Your So Vain

There are times when I miss my days of insane fanaticism, at least for Kaiser Chiefs. Lord knows I'm still insanely fanatical about DW. But yeah, there are days when I miss being insane, not just because things were simpler then, but also because I could laugh when members of the band said ridiculous things. Like, "Oasis have disappeared up their own arse." I could enjoy that sentiment so much more if I wasn't a semi-rational human being. Granted I can still enjoy the quote because I think the Gallagher brothers have long since taken up residence in their own arses, but that's a different thing all together. Because, you have to understand, the reason I dislike the Gallagher brothers so much is the same reason why, when I read the rest of the article, I wished so desperately that I could be a bubble headed fangirl. Back then, I could swallow the inherit shallowness of the rest of what Rick says, because...I wouldn't have seen it that way. I would have agreed wholeheartedly. Now though, it's just rubbish. Vain, pompous, rubbish. Nevertheless, I trust their manager more than I trust Rick, so I'm very excited about getting the album next year ;D

A Quick Note to Potential Parents

Here's just a little piece of advice from me to you: For the love of God do not let your child play a string instrument, such as a violin, unless you are completely and utterly certain that they will be good. Qualities such a child might possess is a good sense of tonality and well developed motor skills. If your child doesn't possess one of these qualities (preferably a good sense of tonality) do not let them near a violin, viola, or cello. Please. My ears don't like bleeding. 0_0

Alright, back to work. I've finally gotten to last week in the archives. Tis exciting.

Suit

So today was a rather big gig for le Kaiser Chiefs and NME, in their typically hypocritical way, covered it like it was the biggest fucking gig of the year. I think it's because the band is working with Mark Ronson, but I'm paranoid about NME giving any band too much exposure. Anywho, in their exuberant coverage, they decided to include a couple of pics in their weekly round-up of music news. Per usual, I immediately freaked out when I sited said picture, because I'm not right in the head. However, once I got over myself, I noticed what Monsieur Ricky was wearing. A suit. Sadly, the two pictures posted at the NME site are basically shite for facial expressions, but still. A suit avec tie. My fevered fangirl brain went positively berserk. So yeah, I just wanted to point that out. Have fun dissecting my insane psyche.

Work

Imagine getting lost on your way to an interview. In a skirt. Now imagine developing blisters because you've been walking for twenty or so minutes in the wrong direction in poorly chosen shoes. Add all of this with a heaping dose of nerves and you've got my Wednesday morning. Okay, now we're going to fast forward to the offices of WPFW. I'm sweaty, nervous, and a minute late for my interview. My feet are also killing me I can't wait to get home. I've basically got the job bagged because the station is that desperate for help. Everything is going nice and smoothly. I figure, a half hour and I'll be on a train back to my bed and my last of "Law and Order" binging.
Around 3:45 that same afternoon I leave the offices of WPFW, after all the shows from about mid-January of this year to the end of February. I'm exhausted, both physically and mentally, and my feet are still killing, only a lot worse because I had to walk around some more to find some place to eat for lunch. However, I did find out that I like falafel. I'll be going back to the station tomorrow, and this time I will be wearing sneakers instead of unbroken-in mary jane's. Despite everything, life is good.
So that's basically been the major events of this last week. I started my first "real" job archiving Gloria Minott's shows from this year and starting this week I'll also be shadowing her producer during the show, which should be fun. Life is indeed good.
Other interesting things:

• The House season finale made me cry. It was both heart-wrenching and very embarrassing.
• Fox was incredibly stupid in cancelling Firefly. It's the best damn show I've seen in ages, at least on this side of the pond.

Well that's it pretties. I'll write sometime in the future.

Official Set Lists From the Past Month (Literally)

Kate Nash, 9:30, 4/17/2008

1. Pumpkin Soup
2. Shit Song
3. Stitching Leggings
4. We Get On
5. Birds
6. Nicest Thing
7. I Hate Seagulls
8. Dickhead
9. Pickpocket
10. Paris
11. Skeleton Song
12. Mariella
13. Mouthwash
14. Foundations

Encore:

• Dont You Want to Share the Guilt
• Model Behaviour
• Merry Happy

General Summary: Started strong and then began introducing her more acoustic side and a shitload of new songs, thus loosing all momentum. Not brilliant, but not horrible.


Flight of the Conchords, Lisner Auditorium, 5/9/08

1. Robots
2. ? [My Name's Tim?]
3. The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)
4. Thing About It
5. Bowie
6. ? (new)
7. Bus Driver's Song [From BBC radio series]
8. Bret, You Got It Going On
9. Mutha'uckas
10. Bret, You Got It Going On
11. If You're Into It
12. Business Time
13. Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros
14. Albie the Racist Dragon

Encore:

• Inner City Pressure
• There Are Angels [new]

General Summary: You know how funny the TV show is? You know how great the songs are? Well, add improv and you've got the gig. Very funny, horrible seats.


