Mich Music

Civic Duty

2012-01-27T18:37:00.001-06:00

Today I had to serve jury duty for the first time. I was all nervous because the courthouse I was called to is pretty far from my house in a not-so-great area that I would probably never meander into for any other reason (plus I don't own a car and public transit to that area is pretty sketch). But I got there just fine and wouldn't you know it, my panel was called from the pool first thing. So I spent most of my time there in a courtroom watching the jury selection process for a murder trial.

I didn't end up getting chosen for the jury, in fact my group didn't even have to go through questioning, but I'm actually glad that I was forced out of my comfort zone for a day. Sometimes it's good to get a reminder of all the different types of people that are out there, with all different types of professions, life experiences, living conditions and opinions. We get so caught up in our own social circles and class levels that it's easy to lose sight of the big picture and how good your life can be.

Running Goals

2012-01-10T17:06:00.001-06:00

After putting my post together last week, and thinking about my fitness goals, I realized that I had never written about another big accomplishment I had made in 2011: running a 5K! I actually ended up running two: the Bucktown 5K and the Hot Chocolate 5K. The Bucktown race was a smaller Chicago neighborhood race through my very own hood (the course went just one street from my house!) and the Hot Chocolate was a much bigger race that went through the loop downtown--with chocolate at the end, of course.

My friend Becky encouraged me to run--that and the sweet, sweet goody bag jacket. We had fun encouraging each other since it was the first time racing for both of us, and even though we didn't actually train together, it was good to have someone to talk to that was working at the same pace.

For my training (yes, you don't go from barely running to three miles), another, more advanced, runner friend had recommended the Hal Higdon "Couch to 5K" program. I didn't follow it exactly, but it was a great guide to slowly build up endurance. The best part of racing was challenging myself to beat my first time in the second race--which I did!

This year the goal is to work up to running a 10K and maaaaybe a half marathon! Up and up!

Yogi New Year

2012-01-04T16:52:00.001-06:00

Hoo-boy, it has been a while since I updated the ole blog. First off, Happy New Year! I've never been much of a resolutionary person, but it is a nice time to reflect and check in with yourself.

I suppose you could say that is exactly what I was doing for most of December--after all of the parties and surviving a nasty respiratory virus. I took all the time between Christmas and New Years off work, giving me 11 days off in a row (including a couple unpaid days since I had to sacrifice the last of my sick days for that virus). That's the longest I've been away from the office since I started this job (seven years ago, but who's counting). I actually considered going in for a couple of hours for those unpaid days, but I'm glad I didn't. I think I was actually afraid of being bored (or being alone with myself, if you want to take the therapist perspective)! It took me a couple of days to get used to letting myself just relax. Usually when I have time off, I'm always trying to get stuff done, clean this, fix that, and I did some, but I really just wanted to let myself unwind. I feel like I'm running ragged most of the time, like I'm always going places and doing things because I have to instead of want to. I've always been a pretty high-strung person, but my energy level took a big dip when I turned 30, so I've been trying to manage that for the past year (both mentally and physically).

I spent most of my time off at home alone (the bf was at work most of the week) on the couch, and it was nice. I didn't talk to friends or family much, and we even dodged the holiday travel stress bomb. I let myself watch a lot of TV without feeling guilty about it (which was A LOT of the month between being sick and hungover and staycationing). I went to the gym a couple of times and by the end of the week I wished that I had been taking advantage of the free classes that my gym offers--but I guess that's just the realization that the time off was intended to show me. So I hit up a yoga class on Friday afternoon, something that I've been encouraged to do for a long time by my therapist (for the mind benefit) and my physical therapist (for the body benefit), and I loved it. There's always that first-class-hump to get over, but now that I'm over it, I'm hooked and I hope to go at least once a week. I was crazy sore after that first class, but I already hit up another class a few days later, and was encouraged by the instructor to keep coming, which was pretty cool.

Now that we're back at work, I've had a little bit of a hard time adjusting back to the daily grind, but I try to stay positive and think that if nothing else came from my break, I enter 2012 with a clearer mind and a new found fitness goal.

What happens in Vegas...comes home with us.

2011-12-08T11:01:00.000-06:00

Tankboy: What happens in Vegas...: GalPal and I were in Las Vegas on vacation last week and stayed at The Cosmopolitan for free through a voucher I got after playing kickball...

The Comeback Cardinals

2011-11-21T13:44:00.001-06:00

Goosebumps! Here is the intro to this year's World Series "film," narrated by none other than St. Louis native, Jon Hamm:

And yeah, I said way back in October, way before the Cardinals won, that it would be perfect if Hamm narrated. I guess I wasn't the only one who thought so!

Here is some behind the scenes with Hamm:

Tonight: Chicagoist Reader Meet-Up!

2011-11-17T12:24:00.000-06:00

Oh, all the things I've been meaning to post here on the blog... Time, laziness and other various distractions (ooh look, something shiny!) are all major constraints... I'll get to all those events and photos and topics at some point...

But tonight! Tonight is the first-in-a-while Chicagoist Reader Meet-Up! Join me and the rest of the staff at supernewtrendy The Owl where there will be free beer, but most of all, good company. Plus you could win a copy the entire Pink Floyd catalog. Pretty sweet. RSVP for the event and the giveaway here and here.

The Owl:
2521 N. Milwaukee
Chicago

Hoot Hoot.

Scarf Weather

2011-11-08T14:44:00.003-06:00

I generally dislike fall because it means winter is coming, but one thing that I do look forward to as temps drop is getting to wear my favorite leather coat. I have a rule that I don't pull it out of the closet until the high for the day doesn't climb out of the 50s, that way I have a little bright spot as the season makes a marked turn to cooler weather. Another item I look forward to wearing is scarves, but if you're anything like me, you can never think of ways to wear them outside of the basic European loop or toss over the shoulder. Here are a couple of my favorite references for "how to tie a scarf," and we're talking light square scarves as well as longer thicker rectangular scarves, too. Remember to bookmark for when you're stumped!

(via the naming of things.)

(via Pinterest.)

>Texere Silk's Ultimate Scarf Tying Guide

...

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T16:43:00.000-05:00

The only (known) photo of my Halloween costume from the weekend. Because I was just that sneaky.

Go Nuts Folks!

2011-10-19T13:25:00.000-05:00

I've been quiet lately, being busy at home and work leaves me with a lot to catch up on the ol blog!

Well, tonight is Game 1 of the World Series and the Cardinals have made it! No doubt some thanks has to go to this little guy:

Jamie Lidell & iMaschine

2011-10-12T11:55:00.000-05:00

This guy never ceases to amaze me.

"Jamie Lidell performs an iMaschine exclusive version of "A Little Bit More" from the album Multiply (2005, Warp) while relaxing in bed. The entire performance was done live in one take, with nothing pre-recorded, and no post-production edits made to the song."

Battles

2011-10-11T13:41:00.003-05:00

I saw Battles @ the Vic last week. Here's what I thought. SPOILER: They may be better sans Tyondai.

Plus, as a bonus, we interviewed drummer (and frontman) John Stainer before the show, although he avoided my best question: if they would try to see/meet up with his former band Helmet who just happened to be playing Double Door the same night!

Priced to sell -- Grab the Keys and go!

2011-10-10T16:43:00.000-05:00

1994 EL CAMINO: 273,000 mi. 200 cubic-in. 3.3L 95hp V6 engine, 3-speed turbo autom shift, sapphire stylus, some ticks/pops, light surface noise. Working AM/FM radio, tan metalflake/woodie panels, some rust. Black vinyl seats. Priced to sell -- Grab the Keys and go! Contact Pat or Dan at (330) 510-1206

Wild Night

2011-09-29T11:51:00.001-05:00

Last night was a wild night in baseball as both the NL and AL Wild Card positions came down to the last game of the season, meaning heads were swiveling and phones were flipping back and forth between four different games, two of which went into extra innings. Somehow though, both were decided last night so no tiebreaker games tonight. Luckily the NL drama ended just in time for me to head to the Metro to catch The Rapture.

Congrats to the St. Louis Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Rays!

See you at Sedgwick's for Cardinals October baseball!

