I’m on my regular pilgrimage to Berlin at the moment; sucking in the sounds and sights of this city which is still brewing with a fresh energy that is rare in metro’s of the common world. I come through as you may know to cover the BBB show with our Berlin staff as  well as to hear as much new emerging electronic music as I can handle. Unfortunately, this trip has been slightly short on the music, but I’ll make it up in a few months.

Here’s a few looks from the BBB show, Berlin, and our quick jaunt into Paris.

Last day of BBB in the HS/SL/ASV workspace. Simon from PIG Mag, and Katdizzy from Nike also in the space.

The boss.

These New Puritans working the adidas Star Wars launch. The band did what they do best. Great sound. Check out their latest EP.

On a no sleep diet, David, Phil, Levi, and myself flew into Paris on Saturday, just in time for the Ann Demeulemeester Men’s Autumn/Winter 2010 runway show.

About the only photo I got off with some clarity. I need to learn SERVO mode on the cam.

The gates of (capsule) Paris. A great show. BPMW is on a roll at the moment…

Ok, now check out this queue. You would assume it would be for a shop, gallery…

Naw, it was for this fallafel shop. A queue for fallafel is serious. We got in quickly and I have to admit, was pretty on point.

The offices of Black Rainbow (BKRW) in Paris. Impressed with the space.

Greg BKRW.

Selectism’s London head, Jason manning the laptop. Always serious with him.

Phil G. pointing out that if he wasnt in Paris he would be home sleeping.

Excusez-moi, our flight to Berlin is boarding…

A few more days here and it’s off to NYC for the UNSOUND Festival. This will be serious.

This is coming two days late but my 2009 roundup mix is finally online. 12 tracks that I overplayed in 2009. You’ll probably hate most of them, but I still love you. Some nice bangers on this one.

Be sure to load it into iTunes which gives you the ability to chapter through every track and avoid my commentary if you want.

You can see the Chapters drop down in the Finder Bar of iTunes when playing this file.

Download “Random 12 from 2009.” (zshare)

Here’s some first looks at my custom handmade bicycle frame as built and designed by Ian Sutton of Icarus Frames in Somerville, MA. He’s part of the Olive Square / Fringe Movement crew. I am beyond impressed. This is Ian’s 11th build under the Icarus Frames name. The paint work is a light seafoam (base) with a red opalescent pearl coating.

More to come.

One of the better set of sunglasses i have been testing since coming back from Japan is the Oakley Jawbone. Coming in at just around 250$US depending on where you look, the Jawbone is a cycling lens that has a couple very interesting things going for it. The biggest for me is the Switchlock which allows you to swap in different lenes without having to press fit them, like my old Rudy Project’s functioned (which treated me incredibly well).

The Switchlock just allows you to handle the lens without much touch to the optical sides. It’s an edge fit. Less touch means less cleaning to me.

The priority of the aerodynamic characteristic of cycling shades has prohibited their design in the past. They all look too slick in my opinion. The Jawbone’s design works on that a bit by fattening components without looking like you’re about to go off and battle Skynet. I have to thank them for that.

Now, with the winter approaching, I’ll give the Jawbones a real test in the New England Winter. I’ll let you know how it goes.

The only video I took at Inazuma Festival in Tokyo this past weekend.

I met Stebs a while back through a variety of friends who kept mentioning his love for BMX, bikes, and video. I got to know Stebs a bit from working with him in the studio at Fringe, but I do not think I really understood how much he really cared about his craft or BMX in general until I watch his latest video.

He filmed it solo. He rode it solo. You can learn a great deal about someone who takes the initiative to try things their way. I love this film. More from Fringe soon…

I’ve always been a fan of newsprint periodicals and this week I received two.

NEWWWORK #4 is a stunning presentation. As I mentioned on Selectism, it reminds me of opening the Sunday NYT in terms of size. Inside of a thick stock cover are sub sections of the issue which open into big broadsheet newsprint.

FILE Magazine is a London based magazine that is really a supplement to the DVD which is delivered with each issue. A solid mix of content, video presentation, with Brigitte Bardot on the cover.

Kistune in Paris sent over a copy of their latest mix comp along with NY based ME Magazine #17 which they guest curated. Three of my favorites in the French house sound are self-interviewed including DJ Falcon and Daft Punk’s Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter.

I love magazines.

