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with Robert DeLong The duo that is twenty one pilots - Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun - has earned widespread applause for their energetic live sets and distinctive fusion of piano-driven schizoid pop and lyrical uplift. No strangers to the road, Twenty One Pilots has built a fervent national following via their electrifying live performances at innumerable headline shows and tours. The band made its Fueled By Ramen debut with a new EP titled Three Songs released Summer 2012 and was followed by a full-length album titled Vessel available now.

Thomas Dolby was an indelible part of the electronic music landscape on both sides of the Atlantic in the '80s. The Zelig of synthpop, he was seemingly there or thereabouts at all points of that crucial decade. He enjoyed huge solo success with the singles "She Blinded Me With Science" and "Hyperactive!", composed and performed on hits for everyone from AOR giants Foreigner to none-more-quirky new wave girl Lene Lovich, produced three superlative albums for Prefab Sprout, and even co-wrote the much-sampled early rap classic "Magic's Wand" by Whodini. With his "mad professor" image of specs and lab-coat, the Oxford-educated boy (he went to Abingdon, the school later attended by Radiohead) was a sort of Brit version of Kraftwerk's men-machines, a techno wiz whose music and productions proved influential on the development of homegrown electro-pop. And, like so many of the Class of '81-2, he was encouraged to make his mark by punk, although in truth he was less moved by the three-chord garage-band thrash of the Clash et al. than he was by the DIY proto-electronica of the Normal, David Bowie and Brian Eno's collaborations in Berlin, and the experiments of certain Germans. "Punk hit big in '77-8, but there was also a counter-culture of krautrock, Kraftwerk and Bowie-Eno's albums (Low and Heroes(," he recalls. "That had a big effect on me." Seeing Gary Numan perform "Are 'Friends' Electric?" on Top of the Pops in 1979 was empowering to say the least.* "There was the sense that anyone could do it," he says. "That with a few synths and a drum machine you could make a record on your own in your back room. I was one of those people." In 1981, Thomas was a songwriter-for-hire and session keyboard player - notably, adding those famous synth textures to Foreigner's "Waiting For a Girl Like You" - when he realized he could apply all of his new skills to create his own music. "It became apparent that you could do complete records at home," he says. "It was very exciting." It also dawned that, without a band to fund, it was more economically viable to operate as a one-man unit. "You could sell a few thousand records and make a bit of a profit without racking up huge debts to a record company." The Abingdon boy then impacted on the Brooklyn hip-hop scene when he co-wrote Magic's Wand for pioneering hip-hop trio Whodini; it became the first platinum-selling rap 12-inch. "It was like a game of Monopoly," he says of this period, when he was seizing every opportunity he could. "Every square you landed on, you bought into. It was exciting to be put into all these different situations." Perhaps most exciting of all was to find himself at No. 5 in the States in 1982 with "She Blinded Me With Science," which, with its video featuring celebrity zany scientist Dr. Magnus Pike, propelled Thomas to international stardom and fixed him in the public imagination as an exponent of eccentric electro-pop. "I'm naturally a fairly introverted person with a thin but virulent exhibitionist streak that comes out every so often," he laughs. "Actually, in that video (for "Science"( I assumed the persona of the underdog because I was a big fan of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. I wasn't a pin-up like Sting, Adam Ant or Simon Le Bon, I couldn't compete on that level. So I created this contrarian image and it caught on in a big way. I headed to the States and made hay while the sun shone." By the time of the elastic electro-funk of 1984's "Hyperactive!," Thomas was mixing in pretty stellar circles: that single was originally intended for Michael Jackson. In fact, he had some memorable encounters with the late King of Pop. "He was making the video for Billie Jean next door to me when I was editing "She Blinded Me With Science" and we became quite good friends for a while," he explains. "I spent one particularly extraordinary evening at his mansion in Encino surrounded by 12 small boys in pajamas peering through the banisters at me as Michael blasted out "She Blinded Me With Science" at 120 decibels! Meanwhile, he was sat on a medieval throne, perched up high as he directed the children with their Tonka toys like some king of the castle. It was all very innocent, I might add." "Anyway, Michael asked me to write some stuff for what would become the Jacksons' Victory album (1984), so I sent him some demos, including the one for "Hyperactive!" I asked if he liked the song, and he paused and said, 'I like the drums.' Then he asked if I could get him some ragwort from the mountains of Snowdonia in Wales for his llamas." In the '80s, Thomas released three solo albums - The Golden Age of Wireless (1982), The Flat Earth (1984) and Aliens Ate My Buick (1988) - and throughout he dodged attempts to pigeonhole him by record companies and public alike. "I was resistant to categorization because there was more to me than '...Science' and 'Hyperactive!'" he contends, perhaps thinking of tracks as varied as the jazzy "I Scare Myself" and ambient/reggae hybrid "My Brain Is Like a Sieve." "There was far more intimate and atmospheric stuff on my albums, and I didn't want to fall into a rut. So I tried to parlay my success into an acceptance of the quieter and more personal side of my music." His involvement in Live Aid - as a member of David Bowie's band - and in Roger Waters' performance of Pink Floyd's The Wall in Berlin in 1990 were, respectively, "a dream come true" and "an astonishing event to be involved in." And then, following the Astronauts & Heretics album, a U.S. Top 40 entry in 1992, Thomas made a 180-degree turn, career-wise, as he headed off to Silicon Valley. There, the technology ace pursued a separate career as a consultant with one foot in the music industry and the other in software development. Eventually, he formed his own company, Beatnik, which didn't just ride the dotcom boom, it flourished, coming up with the polyphonic ringtone synthesizer for the world's biggest mobile phone manufacturer, Nokia. "Two-thirds of the world's phones have Beatnik software embedded in them," he says, justly proud. He is also proud of A Map of the Floating City, his first solo album in almost two decades. A "travelog across three imaginary continents", A Map ...comprises Amerikana, Oceanea and Urbanoia, available as three separate EPs as well as an album consisting of those same constituent parts. Designed to express Thomas' physical journey these past 30 years from England to America and finally back to his childhood home of East Anglia, he says of the tripartite album: "In Amerikana I'm reflecting with affection on the years I spent living in the USA, and my fascination with its roots music. Urbanoia is a dark place, a little unsettling ...I'm not a city person. And in Oceanea I return to my natural home on the windswept coastline." The album includes contributions from Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, Regina Spektor, Eddi Reader and Imogen Heap and reflects Thomas' eclectic approach to music-making. "The songs really matter to me," he admits. "I've written the lyrics from a first-person perspective. And I hope I've used my breadth of musical and production experience as a way of expressing those things. It's a varied album, and atmospherically each of the three sections has its own distinct flavor." The album opens with the acerbic tunefulness of "Nothing New Under the Sun," about writers' block, followed by the world music funk of "Spice Train," originally mooted as a team-up with Talking Heads' David Byrne. "Evil Twin Brother" concerns Michael Jackson and features a Jacko impersonator on vocals who Thomas found online. "Jealous Thing Called Love" is a bittersweet love song with a '60s Swinging London feel, the sort "that Mark Ronson does so well." "Road to Reno" is a cinematic adventure that follows two star-crossed lovers across America. "Toadlickers" is bluegrass meets techno while "17 Hills" is a "quintessential American story" of a good boy turned bad. "Love Is a Loaded Pistol" came to Thomas in a dream in which he was visited by the ghost of Billie Holiday, hence the allusions to the late, legendary diva's song titles in the lyric. "Oceanea" is a gorgeous Prefab Sprout-ish spectral ballad that he describes as "a homecoming anthem." Like "Screen Kiss" and "I Love You Goodbye," it is, he says, one of his songs that has "struck the most powerful chord" with his fans. It addresses his return to Britain and his mother's birthplace, only it's tinged with sadness since the area, though beautiful, is, ecologically speaking, doomed. * "I left San Francisco with my family and moved to a village in East Anglia where the sea levels are rising and it's only a matter of time," he explains. "We live very close to the water, and I have a lifeboat in the garden so hopefully when the floods come I'll rise up like Noah and sail off into the sunset!" The album closes with a pair of powerful songs. "Simone" is about a character "who used to be Simon."* It is, explains Thomas, inspired by "my 20-year-old son Harper, a biological female who, following surgery and hormone treatment, changed genders last year and now lives full-time as a male." "We have," he adds, aware of the sensitivity of the subject, "no social stigma attached to this, and in fact we would like to help other families or individuals in the same situation." Finally, there is "To the Lifeboats," an acoustic ballad with a "raging punk-grunge" middle-eight that expresses some of Thomas' frustration and fury at the inevitable ecological apocalypse that awaits. "There's some anger in it," he says of the album as a whole, "but really, I'm just delighted to be back making music. I was interested to see if I could get my chops, and my desire, back, and I have. I could have gone on the '80s comeback trail and done one of those Rewind package tours that I've tended to avoid like the plague, because more than anything I'd like to be one of those hard-to-pigeonhole songwriters that I grew up adoring - the likes of Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell and Tom Waits, who make record company marketing men tear their heart out because they won't conform to any known genre. If you'd asked me at 15, would I rather be like one of those guys selling just a few thousand albums each time, or an international pop star, then I'd choose the former any day." Luckily, Thomas Dolby has been both - pop star and now esoteric and experimental but highly accessible albums artist. "I'm happy," he says, "to settle into Chapter 2 of my career and make a bunch of albums that are challenging, adventurous and eye-opening." As maps go, this one's fairly easy to read. ~AXS

