Second, I want to thank the person/committee for making the decision to serve 24 ounce beers. I also want to thank the person/committee for the continuation of the wonderful festival food/beverages. Once again, Boomerang's Pies, Vespaio Ristorante/Enoteca Vespaio, Wahoo's Fish Taco, and Sweet Leaf Tea provided the tasty energy needed to enjoy the festival. The quality of the food is unbelievable.

Third, I don't want to talk about the port a potties, except to say thanks to those who smoked weed in all the port a potties I used because it masked smell and I never needed to use my gag reflex training. However, I have been thinking I need some way to shield my eyes when I first enter a port a potty (thankfully, the night terrors have finally stopped). It is beyond disturbing how quickly they can become disgusting, and how unfair it is for female attendees. We don't live like this at home (or maybe some do) so why is it okay at the festival. 

Fourth, my backpack system and its contents (see earlier post) worked very well. We had everything we needed for the three days of the festival. The only downer occurred on Sunday morning when security took my spray sun tan lotion. It was on the list of prohibited items (no Metal aerosol containers, including sunscreen), I should have known better. Lastly, our special festival chair/canopy system worked flawlessly. A ton of people came up to ask where we got the chairs and canopy. Because the chair/canopy has proven so effective in providing shade/reducing the temperature, and is of such interest to so many festival attendees, I plan to post a short/simple video or two in the near future to show how to create the chair.

Fifth, the music was great, we just didn't like having to choose between two, sometimes three great bands. We hate splitting sets, so selecting a band came down to which artist comes to Austin the least, and that is the one to go see/hear. For example, we went to Eli "Paperboy" Reed instead of Sharon Jones. I wanted to hear both, but we will wait to see Sharon Jones when she and the band returns to Austin in the future. I heard her set at the festival was great. I just wish bands of a similar genre of music would not be scheduled opposite each other. Lastly, enough with inviting British soul/R&B divas who don't show-up. Joss Stone is the only one to deliver the goods (I love her for showing-up).

Here is a list of the bands we heard:

Friday - Dan Dyer, Asleep at the Wheel, What Made Milwaukee Famous, Vampire Weekend (along with 80% of festival attendees - man that was a crowded stage), Jamie Lidell, Patty Griffin (only parts) Hot Chips, N.E.R.D (only parts), Swell Season, and Donavan Frankenreiter (only parts).

Saturday - Langhorn Slim, The Fratellis, Band of Heathens, Eli "Paperboy" Reed, Les Freres Guisse, Robert Earl Keen (only part), MGMT, John Fogerty, and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss.

Sunday - Belleville Outfit, Octopus Project (only part), Mike Farris, Joe Bonamassa, Heartless Bastards, Gnarls Barkley (only part), and Band of Horses.

Favs - Jamie Lidell, Hot Chips, Langhorn Slim, The Fratellis, Eli "Paperboy" Reed, John Fogerty, Belleville Outfit, Mike Farris, and Joe Bonamassa.

We would have liked to have heard - Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (opposite Eli "Paperboy" Reed) and Galactic (20 minutes late starting the set).

We heard M Ward had a great set.

Sunday after show (not ACL related) - The Gourds at Threadgill's World Headquarters - This was a great show, and a wonderful way to end the weekend.

Final Words - Fun was had by all and we are looking forward to next year's 2009 ACL Music Festival... did I mention that we have already bought tickets...

If you attended the festival, I hope your experience was as good as ours, and if you didn't attend, think about 2009, you'll have a great time.

As always, comments are welcome...

WMMF

I'm really excited because I get to see WMMF in concert this Thursday night for FREE! Paste Magazine subscribers got invited to an RSVP only free Pre ACL concert that has some great bands playing. We choose not to go to ACL this year (too expensive!) so it's great to know that we will still see some fantastic live music! It should be pretty funny to see us there since the doors open at 9pm which means the show is going to go LATE and we are not night owls by any stretch of the imagination! But hey, everyone needs a fun late nights a couple times a year and this seems to fit the bill. :)

Lollapalooza 2008 in Chicago, IL has come to an end and while this post is a few weeks late, it's good to reminisce upon what happened. I'm going to review the groups that I saw entire sets of, as well as groups I photographed. A few photos have been placed in this post. You can also view selected photos of my experience at the festival here.

Day 1:

We started out the festival with Manchester Orchestra, whom I'd seen in concert twice before and thoroughly enjoyed their music. Unfortunately, the singer's voice was completely shot. Every high note turned into a blood curdling scream which was nearly the opposite of the band's sound. While it was a poor way to start out the festival, it was good to see that they are still around. 

We wandered around for a while then took a seat waiting for Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco)'s acoustic set to begin. We were more or less 10 feet from him and he played the show looking like hell as usual. He sang from the ground amongst a crowd of small children (the show was on the Kidzapalooza stage) who clearly were there with parents that enjoyed Wilco. He asked the kids for requests who would repeat whatever their parents wanted to hear and played with the same slight tinge of rock 'n roll arrogance that makes him so unique. The show was short but great. I had prime seating so vision wasn't an issue but even the spectators two rows back couldn't see anything at all.

