Events

The world premiere for “Summer of 8,” a film we music supervised last year, will take place Tues April 26 at 8PM at The Newport Beach Film Festival. There’s a second screening April 27 at 8PM (both at Newport Beach Island Cinemas).

Tickets go on sale today, April 1st. Beautifully written and directed by Ryan Schwartz, and with an amazing cast of young talents (Bailey Noble, Natalie Hall, Shelley Hennig, Carter Jenkins, Matt Shively, Michael Grant and Nick Marini), this is the rare film that shows teenagers not as one-dimensional caricatures, but as emerging adults searching for love, laughter, and resolution during their last day together before their lives head in separate directions.

It was a pleasure to work on the score with composer Tobias Norberg and assemble the soundtrack (including songs from The Head and the Heart, Ry X, Fruition, Tim Myers & El May, and many others). Hopefully this will be just the start of many opportunities for this project to reach a growing fanbase!

Last month the Prohibition Jazz night we’ve helped assemble, Skin & ‘bones, debuted to a lively full house. We know we left the crowds inside and out wanting for more, so we’re happy to invite you to another installment, next Wednesday, Oct. 28th at the awesome 432 N. Fairfax (aka No Name or Community Bar).

This special Halloween-themed night will feature the same raucous, sexy and fun atmosphere of the first show, plus a drop of New Orleans voodoo magic, rhythmic spell casting, and dark songstress sorcery.

Skin & ‘bones is centered around an all-star 10-piece New Orleans-style jazz band, Lizzy and the Triggermen — made up of a dream team who’s played with everyone from Cab Calloway to Wynton Marsalis to Woody Allen — and helmed by the vocal stylings of Elizabeth Shapiro. Add in guest vocals from some of our favorite music and film friends, along with world class tap-dancing and champion swing dancers, and it makes for an exhilarating night that’ll have you up on your feet with your jaw hanging down.

Wednesday, October 28th @ 8pm

432 N. Fairfax, LA 90036

Come. Dance. Get Naughty. Help us raise the spirits of the dead, debauched and dreadfully behaved….

RSVP ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR ENTRY

skinandbonesnight@gmail.com

Arrival before 8pm strongly recommended. Reserve tables in advance.

Last week was a wild one in Austin, as it tends to be during SXSW. This month’s mix includes some discoveries from the festival, like the Malian desert blues troupe Songhoy Blues, who had to flee their homes due to militant extremists’ ban on music (I guess proving that the world did need a “Footloose” remake after all).

Songhoy’s debut LP was produced by the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Nick Zinner, who also guests on a few tracks. If you want to hear more about the unlikely odyssey of SB and their fellow musicians in exile, check out the trailer for the doc “They Will Have to Kill Us First” at bottom, which also premiered at the festival.

The playlist also features some great hip-hop from Ghostface Killah (continuing his run of live-band-backed albums); beautiful acoustic tunes from Andy Shauf, Iron & Wine, and the always engaging Jose Gonzales; plus plenty of indie rock, and some seriously heavy sludge from Torche.

BONUS:

Our latest Superbowl ad has been getting a lot of love on the interwebs. We’d like to think that it has something to do with our music and sound, but credit must also be given to BSSP for crafting another great spot in their long-running campaign for Priceline, featuring the hilariously self-aware William Shatner as The Negotiator.

Check out the write ups in Adweek, Sports Illustrated, CNN, and of course, Trek Today (as if you didn’t already have that as your browser homepage).

Or you can watch it in SoDef Hifi right here:

Priceline “Know A Guy”

ORIGINAL MUSIC & SOUND DESIGN: WOOFER

Agency: Butler Shine Stern & Partners

Director: Peter Martin

Edit: Cleaver Edit

Really liking the new solo record from Yeasayer’s Sinkane. On singles like “How We Be” his falsetto recalls a 21st century Curtis Mayfield. Should make for a good show at The Echo next Tuesday.