Stepkids, Horrors, Dancers & Beer

2011-09-26T12:40:00.000-05:00

It was a busy weekend between the Hideout Block Party, a Dance Crash show and a quick hop to Wisco for some sausage, cheese and Spotted Cow, but last night I broke my lay-low-Sunday-evening rule to accompany Tankboy to The Horrors show at Lincoln Hall. It's not too often that we are both surprisingly blown away by a band we've never heard of (simply because one of usually previews the shows we go to), but last night the opening band, The Stepkids, did just that. They reminded me of a ton of eclectic influences, but the bottom line is that they were really damn good. I totally think they should share a bill with Tame Impala and The Besnard Lakes. It would be a trippy, epic evening, with lotsa mind bending falsetto.

The Stepkids have a new album out tomorrow. Tankboy has a couple tracks you can preview.

Miss Me?

2011-09-21T14:28:00.000-05:00

Wondering where I've been? Giving my ol' girl Leslie away...

09112001

2011-09-13T16:39:00.000-05:00

It's been a couple of days since the tenth anniversary of 9/11, and while I had a few things I wanted to say about that day in 2001 and the remembrance ten years later, I know that people (including myself) really only wanted to take that one day to allow themselves to look at the images and talk about the pain of that day. That was actually the one major point I intended to make--as much as I didn't want to dwell on those images and feelings, I do think it was appropriate, and now after the fact, actually necessary to spend one day really remembering. Not that we could ever forget.

So instead, I leave you with a photo of my father leaving flowers at a flag raised on Art Hill in memorial to his friend, Denny Scauso, an FDNY Firefighter who was killed in the line of duty at the World Trade Center that day.

Last night was a good, good night.

2011-09-07T16:47:00.002-05:00

A unique moment in music happened last night at the Hideout. You see, there was a release party for the @MayorEmanuel Twitter-adventure-turned-book: "The F***ing Epic Quest of @MayorEmanuel" penned, or uh, Tweeted by Dan Sinker. The mayor himself even turned up! But here's the part that would have had me ROFL-ing had I been there: Wilco's Jeff Tweedy covering "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas. I guess you could say @MayorEmanuel invited him to do this back in January. And he was right...people do love that shit.

The only thing that could have made this any better is if Brian Williams would have turned up, too.

BWOMP

2011-09-05T19:15:00.000-05:00

I went to North Coast Music Festival this weekend. Here is a sample of what it was like:

Chi-Town on a Hot Streak

2011-09-01T11:40:00.000-05:00

Behind the scenes of the filming of Hey Champ's "Silver City" music video (spy me and Tankboy on the left)...which I realized that I never posted...so here it is:

More Foo

2011-08-30T14:33:00.002-05:00

So, I didn't watch the MTV VMAs the other night, but I did watch the video that they won Best Rock Video for:

Even more hilarity today as my friend sent me their 2011 tour promo video. (NSFW, hot buns.)

Oh, and look what else I stumbled upon today…a Rolling Stone feature on the Foo Fighters that follows them on their first tour in 1995. And it ends, where else, at a truck stop outside Chicago…

Celebrity Kickball: Year Dos

2011-08-29T11:53:00.002-05:00

Tankboy played in DO312's annual Celebrity Kickball game again this year--this time inside Lolla grounds--and I was on hand to take pictures. But, my favorite picture was taken of me with a certain star from Breaking Bad (no, it's not the RV).

One of my favorite moments of the game was someone yelling from the field that they lost an outfielder because they had to go sound check for their set. File that under things you don't hear during a normal sporting event. Check out the JBTV video below for some other highlights from the game.

Gimmie Some Vinyl

2011-08-24T15:10:00.000-05:00

I went to Longman & Eagle last night for the opening of a little art exhibit featuring the works that Jonas Torvestig did for Peter Bjorn & John's latest album, Gimmie Some. He designed the three thumb cover art, but on display were twelve separate acrylic tiles with different variations on the theme--one for each track on the album.

I even got to meet the guys in the band since they were on hand hosting the opening. I always feel like a total heel whenever I actually talk to celebrities or musicians that I like...folks that I admire I guess...but they were really nice and they signed the 7" box set that I bought there. It's super cool, it has all Torvestig's corresponding prints on the sleeves inside. Oh, and it's numbered. I'm pretty sure I heard it was a limited run of 300. Pretty cool. Now we just gotta get that record player fixed...

The band will be in town through the weekend playing small shows as part of their All You Can Eat Tour. I'm super stoked to see them again tonight in the place that I first saw them back in '07 after the whole Young Folksplosion--The Empty Bottle.

Strange Storms

2011-08-18T16:44:00.001-05:00

Today there was yet another fatal concert stage collapse at the Pukkelpop music festival in Belgium (while Chicago band Smith Westerns were performing), adding to the tragedy of last week's Indiana State Fair stage collapse that left five people dead. And this is on top of a Cheap Trick stage collapse and The Flaming Lips lighting rig falling down during storms (luckily no one was killed in either). Many are obviously questioning the structural integrity of these temporary stages, but what about the crazy weather? Of course summer is always filled with dangerous storms, but doesn't it seem like there's been a deluge of them this year? Maybe we just forget how bad it gets from year to year...Regardless, the question turns to how soon people should be evacuated in situations like this, but where is it safe to take cover at an open air festival where all the structures are temporary? This question did cross my mind a few weeks ago at Lollapalooza as I sat at a picnic table about 50 feet behind the main stage watching crews roll up the stage's back wall as the winds picked up and a storm rolled in.

Anyway, I don't have the answers, but I do have one way we can help out a Chicago landmark that was all but destroyed in a hail storm earlier this summer. Eric Mahle has organized a benefit tonight at Lincoln Hall to raise funds to restore the Garfield Park Conservatory after the hail shattered panes of the glass house, putting the many rare plants inside at risk. I've only been to the Conservatory once for a wedding a few years ago, but I will say I was in awe of it's beauty. Tonight we'll do good while having fun and watching live music, all the while thinking of those who lost loved ones in Indiana and Belgium doing the same.

Chicagoista

2011-08-12T16:11:00.003-05:00

Even though I've already penned the occasional piece over at Chicagoist, today is my "official" debut with a preview of Reggie Watt!

All I can say is that it took me some time, and almost a year off from writing regularly, to finally accept the invitation. One year Lollapalooza burned me out, the next made me miss it.

I guess, as a friend said, it's come full circle. We used to refresh Chicagoist all day long at work (shhh...don't tell my bosses!). It's how I met my boyfriend, and now he is my editor. That was one of the obvious reasons it took me some time, but I was able to cut my teeth and create my own voice over at Transmission, and he was a mentor the whole time. So I'm pretty confident we won't "fight more" (unless it's over who's going to cover a show!).

N-E-WAY, enjoy this little Reggie Watts ditty as a preview for his shows this weekend:

"My Hero"

2011-08-11T11:12:00.005-05:00

A truly epic moment at Lollapalooza 2011 when the sky opened up as the Foo Fighters began "My Hero." Even Dave embraced the rain. Notice the crew scrambling to cover all the equipment at the front of the stage!

Foo-tastic

2011-08-09T15:47:00.006-05:00

So, that little Foo Fighters show at Metro? I wrote about it for Chicagoist. You should read it.

It was crazy fun. Plus it was awesome to see other music folks geeked out about a show--before and after.

Oh, and I got to meet drummer Taylor Hawkins backstage at Lollapalooza. He was super cool (duh). Thanks to Ernest!

Me and Taylor hangin out at Lolla.

Tankboy: Lolla Expert

2011-08-08T15:56:00.002-05:00

So, my boyfriend was on TV this morning. Apparently Fox Chicago News considers him some sort of Lollapalooza expert or something.

In all seriousness though, you sounded great, baby!

Fence Jumpers, Rain Don’t Spoil Lollapalooza: MyFoxCHICAGO.com

Meant to Lolla

2011-08-05T12:28:00.001-05:00

Well, looks like it was meant to be. I didn't buy a Lollapalooza pass this year because I wasn't that stoked about the lineup and I frankly just didn't want to spend the dough. Maybe I was a little jaded after covering the fest last year and then my writing burnout that shortly followed. Besides, I figured the weekend has become more about the surrounding parties and after-shows anyway, so I could go to some of those and be completely satisified...and not exhausted and covered in dirt and sweat (and honestly, the older I get, the harder it is to hang all day and all night!).

