Robot Parade

Fun with cardboard and aluminum foil! I'm actually surprised my daughter could fit in this tiny box -- maybe one of my thighs could. By the way, the hat has been promoted to daddy's official "Thinking Cap," which Abigail insists must be worn whenever he is at the computer. He threatened me with my life if I blogged a picture of him.

While enjoying the pictures, consider listening to "Robot Parade" by TMBG or "The Humans are Dead" by Flight of the Conchords.

Giant-sized excitement

Fathers Day and the momentous foray into the world of kiddie rock are a bit in the past now, but I still thought I'd share, as any proud parent would.

Abigail and I put on our coolest rock concert clothes -- a pink, polka-dot sundress for her -- and hopped on the Lynx to head Uptown. Riding the light rail was just about as much fun as the concert! Charlotte is still new at this effective-mass-transit thing, so it's exciting to see how well it works. We arrived Uptown with the coolest of the cool Charlotte tots and their parents who were all reliving their youth. Like me! It was a good show. Not very kiddie, actually. More like a toned-down regular TMBG concert where fans could bring their kids. It was quite loud. Abigail could suck it up, but there was many a wailing baby in the crowd, and I just don't think I would have submitted infant ear drums to that much volume. But the kids did like it and the parents were thrilled! They played "Clap Your Hands," which is great to dance to, and the song all about how they don't want to work. Sadly, no "Sleepwalkers," by far my favorite kids' song to dance to. And for all the big-kid fans, they played "Istanbul" and "Particle Man" and "Birdhouse in Your Soul." Hooray!! No conga lines like in 1995 in Pittsburgh, but they did have confetti canons, by far Abigail's favorite part of the show.



Abigail took this picture (though I helped zoom).



I also spotted A.'s kids across the theater. A.,If you still read this, I can't believe how big they are! Especially I.!!!! He's HUGE!

And here's a gratuitous photo for Rambling. Abigail was playing dress up and wandered into my room announcing that she was Kelly. There is a princess Kelly in her make-believe world of Pipcot, where Abigail the Rescue Princess lives with all her princess friends, saving the cowardly Prince Heroic from himself. But I like to think its her homage to another Kelly :)

But they really might be!

I have a dilemma. There is an amazing mother-daughter bonding opportunity that I don't think I'm going to be able to have!

They Might Be Giants is giving a free children's concert in Charlotte on June 15. How exciting! How thrilling! What, you didn't know they did kids' music? They're up to three CDs now, and it's such a refreshing change to most kids' music. I mean, these are the men who taught my little girl exactly what a conifer is! I really want to go! (As does Abigail.) So I quickly made a reservation last week for the 4 p.m. show at Charlotte's mega-cool children's library -- then realized that's Fathers Day!! Egad! Who schedules a children's concert for Fathers Day?!?! There's also a 1 p.m. show, so I finally called back yesterday to see if I could change my reservation -- we'd skip church for a rock concert. But both shows are now sold out!

I have a very slight hope that we could do a Fathers Day lunch rather than dinner, but it's very slight. My non-blood relations are rather stuck in their ritual of holiday observances, and I don't think lunch will fly. But I really want to go!! And I wouldn't have time to go to the 4 p.m. Uptown and then get back in time for a festive, generally slightly strained family meal.

Is it horrible of me to hope my father-in-law will be out of town?

TMBG is key to some of my favorite 17- and 18-year-old memories. There's the conga line in high school. And the immediate bonding with Rambling the first night college. "I wanna go!!" the little girl whined.

On a side note, I just heard that Barenaked Ladies now has a children's CD. Gotta have it!

Musical smorgasbord!

Wow, Charlotte is actually going to be a happening place in October! And all at one venue!

10/19 -- Jay Clifford (of Jump, Little Children)
10/22 -- Guster
10/25 -- Squirrel Nut Zippers (didn't even know they were still about)
10/28 -- They Might Be Giants

And my mother is going to be here that whole week! Argh!

I'm listening to the snippets on TMBG's Web site right now, and it's really good! Really different and really good! And really different from their kids' stuff Abigail loves! But I bet they still do "Istanbul" as an encore.

Once

This weekend, the husband and I saw an absolutely amazing movie. "Once" is an Irish drama/musical. An Irish street musician meets a Czech immigrant who is also musical. The movie then follows their friendship/love through the creation of a CD. Rather than a story highlighted by music, it's music highlighted by story. It was stunningly simple and emotionally powerful. Go to the site and hear the beautiful music. Go to your nearest art movie theatre and see the film.

This means you, Rambling, a., Smitty, Dunces, even Diane if you're dropping in from Scotland!

