I just want to head outside and get a snack. Maybe in an hour . . .
I am sorry it has taken so long to post. I had something to go up last week but I just never finished it. I will try to do that now. A few things I should just quickly add is that I replaced five light bulbs in our apartment with energy efficient ones. Pretty simple; hopefully it makes a difference. I also am recovering from Yo La Tengo last evening at Webster Hall. I will try to share more on the show soon.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
It's Just Nice to Walk
Note: It is overcast today, Wednesday, but the weather really has held up from the weekend. You can't help but feel good when the weather cooperates.
So, this past weekend was the most beautiful weekend that we have had all year. And that claim could stretch back into next year as well without much argument, I would think. And while it started off on the wrong foot with the first loss for CRP United, that setback did not overshadow the wonderful weather and our walking around all day Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday started off with some straightening up of the house -- it needed it, and it was good to crank the windows open. On our way south, we stopped at Grand Central for some of the Green Apple Music Festival festivities. We heard a little of Assembly of Dust as we sampled free Lara Bars and chatted with a nice architect from green-conscious firm FXFowle. We then headed down to Other Music where I picked up three wonderful CDs: The Twilight Sad's Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters (wonderful Mogwai-like Scottish band with brogue-heavy lyrics and just enough licks), Loney Dear's Noir (I can't remember where I first heard them but they remind me a bit of lower-fi Belle and Sebastian), and the new Tinariwen (I am am becoming a sucker for African music, whether it's the blues of Ali Farka Toure and Tinariwen or Afro-Pop). From Other Music, we headed west, enjoying the crowds and weather and simply the walk. It is always nice to be able to pace your weekend so you can just enjoy the walk. Our goal was Flight 001, a nice luggage shop on Greenwich (a neighborhood that is looking to change its name to Little Britain). It was a nice stroll, not too many people on the street but just enough to give you people to watch. Our trip to the store was successful, and after some unsuccessful attempts to take the subway home, we jumped into a cab.
Saturday night, we walked the Upper East Side a bit with our friends Nick and Jen, looking for either an outdoor spot to eat dinner or a restaurant that was new to us. We opted for the later, a nice, cozy Turkish restaurant named Peri Ela. Located on Lexington around 91st, the tiny restaurant had warm, wood walls with a pressed-tin ceiling and pop-like silkscreens of women on the walls (reminding me a bit of the 80s and Warhol). The food was quite good -- the mese might not have been as good as Beyoglu but there was a wider variety of more refined entrees.
While Sunday ended up being quite a relaxing day, that does not mean it was rest-filled. We woke up and soon ended to the Lower East Side to meet some friends from Pittsburgh who were visiting family. It is always great to see some Yinzers, that is for sure. The restaurant that we wanted to go to was closed so we ended up at El Castillo de Jagua for some incredibly cheap and quite tasty breakfast that included Dominican sausage and mashed plantains. For the price of a drink somewhere else in the City, Laura and I had a nice, tasty breakfast.
The rest of the afternoon included some gelato in Little Italy, window shopping on Broadway north through SoHo, and finally a subway ride to the southeastern corner of Central Park. There was no way that we wouldn't walk through the park this first cooperative weekend of 2007. Clearly, we were not alone in this thought, as it was the most crowded I have ever seen the park. Choosing to walk through the Children's Zoo, sidestepping the countless number of strollers, might not have been the best bet. But we couldn't help but smile looking at the wobbling kids and chasing parents. We wandered through that end of the park, making sure we stopped by the Central Park Dance Skaters Association pen -- or simply the Disco Skaters. We both agreed that there was something somewhat mesmerizing about watching the skaters, even relaxing. I am not sure I would go so far as to say they are graceful, but there is something as they go around the blue DJ tent, counter clockwise, spinning in and out of each other, twirling, trying hard not to show that they are paying attention to all of us hanging out along the barrier.
We were worn out, to be honest, by the time we got home. It was a good worn out, though. What you feel like after being outside all day. And it was capped by a long-awaited trip to J.G. Melon's. There is just something so good about their burgers. I wish I could eat there more often, to be honest.
So, this is going to get cut off without resolution. I am sorry for that, but I have waited too long to post it. Thanks.
