Concert Update!

Check out the Concerts, 101 in 1001 tab above (or just click the link) for an update of concerts I’ve seen and concerts I’m headed to. The list of every concert I’ve been to in my life can be found HERE. How close am I to seeing a concert a month for 1001 days? See Goal #51.

The Heat Is On, AKA: “Holy $h1t I only have 305 Days Left To Go”

A lot has changed since I started this 101 in 1001 endeavor. I was actually shocked that 1001 days hadn’t completely passed, as it feels like I started the list a lifetime ago. A few questions: Have I been keeping up the list? Not entirely. Have I been keeping up the blog? Not at all (clearly). Have I still managed to achieve, or at least worked towards achieving, a handful of my goals? Yes. Does the list require revision, given the many changes I’ve undergone in my life the last 696 days? I’d argue yes.

On September 1, 2009, I sold my business. Finally realizing my strong dislike for the insurance industry and sitting alone in a corner office in the middle of suburban Connecticut, I decided to get out and find out what I wanted to truly do with my life. A risky decision given the economic climate of the past few years, but a decision I felt I needed to make nonetheless. I’m now a graduate student, working towards a degree in American Studies in the hopes of becoming a teacher, and later, a professor.

This is a long winded way of saying that goals 16 through 23, eight in all, need to be changed. Over the course of this weekend I will come up with 8 new goals. Some relating to school, some related to work, and some relating simply to life. I want to make them feasible, as I only have 10 months to complete them, and whatever else I can complete on this list. I’ll also update the list to include everything I’ve accomplished since the last update (7 Months!)

As Glenn Frey once said…The Heat Is On

The Hold Steady Keep Rockin’

This Saturday, April 3, is my 27th birthday. Lucky for me, it’s also the night The Hold Steady are playing Toad’s Place in New Haven, CT. As a music lover, I get excited for any concert I’m attending, but The Hold Steady are different. Excited doesn’t begin to explain the thrill of seeing Craig Finn and co. in concert, especially at such a small venue. They will be releasing Heaven is Whenever on Vagrant Records on May 4, below is a link to the second track to leak, Rock Problems.  Expect a review of the concert next week, until then expect more Hold Steady related posts, as I can hardly contain my excitement. (Vulture)

New LCD Soundsystem, Drunk Girls

Is it me or has their been an inordinate amount of new music released this week? It must be spring fever. James Murphy’s new anthemic jam “Drunk Girls” picks up where Sound of Silver left off. Songs that, occasionally, on first listen, don’t quite hit the right chord, but after repeated listens become not only more listenable but more enjoyable.

LCD  Soundsystem – Drunk Girls

Patrick Stump Solo

I’m admittedly a few days late on this, but a newly trim and hatless Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy performed a live set at SXSW opening for Hole. Below check out a few videos of his set from the Dirty Dog in Austin. I’m personally looking forward to his solo album (whenever its produced/released). He’s certainly not a tremendous instrumentalist but his voice carries his sound. Bluesy and funky, it carried FOB and, one hopes, will continue to carry him to further success.

The National, Bloodbuzz Ohio

Here’s a new jam from Brooklyn’s favorite sons, The National. Their new album “High Violet” drops on May 11th. Join me and a cast of thousands and see them this summer at the Prospect Park Bandshell in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park on July 27th. (Bloodbuzz Ohio)

Free Live Phoenix Album

You’d be a fool not to head to Phoenix’s website and download their free album “Live in Sydney.” For many, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix was the best album of 2009. They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but this is free of charge and sounds great. (WeArePhoenix)

New Black Keys, Produced by Danger Mouse

Fact: Everything Danger Mouse produces turns to gold. Also a fact…Everything the Black Keys touches, by and large, is also gold. Put it together and you get “Tighten Up” a hard rockin’ jam with a catchy whistle opening and a hook that sticks in your ear. Worth a listen…or a hundred.

The Black Keys – Tighten Up

New Music…Monday???

I heard more new music today than you can shake a stick at, below check out links to new tunes from personal favorite The Hold Steady and the nineties most back and forth band, Stone Temple Pilots. Enjoy

http://stereogum.com/309811/stone-temple-pilots-between-the-lines/mp3s/

The Hold Steady – Hurricane J

Muse, Madison Square Garden, 03/05/2010

When Matt Pinfield came onto the stage ten minutes before Muse hit the stage at Madison Square Garden last Friday, he said “and now, a band quickly becoming the largest band in the world…MUSE!”

Now I’ve been a Muse fan for years and this was my third time seeing them live, but I had NEVER considered them the biggest band in the world. I thought about it for the next 15 minutes or so, before they came on and I lost all sense of anything, and came to the conclusion that  if you’re thing is European bombastic Rock & Roll, then Muse may very well be on their way to becoming the biggest band in the world.

Of course, U2 and Coldplay specialize in bombast, so Muse will have to continue putting out rock anthems at a regular interval to maintain this title. They’ll also have to continue putting on shows like the one they put on at MSG. Below are two videos of the show. You’ll see that throughout the night each member of the band stood (or sat in the case of drummer Dominic Howard) atop pillars of video screens displaying various “Museish” type graphics: Eyeballs, random lasers, various images of the human form, etc. The laser show during “New Born” doubtlessly sent fans into seizures, I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

Muse played all of their hits, as the set list below indicates, as well as many songs off their new album, Resistance. 

1. Uprising
2. Resistance
3. New Born
4. Map of the Problematique
5. Supermassive Black Hole
6. Guiding Light
7. Interlude
8. Hysteria
9. Nishe
10. United States Of Eurasia
11. Feeling Good  
12. Helsinki Jam
13. Undisclosed Desires
14. MK Ultra  
15. Starlight
16. Plug In Baby
17. Time Is Running Out
18. Unnatural Selection

Encore:

 19. Exogenesis: Symphony, Part 1: Overture                                                                                                                                        20.Stockholm Syndrome                                                                                                                                                                               21. Knights of Cydonia