Before 1998, we could smoke in clubs and with cigarettes in hand, we would be on the dancefloor all night. After the smoking ban, the patio became the heart of the club. As a DJ, I hate this because it becomes more difficult to keep people on the floor. As a social being, though, I love the smoking patio on the grounds that I can actually have a conversation with my friends without starting every sentence with "WHAT DID YOU SAY?"
I rarely dance at Underground, mostly because the dance floor is the size of a four square court and it is inevitable that I will, at some point during the night, take a Kelly bag to the face or end up with a stiletto driven into my foot. I dance with Melissa and Anthony (both PDP contributors who keep forgetting to post) for a grand total of two songs early enough in the evening where we are the only people on the dance floor. For the rest of the night, I stay on the smoking patio.
If there is an element of the theatric to smoking patio conversation, it is of an absurdist nature. Life doesn't make sense, hence our conversations do not make sense.
On the patio, subjects change so quickly that if we turn for a split-second social hug with that person whose last name we never learned, we may be lost for the rest of the night. Mike detailing the near-amputation of his finger while slicing pizza turns into a thread of Catholic school jokes, with yours truly feigning offense because I know that everything said about Catholic school kids is true. (Does anybody seem to know why the vast majority of club-goers are Catholic school graduates? Are we still rebelling against our uniforms?) Somehow, this all leads to the shocking revelation Anthony likes Phish.
And then Melissa and I ended up rambling about new wave boys and Richard Blade and "Doot Doot" as the cheesiest of all cheesy 80s sex songs. Are there really guys who use Freur as foreplay and, if so, do they also have waterbeds? Or, does it all happen in a Trans Am parked on Mulholland?
These are the questions that linger in our minds because it's Friday night and if we have to actually think about work or school or politics, the cigarette won't taste as sweet and one of us might end up crying into our bottles of Bass Pale Ale. Here on the smoking patio, conversation is meaningless by design. We'll save the serious stuff for Denny's.

Hey! You! If you're a regular reader of this blog, you've probably figured out that the People also put on a club every month.

This Sunday, Discourse returns to the Parlour Club with cheap drinks, booty-shakin' music and oh holy god we're doing a pass so you don't even have to spend your hard earned money. How cool is that? Save 'n print this:



Clicky the link for playlists and directions. Now get your dancing pants on, and we'll see you Sunday!

Because the allure of free music is always appealing, we have a feeling that everyone and everyone's grandma will be at Underground tonight. Hell, a few of us will probably be at Underground too. They're having an Oasis listening party starting at 9:00 p.m. complete with giveaways of seemingly every piece of Oasis paraphanalia available.
Underground @ The Tempest
7323 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA
18+, Free before 10:00 p.m. with flyer or ad (unknown otherwise)

If listening to Star's Totally 80s Friday Night just isn't retro enough for you, check out Midway. This is a one-off dance party featuring music made between the 1920s and 1960s played by DJs Roland Lomeli, B&G Music Factory and Red Boy. Hobo Jazz will be playing live. Party starts at 10:00 p.m.
Midway @ Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock
2225 Colorado Blvd.
Los Angeles
21+, $5

It's girls against boys tonight at Das Bunker with Amanda Jones (the first girl I ever saw DJ, and maybe one of the first girls to play the LA clubs) going head to head with Franck H-Bomb upstairs and Kyron 5 vs The Operative downstairs. They're also giving away the new Mlada Fronta DVD boxed set.
Das Bunker @ The Catch One
4067 W. Pico
Los Angeles
18+, $5 before 10:30/$10 after 10:30

My friend Abbie has excellent taste in music, so take her advice and catch Architecture in Helsinki today at 7:00 p.m. for free at Amoeba records.
Amoeba Records
6400 Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood
All Ages, Free

Attention USC kids: Abe Vigoda (the band, not the actor) is playing at your school tonight. Go see them. You will not be disappointed. Also on the bill are Motion Sickness, Bronco Tonoka, David Wong and others. Abe Vigoda goes on at 8:45 p.m.
USC Ground Zero
3551 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles
No age limit known, Free

Looking for something with a bit of soul? Patrick Wilson from NuLife, SF is playing at Body Music tonight.
Body Music @ The Overlook
1745 N. Vermont
Los Feliz
21+, $5


Walking in the Neon are playing for what seems like the seventh time in seven days. Tonight, the electropop duo are billed with Zom Zoms, Yip Yips and David Microwave at The Smell. This is WitN's last gig before going on tour.
The Smell
247 S. Main Street
Downtown
All Ages, $5

I realize most PDP comrades are left-coast oriented, but thanks to the magic of the interweb, you can still check out some of the names I'm about to drop.

The Winter Pageant are headed for big things. I'm convinced of it. There's been a lot of coming and going in the band this past year; it's really the project of one Byron Westbrook, who's had several different musicians working with him over the years. They killed at SXSW and their recent LP Waxing/Waning has been getting good reviews over on this side of the continent. The Village Voice says "like Elliot Smith fronting Blonde Redhead," which is true only in that Byron's voice wavers just enough to make the girls sigh, and in that the guitars build and swirl into big big blankets of sound. I hear Mogwai in there a lot, maybe even a bit of MBV. They're playing tonight at the Mercury with Tarantula.

