Word

querolous [kwer-uh-luhs, kwer-yuh-] adj. 1. full of complaints; complaining 2. characterized by or uttered in complaint; peevish: a querulous tone; constant querulous reminders of things to be done

Birthday

Trajan (53), Samuel Johnson (1709), George Read (1733), Greta Garbo (1905), Jack Warden (1920), Robert Blake (1933), Frankie Avalon (1939), Fred Willard (1939), Dee Dee Ramone (1952), James Gandolfini (1961), Holly Robinson Peete (1964), Lance Armstrong (1971), Jada Pinkett Smith (1971), James Marsden (1973), Xzibit (1974), Jason Sudeikis (1975)

Standpoint

If you’re an avid reader of this blog, and it’s shame if you’re not, you’ve come to the conclusion that I’m an above-average humorous individual. To put it mildly.

And, after reaching  that conclusion, I’m betting you’ve wondered, “Hey. How’d that guy get so goddamn funny? What his secret?” Well, it stems from all kinds of places. I will say that, coming from a family with five other siblings competing for attention at the dinner table, it didn’t take a genius to figure out the the proper execution of well-timed humor earned you a little more time at the podium during the nightly palaver.

But that wasn’t all there was to it. I had my influences. At a young age, I decided every single person in the entertainment business was essentially just borrowing material from somewhere or another, and presenting it as their own original ponderings. But, once in a while, I’d see something that either (a) was borrowing shit from so many different places it did actually became original content, or (b) was original content. Watching anything that fell into one of those categories represented a possibility of, for me at least, a tiny shred of hope the world wasn’t doomed to watch garbage like “Charles In Charge” or “Who’s The Boss?” for the rest of eternity.  

Here are a few things you can watch if you want to see exactly what I’m talking about. (Note: It’s a coincidence that Dave Foley is in two of the three clips here. Or maybe not. He’s a funny motherfucker.) (Another note: I was going to embed the videos but I couldn’t with some so just hit the link.)

Clip One – NewsRadio – “The Cane”

Phil Hartman has my vote as the funniest person ever to put two feet on Earth’s soil. This scene from “NewsRadio” with Dave Foley represents most of the range Hartman possessed. Foley is great, too.

 Clip(s) Two – Kids In The Hall – “King of Empty Promises” and The State – “Porcupine Racetrack”

“Kids In The Hall” is debatably the funniest sketch comedy show of all-time. Other might say it was “The State.” I lean towards the latter, but, really it all depends on my mood. Both were unendingly funny. Both went places similar shows (“SNL” “MADtv”) either weren’t allowed to go or were incapable of. These two sketches helped convinced me there were other like-minded lunatics out there in the world.

Clip Three – Black Books – “Bernard Black Drunk”

This clip from “Black Books” – the British sitcom that aired on the UK’s Channel 4 for three seasons and the US’ Comedy Central for about one hour late some random Sunday night – is representative of the completely hilarious work Dylan Moran and Bill Bailey did on this unfortunately still-unknown classic.

 Sadly, if you don’t find any/all of this funny, there’s only one thing wrong with you. You would fail to recognize humor if it walked up and kneecapped you.

Quotation

A drunk driver’s very dangerous. Everybody knows that. But so is a drunken backseat driver – if he’s persuasive. ← Demetri Martin

Tune

Yesterday, I revealed that I’m a sucker for a song with well-written lyrics. Well, there’s something that can make a song with well-written lyrics even better. And that’s a multi-part harmony. When done the right way, multiple harmonies can turn an ordinary song into an anthem. The multiple harmony song usually starts off kind of slow, but that’s not a requirement. There is one steadfast rule, though, each harmony, and its corresponding lyrics, has to be introduced separately. A byproduct of that is the song can travel all over the rythmic spectrum, producing the effect of several songs contained in one. The result of the crescendo is an overlapping vocal harmony where all the separate vocal sections are woven into each other and the best parts of each accompanying melody are grooved into one. The final minute of such a song should make you want to turn up the volume, roll down the windows and hit the gas pedal. That’s how you know it’s a good one. I have five favorite songs falling into that category. But, I think I’ve decided that “See These Bones” by Nada Surf is the greatest. The best part is when Matthew Caws comes in with “The lights in the city are more or less blinking/Which side of the story decides what you’re thinking.” It’s the beginning of the end. But in a really good way. Listen to it. I’m not wrong. Right?

