Monday

The Coachella lineup comes out today! Supposedly. I think the super-main acts are pretty much set (Coldplay and NIN...right?), but there'll be, hopefully, some surprises fer sure. Check out this site for the list of confirms so far, but by the time you read this, the official list may be out anyway.
UPDATE: It's out!!


Chill weekend...no shows, a few little get togethers. Had to go into work twice and played a lot of Resident Evil 4 otherwise.

By the time you read this, U2 tickets will most likely have gone on sale, and most likely have sold out. I have to admit that I have literally zero interest in these guys right now. Maybe it was all the hype overkill that numbed me last year, but, besides the secret show business (which was pretty cool) I just don’t care. Believe it or not, I haven't even listened to their new album yet. And it's not like I'm consciously avoiding it to make a point or something...There's just other stuff to get into out there these days. So I guess if you wanna kick your amateur scalping ring to the next level, now is the time, but otherwise, I'd save your $160 and go to like 20 other shows instead.

Coolfer lets us know that The Go! Team will be playing NYC and Brooklyn in March. Mercury Lounge on the 21st, and Southpaw(!) on the 22nd. I'm excited.

Joey told me last night that The Arcade Fire will be on Conan Tuesday night. How cool is that?? Sources say tickets on Craigslist are now going for nearly $75 a pop!

That's it for now. Gonna be a shitty week at work, but lots of great shows coming up.

Hey! Did you hear Interpol on the OC last night!?

They just kind of slipped it in there...you had to have been really listening closely to have heard it.

Ok, I feel bad ragging on the show this week cause, despite the Evil overkill, it was a pretty great episode, with a good handful of music favs from 2004 thrown in there. (Portions for Foxes, Pretty (Ugly Before)). Most importantly, there were some semblances of a plot developing out of this near waste of a season. Every episode so far felt like it was wrapped up into a little package by the end of the hour, with no real interesting plot arches reaching across multiple episodes. Now we've got Sandy with the ex-love, Marissa and Alex exploring possibilities, and something finally interesting is going on between Seth and Summer that actually makes sense and advances their relationship. (When was the last time you actually cared about these guys till last night?) Yeah, there are still some quirks, like the whole Caleb thinking Ryan is only out for his money thing that came out of nowhere, and that they still don't know what to do with the Ryan and Lindsay relationship, but at least the show is finally moving along. I haven't looked forward to the next episode this much since the end of the last season. Hopefully this is a permanent change for the better.

For more analysis, check out Spinach Dip's weekly reviews.

Naturally the blogs were all over this article in the Post yesterday. I thought the best part was Jason from The Dark Room admitting he can't even stand going to his own bar on weekends because the Bridge and Tunnel take over. That's rough. But then we here about a murder on Rivington St., and everybody starts to think that maybe more rich people isn't the worst thing after all...

Spencer over at Golden Fiddle has a fantastic photo essay of a night at an Arcade Fire show...which barely consisted of any Arcade Fire at all. Brilliant.


So...Somehow I turned this crazy, show-every-night week into a pretty laid back stay-at-homefest. I've got a bit of downtime for the next few days, but then February 1st the city is back under the Arcade Fire's spell for two nights. After that there's Low, then Rouge Wave, then MIA, then the Superbowl, them much much much much more throughout the month. All in all, I've got plans so far to hit up a show at least 17 nights out of the 28 days of February. And I know I prolly seem crazy, but there is A LOT of really good shit coming to town next month. So what else is there to do but go see as much as you can?

March I guess isn't gonna be much quieter, and now I see that The Doves are playing Bowery Ballroom on the 15th! Holy moly. I would have expected them to be hitting up a much much bigger joint in NYC. They seemed like a "two nights at Irving" type of band to me. Anyway, Tickets go on sale today at Noon for a well worth it $25. What great news to start the weekend!

A change of plans...

Quick cause I got tons of work to do...

The Thermals are playing at the Knitting Factory on March 22. More info here.

If you're looking for something to do tonight, check out Other Passengers, who are playing at Pianos along with Human Television and The Harlem Shakes. Bummer about DFA '79, but they'll be back soon for sure.

Other Passengers - In the Belly
Other Passengers - Theendisthebeginningistheend

I passed on CYHSY after all last night and stayed in. Watched a screener of In Good Company that my roommate had, which was ok, but not that great. Some nice Central Village on-location shots, which always get points in my book.

That’s it for now. More later if things settle down a bit around here.

Uh oh...


Death From Above '79 has canceled their set at Mercury Lounge tomorrow night. You can get a refund at the point of purchase.

So um...anybody have an extra Bright Eyes ticket for me?

The best $30 I ever lost?

It WAS for a good cause...But I read about the delays last night at Rothko that forced Ted Leo to only play 3 songs at around 1:00am. I would have been a miserable prick had I forced myself down there to wait around for 2 hours to hear the headliner play three songs. Shit, I was fast asleep by the time he even took the stage. I'm sorry everything didn't run smoothly, but I am damn glad I skipped out last night. Check out these guys if you wanna hear some first hand accounts of the evening.

Just noticed VHS or Beta and Ambulance Ltd. are playing Bowery on March 7th. Tickets are on sale now. I've been wanting to see VoB for a long time now, and Ambulance played some great new alt-country-esque songs during their set at Mercury Lounge a few weeks back. I think this will be a good show.

Pitty Sing released their album on Tuesday, and, despite what you think about those guys, you gotta admit they write some pretty catchy stuff. They're playing tonight at Rothko if you're interested.

I, however, am likely gonna head down to the final night of the Clap Your Hands... residency at Pianos. Check out some mp3's below. They sound great(Right-Click/Save):

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Lost and Found
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Details of the War
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Home On Ice

Enjoy!

It was for a good cause...

I ended up staying home last night and eating my tickets to Ted Leo at Rothko. Didn't taste too bad cause I know it was going towards a worthy cause, but it still sucks. I just got home last night from work and simply didn't have the energy to go back out. Too bad. I'm sure it was a great show.

There's only one album I've listened to over the last few days besides the Decemberists, and it's Low's new disc, The Great Destroyer. Really great all the way through. Download the opening track, Monkey, Below:

Low - Monkey(Right-Click/Save)

You can also stream the entire album HERE. Highly recommended. Enjoy.

So, I've heard bad things about this U2 presale that apparently locked out a bunch of fans who had paid $40 for the fanclub. I would have thought, of all bands, U2 would have their shit together for this. Anyway, despite the presale issues...tickets to the public still haven't gone on sale yet (Monday 1/31 for the Garden). This guy is a class act tho...going on craigslist with possibly the worst seats in the Garden (sect. 404), and selling them for $270 each. I have no issues with a little scalping here and there, but this guy is pretty outrageous. Tho it's hard to have any sympathy for someone rich and ignorant enough to actually fall for this shit.

I got hooked into this Not Pron riddle shit for a solid hour last night and completely lost track of time. It's really really hard, but I got to the 6th page before just getting completely stuck and burnt out. Give it a shot if you got some time to kill. Remember to look everywhere on the page for clues, and (as far as I can tell) ignore the dating service popups.

