getting a little bit D.U.M.B. this weekend

Last night, one of my favorite bands and a band that has gone from intolerable to one that I kinda like sometimes began a co-headlining tour which is plagued with the worst name ever:

the D.U.M.B. Tour.

The two bands playing are the Disco Biscuits and Umphrey's McGee; if you mix the four words up and form an acronym, you get D.U.M.B. Pretty dumb, don't you think?

Check the logo, which is a combination of UM's four-leaf clover and tDB's odd little circle logo:

To me, it looks like some brilliant promoter came up with a D.U.M.B. idea, and this is the result.

I kid. Seriously, I've been advocating these double bills for years as a way for small- to medium-sized bands to cross-pollinate their audiences. My first pick to do something like this was Brothers Past and Perpetual Groove. One northern band, one southern band, both with pretty fanatical (though small and virtually nonexistent outside their home territory) fanbases. Set an early start time, alternate headlining spots in clubs around the country, watch fanbase grow exponentially.

Well, it didn't quite happen like that.

Instead, let me tell you the tale of two bands that fell in love with each other so deeply that some of their respective fans got sick of the other group's music. I don't know when or where it happened (though I believe it was in Amsterdam for the first Jam in the 'Dam), but this is the situation with the Disco Biscuits and Umphrey's McGee.

Umphrey's McGee and the Disco Biscuits stumble around Amsterdam.

Thanks to PT's SleekLazy for hooking up the photo for me

Some people are sick of seeing the two bands packaged together: they are playing this five show southern tour and Trancegression, a co-headlining festival in mid-July in Colorado (a trip I had to unfortunately cancel). Together, they're also the main attractions for Caribbean Holidaze, a destination festival (that I am happy to be attending). Others know that creatively the musicians play off of each other rather well. Many (myself including) hope for a return of the Brain Damaged Eggmen, a hybridized band featuring members of both groups that plays Pink Floyd and Beatles' covers, exclusively.

Umphrey's McGee has grown on me since I first saw them. My opinion echoes the complaints of many others: technically, they are extremely talented musicians, but much of their music lacks soul. Also, I find that a majority of their jams sound like they were ripped straight out of a Phish setlist. But sometimes they rock pretty hard, and some of their podcasts featuring soundboard recordings of crispy material get regular playback on my work computer.

I really like the Disco Biscuits, and I kinda like UM. But that combination wasn't going to get me to drive to Atlanta on Saturday to see them. However, the D.U.M.B. promoter had a good idea: add a solid Georgia band to the lineup to play a late night show. The fact that the band is Perpetual Groove, one of my top three groups to see live, made the decision to collect the crew and trek to Georgia a no-brainer. Of course, the fact that I have a lovely lady whom I can't wait to see doesn't hurt, either.

What will hurt is leaving Perpetual Groove's late night show (starting at 10 p.m. and ending at 2 a.m.), getting in the car and driving right back down to South Florida in time for the hometown D.U.M.B. show at the Pompano Beach Amphitheatre. Normally the ride back home after a show is brutal, especially if you leave immediately following an eight-hour rage-fest. I'm not saying that this one won't be brutal, but the fact that there is a show the next day is a bright light at the end of a long tunnel.

Tickets for all the D.U.M.B. Tour shows, including tonight's in Portsmouth, VA and tomorrow's in Raleigh, NC, are available here. Hope to see you out.

all shirts 10 bucks at Shirt Empire

Shirt Empire has all their shirts on sale for $10. Shipping is only $5.

Pretty cheap for some decent items. Almost all of their styles marry music and design, so they're the type of style I usually jump on.

This is the one I just bought:

product page can be reached by clicking on the shirt

What do you think?

new instrumental Trey Anastasio album to be released...

Good news from the Geigh 4 Trey camp; the former Phish guitarist, current ward of the New York State Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives is coming out with a new, all-instrumental album which promises to revisit the Afro-Cuban big band sound that is so infectious, especially when compared with the lite-rock, easy listening crap that currently dominates his repetoire.

