The appeal of Florence and the Machine is something of an anomaly to me because, though I think there’s something about the band’s recently released album, Lungs that is really irritating, I can’t stop listening to it. I guess, in the historic sense of the genre, that makes it an exemplary pop record.

There’s really nothing that’s all too new here but it’s infectious just the same. Florence and the Machine deals in genre tropes, seemingly written by folks with a music major’s knowledge of perfect pop song structure and aiming at creating tunes that just won’t leave your head [listen to Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) for the most striking example of this effect]. Just the same, frontwoman, Florence Welch has a strong, captivating voice that is, at times, extremely reminiscent of The Cranberries’ Dolores O’Riordan, and her lyrics are probably the single most interesting aspect of the album. Essentially, Florence and the Machine bridges straightforward pastiche with a still novel approach that can’t easily be called derivative (does that make sense?). The group has created an interesting album but one that ultimately sounds like everything else but is still, for some reason, a lively and exciting experience. For example, moments like the bass drum heartbeat and false stop/start of Cosmic Love sure aren’t original, but they are pretty fun regardless.

Between Two Lungs brings a TV On the Radio inspired Feist to mind, combining handclap rhythms and a whimsical vocal performance that seems to keep the potential for advertisement placement firmly in mind. I’m Not Calling You a Liar is a hypnotic blend of harp plucking and multi-layered vocal tracks, using that old cardiac bass thumping yet again.  Blinding and it’s application of combined pizzicato and swelling string layers makes for a catchy song. The pounding toms and sparse piano chords of Howl give away to sugary-sweet synth strings and, ultimately, create one of the album’s most memorable tracks.

That’s about it. No superlatives or praise necessary. This isn’t that kind of album. Lungs simply serves its seemingly utilitarian purpose; playing through its tracks, entertaining listeners and not busying itself with inspiring any major emotional response.

I can’t recommend Florence and the Machine’s Lungs to everyone but I’m sure this album will emerge as the guilty pleasure of many a listener throughout the year (unless the group is still “indie enough” to make it acceptable listening). It’s worth a listen and is probably an album that will stand in posterity as a breakthrough success for a band with legs enough to carry a lengthy career.

— Reid

I don’t know if it’s just me, or is this the funniest youtube video ever? I like The Cranberries and I was checking out some footage from their new tour on youtube when I stumbled upon this golden nugget. I laughed so hard that I had to take a few hits from my asthma inhaler. The funny stuff is right in the beginning…

We at treeswingers think it’s important to be thankful for what we have.  And what we have is great music, so I’ve put together a quick Thanksgiving Mix.  Thanks for reading!

For Thanksgiving, parents get time off work, students get time off school and pretty much everyone returns home for a while.

Radical Face – Welcome Home

Here’s a reminder about who started it all–some dudes with buckles on their hats.

The Shins – Young Pilgrims

Many people have family to be thankful for (also notice the significance of the artist – think sauce).

The Cranberries – Ode to my Family

This one is a stretch, but family gatherings can totally be thought of as conspiracies.  It’s also just a good song.

School of Seven Bells – My Cabal

I never knew if this song was thanking someone sarcastically, but let’s pretend it’s genuine for today.

Third Eye Blind – Thanks a Lot

Time for the toasts…

Sugarcult – Champagne

…even if some of us don’t have the proper glasses to be thankful for.

Death Cab for Cutie – Champagne from a Paper Cup

Here comes the turkey, cooked to golden-brown perfection.

The Stranglers – Golden Brown

This one is more about the artist, since you can’t make pie without smashing pumpkins. (I picked this song because I think way more people should know how good it is)

The Smashing Pumpkins – We Only Come Out at Night

Yaaaawwwn.  Tryptophan…

Passion Pit – Sleepyhead

Hope you enjoyed it.  Here is the whole thing for download.

-charlie

Por Juliana Gomes

} Começou a pré-venda dos ingressos para o show do The Cranberries @ Credcard Hall.

Está a venda dos ingressos para clientes dos cartões Credicard, Citibank e Diners, para o show que o Cranberries fará dia 29 de Janeiro em São Paulo.  Os ingressos para o público  estará a venda a partir do dia 4 de Dezembro.

