Month of Music: Second chances
Gang of Four-Sonar. I mean, how can you miss them if they won’t go away? However, this show was the best of the three I’ve seen, and even included, for the first time, “I Love a Man in Uniform,” considerably different without the female vocal. Each show has actually been longer and more energetic. However, one more show veers them into Pixies territory, so I’ll be satisfied with 3.
Reigning Sound-Iota, Arlington. The Reigning Sound show I saw in Columbus in the spring was one of the greatest I’d seen this year; one that so moved me that it caused me to almost cry. This show they were opening for the Detroit Cobras, who Greg Cartwright also plays with. So as they were setting up, the Husband, who’s not seen them before and is NOT a fan, says, “I didn’t know the Reigning Sound has a girl in the band.” “They don’t” I say, but indeed they do. The band I’d seen in Columbus was largely touring with Freakwater. This incarnation was founder Cartwright, a drummer and, well, to say the girl bass player was mediocre would be kind. Oh , and she couldn’t sing. To the Husband, I say “Who knew with 2 weeks of bass lessons, I could have been in the Reigning Sound?” And he says “Make that 1 week of bass lessons.” I didn’t even stay til the end of their set it was so bad and disheartening. After returning home, I discovered that said girl bass player is actually from Ohio and dates a friend of mine. Well, she still sucks, I’m going to have to stick to that gun.
My Morning Jacket-TLA Philadelphia. My Morning Jacket are the new Meat Puppets. A hippie band for frat boys who think they are indie rockers. However, my trip to Philly did get me to see the Bodyworlds exhibit that I can’t recommend enough to everyone. Worth every cent.
Acid Mothers Temple-Ottobar. The greatest rock band today. They played for about 90 minutes, and about 7 songs. Loud as hell walls of sound that made me wish I still had the energy to trip. As you’d look around, the whole crowd would be smiling,(at a rock show!) and I don’t think the whole crowd was tripping either – it’s just that overwhelming. No throat singing like last time, but, who’s complaining really. Plus, they’re so funny – cracking jokes, sticking the guitar in the ceiling.
Miss Kittin – I/O lounge, Miami, Florida. Supposedly, but Miss Kittin cancelled due to Hurricane Wilma. My travel companions got there earlier in the day, but I had to work –left Baltimore at 8, got to Miami by 10.To find my travel companions had spent the day drinking and were passed out cold. Decided to go out anyway Was at club at midnight. Somewhere between the time I left here and the time I got there, she cancelled. Since I’d already cabbed into downtown Miami from South Beach, I decided to stay for Otto von Schirach, the opener, who I knew nothing about, but was told by the guys in front of me that he was “live.” I also decided to drink kamikazes and beers as fast as possible, which got me very drunk, since after work, I’d gotten right on the plane and basically had nothing to eat. The club was small (it would have been AWESOME to see Miss Kittin there) and it was Pop Life night (Pop Life = Taxlo, complete with a nearly identical playlist). So, what I remember through the liquor haze is that Otto played Kid 606 style beats through a Dell laptop. The beats were fast, and he “sang” at about half speed through a vocoder thingy, Prince songs, and “I’m too Sexy.” Some of this he did while wearing a long gray beard. Fun enough, but not my cup of tea. Later in this trip , I did get to watch Hurricane Wilma blow down Collins Ave., and got stuck there 2 extra days. (if only it had been 3, I could have seen Carl Cox. But I guess if I couldn’t get out, he couldn’t have gotten in.)
Kylesa/Coliseum/Torche/Triac-Ottobar. Missed Triac, but the last few times I’ve seen them, they’ve been better than ever. Torche was like Ozzy Osbourne singing over “Slip It In” era Black Flag. Except not that good. Coliseum-traditional Florida death metal. Kylesa is like Mastodon, Junior, only with a super super hot girl guitar player. Only she….can play.
Peanut Butter Wolf-Ottobar. Halloween Saturday in Baltimore is probably not the greatest time for a show, there’s just too much else going on. Tops – there were 40 people there. This can go several ways – the artist can be a dick, and take the low turnout out on those who did show up. They can be smoking, so that you tell all your friends how smoking it was, and the next time there’s 400 people. But Peanut Butter Wolf did something I’ve never seen before – he bought a round for the entire bar. Really! I think he is good, but not as great as, say RJD2. It did allow the Husband and I to trot out one of our favorite arguments. My take: The ONLY difference between, say Miss Kittin or Felix da Housecat and Peanut Butter Wolf or RJD2 are the types of records they spin. Both are spinning records, sampling, and relying on some preprogrammed stuff. The only reason I like the former and the husband likes the latter is that I like house and disco and he likes rap and soul.He maintains that the “hip hop” djs rely less on programmed beats, so are better live performers, and that the “dance” djs have almost everything prerecorded and therefore it’s not really a “live” set.
Feel free to weigh in on this one.
So you know those days where you're so sick you think you might not make it. But you HAVE to go to work, because there's a big meeting, or you're the only one covering a shift, or there's a deadline that you can not miss?
