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Posts Tagged ‘Treasure’

5 Simple ways to live a life you love

November 23rd, 2010 | No Comments

The quickest way to living a life you love is through learning to love the life you live.

You’re waiting for something to change in your life before you can be happy. You might think if only you had a different partner (or one at all), a better job, or kids that did their homework then surely you’d be happy. Surely then you’d wake each morning with the glow of one living a life worth loving. Enough! Here are 5 ways to get started:

1. Be present – You must be aware of your current existence and that you have control over your perspective. Whether you’re willing away early morning grouchiness or seeing a messy house as a chance to teach teamwork, your choice of perspective will make all the difference between just living and loving.

2. Practice gratefulness – Every day, no excuses. Pretend to be grateful if you must. It’s one of those things that catches up to you quickly as life reciprocates your emotional generosity. Seeing the good in your life will allow you to keep your heart fed while you work to change the more unsavory parts. Try it. Live it. You’ll love it.

3. Pursue balance - As a person given to extremes this has always been a tough one for me. I’ll go from taking great care of myself and communicating well to abandonment and silence as I let work consume me. The pursuit of balance requires constant adjustment as your life shifts but every time I really try for the middle I end up happier about my life. And that’s truly the point.

4. Nurture friendships – You know the people who for some reason or other welcome you into their lives? Treasure them. Make time to spend with them. It is those relationships that you’ll look back on with satisfaction when you get old and begin to wonder what your life was worth. Many of us spend far too much time thinking about how some material possession will improve our lives. An iMac would be nice. A good friend is worth just about everything though!

5. Embrace simplicity – Â You don’t need to have all your gold-plated ducks in a row in order to love the life you’re living. You don’t need lots of stuff and relationships so driven by drama that you often wish just to be left alone in silence. Instead you might try for a simpler approach and enjoy things because they are useful and not because they are expensive. You might join a friend just to talk and not worry about all the expensive trappings we so often heap on get-together’s. Try for simplicity and if complexity sneaks up on you, so be it. In learning to love the basics you’ll find a wondrous appreciation for the nicer things that come along.

What have you found helps bring you back to the moment you’re in and really start to enjoy the life you’re living right now?

image: adam foster

Greetings, loved ones! I’m the founding editor of Real Zest and spend far too much time asking questions on Twitter. Say hello and stay blessed!

Treasure Island Music Fest 2010 | S.F. | Review | Pics

October 21st, 2010 | No Comments

Words by: Eric Podolsky | Images by: Josh Miller

Treasure Island Music Festival :: 10.16.10-10.17.10 :: Treasure Island :: San Francisco, CA

Check out Josh Miller’s fab photo gallery here.

Treasure Island Fest ’10 by Josh Miller

As far as urban music festivals go, the Bay Area has got it made when it comes to gorgeous, out-of-the-way-yet-accessible locations to stage big parties. Now in its fourth year, Treasure Island Music Festival takes the cake for most unique location, situated right on the shoreline of the man-made island, a few miles offshore from SF. As there was no parking on the tiny island, a brigade of upscale buses provided free shuttle service to and from the island from downtown SF, which proved to be convenient, comfortable and efficient. Once inside the fairly small festival grounds, we were greeted to gorgeous views of the SF cityscape across the bay. Unfortunately, our luck ran out with the weather, as the Bay Area was bombarded with cold, clouds, wind and its first rains in months, right in time for festival weekend (after highs in the 80s earlier in the week). This took Saturday’s under-dressed crowd by surprise, and many were seen huddled against the Bay’s whipping winds, which swept across the exposed festival grounds.

With two closely situated stages sharing one field and no overlapping sets, this festival was a marvel of convenience that made it easy to expend as little effort as possible to catch your favorite bands. There were no half-mile walks from stage to stage, only leisurely strolls within the field’s confines. The icing on the cake was the inclusion of the Silent Disco this year, which offered the crowd a headphone-dance-party alternative to the main acts throughout the day. DJ Motion Potion‘s set really got my Saturday evening going right, as he induced a big headphone-funk dance party under a canopy of lit-up trees.

This year’s lineup was as indie as ever, and with the two days distinctly separated into “electro-dance-DJ day” and “sentimental-indie-rock-collective day” you may as well been at two different festivals over the course of the weekend. Saturday’s sold-out raver crowd swelled throughout the day, reaching a saturation point for Deadmau5‘s Daft-Punk-scale house music extravaganza. The electro beats of band after band carried the neon island party into the night before we were forced to board the buses, which deposited us back into the real word of downtown San Francisco.

Sunday was a different animal altogether, as cold and rain hit early in the day, putting a damper on affairs early on. Fortunately, the rain disappeared around 2 pm, and the rest of the day went along smoothly, and we were serenaded with the finest indie music around. Lovely harmonies, huge bands and well-crafted songs dominated the day, and the noticeably subdued and smaller crowd was all smiles, with many a couple seen making out all over the place.

The separation of each day into a general musical genre proved to be a smart decision that paid off for everyone, as people were able to choose which day to attend based on their musical tastes. Overall, even with lousy weather, the bands delivered in a big way, and the setting was naturally breathtaking and surreal. What more could you want from a festival?

Continue reading for Saturday highlights…

Treasure Island Saturday Highlights

LCD’s James Murphy by Josh Miller

1. LCD Soundsystem :: 9:35-10:50 :: Bridge Stage

After the straight house music barrage of Deadmau5 whipped the crowd into a manic frenzy with larger-than-life beats, headliner James Murphy and Co. took the stage and built their set organically with a mighty patience, letting the music breathe, swell and build to epic heights. Decked out in a brilliant white suit, Murphy was a straight crooner on this night, singing to us with a confidence and clarity I haven’t heard from him before. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand at every moment, and he knew it. Opening quietly with the slow-burner “Dance Yrself Clean,” Murphy forced us to lean into the music right off the bat, even before the song exploded into the dance party we were all waiting for. From there, Murphy led us through his infectious catalog of ass-shaking analog dance-rock, putting special emphasis on dynamics. His well-oiled band cranked out song after song of finely crafted, polyrhythmic grooves, and it was awe-inspiring. Many things blew me away about this set, most of all the sonic perfection of the mix. Every instrument came through bright and clear, and the band’s big, spacious sound filled the festival space perfectly. With drummer Patrick Mahoney driving the groove with his incessant pocket, the masterful maturity of this band shone through in the ever-urgent, slow builds of “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House” and “Tribulations,” which peaked in epic fashion before the band closed with the happy sing-along groove “Home.” My favorite set of the weekend.

