Live in 2010: Part 4

I return at last to complete my Live in 2010 series with what was my most highly anticipated live event of the year. In October, I saw Sufjan Stevens play the legendary Wiltern in Los Angeles in support of his new album, The Age of Adz.

I have to admit, I was skeptical about this new album at first. I had heard the rumors all year: that Sufjan was sick of the banjo, that he was going in a new direction with his sound, that the whole Fifty States project was a joke, and that the album as an art form is dead. I expected that any new music by Sufjan would be too experimental for me.

When I finally heard The Age of Adz, it was more accessible than I expected. Sure, it sounded different Seven Swans, Michigan and Illinois, albums that seem likely to maintain their status as a gateway to Sufjan fandom. But it was still distinctly Sufjan. The instrumentation may have changed, but the chanting, layered orchestration, switching time signatures, and earnest lyrics remained.

Also gone, obviously, is the minutiae-obsessed musical road trip through a state. Instead, this album draws inspiration from the art of the apocalyptic artist, Royal Robertson. With this as his inspiration, Sufjan takes the listeners on what feels like a cosmic journey into a tortured psyche.

This feeling was only enhanced during the experience of the live show, which Sufjan described as a "sonic voyage into the intergalactic psychobabble of my brain." Throughout the performance, psychedelic videos and lasers played images reminiscent of the artwork of Royal Robertson. I often attend concerts with a distracted mind. I am curious about the instruments used and the dynamic of the performers. I like to see how the musicians handle their instruments, and I often forget to simply listen to the music. However, between the imagery and the soundscape, I couldn't help but let go and follow Sufjan down the rabbit hole.

Sufjan played mostly songs from his new album and a few from the All Delighted People EP. I was glad to hear "The Age of Adz", and I thought "Vesuvius" was greatly improved by the live performance. I wish he would have played "All For Myself", but really I can't complain because instead we were given an awesome performance of the twenty-five minute opus, "Impossible Soul." It was a fantastic show--I hope I don't have to wait another five years before I get the opportunity to see Sufjan play live again....

Here is the set list:

Seven Swans

Too Much

The Age of Adz

Heirloom

I Walked

Futile Devices

Vesuvius

Now That I'm Older

Get Real Get Right

Enchanting Ghost

Impossible Soul

Chicago

Encore:

Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois

Casimir Pulaski Day

The Dress Looks Nice On You

John Wayne Gacy, Jr

Live in 2010: Part 3

I'm back with two more live events from this past year to recap. For this one, I am moving away from music.

Remember in January when Conan O'Brien ousted off as host of The Tonight Show? The ugliness is now behind him and the first episode of his new show airs on TBS today (Monday, November 8th)! During his time off from television, Conan toured the country performing in the aptly named "Legally Prohibited from Being Funny On Television Tour", and I was able to go to the San Jose show.

I have been a fan of Conan for a long time, so I was so glad to see him live in person. I was only in New York once during the days of Late Night, and it just so happened to be during a the writers' strike in 2007 so there weren't any tapings. And when he moved out to L.A. for the Tonight Show, he was cancelled before I even got a chance to go.

The "Prohibited" tour was not a replication of The Tonight Show or Late Night. There were no special celebrity guests when I went (although I heard other cities had some celebs dropping in). Instead, it was all about Conan.

The show started with a video of Conan wallowing in misery after being cancelled, and then training to get in shape for the tour. After that it was live, with old pal Andy Richter again playing co-host. Conan's usual band was there (minus Max Weinberg) performing songs, and Conan performed with them for several numbers. I always knew Conan was an avid music fan, and I knew he played guitar. He performed and sang a few of songs throughout the night, and to me it seemed like that was the most fun part for him. It is something he seldom got to do on his tv shows, but he obviously loves to rock out. In between the songs Conan made light of his leaving NBC, told inside jokes for the San Jose office, and bantered with Andy.

I am glad Conan will be back on television again--I have missed getting my regular doses of humor which a mixture of silliness, self-deprecation, awkwardness and nerdy intelligence.

My friends and readers probably know that I am a huge fan of public radio (see previous posts), so you can imagine how eager I was to go to an event featuring Ira Glass of This American Life!

I really had no idea what to expect from the night. On This American Life, Ira is heard interviewing people and getting them to share their own stories. What would it be like to hear him--and see him--talking about himself?

Ira clearly anticipated this question, because the evening began as the lights went out and the audience was plunged into complete darkness. It was then that we first heard his voice--that oh-so-familiar, disembodied voice that often speaks in my head via headphones at work. It was far less jarring to start this way than if he just walked out on stage and started talking.

