At Pulp, we like rooftop parties, omnivorous barbecues and a three-PM iced snacks as much as the next biped, but one thing we don’t like is rain checks. Why wait until tomorrow to do something you were geared up to do today? That’s why we pushed on with plans for a Pulp Lab creative mixer on a seriously verdant rooftop in Manhattan despite the rainstorm on June 14th. Under bamboo parasols and Maypan fronds, ideas were swapped by over 50 NYC and Seattle-based tastemakers, including creative directors, magazine editors, non-profit leaders and inspired bon-vivants. Libations were crafted by the incomparable Nucomme of Brooklyn-based Witches Brew using hand-blended, all natural ingredients and aphrodisiac spiced rum. Perfectly on-trend with the smooth vibe of the evening, DJ Little Star Dweller mixed a playful set of surf-inspired beats, along with several titles from Pulp Lab’s summer playlist, “InnerTube.”

The type of mind-sharing that took place at the Pulp party has been very much on our, well…minds as we spot examples of creative leaders exploring the intersection of technology and culture in cerebellum-provoking ways:

• Subtle-core: The opposite of hard-core, subtle-core is a term we’ve been using to identify like-minded businesses, individuals, products and events that have intensity of vision tempered with a deep respect for silence and spontaneity. Give a hard-core creative thinker empty space, and he or she might fill it up with color, objects and music. Thinkers of the subtle-core persuasion will take time to reflect on the particular sounds and energy already evoked by emptiness. Aura photography; Artist Duncan Freeman’s subtlemobs (v.s flash mobs); land art; the Stone Master rock climbers of the 1970′s; the unscripted, serendipitous one-shot music videos of Vincent Moon; subtle (and gorgeous) to the core.

• Extrasensory DJs: Angel and Kings’ Resident DJ Little Star Dweller has introduced a unique fusion of video and sound at “Brain Wave Wednesdays,” where an interactive brain computer interface is used to project attendees’ brain waves on an LCD screen.

• Temporary Communities: The ever-evolving NYC-based music and art collective started by Ben Bromley and Ross Simonini, more formally known to the world as NewVillager, came together in support of their upcoming IAMSOUND full length debut release to present their third art installation, Temporary Culture, at Los Angeles art gallery Human Resources and we captured the event as it unfolded.

Whether it’s taking place on a rooftop, on a beach or on an LCD screen, this summer is all about sharing food, drink and ideas. Join in the banter at Pulplab.com

Williamsburg’s narrow sidewalks and streets, intimate venues, and eccentric energy attracted national talent like YACHT, Beirut, Guided by Voices, Wavves, and Surfer Blood this past weekend for the L Magazine’s Northside Festival. The festival’s expansive showcases allowed emerging local talent to attract new audiences.

It was impossible to see all the bands that have been buzzing the airwaves. Bands we missed, but wish we saw include Sun Airway, Asobi Seksu, Air Waves, Deertick (Performing as Deervana), Phonetag, Javelin, Arches, Iceage, Dream Diary, and Seapony. But, alas, this is New York City after all and these bands will come around soon enough. In fact, Javelin is playing a free show this Thursday with Beach Fossils at Santo’s Partyhouse. Make sure to RSVP to Death and Taxes Magazine to get on the list. (RSVP@deathandtaxesmag.com)

As we prepare for our surf theme, it was great to catch Woven Bones perform. Their sound evokes imagery of lying on the beach and catching sand between your toes.  “Woven Bones have a strong ear for catchy pop hooks, but they bury these under layers of droning guitar and fuzzed-out garage vocals…Woven Bones are a tightly knit outfit. Not a beat is out of place, and the confident vocal snarl maintains a constant forward momentum” (Cult of the New).

(Tiffany Roth of Midnight Magic)

After feeling lazy all day, we decided to kick things up a notch and checked out the high energy talent behind Midnight Magic, Miracles Club, and YACHT on Sunday. All three acts were stunning, captivating the crowd with mystifying electro tunes. If you’re lucky enough to be in NY, you can check out Tiffany Roth from Midnight Magic DJ’ing at Trophy Bar. We caught up with her and Nomi Ruiz (Jessica 6) on Saturday and then again with Honey from Miracles Club and Claire Evans of YACHT last night at Cameo.

Festivals always come and go so quickly. If there was one common theme of this year’s Northside, it’s that the 90’s are back. Check out Nicholas Krgovich of No Kids sporting a SADE shirt:

The ever-evolving NYC-based music and art collective started by Ben Bromley and Ross Simonini, more formally known to the world as NewVillager, came together in support of their upcoming IAMSOUND full length debut release to present their third art installation, Temporary Culture, at Los Angeles art gallery Human Resources. Check out their DJ set tomorrow (6/21), if you’re in Los Angeles.

