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Thursday, June 21, 2012

Shopping/Packing List - Don't Forget the Undies!

I figured I needed to do a What to Bring/Preparations post before it got too late, and for tips on food, check out my previous post here and click here for some tents I suggested. And if you thought my rage stool was awesome, you should start getting yours ready for the festival.

Now for everything else. Except clothes. I feel that everyone has their own style and whatnot, so I won’t go into that. BUT I DO SUGGEST GOOD SUNGLASSES, SUNSCREEN AND A HAT IF YOURE INTO HATS. I hate to sound like a mom, but the sun can do irreparable damage to us partiers, so it’s super important to stay sun-safe. Plus, getting burned is never any fun, so don’t let something so easily preventable ruin your weekend!!! Oh also, underwear. I don’t wanna smell yall’s butts.

Okay now really for everything else. Here’s a checklist.
  • Tarps
  • Tent
  • Pillow
  • Sleeping bag
  • Flashlights and glowsticks (make sure batteries wont need replacing)
  • Umbrellas/shade tents (something to make base a shady area, you can get creative with tapestries and rope!!)
  • Chairs (lawn/camping/lazy boys)
  • Lots of water
  • Towels
  • Some sort of table/surface for home base
  • Trash bags (KEEP CAMP CLEAN!!!!!!)
  • Utensils
  • Plates
  • Paper Towels
  • Bottle opener
  • Bug Spray (though I don’t really think the bugs bother anyone that much)???
  • Camera
  • Fun things like hoops, balls, whatever…
  • Lighters
  • Cash monaaayyyyy

And so so important: ICE
Here is what I suggest: Pack a whole separate cooler just for ice. Buy some at a gas station right outside Camp before you go in, and fill up the whole cooler. And never open it. And keep it in the shade. Only open it when you need to replenish your food/drinks cooler with more ice. Some campers have even bought dry ice, and if you think it’s necessary, you can go ahead and do that. Also wear gloves.

So I think I got everything? Print out this list when you start packing/shopping for that weekend, so you gets everythings. And if you wanna add some things or you have some unique/good ideas, comment below!!

ONLY 3 WEEKS UNTIL THE BIG WEEKEND WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Dada-mmDada: Do the Dada



Today I'm going to feature the electro/house duo Dada Life, because they threw an awesome secret show in the city earlier this week, and it was free, and thats's super cool of them, and on top of that their music is awesome and fun.

I'm going to start off with the song I can never get out my head once I've listened to it. The music video is also super funny, and I just love artists that make good music AND make me laugh.



I gotta get my hands on a vintage '69 Rolling Stones t-shirt so I can feel even cooler when I sing along. Another really great track, which is from last year, exemplifies their "rules" -- or the Dada way of life: "Destroy dance music and have fun. Don’t look back in the past. Always go forward. Don’t think too much. Always follow the money." How does someone live by this philosophy exactly? By kicking out the epic motherfucker!!!!



Besides their original tunes, Dada Life produces really great remixes as well. The most recent Justin Bieber remix, done as a joke???? (idk), makes the pop star almost kind of cool for a second, just by doing the Dada! (Who am I kidding, I have a totally inappropriate crush on him despite the big age difference and the fact that he looks like a chick.) Anyway, Dada Life kills it with this remix, and I deep down inside really really want to hear it at Camp this summer. I think everyone secretly agrees. :)



Check out their site, it's got tons of music on it, and check out their Facebook and Twitter. They are seriously funny dudes! Enjoy!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Portugal. The Man..... but not from Europe.


I'll be honest, I hadn't really heard of Portugal. The Man before the Camp lineup came out--but that's what is so great about this music festival! I've discovered some of my favorite artists at Camp, so it's awesome that they bring on a good variety of sounds. Anyway, I'm so excited to see their performance and I am already so blown away by their music. Camp posted a link to the band's Soundcloud for their Etta James cover (no it's not about have a good feeling for the 5 millionth time), and I found myself listening to it about 10 times straight.