The Americans UK got their start at an indie-rocker BBQ in Austin, and if you happen to be throwing an indie-rocker BBQ of your own any time soon, AMUK will make the perfect background music. The songs aren't groundbreaking, but they're butt-shaking; the lyrics are delivered with tongue in cheek, and the whole shebang is backed by the kickass drumming of JTR3UK (formerly of Volcano I'm Still Excited!! and the Winter Pageant, see above) (Brooklyn = music incest). AMUK frontman JefUK is madness on stage, all tight pants and low crouch, and his signature move: pointing at his head when he sings something especially amusing, to indicate that the words came from here. They play the Pussycat Lounge tomorrow and Bar 169 on June 11th.

Serious Business Records is up and running, a loose collective including Unsacred Hearts, Man in Gray, The Two Man Gentlemen Band (formerly The New Original Country Gentlemen; name change prompted by threats of legal action), and side projects Secret Dakota Ring and DraculaZombieUSA (website coming eventually). Since all these bands were friends already, it made sense to organize under an umbrella name to promote themselves and their projects. There are plans afoot for SB parties and events, plus a slew of upcoming releases, so stay tuned.

Three hours ahead, over and out.

You may have read my ramblings about Sterile Eden before, so I won't bore you with the details. Just know that the band is playing tonight at Hangar 1018 with Cass and the Free Radicals, The Evergreen Playground, The Grand Marquee and Departure. It's a night billed as everything "from folk to rock to live D&B" and the cover is minimal.
Hangar 1018
1018 Santa Fe
Downtown Los Angeles
Age Limit Unknown, $3

The Ettes may be opening for The Go Gos next month, but tonight they are playing Downtown with our friends Rudy Bleu and Jeppe (both of whom are spinning with us at Discourse this Sunday) for La Polla Loca.
La Polla Loca @ Little Pedro's
901 E. First Street
Downtown LA
21+, Free

M/R/X is back tonight at The Parlour with DJ Tony Wolfpack of Wolfpack Club playing the creepiest of death rock, minimal goth and other things the kids in striped tights forgot about when Marilyn Manson hit the scene. Italo-electro artist Xavier-J will play live.
M/R/X @ The Parlour
7702 Santa Monica Blvd.
21+, $5

The Red Hearts are playing for the second time this week. Check them out at Transistor tonight. Also on board is guest DJ Clifton of The Mojo Filters. Allow me to take the time to add that Clifton actually plays vinyl, which has become something of a rarity in the City of Angels.
Transistor @ Grandstar Jazz Club
943 N. Broadway
Chinatown
Cover and Age Limit Unknown

Kill Radio is hosting a benefit tonight at Zen Sushi. Proceeds go to help fund Echo Park Film Center, 33 1/3 Books and, of course, Kill Radio. On the bill are Mezklah, Fosforo, Bobby Dazzler, Mashup Soundsystem and more. Start time is 9:00 p.m.
Kill Radio Benefit @ Zen Sushi
2609 Hyperion Avenue
Silverlake
Age Limit Unknown, $7
Now go dance.

Telecast is playing at Fusion tonight, somewhere in the vicinity of 10:45 p.m. However, we think that the real reason to head out to The Parlour is the Star Wars theme that Anthony Vargas and the boys have planned. We know a few of you reading this are huge Star Wars fans (should we name names?) and we dare you to dig up the Boba Fett outfit or, even better, chain yourself to your friend's Jabba the Hutt costume this evening.
Fusion @ The Parlour
7702 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood
21+, $5

What the DJ Wants is going down on the Westside tonight. This time around, the line up features The Todd of Sea Level Records, Jim Evans of Helen Stellar, Bryon D. (KXLU) and your host Ned Learner.
What the DJ Wants @ Carbon
9300 Venice Blvd (two blocks west of Robertson)
Los Angeles
21+, Free

There are those who may stick Anavan (who played Discourse back in March) into that post-post-punk category. Personally, they remind me more of Bis than anything else, but then Bis did cover "Shack Up." Regardless, Anavan put on a crazy show and look fantastic whilst dripping in macaroni and cheese. Check them out at The Smell tonight with Captain Ahab, Child Pornography and The Snuggleups.
The Smell
247 S. Main Street
Downtown Los Angeles
All Ages, $5

LA is an expensive place, so it's nice that the Derby offers bands, DJs, no cover and cheap beer on Tuesday nights. Tonight, The Brobecks are in from Salt Lake City and joined by the snarly MC5-like sounds of The Red Hearts and The Oxford Set. DJs Tami and Avenue B Blair (Double 00 Soul, NY) will be playing the records.
The Derby
4500 Los Feliz Blvd.
Los Feliz, CA
21+, Free

Last time I saw Nu-Tra play live, it was at a club that I swear has the worst soundsystem available, but these boys know how to work with it. It's keyboard punk with a very early-80s LA influence in the vocals. Try to imagine what would happen if Devo and Fear had a baby and that might give you an idea. Also on the bill are The Letter Openers, Alarma, The King Cheetahs and The OAOTs.
Kiss or Kill @ Zen Sushi
2609 Hyperion Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
18+, $3

by Balthazar Monsoon

When I first heard of the iPod, I just thought it was some fad that would quickly go away. Then I started hanging out with my friend Scott, who had an iPod and we'd often get drunk and let his iPod play music during our drunken philosophical conversations in his junior studio apartment. I even gave him several hundred, maybe even one thousand, mp3s for his iPod. It was then that I broke one of the Ten Commandments; I began to covet Scott's iPod.

