This is Lukas Bergstrom's personal weblog. You might want to visit my professional site. You can also find me on Twitter, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.
happening
I should check out these bayimproviser event listings. If you like modern electronic / classic stuff maybe you should too.
Periscope
This summer.
Bay Area shows
last.fm has great event recommendations if you've scrobbled a lot of tracks there, but sometimes you want something more exhaustive:
apparently dead
- zum online
- Steve Koepke's punk list
- Bay Improviser, interesting-looking modern classical and electronic shows
- 19hz.info
- edmtrain
apparently dead
The grass on the other side, let me show you it
Gripping account of Aphex Twin and Hecker's set at Bloc Weekend from someone who shares my idea of good. Subscribed to Spannered.
For the most part the rave onslaught of Aphex built up and out from the front stacks, in densely packed clouds of bass with numerous changes of pace and turnabouts. All the while an insidious range of DSP flutterings, whooshes, cackles on the edge of hearing, and countless other aural smoke and mirror tricks played out behind. Occasionally a crisp sound would boom out from the back of the room, causing scores of people to spin round and look out for devilry going on behind their backs.And unlike Aphex Twin, Florian Hecker makes legitimately terrifying music (see Sun Pandaemonium, which sounds really new.) I haven't really been excited about anything with afx on it since the Flow Coma remix, so maybe this bodes well.
KRAFTWERK PLAYED WITH STEVE REICH IN MACHESTER YESTERDAY. I WASN'T THERE. I'M A LITTLE UPSET. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE CHOICES I'VE MADE IN MY LIFE.
Non-mummified classical music in Los Angeles outside the Disney (well ... some of the concerts are at Redcat.) The programs look fantastic. How have I not heard about this?
"Join the internationally renowned d.j. Michael Mayer and The New Yorker's Sasha Frere-Jones for a night of minimal techno and house music."
Boggled. I am fucking boggled. Cannot describe how much I want to go to this: the chance to see a venerable brand overextend itself while listening to fantastic music.
And: microhouse is so New Yorker, of course, why didn't I realize it before?
Boggled. I am fucking boggled. Cannot describe how much I want to go to this: the chance to see a venerable brand overextend itself while listening to fantastic music.
And: microhouse is so New Yorker, of course, why didn't I realize it before?
weekend plans - going up-country - electronic camp music
Captain Ahab, Avanan(?) and Books on Tape at the Smell on Sunday. Maybe, maybe...
hallucination city
At the end, during the final crescendo (the whole concert was sort of a slowly pulsating crescendo, Akira-like) the conductor, who was urging a hundred electric guitars onward, put one finger to his ear and shook his head: "what? I can't heear you"
At the end, during the final crescendo (the whole concert was sort of a slowly pulsating crescendo, Akira-like) the conductor, who was urging a hundred electric guitars onward, put one finger to his ear and shook his head: "what? I can't heear you"
Los Angeles house music / Headinghome / Futurehouse
Ok, you are really fucking cool. You're a loosely associated set of labels, promoters, production companies, and friends. You get NYC legends to spin at your loft parties. You have titans like John Tejada and obscure geniuses like Dubloner. You DO NOT HAVE A MAILING LIST FOR EVENTS YOU FUCKING FUCKING IDIOTS, FUCK.
Ok, you are really fucking cool. You're a loosely associated set of labels, promoters, production companies, and friends. You get NYC legends to spin at your loft parties. You have titans like John Tejada and obscure geniuses like Dubloner. You DO NOT HAVE A MAILING LIST FOR EVENTS YOU FUCKING FUCKING IDIOTS, FUCK.
my review of the Walt Disney Concert Hall show with Dntel, Boom Bip, John Tejada and the Orb
So I went to the Disney Orb thing. Had lotsa fun running around the building. Dntel played mostly directionless hums+clicks, which I enjoyed a lot for some reason. Boom Bip were ... decent post-rock but nothing I wanted to sit and listen to for extended periods. John Tejada played sick sick tech-house, of course. And the Orb...
What to say about the Orb? Everybody else got 45 minutes, they got three hours. They were two bald guys, one German and neat and sort of hyperactive, the other English and looking like a washed-up old punk.
