You could probably tell from my last blog that I was a little excited by the Coachella Festival live streaming. At the moment, I'm listening to the Buzzcocks and getting ready to check out Kaiser Chiefs, Squeeze, and Noel Gallagher. I admit it, I get a little giddy when it comes to music--especially all this great stuff that is so ME!
On the way home tonight I heard the singer Jamie Lidell on the radio, which reminded me of another top music festival that I attended last year. Wilco's Solid Sound Festival was held at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCA) June 24 through 26, 2011, and featured its own Coachella-worthy assortment of music acts, including Wilco (who curated this eclectic arts and music fest for the second year in a row); Lidell; Neil Finn and his new band, Pajama Club; and The Band's Levon Helm. I should mention that I was actually invited to document the three-day festival for my TV music show, and even had a chance to interview Pajama Club, which was a real thrill since Neil Finn has long been one of my favorite songwriters (especially with Crowded House)!
As I listen to Coachella, I thought I would take time to share some photos from that other great festival... a little wetter than it is sure to be in Indio, CA, but certainly SOLID. Talk about desert mirage... apparently Coachella is repeating this year's entire festival next weekend to meet public demand--yup, same acts playing both weekends--crazy! So maybe next week I'll have a do-over as well, and finally post some of my Solid Sound videos --not a bad goal for this would be concert-goer.
Ok, Coachella is officially the coolestmusicfestivalever. I just learned today that they are streaming ALL of the concerts this weekend and next on YouTube. The quality is great--tonight I tuned in to see reggae legend Jimmy Cliff (he did an awesome cover of "Ruby Soho" with Rancid's Tim Armstrong), and am currently watching one of my all time faves, Madness... keeping that sweet ska vibe happening (oh man, even David Hasselhoff is in the audience!). And up next is Pulp-- thank you-- makes me feel better about not making it to NYC (need car $ anyway). This festival has an amazing lineup... I'll definitely be tuning in here and there (and possibly driving Sarah mad).
I had the day off today (working tomorrow at the Museum), so Sarah and I spent it working on more wedding stuff. A couple of times I looked over at her and it sunk in... my God, I'm getting married! To a gorgeous woman! Wow.
I'm not sure this is going to be the most substantial blog entry... I'm trying to type this while "House of Fun" by Madness is blasting live in the background. All I can say is that for a year with three (count 'em three) Friday the 13ths, 2012 is doing alright... I have had off for both of them, spending time with my gal, and the next one will be two days before my wedding. Wow. Surreal year... like an indie rock fest in the desert... it's happening.
Sarah and I just finished watching the 1993 film, What's Love Got To Do With It. I had never seen it before, but music fan that I am, it stood out to me amidst a stack of DVDs at the library the other day. Well, I now see what all the talk was all about. The movie features some truly great performances by both Angela Bassett as the singer Tina Turner, and Laurence Fishburn as her husband, the abusive musician Ike Turner. I had known a little about Tina's troubled past, but it was interesting to learn more about how she became the legendary performer that she is today, despite all the obstacles--both personally and professionally (I was not aware of how long it took her to land a hit song):
Last night I had the opportunity to see a concert in New York City by a singer who is not quite as well-known as Tina Turner, but equally as entertaining a performer. Truthfully, Jarvis Cocker's witty indie rock music is more my speed than Tina's glossy rock hits, and especially the songs off Different Class, the 1995 album that he recorded with his band Pulp. Well... Pulp reunited last year, and just played a couple of rare shows at New York's Radio City Music Hall--I guess as a warm-up for their performance at the Coachella Music Festival this month. It's all unbelievable to me, as Pulp was a '90s Britpop band that never really attracted widespread commercial success here in the U.S... but I just love the swagger of British pop/rock music--there's something rather exotic about it, and here was a rare sighting of a "bird" that seldom makes it to these shores.
