Sunday, March 7, 2010

HIPSTER RUNOFF

HIPSTER RUNOFF

Is Retail Terrorism the Future of Alt Consumerism?

Posted: 07 Mar 2010 05:02 PM PST


I recently read a story about a group of 50 bros dressed in all black who ’caused mayhem’ on some street, then threw some rocks/beat in the windows of an store. This indicates that ‘retail ’ might be recycled into a relevant alt trend.  I feel scared because I was sorta getting behind the concept of buying stuff from trusted brands to express who I am. Like the concept of ‘consumerism’ has sort of become ‘chill’ these days, as opposed to something that we are supposed 2 h8.

Recently, another bro crashed a small airplane into an Internal Revenue Service building in Austin, Texas.

It seemed like he was sort of trying to promote a similar brand, like ‘money is bullshit’ or something, or maybe that ‘the government enables this bull shit society in which we are trapped.’

I feel shaken up by these recent acts of consumer + retail , like the idea of being anti-government + anti-consumerism is ‘back’, and I might have to ride that wave in order to be considered an ‘interesting person with a relevant opinion.’ I like the way things are now, where I just have to keep up to date on buzzbands to be interesting. I think being a self-aware American is fun and chill, since we sort of just get to ‘cope’ with other ppl abt how we are trapped, but then just watch viral videos and forget about it.

Worried I might have to ‘backpack bomb’ a local suburban mall or something in order to be alt + authentic.

Sorta wonder if the post-1990s vibe of ‘Fight Club’ is ‘coming back.’ Like we ‘hate consumerism’, and we need to perform snarky acts of chill / metaphorical to free ourselves’. Miss u Project Mayhem / Fight Club.

Did Fight Club help us 2 become more authentic consumers, or did it ’set back the anti-consumerism’ movement 20 years?
Seems like formative alternative bros probably chilled with Fight Club posters in their rooms. Miss u Ed Norton + Brad Pitt.

Sorta miss the days Ed Norton’s career when he was ‘budding into a relevant alt actor’ and it was ‘kewl’ to say he was ur fave actor. I remember in American History X when he committed an act of retail against a local market that was hiring illegal immigrant workers.

I feel confused, since is ‘violence’, but maybe ’standing up for something’ in the real world will become a more popular trend. There will be backlash against ‘cowards who only exist on blogs / the comment forms of blogs.’

Is ‘retail’ bullshit?
Is eCommerce the future/the past?
Should we blow up all of the credit card company buildings across the world?
Should we start regional Fight Clubs with our bros?

If u had a relevant chain of branded clothes + apparel, what type of mall would u put it in? Maybe a safe indoor mall.

Maybe outdoor malls with security guards seem ’safe’, since they are tucked away in suburbia

do yall trust ‘mall cops’ 2 protect ur merch, or is retail inventory ’so cheap’ that it doesn’t even matter?

R u gonna keep buying stuff from retail outlets or commit metaphorical terrorist acts on them?
Should Am Appy use more animal fur to attract a new demographic of protesters?
How can I perform an act of ‘retail ’ on Amazon.com?
Should I get a summer job at Hot Topic, then set it on fire?
As tweens grow into their teen years, will they experience a consumer backlash against Jonas Brotherian/Hannah Montanian ideals which they once ‘bought in to’?
Will Brad Pitt’s most memorable role always be _________?

Choir of Innercity Kids do ‘meaningful cover’ of Phoenix

Posted: 07 Mar 2010 02:05 PM PST


“Lisztomania” by Phoenix was arguably the most meaningful song of 2009 if you didn’t ‘get’ Animal Collective / “My Girls.” The song has a massive ‘crossover appeal’, and continues to move mad units on iTunes and Best Buys all around the world. In this video, an innercity chorus sings the song in a meaningful fashion, looking to inspire ‘hope’

It seems like we can assume that all of these children come from difficult life situations, and are using music to ‘escape’ temporarily from their despair / status frustration. U can see by their over-gesticulation that they either truly ‘get’ the message of the song, or their teacher has convinced them that they will all get record deals if they sing with their hearts.

Is Phoenix no longer an ‘indie’ band?
Are they finally the ‘pop’ band that indie purists always though they should be?

This childrens choir has ‘mad connections’ to the mainstream indie industry, since they once collaborated with Passion Pit / were hired as the backup children’s choir on their album.

Are children’s choirs the future of indie music?
Will Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E.” always be the best utilization of a children’s choir?
Does Phoenix’s Lisztomania make u feel like u can achieve anything?
Were “1901″ and “Lisztomania” both critically overrated since the lyrics ‘don’t really mean anything’?
Should I ‘teach for America’ and bring innercity/poor kids a taste of relevant alt culture?

Popular San Francisco Blog House Era All-Ages Party BLOW UP SF is dead.

Posted: 07 Mar 2010 01:16 PM PST


BLOW UP SF was one of the most popular bloghouse + electro era parties in the entire world. Capitalizing on the dense electro teen + bro demographic in California, it became a ‘hot spot’ in , even to the point where there was a ‘backlash’ when it was ‘too mainstream.’  The party booked the most relevant acts of the electro / blog house era, helping to ‘take the international scene’ 2 a new level.  Does n e 1 know if this party shut down because it got ‘too big/popular’?  Will there be a ‘rebranding’?  Did 2 of the promoters get in some sort of legal battle over who deserves what?  Were ‘the cops’ going to shut down this party [via fire hazzards]?

The video embedded above seems like a meaningful tribute, using old clips + pictures, trying to preserve the brand forever.  However, the true essence of the party brand can be appreciated in this video of Steve Aoki + Uffie performing at their party.

Will the world be a sadder place without BLOWUP SF, or was it just another place where tweens went to do drugs and do a lil bit of underaged drinking?

Are electro weekly/monthly parties still relevant, or are the an ironic/vintage event of the past?
Do yall still get tons of FB invitations from local regional party promoters?
Do yall miss electro, or will there be a ‘revival’ in the next 3-10 years?

Joanna Newsom plays an mp3 live on Jimmy Fallon, kinda a ’snoozefest.’

Posted: 07 Mar 2010 12:58 PM PST


Late Night With Jimmy Fallon has become the official Late Night Snow of Internet Buzz bands. While the show will never have massively successful ratings due to the late night time slot, they focus on creating bits + performances that will ‘go viral’ on the internet the next day. Joanna Newsome played some song on a piano and sang words over it.

Did yall watch this whole video, or did u watch 30-40 seconds of it, then moved on to a new bit of internet content?

Many fans believe that she is best consumed in a live setting.
Is chill, or am I just too tween 2 ever ‘understand’ her music?

Was her performance ‘amazing’?
Do yall think Middle America enjoyed this performance, or did they change the channel to an episode of “Blind Date” / “Elimidate”?