Toro! Toro!

The Baby Bulls are Growing Up.

Beware Eastern Conference, as the season progresses the Bulls are only going to get better. I hope the Bulls make zero trades, not for KG, not for Gasol. I hope the only move the Bulls make is to dump PJ Brown and sign Kurt Rambis...

Hey, a guy can dream...

Good News Makes Me Happy

Wal-Mart To Pay Millions For Shamelessly Shafting Employees

Too bad 33+ million to Wal-Mart is like dropping a dime on the sidewalk and deciding you are to lazy to pick it up.

"Barack On" Wayne. "Barack On" Garth. Schwiiing! For Healthcare

Oh yeah and this choice nugget from a cupla days ago...

BAM 1 - Kelvin Sampson 0

I'm Super! Thanks for Asking...

Bombs are flying
People are dying
Children are crying
Politicians are lying too.

Cancer is killing
Texaco's spilling
The whole world's gone to hell
But how are you?

I'm super
Thanks for asking
All things considered
I couldn't be better I must say

I'm feeling super
No, nothing bugs me
Everything is super when you're
Don't you think I look cute in this hat

I'm so sorry
Mr. Cripple
But I just can't feel too bad for you right now.
Because I'm feeling
So insanely super
That even the fact that you can't walk
Can't bring me down

He's super
Thanks for asking
All things considered
He couldn't be better he must say

I'm super
No, nothing bugs me
Everything is super when you're
Don't you think I look cute in this hat
These little pants, this matching tie
That I got at Vogue

I'm super...

Happy Holidays!

Chicago-palooza (Parte Dos)

9) Wolfmother - This trio sure did make a ton of noise. These Aussie rockers really seemed to be putting out as a rollicking young band should do while trying to earn fans stateside. With one of the largest mid-afternoon crowds (perhaps due to an assisted swell from more-than-punctual Gnarls Barkley-goers) the Wolfmadres brought the Sabbath/Zeppelin sound to Chicago's ears and displayed one of the finest afros of the weekend.

8) Gnarls Barkley - Prior to Lolla, I had obtained a couple of live Gnarls mp3rizzies just to see how the studio sound translated to a live performance. It wasn't pretty. I sounded... strained. Cee-Lo's voice seemed not to have the capability to reach the studio-magic quality that was achieved on the record. At Lolla, I got a similar impression, but (perhaps due to the sonic environment or the 12 bevvies I had bevvied) it sounded better, more polished... more like the record. Clad in tennis camp kits worthy of Wimbledon and accompanied by an army of musicians and backup vocalists, Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse slayed the largest non-day-closing crowd of the weekend. People were dancing, lots of people were dancing.

7) The Subways - Our first band of the weekend. True or False: Lead vocalist and frontman Billy: 1) Climbed on and jumped off of the stage's scaffolding 2) Repeatedly ran into the crowd leaving his band mates to play bass and drum arrangements until he got back on stage 3) Demanded that better music be played on the radio (most specifically The Subways' single "Oh Yeah") and 4) proclaimed to the eager crowd "you are so good looking, I want to fuck you all." There was a moment halfway into the show when I got the chills and realized what we were about to undertake in the next 2 and a half days. It was incredible, and The Subways really killed it to kick it all off. Um, Oh Yeah, and when the set was over Billy leapt over the drum kit and Brian Urlacher-ed the drummer, then got up, tossed the bass drum and kicked and threw his mic stand. A couple of minutes later, well after the roadies were breaking down the gear, the drummer rose and sauntered off stage, his hand on his head. Oh, to be young and rocking hard...

