TNT’s Top 5
My Top 5 is composed of bands that I’ve seen live and have had the running thought of “Holy shit! When I throw a party big enough to hire a band, they’re getting the slot! The entire audience is loving every second of this set, no matter what their preferred taste of music is.” This is so for every band on here, so the hardest part I had this week was putting them in some sort of order; think it depends on the rager I’m throwing.
5. Washington Square Park – An up and coming band from NJ, their lyrics will instantly floor you. Take my word for it and Click to listen
4. Jukebox the Ghost – There is no explanation needed here, as I’m sure you’ve already become memorized by JTG. In the words of Ron Burgundy, “Compelling and Rich”. Click to listen
3. Black Taxi – Phenomenal live! One song and you’ll be in love with their addicting beats, high energy, body paint and megaphone. Click to listen
2. Belikos – They blow me away every time. You’ll have to catch a show to find out why. So much energy and a great mash-up of genres, Belikos will keep you on your toes and your spirits high. Click to listen
1. Bodega Girls – I saw the Bodega Girls in NYC at CMJ 2009 and have not forgotten about the performance. I was blown away at what a band could do without a stage. I do not dance unless heavily intoxicated, but danced sober at this show. My feet couldn’t help it and my mind was tricked into thinking it was drunk (at least that’s what I’m sure it looked like to others). Click to listen
Honorable Mentions: AWOLNATION (Have you gone AWOL?) and Drink Up Buttercup (Click for DUB)
Daniel Edward’s Top 5
5. Electric Six – Click to listen
4. Passion Pit – Click to listen
3. Men, Women & Children – Click to listen
2. Lola Ray – Click to listen
1. No Doubt – Click to listen
Hoverbee’s Top 5
I tried hard to concentrate on the Top 5 bands I’d hire to play a private party. These choices were supposed to reflect bands that are superb live, but if I threw a private party and hired a band, fun would be at the top of my list. So, these bands may not be the best to hear live, but they sure would be a lot of fun!
5. Cake – Add hilarious lyrics, John McCrea’s beatnik vocals, an awesome horn section, and stir. Bake for thirty minutes and enjoy your party. Click to listen
4. Clinic – These four lads from Liverpool (no, not The Beatles) can provide any party with outrageous, psychedelic insanity. Click to listen
3. Gogol Bordello – Want a party that is unstoppable? This punk rock band of Gypsies is sure to deliver. Click to listen
2. Beck – We could all dance around in our chain smoke Kansas flashdance ass pants and be merry! Need I say more? Click to listen
1. George Clinton & The Parliament Funkadelic – A night with Mr. Clinton and the P-Funk would be a blur of dancing, positive vibes and some pretty far-out folks. Watch out for the guy in the diaper! Click to listen
Mark’s Top 5
5. Charlotte Martin – With the warmth and intimacy that she exudes at her shows, it already feels like you are hanging out. Why not do it in the comfort of your own home? Click to listen
4. Peter Gabriel – A talented, highly collaborative artist who conjures up incredibly inventive and multi-genre infused music. It is very likely that you would be involved in some highly interesting and worldly conversations before, during and after the set. You might even get to recording with the man himself right there. ROCK! Click to listen
3. Bloc Party – Probably one of the most energetic and fun bands that you will ever see live. Perfect for closing down the local bar and rocking out with some friends; a ridiculously danceable band. Click to listen
2. Paul Oakenfold – One of the world’s top DJ’s deserves to have a residency in one of the finest and most intimate venues in the world, your own home. Whether grooving out with chill tunes, or trying to rock the joint with solid trance or electro, he is the man who knows exactly what the scene he’s in needs. Click to listen
1. Bt – No surprise that the sonic architect himself would make the list. He is a quadruple party threat…either DJing with self-developed bad-ass plug-ins, the Real-time mash-ups of the Laptop Symphony, Live Synth playing, or ripping it up with a live band. He would probably get wasted with you after the set. Click to listen
Angela’s Top 5
5. DJ Tiesto – I like his work. I’ve partied to it a bunch before and it always provides me with lots of beats to move to. Click to listen
4. Reel Big Fish – You know what? After having interviewed them and their willingness to play live, I’d love to hire them for a private party. Their humor on stage carries over offstage and they always show the house a good time. Click to listen
3. The Extra Action Marching Band – The name may be a little misleading, but this isn’t your average marching band. A mix of punk, burlesque, and marching band type instrumentals coupled with (mostly) naked bodies, they’re definitely entertaining and engaging. Click to listen
