Let's get this puppy running again!!!
New posts coming soon, I promise.
DH
Friday, July 1, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Friday, May 29, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Let's talk about J. Roddy and The Hold Steady at the Recher in Towson, MD the other night...
I love corporate sponsorship. Free hats, free shirts, fee belt buckles, free itunes songs (shit - forgot I had that and just bought one!), free harmonica, free belt buckle, enough free guitar picks to last me the rest of the year, free raffle for a free guitar and free (very decent) food buffet ... oh yeah, and it was a free show. THANK YOU, JACK DANIELS! (When I first approached the bar and someone told me there was a set menu of Jack drinks, I thought he meant that the DRINKS were free too, and I almost #3'd in my pants... but alas, that was the one thing we had to pay for - oh well, still a jackpot.)
Got there just in time for J. Roddy & the Biz and They. Killed. It. Wish the set was longer, but the energy was fuckin retarded ... I mean that in a good way. I have some vid, but unfortunately the sound didn't come out so great this time either b/c of the sound guy or b/c of my proximity to a certain speaker -- the mix/levels was off (too much on the piano and one of the kit mics). I will post that shit later on as an update to this post anyway.
Now on to The Hold Steady... more like the Hold My Balls. My mama said "if you ain't got nuthin nice to say, then don't say nuthin a t'all" but fuck that. (Actually don't think it was my mama that said it anyway, but someone's did.)
The Hold Steady is apparently from MN or something, but they play out of BK. They look pretty Brooklyn actually... especially the Ron Jeremy-mustached keyboardist. He actually looked excellent. Kind of like Wario from the Mario Bros. games. And I must say the BAND was excellent. Fantastic musicianship, fantastic arrangements, the keys were tasteful and very good and the ax man doth shreddeth. Here lies the problem: I couldn't watch the band after a few songs and hear anything except a voice in my head demanding that I smash the singer's face in. That is a reaction - maybe sans the schizo voice - that many people will have upon seeing this band.
Basically my review is A+ for the band and F- for the douche with the mic, but oddly enough, the band obviously falates the singer and seemingly looks at him as their key to success. I will admit that he gives an interesting style ... the kind of 'more talking than singing' style that allows for good storytelling in a song. It's a tool used by many of the greats on a few songs here and there. The Hold Steady does it every goddamn song. When I first listened to the band, I instantly thought "these guys rock" ... 3 or 4 more songs in I was sick of the schtick and could take no more. I still had high hopes in seeing them live.
This band has a following. The audience knew words. They sang along at key parts and there were certain parts of songs that the audience shouting out the line or a chant made the song. It was beautiful -- always a lovely thing to see at a show. But it didn't make up for the fact that the singer of this band ruins the whole experience. In addition to bringing nothing more in the live show than he did on audio, he spazzes out and talks/sings/giggles off mic, in between actual lines. I don't care that he is kind of preppy or nerdy with coke-bottle glasses -- that's not the turn-off. It's the vocal style and phrasing which get obnoxious fast and his damn demeanor -- picture Pee Wee Herman, but instead of the adorable, red bow tie-clad hero of my youth (and adulthood), it's an unfunny, uncharismatic dork.
We saw the show for free, and I would have paid money anyway to see the opening act, but if these guys come around, do yourself a favor and don't bother. Or look 'em up and listen for yourself. Maybe our tastes differ.
Hugs and assgrabs.
Got there just in time for J. Roddy & the Biz and They. Killed. It. Wish the set was longer, but the energy was fuckin retarded ... I mean that in a good way. I have some vid, but unfortunately the sound didn't come out so great this time either b/c of the sound guy or b/c of my proximity to a certain speaker -- the mix/levels was off (too much on the piano and one of the kit mics). I will post that shit later on as an update to this post anyway.
Now on to The Hold Steady... more like the Hold My Balls. My mama said "if you ain't got nuthin nice to say, then don't say nuthin a t'all" but fuck that. (Actually don't think it was my mama that said it anyway, but someone's did.)
The Hold Steady is apparently from MN or something, but they play out of BK. They look pretty Brooklyn actually... especially the Ron Jeremy-mustached keyboardist. He actually looked excellent. Kind of like Wario from the Mario Bros. games. And I must say the BAND was excellent. Fantastic musicianship, fantastic arrangements, the keys were tasteful and very good and the ax man doth shreddeth. Here lies the problem: I couldn't watch the band after a few songs and hear anything except a voice in my head demanding that I smash the singer's face in. That is a reaction - maybe sans the schizo voice - that many people will have upon seeing this band.
Basically my review is A+ for the band and F- for the douche with the mic, but oddly enough, the band obviously falates the singer and seemingly looks at him as their key to success. I will admit that he gives an interesting style ... the kind of 'more talking than singing' style that allows for good storytelling in a song. It's a tool used by many of the greats on a few songs here and there. The Hold Steady does it every goddamn song. When I first listened to the band, I instantly thought "these guys rock" ... 3 or 4 more songs in I was sick of the schtick and could take no more. I still had high hopes in seeing them live.
This band has a following. The audience knew words. They sang along at key parts and there were certain parts of songs that the audience shouting out the line or a chant made the song. It was beautiful -- always a lovely thing to see at a show. But it didn't make up for the fact that the singer of this band ruins the whole experience. In addition to bringing nothing more in the live show than he did on audio, he spazzes out and talks/sings/giggles off mic, in between actual lines. I don't care that he is kind of preppy or nerdy with coke-bottle glasses -- that's not the turn-off. It's the vocal style and phrasing which get obnoxious fast and his damn demeanor -- picture Pee Wee Herman, but instead of the adorable, red bow tie-clad hero of my youth (and adulthood), it's an unfunny, uncharismatic dork.