So, this past weekend was the most beautiful weekend that we have had all year. And that claim could stretch back into next year as well without much argument, I would think. And while it started off on the wrong foot with the first loss for CRP United, that setback did not overshadow the wonderful weather and our walking around all day Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday started off with some straightening up of the house -- it needed it, and it was good to crank the windows open. On our way south, we stopped at Grand Central for some of the Green Apple Music Festival festivities. We heard a little of Assembly of Dust as we sampled free Lara Bars and chatted with a nice architect from green-conscious firm FXFowle. We then headed down to Other Music where I picked up three wonderful CDs: The Twilight Sad's Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters (wonderful Mogwai-like Scottish band with brogue-heavy lyrics and just enough licks), Loney Dear's Noir (I can't remember where I first heard them but they remind me a bit of lower-fi Belle and Sebastian), and the new Tinariwen (I am am becoming a sucker for African music, whether it's the blues of Ali Farka Toure and Tinariwen or Afro-Pop). From Other Music, we headed west, enjoying the crowds and weather and simply the walk. It is always nice to be able to pace your weekend so you can just enjoy the walk. Our goal was Flight 001, a nice luggage shop on Greenwich (a neighborhood that is looking to change its name to Little Britain). It was a nice stroll, not too many people on the street but just enough to give you people to watch. Our trip to the store was successful, and after some unsuccessful attempts to take the subway home, we jumped into a cab.
Saturday night, we walked the Upper East Side a bit with our friends Nick and Jen, looking for either an outdoor spot to eat dinner or a restaurant that was new to us. We opted for the later, a nice, cozy Turkish restaurant named Peri Ela. Located on Lexington around 91st, the tiny restaurant had warm, wood walls with a pressed-tin ceiling and pop-like silkscreens of women on the walls (reminding me a bit of the 80s and Warhol). The food was quite good -- the mese might not have been as good as Beyoglu but there was a wider variety of more refined entrees.
While Sunday ended up being quite a relaxing day, that does not mean it was rest-filled. We woke up and soon ended to the Lower East Side to meet some friends from Pittsburgh who were visiting family. It is always great to see some Yinzers, that is for sure. The restaurant that we wanted to go to was closed so we ended up at El Castillo de Jagua for some incredibly cheap and quite tasty breakfast that included Dominican sausage and mashed plantains. For the price of a drink somewhere else in the City, Laura and I had a nice, tasty breakfast.
The rest of the afternoon included some gelato in Little Italy, window shopping on Broadway north through SoHo, and finally a subway ride to the southeastern corner of Central Park. There was no way that we wouldn't walk through the park this first cooperative weekend of 2007. Clearly, we were not alone in this thought, as it was the most crowded I have ever seen the park. Choosing to walk through the Children's Zoo, sidestepping the countless number of strollers, might not have been the best bet. But we couldn't help but smile looking at the wobbling kids and chasing parents. We wandered through that end of the park, making sure we stopped by the Central Park Dance Skaters Association pen -- or simply the Disco Skaters. We both agreed that there was something somewhat mesmerizing about watching the skaters, even relaxing. I am not sure I would go so far as to say they are graceful, but there is something as they go around the blue DJ tent, counter clockwise, spinning in and out of each other, twirling, trying hard not to show that they are paying attention to all of us hanging out along the barrier.
We were worn out, to be honest, by the time we got home. It was a good worn out, though. What you feel like after being outside all day. And it was capped by a long-awaited trip to J.G. Melon's. There is just something so good about their burgers. I wish I could eat there more often, to be honest.
So, this is going to get cut off without resolution. I am sorry for that, but I have waited too long to post it. Thanks.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Can't Stop Listening to . . .
Keith Jarrett, Radiance disc 2: Part XII
The Twilight Sad, Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters: Mapped By What Surrounded Them
Umphrey's McGee, 04.13.07: JaJunk (starting around 4:00)
The Twilight Sad, Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters: Mapped By What Surrounded Them
Umphrey's McGee, 04.13.07: JaJunk (starting around 4:00)
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
My (early) Musical History
This summary was written a few years ago, I think, and has seen a few revisions. But it resurfaced this moning and I thought that it might make for a nice blog post. So hear goes . . .
