If you weren’t there, you missed a ridiculously awesome good time at the 1st Annual Soozapalooza. Next year has already been booked so you can “save the date” for Saturday, January 22nd, 2011 at the Middle East Downstairs. Bands and other details will be sorted out in the upcoming months. But one thing is for certain: the Soozapalooza Supergroup will be back.

Immense thanks to everyone who came out for the party — all 170 of you. Precinct confirmed a few days later that it was their best night ever since they opened two years ago.

Photos and Video

I’ve got a bunch of photos and videos to dig through from the 1st Annual Soozapalooza that will be online sometime before the end of February. Here are photos that Brad Searles took at Soozapalooza. Brad (and Jesse Salucci) played drums with the Soozapalooza Supergroup. (More love for the supergroup in recap #2 this weekend.)

Boston loves Good Night, States

Here’s a video that Good Night, States put together about their travels from Pennsylvania and New Jersey to headline at the 1st Annual Soozapalooza. I’m still marveling at their amazing performance. They definitely need to make it back to Boston … soon!

Dan Harding of Good Night, States recorded a little video explaining why it’s an awesome idea to attend Soozapalooza on Saturday. He warned me in email the video might seem a little cheesy but that everything he said was sincere. Dan rocks! I’m really looking forward to finally meeting him and the rest of his band. Watch the video below or watch it on Sooz TV at YouTube.

A limited number of tickets are now available in advance online via PayPal. The remaining tickets will be available when doors open at 8pm on Saturday. If you don’t have a PayPal account, do not fret. You can skip the PayPal signup and use your credit card. Doors open at 8pm. See you soon!

Buy your advance ticket now!

Boston Band Crush is giving away a pair of tickets to the 1st Annual Soozapalooza. Visit the Boston Band Crush blog to enter to win. A winner will be selected on Friday. You must be 21+ to enter to win (Precinct is a 21+ club).

To say I’m excited about Good Night, States playing at Soozapalooza on Saturday, January 23rd will probably go down as one of the biggest understatements of the year. I first found out about the band two years ago when they sent me their epicly awesome debut album Short Films On Self Control. We’ve been talking ever since about bringing them to Boston and it’s finally happening at Soozapalooza this coming Saturday. I have no idea how many times I’ve listened to that album (and their latest album In The Impossible Tension). Probably a lot … times a lot more. If a band could be described as “too good” then Good Night, States would be in the running for such a distinction.

(Photo of Good Night, States courtesy the band)

Download songs from Good Night, States

Click the song titles to listen to the MP3s for two of my favorite Good Night, States songs: “I Am The Loser” (from the album Short Films On Self Control) and “Good Times So Wearily Desired!” (from the album In The Impossible Tension).

I Am The Loser (click to listen)
(download the mp3)

Good Times, So Wearily Desired! (click to listen)
(download the mp3)

Interview with Good Night, States drummer Dan Harding

I interviewed Good Night, States drummer Dan Harding in email and here’s what unfolded.

Sooz: You’ve mentioned that you are family first, band second. Tell me more about that notion.

Dan: Once upon a time, I met the lead singer of one of my favorite bands.  I told him I was in a band with my best friends, and he said that was a terrible idea.  I’ve always disagreed with that – I think being in a band with your best friends is worth the risk.  Certainly, your relationships could suffer if things don’t work out, but if you can view and treat the band as family first, the possible positive result is incredible to imagine, and for us, has been incredible to experience.  For us, we were all good friends before we started the band, so the band grew out of a natural relationship.

Sooz: What’s the music scene like in Pittsburgh?

Dan: We’ve been privileged to be a part of a scene in Pittsburgh that has really blossomed during our time here. Bands are helpful to one another, share information, book shows together, do compilations together, share members, have parties and brunches, and are good friends with one another.  I think everyone wants good things to happen to others just as they want good things to happen to their own bands, and I think that atmosphere is really conducive for an excellent scene.  If I our band is a family, then the Pittsburgh music scene is out extended family.

Sooz: Is there a Pittsburgh/Boston music connection?