2. Die Antwoord :: 3:00-3:45 :: Bridge Stage

It’s safe to say that this set left the entire crowd with their jaws on the ground. Storming out the gate on their first U.S. tour, South African MCs Ninja and pint-sized lady Yo-Landi Vi$$er blew our fucking minds with their over-the-top stage presence and lewd gestures, and backed it all up with some of the best MC skills I’ve ever witnessed. Presenting themselves as unabashedly white trash gangsta, it was easy to laugh at their weird haircuts and ridiculous braggadocio, but as soon as Ninja started rapping, his incredible skills more than justified any antics. Simply put, the set was pure, blazing hip-hop. Ninja speed-rapped with amazing clarity over minimal slice-and-dice beats, and it was off the charts awesome. Running around the stage in his boxers, shaking his dick around and sneering, he spat dirty sex rhymes and amazing freestyles, and blew us all away with pure MC skillz. Throughout the set, Yo-Landi Vi$$er acted as a sort of Joe C to Ninja’s Kid Rock, for lack of a better analogy. Her otherworldly, little-girl delivery complimented the songs, but mostly she was all attitude and sexuality, grabbing her chest with a snarl and mooning the crowd a couple of times. An truly tremendous concert experience.

3. !!! :: 4:35-5:25 :: Bridge Stage

I’ve known about these guys for a while, and was excited to see them for the first time. This band was one of the first to patent the now-widespread dance-rock movement a number of years back, and they still deliver live. Theirs is a dirty-punk groove approach, with Tyler Pope‘s funky, deep-fuzz basslines driving the songs forward. The band themselves was fantastic, but I couldn’t say the same for vocalist Nic Offer, whose breathy, low delivery didn’t compliment the band very well. At times it seemed like he wasn’t trying very hard, and it was often hard to hear his mediocre voice above the consistently engaging grooves. When the band decided to get instrumentally serious and jam a bit, it was fabulous, bass-bombing psychedelic dance-rock, complete with electro-glitch bloops and bleeps. The band’s horn section seemed under-utilized to me, as they were used more for sonic color than anything else. I danced my butt off anyway.

4. Holy Fuck :: 1:30-2:15 :: Bridge Stage

These guys pack a sonic wallop. This instrumental band is just a rhythm section and a couple of dudes tweaking and fiddling with knobs, but they sure make a lot of sound. They crafted an eerie ambiance with their weird toys, which complimented the driving rhythm. But this wasn’t really dance music, more a soundscape of ethereal groove-noise. Vocal loops and modulators evoked Lee Scratch Perry level experimentation in a rock setting (there was even a melodica), and the audience responded warmly to the out-there results, especially considering the set was so early in the day. Hunched over their toys, these mad professors won me over with their exploratory, order-in-chaos approach to music.

Deadmau5 by Josh Miller

5. Little Dragon :: 7:05-7:50 :: Tunnel Stage

I had never heard of this Swedish band before I caught this set, and their synth-soul-pop sound really caught my ear. Sometimes evoking the icy early-80s sounds of Grace Jones or even Bowie, Little Dragon has catchy songs and an airy-cool ambiance created by well-placed synths, which serve the melodies well. Their lead singer Yukimi Nagano is soulful yet detached in the languid, catchy way that synth-pop works best. This was one set that succeeded in inspiring me to actively seek out the band’s material. Great nighttime music.

6. Deadmau5 :: 7:55-8:45 :: Bridge Stage

Having no ear for or experience in the world of house music, I was somewhat baffled at the hordes of adoring fans that came out for this guy. His fans were definitely the most visible on Saturday, and the crowd was absolutely packed for his set. As I’m mostly unable to tell house music apart from other electronic music, I can say that his was a very simple, stripped-down style of epic tension-release beats and electronic sounds meant solely to make you dance. His stage show was the most elaborate of the weekend, taking a page straight out of the Daft Punk playbook. Deadmau5, with glowing mouse head on at all times, was perched atop a giant cube, which projected various images and light displays. This all combined to be a fun, high-energy experience, though not musical in nature. Talking with a fan later, I learned that the man uses no samples in his live show and creates all sounds in the moment with analog equipment. That said, I respect Deadmau5 for what he does, but can’t say the music engages me.

Continue reading for Sunday highlights…

Treasure Island Sunday Highlights

Broken Social Scene by Josh Miller

1. Broken Social Scene :: 5:35-6:25 :: Bridge Stage

Though I was mostly unfamiliar with this Canadian musician collective before this set, I was soon converted. Their ensemble approach to playing continually surprised me, with musicians continually switching instruments after every song. The band plays a sort of alt-rock chamber music, with each musician in the eight-piece band playing a very specific role in the sound and always serving the song. The set started with four guitars jangling away, and yet the sound was lean and not overly busy. “7/4 (Shoreline)” was rocked out nicely, and the mid-tempo “Texaco Bitches” was made interesting with some bloopy synths. At times the band evoked the wide-open-spaces feel of early U2, with shimmering guitar parts and soaring vocals. But the peak of the set had to be “Anthems for a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl,” a slow-building loop of a tune which repeated itself, each band member gradually adding something new at every repetition until it built to a soaring, heartfelt crescendo. As the band peaked the song out, singer Kevin Drew successfully crowd-surfed all the way back to the soundboard – a triumphant way to end the set.

2. Superchunk :: 2:30-3:15 :: Bridge Stage

I’d never heard of these guys either, and they thoroughly impressed me with their meaty, poppy punk rock. Superchunk has influenced countless indie rockers having been around for over 20 years, and listening to them play it’s easy to tell why. They work as a unit, slugging it out with duel guitar power chords and a rockin’ female bassist, her axe slung low, to boot. Singer-guitarist Mac McCaughan was right on all set with his great voice. Their new track “Digging for Something” had me rocking hard, and included the first real guitar solo of the entire weekend, believe it or not. “My Gap Feels Weird” was also awesome, and the anthemic “Crossed Wires” had a rip-roaring, jangly guitar duel. They closed their utterly satisfying afternoon set in grand rock fashion, with thrashing guitars and windmill power chords.

3. Belle & Sebastian :: 9:05-10:20 :: Bridge Stage

Another band I haven’t given a chance, these guys closed the festival out on a cheery note with their immaculate, gorgeous pop-rock melodies. In a day filled with large ensemble bands, this group beat them all with an 11-piece band, complete with horn and string sections. Lead man Stuart Murdoch was in high spirits, bouncing around the stage while his band churned out bright, meticulously crafted pop. All the songs were light and catchy, with a high gloss production that gave them a kind of George Martin feel. Songs like “I’m A Cuckoo” were amazingly clean and precise in their sound, and the audience was all smiles and extraordinarily attentive. Indeed, in between songs, I had never heard a quieter, more well behaved audience in all my years. This allowed the band to give their music the delicacy it required, what with its lovely flute and string parts and three-part madrigal harmonies. Tunes like “Suki In The Graveyard” and “The Boy With The Arab Strap” were gleaming, radio-friendly nuggets that got people bouncing around before the epic, feel-good climax of “Sleep The Clock Around” sent us to the shuttle buses, closing out a big day of music.

