Shoestarr’s Playlist: Top 5 Beastie Boys Music Videos

Last week, I was saddened to learn about the passing of MCA AKA Adam Yauch, like many other grieving Beastie Boys fans. I’ve been listening to The Beastie Boys since I was 12 years old, even though they had been together longer than I have been alive. I had a poster from their “Hello Nasty” album in my bedroom all throughout high school, and I cannot imagine what my favorite music videos would be without them. I was sadden by this loss because MCA was a person to be admired, for his music, his charitable work, and his cinematic contributions. So here’s my MCA tribute, My Top 5 favorite Beastie Boys Music Videos that are all near and dear to my heart. 

5. Beastie Boys - “Sure Shot”

This video, like their most popular music video “Sabotage”, is from The Beastie Boy’s 1994 classic album “Ill Communication” and was directed by Spike Jonze as well. It’s the Beasties doing what they do best - rapping, and goofing off. The goofing off in this video includes swimming in pools, wearing snazzy suits, and displaying an array of wacky glasses.

4. Beastie Boys - “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)”

Kick it! This is the video that put the Beasties on the map, and serves as a general rule of thumb to never invite the Beastie Boys to your party if you want to keep the event low-key. 

3. Beastie Boys - “Intergalactic”

One of my favorite Beastie Boys albums is “Hello Nasty”, and this was my favorite music video from that album, which was directed by MCA himself. The concept was ambitious, creative, and executed to perfection. I love watching the Beastie Boys hold futuristic poses and rap around the city streets as people looked confused, or apathetic. But most of all, I love the old-school Godzilla-esque battle between the robot and the squid-man.

2. Beastie Boys - “Sabotage”

Their most famous and iconic music video, directed by Spike Jonze, is so much fun to watch, and is still as entertaining as it was when I first saw it. It’s a classic, and should be a standard on any Top 10 list for best music videos ever made.

1. Beastie Boys - “So What Cha Want”

My personal favorite Beastie Boys music video is So What Cha Want, which I always assumed was directed by Spike Jonze, but realized today it was directed by MCA himself! What I love about this music video is that the concept is simple and clean. It’s a concept that has been duplicated in endless skate videos and music videos, but never to the same effect. None of those other attempts have the charisma and the performance of this video, and the simple concept only highlights what great performers the Beastie Boys were, and what amazing chemistry they had together. Rest in Peace MCA.

Shoestarr’s Playlist: Top 10 Coachella 2012 Songs

After sorting through multiple set-lists of all the songs that were played during Coachella 2012, this is my Top 10 playlist of songs I would have loved to have seen live! Luckily, I was able to catch lots of the bands I would’ve wanted to see on the YouTube livesteam including Pulp, The Rapture, The Black Keys, Radiohead, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, St. Vincent, The Shins, At The Drive-In, and of course, Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg complete with Tupac Hologram and all.

Click Here for Coachella Songs 10-6

5. Black Keys - “Tighten Up”

The Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach displayed some mad whistling skills during their hit song. I was so happy I was able to catch the livestream for this band’s set because they were amazing, I have to see them live! Check out the music video for Tighten Up if you haven’t seen it yet, because it’s fantastic!

4. At The Drive-In - “One-Armed Scissor”

I was super excited to check out the ATDI reunion, their break-up has caused their fans to split to either the Mars Volta side, or the Sparta side (I prefer the Mars Volta), so I was interested to how they would mesh back together after all these years. Their performance was a little rough around the edges, but all in all, it would’ve have been freakin incredible to see this song played live!

3. Radiohead - “Karma Police”

Yes, I have seen Radiohead live, and yes, I have seen them play this very song before, but can you really get enough? This song is a classic, and when I heard this album for the first time, it definitely change my perception of what a great album could be. Also, this music video is just as timeless as the song. Would definitely be in my Top 10 music videos list.

2. Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) - “Two Headed Boy Pt. 2”

I totally missed out on the sold out Jeff Mangum show he’s playing in Los Angeles, so I really hope I get to see him live in the near future. For any of you guys who missed my “Shoestarr’s Top 5 Favorite Albums of All-Time” vlog, “Aeroplane Over the Sea” was one of them, and I cannot even imagine how great this show must’ve been. The set wasn’t included on the YouTube livesteam either, so I can only imagine. 

1. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds (Oasis) - “Don’t Look Back in Anger”

This song is one of my favorite songs of all-time, and I missed it during Noel Gallagher’s set during the livestream! Since the Oasis break-up, my last hope of hearing this song live is to attend a Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds show. That being said, I wouldn’t mind at all. I heard their self-titled debut album, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The band, just like Oasis, is great for anyone who loves The Beatles, or even Ryan Adams, and just wants some good old-fashioned rock and roll.

