I just noticed that everyone's favorite Atlanta Thrashers crew, the Nasty Nest, have reworked their own website to make it more informative/appealing/WTF-evs. Needless to say, Billsen (site mod) made it look fantastic and everyone should check it out!
2007/08/29
Nasty Nest: Redux!
I just noticed that everyone's favorite Atlanta Thrashers crew, the Nasty Nest, have reworked their own website to make it more informative/appealing/WTF-evs. Needless to say, Billsen (site mod) made it look fantastic and everyone should check it out!
2007/08/28
Let the floodgates open - fantasy hockey!
If you're a hockey fan (and you better be, if you're reading this blog semi-frequently), this is something that will definitely interest you. Ever try fantasy hockey, or fantasy sports, before? It's a ton of fun - you play the GM and pick your players, rag on your friends/competition a bit, and hopefully come out on top by the season's end! It's really simple, low-maintenance, and you really learn a lot about the league while you actively engage in your favorite sport.
I was just wondering what the reaction was to this. I'm thinking of creating a league for friends or any WE WANT DUNHAM! readers. If anyone is interested, please let me know by either commenting to this entry or email me at foocow@gmail.com.
For some nice introductory words on fantasy hockey (and the same applies to other sports, I assume), check out Adam Poirier's blog (from last season, but still fresh) on the subject and feel your inner hockey prowess!
Oh, and by the way, Yahoo! will host the league - it's free and it's so simple to pick up and digest almost immediately. For more on Yahoo! fantasy hockey leagues, just click the linked text.
I was just wondering what the reaction was to this. I'm thinking of creating a league for friends or any WE WANT DUNHAM! readers. If anyone is interested, please let me know by either commenting to this entry or email me at foocow@gmail.com.
For some nice introductory words on fantasy hockey (and the same applies to other sports, I assume), check out Adam Poirier's blog (from last season, but still fresh) on the subject and feel your inner hockey prowess!
Oh, and by the way, Yahoo! will host the league - it's free and it's so simple to pick up and digest almost immediately. For more on Yahoo! fantasy hockey leagues, just click the linked text.
2007/08/27
Dates to circle, puckheads
Craig Custance posted dates in his Thrashers beat blog for the AJC - some important, some trivial. Here are the dates that I find noteworthy:
Fri., September 14 - Training camp commences! I'll be there as often as I can to provide pics and some informal commentary on the happenings at the Ice Forum in Duluth - y'all should definitely make it out there, it'll be worth the trip!
Sat., September 15 - Preseason and regular season tickets go on sale to the general public. Seeing that my season ticket holder days are ahead of me, this is a big day for me to stockpile a bunch of tickets, mainly the season opener and closer. Any other games will immediately depend on whether or not there are specials going on for certain games/days of the week/etc.
Fri., October 5 - The Thrashers '07-'08 season opener vs. Washington. You better believe that I'll be there. Aside from game one of last season's playoff run (I never made it to game two), this game will probably result in total celebratory mayhem. Not only do the Birds already have some intradivisional beef with the Caps, but the crowd will go absolutely bonkers when the Thrashers raise the first (OF MANY) championship banner to the rafters of Philips Arena. DO NOT MISS THIS MOMENT.
Fri., January 25 to Mon., January 28 - All-Star Weekend. I anticipated this sooooo much back in '05 when it was originally supposed to come to Atlanta. I looked forward to having the best NHL talent in this city for a few days. I wanted to be immersed in hockey at the Georgia World Congress Center. I made a wishlist of players old and new who would sign autographs. I salivated at the possibility of hockey collectibles on display. I wanted it all. Then, the lockout came. This time, the whole shebang isn't going to get canned. And I'll be there. So excited.
Tues., February 26 - Trade deadline @ 3PM. At this point in the season, we'll know where we stand. Last season, we definitely made some important moves to get us into the postseason, but where did those moves get us today? Tkachuk moseyed back to St. Louis, Belanger traveled up north, Dupuis resigned, and we have Zhitnik for a little while longer. Hopefully we won't need to clean shop just to make it into the playoffs this season. And if Hossa doesn't have a contract extension by then, does he get moved as this is his last season, under contract, in Atlanta? Hmm...
