Christmas stuff & recaps

Ok, guess it's the time of year for my Christmas post!. Only this year I'm not feeling Christmassy at all, don't know, must have been at the supermarket when the spirit came to visit.. or something. So I'm trying to take it in, get ready for next week, and these are some "new" C. songs I've come across:
* Ra ra riot's version of 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)' (just press play, then click to the right to skip the ad). Song's as brilliant and depressing as always...
* Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson's Winter song (cute, again... sad)
* The bird and the bee's yearly carol "12 days of Christmas" (incoherent but not sad, good!. Cool cool breezy version. But each time I listen to it I can't help wondering about her true love's gift choices - three French hens?-, guess after all I'm lucky with what I get)
* The eccentric nuts combo of the year is "Joseph, Better You Than Me", by... The killers, Elton John, also Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant. Hmm, really?. Whoever says life isn't full of surprises... But good charity cause behind it.
* Not peculiar enough?. Try this, Julian Koster and his Singing saw at Christmas time. Well, like it or not but at the moment it's sold out on amazon.
* And the oldie (I just discovered it though), Rachael Yamagata with River, a cover of Joni Mitchell's. Again, sad, pff. But beautiful.

And suggestions in the gift department (again, following last year's tradition)...
1. This is a nice book (and gossippy, which songs are in Gwyneth's ipod?. Well, not hubby! -she says. And more serious stuff too, there's a really good interview to architect Frank Gehry): Spain...A Culinary Road Trip (places recommended are really good, recipes who knows but who's planning on cooking them anyway?)


2. CD's, my pics:
-A little note: keep Rachael's cd1 for post-Christmas, not the best festive mood setter, and don't miss its last track (yep, the very hidden one that those who aren't deserving will or have already miss/ed - clever Rachael ; )
And in the recaps section, good news for those of you who conclude that New Year's resolutions are in order: I just read that it takes a mere 21 days to make or break a habit, you should be in dry land by the end of January. Bad news is it was in the kind of magazine you really can't trust, obviously. But you can always try, trying is good. I'm just going to try to leave my two worst habits buried in 2008 (ok, maybe only 1) - so can't wait for 2009!!! yippeee!!!!
And one more year going down the drain, ain't that nice... Happy Christmas everybody!!!* Now for the punch!!!!!
Tags: new songs christmas 2008, new christmas tunes 2008, best christmas 2008, christmas presents, christmas cd's

Funnn

Cash Cash... There's a party in your bedroom. A dance energy fun song somebody has recommended -give it a minute-. The kind to jump to on top of your bed when you feel you can't take one more Christmas song ...
They're releasing their forthcoming album in a few days. Funnn.

Carrie Rodriguez at the Gild Hall

Some pics (turned out pretty) from her fantastic show last Saturday. One of those cases when the songs are so much richer live. Super. And she's the nicest person ever.

I've uploaded a bunch of vids on youtube (at the bottom, I had the camera on my lap so I could "forget" about it), couldn't pick one or two as I usually do...

And setlist (she did many of her songs from both her records plus a number of covers including two songs by the Beatles she was going to play the day after at a tribute concert in NY, plus "Steal your love" from Lucinda Williams and "La puñalada trapera", a song her South american grandmother -a former NY radio celeb- sang years ago):

* "Never gonna be your bride":

* She ain't me:

*La puñalada trapera (which translates as sort of "the really nasty despicable backstabbing stabwound" - has no translation really, but you'll get the idea-)-. Some things, you just can't match the Spanish language to express them...

* "50's French movie":

Some NY cool music venues - Rockwood Music Hall, The Cake Shop, The Living Room and the Bowery Ballroom

Some pics of these places. If you happen to go/be in NY and want to hear some good music head for Ludlow St and surroundings (Allen St, Delancey ) and just look around, you're bound to find something really worth it... Don't expect grand and top design chic places (except maybe a bit at Rockwood or Bowery, I didn't go inside that last one) but rather small cosy places full of people and worn down furniture...nice (proof of what I mean: the last pic, inside the Living room, which is divided between literally a living room where you can hang out and have a drink and a big room behind curtains -no door!- where the concerts are held).
* The Living room and the Cakeshop:

* Bowery Ballroom and Rockwood Hall:

