Things To Do Tonight in New York

Hey everyone!

You have two great options tonight in terms of shows you can go to.

Option 1 is Alyson Greenfield at Banjo Jim's on the corner of 9th Street and Avenue C, which is free. Alyson is awesome and everyone should experience her at least once. (Trust me, after you meet her once won't be enough). Her set is at 7, which would make you only slightly late for...

Option 2, which is Stephanie Carlin, Kari Spieler , Nick Howard and Emily Hope Price at 303 Grand in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This show is brought to you be TM Promotions so I will be working doors and taking pictures for the evening. Stop by and say hi. Only $5 cover plus free PBR. What more could you ask for?

Whatever you end up doing tonight remember to have fun and stay safe. have a good weekend everyone!

your friendly neighborhood blogger : )

Happy Arthur Guinness Day

For those of you who may not know, today is the 250th birthday of Arthur Guinness, the Irish brewer who delivered Guinness beer unto us. In celebration of this historic day grab some friends and buy yourselves a round of Guinness. And while you're at it go ahead and chat about the history of Guinness, which has been linked to above. Maybe even go on the website and download a Guinness screen saver. Anything to show the world your love for Guinness beer.

The Lightning Strike

Lightning struck Beacon Theater last night when Snow Patrol electrified the stage with their energetic performance. They gave quite a show, using every element imaginable as part of their act. For starters, there was a projector that wrote out a list of cities on the tour, ending with New York and a huge red heart, showing their love for this city.





Another impressive part of their setup, their equipment included two drum kits and four keyboards. On several songs a band member would switch between two different instruments (drum and keys, keys and guitar). Their use of lighting was also exquisite, adding an extra element to their show instead of just being noise that had no real purpose. It really seemed to match the music as it progressed.



The best part of their show was their stage presence though, especially the lead singer. He really engaged the crowd and even had them participate during "Shut You Eyes". There was laughter and excitement throughout the night which was due in large part to him.



The band played approximately 1.5 hours with a 3-song encore. Set list was as follows:

If There's A Rocket tie Me To It
Chocolate
Hands Open
How To Be Dead
The Golden Floor
The Finish Line
Somewhere A Clock Is Ticking
Make This Go On Forever
Run
Shut Your Eyes
Chasing Cars
Crack The Shutters
Take Back The City
Open Your Eyes

Encore:
The Lightning Strike (What If This Storm Ends?)
Run
You're All I Have

Happy Birthday H.G. Wells

Anyone notice the space invasion that has been taking over Google? For those of you wondering what that was about, they are celebrating H.G. Wells' birthday which is today. He would have been 143 years old. Wells may be one of the most influential science fiction authors of all time. His greatest work, War of the Worlds, brought UFOs to earth (Which Orson Welles really did with his radio broadcast based on the story) and grabbed the attention of the world. Other notable works include The Invisible Man and The Time Machine among others. This is definitely an author who deserves some recognition. Kudos to Google for making it happen.

Picking the Right Single: The Fray

While the rest of the album is good, The Fray definitely made the right choice with "You Found Me as the single for their latest album. It's one of those songs that makes you stop and notice every time it comes on the radio. Stylistically all of the songs are classic "The Fray" style, but this is the most memorable track the record has to offer. Plus it is highly marketable with the relationship theme everyone can relate to and energetic music to go with it that really grabs the listener's attention. Definitely go pick up this album (if you haven't already).

Muse Is Our Resistance

The word for today is "energy" and Muse's new album The Resistance certainly delivers. With the epic opening of the first track "Uprising" the listener knows they are in for quite a ride. The Resistance has many of the same elements of previous albums (especially Absolution) and yet something different has been infused into the mix. There is more energy here than ever before. Everything seems more upbeat, but it is done in a way that doesn't make it feel Poppy. Even the classic slower song midway through the album (United States of Eurasia) is more energetic than before.Of course they save the best for last with the three-part masterpiece "Exogenesis: Symphony", which essentially has all of the elements that make Muse great but amplified. It is the punctuation to a fantastic album. In conclusion, The Resistance brings us the same great Muse but with a twist. This will keep old fans happy (this fan was certainly more than satisfied) while possibly attracting a new crowd to the fold. Hopefully this will mean more popularity for them in the U.S. I hope so because this is one band that definitely is underrated as of yet.

Snow Patrol Announce New Album

Snow Patrol have announced they will release an album of fan favorites November 9th. The album includes not only their most loved songs but also three new tracks for fans to enjoy. They also have started their U.S. Tour and will be in New York Sept 22 & 23 at Beacon Theater. This blogger was lucky enough to get tickets for the Sept 22 date. Look for a review of their performance next week.

