the last ten days

What’s up with WOXY?

This is going to be a little longer post than usual

The short version: There was a prom-themed party at Alchemize this weekend to support WOXY. I didn't know what to expect, but when I saw the wonderfully hand painted backdrop for photos I got a little excited. In short order a fella arrived with lighting rigs, a laptop, camera, and printer.

I sat behind the scenes taking advantage of the great light as he snapped photos of lots of folks in hip prom regalia.

A live band poured through covers of songs that fit the flavor of the station, setting the backdrop for an excellent evening.

More Photos here

Support WOXY? You might be wondering. What's that all about?

Sigur Rós

Live at the Taft Theatre

The quartet Amina opened the show tonight, building loops of strings, percussion and other oddities—a saw, a music box, and a laptop to name a few.

My friend joked they were checking their email, but humor took a back seat as we zoned out and let the music carry us through landscapes of sound.

The respectful silence of the crowd during the quiet bits suggested everyone was enjoying the ride.

This set the tone for the headliner, Sigur Rós, emerging behind a veil with simple lights casting exaggerated shadows. Which was fitting as their sound seemed much bigger than the handful of folks making it.

Half the fun was watching how they made their music. A bow on electric guitar, drumming on the bass, Amina providing a backdrop of strings, tied together with vocals that allow thinking about everything and nothing.

A perfect interlude for dramatic weather.

Robert Pollard

Sober at the Southgate House

My journal is starting to loop. Or skip.

I can say, however, I didn't lose my camera this time at a GBV (related) event.

...

The show was good. Lots of material from the new album... I think...

I'm not one of those pale rabid fans that creep out from behind their bootlegs every time Mr. Pollard comes through town to pound their fist in the air, shout slurred lyrics, litter the floor with crushed PBR cans, and wet their jeans.

I kid.

But don't get me wrong, it was good. The new band was tight, sound levels didn't blow out my ear drums, and the synth was a nice touch.

And personally, I like Nintendo and PBR.

Lounging

One of my favorite shots, from Aberdeen City

I'm still trying to catch up from Thanksgiving. Heck, I'm still trying to catch up from early fall... One of my duties slipped through the cracks—posting Lounge Act photos from the radio station.

I am now caught up and all the sets are posted up on WOXY's Flickr Account.

Top row from left:
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's, Sam Champion, The Virgins, The Great Shakes
Bottom Row from left:
The Carter Administration, The National, World Leader Pretend, The Long Winters

podcasts and donuts

I had a jelly filled one

A morning Lounge Act at the radio station merited snacks other than the usual carrots and salami rolls with cream cheese. The above image was swiped from the box of Dunkin Donuts, reminding everyone that the holidays fast approach.

In related news, lots of the performances are now being made available via podcast.

Get 'em while they're hot ( iTunes Music Store link )

thriller, live!

Darkness falls across the Bluegrass State

Every Halloween in Lexington, KY, they block off the streets and recreate Michael Jackson's Thriller video.

Really.

How many times did I hope for that video to come on MTV with none of my family around so I could attempt those dance moves? These moves that were impossible for my 11 year old brain. If I had that red leather jacket, I'm sure I could have done them perfectly.

The drive to Lexington was effortless and beautiful. The crowd was large and the dancers seemed to skip a few parts.

Was it perfect? Heck no.
Was it awesome? You betcha.

Thrilling adverts! :

7 songs

De Novo Dahl a while back at WOXY

I was issued a tag to fess up to 7 songs I am currently listening to. It took some time, but here they are:

(Links are to artist sites, not MP3s. Because I'm lame like that)

De Novo Dahl : Be Your Man - It's hard to pick just one track from their double album Cats/Kittens (one disc is a remix of the other). They're all over the place, superfun live, and they wear outfits. I really enjoy listening to them.

Grandaddy : F**k the Valley Fudge - This isn't the best Grandaddy song ever, but it is what I'm listening to at the moment. Not many songs drop rhymes like Applebees and Chuck E. Cheese. And the lawnmower at the end: pure love for a white noise addict.

Adrian Belew : One of Those Days - I just got a copy of the acoustic version of this song, a song that always reminds me of summer. It pleases me like the sound of lawnmowers I'm not manning, and burning grass scented candles.

