Unusually Personal Entry

Last night was awesome. Craig was in town (picture to follow), and we went to a panel of artist managers at Pianos. It was actually really engaging, and the two hours passed quickly. After the show there was shmooze time, and of course Brandon Schmidt (manager Interpol) was surrounded by musicians throwing demos at his face. He seems like a great manager and an approachable guy. I had a chat with Morningwood's manager Eddie, who strikes me as a friendly, sharp guy with his head on his shoulders, and judging by Morningwood's impressive press coverage, a great manager as well.

Then Craig and I walked to dinner, and ran into guitar god Simon O'Connor of Brooklyn-based arena rock outfit Stylofone. He informed me that they're playing a Vice party in two weeks, and have an upcoming residency at Sin-e. Kick ass. And good on them for self-managing the shit out of their band.

Two blocks later I ran into Kim (watch out for her on the upcoming season of America's Next Top Model), with some other friends from school. It's such a good feeling to run into quality people who make me excited about life and youth. Then Craig and I had Ethiopian food at Ghenet (YUM), and went to hang out on the roof of my dad's studio building and stare at New York. There is a quality of New York at night that is so teeming and quiet, so full of post-apocolyptic optimism. Sometimes I feel like some yokle from Utah when everything is lit up. You know in those musicals where the con-artist manager tries to lure some poor sap from the sticks to be his Broadway performer? He puts his arm around the guy's shoulders, smooths one hand out over an imaginary horizon, and says, "Think of it - the people - the lights!" The lights! That's how it felt last night to look at New York.

And then, just so Craig could get a taste of it, we went to Bang, Bust, and this bizarre party at Uncle Ming's which is apparently run by a bunch of skaters and opened a couple months back. There was a good mixed crowd, with dirty south blaring deep bass when we first walk in - which was abruptly cut in half an hour later by (who else?) The Smiths; for some reason, Meghan and I seemed to be the only ones in the room who wanted to dance...

See you out tonight, somewhere (see below).