Plug Awards 07
Feb 11, 07
Yes. Yes. Like all of the people who I'm sure you know of (hint hint: every single fucking person in New York City who either HAS a blog or is ASSOCIATED with a blog) who've already beat me to the collective punch of blogosphere coverage of the 2007 Plug Independent Music Awards, I'm going to go ahead and write about it anyway.
Aside from the usual starfucking I do at every show (this time I got to talk thoroughly with Jason Trachtenburg, from the eponymous Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, one part of underground hip-hop group Abnormal, David Cross, some people allegedly from Spin magazine though I can't remember any names, a couple of cast members from NBC's 30 Rock, and more), the only really juicy thing I can report is a little birdy told me that this summer's JellyNYC free shows at McCarren Park Pool will be kicked off by none other than Brooklyn's own uber-heroes TV on the Radio. Shhhhhhh. Don't tell anyone that I'm spilling this to you, readers. Keep it between us. Okay?
Anyway, the show. The show. The show. Here goes. You know how sometimes you're in a public space and you feel like everyone around you is thinking what you're thinking? That was last night. The music elite (and no so elite) gathered at Irving Plaza to pay tribute to, well, themselves. Less of a back-patting crowd seen maybe at the SAG Awards or the Grammy's, the Plug Awards are somewhat of an anomaly. First off, the awards barely matter as compared to the performers. Case in point: the only person who probably remembers who won the Zine of the Year award is more than likely affiliated with said zine. Props to Wax Poetic all the same, but really...come on. And second, it's at Irving Plaza. Um. Can you say "general admission"? I mean, we're always thinking that awards shows are stuffy and claustrophobic, but at least there are seats! We're all standing shoulder-to-shoulder as the photobloggerati are brushing in from off somewhere near the bar or the side doors cramming in to get that picture. Can you hear me Amrit? I saw you struggling to get that long zoom up in the air.
ANYWAYS, host David Cross was standoffish as ever, but funny moments were there for sure. Like the moment of silence he insisted the crowd honor for the "dearly departed, yet integral member of the Plug family, Anna Nicole Smith. But otherwise, most of the crowd just wanted to catch Tokyo Police Club, Deerhoof, El-P, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks or Silversun Pickups (editor's note: my dearest apologies go out to the 200 or so people who missed TPC in the first half-hour of the night, but I seriously doubt that the supposed "guest list fuck up" was really that bad). Speaking of Deerhoof, Satomi, if you're wondering who the unknown person who signed your giant-as-all-get-out birthday card last night was, well, yeah, it was me. Dear ole that dude jeff. Meanwhile, others still were mainly there to keep up appearance, i.e. the fine folks with VIP passes or Photo badges (yours truly scored one of those for the night too). Oh well. As I'm sure you can get much better play-by-play coverage from the other blogs in the NYC (like Brooklyn Vegan, winner of the "blog of the year", Village Indian, Ultragrrrl, 3hive, stereogum, Pitchfork, et al., I'll leave it to them for more comment. I could have sworn I saw Tom from Status Ain't Hood, but I don't know. Maybe. Instead, here's some photos and free music. Dig?
Go to the other blogs for full coverage and more pics, I'm sure. Congrats to those who won, but most importantly, to those who got NOMINATED. Remember, these are your PEERS voting for you. A much larger high school student body presidency race where everyone seems to come out not looking like a jackass. Even though Pitchfork got boo'ed when they were announced as web site of the year. Didn't matter. Right?
(mp3) Deerhoof - Spirit Ditties of No Tone, from the The Runners Four LP
Godspeed!
