Denton's NX35 music festival is now less than two weeks away, and you know what that means: time for the annual deluge of "this is the year NX35 beats SXSW" articles. Don't look to me for one, though ... at least, until I see F***ed Up play a free midnight bridge show at NX35. The whole Denton vs. Austin argument is utterly played out and pointless. Trying to equate the two cities makes about as much sense as paying for SXSW. No, Denton isn't Austin. It never will be. Actually, Denton's an entirely different town with a music scene and identity of its own. Imagine that. Just reminds me of bands that associate 'authenticity' with a specific look or sound, when the 'realist' thing they could do is just be themselves. In celebration of Denton being Denton, this week's Dead Beat focuses on two Denton bands playing showcases at NX35.



Final Club
Showcase: Friday March 12 at Hailey's with Woven Bones (Austin), Pure Ecstasy (Austin), and Fergus & Geronimo


New release: Hot Gaze EP


Final Club's members have only been together for a few months, having only played a handful of shows. But the group's recently released debut, Hot Gaze EP, positions the crew near the top of Denton's guitar-rock heap. And apparently, people are already taking notice. The band played to a sold-out house when it opened the Meme Gallery a few weeks ago. The basic formula is currently well-worn territory: Jesus and Mary Chain muddy, lo-fi production, distant, shout-from-the-back-of-the-stage vocals, and bright, reverb-heavy riffs. But where most bands using these elements ride the current beach-vibe, 's**t gaze' trend and tend towards one-dimensional novelty, Final Club have found their own shimmering wave.


The tunes on Hot Gaze are basement-rockers built to sound big anywhere. The mono-quality production lends itself well to Final Club's skillfully layered guitar textures and psychedelic, college-stoner ethos. Songs like "Runaway Bay" exhale the muddled confusion of young adulthood, interspersed with moments of clarity. The guitars are slinky and spry, going for broke with every riff. Especially during the band's enthralling, starry-eyed finales, every note lingers in the air, basking in the smoke as it floats skyward, pausing just long enough to take everything in. But the band also knows restraint, pulling back just as often to reveal a single melody or section. When the tremendous rock-outs hit, admittedly, I have a hard time not screaming, cheering them on.


Local audiophiles Weekly Tape Deck recently posted the EP for free download on its blog, check it out here.

The Timeline Post
Showcase: Thursday March 11, Gutterth Showcase at Andy's: The Timeline Post, History At Our Disposal, Nervous Curtains (Dallas), New Science Projects, The Great Tyrant
New release: Slow Descent (The Timeline Post also plays tonight at Hailey's.)

It's not often a band's press release is worth regurgitating when writing about the band's music. However, this is a special case. Meet the Timeline Post.


Excerpts of press release via Gutterth Records:
"When truth is buried by greed and when trust has been overdrawn, what can be done? The Timeline Post does not have an answer. Instead, the band provides a bookmark in time where future listeners can hopefully look back and see how far they have come."


Now, I'm not here to discuss the finer points of writing press releases (I already spent two years doing that at SMU). However, stating an album essentially has nothing to say, other than standing as a document of current cultural woes, might not be the best marketing strategy. On another note, though -- timely!


If the press release doesn't make much of a case for why you should listen to the Timeline Post, the fault doesn't lie with the band. However, when the band's own album can't hold your attention, well ...


The production is solid. The playing is competent. But everything just feels soulless and stale. The guitars, vocals, the rhythm section -- everything feels bled dry of personality or conviction. Virtually all the songs are in standard 4x4 time, most often coming off like extended jam sessions, almost always heading in the most expected direction and only occasionally veering into adventurous territory. The structures are, for the most part, standard hard rock fare, and easily cascade into clichéd, sing-songy melodies. Much of the record sounds like the Christian '90s alternative and rock of Tooth and Nail Records and similar acts ("Kill The Girl" seems to echo Pedro The Lion's Control).


The band is a decent enough hard rock group. But the weaknesses of Slow Descent have nothing to do with talent, and everything to do with a lack of tact or ambition. Tracks like "Devil's Alamo", "Caldera" and "Wild" have some inspired moments, but overall, the band just sounds bored. Documenting the apocalypse should be much more exciting than this. Unless you're still jamming Anberlin regularly, re-think your Thursday.

