I'll keep this short and perhaps add more later, but was saddened to learn today of the death of Billy Powell, the piano player for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Powell was my favorite bandmember and his talent behind the ivories compared with anyone in rock 'n roll. His touch is a hallmark of Skynyrd's sound, never more noticeably than in the intro to Free Bird. For more details, check out the AP article.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
New Video - The Ting Tings - "That's Not My Name"
My obsession with this song continues, now buoyed by a new video. Not a whole lot to say about it, just enjoy! (Thanks for the tip, Jess!)
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
The album begins with sound of a jet engine fading into the distance. Liftoff, I suppose, which on the opening track of an album, you might expect to lead to something with umph. Rather as the engine fades away, in comes a subtle, eerie guitar line reminiscent of Wall-era Pink Floyd. In fact, you can half imagine Roger Waters singing the opening lines.
This is the enigma that is Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion, an album that took me a full week of steady listening just to begin to crack. The problem is, this album is so dense and precise that you feel the songwriters go to great pains to imply destinations at which you'll never arrive. The crescendos never quite reach the pinnacles you imagine. When you expect a heavy bass line, it never comes. When you expect a peak, you get a drop and a breakdown. It never quite lets you get comfortable enough to anticipate.
And yet, despite all that, you keep listening. You don't dare stop, because there's so much going on, that there's always something new you haven't yet heard. You haven't noticed it. That is the type of fascinating work we're discussing.
Now, I'm a listener that likes to interact with music. I like to sing along. I like to drum along. I've been known to play air guitar, keyboards, sax and even violin. On Merriweather Post Pavilion, it wasn't until after I accepted that my karaoke and air skills weren't needed that I began to enjoy the music. Frankly, it wasn't until I stop trying to think through the music and relate it to everything I've ever heard before, that I could begin to understand that I was hearing that rarest of creations: something new.
The fact is, the only way you can break this code is to just let it wash over you. There are so many competing sounds, wooshing, churning, screaming and whizzing by you at all times. On top of that, Panda Bear and Avey Tare's singing serves more as a lead instrument than a means to deliver a message. Their lyrics are fine, don't get me wrong, but the the way they play off each other, singing in tandem and in trade is a key factor in what keeps this album interesting. Neither has a killer voice, but like everything else on this album, their notes always seem perfectly in place. They'll bridge notes and fade in and out, but never haphazardly. Always with purpose.
So after all of that, I'm still a bit unsure what I think of this album. It is an excellent creation of music. I can say that without hesitation. But I can't say I love it. It's just not my style. I'm impressed by it and I've enjoyed listening to it, but I don't feel the type of connection to it that I look for in my favorite music. But that's merely my impression. I can't tell you what you'll think of it, but I do encourage you to find out. And when you do, come back and tell us in the comments section.
A dancer who was high in a field from a momentYet like most of this album, you're never quite where you think you are and you're almost certainly not headed where you thought you might be going. Soon, the song takes on a marching bounce and the Floyd nod is long forgotten.
Caught my breath on my way home
Couldn’t stop that spinning force
This is the enigma that is Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion, an album that took me a full week of steady listening just to begin to crack. The problem is, this album is so dense and precise that you feel the songwriters go to great pains to imply destinations at which you'll never arrive. The crescendos never quite reach the pinnacles you imagine. When you expect a heavy bass line, it never comes. When you expect a peak, you get a drop and a breakdown. It never quite lets you get comfortable enough to anticipate.And yet, despite all that, you keep listening. You don't dare stop, because there's so much going on, that there's always something new you haven't yet heard. You haven't noticed it. That is the type of fascinating work we're discussing.
Now, I'm a listener that likes to interact with music. I like to sing along. I like to drum along. I've been known to play air guitar, keyboards, sax and even violin. On Merriweather Post Pavilion, it wasn't until after I accepted that my karaoke and air skills weren't needed that I began to enjoy the music. Frankly, it wasn't until I stop trying to think through the music and relate it to everything I've ever heard before, that I could begin to understand that I was hearing that rarest of creations: something new.
