| Start: | Dec 9, '05 10:00p |
| Location: | Black Cat, DC |
Monday, November 28, 2005
Friday, November 11, 2005
Las Vegas / Red Rock 11/2005
Went to Vegas for vacation this week. Not only did I not find the money I left there in March, but I seemed to have mis-placed some more...
Also went out to Red Rock Canyon which is about 30 minutes out side of the Strip. Met a nice burrow...
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Quote of the Day
HAPPINESS
We all live with the objective of being happy
our lives are all different and yet the same.
- Anne Frank
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Monday, October 17, 2005
Foo Fighters, 9:30 Club, 10/16/05
The Foo Fighters took a night off their tour to play a surprise show at a local venue in DC. The 9:30 Club, which Grohl has played many times (and grew up watching shows here) holds about 1500 people. The show was completely different then their current arena tour show. They took the stage at 11:15 pm and left the stage at 1:45 am. For at least the first hour, they went from song to song with very little break between. Grohl started the show off by saying "we are going to play as much music as we can for the next two hours".
Then the Jaigermeister shots started (not me, the Foo Fighters) and the set list went out the window. I think Taylor said it best at one point "tonight we are like a f'in bar band". Between songs they would decide what song to play next, at times reminding each other what the chords were. They played songs from all of their albums. They played all their hits, but also played a ton of 'deep' tracks. They just were having fun. It seemed like they didn't want the night to end, just playing song after song until finally the club was closing. Grohl even offered to do a shot with everyone in attendance. It was an intimate setting, all 1500 of us and the Foo Fighters, rocked the night away.
It was an amazing night and those in attendance knew they were seeing something special. Dave Grohl is still my boyfriend. Some video posted!
Special thank you to Ballard for hooking me up with this event!
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Dave Grohl is my boyfriend
| Rating: | ★★★★ |
| Category: | Other |
I have been a fan of Foo since the beginning, but really started loving them with the release of the album 'There Is Nothing Left to Lose' and the single "Learn to Fly". Then the album 'One by One' with "Times Like These", then 'The Colour and the Shape' with the hits "Monkey Wrench", "My Hero", "Everlong"... well heard them all last night.
The new album is good. Grohl screams. a lot. This album has a lot more screaming then the previous albums. Grohl is a good screamer.
Seeing the Foo Fighters in Northern Virginia is a real treat because Grohl is from the area. His parents were at the show, which he dedicated a song to them, spotlight on them the whole time (they were near me and I think a little embarrassed by the spotlight). Grohl's wife was there. Grohl's old high school buddies were there. Stories of growing up in the area were told. Stories of getting high at the very college we were seeing him at now, were told.
A memorable highlight- the drummer, Taylor Hawkins, sang one song - but the highlight was Grohl switched into his alter ego drummer persona and I GOT TO SEE GROHL DRUM LIVE. That was great. I never had the opportunity to see Nirvana in concert, and although critics no longer dissect Foo Fighters with comparisons to Nirvana, Grohl is a kick ass drummer and it was a really exciting moment.
The encore was a sing along to "Breakout". It was a big party and it was great.
The opening band was the Kaiser Chiefs, but I was out in the beer tent at that point and didn't see them. Then came out Weezer, who also played on the bill, and, although I am not a huge Weezer fan, I hadn't realized how many good hits they have. They are a fun band. They joke around, they are geeks and nerds and proud of it. They all play multiple instruments and they all sing and they kept rotating around the stage switching singers and instruments. That was pretty cool.
Back to Foo-
Once again I was on the floor (pit) and could have moshed and crowd surfed, but I hung back this time... I am getting old, you know. Grohl did take a moment and ask the demographics of the crowd- asking for screams to acknowledge teenagers, twenty-somethings, thirties (whoa-ho), forties and fifties. People screamed for every group. It was an extremely diverse audience (age-wise anyway). And everyone had a rocking good time.
