Matmos, San Francisco Art Institute, 6.28.2014

My hands clasped tightly, they did not disappoint. Difficult, orchestral, exhausting, inspiring.

Watch a bit here.

This is pretty dang wonderful.

Americans! Hope your long Thanksgiving weekend was awesome. Mine was filled with this.

Church of Misery and Saviours at Thee Parkside and Oakland Metro

A hand in your darkness, so you won't be afraid...



Postscript: Lou Reed

Secret Chiefs 3, blowing my mind all over my face at The Warfield, San Francisco, 10.20.2013













This was the first time I had the chance to see Secret Chiefs 3, and they were MAGNIFICENT. They were the opener for the also amazing Goblin (here for their first ever American tour) but I had bought the tickets mostly to see Secret Chiefs 3. As opening act, they only played for 30 minutes, but it was still the best show I have seen in a long time.

I am excited to say that after the show we talked with Trey Spruance, who was working his own merch table (respect) and he said they will embark on a West Coast tour in February! I am so there.

No video up of the Warfield show as of today, but here's a sample of the awesome from a few months ago:

I periodically need to watch this to maintain my mental health.



Bonus today: Jimmy Fallon fangirling Alan Rickman as he tells a story about his first movie role as Hans Gruber in that iconic American classic, Die Hard.

Alan Rickman Hurt His Knee in Die Hard, Discovers Punk in “CBGB”

Adorbs all around.

Trevor just brought home the Blixa Bargeld (of Einstürzende Neubauten and Bad Seed fame -- longtime fan here of both bands) and Italian composer Teho Teardo collaboration, Still Smiling.

Dark and tender, with lyrics that cut at the core, delivered in Blixa's signature incredible, all over the map vocal style (including some of the only spoken word I can really handle) set over a string quartet and dirgy industrials, I think it may be virtually flawless.

And I'll admit, I initially balked at the price. Why do I do this to myself? This is definitely one to own on vinyl as well.

Title track:

Stephen Colbert is forever, but in a crisis I'd settle for a Matt Damon booth.

The Colbert Report
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Bonus: Jimmy Fallon *hearts*

The supposed story.

Getting Old is Weird

'Bring on the Dancing Horses' was the first time I ever heard Ian McCulloch's voice, and I can remember exactly how my awkward, shy teenage self felt about it: he sounded like an angel.

I heard this song last night, after squeezing in a gym session, rushing to the grocery before it closed so I could pick something reasonable up for an impromptu barbecue tomorrow with some friends. It came on in the midst of my shop, and it's strange and sad and wonderful to remember that teenage feeling whilst perusing the produce and deciding what kind of trail mix to buy.

This.



Great story about the making of this track on Open Culture, here.

I used to get an inexplicable (but figurative, obvs) rash around Matt Damon. I know.

Purely based on his political and philanthropic work, plus Bourne and 30 Rock, he should have been a shoe-in. But I waited. And now, with his amazing performance in Behind the Candelabra, he's in!

So. Good.



I also have a renewed admiration for Michael Douglas. And holy smokes, Rob Lowe! Or, rather, Rob Lowe's cat face. Fabulous.

Eames as my Tiny Dancer?



Oh guuuuuurl. I squee something awful fierce.

Wow!





Post-Punk/New Wave Super Friends

If you don't get at least a little itch to shake your rump to the new Pharrell-driven Daft Punk song, "Get Lucky," you may not be human.

But the former goth in me is all about this.

I saw the Afghan Whigs last night at the Fillmore in San Francisco, with tickets I was stoked to receive as part of a package deal while supporting the KALX Berkeley fundraiser.

This is the era of the reunion tour, and I have seen some seriously shite, purely money-making, insult-to-the-fans tours lately where the band hates themselves, their fans, and their songs. Not so with the Afghan Whigs -- they killed it! Not only was the band in top form, rocking like it was 1994, but genius singer and songwriter Greg Dulli's voice has not aged. For a man who yells a lot of his lyrics, that is saying something!

So. good.

Apparently it is homecoming week at my hometown high school. Being someone who was more inclined in high school to ditch pep rallies to smoke cloves in the drain pipe that ran under the lower student parking lot, I was never a high school sports fan, so strangely my one high school regret is not joining the biggest supporters of high school football, the band. And that is because ours was the world class Golden Regiment, celebrating 30 years this year.

I remember them being amazing when my parents took me to a free concert at the high school gymnasium when I was in middle school. I had a lot of friends who played in band, many during the 200 strong marching band days fueled by the direction of the inimitable Pat Sieben.

This is the closest video of the band in age I could find to my high school years -- ironically, at a parade in Canada -- and while it is short and not particularly noteworthy music-wise, it gives you a bit of an idea of how bitchin' band was at my high school.

Haha, VICTORY!

Pop Music Too Loud and All Sounds the Same: Official

A team led by artificial intelligence specialist Joan Serra at the Spanish National Research Council ran music from the last 50 years through some complex algorithms and found that pop songs have become intrinsically louder and more bland in terms of the chords, melodies and types of sound used.
  
This is from Reuters, not the Onion, so I now have no shame in requesting that you please vacate my literal and figurative area of aesthetic and recreational space, planted with durable things, subject to weed, pest control, and practices aimed at its maintenance, and regularly mowed to ensure an acceptable length. NOW.

Adam Yauch, founding member of the Beastie Boys, died today at 47.

Shocked and sad, though remembering the kind of playful spirit he contributed to the Beastie Boys -- like the image above from 'Sabotage' -- may be just what he would want instead of melancholy.

Worst Album Covers of All Time

And in keeping with the visual theme...

I am 11, and just got MTV on the DL in my tiny town because a family member is dating someone who works for Viacom. I am mesmerized.



Whitney Houston, 1963-2012

Too young, so sad.