Crib Notes

Here’s further evidence that the electronic music scene in Atlanta is surging. Nic Fanciulli, who’s held residencies at Space, the renowned Miami night club, and at Ibiza, the electronic music Mecca, will hold the decks at the Mark Ultra Lounge tonight, promoting his latest release with the famed UK label, Global Underground.

The release, simply titled Global Underground: Nic Fanciulli, is the first in what seems to be a new series of DJ-focused discs put out by GU. Those of you familiar with the GU imprint would know that’s hardly new broken ground. Their original GU series, currently at 36 releases from the likes of Paul Oakenfold, Sasha, John Digweed, Adam Freeland, Nick Warren, Felix da Housecat, et al, has defined the label as top choice for yearly electronic goodness.

This new release doesn’t necessarily present a new direction in sound, but rather adds the newcomer to the extensive GU catalog. Fanciulli’s particular blend of electronic music tends to be on the tech-prog house range, which is essentially what you’ll find on the two-disc release, and what he’ll be spinning tonight.

Tickets are $15 on pre-sale, available through Wantickets.com.

After the jump, listen to Fanciulli’s remix of Mark Broom’s “Jackpot Inc”.

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As promised, the iTunes music store has switched to a variable pricing model, where the more popular tracks are $1.29, others remain at $0.99, and back catalog files are now $0.69. All songs are also DRM-free, but as noted in Wired’s Epicenter blog, this pricing change doesn’t address a shift in consumer’s behavior:

Although new prices will be a step in the right direction for many iTunes customers, they are a superficial fix for iTunes’ real threat: that most consumers and even some artists think 69 cents per track is far too dear.
According to Nielsen SoundScan, paid downloads growth slowed last year, increasing 27 percent in 2008, where it increased 45 percent in 2007. Meanwhile, free streaming services accessed through web browsers and mobile apps are growing in popularity. Apple and the labels raising the prices 30 percent on popular songs and dropping them 30 percent on back catalog tracks won’t help them compete with shifting consumer behavior.

With devices like the iPhone as well as other stream-ready cell phones and web-based services like Pandora, Last.fm and others, it’s easy to see how this pricing change could pass unnoticed and/or not make a siginificant impact in music sale figures.

It’s also worth noting that the Amazon mp3 store remains at $0.99 per track.

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Whoever thought Monday was an off night missed last night’s show at the Earl. The British lads from Late of the Pier, the Whip (see photo above), and the New York-based Hearts of Darknesses blazed through three-plus hours of razor-sharp synth lines and punk-infused electro, giving those packed tight in front of the stage a perfect excuse to thrash and dance on a school night.

See complete PHOTO GALLERY of the show.

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A funny thing happened to electro on its way out: Bands started to play it, as in with instruments and stuff, added some punk swagger, embedded a catchy hook and a few loops, and now the crowd can’t get enough. Tonight you have two absolutely brilliant shows to bring your A dancing game to for razor-sharp synth lines and four-to-the-floor beats.

In case you missed last Thursday’s amazing Cut Copy show at the Masquerade, you’ll get a chance at redemption with the Presets. Bringing an edgier, harder sound than their fellow countrymen, this Sydney-based punk/dance duo will kick your ass as you shake it. Last time through Atlanta they paired up with their fellow Aussies, but this time around they headline; here they are playing “Yippiyo Ya” during last year’s show:

Mr. Preston Craig will rock the decks ‘n effex before the main show, setting the mood right.

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If you were planning on working on your productivity today, steer clear of this.

A programmer has put together a website were you can simulate Daft Punk’s console and using your computer keyboard, play the collection of samples that produced their hit “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” (which, of course, was then sampled by Kanye West for his joint, “Stronger”).

I just wasted an hour playing with this thing, so be warned.

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Causing Hell’s blazing mercury to cool for just a tad bit, the Record Industry Association of America, one of the most polarizing industry groups out there, is halting its practice of initiating legal action against suspected online music pirates.