Basically, Thomas Fehlmann played all the good shit using a Powerbook. Alex Paterson would try to mix stuff in using some turntables and cd decks. His beatmatching was absolutely shit for most of the night, one time Fehlmann just cut his sound and went into Because/Before, after which Alex stormed off stage.
Thomas spent the first two hours trying to hold the set together while Alex trainwrecked all over the place, all while nursing Alex's ego (coaxing him back onstage etc.) Apparently he got sick of this, because the last hour was Alex, solo, playing a mediocre dj set.
But there were some great moments: the first part of the set, when Fehlmann got the crowd dancing (including a bunch of people right up front, security was freaked). Me and my friend were thinking Paterson wasn't even going to show up, when we noticed a fat old punk dancing on the side of the stage. He seemed ecstatic.
And when Alex's beatmatching worked, the fusion of his stuff with Fehlmann's was perfect. (In my unkinder moments I wished Fehlmann would just give him a bunch of buttons to press to trigger amusing sound samples, and leave the beats alone.)
So I went to the Disney Orb thing. Had lotsa fun running around the building. Dntel played mostly directionless hums+clicks, which I enjoyed a lot for some reason. Boom Bip were ... decent post-rock but nothing I wanted to sit and listen to for extended periods. John Tejada played sick sick tech-house, of course. And the Orb...
What to say about the Orb? Everybody else got 45 minutes, they got three hours. They were two bald guys, one German and neat and sort of hyperactive, the other English and looking like a washed-up old punk.
Basically, Thomas Fehlmann played all the good shit using a Powerbook. Alex Paterson would try to mix stuff in using some turntables and cd decks. His beatmatching was absolutely shit for most of the night, one time Fehlmann just cut his sound and went into Because/Before, after which Alex stormed off stage.
Thomas spent the first two hours trying to hold the set together while Alex trainwrecked all over the place, all while nursing Alex's ego (coaxing him back onstage etc.) Apparently he got sick of this, because the last hour was Alex, solo, playing a mediocre dj set.
But there were some great moments: the first part of the set, when Fehlmann got the crowd dancing (including a bunch of people right up front, security was freaked). Me and my friend were thinking Paterson wasn't even going to show up, when we noticed a fat old punk dancing on the side of the stage. He seemed ecstatic.
And when Alex's beatmatching worked, the fusion of his stuff with Fehlmann's was perfect. (In my unkinder moments I wished Fehlmann would just give him a bunch of buttons to press to trigger amusing sound samples, and leave the beats alone.)
optimo [ilm discussion]
I want to go to this club. I want their mix cds. Want. What did the Buddha say about desire? It's part of the fivefold path to weight loss and low cholesterol, right?
Update: worth bringing up again cuz they have downloadable mixes, check out "nowavemix" on the leftbar.
I want to go to this club. I want their mix cds. Want. What did the Buddha say about desire? It's part of the fivefold path to weight loss and low cholesterol, right?
Update: worth bringing up again cuz they have downloadable mixes, check out "nowavemix" on the leftbar.
Podbop
Podcast of bands playing in your town this week. As they say, step 3: go see a concert.
Podcast of bands playing in your town this week. As they say, step 3: go see a concert.
LA Philharmonic: Minimalist Jukebox
I may just dig out my old student ID and try to scam rush tickets to all of these performances.
I may just dig out my old student ID and try to scam rush tickets to all of these performances.
Minimalist Jukebox March 18th at the Walt Disney Concert Hall
The Orb, Dntel, John Tejada, Boom Bip.
Hot damn!!!
Tickets not yet available, shit.
The Orb, Dntel, John Tejada, Boom Bip.
Hot damn!!!
Tickets not yet available, shit.
DJ Q-bert and Lateef at the Knitting Factory, Feb 25th.
LA-based dj, show at the Red Buddha on Cahuenga on the 20th. Hip-hop and grime and such. Betting on white belts and fauxhawks in the crowd, but whaddaya gonna do.
ArthurBall Feb 25-26 LA
Music festival, outside in Echo Park, featuring Joanna Newsome plus lots of bands I've never heard of. Also films. Also a "vibrational healing chamber".
