Understand the Rivaly

I haven't been able to keep up on concert reviews lately because I've been faced with the sworn enemy of bloggers everywhere: actual work.

I hate the Yankees as much as anyone. Really, I am a Braves fan. But Shelley Duncan, the new guy in pinstripes makes me laugh. The Red Sox aren't far from being the Yankees in a lot of people's books these days, so Duncan's prank he played on a ten year old Sox fan is classic. Go here to see what I'm talking about.

This Is Why You Always Have A Shortage

I would be much more inclined to donate blood to the American Red Cross if they didn't think it was perfectly fine to call me at nine o' clock on a Saturday morning.

I'm tempted to put the 'Fuh-Q' tag on this one, but seeing how it is the ARC, I can't bring myself to do so.

Al Green in Chapel Hill: No Grits Were Thrown in the Making of this Concert

Al Green is still a bad mamma jamma. He said so himself.

I didn't think I would get to hear Al say anything at all though. As of five o' clock, I didn't have a ticket to Green's sold out show at Memorial Hall on campus here at UNC. Craigslist had people asking for tickets and offering upwards of $100 and they weren't getting tickets. Why would I?

However, this is Chapel Hill, where everything turns out right in the end. You always end up getting those tickets you need here. When Sufjan played the same venue, a guy walked right up and offered three to me in the second row. For free. So I decided to call the Memorial Hall box office and ask if they were going to do a ticket dump tonight. They asked me, "What is a ticket dump?" Things looked bleak. "Where you hold tickets to sell on the night of," I replied. Ends up they had a few tickets left in the orchestra pit - that means in front of row A. Center stage. The pictures in the entry aren't pulled from the web. I took them with my piece of crap camera. Best seats in the house. I bought one at a student price. But things get better. When I was standing around waiting for the show to start and contemplating the possibility of making lots of cash off of my great seat, a scalper came up to me and gave me a ticket. I got in touch with my friend Ella, and she too had the pleasure to see Al Green.

Al Green stepped on stage at 9:18 to a packed house, wearing a tuxedo and glasses. He had a gold star hanging around his neck, and lots of gold chains on his wrists. Here's the setlist:

1. Just Can't Stop
2. Let's Get Married
3. Everything's Gonna Be Allright
4. Amazing Grace
5. Let's Stay Together
6. What Makes the World Go Round
7. Here I am, Come and Get Me
8. R&B Medley: Sugar Pie Honey Bun/If You Ever Change Your Mind About Leaving/My Girl/I've Been Loving You For Too Long/Wonderful World
9. Tired of Being Alone
10. Still in Love With You
11. Love & Happiness

The Reverend's backing band came out before him though, wearing all black, and featured a horn section (one trumpet, one saxophone, one trombone), two guitarists (playing maple strats), a bassists, a keyboard player, an organ player, a drummer, a percussionist, and two backup singers - one of which was Green's daughter, Deborah (or Debra? I don't know). Being up front and center probably had a lot to do with me enjoying things so much. Al's voice wasn't what it was way back, but he could still hit the high notes. The decades on the road doing shows definitely taught Al Green how to work a crowd, and after every high note Green would say, "Now you try to hit that note! Somebody do that!" and then say, "I'm a bad mamma jamma!" By far the most entertaining part of Green's stage presence was the throwing of roses (upwards of two dozen) to the female members of the crowd. When Green would trot down into the aisles, hordes of women, all over forty, would rush towards the singer for roses and hugs. The Reverend knows how to work a crowd, especially if they are older women. Green was helped out throughout the night by two guys in shiny clothes to dance along.

Green's set seemed to alternate, in the beginning, between work the crowd songs and big hits. An entertaining "Let's Get Married" was followed by "Everything's Gonna Be Allright," which was never more than an extended jam. Afterwards, Green said something to the likes of, "I may be a preacher, but I'm still a man," and launched into an alternate version of "Amazing Grace." At one point during the set, there was a guitar solo played by the teeth. By far though, the closer, "Love & Happiness" was the best part of the night. It really is Green's best song in his catalog, and everyone sang along at the top of their lungs on the song we all wanted. After singing the song, Green walked off to a rocking Memorial Hall, and the band was left to go around and do their solos. At one point, the horns all came to the main mike and played the horn riff at the end of the song, which was great. It wasn't the best concert I've been to, but I had a great time. Also, it gave me a chance to make the grits reference in my title. If anyone knows what I'm talking about, you gain my respect.

