Floating Away

Downtown Art Walk/Ride

As an art lover and an all around out of shape dude, I am a bit upset that I missed the first ever Downtown Art Ride last Thursday.  eecue and blogdowntown participated.  I suppose I would need a bike before I could participate. 

The second Thursday of every month is now both the Downtown Art Walk and Downtown Art Ride.  eecue came up with the idea to ride bikes and made this nifty map to help you out.  The image to your left is one of his and is from MONA (Museum of Neon Art). 

From blogdowntown:
"The idea is simple: the Art Walk is too big to walk, but perfectly sized to bike. Come on the ride, spend 10 minutes in each gallery, and when the ride's over go back to the ones you really liked to check out in more depth. We meet at 5pm on Art Walk days (second Thursday of each month) at Downtown Art Gallery. Ride leaves DAG at 5:30.

Bring a lock."

Jeff Tweedy @ The Henry Fonda 2/12

I had a great weekend that seemed to last forever as I saw three great shows, but the highlight was last night as Jeff Tweedy played to a sold out crowd of very tall men at the Henry Fonda.  As predicted, he played a mixed set ranging from new Loose Fur ("The Ruling Class"), Mermaid Ave songs ("California Stars"), Wilco songs ("Sunken Treasure", "Theologians", "I am trying to break your heart") and an amazing collaboration with his son Spencer on "I'm The Man Who Loves You".

Glenn Kotche opened and joined Tweedy in his last encore to play to play several songs (most notably was a great version of "Laminated Cat"/"Not For the Season").  After Glenn left the stage, Tweedy did "Acuff Rose" without the PA system.  It was really incredible.

In Wilco / Loose Fur / Tweedy news:
Rich has some Loose Fur songs up.
Life Goes Off was there and has a setlist & review.
An Aquarium Drunkard has a live Jeff Tweedy show from July 2003 at the Vic in Chicago.

Massive Attack, Ted Leo Added to Coachella's Sunday Lineup

We have been talking about Coachella for some time.  We have never gone and were thinking about Sunday over Saturday.  Last night, Adam mentioned that there were some additions to Sunday's lineup. 

Sure enough, he was right.  We are definitely going now that Massive Attack and Ted Leo are appearing. I am all but set to get my ticket, but with one lingering question . . . In what world does Massive Attack open for Tool?

"Massive Attack has confirmed a long-rumored appearance at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, to be held April 29-30 in Indio, Calif. The U.K. act will play on the mainstage during the event's second night, right before headliners Tool. This will be Massive Attack's first American appearance in eight years and will come ahead of an international tour that will run from June through September." (from Billboard)

MP3: Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone - Ted Leo
MP3: Biomusicology - Ted Leo
MP3: Me and Mia - Ted Leo
MP3: Teardrop - Massive Attack

The Weekend Preview, Part 3 of 3

Sunday, February 12:
Jeff Tweedy, The Music Box at The Henry Fonda Theater

I am sort of obsessed with Wilco.  They are the best American band out there right now and have created some incredible music through their careers.  A couple of months ago, I read Learning How To Die by Greg Kot which chronicles Wilco/Jeff Tweedy from the formation and dismantling of Uncle Tupelo all the way through to the beginning of recording A Ghost is Born.  Tweedy is a bit out there, constantly changing his band around so much that the same members have never recorded an album back to back. 

His solo shows are great because the crowd knows every word but only sing only when appropriate (New Madrid, Passenger Side) and are silent when they need to be (Ashes of American Flags, Sunken Treasure).  He never comes with a setlist and plays what he wants, with selections from Uncle Tupelo to Wilco to Loose Fur to the Minus Five to some random covers.  My favorite thing about Tweedy solo shows is the dismantling of familiar songs and restructuring them into a solo way that will blow your mind. 

The LA Times profiles Tweedy in today's paper and reviews the San Francisco show.

He is also playing the Music Box on Monday (both shows are sold out).

Be prepared:

MP3: Spiders (Kidsmoke) - Jeff Tweedy
MP3: I Wish I Was Your Mother (Mott the Hoople Cover) - Jeff Tweedy
MP3: Love and Mercy (Brian Wilson Cover) - Jeff Tweedy
MP3: Wait Up (Uncle Tupelo Cover) - Jeff Tweedy

 

The Autumn Defense, The Court and Spart @ Tangier | Pics

Jason and I headed out to Tangier in Los Feliz tonight for a night of soft rock.  Neither of us had been to Tangier, which is officially part of The Fold, and both really loved the venue.  We didn't get there in time to see Biirdie, but did manage to catch all of The Court and Spark.  I had known about this band for some time and while I had a pretty good idea of what they were going to sound like (country twang rock), I really liked what I heard.

They played a Townes Van Zandt cover ("Don't Let the Sunshine Fool Ya") and some new songs that I really liked.  Court and Spark will be heading north with the Autumn Defense, but will be back in LA in March (dates below).