* The living room: bar and concert venue:

2008's Lastfm top songs - Oops, I'm mainstream!! + 6 songs worth listening to

Ok, so Lastfm has counted down the most listened to during this year, and if there's a source to be trusted, I guess this is it (though only a certain group of people listen to music there, I know).
So I'm going to list the songs that made it, you can check out the results here but as usual with lastfm it can be quite slow and painful!!:
1. Viva la vida (Coldplay), 2. Violet Hill (Coldplay), 3. Time to pretend (MGMT), 4. Electric feel (MGMT), 5. Life in technicolor (Coldplay), 6. Cemeteries of London (Coldplay), 7. Kissed a girl (Kate Perry), 8. 42 (Coldplay), 9. Strawberry swing (Coldplay) and 10.Kids (MGMT).

So a few notes:
1. Coldplay: agreed, Viva la vida is my pic for best album of the year though it's a band I've only recently started to like. Amaazing.
And Time to pretend: saddest roughest song this year. Best lyrics. At one point we all realize we're "fated to pretend"... even if we try our best not to, right?.
2. Shame! Only one girl in the top ten and it has to be Perry. Boring. Saw "Hot'n cold" video the other day, was ok, but the kissed one .... And so many girls out there so much more deserving...
3. Ooops, I'm mainstream!!. (apart from Perry) these are all in my most played list (not in lastfm, although sort of too, don't check my profile, I haven't downloaded the software so it only reflects the conjunction of serendipity and random -except for the main lines-, mostly listen to radios and songs I like and I don't have so... plus serious restrictions. But great tool to discover new music anyway, I recommend it).
4. Radiohead nowhere to be found, weird. Not a band I listen to much but I thought it would definitely make it...you never know.
And since I've gone "philosophical" with the pretending thing, another two real pieces of plain simple philoso-truth that never fails and yet we keep choosing to ignore:
1. I only like you when you give me cookies (self explanatory):

2.I know this little guy bites fingers but there I go and stick one into his mouth. Guess what ...yeah, he bites me!!!and not like he's sorry...big surprise!!!

Sorry, don't usually post these but couldn't help it..lol.
Ok, back to music. Some pretty songs:
*Dido "Burnin' love"(with citizen Cope. "Without you I've been burning love"...that line is something.). Love this song
* Lisa Miskovsky "Still alive"
* Erin McCarley "Love save the empty" (if you like it check out "Pitter pat" )
* Carla Bruni "L'amoureuse"
* Gabriela Cilmi, "Sweet about me"
* Tilly and the Wall "Falling without knowing" - 80's with a twist
And I've just realized that the other day I "met" Susan Tedeschi!. Didn't know she was Derek Trucks's wife. Funny. Well, if I've seen two people in love...

Nicole Atkins mini informal interview

So the other day after her concert at the World Cafe I asked Nicole about her next album (recorded a bit of it with her permission, that's where I've taken the screen prints from). Last time I caught up with them, back in May, they had plans to start recording a new album after the Summer so...
Still she hasn't started it yet, and won't until she finishes her ongoing tour. Not decided on the producer yet (depends on the material she comes up with) or possible collaborations ... but she has plans to go out to the desert for a while, rent someplace with Greg Dulli (Gutter Twins) and write some songs together. She told me she already worked with him (like 5 years ago), and she's looking forward to it again (but, as she pointed out, it hasn't happened yet so it may not...).

Now for the part I can transcribe:
1. What are the lyrics for the new album about?
It's all about death and heartache...
2.Rhythm's faster, slower...?
No, not faster, just harder and more dramatic...


Looking forward to it.
Thanks to her.

Pfff, I guess I'll blog...

