Floating Away

Radiohead @ The Greek Theater, Los Angeles

If one were to look at my record collection or browse my iTunes, one might think I was a big Radiohead fan.  I have all their records and a handful of bootlegs and live stuff.  I think they are incredible, but actually had only seen them once that was many many years ago after Pablo Honey came out.  I had another opportunity to see them a couple years back at the Field Day Fest, but the show got cancelled and rescheduled to Giants Stadium.  I chose not to go as I didn't really want to make the trek to New Jersey.

So, basically, last night was my first time seeing the band.  I hadn't been following the setlists, so I didn't really know what to expect.  We arrived at the Greek Theater a bit late and missed openers Deerhoof.  The people around me were not impressed.

Right before the show began, I was approached by a man named Michael who quickly told me that he snuck in to the show and was roaming around looking for an open seat.  He ended up sitting next to me for a while and right before the lights went down said, "I saw these guys at the Hollywood Bowl in 2001 and it changed my entire concert going experience.  I vowed never to see Phish again." 

If that's not a glowing endorsement, I don't know what is.  The show began and the entire audience was taken aback.  First of all, the sound at the Greek is incredible.  Even with my seats way in the back, I could hear Thom's voice beautifully and heard every bleep and bop like it was meant to be.  With each new song (there were 7!) the crowd was enthusiastic and excited to hear the new material.  Many of the new songs have been on YouTube or floating around the internet for sometime, but Thom Yorke said it best when he said: "This is another song you don't know.  And if you do, you are cooler than everyone else."

The highlight of the show for me was the fact that they played more than half of Kid A and a great live song "Follow Me Around".  "Follow Me Around" has been in their setlists for  years, but have never recorded it.  It sounded absolutely beautiful last night.   

While many people may disagree with me, I still believe that these guys are the best band in the world and last night played like it.  If you have the funds to beg and plead and buy tickets tonight, do it.  It will be worth every penny.

Setlist:
1 You And Whose Army?
2 The National Anthem
3 2+2=5
4 15 Step*
5 Morning Bell
6 Arpeggi*
7 Videotape*
8 Kid A
9 Dollars And Cents
10 Street Spirit
11 All I Need*
12 Nude
13 Paranoid Android
14 Bangers 'n Mash*
15 The Gloaming
16 Idioteque
17 Follow Me Around
18 Everything In Its Right Place

Encore 1
19 There There
20 Down Is The New Up*
21 The Bends
22 How To Disappear Completely

Encore 2
23 House of Cards*
24 Lucky

(Songs with * are new songs)

Al Gore on the Daily Show

Last night, Al Gore appeared on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart to talk about (surprise, surprise) global warming and the climate crisis that we are currently in.  If you have not seen this movie, I highly recommend you see it right away.  I loved it, but then again, I drive a Prius. So, it's tailor made for people like me.

Jon Stewart:
"Tell the truth.  When you do those slides when you show what could happen and you show Florida and you see how it's all almost underwater . . . When that happens . . . do you ever say to yourself . . . GOTCHA!"

See the entire interview here or here.

Redemption

Driving down Fairfax, returning from seeing P. Park @ Hotel Cafe, Dan and I were shocked to see that Eat-a-Pita had redememed themselves with an "A."  A special heart felt Mazel from floatingaway to Eat-a-Pita.  Don't get us wrong, we still won't eat there.  If it's not good enough for Jeff, it's not good enough for us!

Beck @ Wiltern Theater, Los Angeles

Tuesday night, I headed to the Wiltern for what I thought was one of the better live shows I had seen in sometime.  The concept is very simple and brilliant.  Hire a bunch of puppeteers to make marionette puppets of you and have them act out every move you do.  Videotape the puppets and project it on the screen behind you.

"By planting a video camera right in front of their dollhouse of a stage, the production made them larger than life at the Wiltern — it was the puppets, not the people, that were projected on the large video screen throughout the show, moving mouths, arms and legs in coordination with the real musicians." LA Times

Not everyone loved the show though.

"On Wednesday night at the Wiltern he was downright boring. He stood on stage like he'd rather be anywhere else but there. It took him about 30 minutes to even address the audience ("I wanna thank my friends and family for coming out to the show. It's good to be home."). Apparently he needs some new inspiraton, LRH doesn't seem to be cutting it anymore. A friend once warned me against seeing George Jones ("he'll just play all the songs you wanna see in a medley"). Guess what Beck did? Lots of medleys. Did you like Midnight Vultures? He summarized pretty much the whole record into a ten minute medley? Do you like "Loser"? How about watching the recorded version lip synched by puppets? And the sound at the Wiltern is horrible. Beautiful venue. Awful sound." You Set the Scene

I agree with some of that. I am sure Beck is pretty tired of playing Loser, so I thought it was very clever of him to have the puppets perform it solo as opposed to the band doing it.  I did think the sound needed some work and did have some issues hearing the lyrics.  I enjoyed the medley though. 

As in the last tour, Beck closed the show with the dining table bit where members sit around and eat dinner on stage before slowly building a percussion section out of glasses, plates, and silverware.

The week of greatness continues with Radiohead tonight!

Why is this night different from all other nights?

As a Jewish boy growing up with a father from New York, I heard countless stories about Sandy Koufax putting his religion ahead of the team in the World Series.  While I loved the story and appreciate Sandy Koufax for all he has done (both wearing a Dodgers jersey and a yarmulke), I was disappointed by the lack of Jews playing professional sports when I was growing up.  There are a couple of notable Jews playing major league sports (LA Kings Center and former Wolverine Mike Cammalleri and Arizona Diamonbacks right fielder Shawn Green to name a few), but the NBA hasn't had a Jewish player since Danny Schayes left the NBA in 2000.