Será a primeira vez que The Cranberries estará em São Paulo, com toda a sua formação. Só não será o debut para a vocalista, Dolares O’Riordan, que esteve no Brasil em 2007 com a turnê do seu disco solo.

A banda ficou famosa nos anos 90 pelos hits “Linger” e depois emplacou “Zombie”, “Ode to My Family” e “Just My Imagination”. Ele é formado por Dolares O’Riordan (vocal), Fergal Patrick Lawler (bateria) e pelos irmãos Noel (guitarra) e Mike Hogan (baixo). Após todo o sumiço da banda irlandesa, eles estão de volta a todo o vapor e farão 4 shows no Brasil.

  A banda irlandesa The Cranberries fará uma turnê pelo Brasil em janeiro de 2010. Comp mais de 40 milhões de álbuns vendidos em todo o mundo, o grupo se apresenta no Rio de Janeiro (dia 28) no Citibank Hall, em São Paulo (dia 29) no Credicard Hall, em Belo Horizonte (dia 31) no Chevrolet Hall e em Porto Alegre (dia 3 de fevereiro) no Pepsi On Stage. 

Depois de sete anos atuando apenas em projetos solos, Dolores O´Riordan (vocal), Noel Hogan (guitarra), Mike Hogan (baixo) e Fergal Lawler (baterista) voltaram a se reunir em setembro de 2009. O grupo emplacou sucessos como “Linger”, “Dreams”, “Ode to my family” e “Salvation”.

Os ingressos estarão disponíveis a partir de 4 de dezembro de 2009 nas bilheterias oficiais, pela internet (www.ticketmaster.com.br), pelos telefones 2846-6000 (São Paulo) e 0300-7896846 (outras cidades) e nos demais pontos de vendas do país.

Clientes dos cartões Credicard, Citibank e Diners contam com pré-venda exclusiva e poderão adquirir ingressos entre os dias 25 de novembro e 3 de dezembro de 2009, pelos mesmos canais de venda.

Las fechas para Latinoamerica ya las puedes encontrar en la pagina oficial del grupo. TEAM Producciones lo trae a Ecuador, esperamos que se den mas detalles con respecto a la venta de entradas.

www.cranberries.com

January 26, 2010 Santiago, Chile Arena Movistar
January 28, 2010 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Citibank Hall
January 29, 2010 Sao Paolo, Brazil Credicard Hall
January 31, 2010 Belo Horizonte, Brazil Chevrolet Hall
February 3, 2010 Porto Alegre, Brazil Pepsi On Stage
February 5, 2010 Buenos Aires, Argentina Luna Park
February 8, 2010 Lima, Peru University Car Park
February 10, 2010 Quito, Ecuador TBD
February 12, 2010 Caracas, Venuzuela Anfiteatro de Sambil
February 15, 2010 Guadalajara, Mexico Auditorio Telmex
February 18, 2010 Monterrey, Mexico Arena Monterrey

La banda irlandesa The Cranberries anunció en su página web que su presentación  en Santiago de Chile con fecha  para el 26 de enero será en el Movistar Arena.
Como hemos estado informando, Santiago será la primera parada de la gira latinoamericana del tour 2010, cuyo calendario fue previsto por los recién juntados integrantes de la banda: Dolores O’Riordan, Noel Hogan, Fergal Lawler y Mike Hogan.

La productora encargada será DGMEDIOS.

Jan 26th – Santiago, Chile – Arena Movistar – ON SALE 11/25
ENTRADAS A LA VENTA DESDE EL 25 DE NOVIEMBRE!
PRECIOS:

CANCHA VIP: $ 41.800 PREVENTA: $ 34.200

PLATEA BAJA: $ 35.200 PREVENTA: $ 28.800

P. BAJA CENTRAL: $ 29.700 PREVENTA: $24.300

CANCHA GENERAL: $ 25.300 PREVENTA: $20.700

PLATEA ALTA: $ 19.800 PREVENTA: $ 16.200

TRIBUNA: $ 17.600 PREVENTA: $14.400

PREVENTA: 20 % DSCTO. Primeras 5.000 entradas!!

¡Un show imperdible!