The other day I went to Nicole Atkins' concert at the World Cafe and she was gracious enough to chat a bit after, even let me record a mini interview (won't post, I'm a terrible interviewer), so I'll have to get around to transcribing that soon. As soon as my computer lets me do the screen prints it's not letting me do right now (it's got a mind of its own, as most of my artifacts).
Could also talk about my first ever yoga class today -I know, nothing to do with music and nobody cares, but whatever, guess I'm still traumatized and need to get it out- which was hilarious, specially when the zen music turned to rock guitars by some kind of mistake (had time enough to question my preconceived ideas about yoga though...nah, it was what I thought. Not for me, that slow flow, that stopping to relax every 3 minutes...aaagg, that's my idea of stress!!!).
Also lastfm, been observing it for a while and it's really curious how artists use it these days, a whole marketing study behind it. Also helps me divide between greedy artists (or most times their labels) and generous ones (like Madonna has only 2 full tracks to listen to... c'moon!. My beloved Keane, on the other hand, have all their tunes available to listen, these cold pale English boys...sigh). It's also fun to see what people listen to. It's 12.14 am, nov 10th and one of my "friends" is listening to a Jose Feliciano carol, makes me smile....not the Christmas part. It's been decided that all my family 's to be shipped to my house this once, always gets "interesting" (hence my trying out yoga lessons...will have to look for something else).

Stop...... + Keane.......+ Fidelio....+ Christmas CD (+free download)...

Well, know what?. I think I'm gonna stop blogging for a bit, not feeling like it anymore so... In time I may try to post more stuff about other Philly venues, etc. Have fun!

14/10/08:

And one last note, Keane have released their new album today (no news there), thing is it's for sale on Amazon now through Oct 20 for only $2.99!!!!(at least in the US). Fantastic idea, no excuses left, just bought mine (thought that surprisingly I would not like this one but during the week it's been on lastfm -you could listen to it all for free, another great thing- I am so relieved to say I still love their music, will come in handy). It's funny how things come full circle, I started this blog as a result of having to buy tickets for their show at the Tower Theater and not finding any info on the venue, it's only fair to end it with them- .More so, in very few days I'm going to see a show...at the Tower (second visit ever).

(I still totally dislike the cover art, though..)

16/10/08:

... And a pic of Fidelio, which I saw yesterday at the Academy of music, very new age/minimalist, a good contrast with music:

17/10/08:

One last last note, the Hotel Cafe Tour has released this Christmas CD, looks really good, you can listen to bits in that page (Meiko, Fiona Apple, KT Tunstall...the bomb). A cute Christmas present (still not worrying about those yet).

Meanwhile if anybody's interested in a free download of a hotel cafe tour sampler with 4 songs (Ingrid Michaelson, Thao Nguyen, Kate Havnevik, Meiko), I've one extra code from Starbucks/Itunes. For whoever enters it first : T4TA3NX7JKA6.

I really mean to stop blogging....:) I've indulged myself plenty lately, bought me a super cool Ipod and a family size bag of Twizzlers, and let my thoughts roam freely, now it's time to face the Winter. Am still going to more concerts than ever..

26/10/08:

And with a whirl of my cape (which is what's cool in the pic) I leave! (Halloween party yesterday, I dressed up as Darth Vader but ended up adding devil horns instead of uncomfortable mask!)

Jenny Lewis at the Keswick

She really knows how to work the crowd. Really beautiful voice, the band worked beautifully together, a great team. Loved the concert.

I taped "The big guns":

And the setlist:

Quite a day yesterday, why does everything always have to happen at the same time?. I'm beat. I also came across The Bird and the Bee that day, talked to Greg Kurstin for a few seconds, asked him about the tracks he produced for Jem (Aciiid!), he could have told me to go look at the cd insert but was very nice instead.

Rachael Yamagata at the World Cafe

Rachael Yamagata at the World Cafe, taped "Sidedish friend":

And "What if I leave":

She was the best. This set was really emotional, her songs are no walk in the park, hence her hilarious banter in between songs that deflates it a bit.

Her voice live is just incredible, she had been playing NY the night before and was tired but you couldn't really tell.

Held a meet and greet after the show and she took her time with every single person, no hurry, was really warm and affectionate with everyone. Seems incredible that someone like her has had such bad experiences but I guess that doesn't really have anything to do with it most of the times.

Asked her about sheet music, she said other people had asked as well and she would love to release it but she needs someone to actually write it properly from her stuff and that she tends to stretch notes to the max (I know everybody knows this but just in case... music is Mathematics, and there's all this pile of rules and regulations under the name Harmony that all musicians must abide to if they want the sound to be acceptable, the chords to start and end a song, the transitions -not that musicians bear them in mind when composing but if it sounds good, 99.9% of the times it turns out they are following them... except that then along comes someone like one of the first music "anarchists", Debussy, and sends all these rules directly to the dustbin!. Most people follow them though, geniuses are not common. But Rachael shouldn't worry), she said she might tone it down a bit - really, don't.

