MJ Memorial

I was afraid when I heard about the Michael Jackson memorial being televised from the Staples Center that it would turn into another circus act in a line of shameless promotion riding on the coattails of his death, and I committed myself to watch none of it. However, curiousity got the best of me and I tuned into part of it. I suppose in some way he belonged to the world, and this was a way of allowing all the world to take part in saying goodbye. Like so many fallen stars, however - I feel most of the sentiments are too little, too late. A few moments moved me, including Rev. Sharpton's personal comment to Michael's children (and that is the only time I will ever admit being moved by Al Sharpton). I don't think there was a single dry eye when his daughter spoke, and I admire her for being able to emote so intimately in front of a world her father took pains to shield her from. My favorite moment came in the form of my favorite MJ song - one I used to play over and over until my Thriller tape was worn out. I'm glad we were able to send him off with dignity.

Waxing Nostalgic

Lost in the 90's today. Love this one - wish they would have stayed together longer...



And there's nothing quite like classic Sarah:

Ladyheat @ Rudyard's

Went out last night to see an old friend play in his band before they depart H-town for LA. Started out at Maria Selma's for some Mexican fare, and had the ceviche (very yummy) and duck flautas, which were basically glorified taquitos, but the mole' sauce was good, and I normally can't stand mole'.

Rudyard's was not completely crowded, but close to it, and they seriously need to do something about their parking situation (unfortunately that applies to MANY places in town as well). It's a total dive, as many good places in town are. The bar was open downstairs with a good crowd on the patio (ah, the weather here in April - you can't beat it!). The bands were playing upstairs, and there was a $12 cover - a bit high I thought, but as it turns out there were three bands instead of two. The first band either did not announce themselves very loudly, or I simply did not catch it, and they weren't advertised to be there so I'm at a loss for identifying them. They had a very eclectic range, with some of the faster songs bordering on a punk sound. When they slowed it down it was somewhat reminicent of '80s Prince and The Cure. They had a very interesting set, to say the least.

Ladyheat took the stage and woke the crowd up. Blake on lead vocals has the punk swagger down perfectly, and didn't miss a beat between hanging from the rafters, writhing on the floor, grinding with the ladies, and playing jump rope with his mic cable. The punk influence on their sound is apparent, but with a modern, more melodic spin much like Jet. They do not disappoint a live crowd, nor do they skimp on audience participation. There is a fantastic energy to their show, and by the end of the first song they had the whole room on their feet.

Because I'm old like that, and because it was a freaking Tuesday night, I didn't stay for all of the Mike Watt set. His influence on the Chili Peppers is widely known, and he had the crowd jumping as I made my way out. I love a night full of good music and good food.

Billy Bob Thornton is a Jerk

For someone who has made an enviable career in the movie business to suddenly jump into music and then pretend to have been a musician all along, this guy takes the cake. There is a fantastic tradition of actors (Keanu Reeves, Jenny Lewis, Russell Crowe, Kevin Bacon, Jared Leto... the list goes on and on) who transition into music and vice versa (Willie Nelson, Jessica Simpson, Dwight Yoakum, Whitney Houston, Harry Connick, etc.). Typically the majority of these individuals don't put up a lot of fuss if their "other" profession is named, since it usually attracts more fans to the other genre. Some act odd about it, hence the most recent debacle of Joaquin Phoenix and his "rap" career, but I've never seen anyone treat an interviewer like this guy did. His acting credentials are mentioned ever so briefly, and then all the questions that follow are music-related. Thornton answers none of them. When it finally becomes obvious the reason he is being so difficult is because his acting was mentioned, the VERY patient interviewer asks if he should not have mentioned it at all, to which Thornton rudely replies yes. He then compares himself twice to Tom Petty, who has a LONG career of music (and who, by the way also ventured into acting - but I don't recall Tom Petty ever being upset at being referred to as a musician rather than an actor). He then makes sure to tell the guy he has recorded five albums. I haven't heard of any of them, have you? I'll tell you what I have heard of - Sling Blade, Armageddon, Monster's Ball, Bad Santa, and the host of other films Thornton has been a part of. To pretend as if that is not what he's known for is to basically thumb his nose at all his fans of his previous work. He may not be a well-known musician, but he certainly has the prima donna attitude of a spoiled Hollywood actor. What a prick.

