Here’s some footage of R.E.M.’s rehearsal for their performance in Trafalgar Square. Basically a little mini-concert for anyone interested.

They sound remarkable. I don’t think they’re touring this time, which is a damn shame.

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I ended up going to see the second Harry Smith Project concert. It was a bit shorter and tighter, but I think the performances weren’t as good as the first show. Richard Thompson, Daniel Lanois and Steve Young were all missing. However, the 2nd night did have a charming little performance from Petra Haden of That Dog that I enjoyed very much.

I do hope a CD of these performances is released. Marianne Faithfull’s rendition of John the Revelator was amazing. I really want to hear that again.

Friday night I went out for karaoke and it became my first photo event. Hopefully I’ll be able to do a lot of these as I take more pictures with the DigiElph.

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Once again, I ended up at a concert at the last minute with ridiculously cool results. I found out that the Harry Smith Project was playing on campus at UCLA and I busted my ass to go get a ticket.

I didn’t even know who Harry Smith was (I do now) but look at this guest list: Elvis Costello, Beck, Richard Thompson, Daniel Lanois, Todd Rundgren, Marianne Faithfull, David Johansen, Phillip Glass, Bill Frisell, Steve Young, Eliza Carthy, Steve Earle, Eric Mingus… it was just a freakish amount of genius on one stage. I lucked out and got a 4th row seat at the box office. I was by myself, so there was this one lone chair that nobody wanted. Yay for me!

The concert was amazing. Brilliant talent in a wonderfully intimate hall, going through what seemed to be the entire history of American folk music. The big money talent was good, but the really amazing parts were seeing some of these unknown (to me) musicians perform these unknown (to me) songs that were immediately captivating. I really wanted to run out and by CDs by Steve Young and Eliza Carthy.

Five an a half hours of haunting beauty that I’ll never be able to replicate. Well, unless I end up going again tonight. This is practically a once in a lifetime opportunity. I can get those songs, but not by those performers, and I can get those performers, but not these peformances again… EVER. There’s a certain magic to that.

BUT, BUT on to the other insane highlights of my evening.

I was using the restroom when I notice Michael Richards mugging his way in. Interesting.

Then I walk into the lobby and right there in plain sight is The Edge. Just standing there, chatting it up. I NEVER interrupt celebrities, but I was compelled.

“Um, excuse me, um, Mr… um… Edge?”
“Yes?”
“Sorry interrupt, but I saw you last night at the Pond and you had a really great show.”

“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Enjoy the show.”

I backed away, and turned around just soon enough to practically run over Bono, who had just stepped into the lobby. Bono’s MAYBE 5’5″, so I was looking right past him when I turned around.

“Um, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bump into you, um, Mr… um… Bono?”
“It’s alright.”
“I saw you last night and you guys put on a killer show.”

“Thanks.”
“Bye.”
“Enjoy the show.”
“Uh… um… you too… Mr… um… Bono.”

Yes, I become Stuttering Idiot Boy around U2. Can you blame me? As I walked away I took a few deep breaths and muttered “Don’t freak out.” The usher standing next to me thought I was talking to her. She stood there clutching a pen and a copy of the Daily Bruin, visibly shaking. “But I’m REALLY starting to freak out,” she said.

And then it hit me. I am clearly in the presence of Rock Stars.

After my random brush with U2, I finished off the marathon concert. After the show, Elvis Costello sat stageside and shook hands with everyone, signing a few items. Elvis is probably my favorite solo artist, so I ran up there and tried to get in on the conversation. He was mostly saying hello and thanks to all the fans that were there. He shook my hand and told me “Thanks for coming.” It was starting to be be a bit of a mob, so I got out of there.

But in six hours I met The Edge, Bono and Elvis Costello, in addition to a wonderfully unique musical experience.

Not a bad night.

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At the last minute, I ended up going to the U2 concert tonight. I saw them play Dodger Stadium many years ago, and was convinced then that U2 was probably the best arena rock band I would ever see. There would probably be better bands and better shows, but I was pretty sure no one else would be that effective at that kind of scale.

