Osama a Hipster?


That's a nice vintage track jacket, OBL. What is it...Puma? Adidas? I gotta tell ya tho, the ironic beard and head dress are a bit much.

Poser.

Following in the Footsteps of Phish

Quite randomly, I stumbled onto the Sam Champion website, who I've heard of many times but never actually heard. Anyway, they are playing at Mercury Lounge this Sunday for a big Halloween show, and they claim they'll be playing for their set, in completion, a top secret album cover from 1971! The only other hint is a "Glam Rock" mention. Should be fun! Who could forget Phish's legendary Halloween sets, playing jammed out classics such as The White Album and Dark Side of the Moon. It's a great idea...taking the concept of dress up to a whole nother level.

I love gimmicks. I'm a sucker for them. So I may go down and check this out if the candy is all given away at a reasonable hour. The rest of the weekend, tho, I'm making up as I go along. Just keep an eye out for a gigantic UGG stumbling around the Lower East Side on Saturday night...

Apple blows

They totally screwed me.

Last week, I sent back my iPod to Apple because it was not working properly, and was initially impressed with the quality of automated customer support they provided. Yesterday, however, I take back all the good things I've ever said about that company. I was excited to get my box back so quickly with my repaired iPod...

But they didn't fucking fix it!

I got a photocopy of a form letter saying they found nothing wrong with the unit, but they went ahead an updated the firmware and reset it to only work with Macs...yippie. So then I try and reformat the thing for Windows, but now I get this disk error message. Looks like the hard drive is corrupted. I don't think it was this bad when I sent it to them. Or maybe it was? I dunno. I was kinda hoping Apple could figure that out for me. Either way, it didn't work 2 weeks ago, and it doesn't work now. And Apple had a chance to fix it or replace it and did not.

Of course there is no customer service phone number to call...unless you wanna drop $50 bucks just to talk to a real person. I guess I gotta go through the entire online process again to send it back. Maybe I'll walk it down to the Apple store and see if they can do anything for me. Not holding my breath on that one, but it's so dumb to have to mail them this thing twice. What if they send it back again, saying it works again? Where do I go from there? Argh.

Remember yesterday when I was talking about Miniature Elephants?


Well today I'm talking about Elefant on a miniature stage. Kinda. According to Brooklyn Vegan, and Confirmed by their official website, Elefant will be playing a relatively secret show at Mercury Lounge next Wednesday at 7:30. With typical Elefant modesty, they warn you to get there very early, cause the place'll fill up fast.

I've read that there are plans to re-release 'Sunlight...' on a new label, and try to market them on a more mainstream level. I'm a fan of these guys...tho I'm getting kind of sick of the same 10 tracks. What happened to those new songs they broke out at Bowery? They were really good. Are they ever gonna get recorded? Anyway, I think it's possible to get them over on the masses if done properly. Is calling them a mix of the Strokes and Interpol too easy a cop out? Absolutely. But I'm sure that's how many will see it...so if it sells, it sells.

Various


Blonde Redhead was so very good. They mostly played stuff off 'Misery...', which came very close to being my favorite CD of the last year (Had Rilo Kiley and BR switched up till a few days before writing up the final four) I was fine with that, cause I honestly don't know much more of their stuff.

Found a comfortable seat up on the ledge to the right of the floor and watched in awe. I just can’t listen to music like that standing in a hot crowd after a long day at work...Maybe it's something to do with Irving...always seems kinda claustrophobic in there down near the stage.

They make beautiful music tho. Out of this world. Their voices seem almost inhuman...It was like I was in a trance the whole time. A classic moment was during the encore break, someone shouts out "Go Sox!” followed by someone shouting "they won!" Sent a chill down my spine. When someone asks me where I was when the curse was finally broken, I'll always remember that night.

I don't think the show tonight is sold out yet, and the Mercury Lounge darlings, Benzos, are opening for them. If you don't have anything better to do...

Saw Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio talking with some smokers in the sidewalk corral outside. He is a unique looking motherfucker, I'll tell you what...And I mean that in a good way. After a minute he took off and walked down Irving towards 14th, and there was this beautiful image of a little, solitary man with gigantic 'natural' hair walking down the moonlit street. Times like this I wish I brought my camera out more. It was such a perfect scene.

Anyway...work's been picking up...no plans for the weekend yet, tho I'm sure that's bound to change.

And yo, did you hear about this crazy island in the South Pacific that used to have hobbits and giant rats and miniature elephants???? It was on the front page of the New York Times, so it's gotta be true! Unreal!

And what's the deal with Giuliani blaming our troops for screwing up in Iraq to cover Bush's ass? For those out there who lived in New York before September 11th, remember when he was the worst guy on the planet for fucking with our civil liberties and picking on those who could not adequately defend themselves? Guess what? One day of 'heroism' doesn't make up for years of being an quasi-fascist schmuck. Just because you had a gay roommate when your marriage was on the rocks doesn't really make you any better than Bush & Co. You sold out your country to tow the ridiculous party line of denial and ignorance. I hope history looks back at you with the same contempt they will to our President. For shame, Rudy.

Alright...enough of that...I just hate when people speak of Giuliani as being one of the "Good Guy" Republicans. He's not, but I'm afraid too many people may have that impression in 2008...

Quite Literally a Broken Social Scene


Blogger's been down since last night. Here's two important notes to get up before it crashes again...

Broken Social Scene tix for the 12/13 show at Bowery will be on sale tomorrow at noon.

Joanna Newsom, (smog) & Weird War: It's A Wonderful After Life -- A DRAG CITY CHRISTMAS PARTY -- December 18 and 19.
Tickets are On sale now.

There is a dress code for this show. It claims you must wear a "Sweater & knit hat or scarf." How cute.

Hopefully this shit is fixed for good now.

A productive day.


I should stay home from work more often.

It was nice. I got my Spiegelman print framed, set up a savings account, bought the OC Season one (21 jump street didn't come in) and even got a lil clothes shopping in while I was out. The rest of the day I spent playing the new Grand Theft Auto game. Right now I'm chilling out...watching a few episodes of the OC, catching up on the internet...

Lemme say real quick that GTA is fucking phenomenal. I don't really play videogames that much anymore, but this is something else. If you got a PS2 gathering dust and a spare $50, look no further. Great early 90's soundtrack as well. Rod Stewart's Young Turks, Lench Mob's Gorillas in the Mist and BBD's Poison are the best so far.

So there are actually two new iPods out today. Nether, honestly, make me regret getting my new one a few months back. I don't take enough pictures for that one to be worth it, and the U2 one is cool, but it's nothing special for me.

