Summer Music Fun

B/c I am here, hanging out at my computer after having too much food and 28oz of Margarita (why oh why did you let me do that), I thought I would blog a bit about how new music might actually be exciting this summer. (In no particular order)

1)The Killers - actually old news b/c their album has been out a while, and b/c I just missed a show, but they are touring this summer. Day and Age is worth listening to, but its not my favorite.

2) Franz Ferdinand - also touring, also just missed a show, and also not my favorite album by them. Their first was by far the best. I liked Lucid Dreams, but the single version not the album version.

3) Placebo - oh, what to say? I would like to scream "sell out" into the aethers, but won't ;o). Or maybe I just did. Funny how the less I like them, the more popular they become. Their new single "Battle for the Sun" not so good. But in case you are listening Brian, Steve (Hewitt that is), and Stefan - you are still my 2nd favorite band of all time. They are touring Europe, and I will be in East Europe, sooo close when they are in Poland, but probably won't make it.

4) Tori Amos - has a new album and is touring. This doesn't matter so much to me, but thought I'd mention it. ETA: You can listen to the entire album b/w now (May 16th) and Tuesday (May 19th) on her MySpace page

5) Coldplay - please, go download their new live album - apparently it is free. (Learned via Twitter btw). I love their second album, not so into the rest of their music, although the latest effort is fairly decent.

6) The White Rabbits - something to get excited about. The fact that I am missing two of their shows in Chicago is really the reason I regret being out of the country this summer. Seriously, go listen to their new album on their myspace page, i..e NOW. One of the best bands live that I have ever seen, and I accidently went to their concert. Totally dynamic, and utterly amazing on stage. For now, go buy Fort Nightly their debut.

7) Cinema Bizarre - I am throwing them in there b/c .... well, they have a new album coming out in Europe, and they were just recently touring the U.S., and apparently are big on MTV's Buzzworthy at the moment (only after they toured with Lady Gaga). I am proud to say that I knew who they were before the rest of you. I just want to feel superior ;)

And oh God how could I forget the singular most exciting bit of music news that I have heard all week.

8) Cornershop - new album coming soon!! What could be better than that? Nothing is the answer, absolutely nothing. ETA: You can watch the video to Roll Off Characteristics (of History in the Making) on YouTube.

I feel like I should have 10 just to round things out, but cannot think of anyone else I care to add. Drop me a line if you come up with someone I should care about.

Eurovision

12 points to Serbia. The only song that I listened to twice, and thoroughly liked. It was quirky and the guy's hair was a bit much, but the lyrics were catchy.
So many others were too generic, or super scary - like, as much as I hate to admit it, Ukraine. What was she thinking? It was terrifying on multiple levels actually. The music video is freakish and her live performance, was well, sketchy to say the least, not to mention the utterly ridiculous lyrics.
Seriously, Serbia should win, but probably won't.

Boring Update

I've been looking guiltily at this blog for weeks. I just don't have anything interesting to say. It is once again the end of semester drama. 15 weeks of work crammed into about 5 days.

I have however had beignets and Community Coffee the past two weekends, and will again this weekend. It gets me through the week :) I think the people at this restaurant know me by now - or at least should.

Oh, saw Slumdog Millionaire finally. I really enjoyed it, and I thought it was beautiful, and the kids were adorable, but the movie was just a bit sad for my tastes. I'm glad I wasn't totally disappointed though, b/c many times those over hyped movies just don't do it for me.

One last random note - I received a lovely volume of Faulkner's first 4 books in the mail yesterday. The pages are paper thin and the print is tiny, but I will read it; if not in La then in UA this summer.

Off to grading now, just didn't want anyone to think I had forgotten about posting (not that anyone reads this I'm sure, so its basically like talking to myself - which I actually have a tendency to do, but only when grocery shopping for some reason. I was humming to myself at the bus stop today and people were giving me weird looks, what is wrong with humming? At least I wasn't whistling, that is annoying).

Movies!

I just wanted to point out that Alexander with Angelina Jolie is quite possibly one of the worst movies I have ever (almost) seen. I couldn't finish watching it b/c of the bad dialog and the totally bizarre accents - especially Angelina's.