The Cranberries

Hoy inicia la venta de boletos para el concierto de The  Cranberriesde, la afamada agrupación irlandesa que visitará Venezuela el próximo viernes 12 de Febrero. La empresa productora, Water Brother, informó que ha creado una plataforma de ventas basada en la diversidad de precios. Las entradas van desde los 385 bolívares hasta los 770 bolívares.

La empresa realizará una única etapa de preventa,  que comienza este miércoles 18 de noviembre hasta el 20 de diciembre. La etapa de venta final arrancará el 21 de diciembre a precios superiores a los de esta fase.

Los precios y sectores de la precenta serán:

Sector  PVP

A         Bs. F    605,00

B         Bs. F    770,00

C         Bs. F    550,00

D         Bs. F    660,00

E          Bs. F    495,00

F          Bs. F    715,00

G        Bs . F    440,00

H        Bs. F     385,00

El concierto de la banda se realizará en el Anfiteatro del Sambil el 12 de febrero del 2010. La empresa encargada de la venta,  tuticket.com publicará el plano y disposición de venta a través de su portal. Los puntos de venta disponibles son tuticket.com, Tecniciencias Libros Sambil y en las tiendas Esperanto del Centro San Ignacio y el Tolón.

#177 – The Cranberries – “Linger” – (1993)

With the cool string section in the background to compliment Dolores O’Riordan’s unique voice, “Linger” from Everybody Else is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?, has “lingered” on the airwaves for almost two decades. Two puns in a row… great. If you dig her voice, be sure to check out the more rock-y (but insanely bad-ass) “Zombie” from 1995’s No Need to Argue.

Y el 2010 se viene con todo.  Los irlandeses The Cranberries confirmaron una gira sudamericana en la página de su vocalista, Dolores O’ Riordan, que compuso temas clásicos como “Zombie”, “Linger” o “When Your Gone”. El tour comenzará en Chile el 26 de enero, y pasará también por  Argentina, Perú, Brasil, Ecuador, Venezuela, y finalizará en México.

Noel Hogan, el guitarrista y segundo compositor de la banda, confirmó la noticia a través de su cuenta en Twitter y, recientemente, ratificaron la  futura llegada a latinoamérica  en  una conferencia de prensa en Baltimore, que además fue la primera parada de su tour que comenzó hace un mes atrás.

Cabe señalar que The Cranberries ha estado en silencio  por 7 años, luego que se separaran en 2002, lo que provocó que  O’ Riordan lanzará su primer disco en solitario llamado Are You Listening?,  y más actual: el álbum  No baggage?.  La reunión de esta banda irlandesa se venía rumoreando hace muchos años, y ahora los integrantes nos sorprenden con la vuelta de la agrupación y con una gira mundial que nos invita recordar los 90. O sea, para no perdérselo.

¿Quién no se acuerda de este tema?

Otra de las bandas comentadas para visitar nuestro país en el año 2010 era The Cranberries, y la gente de Water Brother será la encargada de cumplir con la misión.

A pesar de haberse disuelto, la banda irlandesa vuelve a los escenarios mundiales, e inclurá a Venezuela durante su gira latinoamericana, la única presentación será en el Anfiteatro del Sambil de Caracas el día 12 de febrero, y las entradas las podremos conseguír en etapa de pre-venta, a partir de este miercoles 18 de noviembre hasta el sábado 20 de diciembre en Tuticket.com, Tecniciencias Libros Sambil y en las tiendas Esperanto del Centro San Ignacio y el Tolón.

Actualización

Las entradas se pueden conseguír en la etapa de preventa, entre los Bs F. 385 y los Bs F. 770, dependiendo de la localidad seleccionada por el público.

Tour latinoamericano

J.

Info. sobre los precios: El Universal

The Cranberries launched their comeback tour last night!

PREVIEW: READ SPIN’s article on The Cranberries’ first show of their comeback tour in Baltimore, MD

For six years, The Cranberries had remained a legend frozen in time that we all could listen to in memory and cherish as great Irish alternative rock. They were the band we made out to, the music we’d come to love in really bad chick flicks and the sound we miss most about the 1990s. And in a blink, they’re back from memory and now in reality. The Cranberries are back! They kicked off their U.S. comeback tour last night, and it’s about time.

