Tomorrow night will be the opening reception of Sonny Smith’s month long exhibit “100 Records” at San Francisco’s Gallery 16 (watch the video above). The gallery’s website describes it as a “dauntingly ambitious project that bridges his interest in art, music and dramatic form.” The gallery also states that “Smith invited 100 artists to produce artwork for the record covers of fictional bands. Smith concocted the personas of all 100 fictitious bands, then wrote and recorded one hundred songs (the A side and B side) for each. On display at the gallery will be all the original album artwork as well as a jukebox that plays all two hundred songs.”

Sounds really awesome…and since I will be in the area, I will definitely be checking it out!

(via The Bay Bridged)

WARNING: This live clip from Toro Y Moi may lead to ultimate relaxation…

“In less than 3 hours, Toro y Moi recorded piano, drums, bass, guitar, rhodes, and vocals (in that order) for this live re-make of “You Hid,” tracking each instrument once and rarely asking to hear what was just recorded. Chaz couldn’t hide his excitement over being in a real recording studio. It leaked from his dimpled cheeks and poured from the tiny cracks in between his smiling teeth. Watching him build this song from scratch was like watching an architect re-sketch blueprints for a skyscraper from memory. It’s one of those sessions you warn yourself not to forget.”

(via Yours Truly)

Legendary electronic music pioneer Robert Moog, inventor of the Moog Synthesizer, who passed away in 2005, has received a hoppy tribute — in the form of a new beer. Check it out:

“Asheville Brewing Company and the Bob Moog Foundation are proud to announce the launch of the limited edition Moog Filtered Ale, a pale beer named in honor of synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog. The beer will be available beginning May 27, 2010 at the Foundation’s fundraising event, Moogus Operandi featuring synthesizer wizard Erik Norlander. All profits from the sale of the beer will be donated to the Bob Moog Foundation to benefit their projects. The beer is being released in conjunction with Bob’s May 23 birthday.

Moog Filtered Ale will be be distributed nationally and internationally in 22-ounce bottles through Asheville’s Bruisin’ Ales and will be available on tap in various locations throughout Western North Carolina. The beer will be sold from May 27 through July 31, after which it will no longer be available.” (Moog Foundation)

The brewery’s description:

“Moog Filtered Ale is an American-style pale ale with distinctive notes of caramel and pine. It’s a very accessible beer that reflects the Moog legacy. I’ve been a fan of Bob Moog since college, and I am excited to present a beer in honor of an American pioneer,” says Doug Riley, brewer and part owner of the Asheville Brewing Company.

Mmmmm tastes electronicky…

(via Daily Swarm)

FACT: The electronic music scene is growing in Texas and Tommy Blackburn aka Tommy Boy, video director (Telepathe, CFCF) and purveyor of obscure electronic music, is letting the world know with a rad mixtape that he created for Vice UK. Here is what he had to say about it:

“When Vice UK asked for a submission, I knew I had to share the sound that can only be found right here in my home state of Texas. I am fortunate to live in a place where so many of my peers are creating the kind of music I love. When most kids are worrying about how the grass is greener elsewhere, these bands are working hard to make where they are where they want to be…This mix is made up of current Texas synth-based projects and covers many genres, from industrial EBM to techno, leftfield disco to electro, deep house to minimal wave and even a little screwgaze for good measure.”

DOWNLOAD THE MIX VIA VICELAND.

Tracklist:

1. George Quartz – “Coconut”
2. Phantastes – “Flight of Stares”
3. Darktown Strutters - “Silver Bullet”
4. Indian Jewelry – “Same Mistake Man”
5. Corporate Park – “Intimate Precision”
6. //TENSE// – “Versus Man (TX Love Remix 2010)”
7. Seth Nemec – “Count Zero”
8. Jake Schrock – “Trigon”
9. E.R.P. (aka Convextion) - “Frozen Volatiles”
10. DYX - “Lips in the Darkness (feat. Press-On)”
11. Submersible Machines – “Riding Theta Waves”
12. Missions – “Phantasy”
13. Medio Mutante – “Transit (Demo)”
14. MVSCLZ – “Fascination (Across The Nation)”
15. R9 – “Dreamdance”
16. edrupt – “M-U-S-I-K”
17. betdat – “Nex (Radio Edit)”
18. MKF KÜNST – “Venga (TX Love Remix 2010)”
19. Berliner Eins - “Nite Life”
20. Twisted Wires – “Hell”
21. Low Red Center – “Historic Edition”
22. S U R V I V E - “White Clouds”
23. Future Blondes – “NIGHT ANALYSIS (Oppenheimer Analysis “Behind the Shades” RMX)”
24. Psychic Violence – “U is Moon”
25. How I Quit Crack – “Gone Away”
26. xix – “1111(v7)”

Here’s a look at a new, not yet finished documentary entitled Punk in Africa, which explores South African DIY punk music during the plight of Apartheid up until the present.

The film features interviews with scene originators like the illegally-integrated National Wake (the first of it’s kind in South Africa), Koos, The Genuines and newer bands like the more fusion based 340 ml. The footage shot thus far looks great and I am really looking forward to seeing the film when it is completed.

(via Dangerous Minds)

Love the look of the newest video from Brooklyn-based French electro-pop duo Xeno & Oaklander. Their new album is available now on Wierd Records.

iamamiwhoami’s newest video.

In an increasingly transparent world, iamamiwhoami is defying the norm by not revealing one iota about him/herself, instead choosing to release insanely cryptic and weird videos over the past few months. The project even has a weird iPhone app (uh??).

Some bloggers have guessed that it’s really just the alias of Little Boots or Karin Dreijer Andersson of The Knife. Others are putting their money on higher profile acts like Goldfrapp, Lykke Li, Gwen Stefani, Madonna, Lady Gaga or even Christina Aguilera. Who do you think it is?

Visit iamamiwhoami’s YouTube Channel to watch all the previous videos.

(via Mashable)

British singer Ian Dury and his band The Blockheads made a name for themselves in the ’70s with highly influential, funk-infused tunes like the sleazy, yet charming “Wake Up and Make Love With Me” and “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll“. The latter is also the name of a new(ish) film depicting the British singer’s wild and colorful rise in the post-punk scene, as well as his life-long battle with Polio. Andy Serkis stars as as Dury and Naomie Harris, Ray Winstone and Olivia Williams round out the cast. The film, which looks entertaining to say the least, has yet to receive an official, theatrical US release date. Hopefully, not for long.

Visit the film’s website for more info.

(via Slashfilm)

R5 Productions, purveyors of indie shows in Philadelphia, have just released a new iPhone app to accompany their recent website redesign. It’s a free, handy little interaface that gives you a listing of upcoming R5 shows at various venues throughout the city (in list form and cover-view form), the ability to search for shows, bookmark shows, purchase tickets and retrieve venue information including directions. In the next version it would be nice to have the ability to filter by venue and hear music samples, but so far so good.

Get the app here.