Next up was The Black Keys. I'm not their biggest fan but I do appreciate their music and I felt that they put on a great show. I don't know much about them but they were energetic, funny, and engaging and played the dirty, dirty, rock 'n roll roots-blues like it ought to have been played.

At some point during Day 1 we saw a relatively disappointing performance from Mates of State. For any Wes Anderson fans out there, this was THE show to see of the weekend (next to DeVotchKa) and unfortunately sound technical issues made their set somewhat painful to sit through. 

The second to last act we saw of the day was Bloc Party who put on a great show musically and technically but just looked absolutely exhausted. Others in the audience noticed this too; it just looked like the band needed to eat a few sandwiches and take a long, long nap.

The final show of the evening was Radiohead who put on quite a phenomenal show as usual. For level of Radiohead fan, the setlist was sure to please as they played the majority of their hits, most of the new record In Rainbows, and a few rarities as well. A great way to end the first day.

Day 2:

We woke up especially early to make it down to Grant Park to see the group Does It Offend You, Yeah? While they had a fairly small drawing, they were one of the more fun bands of the weekend. Their crazy mismatched sound mixed with slightly raunchy lyrics made for a very entertaining show.

Next up was Dr. Dog, one of my favorites hailing from my future home in Philadelphia, PA. Their set was quite good and they played the majority of their hits. The show was both entertaining to watch and fun to listen to as the band stomped around stage and screamed out their lo-fi sound. I caught wind of an unfortunate rumor that one of their singers had contracted a throat illness and could not sing many of their songs which is why several big tunes were left out.

Dr. Dog had played at the same time as Mason Jennings, another show I wish I could have seen (I heard, from several people, that his set was quite great) so I went to see Mason play on the Kidzapalooza stage. It was good to see him up close and in a more intimate setting, however it was very apparent that he was tired and didn't want to be playing that show. Other than that, he sounded great.

We sprinted across the park to see the final few songs of the amazing Colorado group, DeVotchKa (who put on an incredible show) then saw the entire set of Explosions in the Sky. I'd seen Explosions before and was absolutely amazed by them and yet again, I was not let down. Their raw energy and focus while on the stage make for one of the best shows you can see today. They seldom speak to the audience but there is no need as their music makes up for the lack of words.

We took a few hour's refuge in the shade and went to see Wilco that night which was another great show. This was my fourth Wilco show and probably my least favorite, however they were under time constraints and pressure to play bigger hits. They entered the stage wearing Sgt. Pepper/Mariachi costumes which were a huge hit with the crowd. Not only were they still entertaining and funny as usual, but they revealed a new song which has yet to have a title. They only referred to it as a "WIP" or work-in-progress.

Day 3:

We started out the day with Kid Sister, an amazing Chicago local rapper who is rumored to be dating Kanye West. Her incredible lyrics and stage presence complemented the great dancers she brought on stage with her. It goes without saying that her DJs were incredible.

Next up was What Made Milwaukee Famous who, while a great band musically, just couldn't keep the crowd engaged in their show. Brazilian Girls was next followed by Chromeo who together put on two of my favorite shows of the weekend. Brazilian Girl's sex appeal was unleashed upon the dancing crowd and Chromeo's raw 80's beats made everyone groove. 

We stuck around for the first 5 songs of Girl Talk and left when people started getting naked and climbing trees. It was a fun show to watch from afar but was overcrowded and way too crazy. In the afternoon we hung out and listened to Flosstradamus spin some records then saw the beginnings of both Kanye West and Nine Inch Nails in the evening. 

Another year at Lollapalooza has come and gone and we had a blast to say the very least. Thanks to Chicago and everyone who helped in any way to help make Lollapalooza such a very special experience. Please remember to look at the rest of my photographs here. Thank you for reading.

-Alex

What Made Milwaukee Famous

Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears

@

Phoenix Hill Tavern (32nd Anniversary Week), 8/5. I've publicly not been the biggest fan of PHT, but you have to hand it to them, every once in a while they bring in some great music (Dr. Dog -pre Fate-, British Sea Power...). Also, I can't leave out the Velcro Pygmies shows there, a must see event.

$5 in advance or $8 at the door (you can pick'em up at ear x-tacy for $1 extra)

WMMF- Resistance St.

Black Joe Lewis- Gunpowder

The Tings Tings at The Bluebird

This electro pop duo are making all kinds of headlines with their catchy beats.

Ted Nugent at The Pageant

Simply just because he's awesome and had two reality tv shows on Vh1 (one featuring Tila Tequila).

What Made Milwaukee Famous at Off Broadway

Originally named Beer, this rock band knows how to bring it!

More weekend updates after the click!

On August 1st you can check out

Boys II Men Live at The Levee

What more could you ask for but smooth R&B harmonies?

August 2nd be sure to check out

Harry & The Potters at The Bluebird

I love them because last time I saw them, Harry Potter 7 gave me a hug and Harry Potter 4 told me I had a cool name.