Unfortunately, my last-minute decision to attend the show was thwarted, as I just missed the train to make it out to the city... I sat there at the station perplexed... trying to figure out what to do... suddenly rocked back to reality with a concern about my finances, and whether it was really worth trying to catch a later train that would be cutting so close to showtime... Jarvis would surely have appreciated the gloomy scene, as it is the kind of mood you'll find mixed into some of Pulp's best work: dark themes wrapped in a rather infectious pop/rock groove. Anyway, I hear the shows were fantastic, and the band played most of the songs off their 1995 album-! And apparently Mr. Cocker has become an even more engaging and eccentric showman... well he should, as I understand he founded Pulp back in the late 1970s (that's a long time until they broke in the mid-90s)!
While trying to forge my own artistic career, it is interesting to consider the trajectory of two musicians who have persevered through tough times and lean years. The fact that they both have matured into such strong performers is a good example of stick-to-it-ness in the uncertain "creative" world.
So I'm disappointed that I didn't make it to the show with the other "common people," but there is a lot to plan for in terns of my wedding and other projects, so the money is well saved... I just wish being "responsible" felt a little more fun in the here and now. I'm hoping I have another opportunity to see Jarvis live... in the meantime, I'll just keep "rolling, rolling, rolling down the river..." hopefully collecting more savings and knowledge along the way, and growing into my own frontman shoes.
So after watching last night's episode of Glee, it appears that Quinn is still with us, although confined to a wheelchair due to a spinal injury suffered from her car accident while texting. Ok, a little lighter touch than killing the character off completely, but still something... we'll see where they go with this.
Frank La Frazia and PMP participant accept the "Coming Up Taller" award from The White House, 2007. Photo courtesy Playwright Mentoring Program/Barrington Stage Company.
Speaking of performing teens, Barrington Stage Company's excellent Playwright Mentoring Program (PMP) will be presenting their year-end public performances this week, April 10 through 14. As stated in the company's press release, over the course of the six-month PMP program, teens create an original performance piece based on their own stories in a safe and confidential environment where they can express themselves, develop conflict resolution skills and together create a supportive community. In 2007, PMP won the prestigious “Coming Up Taller” award from the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities—the nation's highest honor for after-school arts programs.
My close friend, groomsman, and fellow RBIT-er Frank La Frazia has been the group's director for the last few years, and he does a wonderful job of assisting the students to find creative means to handle the often stressful issues faced during adolescence. "The five original plays that the teens created this year in collaboration with professional playwrights are extremely moving, inventive and theatrical," says La Frazia. "Many of the plays deal with topics such as school bullying, peer pressure, drug/alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, and family issues.”
The final performance to be held on Saturday, April 14, 2 p.m. at Barrington Stage Company, will include performances from all of the participating groups this year (except the court-mandated group). For information on tickets and to view a full schedule of this week's performances, visit the theater's website.
