29 October 2005

OH MY CRUNKNESS!

Because sometimes Midterms just don't matter!





Having Halloween parties 2 days in advance is a great idea. Friends having 100 proof Georgi in their freezer is not. (Or considering the amazing pictures I got, maybe it is!). I have to say, as much as I am a bit of a homebody, sometimes partying can really be fun. I don't know how it happened, but my id was lost and I ended up with over 100 pictures. At one point I was taking a picture of Michael (the one in the shower cap) and I thought to myself, "wow.. I feel like I'm living in a scene from the cobrasnake.com." Thankfully my friends aren't quite that ironic and the costumes were great!

25 October 2005

BUSTED

I just finished my Suicide paper (as in Durkheim's suicide, not my own) and get this: I just started spelling the word "suicide" right. It's been a long night.

A little while ago Michael asked me how much I would pay to go see a band that isn't around anymore. I didn't really answer. He said that he would pay a bunch of money to see the Beatles, but then we decided that it's all relative (as in you can't spend 100 trazillion dollars to see the Beatles if you don't actually have 100 trazillion dollars... and barring the fact that trazillion isn't a real number) and the convo was really a moot point. But honestly, I would pay a WHOLE BUNCH of money to see the Smiths play live. and not some crappy set, a really good set. I would pay quality money to see that... though again, a moot point. Pretty ridiculous that it's a moot point considering that the Beatles are half dead and every member of the Smiths is STILL ALIVE.

Court battle or no, guys, it's time to get over yourselves, get together and thank the fans.

ps. happy birthday, Lindsay!

24 October 2005

STROKIN' BRAZIL

Sometimes I wish I lived in Brazil... right now, mainly. I would've caught the Strokes down there and I would have seen one of my favorite bands play this:
courtesy of those cool people @ thestrokes.com

I assume that if you're a Strokes fan you've heard the four songs that have leaked. So far I give the album about a 7.5/10. Juicebox has most definitely grown on me, and I immediately liked You Only Live Once and Razor Blade (though I do admit that last one has a bit of Manilow in it). The Other Side is alright, I suppose. I know it will probably eventually grow on me because all the other Strokes fans like it. And 15 minutes? I'm still trying to figure that one out....
but who am I kidding. I love everything.

Also, have you guys seen the album artwork? I would assume that if you care about it, you've already seen it, but just in case... courtesy of the crazies over at the Strokes LJ.
there you go.

20 October 2005

NAKED RUN 2005

Well, college students have to let off steam in some way, don't they? Only the Annual Naked Run isn't as fun when you know most of the guys in it.

(it was a total sausage fest.)

wish me luck! I have five exams in the next week...

19 October 2005

OH MY GOD


This is my friend Michael.

As we discovered last night while taking this picture:
            • Michael + Marla's hair on his head = dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty.








But really, I laughed so hard last night I almost peed. Not doing homework on a school night is well worth it.

13 October 2005

MONSOON SEASON '05

I've never experienced this much rain in my entire life. Campus is flooded; everything is wet. Some might say it's good to have this weather near midterms because it keeps you from going out, but those people have obviously never tried studying in weather where there's almost no difference between day and night. Still, it's not as bad as Glastonbury.

Other than lake Columbia, I haven't been updating lately because it seems like I'm always falling behind on something. I rush just about everywhere and the reading never stops. NEVER. There's always something to do. Compared to some, I've been pretty good about getting my work done, but it's come at the expense of being social. But really, where do you draw the line? I know college is supposed to be fun and partying, but at a certain point the work needs to be done. (Like everyone) I want to do well and not be cut off from opportunities just because I went to that one party on some night and didn't study as much. But it would be nice to do work AND keep my friends. and maintain my sanity. I see my friends about once a week now and it's sad. It gets hard. Rain doesn't help.

10 October 2005

I DON'T LOVE ANYONE


Don't you think college would rock so much more if you could have a pet?