I attended the third annual Pin Show, where designers from Dallas and beyond (some were from Austin and Houston; one traveled from Atlanta) put their best garments on display. As a whole, the show at Union Station was smoother and progressed more seamlessly than last year's event -- though, who knows, maybe I felt better about it because this year I had a prime seat right near the runway.

Nope, it wasn't just about having prime real estate apart from the hundreds of other guests. This year, the designers also shined brighter overall. From Sharrari Couture's edgy swimsuits to the Meline Collection's sumptuous, flowy knits and Indigo 1745's modern kilts for men (check one out above), a good number of original, eye-catching designs came down the runway. Interestingly, some of my favorite looks came from the student designers! Remember the name Jonathan Aparicio -- that UNT student is going places. He sent a floaty jacket across the runway that had this coat-aholic drooling.

Another memorable moment was when designer Carmen Campos' creations hit the stage. A line of real-world-sized models (a.k.a. plus-sized models in the fashion universe) came walking, no, strutting out onto the runway, to the audience's positive hoots and applause. Fierceness!

But kudos go to all the artists who presented, and to Pin Show founders/producers Rachel Nichelson and Julie McCullough Kim for leading a more streamlined effort this year. I expect their labor of love should get better and better with age.

Our thoughts are with the friends, bandmates and family members of Tommy Atkins. The bassist for Fort Worth band the Great Tyrant was reportedly found dead in his home earlier today. Not a lot of details are available now, but friends of the musician are already planning a memorial/benefit concert. We'll be sure to let you know when we find out more.

If you've yet to experience the irreverent and racy humor of Archer, do yourself a favor and check out the cartoon for adults tonight. A four-episode marathon starts at 9 p.m. on FX.

The premise: ISIS is a group of spies, led by boozy matriarch Malory Archer (voiced by Jessica Walter of Arrested Development), son Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin) and siren Lana Kane (Aisha Tyler), along with bumbling support by Cyril (Chris Parnell of Saturday Night Live fame), super-sexy-and-weird Cheryl (Judy Greer) and the slightly more sane Pam (Amber Nash).

Why it's funny: The voicework is terrific, especially Benjamin's droll monotone. It's packed with bizarre, laugh-out-loud scenes (like the episode titled "Diversity Hire," in which Archer gets into a nude fight with another spy in the men's locker room). And the show uses expletives that network TV doesn't. No f-bombs, but just about everything else.

Calls to mind: The brilliance and madness of Adult Swim's quirkiest programming on Cartoon Network (Space Ghost, Sealab 2021, The Venture Bros.).

See for yourself: The clip below doesn't quite do the show justice. But it does collect scenes featuring Archer's go-to line when dealing with ex-lover Lana. Let's just say he's a Kenny Loggins fan.

Were you captured by our cameras at State & Allen Lounge this past weekend? Click on the picture to see Quick's Club Cam gallery. And check back next Thursday for a new slideshow.

Check out We've Never Met by David Hopkins and Chad Thomas in this week's Quick, out today. And then look for it every other week!

Click on the image above to see the larger version.

The Grapevine-born act currently sits at No. 1 on iTunes' album chart after the release yesterday of latest album Of Men and Angels (on Island/Def Jam). The Rocket Summer is fronted by 27-year-old Bryce Avary, who started the project about a decade ago, originally playing all the instruments himself. I talked to Bryce for a story in this week's Quick. Stay tuned for that to be posted later today on the site (UPDATE: Click it hard). But in the meantime, give Of Men and Angels a "spin" below. You'll understand why the album's No. 1 on iTunes and why it's been rated more than 500 times by listeners -- It's full of soaring, melodic power-pop that's custom made for radio. Avary and Rocket Summer play a big hometown show on Friday at the Granada. My guess is that you should try to get those tickets as soon as possible, if the show's not already sold out.

Just signed in to e-mail and saw a note from Dallas rap duo Damaged Good$: Their new mixtape Spread Love Not Germs is up and ready for downloadin'! If this all sounds familiar to you, you may remember that the guys released a few tracks from this to coincide with charity events they held around town. Overall, a good-hearted and creative project for a local act. And of course, the guys encourage you to make some sort of Haiti donation before or after downloading the full mix.


Add this download to new releases from Grapevine-act-done-good The Rocket Summer and Sean Kirkpatrick's band, Nervous Curtains, and it's pretty much Super Tuesday around these parts. More on the latter two albums coming in this week's Quick. Stay tuned.