U2′s been horribly disappointing to me of late, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see them live again, especially with PJ Harvey opening. So I ended up at the Anaheim pond and after a long drive, settled in for the show.

PJ Harvey didn’t disappoint. I’ve seen her absolutely tear the house down at smaller venues before, so it was a bit unfamiliar to see her like this. Still, there’s something so brilliantly unholy about her voice that I couldn’t help but enjoy it. I’d definitely go see her if she headlined a little tour of her own again.

Once U2 took stage, it was a bit strange. Clearly, they’re tighter than they’ve ever been, but they also seem ultra-rehearsed and a bit stiff. Their newer material plays much better live than it does on the record though. Once U2 got cutting into their classics though, it really got going. Instead of feeling like some kind of overpriced nostalgia trip (which, honestly, it kind of is), there was a remarkable sense of urgency. The rhythm section dropped into a military march, Edge’s guitar was a reverb/echo/flange filled sonic wall and Bono started wailing like it mattered again.

A really good show, including “In a Little While” dedicated to Joey Ramone and a good take on “Bad,” probably my favorite U2 song. I was a bit disappointed that “Stay” and “Please” were both skipped (like most of Pop), but overall the setlist included pretty much everything you’d want.

I’m not big into the idea that music can topple governments. But listening to U2 rip through “New Years Day,” “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “I Will Follow” made me think for a little bit that it could. And that’s really all I could ask for.

Please note: these are not my photos.

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I finished reading “Road to Perdition” today. It’s a neat little comic about a hitman on the run from the mob during the Great Depression. The big catch is that he’s bringing his only son with him.

It’s a fantastic book, with good writing and fine black and white art. They’re making it into a feature film starring Tom Hanks now. If they follow the book closely, The Road to Perdition should be a hit.

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After almost twenty years, Peter Buck finally decides to act like a rock star. He was arrested for having “air rage” and throttling some people in first class.

Peter Buck’s always been my favorite rock star of all time, so good for him.

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More digital camera fun.

Random shots from my apartment balcony. These are all very, very early in the morning, after a long night.

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God. Why do I want this Waving Mao Watch so much?

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After a pretty brutal day at work, my Friday night turned out pretty well. First off, my digital camera finally got delivered (after much hassle and *two* cancellations due to strange bait and switch tactics). Second, I got to go to my first Dodger game of the year.

I was playing with the camera all night, ignoring the game for the most part. It was actually a very good game (Dodgers beat the Padres 3-1) but we sat through three rain delays that killed the momentum.

Even with my interest in the game waning, there were a few great stories. Kevin Brown pitched a real gem before leaving with a back (?) injury, throwing his hard sinker all night and sawing guys off consistently. The few hits the Padres could muster were lucky strokes, often inside-out hits off the hands.

After Brown left, Gregg Olson came in and pretty much saved the game. It was great to see Olson back after years of injury and ineffectiveness. When he first came up, Gregg Olson had the single best curveball I’d ever seen. It was a wicked divebomb of a pitch, rendering many hitters useless as Olson established himself as one of the great closers in the game. He blew out his arm soon after, and the hammer was gone. The curve hasn’t really returned. It breaks sooner than I remember and it doesn’t have that great 12-6 o’clock drop anymore. Still, he seems to have picked up a few new tricks and looked really good out there. Good for him.

Unfortunately, Tony Gwynn injured himself running the basepaths early, so we didn’t get to see him play very much. The Padres recently acquired Rickey Henderson, the single greatest lead-off hitter of all time, so it was kind of fun to see him stalk left field for the night. Despite Rickey’s greatness, his attitude and ego has not endeared him to fans. It’s sad to see people booing him to death as he plays out the string, while other aged mediocrities get much better sendoffs. I couldn’t help but think of Rickey as the loneliest guy on the field when I took the first picture below. The other photos are me messing around. In the last photo, note how my hands absolutely DWARF the camera.

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The day after I heap tons of praise on Matt Haughey and basically call him a god amongst men, I find this photo on Kottke’s page.

Just a reminder Matt is still human. And he’s kinda White trashy. =)

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