Nada Surf at 9:30 Club: Decent concert, sparse crowd

Last night, Nada Surf rocked the 9:30 club to a commodious yet some-what packed audience of hipsters, awkward tweens, and Gen-Xers. Normally, the frosting to any concert experience for me is to max-out my people watching skills. I couldn’t help myself yesterday as I watched a coterie of frazzled hair girls squeel when Nada Surf’s lead singer Mathew Caws sung one of his newest singles.

As i’ve previously said before, it bites being short at concerts. I’m, like, always the shortest one there. And to top it all off, I abhor wearing heels so that didn’t  help the situation either. I conceded to my physical defeats and comported myself behind these two sheltered tweens.

   Throughout the night, these three meat-head types with large ears deemed themselves to have carte blanche over the rest of the audience.

 Each one, unknowingly, obfuscated my only clear view of the concert.  I was sure I wasn’t the only short person fraught with rage over their brusque behaviour.

In the meantime, Nada Surf played with bouyancy. Each song was sung harmoniously, and unlike the uncreative duo behind Sleighbells, each of their songs were singular, fresh, and different. Too bad for me, I wasn’t too aware of the band’s fan favorite hits.

All I really wanted Nada Surf to do was play my favorite songs.Conversely, they seemed bridled by the tweets of hipsters, home-schoolers, meat-heads and slightly graying couples in their 40′s.

Ughh!  Nada Surf just played what the majority wanted! Besides being a minority – and I don’t mean being the only Indian American at the show– I was probably one of a handful who only wanted to hear their popular singles, from this homogenuous group of Nada Surf Fans. I was captious to find foibles with the show.

When I realized all of this was occurring, I later quelled my emotions and swirling thoughts by just mentally replaying my own favorite Nada Surf songs.

 Subsequently, after I was attenuated by Nada Surf playing ‘fan favorites’, they started to play all of my favorite songs in a row.

• Best Nada Surf Songs at 9:30 Club   

*Blond on blond * See these bones * Inside of love * Always love

 I instantly forgave Nada Surf for being a people pleaser to D.C’s hipsters that night. I forgive you Nada Surf! You actually played the popular stuff.  On the contrary, though Nada Surf played their popular hits, they did not play “Popular”.

 Thank goodness! Though that hit is what they were most famous for, it’s the one song that grated my nerves the most.

Consequently, I did have a great time. Nada Surf played enough mellow tunes to lull a picky indie listener like me for awhile. Mathew Caws has an angelic voice, and his band produced wonderful refrains, choruses and beats to magically entrance any Nada Surf fan.

Even though I didn’t know alot of the songs the band played, I was still thoroughly impressed by their craftmanship. It was also cute that Caws parents were at the balcony, directly to his right. Both his mom and Dad had large grins that didn’t diminish throughout the night but only grew as each song played.

Nada surf was a decent concert overall and I hope they come back again to the D.C area.

Sleighbells at 9:30 Club: One, long, song

 A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to snag tickets to see indie-electronic fave ‘Sleighbells’ perform at the 9:30 club in Washington D.C.

I’ve always been a lukewarm fan of the band, ever since i’ve heard them on Pandora.  If you don’t know who they are, then I guess you are not hip enough to fit into the D.C indie rock scene.

 And I am saying this sarcastically– anyone who claims to love indie must know this uber awesome band.

Sleighbells came to fame around 2009, and are headed by Derek E. Miller ( guitar) and Allison Krauss ( vocals). The band is known for acclaimed hits like : Meds and Feds, Rill Rill, Tell em’, Treats, Kids, Touch of Eva, Comeback Kid and End of the line.

I saw Sleighbells with my boyfriend and two of his friends. Besides us opting to miss the intro band, that put all of us in a bind since we had a rough time find a decent place to stand. Because of this, we headed to the balconies.

No matter how many fixtures the 9:30 club will ever have, it can’t cure a short person of being vertically challenged. So I tried my best to tippy toe and see whatever was possible.

Atleast we were able to see the show ( I tried to repeatedly think, though I couldn’t see anything ). I was advised to wear earplugs since Sleighbells was known for having an extravagant cornocopia of sounds, blare from all ends of any venue. I’m normally not a fan of earplugs since it makes my ears feel paranoid that it will never hear again. Poor ears.

