I Told You So...

These are the four little words I have been dying to say when it comes to one thing in particular: The Boxer Rebellion. For five years now, I have stuck their songs on mixes, posted links to videos on Twitter and Facebook, blogged about them on this here digital soapbox of mine, and generally begged friends to JUST LISTEN TO THEM. JUST ONCE. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. I've had limited success, convincing a few people (including at least one stranger on Twitter) to buy Union while it was cheap last year, but all in all, I have been a failure as their self-appointed U.S. Ambassador.

Starting next month, I may not have to beg and plead any more. Why? Because they are finally getting some major exposure that can't be ignored, thanks to the new Drew Barrymore/Justin Long flick, Going the Distance. Not only are The Boxer Rebellion in the trailer and on the soundtrack, they are in the movie. And not only are they in the movie, they are a major part of the storyline. They perform parts of three songs, all with their name hanging gloriously behind them, just screaming at people to look them up when they get home from the theater. Justin Long's character, who works for a music label, rants about how the band worked hard for three years to make their latest album, all while unsigned (all of this is true of their 2nd album, Union). He wishes aloud that great bands like this got recognition instead of *generic Jonas Bros rip-off band*.

(Did I mention I saw them at the Apple Store last week too?)

How do I know all of this? Well, I attended a screening earlier this week, though the actual film doesn't come out until the end of August (no, no, scratch that...as I'm writing this, I am finding out that it was pushed back to September 3). The director, Nannette Burstein, was also there for a post-screening Q&A. Someone asked her how The Boxer Rebellion were chosen to be THE band in the film. No, it wasn't me, surprisingly. I can't remember exactly what she said, because as she was discussing the fact that Warner Brothers loved them so much and just knew that she would think they were perfect for the part, my inner monologue was going something like this: "But, but...but...if Warner Brothers loves them so much, WHY DON'T THEY SIGN THEM?"

But really, who am I to know? They may be in talks. They may have an offer. They may not be interested. The band has done pretty well for themselves without a label, so do they really need one? I don't know. The music industry as we know it is changing so much these days. The Charlatans are on yet another label in the U.S. for their forthcoming album. I think this makes four so far? I'm beginning to think that the way things are going, true talent and building a solid, loyal fan base may be more important than having industry backing in the future of the music business. Hey, a girl can dream, right? Oh, look, here's an article about the band to highlight this very point.

So how was the freaking movie, Alissa? Phew, I got a little sidetracked there. Sorry. The movie was good. It was described to us beforehand as being one of the filthiest rom-coms in recent years. While I don't know if it quite lived up to that bold proclamation, it had its moments of edginess and filth. If you know anything about me as a person, you know I hate the term rom-com and I generally avoid any film that is billed as one. It wasn't sappy, though. I didn't want to strangle the couple in it and I was even sort of pulling for them.

As I'm sure you know, YOU GOSSIPERS, you...Drew Barrymore and Justin Long were a couple during the filming of Going the Distance, which is pretty obvious. They have real chemistry. They make out a lot. The supporting cast is brilliant. Two words: Jim Gaffigan. Would I recommend it to friends? Yes. Is it a good date movie? Yes. Is it a good movie to see "with the girls" on the weekend? Sure! In short, I am saying I enjoyed the time that the film was all up in my face.

Perhaps my favorite part of the experience, though, happened as the movie was ending and the credits began to roll. The two friends I was sitting with turned to me and said, "That band was really good."

I squealed a little inside.

I. Told. You. So.

Letter of Intent

Hopefully at some point over the next few days, I'll have the chance to sit, ponder and write about Lollapalooza and everything else that's been going on over the past few weeks. I've already uploaded my photos everywhere, as has Jon, but sometimes pictures and their thousand words still can't tell the whole story. If this little blog is to succeed in its lofty goal of helping me remember more about my present life well into the future, I've got to take the time to add to it, right?

I already have years and years of my life that aren't documented in any way. I've had to throw out letters and mementos over the course of three major moves and while the purging of "stuff" is always somewhat liberating, it means that I have only my memory to rely on. And let's face it, even at my age, memory is iffy at best. I don't think any pictures even exist of me from the ages of 20-25. I had no camera. I had little money and even less motivation to get one. I think this is the best way I can explain why I love taking so many pictures now.

