Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings Are Coming: Prepare to Be Soul Funked!

Brooklyn-based soul-brothers 'The Dap-Kings' and their queen, Miss Sharon Jones, seriously know how to party like it's Hitsville USA in 1968. I don't know how these cats do it, but they manage to authentically evoke the sound and image of a late 60's/early 70's R&B group without ever making it seem like a facade. It is this talent and sincerity that will instinctively move your ears to appreciate the tones of Miss Jones and her Dap-Kings.

This track is off of 2005 release, Naturally. I think it's pretty safe to say that it has the absolute funkiest, most soul-infecting, involuntary booty-shaking beat you've ever heard in your entire life. Kinda like Stevie Wonder meets a genetically-engineered-to-perfection clone of Blues-singer Koko Tayor and Disco-pop diva Donna Summer. And then they all take ecstasy.

"All future releases by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings will now be required by law to be accompanied by a warning advisory after a focus group fell victim to an incurable dance infection. Dr. Jimothy Henry Louis III, who leads the research explains: "Within the initial moments of exposure to the DAP-1024-A, the group was overcome by an unsupressable need to dance. It is evident that most ears have a little or no resistance to this records." DJ Cleopatra, referred to by many club goers as "the Audiophile from the Nile" doesn't seem surprised by the outbreak. "Nobody can help but get down to this," says this renown DJ and longtime fan. "Sharon Jones is like pure cocaine. Even if you're a longtime user, you're ass is still gonna get high."

Well, my lucky little Los Angelenos, next week you have 2 chances to get soul funked by Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings:

Monday, December 3
Surprise show at Amoeba Records
7pm, Free

Tuesday, December 4
Presented by Goldenvoice at the El Rey Theater
8pm, $16 buy tickets

Don't forget to pick up the new album 100 Days, 100 Nights released October 2nd on DapTone Records

Love and Rockets to play Joe Strummer Tribute December 22nd in Los Angeles

No kidding. I was browsing events on upcoming.org and my jaw nearly dropped when the details finally finished loading. My computer is a dinousaur. Anyway, check it out:


A Tribute to Joe Strummer*all proceeds benefit the Joe Strummer Foundation For New Music (Strummerville)

@ The Key Club
9039 Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 274-5800

Doors@ 8pm, Show @ 9pm
Tickets: $25 via ticketmaster

Hosted ByChris Salewicz and Shepard Fairey

Check the Endless Strummer blog on MySpace for updates.


Confirmed artists include Love And Rockets, La Plebe, Zander Schloss & The Wilderness Years, Three Bad Jacks, David J, Hellride (featuring Mike Watt of Minutemen and fIREHOSE fame, Steven Perkins & Peter Distefano of Porno for Pyros), and The Devildolls Rock 'n' Roll Street Gang.

Free + Party + Awesome = YES

My friend called me up at like 6:30 on Saturday night and he was all, “Hey Carrie wanna come see the Chemical Brothers at Nocturnal Wonderland tonight?” Before I could say no and start ripping into him about how gay he was for even suggesting it he was all, “It’s at Nocturnal Wonderland tonight, it’ll be free for you, and there’s a huge after-party. Which’ll also be free. It’s gonna be awesome.” My brain got stuck on the concepts ‘free’ ‘party’ and ‘awesome’ and it is on those concepts that I place blame FOR MAKING SATURDAY THE BEST NIGHT EVER.

At this point I will pre-emptively answer the top three questions that I’m sick of hearing and that you would have inevitably asked:

Q: “What the hell is Nocturnal Wonderland?”
A: It’s a rave, you idiot. And look where it was:


Q: “Don’t people only go to those things to drugs?”
A: No.

Q: “Wait, but didn’t somebody die there?”
A: Yea I guess that’s what someone heard on the news, but I was there and I didn’t hear about it. Then again, I was there and I also didn’t see the black light paint wall, the freak show, or LTJ Bukem. All of which were also [allegedly] there.

What I DID see:

*What you should have absorbed: this party was totally insane.