Slinky Mix (Aka Seb's B Day Mix 2010) by Jasonskilz on Mixcloud

And we’re back! Spins & Needles has been on a wee hiatus for the last few weeks, away on holidays (more on that later) and hunkering down from the cold (it’s -30 – that’s right minus – degrees here in eastern Canada!) In the meantime for your listening and making enjoyment, here’s a mix from resident Spins & Needles DJ Jason Pelletier: a birthday mix created for our crazy friend Seb a few weeks ago!

Tracklisting:

1. Steed Lord – Dirty Mutha (Crookers Mix)
2. Beware + Motorpitch – El Toro (Hennessy Mix)
3. The Martin Brothers – Duck Face
4. Round Table Knights – Short Cut to the Top (Payme vs. Made to Play mix)
5. Riva Starr – I Was Drunk
6. Jesse Rose – Non Stop (Riva Starr + Olivier $ rmx)
7. Duck Sauce – Barbara Streisand
8. The Revenge – Forever in their Debt
9. Highbloo – My Orkestar
10. Andy Cato – Bassline Track
11. TEED – Garden (Jesse Rose Remix)
12. Tiga – Shoes (Green Velvet Remix)
13. Crookers – Embrace the Martian feat. Kid Cudi (Seiji Booty Remix)

Hey all! Spin Off Stuff will now be featuring music picks from Spins and Needles resident DJ Jason Pelletier each month. Check out his new blog and MySpace page for upcoming events, info and to download funky/jackin’ house mixes.

Enjoy!

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Here’s this month’s funky/jackin’ house music picks:

Top 10 – Aug. 2010

1. Sonny Fodera & Inland Knights – Typewriter (Inland Knights Remix) / Drop Music
2. Freaky Behaviour – World Famous / Ficus Tree
3. Funk Mediterraneo – Mr. Pull / Mighty Perverts
4. Isaac Fresco – Foxtrot / Guesthouse
5. Dave Allison – Trade Off / Kinjo
6. Ugur Project – Locked Grooves / Smoke City
7. Erik Bo – New Jacker / Funk Mansion
8. The House Inspectors – A-Town Jazz / Guesthouse
9. The Jackeens – Plastic Bert / Flatpack Traxx
10. Giom – In Love (Pete Dafeet) / Lost My Dog

The boy and I headed over to Montreal last Friday for an inspiring weekend of music, dancing, design and craft. We checked out two festivals happening at the same time : the 11th annual Mutek (an international festival of digital creativity and electronic music) and Spring Pop (specifically the Puces Pop sale – more on that in another post).

Montreal, city of festivals, how I missed thee – despite the horrible rain on Sunday and therefore ruining a pair of my fave shoes.

Here’s some photos from Saturday at Mutek:

Piknik Electronique @ Parc Jean-Drapeau

Piknik Electronique @ Parc Jean-Drapeau

Piknik Electronique @ Parc Jean-Drapeau

Between Sets @ SAT

Senor Coconut and His Orchestra, Free Concert @ Place des Festivals

Senor Coconut and His Orchestra, Free Concert @ Place des Festivals

Move D @ Metropolis

Konque @ Metropolis

Henrik Schwarz @ Metropolis

One of my favourite acts was the Senor Coconut and His Orchestra show – Senor Coconut (aka legendary German producer Uwe Schmidt) is known for mixing Kraftwerk singles with Latin styles such as the Cha-Cha-Cha, Merengue, and Cumbia, or eletrolatin music. Here’s a video clip from that night from Youtube:

What’s the best way to spend Victoria Day long weekend? Go to an art, DIY and music festival that celebrates the Queen.

We spent the last leg of our Maritime adventures in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We arrived from Moncton via train, spent the evening at a club where the boy DJed and did some vintage shopping.

By checking out Halifax’s local weekly paper The Coast, (a great resource for local happenings and food tips) during late morning coffee, we found an ad for the Long Live the Queen Festival.

In Canada the weekend closest to May 24th is celebrates the birthday of Queen Victoria and the current sitting queen. The grassroots festival is in its first year, curated by musicians from Halifax and centered in the north end neighbourhoood of the city. It was on from May 21st-23rd.

Since it was such a bright, sunny day perfect for roaming the city, and because it was close to our hotel on Quinpool Road, we decided to check it out. The main venue was just off Robie St.., in a small light blue-green-coloured structure, the North Street Church.

The bands were on break in the main hall so we checked out the handful of sellers at the Artists’ Market in the next room including the table of Halifax singer-songwriter Rebekah Higgs, which was decked out with lovely applique earrings and some great looking vintage eyeglasses.

I also scored an awesome silkscreened festival t-shirt and matching bag.

Unfortunately we were leaving that evening so didn’t get to check out the rest of the festival. But judging from the stellar lineup and the enthusiasm of the sellers in the Artists’ Market, this could grow even bigger and be Halifax’s version of Pop Montreal.

Here’s some other local Halifax places to check out linked to DIY, craft art and music:

- Roberts Street Social Centre (5684 Roberts Street) – a social space and a collection of projects dedicated to providing free or affordable access to independent and alternative media, art, and education
- Eyelevel Gallery (2063 Gottingen St) – artist-run centre/space for contemporary art
- Khyber Institute for Contemporary Art (1588 Barrington Street) – contemporary art space
- Economy Shoe Shop - (1663 Argyle Street
) resto/space
- Invisible Publishing - indie publishing house based in Halifax
- Halifax Crafters - group of craft artists who put on craft shows

For all you music lovers out there, check out the First Annual Ottawa Community Record Show this Saturday, September 26th at the Sandy Hill Community Centre (250 Somerset St. E.). It’s presented by CKCU 93.1 FM, CHUO 89.1 FM, and Birdman Sound. There’ll be LPs and CDs up for sale and sounds like there’ll be tons of variety.

Doors open at 2:00 p.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. Admission is $2.00

While writing up the August Spins & Needles newsletter, I got a little nostalgic about those carefree hazy, lazy days of summer and thought some lyrical goodness from DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince was in order. Definitely one of the best summer songs ever.

Plus here are some new summertime mixes from resident Spins & Needles DJ Jason Pelletier for your listening enjoyment (the first which includes a remix of Summertime):

• Stay House! Mix Vol. 7 – Funky and Jazzy Beats
• Tech Soul Mix Vol 1 – Deep/Tech House