Still Rising

Two years ago today I interviewed MC Frontalot for Hipster, please! It was my first interview, and I was, admittedly, fairly shitty at it. Still, scoring some talk time with Front was quite a coup, and it sort of set the stage for this blog and where it was to go from there.

In the ensuing years I have talked to many more nerd celebs, and my style has gotten (hopefully) a bit less shitty, but it all comes back to Frontalot, or, more specifically, his Nerdcore Rising tour. It was the sheer happenstance of that tour kicking off in my own rural neck of the woods that gave me my first break as a blogger and, indeed, gave a genuine direction to my writing.

And while Hipster, please! has grown incrementally in scope and popularity over the last couple of years, MC Frontalot and the musical movement he named has grown exponentially. Front’s continued success is due, most certainly, to his charming demeanor, his consummate showmanship, and his unmitigated talent, but the good word of nerd has also been spread by the Negin Farsad-directed documentary focused on the aforementioned tour.

Nerdcore Rising: The Movie has already seen several high profile screenings and garnered positively glowing press along the way, and, while I, sadly, have yet to see the film, I am lucky enough to have connections with someone who has. ADeadHeart, of Radio KOL fame, scored free tickets to the Boston ROFLcon showing, and was kind enough to submit her thoughts on the event for your enjoyment.

Check the geeky missive:

How fantastic WAS this? The movie was brilliant - occasionally poignant and always funny (the theater was in stitches I tell you!) Followed by a Q&A with Farsad and Front n' Crew. She was very personable and lacked the snobbishness one might assume a movie maker might possess.

Witnessed a Free Tibet rally (?) and had the best food EVER in Chinatown, which I probably walked way too far for.

After party was for the entire IFF collaboration at the verrrry swanky Mantra in beautiful downtown Boston. I didn't get lost! Quite the mix of nerdy folks and not so nerdy. ADH felt like a hermaphrodite at her first boy/girl party. More to come about that later, I think. There was free Absolut and free Newcastle, which I could not so much partake of...damn me and my driving all the way back to my little corner of ConnectiCUT but what's a girl to do?!

Another friend of mine from KoL also scored tix (what a small world!) and she and my other half are featured, happily dancing and applauding, on the Nerdcore Rising homepage. This pleases me. I got some networking of my own done and some thoughtfulness will follow.

Got home at the not SO awful hour of 3amish (that's a.m. ISH not Amish) and have some decent photos of the night. Frabjous!

*dinner, bathtub cleaning interlude*

I forgot to say!

MC Frontalot was fantastic live, as he was when I saw him in Arizona last fall. He did 2 short sets, interrupted quite pleasantly with the hip hop goodness of Prince Paul, who played some old skool I'd forgotten about and some I was ashamed to remember. Front played my faves, from Bizarro Genius Baby, which reminds me of my daughter, to Goth Girls, which I pretend reminds me of me. I've got the whole set list scribbled somewhere, if need be. <3>

Eventually I will get around to composing my thoughts on how it felt to be a reformed hip hop DJ (read currently still likes Lil Jon) and a nerd (though some question the validity of that statement (she doesn't like They Might be Good?!?!)...walking both lines was indeed awkward. This really didn't have anything to do with the show though so if I DO go there it won't be completely related. If anyone skimming this has any experience with this, though, I'd like input cuz I can't possibly be alone in my appreciation for both?

Much thanks to ADH for acting as a roving reporter, Negin Farsad for taking the time to document the nerdcore revolution and Front’s place at the head of it, and, of course, the man himself for making the music we want to hear. Peep ADeadHeart’s Photobucket for pictures and be sure to check at her RKOL shows Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8:00 to 11:00 AM.

And, on a personal note, thanks to all involved for making the last two years so goddamn memorable, and for making my silly little hobby (and my delusions of writer-hood) a bit less of a solitary affair.

Totally commercial

Last month I got a really nice email from the guys over at Rocket Propelled Radio. RPR, as you well know, is a 24 hour geeky music internet radio station that has just moved to some fancy new digs. The crux of this missive was that the station has a longstanding policy of offering free advertising for nerd-friendly music sites, and I was given the opportunity to submit a 30 second MP3 advert for Hipster, please! to be tossed into the rotation. Unfortunately, I have been totally bereft of ideas concerning what to submit. As longtime readers can certainly attest, promotion is not my strong suit, so it is to you, faithful friends, which I turn in my hour of need.

Ideas. I need ‘em. Gimme gimme.

Sharing is caring

Not to state the painfully obvious, but I have not done a great deal of blogging this week. There are a number of reasons for this, but two stand out at the forefront.

