Normally I could care less about what Richard Starkey is up to nowadays. But I read about this earlier today and had to check it out for myself. Maybe it's just me...but does anyone else feel like they're watching one of those terrorist demand videos? If Ringo is inundated with letters will he post another video in which he beheads some 50-something year old Beatles fan??? Maybe The Dead Milkmen's song - "Ringo Buys a Rifle" - is about to come true.
This certainly is the end times. Dolphins are leaping out of the water and striking people. Ringo is miffed. Look out! Ragnarok is near!!!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Eau'Bouzouki - A maudlin evening with MAGNETIC FIELDS
So last night the Magnetic Fields FINALLY came to town. I say finally because I bought my ticket three months ago. At the time of purchase I didn't realize that the Cleveland Browns were going to be making the first of three regular season appearances on Monday Night Football otherwise I might have passed on attending this show [from what everyone tells me I missed one heck of a game]. Nevertheless, I was looking forward to the show though I was unsure of what to expect.
I was never all that familiar with Magnetic Fields until a few months back. A friend from LastFM provided me with a crash course in all things Stephen Merritt [the ringleader of MF]. I've still barely scratched the surface of Magnetic Fields and Merritt's numerous side projects. But for the most part I've enjoyed what I've heard.
The members of Magnetic Fields took the stage right at 9pm. Claudia Gonson, seated at a piano, informed the crowd that Stephen would be playing a bouzouki during the performance. This led to a genuinely witty interchange between her and Stephen, the first of many throughout the performance.
For the next 45 minutes Magnetic Fields [Sam Davol, John Woo, Shirley Simms, Gonson, and Merritt] performed songs from the entire Merritt oeuvre on acoustic instruments [cello(Davol), guitar (Woo), piano (Gonson), and yes...bouzouki (Merritt)]: "No One Will Ever Love You"; "California Girls"; "I Wish I Had an Evil Twin"; and "Papa Was a Rodeo" to name a few. The performance was a precise exercise in chamber pop peppered with genuinely funny moments courtesy of Gonson and Merritt. A fifteen minute intermission [which gave me an opportunity to check on how my beloved Browns were doing] was followed by another 45 minute set. "Take Ecstasy With Me", "The Tiny Goat", and "What a Fucking Lovely Day!" were standouts. The encore consisted of "Three Way" and "Grand Canyon".
The audience consisted of mini-cliques of assorted hipster doofi who seemed to eat up every song and humorous comment with ravenous glee. It was very much what I imagine a taping of A Prarie Home Companion would be like.
My main criticism about the show was that it all seemed just a bit too cute and precious. The recital format really didn't lend itself to much interaction between the audience and the performers. I came away from the show content that I had seen the group at its best yet without the urge to run out and listen to all of their records immediately. And for me that's really what a concert should do: turn a casual fan into a super fan and turn the super fans into uber-fans. I suspect that I'm in the minority in thinking that the Magnetic Fields show was sort of ho-hum. I guess I'll just take some advice from the title of one of Merritt's side projects: The Gothic Archies' "Smile! No One Cares How You Feel".
I was never all that familiar with Magnetic Fields until a few months back. A friend from LastFM provided me with a crash course in all things Stephen Merritt [the ringleader of MF]. I've still barely scratched the surface of Magnetic Fields and Merritt's numerous side projects. But for the most part I've enjoyed what I've heard.
The members of Magnetic Fields took the stage right at 9pm. Claudia Gonson, seated at a piano, informed the crowd that Stephen would be playing a bouzouki during the performance. This led to a genuinely witty interchange between her and Stephen, the first of many throughout the performance.
For the next 45 minutes Magnetic Fields [Sam Davol, John Woo, Shirley Simms, Gonson, and Merritt] performed songs from the entire Merritt oeuvre on acoustic instruments [cello(Davol), guitar (Woo), piano (Gonson), and yes...bouzouki (Merritt)]: "No One Will Ever Love You"; "California Girls"; "I Wish I Had an Evil Twin"; and "Papa Was a Rodeo" to name a few. The performance was a precise exercise in chamber pop peppered with genuinely funny moments courtesy of Gonson and Merritt. A fifteen minute intermission [which gave me an opportunity to check on how my beloved Browns were doing] was followed by another 45 minute set. "Take Ecstasy With Me", "The Tiny Goat", and "What a Fucking Lovely Day!" were standouts. The encore consisted of "Three Way" and "Grand Canyon".
The audience consisted of mini-cliques of assorted hipster doofi who seemed to eat up every song and humorous comment with ravenous glee. It was very much what I imagine a taping of A Prarie Home Companion would be like.
My main criticism about the show was that it all seemed just a bit too cute and precious. The recital format really didn't lend itself to much interaction between the audience and the performers. I came away from the show content that I had seen the group at its best yet without the urge to run out and listen to all of their records immediately. And for me that's really what a concert should do: turn a casual fan into a super fan and turn the super fans into uber-fans. I suspect that I'm in the minority in thinking that the Magnetic Fields show was sort of ho-hum. I guess I'll just take some advice from the title of one of Merritt's side projects: The Gothic Archies' "Smile! No One Cares How You Feel".
To quote Rizz...It's good to be alive!!!
New York Giants: 14
Cleveland Browns: 35
Giants are no longer undefeated!!! I wasn't able to watch the game with the Browns Backers chapter I belong to as I was attending the Magnetic Fields concert at Majestic Theater [more on that to be posted later].
Cleveland Browns: 35
Giants are no longer undefeated!!! I wasn't able to watch the game with the Browns Backers chapter I belong to as I was attending the Magnetic Fields concert at Majestic Theater [more on that to be posted later].
Monday, October 13, 2008
ATTN Deep Ellum 7-Eleven: FIX YOUR EFFIN SLURPEE MACHIINES!!!
Today I had planned on posting a review of the new Slurpee flavor - Hazelnut Slurpuccino. I tried one yesterday and have my suspicions that the 7-Eleven on Gaston Ave has the wrong flavor in the machine. I just got back from attempting to get a Slurpee at the Deep Ellum 7-Eleven but was unsuccesful. Their Slurpee machines aren't working properly. What comes out is pure liquid. There's nothing Slurpee-ish about it. The thing is their machines are NEVER working properly.
Congratulations Deep Ellum 7-Eleven...you are full of FAIL!
Congratulations Deep Ellum 7-Eleven...you are full of FAIL!
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