Sia : Breathe Me (Four Tet remix) - I've already admitted how much the last episode of 6 ft under moved me. This song stuck and I have to thank Harmonica Lewinsky for the remix.

Dirty on Purpose : All New Friends - Like much of my music these days, this stems from the radio station. Another fun one holding over from the sunshine season. It will likely be replaced by another one of their songs in the shuffle: Mind Blindness, to go with the change in season.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah : Over And Over Again (Lost And Found) - We needed something to fill the gaping void that was Talking Heads in the music landscape. Thems tough shoes to fill with just one album under the belt, but it's the David Byrne vocal similarities that influence my declaration. And it's fun to hear that Bear Gone Wild say their name by clapping loudly, then whooping, "Yeah!"

Oh, and this last group will be performing in the lounge tomorrow before opening for The National at the Southgate House.

Dagnabbit, that's just 6 songs. All that linking was hard. Maybe I'll append later.

Off the chain

A rant

It began to sink in last night, when I was watching the MTV Video Music Awards... A show I don't invest too much into, but I had a tinge of hope that something amusing or remotely interesting would happen.

It didn't. I turned it off after Eric Roberts talked about heck-knows-what and I realized I hadn't seen any of the horrible videos nominated.

Tonight I was flipping through the channels and everything just seemed played out.
Lip-synched.
Scripted.
False.
Pimped beyond recognition.

A long time ago, it was MTV that was a big part of my desire to get cable. And now, some decades later, I think it's the reason why I want to get rid of it.

I blame a good chunk of today's offerings on The Real World, and the foray into reality that oddly enough, I cannot relate to. The subsequent infusion of has-been stars cannot elevate this to entertainment. No amount play on the industry or the eating of caterpillar guts is going to make me want to tune in.

Add to this mix the shallowness of fame and the manipulation of media (Hi Paris, I'm sad I know your name), and it's about time I think about getting rid of all these channels. These are feeds I really wouldn't subscribe to...

Perhaps this is some in-between season disdain. Maybe I'm still sad Six Feet Under is over (and it is likely a show that is better in my mind than it actually was).

I dunno.

I still want my high-speed internet, I think.

Glazing over

Strummers

Often I lament not being able to play an instrument.

I was in choir through high school (no jazz hands, thank you very much) which gave me the insight to read music, but that's the extent of my musical ability.

Well, my mom had a dulcimer I picked at during my youth, and we had one of those double-tiered organs with the bossa nova buttons. At my most engaged I was picking out songs from the Liberace and Anne Murray songbooks with one finger.

Today, I met up with a friend at the guitar store and I was sort've bowled over. So many tuners, cords, amps, and other paraphernalia—with prices that ranged from reasonable to (insert jawdrop). Maybe it's best that not everywhere is a candy store and practicing restraint is entirely possible.

Pete Yorn

In the lounge

Epitome of down to earth fella. Put on a real nice set yesterday.

He's workin on another album and is touring to test some of the new material.

More Photos

The Cloud Room

Live in the Lounge

I'm tuckered. Real quick though, The Cloud Room stopped by woxy this afternoon. Nice fellas who put on an excellent set.

More photos...

Gorillaz

In the words of Mike the DJ, "They're much smaller in real life"

“Live” in the lounge.
S'more photos...

Architecture in Helsinki

Architecture in Helsinki : Indie Pop :: Katamari Darmacy : Videogames
Southgate House - Newport, KY

A gig.
A whole gig.
Of photos.
Most of which are blurry, or dark, or blurry AND dark. There's about 500, I'll sort through those later.

Anywho, the show (and the lounge act earlier in the day) was superfun. It was a bit sad to see such a small crowd out, but I suppose they have a niche audience or the area kids have gone home from college.

The 8 members swapped instruments on most songs, with a "we enjoying ourselves" vibe.

Oh, and they're vandals.

Lounge Acts

The Wrens

The Wrens came through the studio yesterday and put on an excellent set. An amicable bunch, they made the whole photo-taking process very easy. I did promise to photoshop Brad Pitt's body on them, but I haven't gotten around to that yet.

I spent a good part of the evening going through photos from May to get caught up on all the woxy.com outstanding shoots, including: Brendan Benson, Psychodots, Cartel, and more of The Wrens...