Gallimaufry

→ Man, am I glad I never got around to removing the PEOPLE SUCK sticker from the interior of my car. Because, I’m really sorry, it’s one of the indisputable truths of this world. Need more proof than the cool sticker in my car? Check out WhyTheFuckDoYouHaveAKid.com. As Jonathan Schmock, the actor who played the Chez Quiz Maitre D’ in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (click that link to watch the original movie trailer.), stated so very snootily, “I weep for the future.”

→ You know what’s a really great thing? When the mayor of one of the largest cities in the country plays chicken with the state legislature using innocent peoples’ jobs as a bargaining chip. That’s what Philadelphia’s mayor, Michael Nutter, did with the jobs of 3,000 municipal workers in an attempt to pry money out of Pennsylvania. It worked. But still. Kind of shitty.

→ All right. Need to make a teensy tiny request of the fashion world here. Please make the fucking Snuggie go away. I’ll help in whatever way I can. Just let me know where to be and when to ber there. For centuries, individuals have made an easy time of having a blanket on top of them as they relax. It’s kind of like Basic Human Knowledge 101.  We don’t need one that slips over our heads. We are not Old West Mexican gunfighters.

It’s no secret that every month or so I like to treat myself to a happy ending. It occurs in the the classiest of places, with lots of beautiful people in the room with me. There’s a host for the evening, Amanda Stern, and a handful of performers charged with the task of getting us all off.

Okay, OKAY! Y’all got me. I’m talking about the Happy Ending Music and Reading series at Joe’s Pub. For my cash guys, it’s the best ticket in town. And it’s original. In addition to reading something, storytellers are asked to take a risk on stage while musicians have to play one cover song and try to get the audience to sing along.

This past Wednesday, there were four participants. They’ll introduce themselves:

“‘O hai. I’m Nick Laird. I haz a wife named Zadie Smith a pug named Maude. Sometimes I read poems to Maude, cuz she’s the best.”

” Kevin Canty here. I’ve written some books and short stories and stuff. Also, my stories sound just as good forwards as backwards. No biggie.”

“You ladies can call me Binnie Kirshenbaum. I write, I teach fiction at Columbia grad, and trust me, I will fuck you up. No lie, bitches.”

“Elvis. Elvis Perkins. Stay awhile, why don’t you… we’re gonna sing some gospel.”

“Elvis again. These are my hippie-chic loafers. No, I don’t know why there’s a picture of them up here. But don’t they look bangin’?”

(Matthew Caws and Richard Price from a previous Happy Ending.)

[Happy Ending Music and Reading Series]
[Joe's Pub]

In trying to sum up Sunday’s Nada Surf show at Webster Hall, these colorful adjectives come to mind: Epic. Dynamic. Mega. Insane.  Others come to mind as well, but they wouldn’t even paint a bright enough picture to describe how amazing the band was, how tight they sounded, and how professional the show was.

A Nada Surf show should be experienced by all. Yup, I said it.

It’s also worth noting how ridiculously awesome Webster Hall is. No matter where you’re standing in that joint, you have a golden view of the stage.

The “home show” set ran an hour and 45 minutes ( ! ) and included songs from each and every album of the band’s history, with “Lucky” tracks showing up most.  You could read it in the band’s faces: They were pumped to be back in New York. And they were ready to play.