I've got growing concerns regarding this New Years concert. Nate's comment below regarding last years show kinda went with my worries. I mean...I can't see this show selling more than 10,000 tickets on a regular night (and that's a stretch)...and on New Years people have other plans. I'd love to go, but realistically there's no chance I'll be able to convince any of my friends to come along. I hope it all works out, but I’m nervous.

Love him or hate him...Eminem knows how to make a scene. I happen to really like his stuff, and this new video is no exception. Nice to see he's finally putting his influence towards a worthy cause. Too bad 15 year old boys can't vote.

I'm really excited for Blonde Redhead tomorrow night. Missed them regrettably at Siren. Tickets are still available.

Tickets are back on sale for both the previously sold out Jimmy Eat World and the Muse shows at Webster Hall next month...Get um before they're gone!

Um, that's about it. I really wish they put the OC on DVD earlier, so that I could get through the whole season before next Thursday...Not to say I won't try...

Fancy...


Taking a day off today. Bout to head out to run some errends, but thought I'd put this up. It's the new hot shit...iPod U2 edition. Click on the pic for more info.

Briefly...


Is Rothko closed? That'd be a pity...saw some fantastic shows there...memorable nights. Not to mention cheapest Sparks below 14th street...

New Years Plans? Maybe The Theatre at MSG? Wilco, Flaming Lips, Sleater-Kinney and perhaps the Shins? OTOH, maybe only venue in the city worse than Roseland...and for New Years, I'd like to be able to walk around and party...$35 may be the cheapest option for the night, however...Developing.
UPDATE: Is at MSG instead...Presale 11/1, public 11/5
UPDATE II: Presale password is "chrome".

Broken Social Scene tickets? No word yet...eyes on Brooklyn Vegan for the first notice (no pressure bud)

Field day 2005...Lineup hoping to include Radiohead, Lou Reed, The Cure, Bjork, Sonic Youth, The Pixies, Norah Jones, No Doubt, Burning Spear, Toots & the Maytals, The Strokes, The White Stripes, Neil Young, Coldplay, Tom Waits, and REM. We'll see...I'll believe it when I'm there. (via Thighs)

Tomorrow Releases: OC DVD (obvs), OC mixtape vol. II (good stuff...), 21 Jump Street Season 1 (!!! Been waiting for this a long time), and The Futureheads, Dogs Die in Hot Cars, Razorlight US releases (Get if you don't have already...except for Razorlight who kinda blow)

Re: above...DDIHC play bowery on 11/23, Futureheads 11/3 @ Canal Room and 11/6 @ Maxwells, Razorlight opening for sold out Jimmy Eat World @ Webster Hall.

Have extra Gmail invites if anyone wants one. Email me.

I had no idea so many people stay home on Saturday night to watch SNL...

Now I had an excuse...I was upstate with my Parents, my Grandfather, his new fiancé(!), and my little Cousin's family from Colorado. We celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday cause we're rational people who can't be bothered with holiday travel...Kinda weird, I know...but we're not a sentimental bunch, and it's always nice to have the family all together, so we do it whenever we can. Was a weekend filled with Basketball and Badminton and Croquet and Whiffle Ball, with a little World Series watching as a night-capper. We ate turkey and stuffing and all that good stuff. A pleasant way to spend a weekend. My parents keep a very nice house up there.

So anyway...I don't drive, and I don't know anybody up there anyway, so after game 1 was over, I stayed up for a bit and flipped around the channels, finally settling onto the end of an awful episode of Saturday Night Live.

To interrupt for a second...I just saw an ad for the OC that claimed the show has "redefined a generation"...Now, I'm as big a fan of the show as anyone...but come on...sorry.

So I'm watching SNL, kinda dozing in and out, and I see Ashlee Simpson come on...and we all know what happens next.

Now at the time I was thinking this was pretty fucking cool to see. This may have "defined a generation" more than any episode of the OC that has come down the pipe of late...I mean, come on...I couldn't believe what I was seeing. How often am I watching SNL live? Never. However...I had no idea that every fucking blogger on the internet was watching as well.

So I thought I'd come home today, write all about this crazy shit I saw on SNL while all y'all were making out with transvestites at Misshapes...but, alas, it seems to already be a pretty hot topic on the internets...So I have nothing more to add.

Ummmmm....what else. American Dreams is becoming my favorite show on TV right now...and I'm not even kidding. Yeah, it's cheesy and simple, but I like it. Behind Lost, it's the only one I'm going out of my way to watch these days. The OC and 24 will be back soon, yes, but still...it’s a keeper.

I had a pretty pitiful week in my NFL office pool this week...I was alright to start the season, but this week I got only 3 picks right. Just awful. I'm gonna start posting the spreads up here on Wednesday, and if anybody out there wants to throw me a fucking clue, I'd be much appreciated. If I actually win, I'll figure something out to give back. Please Help!

Not much going on this week...Grand Theft Auto comes out Tuesday, and I'm going to see my beloved Blonde Redhead Wednesday night. Other than that, should be pretty chill through the end of the month. Something always comes up tho...

Five things I'd do tonight if my family wasn't nuts and decided this year to celebrate Thanksgiving a month early to 'avoid holiday travel'...

In all seriousness, I think it's a great idea. I mean...We prolly got the turkey on the cheap, right? My mom's already looking forward to Nobu on Thanksgiving night.

But so, I'm heading up to my parent's country house this afternoon to spend some QT with the fam. Here are, however, in order of importance, 5 things going on tonight I regret I'll miss.

1. Morning Theft's Album Release party at Plaid
Great band, big event, new cd, no cover, open bar = best
2. Sons of Sound at Rothko
Still haven't made it out to see them...will at Movable Hype fer sure
3. The Section Quartet (Performing Radiohead's OK Computer) at Mercury Lounge
No Idea...but I love this kind of shit
4. Death Cab for Cutie with Pretty Girls Make Graves at Roseland
Hate Roseland...Big, expensive, can't see the stage. Hard to pass on seeing Death Cab tho.
5. Acquiesce at Bowery Ballroom
Guitar player works at St. Marks Ale House...Said they were first unsigned band since the Strokes in 2001 to sell out the Ballroom. Sounded pretty good from the sampler he gave me. Might be worth a check.

Wish I could be there...But, ya know...Thanksgiving only comes once a year. Be back next week.

Adventures In Disposable Income...



I looked at my checking account online yesterday at work, wondered why my landlord hadn't deposited my rent check yet...

Except he had.

So without going too deep into my fiscal details, I realized I had a lot more money than I thought I did. It was like finding $20 in your coat pocket. Times 100. Literally.

Best feeling in the world.

First thing I did was get tickets to Lali Puna and Moveable Hype. That was easy.