The first sound on Immunity is that of a key turning, unlocking the door into Jon Hopkins’ East London studio. It’s followed by the noise of the door slamming, then footsteps, and then finally the crisp, clipping rhythms and pulsating bass of ‘We Disappear’ emerge, signposting the most club-friendly music Hopkins’ has made to date. So begins a confident, dramatic record defined by this acute sense of physicality and place; a bold statement after the quiet, intimate Diamond Mine, his Mercury-nominated 2011 collaboration with King Creosote. Until now, Jon Hopkins has been an elusive character, known to most as an expert producer, Ivor Novello-nominated composer of film scores, remixer and long term collaborator of Brian Eno and Coldplay. Yet as Hopkins freely admits, the fact that his solo albums to date (Opalescent, 2001; Contact Note, 2004; Insides, 2009) have been rather overshadowed by his work with others has meant that he’s been able to quietly develop his own identity, style and sound. Some of the ideas for Immunity have been in his mind for a long time, but there’s never been a rush to get them out there. It’s part of his mission to make music that feels as natural and unforced as possible. Yet from the moment you hear that key turn in the lock, Immunity announces itself as a powerful, multi-faceted beast, packed with the most aggressively dancefloor-focussed music Hopkins has ever made. Initial indications suggest his first foray into riffs and grooves is paying off. See first single from the album, ‘Open Eye Signal’, where a high pressure hiss gives way to burbling, insistent rhythm – a chrome express train accelerating through a sunlit landscape. The track got its first outing courtesy of Apparat at a DJ set in Japan on New Year’s Eve – an email from the German musician informing Hopkins that the room had erupted made for a great late Christmas present. Or ‘Breathe This Air’ with its graceful build and huge contrasts in mood via uppity rhythms, mournful piano notes, and stirring choral drones. And then there’s ‘Collider’, the album’s peak and the track that Hopkins says is the best he’s ever written. A ten minute techno monster, ‘Collider’ is underpinned by a constant, pounding bass pulse and a sinister texture that could be a harshly taken breath inside a gas mask. The towering central riff makes for a mournful, dystopian aesthetic, cinematic like black rain over neon. Yet the bleak euphoria that suggests a knees-up at the end of the world is only half the story – the compelling 4/4 rhythm and hint of a human vocal give this a massive twist halfway through. Hopkins deliberately structured Immunity with this colossal banger in the middle. The whole album, therefore, works as an idealised soundtrack to a massive night out, peaking with a huge, lost-in-the-moment climax that feels like more than mere hedonism, warm endorphins swilling around the mind. This desire to create dancefloor-focussed music that was a step up from the slower tempo ambience of his previous solo albums was largely inspired by months spent in clubs and at festivals touring Insides. This gradual absorption of anything from the futuristic oddness found at LA’s Low End Theory club night (at which he has made several live appearances) to sterner European techno seeped out in the studio, shaping his mission to find new melodic routes through what were for him uncharted rhythmic territories. What makes Immunity so intriguing, however, is the methods Hopkins used to do this. A curse of contemporary clubbing is the audible strain of laptop-DJd and computer-made MP3s through powerful PA systems. Hopkins, on the other hand, went out of his way to make music that sounded like physically built things with layer upon layer of depth, a long way from the cold CGI artifice of much entirely computer-derived electronica. This desire to use physical, real-world sounds (anything from tapping a piano and drumming on the desk to a two quid tambourine and salt and pepper shakers) as the basis for many of Immunity’s rhythms also comes from Hopkins’ frustration with the ubiquity of certain synthetic drum machine samples in much contemporary dance music. In the corner of his studio sits the piano that he has had since he was eight-years-old, and the instrument features throughout the more nostalgic second half of Immunity… but not always as you’d expect – Hopkins also uses it to explore new methods of sound generation. On ‘Form By Firelight’, for example, the pedals provide the beat, and the strings are struck for chiming tones. Hopkins’ intent throughout was to be open to the world around him finding its way into the music, wherever he was. These happy moments of unintended creation included the reverse alarm of a lorry outside his Bow studio hitting a certain note during a recording session, serendipitously leading the chord sequence down a different path. The whistle and pop of fireworks emanating from the nearby Olympic Stadium were captured and slowed down, to sound like the echoes of a distant battle. Life and grit came from actively boosting things that aren’t supposed to be there, such as the rattle of window frame at every kick drum hit. This method of looking inside the music for interesting details to pull out and tricking the brain with technically incorrect recording methods might have most studio engineers tutting, but here helped to create a mangled reality. In Hopkins’ studio everything can be melodic, and nothing is wasted. With this sense of place, Immunity is also a sketch of real experiences and memories absorbed by Hopkins over his thirty-three years. These he now tries to reflect and respond to in his music. This might be the quest to recapture the sound of a perfect chord made by water running through pipes in a New York hotel room, or the light reflecting off the surface of the Thames at certain times of the year, the random patterns of nature. This not only makes the album deeply personal to Hopkins, but is key to one of his main inspirations in recording it – the desire to slow down or alter the brainwaves to help us reach different states of mind, whether via hypnosis, music, or drugs. Self-hypnosis is a longstanding personal fascination that Hopkins wanted to bring into his music, yet it was only on Immunity that he felt he had the technical ability to actually try and make it happen. The quality control that decided whether or not tracks were finished was to come into the studio in the morning, and if the track started sending him off into another world, it was done. Similarly, when it seemed that Immunity might be ready for mastering, Hopkins tested it by lying on the studio floor, hitting play, and seeing where his mind ended up. With a stated aim to see if this music might have a similar effect on those who encounter it, Immunity feels like the accompaniment to a journey of creativity, a trip inside Hopkins’ mind. That keys-in-the-lock recording that begins the album might usher the listener into the studio to be present at the moment of the music’s creation, but it has a counterpoint in the thrilling album closer, and the song that gives the album its name. ‘Immunity’ is built around rhythms that creak and mutter like the workings of an old watermill joined by a simple, elegiac piano part and indecipherable vocals by King Creosote, as if to paint an inverse to the techno tumult that dominates the album’s first half. The very natural-sounding rattle and dying piano notes at the record’s end show just how far we and Hopkins have come on one of the most human electronic albums you’ll hear this year.

