Minneapolis Via Bike

Yes, indeed. I took today's pleasant weather as a notice to go biking and explore Minneapolis some more. I grabbed my helmet, granola bar, long-sleeve t-shirt, banana, water bottle, reflector, helmet, backpack and headed out. I listened to the ridiculously-amazing Set Sail The Prairie by Kaddisfly. Their music and lyrics matched perfectly to the mood I wanted to set for the ride. I raced against the wind mostly but kept in high gear. The sun went down slowly as I rode the Hiawatha Greenway to Lake of the Isles. I never really went north of there before, so I decided to explore. I biked along Kenwood Parkway, briefly observing the huge houses, quiet but horribly-paved road and large amounts of green space. Kenwood took me all the way around to the Walker and Sculpture Garden.

After crossing the busy road, I biked to Loring Park, where I stopped at a bench for a banana, granola bar and plenty of water. I sat for about 10 minutes, just observing life coming alive in the park: teenagers doing sweet bike tricks on the skate ramp; elderly folk walking along the path; a lady watching the birds and wild squirrels; kids shooting hoops; students from MCTC getting out of class, chatting on cell phones. I thought about writing a poem or journaling since I did bring them with, but decided not to due to the impending sunset and subsequent lack of light. I put on my long-sleeve t-shirt, reflector and helmet, and rode home via Blaisdell to the Greenway and back. From www.mapmyride.com, I calculated that I biked about 12 miles. Not too bad for an hour's ride. I plan on doing more for sure. There's just way too much beautiful scenery and sights not to.

LIke lightning bolts struck in the eye, so too time's weary hand goes by...

That really should be a poem.

I saw The Red Sparowes at the Triple Rock 3/21/07 and they were fantastic live. On 3/29/07 at First Ave I saw Explosions In The Sky, who completely altered my perception of my body and music. The entire show was life-changing, seriously. When they played "First Breath After Coma" followed by "Greet Death," it was the most phenomenal and body-blowing combo I've ever seen from any band!!!

My body became the music, floating outward and surrounding space and time. It was as if the notes were pieces of life and I got to experience them closer than I ever had before in music. This is really hard to describe, since it was almost 3 weeks ago and it's something I just felt, experienced; I cannot duplicate the moment in words. Tears streaked my eyes and face; chills and bumps covered my body; sweat poured out intensely; my mouth stood agape for a very long time; facial expression frozen in a state of wow-ness; eyes lit up like lightning sparked them, energizing everything within. No other show will top those 10 minutes. It was, to put it bluntly, a musical orgasm. An electric shock. An out-of-body and mind experience. Whatever else you want to say.

March Music Madness (of The Lovely, Inspiring Kind)

I've been experiencing some gorgeous music this month. I just purchased Cloud Cult's new album off their site and I must say, it is stunning. I got goosebumps just listening to the first few tracks before deciding to purchase it. Yes, I'll probably be missing Subtle and TV On The Radio at First Ave tonight, but for good reason: I'm listening to beautiful music. And that's all I am wanting to do (besides blogging). So yes, buy their new album, 'The Meaning of 8.' It's beyond amazing. And I'm only 7 tracks through it currently (19 tracks totaling 1 hour). Also of utmost-amazingness:

Kaddisfly - Set Sail the Prairie. I've been listening to an advanced copy I got way back in 07/06 and have been addicted to it. Still waiting for the actual CD that I ordered weeks ago. Reading reviews of it, and more importantly, their lyrics, has made me love this band much, much more. They weave philosophy, nature, human nature, spirituality, emotion and weather so well together, both in sound and word.

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible. Very pretty. Listened to it twice now and it's grown on me. Definitely different than Funeral, but that's to be expected. I'm not going to extensively review it, just get it and hear for yourself.

Michael Franti + Spearhead - Yell Fire! I know it came out last year and I'm late to jump in, but wow, this album is magnificant! Catchy, reggae, hippy, political, indie rock. Makes me want to protest the war, chill out with friends, make love to my fiancee, make peace with the world, write about life and nature, appreciate the little things, etc. A great album to get you in a great mood for the day.

Clair de Lune - Assisted Living. I still love this band. Their newest is post-hardcore, emo, punk, jazzy and whatever else that makes for one great record. They've experimented with their sound and I like the results. They're still a band I never get tired of seeing live and listening to, especially in the warmer months.