Also, if you guys haven’t seen “The Poser’s Guide to Coachella 2012”, you check it out below. Hope you guys enjoyed my Top 10 Coachella playlist as well as the video!

Shoestarr’s Playlist: Top 10 Coachella 2012 Songs

After sorting through multiple set-lists of all the songs that were played during Coachella 2012, this is my Top 10 playlist of songs I would have loved to have seen live! Luckily, I was able to catch lots of the bands I would’ve wanted to see on the YouTube livesteam including Pulp, The Rapture, The Black Keys, Radiohead, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, St. Vincent, The Shins, At The Drive-In, and of course, Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg complete with Tupac Hologram and all.

10. Dr. Dre (Feat. Eminem) - “Forgot About Dre”

I’m not even going to try and pretend like I don’t love this song, because I do! And I’ve secretly loved this song since it came out. Sure, Snoop Dogg’s Gin and Juice, and Tupac’s California Love would’ve been amazing to see live (and of course, the Tupac Hologram), but I’m all about this Dr. Dre and Eminem collaboration. Like a total poser.

9. The Shins - “Phantom Limb”

This was the first The Shins songs that I heard, and “Wincing The Night Away” was the first album that I heard from them, so this catchy pop jam definitely holds a special place in my heart.

8. St. Vincent - “Actor Out of Work”

St. Vincent is such an under-rated singer, I highly recommend checking her out if you’re into Feist, Mirah, or even Portishead. This is my favorite song from her’s, which I got to see during the livestream. I also really enjoy the music video as well.

7. The Rapture - “House of Jealous Lovers”

This song is just a blast of electro pop dance party. Definitely a party song, or a dance floor jam. Add it to any house party playlist! It’s such a fun song, MORE COWBELL please!

6. Pulp - “Common People”

One time, I naively referred to this song as “my favorite song from the 80’s”. It is in fact, from the 90’s, and definitely one of my favorite 90’s pop songs. Oh Pulp, you do 80’s post-punk so well, I thought you were from there when I first heard you. This song is an absolute must-hear, a great pop post-punk jam.

Stay Tuned Next Week for the Top 5 Songs in the Coachella Playlist.

UPDATE: Click Here for Coachella Songs 5-1

The Cursive Show with Ume and Virgin Islands at The Troubadour

Here’s some photos from The Cursive Show at The Troubadour with Ume and Virgin Islands Opening.

Tim Kasher

Tim Kasher-ness

Secrets to Share

Silly Cursive

Cursive Rocking It Out

Beard Scratch

End with a Closure

Ume from Austin, Texas Opening for Cursive

Ume was Rocking It Out

Virgin Islands Opening Up the Night Right

Coachella without the Sunburn: Bright Eyes + Jenny & Johnny + Broken Social Scene: Part 2

After catching the sold-out Bright Eyes show with Jenny and Johnny at the Fox Theatre in Pomona on their route to Coachella, I attended a fan-club only Broken Social Scene Show on their return from Coachella at the Masonic Lodge in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. That’s right, the concert was at a cemetery and it was one of the most unique shows I’ve ever been to. Kevin Drew himself kept saying repeatedly that this was a special evening for him and the band, and the audience definitely felt it was experiencing something truly special as well. I was able to sit in the front row of chairs that lined the Masonic Temple and there was a long narrow stage taking up the entire width of the room that was adored with antique chairs, fit for a cemetery, perhaps. I personally just wondered how all of the 10+ revolving tribe of musicians was even going to fit up there.

Soon enough, 9 band members took the stage, including permanent members Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning, Apostle of Hustle’s Andrew Whiteman, Lisa Lobsinger and Charles Spearin. The set-list was very eclectic and included a Modest Mouse cover, a Apostle of Hustle song, and Charles Spearin presenting a song from his concept album “The Happiness Project” which translates people’s distinctive speech patterns and cadence into music. Spearin played an audio tape of an older Creole woman from New Orleans giving a touching interview and then the band played along with the speech, translating language into music. Amazingly, the music had the same effect, if not more, than the original speech did.

Drew and Canning might just have some of the best band banter ever. Canning took the reins while Drew was off-stage for a number and when Drew returned, everyone was standing up from their chairs and dancing. Canning joked that it must have been the correct BPMs to get the crowd pumping and Drew reacted by spontaneously adding more songs, danceable ones of course, to the set list. Then both of them began arguing about whether the crowd should be standing up or sitting down up during particular numbers and the crowd listened, sitting down for a Kevin Drew number only to stand back up again for a Canning song. Canning defended his case using a comical reference from the movie “The Fighter”, but honestly, it was all about the BPMs, man.