Category Archives: News

Gillian Welch – Paris, France (11/09/11)

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Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
9 November 2011
La Maroquinerie, Paris, France

Download FLAC: Amazon Drive

Source: DPA4023 –> Oade ACM Marantz PMD661. Izotope RX Advance (fixing levels between music + audience, downsampling from 24/96)
Location: centre, standing, about 7 rows from stage

Important note: As my batteries died in the second set and I didn’t notice, tracks are patched from two different sources. * = Olympus LS10 with internal mics, ** = Roland R-09HR with external mic

t01. Scarlet Town
t02. Dark Turn Of Mind
t03. One Morning
t04. The Way It Will Be
t05. I Want To Sing That Rock And Roll
t06. My Morphine
t07. The Way It Goes
t08. By the Mark
t09. Tennessee
t10. Dusty Boxcar Wall

(second set)

t11. Hard Times
t12. talk –> David alone on stage
t13. Down Along The Dixie Line
t14. Everything Is Free
t15. Six White Horses
t16 Look At Miss Ohio
t17. David Rawlings –> To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High)
t18. Wrecking Ball
t19. Red Clay Halo *

(first encore)

t20. Only One and Only *
t21. I’ll Fly Away *

(second encore)

t22. The Way The Whole Thing Ends **
t23. Jackson *

(3rd encore)

t24. Snowin’ On Raton

Worst Promotion Ever: Monk Running In Black and White (Followed By Same Episode in Color)

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mr monk and the leper

Originally written on November 27, 2006.

This just in from the worst promotion in the history of the television department, the USA network has announced they will be running back-to-back episodes of the newest Monk on December 22. The same show mind you, but it will first run in black and white and then be followed by itself in color. They not only expect us to watch the same freaking episode twice but to then vote on which version they prefer.

I’m not going to get into the stupidity of expecting us to watch the same exact episode back to back, but do they really expect us to vote? And do they really think we don’t already know the outcome of that vote?

Seriously, black and white doesn’t stand a chance. Why would anyone want to see Monk in black and white every week? I can dig doing one episode in black and white for a goofy effect, say Monk works a case in a haunted house or solves the murder of some old TV star. But it is ridiculous to expect an audience to vote for Monk to be in black and white.

Not that they are actually marketing this as something they’ll do in the future, but the whole vote is just dumb.

Now before I go any further, let me state for the record that I am a fan of black and white. I love old movies, I love new movies in black and white. I love the way it casts shadows and how the absence of color creates a certain mood and a distinct set of images. But let’s face it, Monk ain’t Casablanca. It’s a silly TV show not a grand opus by Orson Welles.

I actually like Monk. It feels like a throwback to the classic detective shows of the 80s like Moonlighting and Remington Steele. It is a lot of fun, but it is certainly not great art. The camera work on the show is very basic with easy frames and movements. Showing it in black and white will be novel, but nothing truly amazing, I suspect.

And let’s face it, American popular culture doesn’t want its television to be in black and white. It took me many years to watch anything that wasn’t in color, and I’m sure many folks raised on color everything have no desire to go backwards.

It is simply a marketing ploy to get people to watch the show twice and then go to the website so they can be inundated with more commercials.

Give me a break, USA Network, we deserve better than that.

Buy Jerry Garcia’s Mailbox

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From the wide world of weird this just in: you can now purchase the late Jerry Garcia’s mailbox here (link no longer exists).

This mailbox sat in front of the late guitarist’s last home, a custom-made mansion in Nicasio, California. When Jerry died the house was sold and the new owner upgraded the box and put Jerry’s in storage. Apparently, now is the time to bring the thing out and make a profit from the deceased.

In a culture where celebrities are the new deities, even old mailboxes are sacred. The starting bid is $2000 so tighten up your budget if you want to have this one-of-a-kind memorabilia.

The only question I have left is that with all the millions Jerry Garcia was making, why didn’t he buy a better-looking mailbox? That thing looks like it would fit better in front of a beat-up trailer, than a million-dollar mansion.

Region 1 DVD Releases For 24th May 2005

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Before I started doing the Pick of the Weeks my friend Aaron did them for Blogcritics.  He couldn’t do it one week and so he gave me the job.  So this is my first attempt at it. – Mat, October 5, 2023.

