Yes, the show at the Leaning Tower of Pizza on Dec. 17th was definitely a display of all the way rock! Jeremy from the now defunct local post-hardcore Align has a new band dubbed All The Way Rider. That's seriously the perfect name for this band, because it's all about riding a steady stream of rock. Loud guitar, crushing drums and chugging bass, combined with Jeremy's jarring vocals make for one hell of a show! I was mondo-impressed, seeing as how they haven't swum out of any Quicksand or gotten off the land of Fugazi very much. Ok, horrible puns, especially if you are unfamiliar with those 2 bands, but nonetheless, I dig them a lot.
Next was Missouri's Riddle Of Steel. Straight-forward, fast and dynamic rock brought to the table with this band. There was a bright light from beneath the stage that shrouded the band, morphing their outlines into fuzzy, hazy pieces of energy that spasmed, screamed and jolted about the stage. Very impressive.
After my ears were ringing (with earplugs in, mind you) Self-Evident took to wow the crowd with their brand of quirky, jangled jazzy-experimental-rock. I had never heard their new tunes sang live before, and it was quite a treat. Till the 3rd song, when the bass drowned out the singing, leaving the drums vying for the crowd's attention. All in all, though, a good show at a great place for food.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
A Wave of Genius
As in Rogue Wave...
Ha, I'm punny, isn't I? Ok, enough of the crap. To kick off a nice, long and relaxing Thanksgiving weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing more great bands at the Triple Rock on November 23, 2005. It was frigid cold, and Katie and I ran the couple blocks from our parking spot and waited in line. Of course, we had to be standing right between a couple of smokers, which made the waiting not-so-fun. It's ok, though; at least we breathe easy while inside and the idiots have to go outside to light up. Now only if they would do a statewide ban....I don't know what's wrong with this state sometimes. Anyway, that'll be saved for another time...
Kubla Kahn started off the night with their form of poppy, jam-band like rock that would be well suited for a summer block party. They did get the crowd growing, warming our chilled faces and bodies (some people didn't even have coats on...mostly girls who had walked over from the Augusta campus, and older adults that seemed to have visited the bar for a while before they stood in line). I'm used to concertgoers being 16-30yrs old; this show, however, displayed lots of older adults. Many of them were full of liquid courage, evidenced by their shouting at the band and dancing drunkenly, stumbling into fellow concertgoers who just wanted to dance without getting spilled on! Luckily, this didn't happen to us, and we enjoyed Kubla Kahn's humurous stage antics, holding up big signs that instructed us to applaud and cheer! I had never heard of them before, but I wouldn't be surprised if they play a lot of bar gigs.
After Kubla Kahn, I made my way through a very-packed Triple Rock to the Rogue Wave merch table. I purchased their brilliant new album, Descended Like Vultures. The Hopefuls went on, and I was very impressed by their set, playing the familar hits that The Current adores. Some of the songs I had never heard before were very good, delving into more rock than pop territory. The Hopefuls aren't scared of the Olympics Committee, it would seem, as they still don their trademark tracksuits. I admire them for that, and the fact that they simply are awesome to watch live. Their energy inspired a guy dressed in a suit to get onstage and dance and march and do all sorts of crazy things while the band played. They didn't seem too upset about it, or amused either. Who knows; either way, it was a great performance, pumping me up for Rogue Wave.
After a lengthy delay in set-up, Rogue Wave took the stage and played an hour of beautiful, dreamy indie-rock. You feel like you're along the west coast, watching the ocean as you zip around the coastline with mountains sprinkled faintly in the distance. The sun is shining, you're comfortable, you've got plenty of food and water, your friends are having a great convo one minute and then they get silent when they see the oceans and mountains. They then proceed to put in some music that fits the mood...like Rogue Wave.....and they just chill, soaking in the moments like these that never last as long as you want them to.
Like Tristeza, Rogue Wave used christmas lights (white ones, though, not red) to set the mood of their performance. They were laid-back for the most part, and rocked out when it struck them to do so. Zach Rogue and the band are a lot of fun to watch, loving our response to the new tunes as well as the old faves (old being 2004!). The sound was excellent, thought the vocals were muffled by the wall of noise eminating from the two guitars, bass and drums. I didn't mind this one bit though, as my love of post-rock comes from such noise. We left around 1:45, tired but content with a wonderful evening of music.
Ha, I'm punny, isn't I? Ok, enough of the crap. To kick off a nice, long and relaxing Thanksgiving weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing more great bands at the Triple Rock on November 23, 2005. It was frigid cold, and Katie and I ran the couple blocks from our parking spot and waited in line. Of course, we had to be standing right between a couple of smokers, which made the waiting not-so-fun. It's ok, though; at least we breathe easy while inside and the idiots have to go outside to light up. Now only if they would do a statewide ban....I don't know what's wrong with this state sometimes. Anyway, that'll be saved for another time...
Kubla Kahn started off the night with their form of poppy, jam-band like rock that would be well suited for a summer block party. They did get the crowd growing, warming our chilled faces and bodies (some people didn't even have coats on...mostly girls who had walked over from the Augusta campus, and older adults that seemed to have visited the bar for a while before they stood in line). I'm used to concertgoers being 16-30yrs old; this show, however, displayed lots of older adults. Many of them were full of liquid courage, evidenced by their shouting at the band and dancing drunkenly, stumbling into fellow concertgoers who just wanted to dance without getting spilled on! Luckily, this didn't happen to us, and we enjoyed Kubla Kahn's humurous stage antics, holding up big signs that instructed us to applaud and cheer! I had never heard of them before, but I wouldn't be surprised if they play a lot of bar gigs.
After Kubla Kahn, I made my way through a very-packed Triple Rock to the Rogue Wave merch table. I purchased their brilliant new album, Descended Like Vultures. The Hopefuls went on, and I was very impressed by their set, playing the familar hits that The Current adores. Some of the songs I had never heard before were very good, delving into more rock than pop territory. The Hopefuls aren't scared of the Olympics Committee, it would seem, as they still don their trademark tracksuits. I admire them for that, and the fact that they simply are awesome to watch live. Their energy inspired a guy dressed in a suit to get onstage and dance and march and do all sorts of crazy things while the band played. They didn't seem too upset about it, or amused either. Who knows; either way, it was a great performance, pumping me up for Rogue Wave.
After a lengthy delay in set-up, Rogue Wave took the stage and played an hour of beautiful, dreamy indie-rock. You feel like you're along the west coast, watching the ocean as you zip around the coastline with mountains sprinkled faintly in the distance. The sun is shining, you're comfortable, you've got plenty of food and water, your friends are having a great convo one minute and then they get silent when they see the oceans and mountains. They then proceed to put in some music that fits the mood...like Rogue Wave.....and they just chill, soaking in the moments like these that never last as long as you want them to.
Like Tristeza, Rogue Wave used christmas lights (white ones, though, not red) to set the mood of their performance. They were laid-back for the most part, and rocked out when it struck them to do so. Zach Rogue and the band are a lot of fun to watch, loving our response to the new tunes as well as the old faves (old being 2004!). The sound was excellent, thought the vocals were muffled by the wall of noise eminating from the two guitars, bass and drums. I didn't mind this one bit though, as my love of post-rock comes from such noise. We left around 1:45, tired but content with a wonderful evening of music.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Caution: Listening To This May Cause Euphoria
In a word, Tristeza. Another one that describes their music and performance, stunning. This San Diego-based instrumental band graced my ears at the Triple Rock on November 10th. I heard of them through friends, and they, like many other post-rock bands, floored me when I first gave their music a listen. James LaValle used to be with them, but now is in another little-known (kidding, of course) post-rock band on Sub Pop, The Album Leaf. James occassionally plays for Tristeza on some dates, so it's good to know that they're all still hanging out at times.
Though Christmas was 6 weeks away when I saw them, Tristeza felt the need to dim the stage lights and go with white Christmas lights strung around their guitar and bass lamps. A soft red spotlight covered the drummer as he executed the manic playing of old and new tunes. The new stuff is a definite expansion of post-rock, diving head-first into the psychedelic realm with a modern edge. With the pretty harmonic guitar-work, sporadic and repetitive keyboard and lavish cymbal still present, I would say it is their best work yet. Live, their songs ranged from a subdued, gentle shock to a full-bodied jolt of roaring post-rock. The drums rolled, splashed and rhythmed their way alongside steady bass riffing and spacey, jangly guitar. It was perfect!
Before Tristeza, I saw Bo.Monro at the Manhattan Loft. I met this experimental-acoustic guitarist at the 400 Bar when Swords and Talkdemonic played. He told me his love of Explosions In The Sky, and we just started talking about awesome and inspiring post-rock. We shared the love of many great bands, and there was no way I would miss seeing his 1st show here. He sat in the middle of the Loft with a plugged-in acoustic and small effects-pedal. The show was good, and I purchased his EP. The EP even inspired me to dust off my old bongo drums I once played years ago. I played along to the guitar, making up progressions and beats that coincided with the guitar (or so I thought) ; after 2 songs, I concluded that I needed more practice. Nonetheless, it was fun to get the bongos out again and play along. It almost makes me wanna do spoken-word again. Who's with me?
Though Christmas was 6 weeks away when I saw them, Tristeza felt the need to dim the stage lights and go with white Christmas lights strung around their guitar and bass lamps. A soft red spotlight covered the drummer as he executed the manic playing of old and new tunes. The new stuff is a definite expansion of post-rock, diving head-first into the psychedelic realm with a modern edge. With the pretty harmonic guitar-work, sporadic and repetitive keyboard and lavish cymbal still present, I would say it is their best work yet. Live, their songs ranged from a subdued, gentle shock to a full-bodied jolt of roaring post-rock. The drums rolled, splashed and rhythmed their way alongside steady bass riffing and spacey, jangly guitar. It was perfect!