Gotta run up to a meeting. We'll talk later.

Just as I suspected...



Tickets go on sale Thursday @ 10:00.

The Grumpy Edition...

Cold Pizza may be the worst show on television, but I usually watch it in the morning because it's tough to break out of a routine. This week, however, they brought in a guest host who is just the worst. A Mustachioed Canadian with no sense of timing or humor now runs the helm, and it is just painful to watch. I went over to CNN's American Morning today and caught Jack Cafferty, the long time Channel 11 anchor doing what appeared to be a daily segment. And what a way to start the day! You got a 60-something, seen-it-all newsman who sits in front of the camera for 5 minutes and bitches about the stupidity of society by reporting some offbeat news stories. Wow! What contrast to the normally perky, empty-headed fluff you normally get. I left the house this morning with a distrust and disappointment with humanity that I usually don't feel till much much later in the day. So thanks, ya old prick! Keeping America real at 8:45AM.

I just read that Petey Ex-Libertines is in love with Kate Moss, huh? I guess that’s cool. Anything to keep Peter going is a good thing. Hopefully Kate can help straighten him out.

For those heading down to SXSW, prolly the most anticipated news (at least for me, if I make it down) is where The Go! Team will play. Well, Torr reports that they will be opening for Embrace and Dogs Die In Hot Cars at a club called Buffalo Billiards. Sounds small. They'll be playing there on March 18th. Torr's prolly gonna be your best source for SXSW info in the coming months, so be sure to check back there often for showcase dates and locations.

Karen points out that The Futureheads have posted their new video for the awesome song 'Hounds of Love.' Second best song on the album behind Manray, IMO. Watch it here in Windows Media or Real.

Staying on the video tip, Beck's videogame-ish video can be seen here in WM and Real as well. His album will be out on March 29th.

I went to see Colin Meloy again last night. This time the place was completely packed, and I was relegated to literally sit on the end of the stage and peer around a mirrored column to watch the set. He was great, and played a similar, but slightly varied set from Saturday night. Check out Stereogum's nice review of last night, and Brooklyn Vegan's pictures from Saturday.

Colin also made a point to mention that he will return with the whole band to play 2 shows in May...One at Irving, and one at Warsaw. I'm looking forward.

Tonight I hope everybody comes to the Sarah Flynn Benefit show at Rothko. Here's the lineup:

11:00 PM - Ted Leo
10:15 PM - Benzos
9:30 PM - The Head Set
8:45 PM - Apollo Sunshine
8:00 PM - Countess Zapak featuring The Gill Scott-Heron Band 8:00 PM
Guest DJ James Murphy of DFA In Between sets & Late Night

If I'm feeling extra motivated, I'm gonna try and sneak over to Sin-e to catch Buck 65 real quick at 8:00. Gonna play it by ear tho.

Welcome Firefox Users!

I've recently noticed that my sidebar was a bit of a clusterfuck when not being viewed on Internet Explorer. This was mostly due to me inventing my own html code and using the fictional "/BR" tag to designate a line break. IE saw through my improvisation, but Mozilla did not. I did a quick Google search and realized the slash is not supposed to be there, so I took it out and now everything looks peachy. Now if I could understand what all this "span style=font-weight" bullshit is, I'd be 100% explorer free. At home, at least.

Okay...

Today was NOT so bad, despite what Janelle's article says. But the piece wasn't too far off. Last Wednesday was the worst I think. That's pretty close.

Anyway, There are a lot of shows coming up. I can't believe we're talking about May already...

U2 announced their tour. Thighs has the details, But they're playing one night only in NYC (so far) on May 21st (also 2 at the Medowlands). Tickets go on sale next Monday, but if I hear any further presale info, I will post. Rumor Mongers please note the big gap in the dates surrounding Coachella.

Also, the ghost of Productshop, via Stereogum, says New Order and Portishead are confirmed for the fete, along with others listed here. Again, the full list will be announced next Monday.

The Wicked sez that Tickets for The Wrens in Jerz are now on sale, as are the Kaiser Chiefs with the Prosaics at Northsix.


Aeki Tuesday posted the new Hot Hot Heat song last week...and I think it's pretty good. I played the shit out of Make up in the Breakdown two summers ago, so I'm excited to hear some new stuff. Word is they will play Bowery on March 9th. (UPDATE: Tickets on sale now) Right-Click/Save the new track Below:

Hot Hot Heat - Goodnight Goodnight

Got a ticket to Colin tonight. I rarely, if ever go see someone 2 nights in a row, so that says something about how much I enjoyed his set on Saturday. I even traded an Arcade Fire ticket straight up for it! Can't wait.

The late to the party edition…

(via Cameraphone)

So…it snowed. The most since the infamous Blizzard of ’96. It didn’t seem nearly enough, ya know?

Friday night seems a long time ago, but I went down to check out Sea Ray’s final show at the Mercury Lounge . It was the first time I had ever actually seen them, but unfortunately and obviously, it will be the last. They were an incredibly exciting band to watch. Honestly one of the best live acts I’ve seen play there. I felt like I was watching something special come to an end there that night. I can now understand why they have garnered so much respect over the years, and it is too bad they were never able to extend their following to a larger audience. I wish them all luck in the future.

Brooklyn Vegan took some of the best pictures I’ve seen him take that night, so it you haven’t already, go check them out here.

Saturday I had a busy night, and it was multiplied by the snow and the cold. I went over to the Fez around 8 to catch Colin Meloy play his set, which was superb. I could never get into his older albums before, but somebody shot me his upcoming album a while back and I really really dig it. I might go as far to say it’s my favorite album of the year so far. He’s got this west-coast/elitist accent and demeanor that I found incredibly endearing. I get sick sometimes of the ‘poor me’ singer/songwriter type that’s always moping around, and it’s surprisingly refreshing to hear an enlightened, intelligent performer singing about stuff you’d more likely hear in a nineteenth century novel than on a stage in Greenwich Village. I really dig it, and have given his other stuff another chance. If anyone has an extra ticket for his late show tonight, I’d really like to go see him again. Please shoot me an e-mail if you do.

After the show, a friend and I went across the street to one of the nicest and most understated restaurants in the city, Five Points. Because of the snow we were able to walk right in and get a table no problem, and we had a quick late meal before adventuring down to Rothko to check out Jean Grae.

By the time we finally got down there, I was cold, exhausted and wet and not in the right mood to be pumping my fist and all that shit. We kinda stood by the back and watched her do her thing. Great personality and stage presence, but I felt like a bit of a downer and couldn’t really get into the whole thing.

Sunday I stayed in and watched football and played Trivial Pursuit with some friends. Also caught the new Iron Chef America, which was fun, and this new show on CBS, Numb3rs…Starring a full cast of “that guys” from Sports Night, Northern Exposure, 10 Things I hate About You, and Ally McBeal. Pretty good.

