Lore. I love you.
So I don't know about you, but I love Lore Sjöberg (also here and here). He simultaneously enthralled me and broke my heart when I found The Bruching Shuttlecocks. I was enthralled with the content, funny, smart, goofy, quite honestly just batshit insane. Broke my heart? Yeah. I'm never gonna be that funny and that makes me cry. A lot. Like a little schoolgirl. Who skinned her knee. And poured lemon juice into it.
He has created a new song. Seriously. Listen to it.
-Jon
"That's a Nice Afro…"
Holy. Freaking. Cow... ... I haven't been this blown away from a concert since I saw Maceo Parker. And before that Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise. But, seriously. Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra are, absolutely, beyond words. For the majority of the concert, Wynton held himself in check, and basically chilled with the band, which was mind-F*ingly good. Everyone, every player, were absolute masters of their crafts. I heard a clarinet do a 2 octave slide. No, not a slured run, a slide, as though it were a trombone just sliding up... like a violin or other non-fretted string instrument sliding up. I heard the clarinet do that tonight. I pooped my pants, but only just a little.
Then, for the encore, Wynton came out with four other players (interestingly enough, only three of the four were expected, the fourth kinda... just... whoopsed himself on stage... it was great)... and he played. No talk (which he did the rest of the show, and it was funny, poignant, smart and did I mention funny?), just play. And my. Good. Lord. In. Heaven. It was transcendent. He did things on the trumpet that made his band member (that whoopsed himself on stage) look on with disbelief. It was unbelievable . Go see them play. Whenever, wherever. GO GO GO!
-Jon
Mr. Brill
I played a show last night at Gallagher's. It was good. There were people in attendance who liked the show and afterwards I felt that the folks at the establishment would like to have me back. This is me, trying to write in a very stilted, uncomfortable manner because I'm bored. And I thought it would be funny. For me. Maybe not for you.
Mr. Brill, the host of many an open mic night in Kalamazoo has moved on. He is now in Vegas, the city of sin and the place where Ocean's 11 was filmed... among other movies. Like Swingers. Mr. Brill, you left a month ago, and we miss you already. I would, however, like to share this. It's my most favorite Chris Brill song.
-Jon
Put it on Your Calendar
Last time I didn't give you folks enough warning that Poltz was going to be playing. I think it was three months. This time you get six. August. Early August. Be there, or you suck real bad. Seriously. Last time it was Jo and I. And it was great. Stressful due to my paranoia, but really f**king great. I mean, the man is one of my all time personal heros, not just of the day or the week, but of my life. August. Granted. This is a show that's going to be in Cleveland, but... CD release. His new CD. We can be some of the first to see it. Doesn't that just make you hot? Not in that heat kind of way, but... you know... in your special places? The first in the country to have a new Poltz disc. Because I'm having all sorts of inapropriate reactions to the prospect of being at this show. You wanna come? Let's go. Seriously. Let's go. Tonight. We'll just hang out outside the club for the next six months in anticipation.
-Jon
P.S. I guess if there is a show that's closer that's around the same time, we can go to that one. But, I really want to be at the CD release party... so... I might still insist on Cleveland. Maybe we can follow him around and be Poltzheads for a while, and then, when we finally get burned out, we can start a commune that is nothing but love and understanding and we can all do the naked van dance together.
Love Live the Presidents
The Presidents of the United States of America are back. That's right everyone, the boys who brought you Lump and Peaches are back.
They're playing some shows, and I don't think I'll be able to make it to any of them, and that makes me weep. I'm weeping like Homer Simpson. I've love the PUSA since I was in high school. The first time I saw the Peaches video was one of those life changing moments where I realized that a group could make (arguably) cool music and also be goofy and stupid and have fun while also being really quite witty and clever all at once. Also, they had ninjas in the video. And ninjas are cool.
The next CD I buy is going to be the new one from PotUSA (they use the acronym PUSA, I like PotUSA better -- it makes me laugh a little more), after that I'll probably finish off my Poltz collection, then I'll finish my Bob collection. Then I'll go back to Pandora to find some new folks.
Aight, the Cap should be here soon to pick me up for video games, beer and hot wings, so I'm going to go find my pants. I'll see ya'll later.