I recommend the show if you like to rock :)
again- my phone takes crappy pictures, but it's all I had...
also check out my entry on the Foo Fighters private show in DC.
Saturday, October 8, 2005
NYC / Highlander Yacht 10/2005
I was in NY this past week on business (10/05/05-10/07/05) and had the opportunity to take a trip on the Forbes Highlander. Photography was difficult because we were moving, it was dark and it was foggy. Here are the photos!
Monday, September 26, 2005
Healthy in Paranoid Times
| Rating: | ★★★★★ |
| Category: | Music |
| Genre: | Alternative Rock |
| Artist: | Our Lady Peace |
You have probably heard at least one of their songs and didn't realize who they are. They are a Canadian band and have been around for a long time (mid 90's). One of their biggest U.S. hits was 1997's 'Superman is Dead' off the album Clumsy. Three years ago their song 'Somewhere Out There', off their album Gravity, probably sold the most singles in the U.S.
Their new album, Healthy in Paranoid Times, took a long time to make. 1165 days to be exact. This is their most political album to date, although not preachy. It has some definite 'wave your hands' anthem tunes (I waved my hands at the show last week to these new songs: 'Where Are You', 'Wipe That Smile Off Your Face' and 'Angels/Losing/Sleep').
Of course there always has to be the sentimental lullaby type song. On Healthy in Paranoid Times it would be 'Al Genina (Leave the Light On)'. This song was written by Raine Maida (lead singer) after a trip to a few third world nations.
My favorite song on the album is 'Picture' (although this changes daily- last week it was 'Boy'). It's a sweeping, beautiful and very personal song- ”Don’t take my picture down/Don’t erase everything that we had …".
The concert was awesome. It was sold out and actually seemed to be full of all OLP die hards. Everyone was singing every song. During the encore, the audience sang most of an entire song while Raine stood holding the microphone out to us. Typical concert moment, but, well, I sang my heart out :)
It's a good rock/alternative album. I definitely recommend it. Although if you never heard OLP, I would probably have you buy their last album 'Gravity' too!
Check out my music downloads for some of my favorite OLP tunes...
Monday, September 19, 2005
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Blue Brothers in Chicago
While in Chicago this past weekend, I was fortunate enough to catch the Blues Brothers Benefit show for Katrina. Dan Akroyd and Jim Belushi, with an assortment of amazing and talented blues musicians, rocked the house (the House of Blues that is). Thanks to Shari for the VIP lounge hook-up! Here's a snippet of Soul Man.
Thursday, September 1, 2005
Ripe and Raw Rock: Green Day's Post-Punk Boom
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/31/AR2005083102617.html
Ripe and Raw Rock: Green Day's Post-Punk Boom
By J. Freedom du Lac
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 1, 2005; Page C01
It's hard to say which is more striking about Green Day circa 2005 -- the group's recent maturation or its sudden arena-rock tendencies.
Both were on full display Tuesday at Merriweather Post Pavilion, where Green Day performed material from last year's "American Idiot," a sharp, sociopolitical punk-rock opera that signaled a serious artistic growth spurt for a group previously known for caca jokes and songs about boredom, bong hits and masturbation.
The long-running Northern California band then punctuated the proceedings with a bunch of pyrotechnics: There were flash pots and torch flames and spark showers and such (and if there isn't a rule about turning in your punk badge once you reach double-digit pyro cues in a single show, well, there should be).
If the explosives weren't rawk-goddish enough for the kids in the crowd, well, thank good ness for the elaborate lighting and the disco ball and the wave-your-arms exhortations and the big blinking multicolored bulbs that spelled out GREEN DAY. There was also a cover of Queen's arena-rock anthem "We Are the Champions," an encore that was surprisingly light on irony. Somewhere, six feet under, Joey Ramone was rolling over.
So, Green Day: Definitely no longer a punk band -- although that story line has been in development at least since 1994, when the "sellout" charges came fast and furious upon the release of "Dookie," an MTV-friendly album that racked up sales of about 10 million copies.
