And Now For Something Completely Different

I don't have much time today because I need to pack up my life. I'm moving to Claremont tomorrow.

Yes - another change has come to La Casa De Liz. As it turns out, God wasn't finished rearranging my Life Furniture. Right after I said goodbye to Bianca and before Lauren left our next door neighbor/property manager/owner of our adorable House on the Hill's daughter/drug addict decided that it was time to turn her crazy up to 11. I'll spare you all of the White Trash Weekly worthy details but the bottom line was my roommates and I, though we loved our house and loved each other, felt that it was time to leave. My dad, legally speaking and for safety's sake, thought it was a good idea too.

Through the amazing Mormon Network I've taken a room in a house in Claremont, CA. I love Claremont. I spend a lot of time there in fact so I'm hoping that I will be saving a lot in gas money and angst taking a room there. I'll be 2 blocks from the Claremont Colleges so I'm determined to find a job there now because I REALLY like the idea of walking to work like Atticus Finch. Have I ever mentioned that I'd like to name a possible future-type proverbial son "Atticus" but I'm not sure the world is ready for that much awesome and nerdism in one package. He'd come home with black eyes - I know it.

I've got a lot going on and truly have to go but what I wanted to share was that one of my favorite musicians/songwriters - Mr. Joe Pug - was on "A Prairie Home Companion" on Saturday. He was amazing and it was a phenomenal show. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when Garrison retires. He's a fixture of my psyche. Like, I know the world is going to be OK and that we're not devolving as a species because Garrison is on the radio and beloved.

So take a listen and know that despite drug addict/insane neighbors/clueless property managers and having to leave a home you love, that there is still some goodness in the world and it's worth fighting for.

tootles

Sentimental Alert: Music Edition

So I've had a few posts brewing in my head for the last few but I just came across a story on my Google Reader that made me weep like a little kid.

See, almost everything I know about being a descent human being has come from either my family, the scriptures, or folk music. A few movies, books, adopted family, and pets have helped too but you take my meaning.

Some of the first songs I can remember singing were "Blowing In The Wind" and "The Sound of Silence". Paul Simon has preeminence in my heart and always will. So imagine me, this devotee, who learned what poetry meant from Paul Simon, who learned how to sing whist singing along to everything he's ever wrote, imagine my delight when I saw this article.

This is why I love music. It's about connection and love and growth and sharing. It's wholly unselfish. It exists solely to give back.

I love Paul Simon and I love music and I love this. Happy Monday Loves.

Be back soon with more.

~e

Friday Pop Culture Check In

Dear Loyal Reader,

Now that I have some time to actually pause and think about stuff I've been doing this thing called "enjoying myself" again. It's a new concept I know. I hear the French invented it and then the Italians perfected it. Either way, if its European its a win for me.

I know you're dying to know what I'm talking about so I'll review by medium -

Book wise -

I'm currently reading "Speaker for the Dead" at the little brother's invitation. Apparently these Ender Orson Scott Card books have been very influential on him and he wants to share. I'm enjoying it a lot more than I was originally and am looking forward to finishing. I also read "Ender's Game" for the same reason and I liked it - eventually. These are the book version of "Star Wars" to him in terms of sacredness so a good sister should maybe know what he's talking about. I'll let you know how it turns out.

I've also thoroughly been enjoying the King Killer Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss. He's a newbie novelist out of Wisconsin but has written some of the most lyrically beautiful stories that I've read in a while. "The Name of the Wind" came out a few years back and my oldest brother gave a copy of it to my Dad for Christmas. The book made the family rounds and I really liked it as I mentioned before. The second book of the series came out in early March "A Wise Man's Fear" and I read it with much the same vigor. I think I literally lost a whole Saturday to it and then some. Time well spent.

Movie Wise -

I've been a bit light on the movie side of things because, well, they cost money, but I did, like any self respecting bookie babe, make time for the new Jane Eyre



It was good. I recommend it. It's not a train wreck but it's not the strongest telling either. It was deliciously true to the Gothic aspects of the novel though which I appreciated. Movie makers get a bit distracted by the love story and ignore that the fact that it's set against these dark Gothic edges. I think that canvass makes it that much more of a beautiful story and it's almost always left out but they got it this time around. They didn't cut out St. John either. He's a common causality to the editors but he survived too.

In Future Cinema News Peter Jackson released one of, I hope, many short behind the scene videos about the making of "The Hobbit". There are not words for my how much I'm looking forward to this but I will try HOWZA! MAMMM WHHHE KKKKK! LOOOKK! ITSSSAAAAAA! IttzzaahRichardArmitage iookkk kwkkwoo woww waaaaaa PeterJacksonkjfweo nndsojf onklnlkenknewljrenlkn ;nivnIloveNewZealandakjdfjkdhhHH HAHAHAAAAKKKK ohmagahgagagaghgahgah.




Music wise -

I've been informed that I have tickets to see these gargeous bright stars called "The Civil Wars" in the near future and, like always, I'm very excited. They're a group I've had a hard time not listening to. They're amazing. I wholly endorse them. Yay for some real musicianship and for genre blends. They're always the best. Much like mixed babies.



Also, GREAT NEWS! The Beastie Boys are putting out a 25th anniversary album on May 3rd and have released this new track that I have been listening to practically on loop and cannot get out of my head. They put together this hilarious promo featuring nearly every funny person alive. I might have watched 7 or 8 (teen) times. LizPAA warning - there are two "F" words for the tender-eared



TV wise -

I've been sucked into the very funny world of BBC's "Top Gear". It's a car show hosted by three middle aged perma-adolescents. It's been on the air for about 10 years and most of the series is available on Netflix's Instant Play. I love cars. I love British humor and I love informative playful approaches to things and that is what I love about this show




They go on hilarious adventures like driving to the North Pole and they periodically have Formula 1 drivers on and WOWZAH - some of these boys are quite handsome. I've picked out Jenson Button (UK)



and Mark Webber (AUS) as my favorites.



