Awhile ago I posted about this blog where two co-workers that were secretly dating made bets with each other. The Chicago Reader had an article about them. Apparently "Olive" went to UW and was a journalism major! She's my age, I wonder if I know her . . .

Time to start easing myself back into the music scene as the anticipation of tons more free time looms. I got myself tickets to Cat Power at the Vic 2/28 and will pick up a couple for Stars and the Elected at the Metro 2/17. Then it's a trip to Reckless for the new Cat Power, Plastic Constellations, and possibly Tapes 'N Tapes, if it's not too obscure for our humble Reckless. I haven't been to a show since Calexico/Iron and Wine in December- I hope I don't get culture shock!

From Salon.com, this is hilarious:

The BBC has announced plans to celebrate Easter with a televised procession through the streets of Manchester, England, using "popular music from the cream of Manchester bands" in "a contemporary retelling of the last few hours of Jesus' life." Highlights, according to the Guardian, will include Jesus singing "the legendary Joy Division anthem 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'" before "dueting" with "his arch-betrayer Judas on the New Order hit 'Blue Monday.'" Mary Magdalene will then "sing the Buzzcocks hit 'Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't Have)' accompanied by a string band" while "the climax of the event sees Jesus sing the Smiths' classic song 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now' as he is being flayed by Roman soldiers. He will then come face to face with his Roman prosecutor Pontius Pilate with the two of them singing a duet of the Oasis hit 'Wonderwall.'"

I should also add that, as a former Best Buy employee, his schpiel about the great and helpful indie record store clerk and the apathetic Best Buy employee is sadly probably backwards. Most BB employees are overly enthusiastic about helping you, and most indie clerks could care less about helping me and probably sneer at my purchases. But that's why we love them, right?

Here's some record store owner's manifesto that's been making the rounds about Best Buy's recent plunge into selling indie albums on the cheap and how it's going to affect indie record shops. He claims that indie labels/distributors are selling it to Best Buy cheaper to get it into their stores and that someone needs to set these labels straight. Not sure where he got this information, since that would be illegal price discrimination. He also appears to compare the plight of the indie record store to that of Martin Luther King Jr. Right. I might have to echo Macky Ole's sentiments in the smoking ordinance comments section with regard to this. Best Buy can sell CDs at whatever price they want to. So you can buy the new Cat Power for $7.99 (which I probably won't do, purely because Reckless is up the street and Best Buy is a drive)- you still can't probably can't get 90% of what indie stores have to offer.

Here's some record store owner's manifesto that's been making the rounds about Best Buy's recent plunge into selling indie albums on the cheap and how it's going to affect indie record shops. He claims that indie labels/distributors are selling it to Best Buy cheaper to get it into their stores and that someone needs to set these labels straight. Not sure where he got this information, since that would be illegal price discrimination. He also appears to compare the plight of the indie record store to that of Martin Luther King Jr. I night have to echo Macky Ole's sentiments in the smoking ordinance comments section with regard to this- Best Buy can sell CDs at whatever price they want to. So you can buy the new Cat Power for $7.99 (which I probably won't do, purely because Reckless is up the street and Best Buy is a drive)- you still can't probably can't get 90% of what indie stores have to offer.

Lot's of talk about this upcoming Rollingstone cover with Kanye as Jesus.



Seems like controversy just for the sake of controversy to me.

I realize I'm a bit late to the game with this, but I've just discovered the Futureheads' cover of "Hounds of Love," originally by Kate Bush, and it is GLORIOUS. Played it this morning and had a dance party in the studio. Ok, not really, but it's ridiculously great. Makes me wonder what the original sounded like, since I have had absolutely no exposure to Ms. Bush.

I really have no idea what to think of this entire story.

Here's a nice rundown of Hollywood movies to expect in 2006. "X3"? Yes please! "World Trade Center"? No, thanks.

Good show this morning, lots of random stuff and a few interesting new releases, including foreign buzz bands Test Icicles and AIDS Wolf, two of the worst band names to grace an album cover, the new collaboration from Tortoise and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy featuring classic song covers, and a new band from Minneapolis that's been getting some press, Tapes 'N Tapes, which is pretty quirky indie-pop that I think I'm going to have to investigate further. They're so Minnesotan, their album is called "The Loon."

