MOG - Zeroskilz's Posts

What I Did on My Spring Vacation

Zeroskilz — Sat, 03 May 2008 17:22:40 GMT

I've been back from vacation for almost two weeks. There was a lot of madness before I left, and it meant I didn't get to contact the people I wanted before heading out. Hopefully, I get a chance next time to get ahold of some of you Londoners ahead of time and we can all meet for drinks again.

First up was Portishead at the Apollo theatre in Hammersmith. My friend, Jen, and I made sure to get there early to get a good spot. At about 10 foot from front and center, I think we did really well. The opening act was Hawk and a Hacksaw. They played well, but it's just not really music I get into. If I was in a Hungarian bar, I'm sure that their flavor of Hungarian folk music would have sounded much better. We struggled through their set and then chatted about our excitement of actually seeing Portishead play next. After what seemed like forever, the all-black clad band slowly sulked onto stage and started their set. I'm not sure what to say about the experience of seeing them live. I loved their trip hop sound from the '90s, and I was scared when I heard they were putting out a new album. It only took one song from the new album to tell me they'd left behind the trip hop sound of an earlier decade. "What the hell happened?" I asked myself at first. Well, something beautiful happened. The band has only gotten better during their prolonged absence. The old songs sound as solid as if they'd never stopped playing them, and the new material might even be better. Adrian and Geoff both played great. As for Beth.... Beth's voice is still as powerful and beautiful as ever. When Beth leaned into the microphone and let loose with one of her mournful cries, it sent a chill up my spine that rose to my head and exploded; leaving me tingling from head-to-toe. I've never had anything like that happen from music before, and I'd sit through a hundred Hawk and a Hacksaws to make it happen again.

The next stop on the musical tour was the Shout Out Louds at the Paradiso in Amsterdam. Jen was supposed to have started working again by the time I made my trip; so, I planned a side-trip to Amsterdam during the weekdays. It took a while to find the venue, and I was already running late. Luckily, I still managed to find a beer and get a spot very close to the front. A New Zealand band called The Brunettes opened for them and put on a really entertaining show. I'm not sure how well their music would translate to album, but they were great fun to see play live. The SOL took the stage next. It wasn't nearly the performance that Portishead was, but it was great. They put out one of my favorite albums last year, and it was great to see them play the songs I've been enjoying for so long. For the last song before encore, they invited The Brunettes onstage. There must have been a dozen people on stage singing and playing instruments. They were recording the show that night to broadcast back in Sweden. It'd be great to get a copy of the show.

My final musical stop was back in London. The Breeders were playing at Koko in Camden. I'd mentioned the show to Jen at some point, and her and Simon (her husband) already had tickets. It seemed like a no-brainer to pick up a ticket of my own. To be honest, I didn't expect much from the show. I wouldn't say that I'm a big Breeders fan; sure, I owned a copy of Last Splash in the '90s. Not sure where it is now. I'd heard the new album too, and I wasn't overly impressed. I don't remember who opened for them, but the music was a forgettable as the band. Eventually, Kim and Kelley took the stage and started playing. I was worried about how they would sound after so much time away. In a word, they sounded great. The songs sound tighter and more focused. Even the new material didn't sound too bad live. Maybe it was just the infectious amount of fun they were having on stage, but I thought it was an outstanding show. Even up in the second balcony, I could see Kim smiling from ear-to-ear. The banter between the twins was hilarious too; especially since Kim had lost her passport earlier in the day at the Tower of London. Most people were there to hear Canonball, and a loud cheer and singalong heppened when it was finally played... mid-set. It was at this point that Simon leaned over to me and said, "It's a sign of a great band that you don't save your most popular songs for last." And he's right. My fave song is Saints, but it was played mid-set too, and I spent the rest of the show smiling, bobbing and singing along to the music. The last song of the night was the German-lyriced German Studies. It's far from my favorite song, but, by this point, I was so caught up in the experience that I enjoyed it almost as much as my favorite song.

I'm 2-for-2 on great concerts by re-banded '90s bands this year. I'm hoping the new Massive Attack album due this year bodes well for trying to make it 3-for-3. Thanks for reading.

Hear the Drums

Zeroskilz — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 03:58:59 GMT

Last night the Raveonettes played a packed house at the Double Door in Chicago. It was my first time in the venue, and I was impressed. The place reminded me a lot of one of my favorite local venues that closed a few years ago; though Double Door is quite a bit larger. The old, black-painted interior with the dimly lit bar, an elevated stage and a great sound system felt exactly like my old bar used to feel though, and I couldn't have been happier about it.

The opening band for the night was Black Acid. Black Acid is a five piece band that sounds like what I would imagine Urge Overkill on shrooms would sound. The psychedilic influenced rock songs featured a repetitive set of lyrics that often ran out two to three minutes before the song did. Finding a good set of chords and playing them for an extended period of time seemed to be the band's only real strong point. Even the mediocre set of songs can be somewhat overlooked if the band had provided a more entertaining stage presence, but even that was absent. While most of the band stood rooted in spot, with the bass player facing away from the crowd, the lead singer would aimlessly wander around stage between stints at the mic; clapping at the end of his own songs and often giving the appearance that he forgot it was his band on stage. All in all, the band delivered a rather mailed-in perfomance, and I was relieved when they finally packed it in.

Up next were the Raveonettes. Four years have passed since I last saw this band. Their new album released here in the US a few weeks ago, and I was really looking forward to hearing the new songs live. I wasn't really sure what to expect for a touring setup. Last I saw them, they were touring with an extra guitar player and a drummer. After a small wait, Sharin and Sune took the stage accompanied by another woman who ended up running the laptronica and accentuating the recorded beats and noise with her own organic beats on a standing drum kit, consisting of a tom, a snare and a cymbal. As expected, the band were dressed in all black and white. Sune opted for the standard striped shirt with black pants, and Sharin was dressed in a stunning sequined long-sleeved blouse and skirt. The drummer was even decked out in black and wore a loose tee over a halter top and black, leather pants.

I'd positioned myself in the crowd so I could easily see both the mic stands at each side of the stage, but I was unable to see the middle part where the drum kit was stationed. This nearly proved to be a big mistake. The band started off with a song from the new album, and it wasn't long before I found myself bobbing and jumping in place. It took me a minute to realize that something was different. I've listened to the new album quite a bit since I got it, and I didn't remember it sounding like this. It was the drums! In the new album, the drums are mixed low behind the noise of the guitars and harmony of the vocals; not so for this show. As I peaked around the tall guy blotting out the center of the stage, I could see the drummer pounding out the bass line and rocking with the rythm of it, and I was hooked. Sharin may be the full moon that shines and awes me in the swirling noise of her and Sune's darkscapes, but it was the drummer's beat that entranced me last night. As the band played on through the night, I found myself watching the drummer as much as I was watching either Sune or Sharin. They played most of the new album and a good mix from their previous three albums. Several times throughout the night, the music hit that moment of perfection that forces my eyes closed, brings a smile to my face and fills me with pure, warm and fuzzy joy. The end came all too quickly, and the encore consisted of a single song. Even with a three hour drive ahead of me, I still found myself hoping for a second encore. I had to settle for a quick stop at the merch table and a walk across Wicker Park.

On the way home I put the new album on repeat and kept replaying the images from the night in my head. The way the stage was lit at times in blue and red lights, bathing the band in alternating hightlights reminiscent of the anachromed images from the new album. Sune's lanky form bent nearly in half as he plucked the perfect note from his guitar. Sharin sharing a smile with her bandmates or focusing her attention on her guitar as she holds her palm against the strings and conjures up her own batch of swirling noise. Mostly though, I thought of the drummer and her swaying and dancing to her own beat; occaisionally shutting her own eyes and soaking in the beauty of the noise they were creating. As I listened to the new album, I already missed those drums. I've never wished harder for a live album in my life. I think the show from the Double Door would have been perfect.

Thanks for reading.

Just Sharing Again

Zeroskilz — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:39:56 GMT

Stayed in tonight instead of braving the ice and cold. I made a run to the music store at lunch; so, I'm set with new music for the evening. Was listening to some of it and thought I'd share a bit. I tried to find vids for the bands/songs I wanted to share, but I struck out on one. Mog was gracious enough to let me upload it though. Hope you enjoy.

Beauty: In Various Acts and Forms

Zeroskilz — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 03:38:24 GMT

Intro - Locals Only
Locals Only is a small Indianapolis bar that bills itself as a music and art bar. This was only the second time I've been to the place, and it was the first time I'd gone to see a band play. The bar looks like it has been around for a while; then again, it's the type of bar that probably looked aged when it was new. The place has that certain second-hand appeal to it that attracts the local hipsters. With a collection of vintage beer cans adorning the bar and a huge selection of imports and micobrews available at the bar, the most popular beer going that night was PBR tall-boys. The place was fairly empty when I first arrived. So I grabbed a drink and sat in a booth to listen to Annie spin music. Annie works for the local record shop, and she and her husband were responsible for bringing the band to town. As time progressed, the bar started to slowly fill up. There wasn't a person who walked through the door that wasn't met with a friendly greeting by one or more people already in the bar. Everyone seemed to know everyone else. I just sat back with another drink, basking in the residual glow of good friends and fellow music lovers, waiting for the first band to start.

The Physical - Beta Male
The first band up was Beta Male. Beta Male is a five piece band from Cincinnati, OH consisting of a drummer/lead vocalist, a guitar player, a bass player and two girls on synthesizers. The band was onstage doing a sound check when I arrived. One of the first things I noticed was the guitar player. The guitar player, Vess, was a former local music scene hero. Vess played in a band called The Pieces, who I used to make sure to catch whenever I could. I'd be lying if I said that Vess was the only person I noticed on stage during sound check. Truth be told, the two girls on stage demanded a lot of attention, and when they came out dressed for the show, they demanded a lot more attention. Gone were the everyday casual clothes they were originally wearing. Instead, they were wearing skin-tight, silver lycra body suits with zippers up the front, semi-zipped of course, and, very obviously, nothing else. Well, one was wearing a black bra. As for the other one, it appears the band has an exebitionist in the mix. The drum kit was setup in the center of the stage and everyone else was arrayed around it. With Vess on one side and the exebitionist on the other, I was a bit torn on where to devote my attention. Vess is a good guiltar player, and when he gets into playing it, he's fun to watch. On the other hand, a lithe, 4 foot-something girl that is bouncing all over the place while playing her synth and adjusting the zipper on her outfit ever couple minutes is quite entertaining too. I'm afraid to say that Vess's playing took second-stage quite a few times. When the girl left the stage, grabbed a hula hoop and proceeded to the dance floor for a song.... Well, she got a lot of attention from everyone. Beta Male play a bouncy, new wave influenced rock that makes you want to move your feet. The songs were good, but not great. What they lacked in greatness, they made up for in fun. Definitely the type of band to catch with a group of people who want to drink and move their feet.