Music festival, outside in Echo Park, featuring Joanna Newsome plus lots of bands I've never heard of. Also films. Also a "vibrational healing chamber".
Compression
Last friday of every month at King King. Tech-house, electro, techno, goodstuff.
Last friday of every month at King King. Tech-house, electro, techno, goodstuff.
LA weeklies
Sunday
Jazz on the patio at the Cat & Fiddle (haven't been)
Thai food stalls at Wat Thai temple (haven't been)
Wednesday
Dub Club at the Echo (haven't been)
Friday
Jon Brion at Largo (have been. liked it ok.)
Saturday
Thai food stalls at Wat Thai temple (haven't been)
Sunday
Jazz on the patio at the Cat & Fiddle (haven't been)
Thai food stalls at Wat Thai temple (haven't been)
Wednesday
Dub Club at the Echo (haven't been)
Friday
Jon Brion at Largo (have been. liked it ok.)
Saturday
Thai food stalls at Wat Thai temple (haven't been)
possible tracks for friday night at lacma
sonic youth, "providence"
"Run Into Flowers"
Planet Funk, "Chase the Sun" (Adam Freeland rmx)
sonic youth, "providence"
"Run Into Flowers"
Planet Funk, "Chase the Sun" (Adam Freeland rmx)
We are back!
Samsaric's first gig in a year will be at some pool party in Hollywood this Saturday. My goal is to get someone in the pool. And to slip some grimey UK stuff in behind some hip-hop. Big up my agent rk.
Samsaric's first gig in a year will be at some pool party in Hollywood this Saturday. My goal is to get someone in the pool. And to slip some grimey UK stuff in behind some hip-hop. Big up my agent rk.
Burning Spear tour dates
LA August 22nd. Full band, heavy heavy bass - I'm not a huge reggae fan but I just read a review of this show that got me pretty excited.
LA August 22nd. Full band, heavy heavy bass - I'm not a huge reggae fan but I just read a review of this show that got me pretty excited.
brewery art walk
this weekend, 11am to 6pm both days
this weekend, 11am to 6pm both days
Beat Research
Boston idm lives! Mondays at the Enormous Room.
Boston idm lives! Mondays at the Enormous Room.
mutek 2003 archive
The Monolake set is great.
The Monolake set is great.
Sónar 2003
"The tenth edition of the Barcelona Festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Arts, Sónar 2003, will take place on the 12, 13 and 14 of June."
"The tenth edition of the Barcelona Festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Arts, Sónar 2003, will take place on the 12, 13 and 14 of June."
Keith Fullerton Whitman: Pitchfork Interview
They mention the 2001 Squash Finals.
More on the squash courts show: this newsgroup posting is way better than any of the promotional material I put together. I missed it first time around.
I should put another show together.
They mention the 2001 Squash Finals.
More on the squash courts show: this newsgroup posting is way better than any of the promotional material I put together. I missed it first time around.
I should put another show together.
The Streets are playing the Paradise in Boston on March 20th. Yes, a just God!
I'm playing at Hibernia tomorrow (Friday). In Boston? Come. Otherwise, I'll be recording, and posting the results, good or bad. (Yeah, didn't happen. The manager of the bar decided he didn't feel like opening that night. At around 9pm, apparently.)
Saw DJ Shadow (without Anti-Pop Consortium) with Daniel last night. The new record's great, and he's talented as hell, but the show didn't work. It was him spinning, on two Tech 12s and two Pioneer CDJs. Ok, fine, so it's not a live set. The problem was that it wasn't much of a DJ set, either. He mostly cued up his own tracks and put some decorative scratching on top. Snoooze. (a dissenting opinion)
"People call it experimental music, but I don't. I know what I'm doing." --Harry Partch
I'll be playing a super-experimental ambient set this Wednesday for Signals and Systems, at MIT's Thirsty Ear pub, right where Mass Ave meets the Charles. $7 pitchers of beer, $2.50 for a bottle of Sam. Here's a recent playlist if you want to check the flava:
Biosphere - Le Grande Dôme/Nook and Cranny/Grandiflore
Reinhard Voigt - Hier und Jetzt
The Firesign Theater - Waiting for the Electrician or Someone Like Him
Peter Green - The Sinister Plot
Figurera - elehqn
Rhythm and Sound w/ Tikiman - Never Tell You (version)
Plaid - Eshish
Stravinsky - Round of the Princesses (Khorovod) - Arranged by Isao Tomita
Bola - W.i.K
Esem - Postledd
Boards of Canada - Everything You Do Is A Balloon
Prefuse 73 - 7th Message
And here's a 45-minute mp3 of the Sunday afternoon bedroom set.