The line-up of musicians of the disc give me hope that it will be a good one:

The Horseshoe Curve was recorded with producer Bryce Goggin at The Barn, as well as Trout Recording in Brooklyn, NY. Alongside Anastasio, the band includes sax players Dave Grippo, Peter Apfelbaum and Russell Remington; trumpeter Jen Hartswick, trombonist Andy Moroz, keyboardist Ray Paczkowski, drummer Russ Lawton, percussionist Cyro Baptista and bassist Tony Markellis.

Now that's a lineup that I can get into. Fat Tony on bass and Russ Lawton on drums are the rhythm core of the original trio Trey played this music with when the guitarist began to feel that his Phish was getting a bit stale in 1999.

The horn section is a bit on the large size, but features two of the three O.G. Giant Country Horns (Remmington and Grippo), and some of Trey's more recent brass collaborators, including Jennifer Hartswick, who seems to be his muse in many ways. I don't really have an opinion on keyboardist Ray Paczkowski.

The last time I saw Trey live I walked out of the show. Granted, it was his festival set at Langerado, he was repeating a number of songs from the night before, and I had other things to do and see (like rush back to the club to see the Disco Biscuits crush the crowd until after 4 a.m.), but he underwhelmed the hell out of me. I had a good time the night before at his club show in Fort Lauderdale, but it was nothing that was that good. The man can still play guitar real well, and he (and his band... credit where credit is due) was responsible for many of the best nights of music I experienced.

This wasn't one of those nights, probably because he wasn't playing the songs that touched me so back when I spent every dime and all my free time on going to see Phish shows. The new tunes just don't do it for me in the same way. There were moments of improvisational brilliance—however short and fleeting—but they were few and far between. But there is no guitar tone like Trey's guitar tone.

I'm not going to go into the man's legal troubles and what I think of them here, except to say that I really hope that this album is the beginning of Trey Anasatasio's come back. He is way to talented to burn out and fade away, and I truly hope that he is albe to overcome the chemical demons that have been plaguing him the last few years.

And maybe, just maybe I'll get the chance to see another Phish show.

Here's hoping.

You can preorder Trey Anastasio's new album, The Horseshoe Curve, here.

Michael Jackson's Punch-Out!!

Yesterday's 8-bit video put me in a old skool mood, and then I see this in my Inbox this morning. It's a sign, people!

I used to love playing Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!. I remember sitting in my buddy Matt Levy's bedroom when we were little kids and playing the bosses at the end of the game over and over and over and over again before we finally finished the game.

Funny, but I don't remember this level...

Was it just me or did the makers of the game intentionally make Mike Tyson way too difficult?

I wonder what they'd say about Iron Mike nowadays... I don't think they'd be making him the star of his own video game, that's for sure...

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

I know that it seems like I'm on a bit of an unnecessary Daft Punk kick over here. Which of course I am. The beginning of last week's tour pumped me out so much for the show I'm going to see later this summer that I've been listening to the French robots quite a bit lately.

Another unintended side effect of the tour's recent kick-off is the reemergence of a considerable amount of Daft Punk-related material on the web.

Take these videos. None of them (except the last one) is officially sanctioned. They're all a video of the same song but they couldn't be more different. I like how art of one kind influences art of another, but there is no expectation of how the influence is going to manifest itself.

This first pick is entitled Daft Hands, and the creator of the video has claimed that he created this masterpiece in one take. Dunno if that is the case or if he is being a little dishonest, but regardless it's pretty incredible. I do not have the coordination to do something like this at all.

For a little more musical talent (though not digital talent, the last d00d had that in spades), here is an a cappella version from the Carleton College Singing Knights. They have a pretty interesting set of songs that they perform on a regular basis; videos of most of them can be found at YouTube. If you've ever tried to sing anything in harmony, you know how difficult what this group of guys is doing truly is.

Click here (damn Flash-based pages) for an uber 8-bit version. If anyone know what game this is from (I'm looking at you, Perc) please let me know.

If those Nintendo throwback graphics brought you back to the future, then this one will bring you back. I spend at least ten hours a week with my feet planted firmly in front of my television, standing with a plastic guitar in my hands. I'm super-anxious to get my hands on a modified Play Station 2 so that maybe I can play things like this (though no where near as well).

