NERD Live on Letterman

NERD break out "Everybody Nose," on The Late Show earlier this month. Raise the volume on your speakers and start throwing a dance party like they did on stage. This is one that will definitely get you out of your seat.

Newsletter

Hey everyone,
It is about that time that I get to give you a head's up on what is going on with the blog. Well in the past few months the popularity of this site has soared (and its awesome) and with that it only calls for one more thing---MORE PROMOTION.
For those on Facebook, I have created a page for the site, it is a fan listing to show off in your profile as well as giving you updates and info as it happens. Nothing will really change within this site, just using Facebook as a tool to get the word out more. So please become a fan/friend of the page and TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS!!!! Just look up "With This I Think I'm Officially a Yuppie" in the search engine and it should lead you to it.
Hope all is well and summer is here so that means more concerts and outdoor festivals. I will see you at the beach and at the shows.

Best
Sal

Indy Watch

Reaching the number 2 spot for the biggest holiday 5 day weekend opening, Indiana Jones swung in a whopping $311 Million WORLDWIDE! This puts it right behind last years Pirates of the Caribbean At Worlds End...Hopefully this shows George and Steven that maybe a fifth installment is in order.

...Also, George and Steven give me a call I got a great idea for Indy 5!

Funeral For A Friend Updates!

Playlist

Here is a Playlist of songs to check out...Enjoy!

-Coldplay - "Viva La Vida"
-Does it Offend You, Yeah - "Dawn of the Dead"
-The Hold Steady - "Sequestered in Memphis"
-The Verve - "Sonnet"
-Lupe Fiasco Feat. Jonah Matranga - "The Instrumental"
-NERD - "Everybody Nose"
-Tom Yorke - "Atoms for Peace"
-Death Cab for Cutie - "I Will Posess Your Heart"
-Carbon / Silicon - "Total Fucking Madness"
-Nine Inch Nails - "Discipline"

Indy Watch

After 19 years of waiting, about 60 something blog posts and a clock counting down the days...May 22 finally arrived! As I took my floating holiday from work to see what was a great film, many would call me crazy and other would just call it stupid. However, there is something in Indiana Jones that I relate to...
It was Memorial Day weekend. A young five year old grasped his Aunt Joanne’s hand tight as she approached the ticket counter at the local movie theater. The five year old herd his Aunt say “Can I have two tickets for Indiana Jones please.” For the child, this was the most exhilarating experience of his life, since it was the first time he has ever set foot in a movie theater. They proceeded into the poorly lit theater, took their seats, and his Aunt began to explain that there is no talking during the movie. As the lights dimmed, the flicker of the Utah Mountain range took on the screen. From that moment on, that five year olds life was changed forever. The combination of seeing images on the big screen and the ambiance of the theater and hearing the audience’s reaction to what a young Indiana was doing, would captivate and motivate the child. That little boy would walk out of that theater and knew from that day on, he wanted to work in the Motion Picture Industry and nothing would get in his way. It was 1989 and the film was Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
The boy is me, I have grown up (a little), and found today to be worth the wait. I must say Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is the perfect fix for a true Indy fan. In fact, I saw a review from Theraider.net (SPOILER FREE), and they summed it up perfect. Check it out, because everything I want to say about the film, they already did....
http://www.theraider.net/news/fullstory_indy4.php?id=817

