So Called Myth

I finally had the opportunity to see my younger brother play in one of his two bands, So Called Myth, on July 1st in our hometown of Eveleth, MN.  The lighting was dim, but I managed to grab a few gritty shots.  Here's a sample from the set:

That's my bro featured in the last one.  Nice playing, Trev-man.

Our little music enthusiast

Here's a list of concerts our baby has attended while in the womb:

• Beach House, 4/16/2010, SOhO


• Atoms For Peace (Thom Yorke's side project), 4/17/2010, Santa Barbara Bowl


• The Avett Brothers, 4/28/2010, Arlington Theater


• ThreadSpinner (w/ Dawes), 5/12/2010, SOhO


• Jónsi (front man of Sigur Rós), 6/7/2010, La Bataclan (Paris)


• ThreadSpinner, 6/25/2010, Velvet Jones


• ThreadSpinner (w/ Au Revoir Simone), 7/10/2010, Velvet Jones


• Toad the Wet Sprocket (w/ Jeff Bridges), 7/16/2010, Lobero Theatre


• Crooked Still, 8/21/2010, Lobero Theatre

Last weekend I attended a quite awesome Smashing Pumpkins show, but you will be relieved to hear that I did not bring the family along. I was (accurately) anticipating some high volume levels and wasn't sure what is acceptable for a developing baby's ears, so I went with a high school friend who drove up from LA instead. (Quick digression: That was an all-around weird, nostalgic 90s weekend topped off by a sighting of Jennie Garth from 90210 in a coffee shop that probably deserves a blog entry unto itself, but I'm not going to do it).

The Pumpkins do actually have some great lullabies in their catalog (see the last four or five songs on Mellon Collie or the Adore acoustic demos or some b-sides like "Medellia of the Gray Skies"). I look forward to introducing our baby to my favorite bands through their softer works. A family friend also got us this collection as a shower gift. There are definitely worse songs for a baby to fall asleep to. I bet I could even sing along to these!

Eventually our baby will grow up and think our tastes are lame, but I'm going to exert some influence over her while I can :-). I know R would like to bring her to the Winnipeg Folk Festival as many years as possible since that was kind of a tradition in her family and we always appreciate the music up there. R has also stopped listening to the news during her commute to work and replaced it with some good music, usually involving strong female singers. Maybe it's all just underwater noise to her at this point, but I like to think our little girl is enjoying the entertainment while riding to work with her mom.

Official "Liar's Chair" video

I helped with another ThreadSpinner video shoot a few weeks (months?) ago. This one was directed by the band's bassist, Warren, while I functioned as the director of photography. It was a little unnerving for me because we shot on a Canon 5D Mark II, which is a magnificent camera, but one I had not touched for the first time until the night before we rolled. Let's just say there was a last-minute cram session with the instruction manual involved...

When it comes down to it, however, this whole thing was Warren's vision. He called the shots and did all the editing. And I think he did a fantastic job.

It wasn't meant to be as overly ambitious as the band's epic "Night Chorus" video. The goal this time was to capture the raw energy of the band performing their hearts out from a few simple angles. We had a really narrow lens and a really wide one, so that's what we used. The "stuttery" look you may notice was achieved by shining some extra light on the set and then cranking up the shutter speed, with the hope being that would further accentuate the band's energy... To be honest they probably had enough on their own.

Don't they look like they're having fun? You can't fake that.

Gardens and Villa

Gardens and Villa was the opening act at ThreadSpinner's EP release show earlier this month. Since I had my camera with me, I taped a few of their songs and edited this little piece for them. It's a passionate, entertaining performance by the band that is worth checking out. I hope to work with these guys again sometime.

ThreadSpinner videos are coming soon... But first we're going camping.

Release

The title of my previous entry, Unveiling, may have been deceiving because, while I did announce the project, I didn't show you what it looks like. Unfortunately, unless you joined us in the theater last Friday night, you won't get to experience the full effect of ThreadSpinner's one-of-a-kind album release concert. It's as simple as that.

If my video backdrop is never viewed by anybody ever again, I'd still be happy with the way things played out for the 130 people in attendance. There's something to be said about a one time only event that sticks in your head and is shaped by the gaps in your memory. My contribution helped heighten the excitement and drew a distinction around this particular concert by a band that is already plenty awesome without any kind of "video enhancement." It was an amazing night that I won't forget any time soon. I'm so happy to have been involved in an outright art project such as this.

But of course the preservationist in me couldn't leave it at that... So I taped the concert. Now my plan is to edit together my footage of the band playing in front of the backdrop with footage from the backdrop itself to create (1) a full-length DVD for me and the band and (2) some clips for the web. For now, you can check out a few still frames I grabbed from the video right here.

Keep checking back as I continue wth the multi-part unveiling.

Night Chorus video

If you're a friend or family, you've probably already seen a plug from me on one social network or another, but I wanted to post ThreadSpinner's first music video here as well.