I spent a lot of time this weekend checking out some new albums…some of which will be coming out in the near future, some of which I never got a chance to listen to last year. Anyway…quickly:

The Bravery’s debut is EXACTLY what you’d expect if you’ve been following them for the last while. The album looks to run 10 songs at a little over 30 minutes total, which is way too short, but kinda expected for this stuff. There is one absolutely awful song that I think is new, one that sounds like a total Strokes rip-off, and then a bunch of familiar stuff which is remarkably catchy and well executed.

I also got around to finally checking out Pinback’s album from last year, which The Magic Carpet called her favorite album of 2004. I thought it was pretty great after one straight listen through.

I also got a peek at the Bright Eyes albums and Elkland’s upcoming LP, but I haven’t listened to either enough to really give an impression just yet.

This week is gonna be mad busy. Tonight I’d love to go see Colin Meloy again if I can find a ticket. Tuesday I will NOT be seeing Stella because I forgot to confirm my Ticketweb order once I realized tickets were back on sale. I will, however, be going to The Ted Leo, etc benefit show at Rothko, and maybe finally go see Buck 65 beforehand if I feel up to it. Wednesday I wanna go see Clap your hands… at Pianos and Thursday I’m gonna get my angry on with Death From Above ’79 and others, who have to be an improvement over the last time I saw them in England. Next weekend should be pretty chill.

All the big news comes in on Friday night...


Staying on the Coachella Tip...Presale for tickets is going on this weekend. Tickets are $152. The Password is GOBI. They also stated the full lineup will be announced on Monday, January 31st. I'll see you there!

UPDATE: Oh, and as Brooklyn Vegan already said I said, Stella tickets are back on sale for their next two shows at the Fez on the 25th and the 1st...

The Smiths are getting back together...


So they say...

I'll believe it when I'm there. And I will be there.

UPDATE: Lies...all Lies! (For those curious, Productshop admitted he had been duped shortly before his bandwidth ran out...)

Mothers, be good to your daughters...

PLJ day 4 is in full effect. Three things I've realized this week...

1. John Mayer is played every 1 hour and 45 minutes like clockwork.
2. The Counting Crows are awful these days. August and Everything After was a lovely CD, but every time I hear one of their newer songs it makes my spine hurt.
3. I've been in denial all this time, but Keane is officially huge. I would have never expected them to live up to the hype, but they are soft rock GODS out in the FM radio mainstream. How bout that.

Anyway...

According to Cold Pizza...yeah I said ESPN2's Cold Pizza, The Beastie Boys' name drop bonanza "Letter to NYC" will be the theme song to EA Sports' upcoming game NBA Street Volume III. Rumor has it that Elkland's "Apart" will be the theme song to the next game in the street series, FIFA Street.

A big welcome back to The Magic Carpet, who took some personal time away from the blogesphere since November. She was listening and loving to The Arcade Fire open for The Wrens way back last February before you or I had ever heard of them...So believe me when I tell you she knows the good music when she hears it. Check her out if you haven't already.

The Sarah Flynn Benefit show at Rothko also has a corresponding auction. There's some really cool shit being sold over there, so if you're in a charitable mood, check it out.

Tonight the place to be is Sea Ray, who is playing their last show ever. They were once considered by some as the saviors of music and perhaps the best band in the world...But unfortunately the rest of the music listening population never gave them enough of a chance. They will be saying goodbye tonight. It is sure to be an emotional evening. Tickets are sold out.

Other options tonight is the sold out Mates of State/Regina Spektor Show at Bowery, and the sold out ...Trail of Dead show at Rothko. There's also a OMR recommended show at CBGB's tonight, tho I'm afraid I am not familiar with any of the bands.

Saturday night I'm gonna try and grab an early cancellation at some nice restaurant with the rents (due to the snowstorm...), then head to the Fez for some hott Meloy action. I love the Decemberists' new album, even tho Colin doesn't want me to sing along just yet. After that I'm shooting to Rothko to hear Jean Grae spit rhymes at her Midnight show. Busy Busy. Next week there are a ton of great bands playing in town, but I'll get to that as they come.

Have a great weekend.

Grey Week

(pic via Stereogum)

Alright, I know I've been in a pretty shitty mood the last couple days, but I can't be the ONLY person who thinks this new Postal Service song is complete garbage…right? The lyrics are simplistic and dull, the beat is uninspired, and the chorus is uncharacteristically cheesy. I know it's easy to crack on these guys since they've blown up, but I still listen to DCFC and "Give Up" all the time, and I think this one is a stinker. Too bad.

Big TV night last night...I got home, ordered a big fat steak from Strip House and settled in on the couch for the haul...Resident Evil 4 will have to wait.

Lost was good, but not great. What was with that fake ass polar bear? For a show with such high production values, it felt totally out of place to have that CGI shit pop up. Whatever tho...I'm able to look past it. I had heard some of the rumors on the internets regarding Walt having magical powers, and it looks like this episode hinted towards that. Also, does anyone know if next week is gonna be new? Cause the scenes from the next showed moments from the episode with the French woman. Hmmm.

After Lost, I stumbled onto the premiere of the new Fox show, Point Pleasant. It was pretty bad, but I still liked it. Think the OC meets Carnivale, taking place in New Jersey. The girls are pretty enough for me to keep watching, and especially if it's gonna come on right after the OC, it'll be almost automatic.

I got tickets for that stacked Ted Leo show, tho I really wanna try and go see Buck 65 at Sin-e that night too. I've got some time, so I'll figure something out. Nether should be missed...

Finally, It's good to see I'm not the only grouchy blogger out there this week hating on Gibbard. It must be the weather. At least the sun came out today for like the first time in like 2 weeks. It'll get better I'm sure.

The Californization of the Central Village Ghettos


University Place between 13th and 14th has been a sore spot on the hood for my entire life, but recently there has been either a coordinated or coincidental movement to turn the discarded block into a 'Little Los Angeles'

That bootleg California pizza has been there forever, and the Pan-Asian restaurant across the street seems pretty alright…but now we've got The Claremont. It is a very out of place condo that looks more like the front to a back-lot set piece than a Greenwich Village apartment building. It's built from an artificial looking yellow limestone, and the apartments appear to be lit by bright white florescent lights. To top it all off, Former LA Lakers star Rick Fox had been rumored to have shown interest in the Penthouse there. Interesting...

But only recently has the plan all come to fruition. Here's the kicker...Across the street, on the side of the DSW/Forever 21 building, they will soon be opening, of all things, a JAMBA JUICE! Zoinks! A more iconic Californian retail establishment there has never been!

So...add the idling bus exhaust you're forced to suck down whenever you walk down the block and you've basically got a little piece of California sunshine at the northernmost point of Central Village. We're a neighborhood always open to new cultures and customs, so welcome. And don't mind the Odd-Job loading dock, or the homeless colony living across the street…They're just there for veracity.

Getting my PLJ on...

Today I moved into my new office, which I am sharing with one of the most annoying and awful people I've ever met. And yes she may read this over my shoulder, and no, I couldn’t care less. She's only working here for another 2 weeks.