Went to the Megastore after work and bought the new Ted Leo and the new Elliot Smith. Have been listening to Shake the Sheets on Rhapsody for a while now, and absolutly love it. Needed to make it official. I've seen him this year at two free shows and, frankly, he deserves more from me. Great album. Haven't listened to the Elliot Smith yet, but have heard only terrific things.

The director of the documentary Union Square was also selling DVDs of his movie in, um, Union Square for $10. I had really wanted to see it. Got to talk to the guy for a minute...pretty interesting stuff. This movie is about the unseen, homeless, herion-addicted underbelly of the Central Village. I'll post a full review when I get around to watching.

I went home, ordered in, and pretty much chilled out all night. Nice.

Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't...

Last night I PASSED OUT on my couch at like 7:30, only to wake up 2 hours later with the Sox up 6-0 and my Yankee fan friends too demoralized to make it to a bar. So I stayed in and watched the rest of the most exciting, boring game in the history of sports.
I actually typed out a long, Yankee-hating diatribe earlier today, but deleted it cause I really don't think it's necessary. Y'all know what's up. That’s all. You have been pretty disgraceful to us Mets fans since 2000, so there's not much sympathy coming out of queens this morning. I, for one, was happy the Red Sox beat the Yankees.

But when I was leaving my building today, my doorman, who has worked there for 25 years, and is a Yankee fan for life, told me with a pat on the shoulder and a scrunched up face, "next year, Yeff, next year." The humble and disappointed Yankee fan...something I thought was gone with the Alvaro Espinoza era, apparently still exists...And I was touched. For a moment, I felt like maybe I should have been rooting for them all along.

But no. The grand scheme outweighs the individuals. You really can't control who you root for. It's automatic. You can pretend...like Boston's own Mike Bloomberg getting bundled up in enough Yankee jawn to make J-Lo jealous. But deep down everybody knows who they want to win. Someone hits a Home Run and you either die inside or wake the fuck up. There's really no in between, and you can't always explain it.

So I'll be rooting for the Red Sox again this Saturday...not loudly and obnoxiously as some may choose to, but quietly and respectably for the sake of witnessing history. And while the passers by may scowl and jeer like my name was Johnny Walker Lindh, I've lived in this town long enough. I’ve got nothing left to prove as a true New Yorker. I don't need to feign disappointment for a team I never really liked that much to begin with. If you don't get that, then you're part of the reason why I feel this way.

Go Sox.

Spread Lerche, it's the Brooklyn way...

Yup, that's it. I realize now, after hearing him say his own name about a half dozen times last night, it's pronounced 'Lur-kay', not 'Lurch'...So the pun doesn't really work. Figures.

So the show...Always a pleasure to be back at Southpaw. Love that place. Did not go in till right before Sondre went on...I'll tell you what tho...He's one good looking dude...and crazy talented too. Great guitar skills and a perfect voice. If there was a female artist out there who was that talented and gorgeous, I'd be in love. Shit, I mean...I fall for the regular looking ones anyway.

He walks such a fine line between being really shy and really cocky...kind of hard to read. Some of which is prolly cause of his accent. But whatever...it works. He's an engaging dude...glad I got to see him up close.

Earlier that evening, right after work, I swung by the Megastore to pick up the OC Season 1, only to discover it wasn't coming out for another week...sorry if I got anyone else’s hopes up the other day...Virgin's fault for posting the wrong date. The consolation, (which is a gross understatement) was that Ted Leo was playing a free set in the cafe upstairs for all who happened by.

I stuck around for his entire thing (something I rarely do at one of these things). He was awesome, of course, which should come to no surprise to anyone who has heard the new album. I don't think there's any reason that, with the right marketing, he shouldn't be a big star. There's a reason why he's got such a strong fan base...He's personable and friendly sounding, but still maintains that edge as not to come off too soft. Shake the Sheets is his best work. Worth a buy.


In some sometimes oft-neglected neighborhood news, Curbed reported a couple days ago the Former Lakers star Rick Fox is taking a nice, hard look at moving into that $3.6 million dollar slum penthouse on University and 13th. Good luck dude...

Oh, and quickly...Brendon Flowers is a Mormon??? Biggest shock of the year?? Perhaps. He's also getting married apparently. Congrats.

That's it...Tonight I'd love to go see 5 of the funniest people in New York (Michael Ian Black, Michael Schowalter, David Wain, Demetri Martin & Eugene Mirman) rip shit up at Southpaw for the cause of Kerry, but the price ($40) is a bit up there. I'll instead prolly roll over to Snitch to watch the game and drink for free...Go Sox?

Rainy Day

What a handsome little shit!

I'm seeing Sondre play tonight, with the Golden Republic opening at Southpaw. Tickets are still available at the door. When this show was announced, I was certain it would be a sellout...but it is not...somehow. I mean, didn't he headline Irving Plaza earlier this year? and play Bowery, um last week? This is a pretty intimate venue for a pretty intimate guy. I dunno how many chances you'll have left to see him play a place like this. Southpaw is one of my favorite venues in the city, so it should be a treat.

However, if you're scared to leave the cozy confines of lower east side, the band LESS, who are the stars of Adam Rapp's new play "Finer Noble Gasses" will be playing Sin-e tonight at 8. The flier promises guaranteed nudity. Just sayin...

So, somehow, December 15th is turning into quite a mess. That's the day I have tickets to the Pixies and Le Tigre, which will be awesome. But...there's this little issue with Broken Social Scene that's got me all twisted around. Ya see, they are opening for the Pixies the night before...which obviously is sold out and nobody seems to be letting go of their tickets yet. So that's a bummer. But the big kicker is...according to some reliable blogs out there, BSS is set to play their very own show at Bowery Ballroom on...yup, Dec 15th. So I've somehow turned an amazing Pixies show into a disappointing double whammy of missing one of my favorite bands...twice. Drat. Either way, I got the office e-mail that the Christmas party will be...you guessed it...December 15th. So I'll be nice and drunk and humiliated by the time I get to whatever show I end up at that night.

My iPod, after spending a few days last week being day to day, has officially been placed on the 15 day DL...I've filed a service request with Apple, And they are sending me the materials to send it back to them. My morning commute is so...quiet.

Brooklyn Vegan gave me the heads up on a last minute Rachael Yamagata show at Bowery Ballroom next Tuesday the 26th. I don't think I'm gonna make it to this one, since I've seen her twice fairly recently...but if you haven't had a chance to see her sing, go go go and you wont regret it.

Also from BV, be sure to goto KEXP.org and check out some of the streams from their studio showcases last week. I would, except my new officemate listens to KISS FM all fucking day and I don't know him well enough to ask if I can put something else on. I'll have to sneak into the office early tomorrow and start my music up before he gets in...sneaky.