I'll have a review of the Avett's show soon. I promise.

Andrew Bird in Durham

Last night I went to see Andrew Bird play the Carolina Theatre in Durham, an event I've been waiting for now for the past couple years. My friends and I got in the auditorium halfway through Augie March's set and from what I saw they were a decent opening act. It made me realize one reason I really am starting to enjoy seated shows - the opening acts are less likely to be horrible, and if they do end up being bad, you don't have to stand through them. Also, you can get to a show after the start time and still be guaranteed a decent view. After Augie March finished their set, I went out to the lobby to talk with friends and hydrate before Bird's set. The show felt very much like a Chapel Hill show - I knew at least 15 people in the crowd. Also, the ever present Old King was in the seat in front of me.

Before his set, I heard news that Andrew Bird would be sans-drummer, which automatically deflated a bit of my enthusiasm. I was expecting a lot out of the play between Bird and Martin Dosh, super-drummer/keyboard player. However, once Bird came out to play any disappointment was gone.

The main man came out and started immediately to lay down loops on violin. After the loops had been tracked, Bird moved into "Sovay," making most everyone in attendance happy. Bird was accompanied by a sideman in a few songs to help out on guitar and bass, but there was no question who the main attraction was. Bird's setlist, from what I can remember, went as follows:

Intro
Sovay
Why?
Plasticities
Wait
A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left
Opposite Day
Masterfade
Cataracts
Lull
The Happy Birthday Song

(Encore)
Trimmed + Burning
Scythian Empire
Spare-Ohs

The most interesting aspect of Bird's set was seeing which songs worked in new instrumentation and arrangements, and which songs were flat. "Plasticities" sounded like a full band thanks to the looped pizzicato violins. "The Happy Birthday Song" sounded great as well. However, "Lull" lacked that same push that it gets from the drums on Weather Systems. "Nervous Tic" sounded like a demo of the album version. Besides being awed by Andrew Bird's great musical ability, I was rather interested in his stage presence. During "Why?" he seemed to ham it up every chance he got, almost acting out the song.

"Why?," "Wait," and "Trimmed + Burning" were all unexpected treats - Bird's new albums have moved away from almost any tinge of folkiness he has in him, and those old songs allow Andrew Bird to really 'go off' in a way that the pop songs do not. Watching him put everything into them, it is easy to see why those three are still in his setlist.

A special treat was finally hearing an explanation behind "The Happy Birthday Song." Bird described the song as being indirectly about a friend from North Carolina who, 'could take "Happy Birthday," the most cliche, sing it out of tune song ever, and make it sound like the most beautiful thing in the world.'

After the encore, Andrew was nice enough to come out and sign merchandise for fans. I got my copy of Fingerlings 2 tagged up by Mr. Bird, and plan on putting it up so everyone can see it. See:
Nice, right? The only bad thing about the night was getting lost in Durham on the way back to Chapel Hill.

Now I'm going to go up to Memorial Hall and see if anyone is selling extra tickets to Al Green. Have a good night everyone!

Bow to the Google Gods!

Really, we should all be worshiping at the feet of the Google people. Even if they had created that wonderful search engine and called it a day, we would still be indebted to them. But then they gave us Gmail, Google Talk, iGoogle, and Google Reader, among a slew of other tools to make our lives easier. I just recently got to know the last two programs, and dear God are they wonderful!

Other news: I've been doing some heavy listening lately, which is not the same as listening to Slayer. Elliott's Song in the Air was on all day yesterday, and Eno's Ambient 1: Music for Airports has been listened to straight through at least once a day for the past week. I've been catching up with the 1990's by way of Built to Spill and Braid as well. More important than all of that though is new music: the Band of Horses album Cease to Begin that comes out in October is not as bad as everyone would lead you to believe. Hopefully I'll get around to writing a review soon. It doesn't match the strength of their debut album, but it isn't a clunker either. However, Kanye West's Graduation is just as good as everyone says it is. "Stronger," the song that samples the Daft Punk track, is pretty much all I've listened to today.

And one other thing: I'm reading a lot of academic writing about poetry right now. I read a good blurb about syllabics this morning that helped answer my main question of "Why write in syllabics?" and I'm also making an attempt to get through Rosenthal's The Modern Poetic Sequence. I have a long line count sequence poem due at the end of the semester and I need some help in wrapping my head around what makes a good one. Reading The Dream Songs is on my 'to-do' list as well for that assignment.