Anyway...she got down here before me (cause I had work to do, and she just blew hers off to get the move on) and had her ghetto little clock radio set and playing PLJ jams. Yippie. The Killers were just on, and that brought out a bright little moment in an otherwise cold and dreary day.

So in honor on the worst day I've had at my already pretty miserable job, I'm going straight home after work, crawling under the covers, turning off the lights, and playing Resident Evil 4 non-stop till I pass out. The Hold Steady can go on without me, and Clap your Hands...will have to wait till next week.

Sleater Kinney tickets are on sale now for their shows at Mercury Lounge March 3rd and 4th.

ToTC reports that the Central Village club Plaid is going out of business, to which I say good riddance. Tho my only experience actually going there, (My birthday during CMJ) was a generally positive one, I don't think we need any more beatings and stabbings going on in the hood. I'm sure whatever is going to replace it is gonna be equally slimy, but I'm curious to see what we'll get.

Finally, big news...Bloc Party announces their tour dates, and we get two sets at Bowery on April 7th and 8th. I can't wait. (via MOST Cowbell, natch)

A few more...

These deserve their own post...

Chin Up Chin Up, the band destined for greatness before getting screwed by The Delancey's management, is coming back to town. They'll be playing at the Mercury Lounge with my recent nemesis, Soft. I've been listening to this song constantly since I first heard of them back in November:

Chin Up Chin Up - We Should Never Have Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers(right-click/save as)

My favorite super-enthusiastic blogger is excited about news that The Kaiser Chiefs are coming to Mercury Lounge on Valentines Day. I am too. They'll also hit up Northsix on the 12th. These will surely be their last small shows in the city, so be sure and try to see them like this while you still can.

Finally, According to NME, Tickets are going on sale for Glastonbury on April 3rd. The Festival will run through the weekend of June 24-26. I know tickets are impossibly tough to get, and they'll run you about $200, but this'll be the last one till 2007, and it's pretty much the king of all music festivals. If I can, I’m gonna try and go.

Upcoming...


KRock is holding the Interpol/Blonde Redhead presale for their show at Radio City on March 1st. Tickets will go on sale Friday at 9AM, and the Password is "KROCK".

Also, Kings of Leon are playing at Webster Hall on February 23...the day after their stellar sophomore LP hits the states. Tickets are available tomorrow at noon. I know they've been around for a bit, and they are already very big in Britain, but I have a feeling they are going to explode in the US this year. They've always had a lot going for them...youth, good looks, talent, attitude, and that indefinable something that makes them sound both unique and familiar at the same time. Now, finally, they have an incredible new album to back all it up. Worth checking out if you haven't before. They put on a good show. UPDATE: More Cowbell sez they'll be playing at Irving the night before, and the fantastic band The Features are once again opening for them.

Finally, The Wrens will be playing at Maxwells on March 12th. They are perhaps the definition of Jersey-worthy. I will be making the trip. (also via More Cowbell)

(photo via Gawker)

What time is it?

I was up well before the sun came up this morning cause I had to put together a package for an attorney who needed it for his early flight. Was up around 6, here by 7 blasting Wu-Tang's greatest hits and sipping on a sugar free red bull and low acid OJ cocktail, and had the package put together and in a car by 8. Now It's 8:30 and I have about an hour to kill before anybody gets in...so here I am.

I already mentioned The Dears et. al on Saturday night, but for some more thoughts and pics, check out Productshop, Daily Refill, The Wicked and Aeki Tuesday.

It also seems Productshop isn't a fan of Hipster Porn(NSFW)

Shit...what else...

Brooklyn Vegan buzzes about this spectacular Rothko show coming up on the 25th, Featuring Ted Leo, Apollo Sunshine, Chinese Stars, with James Murphy as the DJ. I don't think tickets will go on sale, so plan on getting there early.

My buddy Steve, CV's unofficial West Coast correspondent, went to go see the Arcade Fire (remember them?) this weekend out in LA, and had only glowing things to say of course, but he made a point to mention that one of the openers, Final Fantasy, was a standout. Be sure to get there early to catch him. He was described as a violinist who plays over samples...interesting. If anyone has a website or some MP3's, lemme know.

SXSW is shaping up to be something else. Torr reports that now The Doves, Bloc Party, The Futureheads and The Kings of Convenience will be there, along with previously mentioned American Music Club, The Dears, Death From Above 1979, Dogs Die in Hot Cars, The Go! Team(!!), Hot Hot Heat, Billy Idol, Kaiser Chiefs, Nada Surf, The Raveonettes, Sleater-Kinney, Saul Williams and many many more. Hopefully many of those bands will tour through New York as well.

Paige loves the US military and their (albeit aborted) plan to turn all the terrorists gay. Yikes...Thanks to the Freedom of (too much!) Information Act for letting us dig this weird shit up.

Finally...Last night was the blogger chatroom known as Movable Hype 1.5. I think Dear Leader and Morning Theft made some very big impressions on the crowd. They both played excellent sets. I was upset that I had to leave before the much anticipated Fort Ancient went on, thanks to Pianos shitting the bed and pulling some sort of quasi-double booking deal that forced all the bands to go on much later than scheduled. Regardless...good times, and hello to everybody I saw out last night.

This week I reckon I'll pass on The Hold Steady, maybe check out The NYC at Siberia instead. Friday is Sea Ray's final show ever which I will attend, and Saturday will be my personal double bill of Colin Meloy at the Fez, followed by Jean Grae at Rothko.

I think I'm gonna go crawl under my desk and take a nap now.

Late Saturday Post

The Plug Awards got quite a diverse lineup. The previously announced Dillinger Escape Plan and Ted Leo are now joined by RJD2 and Aesop Rock at Webster Hall on Feb. 9th. That touches on some of the biggest indie metal, rock, electronica and rap acts around right now...good stuff. Tickets are available now.

By the way, these are the only awards that'll recognize shit like Bloc Party, Arcade Fire and KEXP.org, so we should act like it means something cause they have good taste in music and its nice to see our favorite bands get some props.

Caught the Dears, who are awesome, but their live show kind of dragged on a bit by the end. Saints and Lovers were superb, and Benzos was OK...I can never totally get into them.

Got to the Tribeca Grand just as the Kaiser Chiefs finished, but my buddy Jack was there earlier and said they were really fucking good. Oh well. I got a feeling about these guys...sorry I missed it.

Off to ski tomorrow morning...I'll be at MH 1.5 Monday night. Lata.

Well that backfired...

So we stood outside of Bowery for about 45 minutes, from 8:30 till 9:15. Heard Asobi Seksu go on. There were alot of other people outside looking for tickets too, and unfortunately it was completely sold out, so we all just waited around, till occasionally one person would come up with an extra, and the bouncer would decide who had been waiting the longest. Asobi Seksu was almost finishing up their set, and while it was a nice night out, I was already sick of standing, and I was beginning to remember I didn't really like Razorlight all that much anyway, so we headed back.

I guess my theory was incorrect...you can't always get tickets outside. I hope Rajeev didn't get shut out too on my advice...But if there was a show I was to learn my lesson on, it was this one, which I only had a lukewarm interest in anyway. Tomorrow I'm gonna buy tickets to every show I wanna go see that's coming up. No more messing around.