The members of Adelaide, Australia’s Atlas Genius do things a little differently….They set about building a studio where they could write and record music for their newly formed band 3 years before they even played their first live show as Atlas Genius. For two years, they devoted their days to constructing their dream studio and spent their nights performing songs by The Police, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones at local pubs to pay the bills. “We really got down and dirty with dry walling and literally laying the floorboards, and at the same time we were taking a couple of days a week to focus on writing songs,†recalls Keith Jeffery, Atlas Genius’s vocalist/guitarist. “We had a lot of song ideas and it was important to us to have our own studio where we could experiment and hone in on our sound,†adds brother and drummer, Michael Jeffery. The studio was designed and outfitted by the brothers with the help of their father (who comes from a music and engineering background). Once the studio was complete, the first song that Atlas Genius finished was a song called “Trojans,†which they wrote, recorded and produced in collaboration with their friend, keyboardist Darren Sell. After many weeks tweaking the song, Michael insisted that the song was ready to be heard outside of the studio walls. Within an hour, “Trojans†was on the Triple J Unearthed Website, SoundCloud, and for sale via TuneCore on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify worldwide.

HARD’s yearly Halloween event returns as Day Of The Dead also known as Dia De Los Muertos which in Mexican culture celebrates the spirits of family and loved ones who have passed. The 2013 installment offers an assortment of aural treats to mark HARD's most celebrated line-up to date. www.hardfest.com

Contact event venue for details information.