Speaking of, I finally signed up for Flickr pro after years of avoiding it. I don't really agree with having to pay $25 a year, but it's nice to be able to organize things into sets and having the capacity for unlimited uploads is pretty rad too.

For tonight, I will leave you with my favorite moment from Lolla -- meeting Glasvegas:

Pitchfork Revisited

Weeks like this week make me wish I had a few more hours in each day. I would have loved to stay up late last Sunday night to write about Pitchfork while it was really fresh in my mind, but alas, life gets in the way of my creative endeavors once again. I enjoyed Pitchfork far more this year than last, despite a less exciting lineup (in my opinion). The only act I was really looking forward to seeing was The Flaming Lips, so I decided to just make the best of being outdoors, people-watching and hearing some music that I haven't had the chance to check out yet.

We skipped Friday night, even though we had tickets. I was exhausted, since I hadn't been sleeping right all week (stitches in my head = uncomfortable nights in bed, boooo) and to be honest, I'm just not great at going out on Fridays anymore. I also knew pretty much nil about the bands playing Friday, other than the fact that I "should" like Yo La Tengo and Built to Spill, but never gave them a fair chance. It was also really cold and rainy, so I pulled an "I don't wanna" and skipped it. In hindsight, I'm 100% glad I did, because being rested for the weekend definitely helped me enjoy it more.

We got there on Saturday just in time for The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, who were decent enough. Poppy, summery, upbeat sort of music, even though their name seems to suggest a certain level of angst.

Towards the middle/end of their set, we decided to grab a bite to eat so we were free to roam about for the rest of the day, and this proved to be a very wise decision. As I was walking with my strange vegan tempeh dish in hand, I heard Jon yelling my name. I turned around to see him talking to none other than Charlyne Yi and Jake Johnson (mentioned in my previous post) from Paper Heart. I was shocked and rambled on about nerdy things, as I do when I meet people I admire. They were both very sweet and they seemed not to be annoyed with us stopping them, though we were praising their film, so who would be annoyed at that, right? I'm kind of bummed that I didn't ask for a picture, but it was completely unplanned and I had food and water in my hands and didn't even think to get out my camera. Oh well, live and learn.

So Jon got some food and we met up with Catherine, who we know through Jon's brother Matt. She was kind enough to let Jon stay with her when he was up here apartment hunting and she is just really cool and sweet in general. She also has great taste in music and comedy, so how could I not like her, right? We hung around with Catherine and her friend, Kate, for the rest of the day, which was really nice. Good company and an abundance of people-watching opportunities always make for an enjoyable afternoon, in my world.

(More people to watch HERE)

Bands/artists we checked out that day: Final Fantasy, Beirut, DOOM, Ponytail, and finally, The National. I've seen The National twice before, both times in very different settings (first at the Club Downunder at FSU and again when they opened for REM at the United Center). Seeing them outdoors was cool, but they sounded pretty much the same. They aren't the most dynamic band live, but towards the end of their set, there was a cool moment when Matt jumped down into the space between the stage and the barrier and climbed up a garbage can to sing right to the crowd. He has such a great, deep voice. Give them a listen if you have never heard their stuff.

We left during the last song to beat the masses to the train (unlike Lolla, we can't just walk home from the park, and there's really only one way of getting out of there, so it can become quite the crazy mob scene at 10:00 when the bands stop playing). I like that it ends at 10:00, but it does sort of limit the headliners' sets. They only get about an hour and 20 minutes, which is nothing for bands that are used to playing for an hour and a half, going offstage for a bit and coming back on for an encore. Not complaining, just observing. Rules are rules.

Sunday was almost solely dedicated to The Flaming Lips. My plan all along was to get there and camp out right in front of the stage where they'd be playing. Jon was a little less keen on this plan, but ended up doing it anyway. I guess he figured it would be worth it to be close for their show (and ultimately, I think it was). We got to the park in time for The Thermals, who were pretty darn good and claimed our spot. We could faintly hear The Walkmen playing over on the other stage after The Thermals were done, but I do feel bad that Jon didn't get to head over there and see them for real. I think he was afraid to leave me at that point...he most likely wouldn't have been able to get back to where I was and he worries about me in crowds, I guess. Even though I've been to what seems like a million concerts over the years and I'm positive I'd be OK, it's always nice having someone there with you who cares about your well-being.

