The Champaign of Blogs

Wild Flag Coming To The Highdive 10/7/2011

2011-06-17T11:39:00.008-05:00

(Shakes off the rust, dusts off the cobwebs)

Well, it appears that Wild Flag will be playing a gig at The Highdive on October 7th, according to their label's website. Wild Flag is a group consisting of members from Sleater- Kinney, Helium, and Minders. Sleater-Kinney was no stranger to the the 'dive, so it's good to see Brownstein and Weiss's new band coming back through town.

Their debut self-titled album will be released by Merge Records on September 13, 2011.

Check out a Wild Flag show from SXSW below, courtesy of NPR Music.

The Prodigal Blogger Has Returned...

2009-08-13T12:57:00.002-05:00

Yes, I'm back. It's been over a year and a half since the last post, and all of that time (and more) has been spent out of town. It didn't feel quite right to continue on with it, seeing as it would not really be the Champaign of Blogs. However, being a married, home-owning, public-serving, the address is on my driver's license, resident of Champaign, I feel more than secure in revving up the keyboard once more and sharing some commentary about the places and people who impact my life in this community. A lot has changed since I've left, and, yet, so many of the wonderful things and people I remember are still here, and I feel really fortunate to make this homecoming.

So, for those of you who've checked back now and again, thanks for remembering! To those who are new to the site, well, there are several years worth older posts to whet your appetites in the meantime. Much more to come...

Smile Politely - A New CU-scene Web Site

2007-12-13T16:18:00.000-06:00

There's a relatively new kid on the block in the CU social scene websiteosphere, Smile Politely.

Written by peeps who I love, such as Doug Hoepker (who's Maintaining My Cool blog I miss desperately) and Seth Fein (who's got enough moxy for us all), it's got all the makings of an entertaining community resource. A look at the contributors also shows promise.

I'm curious to see if they ever decide to include a forum (ala OpeningBands) and an event schedule. If so, the whole brick and mortar, paper-in-hand idea of a community weekly could quickly fall by the wayside. There are enough people who work on this project that A) know what they're doing and B) are tired of being beholden to "media companies" that, if they really work at it, could build a lasting presence in the community that wouldn't be compromised by university ties or corporate whoredom. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Great Champaign-Urbana Photo Site

2007-12-01T22:47:00.000-06:00

Local photographer, Dan O'Brien, has an impressive photoblog that features a new photo of the C-U area everyday. He has prints available on his gallery site, as well, so if anything catches your eye, it can be purchased directly from the artist. Below is a recent shot from his blog.

"Across The Universe" by Dan O'Brien

"Like A Point Of Singularity..."

2007-11-20T11:49:00.000-06:00

Champaign rocker cum visual artist, Joe Donhowe, recently created this snippet on the concept of singularity. It's been a favorite of mine, and I figured I'd share it with you all.

So there's a new Beauty Shop release...

2007-11-05T20:29:00.000-06:00

And it's great. The new disc is titled "Just Some Demos," and it's being put out by the band. There are three tracks up on the band's MySpace site for you to enjoy.

These tracks are Hoeffleur's best efforts yet. The writing has never been tighter, both musically and lyrically, and if this is any clue as to their next album proper, then we're all in for a treat. Show-goers will recognize these tracks as the new ones that have been played at the band's gigs for several months now. Their recorded versions, whilst still considered demos, are faithful to the spirit of those performances. Although, I'm gonna start holding my breath for a live album from them soon, because an inspired Beauty Shop show is as exhilarating as any I've seen. And, in fact, if any of you were at the upstairs show at Mike n' Molly's this past June, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Adam Schmitt ran the boards for this particular session, which was, according to Hoeffleur, all done in one take. Once I knew this, and I heard these songs again, I wondered what stopped them from just doing an album. These tracks, even at the demo stage, are produced and played extremely well. Perhaps the boys are awaiting a deal to let a label pay for a new disc? I couldn't think of a better batch of songs to get behind at this point, so, listen up A&R people, GIVE THIS BAND A DEAL!

Thematically, this album seems to focus on the aftermath of the ending of a relationship, but sonically, its approaches are all over the map. From mellow opener "Like I Wasn't Even There," to the mid-tempo rocker Ambulance (one of my personal favorites) to the neck-break paced closer "How It Came To This," it's obvious that someone in particular is on Hoeffleur's mind. How Hoeffleur chooses to engage that topic seems to vary, but, be prepared to wanna lay out your heart on a platter after a few repeat listenings to this disc. That's something truly special.

As of now, the tracks are not up on iTunes yet, so your best bet is to pick one up from the band, who have a show at the Urbana IMC on November 9th, or perhaps try calling Exile On Main St. downtown. It's only $5.

Here are some music videos from the band's last record, Crisis Helpline. Definitely worth picking up either online at iTunes or at a gig. Enjoy!

Imaginary Posse Reunion!

2007-06-06T15:25:00.000-05:00

Yep, the "bi-polar pop" of Imaginary Posse will be blasting through the speakers of Mike n' Molly's once more on Saturday, June 23rd, 2007. Listed start time is 8PM, and I'm guessing there'll be some other bands on this bill to join them.

For those who missed out on seeing them back in the early 2000's, Imaginary Posse arose from the ashes of another group, Chuck Moody, that comprised of Joe Donhowe (vocals, gutiars, etc), and future Posse band mates Bob Henne and Kevin Cahill. Imaginary Posse's first album is a sort of electronic sound collage experimental project. This self-titled release came out under Donhowe's own Petrahof label.

He was eventually joined by David Domal (drums), Bob Henne (bass), Brian Robertson (keyboards), Kevin Cahill (guitar) and Deb Domal (backing vocals, etc). This changed the sound of the group exponentially, making it more of an alterna-pop collective. This group self-released an EP titled "32 Chester."

Next up was the full-length album "Previously Unreleased," which is pictured above. This was self-released in 2000 on the Pirtdab Records label. It's the group's most polished effort, and sadly, their last. You can check out a few tracks from that release on their MySpace page, linked above. Kevin and Deb stepped back in their duties over time, and the band added Isaac Hensleigh on guitar. This line-up lasted through the group's demise in early 2002.

At this point, Dave Domal and Brian Robertson went on with Mark Starr to form Some Velvet Morning, Hensleigh started up Solips with one of his brothers, and Bob Henne played in FeED. Donhowe started Emotional Rec Club with Jason Milam, Derek Niedringhaus, and Kevin Cahill. The line up of that band eventually saw Niedringhaus exit, and Aaron McAllister enter on bass with other small variations along the way.

Enough with the history lesson, just go see 'em on the 23rd... they're a blast.

Updates coming...

2007-06-04T12:03:00.000-05:00

To say it's been slow around here would be an understatement. However, I'll have some news and reviews up later today or tomorrow on the new Headlights release and my inaugural trip to Seven Saints. And a local band who broke up in 2002 is reuniting for a show this month... any guesses as to who? ;-) I know, and will be sharing the day and venue later.

And thanks to all for the 30,000 views! I wasn't sure that this thing would get beyond a few hundred, so thanks for all the interest. :-)

Zwan... Honestly!

2007-04-30T22:25:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I'm posting Zwan videos. Why? Because I've been on a total Corgan kick lately, and I just can't help but wonder "What If?" What if this band would've stayed together for at least another album or two? What if their first album blew up to the heights that many expected it to? Well... we probably wouldn't have had "The Future Embrace." However, I find this all out alterna-pop assault rather gratifying every now and again, especially in the wake of the sludge the Pumpkins were putting out towards the end on "Machina."

I was working at WPGU when this first came out, and we swore that Zwan and Nirvana's "You Know You're Right" were going to kick-start another revival of quality rock tunes. Well, it turns out that Zwan ended up as dead as Nirvana within a year, and neither would make noise in the modern rock charts after '03.

I still have my Zwan CD/DVD combo, and I'm probably the only person I know that listens to it, but take a listen to these songs (and their cheesy videos) and try to convince me that these tracks aren't better than the shit that passes for Top 40 rock these days. I feel sorry for today's teenagers...have fun listening to Fall Out Boy when you're in your 40's.

Phew! For A Minute There I Lost Myself...

2007-03-29T18:40:00.000-05:00

So... school has been unbelievably busy this semester, and henceforth, March has almost come and gone without a post. But not quite!

There is still one noteworthy show on the tCoB's radar this month, and that being The Beauty Shop w/ The 1900's at Cowboy Monkey this Friday. The gig starts at 10:30pm, and there are a few other openers, so plan your night accordingly. The 1900's are a Parasol band, and are just "ok" by my standards. They seem more like a bunch of suburban kids trying a little too hard to stand out in Wicker Park. But like my ol' man says... "opinions are like assholes... everyone's got one, and yours stinks!"

There's also a little interview with Headlights on the Daytrotter website. There are also 4 live tracks, one of them unreleased, that you can both stream and download. I find the image they used on the site to be sort of hilarious. Almost anime-esque... Looks like they could be in "Yellow Submarine" or some sort of Headlights derivative thereof. You can see the band April 6th at Cowboy Monkey with Page France.

Fake Plastic Press Debuts

2007-02-09T11:12:00.000-06:00

Champaign of Blogs fave youngster, Jono Baron, has started up his own site: Fake Plastic Press. Music reviews and musings on pop culture will tend to be the order of the day. Jono has contributed reviews to the News-Gazette, the Uni High Gargoyle, and right here on the Champaign of Blogs. Give him a look...

Bad News Bears!

2007-02-05T15:09:00.000-06:00

Wow, after some phenomenal first quarter play, the Bears Super Bowl hopes were whisked away like the rain water into the Miami sewers. Some people might be wallowing in the defeat, but I just find it easier to laugh. How about a couple of fun pics to lighten things up? Feel free to post your comments on last night's game. And be careful... Robert Goulet is watching!

Bears Choke!

Look! A support group for Grossman Fans!

Happy Groundhog Day!

2007-02-02T09:25:00.000-06:00

It's a festival atmosphere around the Champaign of Blogs today, as it's Groundhog Day! And the world's foremost weatheranimal, Punxsatawny Phil, awoke reluctantly but alertly to tell the world that he did NOT see his shadow! So, we are to expect an early spring this year, and let's hope it takes hold soon.

The Decemberists Are Coming To CU

2007-01-18T17:54:00.000-06:00

Baroque song-smiths, the Decemberists, are coming to the University of Illinois' Foellinger Auditorium on Sunday, April 15th. Opening for them will be My Brightest Diamond. Ticket prices and the on-sale date are forthcoming. Check back for details!

UIUC Girls Of Engineering Calendar

2007-01-03T08:08:00.000-06:00

Yes, some enterprising students decided that marketing a calendar of scantily clad young women who happen to be engineering majors would be a good idea. Why couldn't I thought of this? It's available for purchase on Amazon, in case you were wondering.

Here are a few pics to sate you since the host website, www.girlsofengineering.com, is down due to being on the front page of digg.com.
Here's a video of a flip through of the calendar, read with descriptions of each month's featured female.

RIP James "Chef Ra" Wilson, Jr.

2006-12-27T08:51:00.000-06:00

James "Chef Ra" Wilson, Jr.
1950 - 2006

A fixture of Champaign-Urbana has passed away. Read more about Chef Ra from the WEFT website, a Buzz article, and from High Times Magazine editor, Steven Hager.
Also, a YouTube video featuring Chef Ra with the High Times staff in 1999.

May he rest in peace.

UPDATE: The following information was listed on WEFT's website:

Thursday 12/28
Come down to WEFT 90.1FM from 8-10pm and share your stories and memories live on the air for a tribute to Chef Ra. Or tune in and call.

Friday 12/29
The visitation for Ra will be held from 4-7pm at Renner Wikoff Chapel, 1900 Philo Road, Urbana, just south of Colorado Ave., east side of Philo Rd.

Saturday 12/30
The funeral will be held at 2pm, at the Wesley United Methodist Church, 1203 W. Green St (Green & Goodwin) Urbana

The following is his obituary, as published in the News-Gazette:

URBANA – James C. Wilson Jr., 56, a local radio personality, writer and former star athlete at Urbana High School, passed away on Dec. 26, 2006, at his home in Urbana.

Funeral services will be at Wesley United Methodist Church on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006, at 2 p.m. Dr. Howard L. White will officiate. Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, 2006, at Renner-Wikoff Chapel and Crematory, 1900 S. Philo Road, Urbana.

Jim was born Oct. 10, 1950, in Charleston, W.V. His father, James C. Wilson Sr., was an accomplished college athlete, who was an assistant track coach at the University of Illinois when he died in 1967. His mother, Winnie R. Wilson, a teacher and administrator in the Champaign Public School system for many years, retired in 1996 and resides in Urbana.

Other survivors include Jim's sister, Karen Wilson, a lawyer in the U.S. Deptartment of Justice in Washington D.C.; and nephew, Campbell James, 8.

Jim starred in track and football at Urbana High School, from which he graduated in 1969. He competed in the state meet as a high jumper and for many years held Urbana High's record in the event. He was elected president of his senior class, and then went on to earn a degree from the University of Illinois College of Communications.

Jim, who often spoke fondly of having attended the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival in upstate New York, was a fixture in the local music community. His pioneering "Roots Rock, and Reggae radio program, which aired for 25 years on WEFT 90.1 FM, was one of the first programs in the nation to play tribute to reggae music. The station planned a tribute to Jim on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2006, from 8 to 10 p.m. when the program usually aired. For many years, Jim also wrote a regular column under the pseudonym "Chef Ra" for High Times magazine.

He will be remembered for the loving support he gave his mother in recent years and for his devotion to his sister and nephew. He will be sorely missed by his hundreds of friends in the local community.

The family asks that memorials be made to the Wesley Foundation, 1203 Green St., Urbana IL 61801.

Please feel free to share your memories and kind words for Chef Ra in the comments.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2006-12-24T11:05:00.000-06:00

Yeah, posting's been light to non-existent this month, but finals took their toll, and quite frankly, I couldn't write another line after writing about 100 pages worth of papers. However, I hope all of you who are celebrating Christmas, New Year, and/or any other holiday have a wonderful time. There may not be a flake of snow on the ground, but here's to remembering those wintry days with Calvin and Hobbes.

Rest In Peace, John.

2006-12-08T14:23:00.000-06:00

John Winston Lennon
October 9th, 1940 - December 8, 1980

Thank you for so many great memories and ideas, John.

You are missed.

"Thank You, Fighting Illini, We Love The Igloo That Is Folger's Auditorium..."

2006-12-06T09:22:00.000-06:00

My Morning Jacket... I'd have to say that last night's show at "Folger's Auditorium" cemented their reputation as one of the best bands in America (in my opinion, anyways). MMJ had that crystalline combination of being tight as a drum and loose as a college freshman, musically that is. Jim James is their fearless leader, and with the combination of his soaring vocals and exceeding amounts of reverb, you'd have to imagine that extraterrestrial species will one day be regaled with a falsetto that just may be the closest thing we have to creating a universal consciousness.

During many points in the gig, James charmed the crowd by calling us all the Fighting Illini, and how he remembered his dad watching Louisville vs. Illinois basketball games as a kid. I certainly don't remember many meetings between these two teams besides the Final Four game from '05, but who am I to quibble over details. He then told us how happy he was to play in the igloo that is "Folger's Auditorium," and proceeded to rant on how he dislikes the corporate naming of so many performance halls. Many in the crowd were laughing out loud, yours truly included. Finally, he told us that he was happy to see such a big group of us out during what's typically a busy time of the year and that we are superior to all those who willingly live their life around their TV watching schedule. Being around real people and having real experiences is what life is all about, he said, and I couldn't agree more. Oh, and James was wearing some rather awesome space/Muppet boots. They definitely accented his suit nicely.

Opening band, The Slip, are essentially a more alt-rock version of My Morning Jacket. This is by no means a bad thing. They had some very engaging tracks, but sadly, I had no extra cash to pick up any of their merch. Worthy of a Myspacing or something of that nature, for sure.