The Visual - JohnnyTwentyThree
JohnnyTwentyThree is another band out of Cincinatti, OH. They are a three piece band comprised of a guitar player, a drummer and a violinist. The band also has its own projectionist, who runs two old-school reel-to-reel projectors and one large CRT projector hooked to a laptop. The experience wasn't so much the usual watching of a band play as it was listening to a band soundtrack a movie. JohnnyTwentyThree specialize in an ambient rock that could be closely compared to Sigur Ros. While Sigur Ros is more ethereal and uses vocals, JTT plays a harder, guitar-driven instrumental rock that is softened at times by the violinist and accentuated by the frenetic playing of the drummer at others. All of it blended beautifully with the video from the main projector that blanketed both the band and the entire back of the stage with old, black and white footage. The video was mostly comprised of '40s-era military scenes and various propoganda messages interspersed with the occasional wedding and cemetary shots. At certain points in the show, the projectionist would overlay the main video with scenes from one of the reel-to-reel projectors; using his hand to gently fade in and out the overlaying videos. These were usually color videos of outdoor scenes or additional propaganda material and messages. Over all, the video lended a tragic texture to the 10 minute long soundscapes woven by the band. You can get a pretty good idea of what it was like by checking out the video on the band's mySpace page. As good as the music was, it was the projectionist that made the band's set so great for me. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for when this band returns to Indy.

The Aural - A Place to Bury Strangers
I was already blown away by the visual presentation of JohnnyTwentyThree and knew that APTBS used projectors during their show too. After a quick setup, the three member, Brooklyn-based band took the stage and asked for the lights to be turned out. What followed wasn't as much about the video as it was about the glorious noise they put out. APTBS bill themselves as a loud band; not one that is loud for the sake of being loud, but one that believes the volume accentuates the music they play. To be honest, I've heard louder bands, but I've not heard one that uses all that noise quite as well as this band does. The noise wasn't just noise for the sake of noise either. It's... hard to explain. The noise in the song just sounds like a different way of playing the instrument instead of a lot of distorted feedback. And when you watch a strobed scene of the lead guitarist hunching over his prostrated guitar, ripping a string from it while simultaneously beating the shit out of it, and still creating a meaningful noise, you will understand what I mean. After the song ended, the guitarist calmly walked over and picked up a second guitar to play. By the end of the show, the second guitar didn't fare much better. I really only have two complaints about the show. One, the vocals were mixed a little low; so, it was hard to catch the lyrics at times. Two, there was absolutely no crowd interaction. I dont think they even announced their name at the beginning of their set. When the show was over, they quietly left the stage and bolted for the RV. I had to physically stop one of them to tell them I loved their band. And then they were gone. No encore; no goodbye.

Outro
Leaving the bar that night (passing the RV where the following video was shot on webcams) I wondered at the beauty I had witnessed. A couple years ago, I would have never dreamed of seeing a set of bands like this. It's not that I wouldn't have gone to the show, but I probably just wouldn't have known to go. Thankfully, I have online musical friends to fill the gap left by my real-life friends. As I walked through the rain to go meet up with some of my friends at another bar, I figured the most beautiful thing I might have seen that night was the groups of like-minded friends enjoying a good set of bands. Thanks for reading.

Just Sharing

Zeroskilz — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 01:35:28 GMT

It's Wednesday, and I'm home nursing a cold. I guess I deserve the punishment for my less-than-brilliant behavior this last weekend. Since I'm laying on the couch with nothing much to do, I thought I'd put a post together.

A lot has changed in the past few months. Sure, a new year started, but I'm referring to more than that. Just a few months ago, I would have been out playing pool tonight (and several other nights too) and then rushing home to check the music blogs and other sites to see what new music had been posted while I was out; often staying up later than I meant to just so I could listen to some of it. Now.... Well, the pool hall has closed, some of my favorite blogs have shut down, and one of my favorite sources for new music had a change of heart (which was understandable, if only a bit disappointing).

It all had me thinking about how good of a year last year was. Musically, last year was spectacular. I never listened to/bought so much new music, saw more bands, or collected so many black concert tees. Yeah, I buy merch. :) I also met and hung out with some of the coolest people I've ever known. Thanks to all of you who helped make it such a good year.

Last year was great. The sharing is what made it so good. I see no reason that this year can't be as good. In an effort to try to share a little back, I figured I would post some videos. These are songs I like from bands that I've been introduced to or stumbled across on my own since the beginning of the year. Thanks for reading and (I hope) listening. Enjoy.

A Chilly Reception? Yes and No

Zeroskilz — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 05:09:12 GMT

Sunday was a hard and lovely day. The day started with me struggling out of bed at 8:30 to get a bottle of water and collapse back on the couch for some more sleep. The night before was spent celebrating a friend's 30th birthday, and I was appropriately hung over. The hangover was bad enough, but the temperature had plummetted into single digits overnight. I had a double-date with Flogging Molly coming up in a few hours, and all I could think of was a warm bed and a lot more sleep.

At 2:30, Flogging Molly played a small all-ages show at the local music shop. I'd dosed up on water and some lunch and trudged through the cold to Indy CD & Vinyl, my favorite place to buy music. I'd never been to an in-store show there before and was uncertain about what I was going to witness. The store is divided into three long and narrow aisles, and the only place resembling a stage was at the back of the store. I wasn't sure 7 people would fit up there let alone the whole band. I arrived about a half hour early to find the place was already half full; so, I slipped as far up one of the side aisles as I could get. Then the long, hot, uncomfortable wait set in. I was too hung to really chat with anyone, and there wasn't anyone within a decade of my age around me anyway. The only distractions were browsing the CDs and posters nearby and the couple seconds it took for me to pose while some girl took a pic of the back of my Dresdon Dolls tee (which I considered much more appropriate than the Utilikilt I saw someone else wearing). Eventually, the band took the stage. Somehow, they all fit. Dave even commented on how the stage was bigger than Molly Malone's in LA. He also had some fitting words to say about the weather. As the band passed around a few bottles of breakfast (Guiness of course) someone in the crowd mentioned that you couldn't buy alcohol in Indiana on Sundays. (Except in restaurants and bars.) Poor Dave and the rest of the band were a bit shaken by this news and wanted to know if Indiana was spelled H-E-L-L. A bit more bantering and the band opened up with the second song from the new album, Paddy's Lament. In all honesty, the sound wasn't that great, but the crowd was hearty and full of life; even managing to form a small, close-hugging pit at the front. As expected, it was a very short set. They played three other songs from Float, including Lightning Storm, the title track and Requiem for a Dying Song, before heading off stage. They came back after a couple minutes for a single-song encore of The Seven Deadly Sins. Everyone seemed to love the new songs, and an announcement that a signup sheet was available to pre-order the new album was met with a cry of, "but we want it now!" The stage was cleared quickly and tables were setup for autographs. Again, space was a bit limited, and the drummer and bass player had to sit on stools. They both grabbed nearby albums to sign stuff on. The drummer looked pretty confused as he stared at the Le Tigre album he'd picked up; eventually opting to use the back of the record for a signing base. I'd picked up a vinyl copy of Swagger (my fave album) and had the band sign the inside of it. With a couple handshakes, some more pics, and a couple nervous utterings of "can't wait for the show tonight", I was back out in the cold. On the way to my car, I ran across a pretty curious sight. Someone had left a full bottle of Miller High Life outside one of the bars. As the beer froze, it had fountained out the top and frozen into a billowy mass sticking up out of the bottle about 4 inches high. I didn't really need the reminder that it was cold and picked up the pace to get back to the car, where the thermometer told me it'd made it all the way to 14.

The real show started at 8:00, and I was still struggling to finish off my hangover. Dinner went as planned, but all efforts at napping were quashed with phone calls. I finally gave up and met some friends at a bar where I got rid of my hangover the old fashioned way. Yeah, I drank more. We got a bit of a late start to the venue, and I had to park about 8 blocks away. I grabbed one more drink at the bar and made my way through the sold-out crowd to check out the opening bands (reviewed in the comments) and secure a good spot close to the front. The Vogue is an old theater that is split up the middle by a long narrow bar; ending with a fairly large dance floor in front of a chest-high stage. If you get there early enough and want to sit, there are tables and booths positioned in the elevated wings and on the wrap-around balcony. In it's prime, it must have been a beautiful place. Now it's painted almost entirely black isn't really the kind of place I'd like to see with the lights on. It's a good place to see a band and has decent acoustics, but the smoke hangs about in layers, and the bouncers always seem a bit more interested in hurting people than keeping them from being hurt. I'm sure you know the type of place. My friend and I managed to make it about 20 feet from the front and had a pretty good view. Thankfully, the band took the stage before I lost all sense and went back for another drink. You've got to hand it to the band, they dress up well. All of them were well dressed and seemed in high spirits or, maybe, just deep into their cups; most were still carrying a bottles of Guiness. Dave was wearing a black pinstripe suit with a silver, skinny tie that he said had to have been around since the '60s... unlike himself. The crowd got a small laugh out of it and he got a bigger laugh out of it himself. The band literally launched into the first song of the night and half the crowd went with them. Somehow, I was lucky enough to be behind the two statues that had parked themselves between me and the action. The opening song was Lightning Storm, and I had to content myself with bouncing in place. The next song was Swagger though, and I wasn't standing still for my favorite song. With a couple of polite shoves and a shouted strain of, "I don't know wwhhherre the fuck I'm going!" I bolted for the front and the thrill of the rowdy crowd. What can I say to really describe the night? It was fun? Sure. Glourious, touching, frustrating and funny at times? It was all of that and more. The sum of the whole experience outweighed any individual event. The band has a certain energy about them. Even when they are singing the saddest of their songs, there's a certain bit of something to the songs that makes you want to sing along as if it were a defiant anthem. When they sing the rowdiest of their songs, you howl along and wonder at the madness that drove you to the front. I'd made it second from the front, and, as I looked around me, I recognized several faces from the in-store show. It's kind of hard not to notice the guy who's 7 foot tall or the other 6-something guy with a 3 inch spike sticking out of his chin. Dave recognized them too and commented on the familiar faces from the earlier show. For a while, it seemed the songs and the friendly banter between songs would never end. As with all things though, the end eventually drew near and the band filed off stage waving and smiling. They'd played a good mix of songs from all their albums. I was surprised at how seemlessly the newer, more mature sounding songs dovetailed with the older, rawer material. The only song I missed was Factory Girls, because I'm a guy and would never pass on a chance to see a pretty girl sing a good song. Dave came out alone with an acoustic guitar to start the encore with a song that he explained was the start of Flogging Molly and what the band was really all about. I've heard Dave sing solo before in various songs, but his voice never fails to amaze me. It's not what I would normally call a singing voice, but there is a certain richness to his voice that makes up for the raw edge of it. As he sat up there and sang the first half of Black Friday Rule, I watched and listened on in captivation. I was even a little disappointed when the rest of the band came on stage to finish out the song. It was probably my favorite moment of the night. As they played out the remaining songs of the encore, I slowly moved back through the crowd to go search for my friends. I found some of them perched in the wings and watched with them as the band finished up for the second time that day with The Seven Deadly Sins. After the final song, the band took a few moments to shake hands with everyone up front (yes, I regretted moving back) and to hand out setlists before slowly suffling off stage. The were all smiling and looked like they had had the time of their life. If they grace us with another visit, it will be the warmth of the crowd that brings them back and not the weather. It was a long, cold walk back to my car. I hate wearing jackets into bars and had left mine in the car. I sat in my car and ran a hand through my hair to remove the frozen sweat from it; thinking of the frozen beer earlier in the day. The thermometer said 8, and I thought it was being optomistic. I was literally frozen, but I was happy and felt the best I'd felt all day. I was glad I'd not bailed and passed up a chance to see such a great band here in my own city. If they come near you, you shouldn't pass up the chance either.

