New Avatar trailer/net neutrality/photo exhibition
October 29, 2009
Image via Yewknee'd and a million other blogs...
This image has been making the interwebz rounds for the last couple of days, but it really deserves to be spread to as many eyes as possible. It’s the best way to sum up what will likely happen if internet neutrality is not enforced. The free and open flow of information is absolutely critical to a sustainable democracy like ours.
A new trailer was just released for James Cameron’s new masterpiece Avatar. It sheds a little more light on the storyline. Check it out at i09. Am I total geek to be excited about this movie? If so… I’m guilty as charged.
JEFF the Brotherhood just keeps getting love from all sorts of media outlets. The most recent I’ve discovered is in Nylon magazine. They played about 479 shows in NYC this past weekend between CMJ day parties and showcases, and it appears to have really given them a boost.
I took photos of KISS last night at Sommet Center. Too bad photographers can’t come back in after shooting the usual first 2-3 songs. I guess I could’ve bought a ticket, but whatevs. Check out the Spin review and my pics at Nashville Cream. Speaking of photos… I must take a moment to shamelessly self-promote and mention that I have a photography exhibition going up next week at Vanderbilt. It will be in the promenade area of Sarratt Student Center from Nov. 4th to Dec. 11th, and features select live music photos that I’ve taken over the past 3-ish years. Please do stop by and check it out. Directions and more info can be found here.
I don’t really post much about sports, but as well all know, the Titans are in the worst place they’ve been in years, and the speculation about Vince Young possibly starting this Sunday against Jacksonville is rampant. Supposedly an announcement regarding that will come today. As of posting this, the announcement hasn’t been made. Keep your eye on www.titansonline.com if you care.
Locals get blog love/Predators/Hoptober
September 29, 2009
Today will be short and sweet. I mainly just wanted to point out a couple of Nashville bands/artists who got some major blog love today:
First up, You Ain’t No Picasso posted a demo of a new song by Caitlin Rose along with a short account of their interactions at Monolith. The track is “Song for Rabbits” and I suggest you nab it while you’re there. It’s a great song in 6/8 that has very little of the country twang present in most of her songs released thus far, and shows her ability to adapt her voice to just about any style and feel.
Secondly, our own Turbo Fruits got a mention and track posted over at RCRD LBL. Too bad that I’ll be in Portland, OR the weekend they come through Nashville on tour with Monotonix at Exit/In. I’m also looking forward to hearing the rest of the album. Two more free tracks can be found at their bandcamp.
I love beer. In the past 3 years or so I’ve also developed a much more discerning taste in beers as well. That’s why I’ve started brewing it myself. Rarely do I come across a beer that I really just want to tell the whole world about. But this past Saturday Megan and I hopped over to 12th South Taproom for some brews, and I decided to try New Belgium’s seasonal Hoptober. I was smitten. Since New Belgium has just recently started shipping their beer to this area I haven’t tried many of their styles, but that’s going to change. I absolutely love this beer! It’s not near as caramel-y as a normal Marzen/Oktoberfest but the malts are still very present and give it a medium body. The story here, though, is the quintuplet of hops used. Despite being a definite “hoppy” beer, Hoptoberfest only has an IBU of 40, so most would not classify it as an extremely “bitter” beer such as an IPA or Imperial Stout. The bitterness is very pleasant and sits lightly on your tongue while the aroma hops really shine through. Go grab a 6-pack- they’re at most grocery stores. But the best experience is on tap, in opinion. The smell and taste of this beer combine to basically give you a mouthgasm.
On completely different note, I’m glad to see that the Predator franchise has a new film coming down the pipe next year. Robert Rodriguez did a script for a sequel to the original Predator movie that never was used and now 15 years later, with some minor revisions, it’s finally being used. The film will be directed by Nimrod Antal. Of all the creatures/monsters I’ve seen, none will ever top The Predator. This thing has the ugliest, most terrifying face I’ve ever seen and I fucking love it. BAD. ASS. It’s pure mindless, testosterone-driven entertainment. Total guilty pleasure. And according to i09, this is just “the ‘shoot ’em up, chase and fight’ movie that belongs in the Predator franchise.” YES. I mean, just look at this thing:
Adorable, isn’t it?