Went to see A Haunting in Connecticut. It creeps me out that this movie is supposedly a true story, and I thought it was overall good. There were a couple of really weak scenes that didn't quite fit with the plot (yes, there was one). Apparently the guy from Twilight is the main character, but as I 've never seen that movie, it didn't bother me too much. Actually, I really want to see the documentary that this movie is based on, supposedly its even scarier.

Oh, and in a final note, was supposed to go to the Film Festival, but that didn't work out. I did try though even if I should have been writing a paper (which I turned in yesterday, even though it was 12 pgs of nonsense!)

BDSS

A thousand days after the show, or in normal people time one week later, here are my observations on the Bellydance Superstars show. Honestly, I was waiting until I typed my fieldnotes, but that hasn't happened, soo...

The show begins with the disembodied voice of a male narrator. Its actually sort of terrifying in a way b/c there is this burst of really really loud music (thunder?) and then he starts talking. Just a few of the things I jotted down: belllydance is the "beauty of the female form" the "rhythm of life" "we all come from the belly" and finally, the best part, " sometimes mystical, sometimes sultry, but always sensual."

The dancers were basically of two types: Egyptian/Cabaret - i.e. bright colors, bra top, sequins, frills, and glitter (sorry couldn't find a good picture, I liked), and American Tribal - that one is a bit harder to describe, but basically darker colors, a lot of large adornments, jewelry, tassels.... i.e. above*

Sometimes, the Egyptian Cabaret dancers were highlighted, i.e. they would be dancing in the foreground with other background dancers behind them, or even the tribal dancers, and then for other routines this would reverse. There were also several solo dancers of both varieties. At points in the show however, way too many dancers were on stage with all sorts of crazy props that just made it a bit overwhelming - very much a circus or carnival. Oh, and the props themselves - unbelievable. Traditionally** from what other dancers have told me there are only about three or four major props - zils (finger cymbals), swords, and veils. I've also seen people dance with candles (apparently that is more Tunisian, though I honestly don't have a clue).

But not the BDSS, no they have these wing type veils, and regular veils, and veils that are attached to fans. Not to mention at one point these background dancers come out in what seem to be black skirts with a mosaic pattern of bright colors on them, and as they twirl around these heavy (sort of look quilted) skirts flare out. But then at some point I notice, that the dancers now have the "skirts" up over their heads twirling them around. It was interesting, but I wonder who comes up with these ideas? My friend remarked that this scene might have been influenced by the Dervishes.

And how could I forget the one man who was in the show. This guy would come out at intervals, and try to interact with the audience, getting them to clap to certain rhythms (by the way, audience that night = dead, they were soo quiet). He also played a tabla, which would light up in the center different colors when he hit it, for several solo dances. He also was accompanied by two or three tambourine players who stood arrayed behind him, and were dressed in rather modest long robes (though they were totally strange designs and colors): hm...contrast to the half nakes dancers? coincidence? did someone say "harem"? yeah, it was a little sketchy. Actually, to be honest, I don't know what to make of that particular aspect of the show, but it is a fascinating juxtaposition.




One of the other things that the disembodied narrator pointed out at the beginning was that belly dance has incorporated many different influences/cultures over the years. Well, in the show, they really really try to point this out. There are Polynesian (ok, probably Hawaiian) dancers with "grass" skirts and shells adorning their outfits, the Tribal dancers incorportate some aspects of the Roma culture, and then there was this extraordinarily stupid dance that involved the women dressed as soldiers, Turkish maybe, with swords, and they did this whole Rockette style line dance, while cheerfully waving the flimsy plastic swords in different patterns around their face and over their heads - seriously stupid, and one final interesting combination - the ballerina belly dancer.

Overall, I thought the show was good. Obviously, the dancers are super talented and from what I understand many have had formal dance training. However, I much preferred the small scale show on campus last year for several reasons. One, it was so much of an over the top spectacle. Two, the audience was enthusiastic - partly set up by the hostess, who told people to cheer during the dance if they felt like it, and not wait to the end, but partly b/c the dancers interacted more with the audience. Honestly, the BDSS is a global show, they travel all over, and are going to do the same dancers whether or not the audience cheers them on or not - this makes a big difference.

*I stole this image from http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/eion1980/Belly%20Dance/lookdown.jpg)
** pretend there are quotes around that
*** tabla player picture borrowed from http://www.thedctraveler.com/bellydance-the-rhythm-of-life/ (which actually has a much more eloquent and positive description of the show)