Couldn't get the song to upload; so, I'm using the Rhapsody version. Sorry if you can't hear it. As always, thanks for reading.

I Don't Know What I Don't Know

Zeroskilz — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 06:28:24 GMT

This post owes a big thanks to River Lethe and Lady C. River had posted about Spike Jonze's latest project, a movie adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are. The article he'd posted about mentioned that Karen O, of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, was responsible for the soundtrack of the movie and was possibly contributing a couple songs herself. LadyC followed up with a comment about a prior collaboration between Karen and Spike on an '05 Adidas commercial. For this commercial, Karen paired with Spike's brother, under then name of Squeak E. Clean, to provide the accompanying music. Not knowing what I was about to experience, I clicked on the link LadyC had provided to a vid of the commercial. What I heard and saw would affect me for the rest of the day.

Karen is known for her raw and, at times, screeching vocals, but the tenderness and beauty of her voice are rarely mentioned. The ethereal beauty of Karen's voice and the fantastical vision of Spike's imagination combine to present something that transcends the shoe commercial that the project really represents. I know what it meant to me, but I'd rather you experienced it for yourselves.

Thanks to both River Lethe and LadyC for exposing me to two projects (old and new) that I knew nothing about. I hope you enjoy the commercial and song as much as I did.

Ghostland Observatory

Zeroskilz — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 04:35:04 GMT

In other music news, GLO releases their new album, Robotique Majestique, on March 4th too. The only info I could find on the disc was that they gave it away at their latest show in Austin, and that it will feature the two unreleased songs from the Austin City Limits DVD .

Flogging Molly PSA

Zeroskilz — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 04:08:27 GMT

Earlier this year, I received notice that Flogging Molly was touring again this year. I couldn't have been more excited. I've only seen the band one other time, and I had to drive to Cincy in a snow storm to do it. It was a great show, but it's definitely the type of show to enjoy with a pint or two of your favorite brew. Luckily, they are coming to Indy this year, and I will be able to enjoy that pint. No driving == many pints. :)

So I'm checking up on music news tonight when I notice that the Eels released a retrospective tonight, Flogging Molly are set to release a new album in March, and.... What??!!! Okay, am I the only person who didn't know? This would explain the new tour though.

Like any over-eager fan, I ran out and found a leaked copy and have spent the night listening to it. It's good, but it's a much more mature sound than their previous albums. The songs are little less raw and maybe lack the fire and sadness that infused so many of their previous songs. I'm not really good at album reviews; so, I'll share the title track with you and let you decide how you feel about it. I'm hoping they have the new album for sale when they tour through here. Show's in February and the new album releases March 4th.

I just wanted to share in case your friends had neglected to mention the new album to you too.

Top Vids of '007

Zeroskilz — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:05:23 GMT

Shots Ring Out have posted their annual top vids list. Must have been a good year for videos. They have 79 this year. I always look forward to this list as a way to catch some great videos that I missed and as an introduction to some new bands. Enjoy!

Shots Ring Out Top Vids of '007

Bad Week... Work Weekend

Zeroskilz — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 00:33:18 GMT

It's been one of those weeks at work. The kind of work days that bleed into and leave dark stains all over your real life. There were high points to the week, but they were nearly lost in the continual frustration I'm dealing with.

On these frustrating days, I've been turning to A Place to Bury Strangers more and more often. I've grown to really like this band, and I think they are great to listen to while working. They give me something to channel my frustrations into while not being overly distracting. It's probably the muted vocals that keep it from grabbing all my attention. During a small sanity-break earlier this week, I decided to check the band's tour schedule. I already knew several other Moggers were going to be catching them live, and I wanted in on some of the fun. It was hard to believe, but they are actually touring through Indy; even playing at a venue about 4 blocks from my house. The biggest problem was that I had absolutely no idea how to get a ticket for the show. The venue isn't the type of place that sells tix for shows. Not having time to investigate more, I made a note and moved on with the week.

Unfortunately, today was no better than the rest of the week, and I was looking for something to distract me from the day on the way home. I was debating between picking up some ice cream or stopping at the music store when I realized I could plan my route to do both. First stop was the local CD and vinyl store; I've had a few albums I've been meaning to pick up lately. They didn't have everything I was looking for (damned release dates take so long to get here), but when I made it to the vinyl section, there was the APTBS album staring at me. I happily picked it up and continued my shopping. I had no idea at the time that this would provide a solution to my problem earlier in the week.

One of the store employees, Annie, spotted the record and struck up a conversation with, "I love that band." Turns out Annie's responsible for bringing the band to town and the store is selling tix. She's got the band paired with another band, Johnny 23, from Cincy who also use projectors during their shows. Sounds like it should be a great night. With ticket and record in hand, I raced home; smiling at my good fortune and totally forgetting about the ice cream.

There it is, the highlight of my week. I just wanted to share. Hopefully the weekend goes better. I'm going to be spending tonight wading through configuration files and library lists. My deadline is the end of next week, and I'm fighting my own ignorance and a lack of documentation. At least I'll have some good music to listen to while I'm working this weekend. Wish me luck and enjoy the vid. As always, thanks for reading.

The End of Whinging/Indy, We Rock (Now)

Zeroskilz — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:35:46 GMT

For those of you who know me, you know I like to whinge about the lack of concerts my fair city receives.

In years past, the music scene here in Indy has been fairly dismal. I cannot even begin to count the number of times that I've checked a band's tour schedule and found they had skipped Indianapolis. Seriously, many of the bands would often play Chicago and somewhere in Michigan, Kentucky or Ohio, but they would skip Indiana altogether. To say the least, it was hurtful.

Last year, things really started to turn around. I still spent a lot of time travelling to Chicago, Cincinatti, Champaign-Urbana and even Nashville to see bands play. It was a lot of lost sleep and (at times warm, straight-from-the-can) Red Bull, but it was worth it. Indianapolis did see it's fair share of great bands though. With bands like BRMC , Bloc Party, Placebo and Interpol hitting town, I even hinted that I may have to give up my whinging ways.

Now it's all of 9 days into the new year, and I'm giving up my compaining. No, it's not a resolution; it's a revelation. Indy is finally getting a good number of great bands. Before the old year had even blared out it's dying notes, I had purchased tickets for a number of local shows. Sure, my first of the year was still in Chicago, but things are looking good. Today, I just saw the news article that put the proverbial nail in the coffin of my complaining. Radiohead is coming to Indianapolis this year! [Stereogum]

What more can I say? I'm practically giddy with excitement. Here's the band's tour list (in alphabetical order... ummm, emphasis added by me)-

Atlanta
Boston
Charlotte
Chicago
Cleveland
Dallas
Houston
Indianapolis !!
Los Angeles
Miami
Montreal
New York
Philadelphia
San Diego
San Francisco
Santa Barbara
Seattle
St Louis
Tampa
Toronto
Vancouver
Washington DC

No dates yet, but I don't care. They're coming, and that's all that matters.

Awe Mom Your Just Jealous, It's the Dresden Dolls!!!

Zeroskilz — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 03:43:43 GMT

First show of the new year, and it was great. The show was at The Vic in Chicago, IL; so, it also meant another 5-6 hours or driving that night. I've never seen The Dresden Dolls live and wasn't sure what to expect. I was promised a crowd of interesting people, fun antics, and great music. Most of it was delivered.

The night was more like a variety show than a traditional concert. It's mix of musical and theatrical acts provided for a very entertaining night. After several scheduled and unscheduled opening acts (reviewed in the comments), The Dresden Dolls took the stage. Amanda and Brian marched onto stage from opposite sides to the sounds of a military march. Both were masked and wearing military coats and caps. Brian was also wearing a pair of brown cut-offs with black lace stockings and a turquoise lion print shirt he'd stripped off by the end of the night. Under her jacket, Amanda was decked out in olive drab. She's dressed in a faded Black Sabbath tee, a can can style skirt, black knee high boots, and thigh highs with black garters and matching underwear. Hey, the skirt was open to the waist across the front; I wasn't peeking. After taking their places, they started playing a very familiar song. All I could tell at first was that the song was not theirs and seemed to fit with the march and outfits. It was only after Brian started singing, "So you thought you might like to go to the show" that I realized the song was Pink Floyd's In the Flesh. After the song, the masks flew off and they launched into Girl Anachronism. The crowd erupted in joy.

What can I say? It was an energetic and entertaining show. I laughed as much as a I shouted and sang along. The crowd knew the words to almost every song and even out-sang Amanda at times. If there was one disappointing aspect to this show though, it was the crowd. Gabby, plaintive and rude come to mind. It was an all ages show and the talkative kids had turned out in droves. It also appears that all of Chicago hasn't adjusted to the smoking ban and there were constant complaints about it; even going as far as to state that without the smoke, you could smell how bad everyone else smelled. Whatever. I wasn't there for the crowd anyway. It wasn't too hard to ignore them either. I've rarely seen a band with such chemistry. It was great to see two people who love what they do so much and who get along so well. Even after focusing on separate projects for the past year, they played with and off of each other perfectly. Throughout the songs, Amanda and Brian were alternately snearing and making faces at each other. And when one did something funny, the laughter from the other was genuine. Going into the show, I thought Amanda would be the driving force of the show, but I was wrong. They definitely form a gestalt, and one without the other just cannot be as good as they are together.

