Kennedy (middle) and band: Polished with polyester and Old Spice (Photo by Lina Lecaro)
The cheeky-chic one-legged it in Apartment 3.
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BOOGIE NIGHTS
Those wacky YouTube debates aside, the candidates for prez have yet to make an appeal to the hipster contingent (à la President Billy C. on Arsenio donning Ray-Bans and a sax). But if they do, the politicians might want to take some cues from local glam-ham Kennedy. Kennedy for President marks the K man’s return with a less glittery, more groove-heavy sound. The album’s single, “Your Mama,” is getting tons of buzz. It’s a lite ’n’ bright booty bumper (and YouTube video fave) which, according to the press release, is “a homage to all the beautiful and alluring mothers everywhere.” Nightranger (a new ma herself, thank ya very much) mixed it up at a listening party with the spectacled singer and his band last Thursday at the 3 Clubs, where we learned some interesting tidbits. For one, “Mama” is actually about an older ladyfriend whom Ken’s own mom fixed him up with. (He later bedded her daughter too!) The decidedly discothequey flavor of the record is in large part due to U.K. Garage veteran DJ Sticky and dance music producers Count De Money — one of whom obviously likes Daft Punk side-project Stardust. (“Let It Out” uses the same samples as “The Music Sounds Better With You.”) There’s some great rockin’ numbers here too, but for the most part the disc is filled with polished-with-polyester-and-Old-Spice seduction songs. Seen sucking in Kennedy’s ’70s-style sounds: writer Kat Kramer (there filming footage for a planned reality show about her quest to record with Mick Jagger.?.?. think My Date With Drew, or, more accurately, My Duet With Mick) and Little Radio DJ Ali Maclean, who told us about her new gig with Music Plus TV, an Internet station like MTV — only with videos.
KUNG FU FIGHTING
We headed downtown to be among the campy crooners and vampy posers at the designer showroom/boutique Apartment 3 (formerly on La Brea) for the debut of Dress Right, a cheeky-chic barbecue-themed fashion show and party partnered with pumpin’ Thursday club Dance Right at La Cita (which, by the way, just celebrated its one-year anniversary). The show featured local designers All Mighty, Euridite, With Hearts in My Eyes and Matte Black (a sexy menswear line that, the designer explained, is inspired by “rednecks” — his props included animal pelts). The lady’s aesthetic ranged from slinky to cutesy dresses, all very retro, as were the sounds — Genesis! — which incited one model (Mynx singer Holly Lovecat, working a bowl haircut and übermini) to do panty-flashing Karate Kid–like poses down the runway. Wax on, wax off indeed.
HOT STUFF
We decided against the La Cita after party, but still got an eyeful of sweat-soaked dance-floor fashion later that night at the EchoPlex with Flosstradamus and Chromeo. A couple tips to the white-boy freaksters who packed the place: It’s called Right Guard, fellas. And leave the hoodies and hats at home — it’s summer for chrissake! Despite the eau de Echo Park dude and cramped quarters near the stage (the line outside was insane — we hear hundreds were turned away), the sticky elbows in our face were worth it. The show was incredibly fun, particularly the Floss duo’s ebullient DJ set, which featured an excellent mix of hip-hop and electro. Looks like these types of synth-happy sound splicers are the magic formula for the Echo’s basement ballroom lately. Even more crowded chaos (and sweat and elbows and, yes, ugly hoodies) were seen at the sold-out M.I.A.shows this past Monday and Tuesday, and that’ll surely be the case again when Girl Talk performs there on September 28.
MORE, MORE, MORE
Always knew Hang the DJs hostess Scarlett Casanova had a big heart, and Saturday it was confirmed when we attended the second installment of the Summer Triangle, a fund-raising event she’s been doing with Hear Gallery’s Josette Melchor and Frank Venadas. Benefiting Josette’s new art place in San Francisco called the Gray Area, this all-night stomp fest inside and outside the KGB Gallery near Chinatown offered an art exhibit and dancing under the stars to DJs Dorian and Maurice de la Falaise (Transistor), and 8 Bit;a few young skinny-jeaned/shaggy-haired boy bands — The After Hours, The Beautiful & the Damned— weren’t half bad either. The breezy outdoor setup and vivacious vibe made this one a blast and, thankfully, Casanova tells us there will be more. The triangle will be complete with a third and final fete on August 25.
Speaking of great spaces, made it over to Sean Patrick’s Temporary Spaces across town Saturday too, and we were shocked by its splendor. Though Patrick will vacate the building (where he’s currently throwing guest-list-only events) in order to transform a new one into a “temporary” hotspot in about six weeks, you wouldn’t know it from the finished look of the place (formerly a crusty/cracky dive bar called the Grasshopper). And no, Hollywood club bigwigs will not get their hands on it when he’s gone — city officials are opposed, so it will more likely become a pandulce or botanica. As NYC decksman James F!@.$%^ Friedman (on Defend Music, The Rapture’s label) spun, Patrick updated us on his plethora of projects: He’ll import outside promoters for the current space in the next few weeks; then he’ll move to a new temporary venue; and partner in two permanent new bars this year. (Got all that?) Oh, and a new night at Crimson, the room adjacent to the recently launched celeb-friendly nightclub Opera. This boy sure knows how to get busy! And so does Nightranger. Though we’re taking a break next week, rest assured we’ll be back with more nightlife news and schmooze before you can say disco nap.