Now for the pictures....

If This Blog Doesn't Make You Hungry...

2006-12-05T10:03:00.000-06:00

Whilst kicking around on the ol' Little Blog On ze Prairie, I found the Champaign Taste blog. I never remember mom serving ribs and potatoes with any sort of presentation resembling this one. Good lord, does that look delish... I sure hope that's not one of those "walking stick" bugs crawling on top of it, though. That would be unfortunate.

Oh, and when I'm finished digging myself out from underneath my avalanche of schoolwork, I'll be doing a groovy year-end round up type thing. Some of you readers may even be getting an email about it! Aren't you lucky ;-) Until then, you need to head on over to my friend Jenning's site, rbally, and scroll down to find the excellent Jeff Tweedy at Foellinger Auditorium show from October.

Chuck Koplinski Reviews "Blood Diamond"

2006-12-04T15:05:00.000-06:00

This week, Chuck Koplinski reviews the latest film from director Edward Zwick, "Blood Diamond."

Blood Diamond – 3 Stars

Rated R – Running Time – 2:30

By Chuck Koplinski

Director Edward Zwick tries to have his cake and eat it too with his latest, Blood Diamond. In striving to deliver not only a bracing action film but a socially relevant expose on the dire state of modern Africa as well, the filmmaker succeeds, for the most part in rattling viewers and driving them to tears. Without question, the film sports a timely and worthwhile agenda and is at its best when it brings to the fore the horrendous conditions facing the millions of poor living in Sierra Leone and South Africa. However, what prevents this fine film from being the classic it strives to be is its bloated running time and less-than-cohesive script that relies, far too often, on coincidence when common sense would suffice.

Set in 1999 during the civil war that ravaged Sierra Leone, Diamond concerns a tenuous alliance between three strong-willed individuals who have no problem using each other for their own means. Having been arrested for diamond smuggling, Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) is desperate to get his hands on a massive stone that he’s heard former prisoner Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) has found and hidden while being forced to work for the rebel forces intent on ousting the powers-that-be. Vandy agrees to help Archer find the diamond when the smuggler promises to help him find his family, that’s been displaced by the fighting raging around them. Unfortunately, the stone has been buried deep in the African bush and the duo finds it impossible to breach this territory as it’s been cordoned off by the government. Enter reporter Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), who longs to expose the connection between the world’s largest diamond buyer and those that supply them with conflict stones that come from Sierra Leone, the sale of which fund the rebel movement. Bowen agrees to help Archer and Vandy in their search, as she has access to the area where they need to travel, but only if the smuggler assists her by supplying the names of his high-profile customers.

Not only does the script by Charles Leavitt juggle these three storylines but it also includes the plight of Vandy’s son, Dia (Caruso Kaypurs). Abducted by Captain Poison (David Harewood), the very same rebel leader who Vandy was held prisoner by, the young boy is being brainwashed into becoming a child soldier of the revolution. Time and again, Zwick underscores just how many people have been displaced by the rebel fighting and just how vast the land is where this conflict occurs. In showing us a refugee camp where one million homeless people are being held and chronicling the long trek that Archer and Vandy set out on, chance meetings that occur between characters and the connection between Poison and the Vandy’s seem implausible and border on the ridiculous.

However, Zwick does not let us focus for long on these narrative flaws as he assails the viewer with one atrocity after another throughout. While Connelly gives an uncharacteristic weak and obvious performance, her character plays a pivotal role in the film as through her eyes we see the plight of those who will go hungry or have been caught in the crossfire of the madness that has descended upon their home. Zwick and Leavitt accomplish all they set out to do in these moments, generating sympathy and stoking outrage in the face of these atrocities.

While Archer and Vandy’s trek seems to border on becoming an endless journey at times, the chemistry between the film’s two leads generates enough interest for us to see it through. Hounsou has always been an actor of great strength and passion and he puts these qualities to good use here, seething with rage and despair as he tries to find his family, yet somehow conveying a sense of hope through it all. DiCaprio masters not only a difficult accent but something much more difficult – bringing life to a cliché. Cynical characters that grow a conscience are as old as the hills and yet the actor makes Archer’s transformation from rogue to romantic a convincing one. That the script provides Archer with a realistic set of circumstances in which he acts as he does helps considerably, but DiCaprio’s sense of conviction makes us believe he’s able to change as he does. In the end, it’s the sense of outrage that Blood Diamond generates that makes it worthwhile, as well as the sense of hope that one man can hold out to another and, in the process, make a difference.

Beauty Shop - This is hilarious...

2006-11-21T10:02:00.000-06:00

Cruising the picture section of The Beauty Shop's MySpace site, I found this quite entertaining...

You can catch the Beauty Shop opening for Pete Yorn at The Canopy Club on November 30th ($17 in advance), and December 1st at The Illini Media Building with Lynn O'Brien and others for the Musicians On A Mission benefit ($5 at the door)

I happened to catch the Beauty Shop at a somewhat unexpected headlining gig in Bloomington at Paulies on Friday, November 17th. .

It was an unexpected headlining gig (to me and the band, judging by frontman John Hoeffleur's response) because all the signage posted had them going second. Instead, the alleged former headliners, Wiplot, went second. Wiplot were the worst band I've ever paid money to see. I actually contemplated waiting around for the payout from the bar owner so that I could take five bucks and give it right to the Beauty Shop. John commented at one point during their set..."I recognize these guys... I saw them on Dateline... the sex offenders episode." These were truly some strange older guys who played, with earnest I might add, some of the most uninteresting and just plain ridiculous songs I've ever heard. Now, this wasn't even entertaining in a "Return of the Killer Tomatoes" way. No ironic humor would be capable of providing a saving grace here, just the announcement of the last song.

The Beauty Shop's set had several newer numbers that I first heard at a Canopy Club gig of theirs some months ago. They sound more polished after some time on the road for some seasoning. The band said they don't currently have any plans to head into the studio, but I certainly hope these new tracks make the cut for whenever they do record again. Hoeffleur continues to be among the best songwriter's around, with songs such as "Ambulance" that are as caprivating lyrically as they are musically. Arianne and Creecher more than kept the backbeat; providing a sturdy canvas over which Hoeffleur painted vivid scenes of love lost (Ambulance), fighting mental illness (Monster), and music industry malarky (Babyshaker). The stage was Hoeffleur's playground, as well, with guitar swings and playful expressions which were energetic and engaging. All in all, a solid performance. A particularly funny happening was when an older African-American guy wandered in front of the stage during the 'Shops set and started giving an interpretive dance performance and lip syncing to the choruses. Priceless.

Paulies is a decent bar. It's sort of an amalgam of the Iron Post (no beers on tap, some darts, a decent sized room, some tables and a stage) and Nargile (sorta dark, has a downstairs bar with a DJ booth where the quasi-hip of Bloomington hang).

Bloomington's bar scene, however, is pretty lame and sometimes mildly creepy. There's the vanilla State Farmers and Country Companies lackies who are looking to get their kicks in their khakis, the ISU Greek scene (shallow fashion victims), the townie thirty-somethings who look like they just got out of a church Bible study circa 1993, and the twenty-somethings that are still consulting Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst for both music and wardrobe reccomendations. There's also a very unfriendly redneck bar just two doors down from Paulies, where I heard the doorman utter "That's right, keep walking you damn city-slickin' Cubs fan" as I walked by. The bars across the street were half-hearted attempts at recreating someone's basement rec room. Fat Jacks is their Guido's, although it's more like the old Two Main... just a stylized meat market where you're just as likely to spill your drink from being crushed at the bar as you are to actually finish drinking it. Rosie's is the only decent bar. It's similar to Bentley's in style with it's traditional English pub trappings, and it looks like they have a decent menu. It's sort of an upscale version of the Esquire. Ultimately, If you're looking for something cool and different, you'll likely find an offering more compelling and friendly in the confines of Champaign-Urbana.

Chuck Koplinski Reviews "The Fountain"

2006-11-21T09:50:00.000-06:00

The following review was written by Chuck Koplinski for the latest film from director Darren Aronofsky, "The Fountain."

The Fountain - 1 ½ Stars

Rated PG-13 – Running Time 1:36

By Chuck Koplinski

It’s rare that a film as personal as Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain is produced and released by one of the major Hollywood studios. In a town where hedging your bets on the success of a film has become a business unto itself, there’s little room for movies that feature fractured storylines, mystic undertones and a trippy ending out of the ‘60s. Yet, it’s obvious that Warner Bros. wants to be in the Darren Aronofsky business as they’ve given him free reign with this film, a work that is undeniably ambitious but horribly flawed. While there are a few things to recommend it, most notably its fantastic visuals, the movie is undone by a sophomoric approach to its metaphysical subject and an embarrassing turn from one of the movie’s most reliable actors.

Set in three different eras, The Fountain focuses on one man’s search (or more accurately, the same man re-incarnated) for the secret to immortality. In Spain during the Renaissance, a conquistador by the name of Tomas is sent by the Queen to find the Tree of Life that’s believed to be in the Mayan territory they’re busy conquering. With the promise of her hand and the country’s political superiority if he succeeds, the good soldier dutifully accepts his charge. Meanwhile, in the present day, Dr. Tom Creo is a driven researcher searching for a way to stop the growth of the brain tumor that’s killing his wife Izzi, an author who’s coincidentally working on a book about a conquistador searching for the Tree of Life. We are also witness to a tale unfolding in the future concerning a lone man who’s been charged with keeping the sacred tree everyone’s searching for alive in a transparent floating space orb. He’s routinely visited by the vision of a woman who urges him not to give up his mission.

In each story the couple in question is played by Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz and their performances are a contrast in styles that clash horribly. Jackman has developed into an actor of some diversity but he’s not immune to choosing bad scripts (Swordfish) or giving a bad performance (Van Helsing). Here he eschews restraint as if it were a fatal disease delivering an overwrought performance in each of the film’s storylines. While he can be forgiven a bit for his macho turn as the driven conquistador, his obvious, over-the-top choices in the film’s other two segments come off as amateurish and, at times, embarrassing. One would think that Aronofsky would have been wise enough to rein him in, but perhaps he was distracted by Weisz and the other visual delights in the film. (The director and actress were married during the making of the movie.) While Jackman raves, his co-star gives a confident, assured performance, knowing that there’s no need to shout to make an impact when you’re able to display a degree of conviction in your performance.

While the lack of chemistry between its two leads is a detriment to the film, its biggest stumbling block is Aronofsky’s script. The connections between the three storylines hold little mystery, though the way the director cuts them together we’re led to believe that a major revelation will be unveiled in the end. It’s obvious where this is all headed and the simplistic, clunky dialogue that the cast is forced to deliver doesn’t lend a degree of realism or gravity to the proceedings. Instead, unintended laughs are elicited instead of gasps of awe or tears of remorse, which undercuts the entire film.

To Aronofsky’s credit, the film is a visual knockout, a combination of traditional set design and clever animation overlays (the outer space effects were created by optically printing microscopic chemical reactions captured in Petri dishes). Whether it is the Spanish court, the modern apartment in which the Creo’s live or the tiny futuristic space colony, this is one of lushest films to hit the big screen in a long time. Equally impressive are the visual allusions that connect the three storylines. Observant viewers will note the small glimpse of elements that pop up throughout and will be rewarded in the end to see them all time together in the end.

I’m sure that philosophy experts will be able to make more connections with the many reincarnation motifs that populate the film and draw more conclusions regarding its mystic, meditative themes than the average viewer. Be that as it may, even they won’t be able to overlook the film’s sophomoric dialogue, Jackman’s awful performance and the movie’s ponderous pace. Without question, The Fountain is an audacious work brimming with visual delights but its flaws far outweigh its many assets resulting in a curious personal vision that should have remained just that.

Chuck Koplinski Reviews "Casino Royale"

2006-11-17T10:38:00.000-06:00

The following review was written by Chuck Koplinski for the latest film from director Martin Campbell, "Casino Royale."

Casino Royale - 3 1/2 Stars
Rated PG-13 - Running Time - 2:24
by Chuck Koplinski

Shaken and stirred -- that’s how the 21st installment in the James Bond franchise Casino Royale leaves you. Taking a page from Batman Begins, director Martin Campbell and writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade take the unenviable task of making everything that’s old about the world’s most famous super-spy new again and they succeed handsomely. While the film does contain many of the familiar troupes we’ve come to expect from a Bond movie, there’s a degree of urgency and humanity to this exercise that gives the character and all that we’ve come to associate with him a well-needed shot in the arm. Perhaps the biggest fault of the film is its bloated running time, a factor that tripped up many of the later Bond adventures. While the movie delivers the good, in the end it does overstay its welcome.

The title of many of Ian Fleming’s novel was all that remained on many of the Roger Moore entries, as most of the plots he’d fashioned were thrown out, as they were far too dated to be deemed worthy of sophisticated audiences of the ‘70s and ‘80s. With Royale, the makers have gone back to Fleming’s 1953 story, the only one that had not yet been filmed in a serious manner, kept the core premise and updated many of its elements for today. As such, Bond (Daniel Craig) is sent on his first mission to bring down Le Chiffre (the Cipher), a backer of the world’s most dangerous terrorist organization. To do this, Bond sets out to clean out his vast coffers at a high-stakes poker tournament at the Casino Royale in Montenegro. What appears to be a simple mission becomes quite complicated when Le Chiffre uncovers Bond’s role, sending out his cronies to kill him and the secret agent is forced to deal with an unexpected ally, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) who’s been sent to watch over the government funds that Bond is wagering.

The pace of the film is much slower than you might expect and initially, this is a welcome change. This is a character-driven film and much time is spent on showing us what makes Bond tick and planting the seeds for what we know will happen to the character in the future. Obviously, these scenes will be great fun for fans of the franchise, such as witnessing Bond get behind the wheel of an Aston Martin for the first time and his response when asking whether he wants his martini shaken or stirred. While Campbell is in charge of tweaking the spy movie formula, the weight of the picture is on Craig’s shoulders and he does a remarkable job. He displays a combination of crudity, naivite and growing confidence throughout that’s wholly convincing. Equally impressive is the physicality he brings to the role. Buff and lean, he leaves no doubt that he’s able to pull off the many bone-crushing moment that are required of him which lends a grittiness to the film that it desperately needs.

The supporting cast is also top-notch with Mads Mikkelsen coming off as less of a madman with a turn that’s as cool as Craig’s as Le Chiffre. Green is also very good, giving us not a Bond girl but a woman who is every bit his equal. You don’t have to wonder for a minute as to why he’d fall for her. Meanwhile, Judi Dench gives her usual droll performance as M while it’s good to see Jeffrey Wright in the role of American CIA agent Felix Leiter.

While Craig’s turn won’t make anyone forget about Sean Connery and Casino Royale is not the best of the Bond films (Goldfinger still holds that honor), it is as daring as anything you might expect from a franchise that’s over 40 years old. In taking one step back, Campbell and company have taken the character and all that’s associated with him two steps forward, a cinematic feat that no one could have done better.

My Morning Jacket @ Foellinger Auditorium 12/5

2006-11-16T10:04:00.000-06:00

Americana-tinged alt rockers My Morning Jacket are coming to the University of Illinois' Foellinger Auditorium on Tuesday, December 5th at 8PM. The Slip are opening. Tickets are $22 for UIUC students and $25 for the general public.

Star Course is seriously kicking ass this semester. Great job, guys!

Jeff Tweedy Review By Jono Baron

2006-11-09T11:36:00.000-06:00

I've found myself mired in piles of work over the past week, and I've often sought the refuge of the hard work of others (i.e. musicians) to help put a smile on my face during those arduous days and nights. I try to look at my work with "fresh eyes" after a week or so of effort, and when I read my young friend Jono Baron's review of the recent Jeff Tweedy solo performance at Foellinger Auditorium, it reminded me to look at the music I listen to with "fresh ears." It helped me to remember the wonder and attention to detail that I had when I was 17 and listening to music and having my mind blown by the performances.