M83 played next on the stage we were camped out by and I have to say I'm glad we had the spot we did (good booking on the part of Pitchfork organizers!) because they were probably the highlight of my weekend. We'd seen them not too long ago opening for The Killers, and they were good then, but somewhat forgettable...

Apparently playing mid-day at an outdoor festival is the place to see them, because they were anything but forgettable this time. They had the crowd in the palm of their hands. Everyone around us was into it, whether they knew who M83 was or not. The couple right in front of us was adorable. They knew every word to every song and I think they'd come specifically to see them. I am not a huge fan of the techno/beat/dance genre of music, but they do it so well that you can't help but love it.

(Jon's M83 set HERE)

Grizzly Bear played on the other stage, so we couldn't hear them too well, but from everything I was reading on Twitter that day and the next, we didn't miss much. No one in our vicinity was paying any attention to the other stage anyway, because The Flaming Lips began setting up their stuff nearly an hour before their performance was set to start. All the excitement helped pass the time, which I appreciated very much. Wayne Coyne paced back and forth, talked to roadies, talked to the rest of the band, talked to the people in the front. He took "gifts" from them. Why the quotes? Well, the "gifts" included such treasures as a pirate eye patch, a squirt gun, and a used (probably sweaty) flannel shirt. It was all very entertaining, I must say (because I'm easily amused).

Right as they took the stage for real, though, the crowd began their usual "let's all rush the stage" push, which was slightly more intense than I think I've ever seen before. It was Sunday and people had been drinking and partaking in other (more illegal) substances for two and a half days straight. They were full of adrenaline, aggression, and drugs, and not really thinking about anything but having a good time for the last time that night. Factor in that the audience was roughly 70% male in the front, and you have a recipe for possible danger. Luckily, the worst we got was slightly crushed, a mildly injured big toe, a kick in the head and a glasses scare, so all in all, I probably won't remember the bad in the long run. Jerks in the audience aside, it was a really incredible show.

(Jon's Flaming Lips set HERE)

The Flaming Lips know how to keep your attention, even after an extremely long weekend seeing band after band after band. They pulled out all the stops: the hamster ball rolling around over our heads, the costumes, the confetti, the giant screen beaming colorful images from behind them, huge balloons for the crowd to smack around, and as usual, lots of between-song banter. They originally signed up to do a "Write the Night" set, which was voted on by anyone who had purchased Pitchfork tickets. Then they backed out. Then, due to controversy over this decision, agreed to stick to the original plan and let the ticketholders vote. Once they were up there, however, "Write the Night" pretty much got thrown out the window. They did play the top two songs from the list, Do You Realize? and Yoshimi, but they would have anyway.

All in all, it was a good set. They played two brand new songs (obviously not voted on by anyone), as well as Bad Days, a personal favorite of mine which they haven't played live in ages (since 1998?) and Mountain Side, which they might never play live?

It was a great way to end the night and I'm glad Jon stuck around for it, because I would've felt a little closer to death had he not been there to protect me. The two (pretty tiny) girls next to us seemed grateful for his protection too. I won't get into it in this post, since it's long enough already, but I do have a huge issue with drunk guys at concerts not knowing their own strength and making life hell for everyone around them for a few hours. It's highly unfair to those of us who don't happen to be as tall, muscular, or rowdy as they are and I really feel like it needs to stop. Maybe it's just because I'm getting older, or maybe it's because the problem is getting worse and people care less and less about others, but it bothers me a lot more now than it ever did. Look for a ranty post on concert etiquette from me in the future (I know you can't wait, right?).

Don't want to end things on that note, so I'll talk for a second about In The Loop, a movie we saw on Wednesday. If you like quick, snarky humor (especially of the British variety), you'll love this film. It's based around the politics leading up to the Iraq war, but it's funny...I know that might seem counterintuitive, but you'll just have to believe me. Check out some reviews or at least the trailer. It's worth a look.