Link to Thornton Interview on CNN.com

UPDATE 4/13/09: Billy Bob cancels tour. Karma much?

Eminem Hiatus Over?

New Eminem vid surfaced recently, and it looks as though he spent most of his down time watching reality TV and reading entertainment gossip. The video is funny, and naturally will piss off a few people, but I'm wondering if this new sound is "nerd rap". Watch and decide for yourself.

Link to original story on Jezebel

New year, new beginnings, and Scott Weiland is the coolest!

No posts for over a month, sorry. The day after my last post was the day my dad died, and the two weeks leading up to the holidays were difficult ones for that and several reasons. The holidays were very good, however - actually just what I needed. With the beginning of a new year came the promise of good things to come, and I am hopeful now as I have not been for a while.

Over the weekend I was fortunate to see Scott Weiland (finally) after many years of somehow missing each and every Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver concert. This was my second concert at Warehouse Live, and I love the venue. It is small enough that no matter where you stand you have a good view, but large enough to support big names like him. He played a lot of his new songs, but also played to the crowd with a few STP tunes, and even some covers from bands like The Smiths. His opening band wasn't one I'd heard of, but reminded me of some early Killers stuff. Scott's new music is quite a bit more toned down than his Velvet Revolver stuff, and he seems to be having a lot of fun with the music and the band he has put together. Certain songs you can tell he enjoys doing, because it seems like they are "jamming" similar to a jazz band, and he stretched those moments out way more than when he was playing the older material. For one thing, he absolutely does not disappoint, and that is his incredible stage presence. He never stands still - he moves all over the stage, interacts with his musicians, the crowd, and the music almost simultaneously, all the while looking as cool as possible. The other puzzler is how he manages to not only smoke cigarettes in a non-smoking venue (who would tell him he couldn't, really?) but also to take a huge drag and then proceed to belt out very long notes. I hope he continues to make music for a long time to come, and that his drug issues are behind him, because he's an incredible talent and phenomenal performer.

Angels in America

I spent Saturday afternoon in Fort Worth seeing my friend David play the lead in Angels in America, an opera based on the hit play. The opera is in English, and is a bit more modern than traditional opera, but it is done very well. Each of the artists play many roles, so my hat is off to all of them for conquering several very difficult parts. The theater was an intimate venue, so every seat in the house was a good one. If you are in the area, I suggest checking it out. David tells me that all the major players are all coincidentally from Texas originally. It makes me glad to see the arts supported in such a way that we are able to produce great talents like David and his fellow castmates.

Finally saw the Toadies...

After my last final of the semester last night, I joined a group at Hard Rock Cafe for some drinks and appetizers before the Toadies concert at Verizon Theater. Our waiter was very nice, but it does seem like they purposefully hire people who look like they are in a band to wait tables there, and whomever the bartender was - he was awful. The drinks were poorly mixed, took forever (the food came out before the drinks did) and one of them came out in a glass so cracked we were afraid it would shatter at the table.

As for the show, I was glad to have the opportunity to see them live, since I missed them prior to their break-up, and also the farewell tour earlier this year. They do play a very good live show, and the fans were eating it up. Lots of moshing, lots of crowd-surfing; some songs incited some lighter-waving, and LOTS of people were singing along. It was good to see the fan appreciation - hopefully it will encourage them to work together again in the future. Anyway - a really good show, but it seemed like the two brief encores were a little forced. I would go see them again - if they manage to get back together.