The Cranberries are great not only because they have so many hits, like “Dreams,” “Zombie” and “Linger,” but because they were the face of a decade and a genre. It’s not like catching the Rolling Stones or Paul McCartney — The Cranberries weren’t  that iconic — but they’re one of those bands you can’t forget because their pop songs are so deeply entwined in our culture.

It’s kinda sad how old the 1990s feel — it’s like they’ve replaced the 1980s to us, and The Cranberries were like the Blondie of the 1990s. I feel so old now, as I type this. That said, I still don’t plan on catching them live, but I’m happy they’re still playing.

– Jett Wells, Assistant Multimedia Editor

Va tomando fuerza la ola de bandas y cantantes que sacudirán Lima el próximo año. The Cranberries es uno de los grupos que veré de todas maneras (Metallica también y ya estoy preparando el post del caso) porque una serie de buenos recuerdos me unen a la agrupación liderada por Dolores O’Riordan, la irlandesa dueña de una de las voces más adorables y cautivantes de los últimos años.

Recuerdo que el sonido del mencionado cuarteto británico arribó a nuestro país a mediados de los noventa. El mundo vivía un fenómeno de cambio a nivel musical. Las cadenas, con MTV a la cabeza, se encargaban de clasificar y etiquetar todo lo que aparecía. El metal le había dado paso al “grunge” y al “rock alternativo”. Bandas como Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, entre otras, fueron marcadas bajo el signo del grunge; mientras que REM, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Live, Collective Soul, y más, debieron soportar el rótulo de alternativos. Entre ellas, apareció The Cranberries, con un estilo diferente, para refrescar la recargada escena.

El primer tema que escuché, como la mayoría seguramente, fue “Zombie”: elegancia y agresividad en dosis justas. Aquella canción fue suficiente para comprarme en Disco Centro el “No Need to Argue” (ver la foto de arriba). Luego me enteré que existía una placa previa, “Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can´t We?” cuyo hit “Dreams”, también se metió en mi lista de preferidas de aquel entonces. Sin duda, la voz y la presencia de O’Riordan fueron cruciales para querer a la banda. Pero había otros elementos importantes que componía una agrupación sólida.

En esos años, Uranio 15 era el canal musical peruano de moda. Con el tiempo la idea inicial degeneró para convertirse en una señal para el olvido. Un verdadero desastre. Pero tuvo su momento y para quien no tenía nada que hacer, como yo, mirar U15 no era desagradable. Al contrario. The Cranberries sonaba mañana, tarde y noche durante en esa buena época yo me soplaba los videos con devoción. Por ello, los acordes de la banda integrada por Dolores O’Riordan, Noel Hogan, Mike Hogan y Fergal Lawler, hoy en día me permiten viajar hacia tiempos de ocio, cuando ver televisión no era mi pasatiempo, sino mi vida. Será un placer tener a los Cranberries por acá.

Una vez más os pongo otra canción del grupo irlandés The Cramberries.  Canción que pertenece al álbum Everybody Else is Doing it, So Wahy Can´t we? del año 1993.

Dreams en Spotify

Como siempre, lyrics tras el corte!

The Cranberries – Dreams

Oh, my life is changing everyday,

In every possible way.
And oh, my dreams, it’s never quite as it seems,
Never quite as it seems.

I know I’ve felt like this before, but now I’m feeling it even more,
Because it came from you.
And then I open up and see the person falling here is me,
A different way to be.

Ah, la da ah…
La…

I want more impossible to ignore,
Impossible to ignore.
And they’ll come true, impossible not to do,
Impossible not to do.

And now I tell you openly, you have my heart so don’t hurt me.
You’re what I couldn’t find.
A totally amazing mind, so understanding and so kind;
You’re everything to me.

Oh, my life,
Is changing every day,
In every possible way.

And oh, my dreams,
It’s never quite as it seems,
‘Cause you’re a dream to me,
Dream to me.