The Duke de Mondo is out with the royal conclave again this week. Deciding who will be the next Pope de Mondo takes plenty of time, apparently.

He promises to be back next week. Until then, here is this week’s Region 1 DVD releases.

The big movie release this week is Martin Scorcese’s The Aviator. Though he’ll never hit the creative peaks of his 70’s period, The Aviator is still a beautiful, brilliant film.

Jean Pierre Juenet’s A Very Long Engagement also hits the shelves this week. The follow-up film to the hugely successful Amelie likewise stars Audrey Tautou. For some dumb reason, French theatres do not show their films with English subtitles, so I have yet to see it. But Jeunet’s films are always worth at least one viewing.

It is a good week for Generation X’ers who are feeling a little nostalgic. Two sets of after-school specials are being released. So put down your Trapper Keeper and cozy up to a bunch of melodramatic cheese fests starring the likes of such 80’s heartthrobs as Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Rob Lowe, Robert Reed, and Dana Plato.

If that wasn’t enough to get you reminiscing about the time that punk Stephen stole your lunch money, or that other time you got pantsed in gym class then this week also sees the release of Superfriends – the Second Season, and Airwolf – Season One.

For those of you who are a bit older, and need something in black and white to feel nostalgic, the Andy Griffith – Complete Second Season also hits the shelves. Still need something to keep you saying “They don’t make them like they used to?” The Dick Van Dyke Show has packaged its entire series together.

Other notable TV releases are: News Radio – The Complete Second Season, Law and Order – The Third Year, and MASH – Season 8.

For reasons unknown to me, Richard Pryor has a couple of releases coming out. There is a two-pack of his comedies with Gene Wilder, See No Evil, Hear No Evil, and Stir Crazy. The other release is a collection of his stand-up routines, Here and Now and Live on the Sunset Strip. I’m not that familiar with his stand-up material, but the films are well worth adding to any collection.

Right alongside Richard Pryor on any list of great comedians is Red Skelton. His sketch comedy show gets a 2 disc greatest hits packaging.

Other notable film releases are Drums Along the Mohawk, A Farewell to Arms, and a single disc version of The Godfather Part II.

Dark Star Orchestra To Tour Again After Keyboardist Death

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I’ve decided to post any news-type items that I post on Blogcritics here as well. The following is a little blurb I did on the Dark Star Orchestra.

Dark Star Orchestra will continue their spring tour after the sudden death of founding member, and keyboardist Scott Larned. After canceling numerous concerts to regroup, the band will restart the tour in New York City on May 27. From there, the band will head to Connecticut and continue to tour the US pretty much nonstop until August.

Scott Larned, passed away suddenly of heart failure this past April while touring with the Grateful Dead cover band. Larned helped found the band in 1997, played keyboards, and even did a stint as group manager in their early days. Much like the Grateful Dead, whom Dark Star Orchestra emulates night after night, they have vowed to continue playing after losing a vital member. During their 30-year history, the Grateful Dead also lost 3 keyboardists to untimely deaths, yet continued to be one of the biggest touring acts in the country.

The band’s website (darkstarorchestra.com) has this to say about the decision:

The decision to resume touring was an easy one to make; one that we’re sure would have pleased Scott. He himself had made many sacrifices in order to continue touring and playing the music that he loved. To do anything but continue onward would be a disservice to his memory and to this incredible group he helped nurture for over the last seven years.

The tour schedule is as follows:

May 27, 28 – New York, NY
May 29, 30 – New Haven, CT
June 1 – Providence, RI
June 2 – Poughkeepsie, NY
June 3 – Red Bankd, NJ
June 4 – Philadelphia, PA
June 6, 7 – Teaneck, NJ
June 8 – Chifton Park, NY
June 10 – Somerville, MA
June 11 – Hampton Beach, NH
June 13, 14 – Burlington, VT
June 16 – Buffalo, NY
June 17 – Erie, PA
June 18 – Bluffton, OH
July 10 – Milwaukee, WI
July 14 – Indianapolis, IN
July 17 – Masontown, WV
July 21 – Detroit Lakes, MN
July 27 – Denver, CO
July 28 – Aspen, CO
July 29, 30 – Bellvue, CO
August 13 – Mariaville, NY
August 17 – Springfield, OH
August 19-21 – Garrettsville, OH

For more information on the band visit darkstarorchestra.com