Out at the Ryman #1

Well, pending a request, you're getting the full story of last night whether you like it or not. Last night Nickel Creek paid a visit to the Ryman and luckily we caught them there. A band called the Mammals opened for them, reminding me why I only like Nickel Creek out of that entire genre. It's pretty much amazing how tight the trio is live, their harmonies are perfect and their little variations they throw around in their songs were unbelievable. Around the third song Sarah Watkins broke a string on her fiddle (can that happen?) so while she was changing a string they ended up going into an interlude they jammed on until she was done. One of the best moments of the night came during their cover of Toxic by Britney Spears....which was pretty much spot on to begin with. During a breakdown a tech came out on stage and hit his laptop which was hooked into the sound system and for one bar hit a drum machine with some techno/hip-hop beat then turned it off and walk off stage. Everybody went crazy. Anyways, their song before pretending to leave was The Fox which they went in the middle into The Weight, by (is it the Band?). After coming back in their bassist ended up doing a sort of jig on the floor and it was still picked up by the mics, so it ended up being rhythm for the song. Plus Thile came over and while playing his part did song danced in tandem with the bassist. Finally, Thile announced they had a few special guests, the first of which was Bela Fleck (!), the second was Edgar Meyer (?). The latter drew the most applause but I had to look him up later because I had no idea who he was (apparently a big deal, apparently I'm just ignorant). Yeah, parking was six dollars, Josh was holding the ticket and almost didn't get it when we drove up to the place to let us out. That's pretty much it.

This has nothing to do with that. The Shins: Young Pilgrims

Feed the Lions

A hearty welcome to the weekend. Finally, after 21 hours of sleep and lots of different medicine over the last couple days I actually feel a little bit better. Last night was really weird, random people entering the room, dreaming about random people entering the room. Plus all the random things you dream when you have a fever. Tonight's gonna be awesome because this night Laura, Josh, one of Laura's friends, and I are going to see Nickel Creek. It's been a little bit since I've seen a show so this should be really cool. I remember when I went to see Chris Thile that a completely different crowd came out than what I'm used to (welcome to the South). Anyways, I'm not a huge fan of live stuff, but this song's just too awesome to keep down.

The Black Crowes: Soul Singing

On the Road Again

Not really, but that's the name of the last Kerouac book I read. It's a really cool little book (actually, collection of little books) that at least I can relate to lately. On a side note, two hard drives from back home showed up in my mailbox in Thrailkill hall so now I'm getting reaquainted with the world. Also I got really really sick over the last couple of days. Last night I slept eleven hours with the help of some Nyquil and Benedril. Luckily I don't have anything left to do except help a friend out auditioning downtown for a slot at a local club and attending a Nickel Creek concert. To add to the surrealness of being sick and sitting in a room with all the blinds shut while my roommate naps, I've been listening to Christmas music and old, old covers of songs by undergroundish bands. Right now I'm listening to a Copeland cover of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" (I wish I could put it up but I can't find anywhere on the net it's up and I got it off of iTunes).

So this will have to do, I'm sure most of you have heard this, but I'm sure you'll listen to it one more time: Copeland: Pin Your Wings

Jack's Smirking Revenge?

So I've been out of it for a while since a lot of strange things have been happening lately. For all you faithful readers (my one hand is almost full counting you all) out there, let me fill you in on just some of the bizzarities (<== new word!). I'm currently writing this in the Belmont computer lab because my computer abruptly began hating life and stopped taking its medication and shot itself in the hard drive. I still don't know if I can get any of my files back (which would kinda make me freak out for at least a week of nonstop straightjacket 24 hour suicide watch. Not really). I've become more and more dependant on my laptop for pretty much everything (entertainment, directions, human contact) so my roommate Tim can tell you sometimes I sit in my chair under my bed and stare sadly at where my laptop used to be. That's insanity number one. Number two, I ordered an Xotic AC Booster (like a Tube Screamer but better (Tube Screamer is like a boost plus overdrive (i.e. loud guitar noises))) from an online store who promptly charged my credit card but didn't send the pedal...I think. Last I heard from the store they said they had sent the pedal but then they retracted the charge on my card. So I'm still not sure what's going on with that. Stack that on top of school with some strange happenings (yeah that, for those in the know) and this has turned out to be a weird week. At least I saw Donnie Darko in the theaters....twice. Best twelve dollars spent ever. Except on woot.com. And I got my guitar adjusted for free by this really cool dude down on 16th (Classic Axe, for those looking).

