The Metro finally has a new website! I really hated their old one, too many pop-up windows to go through and it wasn't overly pretty. This one is much more user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing.

Ah, the Onion . . .

Nation Planning Surprise Birthday Party for Conor Oberst

OMAHA, NE—American citizens are coordinating efforts to lift the spirits of wünderkind singer-songwriter Conor Oberst, sources reported Monday. "I saw Conor's picture in a Spin article about Bright Eyes, and he just looked so down," said Lindsey Keisner of Youngstown, OH, one of the party's 4,000 planners. "The country feels really bad that he's going through such a rough spell, so next Friday, everyone who can should meet in Omaha with balloons, funny cards, and silly little gag gifts." Britt Daniel from Spoon will lure Oberst to Omaha by asking him to overdub some vocals.

So I'm reviewing the new Hot Hot Heat album Elevator for Tinymixtapes, and I've been listening to it pretty much every day at work. It's not exactly a huge departure from their last CD, but I'm not exactly complaining because I can't really imagine how else they would sound. They are just so much fun. Some of the songs are completely irresistable- "Island of the Honest Man," "Middle of Nowhere," "Running Out of Time." The only problem with HHH is their music can wear out quickly- I know after listening to Make Up the Breakdown like, every day for two months, I needed a good year-long break from it. I'll be careful not to make that mistake this time. It comes out on Tuesday, so if you like Hot Hot Heat, I'd recommend at least checking out the new album on iTunes to see what you think. I saw they had a couple of free downloads on Pitchfork as well. I wonder if this is going to blow up on commercial radio- their sound could definitely fit on it, and they are on a major label now!

Thursday, May 19- MIA w/ LCD Soundsystem @ the Metro

Looks like I'll have to make a trek to the Metro box office to buy tickets to this show, Andrew Bird, and Built to Spill all at once to avoid ticketmaster charges . . .

In more Chicago music festival news, which I can't remember if I already posted about or not so I'll just post it anyhow, Pitchfork is curating the Intonation Music Fest at Pulaski Park in Bucktown on July 16 and 17. Apparently WLUW will be a co-sponsor and will be hosting a small record fair. Bands and more info will be posted on the website starting in April.

Speaking of WLUW and record fairs, WLUW is hosting a huge record fair next weekend, April 9 and 10, at the same Pulaski Park fieldhouse mentioned above. Besides all the vinyl dealers that will be selling their records, there will be live music from hip Chicago bands, DJs, 'zine readings, food, and all that other stuff that usually comes along with fun music-related events. It looks like I'll possibly be DJing in one of the rooms from 12-1pm on Saturday, April 9. More info can be found at the record fair website.

Meanwhile, looks like Craigslist Missed Connections readers have decided to emerge from behind their computers for drinking:

Join other starry-eyed optimists who read Craigslist MC's...
Wednesday evening at DUFFY'S
420 West Diversey, Chicago
starting at 6:30 PM.

So e-mail your friends, spread the word, come to Duffy's Tonight and introduce yourself to all the (opposite sex) with reckless abandon.

As a bonus: This party was reserved at Duffy's with FREE DOMESTIC DRAFT BEER from 6:30 until 8:30 PM.

This might intrigue me, if I didn't hate Duffy's. I wonder how many missed connections will be posted the next day about this event?

Lollapalooza '05 news: Looks like rather than book an entire Lollapalooza tour, Perry Farrell & Co. will have the festival in only one city- Chicago! It's going to be July 23 and 24 in Grant Park. This is very cool. That is, if they stick with the indie-centric music from last year's ill-fated attempt at Lollapalooza and not the mainstream rock bands from it's earlier incarnations. Of course, mainstream rock bands sell tickets, and apparently indie bands don't. The official Lollapalooza website goes up April 1st.

There's an article in the Chicago Sun Times about my company today, for those of you who don't really know what it is I do. Actually, reading this probably won't provide that much insight, but hey, here it is anyway.