Protomen/Pansy Dance/beer
September 25, 2009
So tonight is the epic CD release show for The Protomen’s Act II: The Father of Death. Epic is an understatement, actually. We’re talking a full choir, and a full string section. Not to mention the 10-15 people already in the band. The super-dedicated fanbase of this band never ceases to amaze me. They are flying in from all over the country for this show. Oh, and it’s sold out… so if you don’t have a ticket you’re SOL.
HOWEVER, if you’re still itching for something to do, and don’t have a ticket, there is something else for you to do, and it happens to be pretty close by. Little Hamilton is hosting the 2nd official “Pansy Dance” party, featuring DJ’s Kid Chicago and me (Burgers). I’ll be scooting over there right after the Protomen show’s over (around 1-ish) to DJ till the wee hours. So if you don’t have a Protomen ticket, just come, and if you do have a ticket, come over afterwards and dance the night away!
Some other random music tidbits:
Wayne Coyne is pretty crazy. And he likes to call people in other bands dicks. And he also likes naked people on bikes. So maybe he just likes the word “dick” in various usages. I saw their movie Christmas On Mars this past weekend, but I wasn’t on any kind of drugs so that must why I thought it was kinda pointless and needlessly weird. I still like the Flaming Lips though.
Jimmy Page, Jack White, and The Edge were all in a movie about guitars called It Might Get Loud. It’s playing at the Belcourt Sept. 25th through Oct. 1st. Read the Scene’s Patrick Rodgers’ take on it here.
My first batch of home-brewed beer turned out pretty decent, in case you hadn’t seen my twitter and facebook posts about it. I’ve actually given a good chunk of it away already, but I have about 20 bottles left. It’s a pale ale, and while it’s not exactly wonderful, it’s not bad for a first batch. The hoppiness is a little off- rather than a pleasant, crisp, refreshing bitterness it has a slightly unpleasant bitterness that sort of wears out your palate by the time you finish the beer. But I’ve discovered that drinking it with a meal greatly diminishes that effect and creates an overall pleasant beer experience. I’ve got a batch of cream ale in the fermenter as we speak, and it should be ready in a few weeks. It should be a much better batch because I used filtered water to make everything.
Also, Caitlin Rose officially approves of “Steve Cross’s attempted pale ale.” I’m thinking she should be the official spokeswoman. Just watch this video on facebook. (You’ll have to login to watch it…)
new 5 Spot website/10 most extreme places on earth
July 30, 2009
Everyone’s favorite East Nashville dive/hangout the 5 Spot suddenly has a new website! Who knew? It’s good, because they needed one. Myspace used to be the only place to find their listings (other than the Scene and MetroMix) and now that it’s going the way of the dinosaurs, they needed another online presence. (Via Out The Other on Twitter)
I was delighted to see that the trailer for The Fantastic Mr. Fox is now out. Visually it just looks wonderful (as all Wes Anderson films do), and with the voices of George Clooney, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, and Meryl Streep? YES all the way around. (Via Yewknee Twitter)
Oddee.com is hit or miss on their posts sometimes, but today they posted a blog about 10 extreme environments on Earth. Pretty interesting. They need to hire a copy editor.
Today’s a pretty slow news day, so that’s all I have for you. Weekend stuff coming tomorrow.
Last night’s 90’s cover night at Mercy Lounge was one of the funnest nights I’ve had in quite some time. It was every bit as awesome as the other decades cover nights, but a bit more nostalgic for me because most of my formative years occurred during the 90’s. Please go check out this Nashville Cream post for several video clips, and check out Simon’s youtube for a video of us playing Chumbawamba’s “Tubthumping” to close out the night. Be sure to watch all the way to the end and catch Brandon’s epic stage dive right into the camera. The official Spin review with pics by Tanya Wright (I didn’t shoot since I was playing) can be found here.
io9 has a post with tons of great imagery from Tron: Legacy.
