Sunday, November 12, 2006

Our House Is a Very, Very, Very Fine House

And our Senate is looking better, too.

As SNL put it last night - in an ironic twist, Iraq has forced regime change in the United States. I live in a purple state, a mix of red and blue that feels like the future. And as the button I now wear on my lapel simply states: Optimism.

Okay, so I need to harken back to the CMJ Marathon, and to the joy of Halloween in New York City…

After a few years of frantically racing uptown and down, from venue to venue, trying to catch as many events as possible, I have developed a lazy person’s approach to the festival - Pick an area and concentrate on all the events within its boundaries instead of ricocheting throughout the city, where even a distance of 10 blocks can take a half hour to traverse. Keep it simple. Go with the flow.

If there’s a Merge party on Ave A and 11th Street that starts at 3 pm, even getting to 14th and Broadway for the Silversun Pickups Puma in-store may be a stretch, especially if you’re surprised by the arrival of a favorite friendly publicist and want to sit and chat. Besides, you might hear the people in the booth behind you announce that there’s another party down the block, and a good showcase happening ninety minutes later around the corner. Bottom line – don’t have unrealistic expectations.

Pick the showcase with the maximum ratio of (possibly) good bands to those unknown and just settle into the club as I did the night I went to Tonic to see The Slip and Oppenheimer. I broke my own rule and left before the Mosquitos went on, in a fools errand to try and catch the Knife at Webster Hall, where I had only a dim hope of being guest-listed. Didn’t get in, but had a pleasant conversation with the music reporter from Newsday, who was also bounced. I know I’m small beans, but when the gate-keepers bar one of the city’s major papers from getting in, you wonder where their priorities are.

Anyhoo, The Slip show was a good discovery. I’d heard them from a distance as they played the Day Stage at Avery Fisher while I checked email in the press room. Though I couldn’t catch the vocals, I liked the strong guitar sound, aggressive without being assaulltive, with surprising bits of melody, like soft marshmallows in the crunchy Lucky Charms. They were playing right before Oppenheimer, one of the few bands I had made a firm promise to see (I had written about them for the Post, liked the album a lot, and told the publicist I would definitely check 'em out) so I made a point of getting there early. Wanted to catch Hotel Lights, too, since I liked that CD – and the pedigree of a former Ben Folds Five member, but got caught up in dinner with College Girl.) Live and up close, The Slip turned out to be a trio making that mighty noise and lived up to the fine first impression.
OPPENHEIMER were great fun. Only two guys – drummer/singer and guitarist/keyboard creating a bright, buoyant pop party that’s reminiscent of Air.


ROSEWOOD THIEVES were another Day Stage revelation – along with the fact that I could sit comfortably in the Mountain Dew lounge and get wireless through the exhibitors’ system (the press room was small and dingy, though I always appreciate the thought). There I sat, happily typing away - except for when someone splashed water out of the freebie cooler (I don’t want another $1200 ruined computer incident) - and listening to the Thieves, who seemed initially downcast by the small audience, but warmed as they earned genuine applause. The singer opened with Dylan’s “Tonight I’ll be Staying Here with You,” which fit both his flawed-yet-expressive voice and the band’s overall slightly-country, smart rock vibe. And the keyboard player looked like the girl who started out on “Freaks and Geeks” and then popped up on “ER.” I gave lead singer a card ‘cause I sincerely hope to see them again if they come down DC Way.

Despite a passing interest in “House of Jealous Lovers,” I hadn’t given much thought to The RAPTURE either way, but when a dinner companion/publicist mentioned how much he was looking forward to their Monday night show, and followed up Tuesday with a glowing report, my CMJ pal Shari and I decided to try the door schmooze. Luckily, the press/photo pass combination (and, I’d like to think, my polite inquiries to the door man) worked, and we got in. It was a rousing good night all ‘round. Dewars hosted, which meant cheap scotch and cool swag (a nice T-shirt and an adorable guitar mini-amplifier) and the Rapture was great! Even if they should be paying royalties to Talking Heads for the “Remain in Light” rhythms and some to Adam Ant for the tribal lyric chants, the combination is killer. And how can you not love a band that dresses in full-body skeleton suits for Halloween?! “Get Myself Into It” is new to the Daily Playlist, so hey Rob, thanks for the lovely meal and fine musical recommendation.



On Monday, while Rob was enjoying The Rapture, I was bouncing to the pop-rocky goodness of HELLOGOODBYE at Irving Plaza, where the SoCal goofballs were starting a two-night stand as headliners.



I’d seen them before, as the lowly opening act on a multi-act bill with The Academy Is… and Panic! At the Disco, and as players on a Warped side stage, so it was quite a shock to see them getting full star response at this show, along with a back-drop and stand-up creatures stage setting. These guys radiate warmth in the manner of my dear, departed Troubled Hubble, and they even gave the crowd a balloon drop during the encore. Another winner!

Speaking of Halloween in New York City, it’s a truly wonderful trip in that sometimes you’re not 100% sure if you’re looking at a person in costume or just another uniquely New York personality. For instance, I leave the Verizon Store and an Arab sheik walks by. I’m guessing Middle Eastern royalty is in town, then notice that there’s an 8-year-old princess in pink by his side. A costume then…probably.

(photo by Shari, from a parallel moving cab)
Other favorite moments during what must rival the Carnivale as the world’s largest street costume party:
*A priest with a teddy bear and inflatable female date
*Zorro on roller skates
*Captain Hook walking east on 8th street, and Peter Pan walking west (I was dispappointed that the didn’t acknowledge each other)
*A dalmation dog (real canine) being walked by a dalmation dog (man in costume)
*Death (long black robe, skull head) hailing a cab
* Four different supermen – all in suits with the logo shirt underneath.
* The ham hock tribute to Scout in “To Kill a Mockingbird” that actually looked kinda like a pile of poo, so the poor girl inside had to write “HAM” on the outside.

One trend I could have done without: skimpily-dressed girls in brightly colored wigs. Too easy, in both senses of the word.

With all the free music being handed out (more on that next time), I only purchased one CD while in New York:
1. AMINA – Animamina (Worker’s Institute)
I had previously seen the winsome Scandinavian women open for Sigur Ros last year, at a moving performance that took place, appropriately enough, on 9-11. Hearing that they were appearing at Joe’s Pub, just around the corner from Shari’s place (my home for the festival) was too good a chance as we walked home from the Rapture show. It was late (almost one a.m.) but the group was still onstage, casting their soft spell on a nearly breathlessly quiet audience (two yapping guys at the bar should have been smacked down). I bought the oh-so-quiet CD on the way out. Then discovered it was just an EP - $15?!! (Karmic payback for the missing cocktail glass…)

YTD total: 663

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