POOL PARTY @ THE STANDARD HOLLYWOOD TOMORROW!!!

N.A.S.A. & DJ Kid Lightning on Carson Daly!!!

Back in March, the kind folks who run the Carson Daly show asked the guys of N.A.S.A. to try and take some footage of what it's like to be an artist out at SXSW. They handed us a flipcam and sent us on our way. I obviously got caught up in the whirlwind, since I was there to help moderate the chaos. Its somewhat old footage, but anything related to South by Southwest always brings a smile to my face. 

YACHT = Summer in the Fall

I think the new YACHT album, See Mystery Lights, is probably one of the most uplifting and joyous albums I've heard in a LONG time (this coming from a pessimistic person of the utmost proportion). I think their new disco, pogo pop should be an interesting compliment to the Yeah Yeah Yeah's on their fall tour run together. 


YACHT 2009 Tour Dates w YYY's:
09/07 - Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom *
09/09 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theatre *
09/10 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theatre *
09/11 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
09/12 - Portland, OR @ Old Town Block Party
09/13 - Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue *
09/15 - Pomona, CA @ Fox Theatre *
09/17 - Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre *


While I love putting on my musicology hat and trying to describe what I love about a certain artist, often times their own words are simply the best description of their work. Enjoy!: 

While making See Mystery Lights we were nightly experiencing something like direct revelation, the Marfa Mystery Lights. The Lights spoke directly to us, guiding us, and were our sole inspiration in the making of not only the album, but also our physical and digital presentations, our new performances, and all of our forthcoming companion releases. This experience also shaped and solidified our belief system, which we've now outlined, explained, and started to distribute person-to-person, peer-to-peer, at events, and soon online.



YACHT - Summer Song from Jona Bechtolt on Vimeo.

Old Mixes Die Hard!

As I was cleaning up around the house on this fine Labor Day, I came across a DJ mix I did last year for Indie 103.1's Neon Noise. Its centered around artists who are all on one of my favorite labels of all time, Modular Records, its a little dusty, but it holds up pretty well. Enjoy!

Kid Lightning Modular Mix.aif - DJ Kid Lightning

Custom Kicks

While on tour in Japan with the ever so talented N.A.S.A. earlier this year, the guys and I got the chance to stop by the Nike ID studios and design our own freaking Nikes! While I could have gone with a Dunk (which are always a great choice), I went with the Nike Troupe Mid because I've honestly never seen a shoe design like this in my life. They are super lightweight, designed for dancers, and have the craziest heel support system known to mankind.

Check out the results when Nike lets me in the lab on a rainy day in Tokyo:

HEALTH IS THE TRUTH!!!

I dabble in almost every genre of music imaginable, I guess it comes with the territory of being a DJ and an insane lover of music. However, very few things get my heart racing the way some good old fashion noise rock does and Health brings it (HARD)! I think the best part about this Los Angeles based band is the degree of musicality that hides beneath all the sonic explosion, there is a real and true ability for songwriting, hiding behind layers of yelping and distortion. They are playing September 9th at The Troubadour and I can't personally wait to see them melt faces at a hometown show (unless of course you are one of THOSE who is getting to see them open for NIN at the Echoplex on their "Wave Goodbye" Tour!)


HEALTH US Tour Dates:
Sep 09 THE TROUBADOUR LOS ANGELES, California
Sep 10 BOTTOM OF THE HILL SAN FRANCISCO, California
Sep 11 TIME BASED ARTS FESTIVAL PORTLAND, Oregon
Sep 12 VERA PROJECT SEATTLE, Washington
Sep 13 MONOLITH FESTIVAL MORRISON, Colorado
Sep 14 7TH STREET ENTRY MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota
Sep 18 EMPTY BOTTLE CHICAGO, Illinois
Sep 19 WRONG BAR TORONTO, Ontario
Sep 20 LA SALA ROSSA MONTREAL, Quebec
Sep 21 CLUB HELL PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island
Sep 22 HARPERS FERRY ALLSTON, Massachusetts
Sep 24 BOWERY BALLROOM NEW YORK CITY, New York
Sep 25 FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania
Sep 26 SONAR BALTIMORE, Maryland
Sep 27 SONIC CIRCUITS FESTIVAL Washington DC 

Check out the video for the 1st "single" called "Die Slow", off their upcoming new album, "Get Color":

Avalon Tonight w/ Hercules & Love Affair, Late of the Pier, and ME!

I feel like this is the start of a new era in that I have finally succumb to the pressure and started my own blog! Nothing fancy, just a crazy mish-mash of everything running through my head and a dash of cool show info, DJ gigs, and other little goodies as time goes on. For starters, I am spinning the Legit Lounge at CONTROL tonight with Hercules and Love Affair and Late of the Pier (two of the best in the dance game in my humble opinion)! It all goes down at the Avalon (1735 Vine St., Hollywood, CA, 90028). Get your Labor pre-party started right!