Wednesday, June 25, 2008 | by nathan

Right After She Grabbed My Hand

I *somehow* managed to forget to charge my little Panasonic point-and-shoot all day Monday. That little camera has become known as "concert cam," as I always try to remember to pack it along for concerts, as it’s got a great digital zoom and never gets confiscated. Still, somehow, my stupid ass forgot to plug it in, and of course when I went to get it to take along to the True Colors show on Monday night, it was dead.

So, when Cyndi Lauper ran right past the V.I.P. section at the zoo to the metal fence where we were standing and dancing, grabbed my hand and smiled, all I had was my iPhone to snap the moment.

Also, can I say? That was one of the most freaking amazing concerts I think I’ve ever been to. Right from the get-go, things were rocking. I’d never heard Girl in a Coma before but they rocked it out on the opening, followed immediately by Andy Bell from Erasure, who had people dancing from his first note. The Grape Ranch winery people were there, selling their fantastic Frozen Rose concoction, which is basically a red wine smoothie. These kept us cool and lubricated throughout.

Margaret Cho was especially hysterical and fantastic (on Larry Craig: "I just think he must come from Slytherin.")

Then, oh my God, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts hit the stage. The woman is turning 50 years old in September, and she looked 20. She rocked it out in a string bikini top, first of all, and handles that ax like few people I’ve seen before. I think I officially lost my mind when she did "Love Is All Around."

By this time I was dancing wildly, so when the B-52’s, who I’ve been wanting to see live for probably 20 years, came on, I was out of my mind with excitement. Of course they kicked ass, and by the way, if you haven’t picked up their new album, you really, really should, because it’s effing incredible. World’s greatest party band? Yeah, check.

And then Cyndi Lauper - dear sweet Jesus, Cyndi Lauper. Forgetting for a moment that she grabbed my hand - wow. It amazes me how much every single artist that performed that night seemed to have hit a new level not only of creativity but of sheer developed, measured talent. Cyndi’s voice sounded amazing and her stage moves were unmatched. She whipped the audience into a frenzy and held us in the palm of her hand until the very end. She, too, just released a new album that you should own. Every second of it makes me want to dance.

Ugh. God. It’s been a really long time since I had *that* much fun at a concert. I will say for the record that I think having a "V.I.P." section at a rock and roll show is complete bollocks, because the idea that the rich and connected should be able to lord it over us simple, middle-class plebians is sorta the antithesis of rock and roll. STILL AND ALL, I had a complete blast and if you get a chance to see True Colors in your city, absolutely you must take it.

Friday, June 20, 2008 | by nathan

Whatcha Doin’ Tonight?

So, here’s what you should do. You should come to my buddy KC Clifford’s CD release party. It’s at the Blue Door, it’s $10, the doors open at 6:30 p.m., and ITSGONNABESOFUNZOMG. I said it earlier this week, and I’ll repeat: KC’s hitting her creative stride in a whole new way, and you’d be seriously remiss if you skip this show. Here, to whet your whistles, so to speak, is a video of KC singing one of her "greatest hits," The Barbie Song.

*Sam Fridays will be coming tomorrow afternoon, and believe me, it’ll be well worth the wait.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008 | by nathan

Happy Pride Week!

This is Pride Week in Oklahoma City. Friday night Brian and I will be celebrating the release of our friend K.C.’s new live record at The Blue Door, and you should all come join us. We were there for the taping of this album earlier this year, and I can tell you firsthand that these are some of the best performances she’s ever given. That girl’s hitting her creative stride in a whole new way; the record and the show are going to be off the hook.

Afterward we’re hitting the bars to dance and party our tails off in solidarity with all of California’s brand-newlyweds.

We’re taking next Monday & Tuesday off work to party a little extra and to make sure we’re good and ready to get our groove on at the True Colors Tour stop in Oklahoma City on Monday night. Five hours of music and fun featuring Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Margaret Cho, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Andy Bell and Carson Kressly.

For the unaware, Cyndi Lauper has released a fantastic new album titled Bring Ya To The Brink, and it’s one of the best, most fun albums I’ve purchased in awhile. It makes me want to shake every part of my body, hard. Here’s a video clip of the album’s first single, "Into The Nightlife." If this doesn’t perk up your spirits and make you want to dance, there might be very little hope for you:

Thursday, May 8, 2008 | by nathan

Go Ahead. Mock.

