Bradford Pearson

Live music, late nights: Wilco

(So I decided I'll do this feature the day after every show I attend. Dates with The National, Double Dagger, and My Morning Jacket are coming up, so I think it will be fun.)

K and I went to our first Wilco show last night, and Jeff Tweedy and his ever-changing gang of a band did not disappoint. Below is a (kind of) thorough run-through of the setlist, which lasted for more than three hours. There may be some songs missing or out of order, but damn, they played more than 30 songs.

Highlights of the night (for me at least) included "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" and a tribute to Alex Chilton with a cover of Big Star's "Thank You Friends." You don't realize just how much influence Big Star had over bands like Wilco until you hear one of their songs played by said band.

Anyway, a great performance by one of the tightest live bands I've ever seen. The only drawback? While the venue (The Music Hall at Strathmore) was great, it didn't really lend itself to an intimate performance. LOTS of empty space, even though the place was sold out.

1. Wilco (the song)
2. Bull Black Nova
3. Impossible Germany
4. You Are My Face
5. One Wing
6. Poor Places
7. Deeper Down
8. Kamera
9. Via Chicago
10. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
11. A Shot in the Arm
12. Reservations
13. Handshake Drugs
14. At Least That's What You Said
15. Spiders (Kidsmoke)
16. Forget the Flowers
17. You and I
18. California Stars
19. When The Roses Bloom Again
20. Hate it Here
21. Walkin
22. Passenger Side
23. I'm the Man Who Loves You
24. You Never Know
25. Theologians
26. Jesus, Etc.
27. Heavy Metal Drummer
28. Thank You Friends (Big Star cover)

Encore:

29. Box Full of Letters
30. Hoodoo Voodoo
31. I'm a Wheel

How a Tostitos bag blew my mind

I eat a fair amount of Tostitos. Probably more than I should, and definitely more than any other tortilla chip brand. So when I saw this post on Texts From Last Night, my head nearly exploded:

(519):
dude i just figured out that the tostitos sign is two people eating chips and salsa. being high totally pays off sometimes

I sprinted into Bert's room, where a veritable graveyard of Tostitos bags usually resides. And there, plain as day, were two wonderful amputees, dipping one tortilla chip into a baptismal font of salsa.

How have I missed this my entire chip-eating life? I was almost as excited/angered at myself when I discovered the hidden arrow in the FedEx logo a few years ago. Tricky people, ad men.



Now my next question: does everyone else know about this? Am I the only moron stumbling around, blindly jabbing my hands into bags of chips? Are there other logos with these hidden symbols? I feel like I'm a character in the damn Da Vinci Code.

My Case For: MTV's current programming

On Feb. 8, 2010, Music Television died, and MTV took over. It doesn’t matter that MTV has been known as just MTV for decades, the transition from two-word phrase to meaningless acronym was actually important: the channel had changed.

And, I think, it’s changed for the better.

See the world doesn’t need Music Television anymore. The concept has run its course. If people want music now, they find it online, or on iTunes, or in Target commercials. Even if MTV still played music videos, would I sit down for a half hour and just watch them? No. The whole concept seems laughably arcane.

Instead of music videos, MTV has filled its hours with a lovable blend of teenage kitsch, 20-something semi-seriousness, and Snooki. And it’s the better for it.

Take the show “16 and Pregnant” for example. Could you imagine even trying to air that show 15 years ago? Showing c-sections on a channel aimed at 17-year-old girls?

I was watching the show earlier today, and Samantha and Eric were about to have their first child. After 15 hours of labor, Jordynn finally popped out. 15 excruciating, bloody, disgusting hours. High school health classes should just show episodes of “16 and Pregnant” on loop, then post screenshots of the birthing scenes around the girls locker rooms. Necking under the bleachers would plummet.

And “16 and Pregnant” is just one example.

“Jersey Shore” kicks ass. I can't even imagine using the word "situation" in a sentence now without thinking about the show.

“The Hills” has been better than any season of The Real World since 1997.

And I would watch any episode of “Teen Mom” over a collection of Beyonce and Justin Bieber videos any day of the week.