Jono Baron is a senior at University High School, and is the Entertainment Editor for the school's newspaper, better known as "The Gargoyle." The following piece was originally published for the Gargoyle on November 3rd, 2006.

Showing up an hour early for a concert you still aren’t sure you have tickets to on a cold, rainy evening usually guarantees massive depression, especially if you care about music as much as I do. But when you’re hoping to see Jeff Tweedy (frontman/lead singer for the popular indie band Wilco) perform solo, as he did Oct. 27 at the Foellinger Auditorium, it’s well worth it.

Late this summer, I was lucky enough to attend Lollapalooza in Chicago and see Wilco perform there for the first time, so I assumed that Tweedy’s solo performance would be on par with that concert, just acoustic. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

It turned out that The Autumn Defense, a Wilco side project started by two of the members (John Stirratt and Pat Sansone) was opening for Tweedy. Up to that point, I’d essentially worshipped Tweedy as a demigod — a brilliant artist, perhaps the last of his kind.

But once these guys started playing, I knew he wasn’t the only band member contributing to Wilco’s greatness. Stirratt and Sansone’s musical aptitude was flooring: Each would take turns playing the bass, acoustic guitar, and keyboard, fusing blues and jazz melodies, folk, rock, and even Latin styles into their music in such a convincingly effortless manner that I couldn’t believe my ears.

You never hear these sounds come together all at once in Wilco. In fact, the capacity for emotion and harmony that Stirratt and Sansone showed just had me awestruck — I never would have guessed that two members of Wilco on their own could create a sound filled with such vigor. It manufactured in my mind a new lens through which I could perceive Wilco’s music.

But even though The Autumn Defense did have such an effect on me, Tweedy’s own performance was simply remarkable — almost too inspirational for words. I generally avoid describing “spiritual” and “transcendent” experiences in relation to pop music (no matter how steeped in indie culture the artist is), but I can’t find any other words within me or any thesaurus to fully describe the Jeff Tweedy experience.

I’ve seen Wilco before, and I’ve praised their personal nature; their music is a manipulation of some unknown creative force, not a drive for cash, and that energy coagulates into a visible aura live. But even after getting a taste of Wilco’s live atmosphere, I wasn’t ready for the level on which Tweedy performed.

Indeed, I have literally perceived Tweedy as living on some higher plane of existence, but his performance was so tangible and down to earth that any previous notions of his godlike origins immediately exited my mind. “Personal” takes on a different meaning when members of an audience are actually talking to the performers, tossing compliments, telling stories, and making jokes back and forth. This is the kind of show that Tweedy put on at Foellinger.

Between songs, he talked about his new DVD release, “Sunken Treasure: Live in the Pacific Northwest” (afraid he’d have to reuse jokes from it), told stories about fans coming onstage and being a bit too loyal, and insulted particularly annoying members of the crowd. Twice, he started songs and couldn’t remember words or chords, and the audience helped him out; afterward he joked about his ineptitude, and even asked if we the audience wanted him do the whole number over again. It wasn’t an act or anything — he just forgot on the more complicated songs. After all, he is only human. There’s a margin for error.

Otherwise, listening to Tweedy play was violently beautiful. As he performed alone on the stage with just a guitar and a microphone, I was not only able to finally grasp the true extent of his abilities, but I also finally understood Wilco as “Jeff Tweedy.” The nature of his performance allowed me to look deeply into his music and consider his own attachment to his music.

The fact that he went acoustic affirmed the humanity of the performance, giving it a raw feel, unrefined, though striking in every way because of the basic tones an acoustic guitar has to offer on its own. I’ve heard that a guitar, at the pinnacle of its use, is simply a six-stringed representation of the wielder’s soul, and that’s the only way I can truly describe Tweedy’s playing.

The complex picking, ever-enticing chord progressions, one-of-a-kind harmonization, and amazing vocals aside, Tweedy, on his own, played with all of his heart and soul put together, and that made all the difference.

Jeff Tweedy - Foellinger Auditorium 10/27/06

2006-10-31T12:31:00.000-06:00

A picture of Jeff Tweedy taken during his recent performance at Foellinger Auditorium.

Tweedy Review Coming...

2006-10-30T18:21:00.000-06:00

Yes, there will be a review of the Jeff Tweedy show, but it's mid-term time, and I've been absolutely swamped with work. Bear with me, loyal readers! I will likely have a special treat in store for the show review, as well.

Blast From The Recent Past - Festive Alma Mater

2006-10-25T19:12:00.000-05:00

Has the Alma Mater statue ever looked better? Perhaps only when it was 19 and wearing a more revealing gown. Any thoughts about this year's team? Predictions?

Chuck Koplinski Reviews "Flags Of Our Fathers"

2006-10-21T08:55:00.000-05:00

The following review is written by Chuck Koplinski for the latest film from director Clint East, "Flags Of Our Fathers."

Flags Of Our Fathers – 3 Stars
Rated R – Running Time- 2:12
By Chuck Koplinski

As he did with the western in Unforgiven, Clint Eastwood attacks the war genre with a realistic and reconstructive lens in Flags of our Fathers, an emotionally harrowing journey into the psyche of a nation and the men it would hold up as heroes. Based on the best-selling book by James Bradley and Ron Powers, the film examines one of the most iconic images of the 20th century --- the flag-raising on Mt. Suribachi at the end of the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II--- and puts it under the microscope, looking at the circumstances behind its making, the men caught in the middle of it and its exploitation by the American government. While one might expect a traditional sort of war film from Eastwood, who’s aligned himself politically with the right in the past, his fascination with the media and heroism, which has been a recurring theme for him (The Dead Pool, Bronco Billy, In the Line of Fire, etc.), is the focus here. An unvarnished look at how the government can wield the media and what it presents like a deceptive, powerful sword couldn’t by more timely or welcome.

The film’s opening sequences will undoubtedly be compared to Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan and while there are similarities, each is the reflective of each filmmaker’s distinctive style. Eastwood’s take on the Battle of Iwo Jima isn’t as overtly violent as Spielberg’s look at the D-Day invasion (no distraught soldier wandering around looking for his blown-away arm here) but it is as effective as the violence is seen as just as damaging, senseless and random. The director does a fine job juggling one of the elements that often trips up other filmmakers, namely being able to show how vast this battle was yet make it an intimate experience as well by showing its impact on certain individuals.

The three men Flags centers upon are John Bradley (Ryan Phillippe), Rene Gagnon (Jesse Bradford) and Ira Hayes (Adam Beach) the only survivors among the six who were captured in Joe Rosenthal’s famous photograph. Shifting from the physical turmoil of the battlefield to the emotional scars these men were forced to come to terms with, the story recounts how this trio were feted and honored as American heroes, all in the name of raising money for the war effort through the sale of bonds. While the sights we’re treated to on the battlefield are overwhelming, the same can be said of the massive bond rallies held, particularly at Chicago’s Soldier Field. As they are staged, it’s easy to see how these three would become overwhelmed by the intense focus on their impulsive act to be in Rosenthal’s shot and start to question their so-called heroism. While Gagnon embraces the notion, Bradley and Hayes are less comfortable with this form of instant celebrity and both try to cope with it in their own self-destructive manner.

If Eastwood has a fault as a filmmaker it is that he seldom knows when to call “cut” at the right time. His tendency to let scenes run on too long is well-known and while it does not bog down Flags as it has some of his other works, the movie does move a might slow at times. Even more troubling here is the fractured narrative structure that William Broyles Jr. and Paul Haggis employ that uses flashbacks throughout. While it is initially engaging to see Bradley, Gagnon and Hayes attempt to cope with the post traumatic syndrome they suffer from and the memories that result from it, this tactic eventually becomes taxing and prevents the film from building up the sort of momentum a powerful climax requires.

Rarely do we get films as complex as this out of Hollywood let alone one that questions many of the archetypes cinema has helped perpetuate. Not only does Flags point out once more the futility of war and the far-reaching affects it has on its survivors long after the final shot has been fired, but it also questions the public’s hunger for something simple and pure in the midst of chaos and ambiguity. That dubbing someone a “hero” would have such a detrimental toll on the individual is hardly revolutionary but one we forget all too easily.

Openingbands.com - Back From The Dead!

2006-10-19T10:21:00.000-05:00

In a shrewd promotional move, Openingbands.com founder Steve Sobel took down the site yesterday to help raise awarness of its importance to the scene and its need for volunteers.

So what does this mean? If you've got the time and a little bit of passion, give them an hour or two and write an article or post some flyers. You'll meet some new people or hang out with ones you're friends with while doing a little something to keep the music scene thriving.

Openingbands.com Closes Down

2006-10-18T13:34:00.000-05:00

It's the end of an era for the Champaign-Urbana music scene, as local music site openingbands.com has gone offline. The following message from the site's founder, Steve Sobel, is all that's left. Here it is...

"So long, and thanks for all the fish!

much ♥,
steve AT openingbands DOTcom"

So what comes next? Will there ever be a site that captures the scene's attention and provides a source of discourse like openingbands.com again? I doubt it.

Openingbands.com came about during a sort of zeitgeist in the local music scene around late 2001 / early 2002. Coupled with the growing attention that local music began seeing on WPGU (then known as "The Planet") and the number of new bands and venues developing, the conversation began to grow on the site's forums. A lot of the talk was helpful, some of it was heated, but ultimately, the site gave people a place to find out how to get involved. It gave people who cared some direction and a way to take a personal stake in what was going on with the music they loved and a way to spread the word about it. There were Openingbands.com showcases at the Canopy Club, the rebirth of Band Jam at the U of I, and even a compilation album made up of local artists. The "Intelligence Report" listed all the local shows one could handle, and even several that were going on in the periphery markets, such as Danville, Decatur, and Bloomington-Normal. This was an invaluable resource, as it was readily available, updateable, and often more reliable than any of the weekly papers. The staff began to seek interviews and post official news to compliment the forums, and suddenly, most people in the scene seemingly didn't know how they got along before the site came along. "Word of mouth" was able to spread so much faster when it was simply at peoples 'fingertips. I would have never known about the Hum reunion show at Cowboy Monkey otherwise! *laughs*

It seemed that the site would be a permanent fixture, what with so many relying on it for information and entertainment. However, when there was difficulty continuing the recruiting effort and consistency after the site's founder, Steve Sobel, moved out of town. So, the site continued on with some popularity, but not quite as much visibility, as Sobel's efforts would be very difficult to maintain and replicate by even the most ardent of local music of enthusiats. That's not to say that there wasn't effort made. Cassie Conner, Todd Hunter, Joe Pence, Seth Fein, and a host of others did their best, but "to every season... there is a reason."

This is definitely one of the harder good-bye's to make to the music scene. Best wishes to all those who were involved, and I will always be thankful for the efforts you put forth during one of the funnest periods of my life.

Grey's Brain Hurts

2006-10-17T19:29:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts this week... I've been out of town and then have been swamped upon my return.

The comments are open... does anyone else see the delish irony of Jay Bennet and Jeff Tweedy doing solo shows in town just over a week apart from each other?

Anyways, I'll be back tomorrow with a weekend concert preview...

Lorenzo Goetz Call It A Day

2006-10-11T16:16:00.000-05:00

According to openingbands.com and the band's official website, Lorenzo Goetz have decided to go their separate ways.

"After almost 6 years, 300 shows, 2 EPs, 1 LP, 18 states and 75,000 miles logged; Lorenzo Goetz will be calling it quits. The band has left it's mark on the local and national scene, providing dance-inducing tunes for people in search of a good time. 'Everyone in this band is in a transitional phase, so this makes a lot of sense right now' says founder/singer/songwriter/guitarist Larry Gates. The bands last show will take place on New Years Eve (Dec 31, 2006) at The Cowboy Monkey (6 Taylor St. - Champaign, IL)."

Tis truly a sad day for local music. Do you have any memories that you'd like to share about the band? Go ahead and post'em in the comments... Best of luck, guys!

Lorenzo Goetz will be playing at The Iron Post this Friday. Door open at 9:00pm.

Dare To Dream...

2006-10-11T15:03:00.000-05:00

When this made the front page of Yahoo! the other day, it piqued my curiosity.

Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? And, of course, you can get yourself a T-Shirt.

I wonder where her right hand has disappeared to?

Oh Yeah, There's A Jeff Tweedy Show This Month

2006-10-11T13:46:00.000-05:00

In the "Dear Lord What Was I Thinking When I Didn't Post This Earlier" department, Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy will be gracing the stage of the University of Illinois' Foellinger Auditorium on Friday, October 27th at 7pm. Tickets are $20 for UIUC students, and $23 for the public.

I'm ever so slightly dissapointed (so slight, in fact, that it's at the sub-atomic level) that Wilco won't be joining him, especially since this show is in the middle of their fall tour. However, I'm gonna take a stab at the fact that they have two shows scheduled less than a month later in Chicago probably caused them to pull back. No matter. If you've never had the pleasure of hearing Jeff Tweedy solo before, you're in for a fun and intimate concert experience.

I hear a few of you out there... and you're saying "Oh yeah, Mr. Knowitall! How do you know I'll like it? Twenty-three dollars is enough to send me to the hospital on a Tuesday night out at Kams!" Well, it just so happens that RIGHT NOW one of my all time favorite music websites, Rbally, is hosting an ENTIRE Jeff Tweedy solo show. They're mp3 files, so you can listen to them on any ol' mp3 player you want or rip 'em to a CD. So, go there and road test it, then head over to the UIUC Box Office or call (217) 333-5000 and have the duckets sent right to your door. It's that simple!

Chuck Koplinski Reviews "Man Of The Year"

2006-10-11T10:01:00.000-05:00

The following review is written by Chuck Koplinski for the latest film from director Barry Levinson, "Man Of The Year."

Man of the Year – 2 ½ Stars

Rated PG-13 – Running Time – 1:50

By Chuck Koplinski

The timing couldn’t be better for the release of Barry Levinson’s political satire Man of the Year. What with the Republican Party in turmoil over the erupting sex scandal involving Representative Mark Foley, audiences should be primed to see the most powerful legislative body in the land and its members skewered. Unfortunately, Levinson’s film lacks the sort of bite you’d expect from the filmmaker whose Wag the Dog was as sharp as a Hollywood movie could be regarding the arena of modern politics. Instead, what we get with Man is a film that can’t overcome the oversized personality of its star and gets bogged down with needless subplots when sticking it to the folks on Capitol Hill should be the order of the day

Robin Williams stars as Tom Dobbs, an intelligent comic who’s no stranger at taking pot shots at those in office, a la Jon Stewart. Urged by the viewers of his nightly program to run for president and encouraged by his pragmatic manager (Christopher Walken) and head writer (Lewis Black) to toss his hat in the ring, Dobbs gets on the ballot in the largest states in the union and wages his campaign via the airwaves and the internet. Though his candidacy is seen as nothing more than a publicity campaign by most, it takes on a life of its own after a key debate with the other two presidential candidates. Dobbs straightforward style plays well to the electorate and wouldn’t you know it, he gets elected. Too bad the election itself winds up being a fraud.

Enter Eleanor Green (Laura Linney) who’s employed by the company that received the contract to install electronic voting machines across the country for the election. She knows that there’s a glitch in how they count the votes and though she’s alerted the higher-ups in the corporation of this problem, they’ve made it clear in no uncertain terms that this should be kept under wraps or it will mean financial ruin for them all. Deciding to take matters into her own hands, she sets out to meet Dobbs and explain the whole mess to him.

While watching Man I couldn’t help but wonder how Frank Capra would’ve handled this material. With his deft touch, he was able to fashion a degree of charm in his social commentaries without dulling the democratic messages that were near and dear to his heart. While Capra’s Mr. Smith goes to Washington is, on one hand, an endearing romantic comedy, it is, more importantly, a testament to the power of true democracy and a vicious indictment of those who would abuse it. Levinson’s unable to pull off a similar feat here as the comedy isn’t sharp enough, the subplots are too distracting while the film’s politics are obvious. Levinson should have the guts to go for the jugular, as Warren Beatty did with Bulworth, where modern politicians are concerned instead of simply repeating the woes we’re all aware of.