06 October 2005

THEY'LL NEVER CATCH ME

I just saw the Decemberists w/Cass McCombs at Webster Hall. Long story short, it was a great show and they certainly made my first live Decemberists experience one to remember!

clue of greatness:
(giant whale)

Setlist:

Also a little sidenote - it was Colin's birthday! We sang him an awful rendition of happy birthday and I'd like to think it made the show rock even more (although in reality I doubt our awful singing abilities have anything to do with their limitless talent).

about 80 more photos

05 October 2005

LOVE & SPACE

Last night I went to benefit for Katrina at the Bowery. The line up was as follows: Other Passengers-Grizzly Bear-Akron/Family-Wooden Wand-Adam Green-Sufjan Stevens. It was long and it was great. Not only were the tickets going to a great cause (proceeds went to the Salvation Army for Katrina and Rita relief), but everyone gave amazing performances. I hadn't heard about 80% of the music when I got there, but it didn't matter. All of it was very impressive.

Other Passengers took the stage first. Unfortunately, there were about 30 people there. Other Passengers deserves more. They deserve huge dark stadiums full of people that know nothing about them, just for the purpose of being able to blow all of their minds the way mine was blown last night. Believe you me when I say this band is INCREDIBLE live. They did some on air/performances for WBAR last year and unfortunately (even though I was there) I missed their slots. Cate and I stood a few feet away from the stage while they played and my heart was in my throat the entire time. On top of being just plain excellent, there's this really dark component to the music that forces you to pay attention. It's like watching a thriller or something. It was (as I said before) incredible. I highly recommend them. HIGHLY.

Next was Grizzly Bear. Now imagine this: traditional native american music + spacy alternative rock + some awesomeness. That's Grizzly Bear in a nutshell. They were seated for the entire performance and it was still really cool. They were quite the buzz band during CMJ, so it was good to finally see them.


Then on came Akron/Family. Yet another WBAR playing band that I hadn't heard before (and ultimately regret not hearing before). They also sat down, introduced Ed ("The only Ed there is!") and starting playing, well.. what kind of music is that? It's kind of folky hard rock, if that's possible. Bottom line is they were really fun. They had a lot of heart and it made the performance that more enjoyable.

Next up was Wooden Wand. I feel kind of bad because I wasn't paying that much attention when he was on. Not because it was boring or bad music (it was actually pretty good) it's just that Akron/Family was so energetic and it was already pretty late into the night... it just wasn't the best time to hear such mellow music. He did a good job. Some incredibly drunk girl threw a beer cup on stage during one of his songs and I think everyone in the front rows felt really embarrassed about it, but really she was just that drunk. (It was still rude.)

Then, Adam Green! Not as cute of a performance as when I saw his solo show in April, but I'll chock that up to a bewitching double Kokomo that was sadly absent from this set. He was same ol' jumping, dancing, goofy Adam that we all know and love. He played a new (?) song called "Hey Dude" that was rockin'. In a different form than the rest of his songs, but very "Adam" nonetheless. I managed to achieve one of my goals, which was getting a setlist. Bonus was 1. it was the drummer's setlist with inaccurate (but funny) song titles and 2. it was handed to me by none other than Hottie mcHotface, Steve Mertens. He looks much younger.. maybe he lost weight? Oh, and while I'm talking about individual Gnomes, let me just say that there was definitely not enough Nate Brown love last night. Keyboardists are cool, everyone! Give Nate love.
Setlist:

Then, much to my heart's dismay, Sufjan came out. He set up his equipment on his own and my heart started breaking then and there. His whole acoustic set was beautiful. I hadn't heard one note of Seven Swans before I went (which is what he ended up playing the most of), but it didn't matter. Love is love, folks and Sufjan has mine. He started with a cover of R.E.M ("the one I love") and played a pretty modest set by himself with a guitar and banjo. He said being up there alone was terrifying, but I don't think he could have done anything to make the crowd adore him any less. Anything he did was great. Some highlights for me were "Chicago," which sounds - if it's possible- even more beautiful when he sings it alone, and also "The Dress Looks Nice on You," which I've decided has to be one of the best songs ever written. Honestly, in the history of all of the songs I've ever heard, it is in the top 2%. He left pretty suddenly and no one wanted him to. He came back out for an encore, and true to encore tradition, he only played one song - "Romulus." I would've done anything last night to hear him play "Casimir Pulaski Day," but really I'm glad I got to hear him play anything. After inconveniently missing all of his shows this summer and his shows at symphony space selling out so quickly, I'm grateful for the show last night. Add that to the fact that it was just him - no band, no other instruments- and it was actually a pretty special event. All in all, the music was great. I really enjoyed myself and I think it's nice that hipsters and old people alike were able to get together and help out a good cause.

Anyway, I think I've gone on long enough - the webshots are up, you can take a look.
can't stop... won't stop