Andrew Bird is tonight. I heard great things from my friend Jamie after he saw AB in Asheville last night. Can't wait.

What We Have Lived

I've been under the weather lately, so last night I took some time off from doing homework to do some pleasure reading. Well, maybe not pleasure reading - I am in a poetry writing class this semester so any reading of poems I can do can be called 'studying' if I need an excuse not to do work for Economics 101.

I decided last night to read through Ellen C. Bush's Licorice again, and after enjoying that, I moved on the the Spring 2007 copy of Tar River Poetry that I hadn't read yet. Here was my favorite poem in the TRP, a villanelle by Bruce Bennett, who is the director of Creative Writing at Wells College.


What We Have Lived

We live again what we have lived before.
The path leads back. See, see. There is the chair.
We feel it deeper, knowing less, and more.

See. There's the book; the album on the floor.
Old papers waiting to be signed are there.
We live again what we have lived before,

Except, this time, we know we won't explore
what hangs unspoken, heavy in the air.
We feel it deeper, knowing less, yet more

About what grief has schooled us to ignore;
our innocence the sole way we can bear
to live again what has been lived before;

To face again what words cannot restore,
last sessions we can neither change nor share.
We feel them deeper. Knowing less, and more,

We pay fresh homage, pilgrims at the door,
held fast by truths we still cannot declare.
We live again what we have lived before,
yet feel it deeper, kn0owing less, and more.



I hope it is okay to put this poem up. It isn't up on the TRP site, and I really wanted to put it on my site. You know a poem in a specific form is a good one when it makes you want to write in the same form. Villanelles might just be my favorite.

PECOTA!

The Dugout has been hosting their big finale buildup at Progressive Boink all during the past week, and tomorrow marks the giant conclusion. I check the Dugout daily just to see what Bill Pecota, Dmitri Young, and Kyle Farnsworth are up to. Go to their website and read the entire week's post before tomorrow, and make sure to track through the archives as well. Tomorrow may be the last decent dugout - they make the move to AOL Fanhouse after that.

BOOM BITCH!

The Onion Never Misses a Beat

Pitchfork Gives Music 6.8

CHICAGO—According to the review, the popular medium that predates the written word shows promise but nonetheless "leaves the listener wanting more."

What happens when one Internet powerhouse makes fun of another Internet powerhouse? Pure gold happens.

The Week Ahead

The coming week looks to be a great one:

Monday, 9/10: Free Hug Day? Free Hug Day!


Tuesday, 9/11: I have a blues poem due. This is scary.


Wednesday, 9/12: Andrew Bird in Durham!

Augie March opens.


Thursday, 9/13: Al Green in Chapel Hill!
It is sold out, so I have to get there early to get some tickets from a scalper. Hopefully it won't be too much.


Saturday, 9/15: The Avett Brothers in Greensboro!
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

Roosevelt Hill

View Larger Map

I know the image right there is awful looking, but just click the 'view larger map' to see what I am talking about.

I went for a bike ride this morning, and found my favorite ride in the whole town in the process. Roosevelt Road drops really quickly and has some great turns in it. When flying down Roosevelt, stay straightish onto Hillview to remain on blacktop instead of gravel, and cross over Plant to bottom out at Dickenson. It is a great time, and you can ride the sidewalk on E. Franklin to get there. If I had someone to shuttle me back to the top, I'd probably coast this hill all day. I can't imagine that the longboarding crowd doesn't know about this place. Best yet, it is a quiet area will hardly any traffic! Wooooo.

True Norwegian Black Metal - The Mountain Goats at Cat's Cradle

I went to Carrboro's Cat's Cradle last night to catch the Reach for the Skye benefit concert featuring the Mountain Goats. The show started at nine, and had four bands on the bill, which is good for ten dollars, but bad if you have to be somewhere early the next morning. I got there at a quarter to ten as the first band, Hope & Anchor, was finishing their set. I couldn't really make much of the Asheville-based group from the one song I heard, except for the notion that they both looked and sounded like they were indeed from Asheville, which is pretty much saying they looked and sounded like they were from Carrboro. I said hi to friends after their set and checked out who else was in attendance - David Karsten Daniels and Perry from Prayers & Tears were there like always, and took a seat for the next act, the Moaners. The Moaners are two girls, one playing a slew of slide guitars, one on drums, and they are pretty much awful. The Moaners reminded of everything I hated about the whole rock and roll revival idea - sludgy sound, poor musicianship, garage rock, Kurt Cobain vocals, and the notion of loud + fast = good! There set seemed much longer than thirty minutes. No more will be said about them.