August 3rd

Check out William Sides Atari Party at The Bluebird

Crazy fun 8-bit video game rock samples? Yes!

[audio http://sq.txdnl.com/mwt/t/o/e/t/toetaps/playlists/187020/1673631.mp3]William Sides Atari Party - Project Horizon [MP3]

Sugarhill is a studio in Houston, Texas. I've actually recorded there (although the material was never finished) in a band with one of the engineers, the music of which (not coincidentally) appears at the beginning of the session tracks available on their MySpace. Past sessions include M. Ward and Howe Gelb.

I'll just edit this post if I ever find an online archive of the WMMF session. If you haven't listened to "What Doesn't Kill Us," you should just go out and buy it now. Definitely one of the best albums of the year.

To download, click on the link, and on the resultant page scroll down just a bit until you can click on the orange Download Now button. Scroll down on that next page until you see "Your download should begin shortly. If it does not, try Download file now." It never begins without me clicking on that link. Have fun!

American Music Club ~ All Lost Souls Welcome You to San Francisco
Band of Horses ~ No One's Gonna Love You
Basia Bulat ~ In the Night
Benji Hughes ~ So Well
Benji Hughes ~ You Stood Me Up
Benji Hughes ~ Why Do These Parties Always End Up the Same Way?
Benji Hughes ~ The Mummy
Benji Hughes ~ I Went with Some Friends to See the Flaming Lips
Bodies of Water ~ I Guess I’ll Forget The Sound, I Guess, I Guess
Bowerbirds ~ In Our Talons
Brazos ~ Mary Jo
Dirty on Purpose ~ Mind Blindness
Dr. Dog ~ The Ark
Dr. Dog ~ The Old Days
Fleet Foxes ~ White Water Hymnal
Howlin’ Rain ~ Dancers at the End of Time
Iron & Wine ~ Innocent Bones
James Hunter ~ Jacqueline
Jens Lekman ~ The Opposite Of Hallelujah
Jens Lekman ~ Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo
Jim White ~ Crash into the Sun
Kaki King ~ Two O’Clock
Ladytron ~ Black Cat
Lykke Li ~ Dance Dance Dance
Man Man ~ Top Drawer
Mates of State ~ My Only Offer
Mike Doughty ~ 27 Jennifers
Mike Doughty ~ I Just Want the Girl in the Blue Dress
Morning Benders ~ Crosseyed
Mudhoney ~ I'm Now
Mudhoney ~ In 'n' Out of Grace
My Brightest Diamond ~ Inside a Boy
My Morning Jacket ~ Evil Urges
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds ~ Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
Nina Simone ~ Revolution
No Age ~ Eraser
Oxford Collapse ~ The Birthday Wars
Port O'Brien ~ I Woke Up Today
Ra Ra Riot ~ Dying Is Fine
Saul Williams ~ Sunday Bloody Sunday
Saul Williams ~ World on Wheels
Science for Girls ~ Northern Lights
She & Him ~ Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?
Shearwater ~ Leviathan, Bound
Shearwater ~ Rooks
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin ~ Think I Wanna Die
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks ~ Baltimore
The Acorn ~ Crooked Legs
The Acorn ~ The Flood, Pt 1
The Breeders ~ Bang On
The Dandy Warhols ~ The World The People Together (Come On)
The Dodos ~ Fools
The Dodos ~ Jodi
The Dutchess & the Duke ~ Reservoir Park
The Mountain Goats ~ Sax Rohmer #1
The Republic Tigers ~ Buildings and Mountains
The Whigs ~ Right Hand on my Heart
Tilly and the Wall ~ The Freest Man
Tilly and the Wall ~ Cacophony
Tokyo Police Club ~ In A Cave
What Made Milwaukee Famous ~ Resistance Street
White Hinterland ~ Dreaming of the Plum Trees
Wolf Parade ~ Call It a Ritual
Wolf Parade ~ Language City

If you own a copyright and would like your mistakenly posted song to be removed, or if one of the links is not working, please contact Stella Splice.

The cool thing about watching Television on DVD is that you can skip all the annoying parts, especially the recap of the previous episode that is attached to the beginning of each show. The beginning of this article is akin to one of those annoying recaps – tailor-made for those of you just now tuning in. Anyone who is a longtime fan can fast-forward through the first few paragraphs.

What Made Milwaukee Famous was formed in Austin, TX in 2003. Named for the song originally made famous by Jerry Lee Lewis about Schlitz Beer, the original line-up included Michael Kincaid (vocals, guitar), John Farmer (bass), Drew Patrizi (keys and guitar), and Josh Vernier (drummer) who would later be replaced by Jeremy Burch. The foursome spent two years playing locally and experimenting with their sound – a contemporary blend of alt-rock and synth-pop.  Their varied style dabbles in radio friendly choruses, but also explored the classic loud-quiet-loud song structures that have earned Kincaid many Jeff Buckley comparisons.