Lone Jumper

The spouse and I got out for a rare date -- and on a Tuesday, no less -- to see Jay Clifford, the lead singer for the late Jump, Little Children. It was an interesting show, just Jay up on a bar stool wearing an old t-shirt and jeans, playing a couple of accoustic guitars with the occasional pre-recorded backup from a record player. The crowd was a bunch of Jump die-hards, and his set list consisted of shouted out requests. The requests were tentative at first but became very demanding by the end of the show, especially the encores.

As a die-hard myself, it was great. He played my two requests (which he heard from other people) "Cathedrals" and "Close Your Eyes," the latter one of Abigail's lullabies, and did a wonderful, slower, more poignant version of "Mexico" that had a definite Latin tinge to the chords. He also played some vintage JLC, "Dancing Virginia" and "Quiet" as well as "Come Out Clean," which he forgot large swaths of. It was cute, he was a bit sheepish, but the crowd just chipped in for him.

Jay did also play some new solo stuff, some of which can be heard at the above MySpace site.

The opener was a decent singer/songwriter named Megan Coffee. I really liked her voice -- a slightly huskier, richer sound than many women -- but what was great about her set was the song "Rockefeller Center," written by her then-4-year-old son. Since I have my own 4-year-old, I of course loved it. The song was all about the bustle of New York and his fear of losing his mom and not being able to keep up the pace -- not bad for a little kid from Decatur, Ga. He even had two great lines, one stolen from PBS: "Rockefeller Center, for what it's worth/ has overarching themes about life and rebirth," and the final one just darn cute: "I don't know how I came to be this four."

All in all, a very pleasant night. Accoustic music, most of which I knew by heart, in a very laid-back setting, the darkness punctuated by the flickering of cell phones like fireflies in the darkness; the kind of thing I want to do more often.

Mixed messages

I just finished "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel. It was a very interesting story of the survival of a castaway, though rather gory at times, and made me think about to what lengths I would go to live. Sadly, I'm not moved to say much more about it, though I wish Smitty weren't quite so far away so we could talk about it.

Next up is a French novel, "Le sabotage amoureux" by Amelie Nothomb. French publishing is interesting. The book I bought is a high quality paperback, their version of a hardback, which is so intelligent. Who really wants to pay for a hardback? But it's strange how large their margins are, how big the type. This is really a novella, padded out to 186 pages. And French titles run up the spine, rather than down it as in English. Does anyone know what other countries/languages do?

And my final comment for the night, I played my flute for the first time in years today, and it was so enjoyable! I've played it maybe two other times since Abigail was born, but really all I was able to do was sound out some kids songs and play school fight songs for her to dance to. Today, though, she was at Nana's and I could pull out my old classical works. I'm not exactly a virtuoso, but my fingers haven't forgotten what to do. It was so relaxing and refreshing, feeling myself sway a bit along with the crescendos and decrescendos, my fingers fly through glissandos and trills. I should do that more often.

Damn that radio song, man

A friend and I were talking about music yesterday, specifically what we listened to at different points in our lives. This was a particularly interesting conversation considering were we also talking with a friend who's about a decade older than us and remembered being big into Blondie. A. was talking about who had what CDs on her freshman-year hall (circa 1994), and while I liked the music she mentioned, they weren't the CDs I had -- or at least weren't in heavy rotation at the time. Of course, my mind then went crazy thinking about what CDs I liked then and images that I associated with specific songs, keeping me well occupied on my trip back home from north Charlotte. So I thought I'd spead the discussion to you lovely readers. What were you listening to your freshman year of college? And it certainly doesn't have to be just popular music -- hint, hint, Smitty with your Philip Glass and Rambling Speech with your "Yente" soundtrack. I'd be especially interested in hearing from the Dunces and my mom -- I know you figured out how to comment at least once!

To get things started, my favorite CDs in 1995:

• Barenaked Ladies, "Maybe You Should Drive" -- Heard them live on WYEP in high school and thought they were hilarious -- you've gotta love the Canadian "sorry"; favorite tracks: "Jane", "You Will Be Waiting" and "Little Tiny Song"


• Better Than Ezra, "Deluxe" -- Very vivid associations with "This Time of Year" and that autumn, both doing homework in the dorm and walking around campus


• Blue Traveler, "Four" -- I adored "Just Wait" and "The Mountains Win Again"


• Dave Matthews Band, "Under the Table and Dreaming" -- especially "Satelite" and "Lover Lay Down," which I associate with Pensacola Beach, for some reason


• Jump, Little Children, "Licorice Tea Demos" -- I think I've covered this


• REM, "Green," "Document" and "Automatic For the People" -- I'm pretty sure they still would have been in rotation given I saw them in concert the day after graduation


• They Might Be Giants, "John Henry" and "Flood" -- Knew Rambling Speech and I would be friends when I heard "Flood" start up in the room next door


• Weezer, "Weezer" -- I taped this from my roommate shortly after arriving on campus and always had it on in the car; loved "The Sweater Song"

Probably not a comprehensive list. Sadly short on female singers, though they featured more prominantly in high school and later college -- Tori Amos, 10,000 Maniacs and Natalie Merchant, Fiona Apple, Sarah McLaughlin, Jewel. At least this list isn't embarassing like a junior high list would be -- I'll 'fess up to Boyz II Men since a. admitted to Paula Abdul!