I've added the Decemberists new album to the Recommended Listening page after listening to it quite a bit over my vacation. The first paragraph of Pitchfork's review of it sums up perfectly how I feel about it; I also thought the last album, though good, got a bit excessively epic and weird, and Picaresque brings them back to the more subtle songwriting of Castaways and Cutouts while still telling interesting and bizarre stories.

I'm back in town! And I have a raging cold!

My mission for the next day or so is to catch up on updating upcoming shows that I've missed over the past few days, as well as catch up on tinymixtapes stuff that has been building up.

What will probably actually happen is I'll sit on the couch watching Seinfeld reruns and coughing until 9, when I'll go to bed and lay there for two hours because 9 here is actually 7 Seattle time.

http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=323

Vancouver is like, the coolest city EVER . . .

After Chicago of course.

Bloc Party tonight!

Word up . . . I'm hijacking Tori's computer while she gets ready. Then we're off to Vancouver for the night, a hot romantic evening for two . . .

In other exciting news, we're going to see Bloc Party this Saturday night at a small venue called Neumos! Gotta get in on the next big thing just before they become too big for me to bother anymore . . .

Alrighty, I'm off to Seattle in the morning! And I'll be seeing YOU Liz in just a couple days!!!

SPRING BREAK WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

No biggie, Nicki. I'll keep trying and it'll work soon, I know it! I just listened to the new Decemberists cd as well - I quite enjoyed it; it seems a little more rockin then their other stuff, which I'll all for.

Now, I'm waiting for a re-run of MTV's PowerGirls. I love spring break. Oh, and I love wireless internet, since it allows me to surf the internet and watch tv on my couch at the same time. It might result in me failing out of law school, though.

In less frustrating news, I just wanted to say how much I like the new Decemberists CD. The first two songs, "Infanta" and "We Both Go Down Together" (a rousing ditty about joint suicide) are probably two of the best songs they've ever written. I've been on a bit of a break from the Decemberists for awhile, but now I think they are going to be back on the forefront of my listening habits.

Oh for the LOVE OF GOD. Well at least I know my feed is accessible. Even though it's not letting people ACCESS anything. Anyhoo, thanks for trying it out, I shall look into it!

If you have an FTP program (I downloaded one for free called SmartFTP), then I can send them to you speedily that way. That is, once I figure out how to do that. Right now I only know how to FTP files to my website. But as long as we are both online at the same time, I know it is possible!

Nicole - I downloaded i-podder, but your show says there are no episodes for me to listen to. My questions: 1). Am I just really stupid? 2). Do you know how I can get your old shows?

My Les Georges Leningrad review is up on TMT. They're coming back to Chicago in May with crazy German dance duo Stereo Total at the Abbey Pub, who apparently also have a ridiculous live show. I will definitely be attending that one.

So I *think* I've gotten this podcasting thing taken care of. Assuming this works, if anyone wants to try their hand at podcasting my show (and see if it downloads it faster than it currently does by just saving it), feel free to go ahead and let me know how it works. Podcasting software and instructions can be found here at iPodder.org, and my podcasting feed is:

http://pffrpodcast.blogspot.com/atom.xml

According to a podcasting validator I used, this should be set up correctly. Don't click on it, you're supposed to copy and paste it into the podcasting software.

NOTE: You don't actually have to have an iPod/mp3 player to podcast, just iTunes or some other type of music player on your computer.

I should add that this was a huge pain in the ass. It will all be worth it once I'm a huge underground podcasting sensation.

Meanwhile, look at this poll a Chicago news/talk radio station had posted on their website. Could the poll answers be any more loaded?

Terri Schiavo:

Should be permitted a peaceful end to her suffering.
33%
Shouldn't be starved to death.
67%

Now I'm not a huge Fiona Apple fan or anything, but the story of her unreleased album is intriguing me. If you didn't know, she apparently finished up her next album in 2003, but Sony decided not to release it because none of the songs were "single-worthy" (at least, that is the alleged situation. I'm sure Sony says differently). So they've been sitting on it for well over a year now. Anyhoo, the album has now been temporarily leaked online- if anyone is interested in hearing it, it's available here for now. You'd think major labels would have learned from Wilco by now, because if this album ever makes it out, it's going to go platinum just for the story.

