Here Come the Swans

This, that, and the other.

My Photo
Name:

I like balsamic vinegar.

Thursday, March 09, 2006

Wilco, etc.







Recently viewed films:
Jarhead / **
Sam Mendes was obviously going for the "Waiting for Godot" vibe in this Gulf War drama, but doesn't pull off the theater of the absurd complexities. Jarhead is simply pointless.

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit / ****
Pure joy. The only way to describe this film is pure cinematic joy. I want a pet like Gromit and my love of cheese rivals Wallace's.

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada / **1/2
Strange little film whose biggest flaw is the underdevelopment of the lead character (played by Tommy Lee Jones) and the titular Estrada.

Nine Lives / **1/2
One of those "everyone is connected" compendium flicks. Some of the vignettes work, while others fall flat. Good to see Stephen Dillane.

Songs I've recently listened to (and dug):
"No Tomorrow" / Steve Wynn
Mr. Wynn's best song in years. David Fricke of Rolling Stone likened it to "Layla."
"Summer Turns to Fall" / Mark Gardener
Ex-Ride guy channels 60's folk-rock to great effect. Wow.
"Funny Little Frog" / Belle and Sebastian
Listen once and try to get it out of your head. I dare you.

-----------------
Last night, the boyfriend and I travelled to Charleston to see Wilco at the North Charleston Performing Arts center. A little over a month ago, we saw Jeff Tweedy's old partner in crime, Jay Farrar (with the "reformed" Son Volt) play a marathon show at the Music Farm in Chucktown. Now we've completed the Uncle Tupelo daily double. Now, maybe someday they'll reunite...

Tweedy and Co. were great, but for me the show was nearly ruined by these obnoxious, drunk preppy/frat boy(and sorority girl) types in front of us. We had assigned seats and the show--I think--was close to sold out, so it's like we could have moved. And I really wish that the band would have played "Via Chicago." Besides that slight, I was satisfied with the setlist and the overall show.

I would have taken pictures, but upon entering the venue, the security guard lady looked in my purse, saw the camera and made me take it back to the car. Grrrrrrr....

My ticket stub is featured at the beginning of the entry.

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wallace and Gromit was just a wonderful movie!!

For some reason Uncle Tupelo and all the various subsequent bands have just never clicked with me. I'm not really sure why...

5:53 PM  
Blogger Karim Amir said...

The funny thing about Uncle Tupelo is that I rediscovered them a couple years back. We played some UT on the radio station back in the early 1990s and I liked them okay, but it wasn't until that relatively recent discovery when I found Still Feel Gone on sale at my local CD store that I really became fanatical.

Wilco's music runs the gamut from UT-esque alt-country to somewhat experimental pop/rock. "Heavy Metal Drummer" on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is one of my all-time favorite songs.

A. loved W&G as well.

6:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like the new digs. :)

I don't know when I'll be able to see Wallace and Gromit, but I'm glad to see you give it some four star lovin'

What was Roeper smoking when he gave it thumbs down?!?

Assigned seating? Man, that blows. I don’t know ‘bout you, but I like to roam around when I’m at a concert.

7:17 PM  
Blogger Karim Amir said...

Y-Y:
I think Roeper has something against "animal" films. Seriously.
He's given thumbs down to W&G, March of the Penguins, Story of the Weeping Camel, Curious George...well, that's what I came up with off the top of my head.

6:31 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home