As the story goes, their lucky break came when Josh Rosenfeld of Seattle's Barsuk Records saw them at South by Southwest. This led to a slew of opportunities that led to many more. Their connection with Rosenfeld led to their opening for Arcade Fire during a warn-up show for ACL which led to them being in the right place at the right time when a spot opened up during the Austin City Limits Music Festival. After they signed to a management deal, they became the first band without a record label to play the Austin City Limits television show. Barsuk later signed them and re-released their self-released 2004 album Never Trying to Catch Up in 2006. When the album was released they became the darlings of the blogosphere and played Lollapalooza. It’s a scenario that every band dreams of, but one that rarely actually happens.

The band added guitarist Jason Davis last year as they began working on their follow-up disc, What Doesn’t Kill Us, which was released in March, again on Barsuk. Produced by the band and Sparklehorse guitarist Chris Michaels, the new album delves into a more contemplative and less happy-go-lucky side of the band, which makes sense considering the title. However, WMMF is certainly not afraid to hop, skip and jump across the indie-rock tapestry. The music is still varied in style and tone and Kinciad’s voice feels just as authentic enveloped in sing-along choruses as it does when wrapped in epic, heart-wrenching pain. The music can be earnest and thoughtful, but overall WMMF manages to not fall into the sad sap category of music that label mates Death Cab for Cutie have opted for on their latest endeavor. Instead WMMF have sprinkled the new disc with enough lighthearted fair for the listener to understand that just because you’ve have a bad day, it doesn’t mean it’s time to give up. Let’s not forget the second half of the well-known cliché is the “makes us stronger” part.

WMMF have already been on tour for most of the year, landing not only across the nation in mid-sized indie rock halls, but also at Washington’s Sasquatch and Tennessee’s Bonnaroo. They’ll continue touring through the end of the summer which will include a stop at Lollapalooza and they’ll end their tour with where it all started at Austin City Limits Music Festival. . If there was any band on the scene today that deserves the title “almost famous,” it would be hard to argue that band is not WMMF.

-Rachel

1. "peace, love and happiness"- g.love & special sauce: think jack johnson's laidback surf sound with a reggae/rap twist and lots of harmonica. my idea of the quintessential summer band.
2. "something good this way comes"- jakob dylan: the son of bob came out with his first solo album earlier this month. sounds like the wallflowers (he used to be the frontman), but with a simpler, more acoustic sound.
3. "out of my system"- jamie lidell: ladies, get ready to melt. amos lee's voice + marc broussard's music = jamie lidell.
4. "the widow"- the mars volta: it's like the raconteurs with less yelling. personally, i'm not a huge fan, but i know alot of musicians that are, so it's worth a listen. and i think they'd put on a pretty interesting live show.
5. "get better"- mates of state: an edgier, rockier belle and sebastian or camera obscura...which is still pretty light.
6. "sultan"- what made milwaukee famous: this is vampire weekend with a more mature sound. maybe even a little spoon-y. easy on the ears, but not boring. i'm a fan.

who i'm dying to see: jenny lewis, m. ward, n.e.r.d., vampire weekend

other big names: donavon frankenreiter, gogol bordello, hot chip, manu chao, patty griffin

Before last night I had never been to the Electric Factory and had always wanted to go. It certainly is a cool place, yet the pat down before the entry was a bit intimidating. My father and my friend's father decided it would be fun to go to the WXPN sponsored noncommvention, a show with 5 acts: Yoav, Alejandro Escovedo, Kathleen Edwards, Jakob Dylan, and What Made Milwaukee Famous. I am not a huge fan of any of these acts, but I am always up for a show. It turned out to be a lovely outing, aside from the horrible crowd. They say doctors make the worst patients, and I think its safe to say that radio people make the worst crowds. The people hardly paid any attention to the acts and were drifting in and out of the main area as they pleased, carrying on conversations throughout. Alejandro Escovedo even showed some hints of his own annoyance: "Thank you all for politely clapping."

Yoav: The first act, Yoav, I had never heard of before. He had a very interesting style, similar to that of Keller Willams and Andrew Bird, in that he would live loop and play over himself. He used the same formula for pretty much every song, so it got to be a bit repetitive, but still in all, it was interesting. He would create drum beats using his guitar, which sounded amazing. It was hard to believe that these beats could come from a simple acoustic guitar. Then he would pluck some strings seemingly randomly for effect, and it would all be looped together. Then he would play a normal acoustic guitar over it all.  Aside from his pretty typical vocal delivery, it was a rather unique sound, some combination of afro beat, a techno feel created by his quick fingerpicking, and follk.

Alejandro Escovedo: I had seen him once before this show, at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 6 in San Francisco, and like last time, this time he did not displease. Alejandro Escovedo has a very unique sound that blends together some of my favorite styles of music. It is almost an amalgamation of noise rock, post rock (in some ways resembling a very brief but similar style to Godspeed You Black Emperor!) and Americana. He is very energetic as is the whole band. Equipped with a Cellist, Violinist, Bassist, Drummer, and Guitarist, the band creates a very powerful sound and I was very pleased by his performance.

