music

Top Ten Songs of 2009

Sara Leave a comment

So I feel a little bad for no doing my top ten list 12 hours before the end of the decade, but really, no time. Anyhow, I have thought about it… a lot. I’ve done my homework and realized that I can’t sufficiently give my top ten albums of 2009 (and the top ten of the decade is just unrealistically mind-blowing).

“What?!”, you say… To my defense, I barely bought ten albums in the last year. Mostly of my listening time has been spent with podcasts or radio. I don’t feel that I could give a list that covers what should be the top of the year. But since I have been listening to some music this year, I do feel I can give to you my top ten songs of the year.  So here they are:

10. Fiction Family “When She’s Near” – Bringing me into the new year… This song is like a warm fire in my soul. Yes, I mean it. I can imagine curling up on the couch next to a warm fire in the hearth on a cold winter day. Now, how’s that for a song description?

9. Phoenix “1901” – I have yet to get tired of this song. So sad to have missed them at the FM94.9 Holiday Hootenanny earlier this month. I heard they blew everyone away.

8. Metric “Twilight Galaxy” – Although “Help I’m Alive” was the hit off the Fantasies album released this year, I fell in love with the lyrics and melodies of this song. “I’m higher than high, lower than deep.”

7. Owl City “Fireflies” – I can’t resist. As much as people have a love/hate feeling toward this band, I have fallen in love with this song just as much as I love Death Cab and Postal Service. Cute video too.

6. Company of Thieves “Oscar Wilde” – I think I fell in love with this song after Thomas was born and as my grandfather’s health was fading. My recognition that time is a precious thing connected me to this song instantly. “Time keeps on ticking away, always running away, always running from time.”

5. Fanfarlo “The Wall Are Coming Down” – Beautifully organic. I originally heard it on the Paste Magazine Sampler #55. I love every small xylophone tap, trumpet blow and violin pluck. I was lucky to have gotten a chance to see them as they rolled through town at the Casbah earlier this month.

4. Harlem Shakes “Sunlight” – This song was also on the Paste Magazine Sampler #55, good solid mix. Similar to Langhorne Slim but more upbeat and dancy. Love.

3. Pearl Jam “Just Breathe” – Favorite radio play of the year. Listening to this song grounds me. It makes me introspective and start thinking about those that I love. One of the DJ’s  from FM94.9 stated that it sounds like it should be on the “Where the Wild Things Are” soundtrack. I totally agree.

2. Flaming Lips “I Can Be A Frog” – I love this. Karen O. on the other other end of the line making the craziest animal sounds. I would love to know how this song came to be. Ultra silly and fun.

1. Jonathan Coulton “Blue Sunny Day” – I heard this song as the intro to Kevin Smith’s and Scott Mosier’s Smodcast a few months back. I new that I had to get it and you should too (here). It is the first time that I have bought just a song. Though if it was available on an album, I would have bought it. Super catchy. Somewhere between Ben Folds and Brian Wilson. Listen to the lyrics. It is about a vampire about to die. Awesome. PS… Ignore the cheesy video.

And with that I leave you to enjoy your new year!

Fanfarlo, The Casbah: 11/24/2009

Sara 1 Comment

“Are there any free Twitter tickets left?” I said greeting Ben at the door of the Casbah, while rolling in late, around 10:15 p.m. on Tuesday night.

“Just say the words,” he responded.

As I recited, “Free the Turkeys,” he stamped the inside of my wrist, granting my entrance to my chapel.

The Casbah offers free tickets nearly every Tuesday through giveaways on Twitter, offering a secret password to gain access to the show for a limited number of entries. It slightly feels like an old speakeasy but it’s all legal and no one is really hiding anything.

I arrived right after Freelance Whales finished their set. Since I had no prior knowledge of either of the bands playing that night before coming to this show (or so I thought, as you will see), I didn’t really know what I would be missing. I was out on a whim. It wasn’t until after the show that I found that Freelance Whales was listed as Stereogum’s Band to Watch at the end of September 2009. From the conversations I had on the smoking patio and the back bar, they were a perfect match with Fanfarlo (the headlining band), and yes, I really did miss something good.

Drawn into the main room by the harking sounds of mandolin and trumpet, I was certain that I would be in for a perfromance that I actually would dig (yeah, I said dig).

The symphonic melodies surrounded your senses, knocking out your heart with the beat of two drums. The trumpet and keys fill your lungs with a sense of anticipation and hope. The lyrics and harmonies caused my mind to drift away like a small sail boat on the ocean into the setting sun.

Fanfarlo captured the audience similar to finding a lost puppy to take it back home, showing them the good in the world through their music.

It wasn’t until halfway throught the show that I had figured out that I had heard Fanfarlo before. “The Walls Are Coming Down” sounded echoes from the past that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. The trumpets swelled and ebbed in dreamlike sequences through your head. The violin and xylophone twinkled like stars in the night sky swirling with catchy lyrics.