The night consisted of Ira telling stories that explained how he originally conceived This American Life, the elements of a good radio interview, and his belief in storytelling. He broke up his own chatting with audio clips from TAL as examples of what he was talking about. It was fascinating for a radio nerd like me. I was scribbling notes down in anticipation of one day getting a story on TAL or maybe even producing some of my own and posting them here.... I won't ramble on about everything he said, but here are a few things that stuck out:

According to Ira, one of the things that makes a story successful for the show is the element of discovery that occurs along the way. This is perhaps different than other news-style programs in which the interviewer and narrators take an authoritative position as they set out to educate and inform the audience on a particular topic. Instead, on TAL they allow you to hear how the interviewer learns, questions and is often surprised by what they hear during the course of the story. This is the key to good storytelling: a feeling of forward motion. To support his point, Ira mentioned the tales told by Scheherazade in "One Thousand and One Nights". Scheherazade saves herself by keeping the murderous king interested in a tale that keeps moving forward, hanging on cliff-hanger after cliff-hanger, night after night.

There was a time for questions from the audience at the end. When asked about what is ahead for show, his response was, "I don't have any other skills,"assuring us that there no plans for the show to end any time soon. I actually love that response from Ira. To hear him talk about creating This American Life, you realize that he was not setting out do anything other than tell stories in a way that he believed was the most entertaining and illuminating. It worked out rather well as we know--but I love stories about people who essentially invent their own careers by following their own passions. I imagine that such people are fulfilled in some way, whether they have measurable success or not, just from doing what they do.

Hey readers, think about leaving a comment, and don't forget to check back for the Part 4!

Live in 2010: Part 2

I try to make it to the Hollywood Bowl at least once a year for a show. This year, I went twice!

The Hollywood Bowl is a huge venue, and typically I prefer a smaller setting where I can at least see the performer's faces. They try to make up for it there by using video screens which helps a bit. But what I love about the Hollywood Bowl is sitting in the open air, having a picnic dinner with friends, and people watching. I also love that feeling of nostalgia I get at the Bowl. The first time I saw the place was in the movie Anchors Aweigh. In one scene, Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra sneaked into the Bowl and run all the way down to the stage. The bigness of it on the screen was unbelievable to me, and it still catches me by surprise.

In May, I went with some friends to see Flight of the Conchords play at the Bowl. I was so excited to see them live. I fell in love with these guys while living in New Zealand a few years ago, and listening to them brings up a lot of good memories from that period in my life.

Eugene Mirman, Arj Barker and Kristen Schaal, co-stars from the Flight of the Conchords television show, opened up the night each doing their own stand-up. Kristen was especially hilarious, and I loved her bit about her Law and Order:SVU "audition". Look it up on Youtube when you have a chance!

Bret and Jemaine were funny and charming, of course, playing up the awkward naivete that is their signature. They are as funny live as on the show, and their acoustic versions of songs are perhaps better than the album. Here's the set list from that night:

The Humans Are Dead

The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room

Hurt Feelings

If You're Into It

Albee the Racist Dragon

Jenny

Korean Karaoke

To Woo A Lady

You Don't Love Me Anymore

Think About It

Business Time

Epileptic Dog

Intercity Life

I'm Not Crying

Oh My God--She's So Hot

Back On The Road

Demon Woman

Too Many Dicks on the Dance Floor

Rock the Party

Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros

Sugarlumps

*even typing up these titles makes me chuckle

Moving to a completely different genre, my second show at the Bowl was in August to see Harry Connick Jr. and his band perform with members of the L.A. Philharmonic Orchestra. I have been a fan of Harry Connick Jr. since high school and it was my first time seeing him live. I knew I was in for a treat when the saxophonist opened the night with a swingin' version of The Star Spangled Banner.

I knew Harry was some sort of piano prodigy, but after seeing him in person, improvising and riffing with his band, I really appreciate what that means. They had cameras trained on his fingers so the crowd could watch his performance on the screens. I spent the whole night in awe of his abilities. Harry is obviously talented musician, but he is also a showman--a complete ham! He was telling funny anecdotes, dancing around the stage, making fun of himself and his band. You could tell he was just enjoying every moment.

I lost my notes from that night, so no set list for this one, but come back again for Part 3 and 4 of Live in 2010!

Live in 2010: Part 1

I'm rounding up all the live events I saw this year! I was able to check out an eclectic mix of venues and performers while having a few adventures along the way.