So I came home and put on the OC, which was almost unwatchable at times. I hid my face when Sandy got on the mic, and the Lindsay-Ryan moments were awful. Also, guess what?! Summer and Zack had an issue, sorta revolving around Seth, they thought they were going to break up, but they worked it out in the end! How original! And interesting! Bullshit. Seth was annoying the whole time, Marissa was miserable (at least she got rightfully fucked over in the end)...the only endearing thing was Alex and her acceptance into the Cohen Clan. Other than that it was another wasted, by the books episode. Boo-urns!

Torr reports that The Bravery are releasing their full album in the US on March 29th. Whoh, that was fast. Karen pretty much summed up my opinion on the guys. I'll listen to them, and I like their songs...but come on...they're not exactly groundbreaking. Be that as it may, I'll buy the album, and surely enjoy it when it comes out.

Last night I had a brief IM conversation with my uncle, who is currently in Medan, Indonesia writing an article about the goings on over there. He's been sending e-mails back to the fam about his travels, and they are nothing short of spectacular. His name is Dan Baum, and he is a writer for the New Yorker. Keep an eye out for the article in the coming weeks.

Tonight Morning Theft is playing at the Delancey with the hott Boston band Read Yellow. Free Sparks from 9-10? OK! Saturday is Saints and Lovers/Benzos/Dears at Mercury, then I'm gonna try and head over to the Tribeca Grand to check out this hot new shit from England, The Kaiser Chiefs. Sunday I'm going to use my parents house upstate and go skiing with some friends, but will be back in time for Movable Hype 1.5 at Pianos on Monday with Morning Theft (again) Dear Leader, Fort Ancient and The Moirai.


Finally, speaking of Movable Hype, the real deal 2.0 show has been set up, featuring Elkland, The Information, Other Passengers and The Cloud Room. Word. Get ready.

Have a good weekend.

It's ok dude...I'd be in love with her too

I think only children are the only ones who aren't squeamish about that step-sister stuff.

Lost is making 24 look bad. This year I've called every "shocking" twist on 24 right away. For Lost, it's all speculation. I mean, as soon as I heard the words "No Blood Relation" come out of the cop's mouth at the police station, ideas started racing through my head, especially because I had thought they were dating for like the first 6 episodes. But I couldn't have called it right then and there. No way. Then at the end, I was pretty sure she was dead...even tho in the back of my mind I sorta knew he may have been imagining it all. That's good writing...keeps you thinking. 24 these days just keeps you watching. Great episode, great show.

So I had a shitty day yesterday at work, and as much as I wanted to see Tegan and Sara, I just couldn't make it back out. Too bad. I'm sure it was great.

I listened, for the first time, to the Fiery Furnaces EP this morning and instantly dug it. The songs blend in and out of each other like their live shows do, and they are all matched up real well. I think this one is gonna be in my rotation for while...really catchy, interesting stuff.

The Dears show is coming up Saturday. If anybody hasn't heard their album yet, you can stream the whole thing for free from New Music Canada. You'll love it, I swear.

Did anybody else hear that Don King is suing ESPN for 2.5 BILLION dollars!?!? Apparently he thinks that their SportsCentury feature portrayed him as a thug. Go figure. That a convicted murderer was portrayed in such a way...idiot.

Am I the only person who thinks the iPod shuffle is a complete piece of garbage??? I mean, flash players are nice, but there are a million better out there. If it only had a screen, I'd be jumping on the bandwagon for its low price and high capacity, but leaving off a way to see which song is on is unacceptable. And naming it The iShuffle, pretending that the purpose of the device is that you don't know what's next, is just sneaky and misleading to the fact that it's a half-ass product. I'd expect better from Apple.


(instructions on how to make your own iShuffle via Gizmodo)

One noteworthy show, being dubbed "intimate" by the Bowery people, is New Found Glory at Webster Hall. Eisley is opening for them. I hear the kids love these guys. Tickets go on sale today at noon...I can't figure out why, but I kinda wanna go to this. I don't think I could name 3 of their songs. I sorta like Eisley, but that’s hardly an excuse.

Jux...


I don't know what it is exactly about the indie/underground hip hop scene, but it's just kinda weird. I think it has to do with the fan base. It's white. About 90% of the people in attendance last night looked like me. And when the emcee tells you to throw your hands up, or initiates a call and response, they don't. They stand there and nod their head. And that just sucks. Hip hop by nature exudes tons of energy from the music, and a crowd that's not totally going along with it stands out even more than at a rock show. I mean, I've seen some of the most exciting bands in the world cut down by the nonchalant crowd at the Merc. But this seemed worse. Lemme just say, to anyone out there who may play a small show in New York...it's not that we don't love you, it’s just that we are all jaded, and while it's easy to impress us, it's just hard to get us to show it.

Anyway, last night me and my buddy Gavin headed down to the Definitive Jux showcase at Mercury Lounge. Beans was the highlight...ultra-animated moves and an unbeatable flow. He's one that I would go out of my way to go see again. Hanger 18, despite looking like an assistant gym teacher teamed up with an extra on the Chapelle Show (pictured above), got the most out of the crowd. I said afterwards that for a guy like that to get up on stage and start rhyming, it would have to take a lot to impress me, and he did. Rob Sonic was the first to go up, and he was alright, but Creature, who was mostly doing his doubles, really stood out when he had a chance to do his own thing. The show was thankfully running about 15 minutes ahead of schedule, but then C-Ray Walz was held up and I was tired, so we bounced before he came out. Aesop Rock was apparently supposed to do a surprise set after C-Ray, but I couldn't stick around to find out. And that was that.

I don't think I'm gonna start hitting up this scene any more than I normally would, but I'm looking forward to seeing Jean Grae at Rothko on the 22nd (right after Colin Meloy's solo set, no less!) and then Aesop Rock at Bowery on 2/23.

Upcoming Shows...

As a forward, I decided to try an experiment this month to not buy any tickets in advance for shows at Bowery. I occasionally get stuck with extras, and it's usually pretty tough to get rid of them out front. It seems that even for the sold out shows, they regularly sell tickets at the door anyway, and even if they aren't, I ALWAYS see many more people selling outside than trying to buy. There are very rare exceptions, but this seems to be the case, even for the most sold out shows. This week is the first time I'm really putting this policy to the test. Tegan and Sara and Razorlight are both "sold out" on Ticketweb, but I'm gonna go anyway and see what the deal really is. It's a good test, cause I'm planning on getting there early for the first openers both nights (Kimya Dawson and Asobi Seksu). I will report back with my findings.

Anyway, heres a look at some more shows for the long run, in no real order.

First, those of us who slacked on Buck 65's Sin-e residency last month are getting one more shot to see him there on January 25th.