I'm really curious to go check out Lali Puna at one of their two Mercury shows with Stereogum darlings The Go Find. Actually I better plan on going the second night, cause they play the same week as...

The Daily Refill/Coolfer/Gothamist supershow, Moveable Hype @ The Knitting Factory!(get it? It's a blog pun!) Three awesome awesome bands and one I never heard of...but I trust these kids' taste in music, so I'm sure they're great. Asobi Seksu, Snowden, and The Sons of Sound are all phenomenal and not to be missed. Putting them together just makes it easier. Save the date, November 16th.

I just thought of a GREAT pun to use as a title to the inevitable post reviewing the show I'm going to tonight...Ok, It's not great, but I think it's kinda clever. I'll save it for tomorrow.

"Hi, We're the Flavor of the month"


Is there a more resonant quote from all of CMJ? I really regret missing these guys last week, but I know deep down I wasn't ever gonna be able to make it. In a way there are two types of bands in the world...The ones you go out of your way to see, and the ones that go out of their way come to you. Last Thursday morning The Arcade Fire made the transition from the former to the latter when they sold out The Bowery Ballroom, just hours after completing their final set as a regular band. Even more impressive, in the grand scheme of things, is that they sold it out on the same night Interpol plays Hammerstein Ballroom. You can no longer just go show up and check these guys out. You gotta make it a point to see them play. If anything else, the article in the Times today firmly cements this. I expect my parents to now ask me to burn them a copy of their CD the next time I talk to them.

Just because you're leaving, doesn't mean I'm letting you go...

The OC marketing campaign is in full swing! I remember a time about a month ago when any mention of the show would get me going...now there's an ad every two minutes on Fox...and I'm about ready to start back up. Tuesday this week the DVD set of the first season is coming out...Can't wait.

Last Thursday, after swinging by Coolfer's happy hour and meeting some very nice people, I came back up to Webster Hall for the show which, in hindsight, became the capper of an exhausting two weeks of almost continuous live music for me.

I got there in time to catch a good chunk of Dogs Die in Hot Cars, who of course I adore. They're so much fun live...I don't get the critics. Last time I saw them there were about 25 people at Rothko who all looked confused. I was happy to see a fairly large crowd out this time to check them out.

After them came The Music, who I enjoyed, but am not completely sold on. I kinda think all their songs sound the same...It's a good sound, don't get me wrong...but it kinda wore old on me. Whatever.

Hope of the States came on after and were fucking unreal. I was floored by their live show...Think Muse, with a dab of Smashing Pumpkins (especially the vocals). During the performance, they had these cryptic videos rolling on the screen behind them showing scenes of war and tyranny and all sorts of bad stuff like that. It was sort of surreal. Also...best use of a violin I've heard in a while. It completely brings those songs together. Go see these guys next time they're around. So good.

The rest of the weekend I kinda played it chill...Went out with friends both nights, but no more shows for me. Actually that's not true. I saw a band called King of France play a brief set on Friday night. The lead singer is a friend of a friend, and they played the theatre after Adam Rapp's new play, Finer Noble Gasses. They were actually really really good. I forget the lead singer's name, but he had such a perfect amazing voice. Picture Shawn Christensen from Stellastarr*, but folkier and more chilled out...That make sense? I dunno what their deal is, but I'd go out of my way to go see them again. Hopefully I'll get around to seeing the play sometime this week too.

Should be a chill week otherwise. I'm gonna go out to see Golden Republic and Sondre Lerche at Southpaw Tuesday night, and maybe maybe I'll get to goto The Stella show there the night after, but it's a pricy ticket, and I gotta start saving up again. Good cause tho...we'll see.

This man is not good for America

Please watch this video.

I have a lot of reasons why I do not believe George W. Bush deserves another 4 years as president. I think that even if you thought that he was right in cutting taxes the way he has, and even if you believe that going to war with Iraq was the right thing to do, I do not understand how one can argue his administration has been successful applying these decisions. The tax cuts did not create one single job, and the war has left Iraq in a very dangerous situation.

However...If you still feel that George W. Bush can be a strong leader for our country, and a respected representative of our people, this video may hopefully change your mind.

Please do not take this as a personal partisan attack on the President. I do not to mean to use this as a cheap shot, but to point out another important reason why I am not confident he can run our country successfully.

I disagree with his policies, but more importantly I disagree with him. He is not somebody I trust. He is not somebody who acts in the best interests of this nation. He is not somebody I want people to think of when they think of the United States. Most importantly, he is not somebody who understands the gravity of the situation our soldiers and our country are in right now. Ask yourself this question: Can we do better than this?

The answer is we must. Can you picture the President acting like this when trying to speak with a foreign leader? Can you picture him acting like this if there is another catastrophic attack the US? Can you picture him acting like this when talking to our troops? This is a pre-recorded message to the Iraqi Survey Group. And this is the best he can do. This is not good.

Please watch this video.

There was a time in this country, before I was born, when many Democrats agreed with the principles of Jimmy Carter, but did not feel he was the right man to lead our country in a time of paranoia and the threat of imminent war. It is time for Republicans to realize the same is true with George W. Bush. He does not have what it takes to be President.

We can do better.


Video from Kos, via Yglesias.

Nightmares!

Jesus fucking Christ, that thing is scary! By the way...Hope of the States, et al. were great. I'll get to posting about them sometime soon. Have a good weekend...and sweet dreams.

pictures and article via The Decadent West

Popeyes is the new Homosexuality


I usually get lunch at my desk at work, but I forgot to order today so I and ran across the street to Popeyes Chicken, where in line I overheard the following conversation:

Guy1: How’s the new guy coming along?
Guy2: Great! He seems like a real chill kid.
Guy1: You should have invited him out to lunch.
Guy2: Well, I didn't want him to know yet...that we eat at Popeyes...

Now, from here I thought it was some sort of inside joke...and maybe it was, but the conversation continued...

G1: You know Arthur knows...
G2: How?
G1: I dunno, but he said something about it to me the other day.
G2: Have you told your parents?
G1: No way! My mom would FLIP if she ever found out!

What the fuck is going on here? What kind of upside-down world do these people live in? I was shocked.

Speaking of Fast Food Chicken, a few days ago a Thighs-Commenter reported a "secret" Chick-fil-A in an NYU building on the southside of Central Village. Is there any conformation of this?? I'm thinking it's either in the dorm across from the Mews, or in the building on the corner of Waverly and University Place. This is worth looking into.

Is anybody gonna be there?



