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Friday, April 30, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Special Edition Cover Saturday
Ok, I missed posting on Friday, but here is a cover of a great band, by another great band. I know some people out there hate them, but in my parts they're local so they're cool in my book.
Husker Du, from St. Paul, Minnesota first started as a hardcore band, releasing some material through Black Flag member and owner of label, Greg Ginn's SST Records. Later along the line, their material became more melodic. The song Don't Want to Know If You are Lonely is from the 1986 album Candy Apple Gray.
The band covering this Husker Du track needs no description. Husker Du has been listed as a influence for Green Day. Imitiation is best form of flattery.
Husker Du, from St. Paul, Minnesota first started as a hardcore band, releasing some material through Black Flag member and owner of label, Greg Ginn's SST Records. Later along the line, their material became more melodic. The song Don't Want to Know If You are Lonely is from the 1986 album Candy Apple Gray.
The band covering this Husker Du track needs no description. Husker Du has been listed as a influence for Green Day. Imitiation is best form of flattery.
Friday, March 05, 2010
Current Rotation in the CD Changer
London Calling by the Clash
11:11 by Rodrigo y Gabriela
Come Over Now by Dreamdate (Oakland)
Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts by American Steel
The White Album by The Beatles
Taster's Choice Vol. 3 and 5 by Jrocc
Mos Def Wake Up Show Mix by DJ Raichous
Donuts by Jay Dee
Vibe with the Tribe by Daddy Dog (Tribe Mixtape)
Rise Up by Kevin Seconds and his Ghetto Moments
The Rockers OST (old roots reggae and ska) by VA
11:11 by Rodrigo y Gabriela
Come Over Now by Dreamdate (Oakland)
Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts by American Steel
The White Album by The Beatles
Taster's Choice Vol. 3 and 5 by Jrocc
Mos Def Wake Up Show Mix by DJ Raichous
Donuts by Jay Dee
Vibe with the Tribe by Daddy Dog (Tribe Mixtape)
Rise Up by Kevin Seconds and his Ghetto Moments
The Rockers OST (old roots reggae and ska) by VA
Good Vibration, which one?
This one...
It's really good song from a great album. Pet Sounds was a landmark recording. A lot of good cuts including this one, and really, the inspiration for the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band. Plus, there's a theremin during the hook section of the song. Very cool!
This one...
When I hear this I think of Euro Disco for Men's Club only! J/K I got love for everyone! But really, I just wanted an excuse to post this song up. Feel it, feel it! Seriously, love him or hate him, without this song Marky Mark would just be a New Kid drop out, but I have to give it up, he parlayed it into something beyond any expectations. Without this housed-out faux hip hop by a white dude hit, we would have this...
Yes, you said it. No Boogie Nights. This might have been the highlight of his career, but it was a damn good movie. Roller Girl and all. Julianne Moore's Red Bush, Cannonball Run Guy, and the funny Step Bro dude (John C. Reilly).
My favorite scenes of the movie. You can see the Walberg's range here...
Short Documentary...
It's really good song from a great album. Pet Sounds was a landmark recording. A lot of good cuts including this one, and really, the inspiration for the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band. Plus, there's a theremin during the hook section of the song. Very cool!
This one...
When I hear this I think of Euro Disco for Men's Club only! J/K I got love for everyone! But really, I just wanted an excuse to post this song up. Feel it, feel it! Seriously, love him or hate him, without this song Marky Mark would just be a New Kid drop out, but I have to give it up, he parlayed it into something beyond any expectations. Without this housed-out faux hip hop by a white dude hit, we would have this...
Yes, you said it. No Boogie Nights. This might have been the highlight of his career, but it was a damn good movie. Roller Girl and all. Julianne Moore's Red Bush, Cannonball Run Guy, and the funny Step Bro dude (John C. Reilly).
My favorite scenes of the movie. You can see the Walberg's range here...
Short Documentary...
uses of a Wiimote
I've always wanted to own a theremin. It's this musical device that you don't touch. It works like some kind of proximity sensor and depending on your hand movements and distance from the device, it can be used as to emit musical notes. I don't know how it exactly it works but just watch the sample videos. I looked up theremins on ebay and you can find a decent one for $199.99 but after stumbling on some videos, I found the perfect alternative...
Zelda!
Star Trek!
Zelda!
Star Trek!
Friday Cover of the Day... J Church on Radiohead
Welcome to a new thread I hope to keep up. Everybody loves covers, especially me. Today we have a cover from one of my favorite bands of another great band.
J Church is one of my favorite bands. Lance Hahn, the heart and soul of J church(RIP) was an SF transplant via Hawaii and eventually Austin, TX-bound was on a hardcore band Cringer. Once Cringer disbanded, Lance and one of his bandmates started up J church, named after a bus line in SF. J church was different from Cringer's hardcore punk style and adopted the east bay punk style popularized by many of the Lookout act's. JC, put out many albums, 7's and EP's over the years until Lance succumbed to kidney disease.
