Tuesday, August 12, 2014

SAIGON Ộ HIGH feats ninja beat doctor MIKE GAO (LA) - Media Art Party


SAIGON Ộ HIGH

Electronic hip hop music & Live visual art party
Liên hoan âm nhạc điện tử Hip hop kết hợp nghệ thuật thị giác

* Time & Date: 9pm until late - 23rd August 14
* Venue: Cargo Bar, 7 Nguyen Tat Thanh, D4, HCM
* Artists: MIKE GAO (LA), Jase Nguyen, Demon Slayer, Lon
* Live Visual artists: L.A.V [Live Audio Visual]



From the organizers:

Mike Gao is a ninja beat doctor!

After slugging out a career as an underground hip hop producer and DJ (alias Nightprowl) since 2005, winning numerous beat battles from Chicago to LA, working with a who's who of subterranean MCs royalty and producers like Ta-ku and Brainfeeder beat queen TOKiMONSTA, and appearances in Low End Theory invitationals since the early days, Mike's definitely earned steet cred and kudos along the way. He's one of the rare creatures respected by all crews, from affiliations with Huhwhatandwhere (HW&W), to Soulection and Team Supreme, to Kaytranada.

With a new album soon to be unleashed by Alpha Pup Records and a self-released remix project out prior this year, no one really knows where gear head Mike finds the time to nerd out, make his own digital music instruments and software hacks, get a masters and work on a PhD under Miller Puckette, the guy who put the MSP in Max/MSP (the widely used software now integrated into Ableton Live as Max for Live). That's why he's a ninja. That's why he's a doctor.

Oh, and he make beats and is a damn good live electronic musician and improvisor as well! 

Don't be intimidated by his academic pedigree. He's a beat man and hip hop head through and through. 

Odd and sophisticated yet streetsmart and accessible, he peppers his groovy funk, uptempo R&B, soulful dubstep and trap stylings with the right amount of restraint and experimentation, all while flexing his prowess as a beatmaster. You don't have to know it's his custom vocoder app on rap accapellas as he improvises chords to make them sing. You don't have to know it's not spilt beer when on his laptop when he tilts it to make sounds with a program he wrote in ChuCK programming language. You don't have to know it's in odd time signatures when you're getting it down on the floor with his blackhole bass tones, as sultry melodies float by in bliss with synths and chopped up vocals. 

But of course, there's his toys. Watch as he drills as he solos and improvises some chords on his colorful iPad custom apps. Let him show you how it's done. Or just close your eyes and dance.

Stepping it up is our own local bestiary of fantastic musical beat creatures Jase Nguyen, Demon Slayer, and Lon premiering new tracks and tricks. Keep your ears peeled and you may even get a few tunes and teasers of the new material Jase will perform at TECHNO PARADE in Paris this September 

With 3-screens surrounding the performance stage, we're giving plenty of space for new visual experiments with live video and choreography from L.A.V [Live Audio Visual] group.. whose content and hot eye-candy so already in your face, your face will melt. 

So Hi, Hello and get High because Saigon Ộ is back for round 2! 


Saigon Ộ High!


Sunday, August 10, 2014

Adventures with Goose: Ho Tram Beach, Viet Nam

With Grandparents visiting we decided to take our first family trip.  Just a couple of hours by drive to the windswept coast of the East Sea and the casuarina-lined Ho Tram beach.  Gavin and I visited the brash  Ho Tram Grand a few months back, but for this trip we opted to stay at the quainter and more aesthetically rich Ho Tram Beach Resort and Spa.


The Goose was a perfect travel companion - she traveled well, napped on the road, and was ready for her first day at the beach when we arrived!


 We toured the resort grounds and took some pictures here and there.





Then camped out in the beachside bar for refreshments + revelry after the journey.


Finally it was time to hit the beach!






Lucy's first dip in the sea!






An un-pictured trip into the pool - Lucy looked so cute in her little pool float, but unfortunately the swim was short lived!  Maybe next time!



The Goose was POOPED after her first day at the beach and was out as soon as bedtime rolled around. We kept her safe under the net from the 'wildlife' at the resort - they appear to be breeding their very own population of giant, insatiable biting flies and mosquitoes.  Normally unscathed in Saigon, we returned from this trip riddled with welts and wounds.


Day two was a blast!  Lucy was up nice and early, ready to get out there and start the day!


We passed the Goose around - I don't think she was ever not being cuddled or held the whole trip.


She even wore her crab pants for the trip to the beach.


 We hit the salt water pool in the morning for a dip.



This time she lasted a little longer, however she seemed pretty happy when we pulled her out (just before the water works started) and wrapped her up in a towel!



All fresh and clean!  Hanging around in the Beach bar for lunch!




 An early evening stroll through the grounds....











  
Goose loves to fly!




A girl and her Mom.





A girl and her Dad.


 A girl and her Grandparents.


A wonderful trip had by all!