The official trailer for Disney/Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland is now out. If there was ever a story that screamed for Tim Burton to direct its inevitable trip to the live-action big screen, it’s Alice In Wonderland. And of course Johnny Depp is the Mad Hatter. Who else? Watch and get excited. Let’s hope it’s not a let-down. (Via Kottke)
48 hr film project/Monsters of Folk
July 20, 2009
This XKCD comic was just too good not to post:
The aptly-named Monsters of Folk is a new project comprised of Conor Oberst, M. Ward, Jim James, and Mike Mogis. They’ve released the first single “Say Please” for free download, and Brooklyn Vegan has it. My opinion is: not bad… maybe a 6 out of 10?
Apparently Wes Anderson is directing a movie adaptation of the Roald Dahl story The Fantastic Mr. Fox. This sounds like an unbeatable combination to me, and I definitely look forward to seeing it. Trailer will be out at the end of the month. (Via Kottke)
Tonight is the 3rd in the 4-part decades cover nights sponsored by Nashville Cream at Mercy Lounge. Tonight’s decade is the 80’s, so expect some Phil Collins, Pat Benatar, Pixies, Erasure, Motley Crue, and lots of ridiculous outfits. Check Nashville Cream for the lineup. Next week my band will play 90’s night under the one-time name “Shit Sandwich.” It’s gonna be awesome. Just sayin’. Oh yeah, and the week after that I’m hosting another 8 off 8th. So basically Mercy Lounge should be your home for the next few monday nights.
My friend and bandmate Seth entered into the 48 hour film project again this year, and my apartment was the setting for the 5 minute movie he created for it. Check out Joe, Dean, and Charlene by Seth Graves:
White Stripes doc/Cats/Sonic Black Hole
June 18, 2009
Some cat humor to lighten up your day. Cats Are Always Doing Shit. Via Yewknee.
Remember that Canadian tour the White Stripes did a couple years back? They made it into a documentary, and it’s coming out this fall. It also finally has a title: The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights. I’m looking forward to footage from all those impromptu, intimate/acoustic shows they did. Via PFK.
Last summer a new band straight out of high school called The Turf burst onto the local music scene. These kids instantly caught the attention of several Scene critics and local music fans with their catchy brand of dance-rock. I remember seeing them at Mercy Lounge once and was impressed by how tight they sounded at such a young age. They disappeared just as quickly as they appeared, though, and several members went in various directions to pursue college. This summer they’re back, and they’ve got a brand new album called Fascination of a Sort. While the dance-rock wave may have crested a few years ago (at least from a commercial marketability perspective), that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t love them. I haven’t yet heard if they have any shows booked this summer, but keep checking their Myspace page for updates. Here are a couple of tracks they were kind enough to send my way for posting:
I came across some truly unique and gorgeous landscape photography today. Tim Simmons has a slightly different take on landscapes than most. He uses artificial light along with what appears to be HDR imaging to accentuate certain aspects of the natural beauty of his surroundings. You can’t go wrong with any of the galleries, but the snow gallery was especially intriguing to me. I’m still not exactly sure how he lit some of those scenes…. Via Joshua Blankenship blog.
Scientists in Isreal have created an artificial black hole. Not the kind that sucks in everything, just the kind that sucks in sound waves. They used Bose-Einstein condensates, which are clouds of atoms that have been cooled to almost absolute-zero. Using two of these, they created a tiny area of extreme low density which allows the atoms between the clouds to flow at nearly 4 times the speed of sound. As with most amazing scientific discoveries of this nature, the event was incredibly small and lasted only 8 milliseconds, but it’s still pretty cool because this is essentially a small-scale analog to “real” black holes in space. Via Discovery News.
Next Big Nashville 09/New Order/Blur
June 17, 2009
I guess the biggest news today is that the reunited Blur finally played some shows recently in the UK, and the announcement that 3 members of New Order have joined with Blur bassist Alex James to form a new band called Bad Lieutenant. More on that story at Brooklyn Vegan.
I’m a little late in posting about this, but if you’re a Nashville band (or actually, any band, really) you can now submit to play the 4th annual Next Big Nashville festival/conference being held this October 7-11. This year’s festival is now open to any band, from any city, though according to their blog, a Nashville connection does help:
“While NBN is obviously focused on shining a spotlight on artists from the area, our submission process is open to artists from anywhere (that means you Iceland!). A Nashville connection certainly helps, but our event is about a celebration of the creative center that is Music City, and much like the party our Austin friends throw every year in March, everyone is invited.”