NewVillager is quickly getting notice in both the art and music world for their multi-dimensional stage shows and avant-garde DIY videos.  This, their second gallery exhibition as a group, will mark the beginning of an amazing journey down a road that only the wildest imaginations could conceive!

Check out our interview with the band, where they discuss their mythology and inspiration behind it,

“There’s a tribal theme occurring in the independent culture trendsphere. Do you see the NewVillager mythology as a “tipi” (easily transported, and the center of social, ceremonial, and artistic life)?

The tribal thinking is maybe a necessary counterpart to the global thinking that has dominated culture in the last century. Increasingly, people are traveling, goods are traveling and the world situation is getting tricky-sour because of it. Tribalism is a more local kind of thinking. The mythology is not tribal – mythologies exist in almost all societies, big and small – but our mythos is a way of trying to understand life through a single lens, and maybe that has something in common with tribe-mentality – unity of thinking? And yet, when does tribe mentality become gang mentality become nationalism? Slippery stuff.”

They’re also featured on our InnerTube mix.

SHOP is a wonderful event happening at 150 Varick Street until Monday, June 20th. The five day affair features some heavily discounted items and DJ’s from Fool’s Gold Records. “SHOP isn’t exactly a sale, so pricing varies widely between booths. Steven Alan is offering 20% off current-season merchandise, Bing Bang had earrings for under $30, and Samantha Pleet was selling some, but not all, of her summer gear for a deal (a bustier was $75, down from $120.) Saturdays Surf took some major markdowns, and Wieden employee Dona Monroe (you’ve seen her stuff at Steven Alan) was slashing prices, with spring 2011 over 50% off and fall 2011 on presale. We were charmed by the booth from Williamsburg shop Made, where huge clompy platforms went for $65 and everything else was under $150. And Sena had some smoking hot cutout dresses for 125 to $175, down from $385″ (Racked).

With Fool’s Gold curating the DJ sets, it’ll feel more like a party than a traditional sample sale. Fool’s Gold is home to some of the most hyped and sought after electronic acts including Chromeo, DJ A-Trak, Kid Sister, and Treasure Fingers. “Brooklyn-based record label Fool’s Gold was founded in 2007 by DJs A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs and quickly established itself with a non-stop series of releases bridging the worlds of hip-hop and electronic music, introducing artists like Kid Sister, Kid Cudi and Duck Sauce to the world while being dubbed an “indie innovator” by Billboard and a “tastemaker label” by the New York Times. With acclaimed graphic artist Dust La Rock providing a clever and constantly evolving aesthetic for all Fool’s Gold visuals and merchandise, the company has become more than an independent music powerhouse, but a trendsetting lifestyle brand putting a unique stamp on events, collaborations and much more” (Fools Gold).

Fool’s Gold is to music what Pulp Lab is to curating a lifestyle.

While Hercules and the Love Affair didn’t directly participate in our InnerTube Mix, Wolfram’s remix of Fireworks features these fashionable downtown and Brooklyn groundbreakers. They’ve got an incredible style, blending disco, electro, and funk; it’s going to get even better with their upcoming album, Moshi Moshi.

Hercules and Love Affair’s myth started with the worldwide club smash “Blind”. Their self-titled debut garnered considerable critical and commercial acclaim around the world.  It was named a “Breakthrough Album of the Year” by The New York Times and featured in Pitchfork’s “Top Ten albums of 2008”. The legend continues with their second album Blue Songs. Lead single “My House” is already an international club staple and the new US version has three additional bonus tracks and will come with a bonus remix CD. The album will finally get a US release via Moshi Moshi on August 16th.

Check out their new track, Painted Eyes, on Stereogum. You’ll love it!

Upcoming tour dates:

08/18 – Washington DC @ Jiffy Lube Live
08/19 – Philadelphia, PA @ Susquehanna Bank Center
08/20 – Boston, MA @ Comcast or Jiffy Lube Live
08/21 – New York, NY @ Nikon at Jones Beach
08/23 – Atlanta, GA @ LakeWood
08/24 – Tampa, FL @ 1-800 Ask Gary Amphitheater
08/25 – Miami, FL @ BayFront
08/27 – Houston, TX @ Cynthia Wood Mitchel Pavilion
08/28 – Dallas, TX @ Gexa Energy Pavilion
08/30 – Alburquerque, NM @ The Pavilion
09/02 – San Diego, CA @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
09/03 – San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheater
09/04 – Irvine Meadows, CA @ Verizon Wireless

Created by The L Magazine, The Northside Festival, June 16-19, is a four-day celebration of Brooklyn and what’s next in Music, Art, Film and Ideas. The best regional, national and global talent will be showcased, all within the walkable radius of Williamsburg and Greenpoint. It’s a great way to hangout with friends, check out new music and art, and have a little summer staycation in New York. See this year’s lineup here.