I'll be playing a super-experimental ambient set this Wednesday for Signals and Systems, at MIT's Thirsty Ear pub, right where Mass Ave meets the Charles. $7 pitchers of beer, $2.50 for a bottle of Sam. Here's a recent playlist if you want to check the flava:
Biosphere - Le Grande Dôme/Nook and Cranny/Grandiflore
Reinhard Voigt - Hier und Jetzt
The Firesign Theater - Waiting for the Electrician or Someone Like Him
Peter Green - The Sinister Plot
Figurera - elehqn
Rhythm and Sound w/ Tikiman - Never Tell You (version)
Plaid - Eshish
Stravinsky - Round of the Princesses (Khorovod) - Arranged by Isao Tomita
Bola - W.i.K
Esem - Postledd
Boards of Canada - Everything You Do Is A Balloon
Prefuse 73 - 7th Message
And here's a 45-minute mp3 of the Sunday afternoon bedroom set.
Yay! A gig! May 21st, 11pm-2am, for Chasm at a Boston club called Vertigo. I'll be playing in the chill-out lounge upstairs. My set will be micro/tech-house, like the Cellar gig, but more relaxed and less quirky.
I wish I could say this was because I got off my ass and started promoting myself, but I just woke up yesterday and found the invitation in my inbox. Not that I'm complaining.
I wish I could say this was because I got off my ass and started promoting myself, but I just woke up yesterday and found the invitation in my inbox. Not that I'm complaining.
NYC electronic events calendar, courtesy of Secret Agent Gel. Whose name is Corey, oddly enough.
I called the Mission Control infoline to get directions to my first rave. Sniff, sniff. Check out the events calendar.
Tech
Crowdsourcing, Web analytics, Javascript, OS, Open, Web, Development, Data, s60, Product Management, Shopping, WRX, Wearables, Mobile, Storage, Hardware, Business, Medical, Automobile, Android, Collaboration, Net, Energy, AI, MacOS, Audio, PIM, Visual, RSS, Security, a11y, barcamp, Social
Other
Travel, Clothes, California, Life hacks, Podcasts, Politik, Quizzes, Activism, Food & Drink, Bicycling, Toys, Personal care, Minnesota, Friday, Games, NYC, Boston, Geography, History, Statistics, Housing, Berlin, San Francisco, Law, Surfing, Sports, Agriculture, Video, L.A., Feminism, CrowdFlower, Transportation
Music
Boston, Good tracks, Business, Labels, Videos, Musicians, History, Lyrics, Hip-hop, Booking, Shopping, Streams, Mailing lists, Events, L.A., House, Reviews, Making, Mp3s, Mixes
People
Friends, Languages, Buddhism, MOTAS, Exercise, Me, Gossip, Health, Heroes, Family, Life hacks, Vocations, Weblogs, Enemies, ADD, Stories, Subcultures, Meditation, Working with
Commerce
Personal services, IP Law, Web, Microfinance, Taxes, International Development, Insurance, Management consulting, Personal finance, Marketing and CRM, Non-profit, Shopping, Real Estate, Investing, Macroeconomics
Arts
Burning Man, Rhetoric, Humor, Movies, Animation, Desktop wallpaper bait, Outlets, Events, Poetry, Literature, Comix, Visual, iPad bait, Sculpture, Spoken Word
Design
Algorithmic, Type, Web, User experience, Process, Furniture, Presentations, Data visualization, Architecture, Cool, Tools, IA
Science
Zoology, Statistics and Data, Psychology, Networks, Cognition, Environment, Physics
Travel
Uganda, Kingdom of Siam, Vagabond '08, Kenya
