AliThinks

Just Photos

It's been a busy day; it was my kids' last full day here. They fly back to France on Friday tomorrow evening. So while I've been thinking about the Black Eyed Peas concert today, I haven't had time to sit down and compose my thoughts about the concert. Here are a couple of photos I took.

This is from the beginning of the show. Each member of BEP had a green cylinder of light to welcome them onstage (they arrived from underneath; it was cool).

I took this early on in the show:

Unfortunately, I couldn't take my Nikon to the concert, but I had a point-and-shoot that belonged to Allan's late sister Jo Ann. It did the job!

You can also look at a slideshow from the local paper, but the photos don't reflect all the costume changes.

More tomorrow about the concert itself.

Quick Post

We took the kids to see the Black Eyed Peas tonight. They put on a great show; and I'll write more about it tomorrow, and post a photo or two.

I Love It So Much I Want To Marry It

One day back in October my boss asked me if I was interested in tickets to see The Decemberists (that night!) at UK's Singletary Center. Allan and I had a previous engagement, so I said no. I regret this. I especially regretted it when I found out after the fact that they were front-row seats.

The Decemberist's latest album, The Hazards Of Love, is my latest thing. At least as far as music goes. Some of you reading this may be thinking I'm so two-thousand-and-late (apologies to The Black-Eyed Peas and Rich Copley), but cut me some slack. I'm old. 

Here's the thing. I know some of the Decemberists' music from hearing it on Radio Paradise, and I like it. I started listening to The Hazards of Love after they played their Lexington show, first on the work iPod, then I bought the thing. This is the kind of album you have to sit down and listen to, kind of like Abbey Road, Dark Side of the Moon, Terrapin Station (shut up), or Grace. Or Summerteeth.

The more I listen to this album, the more I love it. It got me back into listening to an entire album. For years I've been listening to streaming radio, and I'd forgotten what a well-crafted album can sound like when you listen to it in its entirety. It makes me wonder what else I've been missing.

I've Come This Far

I really don't feel like writing (but it is NaBloPoMo), so I'm just going to make this quick. Before yesterday's sad news, I had plans to go see Ben Sollee in concert here in town. My friend Rebecca and I still went, and it was wonderful. And while I can't seem to make any words leave my brain, someone I know did. Maybe it's a cop-out on my part, but here's what Tom Eblen had to say about the show. He got some great photos in the very low light. Oh wait, I do have something to say: Sollee has an exquisite voice.

To finish, I'll post one of Ben Sollee's videos. Because you need to see and hear him.

I Love A Parade

Late this afternoon the city of Lexington held its annual Christmas parade and lighting of the tree. The marching band I'm in participated in the parade, and I wanted to share our routine with those readers who might be interested.

This video was filmed at our last practice, and it mostly shows the hoop girls so that they could watch the video and get the routine down pat. Our bell glockenspiel player had to leave practice early, so you can't hear his essential part in the beginning. Here's the medley: Carol Of The Bells ➞ Hazy Shade Of Winter ➞ Snow Miser ➞ Ice Ice Baby ➞ Here Comes The Sun ➞ Let The Sunshine In. If our videographer posts tonight's performance on YouTube, I'll post it here. It's really much better when we're in costume!

Moar* Music

I know I've talked quite a bit about music here recently, but that's because it's going on. Tuesday night we saw the Wailers; tonight we're seeing the Asylum Street Spankers (a band I'd never heard of until a month ago). Last night we could have seen the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, but we stayed in.

There's so much live music in Lexington, it's just amazing. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to see so many great bands. And the local music scene is just as incredible.

And that's my little quickie post for today. Time to eat dinner and get ready to go. W00t!

*apologies to I Can Has Cheezburger.

Score!

Allan won two tickets to see the Wailers tonight. A perfect ending to a pretty darn good day.

Trippy

Another thing we have in Lexington is a most excellent music blogger whose name is Matt. His blog, You Ain't No Picasso, is full of info, videos, mp3s, and the like. Today he posted this video for Grizzly Bear's song "Ready, Able," stating

...this video is a really draining ordeal. Why? Well, there’s something emotionally taxing about watching a lot of scary acid-nightmare monsters slowly melt and reform, soundtracked by Grizzly Bear’s already-dramatic song.