Before Tristeza, I saw Bo.Monro at the Manhattan Loft. I met this experimental-acoustic guitarist at the 400 Bar when Swords and Talkdemonic played. He told me his love of Explosions In The Sky, and we just started talking about awesome and inspiring post-rock. We shared the love of many great bands, and there was no way I would miss seeing his 1st show here. He sat in the middle of the Loft with a plugged-in acoustic and small effects-pedal. The show was good, and I purchased his EP. The EP even inspired me to dust off my old bongo drums I once played years ago. I played along to the guitar, making up progressions and beats that coincided with the guitar (or so I thought) ; after 2 songs, I concluded that I needed more practice. Nonetheless, it was fun to get the bongos out again and play along. It almost makes me wanna do spoken-word again. Who's with me?
Funny Band Name, Quasi-Funny Band
I am of course referring to my friend/old roommate Mike's band, Smascius Clay (also known sometimes as Smascius Clay and The Awesomists). They used to call themselves Cleaver Groveland, but for some reason, that name just didn't work out. Now you'd think that with a name like Smascius Clay, the band may be funny on-stage. I saw them October 26th, and I can tell you they were funny, with before, during and after-song banter between the members. The line-up: Scott drums and takes photos and does other things for Radio K, Gord plays guitar and screams like no other, Noel plays guitar and sings emotionally, and Mike rocks out and plays bass. Now that you have the background, I can say that the humor was part joking and part sociocommentary; that is a wonderfrul combination, for you entertain and educate.
Onto the music, the band's love of emo, screamo (especially Alexisonfire) and post-hardcore makes for an interesting mix of songs and sounds. Gord loves to scream hardcore lyrics and Noel loves to croon at times, and at other times, pour his heart out through intense lyrics concerning relationships and heartbreak, a coup d' tate (sorry Lee, if I butchered the spelling of said French phrase) among emo music. They played enough songs to get a good feel of their sound and presence, ending with a slow, mid-tempo quasi-ballad. The sound was what I figured knowing the interests and influences the band has/had. I'd see them again, and overall, not bad for their 1st gig. And at The Triple Rock too! Nice way to start out things.
Onto the music, the band's love of emo, screamo (especially Alexisonfire) and post-hardcore makes for an interesting mix of songs and sounds. Gord loves to scream hardcore lyrics and Noel loves to croon at times, and at other times, pour his heart out through intense lyrics concerning relationships and heartbreak, a coup d' tate (sorry Lee, if I butchered the spelling of said French phrase) among emo music. They played enough songs to get a good feel of their sound and presence, ending with a slow, mid-tempo quasi-ballad. The sound was what I figured knowing the interests and influences the band has/had. I'd see them again, and overall, not bad for their 1st gig. And at The Triple Rock too! Nice way to start out things.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
And Yet, More Rambles Emerge.....
With the changing today of rain to sleet to finally snow, I thought a poem I have just composed
would be good to go. So off we fly, into this odd guy's wacky sort of mind:
the rain finally turns to snow
as the light drains to night's shadow;
long, it has become,
once the days of summer have gone.
and with it,
the fall of autumn.
walking the streets
slipped with rain freezing to sleet,
vehicles hit brakes, turn with caution
but some will still run to the bus
not caring of the splashing going on
in the depths where curb meets a depressed concrete.
i couldn't have changed more throughout the day,
out the door and striding along as if the sun
had just begun to peak its head out
and beginning to pour forth, heat now
but instead, the sky's been dark all day
and moods i've watched have been stuck in-between
a wet foot and a frozen face:
uncomfortable and stressed from
letting what little smile that was left
melt with the rain.
not mine, though.
I jumped with excitement as I moved
towards my destination,
thinking
the grave is a far-off from today,
so I'll rejoice and play
with the change instead
of letting this maze lie complacent
in my head.
I've my health, love and friends to thank,
as well as music providing a so-often escape
from the details that creep up like a snake,
smooth and rapid-fire like,
turning my mood to that of the turning cold weather rain,
the sleet turning more foul to snow once
the temp hits far enough below.
and in this space,
as well as the distance I've covered,
I'll go all over the place
with a mind that skips and stutters,
like there's a wind flapping wildy
against the shutters
and I'm there to close them,
but hesistant to do so.
There you have it:
Completely non-edited, on the spot, random and jumpy. Just how I like 'em.
would be good to go. So off we fly, into this odd guy's wacky sort of mind:
the rain finally turns to snow
as the light drains to night's shadow;
long, it has become,
once the days of summer have gone.
and with it,
the fall of autumn.
walking the streets
slipped with rain freezing to sleet,
vehicles hit brakes, turn with caution
but some will still run to the bus
not caring of the splashing going on
in the depths where curb meets a depressed concrete.
i couldn't have changed more throughout the day,
out the door and striding along as if the sun
had just begun to peak its head out
and beginning to pour forth, heat now
but instead, the sky's been dark all day
and moods i've watched have been stuck in-between
a wet foot and a frozen face:
uncomfortable and stressed from
letting what little smile that was left
melt with the rain.
not mine, though.
I jumped with excitement as I moved
towards my destination,
thinking
the grave is a far-off from today,
so I'll rejoice and play
with the change instead
of letting this maze lie complacent
in my head.
I've my health, love and friends to thank,
as well as music providing a so-often escape
from the details that creep up like a snake,
smooth and rapid-fire like,
turning my mood to that of the turning cold weather rain,
the sleet turning more foul to snow once
the temp hits far enough below.
and in this space,
as well as the distance I've covered,
I'll go all over the place
with a mind that skips and stutters,
like there's a wind flapping wildy
against the shutters
and I'm there to close them,
but hesistant to do so.
There you have it:
Completely non-edited, on the spot, random and jumpy. Just how I like 'em.
Sunday, November 13, 2005
The Youth in All of Us
10/11/05. First Ave. Youth Group opens, the sweet and silky smooth group of young men from Australia. They adore Death Cab for Cutie (DCFC) , Built To Spill, and even Bob Dylan. Who doesn't? The singer looked a bit like Napoleon Dynamite, the oh-so-cute (says Katie) drummer played blazingly well and loud, and the bassist looked very warm in a leather hoodie. They broke-in the crowd to their incredible live show, with equal parts being intense and calm. They kept their composure for the slow ones, then rocked out awkwardly and random to their unique brand of music. It was perfect, and a great start to the night.
Then the adorable and suddenly huge DCFC took stage. I've been a fan for over 2 years, jumping late on the indie bandwagon after hearing The Photo Album. However, I've now seen DCFC 3 times, each time in the fall at First Ave. I must say this was not the best show of theirs that I've seen. Maybe it was because the crowd responded slowly to some of their newer, glossier pop songs than the old faves. Maybe it was also because it was a 21 plus show; less people were dancing and singing passionately along to the songs compared to the all ages shows.
Either way, it was still an amazing performance, and they played a solid mix of the old goodies and new goodies. They extended most of their songs, and Ben and Chris switched from guitar to keyboard with every other song. Also, Chris wore a First Ave. sweatshirt; you definitely can't say anything bad about that! Plans is still a wonderful album. It sounds like it's on a major label with the slick production and more basic song-structures. Then again, they signed with Atlantic and still expressed their artistic freedoms, like keeping Chris as the producer. The sound is still distinctly DCFC, and very enjoyable.
Two encores made the audience happy. Especially when Ben came out with just his acoustic guitar and played the oh-so-catchy-and-quite-sad song, 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark.' It's smooth, and the lyrics match his way of singing perfectly. That's how the band works, and you couldn't ask for it (you could, but you wouldn't want to) any better.
Then the adorable and suddenly huge DCFC took stage. I've been a fan for over 2 years, jumping late on the indie bandwagon after hearing The Photo Album. However, I've now seen DCFC 3 times, each time in the fall at First Ave. I must say this was not the best show of theirs that I've seen. Maybe it was because the crowd responded slowly to some of their newer, glossier pop songs than the old faves. Maybe it was also because it was a 21 plus show; less people were dancing and singing passionately along to the songs compared to the all ages shows.
Either way, it was still an amazing performance, and they played a solid mix of the old goodies and new goodies. They extended most of their songs, and Ben and Chris switched from guitar to keyboard with every other song. Also, Chris wore a First Ave. sweatshirt; you definitely can't say anything bad about that! Plans is still a wonderful album. It sounds like it's on a major label with the slick production and more basic song-structures. Then again, they signed with Atlantic and still expressed their artistic freedoms, like keeping Chris as the producer. The sound is still distinctly DCFC, and very enjoyable.
Two encores made the audience happy. Especially when Ben came out with just his acoustic guitar and played the oh-so-catchy-and-quite-sad song, 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark.' It's smooth, and the lyrics match his way of singing perfectly. That's how the band works, and you couldn't ask for it (you could, but you wouldn't want to) any better.
Cirque de Soleil: Aerotheatrics in motion
My, my. How I love trampolines, and world-class acrobats performing crazy feats that defy and detest all we know of gravity and laws of physics. They use the hell out of them to their advantage. Forget class: go see this and you'll learn more about the mechanics of motion in 2 hours than you would in 2 weeks of physics class. Ok, enough of that for now...
The show that I saw, Corteo, contained awesomely powerful live music in French, Spanish, Italian and even some post-rock thrown in, much for my happiness. We had premo seats: stage center, with the performance right at eye level. No neck craning or side-turning needed. For 2 hours plus, I sat awestruck with my mouth agape, eyes widened and ridiculously overdone laughter pouring out whenever something amazing happened, which was pretty much every 5 seconds.