Later addendum:
As I got in my car to drive to Spanish class, I remembered another frequently listened-to group: Rusted Root, "When I Woke." I also heard them on WYEP -- a hippie, world music band from western Pennsylvania? -- and taped it off someone in college. Perhaps Smitty, since I recall him exuberantly saying, "Simians, away!" I listened to this a lot in the car, though really, it makes no sense for me. The music doesn't match anything else I ever listened to, and I'd stick out like a giant, preppy thumb at a concert. But it's so much fun to listen to, even if I have no idea what the lead singer is saying!

Out with an accoustic bang

After my disappointment at the October Jump, Little Children show, my hopes were astronomically high for last night's concert.

They were exceeded.

What a fabulous show, what a fabulous venue, what a fabulous band that I will miss incredibly.

Jump played an hour-and-a-half accoustic set at The Neighborhood Theater that just blew me away. This one was right up there with the Oct. 1998 show in Athens, maybe even better since what I especially love about Jump is their varied use of instruments and gorgeous melodies. The core five musicians were backed by a six-piece string group and an electric organ, and the music filled the theater (thankfully not just a club, an actual old movie theater). They played essentially every mellow song from "Vertigo" and "Between the Dim and the Dark." While I do love a high-energy Jump song, nothing beats Jay Clifford's voice soaring above guitar, bass and cello.

The opener, the As Is Group, didn't really match Jump's music, but they were okay. Sort of improv jazz, which I've never been able to get into. But the organist from that group is also in Rosebud with Jay, and they did a couple of their songs

About two-thirds through the show, Matt Bivins broke out his penny whistle and they brought their violinist friend Amanda forward for an Irish song about a man who loses his daughter that reduced me to tears. Then the focus went back to just Jay, and he played not even a full measure before I recognized the highlight of my night: "Cathedrals." I had been crushed in October when they didn't play this, and last night's version was beautiful, so beautiful I cried. Cried because the music is stunning, but also because of all my memories associated with this band and this song. I used the chorus as an epigram once in college, and it's just so perfect for much of my life: "In the cathedrals of New York and Rome/ there is a feeling that you should just go home/ and spend a lifetime finding out just where that is." The next song was an Appalachian tune, "Copper Kettle," that was a lot of fun, followed by a jig by Matt and Amanda, and then they played a song I'd never heard before, "The Way They Dance." Jay called it the official wedding song, and it really is just about the most perfect first dance song I've ever heard (though Dave Matthews "Crush" will always have a special place in my heart). The song, all about how you can see how in love a couple is by the way they dance, was simple and beautiful, made that much more charming by the couple that were obviously reliving their first dance in the aisle next to us. Probably the best straight 20 minutes of Jump I've seen.

The whole show was great. The band was well suited to the theater and were obviously enjoying themselves -- each other, the music, the audience. Their personalities really shined, even by how they were dressed: Jay, the moody romantic one wearing jeans, a loosely knotted tie and corduroy jacket; Jonathan, the happy, energetic bassist wearing a three-piece suit, bowtie and bowler; Matt, the overtly sexual one a bit toned down in shirt and tie but not in how he moved; Ward the serious cellist ignoring trying to be cool by just wearing a t-shirt; and Evan, the quiety, slightly odd drummer, well, looking like a quiet drummer that you kind of forget to notice.

It's been so much fun to watch this band develop and mature. I'm secretly glad they never got beyond regional because it kept their shows so intimate and the fans so connected. I'm seriously going to miss seeing them live. Here's hoping they miss it too and tour together again beyond Charleston.

Intrigued

Okay, so my favorite band is done. It's very depressing, there are no tour dates on their Web site anymore. Sniff.

BUT, the singer and the cellist are doing solo work, and aparently the drummer, all-around-instrumentalist and bassist are in Bill Carson and His Checkered Past. Now, I haven't been able to listen to the scant three clips on their site yet, but the site design has me very hopeful. And I want to remember them for future experimentation, hence this post.

Hence why I am also mentioning Cary Ann Hearst. Jump has long referenced her, and I believe I spot some of them in the photo on her entry site. Unfortunately, I guess her site doesn't like Macs because I can't get any farther than that. So something else to check up on at home. (What, I blog from work? NEVER!)

Still Jumping in my memories

A large part of my youth took a bow and exited stage left last night.

I went to my likely last-ever Jump, Little Children concert last night. I had a great time, laughing with Brad and hearing some great music, but it was a bittersweet evening.

