Saw Guster last Saturday night in NYC. Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous show. They performed two set -- the first a mix of old and new, the second a complete run-through of their breakthrough album Lost And Gone Forever, which was released ten years ago.
Lots of highlights:
[list=*]
[*]The drummer almost never used sticks, playing instead on bongos and cymbals with bare hands.[/*]
[*]The other three guys are unbelievable multi-instrumentalists. One of them played bass, keyboards, numerous guitars, and the trumpet (no, not all at once!). Another played bass, guitars, banjo, keyboards, and steel pedal. All in all, three different guys played keyboards, bass and guitars -- it was almost like musical chairs.[/*]
[*]A stunning rendition of "Ruby Falls" which I was not certain would translate well live.[/*]
[*]One guitar solo morphed into the solo from "Don't Fear The Reaper" which then led into the famous riff, at which point the group's guitar tech pranced onto the stage and played "more cowbell" -- hilarious![/*]
[*]15 young girls from a school singing group in Washington DC came out to sing, dance, and whistle to a remarkable version of "All The Way Up To Heaven" which absolutely brought the house down.[/*]
[*]Halfway through the second set, a guy next to my 16-year-old daughter lights up a joint. She says: "Dad, it smells like something is burning!" I say: "Yes, there is something burning." Sigh - another piece of innocence lost. [/*]
[/list]
All in all, the best concert I have been to in five years.
[*]Halfway through the second set, a guy next to my 16-year-old daughter lights up a joint. She says: "Dad, it smells like something is burning!" I say: "Yes, there is something burning." Sigh - another piece of innocence lost. [/*]
Nice, Nap. I've been on AJB long enough to remember when you actually used to contribute real content. Mind you, probably only the Mods, me and a handful of others have been here that long...
He was a toy soldier - and was brilliant (although I would say that ) )!
It was a 45 minute story about what makes up Christmas.... and it was very sweet - some great moments, a tech dancing Robin, and a 'shout out the words' Shepherd - but a really nice relaxed atmosphere - and everyone really enjoyed themselves - although maybe that had something to do with the mulled wine
She's worth whatever chaos she brings to the table and you know it. ~ Mark Anthony
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,754Chief of Staff
Once again back to the Apollo in Manchester to watch the ever beautiful Florence & The Machine.
What a stunning voice this woman has - so powerful and controlled. She performed most of the tracks from her debut album Lungs with a few 'rarities' thrown in for good measure - plus she played a few of songs acoustically - just guitar and harp !
An absolute stunning performance !
YNWA 97
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,754Chief of Staff
Was at The Lowry last night to watch a stage version of Porridge. It was very well done too, the actors had a difficult task in trying to live up to the original cast - but, on the whole, they did a good job. Although the actor playing Fletcher did stray into Del Boy territory on more than one occasion. This play was about a 50/50 split between new and old material - it all stood up very well though to give a 'narrative' to the show.
At one point though the actor playing Fletcher showed slightly more than his 'acting ability' I nearly had to hold my wife back from helping him put it back )
Vampire Weekend were doing a free gig at Somerset House last night from 6pm. This is their new album.
This blonde Cassie from Skins type has been staring out of posters on the London Underground the last month. That said, turns out the photo is from 1983! Wonder what she looks like now.
The band are a bit Police, a bit Paul Simon Graceland. But that's not the point, the point is going up to some girl in your office and describing it as such, then realising with slow horror that she would only have been born when Graceland came out...
They're American and preppie but the music press are making out that doesn't matter. Okay, but they got a bit schoolmastery with the cold outdoor crowd: "Feel free to move around a bit to keep warm" and "Let me hear you go Awwww" yelling out instructions that didn't go down too well. Some good songs towards the end however and I enjoyed it.
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
Well, since QoS hasn't opened in America yet, I went to "King Tut and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs," the travelling exhibit of Tutankhamun's artifacts, currently on display in Dallas. According to the elders in my family it isn't as spectacular as the exhibit from the '70s--in part because the famous death mask isn't there--and there were waaaay too many people, but it's hard not to be stunned by the beautiful artistry of the artifacts. Of course, it all ended in a gift shop, the tackiness of which makes Steve Martin's old "King Tut" number all the more appropriate.