And what shows are happening in the next few months? Red Sparowes, Isis, Explosions In the Sky! Amiina, Seymour Saves The World, Clair de Lune, Self-Evident, All The Way Rider, The Twilight Sad, The Long Winters, Stars of Track and Field, Mono, Cloud Cult, Low, Story of the Sea, Ken Andrews, The Black Angels, The Hopefuls, Heiruspecs, The Umbrella Sequence, Ice Palace, Jeremy Messersmith, Calla, and a bunch of others....

Some of these bands I've seen...many I haven't, and many will have new material as well! Just 2 songs left to listen to on the new Cloud Cult album...so far, best album of 2007. I'll end here.

February Forgotten

Early Feb:

Attention is paid
to the tension that has worked its way
into the body.

Every tingle felt, every nervous tic acknowledged
as:
unnecessary, but logical?
Certainly.

As change has come in waves,
at times slamming with brute force,
its components calculated and ready.

Others, complacent and time-biding,
playfully taking stock of what is to come,
overtaking any sensible defense for its comfort:
to reside within: affecting mind set, perception

Well, I won’t roll with the waves.
I’d rather ride them along,
to a foreseeable future;
one where love and strength runs pure
and there’s enough balance in thought
to go around.

VS.

Listening to Explosions In The Sky, 2/28/07:

Notice the notes lift
the mind up tonight,
towards a reaction partly calm
and mostly bright.

Each element takes its turn paving the way
for more days where the goal is to seek
and not learn,
for the process of relief is slow;

Revitalize, even slower.

Yet well worth the effort put forth,
as the heart quiets, the mind races wild
but in control.

The body takes command now,
letting pressure drop.
Eyelids draw their phase out,
focused on a natural course
instead of one hurried and forced.

All too common and ever the source
of growing problems;
let the notes dissolve them,
disappearing from thought and vanished henceforth.

No need to push toward now,
for the body has run over
the choices, the paths
and decided to replenish and refresh
so more days can last
without brute force and emotions
both harsh and brash

It's one thing to live intensely; it's another to accelerate its effects.

So tonight move with the notes;
there's no need to grow until tomorrow
when another process takes hold;
that of hope.

Indeed two different ideas, resulting from two different moods.

Listen to new Explosions In the Sky, Kaddisfly, The Arcade Fire. Beauty at its finest.

Jumpin' January!

I don't know....whatever.

I can't believe that this month is gone now. It went by so damn fast. A lot of fun stuff happened, and a lot of stuff happened...wedding planning, ballroom dancing class, grad class, work, gym, seeing lots of friends at Katie's b-day celebrations, seeing great grandma in the nursing home, seeing family, etc. I wrote about 7 pages and 1 poem the night of the one-year anniversary since I proposed to Katie. It's fun to go back and review the year, especially when many significant events unfolded. What I did notice is that my poetry really has gone downhill in frequency and perhaps content/creativity. I could give reasons/excuses/justifications till I'm blue in the face, but I'd rather not.

I saw Story of the Sea, Asobi Seksu and The Appleseed Cast at the Triple Rock last Thursday night, and it was a phenomenal show! But I don't think I'm going to extensively review the show, mostly because tonight I'm not feeling the energy to do so. I love winter time, and it's going to be downright chilly for the next week. The office is chilly, which could explain the lack of entries. Then again, meh.

The Blur That Was...2006

I will not put up a month-by-month favorite list like I did last year. Basically, a lot of things happened in 2006. I proposed to Katie in January, and haven't really been able to top that since! Hmmm...weird.

Now that you're done laughing, smiling or whatever it is that you do, few readers of mine, here's what was great about 2006:

Lots of phenomenal shows: Wagner and the Zombie Men, Arab Strap, Film School, Sigur Ros, Amina, Mogwai, Band of Horses, STNNNG, Mono, Kaddisfly, The Silversun Pickups, The Flaming Lips, Sonic Youth, Built to Spill, Cursive, Kill the Vultures, Empires, Red Fox Grey Fox, Pernice Brothers, The Decemberists, The Lymbyc System and The Album Leaf. These were all awesome, jaw-dropping shows that I saw this year and blogged about. There were others, but not as captivating as these.