Why has Formula 1 been keeping these darling boys to themselves?! It's just not fair.

This show has also reinforced my want (read: lust) for some WAY too expensive cars. The show is great though. I have heartily laughed during every episode I've seen. Which is many. Don't ask.

Blog wise -

Hot Guys Reading Books

Enchanted Serenity of Period Films

and Best Week Ever remain places for constant giggles and happiness.

Win Blog deserves an honorable mention as well.

So yay for enjoying myself again and yay for having so much good stuff to enjoy! I hope your weekend is made up of some of the best stuff possible!

love,
your Liz

Lizzie's 2009 - Music Edition

It's been a difficult year. This is no secret. I've have a number of life preservers that have gotten me through it but the principle one has been and will always remain music. I would be a boring, bitter, lost, and severe person without it.

My musical 2009 reads thus:

*new Artists discovered/been turned on to/finally listened to my friends and checked out and have hence loved*

Joe Pug - thank you NVIII
viva gmail statuses and their informative power

Phoenix - thank you Lauren W
You're my guru.

Elizabeth and the Catapult - thank you Greg for choosing them to tour with you

Regina Spektor - thank you Hannah
Best. Road. Trip. Sing-along. Buddy. EVER.

Missy Higgins - thank you Nickie
You are made up of good taste and tenacity.

The Rescues - thank you Hotel Cafe.
You never stop giving.

Christopher Lawrence - thank you Coachella
VIVA the Sahara tent!

Groove Armada - thank you (again) Coachella and Lauren W (again)
You are King and Queen of Concerts.

*most listened to Albums of 2009*

In Rainbows - Radiohead
I took a break from it for a while but when I went back to it this year it was exponentially more amazing. Radiohead is truly on my Top 5 Favorite Bands of All Time list.

Nation of Heat - Joe Pug
This music has made me a changed woman. I feel my consciousness elevate every time I listen.

On a Clear Night - Missy Higgins
Her voice and songwriting is just addictive. I love love love her.

Only by the Night - Kings of Leon
Just when you thought Nashville would stop surprising you...

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Phoenix
Its about time someone wrote a song about Franz Liszt. Thank you Frenchies for hearing the call.

Tall Children - Elizabeth and the Catapult
I'm really glad I saw them live before I bought the album because though this album is very good they're amazing live and I got to relive that lovely set every time I listened.

*Concerts*

COACHELLA - Indio Polo Fields, CA
I have a very long list of favorite things but a very short one of perfect things. I think perfection is possible but in moments and I've been able to be privy to a few.

Family hugs in the Celestial Room of the Temple
The rose garden at the Huntington Library in Spring
George Washington Parkway in Fall
Disneyland at Christmas
and the 3 spring days of the Coachella Music Festival

This was my first year going and it gave new definitions to "amazing" and "awesome". It truly was, as in inducing the state of awe. I went a few concerts this year but nothing, I think, will ever compare with those 3 days. Nothing. Except for Coachella 2010. Hopefully.

Phoenix - Greek Theater, CA
Ever have a platinum kind of friend having a birthday and despite your unemployed and impoverished state insists that you come and are therefore dragged to an outdoor amphitheater during a California September at night with about 15,000 hipsters and a crazy fun, smart and happy French band and end up forgetting your rather heavy mind for a tic and end up dancing your butt off after a euphoric tapas dinner? I do/have.

Greg Laswell - Murray Theater, UT
Ever been in a really strange place, staying on a loved one's air mattress during a really stressful time without your wallet and you just needed a little bit of home and to not feel like a bump on the stump of humanity, just for an hour even, so you see, via twitter (it does have its uses people), that (one of) your favorite musicians is playing a local theater that night so you call one of the best concert buddies ever that's local and it turns out to be a set of your fav artist (even though you've been to about a squillion of them) that is EXACTLY what you needed and openly wept at more than one song and still have parts of it videoed on your camera and still cry every time you watch it? I have/did/do.

Gas Light Anthem - The Music Box, CA
Ever randomly win tickets from a radio station via text messaging to a concert of a band that you're still pretty new to but know people that really like them and you like those people so it must be worthwhile and you take your friend who managed to make it into her late 20s without ever going to any kind of concert ever and that just wouldn't do? I have.

India Calling! - Hollywood Bowl, CA
Every get a random phone call from a musician friend that had tickets for a World Festival concert a the Hollywood Bowl and she "couldn't think of anyone else that could appreciate World Music like you" and you've often said that you would go see The Wiggles if they were playing the Hollywood Bowl because you love that venue so much (and you're kind of afraid someone might call you out on that someday) so you pack a picnic dinner, hike up to your seats essentially having NO idea what to expect but are ready for an adventure and the Bowl keeps filling up with EVERY kind of fun person imaginable and you end up having a multicultural music and dance-in-the-isle good time with the slew of anglo 14 year old girls in front of you and the insanely large Indian family that managed to sit in the rest of the area around you and you realize that this is the best party you've been to in a while and music really can bring anyone and everyone together without pretense and you're already in love with Indian food and literature and fabrics and art and now their music and people just found a permanent place in your heart? It is seriously good times. And they give you grab bags and incense when you leave. :)

Joe Pug - The Mint, CA
Ever rapidly and utterly fallen in love with an artist and hes still pretty unknown and isn't from your area so the only thing you pray for to the music gods is for him to play a set in your area soon and you get wind that he is but only remember about an hour before the show that it was that night. So sans wingwoman you jam out to a tiny venue that doesn't use tickets or a list even to see this mesmerizing man that can still a room with a glance and one harmonica cord but are a bit self-conscious about being there by yourself so you randomly start talking to a table of people and end up sitting with them for half the show and the other half you take your black notebook and pretend to take notes like you're a writer for Spin or something but truly believe you are witnessing greatness happening in front of you? Yeah - that would be me.

