The Freesia Fix

New blog - Merry Picnic

2010-10-25T12:51:00.004-04:00

You might notice that this is the first time I've posted here in over a month. I started law school this year, so it's been a bit difficult for me to post as much as when I was working as a journalist. My boyfriend Garrett and I had been talking for some time about running a blog together, so last month we started Merry Picnic, a music and 20-something lifestyle blog that covers a lot of the same topics as The Freesia Fix but expands to more things we like to do as 20-somethings living in Connecticut. Check it out here: http://merrypicnic.blogspot.com/.

I don't know if this means the end of The Freesia Fix, but it does mean that I'm putting more of my effort into the shared blog. I started The Freesia Fix in 2008 for my online journalism class at UConn. What began as a class assignment turned into something I really enjoyed contributing to, so I am leaving this link up with all the archives. I hope my posts were helpful to some of you, and I really hope you enjoyed reading.

Thank you for reading,
Freesia

Review: Lady Gaga in Hartford 9/16

2010-09-17T21:59:00.004-04:00

A Lady Gaga concert is a theatrical experience from the moment you pull into the venue area. Lots of costumes. Wigs. Caution tape. Awesome. I got to the XL Center, formerly the Hartford Civic Center, a little before 7 after parking, and the scene was quite a spectacle. Then again, so was the show.

With just two albums under her belt, it was an excellent time to see Gaga. She played all my favorite songs, which means she played almost all her songs. She had intricate sets with light-up jungle gyms, a smoky car that was really a piano, neon signs, a religious statute dripping blood and lots of ways to drop into/pop out from underneath the stage. Between songs, screens would go up with house music playing for Gaga and her dancers to change costumes, and you'd expect nothing less.

The entire production was incredible, and Gaga is incredible live. Her vocals really shine through when she's performing live, and she's able to take her songs further, giving us an extended version of "Teeth" and really hitting the high notes, showing off on the piano during "Speechless" and a new, very dramatic "You and I" and adding some of her political views - voicing her support of repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell. She thanked the fans for her recent VMA awards and asked for their approval, mainly for them to scream when she asked if she they thought she was sexy, several times, noting that she likes to abuse that part of the show because she was made fun of everyday in school. Playing both her gay advocate and "Mama Monster" roles, she said the Monster Ball was a place where you could be whoever you want to be and told her fans that they all belong and to celebrate gay pride.

Gaga had her heart ripped out and brought out the fake blood during "Monster" and left the stage to come out with her fire-sparking bra during "Paparazzi." That seemed to be the end of the show, but the lights didn't go on, and the cameras focused on the fans for some time in anticipation of the encore: "Bad Romance."

Here's the set list:

Dance in the Dark
Just Dance
Beautiful, Dirty, Rich
The Fame
LoveGame
Boys Boys Boys
Money Honey
Telephone
Speechless
You and I
So Happy I Could Die
Monster
Teeth
Alejandro
Poker Face
Paparazzi

"Encore": Bad Romance

Review: I Am Festival 2010

2010-09-12T14:52:00.012-04:00

(We Are Scientists)

This was the 5th-annual I Am Festival, and even though I only went to one other, I'm willing to say this was the best one yet. Lots of really good bands, an extended event area, more vendors than last year and beautiful weather made this I Am Fest much better than last year's. And every year, it's been free. The Brooklyn-based We Are Scientists made for a great ending to the night with lots of indie dance rock tunes. Really good news: Manic Productions is bringing We Are Scientists back to Connecticut on Oct. 9 at Daniel Street in Milford. More information here: http://manicproductions.org/shows/455

(Mates of State)

I actually mostly went to I Am Fest this year because of Mates of State, who were amazing as usual, playing lots of their catchy pop tunes and filling in with heartfelt covers of Tom Waits' "Long Way Home" and Daniel Johnston's "True Love Will Find You in the End." Some songs included extra members with a guitar and trumpet, others were just the duo and at the end, with two songs left, they threw in some mixed beats for "Laura," a Girls cover, then "My Only Offer."

(O'Death)

O'Death was really good. I hadn't really listened to much of their stuff before the show, but they had one of those sets that had to convert new fans. Because they performed later in the day, the crowd was really filling in. According to the I Am Fest Facebook event page, O'Death was the first band to confirm, and this was their first show back in Connecticut after a hiatus. I'm glad they're back together because they rock. Really cool indie folk rock sound.

(The Hempsteadys)

Other band I was able to catch after I got there at 4 were The Hempsteadys (a big group playing some cool, reggae-ska), Fake Babies, Darlings (very true for their name, they had some nice, catchy but still raw, garage-sounding pop) and Eula (a neat band from Milford with steady surfer riffs and punk/noise sound).

Here's what I have of set lists for the two main acts.

We Are Scientists:
(Didn't catch the first song because I forgot I was keeping track. Please let me know if I missed anything else!)
Impatience
I Don't Bite
Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt
Rules Don't Stop
This Scene is Dead
Inaction
Chick Lit
Pittsburgh
It's a Hit
The Great Escape
Ambition
Jack & Ginger
After Hours

Mates of State:
Re-Arrange Us
Get Better
True Love Will Find You in the End (Daniel Johnston Cover)
Whiner's Bio
Think Long
You Are Free
Long Way Home (Tom Waits Cover)
For the Actor
At Least I Have You
Now
Ha Ha
Laura (Girls Cover)
My Only Offer

I Am Fest tomorrow!

2010-09-10T12:08:00.006-04:00

(Photo I took of Mates of State performing at All Points West in 2008)

Just sharing my excitement for I Am Festival tomorrow and updating this post with the schedule. If you haven't heard about it yet, I Am Fest is a free concert happening tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 11) on the New London Waterfront Park featuring We Are Scientists, Mates of State, O'Death, Darlings, Eula, and lots more bands.

This is the 5th annual I Am Festival, and the organizers have made this a really amazing event. Last year I saw Deerhoof, Free Energy and The Drums, and in past years, when I hadn't gone, they brought Girl Talk and Matt & Kim. "A production of the New London Music Festival with generous support from the Frank Loomis Palmer Fund, the City of New London, Kitchings Productions, DNLA and New London Main Street," according to the event flier, I Am Fest is free, which is the best part.

Parking is available in the municipal lots once you get near the waterfront.

The schedule below is copied and pasted from the I Am Fest Facebook event page. For more information, go here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=116435945078036

MAIN STAGE
--------------------------------------------------------
9:30 We Are Scientists
8:00 Mates of State
6:40 O’Death
5:30 Darlings
4:15 The Hempsteadys
3:00 Gone For Good
1:30 Llama Tsunami & The Without Helmet

SECOND STAGE
--------------------------------------------------------
7:20 The Stepkids
6:10 Straight To VHS
5:00 Fake Babies
3:45 Eula
2:15 MiniBoone
12:45 The Facelifters

GREEN & GOLDEN DJ STAGE
--------------------------------------------------------
DJ sets by The Swagger Jackers, Rob Guess, Frank Lo Chumzilla, EULA, DJ Sir Round Sound and Zo Fresh! With a special "Stoopid Animals" performance by Chumzilla!

Some things to look forward to at Jorgensen this year

2010-09-08T19:37:00.004-04:00

(Pink Martini. Photo from pinkmartini.com.)

Tickets went on sale this week for all the fall performances at Jorgensen on the UConn campus. As an undergraduate living on campus, I took advantage of the student discount all the time. Now, I'm going back for both nostalgia's sake and because there are some great acts that don't come around here often.

I actually just got my tickets to Pink Martini on Nov. 6 and Rufus Wainwright, who's performing Dec. 10-11. I think the last time Pink Martini performed close to Connecticut, the concert was in New Jersey and pretty expensive. I definitely need to see them for their orchestral music that really blends everything you want from jazz, Latin, classical and pop for playing around your house, in the car, and while studying. It's sure to be an amazing show.

The Jorgensen fall schedule is as follows:
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Oct. 15
Pink Martini Nov. 6
The Seasons Project: Venice Baroque Orchestra Nov. 9
Michael J. Fox Nov. 10
Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet Nov. 12
Raj Patel: Stuffed and Starved Nov. 15
Merchants of Bollywood Nov. 19 – 20
Boston Pops Holiday Concert Dec. 4
Rufus Wainwright Dec. 10 – 11

For more information, go to the Jorgensen website: http://jorgensen.uconn.edu/

September: The month of choices! (I Am Festival with We Are Scientists and Mates of State and Wolf Den Shows with They Might Be Giants)

2010-08-23T17:14:00.010-04:00

Now that I'm officially a law student, I really have to budget my concerts - because of both time and money constraints. As luck would have it, there are some great (even free) deals going down in September (not including Lady Gaga in Hartford on Sept. 16, which I'm really excited about). Also as luck would have it, some would be on the same days.

I will start with Saturday, Sept. 11, the date of I Am Festival in New London and The Zombies at Mohegan Sun. Both are free.

(Photo of We Are Scientists from their Myspace page.)

I Am Festival just announced on Facebook this afternoon that We Are Scientists are headlining. This is after the already pretty sweet lineup of Mates of State, O'Death, Darlings and Fake Babies. The flier says that there will be "many more" bands playing, and if past I Am Fests were any indication, I kind of figured this one would be pretty good. I'll admit that I was a little on the fence before, though, because choosing between The Zombies, with some of my favorite songs, and Mates of State, one of my favorite bands, was a tough choice. But add in more bands and the awesome setting that I Am Fest is, I'm going with I Am Fest. Last year we saw Deerhoof, Free Energy and The Drums - for free! I can't believe how much Free Energy has blown up over the past year, so that show was a steal. I'm still kicking myself for missing Girl Talk and Matt & Kim performances at an earlier I Am Fest. I'm not sure where I was then.

Anyway, I Am Festival happens Saturday, Sept. 11 at the Waterfront Park in New London. There's municipal parking in the area, and the stage is right on the waterfront, which makes it really cool. It looks like they're still updating the lineup and adding more info, so check out their Facebook page for more info. I'll update my blog as soon as I can when I find out more.

And still, if you're closer to Mohegan Sun and a bigger Zombies fan, I say go check out the show. It's free. There are actually a number of not-too-shabby free shows in the Wolf Den coming up, including Fuel on Friday, Sept. 3 and Augustana on Sept. 5. Check out the schedule here: http://mohegansun.com/entertainment/wolfden.html?page=1&. And that brings me to the next conundrum that I've worked out recently.

(Photo of They Might Be Giants from their Myspace Page.)

They Might Be Giants are playing a free fan appreciation show at the Wolf Den on Sept. 25. The show starts at 8, but the Wolf Den website suggests arriving early because seating is limited. Also, the show is 21+.

I've decided I'm definitely going to be there, but I have to note that I wasn't exactly sure about going because it's the same night as REO Speedwagon playing at the Durham Fair. REO Speedwagon's not free because fair admission is $15, but it's a pretty good deal when you figure that's the cost of local agricultural fair admission in general, sometimes not even including big headliners. Plus, I love the Durham fair for all its deep-fried treats and lime rickeys and wanted to go to the fair anyway. I might still go during the weekend, but listening to more They Might Be Giants, I decided that show would be a lot of fun. Also, my boyfriend pointed out that there will be fewer occasions to see They Might Be Giants for free than REO Speedwagon for $15. But if you're an REO Speedwagon fan and able to make the fair, definitely go. Here's the info for that show and the fair: http://www.durhamfair.com/ShowsHeadliners.html

Review: Tom Petty and Crosby Stills and Nash at the Meadows 8/17

2010-08-18T00:46:00.002-04:00

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Crosby, Stills & Nash gave great performances Tuesday night. Both played lots of hits, got the crowd going and showed why they've had staying power, churning out several classics over the years.

CSN got the concert started, and they really felt like a double headliner, not an opening act. The concert was a little later than usual - started at 8 - so there were a lot of people already inside, and it was dark, so CSN could feel like a headliner. They played "Bluebird" and went into "Deja Vu" and got more crowd approval deeper into the set with "Southern Cross" going into "Almost Cut My Hair."

Here's the CSN setlist:
Woodstock (Joni Mitchell cover)
Military Madness (Graham Nash cover)
Long Time Gone
Bluebird (Buffalo Springfield cover)
Deja Vu
Ruby Tuesday (The Rolling Stones cover)
Our House
Southern Cross
Almost Cut My Hair
Wooden Ships
Encore: For What It's Worth (Buffalo Springfield cover)

It took Tom Petty just about an hour to go on after CSN ended, which felt like a really long time. As the crowd grew restless, though, the crew kept sound checking, and I think they may have changed the camera for the big screens because the stage - Tom Petty, mainly - had a soft glow and looked almost holy in the screen picture. It was a pretty cool effect. If it wasn't on purpose, it worked. The set list worked in that it included the more popular, crowd-pleasing hits - I think I felt the cloud form on the lawn during "Last Dance with Mary Jane" - but saved room for some stuff off their new album, Mojo, which sounds like classic Tom Petty except maybe a little jammier, with more guitar riffs and fewer catchy choruses. After the Mojo interlude, the band went right back to playing their hits with a light version of "Learning to Fly," complete with a singalong toward the end. Then they brought the pace back up with "Don't Come Around Here No More" and ended with "Refugee before coming back to an encore of "Running Down A Dream and "American Girl."

Here is close to a complete Tom Petty set list:
Listen to Her Heart
You Don't Know How It Feels
I Won't Back Down
Free Fallin'
(Not sure what song was after this. I was getting really into the concert and didn't know the song off the top of my head and didn't catch lyrics to look it up.)
Mary Jane's Last Dance
(Also not sure on this next song.)
Breakdown
Jefferson Jericho Blues
Good Enough
Running Man's Bible
I Should Have Known It
Learning to Fly
Don't Come Around Here No More
Refugee
Encore: Runnin' Down a Dream
American Girl

On a side note from the concert, I have to say that the worst thing to happen after a concert - with tons of heavy traffic - did. There was a fire right behind the parking lot at the Meadows, now the Comcast Theater in Hartford. Luckily, I got out of the concert pretty quickly and pretty much ran to my car. Strangely enough, there was another fire in Hartford at a three-family house, and that was in the news, but not this fire. So I don't have any other information on this fire. If anyone who reads this finds more info, I'd be curious to know what exactly happened.

(Picture of the fire)

After running to my car, I drove from my parking spot to the line of cars trying to get out and noticed a pretty big fire toward the back of the lot. Nervously, everyone was pushing to get out. Still no sign of fire trucks or sirens, I got to the traffic light and main road by the time the first fire truck came. We opened our windows to ask the other cars in traffic if they were near the fire and could see what happened. One guy said he was two rows away from it and it was on the tracks. Imagine how scary it must have been for people parked in that area. I'd be terrified the fire would spread to my car. Also, it formed a pretty big cloud of smoke, so it was probably hard to breathe right next to the fire. I was glad I got out of there, too, because with the fire trucks coming in, cars would definitely be blocked. I hope everyone who attended the concert had a good time and got out safely without too much delay.

Review: Film Night at Tanglewood with John Williams and the Boston Pops 8/14

2010-08-18T00:43:00.005-04:00

Movie music is epic. It brings emotion and momentum to countless scenes, and it's fun to hear live while listening to narratives about how the music added to great movies. That's what Film Night at Tanglewood is. This was my second time going to one (I went two years ago), and it was fantastic. We had John Williams conducting the Boston Pops and Robert Osborne of Turner Classic Movies hosting. Two years ago we got surprise Steven Spielberg, but no such luck this time. Still, Osborne was very informative and extremely engaging. As the Pops performed, movie clips played on the screen, and in-between songs, Osborne would give us some tidbits on the movie music was from or about movie music in general. For example, there was a time when movie music wasn't really respected among composers, and people who wrote music for movies were looked down upon. Also, music in movies used to come from a source within the movie, like a player piano or a band in the background, not from no where like it is today. Today, you wouldn't imagine a movie without music.

The Pops played a set of "Hollywood's Golden Age" with music by different composers from and about movies and after an intermission played "Celebrating Steven Spielberg" with music by Williams. They sounded great and as they flowed through each movement, I felt like I was experiencing the movies themselves.

List of what each set included:

"Hollywood's Golden Age"
Hooray for Hollywood - Whiting (arr. Williams)
Suite from "Sunset Boulevard" - Waxman
Scene d'Amour from "Vertigo" - Herrmann
Forest Meeting and March from "Spartacus" - North
Chinatown - Goldsmith
Lawrence of Arabia - Jarre

"Celebrating Steven Spielberg"
Two Selections from "Jaws" (Theme and Barrel Chase Sequence)
Excerpts from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"
Two selections with the Buti Young Artists Chorus (Exultate Justi from "Empire of the Sun" and Dry Your Tears, Afrika from "Amistad")
March from "1941"
Theme from "Schindler's List"
A Tribute to Steven Spielberg (Medley with music from "Close Encounters," "Jaws, "Jurassic Park," "Munich," and "ET."

That was all that was listed in the program, but Williams and the Pops gave us one more, which I was very excited about: "Indiana Jones."

Review: MGMT at Mountain Park 8/11

2010-08-12T19:57:00.011-04:00

Compared to the Flaming Lips show last month at Mountain Park, which left behind globs of confetti, MGMT was a much smaller, less festive occasion. It might have felt smaller because of the smaller and younger crowd, and because we could still see those globs of confetti, but it was very fitting. Not counting the 15-year-olds trying to mosh next to me during MGMT's more popular dance hits "Electric Feel" and "Time To Pretend," this concert atmosphere was a bit more relaxed, perfect for MGMT's newer, dreamier, songs, where we could just stand back and enjoy the sound. They started with "The Youth," which was a very good choice, and went into a more upbeat, surfier "Flash Delirium." They alternated between the slower, more ambient songs we could sway to and the fast-paced songs we could dance to, playing pretty much everything off Oracular Spectacular and Congratulations. We even got "Kids" at the end of their set.

Seeing a band when they only have two full albums out is the perfect time to see them. Think about it. You know a lot of their songs, and you know they'll play your favorites. And you know they'll have a longer set than when there was only one album out (cough, Ting Tings with their 40-minute album when I saw them last year, cough). MGMT gave us two fake endings, saying that "Kids" was the last song then leaving us with "Congratulations" and coming back with "The Handshake" and ending finally with "I Found a Whistle."

I tried to keep track of the set list so I could make set lists a regular part of my blog, but there were some lyrics that were difficult to hear or understand, and it's pretty much imperative that bands jam during live performances, so some songs kind of blended together. The blending together was very MGMT, though, so the crowd kept swaying and dancing. I included what I think is a complete set list at the bottom of this post, so if you see any mistakes, please let me know. I think it's mostly complete because we got most of Oracular Spectacular and Congratulations on this list.

The Violens opened and met everyone at the merch table after their set with handouts for a download of "Summer Mixtape," which is literally a mixtape, on their website: http://violens.net/. I actually just downloaded it and am listening to it as we speak. Definitely give it a listen. The Violens were really fun to watch, and I was able to recognize some songs from their Myspace page including "Acid Reign and "Already Over." They're an excellent band to pair with MGMT on a tour because you kind of get that MGMT psychedelic dance feel with their stuff. There's lots of cool sound effects, dreamy backup and leading vocals and interesting piano overtures. And they're really nice guys. Violens: A group of pretty nice guys.