On this tour, The Dresden Dolls are showcasing some new material for a CD they are releasing later this year. Amanda referred to it as a B-sides compilation, but they are also writing new material for it. Whatever the case, they played about five new songs throughout the night. Most of the new songs were slower tempo, almost sad songs. A definite change from the usual upbeat songs of their two main releases. During a song called The Gardener (a song about the Grim Reaper), Amanda left the stage and wandred through the crowd. She passed close enough to me that I could make out the stencelling of her eyebrows. I somehow resisted rushing forward the few remaining feet to touch her. They also played a song from Amanda's Ben Folds produced solo album that will also be released later this year. All in all, some were good and some needed some work. The crowd received the songs well too; a fact commented on several times by both Brian and Amanda. Almost two hours later, they finished up their set and left the stage. I got the impression that they don't normally do encores, but they came back for a couple more songs. To end the night, Amanda took over drums, and Brian strapped back on an electric guitar he had played during a song called Night at the Roses. Brian quickly invited the crowd up on stage and launched into the opening notes of The Beastie Boy's Fight For Your Right. It only took about two seconds for the crowd to figure out what he'd said and to start pouring up on stage. People were jumping under the bars for the sectioned area behind me and running past me for the stage. I took one look at what was going to happen and decided to stay on the floor to watch the spectacle. Predictably, too many people piled on stage. The stage was so crowded Brian couldn't even play guitar and had to give up about halfway through the song. From the looks of it, girls were even standing on the drum riser. Eventually, they got things under control and restarted the song. The bigger mess was the crowd trying to get back down on the floor. Admitting that the song didn't really work out as they had planned, Brian and Amanda played one last song, took a bow and ended a great night of music and fun.

I'm not really in danger of running out of black concert tees, but I wanted to stop by the merch table and pick up a copy of their first studio release. Surprisingly, they didn't have one. They did have one of the most beautiful tour posters I've ever seen. It was $45 dollars, and I was so tempted. I resisted though and bought a black concert tee instead. The shirt does feature a not-nearly-as-beautiful reproduction of the poster on the back though. With the new tee at my side, I headed back for Indy through mist and fog that was as thick as the proverbial pea soup. I was tired when I got home at 3:30 A.M., but I stayed up 'til 4 and couldn't fall asleep until 5; only to get up at 10 to start cleaning and fixing dinner before my family arrived at 3. After hearing about the trip, my brother asked if it was worth it. I said yes and meant it. In spite of the crowd, the weather and late hours, it was a fantastic show and one I would recommend for everyone to check out.

The Merch-

They didn't play this song, but I like it a lot. The video is a play on David Lee Roth's Califorina Girls and features Kelly from Shoes!

(Opening acts in comments)

Secret Santa Comes to Town

Zeroskilz — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 17:23:18 GMT

I have to admit, I was getting a bit worried. Christmas had come and gone and so had NYE , and Secret Santa still hadn't stopped by. Was I really that bad this year? The obvious answer here is yes, but that's never stopped me from receiving gifts in the past.

So, on the 2nd, I pull into the drive after a tedious day at work and immediately spot a package on my doorstep. A smile spreads across my face as I recognize what it has to be. My Secret Santa came to town.

What did I get? Well, not so fast, let's read the card first. :) Evidently, I stumped my SS at first. The card said they wanted to get me something unique, but that I was a "hard nut to crack". They also knew me well enough or had seen me whinge online enough to know that I have to drive to Chicago for most my concerts. The gift? The Kinks - One for the Road on DVD . See it!

Secret Santa, you did well. What's not obvious in the photo is that the DVD and monitor are sitting in my living room; exactly where my TV used to be. Back in Sept., the anti-Santa visited my house and walked out with the TV. More importantly, they walked out with my collection of concert DVDs. They were mostly of bands I had missed out on seeing live but would have liked to. This will be the perfect start to a new collection.

So, who was the anonymous, red-capped Santa that sent me the gift? I don't honestly know. That's what makes it a secret. Whoever you are, thanks. I couldn't be happier with my gift.

Second Chances

Zeroskilz — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 01:47:41 GMT

The elusive second chance.... How often have we failed to impress at first and wished for a fresh start? If you are like me, plenty of times. I take a while to get to know; I'm shy. But a lot of people are this way. What about music then? Isn't music just as complex as people are? I have to think the answer is yes. So why am I so quick to judge it at times? I should know better.

A while back ago, I caught some of the hype surrounding Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent). I grabbed the album off the internet and listened to a few tracks. I have to admit. I was less than impressed. The album was deleted, and I moved on. Months later now, I'm still hearing about St. Vincent. She has an impressive resume. She's played with the Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens, and she's toured with Television, Aracade Fire, Xiu Xiu and John Vanderslice. But I'm hearing cute as often as good, and I'm writing it off as hype. In my mind, I've given her a chance and didn't care for her.... Well, that's what I thought.

I spent last night in Chicago at The Vic Theatre. The National were playing, and St. Vincent was opening for them. I didn't know this ahead of time (I forgot to check), but I always make sure to show for the opening bands. I've found a lot of great music this way. Last night, I also found the meaning of second chance. In short, her show was great. Miss Clark takes the term solo literally; taking the stage with just her, her guitar and some electronics. I think what I really like about her set was the way that she takes the time to build a few sampled loops and then plays guitar over them. I love watching a song crafted this way (think Andrew Bird, Imogen Heap, Final Fantasy). I think it's amazing. The songs were beautiful and dark at times, and when she sings through the second mic that gives her silky smooth voice the slight fuzz of soft velvet.... Well, it made me a fan. I'm not going to say that I loved every song, but I've gone back and dug the album out of the internet again today. There are a few gems on the album that I'm sad I didn't hear the first time around. Her CD will be added to the list of CDs to pick up this Tuesday. And, if she'd put out an EP with Bang Bang on it, I'd buy it too. It would be worth going to her show just to hear that song. The live version of Paris is Burning is astounding too.

As for The National, they didn't need a second chance. They've already put out one of the best albums of the year (IMO), and they are spot-on live; adding a bit to a few of the songs here and there. The songs they sang from Alligator were done with an intensity that left my friends and I awe-struck. I could hardly recommend a better show to see this year.

I know this song has been posted on here before, but, if you didn't listen to it before or didn't quite care for it the first time around, maybe you should give it a second chance. What could it hurt? Thanks for reading.

"Scratched My Palms And There's Blood On My Hands"

Zeroskilz — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 03:50:37 GMT

In an effort to keep my word about "being back" and to not let other things going on in my life get in the way of this, I thought I'd post about an album I heard earlier this week.

It was Thursday when the leaked version of Polly Jean's new album, White Chalk, started spreading through the music blogs like wildfire. The album releases on 9/25 here in the States and 24/9 in the UK. I was a bit slow in developing a love for PJ. Prior to a friend lending me Uh Huh Her, my only exposure to her music had been early MTV plays of "Down By the Water". Back then, my musical tastes leaned towards classic rock and skate punk. I didn't have an ear for a female rocker with smart lyrics and a powerful voice. Years later, after listening to Uh Huh Her, I find myself slowly collecting her entire back catalog and growing a love for the gems I find in every album. I still wonder how I made it so many years without hearing Victory, my personal favorite. It would be an understatement to say that I was looking forward to hearing her new album. I was anticipating more power and more rock.

I got the power I was looking for, but rocking was not to be heard on this album. From start to finish, Ms. Harvey delivered a beautiful, ethereal and slightly eerie album; with many songs dominated by a minimalist arrangement of piano or guitar and vocals. I wasn't totally shocked by this. I'd heard the lead single, When Under Ether, about a month ago. If you've heard this song, you know what to expect of the entire album. I spent hours listening to the album while working on Thursday, and I am far from disappointed with it. 2007 seems to be the year of the slower-paced, lyrical album. See The National's "Boxer"; see Blonde Redhead's "23". These albums are some of my favorites of the year, and White Chalk is a welcome addition. It's when listening to these albums that I'm reminded of music's strong ties with the written word; particularly poetry and short stories. But I've never had such a strong reminder as White Chalk put into me. I couldn't help but think of Plath the entire time I listened to this album. There is something in the haunted and slightly depressed lyrics of the song that remind me of Plath's work. After 3 days of intense work, I'm finally finding time to sit down and listen to this album again, and it's made me look up and read some of Plath's work again. They seem to go hand-in-hand. As such, I'll share one of the new songs here and one of my favorite poems by Plath in the comments. I hope you enjoy both. Thanks.

Hey, Hiya

Zeroskilz — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 03:19:45 GMT

It's been 4 months since I've posted anything... anything at all. Hi. I haven't even really peeked in at Mog to see what's going on. Sorry. There's nothing really fantastical about my disappearance. I wasn't abducted by aliens. I didn't go find myself, and I didn't get lost. I really just have the standard excuse of being busy. Work.... But things are winding down. I've turned in my notice. I'm done by the 14th. I feel like I can breath again.

Not to say that I've only been working. I have managed to make time for a few other things, but the trade off was that I didn't really have time to Mog. Not the way I want to at least. Hopefully that's changing. So, what have I been up to these past 4 months? I did make a trip to the UK and met some really cool Moggers. Going to shows without them was a little odd for a bit. It was great to have someone to talk to about the bands or to just listen to. And they are some knowledgable Moggers over there. I also made it to Lolla this year and met some more cool Moggers. Must be something about this site.

Anyway, my goal here isn't really to bore everyone with the minutiae of my abscence. Way back on 8/8, I had the pleasure of seeing Silversun Pickups play at a local venue. I was a bit nervous, because I caught a bit of their show at Lolla before heading to see Blonde Redhead play an incredible set. SSP sounded a bit flat in Chicago. I'm glad to say, they played a great set here though. Every song, and I think they played the whole LP as well as their EP, sounded great. They even played Kissing Families; borrowing the cellist from the opening band, Sea Wolf. And this is the band that I really want to talk about here. I knew nothing about this band going into the show. But they were incredible. The band really consists of Alex Church and a rotating lineup. The lyrics for their songs blow me away. Anyway, there are much better reviews of the band out on the net than I could ever write. I just wanted to say that I was really impressed with their show (enough that I bought tix to see them open for Nada Surf here in Oct) and to leave you with a song from their EP. They have a full length album coming out on 9/25. If it's as good as their live show, it will be worth picking up.