Here again is the promotional video I created for the group, from a few years back:
I have a confession to make: I kind of like the TV show Glee. I know... in many ways, this Emmy Award-winning series is the antithesis of what I look for in music, consisting as it does of somewhat canned, soulless renditions of popular songs, past and present... I think my old Britpop fave, Blur's Damon Albarn said it best in an interview to Q's Jian Ghomeshi:
So maybe Damon and the Gorillaz aren't going to "sell-out," but it never ceases to amaze me how many other respected artists have allowed their songs to be covered by the cheerful, "would-be Broadway performers" on the program. Ok, for those not familiar, Glee is a musical comedy/drama about a group of students taking part in a high school glee club. Aimed at younger viewers, the show looks at what it takes to be a performer, as well as some of the prejudices and issues facing high school students today. The cast is lead by the club's director Will Schuester, played by Matthew Morrison; other cast members include Lea Michele (Rachel), Cory Monteith (Finn), Curt Colfer (Kurt), and Jane Lynch, who plays the conniving cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester. All the actors are quite charming and personable, and when the series started I was eager to give it a chance--sounded like something I would have enjoyed watching as a teen... artist that I was. Initially, I found the show a little rough. It definitely did not shy away from important issues--relationships, sexuality, social--that all teens certainly deal with, but I wasn't prepared for it being so "in your face." I thought it was trying to be a little too crass/edgy at start, and worried about the influence it might have on younger viewers. And some of the music... sounded like we had reverted to the 1950s, when Pat Boone recorded neutered versions of Little Richard rock numbers. Sarah seemed to enjoy it though, so I gave it another chance when we were looking for shows to kick back with online... I think the turning point for me was watching an episode where the gay student Kurt comes out to his "sporty" father, and was concerned about the reaction--it was really touching and real, with the father showing concern yet absolute support for his son. I began to think there might be more to the show than initially met my eye... and ears. The cast really is great, and the subjects have been interesting--it definitely sucks you in, and you start caring for the students and their story. Last week we watched a back episode that really caught my attention, as it dealt with another student dealing with social pressure. The character, David Karofsky (played by Max Adler), is a member of the school's football team, and was "outed" by several of his teammates with cruel taunts. What is interesting about this storyline is that the character first appeared a bully to the gay student Kurt, who he later expressed interest in. Karofksy couldn't handle the abuse (along with the very modern-day issue of online harrassment), and tries to kill himself. It was pretty wild, and was actually intercut with a performance by one of the other glee club members, performing an actually pretty decent cover of Young the Giant's recent indie-hit "Cough Syrup". View the clip here, and here is a performance is the original song, which already packs a pretty emotional wallop (it has been stuck in my head ever since we watched the episode):
So, I had no idea how they were going to continue this show after such a heavy, heavy subject. It turned out later in the episode, that Karofksy's father rushed in at the last minute and caught his son as he tried to hang himself. The character is seen later on in the hospital, as Kurt (one-time victim of his harrassment), stops by to pay him a visit. Glee has never shied away from such teen issues, which must be one reason for its immense popularity. But this particular episode took things even one step further... at the end of the show, the characters Finn and Rachel have decided to get married, and are seen trying to rush through a quickly put together ceremony. One of the other glee members, Quinn (played by Dianna Agron), is on her way to the wedding, and is seen texting back and forth with Rachel. The last shocking moments of the program show a truck crashing into Quinn's car. Wow. Who saw that coming?... To me this is Glee's moment of truth. I'm not a hater of any of the characters, but they would do a real service to their viewers by having Quinn die. A teenager's life is tough enough, but one of the other truly frightening realities of modern-day culture is the number of accidents resulting from texting. I know a thing or two about being distracted while driving, and I'm actually quite terrified by this latest trend. All of us can relate to adolescence and the high school years, and I'm sure most of us have experienced the unexpected death of loved ones or friends. I remember back in my high school days learning that a popular classmate had been killed while skiing... later, it was a car carrying two students who were speeding around the time of prom. It definitely wakes you up, and puts things in perspective--particularly your day-to-day high school experience, which sometimes feels like it will never change. Now Quinn is a fictional character, but by this very tragic example, Glee could be offering students a chance to "feel" what this could be like--to them, their family, friends. Here is actress Dianna Agron herself, appearing on The View this week:
I think I was initially wrong about Glee (even if the music can still be a little schmaltzy)--I commend the show for its efforts to raise awareness about all of these delicate issues--I think we have all been there. Above all, the show has presented a sympathetic look at how it feels to be "different"... it can be a challenging road from adolescent to adulthood, and it's still pretty tricky once you reach the later years. Don't stop believin'.
Back to work today. Back to endless emails, social networking, and a case of the ADDs. Makes me miss the fresh air and socializing from the weekend.
Yesterday we were treated to quite a display at Sarah's uncle's house. Terry is an engineer, and he has built quite an impressive collection of wind sculptures. Some are a bit hypnotic, and as artistic as they are expertly constructed. Here is a quick and dirty edit of some video I shot yesterday with my phone:
Video shot by Jeremy Clowe. All rights reserved.