I believe this is the same show that is now in the San Francisco area. Went to it myself today. Tutankhamun & The Golden Age of the Pharaohs. Not sure what else to say the HB hasn't already said. 10 rooms of 3,000+ year old stuff. I was impressed by most of the stuff and how well it has been preserved over the years. Lots of little things owned by Tut, his dad Amenhotep and other family members. Sadly, no pictures were allowed. But you could buy a book with all the artifacts pictures (and more detailed history) of the stuff in the gift shop. And, just for fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgTPH5y1-ZI
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
WWE Raw/Smackdown Supershow - at the Prairie Capitol Convention Center in Springfield, Illinois
After a Cardinals baseball game, probably one of my favourite things to watch---Performance Art
The Main Event was a six man tag team match: Randy Orton, Batista and Sheamus vs Edge, John Cena and the Undertaker B-)
Terribly long lines for souvenirs and soda...but mercifully short for beer and the restroom {[]
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I booked this when they were meant to be the next big thing and I quite liked their song You Overdid it Doll. However, I brushed up by listening to their second album (someone in the office had a copy) and didn't much like it. The lyrics were cliched and the bloke's voice put me in mind of Men Behaving Badly Neil Morrissey, that and Tory politician William Hague. You Over Did It Doll is just ripped off Franz Ferdinand's Take Me Out, it's the same riff.
My sister went with me and had listened to their first album, St Agnes, and loved it. They played most of this at the concert and it came across really well, but I have to say when they dipped into second album stuff it faded a bit. They're picking up on where Oasis left off. The singer did a touching, heartfelt "Thank you from the bottom of this grubby Mancunian heart" and so on, all very well but it had an unintentionally alienating effect, leaving a good many thinking, "I came here to pull and do drugs and listen to banging tunes, chum, not to offer you personal validation!" He thanked us for giving us the money to buy a flash guitar he'd previously only been renting: a nice gesture in a way, but oddly a bit alienating again. Like a bloke the morning after saying to the girl beside him in bed, "Thanks for that, I was thinking I was losing my touch, it's been a drought lately..." A bit too honest.
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,754Chief of Staff
I was back at The Lowry last night to watch 'Stop Messing About - A Kenneth Williams Extravaganza'.
This was a stage-show based on an old radio show that had Kenneth Williams as it's star. The radio show also featured Joan Sims and Hugh Paddick and was written by Cooke & Mortimer. All the actors deserve a mention for their uncanny performance of the people they were playing - especially Robin Sebastian as Mr Williams.....he's played this role before at the Lowry in different productions - and he comfortably always 'steals' the show !
I'm amazed at what they were allowed to broadcast on radio back in the '60's.....nothing dirty or seedy or even explicit...but it was very obvious to what they were referring ) And very, very funny
YNWA 97
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,754Chief of Staff
Once more I was back at The Lowry...to watch Lee Mack....
Really funny gig....with some surreal audience participation....I bet Lee has never been heckled with the word 'Ginsters' before And several other 'random' shout-outs from the audience too...."I'm from Kent !" Totally bizarre
Great entertainment though...and great seats too !
I went to the local Greyhound Race track the other night - a group of girlfriends came with me, and we sat upstairs in the restaraunt - overlooking the racetrack - great evening - bet on every race (15 in all) won twice - a total of £15 (it's a £1 a bet) - so didn't loose any money, but had a great evening
Got quite excited shouting at the dogs to run..... their was a 'Dangerous Daniel' which I bet to win, but alas he was pulled out at the last minute - hate it when that happens !
She's worth whatever chaos she brings to the table and you know it. ~ Mark Anthony
^ I hope those are humanely treated race-dogs... my neighbor rescues greyhounds from tracks where they were treated horridly...
Well I can't speak entirely for the Sittingbourne race track BUT I have myself rescued a greyhound - and as far as I can tell, once they have finished racing, they go to local Greyhound trusts - there are quite a few in my area, in fact Baloo, the dog we rescued was known as a 'non-starter' - wasn't so interested in chasing the rabbit per se.... although I have no idea what happened once we got him, anything that moved, he was off......
They all looked happy enough when they came out on the race track - waggy tails and the handlers all seemed genuine in their affection - so I assume so......
She's worth whatever chaos she brings to the table and you know it. ~ Mark Anthony
^ I hope those are humanely treated race-dogs... my neighbor rescues greyhounds from tracks where they were treated horridly...
Well I can't speak entirely for the Sittingbourne race track BUT I have myself rescued a greyhound - and as far as I can tell, once they have finished racing, they go to local Greyhound trusts - there are quite a few in my area, in fact Baloo, the dog we rescued was known as a 'non-starter' - wasn't so interested in chasing the rabbit per se.... although I have no idea what happened once we got him, anything that moved, he was off......
