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(waves shyly) hi readers

2009-01-10T18:04:00.000-08:00

my name is lauren and i am anti-resolution. i'm also anti-lazy. even though sometimes those feelings get the better of me.
since i moved from miami to berkeley, california i have not kept up this blog. however, i am going to be a better person and a better writer this year. so once again, the WVUM site is down. don't fear. i am going to discuss some tunes you may appreciate if you are into WVUM.
first off--

+kimya dawson. i've been listening to her channel on pandora.com and i cannot stop. she named her daughter panda. she's like a panda herself. she's that cute.
+the talking heads. seventy seven LP.
+deerhunter's new disc
+velvet underground. VU. listen to tracks 9 + 10 until you pass out.

i also want to provide some music charts for your ears.
1. brazilian girls- new york city
2. q-tip- the renaissance
3. los campesinos!- we are beautiful, we are doomed
4. crystal stilts- alight of night
5. crooked fingers- forfeit/fortune
6. johann johannson- fordlandia
7. chrissy zebby tembo- my ancestors
8. anni rossi- afton
9. vivian girls- s/t
10. various artists- swinging mademoiselles vol deux
11. quintron- too thirsty for love
12. sic alps- u.s. ez
13. grampall jookabox- ropechain
14. sir victor uwaifo- guitar-boy superstar
15. bad hand- in this line wish you happiness
16. rivers cumono- alone ii the home recordings of rivers cuomo
17. rancid- b sies and c sides
18. fela ransome kuti- lagos baby
19. little joy- s/t
20. jimmy hughes- the best of jimmy hughes
21. various artists- sprechen sie pop?
22. pretty & nice- get young
23. mexican institute of sound- pinata
24. mdeski martin & wood- radiolarians I
25. rosebuds- life like
26. fainl fantasy- spectrum 14th century
27. conlon nancarrow- sudies for player piano (other minds)
28. the postmarks- by the numbers MIAMI, how exciting!
29. raashan ahmad- the push (om)
30. kasai allstars- in the 7th moon, the chief turned into a swimming fish and ate the head of his enemy by magic
31. dennis brown- the best of dennis brown: the niney years
32. joseph arthur & the lonely astonauts- temporary people
33. lucksmiths- first frost
34. buena vista social club- at carneige hall
35. kaiser chiefs- off with their heads

enjoy the weekend

In the Morning Feeling Half Right If It Was More Than Just One Day I'd Feel Alright

2008-04-16T04:01:00.000-07:00

Anyone? Good morning! I have not posted in two weeks though it feels much longer than that. Hello! On Thursday April 17 there is an event at Mansion. Somewhat of a Grammy Showcase that Jesse Jackson and Andrew Maguire will surely overcome. They are playing two beautiful and worthy songs... a few other bands will be playing their tunes, as well. The time that they play is not clear... I will let the public know when I find out.

Next week at Churchills a former member of the Misfits is playing Can You Rock a Little Softer? I will be there and I will be prepared to dance and play along to Misfits tunes. He better play some.

This week at UM Guys and Dolls will be performed at the Ring Theater. Yay for singing and dancing. The stage is a theatre-in-the-round. How fun!

A Tibetan monk will be at UM (LC 110) at 5:30 to speak of current events.

If you have not ordered a WVUM tee yet, they are in. Comment on the blog and I will email you information as to how you can have much more fun in your life (--> it's yellow and has a gramophone on it).

in the studio...

2008-04-02T12:38:00.000-07:00

I'm in the studio listening to the DoDo's "god?" off of the Visiter album. I am happy that Mel left me off with this one. I am going to kick the set off with Vampire Weekend. I am still not over their absence from Langerado. I'm wondering if any of my listeners today will be the people I met on Sunday afternoon. If they are, I will be playing Daedalus and Marianne Faithfull. If you want to check out my playlist, do so at wvum.org, the name is lawren. Tonight, go to Churchills if you are looking for good fun, good music, and good friends. Raffa and Rainer host "Can You Rock a Little Softer." I am not sure who is playing tonight, but if you're lucky... Rachel Goodrich will play during the open mic segment. If there's a lull in the set, meet me at Sweat. Their 3-year anniversary is quickly approaching... on National Record Store Day! I am also going to play some Caribou because they are going to be here soon. If you haven't checked out the new 3-d Bjork video, do it. Your screen will exude magic.