When the Autumn Defense (John Stirrat and Pat Sansone of Wilco) came on and began playing, I was immediately impressed with their harmonizing.  Pat Sansone (who has worked with Josh Rouse on Under The Cold Blue Stars) has an incredible voice and some of the new songs they played were absolutely gorgeous.  Although we had some distractions (mainly John Stirrat's beard and a lot of people talking), they did a great version of "It's Just That Simple", from A.M. (which I believe is the only John Stirrat song on any Wilco album).

The music tonight really reminded me of all the great music out there that I don't really listen to as much as I once did.  It made me want to go home and only listen to Cub Country, Holopaw, or Ryan Adam's Heartbreaker.  Instead I am going to bed.

I was kinda hoping that Jeff Tweedy would make a cameo as he had tonight off on his solo tour and is travelling from San Francisco to San Diego, but that didn't happen.

MP3: Suffolk Down Upon The Night - The Court and Spark
MP3: Fireworks - The Court and Spark
MP3: It's Just That Simple - Wilco
MP3:  Don't Let The Sunshine Fool Ya - Townes Van Zandt 

Tour dates and pictures after the jump . . .

The State of Television

We are big fans of television. We love our DVR and it loves us back by providing quality programming. But, this week is a sad week. Kaitlin Cooper 2.0 is heading back to boarding school, The Grammys were dissapointing (didn't that Jay-Z/Linkin Park mashup happen two years ago), Love Monkey has just been cancelled and the saddest of all is that the Arrested Development's funeral is tonight.

Arrested Development is a superb show full of smart writing and a great ensemble cast that developed a great cult following, but didn't draw the ratings and adverstising revenue that Fox was hoping for.  Fox ordered the last four episodes several months ago and are airing them all tonight in one two hour block to complete against the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics. 

This seems to be a trend that has hit close to home several times in our lives. Some of my favorite recent programs I have discovered on DVD way after they have been cancelled prematurely. Why isn't Sportsnight or Freaks and Geeks on TV anymore? What show was cancelled that you really loved? And most importantly, what will you choose tonight . . . Arrested or The Winter Olympics?

For Arrested Development:
MP3: Farewell Goodbye - M83

It's official: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

An OC jury has ruled that the Angels can remain as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  However, rumor has it that Arte is not going to stop there.  In order to maximize its fan base, the Angels have scheduled a press conference to announce their new name and logo for 2006:  The Los Angeles Angels at Gene Autry Way in Orange County, West Coast, Planet Earth, of Anaheim.

Can you come up with a better name?

MP3:  I See Red - Neil & Tim Finn.  This is my official, unofficial song of the Angels.

The Weekend Preview, Part 2 of 3

Saturday will take me to Hollywood as Stars and the Elected play the Avalon.  The last time Stars was in town, they played an instore at Amoeba and opened up for Death Cab at the Wiltern.  The Elected is the other half of Rilo Kiley (some say the good half) and are touring in support of their new album, "Sun, Sun, Sun".

Stars

"Stars...hearts are in 1980s Britain. Like the wonderful Broken Social Scene, with whom they share (a) bassist... Stars create grand, sweeping tunes, dreamy as they are poppy..." (Harp Magazine)

MP3: Your Ex-Lover is Dead (live on WEXP) - Stars
MP3: Reunion (live on WEXP) - Stars
 
*****
The Elected

"Recorded almost solely from hotel rooms on the road and primarily self produced [The Elected's new album] Sun, Sun, Sun shines with a sense of intimate longing, which is perhaps its greatest strength. The emotional volatity Sennett experienced on tour is aptly captured, particularly on songs like 'Not Going Home' and 'Would You Come With Me'". (from Relix)

MP3: Not Going Home - The Elected

KCRW's Sounds Eclectic Evening

KCRW has announced the details for their annual benefit concert.  Tickets went on sale this morning for members and go on sale to the general public on February 20th.

A Sounds Eclectic Evening
Saturday, March 25, 2006
At The Gibson Amphitheatre

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE
BEN HARPER
GOMEZ
LEWIS TAYLOR
FEIST
GOLDSPOT

More Artists TBA
Plus Surprise Special Guests!

MP3: Title and Registration - Death Cab for Cutie
MP3: Catch Me Up - Gomez
MP3: Friday - Goldspot

Super Bowl XL: $83,000 per second

Yeah, I know...this post is a little late.  Here's the deal with commercials.  Most of them suck.  But every now and then, one grabs your attention.  Sometimes it's good, sometimes bad, and sometimes, well sometimes it's a trainwreck that you can't take your eyes off.  And by trainwreck I mean utter-milk-spewing-breasts.

This spot from PETA was too risque for ABC's 5 second sensor...so it never aired.

This spot from Sprint is hysterical.  It's just a matter of time before all phones come with crime prevention.

Seriously folks...six blades?  Enough is enough already.  Does anything look less appealing than the five-blade animation?  Would you really want to rub this against your face?