Wow - looking back this was a really great year for concerts. I'm amping up for another one and soon. Joe is going to be back at The Echo in LA in Feb. and I might or might not already have tickets.


There were a few shows that I had to pass on because, well - tickets are expensive and I wasn't working for 7 months out of the year...

Bon Iver
Swell Season
Imogen Heap
Depeche Mode
Jason Mraz and a slew of others. I really wonder if I can make a living out of just going to concerts... I do it so well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you were wondering, and only IF, here is my complete concert breakdown from 2009

Coachella:
The Presets
Paul McCartney
The Crystal Method
Zane Lowe
Calexico
TV on the Radio
Fleet Foxes
Thievery Corporation
Band of Horses
MIA
The Chemical Brothers
The Killers
Super Mayer
NoAge
Friendly Fires
Okkervil
The Gaslight Anthem
Sebastian Teler
Lupe Francisco
Lykki Li
Peter Bjorn
Anthony and the Johnstons
Perry Farrel
Pump DJs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The Horrors
Christopher Lawrence
The Cure

* The Rescues - The Hotel Cafe
* Laura Jansen - The Hotel Cafe
* Greg Laswell, Elizabeth and the Catapult, Jordan Booth - Murray Theater
* Refueled (Fuel) - Mesa Crossing
* Phoenix - The Greek
* Gaslight Anthem & Murder by Death - The Music Box
* Friendly Fires, XX & Holly Miranda - The Music Box
* Snow Patrol & The Plain White T's - SDSU
* Justin Nozuka, Elizabeth and the Catapult, and Sam Bradly - The Glass House
* Every touring Indian musician ever @ INDIA CALLING! - The Hollywood Bowl
* Joe Pug - The Mint

Media Corner

So I've got a bit of time on my hands but even when I don't I'm a HUGE media consumer. Music, movies and books pepper almost every corner of my life. This is what I've been the most excited about recently or am very much looking forward to.

MOVIES

So I think, Summer wise -

My favs were Star Trek, (500) Days of Summer, The Brothers Bloom, Up, Harry Potter 6, and Taking Woodstock

Honorable mentions but not favs include: Moon, The Proposal, Ice Age 3, Julie & Julia

Train wrecks would be: Year One, Transformers 2, and I Love You, Beth Cooper

And ones I missed that I still want to see are: My Life in Ruins, Food, Inc, Whatever Works, The Hurt Locker, Funny People, The Cove, Paperheart, and Ponyo

However, I was paroussing my favorite release site that includes all the indie flicks the big box ones don't and there are more amazing films coming out this holiday season. Its a great time for movies I think. A lot of indie writers are getting money and there is just a lot of talent out there right now.

What I'm looking forward to in September is -

Coco Before Chanel with the timeless Audrey Tautao from another fav Amalie









October is looking like a solid month

Where the Wild Things Are


The Invention of Lying





November starts all the Christmas Season blockbusters; Disney's Christmas Carol, The Princess and the Frog, yeah yeah yeah

but some good indies are coming out too that I'm sort of in love with already



The Boat that Rocked






And December has a crown jewel. They've recovered a lost screenplay Tennessee Williams was working on and made it and its coming out on Dec 20th!! I'm SO excited!




MUSIC

Joe Pug. I started watching this video prompted by a gmail status of a fellow musicphile. I was a bit skeptical and hes not exactly a trained voice but I was transfixed. It had been so long that I had heard such good writing so honestly sung. I'm kind of in love with the guy now. Hes coming to The Mint in Oct. I'm going. Tickets are $10. Let me know if you want to come. I'm pretty sure it will change my life. My friend who tipped me off when he saw him said it was so beautiful he almost cried. I. Cannot. Wait.



I caught a Greg Laswell set when I was in SLC this summer and he had an opener that really caught my fancy. They're called Elizabeth and the Catapult. I really liked the jazzy voice of Elizabeth and its pairing with the rockabilly band. This is their one existing official video but my favorite off the album is this Leonard Cohen cover.

Imogen Heap's new album Ellipse is constantly blowing me away (thanks Brett). This is one of my favorites

Muse's new album The Resistance came out today too. I've yet to procure it but I'm pretty excited to do so.

The Knife has been rocking my world pretty consistently lately too. Another pass along from Brett. They're rather fabulous.



BOOKS

On the literary front I've been stuck somewhere between Dr. Seuss and coloring books. I keep thinking I should read something a bit more elevated and stuff but then I think "Why? Adolescent lit is the best of both worlds. Its amazing story telling with quality multi-dimensional characters but without all of the depression, lameness and lasciviousness that is in modern "high lit". So lately read all 3 of the Howl's Moving Castle books (totally awesome and very different from the movie. Read it and love it for it's unique wonder) and have moved on to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series (equally but differently awesome). I'm still deciding if I'm a daughter of Zeus or Athena... Anywho - they're super fun quick reads that I totally recommend. Rick Riordan writes like your reading your best friend's blog. I kind of love him and the premise for the whole series. I'm off to Barns and Noble right now to finish reading the third one now that I'm thinking about it.

Long live the arts and God bless YouTube!

Lizzie out

Sunday Wrap Up

So walking into the last day of Coachella is like waking up on your last day of camp. You're sad. Really really sad and you're determined to have as much fun as possible.

We checked out at 10 and headed over to the site early. We had a long day planned

Super Mayer
No Age
Friendly Fires
Okkervil River
The Gaslight Anthem
Sebastian Tellier
Lupe Fiasco
Lykke Li
Peter Bjorn and John
Anthony and the Johnstons
Perry Farrel
Plump DJs
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The Horrors
Christopher Lawrence
Grove Armada and
THE CURE!!!

Once again we started the day off in the techno tent to amp up and because, well, that's naturally the first place Lauren and I gravitate to.

We saw 17 bands so I'll just give you the highlights.

Friendly Fires was much anticipated and for good reason. It was a 2:00 set and the whole tent was full on a 100 degree day. Why aren't they playing one of the bigger stages? I don't know. We were in the overflow but the happy energy got all the way to us in the back. Yay for cute sassy European boys with bands.