DIOY,Y? Video

Live Review-The Swell Season @ Radio City

The concert I saw last night is just proof that if you believe in yourself and if you want something bad enough, your dreams will really come true. As cliche as it sounds, it is a fact, just ask Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova of the Swell Season (aka "That Band from Once"). I have been a fan of Hansards for sometime now due to his other band, the Irish folk-rock outfit The Frames, however this side project of his and an Oscar to his and Irglova's named have propelled them to superstars. Walking out to the biggest crowd they have ever headlined for, a sold out Radio City Music Hall, Hansard tested the perfect acoustics of the venue by literally doing an unplugged and un-microphoned version of "Say it to me Now." As some audience members in the back asked him to speak up, other's defended the singer by saying "Shut up and listen," and listen they did. Just by the first song alone and seeing his voice hit that range without assistance, the crowd knew they were in for a concert experience they have never had before. While Hansard and Irglova joked that two years ago they were excited they sold out a small New York City club called Piano's, they had just thought of Radio City as a dream. They were able to open their eyes and see the reality as the fan's cheered and were sucked into the bands haunting beautiful music. Backed by a full band and playing a majority of the songs from the film Once, they had time to fit in a few new songs for an unknown upcoming record. It was not only a concert but part storytellers, part motivational speaking and part stand up comedy as Hansard and Irglova traded off discussing things that inspire them and the stories behind the songs. Just right before they broke into their Oscar winning song "Falling Slowly," Hansard joked about their new found fame by saying "our life has been like kicking a ball in the yard, and you want the ball to go from one end to the other, the thing is our ball went into the neighbors yard, down the river across the world, and now their is 1% of us saying I want my fucking ball back!" As large as the audience was, it was still a rather intimate show, with all of the fans sitting down as if they were at a theater function rather than a concert, it created an ambiance I am not accustomed to, but certainly worked. After a two hour set, they managed to squeeze in a couple Frames songs "What Happens When the Heart Just Stops," and "Fitzcaroldo", they closed with a Van Morrison cover "Into the Mystic." It was an exciting event and moment in time for not just the band but for the fans as well. A humbling live experience, that left you as modest as the film did.

Move Over Perez

My close friend Charles McCants has created his own blog entitled "Do You Want Me to Seduce You". I must say his blend of social satire and eye for entertainment will not only have you in hysterics but will also question the way you look at celebrity forever. He writes about everything from hot spots in New York City to Fashion to Models to Entertainment and Music. Check it out at www.bloggingyouhard.blogspot.com.

He also commented about my blog and me as well. I must say having your friends give you such high praise is certainly something special and pretty awesome. Check out what he had to say here http://bloggingyouhard.blogspot.com/2008/05/people-i-know-that-you-should-know.html Thanks Charles!

Indy Watch

It is so close I can hardly contain myself anymore. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull premiered in both Cannes and for the New York critics this weekend and the reviews have been pretty positive. Some have been more mixed than others, but just remember folks, when Raiders of the Lost Ark opened in the early 80's that too got mixed reactions and now look at where it is! I for one am not worried and will see you at the movies on Thursday!

New Coldplay Video!

There are two videos for Coldplay's latest single "Violet Hill," this is the Dancing Politicians version, a more band oriented version will premiere on MTV sometime this week. Be on the look out for it!

Indy Watch

We are now just days away from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull! As the anticipation grows, the cast is in Cannes, France now at the Cannes Film Festival to showcase the film for its world premiere. While the select few that could make it to the South of France see the film, the rest of us can indulge in a behind the scenes montage of Director Steven Spielberg in action at indianajones.com.

Quick News

100% pure awesome-ness....THE HOLD STEADY have laid out their summer tour with no other than THE LOVED ONES!!! Check out each bands site for info, but this is one show NOT to be missed!

A very interesting, yet understandable line up of artists have come together to record a song for Converse sneakers 100th anniversary. Santogold, Pharell Williams and Julian Casablancas have recorded a track together to commemorate the innovative sneaker that has been a music staple for 100 years.

For fans that are wondering when Dave Matthews Band will be releasing their follow up to 2005's Stand Up, keep wondering. Violinist Boyd Tinsley told Rolling Stone they are "a long way" from completing the record. They hope to have in finished by years end, so hopefully a 2009 release could be in the works, until then enjoy DMB on tour all summer.