Their original stuff is awesome, too, of course, though some of the music videos are sort of gruesome... But I guess that's kind of bad ass. This new album, In the Mountain in the Cloud, is phenomenal and a couple of the tracks that I really like are featured below. This first one is like, the ultimate independence song or something. I don't know, but the stop animation in the video is legit, so check it out!



I also read an interview with the drummer, Jason Sechrist, that All Your Light is his "favorite song we have... That’s going to be a fun live song!" (Oh yeah, can't wait for that!)

Now I'm having a hard time picking what else to feature here, because I really like all of it and I want you to just sit down and give the whole YouTube channel a listen. Because they have every song on there with album, acoustic, and live versions for you to enjoy. It literally took me two days to write this post because I'd spend hours clicking through all their videos...

So go to their site, follow them on Facebook and Twitter, and definitely check them out and get even more pumped for their appearance at Camp this summer!

Thursday, April 26, 2012

No really...Zed's Dead, baby...Do I have to say it again?

Camp Bisco has been tweeting and posting all about the artist of the week, Zed’s Dead, a Canadian duo that has a really great “rags to riches” sort of story (if you follow their tweets, then you may have caught the video interview). With the sounds they were producing, Diplo and Mad Decent picked them up and they continue to gain a loyal and large audience.

I’ve been to a few New York shows and saw their set at last year’s totally overpopulated Starscape, but their appearance at the Mad Decent Block Party at South Street Seaport was definitely a fun time. It was very interesting to see the reactions of NY tourists and families to the whole thing (huh? dubstep?). White Satin is a great track, but I really, really love this one (something about flaying you alive—so creepy):



Here’s a newer track off their latest EP “Inspected:”



They are definitely talented, and from my experiences, they put on a good show. I can’t wait to see them (it’s been almost a year) at this year’s Camp. If you want to explore a little more, follow their Twitter and Facebook. If you really want to see more right this minute, there’s a full video of Zed’s Dead’s Ultra 2012 performance.

And just so you know:

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Shpongle Presents... wear a freaky outfit and shake your ass girl! (Masquerade)


So last year at Camp, the Shpongle Live performance was not only phenomenal, but the seemingly supernatural clouds and lightning emerging from behind the main stage while they played made them the talk of the festival ever since. Shpongle is on the bill for this year, too, but it will not be the live performance we saw previously. Shpongle’s Masquerade is very similar to the Shpongleton Experience, for those who are familiar with that show. Instead of both Shpongle members and various accompanying musical artists on stage, there is only Simon Posford inside a huge pyramid like structure that has FANTASTIC visuals projected onto it, no really—I was blown away by the effect those particles of light had WOW.


I caught this last night at the Roseland Ballroom in NY and I tried to get a few different views of what was going on.


Also, I’m sorry the audio quality is so bad in this one, I don’t know what happened. But, I’m pretty close to that feathered hat!


So to clarify, this is a DJ set of Shpongle’s music, as well as some of Posford’s solo work as Hallucinogen. (Though you never know, we may be in for some surprises at Camp!) Regardless, the set is really cool, super enjoyable and if you don’t think it’s your thing, just give it a chance this summer anyway. It’s really hard not to at least stop and watch.

If you want to get a chance to see it a venue before Camp Bisco XI, check out the tour dates on the website: www.shpongle.com

If not, then hold tight til July, because you’re not going to want to miss it!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

AHHHH LINEUP, HUGS FOR EVERYONE



Camp Bisco's 2012 LINEUP IS OUT!!!!!!!

Camp Bisco has always been able to pull in artists from various genres and sub-genres, mash them together in a lineup, and make the weekend a very unique experience. The truth is, that there are a lot of people out there just now getting into the “EDM” craze—newer festivals in the Northeast like Electric Zoo and Electric Daisy Carnival NY are catering to this (mostly young) audience that is springing out of recent popular culture. I’ve been to Zoo, and for some people, the ones that never want to leave the city environment or escape to nature, it works. For me and a lot of music lovers out there, being around trees in the middle of nowhere where there is shitty cell service because who the fuck do we really need to be calling anyway… that’s the way it should be.