Also, I played an Abstract Giants track called "Internal Auditory." I think it's an accounting pun.

Hey everyone,

The PFFR is back (finally!) tomorrow morning from 6-8am. Not sure how many great new releases there are yet this year to feature, but it will be nice to be back on the air. Look for the podcast to be available tomorrow night.

In other news, I'll be splitting duties keeping Radio Free Chicago up and running over the next couple weeks while Brad is out in LA working on a film project. Don't be surprised if some of my posts just reflect posts from this blog.

Apparently Apple has usurped the Postal Service's "Such Great Heights" video (the CD-making plant) for a new IMac commercial, and they ain't too happy about it.

I saw a preview for a new TV show called "Love Monkey" and thought it was the stupidest name for a show I'd ever heard. Also, it stars Jason Priestley. Now more information about the show has been presented to me, and apparently it's music-related: it's about a 30-something bachelor who is fired from his big A&R job for a big record label and gets a new job for an indie. Money quote as he realizes what's really important to him: "Money shouldn't be our goal. You know what our goal should be? Finding the music and putting the music out there that will change people's lives, because that is the power and beauty of music." Meanwhile, he tries to find love in New York City.

The new Cat Power album comes out on Tuesday! That'll be my first CD purchase of the year and I'm excited. I'm also being told that the new Liars album, Drum's Not Dead, is supposed to be pretty great, but I'll have to wait until it comes out in March to hear for myself, since I don't really download things in advance any more. Also in the pipeline is the new Built to Spill in April- the song they have posted on their myspace page is pretty great and a Perfect From Now On-esque 9+ minutes long- 5 years off may have done them some good!

What other upcoming 2006 albums should I be excited about?

I saw on the Red Eye this morning that the White Stripes are going to be on a Simpsons episode this fall! Apparently Homer gets Bart a drumkit, and there's a scene where Bart's drumming up and down the street like in the "Hardest Button to Button" video (great video), and then he runs into the White Stripes. As anyone who's seen Coffee and Cigarettes can attest to, let's hope Meg doesn't talk too much.

Here's one man's interesting response to seeing Brokeback Mountain. It's definitely a movie that stays with you for awhile. I loved it.

Looks like the Metro falls under Chicago's new smoking ordinance, and all shows there are now smoke free!

Bad news- I'm sick today, so my first show back will be pushed back until next Tuesday. Sorry!

HA!

Q101's response to Millenium Park's denying Radiohead for an orchestra practice is funny.

My iPod is on shuffle, and no matter how many times I've pressed skip because I'm not in the mood, it is absolutely demanding that I listen to Low's "Monkey" from the Great Destroyer. I've finally acquiesced (sp?) and shall listen to it all the way through.

Sometimes the iPod's shuffle mode just fixates on certain songs or albums and can't seem to let go. Very odd.

Also from Gapers Block today, a link to blog Tuning Fork Media: a site that reviews Pitchfork reviews. Still not as good as the David Cross reviews though.

Ha! From Gapers Block today, for fans of WTTW's Check Please:

What, Nobody Tried the Mead?
If anyone's looking for me at 8pm on Friday, I'll be on the couch, nachos in hand, checking out what may well prove to be the best Check, Please! of all time. All three guests are children (around 10 years old, from the looks of 'em), and two of the three restaurants they went to were---wait for it---Ed Debevic's and Medieval Times. The mind boggles.
- Nathaniel | 10.01.06 ~ Radio/TV

Looks like Radiohead will be coming to Chicago in June, but unfortunately, it won't be at Millenium Park because the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has to practice there instead. Lame.

Lindsay Lohan and her indie rock magazine featuring Devendra Banhart on the cover?!?!

Lou Rawls died this morning. I especially enjoy this quote from the article: "The singer was as well known for his charitable activities as he was for his smooth four-octave range."

According to Liz's blog, Justin Timberlake ("JT") is coming out with a new album this summer. This puts me in the mood for some "Cry Me a River." It's been too long!

I enjoyed this article because it has the word "smote" in the headline and because it's about craaaaazy Pat Robertson.

Pete Townshend thinks my iPod is causing my earache, too.