There's also this, though: Green Day, one of the more compelling big-name rock bands around, by virtue of "American Idiot" (roughly 4 million sold -- less than half the "Dookie" haul, but a very big number nonetheless in the iPod era), along with a live show that sits at the entertaining intersection of good music and good theater.
Lest you worry that this means Green Day's, like, totally grown up and stuff, there was plenty of juvenile evidence Tuesday to suggest otherwise.
The manic lead singer and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong half-mooned the crowd, pretended to pass gas with the help of the tenor saxophonist (yes, the band occasionally used a horn section) and blasted fans with a water gun. Armstrong also pretended to pleasure himself at one point -- though The Washington Post can't verify the "pretended" part. Besides the shenanigans, of course, there was also music.
Playing for the first time since Sunday night's MTV Video Music Awards, where Green Day collected seven statues -- including best rock video and video of the year, for its "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" clip -- Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, drummer Tre Cool and several sidemen bashed, burned and sometimes wobbled through greatest hits ("Long View," "She," "Basket Case") and covers (Queen, Operation Ivy, "Shout," a bit of "Stand by Me"). But the majority of the set list featured songs from "American Idiot," including the album's first three tracks performed in sequence to open the nearly two-hour show.
The capacity crowd of 17,500 provided backing vocals, at very high volume, to just about every song out of the Green Day catalogue, including the album tracks that never made it as singles. And while the singalong occasionally annoyed, there were also moments of brilliance. Witness, for example, the slight young boy, maybe 8 or 9 years old, emphatically -- no, belligerently -- shouting "Can I get another Amen! There's a flag wrapped around a score of men!" from the antiwar screed "Holiday" as his mother stood stiffly and silently next to him, her arms folded, her lips pursed, her eyes rolling.
Now that is a punk-rock moment worthy of a flash pot.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Green Day at Merriweather Post Pavilion, 8/30/05
| Rating: | ★★★★★ |
| Category: | Music |
| Genre: | Rock |
| Artist: | Green Day |
So I have been fortunate in my life to have seen some amazing concerts (like my first Springsteen show for example), and I seem to always rave about every show when I leave- because I really like live music. But this Green Day show I have decided to dissect- to really explore why I thought it was F**KING AWESOME and deserving of 5 stars.
A bunch of things have to align just right to earn the ever so elusive F**KING AWESOME rating.
1- The band
The band is great. The members each have strong personalities, matched with equally strong musical talent. They are funny, charismatic, punk, anti-establishment, "f' the politicians" entertaining.
At one point they asked people in the audience if anyone played drums, bass, guitar. After questioning some of the audience members, they brought up 3 people who were then handed over each of Green Day's instruments and they proceeded to play one of the songs, while Billie Joe sang (the kid playing guitar was 13- and was given the guitar as a souvenier).
I always worry when I see a live show, especially when the band has been touring for a while, that their voices won't sound good, will be tired or sore. Billie Joe's voice was perfect. On the slower, more quiet songs, on the a cappella solos, he was right on.
2- The album
I have said this multiple times. This album, American Idiot, is a work of genius. When I first heard it was a pseudo rock opera, where each song flowed into the next telling a story from beginning to end (think 'Tommy'), I rushed out to get it, intrigued by a punk band trying to pull this off. This was before they won the MTV VMA for best Rock song/album and before they won the Grammy for Best Rock song/album. I was not disappointed. Musically and lyrically it is amazing. The instrumentation is unmatched to anything I have heard on the radio and each time I listen to it, I feel like I am at a show, a broadway show, if you will, on the grand scale of Les Miserables or Phantom of the Opera, but Punk/Rock).
So maybe I am not an accredited musicologist (did I make that up?) but it was my minor in college and I have studied music since I was a tot. Listen to me. Go. Buy it. Now.