Other notables in this month’s mix are tracks from the Preatures long-awaited LP (produced by Spoon’s Jim Eno), Karen O’s heartfelt acoustic affair, rollicking baritone blues from Sean Rowe (like the lovechild of Tom Waits and Morphine’s Mark Sandman), and a rare pro-government rap from Homeboy Sandman. Of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

BONUS:

The artwork above is by French artist Thierry Noir, the 1st graffiti artist to paint the Berlin Wall 30 years ago. I had the pleasure of DJ’ing a party at Caviar last weekend in honor of Thierry’s LA exhibition, which is going on now through Nov. 9 at the Howard Griffin Gallery.

Thirty years ago French street artist Thierry Noir became the first man to paint the Berlin Wall. While at the time he risked being shot by border guards, or even criticized as a sympathizer with the occupation, his work is now cherished as a symbol of Berlin’s triumph of self-expression over oppression.

Twenty five years after the fall of the wall, I’m honored to be DJ’ing an exhibit of his work this Friday in Hollywood. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to meet the man himself and maybe even make him dance a bit. ; )

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Photo courtesy of Eric Koretz, aka The Imagehunter 

It was really hard only picking 1 song to include off the debut album from UK R&B act Jungle. This month’s mix also features music from young artists Alvvays, Majid Jordan, Jonah Tolchin, and Honeyblood, side projects Bleachers (Fun.), Puss ‘n Boots (Norah Jones), and strong returns from Jenny Lewis, La Roux, and Raveonettes.

BONUS:
As a little kid I remember sneaking into the theater to see Prince’s R-Rated “Purple Rain,” a cultural phenomenon whose soundtrack went on to sell 20 million records and an Academy Award. The Artist stars in a story loosely based on his early life and career (akin to Eminem’s portrayal in “8 Mile”). Celebrate it’s 30th Anniversary with an outdoor screening at the Autry in Griffith Park. Tix are $10 (no need to sneak in).

Awhile back we batted about ideas with Omeed Boghraty at the Esquire Network about shaking up the live music session format. We’re happy to finally share the link for the first (of what will hopefully be many) Elevator Music sessions, featuring indie duo Little Hurricanes.

Who knows who’ll be next on board? Hint: it won’t be Polyphonic Spree.

2013 was a great year of growth for Woofer, which is why it’s so rewarding to start off the new year with the Gatorade ad we worked on airing during tonight’s College Football (BCS) Championship Game. The spot shows all the hard, dirty work that must be put in behind the scenes, far from the bright lights and adoring fans, in order to achieve success. We were thrilled when TBWA\Chiat\Day asked us to find the right song for it.

In addition to having thematically spot-on lyrics, we also knew that the song had to reflect the natural, minimal, yet still rousing music that’s been the hallmark of Gatorade’s recent run of commercials (“Lightning Bolt,””Evolve,” etc.). Once we came across the U.S. Army Airborne Rangers cadence “Hard Work,” we knew we’d found the perfect piece. Recorded live in the field, the track has a grit and earnestness that was exactly what we were looking for.

Enjoy!

Gatorade “Hard Work”

Directed by: Josh & Xander
Edit: Rock Paper Scissors
Music Supervision: Woofer Music & Sound

Wednesday we were treated to another amazing concert at 72andSunny’s new outdoor space across from their offices in Playa Vista. The striking bandshell provided a unique backdrop as LA indie-band-done-good Local Natives played a stripped down set to an admiring crowd of advertising and music industry peeps. Of course, the free beer, setting sun, food trucks, cozy grass slope, and arguably LA’s best weather in weeks didn’t hurt the mood, either. Not to take away from the performance — the group nailed their 3-part vocal harmonies and kept their acoustic arrangements lively, driven by the combined percussion of lead singer Kelcey Ayer and drummer Matt Frazier.

All in all it was a relaxing, enjoyable evening that almost made it seem like it was still mid-summer and not in fact Hump Day a week past Labor Day. So far it’s been 2 for 2 for outdoor parties at 72andSunny’s new digs at the renovated Howard Hughes campus. Looking forward to keeping the streak alive at the next event.

Photos courtesy of Jesse Peyronel.