Argentinean duo Heatbeat have smashed into the global EDM scene over the past 5 years with their cutting edge, futuristic sound, fusing multiple genres together to create a new trance based sound for the future!

Every Saint has a past, and every Sinner has their future! Halloween at W SF THURSDAY, OCtober 31st 2013 Embrace your alter ego, don your most stylish costume and head to W San Francisco’s “sinister chic†Halloween Happening. VISIT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR ALL THE PHOTOS FROM OUR PAST W SF EVENTS https://www.facebook.com/SanFranNightlife ::| All Sales are final. Must be 21+ to attend. No refunds or exchanges. Prices are subject to change while supplies last ||::

featuring Posso, Bones + Troy Kurtz, Ryan Lucero & Jakey Presented By Harlot, Nicole Cronin, Gotta Dance Dirty, Grady Brannan, Lance Skundrich, Msa & Nixter Hosted By Lindsay Danger, Jocelyn Ireland, Dexter Flawk, David Banks & Donny Jurcak This Halloween costume party is drop dead sexy and jam packed with the hottest party people in town! Harlot's incredible sound and mesmerizing visual production will pleasure all of your senses. Behind the decks, Los Angeles based DJ duo and avant-guarde designers Posso along with Gotta Dance Dirty boys Bones & Troy Kurtz, and local faves Ryan Lucero and Jakey will be keeping the dancefloor bloody and romantic all night long! And if that's not all, all star photographers Lance Skundrich aka the "Soul Stealer" and Grady Brannan will be stalking the crowd all night long. Plus a green screen photobooth by the fabulous Parker Day! Wear your creative costume and get ready for an amaaaazing night! Don't resist...get your tickets and join the fun!!! TABLE Reservations: email tables@harlotsf.com call 415.244.4222

The members of Adelaide, Australia’s Atlas Genius do things a little differently….They set about building a studio where they could write and record music for their newly formed band 3 years before they even played their first live show as Atlas Genius. For two years, they devoted their days to constructing their dream studio and spent their nights performing songs by The Police, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones at local pubs to pay the bills. “We really got down and dirty with dry walling and literally laying the floorboards, and at the same time we were taking a couple of days a week to focus on writing songs,†recalls Keith Jeffery, Atlas Genius’s vocalist/guitarist. “We had a lot of song ideas and it was important to us to have our own studio where we could experiment and hone in on our sound,†adds brother and drummer, Michael Jeffery. The studio was designed and outfitted by the brothers with the help of their father (who comes from a music and engineering background). Once the studio was complete, the first song that Atlas Genius finished was a song called “Trojans,†which they wrote, recorded and produced in collaboration with their friend, keyboardist Darren Sell. After many weeks tweaking the song, Michael insisted that the song was ready to be heard outside of the studio walls. Within an hour, “Trojans†was on the Triple J Unearthed Website, SoundCloud, and for sale via TuneCore on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify worldwide.

Doors 7:00 p.m. With the much-deserved return to the spotlight, world-renowned musical icon ALISON MOYET will be making a trek over the Atlantic for three U.S. shows in support of her critically and publicly-hailed new album the minutes (Cooking Vinyl/Metropolis Records). “Flipping flip. I'm only going to play some gigs in the USA. Huzzah! I so can't wait,†said Alison excitedly. “I've got clean pants and everthang. Come while you can. I'm not getting any younger.â€With her new album receiving rave reviews on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, Alison Moyet has returned to the forefront of the music scene with a Top Five charting album and boatloads of positive press.

Alexander Lager and Johannes Gustafsson, two childhood friends hailing from Varberg, Sweden have been producing tracks together since early 2006. In 2011, they began producing tracks for a project called “Qulinezâ€, and sent a demo straight to Steve Angello at Size Records, who took an immediate and avid interest in the talented young producers. In their release “Troll,†the Swedish duo mix a con tagious melodious build up into a typical Swedish House rhythm followed by a dirty Dutch bass drop. Played by Alesso, Cazzette, Hardwell, Tiesto, David Guetta, Sander van Doorn, Sebastian Ingrosso, Steve Angello, Axwell and the whole Swedish House Mafia following their monumental show at Madison Square Garden. Johannes, 26, and Alex, 24, who both grew up playing piano, drums, and piano use their knowledge and passion to create a infectious diversity of sounds in their tracks. Currently, the two Swedes have four unreleased, original productions under their belt, and continue to create tracks, remixes, and edits using FL Studio in their modest, in-house studio. Their highly anticipated track, “Troll†has garnered much attention, not only from Steve Angello, himself, but from electronic fans all over the world. Named 2012 Breakout Stars of 2012 by Beat My Day, Alex and Johannes, who describe their music as Electro House, are destined and equipped to tear up festivals and dance floors in 2012 with their colossal energy and distinguished sounds. Terms and Conditions: This event is 21 and over. Any Ticket holder unable to present valid identification indicating that they are at least 21 years of age will not be admitted to this event, and will not be eligible for a refund. Support lineup subject to change. No refunds will be issued for lack of identification or invalid identification. Fashionable Attire is required, no sneakers, shorts, tank tops, baseball hats or gym clothes. By purchasing a ticket, you will also receive weekly email blasts from Ruby Skye about upcoming events, guest lists and more.