Somewhere Only We Know

Keane came out swinging last night and by the end of the evening, had knocked us all out. I'm always surprised when I remember that they only have three albums, because the sheer number of memorable, catchy, beautiful songs in their repertoire trumps some bands that have been around for ages.

(Check out Jon's amazing photos and videos here)

It was, by far, the loudest show I've ever been to on this side of the pond. I can't even think of a close second. I'm going to generalize here and say that I've noticed American crowds (as a whole...there are always pockets of enthusiasm, usually towards the middle-front) just aren't as "into it" as most British crowds. This probably has a lot to do with the (mostly British) bands I choose to see, but it's what I've encountered. Chicago crowds are a bit better than Florida crowds, though. Sorry, Florida! Anyway, for the first time, I didn't necessarily feel like I was in America while I was at a concert. Somewhere in the middle of their set, lead singer Tom Chaplin, who was fairly chatty throughout the night, proclaimed:

"I think it's fair to say that this has been the best show of our tour so far."

[After about a four minute applause break]

"Now I just have to figure out a way to shut you all up so we can sing the song!"

You can just tell when a band enjoys a show. To say that Keane were appreciative of the audience would be an understatement. They gave us back all the love we gave them and more. Chuffed is the best word I can think of to describe their mood. Something that's always fascinated me is the way that concertgoers and bands play off of each other, because I think every band is different in that respect. I've been to gigs where you can tell that the artist would put on the same exact show no matter what the audience's reaction was. Then there are times like last night, where you can see that the band is feeding off of the reaction of the crowd and their energy actually builds and the show becomes even better than anyone ever thought it could be. This was the perfect synergy (Perfect Symmetry?) that we all experienced at the beautiful Aragon Ballroom. The room that Tom said made him feel like he was "at Disneyland"...which, of course, makes it the happiest place on Earth.

There was a sad moment when Tom made reference to some issues that had prevented them from coming back to Chicago sooner. Keane, of course, had to cancel their last U.S. tour because of drug problems, which he didn't specifically address, but the implication was obviously there. He looked good. Happy, energetic...I always want to use the word sprightly to describe him, but that's just because he's so darn adorable. Keyboardist Tim was also all over the stage and headbanging in his sparkly shirt. They were so much fun to watch. I must make quick mention of how sweaty Tom was by the end. It was really incredible. Literally head-to-toe.

So although I was tired as HELL from my early morning and hours of working out earlier in the day at the SELF Magazine Workout in the Park (which I will write about soon, because that was #2 on my list of things I need to put in my blog), I had no problem finding the energy to rock, thanks to the band and the crazy crowd. This was my second time seeing Keane, but my first time seeing them with Jon, so it was extra special. If you don't know their music, you can check out some of their stuff on YouTube, including a song that has quickly become my workout jam, Spiralling. I would love to embed a video here, but I'm finding more and more that the function has been disabled by the record companies. I don't really understand the thinking behind that, because either way, people are hearing about their bands and checking out their music, but what can you do? They're worth a little clicking around, though.

Welcome to Glasvegas

I've been spoiled lately as far as concerts go. Last night was no exception. If you haven't heard of Glasvegas, you're not alone, but look out because that may change very soon. It's not that I wasn't looking forward to seeing them live...it's just that I didn't really think about it much in advance. Look at my last post. I mention the show almost in passing. Do you see where I'm going with this? I had little to no expectations, but when all was said and done, they BLEW MY FREAKING MIND. Maybe it's the lack of sleep resulting from the later-than-usual show and this all will wear off tomorrow, but today, they're all I want to listen to. I have a musical crush, and I have fallen hard.

(More pictures HERE)

Last night was the first time I've been to Bottom Lounge. It's huge. There's the main bar, the actual music venue, the upstairs bar and a large patio. Each of these spaces is easily the size of most other bars and restaurants I've been to in Chicago. I don't know what the "cool kid" consensus is on Bottom Lounge, but I thought it was a great space and I'd go back and see a gig there any day. Most of the venues here are old theaters, which is nice, but this place is more like a warehouse in the middle of nowhere. It's a beautiful warehouse, mind you. With good music.

