Camera whores.

My friend took some pics during the show.

I am here to share them with you.

And make dirty comments to your mother. Don't worry, she likes it.



Here's just some guys standing around. They're quite boring, I must say.



Doctor Kalgore is actually a real person. He lives in all our hearts.




I'm vain. So what.




Yoga soothes the soul. Or some shit like that...





This family is happy because they're rich. And they have a lot of things.


My friend only seemed to take pics when I was onstage. That's a shame. I would've liked a pic of dolphin sex.

Alright, now I must return to finishing up my final project.
Actions are a sonuvabitch.


Merry holidays everyone.

Drunk yourself stupid. You've earned it.

Top 20 Top 20 Lists List

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that 2005 is no more so that I may post my Top 20 Albums of 2005 LIST!!

This list is only the opinion of me, Sime, and does not reflect the opinion and tastes of Hammerkatz NYU.



20. Awesomer - Blood on the Wall
19. Gimme Fiction - Spoon
18. Veneer - Jose Gonzalez
17. Runner's Four - Deerhoof
16. Picaresque - Decemberists
15. S/T - LCD SOundsystem
14. God's Money - Gang Gang Dance
13. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
12. I Am a Bird Now- Antony & the Johnsons
11. Wind in the Wires - Patrick Wolf
10. Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs - Andrew Bird
9. Apologies to the Queen Mary - Wolf Parade
8. S/T - Broken Social Scene
6. I'm Wide Awake it's Morning/Digital Ash in a Digital Urn - Bright Eyes
5. S/T - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!
4. La Foret - Xiu Xiu
3. Come on Feel the Illinoise! - SUfjan Stevens
2. Feels - Animal Collective

1. Takk... - Sigur Ros
To go along with the top choice is a breath-taking video for Glosoli. You should check it out. It is utterly beautiful. So is the song, of course.


Yep. That's it!
If you don't agree...I don't really care. Again, it's just my opinion. I have all those albums and don't talk shit unless you've listened to them.

As the Romans say "Yo, Saturnalia" and see you in 2006!

Sime is a music addict.

Since DC is doing some music posts I think I'll folow in his freshly made footsteps and do a little post about music now.

First off, DC isn't kidding about Jose Gonzalez. That man is phenomenal. I bought his cd today, along with two others.

The other two cds I purchased at Other Music (where else?) were Recording a Tape the Colour of the Light by Bell Orchestre and Awesomer by Blood on the Wall.

Both albums are top notch. Bell Orchestre is a band that includes a couple or a few members of the Arcade Fire. How would I describe them? Well, it's instrumental "post rock". It's quite beautiful. They're serene at times, and cinematic, and joyful, and droney, and autumn. Very autumn.

Go here to experience what I'm babbling about.

Now, Blood on the Wall is a different experience. They're just an...awesome rock band
with a female singer, but she shares singing duties with the guitarist. They're from this wonderful city as well, so...I suggest you check 'em out.

Click here to download Reunite on Ice by Blood on the Wall.

Wicked.



Shit, my laundry has piled up to almost a place of no hope. I will pay someone a reasonable amount of money to do my laundry. I seriously have no time or energy for this shit.

I can't wait till I'm rich and I don't have to do this crap.
I'm sure by then there will be robot housekeepers.

Fuckin sweet...like the Jetsons and shit.






Ya know?

Gobble gobble!!

Happy Turkey day everyone! Or if you're not inclined to be carnivorous, Happy Tofurkey Day!


I'm thankful that the bird flu hasn't hit those turkeys, eh?

I'll be leaving for California soon. I'll send you some sunshine if you so please. There's plenty to go around.



