September 2010
66 posts
In My Tree: How To Stop The Train. →
cemawe.tumblr.com
‘Actually, I think I know how you can stop the train. You want to know how? The closest thing I can come up with, because I used to get really wasted and think about time travels. I have a lot of theories on that, but it’s a little late and I should wait for some other day when it’s just you and…
“The No Nukes show was a lot of fun, and our slot was immediately before Bruce Springsteen, who was headlining that night. It was his birthday, I think. And people were yelling “Bruuuuuuuce,” y’know, all night long. And Jackson Browne, at the side of the stage, he says to me, “Now listen, if you go on, and you think they’re booing you, don’t get thrown, because they’re really just saying ‘Bruce.’” And I said, “Well, what’s the difference?”
—Tom Petty (via sprucebringsteen-)
Jason Mraz Played Live at EMU Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, MI
Jason Mraz and Robert Francis played to an enthusiastic crowd Thursday night at the Eastern Michigan Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, MI. Backed by a talented band, Francis started the show off right with a set that was both charismatic and emotional, which included several of his better known songs, including “Junebug” and “Darkness”, revealing on more than one occasion his similarities to many of the most prominent alternative singer-songwriters of today, such as Ryan Adams and Glen Hansard of ‘The Swell Season’. Francis also played several new songs, during one of which he played a guitar solo that brought the crowd to its feet. With memorable melodies and relatable lyrics, Francis captivated the crowd for the entirety of his set.
Mraz came on shortly after, starting off with a new song, which he dedicated particularly to those in the past, but to those in the present as well. With lyrics that included “And I’m so grateful as can be / ‘Cause I get to play in Ypsilanti”-sending the crowd into a roar-Mraz started the show off in grand fashion as he soulfully played a Fender Telecaster. A few songs later, he invited a female member of the crowd to join him on stage to dance together as he sang a tango-infused Spanish song, entirely entertaining the crowd. He then followed it up with “Sleeping to Dream”, a track he dedicated to the child he has yet to have, during which the crowd was utterly silent. Backed by an brilliant band that included a captivating horns section, Mraz demonstrated his incredible vocals on more than one occasion as he played reworked versions of many of this songs. Giving credit to one of his sound engineers, Mraz revealed that the entire back portion stage was composed of previously-used two-liter bottles in an effort to be more environmentally conscious. Mraz also played a soulful version of “Coyotes”, blending a variety of different styles, including rock, reggae, and jazz in a fluid combination; however the most incredible moment of the night came during that song when Mraz sang notes that most had perviously believed only a female opera singer could hit. Mraz also played a reggae version of his first hit, “The Remedy (I Won’t Worry)”, keeping the song sounding refreshingly different without losing the melodic qualities that made it a hit in the first place. Finally, Mraz played a three song encore, the second of which included his most popular hit, “I’m Yours”, as well as a song that he essentially rapped while two members of the audience danced on each edge of the stage, ending the show on an incredibly memorable note that left the crowd on its feet long after he left the stage.
Overall, Mraz demonstrated not only his immeasurable talent as a musician, but also his ability to interact with the crowd in a remarkably relatable manner, a talent that is rarely found in many of today’s most popular musicians. With Francis starting the show off right, Mraz was more than able to keep the crowd both entertained and engaged during the entirety of his hour and half set.
Dear members of the mainstream media covering the Inez Sainz / New York Jets sexual harrassment story: if you're going to dig up old photos of Inez wearing bikinis or pictures of her from TV Azteca's website wearing clothing that YOU deem "suggestive" and then use said images to lead in to variations on the "Well, look at these old photos of you wearing these skimpy outfits - don't you think that you're in some way responsible for what happened?" question, then go fuck yourselves and your apparent defense of piggish, chauvinistic behavior.
Amen.
Montana Tea Party leader jokes about murdering gays. You stay classy, Tea Party. →
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Via the Great Falls Tribune:
A Montana human rights group is demanding the Big Sky Tea Party Association remove its president, Tim Ravndal, after he posted a comment on his online Facebook profile that implied he condones violence against homosexuals.
Ravndal, a prominent figure in the state’s tea party movement since its early days, made the comment July 23, in regards to an article in the Billings Gazette about an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit over rights for same-sex couples.
The Facebook comment has since been removed, but the Tribune obtained a photo documenting the following exchange:
Tim Ravndal: “Marriage is between a man and a woman period! By giving rights to those otherwise would be a violation of the constitution and my own rights”
Keith Baker: “How dare you exercise your First Amendment Rights?”
Dennis Scranton: “I think fruits are decorative. Hang up where they can be seen and appreciated. Call Wyoming for display instructions.”
Tim Ravndal: “@Kieth, OOPS I forgot this aint(sic) America no more! @ Dennis, Where can I get that Wyoming printed instruction manual?”
Dennis Scranton: “Should be able to get info Gazette archives. Maybe even an illustration. Go back a bit over ten years.”
The exchange between Ravndal and Facebook user Dennis Scranton appears to reference the 1998 slaying of 21-year-old University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard, who was beaten and tied to a fencepost, where he was left to die. During the trial, witnesses testified that Shepard was targeted because he was gay.
“Mr. Ravndal’s comments are outrageous,” said Kim Abbott, an organizer for the Montana Human Rights Network. “He is a public figure, in the public sphere, condoning and making light of violence against gay people. It’s actually pretty frightening.”
When reached for comment Friday, Ravndal apologized for the post, saying he “never made the connection” to Shepard’s murder until after national bloggers picked up on it and his phone started ringing earlier this week.
“I wasn’t even thinking about the tragedy that happened in Wyoming,” Ravndal said. “I made a mistake and I apologize to anyone I offended. I do not condone violence to any human being.”
He ‘didn’t make the connection’, my ass. And even if he didn’t, he still knew what Dennis meant. What a monster.
Eminem and Jay-Z Were Fucking Incredible
So good. And so many guests-Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Drake, D12, Young Jeezy, and Trick Trick. Just unreal. I’ll post a review sometime tomorrow, as well as hopefully some pics!
one forty plus: Please →
jhnmyr.tumblr.com
I’m not out to please everybody - I’ve actually been out to try not to displease anybody, and that’s even harder work. It’s like Prozac for creativity - cutting off the highs and lows and the risks and the rewards so that nobody walks away from a show or listens to an album with a passionate…
Let’s be honest: if we try to please everybody, pretty soon, we’re going to be the only person who isn’t pleased. And screw the media. If they were decent journalists, they wouldn’t write speculative so-called ‘articles’ anyway. It just isn’t worth any time to worry about them.