But here I am with a wristband wrapped securely around my wrist--one with pretty awesome access at that. My boy Tankboy was able to score it for me so I could watch him play in the now annual Do312 Celebrity Kickball game on Saturday.

This would have been my first year missing Lolla since it's Chicago rebirth. I guess that wasn't meant to be.

Holy Hell

2011-08-04T11:54:00.000-05:00

Holy hell, I'm going to see them. RT @foofightersnews: Holy Hell, Foo Fighters To Play Metro http://t.co/nI0Kp3Z #foofighters

Sir Paul

2011-08-01T17:09:00.005-05:00

“Are you sure you don’t want to take somebody else?”

“Are you really going to pass up an opportunity to see a Beatle!?”

Absolutely not. Especially when you put it that way! My thinking was that someone like a Beatles fanatic, or one of our parents should rightfully go over little ‘ol me, but I quickly realized what a unique opportunity* it is (I mean, what other band has members so distinctive that you would actually call them A fillinbandnamehere?!), and one that my boyfriend wanted to share with me.

The man in question is, of course, Sir Paul McCartney. Last night Tankboy brought me as his +1 to see his “On The Run” tour at Wrigley Field. You might expect a performance from something or someone so legendary to be uber professional and stuffy, but then you have to remember this is the guy who wrote songs like “Helter Skelter” and was part of a very small club who defined rock as we know it. Of course still wildly pro, Sir Paul gave a rather informal performance--interacting with the crowd, making jokes, telling anecdotes (from his seemingly endless catalog) and just plain goofing off and dancing between songs.

Besides being nearly 3 hours of hit after hit after hit after sing-a-long hit, the most memorable moment of the night by far was “Live and Let Die.” I sure would like to have seen the look on my face through this and a couple of other songs! As Tankboy said, there was fire everywhere--puffs of flames and explosions on the stage, fireworks behind the stage (to get an idea of how close we were, I could feel the heat on my face--but at 23 rows back, that gives you an idea of how much fire there actually was!); it was pretty damn cool.

Thanks again to my lovely boyfriend for bringing me! It was such a contrast from the night before, when we were at a friend’s place for a small, intimate outdoor house concert from singer/songwriter Megan Burtt--not to undercut either! Both are incredibly unique experiences, from one end of the spectrum to the other. I get to experience some pretty amazing things, and I feel lucky for every one of them!

*So unique, that over several conversations on the subject of taking kids to see Sir Paul, I concluded that if I had one, and my partner had two tickets, without blinking I’d say, “take the kid.” Having seen a Beatle will be a much rarer and coveted experience as time presses on.

Attention OFFICE Fans:

2011-07-28T14:21:00.002-05:00

Anyone who's a fan of Chicago band OFFICE should head this way and download the new Glossies album, Phantom Films. Glossies is band leader Scott Masson's new musical project, and as expected it is chock full of his signature melodies and hooks. Man can that guy write a tune that will suck you in.

I dare you to not tap along.

Because you can't, you won't, and you don't stop

2011-07-26T16:22:00.000-05:00

So much awesome.

Sesame Street breaks it down from Wonderful Creative on Vimeo.

The End of an Era

2011-07-08T12:14:00.000-05:00

The Space Shuttle program is ironically the same age as me, and was a big part of my childhood growing up. I went to Space Camp in Cape Canaveral when I was in fourth grade, and yes, I totally wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up. I got to ride all those simulators, do a mock mission control launch, build a rocket and meet a real live astronaut, Alan Shepard. Luckily it's mostly good stuff I remember since I was also super homesick because, well, I was young and it was the longest I had been away from my family--even though they were staying just across town with with my dad's college buddy, "Uncle Stan." They attended the Aeronautical University Embrey-Riddle together in Daytona, Florida. Uncle Stan worked for NASA at the time, so he was there when I needed to see a familiar face.

My fellow campers and I were lucky that there was a Shuttle launch scheduled during our week at Space Camp, and of course it was part of our itinerary to watch it! Unfortunately the launch was postponed until after my family left Florida for home. There was a part of me that was convinced that at some point in my life, I would see a shuttle launch in person, but today I watched the final launch of Atlantis on my computer at work as the Shuttle program comes to an end. It truly is the end of an era.

Nobody can argue that space travel is pretty frickin amazing, and I hope that we soon have another NASA program that we can watch with our kids.

Addicted.

2011-06-29T14:02:00.000-05:00

Ever since woxy went down, I've had a hard time finding a channel I like to listen to at work. But now I'm all up in turntable.fm. There are tons of different DJ "rooms" and the playlist is user generated. There are five DJs in a room, and if one leaves, you can jump up on stage. You can even create a new room if you want.

My favorite is when there are a ton of people dancing in a room. Don't know what I'm talking about? Check it out for yourself!

I want my Monday to feel like this:

2011-06-27T11:40:00.000-05:00

-Les Savy Fav @ Green Music Fest 6/26/11
photo via @phstephen

Jelly Music

2011-06-17T12:57:00.002-05:00

My photos yesterday were from our trip to the new Jellies exhibit at the Shedd Aquarium. This week is Customer Appreciation Week which means general admission is free all week! (Get there early though because lines are loooong.) Jellies aren't included in general admission, but upgraded passes are available for a discounted rate this week as well.

This song is the jam, too. Anybody know the title?

JELLIES!

2011-06-15T14:22:00.000-05:00

An iPhone photo essay of our day off:

It's Friday. Vogue.

2011-06-10T15:40:00.004-05:00

I feel like I should get myself a Tumblr with all the videos I've been posting, but there is too much awesome in this video not to post. Plus it's just in time to get us amped up for Pride (2 more weeks!)!

ME AT NINE, PERFORMING TO MADONNA IN SUMMER '91! from Robert Jeffrey on Vimeo.

Judas Mashup

2011-06-08T11:22:00.005-05:00

It's been pretty much all-Gaga all-the-time since her new album release last week.

Here's a freaky awesome mashup.

http://www.waxaudio.com.au/

Man on the Street

2011-06-07T10:48:00.003-05:00

The British version of "What Song Are You Listening To?"

Maybe it's just because I've already seen this trick, but Londoners are a lot more boring than New Yorkers.

(via The Daily What)

"What song are you listening to?"

2011-05-26T10:27:00.004-05:00

This amuses me to no end. This guy asks random New Yorkers with headphones what song they're listening to. Gives you an idea just how many different atmospheric moods are happening around you every time you walk down the street. Plus how typical or surprising (or embarrassing) people's selections are. I also find it interesting how most have have to look at their iPods or the like to find out what they're actually listening to.

Ok, ok, on to the video...Oh, what was I listening to on my way to work? I'm with my fellow nerd girl at 5:03: NPR - This American Life.

oM Covers The White Stripes

2011-05-24T11:42:00.004-05:00

My buddy Marcus over at The Onion's AV Club sent me a pic of Kevin Barnes in their office the day they recorded this. Of course I was jealous, but luckily was seeing them at the Vic that night! Yay!

Of Montreal covers The White Stripes

"It really chokes you up when you see what's happened here..."

2011-05-23T16:30:00.001-05:00

It really does. I've posted a lot about tornado victims lately, but in one of the most deadly seasons our country has ever seen, I can't ignore it, especially when it's affecting my home state. In this video, The Weather Channel's Mike Bettes chokes back tears after surveying the damage in Joplin, Missouri, where Sunday night an ~~EF-4~~ EF-5 tornado destroyed more than a quarter of the city.

Two Happy Tails

2011-05-20T16:21:00.003-05:00

Two tales of pets who miraciously find their way home after being ripped away by the tragic tornados that hit Alabama last month:

No More Code

2011-05-11T11:46:00.000-05:00

It's a sad day in Chicago...One of my favorite TV shows, "The Chicago Code," has been canceled. Now, I'm not saying it was a great show, but I loved it. I loved it in the same candy way I liked "Prison Break." In even worse news, another favorite of mine, "Lie To Me," wont be coming back either. But in even worse news, "Glee" has been renewed for yet another season.