The cast does a fine job with Walken and Black delivering the sort of memorable supporting turns you’d expect while Jeff Goldblum as a slimy corporate lackey and Linney make their moments count as well. Williams, however, proves to be a distraction here. With his “Hey-look-at-me” persona, he proves to be far too egocentric in the role of a man who should be anything but a showboat. In his worst films, Williams insists on hogging the spotlight and while this is far from being a bad movie, it’s unable to realize it’s potential because of his presence. In the end, Man of the Year winds up being much like those we see running for office – it’s nothing special and far from the boat-rocking cinematic candidate we’re desperately in need of.

Bloggin' On The Weeklies And Other Assorted Love Songs

2006-10-06T16:51:00.000-05:00

Oh, Hub, this is a travesty, isn't it? Truly a case of the baby getting thrown out with the Kitchen Sync water. And all this talk of a "hiatus," well, according to insiders, I wouldn't put much stock into it. The offices that the Hub called home already have the paper's name scraped off the doors. I'll pour out a bottle of wine from Jim Gould's wine cellar on your grave. On second thought, you lived young and fast... better make it a bottle of Night Train!

The BUzz has morphed into Nicodemus Central, which is much to the chagrin of OpeningBlands.com. Talk about airing dirty laundry...this is just funny. And, yes Mike, you and Kayla are better than Everclear. Let's hear some Guns & Roses!

Coulter cracks my funny bone yet again, but be damned that he's a Cardinal fan. I wore a San Diego Padres hat around town just to be contrary. It's my nature! Where the hell is Don Gerard when I need him!?!! There is no Acoustic Blog to make me feel better about my Cub fandom. Well, at least Koplinski knows where the action's at, right Chuck? Thanks again for your contributions... now, if I could just get Doug Hoepker to write some record reviews for me... whaddaya say, buddy? I got a copy of Sam's Town that needs a figurative trashing! Or a copy of Okonokos that you can lavish with praise! You know you're crazy!!!!! Oooooh chillllld.... whoops, a little too much G n' R on the playlist.

Little Blog On The Prairie is on Wordpress now, and has got all the dope info on various business happenings, such as all that M2 craziness. 69th Issue has been quiet lately....

Well, it's almost time for happy hour, so I'll leave you with this, a public service announcement from The Poster Children.

Happy tailgating or tail-getting, if you're lucky!

Everclear, Five For Fighting & Gary Jules - AOR MANIA!

2006-10-06T16:09:00.000-05:00

Time-warp with me, if you will, to the mid-90's, and experience the mediocre talent of...

EVERCLEAR!!!! LIVE!!! With two opening bands that aren't worth a mention!

They're playing tonight at The Canopy at 7pm for the low low price of $18!!!

Or, just watch this clip...

Or... perhaps you could save $13 of those dollars and go see The Living Blue tonight at 10pm (or so) at the Cowboy Monkey... *ding*... yes that's the correct answer!

Monty, tell her what she's won! A CLIP OF TELL ME LEEZA BY THE LIVING BLUE!!!

Whew, that was good! But what about Saturday?

Well, soccer moms, put on your best Old Navy dress up gear, 'cause Five For Fighting are coming to The Canopy Club! And they're bringing Gary Jules, whose most well known track was written by Tears For Fears! YESSSS! It's an early show, too, so make sure you have the baby sitter there by 6pm. Have a nice dinner at Applebees, a couple of light beers at the show, and kick up your heels with these power balladeers!

I'm not gonna bother with a Jules clip. Why, you ask?

Because a truly awesome show will be happening literally down the street from that pile of crap mentioned above. I'm talking about Viva Voce, Headlights, Silversun Pickups, The Kingdom, and Shipwreck at the U of I's Courtyard Cafe. I believe this makes for Shipwreck's 67th appearance at the Courtyard this semester alone! But no matter, because it's only $7 for this show, which is also an early start, by indie rock standards, at 8pm. Subtract $2 from the price if you're at UIUC student... then go give that $2 to Margaret...unless you can out-run her.

Here's a live clip of Headlights from Pygmalion Fest... delish! "Signs Point To Yes..."

And, because I can, another live clip of Headlights. "Put Us Back Together Right"

And Champaign Of Blogs predicts a U of I homecoming victory... 21 to 14 over those evil mouth-breathing Hoosiers of Indiana University! 'Cause you know, hoosier rhymes with loooooserrrr!

Chuck Koplinski Reviews "The Departed"

2006-10-04T20:08:00.000-05:00

The following review is written by Chuck Koplinski for the latest film from director Martin Scorsese, "The Departed."

The Departed - 4 Stars
Rated R - Running Time - 2:29
by Chuck Koplinski

One of the premiere cinematic craftsmen of the last quarter century, director Martin Scorsese’s films are never less than visually compelling. His last two big screen efforts, Gangs of New York and The Aviator benefited from the filmmaker’s trademark attention to detail as well as his ability to elicit complex performances from his cast while telling a compelling story across a vast canvas. Yet, as much as I admired these two films, they lacked the sense of immediacy and vitality that makes Scorsese’s best work (Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas) burst from the screen and stand head-and-shoulders above his fellow director’s work. Thankfully, this quality is evident from the first frame forward in his latest effort The Departed, a blistering examination of corruption in which each of the film’s main characters fall victim to their own, inescapable moral failings. This is familiar territory for Scorsese as he examines the themes of loyalty, betrayal, guilt and personal honor with a degree of intensity that harkens back to his best work.

Based on the Chinese hit Infernal Affairs, Scorsese’s film takes place in Boston and follows the wake of Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson), an organized crime boss with a small crew but a large reputation for ruthless dealings. Brazen and willing to do anything to get ahead, he strong-arms his way to the top of the crime world and becomes the number one target of Oliver Queenan (Martin Sheen), head of a special investigative unit in the Massachusetts State Police Department, and Agent Ellerby (Alec Baldwin) who leads a federal task force on organized crime. Their best efforts to apprehend Costello have gone for naught, primarily because they’re unaware that one of the mobster’s most trusted men, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), has infiltrated the department and is feeding him information from the inside. However, what Costello doesn’t realize is that his newest lieutenant, Billy Costigan (Leonardo DoCaprio) is part of Queenan’s team, working deep undercover.

While the premise may seem a bit hard to swallow, Scorsese presents it in his trademark rapid-fire manner that makes for engrossing storytelling. Within the movie’s first twenty minutes we see Sullivan recruited at an early age by Costello, taken in by his charm and false promises of loyalty, only to be shipped off to the police academy to do his mentor’s bidding from the inside. Scorsese parallels this line of action with Costigan’s story in which he’s convinced to sully his reputation for a greater good, as he tries to separate himself from his less-than-honorable relatives. The film quickly builds up a head of steam and before you know it, we’re swept into this world of corruption in which no one can be trusted and the actions of the main characters often run counter to their true purpose.

With the cast assembled here it comes as no surprise that this is an acting showcase. The Departed features the finest screen acting on display this year to date. DiCaprio and Damon are both required to shift gears throughout as their characters navigate the treacherous waters of two worlds. They’re each exceptional in showing the conflicted natures of these two men. Baldwin is also very good in a scene-stealing role that Oscars are made for (his lewd description of the benefits of marriage may net him that award), as is Mark Wahlberg as Dignam, the only straight officer on the force, while Vera Farmiga as the woman caught between Costigan and Sullivan shines as well. But, of course, these fine performers are all toiling in Nicholson’s shadow and he casts a large one here as he often does. His Costello is a larger than life character, the sort the actor was born to play. A man of enormous appetites and no conscience, he dominates the world he lives in, instilling fear in all he meets with his sheer presence. Nicholson has always been a master at bringing a sense of danger to the parts he plays and that ability is put to good use here. Costello and Nicholson dominate the film turning it into a fascinating expose of aberrant behavior that’s fascinating and frightening.

Nihilistic, brutally violent and effectively employing plenty of gallows humor, The Departed is a masterwork that speaks of how we allow ourselves to be compromised and controlled by our basest impulses, which inevitably leads to a tragic end. While the subject matter may turn some viewers off, those looking for vintage Scorsese will be pleased with what’s on display here. It’s good to have the veteran director back on the cinematic mean streets where he cut his teeth and proves that no one looks into the glass darkly with such an unflinching gaze.

Pearl Jam - Live In Champaign 4/23/03 On iTunes

2006-10-01T11:15:00.000-05:00

Once in a while, a band as huge and talented as Pearl Jam graces the stage of U of I's Assembly Hall. For anyone who went, it's one of those nights that you won't soon forget. Case in point, here I am gushing about it over 3 years later. The gang at fivehorizons.com have a bevy of show reviews and info on Pearl Jam (including the poster and setlists you see above), and here's their take on this gig.

Ed says a quick, "All right ... let's go!" and PJ opens with a slamming 'Do The Evolution' in this smallish venue shaped like a UFO. The sold out Illinois crowd is more than receptive to Pearl Jam, especially with this ferocious opener great Stone solos throughout. The fast pace continues through a welcome 'Deep' with killer Mike solos and Ed's intense lyrical delivery. While changing instruments, Ed greets Champaign and says he feels like a lion in a cage and asks if there are any Christians who want to be eaten tonight. He dedicates 'Elderly Woman' to towns like Gurnee, Rockford and Kankakee. Someone yells out "Cuba!" which amuses him. Big response from the audience, who promptly lights up the place with their lighters and the crowd sings the "hearts and thoughts" section. During 'Even Flow,' a fan tosses a camera to Ed, who takes a photo of Mike soloing and then tosses the camera back. 'Jeremy' is well-received and worth the price of admission simply to watch Stone pogo while yelling out the whole "ooh, ooh, ooh" section with a huge grin on his face in unison with the crowd. This show is having the feel of stepping back in time about 10 years. 'Habit' is dedicated to those high on crystal meth and there is no "speaking as ..." tag. As usual, Ed plays around with the lyrics to 'Untitled' ("Lets get to Chicago, get drunk and talk politics ..."; Assembly Hall is on campus and no alcohol is served) leading to a high energy 'MFC' with Mike running all around the stage. 'Blood' gets an insane response; this is the first time it's been played in the midwest since Soldier Field. Band is animated, Ed is thrusting the mic stand like the old days and the stage is bathed in red lights. 'Porch' follows as the perfect closer after 'Blood.' While it isn't the 12-minute Atlanta 94 version, it has great solos from Mike and Stone, plus Ed leading the crowd in a call/response of noises and phrases during the bridge. Ed goes to Stone's side and he picks up a cable, swinging it as if he would catch it over the rafters and climb (quite amusing). When the band hits the stage again, Ed says, "We don't have class tomorrow ... do you?" The crowd yells, "no!" and Ed says, "Class my ass is what you're saying" and an enthusiastic "Stone" chant gets going. Matt starts the drum beat that would become The Police's 'Driven To Tears,' which has even the die-hard fans in total shock. After 'Crazy Mary,' "OK class ... a bit of history," introduces a searing ' Know Your Rights,' with Ed jumping all over his monitor wedges making hand gestures. The audience is in a state of bewilderment, and it exploded as the band went into 'Fortunate Son,' giving the song an amazing response. A very strange, high energy encore! Ed returns, standing motionless, then looking around shrugging as if "where's the band?" Fans are screaming out songs. Ed responds, "We're proponents of open honest debate ... the ballots are closed ... I am your leader!" He starts talking about 'Soon Forget' and how it was "stolen off a song off Who By Numbers. Some one interrupts yelling "Yellow Ledbetter" and Ed responds, "Hold your horses, shut the fuck up; cause you see we were gonna and now we won't and that's just how we are ... you're not helping matters at all." (And it WAS on the setlist and it WASN'T played ... lesson learned: don't interrupt.) He continues that Pete Townshend is his hero and loves Chicago and plays, 'Blue, Red, Grey' ... another huge surprise. The crowd sings the second verse of 'Black' when Ed points the mic to the crowd. Ed backs up and ends up leaning against Stone. Alive' has the crowd singing note for note, pogoing and chanting the "yeah" section. By the end of the song, the crowd is ready to blow the roof off of the place, and that's exactly what happens when the house lights come up, the band starts 'Baba,' and the whole place just goes completely, clinically insane, the band included. Mike, Jeff and Stone are pogoing and running around like wild animals, doing strange dances, Boom grinning his ass off, flailing his hair around and Matt attacks his drums. Ed goes through at least five tambourines. Pearl Jam at it's best.

This was a very good show, and yet it wasn't released except for about a month after the gig on the band's website. I didn't have the cash at the time to get it, but last night when I was doing a little research on iTunes, I came across the show when I typed in "Champaign" into the search engine. Lo and behold, there it was; 29 songs for only $9.99. It would have been 30 songs if one idiot at the show would've quit hassling Eddie to play "Yellowledbetter" while he was trying to speak before his acoustic set.

Now, you're probably thinking, "Hey idiot, you could have just looked for it under the artist section and saw it with the other 90 Pearl Jam albums for sale." I've looked there several times, and, even now, it's still not listed. In fact, the name of the band usually links back to their artist page when you're looking at a specific album, and in this case, it doesn't. It's almost like the band has hidden this album. It may simply be a case of Apple screwing up the links, but who knows. The show isn't even sequentially named like all the rest of the shows from that tour are. It's just simply "Live In Champaign, Illinois - April, 23 2003."

So, just click on this link and hit "I Have iTunes" (if you have iTunes) and it should open right up.

Chuck Koplinski Reviews "The Gaurdian"

2006-09-29T10:40:00.000-05:00

The Champaign of Blogs warmly welcomes veteran movie critic/film buff and all around good guy Chuck Koplinski. This review was originally intended to run in the last issue of the Hub. It is being released here without edit. Other local writers are welcome to use this site as a means of publishing their content, as well. I am accepting submissions for review everyday, all the time. All writers will be given proper attribution for their work. There is no pay, but it's exposure, nonetheless. Here's to a free press!

Grey

The Guardian

Rated PG-13 – Running Time – 2:15

By Chuck Koplinski

I wasn’t present at the pitch meeting for The Guardian, but I’d be willing to bet that the idea of updating An Officer and a Gentleman was the primary focus. The old tried-and true formula of having a grizzled vet with a past shepherd a group of greenhorns through basic training has been done to death and while some films in this genre are better than others, Officer still ranks high in the memory of filmgoers though it’s fast approaching its 25^th anniversary. Following the old maxim that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” director Andrew Davis and screenwriter Ron Brinkerhoff have scrubbed and polished this premise and successfully traveled where the makers Annapolis stumbled, delivering not only a rousing and exciting piece of Hollywood filmmaking but a moving one as well.

With Kevin Costner on board you’d think Davis and company would want to resist putting him on the water, what with his Waterworld track record. However, it proves to be an effective combination here as the actor stars as Ben Randall, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer who’s regarded as the best of the best when it comes to saving people in distress on the high seas. However, tragedy befalls Randall when his entire crew is lost during a rescue attempt and he, being the only survivor, blames himself for the misfortune. In need of a change of pace, he reluctantly takes on the job of instructing new recruits in the Coast Guard and, wouldn’t you know it, he runs into a hard head who, despite loads of talent, winds up bucking the system. Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher), owner of numerous high school swimming records, is determined to breeze through the program that passes only a few but his hotshot ways have no place in this man’s Coast Guard and Randall goes out of his way to set him straight.

As you might expect, the recruits are put through a series of trials and then forced to perform under the most adverse conditions. Utilizing a handheld video camera during one training sequence, Davis captures the difficulty of their training as we see the actors straining while pushing a cinder block across the bottom of a swimming pool and being submerged in a hot tub that’s been turned into a cold storage unit among other things. This method as well as using archival footage of real rescue missions, some successful, some not, underscores the dangers of the job and serves as a fitting tribute to these unsung heroes.