First, I have been doing a lot of “micro-blogging” over at Twitter. That service is addictive, not unlike heroin or Animal Crossing. It occurs to me as I type this that it might be a good idea to put one of those Twitter update blocks here Hipster, please! That way you too can enjoy the utter minutiae of my life. I, you see, am a giver.

Secondly, I have been enjoying a number of new and exciting things. Sights and sounds that are both nerdy and delicious. I will now share these items to the best of my ability. As I said, I’m a giver.

Earlier this week, I sang the praises of Seattle hip-hop outfit Southside. No sooner had I done so than a parcel arrived at my doorstep containing both Southside’s Please Southside Don’t Hurt ‘Em – an album that is tough on the outside yet full of flavor and substance, like a fine baguette – and the delightfully titled Gangsta Nerd by Southside rapper Thunderball’s other project Metaforce. Both are masterpieces worthy of the geek rap legacy of Sea-town. Expect tracks to begin creeping into the podcast by month’s end.

I also spoke highly of Trier Music – who will, I must reiterate, be appearing two times on the forthcoming Old Nerdy Bastard compilation. Trier likewise responded by hooking me up with some of his amazing soundtrack work. Both of these, created under the guise of Mindscape Music, can be purchased at a very reasonable price along with a set of related tabletop supplements from DriveThruRPG. These too will make their way into my podcast shortly.

My hot streak continued when I received a message from Derek Dobson, otherwise known as Computerization. Derek shared with me his debut album, a work that can be described as lo-fi indie pop with shades of electro. The site compares it to acts like Postal Service and The Magnetic Fields, which I can totally see. Derek also crafts custom songs for a nominal fee, the cost of which includes a free copy of the album in question to boot. Not surprisingly, these tracks will also be included in future editions of Radio Free Hipster.

Changing gears into the non-musical, I have also become a fervent fan of internet sitcom Dice Jockies after simply viewing the pilot. Writer/producer Charlie Brown caught wind of my tattoo at Boing Boing and rightly assumed that I’d be down to watch a web show centered around the lives of four of New Orleans’s dorkiest denizens. I’ve embedded the premiere episode below for your viewing pleasure.

Yep, I'm a giver.

Wii and me

A busy week has seriously cut into my blogging time, but I was able to sneak in enough writing time this morning to collect my thoughts and cobble together a review for the newly released (and ridiculously named) Nintendo Channel for the Wii. Should y'all care to check it out, it's posted over at GeekDad, where stuff like that is fairly relevant. Take a gander, post some comments, and share your thoughts on this new quasi-functional addition to the little console that could.

Nerd News in Brief

This weekend was one of those super busy times in which I somehow managed to accomplish absolutely nothing.

Okay, well maybe not absolutely nothing: I tended to some ailing kids, scored some free books on Free Comic Book Day, and started an account over at Twitter, but that’s about it. I think we can agree that none of those represent earth shattering developments.

Will this week be any more fruitful? I kind of hope not.