The performers jumped on trampolines posed as 2 full-size beds, complete with bedposts, headboards and footboards. Costumed angels danced about the air, people spun inside very-large-silver-ring things, using momentum and spin to overcome the tenets of gravity and inertia. Acrobats exchanged positions on platforms, flipping and swooshing about the air, with their partners timing the grip just perfectly. No one fell, no one was hurt or injured. If I did any of that (even running across a slippery stage in thin shoes), I would surely get injured and if it was funny (which it would most likely be because why the hell would I do anything like that?), all my friends would have a hearty laugh. There would be stories told at parties, with people breaking into vicious bouts of full-body laughter. And after, they would come to me, smile, laugh and shake my hand, for I had entertained and educated them. My, such a thing would be so grand!!
I digress...yet again....
My friends were right, though; the show did give me some bad ideas regarding myself, a trampoline and a trapeze. Luckily, my roommates never let me have a trampoline. Maybe that was for the best.
The show that I saw, Corteo, contained awesomely powerful live music in French, Spanish, Italian and even some post-rock thrown in, much for my happiness. We had premo seats: stage center, with the performance right at eye level. No neck craning or side-turning needed. For 2 hours plus, I sat awestruck with my mouth agape, eyes widened and ridiculously overdone laughter pouring out whenever something amazing happened, which was pretty much every 5 seconds.
The performers jumped on trampolines posed as 2 full-size beds, complete with bedposts, headboards and footboards. Costumed angels danced about the air, people spun inside very-large-silver-ring things, using momentum and spin to overcome the tenets of gravity and inertia. Acrobats exchanged positions on platforms, flipping and swooshing about the air, with their partners timing the grip just perfectly. No one fell, no one was hurt or injured. If I did any of that (even running across a slippery stage in thin shoes), I would surely get injured and if it was funny (which it would most likely be because why the hell would I do anything like that?), all my friends would have a hearty laugh. There would be stories told at parties, with people breaking into vicious bouts of full-body laughter. And after, they would come to me, smile, laugh and shake my hand, for I had entertained and educated them. My, such a thing would be so grand!!
I digress...yet again....
My friends were right, though; the show did give me some bad ideas regarding myself, a trampoline and a trapeze. Luckily, my roommates never let me have a trampoline. Maybe that was for the best.
And Now For Something Completely Different...
I've been to many different shows, and have bands from all over the world. In 12 years, I've went from country to alt-rock to metal to rap-metal to post-harcore to space-rock to emocore to post-rock to indie-rock to indie-dancerock. I have bands that span the world, for the most part. Suffice to say, it takes a lot to hear a band and be really, really excited about a refreshing sound. All the bands I saw thursday (yet another thursday with 2 shows in one night) 9/29/05 at First Ave. and the Entry, respectively, expelled the precise amount of energy and intensity to wow the crowd.
I missed most of The Belle Orchestre but no worries; this opener's brand of post-rock was very classical and folk-like, with violins wailing away any preconceived notion one may have had of this being standard and derivative. I purchased their CD for $15, which is spendy for the concerts I usually attend! The album was well worth it, as it's brought pleasant associations of night and relaxation to myself and others worldwide (possibly!).
I headed to the front for Wolf Parade. These gentlemen sure love Modest Mouse, as their latest album was produced in part by Isaac Brock. I found their set to be unique and wildly entertaining overall. Their live performance is quite a spectacle, with band members running around onstage and knocking over various percussive instruments. That's what we call being in the moment. We cheered and hollered and danced like maniacs to their wonderful world of indie dance-rock.
For the headliners, a band that absolutely wowed and pleased almost every music critic out there, Arcade Fire. Another Montreal band, another band from Canada who just gets it right! The 9 members had a helluva time onstage, playing a mix of older tunes and a bunch from their epic Funeral album. Their voices blended lovely throughout each song, and they took turns playing different instruments. At one point, the Wolf Parade drummer climbed up the amps and proceeded to drum on the railings of the balcony, which was highly amusing and entertaining.
On a side note, I just don't get it. You're a damn fool to me if you're up there on the balcony with the other 21+ ers drinking instead of being on the floor dancing your cares away, especially to a lively band such as Arcade Fire! I'm 24, and I have a hard time not dancing at most shows I go to. In all fairness, though, to each their own.
For their encore, Arcade Fire played my favorite song, Wake Up (no, not the Mad Season or Rage Against The Machine song; their own.) Their voices rose high with their instuments, and I exploded with delight and glee, grinnning idiotically while pumping my hands and dancing like there was no tomorrow.
With such an emotionally draining and life-pumping show, I didn't think twice about using that adrenaline for the bands in the Entry. What a drastic change I saw! In a span of 15 min, we went from louder-than-life artistry to quasi-karoakee with samples! The artist was New Buffalo, an upcoming singer/songwriter from Melbourne. Her music was decent, and her voice like that of Mirah a bit. It was a nice change of tempo. The people on the floor actually were sitting for her set, which I hadn't seen at the Entry for quite a while.
Next came Dr. Dogg. We went back to 1970's fuzzy psychedelic rock when these fellows took to the stage. The guitarist stage left looked like Tom Petty, and swaggered and hopped around onstage while keeping sweet guitar licks and progressions in line. Quite the feat, really. There were a fun band to watch, and nod your head to, and just chill. There were some die-hards in the crowd yelling drunkenly to every word sung and screamed.
They were the perfect set-up to the delightfully goofy and wildly talented Architecture In Helsinki! I first saw this band last summer at the Turf Club. Their set there was very album-focused, having fun and trying to stick to a tight set. This time around, however, they let it all hang loose. They yelled the words at times, improv'd a bunch, and had a raucus set. Other band and crowd members rushed the stage, and soon people were playing anything they could find. One guy put a steel drum on his head and played that, causing boisterious laughter and amusement to erupt all around. This band is so original and so unique and so fun to watch, it's no surprise they have an awesome following. People who look for something that doesn't follow the standard formula, and explore many different sounds and structures. They made everyone's night, concluding a perfect night of music with a completely on-the-spot Prince song! How could you not love them after that??
I missed most of The Belle Orchestre but no worries; this opener's brand of post-rock was very classical and folk-like, with violins wailing away any preconceived notion one may have had of this being standard and derivative. I purchased their CD for $15, which is spendy for the concerts I usually attend! The album was well worth it, as it's brought pleasant associations of night and relaxation to myself and others worldwide (possibly!).
I headed to the front for Wolf Parade. These gentlemen sure love Modest Mouse, as their latest album was produced in part by Isaac Brock. I found their set to be unique and wildly entertaining overall. Their live performance is quite a spectacle, with band members running around onstage and knocking over various percussive instruments. That's what we call being in the moment. We cheered and hollered and danced like maniacs to their wonderful world of indie dance-rock.
For the headliners, a band that absolutely wowed and pleased almost every music critic out there, Arcade Fire. Another Montreal band, another band from Canada who just gets it right! The 9 members had a helluva time onstage, playing a mix of older tunes and a bunch from their epic Funeral album. Their voices blended lovely throughout each song, and they took turns playing different instruments. At one point, the Wolf Parade drummer climbed up the amps and proceeded to drum on the railings of the balcony, which was highly amusing and entertaining.
On a side note, I just don't get it. You're a damn fool to me if you're up there on the balcony with the other 21+ ers drinking instead of being on the floor dancing your cares away, especially to a lively band such as Arcade Fire! I'm 24, and I have a hard time not dancing at most shows I go to. In all fairness, though, to each their own.
For their encore, Arcade Fire played my favorite song, Wake Up (no, not the Mad Season or Rage Against The Machine song; their own.) Their voices rose high with their instuments, and I exploded with delight and glee, grinnning idiotically while pumping my hands and dancing like there was no tomorrow.
With such an emotionally draining and life-pumping show, I didn't think twice about using that adrenaline for the bands in the Entry. What a drastic change I saw! In a span of 15 min, we went from louder-than-life artistry to quasi-karoakee with samples! The artist was New Buffalo, an upcoming singer/songwriter from Melbourne. Her music was decent, and her voice like that of Mirah a bit. It was a nice change of tempo. The people on the floor actually were sitting for her set, which I hadn't seen at the Entry for quite a while.
Next came Dr. Dogg. We went back to 1970's fuzzy psychedelic rock when these fellows took to the stage. The guitarist stage left looked like Tom Petty, and swaggered and hopped around onstage while keeping sweet guitar licks and progressions in line. Quite the feat, really. There were a fun band to watch, and nod your head to, and just chill. There were some die-hards in the crowd yelling drunkenly to every word sung and screamed.
They were the perfect set-up to the delightfully goofy and wildly talented Architecture In Helsinki! I first saw this band last summer at the Turf Club. Their set there was very album-focused, having fun and trying to stick to a tight set. This time around, however, they let it all hang loose. They yelled the words at times, improv'd a bunch, and had a raucus set. Other band and crowd members rushed the stage, and soon people were playing anything they could find. One guy put a steel drum on his head and played that, causing boisterious laughter and amusement to erupt all around. This band is so original and so unique and so fun to watch, it's no surprise they have an awesome following. People who look for something that doesn't follow the standard formula, and explore many different sounds and structures. They made everyone's night, concluding a perfect night of music with a completely on-the-spot Prince song! How could you not love them after that??
Monday, November 07, 2005
This Hope is Not Cold
Since I found out about "post-rock" from friends a couple years ago, I've been completed hooked. Out of all the amazing bands in that genre, I had not yet seen Sigur Ros. That is, until September 24th. I'm truly lucky; seing a band from Japan one week, Mono, and then a week later, Sigur Ros from Iceland. They played at the State Theatre, which has crystal-clear acoustics. The fact that it's a theatre may have something to do with it. The string-section of Sigur Ros, Amina, opened the performance. Katie and I arrived a little late, and saw only half their set. What we did see, though, was beautiful. The four women played xylophones, keyboard, harpsicord, wine glasses, bells and even a laptop. Their sound reminded me a bit of Mum without vocals. Seeing as how they're all from Iceland, it's not surprising. We rushed through the crowd and purchased their EP, which has some songs we missed. I even ran into an old friend from middle school there.