Heretofore, Kutcher has been something of a cipher on screen but Costner makes him step up his game and he finally makes an impression. Though many knock the veteran actor, unfairly I’ve always thought, there’s no denying that he commands your attention and Kutcher is obviously aware of this as he takes successful steps to prevent being overshadowed. Credit Davis for instructing the young star to resist the temptation to overact and to compliment Costner rather than compete with him. Their scenes crackle not so much with macho posturing but with a degree of honesty that’s refreshing. This carries over into the love stories the two are involved in, with Randall’s marriage to his wife Helen (Sela Ward) coming to an end, while Fischer’s fling with a local school teacher (Melissa Sagemiller) blossoms into love.

While The Guardian may not get points for originality, it does execute its premise professionally and with gusto. That its action sequences are well-done should come as no shock with Davis at the helm of an $85 million film. What is a surprise is that he and his crew are able to pull of the movie’s stirring ending without it coming off as maudlin or cloying. In other film’s, the climax here would seem like an act of desperation. Here, it rings true because they’ve earned it.

The Beauty Shop EPK

2006-09-28T09:19:00.000-05:00

A great video about one of my all-time faves, The Beauty Shop. This is featured on their myspace page, but I figured I'd go ahead and share it here for those who shy away from the social networking sites. You can catch them out at the Iron Post in Urbana on Oct. 14 at 10PM.

*UPDATE* The band's first full-length album, "Yr Money Or Yr Life," is now on sale for $10 at Exile On Main St. The band has re-released the album on their own, as it had gone out of print on Mud Records.

Hub's Going On Hiatus

2006-09-22T11:51:00.000-05:00

The Hub is going on "hiatus". The last issue is this week and it seems their editors just found out yesterday. The official line is that it has nothing to do with the Nieto's pulling advertising, but who knows. They're also claiming that the publication will return in 3 months. I don't know if I buy that either. They say that the investors want to "take the paper to the next level" because "the current operation and existing business model do not accommodate further growth and development."

MTV's "The State" Coming To iTunes... Gen Xers Rejoice!

2006-09-20T14:14:00.000-05:00

Yep, the days of hunting for clips will soon be over. MTV's sketch comedy series "The State" will finally get another day in the sun via Apple's online media store, iTunes. The first series of the show will be released on September, 26th. In honor of said release, here are some YouTube clips to sate your desires or pique your intrest.

Grandma's "Potato Chowder"

Copy Shop

A "Louie" clip... aka "I Wanna Dip My Balls In It!!!"

Get A Job!

Commercial Whaling

Pope's Visit

Super Robby!

Sea Monkeys

Muppet: It's What's For Dinner

Catch G n' R's Slash..

A whole friggin' episode!

Bathroom Humor

Vertebrats, Didjits, or Buckethead Recaps?

2006-09-18T11:49:00.000-05:00

If anyone cares to share their experiences at these events, the comments are open.

Pygmalion On Pitchfork

2006-09-14T20:02:00.000-05:00

The scene is repped on Pitchfork, yet again. Check out the Pygmalion coverage here.

Hump Day Concert Forecast

2006-09-13T13:48:00.000-05:00

Weather forcasters have it hard. They usually have to conjur some sort of hallucination before they decide what prediction they'll tell, which has an audience of thousands hanging on their every word. Me? I usually only have to hallucinate to extend the enjoyment of whatever music I'm listening to. However, I don't need a crystal ball or a glass pipe to share a concert schedule with you. Here are a few hand-picked gigs for your potential perusal.

REO Speedwagon w/ Head East @ US Cellular Coliseum, Bloomington IL 7pm $30

I could not start off this entry without mentioning the first of a dirth of shows featuring classic CU bands. These two are truly old school; REO has a street named after them in Champaign, for crying out loud! Granted, this show is taking place in Bloomington, but if you're a hardcore fan, the 45 minute drive will not shake your enthusiasm. I imagine you could have seen this show at the Red Lion back in the mid to late 70's. My dad still talks about partying with Head East 30 years later! God bless him.

Head East, circa the late 70's (courtesy wikipedia.com)

Living Blue, Shipwreck @ The Courtyard 9/14 9pm $3

Another great free show for UIUC students, and a hell of a deal for the rest of us at $3, comes this Thursday at the U of I's Courtyard Cafe. The Living Blue, Shipwreck, and Tony Sorrentino are on the bill for the evening, and those crazy links will guide you to their myspacialicous sites.

The Living Blue (courtesy their myspace site)

Vertebrats Reunion Shows @ The Iron Post 9/15 & 9/16 9pm $12

Talk about a treat! CU's own garage-rock heroes, The Vertebrats, will reunite for a two night stand at The Iron Post in Urbana. Townie opens both nights. These are likely to fill up fast, so get your tickets online at this site. Click on the band's name for a great interview with the band, as done by Openingbands.com's own Joe Pence.

The Vertebrats (photo courtesy artofthemix.com)

Buckethead @ The Canopy Club 9/15 9pm $13

It's not everyday that a former lead guitarist of Guns n' Roses comes to town. Buckethead brings his maniacal brand of fretboard finesse to the Canopy on Friday, and it begs the question; does he wear that get up at all times? I mean, do the manager types have to deal with a guy wearing a KFC bucket and a mask? If so, I wanna be a fly on the wall in that office.

Buckethead (photo courtesy wikipedia.com)

WEFT-Fest 2006 @ Mike n' Molly's 9/16 2pm-9:30pm FREE

Come celebrate WEFT's birthday at this annual bash at Mike n' Molly's. Showtimes are as follows: 2pm: Leigh Meador Organ Trio; 3pm: Oberon the Possum King; 4pm: Old Dog New Trick; 5pm: Big Grove Zydeco; 6pm: Delta Kings; 7:15pm: Bird Dogs; 8:45pm: Nadafinga. There's a little something for everyone here, so grab an Old Style and enjoy.

Didjits Reunion Show @ Highdive 9/16 10pm $10

Not to be outdone by the Vertebrats, the Didjits, another CU-based phenom, are having a reunion show at the Highdive on Saturday. Just read this article; you'll know if it's your cup of tea. Even if it's not, you'll get a chuckle. Bloomington-Normal basement-rock heroes, the Resinators, open.

The Didjits (courtesy some very odd website)

Obsessed With Bob Dylan

2006-09-13T13:10:00.000-05:00

Bob Dylan playing "Like A Rolling Stone" in Liverpool in 1966.

A great brief documentary on the making of "Like A Rolling Stone."

Kitchen Sync - Great, If You Can Find It...

2006-09-11T14:10:00.000-05:00

Well, there's been a little chatter about this mag in the blogs and the weeklies, and I've been anxious to actually get my hands on one. Yesterday, I finally did. So for those of you still seeking, here's a shot to get you salivating.

And of course, it never hurts to get a little publicity...thanks Hub!

Insightful commentary (well, possibly...) coming tomorrow!

Finally, A Local Music Website that KICKS ASS!

2006-09-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

Well, it's sort of funny, and most certainly irreverent and it's called Openingblands.

Go.

NOW.

New Local Website Aims At Craigslist-CU

2006-09-01T18:57:00.000-05:00

There's a new site that's looking to gain ground on the Craigslist-esque community front, and it's called The House of Paign. It's got a ways to go to gain ground on sites like Craigslist, but there's a lot of potential for growth. It's free to register, and there's also a podcast called a "Hopcast" that seems to feature local music content, which is always a plus.

As always, your comments are appreciated!

Hedlights Release Party

2006-08-28T15:25:00.000-05:00

Share your thoughts and experience with us! If you have pictures to share, send them to my email, and I'll post them (with credit, of course) to this here blog.

I have the new album, and am enjoying the hell out of it. It makes me very happy to see talented musicians in this community get their due, especially through the support of a local label. Keep up the good work everyone!

More later...

Elsinore, Shipwreck, Watery Domestic @ Courtyard Cafe

2006-08-24T11:43:00.000-05:00

Ok, I'm not exactly sure of my readership at the moment, but I would be remisce not to mention the Elsinore, Shipwreck, and Watery Domestic show tonight at the U of I's Courtyard Cafe. Why, you ask? Because 1) it's free 2) there is likely something among one of those 3 bands that someone would enjoy (fans of rock/indie music, anyways) 3) it's at 9PM, so you can still hit the bars or house parties and not look like some lost freshman who's knocking on the door at 7PM looking for a cup. It's that simple, folks!

If you wanna myspace these guys and get a preview of the tunes, here are the links:

Elsinore
Shipwreck
Watery Domestic

So, if you dig these bands, you can even download a few songs and blare them all out of your dorm window or hallway or your shitty apartment (don't worry I live in one, too). Meet a few new friends, head out to some shows, buy some CD's, and who knows what else...a little romance, perhaps? You'll never know unless you go.

Pitchfork Reviews Headlights "Kill Them With Kindness"

2006-08-21T11:43:00.000-05:00

Indie music's homepage, Pitchforkmedia.com, has a review of the soon to be released Headlights album, "Kill Them With Kindness." Here's what they have to say:

Headlights "Kill Them With Kindness"
Rating 6.7

The Headlights' debut full-length begins strong with "Your Old Street": A lush string arrangement sets the mood, a thumping bass and wash of cymbals gather volume and tension, and vocalists Erin Fein and Tristan Wright sketch out the verse's melancholy melody. From there, "Your Old Street" shifts gears, transforming into an upbeat pop number with vibes twinkling over bubbly keys, completing the most intricate arrangement on Kill Them With Kindness. Sadly, the rest of the album fails to live up to that song's promise.

On one hand, such eclecticism makes for a rich album, as the band slips from sunny, straightforward pop into slower, less immediate material. There's a wealth of ideas between Fein and Wright-- the bouncy "TV" rubs elbows with the skewered rhythms and organ drone of "Songy Darko"-- but over the course of the album's 14 songs, the diversity undermines any sense of coherence. Instead of a singular aesthetic, Kill Them With Kindness splinters into genre exercises and referential production values. It's all too easy to hear Grandaddy in the slow, melodic building and arpeggiator flourishes of the outro to "Signs Point To Yes (But Outlook Not So Good)". And it sounds like the band had the New Pornographers stuck in their heads when the recorded the saccharine harmonies and predictable hooks of "Lions". Likewise, "Pity City" is every bit the emo anthem its title suggests. As Wright whines that he's "just a stupid boy who falls apart," it borders on parody.

When Kill Them With Kindness works it's because of Fein and Wright's keen attention to melody and the way their voices complement one another and inject these songs with warmth and emotion. Unfortunately, Kill Them With Kindness never follows the statement of purpose that opener "Your Old Street" assuredly outlines. Instead, the songs on Headlights' debut seem pulled in too many directions, often recalling the work of more accomplished indie rock contemporaries but rarely distinguishing the group itself.

-John Motley, August 21, 2006

Not a total slam, but not altogether complimentary, either. I have enjoyed the new songs at the recent shows and will definitely buy the album, which will be available tomorrow at Exile on Main St. I'm curious to see how others in and outside of the CU realm respond to this record. Feel free to comment with your thoughts on the album, on this review, or with links to other reviews for it.

Todd Hunter - New Hub Music Editor

2006-08-21T11:25:00.000-05:00

Local music writer and WEFT DJ, Todd Hunter, joins the staff of the Hub as the Music Editor. With Cassie Conner and Todd, The Hub has as knowledgeable a staff of local music and events writers of any paper in town. Kudos to them for recognizing that talent and putting it to work for us all to benefit from.

It will be interesting to see how Todd covers bands managed/booked by Seth over the coming weeks, in light of the big fallout on OpeningBands over $2. I imagine that if anyone asked, Margaret would have gladly loaned them the $2 for the show. That thread is easily the funniest thing I've read online in awhile, and simultaneously a very poor representation of the denizens of our local music scene. Nothing like the 'net for some good, unbridled shit-typing!

Pygmalion Music Fest 2006 - New Website

2006-08-19T14:45:00.000-05:00

The head honchos for the Pygmalion Music Festival have created a new site for all of us to ogle. I won't even try to match their prowess in artist descriptions, schedules, lodging, etc.; it's all there. It looks like they will be continuing to add to an already solid line up of local, regional, and national acts. Polyvinyl is co-curator of this years fest, which only helps it's exposure. Bravo!

Local music stalwart Todd Hunter has vacated his column, Sound Ground, in the Buzz. Not sure what he's up to, but Champaign of Blogs wishes him well. It's damn rare that a show goes on without Todd being there or knowing a gratuitous amount about who was playing even if he wasn't able to attend.

There seems to be a little bit of a bitchfest at openingbands.com over Seth's latest column in the Buzz. I think it's partly a misunderstanding. Seth writes things that spark a little debate because he's an opinions columnist. So, therefore, he writes opinions on the things he knows about, and it just so happens that those opinions aren't always favorable. *Shrugs* Surely this is not a surprising turn of events if you've read his columns. My advice is to give him a week or two and he'll be repealing any bad vibes with a public apology and claiming openingbands is the reason he has a career in music or something. Or maybe not. The fact is that openingbands has accomplished quite a bit for this town's music scene and no opinion can change that.

It's ALIVE!!! And There's A New Headlights Site...

2006-08-16T14:37:00.000-05:00

The computer is back from the dead... or Computer Deli, as it were... and is ready to kick out the jams yet again! You could say that it was taken apart and put back together right. *really bad Headlights related joke*

Speaking of Headlights, their website has been redesigned, and totally kicks ass.

There are some great pictures up on the site, as well as a download for the song "TV."

Two tracks are available for legal downlad from the album, "Kill Them With Kindness:

TV (right click "Save As")
Hi Ya! (right click "Save As")

In the meantime, make sure to check out the Beauty Shop at the Iron Post this Saturday at 10PM. I get a lot of questions about where to pick up their albums, and the best and cheapest place by far is at their shows.

Computer's Dead... AGAIN!!!... Pygmalion Fest Info!

2006-08-12T20:44:00.000-05:00

Maddeningly, my computer has been struck down for the second time in 4 months.

*sighs*

However, those who are still connected will find that donewaiting.com has announced the participants for this year's Pygmalion Music Festival. The event will take place September 20-23 in CU. Passes CURRENTLY cost $30, but will be going up once school starts at the middle/end of August, according to the fests co-conspirator, Seth Fein.

Here's that list...

Bailey
Bellcaster
Caleb Engstrom
Canada
Casados
City on Film
Danielson
Darling Disarm
David Bazan
Dress Code
Elanors
Elf Power
Ellestel
Elsinore
Fireflies
Gentlemen Auction House
Headlights
Howling Hex
Judah Johnson
Lorenzo Goetz
Low Skies
Lynn O'Brien
Mad Science Fair
Man Man
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's
Metal Hearts
Monte Carlos
Murder By Death
New Ruins
Of Montreal
Owen
Probably Vampires
Salaryman
Shipwreck
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
The Beauty Shop
The Chemicals
The Living Blue
The Wandering Sons
Theory Of Everything
Tractor Kings
Triple Whip
Weird Weeds

More info, show times, websites, etc. as it becomes available.

The Beauty Shop's new website sure is snazzy.

Headlights have posted some new cuts on their myspace site. Good stuff!

Obsessed With Neil Young...

2006-08-08T13:16:00.000-05:00

These are some stellar clips with Neil solo from a BBC performance and with CSNY from a talk show of unknown origin. I also included a great performance of "Don't Be Denied" by CSNY at Wembley Stadium. One year after discovering the music of Neil Young, I'm only more mesmerized by his performances. Thank you, Noiseboy!

Neil on the BBC playing "Old Man."

CSNY playing "Down By The River."

CSNY playing "Don't Be Denied."

Out Of Town!

2006-08-02T12:25:00.000-05:00

I'm in Chicago chilling wih the signif and a friend, so blogging will be nada til Saturday. Til then, let's talk about the Pygmalion Music Festival... will it happen? If so, who would you like to see? What would you improve over last year? Personally, I'm mad I never heard a reply about a festival t-shirt I wanted to buy.... bastards. ANYWAY... comments, folks!

