Red Goatee

(Good) Changes Are Afoot

2010-02-17T20:22:00.000-08:00

... and I don't mean in the job department. Love has a way of coming due, even after 16 years!

Days 2 and 3

2010-01-03T19:04:00.000-08:00

Ugh, this is getting boring. I am sick that tomorrow is Monday and I'm not going to work...

Yesterday, I slept until 12:00 again (as planned), got up, showered and hoped to accomplish some house cleaning and a little grocery shopping, but, as the old saying goes, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. I ended up watching the fourth disc of season one of Justice League Unlimited and Star Trek (2009) instead. Since I had to return my rentals, I did leave the house and ended up at Wal-Mart (encountering several candidates for Peopleofwalmart.com) and then took a quick trip over to Target. Since I had been planning to use some of my Christmas money for season 5 of LOST, I bit the bullet and picked it up in order to prepare for season six in a few weeks.
Afterwards, I settled back in at home for an evening of Doctor Who on BBC America. Sadly, these were David Tennant's final episodes as the tenth doctor, but I was, however, happy that they wrapped up his storyline with a few final moments with his myriad sidekicks from the past few seasons. I am willing to give Matt Smith (the eleventh doctor) the benefit of the doubt as I was certain Tennant would never outdo the incredible Christopher Eccleston. However, Tennant was able to more than hold his own and gave the role a real breath of fresh air, imbuing the character with a charm and bravado that seemed lacking in several of the earlier versions of the doctor.

Today, it was NFL Football... all day. Nice to see Chris Johnson get 2,000 rushing yards and the record for yards from scrimmage, but I have to admit, it would have been nice to see Eric Dickerson's all-time record go by the wayside, too.

Since my grandmother's broken hip two weeks ago, my father has been staying by himself, so I will be spending the next few days up there with him... which will most likely creep by as he has no internet, no DVD player, and basic cable. Guess I'll pack up a couple of books and catch up on some reading. Wish me luck!

Day 1

2010-01-01T20:52:00.000-08:00

... of unemployment, that is. I slept until after 12:00 today, and I plan on doing just that for the next several days. I filed for my unemployment on-line today and hope the process was expedited, as I was forewarned by the labor board that if I were to appear in person Monday morning, the wait could be a long one. I did make it out to the grocery store and made a stop at the Redbox for some movies.

1) Superman/Batman: Public Enemies - Warner Premier is doing a great job with these recent DC Comics animated films. The premise here was a pretty good one. Lex Luthor runs for president in a time of social unrest and uses his platform to frame Superman for the murder of Metallo. I like how several DC heroes (including Power Girl and Captain Marvel)were included that otherwise haven't fit into the other animated projects.
2) The Taking of Pelham 123 - This movie had some lukewarm reviews, but it seemed like any other Denzel Washington film recently: gritty action, a hint of mystery, and a somewhat-embattled protagonist. Decent movie but fairly disposable, like most popcorn movies.
3) The Spirit - Will Eisner would have been embarrassed by some of the dialogue in this stinker and it certainly deserved every bad review it garnered. Even the beauties (Eva Mendes, Paz Vega, Stana Katic, and Scarlett Johansson) involved couldn't save this one... and don't get me started on how annoying Samuel L. Jackson's performances are getting these days. He continues to mail it in ... every time.

Oh well. Back soon...

2009 Year-End Favorites

2010-01-01T10:43:00.000-08:00

Since 2009 is now completely over, I decided to check out my Lastfm charts for the albums that I listened to the most this past year. I think they accurately reflect my favorite albums, even the ones, such as Dave Rawlings Machine's debut, that came out later in the year. So, listed in terms of number of listens, here they are:

1) Wilco - Wilco (The Album) - Of course it would be Wilco, my favorite band of all time. Tired of hearing all the critics say that Tweedy's sunnier disposition makes for weaker albums. Love this band and love this album.
2) Vetiver - Tight-Knit - I had an opportunity to meet Andy Cabic earlier this year and compliment him on his maturation as a songwriter. Even though it was released during the coldest months of winter, this album makes me think of warm summer breezes and being barefoot.
3) 7 Worlds Collide - The Sun Came Out - Tweedy and Marr (along with Liam Finn and several members of Wilco and Radiohead) made this charity album one of the most pleasant surprises of the year, especially the track "All Comedians Suffer".
4) A.C. Newman - Get Guilty - Newman is catchy, plain and simple.
5) Andrew Bird - Noble Beast - I didn't like this album nearly as much as his previous two releases, but this ranking is still a testament to how good he is.
6) Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Beware/Funtown Comedown - I decided to pair these up and have been listening to these consistently all year. Will Oldham even found time to collaborate with Brian Harnetty on a Califone-influenced album of found sounds and blips. The guy just churns out great stuff!
7) Elvis Perkins in Dearland - Elvis Perkins in Dearland - The beefed-up instruments augmented his already stellar songs.
8) Jay Farrar and Benjamin Gibbard - One Fast Move or I'm Gone - Made up for the less than adequate new Son Volt album and Gibbard was decent on this one, too.
9) Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion - From one of my posts way back in the beginning of this blog, people can tell I thought Sung Tongs was one of the worst albums these ears had ever heard. They finally got it right and I was glad to give them the second chance.
10) Mark Olson and Gary Louris - Ready For The Flood - I kept listening to this album, hoping it would be a Jayhawks record, but it ended up growing on me in a completely different way. I hope they continue working together.
11) Dave Rawlings Machine - Friend of A Friend - I had the opportunity to see them twice this year and will stand behind Rawlings as the best acoustic player around these days.

Okay, I'll stop at eleven but I definitely have to say this was a good year for music and look forward to hearing what 2010 has to offer.

In Which It Really Wasn't Like Christmas At All

2009-12-29T18:28:00.000-08:00

Christmas cards... that was pretty much it this year and thankfully, a few of those had money in them... but I really missed ripping open a package to find a surprise within. As I have documented already, I am being (overly) cautious this year with my impending unemployment, thus I spent only $20.00 (for my niece, Maddie) on Christmas this year. I have to admit, it made me feel a little guilty when Mom and Dad gave me something. The upcoming year will also be tough on my brother, as his temporary job will be drying up in a couple of weeks (and given that his girlfriend wants an engagement ring, the pressure is on). Add in that my poor grandmother (and my last living grandparent) broke her hip last Sunday and it just made Christmas an overall unpleasant experience. I spent some time with her on Christmas (at the hospital)and it broke my heart as she started to cry when my brother and I left to attend the other family's Christmas party (whew, sometimes being a child of divorce can make holidays a flurry of activity). Then there was the disappointment of Avatar (and its nausea-inducing 3-D). Even watching The Christmas Story and NFL Football did little to alleviate the holday blues...

With that said, I am starting to see how the next few weeks will be shaping up. I have been staying at home (to eliminate the temptation to waste money) on my days off... and if this lack of physical activity keeps up, the pounds will pile on, and quickly. For example, I spent all day alternating between the couch and my computer chair. I started the day watching Two and A Half Men and Men of A Certain Age(this show is fantastic), then read two chapters of Freakonomics (which has been a pretty boring read, to be honest, and if anyone spent time thinking about its subject matter, the revelations within wouldn't be so, well... revelatory), then watched Spiderman 3 (the worst of the three), Jeremiah Johnson (a classic), and Howl's Moving Castle (an absolute stunner). I did manage two loads of laundry and a shower, but little else...

It has been suggested that I volunteer somewhere in order to give myself something to do and hopefully make some contacts, but I'm not sure what type of volunteer work to try. There are always soup kitchens and community outreach initiatives, but as I have never really liked getting my hands dirty, I'm not sure how comfortable I am with the prospect of volunteer work... oh well, it seems I still have a lot to figure out in the coming weeks.

A Year Without Christmas

2009-12-23T20:47:00.000-08:00

It has been difficult to get into the spirit this year... when life resembles a blues song. Earlier this year (March), our family dog was killed in an accident, then I was told my job was being phased out at the end of this year (and unfortunately, I have yet to receive any calls on the more than sixty resumes I have sent out), and on December 6th, I got the worst news I could have received when my maternal grandmother passed away at the age of 85. Granted, she had a long, fulfilling life, but in the last months of her life, Alzheimer's robbed her of her identity. She rarely knew us (and at some points, even herself) in her waning days... and I can't help thinking I could have visited her more towards the end. She was an amazing woman, and I will certainly miss her the most over the next two days, as we all used to gather around her at Christmas. So, Granny Ramsey, I am sending my thoughts out to you this holiday season. While I am at it, I also wanted to thank everyone who came out to pay their respects. Her legacy was far-reaching and the outpouring of love from her community was much-appreciated.

Dave Rawlings Machine In-Store at The Disc Exchange

2009-12-01T17:21:00.001-08:00

Christmas Wish List - 2009 Version

2009-11-29T18:55:00.000-08:00

This Christmas will be a difficult one, knowing that five days later, I won't have a job, but for anyone who wants to get me a gift this year, here goes:

1) The Green Lantern Chronicles, Volume 1
2) This Wheel's On Fire by Levon Helm
3) Our Noise: The Merge Records Story
4) Black Postcards: A Rock & Roll Romance by Dean Wareham
5) LOST Season 5 on DVD

Not asking for a lot this year... and to anyone who does buy me something on this list, I will definitely make it up to you next year (after I have found a new career).

Beck+Wilco+Feist+Jamie Lidell = A Win For Everyone

2009-11-17T20:10:00.000-08:00

The new record club recording is great and thus far is my favorite.

Dancefloors

2009-11-16T16:09:00.000-08:00

There is no real reason for that title, it's just that I have My Morning Jacket's It Still Moves playing on the iPod and that very song is currently coming through the speakers... albeit this could end up being a perfectly applicable title, as this "dance" we call life (a little John Michael Montgomery reference for all you country fans out there), is definitely taking a different twist.

I was recently informed that my current employer is downsizing due to the owner's health (a bad heart), and my position will no longer exist as of December 31st... and that scares the shit right out of me. I have been there for nearly eight years and although I have complained about the job for years, I had gained an appreciation for the very fact that I had a job, especially in this economy. Now I face an uncertainty about where I'll be going and what I'll be doing, and change has never been my strong suit. This job has allowed me to sit quietly contemplating in my office, coming up with business strategies and handling contracts, settling customer disputes, and arguing with insurance companies all day every day, but at least I could plug in my iPod and listen to music with the door closed... not something I'll be able to do in another office, I'm sure. I have thus far sent out over forty resumes and have yet to get a single interview, much less an offer. Every day I look through the newspaper for something new, I scour the internet, and I read the financial news online, much to my dismay. With the news that 10.2 percent of the population is out of work and nearly a third of those for more than six months, I can't help but feel discouraged. It is also a little overwhelming to hear that some states have increased their unemployment time limit to 99 weeks... not something I want to hear.

I am certain that my fears are unfounded, however. My friends and family have consistently encouraged me and they keep telling me that once companies get their budgets for next year, they will start making phone calls to potential employees. I can only hope they're right... otherwise it could be a very boring year in 2010. I have already scaled back tremendously by cutting out parts of my cable package and canceling my online comics subscription. My emusic subscription may stick around for a while, as long as things don't get too difficult to manage. I have already put back enough money for about three months, which once coupled with my unemployment, will help sustain me for a bit. I have paid off my credit cards to avoid any further finance charges and am preparing for the worst-case scenario that I may be out of work for more than six months. I do, however, hope to avoid that fate as I don't want to sit around the house feeling sorry for myself, all the while putting on weight.