Avenue Q

The hit Broadway muppet-fest Avenue Q may have left Main St, but you can still catch it off Broadway. This is the first time a show has ever moved from the main stage to an off Broadway theater. We always knew Avenue Q was one of a kind, but this just makes it even more original. If you haven't seen it then go, and if you have then see it again. This is one show you will definitely get your money's worth.

Save the Music

RXP posted a letter on their site in regards to a tax that would force them to make cutbacks in their music selection and staff. I know times are tough, but this is not the solution to any of our problems. This station has been giving me a reason to listen to the radio for the past year now. Please follow the title link and help keep the music alive.

VMA: Vote Muse, America

While everyone else may be talking about Kanye's comments or Beyonce's performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, I want to take a moment to put the spotlight on Muse. Their performance during the show was the highlight of the night for me. The awards itself didn't interest me much (except the much deserved win by Green Day for their 21 Guns video). The only time I really got excited was when I heard Matthew Bellamy's enchanting voice sing its first notes on American television. Yes, this was Muse's first appearance on American TV. This band from the UK has always been more popular overseas than here. They are currently on tour as support for U2 and have sold out two dates at Giants Stadium later this month, but that was more because of who they are touring with than their own popularity here. My hope is that they are finally starting to breakout in the US and that we will consequently get to see more of them here.

Clijsters climbs to top, wins US Open Championship

Kim Clijsters must have been happy she came out of retirement, because she has had quite a run since her return. This comment she posted on Twitter says it all:

The fairy tale goes on - some how, I'm in the US Open final on Sunday beating both Venus and Serena along the way... am i dreaming???

No, Kim, you’re not dreaming, but it must feel that way after the splendid run you have had throughout this tournament. You had a tough draw, including both Serena and Venus Williams, but you managed to make it to the finals. And oh what a night it was.

It was a night of first. For the first time in the history of the sport, an unseeded player won a major final. Also a first was the two women involved ever facing each other. Kim Clijsters and Caroline Wozniacki gave everyone in Arthur Ashe stadium a show Sunday night when Clijsters battled her way to a 7-5, 6-3 win. The first set was tight, with both players struggling to hold serve. Each game was another epic battle, many going to deuce. Eventually Clijsters was able to take the set 7-5.

The second set was not nearly as eventfully, at least until Clijsters broke for a 4-2 lead. The players stayed on serve and Clijsters eventually served it out to take the second set at 6-3 with a spectacular display in her final game. After making her climb to the top of the charts complete she proceeded to climb to the top of the stands for a congratulatory kiss from her husband, as well as hugs from the rest of her box. With trophy in one hand and daughter Jada in the other, this is one dream Clijsters won’t want to wake up from.

Barrel Full of Monkies

I did some promotion here a few days ago for a show Friday, September 11 with Lili Roquelin, Alyson Greenfield, and Yula Beeri at Monkey Town. The show was a combination of music and visual presentation, which made it more interesting than a typical performance (although Alyson and Yula can be interesting all on their own). Yula especially put on quite a show last night. There were dancers and props included on top of the song and video presentation. As the photographer for the evening, here are some shots to show you what you missed out on.

LiLi Roquelin


Alyson Greenfield


Yula Beeri


Just a small sample to entice you. The first one, I have been told, will be featured on LiLi's MySpace page. The rest will be on the TM Promotions MySpace, probably later today.

Never Forget

Does everyone remember where they were when the events of 8 years ago took place? September 11, 2001, picture this: Students are sitting in English class preparing for an exam. Across the hall our history teacher (whose class we just left a few minutes ago) is running up and down the halls asking who has seen and for us to turn on our TVs. We do, and take our quiz while silent images of destruction fly across the screen. One of those students was me. I was in the 8th grade at the time. I will never forget who I sat next to or what we said as events unfolded. I doubt any of us will.

Another story. Imagine you were supposed to work in that building but had called out earlier because your wife was going into labor and about to have her baby. How lucky would you feel? Not only starting your family, but you have been saved from the horror that others had to go through. This is what happened to a friend of my father's. This was one of those moments where even a doubter has to believe in a greater Power than oneself.

I hope everyone takes the time to remember today and those who were not as fortunate. Most importantly don't forget to live, not just today but every day. Make every moment count, because you never know when it may all have to come to an end.

Alyson Greenfield @ Monkey Town

Tomorrow night (9/11) Yula Beeri, Alyson Greenfield, and LiLi Roquelin will be making an appearance at Monkey Town in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Doors are at 6:30 and show starts at 7. It is recommended you reserve your spots in advance. Price is $7, which you would pay at the door regardless of whether or not reservations were made. This promises to be a great show so come on out. Hope to see you all there -- I'll be the one with the camera in one hand and clipboard containing Ms Greenfield's mailing list in the other.