Johnny Cash croons from beyond the hereafter, Matt Damon blows a whistle beneath a sweet, sweet 'stache, and a heavy rain falls for PlayStation 3 owners. Here are your new releases for Tuesday, Feb. 23.

MUSIC

American VI: Ain't No Grave -- Johnny Cash: They don't come more aptly titled than this. Rap and metal impresario Rick Rubin's American Recordings label releases a seventh album of Cash material, making this the Man in Black's third release since death -- fourth if you count a "lost" live album released in 2007. And you thought Tupac was posthumously prolific.

The Architect -- Rob Swift: The veteran turntable virtuoso continues to refine the definition of stereo equipment as instrument, mixing classical music, smoky jazz samples and hip-hop grooves with equally mixed results.

This Addiction -- Alkaline Trio: The punk outfit's seventh studio album offers more of the same efficient power chord riffage fans have come to expect and enjoy. Look for this Epitaph Records release on sale at Target through the end of the week. Wait, what? I'm old.

American Gong -- Quasi: With the addition of bassist Joanna Bolme, Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss turn their Portland-based indie-rock power duo into a trio and churn out a collection of well-crafted songs dusted with dirty distortion and more hooks than a tackle box.

DVD

The Informant: Matt Damon pudges it up and delivers a perfect performance as real-life FBI informant Mark Whitacre. Added bonus: Comedy nerds can make a drinking game out of watching the movie, taking a shot every time they see a standup comic in a supporting role (Allan Havey, Tom Papa, Joel McHale, Paul F. Tompkins, Patton Oswalt).

The Box: Writer/director Richard Kelly continues his decline from artful auteur (Donnie Darko) to arbiter of the awful (Southland Tales). Cameron Diaz in a psycho-drama chiller? I'd rather watch Bruce Willis' daughter co-star in a slasher flick about snotty college girls trying to cover up the accidental murder of their sorority sister.

Sorority Row: Bruce Willis' daughter co-stars in a slasher flick about snotty college girls trying to cover up the accidental murder of their sorority sister.

Cirque de Freak: The Vampire's Assistant: Finally, a film so terrible even the always-awesome John C. Reilly can't save it.

Everybody's Fine: No, they're not. Who told Robert De Niro to stop playing badasses? Because I owe that person a smack in the mouth.

VIDEO GAMES

Heavy Rain (PS3): Game designer David Cage, the man behind 2004's mixed review-riddled Indigo Prophecy, returns with another psychological thriller. This time around, his game is garnering heavy praise from critics for its cinematic storyline and innovative control scheme.

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing with Banjo Kazooie (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, and Nintendo DS): Essentially, SEGA's cross-platform answer to Mario Kart with different characters, equally ridiculous vehicles and fewer mushrooms.

Napoleon: Total War (PC): Step into the tiny French tyrant's infamous equestrian boots, engage in online multiplayer campaigns, and execute tactical battles in this real-time strategy game.

Did you know Feb. 22 is National Margarita Day? Well, now that you're armed with that knowledge, go out and make use of it! This is Texas, so there's any number of places you can sip on the citrus cocktail.

Some of my faves include Gloria's, which serves one of the only two frozen margaritas I love. And tonight, they're happy hour-priced all night: $3 for house margs and $5 for mango and strawberry varieties. Yum!

The other frozen version that I love is at LaGrange, in Deep Ellum. Theirs may be a bit too sweet for some, but I found the hit of agave nectar to be perfect.

Finally, if you want to really go all out and celebrate Marg Day, turn it into a feast. Trece, the lounge-like, upscale Mexican eatery near Travis Walk, offers a free two-course dinner on Mondays. That frees up your money to spend on drinks like the berry-and-Red Bull-flavored Roz-a-rita. Cheers!

Local faves The O's (above) are hitting the stage in the next hour as part of the Libertine's Benefit for Haiti. The bar's providing good music, cheap drinks, delish eats AND helping a great cause -- what's not to like about this event? Fine, then get out there ...

Saturday night, Sons of Hermann Hall will host The Smoke, a local mod, garage, reggae, soul, free-for-all dance-a-thon that's been building a reputation and reverence amongst groove thang-shakers at various venues around town for the last seven years.

We hit up Smoke co-founder Marcos Prado to discuss the rise of Dallas' longest running mod night, what's in store for the event's future, and what it takes to successfully spin records that are twice as old as most of the people on the dance floor.

When did The Smoke start and who was involved?