Lupe Fiasco provided some much needed hip hop representation and they delivered. See - this is the awesome thing about Coachella. You're in this giant field with 40K other people who love music, are just as hot as you, paid just as much money and well - you kind of stop caring about stuff, so if you hear music you like, no matter where you are or what you're doing, if you start dancing it's cool. If you just want to park it in the middle of a something you just pull up some grass. Everyone was just chill and fantastic and there was space to just be yourself. So while we were just kicking it on the soft polo grass with our shoes off grooving to Lupe there was this hilarious dude in front of us just dancing and dancing and it wasn't weird. I love it.

Lykki Li was amazing. What a show. That girl has so much freaking energy. What would we do without crazy Swedes? Seriously. She migrated over to the main stage to sing with Peter Bjorn and John for Young Folks (got that on video :D) too. It was a Swedish invasion.

Peter was chill and amazing.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are fun. Just plain fun. It's impossible not to have fun because they are having so much fun. They were on the main stage and they deserved it.

Christopher Lawrence and Grove Armada are juggernauts in the techno end of the world so we shook our groove thang for an hour or so and then frolicked over, a bit sadly for our last stop at Coachella for a whole year.

The Cure.

\There are not words for all the emotion that went into little old me sitting cross-legged behind a few thousand people listening to one of my favorite bands of all time. The Cure is one of those staples of my adolescence. They were this unassuming group that made all the difference to me. I will probably never see them again in my life time but this show was all I needed.

They were such a contrast to The Killers the night before. The Killers have this HUGE light and graphics show and its this whole visual experience as well as a musical one. Everyone is dressed in their rock version of tuxedos true to their Las Vegas roots. The Cure just took the stage. No fancy lights, no insane costumes, nothing like that. It was mesmerizing. Robert looked like he spent the night in a tree (as usual) and was in jeans and a hoodie comfortably taking in thousands of people with his guitar and the music. I've never experienced anything like it.

I cried as I walked out and swore that I'd be back and I will.

Totals:
# of Bands seen: 29
# of hours slept: 12
# of times getting pulled over by a cop for a broken tail light smelling like, well, Coachella: 1
# of tickets received: 0
# of Redbulls drank: 0
# of times contemplating a Redbull: 234
# of people I wished would put some more clothes on: 38,908
# of hot guys I didn't mind so much being disrobed: 4446
# of times I cried at the beauty of what I was hearing or the gravity of it all: 15
# of dreams come true: 4
# of funnel cakes consumed: 1
# of random friends I ran into: 1
# of times I thought that there are too many people in the world who weren't hugged enough as children: 289
# of babies with airport ear covers on: 2
# of porter potty/trailer hook ups secured: 1
# of times getting misted down in the Dolab: 3
# of times I dug my bare toes into the grass thinking this was heaven: 23
# of blackberries rescued: 1
# of hugs from strangers: 3
# of sundresses I wished I had the good sense to have worn: 1,287
# of times I fell in love with Brandon Flowers: 8
# of times I fell in love with music all over again: 23,833

Viva Coachella!
Who is in for 2010?

OK - Pics and Videos

So pics first.



It was a gorgeous weekend. This is the check in tent. Bag check, ticket scan all that jazz. Typically these fields are lined up with people but luckily when we got there on Sat it was wide open. I forgot my camera in the car in my haste Friday night sadly so all I have is Sat and Sun. You'll get a good idea though.




Then right when you come in there is this huge dome with a mountain of amps and a DJ bumping some trance. It's like a portal to another world. There is a water refill station and merch and all that boring stuff in this proverbial foyer but then you go through another narrow gate and you see this.





We started dancing the second we walked in and didn't stop till we left essentially.



So besides all the stages they had all these amazing interactive modern art exhibits all over the site. I spent all weekend musing at them as much as the music. OK - well not quite so much.











And at night they all changed and took on a whole new life.



and they fired up the Tesla coil. :D



The tents at the back of the site were awesome. The techno lounge was always a buzz.



One act even brought out an alien to pepper the fiesta.



Twilight was the highlight of the day though









I have a ton more and videos galore. I took more video than pics I think. Upload is a long process and I don't have a lot of time anymore so we'll see what I get up. Maybe I'll make it a weekly thing. Coachella Pining Tuesdays or something.

Coachella (thus far)

So I've been here two and a half days and Lauren and I have made our way through the crowds of 40K+ hippie and OC kids masking to be hippies with our prioritized color coded spreadsheet of set times and clean hair. It's been an other worldly experience.

I've taken copious amounts of pictures and videos that I'll get up here soon but here is a list of bands I've seen so far.

I worked Friday so I missed The Ting-Tings, Morrissey, Leonard Cohen, The Silver Sun Pickups, We Are Scientists, The Airborn Toxic Event, Conor Obrest, and Beruit. I like my job and boss (which I'll update on later) so I didn't mind working but I'm kind of super sad.

I was afraid I was going to miss Paul McCartney with the way parking was working. I fought traffic out of and during the 10 trek and THEN it was heinous all over when I got to the site. The fact that they *do* park the insane amount of people to do come is a slight miracle. Whoever puts this on should be an advisor for developing nations.

They put it on at the Indio Polo fields. There is the main stage which is HUGE. Like Huge. I've been to big stadium concerts but this beats them all. 2 jumbo trons, a light display you can see from space. It's a mobile World Wonder. Then there is the Outdoor Theater which is just off to the right that is still big but not tricked out like the Main Stage. Then there are 3 different massive tents down the line with normal sized stages and these canopies that must run 500' long and 100' wide and 100' tall. They feel like airport hangers. People can get out of the sun, pull up a piece of grass and just listen. It's magical. One is exclusively dedicated to techno so that's the non-stop party. And in between all of them are these amazing modern art displays and Tesla coils and these constructed grottos to get people out of the sun. THEN the place is surrounded with food vendors selling fair food and pretentious vegan curry and just about everything else under the sun. We had a funnel cake last night. I can't remember the last time I scored one of those. :D

On Friday, despite traffic and parking I did get there in time for The Presets, Paul McCartney and The Crystal Method.