Growing up, my parents had a bit of a record collection. Jesus Christ Superstar, CSNY, Carly Simon, Simon and Garfunkel, Chuck Mangione (Buffalo!), George Benson. So I would listen to some of those. . . Around the 4th or 5th grade, I found myself listening to a lot of pop radio. The Hits. I also had an ear for dance hall reggae for some reason, lol. By sixth grade, I was listening to The Fat Boys, LL Cool Jay, Run DMC, and the Beastie Boys. (I distinctly remember how I had this misplaced animosity towards Pittsburgh's "new wave" radio station -- how I wish I could go back and listen to REM and The Cure on WXXP now . . . ). I also had a bit of a jazz interest -- if you can call it jazz. Since I played the sax, I started to listen to David Sanborn and Kenny G. I know, I know. But as I mentioned in another thread, that kind of changed when I borrowed my grandmother's vinyl (Sketches in Spain and 'Round About Midnight along with a Grover Washington album).
Somewhere in Middle School, I was turned on to Classic Rock. See, my good friend Craig had two older brothers. The oldest, Scott, was a fan of classic music. Brian liked classic rock. And they fought over Craig's soul. :wink: The Hammer of the Gods won, and I stopped listening to pop. As we played Nintendo and carpet hockey in Craig's basement, we listened to loads of Led Zeppelin (my favorite), The Doors, Jethro Tull, AC/DC, Yes, Styx. I quickly became a Zeppelin fanatic. This was in the late 80s.
As I entered High School, my love for music was really growing. Most of my soccer team-mates were into heavier music -- Guns 'n Roses, old Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax (I loved "I'm The Man"). At the same time, I began to scower Spin and Rolling Stone for what to listen to next in "alternative" music. My favorite band at that time was definitely Pearl Jam -- I got into Temple of the Dog and the Singles Soundtrack (opening my eyes to Screaming Trees and Smashing Pumpkins). I read about Fugazi in one of the magazines as a "father" in the scene, and purchased 13 Songs on tape.
My "alternative" interests also grew (with the help of my Odyssey of the Mind team mates) to include REM, the Violent Femmes, The Cure [note: When my HS girlfriend broke up with me as she was heading to college (I was a year younger), I spent a few days listening to Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me ad naseum.], They Might Be Giants.
In 1992, I saw Lollapalooza 1992. Tenth row. Lush, and then Pearl Jam -- and my life has not been the same since. Seriously. I remember the excitement I felt for days afterwards . . . I can still picture Eddie prowling the stage, and the microphone Al Jourgensen had for Ministry's set, and Ice Cube getting the crowd riled up, and Soundgarden covering Cop Killer . . .
It was around my senior year that my friends and I listened to a bit of the Dead. It might have a bit to do with the scene, but I really dug some of the music (I think the first Dead discs I purchased were What a Long Strange Trip Its Been . . . ). A week after graduation, we saw the Dead at Buckeye Lake. It took my excitement of that Lollapalooza show and just elevated it. That summer, WYEP, a wonderful Indie station here in Pittsburgh played a HORDE set -- the first time I ever heard Phish. It was Fee. So I bought Junta. (I also requested Rusted Root from YEP and they played Cat Turned Blue -- I wanted to hear some local music before heading to ND. I completely fell for Root's Cruel Sun.)
Somewhere in here, I was bitten by the ska bug and would find myself at a great Pittsburgh club skankin' to bands like The Pietasters, Toasters, Regatta 69, and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
At ND, one of my freshman year roommates was from Ft. Collins and my growing "jam band" interest grew to include The Samples, more Phish, Big Head Todd . . .
And there is the foundation for my musical interests. I listen to quite a bit of improvisational rock still -- almost exclusively Umphrey's, with other bands interspersed. I also focus on indie music, either poppy or orchestral rock. And then there are definite jazz favorites, with a strong focus on modern big bands (Italian Instabile Orchestra, Maria Schneider, Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Opek from Pittsburgh . . . ). And while it isn't music, lots of my listening while at work is taken up by NPR, either local New York shows or national shows.