The song, they covered was Radiohead's Creep. They're first hit that put them on the map. Radiohead really doesn't need and intro so I'll get on with this post.
JC is known to make alot of covers and when I saw that they did this, I thought it was really well done. The rhythm guitar is well done (Lance was usually the lone guitarist). Here's to the 3 minute pop punk cover!
J Church is one of my favorite bands. Lance Hahn, the heart and soul of J church(RIP) was an SF transplant via Hawaii and eventually Austin, TX-bound was on a hardcore band Cringer. Once Cringer disbanded, Lance and one of his bandmates started up J church, named after a bus line in SF. J church was different from Cringer's hardcore punk style and adopted the east bay punk style popularized by many of the Lookout act's. JC, put out many albums, 7's and EP's over the years until Lance succumbed to kidney disease.
The song, they covered was Radiohead's Creep. They're first hit that put them on the map. Radiohead really doesn't need and intro so I'll get on with this post.
JC is known to make alot of covers and when I saw that they did this, I thought it was really well done. The rhythm guitar is well done (Lance was usually the lone guitarist). Here's to the 3 minute pop punk cover!
Caffeinated Nation part Deux
Starsucks is pretty damn good. Peets is really pretty damn good. Ritual is pretty good as well minus the hipsters. Blue Bottle is the SH*T! Man, The Ethiopian Yirg is excellent. Robust, yet delicate. Chocolaty scent with floral aftertaste. Damn, talk about complexity! I stopped by during lunch to pick up a half pound of the Temescal Blend. Look forward to trying that sometime soon.
Friday, February 19, 2010
RAAAAAAAAAANDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aziz Ansari is my new favorite brown comedian. Funny as hell. I first noticed him on Human Giant and then caught the first few episodes of Parks and Recreation. I wanted to see him on his Human Glowlight tour but none of my friends wanted to go so I ended up canning the idea. I regretted it. He's touring again and the shows sold out. I waited for the green light from my wife. I snooze, I lose. Recently he's released a DVD. That's the closest I'll get to seeing him for now.
His delivery is high energy and rapid fire. He's got a swagger and confidence to his delivery so that even the joke is subpar, you'll chuckle and he'll be ahead already by 3 jokes before you know it. His material is somewhat semi-clean, and for his more adult material, he has an alter-ego with hip hop DJ sidekick to go along with it. He's adopted second stage persona from his role in Funny
People as Randy.
Here's a clip from a small role in Observe and Report. Embedding was disabled so click this link here
Here's a stand up set from his Human Giant co-star. Freakin' Hilarious!
As the fruit guy stand in Flight of the Concords.
A clip from the DVD:
AZIZ ANSARI IS A FUCKING BAD ASS!!!!!!! (You'll get it if you watch the middle clip)
His delivery is high energy and rapid fire. He's got a swagger and confidence to his delivery so that even the joke is subpar, you'll chuckle and he'll be ahead already by 3 jokes before you know it. His material is somewhat semi-clean, and for his more adult material, he has an alter-ego with hip hop DJ sidekick to go along with it. He's adopted second stage persona from his role in Funny
People as Randy.
Here's a clip from a small role in Observe and Report. Embedding was disabled so click this link here
Here's a stand up set from his Human Giant co-star. Freakin' Hilarious!
As the fruit guy stand in Flight of the Concords.
A clip from the DVD:
AZIZ ANSARI IS A FUCKING BAD ASS!!!!!!! (You'll get it if you watch the middle clip)
Monday, February 08, 2010
Caffeinated Revelation
So I've been on a coffee drinking rampage, enjoying all these new and different coffees from a over the world thanks to places like Starbucks and Bay Area's own Peet's. I had a revelation walking my dogs with my wife on First St. in Benicia on Superbowl Sunday. (Missed the first half)
We passed by Duvall's Coffee Roasters and noticed they were open. So we decided to check it out. They had similar robust offerings to what you could find from Peets, like coffees from Sumatra, which I've been drinking a lot of lately. (Peet's Blue Batak is heavenly)
I met owner Marty Duvall and he was in the middle of roasting process. It was very interesting and educational. I saw his roaster in action, waiting for the popping sound, which is what similar to what popcorn does when you heat it up. What you're looking for is that first series of pops, and then the second series. What I discovered is that depending on how long you roast (which is indicated by the increasing darkness of the coffee bean) determines the complexity of the taste of the coffee is when it is brewed. He mentioned that he buys his green coffee (coffee that is unroasted) from Royal Coffee, a wholesale importer and distributor. Problem is that I'm not in need of 100+ lbs. bags of unroasted coffee, which will probably go stale before I go through it all. I ended up buying a 1lb bag each of the Sumatra and Tanzania Pea Berry already roasted.