And here, finally, is Daft Punk's version from their animated film Interstella 5555

pro shot Daft Punk video!

Until now, if you wanted to see the epic audiovisual experience that is Daft Punk live in concert, you either had to see them play live yourself (which I strongly--and repeatedly--urge you to do) or watch grainy, compressed audience video shot by amatuers.

That all changes now.

These two videos capture the robotic duo playing live this past weekend at London's O2 Wireless Festival. These videos (which not only are pro shot but also utilize multiple camera angles and some pretty spiffy editing) were broadcast on UK Channel 4 (note to American broadcasters: there is an audience for this stuff and you should maybe think about giving the consumers what they want).

"One More Time" / "Aerodynamic"

If the setlists bear any resemblance to last year, this tune was played near the middle of the set. I think that the twilight conditions verify that. Funny, I never in a thousand years would have thought that Daft Punk would begin their set while it was still light out.

"Rollin' & Scratchin' / "Da Funk" / "Superheroes"

Last year, this was the encore. I wish i would have brought a container to put my brain into after it ended, since my mnd slowly but surely dripped out my ears during the set.

How long until Brooklyn?

girl's feet cut off on amusement park ride

I love amusement parks. I especially love roller coasters: the faster and twistier the better, as far as I'm concerned.

That's why this story made my stomach turn. I've been on rides like this a million times, and though they're not my favoirte, it is a pretty cool sensation toleave your stomach up top as you free fall.

The most disturbing part of the story? A quote from an unidentified witness at the scene:

"The people on the ride just came and hit the ground," she said. "When I got up there, the lady she was just sitting there, and she didn't have no legs. ... And she was just there, calm, probably in shock from everything."

So you don't go away sour on amusement parks (especially roller coasters!!), here is a video of my favorite thril ride, the Volcano at King's Dominion in Williamsburg, Va.

which t-shirt should I buy?

I've mentioned it before, but I have a problem with t-shirts. I just got a package in the mail from Threadless today (one for me and another for she), and at least a couple days a week I will find a shirt online that I'll come a click away from purchasing. I've curtailed my habit a bit recently, and have decided to wait a bit after seeing a design a like before purchasing it. Some shirts I've initially wanted to buy faded from my mind, and others sold out before I could get home to find a credit card.

These two shirts caught my eye a few weeks back, and I still thinking about them. That's a sign. I decided to buy one of the two.

Which t-shirt should I buy?

Shirt #1 - Think Globally - the Imaginary Foundation

product page can be reached by clicking on the shirt

The first comes from a company call the Imaginary Foundation. They are a Swiss design group with an interesting (and decidedly psychedelic) take on technology, the arts and the environment. I have a series of their posters framed and hung up on my walls, but I've never bought a tee from them because many of them were all-over prints, of which I am not a great fan. This shirt was almost never considered since on the web site it is shown in white, which I refuse to wear since I am a certifiable slob.

The shirt features a quote from Sierra Club founder David Brower, and I find the illustration to be fantastic in a fairy tale kinda way.

Shirt #2 - Instruments A-Comin' - Dirty Coast

product page can be reached by clicking on the shirt

The second shirt comes from Dirty Coast, a shop out of New Orleans. As you can probably tell, I like music almost as much as I like t-shirts, so when you put the two together I have a hard time resisting. (Exception: extremely overpriced concert tees.) I really like the electric blue and green on this one, and according to the sales pitch,

This shirt is a celebration of the Tipitina’s Foundation nonprofit that helps year after year to raise funds for music instruments for our city’s youth.

I don't know if any money from the purchase of the shirt actually goes to the Foundation, though.

Those are the two I like. Comment with your choice, if you care.

sometimes it really is hard to tell the difference...

This is just too funny not to share:

jam band fan or taliban

I only hope that this guy keeps up with posting photos. What with the proliferation of both Islamic jihadists and the growth in popularity of jambands (it seems like you can throw a rock from anywhere in the Continental United States and hit a music festival this summer), I bet he'll have quality material for a long time...

Jam Band fan or Taliban... you decide.

Battles crush my skull... in a good way.

