Posted in events, music, photography on Mar 5th, 2010
Exactly one week from today, the doors open for Rock ‘N Roll Revival XXI. Every year there is a theme, sometimes unofficial and sometimes more public. This year it’s public. “Welcome to the Jungle” is this year’s theme, despite the lack of Guns N’ Roses on the program. We’re expecting record attendance. Already five of [...]
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Posted in music on Feb 9th, 2010
I missed this video on Sunday night. Listen on your stereo, though I wish there were an HD version.
I really like the arrangement with the orchestra, particularly with the strings and piano.
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Posted in life in general, music, television on Jan 29th, 2010
Inspired by a fellow blogger’s weekly Thursday post, here’s a few things that rock.
Pre-heating the bed with the electric blanket.
House, M.D.: Season 5, minus one episode in particular. Particularly Locked In, for camerawork and perspective (and a nice performance by Mos Def).
Amusing late-night emails that close out the day just right, with a smile on [...]
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Posted in music on Jan 13th, 2010
I’ve got two general admission tickets to Dweezil Zappa Plays Zappa at Rams Head Live this Friday, January 15th at 8pm (with doors at 6:30).
Free. No strings.
First come, first served.
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Posted in music on Jan 9th, 2010
For the past couple days, the guys of Fools & Horses have been in the studio again. This video (the first six seconds NSFW, thanks Tim) is from their first day back.
The cabin in the mountains of Virginia may be secluded, but I wouldn’t consider it a retreat by any means. Even without lyrics, I’m [...]
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Posted in books, food, music on Dec 20th, 2009
This weekend’s snowfall gave me plenty of time to relax.
I’ve been enjoying First Stint, a free 22 track album released by Ben Youngs. Well-composed soundscapes dominate the album, with a few remixes thrown in for variety. A few remixed Fools & Horses tracks are included, as is a really addictive track by Kaitlin Sweeney.
The last [...]
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Posted in music on Oct 23rd, 2009
The song itself dropped out of favor after repeated airplay, despite being upbeat and good. But the video still stands; a clever mix of illustrated Akira-like animation atop Photoshopesqe backdrops.
I really like this video. The means are different, but it reminds me of Take on Me.
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Posted in music on Oct 16th, 2009
This week’s duties complete, I’m kicking back and enjoying a live recording of Pete Francis and Boo Reiners. Though they played the Grand Ballroom almost two years ago, I still haven’t grown tired of the 74 minute acoustic set. It’s a semi-permanent fixture in my home CD player.
Music is a fixture of my life, in [...]
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Posted in film, music on Sep 19th, 2009
There’s this song called All Things, by The Cinematic Orchestra. It’s driving me nuts.
A sample is available from Pandora. The full track on Last.fm, and according to a comment there, “at the beginning: samples from John Barry’s work on the soundtrack of Petulia (1968).”
I haven’t seen the movie. This song (and every other track on [...]
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Posted in film, music on Jul 25th, 2009
Wolf Trap is an amazing venue, specifically the Filene Center. I usually avoid 66 at all costs, but this venue is worth the drive.
First, the venue itself is beautiful. A wooden open-air structure, not unlike Nissan Pavilion but small and more classy. The interior is lit by reflection off the white girders. Wood paneling and [...]
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Posted in music on Jul 19th, 2009
Though I was just a spectator at Artscape 2009, these two photos explain part of why I like working shows. I get to see the before, during, and after phases.
Before, Friday night:
During, Saturday night just before Robert Randolph and the Family Band:
I didn’t stick around for the after, nor did I make much of an [...]
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Posted in music on Jul 18th, 2009
The Cheaters took the Festival Stage last night, putting on a nice set. The crowd was mellow and having a good time, though more sparse than today will be.
I especially liked the picnic tables and lawn chairs that were provided by the Artscape staff for the Festival Stage. Also, it seems all the stages are [...]
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Posted in music, tech on May 3rd, 2009
On Friday I worked Art Attack XXVI at College Park.
Compared to last year, it was more of a concert than a festival. There were only three bands before the headliner, compared to the dozen or so in the past. Bands went on from 5ish (instead of 2ish) until 10pm, at which point the stadium lights [...]
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Posted in music on Feb 16th, 2009
When I think acoustic, I think quiet sets. Maybe acoustic guitar without amplification, like you’d see in a coffee house or in someone’s home. Really it just means no drummer. The theory is that bands have to be mixed much louder to be heard over the drums natural volume. Such was the case at Cheeseburger [...]
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Posted in life in general, music on Jan 5th, 2009
They say that unpacking is best done one room at a time. I think cleaning is the same way, so this weekend I attacked the living room.
Violently.
Besides dust bunnies, I found some neat things.
In the course of moving a couch (in order to make room for three plants to be near the window) I found [...]
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