Desert Lab, Desert Gold, Desert Madness!

We had used to go to Coachella in Indio every year but then decided for one reason or another it was too much work and money. Hotels cost a fortune, tickets aren't cheap and hydration inside the festival costs an arm and a leg. So this year we had made an impromptu trip down to the ACE Hotel in Palm Springs for a few nights of Coachella like activities as well as some custom and limited vinyl. One of the best things about Coachella is being able to discover new bands and listen to acts you perhaps might not always see when they come into town. Third Man Records planned a weekend of DJs and bands at the ACE which was very low key and right up my alley. Some of the bands we had heard of but majority were new discoveries, secret guests Thee Oh Sees were the highlight. 

Big festivals nowadays are almost an automatic 'no' for me. Just based on the pushing and shoving, the size of the crowd, it taking 3 hours to drive sixty miles, no parking and all other negatives that come along with a festival that has over 50,000 people attending. The Desert Gold week the ACE puts on is an event all in itself but with all the focus being at Coachella, it's a much more relaxed way to enjoy the weekend in the desert. 

The true highlight of the week was being able to get into Converse's Desert Lab where they were making one of a kind lathe cut acetates. We each chose the only band we knew The XX, one is an 'Unreleased Remix' and the other is a cover of Aaliyah's 'Hot Like Fire'. Each have our name etched into them and also the date it was cut. These are truly one of a kind. The journey to acquire these two items, the experience of watching it be cut and the music was a very fulfilling scavenger hunt.

Jeff The Brotherhood at The Blank Club

We trekked out to The Blank Club in San Jose to check out the brothers known as Jeff the Brotherhood. This was the third time we'd seen JTB but the first time as a headliner and by far in the smallest venue. Having seen them open at the Fox for Best Coast last summer we knew their energy in such a small bar was going to be exciting. The crowd couldn't have grown to more than 40 people which really gave the show an intimate feel. The two hung out in the bar until it was time for them to go on, bantering with the other Infinity Cat bands opening up and getting primed on A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' via Lagunitas six packs. Jamin turned on the smoke machine and his brother Jake starts ripping through the 3 strings on his guitar. Was it their best show? Maybe not, the guys have been very good in the past but it was fun and the guys were personable which made us really feel like we were part of the show. 

RSD '12

We found out about Record Store Day back in 2008 and have participated a great deal in the event the past 3 years. We've followed it quite closely since Nashville based, Detroit founded, Third Man Records started pumping out some insane Vinyl. What started as a novelty quickly turned into an obsession that has had us standing in line in random cities waiting for most of the time Rarities only available from that location. Sometimes we're 1 of hundreds and other times we've been 1 of 5 lucky customers. This year Third Man pulled out all the stops and released two items that were only available in Nashville, we had 2 choices, go and experience Third Man and Nashville or pay the same amount for the items on eBay. I can't say what we did is recommended, sitting 18 hours in the rain, but the experience is only as good as the company you're with. Seeing friends from San Francisco, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, DC and even a guy from Australia make the cold and wet times enjoyable and bearable. With us being literally at the House that Jack White built it only made sense to go see where Jack get's his records pressed. Our tour at United Record Pressing was one of the first things we did while in Nashville and little did we know that the same people we were on the tour with, we'd be huddling together with for warmth later on the next day. Unfortunately due to RSD and Jack White's Liquid Filled Record being constructed we only were able to tour the pressing factory and couldn't tour the upstairs which has been named the 'Motown Suite'. In a segregated south in the 60's the upstairs would play refuge for many artists passing through town who were unwelcome to stay in local hotels. When we're back in Nashville, as long as there's no top secret shenanigans going on upstairs, we'll do the tour again just to see the Motown Suite.

A video of one of TMR's most sought out 45's being made, a hand painted test pressing by The Dead Weather.