The fact is, the only way you can break this code is to just let it wash over you. There are so many competing sounds, wooshing, churning, screaming and whizzing by you at all times. On top of that, Panda Bear and Avey Tare's singing serves more as a lead instrument than a means to deliver a message. Their lyrics are fine, don't get me wrong, but the the way they play off each other, singing in tandem and in trade is a key factor in what keeps this album interesting. Neither has a killer voice, but like everything else on this album, their notes always seem perfectly in place. They'll bridge notes and fade in and out, but never haphazardly. Always with purpose.So after all of that, I'm still a bit unsure what I think of this album. It is an excellent creation of music. I can say that without hesitation. But I can't say I love it. It's just not my style. I'm impressed by it and I've enjoyed listening to it, but I don't feel the type of connection to it that I look for in my favorite music. But that's merely my impression. I can't tell you what you'll think of it, but I do encourage you to find out. And when you do, come back and tell us in the comments section.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Last Night... Or What I Remember of It
I saw a good number of bands this weekend, two on purpose and about five others collaterally. Not all of them were good, but some of them impressed.
First off, as I wrote earlier in the week, The Divorced came down from Boston Saturday to play the Annex. Definitely a good show and it was great to see the continued evolution of the band. The last time I saw them, their lineup was a bit different and original member Juliet Nelson was not with them. Her presence, as it turns out, was sorely missed. Her cello adds a nice texture to the songs, but it's her singing that really makes the difference. Her clean delivery offers a nice counterpoint to JR Gallagher's impassioned, grizzled vocals. I liked some of their songs more than others, but some really hit their mark, most notably "I Miss My Home." Good stuff. Hopefully a longer set, next time.
The other bands I saw Saturday night were all solid. Red Datson, despite a great name and some real talent on stage, wasn't quite my style. Their frat-punk sound was polished, if uninteresting to me. Still, many thanks to their Timothy Hutton lookalike lead singer for the drink ticket. The final band, Bella Noir, was much more my speed. Very spacey, atmospheric music and the lead singer has a great voice. She really owned the stage. I wasn't totally focused on their set, but I will be next time.
On Friday, I had a very different musical experience. I went out to Goodbye Blue Monday in Bushwick to see Nattahnam. Nattahnam is an "experiment in avant-garde," according to their website. Basically, it was four guys playing deliberately unpracticed free jazz that hit more often than missed, but had plenty of moments of each.
I saw three other bands that night, of which I only remember the name of the last: Hollow Jones. Hollow Jones is a jam band that plays a fantasy-based rock opera. They clearly have backgrounds in theatre and weren't tremendously courteous to the other bands. Now, I'll fully admit that they can play their instruments and do a decent job of incorporating the familiar sounds of Phish, the Dead and other like-minded bands of that scene. The problem is, they have no soul. They stripped out the bluesy roots of the genre and replaced it with D&D inspired cheese. I suppose I can respect their efforts at invention, but the invention itself we could do without.
All told, good musical weekend, despite getting shut out of Phish tickets. If anyone has an extra, send it my way! And don't forget, Bruce's new disc comes out on Tuesday.
(Full disclosure: JR Gallagher of The Divorced and Bjorn Roche of Nattahnam are friends.)
Update: 1/29/08 12:47pm
In fact, JR and Bjorn are both friends of mine. However, although they have never met, I suspect they would be fast friends should that occasion arise.
First off, as I wrote earlier in the week, The Divorced came down from Boston Saturday to play the Annex. Definitely a good show and it was great to see the continued evolution of the band. The last time I saw them, their lineup was a bit different and original member Juliet Nelson was not with them. Her presence, as it turns out, was sorely missed. Her cello adds a nice texture to the songs, but it's her singing that really makes the difference. Her clean delivery offers a nice counterpoint to JR Gallagher's impassioned, grizzled vocals. I liked some of their songs more than others, but some really hit their mark, most notably "I Miss My Home." Good stuff. Hopefully a longer set, next time.The other bands I saw Saturday night were all solid. Red Datson, despite a great name and some real talent on stage, wasn't quite my style. Their frat-punk sound was polished, if uninteresting to me. Still, many thanks to their Timothy Hutton lookalike lead singer for the drink ticket. The final band, Bella Noir, was much more my speed. Very spacey, atmospheric music and the lead singer has a great voice. She really owned the stage. I wasn't totally focused on their set, but I will be next time.
