Good god was this band bad. I'd heard a bit of a buzz about these guys. I'd heard that they had a unique sound. I'd heard that they could be something special.
What I witnessed tonight at the Great American Music Hall was everything that's bad about indie rock. I can't recall if there were ten members or fifteen or fifty. I just remember that there were too many. And their whole schtick about switching instuments, along with a silly horn section was just laughable. The songs sucked. The stage presence was high school marching band at best. The outfits just made the whole extavangandza even funnier. The cliche lead singer with the cool cap. Throw in the hippie bass player, or whatever the fuck he was playing. Add the fat girl on the keys and the cool dude banging whatever was in arms reach. Ugh. This was so bad that I'm getting tired typing about it. Shit, I was so bored by these guys that I don't even care about correcting my grammar.
Ladies and gentleman, this was Architecture In Helsinki. Isn't that a cool name?
Travel
I've seen so few places in my life that it's downright embarassing. I guess I've seen a good portion of the United States. In addition to living in NYC, Boston, NJ and now San Francisco, here are a few cities I've visited that spring to mind: Austin (loved), LA (some good, some bad), Seattle (short stop but liked), Minneapolis (one of my favorite cities), Chicago (good time), Philadelphia (LOVE), Orlando (HATE), St. Louis (fun time), New Orleans (blast), Las Vegas (eh), Cincinnati (most underrated city in the US), Cleveland (yuck), Raleigh (pretty fun), Jacksonville (yawn), Providence (not bad), Myrtle Beach (rednecks), and some others that aren't springing to mind.Outside of the States, I have only been to Puerto Rico (blah), St. Thomas (I don't wear speedos), London (fun time but nothing extraordinary) and Amsterdam (absolutely beautiful).
Over the next few years, I would like to visit the following stops:
US: Joshua Tree, Portland, Albuquerque and somewhere in Alaska. Again, I don't wear thongs, but maybe Hawaii since it's close.
The real travel will be outside of the US. On the top of my list are the following destinations (hopefully one per year): Bangkok, Barcelona, Scotland, Melbourne, Brazil (roll out the sleeping bag, Newton) and Iceland.
I am looking to book my first trip outside the US in five years and one of the aforementioned places will be the city/country of choice. Leading the pack is Thailand, but I wonder, does Wilco tour there?
Oh Lord, Ain't No End
Seriously, does it get any more beautiful? When it comes to music, the unison of Gary Louris and Mark Olson elicits perhaps the most beautiful sounds on Earth. I've heard thousands of artists harmonize, but none blend like Louris and Olson. Tonight at the Great American Music Hall, after a decade apart, I was finally able to see these two vocal and songwriter masters together. They played just about everything imaginable from The Jayhawks catalogue: "Settled Down Like Rain", "Blue", "Ain't No End", "Nothing Left To Borrow"...oh man could this list go on. They looked happy. They looked inspired. They looked like two singer-songwriters who were meant to be playing side-by-side.
It is damn near criminal that the room was only about half full. Dave Matthews Yawn and Coldplay can sell out Giants Stadium, yet two of the greatest singers and writers of the past 20 years can't fill a room that holds, what 600 people? I rarely get worked-up when I see a sparse crowd at a great show, but come on people, this is Gary Louris and Mark Olson. This is absolutely beautiful music.
Ok, I'm off to put on the latest Lenny Kravitz cd.
Jay Farrar
Back in 1995, while wading through my junior year in college, I was desperately trying to figure out what to do with my life. I was majoring in sociology, taking a lot of black studies courses, and thinking that my career would take me to a possible phd in sociology. Though I was passionate about this line of studies, there was something missing. I was looking for something that would take me to that next level. Something that would grab my soul and clear up my career uncertainty. Right around this time I saw Son Volt at the Mercury Lounge in New York City for the first time. After watching Jay Farrar, Jim Boquist, Dave Boquist and Mike Heidorn play one of the most inspiring rock n' roll shows I'd ever seen, I left the venue that night knowing what I'd do with my life. Music. Something, anything in music. I went on to spend the next decade spending countless nights out seeing live music. Wilco, Steve Earle, Springsteen, The Gourds, Slobberbone, Centro-matic, Elliott Smith, The V-Roys, Whiskeytown, Kelly Willis, Richard Buckner, Bob Dylan, The Damnations, Joe Henry. I couldn't get enough.
