Okay, so if you don't count today (and I'm not. I'm mean, it's already practically dark out in Cleveland, anyway), there are only FIVE days left until Chinese Democracy goes on sale. Five.
I'm not gonna lie. I didn't think I was gonna see it in my lifetime. I mean, there have been some pretty monumental things happening lately (first African-American president-elect, for example) that I'm super stoked to have seen. But this one just seemed like it would always be slightly out of reach, and we'd never hear the end of "Chinese Democrazy" jokes...
So... what's your plans for Sunday (I mean, why should GN'R adhere to the traditional Tuesday release date?)--are you going to tease your hair and throw on a bandana before you head to Best Buy? (I know someone who's doing that AND renting a Camaro for the occasion.)
Anyway, I still have mixed feelings about the whole ordeal. I was really always more of a Slash girl, and Use Your Illusion I was pretty much permanently in my car stereo in 1998 (not because that's when it came out, but because that's when I was 16--old enough to appreciate its awesomeness).
Maybe the hoopla over Chinese Democracy is already over... Maybe I just wanted a reason to post this:
If you haven't heard the exciting news about Blake Schwarzenbach's new band, I suggest you check out that link I just provided for you. You should be sufficiently stoked. Seriously. I know I am.
Look, I'm not gonna lie. I wasn't into Jawbreaker when they were still together. It's slightly before my time/I just didn't know about them. I like them now, but I'd also be lying if I said I owned any of their stuff. I just didn't click with them...
Not so with Mr. Blake's next band, however. I love, love, LOVE, love Jets To Brazil. I own Orange Rhyming Dictionary, Four Cornered Night and Perfecting Loneliness. Okay, so technically, I only have a ripped copy of Loneliness. But I used to own it, then I loaned it to a friend and I never saw it again. Can't really say that I blame them--it's an amazing record. I also have a bootleg rip of JTB playing at the Middle East in Boston June 30, 2003. That was a year before I moved to Boston, but the Middle East was one of my favorite venues in that city, so I like to think I could picture them playing.
"Sea Anemone" might be one of my favorite songs of all time--probably even in my top five (if someone put a gun to my head and made me actually define a top five). I could listen to it on repeat for hours and I'd never get tired of it. That type of music-playing isn't really new for me (just ask Scott. I think he's about ready to kill me for how much I've been playing the new Rejects). But "Sea Anemone" is truly one of those songs that I can hear over and over and actually hear it, each time. Every inflection of Blake's vocals. Every guitar strum. Every line: "Turtle on its back in the desert sea/And you look like a cool drink/Just slightly out of reach."
Anyway, to me, it's just one of those perfect songs, where you actually feel and believe and see every line. I know that sounds totally cheesy, but I think most people who've been touched by a song or a band know exactly what I'm talking about. And it's exciting to me, because I feel like lately, not as many songs have had the same kind of effect on me as "Sea Anemone" or "Via Chicago" by Wilco or "World Away" by Matthew Jay or "Your House" (the acoustic version) by Jimmy Eat World or "Guess I'm Doing Fine" by Beck or "Thirteen" by Ben Kweller. There are only so many bands that I've actually listened to a song and believed it could have been written exactly for me.
Jets To Brazil are like that for me.
And while JTB sadly are no more, quite possibly the next best thing are playing tonight in Brooklyn. And I'm in Cleveland, eating leftover Thin Mint Grasshopper Pie.
So, the season of show-going that I blogged about a bit ago is officially upon us. Last night, Jack's Mannequin invaded the Grog Shop (or Grog Stop, as the limited-edition, autographed poster I bought says). His performance was nothing short of fantastic. I am a big, big fan of the new album, The Glass Passenger, (in fact, I'd put money on it showing up on my year-end list), and he played almost all the songs from the album, plus a couple of older tunes. He even played "Caves," which might be my fave on the album, but it's also deeply personal. (Side note: I tend to really like it when artists get uber-personal on their albums. See: "Thirteen" by Ben Kweller.)
But anyway, the crowd was great, the band sounded fantastic (despite the fact they're all fighting cold/flu crap) and Andrew's piano kept getting pushed around by the people in the front row--that's how intimate the venue was. It's cool because the last time I saw him (not counting Warped) was at the House Of Blues in Cleveland, which is a much bigger room than the Grog.