Dan: I think there is a mysterious space/time fabric wormhole that connects the two, yes.  We have plenty of Pittsburgh-Boston connection stories! To date, our best out-of-town show experience occured in Boston, so we aniticpate Soozapalooza will only add to our Boston crush!

Sooz: What question do you wish someone would ask you?

Dan: Will Good Night, States cover a Driveshaft tune?

Sooz: Is it true that you build your own guitars, pedals, and amps?

Dan: Yes, the rumors are true.

Sooz: The band has an iPhone app?

Dan: Yes – we didn’t make the app, it’s called Noise.IO and you can download Good Night, States files onto it and play along with us at shows – we actually put your iPhone/Touch through the sound system, and you can screw up – just like us!

Good Night, States performs at the 1st Annual Soozapalooza on Saturday, January 23rd at Precinct, 70 Union Square, Somerville. Doors open at 8pm and the first band goes on at 9pm. Join the email list for a chance to win prizes including an 8GB iPod Nano and restaurant gift certificates. You must be present at Soozapalooza to win.

Cheers to Michael Oh and the gang over at Tech Superpowers. They’re contributing an 8GB iPod Nano to the 1st Annual Soozapalooza prize vault. Awesome! Rumor has it that the Nano might come pre-loaded with music from the bands playing at Soozapalooza.

Follow the TSP Digilounge on Twitter at @digilounge and the Digilounge Facebook page.

If you’d like to win the iPod Nano from Tech Superpowers, join the Soozapalooza email list. The winner must also be present at the event to win. And don’t worry, you won’t be spammed and I won’t sell your email address for anything less than $4M.

About Tech Superpowers

Tech Superpowers was founded in 1992 by MIT graduate Michael Oh when he realized that Boston lacked truly professional Mac support. Originally a small boutique consulting firm, Tech Superpowers has grown to a global resource for Macintosh solutions and full service tech support. Our clients range from individual users to big names like the Boston Celtics and Bose Corporation. In 2007, Tech Superpowers opened a second office in London specialising in consulting and remote support for the European market.

About Tech Superpowers Digital Lounge

Our Digital Lounge is a unique space where the digitally-dependent can find essential services centrally located in Boston’s Back Bay. With insanely high-speed Internet, comfortable spaces to lounge and work, and top-notch computing power, the Digital Lounge could become your favorite digital home away from home.

If you are a company with cool products or services that would likely be Soozapalooza approved, I want to hear from you! Everyone who joins the Soozapalooza email list will be entered to win free tickets to the event and cool stuff from sponsors. Sponsors will be promoted online (Twitter, Facebook, in the email newsletter) and at the event.

Make contact and let’s scheme!

[This first entry is also tidbits from the about page.]

I’m hosting the 1st Annual Soozapalooza at Precint on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 in my neighborhood of Union Square, Somerville. It’s a few parts birthday party (I turn 37 on January 20th) and a celebration of my favorite music. And there will be bourbon. A lot of bourbon.

Some of my favorite Boston bands will be joining the festivities including Ryan Walsh from Hallelujah The Hills, Houndstone and special guests Good Night, States will be in town from Pittsburgh. The Soozapalooza Supergroup featuring a group of Boston musicians will cover some of my favorite songs by The Cult, The Rolling Stones, LL Cool J, Edie Brickell & New Bohemians and more. So far the group includes Ashley Willard of Boston Band Crush, Dan Nicklin of Old Jack, Johnny Arguedas of The Sneaks, Tim Atkins of Trucker Mouth, Jen de la Osa and Henry Beguiristain of Aloud — and more, to be announced soon.

The night kicks off at 8pm with some of my favorites including my homemade chocolate truffles and coconut rum sorbet (who cares it’s January!) The first half of the music will be all about the indie and the pop with Ryan Walsh (Hallelujah The Hills) and Good Night States. The second half of the night is all about the rock and roll with the Soozapalooza Supergroup and Houndstone. Festivities will end with late night karaoke from 1-2AM.

Tickets cost $8 at the door and it’s a 21+ show. RSVP on the Soozapalooza Facebook event page.

See you on January 23rd!