I went home and did some research. Then it dawned on me. Homeroasting! Yes it is a little labor intensive (not that really) and it only gets as difficult (and/or expensive) as you make it. You can spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on all the expensive equipment you need, but you don't necessarilly have to. I stumbled upon a website and a local small business called Sweet Maria's. They're here in the East Bay, they sell green coffee from all over the world WAY below the cost of what you'd pay anywhere else. I just may have found myself a new hobby, and an affordable one at that. I have yet to try it out but the prospect of it seems really exciting. More to come...
We passed by Duvall's Coffee Roasters and noticed they were open. So we decided to check it out. They had similar robust offerings to what you could find from Peets, like coffees from Sumatra, which I've been drinking a lot of lately. (Peet's Blue Batak is heavenly)
I met owner Marty Duvall and he was in the middle of roasting process. It was very interesting and educational. I saw his roaster in action, waiting for the popping sound, which is what similar to what popcorn does when you heat it up. What you're looking for is that first series of pops, and then the second series. What I discovered is that depending on how long you roast (which is indicated by the increasing darkness of the coffee bean) determines the complexity of the taste of the coffee is when it is brewed. He mentioned that he buys his green coffee (coffee that is unroasted) from Royal Coffee, a wholesale importer and distributor. Problem is that I'm not in need of 100+ lbs. bags of unroasted coffee, which will probably go stale before I go through it all. I ended up buying a 1lb bag each of the Sumatra and Tanzania Pea Berry already roasted.
I went home and did some research. Then it dawned on me. Homeroasting! Yes it is a little labor intensive (not that really) and it only gets as difficult (and/or expensive) as you make it. You can spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on all the expensive equipment you need, but you don't necessarilly have to. I stumbled upon a website and a local small business called Sweet Maria's. They're here in the East Bay, they sell green coffee from all over the world WAY below the cost of what you'd pay anywhere else. I just may have found myself a new hobby, and an affordable one at that. I have yet to try it out but the prospect of it seems really exciting. More to come...
OK I'll eat it...
So the Colts lost. Big deal. I got to give it up to the Saints, they were just a little hungrier. Just as a disclaimer I will say that I am NOT a Indy fan. First and foremost, I'm a NINER fan. The Saints did a great job, coach Payton and QB1 Brees did a great job this season. Just look at the road to the superbowl. The had to go through Favre, Warner AND Manning. Three QB giants slain in a row. Statistically, Manning is one of the best and it is debatable that he may be best ever. The numbers are there. Winning another superbowl would have cemented him as being one of top 3-5 and move him closer to BEING that, but I'm not sure if that may ever be the case. Look at his last superbowl win and who was his opponent? Rex Grossman of the Chicago Bears?!!! Barely a challenge! Plus, they ran the ball with Addai and Rhodes which contributed to their success. Manning had a great regular season, and tore up D's with a rookie head coach; some say that he was the mastermind behind most of the wins this year leaving the coaching staff to coast. But in this game, he threw a costly interception.
Real story here is Brees. He has really come to his own. Dumped by San Diego only to be picked up by New Orleans. This win is truly a masterpiece. A great regular season topped off with a incredible difficult road to to the superbowl. This has to be one of the best since the Joe Cool's Niners during the 80's.
Which leaves me to this, Joe Montana, won a college championship in at Notre Dame, he's been to 4 superbowls, and NEVER lost. Not only was he good, he was clutch, and undefeated in the big game. That makes him the best QB ever in my book. 'nuff said.
Real story here is Brees. He has really come to his own. Dumped by San Diego only to be picked up by New Orleans. This win is truly a masterpiece. A great regular season topped off with a incredible difficult road to to the superbowl. This has to be one of the best since the Joe Cool's Niners during the 80's.
Which leaves me to this, Joe Montana, won a college championship in at Notre Dame, he's been to 4 superbowls, and NEVER lost. Not only was he good, he was clutch, and undefeated in the big game. That makes him the best QB ever in my book. 'nuff said.
Friday, February 05, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
2010 Comedy to start of the new year...
One of my favorite comedians ever. I didn't watch his show regularly because back in the days it was past my bed time. Now that I'm older, and he's taken over Tonight show I haven't watched it past the 3rd episode. He hasn't been that funny lately, but when drama ensues and 'ol Conan is pushed against the wall, he's dead on fire funny. Funny like a madman in hell. Recently, NBC has been pushed back into a corner, the evil boss, looking stupid while we watch closely to see what their next move is. To those that aren't aware, since Leno left he's gone primetime and Conan has taken the reigns, and perhaps it will come to end at 7 months due to stupid suits making the decisions at NBC. Conan was offered the ultimatum to go back to his late night spot, and 30 minutes at that... What an insult! The man is a proven winner and more importantly, he's paid his dues. Today he posted a statement discussing his situation and it has all the hallmarks of a Conan monologue. Funny, respectful, and self deprecating as ever, it's a big F.U. to NBC. The show tonight is still going on and it will be interesting.