...I mentioned a few days ago about a private ...Trail of the Dead show at Rothko coming up on the 21st. Joey passed on a link about this interesting little setup. Turns out they are taking preorders at the Virgin Megastore at Union Square for their new album. With a purchase, you receive 1 ticket to the show. Sounded pretty crappy until I thought about it for a sec and realized it's not too bad. I mean, say you got a free copy of the new CD at the show with the price of admission. That'd be pretty cool, right? It's pretty much the same thing. So if you're a big fan of them, that's the way to do it. The presale starts on 1/13. No tickets will be sold otherwise.

Two other very interesting shows on the same date as Trail of the Dead are Mates of State with Regina Spektor at Bowery and Sea Ray's final show ever at Mercury Lounge.

Freezepop...known by me for having an amazingly catchy song on the amazingly addictive Playstation game Amplitude, is gonna be at Rothko on 2/18. They are doing their thing with The Hong Kong...who were last seen opening for The Killers at Bowery over the summer.

Antony and the Johnsons, who BrooklynVegan raved about this weekend, will be back in town on February 24 at Bowery...the night before Animal Collective plays there.

The day after AC, Luna will play its final shows ever. The first two are already sold out, but tickets for the final set ever will go on sale tomorrow (1/12) at noon.

Then the day after they are done, on March 1st, Bowery is hosting, for one night only, The Frames. These guys are like the biggest thing over in Ireland, and are known for their superb live sets. You talk to anyone over there, and they'll tell you not to miss these guys if you have a chance to see them. They don't play the states often, so catch them while you can.

Finally, M83 and Ulrich Schnauss will be back in town together at Bowery on April 13th and 14th. I missed them last time they were here, and am curious to check this out.

There is of course tons of other stuff going on out there, and more will be added, but this is the stuff for now that I'll be looking the most forward to. As always, check the sidebar for other stuff I'm planning to attend, as well as Oh My Rockness for frequent updates.

UPDATE: One Louder confirms that Interpol and Blonde Redhead will be playing Radio City Music Hall on March 1st.
Brooklyn Vegan reminds me about The Music, Kasabian, and Morningwood show at Irving Plaza 2/17.
ToTC sez M.I.A./Diplo are playing Knitting Factory on 2/3...

Good morning!

This week I've been making it my business to get up early and go to work around 8:00. Today I fell back asleep, but I was still in by 8:30. It's nice to have flexible time in the morning...don’t feel rushed anymore. Tho by 7:00PM I'm utterly exhausted if I'm still here. Anyway...

Coolfer makes good on his promise of dropping the anti-list list with the ten most over-blogged bands of 2004. The list should be no surprise to you...why? Because you read blogs, of course! And this is all we've been talking about for the last 12 months. Enjoy the list, but don't stop raving about the bands you dig...that's the whole point, right?

Paige turns 21 today...So happy happy, darling. If you wanna take that roadtrip down to NYC, I can think of about 40,000 people who would be more than willing to put you up for the week. LA sucks anyway...it's always raining out there.

24? Gotta admit it's looking pretty lame so far. Exciting, yes, but doesn't it all seem forced? I thought the best part was the attempted escape plan by the Sec. of Defense, and it still felt kinda awkward. The rest has been meh. Also, poor Debbie! I had hopes she would run away with the boy and be this season's Kim, getting into trouble while trying to contact the authorities. But I guess not. So I dunno yet. I'm not gonna stop watching, but it's been very predictable and poorly acted...Tho I know there's still a looooong way to go.

Finally, in the spirit of the list referenced above, I bring you the news, with great sadness, that Ashlee Simpson and Ryan Cabrera have called it quits (4th down). Too bad.

I guess that's it. Slow day so far. Looking forward to the Def Jux show tonight...Hope the "Special DJ's and Guests" are better than that letdown at Rothko Saturday night.

So what was YOUR allowance?

Ever since the infamous "Prep School Gangsters" article in New York Magazine (aka the reason everybody in your high school was wearing red and yellow Northface jackets in 1996), I always keep my eyes open for the next gross exaggeration about life in the upper crust of New York adolescent life. Via Gawker, I see the newest in the series is upon us. It's complete bullshit, of course, but fun to read nonetheless.

The biggest surprise was not the $15,000 credit card bill (you learn to throw those cards in a dumpster behind Scores and tell your parents you got mugged coming home from Thurston's house). Rather, I was taken back by that lame-ass loft party mentioned towards the end of the article.

Lemme get this straight...For 20 dollars you lurk around this loft, drinking bottled water(!), while the Columbia nose-tackle leers at your 16 year old girlfriend dressed up like the future office slut? Sounds miserable.

In my day, $20 got you a night of Billiards, more free booze than you could handle, and an article in the New York Times about the massive brawl that broke out there. That's a party.

I think the city's pubescent underbelly is getting soft...

What I learned this weekend...

-Ambulance Ltd. is working on new material, and from what they played Friday night, it is really good. A diversion from their current stuff, the new songs sounded very alt-country-ish. I liked it.

-From up close, they look like the starting 5 of a New York City private high school’s basketball team, circa 1995.

-They have an interesting fan base...decidedly non-LES looking...very Brooklyn, with a strong Uptown/Jersey contingent.

-Yes, I can differentiate between the Williamsburg and the Lower East Side hipster.

-The $4 glass of wine at Mercury Lounge is the best bargain in downtown drinking since the $3 Sparks at Rothko over the summer.

-And staying on the subject of energy drinks...Crunk, while tasting like a delicious mix between a red Jolly Rancher and a red Starburst, puts me to sleep more than it wakes me up.

Moving on to Saturday...

-Voxtrot is the real deal. Brooklyn Vegan found a diamond in the rough with these kids. Think Cure, Elkland, Smiths, Bloc Party, Killers, Bravery, Roy Orbison(?!)...just about everything good all tied up into one little package. They were superb live, and were able to fill Rothko up to capacity, a task I've only seen done before by The Secret Machines and The Futureheads. Bravo. Right-click/Save some excellent MP3's of them below. I've been listening to their EP non stop. (note: BV hid his lukewarm review of their set in his comments. He's into ingenuity, while I value catchiness...I like The Killers, and he digs Devendra...go figure. I will say that I hear much more than just The Cure in these guys)

Voxtrot – Missing Pieces
Voxtrot – Raised by Wolves
Voxtrot – Start of Something

-Sometimes the secret surprise musical guest at a bar in the Lower East Side means Wilco, and sometimes it means a local Texas band with no album out that sounds like The Music with downs syndrome. Your name says it all, Soft. Sorry guys, you may have been alright, but I was promised something special, and you would have been a letdown, good or not.

-Also, Pete Yorn and Jesse Malin aparently hang out with bloggers at Niagara...

And then Sunday…

-When Architecture in Helsinki sends out a mailing list note saying they'll be playing up and down the east coast, it unfortunately is referring to a coast on the other side of the earth. I was excited that I'd get to see them for exactly 4 seconds…

-The Colts will win the Superbowl. I said it last week, and there was nothing to convince me otherwise after Sundays game. No team can stop that offense. I thought they’d be playing the Packers, but now I think it’ll have to be the Falcons.

-24 is gonna be exhausting this year…The acting so far has been awful, but the story will be good.