Wed., April 9 - Let the playoffs begin! Surely, we cannot have a teensy-tiny sip of playoff fever and then miss out on 'em entirely the following year. While the roster for this season has some more question marks than I'd like, I'm betting that between things coming together (i.e. team chemistry, rookies' performances, etc.) for us, acquisitions during the season, and the folding of the competition within our division (yeah, I said it!), we'll start gnawing on postseason yumminess in March and won't loosen our grip for some time, including well into April!
Mon., June 9 - Absolute last day of Stanley Cup playoffs. By this time, the world will know who will be etched onto the Cup of Greatness for all to see and discuss for the, uh, upcoming '08-'09 season. Who will be the surprises of the season, with regard to both the players and the teams? Who will be the biggest let downs? Will the off-season moves (Briere, Smyth, Gomez/Drury, I'm talkin' to you!) prove beneficial or will teams have to deal with blights on their team payrolls? Also, what rookies will be far and above the rest of the young'uns?
Fri., September 14 - Training camp commences! I'll be there as often as I can to provide pics and some informal commentary on the happenings at the Ice Forum in Duluth - y'all should definitely make it out there, it'll be worth the trip!
Sat., September 15 - Preseason and regular season tickets go on sale to the general public. Seeing that my season ticket holder days are ahead of me, this is a big day for me to stockpile a bunch of tickets, mainly the season opener and closer. Any other games will immediately depend on whether or not there are specials going on for certain games/days of the week/etc.
Fri., October 5 - The Thrashers '07-'08 season opener vs. Washington. You better believe that I'll be there. Aside from game one of last season's playoff run (I never made it to game two), this game will probably result in total celebratory mayhem. Not only do the Birds already have some intradivisional beef with the Caps, but the crowd will go absolutely bonkers when the Thrashers raise the first (OF MANY) championship banner to the rafters of Philips Arena. DO NOT MISS THIS MOMENT.
Fri., January 25 to Mon., January 28 - All-Star Weekend. I anticipated this sooooo much back in '05 when it was originally supposed to come to Atlanta. I looked forward to having the best NHL talent in this city for a few days. I wanted to be immersed in hockey at the Georgia World Congress Center. I made a wishlist of players old and new who would sign autographs. I salivated at the possibility of hockey collectibles on display. I wanted it all. Then, the lockout came. This time, the whole shebang isn't going to get canned. And I'll be there. So excited.
Tues., February 26 - Trade deadline @ 3PM. At this point in the season, we'll know where we stand. Last season, we definitely made some important moves to get us into the postseason, but where did those moves get us today? Tkachuk moseyed back to St. Louis, Belanger traveled up north, Dupuis resigned, and we have Zhitnik for a little while longer. Hopefully we won't need to clean shop just to make it into the playoffs this season. And if Hossa doesn't have a contract extension by then, does he get moved as this is his last season, under contract, in Atlanta? Hmm...
Wed., April 9 - Let the playoffs begin! Surely, we cannot have a teensy-tiny sip of playoff fever and then miss out on 'em entirely the following year. While the roster for this season has some more question marks than I'd like, I'm betting that between things coming together (i.e. team chemistry, rookies' performances, etc.) for us, acquisitions during the season, and the folding of the competition within our division (yeah, I said it!), we'll start gnawing on postseason yumminess in March and won't loosen our grip for some time, including well into April!
Mon., June 9 - Absolute last day of Stanley Cup playoffs. By this time, the world will know who will be etched onto the Cup of Greatness for all to see and discuss for the, uh, upcoming '08-'09 season. Who will be the surprises of the season, with regard to both the players and the teams? Who will be the biggest let downs? Will the off-season moves (Briere, Smyth, Gomez/Drury, I'm talkin' to you!) prove beneficial or will teams have to deal with blights on their team payrolls? Also, what rookies will be far and above the rest of the young'uns?
2007/08/23
Heatley/Hossa - Two Years Later
After coming across a few posts about the topic (one at the Nasty Nest and another at Hockey Buzz), I feel like I need to chime in a few words about the whole thing - you know, the trade that is still talked about to this day (obviously).
I became connected to Dany Heatley during the season following his triumphant run at the Calder Memorial Trophy. After the '01-'02 season, the Thrashers were boasting two great young talents, Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk. This was right around the time I started following hockey again on a more regular basis. I never followed the Thrashers and I was only attentive when the once-terrible New York Islanders made a playoff run right around that time.
