Mission Mission

[via SFist]

[via hello, cheetle]

Palo Alto Weekly just published a big feature on DJ Purple, and they dug deep. Here’s some epic DJ Purple history:

Hays came to the Peninsula from New Jersey in the ’80s to pursue an undergraduate degree at Stanford University. Although he was a capable student — he says he earned high marks in high school and that he turned down an acceptance letter from Harvard University — ultimately Hays gave up on his studies so he could pursue a career in music.

At the time, Hays played in a number of dance-music cover bands — some of which were well-known in certain circles of Stanford students, he says. Back when he dropped out of Stanford, Hays says he was thinking he’d continue playing live music in bands. His instruments include saxophone, keyboard and guitar among others. However, as time passed, he started playing solo shows, using samplers and laptops as his backing band, and before long, he had mostly abandoned live instrumentation in favor of mixing dance music at parties, bars and clubs.

Though it’s been more than a decade since Hays played regularly with a band, the lessons he learned while performing with other musicians on stage have greatly informed the work he does as DJ Purple. Hays frequently plays saxophone or harmonica during songs to spice up a musical interlude or give a certain passage more punch. He will sometimes sing backup harmonies. And he has even been known to reach out to regulars via Facebook to suggest a song he thinks they’d be good at or to give pointers on microphone and singing technique. [link]

Yeah, he once messaged me to suggest I do “Little L” by Jamiroquai and it took me about 3 years to work up the courage. (By the time I did it, he’d forgotten it was his idea.)

Be sure to check out DJ Purple’s show every Thursday at Slate Bar on 16th Street, and this Friday there’s the very special Singin’ & Pingin’ returns to the Mission party at Verdi Club:

[Photo by Corntard]

I know everyone’s already planning on getting real evil tonight, what with the full moon and Friday the 13th super fun combo and everything, but be sure to save some of that sin for tomorrow. And please, for the love of god, watch out for werewolves wearing hockey masks.

You’ve been warned.

Patatap took the internet by storm a few weeks back, but now it’s an iPhone app — and a movie set in the Mission:

Some folks outside Mission Bikes started singing "stop being poor" but then idk lost their nerve? @missionmission pic.twitter.com/4JC3B7waLb

— Darby Kim Thomas (@ddddarby) June 7, 2014

UPDATE:

@ddddarby @missionmission that's @ginamcontreras' art show!

— Lisbeth Ortega (@iam_lizzyfierce) June 7, 2014

[via Emma Silvers' review of Katie Day's new EP]

Definitely a new record:

1. Angst in My Pants – Sparks
2. I Don’t Wanna Dance – Eddy Grant
3. Rush – Big Audio Dynamite
4. Another Nail in My Heart – Squeeze
5. I Don’t Wanna Grow Up – Ramones
6. Diane Young – Vampire Weekend
7. You Don’t Know Me – Ben Folds & Regina Spektor
8. Nasty Habits – Oingo Boingo
9. Musta Got Lost – J. Geils Band
10. Subway Girl – The Audacity
11. All My Friends – LCD Soundsystem
12. Die Die My Darling – Misfits
13. Bang a Gong – T. Rex
14. I’ll Be You – The Replacements
15. Crosseyed and Painless – Talking Heads
16. Got My Mind Set on You – George Harrison
17. You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC
18. Jackson – Johnny Cash & June Carter
19. Black or White – Michael Jackson
20. A New England – Billy Bragg
21. My Baby Just Cares for Me – Nina Simone
22. Let’s Dance to Joy Division – The Wombats
23. Shine a Little Love – Electric Light Orchestra
24. In a Big Country – Big Country
25. Centerfold – J. Geils Band
26. Later – Dr. Dog
27. Susanne – Weezer
28. Linoleum – NOFX
29. 1901 – Phoenix
30. Party Hard – Andrew W.K.
31. Real Wild Child – Iggy Pop
32. Little L – Jamiroquai
33. Supersoaker – Kings of Leon
34. Reflektor – Arcade Fire
35. Tarzan Boy – Baltimora
36. Bad Is Bad – Huey Lewis and the News
37. Gotta Serve Somebody – Bob Dylan
38. Hot Child in the City – Nick Gilder
39. Take It Easy – The Eagles
40. Use Somebody – Kings of Leon
41. Workin’ for the Weekend – Loverboy
42. My Life Would Suck Without You – Kelly Clarkson
43. Killing in the Name – Rage Against the Machine
44. Juicebox – The Strokes
45. You Only Live Once – The Strokes

The point is, just in case you weren’t aware, you can sing a lot of cool songs at karaoke these days. Support your local karaoke night!

Let’s party! RSVP and invite your friends!

Here are my thoughts on this show:

• Love this flyer!
• Love a reason to go to Hotel Utah!
• North American Scum ALWAYS kill, and somehow my thirst for live LCD Soundsystem covers just never seems to wane
• I really hope Boob Tube Armada is working on True Detective.
• Picklehorse seems pretty fun

RSVP and invite your friends!