3- The venue
Merriweather Post Pavilion is, well, a pavilion. It's in Columbia, Maryland, about 30-45 minutes North of DC. Having to travel was my only complaint of the evening (oh- and the hour long wait in line to enter the venue - oh and how crappy my phone takes pictures). The pavilion has a covered seating area but is an outdoor pavilion with general admission on the lawn. You can bring a blanket, sit out and rock- with a large screen in front of you so you can see everything even though you are far from the stage.
The covered part is really great- wood roof, excellent acoustics.
4- The tickets
So I am on a list to get pre-sale tickets. This means I can sometimes buy tickets at a special time before they become available to the general public. When I have this option, I jump at it because I tend to get great seats. With Green Day's pre-sale it was a no brainer. When I bought them, the website said I got floor, row-whatever, seat-whatever. I was just happy to have floor seats and be covered. Well who knew - I was not only floor, I was in the separate pit area, the area you need a wrist band to get at. The area where the space between me and Billie Joe was filled by maybe 7 people.
Now, at first, when I realized I was in the pit, I was a little nervous- not loving a crowd (and surprisingly young crowd at that). But after 2 quick drinks (did you know they make Watermelon Vodka?), I was fine with it. Plus, I am a fan of the moshing. When properly prepared, it can be a tremendous amount of fun and a good cardio workout.
Did I mention that I was within 10-15 feet of Billie Joe, et al??
[Set list coming when I can find one posted somewhere]
The cover songs they performed- We Are the Champions, Shout (a little bit louder now) and Stand By Me (Billie Joe sang this while laying face down on the stage from an exhaustion caused by running around the stage during the previous song) were brilliant and the crowd loved them. The older hits were all there and, because of them, and my jumping up and down, I don't have to work out anymore this week.
The stage props, lights, fire (and I could feel the heat- yes bragging again about how close I was), Green Day confetti... what more can I say.
Oh- If you are a Republican and/or support George W. Bush, this might not be the show for you :)
Did I mention they played for close to 2 hours straight? Closed with 'Blvd of Broken Dreams' then 'Time of Your Life'....
F**KING AWESOME.
A USA TODAY GREEN DAY CONCERT REVIEW
another review (different show but seems like same songs and antics as the DC show)
and another (different show but seems like same songs and antics as the DC show)
Carnegie Mellon OnLine Laundry
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4638886
I know many of you attended CM, thought you might find this interesting...
At Carnegie Mellon, even the laundry is online
Students get e-mail when machines are done
By Dan Nephin
PITTSBURGH - Technology is taking laundry from the clothesline to online. Carnegie Mellon University is testing a Web-based system that sends e-mail to students when their laundry is done and allows them to log on to an Internet site to check the status of machines...more.
I know many of you attended CM, thought you might find this interesting...
At Carnegie Mellon, even the laundry is online
Students get e-mail when machines are done
By Dan Nephin
PITTSBURGH - Technology is taking laundry from the clothesline to online. Carnegie Mellon University is testing a Web-based system that sends e-mail to students when their laundry is done and allows them to log on to an Internet site to check the status of machines...more.
Friday, August 12, 2005
Our Lady Peace
| Start: | Sep 22, '05 8:00p |
| Location: | 9:30 Club, DC |
USAW 20th Anniversary Party
| Start: | Sep 7, '05 5:00p |
| End: | Sep 7, '05 8:00p |
| Location: | USAT Headquarters, VA |
DJ Lil'e at Black Cat
| Start: | Aug 20, '05 8:00p |
| Location: | Black Cat, Washington DC |
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
PRINT '05 / Seybold
| Start: | Sep 8, '05 |
| End: | Sep 14, '05 |
| Location: | Chicago, IL |
Friday, August 5, 2005
Quote of the Day
RESPONSIBILITY
If you are to be,
you must begin
by assuming responsibility.
You alone are responsible
for every moment of your life,
for every one of your acts.
