Important Situations:

Virginia: Saw the Dresden Dolls. It was the best show that I have so far witnessed. Standout songs included "Ultima Esperanza," "The Gardener," "Glass Slipper," "Immigrant Song," "In the Flesh," "Astronaut," "Night Reconnaissance," "Half Jack," "Say it Ain't So," "Mrs. O," "Mandy Goes to Med School," and "War Pigs," amongst others. It was a very fun show. My feet hurt a lot (I was dressed as Viktor and was in my increasingly more painful boots) but I very much enjoyed myself. I spent the weekend with Genevieve listening to music in the car and seeing her sister Christie, who I like spending time with as well. I saw a hockey game that had pink ice because it was a breast cancer benefit. I didn't really get it, but I enjoyed myself. I had a good weekend.

Rent: ...is closing. On June 1, it will close it's doors at the Nederlander. Rent is pretty instrumental to my senior year of high school; it will be both sad and odd to see it go.

Wicked Faire: ...is fast approaching. I have lots to do; it's all very daunting. I don't really want to think about it right now, actually.

2007: Still angry. I feel pretty hopeless about "the past" when everything about my present revolves around it. I still feel crazy about HOH, still in love, and work is still a bottomless pit of searching for money...

Concerts coming up:

- The Dresden Dolls in Norfolk, VA (1/13)

- The Spice Girls in Newark, NJ (2/10)

Hell yes. Spice Girls comes the day after (or potentially 2 days after, depending on scheduling) the Wicked Faire where the White Elephants are performing. Busy weekend. And then Colorado is the week after, for work.

Naturally.

Some stuff...

I - Zombie Night, now a week past, was excellent. I was never really that excited about it, but I managed to channel something into that night (rage, grief, and frustration among them) and it came off splendidly. It ended a bit abruptly, but otherwise a solid night. More importantly, a great show. Among the highlights:

A. "Thriller" as Floorshow going down without a hitch
B. Trixie with me and Genevieve coming out better than either of us could have expected (we did "Bring Me to Life" as a sound drop)
C. all-around Transylvanian-as-Zombies goofiness
D. Liz's lack-of-eyes (Casey is awesome--it came out just as effective as it did for Halloween, and was perfect for Magenta)
E. Regina as a speechless, glaring dead Frank
F. The show belonged to Richy, who folded his legs backwards in half in pants to create a Dr. Scott severed at the knee. It was thoroughly horrifying and delightful.
G. Really, everyone was on their game.


II - Last night's show was also good. It was, uh, intimate, but despite the small numbers, I enjoyed myself. Another coo about Richy: he is one of the Frank's that I've seen that truly 'gets it.' He is never off when off stage, and remains consistent throughout. Jordana's lack-of-eyebrows also looked good, I'm pretty sure Dante could manage to make playing an embalmed gerbil look cluelessly adorable (he filled in for Dr. Scott), and Danielle and I had our usual party for two as Magenta and Riff Raff.


III - HUMANWINE last Tuesday was great! They did a flawless performance.

A. We also got to see NaNuchKa, an predominantly Israeli-born trio (their drummer was American) who were fabulous on stage (even if their CD failed to sound much like the qualities that made me like them on stage) and HUMANWINE themselves were delish. The show was at a bowling ally of all places, in Asbury Park. The stage was ON the allies. I didn't really understand. But, Holly was like inches away from me (I sat on a platform; Holly and M@ on the floor, Brian and the bassist on the stage) and sang her heart out. I even re-listened to For Burning Cities Present (their debut) and realized I liked it after dismissing it earlier. Their new album, FIghting Naked is pretty great with the exception of "Rivolta Silenziosa." I do not like the new version of that.

B. I got to help them carry stuff out to their van afterward, and spend time fawning over Brian Viglione, who signed a drumstick for me. The first opening act's Shannon (her band is Strange Things Done in the Midnight Sun... decent noise with a great female vocalist) told Brian that I was trying to find a way to make Brian homosexual; he was gracious and flattered (shook my hand four or so times during the conversation) and said he was sorry he could not reciprocate but loved me back as a music lover. Ah, well. They are all class acts.