My career started out doing a summer internship at Bar None Records in Hoboken, NJ. Since then I've worked my way through music publishing, music television, business affairs, mobile music, music management, and I'm now working with indie bands and artists in the digital space. For the most part, I've loved working in this world. It allows me to be closer to the art that fuels my soul.
Last night at The Fillmore in San Francisco, I watched the Drive-By Truckers tear the joint up, followed by Son Volt. When Son Volt hit the stage, my buddy and I headed right to the front of the stage. Jay's new incarnation of Son Volt isn't what they were back in the mid-to-late 90s, but it's still Jay Farrar. His music is one of the main reasons that music essentially shaped my career and ultimately, my life. "Chickamauga" closed the set. The houselights came on and I stood there with chills up-and-down my spine. It wasn't the first time, and it certainly won't be the last.
New Orleans, Hope and Bruce Springsteen
The following review was sent by my good buddy, and New Orleans native, Michael Pemberton. I find this review to be unbelievably important on so many levels. I think of the power of music, the hope that still breaths throughout New Orleans and the responsibility we have as fellow-citizens to help bring back this wonderful city.
I'm way beyond being objective about Springsteen,
but this was truly one of the most fantastic shows I've ever seen by
anybody. On any given night I'll put Bruce up against anyone in the world
as a live performer, but give him something to prove and he's nothing short
of phenomenal. Not only was he debuting a new band with a very different
sound and a new set of songs, but he was doing it specifically for New
Orleans, with all eyes on him. Most importantly, this was probably the
first time in 30 years he was playing in front of a crowd that wasn't
stamping at the bit to adore him. I really wondered how he would go over
with the thousands of sun-burned, stoned, drunk as hell Jazz Festers who
spend the whole Festival camped out by the big stage no matter who is
playing, slamming case after case of overpriced Miller Genuine Draft.
Halfway through "Mary, Don't You Weep" it was clear that he wasn't going to
have any problems. The sound was HUGE, Bruce was more animated then I've
seen him in 20 years, and everything was just...perfect. If anything Bruce
was over-pumped, I thought he oversang a few songs near the beginning. He
remains a master at pacing, I was worried that going into "Eyes on the
Prize" would kill the crowd, but if anything it brought things up even
further. By the end the crowd was more attentive than I ever thought a huge
Jazz Fest crowd could be. The ultimate highlight was a fantastic version of
"My City of Ruins." This was one of those moments when the crowd and
everything else fades away, and it seems like there's nothing but you and
the music. This guy coming to my town and playing this song at this
particular time in our city's history and in my own personal history...it
was extremely powerful. 90% of the crowd hadn't heard the song before,
but they were still stone-silent as he started, you could tell people were
really listening, and they started to rumble to life as the song went on. By
the time it got to the "...with these hands" and the final "Rise up!", it
was overwhelming. There may have been some dry eyes scattered around the
crowd, but mine weren't among them.
At that point it was well after 7pm, and Jazz Fest never runs late, so I
figured that was it. But I guess you don't kick Bruce offstage, because he
went on for another 30 minutes. I'd heard that he had ended some of his
rehearsal shows with "When the Saints Go Marching In," which I was dreading,
because if there is one thing New Orleans doesn't need is yet another
version of "Saints." Bruce's soft, acoustic version was a revelation, he
brought it back to the personal prayer that it had been originally. Not
only that, but he sang two verses that were part of the song originally but
that are rarely heard any more, and that fit the moment perfectly:
(first verse)
We are traveling in the footsteps
Of those who've gone before
And we'll all be reunited
On a new and sunlit shore
(last verse)
Some say this world of trouble
Is the only one we'll see
But I'm waiting for that morning
When the new world is revealed
It wasn't a perfect show (some of the songs went on too long, his reworking
of "Open All Night" was clunky, and he didn't play "Erie Canal," my favorite
off the new record), but it was darn close. I really hope all of you see a
show this year that means as much to you as yesterday's show meant to me.