This year, Camp Bisco is bringing in big dubstep names, one of which has become a controversial shaker-upper in the music community: Skrillex and Bassnectar. Zed’s Dead and MiM0SA also represent the dubsteppers (as Rusko would say haha).

Some big names in the experimental electronic genre appear as well, such as Brazilian Amon Tobin, who has video game and movie musical scores on his resume. Among others, Crystal Castles and Shpongle’s Masquerade set also represents the genre. There are also great artists representing electro; big names like A-Trak, Simian Mobile Disco, Dada Life, Zedd and Porter Robinson prove that there are plenty of people attending who just want to dance and dance and dance.

Camp always features some great hip-hop and rock as well. This year they’re bringing in Big Boi and Atmosphere as well as Portugal. The Man to change it up some.

The aforementioned and Lotus, Big Gigantic, Mimosa, Holy Fuck, Break Science, (AHHHH too many to love) are only some of the names featured in a bigger font on the flyer, so you can only imagine the amount of awesomeness that is in store.

And there are loads of artists I haven’t even mentioned here because I can only write so much, and I know those big names are what really draw the attention. HOWEVER I cannot stress enough HOW MUCH BETTER YOUR LIFE WILL BE when you expand those ear taste buds and check out those lesser known artists, even if they play music you don’t typically like. Camp is another world and you need to take advantage of it. It’s your chance to grow as a person in ways you can’t really do in everyday life.

As this lovely Bisco weekend grows closer and closer, I will be posting about the big names and the little names that will be taking the stages at Camp this year. So read along, get excited, and if you haven’t already… BUY YOUR TICKET!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Beats That Are Antique, But Certainly Not Old Fashioned



After all the hullabaloo of the traffic and finally getting into Camp on the first day, we did a quick set up, then headed right over as Beats Antique was taking the stage. I did NOT want to miss them under any condition. Their sound is so unique and I love it because it takes musical aspects from cultures around the world. The Middle-Eastern and afro-beat influences in their music calls for various instruments that you don’t always see up on stage at a lot of concerts. I like to think that they are opening our minds to a musical universe that is so much more than guitars, drums, and computers. Check out this video of their Bonnaroo performance of their well-known track, Egyptic:

And as you can tell, what is not to love about Zoe Jakes, the crazy talented dance performer of the group. Her moves are incredible! She even travels around, teaching classes for belly dancing and other dance forms. Not only is the music multi-cultural, but Zoe’s dancing brings in Middle-Eastern, Indian, Argentinean, and American styles into one blend that reflects the entire personality of Beats Antique. Just watch her in this clip:

Here’s a track from their latest album that I really love. It’s so groovy and I love cats and cats with skillz and the Catskill Mountains and the brass sounds exploding all around, of course. It’s really hard not to dance to what Beats Antique is playing here.

If you followed Bassnectar around a little while ago, you probably caught Beats Antique on tour with him. I think Lorin got his look from Zoe, but she clearly pulls it off much better.



Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Tents for Sleeping and Cuddling and Dumb Friends

So many fricken tents to choose from.

And it all depends on how many people you want to be cuddling up with at night, or in early day, whenever you do find yourself needing shut-eye. Since we can leave all our bags and random stuff in the car that is only a few feet away from our tent, there is no need for overpowering tents that really are just taking up room from the “patio.” The patio is where everyone in your camp hangs out…perhaps a little enclosure made with your tents surrounding the perimeter, or just the space between your tent and the car to put up some chairs. The patio is a very important part of the camp site, so do not take up more room than you need to with a tent. I will do another post on the patio alone some day, because I saw a lot of very cool hang-out awesome patios at Camp in the past.

Anyway…TENTS:

Just you? Don’t get claustrophobic or don’t roll around a lot when you sleep? Tents like these are great for solos, are easy to pack in the car because they practically take up no trunk space, and are optimal for conserving patio space. And honestly, if you really wanted to, you could fit two squishy people in them.
Just a space-needing you or one other luvvah/amigo? The 7x5 is like a full bed for campers, and is what I usually use.You can buy these sized tents with pop-up ease, but if you don’t, putting them together is not a bother at all. This option also has plenty of room to roll around in and just enough space to change wardrobes in privacy. Yes, I leave the wardrobe in the car.