Meanwhile, Sleighbell’s Allison Krause was bleeping, and blooping and humming random tunes. I prepped extra hard for this show by listening to all of her top hits in the care but, alas, those efforts were futile.  It all sounded like one, long song.

Logically, each song has minor differences that can differentiate it from the last song but I couldn’t really  tell the difference. It was pretty much like hearing one song for 45 minutes, but with minor breaks in between. I’ve never had a concert experience like this before, and I don’t know if  it’s something I want to repeat in the future.

If you are an avid fan of my blog than you must have read previous blog entries that were full of light-hearted promotions. I hate to break it to you, but I know how to discern what’s awesome and what’s mundane. I’m not always going to write positive reviews about EVERYTHING that’s food, pop culture or even musically-related. 

The only positive aspect from the show was that Allison Krause had my haircut. She literally had my side bangs, and long, layered black hair-do.  When it came to hairstyle, she gets brownie points from me. Other than that, Meh!

Gomez was at 9:30 Club: But did not play my effing song

 Gomez recently came to the 9:30 club, located around U Street in Northwest Washington D.C. For years, I would sedulously try to go see them but something would always come up.

Whether it was fiscal, social or spiritual reasons; I used to make up pretty lame excuses for missing a potentially wonderful show.

Lucky for me, I have an understanding and compassionate boyfriend who wanted me to stop being my own worst enemy.

We positioned our way to the near front, outmanuevering Gen-xers and a minority of millenials.  After waiting for 30 minutes ( impatiently on my part) Gomez came on to a half-crowded audience of plaid-shirt wearers, milfs and sentient undergrads from GW or American U.

In light of the predictable crowd and slow start, I was quite hopeful that Gomez would play my song.  Ironically, it’s the only song I wanted to hear from them and the only reason I wanted to see them– at all.

“We haven’t turned around” is by far the most romantic song i’ve ever heard and it’s beauty is found in the ballad, orchestral strings that bridge this overly long tune into an indie gem.  Predictably, if you are an ardent fan of my blog then you know I am a hardcore fan of Roswell.

Max and Liz had their first kiss to that song, and as a nerdy Roswellian, falsely assumed that shelling out $25 dollars for a Gomez ticket is contingent to hearing ‘We haven’t turned around”.  Though Gomez is a great band and none of their tunes contained any banalities, they failed to play my favorite song. Here’s what they played at their show though:

Gomez Setlist

• Shot Shot Play Video
   
• Love Is Better Than A Warm Trombone Play Video
   
• Equalize Play Video
   
• Las Vegas Dealer Play Video
   
• That Wolf Play Video
   
• Meet Me In The City Play Video
   
• California Play Video
   
• Our Goodbye Play Video
   
• Charley Patton Songs Play Video
   
• Blue Moon Rising Play Video

• I Will Take You There Play Video
   
• Little Pieces Play Video
   
• Airstream Driver Play Video
   
• Girlshapedlovedrug Play Video
   
• Revolutionary Kind Play Video
   
• Options Play Video
   
• Get Miles Play Video
   
• Get Myself Arrested Play Video
   
• See the World Play Video
   
• How We Operate Play Video
   

It’s a great setlist since Gomez is a consummate indie band that conjures singular songs. But it’s not good enough for me since  Gomez song did not play my song. I hope Gomez realizes that some of their fans are nerdy 20-something girls who used to watch a kick-ass show called “Roswell” and who primarily like them for that one song. Click Here

How do you know if you are a Hipster? Or not?

The picture you see above is me attempting to jump as high as this little blond girl. It was taken in Toronto, Canada and I don’t really think it relates to this post.  Well, maybe? This is a picture taken of me before I transformed myself into a nouveau-hipster.

It bites that I don’t even have a recent picture taken of me after my “hipster transformation,” but when I do have it: I will post it, ASAP!

For the past year, I was in complete denial that I was even a hipster. Yet, after doing some deep soul searching and feverish Googling, I can finally conclude that I am, kinda-sorta, a hipster-ish woman.  If you go to UrbanDictionary.com, and type in the word Hipster, you will see the exact definition:

Usually someone in college or fresh out of college until about their late twenties who enjoys indie music, a good cup of coffee or tea, grocery shopping at an organic store and vintage clothe shopping. also enjoys local acoustic band shows, and enjoys indie flicks or foreign films with subtitles. they are snobbish about their music and political affiliations, and enjoy reading books.they enjoy traveling and culture in general.

