Going on Vacation (In Chicago)

I am taking a week of vacation starting Saturday to stay in Chicago and go to shows. Yes, there is actually a show I am going to every night (and some days) for one whole week. I get to go to almost all my favorite Chicago venues, and some that I really hate (i'm not naming names). However, there is some sort of fun tax being imposed upon me by the city of Chicago; I have to report for jury duty in Rolling Meadows at 9:00 am Friday, and work afterwards. As you can see, I am still awake per my normal sleep cycle at 3:33 am. I have to "wake up" in 3 hours.

I'm going to do my best to post about every show, the schedule looks something like this:

Saturday May 31: Do Division with Mucca Pazza, Breeders @ Metro
Sunday June 1: Do Division with Tully Monster, Ted Leo & More!, Johnny & the Limelites, the Spits @ Beat Kitchen
Monday June 2: Islands @ Logan Square, Baby Alright @ Sonotheque (looking for someone to come with me this evening!)
Tuesday June 3: Nels Cline Singers @ Martyrs
Wednesday June 4: Jamie Lidell @ Abbey Pub
Thursday June 5: Old 97s at Metro
Friday June 6: MAYBE R.E.M., Modest Mouse, the National @ United Center
Saturday June 7: Detholz!, Baby Teeth, Danny Black @ Hideout, with DJ Bobby Conn dance party to follow!
Sunday June 8: the M's, Centro-matic @ Schubas

The New Weezer Single/Video

OMGWTF I kinda like this!!!

Beardo of the Week

Sesame Street's Bert as Beardo! Dude, I would totally go out with him. Isn't that a great look for him? So one day Ernie was painting Bert's portrait and somehow made him into a beardo (Ernie's longing for Bert to be a bear?). Bert of course gets pissed so Ernie somehow makes Bert look just like the portrait! It's on the Sesame Street Video site, Grover's introduction about it being in beta is adorable.

Emmett Otter Bound for the Stage and Muppets Etc.

I'm not sure how a live action otter puppet musical is really going to work, but Paul Williams is involved. I've yet to hear his Happy Days musical. That Muppet Central site is pretty cool, the news about the Sarah Marshall guy writing the next Muppet Movie is pretty interesting. For further Muppet information, get lost in the Muppet Wiki. Finally, we have The Muppet Show Season 3 in stock. The first two are great of course, but it gets really super awesome with this one. I've just started disc 2 but there's already a few standouts: Gilda Radner paired with a giant carrot doing songs from Pirates of Penzance, Alice Cooper's "School's Out" with giant monster choreography, and Loretta Lynn's appearance taking place in a train station instead of the usual theatre.

Planet Earth Is Back!

Melissa and I will be womaning a table at the new Planet Earth at Subterranean this Saturday! I'm very excited since it had been a while since I went to Neo for the Thursday nights, but how can you lose with a Saturday night of dancing close to home?

Check it out! Buy tix in advance for $5!

Bonus video: (Is Simon LeBon wearing knickers?)

Why no child is safe from the sinister cult of emo

Wow, I thought this sort of media idiocy was rampant only in the US. I actually went to a My Chemical Romance concert and didn't even want to kill myself. Hannah Montana is more likely to cause that.

Beardo of the Week

Devendra Banhart! Dude is dating Queen Amadala. Yeah, that last record was okay. I just want to go to a party with them.

BubeTube #3 - Salute to the Golden Age of Silver Screen Music Videos of Platinum Caliber!

1. El Debarge - "Who's Johnny?" - Short Circuit
I'm starting out strong with this one. Amazing interaction between the stars of the film and El Debarge. Even the robot Johnny 5 makes an appearance, as does a cardboard Steve Guttenberg. THUMBS UP!

2. Peter Cetera - "The Glory Of Love" - The Karate Kid Part 2
Does anyone remember the song from the first Karate Kid? I doubt it. Peter Cetera really gives his all in this slow dance favorite of the mid 80s. Nearly all of his solo hits after this sounded EXACTLY THE SAME but they don't remind of us cute lil' Ralph Macchio and a sexy tea ceremony. 4 and a half stars!!

3. Phil Collins - "Against All Odds" - Against All Odds
This one hits the ground running by morphing Phil's mouth with a movie prop. He had a whole lot of "great" movie hits but this one just has legs of its own. A++!! (bonus for weird neon set pieces)

4. Kenny Loggins - "Footloose" - Footloose
This was a tough choice, as most of Kenny's great hits are from movies: Top Gun, Caddyshack, Over The Top, uh, Caddyshack 2... none of those have Kevin Bacon cuttin' a rug though! 5 Degrees of Kevin Bacon!!! Kenny Loggins gets a lifetime achievement award!!

5. Ray Parker, Jr - "Ghostbusters" - Ghostbusters
Aw hell yeah! This one is classic for so many reasons: Neon set pieces, acting of the lyrics, movie scenes popping up in weird shapes and (drum roll please) random celebrity lip synching of the word "Ghostbusters!" John Candy! George Wendt! Al Franken! Then the finale... Ray and the Ghostbusters dancing through Times Square! Green Slime Covered Two Thumbs Up!!

