1. a random, steady, unvarying, electronically produced sound
2. nerdy notes from suburbia
Sad news last weekend of the passing of George Carlin. I’ve enjoyed a lot of comedians, but few have remained as consistently funny and relevant to me as Carlin. There were times when I’d think he had faded out and become less edgy, less relevant – then I’d see a new routine and he’d remind me of the contrary.
From religion, to politics, to our ridiculous language and policies which seek to control it, Carlin could always find a bone I wanted picked.
Filed under General News
Caught a great show last night with Jonathan Coulton playing down in Oakely. Coulton’s gained moderate popularity with songs about zombies (“RE: Your Brains”) and programmers (“Code Monkey”). I, in fact, discovered him a couple years ago while searching for “zombie” songs for the soundtrack to our Nightmare of the Living Dead party. Newer fans have been introduced to him through the song, “Still Alive”, in the game Portal which made its way into the game Rock Band as well. Coulton’s music is smart blend of humor and heart. A lot of his songs reflect his own geeky bend (he’s a former software programmer) with references to mathematics, robotics, and genetic engineering. I usually prefer my humor clearly separate from my music – telling jokes to a jangly guitar wears thin on me fast – but Coulton works for me, thanks in large part to his witty but subtle lyrics and a hell of a lot of musical talent.
The venue, the 20th Century Theater, was a little unusual, with tables and chairs for everyone on the two-tier floor. Above hung a odd assortment of paper lanterns, disco balls, and icicle string lights. The houselights couldn’t be darkened, so the crowd (no more than 200 I’d say) and the stage were about equally lit giving a feel more similar to a gig at a friend’s house than a typical theater performance. Despite the odd appearance the acoustics were very good with clear vocals and all the between-song banter easy to hear.
The opening act was Paul and Storm, who in this region may be even more popular due to their occasional bits on Bob & Tom. They put on a short but spirited set with plenty of audience participation. They’re not the kind of band I’d listen to at home – their humor is of the more blatant variety (ala Adam Sandler) and their songs are not very interesting musically, but they are an excellent show live with lots of improvisation.
JoCo did healthy 18 song set. He played solo, usually with guitar, but brought out a couple electronic gizmos for a couple songs. First he used a Tenori-On to perform “My Monkey”, which was really creative and hypnotic. Then, he used a Zendrum to perform “Mr. Fancy Pants” and he even Rick Roll’d himself during the break. Paul and Storm joined him for five songs, including a first-time cover of “Birdhouse in Your Soul” by They Might Be Giants. He finished with “Re: Your Brains” complete with crowd participating zombies. Here’s a little montage on the evening:
Filed under Music