6) Built To Spill - Seasoned indie vets bring no-nonsense (but great) performance to young crowd, and Doug Martsch looks extra creepy doing it. I don't think he blinked once. Possibly a robot. Play hoops against Doug HERE.5) Ben Kweller - Originally a kind of "what to we do before Andy Bird" time filler. The youthful Kwell proved to be one of the biggest surprises of the weekend for me. Playing most of the popular tunes from his records Sha Sha and On My Way, the former boy genius looked a little growns up and walked the stage clutching his mic with a confidence I did not see 3 years ago when he opened for Death Cab at Mississippi Nights in the LOU. He was supported by a full band of accomplished musicians, one of whom will be lending a hand in Albert Hammond's upcoming solo project. His performance of "In Other Words" was one of the top tunes of the 3 days, IMHO. The Kwells also sprinkled in some new tunes to keep it fresh. They sounded Kweller-ish.

4) Kanye West / DC4C - A gratuitous nod to two giants of Lolla '06. Despite Kanye's beefs with the sound (he wanted it LOUDER) the show was actually quite good when Kanye crew wasn't waiting between songs for The Louis Vuitton Don's audio expectations to be satisfied. One of the true true highpoints of the weekend came when Kan-yeezie brought out the much-hyped / album-delaying / skateboarding / bling-shunning / four-eyed / West side of Chicago upstart hot-on-the-streets MC Lupe Fiasco to perform my hands-down undeniable pick for the song of the Summa, "Kick Push." What a jam. I nearly fell on my face getting down to Lupe's effortless flow. Listen to / watch it below. Imagine it live before a bizillion white people. So ill.



As for Death Cab, I've now seen them what feels like a fa-fillion times. I've spent more time with teenagers at DC4C shows than I did with other teens when I was a teen. Despite the apparent backlash some fans against the live show, I dig Death Cab live. I especially enjoy hearing / viewing the softer songs and experiencing the sonic subtleties that Gibbard and Walla are able to create. Part of the Death Cab teen-hang-out is feeling the hypnotic joy the band pours over the enthralled crowd. These kids are FIXATED and singing. Every word. It is fun to be a part of that, even if you are 25, cynical, and not so enthralled. I also dig it when they rock hard, which they certainly have been doing recently on tour. The thing about DC4C is that, the earlier records have a bit more grime and edge to them; they are far more ragged than the polished, gently handled studio gem that is Plans (and to a lesser extent Transatlanticism). Ben and company do not cast these earlier efforts aside in the live shows, and this translates into a show that rocks harder than late-coming-in-the-chronology-of-Death Cab fans might expect. Its not that they are trying to appeal to a different crowd or attempting to alter the sort of soft-thoughtful-relationship-rock conception that has been cast upon them; the boys from Bellingham are just honoring their roots and their more-lengthy-than-you-might-think history with some Death Cab For Classics.

3) Cold War Kids - We're From LA and We Kick Ass, should be the title of the Cold War Kids' debut LP, if in the event they ever release one. Touring relentlessly on the backs of a couple of EPs, CWK are an angular, unarranged, unpredictable lot, and the live show exhibits that. Dynamism: bumping, shaking, maraca-ing, squealing, howling, tapping, pulling, whatever its all there. I caught them a couple of months ago opening for Tapes N Tapes, and they stole the show. The next day I scooped up the EPs and was exposed to the deep, but not expansive, CWK catalogue. These guys have a passion that shows in an era in which some bands choose to play it cool and aloof. The emotion of the music is shown on their faces and shoots through their bodies. The video below provides a small taste of the tasty meal that is CWK.