So, hiya everyone. Hopefully I will be back soon. And I hope you enjoy the song. Later. :)

Muse-merized

Zeroskilz — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 17:16:59 GMT

For the final show of April, I found myself travelling to Nashville, TN. A four hour trip straight down the same interstate that takes me to Chicago; just in the opposite direction. The show was at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. It's an indoor arena really and, when standing back from the stage, sounds like an arena. It echos a lot. But, if you get close, it sounds great. I arrived at the venue a half hour early and started looking for the end of the line. The good news was that the end of the line was right at the front entrance. The bad news was that the line actually snaked into the parking garage, back out, and around the entire complex before coming back to the entrance again. I got to the end of the line at 7:00, and the show was slated to start at 7:30. The line was not moving and panic had set in. The lady in line next to me was kind enough to explain that MCR was in big letters and that Muse was in small letters on the ticket; so, it wouldn't matter if Muse started on time or not. I'm sure I looked a little crazy when I explained to her that I just drove 4 hours to see Muse, because she softened her stance a little and said that they probably wouldn't start on time. :) 45 minutes later, I finally made it inside and could see the band hadn't started yet. I even had time to grab a concert tee.

I used to like Muse. I had listened Showbiz and Absolution, but neither album really stuck with me. After getting onto Mog, I started listening to them again (thanks EMCDs!), and they moved up the list of "my favorite bands". In all honesty, I didn't know what to expect of a live show. I don't know anyone else who has seen them live; since they are not that big of a band here in the US. I can state, for a fact, that they put on one of the greatest live shows I've seen in quite a while. Matt is a true rockstar; unfortunately, very few here in the US know it. Yeah, he is prone to a bit of posturing on stage, but the guy can play some blistering guitar; something he demonstarted during several instrumentals. There was nothing flashy or theatrical to their show. They just plain rawked. Muse is one of the few bands that sound as good live as they do in the studio. A rare talent with many of today's bands. In the end, they delivered about an hour of their paranoid, space-themed Brit rock. Because I was almost late, I was 30 people deep in the crowd when they opened with Knights of Cydonia. The next song was New Born, and by the time they started Starlight, I was 5 deep from the front; jumping, sweating, and yelling for more. I don't remember much about the song order after that, but they played a great set of songs. I'm also sure I missed a few, but I remember hearing: Assassin, Apocalypse Please, Time is Running Out, Stockholm Syndrome, Hysteria and Take a Bow. I could have asked for a lot more but am happy with what I heard. By the end of the show, I no longer liked Muse. I now love this band. If you could see them live, you probably would too. I think Matt might be a genius. I once read an article on Wayne Coyne where the writer imagined cutting his head open and finding the inside of his head lined, like a geode, with smokey amethyst crystals. It was just the writer's way of describing how beautiful the mind behind the Flaming Lips must be. I'd imagine that the inside of Matt's head would look like the Horsehead Nebula. A dark and beautiful place where great rock songs are birthed like stars. If you get a chance to see them live, do it. I doubt you will be disappointed.

Thanks for reading this, and all my other reviews too. It's been a long and tiring (but very, very fun) month. You can read about MCR in the comments section. Thanks again.

I Was Dead From Driving But Enjoyed The Show

Zeroskilz — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:40:39 GMT

The venue was Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. The place is beautiful and extremely large. It also has seating; so, you have to be rich or well-connected to get up front. The place, according to what I've heard, is also accoustically perfect. I believe it. The sound there is great. The only other time I was there was to see Radiohead. By pure coincidence, I sat about 15 seats from where I sat last time. That is to say, I sat about 11 rows back in the first balcony. This is what purchasing tickets the minute they go on sale gets the general public. MM was nice enough to have a pre-sale, but the info they gave out on mySpace was wrong (off by two days), and I ended up missing out. I did notice a lot of tickets on eBay that day though. Hmmmm....

I didn't catch the name of the opening band, and I don't plan on wasting time looking for it. The just were not my pint of beer. As far as I can tell, it was a classic case of too many people doing the same thing. At any point of time, there were upwards of 3 guitars (not counting the bass) and 4 people singing. Nothing really stood out. It was just a wash of noise. The drummer even spent more time singing that playing. They also relied heavily on a lot of Ooohs and Aaaahs. Like I said, the just weren't my brand of whiskey.

The second band was Laughter As Love. A nice rock band, but still didn't leave a great impression. They had a kind of 60s rock sound about them that wavered close to a sludgy stoner rock at times. They didn't sound bad and they played well, but it just wasn't the type of music I would listen to before going into a MM concert. So, maybe I wasn't giving them the attention they deserved.

Before MM started playing, someon came out and read a poem entitled Modest Mouse #3. I don't know who the guy is or what his connection to everything is, but it was interesting.

Finally, MM took the stage. The stage was somewhat decorated after the nautical theme that runs throughout the new album and the video for Dashboard. Arranged around the set were stands of old blinking sea lanterns. It was kind of cool, but they were not used during the show; only during the intro and the intermission. In addition to the normal insturments, they also play a banjo and an accordian. The big surprise though was the dual drum kits. When not checking out hot female bassists, I love to watch drummers do their thing. Having two drummers pounding out tunes is an awesome thing to watch. Well, for me at least. The show was good, and there was little else I could have asked them to play without Johnny having to learn a lot more of their older material. Johnny, was a definite favorite of the crowd. Any kind of handwave or bow by him brought a large cheer. I think he's a great addition to the band. I love Lonesome Crowded West, but I also love the last two albums and those albums wouldn't be what they are without his input. Having to stay at my seat, I settled for bopping around in front of my chair while listening to them play. And, they played a lot. I didn't catch every tune, but here is what I remember: Black Cadillacs, Buckowski, Doin' the Cockroach, Dashboard, Fire It Up, We've Got Everything, Education, Ocean Breathes Salty, Float On, Good Times are Killing Me, The View and Fly Trapped in a Jar. For an encore, they played Trailer Trash followed by Spitting Venom. Sometimes it took a couple seconds to recognize the song being played. While similar, the songs sound different than the album versions, but I couldn't exactly explain how. There was only one song I wanted to hear from the new album that wasn't played; so, I'm including it below. Enjoy.

Tomorrow I leave to see Muse and My Chemical Romance play. This will be a mixed blessing. I've seen a lot of bands and travelled a lot this month. It's been fun, but it's wearing on me a bit. Cheers.

I Go Out Alone

Zeroskilz — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 03:58:01 GMT

The night's location? The Vic in Chicago, IL. I'd never been to the Vic before, but I could tell from the pics online that the place was tiny. I still wasn't prepared for exacly how small it was though. The main part of the floor is separated from a slightly elevated seating area (couches, etc.) by a brass rail. Between the brass rail and the front of the stage exists an area that might span 20 feet. The whole of the floor would easily fit into the area of my living room and dining room. There is a whole balcony section also, but that is filled with seats, and seats suck. All in all, it's a nice place with decent sound. The vocals seemed a little muted... or I'm developing hearing problems. Go see a band there. It is a great venue.

The first band of the night was The Little Ones. I liked this band! They are a five piece band out of California, and they are fun. They play a happy-sounding type of music that you would like to use for a soundtrack to your Summer. I've never seen a band smile so much while they played. They had a good time and the crowd responded well. They have a live session on Daytrotter too; so, check them out. Probably one of the better opening bands I've seen this year.

Next up was the Walkmen. I'd heard a lot of talk about this band and was looking forward to checking them out. I have Blair to thank for the only song I had previously heard by them. I have to agree Blair, "When I used to go out, I would know everyone that I saw, Now I go out alone if I go out at all," is a great lyric. Even if it does hit a little close to home. They played the song, and I got to sing along. The band comes off very unassuming. The lead singer has the preacher's son looks that Dusty Springfield would sing about. His button-up suit jacket with tie and pinky signet rings don't help to dissuade me from that image either. But it's when he starts singing that the whole thing comes together. The way he grips the mic and pours so much intensity into it; you would swear it was a hellfire and brimstone sermon he was delivering. As he sweated and loosened his tie to get the lyrics out, you could feel the crowd strain along with him. It was very intense and it was very good. I was a concerned at first. Some of their songs are a little more sleepy than intense, and they started the set off that way. It was a long, hard week at work, and somnambulistic music was not what I needed. By the end of the show though, they had my full attention. I could have probably gone home happy after that.

But, the real headliners were up next. I'll make a small confession here. I like the Kaiser Chiefs, but I don't love them. I think they are a fun sounding band, and I thought the place would literally break into a riot when they played. For the most part, I was right; unfortunately, it was a very controlled riot. The place isn't big enough to really mosh and jump around. By the time they took the stage, it was way too packed to even think of anything but jumping up and down (but not around) as the mood struck me. I had looked up a setlist to see what might be played and found out that they are still using the same lists from when they were in the UK. It made for kind of a quick set really. But it was an exciting show. In the middle of the show, the lead singer crowd surfed his way right past me to stand on the rail in the back and grab a shirt from someone in the crowd. He then surfed back and hung the Whyte & Mackay jersey up for everyone to see. My biggest complaint about their set would be the opening songs. The lead singer seemed very intent on testing the crowd's knowledge of the lyrics. I don't mind the crowd singing along; hell, I do it. But I want to hear him sing too. Don't let the crowd do the work. After the first three, he sang more lyrics than the crowd and all was beautiful and right (read as loud and crazy) with the world.

Here are some pics from a show in NY

At the end of the night, I had a 5 hour drive to make it to beautiful Brown County, IN for a bit of camping and relaxation. I rolled in at 4 AM (a large Coke, a bottle of water and two cans of Red Bull fuller) to make the hike to the cabin and find my friends still up; drunk and wondering who the heck I'd just seen in Chicago. Telling them didn't clarify anything. Sleep was thin (up by 9), but that's why they invented hammocks. I needed to rest up. Sunday was going to see me back in Chicago for Modest Mouse.

Wishing I Could Go Back To My House

Zeroskilz — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 23:35:05 GMT

Still at work and things are dragging. 10 minute compile times give me a bit of surfing time; so, I headed here. My Mog time has been rather limited recently. Anayway, Joxley posted the vid for Start Wearing Purple earlier today. For some reason, Gogol Bordello always makes me think of this vid too. Just thought I'd share.

Gonna Get It Right

Zeroskilz — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 02:37:56 GMT

I would like to dedicate this post to Viva La Britt. Britt left one of the nicest comments I've ever had on a post of mine, and it really turned my evening around. Thanks, you made me think that I may be getting it right after all.

It also gives me an opportunity to post about a band that I randomly grabbed to check out some time ago. I cannot find any other posts about the band on Mog; so, this might qualify as one of Neill's 'filling the gaps' post. I've been listening to this album on and off for a bit today and am quite taken with this song. I also like the lyrics. Enjoy. :)

One Last Time

Zeroskilz — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:50:46 GMT

As I sit here in the cold glow of my monitor, slowly boring my way through the tedious sludge this day has presented, I find myself reflecting upon the oncoming week. I've got one last crazy weekend planned; it will even spill over into the following week.