Au revoir.

balderdash!

i have been found out!
ah, tis well. any british boys out there - i am well schooled in your ways. feel free to ask me out on dates.

i must say dc, though you give me a hard time about liking feelings and 'sex & the city' - you seem to care about feelings as well mr. "i rated all the seasons of the O.C. with 5 stars" - i trust you're learning new ways to woo those california girls. carry on my friend.

in other news... the fourth harry potter movie was amazing.. though they did leave out many things that i hold dear (ex: rita skeeter as a beetle) i still very much enjoyed it. british boys - check. feelings - check.

alsooooooo i saw "walk the line" and knowing very little about johnny cash beforehand thought it was a great flick - reese did a lovely job, much better than i expected, and mr. phoenix sure learned how to be on drugs for extended periods of time. british boys? no. feelings - check.

well i ought to get back to my paper that i'm putting off. it won't write itself.. if only i had a quick quotes quill...

Evidence!

See, my last entry was true, I wasn't bullshitting you:














Oh man....I'm sure I was around there at that time....damnit.


I gotta see a video of this...

HOLY SHAMOLY!!!!!!!

Gah...

What. The. Fuck!

I can't believe this...happened:

"...Arcade Fire took their case to the people and played an impromptu acoustic gig on a New York City street late Saturday night. According to NYC scenester blog Brooklyn Vegan, Win Butler, Régine Chassagne, and Will Butler set up outside a Union Square subway stop around two a.m. and ran through a set that included "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" as well as Pixies, Cure, and New Order covers. Now you know why people pay $1000 a month to live in a closet in that city."(Pitchfork Media)

I was in Union Square around that time...shit!!!


If anyone out there caught this impromptu performance and maybe got some pictures or something...send them my way!

My email address: Simester@nyu.edu

Watch out next week when Radiohead plays a quick set on the A train.







I can dream, can't I?!?

Facial hair is art,

This is the sole reason I haven't shaved in over a month:




This site rocks.

I'm definitely gonna take a shot at the freestyle. Maybe I'll construct the Last Supper out of my beard or a unicorn battling the Loch Ness monster.


Who's this guy fooling:


He's not even trying. He has to make up for his shitty moustache with fancy gold clothing and a fuckin hat to match.


What an asshole...



And this guy just plain scares the fuck out of me:

(removed 'cause it was too big -dc)

I don't think he entered the contest voluntarily. They just found him on the street, put a jacket and tie on him and set him loose.

Don't look at the pic too long or else you'll have violent nightmares.








SO next time you get the urge to tell me to shave, think about the honor and prestige I'll be getting when I present a wonderful construction of facial hair like this guy's:







Blighton 2007, here I come!

hammerkatz... killin' zombies

Pictures (top to bottom): Daniel kicked some zombie ass, "this is a rape!", dun dun DUN - "we look awesome", dun dun DUN - "shit we posed again", sime likes music and being bloody.

Yeh?!?

WOOOOOOO WEE!!

That was one hell of a show! I wanna thank everyone who came. We do it for YOU guys.

Especially the blood. All for you baby.

So here are some pics I took at a rehearsal for this show. Now you will know what goes on in the secret world of the Hammerkatz...






Old people are funny.


Brad likes to ruin pictures becuase he's a doo-doo head.


That girl isn't wearing any pants.


Harry does his Marlon Brando.


I think it might be both.


Mort. HAH!


It's not just fun and games folks.


Helen's a hussy.


She don't fuck around.


Ahh, the memories....



So that's that. Thank you all again and be sure not to miss our next show, Hammerkatz on Ice: A Holiday Extravaganza!

Water is wet.

I am defying Lauren and writing a music post.

YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!!! I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANTS!!!!

Anywho, there's this band called Thee More Shallows and they have this album they was just released titled More Deep Cuts.





This album is very good.

What's it like you ask?

A little hard to describe, I say.
The music is very beautiful, fierce, and at times eerie.
The guy's voice is like a mix of...Ben Gibbard, Sufjan Stevens, and Jason Lytle of Grandaddy. He's likes to sing in hushed tone often.

But don't take MY word for it, listen for yourself kiddies!!!

"Freshman Thesis"

"2 AM"

Click em and devour. Then I suggest you get the whole album and have seconds, thirds, etc until you explode.