I can totally picture walking into Webster Hall tonight for the DDIHC/Music/HOTS concert and it being totally empty...I mean like 40 people there. I had this feeling before...like last night I had no idea if Plaid would be overflowing with heads or completely barren. Thankfully it was the former. Tonight I'm not that hopeful.

I honestly don't think this town knows what they're missing. I know there's a lot of stuff going on tonight, but this may be the best show going down all week. I'm afraid it'll fall into that black hole of Webster Hall...where the best bands in the world come to go unnoticed. I hope I am proven wrong, but I just have a baaaad feeling about this one.

Oh, on a separate note, it looks like These Girls are gonna be making Wednesdays at Snitch a weekly thing. I say yay. As long as the bands keep coming and the cover stays low, it's the place to be. Respect.

Well...

Began the night at WD-50 with the parents...got the Hamachi and pear appetizer (I think), then the rack of lamb and some sort of rich chocolate creamy dessert deliciousness. A good meal. I little too experimental for my tastes...but I'd go back for the 12(!) course tasting menu perhaps.

From there I went home briefly to watch a bit of the debate, then headed over to Plaid around 9:30 to catch Elkland. Was surprised to see a line outside...not really sure what to expect. Lemme start off by saying Plaid was a perfectly suitable venue...The drinks are cheap and the setup was good. Despite my previous reservations about the place, I was impressed. I got in around 9:45 pleasantly surprised to see Pitty Sing finishing up their set with one of their two songs I know, Radio. Apparently they have an issue with setting up and breaking down their equipment...they take wayy too long and it holds up the whole night. For a set like this where there are 4 other bands waiting to get on, and people are trying to jump all around Lower Manhattan to catch various acts at specific times, this is pretty unacceptable. While it benefited me and my late coming friends, prolly screwed over many more people.

Elkland came on at around 10:15-ish I guess...don't actually remember, but it was kinda late. Lemme say flat-out I love this band, and I wish and expect all the greatest of successes in the future. That being said, their set last night was a bit of a disappointment compared to the phenomenal opening they did for Elefant. I blame it on the sound at Plaid, which, while isn't completely bad, tended to drown out vocals, and I think Elkland's strongest aspect is the lead singer's voice. So while they were good, it was nothing compared to them on the stage at Bowery a few months ago. I rest assured knowing they'll be playing bigger venues with better sound in the very near future.

After them was The Bravery, who I felt had alot to prove tonight...Since I last saw them at that same Elefant show, which was by all accounts a pretty weak set for them, they've signed a major record deal, and been on tour across the country. This weekend is a little stopover before they head out to London and the rest of Europe, which will likely make or break them. I've always said that these guys have all the elements needed, but they just need to keep improving. Well after a few months of slowly slipping off the bandwagon, I’m officially back on...These guys are the real deal, and sounded 35675 times better than they did the last time I saw them. The music was tighter, the vocals were more consistent and just stronger overall. The exaggerated stage moves, while still there, have been toned down to the point where they no longer interfere with the way the band plays. You can say what you will about the boy-band qualities (good and bad) of Sam Endicott and Co., and they will have their critics no doubt, but their songs are catchy as hell, and they seemed to have straightened their shit out a lot. Well done.

Lemme interrupt this to say that I just read The Zutons are officially opening for Muse at Webster Hall...and tickets are somehow still available! I'm not the biggest Zuton fan out there, but come on...Muse sold out 2 shows in a weekend in LA...my buddy, and former Webster Hall neighbor, Steve, is shitting himself for missing out, meanwhile there's one show in New York, and one of the hottest bands in England are opening for them, and we can't fill the place? Unreal. No doubt it WILL sell out sooner or later, so get your tickets now. Jimmy Eat World, with Razorlight and Gratitude are playing there the night before, is also not yet sold out. Is it perhaps because nobody knows these shows are going on? I feel like if these bands were playing at Irving Plaza, which is only slightly smaller than Webster Hall, they'd sell out in a day. Bowery Presents needs to do a better job promoting these shows I think.

ANYWAY...after The Bravery we headed up to Snitch, Because, while Plaid was fine, it wasn't exactly what we were looking for as a hangout. As much as I wanted to see Arcade Fire, who I hear were superb, I had no hope getting my friends to go all the way downtown and into another show with another cover for another band they’ve never heard. Snitch was a much better draw. First thing I noticed about the place was the 2300 flat screen TVs set up all around the place. ACTUALLY the first thing I noticed was how short the walk was from the Central Village to East Chelsea. It was quite a relief. Anyway, this place was fun, Good music, interesting crowd, the whole deal. Much better place to hang out than plaid at this point in the night. We got there right before The Madison Strays went on, who were pretty good. I see them playing around the city all the time, but have never made it out to their shows. I was glad to have finally caught them.

After that, some of my friends started fading out, and the rest of us stuck around for the beginning of The Bravery's second set. It got real late real fast tho, and I have work today, sooo we called it a night there and walked home. Fun time...looking forward to the rest of the week.

George W. Bush will send your children to die


It's Drafty in Here

I read too much political punditry every day to post every link and article I see, but this is an important one. It puts some real substance behind the "Bush will reinstitute the draft" rumors...Not that he wants to, but that with the direction he's taking the country, he'll have no other option. It's also written by an old old friend I've unfortunately lost touch with, Matthew Yglesias. Have a read.

Ya heard???


Some MP3's I've come across recently...

First, The Scissor Sisters and Kylie collaborated for a brand new dancey dreamy masterpiece. Good stuff. (via fluxblog)

Kylie Minogue & The Scissor Sisters - I Believe In You

Via my new favorite blog of the moment, Torr...Two things...

*I'm digging Pitty Sing more and more these days...Really remember not enjoying them at Rothko, but I'm excited to give them another chance tonight. Here's one of the songs off their new EP...

Pitty Sing - We're on Drugs

*Also, he pointed me in the direction of Chromewaves.net, which is hosting 6 different covers of Morrissey's "Please Please Please let me get what I want"...Including the version off the "Not Another Teen Movie" soundtrack by none other than Muse. I love that movie, and now I love it even more. I had no idea. Get'um before they're gone.

Finally...Via Jeddeth, Here's recent live cover from Rilo Kiley. Sounds pretty good. Enjoy!

Rilo Kiley - Such Great Heights

CMJ Heads up...and other news


I had a bunch of busy work that had to get done all day. Bleh. Anyway...

Congratulations are in order to Morning Theft, who released their first CD today...You can pick up a copy at their Album Release Party on Friday, Oct. 22 at Plaid.