James Blake is having one hell of a year. He’s been busy throwing beats around with Chance The Rapper, his album Overgrown was nominated for the Mercury Prize, and he’s got the Bay all aflutter as one of the most anticipated acts of Treasure Island Music Festival. He also birthed a baby record label, 1-800-Dinosaur.â€1-800-Dinosaur originally started as a series of after-parties for James Blake‘s American tour shows in 2011. Last year it became a regular night at Plastic People, helmed by former R&S man Dan Foat, London producer Airhead, Klaus, James Blake and his live band drummer Mr. Assister. The group wanted the 1-800-Dinosaur parties to focus on garage, dubstep and house equally, and the mixes on their SoundCloud page give a pretty good idea of what kind of music you’d hear at one.†- Resident Advisor

The Floozies are producer/guitarist Matt Hill and drummer Mark Hill. These two brothers from Lawrence, KS are bringing their fresh approach to electronic music and live performance to venues and festivals all over the country. The duo's combination of cutting edge electronic production and party rocking funk energizes crowds and turns venues into epic dance parties. All of The Floozies music, including their latest album "At Dusk We Launch," can be downloaded for free from flooziesduo.com.

TICKETS GO ON-SALE FRIDAY 10AM CST Saturday November 23rd 2013 React presents... UPRISING North American Tour :: ALESSO :: [ www.alessoworld.com ] BUY TICKETS HERE> http://bit.ly/1aNXzsr Aragon Ballroom 1106 W Lawrence Chicago IL 60640 Doors 8:00 18+ w/ valid ID Connect with us online :: www.reactpresents.com www.facebook.com/reactpresents www.twitter.com/reactpresents www.youtube.com/reactpresents www.instagram.com/reactpresents Text "REACT" to 46786 to place yourself on our text list