Significant Events/Changes:
- engaged to Katie
- new place (back in Minneapolis)
- new job (U of M School of Public Health)
- physical injuries/sickness (bacterial bronchitis, cut right finger, hit a woman with my bike, great grandma with broken right leg, regular grandma with collapsed chest wall)
- exercising at Rec Center again
- less time hanging out during the week with friends
- less biking around the lakes, going to the beach
- less yoga, stretching, meditation, writing, journaling, blogging
- awesome friend went to Australia for awesome grad school opportunity
- awesome friend went to Brazil for awesome internship
- traveled to Chicago with Katie
- experienced more local events (Minnesota Institute of Arts, May Day Parade, Powderhorn Art Fair, Fall Out Fest, Apple Orchard, Latino Health Fair, Science Museum, Minnesota History Center)
- rad parties (New Year's Eve, engagement celebration/Katie's b-day, b-day at Shriner's Circus, Cinco de Mayo, Tricia's grad party, Art Party, Bastille Day, Ryan's Farewell-off to Brazil, Haus' sendoff, Tricia's b-day, Halloween, Lee's b-day, holiday party)
- went snowtubing!

Now it's 2007, and I'm:

- taking one grad class for credit as a non-degree seeking student (received rejection letter in April, to get in Fall 2006)
- about to begin ballroom dancing class with Katie
- beginning wedding planning, finally
- going to be reading at a friend's wedding in February
- hoping to write more, exercise/stretch more, hang with friends more
- going to be marrying Katie in July. Damn, that's awesome!

...and a bunch of dream-like shows coming up in terms of sheer kick-ass-ness, as well as other life events that will surely bring about much writing, poetry and conversation.

Perhaps I'll write about life on here this year, and not just shows.

Happy 2007! I aim to make this year, the year of Peace.

Rising From Shavasana, We Find That...

Breath brings about balance,
as each cycle continues its achievement
worthwhile with little or no dispute.

And the breath brings energy back
to the hands and feet;
the limbs lay complacent and better
than intact,
for the body is borne anew to breathe deep.

To focus on one thing will be everything
that means something worth doing;
this is found in the case with deep breathing,
as concentration is put to the test at its fullest.

Let the tension sink to the ground,
and make the spine flat, no longer compressed.
The shoulders, pushed back and down;
not round, nor the ribs pressing against the chest.

The mind doesn’t think about bombs dropping
at this moment when the body lies still,
awaiting for the thoughts to surface;
Once there, acknowledge them,
and put them to rest then,
so needed energy can refresh into stressed parts
sending a timely message:

to relieve of wants, desires and needs
and simply be.

The sweetness of 2006, Thus Far...

I highly, highly recommend (band - album) :

Wagner and the Zombiemen - Across the Fall of Sunset
Built To Spill - You In Reverse
The Appleseed Cast - Peregrine
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
Mono - You Are Here
Russian Circles - Enter
The Black Heart Procession - Spell
Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
Thursday - A City By the Light Divided
Cursive - Happy Hallow
The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine
The Album Leaf - Into the Blue Again
The Lymbyc System - Live
The Black Angels - The First Vietnam War
Editors - Back Room
Film School - self-titled
Dredg - Live At the Fillmore
This Will Destroy You - Young Mountain
TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
Mogwai - Mr. Beast
Dredg - Live At the Fillmore
Kaddisfly - The Four Seasons EP
Band of Horses - Everything All the TIme
Forward Russia - Give Me A Wall
Story of the Sea - Enjoying Fire
The Umbrella Sequence - Crossing the Wires LP
The Long Winters - Putting the Days To Bed
Sickoakes - Seawards
Empires - EP
Red Fox Grey Fox - The Songs We Sing EP

Where, O Where, Has Time Gone?

It's December now; what the hell? November was just a blur. I saw Elvis Perkins, The Pernice Brothers, The Decemberists, The Lymbyc System, Dirty On Purpose and The Album Leaf all in 3 straight days! Yet I haven't blogged about them at all. Even though they were phenomenally wonderful, brilliant, vibrant, exciting, invigorating, peaceful and rocking shows!