FOX, you are dead to me.

Thank goodness "Community" is still hanging on by a string...

It's Friday!

2011-05-06T11:49:00.005-05:00

of Montreal @ the Vic last night*...

Peter, Bjorn & John @ Lincoln Hall tomorrow night**...

I don’t want this weekend to end...

*the second tier tour truly is more fun.
**I may not totally dig the new album, but I still love me some PB&J.

Too Far?

2011-05-05T12:12:00.005-05:00

Festival footwear? This is a thing now? I think this is a sign that the music fest gamut has gone too far.

We Got Him

2011-05-02T14:25:00.012-05:00

You may have heard by now...Osama bin Laden is dead. Killed by a US raid in Pakistan. There are a zillion hilarious internet memes exploding on the internet today, too many to keep up with or even pick a favorite. There are also a zillion opinions and feelings circulating...most reminiscent of 9/11. It's honestly the news we never expected to hear after almost ten years.

But the thing I think is so interesting is the significance of Twitter. At first there was zero information besides a little scroll at the bottom of the television screen that President Obama was about to make an important speech (obviously odd news so late on a Sunday evening). I went straight to Twitter to find out what was going on. Many times in the past few years, Twitter--or social media communication in general--has been a quicker source of information than television or radio news, including during February's blizzard. The way we communicate and get information has truly shifted.

I was having a rather lazy Sunday, monitoring my feed pretty closely, and it was a slow day to say the least. Until about 9:30pm. Twitter estimated that there were upwards of 5,000 Tweets per second around the time of the announcement. It started with speculation of what the speech would be about, and then clever jokes and observations continued late into the night. I could barely keep up with my own feed, reading, tweeting and re-tweeting, right up until I saw this one:

"I lost 6 friends on 9/11. u can be cynical, or shit on this moment, but I'd like to say, hey, Jim, Matt, Andy, Clint, Tommy, Tim, we got him"

I'll hold back the name, as they have deleted the tweet since, but I still think it's poignant. My joking and laughing with my boyfriend stopped in it's tracks as I read that tweet, and I decided it was time to go to bed. It was getting late, and there wasn't really anything more to say or learn anyway.

(Photo: Michael Appleton for the NYT, taken in Times Square)

Vegetables Are Good For You!

2011-04-29T06:08:00.006-05:00

Another year, another mixtape. Once again, I had a lot of fun putting together a mix CD for this year's Rock For Kids music auction. My theme this time around? Veggies.

Gapers Block staffers are among the contributors this year along with Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, Bloodshot Records, Gapers Block Jim Newberry, Jon Langford, Nora O'Connor, Sanford Parker, WXRT, The Empty Bottle, Metro Chicago, and more.

The big shebang takes place tonight at SmartBar. Support the future of rock and bid on some one of a kind mixes!

Rock For Kids 9th Annual Music Mixer

Smart Bar - 3730 N Clark

6pm. Tickets: $10

Beastlie.

2011-04-28T16:28:00.004-05:00

My day was totally dragging ass til I finally started streaming this new Beastie Boys album:

The Hot Sauce Committee pt 2

Tornado Alley

2011-04-27T09:41:00.018-05:00

Is it ever going to stop raining? That's about all I've been able to think for the past week +, along with a blog post I wrote more than 3 years ago of the same title (granted, some other obviously strange things were happening about that time). We had a little peek of sunshine yesterday, and Friday is forecasted to be warm and sunny, but then it's right back into the unseasonably cool, rainy fog. Uggh.

But we're nowhere near as unlucky as those south of us in "tornado alley," including my family in STL. Last Friday, a tornado hit Lambert International Airport, basically tearing it to shreds and shutting it down. Luckily, there were no fatalities and only a few injuries, but things are much worse for those living in rural Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas. We've already hit the record for the most tornadoes in April, and there is still more severe weather to come, including massive flooding.

To keep up with this, and any other severe weather around the country, follow Mister Weather Channel himself, Jim Cantore on Twitter.

(photos from www.stltoday.com)

Little did I know I was working on my beach bod all winter...

2011-04-22T12:06:00.004-05:00

Last September I started having back spasms, even if I didn’t know they were spasms at the time. I was in pain, lots of pain. I would get these sharp pinches in my lower back that would just not let go. It hurt to stand, it hurt to sit, it hurt to lay down, it hurt to sleep. I finally saw my doctor and she told me my options: chiropractor, physical therapy or massage therapy. I chose to start with massage since I figured it was just a knot that needed to be worked out and I’d feel better in no time. Plus I’d be getting massages paid for by insurance, right? Yay! But these massages were anything but relaxing. Once my massage therapist focused in on my problem area, it was an hour a week solely on that spot, and it hurt. She told me it was going to be a long process. I had problems that went beyond that one knot. I got worse before I got better. I almost gave up. After another visit to the doctor (a sub as my regular doc was on maternity leave by this time) after an especially painful spasm, and I was given a scrip for muscle relaxers. I never filled it.

The place I was sent for treatment was Universal Health Institute, a health center that focuses on more holistic care. I’ll always be thankful that my doc referred me there instead of pumping me full of drugs and shoving me out the door.

After a couple of months of massage, I was ready for physical therapy. Since that knot was the result of years and years of weak muscles not supporting my spine correctly, we had to figure out exactly where I was weak and bulk me up. Just a few simple exercises once a day, and I slowly started to notice strength and bulk in muscles I didn't even know were there...between my shoulder blades, my hips, my glutes. My clothes started fitting differently, my posture improved, but best of all, I wasn’t in pain anymore. I felt strong.

Six weeks later (that’s how long it takes to build new muscle), I started chiropractor visits. Slowly, over the months with my MT, PT and chiro, we worked backwards through years and years of back pain, long ago pains and twinges that I had completely forgotten about--we’re talking some that took me all the way back to high school. Muscles just kept overcompensating for other muscles that should have been supporting me until they just couldn’t anymore, and ended up spasming.

The twice a week visits seemed like a lot. I felt like I was spending all my time (and money) there, and wondered if I would ever get better since we always seemed to be uncovering new issues. Up until a few weeks ago when I suddenly “graduated.” I didn’t need them anymore, at least that’s what they told me. Of course I’m nervous that I’ll get lazy, that I’ll end up right back where I started, but my PT gave me the tools to stick with it. Over the months that she worked with me, she taught me all kinds of simple exercises of varying difficulty for each of the muscle groups I need to maintain (plus other areas to work on), so I won’t get bored doing the same routine all the time. And of course, the folks at UHI are always there if I need anything. I’ll still be in occasionally for tune ups with my chiro and MT, and to just say hi.

All it takes now is my own motivation. And I’ve done really well so far. I still do push-ups, bridges and ab work every day, even when I don’t hit the gym. I’m at the gym 3 to 5 times a week maintaining, plus I’ve started running (instead of elliptical), which I love. I’ve always hated running. I even took a zero half the days in my high school “weight training” class because they required us to run a mile every other day. Now I have a goal to eventually sign up for a 5K.

I know it’s only been a couple of weeks out on my own, but I’m confident that I’m going to keep it up. I’ll never forget how much pain I was in and I don’t want to feel like that ever again if I can help it. Plus, I look amazing. I’ve always been really thin, but usually too skinny to feel confident in certain clothing. But now I’m gaining muscle weight, and filling out in all the right places. I have a butt!

"Skip Work," it's Friday!

2011-04-15T14:04:00.002-05:00

Consider it double feature Friday. Local band Archie Powell & the Exports encourages us to "Skip Work" on a Friday afternoon. With such a catchy tune, it's hard to resist.

Coachelletta Friday

2011-04-15T13:56:00.003-05:00

Super cool perspective of last year's Coachella shot by Sam O'Hare.

From The Heart

2011-04-14T10:41:00.008-05:00

I get a lot of perks at my job, including the occasional suite ticket to sporting events, and this weekend I'm attending a black tie gala where my company has purchased a table. What the heck, get all dressed up and take part in the open bar? Sure! But then I realized I have a personal connection to the Chicago Heart Ball's beneficiary.