I don't get down to snap every band that comes through, but it's always nice when I do. Good bunch of folks and always good music. Lots of upcoming acts coming up. I'll try to give some ample warning before they happen.

Rilo Kiley

at the Southgate House

I missed the DJ set from Rilo Kiley at the studio today, and have decided to get one of those emergency car kits that have jumper cables and flares. I did however, make it to see them perform across the river this evening.

I'd be lying if I said I knew their music really well, but that's the fun of going to see a live performance—there's always a layer of personality and sound that doesn't come across through headphones.

I did try and get acquainted by streaming tunes from their website before heading out. Much of it was familiar from songs on compilations and the radio station.

I believe at one point I said to a friend that the lead singer was Sissy Spacek for the new millennium—but that was mostly due to the slight twang and cavernous voice. More haunting that one would expect to find in a rock band. Categorization fails.

Summary: Packed venue, great show. I missed the boat by not digging this band before.

Music

Blame the Cosmonaut

1. Total amount of music files on your computer?
A good chunk. More on an external drive.

2. The last cd(s) you bought acquired... (I'm gearing up for record store spree, I promise)
- The Eels "Blinking Lights..."
- Nikka Costa "Can'tneverdidnothin'"
- Architecture In Helsinki "In Case We Die"
- Spoon "Gimmee Fiction"
- Headphones Self titled
- Fiona Apple "Extraordinary Machine" (bless her heart)
(also, Tarwater, The Mountain Goats and Mike Doughty)

3. What was the last song you listened to before reading this message?
"Be Good To Them Always" The Books

4. Write down five songs you often listen to or mean a lot to you you've played more than once recently?
"Mad World" Gary Jules (a cover of a Tears for Fears song that gets under my skin in a nice sad way)
"Air" The Owls (not Owls)
"Of Angels and Angels" The Decemberists (I can sing along to them with my nose stuffed up)
"Earthquake Weather" Beck (from his new disc)
"Live Like You Were Dying" Tim McGraw (shut up)

5. What new music are you really excited for in the coming year so far?
Stephen Malkmus, Flaming Lips, Weezer (guarded expectation, edit: I only like one song), Gorillaz (ditto), Royksopp, Bob Mould, Kate Bush, Death Cab..., Grandaddy, Primal Scream (maybe)... (These taken from the most excellent upcoming releases page on Metacritic)

6. Which five people are you going to pass this baton to and why?
Wasn't it painful enough just to read this?

I'd be curious about the perspectives of some folks that don't "blog" much:
Tommy D (master compiler),
Reenies Dad (his last mix from many months ago is still in my car)

7. What I'd like to buy when I go to the record store (I made this one up)
Decemberists "Picaresque"
Lou Barlow "Emoh"
Beck "Guero"
The National "Alligator"

Borrowing

Note to self: do not use Sharpie without glasses

A friend came over and we spent a good part of the night talking about everything from politics to music over some (good) cheap wine. I burned an already 'borrowed' copy of the Decemberists new disc and marked off the calendar for their stop in town.

Now I need to follow through and pick up the actual CD, or perhaps they get more kickback on t-shirts at concerts? Hmm, not sure. Regardless, their latest album, "Picaresque" has been one of the bright spots this year, and even though there are all these great music festivals, I'm looking mighty forward just to see them on their own.

Planting One Seed at a Time

Tom’s 2004 Compilation

My friend’s yearly mixes have taken on epic proportions. His labor of love takes months of honing as he perfects the flow and develops stunning packages. This year, a few of us turned an evening of picking up the CDs into a mini-release party catered by Chipotle.

Fun details include sunflower seeds in the spine of the jewelboxing, and an actual coupon for the independent record store here in town to encourage folks to go out and buy what they like.

It's not necessarily music that came out in 2004, but it's stuff that caught Tom’s ear and made an impression. I'm still not through it, yet I'm already finding myself humming new tunes I didn't know before.

The complete track list...

The Fiery Furnaces

Live in the woxy.com lounge

Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger, the brother and sister duo that is The Fiery Furnaces performed at the radio station this afternoon.

A loose set with a few giggles thrown in, they were just as entertaining answering questions from the DJ in-between songs.