On Friday, I had a very different musical experience. I went out to Goodbye Blue Monday in Bushwick to see Nattahnam. Nattahnam is an "experiment in avant-garde," according to their website. Basically, it was four guys playing deliberately unpracticed free jazz that hit more often than missed, but had plenty of moments of each.
I saw three other bands that night, of which I only remember the name of the last: Hollow Jones. Hollow Jones is a jam band that plays a fantasy-based rock opera. They clearly have backgrounds in theatre and weren't tremendously courteous to the other bands. Now, I'll fully admit that they can play their instruments and do a decent job of incorporating the familiar sounds of Phish, the Dead and other like-minded bands of that scene. The problem is, they have no soul. They stripped out the bluesy roots of the genre and replaced it with D&D inspired cheese. I suppose I can respect their efforts at invention, but the invention itself we could do without.All told, good musical weekend, despite getting shut out of Phish tickets. If anyone has an extra, send it my way! And don't forget, Bruce's new disc comes out on Tuesday.
(Full disclosure: JR Gallagher of The Divorced and Bjorn Roche of Nattahnam are friends.)
Update: 1/29/08 12:47pm
In fact, JR and Bjorn are both friends of mine. However, although they have never met, I suspect they would be fast friends should that occasion arise.
Friday, January 23, 2009
So Long Silver Jews...
In 1984 I was hospitalized for approaching perfection...
With those words, David Berman opened one of my all-time favorite albums: American Water by the Silver Jews. Sadly, Berman announced on his website earlier this week that the band's upcoming Tennessee show will be their last. Next up for him: screenwriting or muckraking, he says.
Speaking of muckraking, Berman did choose to go out on a bit of a shocking note. In a harshly worded diatribe, Berman exposes (and somewhat apologizes for his relation to) his father. Richard Berman is a union-busting, right-wing activist who's apparently very good at his job. Go here for the diatribe and here for details on his dad.
I can see why you'd be embarrassed, David, but we all still love you the same and we certainly know what you do and do not stand for. Thanks for the many years, the too-few shows and the poetry-in-music. You may not make more, but your songs will certainly outlast you.
- BTW- hat tip to Pitchfork for the heads up on the this.
With those words, David Berman opened one of my all-time favorite albums: American Water by the Silver Jews. Sadly, Berman announced on his website earlier this week that the band's upcoming Tennessee show will be their last. Next up for him: screenwriting or muckraking, he says.
Speaking of muckraking, Berman did choose to go out on a bit of a shocking note. In a harshly worded diatribe, Berman exposes (and somewhat apologizes for his relation to) his father. Richard Berman is a union-busting, right-wing activist who's apparently very good at his job. Go here for the diatribe and here for details on his dad.
I can see why you'd be embarrassed, David, but we all still love you the same and we certainly know what you do and do not stand for. Thanks for the many years, the too-few shows and the poetry-in-music. You may not make more, but your songs will certainly outlast you.
- BTW- hat tip to Pitchfork for the heads up on the this.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Happy Returns: The Ting Tings, Animal Collective & the Divorced
Hoooooooooome... Home Agaaaaaaiiiiin...
Well, sadly God Street Wine is not making a New York City return anytime soon. Still, three more bands found their way onto my concert calendar today and I couldn't be more excited. (Even if none of the three actually call New York their home, yet.)
First off, Saturday night The Divorced drive down from Boston to warm up for Tiswas at The Annex. I've only seen them once before, but I liked what I saw. JR Gallagher's voice is an acquired taste, but it's easier to find a pretty, practiced vocalist than an honest one. When he sings, you feel it, and it doesn't take long to hear his songs' introspective beauty. Think M. Ward.
(Full disclosure: I know JR. Hell of a guy.)
Next up, March 16, the Ting Tings are coming back to town! Last time, you'll remember, I saw their abbreviated set as part of WRXP's Matt Pinfield Holiday Extravaganza. They weren't the only good band that night, but they completely stole the show. They're a British band, so if they read this they'll probably be offended that I think they performed with spunk. But honestly, that's more for jargon reasons than anything else. The Ting Tings are fun, talented and write outstanding pop songs. I have no doubt they're going to own Webster Hall.