Speaking of Plaid, tomorrow night, all birthdays aside, There is a hell of a lineup to kick off CMJ...Rob Holmes DJing, with Pitty Sing, Elkland, The Bravery, and the band whose three songs I've been listening to repeatedly all day, The Fame. Outside of the sold out Irving Plaza opening party, this is, top to bottom, the best show tomorrow night. I will be there.

I will do my darndest to get over to Mercury Lounge for The Arcade Fire at 1, but I if I'm having a good time, I'm not gonna push it, since I'm now definitely seeing them at Bowery next month.

Tonight I'm passing on The Libertines and Radio 4 in an effort to save some money and energy for the coming week. Saw the 'tines at Bowery last month, and I'm just not up for it tonight, ya know? I hope I don't regret this...

According to Brooklyn Vegan(natch), Dogs Die in Hot Cars are the super secret surprise opener for The Music and Hope of the States on Thursday...Some of the best bands with the worst names all on one stage...Tickets are still available. This is the show to be at, IMO, since none of these guys are in America all that often.

The other amazing show on Thursday is ALSO not sold out...The Concretes, VHS or Beta, Sondre Lerche, The Golden Republic and Inouk. What is wrong with you people?!? Go to ONE of these two shows, please. You will enjoy yourself either way...

I'll deal with the weekend when it comes...that's it for now.

Decided!

Please, everybody join me at Plaid on Wednesday night to celebrate my 23rd year representing the Central Village, New York, and the World. Of course I’m trying to get this together last minute, but whatever...That's just how I roll. After thinking about it and talking to some friends, this made the most sense. Obviously, this isn't MY party...like I didn't put this shit together myself...but I'll be there with however many friends I can get out on a Wednesday night, and it will be a good time. The cover is $10 at the door.

I'm planning on showing up on the early side...around 9ish. Plenty of time to see Elkland, and perhaps catch a bit of Pitty Sing to give them another chance. People seem to love them, and the song on their website is pretty fucking good...We'll see. Also, of course, The Bravery, then followed by a band called The Fame...

Does anybody know anything these guys? I finally found their website but I don't have a clue what they sound like. Since they are the only band with a flyer for the show, they get top billing on here...tho Elkland is the main draw. They've played with bands such as The Shins, Asobi Seksu, The Soft Explosions, and Sahara Hotnights, so at least they've got good taste in who to share a stage with...but I'm curious to hear what these guys are all about. If anyone has an mp3 or something, shoot it over this way.

Here's some stuff from the other Bands:

Elkland - Apart
Elkland - Summer is Over
The Bravery - Honest Mistake
The Bravery - Fearless
Pitty Sing - Radio(Stream)
Morning Theft - Thirty Helens Agree (Rob will be DJing throughout the night)
UPDATE: The Fame can be heard here

I'll see you there!

Snitch vs. Plaid

I didn't really like the last post all that much...I hate trying to explain a wild weekend story in a paragraph, all the while trying to maintain the dignity of the parties involved...so it always comes off lame. Moving on...

Wednesday night, as I've previously mentioned, it's my birfday...and after slacking on every party opportunity I've thought of, 2 interesting options have fallen into my lap...nether is perfect, but both would be fun...Here are the pros and cons:

Plaid:
$10 Cover
8:00PM -The Brake Up
8:45PM -Pity Sing
9:30PM -ELKLAND
10:15PM -The Bravery
11:00PM -The Fame

Pros:
*Elkland!
*is stumbling distance from my Apt.
*Friends live in the area too.
*Rob Holmes from Morning Theft is DJing.
*UPDATE:Rob offers to provide a drink ticket or two.
*Early enough to prolly still make Arcade Fire at Mercury @ 1 AM.
Cons:
*$10 cover...Snitch cheaper
*I'm not a huge fan of Pity Sing...Bravery's playing both, and I dont know the other bands
*It's fucking Plaid...

Snitch:
$5 Cover
11pm - Apartment
12am - the Madison Strays
1 am - THE BRAVERY

Pros:
*Cheaper ($5 vs. $10)
*All three bands I'd like to check out
*Haven't been to snitch yet...gotta check it out sooner or later
*Open Bar from 10-11 (apparently)
Cons:
*None of the bands are must see.
*Chelsea? That's a long walk there and a cab home...
*Same inconvenience for friends in the CV and EV.
*I miss Elkland every time they play in the city...don't want to again.

So there it is...We'll see...actually a very tough choice.

Well Well Well...

Just when life was beginning to look stale and old...

Friday I met up with some friends, and some friends of friends...a few of which it turned out I had gone to middle school with and hadn't seen since. So that was weird...We went to a Karaoke bar in Chinatown (coincidentally, the same one where William Hung got his start!) and after realizing I couldn't hold my head up straight and was belting out the lyrics to "A Whole New World" I decided I was not going to spend another minute ruining a second chance to make a first impression with these kids...so I grabbed a cab home and watched the replay of the debate while fading in and out of consciousness...

The next night were the Beasties at the Garden, who were great. We had good seats and it was gearing up to be an excellent night...But all of a sudden, two of my friends actually got KICKED OUT of MSG for being too rowdy?!? They were dancing around and bumping into people, but I've NEVER seen that before...
Some of the blame is laid on the fact that on top of a ludicrous day of drinking on their part, they each made for themselves a Red Bull & Zygo right before we left, which is the oral equivalent of injecting methamphetamine into the base of your spine. Fortunately they did not cause a big fuss leaving the arena...despite the 10 security guards called over who looked like they were prepared for a good old fashioned freak-out.

After the show I go home, get a call from another friend around 1:30 who is begging me to come with her to Misshapes. I'm not the biggest fan of the party, but she was threatening to head over by herself, and that was an awful idea. So I hop in a cab and shoot over to Luke and Leroys and wait for her. She shows up about 20 minutes later, completely shithoused...and not in a fun way, but in an eyes-rolling, staggering, cheeks-filling-up-with-vomit way. Lovely.

She lives all the way out in Park Slope, so I made her crash at my place...And while I was happy to offer up my bed while I slept on my couch, she insisted on the bathroom floor.

In a stunning karmic reversal, the next day she went out to Bowery Ballroom, hung-over as a bat, and waited around outside long enough till all the other empty-handed fans turned back, and the bouncers let her into the Interpol show for free. I'd say that's a pretty sweet deal.

I, on the other hand, faced with 4x$70 Morrissey tickets and nobody foolish enough to want to spend that much to go with me, was ready to have a pretty rough night...However, somebody finally responded to my craigslist ad, and I sold him two, then I convinced a friend to come with me at the very last minute. Great show, played some old favorites mixed in with the new ones. There was an incident during the encore which cut short "There is a Light...", but whatever, that's the risk involved I guess with seeing Morrissey.