Although I've never had any direct affiliation with the American Heart Association concerning my heart attack, I'm sure it's their support that led to the development of the device that I now have in my heart, along with all the treatment that I received. My situation was not near as dire as the AHA's current featured survivor, Megan Moss, but like Megan, the type of implant I received in 2003 was brand new, not even FDA approved at the time. Had it happened even a couple of years earlier, my story could have been different.

I never considered myself a "survivor", but I suppose that's what I am: a heart attack survivor. And this weekend instead of trying to forget that it happened, pretend that I'm "normal," I'll give thanks that I was so lucky...while playing dress up.

Read up on some of the American Heart Association's tips on getting healthy, warning signs and symptoms of heart attack and heart failure, and even information on strokes.

This Happened.

2011-04-04T14:08:00.004-05:00

You don't realize how much you want to be there until it's happening. LCD Soundsystem played their (claimed) final show Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. James Murphy is quick to say that they will still record music under the moniker, but no more touring. The "Long Goodbye" was streamed live on Pitchfork.com.

Even though I wasn't there, I still have fond memories of seeing that giant disco ball at the Metro and Pitchfork Fest in 2010.

Photo by Alexander Stein for Pitchfork.com.

CMD-SHFT-DANCE

2011-03-31T13:51:00.004-05:00

CMD-SHFT-DANCE*, Chicagoist's DJ counterpart to their live band CTRL-ALT-ROCK series, debuts tonight at Beauty Bar. They've got Only Children, Lady Foursquare and Sparkletone kicking off the monthly DJ series brought to life by Mister @jakeguidry.

It's free before 11pm (doors @ 10), plus they have drink specials. 1444 W Chicago.

*Gotta hand it to Benjy for such a great name, including the Apple nod to electronic audiophiles.

Couch Potato

2011-03-30T10:50:00.001-05:00

My new sofa was delivered a couple of weeks ago, and as excited as I was to write about it the day that it came, I couldn't decide just which angle I wanted to take since there were so many hurdles that make this couch so much more than just a couch. I wanted to take the "adventures in sofa shopping" angle (store after store after store--what style do we want?--what color do we want?--that one costs HOW much?!--hey look at this disco-mirror deer head), but now that it sits in my living room, it's a lot heavier than that. Tankboy wrote about how it helps our house become a home; here's my version.

After living in my roomie's condo (that he owned) for a couple of years, and then living temporarily in Tankboy's apartment for many months (we literally used one bedroom to store most of our stuff while we shopped for "our" place), I grew tired and frustrated living in a state of limbo for so long. I was excited to finally get into a place that I could put my own stamp on. But we've been in that place for over a year.

At the same time all of this was going on, I was getting my debt and finances in order, so money for decorating was more than tight. Making that shift in thinking and budgeting is hard enough, so saving and waiting to be able to afford a new sofa was tough, especially when the couch we did have was, while cool looking, less than comfy. But, the waiting gave me lots of time to plan. Everything I've done in the house is intentional, and with some things, I'm glad I mulled it over instead of making impulsive choices (which is ironically a lot of what got me into such debt in the first place).

So this sofa represents a lot of things; I guess it represents becoming an adult.

Now all the other pieces (literally and figuratively) can fall right into place. When I'm finished painting the living room, I'll have more decorating adventures--including some before and after photos--to post here. And who knows, maybe one day I will tell the "adventures in couch shopping" story--including my lengthly prep for it's arrival!

In A Mood

2011-03-22T15:07:00.002-05:00

Whatever mood you're in, there's a playlist for that:

www.stereomood.com

(Thanks Ed!)

Paul's Boutique

2011-03-21T15:55:00.004-05:00

I just learned that there's a Paul's Boutique that doesn't have anything to do with the Beastie Boys.
Pretty badass bag though.

I need a garage.

2011-03-17T13:46:00.001-05:00

Jim: did you see this?

This April, Foo Fighters will be playing songs from Wasting Light, the new album they recorded in Dave Grohl's garage, in the garages of eight lucky fans in eight North American cities.

me: I need a garage.

Properly Fitted

2011-03-11T14:16:00.003-06:00

Properly Warned: Gentlemen, this is a post about bras. Feel free to read on, but this is some of the most informative and least sexy talk about boobs you’ll ever hear.

Alright ladies, it’s time to talk about bras. That’s right: brasseries, over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders, tit slings (?!)--whatever you call them, the one you’re wearing right now is probably the wrong size. At least that’s what all the sales people are trying to tell us, and you know what? They’re probably right. I recently went in for a fitting at Intimacy, an upscale retailer that boasts life-changing bra fit makeovers (Sorry, but those haphazard fittings at Victoria’s Secret just don't cut it). I had saved up and was willing to spend a lot of money on a new bra or two that fit properly, because being the base of what you wear every day, I knew wearing the correct size would make me more comfortable and improve how i felt each day.

Intimacy specializes in holistic fittings, which means no measuring tapes. Be skeptical if you will, but I ended up feeling more comfortable in a bra than I have for most of my life. Here’s the key: the band is supposed to be really tight, tighter than you probably think it should be. Not so tight that it’s cutting off circulation to your head, but tight enough that the straps don’t pull the back band up. The band should be level all the way across. The idea is to support the girls in the front, not let them pull everything else down (duh). Here’s the best part, when you get yourself into a smaller band size, you’ll likely also wear a larger cup size (yay!). *

The fittings at Intimacy are free, and unluckily (or luckily) for me, they didn't have anything in stock in the style, lift, and color that I was interested in, so I was sent on my way with nothing but a number and a letter. I took that new information straight over to Macy’s and dove right in to their intimates department, and left with three new Calvin Klein bras for a fraction of the price that I would have spent at Intimacy.

Three bras is a great start, and I say start because obviously the more bras you own and wear, the longer they will last. Another good tip from my “bra fit stylist” is to rotate your stock--don’t wear the same bra day after day. You’ve got to give them a break, they work hard for you all day long! But, remember, they don’t last forever. Whether your size changes or not, once the straps start pulling up that back band, it’s time to retire it.

Now that I’ve got the basics covered with a few “boring” bras that look great under clothes, I can head to any store armed with my new size and buy any fun style or color I want, cheap or expensive, to expand my arsenal.

* * *

Daily Candy has a great video on finding your bra size (using that measuring tape) that demonstrates the smaller-band, bigger-cup phenomenon I talked about, plus lots of other great tips for a perfect fit (One big one that will extend the life of your bra, and save you money, is that you should start with the last hook and work into the tightest one over time as the band inevitably stretches with wear).

*But don’t think this means that the cup of one letter is the same size across every band size. As Charlotte points out on Swelegant Style Shopping, “a 32 DD and a 36 C are superficially the same size bra - in that they will accommodate the same sized boobs - but the back size is massively different.”

Shopping ASOS

2011-03-11T09:55:00.009-06:00

A friend recently intoduced me to ASOS, an online apparel retailer with free shipping and free returns. I've been hooked ever since to their reasonable prices, massive selection, quick turnover, and of course, style that is right up my alley. I've been fiscally well behaved though--I've only ordered a couple of things (most of which I returned for various reasons), but yesterday I continued my endless search for tall black boots by ordering these KATE Boots. I ordered two different sizes to make sure they fit (with free shipping and returns, why not?!). They're part of ASOS's current 30% off shoe sale, putting them under $100. Real leather boots (that aren't totally ugly) for under $100? That's a deal this wallet-minded shopper can get behind.

Snapshots from a rock 'n' roll marriage

2011-03-04T12:29:00.004-06:00

I don't know whether I'm glad I read this or if I wish I didn't now know any of it, but it's an interesting look inside the real lives and personal relationships of "rock stars".

"Snapshots from a rock 'n' roll marriage: Before the Black Keys won Grammys, before the drunken fights and infidelity -- Patrick and I were very much in love"

"Never trust a big butt and a smile..."

2011-02-25T11:23:00.004-06:00

Words to live by. Bell Biv Devoe reunited on Jimmy Fallon last night, of course backed by The Roots. Is there anything that The Roots cant make even more awesome?

Unforgettable

2011-02-15T11:53:00.005-06:00

Once seen, Cee Lo's Grammy performance of "The song otherwise known as Forget You" can not be unseen...in the best way possible.*

*Just ignore that blonde woman that comes in about half way through.