2) Wilco - Yet again, Wilco proves that they are the best American band making music today and certainly one of the best live bands touring the globe. I don't really know what to say that hasn't already been said. It is jaw dropping how wonderful they sound live. Maybe because I have only had the pleasure of seeing them in the 2 cities they hold most dear, St. Louis and Chicago, but Tweedy and friends always come correct. New songs were played and they merged effortlessly into the others, giving fans a needle of musical heroin, leaving them jonesing for the new record fix. People had Cheshire cat smiled tattooed on their faces. Tweedy's banter was funny, in a sort of "I don't do well when I talk in to the mic but it doesn't matter because you worship me and I love you for it" sort of way. He praised the Chicago fans and thanked them, genuinely. One could tell that Tweedy himself, and probably the entire band, truthfully was awed by playing to a hometown crowd while the sun dipped beneath the flawless Chicago skyline. It was a great hour. And it was the ONLY show at Lolla where the crowd was left chanting for more.1) My Morning Jacket - The no-doubt hands-down top performance of the weekend. They embodied the festival in a one hour set. The kind of band you can't exactly label, the Southern-ish indie jammy rockie crew from Louisville, in the words of roommate Tim "brought it." I had seen MMJ perform on PBS's Austin City Limits, and knew they were good live. I had no idea they were this special. Jim James' voice is earth-shattering, but with a controlled chaos kind of approach. He never stood still and neither did the rest of the band. The drummer wailed wildly and this Sasquatch like frame pounded on the skins. "Dondante" built itself up from a gentle intro to a jagged crescendo. It was nearly 10 minutes long. Every second was priceless. James wooed the crowd with the soft introspection that is "Golden." I told MPC that I think that "Golden" is just possibly the most perfect song ever written. I'm not kidding. Judge for yourself below ("Golden" from ACL). Amber pointed out as the "Golden" perfection ended that the sun was setting (this was 48 hours prior to the Wilco sunset) and the sky was, I crap you not, Gold-ish.



Despite the greatness of the music, a highlight came from some banter offered by James who, like Tweedy, was clearly thankful and appreciative to be there in that moment. James went on a small narrative about how 12 years prior, he was in the crowd at Lollapalooza and he saw The Pumpkins, A Tribe Called Quest, The Chili Peppers, Sonic Youth, and The Beastie Boys, and was inspired. He dreamed, on that day, that he would play Lolla someday, and on Lolla Friday he realized that dream. While this sounds a bit cheesy and cliched, it truly was a touching moment, and no doubt an inspirational one for youths hoping for a musical career.

So there it is, my rave-not-rant about Chicagopalooza 2006. It really couldn't have been a better weekend. I hope it's back in 2007. I hope Radiohead and Arcade Fire are there, I hope Wilco and MMJ come back, I hope all the same friends (and more) come to Grant Park again.

Good times. Good times.

Chicago-palooza 2006 (Part 1)

As I put pen to paper, I am ever so tired. And because, absent highly unique situations, I don’t believe in naps, I’ll have to make up my sleep deficiency in the next couple of evenings. My eyes are bagged, my body aches, all because I have had entirely too much fun in the last three days. I’m okay with that. Good trade. For on this past weekend, Chicago’s Grant Park reined in hippies, hip-hoppers, and hipsters alike for Lollapalooza. I will attempt to do the affair some type of justice; though I will no doubt just graze the facade of what one could potentially relate about the weekend.

The heat/humidity bane of our collective mid-western existences broke, just enough, in Chicago this weekend. (I hear it rages on in St. Louis and KC). While, at times, one could certainly describe the midday sun as “fucking hot,” it was never a heat stroke death risk (a la Taste of Chicago 1996), and when the breeze blew or when a cumulus cruised by, it was downright pleasant. Don’t get me wrong, sweat poured and sunburns were narrowly avoided, but if there be anything to distract from filmy stickiness or the potential need for aloe, it be great friends, great musicians, a great city, and a festival that harnessed it all.

The weekend was virtually flawless. From the miniscule bathroom lines to the variety and abundance of food, beer, and water, to the aforementioned meteorological flawlessness, to the well behaved attendees, everything went off without a proverbial hitch. Oh, and the music. Dear God, the music.

In 3 days, my cohorts and I were able to seek out and experience nearly twenty performances in large or full part, and countless others in passing… I will now attempt to rank the performances, if such an undertaking is possible, or even meaningful. So much of it could only be described as flat out brilliant.

19) The Hold Steady – I’m officially done with the Hold Steady. Despite being a critic’s darling following the release of Separation Sunday in 2005, the men from Brooklyn came off as more of an annoyance to more than just I.

