Archive for 'audio' Category
2008.09.02
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Soundtrack
In case any of you missed it, the soundtrack to Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is now available at the iTunes Store. Also, in case any of you were wondering what the lyrics for the songs are, look no further.
No Comments | Catergorized: audio geek tv2008.08.22
Outside Lands Music Festival
The ландшафтOutside Lands Music Festival is happening right now in Golden Gate Park. Tonight: Radio Head. Tomorrow: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Sunday: Jack Johnson. Apparently this is a big deal for festivals in San Francisco.
However…
Come on people. It took me almost an hour to get home tonight, in what should normally be a 20 minute commute. On my motorcycle. Cutting lanes. It took my flatmate almost two hours to travel not even 15 miles. There are something like 160,000 people expected in the park over the weekend, an ungodly percentage of those people driving. I direct you to this from the last link above:
Radiohead cares about carbon-neutral touring, and wants to site shows at places with transit; like GGP.
This means the band all you crap drivers are coming to see DOES NOT WANT YOU TO DRIVE. So don’t. Take the bus. Walk. Don’t park on the sidewalks. Don’t get pissy when you can’t find parking. Don’t cut people off because they aren’t going as fast as you think they should. Respect the neighborhoods you are over-burdening with your presence.
I really love that we are having this event in Golden Gate Park, in San Francisco, but for frack’s sake plan ahead. I hope the next two days are better…
3 Comments | Catergorized: audio grrr san francisco2008.03.24
Tay Zonday
The intertubes are an amazing place. I don’t know if I’m late to the game on this one but I’ve just discovered Tay Zonday and his amazing music and videos on YouTube. At first I wasn’t that terribly impressed but it grew on me and now, about an hour later, I’ve watched all of his music videos and am wishing there was more. The guy is pretty amazing in an “I’m only an amateur now, wait till you see me hit the big time cause it’s gonna happen soon” kind of way. In fact, he reminds me a lot, for some reason, of perennial favorite They Might Be Giants.
Love it love it love it.
No Comments | Catergorized: audio geek2008.01.04
Stormy Weather
California is getting hammered right now. We haven’t had we had a storm like this in quite a while. My commute in to work was chaotic. Trees down, porta-potties in the middle of the road, flooding, power outages… Even my front door had been jarred lose this morning. Fortunately the cats had the good sense not to go exploring! The awesome thing is that Tahoe will soon have tons of snow. Almost time to start snowboarding (rubs hands in glee while grinning).
So in honor of this awesome weather, here’s WFMU’s collection of 72 versions of Stormy Weather. Get the set and play on repeat for the next couple days!
1 Comment | Catergorized: audio life san francisco2008.01.02
Best of Bootie 2007
Do you like mashups? Bootie SF has their “best of” compilation ready for download; I’m getting it now!
No Comments | Catergorized: audio2007.11.20
Nouvelle Vague
Last night I met NHK at Boboquivari’s for some huge portions of meat. Specifically steak, though I augmented mine with a lobster curry soup and espresso martini. Delicious! Bobo’s (as they like to call the restaurant) is a bit upscale for my tastes and higher on price point than I expected, but it has a really nice atmosphere and I could see myself going there again.
When we walked into the place I heard the nostalgic lounge sounds playing in the background, but it didn’t register just what was playing until we were led to our table. Then it hit me; someone was doing a super mellow, super laid back cover of Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart! I was impressed, and as we sat and talked about work, friends, boots, and attempts to abolish rent control in California we heard covers of Depeche Mode, The Cure, Modern English, Sisters of Mercy, Public Image Ltd and more. There was even a cover of an old, obscure Martin Gore solo endeavor. WTF? I didn’t think anyone even knew Martin Gore did a solo! It intrigued both of us enough that as we were leaving I asked the hostess who the band was.
They are Nouvelles Vague from France. I think I’m in love. I bought two of their albums and am staying up too late listening…
No Comments | Catergorized: audio food-drink friends san francisco2007.10.08
Beirut in San Francisco
Tonight KT from work convinced me to go see the band Beirut play at the Herbst Theater. I’m only passingly familar with their work and I have a few observations about the band, the show and the venue. Though it will sound like a list of criticism, I really did enjoy the show and would see them again (though see #2; different location!).