Needless to say, I had no knowledge of anything in the Atlanta hockey sphere, so when I finally decided to come back to the sport, it was exciting to know that some of the sport's up-and-coming stars were in town. In '02-'03, Heatley just about owned everyone at the All-Star Game, even coming up with the MVP award for his performance in the game. No one could forget the gap-toothed smile from when he captured that title. By the season's end, Kovalchuk had 38 goals and 67 points while Heatley amassed 41 goals and 89 points.
Then September 29, 2003 happened - Heatley wrecked his Ferrari while doing 80+ MPH on Lenox Road in Atlanta and tragically ending the life of his friend and teammate, Dan Snyder.
There is no way I can even comprehend what Heatley must've went through during the recovery process. So when he suggested to Thrashers General Manager Don Waddell that he'd like a trade out of Atlanta, it really shouldn't have come as a shock. To drive down Lenox Road and always remember that's where the death of your friend happened, that you were responsible, that 37's hung all around Philips Arena, that 37 was a constant reminder on your jersey - he couldn't escape the consequences of his actions in Atlanta and wanted a fresh start.
It came as a tremendous shock to the fans of the Thrashers. The fans that backed him no matter the cost, that provided endless amounts of support and forgiveness for his actions, that just wanted the best for Heatley, experienced a gamut of emotions. People sympathized with Heatley, others considered it a slap in the face to the community who was there for him. A lot of people simultaneously held both sentiments toward Heatley.
Regardless, Waddell obliged Dany's request and dealt one of the most promising starts of the NHL to perennial contender Ottawa for an elite player in Marian Hossa and journeyman defensemen Greg deVries.
As I said, the outcomes of the trade are still being discussed, argued, and overanalyzed to this very day. It was one of the bigger trades in the past few years in NHL player transactions. Two elite players were moved in the blink of an eye. Hossa was coming off productive seasons with the Senators and was pushing for more money with the team he hoped to finish his career with. Heatley was just returning to the game after his horrific accident and was a big question mark.
Would this trade ever equal out? Trading a "soft" Marian Hossa and an over-paid defenseman in Greg deVries to the Thrashers for a forward who had his best years ahead of him, but would his past and his injuries allow such promising talents to emerge?
Today marks two years after the pen met the paperwork. In those two years, Hossa was apparently worth the money he sought after in Ottawa while he's had breakout seasons for the Thrashers. Heatley has been stellar in the red and black, quieting all of those who doubted him and his abilities. But there are still the arguments as to who got the better of the deal. More so, I find a bunch of what ifs that linger on. I think the comparisons about who's career has flourished since the trade are getting a little stale, but the what ifs clearly remain.
Back when the trade occurred, I just couldn't believe the news. It was I think my first day back at Georgia State and Lindsey and I were driving around Atlanta after classes to find some dinner. I ended up getting a call on my phone from my friend Zack who informed me that "our German sensation was traded today." Instantly I tuned in 680 on my car radio and heard the truth myself. I couldn't believe it. Here's a player I'm just starting to get attached to, who I really embraced following his accident and he's gone. I had to know the circumstances behind this. We ended up eating at Mellow Mushroom and watching ESPN to know more about this historical day for the Atlanta Thrashers. Eventually I found out like everyone else about Dany's reasoning for asking to be traded, who we got in return, and then Dany's response to leaving.
I definitely had Hossa on my radar in terms of fantasy players to pick up that season, but to actually have him as a Thrasher was a big deal. It was the best outcome possible for a trade and no team was getting worse after the fact. It was just a bit heart-breaking when Dany Heatley arrived in Ottawa and publicly announced at how ecstatic he was about ending up in Ottawa. I think that's where the current debate lands, at least in Atlanta - still support Heatley's efforts or consider him a traitor?
As far as I'm concerned, yes, I was a little angered over Heatley's excitement about moving out of Atlanta and to an instant contender. It bothered me that he made the transition so easily. It got under my skin that he was as good as he was at the beginning of the '05-'06 season following the lockout. But I got over it. I wish him the best in Ottawa and I hope he's able to win a Cup while there. During these playoffs, I felt awkward wanting to root for the Sens because of Heatley - did I really want him to succeed so well even though he really didn't have much to say (out loud) when it came to the Thrashers organization? Fortunately, they played the Ducks, who I liked since day one of last season. It just doesn't sit well with me that he was so excited moving to a bona fide hockey community and that he got up north as quick as he could upon his trade out of Atlanta.