Both of the opening acts that were originally scheduled pulled out, or something else happened to them to make them disappear. So we got Von Iva. They're a rocking female three-piece from San Francisco (which they made sure to point out between every song). The lead singer had a bit of a Karen O. vibe going for her, and girl can sing! She wore short shorts and thigh-high boots and looked like she could (and would) beat the shit out of anyone who got in her way. I love a good frontperson, and that she was. I haven't had a ton of great luck with opening acts lately, but I think I might have to check them out.

I discovered Glasvegas about a year and a half ago though, of all places, MySpace. I was at a point where I felt stagnant musically and was trying desperately to seek out anything new that might make me feel like my go-to bands make me feel. At the time, they didn't have an album out, but I got ahold of their EP and loved it. When their album came out, I have to admit, I didn't listen to it for a while. I put it on the backburner because I was listening to a lot of "winter music" like Ryan Adams and just wasn't ever in the mood. When I finally did give it a fair shot, I liked it, but only listened once or twice and again forgot about it. It was only when Jon bought us tickets to see them a few months back that I put it on rotation in my iPod again.

They're Scottish. They have some of the thickest accents you've ever heard in music (completely different from Primal Scream), but somehow, even if you don't understand all of the words, you get what they're saying. They have such an interesting range of sounds, from slow acoustic to dark, almost electronic, to garage punk. I was hoping that their album would translate well live, and it did. What surprised me the most about the show, though, was the crowd. I think it surprised the band too. There were a few times when the lead singer, James, looked pretty genuinely touched that everyone (at least where I was standing) was so into it.

During the last song of the set, 'Daddy's Gone', he stopped singing and let the crowd take over, which, I must say, we succeeded in doing and then some. We were suddenly at a football match, chanting along, one big happy chorus/family/group of fans all cheering for the same team to succeed. Yes, this happens at concerts with some frequency, but for a relatively unknown band playing in America (I don't listen to the radio, so if they are on the radio regularly, then color me dead wrong, but I don't think they are) with the aforementioned heavy accents, it must've been pretty mind-blowing, no?



On a side note, I do find it a little weird that the biggest sing-along of the night (there were other, less intense sing-along moments during 'Go Square Go' and It's My Own Cheatin Heart That Makes Me Cry') came during a song that is so personal and painfully beautiful. As someone who openly admits to having some pretty legitimate daddy issues, 'Daddy's Gone' has always given me goosebumps as I listen alone in my headphones. So what was it like belting it out in a big crowd of people with the author of those words looking down on us? The only way I can think to describe it is cathartic in the most awkward way possible. Glasvegas -- therapists in training? Perhaps. Anyway, back on track...I'll never forget the looks on the faces of the band during that song in particular. Smiles that said, "Fuck yeah, we're doing it!" It was a great thing to be a part of. They thanked us, said something nice about Chicago, and James proceeded to kiss the hands of the women who were close enough to the stage to be kissed (mine included, which made me more than a little red in the face, I'm sure) and shake the hands of the guys.

(This is one of those moments where he kind of looked in awe of everything. Hand on head, mouth hanging open, etc. It was adorable.)

After they left the stage, we said hello to some people we knew and chatted for a while before taking off. Walking back to the train I was giddy. We ran into the lead guitarist, Rab, who I didn't even notice until I heard Jon say hi to him. He was still wearing his t-shirt and jeans, despite the 30 degree weather, which makes him tougher than I'll ever be, and chatting with some chick. I had no desire to bother him or intrude, so we did gave him the obligatory "Great show...you guys are awesome...hope you enjoyed your first time in Chicago" and crossed the street to head up to the Green Line.

We made it home pretty late and by the time I got ready for bed and settled down it was already 2am. Today was rough, but it was all worth it. I can't stop gushing about what a great time I had. I haven't properly gushed about a concert since...Stereophonics*? Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed all of the concerts I've been to in Chicago, it's just that I expect more out of some of them than others.

*I 've liked the Stereophonics for years and years, but I'd seen them before, in 1999 and 2002, and found them pretty boring. Maybe it was the venue, but when I saw them last year, they were a different band completely. Really really great and a pleasant surprise indeed.

So if you ever get the chance to see Glasvegas, take it! Tickets to our show were only $15, so they're affordable and worth every penny. If you have a few bucks to spare after getting your tickets, buy their album. I don't have to convince you to buy their album, because if you see them live, they'll convince you to buy their album.