IV - The Rocky Horror Tribute Show on Broadway was a bit of a let-down, even if I consider the moral benefits to raise breast cancer awareness that it was really for. Admittedly, I was not there for that; I was there for Rocky Horror. The $50 ticket seemed a bit steep, but it looked to be a fun night. It was in fact, though short. Neil Patrick Harris performed as the Narrator with this wonderful British accent. He was fantastic; taking AP in stride, commenting on the goings-on, and presenting himself very professionally and faux-stoically. Loved him. Hey, he's gay--forget you Brian! Yeah! Meh, my heart belongs to another. The Eddie was awful, the Janet decent, the Brad blecch, the Rocky great, the Frank (Kevin Cahoon!!) amazing, the Magenta great, the Columbia decent, the Dr. Scott decent, and the Riff Raff (Harris' boyfriend) ok. I did have a great time there; it just seemed to end to quickly, and well, nothing can beat the Broadway cast from 2000. It just cannot be done... and from the sound of some vocal theatrics (namely Janet in "Toucha" and Riff Raff in "Spaceship"), they were trying.

That sums up most of last week (not covered: home life, writing, and work--which all happened, too.) In completely wrong order. I've been cleaning. I'm all sweaty.

"Hey George,
Thank you for the kind words, my friend.
I'm really happy that you liked the HUMANWINE show tonight, we all had a blast.
It's to have a word with fine folks as yourself afterward, too, and I hope the show energizes the rest of your week. We'll see you soon!
Take care! "

-- Brian Viglione on my MySpace, after I posted a thank-you to him for a great show tonight.

More later.

I never actually wrote about _the day_ so let me get to that. Thursday was Dresden Day, and Dresden Days are usually about the best. Genevieve and Danielle picked me up at 2:30 for the Fuse TV "Daily Download" show, which the Dolls were appearing on. Having a very limited idea of what it is (having only heard Tori mp3's from it), I was expecting at least a song (maybe more) and an interview snuggled in a music topic show.

Turns out it's more like TRL... The Dolls were there to talk briefly and their shoo-in was that "Sing" was on the countdown. Apparently the idea is the charts reflect the most downloaded videos? Something like... Amanda and Brian were there, though, and that's what mattered. I got waves and smiles from them for my appearance. I schlepped in chunky heel boots, pleather pants, leather vest, white button-down shirt, bowler hat, and whiteface/lipstick and suffered most of the day because of it. But I was on TV, whoot!

No performance, alas. We knew that going in--no keyboards or drums, and unless they were going to do some hardcore a capella tribal dance... well, that would have been fine, too. Usual questions from the interviewers: how'd they meet, what's Yes, Virginia like, what's the deal with the fans that dress up like them. A bonus story about "Sing" where Brian said how his grandmother didn't understand why he was shirtless for the video: "he doesn't have the body for that!"

After the Dolls were done, we were stuck there for another 30 minutes because we couldn't just like leave 'cause they did. We went to Yoshinoya afterwards where I had a relatively unsatisfying snack of a chicken basket. The chicken was good, but the vegetables weren't really good.

I parted ways with Danielle and Genevieve and headed to the theatre. The Nokia Theatre didn't want the teamers to put up posters inside or outside, or hand shit out in front of or inside the venue. So we were kinda along for the show til Panic! left the stage and then we could go to the end of the street the theatre was on, and hand shit out. Despite the tepid-to-nasty reception the Dolls got, people gobbled the postcards and advance CD's up.

I was really fortunate, before the show, to meet Amanda and Brian again. I got hugs, and actually got to speak to them each and that's always very exciting and gratifying and a little sexy. They are awesome people. I want to be friends with them and have them come over my house and play for me. Yes, indeed I do.

Ok, Matt and I just made really hasty plans to go see a 12:45 showing of Superman Returns, so I am off.