Last night I volunteered to be designated driver and hopped in the car with a moderately-sized crew. We were heading down to Studio A in Miami, home to overpriced drinks, beautiful hipster-chicks and dudes in over-ironic t-shirts aching to be noticed (some crew members included).

Why would we head into the god-forsaken 305 on a Monday night? It had to be a good reason to get me off of my couch on a Monday; so it had to be a great reason to get me to drive down to Miami in the rain on a Monday, the night before my weekly longest day ever (I have HUGE meetings on almost every Tuesday).

This was a good reason, New York avant rock (or if you want to be genre-specific, math rock) group Battles' first show in South Florida, and I was gonna see it. I first heard of the group a few months back when they announced that their first full-length LP, Mirrored, was going to be released on Warp Records. I found some of their tunes online and was immediately floored. The intricate layering of manipulated sound left me wondering "how did they do that?" and the driving oh-so-hard drum beats rattled my brain and made my neck cramp in anticipation of some serious head-banging.

I did a little bit of research and discovered that Battles were a super group, of sorts. I could go into the detailed back story of the group and its' members, but I think that this video will do much better justice as an introduction:

Suffice it to say that all four members are virtuosos in their own right, both technically in how they play their instruments, but also creatively, in the type of music they write. I've listened to a lot of music, and I've never heard anything like Battles before.

Anyway, back to the review.

After taking some half-baked advice on getting to the venue and getting lost in the ghetto twice and spit back onto the highway once, we made it to the venue as the final opening band was setting up their gear on stage. They're called (according to the same person who gave me the above mentioned directions) John Hancock and the Founding Fathers, and 'id give you a link to their site but I can't find out anything about them. They were actually pretty good, with a sound ranging from ! ! ! -esque dance punk to a more 80s new wave/pop sound. Their outfits had an unexplained jungle theme to them, and they all wore face paint for no good reason. But they had a song with the refrain "My girl is part Italian and I am part Mongolian," and I was glad that I saw them.

After the set ended, they cleared the stage completely and the guys from Battles started setting up their gear on in the empty space. It was actually rather cool to watch as the took the black space and completely constructed their setup. The stage was bookended by two similar setups. On each side a table held a laptop computer (gloat, Madpercolator, it was a Mac) and more effects pedals then I could count. A guitar leaned against each table. In the middle of the stage was drummer John Stanier's unmistakable yellow drumkit, complete with the high hat symbol on a stand that was about six feet tall. Behind the kit their sat various stringed instruments that would be played by Dave Konopka when the show finally began.

They came out around midnight, and we were ready. I stood about three rows back looking directly at the afroed Tyondai Braxton. When the double bass drum kicked, I did what I did at most concerts: I started dancing and dancing hard. I looked around to survey the crowd and discovered that out of the relatively meager size showing for the venue (but relatively good for a rainy Monday night) there were exactly seven people exhibiting any kind of body motion at all, and that they had either ridden in my car to get there or we met there.

Why is it that people don't dance at hipster shows? I really want to know...

The band kicked ass during their hour-and-fifteen minute set. It was pretty impressive how they would take something as simple as a guitar riff and then loop and manipulate it until it was indistinguishable from its' original form. Add to that the ability to layer on top of layer on top of layer until it sounded as if their were sound coming from a dozen different players instead of the four onstage and the brutally punishing intensity of the drums and you can imagine how intense this show was.

Battles play loud, aggressive rock and roll that is obtuse and angular in its melodies and rhythms, but at the same time danceable (to those of us who do that kind of thing, anyway). It is definitely the kind of music that not everyone can get into, but if you're into it you understand how good this band is at playing it.

My buddy Billy-B took some photos last night that I'll post up when he has a chance to send them my way.

And here they are:

Battles in motion

drummer John Stanier reaches up to hit his high hat

Battles tonite!

I spent this weekend with a lovely lady in a state of hometown vacationing bliss. Today is back to the grindstone: back to work, and a return to my keyboard to get back to blogging.

Tonight I'm throwing the crew in the back of my car and heading down to Miami to see the Battles, and I'm really excited. I'll post a review of the show and some tunes tomorrow.