Venting about The Cure and Toyota Center

I had 14th row floor tickets to see The Cure at Toyota Center last night. Perhaps it is my own fault for my over-utilization of my Ipod (due to the fact that Houston has crap radio stations playing the same mundane bull over and over), that I somehow missed the news that the concert, and moreover the entire North American leg of the tour, had been postponed. It was only after searching the web for the directions and opening act that I happened to find the news posted on a random goth blog, and then on The Cure's own website accompanied by one of the lamest excuses I have ever heard to cancel a tour: to tweak their upcoming album. So here I am sitting at home after skipping class, and my fiancee has requested off work, to go to a concert that is not happening. What ticks me off most is that despite the fact that I spent a large amount of money on these tickets, I was not informed by anyone via e-mail or otherwise, that the event had been cancelled and how to go about being reimbursed. When Coldplay was scheduled to play at the Woodlands back in the fall of 2005, and we were hit by Hurricane Rita, the concert was rescheduled to a reasonable later date, ticket buyers were contacted even in the midst of a city evacuation about reimbursement, and they smoothed it over with much finesse. This situation was handled poorly by the band, the Toyota Center, and the ticketing agency. The concert is rescheduled for June of next year, and I have no intention of going to see them again. Too bad since I have been a fan for so many years, but this is no way to treat loyal American fans. Only by reading the fine print on the band's web page did I find that reimbursement can only be attained until November 1st - not much help to those who bought tickets for the end of October, and are not notified of the cancellation. So I have to navigate the red tape of both of these companies to even get my money returned. What a pain in the ass - wish I had a cure for that.

Paul Van Dyk at Warehouse Live

I braved yet another Wednesday night to the club gods to see Paul Van Dyk, who has been one of my favorite DJs for a long time. I was not sure what to expect, since I had been disappointed before with both Paul Oakenfold and DJ AM, but this show was fantastic! He took the stage at 8:00 pm, and was still going strong by the time we left (he was not scheduled to leave the stage until 2:00 am!) Even though the crowd was sparse in the early hours, he was connecting with the audience, and playing really lovely sets. The show took place at Warehouse Live, a large concert venue close to downtown. We had VIP tickets, which probably would have been really useful later when Van Dyk left the stage, because we got word that he would be in the VIP area afterward. Also, the drinks are cheaper and the bathrooms are cleaner and less crowded in the VIP area - both plus factors in my book. By midnight the place had filled up with an interesting mix of people, but everyone there was having a genuinely good time, the music was upbeat, and there was a really nice vibe going on. All club-light paraphernalia was being confiscated at the door and on the dance floor in case it was snuck in, and there were no nutty ravers to be seen. There was also no smoking allowed inside, which gave the room a much fresher feel than a normal club atmosphere. All this combined with some really great music and crowd interaction with the DJ, and it was truly my favorite club DJ experience to date. I would see him again in a heartbeat!

DJ AM at Rich's

We went out on a school night to Rich's last night to see DJ AM, better known as Nicole Richie's ex-boyfriend. We got there early in club time - 10:30, and the place was pretty empty. The opening DJ was still spinning, and doing a pretty decent job, even though there weren't enough people out to justify venturing onto the dance floor.

DJ AM (Adam Goldstein) came on without being announced, but you could tell the music selection had changed. Rather than stick to electronica/trance/normal club remixes, he incorporates a lot of different music genres into his playlist. I'm not necessarily saying that is a good thing. While it is interesting to hear "Sweet Home Alabama" transform into generic 80's pop music, and then into Justin Timberlake, it makes it difficult to dance to. By midnight the place was filling up fast, and by the time we left, shortly before 1:00 am, there was no elbow room. Unfortunately, the music seemed to be getting better as the night went on, and had it been a weekend, I would have gladly stayed to find out. As it was, I was not very impressed by his Hollywood credentials, and even though he has partied with Paris Hilton, I preferred the guy who opened for him. Perhaps he uses these types of venues to try out new things on the crowd. However, I watched him for a while, and while he was very involved in what he was doing, he never raised his head to see the reaction of the crowd when they paused puzzlingly at the strange mix of music. You have to play to your audience, even if you are a Hollywood big shot. Definitely not worth the $20 per person cover charge.

Happy Birthday to Me!

