fun. - Some Nights

Now that my thoughts are finally collected in one place, I can finally stop with the shoutbox trolling.
http://thebackground.org/?p=271

It's been a while (years) since I've posted a journal on last.fm…that's because I've been bloggin' it. (Once every few months.)

I wrote a little bit about Bon Iver's Atlanta show, which was one of the best concerts I've ever been to. Check it:

http://thebackground.org/?p=138

I wasn't sure how to categorize this as far as reviews go. I've never reviewed a live DVD box set. And I'm not sure how to go about reviewing something as epic and massive as this. A total of nine discs that encompass the band's entire musical and biographical career (one that's longer than you might think), and hands down the best packaging I've ever seen on a DVD set. Truly, if you are a hardcore fan, this is something that few bands or artists will entreat you with.

If you're unaware, Coheed and Cambria held a four-night gig in…

Some of my favorite bands have been active lately in terms of touring and releases. Lots of reviews to write. But right now, here's a mix that's currently in my changer…its meant to conceptualize what the average day of a first-year teacher (me) is like. I didn't intend for it to, but that's what it sounded like after a couple of listens.

Anxiety, build-up, chaos, repeat.

1. Jon Brion - Sexy Sadie
2. Margot & The Nuclear So and So's - A Children's Crusade On Acid
3. Maria Taylor - Xanax
4. The Format - Glutton of Sympathy
5. Elliott…

From a Facebook forward that I felt was more appropriate for last.fm:

Think of 25 albums that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life or the way you looked at it. They sucked you in and took you over for days, weeks, months, years. These are the albums that you can use to identify time, places, people, emotions. These are the albums that no matter what they were thought of musically shaped your world. When you finish, tag others, including me. Make sure you copy and paste this part so they know the drill. Get the…

Fri 27 Feb – Ben Folds, Miniature Tigers

Believe it or not, this was the first time I've seen Ben at the Tabernacle. He seems to have been enjoying Savannah more in recent years. Ironically, now that I'm closer to Savannah, he comes to Atlanta. But, no complaints, because this was easily the best show of his that I've personally witnessed.

Steph and I were late to the show, so we missed Minature Tigers, which is unfortunate because I had been prepping for the show by listening to their stuff, which is quite good. Ben came out for a…

I definitely didn't expect another Kanye West record hardly a year after Graduation. In fact, there's a lot about this record that wasn't expected. Love him or hate him, Kanye has had a pretty terrible year. And before you retort with a remark about his stacks of dough, recall the cliché about money and happiness. I remember how many stories I've heard about lottery winners who suffer more misfortune than fortune, or the Atlanta family who had their Extreme Home Makeover home foreclosed on (the episode was ironically re-run this past Thanksgiving). Sure, you can blame the individuals all…

I was at the ATL release party. Great fun, one of my favorite times seeing them. The guys were super friendly and we hung out backstage for a bit. John said the Athens show on Friday was recorded for a DVD or something in the future, but they were all really nervous because it was their first time playing some of the songs, David Lowery joined them on a song but he didn't know it that well, and the cameras and mics didn't help, so it didn't go as smoothly as Saturday night.

I had never been to Smith's…

I got the super duper deluxe vinyl/CD/DVD/bonus CD box set of Ben Folds' new album Way to Normal the other day. The DVD is better than I expected. I'd say at least get the DVD edition if you're a fan. There are a lot of interviews with the whole BF family–both the musical family and parental units. They talk about how he got into music and his bed-wetting days. Ben's dad is great. There's the obligatory tour footage in there too. The veil is uncovered on the recording of the fake songs. They were done during an all-nighter in…

Yesterday, I made the long five and a half-hour drive from Milledgeville to Nashville. And back. And I'm still exhausted, but I'm going to try and regurgitate what just happened before I forget something.

Last week, the Ben Folds Fan Club sent out an email offering a spot in an upcoming DVD to the first sixteen people or so to respond. The conditions: come to Ben's studio in Nashville at 9:45 (later changed to 10:45) on Monday, wear all white clothing. No further details.

I had always regretted not being a part of the My Space DVD, which was also…