6. Billy Ocean - "When the Going Gets Tough the Tough Get Going" - Jewel of the Nile
Okay, this one is not that great until they work the stars of the film into Billy's already large band (THREE SAX PLAYERS?!). Who would have thunk Michael Douglas, Danny Devito and Kathleen Turner could learn such complex choreography?! B-.

7. Soul Asylum - "Can't Even Tell" - Clerks
This is probably the last of the golden era of movie music videos. Nice job getting it in under the wire Kevin Smith. Certainly the only one with a 90s alt-rock star huffing Easy Cheez. This should have been a hit! 37 STARS!!!! In a row?!

8. Cyndi Lauper - "Goonies 'R' Good Enough" - Goonies
Oh WTF. Somehow Cyndi brings the WWF and the Goonies together for a long form music video. Too bad the song is lackluster and forgettable. Thumbs DOWN. Please don't try and watch the whole thing. I mean it.

9. Philip Oakley and Giorgio Moroder - "Together in Electric Dreams" - Electric Dreams
I'll admit I have never seen this movie, but you can pretty much pick up on the plot from the video. I love the song though, because how can you lose with the dude from Human League and electrowhiz Moroder (who is apparently the boss of the radio station in the video). 4 Bytes!!

10. Limahl - "The NeverEnding Story" - The NeverEnding Story
Wow, Limah's vocals are pretty terrible. Who's the chick singing with him? Is he completely stoned? Is this movie as terrible looking as this low rez you tube video has me believe it is? I saw it on cable once as a kid. I think I hated it. F--.

11. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - "If You Leave" - Pretty In Pink
The quintessential 80s movie song? You do know original ending has her getting together with Duckie and dancing to David Bowie's Heroes, right? Oh well, this is a winner despite. 5 Popcorn Boxes!!

12. Simple Minds - "Don't You Forget About Me" - The Breakfast Club
Okay, the second of a one-two punch from John Hughes, not quite as great as the OMD though. 2 Popcorn Boxes.

13. Paul Westerberg - "Dyslexic Heart" - Singles
This is a great song, and the tying in of the movie bits to the song is handled in an inimitable 90s manner. Everything about the 90s looked like this video. B-.

14. David Bowie - "Underground" - Labyrinth
I don't know why, but I place this song in the upper echelon of Bowie songs. The video is very well made. GOLDEN GLOBE WINNER!!!!

15. Starship - "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" - Mannequin
Weird Neon Set Pieces? Check. Band performance incorporates movie theme? Check. All the best scenes from a terrible film? You got it!! Song you can't help but sing along to? Hell Yeah!! KEYTAR!?!? How did this song NOT get an Oscar!? It was nominated!! Oh. That Dirty Dancing Song won instead. BOOOOOOOOOO! Techincal Achievement Award.

16. Bryan Adams - "Everything I Do" - Robin Hood Prince of Thieves
A rare 90's entry to my chart. Not so hot, I mean, how did they get power out in the forest for all those electrical instruments? Also, showing scenes of people conversing does NOT a good montage make. If Robin Hood stole this from the rich he should give it back. IT STINKS!

17. Madonna - "Get Into The Groove" - Desperately Seeking Susan
Yeah!! Madonna at her cutest, playing pretty much herself in a really dumb movie involving amnesia and mistaken identity. Points for inspiring so many custom video makers on YouTube by trying to get as much lyric narration from actual movie scenes. C+ though for completely lacking original footage.

18. Irene Cara - "What A Feeling" - Flashdance
MORE-oder here. Yuk yuk. This pretty much mirrors the last entry with no use of original footage, but this is such an undeniable song that I couldn't deny it. Plus once in high school I got really wasted and put this song on repeat and sang and danced in the yard of someone's house one nite. 2 and a half cut off sweatshirts!

19. Bangles - "Hazy Shade Of Winter" - Less Than Zero
Surprisingly competent cover performed on a stage full of monitors showing footage. The late 80s were lazy. I give it a thumbs sideways.

AND THE OSCAR GOES TO:

20. Huey Lewis and the News - "The Power of Love" - Back to the Future
This is without a doubt the finest example of the Golden Age of Movie Music Videos. There's no actual movie footage, but they didn't need it. What living person didn't see that movie the week it came out? You do get a weird crossing of the forth wall and appearance by two of the films stars which is way cooler.

What The Hell this new Portishead is the tops!

My memories of Portishead were pretty much as the Barry White of indie rock. When someone wanted to "borrow your Portishead" CD in the past you knew what was going down. I don't think many people will be getting it on to this one. Last night I could not stop listening to it over and over again. It is weird and uncomfortable, maybe a little itchy, but then you just don't want it to leave. Seriously, I recommend this to anyone. Soccer Moms! Too cool people! My bus driver! That tiny Boston Terrier Puppy that chewed on Melissa's chin last week! You will all LOVE THIS.