1: The few songs I know I really like. The sound is unique and fairly well constructed. That being said a lot of the songs tonight sounded far too similar to the rest of the songs. When I’m noticing similar phrasing and melody between songs it’s time to switch it up, boys!
2: The Herbst Theater is not the best venue for a show like this. It’s a sit down theater and until the encore that’s what everyone did. Except a few people dancing along the aisles, that is, who had as much rhythm as a pack to tripping hippies. Then -finally!- at the encore people suddenly mobbed the front. Suddenly the energy that could have been there the whole show appeared and I think the band and the audience enjoyed themselves much more. Location location location!
3: Zach Condon is the driving force behind Beirut. Though only 21 years old he has apparently been performing for years. So I say this with dripping sarcasm: it was kind of exciting when he finally opened his eyes and started looking at the audience. Open your eyes! Jeez. I still remember Allison getting on my case about not making eye contact whenever I performed. Hopefully Zach gets this soon.
4: Dudes… Too many people on stage? I know some bands are quite large but, really, that many?
5: The audio mixing could have used some work. I’m not sure if that was because of the venue (where the sound board might have been poorly placed) or a bad technician working the board. Don’t get me wrong… It wasn’t bad but there were times where it was obvious someone was playing and I couldn’t hear the instrument at all. Then again maybe that’s why they needed three people playing ukelele at the same time.
6: Zach brilliantly closed the show with a solo performance (with ukelele) covering Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. Despite flubbing the lyrics (and covering it up with a laugh and a side along glance) it was really nice to hear.
It was a good show and I’m glad KT convinced me to go. As some of you know I’m notoriously difficult to drag out once I’m home and settled. But it was Beirut… I had to go see what they were like. If you get a chance you should, too.
No Comments | Catergorized: audio life san francisco2007.08.04
And I Dance Dance Dance
Last night I went out dancing for the first time in years upon years. When I lived in Prague, friends and I used to go out regularly but for some reason when I came back State-side I left behind many of these things I did. I know part of it was that there was a raw, underground and vaguely illegal feeling to these parties in Prague where as here they feel established, polished and, for lack of a better way of describing it, presentable.
Last night was not presentable. My friend DJ D was spinning at Balazo Gallery in the Mission District. The place has nothing outside the building to indicate it’s the right place aside from the address. In fact it’s got the previous tenant’s old Chinese restaurant sign still hanging. The interior is unfinished; a squatter’s dream.
I had a lot of fun. I’d forgotten what it was like to close my eyes and just dance. I never claimed to dance well, but this was the kind of place where no one cared, so I didn’t either; as one cared to be cool which leaves all the pressure out on the street.
I will have to do this again. All I have to do is figure out how to get DJ D to cover the song in this video while I figure out how to emulate the dancing.
2 Comments | Catergorized: audio friends life prague san francisco2007.07.02
Warm and Scratchy
Fans of Adult Swim rejoice! They have released a free collection of music with the lovely title of Warm & Scratchy. Here’s the track listing:
01. Me-I - TV On The Radio
02. Dead Sound - The Raveonettes
03. The Equestrian - Les Savy Fav
04. Crimson Red - The Rapture
05. Justine - 120 Days
06. Canada Vs. America - Broken Social Scene
07. Color of the Love You Have - SOUND Team
08. The Bunting Song (acoustic version) - The Good, The Bad and The Queen
09. Half Century - The Brother Kite
10. Silver (Original Beats) - Jesu
11. Back to Flash - Amusement Parks on Fire
12. Stay Awake - Asobi Seksu
13. Winter - Fennesz
14. Sunset Rodeo - Liars
I don’t know half of these bands, but the ones I know are quite nice. I’m particularly fond of Asobi Seksu after Annemone introduced them to me. If you’re interested you can download the entire set and cover art here. Warning! The page will play music at you…
No Comments | Catergorized: audio tv2007.06.03
Don’t Forget the Royalties
Did you know that if sing the very famous Happy Birthday song you’re supposed to pay royalties to the people that happen to own the copyright? Yep, the song is copyrighted and, at least in theory, AOL Time Warner gets a piece of your wallet every time you sing it.
You’d think as a goodwill gesture they’d just let go of the copyright. It’s not like almost everyone on the planet uses the song to mark another year in someone’s life…
5 Comments | Catergorized: audio rights
