Dinosaurs in Vietnam is a Long Island based D.I.Y. community of artists comprised of friends who make and record music, create records, book shows/tours, write zines/blogs, write scripts and film movies, cook really awesome food, make incredible art, and make other cool stuff-- together and apart. Although the DiV name is relatively new (we only started using the name on a regular basis in the spring of 2007), it represents a community of friends who have been making art together and supporting each other for years. There are many pockets of communities like Dinosaurs in Vietnam that exist here on Long Island and they've been sprouting up and over the past decade or so. DiV we hopes to unite them all under the common viewpoint that we should be proud of our roots here on the "suburban wasteland" that is our home, Long Island. We hope to make our peers realize that there really is something awesome happening here on Long Island and it isn't a place where bands and artists alike should feel embarrassed to say they're from. Heck, Long Island is an absolutely beautiful place to live. "Hate the people who bring you down, not the place," we say!
Hey everybody. I made a record in my dorm room last month that is now available for free download on the Dinosaurs in Vietnam BandCamp page. It is 8 tracks and consists entirely of Keyboard beats/sounds, internet audio clips, and readings from some of my college books. There are some vocals on it but only on a few songs. I sing a little bit and also my good friends Sami Delafuente and Alex Schooley-Marks provided vocals. The internet samples all came from youtube. This was done entirely for my own amusement and sounds kind of harsh at times. This is also the first thing I’ve ever produced entirely myself, using a digital 16 track recording device that I share with Tom Moran. I call the album “Cotitit Ishcanan” and “Ishcan Luugua” is my pseudonym. These names come from the Totonacan language, a native Mexican language that my good friend Mariano told me about. Will Forthman helped me with the cover and Tom Moran explained to me how to use the recording device. I suggest that if you are going to listen to it you should probably use headphones, as the whole fun of this album is the things happening in the different ears. Turn it up all the way too because it isn’t that loud. Hope you take the time to check it out!! Thanks!!!
So June was a really awesome month. Dinosaurs in Vietnam had a few showcases at Don Pedro, as well as the Compilation Release Show at The Cup. There was plenty of other fun things going on all month.. I personally went to a bunch of awesome shows. I kicked off the month by catching my friend Delicate Steveopen for Yeasayer at Governor’s Island. Steve and his friends put on an outstanding show. I believe they’re going to be playing some more shows opening for Yeasayer in the future, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
We had our first showcase of the month at Don Pedro on the 9th.Bdee + the venomous oranges, Rice Cultivation Society, Family Lumber and Fortune & Spirits played. On an interesting note, it was the first time since the recent split up of El Rio Humano that Bdee’s original venomous oranges lineup has played. The band, which features both members of the El Rio Humano— Johnny Hoblin and Michael McManus, also features Exemption‘s Thomas Moran. Derek Smith, of Rice Cultivation Society fame played some new material accompanied with regular drummer John Carbone.
Check out Rice’s new song, “Louis Leaky’s Sink” :
Our Compilation Release show at The Cup in Wantagh was also a great success. It again featured Rice Cultivation Society, as well as Franny Pi (Ex- Vision Through Sound), The Holy Soviets, Jay Briggs & The Oily Rainbows, and Michael McManus (of Vision Through Sound/the venomous oranges, ex-El Rio Humano). I was told that it was opener Franny Berkman’s first solo show in quite some time. Franny played an eclectic selection of covers and original songs with plenty of collaborators.
Here’s a video of Franny premiering a new song called “Hurdy Gurdy” with collaborator Michelle Femminella:
We had our final show of the month once again at Don Pedro on the 20th. This time we featured Exemption, Vision Through Sound (who just released their new album), Lost Boy ? , and once again, Bdee + the venomous oranges. It was the first time I’ve seen Exemption play the closer off their forthcoming album, Public Cemetery Party. The song included a drum battle reminiscent of something I’d see at a Boredoms show. Opener Lost Boy ? is one of my favorite Long Island songwriters. Mr. Davey Jones’ drummer was unable to make the gig so the Lost Boy himself assumed drumming duties and played an outstanding set. His live band features members of Camara-Head Shark. It was the first time I’ve seen Davey drum live since he was in Psycho Rainbow.
