Nick Cave

I'm way behind on posts but the wife is done with law school for the moment and is now constantly distracting me.
I've been giving the (sort of) new Nick Cave album Dig, Lazarus, Dig! quite a bit of attention lately. I've got to confess that I loved The Boatman's Call but was pretty ho hum on every other Nick Cave and the Bad Seed album. I did like the recent Nick Cave helmed Grinderman album.
Dig, Lazarus, Dig! is a pretty ideal marriage of Cave's story songwriting, distinctive voice and the rocking sound from the Grinderman album. Midnight Man is probably my favorite track on the album but there are several standouts that cover a wide array of styles.

Yo Yo who

The strangest thing i witnessed last week happened in the kindergarten classroom where i help out with English twice a week, check this out.
Kindergartener: Can we listen to music while we color?
Teacher: What do you want to listen to?
Entire Class Chanting: YO-YO MA, YO-YO MA, YO-Yo MA, YO-YO MA, YO-YO MA
Teacher: Ok
Me:(to crying student) What's wrong Austin?
Austin: I wanted to listen to Beethoven.

Check it Yo!

If you haven't seen the 11 Most Unintentionally Gay Rap lyrics Ever over at cracked then you have to get over there and check it out.

Jose @ Higher Ground

Looks like Higher Ground just added a Jose Gonzalez show on June 24th. That just might be the last show i see at Higher Ground before moving to Paris.

Destroyer, Club Lambi

I managed to catch Dan Bejar as Destroyer this weekend in Montreal at Club Lambi. The club was pretty cool, the second smallest room I've ever seen a show in(the original Green Door in OKC being the smallest). Without knowing what time the show actually started we showed up around 7:45 and walked right into the club where Dan Bejar was standing by the door talking to someone. Gretchen spotted him and was sure it was him i was hesitant, he was too short, way too thin and wasn't rocking the beard, in fact, he looked a lot like Joe Jack Talcum from the Dead Milkmen circa 1991. Before we could approach him or continue debating who he was he was called up on stage for soundcheck, thereby effectively proving Gretchen right. About that time we were told that doors wouldn't open until 8:30 so we hit the bar down the street.

Back at the club we grabbed beers and a table and settled in, with the exchange rate basically being even i paid $15 USD for a shirt before sitting down for a wait.

The show opened with a band who's name i forget, i believe they were local, in any case they literally put me to sleep(granted i haven't slept well since the funeral but come on).

Next up was Colossal Yes, they put on a really good set but it was very short, the singer explained that he had blown out his voice a couple of shows ago, that put Destroyer up next.

I really enjoyed the show, he sounded great playing mostly new stuff although he did play something from Destroyer's Rubies and i believe a song from Yer Blues. Foam Hands sounded spectacular. The Destroyer set ended up lasting an hour and ten minutes. Dan explained that he had lost his voice the night before in Toronto. Towards the end of the set he said that he would be cutting it short because of his throat but he did come back out and do a song without the band. I was happy and quite satisfied, the show cost $15 CD and we got two really good bands. Gretchen was less that satisfied, her point being that we had come from Vermont, had rented a hotel, paid for food and entertaining the kids, it was probably our last trip to Montreal and she was away from her studies two weeks before finals. She wasn't complaining about the show, she liked the set but the length was definetly much shorter than either of us expected especially since Dan had lived in Montreal and homecoming shows are usually pretty awesome. No one regrets going but it does make you think about all the things that go towards making a great show because a live show is an experience. The performance is a big part of it but there are so many little things that count, the people you see it with, the venue, dinner, the trip home, the list goes on and on.

Thanks

Thanks to everyone that's sent cards or e-mails or have given condolences in person, it's appreciated.

A Sick day conversation

My kids were sick most of last week, my youngest and i had a conversation in the car at one point that i feel like i have to write down.
L: Where is it ok to throw up?
Me: The toilet.
L: I threw up in the trash can at school.
me: That's ok too but the toilet is better.
L: Where can i throw up outside?
Me: I guess on the grass is alright.
L: What if it gets frozen and someone slips and falls in it?
Me: That would be bad, i guess you should try to throw up away from where people walk.
L: Ok.
Several minutes pass.
L: I better not throw up at the zoo because the animals might eat it, is it ok if the animals eat my throw up?
Me: It would probably make them sick.
L: So i better not throw up at the zoo right?
Me: Right.
L: How about at a farm? I probably better not throw up there either.
Me: Probably not.
Several minutes pass.
L: Would an elephant eat my throw up with his trunk?
Me: I'm not talking about this.

R.E.M. plays Boston kicks me in the wallet.