Live Band Karoke this weekend at the Pontiac Cafe continued to rule, with my solo debut of Cake's "The Distance" just making it in before bar time (and only after bitching out the MC). Gotta love songs where you don't actually have to sing. It may not have been quite as entertaining as Becky's and my rendition of the Cure's "Just Like Heaven" on New Year's Day, but it was still fun nonetheless. One step closer to being the rock star I know I'm meant to be :) .

The mostly-official Party in the Park lineup:

and you will know us by the trail of dead
appleseed cast
dumate
the profits
ang 13
awesome car funmaker
groovie ghoulies
red chemist
deal's gone bad
northern pines band
ova
the Ms
something to do
czarbles
que flavor
blake thomas
the downtown brown

Hmmmm. This is a quality line-up. The Appleseed Cast and the Ms have now very much sweetened the pot. Should I go?

Fun Andrew Bird news, courtesy of the Andrew Bird newsletter:

1) Last week Andrew played live on the radio in Minneapolis on the music-friendly new public radio station here in town. You can listen to the archived session here: And please note! There is a brand new song called “Dark Matter” that he just wrote a few days ago – you can hear it there for the first time (unless you came to the Minneapolis show, in which case you’ve already heard it live) http://minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/services/thecurrent/instudio.php

2) For more radio excitement, you can tune into his live BLACK SESSION in Paris next Monday March 21 @ 9 PM Paris time, you can listen online @ http://www.radiofrance.fr/chaines/france-inter01/emissions/lenoir/

And speaking of the Decemberists . . .

. . . all their shit's been stolen! The accordion too? Say it ain't so!

This morning's show is up and features music from the new Brendan Benson album and the new Decemberists album, which, as the homepage states, includes the most hilarious pictures ever of the band in utterly ridiculous costumes. If anyone was thinking of buying either of these albums, I have Amazon links to them on the Archived Shows page.

It looks like . . . And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead will be the Party in the Park headliners at James Madison Park this spring, April 23. This may be worth going back to Madison for, even though 1) Trail of Dead put on a terrible live show at Coachella last year and 2) Their new album isn't so hot. At least, not as enjoyable as Source Tags and Codes. However, I've heard people say that TOD is good live, which makes me think Coachella may have been a fluke- also, the PITP stage will be too small for them to have two (unnecessary) drummers, and they can't be sloppy drunk since alcohol isn't sold. Hmmmm . . . we'll await the rest of the lineup before making a decision.

Just bought a ticket for Magnolia Electric Co (formerly Songs: Ohia) at Schubas April 9, 7:00 PM. If anyone is interested, apparently I can get a free appetizer for eating at their restaurant before the show . . . early show, plenty of time to go out afterwards . . . high quality folk-rock . . .

Sigh. I wish I were blogging from South by Southwest right now.

Though at this time next week, I may be blogging from Seattle!

Check out this random Ted Leo cover of Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone," with some Yeah Yeah Yeah's "Maps" action thrown in for good measure.

Hmmmmm . . . Pitchforkmedia appears to be curating a music festival at a park by my apartment this summer. I've always wondered what editor-in-chief Ryan Schreiber looked like.

The first sign of the apocalypse: A Kidz Bop version of Float On. You know Kidz Bop- those commercials for albums where a bunch of kids sing pop songs? Now they're doing Modest Mouse.

If that wasn't enough, here's an even more amusing version of Blink 182's All the Small Things. Less offensive to my indie rock sensibilities, more offensive to my ears.

Tonight in Chicago: Q and Not U are DJing at Rodan, 1530 N. Milwaukee. In related news, they're replacing Liz Armstrong, who was supposed to DJ. Someday I'll go there and see her DJ, just to put a face to the column.