Bellafea was up next, and I was rather interested in hearing them. This three piece really reminded me of the better post-hardcore/angular indie from the late 90's. There was the abrasive sonic aspect and metrical changes of At the Drive In, as well as more reigned in moments that were similar to Denali and Engine Down. If I were sixteen again, I probably would have gone ape-shit over their set and would have fallen in love with Heather, the singer/guitarist. However, I am not sixteen anymore, so I just go ape-shit over seeing the Mountain Goats these days and fall in love with John Darnielle.

Last night's Mountain Goats set was a solo one for Darnielle, and was the first time I've seen him play sans-Peter Hughes. I figured it would be a good night from the moment JD walked on stage wearing a t-shirt that said "True Norwegian Black Metal" in Olde English font. I can't remember the entire set, but here is a run through of songs I can recall in order.

Palmcorder Yajna
'New song that was a throwaway from the new record'
Neon Orange Glimmer Song
Dilaudid
Evening In Stalingrad
Keeping House
Game Shows Touch Our Lives
New Monster Avenue
Snow Crush Killing Song
Dance Music
Color In Your Cheeks
Broom People
The Mess Inside
Going to Georgia
Love Love Love
See America Right

(encore)
Jenny
No Children

I am fairly sure those were the songs played. They may be a bit out of order. John said after a couple songs that he decided to put lots of material from Full Force Galesburg in the setlist and wanted to know if anyone minded, and of course there was applause. However, it became evident that the setlist was out of the window halfway through the set for multiple reasons - 1. John couldn't remember the tuning to a song he said "hasn't been played since 1996," 2. John couldn't read the setlist because he didn't have his glasses on, and 3. the crowd was full of people yelling requests at the stage. If JD didn't know a song requested, he would say, "Don't remember that one any more." The call for songs became a bit annoying after a couple rounds of it. I really wish people would just let John play what he wants to play. Sure you might really want to hear him play "This Year" or "No Children." We all do. But do you really want to hear it for the third song? Or do you want John Darnielle to close with it? Wait your turn.

I like seeing the Mountain Goats in any lineup possible, and really did enjoy last night's performance. But I feel like John has a little bit more fun and looks a lot livelier when Mr. Peter Hughes is up there next to him. So, yes, Peter was missed. Who doesn't like Peter Hughes? The man is a great bassist and seems like an all around nice guy. And who else has John Darnielle recorded a record in honor of and called a savior? No one. Anytime the Mountain Goats are on stage, it will be a good time. Any time Peter Hughes is missing, it won't be the same either. John did give us some of his usual hilarious stage banter, likening playing "Going to Georgia" to seeing an ex-wife after twelve years and starting to kiss her and thinking, "Oh, why am I doing this," but by the time the kiss gets to tongue you are like, "Oh yeah, this is great!"



My definite favorite from the night had to be John's inclusion of "Snow Crush Killing Song" and "Neon Orange Glimmer Song" from Sweden. "Snow Crush" had a little extra push behind it that made it great to sing along with. When the Mountain Goats play, there will always be songs left out that you want in. I doubt John ever plays "Sendero Luminoso Verdadero" anymore. It is sad anytime "This Year" isn't played live. And playing a show in Carrboro should always mean he has to play "Wild Sage" just for the 15-501 reference. I've never seen John play "Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton" live. But for every song he doesn't play, he delivers with "Snow Crush" or "Orange Glimmer." Or "The Mess Inside." Take your pick.

Oddly enough, after John's last Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill show in May at the Local 506, I heard him talking with a guy afterwards and the guy asked about "The Mess Inside." John said he never played that song anymore but would make sure to play it next time he was in town. He delivered. You have to love John Darnielle.

I might or might not be going to see The National supported by Doveman tonight. Will probably be a last minute decision.

The Internets. You Broke Them.

Having the your Internet connection crash is something that every college student should be used to. It usually happens right when you are about to send in that final draft to your professor before exams. However, one rarely finds out the reason behind the crash, and it is rarely amusing.

I wasn't on the 'net for a while today, and it was a good thing I didn't need to be, because apparently all of North campus here at UNC was sent back to the technological Stone Age. The reason? Because someone might have had the best bad idea I've heard of in a while. Someone I am not acquainted with thought, "Hey, I wonder, what would happen if I took an Ethernet cable and connected one of my dorm room's Ethernet connection points to the other one on the opposite wall?" That type of creativity and curiosity is what it takes to be a Carolina student. That lack of common sense is just what it means to be 20 years old. I've had my fare share of those moments. I welcome a new brother into the fold with this Internet fun. I've inserted below a drawing of what I think the scene looked like upon connection. Obviously, visual art isn't exactly my forte.