I first discovered JLC driving home for the first time freshman year of college, Thanksgiving 1995. I was somewhere on I-85 in north Georgia and had picked up an Athens station. It was a live, in-studio session with a band with an unlikely combination of instruments: upright bass, cello, harmonica, accordion ... They were playing this wonderful song that belted out "Whoever you are you've gone to far 'cause I need my precious peace and (in a whipser) quiet." I heard one more song, which I later learned was "Dancing Virginia," and found out they were JLC from Charleston. Then I lost the station. When I got back to school, I went straight out to Manifest and picked up Licorice Tea Demos and fell in love. "Quiet," "Dancing Virginia," "Opium," "Smiling Down" ... I don't think I disliked a single song. And it didn't hurt that a friend had also just discovered them from crew, or that my suitemate dug it, too.

My first JLC show was on the shore of Lake Hartwell, where I picked up a shirt and all of the band members signatures. Wish I still had that. I also tried to be cool and talk to the bassist, which probably failed completely, but that didn't stop me from trying at later shows. I went to eight in all, which I didn't realize until I tallied them all up yesterday: Lake Hartwell, The Handlebar in Greenville, CenterCity Fest in Charlotte, a place in Athens I don't remember the name of, Tiger Town Tavern in Clemson, a place in Greenville I don't remember the name of, a double-header at the Visualite in Charlotte, and Tremont in Charlotte. I think three of those were within one 12 month span my senior year. My favorite was probably Athens, where they played for more than two hours and showed a home-made slasher flick, though I also loved the Tiger Town show right before graduation, where I somewhat successfully chatted with the cellist about Europe.

Sadly, this show didn't rank really high. Maybe the club was too hot, maybe it's because Charlotte sucks and has no soul, but they were lacking in their trademark energy. The basisst didn't really jump, the cellist didn't do bizarre things with his tongue, the lead singer hardly spoke. They seemed really distant from the crowd, a huge departure from normal. They played great, and the crazy one that plays all the weird instruments read a story I'd put on the "yearbook" on their website, but it was still a let down. They didn't play anything from Licorice Tea or Buzz. Very, very disappointing. I have never been to a show where they didn't end with "Opium" or I didn't get to jump up and down and do the moon dance with "Smiling Down." And no "Cathedrals"! They seemed in a big rush to get it over with, not a good impression to leave with dedicated fans on a farewell tour. At the other shows, you could tell that performing was the biggest joy in their lives.

Jump was the soundtrack to my youth. Watching them take a final bow last night, I honestly felt an era in my life was ending.

Gettin' jiggy wid it

One of the local stations has been playing an all-'90s weekend, which I was at first unabashedly delighted about since they dug out many songs I enjoyed in high school and college.

Than I realized that many of these same songs were at least 10 years old -- ACK!!!

But it was still quite enjoyable strolling down my musical memory lane. My reactions covered a range of memories and times in my life.

"Losing My Religion" instantly transports me back to freshman year of high school, when I would walk to school from the apartment we lived in before moving to Pittsburgh. I'm walking along a little connector road in my stylin' orange and blue, nylon band jacket, thinking I'm so much better than my contemporaries because I listened to R.E.M. before they became huge -- thanks, big sister. "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" was also played, which zoomed me up to the night after my high school graduation, when Marie and I went to a very muddy R.E.M. concert and spent something like four hours on the highway trying to get home, which was normally an hour away. Never did find out what was up with that traffic, though it was entertaining playing cards in my car with the drunk guy who just sort of invited himself in on our game. And what's better than singing "Meet James Ensor" and dancing around your car at 1 a.m.? He's Belgium's famous painter, you know ...

A few other songs were more of the college era -- which started 10 years ago this August, I can't believe it! "You Outta Know" reminded me of the other I-hate-men female singers of the time, like Fiona Apple, which was always a good CD to play in the dark when ticked off. Side note, Alanis was inducted into the Canadian walk of fame today -- didn't know such a thing existed, much less that the stars were flanked by royal mounties when the got their stars! I hadn't heard "Sex and Candy" in years, always cranked the radio up on that one. And then, as I headed home for dinner, Will Smith came on in all his glory "Gettin' Jiggy With It." Now, never liked that song, hated it in fact, but the image of a certain 6 foot, 2 inch friend of mine dancing to that song in his dorm room almost had me in tears of laughter! This same friend was later my swing dance partner, and though we had a blast when I wasn't taking out his bum knee, I'm sure we weren't exactly the most graceful pair!

Ah, the ability of the senses to revive vivid memories -- almost Proustian, though I don't plan to lock myself in my bedroom for years.

Now if that station would just stop playing Jesus Jones' "Right Here, Right Now" on a regular basis, I'd be happy. Come on people, the song is all about how great 1990 is going to be -- move on!