Then chatted a bit about the Sidedish thing ( hrgg-ed together, unfairness - I have said it before, I hate unfairness, bad thing since there's tons of it around...and as she said "how can there be people like that?" /and as I say, how can one still miss them), got hugged, took a pic and "the end".

She moved to Philly some time ago so hopefully we will be able to see her onstage often. In fact there are 2 shows scheduled for October at the World Cafe, one with the Hotel Tour, the other one supporting the release of her new album, check them out at the World Cafe website, and don't miss them!. Her concert a few nights before at Johnny Brenda's was sold out, so hurry.

Listen to the show here.

The musicians with her:

Jason Kanakis ( guitar) / Kevin Devine ( guitar) / Jonny Flower (upright & electric bass) / Justin Saunders (cello) & Chris Giraldi (drums).

All of them were so great, Devine and Giraldi, all of them, really.

The Electric Factory info

The Electric Factory is another quite popular concert venue in Philly. Here are some pics (taken April'08):

View of the stage from balcony, you can see there are bars on ground level and on the upper levels (there's like 3 different levels, those at the very top are like more private, covered with a white canopy, with benches, etc to sit). You can usually access the upper levels if you are over 21 (they'll put a stamp on your hand) and there's some pretty good seating there if you can grab it:

Another one:

And a view from the stage:

There's a food booth and a merch booth at the entrance.

The place has a parking lot just in front of the building (see pic), it's about $10. But you can also park in the street (there are parking meters in the ones closest to the venue, but not a little further up, though it's sort of a dangerous neighbourhood so if you park far don't go back to your car alone).

If the info here is useful to you, consider checking out the ads in this blog, you will be supporting it and they may be really helpful on Tower related stuff!! - thanks!.
PS Sept´12: about this, I've had 13.463 page views this year, guess how many clicks in the adds?: 1, no kidding. Not here for the money, but this ... 

Bell x1 + Duh

Some pics from this Friday's Bell x1 show at the World Cafe. Really nice lads. Beautiful voice, a show really worth listening to (at XPN's archives).

Oh, and I've come across this really lovely song, "Angel tangled in the telephone lines", by Amy Kuney. Check it out (am playing it all the time) - only link I can find is in her myspace redirecting to Rhapsody. There's this vid for this other song of hers though, which I also love: "Love is trippy" - third party in the mess? not me, ever, not good at sharing - its trippy part ...totally; hate to use smilers but... ;-)

....So after debating for quite a bit whether to head South to Alanis's concert or North to Stars' (or vice versa, not strong on cardinal orientation, in fact can you even say that? -guess not, whatever, I'm loosing focus here-) ended up spending the evening in home sweet home's couch. Duh-
Just finished up the totally unproductive first half of the weekend by doing something so stupid I can't think of it or else I'll wince so hard my lashes will curl - yeah, that bad...or worse (was an accident, but not that being so clumsy makes me feel better about it!).
This is one of those posts where I've practiced severe self-editing, it didn't look anything like this half hour ago. Will talk about self -editing and analytics in blogs, feel like it. Getting tired of concert posts, I've gone to a few shows lately I haven't even mentioned. There's something next week I definitely will though!

More Tower pics - view of stage from different seats + Row E

Ok, so "Cheech tix person" went to the Tower last weekend and sent me a few pics to post, different views of the stage from different seats, here they go (they're a little zoomed but taken with a phone):
1. Standing In ISLE in orchestra row FF:

2.LOGE CTR LGROW CC, seats 105 and 7:

3. LOWER BALCONY last row:

He asked me to "make sure you put you can see the stage amazingly anywhere and clearly!!!!!!!"
Thanks to "chech tix" once again, it's people like that one I made this blog for.

...And I went back to the Tower in October 08 and took this pic of Row E (right side), which is peculiar because of what it has in front of it, just so you know...