In My Head

2008-03-31T13:05:00.001-07:00

The Beatles, Octopus Garden off of Abbey Road. I never listened to the song as a child, but now as a lady-child (note the prefix)... I cannot get enough.

Lazy Afternoon

2008-03-30T10:28:00.000-07:00

Guten morgen, reader. If you are looking for something to do this afternoon, I recommend that you attend a musical event hosted by Michael-John Hancock of Awesome New Republic. It begins at 3 and will last until midnight-ish. Performances include but are not limited to: Rachel Goodrich, Raffa, Ramburglar, Down Home Southernaires. The address: 2320 B, N. Miami Avenue. I'm excited.

I must continue my German studies, but I will post an update about our neighborhood later tonight.

If you have never been to the Pineapple Blossom in Downtown Miami, you are missing out. I had a delicious lunch meal/dessert yesterday. Wouldn't you like a delicious lunch meal/dessert, too?

Friday Night Magic

2008-03-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I am going to Books & Books (Coral Gables) on Friday night to witness a live Pure Imagination (7-8) and to enjoy Nick Kruge and the Emoticons (9-11).

Listen to Pure Imagination on WVUM 90.5 on Sunday Evenings from roughly 6:15 onward. Tune in at 6 to be safe. Matt Gajewski is in the picture on the top, he's on the right side. Hi, Matt Gajewski!

Hear Miami

2008-03-26T13:39:00.001-07:00

I am writing you, reader, from the station here on UM's soil. Andrew Maguire and Joe Rehmer from Joe Rehmer's Tazer Room just left me here all alone with their requests. Their requests can be all found on the Hear Miami compilation. Artists include but are not limited to: Awesome New Republic, the Jean Marie, Rachel Goodrich, Raffa & Rainer, Airship Rocketship, and the Postmarks. A listener phoned in during Rachel's track "The Terminal Song" and expressed her excitement. I told her that she (Rachel) will probably play at Churchill's tonight. Rachel, if you are reading this, I hope you are playing at Churchill's tonight.
I miss my show when there are sports games broadcasted. I don't mean to "hate on" UM sports but I would rather listen to good tunes than watch manly sports, anyday. I began my set with Devotchka's new track "Basso Profundo" and followed it with Beirut's "A Sunday Smile." Shortly thereafter Joe and Andrew strolled in, ready to talk about tomorrow night's event. Jim Black (jimblack.com) and Joe Rehmer's Tazer Room are playing together at the Cosford Cinema, situated on the University of Miami Campus. To clarify, the event is Thursday March 27th at 10pm. I'm excited. If you go, I will see you there. I am the brownish-haired lady with the tail. I have about ten minutes until my show is over, so I am going to get focused. I will write more later, of course.

If you would like to check out what other songs I chose to play, check out wvum.org and read my playlist: Wednesday March 26th 3:30-5 pm.

Bonne journee

Photos

2008-03-26T05:51:00.001-07:00

Sam Friend of Sam Friend and the Cauliflowers, Jorge Balbi of Like the TV Show. Flash Ryan Fell, Lauren Byrne (me!) and Chris Bennett... of WVUM.

I Dig Blogging

2008-03-25T18:52:00.000-07:00

Well, I did what I had to do (tutor an athlete). Together, we read Act III of Hamlet. I attempted to fill him in on the nuances of Shakespeare's language and the subtle sexy jokes. Sometimes if I make the lewd language more evident by bringing attention to the words and explaining them... people find it more interesting.