Yesterday I payed more for a concert ticket then i ever have before, in fact i bought two of them. I guess that's not technically true, Austin City Limits cost more but that was a lot of bands and multiple days.
I have two tickets for the R.E.M. show in Boston on 6-13-08. The Athens boys are touring on their strongest most rocking album in years. The seats are on the floor and as a big added bonus Modest Mouse and The National are both opening the show. I've wanted to see the National for quite awhile, R.E.M. has put on a great show every time i've seen them and Modest Mouse were shit the only time I caught them live. If R.E.M.s Dublin shows are any indication, this should be a great show.

Jenna breaks out.

As a fan of Zombie movies i've gotta say that this looks like a work of sheer genius, just look at that tagline! Jenna Jamison(looks like pre freaky plastic surgery) Freddy, strippers and zombies, a magical mix. I'll go out on a limb and say we are guaranteed to see boobs.
Another genius idea, covering Dita Von Teese with silver paint.

MLS season begins, Chelsea still snowed in.

The MLS season starts this weekend, thankfully none of the MLS teams practice on the Chelsea field because this is how it looks as of today. The Canadian channel runs almost all of the Toronto FC games so I have those to look forward to and once I get to Paris I expect to see loots of football.
I caught the Beckham piece on sixty minutes last weekend. It was pretty interesting, I'm impressed that he has the option to buy a team at the end of his contract. They also spent a couple of minutes on his tattoos but the best part of the peace was when he was taking shots on Anderson Cooper.

Joe Strummer

I caught the Joe Strummer documentary The Future is Unwritten last night as part of the Green Mountain Film Festival. We had to book it over to Montpelier for the 4:00 show, we slipped in right as the show was starting. It was nice to see that even at that early hour there were just a few seats available in the theater. I love the Clash's music but didn't really know a thing about the band or Joe Strummer's history so the movie was fascinating. I was a little surprised at how quickly they went over the suicide of Joe's brother. There was one thing that really annoyed me and that was the fact that none of the people in the film wee identified so you were never really sure who was talking, true, most of them I knew or was able to figure out but i like to know what's going on. All in all a good film and bonus points for having the Fine Young Cannibal's dude in the movie. For a real intelligent High School level review check out False 45th's coverage of the first showing.
Nike released a couple of shoes based on Joe Strummer's Fender guitar. The shoes above are the" before", based on the guitar in it's early days and the pair below are the "after" based on the guitar as it's pictured above.

REM Accelerate

After one full listen i'm happy to say that i'm digging the new R.E.M. album. It's their best effort in years.

Pure Genius

Don't Comb The Leprechaun from Ryan Adams on Vimeo.

Genius

Writing the Hits with Stupid from Ryan Adams on Vimeo.

St. Pat

Happy St. Patricks day.

Time to vote

I had to share this stomp Bush tattoo. Even thought the foot doesn't hold ink well and it will look like a gray blob soon that's a pretty funny tattoo.

There is nothing quite like voting in the middle of a town meeting while your wife sings "Proud to be an American" by Lee Greenwood.

Black Keys Attack and Release.

One of my favorite bands The Black Keys has a new album (Attack and Release) coming out in April. The new album is fantastic. This album was produced by Danger Mouse a fact that had me a little nervous when i first heard he'd be helming but boy did it work out. Everything that is great about the Keys is still intact, that dirty blues sound, driving drums and phenomenal guitar work still shine. The thing that really jumps out at you from the git go is the additional instruments on the album. It's always been drums and guitar but on the very first track (Things ain't like they used to be) we hear an organ! Wait until you get to Same old Thing, that's right son, a flute in the mix!! Like Iron & Wine's new album this disc really benefits from a fuller sound. I could go on and on about how great and refreshing the album sounds but I think you get the point.

Igloo Tornado rides again

I can't believe i haven't posted about this yet, i'm slippin. The Igloo Tornado is back in the saddle, they are showing at the Black Maria Gallery in L.A. starting February 23rd. Check the Black Maria website for info and previews.
Scot has a new print for sale right now. Hit him up at his web site Loser Goes 1st. I have the last print he did and it is awesome. I'm not sure what they are but this isn't a poster, the paper is heavy duty and the ink is almost paint like. Get it now.
Scot has several new pieces up on his site, this is probably my favorite.
One of Levon's new pieces. I also like "Whisper", fire breathing Giraffes rock.
Gin does Elvis justice, you can also get him covered in crystals.

Support your local Vagina

Once again my wife is in Vermont Law Schools production of The Vagina Monologues. The show is this Saturday @ 7. Try to make it through the show without giggling.