I'm way beyond being objective about Springsteen,
but this was truly one of the most fantastic shows I've ever seen by
anybody. On any given night I'll put Bruce up against anyone in the world
as a live performer, but give him something to prove and he's nothing short
of phenomenal. Not only was he debuting a new band with a very different
sound and a new set of songs, but he was doing it specifically for New
Orleans, with all eyes on him. Most importantly, this was probably the
first time in 30 years he was playing in front of a crowd that wasn't
stamping at the bit to adore him. I really wondered how he would go over
with the thousands of sun-burned, stoned, drunk as hell Jazz Festers who
spend the whole Festival camped out by the big stage no matter who is
playing, slamming case after case of overpriced Miller Genuine Draft.
Halfway through "Mary, Don't You Weep" it was clear that he wasn't going to
have any problems. The sound was HUGE, Bruce was more animated then I've
seen him in 20 years, and everything was just...perfect. If anything Bruce
was over-pumped, I thought he oversang a few songs near the beginning. He
remains a master at pacing, I was worried that going into "Eyes on the
Prize" would kill the crowd, but if anything it brought things up even
further. By the end the crowd was more attentive than I ever thought a huge
Jazz Fest crowd could be. The ultimate highlight was a fantastic version of
"My City of Ruins." This was one of those moments when the crowd and
everything else fades away, and it seems like there's nothing but you and
the music. This guy coming to my town and playing this song at this
particular time in our city's history and in my own personal history...it
was extremely powerful. 90% of the crowd hadn't heard the song before,
but they were still stone-silent as he started, you could tell people were
really listening, and they started to rumble to life as the song went on. By
the time it got to the "...with these hands" and the final "Rise up!", it
was overwhelming. There may have been some dry eyes scattered around the
crowd, but mine weren't among them.
At that point it was well after 7pm, and Jazz Fest never runs late, so I
figured that was it. But I guess you don't kick Bruce offstage, because he
went on for another 30 minutes. I'd heard that he had ended some of his
rehearsal shows with "When the Saints Go Marching In," which I was dreading,
because if there is one thing New Orleans doesn't need is yet another
version of "Saints." Bruce's soft, acoustic version was a revelation, he
brought it back to the personal prayer that it had been originally. Not
only that, but he sang two verses that were part of the song originally but
that are rarely heard any more, and that fit the moment perfectly:
(first verse)
We are traveling in the footsteps
Of those who've gone before
And we'll all be reunited
On a new and sunlit shore
(last verse)
Some say this world of trouble
Is the only one we'll see
But I'm waiting for that morning
When the new world is revealed
It wasn't a perfect show (some of the songs went on too long, his reworking
of "Open All Night" was clunky, and he didn't play "Erie Canal," my favorite
off the new record), but it was darn close. I really hope all of you see a
show this year that means as much to you as yesterday's show meant to me.
A Call To Democrats
It's a beautiful day here in San Francisco, and this got me thinking about Bill Maher's fantastic closing monologue the other night. Here it is:
And finally, New Rule: Democrats have to claim their rightful place as the party of environmental protection. Now...for way too long, Republicans have been getting away with rolling their eyes when anyone mentions the planet. You know, as if it's "Smurf Forest" we're talking about instead of the one and only place we can survive!
Now, tomorrow is Earth Day, when President Bush gets his picture taken in front of a tree and Dick Cheney shoots whatever flies out of it. And, as despicable as this administration's record on the environment is, it never was their issue. But Al Gore made a living in the Senate talking about the environment. He makes a living talking about it now. It's just when he was running for president that he shut up. And that's why Democrats keep losing. They don't stand up for what they believe in, yes, like "girly-men", from making the counter-argument.
"How can we explain climate change in a 30-second campaign ad?" Oh, I don't know. How about this: "The Republicans want your children to die." There, I did it with 28 seconds left. Is that scaring us? Well, somebody ought to.
How come the Republicans can pick seemingly bogus, random issues like activist judges and boys kissing, and Mexicans pouring over our borders, and get everyone all worked up about it, and the Democrats can't figure out how to demagogue Armageddon?