Jakob Dylan at the Artist Den (NY) +Regina Spektor video

Just to have an idea how the Artist Den shows are you can watch this video of Regina Spektor, quality is great (actually I think it's the best of her I've come across so far) and she performs 2 songs, the first one a very short one called Halikha LeKesariya (a.k.a. "Eli, Eli"), of course the second one is easy to identify, they're the only available ones from her set there for now.
Who got lucky and scored free tickets???. Yay!!!!. (actually I entered the "contest" twice, once in my name and another one in someone else's, and then HE got selected! -he hasn't heard a single song from JD!!!- thing is anyway I went...) Pretty exciting and special!. A pic from cell, will complete post soon...

They played for about an hour and a half, and played most -if not all- "Seeing things", and also some of The Wallflowers songs ("Closer", "Here he comes", "How good it can get", "Empire of my mind", "I wish I felt nothing"...). Jakob played two of them solo: "War is kind" and "Here he comes" (changed his mind, I peeked at the setlist before the show started and the one written down was "Josephine"...not in the mood, I guess). I wrote before that he also played "Here comes now" but I may have imagined that one...probably, little sleep (quite a stroll from NJ)...

Another pic (looks almost the same, though).

Regarding the music, since I've already done other 3 posts in the last year (2 of them in May), little more to add. They show the logic effects of months of touring....smoother playing...but not many changes. Some new arrangements I had not heard before (best of the night to me was Empire, really good version). But Dylan seems so be getting deeper into a more linear way of singing that I can't say I prefer.

Setting was really beautiful, sort of a Cambridge college dining room kind of thing, you can look at it at the Desmond Tutu Center website. The night was gorgeous, perfect weather, sea blue sky, almost full moon, a breeze... so the little while we had to wait in the courtyard was even welcome. Then doors opened and it was time to register, later stop at the vodka post (2 kinds: pink lemonade and kaipirinha - Grey Goose sponsored-. I don't think there were more than 3 or 4 drops of vodka on either, which was wise. Not fun a room full of too happy people for a tv show!!). Then up to the venue. The lucky ones grabbed seats, the rest stood by the back of the room. Pretty good sophisticated hors d'oeuvres passed around in trays (sushi, some sort of battered cheese thing, etc., I really don't know the name of these things in English, mmm. Really good).

Audience was a mixture of cool manhatanites -or however you call them-, a few of his usual fans and a number or undefined ones. Getting dressed for this one was tricky, since you were asked not to wear white or light colors, or anything with a logo or readable words on it - for TV's sake. Guys would go for suits or trendy t-shirts with jeans and tattoos (haha at least quite a few), girls a bit of everything. Fun to watch.

And cameras were everywhere. Not thrilled about it but if you wanted to be there you had to take it. They'd film the wait, the registration and then of course the show. There was a specially spooky one that would hoover over our heads or appear by your shoulder when you least expected it. Made you hope they hadn't given a real Grey goose to the operator - apparently not, or at the speed that thing was going a few of us would have left the place with our heads in our purses!.

The only bad thing was the noise, the people by the bar were far too noisy and you could hear them above the music at times. The people seating were a different story -apart from 3 silly hens bathed in make-up and pls-look-at-me attitude that unfortunately were a few rows from me, they should have been kicked out. I'd have volunteered!!. Lol.

Sort of telling silly stuff here...no cool pro music blog this one- uff, I really try but...- not really. Anyway, it may be useful for others who attend the Artist Den in the future.

P.S. I didn't imagine it -I think-, they did sing "Here comes now", somebody else remembered!

Ben Folds at the Mann Center

Ben Folds at the Mann Center with members of The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia.

Sorry but the Mann Center never fails to make my camera very aware of its limitations!!
Uploaded this vid, "The last polka":