4. The National :: 7:15-8:15 :: Bridge Stage

This band is Matt Berninger. Everything about the archetypal indie rock this band plays revolves around his aching, Morrissey-like baritone and the heartbreaking lyrics it delivers. In this eight-piece band, all instruments function to serve the song, first and foremost. Strings, horns, guitars and keyboard are all complimentary color to his deeply soulful voice. Most all of his songs are about relationships and getting older, and all are tinged with melancholy. The music is always achingly beautiful, and tunes like “Apartment Story” and “Conversation 16″ make you feel more than you might expect. This was a deep show, and every now and then Berninger would freak out, as he did in “Abel,” screaming, “My mind’s not right!” His performance contrasted drastically with his funny, witty stage banter – definitely the winner for best banter of the weekend. Berninger has great stagecraft, and knows how to be a leading man to great effect. Some other lead singers from the weekend could have taken a tip or two from him…

M. Ward by Josh Miller

5. She & Him :: 4:00-4:50 :: Bridge Stage

This collaboration between M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel was a fun afternoon romp into 60s era doo-wop pop. Their band had a jukebox feel to it, with M. Ward’s soul-fried guitar work leading the band. Though Deschanel has a great voice, it was a cold, windy day, and she seemed a bit unsure onstage, and her voice didn’t fill the open field very well as a result. This would clearly be a great band to see in a small venue, but their delicate sound didn’t translate very well to a gigantic, open-air stage. Regardless, songs like “Black Hole” were fun and lighthearted, with backup singers doo-wopping it up. My favorite song had to be “This Is Not A Test,” a sunny, strummy, acoustic feel-good number. Another highlight included M. Ward leading the band through a folkified version of “Roll Over Beethoven” to close out a fun set.

6. Papercuts :: 1:55-2:25 :: Tunnel Stage

A short 30-minute set started my day off right with an introduction to Papercuts’ etheral indie-pop. Based in SF, they are led by vocalist Jason Robert Quever, whose high-pitched, quavering tenor blends with the band’s lo-fi sounds. Their songs are punctuated with strange washes of organ sounds, and are catchy if a bit generic sounding. I would definitely give them another chance, as a half hour is not much time to prove one’s worth as a band.

Continue reading for Josh Miller’s photo gallery…

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Hong Kong and Singapore investors buy Beverly Hills landmark

October 6th, 2010 | No Comments

A group of Hong Kong- and Singapore-based investors has paid a knock-down price of US$150 million ($196 million) for a former landmark property in Beverly Hills, they announced Tuesday.

Joint Treasure bought the eight-acre (3.2-hectare) property next to the Beverly Hilton — for less than a third of its sale price of about US$500 million in 2007 — at auction from Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim’s bank, Inbursa.

Treasure Island Music Fest: Daily Schedule & Night Shows

September 29th, 2010 | No Comments

SEE EVERY BAND PLAY; NIGHT SHOWS AT THE INDEPENDENT

James Murphy

The 2010 schedule for the Treasure Island Music Festival is available here. With two stages that alternate between
bands, rather than having them play simultaneously, fans have the chance to literally hear every note of every artist for
the entire weekend.

Night shows featuring Die Antwoord, Rogue Wave, Dan Black, Butterfly Bones, and Vin Sol take
place October 14-16
at The Independent in San Francisco. Click here for the details.

Antony and the Johnsons: Thank You For Your Love EP

August 9th, 2010 | No Comments

NEW EP OUT AUGUST 24

Antony

Antony and the Johnsons will release their five track EP Â“Thank You For Your LoveÂ” on August 24 via Secretly Canadian. The title-track is the lead single from the forthcoming album Swanlights also being released by Secretly Canadian on October 12. The album is now available for pre-order including bundles consisting of the full length CD and EP, vinyl LP and EP, and book with CD and EP will be available for sale on August 5. Those who purchase the bundles will instantly receive an advance download of the EP. The pre-order is up here.

Click here to download the title track.

Thank You For Your Love Track List:

1. Thank You For Your Love

2. You Are The Treasure
3. My Lord My Love
4. Pressing On
5. Imagine

Antony and the Johnsons
Tour Dates
::
Antony and the Johnsons News ::
Antony and the Johnsons
Concert
Reviews

Treasure Zest?

July 29th, 2010 | No Comments

You may have noticed there’s been quite a trade mission from the UK in the past few days to India.

The new British prime minister – fresh from establishing his country as the ‘junior partner’ to the US in Washington – that should play well among the shires of England – has hotfooted it with an extraordinary collection of British top industry brass to India.

Cameron’s got a shiny British Airways 747 for his jaunt – with 60-plus top industrialists there should just be enough bizzo seats to go round – although why the British PM – as in his French and German counterparts – hasn’t got his own aircraft is a mystery.

The former colonial master is now very much the pupil as India starts to flex its muscles and nowhere was this better illustrated than with British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne’s visit to Tata Industries headquarters in Mumbai.

Tata is now the UK’s largest manufacturer through its purchase of British manufacturing luminaries such as Jaguar Land Rover and the steelmaker, Corus.

So, bright eyed and bushy tailed and fired up by the new government’s mantra “Open for Business” I eagerly rang Her Majesty’s Treasury for chapter and verse on the Chancellor’s visit to the hugely influential Tata.

But instead of optimistic soundbites and tub-thumping tales of manufacturing opportunities and inward investment, all I got was, well, nothing.

Not a dime, zero, niente, the Treasury seemed to know almost next to nothing about La Osborne’s visit. “Just to confirm, the Chancellor did not make a speech,” was as much as I got.

This is a pretty important visit isn’t it? To the UK’s largest manufacturer. On its home turf in India. And the Treasury has nothing to say.

I shouldn’t be surprised. A quick look at HM Treasury’s website still lists the British Chancellor of the Exchequer as: Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP, complete with his team.

Who lost the election nearly three months ago.

â€œTitanic 2â€³ Sets Sailâ€¦.In B-Grade Quality

July 29th, 2010 | No Comments

A movie studio famous for its “mockbuster” B-movie spoofs of Hollywood hits has set its sights on James Cameron’s epic love story, Titanic. The Leonardo DiCaprio-Kate Winslet-assisted smash captivated audiences in 1997 and until this year, held the distinction as the world’s highest-grossing film of all-time. Ah — sounds like the perfect target for the comedic [...]

Treasure Island Music Fest: LCD, Belle & Sebastian, The National

July 12th, 2010 | No Comments

EARLY BIRD TICKETS ON SALE JULY 13 AT 10 AM PST, SINGLE DAY TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY, JUNE
16 AT 10 AM PST

LCD Soundsystem

LCD Soundsystem and Belle & Sebastian will
headline The 2010 Treasure Island Music Festival presented by Noise Pop and Another Planet
Entertainment. The fourth annual festival, which takes place on Treasure Island over two days Â— October 16 and 17
Â— will carry on the tradition of featuring some of the music world’s most exciting artists.