Apparently I'm not the only one who hates Liz Armstrong's Chicago Antisocial column in the Reader, because someone has actually dedicated an entire blog to it. For those who don't know, she writes a weekly column detailing the parties she went to that weekend in words and photos. I understand the concept is supposed to be tongue-in-cheek, but it just doesn't come off that way. I was alerted to this blog by Gaper's Block, which has a couple of links to some of her past columns since they aren't archived on the Reader's website. I think my dislike for her began when she called Mouse on Mars "fratboy party music" or something along those lines after the Hideout Block Party.

Hurray! I am on (my last official) Spring Break, someone just lent me Futurama season 1 & 2, and due to the bandwidth upgrades on the site I am able to download the shows at nigh light speed. With St. Patrick's Day on the horizon could life be any better? Only with the resurrection!

Check it out- it's Paris Hilton's application to trademark the phrase "that's hot." Does this mean I'll have to pay her every time I play a dance song on my radio show?

This morning's show mp3 should be posted later this evening; my free 30 day trial for the FTP program I was using to upload it ended, so I need to find a different piece of software to try for free for another 30 days. I also burned the new Boom Bip album and last year's Styrofoam, which I'd been wanting for awhile but never got around to. They are both really awesome- Boom Bip's all instrumental prettiness and Styrofoam is indie-tronica with guest vocals by Ben Gibbard (DCFC) and Andrew Kenney (AmAnSet) and a few others and guest guitars by Marcus Acher of the Notwist. I played both on my show today, so check it out man.

Conveniently, there's also an interesting interview with Dave Eggers in today's Salon.com (non-members will have to watch a 15-second commercial to read it). I find him so fascinating. Looks like a movie is being made of A Heartbreaking Work, and that Nick Hornby (High Fidelity) wrote the screenplay.

Here's something new for me, a literary posting!

I'm joining a book club through gapersblock.com, a blog about all things Chicago. Thus, the books featured in the club are all related to Chicago in some way. The first book is Hairstyles of the Damned by Joe Meno, which was published on Punk Planet's new book imprint. Here's the intro to the book and information about the book club if anyone is interested. The book is supposedly a Catcher in the Rye if Holden Caulfield were a punk rock kid growing up on the south side of Chicago.

In related book news, the Metro is hosting a book reading (random, I know), featuring the aforementioned Joe Meno and everyone's favorite renegade author and publisher, Dave Eggers, author of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, McSweeney's founder, Believer publisher, etc. etc. etc. DAVE EGGERS people! This is extremely cool. And free!

Wednesday, March 23
Columbia College Story Week 2005 presents...
"The Politics of Story: Literary Rock 'N Roll"
Readings from:
DAVE EGGERS
KAYLIE JONES
JOE MENO
comedy from THE WARM-UPS
music by SCOTLAND YARD GOSPEL CHOIR
Tickets Free
All Ages
Doors: 6pm / Show: 6:45pm

Radio Free Chicago night is tonight at Alive One- I'll be playing at about 10:00 PM, so don't be too late!

My Low and Pedro the Lion show review is up today on TMT. Also note the BUILT TO SPILL tour news . . . I should probably buy my ticket to that soon, so if anyone is interested in going, let me know . . .

An Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie? I don't know if my attention span can handle it!

My unconventional Andrew Bird review is up today on tinymixtapes.

Continuing in my pledge to put music up more often on the recommended listening page, I've added Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (a.k.a. Will Oldham) and Matt Sweeney's Superwolf collaboration. More dark folk from Mr. Oldham with more guitar than in I See a Darkness (also a must-have album). "Only Someone Running" is an absolutely amazing song. I plan on playing it on the show this Friday.

New Sufjan Stevens album out in July all about Illinois!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmenomena.