People of Earth:
In the last few days, I've been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, Ive been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I've been absurdly lucky. That said, I've been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision.
Six years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over The Tonight Show in June of 2009. Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me. I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future. It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both.
But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule.
Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn't the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.
So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn't matter. But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.
There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.
Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair: it's always been that way.
Yours,Conan
Well said and with class!!!!
The icing on the cake, he'll be at sfsketchfest in January. I was lucky to score two tickets! I couldn't get the Doogie or Reno 911 sets. =( I'll settle for Conan. It's a good 2010 so far....
Still haven't seen Avatar yet. I'll try sometime this week.
People of Earth:
In the last few days, I've been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, Ive been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I've been absurdly lucky. That said, I've been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision.
Six years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over The Tonight Show in June of 2009. Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me. I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future. It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both.
But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule.
Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn't the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.
So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn't matter. But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.
There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.
Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair: it's always been that way.
Yours,Conan
Well said and with class!!!!
The icing on the cake, he'll be at sfsketchfest in January. I was lucky to score two tickets! I couldn't get the Doogie or Reno 911 sets. =( I'll settle for Conan. It's a good 2010 so far....
Still haven't seen Avatar yet. I'll try sometime this week.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Pixies Day 3
Word of the day: AWESOME
It was the last night of the Pixies sell out performance at the Fox Theater. Just like to previous nights, the bside warmups as well as the doolittle sets were identical. Even the banter. Elected spokeswoman, Kim Deal navigated us through the set list as if it were a cassette tape, letting the crowd know where they were at on each side. Each night, she proclaimed how beautiful the Fox Theater was, and it is. And yes, it's in Oakland. Long live the East Bay. I envisioned running into Joe Santiago and agreeing to go to Guitar Center to go buy some strings. Taking Frank Black to Bakesale Betty's and booking him to do a solo mini tour with me as his booker here in the bay. And maybe go get some feijoada at Brazil Cafe' or hit a Burrito truck in International Blvd. Ask Dave Lovering to perform some magic for me and have tea with Kim Deal and tell her how much I love her voice that it reminds me of my french bulldog, Surfer Rosa. (Yes, I love the Pixies that much)
But none of that happened. And it probably never will. (Sniff.) But I did get to see them aqain, and three times at that! My wife is probably tired and mad at me for making her go to all 3 shows. I did ask some other close friends but none were available. It pains me that a lot of people don't know about them, or how good they are. As plain and boring as they appear to be, not having the lively stage presence, that say Billie Joe of Green Day or charisma of Joe Strummer, or chatty personality like Bono of U2, I truly believe that they are one of the greatest bands that never got the paid (till '04), never got the notoriety, or acknowledgement (till now) and I wonder would they ever get inducted. Here's my push. They deserve it. They've influenced countless bands, some of them really crappy and get more acknowledgement and airtime. For an independent band that never got its due, they can really pack a place. LoudQUIETLoud, documented the reunion. The Pixies reunion was labeled the Sell Out Tour. Literally, they sold out. And they got the money paid, and it was well deserved. And it doesn't make me mad. The inner punk screaming SELL OUT, is ok with it. Like most working stiffs like you and me, this is their profession. Maybe its more glorious, but with their catalog, nostalgia and aging audience, and hipness to the new hipsters makes it all work in their favor, especially during these tough times. I can sympathize with that. To put it perspective, pre Reunion days, Kim Deal's one hit wonder band Breeder's has made more money to date that the 15 years of the Pixies existence, minus the reunion years. Dave Lovering was down and out. His father died of cancer during the reunion, and you can tell that all this was taking a toll on him. Kim, the recovering addict, triumphant at conquering her demons, put her differences aside with Frank Black, enabling this to all happen. Joey Santiago, married with children often the only bridge of communication, even though years passed between talking with each other, admitted that doing this could guarantee his children's education and better quality of life. And lastly Frank Black, usually quiet, as Kim does most of the banter between songs, is still the man behind the curtain. I refer to Black Francis, as the working showman, artist, musician. The Catholics, going solo, all this material could have been Pixies material, if the clash with Kim didn't occur. But time heals all things, and above all, money talks. In the end, you have everyone else who is happy as hell that they're back and still here to rock. A little bit slower, a little bit older, and some cases, a little bit bigger, figuratively speaking! Here is something all those cute, stupid 3 chord punk pop, emo-core bands can't contend with. This is what real music is and should sound like. This is the greatest band you've never heard...