Now I'm going to go see the Mountain Goats in Carrboro. Going to be a great night.

Headlines

A few key parts from the lead story in today's Daily Tar Heel.

Car chase fails to nab stabbing suspect

Police are still looking for a man called 'Young Buck'

Then a quote from an innocent bystander:

"I seen the car come around the corner, and I was like, 'Damn, he's going fast!'" said Darrell Walt, who was riding his motorcycle nearby as the chase ended. "Of course, he lost it, and they were right on his butt."

I really got a kick out of this article, even though it is rather serious in subject. By the way, if you know the identity or location of "Young Buck," you should call the Chapel Hill Police Department.

You Can Do It Pimp Lucious!

I took this from the New York Times.


Because seriously, you can't have too many character maps for Trapped In The Closet.

The Everybodyfields & Caleb Caudle in Winston-Salem

I went back to Winston-Salem this weekend for a few reason, one being to get out of Chapel Hill before the masses flocked in for the first football game of the year. Another reason for going back though, was to catch the Everybodyfields at the Garage in Winston-Salem.
The opening act last night was Caleb Caudle and the Bayonets, an alt-country-rockish group that operates out of Winston-Salem. Caleb has been benefiting from lots of good press in the Camel City as of late, and I went to high school and grew up with the guy back in Walnut Cove and Germanton. Caleb's band would be of interest to anyone who grew up going to indie rock shows in the Piedmont the past few years - his bassist and brother, Kyle, is formerly of Good For You, his guitarist, Daniel, was (and maybe still is?) in Monday in London, and the drummer was from Tori's a Shaker. It was a little odd thinking I'd seen all four guys on stage play dirty little house shows in punk bands five years ago. They've all come a long way.

Caleb being too cool for school.

Caleb Caudle has really matured into a strong songwriter in the past couple years, and his voice is on par with any musical act he shares a sound with. The songs sounded strong and entertaining, and I'm sure they'll improve some more once the band gels (this was only their second time playing together). After his set Caudle told me he had quit his job at the Mellow Mushroom down the road and was on salary to play music full time. So, in the smallest sense, he's kinda made it. Good for him. He recorded a record on his own dime in Johnston City, TN and now a financial backer has started a record label just to let Caleb be a full-time musician and to push the record. If you are a wealthy person and like music, take note - these types of things should happen much more often.

After Caleb Caudle and the Bayonets, the Everybodyfields came on. Last night marked the third time since January I've seen this group in action, and I'll see them again come September 28th in Chapel Hill. Because of the past two shows' amazing quality, I've come to expect a lot from Sam, Jill, & Co. Last night just didn't deliver like I was used to. Sam Quinn, the male half of the Everybodyfields, said he was sick, and it showed. (I think he said Strep throat.) As anyone who has every had Strep will know, singing isn't the first order of business. I can't imagine taking the stage for an hour-plus of sweating when your throat feels horrible, your joints ache, and you are running a fever. The Everybodyfields' slower songs like "Birthday," "Be Miner" and "TVA" really suffered. Most of the slower songs sounded rather weary and unfocused, even with a pedal-steel, electric guitar, and keyboards. A drummer really would have helped tighten the set up, especially the songs off the new record, but no dice. The best parts of the set were by far the "Happy-Time" parts, like "By Your Side" and "Workers' Playtime." However, you could tell that Sam was struggling - his voice was strained throughout and he botched a guitar part on "Workers' Playtime" and an entire verse of "Nubbins."

"Nubbins" was by far the most interesting arrangement of the night - I would almost call it a rock and roll version. The best parts of the song were when the band shifted rhythms from a waltz into a more straight-three like they do with the new song, "Everything is Okay."

So sure, the show was a bit mediocre because the headliners were not on their game, but I'll forgive them this time, if just because they've wowed me so much already. I'll give them a free pass, but only if they bring it hard later this month at the Local 506. Oh, and as long as both Sam and Jill are as beautiful as always. It will be good to see them in Chapel Hill again - I can't believe how dead Winston-Salem is on a Saturday night. Shame on you Wake Forest students.

This week looks to be a good one - The Mountain Goats on Thursday night and the National on Friday. Until then, take care.