The Presets were an AWESOME way to start my Coachella. They're like this new Aussie Depeche Mode cognate. People were spilling out of the tent but Lauren and I were in the thick of it and dancing our little cabooses off. I love them, they made the "CDs to buy list".

The Crystal Method were just as amazing in the the techno tent. Very different vibe than The Presets but fantastic nonetheless.

Paul however was as much of the legend as I was expecting. He had a long set, about 2 hours, and he was jammin and rocking like he was 20. I was totally amazed. I've sung with a Beatle. My life is getting close to complete. :D

Saturday was a full day. We didn't get to the site till 6 but I still left totally drained. We saw:
Zane Lowe
Calexico
TV on the Radio
Fleet Foxes
Thievery Corporation
Band of Horses
M.I.A.
The Chemical Brothers
and The Killers

Zane Lowe was a DJ in the techno tent. Must start and end the day with a party

We were ready to enjoy Glasvegas but they canceled so we meandered over to Calexico and they were fun. Kind of a chill, folky band with a Spanish lean. Neither of us really knew their stuff but we appreciated it while we were there.

Then we wandered over to the main stage for TV on the Radio. These guys are probably one of my favorite finds of 07. They've been around for a while but I just tapped into them two years ago. See - there was this one super hot guy that regularly came to a mutual friend's shows. Like jaw-dropping, loose your words kind of beautiful. AND not only was he a walking Greek god, he was brilliant too. He had a tattoo that was a quote from The Stranger on his perfect arm. Just stick a fork in me now. Anyways - this kind of beauty required MySpace stalking so that's what I did. Under his favorite TV programs he put "on the Radio". Hot. I know. So I looked up the band and was continually amazed by this specter or beauty's depth and taste. I haven't seen him since but he'll forever be embossed in my mind as this practically perfect man who led me to TV on the Radio.

I think the subtly of TV on the Radio is a bit lost on a big stage. I infinitely prefer them in smaller venues. I'm super happy they're getting this kind of recognition but I wasn't as into the set as I was expecting.

Fleet Foxes was next and they were celestial. Seriously celestial. Their music is quite the folk, baroque, rock hybrid and makes for amazing albums but I was wondering how well it would translate to a live gig. I was blown away. I cried through the first few songs for the sheer beauty of it. These guys are such an amazing talent its kind of scary. Their clarity is something that I don't think has been seen or heard since Simon and Garfunkel. The very loud bunch of Argentineans next to us almost ruined it but we moved and peace was restored to the universe.

We went over to Thievery Corporation while Band of Horses was setting up next and they were insanely cool. They're a DC band and reflect the multicultural aspects of the city. We caught one song about a pueblo and la voluntad de la gente. It kind of made me home/mission sick.

But we quickly made our way back to the outdoor stage for Band of Horses. They were charming and hilarious as usual. We caught the first half of their set and then jammed over to the main stag again for M.I.A

I was BLOWN AWAY (I've said that a lot, I know but this experience was one gust of awesome after another) by M.I.A. That girl had a baby a few months ago and 1) she looks great and 2) was jamming up there like it was something she did everyday. Which is probably true. Between the music and the colors the show had a distinct vibe. I felt like I was in a video game and I didn't mind. That girl is here to stay. She's totally money.

From there we booked it back to the techno tent. The Chemical Bros were playing. Now let me explain something about The Chemical Bros - my first introduction to techno in general was the movie Hackers. It remains one of my favorite movies but the Chemical Brothers did like half of that soundtrack. They're my entry point and therefore opus of the genre. This concert has been 15 years in the coming and I was EXHAUSTED before we even got there.

We were contemplating heading home before the Killers show because we had both gotten blaze reviews from friends of their shows but we just sat down for a few minutes and waited and ended up staying through the whole set and it was worth it. In my completely tuckered state they had me on my feet and dancing the whole hour and half and Brandon remains an example for LDS boys everywhere. He sings, dances, dresses well, is honest about himself and his faith, has his temple covenants AND is a rock star. It's possible people. Very possible.

Stay tuned -

We're going out with a bang today with the Cure.

Make it Simple to Last Your Whole Life Long

My recent musical cross section:

* I read this music blog called Obscuresound.com and it what you'd expect from an indie music blog, lots of newsie caps, soft spoken singer/songwriters, and political and personal angst.

So imagine the refreshing awesome when I clicked on their latest sampling and found THIS!! Amazing. Just amazing. Threw me back and I liked it.

*My friend Kathleen pointed The Dears out to me and I could barely believe my eyes/ears


*It was a Smiths reprise if I'd ever seen it. So THAT led me to being all nostalgic for The Smiths and realizing that I lost most of that music when my laptop got stolen so the amazing Brett came to my rescue and sweetness continues to only be joking


*Bon Iver has had a regular spot


*Along side Imogen. How can you not love how original she is? Enough to overlook her man hands, that's how much.


*Just to be totally weird and, well, Liz, Lady Gaga and some of Britney's stuff is highly addictive but rather formulaic. I giggled through this whole illustration of it. Its literally Britney's Circus laid over the music track from Gaga's Poker Face.

*Ne-Yo is quickly gaining a permanent spot in my musical heart. He's blindingly talented, does all his own writing and production, knows how to wear a suit, his latest album is called "The Year of the Gentleman" and he makes hypnotic positive stuff like this.

I've been a fan since his first album in 06 but he just gets better and better. Totally amazing.

31 Days till Coachella! Woot!

Wednesday Giggles

Bless that little sweet monk's high jumping heart

Checking In

So I've been a neglectful blogger this last week. I apologize. I've had a lot of stuff going on.