And November 11th, it was at the Fox Theater in the Biggity 'O'!
Like I said before, 2/3rds of the show was the same. With the elaborate video set (indicator when a band is getting big with all the visuals) I never got tired watching Monkey's Gone to Heaven. Man I love simians.
At the end of the 1st Encore, each night, they ended with Into the White, and the fogged the entire venue as if they were trying to bug bomb all the hipsters that were leaving early. Kim Deal's voice is so pleasantly sounding to me, it's the voice I envision my dog Rosie having if she were able to speak.
To top it off, they ended it with Bone Machine, Broken Face, Isla de Encanta and Where is My Mind? Surfer Rosa tracks. Although each show clocked 1.5 hrs it felt all too short. Watching 3 shows in all, was enough to satiate my appetite for pixieness and in the end, I was satisfied. And a little bit sad. Will they ever release any more material? Another album maybe? Only time will tell. Hopefully it will happen.
Here's some songs I wish they played:
Winterlong
UMASS
In Heaven
It was the last night of the Pixies sell out performance at the Fox Theater. Just like to previous nights, the bside warmups as well as the doolittle sets were identical. Even the banter. Elected spokeswoman, Kim Deal navigated us through the set list as if it were a cassette tape, letting the crowd know where they were at on each side. Each night, she proclaimed how beautiful the Fox Theater was, and it is. And yes, it's in Oakland. Long live the East Bay. I envisioned running into Joe Santiago and agreeing to go to Guitar Center to go buy some strings. Taking Frank Black to Bakesale Betty's and booking him to do a solo mini tour with me as his booker here in the bay. And maybe go get some feijoada at Brazil Cafe' or hit a Burrito truck in International Blvd. Ask Dave Lovering to perform some magic for me and have tea with Kim Deal and tell her how much I love her voice that it reminds me of my french bulldog, Surfer Rosa. (Yes, I love the Pixies that much)
But none of that happened. And it probably never will. (Sniff.) But I did get to see them aqain, and three times at that! My wife is probably tired and mad at me for making her go to all 3 shows. I did ask some other close friends but none were available. It pains me that a lot of people don't know about them, or how good they are. As plain and boring as they appear to be, not having the lively stage presence, that say Billie Joe of Green Day or charisma of Joe Strummer, or chatty personality like Bono of U2, I truly believe that they are one of the greatest bands that never got the paid (till '04), never got the notoriety, or acknowledgement (till now) and I wonder would they ever get inducted. Here's my push. They deserve it. They've influenced countless bands, some of them really crappy and get more acknowledgement and airtime. For an independent band that never got its due, they can really pack a place. LoudQUIETLoud, documented the reunion. The Pixies reunion was labeled the Sell Out Tour. Literally, they sold out. And they got the money paid, and it was well deserved. And it doesn't make me mad. The inner punk screaming SELL OUT, is ok with it. Like most working stiffs like you and me, this is their profession. Maybe its more glorious, but with their catalog, nostalgia and aging audience, and hipness to the new hipsters makes it all work in their favor, especially during these tough times. I can sympathize with that. To put it perspective, pre Reunion days, Kim Deal's one hit wonder band Breeder's has made more money to date that the 15 years of the Pixies existence, minus the reunion years. Dave Lovering was down and out. His father died of cancer during the reunion, and you can tell that all this was taking a toll on him. Kim, the recovering addict, triumphant at conquering her demons, put her differences aside with Frank Black, enabling this to all happen. Joey Santiago, married with children often the only bridge of communication, even though years passed between talking with each other, admitted that doing this could guarantee his children's education and better quality of life. And lastly Frank Black, usually quiet, as Kim does most of the banter between songs, is still the man behind the curtain. I refer to Black Francis, as the working showman, artist, musician. The Catholics, going solo, all this material could have been Pixies material, if the clash with Kim didn't occur. But time heals all things, and above all, money talks. In the end, you have everyone else who is happy as hell that they're back and still here to rock. A little bit slower, a little bit older, and some cases, a little bit bigger, figuratively speaking! Here is something all those cute, stupid 3 chord punk pop, emo-core bands can't contend with. This is what real music is and should sound like. This is the greatest band you've never heard...
And November 11th, it was at the Fox Theater in the Biggity 'O'!
Like I said before, 2/3rds of the show was the same. With the elaborate video set (indicator when a band is getting big with all the visuals) I never got tired watching Monkey's Gone to Heaven. Man I love simians.
At the end of the 1st Encore, each night, they ended with Into the White, and the fogged the entire venue as if they were trying to bug bomb all the hipsters that were leaving early. Kim Deal's voice is so pleasantly sounding to me, it's the voice I envision my dog Rosie having if she were able to speak.