In other news, the weather is bordering on perfect.

Superwolf

Bonnie “Prince” Billy (note the audience member in the righthand corner)

I remember the day distinctly when I saw this album at the record store up the street and bought it without any hesitation, unheard.

Turns out it was pretty dang good in the most mellow and quiet of ways.

Fast forward a few years and that fella with the beard joined up with a guitarist from Zwan (not quite the worst band ever) and made Superwolf. I'd link to a site but I can only seem to find paltry pages on the label's online sprawl... (Where did I recently read that artist websites are the new album covers that we spend our time gazing through...)

Anyways, they performed at the smoke filled Southgate House in Kentucky last night and were true to the sound on their record. However, the whole staging and vibe seemed off in a some inexplicable way. Although I love the venue, I think they require something more comfortable. Outside? On a porch with beer stocked coolers? I dunno.

Maybe I'm remiss that I haven't seen Mr. Billy performing his subtle solo material.

Regardless, his voice was a fine thing to hear live and the karaoke afterward made me feel my entertainment dollar was well spent.

Ben Lee

At Top Cats

Ben Lee performed at the radio station in the afternoon, but I had to miss it. Luckily, I got to catch some of his performance at Top Cats later that night and take some photos.

I'll be honest. I don't know his music.

I can say though, he's got some incredibly vibrant energy about him. My friend recalled the interview he had earlier in the day at the studio. Something about his new album, and how it reflected this vibe. He realized he had a choice, and he wanted to make make happy music; see people smile.

Now all these words are a twice removed game of telephone, but I can still dig it.

The Kills

Outside the studio

Lunchtime at the radio station to squeeze off some photos of The Kills.

S'always odd having a band come in and set up quick-like — hardly affords any time to warm up and get comfortable with all the variables of a live set.

The two members of the group were almost like ghosts walking in daylight, with lead singer VV gravitating toward Buster the part-time studio dog (who lends a nice humane touch to the place) and everyone else plugging things in or looking for coffee.

Once they went on air though, the vibe cranked up several notches. I'm not sure on all the technical feats, but this band of two sounded like a band of more. It was pretty damn incredible with everyone tapping their feet or nodding their head in time to the big sound.

After that, there were grins all around.

I tend to take lots of the photos behind the glass of the studio 'cause I dislike being all up in someone's face, especially if they're likely just up for the day. But there are more photos posted up on woxy's flickr account. Images are a bit more processed than usual.

They've a video on their site you can sample. If you dig em, I'd check em out live.

Microsoft + Personality?

I'm shocked

And pleased...

The National: WOXY Lounge Act

Lead singer Matt Berninger

While readying myself for sleep, listening to Brodie's latest Freaky Folk compilation, I realized I hadn't posted about The National's visit to the woxy studio this week.

A laid back time, with a little small talk flipping through the premiere issue of Make magazine (gridded design goodness), I tried to be unobtrusive snapping photos.

Most of the shots are jittery, and I'm thinking a bounce flash might be prudent in extremely low light situations.

A few members of the band were just in for a brief DJ set before a gig in Louisville. They are gearing up for a tour and the release of their next full length album Alligator, mid April. I'm looking forward to it.

Looking back through my journal entries, I realized it was the same day last year that I heard them perform up the street for the first time.

A Total Eclipse of the Cover Song

Bonnie Tyler fans rejoice

A music video that is very powerful.
Very moving.

via Buffoonery

Dirty on Purpose

Playing in the woxy.com lounge

I read somewhere recently about the death of band logos which I believe was inspired by the link going around for Downloadable Band Fonts. I'm happy to report that band logos are still alive and kicking as seen by the sample to the right. This snake adorns some of the amps and a shirt which I must have from the band that played in the studio this afternoon. They make all their own graphics.

If you're reading, members of Dirty on Purpose, I want one badly. I'm an XL.

I posted more photos up on flickr, but had to give this one special attention.

Rock is still alive.

Pinpoint

Better than a graph chart

This is a good example where a hunk of data on a computer screen has nothing on physical representation: a map of listeners who wrote in to woxy.com. Sure it's not specific, but it's fun to look at.

This was of course, before a survey was added to the site this week, which has amazingly yielded a good chunk of data.

