Here are a couple of shots from the big rock show at Key Arena last night: Arcade Fire!
Yeah, fans were THAT stoked!
The show was epic, just like the band’s songs. Have you heard a negative review? Not me. Not one. Yeah everyone wishes their favorite band would play places like Neumos forever, but in the case of Arcade Fire (like U2 before them) having a little more space hasn’t diminished the magnitude of the experience.
Sad news: Comedian and 5:20 Funny favorite Greg Giraldo has died at the age of 44. (Details here.)
He was truly one of the funniest stand-ups working today, and according to everybody who knew him or met him, a genuinely good guy. I always thought he was at his best doing celebrity roasts on Comedy Central, where he had hilarious prepared material and scathing adlibs.
Here he is in action (and even through many of the nasty parts have been bleeped, they’re both NSFW and not for the squeamish!!!!!!!!!)
After cramming their massive band onto the tiny stage at Neumo’s for their first local gig, Montreal art rockers Arcade Fire return to Seattle to play at Key Arena in support of their new album The Suburbs on Wednesday night.
I spoke with Win Butler, founding member and driving force behind Arcade Fire. Win was born in Northern California and raised in Houston. He went to boarding school in New Hampshire and art school in Montreal. He recruited his brother Will into the band. I had to ask…
What was your family like? win1
And now your wife and brother are in the band. Does having family in the band complicate or simplify things? winbandlove
You have some very famous fans: Bono, Bowie, Byrne and filmmaker Terry Gilliam. How did that come to pass (aside from being amazing)? winluck
But wait…did you once tell the BBC that rock music was dead? winrockisdead
Well I’m not sure you answered that but I ‘m gonna let that go. One last question via twitter: @JennyDecimal asks if he still has the Stylophone she gave him in Sweden, or did he throw it out a tour bus window for the sake of his sanity. I asked what is a Stylophone and do you still have it? wintwitter
After official business ended we chatted for a moment more about some very special shows including that magical first Neumos show and the one at The Museum of Radio and Television in NYC where the band was politly asked to stop playing the artwork. Go see Arcade Fire in the small arena while you still have the chance. Next stop The Tacoma Dome!
As a kid growing up in Detroit in the 1970s, I LOVED Alice Cooper. The Killer album? Epic. That’s why I’m thrilled that Alice is among the nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2011. They’re going to narrow this list down to a handful of inductees in December, but here’s the full list of nominated artists:
Alice Cooper, Beastie Boys, Bon Jovi, Chic, Neil Diamond, Donovan, Dr. John, J Geils Band, LL Cool J, Darlene Love, Laura Nyro, Donna Summer, Joe Tex, Tom Waits and Chuck Willis.
Obviously, the term “rock & roll” has been stretched to include a lot of not-very-rock artists. Here are a few highlights for me:
Neil Diamond may seem a little wimpy, unless you go back to the era when he actually did rock, in the mid to late 1960s; check this out:
Tom Waits is beyond rock & roll; beynd any category, really. But he’s influenced a ton of artists. Here’s a touching little performance from a few years ago:
Donovan started out as a kinder, gentler version of Bob Dylan, and then got all trippy and found his psychedelic niche. Here’s the late, legendary concert promoter Bill Graham introducing Donovan. Smoke ‘em if you’ve got ‘em, friends:
And finally, Alice. A classic from that Killer album:
Now that’s what I call rock & roll.
(The 2011 R&R HOF induction ceremony will be on March 14 in New York City.)
I found this Prince rarity and had to share, because you know, you can take the girl out of Minneapolis but you can’t take the Minneapolis out of the girl! Recorded in SF the year Prin changed his name to The Artist Formerly Know As, he opened is set with this Staples Singers classic. And MERCY this version of early Prince smash When You Were Mine is one of the best I’ve ever heard. WARNING: there is profanity, but it’s so laugh out loud funny you probably won’t mind.
Chicago’s OK Go are known more for their amazing videos than their music…and their music’s pretty great, so that’s saying a lot. You have to watch this video. You’ll be in awe, and in aaaaawwww!
What happens once you have all the approvals for the songs on a disc? How does it go from your iTunes account to manufacturing?
Find out with two of the men who make it happen, Neal Martin and Jason Devore:
Oh, and by now you’ve heard that instead of coffee with your CD, you’ll be picking up hiking boots! On Nov 9th, all 7 local REI stores will be selling the disc. We’re thrilled. (hiking boots optional)
Have you signed your dog up for the contests at FidoFest this Sunday at U Village? Click here and enter online by midnight Wednesday if you think you and/or your dog could be competitive in these categories:
Pub Rocker, Punk Rocker, Country Crooner, Burt Bacharach Boy Toy, Voice Of A Generation…you never know which Elvis will enter the building when a new Elvis Costello CD is released. You do know that it will be an all Elvis artistic statement. National Ransom, Elvis’ newest offering features more musical twists and turns than a tiltawhirl. Don’t be deceived by this opening cut…National Ransom’s not a rockin’ return to form. It’s more of a cliff notes on every form!
Perhaps you saw local luminaries The Moondoggies at Bumbershoot. I did! I’m a big fan. I want you to love them, too. But you know who I think should get behind this band? Neil Young. Don’t you hear something very simpatico here? He should be inviting them to play Bridge School and taking them on tour and replacing Crazy Horse with our own Moondoggies. Hear that, Neil??
The guys have a new disc coming and a tour with Dawes. Hear a tune?
It was a Three Stooges staple, and remains a cherished comedic tradition: The Spit Take.
Leave it to Emerging Mountain Artist Ry Cuming to find and “emerging” way to insert a spit take into the sultry version of “Use Me” he performed in my office last week. And he keeps on singing. That’s rock and roll!
I’m still trying to figure out where that gum landed. Hopefully not in my hair.