Well, today was a historic day for Jews and the NBA.  Lior Eliahu made history today when he was the first Israeli born player drafted.  He was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the 44th pick in the NBA's draft.  He was then traded promptly to Houston because apparently they thought Texas would feel more like Israel. 

Immediately after drafting him, ESPN analysts said he is not quite ready to make it to the NBA, but maybe in a couple of years.  Sadly, I realized that my dream of a Jew playing in the NBA was far away, but then I found out that former UCLA Bruin and the 26th pick for the Lakers Jordan Farmar is Jewish!!!  So, thank you to Adonai for bringing a bit of diversity to Staples next year.   

Looking ahead . . .

So, even though I am seeing Beck tonight and Radiohead on Thursday, I am looking ahead to some really great shows in August and September.

August 11th: Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra at the Knitting Factory BUY
Full on orchestral interpretations of Bjork songs.  How can you go wrong?

August 12th: Final Fantasy at the Echo
Chone and I saw him open up for Arcade Fire years ago and were absolutely floored by what happened.  One man, a violin and a sampler.  Don't miss this show.

September 3: The Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players at the Troubadour BUY
To say that this is the greatest live show you have ever seen is an understatement.  Don't misread what I just wrote. I wish more people were as creatively brilliant as the Trachtenberg Family.  If you don't believe me, just listen to David Cross.

Amadou and Mariam @ The El Rey Theater

About a year ago, I heard of Amadou and Mariam.  I am not sure how, but the album ended up on my iTunes.  I listened to it a couple of times and liked it, but forgot about it.

If you haven't heard of them, Amadou and Mariam are an amazing blind couple from Mali that plays what many people refer to as "afro-blues."  Apaprently, they blew the crowd away at Coachella and Bonaroo, so last Saturday I went to check them out at the El Rey Theater.

They perform entirely in French and wear kickass sunglasses (even indoors).  Amadou is an incredible guitarist and manages to lead an amazing band regardless of sight. The crowd loved every second of the show (except for my friend Mat who barely clapped).

It was one of the more diverse concerts I had been to in a while as NPR moms were there with their elementary aged students as well as hipsters.  By the end of the show, the entire place was clapping and singing along.  I did my best to sing along to French.  It was highly entertaining.

If you haven't seen these guys, I highly recommend checking them out.  They are touring throughout the summer and their cd, Dimanche à Bamako, is available everywhere.

MP3: Amadou and Mariam - M'bife

Tour dates after the jump . . .    

So You Think You Can Dance?

Just as a heads-up. My good friend Nikki over at Indie Don't Dance is taking her idea of a vacation by training the next generation of suckers.  I will be taking over while she is working hard in Queens. Tell your friends.   

This made my Sunday

Just when you thought nothing could beat the horn solo, Jimmy Fallon does a mean solo on the spoons.  Also, Conan on guitar and Thomas Hayden Church on percussion.  Floating Away favorite and Seeger Session player Chocolate Genius gets some nice screen time too.

And in case you are a Pete Seeger buff . . .
MP3: The Weavers - Pay Me My Money Down (Live at Carnegie Hall)

LA Film Fest

I have never been to a film festival before.  I dream of Sundance sometimes, just because I think it would be neat thing to do.  The LA Film Festival started yesterday and while I don't know if will satiate all that I hoped a film festival can be, there are a couple of movies that I am looking forward to seeing.

Chalk
As a former teacher, this looks incredible:

Film Description: "Take a peek inside the teachers’ lounge in this hilarious glimpse into the awkward lives of high school teachers. Drawing from the mock-reality show style of “The Office” or “Arrested Development,” writer/director Mike Akel and writer/co-star Chris Mass, both actual teachers, mix comedy with a bittersweet commentary on the obstacles facing our public school teachers. Surrounded by wonderfully deadpan, real life students, the cast delivers ingeniously subtle performances as teachers struggling to win “Teacher of the Year,” decipher school policy, or just make it until the bell rings."
PLAYING: Sunday, 6/25, 9:15pm @ Italian Cultural Institute, Tuesday 6/27, 7:00pm @ Laemmle Sunset 5 and Saturday 7/01, 2:00pm @ Laemmle Sunset 5.

Old Joy
The LA Weekly gave this movie a glorious review and said it is a film about "our inability to stop time, and about the search for sanctuary in an increasingly chaotic world."  And Will Oldham is in it!

Film Description: Two old friends — one settling down as an expectant father, the other leading a free-form existence — go for a weekend camping trip together. Amidst the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, it becomes apparent that their lives are heading in different directions. Anchored by delicately understated performances by Will Oldham (known for his musical work as Bonnie "Prince" Billy and Palace) and Daniel London, Old Joy is a quiet, powerful look at the ways in which people change and time marches ever on.
PLAYING: Friday 6/23, 5:00pm @ Italian Cultural Institute and Sunday 6/25 @ Landmark's Regent

Brothers of the Head
I kinda have a thing for faux rock documentaries.
Film Description: Spirited away from their home by an unscrupulous music promoter, Barry and Tom are brooding conjoined twins being groomed to become the “next big thing.” But the more outside forces conspire to control the brothers, the more they learn to fight back, transforming their musical sideshow into a fierce proto-punk missive against the world. This pseudo-documentary perfectly captures the rebellious, dark side of the 1970s London music scene, while real-life twins Luke and Harry Treadaway give fiery performances as complex and innovative as punk music itself.
PLAYING: Wednesday 6/28, 4:45 @ Laemmle Sunset 5 and Saturday 7/01, 10:00 pm at Mann Festival Theater

Any movies I am forgetting? What are looking forward to seeing?