The Swell Season, Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 5/17/08

1. Say It To Me Now
2. Lies
3. This Low
4. Moon
5. When Your Mind's Made Up
6. Love Makes Me Cheerful [new]{Your Love Makes Me Cheerful}
7. I Have Joy [new]{I Have Loved You Wrong}
8. Falling Slowly
9. Leave
10. What Happens When the Heart Just Stops?
11. ? {Astral Weeks - Van Morrison cover}
12. ? {Your Face}
13. If You Have to Go, Go With Happiness {Go With Happiness}
14. Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy
15. Once

Encore:

• If You Want Me
• Blue Shoes [Colm Mac Con Iomaire]
• Fitzcarraldo
• Star Star**

General Summary: See previous entry. {Edits with thanks to PlayedLastNight.com, which allowed me to download this magnificent performance}


What's Next: May 28th will see the fifth (or fourth, I can't remember) time I've seen Ben Folds live, June 5th will see a welcome return of the White Rabbits at the Black Cat and in August I'll be seeing We Are Scientists, despite the fact that their new album pretty much sucks. It's going to be a busy summer for me :D

Thank You So Much

When Glen Hansard was twelve he somehow wondered across the National Concert Hall in Dublin. Young Glenny (as I affectionately called him all last night) wondered in and seeing no one but a cleaning lady, after asking said cleaning lady, went up on the stage with his guitar and played a song. At this point in Mr. Hansard's story I was grinning like a mad fool because playing on a concert hall stage is something one never forgets and I can only imagine what it would be like for an aspiring musician/twelve year old. In any event, Glenny was amazed and also determined to play such a venue again. Well, last night, along with the rest of the members that make up the Swell Season, he did and in my ever so humble opinion, it was amazing. Last night's show is the reason I go to see live rock concerts, no matter the venue (except of course the Sonar.) Without a doubt last night's show was the single best performance I have ever seen. And that's all I can say. Best gig ever.

Update on Things to Come

It's my dad's birthday today so I have to be nice to him. :sigh: Anywho, some happy updates on my list of upcoming things:

• Volunteer! Hopefully I'll be doing some volunteer work for the public affairs division of WPFW, but that means an interview which scares the shit out of me. At least I've got my travel route all planned.
• Set list postings! I'll be doing that whole thing shortly after this Saturday's Swell Season show. I'm quite excited.
• Grades! Well, they turned out about where I thought they would, and I'm in good academic standing in terms of my major and in an overall sense. I'm not thrilled, but I'm not failing, even by my fucked up terms.
• Duffy! Which I'm getting today, goddamit.
• No more rain! My hopes came true and we've been rain free for two days! Hurrah!
• [new item] Firefly marathon! If all parties can their collective shit together there will be a marathon of potential awesomeness. And possible brainwashing. Mwhahahahahahahaha

Well that's it. I'm currently rating my entire music library and I'm only at the Beatles. And there's a shitload of Beatles. Ta.
P.S. My dad hated Juno but for some reason doesn't think Belle & Sebastian could possibly be twee. I'm thinking of getting him to listen to some of their earlier stuff, just to prove the point that he's very wrong.

Things to Come

Some things that might be (or, in certain cases, will be) happening this week:

• A massive post of set lists! But no reviews sadly.
• Volunteering! At WPFW if the stars are lined up correctly
• Grades! I just want to know for fucks sake, I just want to know!
• Duffy! Yes her name is ridiculous (what's wrong with Amie?) but she's awesome!
• No more rain! This one's mostly just wishful thinking, but it has to stop raining eventually right?

And that's about it. Look forward to writing here again sometime in the far, far future.

Maturity

In case any of you were wondering how I might react to a Macca*/KC union, here's a little picture:

Oh yeah, I'm mature.
In other news Amy Winehouse has been arrested on suspicion of drug possession and I turn twenty in two days. Yay.


*For those who don't get the reference

And In the End

I move out tomorrow. Next semester I'll be living with a girl named Kathy in Arrington which means I'll have a five minute walk to Pollard instead of a 15 minute walk and A/C during those first two months of hell. There was some choas getting to that point, but I think it will be well worth it. I'm ending the semester not so much on a bang but on a puff, if that, but at least I've got lots of electives and my good grades from last semester to cushion the fall. All in all I've made it through this only slightly scarred and learned quite a lot in the process. It's been a good year.