I knew my meager wages from working in a computer lab wouldn't afford me an iPod, so I put one on my amazon.com wishlist, along with the accessories. No such luck for Christmas. Fast forward to February and Scott tells me I need an iPod. I don't disagree, and he concedes that he wants to sell me his 15GB iPod as he's getting the new 40 GB model. We agree on a price and I'm the owner of the iPod. I order the iTrip from Amazon so I can listen to my new iPod, named Damon, in the car.

I swear, it was better than Christmas! No more searching through discs and discs just to listen to a song. I could create playlists of certain genres. Best of all, I could have parties and not worry about having enough mix cds! I've got Damon constantly on random. I can hear Edith Piaf and the Pixies back to back, or Carly Simon and Warren G (yes, my musical taste is that varied). I've been taking my iPod with me wherever I go, even if it's a short trip to the grocery store or for take out. I even thought about taking it into Disneyland when I went by myself. I seriously don't know what I'd do without my iPod. And I'm not sure how I functioned without it.

The Temporary Thing makes music for swooning. Don't believe me? Check them out tonight at the Silverlake Lounge. The band is set to play at 9:00 p.m.
The Fold @ The Silvelake Lounge
Featuring: Emperor X, The Temporary Thing, Coalinga and Teddy's Cheer Club
2906 Sunset Blvd.
Silverlake, CA
21+, $5

Our intent on Saturday night was to catch Adventures in Illegal Art at the Henry Fonda Music Box. But, since shows in Los Angeles often end at ridiculously early times, when we showed up at 11:00 p.m., we were told by the box office attendants that we had missed Negativland and that there was another club taking over shortly.
In an attempt to find something else to do with in the vicinity of Hollywood-proper, we headed over to the Knitting Factory. After going through the whole ID-check twice, standing in line for a half-hour and enduring a security patdown on par with the most embarrassing of doctor visits, we got to see legendary LA DJ crew Beat Junkies in action.
Saturday night was Rhettmatic's birthday, as the MC reminded us about six or seven times during the DJ's set. Rhettmatic played a wild mix of organ and Moog samples, James Brown loops, video game bits and old school a cappellas. At one point, it sounded as if he had dropped "Popcorn" pitched down to the point where it sounded like the Inspector Gadget theme. Mr. Choc and Shortkut followed with sets blurring the lines between hip-hop, house and dancehall.
I don't pretend to be anything resembling an expert in hip-hop. My own evolution as a music fan essentially went from new wave (both dance and rock) to industrial, indie rock and techno. But the one thing I can say with a certain amount of authority is that people are much more willing to dance at hip-hop events than any other kind of party in Los Angeles. In fact, the main room of the Knitting Factory on this particular evening essentially functioned as an oversized dance floor. Towards the stage, a tall guy with a mohawk raised his arms in the air as a Sebastian Bach look alike walked with a groove towards the front of the room. In the back, one polo-shirt wearing fellow grabbed the edge of the balcony as his underdressed date performed some of the raunchiest moves of the evening on him. Basically, if you weren't in the mood for dancing, you were shit out of luck as even the kids on the couches were bouncing to the beat.

I'm not sure if The Adored plays every night of the week in Los Angeles, but it sure seems like it. If you have yet to catch the four-piece live, check out tonight's show at The Troubadour in West Hollywood. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and it looks as though The Adored are third on the bill, so the set will probably be fairly early. This definite article-heavy bill also features The Colour, The Life and The Afterhours
The Troubadour
9801 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA
$10, All Ages

Like a healthy dose of feminism with your hip-hop? Check out Scream Club at the Echo tonight with Joey Casio and keytar enthusiasts Totally Radd!!!
The Echo
1822 Sunset Blvd.
Echo Park, CA
$5, Age Limit Unknown

Looking for something a little darker? Club London has DJs versed in the ways of Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Cure and all that other good stuff. Tonight The Holly Hydraulics and The Agent Sparks are playing live. Doors open at 10:00 p.m.
Club London @ Boardners
1652 N. Cherokee
Hollywood, CA
18+, $5 with flyer before 11:00 p.m. (unknown otherwise)

Hailing from Japan, singer/composer Kyoka has been wowing locals while on her extended stay in Los Angeles. She reminds us of Bjork. We caught opening act Walking in the Neon last Thursday and were completely impressed with the duo's electro-techno sound. Also on the bill are Foreign & Domestic, The Matic, Post Foetus and Mr. Tiny's Electric Toy Band. Show starts at 8:45 p.m.
The Knitting Factory
7029 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA
$8, Age limit unknown