We played a show last nite w/ a bunch of great bands and DJs at Europa nightclub in Brooklyn.  It was hosted by thecultureofme.com and sheenabeaston.com and a great time was had by all!  @mygoldmask was killin it as usual and @ANRmiami had a really tight polished sound.

We are doin’ another show tonight at 88 Palace which is at 88 E. Broadway in Chinatown.  It’s a dim sum restaurant / venue.  Yum!  Can’t wait to play again and see old friends n new friends.  See ya there!

That’s right everybody, it’s an old fashioned fashion show/dance party/LGBTIQ fundraiser!

I’ll be there along with @natlhq and other fabulous folk, wearing some superfresh ensembles put together by 80s / 90s thriftstore masterminds KokoRokoKo.  As for the music, “Ross Kelly, Nanu and Tish Sparks will be spinning 80s and 90s fabulousness”.  Won’t you join us?

Entry is $10 as this is a fundraiser for Chances Dances Critical Fierceness Micro-grants.

More info for those who are inclined to do their nightlife planning via facebook.

Berlin is at 954 W Belmont, if by rare chance you haven’t already been there.

This event is a safe space so bigots stay home!

Oh and if you haven’t been to the KokoRokoKo shop, you *need to go there*.  Shit is nutty.  The colors and patterns.  So vibrant.  Each piece is there for a reason, not just some thrown together thrifty stuff.

When Angeline from National Headquarters (@natlhq) called me a few days ago about a dance gig I was excited but thought she had the wrong guy.

“Angeline, I should tell you before accepting this gig that I haven’t done any choreographed dancing since high school and I kind of doubt I’d be any good.”

She did not seem to be put off by this, so I accepted.  And so here goes my first ever dancing gig with the troupe Ransom Royale’s Cream and Starch.

Little did I know that I was going to be dancing for Whoop Dee Doo TV show.  They are in town filming as part of the Heartland exhibition at the Smart Museum of Art in Hyde Park.  When I found out this information, my excitement grew.

If you’ve never heard of Whoop Dee Doo, here’s a taste:

As for the dance?  You’ve gotta wait and see!  Let’s just say I’ll be wearing black overalls with lots of gold trim.

If you want to attend tomorrow, that would be great.  Pertinents:

• The taping is from 5-10 pm or so at the Experimental Station, 6100 S Blackstone
• Seating is limited and is first come first serve, with the added twist that priority is given to those wearing wacky costumes.
• We will be dancing sometime around 7 or 8pm although that timeslot may change.  Our dance is only 5 mins or so long, but is only a part of the (apparently awesome) National Headquarters showcase.
• Whoop Dee Doo is a kid’s TV show so prolly best to be ’straightedge’ for the time you are there.  Highly doubt there will be an (open) bar though who knows?

What a great show.

The Tinycakes was just starting as we arrived.  Using basic beats and a deadpan delivery The Tinycakes offered up his clever poetry.  He also had some lighting installations put up.  I would like to see The Tinycakes again.  The song “I got lost in the dance moves” was meta and true and hilarious.  It described a moment that I have been in many times.

Me n @bunnymynost have been jamming on My Gold Mask (Chicago duo of Gretta Rochelle and Jack Armando, follow @mygoldmask) for a bit around the house, and that has done us very well.  But the live experience was even better.  Gretta’s vox are just awesome, and for just 2 people making noise, the set sounded very tight and very full.  I heard a super catchy song that is not on their myspace; maybe it is new.  Excellent songwriting and lyrics all around.  I was reminded a bit of Quix*O*tic which is a really good thing to be reminded of.

Sadly, Gretta and Jack removed my favorite article of clothing on each, respectively, after only the 2nd or 3rd song.  Gretta’s was a smoking pair of black wedge boots and Jack’s a blue, red, white and black flannel buttown down.  I think they can be forgiven as comfort is important.

Next up was the Dø (follow @thedoband) a duo from Paris/Helsinki.  They brought a drummer.  It was great.  Olivia’s vox were clear and plaintive, she wore these awesome earrings that looked like people from the men’s and women’s restroom signs.  Very catchy, very solid songwriting, and the playing was really tight.