Then, a month or so down the road, you wake up with a little bitty headache, or maybe a hangover, or maybe you're just feeling out of it. And you think, "Remember that sick day I didn't take, well, I'm going to make up for it now!" And you call in sick, and spend the day watching Price is Right, and fiddling on the internet, and reading, and if you're feeling really ballsy you even go out to lunch?
Who amongst us hasn't done that? Be honest!
Well, that's what Terrell Owens is doing now. He's cashing in on that Super Bowl he played in with the broken leg, and calling in sick on a sore ankle. So why don't you all shut up and cut him some slack!
Trapped in paradise, or my vacation to Miami
There's a children's book called "That's good, That's Bad" and basically, you'll get the gist. All things considered, however, this was an awesome vacation.
That's Good: The annual Miami football trip is scheduled for October 23. This day, there will be a celebration honoring Dan Marino for The Husband, and the night before Miss Kittin is playing in a club for me.
That's Bad:A few weeks before, the hurricane panic already begins.
That's Good:The Husband gets to Florida on Thursday.
That's Bad:My plane doesn't leave until Saturday, and the hurricane is bearing down. And the football game has been moved to Friday so I can't go.
That's Good:My plane leaves right on time, Saturday night. It's practically empty, so I stretch out over 3 seats and nap all the way to Miami.
That's Bad:However, the Husband and friends have spent the day drinking and watching football, so I have to take a $32 cab from the airport.
That's Good:But the weather is hot and gorgeous. And so's the hotel.
That's Bad:The Husband and Montie are passed out cold. I'm lucky to wake them up long enough to let me in the room.
That's Good:But I change my clothes, and head off to the I/O Lounge for Miss Kittin.
That's Bad:Who, since that morning, has cancelled. But I stick around for the Dance party, since I've already cabbed into the city. Pretty fun, and very Taxlo. Oh, but drinks were sorta pricy, and the ATM was broken, and the didn't take credit cards unless you spent $30. After two rounds, I'd only have enough left for cab fare. So I find out that there is an ATM down the street, and I head off to the ghetto mart at midnight in Miami, to carry $100 back to the club. Good thing my Mom couldn't see that!
That's Good:Kamikazes are only $3, so I down many. And find that no sleep, no food and 3 kamikazes do the trick. I head back to the hotel to try and wake up the boys. But the boys are not to be woken, so I go to the hotel bar and plan to just sit on the porch and enjoy the weather. The guys on the porch are from Warren, Ohio (Hi, Leaf and Snoop!) and we spend an hour in drunken goofiness. But while one of them goes to change for a late drunk trip to the beach, I suddenly need to go upstairs (and throw up) and I do.
That's Bad:Ouch! Hangover. Nothing that a cheeseburger at the 11th St. Diner can't help though..
That's Good:Finnegan's Way on Ocean Drive is the best place to watch sports. Completely open and with a sea view. I eat coconut shrimp and a salad, and drink Cokes and then pina coladas. And the Eagles somehow don't lose.
That's Bad:In wake up at 8 a.m. to the sound of the hurricane. A hurricane is LOUD. So we go downstairs to watch it from the lobby with all the other guests.
That's Good:Watching a hurricane when the damage is cosmetic only is quite fascinating! Mostly it's just loud, and suddenly an entire gutter or street sign will blow down the street. But after about an hour, when it starts to wane, we go back to bed. At 11:30, we get up and join the rest of the tourists in surveying the situation.
That's Bad:Things to remember if you are a tourist and the hurricane is coming - buy food while there is still power. Because restaurants won't open. Although the cheese puffs and pound cake and lukewarm Coke I got at the Cuban mart at about 3 was pretty delicious. As was the meatball sub that we waited an hour for at Geno's Pizza and Brew. Another thing to remember - your credit card might not work without power, and lots of ATM's might not either. Get cash!
That's Good:A hotel bar doesn't need electricity! The guests, including a Southern Maryland native, a gang of drunken Irish dudes and some Euros, are all good sports and making the most of the situation.
That's Bad:Miller Lite, red wine, and Hendrick's gin are not a good mix.
That's Good:The power comes on! Next day, South Beach comes back to life.
That'sBad:But there's still a curfew. Now, most of the Euro tourists have relocated elsewhere in Florida, and filling the hotel rooms are South Florida residents without power. These folks are cranky and no fun!
That's Good:By Wednesday, South Beach is really coming around. And the White Sox win the World Series.
That's Bad:Our plane was supposed to leave on Tues. but has been postponed til Thursday. Which is fine, but Montie was supposed to leave on Monday, the airlines are kinda being vague about when he will get out, and his pay depends on where and when he works.
That's Good:South Beach bars decide to flaunt the curfew somewhat, so we have some drinks and chill out again.
That's Bad:Thursday, we finally have to leave.
Miami is awesome. I would move there tomorrow if given the option.
Books not to read on vacation: Everything is Illuminated. Fucking depressing Holocaust stuff wrapped in overly pretentious writing.
From Pieces to Weight - tales of child drug dealers, even if said child turns into 50 Cent, are also depressing.