Next Friday, I will leave Indy to head to Chicago. You guessed it, I'm going to another show. The Kaiser Chiefs are playing. I've never seen them, and I hear they put on a wild show. I'll leave Chicago that night and drive back to Indy.

The next morning, I'll head about 2 hours South to a cabin in the woods where a group of my friends are camping for the weekend. It's a great place, and we've been going there every Spring and Fall for the past 8 years. They'll all be partied out from Friday night, and I'm guessing I won't be super rowdy either. Saturday is always the big frisbee golf game (played throughout the woods and across several large ravines) and the big cookout. So, I'll get a little fresh air, relaxation and a good meal (along with a few beers) to get me ready for the 5 hour drive North again.

Yes, I'm going back to Chicago. Modest Mouse this time. I have a ticket, but I want to try and upgrade my seat. The presale info I got from mySpace wasn't correct, and I ended up with a regular public sale ticket. I'm in the upper balcony at the beautiful Auditorium Theater, and I want to be lower for this show. I'm really looking forward to this show too. There is very little odds that they will play my fave song (Cowboy Dan), but I like a lot of their music. I'm still working my way through the new album though. After the show, it's three hours South again to sleep in my bed, for a couple nights.

You see, on Wednesday, I'm supposed to be all the way down in Nashville, TN. I've only ever been there once before to see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs play. This time, it will be the Muse/My Chemical Romance show. I really want to see Muse, but I like MCR too. I'll spend the night and then come back and finish the work week.

Yeah, it all sounds a little crazy to me too. I'll need to make sure and get plenty of rest this week.

How It Should Have Been the First Time

Zeroskilz — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 16:15:27 GMT

I first saw Placebo last November at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago. I was really excited about the show. I had picked up their new CD in the Spring and fell in love with the band all over again. While they played a great show, it was a short show, and there was no encore. I did the three hour drive home a bit disappointed. I am happy to say, they put on a Hell of a show this time.

The show was at the House of Blues in Chicago. The floorspace is rather small; so, you are guaranteed a close audience with the band. Unlike last time, it was also deafeningly loud. My ears have not buzzed like this in a long time; having blown a lot of my hearing already. I need to invest in earplugs. Doors opened at 6:30 followed by an hour and a half wait for the opening band.

The first band up was Evaline. I'm not even sure how to describe this band. The words art and prog come to mind. The five member band played very passionately, but they generated more of a cacophany than music at times. I don't believe a single song was under 7 minutes either, which would explain the, relatively short, five song set. The lead singer cares about his music though and really gets into, which can be a little infectious at times. He also prances around the stage like a satyr. It made me think of the faun from Pan's Labyrinth singing in a band. The singer's jumping up and posturing on top of the keyboard did nothing to help erase this image. In the end, they probably just were not a good match for Placebo. Most of the crowd, including me, did not seem impressed.

After a short setup, Placebo took the stage. The band entered the stage much like last time I saw them. Steve quietly slipped into place behind the drum kit. This was followed by Stefan strutting onto stage with guitar slung into place. Finally, Brian came on stage from the opposite side, and the crowd went nuts. They opened the set with Infra-Red and rocked out a string of songs from Meds. I really need to take a pen and paper to these shows so I can remember song order. I don't think I can write and franticly jump up and down at the same time though. :) Besides the usual suspects from Meds, they played a good variety of songs. There were the token plays for Every You Every Me and Special K. In addition to other songs, I remember them also playing: I Know, Bionic, Special Needs, The Bitter End and Sleeping with Ghosts. It was a great mix of songs from several albums, and the band and the crowd were really into it. We even got an encore this time, and it was beautiful. The band played versions of Running Up That Hill, Taste in Men and 20 Years for the encore. It's been talked about on here before, but Placebo always changes up the songs a bit when they play them live. This held true for most of their set. It was especially true for the encore. I don't know how to describe how good it sounded. All I can tell you is that there are times when the music sounds so good that I just close my eyes and let it soak in. I spent a lot of the encore that way.

They put on a great show and seemed to have a good time doing it. I think they played for a little over an hour and a half altogether. Although I was tired and not looking forward to the drive home, I really could have stayed for more. At the end of the show, I was so busy focusing on Stefan throwing pics into the crowd (mere feet away from me), I missed seeing Steve throw a drumstick. At the last second, I saw it out of the corner of my eye. I made a wild grab for the stick, but it was with my left hand. The stick fell between my feet and someone else snatched it. :( No Placebo bling for me I guess. I settled for a shirt and hit the road.

They Keep Calling Me Dick

Zeroskilz — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 14:44:19 GMT

I play pool in a league two nights a week; so, I've gotten to know the bartenders and staff at the local pool hall pretty well over the past year. One of the bartenders has decent taste in music, and he and I will spend time chatting about bands we like. One of the staff thinks we sound like the two guys from High Fidelity. She keeps calling me Dick. I'm assuming this is a character in the movie; otherwise, I might be offended. I haven't seen the movie though. I don't even know if it is a fair comparison. The conversation that got her to laughing the other night was about good, modern bands. The bartender was contending that there has not been a good band to come out since the mid-to-late '90s. I was saying that there were plenty and started enumerating them. It was at this point that the waitress started laughing so hard and calling me Dick that the conversation was basically brought to a halt. I said I'd make a mix of "modern" bands I love and give it to them. I know modern really has a different defintion than what I'm using, but here were my criteria for the mix: no release (EP or otherwise) prior to 2000, no actual song on the mix prior to 2002, no two songs by the same band. Well, I have to like the band too. I used the Google band info to check albums; hopefully I did my homework well enough. Let me know what you think. I also included the following note with the mix.

The following is a collection is a response to Steve's challenge to name good bands that have started since the late '90s. Many of the bands below released their first record within the past 3 years; none have released a record prior to '02. These songs comprise some of the more popular tracks by the bands and span several genres of music. I made no effort to pick obscure songs; as I consider this an introduction to these bands. These are also some of my favorite bands currently. Enjoy!

Punkrocker (ft. Iggy Pop) - Teddybears
Eleanor Put Your Boots On - Franz Ferdinand
Walking With A Ghost - Tegan & Sara
Young Folks - Peter Bjorn & John
Cheated Hearts - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Song For Clay (Disappear Here) - Bloc Party
Dirty Horse - Gram Rabbit
All Sparks - Editors
Wolf Like Me - TV On The Radio
Brianstorm - Arctic Monkeys
Break - The Cinematics
Kissing Families - Silversun Pickups
My Little Brother (Original) - Art Brut
Beauty*2 - Ladytron
Bones - The Killers
Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs
Spitting Games - Snow Patrol (Not my first choice, but needed a shorter song to fit on the mix)
Broken Promises For Broken Hearts - She Wants Revenge
Millstone - Brand New
Subzero Fun - Autolux
Bowels Of The Beast - The Raveonettes

Glossolalia

Zeroskilz — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 05:47:10 GMT

Glossolalia is the term used for fabricated and non-meaningful speech. It can cover everything from the simple babble of a baby to the gift of speaking in tongues associated with certain religous faiths. In either extreme, it is often attributed to an outpouring of joy or extreme emotion. Something easily heard in the song Glosoli by Sigur Ros. I don't know Icelandic; so, the words sound like babble to me, but I can hear the joy in the song. It always calms me and allows my mind a few minutes rest. For all I know, glosoli means glossolalia, and I'm gettng the point of the song without understaning the language. Regardless, it's an association I draw every time I see either of the words.

So, as I put on Takk again tonight to try and buy a few minutes relaxation so that I can fall asleep, I'm thinking of this association again. I'm also realizing that this is the third post about Sigur Ros in the past couple weeks. Maybe I'm a little fixated on them too. :) As always, enjoy.

Kissing Families

Zeroskilz — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 03:50:38 GMT

I have been listening to this song on repeat1 for two days now. I managed to escape it long enough to listen to most of the new AM album and the new NIN album, and I had to put on some Sigur Ros last night to allow myself to go to sleep. Other than that, I've been listening to this song... repeatedly. Something about the lyrics are bothering me. When it's not physically playing, I can hear it in my head... repeatedly. I'm not looking for an interpreation of the lyrics or the song or anything. Just sharing, because I'm tired, and I cannot (don't want to) go to sleep. So, here's the song. I'll post the lyrics in the comments. Enjoy. :)

New Arctic Monkeys Song

Zeroskilz — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 15:00:01 GMT

A quick search of Mog did not reveal anyone else posting this. Sorry if it has been posted already.

Enjoy! I am. :)

Another Reason to Hate Ticketmaster

Zeroskilz — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 03:54:01 GMT

Second night of a double-header for concerts. Tonight's venue: the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, IL. The Aragon is an old ballroom built in the 1920's for a large sum of money. The place is still in really good condtion. The interior is expansive and nicely decorated. The dome of the ceiling depicts a night sky complete with twinkling stars. The entire floor is surrounded by a balcony that houses several bars/seating areas (didn't go up there so I cannot be 100% sure which) overlooking the floor and stage. Unfortunately, part of the floor was sectioned off; so, you couldn't get right up to the stage. My only complaint about the venue would be the sound. The large interior and domed ceiling amplify the bass. Not that a lot of bass is bad, but it creates more of a boom than a sonic thump and drowns out a lot of the rest of the sound at times. Still, it's a good place to see a band.

I'm going to break character here for a second and swear and cuss a bit; so, please skip to the next paragraph if you are easily offended. I'd like to give a big "Fuck You" to Ticketmaster and scalpers/touts. Because the scalpers helped sell out the show so quickly, I couldn't get a ticket through Ticketmaster. So, when the nimrods at Ticketmaster printed the wrong showtime on the ticket, I didn't get the email notification stating something like, "We're idiots and cannot manage to print the right time on a ticket, please show up a half hour earlier." Okay, I feel a bit better.

I roll into the Aragon Ballroom thinking I'm 15 minutes early; only to realize that I'm 15 minutes late and the Silversun Pickups are most of the way through their set. :( I was not very happy, but what can I do? (See semi-strongly worded message above.) The three songs I got to see were great. Yeah, that was 3 songs. Lazy Eye sounded awesome live. The band even had some eye candy for us guys.... I'd like to write more, but there's not much to say. I'd like to see them do a whole set. This is the band I really wanted to check out. :(

OK Go were up next. I'd heard positive things about the band, but they didn't impress live. They are in their fifth week of this tour, and the band seems to be running out of steam already. The played a pretty animated set, but the singing and the playing came across a bit flat. The antics on stage seemed a bit forced, and I think the crowd could tell. It's somewhat of a shame when you get the most crowd reaction during a cover of ELO 's "Don't Bring Me Down" than you do for any of your songs. On the other hand, maybe most of the crowd were just waiting for treadmills to be brought on stage. I'm guessing the guy who yelled "Dance!" between songs was disappointed there weren't any. At least the interaction with the crowd between songs was entertaining. Maybe a smaller venue would be a better place to see them play.