Kathleen Edwards: Never heard her before, heard good reviews of her recent album. She has a pleasant voice, and her friend on guitar and keyboard accompaniment lent a cool sound. Nothing really stood out, maybe a backing band would have done more service to her. I did, however, enjoy her lecture on hockey, her being as staunch Canadian, and wondered if she was as pissed as I was about missing Game 4 of the Stanley Finals.

Jakob Dylan: We all know him as the guy from the Wallflowers and one of the few people on earth who can actually say "Do you know who my father is!?" and get people to back off, but the guy is actually very talented. He played some lovely songs, but my only complaint was the lack of variety in tempo and style. He ended with a wallflowers tune, I'm not sure which, but it was a good set.

What Made Milwaukee Famous: Cool poppy alt-country to the likes of Old 97's. The lead singer liked to talk. I enjoyed the song with Kathleen Edwards. Left before their set ended.

Overall a good night.

Starting August 1-3 in Grant Park Chicago this musical, cultural community experience is a one of a kind sensory blowing must see adventure. Grant Park takes the center stage to host this massive event and provides the perfect atmosphere for this music extravaganza.

Due to the massiveness of this event tickets go fast and rooms go faster so its best to book early. I took the privilige of checking out a few places to recommend because lets face it, you were probably going to procrastinate, not get a room and end up sleeping in the Clarence Buckingham Fountain in the middle of grant Park. So without further hubba-baloo heres some good stays.

Hotel Allegro and a special deal (I love deals, especially during popular events)!
Price: $182 per night discounted from $260 for July 31st-August 3rd (sweet)
The Allegro is located a convenient 0.8 miles from Grant Park which is perfect for concert going and not having to deal with a the parking mess. A cheap cab ride or a brisk walk (or stumble) will get you where you need to be happily and safely.

Hotel Specs:
The lobby displays theatrical influences with bursts of ruby-red, burnt-orange and forest-green hues offset by granite grays and ocean blues underfoot. A baby grand piano is positioned next to a double-sided fireplace that anchors the lobby's three-story staircase. The hotel's 312 Chicago restaurant captures Old World charm with a menu dominated by family recipes that enrich contemporary Italian flavors. Encore is a lunch venue by day, but transforms into a liquid lounge with two bars by night. Cameo serves coffee, pastries and fresh fruit. The hotel hosts complimentary wine receptions every evening. Art Deco fixtures and oversized windows add interest to the hotel's 14,000 square feet of function space. Wireless Internet access is complimentary throughout the hotel.

Guest rooms:
The 19-story Hotel Allegro Chicago offers 483 contemporary guestrooms decorated in royal blue, mocha-brown and silver-gray tones. Lights cast star-patterned shadows against sky-blue ceilings. Rooms include complimentary wireless Internet access, flat-screen televisions and MP3 adaptors. Bed design includes pillowtop mattresses draped with 300-thread count linens and white duvets. Suites boast jetted bathtubs and zebra-print bathrobes. Honor bars are fully stocked. The hotel offers yoga baskets upon request, and the Kimpton yoga channel broadcasts guided yoga sessions.

As an added little bonus, here is the 2008 line-up for you to take a gander at. And yes, its a big one!

Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, Nine Inch Nails, Kanye West, Wilco, The Raconteurs, Louis XIV, Love and Rockets, Gnarls Barkley, Bloc Party, The Black Keys, Broken Social Scene, Lupe Fiasco, Flogging Molly, Mark Ronson, Cat Power, The National, G. Love & Special Sauce, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Explosions in the Sky, Brand New, Gogol Bordello, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Dierks Bentley, Okkervil River, Amadou & Mariam, Blues Traveler, John Butler Trio, Girl Talk, Your Vegas, CSS, Eli "Paperboy" Reed & the True Loves, Battles, Steel Train, Jamie Lidell, Bang Camaro, Butch Walker, The Blakes, Mates of State, Tally Hall, Spank Rock, White Lies, Brazilian Girls, Magic Wands, Chromeo, Electric Touch, Duffy, Innerpartysystem, The Kills, The Postelles, Rogue Wave, The Parlor Mob, The Go! Team, Bald Eagle, Mason Jennings, Krista, The Gutter Twins, Ha Ha Tonka, Yeasayer, Witchcraft, Grizzly Bear, We Go To 11, MGMT, Sofia Talvik ,The Weakerthans, Booka Shade, Santogold, Black Kids, Black Lips, Dr. Dog, Nicole Atkins & the Sea, The Ting Tings, Kid Sister, Office, The Cool Kids, What Made Milwaukee Famous, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, The Whigs, Manchester Orchestra, Foals, Uffie, The Octopus Project, Cadence Weapon, Ferras, De Novo Dahl, Noah and the Whale, Margot & the Nuclear So and So's, K'NAAN, Serena Ryder, Newton Faulkner

Impressions: If Depeche Mode waged war on New Order and Dave Gahan and Bernarnd Sumner were killed in the melee and John McCrea inexplicably agreed to front the remaining uninjured members they would be She Wants Revenge...Far less actual synth was used, ohhh I love technology, but not as much as you, you see...Small but spirited crowd. Also caught a little of Be your own Pet. The post-synth shoegazing, knee-bouncer set wasn't quite ready for a full-on punk assault. Pet's pretty tame per youtube compared to the raw, explosive performance I saw. Sounding like a slightly less stable X, who is touring right now with Detroit Cobras, they blew the place up. There were few survivors, so the Billy Idol-topped pixie lead singer tossed her mike, and left in disgust. Made me we want to fling a booger toward the stage. Sorry to wax on and on, here's the list a mix of CD, Ipod and radio from last night through this morning's commute...