This trip to Las Vegas is easily the first I have enjoyed in some time. With our focus on the apparel industry and giving our reader looks into forthcoming fashions at lightning speed, Vegas has always been a bit of tensile city  - blogging and getting the story (with images) online in a timely manner puts a strain on the scene.

But being in Vegas for INTERBIKE has been a completely different experience. For one thing, I enjoy the pool for more than 30 minutes and second, I learned a great deal about the cycling industry – new people, new faces, new products – all without the concern getting my story in on time.

Yet, here I sit in the Bellagio typing up a quick look at a solid evening last night with BMX rider, Nigel Sylvester.

Coinciding with INTERBIKE, Gatorade and Nigel brought together myself, Maestro Knows, the gentleman from Defgrip, Frank151, and others to premiere a four episode document of Nigel’s “Because I Grind” BMX Demo Tour which took the Highsnob Columnist and other BMX’ers across Atlanta, Las Vegas, Miami, and Oceanside to do onsite demos which bring back the spirit of the classic demo tours of years past. On top of that, The Alchemist, got involved in scoring an exclusive soundtrack for the show.

Seeing as the  ”Because I Grind” show drops October 12th, I do not want to give away too much. Just expect some good stuff for your viewing pleasure. We’ll be sure to link to it over on Highsnobiety soon.

Thanks to our hosts Amy, Lauren, Kenny, and Nigel for making it difficult to leave hungry from NOBU. Here’s some views from the evening.

Kenny and our host.

We ate a lot of this. Note yellowtail. I prefer it as sashimi but who am I to complain.

Defrgrip your face.

I dont know who this is.

“Two bags of ice, three chickens, and Kanye walk into a hotel…”

I put this photo up so you could admire the large bellied gentleman on the right acting like he hasn’t seen grown men hug. God bless.

I forgot to mention above that after NOBU we headed over to the House of Blues for the NORA Cup Awards – like the Grammies for BMX folk. Nigel escorts us in.

Seriously, BMX dudes rock hard. Louder and rowdier than any crew I have hung with in a while.

Kenny is awed while Maestro smiles with glee…

… as we rock out to a metal band. This is Vegas people.

Actually no, this is Vegas. Girls x Metal x Beer. I love it.

Later!

I’m back in Vegas and this time its all about cycling. INTERBIKE, the largest tradeshow for the cycling world is happening today through the end of the week. I’ll be reporting live from the show on HS, Selectism, and Twitter, so stick around for some good shit.

Tonight, we have a cyclocross race to attend. More on that shortly…

For the first time in a long time, I am heading to NYC without a laptop. It is pure leisure weekend in the Big Apple for me. I’m bringing a sack of clothes, a phone, and earplugs.

Music is possibly the most important thing in my life outside of my friends and family. I still get excited to hear new music and I tend to spend too much money on headphones.

And I am incredibly excited about this weekend.

As the stars align, NYC is being graced this weekend by some of the biggest names in the dubstep scene. The guys I hold close in Boston are very much on the same page as me about what may transpire over the course of two nights listening to the loudest, newest, and clearly, most banging sound on the planet today. I’ve been excited for a month in regards to this weekend.

I want to invite everyone in NYC reading this to join me for what will be two events like no other.

So this is how we’re starting it off…

Tonight (Fri): Mary Ann Hobbs and Pinch for Dubwar at LOVE Niteclub

This lovely woman helped elevate the genre through her radio show as well as a comp that pushed the sounds to the masses. In the USA, it’s getting there through the ability to download her BBC 1 programs via bootleg MP3s or direct from the BBC Radio 1 Player. I, like many, have spent hours listening to Ms. Hobbs drop the best new records out there.

Pinch as well with rip into the deep side of the dub. For the deeper side of the sound and is the night to hit for the dub purists.

On the other end of the spectrum is Saturday night at Le Poisson Rouge with Skream and Benga – easily the two biggest name DJing at the moment.

For me, it is a special treat to see them both together on the same stage. Below some select moments of madness from these gentleman. The have dropped some of the hardest in your face dubplates one could imagine. Hearing those tracks on downloaded MP3 mixes has been great but they clearly will not compare to hearing them in person on a massive PA. MP3’s simply cannot give you the sound of the big club. Both of these gents still roll with vinyl dubplates on top of their CDs. We want the vinyl. We hope to get it.

I should add that Saturday night is also part of Trouble & Bass 3 Year Anniversary, so congrats to them for making it this far. Well done. Keep pushing it.

I expect nothing but full on head bangers on Saturday night.

This is NYC. We are not fucking around. See you there.