Laurcita and I were partying like the rockstars we are in Phoenix for the first half of the week. I took off on Friday and spend the weekend there. I needed a quiet place to be that was a bit out of the way and Phoenix seemed like the perfect remedy. I got to have 3 whole days of quiet to myself and I mostly worked in her lovely place.

My amazing cousin Rich and his wife were well. They just moved and kind of hate their new place but it was super awesome wonderful to see them. The last night before I left Laur and I took a crazy escapade to go meet her college roommate who was in town for the FBR Open. We went to this insane, remote place called the Greasewood Flats. It was an old school biker bar/cowboy hang out that was down an unpaved path, past the peak that looks like Old Man Coyote at dusk and then some. The 49ers built this place, so says my amazingly expert opinion, and hence has been improved by 150 years of monsoon seasons and raccoon scratches. The bulk of the place was outside. We had a fire in a carved out oil barrel, a redneck wind chime of empty beer cans strung up in the tree, donkey's braying in a choral 20' from us, and a burger so rare I'm pretty sure I heard it moo back at me. Needless to say it was awesome.

I came back home on Wednesday afternoon and went to the temple that night which was a much needed kind of lovely. I happened upon the same session as the extensive Santa Monica 3rd Single's ward so it was a 200 person strong session and most of the gentleman attending were available. No, no #s given or taken but I'm just going to say, there might have been a bit of winking and over the shoulder smirking going on. Yay for awkward temple flirting.

In terms of my forgotten Wednesday Giggles, fear not. What I found the funniest thing this week was a bit on Best Week Ever that was their version of how the 911 call from Former French President Jacque Chirac must have gone when he was mauled by his clinically depressed poodle.

No joke.

I looked and looked for the video but alas - there isn't any obliging YouTubed footage. The best the only way I could share this with you is if you subscribe to the Best Week Ever podcast, download Jan 23rd's full episode and go to minute 12:00. Its a lot of work - I know. But it's worth it.

I love the French but I laugh at them because, well - they're French. Lovely but a bit prickly and - well - French. It's almost as good as "I am Le Tired"

I haven't shirked Friday Awesome either. I lifted this off a friend's gmail status. It was by far the coolest thing I'd seen this week. I've lost far too much time on this already but I found it a lovely meditation.

Thursday was nothing but refreshing. I got to reconnect with my amazing old friend Shelly. It was one of those close down a coffee house talk till its too cold outside and you know that you absolutely have to go to sleep or you'll be a wreck the next day kind of thing. I love her. She is a reminder of my better parts and good times. I'm glad we've kept track of each other.

Thursday I also got wind from Nicole, the bringer of the glad tidings of Penzance Joy, that she has an in with both the curator of the Norton Simon and Huntington Library.

THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY and THE NORTON SIMON

So naturally my first question was "Can she get me an interview??!" There is a faint possibility of a smidgen of a shadow of a chance that I might get a few minutes with a big decision maker and shot at my DREAM JOB. I've never really let myself think along these lines before but in actuality it has been a (not so) unspoken (not so) secret wish to make a life and career at either one of these places. Especially the Huntington. So if you could be kind enough to keep me and that faint possibility of that chance in your prayers I would really appreciate it. I know all I need is 5 minutes. 5 minutes with the right person has changed the course of the world more than once and I certainly think it could change mine.

Faith and prayers should always go rewarded so this is my solemn promise to you that if this works out I will invite you all to my cultural and meticulously decorated loft in Pasadena for a lovely dinner party like only an employee of the Huntington could throw. Wouldn't that be amazing? I think so. There will be smug cheeses, conceited chocolate souffles, hearty scones and pheasant. :D


Friday was spent at Disneyland with my Nicole, Rosie and a new comer Kevin. We spent 4 hours in Critter Country and had an absolute blast. Kevin is in pretty good with the character population at The Park so Rosie got some serious attention and we got some epic shots and video with Pooh, Tigger and Br'er Bear.

And let me tell you something - the world is just more fun with a kid. I've theorized about this before. But seriously, Disneyland especially is magical and amazing with an 8 year old, and especially one that I adore as much as Rosie. I told Nicole that if anything happens to both her and Taylor I get Rosie. I'm throwing my hat in right now. Forget grandparents and stuff. She's mine. We belong together.

Friday was also epic because I got a little email from a local radio station here called KROQ announcing that plans had firmed up for a little shin dig that goes on out in this little town called Coachella. It's just a small gathering of a few musically inclined people to strum their sheep's guts a bit in ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST AMAZING MUSIC EVENTS OF THE YEAR EVERY YEAR!

Laur and I have been throwing around the idea of going for a while. Since Palm Springs actually, and we wisely booked a hotel and waited to see the line up but when I opened up this email and saw the line up I got continually more and more out of breath. By the end of reading day two's line up I grabbed my phone, sent a holy moly text to Laur, and within 2 minutes got an equally breathless phone call and we essentially gushed for about 5 minutes about how we are TOTALLY going this year between a good amount of "ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh" etc.

You look at this line up and tell me your heart doesn't skip a few beats:
The countdown to this event and actually being there will be the subject of many blogs to come so I won't delve into my beyond-real giddiness for this right now. Just know that its coming and it's something I'm going to check off my bucket list. I'll probably get a few things checked off that weekend actually. *wink wink*

Saturday was another day of friends and fun. NaToya and I went sniffing for some good Greek food and found a great cafe in Sierra Madre that captured our hearts and then we saw the Dark Knight on IMAX (all I have to say is Christian+a suit+dismantling a gun+not breaking a stride = unmitigated hotness) with Lauren K (different Lauren) and Hannah.

I made an appearance at a birthday party with blow up twister, cardboard tiaras and a plethora of Twinkies. I watched a horrible UFC fight (BJ let all of us down), got hit on by a healthy portion of very nice guys, went to The Grove, talked, caught up with, laughed and was amazed by another set of friends that I absolutely adore, went to Katy's house for ice cream at 2 am and called it a day.