2. DJ Pavo – I’ve partied on more than one occasion to his music and I am absolutely in love with “99.9.” Fantastic track. Great DJ. Click to listen
1. The World/Inferno Friendship Society – Loud. Reckless. Deviant, yet classy. This band knows how to have a good time. From singing in the streets of Brooklyn to a giant floating concert via cruise, each show has ALWAYS been a party. Many a concert venue has banned them from ever returning, so you know they tear shit up. Click to listen
Stigz’s Top 5
5. Reel Big Fish – Said it before, and I’ll say it again. This band just makes you want to party, and with tracks like “Beer” and ska influences, who couldn’t help getting down with a cold one in their hand at a shindig? Click to listen
4. Minus The Bear – Funky, feel good indie rock for the masses…need I go on? Click to listen
3. Mind Control (Richie Santana & Peter Bailey) – Another duo I know personally, these two have been on my radio show Clubsessions years ago, before they hooked up and created soul penetrating tracks and techy grooves having you change your religion to bass-ism. I had the pleasure of partying in the booth with them on New Years Eve at Pacha and would hire them in a second to spin at whatever blowout this hypothetical write-up is for. Click to listen
2. Jonathan Peters – The man, the myth, the legend and another DJ I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and seeing a ton of times. Every time, he breaks out tracks and grooves nobody has ever heard, and no two sets are ever even close to the same. With his ungodly collection of rack gear, Macbooks, and Ableton live slaved to every software under the sun, this is the only DJ I’ll give a pass for using a computer. He doesn’t use Serato or any similar program, but creates nearly every groove he drops on the dance floor. For anyone that’s caught his 24hr sets in NYC or attended his S&M or underwear parties, this guy can rock any party I would throw, without a doubt. Click to listen
1. Danny Tenaglia – This DJ has been in the game for decades, and is the reason and inspiration for 90% or my dance music endeavors. If you don’t know who he is, you don’t know anything about house music. I’ve seen him countless times, met him a few, and he never ceases to amaze me. He can work the crowd, and create the deepest, darkest, and funkiest grooves your eardrums can handle. Click to listen
Klone’s Top 5
If I were going to throw a private party featuring a band, it would be one of two venue types – First, Mexicali Live in Teaneck, NJ. The perfect mix of restaurant/bar, chill place, with a kick-ass stage and sound-system, and a space for everyone to rock out in front of it. The guacamole is awesome and the ATM across the street dispenses 50s. The second would be a laid back, acoustic lounge…think MTV’s Unplugged shows for the stage set-up and you’ll get the idea. I also take the liberty to choose from acts both living and dead.
5. Laughing Colors {Mexicali Live} – These guys played my college back in 2000, and they were fucking awesome. They’re a Baltimore area band who had made their way into rotation at the local DC rock stations. I never followed them after I graduated, and have been consistently disappointed that they haven’t blipped onto the music world at large’s radar. They’re the most fun bar band you’ve seen time 1 million. Their energy is limitless, their music is rockin’, and they bring it to the event. Click to listen
4. Evans Blue {Mexicali Live} – Saw these guys in 2007 at School of Rock in Hackensack, NJ. (http://www.schoolofrocknj.com/), and they sound just as awesome live as they do on their CDs. They rock, and you can’t help but rock along. They would definitely bring the house down on a private gathering of close friends. Click to listen
3. Tenacious D {Unplugged Show} – It’s Tenacious D. Need I really explain this? Two guys with acoustic guitars melting your fucking nuts off with their molten hot magma metal, complete with destiny laden guitar picks and Satan-taming tonalities. It was said that one day a band would come. Well that band has come, and they’re here to cum again…in your ear pussies. Click to listen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenacious_D
2. Chevelle {Mexicali Live} – I’ve never seen these guys live, but their music absolutely makes me want to head bang my car to tiny pieces when I crank it while cruising the highway. In particular, songs like “The Clincher” (my favorite track of theirs) makes me feel like it would literally be the most rockin’ party ever if I had these guys bringing the walls crashing down with their monstrous rock. Click to listen
1. Alice In Chains – Original Line-Up {Unplugged Show} – We all saw it on MTV, but after catching these guys this year with new front man William DuVall, I never lamented more that I had never seen the band while Layne Staley was still alive. What was haunting was that DuVall sounded so much like Staley, it was eerie. I’d love to have my own private Alice In Chains Uplugged show as the center-piece of a private party. Click to listen
Nevermind The Posers 