-Carnivale is the most beautiful television show ever. I think I’m more excited for it this year than I am 24, believe it or not.

-Finally, I learned that I’m now likely gonna go to SXSW after all. Gotta iron out the details, but I'll make it.

This week is gonna be packed…Def Jux showcase Tuesday, Tegan and Sara Wednesday, Razorlight Thursday, and The Dears Saturday. Hopefully work won’t be too bad.

Goodbye James...


The OC was OK, Modest Mouse didn't play Float On, and my favorite character on the show is gone. Nuts. Even after the awesome Xmas episode, I still feel like the show is going nowhere. I mean how many episodes has it been where Seth, Summer and Zach have had the same shit go on between them? I think they used up all the good ideas last season...still good, but it can only rest solely on its characters for so long.

So, TV on the Radio played at Trash last night...hmm...missed it. Stayed home and watched Napoleon Dynamite for the first time(!). It was very funny, of course. I won't start quoting it tho.

Wednesday night I watched Harold and Kumar, which was also very funny, but in a completely different way. One thing that jumped out at me was the Scissor Sisters @ The Knitting Factory poster on they guys' wall. There's some foresight! The movie came out before they even really got big in the US, let alone back whenever they were filming it...

Tickets are on sale now for Rouge Wave, Dirty on Purpose, and Sam Champion at Mercury Lounge on 2/4, as well as Jens Lekman and The Silent League on 2/12.

Joey has turned me onto I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness with the one song on their website. Well done. They're playing at Rothko on February 26th with The Winter Pageant. Tickets are on sale now. Check out the very convincing song below:

ILYBICD - When You Go Out

And speaking of bands from Texas with unnecessarily long names, ...And you Will Know us By the Trail of the Dead is playing a private show, also at Rothko, on January 21st.

Finally, a slathering of radio-friendly emo bands are playing at the Starlight Ballroom (Jersey?) on January 12th and the 16th. The cause is to help the tsuvivors in South Asia. Taking Back Sunday, My Chemical Romance, and Coheed and Cambrea play the first night, and Midtown, The Starting Line, and The Early November play the second. Tickets go on sale today at 3:00 for only $25. Attendance is not only going towards a good cause, but apparently it constitutes a sociological experiment. Go for it.

Tonight there's Elkland or Ambulance...take your pick.

Thursday Bleh

Shitty day...Quick notes.

Looks like Ambulance Ltd. is playing tomorrow night at Mercury Lounge instead of Giraffe. Wow, haven't thought about them in a while. Good band tho, may go check them out. I'd expect the place to fill up once the word gets around, so it'd be a good idea to get there early. They go on at around 11:00.

This is a great idea...Muse is making their rehearsal space also function as a small venue. They'll be inviting friends, people on message boards, whoever to come watch them try out some of their new shit. I smell a documentary...
They also stated they wanna come back to America and tour some of those 'berserk' red states...Idaho, Texas...whatever. I think the nearest red state to here is Virginia, no? Anybody up for a road trip?

Also, anyone going down to SXSW? The cost is pretty steep, and most of those bands will or have already come through NYC, so I don’t think I'll make the trip. Saving up for a big European Festival and Coachella. Would love to go back to Oxegen, but Ian Brown, Prodigy and the Foo Fighters are not enough to get me out there...yet.

That’s it for now...gotta finish up at work and go home for the OC...

Okay, everybody settle down...


Why does everybody get so outraged over Ashlee Simpson? Is it really some sort of groundbreaking concept that *gasp* teenage girls may not listen to music you like?? I mean come on...Ashlee is not my favorite artist out there, but since when are older people supposed to LIKE the garbage teenagers listen to? If there’s one thing I’ve learned while following local bands and stuff like that, it’s that not everybody likes the same shit, no matter how amazing or how awful you think something is. My favorite band of the minute may not appeal to even the people whose musical tastes are the most similar to mine, let alone someone nearly half my age. And likewise vise-versa. So whatever. I think where you gotta draw the line is at the point where you are able to recognize WHY someone is popular, and appreciating that for what it is. What you look for in entertainment is not necessarily the standard for everybody.

Take Ashlee…Now I don’t think she has a very good voice, is particularly attractive, or sings about anything interesting. But I didn’t watch the Ashlee Simpson show. More importantly, the Ashlee Simpson show was not made so that people like me would give a shit. Ashlee is still a star because she has been properly sold to the people who will buy her albums. Is it some sort of groundbreaking story that little girls will respond to whatever they are told is cool, rather than what they may actually like? I hope not, cause I kinda go into this stuff assuming that’s how it works.

So yeah…You know what? I burned a copy of Turn on the Bright Lights for my parents. They are both extremely open minded music listeners. And they hated it. Weird? That parents and kids don’t always agree on their musical tastes? Hardly. I think for people in their quarter-life stage are having a tough time grasping the idea that they are closer to their parents now than they are to highschoolers. We still feel like we can relate to 16 year olds, so when we see them listening to stuff we don’t like, it frustrates us, but that's the way it's supposed to be. Whether we like it or not, we don’t have all that much in common with those kids anymore. I guess alls I’m trying to say is a plea for everybody to chill out, grow up, and stop caring what people 10 years your younger are listening to. It shouldn’t affect you in any way.

Besides, if your favorite band was hip with the kiddies, you prolly wouldn’t listen to them anymore…So be glad they’re listening to shit you don’t like anyway.

Elkland Information Explosion!


Via Coolfer, I see that Elkland has a new website up, and has posted some information regarding upcoming releases and stuff...

The Single for "Apart" is available on Rhapsody, iTunes, etc. NOW. If you didn't download it for free while it was on their site for the last 8 months, drop the $.99 and check it out ASAP.

The CD single will be released Feb. 1st, and contains the original version of 'Apart', as well as a remix, a b-side called 'I Think I Hate Her', an album track called 'Every Time You Tell Me That You Love Me', and a cover of the Cranberries’ song "Salvation". I'm excited to hear the other songs, tho I remember not being a huge fan of their Salvation cover from the last time I saw them do it. Whatever, it'll be good to finally hear some new recorded material.

There will also be a 7" and 12" vinyl release for those who are into that kind of stuff.

Their LONG anticipated full release is set for "late winter", which i assume means end of February/early March.

In news that makes the videogame nerd in me excited, the video for Apart (currently being filmed) will be featured in an upcoming EA sports FIFA Soccer game. It appears the song and video will be a part of the upcoming game, Fifa Street. EA has previously tapped bands such as Stellastarr, The Scissor Sisters, The Futureheads, Jonny Lives, The Mooney Suzuki and my favorite, Good Charlotte to be in their games, all before the masses had caught on. This is a good thing, I swear.

Finally, in news that somehow didn't make their website, they will be playing at the Knitting Factory this Friday night around midnight along with Black Cat Revolver, Junior Sanchez, Output, The Tarts of Pleasure, and more.... I will never not recommend going to one of their shows...so be there if you can make it.

Luna and The Futureheads at Bowery on Sale Now!

Get tickets to Luna's final shows on 2/26 and 2/27, as well as The Futureheads return to NYC on 2/22. I rekon all three shows will sell out, so get um quick.