A small hand-full of cuddlers? But maybe one smells kind of bad? There are some bigger tents for 4-6 people that have optional and easily assembled little walls on the inside for privacy when you want it. Just remember, the more space you take up for the sleeping, the less space you have for the patio—the pow-wow headquarters

Finally, there are the huge-ass tents. For shitloads of people. Honestly, it’s gonna get a bit smelly. These tents are going to encroach on that patio space a lot, because they are so monstrous:

BUT I think the camping companies caught on to that, because they started making ones WITH PATIOS. So if you need to house a bunch of people but don’t want to lose the patio space, go for something like this:

SOME EVEN HAVE PET DOORS! (for that friend who just can’t figure out the zippers to the tent door)

Whatever you choose to pitch at Camp, remember to respect your neighbors. Don't take up their patio space and stuff. And an important tip not to be underrated: TARPS! UNDER THE TENT! Happy cuddling, even if it's with yourself!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Ratatatatatatatatatatatat... Ratatat, but not the Pokemon



Ratatat is amazing. Every song of theirs is my favorite song. Their sound is so unique and you can easily chill on the couch and listen or dance your heart out to every track... Ratatat is the ultimate feel-good music. Here is one of their more popular tracks, which will have you roaring:





Now, the Ratatat performance at last year's Camp was just too friggen cool. Their crazy music videos were blown up on a big screen so the recurrences of Fellini, (the albino parakeet, not the Italian), from Party With Children & Neckbrace, and the awkward infomercial people from Drugs were up on the stage that I weirdly could not stop staring at. They also had these smaller screens on each side of the stage that had projections of what looked like Inuit cello players and black women dancing. I thought they were real people for at least half of the show...


This was definitely my favorite set at last year's Camp and it may have actually been the best there all weekend. How do I concur? Because I saw a significant amount of people having sex on the mud dance floor to Ratatat's sweet-love-making-music. This is definitely an indicator of superior awesomenes.


The first Ratatat song I ever heard was Cherry--and my life was instantly changed. If you know this song, I'm sure you felt it too and can agree. If not, PUHLEEEZZZ do yourself the biggest favor and click play (DO NOT FAST FORWARD. DO NOT STOP TIL THE END.)





Okay, now that you are officially a fellow Ratatat worshiper, check out some some vids of them at Camp last year as well as their super cool Hip-Hop/Rap Remixes, like Allure featuring Jay Z and BIG. I'll leave you here with another one of my favorites. Enjoy!




Monday, March 5, 2012

The Rage Stool

I probably did not invent this, but I haven’t seen anyone else with a rage stool anywhere I have been so I need to share this highly important information with ya’ll (especially fellow short people)...

Point 1: I am quite short and can only see things when I am on my boyfriend’s shoulders, but then I feel like a dick cause I’m just TOO tall and blocking others’ views of whatever is going on. Yeah I look good and all that, but I’m not gonna show off and make my boyfriend carry me while I wave to anyone who looks at me while I’m 10 feet in the air.

Point 2: Heels suck—they are not even an option, and certainly not for festivals, certainly not for Camp.

Conclusion: THE RAGE STOOL

It’s a foldable, carry-it-like-a-suitcase, light yet durable awesome stool that puts you at the perfect height to see everything you want to see without being a total dick. The one I use has just enough space for me to move my feet around. Most of the boogie is in my butt anyway, so if you dance with your feet all around then this might not be for you.

Pros:
• YOU CAN SEE!
• You look legit carrying around what looks like a briefcase when you aren’t raging.
• You will get LOADS of compliments.
• You can (and should) decorate it with glowy things or your favorite stickers or your own sweet ass graffiti. Glowy things are good for when you are planning on using it at night, so others don’t trip on your shit.