To top it off, they ended it with Bone Machine, Broken Face, Isla de Encanta and Where is My Mind? Surfer Rosa tracks. Although each show clocked 1.5 hrs it felt all too short. Watching 3 shows in all, was enough to satiate my appetite for pixieness and in the end, I was satisfied. And a little bit sad. Will they ever release any more material? Another album maybe? Only time will tell. Hopefully it will happen.
Here's some songs I wish they played:
Winterlong
UMASS
In Heaven
Pixies Day 2
After the first show they were selling bracelets to buy the live recordings online and I got to meet the owner of Abbey Road, formerly Disclive, Zach Blair. I was familiar of Disclive because I bought the Coachella set, Newport Acoustic Set and the SF shows from 2004. He hooked it up with an extra download coupon for being a returning customer. Thanks ! Please visit the Abbey Road site, if you want to download a concert you've attended or want to hear a particular show you've missed.
www.doolittlelive.com
I got to catch the end of the Rain Machine set. They're a twopiece drum and guitar duo with the drummer on the vocals. They sounded pretty good. I'm not familiar with their music but I enjoyed the 10 minutes I sat through. I'll definitely give their stuff a listen sometime. I did some research on the band, and its a project from TV on the Radio member, Kyp Malone.
As for the Pixies set, it was almost identical beginning, middle 1st encore, up to the second encore. The Bside warm ups, was a tribute to manta rays, with Dancing the Manta Ray, and Manta Ray. Song topics are so peculiar for Frank Black.
I hate, hate, HATE it when people think the 'Man' in Here Comes Your Man, is actually a person. The song is referencing the Fat Man/Little Boy atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the WWII. The boxcar, waiting is actually Bockscar, the plane responsible for dropping Fat Man on Nagasaki.
To my surpise, the played Vamos, which is where my fellow Filipino countryman Joey Santiago gets to shine on his guitar effects solo. I danced like a madman with the intro guitar riff. Frank Black's mastery of the Spanish language is admirable.
I made a bet with my wife that if the set list was different she had to buy me dinner. She thought that the setlist would be identical every night because almost 2/3rds of the show was the same, and that Kim Deal said that they're playing the same thing every night. They almost did, too...
www.doolittlelive.com
I got to catch the end of the Rain Machine set. They're a twopiece drum and guitar duo with the drummer on the vocals. They sounded pretty good. I'm not familiar with their music but I enjoyed the 10 minutes I sat through. I'll definitely give their stuff a listen sometime. I did some research on the band, and its a project from TV on the Radio member, Kyp Malone.
As for the Pixies set, it was almost identical beginning, middle 1st encore, up to the second encore. The Bside warm ups, was a tribute to manta rays, with Dancing the Manta Ray, and Manta Ray. Song topics are so peculiar for Frank Black.
I hate, hate, HATE it when people think the 'Man' in Here Comes Your Man, is actually a person. The song is referencing the Fat Man/Little Boy atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the WWII. The boxcar, waiting is actually Bockscar, the plane responsible for dropping Fat Man on Nagasaki.
To my surpise, the played Vamos, which is where my fellow Filipino countryman Joey Santiago gets to shine on his guitar effects solo. I danced like a madman with the intro guitar riff. Frank Black's mastery of the Spanish language is admirable.
I made a bet with my wife that if the set list was different she had to buy me dinner. She thought that the setlist would be identical every night because almost 2/3rds of the show was the same, and that Kim Deal said that they're playing the same thing every night. They almost did, too...
Pixies Day 1
Kristi and I found free parking behind the venue and we managed to get there right before we started. I didn't want to get caught in the Post-show merch rush so the line was short enough to wait. I bought a Doolittle tour shirt, for both Kristi and I. I got the black, and she got the brown one. It has the monkey from Doolittle cover. For some reason, I have a mild fascination with this little simians, so I think it's really cool to have it on the shirt. I also bought a tour poster and a set of Pixies buttons to sport. We missed, the opener Rain Machine.
I knew the shows would sell out quick when I tried to get my tickets I bought the second day first because I knew I would have a better chance getting those. For the first show, we are all the way back in the boonies in the last balcony section, maybe 3-4 rows before the end, but we were in the middle and could see the stage.
Once the show started people would get up and dance on the spot. I know this is a rock show, but this is why I choose to sit in the back, 1.) to get away from the mosh pits and avoid getting kicked in the head. 2.) I'm old and I want to sit down and enjoy the show. Surprisingly there were a good mix of old folks and kids that weren't even born yet when the Pixies were out. A lot of hipsters, punk rockers, geeks and wannabee's. The place was packed for sure.
By the time we got to the Doolittle set, they were playing their main hits and every time a fast, recognizable, danceable song came on, 2 rows ahead of me a group of very big girls would get up and dance. They weren't really in our way but I couldn't see some of Stage Left, so we moved left to get a better view. Luckily half of our row wasn't there or relocated so there were spots open. It didn't really annoy me because they weren't in front of me, but I really felt for the row in front of me because they could not see at all.