I have a lot of thoughts about this week but I'm quite tuckered from just recounting everything. I'll elaborate this week kay? Cause there was much context to everything. Lots of thoughts, but for another time.

T minus 75 days

Friday Awesome

Because I love Daft Punk and coordinated people.

Sorry I'm off this week too - I've been helping with 12th Night. I'll explain later (with pics of course :))

In the meantime slap on your glow in the dark makeup, put yourself in an anime music video and see why this video is originality^2 and why this group even made Kanye eat his heart out.

Wednesday Giggles

Tis the Season

Wednesday Giggles

You know, I think two of the best things to happen to the human race have been 1) editing software at the hands of us bored but brilliant Millennials so we can satirize pop culture to our heart's content and 2) the interweb so what we can share them.

We're Everywhere

So I've had this article and song stuck in my head for the last few days. It was giggle of a link that this amazing lady and fellow Celt sent over.

"O'Leary! O'Riley! O'Hare and O'Hara!!!

There's no one as Irish as ..."

Wednesday Giggles

The Muppets really do make life worth living.

"MODULATE!"



And I'm fairly sure this skit inspired the army of programmers and designers who gave us the glorious mental refuge that is Yeti Sports. Orca slap rocks my socks.

"Aloha!!"



Happy Wednesday ALL!

The Space Between

I love music.

I always have.

It's been my best friend/boyfriend/life coach for many a year. It's is one of those things that helps me feel a little bit less lonely when the feeling creeps up.

I'm a huge fan of live music and especially of live music by the singer/songwriter types. I'm a puddle for an honest piano and literate lyric. Consequently, one of my favorite places in the entirety of LA is a little place on Cahuenga called The Hotel Cafe. It's a music club that’s a singer/songwriter zone only; little, intimate, quality and 1000% awesome.

I love it. I'd work there if I could, for free even. That way I could be there chronically, frequently, and often. This last Friday one of my favorites was playing. Greg Laswell - he was releasing his new album (Three Flights from Alto Nido - go get it right now right now. You'll thank me and bless my future children. Buy them trusts even. It's that good.) and he was having the release show & party there. Needless to say, Patrick (my partner in musical crime) and I were some of the first people in the door.

Greg is awesome. He’s been on my iMeem list for the last year and a half but I hadn't seen him live until the Hotel Cafe Tour show in April. I was a bit nervous to see him because sounding good on an album is one thing, and I really liked his album work, but I bank my love and devotion on live performances. He totally delivered. He's money, absolutle money. He's a rare bird and on the favorite list for this reason; he's a brilliant song writer that is an honest performer. It's a transfiguring experience to see him perform. You just get sucked into the song, launch, and hover above yourself and your life for a few brilliant minutes. It's indescribable.

I know I'm getting caught up in Lizisms, sorry....

Def:
Honest Performance -

I think there are a lot of amazing songs out there that aren't necessarily honestly performed. Ex: Jewel. She’s an amazing writer, but there is a dissonance between the sobriety of her writing and gravity of her meaning and the uppityness of her music. read: me-no-likey.

Contrastingly, I think a perfect example of someone who is completely honest in writing and performance is Tori Amos. There is total union between her music and her poetry in my opinion. There are myriads of others too but shes the first one that comes to mind

I mean, there are bad songs that are honestly performed. Like, I totally believe that the Pussycat Dolls really did want to drive nice cars and have boobies when they grew up, I could just give a damn. Usher really DOES want to make love in that club, but like I said....

Back to Greg-
He is beloved because I think about his stuff. I see his images and relate them to things outside of my iPod. They harrow ideas and memories out of me that typically I don't take out. And sometimes I swear he has peeked into my brain because so many of his images and ideas are intimately familiar to me. Especially June bugs.

**btw: This blog isn't an attempt to get on Greg's street team, I just can't explain the "Space Between" epiphany I had at that show without this slight background**

Patrick, myself, and a few other friends who share our neurosis about meaning have debated over his songs in the past and our current email discussion was regarding one off of his EP, "Salvation, Dear". We all had different ideas where he was coming from and why and were all kind of locked in the folded arm "I'm right" stance.

Q:How awesome is this music if it gets 4 totally different people recreationally discussing meaning?! That don't have the English major reflex like me?
A: very.

Back to the show -

When we were walking in from the valet Greg was coming around the corner and simultaneously Patrick and I thought, "There he is, lets ask him about it!"

Not "ohhmigoshhohhmigoshhohhmigoshh - It's Greg Laswell, maybe he'll sign a CD. " No, we wanted to talk about lyrics. We're geeks. We know. We own it. We love it. That's what family is about.

He was trying to get situated for the show and stuff, but he was insanely cool and stopped and listened to this 6' 4" red head and chubby brunette burble on about speakers and POV and motivation. He was really excited to talk about it too - more cool points. Actually Patrick ran the approach and I joined when it looked like a discussion and not just an over the shoulder hallway conversation. I was trying to be respectful. First rule of LA culture: don't harass or approach the talent. Anyway, I don't think he was anticipating the fire hydrant of questions Patrick and I had.

And honestly, it's an intensely personal song about not being ready for a relationship and our questions were along the lines of "Why weren't you ready? What were your reasons for turning away happiness?" and he gave a polite non-revelatory answer like "I wasn't ready for something and she was so I had to let her go" and that was about it. Then he went on to let us know that his guitar player was about to go on and thanked us for coming out etc.

So as we were walking away Patrick said "Well that explains everything" and I said "What are you talking about? He didn't explain a single thing."

And in all honesty, if two complete and utter strangers had came up to me and asked me to spill my guts about an amazingly painful time in my life I'd start talking about the weather and conditions of the roads as well.