The night started in June of 2003, at the Cavern. When it comes to who was involved it depends on who you ask. Originally, it was Jason Harris, Jason Meyer, Ryan Sumner, Steve Nut, and myself. Both Jasons took over the night early on its infancy. Meyer, left due to a work conflict, and that's around the time the night really settled into Avenue Arts. After Meyer it was just Harris DJing. That went on for a couple years until he started letting Jonathan Maslyk and I spin. It wasn't until a couple years ago that I took over the night.

What was the initial inspiration?

We all wanted a night where we could hear music embraced by the mod subculture. There had been some mod nights before The Smoke, but nothing that really took off. It just seemed logical.

Where did you come up with the name?

From what I understand, [the Smoke] was the nickname of "happening 1960s London".

What have been some of the more memorable Smoke events?

Our first night, Bobby Patterson stopped by and sang a tune for the crowd. Unfortunately, I missed it, but I heard it was amazing. He's Bobby Patterson, how couldn't it have been great?

Also, one New Years Eve, I believe it was 2006-7, at Avenue Arts we had a large crowd come out. People came from DC, San Antonio, Austin and Oklahoma, just for our night. The dancing was so intense, and the crowd so sweaty, that condensation started dripping from the ceiling! Nasty, yes. Awesome, double yes!

When did you start becoming interested in this era of music?

I can remember being 10 years old, sitting in the back of my mother's car refusing to get out to look around at the garage sales she'd stop at. She'd leave the radio on for me, which was usually set to KLUV. That definitely started the foundation. It wasn't until after high school that I really started branching out into different music genres. Music is a giant puzzle where everything is tied together. Once you start digging into it, you find other branches of influence, which lead to other branches. It's so dynamic.

And when did that evolve into a record collection?

I had some reggae and mod revival vinyl when I was at UNT, but it wasn't until I met Jason Meyer that I got heavier into soul. Luckily, he wanted to make more room in his apartment, so he ended up selling me his record collection. It took me a while to go through, but eventually it led me towards acquiring more vinyl goodies and buying people's record collection when I got the chance.

What's they key to putting together a tight set?

Wow, I get to be a DJ coach here. Can I say puppies? That's probably not the right answer, but they are pretty cute. What's funny is this question comes up quite often when you get deejays together. The technical term is "dorkfest." For me, the most important thing to remember is that it's not about you (the DJ); it's about the people on the dance floor. Keeping them happy, without straying from the night's theme is where you'll have success. I really don't plan out my sets too much. I have a couple boxes of 45s I play out of. They're all great records *wink*, but even if I'm dying to hear a new record I picked up, it won't be played unless it's going to fit in with the way the crowd is dancing. I guess it all boils down to reading people and not playing for yourself.

I love obscurities, but people tend to want to dance to what they already know. That means you need to learn how to trick them. Instead of playing Los Bravos' "Black is Black," play Big Maybelle's cover. One eye in the record box, one on the floor, one ear on the tempos, and the other on your levels. Just maybe you'll get to some dancing and hear applause.

What should newcomers expect from The Smoke?

A good time I hope. It's all about having fun, dancing, dressing up (optional), and making friends. There are some great people that come out. I know that mod scenes can be somewhat elitist, but most of our regulars are really friendly. They're always trying to get newcomers out on the floor to dance.

Expect great music. Stuff you're not going to hear any where else. Though it's mostly a 60s Mod theme night we also play tunes from other periods. The music genres we mostly play are Rare Soul, Motown, Garage, Freak Beat, Reggae and early RnB.

More importantly, what should Smoke attendees wear?

It's great if people dress the part in an A-line dress, or slim fit tonic suits, but seriously come dressed to dance. Again, it's all about having fun. Personally, I'll start off wearing a suit, but come time to dance I like to change into my action trousers maybe some knitwear or a Fred Perry. It's just a sixties look for the most part, but we'll take you as you are.

Any surprises in store for Saturday's installment of the Smoke?

There's a chance of Scotty Celsur coming out to check out the night. He was in a 60s garage band from Dallas called Jimmy C. & the Chelsea Five. I'm going to play their 45 on Saturday. It was never released, and it hasn't been heard much of for some 40 years! I'm excited!

For a while Avenue Arts regularly hosted The Smoke. What was behind the move to Sons of Hermann Hall?