I brought Andrew some pasta that I made. I loosely used a recipe from the Post Punk Kitchen... Skeleton recipes are the best kind. I then go nuts. At the Honor Roll Music house, I hung out with Read and talked about "the future." I am not sure where I am going to be next year. I know what I am going to do in late August. I am going to go to the Outlands Festival. I don't know where I will find the money... but I want to go. Tickets go on sale on Sunday. The artists announced so far are: Radiohead, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Beck, Wilco, Manu Chao, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Steve Winwood, Broken Social Scene, Regina Spektor, Devendra Banhart, Cold War Kids, Andrew Bird, M. Ward, ALO, Two Gallants, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, the Felice Brothers... I am excited. Regina Spektor is breathtaking. I saw her perform at the Astoria in London last Spring. I think it is something special when an artist talks from afar yet one feels like he/she is speaking to you and cares about you while you are in a throng of people. I had some great videos and pictures, but unfortunately, my computer crashed. So no dice.

Last weekend, Andrew and I held a party at our house. Airship Rocketship performed: our house was the final venue of their tour. Amy took some great pictures www.amy-cohen.com, business as usual. I ought to go read Goethe now. I am going to go read Goethe now... but not before posting more pictures.

I Dig Music

2008-03-25T15:36:00.000-07:00

My Dirty Feet (Red Chucks)

Camp Unicorn

"LA BLOGOTHEQUE" inspired me to create a WVUM blog and to inspire a community of readers. Let us see how I do... how we do.

My name is Lauren. I am the Promotions Director at WVUM. I am also a DJ on Tuesday nights (8:30-10) and Wednesday afternoons (3:30-5). Lately, our sports programs have trumped my airtime and I am forced to sit here and communicate to you, reader, through the hammering of my fingertips.

Almost three weeks ago (March 6-9), I attended the Langerado Music Festival, the home of the Big Cypress Seminoles and the Big Cypress Trees! Our giveaway winners reportedly had an awesome time and I ran into many, many music lovers... including WVUM DJs Dave Chessrow and Ben Lindell, Raffa Jo Harris (of Raffa & Rainer), the Jean Marie, ANR, Rachel Goodrich, and my Camp Unicorn Friends! In short, I ran into my friends, I spent time with my friends, and I got sunburnt with my friends! That is what happens when you do not wear sunscreen. The backs of my knees and the tops of my arms are still peeling; but it's fine. Jeffrey James of the Jean Marie and Sweat Records is still peeling, too. I secretly wanted to peel off his skin when he served me an Americano, a Doobie Brothers record, and a Gotan Project CD. The Doobie Brothers... yes!

Andrew (also of Mad World) and I arrived late on Thursday night. We intended to catch ANR and Les Claypool... but we were stymied by thousands of cars. I believe we were in line (a 10 mile line) for over 3 1/2 hours. I think it's part of the fun. Missing ANR and Les was a bit disappointing... so we danced to ANR's album, ANR So Far while they played so close, yet so far. I'm funny.

The following day (Friday), we began our music extravaganza with the Wailers. They sounded in credible. Matisyahu ran out and sang "No Woman No Cry" before the Sabbath began (at sunset). Andrew and I met up with Michael John Hancock, Aja Hancock, Aileen, and Brian Robetson to dance along with Sierra Leone's Refugee All-Stars. Their energy was contagious and all my friends dance better than anyone I have seen, especially Michael-John. I aspire to dance as he dances. I'm not joking. On the way to Chk Chk Chk, Andrew and I stopped long enough to listen quickly to South Florida's the Spam All-Stars. They sounded great, but sometimes one must prioritize. After Chk Chk Chk (more later, more needs to be shared), we saw the Roots, Built to Spill, and the Beastie Boys.

I must run but I am going to attach some photos quickly, even though I will be late. I will add some more on Langerado later and continue to discuss music and the like soon.

Adios!