Set list was as follows:

1. Hi-Speed Soul
2. Happy Kid
3. Treehouse
4. Whose Authority?
5. Weightless
6. I Like What You Say
7. Killian’s Red
8. What Is Your Secret?
9. Inside of Love
10. Beautiful Beat
11. The Fox
12. 80 Windows
13. Ice on the Wing
14. Concrete Bed
15. See These Bones
16. Your Legs Grow
17. Imaginary Friends

[Encore]

18. Blizzard of ‘77
19. Do It Again
20. Blonde on Blonde
21. Always Love
22. Blankest Year

Recorded a few tracks. Wish I had gotten “Always Love” or “Blankest Year” but I was having too much fun to keep the camera steady (which I couldn’t even do during “Blizzard” because you can hear me at the end of the video complaining about my own shakiness…oops!)

Weightless

Blizzard of ‘77

Inside of Love

I love Nada Surf. Every time I see them, they prove just how amazing they are and that they are 100% worthy of my devotion, time, and money. Will hopefully check them out on each and every tour from here on out.

I bought the raddest shirt, too! It being in the backseat of my car prevents a picture post – Stay tuned! Update later…

I love the Starbuck’s Stage, and will always love it, because there I saw Nada Surf. I am happy they weren’t the mainstage show.

This is the Starbuck's Stage; There They Played.

I met them afterwards. The John Travolta Mullet was behind us in line. Which was not large considering. I would have waited if all the bumbershoots of Bumbershoot had come – which I thought was likely.

Matthew Caws (Nada Surf surfer-blond lead): “Hi, I’m Matthew.”

Molly: “Matthew – it’s so nice to meet you. My name is Molly. Blah blah blah blah bleh.”

He did. He – Matthew – signed my arm with an inky black pen. He signs his name like a little boy. No last name, just “Matthew” with an exclamation mark, like this: Matthew! Because his name is exciting. It is washed off of my arm. It is still etched on my heart.

Ira Elliott (drummer): “I’m Ira.”

Molly: “Ira. I’m Molly. Bleh bleh bleh.”

Ira: “I’ve signed two breasts today. That’s when you know you’ve risen to a new level of weirdness.”

Molly: “Arm will be just fine.”

Ira: “I’ll make this so black and so inky that it never comes off. Never wash it. Ever. Ever.”

I did wash it. I have to be sanitary. It’s part of me. But his name is still there inked on somewhere. I feel it inside of me.

We got a picture.

Ira: “Shall we stand boy-girl, boy-girl?” he was Danny Kaye from White Christmas, stunning – “With you in the middle” he closed – my heart was in my mouth.

We took the picture. The camera wasn’t used to such iffy lighting. It captured me with two faces: one looked at Ira. One looked at Matthew. Both grinned like fools.

hils - IRA - molly - MATTHEW - chuck

Rachel: “Are you gonna stay around for a while and see Seattle? Get some rest after the concert?”

Matthew, charming smile: “We’re playing for a Nike race in the morning. Free shoes.”

The End.

P.S. the picture is currently in the black hole of hilary’s camera. the camera cord is lost. it is still imprinted on my heart.

I feel it, rally I do, rally.

I’d say probably the hardest – and most fun – I went to while I was in Denver for the DNC was Unconventional 08. After another long day at The Big Tent ending with Joe Biden’s speech – and a bomb scare outside the garage where my car was parked – I finally got to head over towards the concert at the Manifest Hope Gallery with a VIP ticket a friend had given me earlier in the week.

Luckily I had the Mustang we rented for the week because the Gallery, which was an amazing venue for the event, was definitely not within walking distance of the rest of the convention activities. Unfortunately, by the time I got there, post-explosion event, the bouncers for the event had a small riot on their hands. If there was a line to get in in it was replaced with everyone and their brother clawing to get in – and apparently everyone had a VIP ticket. The only people getting in were politicians and people who had someone connected on the inside able to get them on the list and press. Well, after running back to the car for my press pass I was able to get in after a little patience and some convincing – and in just enough time to squeeze in before Sarah Silverman started warming up the crowd for the main act and run into Lucas O’Conner from over at Calitics.