Live Review-"Glow in the Dark" @ MSG

What will go down in music history as 2008: a Hip-Hop Oddesy, Kanye West's traveling road show known as "Glow in the Dark Tour," featuring Lupe Fiasco, NERD, and Rihanna hit New York City last night for a jaw dropping event. Most hip-hop concerts usually have the same formula to them, the rapper or MC gets in front of his or her DJ and just rhymes over beats spinning in the back. It is how everyone from Atmosphere to Jay-Z has done it and made a career out of it. For most its similar to watching a slam poetry reading rather than a concert. Yet, not since Outkast were touring together, has someone stepped in and decided to change the face and game of a hip-hop concert. Kanye West and Co. took the bar and raised it higher than anyone has ever done before with "Glow in the Dark."
Jumping on stage first was Kaye protegee Lupe Fiasco. His mix of skate-rap and rock worked perfect and the young man was able to show off how intense and talented he really is with his fierce live set. Playing songs mainly off his latest The Cool, Lupe created a fiasco when he went back and did track off his debut breakthrough Food and Liquor. While many arrived early to see him perform "Superstar," his die hard fans had their arms up waving the whole time for is deeper cuts. Lupe brought on Matthew Santos to do three songs with him, including "Superstar," and as most thought his set was done, he closed with "Daydream" from Food and Liquor and set the energy and tone for the night. Lupe would later join his road mates NERD and Kanye in special guest appearances durring their sets.
After a 15 minute intermission NERD were up to say hello again to a live New York audience. It has been nearly four years since we last heard of Pharell Williams and Chad Hugo (aka The Neptune's) side project; yet they proved they are back and better. NERD sounds like The Roots on acid, combining space sounds mixed with soul, funk, jazz and hard rock, they shook Madison Square Garden like Korn did back in 2002. Playing a majority of songs from their first record In Search of.., the only track they broke out from 2004's Fly or Die was "She Wants to Move." With their untitled forthcoming release in June, NERD debuted new songs to New York. As the songs were very well received, it was the bands latest single "Everybody Nose," that had MSG really going for it, but it was their show closer a cover of The White Stripes "Seven Nation Army," that had the crowd not only surprised but invigorated. As their set ended and equipment was being carried off stage, Pharell jumped into the audience to embrace his fans and say "Thank You." Something many musician's today do not care to do very often today.
Next up was 2007's favorite artist and the only female on this tour, Rihanna. As she got off to a rocky start as far as sound goes, her stage show had everyone curious and entertained. Coming out in a black wedding gown and backed by dominatrix dancers that resembled The Gimp from Pulp Fiction, the Barbados's beauty was able to find herself comfortable three songs into her set. The comfort came when she did a medly between her song "Pon-de-replay," and crossed it with MIA's "Paper Planes," and Lauren Hill's "Doo-Wop (That Thing)." As she performed hit after hit, her show stopper was her swan song, "Umbrella; halfway through her "Umbrella," her beau Chris Brown took the stage to surprise the audience to do a duet to the Cinderella-Umbrella remix.
After great openers and performances, as if the night could not get any better- it did! Kanye took concert going to new heights performing a concept concert of a man who has flown into outer space and his ship has crash landed on an unknown planet. With his stage looking like the surface of Mars, he was joined by HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey and dressed as Luke Skywalker, Kanye proved to be hip-hop's greatest and most creative visionary. Each song was not just played, but was the storyline as if it were a Broadway musical to progress the idea of a man lost in space. Playing a majority of songs from Graduation, he was able to incorporate his biggest hits into this storyline of a man searching for his way home. Playing a fair amount of songs from both College Dropout and Late Registration, West showed how to really put on a concert. Equipt with a pit orchestra, pyro, smoke machines and even a floating alien, Kanye shined as he Glowed in the Dark. Eventually his ship would find its way back home, in concert terms we call this the encore. Opening his second set with "Homecoming," and then dedicating a special portion of the show to his mother Dr Donda West, who unexpectedly passed away last fall. His mother would be proud to have seen her son play a sold out Madison Square Garden for the first time in his career. It is safe to say Kanye's ship has landed and his reign will not be ending on our planet any time soon.

Patent Pending Update!

Check out the video from Joe Pending, giving us news on whats going on with his band...as well as some footage of Patent Pending's performance at Bamboozle!

All Points West Festival

Accolades

First it was UK Band the Editors giving me praise....Now it is a very popular New York based Music site "Brooklyn Vegan," giving my blog some respect...I did review of UK dance band Hot Chip and now they added my blog to their site telling people to check it out. "Brooklyn Vegan" is a very popular site that pretty much everyone from Rolling Stone to Spin get their info here.

You can read my review, as well as the quote they took here http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2008/04/hot_chip_played_1.html

In related news...Also be sure to check out my Verve review at www.thevervelive.blogspot.com the best Verve info site on the web!

Indy Watch

Head on over to Indianajones.com to take a look at all EIGHT brand new TV Spots for Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, each spot has something new. Also at the site check out a nice little montage of Harrison Ford behind the scenes in an all new featurette.

...also check out this funny but nostalgic look at Indiana Jones unsung heroes. Maxim did a great job compiling a list of memorable characters. http://www.maxim.com/Entertainment/Unsungheroesofindianajones/slideshow/2453.aspx%20?src=tstush

Rising Artist-Does It Offend You, Yeah?