Tonight I've got nothing going on, but tomorrow are The Libertines and Radio 4 and Thursday is Hope of the States with The Music. Wednesday is my birthday, beginning with Dinner at WD-50, followed by either an evening at Plaid or an evening at Snitch...That debate deserves its own post...

It's the Joint...


Radio City, via Cameraphone

More on this fuzzy and extremely expensive weekend...Including "A Whole New World" in Chinatown, a Beasties eviction at the Garden, Mozzer in midtown, and a rescue mission at everyone’s favorite transvestite dance party...in the morning.

La La La



Elkland has a new song on thier website! It's called Summer is Over and it's an outtake/B-Side from their upcoming album. Pretty good. It's no Apart, but a solid tune. See them play with two other about-to-blow-up local bands, Pity Sing and The Bravery, next Wednesday at Central Village's own lame-o nightclub, Plaid. If it wasn't my birthday and there weren't like thirty other shows playing the same night, I'd totally be there.

Just realized Jon Stewart was at Barnes and Noble in Union Square this afternoon, not tonight as I expected...too bad. Mo Rocca will be there on Monday.

What's going on with Gothamist??? It's stuck on Oct 1st for me. Is this happening to anyone else?

This video of Rilo Kiley from Conan is adorable...I've been watching it all day (via BV, natch) If I didn't have prior commitments, I'd totally go see them again tonight. There were plenty of people trying to dump tix outside the show last night, so if you wanna go and don't have a ticket, just show up, and odds are you'll find someone with an extra.

If you're not down with that, Pretty Girls Make Graves are playing a set at The Delancey tonight. Definitely worth checking out. Tomorrow, Hope of the States and Inouk are playing at Maxwells in Fucking Hoboken. One of these days I'll make it to a show there, (I'm looking at that Futureheads date), but I swear I won't go sober.

That's it! Big Ticket weekend for me, Beasties and Morrissey. If you want good seats for Morrissey, e-mail me.

Oh, and the pic above is from Witz.org...Weird, Huh. Click to enlarge.

Happy Fridays

Brooklyn Vegan provides a more updated picture of America's newest sweetheart.

This whole week was long, exhausting and expensive. Since last Friday I've been to 5 shows and taken an interstate bus and countless cabs to get to each. This weekend doesn't look to be any easier or cheaper, especially with the Beastie Boys Saturday night and the prospect of having to eat my extra $75 Morrissey tickets for Sunday. The only relief was the $4.50 Red Bull & Vodkas and $1 drafts at Homecoming last weekend, and that seems like months ago by now.

I went into last night pretty beat. I met up with some heads at Brass Monkey on Lil W 12 and 10th for drinks and a quick bite to eat for a buddy of mine's birthday. After a few beers and a glass of wine, I was pretty worn out, but had tickets to Rilo Kiley at Bowery. I parted with the rest of the party and took a long cross-town cab over to Delancey St. at around 10:30 to catch the band. Lemme just say it was the perfect remedy for a groggy day.

It's no secret that I love Rilo Kiley. They came out with the best CD of the year, in my estimation, and they have this wonderfully amateurish and nubile quality about them which plays in contrast to their incredible talent. It creates as unique a musical experience as one can hope for from this scene...not in a weird, out-there way, but in a natural, comforting, cheerful, happy to be alive way that few other bands these days can even attempt to convey. They just looked like they were having the best time in the world on stage...like Jenny and Blake were just playing in their garage one day, and a bunch of their friends came over with instruments and wanted to play along. "Oh, you BOTH have trumpets? Ok!" "You wanna do a song where we Tap Dance together? Sure! that sounds fun!" Just adorable. And of course on top of all that, the music is perfect. Tho completely exhausted, I left the show in a much better mood than I came in with.

Tonight I've gotta watch the debate...keep your eagle-eyes open for any earpieces or battery packs Bush might be sporting (wingnuttish, I know, but fun nonetheless). Kerry's remarkable surge of momentum continues, and according to Electoral-Vote.com, (the only site that matters for the next few weeks) Kerry is now comfortably ahead in Michigan by 10 points, and regained the lead in Iowa, Ohio and Wisconsin, which only a few weeks ago looked like they were ready to be conceded to Bush. He's even drawn even in Colorado and Arkansas, which almost always go red. Lets hope he continues the surge!

The job numbers are NOT good today...almost 50,000 less than what is needed to keep up with population growth, Iraq is still not going well, and Kerry is pounding in the fact that Bush won't admit it. Finally there are pictures abound of Cheney and Edwards at the Prayer Breakfast together, disputing the claim that Cheney had never met the Senator before. This country wants and needs change, and we are finally as a whole coming around to the idea that John Kerry is the right man for the job. Props to Joe Lockhart and the rest of the Kerry/Edwards campaign. Keep it up!

Tonight we're doing something for Ciaran's birthday, but no set plans yet. If you got a spare Sixty bucks, I recommend heading over to the Cancer benefit at Spirit. The Strokes, Blondie and Sonic Youth are all gonna perform in the memory of Johnny Ramone. It's a good, non-partisan cause, and there's some great music to go on top. Worth checking out. Tickets are still available.

And finally...if you want to come to the Morrissy Show on Sunday, drop me an e-mail, cause I have good tickets I'm still looking to dump. The price is negotiable. jeffdbaum 'at' gmail 'dot' com.

I'm in love...


More on Rilo Kiley's delectable set in the morning.

Thank God


Bill Imposes Prison Time Over 'Spyware'

This is needed. Thankfully the Spyware lobby isn't particularly influential. This might literally be the first positive thing that has come out of Washington in the last 4 years. I hope it's enforced properly, cause this has become a very serious problem. These programs can completely ruin a computer that some spend thousands of dollars on. Props to the House.

Obsessed...



Welp...no Elkland tonight...I was too exhausted and couldn't make it out. I'm also obsessed with one of the new Kings of Leon songs I heard the other night. Been frantically searching around the internet all night looking for some info, but no luck. It's a slower song...and all I can remember is something about an hourglass...maybe an hourglass figure? And part of the chorus goes has the lyric "...all over my body" I wish I could remember more, but I heard the song at Oxegen and loved it, then heard it again last night and still thought it was the best. Any help would be appreciated. I've scoured the KOL message boards, Kazaa, bit torrents, everything. No luck.

Also, I recently acquired Muse's Origin of Symmetry, which I think is out of this world. I (obviously) have only good things to say about Absolution, but I never fell in love with their other release, Showbiz. OoS, however, is a knockout. I think I recognized a couple of the songs from their live set (New Born and Bliss), and they are two highlights on there, but the rest of the album is just superb. The Nina Simone cover “Feeling Good” (aka the song from the Six Feet Under commercials) needs to be heard to be believed.