President Challenges Students To Succeed

President Obama, in a speech made yesterday, challenged students to stay in school and explore their potential. He predicted that some of the students he addressed could go on to do many great things in a number of different fields but would never know that unless they had the experiences given to them at school and completed their education. It was a very positive speech that talked directly to the youth of the nation without talking down at them. He mentioned that some may not have ideal living experiences now but that didn't always have to be the case.

Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

President Obama wasn't exclusively optimistic either. Yes the message was hopeful, but it was also realistic. He told the youth they may not necessarily all become instant celebrities, but with some hard work they could do whatever they put their minds to. They may not be good at every subject, but our failures can define us as much as our successes, citing JK Rowling and her Harry Potter series as an example. He concluded by saying that there is no shame in needing to ask for help and admitting you are not perfect. Life is about not giving up despite any challenges you may face. Finally he asked the youth what contributions they would add to our great nation.

There were many who had somewhat negative expectations of this speech, but I found it to be very well written and delivered. I hope that schools had their students actually listen to what the President had to say. I think it will be beneficial to them to hear his words of inspiration.

The Rising Star of Women's Tennis

I have always said that men's tennis was infinitely more interesting than watching the ladies play. Maybe there was a day when they were equally enjoyable, but now that the final match is usually a question of "Serena or Venus?" the sport has lost its hold on me. That was until this year, however. In a strange twist of fate the men's section has become the predictable one with Roger Federer's dominance of play, while the ladies draw has me waiting with anticipation to see who will make the finals. Kim Clijsters continues to make her bid at reclaiming the title with her family supporting her every step of the way. Meanwhile, a new star has come across my path: Melanie Oudin. Her fourth round victory over Nadia Petrova put her in the Quarterfinals, and she's only seventeen. To get to her match with Petrova she also had to beat Maria Sharapova and Elena Dementieva, all matches that were with tough opponents and went to three sets. This is one girl you don't want to mess with. If both Clijsters and Oudin can keep this up they may just see each other in the finals. That will be a match I won't want to miss, and neither should you.

Famous Last Words

This is a prelimanry review. Pictures and commentary, as well as links to videos, will be posted within the week.

Last night was Star Child's last show at 89.5 WSOU, Seton Hall's radio station. It was evident from the first moments that she put a lot of thought into each and every detail. There were specialty blocks including New York/New Jersey bands and even a tiny trip down memory lane with some 90s tunes. There were also plenty of stories from friends who dropped by the studio and hung around to be a part of Star's final moments on air. These were after her last interviews with some local artists, each with varying levels of popularity. Included in this list were ShiraGirl, Exit She Calls, Joe Wilson, and Kevin Devine. There was a very chill vibe in the studio, as if even the artists were friends just dropping by to say "hi". (Of course, many of them were friends as well so that did help matters a bit). It was a great environment to have a show, and I was glad I was able to be a part of it all.

Shining Star

Tune in tonight to WSOU for Star Child's last show, as she graduated Seton Hall this past May. She's a good friend of mine so I want to give her a proper send-off. From what I know there is some good stuff planned, so you won't want to miss out.

Encore

The tennis world has been lacking in female greats not named "Williams" for a few years now, but one shining star is ready to make a comeback.

Throughout her career, Clijsters was known for her outstanding athleticism and defense and moved around the court arguably better than anyone in the world, with her speed and ability to slide on almost any surface. Her slides usually ended in a famous Clijsters split, showcasing her flexibility. (Quote from title linked article)

That's right folks, Kim Clijsters is looking to come out of retirement and become a full time tennis professional again. So far her encore has been going well. She made it to the third round with her victory over Marion Bartoli 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in the second round and a first round victory over Viktoriya Kutuzova 6-1, 6-1 before that. It will be interesting to see how far she can make it, especially since her last tournament was her winning the title here at the U.S. Open in 2005. Stayed tuned for continuing coverage of Clijsters and the remains of the tournament.

Disneyfied

Today we look at the recently announced Disney/Marvel merger and what it really means. The title link helped to formulate some of the thoughts shared here. When I first heard about it my only thought was uncertainty. I wasn't sure what to think about a seemingly odd merger. What would it mean for the Marvel characters we have grown to love? Will Disney take over and turn our heroes into a watered-down version of their former selves? After reading more about the possibilities here I realized that this doesn't have to be the nightmare scenario some may be conjuring in their heads right now. It could be that Daddy Disney lets Marvel do its own thing while offering support where needed. This would mean the characters would be unchanged and possibly find a new playground to conquer. Plus Disney gets exposure of its own to the faithful followers of the Marvel brigade. Everybody wins; everybody is happy.

And they all lived happily ever after.