I became connected to Dany Heatley during the season following his triumphant run at the Calder Memorial Trophy. After the '01-'02 season, the Thrashers were boasting two great young talents, Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk. This was right around the time I started following hockey again on a more regular basis. I never followed the Thrashers and I was only attentive when the once-terrible New York Islanders made a playoff run right around that time.
Needless to say, I had no knowledge of anything in the Atlanta hockey sphere, so when I finally decided to come back to the sport, it was exciting to know that some of the sport's up-and-coming stars were in town. In '02-'03, Heatley just about owned everyone at the All-Star Game, even coming up with the MVP award for his performance in the game. No one could forget the gap-toothed smile from when he captured that title. By the season's end, Kovalchuk had 38 goals and 67 points while Heatley amassed 41 goals and 89 points.Then September 29, 2003 happened - Heatley wrecked his Ferrari while doing 80+ MPH on Lenox Road in Atlanta and tragically ending the life of his friend and teammate, Dan Snyder.
There is no way I can even comprehend what Heatley must've went through during the recovery process. So when he suggested to Thrashers General Manager Don Waddell that he'd like a trade out of Atlanta, it really shouldn't have come as a shock. To drive down Lenox Road and always remember that's where the death of your friend happened, that you were responsible, that 37's hung all around Philips Arena, that 37 was a constant reminder on your jersey - he couldn't escape the consequences of his actions in Atlanta and wanted a fresh start.
It came as a tremendous shock to the fans of the Thrashers. The fans that backed him no matter the cost, that provided endless amounts of support and forgiveness for his actions, that just wanted the best for Heatley, experienced a gamut of emotions. People sympathized with Heatley, others considered it a slap in the face to the community who was there for him. A lot of people simultaneously held both sentiments toward Heatley.Regardless, Waddell obliged Dany's request and dealt one of the most promising starts of the NHL to perennial contender Ottawa for an elite player in Marian Hossa and journeyman defensemen Greg deVries.
As I said, the outcomes of the trade are still being discussed, argued, and overanalyzed to this very day. It was one of the bigger trades in the past few years in NHL player transactions. Two elite players were moved in the blink of an eye. Hossa was coming off productive seasons with the Senators and was pushing for more money with the team he hoped to finish his career with. Heatley was just returning to the game after his horrific accident and was a big question mark.
Would this trade ever equal out? Trading a "soft" Marian Hossa and an over-paid defenseman in Greg deVries to the Thrashers for a forward who had his best years ahead of him, but would his past and his injuries allow such promising talents to emerge?
Today marks two years after the pen met the paperwork. In those two years, Hossa was apparently worth the money he sought after in Ottawa while he's had breakout seasons for the Thrashers. Heatley has been stellar in the red and black, quieting all of those who doubted him and his abilities. But there are still the arguments as to who got the better of the deal. More so, I find a bunch of what ifs that linger on. I think the comparisons about who's career has flourished since the trade are getting a little stale, but the what ifs clearly remain.
Back when the trade occurred, I just couldn't believe the news. It was I think my first day back at Georgia State and Lindsey and I were driving around Atlanta after classes to find some dinner. I ended up getting a call on my phone from my friend Zack who informed me that "our German sensation was traded today." Instantly I tuned in 680 on my car radio and heard the truth myself. I couldn't believe it. Here's a player I'm just starting to get attached to, who I really embraced following his accident and he's gone. I had to know the circumstances behind this. We ended up eating at Mellow Mushroom and watching ESPN to know more about this historical day for the Atlanta Thrashers. Eventually I found out like everyone else about Dany's reasoning for asking to be traded, who we got in return, and then Dany's response to leaving.
I definitely had Hossa on my radar in terms of fantasy players to pick up that season, but to actually have him as a Thrasher was a big deal. It was the best outcome possible for a trade and no team was getting worse after the fact. It was just a bit heart-breaking when Dany Heatley arrived in Ottawa and publicly announced at how ecstatic he was about ending up in Ottawa. I think that's where the current debate lands, at least in Atlanta - still support Heatley's efforts or consider him a traitor?