Setlist started with a rocking "Zak and Sara" followed by "Smoke" and then a number of songs that included "One down and 3.6 to go", "Landed", "Gracie", "Jesusland", "The ascent of Stan" and others and ended with only one encore, "Lucky". It literally poured with rain that night (hurricane Hanna), I was soaked as many others there, and towels and plastic bags turned to ponchos abounded. Thankfully it stopped raining before the end of the show... still I had never seen the Mann that full -though it wasn't totally sold out. People were real fans, constantly cheering and singing along. But too many wouldn't stay in their seats and spent the night leaving and returning, find that a bit rude.
He would talk in between some of the songs, telling really funny stories. Ben is a fantastic pianist, the orchestra sounded very good in some songs (loved loved loved the woman that directed it - he said too that she was his favourite), a little weird or excessive in others (like that song about parking problems, was kind of funny to hear with those luxurious arrangements...). Also the piano's sound was sometimes turned too low so it was hard to hear it at its quietest parts, specially at the beginning of the act. Speaks volumes about his humbleness but really, we want to hear him. Plus, as a result, it made him play it a bit too hard at times. He did play two songs alone: "One down and 3.6 to go", and "The last polka".
Anyway, he comes up with these tunes that you seem to already have in your heart. "Smoke" (a song I had never heard before that night, I'm a real Folds newbie) was the best to me, magic. Personally like it much more than the cd version.
When the show was over he left through the usual back door as quietly as possible, looking down at his shoes walking over the puddled pavement, looking like he hoped nobody would notice him. Somebody asked him where he was going for drinks, he answered "unless it's at the airport..". Then a group of people managed to take a photo with him -in a rush- and he disappeared into the night.

Liz Phair at the TLA -Philadelphia

A pic from yesterday's concert.

Setlist: "Exile in Guyville" + encore (3 more songs, Polyester bride was the last one)

And a vid of her new song:

Thing is I'm not really into "Exile in Guyville" but into other "softer" "less cool" stuff, mainly songs from whitechocolatespaceegg...but it's always nice to listen to her singing live. Concert felt a little short and she hardly did any banter, which surprised me. She's really petite and she gives the impression she's just a pal improvising a concert for her friends. Even kind of shy at moments. Don't expect perfect tuning here or impeccable singing but she's fresh, she's in total complicity with her audience, the songs work (specially Polyester Bride) and she's fun. Different.

PS: Also uploaded this mini bit duet with someone from the audience that everybody there recalls (she kept asking for a girl to go onstage and sing it with her, but he was determined!. So she called us chicken and said what the ... and picked him!). He did really well:

Melody Gardot at the World Cafe FAN

Some pics from last Friday's Melody Gardot noon concert:

Plus a link to another blogger with much better pics, and a link to XPN's archive where you can listen to the show (except for the last song, a cover of Somewhere over the rainbow), and this vid I recorded (recorded a few, this one's the one that turned out best by far so...):

It seemed to take her a bit to slip into the right vibe and the first two songs sounded somehow uninspired to me, but from then on she just got better and better. She managed to created a special and cozy atmosphere in the place and the sound was really perfect, not loud at all, as it happens too often . It is very welcome for all artists to have a distinct strong personality, but that is specially true of jazz/blues "dames". Surprisingly this woman, at 23, does have it and it becomes clear when you see her performing live.
I don't know about a song she played that appears in the setlist as "Solo", which sounded great, but I haven't been able to locate it.

Offstage she was also super generous, not with the "artist trying to look nice" mask on but actually paying attention and caring about the people there.

And on a more frivolous note, it also takes a special skill to play the piano in those super high heels...!!

I wasn't going to write this post, but some time ago I told someone I would, and even if sometimes the actions of others do set us free from our promises -as it is the case- I'm still keeping mine. Strictly principles.

And a thought for the victims of Wednesday's plane crash in Madrid, and those involved in the rescue, who stepped into grief and void to help total strangers. I met the pilot briefly years ago, a specially good natured person.

Music INDEX

More or less in reverse chronological order (all events in the Philadelphia area during 2007 and 2008):
-I don't always remeber to update these and there's some I don't include so you may want to check the main page or the search box too!-