You listen to this album and it makes such perfect sense...Like watching a prequel to a movie you know by heart, I'm listening to this album right now in the context of what I know is to come. It's comparably so raw and unrefined, yet all the Muse-esque elements are there. It feels somehow prophetic to know that this sound will be smoothed out and perfected only a few years later into Absolution. If you haven't heard this album yet, check it out if you can, because it has completely blown me away.

But I won't blow it again...


The best live act in the world is coming to the Central Village.

Muse will be playing Webster Hall on November 9th (previously noted as an unknown venue). Tickets are on sale now. Webster Hall is not the best venue in the city (nor is it the worst), but I can't think of a better place I'd want to see them play at this stage in their career. It has the grandiose atmosphere that they need (unlike Irving, which always feels too small and crowded), while maintaining the intimacy that a place like Roseland can't touch. Not to be missed is the understatement of all understatements.

I blew it


Secret Interpol show at Bowery Sunday night...is already sold out. Drat. I thank the heads up to Coolfer's new favorite site (and mine too) Oh My Rockness...Corny name, unbelievable resource. The password for the sale was 'cruise' if anybody wants to try again thinking they'll re-open tickets.

Speaking of Sunday night...If you missed out on Interpol, I have extra tickets for Morrissey at Radio City. Good Seats, face value. Send me an e-mail if you are interested:
jeffdbaum at gmail dot com

Slunt Buzz...and some impressions of Lost


Props to my cousin Abby, whose band Slunt was called by the Village Voice the Best new dirty word used as a band name. Thanks to my buddy Steve for pointing it out.

I'm about to head out to see Kings of Leon, but I just watched the first two episodes of the new show Lost...and alls I gotta say is damn! It's actually as good as everyone is saying! The acting is regular TV fare, but they got a bunch of twists and cliffhangers and weird shit going on that should keep everyone watching through the end of the season. It's got me hooked. I wholeheartedly recommend checking it out if you haven't already.

If you use BitTorrent, you can download the first two episodes on Suprnova.org

No rest for the weary...


I thought I was gonna get a night off this Wednesday to kick back, take it easy, catch up on some dvr...but I just noticed that Elkland is playing Rothko tomorrow night. I've been itching to see them again ever since their show-stealing set in front of The Bravery and Elefant at Bowery, and for one reason or another, It never works out. This time I won't miss it. They are playing at 10:30, before Surferosa, who opened for The Killers and Ambulance last night, and after a band called Violator, who appears to be an all-girl Depeche Mode cover band. No word if Busta Rhymes will be present. Elkland tho is seriously one of the best up and coming bands around New York right now, and have already signed a major contract with Columbia Records. They are really worth checking out.

My first negative Killers post ever...

Obviously I'm a huge fan of The Killers, and I was really happy to see the crowd dancing around and having a good time...but tonight's show was kinda disappointing for me. Now I've seen them 5 times this year (somehow) and they've played the exact same songs every time. And it's not just that they play through the whole album...not once have I heard Believe Me Natalie or Everything Will be Alright. They play the rest of the songs off Hot Fuss, plus Indie Rock and Roll and Under the Gun. Every time. That gets stale, no matter how much I still like the songs. Also, they closed their 35 minute(!!!) main set with Somebody Told Me, which I always thought was THE perfect song for the middle of the set cause it gets the crowd all wound up, and the momentum from that carries through the end. Tonight, everyone got all worked up for the encore break, which always with them lasts about a minute or two too long. Finally, the songs just didn't sound all that tight. A handful of them just felt a bit off the whole way through. Was weird, cause they usually blow through these songs flawlessly. All in all it was kind of a downer, being that this is prolly the last time I'll see them this year. I hope the next time they're around they've mixed it up a little bit.

With that said, I'm amazed at how much I still like all their songs so much. When they nail a song, it's great, and after listening to these 12 songs probably more than any other music this year, I still love them all. So props to that, I just wish their set got shaken up every once in a while.

One final note...Ambulance was really good right before them. They don't ever seem to get a lot of buzz, but I'm a big fan of their album, and they sounded great live. Closing their set with their instrumental album opener was an interesting choice, but it worked perfectly. A definite highlight from an otherwise banal night.

Weekend


So, Thursday night was Bliggity Bloc Party at Knitting Factory who was heaps of fun. Now I know many of the bands I listen to can trace their influences back to The Cure one way or another, but Kele sounded a LOT like Robert Smith live, something I didn't as much pick up on from hearing the CD. I thought they were awesome. So awesome, in fact, that there were drunk and tentative plans made to fly to Milan in December to go see them open for Interpol. We'll see how that works out.

The next morning I took off from work to head up to Reading, PA to see Death Cab and Pearl Jam play one of the Concerts for Change. Some wonderful coincidences took place so that instead of eating my extra ticket, going to the show alone, and then being virtually stranded in Reading, a sophomore from my school who was a friend of a friend and a gigantic PJ fan wanted to come and was willing to give me a ride back to school afterwards for Homecoming. Perfect. I was skeptical at first when he rolled up at the Bus Station to pick me up in a car with a Bush/Cheney Sticker on the back of his car, but he turned out to be a very chill kid who was elated to be going to see his favorite band right near his hometown. We mostly avoided talking about politics (as my Grandfather says, "you just can't talk to those people about that stuff anymore) and sat back to enjoy the show.

It was a really good time. Death Cab was great, playing a bunch of favorites to about the half full arena. And Pearl Jam still fucking rock. I had somehow never seen them live before, and they really do put on a hell of a show. One of the few acts I'd still go see in an arena. Mike McCready is one bad-ass guitar player...props where props are due. Afterwards we headed over to school and I spent the rest of the weekend catching up with old friends and other Homecoming-esque stuff. It was exhausting, but fun.

Last night I went out to Franz Ferdinand, tho I was completely burnt out from a weekend of excess. They were good as always, but I regret not being more up for it. Roseland's really not worth going to. I would go see Muse there, but honestly I can't think of anyone else who it would be worth it for. Trying to dump my extra tickets outside the show was a futile effort. Tons of scalpers lurking around, not worth trying to get $10 a ticket to get harassed by those guys for any longer than necessary. And by the way...anybody who's dumb enough to buy TicketFast tickets from a scalper deserves to get ripped off. I mean damn.

The next two weeks are gonna be busy for me. Tonight The Killers, Tomorrow Kings of Leon, Thursday Rilo Kiley, Saturday Beastie Boys, Sunday Morrissey. Then next week is CMJ, and tho I have a couple shows plotted out, I'm not really sure what I'm go to yet. Play it by ear.