As far as I'm concerned, yes, I was a little angered over Heatley's excitement about moving out of Atlanta and to an instant contender. It bothered me that he made the transition so easily. It got under my skin that he was as good as he was at the beginning of the '05-'06 season following the lockout. But I got over it. I wish him the best in Ottawa and I hope he's able to win a Cup while there. During these playoffs, I felt awkward wanting to root for the Sens because of Heatley - did I really want him to succeed so well even though he really didn't have much to say (out loud) when it came to the Thrashers organization? Fortunately, they played the Ducks, who I liked since day one of last season. It just doesn't sit well with me that he was so excited moving to a bona fide hockey community and that he got up north as quick as he could upon his trade out of Atlanta.
2007/08/22
Variety @ the Variety
Ok, so there's a bunch of neat shows coming to the Variety Playhouse in the coming months. Just check these out and if none of them give you any kind of excitement what-so-ever, then check yourself, foo.
- 09/08 - The National
- 09/12 - Peter Bjorn & John
- 09/13 - Andrew Bird
- 09/29 - Rilo Kiley
- 10/27 - Stars
- 10/30 - The New Pornographers
- 11/18 - The Hold Steady/Art Brut
I've thought about that National show in a few weeks, but I'm thinking I should've just seen 'em at the EARL when they last came around. However, I'm really excited about the Stars gig in October. I'm really liking what I've heard so far from their new material (which is, well, the entire album). Granted, it's not on par with their previous releases, but it certainly has some great tunes and good rapport between Torq and Amy. In fact, the video for "Take Me to the Riot" is a good representation of their live show, with a bit of embellishment.
I'm trying to get interested in the Rilo Kiley show in September, but it's more and more difficult. I've only heard their new record (Under the Blacklight) once and the only part that stands out to me is that Jenny sings in some Spanish ("Dejalo") and that's it. Usually there's something to grab me with their material - the lyrics, the musical chemistry, the sound - but it was incredibly not memorable at all. I saw them four times while they toured for More Adventurous and I didn't come back gushing after any performance. Hopefully they can bring it back when they return to Atlanta next month.
What's really making me curious is the recently-announced NME Rock'n'Roll Riot Tour that features The Hold Steady and Art Brut. I really don't dig The Hold Steady because of the singer's voice and the way that he sings... and then I'm lukewarm about the vocals in Art Brut. However, I've heard that both bands are pretty awesome live (especially The Hold Steady). I'm thinking that with a ticket price that's only $15, I'm strongly considering getting a ticket.I'm kinda mixed when it comes to shows at the Variety. I've been basically everywhere in there for shows and I don't have much of a problem with lines of sight when and I've never truly experienced poor sound at the venue, either. It seems like it's the hardest place to bring a camera into though. Hopefully I'll be able to bring my camera in there for the upcoming shows because, once in, I think the Variety is a great place to shoot bands.
2007/08/18
iConcertCal
While I publicly thank Fuzzy Lion for making me aware of this - thanks for the heads up! - I just wanted to let anyone else know of this really neat iTunes visualizer to download. It's called iConcertCal and what it does is go through your iTunes Library, sees what artists you listen to, finds tour dates and release information about any of those artists, and puts them into a calendar that's similar to iCal. It's pretty neat and I'm already reaping the benefits of this application.While I knew that Imperial Teen were planning on releasing a record in the future, I didn't know it actually had a release date of August 21! iConcertCal also tells me that Caribou, Rilo Kiley, and the New Pornographers are ALSO releasing records that day... even though I already knew that.
So thanks again to Fuzzy Lion for bringing this up and I definitely suggest checking out iConcertCal!
2007/08/15
Le Thrash on Le Tube
From NHL.com (that is, if you haven't realized by now), the nationally-televised games were announced. Our Thrash have a few tilts scheduled for the oh-so-popular Versus network and absolutely none on NBC, which is apparently starting NHL coverage in the new year.Tue., October 16 @ Philadelphia (puck drops @ 7:00 PM ET)
Mon., November 19 - vs. Tampa Bay (puck drops @ 7:00 PM ET)
Wed., January 2 - @ Carolina (puck drops @ 7:00 PM ET)
Tue., March 18 - @ Philadelphia (puck drops @ 7:00 PM ET)
Personally, I like that there's some sort of network in the States that is picking up hockey, but absolutely hate how it's not a part of most cable packages. I, for one, am seriously missing out on hockey when it's televised on Versus. I'm sure you can make the argument that ESPN would be limited as well, but it's my understanding that most cable packages include ESPN in there.
