Brooklyn is home to a few good bands, a few good eateries and a few rad chicks with terrible, ugly-ass haircuts, but I was unaware that the borough is the unofficial home of Summer Dodgeball.

Checking in with Team Saucony (the best life-saving shoe company in the world who recently laced us up here at the office), I started bugging out about their <Monster Truck Announcer Voice> Sunday Summer Dodgeball Series </Monster Truck Announcer Voice> being held at McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn. Saucony is sponsoring the event, which includes sets by The Hold Steady, Ronnie Spector, Deerhunter and Aesop Rock, among others, and it’s this kind of event that reminds me why Chico, CA is totally beat. Dodgeball MVPs will get their own free pair of kicks, so if you’re reading this Matt Kiser, you better get your ass down there and OWN IT on behalf of your compatriots.

Check out the dates and band lineups after the jump: (more…)

Our friends over at Def Jux have themselves a fancy new website and web store, which launched today. Check out the press release below or just go lurk it for yourself here:

True to its pioneering nature, independent hip hop powerhouse Definitive Jux is relaunching its groundbreaking website and webstore, definitivejux.net, aka The Pharmacy, aka djRx, on June 2nd, 2008. In 2006, it became the first music website to offer simultaneous purchase of digital and physical merchandise in one shopping cart, and definitivejux.net’s continued cutting edge approach has helped carve the path to the future of fan-based online music retailing. It has now become a major part of the label’s platform to promote, market and sell a variety of offerings from the Def Jux roster, including Aesop Rock, El-P, Del the Funky Homosapien, Dizzee Rascal, Cage, and Mr. Lif. The site will be serving up a consistent flow of new content, both free and commercial, including exclusive material, live performance video and audio clips, images, ringtones, and more.

The site relaunch will feature brand new releases and several djRx exclusives. The fans have spoken and Def Jux has listened by posting Aesop Rock’s None Shall Pass Instrumentals & Accapellas, new videos by Dizzee Rascal and Hangar 18, live performances by El-P, and more. Upcoming releases will surface each week and slated first is an EP and video by The Mighty Underdogs (Gift of Gab & Lateef), a Del The Funky Homosapien remix by Aesop Rock, El-P instrumentals, brand new music by Mr. Lif, Dizzee Rascal, Cage, Rob Sonic, Chin Chin and more.

Not only is the site’s new design pleasing to the eye, but countless hours have been spent making sure each visit is as unique and user-friendly as ever. The company’s aim is to give fans a simple yet fulfilling experience while discovering and purchasing new music and merchandise from the Def Jux universe.

The store will also relaunch with fresh & exclusive merchandise items, featuring a design partnership with long-time Def Jux ally and super-legendary graffiti writer Phase2, originator of the ‘wild style’ technique. The debut of the DJX branded sneaker line will feature an original and custom Phase2 design, who also blesses the cover of the new Def Jux artist sketchbook. Additionally, new versions of classic Def Jux merch will be available as well as new designs, plus traditional bestsellers like hoodies and belt buckles. A line of branded download cards will also be introduced, allowing fans to download a bundle of special content, including audio, video and image files. These cards will be available with purchases of $25 dollars and above.

On the social media side, Definitivejux.net will be partnering with social music site Fairtilizer.com for a “Greatest Hits” fan competition, using Fairtilizer’s revolutionary music player. Fans will be able to create, submit, embed and vote for their favorite playlists, with the winning playlist pressed up on special edition vinyl by Def Jux, and the top vote getters receiving an assortment of special gifts and prizes. Details of the contest will be announced on the Def Jux and Fairtilizer websites in late June.

For the first time in its history, definitivejux.net will offer advertising opportunities for select brands to reach what has organically become a considerable online niche community, resulting in over 1 million page views per month with no concerted marketing.