Growing up, my parents had a bit of a record collection. Jesus Christ Superstar, CSNY, Carly Simon, Simon and Garfunkel, Chuck Mangione (Buffalo!), George Benson. So I would listen to some of those. . . Around the 4th or 5th grade, I found myself listening to a lot of pop radio. The Hits. I also had an ear for dance hall reggae for some reason, lol. By sixth grade, I was listening to The Fat Boys, LL Cool Jay, Run DMC, and the Beastie Boys. (I distinctly remember how I had this misplaced animosity towards Pittsburgh's "new wave" radio station -- how I wish I could go back and listen to REM and The Cure on WXXP now . . . ). I also had a bit of a jazz interest -- if you can call it jazz. Since I played the sax, I started to listen to David Sanborn and Kenny G. I know, I know. But as I mentioned in another thread, that kind of changed when I borrowed my grandmother's vinyl (Sketches in Spain and 'Round About Midnight along with a Grover Washington album).
Somewhere in Middle School, I was turned on to Classic Rock. See, my good friend Craig had two older brothers. The oldest, Scott, was a fan of classic music. Brian liked classic rock. And they fought over Craig's soul. :wink: The Hammer of the Gods won, and I stopped listening to pop. As we played Nintendo and carpet hockey in Craig's basement, we listened to loads of Led Zeppelin (my favorite), The Doors, Jethro Tull, AC/DC, Yes, Styx. I quickly became a Zeppelin fanatic. This was in the late 80s.
As I entered High School, my love for music was really growing. Most of my soccer team-mates were into heavier music -- Guns 'n Roses, old Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax (I loved "I'm The Man"). At the same time, I began to scower Spin and Rolling Stone for what to listen to next in "alternative" music. My favorite band at that time was definitely Pearl Jam -- I got into Temple of the Dog and the Singles Soundtrack (opening my eyes to Screaming Trees and Smashing Pumpkins). I read about Fugazi in one of the magazines as a "father" in the scene, and purchased 13 Songs on tape.
My "alternative" interests also grew (with the help of my Odyssey of the Mind team mates) to include REM, the Violent Femmes, The Cure [note: When my HS girlfriend broke up with me as she was heading to college (I was a year younger), I spent a few days listening to Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me ad naseum.], They Might Be Giants.
In 1992, I saw Lollapalooza 1992. Tenth row. Lush, and then Pearl Jam -- and my life has not been the same since. Seriously. I remember the excitement I felt for days afterwards . . . I can still picture Eddie prowling the stage, and the microphone Al Jourgensen had for Ministry's set, and Ice Cube getting the crowd riled up, and Soundgarden covering Cop Killer . . .
It was around my senior year that my friends and I listened to a bit of the Dead. It might have a bit to do with the scene, but I really dug some of the music (I think the first Dead discs I purchased were What a Long Strange Trip Its Been . . . ). A week after graduation, we saw the Dead at Buckeye Lake. It took my excitement of that Lollapalooza show and just elevated it. That summer, WYEP, a wonderful Indie station here in Pittsburgh played a HORDE set -- the first time I ever heard Phish. It was Fee. So I bought Junta. (I also requested Rusted Root from YEP and they played Cat Turned Blue -- I wanted to hear some local music before heading to ND. I completely fell for Root's Cruel Sun.)
Somewhere in here, I was bitten by the ska bug and would find myself at a great Pittsburgh club skankin' to bands like The Pietasters, Toasters, Regatta 69, and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
At ND, one of my freshman year roommates was from Ft. Collins and my growing "jam band" interest grew to include The Samples, more Phish, Big Head Todd . . .
And there is the foundation for my musical interests. I listen to quite a bit of improvisational rock still -- almost exclusively Umphrey's, with other bands interspersed. I also focus on indie music, either poppy or orchestral rock. And then there are definite jazz favorites, with a strong focus on modern big bands (Italian Instabile Orchestra, Maria Schneider, Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Opek from Pittsburgh . . . ). And while it isn't music, lots of my listening while at work is taken up by NPR, either local New York shows or national shows.