There are some pros to this situation as well, I suppose. I have held a job since I was fourteen, which, at thirty, means that I have been working for more than half my life. It could be nice to have a little time to relax, catch up on some DVDs and television, maybe do a little reading (I purchased Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace about two weeks before my lay-off news), and grow a kick-ass Billy Gibbons-style beard, which I've always wanted to do... I just hope someone gives me a chance, and soon. I just wish I could bring myself to part with the $20.00 it would take to see Dave Rawlings Machine at The Bijou on December 1st, but I have to be sensible. That $20.00 can provide food for two or three days come February of next year... and I can try to catch them at the in-store they'll be doing at 6:00 that evening for free.

Oh well, enough moping for now. I will continue to post and who knows, once the lay-off is in effect, maybe with a little more regularity, as I will have a lot of extra time on my hands...

Yo La Tengo...

2009-09-23T19:09:00.000-07:00

... is definitely on my list of bands to see again. I had previously purchased tickets to see them before, but just couldn't muster the energy to get out for the shows. That changed last night at The Bijou Theater. Not only were they fantastic, doing a nearly 20-minute version of "Spec Bebop" but they had one of the best opening bands I'd seen in a while. Even though their band name might be among the worst I've ever seen, Endless Boogie got ten of my dollars after the show. I am currently listening to their album Focus Level and enjoying it thoroughly, balls to the wall riffs reminiscent of The Stooges. You can find them on emusic. Definitely worth ten downloads.

Hi

2009-09-04T20:41:00.000-07:00

The Road To Joy

2009-08-24T20:20:00.000-07:00

... seems to be a road I've traveled with less frequency than in times past. I'll just go ahead and say it, as I've been approaching 30, I've become more and more of a miserable fuck than I can ever remember (yes, I said "fuck" on my blog and no, I won't apologize). In fact, the more I think about it, turning 30 seems to be the reason for my melancholy demeanor recently. I've begun to reflect on the first 30 years of my life and have come to the realization that I have never really had that one great adventure in my life, that one epic story I can tell with a swelling of pride in my heart or an extra spring in my step.

I suppose it's because 30 is supposed to be the age when most people are resting comfortably in their own skin. Most friends my age are married by now and those not married are in long-term, committed relationships and are raising children, neither of which I am even remotely interested in at the present time. However, these things tend to make me feel even more remote, less likely to belong. I also regret not continuing my higher education. Sure, I have a 4.0 in graduate school, but I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that an MBA was not what I wanted, and it only took one semester to assure myself of that fact. I have to make some tough decisions, and soon, as I am certain I cannot continue with things in their current incarnation.

... and so, I feel, in a sense, that I am wandering with no clear direction. I am not following any career path. I am locked in with no room to advance, and I feel that the work I do is contributing to absolutely nothing. Yet, I feel a sense of guilt when I miss work and it seems to be the only place where I actually accomplish at least a little on a daily basis. I know when I go home that I will dread doing that stack of laundry, I will rue the task of sweeping the living room and vacuuming the cat's hair off of the couch. I know that, ultimately, I will flip on the MLB Network, turn on the computer and sit down for at least two hours of nothingness. I'll spend most of that time reading music blogs, trying to find something of interest, knowing that ultimately, I will find about a dozen new bands that the blogs are championing, only to be disappointed because most of it is hipster bullshit. I will read samuraifrog.blogspot.com (some inappropriate stuff over there as he has no shame whatsoever about who he is and what he likes, it's refreshing)and realize that he has more talent in his pinkie than I have in my entire body and that my writing is fruitless and pointless, that someone out there is doing whatever, better than I could ever do it... but I guess that is why I want to continue. I want to find that one thing that will lighten my mood, give me a good laugh, one deep from within the pit of my stomach, one that will shake my spine...

One big reason I am upset right now is that I canceled a trip to San Francisco last year, leaving me with a flight credit that I really have no desire to use right now. I have exactly 37 days to decide if and where I'll go. There just isn't enough time to get a really good trip together, and I have only myself to blame for letting the expiration date sneak up on me...

Okay, enough of the downer behavior. I have been into a few activities lately, some fun, some not so much. I met up with some friends down at World's Fair Park for The Big Surprise! Tour. It was fun and I even made a fool of myself by displaying my awkward dancing skills. Gillian Welch was nearly perfect and the set closer of The Band's "The Weight" ended a splendid evening with good friends and a Kasey Chambers sighting a few feet from here we were standing (oddly, no one seemed to recognize her except me, as she was performing at the Bijou Theater the next night). I even made it over to The Pilot Light recently for Brightblack Morning Light, who had not made an appearance by midnight, thus I had to skip out and go home as work beckoned the next morning (damn you, Brightblack Morning Light!). I saw the worst movie ever in G.I. Joe, further proof that Stephen Sommers should never set foot behind a movie camera again. I fell asleep during the vastly overrated District 9... and even Adam Sandler wasn't capable of ruining the superb Funny People.

So, I will continue my pursuit of true happiness. I will seek that great adventure, and next time, I will plan more accordingly...

Swell

2009-08-23T07:21:00.000-07:00

Season, that is. Did anyone else marvel at Daniel Johnston's performance with The Swell Season last night? God, I hope it ends up on Youtube!

While It's On My Mind

2009-08-02T17:13:00.000-07:00

I often wonder why anyone shows up here, on this blog. I have seen a pattern of people that end up here when they google Damon and Naomi's The Earth is Blue (which I reviewed back in 2005), a gaggle of folks showing up on my Austin, Texas trip posting, and random Wilco musings. I have some assumptions about a few people. I know that my Warren, Indiana reader is my old friend Jeri (hey Jeri), my Knoxville reader is an ex, who deems it necessary to cyber-stalk me, and others tend to end up here from my Facebook profile. Tell me, why are you here today?

Random Musings...

2009-08-02T16:49:00.001-07:00

I think about music a lot, anyone who reads this blog knows that. Sometimes, I reflect on certain items of interest and come up with silly thoughts for the mere purpose of starting a conversation, like...

- I will never, ever believe that Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam funded terror cells...
- No matter how hard Marilyn Manson or Trent Reznor try, they will never be as cool as Glenn Danzig...
- The Shins didn't really change my life, but Wilco did, at least in regards to what I expect of music...
- Kurt Cobain was overrated, and the comparison to John Lennon as the best songwriters of their respective generations is insulting...
- In fact, those Neil Young comparisons Eddie Vedder earned in the 90's are pretty applicable, and he's a better singer/songwriter than Cobain ever was...
- I hate that Ashlee Simpson, Avril Lavigne, and Pink refer to themselves as "Punk", when they are anything but...
- I still think Jay Farrar has a good song in him, contrary to what I think about American Central Dust...
- I strongly believe that Sky Blue Sky and Wilco (The Album) stand along perfectly with Summer Teeth and Being There...
- George Harrison's All Things Must Pass is the best Beatles solo album...
- And while we're on the topic of masterpieces, Graham Nash's Songs for Beginners is better than any other album by any other member of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young...
- George Strait and Brad Paisley are alright by me...
- ... but Jack Johnson sucks...
- I think that the arguments that Ryan Adams has never been as good since Heartbreaker or Stranger's Almanac are just silly...
- Bonnie "Prince" Billy is much better on record than live...
- Jimi Hendrix would probably be as lame as Eric Clapton if he were still alive today...
- Which isn't to say that Eric Clapton wasn't once great. Have you ever heard Derek and The Dominos' Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs or his debut album? Wonderful stuff, quite possibly the best white blues ever (at least this side of Dock Boggs)...
- Paste Magazine is going downhill, just like Harp did right before the end, when they ran a cover feature on Dave Grohl for president. They were lamely grasping at straws...
- 99 percent of the bands that are featured on music blogs are horrible, but I'm glad music blogs exist, because they've saved me from investing in some pretty crappy bands...
- In fact, the only music blog that gets it right 99 percent of the time is Aquarium Drunkard...
- I would stand on Mick Jagger's coffee table (a la Steve Earle) and proclaim that Rod Stewart was a better singer/performer from 1967 to 1974...

Okay, enough ranting for today.

P.S., If This Is Austin, I Still Love You...

2009-07-18T20:53:00.000-07:00

I heard that in a country song and thought it fit my recent trip to Austin like a big old Texas capitol "T". In recent years, I have had a yearning to see the so-called "Live Music Capitol of the World" so I figured the event known as SPOONX3 at Stubb's BBQ was as good a reason to go as any.

I drove up to Louisville, Kentucky after work on Monday for a night at my brother's apartment prior to a morning flight on Southwest to Austin. After having not flown in nearly four and a half years, I have no problem admitting that I was pretty nervous. After takeoff, I just put on a little John Coltrane on the iPod to calm my nerves. Looking out the plane's window made me shudder a little, but after a few minutes, I had resolved that things were now out of my control and I just had to trust that everything was going to be fine... and forty-five minutes later we settled into Birmingham to drop off and pick up passengers. Next up was Houston with a two-hour layover. On my next flight (Houston to Austin), I settled in and struck up a conversation with a nice fellow from Denver who proceeded to tell me that our current plane felt like it was about to crumple upon its prior landing, not exactly what I wanted to hear, being a reluctant flier. Luckily, that leg of the flight was only twenty-five minutes and I bid goodbye to my single-serving friend and disembarked for a few days in Austin!

My rental car was supposed to be a Dodge Magnum, but ended up being a Suzuki Reno, quite possibly the smallest car I've ever driven. It wasn't quite a Smart Car, but it certainly wasn't much larger. Finding my Radisson on East Cesar Chavez Street was easy enough. Upon checking in, I was told that my original reservation for Wednesday was missing from their system. I explained that I had decided to come down a day early and had booked a separate reservation for Tuesday only, thus I had to end up on the phone for nearly an hour with Expedia to get the problem fixed. Luckily it was resolved and I had accommodations for the week, whew.

The first order of business was to take a stroll around my neighborhood for the week. At 103 degrees, I wasn't sure what to expect of that type of heat, or how my body would react to prolonged exposure to it. I walked approximately a fifteen block radius and ended up passing by a restaurant, The Ironworks BBQ, that had been recommended in a guidebook, so I decided that then was as good a time as any to try some authentic Texas barbecue. I tried the sliced beef platter, which was good, but certainly not the best I'd ever eaten. The downside to the restaurant, however, was the lack of air-conditioning. The only relief was an overhead fan, which did little to cool the inside of the place on a 103 degree day. I used a lot of napkins soaking up my sweat, not only from the heat but also from the spices in the sauce. As it was getting a little hot, and a little late, I decided that jet lag had caught up with me, so I settled into my room for a nap, which pretty much concluded day one.

Day two started with me basically getting out to check out some record stores. I was originally looking for Cheapo's discs but happened upon Waterloo Records and ended up browsing for close to two hours. I must admit it is probably the best record store I've ever been in, and I feel like I was cheating on my girlfriend, The Disc Exchange. The used section there has the best selection I've ever seen and I ended up with a lot of new CDs (Ben Kweller's "How Ya Lookin' Southbound", Son Volt's "American Central Dust", King Wilkie's "Wilkie Family Singers", Okkervil River's "Pop Lie", Tift Merritt's "Bramble Rose" for three dollars, and Vetiver's debut album). I also saw a sign advertising an in-store for Deer Tick on Thursday, so my plans adjusted immediately, as I am a recent convert to that particular band. Next, I headed out to The Shady Grove, which had a nice atmosphere with Wilco and Johnny Cash playing over the loud speakers. I ended up back at the hotel to cool off for a bit. Later that night, I ended up on the South Congress bridge to see the famous bats take off, quite an astounding sight. Up next, it was over to The Broken Spoke to see some authentic Texas honky-tonk with the local legend, Mr. Dale Watson (that photo in there has him two-stepping before his show). I hung out there for about an hour before calling it a night.