Here's what I think is a complete set list for MGMT since I'm trying to post set lists now. If I missed something, please let me know. (I'm trying to keep track of songs, but bands jam out when they perform live, and songs blend together, so it's kind of hard. If you can help, please do!)

"The Youth"
"Flash Delirium"
"Of Moons, Birds & Monsters"
"Weekend Wars"
"Song for Dan Treacy"
"Time to Pretend"
"It's Working"
"Future Reflections" (I think)
"Something's Missing"
"Electric Feel"
"Brian Eno"
"Pieces of What"
"Siberian Breaks"
"Destrokk"
"Kids"
"Congratulations"
Encore:
"The Handshake"
"I Found a Whistle"

Cool things in our area this week - MGMT tonight, John Williams and the Boston Pops do Film Night Saturday and Tom Petty next Tuesday

2010-08-10T23:37:00.003-04:00

Figured I'd do a refresher post for some cool things coming up. (Also, some reviews we have to look forward to this week.)

First, there's MGMT tonight. This post is probably dated 8/10 because that's when I hit "New Post", but because I'm finally writing it after midnight, it's already 8/11, and that's when MGMT is playing at Mountain Park in Holyoke, Mass. Tickets are $30 plus fees still available, and I've heard lots of radio ads for it as of late. Show starts at 7. Here is the Mountain Park link: http://www.iheg.com/mountain_park_main.asp.

Next, we've got John Williams and the Boston Pops performing a Film Night on Saturday at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass. I went to a Film Night two years ago and Spielberg showed up and gave commentary on the music and how it related to his movies. It was super cool. This will be John Williams' 30th summer at Tanglewood, so it's bound to be good. I'm willing to bet that we'll get some surprise guest appearances too. Tickets range from $21 to $121 (we got the $21 lawn seats), and the show starts at 8:30 p.m. The info and ticket link are on this page: http://www.bso.org/bso/mods/content1.jsp?id=42700020.

Then on Tuesday, Aug. 17, I'm going to see Tom Petty with Crosby, Stills and Nash at the Meadows, or Comcast Theater in Hartford. Ticket prices range from $29 to $119 (we got lawn). I saw Tom Petty with Steve Winwood a few summers ago, and it was a lot of Fun. Petty played all his hits, and there's a lot of them - more than you'd think, actually. Also, getting Crosby, Stills and Nash on the ticket is quite the deal. The show starts at 7 p.m., and I'd recommend getting there on time to see Crosby, Stills and Nash since Train started right at 7:30, if not before then, this past Sunday when I saw them with John Mayer. A lot of people were still walking in during Train's set.

Review: John Mayer and Train at the Meadows - 8/7

2010-08-08T14:25:00.009-04:00

(Blurry cell phone picture of when Pat Monahan joined John Mayer to sing "The Boys of Summer")

Toward the end of his set, John Mayer admitted that "money sucks" and "there's not a lot of it floating around," so he gave a heartfelt thank-you to the audience for buying tickets. "I hope it's worth every penny," he said.

It was.

I know some people spent $80+, but I got lawn seats, so including fees, it came to $40 a ticket. John Mayer and Train were a perfect combo, and really, both are pretty big acts, so it was worth it.

Both pulled out most of their hits, and Mayer and his band jammed for some longer interludes, showing off the musicianship of the band members, including a pretty incredible saxophone player. Mayer even said that it makes a big difference when you have a good band, which is very true. He started with "Bigger Than My Body" and went into "No Such Thing." On top of playing a lot of his more popular songs like "Gravity," "Waiting on the World to Change" and his newer singles, "Heartbreak Warfare" and "Half of My Heart," he also had a lot of audience interaction, talking directly to a couple with a sign that they were just engaged and showing the girls and guys exactly how they dance to jam music. Being from Fairfield, he gave shout-outs to girls from Westport, Easton, Milford, Avon, Cheshire, Groton and Fairfield, places where a good chunk of the audience probably came from. Mayer noted that it's August and the summer's winding down, so he said it's up to you to make a good time. He played on the theme of keeping summer alive as he brought back Pat Monahan from Train to sing " The Boys of Summer." Mayer played for about 2 hours, and Train played for maybe an hour.

Unfortunately, Train felt like an opening band because there wasn't anyone on before them. We got into the venue just after 7:30, which was when the ticket said the show would start. There wasn't another opener listed, but I figured they might throw someone else in. They didn't, so unfortunately, a lot of people were still coming in while Train was playing. Train wasn't even listed on the ticket, and the only way to find out they were playing was by reading articles or looking at Train's website, which listed Hartford on its tour. Train's been around for a long time, and they have a lot of big songs (How 'bout "Hey, Soul Sister" playing non-stop on the radio for the past year?), so it was weird that the promoters didn't include them on the ticket or highlight them more. Even still, they played a great set, with "Marry Me" going into "Hey, Soul Sister" and ending with a big "Drops of Jupiter."

I'm always looking for ways to improve my blog, and a friend said that people want set lists. So, this show I kept note of songs, and I present to you, the set lists. (Note: We missed the beginning of Train, so the first songs aren't there.)

Train (Note, again: We missed some songs in the beginning):
"I Got You"
"If It's Love"
"When I Look to the Sky"
"Calling All Angels"
"Save Me, San Francisco"
"Marry Me"
"Hey, Soul Sister"
"Drops of Jupiter"

John Mayer:
"Bigger Than My Body"
"No Such Thing"
"Clarity"
"Slow Dancing in a Burning Room"
"Perfectly Lonely"
(Jam session with "Ain't No Sunshine")
"Gravity"
"Who Says"
"Waiting on the World to Change"
"Heartbreak Warfare"
"Do You Know Me"
"The Boys of Summer" (with Pat Monahan)
Encore: "Edge of Desire"

Sweet free show: Tower of Power in Hamden this Friday

2010-07-28T18:11:00.005-04:00

This Friday, Tower of Power will be playing a free show as part of the Hamden Arts Commission's 2010 Free Summer Concert Series. The concert's at 7:30 p.m. at Town Center Park at Meadowbrook, 2761 Dixwell Avenue. Parking's at the middle school, which is right down the road.

Here's the link to the Hamden Arts Commission website: http://www.hamdenartscommission.org/concerts.html

We went to see Daryl Hall two weeks ago at Town Center Park, and it's a great venue. A big stage at the bottom of a hill and plenty of space for families to set up with lawn chairs and picnics. Also, there are lots of vendors. This should be a good time.

Review: The Flaming Lips - 7/24

2010-07-28T15:44:00.006-04:00

The Flaming Lips concerts are worth every penny spent, and ever mile traveled. This show at Mountain Park in Holyoke, Mass. was my fourth Flaming Lips show - the other three I've experienced were in New York City, Boston and Madrid - and this was probably top two because we were so close to the stage. Also, it was the first time I'd seen them in three years, so it was even more awesome.

Wayne came out in the space ball, as he had promised before the show started, and with the epic, loud music in the background and technicolor background images, it was a great start. Add confetti and balloons and you've got yourself a party, which is what Flaming Lips concerts are like. They played all their big songs including "Race For the Prize" and "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song" and got the audience to sing along to a heartfelt "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" and add animal sound effects to "I Can Be A Frog." After a crazy rendition of "The W.A.N.D." complete with lots of fog and flashing lights. I was having a little trouble dealing with the strobe lights, so I closed my eyes for some of it, but apparently someone in the audience had bigger problems. The show ended for some time, and Wayne came out and said they would wait for that audience member to recuperate before coming out again. When they were ready, they came out with a riveting "Do You Realize."

The coolest part of the show, for me and my friends at least, had to be watching what I will call "The Sage Saga." It was Sage's 9th birthday, and her dad drove her to the show from Rhode Island. She even painted a colorful picture telling the band that it was her birthday. We were near them during the opener and Sage's dad said she loves Yoshimi. Nice. Coolest 9-year-old ever. When Wayne checked out the stage after Fang Island's set, Sage held up her poster and got a nod from Wayne. Her dad had two words for his daughter: "Mission Accomplished."

Halfway through the show, I noticed Sage and her dad had moved from their spot to stage right. Awesome. I was really hoping she'd get a "Happy Birthday" from the band, and she did. Wayne brought her to the center of the stage and the band plus audience sang "Happy Birthday" to her and a guy on the tour named Terry. Best birthday ever. I only hope that when she goes back to school and shares this story as part of what she did on her summer vacation, at least one classmate will know how cool it is.

Fang Island was the opener, and they were very fitting for the Flaming Lips. We had seen them just a few weeks before at a Brooklyn Pool Party, and they rocked it with their building riffs and overall progressive rock sound.

Review: Janelle Monae - 7/23

2010-07-28T14:30:00.006-04:00

This was our third free show in a row, and it was by far the best. It pouring, but we had our ponchos and braved the rain at Bushnell Park because Janelle Monae is definitely worth it.

Monae came out as energetic as usual and played for what felt like an hour even though it was much longer. Her sets fly by because they're so fun and get everyone dancing. This was the perfect time to see her, too, with just a full album and an EP out. So we knew a lot of the songs. Also, I think she's getting bigger having played both the BET Awards and the ESPYs this year, so seeing her for free now is pretty fantastic. She performed an extended version of "Tightrope" complete with lots of runs and a fake ending and came out for an encore with "Many Moons." (I totally called that one since she didn't play it during the regular set.)

It was really cool seeing such a diverse crowd - with both 20-somethings from all over and area residents setting up their lawn chairs and giant umbrellas. Even the Hartford mayor came out and said this was what Hartford was all about. It was the city's 375th anniversary, and this free show was to celebrate it. It was presented by the Wadsworth Atheneum and the Hartford Party Starters Union. (Thanks, Hartford Party Starters Union, for starting so many parties!) Bushnell Park was the perfect location for a Hartford celebration because you could see a lot of the city, and the Capitol was beautiful lit up in the night.

Other performers included Cubic Zirconia, who were really cool with their dance music and spoken-word lyrics. DJ Rizzla played between some sets. Tobacco had a pretty fun DJ set. Maluca was OK with their singing and rapping over sampled music, and Holy Ghost was a really cool precursor to Janelle Monae.

Review: Daryl Hall - 7/16

2010-07-28T14:22:00.004-04:00

We're getting really good at finding and going to awesome free shows in our area. Daryl Hall was part of the Hamden Arts Commission Free Summer Concert Series and the show was really cool. It started at 7:30 on a Friday night, and the crowd gathered in their lawn chairs with their picnics and families at Town Center Park. Sure, we didn't have Oates, but Hall still played lots of classic Hall and Oates songs, including "Kiss on My List," "Private Eyes" and "You Make My Dreams." After a fake ending, he came back for an encore including "Rich Girl." It was a whole lot of fun - and free!

Review: Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu play Joy Division 7/11

2010-07-28T13:56:00.006-04:00

Traveled to Brooklyn on my first Sunday not working at the Bristol Press and it was a pretty good day. This was my first Brooklyn Pool Party - I wanted to go last summer and back when it was actually at a pool but was always busy or working on Sundays - and it was a nice setup with a big stage facing the waterfront and a pretty big beer garden with good views of the stage on the side. Also, it was free.

I'm a big Deerhoof fan, and I've heard that Xiu Xiu is pretty good, so I was hoping they would play some of their own songs. Unfortunately, they didn't. Playing Joy Division was cool for the classic 80s feel that all these bands are trying to capture again today, but it kind of felt like a waste that those two bands were there and didn't play any of their songs. Also, when the guy from Xiu Xiu was singing some songs, it sounded like he was trying too hard at points to imitate the guy from Joy Division.

Fang Island was one of the openers, and they were pretty epic. That's probably how you'd describe a lot of their music. It's just epic with the music constantly building. It was cool to see them before seeing them open for the Flaming Lips a few weeks later. I also really liked Why? who was really fun with their hip hop, indie feel.

While I left a little disappointed after Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu's set, I couldn't complain because the show, overall, was pretty good. And I didn't pay anything for it. And because we were in New York, we went to Katz's for lunch.

Review: Jack Johnson at the Meadows - 7/9

2010-07-28T13:44:00.005-04:00

Rapid fire blogging - GO!

After giving back my Bristol Press laptop I have been sans computer and sometimes sans internet because my home internet provider is awful and has a monopoly on Meriden. So I haven't blogged in a while and the shows have backed up. I think I have enough time to get all these done this afternoon, so here goes:

Jack Johnson on July 9. This was my last day at work and a pretty cool way to celebrate it. The show was pretty chill. Above is a photo of the tailgating area before the show. The entire experience was pretty relaxed, and you wouldn't expect anything else from a Jack Johnson show. Inside, he played all his hits including "Bubble Toes," "Better Together" and "Upside Down" as well as new stuff from "To The Sea."

After a pretty chill show, getting out of the parking lot was pretty bad, though. We ran into some obnoxious cars with not-so-chill people yelling from their drivers' seats and traffic even after leaving the Meadows. There were fewer people here than other shows we'd been to at the Meadows, but we realized what the problem was: They crammed all of us into the upper lots because the lower lots were taken up by Cirque tents. So it took us over an hour to get out of the parking lot and then even more time to get to the highway. I hope they never do that again, but we'll see next summer.

Review: James Taylor and Carole King at Tanglewood

2010-07-07T23:40:00.006-04:00

I don't think it really matters who I see. I mostly like going to Tanglewood for the whole lawn experience.

That being said, this was my second time at a James Taylor show there (went to the 4th of July show two years ago) and third 4th of July weekend show. The lawn is packed. And it's awesome. It's like the Dave Matthews Band tailgate crowd except fancy and more organized (we're talking picnic blankets, little tables, candles and flower vases to go along with your wine and natural food store brand crackers and chips), so it's like Dave Matthews for older people. I hope some band I like right now has enough staying power like James Taylor to stop at a place like Tanglewood for 3 sold-out shows.

He played all his classics, and he alternated with Carole King in singing by themselves or together. James Taylor gave us "Your Smiling Face" and "Fire and Rain" and sounded great. Carole King gave us "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," which a lot of women got up and danced too - some even forming groups, shouting to one another that no one else in their group wanted to dance with them. Toward the end, we got "You've Got a Friend," "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" and "Carolina On My Mind" from both. James Taylor always sounds the same, but Carole sounded really tired. This was her first tour in a while, even though she came out and sang at the James Taylor show two years ago, and it could be because her voice is usually hoarse, but it sounded really hoarse and strained, so I was glad she only sang for half the songs.

Yo Yo Ma made a guest appearance, which I guess I should have expected since the last James Taylor show I saw included surprise appearances by Carole King, Yo Yo Ma and John Travolta (who MCed). No John Travolta this time, but Yo Yo Ma was a great addition.

It was the 4th of July weekend, but because we went on Monday, there weren't fireworks. Still a pretty good time though. We're thinking of seeing John Williams conduct the Boston Pops for Film Night at Tanglewood this year on Aug. 14. We went to Film Night last year and got a surprise appearance by Steven Spielberg.

You can find the 2010 Tanglewood schedule here: http://www.bso.org/bso/mods/complete_season.jsp?id=bcat12400010

Free Janelle Monae show in Hartford? Yes, please!

2010-07-01T21:04:00.011-04:00

You heard right. Janelle Monae is headlining Hartford's Still Wavy 375 show at Bushnell Park on July 23.

Here are the details:

"Still Wavy 375 is a free concert in Bushnell Park presented by the Wadsworth Atheneum and the Hartford Party Starters Union in honor of Hartford's 375th anniversary," according to the Still Wavy 375 website.

The concert goes down at 5 p.m. on July 23 at Bushnell Park in Hartford and features Janelle Monae, Holy Ghost, Tobacco, Maluca, Cubic Zirconia and DJ Rizzla.

According to the Facebook event, the concert is from 5 to 11 p.m., and there will be vendors along Trinity Street with Black Bear Saloon vending beers in the beer garden.

Sounds like a pretty sweet time!

For more information on the show or the artists playing, go to the Still Wavy 375 website: http://stillwavy375.com/
While you're there, listen to some of the songs listed on the right. I especially enjoyed the Cubic Zirconia song at the end. Played it during work yesterday.

I logged onto Twitter on Tuesday and saw CTIndie tweeted a blog post on a 375th anniversary concert, and when I looked into it, it was better than I could even imagine, and I'm really glad I found out about it. Janelle Monae is really fun live. Saw her open for Of Montreal at Toad's two years ago, and it was awesome. She's so full of energy, and she's definitely blowing up now that the ArchAndroid's out and she's performing everywhere. So this free show is an extra good deal.

Last day of LiveNation no service fees

2010-06-30T13:29:00.010-04:00

Last chance for no service fees with LiveNation (it's only for the month of June), so I just bought my Jack Johnson tickets for his July 9 show at the Meadows/Comcast Theatre in Hartford. I was waiting until today because it was the last day of no service fees - and because it was the last day of the $10 promotion. LiveNation announced 10 days ago that it would sell $10 tickets - no service fees attached - to different shows in your area each day. And no such luck on getting Jack Johnson for $10. That $10 promotion was pretty disappointing for me. Well, the first and last day of that was the Jonas Brothers, and in between there was Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ozzy and Lilith, which are all quality shows, but ones I wouldn't go to. Maybe it'll work out for me next year. Sigh. At least I didn't have to pay the fees for one show, especially after paying the service fees for John Mayer just two days before LiveNation instated no service fee June.

I actually read a good article in Rolling Stone about ticket promotions because of the lack of ticket sales this summer. It mentions the fact that it's unfair to people who bought tickets early and encourages us to wait until the very last minute to buy tickets in case there are deals. I can't find the link online, but it was in the recent issue with Jay-Z on the cover.

Life as a summer reporter or: How I learned to stop worrying and love graduations

2010-06-22T18:48:00.019-04:00

(Photo from my college graduation - May 2009)

Last night I covered my 18th graduation in three years. That's what happens when you're an intern, or the youngest reporter, or the education reporter - and I've been all three.

Everyone I know who has to cover a graduation complains about it in some way - they're boring, too long, too hot and all the same. They're right, but I found myself actually volunteering to cover extra graduations for other reporters who didn't want to this year. And now that I'm done covering graduations probably forever since I'm going to law school next year, I don't really know how I feel about it. Relief, maybe. Joy, kind of. A strange sort of emptiness, definitely.

Reporters can leave graduations before diplomas are conferred and after all the speeches, so if you factor that in, the time put into each graduation is about an hour. But also consider the hour it takes to write the story. And sometimes graduations run longer. This year, it seemed like every principal in the state was retiring, so that means longer speeches from some of those principals and from everyone else congratulating and thanking them. Also, in some cases, like with community colleges or tech schools, there aren't many student speakers, so you have to stick around afterward to get quotes. Then there are the graduations where you have speakers and diplomas then a sit-down dinner before more speakers. So let's add all that up and figure I've spent about an entire work week in three years covering nothing but graduations. That's a huge chunk of my life. Of course it feels weird never having to cover one again.