In a good way.



That is all compadres.




Hope to see you all at the show.

I will give you much candy if you come. It's right here in my van.
Just come on in.
Your mom? She told me to come pick you up. She's stuck at work.
You like lollipops? I have a lot of lollipops.
Yea...that's it....

syracuse is effing cold.

and not just the weather folks - soooo our trip to SU was this weekend and it was eventful indeed. many posts will follow i'm sure - but here's some pictures from our trip back today.
here's matthew driving (we almost died like 10 times)..
robbie, why art thou so afraid? tis only a silly english ki-nigit (yeah.. monty python fans)
yeah so.. vince the pizza prince is a tyrant - donald ended up paying $50 for a pizza. he took the better part of an hour.
who wants to work in a castle??
more pictures to follow..

Polaroids are rad.

This here photo is of fellow Hammerkatz members Alex and Rachel. They are admiring art. Or maybe they're laughing at it. You can't really tell from the back of their heads.


I hope this has been as gratifying an experience for you as it has been for me.



Expect more artsy pics from me in the future.





FIN

I'm just sayin...

I like to think of myself as an actor.

That is why I am here at NYU; I am studying acting here at Tisch.

My first year here I was constantly surrounded by fellow actors and Tischies in all my classes. For the most part, I enjoyed being in the Tisch bubble.

This year things are a little different.

I am taking Intro to Psych because I am very interested in the human psyche and behavior. It compliments acting quite well.

Because of this connection, there are several of us acting students in my Intro to Psych recitation.

I immediately regret grouping myself with the other acting students because they are (to be blunt) very obnoxious. No, wait...extremely obnoxious.

These are kids who in high school might be called "drama fags". I use this term for lack of a better one. I mean not to offend.

They are unnecessarily loud, rude, full of themselves, and might I add, stupid.
I usually don't pass such judgement upon people but they have annoyed the living fuck out of me for the past 6 weeks.
I feel bad for everyone else in the class who isn't an irritating wanna-be actor. These quiet individuals are there because maybe someday they'll be a psychologist, researcher, doctor, social worker, etc and they want to get the most out of the class. I feel they are unable to do that because these idiots are constantly taking up the short time we have with their inane questions and unwarrented laughter. I really thought I escaped from these people when I left high school.

It seems they constantly, chatter away in an asinine fashion solely because they are too goddamn stupid to realize they exist so they have to hear sound come out of their empty heads to confirm their futile existance.

I am grateful that in my studio there are none of these sort of people. I am part of a respectful and intelligent bunch that doesn't need constant attention thrown at them. I like that.

Now, if you are one of these "drama fags", I have one piece of advice for you:

SHUT! THE! FUCK! UP!!!!

Seriously. No one gives a shit about how you're the "class greeter for the day". Just fucking stop it.

Now that that's settled, I have a date with one Chan Marshall.



Here's here new song off her soon-to-be released album.
Relish it, bathe in it, eat it for fucking dinner. It's THAT good.

The Greatest - Cat Power.


That was my rant. I hope you learned something.


Especially YOU!

Hollywood grabs deep within its colon and produces another masterpiece.

I have receieved information about a film coming out next year starring Samuel L. Jackson (once a respected actor) that is incredible.


I mean incredible in the worst way.



The film, is titled "Snakes on a Plane". It is a very ingenious title as you will soon find out.

The plot summary?

And I quote: "On board a flight over the Pacific Ocean, an assassin, bent on killing a passenger who's a witness in protective custody, let loose a crate full of deadly snakes."

No, it is NOT a comedy. It's listed as a Horror/Thriller/Action.

Don't believe me?
Then go here you stuborrn ass.

I wonder how much money Sam L. Jackson has lost to gambling/whores/drugs to justify him being in this.

The director, David R. Ellis, had directed such modern classics as Final Destination II and Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco. Ahh yes. The city of...lost talking dogs.


Hey, maybe it'll be...good.