Yes, I understand that shows like “Headbangers Ball,” "Yo! MTV Raps," and “120 Minutes” were important to the way music was consumed, and probably changed the path of the music industry forever. And yes, I do miss seeing Ananda Lewis (my first interracial crush!). But Music Television is unnecessary now.

If I want music, I go to Pitchfork or one of the 100 million other music blogs out there. If I want mindless entertainment, I turn to MTV.

A bonus for all those Ananda fans out there:

13 Word Review: In the Loop

In the Loop (2009)
Directed by Armando Iannucci
Starring Tom Hollander and Peter Capaldi

Flawless blend of American and British humor. Funniest movie I've seen in months.

Up next in the Netflix queue: Monster

Friday Funhouse: the "What the hell happened to D'Angelo" version

Everyone remembers D'Angelo:

Lady-killer. Silky-smooth R&B sensation. Apostrophes.

Well here's D'Angelo now, after being arrested for solicitation of a prostitute earlier this month:

Yeeeeeeesh.

Anyway, here's a reminder of why everyone loved him to begin with.

Two new HBO trailers: Treme and Boardwalk Empire

You may remember back in March 2009 I mentioned a new HBO show, produced by The Wire creator David Simon. Well a trailer is finally available, and the show looks awesome:

Oh and did I mention HBO's other new show, Boardwalk Empire? It just stars Steve Buscemi, is written by a former Sopranos writer, and is directed by, ahem, Martin Scorsese. No big deal.




Treme is set to begin April 11, and Boardwalk Empire comes to the small screen in September.

Via AV Club

What I've Been Listening To: March 2010

New feature: instead of just randomly adding songs and albums I've been listening to, I'm going to do a monthly compendium of my favorite new music, and maybe some old. So that's that.

Album I'm super looking forward to: The Hold Steady "Heaven is Whenever"

New Hold Steady album May 4. Combined with the new Broken Social Scene and New Pornographers albums the next week, it seems like May is shaping up to be a great month for new music by bands with funny names.

The first single off the new album is entitled "Hurricane J." Initial reaction? Meh. But that's how I felt about "Sequestered in Memphis" off the Hold Steady's last album, and then the record showed up and was super good so what do I know?

Have a listen for yourself:


Album that I already know kicks ass: Titus Andronicus "The Monitor"

I haven't listened to one album more in the past month than this one. A self-centered concept album about the Civil War and the lead singer's upbringing in New Jersey? I'm in!

The first track totally kills, if you can make it through the intro. Imagine Minor Threat filtered through Born to Run. I'm not even kidding.


New track that could be mean an album is going to be awesome, or totally terrible: Drake "Over"

I think I like it? Maybe? I loved it at first, but now I don't know. I guess we'll see in May, when his debut album "Thank Me Later" comes out.

Old school track: Weezer "The World Has Turned And Left Me Here"

Why? It's spring.

What have you been listening to?

13 Word Review: A Serious Man

A Serious Man (2009)
Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
Starring Michael Stuhlbarg

The Jewish idiosyncrasies reminded me of Woody Allen, without all the self-pity. Excellent.

Up next in the Netflix queue: In The Loop

An announcement!

Okay it's really more of a pronouncement than an announcement. I'M BACK.

Ten days is too long to be away, and before that I had really fallen down on my duties as a blogger. I was more like a blogger emeritus, blogging when I felt like it, and kind of mailing it in.

But that ends today! (Or tomorrow technically.) "My Case For:" and the Friday Funhouse will both return, and I'll try and return to my seven days-a-week habit.

So for the six of you who care, I'm back baby!

The Maverick photo caption contest winner is...

Jesse!

Promo photo taken just before their Wham! cover band, The Young Guns, broke up.

Good work this time folks. Oh and Jesse, I'll buy you a beer the next time I see you.

Photo Caption Contest: Maverick edition

You all know the drill by now: come up with a spiffy caption/ headline for this photo, win a prize. The winner will be announced Friday.

Here are some previous contests.

Oh and the last few have brought in limited responses, so step up your game people.

(via @sportsguy33)

Zooey Deschanel, somehow even more adorable than you remember

She broke your heart in Elf! (500) Days of Summer! That weird movie with Will Ferrell that wasn't Elf, I think it was called Winter Passing!

