Strange Pulse

I wasn’t expecting it to be, either. I posted a review at kulturblog.com.

I also taped the show. I wasn’t planning on it. I just happened to have a voice digital recorder in my bag. When I was waiting for them to come on, I realized I should just turn it on and see what happens. It’s very low quality—the thing only saves files as Windows Media at 96kbps, but it’s good enough that I can relive all the excitement!

I’m on such a Hoodoo Gurus kick now.

One of my favorite bands when I was a teenager, I haven’t seen them since the 80’s. That was one of the funnest shows I’ve ever been to. The Young Fresh Fellows opened (a super fun local Seattle band) and it was the only show I’ve ever been to where I knew the words to every single song that was played all night.

The Gurus broke up a few years back so I never thought I’d get to see them again. I took my daughter Cat to the show in LA on Wed. It was SO fun. We were right against the stage and I got some great pics.

I also got some great video clips, and one whole song, which you can download here:

http://qsysue.tagplazen.org/shows/hoodoogurus/03-28-07/

You can see the rest of the pics I took there too.

I’m seeing them again tonight in Anaheim! But no cameras are allowed at the venue. Stupid House of Blues.

I’ll post some songs to the radio.blog. I’ll write up a review of both shows at Kulturblog.com too, probably this weekend.

Professionally, I mean. They’re not involved as a couple! But Lisa H was the best thing about Damien Rice.

Here they are performing “I Remember”:

Here’s Damien and Ray LaMontagne performing a BeeGees song, “To Love Somebody,” on French TV:

I’ve always loved Ultravox. Midge Ure just has it. Not sure what it is, but he’s got it, and I like it.

I’m stuck on this song this morning, “We Came to Dance.”

Folding laundry to Ultravox, life is good.

Posted to the radio.blog.

Stephen M. has a post about sad songs on his blog, and the ones that were posted there reminded me of this song by Jane Siberry w/KD Lang.

Posted to the radio.blog.

And what do I find myself listening to? 38 Special!

Last week I got my hands on a lot of new music, mostly from my brother in Taiwan who ripped and sent me a dvd of 80s albums (mp3s). I’ve gotten a ton of other stuff, too, from different people. And what do I listen to all week? A stupid comp of 70’s rock songs. You ever get into one of those moods?

Funny how I can’t hear Boston’s “More Than a Feeling” without seeing Guitar Hero in Star Power mode in my mind now. Hitting that whammy bar…

But this week I’m taking it all in. I’ll post a bunch of stuff to the radio.blog:

Colourbox
Men Without Hats
Bauhaus
Fad Gadget
Son Volt (I like Jay Farrar better than Jeff Tweedy)
Wilco
Giant Brain
38 Special

I was driving back from lunch with some co-workers, and the driver was flipping radio stations. I said, “Was that Alanis?” and the other co-worker in the car did a doubletake. He said, “Is there any music anywhere that you don’t know?”

I said, “Maybe in France.”

He said, “You know popular music, you know underground stuff…How do you know so much?”

I said, “It’s an illness.”

He laughed and said, “But not a terminal one. It’s a pretty cool one.”

I said, “Actually, I don’t know a lot of the bands my daughter listens to. They all sound the same to me. That’s when you know you’re getting old.”

He said, “What do your kids think about it?”

I said, “They’ve just grown up with it. No big deal.”

He said, “Do they realize how cool their mom is?”

I said, “Not really.”

He said, “Someday when they’re older they’ll look back and realize it.”

I said, “My oldest’s first show was Jane’s Addiction when he was a year and a half old.”

“No way!” He looked shocked.

“Unless you count Bad Brains when I was pregnant.”

—

I love how he was surprised that I’d know who Alanis Morrissette is.

I have this song stuck in my head right now, “Some Bridges.” I’ll post it to the radio.blog.

Favorite line:

I’m laughing when I make it to Saturday
And I’m alive

First let me say, I posted a review of the Jackson Browne show over at Kulturblog. It was fantastic!

Last night at work my boss started playing some music on his computer, a song by Ray LaMontagne. I’d heard him before and really liked him, but I only had his first album and never really spent that much time on him. This song my boss played really blew me away. So I copied everything my boss had (his second album, plus an early demo) and ended up listening to this one song on repeat several times on way home last night. It’s the last verse that really gets me:

He’s a terrific songwriter, and has such a wonderful voice. I’ll post this song, “Empty,” to the radio.blog, along with a couple others. It was actually “Be Here Now” that my boss was playing.

And Daniel is actually coming with me! No one was more shocked than I when he suggested going. He actually told me to get the more expensive seats, too.

There’s a bunch of amazing shows coming up, too. I just found out the Hoodoo Gurus are playing next month. One of my very favorite bands from my teen years. I can’t express how excited I am to see them again.

Upcoming shows I’m stoked for:

3.01 Midlake @ Casbah (San Diego)
3.03 Midlake @ Troubadour*
3.08 Ladyhawk w/ Chris Bathgate + Bright Light Fever - Spaceland
3.12 The Sword, Priestbird, Year Long Disaster - Troubadour ($12)
3.24 Red Sparowes, Big Business, Saviours, William Elliott Whitmore - Troubadour ($12)
3.28 Hoodoo Gurus @ El Rey*
3.30 Hoodoo Gurus @ Anaheim HOB

4.06 The Frames @ Belly Up (San Diego)*
4.08 - Isis, Jesu, Zozebra - Henry Fonda ($14)
4.12 - Fu Manchu, Valient Thorr, Seamless - Troubadour ($15)
4.13 Ted Leo @ El Ray
4.28 - Mono, World`s End Girlfriend, The Drift - Troubadour ($12)

5.29 Voxtrot @ El Rey

6.22 - Low - Troubadour ($18)*
6.23 - Low - Troubadour ($18)*

Om, a noise/drone/doom band, is also playing the Echo tomorrow night. I might try to go.

I doubt I’ll make it to all those shows, but the *starred ones I already have tickets for.

I may have posted this before, but this is one of my favorite Jackson Browne songs from recent years. I love a song that can be funny and serious at the same time. The line about a big rig or two never fails to crack me up.

I’ll post it to the radio.blog.