There is no way to describe this concert and give it true justice. Either you were there or you weren't. My Bloody Valentine is a band that lives in high esteem from its fans and on September 27th, 2008, we packed the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago to capacity (over 3000 people) and enjoyed one of the loudest concerts ever. Seriously, they were allowed to play without any noise restriction. Earplugs were given out at the door and those who wanted to hear ANYTHING the next week were well-served by wearing them that night (I did).
The band formed in the 80's and split in the 90's, producing only two true full-length albums. They embody the musical sound known as "shoegaze" (imagine that to mean exactly as it sounds). I won't go into the history of the band, but you can check it out for yourself here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Bloody_Valentine
The reunion tour is sometimes besmirched as being a quick paycheck for bands (has-beens and legends both). Most realize that a reunion is easier said than done with many groups and may never happen again (The Police), while some are impossible to reunite at all (Talking Heads). The reformation of one of alternative music's pre-eminent groups is a milestone for rock and a blessing for those who never thought they'd see it happen. You can check out a few YouTube clips below to get a taste of what it was like (though they still cannot compare to the live event itself).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JcA5W2e2dU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEwjsIfU7lo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyPXyyBHSXI&feature=related
That third link I posted is a soundless clip from the show's finale, the "holocaust of noise" that followed "You Made Me Realize". Trust me, it was the equivalent of being inside a jet engine at capacity and no audio device can properly capture it. From my vantage point near the sound board in the middle of the venue I saw every. single. level. was at max. No faltering either, all solidly at the top... some in the red. It was the most amazing zen-like feeling you can experience, knowing it's probably as close as you can get to being "inside" music. A few times I'd hold my arm up to feel the waves of sound that were tangibly in the air. I have never tripped out on drugs before, so I only know the euphoric feeling that was provided through the "eargasm" that was the show's 20-minute finale. A fitting closure that could be nothing else, only all-encompassing sound. I look forward to the next concert that can blow me away, but I understand that it may never match the My Bloody Valentine show.
Set List:
I Only Said - When You Sleep - You Never Should - When You Wake - Cigarette In Your Bed - Come In Alone - Only Shallow - Thorn - Nothing Much To Lose - To Here Knows When - Slow - Soon - Feed Me With Your Kiss - You Made Me Realise
Do you ever sit alone in your room and wonder whatever happened to Third Eye Blind? NO? Well, why not? They've definitely lost more than "a whole year" since virtually disappearing from the rock scene.
They were a terrific band of the late 90's that delivered well-crafted pop rock that struck a chord with tons of fans everywhere with their self-titled debut album (available in both red and... what is that tan? gold?). Lead singer Stephan Jenkins (a former boyfriend of actress Charlize Theron) could surely sing a catchy tune ("Graduate", "Jumper", "How's It Going To Be", and the ubiquitous-at-the-time "Semi-Charmed Life").
The follow-up album, "Blue", was even better for my taste, though not as commercially successful as the first despite strong singles ("Never Let You Go", "Deep Inside of You"). Their lyrics were never shy about being overtly sexual in suggestion and that was amplified here ("Ooh when you come it's like a thousand Julys").
"Out of the Vein" is the forgotten album to non-fans. It came out in 2003 to virtually no applause, had few singles, and sold far fewer copies than the last. They toured heavily for it at smaller venues to be able to better interact with the fans (that and they probably couldn't fill the largest spaces any longer). The appearance of a collection of hits a few years ago seemed to be the band's death knell. Few groups recover from the exile of being out of the public eye, only to resurface name-wise with a "greatest hits" money-grabber album.
In my research here I learned that the band's original guitarist left after the second album and in recent years, the original bassist has not been actively playing with the band. Charlize Theron and Jenkins split long ago and there are songs on the third album explicity written by him about their relationship. He's been otherwise out of sight since that time.
So what now? A view of the band's wikipedia entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Eye_Blind) says that there's a brand new album, "Ursa Major", on the way later this year. We shall see. The band's primary website (www.3eb.com) seems grossly out of date. I'm still a fan and hope that they do resurface and put out some good tunes again. Those who had forgotten about the band and their songs probably needed this as a reminder, just as the band itself will need a reminder that they still have fans out there if/when they do return.
Do kids even know who The Muppets are these days? Ask a child under the age of 10 who Kermit the Frog is and see what he/she tells you. "Sesame Street" is still on in perpetuity and keeps our friends there alive and well on public television, but it is Jim Henson's other band of characters that have been hidden in the rafters for most of the past decade and are in need of a refresher. Good thing there's one happening.
"When your room looks kinda weird and you wish that you weren't there just close your eyes and make believe and you can be anywhere..." This is the epitome of imagination and it holds true as much now as it did then. This is the opening lyric of the "Muppet Babies" cartoon series of the 80's (itself inspired by the musical fantasy number in THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN). The cartoon ended long ago but you can't even find it on dvd, so how are kids today supposed to enjoy it? Oh yeah, YouTube. That works for those of us willing to search it, but for a youngster plopped in front of the set it just won't do.
If you're of a certain age, then you most certainly grew up with the Muppets in some form or fashion. Jim Henson's blend of marionette puppets have come to mean so much to so many over the years due to their unique individual characteristics and personalities. They are just made of felt and other raw materials, but yet they reach deep into our spirits and become so much more. They become that most precious of all materials: heartfelt.
Luckily, "The Muppet Show" has become available on dvd over the years. The first three seasons are out now with the promise of the rest to come later (as well as the short-lived "Muppets Tonight" from the mid-90's). The original films themselves are classics of another sort and remain strong movies today. The last ones released to theaters in the 90's changed the pace as they adapted their own versions of Dickens' "Christmas Carol" and Stevenson's "Treasure Island". MUPPETS FROM SPACE even featured a story centered on Gonzo, not Kermit. Since that time there was a direct to tv Christmas movie that included the likes of David Arquette and Whoopi Goldberg and another film adaptation, "The Wizard of Oz" this time (featuring Ashanti, this is the only one I've never seen).
As it stands today, the Muppets are on the move again.
They're online too! New clips have surfaced on YouTube with some of the various "oddballs" like Gonzo, Beaker and the Swedish Chef performing their own versions of classic music. Watch "Habanera" and see what I mean: http://www.youtube.com/user/deumnborkborkbork
Those old curmudgeons Statler and Waldorf have also found a home online as they realize that they're finally where they belong since "everything here is immediately followed by sarcastic comments and nasty responses."
A new show premiered on the Disney Channel called "Studio DC: Almost Live!" combining the current stars of the channel with our classic friends (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j7BobRDcVs). There's a new DARK CRYSTAL feature in the works for next year and "Fraggle Rock" has returned from the 80's cave with dvd releases. "Sesame Street" continues its daily reign on public television and deservedly so. The new season includes Jack Black discovering an octagon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7jpz_55EdM&feature=related) and Feist counting 1, 2, 3, 4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ9WiuJPnNA).
Pop quiz hotshot: What is Kermit's nephew's name? What species is Pepe? Which musician is Dr. Teeth based on? These may be quite simple answers for some of you, but others will need to get back in gear and share the news (especially to the kids): The Muppets are back... but really, they never truly left.
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