I think you'll be hearing about them for decades to come. Allan McGee likes them, they make great music, and they are already making headway in the U.S. Not only was 'Geraldine' used in a Rhapsody commercial that was on TV regularly last year, but 'Daddy's Gone' was featured pretty prominently on last night's episode of Chuck -- fuck-word and all.

I Like My Music Loud

Festival season is upon us! Never mind the fact that the actual festivals are still months away. Every year, about this time, I sit and look at the lineups for the English/Scottish music festivals and wish I had an extra $2000 lying around. Last year, with my very first Lollapalooza and Pitchfork experiences on the horizon, I didn't think about it at all. This year, I've already bought tickets to Lollapalooza and Pitchfork, but I can't help looking at what I'm missing out on half a world away. For example, Blur and Oasis may both be playing at Glastonbury this year. Can you imagine? This would have blown my mind in 1996. I think they should play at the same time on opposite ends of the park and see who draws the biggest crowd. Seriously, guys, let's settle this feud once and for all, ok? ;)

I think next year might have to be the year I go back, with Jon in tow. He's never been to the UK and he loves music (generally the same kind of music that I do) just as much as I do. I know he would have a great time...and it would be such a cool thing to do together. I don't know if I'll ever actually brave the camping aspect of it, but if I did, I'd feel better having him there too. This may be wishful thinking if we do end up moving next summer, but we shall see.

Right, so enough daydreaming about what I'm not doing. In terms of music, I can't really complain. I saw Primal Scream last Sunday at the Metro. I would offer an opinion on the show, but my views are pretty similar to these and these. Let's just say my ears were still ringing well into the next day. I think it finally stopped around 3pm. Pretty intense, eh? It might be time to give in and buy earplugs. I go to enough concerts that it will genuinely affect my hearing later in life (which is closer and closer to being now, instead of "later") if I don't start taking real precautions. It may have affected my hearing already, honestly. I haven't noticed, but I didn't notice my vision getting worse over the last two years either...which apparently, it has.

(More pictures on my Flickr page)

I guess the Scream were hanging out at SmartBar (an after-hours type of venue attached to and owned by the Metro) post-gig, so I officially missed my chance to meet them by *thismuch*. To be fair, it was a Sunday night and late and I need more sleep than I used to. We got home pretty late as is, and meeting bands is always a toss-up. Back in the day, I would have waited hours and hours for a slim chance to shake a hand, but I suppose I'm getting lame in my late 20s. Jon was with me too, though. It's one thing to keep yourself up, but another thing entirely to make someone else wait up with you.

So, in keeping with the music theme for this post, I have been listening to The Charlatans all week. I sometimes get on a kick where I will avoid them for a while and then when I put them on again a few months later, *BOOM* everything seems fresh again. If you've never listened to The Charlatans: 1) I'm not too surprised...especially if you live in America. They never did make it very big here 2) You have no idea what you're missing. I'm not going to say they're perfect, but if you like the kind of music that I like, they're pretty damn close. 3) They were compared to The Stone Roses a lot when they first started in '89, but have since grown into their own sound quite nicely. 4) Talk about range. No album is quite like the last. They're not afraid to try something new, which terrifies me, but almost always pays off. 5) I can't pick a favorite song, but this is a really good one from their latest album:



In other news, I've changed the name of my blog and I may change it again. I'm still trying to find some kind of groove with my posting, so I'll just keep changing it up until it feels right. As with everything even remotely creative that I attempt, I'm never satisfied, so we'll see. I'm just happy that I've stuck to it. It feels good to write about things other than manufacturing companies and all the other stuff I fill my workday with.

In my last post, I mentioned going to the eye doctor to get contacts. That was...interesting, to say the least. It was far from the simple task I thought it would be and it took visits on two separate days (five hours in total) to convince them that I should be allowed to take the contacts home and practice. I still haven't gotten both of them in at once. At this point, I don't know if I ever will, but I'm trying. On the plus side, I was told that I have excellent reflexes and "superhuman" eyelids, which is good for life, but bad for contacts, I suppose.

