Digging Your Scene

Broken Social Scene squeezed into Brooklyn's tiny The Hook club last night (June 28) to celebrate the fifth birthday of its publicity company, Tag Team Media. In front of an invite-only crowd, the Toronto collective rocked through favorites like "(7/4) Shoreline," "Fire Eye'd Boy" "Stars and Sons" and "Cause=Time."

At the end of the set, Stars frontwoman and frequent BSS contributor Amy Millan performed "Skinny Boy" from her upcoming solo debut "Honey From the Tombs," while American Analog Set's Andrew Kenny fronted a number of his own.

We also ran into Okkervil River frontman Will Sheff, who warns us of an impending album for 2007 through Jagjaguwar, as well as a DVD that will feature more than just your run-of-the-mill concert footage. A chronic wanderer, Sheff is currently bumming around in New York to write but is Austin-bound because he "can't sit still for too long."

As a bonus, Jaded Insider crossed paths with actor Mike Myers once arriving back in Manhattan, at the corner of Ludlow and Delancey Streets. The recently divorced creator of Dr. Evil was seen with a short blonde as he proceeded south.

To Jeff, Or Not To Jeff

Well, we could have seen this one coming. A Web post attributed to the reclusive Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel, picked up by numerous media outlets including Billboard.com, has turned out to be a hoax. The shenanigans were confirmed to us by the manager for the Apples In Stereo, whose principal member, Robert Schneider, uncovered the hoax after alerting Mangum himself to the fake post. For an updated version of our story, click here.

Brit Poses Nekkid On Mag Cover

"O.K., really, the media needs to just leave me alone, let me have my peace. I'm trying to raise a husband child and the press needs to just get a life and stop following me around. Now, close the door on your way out while I drop my clothes and pose nude for an upcoming issue of Harper's Bazaar."

Watch That Last Step! It's A Doozy

Former Dismemberment Plan frontman Travis Morrison will hit the studio in August to record his second solo album, and his first with his band the Hellfighters. Morrison and company performed a host of new songs Sunday night (June 25) at New York's Mercury Lounge, and Jaded Insider is happy to report they've recaptured the fun, funky spirit of the Plan, which was in short supply on Morrison's maligned 2004 solo debut, "Travistan."

Among the highlights: "You Make Me Feel Like a Freek," the snaking guitar riff of closer "Turn Me On," "The East Side of the River" and "Hawkins Rock." "It's really loose and kind of warm and classic rock-ish," Morrison told Jaded Insider before the show. "The two drummers and having percussion in a lot of the songs is a key element."

The Hellfighters will finish up a short East Coast tour Saturday (July 1) in Philadelphia.

Air 'Do

Babies. Weddings. Funerals. Graduation. There are the important things in life; and then there are the fourth annual U.S. National Air Guitar Championship. Decked in their second-hand best at the Bowery Ballroom in New York, 15 perfectly well-adjusted young men played pretend guitars for the chance to be sent to Finland to compete on the behalf of the United States in the International competition.

San Francisco's Craig "Hot Lixx Hulahan" Billmeier (pictured above) nuzzled, air-humped and otherwise rocked the other competitors heartily -- although many in the audience (including us) were perplexed and saddened by the fourth-place finish of Andrew "William Ocean" Litz from the host city. Still, there was crowd-surfing, "Enter Sandman," shed tears and spilt beer as these brave souls risked broken strings and hearts deep into the night. Here are some of our "bests" from the night...

Best Moniker: Matthew "Count Rockula" Schwartz (Los Angeles)

Best Dressed: Chicago's Justin "Nordic Thunder" Howard

Best Move: Litz opening the compulsary round by back flipping onto tallboy, crushing it and then climbing onto an aid's shoulders chicken-war style to finish the song into the crowd.

Best judge: Gavin Miles McInnes, owner of Vice magazine. Because he was kinda gross, off-putting and totally awesome.

Best Entrant Who Looked Suspiciously Like Singer-Songwriter Josh Ritter: Randy "Big Rig" Strecker (Tulsa)