This year’s line-up, in addition to LCD Soundsystem and Belle & Sebastian (making their first Bay Area
appearance in four years!), is a who’s who of the dance/electronic and indie rock worlds, including:

The National
Broken Social Scene
She & Him
Deadmau5
Kruder & Dorfmeister (live with one
of their first U.S. performances since 2001)
Miike Snow
!!!
Superchunk
Surfer
Blood
Die Antwoord
Little Dragon
Four Tet
Rogue Wave
Ra Ra Riot
Monotonix
Phantogram
The Sea & Cake
Phosphorescent
Holy Fuck
Jamaica
Wallpaper
Papercuts
Maus Haus
The Mumlers

Early Bird 2-Day and VIP tickets go on sale tomorrow, July 13 at 10am PST. Single day tickets go on sale on Friday,
July 16 at 10am PST.

Click here for more
information.

Kevin Jonasâ€™ treasure hunt surprise for wife on wedding anniversary

June 24th, 2010 | No Comments

Kevin Jonas treated his wife to a treasure hunt to mark his six-month wedding anniversary. The eldest â€˜Jonas Brothersâ€™ star tied the knot with his long-term girlfriend Danielle Deleasa in December (09) in New York. He expressed his romantic side in a playful manner by setting up a challenge for Deleasa to celebrate six months [...]

Skint Nicholas Cageâ€™s three mansions seized

April 9th, 2010 | No Comments

Three mansions of Hollywood actor Nicholas Cage were seized after his monetary condition worsened.
The National Treasure actor owes 20 million pounds on the mansions and also has unpaid taxes amounting to millions, reports The Daily Star.
At a point of time, the 46-year-old actor was the owner of fifteen properties around the world and also possessed [...]

Treasure Island Fest 2010 Dates

April 5th, 2010 | No Comments

ANOTHER OCTOBER WEEKEND ON THE S.F. BAY

The dates are locked in for October 16 and 17 for the 2010 Treasure Island Music Festival. The lineup will be announced soon, and in the meantime check out JamBase’s 2009 Treasure Island review and 2008 Treasure Island review to get a sense of this unique, well run Bay Area gathering.

Backyard Tire Fire: Food For Thought

March 10th, 2010 | No Comments

By: Dennis Cook

Ridin’ down the highway/ Goin’ to a show
Stop in all the byways/ Playin’ rock ‘n’ roll
Gettin’ robbed/ Gettin’ stoned
Gettin’ beat up/ Broken boned
Gettin’ had/ Gettin’ took
I tell you folks/ It’s harder than it looks

Backyard Tire Fire by Brad Hodge

AC/DC’s Bon Scott might have been writing about Backyard Tire Fire in his detailing of the long road ahead of aspiring rockers. These Midwestern survivors have endured all manner of flotsam and hiccups over the past 10 years, including their trusty tour van recently breaking down on the road to San Francisco. Most groups might have considered hanging it up but there’s something inside Tire Fire that simply won’t let them. BTF has distilled this enduring mojo on their fifth studio release, Good To Be (released February 16 on Kelsey Street/Thirty Tigers and potently produced by Los Lobos‘ Steve Berlin), which wrestles with life’s struggles, offers inspiration for surmounting them and still rolls with their usual gruff-smooth savoir faire.

“I’m trying to be, uh, more positive, I guess, in my thinking,” says bandleader-guitarist-singer-songwriter Ed Anderson, expressing the difficulty and ambivalence of someone who’s spent some time scraping and struggling in the real world. “It’s a strange thing to even bring up, but when they yanked the carpet out from underneath Conan [O'Brien] – who I think is a genius – on the last night he said something to the effect of, ‘Don’t be cynical. I hate cynicism. It’s one of my least favorite qualities,’ even though he’d been the most cynical asshole for weeks leading up to this night – which I loved [laughs]. And it got me thinking about how nobody likes a cynic; I sure don’t like cynics. But, I turn into the ultimate cynic of all-time – the judgmental musician asshole – at the drop of a hat. With friends, I’ll tear somebody apart that I don’t think is doing it from the heart. But, you know what? Some of my favorite people are musicians that will find the best quality in the worst piece of shit. It makes me realize there’s a better way to be in this world.”

As complicated as we make our lives, it’s sometimes a simple shift in perspective, a resolve to grin rather than grimace, that tilts our axis towards the positive. This notion is central to music’s intrinsic value and purpose. A song can turn our whole world upside down or right side up through the intersection of melody, lyric, our emotions and countless other, interwoven factors. Backyard Tire Fire – Ed Anderson, Tim Kramp (drums) and Ed’s brother Matt Anderson (bass, vocals) – grasps this notion with unforced flair on Good To Be, a series of succinct reminders that life isn’t so bad, especially with quality rock ‘n’ roll like this.

Ed Anderson by Dan Videtich

“One of the things that keeps coming up with [Good To Be] is it has this sort of conceptual ‘glass half full’ quality,” says Ed Anderson. “When you write a tune it’s obviously influenced by how you were feeling when you wrote it. Clearly, it’s not always just ‘good to be,’ but it was at the moment I wrote that song. Then, I started to think, ‘Maybe I should start taking my own advice a bit more.’ I talk positivity in these tunes but then I can be this surly fucking sarcastic, cynical asshole, and I don’t really want to be that. Spend enough time in this business and it’s easy to turn into that, but I’d like to just have fun and enjoy the moment, even if it’s just in front of a hundred people and not a thousand.”

“I can be a very fucking mean person, if I want to. I was raised by wonderful people and generally try to be good to everybody, but it can get bad some days [laughs]. I try not to get to that place, and in general I’m trying to enjoy the moment more,” says Anderson. “It’s not easy to just lay back and enjoy the ride with all the debt and things we owe, but we’re sure as hell trying.”

If program directors everywhere had half a clue and a little courage to go outside the prescribed mainstream offerings they all slot in, well, they’d find a treasure trove of classic American rock waiting in Backyard Tire Fire – something that’s never been clearer than on the hook-heavy, highly focused Good To Be. Not so long ago ditties like “Piss and Moan” and the title track were the yardstick for airplay not the exception. BTF cranks out rock with the sturdiness and potential universality of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, who’d likely have the same kind of uphill climb Tire Fire faces if they’d come up today instead of the 1970s. Backyard Tire Fire is solid gold for all the cranky motherfuckers complaining about how “they don’t make rock like they used to,” or the people smitten with the Drive-By Truckers or The Hold Steady, kindred spirits who’ve picked up sizeable core audiences in recent years. What they’re laying down resonates with the sturdiest, most endearing stuff rock has ever produced, and one senses that folks just need to hear BTF in order to fall hard.

Backyard Tire Fire by Dan Videtich

“I was sitting around late one night recently, drinking beer alone on my couch and playing ‘Piss and Moan,’ and I realized – I felt it inside – that EVERYBODY has something they can’t let go of, that thing that keeps them up at night. There isn’t one person in any crowd that doesn’t have something, and if we can get together and forget about all this shit for just that moment, just the length of a song, then we’re doing something worthwhile,” says Anderson, who respects and understands the power of music that gets a lot of people off at once. “If you’re up on a stage, what the fuck are you doing up there if not shooting for that? If you have some stage presence and try to leave it all out there [with the intensity of your performance] and add subject matter that people can really relate to, then that’s the whole package. That’s what makes people pump their fist in the air and think, ‘This song is about me!’ That’s how I feel when I’ve seen Alejandro Escovedo. It’s the whole package; he’s the real deal. I can identify with every word he says, and sometimes I feel like some of his songs are about me.”

