As Media Specialist, part of my job requires me to go to the source of the media and document it. After a few days at Coachella, I have returned to Cluster 1 Headquarters to make sure all the newest videos are here for you all to see. Enjoy!

News:

Cluster 1 News with Sami Jarroush – Updates on Animal Collective, The National, Rage Against the Machine, Arcade Fire, and our Sasquatch contest!

Animation:

Instrumental Video #9 – Eventually…DJs will be replaced with robots.

Nokta – It’s an abstract short-film project with really cool animation, but needless to say, it freaks this guy the fuck out.

4000 Frames of Fury – Alex Evans creates a Phillip K. Dick style claymation of zombies rising from the grave. The undead are especially scary when the Gorillaz play in the background.

Another Round:

Kings Have Long Arms ft. Candie Payne – “Big Umbrella” – Shot in black and white in Manchester, not far from United’s football ground, Ms. [Candy] Payne purposefully strides down back alleys facing grim brickwork, along empty faceless streets and a canal towpath. Some charmingly amateurish and old-fashioned animation lends a couple of colourful interludes to the film noir.

Music Videos:

Daedelus – “Sundown (Haunted Dub)” – The last of the Room 205 series in which the DJ conjures up some truly spooky vibes.

Art Brut – “Last Weekend” – Sometimes music can bring the most eclectic group of people together. The proof lies in this video.

Kathryn Calder – “Arrow” – Animated video of a post-apocalyptic city, and a character who takes a page out of Noah’s book.

Grimes – “Vanessa” – It’s the definition of anti-pop….weird choreographed dancing complete with experimental rhythms.

Manchester Orchestra – “Simple Math” – They say your life flashes before your eyes prior to death, and we experience frontman Andy Hull’s flash in this video that shows what made him the man he is today.

Alexis – “Lonely Sea” – Alexis sings “You’ve forgotten who you are,” on this track, but looking into something as big as the ocean usually can help you figure it out. Judging by this video, this singer certainly figured things out.

Ponytail – “Honey Touches” – MENZ, the director of the video, states this clip depicts, “man’s everlasting battle with fruit and the pursuit of making the ultimate smoothie.” CoS’ Joe Marvilli, however, observes, “We think it’s a Fruitopia commercial that never was.”

Com Truise – “Fairlight” – Nothing like retro ’80s advertisements about the technological future, sewn together by 10lb Pictures to create a sleek, tech-based music video.

Gemini Club – “Future Tidings” – Personally, I think we need more unprecedented break dancing complete with an all-white suit.

George Watsky – “Stupidass” – People have always found Coldplay’s “The Scientist” to be a fantastic music video. This video takes that concept, but makes the message a bit more upbeat….primarily by starting it off not with a car crash, but a dude standing naked in a park.

Mario Basanov & Vidis feat. Jazzu – i’ll be gone” – This is your Polygraph detecting music….it’s way less stressful.

WhoMadeWho – “Every Minute Alone” – According to The Cure, “Boys don’t cry.” But according to WhoMadeWho, men most certainly cry. See for yourself.

Gentleman Drivers – “Valdor” – We always sit down for family Christmas dinners to devour our food and remember another year together. Well, what happens when the food decides to devour us? Merry Christmas? More like bah humbug!

Live:

Luke Rathborne – “Dog Years” – There are many activities one must engage in on tour when they aren’t playing music, and this live recording of “Dog Years” encapsulates Rathborne’s life on the road along with the music that takes him on his journey.

Wakey!Wakey! cover Yeasayer’s “Ambling Alp” [Live] – As part of the Cobra Den Invitational’s, Wakey!Wakey! had “Ambling Alp” stuck in their heads, and ended up replacing the synthesizers with violins. Now there’s a dope cover and a new video series!

Don’t Forget…

– Want a constant stream of musical goodness? Check out our Channel, featuring over 30 music videos, several short films, and other nifty clips, all crammed together in one non-stop barrage of visual and aural stimulation.

- Social networking is a way of life, so follow us at @cluster1tv and on Facebook

Whether you chose to remember it or not, New Year’s Eve always becomes an event – be it a swanky party full of beautiful people, or a sad, lonely remembrance of 2010 alone in your darkened apartment. But save yourself the embarrassment of either and get out to a club and see a band. Below we’ve listed some of the major events happening in cities around the US. Do yourself a favor: go.

There are few things I regret more than not going to see Girl Talk last year in 2009, so don’t make the same mistake I did. Spend NYE with your most favorite band. Whether you know it or not, you’ll be surrounded by new friends. Oh, and you can get tumultuously drunk and rage to some amazing music. Happy New Year from CoS!