I don't have a lot of time to write about it (or much of anything), but I wanted to get this down before I forgot everything. I got to see Girlyman again. Genevieve, Danielle, and I met Amy at the University of Hartford for a gig. It took some 4 plus hours to get there, but that was because of the weather (Ty referred to it as "sogging rain" at one point during the night).

Girlyman remains of the most genuine bands/artists that I've come to know of, and that's never come off as a clearly as when I've seen them live. They bantered, but not to a point of "Ok, shut the fuck up and play 'Hey Rose'" but rather "Ok, get through this song and start talking again!" Well, almost. They sang well on Friday; good song choices (although no "Hey Rose," or "Genevieve" [my favorite] for that matter.)

The setlist was comprised of album tracks, new songs, 2 improv's, and 3 covers. Songs from the debut: Viola, Say Goodbye, The Shape I Found You, Postcards From Mexico; songs from the second album: On The Air, Speechless, Young James Dean, Commander In, Kittery Tide, I Know Where You Are, This is Me, new songs: Saint Stephen, St. James' Bones, something with "Joy" in the title... something else; improv's: Nate sang The Tuning Song and The Last Movie I Saw in the Theatre; and the covers were Son of a Preacher Man, a song that wasn't by Jefferson Airplane, but was apparently arranged by them, and Rock Me Amadeus in the original German.

We were really concerned that we'd miss something beccause the roads were packed wet and covered in cars. But it all worked out.

Turi posted this at the Madonna LJ comm.

Madonna's Confessions Tour has a setlist:

Future Lovers, Get Together, Like a Virgin, Jump, Live to Tell, Forbidden Love [probably that stupid new song with the same name as the really good 1994 ballad], Isaac, Sorry, Like It Or Not, Sorry (remix) [I'm thinking interlude], I Love New York, Let It Will Be, Ray of Light, Drowned World/Substitute for Love, Paradise (Not For Me), Music [confirmed as interlude], Everybody, Deeper and Deeper, Lucky Star, Hung Up

There are three themed section: Equestrian (which, like the Music pictures, I'm thinking will be cybercowgirl essentially) which I guess will last from "Future Lovers," til "Like It or Not" with the "Sorry" remix bridging the gap; Middle East, which is decidedly odd if it starts out with "I Love New York" til "Paradise"; and then Disco, which is clearly "Music" through "Hung Up."

Speculations: "Live to Tell" will be the cooldown number just like "Frozen" was last time. Nine songs is a lot for Madonna to cram into one costume and one entrance, so I'm thinking that the idea of there being only three sets is either premature, or misguided. Especially since a ballad is the perfect transition from one to another. So I'm thinking "Forbidden Love" will be the beginning of a new set, or something. I just don't understand how "equestrian" fits with the dance selections since almost all of that list are [new] dance songs. Plus, plumping them all together? Yeesh. Weird that "Push" got no love, too.

...no "Holiday." First concert she's ever cut it. That's gotta be like treason.

Still want to go, please.

I just came home from a Dresden Dolls-filled day. Genevieve and I got into the Dolls' New York show at Webster Hall for free because we're on the street team. We were there to hang up posters (which eventually all got ripped down by fans, and kept) and hand out paostcards and CD's. Before the official show, there was an In-Store at Virgin Megastore in Union Square.

We were apparently supposed to buy a copy of Yes, Virginia (an album I've already bought twice; once on disc, and once on iTunes so I could get the damn 1 bonus track, "Two-Headed Boy") to gain admittence in the cafe area where they were performing and then signing CD's. Signing stuff is cool, but we were just there for the music. The music was very good!

They began their brief set with "Good Day," and followed through with "Sex Changes," "Coin-Operated Boy," "Backstabber," and "War Pigs." The version of "War Pigs" was especially incredible. Actually, it was all really great; "Sex Changes" had a nice intro that built up beautifully; "Backstabber" had an impromptu chorus of Semisonic's "Closing Time," after Brian pointed out to a disenchanted Amanda that the two songs share the same chords. I also got it all on tape; I recorded it with my mp3 player, but I have feeling none of it came out very well, considering the very heavy bass of the speakers. Jordana video-recorded the entire show, though, and it looks like it came out splendidly; I'll be able to rip the audio from that when she gives me a copy of the DVDVD; whoot! "War Pigs" was incredible, and it's the first time I've really gotten into the song; Brian looked thrilled that someone yelled it as a request. It narrowly beat out "Half Jack" as the final song.