In May, I was desperately trying to get tickets to see Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes at UCLA on May 20th, but it was sold out. I had heard so many great things about their live shows. I was bummed to miss them, but then I found out that the band would be playing a free show on May 15th at UC Santa Barbara's annual Extravaganza, a free outdoor music festival.

So, I made the long journey from Orange County up to Santa Barbara. I battled traffic the whole way there and I was stressing about missing the show. When I arrived, I had to stand in a line two blocks long just to get into the stadium where the festival was being held. Before I got to the front of the line I heard a familiar sound drifting over the heads of the crowd: the opening percussion of "40 Day Dream".

Now I was frantic. I had driven for three hours and was about to miss the show. Luckily, the festival staff decided that the line was an unnecessary formality, so we all trampled our way into the stadium. I wedged myself into the sweaty crowd and got as close to the front as possible. They played "Janglin", "Carries On" and "Home"--and then they were done. They were great, but the set was so incredibly short that I felt a bit demoralized. I wandered around the stadium in a bit of a daze trying to decide if I should stay for Chromeo, or go home. In the end, I bought an Edward Sharpe sticker and left to explore Santa Barbara for the rest of the afternoon.

I began the long ride home down the 101 in the early evening. As I was passing a VW in the left lane, I noticed that the girl in the backseat had on a hat very similar to the one Jade of Edward Sharpe had been wearing on stage... I looked again. It was Jade! And she was with Nico and Nora from the band too! I honked my horn and held up my newly-purchased sticker, and they waved back. I laughed about it on the way home feeling that the coincidence made the rest of the day's craziness worth it.

A few days later, a surprise: my craigslist plea was answered and I had a ticket to the show at UCLA! My seat turned out to be near the front at Royce Hall, and I was so excited to see a full set this time. A solid local band named Haim opened the show, followed by Francis and the Lights whose performance resulted in head-scratching confusion (and later, mockery).

But it was all about Edward Sharpe for me. I was so happy to enjoy a full set this time. The audience was full of fans who were singing along, and everyone was on their feet for the entire set. I love watching Jade and Alex sing to each as if they were the only two people in the room. If you've only heard their album, Up From Below, you have had a small taste of the infectious exuberance that Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros bring to their songs. I am still blown away that I saw them twice in one week!

Here's their set list from the UCLA show:

Janglin'

Up From Below

40 Day Dream

Carries On

Come In Please

unidentified cover song (sorry!)

Black Water

Jade

Home

Om Nashi Mi

Check in again soon for Live in 2010: Part 2!!

And to Jade, Nico and Nora, it was great to run into you!

More Stuff I Made Myself

I am back with some of my own art! I hope you enjoy it!

One of my favorite things to do is painting on vinyl records. It combines my love of music and my painting hobby.

I put teeth hooks on the back so they can be hung on the wall.

This one is inspired by the phrase that Woody Guthrie had scrawled on his guitar.

Here is the original inspiration:

Hopefully more coming soon!

Made It Myself

A few years ago I began experimenting with stitching on painted canvases. Below you can see my most recent attempt at this style.

I call it Pirate's Gospel. The actual image is based off of artwork from the Alela Diane album of the same name. Instead of ink, I created the lines by stitching directly into the painted canvas.

I hope you like it! Make sure you check out Alela Diane's song, The Pirate's Gospel. Yo ho!

Radio Lab

As a public radio junkie, I have a very full listening schedule throughout the week. I have to listen to the full hour of This American Life, even if it is a re-run. I catch up on the news with Morning Edition and All Things Considered, and even pop in for Marketplace once in a while. Morning Becomes Eclectic isn't as important as it once was since Nic Harcourt has left the show, but I have Planet Money and Fresh Air to fill the time. Yes, I love public radio.

These are all wonderfully entertaining, educational and benchmark shows, but recently I find myself most looking forward--and most consistently surprised by--a show called Radio Lab. Radio Lab explores the questions and mysteries of science in a artful and sometimes poetic fashion. The makers of the show describe Radio Lab as "a little movie for your ear." Hosts Jad Abrumad and Robert Krulwich have taken listeners on a journey through the brain, the microscopic world of parasites, and to that fuzzy border between being human and being a primate. Along the way the complicated ideas they present are underscored by sound effects and music that are at times haunting, surprising, or surreal. Radio Lab's sound design seems shaped to emphasize the mysterious and mystical side of our reality. The show frequently asks questions that "Science" is not able to answer, and then leaves us to wrestle with that unsettling fact. This is perhaps the most remarkable thing about the show: that science is revered and studied, but not the source of all that is knowable. Instead, science is the starting point to understanding our world, taking us to the limits of our knowledge, brain power, and technology.