I'm just blown away every time I watch it. I don't understand what's happening in the video any more than you do, but what's important is the atmosphere it generates. You feel the joy, the heartache, the freedom... and then leave it all behind to discover a collective energy and beauty somewhere deep in the night woods. If it's possible to capture on a recorded medium the rare moment during a live show when the pieces come together and hit you square in the heart (a moment mentioned by me just a couple of entries ago), it happens in this video at the climatic point when the crowd rushes to the stage to find Sarah Ziebarth belting it out and the band ripping it up.

This video opens the door to a place I very much like to return to.

I wish I could claim the video work as my own, but the credit goes to director/mastermind, Matt Walla, who had the vision, tools, and talent to pull this off beyond my expectations... and my expectations were high. I was Matt's assistant for much of the production and wrote about it briefly here. Also, FYI: If you look closely near the end of the video you might catch a glimpse of R dancing/cheering in the crowd.

ThreadSpinner's exceptional new single deserves mention as well, but I'm going to wait until after their upcoming album release party (which I highly recommend attending, by the way) to share my thoughts about the music. The band's buzz should be at a fever pitch around that time. And rightfully so.

Recent concerts, part 2: The National

Following Billy Corgan at Muddy Waters, any other show would have been a let down, even one in a smallish club such as The Wiltern in LA. That's where we saw one of my favorite bands, The National, the following Saturday night. By normal standards, the show would have been quite good – and I did enjoy it – but in some ways it left me wanting more, mainly because it was just a normal show and now I’m slightly spoiled.

I like The National because they seem like regular guys… maybe a little more bruised and definitely more talented than regular guys... but guys coming from a 30-year-old, white collared world similar to mine. From what I’ve read, the music doesn't come easy to them. Recording their albums is a difficult process, reliant on incredible work ethic and patience. The band members also apparently get nervous before performances in a way I doubt somebody like Bono or Mr. Corgan could relate. The National is pretty popular in indie circles, but they’re not a huge otherwise, so playing in LA had to be a big night for them. I expected them to give it their all… and they delivered.

I can't tell how much of it is an act, but the lead singer carries a persona of a man who really messed things up… maybe failed as a spouse or a dad, turned to booze, and exorcises his demons through the songs. They are not clean subjects to sing about, but the imagery is vivid and relatable and the production on their albums is outstanding. I fell in love with their latest, Boxer, the first time I heard it. Working backwards and exploring their prior albums was a treat every step of the way as well. The first time I heard the song "Slipping Husband" I practically had to pull over the car because it required all of my attention. It’s a song that builds to an explosion of anger – anger that feels perfectly placed and earned.

The concert included most of the songs that I expected. They were passionately performed, but sometimes too passionately in the sense they lacked some of the subtlety and restrained tension of the album versions. It seemed like at least half of the songs broke into those violent outbursts that only occasionally, fittingly punctuate the albums. They were all performed well and demanded the audience's attention, but at times the harshness was draining. Although I typically like my music dark, I still appreciate a certain amount of levity during a live show. (That said, too much comedic banter is a greater offense; I've seen shows ruined because the performer wasn't taking the show seriously enough.) Anyway, I'd see them play again, but at this point I'm more anxiously awaiting a new album.

As long as we were going down to LA, we decided to leave a little early and visit the Getty Center first. We had never been, and it’s one of those places you have to check out, especially if you live close enough. The setting is quite modern and scenic with great views of the city. We toured a few of the galleries (containing mostly classical art) and took some photos on the grounds (see a cute one of m'lady below). Our friend Paul came along with us as well. Afterward the museum, the three of us met up with a few other friends for dinner near the concert venue before heading over to the show together. It was a good day that reminded me how awesome it is to be close to a city like LA.

Recent concerts, part 1: Billy Corgan

We attended a couple of concerts during the last week. The first was quite an amazing, unique experience. It was put on by Billy Corgan (front man of The Smashing Pumpkins and hero from my teenage-plus years) and a few of his friends (Dave Navarro from Jane's Addiction included) at a coffee shop named Muddy Waters here in Santa Barbara. Yeah, a coffee shop. I couldn't believe it at first either.

Tickets sales were limited to 100, making for an intimate show with an artist I once saw headline in front of crowd of 100,000 on the streets of Minneapolis in the late 90s. I've seen him play a few other times as well and waited all day to "meet" him once at an autograph signing, but last Thursday sort of makes all of that irrelevant.

R and I arrived 20 minutes before the show and ran into actor Paul Walker on the street talking to somebody about how he wanted a ticket. That's right -- we were going to a show that Paul Walker couldn't get into. I had bought our tickets online a week earlier after seeing an announcement about them on Twitter. Strangely they were on sale two hours before they were supposed to be, giving me an advantage over anyone who didn't bother to check early.

The venue for this concert was not much bigger the living room of our condo. Billy and the band suddenly appeared at one end of the room, warmed up for a few minutes, and started playing. There were no stage lights (practically no stage at all) and little amplification. The sound quality wasn't perfect, but it was better than I expected for the space.