Utorrent? Yestorrent…

As Wired’s Epicenter blog reports:

The RIAA is planning to replace its “subpoena, settle or sue” process that has been expensive for the music industry. It requires the RIAA to go through the courts in order to pressure those it suspects of sharing music without permission.

Instead, RIAA agents will seek out those sharing music without permission (usually by conducting its own P2P searches), and will e-mail the music sharer’s ISP alerting them to that activity. The ISP will then either forward the RIAA’s e-mail or send the subscriber a warning e-mail telling them that music sharing is not permitted.

If they continue to share, the subscriber will receive one or two additional warnings, after which the ISP will slow their connection. If the allegedly infringing activity persists, the subscriber may find their internet connection stops working altogether.

It’s not clear that by dealing directly with the ISPs the RIAA will be more effective in combating online music piracy. If we’re to take a February Comcast case where a subscriber sued over the company’s practice of throttling P2P traffic, the RIAA may have a different kind of PR fiasco on its hands – not to mention the slew of privacy issues over how ISPs identify users. The RIAA says it won’t ask for identifying information, but keep in mind that this is the same organization that sued the pants off of women without computers, dead people, and school children.

(Photo by Liam Higgins – Flickr )

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Leave it to the kids to let you know when the cool shows are happening. Had it not been for Facebook, I would’ve missed Café Tacuba’s upcoming gig on the 29th. The show’s being billed as a “Festival de Rock,” featuring a handful of local Spanish rock groups with the legendary Mexican rockers capping the night. Having been to a few of these Festivales myself, I can tell you that Cafe Tacuba’s draw will multiply the audience by the hundreds.

According to the Facebook invite, the show will take place at the Far West Rodeo in Doraville see update below, with doors opening at 9 p.m. Tickets are available at Discolandia record stores or by calling 404-553-5479.

Last time the Tacubos where in town (promoting their latest release, SiNo), they blew past the two-hour mark with plenty of energy for an extended encore. Their local counterparts don’t hold back either. I went to Rompan Rock early last year (one of said Festivales de Rock), and couldn’t keep up, heading home at 2:30 a.m. while the last band was still on stage.

Two veterans of the local Spanish rock scene are scheduled to play. La Suegra play straight up punk-ska, while Stereozur concentrate on aggressive prog rock.

With six (possibly more) bands on the bill, not counting the Tacubos, expect a long night of Rock en Español.

UPDATE: My bad for posting this a few hours before the show, but I was just able to confirm that the venue has changed. The concert is now set for the Palladium Arena in Norcross. Don’t trust Google maps as it says the place is south of Jimmy Carter, when it’s actually about a quarter mile north on Live Oak Parway/Dawson Blvd. If you are on I-85, take Jimmy Carter East. Make a left on the first light.

UPDATE #2, 11:36 pm: I just got home from going both to the Palladium Arena and Far West Rodeo. Both places were shut tight. A few people were parked in front of the Palladium place, looking bewildered, as to why the doors were locked.

There was a huge, empty tour bus parked alongside the building. A woman told me that she heard the concert had been canceled, but there was no official notice; nothing posted on the door. Calls to the above phone number are met with a full voice mail inbox.

UPDATE #3, 12:13 am: Alright, someone is giving information at the Palladium as to why the show was canceled. Something about the venue not being able to secure enough equipment for the band on such short notice. The show was originally scheduled at the Far West Rodeo, but there was a last minute change to the Palladium Arena in Norcross.

Word on the street is that a little while ago, Rubén Albarrán himself, Cafe Tacuba’s lead singer pulled up to the place and shook hands with some of the fans that were there. He seemed visibly upset that the show had been canceled.

Bummer that the show was scrapped due to some technical issues. It would’ve been a big opportunity to showcase some of the local Latin rock talent.

UPDATE #4, Monday, Dec. 1

From what I’ve been hearing, there are conflicting reports as to why the show got canceled, but again, nothing has been made official. For the record, Discolandia is refunding tickets. Contact the store at which you got yours and they should refund your money. I’ll post any new information as it comes in.

Anyone with any info feel free to email me: alejandro.leal@creativeloafing.com.

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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