Monday, April 16, 2007
An End In Sight
I love the sky that I am catching glimpses off off to the northwest. It is this thin band of white sky, touched with grey bruises, above the New Jersey Palisades. Above that band of light is pale grey-blue cloud ceiling that extends over the rest of the city, off to the east. There is something about that sky that is palpable -- the temperature, the cool, wet wind blowing, the ceasing of rain even though every surface is dripping.
(I should take this time to mention that New York City received more than 8 inches of rain in Central Park yesterday -- the second wettest day on record.)
(I should take this time to mention that New York City received more than 8 inches of rain in Central Park yesterday -- the second wettest day on record.)
Shocking and Sad
My thoughts go out to the students and faculty of Virginia Tech along with their families and friends. I have such a hard time understanding why people do certain things -- and this is no different. I don't think anyone one can share anything that would help me understand . . .
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Can I bring a few companions on this ride?
Page McConnell
04.04.07
Gramercy Theatre, New York, New York
One Set:
Back In the Basement, Runaway Bride, Maid Marion, Heavy Rotation, Complex Wind, Rules I Don't Know, Close to Home, Beauty of a Broken Heart
Encore:
Strange Design (solo), Everyone But Me
Page McConnell's music might not appeal to some Phish fans who are looking for more of an edge -- or at least some "crunch" -- in their post-Phish listening. It certainly is "softer," with an understood emphasis on the keyboards and their textures over the guitar. Even the bass lines are soft and resonant. This style of playing works quite well with Page's vocals, and to my ears, combine to form quite an appealing listening experience.
Last night, Page played his third gig highlighting music from his new album (only the second with this line-up) and while there were a few rough spots, I think they are starting to find a groove. And it is certainly a groove that they are looking for. Either it is a groove leading into a song, or it is a groove that grows from a song. Either way, over half of the songs played last night were pushed to the ten-minute length. The jams were comprised of layers and textures more than the trading off of solos.
Page was on the right of the stage, surrounded by keyboards on four sides. The electric piano was to the front, organ to the right, Moog and another to the left, and what I am guessing was a Rhodes to the back. Throughout the night, he focused mainly on the piano for leads and melody, switching to either side for texture. It was fun to watch him from my spot two-people back, deciding which sound or keyboard he wanted to play next, quickly moving from the piano to the organ, throwing his leg out to press this pedal or that. You have a different perspective when are so close you get to see the musician making decisions on the fly. On the opposite side of the stage, Jared Slomoff joined Page on keyboards for about half of the songs; he had a Rhodes and another. He also sang harmony, and picked up a guitar for the other half. The two keyboards worked, especially for this music. And (sadly?) I think I actually preferred Jared's guitar playing to that of the "lead" guitarist, Adam Zimmon. (Anyone ever see the Dana Carvey stand-up concert where he talks about the faces guitarists make? That is Adam -- he even looks like Carvey. He played with the Spam Allstars as well as Shakira, it seems, but did not stand out last night.) Gabe Jarrett was on drums, and he held a steady beat. Nothing flashy or all that impressive, but his drumming worked as background. I was quite impressed, though, with Rob O'Dea on bass. He has a nice, full tone and plays some great little runs to match Page's organ work. I thought he blended quite well with the music.
The opening instrumental Back In the Basement has a bit of a traditional, Cissy Strut feeling to it. The pairing of Runaway Bride and Maid Marion worked quite well; Runaway Bride was drawn out nicely, letting them open up a bit, and Maid Marion has a great pop feel to it. Heavy Rotation starts off nice and funky while Complex Wind is more "slinky," reminding me of a 50s TV cop show or something. Close to Home might have had the longest jam before the closing Beauty of a Broken Heart. For the first encore, we were treated to a solo Strange Design -- this received a huge roar from the crowd, and quickly turned into a sing-along. (It actually made me wonder, though, what it must feel like for an artist to hear a crowd react to a song from your old band versus how they react to your new music. Does it make them nostalgic, or sad, or is it expected?)
Page has always come across to me as an affable guy, from his smile to his shaggy hair and beard to his overall demeanor (he came out wearing glasses last night that just contributed to the look). During the first jam last night, he even banged his head on the mic as he leaned into the keyboard. And this overall feeling just carries through to his music. It may not be what you are looking for in your music, but for some, I am sure it will just make you smile and bob your head.
