So this weekend was the All-Star Weekend in Atlanta. While I wasn't able to attend any real events, I did make the trip up for the trading card and memorabilia stuff yesterday. It was just awesome to walk into CNN Center and just know that hockey is all around you... and food, as the event was oddly held in the middle of the CNN Center food court. Regardless, the atmosphere was that of a card collector's convention, something I haven't revisited since my teens. Looking at various rookie cards, the game-worn jersey cards (and quickly realizing how ridiculous that concept is), and other hockey-related goodies brought me back a few years and I was beginning to feel like I wanted to haggle a little bit and get a few bargains. Seeing how I didn't do any of that, really, I did make a few purchases, which Maal over at Fire Wagon Hockey would certainly approve of. This will be a nice treat for the soon-to-be Mrs.!
Trading cards aside, I took a few pictures of the memorabilia show as well as some of the surroundings of Philips Arena, including bunches of All-Star-related garb. As is the norm, they are at the flickr site.
Coachella 2008 - Let's go?
Last week, a bunch of chaos circulated around this year's Coachella Festival lineup. Because of the veteran that I am, I certainly had an interest in how it would shape up even though I wasn't flying across the country this year (at least not for Coachella). Apparently there was some press conference in Mexico City and bit-by-bit the lineup started leaking to the masses. This year's headliners include Jack Johnson, Portishead, and Roger Waters (performing Dark Side of the Moon).
Can I just say that while it's exciting that Portishead is coming to the desert, it's a bummer that they are headline material? They would be a great warmup for an amazing headliner (i.e. how Pixies into Radiohead worked in '04). And the other two are pure throw-aways for me.
With this festival, it's typical that the second-tier acts and anything less than that make due for an amazing event. In past years, Air, the Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Bloc Party, etc. often made the biggest impressions on show-goers because of their standing in the music community or because of the strength of their set. This time around, there are definitely some strong acts, but nothing that makes you want to really fly five hours to California. I love some of the bands playing this year (Stars, Metric, the Breeders, Spiritualized, Les Savy Fav), but their presence at Coachella doesn't make me want to get on a plane and jump across three time zones for an abbreviated set in the desert.
I don't know, maybe it's damned maturity or something, but this year doesn't do that much for me. Maybe it's also because there's the completely uneven scale of "Hawaii vs. Coachella"... or, better yet, "HONEYMOON vs. Coachella, Round Five". Thanks for trying, Goldenvoice, but I'll have a little faith in your so-called "All Points West" (website down at the moment) festival that is apparently slated to run in New Jersey's Liberty State Park in August.
Either way, have a look at the Coachella 2008 poster and see what you think of this lineup.
Weddings-r-Us!
With less than a month before the wedding, things have actually calmed down for a change. We're waiting on responses to boomerang back to Georgia and then time to freak out in a couple more weeks and then, just like that, we're hitched! I can't wait. This is something we've worked towards for 4+ years and, while things aren't exactly how we planned them to be by now, the timing couldn't be any better. I'm just glad that this is all happening and I'm with the best girl possible. I really don't know who else would put up with my schtick for this long and, now, a lifetime. Crazy how these things work out, eh?
Fixation Focus?
To a milder extent, the Fixation Focus returns. Since the end of July, I've seen this band start it up and play a few gigs. They're like nothing I've heard from the Atlanta area and they are just great people that are doing this. The band is Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun and you should definitely keep a lookout for them in 2008. Described to me as "indie-guitar-electro-fuzz rock", this band is completely awesome. They've already opened for The Comas, Great Northern, Fiction Plane (Sting's son's band), and IAMX and are poised for more recognition. They are currently putting down tracks for a seven-song EP that will probably get out there in April or May (fingers crossed!). They have a show at the Star Bar in Atlanta on March 1st, so definitely mark that on your calendar and be ready for a complete aural assault!
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