Wilco at the Bushnell

(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!

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"

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?

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?

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!

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!

(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