Yes, I just scored 8th row seats to Tina Turner. And yes, I am unashamedly, unironically stoked.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008 | by nathan

Music Recommendation: Cut Copy

For the past week and a half I’ve listened to almost nothing but this new album by Cut Copy, In Ghost Colours. It’s just about my favorite thing ever right now, musically speaking.

Style-wise these guys are all over the map in one sense: at times they recall great post-punk acts like Ghostland Observatory or sad-white-guy groups like the Shins or the Postal Service. Combine that with the fact that they’re using some of the best hits of dance and electronica and new wave music from the last thirty years and their sound is absolutely unbeatable. Still, despite their genre-straddling sound the album as a whole hangs together remarkably well.

My favorite song by far on the album is "Hearts on Fire" which employs some of the old La Bouche playbook of dance grooves but to great effect. Other songs from the album recall great 80’s new wave acts like Comsat Angels et al. This is the best running, dancing, cleaning, driving album I’ve listened to in a long time.

You can listen to In Ghost Colours at their MySpace page, and their stuff is available on iTunes or from Amazon. Also, click below to listen to their song "So Haunted," which is available as a free MP3 download from last.fm.

Cut Copy - So Haunted - Click To Play

Monday, March 17, 2008 | by nathan

Dallas Update

Friday afternoon I left work early, ran home to finish packing and was on the road by 5:30. For the first time in six days I was going to see Brian, and I was sort of panicked to get there as quickly as possible.

The drive from Oklahoma City to Dallas is remarkably easy and fun, and this time of year it’s especially beautiful on the plains, as the winter wheat is coming in and turning everything a really vibrant green. I had the music on loud and made excellent time. I spent the last hour of the trip talking to Woody on the phone; it was perfect.

Arrived at the Belmont, greeted Brian with affection enough to kill a normal human being, and then we decided to mix Buffalo Trace with Coke - who knew? - and then go out. We spent a few hours at J.R.’s talking up some very nice fellow Okies and doing a bit of really quality people-watching, our wit assisted by various and sundry libations and also by Mary J. Blige.

Saturday was surprisingly consequence-free, as we had no hangovers and enjoyed a brunch of chorizo tacos at Cafe Brazil before taking off for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Mockingbird Station was packed, and it took us almost half an hour to find a parking space, but the parade was fantastic. My camera went dead halfway through it and I was tired by the end, so we decided to escape the post-parade traffic and go in search of food.

We got back over to the Dallas Observer After-Party just in time to get in the beer line, which is where we were when Ghostland Observatory hit the stage. It was a fantastic show, but I came to the awful realization that Dallas is, in fact, America’s preppiest city. The realization first started when, as we were standing in line and watching Ghostland take the stage, people kept asking, "Now, who’s this band? When’s Ghostland Observatory coming on?"

Okay, now - I’m not hardcore by any means; a reasonable case could be made for labeling me a "poseur," but the fact is that when I go to see a band in concert I try to find out a little about them beforehand. In this case, Ghostland has been one of my favorite new-to-me acts since Jonathan demanded, on this very website, that I get into them. And get into them I did - muchly. I love them rather rabidly. Turned out most of the people at their show only had a passing familiarity, which I suppose is fine - hopefully they went home more appreciative.

But the preppiness - OH MY GOD THE PREPPINESS. I saw more Ralph Lauren clothes in that place than you find in most Dillard’s stores. People were dressed like they were on a freaking yacht rather than at a rock concert. Is this the new thing? Is preppy back? Pleated shorts, God help me. One guy had on pleated shorts and a PASTEL YELLOW SWEATER. Seersucker, and golf visors and loafers without socks and sweaters tied around shoulders - it really did look like a Young Republicans convention and not a rock show. I need someone to reassure me that these were just a bunch of rich, white-bread SMU kids and that they’re not indicative of some national trend somewhere. Because - dear lord. Seersucker?