Finally, Animal Collective returns to the city May 13 at Terminal 5. These tickets don't go on sale until Friday, so hopefully Pitchfork's 9.6 rating of their new disc Merriweather Post Pavilion won't spark a sellout. If it does, of course, I hope Roger gets me my tickets in time! I can't say a whole lot about AC because I haven't heard them yet. I'm about to grab their disc and it will be my next review, though. So keep reading...
Well, sadly God Street Wine is not making a New York City return anytime soon. Still, three more bands found their way onto my concert calendar today and I couldn't be more excited. (Even if none of the three actually call New York their home, yet.)
First off, Saturday night The Divorced drive down from Boston to warm up for Tiswas at The Annex. I've only seen them once before, but I liked what I saw. JR Gallagher's voice is an acquired taste, but it's easier to find a pretty, practiced vocalist than an honest one. When he sings, you feel it, and it doesn't take long to hear his songs' introspective beauty. Think M. Ward.(Full disclosure: I know JR. Hell of a guy.)
Next up, March 16, the Ting Tings are coming back to town! Last time, you'll remember, I saw their abbreviated set as part of WRXP's Matt Pinfield Holiday Extravaganza. They weren't the only good band that night, but they completely stole the show. They're a British band, so if they read this they'll probably be offended that I think they performed with spunk. But honestly, that's more for jargon reasons than anything else. The Ting Tings are fun, talented and write outstanding pop songs. I have no doubt they're going to own Webster Hall.
Finally, Animal Collective returns to the city May 13 at Terminal 5. These tickets don't go on sale until Friday, so hopefully Pitchfork's 9.6 rating of their new disc Merriweather Post Pavilion won't spark a sellout. If it does, of course, I hope Roger gets me my tickets in time! I can't say a whole lot about AC because I haven't heard them yet. I'm about to grab their disc and it will be my next review, though. So keep reading...
Monday, January 19, 2009
Tibet House Benefit Lineup Announced
Hat tip to BrooklynVegan for pointing out that the initial lineup for the 19th Annual Tibet House Benefit Concert is out. I went to this a few years ago and saw a great show featuring Damien Rice, Antony (sans Johnsons), Phillip Glass and Laurie Anderson, among others. It's a great show at Carnegie Hall, they put it on every year and this year's lineup looks as strong as ever.
I don't know if I'll make it to this show, but I certainly recommend it. You won't hear much from each artist, but you'll certainly get a nice smattering while your money supports a worthy cause.
Oh, and if you're not sold on the show yet, keep your eyes posted on the Carnegie Hall website. Additional artists have yet to be announced.
That's a solid lineup, top to bottom, if you ask me. I've caught The National a bunch of times now and they've yet to disappoint. Steve Earle will be right at home with the political nature of the evening. Seeing Patti Smith would be one more major checkmark on that master list of greats I'm trying to fill. And while I'm still a little undecided on Vampire Weekend, I'd be very interested to see and hear how they would hold their own in that type of setting.Philip Glass, Artistic Director
Antibalas
Steve Earle
Keb' Mo'
The National (pictured)
Patti Smith and Jesse Smith
Vampire Weekend
I don't know if I'll make it to this show, but I certainly recommend it. You won't hear much from each artist, but you'll certainly get a nice smattering while your money supports a worthy cause.
Oh, and if you're not sold on the show yet, keep your eyes posted on the Carnegie Hall website. Additional artists have yet to be announced.
The Strugglers at the Living Room
Good times Saturday night when the Strugglers made a rare NYC appearance at the Living Room. My understanding is that they are recently returned from a swing through Europe (not bad!), but they were in New York to help former bandmember Lauren Moskowitz ring in her birthday. The result: a treat of a show (with Lauren sitting in on keys) and a gift for us all.
If you haven't heard the Strugglers, they're worth checking out. With a voice in the vain of Will Oldham, Randy Bickford sings some very well-composed songs that may not open any new doors for you, but they will fill up the room. My personal favorite, "Jonathan," was their encore. A nice touch, they must have known I was coming.
Now, this was the first time I'd seen the Strugglers, though I do have their most recent album, The Latest Rights. Therefore, take this criticism as you will. Still, my understanding is that there is no keyboard in the band, now that Lauren is no longer with them. Personally, I just can't see how that works. Bickford's voice is tender, his delivery vulnerable. However, his guitarist (sorry, don't know his name) plays his axe with some heft. His solos are muscular, providing a sometimes harsh counterpoint to Bickford's more sedate delivery. Again, just one man's opinion, but I think the keyboards really helped balance out the sound. They complemented the vocals and allowed the guitar to roam a bit freer and do it's thing.