If the title of this tune doesn't aptly fit the going ons this week, I don't know what does. Jamiraquai: Virtual Insanity

Please Tuk Chopsticks

I'm so glad this week's finally over, week 1 of September '06 will officially be the week known forever on as the week that kicked me in the face repeatedly. I went to see Johnny Hiland tonight, a good guitarist at... ...between those two pauses about an hour has gone by. Tim walked into my room and decided it was time to sate the craving for munchies. Off we go to the fabled Circle K when we hooked up with a bunch of his friends and we ended up taking an extended excursion to the outer limits of the Belmont campus. I can't remember what I was going to say before, I just picked up in the place I left off in Lost in Translation. Tommorow I'm going to see Jack Pearson, probably one of the best guitarists I've heard. Derek Trucks takes a lot of his style off of Jack Pearson, so this should be awesome. Nickel Creek tickets came in today and I just bought KT Tunstall tickets, so a lot of good shows coming up soon.

I keep trying to classify Lost in Translation and it doesn't work. It's so funny in parts but it's so tragic in most other places. It ends on a hopeful note but it's still sad. It's far too late for movie reviews.

Listen to this. Don't be fooled by who it's by. The Jesus and Mary Chain: Just Like Honey

Conspiracy #4

So I've always held this theory the song "Crazy for This Girl" is actually about a guy talking about a girl that he's interested in behind the back of his girlfriend. Last night, after listening to it on iTunes random shuffle I've decided to document my findings (Tricia Aurand gets partial credit because I can't remember if she or I came up with it first)

-And I don't know why but she's changed my mind- Last line of the first verse, sounds to me like some girl has changed his stance on his girlfriend.


Would you look at her (girl #2)
She (girl #2) looks at me
She's got me thinking about her (girl #2) constantly
But she (girlfriend) don't know how I feel
She (girlfriend) carries on without a doubt
I wonder if she's (girlfriend) figured out
That I'm crazy for this girl (girl #2)

You can read more into the second verse and the bridge, but that's proof enough. Now all you have to do is run it backwards to hear "Paul is a dead man."

About the picture, this was so cool I had to put it up. Also let me introduce two awesome friends I have. Stage left, we have Joshua Cross, much deliberated and anticipated leader of the Free Revolutionary Anarchist Party. Also a guitarhead as shown. Center, we have Laura Musten, part of the exiled Canadian royal family and twelfth in line for the throne. In exile, she managed to become a violinist. More on those two later. This is us testing out how blue our grass is. Sadly, that guy on the right's trying to play mandolin and is messing the other two up.

By the great Glen Phillips, this song's just plain awesome. Glen Phillips: Duck and Cover

Lead Poisoning

It's strange, now that I'm old enough to use pens and inks and things like that. Today I had to do my music theory homework, which has to be done in pencil. I have several pencils in my possession but none which are sharpened. Thus this led me on a campus wide search to find a pencil sharpener. I knew there were some in the music building which was unfortunately locked, so I was pretty much out of luck. Thankfully, I found a nice girl named Lisa who traded me her pink and green mechanical pencil for my unsharpened one. So thanks Lisa, couldn't have done my theory homework without you.

This band's songs are like mini-movies. It's awesome. The Decemberists: The Soldering Life

Standing Water

"Dude, we should do something." "-Ok." Famous last words of many a male. Thus, Joshua and I set out in search of adventure. The target was a major fountain in front of Belmont Mansion. Unfortunately the giant fountain was turned off so we were forced to settle for smaller targets to bathe in. At least we got some good intel for next time. Next time we're going to have to bring a third party along to snap the shots as we splash about. On a side note, Josh ended up getting the deer's number. Tommorow is Labor Day where we celebrate uh...labor. Occasions like these only occur every once in a while and so far I've planned a good bit of nothing. At least Donnie Darko is coming to the Belcourt soon. That will rock. You all have a safe Labor Day.

Know that Nothing Stays the Same

So yesterday I paid my first visit to Grimey's Music, a store of used and new CDs and vinyl and picked myself up a copy of Deloused in the Comatorium on vinyl. Which by the way sounds amazing, since they mixed it differently for vinyl so it's almost like a separate version from the CD version. Currently I'm listening to a song off Chris Thile's new album "How to Grow a Woman from the Ground" called You're an Angel and I'm Gonna Cry, which is pretty much my favorite song for the evening.

Here's a throwback to a band nobody from my generation remembers. Toad the Wet Sprocket: Whatever I Fear