They all looked happy enough when they came out on the race track - waggy tails and the handlers all seemed genuine in their affection - so I assume so......
:x yay :x
I went to the last day of the Boulder Creek Festival after watching the Bolder Boulder 10k race this morning.
and tonight (June 1), I'm gonna hit up a Lacuna Coil concert with my buddy Ian. should be fun
Last Friday, I saw a Broadway show entitled "A Behanding in Spokane" with a great four-person cast of Sam Rockwell, Zoe Kazan, Anthony Mackie...and our favorite Bond nutjob Christopher Walken. Walken plays a man who lost his hand at age 17 (he tells us how, but we're never really sure if he's being truthful) and has spent the subsequent 47 years looking for it. Such an obsessive pursuit leads him to find a couple of small-time drug dealers who claim to have it in their possession. They all meet in a fleabag hotel overseen by a manager/receptionist who may be the biggest weirdo of them all.
Rarely have I laughed as hard or been as shocked as I was during this portrayal of a bunch of lowlifes. It is funny, grotesque, profane beyond belief, but above all totally bizarre. Walken is in his usual form of playing a slightly unhinged guy with odd vocal cadence. I have to say, though, Rockwell stole the show for me.
One eskimO played a six-song set at a small recording studio in my hometown, as part of an ongoing series of performances sponsored by a local radio station. My daughter goes to school with the studio owner's son, and he got the two of us in. We watched through the glass from the control room while the owner manned the boards and recorded the whole thing. The event was emceed by a local deejay, who spoke to the band between songs. The four band members (lead vocal, guitar, bass/flugelhorn, percussion/sampling) seemed very humble and down-to-earth, speaking hopefully about their newfound success and what the future holds. They gave thanks to many people beyond themselves, including Rollo Armstrong (Dido's brother) who produced much of their album, and a BBC2 deejay who championed them early on. Musically, the whole thing had an Unplugged/Storytellers feel to it. They played "Kandi" which is getting tons of airplay over here, as well as four other songs off the album, plus a terrific song called "Hurricanes" that I had not heard before.
I wrote in the What Music Are You Listening To? thread how much I am enjoying these guys right now, and to see them in such an intimate and unusual setting was really a treat. Thank goodness my daughter is nice enough at school that people outside her circle of friends (which the owner/producer's son is) will return her texts! (Cue wisecrack from Nap about what the boy may be expecting in return...which I have already kiboshed).
Thank goodness my daughter is nice enough at school that people outside her circle of friends (which the owner/producer's son is) will return her texts! (Cue wisecrack from Nap about what the boy may be expecting in return...which I have already kiboshed).
Am I becoming predictable in my old age?
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Thank goodness my daughter is nice enough at school that people outside her circle of friends (which the owner/producer's son is) will return her texts! (Cue wisecrack from Nap about what the boy may be expecting in return...which I have already kiboshed).
Am I becoming predictable in my old age?
Not at all...I'm sure you were equally predictable when you were younger
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Went up to London today - to see the dress rehearsal of 'The Trooping of the Colour' - a birthday parade put on for the Queen, which includes all of her 'Guards' - dressed in traditional red and black uniform - and the controversial 'Busby' - it also includes the large variety of horses - which parade down the famous 'Mall' which is the wide street leading to Buckingham Palace.
It was a beautiful day - and although not the 'real thing' there were hoards of people - who lined the street to see this spectacular show of tradition.
An amazing day - and I learnt (and saw) that there are Pelicans at St James Park - which runs along the 'Mall'.... who knew.... )
She's worth whatever chaos she brings to the table and you know it. ~ Mark Anthony
planning on either epic Laser Tag or Ren Fest next weekend. or both, if I can afford it...missing opening day of Fest tomorrow for the first time in about 7 years. makes me sad, but my crew's not all here and my costume for this year isn't ready yet. ah well.
Hey! Observer! You trying to get yourself Killed?
mountainburdphotography.wordpress.com
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Went to see the Springfield Sliders baseball team (Prospect League) defeat the Terre Haute Rex in a 6-5 thriller, winning by a walk-off base hit. The beer was cold, and the salted-in-shell peanuts were warm B-)
The evening ended with fireworks at the ballpark...but before then, the team owners hired in a rodeo clown as a novelty act---this guy had two tiny trained moneys, each riding a dog on a horseback-style saddle rig who then proceeded to herd four sheep around the ball field, into a pen and up into the bed (and then onto the roof) of his red white and blue pickup truck, which featured all kinds of flashing and spinning lights. The ultimate effect, to anyone observing such a thing after ingesting a quantity of hallucinogenic or psychotropic drugs, would have been nothing short of terrifying. However, with only beer in me, it was merely bizarre and amusing....