If you haven’t purchased your badge yet, you can try to win some,  ”…our friends at DISTRO.fm are giving away 2 badges for the festival, so be sure to enter for your chance to win! You can also listen to 120+ songs from bands that are playing Northside by subscribing to the festival’s DISTRO.fm page” (Eardrum NYC).

Showcases to check out include:

THURSDAY:

Music Hall of Williamsburg
Theophilus London
plus special guests
Doors at 8pm

285 Kent Ave
Penguin Prison 11:15pm
Blackbird Blackbird 10:15pm
Tiny Victories 9:30pm

FRIDAY:

McCarren Park – The Steve Madden Stage
Beirut 8:30pm
Sharon Van Etten 7:20pm
Yellow Ostrich 6:30pm
Gates at 5pm

Bruar Falls
Milk Music
Reports
Yvette
Doors at 8pm

Cameo Gallery
Blondes (INNERTUBE ARTIST).
The Miracles Club
Rewards
Sensual Harassment
With DJ sets by Night Plane/CCC, Beg to Differ and Blue Jemz
Doors at tba

SATURDAY:

McCarren Park – The Steve Madden Stage
Guided by Voices 7pm
Wavves 6pm
Surfer Blood 5pm
The Babies 4pm
Gates at 3pm

Bruar Falls
The Suzan
Emily Wells 10:30pm
noon:30
Designer Imposter
Outlaw City 7pm

Union Pool
Woven Bones 11:30pm
Fergus & Geronimo 10:30pm
Colleen Green 9:30pm
Xray Eyeballs 8:30pm
Doors 8pm

SUNDAY:

Shea Stadium
Laurel Halo 9pm
Autre Ne Veut 8pm
Steve Summers 7pm
Forma 6pm
Phonetag 5pm
Night Manager 4pm
Ex Cops 3pm
With DJ sets by Chocolate Bobka and Rezound (GT).
Doors at 2pm

Glasslands Gallery
Asobi Seksu 11pm
Air Waves 10:15pm
Blair 9:30pm
Cookies (ex-Mobius Band) 8:45pm
Doris Cellar (of Freelance Whales) 8pm
Doors at 7:30pm

Europa
Diamond Rings 11pm
Porcelain Raft 10pm
BELL 9pm
Doors at 8pm

285 Kent Ave
Sun Airway 11:30pm
Headless Horseman 10:30pm
Monogold 9:30pm
New Moods 8:30pm
Doors at 8pm

The Hood Internet, The Rapture, Cold Cave, Night People and Holy Ghost! kicked off Internet Week New York (IWNY) last night with two parties at The Metropolitan Pavilion and Tribeca Grand Hotel. This fourth run of IWNY has a strong focus on music, along with the blending of creativity and technology found in New York City. Guest of a Guest highlight’s which parties you’ll want to be seen at.

“There will be more than 250 events during the course of week, and you can learn more about them and the wide range of event sponsors on the #IWNY webpage. (That’s a hashtag you might be seeing a lot of this week)” (Mediabistro).

One event that G of a G did not point out if the Flavorpill NYC Culture Hunt.” On Saturday, June 11th, New Yorkers will follow clues on their iPhones, utilizing GoldRun technology to search for virtual Flavorpill objects throughout venues across NY. Each stop on the hunt will be a FlavorpillVenue Partner, a hand-picked collection of the top cultural venues in NYC. The prize at the end of the hunt: participants will unlock an invitation to a secret Flavorpill party…and, of course, the after-party, curated and conceived by none other than CHERYL, the Brooklyn-based performance art/dance party collective.” Get your Ticket Here.

Also, Meebo introduced a new way to discover NYC. “Consumer Internet Company Meebo gives people an opportunity to discover New York culture, history and personality through its brand-new “True New Yorker Quest,” launching today. The “True New Yorker” Quest features sites representative of New York City and its outer boroughs, including partners Vera Wang, PIX 11, Time Out New York, 24/7 Wall St., eWallstreeter, Micah Jesse, Geekosystem, The Brooklyn Cyclones and many more” (SF Gate).