One of Anderson’s virtues as a songwriter is his ability to encapsulate what it’s like to be near money but never really get a couple ugly handfuls for yourself. His lyrics reflect the wisdom and challenges of working class people, i.e. the vast majority of us who will never know the fantasy world the top one-percent live in. Anderson’s catalog is a place where even small choices matter, the alarm clock rings too soon and there’s almost always a debt collector chasing us down. Grasped with understanding arms by Kramp and his brother Matt, BTF’s music is rib-sticking sustenance for anyone with a blue-collar soul.

“I’m the son of a plumber for crissakes!” exclaims Anderson. “What was around me growing up was the idea, ‘You can do anything you want to if you put your mind to it.’ That’s the kind of advice all of us got as kids.”

Continue reading for more on Backyard Tire Fire…

I was sitting around late one night recently, drinking beer alone on my couch and playing ‘Piss and Moan,’ and I realized – I felt it inside – that EVERYBODY has something they can’t let go of, that thing that keeps them up at night. There isn’t one person in any crowd that doesn’t have something, and if we can get together and forget about all this shit for just that moment, just the length of a song, then we’re doing something worthwhile.

-Ed Anderson

Photo by: Brad Hodge

Music with an openly expressed “can-do” attitude can often be so cloying and disingenuous that you think, “If I had a hammer I’d smash this damn record!” Tire Fire dexterously sidesteps such perils on Good To Be, even when they’re dissecting the niceties (or lack thereof) of the rock life – touring, selling records, etc. There’s a smiling honesty about the realities of being a struggling band in today’s environment. Anyone trying to shake a dollar out of the music industry is likely to empathize with the truths inside BTF’s latest.

Backyard Tire Fire by Dan Videtich

“I’m so fucking one-dimensional! I eat, sleep and breathe rock ‘n’ roll. What I want to focus on is the music but there’s all the business stuff that sucks up one’s days, too,” observes Anderson. “As a band that’s not even close to where they’d like to be, every day is just movement towards that place. It’s every fucking day, so it’s on my mind. And maybe not ['I Love Rock N' Roll'] and that type of shit, but I’ve loved songs about rock going back to Lou Reed singing about it. I love those early fuckin’ Wilco records – A.M., Being There, Summerteeth. There’s a moment on Being There where Jeff Tweedy says, ‘I was maimed by rock and roll/ I was tamed by rock and roll/ I got my name from rock and roll’ ['Sunken Treasure']. That just works! He pulls it off and not everybody can sing about it. I think you have to be all-in to pull that off.”

“All-in” is a concise description of Backyard Tire Fire. Not one element feels false or forced with this trio, and even after a decade of grinding it out, their chief goal remains creating rock of real quality and resonance. It’s this fundamental rightness and attitude that’s won over folks like Steve Berlin, a lifer who’s known both massive success and lean years with Los Lobos.

“The conceptual rhythm of [Good To Be] is all Berlin. I sent him about three-dozen demos and he whittled them down to about a dozen,” explains Anderson. “I didn’t go into this record with any preconceptions. In fact, a lot of the stuff I wrote happened in the weeks leading up to these sessions. Steve said, ‘I love this stuff but don’t get complacent, keep writing.’ I wrote ‘Good To Be,’ ‘Roadsong #39′ and ‘Brady’ after that, after we’d hooked him in and were excited to be working with him. The whole situation with Steve has just been good. He chose the songs and the [track] order, got the tones and performances he wanted. He was very involved with shaping the material.”

Backyard Tire Fire by Will Byington

Berlin’s presence is also felt in tasty horn and keyboard touches throughout the album, with the veteran chipping in alongside the band as well as manning the recording console. These accents beef up the Tire Fire sound in significant yet subtle ways, extending the band’s longstanding love affair with the studio even further.

“That keyboard part at the end of ‘Piss and Moan,’ that counter melody that comes in with the response vocals, is all him. He came up with that on the fly; just went in and played it and left all of our jaws hanging on the floor,” recalls Anderson, who values Los Lobos’ example as a band dedicated to the long game of a sustainable, creatively rich career over fair weather stardom. “It’s surreal to have Steve believe so much in our band. He did this interview [see clip below or click here] talking about working with us that made me feel so proud and privileged to work with him. Watching it, I can’t believe this cat is saying this stuff about us!”

“I’m proud of the whole thing with Good To Be. The band played their best, and Steve got the best performances out of us. Everything he suggested we at least gave it a shot. Whether all of it made it onto the record or not, we did everything he asked of us. It’s a proud moment, where we’re sounding as good as we ever have and we’re stepping our game up. It was a really positive experience from the beginning to the end. It’s one of those experiences that turns your whole world upside-down. I’m used to going in and calling all the shots, and all of the sudden we’ve got this guy making us stand on our heads and we did it at the drop of a hat [laughs].”

Backyard Tire Fire by Brad Hodge

“He’s got a great sensibility for putting things where you don’t normally hear them. I love that about him and his musicality, but it’s totally different from mine,” continues Anderson. “From the first day, hung over and recording ‘A Thousand Gigs Ago,’ I just knew it was gonna be a challenging, good experience. For the next 10 days we’d take what we’d recorded and go back and drink a case of Rainer at this place we stayed at, the White Eagle Tavern. It’s the oldest tavern in Portland and all three of us stayed in this shoebox room for two weeks. Late night they’d let us listen to what we recorded each day on their PA. That’s pretty much how it went every day, except Steve had a Los Lobos gig one day so we took that off and ended up helping a friend move [laughs].”

Hard work lies at the center of all things Backyard Tire Fire. These guys simply don’t quit, and their latest salvo is filled with their most refined, direct tunes yet. While their path may be pocked with broken vans, lousy guarantees and other potentially Tire popping impediments, where they find themselves today is genuinely positive, a well-earned place of pride, craftsmanship and endurance. It is indeed a long way to the top but Backyard Tire Fire is built to last. With a little luck and some borrowed faith on dark days, one hopes they’ll get there eventually. Regardless, it’ll never be dull riding shotgun wherever this classic-in-our-midst roams.

“I sometimes feel like I should have been 20-years-old in 1972 instead of being born in 1972. That’s when Exile On Main St. was on the fucking radio! That’s when I feel I should have been in my prime. Right now I don’t know what the fuck is going on,” laughs Anderson. “If you really start thinking about this stuff it’ll drag you down. You just have to do what you do. It’s easy to lose sight of how good it is to just be alive. It’s hard to embrace the philosophy of enjoying the moment, but the reality is everything is temporary. It’s not necessarily about where you get but the process in getting there. Enjoying the moment and enjoying what you do is the important thing. However, that’s a lot easier said than done.”

