"Northern Soul" premier at the Nitehawk Cinema!

"Northern Soul" Premier at the Nitehawk Cinema

On September 16th 2015 Elaine Constantine's film "Northern Soul" was screened at the independent theater "Nitehawk Cinemas" in Brooklyn, New York and the event was hosted by Kurtis Powers, host of "The Face Radio". Before the theater was opened I sat down in the theaters bar while a DJ spun Northern Soul classics. Fred Perry provided the employees with their own Polo's, which I admired in envy, it'll be the first thing on my Christmas list this year. I devoured some steak tidbits as I tapped my feet and took a moment to look over my day. I discovered my debit card had been frozen as I tried to buy a Metro ticket, which led me to miss my intended train causing me to arrive in Brooklyn much later than I attended. But on the train there I realized how minuscule my problem was in comparison to the legions of Soulies who made their Hajj to Wigan, the Wheel and the other countless dance halls where this movement exploded. When the call came to enter the cinema In took a seat next to a couple, their accents betraying England as their country of origin. Before the film itself started we were shown various clips related to the film, the music video to Dobie Gray's "Out On the Floor", an advertisement for the Soviet made "Lada" and of course the classic frisbee in electrical station PSA, The comments from the couple were hilarious enough, but the movie would turn out to both meet and exceed my expectations. 

             A mix of hilarious comedy, floor fillers and excellent acting, "Northern Soul" was a wonderful and completely lovable depiction of the scene. Even the darker portions of the scene including the abuse of amphetamines was tackled and handled well, but in a movie like this the most important aspect is the soundtrack, which was impeccable. I wasn't alive for this movement, nor was I even born in the country it originated from, but while watching this film I felt the need to jump into my car and tag along with these characters to Wigan, even if that required traversing the Atlantic Ocean. It would've been worth it. After the films conclusion we all returned to the bar to get out our own energy after watching the actors dance for the duration of the film, After working up numerous sweats I called it a night, bid Kurtis farewell and traveled back to Grand Central, only to find out that Metro North stops running after 2 am, After a $91 fair back to White Plains I returned to my campus, my feet blistered but my soul burning. I laid down and dozed off to Frankie Valli's "The Night" as I imagined myself in the middle of Wigan, with nothing but the music in my ears. Keep the Faith.

A thank you to Fred Perry, Mod Cup Coffee, Art Gallery Clothing, The Face Radio and Kurtis Powers, and of course the folks at Nitehawk Cinema for an amazing night!

Dig the New Breed: The Best New Bands Hitting the Scene Pt.3

It has been quite a while since I've updated my blog, College got in the way. But I intend to get back to a weekly update schedule again and keep the blog well maintained. Now, where were we?

Aloe Blacc

Known mainly for his vocals on Avicii's "Wake Me Up" and his commercial hits "I Need A Dollar" and "The Man", Aloe Blacc has brought back a soulful sound to the charts with his two latest albums "Good Things" and "Lift Your Spirit". Starting out in the indie hip hop scene in and around California, he mixes the sound of neo-soul with more contemporary hip hop and pop to make a blend that is irresistible to any music fan. 

Eli Paperboy Reed

After traveling from Massachusetts to Mississippi and diving into the world of Soul and R&B, Eli Paperboy Reed has crafted 4 fantastic albums that should hold a spot in every Mods record collection. If you like a mix of American Gospel and some hard rocking blues you'll definitely want to check him out, 

The Electric Mess

Getting back to the home turf.  The Electric Mess are just that, a delightful mess of electric Garage rock that will leave you fried, in a good way. With 3 albums out and a good live presence around Brooklyn be sure to give them a listen!

Lake Street Dive

Self described as if The Beatles and Motown had a party, these  Bostonians turned Brooklynites have created an incredibly masterful blend of soul and pop with their 3 major releases. With a saturated touring schedule and what seems like endless energy Lake Street Dive will no doubt continue to pump out incredible tunes. 

St. Paul and the Broken Bones

St. Paul and the Broken Bones is the go to example when people say music just isn't the same. It is, and might even be better. I can't express enough praise for this group, exploding on stage with their Soul and Gospel infused sound straight out of Alabama, these guys take the energy of Otis Redding and channel it into what is undoubtedly one of the tightest groups out there now. Check them out.

 

I apologize again for my long absence, but I'm back, and I will be running an hourly Mod Radio show at SUNY Purchase on our Student Radio program, so that's something to look forward to as well. I'll post something about that as soon as I can, thank you for reading and keep the faith!

Dig the New Breed: The Best New Bands Hitting the Scene Pt.2

   First off I'd like to say thank you so much for the unbelievable response to part 1 of this series. It means a lot to see my writing get that much exposure and appreciation and just shows how great the entire Mod community and scene is! Now let's talk music.

Nick Waterhouse 

When someone asks me who my favorite new artist is, Nick Waterhouse is always the answer. A powerhouse of the most stylistic and smoke filled bar-esque American R&B, this California native has created 2 LP's that stand toe to toe with any of the greats. I won't compare Nick to anyone else, one reason being he doesn't seem to like it when people do, but also because he truly has his own sound. Personally I listen to Ray Charles along with him, so if anything theres your comparison. With 2012's "Time's All Gone" and 2014's "Holly" under his belt Mr.Waterhouse already has quite the resume. But after you've listened to both albums 20 times over you'll understand why he's on this list. 

                                 

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings

    From the simply amazing "Daptone Records" out of Brooklyn, New York comes Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. This group serves as the face of Daptone and there's a reason for it. With 5 albums to date this group delivers hard hitting soul that'll get anybody's feet moving. 

                                

The Riots

                         

        Mod Revival from General Winter. All the heavy lyrics and pop sensibility of The Jam are what you'll find with Russia's "The Riots". Currently on a tour of Europe, these guys pack a punch and offer a serving of power pop that'll have you riding your Lambretta around Red Square until Vlad comes out and joins ya!

The Urges

    Pyschedelic Beat and haunting reverb effects. The Urges, formed 2003 in Dublin, Ireland, provide that hard hitting garage sound that gets your heart racing and your feet tapping. With one LP and a few singles, The Urges are a must listen for any freakbeat fans and Mods in general. 

                                  

The Strypes 

  And one more band from Ireland! I've already written another article on The Strypes so go check that out for a more in depth review. But to keep it plain and simple, these are guys you definitely want to keep your eyes on. 

                                      

That it for Part 2! I promise that Part 3 will come out MUCH FASTER than Part 2 did! If you liked the article share it with your friends to remind them that Mod is still Modern!