(lots of pics below the fold)

Her lines drew tones of laughs from the left-leaning crowd on McCain and others. Then Mayor Newsom took the stage to introduce the band and throw out a one liner himself further firing up the room before Ben Gibbard, Jenny Lewis, Johnathan Rice, Zooey Deschanel, and Matthew Caws took the stage (h/t to I Am Fuel, You Are Friends for compiling these links).

The show, despite being slightly overcrowded, was absolutely awesome. The five artists took turns playing each others songs – such as Brand New Colony – on acoustic guitars and a piano in the corner. Sometimes they all would sing, sometimes they’d play a duet – like Jonathan Rice & Jenny Lewis’s cover of Nazareth’s Love Hurts.

While I’ll admit that I’ve been a bigger fan of Gibbard before the show and was really into really into it when they were singing The Sound of Settling and when he took over on the piano – my new favorite is definitely Zooey Deschanel. When I got back to DC last week I started grabbing all the She & Him I could find and have been listening to it nonstop – I had heard Why Do You Let Me Stay Here before but hadn’t really gotten into it before, but now songs like This Is Not A Test and her ridiculously good covers are at the top of my playist. I Am Fuel, You Are Friends has a picture up of the entire playlist here.

After the set, which lasted about an hour, the show turned into a crazy liberal dance party (video). Remixes of Yes We Can blasted while Dems break danced, did the limbo, danced with hula-hoops and other assorted craziness.

While seeing NERD and Fall Out Boy at the Rock the Vote concert on Monday, and hitting the after party with Nick Cannon dj’ing, was definitely awesome – Unconventional 08 was definitely the best concert of the week. NERD and Fall Out Boy both killed it over at the larger venue – but the five singers sharing the smaller more-exclusive stage was ridiculous. Here are a few more pics from the show:

Ring for showing off dance moves:

Zooey Deschanel (who I am currently in love with)

Ben Gibbard on piano:

Jonathan Rice & Jenny Lewis

I just thought this was worth taking a picture of:

Obama happy dj guy upstairs:

And this is me – who sadly has now become the suit at the party full of alts…

]]> http://trustmeonthis.wordpress.com/2008/08/27/nada-surf-the-bowery-ballroom-82608/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:50:08 +0000 Leslie http://trustmeonthis.wordpress.com/2008/08/27/nada-surf-the-bowery-ballroom-82608/ http://obiwankeinobi.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/nada-surf-popular/ Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:31:56 +0000 obiwankeinobi http://obiwankeinobi.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/nada-surf-popular/ http://sofablog.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/nada-surf/ Mon, 05 Jun 2006 10:29:14 +0000 sofakissen http://sofablog.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/nada-surf/

Nada Surf… wer kennt sie nicht? Die sympatischen Indie-Rocker aus New York… du denkst gerade “ich”? Da bist du nicht allein. Denn sind wir mal ehrlich: die Band ist Schweine-Unbekannt. Zu Unrecht. Nada Surf haben mit ihren vier Alben zeitlose Meisterwerke abgeliefert.

Vom ersten, rockigen “High/Low”, über das abwechslungsreiche “The Proximity Effect” und “Let Go”, einem absoluten Prachtstück an wunderbar geschriebenen Pop- und Rock-Songs, zu “The Weight Is A Gift”. Alles ausnahmslos Platten, die das Potential gehabt hätten die Landaschaft des Pop/Rock-Songwritings für immer zu verändern. Aber die Band wird weiterhin auf ihren Teenie-Hit “Popular” von ihrem Erstlingswerk beschränkt. Also One-Hit-Gruppe abgetan. Und das vollkommen zu unrecht. Nada Surf – die wahrscheinlich am meisten unterschätzeste Band die es gibt. Oder vielleicht auch nicht. Denn kaum jemand kennt sie gut genug um sie unterschätzen zu können. Schade für die Band. Aber so bleiben sie meine kleine unbekannte Lieblingsband. Und das ist doch auch schon was.