And here's what I learned to love about graduations: They're so happy and full of hope. You've got graduates going off to college or the workforce or more vocational training, and the opportunities just seem endless - and they talk about it. And you've got proud families who may not have thought this day would come. You've got student speakers telling their fellow graduates that they can change the world - and they really believe it. I was definitely a little more cynical by the time my college graduation came around, but I still remember my high school graduation and my senior year of high school when my yearbook quote was Margaret Mead's "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." I could say my high school graduation was ruined since it started outside and had to be moved inside because of the rain (and the front seats my parents got because I was in the top 10 were basically useless because there was a mad rush inside where reserved seats didn't matter), but in general, I remember it as a great day. It's your last day with your entire class, with all the people you've spent your last 4 to 13 years with. It's a day where everyone makes you feel like you've accomplished the greatest thing in the world, and you feel like you can do anything, hence my senior yearbook quote. That's pretty cool for a 17-year-old.

I've seen my share of bad graduations where local politicians and adults talk too long and graduates get restless. I've also seen graduations better organized than others. I've listened to the same songs over and over again (i.e. "For Good" and "I Hope You Dance"). But in the end, it's important to remember that the day is about the graduates, who are starting a whole new chapter in their lives. Even though I left graduations completely exhausted (I often had to park way far away from the ceremony), I couldn't help but feel proud of all the graduates I covered. And they remind me of how I felt at my high school graduation. Their sense of hope and outlook on life is really contagious.

10 days of $10 tickets from Live Nation - Happy Summer!

2010-06-21T18:01:00.007-04:00

I think everyone has a routine for when they get into work. For me, it's plug in my laptop, log onto my e-mail then check Twitter updates.

Great surprise today. @LiveNationCT tweeted this: Your last chance to get $10.01 No Service Fee lawn tix to Jonas Brothers & Demi Lovato on 8/13: http://bit.ly/baDd2y Ends at 11:59 tonight!

OK, clearly I'm not going to see the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato, but $10? What?

Well, I looked into it, and Live Nation is doing $10 ticket specials to select shows for the last 10 days of June. And June is already the month with no service fees. Sweet!

The offer applies to one show each day from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Tomorrow the deal's for Lynyrd Skynyrd with Bret Michaels. Here's to hoping that it's Jack Johnson's July 9 show in two days. These shows, so far, are all at the Meadows, or Comcast Theater in Hartford.

Side story: I was going to buy my Jack Johnson tickets today, actually because of no service fees, and because I got an e-mail from ticketmaster saying Jack Johnson shows were almost sold out. Think I'll take my chances and wait until the last day of June to see what the specials are. I wouldn't want what happened to me with my John Mayer and Train tickets - I was going to buy a 4-pack mid-May and the next day, the ticket prices went up $5, so I bought them in case they'd go up again. Well, then it turned June and Live Nation announced no fees for the rest of the month. So I ended up paying a higher price with service fees. There's nothing I can do about it now, though, and I got my tickets in the mail, so I'm excited for that show, which is Aug. 7.

Here's the link to the rest of the shows at the Meadows this summer. http://www.livenation.com/Comcast-Theatre-tickets-Hartford/venue/237642?tm_link=edp_Venue_Name_1

And speaking of which, happy first day of summer!

UPDATE on 6/22: APPARENTLY the Lynyrd Skynyrd tickets are the special both today AND tomorrow. Boo. I guess I can hope once more that it's Jack Johnson in two days.

Quintron and Miss Pussycat at Cafe Nine

2010-06-17T13:14:00.011-04:00

Everything's better with puppets.

I was pretty excited when I first noticed the shiny aquamarine blue puppet stage with orange curtains set up in the corner of Cafe Nine Tuesday night. As the lights dimmed down and epic opening music started, Miss Pussycat's head appeared over a puppet's body and the show began. The puppeteers, I'm assuming Quintron and Miss Pussycat and maybe an additional friend, swapped a bunch of puppets ranging from a striped cat with wacky eyes to police officer monkeys, spinning a tale about "secret pizza," which appeared, all holy and illuminated, at the end. They even turned the stage set into a giant puppet with hands. Yes.

Quintron and Miss Pussycat started playing right after the puppet show and it was awesome. I caught part of this New Orleans-based band's set at B.O.M.B. Fest last month, which is why I decided to catch this show, but this show was definitely better. Quintron said this was their third time playing Cafe Nine, and my immediate thought was, where was I? It's a more intimate setting, and the sound and lighting just work.

(Quintron and Miss Pussycat standing on the bar)

They played their catchy, electronic, out-of-this-world dance music with Miss Pussycat's wacky outfit and crazy maracas. And they went for over an hour before running to the back of the room and jumping on the bar to rock out. Right where I was standing, as you can see from my photo above. (Note: I'm still taking photos with my cell phone. It works for me.)

(The Goodnight Loving)

The Goodnight Loving, a band from Milwaukee, opened, and a few songs in, I decided I really liked their sound. They were definitely different from Quintron and Miss Pussycat, but the two together for a show was a surprisingly good fit. The Goodnight Loving alternated between a country twang and fun surfer rock, which was pretty cool. Grabbed a vinyl from them on the way out.

Blogger Design Upgrades!

2010-06-16T17:02:00.007-04:00

What a week for social media upgrades! On top of these Blogger design upgrades, we've got adorable little soccer balls on our #WorldCup tweets, and we can now like other people's comments on Facebook!

But back to the design upgrades. As you can see, my blog looks completely different from before - and way more awesome. I can thank the new "Blogger Template Designer" for that.

Here are some cool features:
1. It's easy to use. Just hit "Design" and the "Blogger Template Designer" appears above your blog.
2. Better templates. 'Nuf said.
3. Backgrounds. This is really cool. There are a ton of background pictures to choose from on top of the templates.
4. Layout. You can actually choose your layout, and it's not set by your template. And there are more layouts to choose from.

I was actually starting to get tired of Blogger because of the limits on my blog design. (Lack of background choices, difficult layout options, pain to change colors and lines..) But seeing this new "Design" tab on Blogger felt like Google heard my inner complaining and decided to help a brother out.

Here's the link to the Official Google Blog's post on the Blogger Template Designer: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/blogger-template-designer-now-available.html

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Surfer Blood and Hooray for Earth at Daniel Street (6/3)

2010-06-07T20:22:00.004-04:00

(Surfer Blood ending their set)

Leisurely review pace.

Very loud - but still awesome - show at Daniel Street in Milford Thursday night.

I was mostly looking forward to Surfer Blood (pictured above) because we've been listening to their album a lot, and it's really good - and perfect for summer. Surfer Blood performed second - in between Hooray for Earth and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - and despite a bunch of technical difficulty, some speaker pitch problems and all of that being amplified by how loud it was, I enjoyed their set. Even with those problems, Surfer Blood has some really good songs, and with that foundation, it's hard to really have a bad performance. It was also being videotaped for a website, so I think that's why they took forever to start playing (lots of mic and instrument checks), but also why they really rocked it. They ended every song like it was the last song (maybe this was because it was being recorded?), and went all out at the end, bringing a drum into the crowd for someone to play and standing in and over the crowd, as pictured above. I didn't mind that my ears felt cloudy after a concert for the first time in years.

(The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Couldn't get a good picture, and the ones that were clearer featured the back of a bald head in the audience, so I decided to go with this cool, blurry one.)

Next was The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and they were really good. Toned down a bit from the Surfer Blood set, but still very danceable. Very good live. I was very surprised by how good Hooray for Earth's electronic pop with lots of synth was, and the fact that I was surprised made their set that much better. Two drummers and lots of musicianship. They were a great start, and great complement to Surfer Blood and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and I actually picked up a CD afterward.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Surfer Blood Tonight!

2010-06-03T14:48:00.014-04:00

(Photos of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Surfer Blood from their myspace pages)

Super last-minute post on an awesome show tonight.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Surfer Blood and Hooray for Earth are set to play tonight at at 7 at Daniel Street, on 21 Daniel St. in Milford, and I'm super excited. We've been listening to a lot of Surfer Blood lately, and they're just a fun, summer sounds band. And Pains of Being Pure at Heart is awesome with their noise pop.

Here's the info from the Daniel Street website:

Manic Productions Presents:
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
Thur, June 3rd
7PM / ALL AGES / $15 ($13 ADV)
Surfer Blood & Hooray For Earth

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart is a noise pop band which formed in 2007 in NYC. They consist of Kip Berman (vocals, guitar), Peggy Wang (vocals, keyboards), Alex Naidus (bass) and Kurt Feldman (drums). If you are into dreamy Õ80s-sounding indie pop then this band is for you! For fans of The Smiths, My Bloody Valentine, Black Tambourine, Jesus and Mary Chain, etc. Slumberland Records

Surfer Blood Meet Surfer Blood: they call West Palm Beach home and, while still in their early 20s, have penned an album worth of catchy, summery indie songs that even the most hook-laden power pop band would rightfully be jealous of. Their sound has been compared to Weezer, Pavement and Built to Spill. Kanine Records

Hooray For Earth Hooray for Earth's Momo EP ends the way Brian Eno's Taking Tiger Mountain begins: with a charging bass drum, a flare of distorted guitar and stacked, soaring vocals. Like that record, Momo handily navigates the middle ground between rock and electronic music, layering spaced-out synths over highwire guitars, creating songs that conjure both the past and the future at the same time. Largely the brainchild of primary songwriters Noel Heroux and Chris Principe, Hooray for Earth are masters at swaddling irresistible pop hooks in layers of sinewave electronics.

Find out more at http://www.manicproductions.org/.

Tickets are available at the door. See you there?

B.O.M.B. Fest Review

2010-06-01T14:26:00.021-04:00

(Of Montreal performing at B.O.M.B. Fest)

When you combine some your favorite bands with a great place like the Durham Fairgrounds, there's really no way you can go wrong. That's what B.O.M.B. Fest was on Sunday. And it was a beautiful day, which made it that much better.

Of Montreal was definitely my favorite part of the festival. I saw them last year at Toad's Place, but their performance at B.O.M.B. Fest was crazy better. They played mid-day, and I think the outdoor stage was a better setting for their fun, sunny indie pop rock. And they rocked it, really playing to the crowd with lots of danceable songs - including a lot that people knew. And they played my two favorite songs of theirs - "Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse" and "Bunny Ain't No Kind of Rider"! And it wouldn't be an Of Montreal performance without Kevin Barnes wearing a wacky outfit with colorful makeup or a crazy spectacle with guys and girls in wild costumes, doing everything from whipping one another to stabbing puppets with balloon heads to forming a pyramid. Or confetti. And they delivered on all of the above. You really can't watch Of Montreal and not have any fun.

The other two bands/musicians I couldn't miss were Girl Talk and Ra Ra Riot. Both were awesome. This was my third time seeing Girl Talk and second Ra Ra Riot.

(Girl Talk set)

Girl Talk at a festival was a very different experience from an indoor venue. There was still the crazy dancing crowd and the riot onstage, but Greg Gillis, who is Girl Talk, really put it best: He said it was like playing at a party in someone's parents' backyard. I love seeing Girl Talk live because he'll mash up songs you've heard him use before - like parts of his "Bounce That" but also throw in songs the crowd can sing along to, like "Shout" and "Since U Been Gone." Also, you get to see him at work, dancing harder than everyone else and stopping to slow it down every once in a while. He ended with a very heartfelt "Imagine," and with everyone waving their arms from side to side, it was beautiful.

After Girl Talk performed, I was pretty much set for the rest of the festival. That was a pretty nice feeling. But the day was young, and everything we got to see afterward was just a bonus. Actually, that counts the stuff beforehand too.

(Ra Ra Riot)

Ra Ra Riot was really good. So were Cool Kids, who were very fitting, and a pretty good tie-in between the indie bands and Lupe Fiasco. Also matching with those two was G-Eazy, a hilarious but awesome rapper from California whose party lyrics were totally fun. Garrett and I actually really liked him. Like, everyone thought he was funny at first, but we totally listened to his CD (Which he gave out for free after his performance) on the way home. Definitely throwing that on at the next party and waiting to see how many people ask who it is because it's so awesome. We also saw Mute Math, 40 oz. to Freedom and Clarias. The stage setup for stages 1 and 2 was pretty cool because after one band ended, the band on the other stage would be set up and could start right away.

30 Seconds to Mars reminded me that I'm not a 15-year-old emo kid anymore, so we didn't stick around for them. Instead, we saw Quintron and Miss Pussycat, a wacky, screamy and electronic duo from New Orleans. They were a lot of fun. We also took a ride on the Ferris wheel before heading over to Lupe Fiasco's set (which I was totally content with once he performed "Kick, Push" //hip hop class memories).

(Quintron and Miss Pussycat on Stage 3. Just a small group walked over to the stage for them, but they had fun.)

The free carnival rides were pretty cool, though definitely underused - probably because everyone in line was asking other people if the ride was free. I'm pretty sure the Ferris wheel operator's line to me, "It's all inclusive," was well rehearsed by the time I asked him if the ride was actually free. (Maybe that should have been advertised better.) The Ferris wheel was pretty cool because I could see all the stages, and I was in a good spot to listen to States Away playing at Stage 4, which was way out of the way from stages 1 and 2. They sounded really fun, and I was glad the ride was pretty long (we went around maybe 4 times), so we could enjoy at least some of their set, which ended just as we got off the Ferris wheel and started to walk over.

If B.O.M.B. Fest does go down next year, the fourth stage may be too much. I'm sure the bands that played were good, but it's really sad that they got such small crowds. It's like having a birthday party and inviting your entire class only to have one kid show up. (Not that I know what that's like..) I also thought some bands on the third stage got the shaft - I was super sad that M.T. Bearington's set was during Of Montreal.

(View from our Ferris wheel ride)

Another point: I don't understand why there was only alcohol in the VIP area. I could see it being a way to keep booze under control, kind of like how All Points West had closed-off beer gardens, but if that was the case, why wasn't there a non-VIP beer garden-type area? People with VIP tickets only represented a small percentage of everyone in attendance, so the festival lost money on potential sales. The festival obviously had to bring the beer onto the fairgrounds to supply it to the VIP section, so why not sell it to more people?

All in all, though, it was a great festival. It was definitely well organized, and the Durham Fairgrounds was the perfect place to hold it. There were plenty of bathrooms, enough vendors and a good variety, nice local causes allowed to sell stuff (like the Boy Scouts selling delicious Lime Rickeys), lots of benches and picnic tables to sit down and plenty of garbage and recycling receptacles so there wasn't much litter. Very impressive. Plus it was super close to home. And I got to see some great music, which was the point.

(All photos taken from my cell phone. They actually didn't come out too bad this time!)

Dave Matthews Band kicks off tour in Hartford this weekend

2010-05-24T23:33:00.012-04:00

This is where I'll be Saturday.

If you're a Dave Matthews Band fan, you've probably already heard that this tour is a pretty big deal and you should get there: The band is taking a break from touring next year.

The band released this news on May 14 in a post titled "A Message to Our Fans":

"As we feel the excitement building for this summer, we wanted to let everyone know that after twenty years of consecutive touring, Dave Matthews Band will be taking 2011 off. We feel lucky that our tours are a part of so many people's lives, and wanted to give everyone as much notice as possible. We're excited to make this summer one of our best tours yet, and look forward to returning to the road in 2012."

I didn't even realize they've been touring for 20 consecutive years - that's most of my life. They definitely deserve a break. But this also means that this tour is going to be awesome, and I'm really excited that it kicks off in my home state.

Also, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, a throwback R&B, soul band that's definitely worth watching, is opening. Super bonus!

Here's the tour schedule: http://www.davematthewsband.com/#/tour The first two stops are this Friday and Saturday in Hartford at the Meadows.

(Photo from boston.com and I think it's a promotional one because it's on a lot of blogs.)

First Chipotle in Connecticut!

2010-05-23T19:20:00.005-04:00

A Chipotle burrito is totally worth an hour and a half wait, especially if it's free. That's how long I waited on Thursday to get my first Chipotle burrito in Connecticut, and even though it was really hot out, it was totally worth it once I got to that counter and loaded my burrito up with everything. We make sure to stop in a Chipotle whenever we go to New York (since there's one every couple blocks in the city), so having a Chipotle in Connecticut in West Hartford, which is about a half hour away from me, is awesome. (Above is the beginning of the line.)

So after about an hour and 15 minutes in line, I could actually see the doorway, and the people around me were getting excited. Actually, once I got close to the counter, one very happy dude said, "Just load it up!" as his burrito was being made. I think that's the beauty of Chipotle - that you're getting a jacked burrito with awesome ingredients for not that bad a price. On free burrito day, it's that x2, since you're getting it for free. I also enjoy getting tacos and quesadillas at times, and the chips with a hint of lime are a great side order. Now that a Chipotle is open in Connecticut, I'm definitely going to enjoy going there. Also, the West Hartford location, on 966 Farmington Ave., is obviously bigger than a lot of the Chipotles in New York City. There's a few tables on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant and lots of seating inside. Plus, if you go down the hallway past the counter where you order, there are even more tables. Pretty awesome.

If you go: It's on 966 Farmington Ave., West Hartford. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Whose Line Guys at Warner Tomorrow

2010-05-20T20:11:00.007-04:00

Need something to do tomorrow night? Well, Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood from "Whose Line Is It Anyway" will be at the Warner in Torrington for their 3rd Annual Farewell Tour.

Tickets range from $29.50 to $100, and more info on the event and tickets can be found here: http://www.warnertheatre.org/colinbrad.htm

Here's the event description:
"Following the success of ABC’s Emmy-nominated “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” they return to the Warner for another evening of extraordinary improvisational comedy. Using their quick wit, Mochrie and Sherwood take contributions from the audience to create hilarious and original scenes."

I saw them twice at UConn, and they perform the same wacky improv games like on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" along with some other stunts, and it's a lot of fun.

The Machine at Toad's

2010-05-17T00:24:00.010-04:00

The cover band is a pretty funny concept when you think about it. The more you can play a song like the original band, the more audience approval you get. Depending on what band you cover and how long it's been since they've been on tour, you can actually make some good money playing other people's songs. Also, everyone knows that any good cover band has to know every song by the band they cover.

I've seen The Machine twice now, and they're a pretty good Pink Floyd cover band - I mean, tribute band. They're not Australian Pink Floyd with the crazy show recreations, and they don't always sound exactly like Pink Floyd (though sometimes they do), but they really fill that live music void for Floyd fans. At Toad's Place on Saturday night they played "The Wall" and then a pretty long encore of additional songs. It was pretty cool, and it was also cool that we knew what was going down because they played some of "The Wall" then let us know they were going on break then coming back to play the rest and then maybe playing some more.

They started around 9 and ended just after midnight because Toad's Place was turning into a night club for two hours. Tickets were $15, which wasn't bad, and I guess the "Gold Circle" up front was $30. I think people were getting more into The Machine's set when I saw them at The Webster in Hartford, but the seating setup at Toad's could have been to blame on Saturday. That was the first time I ever saw those chairs at Toad's, and it was kind of weird. Anyway, there were definitely people into it, even though most were sitting. Even though you could tell the band could have played for at least two more hours, I was glad it ended after three because it was just enough. A little more would have been too much - like that time Shakedown played until 2 a.m. That was cool for the big fans, but for those of us who got to the show when they started playing (which is later than doors), it got tiring.