We returned to our seats, anxiously awaiting for Sigur Ros. The curtain shrouded the band in white, and a slow drumbeat filled the theatre. After the first song, the curtain rose, and with it, the crowd's energy. Sigur Ros performed a flawless set, playing a few tunes off their gorgeous new album, Takk and a bunch off their previous releases. Of course, all of their music is gorgeous and breathtaking. Hearing it live caused the sound to rise to even more epic of proportions, in my eyes. They definitely rock out harder in concert than they do on disc. At one point, I thought the drummer was going to break the cymbals. He didn't, and the band played on. Jonsi's voice was spot-on, hitting those high notes exactly like on the albums.
We were captivated, teary-eyed and awestruck when the beauty ended. Birds flew arounded on the projection screen that served as the backdrop. My eyes split time between the screen and the band playing just flawlessly. I have a hard time believing they are human, and not just wonderful figments of a dream where the English language is silly and not needed, and there is noise erupting everywhere you turn. But, it's a calming noise, sweeping your emotions to the grandest of heights.
If they had played longer, I think I may have transcended all time and space, for they sound like pure energy. But they didn't. I stayed myself and they ended perfectly, calming the crowd with a slow shimmer after performing the last song off of their untitled album. Jonsi tore apart his bow. They came on for not one, but two, final bows. We cheered, applauded and stood there in the moment, relaxed and fulfilled. I was numb and silent on the way back home. Now that takes a lot, ask anybody who knows me.
We returned to our seats, anxiously awaiting for Sigur Ros. The curtain shrouded the band in white, and a slow drumbeat filled the theatre. After the first song, the curtain rose, and with it, the crowd's energy. Sigur Ros performed a flawless set, playing a few tunes off their gorgeous new album, Takk and a bunch off their previous releases. Of course, all of their music is gorgeous and breathtaking. Hearing it live caused the sound to rise to even more epic of proportions, in my eyes. They definitely rock out harder in concert than they do on disc. At one point, I thought the drummer was going to break the cymbals. He didn't, and the band played on. Jonsi's voice was spot-on, hitting those high notes exactly like on the albums.
We were captivated, teary-eyed and awestruck when the beauty ended. Birds flew arounded on the projection screen that served as the backdrop. My eyes split time between the screen and the band playing just flawlessly. I have a hard time believing they are human, and not just wonderful figments of a dream where the English language is silly and not needed, and there is noise erupting everywhere you turn. But, it's a calming noise, sweeping your emotions to the grandest of heights.
If they had played longer, I think I may have transcended all time and space, for they sound like pure energy. But they didn't. I stayed myself and they ended perfectly, calming the crowd with a slow shimmer after performing the last song off of their untitled album. Jonsi tore apart his bow. They came on for not one, but two, final bows. We cheered, applauded and stood there in the moment, relaxed and fulfilled. I was numb and silent on the way back home. Now that takes a lot, ask anybody who knows me.
Concluding on A Perfectly Pitched High Note
I became a local music fan over 4 years ago, back in 2001 when there were dank, dark and squalid venues like the Foxfire, Bon Appetit, and the Library Bar and Grill. All of these venues featured wonderful shows for all ages and are now sadly, gone. One of the first local bands I saw was Down and Above (DNA), whom after 4 years and countless shows later, I still love. They played with Casanatra and Seconds Before at the Triple Rock on September 18th. Most of the time, these bands are heard on the local shows of mainstream rock radio, and not usually college or indie radio. However, Seconds Before and Down and Above have wonderfully original sounds that could be played on more than just corporate radio stations.
Seconds Before's set (doesn't look right (the grammar, that is), does it?) was a big bowl of fun, with their drummer Stan playing his last show just like....it was his last show...
Their new stuff is faster and more upbeat, less poppy and more...rocky? On the last song, members of the other bands came on stage, holding whatever percussive instruments they could find. All hovered around Stan, and the stage exploded with as much sound as possible. Casanatra was next, and they were very good musicians, but the singer's voice did not sound clear at all.
Then DNA came on. Their love of high notes, King's X, killer breakdowns, 3-part harmonies and passionately positive stage performance really got the crowd going. They played a great mix of songs from their last 2 albums, and even played a couple new ones. Their cover of Willie Nelson's 'Highway Man' was amazing, mixing bluesy and bluegrass-like guitar with a bit of jazzy drumming, and then proceeding for a flat-out rock breakdown. Yeah, playing covers can be cheesy;when you can pull them off as spine-tinglingly extravagent as DNA does, there's no reason to second-guess your liking them. All of their voices blended so well together, and they seemed more refreshed than the last time I saw them play, when they opened for Dredg. They're also one of the first bands I've seen that smile a ton while they're playing, and not take themselves so seriously. So, this show was the perfect way to end an amazing week of seeing bands from the Northwest, Midwest, East Coast, and Japan. All in the same venue no less. How I love the Twin Cities.
Seconds Before's set (doesn't look right (the grammar, that is), does it?) was a big bowl of fun, with their drummer Stan playing his last show just like....it was his last show...
Their new stuff is faster and more upbeat, less poppy and more...rocky? On the last song, members of the other bands came on stage, holding whatever percussive instruments they could find. All hovered around Stan, and the stage exploded with as much sound as possible. Casanatra was next, and they were very good musicians, but the singer's voice did not sound clear at all.
Then DNA came on. Their love of high notes, King's X, killer breakdowns, 3-part harmonies and passionately positive stage performance really got the crowd going. They played a great mix of songs from their last 2 albums, and even played a couple new ones. Their cover of Willie Nelson's 'Highway Man' was amazing, mixing bluesy and bluegrass-like guitar with a bit of jazzy drumming, and then proceeding for a flat-out rock breakdown. Yeah, playing covers can be cheesy;when you can pull them off as spine-tinglingly extravagent as DNA does, there's no reason to second-guess your liking them. All of their voices blended so well together, and they seemed more refreshed than the last time I saw them play, when they opened for Dredg. They're also one of the first bands I've seen that smile a ton while they're playing, and not take themselves so seriously. So, this show was the perfect way to end an amazing week of seeing bands from the Northwest, Midwest, East Coast, and Japan. All in the same venue no less. How I love the Twin Cities.
11; None More Higher!
Actually, not true with Mono. They are without a doubt the loudest band I've ever heard. Period.
This rings true (as my ears, even with earplugs in, can attest to) for the two bands I saw at The Triple Rock, on September 17, 2005. What a great way to celebrate a full moon, my grandma's birthday and Citizenship Day. No, my grandma didn't go, but if she did, she would have loved it....ok, probably not...
Anyway, current Temporary Residence Limited labelmate, Bellimi, began the evening. I can only say that they were quite loud. I couldn't understand the singer, as she mumbled into the mic more times than not. The drumming was varied, but the guitarist and bassist kept playing the same chord progression; this made for a decent but not-so amazing performance.
Mono came on next. I saw them at the 400 Bar this past spring/summer, and I was stunned beyond belief. I knew I was in for a treat, and they disappointed nothing at that show. This show, too, reflected their beautiful performance of crushing post-rock. The bassist stood center stage, a guitarist to her left and right, and the drummer behind. She swayed in one place, while the guitarists took turns between standing and sitting on a chair. Among the great things of this band: they have no instrument changes. No extra guitars or basses. The band ends each song with their heads collectively down, taking in the sounds like we did.
They are humbling to watch. No spectacular stage moves, except for a bit of head shaking and foot tapping. But hey, that's what I was doing during their songs (when I wasn't laughing and smiling wildly and widely, relatively). The guitar was louder than the drums, which I absolutely love. Their set was perfect and their music, patient Mono does not force the music; rather, it smoothly builds up, and erupts into a gigantic wall of noise that overwhelms the senses. I glanced at my friend and he gave me the look of 'yeah, I know, say no more.' The band didn't say anything either, letting their sounds display to the crowd, the addiction that is their music in full-effect. Definitely not in mono. More like loud, very loud, stereo. Ha. Like a black hole explosion, even though technically you cannot hear sound in space. But if you could, that's how you could describe the bombastic sound of Mono.
This rings true (as my ears, even with earplugs in, can attest to) for the two bands I saw at The Triple Rock, on September 17, 2005. What a great way to celebrate a full moon, my grandma's birthday and Citizenship Day. No, my grandma didn't go, but if she did, she would have loved it....ok, probably not...
Anyway, current Temporary Residence Limited labelmate, Bellimi, began the evening. I can only say that they were quite loud. I couldn't understand the singer, as she mumbled into the mic more times than not. The drumming was varied, but the guitarist and bassist kept playing the same chord progression; this made for a decent but not-so amazing performance.
Mono came on next. I saw them at the 400 Bar this past spring/summer, and I was stunned beyond belief. I knew I was in for a treat, and they disappointed nothing at that show. This show, too, reflected their beautiful performance of crushing post-rock. The bassist stood center stage, a guitarist to her left and right, and the drummer behind. She swayed in one place, while the guitarists took turns between standing and sitting on a chair. Among the great things of this band: they have no instrument changes. No extra guitars or basses. The band ends each song with their heads collectively down, taking in the sounds like we did.
They are humbling to watch. No spectacular stage moves, except for a bit of head shaking and foot tapping. But hey, that's what I was doing during their songs (when I wasn't laughing and smiling wildly and widely, relatively). The guitar was louder than the drums, which I absolutely love. Their set was perfect and their music, patient Mono does not force the music; rather, it smoothly builds up, and erupts into a gigantic wall of noise that overwhelms the senses. I glanced at my friend and he gave me the look of 'yeah, I know, say no more.' The band didn't say anything either, letting their sounds display to the crowd, the addiction that is their music in full-effect. Definitely not in mono. More like loud, very loud, stereo. Ha. Like a black hole explosion, even though technically you cannot hear sound in space. But if you could, that's how you could describe the bombastic sound of Mono.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
7, 7 Awesome Bands...