Wish I had more to say today, but things are slow...

Kind of like me right now.

Daft Punk kick off summer tour in Scotland

So I spoke too soo when I claimed that Daft Punk's summer tour starts tonight: it actually began this weekend with an appearance at Scotland's Rock Ness Festival. The duo convinced the promoters tha they needed their set to be in a tent rather then on the main stage, and it seems that a bit of chaos resulted. From a story in the Lochabar News:

But the good news was that dance pilgrims lured up the North road with the promise of a genuinely special event – the return of Daft Punk to Scotland after a 10-year absence – were not disappointed. They just had to be very, very patient for their treat.

A 50-minute delay in the appearance of the masked duo as the climax for many people’s festival on Sunday night tested the faith in the masked Frenchmen. The queues to get into the tent had begun up to six hours before the scheduled start in the 10,000 capacity tent. And even with the side lifted to allow the thousands standing around the tent to get a view of the genuinely jaw-dropping light show planned by da funksters, it was still almost certain that very few saw the show as it was truly intended by Daft Punk.

And the more cynical among the fans might have wondered if the duo shouldn’t just have settled for the chance for everyone to enjoy the spectacular from the main stage in the gloaming, rather than the darkness of a tent they insisted their show needed.*

Emphasis added by me... holy shit, that's just crazy. I would have went insane if that were me waiting...

Regardless of the wait, these lucky folks got to experience Daft Punk in much the same way I did back in November. I wondered if they changed their stage setup for this tour: some photos searching showed me that theat they were using the massive pyramid/grid system from last year.

during the show (taken at the Tim Festival 2006, São Paulo, Brazil)

during the show (taken at the Bang Festival 2006, Miami, FL, USA)

after the show (taken at the Rock Ness Festival 2007, Scotland)

So the stage set is the same (no complaints here); I can only wonder if they changed up their musical set at all. Last year's performances all featured a similar setlist, though the mixes for each performance were distinct to my ears.

*when I saw Daft Punk last year at the Bang Festival in Miami, the stage was setup outside.

site updates...

I've been busy as hell today. We had a little issue arise at work due to some public comments made by an elected official, and my phone rang off the hook all day long. I got home and started cleaning my place in preparation for a house guest this weekend.

The only blog-related thing I did today is create calendar, which is visible at the bottom of the page. It's a Google Calendar, and I'm using it to keep track of when I'm in town and not. Shows I'm going to are marked out... if you're going, add yourself to the event if you like.

Right now, I think that it is a good idea. I may change my mind, but such is life.

"Crazy" for the theremin...

I have a slight obsession with the theremin. I just think that they're cool instruments, and sometimes I think I might actually be able out figure out how to use one.

I also have an obsession with cover songs. Personally, I think that one of the most overlooked skills of a great live band is the ability to pick a good cover song and place it well in a set.

Last summer, you could not go 5 minutes without hearing Gnarls' Barkley's "Crazy". The song was literally everywhere. You could not turn on the radio or go out someplace where music was being played--from roller rinks to night clubs to bar mitzvahs and weddings and retirement parties--without hearing the tune.

I'll admit, it's a good tune, and it sure won Song of the Summer as far as I'm concerned. Seems to me that I'm not the only one, as a big trend last summer was the live cover of "Crazy" placed in setlists all over.

I bet none of those versions are quite like this:

Cool cover song + theremin jamming = happiness

Daft Punk's Electroma to be Screened in Miami

I had a quasi-religious experience last year when I saw Daft Punk. I saw some sort of higher power at the apex of their pyramid of simultaneously pulsating light and sound. And I'm not the only one: when the French DJ duo announced their summer tour (which, coincidentally kicks off on Thursday with a gig in Paris) hordes of music fans (myself included) made plans to be at one of the dates scattered throughout North America this summer.

During Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter's nine year absence from the United States (they returned and played a legendary set at last year's Coachella) they directed a silent film entitled Electroma, which is a classic buddy/road-trip tale. Except that the buddies are robots and their journey is a mission to become human.

Pretty fitting plot line for a band whose most recent live show began with a tune called "Robot Rock" and concluded with "Human After All". Subconscious plot spoiler? We'll have to wait and see...