Looks like a big week of benefit concerts is coming up to support a local music guy named Gary Schepers who got diabetes without health insurance and has lots-'o bills to pay. There should be some way artists can pool together and get group health care somehow. Or, you know, like a national health care plan or something. Anyhoo, Califone at the Hideout, Jeff Tweedy solo at the Abbey Pub (?!?!?!?), and Jeff Tweedy's son's band the Blisters (which you may have seen in a ridiculously cute quaker oats commercial)- not a bad deal.

A sad little review of the P4k new year's eve show last Saturday on radiofreechicago, making me very glad I didn't go. A sharp, sharp contrast to the GLORY that was their show at Schubas, probably the best show I saw in 2005. Don't judge Wolf Parade's live show by this review though! Like I said, they'll be back in '06 at a superior venue (though not as superior as Schubas, I'm sure).

According to this study, women with un-sexy partners are more likely to cheat.

Seriously, am I paying for stuff like this?

I seem to remember last year around this time there already being a lot of buzz for hot new acts of 2005- Bloc Party, MIA come immediately to mind. I feel like I haven't heard much similar buzz about up-and-coming 2006 bands this time around, though I could very well be out of the loop. Who should I be anticipating great things from?

I guess the Strokes show is at Park West tomorrow, Jan. 3, and I'm assuming it's sold out (I'm only now catching up on music emails from the holiday weekend).

Back to work tomorrow after a few days off galavanting around Madisonand Chicago- boo!

Here's a pitchfork writer's defense of Pitchfork's inclusion of so much mainstream rap on their year-end top 50, and their general movement toward mainstream rap coverage in general.

Here's a link to someone's best videos of 2005, with links to watch each video. Definitely some good ones on there!

Here's an intriguing article about the rise and fall of Lookout! Records.

From Q101.com:

"The Strokes will be coming to downtown Chicago on January 3rd to play an exclusive Q101 Show at a very small venue. Listen to Q101 Thursday (12/29) at 5pm for the official concert annoucement including venue location, onsale info for the general public, etc."

Hmmm, wonder what their definition of a "very small venue" is?

From Dr. D: Who wants New Year's Eve Wolf Parade tickets for $200?

Seriously, I think Coldplay tickets at the Metro didn't go for much more than that. Aren't indie rockers supposed to be poor? And smart enough to realize that they'll be back again in 2006 at a reasonably-sized venue such as the Metro?

This morning on the bus, a guy got on who was still SHAVING.

So glad this is only a two-day week for me.

Office Xmas party, part three:

Well the pictures were developed and put out on the company network. There is definitely more than one picture like this:

Good lord, Mogwai is playing at the Logan Square Auditorium on March 1. That is a very small venue for the LOUDEST BAND EVER TO GRACE THE STAGE. I came late to the Curiosa festival two summers ago to catch only their last song, and even in the Tweeter Center's huge outdoor amphitheatre, my ears were bleeding within seconds. I think their live show could be used as a torture device in the War Against Terrorism.

The show scene has been unbelievably dry for awhile now, though a few are starting to pop up on the horizon (horizon being February and March). Here's some I'll have my eye on:

Friday, February 17: Stars at the Metro
Sunday, February 26: Cat Power w/ the Memphis Blues Band at the Vic Theatre (word is she's getting less shy on stage!)
Friday, March 3: Matthew Dear as Audion at the Smart Bar (I have still to check out the Audion album, but I hear it's quality sexed-up techno-rock, so this could be a hotttt time)
Saturday, March 11: Stereolab at the Vic Theatre
Saturday, March 18: Akron/Family w/ Larsen at the Empty Bottle (very excited for this, I've heard their live show is amazing and if I hadn't gotten their album so late in the year, it probably would have made my top 25)
Friday, March 24: Scout Niblett at Schubas (she's FABULOUSLY weird live)

The big TMT year-end extravaganza is up now, check it out and waste away your day like I have been going through everything. No big surprise with our #1, in my opinion. I think my favorite part is Matt Weir's drawing/description of Animal Collective's "Grass."

