Icelandic Film Fest and Music in San Francisco

Last night my wife and I attended the First Annual Icelandic Film Festival
sponsored by McSweeney’s press and BÊkur Books to help raise funds for
826 Valencia, a non-profit organization started by the writer Dave
Eggers (who also runs McSweeney’s) and others to help inner-city kids learn to write.  I’ve
worked with this organization many times before and was delighted to
throw in some money for a good cause.  The first film we saw was the multiaward winning Noi Albinoi, about the life of a young rebel in Iceland who
refuses to conform to the demands of school and father.  He falls in love and
tries to run away to Hawaii but in his own personal odyssey, encounters
tragic barriers.  See this film.

We were so thrilled with the film and the excitement of learning more
about Iceland that we stayed on for another film and performance.  This time it was to be the acclaimed Icelandic pop star
Mugison who would get things
going by singing a few songs.  Aside
from the technical difficulites the man encountered, he joked and
pulled off a fantastic set of songs that were a sort of Badly Drawn Boy
and Jim O’Rourke fair.  After the live music we watched a film
called Rock in Reykjavik.   Made in 1982, the film was Iceland’s version of The Decline of the Western Civilization.  There were scenes with the original Sugar Cubes and of course Bjork
among a cast of other bands I don’t have detalis on.  The film
gets a bit silly towards the end with a ceremonial head chopping of
live chickens.  This all took place at the beautiful Castro Theatre
smack in the middle of the Castro district where pre-halloween
revellers were packing the streets outside.  For Mp3’s and more
info on this fantastic pop star Mugison, go here.

A Year Ago: Elliot Smith

This week marks a year since the tragic bard Elliot Smith
took his own life.  I guess we’ll never know what tormented him,
but perhaps his lyrics are a testament to his unhappy
existence.   His beautiful sense of melody via vocals, piano
and guitar still brings chills to my spine.

Memory Lane
Between the Bars
Some Song
Waltz # 1

Jason Lowenstein

I always liked the second half of Sebadoh better, that is, Jason
Lowenstein.  I’ve got nothing against Lou Barlow who I admire as a
song writer, but he’s a bit too moody for me (sorry gurlz).  I saw Sebadoh in
concert some years ago and Lou was not afraid to stop a tune midway
because he was unhappy with the sound or because he broke a nail or
something.  Who knows?  But it’s great to see them back
together.  For now though, please go out and buy the Lowenstein
solo album from 2002.  It grows on you.  Here’s a sampling of
tunes from Lowenstein’s site:

New Wave
Winged Eel
Done No Crimes
But You’re Gone

Oh shucks, why not at least one Sebadoh tune (by Lowenstein)?
Transform

AstroJet

I just finished watching the new Grandaddy video and it put me in such a good mood that it reminded me of a tune that put a smile on my face recently, Beautiful Life by AstroJet.  The band features the singer from Fountains of Wayne and a host of other talented NYC musicians.  Here’s a taste:

Beautiful Life
Starscraper
Aurora

Oh no, William Shatner sings again!

One of the bloggers had a link to Shatner doing the Beatle’s “Lucy in
the Sky with Diamonds”.  I’d never felt such a rush when listening
to a cover before. . . .

“The one-time James T. Kirk of “Star Trek” fame has released an 11-song
collection this month, a follow-up to his 1968 spoken-word debut that
garnered such critical infamy it became a camp classic.” [Read More]

Listen:

William Shatner : Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds

Jon Stewart bitchslaps CNN’s ‘Crossfire’ show

I don’t make it a habit to read MTV news, but my RSS reader keeps me up
to date on interesting headlines and this one caught my eye:

“In
what could well be the strangest and most refreshing media moment of
the election season, “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart turned up on a
live broadcast of CNN’s “Crossfire” Friday and accused the mainstream
media ó and his hosts in particular ó of being soft and failing to do
their duty as journalists to keep politicians and the political process
honest.”[Read More Here]

The Bonniwell Music Machine

Regarded as a founding pioneer of ìgarage rockî in 1966, and often
called ìthe godfather of punk,î legendary songwriter Sean Bonniwell and
The Bonniwell Music Machine is performing in Europe for the first time
ever this November, in a series of limited engagements of ìThe Turn On
Europe Tour.î

The Bonniwell Music Machine Dates:

• 12 Nov 2004 Mestre, Italy ñ ìHazy Shade of Winterî Festival, The Jam Club
• 13 Nov 2004 Munich, Germany ñ Atomic Cafe
• 16 Nov 2004 London, UK ñIslington Academy (Marquee Club) 
• 17 Nov 2004 Amsterdam, Netherlands ñ Paradiso
• 19 Nov 2004 Benidorm, Spain ñ ìWild Weekendî Festival
• 21 Nov 2004 Berlin, Germany ñ Roter Salon, Volksbühne
• 23 Nov 2004 Paris, France –Mains díOeuvres

Download the Official Press Kit
The Sean Bonniwell Music Machine Official Web Page

Hot Snakes

I just had to re-post this one for those friends of mine who can’t get enough of that San Diego sound. . .

“If
per chance Drive Like Jehu changed your life at one point but you let
yourself slip back into a rut, a coma, and you’ve been living under a
rock (mortgage, marriage, career), snap out of it! Let the Snakes heal
you. Or be damned. For the rest of you, start with these and work
backwards. There may still be hope for you yet…” [Go To This Fine Site: 3hive]

MP3’s
Hi-Lights
Who Died

more…

tHe bLAck RideR

Last night I went to the final weekend performance of The Black Rider
at the American Conservatory Theatre
in San Francisco.  I paid $35 bucks
for balcony seats that were made at a time when people must have been
five foot two (it was a tight squeeze).  The show was a treat, not
spectacular, but a treat of Tim Burtonesque special
effects with a goulish, anime cast resembling an Adam’s Family/Dr.
Seuss mutation.  Marianne Faithfull played the lead role and was the
main draw, but her performance was a bit mediocre (aside from her well
torn, aged vocals).  The show is based on a story by William
Burroughs, a stage production by Robert Wilson and a musical score by none
other than Tom Wait’s.  In fact, I’d forgotten I owned the
Black Rider album until I recognized some of the melodies sung by a
strong cast of accomplished actors.  The story is based on that
recurring Burroughs theme of addiction and the William Tell fiasco
that, in real life, resulted in the death of his wife. 

Here’s a Black Rider live recording I found on line:
I’ll Shoot the Moon

Tom Waits on Fresh Air

The interview is from 2002, but it’s still a treat to hear the gargling
genius talk about his influences (does Terry Gross know what she’s
talking about?).

Tom Waits on Fresh Air

Other Tunes:

Tom Waits : Jesus Gonna Be Here (live)
Tom Waits : Falling Down (live)
Tom Waits : Sea of Love (amazing, live!)