That said, these guys are good. There are a million indie bands, doing the alt-country thing or the garage thing or even attempting the avant-garde thing. A lot of them feature strong musicians, but honestly, the world is littered with talented out-of-work musicians. It's the songwriting the will make or break them. The Strugglers may sound like any number of respectable bands, but they write and play really good songs. Hopefully, they'll keep playing them for a long time.
If you haven't heard the Strugglers, they're worth checking out. With a voice in the vain of Will Oldham, Randy Bickford sings some very well-composed songs that may not open any new doors for you, but they will fill up the room. My personal favorite, "Jonathan," was their encore. A nice touch, they must have known I was coming.Now, this was the first time I'd seen the Strugglers, though I do have their most recent album, The Latest Rights. Therefore, take this criticism as you will. Still, my understanding is that there is no keyboard in the band, now that Lauren is no longer with them. Personally, I just can't see how that works. Bickford's voice is tender, his delivery vulnerable. However, his guitarist (sorry, don't know his name) plays his axe with some heft. His solos are muscular, providing a sometimes harsh counterpoint to Bickford's more sedate delivery. Again, just one man's opinion, but I think the keyboards really helped balance out the sound. They complemented the vocals and allowed the guitar to roam a bit freer and do it's thing.
That said, these guys are good. There are a million indie bands, doing the alt-country thing or the garage thing or even attempting the avant-garde thing. A lot of them feature strong musicians, but honestly, the world is littered with talented out-of-work musicians. It's the songwriting the will make or break them. The Strugglers may sound like any number of respectable bands, but they write and play really good songs. Hopefully, they'll keep playing them for a long time.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Shut Out
So my dreams of seeing Leonard Cohen suffered a setback this morning. While I focused on my job, my trusted surrogate attempted to secure three tickets to his now-sold-out show at the Beacon Theatre on February 19. Sadly, no go. Whatever tickets had survived the fan club presale were long gone within 10 minutes. Bummer.
Now, I'm generally a free market guy and I put a decent amount of trust in capitalism. That probably makes me a rare specimen among music bloggers. At the same time, if you want to expand this discussion for a brief moment to our larger economic woes, I'll be the first guy to tell you that loosened regulations are partially to blame. Anyway, I don't want to expand that conversation because it has nothing to do with Leonard Cohen.
Sadly, as has been well documented, Cohen was horribly robbed by his old manager and has been in financial trouble ever since. That's why this 74 year-old is back on tour. Hell, he's even older than the Allmans and the Stones. So, when I know that he's using these shows to make money that he desperately needs, it's a little sad to see the resale market on StubHub asking $800+ for his tickets. Even he, for all his need, was willing to price these tickets with a modicum of fairness. He hasn't played this country in 15 years and, at his age, its certainly possible that he won't be going on any sort of extended tour.
Wouldn't it be nice, for once, if his actual fans bought the tickets and enjoyed the show? Rather than a bunch of brokers (or wannabe brokers) who are just looking to make a quick buck on a special show?
I'm not typically one to complain about scalpers. They are the people who facilitate getting tickets out to those most willing to pay a lot for them. In a sense, they protect the folks who's lives don't put them in front of a computer all moments of the day. But, occasionally, wouldn't it be nice if they didn't get in the way of some good fans getting to see a performer they love at a reasonable price?
Now, I'm generally a free market guy and I put a decent amount of trust in capitalism. That probably makes me a rare specimen among music bloggers. At the same time, if you want to expand this discussion for a brief moment to our larger economic woes, I'll be the first guy to tell you that loosened regulations are partially to blame. Anyway, I don't want to expand that conversation because it has nothing to do with Leonard Cohen.
Sadly, as has been well documented, Cohen was horribly robbed by his old manager and has been in financial trouble ever since. That's why this 74 year-old is back on tour. Hell, he's even older than the Allmans and the Stones. So, when I know that he's using these shows to make money that he desperately needs, it's a little sad to see the resale market on StubHub asking $800+ for his tickets. Even he, for all his need, was willing to price these tickets with a modicum of fairness. He hasn't played this country in 15 years and, at his age, its certainly possible that he won't be going on any sort of extended tour.