Finally, back to reviewing shows! I'll start with a big one that happened all in the night of 9/16/2005....
This isn't gonna be a super-long review, as I've seen a total of 14 bands in the past week. Here's half of them, all in one venue but split into two phenomenal and ultimately tiring shows!
Phenomenal and Spasmic:
I arrived around 6 pm for the first band at the Triple Rock, The City On Film. To my surprise, the band actually started on time and I missed all but one of their songs. It was pretty good, basically indie-rock with low energy. Then came on the band with the very fun to say name, as it involves much inflection in their title: Thunderbirds Are Now! A very fun, indie-dance/electropop band from Detroit, this group had lots of stage theatrics. The keyboardist spasmed around stage, dancing wildly while hitting the tamborine with the impact of a jackhammer on concrete. So, a great set in all.
After was These Arms Are Snakes, which should have an exclamation point, I think, after their name. They're stage presence is hyper and intense mostly, with the frail singer screaming his head off one song, then the next dancing to a fast kick-drum beat, making the crowd clap their hands along to the infectious rhythm their sound becomes. They were very enjoyable to watch, especially when the singer stood atop a basic 4-legged folding table and then proceeded to throw the table and a blue plastic crate into the crowd after the song ended. What a nice way to end the set!
I found my friends in the crowd, and we waited patiently to see Minus The Bear. I saw this band at the Entry when Houston had their CD release party. Oh, what a sweet show that was indeed. This show was equivalent to that one; though I wasn't right in front this time around. Still, the sound was amazing, with Matt Bayle's voice ringing smooth all along the set. The guitar trade-offing between he and the other guitarist made for one fine show. This band loves to utilize guitar frets, and write entire progressions without the usual finger-picking or guitar-strumming. Their set was a decent mix of old and new tunes that satisfied the crowd immensely. I bought their newest CD, and I must say, it has a very clear sound. Very Minus The Bear, and quite gorgeous instrumentation overall. If you're a fan, pick it up. If not, become one!
Your Friends Are Always Right...
Ok, so Lee told me that the Haves Have It definitely do have it. I always wanted to check out their shows, and finally could when they played the later show with Lazer Forever and one of my local faves, Clair De Lune. I was floored by Lazer Forever and the Haves Have It. The drumming was all over the place, with as many changes in songs I haven't seen since I saw Architecture In Helsinki at the Turf Club this summer. It was the largest crowd for which The Haves Have It played, and they did it right from the start of their set. Very friendly and energetic at times, then step back a bit and let the instruments show off the wonderfully fresh and original sound they've composed.
Lazer Forever were unbelievable to watch as well, with each musician having a very fluid sense of comfort in every instrument they played. You can rock out to them, dance to them, tap your feet to them, pretty much anything. So, I have to thank Lee for telling me about these two bands...and many others that I should have been listening to a while ago! I'm catching up. Lastly, Clair De Lune was very good. I would have enjoyed them more had I not rocked and danced to 6 bands before them. Their new tunes were chaotic, with a lot more screaming and cymbal-smashing than their previous music. 7 hours after arriving, I left tired but appreciative of the wonderful music scene and venue the Twin Cities has.
This isn't gonna be a super-long review, as I've seen a total of 14 bands in the past week. Here's half of them, all in one venue but split into two phenomenal and ultimately tiring shows!
Phenomenal and Spasmic:
I arrived around 6 pm for the first band at the Triple Rock, The City On Film. To my surprise, the band actually started on time and I missed all but one of their songs. It was pretty good, basically indie-rock with low energy. Then came on the band with the very fun to say name, as it involves much inflection in their title: Thunderbirds Are Now! A very fun, indie-dance/electropop band from Detroit, this group had lots of stage theatrics. The keyboardist spasmed around stage, dancing wildly while hitting the tamborine with the impact of a jackhammer on concrete. So, a great set in all.
After was These Arms Are Snakes, which should have an exclamation point, I think, after their name. They're stage presence is hyper and intense mostly, with the frail singer screaming his head off one song, then the next dancing to a fast kick-drum beat, making the crowd clap their hands along to the infectious rhythm their sound becomes. They were very enjoyable to watch, especially when the singer stood atop a basic 4-legged folding table and then proceeded to throw the table and a blue plastic crate into the crowd after the song ended. What a nice way to end the set!
I found my friends in the crowd, and we waited patiently to see Minus The Bear. I saw this band at the Entry when Houston had their CD release party. Oh, what a sweet show that was indeed. This show was equivalent to that one; though I wasn't right in front this time around. Still, the sound was amazing, with Matt Bayle's voice ringing smooth all along the set. The guitar trade-offing between he and the other guitarist made for one fine show. This band loves to utilize guitar frets, and write entire progressions without the usual finger-picking or guitar-strumming. Their set was a decent mix of old and new tunes that satisfied the crowd immensely. I bought their newest CD, and I must say, it has a very clear sound. Very Minus The Bear, and quite gorgeous instrumentation overall. If you're a fan, pick it up. If not, become one!
Your Friends Are Always Right...
Ok, so Lee told me that the Haves Have It definitely do have it. I always wanted to check out their shows, and finally could when they played the later show with Lazer Forever and one of my local faves, Clair De Lune. I was floored by Lazer Forever and the Haves Have It. The drumming was all over the place, with as many changes in songs I haven't seen since I saw Architecture In Helsinki at the Turf Club this summer. It was the largest crowd for which The Haves Have It played, and they did it right from the start of their set. Very friendly and energetic at times, then step back a bit and let the instruments show off the wonderfully fresh and original sound they've composed.
Lazer Forever were unbelievable to watch as well, with each musician having a very fluid sense of comfort in every instrument they played. You can rock out to them, dance to them, tap your feet to them, pretty much anything. So, I have to thank Lee for telling me about these two bands...and many others that I should have been listening to a while ago! I'm catching up. Lastly, Clair De Lune was very good. I would have enjoyed them more had I not rocked and danced to 6 bands before them. Their new tunes were chaotic, with a lot more screaming and cymbal-smashing than their previous music. 7 hours after arriving, I left tired but appreciative of the wonderful music scene and venue the Twin Cities has.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Canyons Dig Deep, Again!
It has been way too long since I've last posted. Katie's computer has been out of commission till recently. And I've been too lazy to post using Tricia's computer. I have so many concerts to review, and many updates to tell the blogsphere: buying my 1st car (not a junker!), finding out I'll need braces and surgery when I'm able to get them, thanks to my bio-dad passing onto me, bad skeletal structure of the jaw causing a severe underbite. Thinking about a new job, grad school, etc. Maintaining balance using poetry, love, friends, music and yoga. More idiotic political spitfire. Family issues. Hanging with old friends. Remembering the college days. All these things. It's been a super-busy month or so. And I'll show you what I can in writing: they'll be like snapshots.
Snapshots of my life
that divide the smile
from the strife.
Something like that.
Snapshots of my life
that divide the smile
from the strife.
Something like that.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Again, I Reiterate!
Words are not necessarily needed when it comes to music.
I found more evidence of this in the band I saw last night at the 400 Bar, Talkdemonic. Hailing from the scenic Northwest, this duo is quite energetic and lets their playing speak volumes about their emotions. A woman draped in a flowing blue dress, New Balance shoes and no socks played violin, while a casually dressed male in an english-looking hat, short-sleeved dress shirt and a tie with the knot loosened just a bit, played drums and messed with the sounds eminating from his laptop. Their set was intense and beautiful, bringing to mind a bit of folk and a lot of post-rock. What was refreshing, though, is that I could not draw any comparisons to other bands in that genre. Simply put, it was flat-out impressive, fresh-sounding music. The only negative was that the songs were too short.
After Talkdemonic, another Arena Rock Recording band took the stage: the now shortened Swords. They were known as The Swords Project before, when I saw them in 2003 at the 7th Street Entry with the awesome but now defunct morning band, The Gloria Record. My jaw dropped when I saw them then; last night, I smiled more and tapped my feet to their 2 drummers filling the room with their monsterous crashing cymbal rhythms. All 6 members were there, distracting me from the true reality and nature of the world. For you see, this is what this kind of music does for me and does to me. It was pouring outside, but my focus lied on stage. The singer was louder and more focused than last time. The band had a different energy than last time, but it was very positive and perfect for a stormy night.
Swords played for about an hour, mostly from their new album, Metropolis. I purchased the album, even though it's not available to the general public till next tuesday, so there! I'm only kidding...I listened to it en route to work, and it is quite astounding. Better sounding than their previous, as the vocals are more prominent and still subtle when they need to be. I also bought Talkdemonic's album, Mutiny Sunrise, which serves as another refresher for the ears. Both albums are a must-buy for anyone who loves beautiful music. That's all for now; more to come later.
I found more evidence of this in the band I saw last night at the 400 Bar, Talkdemonic. Hailing from the scenic Northwest, this duo is quite energetic and lets their playing speak volumes about their emotions. A woman draped in a flowing blue dress, New Balance shoes and no socks played violin, while a casually dressed male in an english-looking hat, short-sleeved dress shirt and a tie with the knot loosened just a bit, played drums and messed with the sounds eminating from his laptop. Their set was intense and beautiful, bringing to mind a bit of folk and a lot of post-rock. What was refreshing, though, is that I could not draw any comparisons to other bands in that genre. Simply put, it was flat-out impressive, fresh-sounding music. The only negative was that the songs were too short.