My old band director used to tell us that his band director told him to always make the audience leave wanting more. People were definitely getting tired toward the end of The Machine's set, and a good chunk of the people up front had left already. Any more than three hours, and they would have gone way too far past that point.

Camping: In tents!

2010-05-16T21:45:00.012-04:00

I know, it's an old joke, but it's so true! Camping is in tents (intense)! My friends and I just went to Devil's Hopyard in East Haddam last week, and we go every year around this time. It's really a cheap and awesome getaway - especially for college students and recent grads. This year the rate is $14 a night per campsite (Thanks, Governor Rell for deciding not to double the fees), so when you share a site with 3 to 5 people, it's a really good deal. All you need are some tents, a grill, firewood and enough sustenance for a few days. There's also something refreshing and liberating about turning off your cell phone, leaving the computer at home and being outside all day and night.

The Hopyard campground is especially nice because it's in the state, it's clean, and there are plenty of sites, clean outhouses (with sensor lights added this year) and easy access to dumpsters (garbage and recycling). It's also walking distance to the waterfall, which we walked to a lot because it was so close by. We like taking advantage of the campground this time of year, too, because it's less crowded, and not as hot or buggy as it would be once summer hits.

Following a three-year (for some, it was a four-year) tradition, we settled in the first night then went for a long hike the next morning up. This year we went to the vista and had a long sit-down. I'm not sure exactly how long we were up there, but we were kind of tired from the way up, and it was beautiful, so we didn't want to leave right away. Pretty good couple of days.

The Bohemian Quartet - a pretty cool work assignment

2010-05-10T20:37:00.009-04:00

I attended a performance of the Bohemian Quartet at the Sloper-Wesoly Immigrant Heritage and Cultural Center, the home of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut, Inc. in New Britain, Sunday afternoon, and I was pleasantly surprised by how good - and actually fun - this group was. I wasn't expecting much, honestly. I cover a lot of local events for my job, especially on Sundays when I run back and forth between Bristol and New Britain, but this was actually a great group of professional musicians. They're a string quartet made up of a violin, viola, cello and bass, and all the musicians live and work around Rhode Island. The director and violinist is Stan Renard, a Ph.D. music student at the University of Connecticut who arranges all the music the quartet plays.

According to their program, "The mission of the Quartet is to create an awareness of, and love for, 'Romany' music."

I think they do. You definitely get the gypsy, Eastern European flair with their music, and even though the set-up at the Sloper-Wesoly house was more of a seating than a dance, they played a lot of celebration music that you would want to dance to. I think I also liked them because they were like what Gogol Bordello does - except with just strings and less shouting. (There was still shouting - a few "Hey!"s here and there, but not as much as you'd get with Gogol Bordello's gypsy punk.) I really appreciate groups like the Bohemian Quartet that help spread an appreciation for more worldly music. One of the members of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut said that he and other immigrants in the area often miss their traditional music, so it's nice to hear it here. I agree. I grew up listening to Laotian music with my parents, and they still play it in our house every once in a while, and I think it's important for people to keep ties to their heritage.

You can find my full story on the New Britain Herald here: Bohemian Quartet brings Eastern Europe to city.

You can also find out more about The Bohemian Quartet and listen to stuff on their website here: http://www.bohemianquartet.com/

(Photo credit: Rob Heyl, New Britain Herald Staff (That's my foot in the left corner!))

Brand New out, 30 Seconds to Mars in at this year's B.O.M.B. Fest

2010-05-03T18:23:00.009-04:00

B.O.M.B. Fest is officially going to be like Warped Tour mixed with All Points West.

Brand New recently dropped out of this year's B.O.M.B. Fest due to family obligations, which could be good news or bad news for you, since their replacement is 30 Seconds to Mars.

I found out about this change through another blog and some talk this weekend, but I wanted to wait until B.O.M.B. Fest officially announced it to make a post. Then this morning, I got an email from the ticketing website saying that my tickets could be refunded because of the band change. Here's the message from the friendly guys at B.O.M.B. Fest:

"We're excited to announce 30 Seconds to Mars will co-headline with Lupe Fiasco at the 2010 B.O.M.B. Fest. 30 Seconds to Mars stepped in after an unfortunate family obligations led Brand New to pull out of this year's festival. We hope you are as excited as the rest of the northeast music community to see 30 Seconds to Mars join the show. For more information read more here - http://www.bringourmusicback.org/30-Seconds-to-Mars-joins-Lupe-Fiasco"

It's totally cool that they're refunding tickets, by the way. I know there are people who go to festivals for one band, and they sometimes can't return their tickets if their band cancels. So that was really nice.

And I say B.O.M.B. Fest is going to be like Warped Tour mixed with All Points West because it's close to home (Warped Tour usually stops in a spot easy for us CT folk to get to), and the line-up is like if you blended the two. I actually saw 30 Seconds to Mars at Warped Tour in Fitchburg, Mass. back in summer 2006. I remember it vividly because when I was stuck in traffic on my way there, there was a 30 Seconds to Mars car near me - this girl seriously had the band name painted huge on her car, all the band member bobbleheads on her dashboard, stickers and 30 Seconds to Mars attire. I recall my friend saying, "Hey, I think that girl really likes 30 Seconds to Mars." (If you're reading this, girl with the 30 Seconds to Mars car, I appreciate your fandom.) So add that with the other acts like Of Montreal and Girl Talk - bands you would see at an indie hipster festival like All Points West, and you've got yourself a pretty fun combo. I'm pretty excited. It'll be like high school (I was even in a Girl Scout troop in Durham in high school) mixed with college (We listened to Girl Talk non-stop my senior year.)

Just in case you didn't see my last post on B.O.M.B. Fest, it goes down Sunday, May 30 on the Durham Fairgrounds. Tickets are $50 plus fees and can be purchased online at http://www.bombfest.com/. According to the website, you have 27 days left to purchase tickets! You can also buy them for no fees at Redscroll Records in Wallingford.

I've embedded "The Kill" above because I really liked that song in 2006 when it was big, and when 30 Seconds to Mars played Warped Tour. I also enjoy playing it on Rock Band.

MGMT coming to Mountain Park - 8/11

2010-05-02T20:37:00.012-04:00

I've never been to Mountain Park before, but this summer I'm going twice in less than a month. For two of my favorite bands!

As you may know from an older post, The Flaming Lips are going to be there July 24, and that's pretty incredible because they never come around this area.

And now it gets better - MGMT is going to be there August 11!

That's a Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Mountain Park, which is located off Mountain Park Access Road on Route 5 in Holyoke, MA. Tickets are $30 plus fees and can be purchased here: http://www.nbotickets.com/auto_choose_ga.asp?area=241.

And here's how the Mountain Park website describes the band:

MGMT is blowing up. Their new album “Congratulations” debuted at #2 on last week’s Billboard Top 200 Album Chart. They appeared on Saturday Night Live this past weekend and are booked for Letterman on May 11th. The electro-pop duo (Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden) and their band from Brooklyn (though drummer Will Berman is a Northampton native) rapidly rose from college-radio mainstay to Grammy-nominated international sensation, blowing up huge after the release of their 2007 major debut, "Oracular Spectacular, " named by Rolling Stone as the 18th best album of the decade, and best album of 2008 by NME magazine.

And we're seeing them for $30? Wow! I have a feeling this might sell out because the only other performances MGMT had planned for my area were Bamboozle, which was this weekend, and a festival in Burlington, VT for Aug. 12. (Both are pretty far and part of festivals, and that has a different feel.)

Check out the rest of Mountain Park's show schedule here: http://www.iheg.com/mountain_park_main.asp

Also, if you bought "Congratulations" and still aren't sure about scratching off the cover, I had a post on that too: MGMT Congratulations - It's OK to scratch off the cover!

(Photo from boston.com)

100 Posts! /Check out B.O.M.B. Fest!

2010-04-27T18:24:00.010-04:00

Just noticed when I signed in today that I hit 100 posts with my last one. Wow!

Thanks for reading, everyone. Garrett said he wanted to contribute to my blog, but I don't think that makes sense for one called "The Freesia Fix," so I might start a new one in the near future. We'll see where our collaboration goes.

In the meantime, I got my B.O.M.B. Fest and Lady Gaga tickets in the mail this week!

If you haven't heard of B.O.M.B. Fest, it's May 30 at the Durham Fairgrounds, and it's for a good cause. The line-up includes Lupe Fiasco, Of Montreal, Girl Talk, Brand New, Mute Math, Ra Ra Riot, Jay Electronica, Cool Kids and many more bands including one of our local favorites, M.T. Bearington. Definitely check this festival out: http://www.bombfest.com/

You have 33 days left to buy tickets, which are $50 plus fees and well worth it. I saw Of Montreal last year at Toad's Place, and the show was incredible. They're one of my favorite bands to begin with, but they really put on a fun show - complete with crazy guys in stretch suits rolling around and doing stunts and lots of wacky costumes. I've also seen Girl Talk twice, and it's always a party when he comes around. I'd pay $50 to see two of the bands listed, but it's an all-day festival with a lot of bands. It starts at noon and goes 'til 10 p.m. that night, and there's going to be bunch of vendors and a Ferris wheel!

Another bonus: This is pretty much in my backyard. So all you CT friends who ever thought we don't get many good shows (myself included), this is a pretty great exception. I can't wait.

Daffodil Festival this weekend!

2010-04-23T13:33:00.007-04:00

Having lived in Meriden my entire life (I was even born here in the old hospital!), the Daffodil Festival is a pretty big deal to me. I love it. It reminds me of childhood. And home. Because it IS home. And no other fairs or festivals can really compare - it's an entire weekend at Hubbard Park, when the daffodils are in bloom. And there's a whole lot of them. I don't know the estimate, but signs there are sure to brag about how many thousands of daffodils are in the park. Aside from being beautiful, there's a ton of things to see and do - there are a ton of food vendors in the food tent, rides, games and even a craft fair. Another bonus: there's free admission and free parking - something a lot of local fairs and festivals don't do.

Then there's the live music. I remember the days when a big headliner would come - like the Nashville Country Star winner or Eric Burdon and the Animals - but .because of budget constraints, there are now smaller acts, but that's not a bad thing either. Some of these smaller bands make it big - MGMT played the Daffodil Festival back in the day, and I'm kicking myself for not seeing them since I was probably in the park at the time. The New Haven Advocate actually printed an article recently about the Daffodil music: Flower Power: Local bands bloom at Meriden’s Daffodil Festival.

So here are the details so you can get here yourself:

Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
10 a.m. food tent, rides and craft fair open.
11 a.m. music entertainment begins.
11:30 a.m. parade begins (This is a lot of fun! I used to march in it.)
Fireworks begin at 8:30 p.m.

Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
10 a.m. food tent, rides and craft fair open.
11 a.m. music entertainment begins.

"All Shuttle Buses will pick-up and drop-off riders at Platt High School, 220 Coe Ave. Wilcox Technical School 298 Oregon Road, Westfield Meriden 470 Lewis Avenue and Downtown Meriden HUB 88 State Street," according to the Web site, and parking is free. Shuttle runs Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The buses are also running until 9 after the fireworks.

For more information and a music schedule, go to the Daffodil Festival website yourself: http://daffodilfest.com/

(Photo above from Thundafunda Free Online Photos)

Not even kidding - HIT ME WITH A TEXT!

2010-04-23T00:13:00.012-04:00

I heard this song on the radio on my way home from work tonight, and it is RINGTONE GOLD, at least for text messages. (Note: I actually find this song absolutely hilarious, which is why I love it.) This is almost as good as Twitter Girl (I swear to LOL, she twittin' OMG), which I also heard on the radio at some point.

It's like these guys are no longer fighting with the critics saying their songs are just geared toward selling more ring tones. They're just not fighting it. (One of the lyrics is even about a ring tone, "lately it's your favorite song." I'll take it. I think it's better not to fight it. Also it gives me a good chuckle while listening to the radio.

I especially enjoy the beginning "J-j-j-j-J-Rrrrrr" in the beginning for Jason Derulo. Also, I have to point out that the girlfriend has her own category on this guy's buddy list. Yeah, we all know we did that back when when we used AIM..

Thao with The Get Down Stay Down, Magic Man and All The Friends - Tuesday night at The Space

2010-04-21T00:16:00.026-04:00

I love Thao with The Get Down Stay Down, so I was really psyched for this show on 4/20 at The Space in Hamden. It was everything I hoped it would be and more. Thao rocked it with her raw vocals and interesting ways of playing the guitar (she used a toothbrush for a bit), and the Get Down Stay Down owned it with their skills and use of crazy different instruments. The whole band just had fun with their set, and it was contagious. Before they started "When We Swam," Thao said Adam had a special dance that was kind of provocative. It wasn't that provocative, but the song kind of is, which I love. Then they went into "Swimming Pools," which was cool because people knew these songs, and this part of the show was more like a singalong. During "Beat Health Life and Fire" and a few other songs, they gave us some cool beats to clap to - not just your usual 4-4, and it was a lot of fun. At some points, Thao turned around and started drumming, and Adam started hitting the cymbals with these tambourine-like pieces. Willis on the drums looked like he was using different instruments - or maybe just drinking from a camel back water bottle. They just have a really unique, upbeat, indie rock sound, and it makes me want to be more interesting. i.e.) I wish I thought of playing the guitar with a toothbrush!

Before them was Magic Man (pictured above). I'd been listening to Magic Man a bit before this show because their album is available for free download here: http://magicman.bandcamp.com/. It's a really good album - you should download it - but Magic Man is actually much better live! I think it was because they got to improvise more, and the lead singer got to show off more vocals. He also had a lot of stage presence - very Ezra Koenig mixed with Brandon Flowers - and he looked like Zac Efron mixed with Tim Urban. (I'm totally cool with how creepy I sound.) You could tell that all the musicians in this Boston-based band are talented. You can hear it on the album, but the sounds of the drums, guitar and bass really stick out from the background MacBook-composed music when it's live. The repeating back beats are ridiculously catchy, and that combined with their stage presence and musical talent made for a great set. Magic Man started with "Daughter," which is my favorite song off the album, and they kept the good vibes going through the set. They also had a pretty heated performance of their song "Monster." You could tell that a lot of people were hearing them for the first time, and I think they made a good first impression. They also gave a shout-out to Manic Mark for booking them, which was really nice because he does deserve credit for all these great Manic Productions shows.

All The Friends (pictured above) went on first. They were really chill and a pretty sweet start to the night. About half the audience was sitting on the floor, which is why my picture is kind of dark and far away - I didn't want to step over anyone, and it was a pretty relaxing, but fun set. They had a clarinet and trumpet on top of the usual rock band instruments, so it was like if my marching band friends and I got together and made a prog rock band. (I stole that line from Garrett.) They gave out sampler CDs with two of their songs, which are also available on their Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/atfband. We got to talk to some of them after their set as we picked up a CD, and they were really cool - they were such friends!

On a side note, I also got a chicken pesto sandwich - my first sandwich from The Space - and it was delicious. I got some pesto on my dress, but my Tide-To-Go pen took the stain right out! Yep. Pretty good night.

The Thermals at The Space

2010-04-18T20:02:00.015-04:00

We had to go to a show on Record Store Day. Didn't realize this until halfway through The Thermals set, but it was really the perfect end to a pretty awesome day. I'd never seen The Thermals before, but I listened to some of their stuff and really liked their sound, so I decided to check them out on Saturday night at The Space in Hamden. Good decision. They rocked it! Being the headliner, people were pretty excited as they started to play, but they really got the crowd going a few songs in as more people started dancing, singing along and just getting into it. The Thermals have this raw, indie, garage punk sound that just makes you want to rock out. Kind of expectedly, they ended with "Now We Can See," but it was an awesome ending - complete with a clap-and-sing-along.

Past Lives (pictured above) went on right before The Thermals, and I thought they were pretty cool. They also rocked out (you could tell because they got super sweaty), and I think that enthusiasm was contagious. The Coathangers - an all-girl shouting punk band - went on first, before Past Lives. They reminded me of Bikini Kill, and while it's not my favorite kind of music, I couldn't help but like them. You could just tell that they always have fun, and they were especially adorable as they were watching The Thermals and cheering their tour mates on.

Record Store Day: It's like Christmas, except you buy records for yourself

2010-04-17T12:50:00.014-04:00

Happy Record Store Day, everyone! Started in 2007, Record Store Day is a day to celebrate local independent record stores. As part of the celebration - which is the third Saturday of every April - several artists saved releases for Record Store Day, and some even made appearances at record stores across the country. Here's how our Record Store Day adventure unfolded:

We woke up really early (9 a.m. is early for a Saturday) and drove to Redscroll Records in Wallingford. Then we got into a pretty long line to look at the special Record Store Day releases. Once we got to the special boxes, we picked up the Flaming Lips' "Dark Side of the Moon" vinyl, the Gogol Bordello singles vinyl and Grace Potter & the Nocturnals special Record Store Day release. Then we picked up a couple other CDs (we went to Redscroll on Monday for the start of their sale and picked up a bunch of stuff then) and got a sweet surprise at checkout: a special Record Store Day reusable bag that's perfect for fitting records - complete with funny banter about records printed on it. Wow!

But wait, there's more! Here's a list of stuff we found in the bag: a Record store Day 2010 "Choice Cuts" record, a cloth record player cover thing with an MGMT logo, A "Select-o-Hits" sampler CD, a Coachella sampler CD and booklet, a "Priority Records" sampler CD, "The Infection" sampler CD, a "Record Store Day Soulful Delights" CD, "I <3 Independent Record Stores" sampler CD, an RCA/Jive Urban Sampler, "Unusual Animals Vol. 1" sample record, "The Constellations" sample record, a "Bridge Nine" summer 2009 compilation CD, a button, some promotional postcards and stickers, a comic book and a Record Store Day bumper sticker.

Now I'm sitting in my living room surrounded by stuff and piles of plastic wrap. See? It's just like Christmas!

Justified freak out: Lady Gaga tickets go on sale Monday!

2010-04-15T21:56:00.009-04:00

I'm kicking myself for not buying tickets to the canceled Lady Gaga show at the Oakdale.

I wanted to go, but I didn't get around to buying tickets, and at the time, I couldn't think of anyone to go with. Now that I've realized that everyone loves Lady Gaga, my friends and I have the dire task of getting tickets to the Sept. 16 show at the XL Center in Hartford as soon as they go on sale on Monday, April 19 at 10 a.m.

I'm scared.

Everyone who purchased tickets to the canceled show received a personal password to get tickets before they go on sale to the general public Monday. So that's a good chunk of tickets already gone. AND Lady Gaga has been selling out like crazy everywhere. She sold out three, not one or two, but THREE shows in less than an hour at Madison Square Garden - an arena bigger than the XL Center, which is only holding one show.

SO, we're going to sit at our computers all morning, cross our fingers, hit refresh at 10 a.m. and hope for the best.

(Note: I embedded "Telephone" above because it's awesome.)

MGMT Congratulations - It's OK to scratch off the cover!

2010-04-12T19:15:00.015-04:00

EVERYONE! RELAX! IT'S OK!