Not to mention, in October I saw a slew of awesomeness:

- North, and Wagner and the Zombiemen's CD release at Lee's Liquor Lounge on Halloween!
- local bands new to me (Empires, Red Fox Grey Fox, The Spirit of '76, Cue The Doves) play with one of my faves, Kaddisfly, at the Toybox
- Down and Above at Ogara's Garage
- the ecstatic, hyperventalating-in-a-good-way Architecture in Helsinki open up at First Ave for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (though it should have been the other way around).

Great, great shows, and no review of them, for shame on me! It can be difficult to capture the present moment of a live performance, especially when a lot of time has passed since. You have the memories; you can conjure up the images and the sounds and your then-breathrate and your sense of comfort of being in the environment you want and all of that which has to do with human nature and behavior.....and yet, what you express never fits what exactly what you felt. That's the awesome power of the combination of mind and body working ever-present. Whoa, there's some poetry/psych for you. Nice rant, I'd say.

Agree?

Neat Penmanship?

Don't think so, as Cursive's music is anything but neat, ha! I'm referring to the 9/23/2006 show at First Avenue, where I saw Omaha, NE native Cursive rock our sociopolitical, emo and post-punk socks off! Due to unfortunate circumstances, I wasn't able to see fellow Saddle Creek band Ladyfinger, whom I heard opened the show with a bang. Even more unfortunate was that I didn't see Portland's lively-as-a-firecracker The Thermals. They are also sociopolitical, discussing the effects of organized religion on a small town. I'm sure their set contained high-energy, addictive vocals and the ability to make one think and dance. So far, I've heard about half of their new album, The Body, The Blood, The Machine, and it is phenomenal! Another great Sub Pop release, no doubt.

As I arrived just in time to see Cursive open with the epic, manic 'Big Bang,' the horns sections blew loudly, and the audience responded with a mix of heads banging and feet moving happily. The new tracks off of Happy Hallow sounded great and full live. Even their older, more emo-like songs sounded huge with the addition of the horns section. One of the best parts of the performance was when the band talked about how thankful they were to be playing music and how the bands they were touring with also shared the same attitude. Just happy to be playing, showing us their creativity through words and music. I dug the humility shown, as well as the performance.

Their newest disc mostly debates religion in a small town, with its ill-effects and hypocracies layed out clearly in lyric; even the vague metaphors paint their message as one well-defined and standing strong to opposition (or in the present day, fundamental conservatives). The only downer was that I was a little tired and pretty far back in the crowd, so I didn't feel as much energy as I would have closer to the stage.

Hello.

Built to Thrill!

Built to Spill was supposed to have played First Avenue back in April, but due to Doug Marsch's eye surgery, they had to reschedule for September. That was fine by me, as I had bought my ticket in April already. Fellow Northwestern Pacificers Helvetia warmed us up with their brand of spacey, bright psych-rock, employing lots of fun sounds and hazy instrumentals into their set. It was very laid-back for the most part, but then suddenly the tempo would change, the drum beats would get just a little more fast and complex, and soon we followed the shifts with our feet. At least I did. The drunk people got into them, yelling and shaking their fists with delight (not rage) towards the stage. I bought their album afterwards, and I must say, it is quite good. Easy to throw it on in the background and get things done, or put it on headphones and just chill out.

When the lights dimmed and the projection screen rose, the crowd erupted as Built to Spill set up to rock our socks off. And that's exactly what they did for over 2 hours, playing a decent mix of old and new stuff. For being a huge fan, I wasn't familar with some of the earlier songs that they played, but I still enjoyed the hell out of them! They really knew how to just groove and rock for long periods of time, only stopping to speak to us once in a while. They are what indie rock from the Pacific Northwest sounds like, as tons of bands have been influenced by them time and again.

The new songs were out of this world, as their sound showed even more of an appreciation for straight-up psych-rock. Of course, I wouldn't expect anything the same or repetitive from them either. Lots of the drunks yelled out song titles over and over again, hoping the band would play their favorites. And as I left, I found not one disappointed fan. They did their part, thrilling and wowing us till the very end.

Sonic Youth & The Flaming Lips, How Magical

As in, seeing the Magic Numbers, the prolific Sonic Youth and the always-imaginative The Flaming Lips. At the State Fair, no less. Talk about a way to kick off the fair! Unfortunately, pouring rain and wild wind also accompanied the start of the fair, so the show was delayed for a while. The Magic Numbers couldn't open since all the equipment had to dry out, meaning that Sonic Youth began the evening, who put on a very lively, lovely and loud show. I was mondo impressed by their musicianship, even if the die-hards in the crowd pointed out some instrumental mishaps.