Well, I kind of like the scary acid-nightmare monsters. But then I'm a sucker for claymation and stop-motion. I like the song, too. In a related note, just two days ago I read in a forum that the Grizzly Bears' album was the best of 2009. (Me? I thought it was The Decemberists' Hazards of Love.) I'd never even heard of The Grizzly Bears, and here are two references in three days. 

Check out the video and tell me if you think it's scary or way cool.

I Need To Invest In A Good Set Of Earplugs

There's no shortage of live music in Lexington. Local, regional, national, and even international (I'm looking at you, Os Mutantes) acts have their place here.

We just got back from seeing Ekoostik Hookah, and WOW. One of my big brothers is a huge fan, and I can see why. Fun stuff. For a jam band, they rock out. (Because, um, when I think "jam band," I think "Grateful Dead," and WE MISS YOU, JERRY!)

My point is that I am so glad there's a lively music scene here. It feeds my soul.

There's more I could write, but my ears are ringing and I just need to sit. And yeah, I'm totally backdating this entry. It's 2 am on Saturday.

Here I Go

OK. I'm going to try NaBloPoMo again. If anything, it will be a good exercise in writing and self-discipline, right?

I've been rather silent here about personal things, but if we are friends on Facebook, you'll know that Allan and I have a pretty rich social life. I suppose one could blame Facebook on what seems to be an across-the-board lassitude with blogging. I'm not the only blogger who's cut way down on posting. To some degree I suppose it's true: Facebook has a more immediate feel to it, plus, you can really control who sees what you post there. 

In any case, let me write a bit about an activity (and a big part of that rich social life I mentioned) that's held me captive (in a good way) for the past 8 months. I'm in a marching band. I play the flute.

This is not just fanfares and John Philip Sousa. This is funked up music performed by some of the most creative people I've ever met. We play music written by Quincy Jones, James Brown, Squirrel Nut Zippers, and Edgar Winter, among others. We have a troupe of dancers called hoop girls, who accompany us with joy, grace, and beauty.

We've been noticed, too. We were asked to play at Louisville's Forecastle Festival this past summer, and last night we held the attention of 1000 people who were at Buster's to see Man Man.

But this isn't just about patting the collective group on the back. (Although, seriously, people? We. Are. Awesome.) It's about how much pleasure I get from playing music again, performing for people, seeing their reactions to the marching band (which really ought to have air quotes around the "marching" part; we strut and mosey and dance), and feeling the creativity and love pouring out of my fellow band mates. 

It's hard to find the words to express all my feelings about the March Madness Marching Band. I'm out of practice with writing, and feel I'll fail if I even try to explain. And while it might sound hyperbolic, I'm pretty sure this is one of the best things that's ever happened to me.

Not Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Lexington

I know I haven't blogged in years, but I just had to mention, in case you didn't see it on Facecrack, that I'll be on Mick Jeffries' Trivial Thursdays show on WRFL tomorrow morning from 7-9 EST.

You can listen here, and if you can't listen live, there will be a podcast of the show here.

I've Let Myself Get Behind

When I last blogged, I was still all high from the English Beat concert (and no, I don't mean that kind of high).

This past Thursday night, I said to Allan, "I feel fortunate to live here." We were driving back to Lexington from Berea, where we'd just seen Habib Koité and Bamada perform. Allan replied "It's amazing how much great music we've heard in the past week." And he was right. It was a banner week for Lexingtonians Who Love Music. Here's a recap of what we saw:

Friday, April 17: Ellee Ven and Big Fresh at Give Into The Groove.

Saturday, April 18: Robert Schneider, Chico Fellini, Ben Sollee, The Sundresses, and Attempt (a Trevor Tremaine creation, and I can't find a specific link for Attempt), all at CD Central for Record Store Day.

Sunday, April 19: The (English) Beat at The Dame.

Thursday, April 23: Habib Koité (link in French) and Bamada at Berea College, Berea, Kentucky.

I've got photos of all the events, but most of them are just hanging out on my hard drive. I did make a Flickr set for Record Store Day. Here's a photo I've posted of Habib Koité.

Allan was right: we've seen an amazing amount of music in the past week.

Music is a balm to my soul; it soothes this savage breast (apologies to William Congreve).

I feel fortunate to live here.

