Posted on October 25, 2002 at 8:46 am | No Comments
Got home last night to find a dark grey pigeon laying on it’s side in the driveway. I assumed it was dead, but as I looked closer, I could see the up-and-down of breathing. Call me a sap, but I couldn’t deal with the thing struggling for life outside my window. Amie suggested I call the Animal Rescue League of Boston, who said they were backed-up (which is sad in and of itself), but would try to send someone out in a few hours.
I put some birdseed next to him, watched him peck-peck-peck at it for a little while, but with the dropping temps I figured Bert (yes, as in “doing the pigeon”) wouldn’t last through nightfall. Well, the Animal Rescue guy showed up around 9, flashlight in hand, and I brought him to where I figured would be a little pigeon corpse. Alas, this story has a semi-happy ending… Bert was alive when the guy cupped him into his gloved hands and drove him away in the rescue van. I think it’s time to make a donation to the ARL.
Updated the live band photo page last night. Mary Timony, Elvis Costello, Low, +/-, Jason Loewenstein, and Mark Eitzel. Rocktober’s been a good month.
Posted on October 24, 2002 at 8:59 am | No Comments
Way too many things I want to talk about. That’s what happens when you don’t update for over a week.
Of Dragons, Oscillots, and Butterflies…
Caught Mary Timony, new queen of hobbit-rock, and (+/-) at the Middle East last Friday, and both were far better than the previous times I’d seen ’em. Mary played all by her lonesome, which was much improved over her last show with a backing band. I blame that one on Roxy-mulleted-soundguy assery. She switched from keyboard to guitar to different keyboard, and even whipped out some old Helium songs that hit me just right.
(+/-) were far tighter than before, and I really dug the fleshing out of the songs I’ve got to know from their debut disc. The album is just one guy, James Baluyut (taking a break from playing guitar in Versus), but I like the full-band action on his stuff much more.
Induction Action?
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame recently announced the 15 artists on its final ballot for 2003, and since it takes 25 years to get nominated, the list is finally including stuff that helped shaped my musical tastes. Bands like the Clash, MC5, Kraftwerk, the Police, Elvis Costello & the Attractions, ABBA, and the Patti Smith Group. Yes, I said ABBA. Isn’t it ‘hip’ to like ABBA now, anyway? Hey, I never denied it.
A Night with Napoleon Dynamite
Speaking of Elvis, I was lucky enough to catch him and the Imposters (which includes two of the Attractions) at the Orpheum on Monday night.
Those guys play like they’re pushing 20, not pushing 50, and Pete Thomas is just one of the perfect pop drummers. A 2 1/2 hour set, 3 encores, old stuff, new stuff, fast stuff, slow stuff. He covered all the bases. Highlights: “Deep Dark Truthful Mirror”, “I Want You”, “Girls Talk”, and “When I Was Cruel” (and whaddya know, he quotes ABBA in that one).
Why America?…
Michael Moore’s new documentary, Bowling for Columbine, is the most powerful film I’ve seen in years, and probably the most thought-provoking film I’ve ever seen period. A week later and I can’t get it out of my head. It was hysterical, shocking, sickening, and right-on. Occasionally MM goes a little far in his celebrity hounding, but when it pays off, it pays off big time… like in the last ten minutes of this film. If you live in this country, you must see this movie. We all need to take a serious look at ourselves and our culture, and this brilliant piece of work puts the magnifying glass right where it should be. No straight answers, just questions, and ones we need to address. It may already be too late.
Can I end this post on such a down note? Nahhh…
Beware of Incoming Softballs…
If you’ve been watching Late Night lately, you’re aware of how many new jokes Conan is getting out of this recent article that details Michael Bolton’s grudge against him. Little sensitive are we, Michael? I wonder if he cares that Mike Judge called him a ‘no-talent ass-clown’ in Office Space.