Live Shows
Did I mention I went to The Black Keys & Arctic Monkeys concert in Vancouver this past Wednesday night? Well, I did and it was awesome. I sat up in the nosebleeds but it was still a great show. Both bands sounded great, despite the poor acoustics of Rogers Arena. I’m a casual fan of The Black Keys and seeing them live definitely made me like them more. I actually prefer some of their songs live as opposed to recorded. As for the Monkeys, they did not disappoint and after being a massive admirer for all these years, I was so stoked to finally see them live.
On a different note, I purchased tickets a couple of days ago to see Bombay Bicycle Club again when they do their second North American tour this fall. I’m not seeing them until mid-October when they play at the Henry Fonda Theatre but I am beyond excited to see them live again. I had a lot of fun at their show in Seattle this past February and I’m sure it’ll be just as fun the next time round.
New Digs & New Tunes
I moved into my new place about two weeks ago. Want to know something interesting about my new place? There’s a guy who routinely walks through the alley behind my place wheeling along his shopping cart whilst singing a tune I like to call “Eat my shit.” It more or less consists of just one phrase: “Eat my shit.” But he changes it up by altering his intonation and the loudness. It makes me smile.
As Knives Chau would say: Woooooooooooooooooooooow, that’s amazing.
“ Indeed, it’s a distressing fact of life in America that teenagers of all races are, almost without exception, obnoxious jerks. Until the government sends in drones to settle the War on Youth once and for all, you’d do well to steer clear.
John Del Signore, “Teens Knock Cyclist Off Bike in Prospect Park Just For Laughs, Breaks Nose”
And one more, because this is also all too true.
“ There have been a number of stories about cyclists colliding with pedestrians in Prospect Park during the past year—could it be the pedestrians are now fighting back? No, it’s just the teenagers, doing what they do best: ruin everything.
John Del Signore, “Teens Knock Cyclist Off Bike in Prospect Park Just For Laughs, Breaks Nose”
This lead. Mostly the last part. It’s simply all too true.
This will brighten up your Monday. You’ll also be smiling for the entire duration of the 5:37 clip.
(Source: vimeo.com)
“ I remember how the news portrayed the riots as complete chaos, but for a young Black boy, there was a different reality. For the first time in my life, I remember feeling safe. During the riots, gangs were not fighting each other, so we didn’t have to fear drive by shootings. Thieves were looting stores, so we didn’t have to fear ‘stick-up kids’. For those few days, there was no beef between Blacks and Latinos, so we were not afraid of venturing into different neighborhoods. Most significantly, there was NO LAPD presence in the entire community. So for the first time, a young Black or Latino man could walk around the streets without fear of being arrested or murdered by police. To this day, I have never felt peace or safety like I did during those few days.
John Calvin Byrd III
“KCRW LA Riots - Listeners Remember: What do you remember most?”
I really want a dire wolf. Or, more realistically, a dog. Really, really bad.
Van Nelle Tobacco Factory
Just finished Art History exam and I got stumped by the Van Nelle Tobacco Factory slide. I should have known this. I did know this. I even wrote this down but then I changed my mind and crossed it out. Grrrrr.
First, this track is lovely.
Secondly, the title accurately describes how I feel at the moment. Papers, projects and exams are overwhelming me and will continue to do so for at least another week or so. It’s all the more difficult knowing that I’m more or less finished with my undergraduate studies; I need to put my head down and get these last assignments done but I’m severely lacking the motivation. It feels as though I’ve been at it so long.
Broken Social Scene Presents…Brendan Canning - Been At It So Long
People are kind and I must be short
The past two shows I’ve gone to the people who were dancing/standing in front of me somehow noticed me dancing/standing behind them and both times, the people were kind enough to ask if I could see or if I wanted to move closer. It was sweet and rather thoughtful. But at the same time, it makes me feel oddly short despite my rather average height of 5ft 4 1/2in. Just an observation.
“Let’s Go (The Two of Us Together)”
Nite Jewel at Electric Owl / Vancouver, BC / April 6, 2012
Chairlift / Electric Owl
Went to the Chairlift show last night at the Electric Owl. It was a good show but it seemed as though it went by very fast.
The set list was comprised mostly of material from the new LP, “Something”, but they included some tunes from their debut, “Does You Inspire You”, including “Planet Health,” “Evident Utensil,” and “Bruises.” They sounded pretty amazing live. Caroline’s vocals were especially lovely and her sweet dance moves did not disappoint either.
Nite Jewel opened up the show. I hadn’t listened to much of her stuff before the show but her set was quite good and she had some pretty infectious tunes. Plus, she’s from Los Angeles; it’s nice supporting fellow Angelenos, especially when abroad.
As for the venue, Electric Owl is decent - it’s not terribly large but it isn’t cramped either; it provides a nice balance and is a good place for slightly more intimate shows. Staff at the venue were all rather nice and friendly. It is located on Main Street and it does attract a certain crowd, more or less what you might expect to find on Main Street.