Backyard Tire Fire Tour Dates :: Backyard Tire Fire News :: Backyard Tire Fire Concert Reviews

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Evening Crunch Crumbs: â€œThe Officeâ€ Baby Arrives Tonight; Cameron Diaz Wins â€œWorst Latin Actressâ€ Lazzie; Life & Style Thinks Shiloh Jolie-Pitt Is A Crossdresser

March 5th, 2010 | No Comments

Hey Lovelies, I’m feeling a little under the weather, so we’re going to get into our daily roundup of links a bit early tonight. First time for everything :) Let’s get to it:
-Jim and Pam are having their baby on The Office tonight…..(NBC, 9 PM)
-The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 5 *FINALE* airs [...]

Madoff’s spoils go under the hammer for $1 million

November 15th, 2009 | No Comments

AÂ treasure trove of spoils from Wall Street swindler Bernard Madoff and his wife raked in nearly a million dollars Saturday in an auction to help pay back some of his victims. But the proceeds were still just a mere drop in the ocean compared to the $21.2 billion investors are said to

Excessive Spending Blamed For Nicolas Cage Bankruptcy

November 11th, 2009 | No Comments

Nicolas Cage is having mayjah cash-flow problems, but the National Treasure star may run into a pickle proving his former manager played a hand in his demise. Cage once spent $276,000 on a 67-million-year-old dinosaur skull — that’s just one of the eyebrow-raising items Nic reportedly forked over fistfuls of cash for.

In October, Nicolas – [...]

Treasure Island Fest | 10.17 & 10.18 | CA

October 20th, 2009 | No Comments

Word by: Chris Clark & Kayceman | Images by: Steven Walter

Treasure Island Music Festival :: 10.17 & 10.18 :: Treasure Island :: San Francisco, CA

Treasure Island Fest 2009

Truly a tale of two very different days, the third annual Treasure Island Music Festival was quintessential San Francisco. Served up on a small strip of manmade land sitting between S.F. and Oakland, the two-day weekend event was once again split between dance/hip hop on Saturday and indie rock on Sunday. With only two stages set about 100 yards from each other and all the food, beer, shopping, Ferris Wheel, etc. adjacent, walking is minimal and with no overlapping sets, it was difficult to not hear every note all weekend long.

Saturday was hot, in the 80s, and people were wearing close to nothing. A much younger, shinier (lots of neon spandex and ironic accessories) and hopped-up crowd, got down and dirty on a balmy, beautiful October evening featuring one of the most beautiful sunsets the Bay has seen all year. Sunday was windy and chilly, down to the 50s by the time the city skyline came to life, but patches of sun and the pristine, loud sound system kept the older, hairier, and more subdued rock fans in the game for the duration. Sunny and 82 one day, foggy and cold the next; cuties in skimpy skirts grinding to beats here, bearded dudes in hoodies head-nodding to guitars there – welcome to San Francisco.

Saturday, 10.17

By: Chris Clark

Crown City Rockers :: 12:40-1:15 p.m.

CCR’s well-known, high-octane live performances are always something to witness. The Oakland-based quintet fuses full band arrangements with ferocious hip hop from Raashan Ahmad and crew. What Treasure Island got was 35 minutes full of balls-to-the-wall, rocking hip hop with a sliver of Fender Rhodes funk, earning early day crowd-pleaser status.

Murs :: 1:20-2:05 p.m.

10.17 :: TI 2009

For years Murs has been bringing his positive, sometimes political message to an increasingly diverse crowd. Clearly, the festival wanted to add that extra little touch of flavor by having Murs take the stage to keep the party going. While it wasn’t the most amazing hip hop performance I’ve ever seen, he clearly got the crowd interacting and swaying their arms to the beat, so at the end of the day, Murs was a success. Murs for President tracks abound, and the crazy, dreaded underground icon did a quality job of working up the crowd’s energy and getting them ready for the music ahead.

Federico Aubele :: 2:05-2:45 p.m.

Offering a decidedly more mellow show than most at TI, Federico Aubele did however provide a deliciously sophisticated set of stylish salsa with a dollop of acoustic flare. Playing at the side or Tunnel Stage, I sat back and watched as a growing crowd of onlookers gathered for an act many probably hadn’t heard of before but will surely be downloading soon. What I liked best about Aubele was how at ease he seemed to be onstage. Performing 40 minutes of straight baby making music, he had a substantial amount of young ladies gazing up at him as he sang songs of seductive romance.

Passion Pit :: 2:50-3:35 p.m.

I would venture to say for many this was the best set of the day. Unless you’ve been hiding somewhere or haven’t spent one bit of time in today’s music scene, you’ll surely be familiar and quite possibly be in love with Passion Pit. If there was any doubt of their talent or ability to rock a crowd, that doubt is now evaporated. While young in age, the band takes a unique spin on the indie-electronic combination and turns it into a dance friendly, fiery mix that’s only getting more refined as they go. Everywhere I looked, the crowd at the Bridge Stage was throwing a dance competition for Passion Pit, as hipsters flocked in droves to shake their rabbit tails and pop a button on their skinnies from excessive movement.

Dan Deacon :: 3:35-4:20 p.m.

The Streets :: 10.17 :: TI 2009

This was kind of odd. Electro-pop, freak show, performance art wildness performed by a 15-piece percussion ensemble is an apt description but I’m not sure it really captures the essence of Deacon and his massively colorful band. Performing live is right up his alley and the direction he took his set was something of organized chaos, where just when you think it’s about to fall apart, everything comes together melodiously and life is grand. I’d never caught him live before and was glad to witness such a bombastic musical and visual experience. He was also playing Mezzanine late night, this likely would have been a much better setting to catch Deacon’s brand of multi-layered, elaborate performance.

The Streets :: 4:25-5:15 p.m.

The Streets’ set came off as rather drab and boring. 30 minutes of attempting to sing/rap ala Drake that didn’t do much for me, or most of the crowd either. There was a time a while back where I thought The Streets was kind of cool, but after seeing him live again I’ll gladly go in another direction.

DJ Krush :: 5:15-6:00 p.m.

Brazilian Girls :: 10.17 :: TI 2009

This was clearly one of the best sets of the day. Krush has always killed the break beats and electronic melodies and been able to cross over to crowds of varying degrees. After 11 albums and countless tours, Krush has honed and refined his jazz-heavy textures, creating such a lush soundscape of samples, live touches, and beats that watching him play live is something of a marvel. Not one of the step-on-stage-and-press-a-button DJs (I’ll get to that in a bit), Krush is instead a master live manipulator, performing everything on the fly, and nowhere was that more apparent than his TI set. Never before have I heard him drop so much bass-heavy, chest-pounding dub step. Obviously a nod to San Francisco and our burgeoning dub step culture, he came out flying, dropping some of the heaviest beats I’ve heard in some time. If that’s the direction he’s going now, I’ll be his biggest advocate.

Brazilian Girls :: 6:05-6:55 p.m.

Normally, the trio kills the festival sets, playing an eclectic balance of mellow grooves and deep bangers. Well, at Treasure Island we were treated to much more of the mellow, enough so to bore me straight to the bathrooms. While I always enjoy the lyrics in different languages and the cultural, worldly vibe put forth by Brazilian Girls, this set seemed out of place and contrasting to the overall vibe being built.

