goes beyond its enjoyment, Allen is an extremely talented clarinet player as well. Barbara Kopple’s 1997 documentary Wild Man Blues displays much of this as the camera follows Allen through a European tour. Good news for New Yorkers, its hometown auteur will be performing at The Carlyle every Monday night till May 31st with The Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band.

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Kings of Convenience - Declaration of Dependence

By Tom Ran

Published: July 23, 2009 under Music

Kings of Convenience postcard sent from Bergen

Photo: Kings of Convenience

Since we’re not a music blog, we missed this when it made the rounds. But this is one of our favorites so we can’t neglect the recently released track, “Mrs. Cold” by the Kings of Convenience. The duo have been in the studio recording their latest album and are expected to release it on October 20th reports Billboard. Many of the new tracks can be heard from a live recording of the band’s performance in Seoul from earlier this year. (via Stereogum)

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Desert Gold

By Tom Ran

Published: April 20, 2009 under Music

Photo: Justin Kent

The Ace has aligned itself with some of the biggest music festivals this year. Last month with SXSW and over the weekend with Coachella. Their Desert Gold event was another collaboration with Levi’s where locals and guests lounged poolside at their newest Palm Springs location, an idyllic mid-century-style oasis in the Southern California desert. Combining music and retail, Ace created a diverse line up of bands from the Pacific Northwest and Joshua Tree. And what music festival would it be without the merch, a silkscreen was set up to print up shirts for the event.

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SonarSound NYC

By Tom Ran

Published: April 15, 2009 under Music

Sonar, Barcelona, Spain

Photo: Sonar

Sonar, the international music festival held in Barcelona every summer comes to New York for one evening in a capsule version. Catalan Days: SonarSound NYC will take place on May 12th from 8pm-1am at the Baryshnikov Arts Center. Featuring ReacTable, D.A.R.Y.L., Griffi, Dj2D2, Aqeel, Beans, Invincible, Fibla, Árbol, Balago, Delorean, DJ/Rupture and Prefuse 73. The event is free but reservations are required.

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FEATURES

The Mast Brothers

By Tom Ran
Michael Mast and Rick Mast of Mast Brothers Chocolate

Photo: Mindy Best

The Mast Brothers Chocolate factory occupies only three rooms in a nondescript building in Williamsburg. The first doubles as a storefront that opens on the weekend to customers with much…

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Roman & Williams Studio Visit

By Tom Ran
Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch in their studio

Photo: Rose Callahan

The partners behind Roman & Williams, Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch are anti minimalists. It’s apparent in the spaces they create.

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Billykirk Studio Visit

By Tom Ran
Chris and Kirk Bray of Billykirk

Photo: Rose Callahan

Billykirk’s studio is surrounded by things, equipments, flat files, paintings, photos, and memories.

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