The new MGMT album, "Congratulations," which drops tomorrow, April 13, comes with a limited-edition scratch-off cover, and while you may be nervous about scratching it, it's OK to! I was nervous about ruining the cover, but I compare this to eating something the way a chef intends it to be eaten. The album has a scratch cover, which means it should be scratched. Note: My album had a sticker on the plastic wrap saying that it was a special scratch-off cover. If yours doesn't say that, I would maybe try scratching it with my fingernail to make sure it is a scratch-off cover.

Here's the hilarious preview video for the limited-edition scratch-off cover: MGMT Congratulations Scratch Off Cover Preview.

Spoiler alert: If you want to be surprised on what the cover looks like underneath the psychedelic purple-and-magenta checker print, DO NOT SCROLL DOWN. I'm posting a photo of the end results. However, if you need to see what it looks like to decide whether or not to scratch, scroll down! It's cool, I promise!

First, some of the scratch-off editions come with a really cool coin to use for your scratching. It has tiny numbers and a fork on one side and crazy cat/creatures on the back that match the front cover.

If you're lucky enough to have one of these coins, start scratching. If not, I'll give you a minute to find a penny or something.

Tip: The scratch-off part is only the purple and magenta. I read in the preview video comments that someone screwed up their cover. I think they might have tried to scratch the cat wave/surfer picture on the side too hard.

Once you're done, congratulations! You now have a cool, kind of avant-garde cover with the crazy animation surrounded by a black-and-white landscape of band members, a picnic, one guy looking through a telescope, etc. while both outdoors and inside a room:

"Congratulations" is pretty great, by the way. It's classic MGMT with their psychedelic dance pop, but it feels a bit deeper and more mature, maybe even more creative than their 2007 debut, "Oracular Spectacular." I'm not sure which style I like better, but I do know that I'm totally feeling "Congratulations" right now. I've been listening to it stream online for a few weeks now, so I'm glad to have a hard copy of the CD, especially because of this cool coin/scratch-cover promo.

Wilco at the Bushnell

2010-04-10T01:02:00.004-04:00

(Hooray for blurry cell phone photos that I get yelled at by ushers for taking!)

You know when you're pretty tired once you get to a show because it's the end of the long week? Yeah, that happened to me, but I got my second wind during this show.

This was Wilco's first appearance in Hartford, and my second time seeing them, and it was awesome. The first time I saw them was at Tanglewood, and I couldn't really see, even with seats because I had really tall people in front of me. This time I got an aisle seat and normal-height people in front of me. It was much better. This show in general was a lot better too - and it took me about 20 minutes to get there! My boyfriend read up on Wilco's set lists from recent shows, and we were expecting maybe two sets and an encore. About two and a half hours into the show, we realized they were just playing one long set. They pulled out all their old favorites and stuff from all of their albums. According to the Courant's Eric Danton, they played 36 songs for over three hours. (I'm glad he kept track because I didn't.)

"Wilco the Song" was a great start to the night, and then they went straight into "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" - two songs we listened to in the car, I might add. Basically, every song we thought they would play or were hoping they'd play, they did. My favorite part was toward the end after we had a sing-along to "Jesus, etc." They really rocked it toward the end, especially with "Heavy Metal Drummer" and then "I'm the Man Who Loves You" - two of my favorites. It was one of those cases where I could tell they played a long time and appreciated it, but I also couldn't believe they played for so long because it was so fun.

Seeing the Flaming Lips for the first time in three years!

2010-04-04T21:06:00.006-04:00

And it should be amazing. Just got our tickets Friday to their July 24 show with Stardeath and White Dwarfs at Mountain Park in Holyoke, Mass. Tickets are $37.50 plus fees and can be purchased here: http://www.iheg.com/mountain_park_main.asp

Here's where I've seen the Lips before: New York City, Boston and Madrid. Those shows were in 2006 and 2007. It's like they never come to Connecticut. Even so, Lips shows are totally worth the extra travel. The shows are huge productions and just awesome. Worth the extra drive, even if it is a pain. This show's on a Saturday, so the extra drive won't be too much of a hassle. (No, I didn't go all the way to Madrid just to see them - I was studying abroad that summer, and they were at an awesome festival.)

Another cool point: They're performing Dark Side of the Moon in full at Bonnaroo, and their cover CD is selling right now, so we should get some tracks off that. Enjoy the video above.

Absolutely beautiful: "Happy Birthday Lady Gaga Biggest Fan Made Video Ever"

2010-03-28T23:43:00.008-04:00

RT @ladygaga http://bit.ly/9fZ67S i've never cried so hard in 24 years, from pure joy and unconditional love. Tears still streaming

In honor of Lady Gaga's 24th birthday today, fan and director Ryan James Yezak put together an amazing video compilation of birthday wishes, Gaga appreciation, teeth and Gaga clips. It's absolutely beautiful. There's so much love, and her fans are basically thanking her for showing them that they can be themselves. In Yezak's explanation for why he wanted to put together this video, he said it was "because no other artist has inspired me more over the past year than Lady Gaga." I watched the video after Gaga posted the link above on Twitter, and if I were her, I would have cried too.

There's definitely a reason why her fans love her. Gaga also thanked everyone for the messages and other videos on Twitter. I love that she linked the above one. And speaking of Lady Gaga, there's finally a set date for a Connecticut appearance on Sept. 16 at the XL Center in Hartford. Ticket info's not released yet, that I know of, and I just know that those who have tickets to her canceled show will have first dibs. I don't have those first dibs, so I will be out the lookout. This post can also be the first of more to come in the ticket watch.

The end of 24?

2010-03-26T20:59:00.007-04:00

Fox announced today that this is 24's last season. Credit has to go to @breakingTVnews on Twitter, because that's where I first heard this news. As I'm typing this, several news outlets are posting their stories on 24's end, all with clever puns about the ticking time clock and time running out. According to E! Online, Kiefer Sutherland says the eight-season run is going to end on a high note. He also talks about the upcoming 24 movie.

A Chicago Tribune TV blog is especially informative on the history of 24 and its award-winning, really exciting run: Time's up: '24' to end in May. The blog post talks about how 24 has kind of declined over the last few years, but it really doesn't take away from the core of 24 and how great the show was in the first 5 seasons. I couldn't agree more. I remember gathering in dorm rooms my freshman year in college to watch 24 every week. I remember how excited we were when it came back my sophomore year. Now that I'm about a year out of college, I miss a lot of episodes because of work (I'm usually at meetings on Monday nights), but when i do catch an episode, it's an adrenaline rush. 24 has never had a problem keeping me on the edge of my seat.

There are rumors that 24 may be picked up by NBC, but from other articles that are popping up right now, it looks like that can't happen. According to Entertainment Weekly, Sutherland said they won't do a ninth season "because he and executive producer Howard Gordon were ready to call it quits."

Looks like the season/series finale will definitely be bittersweet, and I am looking forward to the movie. It's been a good run.

*obligatory clock ticking and minute change*

A new hobby?

2010-03-24T16:11:00.002-04:00

I covered the Ham Fest at Southington High School this past Sunday, and I think I may be on to a new hobby. I might not be able to afford a ham radio right now - but somewhere down the line, I think I do want to set one up. The "hams" - ham radio users - are very into their hobby. There's a whole lot to it, but when it comes down to it, ham radio is the basis of a lot of communication we use today. One point that kept coming up was, when all other forms of communication fail in disasters (internet, phone, etc.), ham radios still work. Really cool.

Here's the article I wrote: Ham Fest brings 'hams' together, off the airwaves.

Note: I was also told the article's going to mentioned in a ham radio magazine.

She & Him Volume Two - Just in time for Spring!

2010-03-16T21:11:00.009-04:00

Thanks to Twitter and @Redscroll Records, I found out yesterday that She & Him's Volume 2 is streaming over at NPR right now here: First Listen: She And Him, 'Volume Two'. It's definitely worth a listen. Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward's first She & Him album - Volume One - was really something unique with Deschanel's crooning voice and kind of old-fashioned but very classic and timeless sound. It was the kind of album you bob your head to in the car or secretly dance to when you're wearing a dress or skirt that spins - kind of like the dancing Deschanel does in the new video for "In the Sun," which I've embedded above.

You can do that even more with Volume Two. The songs are extremely refreshing, with their sunny pop style. I really like "In The Sun," but I think "Home" is my favorite song on this album. It's beautiful. Spring is in bloom here in Connecticut, and listening to Volume Two goes perfectly with that feeling. I agree with Stephen Thompson in his article on the NPR First Listen: "It's more confection than confessional, but it's a kind-natured one; the audio equivalent of a spring breeze that wafts in at a perfect time."

The album comes out March 23, just in time for Spring. I'm definitely looking forward to listening to it in the car on a sunny day with the windows down and that spring breeze.

Tom Petty tickets on sale today!

2010-03-15T10:04:00.007-04:00

(Photo from livenation.com)

Got my tickets Friday through a River 105.9 presale, but tickets for the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Crosby, Stills and Nash Aug. 17 show at the Meadows went on sale officially just a few minutes ago.

Went with lawn seats because they're fun and affordable, but the ticket prices range from $29 for lawn to $119 for closer seats. I saw Tom Petty with Steve Winwood a few summers ago, and it was awesome. This is sure to be just as awesome. I know someone who paid $50 to see part of Crosby, Stills and Nash, so this is quite the deal. Also, with a purchased ticket, you get a download of Tom Petty's new album, and after the show, they're releasing downloads of eight live songs.

The show is Aug. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Meadows, or Comcast Theater, in Hartford.

I had a quick review from the last show here: Summer Concert Reviews

Severed Inn Premiere Weekend

2010-03-09T14:35:00.003-05:00

My story on the Sunday screening of "The Severed Inn" was in the paper yesterday. Here's the link (which will work for 90 days until it goes to the archives): "Severed' movie connected to local hot spots"

I wrote about the filming of this movie last summer, so I had to go to the premiere. It was everything I had hoped for and more. Producer and President of Legion Films Aaron Vnuk assured the audience that it was OK to laugh because this movie was as much a dark comedy as it was a horror film, and there were parts that were pretty funny. For more on Legion Films visit their website: http://www.legionfilms.com/

Celebrating Queen - the review

2010-03-08T17:26:00.008-05:00

If you closed your eyes or looked away, you could almost pretend that Freddie Mercury was on the Warner Theater stage in Torrington Saturday night.

Joe Archambeault, who also goes by J.J. Midnight, lead singer of Celebrating Queen, a Queen tribute band, sounded like Mercury trying to do an impression of himself. His voice shrilled as he hit the higher notes, he carried around the half microphone, painted his nails and wore leather pants. He didn't look like Mercury, but he did a good impression, and when he wasn't trying too hard to sing, he really pulled it off. Celebrating Queen played all the hits, starting with "Princes of the Universe" and fake-ended with "Bohemian Rhapsody" featuring students from the Warner performing arts center. They came back for an encore with "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions."

Some highlights: This was the home crowd. Archambeault, his brother who was on keyboards and another guitarist are all from Bristol, which isn't too far away from Torrington. The lead guitarist was from Naugatuck, and he definitely had friends and family there. Also, there was a pair of little kids from St. Louis with a band called "Pickletank." They sang "We Will Rock You" earlier in the show, before the big encore version. The red-headed kid was adorable and really into it. The best highlight of all, though, was that I got to sit next to the biggest Queen/Celebrating Queen fan in the world. He sang every lyric to every song and even harmonized with Archambeault. I was going to tell him that he should form his own Queen cover band, but as soon as the show ended, he left before I could.

Tonight: Celebrating Queen

2010-03-06T14:47:00.003-05:00

I'm going to see Celebrating Queen, a Queen cover band, tonight at the Warner in Torrington. It should be a good show. Fellow Bristol Press staff writer James Drzewiecki interviewed the lead singer from Celebrating Queen for our entertainment page this weekend because the singer's from Bristol. James told me earlier this week that real Queen members have told this band they're doing a good job. It's all in his article here: Celebrating Queen is a killer tribute to Freddie.

The show's tonight at 8 at the Warner Theater, 68 Main St., Torrington.

Vampire Weekend plays in a house in Barcelona? That is the coolest thing ever!

2010-03-04T18:54:00.008-05:00

Maybe I'm on a Spain kick, but I just saw @pitchforkmedia tweet this, and I just had to blog about it/embed the video here so when I look back on my posts, it'll make me watch it again.

According to the video description, this person's friend ran into Vampire Weekend at a bar after a concert on Feb. 27, and invited them back to this birthday party. Apparently Vampire Weekend went back and performed a little concert there. The video is awesome. It's obviously intimate since the band's squished into a tiny corner, and you can see that the mirror in back has "Fiesta" written on it, and everyone there is so excited and having a great time. I also like the guy smoking in front. If this were my birthday party, it would be the highlight of my life. Actually, I wish I could have been there because it would have meant I was in Barcelona, and I really miss Spain and need to go back, stat. Coolest thing ever.

Quick thought: I wish this were a real song.

2010-03-01T00:54:00.005-05:00

I've been really feeling a lot of songs in commercials lately. They've been quirky and fun, and often they're by indie artists getting awesome exposure this way. One of my new favorite songs isn't a song at all. I don't even know what Kayak is (and no, I didn't look it up even though I'm including this commercial here), but I love the song at the end: Estas listas? Estoy listo! Vamanos! (Are you ready? I'm ready! Let's go!) I did a quick google search and found that it's not a full song - it was recorded for the commercial. It really should be a song. I'd buy the album. It reminds me of fun summers in Spanish-speaking countries, and I love it. Maybe I miss Spain. Or maybe I need a vacation..

Anyway, if you've watched any TV lately, you've definitely seen this commercial. But if not, or if you need to refresh your memory, I've embedded it here. (You can go to the :18 mark and skip most of the kissing scenes.)

Matinee shows are awesome!

2010-02-21T23:10:00.008-05:00

Just a few updates all rolled into one blog post.

Went to the Mates of State and M.T. Bearington matinee show at The Space on Saturday afternoon, and it was tons of fun. (I was really close and could have gotten a photo, but my phone died because I forgot to charge it the night before!) Anyway, because it was a home show for Mates of State husband-and-wife duo Jason Hammel and Kori Gardner, they were able to bring their kids, and lots of friends and family made it out. We got there around 3 and noticed there were a lot more kids than usual. We also couldn't help but gush over an adorable kid in a Mates of State shirt enjoying his root beer. Then we realized the home show/matinee atmosphere was perfect for friends and family, both young and old, to come. Aha! The show was awesome. M.T. Bearington rocked it. I bought one of their CDs at a Toad's Place show, but I only thought of this on Saturday: They kind of sound like Modest Mouse, except not as wacky. I like it. Then the Mates of State definitely had fun, playing lots of familiar stuff and some new songs that as danceable as ever. For a new dance song, they even brought up their daughter Maggie on stage and some of her classmates, including the one who enjoyed his root beer. Another bonus? It wasn't even 7 by the time we left! It felt much later because we had already done so much that day and went to a concert, but we still had so much time left in the day. Sweet deal.

And I never reviewed the Girl Talk show. We didn't end up in the general admission pit, but the balcony wasn't that bad. Sure, we were dancing in our seats and really far away, but there were some good parts. I never heard of Black Violin before, but they were the perfect openers for Girl Talk. They played violins over some hip hop and pop songs, and it was pretty cool. They also showed off their classical violin skills. Then Girl Talk came out with a lot of variations of his old mixes and some new stuff. Interesting point: Girl Talk is limited by the music that's out already. He doesn't call himself a DJ, but he "composes" music by mashing up songs. I saw him over a year ago, and I have two of his albums on my iPod, but those are kind of older. Seeing him live last week was pretty cool because he could play some Lady Gaga songs and mix Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA" with Snoop Dogg. We weren't dancing in the pit, but it ended up being for the better. We didn't get hot or faint, and we could get drinks without trudging through a thick crowd. (A lot of people snuck in/pushed through to the downstairs after the opener.)

Next stop: Bela Fleck - The Africa Project at Jorgensen this Thursday.

Mark your calendars - We're going to The Severed Inn premiere!

2010-02-16T18:44:00.006-05:00

The Severed Inn, from the independent filmmakers at Legion Films, is premiering next month in Hartford at Real Art Ways.

I wrote about some of the filming this past summer in New Britain and Plainville for the New Britain Herald and Bristol Press, and even though I haven't seen the movie, the filmmakers are really cool guys. They're all friends, and they have full-time jobs at a school in Simsbury, but they wanted to make movies. I'm definitely going on Sunday of Premiere Weekend and covering it. Above is a trailer for the film from Legion Films. (The first one was much more epic and we watched it a lot at work, but it got taken down.)

The Severed Inn, a horror movie about some shady happenings at a bed and breakfast, features some YouTube stars and actors from other Legion Films projects.

According to a newsletter from Legion Films, "The Severed Inn is Legion's most anticipated feature film release. The movie follows the tale of Uncle Bob (Paul Braccioforte) and his two sons Louie and Archie (Shawn C. Phillips & MJ Kelley) as they struggle to find the balance between their gracious hospitality toward the guests staying at their Inn and the gruesome deeds hidden in the basement.

The Severed Inn is a high-impact, entertaining blend of horror that is full of lovely ladies and the superb comedy of rising stars Shawn C. Phllips and MJ Kelley."

The movie is 90 minutes, has a rating of MA for some nudity, violence and language. Premiere weekend is March 6 and 7 with both showings at 11:30 a.m. at Real Art Ways on 56 Arbor St. in Hartford. The showings include an introduction from Legion President, Aaron Vnuk, meeting with Legion producers who are actively casting for their third feature, an autograph session with many stars of The Severed Inn and a merchandise table. Tickets are $8.50 and can be bought at www.legionfilms.com.

You can purchase tickets at the door, but the crew recommends ordering in advance because they expect the shows to sell out.

Mates of State at The Space Feb. 20

2010-01-27T21:24:00.011-05:00

(Photo taken by me All Points West 2008.)
Manic Productions confirmed yesterday that Mates of State are playing an early show with M.T. Bearington at The Space in Hamden Saturday, Feb. 20 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $14 and go on sale Friday at noon at www.manicproductions.org. I'm definitely there, and this might be the third, fourth or fifth time I'll be seeing both bands. This is almost as good as the $3 Cafe Nine show this summer that was announced on Twitter the day of.

Girl Talk Ticket Craze at UConn

2010-01-27T13:36:00.010-05:00

(Photo from joonbug.com)

Girl Talk tickets went on sale to UConn students today for his Feb. 13 show at Jorgensen. When I heard the news yesterday, I freaked out. Girl Talk shows are sick. Everyone goes up on stage. Everyone goes crazy. And his music is just a lot of fun. Girl Talk says he's not a DJ, but he mixes songs in incredible ways. You get well-known and obscure rap mixed with oldies and pop songs in all his mash-ups, and it's all ridiculously danceable.

So here's the deal: General admission tickets are $20 for students, $30 for non, and balcony seats are $20 for students, $10 for non. They went on sale to students this morning at 11, and they're on sale to the public Friday at 11. The show is Saturday, Feb. 13 at 8 p.m. at the Jorgensen theater on the UConn campus in Storrs.