Sultan - What Made Milwaukee Famous

Don't get the title, but somebody's trying to get some radio play.

The Warrior - Scandal

I think Rod Argent wrote this weird-ass song that somehow got really popular... bang bang

Come as you are - Nirvana

Is it just me, or are they starting to get more air play? I think Grunge is the next new retrorock. Hell, The Toadies are touring again.

Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams

Music is my hot, hot sex - CSS

I Hate it here - Wilco

Love this song.

Take a minute to view this very short clip. The accompanying song is Hopelist by What Made Milwaukee Famous, who have just recently released their second album What Doesn't Kill Us earlier this month. And you will feel like floating too :)

If you would like to watch more artsy-schmartsy-cutesy videos like this, point your browser to zune arts' very cool website and enjoy the parade of wacky characters starring in various interesting short films. WMMF is one of many featured musicians on the site, as well as others such as Mates of State, Viva Voce and Bitter:Sweet, to name a few.

Also, they have a delightful selection of downloadable content, and the text design makes use of lower case letters (as some of you might already know, I dislike caps with a passion! I insist that they only be used accordingly, and NEVER EVER LIKE THIS!) so I am really loving zune arts' layout. This clean, minimalistic and creative site is definitely worth checking out.

- Beim Word-Magazine spielen sie schon wieder das iPod-Randomizer-Spiel - die ersten fünf Shuffle-Tracks des iPods, und Bescheißen is' nich. Hier die Listen, hier meine fünf von grade eben: Chris Barron - Providence, Southerly - Young William Snow, Dave Matthews Band - Still Water -> Don't Drink The Water (live), Paperlung - Beating Hearts, Joseph Arthur - Chapter 1.

- Intro weiß mehr über das für September erwartete neue Album von Ben Folds.

- Alabama 3 covern Joy Division: Love Will Tear Us Apart. (mp3)

[audio http://www.indian.co.uk/alabama3/Love_Will_Tear_Us_Apart.mp3]

- Und gleich noch ein Cover: What Made Milwaukee Famous covern You May Be Right von Billy Joel (mp3)

[audio http://download.stereogum.com/mp3/What%20Made%20Milwaukee%20Famous%20-%20You%20May%20Be%20Right.mp3]

- Frustratingly ordinary: Pitchfork renzensiert das neue Madonna-Album "Hard Candy"

- Meine neue Lieblings-Soap geht in die vierte Runde: das Mon)tag-Studiotagebuch:

Recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers

Jim DeRogatis of the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that all of the following artists are confirmed for Lollapalooza this year in Chicago's Grant Park. It looks like it's going to be another fun weekend up in Chicago this August. $190 tickets are on sale right now for a limited time at www.lollapalooza.com, but the prices will go up to $205 after the official lineup is announced on Monday.

Update: I've just added a few more artists to the list including Okkervil River and Lupe Fiasco. The official lineup will be out tomorrow morning.

Radiohead
Nine Inch Nails
Rage Against the Machine
the Raconteurs
Wilco
Kanye West

Gnarls Barkley
the Black Keys
Broken Social Scene
G. Love & Special Sauce
Blues Traveler
Mates of State
Bloc Party
Cat Power
Stephen Malkmus
Girl Talk
Kid Sister
Office
the Cool Kids
Battles
the Go! Team
Jamie Lidell
Grizzly Bear
Okkervil River
Black Kids
Lupe Fiasco
What Made Milwaukee Famous

via Chicago Sun-Times

Chris Walla - Sing Again
[audio http://barsukmusic.blaireau.net/ChrisWalla_SingAgain.mp3]

Soltero - Songs Of The Season
[audio http://solterosongs.com/audio/songs-of-the-season.mp3]

Rocky Votolato - Portland Is Leaving
[audio http://barsukmusic.blaireau.net/RockyVotolato_PortlandIsLeaving.mp3]

David Dondero - Rothko Chapel
[audio http://www.toolshed-media.com/ts/david-dondero-rothko-chapel.mp3]

What Made Milwaukee Famous - Sweet Lady
[audio http://barsukmusic.blaireau.net/WhatMadeMilwaukeeFamous_SweetLady.mp3]

James O'Hara's Detonators - Sneaking Around
[audio http://www.movinmusic.co.uk/detonators/sounds/sneakar.mp3]