The first set of songs was on the quieter/folksier side. Maybe I'm getting old, but that's the way I prefer it these days. Billy was trying out new tunes and playing some covers rather than relying on Pumpkins hits or even his previous solo material. He is known for moving forward rather than repeating himself, even if it displeases the crowd. He didn't have to worry about that in front of this group of mega-fans. At one point somebody shouted "Play whatever you want Billy!" rather than requesting a tune. That was refreshing. I'm more than willing to put my faith in an artist to pick out the right tunes.

The second set was electric and pretty much set the place on fire (we had the sweat to show for it). One thing I always I liked about the Pumpkins is that even their harder rocking songs have strong melodies behind them. That's what sets them apart from a metal band. They also have such dynamic range – slow to fast, soft to loud; sometimes within the same song – that makes for an incredibly compelling listen, even the first time through.

The entire show is available for listening here, if you're interested. There are a few places where I can actually identify R chatting between songs in the recording. We were only three rows back after all.

The complete performance was outstanding, but if you’re going to pick only a few songs to check out, I really recommend "Widow Wake My Mind" and "Freak." Those were two specific instances when I became totally lost in the music, eyes welled up and heart full. Finding moments like that is the goal of every concert-going experience for me. It's unfortunate they occur as rarely as they do.

On top of all that, we got to meet Billy afterwards. He was standing around outside, chatting it up with people, posing for photos... no security, no lines, just a gathering of people cooling off after a warm show. What a night it was! A week later I still can't get the experience out of my head.

See a few more of my photos from the show here.

And read a review from the local paper, as well as some additional audience comments, right here.

Lakes and prairies and people

There's something about Minnesota in the summer... the long-lit days under big skies, the fresh air, the sounds of loons while we sleep... It's hard to believe this is the same place we visit each Christmas, when the world looks so gray. Our vacation this July was dipped in equal parts blue, green, and gold. If the weather doesn't worsen one of these years, our perception of Minnesota might become rather inaccurate, shaped by a streak of lucky weeks.

I really enjoyed seeing our families. As much stress, money, and travel time it takes to plan and execute these trips, they always end up being worth it. Thank you very much to our hosts for taking such good care of us! The rides, the food, the comfort, and the catching-up are much appreciated.

Many a photo was taken (801 to be exact). See some of them here. I would normally be more discerning and keep the gallery smaller/stronger, but I couldn't bring myself to exclude many shots of our niece and nephew. The little darlings are so dang cute. They remind me of why I like to take photos in the first place and make me want to have kids of my own (one day).

The Winnipeg Folk Festival -- our trip within the trip -- was awesome this year as well. It had the best line-up of musicians I've seen in my five years of attendance. My absolute favorite performance was by a band called Okkervil River (you've probably already heard me yakking or tweeting about them). I had been listening to a few of their albums off and on for the last couple of years, but their concert on Saturday night still took me by surprise. I've never seen a band win over an initially uninterested crowd they way they did. The front man's "this moment, right now" speech during the final stretch of tunes captured the energy of the night and cranked the volume. It brought people to their feet, rushing to the stage with hands in the air. My list of top 5 concerts needs to make room for this one.

One last note: My little bro-in-law and I shot a quick animation test during our time on Lost Lake. Sorry, Nate-dog, it's not ready yet. I plan to work on it this weekend and will post it shortly thereafter. I'm anxious to see it too.

All that you can't leave behind, part 2

This is the season of the guest. Last weekend we had R's dad and little brother (pictured with the pirate) staying with us. My time with them was cut short, but we did hang out Friday night and all day Saturday. Activities included grilling some kebobs, hoofing it all around Santa Barbara, and hearing Threadspinner (pictured below) play at Cold Spring Tavern, a favorite venue on the side of a hill. After I jetted away, R took our guests on a whale watching tour. Word is they saw some dolphins but no whales, and as the result of a "you WILL see a whale" guarantee they received some vouchers for another chance on another day. I think we'll use them with our next set of guests (arriving in another week), so this time I'll get to come along. Expect photos. Anyway, last weekend's guests have departed. Now they are heading toward the Grand Canyon before curving back home to Minnesota. Safe travels, guys. It was good to see you.

Our Santa Barbara 2009 gallery continues to grow. You can keep up here.

I'm still in the midst of my hotel stay near the Philly airport. This business trip is different from the others I've taken. I'm not ordering scotch or eating indulgent steak dinners this time. Part of it is because I'm traveling alone. Another part of it is the fact I've been working for a more conservative company since the acquisition last summer, and to be honest I'm not sure all of their travel policies, so I'm playing it safe. Plus, in these harsh economic times, there's no need for frivolous spending, even if I feel the company owes it to me (for reasons not commented on here). Maybe I should be thankful I have a job, one that allows me to work out of my home 98% of the time.