On Thursday morning, I wanted to head out to the hill country to find The Salt Lick, which supposedly has the world's best beef brisket. After a brisk thirty-minute drive south, I found where it was supposed to be... but never did find it, so I just drove around out there for a while, thinking maybe that I had merely overlooked it. Not so. After nearly an hour and a half, I gave up and headed back into town for another meal at The Ironworks, this time eating the smoked sausage meal, which was quite delicious. I walked up to the capitol building and on the way back, noticed the Austin Museum of Art and decided to have a look around. They had a series of pieces revolving around how the brain forms a memory. Interesting pieces, especially the video of three friends who had differing memories of an experience involving the northern lights, and how they believed they may have been abducted by aliens... I think it is on display until September, so if you're down in that area, check out the entire exhibit. Afterwards, it was time for the Deer Tick in-store at Waterloo. The lead singer came out dressed in an Alvin and The Chipmunks shirt and proceeded to cover Hank Williams, Bruce Springsteen, and ... Brad Paisley ("Ticks", of course). He played solo for most of the show, but was joined for harmonies by various members of the group at varying times. He played for over an hour and I really wanted to see them at Emo's later that night, but decided against it. In a way, I was glad to have skipped it, as later that night, I was dining at the TGI Friday's inside the hotel when the waitress commented on my University of Tennessee cap, saying that she had grown up in Gatlinburg. I asked her age and when she told me I asked her if she knew a friend of mine from that town, to which she excitedly told me that my friend was her best friend in high school... weird! That far from home and I met someone with a mutual friend. Of course I passed along our mutual friend's information and felt warm and fuzzy as a result, as they hadn't seen each other in over ten years.

Admittedly, by Friday morning I was missing home and just wanted to get SPOONX3 over, so I could get home. I decided to take the morning off and go up towards the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema to see Bruno. The movie didn't start until 4:30, so I headed over to Stubb's for lunch. Luckily, as I was sitting there, I heard Spoon starting their sound check. I got to hear the band for nearly an hour before the evening's performance, all while eating great barbecue! They even covered Paul Simon's "Peace Like A River". Next up, I headed back toward the theater and stopped into Austin's Museum of the Weird for about thirty minutes and looked around some of the swag shops on 6th Street. I crossed the street to The Alamo Drafthouse and got my ticket for the movie. Funny movie, not as good as Borat, but it was strange to drink a Bailey's and Kahlua in a movie theater. It was a nice concept and fit perfectly into the town's tag line "We're a Drinking Town with a Live Music Problem". Up next was Spoon, Low, and Dale Watson at the legendary Stubb's BBQ. Dale Watson was, once again, fantastic, but I was giddy to see Low. The only time I've ever had tickets to a Low show was when Alan Sparhawk had a nervous breakdown and cancelled all of their east coast show back in 2005. Low was great, Spoon was merely alright, but at least they played my favorite "The Ghost of You Lingers".

By Saturday, I just felt like relaxing all day, and did just that until it was time for night three of SPOONX3. I don't know who the first band was, but they were decent, but Atlas Sound was so incredibly bad that I couldn't tolerate it past the third song. Having seen Bradfod Cox's main band, Deerhunter, last year, I was expecting better. Not even the promise of Spoon an hour later could get me to stay. It marked the first time I've ever walked out of a performance before the headliner even came on. Atlas Sound was completely pretentious and self-indulgent. Anyone, including non-musicians, could make "music" like that. It was horrible and I was pretty much disgusted with the band's mere existence... so I went back to the hotel, ready to catch my flight on Sunday morning. That was Austin, in a nutshell. The town was great, but I probably wouldn't want to spend more than about four days at most there. Having said that, it wouldn't be a bad place to live as you would always have something to do, but I guess homesickness wore on me and being away from home for a week has now officially gone on my personal "Murtaugh List".

Ha

2009-07-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

I saw this trailer at The Alamo Draft House in Austin and just had to share it.

I'll post a wrap-up of my Austin trip within the next few days...

He May Have Been Strange...

2009-06-25T21:05:00.001-07:00

... but he still created one of my all-time favorite videos!

I Liked This Random Find

2009-05-27T19:18:00.000-07:00

Mark Kozelek's interview on Pitchfork says Asheville is his favorite city to play because of The Grey Eagle's cajun food. Glad he is giving them a shout.

Jay Bennett has died...

2009-05-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

... and it makes me sad. I always wished Jay and Jeff Tweedy could have put their differences aside, but now they never will. Sad news that such a talented, if tortured, man had to die far too early.

Country Living

2009-05-24T15:03:00.000-07:00

The move into the new house was not without it's bumps. I now have the back of a fifty-year-old and things are still slowly moving themselves out of boxes and into their permanent places, that is at least until I move again. This is the first time in nearly twelve years that I am living outside the city limits. The only way to really describe the area where I now reside is rural. My nearest neighbor is within yelling distance, but it still feels a little like living in a remote outpost. Traffic is rare and the nights (thankfully) are quiet. Just when I think the country suits me, however, I will hear a bump outside in the night, leading me to believe that someone may be breaking in. I suppose that's something that will dissipate as my nerves grow accustomed to the quiet nature of the area. I even bought a grill, on which I unsuccessfully tried to grill some chicken last night. I never have been very good when it comes to cooking. I think my next investment will be a hammock to install underneath the shade tree out back. Hmmmm, this could work out.

Arghhhh!!!!!

2009-05-21T21:01:00.000-07:00

I bought a new 120 GB classic iPod four weeks ago... and I am still having trouble getting all my music on there. My iTunes library is over 100 GB, but every time I try to load new tunes on the iPod, my computer shuts down, so here I am, after a month, still cursing this GD purchase! This is my fourth iPod, and it may just be my last. The most I've been able to load at a time is about three songs, which is ridiculous. It should not take five hours to load an album on an iPod. I have never been so disappointed in an iPod as I am with this one. I would not recommend it to anyone.

Wilco is Streaming...

2009-05-13T21:33:00.000-07:00

... their new album over on Wilcoworld.net. Digging it thus far!

Hmmm...

2009-05-12T17:54:00.000-07:00

While looking through the music book section at Borders today, I saw a biography for Sanjaya Malakar from American Idol. Why does this exist?

Sometimes I Shudder...

2009-05-10T19:22:00.000-07:00

... when I think about the quality of women I've dated recently, so much so that I have begun to reevaluate what exactly it is I am really looking for. I do know, however, that the following will be absolutely necessary:

1) She cannot think it's weird that I hug my family members when we meet and part. They are important to me, I love them and I want them to feel that love.
2) They have to understand why I enjoy the film Once, and why I think it is one of the best movies of all time.
3) They have to be open-minded when it comes to music. They can't simply dismiss the tickets I bought to see Alejandro Escoveda, just because his name isn't one you hear on the radio. In fact, if Pink, Beyonce, and Britney Spears are your most listened artists in your iPod, we probably won't get along at all anyway.
4) She has to be willing to go out in public, even if it means going without her entire support system, and no, going out to the same shitty bar with shitty cover bands and karaoke restaurants doesn't count. Also, going to the theater isn't a bad thing, even if that theater is crowded. Be willing to go outside your comfort zone!
5) Being 27 and living in your parents basement just won't work. It tells me that you can't sustain a life on your own. Please steer clear of me. Thanks.
6) She must have good credit. My stance on credit is if you borrow, you must pay back, and not just the minimum. You'll never get your bills paid off that way, idiot.
7) Make the pursuit just that, a pursuit. Don't make it so easy.
8) Going outside her comfort zone would include taking me along for the ride, so she must be willing to come up with some fun ideas once in a while. Sitting on the sofa watching television is alright once in a while, but if your life consists of sitting on the sofa, watching ten hours of reality television a day, that won't work for me.
9) She can't be a pushover. I want a woman who calls me out when I'm wrong, someone who doesn't stew and cry when we disagree.
10) She has to understand that I absolutely must watch at least thirty Braves games per season, if not more! It definitely wouldn't hurt if she was a Braves fanatic.
11) She must be able to handle a little criticism (without crying). If her cooking tastes bland, she should know that there is room for improvement.
12) It would help if she isn't self-absorbed. In the days of Myspace and Facebook updates, I know that can be difficult, especially since Twitter/Facebook/Myspace updates make people feel more important than they actually are. If you update your mood and tell me what you've eaten at every meal on your silly account, what are we going to talk about over dinner?
13) ...and last, she must keep absolutely quiet when LOST is on!

In the age of empowered females, there has to be someone out there! Click on the profile information on the sidebar and e-mail me!

Youtube Video of Record Store Day

2009-04-22T08:46:00.000-07:00

I'm in there perusing some Grateful Dead bootlegs while in line to meet Wilco. Also, just wanted to state that after last night's Wilco show in Asheville, I am convinced that Nels Cline is the greatest guitarist ever... including Jimi (sorry Hendrix).

Best.Record.Store.Day.Ever!

2009-04-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

I GOT TO MEET WILCO!!!!!!!

Now I understand how little girls feel when they meet Hannah Montana. I held myself together, bought the new DVD Ashes of American Flags, and had them sign it...

WOW! It's gonna be great to see these guys perform tonight. It has been far too long (Lollapalooza 2006).

The Rites of Spring

2009-04-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

... and by that, I mean baseball season is on us again. There is no other time of the year that I am more happy to be single than during baseball season, which usually finds me plopped on the couch (or in the stands) catching the thrill of the game. I will of course be pledging my undying loyalty to the Braves and I am also excited that Rhyne Sandberg will be managing the local minor league team this season. So, here's to a good Summer and play ball!

p.s. Sam Quinn (of the everybodyfields) and his new band, The Japan Ten, will be playing a free show at Market Square on April 18th. Looks to be a full day, with Record Store Day, Dogwood Arts Festival, and WILCO!

Showing Some Familial Support

2009-04-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

I went to a release party for Nuclear Symphony's debut EP (my cousin, Seth, is the lead guitarist) and came away mildly impressed that my little cousin is a rocker. I wanted to share their video for "Electricity". I just hope he remembers that his education comes FIRST!

Nik, the lead singer, sounds mildly like Anders Parker. They have potential, and their EP was produced by none other than Yanic Bercier of Quo Vadis.

Rough

2009-03-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

While moving my mother this past weekend, an accident claimed the life of our family dog... so I needed something to make me smile. I saw "I Love You, Man" today and it took my mind off the previous subject for a while, which is exactly what I needed.

If the universe had followed it's course as I had intended, I would have been in Nashville seeing A.C. Newman this past Saturday and my pal would still be alive...

Baby, Now That I've Found You...

2009-01-01T15:56:00.000-08:00

2008 ended on a great note for me... and 2009 is certainly starting on the right foot. Thanks to the scientific methods employed by eharmony, I am in what can only be described as the best relationship of my life! From a personality standpoint, we mesh as well as peanut butter and jelly. Now, if I could only change her musical tastes from Beyonce and Pink to Wilco and Neil Young... Oh well, I won't force that issue, at least we agree that commercial country music is pretty good (wierd, I know, been listening to a lot of Brad Paisley and George Strait lately). Plus, she responded well to a mix CD that included Ben Lee, Iron and Wine, Big Star, and Glen Hansard, so it's a start...

The Kiffins Are Coming!