I won't judge until I see the film. Or...just the trailer.

Or maybe even, the poster.
Nonetheless, I want a "Snakes on a Plane" tshirt for my birthday/xmas, which just happens to be the same day.


Alright, I'll end this entry before I ramble off into a history of the miracle of my birth bla bla, messiah....savior, whatever.

And on that note, here's an mp3 you should download. That's all I'll say.

Noah's Ark - Cocorosie.

I'm out bitches!

Is there lipstick on my nose?

Those of us lucky and cool enough to go see Regina Spektor tonight @ Skirball know how special that woman is.


It was part of the NYU Low-Decibel Notes From the Underground concert series. That means that the music is soooo cool that the notes are....low and...umm.....un...umm...they can't be...heard?
I don't know. I didn't name it. Leave me alone.

Anywho, Regina Spektor was amazing and adorable. She played a bunch of new songs that sounded quite awesome, as did the songs from previous albums. I was really close to the stage (second row bitches!), so it was wonderful and felt kinda intimate. Too bad the Skirball is ridiculously huge for something like this.

The best part is her mother was sitting RIGHT behind me. I resisted looking back at her during the song in which Regina sang "Two people next door are fucking to my song" to see her reaction. Hmm.

One thing I really do dislike at concerts is when people shout out names of songs they want to hear played, as if it's fucking TRL or some shit. Someone did that at one point early on and she said, ok and played that song. Since that seemed to work people thought it was ok to keep doing it. Later on while a bunch of people we're shrieking out song titles one guy said, you can play whatever you want and Regina liked that. I guess this modern, consumer culture has taught us that we always get what we want, so we must DEMAND it. People don't think that mayb, just maybe she might have a set list and want to play certain songs. Whatever. I'm over it! I really am!!

Oh, I forgot to mention the guy that opened for her: Micheal something-or-other...I can't recall his last names. He sang nautical love songs while playing a ukelele. This is the second time I've seen a show at NYU where the opening act played solely a ukelele. What the hell is going on?!? He was good nonetheless. He had a good sense of humor and was a good songwriter.

So yea, all in all a fantastic show! I wish I took a camera because I was in a prime spot to take pictoors. If anyone out there in cyberland reading this took any pics or snuck in a video camera and recorded some footage...send some my way:
simester@nyu.edu

Let's hope the next Low Decibel Animal Sounds Ground Rumble Coolnes concert is jsut as good.

And with twice as many ukeleles.




au revoir

oh sime

in response to sime's post - i recently was told that mixtapes are illegal, much like downloaded music and burned cds.. all i'm saying is that if gov't cracks down on the mixtape scene, relationships are seriously going to suffer... cause i mean, do you ever really know a person until you've listened to their mixtape? it's like the sparknotes of their soul.

think about it.

Freshman

Hi y'all. I'm Rachel Bloom...a new member of the team. And the only freshman, I believe. I'm scared and lonely, so be my friend and use my willingness for servitude to your advantage. You know. Tell me to get pizza, clean your socks, do away with a family member...I'm a dishrag.

In all seriousness, I'm really happy to be a part of the team. My goals include

1. Not screwing up

Uh, that's the only goal for right now.

As they said in the 60's: "Peace out."

As they said in the 90's: "Do you think the Spice Girls will be together forevor?"

As they say now: "Bye."

Handjobs for the Holidays.

So today I did one of my favorite things to do here in New York City.

I strolled on over to Other Music and bought some cds using the mighty, and often misunderstood Campus Cash.

My mission, once I arrived, was to obtain the new Broken Social Scene album.

If you do not know who Broken Social Scene is, then you are seriously deprived. Go out and buy their last album,You Forgot it In People. It's one of my favorite albums of all-time. Plus they're Canadian. Cmon.

How does this one compare to their last album you ask?

Well, I've only listened to it once, but I do like it. However, I would say that You Forgot it in People has a more memorable and classic feel to it. This one seems more....fun, I guess you'd say. Maybe I just need to listen to it a few more times and let it soak into ma bones.