Last night, Jon and I went to a Gapers Block meet-up. They have one every month, but I haven't gone since November, maybe October, due to holidays/being out of town and then due to the bitter cold and not wanting to go outside in it. Anyway, last night was a blast. I am really happy and proud to be involved with GB in any capacity. Since I left my position at V89 and moved to Chicago, I missed being involved in something that wasn't necessarily a job, but required self-motivated work. I like being part of a unique organization and I like the people that I've been able to meet, both through V89 and GB.

The meet-up last night was at an Irish pub called Emmit's. There was a beer sponsor (featured above), which meant free drinks in addition to the great company. It was pretty crowded when we got there, but gradually thinned out. I saw a few people I already knew and got the chance to meet a few more that I only knew of through GB or Twitter.

Today has been fairly low-key. It's been raining all day and is supposed to snow tomorrow (here's hoping it's the last time?). I will do just about anything I have to in order to stay indoors, including cleaning. And blogging...

Rebellious

Ok, I'm going to take this opportunity to shamelessly promote a band that you should be listening to. I first heard The Boxer Rebellion while I was in the FSU Study Abroad program in London in 2005. Nathan had apparently come to London to study a few years earlier and while he was there, was determined to join a band. Boy has pipes. He found a band. He ended up staying...and that band is The Boxer Rebellion.

My professor, who had taught Nathan before his exit from the program, told our class about the band. My flatmate, Megan, raved about them. One of the girls who helped run the office on our downtown London "campus" was dating the bassist. I was surrounded by them. I couldn't seem to avoid hearing their name. One night, everyone planned a trip to go to their show, so I tagged along. I have seen my fair share of friends' bands and friends-of-friends' bands play over the years, so I wasn't expecting too much. Not only did I enjoy the concert, I was blown away.

Before they'd gone on stage, I had been chatting to them about music in general and their influences as a band. I wanted to gauge what I was in for and how drunk I should get. They talked about their love for Radiohead and I was intrigued. Radiohead isn't an easy band to channel and still sound unique, so I really wanted to see what they'd do. Though you can definitely hear that they are a band that may enjoy Radiohead, they don't come across as a copycat act or like they are trying too hard to be anyone but The Boxer Rebellion. That's a good thing. I saw them a couple more times while I was in London, and every time was great.

They aren't simply a good live band, though. On record, they sound crisp, clear, moody, cocky yet sensitive, and absolutely beautiful. I've listened to Exits again and again and it never loses its shine. I haven't heard their newest offering just yet, so I can't comment on it specifically, but I know it's worth the $5.99 price on iTunes right now. That's right...it's only $5.99. And so is Exits. Even better, their new single is FREE. Why? It's the "Global Single of the Week", that's why.

"In an unprecedented move, iTunes have awarded the band a “Global Single of the Week” spot on January 13th for the track “Evacuate”, which will run across every iTunes store on the planet.

Mixed by Chris Sheldon (Foo Fighters, Feeder) and mastered by Kevin Metcalfe (U2, Prodigy), ‘Union’ has also been awarded the Editor’s Choice album slot by iTunes US which will see it receive main page and front page coverage."

So here's the deal, if you're afraid of spending the cash, get the free single, but do yourself a favor and check out some of their earlier songs (some of which can be found on MySpace -- try We Have This Place Surrounded and thank me later).

This is one band I believe in, people! Not just because they are great guys, but because I think you'll still be hearing about them in five years. And can you believe Nathan is American? From Tennessee?!? (edit: I've seen them compared to Kings of Leon in the past couple of weeks, possibly due to the Tennessee connection.)

In other news, Ryan Adams is apparently quitting music. For now. First Joaquin Phoenix quits acting for music and now this. Stick to what you do well, boys! C'mon now. How long do I think this impromptu retirement will last? I give it less than a year. If Mr. Adams is known for one thing, it's being prolific. He can't stop making music. It's in his blood. Mark my words.

Tunesday.

I've posted this on Facebook before, but it's just such a great video for a lovely song that Stereophonics' lead singer Kelly Jones wrote for his daughter (the unfortunately named Lolita Bootsey Jones...yeah).

Filled with beautiful music.

Ryan Adams' songs always manage to make me feel both wistful and happy at the same time. I can't believe I get to see him in less than a week! This song, from the new album Cardinology, is just gorgeous.