We saw the show for free, and I would have paid money anyway to see the opening act, but if these guys come around, do yourself a favor and don't bother. Or look 'em up and listen for yourself. Maybe our tastes differ.
Hugs and assgrabs.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Mr Sugarman & Metric are coming to DC
Two shows I just got wind of:
Rodriguez is coming to DC to play the Rock and Roll Hotel on Wednesday, May 13.
Also, Betz's favorite band The Metric will be on a small tour that brings them to the 9:30 Club on June 18th.
Rodriguez is coming to DC to play the Rock and Roll Hotel on Wednesday, May 13.
Also, Betz's favorite band The Metric will be on a small tour that brings them to the 9:30 Club on June 18th.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
WALE WALE WALE
I'm certainly not the first to post it, but Wale has a new track from his upcoming album. Enjoy the feature track.
Wale feat. Young Chris & Tre - “Nightlife
Wale feat. Young Chris & Tre - “Nightlife
Friday, March 27, 2009
A little more listening pleasure
I love cover songs. I love them even more when they are covering genres that have little to no similarity to the original song. The Arctic Monkeys cover of "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" is a great cover of a great song, originally done by Baby Charles. Both versions are so good, I can hardly decide which one I like more.
"I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" by Baby Charles
"I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" by Artic Monkeys
"I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" by Baby Charles
"I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" by Artic Monkeys
Thursday, March 26, 2009
For a Little Listening Pleasure
As I had promised from the very beginning of this blog, I was gonna post some MP3s for a little listening pleasure. I know i have slacked off from the very beginning, but I'm here to try and right the train. So as to keep the four loyal readers of this blog satisfied, here is my next contribution.
"Sugarman" by Sixto Diaz Rodriguez (more commonly known as simply Rodriguez) is a deliciously eerie song that does well for both it's simplicity as well as it's political statements. Rodriguez is known for singing about the troubles of inner city life, himself a product of such upbringing. This song is a statement about the false friend that drugs can become to a person, offering a temporary answer to life's problems.
Rodriguez himself has a pretty interesting story. Growing up in inner city Detroit, he tried to emerge in the music world in the late 60's, early 70's to little critical success. After fading away by the mid-70's, his music somehow caught on in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Unbeknownst to him, he had become somewhat of a cult icon in those countries, even achieving platinum status for one of his re-released albums. It wasn't until the late 90's that he accidentally discovered (by way of his daughter's discovery of a fan site on the Internet) that he had a following in these countries and began touring again.
"Sugarman" by Sixto Diaz Rodriguez (more commonly known as simply Rodriguez) is a deliciously eerie song that does well for both it's simplicity as well as it's political statements. Rodriguez is known for singing about the troubles of inner city life, himself a product of such upbringing. This song is a statement about the false friend that drugs can become to a person, offering a temporary answer to life's problems.
Rodriguez himself has a pretty interesting story. Growing up in inner city Detroit, he tried to emerge in the music world in the late 60's, early 70's to little critical success. After fading away by the mid-70's, his music somehow caught on in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Unbeknownst to him, he had become somewhat of a cult icon in those countries, even achieving platinum status for one of his re-released albums. It wasn't until the late 90's that he accidentally discovered (by way of his daughter's discovery of a fan site on the Internet) that he had a following in these countries and began touring again.
Jumpers coke, sweet Mary Jane!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Eli Paperboy Reed at Rock and Roll Hotel
First - that Joaquin stunt in Miami has been all over the various twitterscapes and interblogz and it seems that it wasn't even a good act... like people there said he used the crowd to hide the fact that he really wasn't doing anything (just kind of trying to make it look like something was going on)... and on top of that, the person he was supposedly going after was a girl - which unless it was some sick homage to Chris Brown means that the dude might actually be psycho, except I forgot, he's full of shit and it's all a lame act anyway. The schtick is already old. Do. Not. Want. Unfunny. Now. It might have actually been a hilarious spoof documentary that Casey AFLAC is filming, but this whole idea to make it this public ongoing spectacle ruined it. Ruiners.
So back to the point of the post:
Eli Paperboy Reed and the True Loves ROCKED it hard last night. I am gonna see these guys every time they [bling bling] come around my city. Holy shit. Who would have thought the white(st) side of Boston, MA would have been the breeding ground for the next dope REAL R&B singer. Boy got pipes. And the band is the truth too.
Look him up on the myspace or the seeqpod or buy buy buy - BULL MARKET!!! - via your itunes or whatever.
I forgot my handy dandy flip cam, which is really your loss, because the video would have been luscious and plump. So I took a couple o' pics. Wack substitute but meh. Look how they all blur together....trippy, dude.
So back to the point of the post:
Eli Paperboy Reed and the True Loves ROCKED it hard last night. I am gonna see these guys every time they [bling bling] come around my city. Holy shit. Who would have thought the white(st) side of Boston, MA would have been the breeding ground for the next dope REAL R&B singer. Boy got pipes. And the band is the truth too.
Look him up on the myspace or the seeqpod or buy buy buy - BULL MARKET!!! - via your itunes or whatever.
I forgot my handy dandy flip cam, which is really your loss, because the video would have been luscious and plump. So I took a couple o' pics. Wack substitute but meh. Look how they all blur together....trippy, dude.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Joaquin Phoenix REALLY flips his shit!
Really?!?!? Come on buddy, it's time to lose the act and get back to something you're good at, kinda.
Anyway, turns out Joaquin Phoenix went postal on some heckling guy at a performance in Miami early this morning.
Still waiting on the mixtape. And for some talent to surface.
Anyway, turns out Joaquin Phoenix went postal on some heckling guy at a performance in Miami early this morning.
Still waiting on the mixtape. And for some talent to surface.
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