What was fascinating to me (more than the song in question obviously) and what I was in my head about the rest of the night, was the difference in idealistic space crashing together in the physical space between me and Greg. It was like this 18" wide weather system of realities. This was my first time meeting the guy and shaking hands and discussing his work and all that. As a fan I had this really solidified idea of him that I had gleaned and pieced together from his music. What his life has been about, what he must think, his candor about his experiences etc. But seeing him there (he’s much shorter than I imagined) and hearing him speak to things and getting that other 90% of human communication of body language, was someone completely different.

He went from Greg Laswell the idea or voice out of a box, to Greg Laswell, the whiskey drinking guy that forgot to wash his shirt that morning (because he did). There was this precious space between my understanding of the guy and what he wanted me to understand him as that crashed and meet in the foot and a half between us.

The relationship between artist, art and viewer has been debated since the beginning of time, I know. I'm painfully unoriginal, but it’s such an experience, such a mental deflowering, but not in a bad way.

I wasn't let down at all or disgusted by his not knowing me as well as I felt I knew him or being as open as I hoped. That he didn't connect with me like I had connected with him. I mean, I wanted to know why he wrote that song and what he was thinking, but after 30 seconds i knew he wasn't going to really tell me. He was a genuinely pleasant and awesome guy, patient too. Patrick and I have to be quite an experience and getting blindsided by one of us, much less both.... well - it takes a champ.

I'm sure artists deal with that disadvantage of perceived intimacy all the time. It’s got to try your sense of reality after awhile. I don't envy them a jot but I am grateful for ones like Greg.

The show was phenomenal, swelteringly hot, but worth every lost electrolyte.

Seeing Elijah Wood at the valet, Evangeline Lily at the bar and actually briefly meeting Dominic Monaghan was icing on the night.

Man I love LA, and despite it not being very comfortable, I love the Space Between. It keeps me alive you know; feeling, thinking, and wondering. That's art. That's what it’s all about and it’s a realigning experience I hope to have over and over again.

So - see you at The Hotel Cafe next week?

Arcs

So random questions and text and messages from the brother or cousin types aren't a rarity at all.

"What Looney Toons episode was Bugs Bunny a chick? And was it Wayne or Garth that thought he was hot?"

"jumping trashcans should be an Olympic sport"

"Who would win in a fist fight, Nietzsche or Wittgenstein?"

(My money is totally on Nietzsche btw)

So when I got a "Whats your address?" from Patrick it seemed far too much of a normal question. He was either going to drop by that night or I was going to get a puppy in the mail or something.

"Why....." I replied. He laughed at me and then told me he had just finished his CD and wanted to send me a copy.

his CD?.... Erm - I wasn't aware that Pat had a recording contract and if he did I'd be amazed because though the man can move mountains and is worthy of almost every praise possible, he can't carry a tune in a bucket. Perhaps he was exploring beat poetry so I asked -

"What?!"

Apparently he and a few other music connoisseur friend types were engaged in a bit of a competition. It started as a music exchange but then Patrick wanted to "make it interesting" so he made up a theme and they were supposed to make a CD according to that theme. They all send them to each other (the other two are out of state). Patrick had a whole point structure outlined and they all rated each other's stuff and Patrick crowned a winner. I'm not sure what the prize was, bragging rights I suppose, but I thought

What a delightfully constructive creative thing.

And though I laughed at the competitive aspect of it all, I found it fascinating. Mixes with a story, an arc. How delicious. So even though I wasn't part of the contest I still found myself constructing a story in my head with my days worth of iTunes.

The theme Patrick nominated was a "Love to Meltdown" breakup-type mix and heaven knows a silly girl like me has plenty of love songs and break up songs. Its all of my favorite artist's specialty as a matter of fact.

I thought about it for a week or two and got to work, just for fun, and agonized over where a certain song fit in the story arc or what song best tells that part of the story. It was loads of fun. No wonder Patrick was so lit about it.

I decided to do some field research and some of my readers (read: friends) may have gotten a random text asking for their favorite love song and break up song. It was for this. Silly, I know. But like I said before, we Long/Dees types specialize in Charming Random. It's how we roll. :D And I want you to know that I listened to every song that was suggested to me as creative input even if it didn't fit on the arc I'd thought up.

So for those who contributed I figured I owed you a playlist. I found all but one song on iMeem and it's #1 in the line up. So if you're feeling saucy and want the whole experience there it is. I think its one of the strongest songs in the first half of the (meaning my) CD. I was really bummed it wasn't there. Don't people know this is one of the best songs on that album? Gosh!

So if you were wondering:


I'm also incredibly curious to see if I actually told a story. Like, can you see a relationship in between the treble clefs and why they broke up and why it wasn't just a break up but a meltdown?

There Won't be Bluebirds there -

When I was 17 and getting ready to graduate from high school there was a this lovely woman in my ward in Pasadena who was a lifetime member of the Southern California Mormon Choir. She was a good friend and a musical mentor of mine via ward choir and musical #s etc, and and even though it was unheard of for a kid to be in the Southern California Mormon Choir (the average age is somewhere between 40 and 45 I think), she brought me and I was invited to audition and was admitted. It was a thumb-in-the-suspenders moment for me. We sang Messiah at the Dorthy Chandler Pavilion that year even, which is still on my lifetime highlights reel.

Once school was over and I had this thing called a "normal schedule", and in an effort to not let my talents atrophy, I rejoined the choir about two months ago and its been marvelous. I've done a few concerts already but we have a fabulous one coming up that everyone should know about.

Next week-

Tuesday, March 18th

at 7:30 p.m.

at the Alex Theater in Glendale

We are doing selected Messiah choruses with the Glendale Youth Orchestra (and they are excellent).

There is a bit of a cover so lemme know if you're interested and I'll get you all the details. But the bottom line is you get to her me sing!

Well - sort of.... you get to hear a lot of us sing.

And what is Easter without Messiah? I mean - really.

We're also doing a Sunrise Service on Easter Morning in one of the chapels at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills but thats at 6am. I wouldn't ask anyone but crazy people to come to that (but it is free).