// Pimp hat on
If you listen, you should take a moment to fill it out. If you don't listen and you like alternative rock and sometimes wonder what to play next, tune in.
Pimp hat off //

I spent the late afternoon snapping photos of Sunday Runners at the station before wandering around the city enjoying the light; without the aide of saffron-colored fabric illuminating my path.

It's still cold as a witch's tit* here—but we've had blue skies.

I hear that Colorado and Wyoming have approximately 300 days of blue sky each year**. Though I don't think I could stomach the traffic of Denver, I wonder how this continual presence of hue would effect my mental outlook.

And then I think of the Erma Bombeck*** book, "The Grass is Always Greener of the Septic Tank" which I've never read.

* whatever that means
** I've no "facts" to back this up
*** rest her soul

All references lack credibility. Such is blogging.

Wilco

At the Taft Theater, Cincinnati Ohio

Tonight I was able to catch Wilco on their tour supporting some album I don't have. I take that back, I'm not sure why they're touring, but it might have something to do with their rabid fans.

A sold out show comprised of an odd mix of pre-Dead / post-Phish folk turned out with their nifty corduroy blazers and pretty scarves. Bearded men and earthy chicks mingled with frat boys and glammed up girls—way too showered to be considered classic hippies.

I have most of their work but dropped off with "A Ghost is Born", so there weren't many expectations.

It was a great show.

Aside from a few stock Getty looped video backgrounds—attention video artisans, the mirror effect is a cheap shot at interesting—they sounded great and have inspired me to dig back through their catalogue.

It was a loud crowd with lots of yelling, a few lighters lit and an exceptionally buoyant voice in the audience that screamed, "Turn up your guitar! I can't hear the solos."

To which Jeff Tweedy came back, "I can't see you, but I imagine you have hair down to here..." reaching around to his lower back. "I bet you have on a Kansas t-shirt, acid washed denim jeans, and white Reeboks." He walks back to a monitor and fiddles with his guitar a moment before returning to the mic, "And I bet you have a fanny pack."

He later apologized for the fanny pack remark, but before and after the band went through the paces of a sprawling set of their alt-county/melancholy/rocking repertoire.

The only downfall might have been my desire to sue the Taft Theater for the scoliosis I felt after contorting myself into their compact seats up in the balcony, surely made at a time in America’s brief history when folks were smaller. Even standing felt cramped.

Pedro the Lion

Dave Bazan fronts the band and apparently a guy on soundboard has seen the video from The Ring

The concert tonight was the great I thought. Not so much for the music—that was good, but to just see the band flushing out their personalities, that was nice.

The lead singer entertained questions from the crowd between songs, avoiding requests. He started rambling about why he has no favorites he's written, as performing them live varies their vibe. One night Bands With Managers is great, the next night it "fucking sucks."

He also revealed that he has no favorite breakfast food, though his wife does. She rang his mobile between songs but he just missed the call. I can forgive if a band has phones, but when audience members spend too much time text messaging, I get a bit irked.

Not as irked though as when someone yells out, "I voted for Bush" when the lead singer took a moment to encourage Ohio voters to question electronic polling.

Frickin’ moron. And here I thought people that voted for Bush never said it publicly.

Low

Performing in the lounge this afternoon

It was nice to go back to WOXY for a lounge act this afternoon. Low is in town and brought their family and a few friends along with their music to the studio late this afternoon.

There were kids and animals running around—vegetables, dip, fruit roll up things, and juice boxes in the fridge.

They will be performing with Pedro the Lion this evening at the Southgate House in Newport Kentucky. Should be a good show.

More photos from the afternoon. Some taken by the bassist’s daughter, I believe.

What the world, needs now...

...is another picture of an iPod shuffle

A few quick thoughts on this latest MP3 player from Apple, as I got to play with one the other night. I didn't know any of the music it was shuffling through, and I liked that.

Sometimes it's easy to 'borrow' music from friends, one can amass quite a bit of stuff to sift through before deciding what to buy.

I'm no longer that 15 year old staring at the linear notes for hours. There's a lot to process it seems. More than ever? I'm not sure on that. But I do think it's almost too easy these days. Too easy to skip around and not ever really know what's playing.