The Great Thaw: The Great Debate Continues

2011-02-14T11:28:00.007-06:00

There is great debate among the citizens of Chicago over the validity of "dibs", and things are getting even more heated (heh) now that the mercury has risen above freezing and the mountains of white stuff have started to melt. Just how long should you be allowed to claim "dibs"?

I dont feel that I'm really entitled to an opinion since I dont own a car, but here are my Dad's rather entertaining thoughts on "dibs":

"I'm torn... In one respect I concur with the comment; "Dibs is silly". All those little chairs in the streets... I mean really people... On the other hand; if I've worked damn hard to clear a spot - how could somebody think they can come along and take advantage of it? It's really just flat out stealing in a sense.

So accordingly, I've come up with a solution... NO PARKING ON SNOW DAYS! Period! Many cities do it, and it seems to work fine. And I don't care where or what size street either. If it's going to need to be plowed, don't park it there. If you don't have someplace to park it, either find a place or don't have it. For Christ sakes already, you live in a city! You don't really need a car in the first place! Even my daughter lives in a city and is smart enough not to own one. If you can afford to own a car, you should also be able to afford a place to put it.

So, it's just this simple. If you do choose to park in the street on a snow day - the plow-man gets 2 options. Either 1) push it out of the way, or 2) just bury it. I have no sympathy either way, because you also have the option of living somewhere else! So move on already people... and please take those little chairs with you."

The Heat Is On

2011-02-11T10:32:00.004-06:00

So the Grammy Awards are on Sunday. I know a lot of us music snobs view the Grammys as a joke--an abomination to real musicians, but it's still a huge honor for artists. Tonight as Tankboy and I DJ Tankster Night at The Burlington, I will attempt to sort through the crap and play a lot of the artists we enjoy that deserve the recognition (plus some music inspired by several viewings of Beverly Hills Cop)!

See you there!

Snowpacalypse!

2011-02-01T10:43:00.004-06:00

This image appeared on the front page of the Washington Post and is currently my wallpaper desktop image.

May you have plenty of salt, bread, milk, and of course ice cream for the impending snowmageddon.

2120 South Michigan Avenue

2011-01-28T16:47:00.002-06:00

Previously unreleased tracks from The Rolling Stones recording at Chicago's Chess Studio in 1964. Sweet.

In My Headphones...

2011-01-19T16:28:00.004-06:00

Today I'm rocking Tame Impala. I listened a lot on my road trip to Columbus this weekend (actually great driving music) and I've already favorited most of the songs on their album, InnerSpeaker. They've got a psychedelic groove reminiscent of The Flaming Lips and even The Beatles...I hear a ton of Paul McCartney in the singer.

Tankboy and I saw them live not so long ago, and they unfortunately aren't as earth shattering as you think they'd be--especially when following Stardeath and White Dwarfs (Wayne Coyne's nephew's group.) But still, you've got a kickass album you can put on repeat.

Perfectly Arched

2011-01-18T11:29:00.004-06:00

A girlfriend at work just asked me if I did something different with my eyebrows. As a matter of fact I did, and thank you for noticing! Last month I was at Trim, a waxing salon in Bucktown, getting ready for my beach vacation-ifyouknowwhatImean, and my girl Deanne asked if I’d be willing to grow in my pencil thin brows and let her shape them. Hell yes, and again, thanks for asking! Since I was a teen, I’d been obsessed with brows. Maybe it’s because I had really thick heavy brows and I wanted to feel more feminine, but once you get going with the tweezers, it’s hard to stop and then you’re stuck with pencil thin ones because the thought of the time of growing them back in is daunting, and what would you do with them then?! Seek professional help, that’s what you do.

Deanne drew lines under and between my brows and told me to not tweeze anything inside those lines. It ended up being really easy to fight the urge to tweeze since I was on vacation for the first week, and when I got back I was pretty much bedridden with bronchitis, so I wasn’t looking in the mirror much to apply makeup or anything. By the time I gave myself a onceover right before Christmas and right before my first shaping appointment, I was surprised by how much they had grown in! Of course they were splotchy, but I’m really lucky how quickly they filled in. Once she cleaned up the edges and applied brow pencil, they looked straight out of a beauty magazine. And I must say it’s nice to not have to spend all that time in the mirror tweezing anymore!

P.S. If you have a Benefit Cosmetics store near you, they have a great Brow Bar too.

The Besnard Lakes More Than Deliver

2011-01-14T16:41:00.002-06:00

Review: The Besnard Lakes @ Lincoln Hall, 1/13

There are some shows you just don't want to end. The Besnard Lakes last night at Lincoln Hall was of those performances. Their ethereal albums are hypnotizing enough, but live everything is bigger, louder and more wicked. To look at the husband and wife team of Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas, you may expect flower power folk; instead you get a wallop of psych rock with modern electric touches.

The Besnard Lakes' Lasek and Goreas (Photos by Kirstie Shanley)

Last summer the Montreal pair opened Millennium Park's Downtown Sound series at the open air Pritzker Pavilion. It seemed the most fitting way to hear the group, under the night's sky, but last night being up close and personal was that much more powerful — a different but equally compelling feeling. Their set got underway almost a half hour earlier than their scheduled 11 o'clock time since opening girl-group Frankie Rose & the Outs played for only 20 minutes. As the room filled up, the band hit full stride by "Land of the Living Skies". It was at times a transcendent experience, juxtaposed by the casual banter and stories from the band (including one about being compared to David Koresh!). We got plenty of Lasek's mighty falsetto on songs like "Chicago Train" and "This Is What We Call Progress", and he brought out a captivating white 12 string electric guitar for "Albatross", on which wife Goreas takes the lead on vocals. The contrasting sweetness of "Albatross" made the following song, "Like The Ocean", all the more haunting.

The Besnard Lakes' Olga Goreas (Photos by Kirstie Shanley)

They ended the evening with a bang, encoring two lesser known cuts. The closing one, "Four Long Lines" being what Lasek called a "rarity", appeared on the 12" "Albatross" single released in anticipation of The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night in early 2010. (I did some mad research for that last tidbit.)

The Besnard Lakes' Jace Lasek (Photos by Kirstie Shanley)

The Black Keys Vs. Vampire Weekend

2011-01-12T16:32:00.002-06:00

The Black Keys are better than Vampire Weekend at anything, even if it is whoring your music out:

The Colbert Report

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Years In Numbers

2011-01-06T14:08:00.005-06:00

Oh, hi. It’s been a while. What’s new? Well, I’m shifting this into more of a life blog. I’ll still talk about music of course, as it is such a big part of my life-- in fact, one of the things I’ve discovered through keeping this blog is just how prevalent music is in life in general, whether you follow bands like I do or not. But, my life is not just music. Especially as I get older, my interests continue to broaden, and I’m still learning a lot. Cooking, sewing, writing, dancing, fitness, beauty, fashion, home improvement and decorating, even some sports are all things that I love, and I love to talk about them. I’ve already got so many topics planned to write about.

Speaking of getting older, I turned thirty last month. Do I feel any different? No. Do I feel different than I did at twenty? Hell yes. Instead of dwelling on the number, I think milestone birthdays are simply for looking back, checking in with yourself, letting yourself acknowledge how far you’ve come (even if it’s not where you expected to be) and putting some thought to what is important to your future. I never really look forward to my birthday, falling in early December, the weather is making the final shift into winter (I’m a sun bunny, not a snow bunny), and holiday fever is picking up with all its gift and family trip planning. It’s the perfect anxiety recipe. So this year, my boyfriend and I decided to take advantage of the milestone by leaving it all behind and treating ourselves. Since I’d never spent my birthday on a beach, we went to an all inclusive resort in Jamaica.* It was wonderful. We did nothing but lay on the beach all day. I was surprised at how easy it was to forget the pressures of life back home.

Between my vacation, being sick when we got back, and the downtime at work, I feel like I got a month’s worth of time off. The past three years have been pretty hectic, and I feel like I’ve finally caught up on rest from all of it. My head feels clearer and I don’t feel the pressure to get things done, or take on something new. If I want to lie in front of the tv all day or go to bed early, I don’t feel bad about it anymore. The laundry can wait one more day.