And now here's the bad news: We got stuck with balcony seats because there was a crazy line at the Jorg, and by the time our friend got up to the window to buy tickets, general admission was sold out! We won't get the full-effect of a Girl Talk show since we'll be in seats, but I think we can make the most of it. Also, we're not giving up on trying to get general admission, so I'll be on the lookout for people selling them.

And now here's the ironic part: I saw Girl Talk at Trinity College in Hartford just over a year ago, and it was crazy fun, despite some security/finding a way home issues. Looking back on my review, it looks like I was rambling a lot, so excuse me for that, but if you're interested in seeing how the show went at Trinity, check it out here: http://freesiasingngam.blogspot.com/2008/09/926-girl-talk.html.

And let me just point out that the show at Trinity was free for students and $5 for non-students, and the field house venue wasn't nearly full. Either Girl Talk has since blown up or UConn students just have good taste in music. It sucks that we couldn't get general admission tickets and get the full effect, but taking a step back, it's pretty cool that Girl Talk is getting this response.

New Crime Blog affiliated with the New Britain and Bristol papers

2010-01-19T19:16:00.002-05:00

New Britain Herald police reporter Lisa Backus has started a crime blog with crime news spanning the New Britain Herald and Bristol Press' coverage areas.

Check it out here: http://crimectcentral.blogspot.com/.

Tim Burton exhibit at the MOMA

2010-01-10T20:36:00.014-05:00

OK, so we didn't make the Contra release party - too much walking and shopping meant that we were a.) really tired and b.) not up to carrying our stuff around or leaving it all somewhere during a party.

Still, we had a pretty good Thursday in New York. Since it was my week off, I figured a day trip would be nice. First thing in the morning, we went to the Modern Museum of Art to see the Tim Burton exhibit, and everything else, of course. We also hit the Carnegie Deli for big sandwiches, Central Park for a sit, Chinatown for bubble tea and purses, St. Mark's Place, Other Music, Peculiar Pub and Chipotle to round out the night. I know, I was super excited about the Contra release party in my last post, but can you blame us for being tired?

Anyway, what I really wanted to write about was the Tim Burton exhibit. It was fantastic! MOMA's probably my favorite museum because it has so many famous paintings - including van Gogh's "Starry Night" and Dali's "The Persistence of Memory (Melting Clocks)" - and lots by famous painters like Picasso, Miro, Monet, Matisse, etc. (Note: Seeing "Starry Night" for the first time about two years ago was almost as exciting as seeing "Guernica" at el Museo de Reina Sofia in Madrid, but I digress.) Aside from the museum being great with its regular exhibits, its special exhibits make it exciting to visit over and over again.

That's where the Tim Burton exhibit comes in. It's there from Nov. 22, 2009 to April 26, 2010, and it's a must-see for any Burton fan. There are illustrations from all his movies, actual characters, hand-written story lines and lots more in the world of Tim Burton. We walked into this long hallway with some short films playing on the screen before getting into the actual main exhibit, which was huge and pretty packed. (Note: This is pretty popular, so it might be worth it to get there early and go there first. Also, there's no photos allowed, so be prepared to hear a lot of angry guards yelling "No photos!" and telling people to put their cell phones away.)

The first thing that grabbed our attention was Oogie Boogie from "The Nightmare Before Christmas." He was huge, which makes sense because he was big in the movie. Once we got inside the main room, we got to see all the puppets from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and even a bunch of Jack's heads. It was really cool.

Also, there were all the sketches from "Vincent," his first short, along with the film being played on a screen next to it. Apparently Burton described all his characters on paper - drawing paper with no lines and in handwritten cursive - before he wrote the story lines. And he would also write the entire story on one sheet of drawing paper with no lines, in handwritten cursive. He described Vincent as a complex boy and wrote down all the emotions Vincent would feel. It was incredible. In the "Edward Scissorhands" he described Edward, a robot who is very human-like. His description and the story were in-depth, yet short, complete with cross-outs. The exhibit was like watching an artist at work. It should Burton's process every step of the way. It included illustrations of characters like Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice and even the Penguin or the Joker.

The best part of all, though, was a children's book he wrote as a teenager. Now, it wasn't surrounded by people like the exhibits on his popular movies were, but I think this part had the most heart. It showed his handwritten cover letter to Disney that he sent along with this colorful illustrated book, "The Great Zlig," which was written and illustrated by him when he was a teenager in 1976. The story is about a Zlig who gets changed into a worm and then doesn't want to be a worm. It's adorable and heartfelt and very Burton at the core. What's more heartfelt is his letter. It's in cursive on unlined paper and begins with "Dear Sirs." It also includes a reply letter that tells him his illustrations are good despite his lack of tools to produce it, and to keep trying.

I'm glad he did.

Contra Release Party Tomorrow!

2010-01-06T20:09:00.011-05:00

This always happens to me! I have a vacation week from work, and I was planning an NYC trip for one day this week, and, of course, this was just posted on Twitter by @SPINmagazine:

Garrett and I were already planning on taking an early train in to spend Thursday morning at MOMA and then the afternoon walking around Chinatown and St. Marks Place. Well, here's how we're gonna try to cap off the evening. I'm ridiculously excited. The RSVP instructions aren't exactly clear, but I did send an e-mail to contra@spin.com, like the poster says to do, with my and Garrett's names on it. It says RSVP does not guarantee entry, but we'll get there early enough.

This is beyond perfect timing. I love Vampire Weekend, and I've been totally excited about their new album. They were incredible at All Points West this year, and I listened to their first album non-stop over the summer. (Perfect driving music.) My current favorite lyric has to be "First the window, then it's to the wall/ Lil' Jon, he always tells the truth" from "Oxford Comma." It makes me giggle. And being a journalist who follows AP style, I have to agree with the song's first line.

Contra sounds pretty good from what I'm hearing streamed from the website. It's their usual upbeat music with clever lyrics and lots of fun. Also, being a mallet percussion player, I love the extensive use of xylo/marimba/bell sounds.

The entire album is streaming from Vampire Weekend's website this week. Check it: http://www.vampireweekend.com/

Wilco Coming to the Bushnell in April

2010-01-06T16:39:00.004-05:00

So we just got our tickets for the Wilco show at the Bushnell coming up on April 9. Tickets, which are $35, went on presale today, and they go on sale to the public Friday.

According to Brian Lee on the Courant blog, Sound Check, it's Wilco's first Hartford appearance in its 15+ year history. Pretty exciting.

Saw them two summers ago at Tanglewood up in Lenox, Mass. We had seats, but we set up a picnic area with Garrett's dad and some friends since Tanglewood lets you bring food and drinks and enjoy them with your lawn seats. It was a great show. I couldn't see very well because there were tall people in front of me, but the band played all my favorites, and it was a lot of fun. A quick review of this concert can be found in this past round-up post.

Cookie Swap Results & Plans to Bake an Apple Pie

2009-12-17T22:44:00.007-05:00

OK, so the cookie exchange turnout was low - just 3 different kinds of cookies including mine, but one group brought a great-grandmother's recipe for "Maple Peanut Yummies," and they were quite yummy. Maple and peanut butter: tastes you don't really think would go together, but they do!

And 'tis the season - the baking continues. Some friends and I do an annual "holiday feast" on our own since we're still young enough to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with our parents - and because some of us still live with our parents. It started my junior year in my Charter Oak apartment at UConn right before Thanksgiving. We had coupons for turkeys, and all the fixings' ingredients were on sale, so we figured, why not? Then it continued to my friend's real apartment last year, again right before Thanksgiving. This year we were a bit busy, so it's closer to Christmas, but it's the same idea.

I'm making desserts, so I've got the cookies described in the recipe below, and I'm going to bake an apple pie. I really like the Apple Pie by Grandma Ople on allrecipes.com. It has the highest rating and most reviews when you search "apple pie" on the site.

This pie has a lattice crust, which already looks impressive, and because you pour a syrup over the crust and into the pie, the crust has a nice sweet coating. I've made this before, but I doubled the recipe, and I'm not sure if I put quite enough flour in. When I make this pie either tomorrow or Saturday morning, I think I'm going to add a touch more flour or a little cornstarch (depending on my mood) to make sure the syrup is thick enough. I don't want it too thick like molasses, but last time, the pie was really runny and kind of spilled the syrup everywhere as I transported it.

Even with the thin syrup, this pie was delicious. It brought out the flavors of the apples, and my entire family enjoyed it. I also brought some slices to work, and as people who have sliced up a lattice-crusted pie from the pie plate to a container and then from the container to a plate know, it looked like a pile of apples at the end. Despite this, my co-workers thought it was pretty good.

*Above is a picture of the pie I baked.

Cookie Swap at the Bristol Library tonight!

2009-12-16T15:19:00.006-05:00

The Children’s Department at the Bristol Public Library is holding its first annual Family Cookie Exchange tonight at 6. I'm covering it for the Bristol Press, but check back here tomorrow because I'm also blogging about my experience participating in it.

Participants are asked to bake two dozen of their favorite cookies, bring the baked cookies to the library with the recipes, and remember to bring an empty container for cookie exchanging, according to a press release. For the occasion, I baked my extra chewy chocolate chip cookies with oatmeal and caramel. A few years ago, I took a chocolate chip cookie recipe and substituted some flour for oatmeal and some chocolate chips for Hershey's caramel kisses. I just typed out the recipe in mass quantity for the swap, and I've included it below. I hope to find some delicious cookies at this swap, and I'm going to blog about my favorite ones.

Here's my recipe:

Extra Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies with Oatmeal and Caramel Kisses

Makes about 3 dozen, takes about an hour.

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp water
2 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 of a 12 oz. package of chocolate chips
1/3 bag of Hershey's caramel kisses

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1. Unwrap the Hershey's kisses, mash them up with a potato masher or big spoon. Set aside for later.
2. Beat butter and sugars together. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and water, blend well.
3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add in oatmeal. Gradually stir flour/oatmeal mixture into butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and then mashed up Hershey's kisses.
3. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Tip: These cookies are really sticky because of the caramel, so I recommend using parchment paper on the sheets first.
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Cool.

This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies. Enjoy!

Mark Mulcahy Tribute Concert (12/11)

2009-12-13T20:17:00.015-05:00

This was one great show. As the Connecticut release party of "Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy," a CD that came out two months ago, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I bought the CD, and a lot of the bands at this show were local, ones that didn't appear on the album. However, the bands rocked it that night at Toad's Place, and they played some great Mark Mulcahy covers as well as their own songs.

The lineup was as follows: The Furors, Frank Critelli, Spike Priggen, Dumptruck, Mr. Ray Neal, The Zambonis, Senator, Peacock Flounders, Boy Genius, Jounce, School for the Dead, Winterpills Chris Collingwood, Elvis Perkins, The Reducers, The Butterflies of Love, Chris Harford.

Frank Critelli (representing my hometown of Meriden) did a great cover of "She is Staggering," one of my favorite songs from Polaris, the house band of The Adventures of Pete & Pete, which Mulcahy was a part of. The Zambonis came out later in Whalers jerseys and other hockey attire - they are a band that plays all songs about hockey - and were a lot of fun. I was actually excited to see them because we stopped in for a quick dinner at Yorkside Pizza next door, and they were right near us. Jounce came on later, which was exciting because the lead signer is Daniel Tamberelli, the kid who played "Little Pete" in Pete & Pete. They were actually really good, and we bought their CD afterward.

Highlight of the night: Mark Mulcahy came on stage with Jounce and Michael Maronna, who played Big Pete. I tweeted that it was a dream come true to see Big Pete, Little Pete and Mark Mulcahy all on stage. Mulcahy sang, and Maronna played guitar as they performed a Miracle Legion song. I made my way up front to take some pictures.

Some bigger names that played included Chris Collingwood, of Fountains of Wayne, and Elvis Perkins. Both are on the actual tribute album.

The crowd at the show was a little older - it was mainly made up of the people who were part of the New Haven music scene in the 1980s, back when Mulcahy was part of Miracle Legion. There were also people there my age who remembered Mulcahy from The Adventures of Pete & Pete, which was, and still is, one of my favorite shows. I went into Toad's Place around when doors opened, and there was like no one there. However, it quickly filled up, which was really nice because it meant there was a lot of support for Mulcahy, whose wife died and left him with two young twin daughters. The tribute CD and show were to support Mulcahy and make sure he can keep doing what he does best - make music. The merch table was filled with CDs, all donated from the local bands, where proceeds went straight to Mulcahy. There was also a cool silent auction with things like a signed Ramones poster, again with the proceeds going to Mulcahy.

For more about the "Ciao My Shining Star" project, check out the CD review I wrote for this blog a little while ago: "Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy."

I'm mentioned in the New England Newspaper & Press Association legal briefs!

2009-12-07T17:30:00.006-05:00

The brief refers to my Freedom of Information Act request to the state Department of Environmental Protection. We wanted to know what was in the barrels that were illegally dumped around Bristol, Plymouth and Harwinton between Aug. 14 and 15. It took about four months, an FOI request and lots of phone calls to find out.

Check it: "Conn. reporter seen pivotal in release of pollutant records"

Pretty cool.

Mastisyahu (12/1) Review

2009-12-03T15:01:00.009-05:00

This show could have been called "Matisyahu and friends" because it seemed like one big party on the Webster stage Tuesday night.

The Jewish reggae artist, who is known for his uplifting songs about unity and peace, put on an awesome concert, showing off his rapping and beat-boxing skills. An added bonus: During his performance, he let a bunch of guest rappers came on stage to show off their own lyrical skills, some even pandering to the audience by mentioning the Hartford Whalers and UConn Huskies. I couldn't really keep track of them, but they were all pretty cool, and they came in during a lot of good, fun, upbeat songs.

The opening band, Soja, was also good with the same funky reggae feel - and they got even better after they offered their CD to everyone in the audience for however much we wanted to pay for it. I paid $5.

The lead singer from Soja even came onto stage with Matisyahu to do a Bob Marley song together.

(Yes, I took these photos with my cell phone.)

Matisyahu fake ended with a long, really emotional version of "One Day," but then came back for a kind of weird encore. It was exciting at first that everyone came back, but then it turned into a long jam session. Then some guys left the stage while others kept playing. Then the last two guys left, and it just sort of ended. I think the people who stayed were waiting for a big finale, maybe a real song, but they didn't get it. I think the Webster was even confused because it took a little while for the lights to go off.

On the brighter side, Matisyahu's friends were wayy cooler than Arlo Guthrie's family.

Matisyahu at the Webster tomorrow! (12/1)

2009-11-30T14:09:00.003-05:00

Matisyahu - the Jewish reggae artist best known for his blend of reggae, rap, rock and uplifting lyrics - is performing at the Webster tomorrow with Soja, a reggae band from Washington, D.C. opening.

Doors open at 7 at the Webster - 31 Webster St., Hartford, and tickets are $25. I'm so ready for this concert. Check back for a review!

P.S. Can you believe it's going to be December already?

Lady Gaga and Adam Lambert CDs out today!

2009-11-23T12:39:00.013-05:00

I'm really trying to save money for Christmas presents, so I'm still deciding whether or not to buy these albums today after work. Even if I don't get them today or if I wait to get them as presents, I'm pretty excited about them.

First, I love Gaga's "Bad Romance." It's not quite overplayed on the radio yet, so I'm always waiting to hear it when I'm driving. I spent the summer constantly playing "The Fame," and because "Bad Romance" is so catchy, I'm sure I'll be listening to "The Fame Monster" just as much. The album's being released stand-alone with the eight new songs, but also in a deluxe edition with "The Fame," which is a really good deal, and I would totally get that if I didn't already own "The Fame."

Then there's Adam Lambert's "For Your Entertainment." I was distraught when Adam didn't win American Idol because he was the only reason it was worth watching this season, but I came to terms with his loss because he's going to do much better than Kris Allen. (Have you heard Allen's new single? Right.)

I remember Adam saying he would love to work with Lady Gaga, which he did right after the season of American Idol ended. They're both incredible entertainers - not just musicians, but entertainers because of their theatrical performances - so it's fitting that their albums are dropping on the same day. I'm excited to see how well they do. Also curious to see how many people buy both together.

No more Leader magazine?!

2009-11-05T18:01:00.010-05:00

I got a postcard in the mail today from Girl Scouts of the USA saying that the organization is suspending the publication of Leader magazine. Seriously, when I opened my mailbox and looked at the card, I reacted with a quiet "Noooo!"

The postcard reads as follows:

Given the current economic climate, we have made the hard decision to suspend publication of Leader magazine. Based on results from a reader survey conducted earlier this year, we are exploring the feasibility of producing an online version of Leader. This approach would not only result in significan tcost savings, it has the added benefit of being good for the environment. In the interim, you can log on to www.girlscouts.org/for_adults/leader_magazine/ to read the latest series of articles written by the Leader team.

I have a lifetime membership to the Girl Scouts, so when they started sending out Leader magazine, I was stoked. It was beautiful, glossy and had stories that girls and their leaders care about. For example, features on Lisa Ling and Venus Williams, plus serious articles on dealing with eating disorders. After I graduated from high school, I decided to pay for the one-shot lifetime membership so I could one day be a troop leader, and I loved the magazine.

I know it will still be published online, but its print edition will be missed.

Election Day is OVERR!

2009-11-03T23:20:00.006-05:00

After a really hectic day and filing three stories on Plymouth plus a police story for Bristol, I'm done! Here are the Plymouth results, in case you're wondering:

Mayor: Vincent Festa Jr. (D) (He was unopposed.)
Councilman-at-large: Tom Zagurski (R)
Town Council - District 1: Martin Sandshaw (R), John Wunsch (R)
District 2: DiAnna Schenkel (D), David Sekorski (D)
Town Clerk: Barbara Rockwell (R)
Treasurer: David Barbieri (D)
Tax Collector: Linda Hood (R)
Board of Finance: Peter Cook (cross-endorsed), Victoria Carey (D)
Board of Finance to fill a vacancy: Michael Drozdick (D)
Board of Education: Anthony Orsini (D), Daniel Santorso (D), Gerard Bourbonniere (cross-endorsed), Martin Wetzel (cross-endorsed), Mark Berube (R)
Assessor: Carl Kulesa (D)
Board of Assessment Appeals: Ronald Wollenberg (R)
Constables: Lawrence Deschaine (R), Christine Ciarmella (R), Eric Pelz (R), Patric Perugino II (D)
Library Trustees: Diana Oberg (R), Cathleen Paskus (R), Arlene Wood (D)
Library Trustees to fill a vacancy: Eleanor Petke (cross-endorsed), Mary Jane Wollenberg (R)
Referendum: No to questions 1, 3, 4, Yes to question 2

(Note: the office did get pizza today, and it was kind of fun rushing to get the results in.)

Twitter Lists

2009-11-01T23:40:00.005-05:00

Twitter launched "Twitter Lists" last week for users to organize who they follow. On top of giving me something to do while watching the Yankees game on TV and winding down from work and a busy weekend, Twitter Lists actually helped me understand how and why I use Twitter. Yes, it feels good to be organized, but it's pretty cool to see how and why you and other people use something like Twitter.