After what seemed ages, Snow Patrol finally took the stage. Gary seemed a bit off at first; a little slow on delivery or mumbling over a lyric at times. Honestly, I was a bit worried that I had drove 3 hours for a so-so show. However, after a couple songs, he was really into it and was singing great. They played a great mix of songs from Finale Straw and Eyes Open. I wish I had a better memory for song order, but I can tell you that they seemed to have played nearly every song from both albums. I know I heard everyone I wanted to hear. I don't think I've ever realized how many songs of theirs mention "eyes" in the lyrics. Gary seemed to be in great spirits and even broke into a small, playful rant against Budweiser at one point; ending the rant with the word "cunts", which he later apologized for and had the crowd scream loudly to exorcise the demons of it. Other than seeing Snow Patrol, the highlight had to be Kelly (sp?). No, I have no idea who she is either, but they pull a member of the audience to help them do "Set the Fire to the Third Bar". When he asked for a volunteer, her friends all pointed to hear and Gary noticed. She agreed to do it and found herself, looking very shocked and somewhat scared, on stage. She did a fabulous job. No, she's not exactly Martha Wainwright, but she sounded good and knew all the words (evidently Chicago was lucky in this respect, because Gary noted some of the horror stories of past performances). It was cool to see someone go from a slightly frightened demeanor to acutally singing, dancing and enjoying themself on stage. She really got into it and you could tell that Gary was impressed too. She got a thunderous applause as she left stage; naturally stopping to hug everyone first. :)

The crowd was really into the songs they played and heartily sang along; even topping Gary at times. In the end, I think I heard someone say that they played 17 songs, which must have lasted nearly 2 hours. It was midnight (IN time) when I got to my car, and I still had a 3 hour drive home; once I finally got on the road that is. For the first time ever, I got turned around and a bit lost in Chicago. I think I need to get more sleep. :)

“You can get our CD for only 10 of your US dollars!”

Zeroskilz — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 02:27:54 GMT

And if I didn’t already own it, I would have bought it. :) The Cinematics released their debut album, Cinematics, two weeks ago here in the US. Thanks to an earlier release date in the UK and the powers of Mog, I’ve been listening to the album for a couple of months now. :) For the record, I did purchase a copy when it released here.

The show was located at the Canopy Club on the sprawling campus of the University of Illinois in Urbana, IL. It’s a two hour drive from Indanapolis, but I was pretty excited about seeing them play. The Canopy Club was an impressive place for a campus bar. While the front of the bar is pretty standard for college bars, the back of the bar connects to the remenants of an old theater; naturally, all the floor seating has been removed. The sound in the place was deafening but not bad. All in all, the place provided the kind of intimate setting that every music fan dreams of seeing their favorite bands play in.

Unfortunately, The Cinematics opened first. It was only after talking with the band that I found out that they take turns with the second opening band on who opens first. I say unfortunately because they played a great set and there were not a lot of people there to see them play; maybe only about 40 people. The band doesn't play a very dynamic set; opting mostly for a kind of shoegazing stance at times and some light banter with the crowd between songs. What they lack in animation, they make up for in passion. The singer seems to really pour himself into the songs. They opened up with Sunday Sun followed by Keep Forgetting. Their set ended with Break and Asleep at the Wheel, which I had already figured would be the ending song. The staccatto drum beat and the guitars at the end of the song provide for a dramatic way to end a set. I don't remember the order of the other songs, but they also played: Ready Now, A Strange Education, Maybe Someday, Alright and Human. By the end, they had played ever song I wanted to hear. I only wish they had more to offer. They seem to have made a few fans in the crowd; as I saw several people swing by the merch counter to pick up a copy of the CD.

continued in comments...

Listening Skills

Zeroskilz — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 15:37:01 GMT

As I was laying on my couch listening to my Sigur Ros record this morning, old conversations floated to mind. Hoppipolla was playing, and I kept getting pulled into the sound of the music. Sigur Ros is an Icelandic band, and the songs they sing are not in English. Sometimes it bothers me to not know the lyrics to a song to which I am listening. Sometimes it just doesn't matter. I think the difference for me is how the voice sounds with the music. Sigur Ros plays a very ethereal type of music, and the singer's voice blends in with the insturments. They sound like the belong together, and I listen to the voice as another insturment. There are other bands, like Rammstein, where the voice provides a drastic counter to the music instead of blending in. Again, I don't mind this. They (the voice and the song) sound like they belong together. There are plenty of non-English singing bands that I cannot get past the foreign lyrics though. So, I guess I'm probably missing out on a lot of good music. Maybe I should have taken more foreign languages in school. :)

How do you listen to songs that you don't understand the words to?

Keeping Busy

Zeroskilz — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 22:39:51 GMT

In the continuing story of finding ways to add excessive mileage to my new car, I'm road-tripping again the next two days. Original plans were to make a big triangle. Head 2 hours West to Urbana, IL and see the Cinematics/Mute Math show and then crash at a hotel for the night. The next day, I'd call off work and head North 2 hours to Chicago, where I will see the Silversun Pickups/OK Go/Snow Patrol show. I was also planning on spending the day with an old friend kicking around town. After the show, I'd drive 3 hours back to the friendly (but musically boring) confines of Indianapolis; waking fresh as a daisy on Tuesday to head to work. :)
Of course, that was all plan. In the meantime, I found that hotels close to the venue in Urbana are running $100 a night. Are you kidding me? I can stay in Chicago for that. Too much. Even driving back home and then up to Chicago won't cost me that much in gas. Also, my friend had to bail on meeting me; so, there's not a lot of reason to get to Chicago early anyway.
At least the bands are still a go. I'll post reviews when I get a chance.

Placebo B-Sides

Zeroskilz — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 17:06:58 GMT

I'm on a mission. The mission is simple. I want to at least hear every Placebo b-side that I know of. I love the band, and I love most of what they do. I have the albums; even the re-released onees with the songs that were not on the original release. Thanks to the powers of Multiply, I even have several live albums and a remix album by several Mexican artists (posted by someone in Australia :) ) But, I have a few I can't find. I'd just like to hear these songs. Any chance you can help me out? Here are the ones I cannot find but have seen references to.

Dark Globe
Eyesight To The Blind
Then the Clouds will open up for Me
Mars Landing Party
Hare Krishna
Oxygen Thief
Ion
Leeloo
Needledick
The Innocence of Sleep
Dub Psychosis
Little Mo
Leni
Bubblegun
Hug Bubble
Kitch Objekt
Kangaroo Died
2468

If you have some you would like to hear, let me know. I'd be happy to share. :)

Bloc Party @ Congress Theatre

Zeroskilz — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 16:01:54 GMT

While I'm writing reviews, I should get this one out too. :) I spent last night in Chicago again. Yes, this makes for a long and tiring week. But you do what you have to do.

Last night was Bloc Party at the Congress Theater. The place was huge. I mean, it is one of the largest venues I've ever been in. It was a very old theater that had all the old floor seats removed. There was also a balcony that wrapped around 3/4 of the floor section. The place has faded from its former glory, but it must have been beautful in its day. And, as large as the place was, it was also packed. It wasn't lean-on-the-person-in-front-of-you packed, but it was close. The sound was a bit off because everything echoed so much. I don't think standing where I was helped any either, because I was directly under a huge dome in the ceiling (about 30 foot up) and it was concentrating the sound a lot.

Two opening bands last night too. The first was Sebastian Grainger. The second band was Albert Hammond Jr. This band played a really good set. Three guitars, a bass and a drummer is a hard sound to pull off without just making a lot of noise. This band pulled it off in grand style. You can still hear a lot of the Strokes in his music, but that's a plus in my book. If you haven't checked them out yet. Do it. Their album gets a US release this month.

At 9 (must be something magic about this time) Bloc Party took the stage. They started the show with A Song for Clay (still my favorite from the new album) and then pounded out a lot of the songs I really love. They played for about and hour and 20 minutes in total; including two encores. About the middle of the set, they slowed things down a lot and played a few songs I don't care for. In the end though, they played nearly every song from Silent Alarm and all the ones I like from Weekend in the City. If there was a disappointment (well one would be not standing closer), it would be that they didn't play any of the B-sides. I was really hoping to hear England. After the first encore, most everyone left. But Kele was in a great mood and the crowd was really into it, and I had noticed him talking to everyone before leaving the stage. So, I got to get to almost the very front for the final song of the night. :) I've seen a few shows in my time, but Block Party had one of the most amazing light shows I've ever seen.

All in all, a great show. But, two trips to Chicago in one week is a lot. 12 hours of driving is a lot of time for someone who's job isn't driving. As much as I like seeing bands, I gotta limit myself to one out-of-town show a week.

Brand New @ the House of Blues, Chicago

Zeroskilz — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 15:23:32 GMT

Okay, so I'm a little late getting this review out, but it's the first chance I've had to write anything up. I drove to Chicago Tuesday night to see Brand New play at the House of Blues. Never been there? Take a look here. For the record, I'd never been there before either. The floor is a lot smaller than it looks in the pics, but it's an impressive place to see a band. Which is good, because I'll be here to see Placebo next month! :)

Two opening bands on this night. Manchester Orchestra opened followed up by Kevin Devine and the God Damn Band. (Yes, that's really their name.) Manchester Orchestra hit the stage at 6:30. They played a pretty good set of emotion packed songs. I'd recommend checking this band out. They're based our of Atlanta, GA and play some great songs. The lead singer is a little nervous on stage and gets a little winded after singing a song. But, after a few more tour dates (this was day #5), I think they'll be knocking the crowd dead. Kevin Devin was a little less impressive. If you like Ted Leo, you'll like Kevin. The best part of the set was when they covered a Neutral Milk Hotel song. Everyone from MO and even a couple people from Brand New hit the stage to lend a hand. At one point, there were three drum kits and a bass drum playing; in addition to the full band (consisting of a percussionist/violin player, a keyboardist, bass player, lead guitar and rythym guitar) and a second vocalist. The crowd was pretty quite during Kevin's set, but a small pit broke out at one point for MO.

It was an all-ages show; so, you had the kids there who were trying to prove something by shoving their way to the absolute front. There were also the token hipster kids talking about how they had bought their gear at shows and not at Hot Topic like the rest of their friends. There was also the obligatory dates with the girls sleeping on the guy's shouders between bands.

