Visiting Time Is (Almost) Over
October has been a banner month for friends and family visiting, but after this weekend we have a breather (at least until Thanksgiving). Tonight friends from college are coming in for a wedding, and to test the sleep-friendliness of our floor, while at the same time Alma’s cousins are in town to see the Pet Shop Boys (to the best of my knowledge).
I’ll be at the Pet Shop Boys, too, reviewing for the Trib. They’re one of my favorite groups, and if the drop off in quality over the year is obvious, it’s also pretty relative. The worst of these guys is better than the best of most. Ironically, while the albums are pleasurable for the contrast of ebullient disco songs and socio-political lyrics, the live shows smartly downplay the, well, smarts in favor of clever design and nightclub pacing. They've been reduced to (large, gay) cult stature in the States, but I respect the group for not giving up on us Yanks and bothering to tour every few years. It was here, after all, that the group's music first gained traction, back when effete, sneakily subversive synth-pop of a distinctly British bent could slip on the airwaves.
A couple of nights ago I went to see Lindsey Buckingham, erstwhile leader of Fleetwood Mac and someone I believe to be one of the very few pop geniuses at work today. And yes, he did play “Holiday Road” from the “National Lampoon’s Vacation” soundtrack. See? Genius.
Last night I saw the Hold Steady. The last time the Brooklyn by way of Minneapolis band played Chicago – well, not counting Lollapalooza, which was kind of an exception to several rules – was at the Empty Bottle. This night they sold out Metro, which is about five times the size of the Empty Bottle. Good for them! It was also one of the best shows I’ve seen in months, tons of fun. To see them fueled by the enthusiasm of so many rabid fans warmed the heart on a cold and
I’ll be at the Pet Shop Boys, too, reviewing for the Trib. They’re one of my favorite groups, and if the drop off in quality over the year is obvious, it’s also pretty relative. The worst of these guys is better than the best of most. Ironically, while the albums are pleasurable for the contrast of ebullient disco songs and socio-political lyrics, the live shows smartly downplay the, well, smarts in favor of clever design and nightclub pacing. They've been reduced to (large, gay) cult stature in the States, but I respect the group for not giving up on us Yanks and bothering to tour every few years. It was here, after all, that the group's music first gained traction, back when effete, sneakily subversive synth-pop of a distinctly British bent could slip on the airwaves.
A couple of nights ago I went to see Lindsey Buckingham, erstwhile leader of Fleetwood Mac and someone I believe to be one of the very few pop geniuses at work today. And yes, he did play “Holiday Road” from the “National Lampoon’s Vacation” soundtrack. See? Genius.
Last night I saw the Hold Steady. The last time the Brooklyn by way of Minneapolis band played Chicago – well, not counting Lollapalooza, which was kind of an exception to several rules – was at the Empty Bottle. This night they sold out Metro, which is about five times the size of the Empty Bottle. Good for them! It was also one of the best shows I’ve seen in months, tons of fun. To see them fueled by the enthusiasm of so many rabid fans warmed the heart on a cold and
posted by Josh at 1:53 PM
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