I mentioned this in a comment at one point, but the Shuffle seems to mirror the way I enjoy music (while set to Play in Order mode). I like to have a handful of albums in the 6 CD changer, and use the forward button to skip through tracks.

If the Shuffle had a skip album button, or something more random like an 8-track player to advance you around the gig, that'd be nice. But overall, this thing is sweet.

With Napster pulling crap like this marketing, I feel pretty good that Apple is in no immediate threat of losing their current lead in digital music. The Shuffle just makes an already solid line-up even better.

Adjusting applause

Wind Symphony

Leaving my house for the first time yesterday evening I was surprised to see snow coming down heavily. There was a free concert up the street from me at the College-Conservatory of Music.

I like classical music, just not all of the presentation of it. I want to clap between movements, but that's wrong. The piece must be completed in its entirety.

The dead time while folks are cleaning out their spit valves and shuffling music is a disturbing silence. I cringe having to be absolutely quiet.

But the show was good. Entertaining even, as I sat there thinking, hmmm, what kind of scene in a movie would this fit? Something heavy, murderous and moody I thought. The last pieces were harder to characterize... A hint of Danny Elfman or Frank Zappa which kept the small audience on their toes.

Afterward I met up with some of the musicians at the Bamboo Club down on the river for a few cocktails and jazz. The small ensemble kept my leg shaking and hands tapping along. I knew it was perfectly courteous to clap after solos.

Unrelated note: Just when I think I'm getting to be able to predict how this new temporary camera will take photos, it surprises me. I have to bracket much more than ever, making about 15 shots for every one that will turn out. It's been interesting.

Oh my chicken soup with ramble

Yeehaw for scanners, but I’m going to need to get some fresh pens

I've almost depleted the stockpile from the heavy snow—it’s down to canned goods now.

Yesterday, I broke out the Chicken Soup with (wild) Rice which seemed appropriate for a chilly (albeit rainy) day. As I stirred the pot, I drifted back to when I was a kid, scrutinizing Maurice Sendak's Chicken Soup with Rice: A Book of Months while singing along with Carole King on the record player.

You can't shake these things.

So I stir, and hum along to myself, remembering how much I loved Sendak's style, and how a recent conversation with a friend prompted me to consider helping her illustrate a children's book. With my chops rusty from the other day, one thing led to another and I started to think about drawing—a skill I feel that anyone can learn.

I started by tracing, then emulating. The classes of my youth, where craft won over composition. On to college where I feel I really learned how to see for the first time and translate it through my fingers.

That memory alone could occupy an entry all unto itself where I thank a professor from Ohio State by the name of Mike Arrigo. (Thank you Google)

Anyways, all these things swirling around as the soup heats and smells like metal.

All this stuff, linked to this very moment.

Baffling really. And nonsensical at the same time.

The soup was fine. Not much to write about, and the crackers were sort of stale (even though my brother taped the package closed — who else would do that?)

Save for the Zestas, the other thoughts, those made for a nice lunch hour.

SPECIAL BONUS: A clip of Carole King singing the song.

Scissor Sisters

Lexington, KY

"It's impossible to say Lexington, Kentucky without saying cunt." At least, that's what Jake Shears (pictured above) of the Scissor Sisters says. Really, it's all how you deliver it.

Anyways, I saw them last night, in the hometown of BabyDaddy.

Hometown shows are always nice. You get to see bitter school pals, aunts and uncles, and moms and dads get loaded.

Take your mama out, indeed.

On top of great music, I met up with a slew of super nice friends and strangers.

It was totally hot.

My only other thoughts are:
1.) that chick, she's a lot more quiet on the album
2.) where does the lead singer get all that energy?
3.) I think a few members of the band are or were thespians at one point or another.

woxy.com t-shirt

Matching undies sold separately

The t-shirts I've been working on at the independent streaming music station arrived late yesterday afternoon.

Support anti-corporate radio, buy a shirt (or at least take a gander at the colors). Sizes are generous, though I would not suggest the small (as shown above). Even if you don't buy a shirt and haven't listened to them, tune in. These are the folks that host all those bands I've been seeing of late.

Detail of back:

Buy one or two... It's like having a doodled trapper keeper on your back.