Cons:
• Yeah, it’s something else to carry around. But you could add straps to it pretty easily. I think it’s worth it.
• You can rage, because it’s a rage stool, but you can’t rage that hard. Please don’t use as a weapon.
• Really, this is only good for the first day at Camp before the rain and the people-moving makes the ground unfit for stools. It’s great for festivals that are mostly in parking lots (it was AWESOMELY USEFUL at Starscape, good thing I will never go to that festival again because nothing ever compares to Camp.)

I think The Rage Stool is so friggen cool, I brag about it often. Another cool thing is that it’s cheap and you have loads of color/variation choices.
Here are some I picked out for you (take note of the weight limits before investing):
Kikkerland (My Rage Stool, Thanks to the Berenstein Bear Household)

Happy Raging!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

MSTRKRFT is so Easy to Love



So the Official Camp Bisco Facebook page posted about MSTRKRFT the other day (a hint? idk), which made me want to post about them sooner rather than later. First off, I LOVE John Legend (click the link to hear the song me and my boyfriend can't help but get down to, if that isn’t awkward or something for you), so when another genre that I love scoops his voice up, I go crazy. Think “Getting Nowhere” from Magnetic Man from 2010. More importantly, think MSTRKRFT's Heartbreaker. Such a great fucking track. So maybe that gives me a little bit more of a bias to say that everything else the duo produces is the coolest thing ever. I also love talking like a robot, so singing along with Easy Love fulfills a wild dream of mine.





Since then, they’ve been remixing Katy Perry, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Usher…cause I don’t even know how to make love in a club without MSTRKFRT anyway. The two Canadians also split up and do their own work and remixes, then bring it all to the stage, which is the awesomeness we saw at last year’s Camp. Here is a remix of a Bloc Party tune I find really groovy:





Their latest singles were heard last year as well and they are very cool and involve beards and things, so check those out!
And yes, I know they also remixed Green Light… they’re too good to me, really.



Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Take it Easy, Star, You're an All-Star

With their very awesome reggae covers, from Dub Side of the Moon to the Lonely Hearts Dub Band to Radiodread, Easy Star All-Stars has proven to be a great addition to the Camp Bisco program. Their performance last year on the main stage gave the lineup a much needed dose of ska, dub, and reggae. It’s great to hear those Beatles, Floyd, and Radiohead tracks with some added brass and genre-typical off-beats. The band’s performance cast is constantly rotating to include various members and talent of the reggae and jazz scene, so you never get the same exact thing twice.

No matter who is on stage at the time, the show includes plenty of the feel-good reggae sound as well as the lively Jamaican energy and personality. Last year’s set was raised to a whole ‘nother level once the bassist/singer, Ras I Ray, threw off his cap and brought his dreads out to play. The crowd went wild to see those long locks swaying along behind him. Vocalist Menny More sure was a character on stage as well (he's the one rocking the credential, I don't know why). Here’s a clip of them at Camp last year (Don't Stop the Music):


And here’s one of my favorite tunes from them:



Don’t you love hearin’ that dub at Camp?


Sunday, February 26, 2012

Nom Nom Nom - Eating at Camp Bisco



Though there are great food vendors dishing out various options for yummy eats, it’s really best to pack your food for the weekend at Camp Bisco. Spending a lot of time dancing and then walking between stages is surely going to get your stomach grumbling, so prepare some food that is easy to eat and more importantly, to digest. The last thing you want during this awesome weekend is nasty gas, nausea, or the shits (all because you brought along the leftover Chinese takeout).
It is definitely cool to bring a small propane grill to cook up some hot dogs and burgers, and I’ll talk about a couple ideal grills in a bit, but I actually found that I never wanted to sit at home base and cook anything. I would rather eat something easier to make and carry around, so I could head right back to the stages. And truthfully, I wanted to eat something that gave me a little more energy than that typical American cookout. So whether you agree or disagree with me here, you can see that when it comes to eating at Bisco, there are lots of ways to go.

