My Bash with Bashi

It's a mix of emotions today. It's my last day with an organization I have devoted five years of my life to, which has its share of sadness and disappointment. The other share is filled with joyful expectation and excitement about starting a new job in just a couple weeks.

So I'll try to numb both emotions by listening to same awesome live music tonight. I'm seeing Kishi Bashi, a guy who mixes his own music while on stage playing it. He's armed with a violin and a horde of foot pedals that he taps to record loops and create entire 6-minute songs on the fly. I was introduced to him a couple months ago when he opened for Alexi Murdoch, and I was blown away by how good he was. Tonight, he's the opening act again, but for some band called Of Montreal that I've never heard of. Maybe they will suck, maybe they will be good. But I'm there for the opener, and I'm ready to hear him mix up some great tunes while I juggle my emotions, transitioning from one adventure to another.

My Head and Heart

Last week a couple coworkers and I went up to Baltimore to see a Seattle band called The Head and the Heart. They are a cool folk/rock hybrid band that has a way bigger following on the east coast than I would have thought (the club was PACKED and very engaged throughout the show). I had never heard of the band before so this was a new band and a new venue to check out at the same time (Ram's Head is a lot like 9:30 Club in DC only larger and more odd little nooks for getting squeezed into, which can make the music a little difficult at times to hear).



What I may end up remembering the most from the show, however, was the witnessing of probably the worst opening act I have ever seen. These fools, named Drew Grow and the Pastors Wives, put on such a shitty show that I cannot properly write it all out. The lead guitarist played three songs straight using his tongue as a pick. And it sounded like it. The crowd was not into it and the best part may have been that this band was the first I've ever seen have this sequence:

Lead singer: "OK, thanks everyone for coming out tonight. Sorry we were 10 minutes late but we figured, hey, this is Baltimore and you all are tough and can take it."
Random Crowd Comments: "Boooooooo." "You suck." "Go fuck yourselves." "Showing up on time wouldn't have helped."
Lead Singer: "We've got one more song for you, have a great night."
Crowd: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Lead Singer (after pacing the stage a little and talking to some guy on the side of the stage and then to the drummer, who was beyond question the only person with an ounce of musical talent): "Thanks a lot everyone, good night!"

Oh yeah, these fools got the hook. The crowd hated them so much they got themselves booed off stage after playing about 25 minutes of they set. It was awful. Shame that that was my lingering memory from an otherwise great show introducing me to a whole new band I like, but damn that opening act was awful.

Friday Funnies

Eddie Murphy has been getting a lot of press this week, for what reason I have no idea. I guess there is a movie (that probably looks like crap) or an interview where he says something questionably stupid. Shame, because the Eddie Murphy of my childhood was a comedic genius, even when it wasn't intended.

Case in point: the Party All the Time video. He really wants you to think he's as smooth as silk in this video, and if it weren't for the internet and the ability to savor this stuff 20+ years later, we can look back and witness the pure insanity of this video.

For one, Eddie can't sing. I'm not claiming to be Frank Sinatra, but I'm pretty sure I could make that exact same song, and I'm not famous. So he's got a slightly higher bar to achieve, I'd like to think. Then there's Rick James. He does many great things here from introducing Eddie to some new friends to making sure the sound is mixed just right (the 0:53 mark). Two things really stand out here: 1) His belief that this song is going to get him a lifetime supply of 8-balls (1:06 and really at 1:36 and 2:48) and 2) that he is actually contributing to the song by picking up that guitar at the end when even a housecat can tell the music hasn't changed a lick.

I've suddenly become addicted to this video, and I've watched it too many times recently because the scene is too damn funny. There's a Whitesnake reject rocking out with his chest out and a guy who's wearing Eddie's "Raw" leather outfit (both killin it at 2:12). And no video is truly complete without some guys getting a little too excited about the chorus, including one of them taking it to 11 on the excitement scale where he can't help but start fondling himself. Pretty sure Rick James paid for his coke that night.

Hanging with Murdoch (not the A-Team member)

It's been a while since I've been to a live show, and so luckily in the next few weeks I'll be hitting up a few new ones. First up is tonight's concert featuring Alexi Murdoch. I first heard him when he dominated the Away We Go movie soundtrack. The music was perfect for that movie and I ended up getting hooked on his stuff. It's good acoustic music to have on in the background when working or when people are hanging out.

Climate Change Rap

Because somewhere my sister will lock herself in a closet and watch this about 6,287 times. Because that's the kind of geeky scientist she is. I can also imagine her brain wheels spinning on how she could write her own rap based on environmental science as well. MC Chels rapping about soil and water sample testing. Ooooh, that'd be something.

Idiot of the Day

When Kelly and I went and saw The Pains of Being Pure at Heart in concert a few weeks back, we got there early enough to check out the opening act. I don't remember the band's name off the top of my head, nor am I going to hunt it down on the Internet because, frankly, they sucked. I mean REALLY sucked. Donald Trump hairstyle level of sucking. OK, it was probably worse than that.

In any case, the real reason I posted this is because of the band's bass player. At the start of the show, he was donning a letterman's jacket from either a high school or a college or something. I could have cared less, until three songs in he took it off to reveal the main portion of his on-stage attire:

A shiny, teal wife beater.

