Gossip Girl

I feel compelled to rave about The Gossip's concert at Webster Hall last night.

For the first hour or so, the concert was good. No complaints. Here's a clip of "Yr Mangled Heart." But when the band launched into "Standing in the Way of Control," the performance soared to Amazing level. I literally thought Webster was going to implode amidst the energy of a sell-out crowd jumping, singing and rushing the stage during the encore.

Singer Beth Ditto was predictably outspoken, waxing philosophical on politics and media conglomerates' coverage of music and celebrities, and shooing a bouncer away when he tried to prevent a fan from jumping on stage during the show's closer "Listen Up" — which led to about 40 audience members following suit. Ditto eventually jumped (er, tepidly climbed down) into the crowd and it was like Palm Sunday a month too late - with fans clamoring to grab her hand as she led everyone in a self-affirming chant of "You Are Important!" while at the same time probably pondering how the hell she was going to hoist herself back on stage (eventually she just sort of walked back towards the front of the venue and headed backstage). I'm hoping a video of this lands on YouTube. It was really something to behold, and a really uplifting, positive message.

Also, what other concert can you go to where you'll hear both an Aaliyah cover (prefaced by Ditto saying "We're sorry we did this to you") and a rendition of "Careless Whisper" (video to come, I hope)?

King of the Road

Kaki King's show at the Bowery Ballroom last week was predictably awesome, capped off with a rousing rendition of Bubonix' "Fashion Tattoo." It's nice to see that Kaki is reaching out and exploring different musical genres like, you know, German hardcore.

Check out a clip from the show here.

In other news ...

I received minimal heckling this weekend while I was out and about in Red Sox wear. Probably a lot less than Gino Castignoli.

And finally, for your reading pleasure, here are links to a couple of articles I've come across in the past few days that really held my interest.

First, this depressing piece from New York Magazine about Dr. Ramon Torres, a leading physician in the early fight against AIDS who eventually became a crystal meth addict.

And second, Yvonne Abraham's column in today's Boston Globe — her first after a long maternity leave hiatus — about her personal experience with the naturalization process.

Both really well-written and captivating stories.

Evil Empire in my backyard

Ever since I decided to move to New York, I knew this day would come, and I've been preparing for it with a mixture of excitement and apprehension, joy and fear. And it's finally arrived (almost).

This weekend marks my first Red Sox-Yankees series as a New York resident. Luckily a friend and fellow Sox fan has offered to take me to a Sox bar to watch the games, where I can don my "2007 World Champions" T-shirt and hat and (hopefully) not get a beer thrown in my direction. I'm picturing a Red Sox bar in New York to be a little like the underground warehouse in "Fight Club." Like, maybe the first rule is you don't talk about Eric Gagne, and I'll have to name the starting rotation in order just to gain admittance.

Life has been pretty easy for me as a Sox fan in the Big Apple so far. While I don't wear my Sox pride on my sleeve, I've "outed" myself as a fan on a few occasions - with mixed results. A guy who works at my gym, happy to find an ally in the city, offered me a free sports drink after I paid my membership fee with a Red Sox check. On the other hand, there was also the MTA worker who responded "Not with that card" when, during my second week here, I inquired about purchasing a subway pass and slipped my Sox MasterCard through the window.

But let's face it. I moved here in the December-January time frame. New York sports fans had other things on their minds. Now it's baseball season, and Sox and Yankees fans know that the race for the AL East practically begins in the offseason.

So we'll see what happens this weekend. I'm feeling pretty good about the series, and I hope the good guys give me at least two reasons to wear my World Series shirt with pride next Monday - even if it is stained with beer.

My poor, neglected blog

So I realize I've been a little lax with the posting lately. I wrote four articles for Blast this month, and while I'd like to use that as an excuse, the truth is ... I'm just lazy.

Anyway, check out my Blast articles on:

Kaki King
Great Northern
The Raveonettes
and
The Gutter Twins

Highlights of the past few weeks:

-The Great Northern/Gutter Twins show at Webster Hall was amazing. I can't say enough about Great Northern, which you can probably tell from the article.
-The Raveonettes show at the Bowery Ballroom was also great. I still maintain that they are a band whose records don't do them justice. Go see them live if you want to get a real feel for their sound.

And now baseball season is starting! Life is good:).

Hooray for me!

I'm normally not one to "toot my own horn" (as my mother would say), but I was excited to learn last week that I won the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association's Keystone Press Award for Best Feature in our category (Division IV) for "New Arrests, Old Wounds," an article I wrote while I was at the Press Enterprise last year. I'm hoping to get an electronic copy of the story soon that I can post it here.

Gary Busey, Batshit Crazy

To anyone who missed Gary Busey's amazing red-carpet assault of Ryan Seacrest, Laura Linney and Jennifer Garner before the Oscars, check it out now. Jennifer Garner's face when Busey mauls her ("Where's Ben?!?") is priceless and better than anything she ever did in Juno.

Best exchange:

Ryan Seacrest: "I'm a little nervous."
Jennifer Garner: "I don't blame you."

My favorite moment of the night. I'm giddy right now.

I'd like to thank the Academy

I'll be liveblogging the Oscars later today over at Blast (provided technology cooperates). Check it out during the show for updates and witty commentary.

Until then, here are my predictions and wishful musings in the major categories:

Best Editing:
Should Win: The Bourne Ultimatum
Will Win: No Country for Old Men



Best Cinematography:
Should Win: There Will Be Blood or The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Will Win: Atonement

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Should Win: Ronald Harwood, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Will Win: Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

Best Original Screenplay:
Should Win: Tamara Jenkins, The Savages
Will Win: Diablo Cody, Juno

Best Song:
Should Win: "Society," Eddie Vedder (Into the Wild) (not nominated)
Will Win: "That's How You Know," Enchanted

Best Score:
Should Win: Gone Baby Gone (not nominated)
Will Win: Atonement

Best Documentary:
Should Win: No End in Sight
Will Win: No End in Sight

Best Supporting Actor:
Should Win: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
Will Win: Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men

Best Supporting Actress:
Should Win: Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Will Win: Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone

Best Actor:
Should Win: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Will Win: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

Best Actress:
Should Win: Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose or Laura Linney, The Savages
Will Win: Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose

Best Director:
Should Win: Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Will Win: Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

Best Picture:
Should Win: No Country for Old Men
Will Win: No Country for Old Men