We all loved Avenue Arts and Eddie Ruiz for having us there those years, but sometimes you just have to move on. Eddie wanted to do more art gallery events instead of dance nights, because that's where his heart is. One great thing about Avenues Arts was when we'd go until 4 a.m. the crowd was so deliriously tired, but the dance floor was still going strong. At Sons of Hermann Hall we go till 2 a.m. and that's late enough for me these days.

What are some of the pros and cons to holding the Smoke at Sons of Hermann Hall?

I can't think of too many cons. I just love the place. The manager Jo Nicodemus is an amazing lady and she's great to work with. Plus, the dance floor in the place is perfect for what we do. Wood doesn't hurt the knee as much when you're doing splits and back drops on it, and believe me, we have dancers that get down like that.

What's coming up?

Glad you asked. So far we have [booked] February 20th, March 13th, April 17, May 21st and June 26th (our Seven Year Anniversary!). Oh, and we're suppose to do something with the upcoming Rockers vs. Mods scooter rally that's happening.

What's been the key to sustaining The Smoke after all these years?

I'm just amazed that this night has gone on for so long. Seven years in June. It's the longest going Mod/60s dance night in Dallas' history. It's all due to the great people that come out to dance and the great friends who help make the night possible. I'm fortunate to be a part of it.

DETAILS:
The Dallas Smoke! February Dance
Saturday from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Sons of Hermann Hall, 3414 Elm Street
214-747-4422
The Smoke on Facebook
Email: thedallassmoke@gmail.com
$5
All ages

Well, the NX35 blog is nothing if not communicative. Seems like we get near-daily updates with bands added to the bill and news on Denton acts. Today's entry (not counting an announcement that DJ Momjeans a.k.a. Danny Masterson has been added to the bill) pertains the flagship performance of this year's fest, the Midlake/Flaming Lips outdoor gig on March 13. It's been moved from just off the Square to the North Texas Fairgrounds. Crowd control and other matters are made much easier in that space, one would think. Read the NX35 entry for more details. And keep checking that site this afternoon for an updated, full schedule. It's never too early to draw up your plan of attack.

Were you captured by our cameras at Palladium Ballroom and the Boardroom during NBA All-Star Weekend? Click on the picture to see Quick's Club Cam gallery. And check back next Thursday for a new slideshow.

Check out Quick Listoons, a comic feature by Stacy Austin Sheffield and Cal Slayton in this week's issue. It alternates with the "We've Never Met" comic strip, so watch for it every other week!


Click on the image above to see the larger version.

Hunter passes along some cool news here. Local darling Sarah Jaffe will open for the formerly local Norah Jones in March, and will release her new album in May. Here's the press release:

Sarah Jaffe Announces US Tour Dates Supporting Norah Jones; Debut Full-Length - Suburban Nature - out May 18th, 2010 on Kirtland Records

New York, NY - Sarah Jaffe is thrilled to announce a string of US tour dates supporting Norah Jones this March! This amazing opportunity came about after Norah Jones crossed paths with Sarah in Switzerland while she was opening up for Midlake and reached out to her about coming on the road for some Stateside dates in March.

These US dates come on the heels of a sold out UK and European tour with Midlake and will lead up to Sarah's performances at this year's NX35 March 11-14 in Denton joining The Flaming Lips, Midlake, Health, and Neon Indian, among others and at this year's annual SXSW festival in Austin, TX. In addition, the live shows will give fans and critics alike a little preview of what's to come as Sarah Jaffe prepares to release her debut full-length album Suburban Nature on Kirtland Records this coming May 18th, 2010.



Produced by John Congleton (Polyphonic Spree, Explosions in the Sky), the new album showcases what an incredible talent this 23 year-old singer/songwriter from Denton, TX is. On February 2nd, the label released the first song from the new album - "Vulnerable" as a digital single along with a remix by Working for a Nuclear Free City of "Two Intangibles Can't Be Had" (a song from her debut EP) and on March 16th another new song from Suburban Nature will be released digitally - "Stay With Me" along with "Face" (a non-album and previously unreleased song).

Sarah has been turning heads with her memorable live performances over the past couple of years. So catch her live now and be sure to check out her debut album - Suburban Nature - in May. For the most up-to-date tour information please go to www.myspace.com/sjaffe or www.sarahjaffe.com and look for her debut album Suburban Nature on Kirtland Records May 18th, 2010.