Whatever, fine. Ghostland played an awesome show to a so-so crowd, and I realized, for the millionth time, that drinking beer in the sun does, in fact, screw with your body a little. At any rate, I got a few cool clips of the concert:

Ghostland Observatory at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade After Party in Dallas from Okay City Nate on Vimeo.

Oh, and yes, I KNOW that clip is very very blue - I forgot to white balance my camera before taking it. Please don’t leave comments telling me how to do this BECAUSE I KNOW ALREADY.

Afterward we headed back to the hotel, planning to change and then hit the English Beat show at the Grenada Theater. But - sun and beer - I was tired and really just wanted to order some room service and chill, and, it being our vacation and us being adults, that’s exactly what we did. We skipped the show altogether, despite the fact that I’ve been dying to see the English Beat live since high school. It just felt like the right, relaxing thing to do.

Yesterday was an orgy of shopping - West Elm, Urban Outfitters, Crate & Barrel, because, after all, WE ARE WHITE PEOPLE, AND WE ARE RIDICULOUS. We hit IKEA last, where we somehow ended up with a new bed, new dresser and a whole bunch of various and sundry crap which I’ll be glad to photograph for you once it’s all assembled. We felt pretty sick on the drive home, and while I’m feeling better now, Brian took today off work.

I don’t speak for him on this, but as far as I’m concerned, some major stomach discomfort is worth every second of this weekend - it was exactly what I needed.

Friday, March 14, 2008 | by nathan

Could My Weekend Possibly Get Any More Awesome? Why, Yes. Yes, It Could.

So, this weekend is already going to be hella-awesome. Brian’s been gone on business since last Saturday night, and now he’s in Dallas. I’m driving down tonight and we’re staying at the Belmont; awesome. Last time we stayed there was during our vacation last year. I plan on ordering blackberry mojitos from room service, lounging by the pool in the expected record high temperatures, and doing a fair bit of shopping at West Elm, Restoration Hardware, IKEA.

I plan on hitting S4 and JR’s for drinks and dancing. I plan on shaking my ass at the English Beat show on Saturday night.

AND NOW?

I just bought tickets for the Dallas Observer St. Patrick’s Day Parade after party…

FEATURING FREAKING GHOSTLAND OBSERVATORY.

I’m in some kind of nirvana from which I don’t plan to emerge, possibly ever. At least not until Monday, and considering that next week is Spring Break and my workplace will be uber-relaxed, I might stay in this euphoric state for well over a week.

Monday, February 25, 2008 | by nathan

Never Gonna Give You Up

Did you know that the Internet was invented at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)? I found that out this weekend whilst reading this amazing article in National Geographic titled "The God Particle." Today CERN is home to one of the world’s largest particle accelerators, but I like to think that when they were inventing the Internet, this was exactly the kind of thing they had in mind:

Monday, February 4, 2008 | by nathan

Girl With Guitar

Saturday, February 2, 2008 | by nathan

Turns Out, Yes, Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This

I admit to having had some grave doubts about my plans for last night: as part of my mom’s Christmas present, I bought us tickets to see Reba McEntire & Kelly Clarkson at Tulsa’s Mabee Center. I wasn’t going to do it, actually, but managed to score 9th row seats through Ticketmaster and thought, ah, well, what the hell.

Now, a disclaimer: I like Kelly Clarkson. My uncle was Reba’s chiropractor when she lived in Oklahoma, so I’ve seen her more times than I even really remember. But I’d given up on this type of music for so long that I was sort of just expecting to spend the concert cheering politely.

So when the lights came up and I heard the first line of Patsy Cline’s "Sweet Dreams" from behind the curtain, I cheered, like you’re sposeda. Then, the next moment, this happened, and I was all in, for the entire rest of the show:

"Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" - Reba McEntire & Kelly Clarkson from Okay City Nate on Vimeo.

Though I have to say, for me, the highlight was when they did Patty Griffin’s "Up To The Mountain (MLK Song)", because, well, because I freaking love Patty Griffin almost more than life itself. All I’m saying really is that I’d take a bullet for her. That’s all I’m really saying.

UPDATE: After much wrangling, I managed to get the video of the MLK Song into YouTube (Vimeo wouldn’t take it for some reason). So here you go: