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Friday, September 19, 2003
Rock Shows of Note LXXVII Last Saturday night was the final evening of live music at the House of Blues in Cambridge. Local singer-songwriter Ryan Montbleau helped give up the ghost, performing with his full band following an evening of live gospel singing. I've never been a big fan of the House of Blues, much less a regular, but I admit feeling a twinge of loss upon its closing. It's funny, even though the House of Blues' Cambridge location tried to replicate a down-home blues bar, it's only been in operation since 1992 and -- despite a friendly, long-time staff (some of whom worked there 10 years, and one of which goes by the nickname "Wily Giraffe") -- it's not as though the Boston area has lost anything that's authentic. If anything, the House of Blues was fauxthentic. In Hermenaut #15, editor Joshua Glenn explores the concept of fake authenticity, and contributor Slotcar Hatebath considers whether beer tastes better in fake Irish pubs. Both are wonderful introductions to fauxthenticity and context for my experiences at the House of Blues early last week. Founded by Isaac Tigrett in 1992, the House of Blues attracted the interest -- and investment -- of Dan Aykroyd, James Belushi, and Paul Schaffer. That should be clue one that the organization would be hard pressed to make good on its promise to celebrate the African-American cultural contributions of blues music and folk art. Despite feeding the homeless on Thanksgiving before opening -- and the quirky hand, feet, and buttock imprints of the surviving members of the Blues Brothers in the venue's driveway -- we must remember that Aykroyd also brought us Blues Brothers 2000, a shallow rehash of the original movie. That said, I strangely mourn the House of Blues' passing and -- thanks to Heather at Victory Records -- I was able to participate in some of the closing closeness. Seeing that Spitalfield would play at the House of Blues with Fall Out Boy, whose record I'd recently reviewed, I called Heather to see if I could get on the guest list. She came through, and I found myself at the House of Blues on its final Monday night for the Radio Takeover Tour. While I don't know whether Pabst Blue Ribbon tastes better at the House of Blues, I do know that I was one of the older people in the audience -- and one of very few drinking given the age and possible straight edge-ness of the average audience member. Because I'd left the house without a pen in my pocket, I had to bum a Bic from the merch guy, and I settled in near the rear of the room to check out the assembled bands: Trouble Is, Spitalfield, Acceptance, and Fall Out Boy. Trouble Is opened with a set of melodic hardcore and pop punk not dissimilar to Fall Out Boy. "Mad at the World" has a good melodic chorus, and despite some early trouble with the mics, the hatted band settled into the stage quite nicely. Unfortunately, following a disappointing chorus to the second song, "Nonstop," I was struck by the crowd's tweener fauxthenticity. As the band played a Blink 182-wannabe lust song to the largely passionless audience, I wondered whether this was going to be a night of watered-down third-generation punk rock. The band vacillated between out-of-tune falsetto and moments of catchy clarity, but "Graduation" opened extremely well and included a subtle breakdown that I quite liked. Out of tune overall, the band played a thankfully short set, earning them some points for punctuality. Next up, Spitalfield. The sound problems with the mics continued, but the band stepped up with a tight set of excellent choruses and choreography. There were some interesting vocal tradeoffs and a brief, lame reggae break before a fun Rick Springfield-like section that could've lasted longer. While I'm not overly familiar with their recordings, one song struck me because of its repetitive chorus and ooh's that didn't quite work. Some of their songs were quite strong, but all in all, I felt that they played too long. End sooner, end more strongly, and leave the audience wanting more. The yelling in the last song solely irritated instead of adding energy. But then again, I'm slowly but surely becoming quite the sad old man. Acceptance was the first band of the night to break the four-piece mold, and at first I thought they were local because it seemed the band's parents had come out. Opening with a bizarre recorded introduction, Acceptance played largely generic emo, which seemed to go over well with the Boston University students that made up much of the audience. I stepped outside for some fresh air, taking a last look at the hand, feet, and buttock imprints in the driveway -- I hope the new owners don't tear that out when they take over the place -- before heading back in for Fall Out Boy, so I didn't catch all of Acceptance's set. Even though I didn't quite agree with the music the House of Blues chose to play over the PA before Fall Out Boy's set, the band opened with one of my favorite songs from their record. Everyone knew the words to "Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy," and the show suddenly caught its stride as the night turned into one long singalong. Fall Out Boy has their stage antics down pat, and it was funny to watch members repeatedly sling their guitars around over their shoulders. Once, it's surprising. Continually, it's comic. Near the end of the show, the singer from Spitalfield joined Fall Out Boy onstage for some enjoyable band interaction, capping what was definitely the best set of the show. All in all, the closing of the House of Blues still saddens me. I'm not sure whether it saddens me that my last experience there was four melodic hardcore and emo bands playing to the tweener set, but I'm glad I could be a part of the venue's final week despite the irony of the final days' fauxthenticity. One bartender who'd worked there for just under a year told me that he'd miss the other people working there the most. And my friend who worked there 10 years said it was the staff that kept him coming back. I suppose that's the way it works. And I suppose that despite the House of Blues' commercial history, financiers, and booking, the place is real enough. Because it made people feel at home. At least for awhile. Forever, Vermont Not too long ago, Media Dietician Brad Searles lent me part of his collection of Burlington, Vermont, scene ephemera. This entry is the first in a series of archival reviews of comics, zines, and records produced by participants in Burlington's indie-rock and -media scene. If you participated in the Burlington scene in the early '90s and would like to share your stories, insights, and experiences -- or correct any factual errors I make in this series of reviews -- please add a comment to contribute to the context! Deadbear and Pals James Kochalka produced this photocopied comic book starring Deadbear, James himself, his wife Amy King, Lil' Rocket Boy, Magic Fairy, and Clunky the Mechanical Monkey in 1993. Partially autobiographical, "Yup, I'm All Grown Up" informs readers that James has been cartooning since second grade and that "The best part of drawing comics is reading them when I'm done." Using visual humor, his usual goofy characters, and occasional autobiographical interludes, James tells the tale of Clunky's trip to outer space -- and inserts a gentle environmental message at the end. The story doesn't really matter, and James' early characters aren't that interesting, but it's fun to see James' early drawing style, and it's clear that there are some clear parallels to his work today -- Magic Fairy probably evolved into Magic Boy, and the personal elements were always there. A lively long-lost comic. James used to operate out of P.O. Box 8321, Burlington, VT 05402. English-Lesson: A True Story Told with Simple Pictures James Kochalka's 1994 Konk My Konk Comix book is an eight-page book marker-sized mini. Apparently, it's a recollection of a conversation between James and someone whose first language isn't English. They discuss calling women "baby," politeness, and how to best meet a potential girlfriend. It's a quick bit and an impressive departure, albeit slight, from James' usual fare. I'm Not Action Johnny! #10 Colin Clary, the person once behind Sudden Shame Records, published these periodical, pocket-sized pamphlets. Sporting the cover line, "U don't love me, u just love my doggy style," this edition includes stories about stolen guitars; working a T-shirt cart in Burlington; the Fags, Philistines Jr., and James Kochalka's old band Jazzin' Hell; local zines such as Poo Poo Mag and School Bus; reviews of records and tapes by Eggs, the Bedroom Boys, and Kimbashing; and other Burlington-related musings. This may have come out around Thanksgiving and appears to have been a weekly. Sudden Shame used to operate out of 2 Cypress Lane, Essex Junction, VT 05452, and Colin's phone number was once 878-8759. I'm Not Action Johnny! #12 "All the girls think I'm retarded cos my hair's not even parted," quotes the cover of this pocket-sized zine once published by Colin Clary. Colin also did a show listing zine with Brad Searles called Sounds Around. This edition includes news about Colin's then-band the Madelines, local zines, and Colin's radio show on WRUV-FM. Show reviews touch on Snowplow, Hover, the Fags, and Doc Hopper. In addition to several 7-inch record reviews, the zine features little stories about Colin's mom, license plates, the Sounds Around compilation, and the Burlingtonitus indie-pop fest. We need more little zines about out local scenes. James Kochalka Superstar #1 Published in 1994 with a cover price of $2, this 16-page digest features Deadbear and a winged James Kochalka asking, "Am I famous yet?" on the cover. Thus begins James' formal quest for stardom. The book opens with a four-panel comic by his wife Amy King entitled "Girl Talk" that blends the cartoony and more dense styles exhibited in her digest Mine's Ugly. James' contributions include five autobiographical stories and a one-page Deadbear strip, all drawn in 1993 and 1994. A young James dreams of the demise of his dad and decides teenagers are bad. An older James is accosted by a gang of toughs on his way home and is robbed of a jacket and shoe. "Nov. 20, 1993 Burlington, VT" is a pleasant piece of natural whimsy that reintroduces the magic fairy characters that would evolve into Magic Boy. And the Deadbear page is a disposable time-travel tale. You can see quite a bit of development from James' earlier Deadbear work, and several panels really shine (p. 3, panel 4; p. 6, which portrays James' later sketchbook work; and p. 10, panel 1). The self-conscious racial sensitivity of "The Walk Home" and the natural wonder of "Nov. 20" telegraph James' current self-awareness and inter-story self-analysis as a narrative device. His style is starting to mature, and this sheds solid light on the directions in which he could head. Jazzin' Hell 7-inch Released by Tarquin Records in Connecticut and Thicker Records in San Francisco, this three-song record issues in 1992 predates the James Kochalka Superstar recordings. Performed by Peter Katis on the Casio MT-50, James on vocals, Hilton Dier III on soprano saxophone and bass, and Eric Bradford on tenor saxophone, the mono, lo-fi songs remind me slightly of Atom and His Package. One song, "Moon Tune," was recorded live in 1989 at Border in Burlington, and the other two songs -- "Egg Hunt" and "Let's Go Steady" -- were recorded in 1991. They're all simple, silly songs and aren't as well done as James' later recordings, but it's a fun listen nonetheless. And the picture of James dressed up as the Easter rabbit is priceless -- and might even rival the beefcake bit at the end of his new Fancy Froglin book. Mine's Ugly! This eight-page digest compiling comics done by James Kochalka's wife, Amy King, was collected as a surprise for her 25th birthday. Drawn primarily in a spiral-bound sketchbook, the digest represents two styles. The two one-page "Sparkle: Queen of the World" strips are simpler in nature, with a cute, clean line. In one, Sparkle becomes prom queen. And in another, she gives her friend Starbeam a bad home perm (hence the title of the collection). In both, the closing panel offers a beauty tip. Funny stuff. There's also a four-page story done in a more complex, realistic style that seems to be an appreciation of who might be Amy's father. The four standalone vignettes add up to a tender recollection of a man who was generous, a heavy drinker, and in the end, surrounded by family. Amy's work is quite good, and I'm pleased she also contributed to early issues of James Kochalka Superstar. But I wonder: Does she still draw? I hope so! Sudden Shame catalog Colin Clary used to run this little record label near Burlington, Vermont. This edition of the label's catalog lists releases available in 1994. 7-inch records feature the Smiles; Chisel; and Brian, Colin, and Vince. Tapes include recordings by Snowi Springs, the Madelines, and a compilation comprising Vibrolux, Chisel, Severinsen, BCV, Snowi Springs, Trendinista 5000, Zero Series, Richard Scarry, Teenage Dope Slacesm tge Smiles, Slow Ham and the Ditchbockers from Bean Bean, Emily, and Sweet Mamma of Guadelupe. There's also a CD by BCV -- Sudden Shame's first release. This and Colin's zines were produced using a nifty single-sided photocopy, slit, and accordion fold method. If anyone wants to tape any of the above for me, I'd sure appreciate it. Soundtrack: Tunnel of Love, "Rock 'n Roll'n Bitches" Games People Play XII Even though Good Time Emporium in Somerville has its share of old-school video games, New Hampshire's Funspot sounds like a gamer's Valhalla. Featuring 185 working arcade games produced between 1971 and 1987, Funspot's offerings include games such as Tapper, Spy Hunter, Paperboy, Jungle Hunt, Gauntlet, Breakout, and Asteroids. Road trip, anyone? Newspaper Chase III As long as I've lived in Boston, there's been a slightly delapidated newsstand perched on the corner of Boylston and Dartmouth streets by the Old South Church on Copley Square. A few weeks ago, the newsstand shut up shop, its new owner of just two years bowing out quickly but quietly. The stand's previous owner, Max Kaiserman, ran the old-school shop for 73 years, missing only a few months of work while he recuperated from heart surgery. Even though Kaiserman had passed the torch, the traditional newsstand is now moving steadily into the past. Even though I didn't frequent the stand, I'll miss its presence. Hiking History XIII Kudos to the fine folks at Talking Street for improving on the guided walking tour. Launched just this week, the first cell phone-guided walking tour in New York City, "The Lower East Side: Birthplace of Dreams," is narrated by Jerry Stiller -- and is extremely easy to follow. You dial a toll-free number on your cell phone, select the stop you're at, and learn about the immigrant-fueled neighborhood. Pretty darn cool. Thursday, September 18, 2003
