Still aren’t used to calling it that, but that’s where we were on Friday night. Twice. Rolled in early for Santogold’s 8:50 set, only to be told that she was no longer on the schedule (“cancelled,” one Irving staffer said). Later, someone said “Yo Majesty is supposed to be in now, but they aren’t even here yet.” Disaster. (Note: Pretty sure they did go on at some point, just later than expected.) While we regrouped on the sidewalk (finally deciding to leave for Cale Parks, the Narrator, and Bound Stems at the Delancey — we’d find out upon arriving that Bound Stems cancelled, too), a casting agent asked one of us if we’d like to be in an iPhone commercial (“Think of a good story,” she said whipping out a camera for one of those ridiculous testimonials). Of course we declined, but maybe we wouldn’t have had she caught us a few hours later, after a friend texted that Santi was in fact performing, somewhat secretly at this point; she’d arranged to go on later, opening for/tying-into Spank Rock’s well-past-midnight set. By which time the fancy cam stopped working. But iPhone didn’t. Behold, iPhotos:

The quick answer for favorite up-and-comers these past few months has been “Santogold and White Williams.” Going to see Santi is becoming a favorite pastime around here, and her set at Irving was another killer. With the Spank Rock DJ crew manning the decks, she worked through “Creator,” “You’ll Find A Way,” etc., with Naeem taking his verse on “Shove It” and M.I.A. poking in and out from the massive posse of sidestaged dancing friends. The beats never stopped from then ’til around 3AM, when Spank Rock finally finished his set (full of YoYoYoYoYoYo stuff + Bangers & Cash tracks like “Loose,” “B.O.O.T.A.Y.,” “Shake That“). A party not unike that Björk afterparty a few weeks ago; same set of cameos and guests, except that this set had the bonus of Yo’s bared majesties (iPhonically blurred with some other pics, after the jump).

YO’S MAJESTIES