 

 I can’t deny this definition–even if I try. On my Pandora Station, I listen to nothing but Indie music: The Decemberists, Cold War kids, Peter Bjorn and John, The Kooks, Travis, Aqualung, etc. I watch Indie-flicks on Hulu.com when I get the chance, e.g., “Happy-go-Lucky”, “Arranged”,”Kabluey”, etc.

 

I am very particular about my coffee and prefer blends that are imported overseas from Columbia, parts of Western Africa and wherever else knows how to toast and meld special, aromatic beans. I even get picky about tea and savor anything exotic. I’m a fervent lover of coconut teas from Thailand and of authentic Darjeelings from India.

 

My favorite concerts tend to be acoustic, and once someone gets me started on what is good music and even on social issues ( not always politics), I get extremly passionate and try to immerse myself in deep conversation about it. Moreover, I feel like i’ve always been into vintage clothing, even before it  became a nation-wide trend.

 

I’ve also gone through the whole “thrift-store” route but have also favored garage sales, flea markets and stores like TJ Maxx, Ross and Marshalls for my current threads. Not to mention, i’m an adept bargain shopper who loves to rove around her local Tar-Jay.

Hipsters also love to read books. I try to read 1-2 books a month ( while balancing that with reading for school), and I am currently getting into 48 Rules of Power by Robert Greene.  Though I don’t agree with alot of these tactics, it’s a great read to learn how to ward yourself away from manipulative, cunniving, perfidious people ( it’s sad, but many tend to pervade internships, jobs, networking events and chill sessions with friends).  Generally, I just like to  read books that try to mature me into a better person.

Anyways, another way I am a hipster is by my counter-culture views. I am anti: Lady Gaga, Glee, American Idol, and anything too popular. I also don’t agree with beauty standards placed by the media since it distorts people’s minds and progresses racist tendencies concerning what “is” actual beauty. I also tend to stay afloat on current affairs by reading Huffington Post, CNN, NPR and by engaging in insightful conversation with good friends.

I also love to travel, frequent local coffee shops, try new activities/sports and read. Yeah, the last line borders between Hipster and just being a young- twenty-something that wants to cultivate herself.

After reaching that “A-HA” moment that I was indeed nouveau-hipster, I decided to physically transform myself. Recently, I got a new haircut resembling Christina Perri’s ( minus the blond streak), bought tighter jeans, striped shirts and dramatically altered the way I do makeup.

I bought an ample supply of Loreal themed eye-shadows, lipstick and liquid pencil black eyeliner to achieve this ornate look.

Lest not forget, my  toe and fingernails are going to be decked in dark OPI colors ( preferably caffeine-addict): To embellish this “I don’t really care” look.

I honestly think this “Hipster” phase will die down in a year and I will probably experiment in a new look. But for now, i’m having fun playing-up being a nouveau-hipster in the DMV area.

 So, I guess the big question to ask now is: How do you know if you are a hipster? or not?

If this blog entry reminds you of yourself than problem solved. However, if you still feel ambivalent about this entry than try to perform your own google search to find it if you are, indeed, a Hipster.

Once you finally reach that A-Ha moment, why not catch up with me at an Indie-rock show at 9:30 club or engage in a socially-oriented conversation with me at a trendy, chic coffee joint ( Hmmm Kramer Books by Dupont Circle?).  Us Hipsters ( or Nouveau-Hipsters) must stick together.

Best depressing indie and alternative rock tracks

I’ve always wanted to get into more genres of music. I’ve tried to embrace Soul, R&B, Country, and some Rock, but have failed to actually digest any of it. I am, however, quite partial to Pop, Alternative Rock, Indie and old school Hip Hop. I can switch from Britney Spears to Oasis to Elliot Smith and back to the Wu-Tang Clan with ease.

With that said, I do have a special preference when it comes to listening to music. I’m totally bounded to depressing indie and alternative rock ballads. I don’t know why and I don’t know how, but it’s like crack cocain for me. I can listen to it for long periods of time without feeling emotionally depleted or lethargic.