Ah, da, da da da, da, la…

Aaah the Cranberries. These Irish rockers have had a piece of my heart since forever. Every few months I relapse into a Cranberries phase, listening to nothing but Cranberries for weeks on end. Screaming to the top of my lungs to “Promises”, “When You’re Gone” and the many other songs that Dolores O’Riordan flawlessly sings with her ridiculously lovable voice. It’s been seven years since they’ve done anything together. I love them. Love love love. I had to see them. One last time…

It sold out it minutes and alas I did not have a ticket. Craigslist and Kijiji tickets were going for three times the price! And people were buyin ‘em! Outside the venue, the normal scalpers (who I now know by name) sold all of theirs for $200 a piece! Shit! After being robbed of tickets because people who JUST ARRIVED decided to cut in line and gobble up the freed up tickets from the people who waited HOURS. People were crying, spirits were crushed, and emotions ran red because the management at L’Olympia ARE HORRIBLE. Saying it was sold out when it wasn’t. Releasing one ticket. Sold out. Then another. Sold out. Then two. Sold out. They sold them to people who WEREN’T EVEN IN LINE AND JUST GOT THERE. Finalement it was sold out. Calmez calmez…The show started and 15 minutes in, I tried my luck once more with a bouncer I recognize at most shows as being quite generous and hooooorah! He let us all in for free just in time for the start of “Dreaming Your Dreams”.

Videos, MP3s, and recap after the jump!

Live in Show: The Cranberries
@ L’Olympia (MTL; 22 11 09)

O’Riordan looked as beautiful as ever in her shining gold dress and silver shoes. Her voice was untouchable. It was so perfect, so immaculate and even better exposed than records or CDs ever could capture. Her Irish twang. So lovable. A true performer, strutting across the stage, doing mini dances, choreographed nonsense, it was all there! It felt like the coziest venue ever, as if she performed at Cabaret Juste Pour Rire instead of L’Olympia, a venue 4 time the size. She spoke French to us. I always love it when they try. Everyone there were HUGE FANS. We sang with full and open hearts. We cried (“When You’re Gone”, “Dreams”, “Ode…”), We protested with our fists in the air (“Free to Decide”, “Salvation”, “Zombie”). We stood in awe. We held our hearts on our sleeves.

I didn’t want it to end. Hit after hit was performed. The new solo material was pretty great as well, especially “Lunatic”. I wish she played “Analyse” and “Promises”. But I can’t complain. Two hours of solid solid Cranberries rock later we all left feeling nostalgic and happy. Nostalgic that we just got to see our heroes from our past performed for the first time in 7 years, singing to all the songs, remembering all the lyrics, and catching our tears with one hand while the other waves in the air. Happy knowing that we’ll feel exactly the same way in twenty years. Ugh it was such a great night. I well up just thinking about it.

A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Setlist:

How
Animal Instinct
Linger
Ordinary Day
Wanted
Just My Imagination
Dreaming My Dreams
When You’re Gone
Daffodil Lament
I Can’t Be With You
Ode to My Family
Free to Decide
Waltzing Back
Switch off the Moment
Salvation
Ridiculous Thoughts
Zombie

Encore:

Lunatic
Empty
The Journey
Dreams

—

MP3: The Cranberries – When You’re Gone

MP3: The Cranberries – Promises

I’ve made a new playing list. Do you have a special music list at your iPod/MP3/etc?

1. Lykke Li – Possibility
2. M.I.A – Paper Planes
3. Oh Laura – Release Me
4. Tori Amos – Winter
5. Antsy Pants – Vampire
6. Muse – Time is running out
7. Muse – Starlight
8. Muse – New Born

9. Katie Melua – If the Lights go Out
10. R.E.M – the Great Beyond
11. Velvet Underground – I’m sticking with you
12. Kimya Dawson – Tire Swing

13. Arctic Monkeys – Mardy Bum
14. Bloc Party – Two More Years
15. Bloc Party – This Modern Love
16. The Cranberries – Zombie
17. The Cranberries – Salvation

I am kinda into that alternative music sound these days. Not that these artists are too alternative. But still, they make really great music.

Hace un par de días LaRocka anunció el concierto que The Cranberries dará en la Arena Monterrey el año entrante.

Los precios de las localidades, según superboletos.com, son los siguientes:

[$350] Discapacitados
[$350] Luneta
[$450] Luneta Esp
[$450] Boletos Extras Suites Oro
[$450] Boletos Extras Suites Platino
[$550] Preferente
[$650] Butaca
[$750] Barrera
[$850] Plata
[$950] Oro
[$1,100] Platino

Falta que los organizadores hagan el anuncio oficial, por lo que los precios podrían cambiar aunque por lo general no ha sucedido así.