So. It's gonna be a hard show to top between now and the end of the year. There will be some contenders for sure (See: Dear And The Headlights, also at the Grog). But the next challenge comes tomorrow. But here's the thing--I don't know what show to go to. See, the Chiodos/Silverstein tour is playing at the House Of Blues. And the Senses Fail/Foxy Shazam/Sky Eats Airplane tour is playing at the Beachland (which is not at all close to the HOB). Oh, and Tim, Dredg is playing at the Agora. Did you get your tickets yet?
So, who do I go see? That's where you come in. I have reasons to go to both tours (and I may even try to be super-talented and make it to both). But I'd like to hear your arguments for who I should make the most effort to see and why. The person with the best argument gets a cupcake!*
*That might not be entirely true. But you never know.
So, lots of interesting things happened this weekend:
The Nebraska Huskers won their sixth game of the season, making them bowl-eligible. If we win out the season, and win our bowl game, we're going to turn in a pretty respectable year after all. It's always refreshing when you realize not all hope is lost.
I went to a bar in Cleveland with a mechanical bull and didn't completely hate it.
It didn't actually snow, even though it was maybe kinda supposed to.
I attended a black tie fundraiser on Saturday that raised money for the Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio. The best part? The theme of the night was "Dessert First." Fifteen Cleveland-area chefs made gourmet desserts out of, you guessed it, Girl Scout cookies. Each restaurant had a table set up, and everyone got to go around and sample as much as they wanted!! Before dinner!! Best. Idea. Ever. I gotta say that my favorites came down to a three-way tie between the Do-Si-Dos & Bacon Buckeyes from Lola, Samoan Stuffed Peaches w/ Coconut Rum Sauce from The Olde Harbor Inn, and Fall Peanut Butter Genoise Cake w/ Butternut Squash Ice Cream from Vue. Even better? Everyone got a book with all of the recipes, so when the Girl Scouts start selling cookies again in the winter, I'm going to have a real excuse to stock up on Thin Mints (besides the whole "good cause" thing).
But me in a fancy dress wasn't the craziest thing that happened this weekend.
That honor is reserved for my gas tank. As you can see from this blurry picture, I actually filled up my entire tank for $17.03.
Ten-plus gallons at $1.62/gal?!? I felt like I was back in high school...
I am so proud to have voted in Ohio this year. This is my first year voting in a swing state, and it was well worth it.
I don't think there are words to describe how incredible it is to be witnessing history in the making. Older generations always claimed my generation didn't have a "moment" until 9/11. I'm so glad to have this election happen in my lifetime as a historical event that is actually positive and filled with hope.
And because once the returns started pouring in and Obama clearly won in an electoral vote landslide, there wasn't nearly as much tension as the past two presidential elections (I, like many people, went to bed in 2000 thinking one thing, and woke up to find out differently; in 2004, I lived in Boston and the mood was very somber). So, good thing CNN stepped it up with their amazing hologram technology. Here's a clip of Anderson Cooper's "face to face" interview with Will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas:
Yes. Yes that banner actually says "WILL.I.AM VIA HOLOGRAM." Amazing. The only thing they're really missing is some kick-ass Star Wars-esque sound effects.
Barack Obama is coming to Cleveland today for a rally. This isn't just any rally, either. Bruce Springsteen will be performing and The Plain Dealer is predicting that this might be the largest crowd at an Obama rally yet.
Needless to say, it's downtown at 3:45. The Browns kicked off at home at 1 p.m., practically across the street. I think Cleveland's actually going to feel like a real city this afternoon--people are rarely downtown during the weekend (except in concentrated areas for events or at PlayHouse Square), so I'm thinking it will be pretty electric. Plus, it's the Boss. Who can really argue with that? Communists, that who.
Anyway, here's a clip of Springsteen doing what he does best a few weeks ago in Philadelphia. If you're in the Cleveland area today, I think you know where you should be...
When I talked to Ryan Ross earlier this month for an upcoming piece in AP, he tipped me off that the band were going to be recording a "holiday song" and it "wasn't for Christmas." He laughed when I immediately guessed Halloween, saying that at least he could keep it a secret since he hadn't actually told me Halloween was the correct holiday.
So, without further ado, here's the vid for "It's Almost Halloween," written and recorded by Panic At The Disco.
Do the Trick-Or-Treat with these guys, and then have yourself a very spooky evening. :) (You can also see the band's vid for "Northern Downpour," which debuted on TV yesterday, on altpress.com.)
And yes, I'll be adding this my Monster Mix, for sure.