March Dates w/ Norah Jones:


March 5 - Tulsa, OK - Brady Theatre
March 6 - Kansas City, MO - Midland
March 7 - Omaha, NE - Orpheum
March 9 - Des Moines, IA - Civic Centre

May Tour Dates:

May 4 - Dallas, TX - Music Hall at Fair Park
May 5 - Houston, TX - Verizon Wireless Theater

For the most up-to-date tour information please go to www.myspace.com/sjaffe or www.sarahjaffe.com and look for her debut album Suburban Nature on Kirtland Records in May 2010.

Photo by Jason Janik

Hmmm, there's a tambourine, an orange slice, sake and kimchi all in one photo -- where on Earth would all these things come together?! Why, Sushi World, that's where.

The Korean-managed (that's where the kimchi comes in) restaurant near West End specializes in sushi, and on this recent evening, the generous owners rolled out quite the spread for me to try: miso soup, four kinds of rolls, a boatload of tempura shrimp and veggies, dumplings and dessert. Whew! It was all pretty delish, and I'm really picky about my sushi. So I kept to the "safer" options, with cooked components, and avoided the raw sashimi and nigiri.

The congenial elderly manager at Sushi World has quite the storied, lauded history. He's earned kudos and certificates of honor from the U.S. Congress and the Korean Marines ... and he wasn't afraid to show them to me. At my table. At length. A tad overkill-y, but it was cute.

One of the fun features of the bar is the karaoke dining room. Yes, you'll have to try not to giggle through the melodramatic movie scenes that play on the flat-screen while you sing, but it's part of the kitschy charm of the place. Oh, and did I mention it's open 24 hours?!

I saw it in a tweet last week and now it's official: MTV will use some songs by local duo the O's in its reality show 16 and Pregnant. From an Idol Records press release:

"The season 2 premiere of MTV's Hit show 16 and Pregnant debuts tonight at 9:00 PM Central on MTV and will feature 3 songs from The O's debut Idol release We Are The O's in it, including 'You've Got Your Heart', 'Don't Waste Your Day'; & 'One Way Ticket'. MTV will also ID the songs in the episode."

MTV's used a lot of local bands' music in its shows, but never have I seen a pairing of music and subject this strange. I think I'll have to DVR that ish. Although, the show would be a lot better if Taylor Young and John Pedigo were brought on to offer the teens advice.

In a recent post on this blog, I enthused about the renovation of the old Purgatory into Bacy's. And while the building's transformation is impressive, after visiting during All-Star Weekend, I realized that several things I was told to expect of the lounge hadn't yet come to fruition.

For example, as I understood it, Bacy's was to have live music and jazz and big-band tunes, but as of this past weekend, the music pumping through the speakers was more of the rump-shaking than toe-tapping variety. Which is fine -- several of the DJs were fabulous! But I was also told to expect a more mature and mellow crowd than that which had been frequenting Purgatory. But this past weekend, I saw a lot of what appeared to be the same old rowdy crowd that used to line up around the building every weekend last year.

Having said all that, I have to add that Bacy's is merely a week or two old -- that combined with the flood of out-of-towners for All-Star Weekend mean that I can't really draw conclusions yet about what Bacy's will be like in, say, two months. No one can. It's early, and the amenities and events I listed before could very well still happen. But I would give the club a chance to find its groove and hopefully reach the success the new owners want it to.

Saturday night turned out to be a one-venue proposition. Angels center fielder Torii Hunter, who lives in DFW in the off-season, hosted a party at Eddie Deen's Ranch, just south of downtown. I hung out in a Macallan-sponsored VIP area, where finger foods and drinks flowed freely (hello, lemon drop!). Obviously, it was hard to leave this event. And with the ranch done up like an ultralounge with dance music thumping and sleek, comfy sofas to sink into, it made planting oneself for a few hours the best course of action. Alas, there weren't any celeb sightings here.

On Sunday night, it was back to Bacy's (above) for an Allen Iverson/Birdman bash, but the celebs didn't show up until the after-party they were hosting.

Over in Uptown, Common took the stage at ghostbar for a set that dabbled in his older and newer hits. A nightlife scout who was there reports that the show was fantastic and not at all crowded -- she was so close to the stage that Common high-fived her. Sweet! Also in attendance at the 944 magazine-hosted affair were Floetry alumna Marsha Ambrosius and Doug E. Fresh.

If the traffic was any indication, most folks stayed in Sunday night after the All-Star game they, like me, were probably all partied out ... up next: Super Bowl weekend party madness. Stay tuned ...