Being back among my coworkers for the first time in eight months has been an unexpected pleasure. I had almost forgotten about some of the folks I don't work directly with anymore, and I'm sure they had begun to forget about me. I think it's important to maintain those connections. For a good stretch there I was spending more time with these people than I would with my wife. There's a camaraderie that grows out of that shared history, and it doesn't always translate over the phone or instant messenger very well. It's also the kind of thing that you don't appreciate until you've left and returned to it, if only for a few days.

You may have noticed, the title of this two-part blog entry is the name of a U2 album from a few years ago. They've been on my mind again as the release date of their new album, No Line on the Horizon, nears. It's been available for illegal download for over a week, but I'm holding out for the ritual of purchasing a hard copy on the release date and placing my full attention on it during the initial spin. I did cheat slightly, however, by previewing the album a few times (it's streaming legally on MySpace) because I frankly couldn't stop myself after hearing it could be their best work since Achtung Baby. I'll try to write some sort of analysis/reflection when the timing is right, but for now let me say there are some real gems on it. I think I'm going to be playing it A LOT.

The good music continues

Last night we attended a concert by a band named Threadspinner in an intimate venue just on the other side of the mountains. The lead guitarist is one of R's coworkers, and his wife is the lead singer. I mentioned them in my previous entry and how we have similar tastes in music. "Homesick rock for moonlit walks" is how they describe their style. It fits. The steady, entrancing build of their songs to a swirling ocean of noise made for an atmosphere I won't soon forget. And what a great place for a concert -- an old stage coach stop on the side of the mountain, ten miles out of town, with good beer on tap. When we stepped outside afterwards, the stars were brighter than usual, and the people were in good spirits being that it was the middle of a long weekend. I had a great time.

Tonight we saw another concert of sorts, both bigger and smaller. It was the film U2 3D, now playing at the Arlington theater. I know a film can't compare to a live concert, but this was close. It may not have been as entertaining as being next to the stage at an actual U2 show, but seeing a performance in 3D from many different camera angles with amazingly crisp audio was pretty close... and probably a step up from seeing the band from the upper level at the Target Center (in the Twin Cities). No, I couldn't sing along, or even clap, being that I was in a movie theater, but this was easily the best recorded representation of the band I've experienced. I have quite a history with them -- a lot of memories tied to the music -- so it's always a treat to see them play. Plus, wearing 3D glasses is fun.

Fitter, happier, more productive

Our title today comes from a Radiohead song. They played the final show of their current tour last night at the Santa Barbara Bowl. I took a walk up on a windy road called the Alameda Padre Serra, through the lower foothills, with flashlight in hand, to see what I could hear. I joined a collecting group of upper teens in a dip off the side of the road where we could see some green and violet lights coming off the stage. After a while I realized there more people hidden in the woods and others hopping the walls of a nearby school to get a better view. The music carried pretty well up the hill. I was content with the performance, considering it was free, and then the cops came and broke up the group, saying we were on private property. I walked home to drifting bass and drum, got on my computer, and turned on the live webcast instead.

R's work hours have been shifted later (and some days even later), so it's been quiet around here. I've been working more too as a result. Life as an Oracle employee can be quite hectic, but it's rather refreshing to not have the crunch that comes from trying to leave on time to get to dinner. The tables have turned. Working from home definitely puts me at an advantage over R for getting to places on time... but it's surprising how stressful the days can still be.

I almost titled this blog entry "Rude Awakenings" because there's been a lot happening in the early mornings this week. For instance, on Wednesday I received a phone call from work at 1:00AM and then another one at 6:00 that same morning, which isn't that odd because 6:00 is 9:00 out east, but it's so difficult to talk about importing insurance data that early. People usually give me an extra hour to wake up, and I've come to expect it. The next morning our internet connection was down, so I had to run angrily out the door to Kinkos at 6:00 in order to respond to some email I knew I had waiting for me. And then the morning after that we had a fire alarm go off for no apparent reason, again at 6:00. Our ceiling is too high to reach, even on a chair, so our landlord had to get out of bed and bring a ladder in order to get the thing to stop blaring. Next time I'd rather drink a cup of coffee to get my eyes open.

Last weekend was meant to be laid-back and uneventful, but it filled up on us and didn't provide the expected downtime. That, by no means, makes it a bad weekend, just one with a lot to write about. Let's get to it.

Last Friday, we signed a purchase agreement for a condo. You'll have to come back here in a few more days to get the details -- they will require their own entry. We also took a hike, this time from the cold springs trail head. It was an up-hill effort with a rewarding view at the top. Darkness is settling earlier these days, so we could have used a flashlight (or R's beloved headlamp) for the walk down. Next time. The other notable occurrence from Friday is that we went out with the hiking club afterwards. We've been doing our own thing after the hikes, but this time we joined the group. Taking steps toward making new friends was sort of a recurring theme for the weekend.

I took some pictures at the farmer's market on Saturday morning. Check them out here.