Hey...you know what else is pouring over our borders? Greenland. You know, Republicans do a lot of things badly, like plan wars and balance budgets and...dance. But they sure understand that the winner in an election is the one who scares the most crap out of the voters. "Gay marriage!" "Terror alerts!" "The war on Christmas!" How long before Janet Jackson's tit strikes again?! And it's a lot bigger now.
But the environment is real. You can smell it. In parts of Houston, you can grab hunks of it with your hands and use it to lube your car! And if there is a single face you might want to use to personify this evil, he was in the news this week: the retiring and handsomely-compensated chairman of Exxon Mobil, Lee "Fat Bastard" Raymond. [photos shown of Lee Raymond and character "Fat Bastard" from Austin Powers film]
If Lee looks like he's been eating the earth, he has. Even worse, his company has been paying for fake science to confuse people into thinking global warming was still too iffy to act on. You know, if the Democrats can't make this prick into their Willy Horton, they are so pathetic, they might as well go ahead and nominate for president that nice blonde lady who married Bill Clinton. You'll thank me in a year.
Ladies and gentlemen, I literally fear for my kids' future, and I don't even have kids. Glacier National Park in Montana, you know, named for its glaciers, had 150 glaciers when they opened. It's got 26 left today. If we don't take care of places like Montana, we're going to faced with an even bigger problem: gay married men with absolutely no place to go fishing.
Thank You Friends
This past week in New York was one of the most fulfilling weeks I've spent in years. I saw so many people that mean the world to me and it was truly a remarkable week. I know I'm the master of hyperbole on so many levels, but spending time with so many great folks this past week was truly, I'm gonna say it, heartwarming. I split the week three ways between New Jersey, Manhattan and Brooklyn. I saw friends spanning many different periods of my life; Some I've known for 25 years, some I've known since college and others crept into my life post-college. On many nights last week friends from each of these periods all came together to have a good time. We ate, we drank, we talked music, we watched the pinstripes in the Bronx, we debated, we laughed our damn asses off.
I'm now back in San Francisco and for the first time since moving out here, I can truly say that I miss my former life in New York. These people and the city itself left such an impression on me and it finally hit me this past week.
DB, Clark, Doc, Shaw, Waldman, Martha, Grabel, Bobby, Negri, Lip, Kurt, Mom, Andy, Lindz, Kita, TB, Flush, Digs and all the rest: I thank you all for an amazing and memorable week.
I'm now back in San Francisco and for the first time since moving out here, I can truly say that I miss my former life in New York. These people and the city itself left such an impression on me and it finally hit me this past week.
DB, Clark, Doc, Shaw, Waldman, Martha, Grabel, Bobby, Negri, Lip, Kurt, Mom, Andy, Lindz, Kita, TB, Flush, Digs and all the rest: I thank you all for an amazing and memorable week.
Atlantic & Bond
That's where I'm typing from right now: beautiful Brooklyn, New York. The weather right now is absolutely crisp and sweet. I spent the entire week in Manhattan and boy am I glad to be back to my former home.
Some thoughts on New York: 1. Running through Central Park yesterday was downright incredible. The people. The scenery. The spirit. 2. I've had the opportunity to catch up with just about everyone I've wanted to see. Tonight I will hit my favorite restaurant in New York, Bar Tabac, and enjoy a nice steak, some fantastic wine and great conversation with a group of friends. 3. The congestion from Times Square up to Central Park is unreal. I worked in that part of town for nearly seven years and it was never like it is today. The frustration from getting from one block to the next had me on the brink of an anxiety attack. 4. Boy do I love record label folks in New York. They know music. They give you music. They are what's good about music. 5. Brooklyn Lager - my favorite beer once again available for me to guzzle. 6. The breeze streaming through the window right now is worthy of a poem or a short story or I don't know, something related to art or some shit. 7. Brooklyn's still got my heart. I love San Francisco but boy do I really miss this wonderful town. It's 230 in the afternoon and I just realized that my favorite bar on earth, The Brooklyn Inn, is but two blocks away. Ok, it's a bit early for that.
Two more days and nights in Brooklyn, New York before heading back to the Bay Area. Tonight is a great dinner followed by drinks and some good jukebox tunes, tomorrow is Yankees/Orioles followed by another dinner on the Upper East Side. Sunday morning I will hail a cab to JFK and bid farewell....that is, until next time.
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