Here's my top 25:

25. Spoon- Gimme Fiction
24. Royksopp- The Understanding
23. Bloc Party- Silent Alarm
22. Xiu Xiu- La Foret
21. Stars- Set Yourself on Fire
20. M83- Before the Dawn Heals Us
19. MIA- Arular
18. Broken Social Scene- Broken Social Scene
17. Caribou- Milk of Human Kindness
16. Thunderbirds Are Now!- Justamustache
15. Robot Ate Me- Carousel Waltz
14. Architecture in Helsinki- In Case We Die
13. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
12. Bonnie Prince Billy and Matt Sweeney- Superwolf
11. New Pornographers- Twin Cinema
10. Antony and the Johnsons- I Am a Bird Now
09. LCD Soundsystem- LCD Soundsystem
08. The Hold Steady- Separation Sunday
07. Sleater-Kinney- The Woods
06. The Decemberists- Picaresque
05. Andrew Bird- & the Mysterious Production of Eggs
04. The National- Alligator
03. Sufjan Stevens- Illinois
01. Animal Collective- Feels (tie)
01. Wolf Parade- Apologies to the Queen Mary (tie)

From Gapers Block, here's a profile of Jay Ryan in the Chicago Sun-Times. He doesn't look like I'd pictured him.

Parade of cute animals into fire!

P4k's top 50 albums of the year is out now, thankfully not the same day as TMT's or I'd be spending all day at work looking at year-end music websites. What's up with the picture they've got on the front page? I don't know if I get it- it's like New York skyscrapers with a Logan Square street sign in front. Whatever.

I'm down with Sufjan as #1, but much of the rest of their list leaves some things to be desired. I still don't get this Art Brut band and what makes them so fascinating, other than they're supposed to be ironic or something. I don't get why albums that they consider "best new music" during the year don't even make the top 50 (Architecture in Helsinki, Black Mountain, Caribou). Andrew Bird is sorely missing, even though the site raved about him fairly regularly and gave "Fake Palindromes" five stars.

The idea of a top singles list also doesn't make total sense to me, since I'm not sure what makes something a "single" anymore. I'll stand by Kelly Clarkson at #4, Antony's "Hope There's Someone" was a nice change of pace at #1, but most of it is mainstream rap singles with random indie stuff thrown in the midst. Why is Animal Collective's "Grass" considered a single while nothing from Illinois can get single status? Stylus Magazine's top singles were also very, very odd choices.

Still have no clue what will be on TMT's top 25 tomorrow, other than Sufjan of course! We have a nice "song" list that is purely writers blurbing about some of our favorite songs of the year. Once again, take a wild guess what I added to the list.

My work X-Mas party antics and calling-in sick message at 3 AM continued to follow me today back at work, where I was called in for an "impromptu meeting" and presented with the sounds of Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone," as well as my phone message and one that came before it that I'd completely forgotten about that was made from the bar (both of which had apparently been played mercilessly on Friday). I find it hard to believe that NO ONE did anything crazier than I did, but apparently, that is not the case (although one man's wife went into labor the next morning when he was quite possibly still drunk).

DJ LAZER!!!

Sigh . . . if only DJ Lazer were coming home for New Year's Eve again . . .

Meanwhile, while I thankfully didn't make out with anyone or trash the CEO's car, I did start drinking at 4 PM, get soaked in white wine, call someone I'd just met by the entirely wrong name several times, and end up on the bathroom floor calling in sick at 2 am (a message that certainly must have made it around the office Friday morning). At least I was instructed by my boss that I could only call in sick if it was from the bathroom floor, so no harm done. I requested Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone" from the DJ, but he ignored my plea :( .

For better or for worse, former PFFR co-host Rockey aka DJ Lazer aka Flying Squirrel is back on the airwaves: http://radio.gothamgirlsrollerderby.com/

My plans for tonight. If no one makes out in front of everyone or gets fired tomorrow for jumping on the CEO's Jaguar, it won't be a real party.

I've been assigned to write a 200 word blurb about Sufjan's Illinois for Tinymixtapes top 25 albums of the year (though I wasn't told where the album ranked on the list). I want to relate it somehow to the fact that I live in Illinois. How to do that, I'm not sure yet . . .

Wasn't it supposed to, like, snow today or something?

I think I'm in dire need of a $215 Louis Vuitton IPod carrying case.

Here's a question: what type of music do you think is on an iPod that's carried in a $215 Louis Vuitton IPod carrying case?

Having a radio show is so much more fun when you have a theme, and best of the year is always a popular one. It's nice coming in every week and playing new music I've never heard before, but sometimes it's also nice to come in and play almost entirely songs I know and love, love, love. Let's hope recording of the show went well, well, well. I think I squeezed in music from at least my top 12 bands.