Edit: April 26 also marks the day in 2003 when I decided to stop lurking at the internet radio station I'd been listening to for four months, so I created an account and started commenting. Hoo boy, the website was waaaay different back then. But the important thing is the music. And that's six+ years of aural goodness in my life, and let's not forget that balm thing. Or that soothing thing. 

Texting With My Brother

Last night The Rudies opened for The (English) Beat, and during their set I sent a text message to the older of my older brothers, the one whose utter coolness, along with early MTV, helped mold my musical tastes.

Me: We are about to see the english beat. Wish you were here..

Nate: Can u save it for later?

Me: Lol. Don't think so. I just can't stop it.

Nate: Roger. It ranks right up there. Specially when im wakeling up.

Me: Every saturday when you're window shopping? By the way, have you met jeannette? 

OK, so maybe he and I found it funny, and you don't or won't. But if you are a fan of the Beat, I hope you'll get a chuckle out of it.

Even More Microblogging

J'avance doucement et je rase
les murs de la boîte de jazz*.

*apologies to Michel Jonasz, who wrote and sang those words.

Earworm

Some of you reading this are aware that Allan and I are currently in France. We're in Paris with my kids for their fall break.

In the mornings we take our time getting ready. My daughter turns on the TV; there's cable in the apartment, so she flips around the various video channels and I roll my eyes and think of my mother, who was quite vocal about my watching MTV back in the day.

And if you know me, you know I don't listen to Top 40 or commercial radio. Ever. At home it's streaming radio; in the car it's Sirius satellite radio. So I'm out of the loop of what's popular as far as music goes.

Thank goodness for the video channels. Between them, it's possible to hear the same song three times in the course of however long it takes us to all get ready. I've compiled a list of the catchiest tunes out there. One of them I already knew and liked, and I'll leave you to figure out which one that is. In no particular order, here's what's going through my head, all day every day. The links are to the videos of these songs on YouTube, and they will open in a new window — and that's my disclaimer: click at your own risk. Don't blame me if you get any of these stuck in your head.

Rihanna - Disturbia

Madcon - Beggin'

Kenza Farah - Au Coeur de la Rue

Erik Prydz - Pjanoo

Coldplay - Viva La Vida

Britney Spears - Womanizer

How To Beat The Blues When Your Kids Return To France

1) Meet up with friends at a downtown bar.

2) Go next door to The Dame to see Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

3) Enjoy the music fully.

4) Say hello to Michael Been of The Call, father of Robert Levon Been of BRMC, and sound man for the band.

5) Resist singing "Ya ya ya ya ya ya ya" to him.

6) Sing it anyway, because it's a fucking great song. And then take a crappy cell phone picture with Michael Been. (Because HELLO, STARSTRUCK!) 

7) Go back to the bar next door and have another beer or two.

8) Flirt a little with Peter Hayes of BRMC while he plays darts. (Because HELLO, STARSTRUCK! And also, ADORABLE TINY ASS!)

9) Think about the fact that I gave Michael Been and Peter Hayes my MOO card(s).

10) Hope that they see this blog entry. Hello, fellas! Thanks so much for coming to Lexington!

11) Thank the Internet Gods for helping me find Radio Paradise five+ years ago, because that's where I first heard (of) BRMC.

12) Smile wistfully, because my kids are now safely back in France.

Sofa King Random

My favorite expression these past few months has been "sofa king." Anyway, I went to the grocery store to get a few things—shrimp, red bell pepper, garlic, and fresh ginger—for dinner, and on my way home I heard a song on First Wave that made me say "I have GOT to keep a running list of songs to play at our wedding reception." (No, there's no date set yet.)

I told this to Allan when I got home, and he said "You should blog about it."

Then his eyes got all twinkly, and he added "You know, to get some tongues wagging."

I'm pretty picky about music. There will be no "love ballads" played at our wedding. We will not dance to the "I like big butts" song (I don't even know the name of that song! But I was out of the country during the 90s, so I'm excused).  I'm not sure we can learn to dance to "Thriller" in time. (I'm not opposed to having that played at the reception, though.)

Anyway, if you have a cool song you want to share in the comments, I'll take note.

No promises that I'll let it be played at the reception, however.

Oh, and the song I heard on the radio? It's below the fold. Don't you judge me. I came of age in the 1980s.

C'est Grave

Internet radio is more threatened than ever.