Yesterday was the Warped Tour stop . Over a month ago, I got the press request form, filled it and…didn’t send it back. When I hadn’t heard anything last week, I emailed, found out they didn’t have my request and then sent it. I was thinking I was just too late, but Monday evening, I did get the confirmation. Despite the encroachment of corporate sponsors (which is really not so bad as it sounds) and the shift away from its old “punk rock summer camp” ethos that dominated my first run of attendance (1997-2002), the last three years have still been a lot of fun and I’ve seen far more good performances than bad. This was probably the leanest year yet in terms of punk, but the sets I caught from Flatfoot 56 and Face to Face were great. As always, Warped Tour’s schedule means that tough decisions will be made and good bands will be missed. In choosing Flatfoot 56 over Dillinger Escape Plan, I got the better end of the deal (especially with a stirring singalong of “Amazing Grace”), but in catching the end of DEP’s set let me know just how high a price I paid. I missed the Casualties Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band altogether. I did see Andrew WK who I’d always heard put on a good show, but nothing prepared me for just how good he was. Despite songs that revolve around partying, there’s an incredibly positive vibe embodied by his parting comment to the crowd: “Life is too good not to live.” Amen, brother. All in all, it was a solid day of sun and tunes.
Last weekend was Baltimore’s Artscape festival. In the past, I’ve seen Los Lobos, Joan Jett and Robert Randolph (the last two with my daughter), but this year, the best they could conjure up was Gov’t Mule. I debated going. Then I was looking at the Gov’t Mule website and saw that they record and sell most of their shows as downloads. Cool, right? Not at $12.95 to $14.95! What a slap in the face to their fans. They make money on the show and the merch and then they turn around and charge more than the cost of a standard album download from iTunes. Needless to say, I didn’t bother fighting the crowds to see a band that I have no great interest in and then found that I couldn’t even respect.
Last week, I said that I’d have more on my playlist this week. Well, I’ve been spending a lot of time watching two cartoons with my kids: Avatar: The Last Airbender and Invader Zim. Oddly enough, the cartoon doesn’t make me want to see the Last Airbender film. The cartoon is so full of adventure and character that I really think boiling it down into a movie won’t hold up to the expectation the animated series sets. Invader Zim, in contrast, is just goofy and fun. Anyway, that’s why I haven’t listened to as much music this week as I usually do.
Face to Face on Warped Tour:
Madness – One Step Beyond
Madness – Absolutely
Madness – Mad Not Mad
Madness – Keep Moving
Deaf Scene – s/t EP
Thrice – Alchemy Index Volume I and II
v/a – Warped Tour 2010 Compilation
I was at Sound Garden on Friday and found the first Tim Hecker CD used. It’s as strong or stronger than anything else he’s done. If you like electronic/ambient, give him a listen.
Finally got through the latest OK Go… it’s very good. At times it reminds me of Pulp. Also downloaded the OK Go / Bonerama collaboration. Wish the trombone was more prominent, but there are definitely some cool moments on that one.
Tim Hecker – Haunt Me, Haunt Me Do It Again
Pan American – (all albums)
Tom Waits – Blood Money
Delibes – Lakme (Mesple/Lombard)
Underworld – Second Toughest in the Infants
Ellen Allien and Apparat – Orchestra of Bubbles
James Murphy & Pat Mahoney – FabricLive.36
Burial – self-titled
Burial – Untrue
V/A – Box of Dub: Dubstep and Future Dub
OK Go – Of the Blue Colour of the Sky
OK Go & Bonerama – You’re Not Alone
Parliament – 12″ Collection and More
Listening…
Stratovarius-Polaris and Inifinite double disc re-issues
Mass-all four recent re-issues
Blind Illusion-The sane asylum
Sister Sin-True sound of the underground
Jorn-Dio
Empires of Eden-Reborn in fire
Constantine-Shredcore
Dragon’s Core-Elektro Motion
Reading…
The Joy Machine
The 33 year old rookie
Watching…
Big Bang Theory season 2
North by Northwest
I saw Robert Randolph around five or six years ago and he was amazing. I’m not all that impressed with his studio material, but he’s really something special live – an incredible talent to say the least.
King Crimson – USA
King Crimson – Larks’ Tongues in Aspic
King Crimson – Power to Believe
Bad Brains – Bad Brains
Janes Addiction – Up From the Catacombs
John Coltrane – The Essential John Coltrane
Bruce Springsteen – Born in the USA
Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run
Radiohead – In Rainbows
Cat Power – Dear Sir
The Smashing Pumpkins – Gish
The Smashing Pumpkins – Rarities and B Sides
U2 – The Unforgettable Fire
Sounds like a fun time and yes, DEP is one of the most electrifying bands out there. I will admit I was so aghast by the music when I saw them ages ago until I finally “got” them that I realized later I’d borne witness to one of the most fearless bunch of electric hyenas out there. I won’t forget them zig zagging all over the stage, climbing up on amp stacks and leaping off of them…just over the edge mayhem and two pits going in a small club for them…unprecedented at the time. DEP to me is one of the most important metal hybrid acts out there today.
Listening:
Jimi Hendrix – First Rays of the New Rising Sun
Zombi – Spirit Animal
Zombi – Cosmos
The Who: Live at The Isle of Wight Festival 1970
Sonic Youth – Rather Ripped
Thievery Corporation – Radio Retaliation
Stratovarius – Infinite reissue
Nonpoint – Miracle
Lo Pro – The Beautiful Sounds of Revenge
36 Crazyfists – Collisions and Castaways
Kraftwerk – Minimum-Maximum
Alice Cooper – Welcome to My Nightmare
Watching:
Black Sabbath – Classic Albums: Paranoid
Reading:
Roxana Shirazi – The Last Living Slut: Born in Iran, Bred Backstage