– Jeremy Larson
Senior Staff Writer

P.S. If we’re missing something, please let us know in the comments below.

New York City

– Ariel Pink (solo): 234 Starr Street

– The Bloody Beetroots (DJ Set): The Wellmont Theatre

– The Butthole Surfers: Music Hall of Williamsburg

– Class Actress: Spike Hill

– Chuck Berry: B.B. King Blues Club

– Drive-By Truckers: Terminal 5

– Gov’t Mule: The Beacon Theatre

– Guided By Voices: Irving Plaza

– Har Mar Superstar: Littlefield

– Holy Ghost!: Standard

– Infected Mushroom, Shpongle: Hammerstein Ballroom

– Patti Smith & Her Band: Bowery Ballroom

– Passion Pit, Slick Rick: Wellmont Theatre (Montclair, NJ)

– Phish: Madison Square Garden

– The Roots: Brooklyn Bowl

– Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings: Best Buy Theater

– Steve Angello: Roseland Ballroom

– Titus Andronicus, Real Estate, Julian Lynch: Ridgewood Temple

– We Are Scientists: Mercury Lounge

– Zach Deputy: City Winery

Chicago

– Big Freedia, Nobunny: Empty Bottle

– The Black Keys, Greenhornes: Aragon Ballroom

– Cave: The Hideout

– Cursive performing Domestica: Subterranean

– Flosstradamus, Gemini Club: Lincoln Hall

– Future Rock: Kinetic Playground

– Japandroids, Light Pollution: Schubas

– Local H: Bottom Lounge

– Mannequin Men, Pegboy: Abbey Pub

– Mucca Pazza: Logan Square Auditorium

– Pretty Lights, Holy Fuck, Tobacco: Congress Theatre

– Robert Randolph & The Family Band, North Mississippi Allstars: House of Blues

– Smoking Popes: Reggie’s Rock Club

– Sublime with Rome, AM Taxi, The Dirty Heads: Navy Pier Ballroom

– Umphrey’s McGee: The Riviera Theatre

– Yeasayer, HEALTH: Metro

Los Angeles

– ATB: Hollywood Palladium

– HARD NYE (Mr. Oizo, Brodinski, DJ Falcon): The Music Box

– John Digweed: The Avalon

– Lucinda Williams: The Viper Room

– Mayer Hawthorne, Classix: Viceroy Hotel

– Nite Jewel: The Echo

– NOFX, Dead To Me: The Wiltern

– The Pharcyde: Key Club

– The Raveonettes, Autolux: The Standard

– Steel Panther: House of Blues

– Together As One (Major Lazer, Diplo, Rusko, Laidback Luke): Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum & Sports Arena

– Yard Dogs Road Show: Edison

London, UK

– British Sea Power: Koko

– Caribou: The Flowerpot

– Carl Barât (DJ Set): All Star Lanes Brick Lane

– Eastern Electrics NYE (Matthew Dear, Joker, Roska): The Tunnels

– Foals: HMV Forum

– Four Tet, James Holden, Jamie XX: Corsica Studios

– Friendly Fires (DJ Set): XOYO

– Sonic Youth, Factory Floor, Shellac: Hammersmith Apollo

– Together (Mark Ronson, Annie Mac, Katy B, Fake Blood): O2 Academy

Elsewhere:

Atlanta:

– Bassnectar, Ana Sia: The Tabernacle

– Charlie Wilson, Chrisette Michele: Atlanta Civic Center

– Coolio: Hyatt Regency

– The Glitch Mob: New Earth Music Hall

– Perpetual Groove: Variety Playhouse

– Zac Brown Band: Philips Arena

Atlantic City:

– B.B. King: Harrah’s Atlantic City

– Maroon 5: House of Blues

– Sarah McLachlan: Caesars Atlantic City

Aspen:

– Jane’s Addiction: Belly Up

Athens, GA:

– The Glitch Mob: New Earth Music Hall

– of Montreal: 40 Watt Club

Austin:

– Adolescents: Red 7

– Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, Grupo Fantasma: La Zona Rosa

– Cake: Austin Music Hall

– N.A.S.A., Ladytron: Seaholm Power Plant

– The Sword: The Mohawk

Boston:

– Bettye LaVette: First Night Boston–Copley Square

– Cass McCombs: The Modern

– Dean & Britta, Nina Nastasia: Paramount Center

– moe.: House of Blues

– Soulive: Paradise Rock Club

– Third Eye Blind: Wilbur Theatre

Boulder:

– Crystal Castles, The Chain Gang of 1974: Boulder Theater

Dallas:

– Ghostland Observatory: Plaza of the Americas

– Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights: Granada Theater

– Old 97′s: House of Blues

Denver:

– Big Head Todd and The Monsters: Paramount Theatre

– Impact NYE (EOTO, Dieselboy, Freddy Todd): City Hall Events Center

– Nosaj Thing: Casselman’s

– Railroad Earth, Great American Taxi: Ogden Theatre

– STS9, Tipper: The Fillmore Auditorium

– Widespread Panic, G. Love & Special Sauce: Pepsi Center

Dublin, Ireland:

– Les Savy Fav: The Button Factory

Edmonton, AB:

– deadmau5: Shaw Conference Centre

Houston:

– Warpaint: Ground Hall

Las Vegas:

– 30 Seconds To Mars: Pearl Concert Theater

– Erick Morillo: Marquee Nightclub

– Jamie Lidell: Book & Stage – The Cosmopolitan

– Jay-Z, Coldplay: Cosmopolitan

– Paul Oakenfold, LMAFO: Palms Hotel & Casino

– Pitbull: House of Blues

– Santana: The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel

Louisville, KY:

– The Pass: Headliners Music Hall

Miami:

– Nicki Minaj: The Mansion

– Tiësto: Fontainebleau Resort

– Usher, Trey Songz: American Airlines Arena

Milwaukee:

– Girl Talk: The Rave

– The Hold Steady: Riverside Theater

Minneapolis:

– Brother Ali, The Hood Internet: Marriott City Center Grand Ballroom

New Orleans:

– Better Than Ezra: House of Blues

– Bonerama: 12 Bar on Fulton Street

– Galactic, Tea Leaf Green: Tipitina’s Uptown

– Tab Benoit: Mid City Lanes “Rock ‘N’ Bowl”

Oakland:

– Primus, The Dead Kenny Gs, Les Claypool: Fox Theater

Oklahoma City:

– The Flaming Lips performing The Soft Bulletin: Cox Convention Center

Philadelphia:

– Dada: North Star

– Lotus: Electric Factory

– Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue: World Cafe

Portland, OR:

– Crooked Fingers, Heligoats: Bunk Bar

– The Helio Sequence, Ramona Falls: Mississippi Studios

– Japanther: Artistery

– Langhorne Slim: Mission Theater

– Lazer Sword, Eliot Lipp: Branx

– The Shaky Hands: Backspace

Rome, Italy:

– Aphex Twin: Palazzo dei Congressi

San Diego:

– Crocodiles: Soda Bar

– Designer Drugs: Voyeur

– Dirty South: 4th & B

San Francisco:

– The Dresden Dolls, Pomplamoose: The Warfield

– Furthur, Phil Lesh: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

– The Growlers: Hemlock Tavern

– John Lee Hooker Jr.: Biscuits and Blues

– Mike Posner: The Regency Ballroom

– Sea of Dreams (Thievery Corporation, Balkan Beat Box, Modeselektor, Beats Antique): Concourse Exhibition Center

– The Slackers: Great American Music Hall

– Steve Aoki: Fort Mason Festival Pavillion

Seattle:

– AC Slater: King Cat Theatre

– Lissie: Snoqualmie Casino

– Reverend Horton Heat, The Dwarves: El Corazon

– Z-Trip: Cirque Event Center

St. Louis, MO:

– The Crystal Method: Nightclub Europe

– Yonder Mountain String Band: The Pageant

St. Petersburg, FL:

– Cope: The Local 662

– Dead Kennedys: State Theatre

Washington, DC:

– Gogol Bordello: 9:30 Club

And yes, the picture in this post is absolutely pointless aside from the fact it features “Don’t Forget.”

And the best part is the lineup is as good as the name. On Wednesday, March 17th, aka the first official of the music component of SXSW 2010, we’ll round up — drum roll #3 — Theophilus London, Broken Social Scene’s Jason Collett, The Death Set, Drink Up Buttercup, Acrylics, Gemni Club, Maps & Atlases, The Depreciation Guild, Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, and Dignan and bring ‘em all to Peckerhead’s in downtown Austin, Texas.

Sounds fun, right? Did we mention it’s free to attend? Or that they’ll be free tacos and So-Co, courtesy of Taco Cabana and Southern Comfort respectively? Yep, all your body parts will thank us from your ears to your toes!

Please click here to RSVP. A special thanks also goes to the Best Buy Music Instrument Store for all the fresh gear that will be banging through your earholes all week. And of course Knuckle Rumbler who helped put this all together!