After buying a bunch of colorful fruit and veggies, we drove north into the Santa Ynez Valley (aka wine country - hence the photo of the grapes). This is the area where much of Sideways was filmed. We drove by some restaurants and wineries made famous by that movie but decided to save stopping at them for another time (I'd like to see the movie again first). We did stop in the small Danish-looking town of Solvang to walk around and glance at a car show happening there. Next we dropped in the town of Buelton for Andersen's apparently famous pea soup. It was pretty good, especially with bacon, ham, cheese, onions, and croutons added on. Our trip wouldn't have been complete without a stop at a winery, so we did at the place for which we had 2-for-1 coupon, Sunstone. We did a tasting, liked it just fine, but didn't buy any bottles because it's cheaper at the grocery store. (Notice how we're looking out for good deals these days? That's probably because of the house we're buying.) Pictures from our mini road trip have been added to the end of this gallery.

But Saturday didn't end there. Next we went to a coworker of R's house for a barbeque back in the SB. This was a fun time. We met some new people there... people who like similar music to me. I had a good chat with somebody about how awesome Boxer is. This guy and his wife are in a band themselves, and we're planning to see them play this Saturday night. Showing up at this barbeque was a little awkward at first, but in the end I'm glad we went. We're putting ourselves out there. Young people around here keep saying how they keep running into the same people every where they go because it's such a small town. Well, we are new people.

Sunday -- church, groceries, and a bike ride that turned out to be about three times longer than we expected. We wanted to find the best route to R's office, which is about 7 miles away. It wouldn't have been so bad if we hadn't taken a round-about way back. We took some detours, and there was a lot of pedaling involved, pedaling up quite a few hills. The good news is that we found a great secluded beach. It wasn't exactly empty, but a lack of parking, a long trail, and a cliff makes it not terribly accessible. That has to keep some people away. We'll have to go back and explore again. Next time I'll try to bring a camera.

The last thing we did on Sunday was go out to dinner with a group of younger folks from the Newcomers group we belong to. I had the blackened filet mignon at this Cajun place called the Palace Grill. Sometimes I need a good steak, and Sunday was one of those times. The opportunity also presented some potential friends. A couple of people we met oddly reminded us of people we know back in Delaware. That was strange, but it was good to meet them, and it looks like we'll be seeing them again soon.

Whew. This entry is probably laden with typos, but I need to post it and get away from here. Maybe I'll proof-read it over the long weekend that has now officially begun. We're expecting this one to be laid-back and uneventful.

Santa Barbara, 93103

R and I are feeling a little like Brandon and Brenda Walsh (although thank goodness we're not brother and sister) after they moved from Minnesota to ritzy Beverly Hills, 90210. My inferiority complex is telling me everybody here is more attractive, healthy, wealthy, intelligent, and charismatic than I'll ever be. Not that I'm complaining -- the best way to develop those traits is to be around people with those traits, even if I'm insecure the whole time.

I already feel inspired to eat healthier and get more exercise. That should be easier than usual considering this place probably has the best weather in the United States. It's been in the 80s and sunny every day since we got here, and the real kicker is that we're not expecting rain until October. Actually people saying the weather has been unusually hot; a comfortable upper 70s is more typical... and that's YEAR ROUND. Maybe this isn't a good thing, however, as I do enjoy having an excuse to stay in once in a while. I might just miss my reclusive January.

There will be plenty to do outside though. We have an ocean in front of us and mountains behind us. And they're close. From where we're living right now, we could probably WALK to either one in 30 minutes. If we hop on a bike we can do it faster. People travel from all over the country (world?) to visit a place like this, so we're going to try to make use of it. We've been wanting to get more serious about hiking since before the New Zealand trip, so now's our chance.

We're also anxious to take some driving trips. Hollywood and Beverly Hills are only 90 miles away. San Francisco is more like 300, which is doable for a weekend. Wine country is right up the road. Vegas isn't too far. Plus there are a bunch of famous national parks in this state that will be a must to see.

We'll want to spend some time in Santa Barbara itself as well. It's a smaller town than I expected and pretty easy to get around in. The streets are biker and pedestrian friendly. (I want to buy a skateboard and "commute" to work at a coffee shop a few mornings each week. Let's consider that a goal.) They have open-air malls and old-style, single screen movie theaters. All the roofs have Spanish tiles. There are exotic plants and cacti everywhere. It's quite scenic indeed.

It hasn't all sunk in yet. I keep thinking I'm on vacation and we'll be returning to the real world soon. We can't possibly live here. But I think I'll get used to it okay. The problem will be getting used to somewhere else after this.

Landed

We have arrived. There are a lot of things to say about being here, but I'm going to save most of it for another entry. I'll try to get some photos to share as well. There will be plenty of time for all that.