As for a year end album or song list, I didn’t keep up with my running list as I intended, but maybe I’ll throw something together. Or maybe I won’t. You should check out Tankboy’s anyway. We have a lot of the same tastes, and since we live our lives together, our significant songs of 2010 were pretty much the same. I actually learn of a lot of my new music from him anyway since he is so much more plugged in than I am willing to be.

Here’s to a prosperous 2011!

* There’s even a musical tidbit here—we heard nothing but Bob Marley the entire time. And smooth jazz Marley covers. And curiously, no Jimmy Cliff.

My new headphones came today!

2011-01-06T11:46:00.004-06:00

Last year I told you about my shocking problem. Now that I’m wearing my Big Coat all the time again, I haven’t dared wear my in-ear headphones, and the commute to work was getting really lonely without any music or podcasts to keep me company. Outer ear shell headphones were on my year-long list of things to buy with my Christmas money, and after shopping around a little bit and not finding anything I liked for a reasonable price, I decided to revisit a recommendation from @izatchu from last year. Lucky me, the cute little Zumreed headphones were on sale for almost half price! I ordered them in lime green. I think I’ll use them tomorrow night when Tankboy and I DJ together at The Burlington!

Thanks Anne!

Buke & Gass

2010-12-06T11:16:00.005-06:00

I would totally be at this free Empty Bottle show tonight if I didn't have a super early flight in the morning.

See Buke & Gass Tonight For Free

Brooklyn duo Buke and Gass are truly a DIY band, having essentially created their own musical instruments. Aron plays what they've dubbed the "gass", a guitar/bass hybrid, while his female counterpart Arone is on the "buke", a modified baritone ukulele. Their music is as unique as their makeup; they teeter the line between mainstream and avant garde, sometimes with so much going on, you'd expect it to be overwhelming, instead finding it intriguing. It's near impossible to assign a single genre--sometimes folk, mostly rock with experimental and pop injections (especially on songs like "Your Face Left Before You" and "Medulla Oblongata" (free download), which would be the closest things they have to singles). One thing they always have is a big sound, whether epic or just plain loud.

Today (Attempts To) Go Viral

2010-11-18T11:50:00.003-06:00

OK Go appeared on the Today Show (my morning ritual) this morning as part of their "Today Goes Viral" series, and put the anchors into one of their creative creations.

See the "making of" (and listen to Matt whine) here.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Don't Runaway

2010-11-17T15:28:00.007-06:00

In my album-mountain I've been traversing the last few days, Kanye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is the one I seem to be defaulting to most--and that was before I finally got around to watching this Runaway film. Remember Thriller? This is like MJ x1000. The images in this video are so beautiful, you could freeze any frame into it's own amazing stand-alone print. The music is basically a showcase of the album, which you won't get any flack from me about. And there are ballerinas.

In With The Old

2010-11-16T11:12:00.004-06:00

I’m in the midst of a new music marathon, with several different albums vying for my attention, all that I’m dying to listen to. At this very moment, though, I’m happily lost in the midst of Sam Prekop’s new solo record, Old Punch Card. It’s classic avant garde (is that an oxymoron?)—electronic, noise, sounds—a total departure from his previous solo albums and his work with The Sea & Cake (I totally appreciate when someone says that an album is totally different, and then it actually is. It’s a much overused description, even by myself.). Although considering the circle of musicians he collaborates with, maybe it's not that much of a surprise...

I cant wait to write my preview for The Sea & Cake’s Lincoln Hall show next weekend.

This Might Take ALL DAY

2010-11-15T10:15:00.007-06:00

Everyone is going bananas over the new Girl Talk album released this morning. Getcher FREE download (no strings attached) at Illegal Art (be patient, it might take a while to download since the site is being bombarded right now!).

Party Hard, Stay Thirsty

2010-11-03T12:06:00.009-05:00

When something is called The Most Interesting Show in the World, naturally you're going to be skeptical. But last night's show at the House of Blues, hosted by rocker-slash-partier Andrew W.K. and presented by, you guessed it, Dos Equis (who brought us The Most Interesting Man in the World), was pretty damn interesting and entertaining. High energy song and dance numbers mixed with, well, lets just call them various carnival acts. Not bad for a free event with free beer!

Black (Keys) Friday

2010-11-01T12:34:00.005-05:00

WANT.

Apparently it has something to do with Record Store Day, which I do not understand because Black Friday is not Record Store Day, but whatevs. I also have no idea if it will be available for purchase on the site, or just in record stores like RSD.

Quiet Time

2010-10-22T15:07:00.006-05:00

I know, I've been quiet lately. A 2 week illness and a 2 week work project will do that to you. Here's what was missed:

-GORILLAZ. (Tankboy can die happy.)

-I made the executive decision to skip Mizzou Homecoming (which will never happen again) along with an of Montreal show in STL that would have made for one hell of a weekend.

Tonight? Sleigh Bells @ Metro. Let's hope they're as loud as they're meant to be.

Daft Phoenix

2010-10-21T16:58:00.006-05:00

After a long, busy day at work, I'm finally getting around to watching the youtube videos of Daft Punk joining Phoenix on stage at their Madison Square Garden show last night. (Fun fact: Phoenix guitarist Laurent Brancowitz was in a band with the Daft Punk guys before they were, ya know, wearing robot helmets and standing in atop a pyramid.)

OMFG is about all there is to say:

Crush Back On

2010-09-28T12:51:00.006-05:00

Saw mah favorite band, of Montreal, at the Riv on Saturday. After a disappointing previous album and tour, Kevin Barnes is back. Check out my full review on Gapers Block.

(photo by Andy Keil)

Girl On Film

2010-09-22T16:21:00.003-05:00

If you've ever seen Girl Talk live, you know it's a ridiculous, fun, raucous good time. Re-live the dance party through a short documentary of his NYE show at Congress:

"Ain't that some shit!"

2010-09-01T15:34:00.003-05:00

We'll call it the song of summer even though it didn't come out til the end...

Here's the video for Cee Lo's "F**k You!", complete with back-up singers.

"Ain't that some shit!"

Good Times.

2010-08-31T15:37:00.003-05:00

A short video from our trip to a friend's lake house in Burlington, Wisconsin last month. Yeah, it was as fun as it looks.

Rearview

2010-08-25T13:00:00.007-05:00

No I'm not dead.

Yes, I know it's been almost three weeks since Lollapalooza ended, but I've taken a well deserved break after two music super-fests (and a weekend at Party Cove). I think I'm finally "back" though, as I've spent my morning combing venue schedules and entering shows into Gapers Block's "Slowdown" calendar.

My Lolla music and general fest coverage is up here, here and here, but GB is not is not the place for me to brag about all the parties I went to, all the access I had, and all my celebrity sightings--this is. So here it goes... (disclosure--parts of this have been written over the last three weeks, and I'm really just tired of looking at it, so it's posted as-was)

We kicked off the weekend Thursday night at Perez Hilton's "One Night In Chicago" Party at the Hard Rock Hotel (where we began and ended most days). Free drinks and lots of "important" people looking to be seen. Local lady Kid Sister performed, among others, and of course there was a Gaga rumor that didn't come to fruition.

Our first daytime stop at the Hard Rock's Music Lounge we heard the lounge area was closed off because Ke$ha was inside--which isn't really worth mentioning except to link to this. That same day we hitched a ride back to the festival grounds that afternoon on the Vitamin Water bus, where Stars were guest DJing on-board. There was Vitamin Water and vodka, and a bottle of tequila, which led to fuzzy memories of Lady Gaga's set (with a little help from a bottle of wine that Sam's dad bought us) and a massive Saturday hangover.

During my first stop in the press area I found myself walking right past The Black Keys' drummer Pat Carney, and then I realized there are musicians all over doing interviews and the like. On Saturday we even saw what I'll call a pop-up acoustic performance by Phoenix for FUSE. You never know what your're going to see back there, from an interview with Erykah Badu, to a bunch of kids bum rushing the fence in an attempted break-in. Britt Daniel (Spoon) was even hanging out back there during the performance (who I was constantly running into for the rest of the weekend, and no, I never talked to him, and yes, I will be made fun of forever for it).