And now she's back in the new video for She and Him.

Help Wanted: Dallas

So K and I are heading to Dallas next Monday for a bit of vacay.

Problem is, we don't know what to do there. Any suggestions? We'll have a car, so we can pretty much do anything.

The odder the better.

Now introducing: food theme parks

Okay well maybe just one theme park: Gyoza Stadium.

You know gyoza, those pork-filled, heaven in dough, Japanese potstickers. Well now they have their own theme park.

Set in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district, Gyoza Stadium is basically the most delicious thing I've ever heard of.

As described by Cabel's Blog:

It's not a stadium. But imagine, if you will, a very quaint Japanese town in the year 1953. Stone-lined winding alleyways with beat-up posters, tangled wiring, neon signs and lanterns, with classic Japanese 50's music playing from tinny radios.

Now imagine that the street is lined with lots and lots of tiny little gyoza restaurants, each serving a different kind of gyoza invented by a different famous chef, each unique, and all made to order. And they have beer.

After reading this, I immediately searched for plane tickets to Japan.

And imagine how incredibly popular a food theme park would be in the ol' U.S.A. Hamburger Heaven, or Pizza Palace, or the Cotton Candy Kingdom? Disney would shut down in less than two years.

2010 Academy Awards: Best Picture rankings

A quick note: I have not seen "Precious," "A Serious Man," or "Avatar." There is no real reason that I haven't.

Without further ado, my ranking of the remaining seven Best Picture nominees, complete with their own 13 Word Review.

7. The Blind Side

Liked it more than I thought I would, but Bullock doesn't deserve Oscar.

6. District 9

A good movie, not a great one. Pretty predictable. Interesting political statements though.

5. An Education

Sweet clothes, but was anyone else disturbed this girl was dating a 30-year-old?

4. Up

Wish I could put it higher. A perfect movie. And yes I cried.

3. Inglourious Basterds

Tarentino's best movie since "Pulp." Spot-on dialogue, and just enough blood and guts.

2. The Hurt Locker

A great film anchored by a great actor. Most emotional action movie ever?

1. Up in the Air

Funny, sad, but ultimately hopeful. Or not. The last scene is pretty ambiguous.

$700. For sneakers.

Would you pay $700 for these?

No? Well other people will. These are the new Hyperdunk Kobe Bryant Aston Martin Edition sneaks, and they're out this weekend.

Remember that video a few years ago when Kobe jumped over that Aston Martin? Well that probably has something to do with these.


So I guess if you want to blow a month's rent (or two months if you live in lovely Baltimore like myself) head over to OSneaker. Oh and they only made 500 pairs, so snatch up a few quickly.

Tim Burton's latest remake: Weekend at Bernie's

March 1, 2010

Tim Burton to bring "Weekend at Bernie's" back to the big screen

Los Angeles, Cali.- Hot on the heels of this weekend's release of Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland," Disney is please to announce Mr. Burton's next remake: Weekend at Bernie's.

Burton's imaginative take on the seemingly innocuous, can't-believe-they-made-a-remake 1989 film is set to shoot in early 2011. Burton stalwarts Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter are expected to appear in the film. Duh.

"In the original film, I saw a very dark, troubled soul in Mr. Lomax," Burton said while brooding. "I think Johnny could play a dead man very well."

The film is expected to be released in early 2012.

Please see attached trailer

Sideline reporter should stick with watching sports

We all remember the Boom Goes the Dynamite kid, made famous back before YouTube was a verb. I think it was in the 1970s or something, or maybe 2005.



Well now there's someone equally enthralling/ horrible at his job. Enter Jon Jankowski, student sideline reporter.



(So I did a quick Google Image search for "sideline reporter" to grab an image for this post, and here are the first 25 results: 11 Erin Andrews photos, 7 photos of other sassy female reporters, 1 photo of a woman in lingerie, and 1 photo of Erin Andrews' ass. How would Craig Sager feel?)

13 Word Review: Big Fan

Big Fan (2009)
Directed by Robert Siegel
Starring Patton Oswalt

A great lead performance, not a great movie. Oswalt should do more dramas.

Up next in the Netflix queue: A Serious Man