Being the generous gents they are, The Flaming Lips let the Magic Numbers play a few songs after the Lips played a few of theirs. That was nice, though it did throw off the mood a bit, since the Lips are all about theatrics: confetti, big plastic bubbles, streamers, dancing martians, dancing santas, smoke, lights, big blue balls floating and flying about, and crazy videos displayed on stage. Wayne Coyne got in his beloved plastic bubble and rolled around the crowd, smiling and giggling all the while trying to maintain his balance. It was the perfect way to start off, building momentum towards a crazy, crazy show. Performance wise, this was the best show I've seen this year. You just can't top the action that happened onstage. Whomever decided to have the Flaming Lips and Sonic Youth open the fair, well, they are simply geniuses.

Out with the Old: Smashing Glass; In With the New: Silver Fly.

Such a very odd title. But, it will make sense, I promise. August 12th, I saw both Kaddisfly (who have a bit of Glassjaw in them) and The Silversun Pickups (who have a bit of older Smashing Pumpkins in them). See, it makes sense now right? On to the review:

Luckily Kaddisfly didn’t play at the Quest. Instead, they played the Profile Music Cafe near the U of M Campus. I biked down there, considering I live in the heart of Minneapolis again. I followed some guys who looked like they were in indie and emo bands, thinking they’d know where the show was at. Sure enough, it was in a band’s practice space! I entered, and saw nothing but high school kids at first. Granted, I know I don’t look that much older than a high schooler, but I had a uneasy feeling about what the bands were gonna be like.

Sure enough, the opener Declare This An Emergency was full of high-pitched and whining vocals. I sat down, looked around at the kids listening to them and was happy to not be 15 again! The next band, The Aesthetic, poured out even more sugary pop-punk and emo sounds. It was decent…for a 15 year old wondering about growing up or drawing strength from within. Positive yes, but overdone as well. The thing is, the songs are so damn catchy though. They were like a calmer version of Glassjaw. I do thank the band for letting the other bands use their space for the show; that was rad. Things became a little heavier when Hail Architect took stage next; this band showed up to throw down, as the harcore kids say these days. Lots of loud guitars, heavy bass and rumbling drums, with the occasional powerful scream thrown in for good measure. They were most definitely rock and post-hardcore, and damn fun to watch.

Then the moment came that I had been waiting for since last November when I missed Kaddisfly play at Station 4. I talked with the singer, Chris Ruff for a while before they played, and he remembered talking to me at Station 4, which is pretty sweet. They played mostly new songs off their upcoming album, Set Sail The Prairie, and they were ungodly good! Like bursts of energy going off at just the right moments, enveloping you in its power, unable to escape and not wanting to because it is just perfect, like it’s exactly what you needed to refresh. A very, very intense performance, their set was.

Their new album is going to floor me, no doubt. A guy gave me a copy of the cd since it leaked, and it's phenomenal. I'll of course be buying it when it's released to the masses. It was just a small practice space, with them playing for about 20-30 people tops, but they poured everything they had into it. By the end they were soaked and exhausted. All I have to say is, it was probably one of the best shows I’ve been to in 2006, if only for the closeness felt. There was a mutual appreciation for their performance, as well as for their attitude. I know they’re 25, like me, and just regular guys (like me), but dammit….they make something special. All their lyrics are influenced by nature and human emotion, so if they are labeled an emo band then it’s true emotion found from introspection and appreciation of the elements around you. Not from girls breaking their hearts of their misplaced anger towards world issues that they themselves are not responsible for. Instead, there’s rock, post-hardcore, indie, punk, experimental elements and jazz wrapped up into one huge sound that they exude.