Tankboy took part in a Celebrity Kickball game early Saturday, which if nothing else was entertaining. I took a ton of pictures (yes, that's a picture of Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul, and no, I didn't talk to him either).

That night was my photo pit debut at The Black Keys show at Metro. Tankboy was kind enough to let me shoot the band (based on an earlier deal we had) and well, it was awesome. I was so nervous. I don't know that my shots were that amazing, but you can't help but get some good ones with just two performers on stage, plenty of lighting and only one other guy in the pit.

Oh, and on the final day, there was a rumor started via Twitter by Time Out that David Bowie would be joining Arcade Fire on stage. I chose not to address the "disappointment of no Bowie" in my official coverage because I felt it took away from Arcade Fire's moving performance, which was amazing all on it's own.

And then I slept.

New oM Video

2010-08-19T12:52:00.004-05:00

Here is the new of Montreal video for "Coquet Coquette."

Cannibalistic. That's close enough to zombies for me.

Here We Go...

2010-08-05T15:46:00.003-05:00

Is it possible for me to work all day and party all night? We'll find out as I approach another long Lollapalooza weekend. The weather is looking nice and I'm all prepped. This year I'm "press" so I get some perks, but it also means I've got a lot of work to do in between watching bands and partying.

Tankboy and I both have passes for the Hard Rock night parties again which are so fun (you better believe I'm gonna be all up in Phoenix's business when they DJ), and there are so many parties and concerts tonight to kick off the weekend I cant even keep them straight.

Check back in on Monday to see if I've made it!

Good Reasons To Get There Early

2010-08-05T11:00:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow is the big day: Lollapalooza. I have spent the last three weeks listening to every band on the lineup, and I have to say the end of the list may be the most exciting part. A lot of great up-and-coming bands playing early. I wasn't familiar with most of them, but they've got me wanting to roll out of bed early to check them out. Plus, being part of the early crew means less crowds so you can get closer to the stage.

Here are my picks for the early shift:

These United States
Javelin
Wavves
The Ettes
The Constellations
Mimicking Birds
The Soft Pack
Skybox
Son of a Bad Man
Miniature Tigers
HEALTH
The Antlers
Nneka

See the rest of my "custom lineup" here.

I'll be covering the festival for Gapers Block, so you can follow my weekend there with daily postings, and this year we've teamed up with Chicagoist and PBS News Hour.

See you on the fields.

Surprise! oM Adds Chicago Date

2010-07-28T10:10:00.005-05:00

Saying I was incredibly upset that of Montreal didn't have a Chicago date on their upcoming False Priest tour would be an understatement. I was trying to finagle a trip to one of the shows in St. Louis, Milwaukee, and even Urbana to coencide with other plans.

Well now there is no need! Yesterday The Reader's Early Warnings email alerted me that oM will be playing at Riviera Theater on 9/25! Now, the Riv isn't one of my favorite places to see a show, BUT one perk is that the show is on a Saturday (instead of a Monday like the last one, ugh).

And hey, there's no saying I won't still hit up that show at The Pageant in St. Louis...

Tom Hanks & MJ Would Be Proud

2010-07-28T06:00:00.001-05:00

I've been listening to her album, Ultraviolet, nonstop at the gym for months now, but after seeing Kid Sister's hometown performance at Pritzker Pavilion, I'm officially hooked (despite the curious blockades and barricades).

Here's her new video for "Big N Bad":

The End of an Era...

2010-07-27T11:25:00.007-05:00

Well, not quite...as Lisa said, "Sweet Treat is just vacationing, we're not dead!"

Beauty Bar has decided to forgo early DJs during the week, making tomorrow our last Wednesday there, so we've decided to have a Pink Slip Party! Join us from 7-10pm as we go out with a bang, playing whatever we want!

Love and Music

2010-07-23T09:53:00.004-05:00

Somebody bring me some coffee to the Continental tomorrow night because I'm DJing with my boyfriend Tankboy til 5 in the morn!

The significance of tomorrow night? It will be two years to the day that Tankboy and I met at that that very spot. Come celebrate with us, and eat some tamales!

Thanks to Clayton Hauck for snapping that shot of us at West Fest shortly after we met.

To Do Tonight:

2010-07-21T12:28:00.000-05:00

Get To Know Local Artist Clip Art

Andy Rosenstein is a busy guy these days. Skipping out on film school in LA to stay in Chicago and concentrate on music, he now splits his time between Bumpus, Terrible Spaceship and has even contributed to JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound. Clip Art, however, is all his own pet project, and tonight is the group's EP release show at Empty Bottle.

I've been raving quite a bit lately about a certain band that's been described as 70's glam rock, but now it's time to turn our attention to this local band that falls in a similar arena, but is still rooted in pop. You'll hear quite a bit of piano, as on the ballad-esque tune "I Was Gone" (one you'll probably find yourself singing along to by the end), along with Elton-John-worthy belt-outs on "Better." Tonight, expect to hear some new material, see some feet tapping, some swaying--especially on the EP's title track, "Broken By Design"--and maybe, just maybe, some falsetto.

YellowFever and Mittens on Strings also play tonight, but get there early, because Clip Art takes the stage promptly at 9:30pm. Plus, Rosenstein tells us that "if you tell the man at the front that you're there to see Clip Art, you'll get a free prize!" Tickets are $8. 1035 N. Western. 21 & up.

Coming Up For Air

2010-07-21T12:15:00.002-05:00

Sleigh Bells
Photo by George Aye

I'm usually a little late in getting my posts up after a show, especially a three-day marathon like Pitchfork Music Festival, but here it is, my full weekend review on Gapers Block. It was a hot one to say the least, but it was another successful weekend of fun, friends and of course, kick ass bands.

Be sure to check out all of Lisa's Conversations At Pitchfork too, accompanied by some amazing montage portraits from our photographer, George Aye.

Now it's back to the grindstone to prepare for Lollapalooza in less than three weeks!

Sweet Treat Pitchfork Night

2010-07-15T11:41:00.005-05:00

Lisa and I had so much fun at Sweet Treat last night playing tunes from current and past Pitchfork Music Festival artists. Thanks to everyone who came out! Here is our setlist to prepare you for the (HOT) weekend, and reminisce about years past.

Animal Collective - My Girls
Beach House – Norway
Broken Social Scene – Forced to Love
Free Energy - Dream City
Vampire Weekend – A-punk
Matt & Kim - Daylight
Dirty Projectors - Stillness is the Move
Neon Indian – Deadbeat Summer
Netherfriends – Bret Easton Ellis Novel
Beirut – Postcards from Italy
Spoon – I Summon You
St. Vincent – The Apocalypse Song
Why? – One Rose (Atlas Remix)
The Mae Shi – See You Again
Bear In Heaven – Wholehearted Mess (Pink Skull Remix)
Lindstrom and Christabelle – Baby Can't Stop
Junior Boys – In The Morning
Cut Copy – Lights and Music
Fujiya & Miyagi – Collarbone
CSS - Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above (Spank Rock remix)
Delorean – Deli
Big Boi – General Patton
Battles – Leyendecker
!!! – Pardon My Freedom
Girl Talk – Play Your Part (Pt. 1)
Jamie Lidell – When I Come Back Around
Titus Andronicus – My Time Outside The Womb
Modest Mouse - Tiny Cities Made of Ashes
Sonic Youth – Silver Rocket
Pavement – Unfair
The Flaming Lips – Unconsciously Screamin’
Clipse - When The Last Time
Major Lazer – Hold The Line
Cool Kids - Basement Party
LCD Soundsystem – Time To Get Away
Sleigh Bells – Riot Rhythm
Dâm-Funk – A Day at the Carnival
Robyn – Don’t Fucking Tell Me What To Do
Of Montreal – Gallery Piece (Jon Brion Remix)
Lightning Bolt - Magic Mountain
The Apples in Stereo – Can You Feel It
The Black Lips - Veni Vidi Vici (Diplo Remix)
Liars – Plastic Casts of Everything
Klaxons – It’s Not Over Yet
De La Soul – A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays
Grizzly Bear – Knife (Girl Talk Remix)
Tortoise – Prepare Your Coffin
M83 – Don’t Save Us From The Flames
Voxtrot – The Start of Something
Os Mutantes – A Minha Menina