Oh yeah, it was frickin' laaaaame looking. If the letterman's jacket was some kind of clue to his outfit being a costume, I missed the point of it altogether. What I didn't miss was Kelly, Mike R., Mel B and I cracking awful jokes about him long after the shitty music of their's ended and the had left the stage. Note to rock band members: Don't wear metallic teal wife beaters. It's not going to get you laid, and that is the singular reason you are in your band to begin with. Idiot.

My Night with Toad

Tonight I'm getting in the Delorean and going back in time to hear one of my favorite bands of my youth.

Back in grade school I really got into Toad the Wet Sprocket. Like most people, I first heard them through their song All I Want, which was OK, but once I got the album it was filled with several other much better tracks. Hell, I liked them so much that I can admit to using one of their song lyrics in our 8th grade graduation book. We were supposed to only submit one lyric that we liked, but I wanted two, and since I was creating the graduation book as part of a class, I cheated. So alongside an Aerosmith lyric (of course), I used a Toad lyric, "Whatever happens will be." Wow, wasn't I deep at the tender age of 13? At least it was better than a couple other people's bullshit usage of Poison or Boyz II Men. Idiots.

Since then I bought every album and was bummed when they broke up. Never got to see them live, and I figured that was the end of it. They got back together, briefly, early in the aughts but I didn't hear about it until after it happened, which was a damn shame. Luckily they decided to get back together (again ... they like to break up and get back together A LOT ... kinda like UofL fans), and once I heard about the show I was first in line (well, online) to buy tickets.

I've got a setlist in my head of what I hope they play, but I'll just be happy to see them, and maybe hope they stay together long enough to make a new album.

My Night with a Pure Heart

Tonight I'm checking out a band I'm a fan of, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. I honestly don't know how I found out about this band, but I think they were one of those "People who like this album also like these ..." recs from Amazon when I was browsing for some new music last year. Anyway, I got their first album, loved it, and have their other two albums as well. Should be a great show, plus I'm convinced Kelly and I will easily be the oldest dudes there.

Friday Funnies

I'm a Weird Al Yankovic fan. Yeah, it's weird, but it's true. Ever since my mom and I cried laughing when his "I Lost on Jeopardy" song came out when I was a kid, I've always had a soft spot for his humor and parodying of hit songs. Let's just say that, had I decided against the jazz band at my wedding and gone with a DJ or a real band, I would have demanded this song be played.

Pickup Artists

Tonight continues my season of concerts. So far this summer I have seen The National for a second time and also seen Frightened Rabbit. Next up is the Silversun Pickups, and as the young folks say, they rock. I'm not a big fan of DAR as a concert hall, because it removes the energy in ways since everyone has seats and it's not a general admission type of venue, but I'm still guessing they will kick ass. This is one of the tracks I look forward to hearing tomorrow night, Panic Switch.

Don't Be Frightened

Tonight I'm going to see one of my favorite bands live. I got into Frightened Rabbit about three years ago when my buddy Dan gave me one of their albums. I've been hooked on them ever since and since they are a Scottish band, the times when they actually come over to the U.S. are rare for sure. So when I found out they were coming to DC, I went apeshit trying to find tickets because by the time I learned about the show it was sold out.

No matter, I could not be deterred. I got tickets, and Dr. Dan and I are checking them out tonight. I have high expectations, and I won't settle for anything less than total ass-kickery. You've been put on notice, Rabbits of Frightenedness. Don't disappoint me. For you all who want a taste of the goodness, check out this video for their sweet athiest-tic tome, Head Rolls Off.

What I've Watched: My Blueberry Nights

Some nights are just going to be bummer nights. Maybe the food you cooked didn't turn out right. Or perhaps your day at the office was rough so there's just nothing better than to have a few drinks and hope you sleep until the following week. I was having a particularly 'off' day when I came home and started watching My Blueberry Nights.

The movie, the first American film by famed director Wong Kar Wai, can be perceived in many ways. Maybe it was my bad day before it, but I really felt like the movie was about missed opportunities. The main character, played by bluesy singer Norah Jones, is trying to forget about an ex-boyfriend who has broken her heart. The story is a series of vignettes (yeah, big words from me) that help push everything along. First there is the diner owner (played by an improbable Jude Law); then you've got an estranged couple (the drunk cop, an excellent David Strathairn, and his slut/evil wife, by a personal favorite of mine, Rachel Weisz); finally you have a wacko gambler (the most delicious Natalie Portman).

In all of their tales, it's all about the moments they have to make better choices and how they let those moments pass and things continue to deteriorate. Jude apparently wanted to be an athlete but instead is a sad-sack cafe owner (totally unbelievable), so that's a shame. Strathairn can't bring himself to confront his wife's promiscuity (see, more big words) and can't even write her an honest letter to admit his feelings. Wiesz is just an all-out whore, which sucks because of how hot she is. And Portman just doesn't see herself as a desperate gambler, and a poor Texas/Florida dye job in the hair won't convince me.

Sadly, it's not like the movie was bad. I actually liked it quite a bit. Great camera work, good use of color palette to evoke emotions and convey meanings. The dialogue (written by Kar Wai) is solid, but it's the people the actors who I just don't take seriously (lone exception being Strathairn, who's great). Outside of Mr. Law and Ms. Jones I love all these actors. There was just something off, and in the end the movie didn't reach the heights of Kar Wai's previous efforts. Not the end of the world, but I had higher hopes. Until the next flick ...