So it appears that I may have set my show up for podcasting through blogger and submitted my podcast to every podcasting directory that will have me (ipodder.org, podcast.net, every other one that appeared when I typed "podcast directory" into google). I suppose the only way to find out if this actually worked is to download podcasting software and try to podcast myself. That will be step number 2, accomplished sometime soon.

If anyone else already podcasts, is bored and has time to set themselves up to podcast, etc. and wants to see if they can podcast me, that would rule. My show is called "The Perfect Face for Radio" on every directory, so that's the way to search for it. They might not all be up yet, since I just submitted them about 5 minutes ago. Otherwise, once I have done it myself, I can put up step-by-step instructions on how to do it- then once you've subscribed to my show, it will automatically download to your iPod every time you plug in. And voila!

Hmmm, my 3am post doesn't entirely seem to make sense, but I'll leave it up that way.

Tonight: Pit Er Pat w/ Menomena and Canasta at the Empty Bottle. Hopefully the musical hottness will not have diminished since the last time I saw them. Mmmmmmmmmmenomena.

SDF(*&$WR*Y$HIFU(*$#&%$#HK_*&%&$#

3:46 am: Went to bed at 7:45 last night because I was really tired while band practiced below. Woke up at 8:30 because the awful band practicing downstairs (since 6 PM mind you) had PUMPED UP THE VOLUME. Finally at 9:00 I had to go downstairs and talk to them in my sweetest midwestern accent. Then I got back upstairs and couldn't fall asleep until 10:30.

Long story short: I'm really cranky this morning.

So apparently my brilliant idea for the Chicago El Circle Line has actually been discussed by the CTA. At least, in the "conceptual" sense.

So Thrill Jockey has a special DVD out now, and according to radiofreechicago.org, the Chicago label will be celebrating at the Tower Records on Clark and Fullerton with a big showcase. The lineup is:

2:00-2:30 PM The Zincs / Janet Bean
2:40-3:00 PM Lonesome Organist
3:10-3:30 PM All Natural
3:40-4:00 PM Califone
4:10-4:30 PM Freakwater
4:40-5:00 PM Bobby Conn
5:10-5:30 PM Edward Wilkerson Quartet
5:40-6:00 PM Eleventh Dream Day

I'm thinking of checking out Lonesome Organist and Califone, and possibly sticking around for Bobby Conn if I'm not too tired.

Fun interview with Death From Above 1979 from nerve.com.

Yet another fantabulous show to add to my calendar:

Thursday, April 28- Of Montreal w/ Tilly and the Wall and Why? @ the Abbey Pub

Tilly and the Wall has a tap dancer in place of a drummer, Of Montreal's last album Satanic Panic in the Attic was in my top 10 of 2004, and Why? mixes hip-hop and indie rock in a way that is uniquely pleasing to my indie rock needs. I gots to ease into the whole hip-hop thing slowly, man.

Also, I think I've said things similar to this lately regarding my choice of personal e-mail provider.

My guest DJ set is all coming together. Details can be found here at the Radio Free Chicago website for the first monthly Radio Free Chicago party next Wednesday night at Alive One, by the intersection of Diversey and Halsted. I'm still "TBA" because we are in the process of working out my official DJ name, which will be revealed shortly. Still not sure exactly what kind of music I'll be playing, but once we get me a name and a persona, that should follow.

More information to come!

There is talk of a potential "guest DJ" gig at Alive One next Wednesday . . . I'll keep everyone updated on the details as more information comes in . . .

Just added the new Andrew Bird album, "Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs" to the recommended page after finishing up my review of it for tinymixtapes. It's kind of a bizarre review due to the bad case of writer's block I had in trying to convey my undying love for Andrew Bird. His voice is so purdy. I'll post it when it goes up on TMT.

Hmmmm, my hits appear to have surpassed the 10,000 mark.

Pre-order your Harry Potter books now! Just scroll to the bottom of the blog. I tried to put the graphic IN the blog, but it doesn't seem to want to let me do that. I can't tell how large or annoying that graphic might be because the formatting of the screen on my work computer is really weird.