The guy in front of us was pissed and I told him he can move up to our row and he obliged. In between songs a very loud mad was yelling various comments such as: "Sit the fuck down!", "You're fat and I can't see." "Just because you're fat and think you're better than us doesn't mean you can take up space." Wow, all harsh if you ask me. At some point, I saw an unidentified flying object hit the back of one of the smaller girls. She sat down eventually and I heard that she was crying. I felt kinda bad, but block people's way and you will feel the wrath! I'm glad I wasn't involved, but to tell you the truth, Kristi and I were intrigued over this comical little feud. If anything, the only thing that bothered us was the girl dancing on the far left. She had an 80's mullet and kept on running he hands through her hair while pogoing and making little interpretative dances with songs. Annoying, but funny.
As for the show itself, Doolittle has it's share of good songs, but my favorite album is Surfer Rosa personally. However, my favorite song is Wave of Mutilation, which is on the Doolittle album. After the Doolittle album, they played Wave of Mutilation UK Surf version, which is by far my favorite song.
Overall, I was shocked how short the show was. I was still satisfied, but more songs could have been played. Some of their cool covers like Winterlong, Theme from NARC, or Lady in the Radiator song, but to no avail. I looked forward to Day 2, anxious to see what else they would play. I know for a fact, they NEVER, EVER play the same set...
Here is the end of the second encore:
I knew the shows would sell out quick when I tried to get my tickets I bought the second day first because I knew I would have a better chance getting those. For the first show, we are all the way back in the boonies in the last balcony section, maybe 3-4 rows before the end, but we were in the middle and could see the stage.
Once the show started people would get up and dance on the spot. I know this is a rock show, but this is why I choose to sit in the back, 1.) to get away from the mosh pits and avoid getting kicked in the head. 2.) I'm old and I want to sit down and enjoy the show. Surprisingly there were a good mix of old folks and kids that weren't even born yet when the Pixies were out. A lot of hipsters, punk rockers, geeks and wannabee's. The place was packed for sure.
By the time we got to the Doolittle set, they were playing their main hits and every time a fast, recognizable, danceable song came on, 2 rows ahead of me a group of very big girls would get up and dance. They weren't really in our way but I couldn't see some of Stage Left, so we moved left to get a better view. Luckily half of our row wasn't there or relocated so there were spots open. It didn't really annoy me because they weren't in front of me, but I really felt for the row in front of me because they could not see at all.
The guy in front of us was pissed and I told him he can move up to our row and he obliged. In between songs a very loud mad was yelling various comments such as: "Sit the fuck down!", "You're fat and I can't see." "Just because you're fat and think you're better than us doesn't mean you can take up space." Wow, all harsh if you ask me. At some point, I saw an unidentified flying object hit the back of one of the smaller girls. She sat down eventually and I heard that she was crying. I felt kinda bad, but block people's way and you will feel the wrath! I'm glad I wasn't involved, but to tell you the truth, Kristi and I were intrigued over this comical little feud. If anything, the only thing that bothered us was the girl dancing on the far left. She had an 80's mullet and kept on running he hands through her hair while pogoing and making little interpretative dances with songs. Annoying, but funny.
As for the show itself, Doolittle has it's share of good songs, but my favorite album is Surfer Rosa personally. However, my favorite song is Wave of Mutilation, which is on the Doolittle album. After the Doolittle album, they played Wave of Mutilation UK Surf version, which is by far my favorite song.
Overall, I was shocked how short the show was. I was still satisfied, but more songs could have been played. Some of their cool covers like Winterlong, Theme from NARC, or Lady in the Radiator song, but to no avail. I looked forward to Day 2, anxious to see what else they would play. I know for a fact, they NEVER, EVER play the same set...
Here is the end of the second encore:
Pixies Doolittle 20th Anniversary Tour, Fox Theater Oakland 11/8-11/10
I haven't seen the Pixies since 2004 at Coachella and that was truly a magical night. I didn't know the reunion would last this long, to tell you the truth. Not knowing if this would be my last chance to see them, like a crazy deranged fan I bought tickets to all three days. Mad props to my wife for roughing it out like a trooper and going all three nights. Here's a little setlist and review for each show.
Sunday 11/8
B Side Warm-up
Dancing The Manta Ray
Weird at My School
Bailey's Walk
Manta Ray
Doolittle Set
Debaser
Tame
Wave of Mutilation
I Bleed
Here Comes Your Man
Dead
Monkey Gone to Heaven
Mr. Grieves
Crackity Jones
La La Love You
No. 13 Baby
There Goes My Gun
Hey
Silver
Gouge Away
Encore:
Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)
Into the White
Encore 2:
Where Is My Mind?