Feeling refreshed from Kaddisfly, I biked over to the beloved Entry, where the buzz-band worthy Silversun Pickups were playing. I missed Shoveldance and most of the Alarmists, but that’s alright. The Entry was packed, and when Silversun Pickups took stage, the crowd erupted with joy and delight. Yeah, they are influenced by earlier Smashing Pumpkins but who cares, because they have brought back the fuzzy, droning alt-rock with sweet pop sincerity to the masses. Their EP Pikkul is great, and their debut LP Carnavas is astounding, flat-out rolling rock to nod, rock out and give much respect to! Live, they were flawless, with the singer Brian showing Minneapolis appreciation by quoting Purple Rain with the bassist, and other such nonsense. Yeah, that’s done by other touring bands, but who cares when the band rocks so hard?? I certainly don’t. The band was very humble, and displayed dry wit and deadpan humor, interacting with us between and during their set. They were entertaining on so many levels, and had never been here before, so it was great to see them loving it so much in the Entry. For venues, you just can't beat a packed show at the Entry. I was exhausted but completely satisfied with the night of music that I enjoyed immensely.

Death Cab, with a Dance from Franz

Yeah, it's been too long since I've last blogged. But looking for a new place and/or job takes up a lot of time. What is sweet, though:

1. Having some wedding things secured, such as date (7/21/07), ceremony place (Green Isle Park), and reception place (The Woods).
2. Going to Chicago with Katie over 4th of July weekend, and seeing the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, Navy Pier, fireworks on Grant Park, and being about 1000 ft up in the John Hancock Observatory. Riding the trains, especially the 'L,' and eating dinner at local places was quite thrilling as well.

To the past:

April 20, 2006.

After spotty sun-showers, I ventured over to Northrup to see DCFC. I'm so used to seeing them at First Avenue that seeing them on a big stage actually overwhelmed me. I enjoyed their set, but it was really hard to connect with them from the 2nd balcony level. Still, I got chills when Ben came out and played "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" on his guitar. It's just so powerful, at least for me. Anyway, DCFC had trees and a landscape for stage props, and the band had a lot of room to move around and jump and dance oddly like usual. Definitely enjoyable to watch, but I've seen that enough now, I think. They also had stagelights, which hindered their performance at times (I still don't find them to be a band playing anything bigger than First Avenue, but that's just me.) Most of the songs performed were those I saw last time at First Avenue, but they did manage to musically dress-up a few of the older goodies, which was a treat to see. Otherwise, I don't think I have to see them again.

Watching Franz Ferdinand is like a firecracker going off during a parade; wild, loud, smile-causing, and dance-making (though I don't always dance watching fireworks). It makes sense that they are an arena-rock band, since their music is all about energy and making you move your sweet ass! The lighting and smoke and whatever else worked well for them. The only thing was that they played every song fast; there's a reason the slow-tempo ones are slow!

Openers The Cribs were fun to watch, though they'd be much better in a smaller venue like the Triple Rock, 7th St. Entry or 400 Bar. But they got the crowd going with their energetic post-punk dance music, or whatever the kids are calling it these days.

Scottish Monsters Invade, Beautifully

The last time I saw Mogwai (July 2003, I believe), I stood with my forearms on the stage and crossed, watching the awesomeness that is their live show. This time around, I was a couple rows back, sometimes being taken aback by their wild and random light display. That definitely surprised me, as did their performance that night. They came out dressed in green track suits, with the crowd roaring as they opened with "Yes, I Am a Long Way From Home," (how appropriate. The sound was super-clean, with every harmonic ringing in my ears with simple delight.

Some say this band is moody; true, their music can be that at times. But they're always a treat to see live. They play the loud parts jarringly-loud, and their soft parts... pillow-soft? However, their set was more subdued than last time, playing mostly from their newest disc, Mr. Beast. They didn't play any of their long tracks, which disappointed me. But, bands have to mix things up once in a while, and I understand that. I wasn't fond of some of the stage lighting, and the sign outside First Avenue said there would be strobes going off; still, some of it detracted from their otherwise-stellar performance. I did enjoy their Scottish emblem displayed on a banner onstage, and the way the main guitarist swayed and moved; with and by the music. Not just for the crowd, but for himself as well. When I see music moving someone like that, it simply moves me. I've written many poems and journal entries to Mogwai's catalogue; after that night, I don't see an end to that.

I didn't catch all of Torche's opening set, but what I did see was straight-up metal (not fast, just slow-crushing drums that built in intensity with every hit). Long-haired musicians rocking out, the singer yelling words I couldn't understand (partly because the sound mix wasn't great - happens with opening acts, unfortunately); the kind of metal music not heard a lot anymore.