This morning the first set of North American screening dates for the film were announced, and I am ecstatically shocked that South Florida (alright, Miami) will have a showing on Saturday, July 28 at Studio A. No information on their website or how to get tickets, but when I find something out I'll post it here.

Oh, and there's no Daft Punk music in the movie. And I've heard that it is not very good. Which doesn't really matter... I'll check it out anyway.

Full listing of Electroma screenings:

6.14 Toronto, Ontario - Xpace
6.28 Calgary, Alberta - Stride Gallery
6.29 Los Angeles, CA - New Beverly Cinema
7.28 Miami, FL - Studio A
9.08 Montreal, Quebec - Osheaga Festival
9.09 Montreal, Quebec - Osheaga Festival

20 % off t-shirts @ randomshirts.com

Use coupon code RELAUNCH and get 20 percent off your purchase. Randomshirts.com features fraternity-esque humor and slogan t-shirts, like this one I'm a bit partial to:

I'm not one of those people who have a problem with clowns, but I know some folks that have a serious phobia when it comes to face painting, rubber nose or oversized shoes.

This shirt is pretty good, too, in a post-feminist over-simplified biblical reference kind of way:

I'm pretty sure the deal specified "No Exchanges, No Refunds".

Sorry.

(And I didn't realize that these two shirts were the same color. Guess I'm feeling blue today...)

The song of the summer (and the accompanying merchandising tie-in)...

Ever since this video for Justice's D.A.N.C.E. dropped I've watched it at least once a day. Not only is the song freakin' awesome, the video itself is visually stimulating enough to keep your eyes on it.

I've made it my goal to play this song an obscene amount of times this summer, so it's fitting that my first real post is about it.

Justice - D.A.N.C.E.

When I first saw this video, I slowly picked my jaw up off of my desk and asked myself "Where can I get one of those awesome t-shirts?" I was thinking of the ones that actually changed their designs and were psychedelically cartoonish, but these limited edition tees by Colette (warning: weird French flash page) will fit the bill. And as far as overpriced, uber-trendy t-shirts go, $66.12 for two ain't that bad. Unfortunately, not even I can fit into an extra-small tee...

I like these two a bit better (and they have medium!)

Any of you that read this blog on the regular or even the semi-regular are gonna find real fast that I have a semi-serious addiction to t-shirts. There are worse things to be strung out on, I guess.

the meh-ning of all this...

The entry on urbandictionary.com first defines meh as "indifference; to be used when one simply does not care". I prefer the fourth attempt at a definition:

An interjection used to imply indifference towards a subject; "a verbal shrug".

A verbal shrug... I kind of like that. Beyond indifference, to me it implies indecision and a general lack of initiative. A certain of laziness.

So why name my new project something stupid like the s-meh-dvin files? My love of bad puns led the way--I'm known to a lot of people as smedvin (first initial, last name). I'm also a overcritical son-of-a-bitch; a mass consumer of culture ranging from high-brow to low-brow to no-brow to eye-brow, and I have a tendency to let my opinions flow.

I like what I like and I have little time for the rest.*

Meh. What can I say?

* * *

For a while after my last blog ran out of gas (for the second time) I had no desire to write or to spread my overbearing, underdeveloped opinions. I became a part of a couple of informal groups that passed around recommendations on what to read or listen to, and I expanded my menu of media consumption to fit a wider variety of sources, and I left my personal picks to the dregs of the many message boards I waste too much time with on a daily basis.

I got distracted with other things: mundane everyday necessities like keeping up at work and going back to school. It's easy to let something as therapeutic as venting to the unseen masses on the internet fall by the wayside.

But lately I've been feeling the need to open up the vent again. And frankly, if I'm going to be spending my time posting my thoughts on the internet, I'd prefer to do it in a forum such as this that I can moderate myself instead of on other people's message boards.

What am I going to write about? Well, whatever is striking my fancy at the moment. Politics, music, television, gossip, art, food, yada yada yada yada.

I hope you like it.

I hope I do to.

* In all actuality, I'm really quite open to new things.