I’m glad they ditched the rip-off scheme that is Sonicbids in favor of this submission form through American Songspace. I’m definitely looking forward to this year’s festival!
Right off the heels of his big success with The Wrestler, Darren Aronofsky is working on a film adaptation The Black Swan. While I’m unfamiliar with this book, the story sounds intriguing and the idea of Aronofsky working with Natalie Portman makes it a must-see in my opinion. Via Kottke.
NASA had to postpone the launch of Endeavour until July 11 at the earliest. The same hydrogen leak popped up again as they were filling the external tank for launch this morning.
Woodstock movie/Hulu/photobooth madness
May 29, 2009
I discovered via Brooklyn Vegan that a new Woodstock movie is on the way starring Dimitri Martin. And apparently Ang Lee is directing it? Interesting. It’s called Taking Woodstock. You can view the trailer in the Brooklyn Vegan post, as well as find lots of other 40th anniversary stuff. I’m liking the idea of Dimitri Martin in a movie about Woodstock…
Stereogum is streaming the first new Mew track from their forthcoming, poem-titled album No More Stories Are Told Today I’m Sorry They Washed Away No More Stories the World Is Grey I’m Tired Let’s Wash Away. I like it. A lot.
Hulu has launched a new standalone desktop application for viewing all you favorite TV shows online. I’ve been loving Hulu, and this just makes me love it/them even more. I haven’t tried it yet (all my shows had their season finales a few weeks ago!) but I’ve read about it in a few different places and everyone seems to agree that it works well, even though it’s just a Beta version.
Somehow the photobooth Gods have struck me with a vengence and I’ve ended up with 3, yes three, photobooths on my plate this weekend. First I’ll be running the booth at the Happy Valley DJ/dance party tonight at Aerial (on the roof of Paradise Park/Big Bang downtown). Jonathon Kingsbury normally does this, but he’s teamed up with Happy Valley’s promoter Jim O’Shea to start taking the Generation Domination photobooth other places, which is why they’ve tapped my resources to take over Happy Valley. For tonight at least. Then on Saturday I’ll be doing another photobooth at 12th South Taproom (or somewhere nearby) for the Bike For Branches afterparty from 4-7pm. THEN, I’ll be doing another booth later that night at the Moustache May wrap party at Mercy Lounge (featuring Ghostfinger, And The Relatives, and Unkle Skeleton). Phew! I’m gonna be one tired man by the end of Saturday night.
Speaking of party photos, Nashville has its own theCobraSnake. Your Money Shot is run by Dylan Reyes, and this guy knows party photography. The washed-out contrast/cool toning effect he uses on most of them give a slightly vintage feel and is probably how most of the party-goers remember their night… if they remember it at all. This city’s DJ/electro/party scene needed a good roving party photographer and Dylan is it, and he does it quite well. If you’ve ever been to the Noise Fridays series at 12th & Porter, or basically anything where Justin Kase DJed, you’re probably in a few of his shots.
Have a great & safe weekend! I leave you with yet another hilarious comic from XKCD. Only design nerds will get this one:
Awkward family photos/LOST/Empire Records tribute
May 13, 2009
The White Stripes. Via Awkward Family Photos. Seriously, go to this blog and thank me later.
So everyone knows that tonight is the season finale of LOST. I came across this post on io9 today with an excerpt from an interview with co-creator Damon Lindelof. He hints that the island will continue to exist after the series ends. This leaves open the possibility of a movie, or resurrection of the series somewhere on down the road. This leads to my next mention: the Empire Records tribute/cover night tonight at Mercy Lounge. Several bands (including Nite Nite, Armed Forces, Plex Plex, and my own, playing as “Damn the Man”) will be covering songs from the soundtrack. Mercy will also be screening the LOST season finale on a big screen/projector right before the show. (Which means the show will start just after 10pm.) I already had a LOST shindig planned with some friends at my place, so I will not be attending the screening, but will hop on over directly after it ends.
Hipster Runoff examines Sean Penn’s current and past relationships. Who is his soulmate?
The Bad Astronomer lists ten things you probably didn’t know about the Hubble Space Telescope.
Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus. Sold.
steve cross loves music and science 