04.04.07
Gramercy Theatre, New York, New York
One Set:
Back In the Basement, Runaway Bride, Maid Marion, Heavy Rotation, Complex Wind, Rules I Don't Know, Close to Home, Beauty of a Broken Heart
Encore:
Strange Design (solo), Everyone But Me
Page McConnell's music might not appeal to some Phish fans who are looking for more of an edge -- or at least some "crunch" -- in their post-Phish listening. It certainly is "softer," with an understood emphasis on the keyboards and their textures over the guitar. Even the bass lines are soft and resonant. This style of playing works quite well with Page's vocals, and to my ears, combine to form quite an appealing listening experience.
Last night, Page played his third gig highlighting music from his new album (only the second with this line-up) and while there were a few rough spots, I think they are starting to find a groove. And it is certainly a groove that they are looking for. Either it is a groove leading into a song, or it is a groove that grows from a song. Either way, over half of the songs played last night were pushed to the ten-minute length. The jams were comprised of layers and textures more than the trading off of solos.
Page was on the right of the stage, surrounded by keyboards on four sides. The electric piano was to the front, organ to the right, Moog and another to the left, and what I am guessing was a Rhodes to the back. Throughout the night, he focused mainly on the piano for leads and melody, switching to either side for texture. It was fun to watch him from my spot two-people back, deciding which sound or keyboard he wanted to play next, quickly moving from the piano to the organ, throwing his leg out to press this pedal or that. You have a different perspective when are so close you get to see the musician making decisions on the fly. On the opposite side of the stage, Jared Slomoff joined Page on keyboards for about half of the songs; he had a Rhodes and another. He also sang harmony, and picked up a guitar for the other half. The two keyboards worked, especially for this music. And (sadly?) I think I actually preferred Jared's guitar playing to that of the "lead" guitarist, Adam Zimmon. (Anyone ever see the Dana Carvey stand-up concert where he talks about the faces guitarists make? That is Adam -- he even looks like Carvey. He played with the Spam Allstars as well as Shakira, it seems, but did not stand out last night.) Gabe Jarrett was on drums, and he held a steady beat. Nothing flashy or all that impressive, but his drumming worked as background. I was quite impressed, though, with Rob O'Dea on bass. He has a nice, full tone and plays some great little runs to match Page's organ work. I thought he blended quite well with the music.
The opening instrumental Back In the Basement has a bit of a traditional, Cissy Strut feeling to it. The pairing of Runaway Bride and Maid Marion worked quite well; Runaway Bride was drawn out nicely, letting them open up a bit, and Maid Marion has a great pop feel to it. Heavy Rotation starts off nice and funky while Complex Wind is more "slinky," reminding me of a 50s TV cop show or something. Close to Home might have had the longest jam before the closing Beauty of a Broken Heart. For the first encore, we were treated to a solo Strange Design -- this received a huge roar from the crowd, and quickly turned into a sing-along. (It actually made me wonder, though, what it must feel like for an artist to hear a crowd react to a song from your old band versus how they react to your new music. Does it make them nostalgic, or sad, or is it expected?)
Page has always come across to me as an affable guy, from his smile to his shaggy hair and beard to his overall demeanor (he came out wearing glasses last night that just contributed to the look). During the first jam last night, he even banged his head on the mic as he leaned into the keyboard. And this overall feeling just carries through to his music. It may not be what you are looking for in your music, but for some, I am sure it will just make you smile and bob your head.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
More Penguins Arena News
Here is an article that talks more specifically about the designs for the new arena in Pittsburgh:
Penguins have had designs on new arena for a number of weeks, 03.14.07
(there are quotes from Don Carter, my boss at UDA, near the end of the article)
Also, this past weekend, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published an interesting article on all of the construction happening in Pittsburgh at the moment. Worth glancing at . . .
Penguins have had designs on new arena for a number of weeks, 03.14.07
(there are quotes from Don Carter, my boss at UDA, near the end of the article)
Also, this past weekend, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published an interesting article on all of the construction happening in Pittsburgh at the moment. Worth glancing at . . .
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)