Abrumad and Krulwich seem to understand that there is still so much we don't understand, so much that we may never be able to explain about our world and ourselves. And very often, things that we can explain are based on fact so strange and fantastical that you wonder if you've wandered into the realm of science fiction.

If you've never listened to Radio Lab, you are missing out! Check out their website where you can listen to shows, read blogs and encounter wonderful words like "stochasticity"! Let me know what you think.

Lyrics to Love

I have written several songs over the years, and when I look back at them I can remember what songwriters I was listening to at the time. When I am creating, I always end up imitating--or copying--the artists who are inspiring at the time.

Mann, Jenny Lewis of Some influences or more subtle and indirect, like The Beatles or Paul Simon. Others--like Aimee Mann, Rilo Kiley, Bob Dylan, and Rosie Thomas--I have listened to regularly in the last few years and made a point to try and copy the things I like about them. I love Jenny Lewis' honesty and the way Aimee Mann can take a lyrical cliche in a new direction. I wish my songs could be as simple yet as beautiful as Rosie's. And Bob Dylan...he's in a league all his own.

So here is a playlist of some great songwriters and some of their best lyrics. Let me know what you think! Who are your favorite songwriters:

I also wanted to share the lyrics to a song I have written. Hopefully one day I'll be able to get a nice recording done, but until then, please enjoy the lyrics to my song "Smaller Than I Was".

When I was only five the things I said were cute
And when I'm sixty-five, they'll say I'm eccentric
But at the age I am today, all the things I do and say
just seem stupid

At age eleven I wanted to be famous
And at age sixteen I wanted to be beautiful
But when I turned twenty-four, I found there's nothing I want more
than to be loved

[CHORUS] They say that as we get older each year brings us greater wisdom
How can that be true when I feel smaller than I was?

By the age of two my mother knew I was stubborn
And by age eighteen I had moved far away
But everywhere that I go, I'm the same inside
You know that I'm not changing

[CHORUS]

Most days I just pretend that I'm a grown-up
That my thoughts are all rational and mature
And though I may have fooled the world, you know I'm really
just a girl

[CHORUS]

Mike Birbiglia: Live @ Brea Improv

I hardly ever go to see live comedy shows, but when I heard that Mike Birbiglia was going to be in Brea, I had to go.

I first heard Mike on This American Life, and then later on The Moth. Mike tells jokes, but most of his comedy is storytelling. He can illuminate the humor in everyday moments and he's not afraid to mock his own foibles. You laugh with him and at him, and it begins to feel like listening to a friend tell a hilarious anecdote. Well--maybe not just any friend, but your funniest friend ever.

Check out Mike's website! If you want to hear my favorite story by him, you should listen to This American Life's show on the theme, "The Fear of Sleep". Mike has a sleep disorder which sucks for him, but makes for a really good story. Check it out here. If you've never heard him before, please tell me what you think!

Blogosphere Buddies

It has come to my attention that I know a great number of incredibly creative and clever people. A few of them also happen to share their creativity and cleverness on equally creative and clever blogs. Here are a few that you should check out:

Criticism as Inspiration--thoughtful and critical musings on culture, politics, spirituality and the arts.

A couple of the Criticism as Inspiration fellows have started a new blog focused on culture and theology that promises to be as intelligent and cool as CAI. Check out Lost in the Cloud!


A friend turned me on to Adam Sjoberg's blog of photography and travel. Check out his images from a recent trip to Haiti.

Hopefully, this will encourage Michaela to blog more (!) because her artistic talent and insight needs to be shared.

Kristin's homemade crafts and DIY decor makes me want to learn to sew. But it's much easier to buy stuff from her!



I know there are more of you bloggers out there, so send me a link!

Beatles Rock Band

Can we all agree that Beatles Rock Band is, in fact, the best game ever? After all, we can agree that The Beatles were the greatest rock band ever, so it's an obvious conclusion. Granted, my knowledge of video games is limited to stolen hours playing Tetris during study hall, a few rounds of Wii bowling, and a countless hours watching my brothers play original Nintendo.

Over Christmas I finally got the chance to play Beatles Rock Band and had such a blast that it inspired me to write this list of

FOUR FABULOUS REASONS TO LOVE BEATLES ROCK BAND

1) The Animation

The opening animation on this game is so entertaining and classically cool that it stands alone as a piece of art. Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSLLxRmR3nY

2) Kids

What could be more entertaining than listening to a five-year old sing, "We all live in a yellow submarine"? Or, a twelve-year old stumble through the twisty weirdness of "I Am the Walrus"?