Ah, yes, we also met up with Jordana and her sardonic, often witty friend Jess. We had to pick up some supplies (I forgot my camera like a fucking idiot; tape to hang up the posters), and headed off to get food at this Italian restaurant Patsy's. I got a splendid calzone.

We headed to the theatre and eventually met the third steet teamer, a girl named Hayley. We wasted little time splattering the walls with the posters we had (the "propaganda paintings," the yellow flower shot, and the album cover) I'm pretty I saved one copy, but I don't know where it is. I still have a bunch of the 2-track advance CD's and the postcards, though.

We were there for soundcheck. It was so weird. I was taping up pictures on the stage that Amanda and Brian were performing on, completely ignoring us (probably because we were distracting). We kept to ourselves (I had no illusions of hanging out with them before the show, or even really talking to them), but we were able to hear them soundcheck a Leonard Cohen song they would play that night, most of "I Love Rock and Roll" (which they also played--I had no idea that Amanda played the drums for that song, when I listened to the mp3's), and the chorus of "Backstabber" repeatedly (which they never ended up playing). We also saw/heard some of the other acts try stuff out, since there was an opening act (who didn't soundcheck), and some great novelty (which sounds derogatory, but isn't intended to) acts.

There aren't any seats in Webster Hall, so we just had to ensure we got stage-front spaces, which we did. We were on the left/Amanda side, and had an excellent view of both of them. I want to see the shots I got with the disposable cameras.

Oh, before them, we also saw Humanwine, who opened up most extensively for them. They performed I think like 8 songs, and they were good. The femla evocalist had a disturbing tattoo on her neck, and chin, and presumably lower on her body, which was distracting. It just looked like tribal spinal bone or something... I don't know. But the music was good.

They also had a topless blonde woman that had a gigantic balloon and she sealed herself inside it. It was very strange, but fascinating. Another act was a strange performance art trio that I didn't understand, or really care to. They seemed game, but I just couldn't follow it. The M.C. was a 40-year-old man in a blue, see-through spandex bunny costume, with a thong on. He was pretty amusing.

When the Dolls actually came out, they did a nice smattering of both albums, although they ignored some that I thought would be pretty obvious ("Good Day," "Mrs. O," "Truce," [damn], and "Backstabber"). The differences were actually totally for the best. Except "Truce." Damn. I haven't seen that one, and they were "supposed to" do it at the Clifton Park show (it was on the set list).

The set list was: "Sex Changes," "Missed Me," "Modern Moonlight," "Shores of California," "Coin-Operated Boy," "Bad Habit," "Amsterdam" [Kurt Weil], "Cosmic Dancer" [T. Rex], "Delilah" [with Mali Sastri and Humanwine's Holly Brewer], "Dance With Me to End of Love" [Leonard Cohen], "Necessary Evil," "First Orgasm," "Dirty Business," [fan shout-out request], "I Love Rock and Roll" [Joan Jett and the Blackhearts], "Half Jack," and "Girl Anachronism." Encores: "Me and the Minibar" [Amanda piano solo], "Sing," and "War Pigs" [Black Sabbath].

"War Pigs" sounded amazing, again. In fact, everything but "Cosmic Dancer" (I was bored) and "Necessary Evil" (it needs the album effects) sounded top notch. "Sing" was powerful, "Sex Changes" had an even longer intro, "Modern Moonlight" was incredible, "Coin-Operated Boy" and "Girl Anachronism" sounded as fresh as ever alongside the new stuff, "Dirty Business" sounded great, and "Me and the Minibar" was harrowing. It was a really great concert.