Wouldn't it be nice, for once, if his actual fans bought the tickets and enjoyed the show? Rather than a bunch of brokers (or wannabe brokers) who are just looking to make a quick buck on a special show?
I'm not typically one to complain about scalpers. They are the people who facilitate getting tickets out to those most willing to pay a lot for them. In a sense, they protect the folks who's lives don't put them in front of a computer all moments of the day. But, occasionally, wouldn't it be nice if they didn't get in the way of some good fans getting to see a performer they love at a reasonable price?
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
It Goes Like This, the Fourth, the Fifth...
It should surprise no one that when I picked the graphic that adorns the top of this page, I did not do so at random. It's just not my style.
If you look closely, you'll see that the notes and underlying lyrics are from the opening verse of Leonard Cohen's masterpiece, "Hallelujah." The oft-covered beauty is a study in simplicity. And unlike Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," it didn't need a radical reworking to become as famous as it is. Rather, it needed only the plaintive voice of Jeff Buckley. If you need evidence, listen to the nearly-equal versions by Rufus Wainwright, KD Lang and John Cale. (Oh, and I think some dude from American Idol did it, too.)
Now interestingly, I just learned, Cale decided to record Hallelujah after hearing Cohen perform the song at the Beacon Theatre in New York. That recording came out for the first time in 1991. Just two years later, Cohen performed his final show in the United States.
That is, until next month!!!
Leonard Cohen is coming back to the Beacon. Apparently fan club members already have access to buy tickets, but the general on sale is Friday morning at 9 a.m. If I can get the cheap seats in the back, I intend to go, but I can't afford to contribute $250 to the My-Business-Manager-Blew-My-Retirement-Fund Fund.
Anyway, assuming I get tickets, I'm going to have to start listening to all my Leonard Cohen again. I have a lot of it, but I've probably never paid as much attention to it all as I should have. That said, readers, if anyone would like to leave their top 3 albums in order in the comments section, I wouldn't mind the guidance.
If you look closely, you'll see that the notes and underlying lyrics are from the opening verse of Leonard Cohen's masterpiece, "Hallelujah." The oft-covered beauty is a study in simplicity. And unlike Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," it didn't need a radical reworking to become as famous as it is. Rather, it needed only the plaintive voice of Jeff Buckley. If you need evidence, listen to the nearly-equal versions by Rufus Wainwright, KD Lang and John Cale. (Oh, and I think some dude from American Idol did it, too.)Now interestingly, I just learned, Cale decided to record Hallelujah after hearing Cohen perform the song at the Beacon Theatre in New York. That recording came out for the first time in 1991. Just two years later, Cohen performed his final show in the United States.
That is, until next month!!!
Leonard Cohen is coming back to the Beacon. Apparently fan club members already have access to buy tickets, but the general on sale is Friday morning at 9 a.m. If I can get the cheap seats in the back, I intend to go, but I can't afford to contribute $250 to the My-Business-Manager-Blew-My-Retirement-Fund Fund.
Anyway, assuming I get tickets, I'm going to have to start listening to all my Leonard Cohen again. I have a lot of it, but I've probably never paid as much attention to it all as I should have. That said, readers, if anyone would like to leave their top 3 albums in order in the comments section, I wouldn't mind the guidance.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Dead Success - Miracle Edition
Too much of everything is just enough... One more thing I just got to say, I need a miracle every day.
Wow. That was painful. I don't know that it's ever taken me 40 minutes to get concert tickets. Honestly, after about 20 I usually give up, assuming the show has sold out. This time, thanks to my faith in the degree to which the ticketing servers were overwhelmed, I had a hunch that tickets might still be out there. So at a snail's pace, I creeped towards the promised land.
First, they assigned me seats, that was a good start. But I know well enough that one server crash or page load failure and those seats could be back in the nether. So from there, I had to plug in my info. I did it as quickly as possible and pressed go, but alas, errors abounded. Despite inputting my zip code, they needed me to click on the city/state button to tell them whether their zip code database was accurate. Specifically, I had to choose between Manhattan, NY and New York, NY. Essentially, that one asshole years ago who put it in his address as Manhattan screwed it up for the rest of us. So, with each page load taking 2-3 minutes, I had to confirm my city and state for both my shipping and mailing addresses. What a pain in the ass?!