It wasn’t until the following day that I realized exactly where I had heard “The Wall Are Coming Down” before. I kept thinking, maybe a new song on FM94.9 but I don’t recall ever hearing it while in my car which is about the only time I listen to the radio. I was also thinking that maybe it was one of the albums given to us by our friend Lyn, http://www.chickrawker.com/ as she send us a lot of albums. But if that was the case, I would have recognized more than one song in the set. Then I discovered and confirmed that it was from listening to the Paste Magazine Sampler: Issue 55 (August 2009).

The night proved to be a surprisingly positive, uplifting experience… as well as extremely cheap. I spent less then $20 for an amazing show, three beers, a CD and a poster. Ridiculous. I love my town, my bar, my life…

They Might Be Giants, Belly Up Tavern: 11/17/2009

Sara 3 Comments

Walking out of the Belly Up Tavern last Tuesday with my fedora brim filled with confetti, my spirit soared from one of the most over-the-top, ultra-amazing shows that I have seen at that venue ever. Yes, I saw Death Cab for Cutie months ago hit me in the heart with an arrow of emotionally beautiful songs. I have seen Johnette Napolitano streaming tears down the faces of the crowd from her powerful voice. I have also seen Bob Schnieder on several occasions get the crowd in such a ferver that girls and guys are nearly crawling up on stage to get at him. All of these incredible shows I’ve seen at the Belly Up Tavern over the years still can not compare to the energy and playful production that They Might Be Giants brought to their stage last week in the last show on their 8 Bit Tour.

The moment Roger and I walked into the venue, we were blown away by the amount of equipment on and around the stage. TMBG brought in their own lighting, video and sound (minus the main speakers). The AV boards took up the most of the seating on stage left (the right hand side of the stage as you are looking at it). No front seats available there.

We stood with our Red Stripes in hand, in awe of the equipment, when the opening act started. Guggenheim Grotto caught our ears with a whimsical melody played on a ukeleli. I heart ukes and this tune made me want more. Sadly they switched to an acoustic electric for the rest of the set, only bringing the uke back for the closer. Even they realize that their uke songs are their best songs by far. The duo, Mike Lynch and Kevin May harmonize like blood brothers, singing songs of fancy based on literary characters and real life. It is easy to see how these two acts came together on this tour.

When They Might Be Giants took the stage, the lights went crazy in a ballyhoo and the crowd went nuts. My stomach all flittery as I realized that I finally was going to see TMBG play. Yeah, I know, I must have seen them before but somehow it never happened until now (and same for Roger).

They began by playing “Meet the Elements” off the Here Comes Science album, their newest album geared towards teaching kids about the wonders of science. Right away I felt cozy and warm with goodness. Their songs brought back a time of playing tag, digging in the sandbox to finally reach China and talking in secret languages our parents wouldn’t understand.

At one point in the show, The Avitars of They, sock puppets in the likeness of John Linnell and John Flansburgh, took over the performance though live video projected on a screen in the back of the stage. Hilarity ensued with a mini comedy performance, playfully bashing They Might Be Giants by They themselves. The Avitars of They performed two songs, then returned to the regularly scheduled performance.

Disco lights spun around the room, entrancing many as they sung “What is a Shooting Star?” Probably one of my favorite songs of the night from Here Comes Science ending with confetti cannons shooting multi-colored confetti over the front half of the room. And we were no where near the encore.

The night would not be complete without hearing songs from their second album, Flood, the album that brought TMBG radio play and the “fame” that came with it (aka bringing home the paycheck). We were privvy to “Particle Man”, “Birdhouse in your Soul”, “Istanbul (not Constantinople)”, “They Might Be Giants”, and my personal favorite, “Whistling in the Dark”.

The night of music came to a close after two short encores and another cannon blast of confetti over the entire room. I can only imagine what the Belly Up staff thought of the drifts of small pieces of crepe paper. The room was cleared by 11pm. Early night for most rock shows. But for They Might Be Giants, early nights are the standard. About fifty percent of their scheduled shows are geared towards a younger audience, a much younger audience of preschoolers with their hip parents. I totally would have brought Thomas to one of these shows, but the last one scheduled on this tour was in LA. Next time, oh definitely next time.

Watching the Wheels

Sara 2 Comments

I’m just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round. I really love to watch them roll…

Driving back down from LA this past week, I was listening to John Lennon’s “Watching the Wheels” on the radio. I believe it was KPRI but that doesn’t really matter. The song sent me into a spiral of memories of when I was 16 years old living in San Diego and many of the people who made impact on me. It is amazing that a song can throw you back in this way.

People say I’m lazy dreaming my life away…

Hearing that song, made me think of the great rock writer, Paul Williams and his experience being a part of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Bed-in”. I had the honor of meeting Paul when I was 16, prior to his bicycle accident and hearing many of his great stories of interviewing Bob Dylan and Brian Wilson. I remember sitting on the floor of my friend’s apartment stapling copies of Crawdaddy! to get ready for mailing at a time when the magazine’s budget was near it’s lowest. I remember feeling that I was a part of something greater but also the normalcy of the occasion.

Emma Dennis, a budding rock journalist for the current incarnation of Crawdaddy! who also just happens to be Patrick Dennis’s daughter, wrote an amazing piece on her blog, Whimsy in Dive Bars, about her first meeting with Paul which brought me to tears.