Liebe auf den ersten Hördurchgang. What Made Milwaukee Famous ist meine Band der Stunde - letzte Woche hab ich sie zufällig in einem Podcast gehört und fand sie gut. Heute war das Album im Briefkasten. "What Doesn't Kill Us" ist ein 38minütiger Ritt durch die Popgeschichte. Vom zunächst verstörenden Drama im Opener "Blood, Sweat & Fears" über die nur vordergründige Leichtigkeit der Single "Sultan" (siehe Video) bis hin zu Meisterstücken wie "Resistance St." (mp3) und dem versöhnlichen "The Other Side" am Schluß - die fünf Herren aus Austin verdichten Zutaten, die man von den Beatles, The Who, Neil Young, aber auch Radiohead, Muse und Screaming Trees kennt, zu einem dann doch recht eigenständigen und stimmigen Sound. Obendrein ist das geschmackvoll gestaltete Digipak, in das die CD gebettet ist, mal wieder ein guter Beweis dafür, dass physische Tonträger als Einheit von Musik und Artwork einfach eine stärkere Strahlkraft haben als praktische, aber "schnöde" mp3-Downloads. "What Doesn't Kill Us" wird bei mir in der nächsten Zeit wohl auf Dauerrotation laufen: WMMF sind nicht Indie, nicht DIY, nicht everyblogger's darlings - sie sind brillianter, großer Pop.

[audio http://barsukmusic.blaireau.net/WhatMadeMilwaukeeFamous_ResistanceSt.mp3]

Friday March 14

Location: Union Square, NYC
Bands: Louis XIV + What Made Milwaukee Famous + Holiday and the Adventure Pop Collective
Venue: Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
Food: Chat ‘N’ Chew
Drink: Pete’s Tavern
Miscellaneous: Whole Foods

While Louis XIV are the hot rock band right now, What Made Milwaukee Famous are the ones who know how to put a good rock album together. Either way, this one shouldn’t disappoint. For food with southern flair in Union Square, Chat ‘N’ Chew makes some kickass fried chicken, pork-chops, and meatloaf. In the running for oldest bar in NYC, Pete’s Tavern has been around since 1864 and was made famous by author O. Henry who wrote “Gift of the Magi,” in one of its booths. One good thing about the Union Square location of Whole Foods is that it’s not only a reprieve from this tourist heavy area, but with it’s huge windows, you can sit, get healthy organic food and drink, and watch the insanity like it’s a movie.

Friday March 14

Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Band: Masada String Trio
Venue: The Stone
Food: Supper
Drink: Barramundi
Miscellaneous: Kudos

One of John Zorn’s most accessible projects, Masada’s music is gorgeously arranged. The Masada String Trio, featuring violinist Mark Feldman, cellist Eric Friedlander, and bassist Greg Cohen, with John Zorn conducting, will undoubtedly take this music to another place. A favorite restaurant of mine, Supper has a dimly lit, all-wood interior giving it a rustic vibe. They even have what looks like a bar overlooking the chefs cooking for you to watch. The Italian menu offers some fantastic food too. Though it might sound like it has to do with Buddhism, Barramundi is actually an Australian owned bar that has infused vodkas, sangria, and a laundry list of mixed drinks like the Champagne Cocktail made with sugar and bitters with Courvoisier, topped with bubbly. If coffee and a snack is your thing, Kudos is an inexpensive place to get baked goods, a cup of coffee and chill before the show.

Saturday March 15

Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Bands: African Underground with Chosan + Blitz + Baay Bia + Bamboo
Venue: Rose Live Music
Food: My Moon
Drink: The Abbey
Miscellaneous: Fabiene’s

Put together by Nomadic Wax, a label that documents the underground hip hop scene throughout Africa, tonight they bring together some of Africa’s best up and coming MCs like Chosan, Blitz, Baay Bia, and Bamboo as part of their African Underground series. With one of the best looking spaces in NYC, My Moon offers delicious Turkish food like the Tuna Tartar-Yellow fin tuna, tomato jelly, avocado, purple potato chips, chili oil and soy sauce ($12), which makes this place worth the trip. For a drink at a local hang, The Abbey is what you’re looking for. With a TV playing and a pool table in the back, settle in, get one of seven beers on tap and relax. One of my favorite coffee shops to sit by a window and stare out into the sea of Bedford Avenue, Fabiene’s offers exceptional desserts and sandwiches on top of beer and wine.

Saturday March 15

Location: Gramercy Park, NYC
Bands: Vinicius Cantuária
Venue: Jazz Standard
Food: New York Burger Co.
Drink: Metro Café & Wine Bar
Miscellaneous: City Bakery

What I like about Brazillian music is that it comes across as soft and sweet, while being intricate to play. Guitarist Vinicius Cantuaria brings his playful and well-versed take on bossa nova to the Jazz Standard in quintet form. Taking burgers to the next level, New York Burger Co. builds their burgers with high quality ingredients, delivering a better take on a classic. With a casual American and dim sum bar menu, the food is an excellent complement to the over 100 wines available by the glass from all the major wine-making countries in the world. With one of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had along with the hot chocolate, City Bakery makes all sorts of high-end food that won’t send you to the poor house.

