The Pop Culture Addict’s Blog

I posted this at the SL Forum already but let me post it here and add to it now or later. I can’t tell where I’m at right now.

My rambling review of sorts…

I went to the second of two shows at the Hiro Ballroom last night. I forgot how easygoing he is about fans taping stuff. So I did NOT bring my little toy and record anything. No one is sorrier than I am. If I had, I would’ve taped his solo version of Phantom Punch to share with you all. It was awesome. He said it was “the world premiere” of the solo version. Very cool. He also played a song he “just finished writing last night” and a second song from the new album that reminded me of everything I love about the Beatles. He really got his groove going during his cover of Elvis Costello’s Human Hands and everything afterwards rocked. And of course, beforehand, he was cool. Just personally, I was still a little wound up from my day and took some time to completely settle into the show. Sondre sang Modern Nature and I always remember my first SL show when I was like, what is this song everyone is singing along with and how do they know the words? At that point I hadn’t heard his music. I had just very randomly gone to a show to check him out (after following a link to his site from the Jason Mraz site). Then of course, I grew to love Modern Nature and the sing-along tradition. But last night, he really had to carry the audience. We were a little shy. LOL. But he just sang very softly to match our whispers. Adorably adorable. And is anyone else waiting to appear on Norwegian tv? Or a concert dvd or youtube, as the case may be? It seemed to be an incredibly well-documented show from the fan interviews on line all the way through the autograph signings at the end. Like everyone else standing in line, I said some dorky but sincere things for the camera. The SL fans were enthusiastic and sort of protective over our treasure, i.e., SL, as ever.

Do I have anything to add? Let’s just leave it at that for now.

EDIT: Thanks to a more on-the-ball fan, I heard recordings from this show and realized the song SL said he wrote “last night” was written “last week” and called Till You Let Me Know and the Beatle-esque/Paul McCartney-ish song is also known as Tragic Mirror.

I am also glad another fan recorded the solo version of Phantom Punch so I can listen to it again and admire it.

I wanted to add that Irving Berlin felt strongly that music should be interactive and in fact made the first bouncing ball audience sing-along cartoons. I saw them at the NY Film Society last spring. It was really amazing to see. So he would be happy with all this audience participation that goes on in concerts these days. Also, during the Sondre Lerche show, I couldn’t help wondering, once again, if in 37 years (because Woodstock was 37 years ago in 1969 and I recently had the trippy experience of being surrounded by Woodstock concert-goers), will we avid SL fans re-unite for a Sondre Lerche show and remember the Hiro show? Or any of these early shows? I think it is a high likelihood. SL is one of those artists I will keep seeing live as long as he keeps performing live! And his fans are diehard and true. END OF EDIT
Here is the promised “and then some.” I’m bummed that the Keane show was cancelled completely. Actually, I haven’t been to the Keane site in a while. Let’s see what they have to say about it.

Keane cancel N.American tour
08.09.06 | 04.05.pm

Keane have taken the difficult decision to cancel their North American tour, including the recently rescheduled dates.

Tom Chaplin is currently being treated for alcohol and drug addiction and will not return to the road until he, and the doctors handling his recovery, feel that he is ready to do so.

Tom’s bandmate Tim Rice-Oxley said: “Obviously it’s crucial that Tom is given the time to get better properly. With the first dates in America only a fortnight away, his doctors feel there is undue pressure on Tom to rush through rehab and get back out on the road. That’s why, between the three of us, we’ve decided to cancel the North American tour. We’d like to apologise to the fans who’ve bought tickets, but we’ve done this in the best interests of our friend – which, ultimately, is in the best interests of the band too. At this stage we plan to go ahead with the tours of the UK and Europe in October and November. We’ll be keeping in close touch with Tom and his doctors about how he’s progressing and we’ll keep you posted.”

Well, I’m on board with Tom Chaplin tending to himself. In the meantime, I can still enjoy the new album.

I’m also really into Roddy Frame’s live album, Live at Ronny Scott’s, available through his site. He plays a mix of old and new songs including a bunch of cuts from High Land Hard Rain. And like the rest of the world, I can’t get enough of Gnarls Barkley. In fact, I’m surprised by how I like every single song on this album.

Did I mention how I saw Who’s Your Dada? I kinda remember saying so. It was cool in a dadaistic way.

What else? I guess next up is The 44th New York Film Festival, September 29 – October 15, 2006. I’m seeing a lot. I’m most looking forward to Michael Apted’s 49 UP, the sequel to 42 UP, the British documentary about these people followed every 7 years since they were 7; David Lynch’s Inland Empire because it’s David Lynch; and Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. Sofia had me with New Order but she also used music by The Strokes, The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees. I’m totally there.

And are we enjoying the return of and introduction of tv shows this week? The Office was hilarious. And they resolved/didn’t resolve the Pam/Jim relationship pretty well. Best new show? I’m a little behind but the Aaron Sorkin show started off strong…um, I have to look it up: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.

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I saw the above, after the near-tornado weather subsided, at my recent visit to the New York Botanical Garden. I went to see the Chihuly installation there. I know, you hear “installation” and wonder, eh, will I get it? Will I care? I had the same reaction when I first heard about The Gates in Central Park. But I was definitely curious about the Chihuly exhibit. This is the image that sold me on it:

When the rain subsided, the glass and greenery combined was really cool to see:

The image above is the most typical you will see in brochures and posters. I learned that the glass onions are just tossed into the water. I mean, I’m sure there is forethought about general placement, but part of it is just chance.

In the children’s garden, I felt like I had landed on Dagobah, Yoda’s home planet:

So, after my visit to Dagobah, I somehow landed in the Twilight Zone where I actually listened to Paris Hilton’s album in its entirety without coming to the conclusion that it was total and complete aural poison. This happened because I was on my way to listen to John Mayer’s album in its entirety at Star 98.7 and I got distracted by Paris H’s album. That aside, Sarah Silverman’s monologue on the MTV VMA’s about Paris H was hilarious. So John Mayer is definitely quoting The Impressions/Curtis Mayfield’s People Get Ready in his single Waiting on the World to Change. Once I got over my smugness about this observation, I was able to enjoy his AOL sessions. Incidentally,I love the Keane AOL Sessions. The (sort of) breaking news is that the Keane tour is being rescheduled to accomodate the family emergency of the lead singer Tom Chaplin having to take a break. I hope he recuperates, etc., fully. I just love this band!

I had some stuff to say about the VMA’s but right now all I can remember is that you should go watch Miss Info/Minya Oh’s 2006 Bling Report on MTV Overdrive.

I am just getting around to reading the very interesting Frank Portman’s King Dork. His style reminds me of M. E. Kerr’s style. Anyway, I’m pretty into it right now, King Dork, that is. More when I finish. Also, I just finished reading Confessions of a Yakuza by Junichi Saga. It was fascinating. Apparently an old school yakuza wasn’t a total gangster. I mean, he was an outlaw but he primarily focused on gambling. So the yakuza of pop cinema, video games and even The Simpsons are not really accurate portrayals.

I also went to see Accepted. I wanted some lighthearted fare. It was cute. I heard that the music from Idlewild is good but the movie is just okay. I’m not sure what is on my movie list next. I am glad that Bones has started back up on tv. I will miss Psych and Entourage while they are on hiatus. The fall season will be in full swing in no time. Then we will see how the CW fares. 30 Days was great through and through. That Morgan Spurlock is talented for sure. And I continue to admire the work of R. J. Cutler, creator of the short-lived reality series American High among other things.

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