Yesterday was a long day of travel. I was so tired when we got in (and sick with a cold) that the extent of our exploration was more or less a drive down State Street and a stop at the grocery store. We landed without knowning anybody or how to get anywhere, so it's been a lot to take in. We were concentrating so much on getting out of Delaware that we didn't think much about getting into California. Today was my also first day of working remotely, so I'm adjusting to that as well. Maybe it's too soon to tell, but my first impression is that we have a good situation going for us here.

The R.E.M. concert was excellent. They played a bunch of hits, although it was the more obscure selections, some of which I couldn't even place, that excited me the most. They picked a few songs that didn't jump out at me when listening to the albums (e.g. "Walk Unafraid", "Turn You Inside-Out", "Let Me In"), but now they're stuck in my head and I want to check out the recorded versions again. Another highlight was when Eddie Vedder came on stage to sing "Begin the Begin" with Mr. Stipe. The crowd went nuts over that surprise. They also brought Johnny Marr (from The Smiths) up for a few songs, but I must say that was less noticeable.

I'm sorry to report that we missed The National's performance on Wednesday due a horrific amount traffic on the way in. We were expecting to get from our hotel in Philly to the Mann Center in under half an hour and we even built in an extra hour just in case it took longer. We had no idea it was going to take two hours to get there? We literally sat down as the band were playing their last chord. Major bummer. We'll have to catch them some other time when they are the main act. Opening acts never get the best treatment anyway, especially in a venue as big as the Mann. Modest Mouse was okay, but it was hard to get into them from our distant seats and with people constantly walking in front of us.

One last note: Good luck to my dad, mom, brothers, uncles, aunts, and cousins who are all running Grandma's marathon or some shorter variation of it in Duluth this weekend. They all managed to get the running bug in the last year or so after my younger bro inspired them by doing a few marathons. I'm impressed by their dedication!

R.E.M.

Wednesday night of this week, our last night of living out east, will be spent at an R.E.M. concert in Philadelphia. I used to be only a casual listener of this band. I was familiar with their hits and would occasionally play Monster during a drive in the car. My brother had a cassette of Out of Time when we were growing up and I considered "Losing My Religion" to be on my list of all-time favorite songs for quite a while. Then, a few years ago, I began a years-long examination of their catalogue for the simple reason that I knew I was missing something (I've done this with The Cure too but wasn't quite as comprehensive). So I started with Murmur and worked my way forward through each of their albums, spending months with each one before moving on to the next.

I found the first half of their career to be some of the most satisfying music in my collection. After reaching their pinnacle of commercial success with Automatic for the People, the quality and re-playability dropped off a little, but at the very least they continued to deliver great singles. There are so many hidden gems that I've found or rediscovered from their work in the 80s. Here are just a couple of highlighted songs that come to mind: "Pretty Persuasion", "Can't Get There from Here", "Begin the Begin", "Fall on Me", "Pop Song 89," and many more. It's amazing how my impression of the familiar songs changed when I put them in perspective of release dates and the arc of their transition from underground favorite to a mainstream, stadium-playing mega-band. It's hard to believe Reveal was made by the same band that made Murmur, yet the steps in their evolution are clear and natural.

The only album in their catalogue I skipped -- but still might check out eventually -- is Around the Sun. I like the single "Leaving New York" from it, but the album as a whole seems universally disliked. Yes, I should form my own impression of it before judging it; I honestly just haven't had the chance during the rush to "study up" before the concert.

I do own their latest, Accelerate, and think it is the return-to-form fans have been waiting for, but I also think pointing backwards is an easy way out and a sign that a band that doesn't know where else to go. U2 has done something similar with their last two albums. The results of these throw-backs are enjoyable and entertaining, but ultimately less satisfying than a step forward. Maybe they are the sign of a band that has matured and is now feeling aged. I don't fault either band though. How many times can they reinvent themselves anyway? I wouldn't want them to stop releasing albums on account of not having anything ground-breaking to share. They can leave that business to younger bands.

Seeing R.E.M. alone would have made for a good concert, but to top it off, The National and Modest Mouse are the opening acts. I'm expecting mixed feelings about Modest Mouse live, but The National? Even if they feel like fish out of water in a stadium, I'm expecting a great performance. I think these guys are following a similar path to R.E.M.'s. They've already released some amazing work (have I recommended Boxer enough yet?), and I'm sure they have more to come.

We're like living in the 90s, or something

It's been a slow month for blogging. I apologize for that. I've probably had some increased readership after our Christmas letter pointed its recipients to this site, but I'm not taking advantage of it like I should. Things have been hectic at work and at home. The fast pace of life unfortunately leaves little time to reflect on it. Etc.

We went to an Ani DiFranco concert on Saturday night in Philly. She's not an artist that I particularly connect with, but she put on a good show at The Electric Factory nevertheless. This is the third concert we've seen at that venue, and each one has been a great experience. The sound quality is excellent and we always manage to get up close and personal with the performance. It's the kind of venue that puts stadiums to shame.