After finally going to see The Bourne Ultimatum this week (pretty good flick, and nice way to round out the trilogy), we ultimately got to the long weekend, on which my birthday sometimes falls, as it did this year. I spent part of it in the great metropolis of Beaumont, and hung with family before going out on the town with some old friends on Saturday night. We started the night at Floyd's, an odd name for a seafood restaurant, but very tasty fare. The restaurant used to be Don's, but has since taken on a new name, a new feel, and better food. Floyd loves to walk around amongst his patrons and speak in his very unique Cajun-slash-street slang. He is quite a character, and the food is fabulous. Had we not stuffed ourselves on my own grandmother's amazing seafood gumbo, we probably would have eaten much more. Afterwards, we headed over to Comedy, Texas and saw three stand-up acts that were all very good. The group was not done yet, though. We headed over to the grand opening of Cadillac Slim's, a new pool hall/bar/club that before the end of the night was looking a lot like Coyote Ugly, complete with girls dancing on the bar. Although we lost some of our group after that, a few of us went over to Pacesetter to finish out the night. Apparently it is the after hours place to go, because it got more crowded after midnight and beyond. It was a late, late night, but a lot of fun. All in all, a good birthday, even if we missed the Goo Goo Dolls/Lifehouse concert because we were still hung over from the night before!

Talented Friends

In the last week I've seen a few friends performing around town and I just wanted to give a shout out to them so maybe others can catch their performances as well. Although the show has finished its cycle, my friend Natalie played one of the leads in a musical called Sideshow, and the entire cast was really terrific. The show featured two ladies playing Siamese twins trying to break out of the sideshow and into vaudeville. The production company belongs to Natalie's husband, and I hope to see more from them soon.

On Saturday night we ventured out to Katy and caught a friend's band playing at FBI II. The band, Last Man, went on second to last, actually. They have a good metal sound, but it comes across as slightly Rage Against the Machine as well. They also used the Deftones as a comparison to their sound. Give these guys a listen, as they will be playing at Fitzgerald's next weekend.

Still Got It!!

I started the summer out the right way - attending a concert on the lawn at the Woodlands. The concert tickets were a Mother's Day gift to my mom, who attended with me and my boyfriend. It was a double-header of excellent veteran performers: Chris Issak and Stevie Nicks.

Chris was extremely charismatic as usual, garbed in wild-colored suits (one of which he ripped in the seat during his romp thru the audience), and trading barbs and jokes with his band.

Stevie as well put on a really good show, complete with flowy scarves and lots of twirling in place. She gets a little personal about the stories behind the writing of the songs, but it was a lovely show, and they are both still very good at holding an audience in the palms of their hands. It was a nice day and evening out with my mom, and she enjoyed it as well.

Life is really good... it's good to be in love.

Cool Night Cool Concert

Since the September concert was a bust due to Hurricane Rita, Coldplay made another trip back to H-Town to satisfy their fans, and it was worth the trip. Although I missed the VERY SHORT opening act by Fiona Apple, and they didn't take the stage until after 9:30, AND I was in nosebleed seats, it was worth the price to see this excellent band again. Nothing can top the first time I saw them at Verizon Theater standing a few feet from the stage, with Gwyneth in the balcony above, but they are true superstars now, and give a performance worthy of the lofty ticket price. I just wish so many scalpers weren't able to get the best seats, since I bought mine 5 minutes after they went on sale, but still had to squint to see the band. I really despise Ticketmaster sometimes...

The Mode Returns

One of my all-time favorite bands put on one hell of a show tonight, proving that they are not slowing down a bit - rather, it seems that they are picking up their pace. The songs from the new album sounded great, and they treated the long time fans with two encores featuring "Enjoy the Silence", "Somebody", and "Just Can't Get Enough". The opening band, The Bravery, was heavy on the synthesizers, but talented nonetheless. The show proved to be every bit as good as their last tour for Exciter (even if Dave Gahan has a bit of the Bono syndrome - he was heavy on the Jesus arms tonight).

Happy Post-Holiday

Hope no one got burned over the holiday - those fireworks can get out of hand! We had at least two fires here in town start from firework mishaps. Also, in honor of the troops, several hoodlams decided to stage their own war at Astroworld. What patriotism!

Hoodlams Brawl at Astroworld

Caught some of the Live 8 concert - really great performances, but what exactly is the point of having this huge concert without raising any actual money to fight hunger? Especially since the original raised a large sum for that very purpose... I guess it's more important to pay the already inflated egos of these performers instead of giving to a worthy cause. All the artists who performed there should follow the example of Pink Floyd. Not only did they put aside their differences to perform, but they are handing their profits over to charity.

Pink Floyd Gives Live 8 Proceeds to Charity

Oh, and just for grins, who knew things were so bad for Darth since the final installment is complete?

Darth Out of a Job