Alas, they bolted from the venue right after the show, as they were already late for their curfew (there was another event happening there), and we handed out the CDs and postcards as the crowd piled out. The Webster Hall people were vocally pretty rude about kicking us out, but they didn't really force us or anything. They just sort of barked, but then went away. Weird.

It was a really day and night. And now back to life as usual.

Amy, Genevieve, Danielle, and I saw Amanda Palmer tonight. She was quite amazing. After some roundabouts getting to Amy at the Garden State Plaza (our connecting flight, so we could get food beforehand--which didn't happen), we managed to make our way to Joe's Pub. Jordana, Randi, and Lauren were also there. We entertained ourselves in the line, waiting, until we were allowed in.

Joe's Pub is beautiful. It's got this nifty stage, where the piano was. We had front-row table seats. This meant Amy and Danielle mostly saw Amanda's legs, and Genevieve and I had a decent view slightly over the piano. The sound was excellent.

The set-list included mostly songs I did not know, or not know very well. Of the Dresden Dolls material, Amanda sang "Bad Habit," "Me and the Minibar," "Sex Changes," and "Thirty Whacks." She also did "Blake Says," which is from her solo period. She did two completely new songs (I don't even know if Brian has had time to arrange drums in them) named "Ampersand" and "Last Recognisance," which were gorgeous. She also did several covers, including this beautiful torch song about prostitution that was originally by Kurt Weil.

Meredith Yayanos, who I've heard on two mp3's of "Missed Me," is a very talented, and adorable violinist. They did a song I didn't know by a band called the Pink Dots. Their second song was "Material Girl." I was so happy. So completely happy. Best moment of the night, although "Sex Changes" came pretty close.

She threw in a snippet of "672," which I didn't hate, and even some Chopin, which was great, too. She also did Regina Spektor's "This Is How It Works." It was a very nice showcase. I was happy.

The dynamic between Genevieve, Amy, and Danielle, and myself is a nice one.

Oh, I met her again, too. This time she spoke (she was on vocal rest when I met her the first time), and she was very sweet.

Last night, Genevieve and I headed to New Haven, Connecticut to meet up with Amy. We were off to see Dar Williams and Girlyman at Toad's, this club I'd never heard of, but was plastered with signed photos of everyone from Mary Chapin Carpenter, to Megadeath, to Meat Loaf, to Madonna (she signed a copy of her Blonde Ambition tour book with "Too bad to passed me up;" meaning--I think--that she tried to get a gig at Toad's, failed, and hey, got really famous).

I didn't know Girlyman at all, but I like Dar a lot, and had seen part of her free concert in one of the New York concerts a few months ago. She was with a band this time around, and Amy scored tickets.

First we got food at this nearby Italian place and I got a fabulous calzone. We headed off to the club, which was bigger than than the venue I was expecting it to be. At around 9, Girlyman took the stage. It's a folk-rock trio of two women and a man, and they were really amazing. They started with a Paul Simon song, "Born At The Right Time," which was great. They also did their own material, the names of which I learned later: "Hey Rose," "The Shape I Found You In," "Saint Peter's Bones," "On the Air," "Speechless," and "Young James Dean." I am quite certain they did more than that, but I just do not recall. I was, however, blown away.

After their set, we went promptly to their merch table. I got a black shirt that says "Girlyman" and their two CDs. They signed the CDs for me, which was very, very nice of them. Genevieve and I seemed to make one of their bandmembers, Ty --an adorable dykey, androgynous woman with an awesome voice-- when we asked about the meaning of one of their songs. At the merch table, we looked at the tracklistings and one of the tracks is titled "Genevieve." I laughed and said to the woman in her 30's behind the counter, "That's her name." She blinked but was unfazed, "That's my name, too." Genevieve asked how she pronounced her name, and it was Jenn-ee-veeve, not the French John-Vee-ev, like Genevieve's.

