Mission Mission

That sax! Be sure to party with DJ Purple every Thursday at Slate Bar, or also on January 23rd at Rickshaw Stop for the return of Singin’ & Pingin’!

And preorder the whole new Still Flyin’ album here.

I know it’s hip to be all, “Ugh, pictures of sunsets,” but I mean look at this.

[via Mish]

But, look, it’s all done, and as soon as the wet weather subsides, it’ll open back up:

[via Hoodline]

Here’s local comedian and film buff W. Kamau Bell:

I love Rocky movies as much as I love Black cinema—and surprise!, Rocky is now officially a part of Black Cinema. Who could’ve imagined that Coogler would follow up his debut film, Fruitvale Station—the best film about racism in 2013; sorry, not sorry, 12 Years A Slave—with a Rocky sequel? It’s kind of like if Spike Lee had followed up his debut film, She’s Gotta Have It, by directing a James Bond film, but with Denzel Washington playing James Bond.

Both films play all weekend, with Creed continuing into next week as well.

Get tickets and more info here and here.

[via Shannon]

16th & Bryant. Good thing we're not in a drought or nothin

A video posted by emma (@emmaruthless) on Jan 11, 2016 at 7:05pm PST

The party starts at 10:55pm, here’s the deal:

The shocking and sad news that David Bowie has passed left us all with a pit in our stomach, a hole in our hearts, and a tune in our heads, be it “Heroes,” “Young Americans,” “Suffragette City,” “Under Pressure,” or “Little Fat Man.” It just doesn’t seem possible that we now live in a world without David Bowie, but we know he’s ascended to the otherworldly status of an icon, whose music and art will be loved, studied and rocked out to for generations. Let’s start doing that tonight with our David Bowie Music Video Party, where you’ll be able to laugh, cry and sing your heart out. We’re putting this sing-along together entirely from scratch, so there’ll be very few subtitles but hell, you know the words, right? Wham bam, thank you ma’am!

Tickets and more info here.

From time to time I like to share lists of songs I’ve sung at karaoke over a given period, mostly to express to the uninitiated how possible it is to go to karaoke and sing lots of your favorite songs — weird stuff too, not just big hits.

Once you know that, you can start going to karaoke all the time and reveling in its transformative powers, come out of your shell, become a better person, etc.

Here’s everything I sang in a little bar in Tokyo’s Golden Gai district at my birthday party last week:

1. Rebel Yell – Billy Idol
2. Touch Me - The Doors
3. Sunday Morning - The Velvet Underground
4. Darlin’ - The Beach Boys
5. Maybelline - Chuck Berry
6. I’m Not Like Everybody Else - The Kinks
7. Out of Time - The Rolling Stones
8. Material Girl - Madonna
9. Every 1’s A Winner - Hot Chocolate
10. Young Americans - David Bowie
11. Reflektor - Arcade Fire
12. Don’t Think Twice - Bob Dylan
13. Working for the Weekend - Loverboy
14. The Boys Are Back in Town - Thin Lizzy
15. Pink Triangle - Weezer
16. Minority - Green Day
17. Red Hot Moon - Rancid
18. New York City Cops - The Strokes
19. Perfect Day - Lou Reed
20. Rocky Raccoon - The Beatles
21. Alison - Elvis Costello
22. Burning Love - Elvis Presley
23. Daria - Cake
24. Work to Do - The Isley Brothers
25. Debaser - Pixies
26. Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding

It was the first time I ever sang a Bowie song. I’d always been too hesitant because it seemed like messing up a Bowie song would be too much of a bummer, but when I saw “Young Americans” in the songbook and I was with a bunch of young Americans and had had a lot to drink, it seemed like a good idea.

If you want to sing some karaoke soon, I might recommend doing it at Pop’s this Friday with Roger Niner (who has an incredibly extensive songbook) or at Singin’ & Pingin’ at Rickshaw Stop on the 23rd with DJ Purple (who puts on a very special “Dance Karaoke” party).

Here’s an approximation of what it’s like in case you can’t make it before closing time:

Starts at 6:30am and we’re all invited! Pop’s is doing coffee, Irish coffee, Mexican coffee and BACON BLOODY MARYS all morning (and every morning). Sit around, drink and drink, and watch some live radio being made!

Here’s the official invitation:

RSVP and invite your friends!