2008-12-02T17:53:00.000-08:00

I am really excited about the new coaching staff coming to town. The offense for my beloved Vols should definitely be more interesting and Lane Kiffin never really got a fair shake in Oakland. I think ultimately (at least within two or three years), the team will improve. Add the cherry on top with Monte coming along for the ride and I just may start watching as religiously as I did in the past. Also, I wouldn't mind running into Mrs. Kiffin (above) at West Town Mall.

Note To Self: Check Battery Levels!

2008-11-21T21:19:00.000-08:00

Okay, I saw Iron & Wine with Blitzen Trapper at The Bijou tonight... and I forgot to charge my camera batteries, so after about five shots (of which maybe two are distinguishable), the battery died. Both bands were outstanding, and Iron & Wine continue to amaze, re-working old standards with tuning changes, tempo modifications, and expansive jamming. I could watch this band almost every single night and not get tired of them.

Oh, Dear

2008-11-18T19:28:00.000-08:00

I sat stunned a couple of days ago as a man I deeply respect went on a rant about how glad he is that the end times are upon us and that he can't wait to meet Jesus... and I just thought to myself about how disappointed I am in him that he fell for the Republican/right-wing propaganda that Obama is the anti-Christ.

Tick...tick...tick

2008-11-14T21:26:00.000-08:00

...goes the clock, that is, on the time I have left to spend with my right-hand man, confidante, best friend. Big brother Clay, my roommate/housemate of nearly 27 of my 29 years on this Earth is taking THE big step... by moving to Kentucky (and in with his girlfriend)! I've often said I would rather die than live in Kentucky, but at least it will be Louisville, the one city in that horrible territory worth spending time. Any city that spawned both Bonnie "Prince" Billy and My Morning Jacket can't be that bad, I suppose. I'll at least have a couch to crash on when MMJ plays their homecoming show in each of the next few years.

I knew this day would come, even though I fought the idea with both arms swinging. I should bear a little of the blame, however, since he did ask my advice regarding whether he should take a possible job offer up there. Given the fact that his current employer has been downsizing (by cutting nearly 200 jobs in the past two weeks), I told him he would be an idiot to stay... so while I feel sad to see him go, I also feel excited to move forward. I know it will be difficult and I'll miss him tremendously, but he has my blessing, whether he wants it or not. So Clay, it's been a good run. Love you always (but I do wish you would leave your 65-inch television behind).

Yes We Did!

2008-11-04T20:11:00.000-08:00

I'm glad my vote FINALLY COUNTED!!!

Just My Luck

2008-11-02T08:43:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I have a confession to make... I joined eharmony about two months ago in hopes of avoiding meeting women with whom I am not personally compatible. The last two girls I dated ended up being completely wrong for me. "T" got pregnant by someone else, while we were dating! "S" engaged in as much of a certain illegal activity as she could, from sunup to sundown (and anyone who knows me knows that I am extremely law-abiding).

So I have been chatting online with "K" (who I met on eharmony) for about two weeks now... and she proceeded to ask me for $450.00 to by a flight ticket. Jeez, can't I just meet someone normal?

Prior to that, I was set up with an older woman (34) and we communicated back and forth by e-mail for about three weeks and to be honest, I was enamored by this girl. She was smart, successful, and very attractive. We decided to talk on the phone to set up a face-to-face... and it ruined everything! Her personality during the conversation was proof of why she is still single. I am beginning to think my dating life is some sort of cruel joke (or a hero's trial intent on making me a better person).

Oh well, I needed to vent a little and there is another candidate that seems very compatible, so I'll just have to wait and see, I suppose...

Unledded

2008-10-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

Does anyone else think the idea of Led Zeppelin touring without Robert Plant sounds really bad? I know Terry Reid had been floated out there in years past, but John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page need to banish the thought completely from their minds (or have they ever heard how bad The Who's Endless Wire is?).

Celebrate Good Times...

2008-10-26T12:59:00.000-07:00

Come on! I have decided to give the old blog another spin and start writing again. It has been awhile hasn't it?

I got the itch again after seeing Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater this past Friday night at The Grey Eagle. Even though I counted only 24 people in attendance, it was amazing and very intimate, almost like a living room show. For all the richness of the band's two most previous efforts, Jonathan was able to pull the songs off almost flawlessly, switching easily between guitar, banjo, and piano without missing a beat.

Since it's been over a year since the last post, I'll talka little about what I've been up to. I met Richard Buckner standing outside of Barley's Taproom in Knoxville, then split time watching his show at Patrick Sullivan's and a reunited Superdrag at the aforementioned Barley's on a balmy night in October 2007.

A week later, I had the good fortune to see The New Pornographers at The Orange Peel in Asheville. Late November found me in Atlanta to catch The Swell Season with Martha Wainwright opening. Within the span of four weeks, I would catch Martha's dad, Loudon Wainwright III at the Bijou Theater here in town.

By March 2008, I had happily watched an undefeated Patriots team go down in defeat to The Giants and also managed to plan a trip to Sunrise, Florida for Langerado. I got up close with Josh Ritter (as you can see from the opening photo) and also managed to find my way almost to the front of the stage for R.E.M., as they unleashed Accelerate on the world! Aside from approximately 100 fire ant bites, it was a good time with good people, as my pal Trevor and I managed to find a few more people we knew down there, making it the more, the merrier.

I also attended Iron & Wine at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, a show I have fondly titled Sam Beam's Rolling Thunder Revue. Wow, one of the best shows I've caught... ever. Califone opened with a solid pastiche of noise.

If you haven't heard what this tour sounded like, I suggest you head over to Played Last Night for a sample. Sam Beam built on the very rich tones of The Shepherd's Dog by adding layer upon layer of different instrumentation he had not previously employed live before. I have tickets to see the band in action once again next month at The Bijou, with the amazing Blitzen Trapper opening. If you haven't heard their latest album, Furr, I suggest you get out and get a copy immediately! I also heard them earlier this year at the aforementioned Langerado and highly anticipate another great show.

Sundown in The City provided a lot of great free entertainment this year too. I saw Josh Ritter and The Hackensaw Boys in a monsoon. The Everybodyfields were fantastic, even covering The Smashing Pumpkins' "Today". Good times were had by all.

A couple sitting next to me at The Grey Eagle got engaged, with a little help from Mark Kozelek, who then serenaded the newly engaged with "Summer Dress". Those two certainly won't ever forget their engagement.

I played chaperone to my sixteen year old cousin and his friend as we saw Nine Inch Nails and Deerhunter rock the Knoxville Civic Coliseum. Man, that took me back about twelve years... Am I getting that old? I guess I am as thirty is creeping just around the corner.

I find myself watching too much television (my roommate bought a sixty-inch flat screen) and have had weekend marathons of How I Met Your Mother, Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared, and The Office in the past seven weeks (thanks, Netflix). Yes, I'm a loser, leave me alone! Okay, moving on...

This is the first post in what I hope will be a long line of posts. I'm pretty sure there weren't very many people who read this blog before, but for those of you who did, welcome back and thanks for reading. It will be nice to just sit down from time to time and put my thoughts on the screen again. Take care until the next time.

Fun Birthday Activities

2007-09-12T20:09:00.001-07:00

This week saw me turning 28 (9/11) and it has been a pretty eventful week. I saw Andrew Bird down at The Bijou Theater on Monday, followed up by my older brother getting gastric bypass surgery on Tuesday morning (get well, brother). But I topped it all off at The Tennessee Theater with Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals. No pics from the BHIC show, but here are a couple from Andrew Bird.

A Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Far, Far Away...

2007-08-23T20:26:00.001-07:00

I used to give this blog some attention. Now it's time to start writing again, because I just had to get on here and praise the brand-spankin' New Pornographers album, Challengers. The line in "Challengers" that says "Whatever the mess you are, you're mine" makes me think of a very special person to me... she knows, and if she's reading this right now, she's probably blushing.
The downtempo numbers are especially touching, and the record definitely bears the mark of a songwriter in love (backstory: A.C. Newman just got married as this album was released). Truly amazing material.

And, oh yeah, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that NBC is bringing back American Gladiators!

Since my last post, I have:

- Been to my high school reunion
- Seen Neko Case live
- Seen Laura Veirs live
- Fallen in love with Marketa Irglova in Once
- Saw The Features at The World Grotto
- Had a hoedown twice with The Hackensaw Boys (and once with King Wilkie)

The summer has had some interesting twists and turns as people have reentered my life and changed it in profound ways, so much so that I may never be able to fully thank them. I may shout my excitement from the rooftops!

Okay, I plan to get back to work here, even though no one ever reads this blog. It was a release and hopefully, it will be again. I'll be back on here very soon.

iPod Survey

2007-04-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

This has been done on many occasions on many other websites, but I finally got bored enough to do it. You randomly shuffle songs on your iPod to answer questions, so here goes...

*Ipod on Shuffe*
Grab your Ipod, Put it on SHUFFLE and use it to answer these questions...
How am I feeling today?:	When Will You Come Back Home - Ryan Adams and The Cardinals
Will I get far in life?:	Beautiful Machines Parts 1 & 2 - Apples in Stereo
How do my friends see me?:	Did I Die - Oneida
Who will I marry?:	Place to Be - Nick Drake
What is my best friend's theme song?:	Lonesome Valley - Magnolia Electric Co.
What is the story of my life?:	Pray For Me - Black-Eyed Dog
What is highschool like?:	NY Doll - Robin Hitchcock and the Venus 3
How can I get ahead in life?:	Instrumental 2 - Gob Iron
What is the best thing about me?:	The Seer's Tower - Sufjan Stevens
How is today going to be?:	Fitter Happier - Radiohead
What is in store for this weekend?:	I Can Not Have Seen The Light - Magnolia Electric Co.
What song describes my parents?:	We're Just Friends - Wilco
To describe my grandparents?:	Orange Crush - REM
How is my life going?:	In The Dark - Josh Ritter
What song will they play at my funeral?:	Just Squeeze Me - Miles Davis
How does the world see me?:	Seeing Daylight - The Mountain Goats
Will I have a happy life?:	80's Life - The Good, The Bad, and The Queen
Will I have children?:	Cold Hands, Warm Heart - Brendan Benson
What was my childhood like?:	Kamera - Wilco
What is some good advice for me?:	Call Me (Come Back Home) - Al Green
How will I be remembered?:	Sons and Daughters - The Decemberists
What is my signature dancing song?:	Country Feedback - REM
What is my current theme song?:	Boyscout'n - Menomena
What does everyone else thing my theme is?:	Time To Move On - Tom Petty
What song describes my mood right now?:	Sloop John B - Beach Boys
What song do I listen to when Im depressed?:	Bubble - Red House Painters
Happy?:	Who - Son Volt
Scared?:	XMas 1997 - Papa M
Bored?:	He Woke Me Up Again - Sufjan Stevens
What type of girls/guys do I go for?:	B.S. Johnson - The Pernice Brothers
What type goes for me?:	Belated - Anders Parker
What should I be doing right now?:	Belarus - Low
What is in store for the future?:	The Pelican - Menomena
How was your past?:	Turning The Pages - Bill Fay Group
Ok, Now just name the songs as they come
1-:	AB's Song - Iron and Wine
2-:	Withering Heights - Ryan Adams and the Cardinals
3-:	I Shatter - The Magnetic Fields
4-:	Cahi En La Trampa - Manu Chao
5-:	Lesson Learned - Ray Lamontagne
6-:	Bottomless Cup - The Jayhawks
7-:	Shine a Light - The Rolling Stones
8-:	Like a Hurricane - Jay Farrar
9-:	You Look So Young - The Jayhawks
Take this survey Find more surveys MySpace Surveys Bzoink - The Original Survey Site

I especially like the questions about "What do you friends think about you?" Given my proclivity for disappearing from public for weeks on end "Did I Die" by Oneida is pretty appropriate...