Basically, Versus doesn't reach as many homes as it should and you can go ahead and include myself in that category. If anyone truly knows the formalities behind the Versus/other network discussions/debates/etc., please fill me in or provide me a link to more clarity on this subject.
Meh, here are a couple of handy links to familiarize yourselves with this topic:
- Versus-NHL Deal Leaves Door Open (dated Aug. 7)
- NHL & ESPN talking about new partnership to replace NBC (dated Aug. 4, courtesy of SeSo's capefish!)
2007/08/08
Two minutes for... revamping?
So... should I penalized for the new color scheme or should be it celebrated? I'm unsure about it, really. Considering throughout most of the year, this is a hockey blog, I decided to bite the bullet and commit myself to one subject. Mind you, this does not mean the end of non-hockey posts. I just figured this would help out the audience. You come here expecting hockey and you see a post about some random indie band.
"Well, I *thought* it was a hockey blog, but I don't see any evidence of that...?"
Hopefully the restyling answers that question.
Like it, hate it, apathetic?
The only thing that gets to me is that I wish I could shade the edges of the title image so that they match the background color completely instead of having some lighter edges to the left and some more defined edges to the right. Any insight on this, photoshoppers?
Regardless, let's start getting ready for the hockey season!
"Well, I *thought* it was a hockey blog, but I don't see any evidence of that...?"
Hopefully the restyling answers that question.
Like it, hate it, apathetic?
The only thing that gets to me is that I wish I could shade the edges of the title image so that they match the background color completely instead of having some lighter edges to the left and some more defined edges to the right. Any insight on this, photoshoppers?
Regardless, let's start getting ready for the hockey season!
Recap: The Comas, 2007/07/30
Since the Arcade Fire show, there haven't been that many concerts on my radar. Granted, a bunch of great tunes were brought to the forefront between May and now (namely The National, LCD Soundsystem, Fields, etc.) and I've been slowly catching up on the past. I've never been a fan of classic rock. In fact, I never even took a minute to recognize it. I really cannot place a finger on why this genre of music has been so abrasive with me in the past, but I never could truly accept it. In the past few months, I've grown to appreciate older bands like The Police (sure, their reunion kinda helped their cause), Talking Heads, Fleetwood Mac, and the great Billy Joel. I HATE to deem this a "listening maturity", but that is a distinct possibility.
Regardless, with the job in Dahlonega coming to an end, I'm finally back, enjoying the aspects of being a little more free with life. The first show I went to since my return was a favorite of mine, The Comas, at the EARL. I've seen The Comas probably three times over the years and I just don't know where else to go with them. Their second album, A Def Needle in Tomorrow, really stuck with me and I realized their potential as a good indie rock band. Then I kinda forgot about 'em for a while and then on indietorrents a few years ago, I stumbled upon Conductor, which was just awesome. They were getting positive reviews for the album from left and right and the recognition was coming. I saw 'em once while they were touring for that record and it was a weird set. They were the main band that night (Vietnam opened) and they only played for what seemed like 30 minutes. The material was strictly from Conductor and it was completely amped up - sped up like woah, loud as anything, and just "whaaaaat?" I don't know what it was, but I left that show with a sour taste in my mouth.
While reading (and being introduced to, actually) Bort's blog, I found out more and more about the recent shoegaze band Asobi Seksu. As a direct result to that, I found out that The Comas were actually opening for them on a tour last December. I thought it would be a great opportunity for a great show. Turns out that was the case, The Comas redeemed themselves, played some new material, and Asobi Seksu was quite fun. I was back into the mix. But once I started working in Dahlonega, I couldn't be there for the last Comas show back in June, their first Atlanta show promoting the newest release, Spells.
Upon hearing Spells, it didn't seem memorable to me. I can't tell if the band has changed their songwriting dynamic or if I've changed my listening preferences, but the record didn't stand out as much as the previous two had. I was hoping that the live gig would turn things around, both my feelings for the band and my reception of their new album. Turns out that wasn't exactly the case. The gig was more like a redux of their other show I saw at the Drunken Unicorn a while ago that was off the mark. It's just weird territory for the "main draw" of the evening taking the stage and the crowd at the bar thinned out so much from the opening bands, and I'm guessing the Comas picked up on this (how could they not?) and even had a hard time bringing their touring buddies (Great Northern, who were surprisingly elegant and, well, great) on stage for some help. Granted, I could care less about how many people are in attendance for the show, but I really felt like the band let it get to them... or the music itself just didn't pick up at all.