18) The Shins – Though clearly not their fault, The Shins played what looked like a great show. It sounded as if it was being played loudly in your cousin’s bedroom while you were stuck downstairs with your Aunt talking about how awesome it was to be an English major. Speaker banks towards the back of the Bud Light Stage area simply were not turned on. People pointed to the sky (which I guess is the universal symbol for “turn that shit up up UP!”). Major let-down. This, in all truth and fact was my one and only beef with Lollapalooza. It drove me to drink.

17) Stars – Eh. While the music is still dynamite and they gave me “Calendar Girl,” I was distracted with beer and analyzing the program for the coming night.

16) Ryan Adams – As foretold by Jables Bagels the show was very very chill, but I still liked it. No tantrums. Just the chilled out country grooves that have become characteristic of RyRy’s last three (or so) records. I have become intensely in to 29, and I was grateful to hear some of the songs performed live.

15) Sound Team – Ranked only this low because we arrived late and only caught the final 2 or 3 songs, the hated-by-Pitchfork, Austin rockers seemed like they were really killing it. I once saw Sound Team perform in the Duck Room at Blueberry Hill in St. Louis, where I bough their demo for 5 dollars. Now they are playing for thousands at Lollapalooza. Right on.

14) The M’s – Chicago band. Hooray. Very solid performance. Good crowd at one of the smaller stages.

13) Iron & Wine – Definitely the best beard of all the artists… although Tweedy’s was fresh to death. When the crowd wasn’t chattering too much, Sam sounded great.

12) Andy Bird – Chicago guy. Hooray. This is my third time seeing the Bird man. He is incredible live, accompanied only by percussionist Martin Dosh, Bird records and loops everything, building his songs up from nothing. It is quite a show.

11) Common – Chicago MC. Hooray. Always fly, very dynamic on stage. Did “The Light” which was cool.
10) The Redwalls – Chicago suburbs. Hooray. Looking hip as ever, The Redwalls’ set was split evenly between old and new tracks, with the new ones sounding quite nice. At one point in the show one of the brothers said (in a sort of Brit accent) “We’re gonna be gone for a while. We’re going to Sweden to make our new record.” I laughed out loud.

The rest tomorrow or the next day...

(pictures from www.chicagotribune.com)

Happy Summer / (Illinois State) Bar is Over...

A very merry Summer
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear (of failing the Bar Exam)

And so this is Summer
And what have we done (took the Bar Exam)
Another test over
And a new job just begun (well, in the Fall)

And so this is Summer
I hope I have fun (in the six weeks of free time before I start my J-O-B)
With the near and the dear ones
The old and the young

A very merry Summer
So let's drink some beer
Let's hope we have good times
Without any fear (of failing the Bar Exam)

Bar is over over
We just took it (in the A.)
Bar is over

Bar is over
We just took it (in the A.)
Bar is over...

Baaaaaaaaaarrr iiiiiiiisss oooooooooooo-verrr...

A Parting Shot and Mantra Considerations

Dearest friends and readers:

Just wanted to let you loyal few know that I'm shutting down DDCD for the time being so that I can study for and pass the Illinois State bar exam. I, in advance, appreciate your collective understanding.
I leave you with this statement I came across today while reading TimeOut Chicago:

"Be disciplined in your life so that you can be violent and orginal in your art."

I don't know the originator of this command. It was printed on a shirt donned by Chicago MC Rhymefest (pictured). I'm seriously thinking of taking it up as a personal mantra. I like the idea of having a mantra, so I think I'll have one. I think this will be it.

Do you have a mantra? What is it? Are mantras (conceptually) ill or are they totally wac? Are mantras pulled from some rapper's t-shirt the waccest?

Goodbye to all of you, all 5-ish give or take of you, see you again in a cupla weeks... with thoughts and photos regarding and relating to, the test, life in Bucktown (and perhaps some tracking(with Michael's permission) of new roommate Tim), Lollapalooza, 2 trips to Missouri in 3 weeks, and 2 weeks in California with a good good friend.

Stay Focused,
Dinner