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
a giant welcome home party has been planned tonight for my buddy Ray who's been out traveling the world for the past 160some days...it'll be GREAT to see him!
Comments
Lots of highlights:
[list=*]
[*]The drummer almost never used sticks, playing instead on bongos and cymbals with bare hands.[/*]
[*]The other three guys are unbelievable multi-instrumentalists. One of them played bass, keyboards, numerous guitars, and the trumpet (no, not all at once!). Another played bass, guitars, banjo, keyboards, and steel pedal. All in all, three different guys played keyboards, bass and guitars -- it was almost like musical chairs.[/*]
[*]A stunning rendition of "Ruby Falls" which I was not certain would translate well live.[/*]
[*]One guitar solo morphed into the solo from "Don't Fear The Reaper" which then led into the famous riff, at which point the group's guitar tech pranced onto the stage and played "more cowbell" -- hilarious![/*]
[*]15 young girls from a school singing group in Washington DC came out to sing, dance, and whistle to a remarkable version of "All The Way Up To Heaven" which absolutely brought the house down.[/*]
[*]Halfway through the second set, a guy next to my 16-year-old daughter lights up a joint. She says: "Dad, it smells like something is burning!" I say: "Yes, there is something burning." Sigh - another piece of innocence lost.
[/list]
All in all, the best concert I have been to in five years.
"Sounds like you're the innocent daddy-o!"
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Nice, Nap. I've been on AJB long enough to remember when you actually used to contribute real content. Mind you, probably only the Mods, me and a handful of others have been here that long...
"He chose... poorly."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
He was a toy soldier - and was brilliant (although I would say that
It was a 45 minute story about what makes up Christmas.... and it was very sweet - some great moments, a tech dancing Robin, and a 'shout out the words' Shepherd - but a really nice relaxed atmosphere - and everyone really enjoyed themselves - although maybe that had something to do with the mulled wine
What a stunning voice this woman has - so powerful and controlled. She performed most of the tracks from her debut album Lungs with a few 'rarities' thrown in for good measure - plus she played a few of songs acoustically - just guitar and harp !
An absolute stunning performance !
At one point though the actor playing Fletcher showed slightly more than his 'acting ability'
we went shopping yesterday for said shindig, and spent $170 on drinkables. tonight is gonna be goooood.
mountainburdphotography.wordpress.com
This blonde Cassie from Skins type has been staring out of posters on the London Underground the last month. That said, turns out the photo is from 1983! Wonder what she looks like now.
The band are a bit Police, a bit Paul Simon Graceland. But that's not the point, the point is going up to some girl in your office and describing it as such, then realising with slow horror that she would only have been born when Graceland came out...
They're American and preppie but the music press are making out that doesn't matter. Okay, but they got a bit schoolmastery with the cold outdoor crowd: "Feel free to move around a bit to keep warm" and "Let me hear you go Awwww" yelling out instructions that didn't go down too well. Some good songs towards the end however and I enjoyed it.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I believe this is the same show that is now in the San Francisco area. Went to it myself today. Tutankhamun & The Golden Age of the Pharaohs. Not sure what else to say the HB hasn't already said. 10 rooms of 3,000+ year old stuff. I was impressed by most of the stuff and how well it has been preserved over the years. Lots of little things owned by Tut, his dad Amenhotep and other family members. Sadly, no pictures were allowed. But you could buy a book with all the artifacts pictures (and more detailed history) of the stuff in the gift shop. And, just for fun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgTPH5y1-ZI
After a Cardinals baseball game, probably one of my favourite things to watch---Performance Art
The Main Event was a six man tag team match: Randy Orton, Batista and Sheamus vs Edge, John Cena and the Undertaker B-)
Terribly long lines for souvenirs and soda...but mercifully short for beer and the restroom {[]
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I booked this when they were meant to be the next big thing and I quite liked their song You Overdid it Doll. However, I brushed up by listening to their second album (someone in the office had a copy) and didn't much like it. The lyrics were cliched and the bloke's voice put me in mind of Men Behaving Badly Neil Morrissey, that and Tory politician William Hague. You Over Did It Doll is just ripped off Franz Ferdinand's Take Me Out, it's the same riff.