Keep My Real Light Shining

2007-04-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

If you're a Jayhawks fan, you may be able to tell what is currently playing on iTunes right now. I haven't written in a couple of weeks because I've had my mind in a very different place... because I got set up on a date! Yes, I, the eternal loner, had a date... and I thought it went pretty well. I picked her up last Saturday night and went over to Patrick Sullivan's saloon in Old Knoxville (but I could barely choke down my onion-encrusted meal) and then went over to The Bijou Theater to see Jim Gaffigan perform some standup. The conversation was free-flowing and I automatically felt at ease, and I feel very indebted to my aunt who has been scheming this setup for at least three years.

I spoke with her a few times over the course of the week... but I'm terrible on the phone. I much prefer reading facial expressions and feeding off certain cues to avoid lulls in the conversation. Suffice to say, I rather preferred seeing her face.

I picked her up last night for dinner at Mimi's Cafe (which was great) and learned that she shares an affinity for mashed potatoes with me... and she is really into Star Wars and Lord of The Rings, which suits me fine. We then went over to see Blades of Glory starring Will Ferrell and Jon Heder. There was a pretty appropriate scene in the movie when Jon Heder shares an awkward kiss with Jenna Fischer (of The Office fame) that made me really start to get a little nervous... given that I haven't kissed a girl in a while and I really wanted to kiss this one. After the movie, we were both pretty tired, so I took her home and we talked about seeing each other again within the next few days... but she got out of the car pretty fast, which I took to be a bad sign. So now, I am a little perplexed as to what the next step will be. My expectations are fairly low, but I really like this girl and I want to see her again (especially given the fact that she is so down with Return of The Jedi).

I'm sure I want to see her again... but I wonder if she feels the same way. I'll keep you posted as this is pretty intense drama for my usually placid life.

A Relaxing Weekend

2007-03-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

... was just what I needed. Work has been killing me lately as we look to add two new associates to the business within the next couple of months. Setting up their contracts has been a time-consuming process, especially coupled with the projects on which I am already working, so a little rest was in order as I spent a majority of the weekend in the apartment, watching my Vols survive a fierce game against Virginia. Sleeping until 10:00 was a welcome respite as well.

I did finally get registered for Dime A Dozen after approximately three months of capacity membership. The amount of live stuff on there is astounding. I downloaded Explosions In The Sky's set from the Grey Eagle on Saturday (awesome considering the show was just this past Wednesday) and a lot of Bob Dylan and Neil Young sets. I can't wait to get around to hearing them all. It is not only great to have the new hobby of perusing shows, but it is also FREE! That, and I also got a great sounding recording of Ray Lamontagne's show from Los Angeles (from the same tour I saw him on this past December). I may have a new addiction...

I also decided to break up (for the time being) with Myspace. I am getting really discouraged with old friends popping up on there in new (but not necessarily improved) incarnations. I haven't seen most of my high school friends in nearly ten years, so I have a lot of trouble seeing them as binge drinkers and pot smokers. I can't resolve the way we were then with the way they are now. We lived clean then and I suppose I expected them to remain true to those values. I also cannot stand assholes that won't return an e-mail (and by that, I mean Anton Caldwell - were we ever friends?). Why ask me to be your Myspace "Friend" if you don't want to honor that commitment? So, I have to leave behind that vice for a while. Our previous parting lasted five weeks. I'm trying for at least six months this time. I just hope I can do it.

I want to move to Nashville sometime later this year, so after I take care of this massive tax debt, I plan on putting together a strategy to make it come to fruition. I need to branch out and try to find solace in the unknown. It's probably just wishful thinking right now, but what would life be without daydreams (the doldrums, most likely)?

Time for bed, as a difficult work week lies ahead.

The Agony and The Ecstasy

2007-03-04T20:47:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since my last post. I am trying to get used to using my laptop as opposed to my trusty desktop, which I have recently decided to retire after six years of trusty service...

Okay, first, the agony. Since I switched everything over to the laptop, my favorite program, Lastfm, has been difficult to reinstall. It's something about proxy settings. I have been researching unsuccessfully on how to correct this for days (Andy, once you get that programming degree, I will be looking to you for tips)! To say the least, I feel empty since I have been unable to use the AudioScrobble feature for recommended and related artists...

As for the ecstasy, I was able to stream Wilco's new album in it's entirety last night... and was subsequently blown away! I had heard at least six of the tracks previously in earlier or bare-bones versions, but it was great to hear the sounds flushed out. Several music blogs have already posted tracks, so if anyone reading here is a fan, you can probably find some of them on Hype Machine and Elbows. Highly recommended music by the greatest band of the past ten years.

I also saw Zodiac last night, and even though it was a great movie, I had previously read about the unsolved case on Wikipedia, so it dampened the effect of the movie. Don't research the case if you plan on seeing the movie!

I recently bought tickets to see Band of Horses at the local shithole, Blue Cat's. Maybe I will enjoy their set a little more this time around (after having seen them open for Iron and Wine a couple of years back). I will also be seeing the lovely Neko Case at the Bijou, my new favorite venue. I am still considering seeing The Books there as well... we'll have to see about that.

As everyone can see, I am still alive (if not well) and still hoping to fulfill the promise of enjoying my life a little more as the year goes along. I will try to post a little more frequently, even if no one is reading.

Front Row At The Tweedy Show - The Tabernacle, Atlanta

2007-01-30T08:11:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to share a couple of pictures from last night's Jeff Tweedy solo acoustic show in Atlanta. I actually had front row tickets and at one point (during a PA-less "Acuff-Rose") he spat on me a little... yeah, that close. It was the best view I've ever had at a concert and it was a much friendlier show than my prior experience in Nashville. The audience was more respectful and he responded in kind.

The best parts of the show were "Remember The Mountain Bed" and "Hesitating Beauty" from the Mermaid Avenue projects. Both sounded very pure when stripped down to their bare-bones. I won't go into much detail about the setlist (you can check out Wilcobase for that), but it was very satisfying and I am looking forward to tonight's show in Knoxville. I always meet great people at the shows, which also adds to the overall experience. Thanks to the two couples down front with me, it was great meeting and talking concerts experiences with you. Well, here are those photos I promised...

Jeff Tweedy in Nashville, January 17, 2006

2007-01-22T17:52:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday, I made the drive down to Nashville to see Jeff Tweedy play The Tennessee Performing Arts Center. To say the least, it was great from the opening chords of "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" all the way down to the closer, a rousing rendition of "Gun". Some guy kept heckling from the balcony, which Jeff took to be a minor annoyance which dominated the entire evening. Jeff also announced that the new album will be called Sky Blue Sky and will be released on May 19th, 2007! Opener (and Wilco drummer) Glenn Kotche opened the show and joined Tweedy on three songs to end the evening. I am eagerly looking forward to seeing him in a couple of weeks in Atlanta and then the following night in Knoxville. Her are a few pics (lightin wasn't great and was fairly intimate)...

So, Another Year Passes...

2006-12-25T16:38:00.000-08:00

2006 has been a grab bag of sorts, a little of this, a little of that. First, however, I would like to address Christmas. I had a pretty good one, I hope everyone else did, too. I made out with some great gifts, among them Nip/Tuck Season 3 (which I have not previously seen), a great western shirt from the western shirt Mecca, Nashville (I had tried this particular one on several times on recent trips down there), and enough money to pay off my credit card (yahoo!).

Back to the year in review, we lost an icon this morning (albeit an odd and self-aggrandizing one) in James Brown this morning. This following in a year in which we also lost Buck Owens, Arthur Lee, and Syd Barrett. Otherwise, the year in music was a satisfying one. I decided against doing a list this year, because everyone else seems to have already said everything . I will say, however, that TV On The Radio is fairly overrated and Margot & The Nuclear So So's were barely so-so, they were actually pretty terrible and were removed from the trusty iPod after one listen.

I did enjoy The Band of Horses' debut album, Everything All The Time, even after I slammed their performance opening for Iron and Wine last year. Sonic Youth and The Minus 5 each turned in what I believe are their best efforts. Jay Farrar and Anders Parker reinterpreted some classics as Gob Iron, much to my delight and Beck created no less than a third masterpiece! Midlake created an outstanding followup to Bamnan and Silvercork with The Trials of Van Occupanther and I would be remiss to forget to mention the bluegrass masterpiece Speed of the Whipporwill by Chatham County Line.

As for the flipside, there are always disappointments and there was none greater than At War With The Mystics by The Flaming Lips. Also Magnolia Electric Co.'s latest album, Faded Trails, did a poor job at following up a near-masterpiece in What Comes After The Blues. However, Jason Molina made up for it with his latest solo effort, Let Me Go, Let Me Go, Let Me Go.

Lollapalooza was a great time and something I will never forget. Chicago is a great town and I hope to see it again around the same time next year. Also, The Rites of Spring was pretty fun, too, and it is nearby, so maybe I'll get down to Nashville for another go 'round.

I really enjoyed Heroes on NBC. LOST had another great season, but I have a bad feeling that this season may be the last, considering they repositioned it in the lineup (never a good sign). Borat and The Science of Sleep were both great and I hope to add them to my DVD collection soon. Meanwhile, The Fountain really stank up the theater and was by far the worst film I saw this year.

I fell in (and then out) of love with Myspace this year. The poor grammar and complete lack of regard for the English language was merely too much for me to bear. Seemingly intelligent people have been reduced to one-lining idiots within the context of it's network. Ugh! However, I fell hard for Last FM, which takes my playlists and recommends music for me. It also allows me to see other users with similar listening habits. It is fantastic and every Sunday, like clockwork, I end up checking my charts to see who I played the most. I also like the feature that shows who will be attending what concerts.

I have a strong feeling that 2007 will be a very different year for me, both personally and professionally. By no means do I want anyone to call this a resolution, but I plan on being proactive in making my life better and I hope to make lasting changes. This will probably be my last post for this year, so I'll see you in 2007 (that is if anyone ever reads this site).

Christmas Wish List 2006

2006-12-10T17:57:00.000-08:00

For those looking for the perfect gift for me this holiday season, I present several items that I will not buy for myself in the two weeks prior to Christmas.

1) Nip/Tuck: The Complete Third Season
2) Gay Street: Stories of Knoxville, Tennessee
3) Waydowntown on DVD (preferably used)
4) Freaks (1932) on DVD
5) Fotheringay by Fotheringay on CD

That's it! Happy hunting!

Ray Lamontagne @ The Bijou, 12/5/2006

2006-12-06T12:25:00.000-08:00

Last night, I made my way to downtown Knoxville to see Ray Lamontagne at The Bijou Theater. Having seen him last year in Nashville (and being very disappointed with the crowd), I was eager to see him in a smaller venue with less crowd noise. I bought balcony seats, which turned out to be a big mistake because of lack of leg room, plus the view is much better from the floor, but oh, well, I suppose I learned a valuable lesson.

The show opener was Tristan Prettyman, who really stank up the place. It was clear that she had a tape running because none of the band members were able to sync up with the sound being produced. The only real sound coming out of those speakers last night was her voice, which was pleasant enough. However, the music was not my style, so I will definitely not be purchasing any of her stuff.

After she "played for about forty-five minutes, she left the stage, leaving the crowd for the most part unimpressed.

Ray Lamontagne and his band came onstage to very low lights, so low in fact that regardless of my photo editing, you can barely even see him in any of the shots. I could tell from the array of instruments onstage that he was going to be louder this time around after he previously played a mostly acoustic (with upright bass) set. The stage included several acoustic guitars, a pedal steel, bass, drums, and several electrics. The songs were much-improved with the addition of pedal steel, which was played masterfully by former Son Volt sideman, Eric Heywood.