* Alice Gold and The Pierces at BUsh Hall Jun'11
* A-ha's Farewell Tour, Madrid Oct'10
* Homenaje a Carlos Berlanga, Joy, Madrid Sept'10
* Daisy Chapman, Bristol Harbour Festival UK Jul'10
* Theoretical Girl @ Sala Siroco, Madrid May'10
* Najwa Nimri, B Open Festival, Madrid Apr'10
* Ane Brun at Moby Dick Mar'10
* Camera Obscura at Sala Heineken (Madrid) Nov'09
* The Starlets at Sala Heineken Nov'09
* Elizabeth and the catapult at the World Cafe FAN Jul'09
* Wilco and Conor Oberst at Frawley Stadium (Delaware, Jul'09)
* Diane Birch at the WC - Jul'09
* Melody Gardot at the WC -June'09
* Camera Obscura
* Elizabeth and the Catapult at the Tin Angel - June'09
* Lisa Hannigan at the Artist Den
* The white rabbbits at the WCL
* S
* Tim's got what it takes (Keane)- May'09
* Moby and Citizen Cope discuss radio (Philly)- May'09
* Keane at the Tower theater - May'09
* Meiko & Cory Chisel at the Tin Angel - May'09
* Peter, Bjorn and John at the WCL - May'09
* Neko Case at the Keswick - Apr'09
* Lloyd Cole at the Tin Angel- Nov'08
* AC Newman at Johnny Brenda's
* Kathleen Edwards at the World Cafe
* Lisa Hannigan at the World Cafe
* Dr Dog at the World Cafe
* Annuals at the World Cafe
* Andrew Bird and what he's listening to these days
* Rachael Yamagata at the WC for Musicians on call + what she's listening to these days.
* Adele at the World Cafe
* Carrie Rodriguez at the Gild Hall (Delaware)
* Nicole Atkins mini informal interview
* Jenny Lewis at the Keswick
* Rachael Yamagata at the World Cafe
* Bell x1 at the World Cafe
* Jakob Dylan at the Artist Den (NY)
* Ben Folds at the Mann Center
* Liz Phair at the TLA
* Melody Gardot at the World Cafe
* New stuff August'08
* Aimee Mann at the World Cafe
* Priscilla Ahn at the Tin Angel
* The Duke Spirit at the WCL
* Jonny Meister interview (The Blues Show)
* Shelby Lynne at the Xponential Festival
* Teddy Thompson at the North Star
* Yael Naim and Carly Simon at the WCL
* More Ingrid Michaelson and Nicole Atkins, Non comm may'08
* Kate Walsh, Brandi Shearer and Quincy Coleman at Johnny Brenda's
* Anna Ternheim, El perro del Mar & Lykke Li at Johnny Brenda's
* Tina Dico at the Khyber
* Joanna Erdos & the Midnight Show at the Rockwood
* Carina Round videos from the WCL
* Carina Round at the WCL
* Kate Nash at the WCL
* Legal places to download free cool music
* Joe Jackson at the WCL
* The raveonettes at the WCL
* A Fine Frenzy +Chris Stills at the WC
* Lizz Wright at the WCL
* Lightspeed champion at the WCL
* The Counting Crows concert at the WCL
* Back door slam concert at the WCL
* Nicole Atkins & the sea concert at WCL
* Joe Jackson's Invisible man
* Meshell Ndegeocello concert at WCL
* Jesse Ruben and Madi Diaz concert at WCL
* Records to be released by spring 2008
* INGRID MICHAELSON concert at XPN
* THE BIRD AND THE BEE concert at the North Star
* THE WALLFLOWERS concert at the Keswick- review & musings
* The Wallflowers at the Keswick ("set list")
* Keane's new album (3rd)
* COLDPLAY's next album
* DIDO's next album
* KEANE Stuff (Philly concert, misc.)
* RUFUS WAINWRIGHT concert at the Mann Center
* THE MAGIC SHOP recording studio in NYC
* Sheet music