LTJ Bukem & MC Conrad 6:55-7:40 p.m.

10.17 :: TI 2009

If you like drum n’ bass, here you go. I think the first time I caught these guys was almost 10 years ago and frankly, their set is still very similar. Looking for a ton of BPMs with some raps layered on top of it? Look no further. To me, it’s not the most memorable set, but on the flip side, I did have a blast and danced to the beats, and most around where I was surely did as well.

MSTRKRFT 7:45-8:35 p.m.

This electro duo knows how to rage a party. The Canadians Al-P and Jesse F. Keeler have taken the Toronto scene to the masses, enjoying a chain-smoking, kick ass & take names kind of reputation in clubs everywhere. Their set at TI was a mix of original material off Fist of God and Justice (“D.A.N.C.E.”) and Daft Punk (“Around the World”) mixes, which blew the crowd up beyond oblivion. It takes many bands a full set, or a good portion of it, to warm up, but that wasn’t the case for MSTRKRFT, who came out swinging and never stopped brining the electro tinged bombardment.

Girl Talk :: 8:35-9:20 p.m.

While Girl Talk, aka Gregg Gillis, claims that he’s not a DJ and says things like, “I want to be a musician and not just a party DJ,” I don’t find a lot of value in that. I’ve been seeing him perform live for the last several years and, to put it bluntly, Girl Talk is all about bringing a party atmosphere with someone else’s beats to whatever venue he’s playing at. Yes, his set was raucous and teenage girls were going crazy as the stage beside him filled up to the brim with scantily clad tennie boppers and guys trying to get with said girls. To me, he presses a button and then just dances onstage like a caveman. Take or leave it.

MGMT :: 9:25-10:40 p.m.

MGMT :: 10.17 :: TI 2009

Without a doubt the most anticipated set of the weekend was that of MGMT. After playing a somewhat-surprise show at The Independent the night before, there was a decent amount of clamoring that the Brooklyn boys should keep their tunes in the studio and not in the live setting. Back in 2008, it was MGMT’s time; “Electric Feel” and “Kids” could be heard just about everywhere you went, and even now their debut album, Oracular Spectacular, is widely rumored to be on Phish’s short list of possible albums to cover this Halloween. The kids are on fire, but can they bring that fire to the live setting?

The simple answer: No. What was cool about their TI set was the performance of Oracular Spectacular in its entirety. “Time to Pretend” was a smooth opener, but I noticed that the crowd of thousands began to dissipate rather quickly. For me, it was nice to hear them play “Electric Feel,” but live, just as I was told from the night before, MGMT was rather sloppy in both their playing and singing. The polished product of a heavily produced album just didn’t compare well when placed in the concert setting.

Continue reading for Day II at Treasure Island…

Sunday, 10.18

By: Kayceman

Spiral Stairs :: 1:55-2:25 p.m.

Vetiver/Tunnel Stage :: 10.18 :: TI 2009

Guitarist Scott Kannberg helped found seminal indie rock band Pavement with Stephen Malkmus back in 1989. But no one knows who the hell Scott Kannberg is; they know Spiral. “Everyone knows me as Spiral. It’s weird when someone calls me Scott,” he says. “I’m not sure anyone knows who Scott Kannberg is.” Scott or Spiral it doesn’t really matter, the music still sounds good with a similar ’90s lo-fi vibe, and it was especially sweet when they covered Spiral’s old band at the end of the set. Fun as it was, with Pavement getting ready to launch a reunion tour it was hard to think of this as much more than a warm-up.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros :: 2:30-3:15 p.m.

If you buy what Edward Sharpe (real name Alex Ebert) is selling, then this band has the potential to be awesome. If you’re a cynic who refuses to drink the Kool-Aid, it could come off as shtick. Bounding around the stage one minute and sitting the next, stripping off his shirt despite the frigid temp, conjuring a church revival sing-along before an off-key hoarse scream, and looking like a Devendra Banhart knock-off leading the Polyphonic Spree (minus the cool robes), this was the start of a theme that would proliferate Sunday: Drama. Not in a bad way, but an indie rock way that carried through The Decemberists (opera-rock drama), Beirut (European gypsy drama), Grizzly Bear (symphonic drama), The Walkmen (vocal melodrama), and The Flaming Lips (Broadway-rock drama). As tough as it was to get a bead on ole Eddie Sharpe, with the aid of his well-rehearsed nine-piece band (dig the accordion, one of several at the fest) and really strong female vocal counterpoint Jade Castrinos, he sorta won this writer over… for now.

Vetiver :: 3:15-3:55 p.m.

Grizzly Bear :: 10.18 :: TI 2009

Playing a song he “wrote about a bar in the Mission,” bandleader Andy Cabic‘s homage to local S.F. joint El Rio received a huge cheer. With a relaxed vibe and peaceful tone, Vetiver’s earthy indie-folk brought a bit of campfire warmth to the cooling afternoon crowd. “Sister,” with its hypnotic calypso beat, had folks grooving in time, while an electric mid-set jam with jazzy drums had a bit of a Tulsa trance, JJ Cale playing “Spoonful” feel. A strong showing by a true local gem.

Grizzly Bear :: 5:30-6:20 p.m.

If the Beach Boys didn’t just dip their toes into psychedelic waters and instead dove eyes open into the heavy stuff for years, then sobered up in Brooklyn circa 2000-something, this very well may be what they’d sound like. The layers of impeccable vocal harmonies, dynamic songs with multiple parts, and various unique instruments were captivating and inspiring without ever feeling forced or pretentious. Beautiful songs danced from indie-pop sing-along gold to airy flute interludes to dramatic crests of crashing drums, horns, and distorted guitars. Somehow fully inviting yet absolutely boundary-pushing experimental, what perhaps proved most impressive was the rich tone and delicate execution amidst blustering winds on an outdoor stage. A set like this should secure these Bears time in grand theaters built to accentuate such genius.

Bob Mould :: 4:45-5:25 p.m.

It was a big week for Bob Mould. The former singer, guitarist, and songwriter for alt-rock heroes Husker Du and Sugar celebrated his 49th Birthday last Friday (though he joked that he “just turned 39 again”), swapped bass players mid-tour due to a birth, and moved to San Francisco. Clearly happy to be playing what he called his “first true local gig,” Mould sounded remarkably strong, mean, and virile. Playing with stellar Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster, as he has for a while, and Athens, GA legend David Barbe (who was in Sugar) subbing on bass last minute, Mould took fans right back to the relentless alt-punk days of yore he helped create. Full of sludge-rhythms, viscous guitar, and that unmistakable growl, it was like 1992 all over again.

Beirut :: 5:30-6:20 p.m.