Apparently the red one is planned to be our wedding gift, which is awesome! Now to find a house and yard to do it justice...
Happy Easter everyone. It has been a weekend of holiday celebration with family, starting on Friday night with the first of two Passover Seders. Being in an interfaith relationship, it is interesting to think about both holidays, especially when they fall as closely as they do this year.
I appreciate the rituals of Passover, and it certainly inspires a lot of discussion about interpretation−these are ancient traditions that I think existed before they were ever written down (in The Haggadah). Considering my own Christian background, I am interested in the areas of overlap between the two religions; one big question that came up over the weekend: was The Last Supper actually a Seder?
The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci, 1495-1498.
Samta Maria delle Grazie, Milan, Italy
Jonathan Klawans, assistant professor of religion at Boston University, has offered a very detailed analysis of this debated question in the Biblical Archaeology Review. Klawas points out that three of the four canonical Gospels suggest that the Last Supper did occur on Passover:
"The three Gospels that support this view are the three synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark and Luke. As anyone who has studied these three Gospels knows, they are closely related. In fact, the name synoptic refers to the fact that these three texts can be studied most effectively when “seen together”... Thus, in fact we don’t really have three independent sources here at all. What we have, rather, is one testimony (probably Mark), which was then copied twice (by Matthew and Luke)."
In contrast, consider the Gospel of John, which dates Jesus' crucifixion to the day of Preparation for the Passover.
"According to John, Jesus died just when the Passover sacrifice was being offered and before the festival began at sundown (see the sidebar to this article). Any last meal—which John does not record—would have taken place the night before, or even earlier than that. But it certainly could not have been a Passover meal, for Jesus died before the holiday had formally begun."
I am no theologian, but I find it all quite interesting... even more so as I start to learn more about the Jewish faith. It might be a good time for me to re-read The Bible (which I haven't really studied since confirmation and a brief religions class during college). Time to get straight on my own background, as I start to understand that which my future wife has learned.
April 9, 2012 cover of Newsweek. All rights reserved.
On that note, there is an interesting cover story in this week's Newsweek. Forget the "hipster Jesus" on the cover, and go straight to the article, The Forgotten Jesus, which looks at how Christianity has been given a bad name by politics, priests, and evangelists.
Writer Andrew Sullivan further brings in to question the idea of interpretation; he tells of Thomas Jefferson, who at age 77 edited his own copy of The Bible, removing all the passages from the New Testament that he felt reflected the actual teachings of Jesus; he left behind what he felt were the "misconceptions" of Jesus' followers, including the writers of the four Gospels (the 18th century Bible is on view through May 28 at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History).
Sullivan writes that Jefferson considered himself a true disciple of the doctrines of Jesus:
"...Not the supernatural claims that, fused with politics and power, gave successive generations wars, inquisitions, pogroms, reformations, and counterreformations. Jesus’ doctrines were the practical commandments, the truly radical ideas that immediately leap out in the simple stories he told and which he exemplified in everything he did. Not simply love one another, but love your enemy and forgive those who harm you; give up all material wealth; love the ineffable Being behind all things, and know that this Being is actually your truest Father, in whose image you were made. Above all: give up power over others, because power, if it is to be effective, ultimately requires the threat of violence, and violence is incompatible with the total acceptance and love of all other human beings that is at the sacred heart of Jesus’ teaching. That’s why, in his final apolitical act, Jesus never defended his innocence at trial, never resisted his crucifixion, and even turned to those nailing his hands to the wood on the cross and forgave them, and loved them."
It is easy to get embarrassed about how Christianity is perceived by much of the public, thanks in no small part by the interpretation of certain politicians and radical fundamentalists. Reading this article and thinking about the true meaning of the Easter holiday, reminds me how very cool the other JC was indeed...
