Marty May 1st, 2008
I’ve had a good run of music over the last 2 months - I’ve found some really cool new stuff and enjoyed some old favorites once again. I usually won’t listen to the same stuff repeatedly, but lately Grace Potter & the Nocturnals’ latest album, “This is Somewhere” has been really a stalwart on my iTunes playlist. Definitely worth a listen if not a buy if you like strong blues-influenced rock. Continue Reading »
Marty April 25th, 2008
The other day, my boss Dante and I got into a discussion about the first albums we had ever bought. I can’t remember how it started but I said that my first 5 albums were Kiss - “Love Gun” and “Hotter than Hell”, Styx “Kilroy was Here”, Journey “Escape” and Def Leppard “Pyromania”, to which he replied his first album was The Who “Live at Leeds”, which he said he thought was still one of the best live albums ever done. I wasn’t sure but it spurred a debate about what was the best live album out there. So, here are my choices: Continue Reading »
Marty December 20th, 2007
Sometimes, you can go back again. I had my iPod on shuffle when Pink Floyd’s “Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Parts I - V)” (from Wish You Were Here) came on Continue Reading »
Marty September 20th, 2007
I’ve been doing a lot of listening to music lately, both at home and at the office becuase for me, music helps drown out the background noise. And I’ve been finding myself listening to a lot of stuff repeatedly, which is unusual for me. Usually, I can tolerate 3-4 plays of a song/album and then it has to sit on a shelf for a while. Not so much - maybe I’m getting better music, or I’m just getting used to it… Anyhoo, I decided to put together a list of the top 10 songs/albums that are getting major airtime… (well, 11 because I never like being restricted). FYI - the links go to iTunes, for your convenience… ;-).
So, anyone else have a list? Sarah, Michael, Van, Tom?
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Now playing: KT Tunstall - “Night Like Peppers”
Marty June 27th, 2007
In their ever-increasing goal on complete music homogenization and greed, the RIAA-sponsored SoundExchange Royalty Program has strong-armed a new ruling through the United States Copyright Royalty Board that basically starts charging all webcasts of music a fee for doing so, on a per-listener, per-song basis. Continue Reading »
Marty April 26th, 2007
The other day, while driving around, I was listening to some old heavy metal when I decided that I needed a change. I went through my collection and found Harry Chapin’s Greatest Hits Live disc. Putting it in and listening, I found myself doing something that I rarely do these days - listening to the lyrics intently. Continue Reading »
Marty February 1st, 2007
My boss and I were talking about concerts yesterday, and how some bands just surprise the hell out of you - acts that you never expected much out of that do amazing things. He later sent me his Top 5 best and worst concerts ever, which of course got the list-maker in me thinking: what were my Top and Bottom Five? Continue Reading »
Marty July 4th, 2005
First off, I have to say that I was highly impressed by how well Philly managed to pull off Live 8 on Saturday. The trains were all beautifully managed (well, at least the PATCO side - I heard grumbling about SEPTA), the helpers and city workers were all on the same page, and best of all, the people were all … well, particularly un-Philly like.
We had a caravan (19 people) heading in from Jersey, including 5 teenagers and 5 little kids, and were able to make it to the 2nd big screen with little effort. The trip itself was fun as we got to show off a little of the city - particularly to the kids - while admiring the spectacle around us ourselves. The sights were great to see - people smiling, a great vibe and and around the whole place, the activists, the inactivists, the young, the old, the parents, the practicing to be parents - it was all there to behold and left you with little to do but smile.
Although the shows themselves were a teensy bit disappointing (most of the acts were on for less than 15 minutes), it was still a great time. The Kaiser Chiefs started off very promising, putting on a heck of a set, followed by a very energetic and likeable Black-Eyed Peas. Then Bon Jovi came on to rev up his local crowd.
After that, the ’show’ started to lose momentum throught the sets of Destiny’s Child and Kayne West who were enjoyable if not exactly pumping up the crowd. However, Will Smith really got everyone into the vibe with his set and pulling at the emotions of his hometown crowd. From there it was a mixed bag - Dave Matthews Band was disappointing, as was Alicia Keys - although the disappointment with her was that she didn’t play longer. Toby Keith was in there, and I remember thinking that he wasn’t bad, if again, not entirely entralling. One of the best sets of the night was that of Linkin Park and Jay-Z. They were energetic, they were fun, they were loud and they probably had the most raw passion of any act there. Awesome - I really need to see them live sometime.
Def Leppard was a joke - they came on late, and to be frank could have missed their set entirely. Many of the later bands like Jars of Clay and Keith Urban were okay but not very memorable. Even Sarah McLachlan was somewhat underimpressive - though her duet with Josh Groban was pretty good. And I think that the last two acts - Maroon 5 and perenially excellent performer Stevie Wonder were both excellent but a bit too short.
In the end, I think that might have been one of the major short-comings of this show - there was no time for the crowd to start getting into the often too-short performances. I wasn’t a fan of some of the acts, but I could have been just as happy relaxing (read:napping) through a 30-45 minute set of Destiny’s Child as I was through a 15-minute set. I see no reason why they couldn’t have taken this show into the evening, and adding some of the other acts that were rumored to be coming (including Bob Dylan, Aerosmith, the Rolling Stones and most especially Bruce Springsteen. It would have also been nice to see some of the local acts like The Roots or even Love Seed Mama Jump play. Heck, what about a Hooters reunion 20 years later? Okay, maybe not.
Still, the music was only part of the spectacle, and the other part was the people and the environs. We had a good time in that respect - the people-watching was excellent, as my wife’s Flickrstream can attest. There were those out for the Live 8 theme, as well as those out for their own reasons (many of whom really need to take remedial English classes). The food was a bit steep, but not excessively so considering the stranglehold they really had over us - we brought our own drinks and still spent $60+ on food and drink while we were there (did I mention that it was hot).
But in the end, after 8+ hours on the grass along the Ben Franklin Parkway, we were all satisfied with the experience. My son and his friends were enjoying the sun and fun, if not as much the music (not their favorite bands, I guess). My mother-in-law and other newly-met relatives from my wife’s side seemed to be enjoying the Philly area that they were being exposed to. And my new cousins (actually my wife’s cousins, but who’s counting) were having a ball - and made their way into the paper.
Like I said, I had a good time. I can think of ways to make it better, but overall I have to say that the day was a huge success. Philly should be proud of the way that it came off in this thing.
Other opinions
A different view - Village Voice
Other Links »
Marty June 26th, 2005
You know, there has been a distince lack of originality in entertainment in recent times. Bands are using other bands styles or doing straight covers, NBC raping great comedies from BBC, and most especially in movies, where nearly every movie out this year will be a sequel, a remake or a derivation of a TV Show or book.
When I heard about Live8 coming back to Philly, I was excited - and we are going to have a good line-up, as well. But it struck me today - this is just another example of lack of originality isn’t. After all, isn’t this Live Aid - the Sequel?
But I’ll still be there, nonetheless…