I’ll break it down here:
  1. Pack some bread or rolls, get your favorite meats and cheeses from the deli (I love Virginia Ham and Sharp Cheddar Cheese), slice up some tomatoes and grab some lettuce, pack it all in the top of your cooler (for easy access) with some condiments, like Mayo/Miracle Whip and GreyPoop On, and have a weekend with your deli favorites.  I found that I wanted the most basic of tastes, nothing too spicy or crazy to upset my stomach while I was already feelin’ good. (You also have to think about pooping in the portapotties—if that bothers you, don’t eat things that will bring that on.) Besides the sandwiches, pack some snacks like chips and crackers, and fruit when you’ll want something sweet. Apples, oranges and bananas are great to boost your system in the mornings. Just be sure to keep everything in a cool spot!

  2. When it comes to bringing a grill, there are some great propane grills (remember--no fires!!) that are easy to use and don’t take up a lot of room.  The cheapest is the Coleman Fold n Go; it’s small and perfect if you’re cooking for only a couple people.  This one from Blue Rhino is a little bit more expensive, but it’s awesomely equipped with a griddle and a stove, opening up your cooking options a bit more. So pack some dogs and burgers, maybe grab some yummy vegetable or cheese infused patties from the butcher, and don’t forget the buns and condiments. I had a friend who brought steaks last year, but seriously… no one wanted to wait around that long, though the thought was appreciated. Bacon and eggs are surely feasible, too.

    Heck, grill up some pineapple!
     
  3. Live off the land! Sort of. You are certainly allowed to just eat everything there. There’s enough delicious food choices offered by the vendors there that you won’t have to eat the same thing twice all weekend.  It’s all up to you!
No matter how you plan on eating at Camp, just remember to clean up after yourself. Don’t litter, respect the property, and stay healthy.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Nero--not the software, not the Roman Emperor



For some reason, I am pretty sure I have experienced more Nero appearances than anything else in the past couple years. Maybe it’s not really for no reason—it’s quite possible that the duo is crazy talented and appealing. Actually, I’m positive that they are. From Do You Wanna? to the Philharmonic Dubstep Symphony, Nero has shown off their talents in many ways. A song I particularly have a relationship with is Bad Trip; this song may have caused the first actual bad trip that I couldn’t talk myself out of in my life. At the time I hated it, but now I respect it as some sort of frenemy—it can come to my parties, but it’s not drinking my beer… I can't find a YouTube that isn't a remix, so check it out on .... Myspace... haha

A more recent track that I love is off their last album release, Welcome Reality. Promises was dropped by Skrillex at last year’s Bisco, since he played earlier in the festival than Nero did (which only featured half of the duo), and I think maybe only five people besides my friends and I were singing along. That Grammy-winning midget seemed confused as to why the whole crowd wasn’t shouting the chorus, and admittedly, I was as well. Maybe it was too new, maybe the Skrillex audience only listens to Skrillex, I don’t know… but this is a great track regardless, as are most of the sounds compiled from the past couple years to be put on this album, especially In The Way/This Way, Crush on You, and Guilt. The video is also really cool and it features the super confusing yet innovative technology of the Reactable.


Nero also has some great remixes, other have remixed their tracks, etc… They are a great duo who has been around for a while now. Look forward to their future…

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Biscuits from the past, but they sure aren't stale.






How else to start a Bisco Blog than with the beginning of The Disco Biscuits. Here’s an early tune from the 1998 album, Uncivilized Area. I mean, if a guy sang this to me, I’d be floored. How can anyone resist those lines? “Jamillia, I wanna feel ya up and lift your skirt right over your head.”
And to get an idea of how far Camp Bisco has come, check out this performance from Camp IV in 2005. If you’ve been to a recent Camp or Biscuits show (or just looked up videos online), you can see how things have changed, from the lights to the stage design to the visuals…
Yet, even today the attitude of the performance remains the same—everyone still feels good listening and watching. It’s really great to see such an amazing and influential group of musicians keeping that going and furthermore, spreading that tone to other artists. In future posts, you’ll see more recent Disco Biscuits songs and performances that I really like, so until then, get felt up under the skirt by the past.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Only a Few Months Away...





Camp Bisco 11 is still a bit of time away, so until then, I'm going to post some awesome Camp tunes, festival tips and ideas, and good-to-know info. Follow, groove, and ponder along until we all get in our cars and head to Camp this summer for an experience that is never the same every year.