I would recommend it. Especially as stocking stuffers or to give to trick-or-treaters.

That concludes my weekly music report.

Tune in next week when I discuss the essentials of the perfect mixtape.



Adieu.

300+

my darlings i do have a task for you
our facebook group "hammerkatz nyu"
needs have 300 members, or ev'n more,
by our next show - october 29th.
if this you all complete by that set date
a special prize we will have for you all!

join up, one and all. we love you.

exposition

Well.

Let's see how this goes...


Hi, my name is Sime Viduka. I'm...new here.
I'm...I'm...so, super...glad that I have become a Hammerkat...katz...umm...yea...


Uh...that wasn't so...bad...





And now with the glory of the magical Google image search we can find out what a hammerkat actually looks like:

Sure.


I really don't have anything to say.
Unless anyone has any questions about me. Like for example, what I like to do on my spare time? What do I look for in a life partner? Who the fuck stole my laundry hamper?

That last question I cannot answer....for I do not know.


Now that I've completely soiled the Hammerkatz name with this mindless blog, I'll end with another nonsensical picture. Because I like those:

Hail mighty synth.


Catch ya on the flip side.

i stalk hammerkatz.

i recently stumbled upon a facebook group entitled "i stalk hammerkatz" - amazing. now that i think about it i remember donald talking about it last year, but it definitely made me laugh. i was tempted to join. .. i resisted. i don't really have anything to post - i just want to put this up so that the world can see the glory of big chicken, m.d. ... that guy has moves.

Show Tonight!

Hey everyone - hope to see you at the show tonight!!

Kimmel - 8th Floor
9pm and 11pm
FREE, as always.

Bring your friends!!
NYU ID or Gov't issued ID at the door.

hammerkatz = hammerDANCE

pics from rehearsals: top to bottom: daniel as the african storyteller, helen lauren daniel robbie matt, lauren & robbie as "the spider", robbie lauren matt and helen, helen & matt "rapper mom", robbie "scat dad", matt "depressed kid".... this show is gonna rock. be there!

TONIGHT: Hammerkatz IMPROV right by NYU

TONIGHT, a team of Hammerkatz NYU alumna and current students (Donald, Fran, myself) will be performing longform improv comedy in the style taught by the Upright Citizens Brigade. Behold: HAMMERKATZ IMPROV.

Details:

Red Room (above KGB Bar)
85 E 4th btw 2nd and 3rd
Here's a map!

10:30 PM
Five Bucks

Also performing is Best Boy, featuring Hammerkatz founder AJ Morales. They're an awesome group that performs completely improvised movies.

If you've never seen improv before, or you have nothing to do between the hours of 10:30 and midnight, or this will be BETTER than what you have planned between the hours of 10:30 and midnight ('cause it will), show up.

Also: BYOB! You cannot beat brown bagging a forty and watching comedy. So stop trying.

Auditions: NEW TIME ADDED!

In addition to the previously posted audition times (Tues Sept 20th/Weds Sept 21st 4-6 PM, Kimmel 908), we've just added a new time for those of you who couldn't make it to the other two:

WEDNESDAY SEPT 21st
9 PM - 12:30 AM
PALLADIUM COMMON ROOM

The Common Room is accessible the same way as the Palladium Dining Hall. There'll be signs and all kinds of fun stuff.

The streets can't wait, and neither can we.

HKATZNYU facebook group is OPEN

The Hammerkatz NYU facebook group is open for bizness. Join! The benefits of membership are as such:

- More exposure to people's pictures, movie, and music preferences for you to judge them by

- More chances of meeting people for awkward, ill-advised, Facebook-inspired hook-ups

- Poking. What is poking? We're not sure either.

