So much fun, in fact, that I’m actually making a blog post to share the photos.
Janie’s 50th birthday, and the B-52s’ Atlanta stop on their 35th anniversary tour happened to coincide yesterday. Wait … this is Janie’s day, and we know that everything happens for a reason, and that this must be a sign.
A sign to have a blast. I was lucky enough fated to be invited to join the Hightower-Vickers-Hendrix genepool for an outing to the Fabulous Fox in a Faincy Limousine for Fabulous Seats to see the Bs.
Janie put on big pink hair. At least 10 groups asked to have their photo taken with her. Wish we’d thought to charge them.
Don’t you envy me getting to listen to this while they’re practicing? Seriously, it’s great having a house full of live tunes.
I must say, The Mom in Me really wishes Warren would make up the beds before he fills the room with people — and especially before The Girl Next Door records them for YouTube.
I asked them what they’ve been listening to that their music sounds so happy ’80s. “I listen to a lot of funk,” Warren said. “Cameron listens to Hendrix.”
“I listen to DeathCore,” (or some such angry dark Metal) says Danny B. Tarik? Dubstep, I think, and T-Buck seems to like old hair bands.
Inquiring minds want to know….was that a squirrel in his pocket? And, Kyle, why Tri Sigma? Anyone know what that bumper sticker says?
OK, it’s not Pylon, but with Mitch Easter on stage, a shout-out to Peter Holsapple and Let’s Active, and the thought of a R.E..M. cover of What’s New Pussycat?, I can’t imagine this getting any better. My only gripe is that whoever was wielding that camera didn’t get near enough Pete Buck, who, at this point in time, was at least half the show.
Finally there are some shows on my calendar, starting with Galactic tonight at Variety. I regret more than you can imagine missing the first song by the opening band — Orgone. Face-meltingly whoa…
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Seeing an amazing opening band you’ve never heard of is one of the great joys of life, isn’t it? This might be the best since Joe Henry stunned me opening for David Byrne.
I cannot find any decent videos online and was too close to take any myself (E got there before we did, so you know we were at the stage.) So you’ll just have to join me March 3 at the 5 Spot. How will they fit all that funk in that tiny space? Where, btw, we missed That 1 Guy tonight to see Galactic. We made the right choice.
My new BFF the iPhone failed me. It wouldn’t upload photos from Variety to FB. Guess I’ll have to play with it some tomorrow to figure out why. But the pictures are much better than BlackBerry pictures, don’t you think?
For some reason, I’m kind of embarrassed to admit that I’m obsessed with Cee Lo Green’s The Lady Killer. At first it was because some big black hip-hop dude can’t possibly be my thing, even though the smash-hit video was a total blast. Then it was because it’s so … well, it’s just so outrageously *pop.
But now I’m embarrassed because I seem to be truly obsessed. I cannot quit playing it. At work, in the car, downstairs in the kitchen, in the office here at home… I made myself go last week without it but just played the personal Cee Lo jukebox that has taken up residence in my head. Even the one cut that didn’t thrill me at first has weasled its way into my earworm repertoire. I love every single track. I can’t remember playing an album this much since Beck’s Midnight Vultures.
Tonight Warren started playing it and I just gave in. It’s OK …
Are all videos this amazing? Maybe I just don’t get out much, but this one and “Fuck You” combine music, video and graphic in a way that makes me absolutely euphoric.
From the the James Bond opener and closer to the disco pulse of Bright Lights Bigger City to the soulful pop of the rest of it, it’s all very retro. “Old Fashioned” takes us all the way back to the 50s. But something about this love letter to a different musical era makes me stop short of labeling it postmodern. The man is clearly a master of the form, but the music seems too genuine to snicker at.
Motown-era soul. Orchestral accompaniment. Backup doo-wops. That voice. I could continue to count the ways I love thees album. But that would be repetitive and redundant. If you don’t already own it, buy the whole wonderful thing for just $5 from Amazon. You won’t regret it.
Can you say, "living vicariously through your children?" And did I mention what a talented eye Tom has for photos? (photo by Tom)
I have been genu-winely impressed with Warren this week. The kid has played three instruments in three different concerts, plus at least three rehearsals and an honor band audition.
He plays tuba and euphonium and bass guitar and a little piano, too. Last year he decided to pick up drums and bass trombone and taught himself how. This year he started taking orchestra as well as band at school so that he could learn to play the great big string bass, and after just 5 months got paid real money to play it in a church Christmas concert Sunday night. (Well, OK, Frieda was the one who paid him… but still.) About halfway through the semester he started skipping lunch every other day so he could go to an extra band class where he gets to play trombone.
I cannot for the life of me keep up with which instrument he’s playing in what concert. But let’s see … in the past two weeks he’s played in band wind ensemble and symphonic band, beginning and philharmonia orchestra, plus the church guest orchestra. Practice has already started for spring jazz band and funk ensemble. He organized a group of low brass players to go play in Tuba Christmas at Underground Atlanta. And every now and again he and two of his friends get together to jam for an as-yet-unnamed band.
I do realize how unbecoming it is for a mother to brag about her kids. That’s not my intention, and I have actually omitted the braggy stuff.
I’m just really awed that he can do all of this. How cool must it be to be able to make all that music? And how lucky are we that our kids can learn music this well in public school? We bought him piano lessons for a few years when he was little, and a few guitar lessons. (Add one more: he can play regular electric guitar a little, too.) But the rest of it has come from school. I have never even had to buy him a band instrument!
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I did a lousy job of taking pictures this week. A shot of the back of my van with both a tuba and a string bass in it — that happened several times this week — would have been the one to have.
OK, I don’t know whether to go with bad videos, annoying songs, or the great playlist of Christmas songs I love… but you asked for it folks, so here goes …
Click it. I double-dog dare you.
And here’s a little something for those of you who are still stuck in The ’80s (which, btw, I am no longer) … I wonder if Gunter modeled our all-time fave on this one?
So much fun, in fact, that I’m actually making a blog post to share the photos.
in BDay's bubble 