It was a rainy Sunday night, but still, why were there not more people out to see bands like these?  Mysterious.  Felt very lucky to be among a relatively small, appreciative audience, but on the other hand these acts definitely have their shit together quite enough to enthrall larger audiences and it woulda been nice to see Chicago giving them that kinda support.

Daniel and I each share our different views on fashion, clothing, and crazy shit in general (he prefers turbans to my bowler hats). While he tends to follow the bohemian, eastern, hippie route, I sway more towards the early century, romantic, vampire side of the coin.

Robert Geller is my favorite designer, and also happens to reside in New York City. Everything around us influences our music in one way or another, and I like to think that the imagery conjured by Geller’s collection contributes to the lush pads and dark imagery present in our songs. The clean lines, sleek silhouette, and dark colors all provide an additional push towards the romantic side of things.

Although many of the sounds that we use to put together our tracks are taken from 70’s and 80’s synthesizers, there still remains an air of old-world simplicity that we strive for. Sometimes you hear it in the drum breakdowns, sometimes in the intro’s, and sometimes it’s just present in Daniel’s voice.

Someone recently told me that the collections and looks which I love were all ‘vampires.’ I would argue, however, that they’re more about ‘outsiders’… those of us who grew up and chose a different path in life than the straight and narrow. The two characters on the cover of the Spring Romance album, for example, fit this mold: Two kindred spirits whose paths crossed and took them to the edges of the earth.

Flashmen love Robert Geller and we hope that Robert Geller loves Flashmen.

(see past Robert Geller collections / see his earlier collections for Cloak)

DOWNLOAD: MP3 | FLAC

We are proud to present our Spring Romance Mix, an hour-long set that takes you from the first glimpse of a beautiful sunset to the last ray that briefly shines over the horizon before nightfall. This is the perfect set of songs to cruise down the highway with your top down, cool breeze flowing through your hair. Optimal listening time: Putting on your makeup in the mirror before a great night out!

Tracklist
1] Alternative Reality – Get Away (The Outrunners Remix)
2] The Energies – Born Again Runner (Lifelike Remix)
3] Amari – Survivor (Keenhouse Remix)
4] Cindy Seui – Breakin Into Bits (Justin Faust Remix)
5] Xinobi – Day Off (Anoraak Remix)
6] Maroon 5 – This Love (Cut Copy Remix)
7] Vampire Weekend – The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance (Chromeo Remix)
8] Anoraak – Nightdrive With You (Fear of Tigers Remix)
9] Neon Neon – I Told Her on Alderaan (Richard X Andress Remix)
10] Maethelvin – Dragster
11] Grum – Runaway
12] The Millioners – Body Into Use (Russ Chimes Remix)
13] The Virgins – Rich Girls (Le Castle Vania Remix)
14] The Young Punx – Dance With Someone Else
15] Flashmen – Flashmen Theme (Savile’s Disco Dub)
16] Phoenix – 1901 (Fabian Remix)

DOWNLOAD: MP3 | FLAC

Hype:
“Holy shit this tracklist looks sick!” -@MrScannura

“the second that “i told her on alderaan” comes in on the @flashmen spring mix? elation!!” -TheCultureOfMe

“Definitely not cold outside.This Flashmen mix…Can’t stop listening to it. Makes me wanna wear short shorts.” -@Lovatron

“This mix is 50+ minutes of nu disco that definitely gives spring a new meaning.” -BoomBoomChik.com

“This mix brings together some of the world’s best sounds and fits them into one beautiful 52-minute tease that will leave you coming back for more.” -Girlfriend Records

“Their spring romance mix is chock full of artists we adore (including a couple former Kunk guests, Anoraak and Russ Chimes)… so i think this will serve as our official ‘mix of the season.’” -Kunk

“I am nothing but excited about what’s to come from the nu disco 80’s synth-tastic team” -KissAtlanta.com