After Talkdemonic, another Arena Rock Recording band took the stage: the now shortened Swords. They were known as The Swords Project before, when I saw them in 2003 at the 7th Street Entry with the awesome but now defunct morning band, The Gloria Record. My jaw dropped when I saw them then; last night, I smiled more and tapped my feet to their 2 drummers filling the room with their monsterous crashing cymbal rhythms. All 6 members were there, distracting me from the true reality and nature of the world. For you see, this is what this kind of music does for me and does to me. It was pouring outside, but my focus lied on stage. The singer was louder and more focused than last time. The band had a different energy than last time, but it was very positive and perfect for a stormy night.
Swords played for about an hour, mostly from their new album, Metropolis. I purchased the album, even though it's not available to the general public till next tuesday, so there! I'm only kidding...I listened to it en route to work, and it is quite astounding. Better sounding than their previous, as the vocals are more prominent and still subtle when they need to be. I also bought Talkdemonic's album, Mutiny Sunrise, which serves as another refresher for the ears. Both albums are a must-buy for anyone who loves beautiful music. That's all for now; more to come later.
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Not Necessary Till Now
What I mean is, I've turned on the word verification option in my blog. The reason is because I found 8 random comments on my last post about Engine Down. The comments are all random advertisements, called unwanted comments in the blogsphere. So, there it is. It'll be alright, though; only humans can feel real emotions....well, until the scientists can make huge leaps in robotics that is. Till then...we'll all be ok.
The Engine That Could...
rock you, make you think and move you all at once. I'm referring to the powerful Engine Down, the "emo-rock-type" band that loves Sunny Day Real Estate, minor harmonic guitar playing, smooth vocals and vibrant drumming. To be fair, though, they developed their own sound over the years. Like SDRE, they are definitely not a whiney emo band that MTV currently loves, with members dressed in tight clothes with straggly hair, sunken eyes and do incredible things onstage like spinkicks and flips to detract the audience from their mediocre musicianship. These 4 gentlemen put on an incredible live show, as I saw firsthand at the Triple Rock Social Club last Friday night.
Arriving around 6:45, I expected to hear the opener Des Ark. Instead, I heard this powerful female voice onstage as I entered. I wondered what band this was, so I asked a crowd member and he said it was Bella Lea. The singer and guitarist was Maura, and her voice was similar to Portishead or even PJ Harvey. The drummer was very fluid, with arms and legs pounding away and making for a thunderous sound that covered the venue in cymbals and kick drums. The guitar and bass work drew from modern rock and jazz structures at times, showing a unique spread of influences. Their set was fun to watch, and one song really gave me goosebumps as Maura's jazzy voice soared in time with a building drum beat that erupted just as the crowd collectively gasped. Too bad it's not on their 3 song EP that I bought for $2 instead of downloading it from their MySpace page. I look forward to their LP.
What was even more amazing was the family connection that Bella Lea and Engine Down had. The 2 guitarists, Keeley and Jonathan, in Engine Down used to play bass and drums in Maura's old band, Denali. And, Keeley is Maura's brother. So, lots of connections there.
Engine Down played for about 75 minutes, with their set split mostly even between songs on their 4 albums. That was great since their last album came out last year and some bands like to promote the hell out of their last album and forget how they used to sound. Not this band, though. Maura even went onstage to sing a song with her brother. I found that wonderful, as I have not seen a lot of brother/sister music collaborations at the shows I go to. Keeley and Jonathan were a two-prong guitar attack, letting their music speak for their lack of showmanship. There wasn't a lot of movement between band members, but their music swung volumes of energy around the crowd. It affected me, as I again swayed and bobbed and rocked out to the whole set, singing along to vocals drowned out by amps. Every song live was extended by 2 or 3 minutes of post-rockish bliss, making me one happy concert-goer. After all, they do thank Explosions In The Sky on their latest self-titled album.
There was no announcement of their last song, just straight-forward instrumentation that made for the perfect ending: Music playing, then the 1st guitarist leaving, then the 2nd one, then the bassist, and finally the drummer fading out the set with a calm but intense array of tension playing. All in all, an amazing show. Sadly, this is Engine Down's last tour, dubbed the appropriate 'Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow' Farewell Tour. I'm sure though, that they'll be involved in other music endeavors. Their merch guy and Maura told me that, so I rest assured. Afterwards, the show put me in a calm-body-but-hyper mind-state, which I expected no-less from this incredible night of loud and quiet art.
Arriving around 6:45, I expected to hear the opener Des Ark. Instead, I heard this powerful female voice onstage as I entered. I wondered what band this was, so I asked a crowd member and he said it was Bella Lea. The singer and guitarist was Maura, and her voice was similar to Portishead or even PJ Harvey. The drummer was very fluid, with arms and legs pounding away and making for a thunderous sound that covered the venue in cymbals and kick drums. The guitar and bass work drew from modern rock and jazz structures at times, showing a unique spread of influences. Their set was fun to watch, and one song really gave me goosebumps as Maura's jazzy voice soared in time with a building drum beat that erupted just as the crowd collectively gasped. Too bad it's not on their 3 song EP that I bought for $2 instead of downloading it from their MySpace page. I look forward to their LP.
What was even more amazing was the family connection that Bella Lea and Engine Down had. The 2 guitarists, Keeley and Jonathan, in Engine Down used to play bass and drums in Maura's old band, Denali. And, Keeley is Maura's brother. So, lots of connections there.
Engine Down played for about 75 minutes, with their set split mostly even between songs on their 4 albums. That was great since their last album came out last year and some bands like to promote the hell out of their last album and forget how they used to sound. Not this band, though. Maura even went onstage to sing a song with her brother. I found that wonderful, as I have not seen a lot of brother/sister music collaborations at the shows I go to. Keeley and Jonathan were a two-prong guitar attack, letting their music speak for their lack of showmanship. There wasn't a lot of movement between band members, but their music swung volumes of energy around the crowd. It affected me, as I again swayed and bobbed and rocked out to the whole set, singing along to vocals drowned out by amps. Every song live was extended by 2 or 3 minutes of post-rockish bliss, making me one happy concert-goer. After all, they do thank Explosions In The Sky on their latest self-titled album.
There was no announcement of their last song, just straight-forward instrumentation that made for the perfect ending: Music playing, then the 1st guitarist leaving, then the 2nd one, then the bassist, and finally the drummer fading out the set with a calm but intense array of tension playing. All in all, an amazing show. Sadly, this is Engine Down's last tour, dubbed the appropriate 'Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow' Farewell Tour. I'm sure though, that they'll be involved in other music endeavors. Their merch guy and Maura told me that, so I rest assured. Afterwards, the show put me in a calm-body-but-hyper mind-state, which I expected no-less from this incredible night of loud and quiet art.
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Upon Switching Courses, We Come To a Change of Heart
Damn, I really like that title I came up with, don't you? It sounds like something from post-rock, which is endearing and magnificant to me. This is a digress from politics (about time, huh?). Here's some poetry inspired by a great conversation and walk with a friend around the skirts of downtown St. Paul one fine evening:
'Meaning Aplenty'
the moon reflected off the window,
leading me to easily see my key
as I put it in the lock
and turned the door knob,
anxious to make it up those stairs
where she was there;
my love, who cares when I laugh or sob
over the littlest of affairs
because she knows I attain a passion
from the balance I maintain.
I just got back from a talk
with one of my best friends,
diving deeper than we had been for a while.
Around the city border we took a walk;
though his foot was injured
so we made our trek a slow pace for sure.
We discussed the things that mattered,
the things that made us smile, the things that gave us trouble
and how we've taken some of time for granted.
Indeed, things have changed for all of us
but we still keep in touch
and we do more than that, really,
so what is there to get upset about,
seriously?
Knowing how well we have it
compared to some of the world.
Even in this political climate,
I can harvest strength from these people
who took my view and left it askew
after only a couple of months
before the millenium came through.
To you,
I'll say thanks for everything.
I'll try to reciprocate
and not get lost
in searching for the meaning.
'Meaning Aplenty'
the moon reflected off the window,
leading me to easily see my key
as I put it in the lock
and turned the door knob,
anxious to make it up those stairs
where she was there;
my love, who cares when I laugh or sob
over the littlest of affairs
because she knows I attain a passion
from the balance I maintain.
I just got back from a talk
with one of my best friends,
diving deeper than we had been for a while.
Around the city border we took a walk;
though his foot was injured
so we made our trek a slow pace for sure.
We discussed the things that mattered,
the things that made us smile, the things that gave us trouble
and how we've taken some of time for granted.
Indeed, things have changed for all of us
but we still keep in touch
and we do more than that, really,
so what is there to get upset about,
seriously?
Knowing how well we have it
compared to some of the world.
Even in this political climate,
I can harvest strength from these people
who took my view and left it askew
after only a couple of months
before the millenium came through.
To you,
I'll say thanks for everything.
I'll try to reciprocate
and not get lost
in searching for the meaning.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
What Good Are Words, Anyway???
I mean, language is 95% non-verbal. So much can be said with body language that speaking to someone to communicate your message is almost...pointless.
Well OK, not really! But sometimes you don't need words to describe feeling; you use your senses and then your brain interprets the feelings as such and such...
Like language, there's no need for words in music at times. Some of the most beautiful, moving music is all instrumental (jazz, classical, experimental, post-rock). Just imagine if bands like Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Explosions In The Sky , or Mono actually sung in their monumentous epics; it'd detract from the intensity of their music, and the crescendos would not be as cathardic. Last night, these thoughts were proven by all the noise rock bands I saw at the awesome, historic 7th St. Entry with my great friend of almost 6 years and former roommate, Lee.
Diamonds played first, and it was amazing. The band played off-stage, making it up close and personal. Walls of noise eminated from their amps. The drummer started off slowly, then built into a thunderous rhythm. One of the guys kept rocking back and forth on his heels whilst squatting, acting like he was going to break the fun electronics and knobs that he held. They were quite intense, and a great start to a spellbinding show.