3) Deeper Cuts

The game doesn't have the complete Beatles catalog, but it doesn't just stick to the most popular songs. There's "A Hard Day's Night" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" but there's also "I Me Mine". Apparently you can download more tunes from the web, too. Maybe someday they'll make The Beatles Anthology Rock Band...

4) Harmonies

Now you're really a part of the band! You're singing harmony with Paul McCartney! You know you always try to sing the harmonies when alone in your car. At least now you can get the synchronization bonus for doing it!

The Best of 2009

I emerge from my winter hibernation to share my Best of 2009 list. Instead of sharing several top ten lists, I decided to choose my absolute favorites from the year in arts and media. This means, of course, that there are plenty of great things that I won't mention, so I am guessing that I will hear from those of you who think I have made any gross oversights. In fact, I hope I do...

Best MOVIES:

The Fantastic Mr. Fox

Wes Anderson's latest brings together a retro claymation style with his usual blend of quirky, neurotic characters with family issues. The result is a kid-friendly film that is both heart-warming, humorous, and odd. I always love the off-beat pace of Anderson's films and here the cartoonish elements of his style are pleasantly exaggerated.

Best Parts: Ash's insistence that he is an athlete, the use of cuss, and the mystical appearance of the Wolf.

Where the Wild Things Are
This is another great example of a kids' book being interpreted and elaborated on in an intelligent and thoughtful way. Spike Jonze's version of Maurice Sendak's picture book brings to life the easily overlooked depth of the simple tale. The Muppet characters and set design haunted me for days later, but in a good way. Older kids would enjoy this movie--it's magical and kind of scary--but the film's themes of loneliness and isolation will resonate even more strongly with adults.

Best Parts: the best fort ever and the wild rumpus.

Best ALBUMS

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes - Up From Below

I hear they put on a killer live show that dwarfs the energy of the album by comparison. Even so, the band's debut album is my favorite one of the year. Ridiculously full of hippie swagger and joy, Up From Below is full of both complexity, fun, and catchy tunes.

Best tracks: Janglin, Home and 40 Days

Patrick Watson - Wooden Arms

This album is a sonic journey that takes you from haunting melodies, to soaring vocals, to home-made percussions. In this sense, Patrick Watson is both a storyteller and craftsman. From the nervous energy of "Beijing" to the pensive restraint of "Man Like You", this album impresses throughout.

Best tracks: Beijing and Big Bird in a Small Cage

Best SONGS

"Chains, Chains, Chains" by Elvis Perkins

"I and Love and You" by The Avett Brothers

"My Body's a Zombie for You" by Dead Man's Bones

"Wicked Blood" by Sea Wolf

"I Gotta Feeling" by Black Eyed Peas

Best of RADIO

All Songs Considered: Round Table Discussions

Bob Boilen is great on his own as he picks songs to showcase on All Songs Considered, but the show is at its best when he brings in Robin Hilton, Carrie Brownstien and Stephen Thompson for a chat. The result is much lively and intelligent debate about music and some friendly teasing and banter over musical tastes. Even if you can't stand the songs that they are showcasing, the round table shows are worth checking out for the non-musical entertainment.

Best example: The Holiday Mix Show

The Moth: "Gut Instinct" by James Braly

There are so many wonderful stories that I have heard on The Moth that to choose one is almost painful, but James Braly's tale of temptation and fidelity while on vacation has stuck with me months after hearing it. Braly's delivery of a simple story showcases his self-effacing sense of humor with painfully honest revelations. Listen to it here:
http://castroller.com/podcasts/TheMothPodcast/1182434

Best of TV

Glee

I had to check this show out for two reasons: first, it is a musical and I can't pass up a musical; second, I was sure it would be too horrible to stay on the air very long. On the latter point, I am delighted to be proven wrong. Glee is wickedly self-aware in its staging which makes the musical performances much less awkward than if it was a bit more conventional in its approach. It also helps that the songs are awesome. From Journey to Barbara Streisand to Beyonce to Creedence Clearwater Revival, there is a little something for everyone. The stand out performers here are Lea Michele as the budding Broadway diva and Jane Lynch as delightfully evil Sue Sylvester.

Best moment: Rachel performs "Rain on My Parade" at Sectionals

What did I miss? What are your favorites from 2009? Do you think I am wrong?

Can't wait to hear from you...