There was a game we used to play
We would hit the town on Friday night
And stay in bed until Sunday
We used to be so free
We were living for the love we had and
Living not for reality

There was a time I used to pray
I have always kept my faith in love
It’s the greatest thing from the man above
The game I used to play
I’ve always put my cards upon the table
Let it never be said that I’d be unstable

Just my imagination
Just my imagination
Just my imagination, it was

-Cranberries; Just My Imagination

Do you remember the days of the garden tables and black boxes? $1 bubble tea, climbing gates and jumping into oceans?

I don’t think I miss these activities much. It’s the person I was then that I miss. Things were light and happy and spirited and friendships and relationships were simple. We had all the time in the world and all the love to give and we didn’t think so much. We just did. We went straight into the mucky sea without a set of extra clothes.

I think I can do that again. I mean, I want to. Since I started working, I’ve met a few older people who seem to feel the need to impart “wisdom” to me. “You’re so young and naïve,” they would say. “Wait a few more years and you’ll change. It’ll all change. You’ll meet people who will do anything to get what they want. And you’ll understand what it means to be jaded.”

Somewhere down this road, I’d like to be able to do aid work. Something that tangibly helps other less fortunate people. But right now, I’m glad I’m where I am. It’s such a learning curve — learning to help in a way that is not tangible. Help brighten up someone’s day, help make someone’s load lighter, help make someone laugh. And it’s equally fulfilling, I think.

So…NEW GOAL! I hope at the end of this life, I will still believe that people are inherently good, that idealism is not naïveté. And then I will tell these people to SUCK IT.

And then I will buy an Airstream and take a roadtrip to anywhere, driving so fast we could fly away.

Go here and let the song play in the background. Then, continue reading.

I saw The Cranberries last night for their New York stop on their reunion tour. The tour marks the first time they’ve performed together in nearly seven years, which blows my mind. The Cranberries were such a large part of my childhood and adolescence. My parents regularly played their albums ever since Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? was released in 1993. Then the movie Empire Records (which came out in 1995, but I didn’t discover until around 1998) was released, and The Cranberries became not only my parents’ music, but my own.

Their concert last night was amazing (for lack of a more expletive word), simply put. The band was tight as ever, and Dolores O’Riordan is one of the coolest people with one of most awesome voices I’ve ever heard. The energy in the sold-out show was great, and I couldn’t get enough of O’Riordan’s message to live for today, and not worry about tomorrow. I’m going to try to start.

Click the photo below to see the performance of Linger from last night. And did listening to Dreams not put you in the greatest mood ever? Hope it tickles your fancy, because it sure does mine.

(a previous post from the former NuPoppa blog)

INT: Portland International Airport. It’s the Continental overnight flight from Portland to Newark. People are milling about, attempting to wipe the sleep from their eyes as they prepare to board. DOUG had just come from California earlier in the day, where he was working for three days. He had about a couple of hours to drive out to his in-laws to have a quick dinner with his wife, in-laws and son. He is on his way back to Philadelphia to go to the funeral of his 101-year old grandfather. He is tired, bags under his eyes, but seems to be rallying. The elite passengers are called to board and DOUG ambles to the gate and meekly hands his boarding pass to the agent. A wan smile is all that can be mustered as he lopes to his seat on the plane. As is his habit, DOUG leans his head down on the window and tries to get shut-eye. He has always seemed to have had bad luck with seatmates and this is his way to show that he’s really not interested in conversation.

(Music up: “A Wink and a Smile” by Harry Connick, Jr.)

A mop-headed boy walks towards the seat next to DOUG. He looks to be around 8 or 9 years old. He is carrying a green backpack. His MOM and SISTER settle in the seats across from the boy named TOBY.

TOBY
Hello.

DOUG
Hi. How are you?

TOBY
I’m good.

(Music up: “Make Someone Happy” by Jimmy Durante)

TOBY pulls a handheld video game out of his bag. He fires up a basketball game. He is also a big Celtics fan, being from New England. DOUG leans over to see what’s going on. TOBY notices that DOUG is watching the screen and politely tilts it towards DOUG so that he can get a better look.