“i guess i just accept that the music business has fallen apart,†says moby, describing the unexpectedly fruitful environment that spawned his upcoming album,* innocents, set for release october [tk]. “that demise means that, as a 47-year-old musician, when i make a record, it’s simply because i love making records – i don’t expect commercial success. there’s no reason to second guess whether something’s going to sell well, or if a radio programmer is going to like it – so i can just make the record i want to make.†indeed, that’s exactly what* innocents *entails. moby’s 11 th *studio album to date proves an uncompromised, fully realized work from one of the most iconoclastic, innovative, individual forces in electronic music – or popular music, period. as such,* innocents *proves distinctively a piece with moby’s discography, while simultaneously pushing the artist born richard melville hall towards new challenges. “i finished touring for my last record [2011’s* destroyed ] about a year and a half ago, and pretty much immediately started working on this album,†moby recalls. “i was listening to a lot of* broken english -era marianne faithfull and ‘80s grace jones, and really wanted to make a grungy, lo-fi, electronic dance record; over time, it transformed into a lo-fi, idiosyncratic, emotional, melodic record instead. i’m most interested in exploring vulnerability and humanity in music, and with innocents *i made a conscious effort to keep things imperfect and, at times, even awkward. my criteria was, how does what i’m creating resonate emotionally, and what sense of space does it create?†to achieve that perfectly imperfect state, moby chose to work with an outside producer for the first time in his career: mark “spike†stent, whose grammy-studded résumé spans superstar pop (madonna, lady gaga, beyoncé), rock (u2, bruce springsteen, muse, yeah yeah yeahs) and the genre-defying vanguard (björk, massive attack, goldfrapp, m.i.a.). “spike’s role was unconventional – first and foremost, he was a friend, and simultaneously a consultant, a&r person, mixer, and, yes, producer,†moby explains. “we grew up listening to the same records: it’s nice to have that shared frame of reference where you can refer to a british electric foundation b-side or an early rocksteady single that would be obscure to most people, but seminal to us. and spike was the reason the album shifted from a dance record to a more personal one: what really connected with him was the emotional, personal music.†another first marked by *innocents *was moby’s unexpected choice of collaborators. working with outside vocalists and musicians isn’t a new thing for moby – “south side,†featuring vocals by gwen stefani, proved a top 20 hit upon release in 2000, and the likes of artists ranging from sinéad o'connor to angie stone have appeared on his tracks. on innocents,* however, the guests provided a distinct inspirational motif. “i like that the title describes a group of people, because it’s my most collaborative record,†moby says. “and if you look at the disparate random bunch of people i’ve collaborated with, a lot of them you wouldn’t think of as innocents.†among those seasoned voices are the sole male lead vocals to appear on a moby album, other than a couple of earlier collaborations with rappers, and moby’s own voice. “for the most part, i’ve only ever worked with female singers,†he says. “i can’t think of any exceptions other than samples – until this record, if there’s been a male voice on my record, it’s been me.â€* innocents *reverses this tradition via some of the most distinctive male vocalists in rock music. wayne coyne of the flaming lips duets memorably with moby on rousing first single “the perfect lifeâ€; alt-rock legend mark lanegan lends his dark croon to the lynchian electro-noir ballad “the lonely nightâ€; and* the shimmering “almost home†proves even more sublime thanks to the indie-folk eminence damien jurado’s empyreal tones. what appeared to be a major artistic shift, however, stemmed organically from how* innocents ’ songs were taking shape. “as i was writing ‘perfect life,’ i kept thinking of wayne singing it,†moby says. “his voice has such an interesting, vulnerable timbre. likewise, damien jurado and mark lanegan have such unique voices, i just fell in love with the way they sing.†innocents ’ female contributors, meanwhile, prove nearly as surprising. the eerie apocalyptic ballad “the last day†features the enigmatic vocals and songwriting acumen of skylar grey – best known for co-writing and performing on eminem and rihanna’s “love the way you lieâ€; however, according to moby, the track* “doesn’t fit into the traditional pop/r&b canon, except that it’s really pretty. instead, it’s a weird lo-fi pop song that doesn’t have a bassline.†elsewhere, the defiant soul lament of “don’t love me†places the unforgettably brassy pipes of moby tour vocalist inyang bassey into a lush, retro-futuristic setting. “spike did this very smith and mighty, dub-inspired mix that evokes bristol, u.k. circa 1988,†moby says. “it has a very slinky, late-night quality: i imagine walking into a dark cabaret in leipzig, germany at 3:00 a.m. and hearing that song playing.†meanwhile, two songs – “a case for shame†and “tell me†– feature canadian singer-songwriter cold specks, whose debut album* i predict a graceful explosion* proved one of 2012’s most evocative debuts. “i was having lunch with [mute records founder] daniel miller, and i said, “daniel, i’m looking for interesting, beautiful vocals for my record,’†moby says. “he said, ‘oh, we just signed this woman cold specks.’ the moment i heard her voice, i was amazed by the challenging, idiosyncratic way that she approaches harmony, melody and phrasing. it’s like gothic blues, but combined with an avant-garde, intentional dissonance.†of course, moby has been retrofitting antiquated styles and archaic sounds to the electronic age since “natural blues†– one of many enduring hits off of his 1999, twelve-million-plus selling international smash album* play . as such, much of* innocents *recalls vintage moby in the best way. songs like “the last day†and “a long time†evoke* play ’s ingenious sampling of haunting spirituals over club grooves; as well, “saints†manipulates disembodied diva vocals, acid-house breakbeats, and orchestral synths into an uplifting yet melancholic anthem – much in the same way as did moby’s breakthrough hit, the rave classic “go,†which reached the u.k. top 10 following its 1990 release. meanwhile, the moody cinematic ambience of instrumentals “everything that rises†and “going wrong†suggests scores for films that don’t yet exist – reminding why moby remains the go-to source for soundtracks (moby’s song “extreme ways†appears over the credits in every* bourne identity *movie, his cover of joy division’s “new dawn fades†accompanies a key scene in michael mann’s* heat, and he gave the iconic james bond theme a techno makeover for* tomorrow never dies *– and those are just a few examples). “i approach things from a similar perspective as i was, say, fifteen years ago, because that’s what i love – when music has that ability to make your emotions swell,†moby says. “in my own small way, through my use of melody and strings, i’m trying to get to that.†innocents, however, carves out its own unique niche in moby’s discography. for one, it’s the first album he’s created since moving to los angeles from his longtime new york city home. “living in l.a. certainly inspired the making of this record and the music,†he says. “in new york, i’d work in my cloistered studio in a big apartment building, surrounded by thousands of other apartment buildings and people everywhere; in los angeles, meanwhile, you can be in the middle of an urban area of fifteen million people and still feel isolated, like you’re living in the country. my last album* destroyed *was all about the disassociation of constantly crossing time zones, living in hotel rooms and airports – these lifeless environments where you don’t even know what city you’re in.* innocents *still has that strangeness and dislocation: it’s just more about being at home in a new city that isn’t really a city.†despite its l.a. origins, moby insists* innocents *“doesn’t sound like sunshine and the beach – it’s not l.a. pastoral like, say, a csny or eagles record.†instead, the album captures the atmospheric anomie of being caught between eras – its sound and vision balancing today’s high-speed digitalism with the discarded, obsolete technology of an earlier machine age. on one level, this sensation is achieved sonically. “spike and i put everything through old, broken down analog equipment: tape machines with tons of hiss, old reverb units that barely work, drum machines where the timing is off,†moby notes. “my favorite records – the first suicide album, old r&b, ‘80s dance records, jimi hendrix, cream, the doors, early daf, black flag – they’re all really messy. so, in making music now, i try to do everything to make the whole process idiosyncratic: we let that weirdness and imperfection become an inherent part of the record.â€* that duality extends to the messages submerged within the songs, where the frequently stirring, uplifiting sounds are subtly contradicted by shadow in the words. the madchester singalong groove of “the perfect life,†for example, belies “lyrics so dark i’m hesitant to say what they’re really about,†moby says. “it sounds like the happiest song on the album, but really it’s the darkest.†elsewhere, “the last day†pays doleful tribute to end times (“i’ve only just discovered the sun on the last day†goes a key line), while album closer “the dogs†(the only song on the album fully sung by moby himself) balances mournful synth-pop melodies with a eerily sinister refrain: “this is where it died/like the dogs left outside.†“i like dark, twisted lyrics,†moby admits with a laugh. “my perspective is kind of skewed! when i look at the music i’m most influenced by, it’s all informed by this idea that the world in which we live is crumbling and dystopian, but we can be celebratory within that.†as such, nothing is business as usual about the* innocents *experience – down to the album’s idiosyncratic promotion strategy: instead of the usual continent-spanning world tour, moby will only be playing three shows in los angeles. “my criteria was, ‘it has to be a venue i like, and i have to be able to walk there from my house,’†moby explains. “so for three consecutive days in october after the album comes out, i’ll walk down the hill and play a show. i just don’t like the touring lifestyle: i never wanted to be that haggard musician in my 40s looking beaten down and unhealthy in an airport, and that’s what i became. so why not just stay home and see what it’s like developing friendships, a home life, and maybe get a dog?â€* art imitates life, and vice versa: that oft-frustrated desire for human connection ultimately proves* innocents ’ resonant theme. “it sounds like something you’d read on the side of a teabag, but there’s a quality of innocence that resonates in all of us,†moby says. “i have yet to meet a human – even the most hardened criminal, or the nastiest, toughest rapper – who isn’t scared and insecure. i always think, “at one point, you were a little kid who was scared in the middle of the night. you’re going to get older and look in the mirror and wonder what happened to your youth; you’re going to be alone, and afraid, and get sick, lonely, and all the things that affect us by virtue of being human. in my music, i try to evoke the emotional response to that – joy, longing, fear, anger: these very human responses to living a material existence for a brief moment in our vast, strange universe. i always think of samuel barber’s ‘adagio for strings’: when it builds to a crescendo, unless you’re a sociopath, you have an emotional reaction to it. in my music, i try to give myself that same feeling – and if i’m lucky, someone else who’s listening to it will have a similar reaction.†~AXS