My sister went with me and had listened to their first album, St Agnes, and loved it. They played most of this at the concert and it came across really well, but I have to say when they dipped into second album stuff it faded a bit. They're picking up on where Oasis left off. The singer did a touching, heartfelt "Thank you from the bottom of this grubby Mancunian heart" and so on, all very well but it had an unintentionally alienating effect, leaving a good many thinking, "I came here to pull and do drugs and listen to banging tunes, chum, not to offer you personal validation!" He thanked us for giving us the money to buy a flash guitar he'd previously only been renting: a nice gesture in a way, but oddly a bit alienating again. Like a bloke the morning after saying to the girl beside him in bed, "Thanks for that, I was thinking I was losing my touch, it's been a drought lately..." A bit too honest.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
This was a stage-show based on an old radio show that had Kenneth Williams as it's star. The radio show also featured Joan Sims and Hugh Paddick and was written by Cooke & Mortimer. All the actors deserve a mention for their uncanny performance of the people they were playing - especially Robin Sebastian as Mr Williams.....he's played this role before at the Lowry in different productions - and he comfortably always 'steals' the show !
I'm amazed at what they were allowed to broadcast on radio back in the '60's.....nothing dirty or seedy or even explicit...but it was very obvious to what they were referring
Really funny gig....with some surreal audience participation....I bet Lee has never been heckled with the word 'Ginsters' before
Great entertainment though...and great seats too !
I stayed at the five-star Lowry hotel on a press trip once, people tried to direct me out to The Lowry nr Salford when I asked for directions!
Roger Moore 1927-2017
He did...but very briefly !
You must have one of those faces
Got quite excited shouting at the dogs to run..... their was a 'Dangerous Daniel' which I bet to win, but alas he was pulled out at the last minute - hate it when that happens !
my town is having the Creek Festival right now, and tomorrow, the Bolder Boulder is going off...I always go down and watch.
mountainburdphotography.wordpress.com
Well I can't speak entirely for the Sittingbourne race track BUT I have myself rescued a greyhound - and as far as I can tell, once they have finished racing, they go to local Greyhound trusts - there are quite a few in my area, in fact Baloo, the dog we rescued was known as a 'non-starter' - wasn't so interested in chasing the rabbit per se.... although I have no idea what happened once we got him, anything that moved, he was off......
They all looked happy enough when they came out on the race track - waggy tails and the handlers all seemed genuine in their affection - so I assume so......
:x yay :x
I went to the last day of the Boulder Creek Festival after watching the Bolder Boulder 10k race this morning.
and tonight (June 1), I'm gonna hit up a Lacuna Coil concert with my buddy Ian. should be fun
mountainburdphotography.wordpress.com
Rarely have I laughed as hard or been as shocked as I was during this portrayal of a bunch of lowlifes. It is funny, grotesque, profane beyond belief, but above all totally bizarre. Walken is in his usual form of playing a slightly unhinged guy with odd vocal cadence. I have to say, though, Rockwell stole the show for me.
mountainburdphotography.wordpress.com
I wrote in the What Music Are You Listening To? thread how much I am enjoying these guys right now, and to see them in such an intimate and unusual setting was really a treat. Thank goodness my daughter is nice enough at school that people outside her circle of friends (which the owner/producer's son is) will return her texts! (Cue wisecrack from Nap about what the boy may be expecting in return...which I have already kiboshed).
Am I becoming predictable in my old age?
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Not at all...I'm sure you were equally predictable when you were younger
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
It was a beautiful day - and although not the 'real thing' there were hoards of people - who lined the street to see this spectacular show of tradition.
An amazing day - and I learnt (and saw) that there are Pelicans at St James Park - which runs along the 'Mall'.... who knew....
mountainburdphotography.wordpress.com
The evening ended with fireworks at the ballpark...but before then, the team owners hired in a rodeo clown as a novelty act---this guy had two tiny trained moneys, each riding a dog on a horseback-style saddle rig who then proceeded to herd four sheep around the ball field, into a pen and up into the bed (and then onto the roof) of his red white and blue pickup truck, which featured all kinds of flashing and spinning lights. The ultimate effect, to anyone observing such a thing after ingesting a quantity of hallucinogenic or psychotropic drugs, would have been nothing short of terrifying. However, with only beer in me, it was merely bizarre and amusing....
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
mountainburdphotography.wordpress.com