Better late than never. Kings of Leon put on an energetic show all while being under the weather. The new album, my least favorite out of their three full-lengths, sounds wicked live. You can tell they've been touring for a while as they sounded really tight. Highlights included My Party, Molly's Chambers, Happy Alone, The Bucket, and a crowd sing-along version of Knocked Up. I would love to see a King's-only show in Seattle soon.
You are missing out if you have not started watching this show. Think demented (and funny) Friends meets Seinfeld.
I would just like to point out Rachelle and I are proud to represent the 98103 a.k.a. the state's skinniest zip. Word.
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Like many of you today I watched the report General Petraeus gave Washington regarding the success (or lack thereof) of the troop surge in Iraq. He says we need the full surge forces at least until next summer and that at that time we will not renew the contract of 30,000 soldiers (they will leave at their planned time).
However, when pressed by Republicans like John Warner and Chuck Hagel and Democrats like Joe Biden he seemed very vague and unsure in regards to Bush's stated goal of making the US safer and "fighting them there so we don't have to fight them here". In fact, watching his response was almost shocking in it's ambiguity and lack of clarity.
From the New York Times:
Senator John W. Warner, the Republican of Virginia who is one of the party’s leading voices on foreign policy, asked whether the current strategy in Iraq is “making America safer.” General Petraeus first retreated to an explanation that he is doing his best “to achieve our objectives in Iraq.”
But when pressed again, he said: “Sir, I don’t know, actually.”
You can draw your own conclusions.
Bush speaks on Thursday will mention a troop withdrawal. Keep it mind we will only withdraw a portion of the troops included in the surge Bush implemented in the spring and summer. We still have a ton of young men and women over there indefinitely.
QUICK RELIEF Gavin Bannat, the wrestling coach at Wayne Valley High School, found Pedialyte when the flu left him dehydrated.
Great read. Arnold encourages the Republican party to do something about global warming and health care. Good luck Arnold, but I think you might be preaching to deaf ears.
Jobs is a smooth politician appealing to the fan base. Smart move.
Artists covering the song include The Shins, Decemberists, and Randy Newman etc.
Any time you are feeling like you have it tough or you haven't had all the breaks you should read this diary.
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Look for the Beatles catalog to pop up on ITunes fairly soon.
Update: Still no Beatles.
I'll put up some Kings Bumbershoot pics later today. Great show.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's set started with a few sound problems, but they rebounded nicely and performed admirably. Aint No Easy Way and Whatever Happened To My Rock and Roll (Punk Song) received the biggest ovations. Also included in the set were Weapon of Choice, Spread Your Love, Love Burns, Berlin, American X and a few more. BRMC, while I dig them anywhere, are much more suited for a dark and smoky room like the Showbox as opposed to a large outdoor venue. However, I will take them any way I can get them. By the way, their third album (Howl, a gospel and country themed record) will definitely be on my best of the decade list.
You can listen to BRMC's second show (mainly acoustic) on KEXP's streaming archive. Just click on the link and type 5:37 and September 2nd for show date. Evidentally KEXP had turn away hundreds of people because the show was too packed. Read a full review of the acoustic show here.
The Seattle Weekly BRMC andx Kings of Leon slideshow is here. Some good pics.
Yesterday we discovered for a fact what we have suspected all along. Kylee loves music. When I play the guitar around the house she starts moving and grooving with a huge smile on her face and yesterday at Bumbershoot she took that behavior to a whole new level. For about 45 minutes during the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club set she danced while people repeatedly took her picture and came closer to get a better look. It seemed her smile made everyone else smile too (including her dad and grandma).
(click pics for bigger view)
I watched Meet the Press this morning, as I do every Sunday morning, and watching Mary Matalin get increasingly frustrated over the 60 minutes was almost comical. She cannot, and never will able to, separate herself from the party line. Watch the pen fly across the room at the end. Classic.
A picture of Eddie V singing with Neil Finn of Crowded House at Bumbershoot today. I would be very surprised if Eddie didn't make an appearance tomorrow with Kings of Leon at 3:00.
The Mariners are on CBC channel 99. It's the Canadian feed.
 Jackie in Stockholm © Olle Kirchmeier / Rockfoto.nu | ||
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Kings of Leon, from left: Matthew, Nathan, Caleb and Jared Followill. The rockers play at 3 p.m. Sunday at Memorial Stadium.