Here’s a video of Lost Boy ? and the band playing a song off his new album, “MTV”
In other news, Vision Through Sound has released their sixth album,These Things Happen… the CD release show was at The Bitter End this past Saturday. It was loads of fun and the band was in superior form. VTS and I are about to hit the road to support the album. The tour begins on Thursday. Some cities and we plan to hit include Philadelphia, Ithaca, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Chicago, Saginaw and plenty of places in between. Contact Vision Through Sound @ VisionThroughSound@gmail.com for more details, or if you want to help them book a show in your town soon. VTS is playing a homecoming show on Long Island with Exemption and Wild International at Mulcahy’s on July 29. Check back soon for details on how to order the new VTS album. If you can’t wait that long, e-mail dinosaursinvietnam@gmail.com and we’ll see what we can do for you, I aim to please. 🙂
Stay tuned for some more fun suprises in the not so distant future!!
Hey Guys! This is Will. DiV is about to release our second compilation entitled “Crude Oil”. We can’t wait to show you guys the new songs.
With the release of the compilation (on 6/18), DinosaursinVietnam.com is going to have a blog that’s updated quite regularly featuring all fun tidbits about music, art, food, movies, and basically whatever the fuck we want to post. We’re open to contributors, so if you are interested in writing anything, anything at all for DiV, please email us @ dinosaursinvietnam@gmail.com.
Expect plenty of videos and pictures of live shows from all around. We’re a Long Island based label/collective/blog/whatever-the-fuck-we-are, and while we love and support artists from LI, we’re not going to limit ourselves to just the Island. In the days preceding the release, I’m going to be posting alot of fun stuff from all 16 artists that are featured on the new compilation. There are currently three DiV shows coming up in the month of June, check them out:
6/9 @ Don Pedro, Brooklyn, NY w/ Bdee + the Venomous Oranges (feat members of Fastizio and Exemption), Family Lumber, Rice Cultivation Society and Fortune & Sprits. Free, 9p. (deets: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=126193744071341&index=1)
6/20 @ Don Pedro, Brooklyn, NY w/ Vision Through Sound, Lost Boy, Exemption and Bdee + the venomous oranges! $5, 9p
Hope to see you at at least one of these shows! Don’t forget to grab a free copy of the compilation at every DiV show starting 6/18 or simply download it here. It features the artwork of Devin Alexis and features the following artists and tracks.
Vision Through Sound – Rinse & Repeat
Exemption – Mutating Skulls
Lost Boy? – Love Undercovered
Joyce & The Nancy Boys – This Is Where It Begins
Jay Briggs & The Oily Rainbows – The Animal Within
Delicate Steve – Attitude/Gratitude
Helicopter Goes KABOOM! – Pubic Sentiments (The World Is War)
Hey everybody. I made a record in my dorm room last month that is now available for free download on the Dinosaurs in Vietnam BandCamp page. It is 8 tracks and consists entirely of Keyboard beats/sounds, internet audio clips, and readings from some of my college books. There are some vocals on it but only on a few songs. I sing a little bit and also my good friends Sami Delafuente and Alex Schooley-Marks provided vocals. The internet samples all came from youtube. This was done entirely for my own amusement and sounds kind of harsh at times. This is also the first thing I’ve ever produced entirely myself, using a digital 16 track recording device that I share with Tom Moran. I call the album “Cotitit Ishcanan” and “Ishcan Luugua” is my pseudonym. These names come from the Totonacan language, a native Mexican language that my good friend Mariano told me about. Will Forthman helped me with the cover and Tom Moran explained to me how to use the recording device. I suggest that if you are going to listen to it you should probably use headphones, as the whole fun of this album is the things happening in the different ears. Turn it up all the way too because it isn’t that loud. Hope you take the time to check it out!! Thanks!!!
Liz Pelly
will4thman
dinosaurs in vietnam records 