I asked, "Are you the Genevieve in the song?" And she averted her eyes; it's a question she might get a lot... "You'd have to ask the songwriter." Genevieve quickly scanned the lyrics, and we both had visions of the singer have a torrid (although obvious, 'cause it's a song) affair with the merch girl. Turns out she's also their manager. The plot thickens. So we asked Ty, who wrote the song, and she didn't give an answer; she was mostly startled by the question and quickly started signing the CDs.

Next up was Dar, who really had a tough act to follow. I had already bought two of Dar's CDs: her latest, and Mortal City to make up for the mp3's of most it that I already have.

Dar began with "Comfortably Numb." She looked like, in my opinion, like the former hippie art teacher in a high school. She was definitely beautiful, but she was also definitely an older woman who was a mom, and had a penchant for flowy sleeves.

While I do not recall, at all, the tracklisting order, I know that she sang "Teen for God," "Beautiful Enemy," "So Close to My Heart" (which I hated), "The Mercy of the Fallen," "As Cool As I Am," "The Christians and the Pagans," "The Poignant, Yet Pointless, Crisis of a Co-Ed" (a request that she looked hesitant to do; she seemed intimidated by the crowd), "Are You Out There," "Spring Street," "Another Mystery," and "The Babysitter's Here." She did others that I either didn't know or I've forgotten. She did maybe 15 songs.

She was also quite great, although she seemed very distracted from the start. She sang well, and bantered constantly (something I love and crave in live acts) with the audience. Girlyman joined her on the stage for "As Cool As I Am," the closer (before the encores), and for the second encore... a song I didn't know, but she expected us to. Maybe the collective did.

As it stood, it was a great night, despite it's lateness and early awakening that I had to do. Fortunately I had a very low-key workday that kept me from pulling my eyes out.

It was a very good night.

After quickly looking up the setlist from the Cher Farewell Tour DVD, I am disappointed. I probably wouldn't have been if I just took what I had watched as standard.

Lots was cut and/or different from the live stage show that I saw, which has probably had a few variations since it began 300-some performances ago. Cher was on fire, it was true, and she really funny more than anything. Her opening monologue, following the spirited and impressive "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" U2 cover, was classic. After mentioning some of the names of the more recent starlets on the Top 40, the audience started booing. She seemed so surprised by this; "We're so mean inside sometimes," she said with a sigh, "What can I say; they're hoes."

( Read more... )All the same, Cher came off as a genuine person, and that was great. Seeing her, and especially Bette Midler this past fall may have added to my Gayest Things I Could Ever Attend list, but they were really enjoyable to watch, and made me appreciate Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez that much less.

Additional notes-- her opening act was the Village People. It ranged from tolerable novelty to painful.

Shit... So, I haven't written my in-depth review of Tori's concert from Monday, and I'm going to see Cher tonight. The likelihood that I'll have more to say (as in, a song-by-song analysis) about Tori is high, and I may be writing about Cher's concert first. So, damn it, I have to focus.

Ok. So, Monday. I stayed over Danielle's house and we left for Philadelphia by 2 PM. We thought we were going to the Electric Factory, and well, we were. But we thought we were going to see Tori there, but when we arrived at the depleted, somewhat depressing warehouse-type arena, it was dusty and empty. No fans around, no people at all around, and no "Tori Amos" on the marquee. We did some ticket-checkings and some phone calls and eventually made our way to the correct venue, the Verizon Hall in the Kimmel Center.

After parking (which was a mini-adventure in and of itself) and the Dresden Dolls/Tori Amos soundtrack arrival, we were on the town. Danielle, in fishnet, black, and white tank top, Genevieve in leather, denim, and fishnet, and myself in clashing pinstripes and bowler hat, we were likely quite a sight.

Sometime after 7, while sitting in the hall of the theatre, one of the ushers put on the stage-cam so we were able to (barely) see and (barely) hear (seconds of) Tori's soundcheck. She was performing "Rattlesnakes," so we were pretty certain that was going to be on the set-list. And indeed, it was.( Read more... )

Great show, really, though. And while it was brought to severe halt with a deadend search for restaurants still open, and coming home to an empty house, it was a good day and night.