Gigantic
Caribou
11/9
Everything was the same until Encore 2:
Where is My Mind?
Nimrod's Son
Vamos
Gigantic
11/10
Encore 2:
Bone Machine
Broken Face
Isla de Encanta
Where is My Mind?
Sunday 11/8
B Side Warm-up
Dancing The Manta Ray
Weird at My School
Bailey's Walk
Manta Ray
Doolittle Set
Debaser
Tame
Wave of Mutilation
I Bleed
Here Comes Your Man
Dead
Monkey Gone to Heaven
Mr. Grieves
Crackity Jones
La La Love You
No. 13 Baby
There Goes My Gun
Hey
Silver
Gouge Away
Encore:
Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)
Into the White
Encore 2:
Where Is My Mind?
Gigantic
Caribou
11/9
Everything was the same until Encore 2:
Where is My Mind?
Nimrod's Son
Vamos
Gigantic
11/10
Encore 2:
Bone Machine
Broken Face
Isla de Encanta
Where is My Mind?
Friday, October 30, 2009
Echo and the Bunnymen at the Fox Theater 10/22/09
Echo and the Bunnymen
She Wants Revenge opening
Setlist:
Silver
Nocturnal Me
Crystal Days
The Yo Yo Man
Thorn of Crowns
The Killing Moon
Seven Seas
My Kingdom
Ocean Rain
Encore:
Rescue
Show of Strength
Villiers Terrace / Roadhouse Blues (The Doors cover)
Stormy Weather
Forgotten Fields
Bring On the Dancing Horses
All My Colours
All That Jazz
I Think I Need It Too
The Back of Love
The Cutter
Encore 2:
Nothing Lasts / Walk on the Wild Side / In The Midnight Hour
Encore 3:
Lips Like Sugar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koGmhB-MBfg
She Wants Revenge opening
Setlist:
Silver
Nocturnal Me
Crystal Days
The Yo Yo Man
Thorn of Crowns
The Killing Moon
Seven Seas
My Kingdom
Ocean Rain
Encore:
Rescue
Show of Strength
Villiers Terrace / Roadhouse Blues (The Doors cover)
Stormy Weather
Forgotten Fields
Bring On the Dancing Horses
All My Colours
All That Jazz
I Think I Need It Too
The Back of Love
The Cutter
Encore 2:
Nothing Lasts / Walk on the Wild Side / In The Midnight Hour
Encore 3:
Lips Like Sugar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koGmhB-MBfg
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
7 Seconds, Echo and Snoo
I've had the chance to see some really good shows lately.
A while back, got to see , Pany Division, The Kepi Band, Thorn's of Life featuring Jawbreaker's Blake Schwarzenbach, Crimpshrine and Pinhead Gunpowder's Aaron Cometbus and Gr'up's Daniella Shea.
A couple months ago I got to see Reno's best and 7 Seconds! Kevin Seconds was really awesome. Got to shake his hand and say hello.
Recently went to see Dr. Frank and Jesse Michael's do an acoustic set at Cato's for the Andromeda Klein book launch. I haven't got to see Classics of Love yet but I'm gonna try and catch them soon.
During the wedding weeks I got to catch La Plebe and Dezu at the Plea for Peace Center. Awesome venue.... Middagh rules!
Last week I went see Echo and the Bunnymen performing Ocean Rain in it's entirety with a live orchestra backing them up. Really nice.
Next week it's a Pixies filled weekend at Fox Theater as I bought tickets for all 3 shows. Yeah, I know it's a little excessive but IT's THE PIXIES!!!!!!!!
On a side note, here's a video a friend sent me, featuring the first mention of Snoo Snoo...
A while back, got to see , Pany Division, The Kepi Band, Thorn's of Life featuring Jawbreaker's Blake Schwarzenbach, Crimpshrine and Pinhead Gunpowder's Aaron Cometbus and Gr'up's Daniella Shea.
A couple months ago I got to see Reno's best and 7 Seconds! Kevin Seconds was really awesome. Got to shake his hand and say hello.
Recently went to see Dr. Frank and Jesse Michael's do an acoustic set at Cato's for the Andromeda Klein book launch. I haven't got to see Classics of Love yet but I'm gonna try and catch them soon.
During the wedding weeks I got to catch La Plebe and Dezu at the Plea for Peace Center. Awesome venue.... Middagh rules!
Last week I went see Echo and the Bunnymen performing Ocean Rain in it's entirety with a live orchestra backing them up. Really nice.
Next week it's a Pixies filled weekend at Fox Theater as I bought tickets for all 3 shows. Yeah, I know it's a little excessive but IT's THE PIXIES!!!!!!!!
On a side note, here's a video a friend sent me, featuring the first mention of Snoo Snoo...
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