Known internationally as a curator amongst the world’s most cutting edge DJs, producers, and musical movements Wesley Pentz (better known as*DIPLO) has experienced a variety of successes. The last few years have been spent running through the club circuit and having chart-topping hits with refreshing irreverence. Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1978, Pentz spent most his childhood in Florida working in his fathers bait shop and being turned onto music thru then new mediums like*MTV. Drifting North thru the state came Miami Bass and from the West came the sounds of Southern Hip Hop artists. The musical influence and variety coalesced and at 18 Pentz moved to Philadelphia for college at Temple University to study Film & Music. While a student he took a job in the South Philadephia community as a social worker and created the influential Hollertronix club night, which was the beginning of his fledgling career as*DIPLO. In 2004 Pentz released his debut album as Diplo called,* Florida . It received praise and accolades in the underground community. The music embodied on this album led to an introduction via an A&R man at XL Records to M.I.A. In 2004 he partnered with M.I.A. for the mixtape Piracy Funds Terrorism. Pentz’s cultural impact had started to snowball. Together they worked on her first album Arular *and much of her second* Kala, including the 2008 mega-hit “Paper Planes,†which reached No. 3 in the US Charts and earned him a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year. His production credits have evolved since to include Santigold, Lil’ Jon and Missy Elliot, while remixing works by Beck, Radiohead, Britney Spears and countless others. In 2009 Pentz teamed with frequent collaborator Dave Taylor (aka Switch) to release the futuristic dancehall album* Guns Don’t Kill People… Lazers Do *under the guise of Major Lazer, a Jamaican militant at war with an evil army of zombies, mummies and vampires. Meanwhile, his record label Mad Decent has helped to introduce Brazilian baile funk, Angolan Kuduro and other marginalized music to clubs around the world, developing as a trendsetting force with which to be reckoned. With the same mission in mind, some of the varied acts Pentz has signed or produced include Rye Rye, Bonde do Role, Crookers, Blaqstarr, Boy 8-Bit, Buraka Som Systema, and Rusko, allowing Mad Decent to act as a launching pad or home base for many others while spreading its influence across the globe. Through the label, Pentz has founded a charity called Heaps Decent as a social relief program to help children in Australia as well as with additional efforts internationally. In early 2009 Pentz debuted his film* Favela on Blast, a five-years-in-the-making documentary exploring the Brazilian slum favelas of Rio de Janeiro and the thriving baile funk music scene that exists within. He is currently developing a TV show to air in 2010. Through a widespread assortment of releases and artists’ works – from cumbia to dubstep to punk and beyond – Diplo has shown dynamic range with interests that span far beyond any singular culture or musical realm, standing as a working model for the truly 21st Century artist. ~AXS

Glow, Panorama Productions, Echostage, Laidback Luke and Mixmash Records pres. Super You & Me feat. Laidback Luke Gladiator Henrix Moska Saturday October 26, 2013 Doors at 9PM. No dress code. Ages 18+ Bottle Service at tables@echostage.com or 202.503.2330 Tickets on sale Thursday Septmber 19 at Noon Echostage • 2135 Queens Chapel Road NE • Washington, DC * Laidback Luke brings his famed Super You & Me club night to Washington, DC to kick off an epic week of Halloween madness! Vegas, London, Miami, Toronto, Ibiza, Amsterdam and more have experienced the founder of Dutch House's legendary superhero-themed club night. Now it's our turn! Are you superhuman enough to take on the Super You & Me challenge? Have you got the ammunition? Can you take the suspense? If so, harness all your super powers, dress to impress and join Luke on an adventure of a lifetime. Your journey will be mixed with enough energy, emotion and high-grade party production to satisfy even the most demanding party animal.

Body English Nightclub & Afterhours presents Bassment Fridays featuring Datsik, Antiserum and Mayhem. * Please bring your receipt and ID to the will-call line located at the door of Body English. Will-call begins when the door opens. * This is a 21 and over event. Fashionable attire is required.*

The Floozies are producer/guitarist Matt Hill and drummer Mark Hill. These two brothers from Lawrence, KS are bringing their fresh approach to electronic music and live performance to venues and festivals all over the country. The duo's combination of cutting edge electronic production and party rocking funk energizes crowds and turns venues into epic dance parties. All of The Floozies music, including their latest album "At Dusk We Launch," can be downloaded for free from flooziesduo.com.

The Floozies are producer/guitarist Matt Hill and drummer Mark Hill. These two brothers from Lawrence, KS are bringing their fresh approach to electronic music and live performance to venues and festivals all over the country. The duo's combination of cutting edge electronic production and party rocking funk energizes crowds and turns venues into epic dance parties. All of The Floozies music, including their latest album "At Dusk We Launch," can be downloaded for free from flooziesduo.com.

The Floozies are producer/guitarist Matt Hill and drummer Mark Hill. These two brothers from Lawrence, KS are bringing their fresh approach to electronic music and live performance to venues and festivals all over the country. The duo's combination of cutting edge electronic production and party rocking funk energizes crowds and turns venues into epic dance parties. All of The Floozies music, including their latest album "At Dusk We Launch," can be downloaded for free from flooziesduo.com.