As soon as I saw that I could make Twitter Lists, I had to think of the best way to group people in as few groups as possible while still being specific. First, I noticed that I use Twitter to get a lot of my news. Second, I saw that as a journalist, I have a lot of journalist friends and follow a lot of journalists. Then I thought, this is pretty cool.

Here are the lists I came up with:
@freesiaa/entertainment
@freesiaa/humor
@freesiaa/politics
@freesiaa/journalism
@freesiaa/friends
@freesiaa/uconn
@freesiaa/music
@freesiaa/news

I'm not sure if I'll follow other user lists, but it was nice to organize these lists for myself, and it's interesting to see how other people organize their lists and who they're following the most.

Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy (CD Review)

2009-10-26T15:40:00.014-04:00

This album is absolutely beautiful throughout, and the thought behind it is even more beautiful. Mark Mulcahy's wife Melissa died unexpectedly about a year ago, leaving him to raise two 3-year-old twin daughters on his own. As a songwriter and member of New Haven-based Miracle Legion in the 1980s, then Polaris, the house band for the Nickelodeon show "The Adventures of Pete and Pete" and later as a solo artist, Mulcahy inspired many artists. After hearing about his loss, 21 of those artists recorded covers of Mark Mulcahy songs for this tribute album, with proceeds going to Mulcahy so he can support his daughters and keep making music.

Released Sept. 29, the album features a picture of Melissa on the cover, and the track list is as follows:

1. Thom Yorke - "All For The Best"
2. The National - "Ashamed Of The Story I Told"
3. Michael Stipe - "Everything's Coming Undone"
4. David Berkeley - "Loves The Only Thing That Shuts Me Up"
5. Dinosaur Jr. - "The Backyard"
6. Chris Harford & Mr Ray Neal - "Micon The Icon"
7. Frank Black - "Bill Jocko"
8. Vic Chesnutt - "Little Man"
9. Unbelievable Truth - "Ciao My Shining Star"
10. Butterflies Of Love - "I Have Patience"
11. Chris Collingwood (Fountains Of Wayne) - "Cookie Jar"
12. Frank Turner - "The Quiet One"
13. Rocket From The Tombs - "In Pursuit Of Your Happiness"
14. Ben Kweller - "Wake Up Whispering"
15. Josh Rouse - "I Woke Up In The Mayflower"
16. Autumn Defense - "Paradise"
17. Hayden - "Happy Birthday Yesterday"
18. Juliana Hatfield - "We're Not In Charleston Anymore"
19. Mercury Rev - "Sailors And Animals"
20. Elvis Perkins - "She Watches Over Me"
21. Sean Watkins - "A World Away From This One"

These songs just flow through the album, and while they're performed by different artists, they have a distinct Mark Mulcahy sound. There's raw emotion in Frank Black's "Bill Jocko" that starts with shouts of "Why do I have to stay? Why does she get to go?" and in Thom Yorke's "All For The Best" with the lyrics, "You're so beautiful it sings." These love songs alone feel like a tribute to Mulcahy and his wife. These artists, using Mulcahy's own songs, really did him justice and gave the album a spirit of hope.

I interviewed Mulcahy two years ago for an article for the Record-Journal before he performed at the Meriden Daffodil Festival. I was told by the event promoter that Mulcahy received a shout-out from Thom Yorke at a Radiohead concert, and I asked him about it. He said he was surprised, and he didn't know how Thom Yorke even knew he was there. Now this tribute album comes out with some big-name artists like Thom Yorke and Michael Stipe jumping on to help him. I read in other articles that he was also surprised, and really touched, by this tribute album. I think that's the best part about him. He's made great music, and he's inspired many people, and yet, he's still surprised by it.

Rest in peace, Jasper Howard

2009-10-19T20:35:00.005-04:00

It's a tragedy when someone dies unexpectedly, but Jasper Howard had promise. He came out of a tough situation in Miami and worked his way to college, becoming a star cornerback on the UConn football team who would have been drafted to the NFL. He loved his mother, who worked hard to provide for him and his sisters. He was going to be a father. His murder on the UConn campus this weekend shocked and saddened the community, and I think his story is what makes this even tougher.

I graduated from UConn this past May, and I feel for Jasper, his family, his team, and the entire UConn community. I'm not alone. There have been several columns and blog posts in Jasper's memory, and I just wanted to link some of them here. I can't stop thinking about how senseless his murder was or how sad this situation is or how this could have happened outside the Student Union in rural Storrs, where we all felt safe. And, as of this posting, the murderer is still out there.

Former Daily Campus managing editor, associate managing editor, etc. Kevin Meacham has made three posts on the The Uconn Blog that summarize what a lot of people have been thinking. It also keeps a log of news on the case as it comes up.

One of his posts points to a great column about Jasper by the Courant's Jeff Jacobs.

Former Daily Campus sports editor Kevin Duffy also has a post on his blog, The Lost Generation.

Both of these alumni point out that their blogs are usually more light-hearted, and they'll go back to that, but right now, their thoughts are with Jasper. Add this one to the list.

Movie Review: "Where the Wild Things Are"

2009-10-19T16:39:00.004-04:00

Saw "Where the Wild Things Are" this weekend after a day of doing everything we thought would be in the movie. That involved hiking and kind of climbing rocks, but at the end of the night, we were too tired to build a fort.

Anyway, this movie was beautiful. I've read reviews that called it "gorgeous" and talked about the characters being a work of art. They were. What I really liked about the movie, though, was that it was exciting, even for a 22-year-old. The "wild rumpus" was fun, but the wild things adventure turned out to be more serious than that. There were parts that were scary and parts that were really sad, and children should see these things in a movie. The dirt ball "war" went a little too far, and some of the wild things were hurt both physically. That's something children can see. The wild things talked about loneliness and looking for a king or someone to bring them happiness. You could feel the frustration that Max, the kid, felt at home where he was neglected and had no friends. Then when he journeyed into the land of the wild things, his same frustration was reflected in wild things. After a series of adventures and mishaps as king of the wild things, Max learns a lesson, and it's one that adults and children can appreciate.

While 20-somethings were going to see this to relive childhood memories or because they're fans of Spike Jonze or Karen O's indie soundtrack, it really was a great movie for children. I went to a 9 o'clock showing to avoid the kid crowd, but I saw a lot of them coming out from the 7 o'clock showing. A lot of children's books and movies are happy throughout, but children, like Max, get scared and angry, and at times, they feel sad too. That's why this movie is so great. The book was only like 10 pages long and mostly pictures, but it told a good story. And the movie, which was based on the book, shows that no one wants to feel lonely, and if you are a frustrated kid, you're not alone.

Arlo Guthrie - Oct. 9

2009-10-12T18:00:00.007-04:00

This was my second time seeing Arlo Guthrie at Jorgensen, and I think he was much better the first time.

(Sorry for the crappy photo from my phone. Maybe we can just consider the washed-out faces artsy.)

When he came to UConn my sophomore year, he was on tour with family members, but not the whole family like he was this time - my first year out of undergrad. Without the whole family, he was able to tell more stories and play more of his songs, including the big one: "Alice's Restaurant."

He didn't play "Alice's Restaurant" or even "The Motorcycle Song" this time, despite requests from the audience. In fact, he let his grandson sing some kind of John Mayer-style love song to a girl he loved to watch sleep. It would have been OK, if his family members didn't have to be his back-up singers. At least that was the only song he did.

The idea of a family tour was kind of weird. Yes, last time, he did have his children play as his back-up band. This time, though, his young grandchilren were brought out to sing songs for an upcoming children's album, and you could tell some of them didn't want to be there. Also, you could tell which daughter was the favorite because she smiled the most and laughed the hardest at all Arlo's jokes, while the other two were just there. Three years ago, the young children were just brought on stage to sing Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land." They did that again this time, and then some.

The family aspect was a bit too much, and I think I'm good on seeing any Arlo Guthrie and family shows for a while.

Foreigner - Oct. 4

2009-10-12T17:46:00.005-04:00

Garrett's mom won Foreigner tickets on the radio. Twice. That means that she got a pair for her and her husband and a pair for me and Garrett, and it was awesome.

We thought it was pretty hilarious that we were seeing Foreigner in the first place. I mean, they have some pretty big hits, but how is "Hot Blooded" not funny? How can you not giggle a little with "I Want to Know What Love Is" even if it is emotional? Also, it's kind of funny that lead guitar Mick Jones is the only original member left in the band. You can tell who he is, too, because he's the only one with gray hair. The replacements are all young musicians, and there's a long list of former members.

All silliness aside, it was a really good show there at the Warner Theater in Torrington. We couldn't believe how many Foreigner songs we knew. They played them all - "Cold As Ice," "Feels Like the First Time," "Juke Box Hero," "Double Vision" and "Head Games."

Garrett made a good point - we knew more songs at this Foreigner show than a lot of other concerts we go to.

The crowd was really into it. I'm sure for some people there, it was their favorite band. "I Want to Know What Love Is" was probably some couple's song. The audience's enthusiasm also made the show.

In the end, we had a lot of fun. And it was free.

"Where the Wild Things Are" Soundtrack

2009-09-30T19:50:00.011-04:00

Karen O's "Where the Wild Things Are" Soundtrack dropped yesterday, and I cannot stop listening to it. It's SO GOOD! It's happy, funky, a little grungey, hip, and most importantly, it takes me back to the best parts of childhood and captures the vision of the "Where the Wild Things Are" story.

As my friends already know, Karen O is my favorite. I was totally stoked when I found out she was doing the soundtrack for this movie that I was already excited about. I love the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, which she fronts, and when I saw them at APW this year, I put it in my all-time top three concerts. I think she's absolutely incredible, and even though she already has a following, I think even more people will see that when they see "Where the Wild Things Are" and listen to her music. The soundtrack lists "Karen O and The Kids" as the artist for each song, and members of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Deerhunter and the Raconteurs, among other bands, are featured. You can listen to it here on Spin.

The songs have sick drum beats, shouting in the background provided by Karen O and a children's choir, clapping (like in "Capsize"), and it's all just fun. Even "Animal," which has a darker, more tribal feel to it as Karen O screams in the background, is adventurous, and if I asked the 6-year-old version of me what I thought of it, I would say it was "cooool." I guess not much has changed.

"All is Love" is definitely my favorite song with a cheerful guitar riff and kids shouting in the background. At the end, Karen O keeps saying "is love, is love, is love," with the kids' choir coming in and ending with just the kids. It's brilliant.

The best part is that listening to this soundtrack feels like a real adventure, like the best pretend adventures you had as a kid. I'm sure the movie will have this effect, too, and I cannot wait for Oct. 16 when it's released. This soundtrack is a great way to tide us over. Perfect, actually.

Sweet Free Show: Deerhoof, The Drums, Free Energy 9/12

2009-09-21T10:21:00.008-04:00

Das Racist pulled a Screech and bailed from this show, so we didn't go to the combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, but it's all good because now we know they're lame, and we got to see more of The Drums.

They kind of sounded like Editors or Depeche Mode, and they were young, and there were a lot of people in their band. They rocked it.

Before them, we saw Free Energy, and the guys in that band looked the part with their long hair and non-matching, I-don't-care-what-I-wear-but-really-I-do-and-this-outfit-is-awesome outfits. They had a raw, fun rock feel, kind of like a Mark Mulcahy band. Though, I might have thought this because Mark Mulcahy is on our minds with that tribute album for him coming up. I have to pick that up.

And Deerhoof was awesome as always. Satomi was adorable. Greg rocked out on the drums and had sick shoes. This was our third time seeing them, and we were excited as usual. Everyone around us was dancing like crazy. That's just what Deerhoof does. They play loud, kind of weird, but ridiculously catchy music. Best free show ever? Maybe. Again, with Mark Mulcahy on the mind, and having seen him for free with the Animals at the Daffodil Festival, it's a tough call. Still, a phenomenal deal.

Late Weezer/Blink-182 Post

2009-09-21T10:12:00.007-04:00

I guess I have a lot less free time now that I'm working. It's been weeks since this show, but I still think it was one of the best concerts I've ever been to.

Blink-182, Weezer and Taking Back Sunday played to a sold-out crowd at the Meadows on Sat., Sept. 29, and at least Weezer and Blink rocked it. Also, I got a press pass from the Bristol Press, so I got to take some sweet photos. The entire show was 15-year-old Freesia's dream come true.

The best concert of my life was probably Summercase 2007 in Madrid, when I got to see Bloc Party, the Arcade Fire, the Chemical Brothers, the Flaming Lips, Air, the Kaiser Chiefs, Lily Allen, James, etc. all over the course of two nights. However, this summer, I got to see my next top 3 concerts: Blink-182, of course, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Vampire Weekend at All Points West and also a last-minute show from Mates of State at Cafe 9, which was intimate and the best $3 ever spent.

Updates and thoughts on health care

2009-08-12T17:45:00.008-04:00

I haven't blogged in nearly two months! Perhaps it's because I'm getting the hang of my new (well, kinda new) job at the Bristol Press, and when I get home after writing all day, I don't want to write any more. Maybe it's because it's the summer, and I have the relaxing mentality. It could also be because the internet at my house is really bad.

Anyway, here's what I've done this summer: worked, hung out, tried to catch movies and shows. I went to All Points West for one day this year - this was a much better decision than going all three days last year. We're getting old. But Friday was the best lineup. Jay-Z was a great last-minute replacement to the Beastie Boys, and I got to see two of my current favorite bands - Vampire Weekend and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs! It was fantastic. Before APW, I also saw Diana Krall, and later, I saw Sugar Ray for $5 - they played only their hits and covers. It was hilarious.

On a different note, I started getting these minor chest pains when I breathe in deeply today, and checking WebMD just makes me a hypochondriac. Also, it tells me to call a doctor, which I can't do until Sept. 1 because my insurance doesn't kick in until then. Central CT Communications, the company that owns the Bristol Press and New Britain Herald, makes employees wait 90 days until they're covered. I've got about three and a half weeks left.

This is the first time in two months I've begun to worry about not having insurance. And it made me think: Even with insurance, you have a ton of problems. The Bristol Press/New Britain Herald just switched insurance providers, and I know some people here are worried about their lack of a card from the new provider. Also, it's not really clear what's covered because we mysteriously lost the coverage book from our new insurance meeting. When I was under my parents' insurance, I always had trouble calling about things. I've been in support of universal health care since I heard about it, but really, recent events - that is, my being a 22-year-old without health insurance and joining the ranks of the many uninsured - I've come to believe that there is an urgent need for health care reform. Even waiting 90 days feels like forever when you're not sure if you're going to have to see a doctor. I can't imagine what it's like to wait indefinitely.

I'm not going into my thoughts on insurance yet. I'll save that for a time when I don't have a meeting in an hour.

Seriously, Cox Media?

2009-06-20T23:48:00.006-04:00

I saw the Cox Media smarter advertising commercial for the first time today, and the entire time, all I could think was, Really?

The commercial, if you haven't seen it, is a direct attack at newspapers. It tells advertisers that cable advertising is "better" than newspaper advertising by taking statements like "People read newspapers" or "Newspaper advertising is affordable" and attempting to prove them wrong with statistics and claims that cable advertising is more effective, even if it is more expensive.

Really, Cox? Seriously?

First of all, the only reason why I watched that commercial and didn't change the channel was because I wanted to hear what they had to say about newspapers, and I wanted to see if they would argue against any other forms of advertising. They didn't. It was just about newspapers. Disclaimer: I am a full-time newspaper reporter. This is my first job after several internships at newspapers and working at my college newspaper. I've wanted to be a reporter since I was 5-years-old because I've always had a lot of newspapers in my house. My dad just really likes reading the news - we've always subscribed to our local paper, the Record-Journal, but he regularly picks up the Hartford Courant, USA Today and the New York Daily News for fun. We also subscribe to Newsweek, Time and Spin and pick up tabloids when they're interesting. Print media has been a staple in our household because it's readily available, and it's enjoyable to just sit back and read about what's going on.

Here's the thing. Any medium that uses advertising as a form of income is hurting because the advertising industry is hurting in this economy. When a business needs to cut costs, advertising is one of the first things to go. That being said, it doesn't make sense that Cox Media would target newspapers exclusively like they're a major competitor taking all their advertising. What is this, Pepsi vs. Coke? Also, the commercial even says that advertisers will use newspapers because advertising in them is affordable - that's true because newspapers need advertisements and want to keep prices attractive to buyers. Why doesn't Cox just make their advertising more affordable? And on that point, I don't understand why Cox needs to go after newspapers for more advertisements because they're a cable company. They pretty much have all of Meriden under their services, even if they're pretty bad. I have a ton of Internet connection problems at home, and when I ask around, other people in the area have the same problems at the same time.

On the Cox Media "Smarter Advertising" Web page, the list of related stories is about declining ratings for local news. What does that mean? Do they not want people to advertise through local newscasts? Are they just making an attack on news in general? It just doesn't make any sense.

So here are my reasons why newspaper advertising is better than cable:

1. You can't change the channel. Yes, you can turn the page, but there's usually a story or something on that page that keeps your attention for some time. The advertisement is right there, and a reader can't help but see it.

2. Your advertisements reach people anywhere. In the car, on the porch, on the beach, people can bring along a newspaper to read. Also, they read them in the bathroom. Commercial breaks are the perfect time to leave and go to the bathroom. While people do spend a lot of time in front of a television, they do have to leave at points, and they're not going to leave during their favorite show.

3. It's more affordable. Especially when businesses are struggling and cutting costs, it makes more sense to advertise in a way that's cost effective.

4. It works. It's cost effective because it's affordable and works. People see advertisements. If they're inserts in the paper, they can't help but look at them.

5. It reaches more people than you think. Take my college newspaper, for instance. We had a circulation of 9,000, but a lot more people read it because it would get left on a dining hall or library table. I always pick up a newspaper and read it when I'm in a waiting room. I don't usually watch TV when waiting for something. Families share newspapers. Also, some classifieds in newspapers transfer to their Web sites. That means there are even more readers.

6. People need their news. People read newspapers because they want to know what's going on. Especially with local papers, it's usually the only place they can go to find out what's going on in their town. If there's a local election coming up, how else will they know about the candidates? And it's their elected local leaders who determine a lot of stuff that actually matters to them. They really don't need to watch another reality TV show.

7. People are attentive when they're reading newspapers. You actually have to read the paper to get the news. That means that they're focused on the page at hand. Can you really say that about someone whose TV is just on while they're making dinner or doing work?

8. People look for things in newspapers. They go through the classifieds to find things or look for jobs. They're looking for coupons. They're actively seeking out these advertisements. With television, it's the opposite. It's just forced on them, and, once again, they can change the channel or get up.

Here's the link to Cox Media's terrible rationale: http://www.coxmedia.com/GainesvilleOcala/advertisingmore.aspx?ID=DA_814852.

