[tom]

Sonic Youth-Royal Oak Theatre, Michigan, 8-16
The first opening band, Wolf Eyes, was the absolute worst band I’ve seen or heard in my life. They were like a bad combination of N.I.N. and Sonic Boom. Two bands I can’t stand. It was awful.
The second opening band, Brendan Benson, was decent. They reminded me of a combination of Sloan, with a little Beach Boys on steroids mixed in. Basic power pop stuff.
Sonic Youth was Sonic Youth. They are a band that people seem to either love or hate. I’ve seen SY 4 times, and the group sounded better than ever. Unfortunately, they didn’t play my 3 favorite SY songs (Schizophrenia, Teenage Riot, Diamond Sea). They did seem to be in total control of what they’re trying to accomplish sound wise.
Personally, I like when Sy focuses on being melodic. When they go off and make noise for ten minutes I get bored. There was only 2 times during the show when I got bored with the noise tangents.
Disconnection Notice and Kool Thing were my favorites. During Kool Thing, when Kim talks about male, white corporate oppression, she added in a few lines about Mariah Carey that were very funny.
Set list:
Candle
Bull in the Heather
The Empty Page
Rain on Tin
Skip Tracer
Plastic Sun
Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style
Shadow of a Doubt
Karenology
Kissability
100%
Sympathy for the Strawberry
—
Disconnection Notice
Kool Thing
—
Making the Nature Scene

Tom

[tom]

I forgot to mention Jack and Meg from the White Stripes where at the show. Arthur handed her a tambourine, and she went on the stage for House Is Not A Motel and Singning Cowboy. It was agreat show.
Tom

[tom]

Love August 3, The Magic Stick Detroit, Mi.
Arthur Lee staggered up to the stage eating a piece of watermelon. He threw the piece of watermelon into the crowd, and started rambling incoherently into the microphone. There was a tension in the crowd, everyone thinking that they bought a ticket, and the man they came to see is drunk as hell, and can’t even walk, let alone sing. "I know what you’re all thinking", said Arthur.
Then the group ripped into thier set. It was obvious that Arthur was joking around about being drunk, becasue the show was excellent. Live, the band didn’t have enough performers (horns, strings) to pull off the lush sounds of the albums, but the group more than made up for that with power and energy. I think the songs sounded way better live, than they do on the albums. I’m on a quest to get a Love bootleg now, because the studio albums don’t do this band justice. Here’s a copy of the setlist. The band didn’t play the songs in order, they jumped around quite a bit, but they did play every song.
Little Red Book
Orange Skies
Your Mind…
Live & Let Live
Alone Again Or
Bummer
Signed D.C.
7&7 Is
And More Again
Red Telephone
Daily Planet
Clark & Hilldale
She Comes In Colors
Everybody’s Gotta Live
My Flash On you
House Is Not A Motel
Singing Cowboy

If you get a chance to see Love, I urge you to go. If I can get tomorrow off of work, I’ll drive down to Cleveland for tonights show.
Tom

[tom]

Beachwood Sparks/The Shins July 27th, The Magic Stick, Detroit, Mi.
Good show, except the air conditioning wasn’t working. The venue is on a second floor of a two story building. It was at least 90* and humid.
I was really hoping that J would step on the stage to play some guitar for the Beachwood Sparks. That didn’t happen but it still was a pretty good show. It was kind of hard to hear the Sparks vocals, but they played great.
I was really suprised by the Shins. They were a lot better live than I thought they would be.

I’m going back to the Magic Stick on Saturday to see Love with Arthur Lee. I’m looking forward to the show, and hoping the air is fixed by then.
Tom

[tom]

I forgot to mention my favorite Led Zeppilin song, No Quarter.

[tom]

Wipers- Youth of America
Red House Painters-Silly Love Songs
Nick Cave-Oh My Lord
Jimi Hendrix-1983 A Merman…
The Doors-The End
Led Zepplin-Kashmir
Grandaddy-He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s the Pilot
Mike Johnson-Eclipse
Modest Mouse-Night on the Sun, The Stars are Projectors
Mermen-The Whales are Coming…
Watt/j/Funkadelic-Maggot Brain
Pink Floyd-Interstallar Overdrive
Iron Butterfly-In A Gadda Da Vida

The Plan and Alone are probably my two favorite Epic songs.

[tom]

I’ve seen the Flaming Lips live a couple times. They’re probably the most fun band I’ve ever seen. They seem to have lots of fun up on stage. They’re always seem to do something unexpected. After seeing them once, I haven’t missed them since.
The last time I saw the Lips during the tour for The Soft Bulletin, Sebadoh opened.
Wayne talks to the crowd quite a bit. I can’t remember exactly what Wayne said, but he did mention that playing with Lou reminded him of the great times, when Dinosaur and Sonic Youth where the most important bands in music!

[tom]

Drawerings was always my favorite rainy day song.

[tom]

Beautiful Friend/Willing to Wait- Sebadoh
I’ve heard this song be called either one of these titles. The live version of this song brings me to tears. The version on Harmacy, puts me to sleep.
Lou can write great sad songs.
Time In A Bottle- Jim Croce
The Sounds of Silence-Simon & Garfunkle
As Tears Go By-Rolling Stones
Somewhere Over the Rainbow-The original or the Flaming Lips version

p.s. When I was little, Space Oddity by David Bowie used to choke me up because it conjured up images of me floating all alone in space. Maybe that should go into the dreams thread.

[tom]

Earlier this year I had a dream that I was playing indoor soccer with Homer Simpson. I was real, Homer was his cartoon self. Everything was realistic, except Homer was a cartoon.
Anyway, Homer was on my soccer team, and he wouldn’t pass me the ball. I would run my ass off to get open, and Homer would never pass it to me. He would always shoot the ball.
After every shot, Homer would tell me that he would pass me the ball next time, but he never did. I was getting pissed because Homer was lying to me. I even woke up in a bad mood.
I wonder if it is normal for a 26 year old to have a dream about a cartoon character, and actually wake up in a bad mood becasue of it. It was such a vivid dream.
Tom

[tom]

I can’t believe I forgot to add Mike Johnsons name to my list! His third album puts me into a deep depression every time I listen to it. Great album, very sad.

[tom]

Flaming Lips-When You Smile, Do You Realize, Race for the Prize
Travis -Happy
Weezer-Island in the Sun
J Mascis-Take a Run at the Sun

p.s. Every time I hear Feel the Pain in the car, I accelerate. I once got a ticket cruising down the expressway with this song on.

[tom]

Radiohead-Exit Music (For A Film)
Dinosaur Jr- Drawerings/Not the Same
Mermen-With No Definite Future and No Purpose Than to Prevail Somehow
Travis-The Humpty Dumpty Love Song, As You Are
Teenage Fanclub-Mellow Doubt
Nick Drake-Way to Blue
Beatles-Yesterday
Smashing Pumpkins-Landslide

[tom]

Exile,
Sorry you’ve had bad luck getting them to respond to your emails. Here is what they told me about the release date..

"Mike’s new record is set to come out on August 20th, and will be called, What Would You Do"
Hope this helps.
Tom

[tom]

Mike is on a lable called UP. You can find the lable’s web site at http://www.uprecords.com
If you email them, they will let you know exactly what Mike has been up to.
Tom

[Author]

Posts