New Headlights Song For Download From Spin

2006-07-29T14:50:00.000-05:00

Here's a tasty tidbit from those characters at Spin.com; the Headlights track Hi-Ya! (right click, save as)

It's awesome. You should download it ASAP, as I'm not sure how long Spin will leave it up. Of course, you'll want to pick up their debut album, "Kill Them With Kindness," on Tuesday, August 22.

Champaign of Blogs Turns 1 Year Old!

2006-07-25T20:28:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday! With over 14,000 posts and counting, I can't help but thank the loyal readers who keep coming back. Postings will return to a more regular schedule in a week or two, so bear with me. In the mean time, feel free to leave comments about what you've enjoyed over the past year and what you'd like to see more of and I'll do my best to sate your desires. Thanks again!

New Blog + Talkin' Weaklies...err..Weeklies!

2006-07-25T20:12:00.000-05:00

Lots happening behind the scenes in the Champaign of Blogsiverse, hence the posting has been light as a styrafoam cooler; my apologies.

There's a sort of interesting local blog that's getting started called The 69th Issue. I'm not entirely sure what the focus is going to be, but it looks a bit more political in nature. Yours truly may be contributing in the near future.

More scoopage later...

Tractor Kings/ 1900's / Beauty Shop @ Canopy 7/15, etc

2006-07-18T16:57:00.000-05:00

This show was an exercise in contrasts. Starting the night was Tractor Kings, fronted by the ever-modest and talented Jake Fleschili. The band was tight, with their newest songs sounding as potent and practiced as the favorites, such as "Gone To Heaven." There wasn't a lot of chatter, but there was the cordial thanking of the other bands and basically not much fucking about. The thing I love about the band is that their earnest approach to each song gives them a genuine stage presence. This isn't a cabaret. It isn't a forced effort. It's good songs being played well by people who let the music speak for itself. A very nice start to the evening.

After I made my way to the merch table for some procurements of the Beauty Shop variety, the 1900's took the stage. The band's CD references the Velvet Underground as an influence, which was enough of a reason to take notice for me. I had listened to the disc in its entireity a few months earlier, and had honestly hoped for a better result after such lofty comparisons. The disc was a mild dissapointment. The closest to the VU the band got on disc was to the Doug Yule-lead era of VU after "Loaded." Not exactly a reason to jump and shout. The band took the stage and there was certainly some attention to detail; but more with how the band looked and moved than how the songs were performed. I got the feeling (the same feeling I felt after watching another Chicago band, The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir) that they would have been just as happy playing in front of a mirror than in front of an audience. The band was dressed in 70's garb akin to the cast of either "Dazed and Confused" or "That 70's Show," which contributed to my moniker for them as "That 70's Band" or "Fleetwood Lite." Then, about mid-set, the frontman, Edward Anderson, asked what they and Fleetwood Mac had in common. I couldn't honestly hear the answer, but it was probably that he was more interested in screwing all the girls in the band and losing his lady to the drummer. At any rate, there was a good amount of posturing by the girls (choreographed dance moves?) and some sort of dream of layering their sound with a violinist like they were Broken Social Scene. This was not a show that proved anything to me than that they were a Chicago band that got signed on a lark by Parasol after one gig in Champaign last fall. I stuck with it; hoping for the best and being ultimately disappointed. Best of luck, 1900's, because I definitely see through the schtick.

The night closed with a puzzling set from headliner, The Beauty Shop. This was an interesting show in the fact that they were playing a set of almost entirely new songs looking ill at ease in doing so. In fact, I would go as far as to say that, as a headliner, they played far too many new ones for as much trouble as they had playing them. Considering that the Tractor Kings set of noobs went by so well, this was a bit of a disappointment. They played only four songs off of "Crisis Helpline" and a bizarre, but entertaining, take on Madonna's "Material Girl." Frontman John Hoeffleur frequently made apologies for not being able to blaze through the songs as they had anticipated they would, and a couple of songs were even reset midway through to get the vibe Hoeffleur was looking for. This set just came off as uncomfortable for the band. It was more like sitting in on band practice than one of their usually tight gigs. There were a few highlights among the new songs, but without title announcements, I'll just have to see what ends up shaking out at the next gig or on their next album.

Overall, there was a fair amount of PBR imbibed and a night of live music taken in, so it was pretty decent. I'm looking forward to the Nicodemus Agency Showcase at The Highdive on 7/31 and the Headlights gigs on August 22nd and their record release at the Canopy on the 27th.

And even though I won't be able to see their gig at the IMC on July 21st, I definitely look forward to hearing more of John Isberg's new band, Reds. Click the name to head to the band's MySpace site.

Finally, peace the fork out to The Living Blue's drummer, Mark Schroeder. Not sure why he's leaving the band, but he will definitely be missed. Best of luck!

Obsessed With Gram Parsons...

2006-07-08T20:40:00.000-05:00

An unexpected find on YouTube... God bless the 'net.

Bloggity Blah Blah Blah

2006-07-01T11:31:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I've been way busy, so posting has been light. Some recent highlights...

- The Taste Of Champaign was pretty good. It sucks that a lot of truly awesome restaurants don't participate (tons of crap pizza, but no Papa Dels or Jupiters, for example). There are some phenomenal places that don't bring it out, but I'm sure they have their reasons. The best deal going was the Famous Dave's pulled pork barbecue sandwhich for 1 ticket. The worst deal? One rib for one ticket at Hicory River's tent. I love their food, but that's just silly. At least Garcia's made an appearance for the local legendary pizza chains. Qdoba had a nice tent, as well, which only made me wonder why more of the local mexican places didn't hop on board (like Real Hacienda or the other places that aren't Dos Reales). Dos Reales is hands down the best all-around Mexican food in town, so it'd be nice to sample other places without dropping a lot of dime. Cest la vie.

- American Minor decided to stop back into town on Thursday at Cowboy Monkey. They dropped a decidedly rocking set that pulled from audience requests, their recent self-titled album, and material that they were covering for a upcoming biker rally performance. A cover of The Hollies' "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress" was most certainly a surprise. I only wish they would have followed up "Mississippi Queen" with "Buffalo Creek" for dramatic effect. Opening was Elsinore, who were freakin' amazing that night, as well. Ryan Groff has got to be one of the friendliest local frontmen in recent memory, and he has a set of pipes on him that just soar. Make it a point to see them this summer.

- Exile On Main St. (this blogger's fave local retail establishment) is having a big sale this week through next Thursday, July 6th. Buy 2, get the third item three of anything but new video games. Mix and match however you like, and the cheapest one goes home with ya for nothin'. I scored the Replacements recent Best Of (gotta have the two new tracks), the Gram Parsons Complete Reprise Sessions, and my freebie was the Doobie Brothers Greatest Hits for my mom's birthday present. All pre-paid special orders are 25% off, too, which is a heck of a deal for CD's or DVD's. Beats the hell out of Best Buy! You have no excuse not to stop in.

- Little Blog OTP reports that Jupiters and Papa Dels with both have locations in southwest Champaign at The Crossing. I'd say they're both gonna bank big time with the high rollers livin' out there. Glad to see them doing well. I promise I won't talk about pizza anymore. Not in this post, anyways.

- Seth Fein is taking a break from his duties at the Buzz, which is unfortunate. It's hard enough waiting for Don Gerard's columns at The Hub. What's a reader of weeklies to do? Well, I guess you're reading it...

- Nic's Basket Case is going out of business. The downtown Champaign gift store that has a little something for everyone is putting everything on sale. Check it out while you can!

- I honestly almost forgot that it was 4th of July weekend. I usually don't assign that holiday as a "weekend" celebration like I do Memorial Day or Labor Day, especially when it's on a Tuesday, but I digress. There are plenty of events in any little town around here to sate any patriotic fervor. I'll be visiting the 'rents in Ford County. A fun thing to do is to drive on I-57 around 9 or 10pm and drive past all the fireworks displays on the interstate. Too bad gas is so expensive!

Have a great 4th of July and be careful with those firecrackers. You can't comment quite as easily with only one hand. Here are the aforementioned Replacements with one of the greatest underground rock songs of the '80's, "Alex Chilton." Sure, it's probably the most boring music video ever produced, but just listen to it.

Jeff Buckley - "Grace"

2006-06-18T14:36:00.000-05:00

Jeff Buckley and his band performing "Grace."

Headlights Album Release Date Announced

2006-06-17T10:20:00.000-05:00

This just in from OpeningBands.com...

"Headlights have released a preliminary schedule for their upcoming fall tour. The tour will follow the August 22nd release of their debut full length album “Kill Them With Kindness” which will be released on Polyvinyl Records. The band will celebrate their new album with a CD release show at the Canopy Club on August 26th with The Living Blue and Decibully. Immediately after the release show the band heads west on their 20+ date tour that takes them through the southwest, up the west coast and back through the midwest. Early 2007 sees the band on a potential European tour through Germany, Switerland, Austria, Sweden and the UK."

Great news for a great band. You can pick up "The Enemies EP" at Exile On Main St.

Obsessed With Clapton...

2006-06-16T14:00:00.000-05:00

Clapton with Cream performing "Crossroads." Awesome.

Desperately Seeking C-U...

2006-06-16T11:53:00.000-05:00

Today I'm looking at a few sites that are flying under the radar in regards to finding community resources for information and entertainment. Since I already have the Chambana Live Journal, Craigslist Chambana, and OpeningBands.com linked permanently here on the blog, I'll not waste time on them. They're great, and you should check them out and contribute. So, without further ado (or Freddy Adu, for that matter)...

Do you ever wonder just how many blogs are out there in Champaign-Urbana? Well, evidently, Jason Frye does, because he started cublogs.com in order to try and build a database for all of us in the local blogosphere. It's pretty under-represented at the moment in terms of submitted blogs, but I think a lot of people could benefit from using it. There are five categories to submit under, so it makes searching a little more refined, as well.

It also says they are supported by another local web site, culocalbiz.com. The design is a little cheezy, but has some pretty decent information for people looking for nightlife in CU. It needs more contributors to truly be considered a viable resource, though. Google could probably give me more results in less clicks, but best of luck.

A more developed site for local search is champaignyp.com. They're backed by R.H. Donnelley, so it's definitely more thorough as far as results are concerned. There are apartment listings and local news nuggets, too.

CU-today.com is a still-developing news and business site. It includes information about surrounding communities in addition to it's coverage of Chambana. It includes rather large sections on clubs, associations, and places of worship, which is a stand-out feature from other sites.

Another good place to check out is the CU Conventions And Visitors Bureau. Their site is fairly comprehensive, and includes a good selection of contacts for transportation in and out of town, in addition to local business selections broken down by category.

The University of Illinois at U-C also has a great portal for local business, services, government and education. It has all of the categories listed right on the front page, and links for them, as well. Definitely the most user-friendly info site for Chambana; great for locals and visitors alike.

If you're looking to lend a hand to a non-profit organization, here's a list for CU.

Do you have a favorite site for news and search for Champaign-Urbana? Feel free to post your suggestion in the comments.

Beck & Thom Yorke Cover The Velvet Underground

2006-06-14T09:31:00.000-05:00

These two deliver a beautiful rendition of the classic VU track, "I'm Set Free."

Right click, "Save As."

Thanks to musicisart

Wearing A Coat In June... Talkin' Weeklies

2006-06-12T09:19:00.000-05:00

What's with the cold snap? I could easily confuse this for a late September day, but not one in mid-June. Seriously, Mother Nature, I appreciate the help on AC, but it's time to crack the upper 70's already.

At any rate, Chuck Koplinski said twelve words to Jennifer Aniston and it makes the front page of The Hub. A little too much filler for my taste, especially considering we learn little about the actress in the process. I suppose this was a case where the journey was considered more interesting than the destination. Too bad for Ms. Aniston!

Chuck also gives kudos to the new Pixar flick, "Cars," which will almost certainly be Owen Wilson's (aka The Butterscotch Stallion) best starring role this summer. "You, Me, and Dupree" looks pretty insipid.

From the Hub's Community Calendar, we find a free demonstration on "How To Make A Duct Tape Wallet" on Tuesday, June 13 from 3:30-4:30PM at the Champaign Public Library. Good tips for people who find their money getting into sticky situations, I suppose.

The Buzz brings us a fluff piece on The Blind Pig Pub. Sorry, but I'll be skipping the Ploughman's Lunch, Mr. Knight. I can cut an apple, some cheese, and a French Loaf all on my own. The beer selection is solid, though, as is the atmosphere. I'll be interested in the new Radio Maria tapas bar across the street, with Tom Sheehan's beer knowledge in full effect.

Buzz Editor Todd Swiss obviously doesn't know Central Illinois very well. While Boardman's Art Theatre is a great place to see international and art films, if were to not exist, the Normal Theater in Normal, IL and the Castle Theatre in Bloomington, IL are but a 45 minute drive away. A little closer than Chicagoland, that's for sure. And since when did Chipotle and Cold Stone Creamery reign supreme in CU? The last time I checked, Labamba's (with two locations in CU) and Jarling's Custard cup have a vastly larger following than either of those two establishments. Not to mention the fact that there are more than enough local pizza establishments to satiate any local citizen; Papa Del's, Garcia's, Zelma's... and a host of others. Local tastes "reign supreme" in CU, from fine to casual dining, Todd. Silver Creek, Kennedy's, Great Impasta, Bacaro, Jim Gould, Ko-Fusion, Jupiters, Farren's, Cowboy Monkey, Guido's, Esquire, Tracks, The Original House of Pancakes (not to be confused with the International one in Campustown), Miko, Dos Reales, Great Harvest Bread Company, Hickory River Smokehouse, Peking Garden, Margarita's, and many more are here on top of the few places you mentioned in your column. I rest my case.

Fortunately for Mr. Swiss, Mike Coulter comes in to save the day with a breezy column about "the summer trifecta" of music, drinking, and baseball. Regular readers of his column probably could have predicted those three without a prompt, but Coulter gives us some of the subtle nuances of those three relating to the all to fleeting season of summer here in the Midwest. While he reccomends Rhett Miller's fine solo album,"Instigator," I'll up the ante and offer the Old 97's "Too Far To Care." The Champaign Of Blogs prefers margaritas to mojitos, and anyone but the Cardinals or the Yankees in baseball. I think there is actually one more summer piece that he's missing; grilling out! While it can technically be done any time of year, no time is more prevalent for doing it than the summer.

Seth Fein starts a three part series on hating Champaign-Urbana. His first target? The U of I. From the seemingly self-absorbed students, the state of Campustown hang-outs, the Chief issue, and the lack of student leadership in the U of I's entertainment committee, Star Course, Seth finds his Alma Mater in a sad state. Let's play devil's advocate for a minute. It truly is depressing that the Red Lion and Mabel's are gone, but would they still be supported in the same way if they were here? It's hard to predict. Bar owners have a need to skew their establishments towards the desires of their customers and the ability to pad their bottom line. If they're already filling the coffers without paying a band, then what's their incentive? Joe's Brewery and The White Horse do well with live acts, however, but don't really have the space to pull off the bigger acts. Star Course having a consultant isn't such a strange occurance. The fact that they have a budget and are limited to that amount (plus whatever profits they make from shows) to book bands with the whole year could be a bit daunting to students with little to no experience in the music business. This is their learning ground, not the offices of Jam Productions. Also, don't forget that the U of I's student-run booking of the Courtyard Cafe has had some great shows over the years on a smaller budget. I'm not sure why there aren't more war protests on campuses like the U of I. I'd also expect some of the nation's best and brightest to stand up and say something about their peers who are putting their lives on the line in Iraq. That truly is upsetting, and there's really no defending it. However, why aren't more people protesting in general? The most I see is the group each Saturday afternoon by the One Main building in Champaign. If you're going ask for people to raise their voices, be willing to be there to lead the chants. The difference begins with the person you see in the mirror. What will you do? Rants can help raise awareness, but words don't have the same power without actions backing them up.