I think Valentine's Day this year falls on a Tuesday, so you can expect a killer anti-Valentine's Day theme show that morning!

Forgot to mention, since tomorrow is my last show of 2005, I'm going to celebrate with a focus on my favorite songs and albums of the year. Preview some of my top 25 before I post it next week, and hear my favorite song from my favorite album of aught-05 (gee, what could it be?)

Actually, it'll be from one of my favorite albums, since this year I've got a tie for first. I just couldn't decide!

Last night I saw Calexico and Iron and Wine at the Congress. Sadly, no pics since we were too far away in the balcony to get anything good- hopefully after the new year when the shows start up again, I'll get back on board with the photoblog. The show should more aptly be called "Calexico, Iron and Wine, and Friends," as short sets by Langtry (Paddy from Iron and Wine), Salvador Duran (the operatic voice on "In the Reins,"), and an out-of-nowhere reunion of sorts by Red Red Meat (old band of several Califone members) peppered the show. Meanwhile, during Calexico and Iron and Wine's sets, anywhere from two to 15 or so musicians would come on stage to join in the fun. Calexico highlights included a totally new version of my favorite song, "Not Even Stevie Nicks," that picked up the pace and added a long instrumental interlude, and "Alone Again Or," a Love cover (probably best known from Wes Anderson's Bottle Rocket). Iron and Wine's show was considerably different from the last time I saw him play solo at the Abbey Pub with the fuller-than-full band on hand. As usual Sam Beam played none of my favorite songs, but he definitely refasioned the ones he did play, slowing down the faster ones ("Woman King") and speeding up the slower ones. The show wrapped up with the big "finale," if you will, where Calexico joined Sam on stage to touch on songs from their recent joint E.P., In the Reins. Salvador made his way on stage for the 5 seconds of singing he does in the title track, and my favorite song from that EP, "Sixteen, Maybe Less," got some lovin.

Craziness ensues this week as I try to get through work, studying, editing end-of-the-year tinymixtapes articles for our big year-end issue, and X-Mas shopping I still have yet to do. I think a sick day may be in order . . .

Corporate's the new indie!

My year-end list is in, but apparently I forgot to follow the rules of making hip year-end lists.

ABCNews states the obvious.

A somewhat cryptic message from the Andrew Bird newsletter:

TOP SECRET:

Also, ahem, Andrew’s last show of the year is actually NOT on December 17th, it is on December 18th.

However, I am not at liberty to announce the location of this show until December 17th. SO you must check the website on the 17th for more info, OK?

Nerve.com's Scanner blog has this hilariously pathetic attempt to talk to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's lead singer Alec Ounsworth about sex. Really, what sort of questions was he expecting to get from a website about sex and relationships?

Scroll down farther to see the sexy priest calendar, which is "available now (unlike the models)". HA!

CBGB update: It's staying where it is for another year, giving the owner more time to find a new location.

Anonymous sources tell me: Pitchfork and Intonation have "split ways" and realized they are both trying to run their own summer festivals for 2006 when they both attempted to book Feist. Where's the indie rock love?

What's this? Out of nowhere, it appears Chicago has passed a smoking ban!

The big end-of-the-year Tiny Mix Tapes extravaganza is tentatively scheduled to come out Wednesday, December 21, which means it's time for me to put together my top 25 albums of the year. I've got a rough draft 25, but as usual, I feel like I may be missing an album that deserves to be in the 20-25 range more than what I've got now. Hmmmmmmm . . .

Either way, I'll post my top 25 sometime next week.

Let's all hope when I get home this morning that the show recorded successfully, because it's a good one! I've never gotten so many calls inquiring about a song as I did when I played Solvent's "My Radio" from Apples and Synthesizers. Also, Gravenhurst's new album has a song named "Nicole." It's got some strange ship/captain theme to it.

CBGB might be moving to Vegas? Does that seem wrong?

Here's an interesting article from the LA Weekly about blog buzz and bands, with references to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and the Aracde Fire. Soon these articles will be referencing the Perfect Face for Radio as a major tastemaker, right? Haha.