Beirut :: 10.18 :: TI 2009

With horns, stand-up bass, and accordion, at times Beirut sound like an Eastern European carnival, at others a funeral procession from another time. It’s all very pretty and Zach Condon (from Brooklyn by way of New Mexico) clearly has a vision; it’s just not a very easy one to relate to. When not looking for a pet monkey or wondering if we slipped into some Old World wormhole, the gypsy jazz showed a folk heart and had folks singing along by the end. Not one thing wrong with it, but like the name, Beirut proves rather uninviting.

The Walkmen :: 6:20-7:05 p.m.

Taking their post-punk rock out of the garage with keyboard flourishes (they prefer piano on record) and a new song featuring a country/Americana waltz feel, The Walkmen continue to evolve with each passing album. Led by the gruff, emotionally-saturated vocals of Hamilton Leithauser, the quintet proved just as comfortable at Muse style stadium bombast as they did mid-tempo lounge rock. Without one proper guitar solo and a locked-in rhythm section, the emphasis is on compositions, but it’s the passionate execution and delivery that make it work. The highlight came at the end with a sticky swamp jam fueled by a swarming horn section that sat-in for a few of the better songs.

The Decemberists :: 7:10-8:10 p.m.

Yo La Tengo :: 10.18 :: TI 2009

The Decemberists have created their own little world. Big movements with lush orchestration and vintage charm support Colin Meloy‘s distinct vocals and vivid tales with a Shakespearean appeal. It’s impressive stuff and proved particularly engaging when the players dug in and turned out a few squalls of distorted rock & roll. But, it can also be a hard world to jump into. There’s a lot of nuance and history with the material, and at a fest for casual fans it’s easy to get lost staring at the lights twinkling in the skyscrapers across the bay. That is until the angelic female harmonies fit for a church wash upon the shores, pulling eyes and minds back to the incredibly tight ensemble onstage. The indie-drama soared at the end with a beautiful lap-steel and organ song propelled by a male-female vocal dynamic that made the cool night feel warm for just a moment.

Yo La Tengo :: 8:10-9:00 p.m.

Yo La Tengo may have turned in the best set of the day. Playing the final slot on the smaller Tunnel Stage, the legendary experimental rock trio could have easily taken the main Bridge Stage at an earlier time, but probably benefited from the darkness of night. It started with an abusive keyboard blast that called John Medeski to mind before a dark, patient, slow building groove emerged over aching guitar. Mixing the heavy, dissonant, way-out-there jams with a Pink Floyd Animals-inspired section, quirky indie-pop, and a jazzy number from the new album, Popular Songs, their ability to shift styles and kick genres in the teeth kept fans hanging on every dangling guitar note. Crawling from the depths of a deep slow burn emerged a massive guitar meltdown. Hunched over his instrument, Ira Kaplan looked to be feeding the music through his body into his guitar as drummer/wife Georgia Hubley knocked out room for her husband to fill with distortion. Kaplan wrestled with his instrument for at least ten minutes, swinging it over his head, harnessing the feedback, and forcing it into submission with expert use of space, tone, and distortion. If you’re into that sorta thing, it was hard to beat and I’m not sure anyone did.

The Flaming Lips :: 9:05-10:35 p.m.

The Flaming Lips :: 10.18 :: TI 2009

The Flaming Lips are forever tied to drugs. They are a psychedelic band with trippy albums and a far out live show – UFOs, fake blood, bunnies, Santas, weird camera angles, naked people, confetti-filled balloons, a giant hamster ball rolling atop the crowd with the lead singer in it, and lots of other really cool shit is common place at their shows/celebrations. They currently have a giant video screen that features a naked woman with a vagina that pulses in time with the music and eventually opens up for the band to walk out before they play “Race for the Prize” to start the set. It’s pretty cool even if you’ve seen it. Along with the psychedelic shock of rare gem “Enthusiasm for Life Defeats Existential Fear,” the Lips played favorites like “Fight Test” and “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1,” which were both slowed down and maybe a little flat. “The W.A.N.D.” and “She Don’t Use Jelly” relit the crowd, but it was the only two songs from the new album, “Silver Trembling Hands” and “Convinced of the Hex,” that seemed to bring the most excitement to the band.

Yup, The Flaming Lips are like drugs. And as drugs go – even really good ones – you’ll never get as high as that first time. The Lips are still cool, genuine, and absolutely giving it their all every time you see them, but knowing all the punchlines and most of the special gags takes its toll, and after that initial rush some of the excitement is simply lost forever. But this doesn’t mean it’s not still great and necessary. The Lips are constantly writing cool, new material (this latest batch in particular), and Wayne Coyne is hard to resist. You don’t always need to get blasted or freak out to have a good time; it can be pretty damn nice to just take a hit and kick back. Turns out The Flaming Lips are a worthy companion no matter what your trip might be.

Continue reading for more pics of Treasure Island 2009…

Saturday, 10.17


The Streets
The Streets
DJ Krush


Brazilian Girls
LTJ Bukem feat. MC Conrad



MSTRKRFT
MSTRKRFT fans
Girl Talk
Girl Talk
MGMT
MGMT
MGMT

Continue reading for more Sunday pics of Treasure Island 2009…

Sunday, 10.18


Vetiver
Grizzly Bear
Grizzly Bear
Grizzly Bear
Grizzly Bear
Bob Mould
David Barbe with Bob Mould
Jon Wurster with Bob Mould
Beirut
Beirut

The Decemberists
The Decemberists
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips

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Blood and treasure

October 16th, 2009 | No Comments

The costs of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars

EIGHT years after the toppling of the Taliban, the prospects for the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan seem worse than ever. Battered by mounting casualties, Western support for the war has been further dented by a wildly rigged presidential election in favour of the incumbent, Hamid Karzai. But against this gloomy backdrop it is worth remembering that in 2006, before the American surge, prospects in Iraq looked far bleaker than they do now in Afghanistan, even though the allies had many more foreign and local troops. America still spends more on Iraq but it is decreasing as the focus switches to Afghanistan. Barack Obama is faced with a request from the American and NATO commander in the country, General Stanley McChrystal, for large numbers of extra soldiers.

…

Tinkerbell Makeover

October 14th, 2009 | No Comments

Sheesh — imagine going for more than 50 years without a new outfit! Well, Dora The Explorer and Strawberry Shortcake aren’t the only classic animated stars getting a facelift for the 21st century.
Disney’s Tinkerbell has undergone an extreme makeover for her new straight-to-DVD feature. The petite fairy is ditching the skimpy green frock she’s been [...]

Scott Mendelson: G-Force defeats Harry Potter 6. Huff Post weekend box office in review.

July 26th, 2009 | No Comments

Everything went according to plan this weekend… The three openers all performed more or less within expectations. All three targeted vastly different demographics and all…

5 ancient Roman shipwrecks found off Italy coast

July 25th, 2009 | No Comments

ROME (AP) — Archaeologists have found five well-preserved Roman shipwrecks deep under the sea off a small Mediterranean island, with their cargo of vases, pots and other objects largely intact, officials said Friday.
The ships are submerged between 100 and 150 meters (about 330 to 490 feet) off Ventotene, a tiny island that is part [...]