What this world is all about

It’s been a while. I’ve been busy.

Made decisions, finished a book, saw three shows, saw a movie, slept not enough, slacked off on scholarship stuff, etc.

So, I will be home for the majority of the summer. The plan is now to go to camp for only three weeks to volunteer. Not two months. Hard decision, but I have to bow down to sanity. I can’t return from camp two weeks before law school. Plus, I’ll have stuff to do at home. Like sleeping. Going to shows (Radiohead in North America in June would almost make the whole decision worthwhile by itself). And maybe gaining a new appreciation for the Jersey shore.

Finished Bonfire of the Vanities. An excellent novel that doesn’t even fail at the end for me. The great thing about this book is that Tom Wolfe doesn’t spare anyone. The good, the bad, and the self-righteous all get it. Love it.

I’m in the middle of going to four shows in one week. Kinda crazy, but each one is better than the previous one. It’s my own little version of SXSW.

Last Friday – James Blunt @ the Tower Theater. I was pleasantly surprised by this guy, who is now just blowing up in the US. Music is what’s important, and he’s got some pretty damn good songs, and he puts on a fun show. Apparently this guy was also a NATO peacekeeper in Kosovo in a past life, so that’s pretty cool. Of course, then there are his fans. The place (I love the Tower Theater by the way) might as well have had NSYNC play, it couldn’t have been louder. So much teenage screaming. There were actually a lot of older people there too, probably thanks to his earlier Oprah gig. Whatever. It was a fun show, we had a great time.

Monday – Matt Pond PA and Youth Group @ Wold Cafe Live. I went to this show quite randomly. I knew one song by each band, and both were covers. Neither of those were played, but overall this show was fun if not overly memorable. Youth Group are destined to be slightly above average, their songs are decent and the lead singer has a nice voice. Not amazing though. Matt Pond PA got the Penn student filled crowd going, and the fact that they have a full time cellist is almost all I need to have a good time. The songs just aren’t that memorable. I didn’t leave wanting to download anything in particular, much less buy their stuff. Glad I went though.
Have to say, World Cafe Live is a wonderful venue. It is small, there’s no smoking, the lights are high tech, and the acoustics are fucking perfect. It’s almost too nice. I’m ignoring all the fancy dinner stuff and the waitresses going through the crowd during the opening act selling Pabst and kamikazies. For music, it’s excellent.

Tuesday – Silver Jews and the Baird Sisters @ Starlight Ballroom. So I went to this show knowing even less what to expect than the previous night. The Baird Sisters are just what I would guess from the name – two girls singing folky tunes acapella or with a banjo/guitar combo. All very very quietly. The crowd outside the first couple rows ignored them, they couldn’t fucking hear. They have great voices from what I could gather, but they don’t belong outside a 20 seat coffee house.

The Silver Jews, well, they were unique and great. It was endearing to be at this guy’s ninth show ever. He was reading the lyrics off a music stand! The setlist from the message board (not that I know these names at all):

inside the golden days of missing you
animal shapes
smith & jones forever
pet politics
i’m getting back into getting back into you
random rules
new orleans
horseleg swastikas
dallas
trains across the sea
the poor, the fair and the good
black and brown blues
slow education
how can i love you (if you won’t lie down)
punks in the beerlight
————————————————
there is a place
sometimes a pony gets depressed

I know this, the songs are real poetry. Powerful and fun at the same time. The crowd was eating this up, I was very impressed. I want more.

And tonight, it’s Mates of State, the Gossip and Maria Taylor at the Starlight Ballroom. More excited for this than for any of the other shows, because I will actually know some of the songs!

Upcoming Philly shows that interest me:

I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness @ Khyber, March 28
Editors, Stellastarr @ Trocadero, April 1st
The Stills @ First Unitarian Church, April 3rd
Art Brut @ Lunt Basement, April 8th
Arab Strap @ The Khyber, April 9th
Wolf Parade @ TLA, April 11th
Appleseed Cast @ First Unitarian Church, April 14th
Cloud Cult @ World Cafe Live Upstairs, April 15th, FREE!
Islands, Snowden @ First Unitarian Church, April 23rd
Pearl Jam, My Morning Jacket @ Tweeter Shithole on the Waterfront, May 27th and 28th

I must praise the new Sopranos season. Fuck yes. So good. Even the dream sequence last week didn’t bother me. It’s so nice to have the best show on TV back on TV.

Opinionistas is genius. This is the best post ever. All future big shot lawyers, male and female, should memorize it.

Bought Eef Barzelay’s new record, Bitter Honey. The whole album doesn’t live up to the promise of the first song, the amazing Ballad of Bitter Honey, but there are some other good ones in there. I just love the voice. The whole thing reminds me of (sacriledge!) Elliott Smith.

Going into the Sweet 16, I was tied for second place, one point out of the lead in my office NCAA pool. Go LSU! If I won, it would be my life’s crowning achievement. And the only happy memory I’d have of my office job.

OK, that’s not true. There are actually moments when I don’t hate it. I mean, the boss isn’t always a total dumb fuck. It’s just so… painful… waking up every day so early. Yesterday, I got home from work, ate Chinese takeout, watched TV for like 2 hours, and fell asleep at 10:30. Like an old washed up man. This better not be the rest of my life.

A.C. Newman – The Town Halo

Eef Barzelay – I Wasn’t Really Drunk

Stars – Elevator Love Letter