By 9, Brand New hit the stage. I'd worked my way to within 5 people of the front of the stage. The floor was packed. You couldn't stand without touching at least three other people, and when BN started playing, things got crazy. It was a show of highs and lows really. They belted out the emo-pop of their first two albums for a little over an hour. It seemed like the whole crowd knew every song and was challenging the lead singer (Jesse) for who could scream the lyrics better. After the first hour, I was a bit troubled, because I hadn't heard a single song off of the new album yet. In my mind, I was already planning to drive 3 hours home so I could write a scathing review about playing all the songs off the old album becuase that's the one the band thought all the kids owned. This is where the surprise kicked in. After a small intermission, Jesse and the singer from MO returned to stage to sing an acoustic song. It came across real bitter and real sweet, and you knew that things were about to change. Whereas 'Sic Transit Gloria' was more pop and confidence, 'The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me' is pure bitterness. As soon as the solo finished, the band broke into the songs from the new album, and it was another 45 minutes of pure bliss and swaying with the crowd in the pit. Two hours later, the band finished and walked off the stage. By this time, I was covered in sweat (mine and others) from two hours of jumping and swaying and shouting out the lyrics I knew.

By the end of the show, I was soaked and hoarse and still had a 3 hour drive home to head to work. Was it worth it? Hell yeah. But when isn't driving to go see a band you love? When the bands won't come to you, you have to go see them.

I Guess I Did It To Myself

Zeroskilz — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 03:50:42 GMT

Concert season has officially kicked off for me. And, I guess I've kicked common sense to the curb. Concert season started for me on March 3rd, when I drove an hour to see Flogging Molly in Cincinnati and then drove back that night in a snow storm. The show was great. Better than I could have ever dreamed. The driving sucked. There is no better way to suck the enjoyment out of a show than knowing you have to drive home that night.

So, what am I doing this week? Well, I'm driving to Chicago... twice. Yes, that was twice. Tuesday I leave Indy to watch Brand New play at the House of Blues. Nice place; I've stayed there while taking training in Chicago. Since it's a "school night" though, I'll be driving the 3 hours back home to make it into work by 9. (yeah right) As some of you may recall, Wednesdays and Thursdays are pool league nights. These always run late, and I can count on getting home by midnight at the earliest. Friday I head to Chicago again. This time to see Bloc Party. Friday is technically part of the weekend, but I'm going to tough it out and drive home anyway. This last statement should be read as getting a hotel somewhere outside Merrilville. I'm pretty much going to have to rely on Monday night to provide sleep for an entire week. Wish me luck. :)

How do I plan to pull this off? I'm glad you asked. Skittles. Yes, please pay attention, that was Skittles. I learned a long time ago that I can stay awake for hours by eating one Skittle at a time (this takes a lot of driving and a lot of experimentation; only resulting in one incident of me falling asleep and hitting an RV at 70 mph). As long as I have a Skittle, I can stay awake. Now there are other factors that go into the trip too. A full tank of gas must be procured prior to leaving town. Anything else will leave you trying to look invisible while pumping gas into your truck at 1 A.M. in Gary, IN (many time over winner of the prestigous Murder Capital of the US award) at a gas station that is still selling hot wings to walk-ups through a rotating, bullet-proof window. Luckily, I wasn't harrassed, shot or robbed. I lived, but I don't think I'll try it again. A full tank of gas will allow me to get further down I-65 to the creepy gas station on the same exit with the 24 hour porn store. There also happens to be a Mc Donalds here and I can get two apple pies and a large Coke to help get me home (porn free).

To top off the week, I plan on sleeping a lot over the weekend. Working a full week and then repeating the same kind of madness on the weekend, where I plan on spending Sunday night in Urbana, IL watching the Cinematics and then driving to Chicago on Monday to see the Silversun Pickups/OK Go/Snow Patrol show on April 1st (no joke). After that, my life returns to normal, and I'm only out of town one day a week for the rest of the month (two more trips to Chicago and a trip to Nashville, TN). :)

Like I said, wish me luck. If I survive, I'll post show reviews.

This CD Is So Last Year

Zeroskilz — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 22:10:05 GMT

This post has been a while in the making. But, as the perrenial complaint here goes, I've been busy. A while back ago, I stumbled across a post concerning some songs from the 80s. Rawk had posted it, and I chimed in about my limited knowledge of music from the 80s. In short, I'm pretty much an 80s n00b, and I'm so busy trying to keep up with new music, that I rarely make it back to investigate the origins of some of the things I listen to today. Being the generous person that Rawk is, he offered to make a mix of some of his favorite 80s songs. In return, I offered to make a mix of some of my favorite bands. At the time, it seemed like a pretty good deal. After getting his mix CD, I realize that I just need to lay the golden fiddle at Rawk's feet and admit that there is no way my mix is going to be as good as his. But, a deal's a deal, and I will get mine in the mail shortly. I'll let him decide if it is Mog-worthy. :)

Let's start with the case. Yes, the case. Here it is.

When I first opened the package, I didn't realize it, but I was looking at the back. I thought to myself, "Self, Rawk went through a lot of trouble to print this tracklist, and he chose some cool fonts too!" It was only after flipping the case over and seeing the hand-drawn pic that it hit me. Rawk has some of the coolest handwriting I've ever seen. Yes, the case was printed; hand printed. Major props on the handwriting and drawing skills.

Okay, so let's get down to the important part here. What's on the disc? 80s songs. Please pay attention. I'll post the complete tracklist in the comments. I will say that I'd heard several of the songs before. How could I not? I did grow up in the 80s. But, he also sent me a lot of bands I'd never heard of before. There were also some new songs by bands I knew. The last line on the back of the cover states that the songs are, "... some of my personal favorites, so if you don't like them, don't tell me!" No worries Rawk. I spent a couple days at work listening to it and some time in the car too. You did a great job and picked some great songs.

Thanks!

Flogging Molly

Zeroskilz — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 16:44:37 GMT

Tonight kicks off concert season for me, and thought I would make a quick post about it. I'm off to see Flogging Molly. They're playing in Cincinnati tonight at a place called Bogarts. Unfortunately, it's two hours away. I've stocked the car with Coke (the liquid kind) and Skittles for the drive back. I've never seen FM or been to Bogarts before; so, it's two new experiences for me. I love a lot of Flogging Molly's music and have seen some video of live performances. I'm betting the place is going to be utter chaos, and I'll be lovin' every minute of it! :) The only downside is that I don't drink when I travel for shows like this. I think a good pint or a glass of rye would go great with this band.

If you are unfamiliar with their music, you can find several of their songs here. Enjoy and have a good night.

Tracked

Zeroskilz — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 23:29:29 GMT

It wasn't until 1990, when I started college, that I really started getting into music. The college radio station on our tiny campus played some of the best music I'd ever heard. In the evenings, Liquid Magnet Radio would air, and I would get a fix of my new addiction, Industrial. The station would play an hour of sheer energy and chaos with bands like: Front 242, Ministy, Acid Horse, and My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult. But, it was a one-man band and his album, Pretty Hate Machine, that grabbed the largest amount of my attention.

I fell in love with Nine Inch Nails, and it's never really ended. Trent Reznor's music has changed a lot over the years, and I guess I have too. All the buzz about the new ablum this year got me to thinking about all the other albums he's put out. And, as I flipped through my album list, I couldn't help but think about where I was and what I was doing when they were released. Here are the high/low lights of a band I've tracked most of my musical life with.

Pretty Hate Machine (1989; first heard, 1990) - Fresh into college and excited to be away from home. Everything was new and great, and I thought I was on top of the world. I'd listen to this album and call the girlfriend I'd left back home.

Broken (1992; first heard, 1993) - And so was I. I'd proven too immature for college and was working and struggling to get re-admitted to another one. The girlfriend had left me the day I flunked out of school. I eventually got myself pulled together and was lucky enough to get another try.

The Downward Spiral (1994) - By this time, I was on my second major and found something I loved to do. I had made friends with the cute girl in my classes and talked her into going to the NIN concert on campus that year. It wasn't long afterwards that we started dating, and my life was anything but a downward spiral.

Fixed (1992; first heard, 1995) - I ran across this album (released prior to TDS ) in London's Heathrow airport. I was out of country for the first time and travelling on my own. My girlfriend, who had already spent a semester abroad, was spending the summer with a friend in Malta, and I was on my way to meet her there. We lived in an apartment on the island for a month before making a quick tour through various parts of Europe. This was one of only two albums we had to listen to while living in Malta.

Much like Trent's five year hiatus, my life took a break during this period too. I graduated from college and settled for job that promised more than it was deliverying. The girlfriend had moved away, and I just didn't do much. I even lost interest in music for a while; stagnation had set in.

The Fragile (1999) - I started a new job and made a lot of new friends. It was 1999 and a bit of a fragile time with all the Y2K fears. But, we were still young and thought we were were rock stars, and we partied like we were. I really got back into music and was lucky enough to know some people who liked the same stuff I did.

And All That Could Have Been/Still (2002) - It was post Y2K and "all that could have been" just wasn't. The company I worked for went bankrupt. I started a new job doing what I wanted and was even doing something meaningful for once. I was learning a lot of new things and having fun doing it. I was still making it out to concerts and even managed to dragg a friend out to see NIN play a show that year.

With Teeth (2005) - Still working on the same project, but it had lost its luster by now. Most of my friends are too busy with kids and a life of their own to hang out as much anymore. It kind of bites. The job is still meaningful though and there are always new bands to go see; even if it means going alone.

Year Zero (2007) - The new album is coming out this year and there is a lot of buzz. The marketing campaign is a work of twisted genius. What will this album bring to my life? I don't know, but I'm excited. The title sounds promising. ;) I guess I will have to wait and see.

The Propellerheads

Zeroskilz — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 00:20:57 GMT

With all the extra overtime at work and pool league in full swing again, I haven't had much time to Mog recently. But, it doesn't mean that I'm not thinking about music. Today, I found myself thinking about the Propellerheads. With only one album and a handful of EPs to their credit, it doesn't take long to familiarize yourself with their style of music; consisting, primarily, of a rolling baseline and some epic drumming. It's simple, but it works well. After releasing their album in '98 and touring extensively, the band simply faded away. The duo are probably most famous for providing the music to the "famous lobby scene" from the Matix. They also have done a small number of remixes; most notably, a remix of Soul Coughing's Super Bon Bon, which received more airplay than the original version. The band also has the prestige of providing the music for the first of the iPod commercials that Rawkkiddo loves so much. I couldn't find the iPod commercial, but I did find this vid for the song on youtube. Enjoy!