People asking questions lost in confusion. Well I tell them there’s no problems, only solutions…

Thinking about Paul prompted me to think about the other individuals who helped shape me into the music-loving, community oriented being that I am today. I thought about Jackie Starr, a spunky musician who lived here in North Park, who I can directly pinpoint as the reason that I love the Pixies and Elvis Costello. Listening to Frank Black while petting her cat on the floor of her living room (I guess I spent a lot of time sitting on the floor as a teenager), I could only imagine the doors that were opening regarding musical influence. After I ran away from home (a story for another time), I continued writing Jackie. Yes, the handwritten letter type of writing. I am not sure if she realizes the impact that she had on me, but I still want to thank her.

When I returned home in the wee hours of the morning, I searched online for my past. Finding Jackie on facebook it made me smile to see her happily married in Massachusetts.

Surely you’re not happy now you no longer play the game…

I also thought about Veronica Boyer who assisted in my escape plan and was a true friend. It was her floor that I sat on while stapling Crawdaddy! magazines. She introduced me to Guinness and the close knit community that is the San Diego Music Scene. I remember going to shows and walking through shops downtown with her. She always made me feel like I belonged and never treated me like I was just a kid.

I remember her telling me that she was moving to Washington state, where I never heard from her again. I tried to look her up but have been unsuccessful. I hope that one day I will get the chance to tell her

No longer riding on the merry-go-round. I just had to let it go. I just had to let it go.

Don’t Let Concerts Pass You By: Tips for Concert Going with Your Baby

Sara 6 Comments

After going to this weekend’s Flaming Lips concert at the Del Mar Fairgrounds and being complemented on our parent planning skills and concert preparation, I thought I would share a few tips about getting out to see shows with a small one.

Research the Venue
First off… is the venue all ages. This will help answer the first question of whether you should take him or leave him. There are lots of all ages venues in San Diego: the Marquee, Lestats, SOMA, Epicentre, Java Joe’s at Café Libertalia, Club 8Teen (formerly Avalon, now called something else) and ChannelTwelve25. The Del Mar Fairgrounds holds concerts throughout the summer as do a number of communities (Bird Park Concerts, Trolley Barn Concerts, etc.)… Plus there are many street fairs and festivals that are open to everyone.

Take in consideration that you will need a place to change the baby that is inoffensive (sorry, no changing on dinner tables). The ground always a place as long as you have a quiet corner and the proper changing tools mainly a blanket or pad.

Make sure there is a place you can step away from the action for fussiness. This could be outside, another room, or just distancing yourself from the action. This is important in smaller venues where cries could potentially disturb the show.

Ear Protection
If you think the music isn’t loud, you’re wrong. You want your child to grow up with his or her full capacity to hear even the softest of noises. I have been to so many concerts and bouts where parents think that if they are sleeping or if they aren’t reacting, that the noise must not be bad for them. I don’t personally have a link to the research on this, but I know that theory is wrong.

There are options for protecting your child’s hearing even as early as 2-3 months (before that you should really avoid taking you kids to places with loud music/noises… get a sitter). We use the Peltor Kid Ear Muffs. They cost less than $20, they last until your child is about 7 years old, and they come in three colors (pink, blue and black). If you start your kid young in these, they would be bothered wearing them. They can still hear the music but it takes the edge off. Thomas has enjoyed listening to Roger’s band practice and has even fallen asleep while wearing them.

Pack Your Bags
Just like going out for the day, you need to be sure to pack food, milk or formula, diapers, wipes, clothes, a bib, a burp cloth and toys. Make sure that you think about the food temperature. In many concert situations you won’t have access to heat a bottle. My child is not picky about temperature, so leaving milk or food out at room temperature is good enough.

Also don’t forget about your needs. Often when I am packing for Thomas, I forget that I need a jacket or food. It will happen, but here is another reminder to take care of yourself too.

Your Arms Can Only Hold So Much
It really does suck if you have to hold a sleeping baby for hours. Consider the venue again. Think about whether a sling or stroller is more appropriate. If you are standing room only, a stroller is better towards the back of the room while a sling allows you to get closer to the action.

Bonus/luxury items include having a backpack style carrier or a wagon. We are lucky to own both (as gifts). The backpack we have yet to use but believe it will come in useful during street fairs. It will be great place to feed him on the go too.

The wagon we have is a portable, fold up wagon called Fold-It & Go Portable Wagon. It folds up like a PacknPlay to load in and out of your car. The wheels are large making it easy to go over rough terrain (like sand). It claims to hold up to 150 lbs. We use it as a playpen (for now) and a portable crib. The only thing it is lacking is brakes so supervision is heavily needed.

At the Flaming Lips concert we loaded up our wagon with a small cooler, a couple of chairs, and a bags of our stuff. On the way out, we hauled Thomas, passed out in the wagon with the earmuffs still on, back to the car while carrying the rest of the gear. It was perfect for this occasion. It should be also be useful for the Bird Park Concerts.

The biggest takeaway for me is all of the preplanning. It is no longer possible to just leave the house on a whim. Before I would preplanning for comfort, now it is a necessity.

If you have any additional tips on concert going with kids/babies, feel free to comment.