-Jon
Huh…
I just listened through all the 30 second clips of the new DMB album available now on iTunes. I'm, frankly, disappointed. This one, a lot like some of the last couple albums, seemed to be missing something. Everyday was missing, you know, a soul -- not to say I don't like the disc, I just like the versions of the songs they play now. The ones on the disc feel rather... dead. Busted Stuff was very much "The Lillywhite Sessions pt. 2." Which was Ok. But I liked the Lillywhite version better. And I never got into actually listening through that disc, and now I can't find it. This one, this was... well... generic. It seemed that everything could have been put out by, you know, anyone. I didn't hear one song that had a driving badass rhythm guitar part... The trademark DMB thing (for people who play guitar). That catchy line that makes you want to dance or sing or whatever. I didn't hear it. Not in one song. I'll probably still end up buying it when I have the cash, but I have the feeling that I'm going to be one of those people who likes "their early work." *shudder*
Like a Dog with Worms, but No Rug
Everyone who failed to make it to the Poltz show last night is now, officially, a sad sad person. You folks missed what is now my second favorite live show ever. The only person that beat out Poltz is Maceo Parker, and... really... Maceo is unbeatable.
I'm not going to describe the show, I'm not going to tell you stories. If you want to hear them, I own a copy of the show, and you can come over and listen sometime. I've already re-listened to it once (on the drive home), and I probably will again at least once this week. Course, I also have three CDs and a DVD to go through also. So, you know.
Yes, seeing Steve Poltz was worth driving two and a half hours each way. Yes, seeing Steve Poltz is something I will do again, I don't really care if it's a five hour drive. I will see him again. I swear it.
I just don't know what else to say. I'm speechless. Too bad I couldn't hit the show tonight in Minneapolis... he's playing with Bob.
Thank You Pepsi
I recieved a free iTunes song from a friend the other day, and I've been waiting to find that one track that would be precious enough for me to use the free song on. And I've found it. American Baby by the Dave Matthews Band.
I'm not sure how I feel about the song. I'm not totally in love with it... but... ... ... well... We'll see how the new disc is.
The Show
Anyone who has not seen a show at the Club Soda is missing out. Anyone who has can tell you, however, that it's always way to f*ing loud. So... we got earplugs and stood three feet from a speaker as big as me. And damned if it wasn't one hells of a show.
I've heard a lot about Hello Dave in the past few months. Some folks (him, her, her, and him) saw them open for Domestic Problems at New Years. I knew that they were good, and I figured I'd like them... but when I'd heard their music it sounded a bit more country than what I've been feeling lately, so I wasn't sure I'd be all sorts of in love, or just sorta in love. The sorts, they did a'fly.
Go to Hello Dave's website. They're cool, and you can download their music from Fresh Tracks Music. For an hour they rocked that little corner of the world leaving no stone unturned an no panties d... ... nope, not gonna go there. Could've gone for the cheap laughs, but I'm not that guy.
Members of Domestic Problems got up there with them throughout the night and jammed out some. It was fantastic... and having never seen DP, I was quite concerned with the bar being set as high as it was. I'd heard that DP wasn't quite on it's game at New Years because the horns, they had been drinking.
The stage was switched, the band took place and started to play. And my Lord.
For two (or more) hours, Domestic Problems decimated the crowd. Going through (at least one, but probably more because I'm not familiar with their music -- but I will be) new songs, old songs, fan favorites and all sorts of things that just made you want to bounce. The horns danced and drank (in moderation) and the crowd just danced and danced. Fantastic show, and if you ever have the chance to see them live, by all means run (don't walk) to get there.
On the way out I spent what may end up being the last $10 I have for entertainment for a while on a DP disc, well worth it. And I've been listening to it as I drive around town. But that, my friends, is another story.
Some Day… I Will Play SXSW
So, for those of you not in the know about SXSW, it's a festival of... everything. Music, movies, parties, drinks, people... Mostly music and movies I think... Anyways, something in the neighborhood of 1300 bands are playing at the festival... and they all got the option to donate a song to a bigass-bittorrent that's legal free and all sorts of musical goodness. I don't know what's on it, I don't care. It's 2.6gb and I'm downloading it right now. My iPod won't know what hit it.