They opened with "Empty" from the new record Till The Sun Turns Black, followed up by "Barfly" and "Shelter". I was glad to see the crowd pay this performer the respect he deserves. Clearly they appreciated his effort. There was very little crowd noise with the exception of applause and a smattering of "I love you, Ray"s here and there, which was great given my previous experience at one of his shows.

The songs from the new album sounded great live, with pedal steel replacing most of the brass arrangements that were found on the record. The songs that garnered the loudest applause were "Trouble" (of course) and "Jolene" from his debut album. "Three More Days" seemed to make the crowd move the most. The only complaint to be had was that he played too short a set. Altogether, he played a little over an hour, with a two-song encore featuring a rousing cover of "To Love Somebody" which pretty much everyone sang along to. This show was much better than before and marks Lamontagne's second appearance in Knoxville this year (he previously opened for Guster). I hope he makes it an annual stop from here on out.

Mojave 3 with Tim O'Reagan in Nashville

2006-10-29T10:48:00.000-08:00

Last night I drove down to Nashville to catch the two acts named above, on the last night of their three-week jaunt. I had been looking forward to this for about a month, since each performer had released a great new album over the past few months (and both will most likely make it into my year's top ten).

However, the trip barely happened, as I was stuck in traffic for a long while. A car accident in west Knoxville caused a three-hour delay, with no opportunity to get away to a side road. So, a two and a half hour trip took five and a half!

I picked my cousin up at Vanderbilt and we headed down to the Belcourt Theater for the show about twenty minutes ahead of the start time. Tim O'Reagan took the stage at 9:00 and said "I need to connect with someone in the audience. You (pointing at me), it will be you". So, I waved and he then said "Nah, changed my mind... somebody else" which gave us (and everyone else) a good laugh. His set included mostly material from his debut album. He also played "Driving Wheel" by Roger McGuinn and an old number from his original band, The Leatherwoods. He also let Jim Boquist, his guitarist (late of Son Volt) play an original song, which was great ( I wonder if it is avalable anywhere). My favorite songs in the setlist were "Tampa To Tulsa" and "She's Just Like You". He did just fine without his old band and one of this guy's favorites, The Jayhawks.

Mojave 3 was up next, minus Rachel Goswell, who is at home nursing throat issues. Seeing that the stage included only one microphone, I concluded that the set would be devoid of the band's signature harmonies. Even though the male-female vocals were missing, the show was great. The band was able to make hushed, quiet selections into loud cacophonic noise-rockers. They opened with a couple of songs off of the new record including "Truck Driving Man", but the highlights were "Prayer for The Paranoid" and "Some Kinda Angel". Unfortunately, a lot of people had left after the first set by Tim O'Reagan, so those folks missed a fine performance by one of today's greatest bands... and it is quite rare to see them play this far south, across the ocean. After they finished their initial set, Neil Halstead came back onstage alone and played "Hi, Lo, and Inbetween" from his solo record. He was then rejoined by the band for the show closer "Bluebird of Happiness" from Spoon and Rafter.

All in all, a great show and a good evening. Even my cousin seemed to have a good time, too. Plus, Gillian Welch was in the audience, milling about, but she left with Jim Boquist after O'Reagan's set. I would love to see both of these groups again.

2006-10-29T10:45:00.000-08:00

Tim O'Reagan with "The First Band".

2006-10-29T10:44:00.000-08:00

Mojave 3 playing "Prayer for the Paranoid".

2006-10-29T10:42:00.000-08:00

Neil Halstead playing solo in the encore opener "Hi, Lo, and Inbetween".

2006-10-29T10:40:00.000-08:00

Mojave 3 playing "Truck Drivin' Man" Saturday night in Nashville.

Bad Week For The Yankees Gets Worse...

2006-10-11T20:38:00.000-07:00

As a baseball fan, I have to say that even I now have some sympathy for the New York Yankees after Cory Lidle crashed his plane into a building today.

I saw Lidle pitch against the Mets a couple of years ago at Shea and he gave up a long homer to Jose Reyes after Reyes had been out almost three months with an injury. You would think baseball players would learn not to mix themselves up with single engine planes, especially after Thurman Munson and Roberto Clemente...

Today Was A Good Day

2006-10-04T20:41:00.000-07:00

A) I was out of work today... refreshing for the senses!

B) I watched The Science of Sleep at Downtown West.

C) I purchased and am now enjoying Jay Bennett's The Magnificent Defeat and The Pernice Brothers Live A Little...

D) LOST premiered tonight and it did not disappoint! Every episode leaves me eager for the entire week to pass and there is no difference now.

E) It is now only two days until a high school reunion (of sorts)... should be interesting.

The Long Winters Live (in front of 75)

2006-09-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

The Grey Eagle in Asheville played host to one of the most exciting events in recent history... too bad only about 75 people saw it. The Long Winters are out on the road touring behind their latest Putting The Days To Bed, which is definitely on top of my year's best.

Asheville locals The Hellsayers opened the evening with some trippy psyche-Americana, which John Roderick (The LW's lead singer and principal songwriter) described as very Moody Blues-esque (a high compliment on his part). During their set, I was sitting on the floor next to the wall when John Roderick sat down next to me. I hardly recognized him behind his newly-grown beard, but it was easy to tell that he was really into The Hellsayers music.

The Long Winters were on at about 10:00 and I must say their show was amongst my five favorite of all time (and I have seen many). It is difficult to say which song was best, since pretty much every song they have recorded is close to being my favorite song ever. They opened with "Clouds" and ended with "Ultimatum", both from the new record. Everything in between was just as great. Since the crowd was so small, the band took requests, to which I yelled an enthusiastic "Scared Straight"! They obliged about three songs later.

During the set, Roderick showed himself to be an affable guy. He complimented the Grey Eagle's kitchen for "the best Cajun food anywhere" and drank several Cheerwines, a local drink delicacy. When he broke a guitar string on his electric, he hooked up an electric decorated with an American flag, which lead to a strange occurrence, which went a little something like this:

John Roderick: "I stole this guitar from Toby Keith."

Drunk Guy in audience: "Are you confessing to a felony, because I will take you downtown and book you right now!"

JR: "I was just trying to tell a joke. Have you had a few, officer?" (at which point the drunk jumps onstage)

DG: "I wanna jam with you guys man!"

JR: "We have some wierd chord structures that you wouldn't be able to pick up on, Inspector 420." (the guy jumped over to the piano and tried to plink along)

The bartender finally talked the guy down from the stage after about five minutes of back and forth between Roderick and the Inspector. A strange interlude for sure, but funny nonetheless. At least the guy wasn't violent.

Roderick would later walk out to the bathroom while the band played a jazzy number. He then hung around and talked with the audience after the show. Altogether it was one of the best musical experiences of my life, a lot of fun! I will have to see them again in the future.

2006-09-25T16:35:00.000-07:00

On the piano, in the dark, for "Blue Diamonds"

2006-09-25T16:34:00.000-07:00

John with the guitar he pilfered from Toby Keith

2006-09-25T16:33:00.000-07:00

Midsong on "Ultimatum"

2006-09-25T16:32:00.000-07:00

John Roderick enjoying a local favorite, Cheerwine

2006-09-25T16:31:00.000-07:00

The Long Winters live at The Grey Eagle

Calexico and Oakley Hall - Knoxville's Bijou Theater

2006-09-22T17:55:00.000-07:00

Last night was interesting because Calexico, basically an unknown band in these parts, decided to play a show at the recently-renovated Bijou Theater in downtown Knoxville.

Oakley Hall opened the evening with a downtempo version of "Confidence Man" which was great and they followed that up with a blistering "Lazy Susan". They played for close to an hour. I had previously heard their album Gypsum Strings and was impressed, so at the merch table I picked up their other two albums... or so I thought. After I got to the car, I went to unwrap the CDs and realized that the merch girl had given me another copy of Gypsum Strings... and I was too far from the venue to walk back.

Anyway, after their set Calexico came on and played for almost two hours. This was the first time I had seen them as the main act, so they were able to get through more of their catalog than in previous shows. They left Salvador Duran back in Arizona this time, but they did great job anyway. Their sounds conjured up images of cacti and dusty western trails. I could almost imagine drifting sands and rattlesnakes the entire evening. During the encore, Oakley Hall came onstage and formed a massive band, mixing traditional country sounds with western flair, much to the audience's appreciation.

Even though the show was far from sold out, they played well to the crowd that was on hand. I would also venture to say that more than half the crowd came from out of town, which is further proof that Knoxville really isn't ready to support a music scene of it's own. Also, I wanted to send a shout out to Chad from Asheville's Labiators, who kept me entertained talking music for most of the evening. I'll have to get out to North Carolina and check his band out soon. Overall, another really great show from a sadly undersupported band.

2006-09-22T17:54:00.000-07:00

Joey Burns leading the hybrid of Calexico and Oakley Hall.

2006-09-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

Calexico/Oakley Hall big band, Bijou Theater in Knoxville, Tennessee - September 21, 2006.

My Lollapalooza, Part 3... Finally

2006-08-16T20:54:00.000-07:00

I know I said I would complete a final post regarding my trip to Chicago for Lollapalooza... but Nick at Nite has been running a marathon of A Different World and I just never got around to it. So, here goes...

I headed over to the park at about 12:45 in order to see The Frames, but got there much earlier than expected and caught Catfish Haven... and was not really impressed (even though all those music bloggers are praising them). I caught the Burden Brothers for one song and I overheard one of them say they played in the Turtles (of "Something Good" fame).

Next up was The Frames, a band I was highly anticipating. I was talking to a dude from Portland who asked me what they sounded like, to which I replied "They start out quietly, but wait for the crescendo" and the both of us were amazed by the hour-long set that included a beautiful cover of Wilco's "Reservations". It was by far the best set of the weekend, and even included a dance by Beetle Bob!

I headed over to see Nickel Creek, who did interesting covers of Radiohead's "Nice Dream" and Britney Spears' "Toxic". But they were primarily filler until...

Andrew Bird, the one-man orchestra! His set was highlighted by rousing versions of "Fake Palindromes" and "Measuring Cups". The set was bass-heavy and seeing him switch between so many instruments in so short a time blew the socks off of myself as well as the two dudes I hung out with who came all the way from Mexico for Lolla and the Pitchfork Festival.

The Shins played a lot of material from the forthcoming album and they sounded great. I then had to find filler until Wilco at 6:30. I watched the generic happy music uplifting crap from Poi Dog Pondering and caught a couple of songs from Reverend Horton Heat before heading over to see Wilco.

Unfortunately, everyone else was there to see Chicago's native sons as well, so I couldn't get very close to the stage. They played at least four new songs and they sounded great. "Via Chicago" got a huge response and the group standing next to me smoked at least three joints, but since I have never been high, I'm not sure if I caught contact buzz or not. After their set, I decided to leave, as it is sacreligious to have anyone follow up Wilco (unless it is a legend like R.E.M. or The Rolling Stones).

I did catch Blues Traveler playing "Carolina Blues" on the way out...

Having seen Red Hot Chili Peppers about six years ago (and being very disappointed), I vowed I would never listen to them again... and I kept that promise, even though I could vaguely hear them from my room.

When the show was over, people flooded the streets and made as much noise as possible. It was great... and I hope to do it again next year!

My Lollapalooza, Part 2

2006-08-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

I'm back to continue on that last post...