Maybe it’s the writer in me? Or maybe, inside my bubbly exterior, I have a tormented soul that could only permeate outside if I listen to sappy songs about someone’s life being pregnant with anguish. Eh. I don’t really know.

Nonetheless, i’m addicted to this brand of music. I’ve been addicted to it since sixth grade and this aspect of me will never change. Anyways, i’ve compiled a semi-comprehensive list of depressing indie and alternative rock tracks that i’m sure can lull someone into a gloomy trance. Hopefully?

1.) The Decemberists- “Engine Driver”

2.) Elliot Smith-”Can’t make a sound”

3.) The Verve-”On your own”

4.)Travis-”Writing to reach you”

5.) The Verve-”History”

6.) Coldplay-”Trouble”

7.)Oasis-”Talk to you tonight”

8.)Switchfoot-”Yesterday”

9.) Oasis-”Cast no shadow”

10.) Vast- “We will meet again”

11.)Ivy-”Undertow”

12.)Radiohead-”How to dissappear completely”

13.) Smashing Pumpkins-”Blank Page”

14.)Semisonic-”Made to last”

15.)Collective Soul-”Forgiveness”

16.) Richard Ashcroft-”Break the night with Colour”

17.)Vertical Horizon-”Best I ever had”

18.) Remy Zero-”Perfect memory”

19.)Switchfoot-”Learning to Breath”

20.) Oasis-”Stop crying your heart out”

21.)The Fray-”Never say never”

22.) Christina Perri-”Jar of Hearts”

23.)Thirteen Senses-”Into the fire”

24.)Audioslave-”Like a stone”

25.)Audioslave-”I am the highway”

26.)Paloalto-”Going going gone”

27.)Kubb-”Sun”

28.) Whitfield-”Wait”

29.)Sparklehorse-”Go”

30.)Rhett Miller-”Come around”

31.) Puddle of Mud-”Blurry”

32.) Fuel-”Bad day”

33.)Fuel-”Falls on me”

34.) Linkin Park-”In the end”

35.) Fuel-”Empty Spaces”

36.) Linkin Park-”Waiting for the end”

37.) Howie Day-” You and a promise”

38.)Travis-”Pipe Dreams”

39.) The Doves-”M62 Song”

40.) Ringside-”Tired of being sorry”

41.) Death Cab for Cutie-”I will follow you into the dark”

42.) Nada Surf-”Inside of Love”

43.) Norfolk & Western-” The shortest stare”

Ofcourse, this is not a complete list. I am always receptive into hearing new stuff (albeit depressing) and if any of you have any suggestions for me. Please comment below.

Jango:A Better Alternative To Pandora

I’ve been an earnest fan of Pandora for sometime now. I have an array of stations ranging from The Bee Gees to Drake.

I like how I can listen to Pandora without paying a monthly fee and I have finite opportunities  to skip over songs that irk me, i.e., anything featuring Taylor Swift.

Now remember, I never said I loved Pandora, I only said that I liked it.Jango is the love of my online radio life. It beats Pandora for these subsequent reasons:

1.) Pandora is only free for the first 40 hours. After your monthly periods, you can either pay an extra dollar or get bombarded with more advertisement to join Pandora 1 (they have unlimited hours, and no advertisement). Jango, on the other hand, is free 24/7.

2.) Pandora Radio listeners can skip over songs for the first 20-30 minutes. After wards, they are hampered into whatever Pandora has bestowed upon them. No matter how many thumbs down you cast on that song, it will not get skipped. Jango allows you to click on  emoticons that denote whichever song is worthy or not worthy for your personal station. You  also have the ability to skip over to any station, and to not be constricted to Jango’s aforementioned selections.

3.) Pandora flagrantly has ads intermittently placed between songs. These ads ocassionally transform into wide-spread pop-ups that detract from your online musical experience. You can’t skip over these ads since Pandora vaunts how much they need it to provide you free music ( well only the first 40 hours of it). Jango may have pop-up ads but they provider listeners a small blue hyperlink to click out of the ad.  Their ads only pop-up every so often, and with just a simple click from your mouse,  it disappears.