So when I finally got through that, as I was putting in my CC info, I got a call from my brother-in-law Erik. He'd gotten that far, plugged in all his info and then had it fall apart on him. They'd told him he timed out... thanks only to the Pinto-pace of their servers. Still, I forged ahead, hoping my luck would arbitrarily be better. I hit go and watched it process. And process. And process until the final screen came up and success was achieved.
Through two browsers, four windows and about a hundred reloads, I managed to score 4 floor seats to The Dead at the Izod Center in Jersey on April 29th. Exhale.
Wow. That was painful. I don't know that it's ever taken me 40 minutes to get concert tickets. Honestly, after about 20 I usually give up, assuming the show has sold out. This time, thanks to my faith in the degree to which the ticketing servers were overwhelmed, I had a hunch that tickets might still be out there. So at a snail's pace, I creeped towards the promised land.
First, they assigned me seats, that was a good start. But I know well enough that one server crash or page load failure and those seats could be back in the nether. So from there, I had to plug in my info. I did it as quickly as possible and pressed go, but alas, errors abounded. Despite inputting my zip code, they needed me to click on the city/state button to tell them whether their zip code database was accurate. Specifically, I had to choose between Manhattan, NY and New York, NY. Essentially, that one asshole years ago who put it in his address as Manhattan screwed it up for the rest of us. So, with each page load taking 2-3 minutes, I had to confirm my city and state for both my shipping and mailing addresses. What a pain in the ass?!
So when I finally got through that, as I was putting in my CC info, I got a call from my brother-in-law Erik. He'd gotten that far, plugged in all his info and then had it fall apart on him. They'd told him he timed out... thanks only to the Pinto-pace of their servers. Still, I forged ahead, hoping my luck would arbitrarily be better. I hit go and watched it process. And process. And process until the final screen came up and success was achieved.
Through two browsers, four windows and about a hundred reloads, I managed to score 4 floor seats to The Dead at the Izod Center in Jersey on April 29th. Exhale.
Allmans and Phish and The Dead... Oh my!!
Well 2009 could not be off to a faster start on the concert front. In the first six months of this year, the New York area has a chance at jam-trifecta! I'm just hoping to bear witness.
First, the Allmans will be back at the Beacon this March, after a one-year hiatus. Gregg is fully recovered from hepatitis C and the brothers are ready to rock the Upper West Side for another 10 nights. I've seen the Allmans in a bunch of different venues and let me tell you, they're always better at the Beacon. I've seen them sound sleepy and lackluster, but when they take up their yearly residency in my neighborhood, they're wide awake. I'll be there Saturday, March 14th. Yogi's will be missed.
Next up, the Dead in April. The boys are back together, joined by Ratdog's Jeff Chimenti on keys and the hardest working man in show business, Warren Haynes, on vocals and guitar. Warren, of course, will have just been here with the Allmans and will be joining the Dead tour just three weeks after the Beacon shows wrap up. This is the first tour to reunite Bobby, Billy, Mickey and Phil since 2004 and was brought about by a successful one-time effort last year on behalf of Barack Obama. Presale Dead tickets go up today at noon. I'm nervous and excited. It's not a cheap ticket, but it's a show I can't miss.
Finally (phinally?), Phish is back and will make their way through the area in June. This is their first tour together since before Trey's drug DWI up in Vermont. Fortunately, his fans weren't bound by the same conditions of his probation. The great news, they're playing Jones Beach! I've always felt they're more of a club band than a stadium band, despite their outsized fan-base. Granted, the shitty news is exactly the same. I have my ticket requests in for both shows, but I'm not particularly hopeful. A lot of folks are hoping to cram into that amphitheater. We'll see how it goes.
So that's the morning word. I'll be sure to let you know how I do on the Dead seats. And of course, if you find yourself with an extra, you know how to find me!
First, the Allmans will be back at the Beacon this March, after a one-year hiatus. Gregg is fully recovered from hepatitis C and the brothers are ready to rock the Upper West Side for another 10 nights. I've seen the Allmans in a bunch of different venues and let me tell you, they're always better at the Beacon. I've seen them sound sleepy and lackluster, but when they take up their yearly residency in my neighborhood, they're wide awake. I'll be there Saturday, March 14th. Yogi's will be missed. 