Search for "Hammerkatz" under "Search All Fields." Fuckin' join!

parapluie-revel

at rehearsal tonight for the september show (9/24), i was told to post some pics from our trip to syracuse last semester .. but first a little backstory.
so we went to syracuse university and participated in a comedy festival and our host was mr. belding from "saved by the bell" - yeah that's right.. although he was about twice his 'belding' size and still toooootally playing off his one successful gig.
so right before we go on to perform, he's backstage with all the performers giving us a pep talk - and he's like "this night is about you guys, let's go kick some ass" - what follows is an evening of him reminiscing about his days on "bell" and promising the audience that he would "give you all his autograph after the show" (which he did).. we did an awesome set that night but belding was the really funny one - and when i say funny, i mean sad - very, very sad.
so now, the pics!

Top Picture: Matt, Lauren, Belding (as he looks now), Donald, DC, Harry
Middle Picture: Trip up to Syracuse - DC and Donald in the back.. i got shotgun :)
Bottom Picture: Belding's autograph opportunity - a memento we will cherish forever. Does he have a real name?

soooo...

so basically, DC, you're going to buy an ice cream for yourself.. twice?
in other news. i have a confession to make. i am having a love affair. it began a few years ago but recently (this summer) it got pretty intense. now that i am in this relationship, i have a lot less time, and money, but it's going well and i'm entirely faithful. we see each other usually a few times every week. sometimes we see each other too many times in one week and then there's nothing there that interests me.
before you think i'm heartless, i must tell you that my lover is the strand bookstore, which i frequent so often (really only the plays section) that there is often no new merchandise for me to browse through. today was an especially good day though.. i made out very well, scoring two anthologies - Eugene O'Neill and Sam Shepard, and The Rimers of Eldritch by Lanford Wilson.
now if only i had the time to read them.. sigh. off to boring reading (aka academic textbooks)...

HKATZNYU auditions

We'll have official dates/times posted by tonight.

Watch this space for updates.

hey you!

today i was recognized on the street by someone who saw the orientation show the other day. a girl stopped me and goes "hey are you in the hammernats? you were really good." i politely told her it was katz and said thank you and as i walked away i couldn't help but think how funny our logo would look if we were the hammernats instead of the hammerkatz, because i mean, could a nat really hold a hammer in its mouth? i don't THINK so.

i heart the strand

so, i'm not gonna lie, i'm one of those girls who kept "journals" (aka diaries) for pretty much her whole life. i valued the privacy that they allowed me and i keep them safely in my basement bookshelf at home in PA, where i suppose now anyone could read them if they really wanted to hear the silly things i wrote in elementary and middle school. (the post-middle school ones are kept safely with me)
i've flitted around with the online journal thing.. because let's be honest, it's much easier to type than it is to hand-write an entry.. and who has time for the decoration that makes a handwritten journal truly unique? for most of this summer though i did the old fashioned journal thing and only now am i coming around to, once again, see the benefits of "blogging" ... (although in cyberland you can't cut out prophetic sayings from magazines and gluestick them next to your entry... you know you do it girls) but i must say that one of the best things about a technologically-run journal is that instead of some clipping from a victoria's secret ad campagin saying "we wholeheartedly support your love affair" or something ridiculous like that (okay that's really in my journal) i can now paste next to my entry... this..

hell yeah.

Thanks 2009!

So the orientation show last night was an unqualified success. Thanks to all 900 freshmen (and a couple other people, too) for showing up and rocking out. Sorry to the eleven o'clock show for having run out of t-shirts, but our promise to you is FREE T-SHIRTS AT EVERY HAMMERKATZ SHOW so come check out the next show when you're low on clean clothes.

Auditions soon. Official website soon. Hit us at hammerkatznyu@gmail.com if you wanna be on the e-mail list.

Love,
DC

pictures from tech last night

donald and matt - "prodigy birthday"
daniel and lauren - "rookie cop"
dominic and dan watch matt - "girls are not to be trusted" robbie and harry - "rookie cop"

robbie's "jesus" picture
daniel, robbie, and lauren - "newscaster" daniel, lauren, robbie, harry - "rookie cop"
robbie and lauren - "newscaster