An interesting little interview up on P4k with Wolf Parade, though not with my favorite member, singer Spencer Krug. They reference the Illinois tollway system and iPass and answer to Modest Mouse and Arcade Fire comparisons, saying what I've always thought, that they come much closer musically to Frog Eyes than to the Arcade Fire.

I think my iPod is making me go deaf. I listen to it every day at work at a very low volume, but still, I'm concerned. I started wearing earplugs to shows to try to prevent deafness from loud speakers, but I'm pretty sure the only way to prevent my iPod from making me deaf is to stop listening to it. But listening to music at work makes the day go by so much better. What to do?

Huh?

Ooof . . . my brain hurts.

Now that I'm halfway towards becoming a certified public accountant, I think I need to find some way to combine my love of music with, you know, being an accountant. Maybe I should start some sort of music club for CPAs. "CPAs for the Advancement of Independent Music" or "Rock n' Roll CPAs" or something. We could have stickers and buttons and tshirts, monthly meetings and club dues. I should put a call out on craigslist.

This is probably just the post-4 hour accounting exam delirium talking, though.

Maybe I should write an article for TMT about the struggle between leading the indie rock lifestyle and having a professional corporate job- no one on either side really gets what you're doing, exactly. I don't think I've even told anyone at work I have a radio show! And once I told some pretentious artist girl I worked in finance and she wrinkled her nose at me. Oh well, I'll just claim I'm being "ironic."

I went to Paul's Club Saturday night, my favorite Madison bar that has the best bar jukebox EVER. I've yet to find a comparably great jukebox in Chicago- please tell me if there is one I should be aware of. The Paul's selection is always evolving, and Saturday's offerings were no disappointment- the new Wolf Parade, M83, Spoon, LCD Soundsystem, Death From Above 1979, the list goes on- I spent more $$$ on songs than I thought I would, thus requiring my group to stay longer than we probably would have waiting for my songs to come on. There's just something so great about hearing your favorite music come on in a bar.

Happy Turkey weekend!

I saw Harry Potter again last night with the family, and it was still great. I still think I need to start a death-metal band called Avada Kedavra . . .

The Long Winters have a new EP out to tide us over before their next full-length comes out in a couple of months, and there's a free download of the song "Ultimatum" available on the Barsuk Records website. It's quite good. I've always claimed singer John Roderick to be one of the funniest men in indie rock, and he doesn't disappoint in this interview with Believer Mag.

Lucky me got to see the new Harry Potter movie at the IMAX theater on Navy Pier this weekend. As a Harry Potter fan (who has yet to read the 6th book so DON'T TELL ME WHO DIES), I must say this is the best movie adaptation yet. It's been a couple years since I read Goblet of Fire, which probably helped me enjoy the movie more than if I had all the book details left out of the movie fresh in my mind. I only wish there had been more of the Weird Sisters band at the dance- a.k.a. Jarvis Cocker and Johnny Greenwood. You heard the singing for about five minutes, but only got a good two-second look at the band. Awesome.

Sad to say, I still watch the Real World, even though I generally despise all the people on it. But since I'm usually exhausted Tuesday nights from the show in the morning, it's nice mindless stuff to watch while vegging out on the couch. This season in Austin the Real Worlders got to make a documentary about South by Southwest, which of course the vast majority of them couldn't appreciate because they'd rather dance half-naked on the tables at the exact same bar every night. Anyhoo, they picked three bands to document, the glorious Enon and two unknown, completely forgettable pop-punk bands named Halifax and Hellogoodbye. Of course, all the cast members minus the indie-rock girl who picked Enon loved the whole bland pop-punk thing, while they thought Enon was weird- go figure- and Halifax and Hellogoodbye got most of the airtime (unsurprisingly, they were also the bands who wanted to get wasted with the cast on air). I wondered when the bands would start to capitalize on their national MTV exposure, and sure enough, both bands have shows at Beat Kithen coming up in Chicago just as the Real World season wraps up this Tuesday.

PFFR New York Correspondent Report:
Maggie O'Meara, chair of the orginal PFFR fan club, celebrated her birthday last night and it was a blast.

Armand Van Helden played a live DJ set at club Avalon this past Sat night. First he played a remix of Franz Ferdinand "Do you want me" then mixed Blur "Song 3" into the White Stripes "Seven Nation Army" into INXS "I need you tonight." It was bloody brillant.

New Rapture material heard live sounds different. Think more experimental electronica (?).