Lollapalooza Day 2 - Saturday, August 5

I headed down to Grant Park a little later on the second day in hopes of catching Built To Spill's complete set, but arrived earlier than expected, hot and already sweaty from a walk down to the Navy Pier (what a trek from East Harrison).

I got to the grounds about midway through Feist's set, but since I am not a Broken Social Scene fan, I only stuck around for two songs and headed in the direction of the Playstation stage to see...

Peeping Tom. Mike Patton (formerly of early rap-rock pioneers Faith No More) had an assortment of laptops, guitars, drums, synths, and turntables set up for what would be one of the more difficult sets to perform, given all the guest appearances on their debut album. However, he brought along Rahzel (of the Roots) also known as the human beatbox, as well as a female vocalist. They launched into a high-energy set, but I only stuck around for three songs, which included "Five Seconds" and "Mojo". I will say they did a good job of staying true to the record.

Built To Spill was on the Bud Light stage, much to their chagrin. Doug Martsch kept saying that they didn't like corporate sponsorship and that Bud Light, Adidas, and Champs' did not care about their music or any of their fans, yet they took the money to perform, so they should have kept their mouths shut. Their set was highlighted by one of my current favorites "Conventional Wisdom".

I then headed over to the Adidas stage for Calexico. I saw them last December and was greatly impressed and immediately picked up all of their albums at that time. As they were setting up, I saw Jim James of My Morning Jacket by the stage, where he would stay for the entirety of the show. Joey Burns went over for a hug before the blistering set. Salvador Duran was invited onstage to perform a few songs. Nicolai Dunger (who had performed at Schuba's the previous Thursday) came onstage to join them in a dedication to Love's Arthur Lee (whom sadly passed away last Thursday) in a performance of "Alone Again, Or". I am all set to see Calexico again in Knoxville at The Bijou Theater in September.

Sonic Youth was up next and mostly played material from Rather Ripped, their excellent new album. Mark Ibold (formerly of Pavement) played bass for a large portion of the show. The ever-present Beetle Bob introduced the band as "The Most Excellent Band in Music Today". I don't know about that, but they were pretty good.

I headed towards the food stand for a chicken sandwich afterwards and ate it while listening to Blackalicious, a bland positive message hip-hop act. Give me gangsta rap, or none at all, please.

Up next was The Flaming Lips, which is pretty much where everyone went in order to see what Wayne Coyne was going to do. I could just hear The Dresden Dolls playing "War Pigs", which has been a staple of the Lips recent setlists. Wayne took to the stage and unveiled the space bubble and took to the crowd. Since the schtick has been done before, I headed over to see The New Pornographers.

...and I was not disappointed. Even without Neko Case, they rocked the day. They commented that it was kind of wierd to be sandwiched between Common and Kanye West, but that it was great and they would try to keep the party going. Beetle Bob came onstage to join the party and did some crazy dances. "Sing Me Spanish Techno" ended the show, much to the crowd's loud approval.

Kanye West came onto the stage with an orchestra and launched into "Diamonds Are Forever" followed up by "Heard 'Em Say". Since hip-hop shows are rarely very good, I left after Kanye basically yelled "Yeah" and "Whut" over The Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams" for approximately three minutes.

I could just hear Manu Chao across the way, but world music isn't one of my favorite genres, so I headed back to the hotel, where I could hear Kanye finishing his set.

This is really tiring me out, so I will review day three tomorrow. Good night!

2006-08-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

From Canada, ladies and gentlemen, The Stars!

2006-08-08T11:29:00.001-07:00

Wilco (Fuzzy) from the boondocks

2006-08-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

The Shins on Day Three debuting several new songs

2006-08-08T11:28:00.000-07:00

The ever self-indulging Ryan Adams

2006-08-08T11:27:00.000-07:00

The New Pornographers sans Neko Case - Q101 Stage Saturday Night

2006-08-08T11:25:00.001-07:00

Nickel Creek on Day Three

2006-08-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

Joey Burns of Calexico receiving props preshow from Jim James of MMJ

2006-08-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

The eels with Krazy Al, their karate wielding "Security" guard

2006-08-08T11:20:00.000-07:00

The Lolla crowd against the Chicago skyline

My Lollapalooza

2006-08-07T20:51:00.000-07:00

I, the official sunburn king of Lollapalooza 2006, finally made it back home to Knoxville today after a few days in Chicago. The weather was agreeable, varying from anywhere between eighty degrees on the first day to seventy on the final day with a cool breeze coming in off Lake Michigan. The drive was looong, but well worth it. There was a lot to see and do in Grant Park over the course of the weekend, so here goes...

Day One - Friday, August 4
My day started off with Midlake, whom recently released the stellar The Trials of Van Occupanther. They performed for about thirty minutes on the Playstation Stage and the set was highlighted by "Roscoe" off the new record and "Balloon Maker" from their debut album, Bamman and Silvercork. It was certainly a good start to the weekend.

Next up was the generic goth-metal outfit, Blue Monday. Right away, I could tell I didn't like it and headed off in the other direction. I headed over to see Husky Rescue at the AMD stage. Their first album was an interesting hybrid of folk, country, and electronica and the stage show reflected their album very well. While over there, I saw Frank from Chromewaves snapping away in front of the stage.

Then it was over to see Cursive which was... too eclectic for my tastes, so I headed over to see Aqualung, which also turned out to be a snoozer. Luckily, The eels were up next on the Bud Light stage. They were a few minutes late and a buff, tattooed "Security" guard came onstage to survey the scene and the crowd. He then took a position at the front of the stage and the band came onstage and did not let up for the entire hour. They were dressed in matching military fatigues (which was too hot for the weather) and Krazy Al (their "Security" guard) ended up being a big part of the show himself, playing guitar, doing karate, and feeding whipped cream to the audience. They really set the bar high for the first day.

Then it was over to see The Stars. I really expected better because I thoroughly enjoyed their recent release Set Yourself On Fire. The male vocals were a little over the top and the dude acted like he was purposefully trying to sound feminine. They could have been better...

Ryan Adams' set was completely self-indulgent, much like last week's set in Knoxville. A lot of people walked away disappointed. Ryan kept saying that "People are prejudiced against eggs... why can't restaurants serve eggs after 11:00?", which for some reason, got the crowd really excited... I was not amused. However, "Dear Chicago" really excited the crowd and they did a decent cover of Gram Parsons' "Hickory Wind".

Iron and Wine tried to perform on a stage next to Lady Sovereign... note I said tried. His hushed tones on "Naked As We Came" and "Sodom, South Georgia" could not compete with the high-impact hip-hop from the next stage, so I headed over to see Secret Machines at the Q101 stage. I was able to catch them play "Immer Veder", "Lightning Blue Eyes" and a few others in approximately the final thirty minutes of their set. "First Wave Intact" really got the crowd pumped up for the next performance by...

The Raconteurs! Jack White and Brendan Benson started off with "Intimate Secretary" which was my second favorite song off their debut album but followed up shortly with "Store Bought Bone", Oh Yeah! I stayed for about thirty minutes there because I wanted to catch Sleater-Kinney's final Chicago set.

I just caught My Morning Jacket play "Golden" and a few others. Jim James talked about seeing Lollapalooza back in 1994 and seemed genuinely excited to be playing the event.

Sleater-Kinney's final show in Chicago ever? Who knows, as the girls go on indefinite hiatus after two final shows in Portland. "Jumpers" got a huge response. The band seemed happy with the crowd and with each other, so it is good to see the the band's split isn't acrimonious... maybe a reunion will be in their future. I will also say that Janet Weiss is the best drummer in rock today. That woman plays with a blistering pace.

Death Cab For Cutie closed the first night, but I only stayed for four songs, but I could hear "Soul Meets Body" and "Summer Skin" as I headed down South Michigan towards my hotel on East Harrison...

Well, I am bushed after the long drive, so I will continue tomorrow...

2006-08-07T20:41:00.000-07:00

Mike Patton of Peeping Tom

2006-08-07T20:40:00.000-07:00

The great A.C. Newman

2006-08-07T20:37:00.000-07:00

Husky Rescue on Day One on the AMD Stage

2006-08-07T20:35:00.000-07:00

The Frames with the ever-present Beetle Bob

2006-08-07T20:34:00.000-07:00

The Frames in the midst of the best performance of the weekend

2006-08-07T20:31:00.000-07:00

Wayne Coyne (Flaming Lips) takes his space bubble into the crowd (see him also on the Jumbotron)

2006-08-07T20:30:00.001-07:00

Catfish Haven on Day Three, BMI Stage

2006-08-07T20:30:00.000-07:00

The eels on Day One, the consummate showmen

2006-08-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

Calexico with Nicolai Dunger performing Love's "Alone Again, Or" in honor of the recently departed Arthur Lee

2006-08-07T20:26:00.000-07:00

Doug Martsch and Crew (AKA Built To Spill) on Day Two

2006-08-07T20:25:00.000-07:00

Andrew Bird on Day Three

Sweet Home Chicago

2006-08-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

I'm off to Chicago for Lollapalooza (with a stopover in Lexington). I will post a review and photographs sometime early next week.

I am most looking forward to seeing Sonic Youth, The Frames, and Andrew Bird as well as my mainstays Wilco and Iron and Wine. The weather forecast is good, so it should be a lot of fun!

Ryan Adams and The Cardinals at The Bijou Theater

2006-07-26T09:07:00.000-07:00

July 25, 2006 - Ryan Adams was back in town last night for a performance at the newly renovated Bijou Theater (a former porno palace, among other uses) and he was a little... moody? Ryan and the band took the stage at about 9:40 and immediately launched into "Trains" from Jacksonville City Nights, not exactly an ideal show opener. It did serve the purpose of getting the crowd on its feet, especially after a snoozing opening set by The Cardinals' guitarist, Neal Casal.

The band then played "Please Do Not Let Me Go" and I soon lost track thereafter. I'm sure Anseringbell.com will have a setlist up shortly, so I won't go into all the details. As usual, the band played more than a handful of newly written songs, most with Ryan on piano and the band trying to figure out an accompanying beat, lick, etc. to flush out the sound. The idea may be novel, but wasn't exactly well-received, as they (the songs) sounded mostly hurried and unfinished.

There were intermittent periods of quiet, which Adams did nothing to fill. He said nothing until near the end of the show when he was making some tuning adjustments. He said "Just wait a minute while I make some arrangements, so I don't end up sounding like ...". "SONIC YOUTH" some guy loudly replied, along with "You've already said that before!"

Catherine Popper replied to a loud crowd "WOOOO!" with a retort of "I think WOOOO is the first word in the southern dictionary" which earned a hearty "F*ck you!" from an angry fan. Then someone yelled "GIT-R-Done!" which earned "... and that's the rest of the southern dictionary", not really endearing herself to the audience.

The highlight of the evening, sadly enough, was not supplied by Ryan Adams, but by Neal Casal, as he assumed lead on Gram Parsons' great song (and one of my all-time favorites) "A Song For You" with Catherine Popper taking Emmylou's parts. Magic stuff that should be bottled, I hope it ends up somewhere on a tapers' board.

At about 11:05, Ryan and the band simply stated that they had violated curfew by five minutes, so the show was over. He ended by saying "Our label doesn't want us playing this new material because we should be in the studio recording. Well, I've been in the studio for six months and recorded three albums, all of which were rejected by Lost Highway" and promptly walked off the stage, no goodbye, no encore, nada! The crowd sat there stunned, thinking he would return, but the house lights came on, much to the bewilderment of pretty much everyone. I am certain most people were pretty disappointed in the evening. Adams is a wild card, and we simply drew him on a bad day. When he was on, he was on, but when he was off, it was horrible. I was considering going to Atlanta to see him this weekend, but definitely not doing that now.