Kim Rice and Kate Ruin grace us with a Doin' It Well column discussing online dating. They introduce a good overview of the topic, but this is a subject worthy of further investigation. Perhaps a three-parter about the different sites and ways people use them; from Craigslist and Hot or Not, to E-Harmony and Match, and so on. Just a suggestion.

There's gonna be a celebration of mid 20th century American culture known as Atomic Frolic. Essentially, some rockabilly and lounge bands and DJ's will be performing at the Highdive on July 2nd at 6pm. You can buy tickets online at the Highdive's website or from a number of locations in Champaign, including Exile On Main St.

Finally, following up on the Taste Of Champaign reminder from last week, there are no dogs allowed at this years event. Fido will have to make due with scraps from Famous Dave's when you get home.

Still Smokin'...In The Bars...'til 2007...

2006-06-06T13:33:00.000-05:00

Well, as reported very quickly and gracefully in the News-Gazelle, Urbana voted 6 to 1 in favor of a smoking ban. However, the real news is that this will not effect bars until January 1st of next year. When Champaign held their vote, it had a clause that basically stated that any dates decided by Urbana would be ratified 30 days later by them. Urbana will begin a month of education as to what it means to be "smoke free" in the bars over the month of January, and begin a full enforcement of the law on February 1st, 2007. Champaign City Council members will have to agree on Urbana's schedule before they are confirmed for their city, but it's assumed there won't be much, if any, difference.

I just am not sure about this strictly from a civil liberties stand point, no matter how small of a stand point it may be. Health-wise, I understand it, and those reasons alone are enough to get it passed. However, there's just something about these votes and reforms that seems a little rushed for me. The way this is passing without a lot of research in regards to the economic patterns for businesses great and small before and after a law like this just seems wrong. The CU Non-Smokers Club or whatever they're called are more than entitled to their beliefs, but if you are so convinced of the need for non-smoking establishments, why don't you open them yourself? No one's stopping you. If they're wildly successful, you'll have proven your point, and made a mint in the process. It's the beauty of free-market enterprise. Although, I'm guessing you could care less about how the businesses who will lose money are going to have to deal with this, let alone stay in business. Guess it's good night to Nargile and the Green St. Cafe come 2007.

Again, it just seems like an plan without a lot of thought was put into place for the people who have to implement it; those people being the businesses.

Seth, I Love Ya...BUT...

2006-06-06T09:22:00.000-05:00

You're just not making any damn sense to me. In this week's column, Seth Fein rails against the backwards decisions made by the local government in Urbana and praises Champaign for its forward thinking efforts toward business and community, but STILL likes Urbana better. COME ON! Sitting on fences can get awfully uncomfortable, and when something is wrong, sometimes you've gotta step away and call it for what it is; crap. Why be so steadfast and true to something that's consistently disappointing? Sounds like a bad relationship. You can always make up if they clean up their act, but until then, you're wasting your time. And, as you mentioned, Jarling's is in Champaign anyways; a trump card if there ever was one.

And what's happened to the Pygmalion Music Festival? The web site is down and there's been no word on an event for this year. It's still early, but I hope that this isn't a harbinger of bad news to come. And yes, I used the word "harbinger."

I may have complained about this before, but the Hub's website has GOT to lose that damn intro music. That crap is so LOUD!!!!!! I'll be listening to some music quietly on iTunes, and then...DUUUUHH DEEE DEEE DUUUUUH DEEE DEEEE DUUUH DEE DEE.... the house/club/techno/insert dance music style here theme CRANKS it up to 11. Come on, have a little courtesey for your viewers, and have the music OFF as the initial option or off all together. Also, why are the community articles available only in the archives? Put some advertising on those pages and put them up fresh weekly... the Buzz is killing you when it comes to online accessibility.

Speaking of the Hub, Don Gerard handed in the best column I've read this year. A piece that epitomizes the talent he has was written during a time of great duress; the death of his father. I highly reccomend picking up this issue before it leaves news stands this week. Also, Sarah Michelson gives us a piece about none other than a road trip to Allerton Park. Hmmm, I wonder if she garnered any inspiration from my recent journey, as chronicled by the post just a few clicks down on this very blog? Good work, nonetheless, and definitely bring the bug spray and some sunscreen when you go.

In the event that anyone is looking to seriously rock out and celebrate 6/06/06 with a beer or two, DJ Bambino is going to be playing a whole lotta Slayer tonight at Mike n' Molly's. I'm guessing there'll be more people there than at the awful remake of "The Omen." Julia Styles, what were you thinking? Money's money, I guess. Anything to fill time between bit parts in "The Jason Bourne" movies.

Little Blog On The Prairie is back to blogging a little more regularly, and name checks some of her favorites from Urbana's Market At The Square. This is probably my favorite thing in Urbana besides The Courier. For the record, the Russian lady who makes fruit-filled, rolled-up pancake things is my favorite vendor; raspberry all the way.

Finally, we're just a few weeks away from the Taste Of Champaign. The annual event will once again be gracing West Side Park, and starts Friday, June 23rd at 5PM. There's 31 food vendors (a record) and 11 of those are new, so spend those tickets wisely.

My DJ Name...And A New Blog To Scope...

2006-06-03T14:54:00.000-05:00

So, I may have to take this one on a test drive...

Grey matter spins tunes as
DJ Smoking God

Get your dj name @ Quiz Me

Although, with the coming smoking ban, it may have to be rethought. What a crock of shit.

AND...the source of this sweet link was none other than the Noiseboy (my all-time favorite local DJ). You may enjoy his new blog, Maintaining My Cool. It has no content relating to American Idol, which is also a plus.

This One's For Dad And My Lil' Sis...

2006-06-01T09:13:00.000-05:00

My Dad's a big fan of rock music, and a sentimental favorite of his came out when my sister was born; Gun's N' Roses single for "Sweet Child Of Mine." So, in honor of his birthday and her forthcoming graduation, here's the video. Congrats lil' sis and Happy Birthday, Dad!

I'm also going to add "Patience," 'cause I'm feeling nostalgic. Yeah, I know none of this concerns Champaign or Urbana, but with the school district a mess, and everyone in an uproar about the smoking ban...all we need is just a little... patience.

"Back To The Future" DeLorean On eBay Motors

2006-05-29T08:06:00.000-05:00

Yes, you can finally relive the adventures of Doc Brown and Marty McFly with this expertly crafted and fully funcitonal Delorean remake of the car from Back To The Future.

There is no detail spared, save from actual time travel, and the story behind the car is quite interesting. Take a look at the listing .

Happy Memorial Day, C-U!!!

The Beauty Shop's "Yard Sale" On iTunes

2006-05-18T20:22:00.000-05:00

The headline says it all. The latest release for one of CU's finest, The Beauty Shop, is finally available across the land via legal download on Apple's iTunes Music Store. It's been relatively difficult to come across their releases on this side of the Atlantic, save for possibly picking up a copy of "Yard Sale" at one of their shows. If you so desire, their albums are available for import from Amazon.co.uk.

The Great C-Uian Smoke-out!

2006-05-17T20:23:00.000-05:00

Looks like the end is nigh for smoking in bars and restaurants in C-U, and I have mixed feelings on the issue. As an occasional smoker, it's nice to light one up while drinking with a few buddies and get my nic fix. I sort of think of the two going hand in hand, even if I'm not smoking. *shrugs* I don't know. I'm far from taking responsibilities for someone else's health, but I'm guessing if you don't wanna be around smoke, then you don't go to a bar. Make that choice for yourself, but don't take it away from me. Restaurants are one thing, because there are underaged individuals (ie children) who can't always make the choice about where they are eating. They don't deserve the ramifications of second-hand smoke laid upon them. However, at a bar, I think the owners need to be given the choice to decide whether or not they want their place smoke-free or to have smoke-free nights at their establishments.

Rumor is that once this smoking ban is in place, that there will be no smoking allowed within twenty feet of a restaurant. If that's true, it essentially puts downtown Champaign and campustown at U of I out of commission for smokers. What concerns me is that there will not only be smoking citations given out, but that all of a sudden a smoking ticket will be an excuse to be hassled for any other number of reasons. I think I see the start of our civil liberties going up in smoke.

I'm Back! And I've been to Allerton Park...

2006-05-14T11:04:00.000-05:00

Yes, last evening saw the return of my mean machine, and how thankful I am for that. Thanks to my cousin, who is a Computer Science major at the University of Illinois, I'm back at full capacity.

While my computer was taking a break, I decided to head out with the signif to the U of I's Robert G. Allerton Park for the first time. It was a reasonably warm Monday, and we both had the day off, so after packing a picnic, we headed out. One of my best friends who is a DJ at WPXN in Paxton soundtracked our journey to the outskirts of Monticello. Some choice tracks by our favorite British Invasion era acts put smiles on our faces as we headed out of CU.

I decided that I would take some pictures, even though I was uncertain of when I would be able to upload them to my computer. I'm glad I did!

Top to Bottom: Path to the Brick Wall Garden, Avenue of the Chinese Musicians, Girl With a Scarf statue, the Sunken Garden, Fu Dog statue, Death of the Last Centaur statue, Buddah Pavillion, The Sun Singer statue

Please, always observe my CCL for use of text or pictures.

Still Strugglin'!!! And People Are FINALLY Talking...

2006-05-10T20:19:00.000-05:00

Yeah, the computer is still on the operating table. Sucktastic!

In the meantime, I witnessed two Fein events... a Headlights show last weekend at the Canopy and the latest scribblings from Shampain-Herbana's own shock jock, Seth. Let me just say that it was nice to FINALLY see someone publicly lambast Loren Tate. So many of us moan and groan, but Seth took up the mantle and called him out. Nice one! Yes, Seth, an opinion columnist is entitled to just that, their opinion. Being an asshole means never having to say your sorry... unless it's gonna cost you money. *laughs* But, yeah, good to see the vitriol spewing forth with no abandon.

As for Headlights, they were very good, as were Shipwreck. All for $5... I'm broke, probably could have gotten on the list, and yet I more than happily plunked down the duckets. I only wish I would have been able to get ahold of that new live album Headlights had at the show... anyone able to contribute? Let me know via comment and/or email.

The new Neil Young album is as damning a document that we are likely to have against the current administration in Washington. No one's ponied up an effort nearly as concise to this point, and it certainly is inspiring to see Mr. Young, a natural born Canadian, grab the torch like no one else and say the words the rest of the music world seems too apathetic to say. Take a lesson folks; Neil recorded these songs in a spell-binding six days and wrote some of them right there in the studio. Come on Bright Eyes, Death Cab, Pearl Jam, Chili Peppers, etc. What the fuck else has to happen? It's time for more of these statements to be made. So they will be a little dated in 20 years. WHO FUCKING CARES!?!?! If there's no free speech to defend in the future, everyone will wonder why the hell no one was speaking out now.

And, by the way, Steven Colbert... yeah. You're the man Jon Stewart wishes he had the balls to be. Nice one! Few people get the chance to skewer the Commander In Chief to his face, but you did it in front of nearly all of his contemporaries, his wife, and the majority of the press on national television. BRA-FUCKING-VO!!!! I don't know who was in charge of hiring the speaker for that event, but they evidently had a "V" for Vendetta against the big bossman. Good for them! Going from the "gut" like that... *laughs*

See you all in the ether...

My Computer's Dead

2006-04-30T16:54:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the severe lack of posts, but my personal comp has been dead for over a week, so there's not much time to log on besides counting on a few minutes at the library or at work.

However, this picture just had to find its way on somehow. Quite funny!

Which Lebowski Character Are You?

2006-04-11T19:57:00.000-05:00

Took this quiz... low and behold, I'm more like "the Dude" than I imagined.

According to the "Which Big Lebowski character are you?" quiz:

Why don't you check it out? Or we cut off your Johnson!

Gettin' Hits Like Pete Rose! And CU Music Awards...

2006-04-08T12:55:00.000-05:00

Champaign Of Blogs would like to say THANK YOU to all ye lads and lasses that frequent this little corner of the globe. The site has amassed over 10,000 hits and counting, and I'm glad that even though posting has been a little slow now and again, that you've kept checking in. Cheers!

And a little follow-up on Thursday's WPGU/Buzz C-U Local Music Awards... there are a handful of winners posted on openingbands.com, and I'm sort of consolidating that info. Feel free to comment on the show or any updates to categories not currently listed.

Best Male - Larry Gates
Best Female - Erin Fein
Best Rock - Lorenzo Goetz
Best Live - Elsinore
Best DJ - DJ Bozak
Best Americana - Beauty Shop
Best Hip Hop - Agent Mos
Best New Artist - Lynn O'Brien
Best Record - Living Blue
Act Most Desired For a Reunion - Hum

Probably Not Coming To A Ballpark Near You...

2006-04-01T13:23:00.000-06:00

Theirs' was a season of hurt, confusion, and dreams unfulfilled.

Their story is Brokearm Mountain

New Emotional Rec Club Track Surfaces

2006-03-29T12:18:00.000-06:00

Champaign's bipolar-popper, Joe Donhowe, has copped to the myspace phenomenon and put up some Emotional Rec Club tracks for all the kiddes to enjoy. Among them is a new one, "My Car," that finds him up to his old tricks, and that's a good thing. There are also cuts from the band's self titled release available to listen to, as well.

FYI: You can find their album for purchase locally at Borders and online at CDBaby.com, and for download on iTunes.

Happy St. Pats!

2006-03-18T01:47:00.000-06:00

Yeah, it's a few hours past the "official" St. Pats, but I'm still tipsy from a few hours ago, so therefore, IT COUNTS!!! Right.

Anyway, so the real joy in all of this is the fact that a St. Paddy's Day toast that I wrote at Mike n' Molly's won me a huge framed Guinness poster! This is probably around a $50 value that I won for writing a poem that ended up getting thrown away when I asked for it immediately after I had won the prize. I can only remember a few lines, but I knew even then that it was better than most of the pathetic garbage they'd receive; hence my winning. At any rate, I can write a limerick and dance the jig with the best of them, and it was a blast tonight. Cheers to WPGU and Mike n' Molly's for a great night out.

EDIT: I remembered the limerick! Here it is:

To all the Scots and forget-me-nots
Who've come for an Irish good time
Let there be just one twist
On your alcohol list
Bring the whiskey
But pour out the wine!

2006 Buzz/WPGU Local Music Nominees

2006-03-11T10:59:00.000-06:00

I'm a little slow to the gate, but still racing to win.

Anyways, the 2nd Annual Buzz/WPGU Local Music Awards will soon be upon us, and therefore a cast of nominees have been selected in the following categories:

Best Folk/Americana
- Elsinore
- Angie Heaton & The Gentle Tamers
- Elanors
- The Beauty Shop
- Joni Laurence

Champaign Of Blogs pick - Ok, Tractor Kings aren't in here? Weird. I'm gonna go with The Beauty Shop. Their new comp comes out soon, BTW.

Best DJ
- Lil Big Bass
- Mertz
- Bozak
- Elise
- J Phlip

Champaign Of Blogs pick - Well, my favorite active local DJ is DJ Hoff. He spins out of this world garage rock Tuesday's at Mike n' Molly's. On this list, however, DJ Bozak takes the prize.

Best Female
- Joni Laurence
- Holly Rushakoff (Triple Whip)
- Erin Fein (Headlights)
- Lynn O'Brien
- Adriel Harris (Elanors)

Champaign Of Blogs pick - This is tough. Holly and Erin? Arrrhhhhhgghgh. The agony. I'll go with Erin.

Best Male
- Larry Gates (Lorenzo Goetz)
- John Hoeffluer (The Beauty Shop)
- Tristan Wraight (Headlights)
- Steve Ucherek (The Living Blue)
- Noah Harris (Elanors)

Champaign Of Blogs Pick - Another tough one. Scott Kimble doesn't get a nod here? Come on! The guy works the stage like a madman works padded walls. What about Rob McCutcheon of American Minor? They may have moved out, but were still here last year. I'll go with Larry Gates.