Go Team! played Webster hall live. Lots of running around on stage and great music. Definitely worth seeing.

New Annie single, "Wedding," is excellent live. Should be released very soon.

New Junior Senior song "We are the handclaps" is also excellent. Don't know when it will be released.

Radio Free Chicago is counting down Robyn's top 7 indie albums of the year, kicking off with a lengthy rant about the greatness of Wolf Parade's Apologies to the Queen Mary. "I'll Believe in Anything"- greatest song on any album, anywhere, in 2005? Quite possibly, yes.

Last night I saw the Plastic Constellations and the Driftless Pony Club at Beat Kitchen. I hadn't seen DPC in at least a year and a half, and they played all new songs I'd never heard before (ok, I'd heard one before, once). They were good. Very good. I especially liked the one that ended with Craig yelling. Meanwhile, I've now seen the Plastic Consty's in a Ukranian Village basement and now one of the smallest venues in Chicago. After their Frenchkiss Records debut comes out January 24 and Pitchfork gives it an 8.5 and a "best new music" tag, they'll be headlining shows at Schubas or the Bottle, then opening for Les Savy Fav or the Hold Steady at the Metro or something. Get on the wagon now.

Pete Doherty of the Libertines/Babyshambles proves to be more and more of a winner every day. Apparently he has two kids, and here's a recent quote regarding one of them, picked up from Salon.com:

"Poor little fucker. My sister sees him all the time, so there's affection as a family for him. I don't really want to go into that because it's not fair on the kids or the mother."

In other news, they're putting the lights up on Michigan Avenue!

Here's an interesting article about Myspace.com and the site's musical ambitions from financial website the Motley Fool. Apparently Myspace was bought by NewsCorp???? How cool can something be if it's owned by Rupert Murdoch?

Arrested Development on Showtime? Let's hope so!

Here's an interesting article on salon.com about a recent book detailing Wicker Park in the '90s and all its hipster glory (notable quote: "It also connects Wicker Park to a larger narrative of the American urban economy, which over the course of 40 years or so has shifted its focus from heavy industry to image production and high-end consumption, a process in which hipster neighborhoods like . . . Wicker Park have been crucial").

Note: If you're not a salon.com member, you'll have to watch a 15-second commercial to read the full article. That's 15 seconds, NOT 15 minutes.

Looks like Katie Holmes just has terrible, terrible taste in men.

I just don't know if I really understand the picture that goes along with this story.

Should we really be surprised by the #1 use of the video iPod?

I played a really great track by Akron/Family on my show this morning, and methinks I must look into them further. They just put out a split disc with Angels of Light (though really, it's all the same musicians involved in both bands), and they reportedly have an amazing live show. File them next to Devendra Banhart, Animal Collective and Joanna Newsom as "Freak-folk"- whatever that really means, of course.

ARRRRRRRRRR!

That Franz Ferdinand sure is catchy.

Best blog idea: EVER.

I knew that the Bottom Lounge was closing due to the El track renovations, but I guess I didn't realize it had already happened. Looks like they'll be opening in a new space in the West Loop in February '06- I'll be interested to see how that shapes up. The Bottom Lounge was never one of my favorite venues due to its low stage and mostly punk-pop lineups, but I saw a few good shows there in my time.

It also appears that Brian Peterson, the owner of MP Shows and promoter for the Bottom Lounge has started booking shows at Beat Kitchen, which explains the recent rash of great lineups that have been popping up at that venue.

As the holidays get closer, the show scene starts to dry up. There isn't much to see anytime soon at any of the usual venues, Empty Bottle, Schubas, Metro, etc., but if you're looking to pick up on some more under-the-radar bands, here's a few smaller shows that I would highly recommend:

November 17- Plastic Constellations w/ Driftless Pony Club @ Beat Kitchen. I already plugged this show once before, but the PCs are seriously on their way up. They have a new label, a new album coming out this winter, and lots of buzz.

December 2- Islands @ Beat Kitchen. Remember the Unicorns? Crazy quirk-pop Canadians from Montreal that dressed in pink? They broke up and two of the members started this new band that's been sort of shrouded in mystery. Word is members of the Arcade Fire are pitching in on their debut album.

December 17- Single Frame @ the Red Line Tap. I don't even know where the Red Line Tap is. But I love Single Frame.