And here's the related article that showed up on the side bar when I went on the page: http://www.coxmedia.com/GainesvilleOcala/advertisingmore.aspx?ID=DA_1151368

Final Decision on Tinted Windows

2009-05-18T01:49:00.003-04:00

Not worth it. Take a look at this video - it's their performance of "Kind of Girl" on Rock After Dark:

Yeah.
I wanted so badly to like them, I really did. Hanson's been my all-time favorite band since I was 10 years old, and they're a great favorite band for a number of reasons (post on this coming later). So when I heard that Taylor Hanson was doing a side project, the first thing I thought of was that time I waited in line to see them in New Hampshire (yes, I drove from Connecticut) and sat there for about six hours in a misty rain and had usual conversation with the regular Fansons. One mother said that she won a lunch with Tyler Hilton, who opened for Hanson a few years ago, and Tyler said Taylor would be better off doing his own thing. Um, after hearing Tinted Windows, I disagree.
Tinted Windows is a power pop superband that's made up of Taylor Hanson, James Iha from the Smashing Pumpkins and A Perfect Circle, Adam Schlesinger from Fountains of Wayne, and Bun E. Carlos, the drummer of Cheap Trick. It's a weird grouping, as the band admitted in a Spin interview. Because of each member's success in other bands, one would think they would gather some old fans for this new group. They might, but it's going to be hard because this sound is different from all their former groups, except for maybe Fountains of Wayne, which has a little more power pop. However, all the "Whoa-ohs" from Taylor and James sound very strained and just look weird coming from them. Even the song feels superficial, a song about "the kind of girl you can't get enough of ... whoa-oh." There's really not much to it, and it really makes you question the motives of these talented musicians from rather successful bands.
Because Hanson is my favorite band, I do wish Taylor the best of luck. Who knows? Maybe they'll catch on. All those bands do have dedicated fan bases, and there could be a market for shallow attempts at power pop where the drummer is way too good for the rest of the band. But for this Fanson, who does enjoy other music by the way, it's just not good.

4/19 - Of Montreal and Janelle Monae!

2009-04-22T20:09:00.008-04:00

This show was so fun. As soon as Janelle Monae took the stage to open for Of Montreal, Toad's Place was just loaded with energy. In a recent Spin feature on her, she said that she's been blessed to have people be too afraid of asking her how she'll fit into the mainstream. We're blessed too. I like that she's different with her front-pushed hair and jockey outfits. Her music was dancey with a touch of Outkast and a whole lot of herself shining through. At one point in the show, she painted a picture on stage and handed it to the crowd.

As Of Montreal started their first song, I almost thought that Janelle outdid them. However, as they moved on with their set, they were incredible. Totally freaking out the bouncers. With their guys in stretchy pink costumes to hobbits to a tiger doing unspeakable things to someone else in a stretchy black costume, it was a crazy party on stage, and that party feel really spread to the crowd. Especially when they performed some of their more popular numbers like "A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger" or "Gronlandic Edit," which are both very danceable with recognizable and repeating background beats, they got the crowd going. I was surprised they didn't play "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse" for obvious reasons of what might have been going on in the audience, but I was very happy with how much they played off Hissing Fauna as well as Skeletal Lamping. This was probably one of my top 5 concerts, and my boyfriend and I danced more than we ever danced before.

The Ting Tings - 3/16

2009-04-05T15:37:00.012-04:00

I know, I know. Very late update on this concert. It was a busy month. I can't wait to graduate. Anyway, The Ting Tings put on a great show and reminded me exactly why they're one of my new favorite bands. From their fun dance tunes to their extra brass instrumentals done by girls in funky wigs, it was an all-around good time. Also, the fact that they picked Hot Tub as an opener to tour with them was a fantastic idea. I love girl-fronted bands, which is partially why I love the Ting Tings. I also love energy - another quality of the Ting Tings. And here's Hot Tub from Oakland, Calif., embodying all of that. I loved that they were three multicultural girls just rapping and rocking out.

2/20 P-Funk

2009-03-01T14:53:00.005-05:00

I got down just for the funk of it. George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic had a show at Toad's place, and it was one of the most interesting Toad's experiences I've ever had. The show was good. At times, some songs dragged on repetitively, but really, that's what a lot of the crowd wanted. They just kept on dancing. And the crowd was so diverse in both age and backgrounds, which also made this interesting. George Clinton is the man. They played their hits. They played some covers. They added some soulful singers. Clinton's granddaughter came out to MC and rap about marijuana. P-Funk turned a concert into an all-out event, and they gave us the whole funk and nothing but the funk.

2/12 Darwin's Meditation for the People of Lincoln

2009-02-13T16:20:00.007-05:00

I don't think I've ever thought of a concert as a work of art, but "Darwin's Meditation for the People of Lincoln" was exactly that.

The piece featured Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR), who can really shred a violin. If you didn't think rocking out on a violin was possible, listen to DBR, man. I don't want to call it just a show because it was an entire composition with several elements coming together to celebrate the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln, who were born just hours apart. It included narratives that juxtaposed Darwin and Lincoln's lives together, and the music varied from passionate salsa to soulful funk to emotional classical music. It all came together perfectly, and UConn was really lucky to have gotten this show on the day of Darwin and Lincoln's actual birthday.

2/7 - Eve 6

2009-02-08T17:31:00.003-05:00

I wish I brought a camera to have a photo for this post, but the show was right after a men's basketball game, so I was kind of on-the-go and forgot to bring one.

Anyway, Eve 6 brought back memories of being in seventh grade and mad at the world singing along to "Inside Out." It brought back memories of loving "Here's to the Night" because it's how we feel when we're "embarrassingly sentimental" as lead singer Max Collins described it. It was good. I haven't really listened to them in a while, so I was really surprised to see how many songs I actually knew and could sing along to. I have a feeling everyone else in the audience was feeling the same thing because it seemed that everyone could sing along to their radio singles and TRL hits. It took the band at least a song or two to get going, I think, because after a while, they really got into the songs, singing and playing a little harder. That just wasn't the case with the first two songs. The band did everything right, though. If they needed time to warm up and get into the show, they were right to play a few songs before the singles that everyone wants to rock out to. Actually, come to think of it, maybe it was the singles that everyone sang along to that pumped the band up. Either way, the show got better through the set. Also, I love when bands rotate new songs with old popular ones because it really keeps the crowd going, and Eve 6 did that.

Lights Resolve opened for them with a long set, and they just didn't do it for me. I mostly wanted it to end. One of the drums was mic'd too closely, and despite the singer describing one song as a dance tune that you'd "shake your ass" to, it still sounded pretty "I'm trying to be rock, and really, I can only head bang to this even though it's not really that hardcore and what you'd think to head bang to," which was pretty much what all their songs were. Also, there was a lot of "Oh Oh Oh"-ing to the songs, and lyrics that were trying too hard to be emotional and spiritual like "the angel cries oh oh oh oh [etc]."

2/5 - Marissa Nadler

2009-02-08T17:15:00.004-05:00

I'd never heard of Marissa Nadler before, but WHUS was putting on a free show, and I had originally planned on going to see Nick Swardson who canceled his performance that night, so it was something to do.

And Nadler was pretty good. Her music was very light indie folk, and she has a gentle, steady and haunting way of singing. Her songs were beautiful in ways that would touch someone who's really having a tough time. It was funny though, because in between songs, she would giggle with the band members and joke in a girly way about how she was hurt by the people leaving. Also, she would described some of her songs as "rock" or "crazy synth pop" even though as soon as she started singing, it sounded just like her other songs with repeated broken chords, lyrics reaching out to someone whose dad died last month or about a man who tries to give his wife some food, none of which sounded very "rock" or "crazy."

WHUS described Nadler as "up and coming," and from her between-song stories of people normally talking during her sets and her long struggling career, I hope so.

Superbowl Sunday

2009-02-02T00:49:00.005-05:00

What a game. But what's more important to me - sorry Cardinals or Steelers fans - was that there was an hour-long episode of The Office afterward.

It was the funniest episode I've ever seen. Dwight's crazy safety drills. Stanley's heart attack (You have to live! Barack Obama is president!). Meetings at corporate. Michael's roast. And Jim's love for Pam. It was everything I'd been waiting for in these past weeks with the sporadic lack of new episodes. I'm so glad The Office brought out the big guns for the big post-game TV show.

1/30 Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood

2009-02-02T00:43:00.003-05:00

This was my second time seeing these "Whose Line?" guys at Jorgensen, and it was still pretty funny. Even with the same basic show, the material was different because it was improv. (I can't say the same for Lewis Black, who was funny, but seeing him the second time was just too predictable.) Mochrie and Sherwood still did the "guess the crime" that the audience made up gig, and it's totally worth the 25 minutes it takes to play this game because Sherwood got Mochrie to say, word for word, that he was wearing lederhosen, duct tape and handcuffs and that he retrieved a gerbil and painted black spots on cows. I don't even remember the wacky town name he was able to get from Sherwood's clues. So that part was fun. But when they walked on mousetraps, it was kind of the same as last time, and that part, plus some others, was funnier the first time seeing it.

Inauguration

2009-01-20T20:02:00.004-05:00

Today was my first day of classes, but thankfully, I got out of one class early so I could stop in the Dodd Center to watch the inauguration on CNN.

I got there just in time to see Biden sworn in. Then there was a musical selection, at which time, CNN informed us that Obama was officially president because the Constitution states that he would be president by noon, whether or not he was sworn in yet. That was pretty awesome.

Watching Obama get sworn in was very moving. It was everything we've been waiting for since the beginning of his campaign trail. When he gave his inaugural speech, it was inspiring. He touched on all the problems the nation faces, but he also gave hope to a brighter future, and I can't help but believe that things will be better under his leadership. I liked that he mentioned that his father, less than 60 years ago, would not have been served at a local restaurant, gesturing at the fact that America has come a long way in electing its first black president. I liked that the inauguration was the day after Martin Luther King, Jr. day. I liked that Obama specifically mentioned the troubled economy and spoke directly to terrorists, saying that power comes from building, not destroying. I liked that in spite of all the bad things that he mentioned, he gave reasons for hope. That's what America needed, and for the first time in my life, I'm excited for the next four years under a certain presidency.

And I have to add, I thought it was the cutest thing ever when CNN zoomed in on Malia Obama taking photos/video on her digital camera and looking absolutely intent on it.

Spring Awakening

2009-01-18T16:20:00.009-05:00

Spring Awakening is closing today on Broadway, and I'm really glad I caught one of its final performances yesterday at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.

Hunter Parrish gave an excellent performance in his Broadway debut as Melchior, a teenager discovering love, and sex. More known for his role as Silas in the television series, Weeds, Parrish kept the same angst-ridden teen role but broke out with even more angst and emotion. Melchior is the smartest boy in school in this musical, which is set in a German town in the 1890s. However, the fact that he's very smart means that he questions authority and is atheist, which of course, attracts all the girls in town.

Melchior falls for Wendla, played by Alexandra Socha in her Broadway debut. She and Parrish have great chemistry on stage as they go from two children extremely confused about their attraction to young adults giving into sexual temptation, despite all the warnings from the adult men and women. Socha as Wendla starts the musical off with "Mama Who Bore Me," a song from a daughter, asking her mother about things in life. Afterward, she asks where babies come from, and her mother is too uncomfortable to tell her. Of course, when Wendla ends up pregnant from her escapades with Melchior, she has no idea that that was where babies come from.

All the adult men and all the adult women are played by the same two people. Tony Carlin, an understudy, filled in for the adult men, and he really showed the strict authoritarian that all the men from abusive fathers to the disciplinarian teacher. It both interesting and fitting that they only cast one person for all these roles - by nature of the musical, all the adults were the same. They were all telling their children that sex was wrong. They were all telling them to conform. In the end, their denial of sexual freedom and free thinking led to tragic consequences, and the message was just as powerful as the actors' performance.

It's a sad month for Broadway as it loses this show, but at least it had a great run. And on a side note, we had great seats. (Thanks, Kassie's mom!)

Sakimura with my parents

2009-01-16T00:51:00.004-05:00

My family went to Sakimura (Saki Mura? It's spelled one way on their sign and another on their website) in Meriden tonight for my parents' 26th anniversary. I've now experienced hibachi with every possible party you can think of - church groups, girl friends, dates, and now family. On a date, it's OK, as long as you're not the only ones at your table, and I mean the only ones. Yes, that's happened to me. Actually, going out to a hibachi restaurant with your family is the ideal situation. It was our first time going as a family, and we all had a great time. I'm 21, and my brother's 17, so going out as a family isn't the same as back in the day when we could go to Chuck E. Cheese's and be amused for hours. Hibachi is perfect for parents and their older children. Conversation is cut to a minimum while everyone is entranced in the hibachi chef's work. But there's still family bonding as we lean over to whisper our amazement. Also, we had fun with trying to catch flying zucchini in our mouths and watching the chef squirt a shot of sake into my dad's mouth.

Sakimura in Meriden, so far, is the best hibachi restaurant I've been to, mainly for the great deal you get with a meal. The chefs are entertaining, as usual, which is an added bonus, but you get more for your money with the food. A hibachi dinner comes with miso soup, salad, fried rice, noodles, vegetables and your entree. And it's a ton of food. For $24, I got steak and scallops, and it was delicious. The last time I went to Sakimura, I remember there being noodles listed as part of the dinner on the menu. However, this time it wasn't, but we still got noodles, which was a pleasant surprise. They were fried with a great garlic flavor. They cook your steak to order, and while I got regular steak and my brother ordered filet mignon, I just as happy with my steak as he was with his filet. We got a good serving of vegetables and heaping piles of noodles and fried rice. We boxed our leftovers, which we inevitably had, and left extremely content.

Reaction to new season of American Idol

2009-01-14T22:58:00.003-05:00

I haven't watched American Idol regularly since high school. It's more of a bonding experience with my family - it gives us another thing to talk about at dinner, and it's just fun. I think being at home for winter break, and the fact that I'm planning on living at home after graduation, has brought me back on the American Idol wagon.

At least the eighth season is shaping up to be very promising. I love the first episodes of a season because everyone talks about their dreams, and the show really milks these dreams for all they're worth. Also, we get the bad auditions, but not too many. There are fewer joke auditions this season, and really, I'm glad.

I'm also glad they added Kara DioGuardi. I think she adds a fresh face and outlook to the judges' panel. She's accomplished, and she has the background for the job. Also, having four judges is refreshing. It's a nice change.

Now for the contestants. Bikini girl was annoying, and that whole scene with Kara and her having the sing-off was silly. So was all the hype that the show aired leading up to it.

But in both of the first episodes, they saved the best contestants for last. I loved Scott MacIntyre, and I really think he's going to go all the way. The show kept talking about his inspiring story because he is legally blind, but really, he had an incredible voice and is great at piano. He went to college at 14 and graduated by the time he was 19. He's absolutely brilliant in every way, and he is just the epitome of an "American Idol." In one of the commercials previewing the Hollywood sessions, they show him with his piano and the judges giving him a great applause. He might be the reason why I keep watching, and why I might actually vote this season. I also loved Lil Rounds, who topped off tonight's episode. She was fantastic, and Randy called her a mix of Fantasia and Mary J. Blige. Personally, I thought she was better than both of them put together, and I really want to see her go far in this competition.

1/3 Second City in Toronto

2009-01-07T18:12:00.003-05:00

We were going to Toronto for the International Bowl, so we had to stop in The Second City theatre. I hadn't heard much about the improv group until recently, but when I started looking into it, I was interested. So many famous people have come out of Second City, which has resident theaters in Chicago and Toronto and a few smaller mainstages. From Second City Toronto, we got John Candy, Dan Aykroyd, Mike Myers and Colin Mochrie.

The current variety show right now is called "Barack to the Future," and it was hilarious. The actors were great from their rehearsed scenes to their late-night improv after show. Someone from the show is bound to become famous.

Some notable scenes: It started with a Barack Obama impersonator ending the war at his "inauguration" and changing the national anthem to "Sexual Healing." There was some mother f*ckin' ping pong complete with techno beats and strobe lights. There was an dancing and singing troupe at a catholic school assembly promoting very liberal ideas to the dismay of the school principal. And there was a "Too Far" contest where the comedians had to cross the line with their jokes.

Of course, I can't do the jokes justice here in print. I couldn't stop laughing, and this was definitely worth going to see.

12/30 The Mighty Mighty Bosstones at Toad's Place

2009-01-07T18:11:00.003-05:00

Ahhh, the nostalgia. Going to ska shows takes me back to when I was 15 and skatastic. I didn't pull out my checkerboard belt or Capri Sun purse, but it still felt right.

Now, I've been to lots of ska shows, from smaller local bands to bigger headliners, but I had never seen the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and this was pretty exciting for me. They went on a hiatus in 2003, which was a year after the last time they played Toad's. Their recent reunion and tour was a big deal, and the fact that they're an older band really showed in the audience - there was everyone from high school kids, parents with younger children, parents of old ska fans who became ska fans, and you name it. The Bosstones played their classics. Their everyone singalong choruses and breakdowns really pumped up the crowd. The dancing guy made me giggle and want to dance too. Everyone in the room sang along to "The Impression that I Get," and it was a really feel-good, fun time.

It was a really good thing that a good chunk of the band put down their instruments to help sing because lead singer Dicky Barrett was losing his voice. His voice is pretty hoarse to begin with, so it was a rough situation. On the brighter side, with his hoarse voice, slick hair and snappy business attire, he totally looked like a villain from a superhero movie.

Tip the Van opened for this show, and frankly, they open for almost every ska show. They're also opening for Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto when they play Toad's. They're also opening for that line-up in MA. I've seen them everywhere - from UConn to smaller shows to Catch Xmas, and they always manage to impress a lot of people. They definitely deserve to get bigger real soon.

11/30 Trans-Siberian Orchestra in Hartford

2008-12-02T22:00:00.003-05:00

TSO is freakin' metal.

You know, I never actually thought of them as metal until right before the show, but the few hardcore, head-bobbing fans really persuaded me. We had 4th row seats, which I managed to nab from joining the fan club and crazily clicking on the "buy tickets" button right when the fan club presale started. Let's just say it was pretty intense. The light spectacles were pretty amazing. The metal frames around the overhead lights started just above the stage floor and were lifted at the start of the show. Those same lights also moved around during the show for added effect. The guitarist and violinist came down on a platform, and there were a ton of crazy light and fire effects. A guy in the second row passed out, which was awkward, but the security and paramedics were there in a flash. Thankfully, he woke up.

The band played Christmas music for the first part of the show, which was the majority of the show, and probably why the majority of the audience was there. I mean, isn't Christmas Eve (Saraevo 12/24) everyone's favorite Christmas song on the radio? A narrator put all the Christmas songs together as a story, which was pretty cool. The second set was their non-Christmas stuff, which was just as metal as the Christmas stuff. All the talented musicians and singers really made it a great show. All in all, it was intense.

11/25 The Wailers at Toad's

2008-12-02T21:59:00.002-05:00

I don't think I've ever seen so many dreds in one place before.

The original Wailers, as in Bob Marley and the Wailers minus Bob Marley and a few other guys and plus a few new guys, brought the Bob Marley vibe to Toad's place. It was a pretty sweet show - from an emotional "No Woman, No Cry," with two soulful backup female vocalists to a 15-minute "Jammin'." They played all the great hits, pretty much everything from "Legend," and had everyone swaying and singing along to the good old "Three Little Birds." I felt pretty Rasta for like 3 hours, man.