• What is this Nerdery?: Everyone’s favorite lo-fi geek rocker from across the pond – Does anyone say “across the pond” anymore? – Dan Plus Add has just released his new album Matters of Great Importance. Dan++ was nice enough to hit me with a pre-release copy last week, though, sadly, in a crush of work/family related activities, I neglected to plug it. But he wasn’t even mad, and do you know why? ‘Cause he’s English, and they are a polite and longsuffering people. Still, I’d be remiss if I didn’t rattle your collective cage to check it out, particularly my personal favorite tracks “My Landlord Sucks,” “Monosyllabic Expression of Heedlessness (meh),” “What is the Nerdery,” and “Welcome Back to the Internet.” Freebie versions are available at his site, but would it kill you to give the guy a couple of quid? Does anyone say “quid” anymore?
• Plan accordingly: After some cajoling, I was able to convince mCRT to share with me the preliminary schedule for this year’s Nerdapalooza. Already set in stone are the headliners: MC Frontalot on day 1 and the Unlimited Enthusiasm Expo on day 2. But what about the rest of the line-up? Straight from the horse's mouth: “Tentatively speaking, day 1 includes Random, Zealous, Krondor Krew, Schaffer, Former Fat Boys, and Pixelh8. Day 2 has Killer Robots, Zombies! Organize!!!, Select Start, Wordburglar, myf, ytcracker, and Dual Core. There's more on each day--including another big name per day. We're still sorting out times and so forth because of those two additional big names--we'll announce as soon as we are totally locked in.” Now I just have to donate enough blood to be able to afford gas for the ride down there!
• Microphones, tubes, and dump trucks: Church notes that our beloved Frontalot recently appeared on G4’s Freestyle 101, where he… didn’t freestyle… Still, he did bust a best-of medley, of sorts, over a smooth, jazzy beat, interspersed with his own unique brand of self-deprecation. Check it out and be amazed.
• Rolling on: This weekend I received an update from my friend Beefy concerning his new album Rolling Doubles. Beef admitted that he was currently unsure of the final release date but he did leak a few tracks to me, and I gotta say I’m even more excited for the eventual release than before. He also toyed with some titles for the his follow-ups via Twitter, so check that out.
• Lost in translation: Random just found a review of his new release Patches & Glue on a German web site. The problem is, of course, that Ran would like to read it and that online translators are less than accurate. Any German-speakers care to translate it for him?
• Marking his territory: On the Wrock front, Matt pointed me toward a post at the ‘Pedia about Wizard Rock Wonder Twins The Whomping Willows and The Remus Lupins. Matt (aka: Whompy) and Alex (of the Lupins) are set to co-host an event at the Portus symposium on Sunday, July 13th called Moony and Whompy’s Post-Portus Dance Party from 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM. The admittance price is set for $20, and more info can be found at the Wizrocklopedia.
• I wanna be: Antisocial hipped me to this piece at CNN.com about last month's ROFLCon in which the writer describes it as “the biggest gathering of micro-celebrities ever.” Seeing a mention of the con pop up on CNN is both wholly unexpected and, I guess, kind of the point.
• The sound of Sea-town: With Ultraklystron in a state of semi-retirement, I’ve been looking for a third act to complete the holy hip-hop trinity of the Seattle area. This weekend I was introduced to Southside, a group that I think fits the bill well. With a noticeable punk rock ethic that’s tonic to local legends Optimus Rhyme and Goondocks without sounding derivative, I’m highly suggest you check them out. Based upon both their exemplary musical merits and their pervasive sense of lyrical eclecticism, I think you’ll mark them as an act to follow.
• More new hotness: I’d also like to call your attention to another act of which I’ve recently become a huge fan, Trier Music. Nathan Trier is a composer that works in areas as disparate as hip-hop and tabletop RPG soundtracks. He’s also a hell of a nice guy who I’m honored to feature on the upcoming Old Nerdy Bastard compilation. Plus, he used to be in a jam band, which I imagine earns him a pass from Matt on that fact alone.
• That’s fresh: And speaking of talented people featured on the upcoming compilation, the incomparable nYgel has just alerted me to his new project, a musical forum called Nerd Fresh. If you’re looking for a new artistic community in which to network, collaborate, or hang your virtual hat, this one will serve you well.
• Faire to middling: This weekend, thanks to the time-wasting power of Twitter, I was able to broker a little meet-up between my pal Doctor Popular and the GeekDads at Maker Faire. Doc favored the ‘Dads with some yo-yo tricks, a little info about his crafting, and an explanation of the Crate Digger Death-match. And Ken even scored a special Doc Pop yo-yo for free. Lucky stiff!

New HipTrax

Amid family illness and the rush to get our Free Comic Book Day activities ironed out, I seem to have neglected to tell you about the newest edition of the GeekDad's HipTrax podcast. This episode features music from my longtime pal Beefy, my new friends Uncle Monsterface, and filk superstars Ookla the Mok. It also marks a number of firsts for the show; it's our first themed ep., it boasts our first song request, and it's also the first time recording has been interrupted by a phone call form my inlaws. Enjoy.

Choose a Player

Anthony and the GM4A crew, who, unlike me, seem to know how to meet a release date, have dropped the 50 megaton nerd music bomb that is Here Comes a New Challenger: 22 tracks, 35 artists, over 18 hours of music. Okay, that last part is a lie, but the compilation offers an amazing experience for fans of geeky hip-hop, chiptunes, and game music all the same. Everyone involved has poured blood, sweat, and tears into the project, and I highly suggest you check it out.

On the off chance you’ve not yet downloaded this labor of nerdy love, allow me to include a link to the relevant materials. I’ll even give you a second to open the page, right-click on the appropriate hypertext and hit Save Link As.

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Done?

Good.

Like any large-form, multi-artist collaboration, there’s certainly something for everyone, and, while I’d love to suggest my personal faves – “F-Bombs and 1-Ups” by Dot.AY vs. ZOMBIES! ORGANIZE!!, “Rush’n Attack” by Dibiase vs. O-Phrap, and “Champion Hero” by Videogame Orchestra vs. Dual Core, just to name a few (And lest I forget Doctor Octoroc's amazing contributions both through the phenomenal cover art and on the album itself!!!) – I’d really like to hear your input. What tracks are you feeling?

Speak up. Don't be shy.