New stuff August'08

Just found out about Ben Fold's duet with Regina Spektor, "You don't know me", you can listen to it in Ben's myspace. Love it.
It's also fun to see Rufus Wainwright's cameo in Teddy Thompson's new video (otherwise totally forgettable), I wasn't sure when I saw it, but yes, it's him (they're longtime pals).
And Jem has released a new single, "It's Amazing", the tune is really nice, the lyrics - to me- not so much (the "rejection" part is good though). By the way, another single for the new record, "On top of the world" is also around, has 2 lucky listeners on lastfm (next day: ok, seen two blogs offering the free download of this track, one of them here, haven't liked it. As in "It's amazing" seems too hare krishna happy everything's so lovely and at your reach sort of thing). Greg Kurstin, from the Bird and the Bee is on board though, and guy's ace, we'll see. He's busy too, working on Lily Allen's new record coming out next year.
And my beloved Keane reappeared last week looking like the nightmare of taste. So they're going 80's, fine, but their look in the pic circulating everywhere is dull, worn, boring, ugly... And Tim Rice-Oxley (he's gorgeous, I've seen him close up) looks like an eerier version of Anthony Perkins in Psycho, at least if the grandmother was too in the photo it would have been funny. But all comments say it's great, so again it must be just me. The song, Spiraling, not saying much to me either (sounded familiar the way Chaplin sings, someone commented somewhere that it reminded them of Brandon Flowers (The Killers), I agree, I'd say mixed with Anita Ward's Ring my bell 's tune, serious!!!, at least in the beginning. Hope the rest of the album will be as brilliant as usual though- please!!. One thing I have to say: cowards they're not, they're risking it big time. That speaks highly of them.
Also Inara George has released a new album too, this time with Van Dyke Parks, you can listen to some of the songs on her myspace.
And for those in Philly, Coldplay are going to play here again in November, tickets on sale next week, hope I don't miss them again.
What else? I've seen this movie, "Conversation(s) with other women", trailer here, wiki here, that was quite curious. It was shot using split screen, which has to be incredibly complicated but keeps you curiously active while watching + very low budget, and it should have been a really great movie but wasn't (dialogues fell short, the men casting...bottom feeling is achieved, though), I just kept thinking how fantastic it could have been. But it was sort of ok, different, and the bonus material was quite curious too. The thing is it proves that so very soon anybody will be able to make a quality movie practically at home (was made on a Mac). And maybe the movie industry will then suffer a revolution similar to the one that myspace and youtube imposed on music...exciting.

Aimee Mann at the World Cafe

Aimee Mann, "It's not safe", from yesterday's performance:


"Calling it quits"


If any of you is attending the show tonight a few things:
*It's freezing: take a sweater, or better, take 2.
* Sold out is about 350 people seating (having dinner) and about 50 standing in the standing area at the back or downstairs by the walls
*Aimee didn't do a meet and greet, she did walk by the lobby at some point and headed upstairs but very discreetly so I didn't see anybody saying anything to her as she obviously was sort of sneaking out. All the other members in the band did show up and talked to the people there. The Submarines did hang out around the merch table plenty of time.
*Photography: yes, no flash. At some point a woman in the first rows asked Aimee if she could take a pic with flash!. She didn't hold any grudges as it was from that woman she took the one request.
*Aimee did take one request from the audience during the encore.
*For setlist go to her message board here
*Have fun!!

Well, truth be said I really didn't enjoy the show that much. For one thing, I'm not a fan of concerts during meal time (most people were seating having dinner, burgers, whole place smelling of grill and chips- nobody's fault, they had no choice if they wanted a good seat for this concert). And then the Submarines were ok, music was nice, but the whole thing didn't say much to me (maybe I was just having one of my unreceptive days, people loved them and they sold a ton of cd's), and later it turned out most of the songs Aimee chose to play I really didn't like much either. Not having much luck with setlists these last concerts. -By the way, seen there Aimee is better looking , taller, no so thin and her frame's not fragile at all as I thought it would be-. But I had a great time because of the people there.

Priscilla Ahn at the Tin Angel

A really good concert this Saturday, she was solo onstage as the bass player that usually plays with her was playing with Sia that night (Download festival). She sung for a little less than an hour to an audience that was kind of special to her (many faces she knew, as she's from Pennsylvania). The Tin angel was packed. Played many songs that weren't in her new album, like "Willow weeping", which she composed with Inara George from The bird and the bee (see below). She was incredibly nice and she let me ask her a question "in exclusive" for this blog, which is a first. This is the vid:
* Which was the turning point in your career when you realized you were going to make it?

Thanks so much to her for this.
"Willow weeping":

The Duke Spirit at the WCL

The Duke Spirit, "My sunken treasure". Maybe not their best song but definitely the catchiest, can't get it out of my head.
And of course blesseth those who don't looketh back....or whatever...men mostly...

To listen to their fantastic gig and for setlist go to XPN's archives.
Really good show, love Liela Moss's special voice and presence onstage, and the whole band really, drums guy rocked. The music is great and the lyrics are specially poignant and sharp. Held a meet and greet and were so nice to everybody there.

More than worth checking out.