Back in the Game

I went to the doc this morning, gave me something for my cough, but said there's nothing I can do but rest. Against doctor’s orders, I'm here at work, getting stuff done so that I won't have to be here all night once I do come back. Yuck. Anyway...Here's some shit about some bands I haven't talked about in a while.

Aparently, The Killers were on TRL yesterday, and I missed it! I was home and had no idea. Too bad, cause that would have been a trip to see. I dunno if they've actually cracked the countdown yet, which seems to be dominated by some little twerp named Mario and Lindsay Lohan, but god bless um if they have. I, by the way, have no issues with bands selling out. In fact I support it as much as possible.

Via CentralVillage's West Coast correspondent Steve, I hear The Bravery are getting some airplay out in LA on indie 103 with "Honest Mistake". Hot shit. What's the next step for these guys? Go on tour supporting someone like The Killers? I think that seems logical. Will be Curious to see.

Asobi Seksu is now slated as the first opener for The Features and Razorlight @ Bowery next Thursday the 13th. It's their first time playing there. I've never been too excited to see Razorlight before, but after discovering I've listened to one of their tracks more than almost any other song on iTunes, I'm willing to give them another shot. The Features opened for Kings of Leon last time they were in town at Bowery, and I was very impressed by them. This might be a good show to check out after all.

For those who don't watch college football...poor Ashlee, part 2. She got booed loudly by the Orange Bowl crowd, after singing out of sync with her backing vocal for most of her performance of 'la la'. You know, wouldn't it be cool if, for this, they took some artists who fit into that vague genre called "college music?" I bet everyone would rather hear Taking Back Sunday or Yellowcard or maybe just some hip hop rather than that shit. I mean, I really don’t even know what the kids like these days...but I do know that nobody out of High School (aka College Football fans) listen to Teen Pop. Poorly played by the ABC and the BCS, but that's no shocker coming from them...

Finally, for my daily Libertines update (aka me reading NME.com every morning), Carl talks about the future of the band and its members here. Also, this is old, but the Newsnight interview with Peter can be seen here. (Thanks to reader Katie for the link)

My top 20 iTunes'd songs...

Ultra posted her most listened to songs off iTunes, and I like lists, so I gave it a shot. Some of the results surprised me...

1. Kings of Leon - Milk
2. Razorlight - Up all Night
3. Bloc Party - Pioneers
4. Dogs Die in Hot Cars - Somewhere Off the Way
5. Drive By Truckers - Danko/Manuel
6. Tegan and Sara - You Wouldn't Like Me
7. Bloc Party - Blue Light
8. The Go Find - Over the Edge
9. Nada Surf - Blonde on Blonde
10. Bloc Party - She's Hearing Voices
11. Bloc Party - Price of Gas
12. Dizzee Rascal - Imagine
13. Interpol - C'mere
14. Kings of Convenience - I'd Rather Dance With You
15. Rilo Kiley - Somebody Else's Clothes (live at fingerprints EP version)
16. Bloc Party - So Here We Are
17. Boards of Canada - Roygbiv
18. Dogs Die in Hot Cars - I Love You Cause I Have To
19. Drive By Truckers - Where the Devil Don't Stay
20. The Go! Team - The Ice Storm

To disclaim...there was a huge chunk of time over the last several months that I used realplayer, not iTunes, and before that, musicmatch. So many of the bands I listened to a whole lot then didn't get counted.(Arcade Fire, Libertines, Rilo Kiley, Blonde Redhead, Muse, and many many more). I also had no idea I liked that Razorlight song so much...

Ugh...

Still home sick...actually feeling a little worse than yesterday. The fever may have gone down a bit, but now I got a nasty cough and a real bad on again-off again headache. Fortunately Law and Order starts back up in a little bit, so I can settle in on the couch for the rest of the night. I know this is one of those easy obvious statements, like "MTV doesn't show any videos anymore!" but Law and Order is seriously on every day all day on TNT. I watched 2 episodes yesterday from like 3-5, then dozed off for a bit, then there were 3 more from 8-11 before I went to bed! And they were all really good ones too!

So anyway...some notes from over the last few days...

The biggest problem with New Years eve shows is that it's really hard to recap the show after, cause you're likely completely blacked out by the time the bands go on. I substituted pictures for words for the Truckers show for a reason. Anyway, Spinich Dip attended the Mercury Lounge show for NYE, and gives a nice rundown of the evening. Check it.

The Big Ticket recently completed a mix of songs from the last year. It's not the most obscure stuff, but that’s kinda why I dig it. Like it or not, the year in music was DEFINED by songs like "Somebody Told Me" and "Float On". They deserve some props, even from those who could name some more out-there shit. He even nailed my favorite "Antics" song, C'mere. An A+ mix…

Peter Doherty not only survives New Years eve, but shows up to all 4(!) of his solo gigs on New Years Eve. Props dude...keep it up. And come to NYC some time...We'd like to say hi.

Finally, Gothamist reminded me that Modest Mouse is playing at the bait shop this Thursday at 8, Which reminded me that new TV is back on for a while starting now. A new Lost is on tomorrow, then The OC Thursday, and finally Carnivalle and 24 start back up on Sunday night. Looking forward to it all.

OK...back to the couch. Later.

Time to get ill...

I'm sick. I can't remember the last time I had the flu...definitely not since before college. It sucks. Came home early from work. I'll be on the couch sipping ramen noodles and water for the rest if the day.

...And I have no resolutions

So despite my previous grumblings, New Years was NOT a letdown. I won't bore y'all with the details, but I went from Jackson's loft in Soho, to Lucy's house in the East Village, to Bowery for the DBT show, and back home, where I didn't leave for the next 24 hours. Didn't do anything big the rest of the weekend.

I think you're gonna hear me talk a lot about The Dears over the next two weeks leading up to the show at Mercury Lounge. I finally got their full CD over the weekend and have been listening to it a whole lot. I know I'm kinda late to this one, but lemme be the last to tell you that it's one of the most unique and genre breaking CDs I've heard recently. Picture The Smiths meet Broken Social Scene playing Pink Floyd on the left bank of Paris. Beat that. Tickets are available here for the show, also featuring Benzos and Saints and Lovers. It's at the top of my most anticipated upcoming shows list right now...

Also, just noticed that there are tickets available for Sea Ray's final show ever on January 21st. This is likely gonna sell out, so hop on it if you think you're gonna go.

Finally one more Merc note (via more cowbell)...Sleater Kinney will be playing there on the 2nd and the 3rd of March. I suppose it's still a ways to go, but it's never too early to plan ahead for shows that aren't to be missed. One Louder says they played all new stuff on New Years Eve, so there's something else to look forward to.

Finally, BrooklynVegan, in an epic post, runs through the year in relevant New York indie shows with some personal antidotes, pics and MP3s. As not to be missed as a blog post can get if you went to any shows last year. He's likely covered you favorite too.

New Years Eve 2004

Stories later...for now, some pics from the Truckers show. Hope everyone had a good one.