Blogging About Blogging LXIX Back in April, I mentioned that William Gibson would stop blogging soon. Well, it took him awhile, but he finally gave up the ghost. His final post came just a couple of weeks after Bruce Sterling announced that he was wrapping up his Infinite Matrix column-cum-blog. While Gibson's heading to the woodshed to write a new book, Sterling will contribute to a new blog published by Wired. Among the Politerati? Is the Katha Pollitt who provides the poem "Lilacs in September" in this week's New Yorker the same Katha Pollitt who writes for the Nation? If so, step aside Mr. Trillin! Games People Play XI Arcadia combines four very simple, old-school, Atari-type games that you play simultaneously, making it a multitasking challenge. The all-at-once combination of Jumpy McJump, Over Drive, Strathreego, and Electronic Tennis was developed by GameLab, a New York City-based game development studio. It's an awesome idea, but truth be told, my first attempt playing two of the games at once wasn't very successful. Jumpy McJump got stumped. Thanks to Media Dietician Mari Guarino. Wednesday, September 17, 2003
Read But Dead XVIII James L. Morrison is the editor in chief of the Technology Source, which is published under the auspices of Michigan Virtual University. A couple of days ago, Morrison was informed that because of budgetary constraints, MVU will no longer produce it. The university is willing to transfer the journal's ownership to a suitable organization/ or publisher. If any Media Dieticians are interested, feel free to contact Morrison. Business Media Reportage Goes Bust, Now Boom? XII Technology Review, MIT's magazine about innovation, undergoes a redesign with its October issue. Focusing more on business and investing, the magazine seems to be working to reclaim some of the ground lost by the Red Herriing and Industry Standard. IM'ing the Fat In Minneapolis today, a staff member of KQRS-FM is moblogging a plastic surgery makeover using his PCS Vision Camera. Ulp. I hope Vicky's happy. Television-Impaired XV TV Newsline has compiled an impressive list of TV station slogans. In Massachusetts, we've got WHDH (NBC) Boston: "The News Station" Lost Remote's Liz Foreman comments: Why can't TV stations just be honest like the Aspen Daily News -- "If you don't want it printed, don't let it happen." I usually don't get into the new fall season of TV shows, but so far this fall, I've caught two premieres I thought would be worth watching. Anderson Cooper 360 got a lot of buzz, and I looked forward to the reportedly whip-smart, fast-paced approach to nightly news. While Cooper did impress me with his presence and delivery, it wasn't quite the hectic headline hullaballoo I wanted. His heavy dependence on reporters in the field added to the depth of the reportage but closed off opportunities for commentary and critique. That said, two segments pleased me. In one, he addressed the contents of several news and culture weekly magazines, harping on their headlines. And in the final segment, the show's close, I was slightly irked by the bait and switch. After analyzing the ways other anchors say goodnight, providing a nice meta-media look at a behind-the-scenes aspect of broadcast television, Cooper copped out, in the end merely promoting another new program, Paula Zahn. This was Cooper's chance to go personal. Instead, he opted for promotional. Opportunity lost! And Sunday, I watched the first episode of HBO's new program Carnivale. Scheduled to run 12 weeks, the series is more Stephen King's The Dark Tower than Twin Peaks, but David Lynch's influence is clear. The main character, played by Soundtrack: George Winston, "Autumn" Newspaper Chase II This morning, while leaving my building to head to work, I ran into one of my new neighbors. Dressed in a shirt and tie, he had just picked up a newspaper in the foyer and appeared to be hesitating. I checked the foyer for my paper, scanned the entry way, and then turned back to him -- he'd paused on the stairs. "Is that the Boston Globe?" I asked. "Yes. Is it yours?" "Does it say A-3?" It did. He'd taken my paper. Turns out that, having just moved into the building, he'd subscribed to the Globe as well. It'd been delivered to him once and then stopped for some reason. So he'd been taking my papers, reading them in the morning and then returning them to the foyer when finished. That explains why the paper's been missing so often lately -- and while it's been waiting for me when I arrive home in the evening. I thought the delivery person had been slacking. Instead, there's a thief in the house. I don't mind, really, as long as he puts it back in time for me to pick it up. And if it's not there, I now know where to go. B-2. Tuesday, September 16, 2003
NetWork IX Cynthia Typaldos has compiled a nice roundup of social software and services. While I'd like to eventually do an in-depth study of best practices and processes, as well as how people use the services differently, I'm largely with Clay Shirky: Interoperability is increasingly important. Monday, September 15, 2003
Street Art IX Space Invaders is an urban invasion reality game in which participants surreptitiously install mosaic tile patterns in urban settings around the world. You can even obtain maps of invasions already made. Similar to Shepard Fairey's Obey campaign, Boston's Hi Guy, Upski's open-source No More Prisons tags, and other street art, I can't wait until I find my first tiles. Big Brother Is Watching XVI The Surveillance Camera Players now offer outdoor walking tours in New York City. Sounds like another possible project for the Boston World Explorers Foundation: cataloging security cameras in Boston. |
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