What a name. What a band. An eclectic electric three piece from Reading, England; Does It Offend You, Yeah? are clearly making a name for themselves not just on the festival circuit, but on the dance scene as well. I came across this band right before I left for London in March, by the time I got there, this band was all over. It wasn't until recently, at this year's Coachella Festival in California where the band starting turning heads here in the U.S. They are the perfect hybrid of thrash and electro with some emotion thrown in. The best way to describe these guys are, picture Robert Smith of the Cure fronting Bloc Party with Justice supplying the beats. Very insane, very fun. Their debut, You Have No Idea What You Are Getting Yourself Into, is a mix of songs with vocals and just straight up instrumental tracks, much like VHS or Beta's Night on Fire. Does it Offend You, Yeah? will be hitting the road here in the states all summer with the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Bloc Party as well as the major festivals. Certainly the next band everyone will be talking about. Just remember you read them here first!

Movie of the Month-Everything Is Illuminated

While spring is in the air and outside is in full bloom, May's Movie of the Month explores that motif of planting a seed and idea and watching it grow. The 2005 directorial debut from Liev Schrieber, Everything is Illuminated is a colorful and heartwarming film about discovering ones past, while discovering thyself. Based on the book by the same name, Schrieber adapted it for the screen and has been well received from audiences worldwide. Starring Elijah Wood as Jonathan Foer, a very intelligent and curious American collector who travels to the Ukraine to discover a family and past he never knew existed. Foer hires Alex, a very flamboyant and funny guide played by Gogol Bordello's Eugene Hutz, along with his "blind" Grandfather as their driver; the three men travel across the Ukraine for a city that was wiped off the map from the Nazi's. The three men try and work out their differences both culturally, linguistically and ethnically. From what begins as the road trip from hell, sparkles into the most meaningful journey of each man's lives. It is a film for all ages and families to see, and shows the ties that bind all of us are there if we are only willing to look. Backed by a great soundtrack from Gogol Bordello themselves (who also make one of my favorite cameo's in film history), as well as Russian Ska band Leningrad. Everything is Illuminated is the perfect film for this perfect season.

Underrated Classic-Pink Floyd "Wish You Were Here"

Boasting only five songs, some consider Pink

Floyd's 1975 record, just a really long E.P. Numerically those critics maybe correct, however, clocking in at almost 45 minutes, Wish You Were Here is a conceptual audio odyssey from start to finish. The album was recorded in London's famed Abbey Road Studios as a tribute to late band member and friend Syd Barrett. Floyd created a concept record not only to pay homage to their late band mate, but also mock the music industry and fame. That idea can be found on the albums cover, which mind you I consider one of the greatest sleeves of all time. Two business men shaking hands while one is on fire, some can call this a deal with the devil or the fate of things to come. The philosophy behind the cover can be debated forever. Yet, the content of the record itself is so dense, it certainly is some of Floyd's greatest material. The guitar licks on the title track alone are enough to give you chills. Lyrically and musically it is Floyd on the rise to their finest. Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright stated in a TV special in 2001 that "It's an album I can listen to for pleasure. And there aren't many of the Floyd's albums that I can say that about."I look at Wish You Were Here as a stepping to as per what will come of the band later on in their career. In Europe this record is very well embraced, even to this day. Here in the States, many are familiar with the band from Dark Side of the Moon or The Wall and its accompanying film, but if you turn on any classic rock radio station across the Country you will hear radio friendly versions of "Have a Cigar," "Welcome to the Machine," and "Wish You Were Here." For those that have embraced this album, dust it off and listen to again, for those that have not, go find it and love it.

Hold Steady Tracklisting!

In July The Hold Steady are set to release their fourth record, Stay Positive. While we wait for the band to rock our socks off, we have a track listing to indulge in.... Enjoy

01 Constructive Summer
02 Sequestered in Memphis
03 One for the Cutters
04 Navy Sheets
05 Lord, I'm Discouraged
06 Yeah Sapphire
07 Both Crosses
08 Stay Positive
09 Magazines
10 Joke About Jamaica
11 Slapped Actress

Indy Watch

The time is almost here!! While we wait just weeks now for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, here are the new Trailer and TV spots to savor....