Ani is probably to my wife what The Smashing Pumpkins are to me: one of those bands/artists that you listen to as a teenager that captures feelings and emotions from the time and sticks with you throughout life. If I ever want to revisit those memories -- good and bad -- through the music's close association, all I need to do it take a listen and it all comes flooding back. It's not something I want to do very often, but when it happens it can be a powerful, inspiring experience. I've been listening the Pumpkins again lately, as a matter of fact. I've been sticking to their newer stuff and their more obscure stuff because putting the big albums in (i.e. Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie, Adore) takes too much of my attention and is, frankly, too overwhelming to listen to very often. When I get around to writing my screenplay, I will play these preserved, aural memories back and I'm sure I will find plenty of material from my past to harvest. That's not something I want to take on while I'm configuring insurance software during the day at work.

Ani, Pumpkins, My So-Called Life, Twin Peaks -- R and I are definitely going through a 90s phase right now. Maybe we like remembering a time that was a little less hectic, a little less complicated... when the world seemed fresh and ready for us to conquer. But, really, did that time ever exist? Why do I have a feeling that 10 years from now I'll be looking back at the 00s with the same bittersweet fondness and wonder what I did with all of my free time?

On Sunday we attended a chili cook-off in New Hope, PA with the group pictured above. It was all the chili you could eat from 10 different participants and all the beer you could drink from Triumph Brewery, and let me tell you I ate and drank all that I could. Can you believe I did not get the hiccups? It's true.

Last night we attended our first book club meeting. I'd like to start out by saying that I love the idea of this book club. Finding a group of people that enjoy reading and discussing books has been a goal of mine. That said, I didn't even attempt to read the book for this month. There was no way I was going to get through 560 pages in 20 days or whatever I had. R was able to finish, however. They read a book called Freddy and Fredericka. I still attended the discussion (although I had to bring an extra bottle of wine for not finishing the book), and threw in an occasional comparison to television shows and movies (my expertise). I'm going to try to my hardest to read the February book, which is The Kite Runner. Our upcoming plane rides to and from New Zealand should provide me with the necessary time to read it.

The premiere of the fourth season of Lost is on this Thursday, and I have to miss it! I'm going to a celebration dinner for work, and the chances of me being home by 9:00 are very slim. After waiting this long, I guess I can make it one more day to see how last season's cliffhanger is resolved (or how it is continued, as the case will likely be).

Have you seen the new "street view" option that has been added to Google Maps? It's rather stunning. Now you can walk through a city without leaving your house. And this, I'm sure, is just the beginning. 90s, eat your heart out.

Spoon, man

R and I went into Philly last Friday night to eat dinner at a great neighborhood Italian restaurant and to see the band Spoon in concert. It may have been due to the opening act getting stuck in traffic and not showing up to perform, but the show started off a bit stiff and cold. However, by the time Spoon's font man, Britt Daniel, unraveled a freaked out, distorted guitar solo in "My Mathematical Mind," I believe the crowd was officially won over. The guy can wail, both on guitar and vocally. He can't be accused of lacking passion either. I never really took the time to get into Elvis Costello, but I have a feeling this is what he was like at the height of his powers. Spoon's timing was spot on. They have a way of performing such tight, punchy pop songs that each seem like more of a feat than some overly long, "epic" jam that another band might pull to waste 10 minutes of concert time. Spoon are masters of restraint and minimalism. Never heard of this band? I suggest starting with Girls Can Tell or Kill the Moonlight, but you really can't go wrong with any of their albums (with the possible exception of the less polished Telephono).

The other band I'm really digging right now is The National. I've only heard their latest album, Boxer, but it is currently blowing me away. I'm quite sure this is going to be my favorite album of 2007. Each song on it is chill-inducing and absolutely gripping. By the time a song is done I'm anxious listen to it again, yet I'm too thrilled by the next song to actually go back until I'm through the whole album. The lead singer's vivid descriptions, enhanced by the haunting textures and moods of the music make for a very visual listen. In fact this is the first set of new music I've heard in a while that makes me want to take out the camera and shoot a music video, probably one that takes place in the middle of the night. It's very inspiring like that.

More about the weekend: On Saturday night we attended a Halloween party thrown by a coworker of R's. Do you want to know what we dressed up as? If you can wait until next week, I'll post a photo. On Sunday afternoon we took a fun bike ride. R and I usually try to find paved trails to bike on, but it didn't happen this time. We were with two other couples and they took us biking on what was essentially a hiking trail. It was pretty rough riding, but we didn't mind the challenge for a change.

I'm in Madison once again this week for work. My first two times out here I was so hyped up on adrenaline that I barely slept. This time the work isn't as demanding and the newness and excitement of business travel is wearing off. So now it just feels more like work--work without the promise of going back to the comfort of home and eating dinner with my wife. It's also torture to not be able to edit the latest Bud Light video while I'm here. I still need to put a lot of time into it before the month ends. So far the highlight of this week has been our dinner out at Ruth's Chris Steak House (a national chain, but a good one) last night. I had the filet, and it was cooked to absolute perfection -- totally worth the two hour wait to get our food. Wow, it was good.