To end this, it is unbelievable that I saw Sigur Ros, Mogwai and Mono in the span of a little over a month. Thank you, Twin Cities music venues, so so much.

Circles surrounded with Loud Birds

The above mentioned title refers to the mind-numblingly fantastic post-rock show I saw last night at the Triple Rock Social Club.

Russian Circles opened up, and I'm telling you, they're pushing the envelope when it comes to post-rock/post-metal. Crushingly intense, complex drum beats, finger-tapping, occasional guitar shredding and a venerial cornacopiea of bass lines made for an eye-opening, jaw dropping performance! This band just has it. It was so refreshing to see instrumental music played with that kind of demeanor, that kind of random style. I will definitely see them again when they come back around.

I've always loved Pelican on disc, and I thought that they would blow me away live. Surprisingly, they didn't. The sound was loud, the band intense, but every song was fast and loud. They've got some quiter, acoustic songs in their catalogue, but they didn't play any of them. Whereas both Russian Circles and Mono played loud and soft songs, Pelican played nothing but loud ones. They were metal, hard-hitting and lively, but there was no real change in tempo or volume. The singer had mentioned that this was the largest crowd that they had played for in Minnesota, which was nice. However, they could have changed up their set a bit to have the music ebb and flow, upon which a lot of music (especially instrumental) is built.

Having seen Mono twice, I knew I was in for quite a treat. They never cease to amaze me, or completely refresh and floor me; mission accomplished again. They played some newer songs, and their bassist even played piano for a song intro. Like recent Sigur Ros and Mogwai shows I've been to, Mono's set was more melodic. Many songs began and ended with the two guitarists' building on each other's bright and simple harmonic picking, with quiet basslines and hushed drums filling our ears to round out the beauty they display through their playing. Absolutely gorgeous, is how I can describe their set last night. You could hear your heartbeat when songs ended, since the audience was so stunned (at least I was) by their performance. They're from Japan, but yet I've seen them three times now in the last 2 years! You can be sure I'll see them when they come back around, since they always add something new each time. If you like them, go pick up their new disc, the Steve Albini-produced You Are Here. It's perfect.

Subdued with Awe

05/08/2006

To have the privilege of seeing Sigur Ros and Amina twice within one year is unbelievable; seeing them at the historic and majestic Orpheum theatre is, well, fucking stupendous! Ok, maybe I didn't need to swear. But wow, the perfect venue for this show, the Orpheum was. Seated in the lower section, Amina's sounds rang even more crystal-clear than the wine glasses that they played! Pardon the pun...not really.

Their performance is always a treat, and the second time around, it was even more tasty. They're working on new music, which I'll be very eager to get my hands on when it's out. Who knows if it'll be in any store in the US. I just may have to fly to Iceland to get it (anyone with me?). I can't really describe their sound, but let's just say it is beautiful, one that when your ears hear it, they curl up in a peaceful acceptance of all the world.

Shroud this time in red light, Sigur Ros opened with a energetic number of their latest album, awakening us from our daze. Problem is, Sigur Ros puts you in even more of a dreamy, lively, crushingly powerful daze. This time around, the music swelled less overall, and stuck to being subdued and calm most of the time. No problems for me there. The background artscape exhibited random geometric patterns, and a feeling of travelling with the band through space at one point! Quite intriguing, complementing perfectly their alien-like sound (meaning, who or what do they sound like? nobody else). At one point, the band sat circle-like, playing notes on guitar, and after each note, the stage lights looked like candles flickering; quite impressive.

They closed with their epic last track off of ( ), pushing me into a full-body spasm of loveliness and awe! By the time that the song ended, Jonsi had broken his e-bow, and we stood on our feet applauding yet another outstanding performance.

Story of the Rock!

This story takes place on Saturday, 5/13/06....

It all began with The Soft Rocks. They reminded me of fuzzy, droning rock, with odd stage energy, low-key singing and off-balanced music. Very entertaining. Perhaps a better band-name (at least to describe their character) would be the quirky rocks, or jagged rocks.

As we turn the page, we find that The Six Parts Seven took stage, a band that should be a staple among my love of instrumental-rock. They drove up from Ohio to play, and my did they put on a show! Most of their set was comprised of new songs, as they are heading out to Seattle to record soon. I was quite happy with their set, feeling like I was watching Explosions In The Sky, yet more subtle and a bit more of a twang (steel and slide guitar will do that). But it fit so well. Their music is very gorgeous on disc, so pick it up if you want peaceful, simple, soothing sounds.