Next was Plastic Crimewave Sound. Hailing from Chicago, this band was not afraid to be even louder than Diamonds. Yeah, there were words, but I couldn't understand the singer, and it didn't matter because the vibrations from the stage were all that was needed to satiate the crowd. They even played 2 unbelievably wild and fucked up songs with Minneapolis legendary Michael Yonkers. He had this guitar that looked as if it had paid a visit to the trash compactor; it was at least loud as one, if not louder! Their last song was so out there, I can't describe it.
After Sound crushed our eardrums (though I had earplugs in, it was still plane-taking-off-the-runway loud), the mighty Kinski took stage. Now I must say, these Northwesterners know how to bring the loud, brash, and psychedelic rock! Each band member was phenomenal to watch, and I danced and swayed my hips and heels for the whole set. They were quite stunning, faster and even louder than the first two bands. There were words on the last song, but it was a perfect groove to end their rocking, intense set of music.
Now to the sweet stuff...Oneida. This trio was defintely the loudest, and I swear their drummer was a machine. Except for the human voice and swagger of his hands flailing around each drum. Every drummer was show-stopping, but Oneida's drummer sang while keeping oddly-timed beats at the same time. He held his voice steady throughout, a feat noteworthy in itself. So that pretty much made me think of him as a machine, and not an amazing, furious and passionated human being who played drums. During the last 2 songs, I kept alternating between fuck! and fuck yeah! as this night of music was jaw-dropping. Four hours of pure noise rock and I wouldn't have had it any other way.
Well OK, not really! But sometimes you don't need words to describe feeling; you use your senses and then your brain interprets the feelings as such and such...
Like language, there's no need for words in music at times. Some of the most beautiful, moving music is all instrumental (jazz, classical, experimental, post-rock). Just imagine if bands like Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Explosions In The Sky , or Mono actually sung in their monumentous epics; it'd detract from the intensity of their music, and the crescendos would not be as cathardic. Last night, these thoughts were proven by all the noise rock bands I saw at the awesome, historic 7th St. Entry with my great friend of almost 6 years and former roommate, Lee.
Diamonds played first, and it was amazing. The band played off-stage, making it up close and personal. Walls of noise eminated from their amps. The drummer started off slowly, then built into a thunderous rhythm. One of the guys kept rocking back and forth on his heels whilst squatting, acting like he was going to break the fun electronics and knobs that he held. They were quite intense, and a great start to a spellbinding show.
Next was Plastic Crimewave Sound. Hailing from Chicago, this band was not afraid to be even louder than Diamonds. Yeah, there were words, but I couldn't understand the singer, and it didn't matter because the vibrations from the stage were all that was needed to satiate the crowd. They even played 2 unbelievably wild and fucked up songs with Minneapolis legendary Michael Yonkers. He had this guitar that looked as if it had paid a visit to the trash compactor; it was at least loud as one, if not louder! Their last song was so out there, I can't describe it.
After Sound crushed our eardrums (though I had earplugs in, it was still plane-taking-off-the-runway loud), the mighty Kinski took stage. Now I must say, these Northwesterners know how to bring the loud, brash, and psychedelic rock! Each band member was phenomenal to watch, and I danced and swayed my hips and heels for the whole set. They were quite stunning, faster and even louder than the first two bands. There were words on the last song, but it was a perfect groove to end their rocking, intense set of music.
Now to the sweet stuff...Oneida. This trio was defintely the loudest, and I swear their drummer was a machine. Except for the human voice and swagger of his hands flailing around each drum. Every drummer was show-stopping, but Oneida's drummer sang while keeping oddly-timed beats at the same time. He held his voice steady throughout, a feat noteworthy in itself. So that pretty much made me think of him as a machine, and not an amazing, furious and passionated human being who played drums. During the last 2 songs, I kept alternating between fuck! and fuck yeah! as this night of music was jaw-dropping. Four hours of pure noise rock and I wouldn't have had it any other way.
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Reliving Childhood...
through kick-ass movies and video games. I'm talking Mortal Kombat and He-Man: Masters of the Universe! I had a He-Man two-wheeler when I was a kid. I rode it all the time, though I don't know where it is right now. I never took it off any sweet jumps though...it would real bad if I did! The He-Man DVD is awesome and well-worth the $15 I paid for 10 episodes. Skeletor's voice, though, sounds like a cross between a wizard and a gnome, if you could imagine that...yeah...probably not huh?
Onto video games, the Mortal Kombat I bought is for PS2. The game is rated M, as blood stays on the battle stages. You can even jab your oppponent in the side/ribcage with a sword, dagger, bow, etc. To make it even funnier/more disturbing/disturbier, once the weapon goes in the side, the opponent bleeds its life away slowly, so it doesn't take as long to win. I know I'm gonna get much flack from my friends that I'm not playing Mortal Kombat for Nintendo...but what I have to say is, this game rocks just as hard as the original...just in a more modern way. Just for kicks, I also watched Mortal Kombat the movie last week. It was between that and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turles. Now, I'm all for TMNT as I owned all the Turtles, Splinter, Shredder, Brain, Be-Bop and Rock-Steady, etc. ; however, both myself and Tricia could not find our copies of the movie. So we decided on Mortal Kombat. Even though I've watched it twice this year, it still was awesomely cheesy and grand in its scope, keeping close to the video game moves and such. Besides, who wouldn't want to watch Liu Kang fight Shang Tsuang (spelling? sorry if I got it wrong)?
Reliving childhood cannot be complete without sweet playground games such as hopscotch, dodgeball, big base and four square. I played the latter this past friday night with some friends, and it ruled! I made it to the King square more than once, but most of the time I was out after advancing to the second square. To round off an awesome week of video games, cartoons and playground games, I played some extreme frisbee in that I acted like the typical dog who loves to catch a tennis ball when the owner throws it. No, I didn't catch the novelty flying disc with my teeth, if that's what you're thinking...but I did get some wicked grass stains on the shoulders and back of my t-shirts, not to mention forgetting that there was a slight hill when I was running to catch a great throw from Katie and consequently, doing a wild somersault-kinda thing and ending up with a nice bruise just below the patella. The worst part is, I didn't even catch the disc! Oh well, I love running and catching, just like during Little League baseball. Those were the days, indeed.
Onto video games, the Mortal Kombat I bought is for PS2. The game is rated M, as blood stays on the battle stages. You can even jab your oppponent in the side/ribcage with a sword, dagger, bow, etc. To make it even funnier/more disturbing/disturbier, once the weapon goes in the side, the opponent bleeds its life away slowly, so it doesn't take as long to win. I know I'm gonna get much flack from my friends that I'm not playing Mortal Kombat for Nintendo...but what I have to say is, this game rocks just as hard as the original...just in a more modern way. Just for kicks, I also watched Mortal Kombat the movie last week. It was between that and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turles. Now, I'm all for TMNT as I owned all the Turtles, Splinter, Shredder, Brain, Be-Bop and Rock-Steady, etc. ; however, both myself and Tricia could not find our copies of the movie. So we decided on Mortal Kombat. Even though I've watched it twice this year, it still was awesomely cheesy and grand in its scope, keeping close to the video game moves and such. Besides, who wouldn't want to watch Liu Kang fight Shang Tsuang (spelling? sorry if I got it wrong)?
Reliving childhood cannot be complete without sweet playground games such as hopscotch, dodgeball, big base and four square. I played the latter this past friday night with some friends, and it ruled! I made it to the King square more than once, but most of the time I was out after advancing to the second square. To round off an awesome week of video games, cartoons and playground games, I played some extreme frisbee in that I acted like the typical dog who loves to catch a tennis ball when the owner throws it. No, I didn't catch the novelty flying disc with my teeth, if that's what you're thinking...but I did get some wicked grass stains on the shoulders and back of my t-shirts, not to mention forgetting that there was a slight hill when I was running to catch a great throw from Katie and consequently, doing a wild somersault-kinda thing and ending up with a nice bruise just below the patella. The worst part is, I didn't even catch the disc! Oh well, I love running and catching, just like during Little League baseball. Those were the days, indeed.
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Finally, An O'Riley You Can Love!
Nope, I'm definitely not talking about that beyond right-wing and former tabloid reporter who makes up stats to justify his views, the Al Franken hatin' Bill O'Reilly. No, I'm referring to Christopher O'Riley, the amazing pianist! He transcribes the music of Radiohead, and it is unbelievable! His set at the Minnesota Orchestra Hall was phenomenal. It lasted only 70 minutes, but he had the audience cheering and yelling for more after every song. He even played 3 Elliot Smith songs, which was a real treat. In fact, that's the music he'll be putting on his next album. In between a set of songs he'd get up and make a joke or two, and it had everyone going, from us college-aged folks to the older ones that were sitting next to me. I'd never been to the Hall, so I was taken aback by its incredible acoustics. There were giant speaker-looking-things, all gray and cube-shaped, sticking out of the ceiling and the back of the stage. So combine that with the dazzling music and you get one floored person.
After the show, I biked home, I composed a late-night poem. I'll probably post it on here soon. It's not as long as my last one, nor is it intensely political. It's about love, and bringing balance to life...sort of. O'Riley must have influenced me a bit today, as I've been listening to the more jazzy and experimental type of music of L'altra and Rachel's while cleaning up a bit. I've also changed my blog name, probably also influenced by my mood and the music I've been listening to this past weekend (experimental, post-rock). Hope ya dig it, because I do.
After the show, I biked home, I composed a late-night poem. I'll probably post it on here soon. It's not as long as my last one, nor is it intensely political. It's about love, and bringing balance to life...sort of. O'Riley must have influenced me a bit today, as I've been listening to the more jazzy and experimental type of music of L'altra and Rachel's while cleaning up a bit. I've also changed my blog name, probably also influenced by my mood and the music I've been listening to this past weekend (experimental, post-rock). Hope ya dig it, because I do.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Get A Leg Up!