Come dance this silence down through the morning

Wilmington doesn't draw many big name musical acts. If you want to see a concert around here, it's generally accepted that you need to drive into Philly do so. That's all fine and good--you can't beat the selection offered there--but once in a while it's nice to get from home to the venue in 15 minutes, even if it means your options are somewhat limited. Sunday night we attended an outdoor concert that would have been totally awesome 10+ years ago but was still pretty dang good now. It included the likes of Collective Soul, Live, and Counting Crows. Each of these bands is still putting out music today, but it's an understatement to say it gets less play than their music did in the 90s. They pretty much stuck to the hits on Sunday. There were a few cases where I thought to myself Oh yeah, I forgot all about this song. So I enjoyed the show. And at least we didn't feel like the oldest people in the audience this time.

We were able to stand quite close to the stage, and I would have had a great photo for you, but we are having some difficulties with our camera these days. The thing has been turning on and off with a mind of its own, quickly wearing down the batteries. We might be in the market for a new one soon. If anybody has any recommendations for a decent camera, let me know. I'm feeling lost without one.

Top 5 in music

They say the music you listen to between the ages 17-20 is the music that you compare everything else to for the rest of your life, and nothing else ever quite stacks up against it. This must be true because my lists appear rather out-dated. It's not that I think everything was so much better in the past. There's been a lot of new music released in the last few years that I absolutely love (e.g. Spoon, M. Ward). I just haven't had the chance to connect with it on the same level as the albums/songs listed below. When I was in high school, buying/receiving a new album was a big event, and I played the heck out of each one. These days I feel over exposed to a flood of new music and probably don't give one album/song a chance to develop so many associated memories. But who knows -- maybe 10 years from now bands like The Decemberists or Sufjan Stevens will become my nostalgic favorites.

I could write an essay about each of these. I'm limiting myself to about one sentence for each just to keep this under control.

Favorite albums:

1) Achtung Baby by U2 - Simply put, a perfect album then and now; a complete reinvention for the band and for what music could mean to me.

2) Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins - The inspiration for almost everything creative I did during high school.

3) The Joshua Tree by U2 - Reminds me of driving up the north shore with my dad, driving home from the last day of school, driving down to Mobile to be with R, driving...

4) OK Computer by Radiohead - I started with an obsession over The Bends, but this is the one complex enough to keep me returning to it regularly after all these years.

5) Funeral by The Arcade Fire - A relative newcomer that brings the nostalgia with it.

Honorable mention: Disintegration by The Cure - This album is probably the most representative of my favorite style of music: downbeat, atmospheric, electronically tinged.

Favorite songs:

1) "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak - Too self-serious and dated? Or an atmospheric masterpiece? You know where I stand.

2) "One" by U2 - I love a lot of obscure U2 songs too, but just because this one is well known doesn't make it any less powerful.

3) "1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins - Ah, the freedom of youth -- my favorite topic.

4) "Falling" by Julee Cruise - Memories of Twin Peaks blend into my own.

5) "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones - This may surprise some people because I'm no more than a casual Stones fan, but this song just blows me away every time (I feel similar about Aerosmith's "Dream On").

Honorable mention: "Human Wheels" by John Mellencamp - Dark and poetic; an underrated gem.

Favorite concerts:

1) Mason Jennings, 2001 @ UST. This was practically a private concert for us and maybe 20 other people in the basement of a building at St. Thomas. The next year we were sardines.

2) Neko Case, 2006 @ Winnipeg Folk Festival. The perfect soundtrack to the storm that rose and then fell during the show, revealing a full moon.

3) U2, 1997 @ Metrodome. Eventually, I had this entire concert memorized, including the onstage banter and every electronic touch added to the songs.

4) The Smashing Pumpkins, 1998 @ The Hennipen Ave Block Party. The music was better when I saw them two years earlier in the Target Center, but making a day a trip out of this one with two good buddies in pursuit of adventure makes it a favorite of mine.

5) Damien Rice, 2004 @ Historic State Theatre, MN - This one is on the list for the music.

Honorable mention: Andy Stochanksy, 2002 @ UST. An opening act that, in my opinion, stole the show (from the headlining Matt Nathanson).

Mini folk fest

Pictured above is Hoots & Hellmouth, my favorite of the bands we saw/heard perform on Saturday at the Appel Farms Arts & Music Festival in southern New Jersey. These guys know how to make you want to stomp your feet. Another band we saw, although they were probably more interesting in concept and novelty than they were entertaining, was Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra. This was an 18-piece big band ensemble that performed only--you guessed it--songs from Bjork's catalogue. Even though I was waiting to hear it, I didn't even recognize the reinterpreted version of "Army of Me" until about 2 minutes into the song. Anyway, it was a fun day of laying out in the sun and listening to some music, even if it wasn't quite a substitute for the Winnipeg Folk Festival, which we will be missing this year : (