Saturday, October 19, 2013 Anon Events & Opel tease you into The 3rd Annual Masquerotica ~ Carnaval Fantastique New, more intimate, sexy venue. Live performance acts and DJ's to satisfy your audial and visual senses. Multiple areas of sultry entertainment and art geared to turn on your mind and body. Secluded VIP sections available in the entire upstairs Early Bird Presales on sale Now. http://masq2013.eventbrite.com/ Some of the world's top electronic acts perfect for a dance party w a sexy twist, including Brazilian electro house super duo Felguk, and long time playa favorite Freq Nasty. Dance To: Felguk ( www.facebook.com/felguk ), Brazil FREQ Nasty ( www.freqnasty.com ) + Jillian Ann & Ritual Syd Gris (Opel / Opulent Temple) Lafa Taylor (Street Ritual) Jocelyn (Club Exotica) Ultraviolet (Trap City) Delachaux (Trapeze / Kinky Salon) Balance (Beatchurch) Thrill To: - Kabaret Caliente (Led Zeppelin Burlesque) - "Shake for Me" - Club Exotica Erotisphere - Bondage A Go Go - Mistress Liliane Hunt - Scott "Kinky Salon" Levkoff & Co. - Exclusive VIP Loft by Mondocirkus - Stripper Pole Olympics - Gallerierotica - Gogo & Ambient Entertainment For All Persuasions In Motion Throughout The Nigh T Saturday, October 19, 2013 @ The 'S' Factory 525 Harrison St. (@ 1st St.) SF, Ca (A sexy new intimate venue!) 9 PM - 4 Am/ 21& over/ Limited Tix Available Costumes strongly preferred ~ what / who will You be for this night of masqued fun? http://masq2013.eventbrite.com/ VIP INCLUDES: Exclusive access to top floor loft, viewing areas to all stages from the one overlook area a birds eye view of everything! Piped in sound to all performances from stage areas Vip Only bar w 2 drink tickets Fruits, finger foods, elixirs Hang out with all the headline talent and with the Kinky salon carnival fantasique Crew VIP only coat check Collector poster set of 4 Masquerotica images Sexy seating, booths and exclusive areas and decor

Quality music is born from the soul but gifted life through the gathering of like-minded people on the dance floor, giving wings to friendship and feelings to thought. Every Saturday*at Exchange LA, good music and good memories bloom. This is the Inception of something beautiful. Saturday, October 26th, Inception ft. Boy George (DJ SET) & Marc Vedo. For bottle service information, birthday specials and more, please call*(213) 444-3388*or email*vip@exchangela.com

"It was originally going to be a concept album about food we are addicted to," says Amit Duvdev Duvedevani of electronic-rock phenoms Infected Mushroom about the groups latest album, Legend of the Black Shawarma. "We had a batch of songs celebrating our favorite places to eat around the world. Then we got into more intense subject matter, but as the title suggests, there's still a lot of material about getting your grub on." For their ravenous international fan base, the latest offeringdue out September 8 on Paul Oakenfolds Perfecto label from Duvdev and his musical partner Erez Eisenis some very potent Mushroom indeed and boasts some high-profile guests. The lead single "Smashing the Opponent" features a scorching vocal from Korn's Jonathan Davis, while Janes Addiction/Porno for Pyros frontman and alternative-rock patron saint Perry Farrell lends his inimitable pipes to the follow-up single, Killing Time. "Recording with Jonathan and Perry was a highlight, of course," Duvdev notes. "They were both incredibly cool.vvThe fact that they liked the tracks was awesome because were huge fans of what they do." Shawarma finds the Israeli-bred, L.A.-based electronic duo taking their Psy-Trance fusion of bruising, metallic rock and unstoppable dance-floor beats to a new level. "It's a really diverse record," Duvdev relates of the band's follow-up to 2007s Vicious Delicious, "it's even more aggressive - both on the metal side and on the breakbeat side." Oakenfold worked closely with the band in an A&R/producer capacity. "Paul's known as a house DJ, so we weren't sure how he'd feel about our heaviest material," Duvdev reveals, "but he loved it. He brought a lot of great energy and advice to the table." Duvdev and Erez also road-tested several of the tracks in dance clubs, then adjusted them based on audience response. The band took its time crafting the album, working on material whenever their frenetic, globe-trotting tour schedule permitted. During the process they constructed a new studio from scratch in the aptly named So Cal locale of Studio City. "We used to go into any room and make it a studio," Duvdev recalls. But the new Infected Mushroom Laboratory is as state-of-the-art as you can get for recording electronic music. "We built a tracking room for live drums." Whether singing about Smashing and Killing or paying tribute to beloved eateries like Poquito Mas, Frank's (The best taco place in Mexico in our opinion) or Israeli hummus factory Saeed, Infected Mushroom prove they've stayed hungry despite their massive international success. "Thats us," Duvdev says with a laugh. "Kicking ass and then having a snack." What of the album's mysterious, culinary title? "We were on tour in Australia two years ago, he explains. "A friend came to me and said, 'I have this dream to dive with sharks.' They do that in Australia; you're lowered into shark-infested waters in a cage." At that point, Duvdev warned his burly friend that in a wetsuit he would resemble, to toothy denizens of the deep, a certain meat wrap of Middle Eastern origin. "I told him if he did this, there were five gigantic sharks waiting for a shawarma like him to come down in a cage and be devoured. We thought that was pretty funny and the Legend of the Black Shawarma was born. As the title tracks cautionary lyrics have it: "Life's been treating you nice/You better be wise/And enjoy your moment." Thanks to their boundary-pushing songs and incendiary performances, the adventurous duo has become one of the biggest electronic bands on the planet. Twice ranked among the world's 10 best DJs by the bible of the scene, the U.K.s DJ magazine, they routinely whip crowds of all cultures into the same whirling froth. Their explosive show, featuring guitars, live drums, Duvdev's intensely passionate vocals, Erez's nimble keyboards and an ambitious multimedia backdrop, ranks among the genres most unpredictably joyous events. Their schedule has proved as relentless as their juggernaut jams. From the Ultra Music Festival in Miami (which drew over 100,000 attendees this past March), Cali's Coachella, the Virgin Festival in Baltimore, Mexico's Omix, Brazil's Ipanema Beach and Melbourne's Metro Club, Infected Mushroom has averaged about 120 live performances per year. ~AXS