Next up, the Dead in April. The boys are back together, joined by Ratdog's Jeff Chimenti on keys and the hardest working man in show business, Warren Haynes, on vocals and guitar. Warren, of course, will have just been here with the Allmans and will be joining the Dead tour just three weeks after the Beacon shows wrap up. This is the first tour to reunite Bobby, Billy, Mickey and Phil since 2004 and was brought about by a successful one-time effort last year on behalf of Barack Obama. Presale Dead tickets go up today at noon. I'm nervous and excited. It's not a cheap ticket, but it's a show I can't miss. 
Finally (phinally?), Phish is back and will make their way through the area in June. This is their first tour together since before Trey's drug DWI up in Vermont. Fortunately, his fans weren't bound by the same conditions of his probation. The great news, they're playing Jones Beach! I've always felt they're more of a club band than a stadium band, despite their outsized fan-base. Granted, the shitty news is exactly the same. I have my ticket requests in for both shows, but I'm not particularly hopeful. A lot of folks are hoping to cram into that amphitheater. We'll see how it goes. So that's the morning word. I'll be sure to let you know how I do on the Dead seats. And of course, if you find yourself with an extra, you know how to find me!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Catching Up...
So the thing I was most sad to miss while traveling abroad was My Morning Jacket ringing in the New Year at Madison Square Garden. I'd purchased my tickets for the show the moment they went on sale months ago. I was all set to stand in the pit and watch up close as these music idols rocked the world's most famous arena. I mean, what better way to kick off 2009?
Well, it wasn't to be. My plans changed and I was fortunate enough to spend those very hours taking in the beautiful weather of Panaji, Goa, India. Meanwhile, some guy from upstate New York was enjoying my tickets at the Garden.
I couldn't complain then and I certainly can't complain now, knowing that the show is very much available for me to download and enjoy, via the folks at archive.org. And if you want a taste of the show without downloading the whole thing, feel free to hang out here and listen:
Well, it wasn't to be. My plans changed and I was fortunate enough to spend those very hours taking in the beautiful weather of Panaji, Goa, India. Meanwhile, some guy from upstate New York was enjoying my tickets at the Garden.I couldn't complain then and I certainly can't complain now, knowing that the show is very much available for me to download and enjoy, via the folks at archive.org. And if you want a taste of the show without downloading the whole thing, feel free to hang out here and listen:
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Hello from London
What better place to blog from than the city that helped bring the Stones, Cream, Beatles and 
the Who to the world? Sitting in the heart of London, waiting for my iPhone to charge up enough that I can have some music for the flight home, I sit in recollection of a tremendous week-plus abroad. To cap it off, I'm pledging to have a beer in Mumbai, London and New York within one extended day. Two cities down, one to go. Kingfisher, Guinness... Blue Point?
Myusic-wise, it has been an interesting trip. I've learned a bit about the Indian music scene and how tied it is to Bollywood. About 90% of music videos are strait out of films. I also learned that "Pappu Can't Dance" is one of the most infectious songs imaginable. I dare you to track it down and give it a listen.
Expect regular postings to resume shortly after I return. This vacation has been a retreat from Western society and, therefore, has not afforded me the opportunity to review much music. Once I have something interesting to say, I'll be back on the blog offering up my opinion again.
the Who to the world? Sitting in the heart of London, waiting for my iPhone to charge up enough that I can have some music for the flight home, I sit in recollection of a tremendous week-plus abroad. To cap it off, I'm pledging to have a beer in Mumbai, London and New York within one extended day. Two cities down, one to go. Kingfisher, Guinness... Blue Point?Myusic-wise, it has been an interesting trip. I've learned a bit about the Indian music scene and how tied it is to Bollywood. About 90% of music videos are strait out of films. I also learned that "Pappu Can't Dance" is one of the most infectious songs imaginable. I dare you to track it down and give it a listen.
Expect regular postings to resume shortly after I return. This vacation has been a retreat from Western society and, therefore, has not afforded me the opportunity to review much music. Once I have something interesting to say, I'll be back on the blog offering up my opinion again.
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