2006-07-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

I liked the camera effect here, so I decided to include it for your viewing pleasure.

2006-07-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

Neal Casal (The Cardinals guitarist) opened the show. Ryan Adams came out to play a very rudimentary drum accompaniment.

2006-07-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

Ryan Adams with Neal Casal and Brad Pemberton

FOX News Is Stupid

2006-07-01T21:34:00.000-07:00

All week, FOX News has been debating whether the new Superman movie is anti-American. I ultimately think their motive is to convince people to watch FOX Studios superhero film, X-Men 3, instead of their rival, Warner's Superman Returns.

The right-wing station's only reasoning is that in one of the Christopher Reeves' films, Superman promised the president that he wouldn't stay away from Earth for an extended period of time again, but in this film (SPOILER!), he broke that promise and has been gone five years. This makes him anti-American? I only saw this because they play FOX News 24 hours a day at my 24-Hour gym. Aren't there more important topics to discuss than whether an illegal alien is anti-American? Get your collective heads out of your asses, FOX News!

Days Go By...

2006-07-01T20:32:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since last I wrote anything here. Several of my employees have been on vacation, thus increasing my workload substantially... and the trials will not be any easier as I have to hire someone else within the next couple of weeks. My social network has not wielded any potential hirees and placing an ad in the employment section is a crapshoot these days.

In the past three years, I have interviewed a woman who berated her then-current employer (a big no-no), another woman wearing a really bad black wig and leopard-print stretch pants (another negative), and another lady who never made eye contact (very bad). Every snail crawls out from under their rock when they see our ads, but then again, I'm sure they reply to several other placements in the newspaper. The worst part is calling them to inform them that we are going in another direction (sometimes they want an explanation, which is never comfortable). Hiring is by far my least favorite part of the job because it is a complete leap of faith... nd I am not one for taking risks.

Other than work, I really haven't been doing anything exciting lately. I made a resolution to read more this year and in the past month, I have finished A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby and Three Nights In August by Buzz Bissinger, and I am currently on page 63 of Jack Weatherford's Genghis Khan and The Making Of The Modern World. I highly recommend all three. Afterward, I would like to read the two biographies of Teddy Roosevelt by Edmund Morris.

I have been to the cinema several times in the past few weeks and saw The Proposition (great soundtrack by Nick Cave), Nacho Libre (how can you not laugh at flatulence, especially when it helps elevate a dropkick?), and Superman Returns (Routh channels Reeves). Nacho wasn't essential, but the other two will end up in my collection upon DVD release.

I also watched Palindromes on DVD today, but Todd Solondz really struck out on that one (he even killed off Dawn Weiner to start the movie!). This latest feature was disturbing, as was Happiness and Welcome To The Dollhouse, but the use of several actors playing the main role was really sort of pointless. His work is really very polarizing, meaning most people either really like his work or they completely despise it. Given the stark nature and graphic subject matter of his films (pedophilia and social ostricism), I completely understand the liberal versus conservative views of his work. The only other director I can think of who inspires such reaction is Harmony Korine.

As always, I have been listening to a lot of music and recently downloaded Mojave 3's Puzzles Like You, Midlake's The Trials of Van Occupanther, and Sonic Youth's Rather Ripped in addition to about fifty other albums this month, so life is great in that respect. In fact, I have almost maxed out my new 60 GB iPod, so I will have to trim the proverbial "fat", so to speak. I also got tickets to see Ryan Adams and The Cardinals at The Bijou Theater in downtown Knoxville (we'll see how well he does this time). I am anxiously counting down to Lollapalooza this August, which will unfortunately be Sleater-Kinney's final performance. I am also rounding out other musical adventures while in Chicago. I got a ticket to see Nicolai Dunger with Jim and Jennie and The Pinetops at Schuba's the night before Lolla and I am contemplating getting a ticket to see The Frames and Nada Surf at Metro on Day 2. My Lolla schedule works out great with the only overlap being when Iron and Wine plays at the same time as Secret Machines. I can hardly wait!

I have been making quite a few reconnections with the ghosts of my past in the previous few weeks, which warms my heart. The people I knew in high school are still the closest I have ever had and catching up with them has been bittersweet, sweet in the fact that we can reminisce but bitter in knowing how much I have missed...

Oh well, if any of my friends ended up here from my Myspace page, thanks for reading. I hope this blog has given you an idea how I have been spending the past few years. Signing off for now...

Nostalgia, Chapter 1

2006-06-06T20:21:00.000-07:00

Since I have been on Myspace.com, I have come across several old friends and exchanged some correspondence with many of them. Many of these exchanges have made me feel very nostalgic for the old days, growing up in small town, Tennessee. In reminiscing these past few days, a lot of old memories have bubbled up to the surface and I find myself remembering the most minute details of conversations had more than ten years ago, the nuances of people I haven't seen in almost as long... and so I feel like listing some of my favorite memories of growing up.

Chapter 1 consists of my favorite memories, up until high school...

1) 1984 in the red brick house in back valley, across the street from Andy Dossett - digging a hole in the yard with a hacksaw so we could reenact the scene in which Luke Skywalker is thrown into the pit by Jabba the Hut in Return Of The Jedi and accidentally cutting the torso of my black-garbed Luke in the process.

2) "I Love The Rainy Nights" by the late Eddie Rabbitt - my first favorite song, followed closely by "Islands In The Stream" by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers.

3) Playing G.I. Joe in the stream next to Willis Mills' house. Clay and I had all of the aquatic vehicles and loved to demonstrate their diving abilities.

4) Brooke Turnmire - my first crush until the eighth grade. How disappointed I was when she started dating Mitch Baker...

5) Mrs. Robin Anderson Torbett - the sexiest teacher on the planet. I saw her recently and she is the world's sexiest late forties/early fifties woman I've ever seen. It is hard to distinguish her age since she still passes for at least thirty. What a woman!

6) Playing baseball in the projects with the drug dealers' kids, before class distinctions caused those bonds to crumble.

7) Almost drowning at the age of eight when my mom threw me in the deep end of the pool because she "paid for these swimming listens" and I was "gonna swim dammit!". I almost ripped her shirt off in the process, screaming for my life. I have to look back and laugh about it now.

8) Hearing "Stairway To Heaven" backwards and thinking that I had to destroy all of my rock 'n roll tapes or otherwise burn in Hell. I almost did (destroy those tapes). Glad I didn't because rock rules!

9) School trip to Washington, D.C. and meeting the homeless dude who did spot-on imitations of Hulk Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage. His name was "Condo" short for "Condom Man". I will always remember the massive pillow fight in the hotel room that first night.

10) The feeling of love when I spent three days in the hospital when I was first diagnosed with diabetes. The cards and well-wishes will always be heartfelt and remembered.

11) Clay and I hatching countless plots to make our stepfather disappear forever...

12) Clay and I discovering the Spice network and trying our best not to be discovered watching it...

13) Reading X-Men and Justice League comics and wishing there would someday be a crossover.

Sometime within the next few days I will delve into high school and college for I have bored you enough with the earliest days of my pre-teen life...

Musings on Sunday

2006-05-28T16:51:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, a co-worker and I were having lunch when the subject of The Dixie Chicks came up. Their new album, Taking The Long Way, has been the subject of much discussion on the right. This particular co-worker is a long-time conservative and said "I liked the Dixie Chicks until they said they were ashamed to be Americans! Sometimes, celebrities should keep their mouths shut and just entertain instead of putting our troops in harm's way"

I felt I had to strongly disagree. First, I corrected her by telling her Natalie Maines had merely stated that she was embarrassed that George W. Bush was from her home state of Texas. I then proceeded by saying that if someone has the limelight and can use it to mobilize change, they should. I never heard her complain about the anti-domestic abuse anthem "Goodbye Earl" or the patriotic love song "Travelling Soldier" until after Maines' comments.

Anyway, I picked up the new album because of the involvement of Gary Louris (late of the great Jayhawks), who co-wrote several songs. They also happen to be the best on the album, as some songs sound like they could have been written by fourth-graders. I don't really think the album is all that great, nor is it all that controversial.

Segueing into Gary Louris, I know that he has been involved with the forthcoming Golden Smog album, which I highly anticipate. There is also talk of a solo album, which intrigues me as well. I however, have always thought he should do a duets album. He writes really well for women, as showcased by The Dixie Chicks new album as well as Kelly Willis' album What I Deserve. Hmmm... maybe Emmylou Harris, or even Caitlin Cary? I also think he would do well to record and write with Freedy Johnston, who seems to have dropped off the face of the Earth. They have previously worked together on The Jayhawks' The Sound of Lies.

Other than just digesting new music purchases, I really haven't been into much, just more or less reading certain blogs daily. My third generation iPod has been giving me some problems. It is the 40-GB model and the click wheel has been slightly less than cooperative. I could not switch albums or increase the volume for nearly 24 hours, very frustrating indeed. Only the play button worked, so I only had the option to go into the songs menu, which had previously been set to shuffle. It lead me to hear some songs I hadn't heard in a while during my evening at the gym like Vashti Bunyan's "Just Another Diamond Day" and Gram Parsons' "$1000 Wedding" given I had no control over the play selection.

I did watch the new Son Volt DVD, Six String Belief, which was filmed live at my favorite place, The Orange Peel in Asheville, North Carolina. I attended the show and I'll admit, I self-indulgently looked for myself in the crowd. I will leave it up to your imagination as to which person I am. The DVD is a must for fans of the band and highlights most of their back-catalog. For a review of the show, you can follow the link for September posts up on the right side of this page, otherwise check the archives.

I had planned on hitting the road this weekend with no particular destination, but I decided to do the responsible thing by paying a little extra on my credit card debt. I averted a new experience once again. It seems as if I am making any excuse to prevent stepping into the unknown.

Earlier this week, I was once again accepted into UT-Knoxville, but I'm not quite sure what major I will pursue. I'll be starting over at the age of 27, geez. I have been considering a degree in American history, or possibly English. I have been giving some thought to pursuing teaching in these areas. It would be fun to have a career in something I want to do, as business clearly never was and never will be my forte'. I don't specifically remember what made me choose that major originally, but by the time I had changed my mind about a business career, I was within twelve hours of graduation, too late to take a step backward.

Well, I will end this post, the longest in quite a while. Nobody ever really reads this blog, but I feel compelled to keep it going anyway.

I Must Be Getting Old

2006-05-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

Last night, Mark Kozelek played to a full house at The Grey Eagle Tavern in Asheville, North Carolina. The set was a mix of old and new favorites and the between-song banter was of the insulting variety, or I at least imagine it was. I bought my tickets months ago... but I was simply too tired after a long day of work to make the two-hour drive through the mountains to attend.

I have had the chance to see Mark a couple of times already, and he is an amazing performer. I really felt bad around ten a clock, while I was at the gym and he was taking the stage. My decision was instantly regrettable. Earlier this year, I skipped out on driving to Atlanta to see Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins, another big regret of mine.

Last month, I went over to The Orange Peel to see Patty Griffin. During the show, I couldn't help feeling the effects of the long drive. Before the show, I clearly felt out of my element and reexamined why I even make the effort. Two-plus hours of the road for an hour or two of entertainment? Sometimes it just doesn't seem worth it. The shows are great and are a much-needed release, but the drives back through the winding mountain interstate are sometimes stressful. It almost seems like it isn't worth it to go outside of Knoxville for entertainment options anymore.

I have been contemplating making Lollapalooza my last big hurrah (with a few minor exceptions). I must either be getting old, or apathetic towards the music these days. I must find my old mojo...