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Friday, July 15, 2005
DJ Lil'e at Black Cat
| Start: | Jul 16, '05 7:00p |
| Location: | DC |
Friday, July 8, 2005
boyfriend for hire
http://www.boyfriendforhire.com/
upon asking a male friend of mine to come over and help fix a problem I am having with my car, he sent me this site. toooo funny to me.
upon asking a male friend of mine to come over and help fix a problem I am having with my car, he sent me this site. toooo funny to me.
Wednesday, July 6, 2005
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Steep and Cheap
http://www.steepandcheap.com/
This site is very cool if you are into sporting goods and gear. Every night at midnight, they post a new deal. It's a one day deal on one normally steep item that you can get for sometimes 70-80% off. Sign up for their e-mail and get notified each day of the new deal.
Today's deal, for example, Smith Frontline Max Sunglasses
A lightweight rimless design perfect for high-intensity, high-speed sports, normally 133.95, today only 39.95.
Enjoy.
This site is very cool if you are into sporting goods and gear. Every night at midnight, they post a new deal. It's a one day deal on one normally steep item that you can get for sometimes 70-80% off. Sign up for their e-mail and get notified each day of the new deal.
Today's deal, for example, Smith Frontline Max Sunglasses
A lightweight rimless design perfect for high-intensity, high-speed sports, normally 133.95, today only 39.95.
Enjoy.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Allycen in town
| Start: | Jul 16, '05 |
| End: | Jul 17, '05 |
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Friday, June 3, 2005
Monday, May 30, 2005
Memorial Day 2005 Photography
Marvelous Market, Dupont Circle
Walking around DC; Dupont Circle, Adam's Morgan, Hains Point. Satisfying my photography hobby. Beautiful day- sunny, upper 70's, low 80's. With the exception of some parade traffic on Independence Avenue, it was a perfect day!
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Northern Virginia Arts Festival
| Start: | May 21, '05 1:00p |
| Location: | Reston Town Center |
10a-6p
Saturday, May 7, 2005
Friday, April 29, 2005
New Travel Craze: Gal Getaways
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2005-04-28-girl-getaways_x.htm
[Vegas baby]
From USATODAY.COM: You go, girls! Gal getaways are as hot as the hunky plumber on TV's Desperate Housewives. Whether it's bachelorette parties in Vegas, mom-daughter spa weekends or college pals holing up in a hotel room for Cosmos and catch-up conversations, women-only jaunts are a sizzling travel-industry trend.
[Vegas baby]
From USATODAY.COM: You go, girls! Gal getaways are as hot as the hunky plumber on TV's Desperate Housewives. Whether it's bachelorette parties in Vegas, mom-daughter spa weekends or college pals holing up in a hotel room for Cosmos and catch-up conversations, women-only jaunts are a sizzling travel-industry trend.
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Favorite Dog Toy
http://www.petco.com/product_info.asp?familyid=9393&sku=1731400067&tab=1&dept_id=299&c1=290&c2=299&c3=&ct1=Toys&ct2=Squeaking%2FTalking%2FInteractive&ct3=
For all you dog owners, at a recent convention this toy was a huge hit with dogs!
Talk to Me Treat Ball allows you to record a personal message to your dog that will replay when the tough plastic ball is jarred or jostled. Your dog will love hearing your voice coming from this tough plastic toy. And, just load it with his favorite snack and Talk to Me Treat Ball will randomly dispense treats during playtime.
Friday, March 11, 2005
Committed: Confessions of a Fantasy Football Junkie
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0743267567/qid=1110547753/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/104-7346195-0238361?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
I know a lot of you out there are interested in fantasy sports. The author of this book was interviewed on my local radio station this morning and the book sounded good.
The author also said that even though fantasy football has been around for 40-50 years, it didn't really explode until the explosion of the internet and the fantasy league hosting sites.
Monday, March 7, 2005
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Sunday, January 2, 2005
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