TOBY
It’s an NBA game. But there are WNBA players and you can’t really pick the players that you want. See? Ray Allen is playing for the Warriors and some WNBA player is on the team.

DOUG
Yeah, that’s kind of weird.

TOBY
Yeah, but it’s still a fun game. What team do you like?

DOUG
Portland Trail Blazers.

TOBY
Yeah, they’re good.

(Music up: “Dreams” by The Cranberries)

DOUG turns his attention to his iPhone, where he begins playing Tiger Woods PGA Tour. TOBY leans over to get a better look. DOUG tilts it towards TOBY and shows him how to play the game. DOUG, who usually ends up with 400-pound, sweaty people next to him on flights, smiles because he’s enjoying sharing video games with his seat-neighbor. DOUG starts thinking about his little son.

(Music up: “Over the Rainbow” by Harry Nilsson)

TOBY’S MOM leans in from the other row to make sure that he’s not bothering DOUG. DOUG gives her a little wave that implies, “nah, everything is cool.” By this point, DOUG is showing TOBY pictures of his son on his iPhone. DOUG tells TOBY why he’s headed back to New Jersey. MOM leans over again to say something to TOBY but he beats her to the punch.

TOBY (loudly)
HE’S GOING BACK TO NEW JERSEY BECAUSE HIS GRANDFATHER DIED!

MOM winces at that comment but DOUG laughs it off thinking, “ah, kids.” DOUG finds out that TOBY is almost 9 and he begins to think about his own son and what he might be at 9 years old. He also thinks about the things he would say to his son at 9 years old.

(Music up: “Over the Rainbow” by Harry Nilsson again)

Before the flight takes off, DOUG teaches TOBY how to keep electronic devices on and hidden from flight attendants. If here were older, he would teach him the “briefcase trick” where you can get more legroom in coach. In gratitude, TOBY pulls up his green backpack and opens it.

TOBY
You want some candy? I’ve got Nerds, Twizzlers, Sour Patch Kids. Oh, and a juicebox.

DOUG
No thank you, I’m cool.

TOBY
Really?

DOUG
Yep.

TOBY
How did your grandfather die?

DOUG is taken aback a little, but pauses. Now that DOUG is a father himself, he sees this as what all of the fu**ing books like to call a “learning opportunity.”

DOUG
Well. He was just old.

TOBY
How old was he?

DOUG
101.

(Music up: “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning” by Carly Simon)

It takes TOBY a second to absorb that large number. He leans over to his MOM.

TOBY
HE WAS 101!

TOBY’S MOM gives a quasi-approving nod with that move where the eyes get wide open out of fear that someone (DOUG) was offended. She mouths “I’m sorry” to DOUG. DOUG, now realizing that TOBY is very nice and looks like the kid from “Sleepless in Seattle,” his favorite movie, just lets it slide and mouths “no problem” to MOM.

(Music up: ah hell, let’s go with “Bye, Bye, Blackbird” by Joe Cocker)

The plane’s door is about to close and the flight attendants ask that all electronic devices be shut off. DOUG and TOBY look at each other, smile and bury their games under their arms.

(Music up: “Gotcha”, The Theme From Starsky and Hutch by Tom Scott. What? I ran out of relevant songs on the “Sleepless in Seattle” and “You’ve Got Mail” soundtracks — cut me a break.)

(END OF SCENE)

—————

Script Notes

The part of DOUG is played by John Cusack. Or Tom Hanks — whoever is available. Or, if neither of them are around, maybe David Spade.

TOBY is played by Ross Malinger, the actual Jonah Baldwin in “Sleepless in Seattle,” but he is somehow magically transported back to what he looked like back then.

MOM is played by the ever cool Kathy Najimy.

We couldn’t find a role for Meg Ryan. Sorry.

However, we gave five roles, in later scenes, to the world’s coolest person, Zooey Deschanel. All of those roles were Zooey just acting like Zooey but she’s so cool, it doesn’t really matter now, does it?

This script was not done using Final Draft, but I do know how to use the program.

I do like Nora Ephron and I wish her, Meryl Streep and Amy Adams the best of luck with “Julie and Julia.” Please note, the chances of Nora Ephron reading this are highly remote. But, in case you are, let’s have a lunch at The California Canteen on Cahuengua, I’d like to pitch you this story. It was really cute.