• We debut your summer uniform on our online shop. Northwest heritage clothing maker Tarboo outfits the gentlemen with a limited edition soft-enough-to-sleep in Chambray shirt, while the ladies get the same luscious treatment in a one-of-a-kind shirt dress. Going, going, gone!
• The pink underbelly of a sea conch; a flash of greenest lime; we harness the color of a surfboard summer in a new collection of neon cuff bracelets by Jenson Conroy.
• Rideable Art: Introducing Matt Gallagher, a Massachusetts Berkshires-based logger and arborist who has translated his passion for sustainable forestry and surfing into the production of custom-made surfboards culled from reclaimed scraps of wood. Wondering if Matt is willing to take your custom order? Hells to the yes!
• A Fluo Duo: Building on the neon nirvana that is our recent state of mind, we outfitted Sasquatch Music Festival goers with tribal themed zinc color sunblock and matching tote bags designed for MSN Postbox. Sun protection never looked so fierce.
• What about my ears, you say? My suntan loving lobes? We’ve teamed up with a crew of cutting-edge musicians to create our first-ever summer playlist: the Pulp Lab InnerTube. So get those watermelon popsicles out of the freezer and get ready to jive to the effervescent sounds of The Luyas, New Villager, Tranquility Bass and many lovely others.

And finally, what’s summer without a sizzling rooftop party? If you’re east coast bound, make sure to join us on June 14th for our official summer kickoff with co-host, Mirrorball for a festive commingling of NY-based creative thinkers on one very hot tin roof. We’ll have our summer house cocktail shaken and stirred by Nucomme using fragrant, local ingredients; live tank top screening with featured NY artists; featured brand sneak peeks from collaborators at Ampersand As Apostrophe, Tarboo, Funk Royal Optics and others; a Usnaps.com digital photo booth; DJ spinning bubblicious pop music from our InnerTube playlist and more. Oh, you know there will be more.

Big wave culture. Game changing ideas. It all comes together this summer at Pulp. Sea you soon!

• We debut your summer uniform on our online shop. Northwest heritage clothing maker Tarboo outfits the gentlemen with a limited edition soft-enough-to-sleep in Chambray shirt, while the ladies get the same luscious treatment in a one-of-a-kind shirt dress. Going, going, gone!
• The pink underbelly of a sea conch; a flash of greenest lime; we harness the color of a surfboard summer in a new collection of neon cuff bracelets by Jenson Conroy.
• Rideable Art: Introducing Matt Gallagher, a Massachusetts Berkshires-based logger and arborist who has translated his passion for sustainable forestry and surfing into the production of custom-made surfboards culled from reclaimed scraps of wood. Wondering if Matt is willing to take your custom order? Hells to the yes!
• A Fluo Duo: Building on the neon nirvana that is our recent state of mind, we outfitted Sasquatch Music Festival goers with tribal themed zinc color sunblock and matching tote bags designed for MSN Postbox. Sun protection never looked so fierce.
• What about my ears, you say? My suntan loving lobes? We’ve teamed up with a crew of cutting-edge musicians to create our first-ever summer playlist: the Pulp Lab InnerTube. So get those watermelon popsicles out of the freezer and get ready to jive to the effervescent sounds of The Luyas, New Villager, Tranquility Bass and many lovely others.

And finally, what’s summer without a sizzling rooftop party? If you’re east coast bound, make sure to join us on June 14th for our official summer kickoff with co-host, Mirrorball for a festive commingling of NY-based creative thinkers on one very hot tin roof. We’ll have our summer house cocktail shaken and stirred by Nucomme using fragrant, local ingredients; live tank top screening with featured NY artists; featured brand sneak peeks from collaborators at Ampersand As Apostrophe, Tarboo, Funk Royal Optics and others; a Usnaps.com digital photo booth; DJ spinning bubblicious pop music from our InnerTube playlist and more. Oh, you know there will be more.

Big wave culture. Game changing ideas. It all comes together this summer at Pulp. Sea you soon!

Matt built his surfboard out of eastern red cedar repurposed from one of his horticulturist girlfriend’s clients, and luan sheets and oak flooring leftover from the her parents’ house. (Which was built from scratch by a relative. The 100-mile approach to sustainability is more like 10 miles in the Berkshires.)

Setbacks set in while Matt was waiting for the fiberglass to arrive. A particularly rainy spring made the wood swell, which pushed the surboard’s deck up. Undaunted, Matt set about pushing the damn deck back down.

Matt is currently in the process of building his second surfboard using commercial grade ½ inch plywood leftover from a roofing project on his own house, along with a repurposed collection of wood culled from other projects.

Matt considers his surfboards as “rideable recyclables.” His boards are also an experiment in memories reclaimed—composed as they are from the scraps of other people’s projects. His favorite place to surf is three hours away on the coast of his native New Hampshire, and the next time he gets out there, he’ll be riding on the remains of a cedar closet, a credenza, and part of his new roof.

For information on placing a custom order: info@pulplab.com