Sunday March 16

Location: Union Square, NYC
Bands: Bad Manners
Venue: Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
Food: Sobaya
Drink: The Thirsty Scholar
Miscellaneous: ChikaLicious Dessert Bar

Late 70s English ska band Bad Manners return to the stage at Irving Plaza, having gotten back together and playing the last several years. Regardless, it’ll be good to see lead singer and showman, Buster Bloodvessel running around on stage again. A Japanese noodle restaurant that makes its own noodles, Sobaya makes traditional soba and udon noodles, while creating inventive dishes like Tuna Yamakake Soba, which blends soba noodles with raw tuna. With a name like The Thirsty Scholar, one might expect drunken professors reciting Dylan Thomas or Bukowski poems, but it’s actually a chill bar with an excellent happy hour from 5-8pm. For some of the sweetest desserts in the city, ChikaLicious offers a 3-course dessert menu for $12. Be warned, get there early. Due to its small size, there’s usually a line out the door.

ang ganda no!

last month, we searched for the song itself... ang lungkot-lungkot pala niya.  you can listen to the track here.

here's the lyrics (taken from lyricsmania.com)

Hopelist  by What Made Milwaukee Famous

I hope if I happen to go,
That everything goes the way that you planned it.
I know when I'm not around,
It'll probably seem a little less panicked.
If they said that I could stick around,
Be by your side and pull you down.
I am afraid I'd make a choice that neither of us could take down again.

I didn't ever want,
I never thought I'd be,
In a situation that defies contingency.
I didn't ever need,
I never thought I'd see,
The day when I would share the straits of codependency.
Whoever said if you want to play the game,
You've got to pay the price gave sage advice.

I hope,
That maybe you know.
That you're not alone in feeling defenseless.
You know,
when I'm not around.
It'll probably seem a little less senseless.
But if we could try,
To entertain,
The reasons why
We feel the same.
I am afraid we'd make a choice,
That neither of us could take down.

our good friends you.may.die.in.the.desert  from seattle wa have a new split ep coming out in a couple weeks with a band called gifts from enola. you can order it online now, and you will not regret it as these bands are great!!!!

you can order it by going to  www.differentialrecords.com or pick it up at any of their upcoming westcoast shows!

for more info visit... http://www.myspace.com/youmaydieinthedesert  or http://www.myspace.com/giftsfromenola

congrats to both bands for what is sure to be a great release!!!!

for la peeps, you.may.die will be playing with beware of safety and signal hill at pehrspace on april 5th.

in signal hill related news, we have wrapped up the writing for our first full length album and will now work on some pre-production tasks before heading to the studio! we are excited to share the songs with you all!

also, many thanks to everyone who came out to our show with this will destroy you, tulsa, and what made milwaukee famous the other night. we had a great time, and met a lot of great folks!

we have a couple other upcoming shows and then we will be taking some time off playing shows for a bit to focus on the album.

so if your able to make it out, we hope to see you at one of the upcoming shows!

•  friday march 14th (west without a word presented by the silent ballet, day one) @ pehrspace with- the drift, el ten eleven, and the littlest viking.  even though we are not playing day two of this festival (saturday march 15th @the cocaine in downtown LA), you absolutely should go witness beware of safety, north, form and fate, hellas mounds, empire, and arc of the aurora bring it!!!!!
• april 5th @ pehrspace w/ you.may.die.in.the.desert, springtime is wartime, beware of safety

 all the best,

sh

The Austin upstarts just dropped the first video from their forthcoming sophomore album, What Doesn't Kill Us. Lance Armstrong, ehh? They blow up so fast. Be sure to check out the favorite sons' release party at Emo's during SXSW.

The Austin upstarts just dropped the first video from their forthcoming sophomore album, What Doesn't Kill Us. Lance Armstrong, ehh? They blow up so fast. Be sure to check out the favorite sons' release party at Emo's during SXSW.

Despite indie audiences' perennially passionate possessiveness over little known artists, it's an undeniably beautiful thing when local bands make it big. What Made Milwaukee Famous aren't yet as famous as say, Spoon or even Okkervil River, but the Austin boys with a Wisconsin moniker are quickly becoming the talk of the town both here and beyond. New single and more after the jump.

After WMMF's first breakout performance at SXSW in 2005, the band joined Death Cab for Cutie and Rilo Kiley in signing with indie bastion Barsuk records. Since then they've played shows with Arcade Fire, The National, The Black Keys and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, gaining priceless cred and currency all the way. WMMF have become known for their ability to walk the spectrum between jaunty sing-alongs like "Sweet Lady" and moody, asymmetrical dystopian pop like "idecide" and their new single "Resistance St." The latter tendency has earned the young band the most daunting of all comparisons: one which I'll leave "Up to you." Whatever future fame and fortune are in store for What Made Milwaukee Famous, if "Resistance St." is any indication, you'll want to be watching closely.

What Made Milwaukee Famous will be celebrating the release of their sophomore album What Doesn't Kill Us at Emo's on March 7 (the record is officially released on the 4th). Download the first single below.

What Made Milwaukee Famous - "Resistance St."