Anyone seen Kanye West on tour yet? He's coming to Chicago eventually, but according to a TMT writer:

"I was at the Philly stop of kanye west's tour, and during 'Bring Me Down' they had a huge screen that scrolled exerpts from negative reviews of Late Registration. and which quote was first? 'Let's get this out of the way right up front: Kanye West is narcissistic and egotistical.' - Tiny Mix Tapes "

Awesome! What better publicity than that?

Holy crap! My bandwidth usage this month has soared to ridiculous heights. I'm guessing this means more people have been downloading the podcasts than usual. Excellent! Of course this means I'll be shelling out more money for the bandwidth, so here's a gentle reminder that buying anything from Amazon.com through a link on this site gives me a small cut . . . just click on the Amazon logo on the sidebar! :) Go get Wolf Parade or Animal Collective if you haven't yet.

In case you had nothing to do this weekend, here's a couple options:

GUIDED BY VOICES PRE-RELEASE PARTY
FOR THE ELECTRIFYING CONCLUSION DVD

Come to this FREE special screening of the new DVD of GBV's final show, filmed at Metro on New Years Eve 2004. Pre-order the DVD and receive a free GBV shot glass and poster!

Free Pabst Blue Ribbon from 7-8PM!

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2005
7PM-10PM / 21+OVER / FREE!
SMARTBAR / 3730 N CLARK ST / CHICAGO

or perhaps if you're a Laguna Beach fan, like Liz is, you can go hang with them at Crobar.

From the Wisconsin Union Music Committee homepage:

Win a chance to open for Bon Jovi!

Press kits due by Nov. 4 at 5 pm
Flyer

The WUD Music Committee is asking local bands to submit a biography, two original songs on a CD, contact information, references and performance history. Entries can be submitted via email to uwbonjovicontest@gmail.com or dropped off at WUD Music Committee, ATTN: Stacey Lansig / Bon Jovi Contest, Room 514 Memorial Union, 800 Langdon Street, Madison, WI 53706

The students will select a winner to open for Bon Jovi when their Have A Nice Day World Tour comes to Madison. The winner will also be entered in a national competition, where one band will be selected to open for Bon Jovi at Giants Stadium in the summer of 2006.

As it goes every year, supposedly "leaked" Coachella lineups always come out months in advance. Whether these early contenders will actually grace the stages or not, who knows, but as anyone who regularly reads this blog knows, I always like to fuel speculation:

The Arcade Fire
The Strokes
Depeche Mode
Roxy Music
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Franz Ferdinand
65 Days Of Static
Lightning Bolt
Ladytron
Super Furry Animals
The White Stripes
Sigur Ros
Death Cab For Cutie
De La Soul
Elbow
TV On The Radio
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Explosions In The Sky
Doves
Massive Attack
Devendra Banhart

I'll be taking a break from the show tomorrow morning to catch up on some sleep, studying, and sanity (the three S's?). But be sure to tune in next week for a very special THEME show!

I went back to Madison this past weekend, making it the first time I'd been back since the smoking ban in bars went into effect. Very, very nice. What was really fascinating was watching the socialization of the smokers outside of every bar. I think Chicago proponents needs to start selling the ban as a big boon for the singles scene- at least, the smoking singles scene. You segregate a bunch of people with something in common (smoking!) and they have an instant icebreaker topic to discuss (so, doesn't this smoking ban suck?).

And now another New Year's show: The Changes at Schubas. This one is pretty underwhelming. Not sure yet what the Abbey Pub is doing, but at this point if you're dead set on going to a show, I'd go with the New Pornographers at the Metro (unless you just saw them) or Wolf Parade at the Viaduct. Not sure yet if I want to do a show or something else altogether- New Year's has almost never lived up to the hype for me, so I won't think too much about it until it's closer.

Another New Year's show has been added to the growing list: The Juan Maclean at the Empty Bottle. Last year their NY's show featured experimental indie rock, this year it appears to be all about the dance.

Well this is a novel idea for the city of Chicago: instead of taxes, hold more rock concerts! I'm glad that the city has apparently realized that they need to hold more shows at Grant Park, even if it's only because they've proven to make so much money.

Ah, good ol' Madison Halloween, the fun never stops! Actually, it looks like it will next year.