4.) Pandora’s stations play a variety of music, but after awhile the musical selection remains stagnant. Jango changes up their musical selection and gives radio users the chance to help new artists get more air time.

5.) Pandora tends to tither into outlier musical artist selections that don’t always correspond with your aforementioned station. Jango is on key and selects artists with similar tone, lyrics, melody and etc., for your viewing discretion.

6.) Pandora doesn’t  give you an option when it comes to deleting  bands from your station. Jango lets you delete whatever bands,  or songs from all of your stations. In fact, if you get bored with your own station you can tune into another user’s station.

7.) Pandora primarily lets users favorite a song. Jango lets users view pictures, videos and even buy ringtones from their favorite artists.

Nelly Furtado:All Good Things(Come To An End)

I’ve been a lukewarm fan of Nelly Furtado’s since either 1999 or 2000? I was in middle school when she sported this uber cool pony tail  and swung on these swings while singing “I’m like a Bird” on TV.

I’m not surprised she recently  dropped her relic singing style as a way  to cater to the masses, albeit ‘Promiscuous’ is a really catchy song.

She kicked off her  Addidas for open-toed heels and for skin tight dresses, since she grew up: just like me.

My favorite song and music video that she ever did  was, “All Good Things ( Come to an End)”.

It’s catchy, simple and lyrically addictive.  Recently, I’ve been repetitively listening to this song. After listening to this song, I came to the conclusion that it sometimes takes  that one good thing to come to an  end before everything comes full circle in your life.

Rock Band 2 features Voodoo Pharmacology

                                                                               

   One day, I was driving home from work  and received a text message from my good friend Romano, drummer of  “Voodoo Pharmacology”.

This text made my day since this unique local band is getting more exposure thanks to Rock Band 2 selecting their song, ” Minnesota”.

I think everyone who is attending this friday’s Voodoo Pharmacology show in Sonar( Baltimore)  should give them a  shout-out for accomplishing this feat.

Who: Voodoo Pharmacology, “Band- Extraordinaire”

What: Will be playing at “Unite- a Powwow Pre Event” in Sonar Night Club.

Where: 407  East Saratoga Street, Baltimore, MD

When: March 19 at 8:00 p.m

Why: This event benefits the Powwow festival and it celebrates the Vernal Equinox.

If you want to learn more about this band, join their Facebook Page.

Or better yet, come meet them for yourselves after their latest show. I promise you, it’s not like any other concert you’ve ever been to.

Voodoo Pharmacology-Live Multimedia Extravaganza

I’ve been listening to Voodoo Pharmacology’s last album and I can’t quite place it into a specific genre. It’s mellow but sporadic. The  poetic verses transitions in and out of electronica type melodies.

I’ve been a fan of theirs since my senior year of college, ever since  I wrote a music review over their self titled album : Voodoo Pharmacology.

It’s been ages since they last toured and when I found out that they were back in the Baltimore scene, I was ecstatic! 

 This Friday, January 22, at 8:00 p.m they will be jamming with Dark Dissolve at the Senator Theater located on 5904 York Road, Baltimore, MD 21212. Tickets are $10 but $13 at the door.

This show is not your typical concert but an experience.  They will have the following:

• Indie Films
• Costumed weirdos
• Murals
• Art Vendors
• Body Paint
• Videos
• Special effects
• Assorted Oddities

If you  have any questions about the show or tickets, please contact Ryan Romano through his e-mail: thedrummist@gmail.com

Baby Come Back By Player

“Baby come  back” by Player is my number one favorite song for 2009 because of that Swiffer commercial.  If it wasn’t for that commercial, and for that ridiculous mop singing, ” Baby come back”– accompanied with a Mariachi band– than I never would’ve given it a second glance.

When I went to college, I would randomly burst out and sing this song for the sheer hell of it. It was so catchy by itself,  that I was able to sway a mass of girls into thinking, singing and feeling this soulful seventy’s one-hit- wonder’s tune.

Even to this day, I can’t stop singing this song even though it doesn’t relate to me in the slightest.  This song is my fondest memory of 2009 and my college buds.

I also dedicate this song as a present to whomever reads my random blog entries on a daily basis

Happy Holidays XOXO!