Saturday
The Shins — 2:30 p.m., Memorial Stadium
Yes, The Shins sound great on your headphones, but these indie darlings also know how to amp up their orchestral pop for a dynamic concert.
Gogol Bordello — 9 p.m., Fisher Green
This genre-hopping gypsy-punk band is known for its live shows: One reviewer called them "a bit like the Clash having a fight with the Pogues in Eastern Europe."
Panic! At the Disco — 10 p.m., Memorial Stadium
Panic!'s emo-pop-punk is nothing groundbreaking, but their theatrical live show — replete with a troupe of sexed-up circus performers — is worth the trek to the Mainstage.
Sunday
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club — 1:15 p.m., Memorial Stadium
BRMC's new album, "Baby 81," is a return to the loud, swaggering rock of their early albums. Expect a loud, swaggering rock show.
Kings of Leon — 3 p.m., Memorial Stadium
Arguably one of the most rock 'n' roll acts in current rock 'n' roll, these Tennessee boys serve up a sweaty, hard-driving, countrified good time.
Art Brut — 7:30 p.m., Broad Street stage
With more pop hooks than you can bob your head to, you can expect high energy from this British indie-punk quintet that grabbed the spotlight in 2005 with their cheeky hit "Formed a Band."
Monday
Roky Erickson & the Explosives — 6:45 p.m., Mural Amphitheatre
Legendary guitarist Roky Erickson (of groundbreaking psych-rock 13th Floor Elevators fame) returns to the stage after a two-decade hiatus.
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists — 9:30 p.m., Fisher Green
The infallible and unassuming Ted Leo and his band know how to please a crowd: vigor, diversity, sets that chug through their mighty catalog of consistently good albums.
Looks like they went some place called "Hood Canal" too. Never heard of it. Sounded fun though!
(3-D pics are in the title)
Have you seen this?: http://www.thrilltheworld.com
it was in the Seattle Times on Tuesday: http://seattletimes.nwsource |
The last few weeks we have heard Karl Rove, George Bush, and Dick Cheney tell us how well the surge is working. We also have been told the Iraqi government has been making big strides towards running the country more independently. Remember, Bush said "wait until September" to assess the progress. September is here.
"Iraq has failed to meet all but three of 18 congressionally mandated benchmarks for political and military progress, according to a draft of a Government Accountability Office report. The document questions whether some aspects of a more positive assessment by the White House last month adequately reflected the range of views the GAO found within the administration."
Read the rest from the Washington Post in the title link.
The stranger has some great blurbs up about BRMC and Kings of Leon. BRMC is also playing a "secret" show at 5:30 courtesy of KEXP. Can't wait to see both bands.
The Strangers guide to Bumbershoot.
Pretty funny suggestions to the Shins r.e. their fourth album. They play Saturday.
Get better dude. You created and played one the funniest characters ever: Dignan in the movie Bottle Rocket. That movie plays better every single time I watch it. And, we ll screw it. I'm just gonna post the trailer above.
This will make the people that buy our condo super stoked.
Here is a free clip to listen to today. My buddy Brian at work was like "you gotta listen to this" and then hit play. I was like "Flight of the Conchords man, they rule! You should watch them on HBO." And he was like "Sweet!".
The video version from the special a few years back is here.
The horn was designed specifically so I could honk at the a-hole that that waits the very last second to merge. It was also designed to let grandpa know they raised freeway speeds up from 35. It was also designed to let Barbie in the Benz know her erratic driving while texting and playing with her gum needs to stop.
We can't keep the Sonics, we can't build a tunnel, we can't build a monorail, we can't stop rising rent rates downtown nor curb violence, but we sure as hell can give people a ticket for using their horn.
Priorities people!
Last night at the end of the block party a mini gang of teenagers started throwing rocks and chanted "white power" or something just as stupid.
People were chased, people were tackled, cops were called, and the mischievous youths were questioned and returned to their homes.
Here are some pics courtesy of Adam. If you know more (since I was chilling on the couch in Percacet Heaven), please add more to the story.
As always, click pics for larger view. Yes, that is Rachelle and Kylee in picture four making sure justice was served.
Thanks to long-time reader Jimmy from Snoqualmie for this one.
I hate snakes so badly I would have flown the plane straight into the ground, thereby assuring my own death but also simultaneously making sure I did not get bit by that snake.
Thanks to long time reader Lena of Shoreline for this addition to the blog.
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