Or how about a foot? What this means is....well, actually now that I think about what I just typed, it doesn't make any sense at all! Hmmm...I was trying to be clever and be a bit punny because what I really meant to say is Get a Foot Down! as in, get my left foot down on the ground. Distribute all my weight on it, which I cannot do right now because I went to the doctor yesterday to take care of something on my foot and now its blistery and painful to walk on. So this means I've inherited quite a gimp, with my right leg taking on all the weight of the left leg as I walk. So no fun bike riding with a blister right on the ball of the foot, causing me to pedal with the heel of my left foot.
Luckily I don't have to do a ton of walking at my job. Of course, my not being able to walk properly was the subject of many jokes between a co-worker and myself. Suffice to say, he mentioned 'warm it up chris,' to which I responded, 'I'm about to...as soon as I can jump.' Yeah, real great office humor there. At work I've been writing a lot of poetry. It's all emotional since it has to do with life and how I interpret it. One contained the remnants of a conversation I had with a good friend I walked around (back when I could walk decently!) with in St. Paul last Thursday night.
Another is about global warming and how out-of-the-loop-of-the-general-scientific-concensus-concerning-the-well-documented-humankind-effect-on-greenhouse-gas-emissions some politicians can be, complaining about how they don't want trillions of dollars being spent on uncertain policy. Hmmm...Iraq anyone!! Not trillions....yet. To balance all things out, I also wrote about how my lover, friends, music and poetry are the main characters to keep my focus of balance on center stage. So...it's not all bitterness, cynicism and weighty feelings about the world for this human...just sometimes. You must have tears and smiles, is all I have to say.
Luckily I don't have to do a ton of walking at my job. Of course, my not being able to walk properly was the subject of many jokes between a co-worker and myself. Suffice to say, he mentioned 'warm it up chris,' to which I responded, 'I'm about to...as soon as I can jump.' Yeah, real great office humor there. At work I've been writing a lot of poetry. It's all emotional since it has to do with life and how I interpret it. One contained the remnants of a conversation I had with a good friend I walked around (back when I could walk decently!) with in St. Paul last Thursday night.
Another is about global warming and how out-of-the-loop-of-the-general-scientific-concensus-concerning-the-well-documented-humankind-effect-on-greenhouse-gas-emissions some politicians can be, complaining about how they don't want trillions of dollars being spent on uncertain policy. Hmmm...Iraq anyone!! Not trillions....yet. To balance all things out, I also wrote about how my lover, friends, music and poetry are the main characters to keep my focus of balance on center stage. So...it's not all bitterness, cynicism and weighty feelings about the world for this human...just sometimes. You must have tears and smiles, is all I have to say.
Sunday, July 24, 2005
A Plethora of Music
Indeed, 2005 has been a decent year for good music. Here are my favorite CD'S from 2005 thus far:
Low - The Great Destroyer
Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning; Digital Ash in A Digital Urn
Dredg - Catch Without Arms
Kaddisfly - Buy Our Intention; We'll Buy You a Unicorn
Architecture In Helsinki - In Case We Die
The Album Leaf - Seal Beach EP
Surfjan Stevens - Illinois
At the Drive-In - This Station is Non-Operational
Circa Survive - Juturna
Gratitude - Gratitude
Tarentel - Paper White; Big Black Square
Alicia Wiley - In Your Sight
M83 - Before The Dawn Heals Us
Mogwai - Government Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996-2003 [LIVE]
Billy Corgan - The Future Embrace
Death Cab For Cutie - The John Byrd EP
Mars Volta - Frances The Mute
Cloud Cult - Advice From the Happy Hippopotamus
Caribou - The Milk of Human Kindness
Ok, that's all I can think of for now. Of course, there are a myriad of bands I've discovered in 2005 whose albums were released before 2005. However, that does not pertain to this list. That'll have to be saved for another time.
Low - The Great Destroyer
Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning; Digital Ash in A Digital Urn
Dredg - Catch Without Arms
Kaddisfly - Buy Our Intention; We'll Buy You a Unicorn
Architecture In Helsinki - In Case We Die
The Album Leaf - Seal Beach EP
Surfjan Stevens - Illinois
At the Drive-In - This Station is Non-Operational
Circa Survive - Juturna
Gratitude - Gratitude
Tarentel - Paper White; Big Black Square
Alicia Wiley - In Your Sight
M83 - Before The Dawn Heals Us
Mogwai - Government Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996-2003 [LIVE]
Billy Corgan - The Future Embrace
Death Cab For Cutie - The John Byrd EP
Mars Volta - Frances The Mute
Cloud Cult - Advice From the Happy Hippopotamus
Caribou - The Milk of Human Kindness
Ok, that's all I can think of for now. Of course, there are a myriad of bands I've discovered in 2005 whose albums were released before 2005. However, that does not pertain to this list. That'll have to be saved for another time.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Diving Right In To The Left
Yes, this is my 2nd blog, and I'm already diving headfirst with my poetry. It's raw, non-edited, full of emotion with probably little factual basis. But hey, that's how we liberals are, right media? That was sarcasm there if ya missed it. Anyway, here's a little (or long) ditty I wrote up before work one early morn. Not all poetry will be like this; some will be lovely, othes will be nature-y in nature, and love fills a lot of themes...just not the political ones, usually. Enjoy. I can't wait for the comments:
"How to get foreign resources from mideastern countries"
Here's a strategy: let's use the military!
Take a popular figure,
perhaps a former governor will due
as long as he's got friends in high places where scandals and mishaps leave without any signs or traces of misconduct,
nor any cases being brought to trials for justice to be portrayed
Put him in power with the help of masterminds
and his father that tower over the rest of normal people's lives.
Give him money, allow him to bend the rules like they all do
and watch him spin,
the propaganda flying out of not his mouth
but from those that keep a closer watch out
for any chance to do the rivals in:
You know, those 'lefty liberals' that love to spend and do nothing more than shout?
Radical righty says: Real stories, keep 'em in lock down from the public and strike the record straight from the headlines,
using newspapers and airtime for the stage set to play another puppet game.
Regime change was the first order;
now go in there and take out anyone who defies our culture.
Take their oil, watch the people toil even though their dictator's
been taken out of power.
There's a new breed of terror all around, caused by our occupation claiming to stand strong and be proud against a nameless face and violent waves.
Says the media:
They're not human beings, they're insurgents, call them militants who hate america,
cuz america = christian;
at least that's what 59 million thought to vote and get the chimp elected
even if those on the ground say the opposite of what the big spenders claim.
Cease and desist
or be killed in the process.
There's no need to resist;
profits are on the way to the contractor's pockets!
You'll stay in poverty while the monkey says we've given you hope and liberty;
If only you could use this for the rest of your dark days.
Be (s)elected,
then go to war on the helpless and poor.
He's been there for 5 years;
good thing we can't give him any more
after all the fabric we've woven
has been torn open behind closed doors.
Wear your flag on your arm so we can see how red white and blue you are.
Then see how much you wear your heart on your sleeve when you see
all the bodies coming back,
without a clue as to how to stop the attacks
from making your view turn from clear to black.
I know, that was long. They won't all be like this, I promise. Anyway, on with life!
"How to get foreign resources from mideastern countries"
Here's a strategy: let's use the military!
Take a popular figure,
perhaps a former governor will due
as long as he's got friends in high places where scandals and mishaps leave without any signs or traces of misconduct,
nor any cases being brought to trials for justice to be portrayed
Put him in power with the help of masterminds
and his father that tower over the rest of normal people's lives.
Give him money, allow him to bend the rules like they all do
and watch him spin,
the propaganda flying out of not his mouth
but from those that keep a closer watch out
for any chance to do the rivals in:
You know, those 'lefty liberals' that love to spend and do nothing more than shout?
Radical righty says: Real stories, keep 'em in lock down from the public and strike the record straight from the headlines,
using newspapers and airtime for the stage set to play another puppet game.
Regime change was the first order;
now go in there and take out anyone who defies our culture.
Take their oil, watch the people toil even though their dictator's
been taken out of power.
There's a new breed of terror all around, caused by our occupation claiming to stand strong and be proud against a nameless face and violent waves.
Says the media:
They're not human beings, they're insurgents, call them militants who hate america,
cuz america = christian;
at least that's what 59 million thought to vote and get the chimp elected
even if those on the ground say the opposite of what the big spenders claim.
Cease and desist
or be killed in the process.
There's no need to resist;
profits are on the way to the contractor's pockets!
You'll stay in poverty while the monkey says we've given you hope and liberty;
If only you could use this for the rest of your dark days.
Be (s)elected,
then go to war on the helpless and poor.
He's been there for 5 years;
good thing we can't give him any more
after all the fabric we've woven
has been torn open behind closed doors.
Wear your flag on your arm so we can see how red white and blue you are.
Then see how much you wear your heart on your sleeve when you see
all the bodies coming back,
without a clue as to how to stop the attacks
from making your view turn from clear to black.
I know, that was long. They won't all be like this, I promise. Anyway, on with life!
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
"Tis the Beginning...'
Of chaos, of total randomness, of beauty, of passion, of expression, of ranting, of laughing, of crying, of exploring the chaotic nature of the self, the loved one, the twin, the opposite of you, the universe. There will be poetry posted by myself, sometimes an excerpt and sometimes its entirety for all to view and think about. There will be music discussions, political idealogies, random pictures of hilarity, nature shots. Psychology, philosophy, religion, sex, relationships, yoga, meditation, politics will all most likely rear their lovely and ugly heads at some point. Some threads will leave you puzzled, confused, excited, wondering and wanting more. To start, I have no idea what this is going to be like. But no matter what, it is going to be all about balance in every sense you could conceive it being. With that said, time to jump into the canyons of the deep. Enjoy.
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