It makes total sense to her, probably. Photo by Palika.

​Honestly, I'm not quite sure where to begin with last night's Paper magazine event at the Roseland Ballroom, featuring Rye Rye and Ke$ha -- before I get into how immeasurably pissed off I get about having to substitute the "s" in Ke$ha with a dollar sign, I figure I should begin with some positives.

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Unfortunately, this just isn't fun anymore. Pic by Sam Horine.

​It's Friday the 13th, and if you're as superstitious as we are here at SOTC, you'll stay away from the outside world altogether. Lucky for you, though, we've put together a pretty awesome rundown of dance parties to visit this weekend -- starting Saturday, of course. Today is also a great day to stay in and reflect on all the cool, super-exclusive shows you were too uncool to get into last night, like Kanye West's top-secret, top-hat-required show at the Box, Rihanna's sold-out "The Last Girl on Earth Tour" show at Madison Square Garden, or Jay-Z's stint at Nike's World Basketball Party at Radio City Music Hall, all proving that Thursday was a sad day to be a not-quite-cool-enough hip-hop fan.

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Nas/Damian Marley
East River State Park
Saturday, July 31

With the Manhattan skyline behind us and the sun setting on the first not-disgustingly-hot NYC day in ages, Nas and Damian Marley took the stage for an almost painfully picturesque show Saturday night at the Williamsburg Waterfront. Featuring just about every song from their recent Distant Relatives album, the refreshingly minimal set included zero groupies and, complimenting the full band, only one side performer, who feverishly waved the rasta flag throughout the entire show--apparently, this dude is an integral part of Marley's band. It was also really awesome to be at the first hip-hop show ever to start and end on time.

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Dustin Pittman

Spoon's Britt Daniel, back in '05

​Ten years ago, the Village Voice staged its first-ever Siren Music Festival. On Saturday, we're celebrating the anniversary by welcoming back some SOTC favorites like Matt & Kim and Ted Leo to the shadow of the Cyclone at Coney Island. As we gear up for the big day, we thought we'd take a look back at photographic evidence of the fest's past triumphs, from 2009 all the way back to 2001. See if you can pick yourself out in the crowd:

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De La Soul's Posdnuos, sweating it out. Photo by Palika.

​Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Saturday, July 10

Fully equipped with chicken skewers and beer, a DJ tent, live street-art exhibitions, custom-made jewelry, and graffiti-styled T-shirts and hats for sale, the 2010 Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival was a giant barbeque and flea market jumbled up into a Brooklyn-centric, old-school-hip-hop-celebrating rainy hot mess. And I mean that in the best way possible.

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Best Bar Mitzvah ever.

​The Hood Internet
Bell House
Friday, July 2

The scene at the Bell House Friday night could've easily been mistaken for a totally rad Bar Mitzvah: A dance floor filled with boys and girls not touching, but rather dancing in circles around each other (some were even shoeless) to songs like "Whoomp! (There It Is)" and Soulja Boy, a well-lit atmosphere with neon-blue party lights and lots and lots of punch. And by punch, I mean alcohol. That's just the sort of get-down-with-yourself-and-wile-out-like-you're-still-that-prepubescent-kid-who-doesn't-give-a-fuck-what-anyone-thinks-of-his-dancing vibe that the Hood Internet tends to provide.

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​Even though we eat and sleep local music over here at SOTC, after countless hours of perusing the blogosphere and sifting through mail, we just had to say it: What the fuck, New York? We're talking to you, Wakey! Wakey! That's why we decided to create the First Annual Worst Band Name in New York Award this week. Feel free to submit your friends.

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Possibly more people onstage than in the crowd here.

Joell Ortiz/Jay Electronica
Highline Ballroom
Tuesday, June 30

After basically booing both CyHi Da Prynce (who I--and I guess only I--actually like) and Big Krit off the stage, an extra hard NYC crowd made it clear that they weren't going to make it easy for any newcomers last night at the Highline Ballroom.

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The highlight of our week, for good or ill.

​ In case Lady Gaga's monstrous fame-monster antics weren't over-the-top enough, the bubble-dress-wearing, bloody-heart- ripping Gaga monster's out-of-this-planet-to-Jupiter-and-back diva status may have officially been cemented in stone this week. Well, sort of.

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