Moving on, locals Duplomacy excited the crowd, and did not disappoint this newcomer to their sound. At first, I thought it was a little too relaxed, but then the drums started crashing, the guitar whining, the bass thumping. I smiled and enjoyed their set of rock with pop-sensibility. They're working on some new music, and it should be exciting to hear.

There were many fish when this sea entered: The monsterous Story of the Sea, comprised of former Houston and Align members. Add the production help of members from former-Shiner and Kid Dakota/The Hopefuls, and you've got gold, pure gold, for music! The vocals were very reminiscent of Kid Dakota/The Hopefuls, the drums Houston-like, and the bass Align-ish, yet more apparent? Either way, I was in awe of their live energy. The songwriting is poppy, the vocals sometimes difficult to discern. But it doesn't matter; once you see them, you just have to move! The drumming just crushes, bringing this story to conclusion. That night, a new form of rock was born, and I was lucky enough to witness it.

Motivational March? Hardly. Awesome April? So far!

Yeah, so Katie and I thought we'd finally take the X-Mas tree down in March. No...it turns out. Still there, with decorations and all. I thought I would finally take care of my random basement clutter composed of old college papers and elementary school nostalgia. Not even close. Katie prepped and packed for Ireland, while I...well, loafed around, sluffed off. Bought new music (Editors, The Appleseed Cast are gems), went to a couple shows, had a rad St. Patrick's Day Party, etc.

Oh well. While Katie was gone, however, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I saw A Whisper In the Noise and Arab Strap on March 31st, and for April Fool's...fucking, Wagner and the Zombiemen! Not only that...but at their house! It was an April Fool's Day party, complete with some acoustic stuff, and Chad Zigweid's unnamed band that featured himself and another female on vocals, and guys on drums and bass and guitar. The music was very good, very folk-like with a nice rock-tinge. Heavy drums, and beautifully blended vocals.

Then afterwards...the beauty and awe that is Wagner and the Zombiemen! They last counted around 70 people at the party, not bad at all! Of course, not everyone was watching them play in the living room, but they should have been. There was Paul; brilliant drummer and one-half visionary of Wagner, who devised a super-sweet sound system. There was Chad; the intense mandolin player and spoken word visionary. They performed their 2 stories awesomely, and even teased us with a 3rd story. What was it about? Well, it will not be explained here, as they had some minor difficulties, and again, you'll just have to see it for yourself. Let's just say they've found yet another genre to build their sound upon. They always leave you wanting more, which isn't always a bad thing....

Other things I did while Katie enjoyed Ireland:
- wrote some new poems and finally rewrote some old ones while listening to Explosions In The Sky, Dredg, Mono, and Sigur Ros on headphones.
- journaled the night of my 25th B-Day, expressing pure gratitude for all those whom I love
- softball practice with my friend's team...I'm excited for the season.
- got my car's oil changed for $12! Thanks mail-obtained coupon; you're the best!
- righteous BBQ, convo and viewing of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report at friend's place
- biked to and from work most days, with gorgeous weather and magnificant tunes playing
- saw Thank You For Smoking...if you haven't seen it, go already!
- walked around the lake, ordered pizza and watched The Life of Brian (VHS) with Tricia
- celebrated my 25th B-Day by my friends taking me to the Shrine Circus! Seeing a guy get shot out of a cannonball is something I wanna see again, and again, and again, and again....
- cleaned up the place quite awesomely, even dusting electronics with these great dusting wipes I bought at the dollar store, oh yeah!
- received a phone call and a ride home from work on my b-day from my biological father, or "bio-dad," as is the term my friends find absolutely hilarious. I hadn't seen him since I graduated from the U of M back in May 2004, so that was kind of crazy. But it's cool.
- went with Tricia to pick up Katie from the airport, and gave my fiancee a big hug and kiss once we got back. Hey, there had to be some mushiness/romance mentioned! I am engaged, you know!
Also, I got an awesome Irish/Celtic necklace from her. So all in all, a great time was had by all!

Now it's time to enjoy the outdoors and spring again. Cheers to that.