Theophilus London – Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, this rapper is not at all picky when it comes to the musical genres. Not only does he cite everyone from Michael Jackson and Prince to Kraftwerk and The Smiths as influences, but back in 2009, he, in collaboration with Machine Drum, released This Charming Mixtape, a confluence of  The Smiths (the name) and Elvis Costello (the artwork). Soon afterward, Theophilus would release his proper studio debt, This Charming Man, which was executive produced by 2x DMC World Champion DJ Iemerge and features productions from MachineDrum, Jimmy Edgar, and Letherette.
Check Out: “Humdrum Town”

Jason Collett – In addition to being members of an amazing band, members of Broken Social Scene also have a history of shelling out quality side-projects. Take Jason Collet for example. Next week, the Toronto native will release Rat a Tat Tat, the fifth album in what has become quite the solo discography. Backed by Toronto outfit Zeus (who will also be joining him at the party), the album hears Collett’s acclaimed singer/songwriting teamed with the likes of Andrew Whiteman, Tony Scherr, and The Stills’ Liam O’Neil. The end result, according to label Arts & Crafts, is a “remarkable and honest example of a storyteller documenting and soundtracking his experiences and surroundings with distinct and precise ability.”

The Death Set – Back in 2008, the Australian outfit caught the music world by storm with the release of Worldwide, an album which fuse punk rock sound and energy, electronic music production, and hip hop sampling. NME touted the band as the “#1 biggest hope of the future,” while Allmusic picked the album as one of the best of the year. Two years later, The Death Set look to one again kick it off a notch with what should be a jaw dropping performance at our day party.

Drink Up Buttercup – The Philadelphia outfit is one of those bands that took to CMJ Music Marathon last fall, subsequently blew audiences away, and is now the hottest thing in all of music. Plus, word on the street is that these cats swing pretty hard live, with their song content containing subjects varying from star-crossed lovers to bad trips and fairy tales. Got your attention much? Sound like a jangly Tom Waits? Definitely.

Acrylics – If you need any reason to like these Brooklyn natives, then look no further to the fact they are signed to the label of Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor. What’s more, they’re recently released debut EP, All Of The Fire, was recorded in a converted church. Oh yes, and they’re currently touring with A Sunny Day in Glasgow and the Morning Benders. Seriously, what’s not to like here?

Check Out: “Molly’s Vertigo”

Gemini Club – Chicago represent! Fusing the energetic and precise aspects of DJing with live vocals, synthesizers, guitars and bass, this trio has been catching Chi-Town by storm since the release of Future Tidings last August. They call themselves a “rock band from the future.” We call them kick ass.

Check Out: “Mary’s Day”

Maps & Atlases – Also hailing from Chicago, this quartet sports one of the more impressive resumes of any band to hit South by Southwest this year. They’ve toured RX Bandits, Matt & Kim, These Arms Are Snakes, Foals, Portugal. the Man, and more. In 2009, they were listed as the new band in Illinois as part of The Boston Phoenix’s 50 Bands, 50 States supplement. Finally, they have an impressive discography, including one, yet-to-be-titled forthcoming effort that was recorded Jason Cupp (Finch, Nurses). (We already know it will be good.)

Check Out: “Pigeon”

The Depreciation Guild – There’s always room for dream pop, right? Another one of music’s new “it” bands, this Brooklyn outfit has essentially captivated the music blogosphere since the September re-release of In Her Gentle Jaws and subsequent U.S. tour with the Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Cymbals Eat Guitars.

The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt – There’s really nothing not to like about this New York band. On May 5th, the outfit will release the amazingly titled Love You. I Love You. I Love You and I’m in Love with You. Have an Awesome Day! Have the Best Day of Your Life!, on Luaka Bop, the label started by David Byrne of Talking Heads fame. And the best part is that they’ll be giving it their all in support of the release. Per the band’s Neil Fridd: “[I] wanted to make a band that was a band that people went to concerts of not just because they had good songs or Pitchfork liked them, but because they knew that they would have a fucking blast at their show.” Sounds like this will be really good.

Dignan – Texas’ own will kick off the party with some quality indie that cites influences of “Broken Social Scene and Arcade Fire, to grandparents who specialize in lounge music, to their hometown of McAllen with a 95% Hispanic population.” Having recently spent time in the studio, we’re guessing Dignan will return with a fury.

Check Out: “God Save Us All”

Anyhow, for its 2010 edition, Schubas, now with their new venue, Lincoln Hall, available to provide some extra space, has taken TNK up a notch. After all, include to take part in this year’s festivities, which takes place from January 13-17 at both Schubas and Lincoln Hall, are The Cribs, Voxtrot, Final Fantasy, Bowerbirds, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Adam Green, Clues, and Pomegranates among others. Not a bad way to stay warm this January, eh?

Single show and five-day passes will go on sale beginning today, Friday, November 13 at 12:00 pm CST. Hit up schubas.com or lincolnhall.com for more information.