Best Record
- Shipwreck "Origin"
- Headlights "EP2"
- The Living Blue "Fire, Blood, Water"
- Triple Whip "Snake Creep Down"
- Terminus Victor "Under Surveillance"

Champaign Of Blogs Pick - I'm a little surprised that American Minor is not on here. However, The Living Blue's debut on Minty Fresh is more than deserving. Cheers, fellas!

Best New Artist
- Cameo Turret
- fireflies
- Megan Johns
- Bailey
- Lynn O'Brien

Champaign Of Blogs Pick - My actual pick is Mad Science Fair, but from this selection of artists, I'll choose Bailey. He's finished up recording on a new album, if I'm not mistaken.

Best Rock
- The Living Blue
- Headlights
- Lorenzo Goetz
- Tractor Kings
- Shipwreck

Champaign Of Blogs Pick - Again, the lack of Terminus Victor here is odd. Tractor Kings simply belong in the Folk/Americana nomination in my eyes. The Living Blue definitely rock the hardest here.

Best Jazz/R&B
- Desafinado
- Ear Doctor
- Kilborn Alley
- J. Helgesen
- Nu-Orbit Ensemble

Champaign Of Blogs Pick - Where are Candy Foster & The Shades of Blue!!!!!!!!!!!! They're my pick. Sorry, this is just such a crazy omission to me. Kilborn Alley will get my vote, but Candy Foster is truly the best jazz performer in town.

Best Hip-Hop
- Krukid
- Al-iteration
- Sanya N' Kanta
- C King
- Agent Mos

Champaign Of Blogs Pick - I have honestly not gone out and seen any of these people in the past year. I've heard Sanya N' Kanta a while back and enjoyed it, however, in fairness to the rest of the nominees, I'll not make a pick.

Best Live Act

Tough call, but The Living Blue have a sound that just explodes in concert.

Local Band That I'd Like To See Reunite

Well, Head East would be fun. *laughs* Or the Vertebrats. Grand Vizars, perhaps. The easiest to reunite would be Absinthe Blind. Imaginary Posse would be a personal choice. Too many!

There you have it! Congrats to the nominees... it should be a fun night.

The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 6th at The Highdive. For more information, check out the CU Music Awards website.

An Act Of Civil...Obedience? This Is Great!

2006-03-03T10:25:00.000-06:00

I stumbled across this gem during one of my "computer smoke breaks" on digg.com. Anyone who has driven on the highways of a major city can attest to the fact that the speed limits are arbitrary numbers that few drivers actually follow. This particular film deals with the speed limit of Atlanta, Georgia's I-285. The posted limit is 55mph, but the typical driver is usually going 20mph over the posted limit. This film shows the result of four very brave college students who decide to tempt fate and actually drive 55mph. They all drove the limit across the four lanes of the highway. The results are pretty interesting. Check it out by clicking the link below. I'm glad I live in CU! Prospect is bad enough...

A Meditation On The Speed Limit

Turnovers Are The Specialty At WCIA!

2006-02-28T09:44:00.000-06:00

The more things change, the more they're unlike they were before. Such is the world of the news department at WCIA, where Morning Show anchor Jennifer Hendricks is saying adios and weekend anchor Elizabeth Wenger will soon follow. Wenger will be off to the Carolinas for a new gig, while Hendricks is taking a PR job at Carle. These two are talented young women who are going to do very well at whatever they do, but it also continues the trend of popular anchors and news talent jumping ship from a station where familiarity used to be the order of the day. Sure, there's Judy, and Jennifer Roscoe has been around for over 10 years. Beyond that, however, there aren't many sticking around. Considering the fact that Michael Marsh, Matt Metcalf, Chris Widlic, Mike Cleff, Gabrielle Martin and Trisha Shephard, among others, have all left, what does that say about Nexstar? It says to me that they aren't that serious about building and maintaing a strong news department that is able to develop a relationship with the counties they rely on for an audience. They'll keep a few cogs in place and let the rest go, but at what cost to the long term of the station? If they don't care about their staff, why should we still care about them?

Similar changes have occurred at WICD, as Aubrey Mika and Andrew Miller were jettisoned for fresh faces, so it's not that Channel 3 is the only one shifting talent. It's just that they haven't held the sphere of influence that WCIA has in the past, making their changes seem less maligned to the viewing public, at least in my opinion.

Unfortunately, as media conglomerates are slowly buying up TV markets across the US, these changes are becoming the order of the day. It's no longer as important to service the interests of the viewers as it is to fill the pocketbooks of the parent company, conveniently located many states away.

Headlights Featured On Grey's Anatomy

2006-02-20T09:32:00.000-06:00

So, there I was on my couch with the signif getting our weekly fix of Grey's Anatomy when suddenly something seemed odd. The background music wasn't just the usual fare of Sub-Pop or Barsuck indie rock that is usually filling the scenes of the show... it was Champaign-Urbana's own Headlights! "Everybody Needs A Fence To Lean On" was trimmed up to the opening and closing parts of the song, which feature Erin Fein singing behind a sort of spacey tickling of the electronic ivories. Not that I'm partial, but I'd say that's been the best placement of a song in the series, and I've seen them all.

You can pick up a copy of Headlight's The Enemies EP locally at Exile On Main St, download it from iTunes Music Store, or mail order directly from the band's label, Polyvinyl.

Headlights L to R: Brett, Erin, Tristan

Today's My BIRTHDAY!!!

2006-02-09T17:34:00.000-06:00

OH YEAH!!! Not that I'm divulging my age... it's below 30 somewhere ;-)

I'm rocking dinner with the 'rents tonight and throwing myself a party for all my buds (that are in the area) tomorrow. Feel free to send online gifts to my email address! *laughs*

Though this is not the coolest Spidey cake (that was my second birthday cake)... it's not bad for a Google image search... Happy Birtday to me!

Groundhog Day - A Trip to Woodstock!

2006-02-04T15:56:00.000-06:00

Groundhog Day is one of Bill Murray's best films, and I make it a point to watch the film each year on said holiday. This year, however, I also got the bug to do a little traveling. The signif and I were finishing up the film when I mentioned that the movie was made in Illinois. We both laughed and thought that it would be fun to check out the Tip Top diner and the town square where a large majority of the film took place.

Well, it so happened that on Friday, neither of us had to work, so we looked up the directions online, and took off for Woodstock, way up near the Wisconsin border. Conveniently enough, Illinois Route 47 goes from Mahomet straight to Woodstock, and bypasses all the city traffic and tolls. A few cups of coffee later, and we were off.

It was about 3 hours to Woodstock, and we were both pretty hungry by the time we reached the town square. Everything is in walking distance in regards to the locations used for the major parts of the movie, so we parked and started our tour. The overcast day let up enough to spead some sunshine on the town square for some good pictures.

The Tip Top Diner in the film was not there, but the Tip Top Bistro was. We were seated by Linda, who happened to have the very table Bill sat at in the film available as we entered. She also told us of some key parts of the script that were altered, as she had seen the script through it's changes.

One change was that Bill was to read one page a day in a book to help keep track of each day passed, but that was obviously axed. She also informed us that McHenry County had been the home to other notable films, such as Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Dutch, and Curly Sue.

The food was delicious, and I highly reccomend it for anyone who visits that part of the state. We had a fondue appetizer, and I had a cheddar mushroom burger and sweet potato fries, and the lady had a turkey/bacon/guacamole/etc. wrap. The service was excellent and the locals around us even welcomed us to town and were very friendly.

You probably notice the hazard signs up in front of the Tip Top. Those are to give recognition of specific scenes and places from the film. This particular picture has signs for both the Tip Top and the spot where Bill needs to "watch that first step." They also have permanent plaques up at other major spots for the film.

The Pennsylvanian Hotel in the movie is actually a place called the Opera House, an actual opera house and playhouse. The interior is beautiful, and I would like to come back and catch a show there one day.

Unfortunately, the Jailhouse Pub, home of the bar scenes in the film, was closed for renovations, which denied me the pleasure of a sweet vermouth on the rocks with a twist. We
also were unable to take in one of the free showings of the movie at the Woostock Theatre and the dinner, dance, and bachelor auction at the local Moose Lodge. I also wanted to check out the bowling alley, however, since time was of the essence, we decided to make this trip again next year to fill in the gaps from our first foray into Woodstock.

The house which served as the bed-and-breakfast from the film is now a private residence, so we couldn't take a look around there, and the same proved true for the piano teacher's home. Strangely enough, though, I actually have met the little boy that falls out of the tree in the film. It's WCIA's own Shaun Chaiyabhat.

Woodstock has a lot of charm, and it's definitely worthy of a visit, regardless of it's ties to Hollywood. The town has taken some nice strides to preserve and develop the downtown area, and it appears to be thriving as a result. Great restaurants, culture, and reoccuring seasonal activities make this city a highly reccomended place for an inexpensive get-away.

The Raconteurs - Sneak Preview

2006-01-30T20:01:00.000-06:00

Detroit may be pumping up the Super Bowl this weekend, but the real news is the release of The Raconteurs 7" single. You might know them better as a super-group of Jack White, Brendan Benson, and some guys from The Greenhornes. It's pretty promising stuff. Their debut album, Broken Boy Soldiers, comes out in May.

Give them a test drive and let me know whatcha think -

Steady As She Goes MP3

Store Bought Bones MP3

Props to You Ain't No Picasso for the tracks.

The Great Cover-UPDATE 1/29/06

2006-01-27T09:03:00.000-06:00

A report on the first night of activity at the 2006 Cover-Up...

Darrin Drda's Theory Of Everything - Cake
The Elanors - John Lennon & Yoko Ono
Angie Heaton - Dolly Parton
Probably Vampires - The Wallflowers
Shipwreck - Billy Idol
Lorenzo Goetz & The Goldfronts (w/ Brandon T. Washington) - Public Enemy

Feel free to comment on performances, set-lists, and guesses for who people are covering, since I can't make the first two nights...

Friday Night's Covers:

Ambitious Pie Party - The Beach Boys
Mike Ingram Band - Live
Tracktor Kings - Wilco
The Delta Kings - AC/DC
Beat Kitchen - Queens of the Stone Age
Elsinore - "Ziggy Stardust" era David Bowie

Saturday Night's Covers:

I have it on authority that Emotional Rec Club will be performing as Guided By Voices... and Greedy Lovesman Don Gerard has subtly stated that they will become The Vertebrats for an evening. The rest is a mystery at the moment...

EDIT: It's a mystery no more! Here are the bands covered from Saturday...

Poster Children - The Rolling Stones
Triple Science Whip (aka Triple Whip & Mad Science Fair) - Smashing Pumpkins
Terminus Victor - Fugazi
The Greedy Loves - The Vertebrats
Emotional Rec Club - Guided By Voices
Nadafinga - Jimmy Eat World

Discuss!

The Great Cover-Up @ Cowboy Monkey

2006-01-24T10:46:00.000-06:00

Well, work schedules will permit me to make only one night of the somewhat-annual tradition of CU bands playing someone else's songs. Thursday and Friday's sets are out for me, but Saturday night features Emotional Rec Club, Greedy Loves, T-Vic, Poster Kids, and others who will play to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina. I'm gonna take a guess that Emotional Rec Club are gonna take on the guise of Journey. Look for a member of Joe Donhowe's old band Imaginary Posse to join them onstage to fill out the line-up. Also, look for a band that covered Uncle Tupelo in the past to cover Wilco. Do your homework!

I Just Cut Jake Fleischli's Hair!

2006-01-19T18:51:00.000-06:00

Yep, Jake came by and bought a pop then says to me "Hey, is my hair lookin' a little funky in the back?" And indeed, it was. So, I go, "Hey, I'll straighten that out for ya, if you want," and he says "Sure, why not." So here I am, right in the store front, choppin' away at Tractor King Jake's mangled mane right on Main St. Fuckin' hilarious. Super Cuts, your $8 do's have nothin' on FREE! Especially now that I have celebrity clientele... ;-)

Fiery Furnaces @ The Highdive - Sat. Feb 25

2006-01-11T20:04:00.000-06:00

Yessiree, the Fiery Friedbergers are back in CU for a sort-of-homecoming. So where else but the Highdive for what will almost definitely be an early show on Saturday, February 25th. It'll be a hipster hoochee coo! No word on who's opening...

The following from the Highdive's website...

Advance tickets will be $13.00 ($15.00 at the door) and they will go on sale starting January 13th at the following locations: Bacca Cigar Co., Dandelion Vintage Clothing, Skins-n-Tins Drum Shop, Exile on Main Street, Any Frequency Records (220 W. Washington in Monticello) and ONLINE for anyone outside CU...

Great job, Ward!

The siblings Friedberger at a Burger King drive-thru.
They prefer flame-broiled Whoppers to the fried burgers.

New Years At The Iron Post

2006-01-01T09:23:00.000-06:00

What a great night for friends and music! The Iron Post was a great venue for the event, as well, given the ample amount of open floor space, unencumbered by tables or booths. Most importantly, the free-flowing PBR!!! I walked up to the bar, happily ready to pay a buck a glass like I was used to only to have the 'tender say those magic words... "The beer is free tonight." Sweet Hay-zeus! I dropped a $2 tip and let the rock and roll commence...

People were, for the most part, really friendly. The only exception being some huge red-headed guy that would push through people like he owned the place. A big "fuck you" to that guy! Otherwise, the night kicked off with artist/former "Deadweight & The Lost Cause drummer Matt Puckett telling me he liked my shirt and SkyScraper's local scribner of rock, Doug Hoepker, raising aloft his commerative PBR glass with the orange "I" on it in tribute to a television interview with U of I's coach Bruce Webber. He swore this glass would be his favorite container of beverages for at least the next 24 to 48 hours. Needless to say, that glass would see many more refills as the night marched on. The master of ceremonies, Seth, told me his resolution in '06 would be to continue helping make Champaign-Urbana a great place for art and entertainment... and to that I salute him. By that point he had already made possible the 4 beers and 3 bands I had seen and it wasn't even '06 yet! Hiram of Shipwreck slapped me five and not only complimented my shirt, but has the same one. We were both glad we didn't show up to the ball in the same gear (my the possible embarassment!). Steve of the Living Blue came by and said hello to me and the signif as we exchanged New Years greetings and well-wishing while in line for the nectar of the gods. The Beauty Shop busted out an old favorite of mine that I hadn't heard for ages..."I Got Issues," and their bassist Ariane echoed Mr. Puckett's sentiments on my attire for the evening, as did Jake Flescheli while we waxed on the year's end. I saw Santanu of Triple Whip and wondered why they weren't playing, and thought the same when Luke Walker and Matt Puckett were chatting. BRING BACK DEADWEIGHT & THE LOST CAUSE!!! They were a blast to watch back in '02-'03. I didn't see Todd doing his crazy dance and wondered where in the world he was for the big local get-down. I did however see Adam Schmitt without whom none of this shit would be recorded... many bows to a friendly and talented guy we are lucky to have in the scene. I also saw Rob McColley and thought it was he who was best dressed, and not yours truly. Tristan gets a close second. Jeff from Exile remembered suddenly that he needed to re-order more Headlights EP's as the band took the stage with new tunes. It was an upbeat set with Erin looking giddy with excitement and playing with abandon. Thems a band on the rise! A Living Blue set that tore the eardrums of the unfamiliar, a countdown, and a PBR toast saw in '06. Then my friend Joe Bradley rocked out my drive home (well my lady was driving, I was a lil tipsy) with Idlewild's "Mistake Pageant" at my request and he and his cool daddy-o dropped a bowling ball up the WPXN studios while my lady and I popped a cork on some champagne and cranked up Jimi Hendrix playing Aud Lang Syne live at the Fillmore East. We watched a bit 'o Seinfeld like we did on last New Year's Day and passed out. Except there's no free breakfast this NYD morning... dammit!

Welcome 2006! FUCK OFF 2005!!!! I've had enough of your bad luck already.