The tunes off Spells were nice, actually, and sat well with me. But the band's performance was lacking some kind of element of urgency. It was like the ultimate show to slouch in a chair. I just don't understand what went wrong. While I still appreciate The Comas a bunch, I think I'd seriously question seeing them again... at least in Atlanta. Maybe in an environment that's more receptive to what they do (they are stationed in New York currently), there would be better performer-audience vibes, but the energy was sucked out of the EARL that evening.
On the other hand, the first band of the evening worked with the EARL's audience well. They actually had the biggest draw of the evening. Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun officially started their live career together that night and they got a pretty good reception. Sure, some of the material needs some tweaking (both live and the songwriting), but their "fuzzrock" was well received and provided promise for a good local band to emerge out of the hazy Atlanta heat.
Great Northern (click for set)
Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun (click for set)
Regardless, with the job in Dahlonega coming to an end, I'm finally back, enjoying the aspects of being a little more free with life. The first show I went to since my return was a favorite of mine, The Comas, at the EARL. I've seen The Comas probably three times over the years and I just don't know where else to go with them. Their second album, A Def Needle in Tomorrow, really stuck with me and I realized their potential as a good indie rock band. Then I kinda forgot about 'em for a while and then on indietorrents a few years ago, I stumbled upon Conductor, which was just awesome. They were getting positive reviews for the album from left and right and the recognition was coming. I saw 'em once while they were touring for that record and it was a weird set. They were the main band that night (Vietnam opened) and they only played for what seemed like 30 minutes. The material was strictly from Conductor and it was completely amped up - sped up like woah, loud as anything, and just "whaaaaat?" I don't know what it was, but I left that show with a sour taste in my mouth.
While reading (and being introduced to, actually) Bort's blog, I found out more and more about the recent shoegaze band Asobi Seksu. As a direct result to that, I found out that The Comas were actually opening for them on a tour last December. I thought it would be a great opportunity for a great show. Turns out that was the case, The Comas redeemed themselves, played some new material, and Asobi Seksu was quite fun. I was back into the mix. But once I started working in Dahlonega, I couldn't be there for the last Comas show back in June, their first Atlanta show promoting the newest release, Spells.
Upon hearing Spells, it didn't seem memorable to me. I can't tell if the band has changed their songwriting dynamic or if I've changed my listening preferences, but the record didn't stand out as much as the previous two had. I was hoping that the live gig would turn things around, both my feelings for the band and my reception of their new album. Turns out that wasn't exactly the case. The gig was more like a redux of their other show I saw at the Drunken Unicorn a while ago that was off the mark. It's just weird territory for the "main draw" of the evening taking the stage and the crowd at the bar thinned out so much from the opening bands, and I'm guessing the Comas picked up on this (how could they not?) and even had a hard time bringing their touring buddies (Great Northern, who were surprisingly elegant and, well, great) on stage for some help. Granted, I could care less about how many people are in attendance for the show, but I really felt like the band let it get to them... or the music itself just didn't pick up at all.
The tunes off Spells were nice, actually, and sat well with me. But the band's performance was lacking some kind of element of urgency. It was like the ultimate show to slouch in a chair. I just don't understand what went wrong. While I still appreciate The Comas a bunch, I think I'd seriously question seeing them again... at least in Atlanta. Maybe in an environment that's more receptive to what they do (they are stationed in New York currently), there would be better performer-audience vibes, but the energy was sucked out of the EARL that evening.
On the other hand, the first band of the evening worked with the EARL's audience well. They actually had the biggest draw of the evening. Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun officially started their live career together that night and they got a pretty good reception. Sure, some of the material needs some tweaking (both live and the songwriting), but their "fuzzrock" was well received and provided promise for a good local band to emerge out of the hazy Atlanta heat.
2007/08/06
Dust off yr BLUE
I guess it's about time that I start getting back into the mix of things. Here at WE WANT DUNHAM!, we care about two things and two things only - hockey and music (we'll get to the latter in a bit). Seeing how there's minimal hockey news going around (unless you're REALLY - read: obsessive - into arbitration discussions and salary developments, which, uh, God help you), there aren't many posts going on around the Thrashers blogosphere. Prospect camp came and went in the blink of an eye... yes, of course, there was the great free agency domino effect that took place in early July... and now, well, there's tons of speculation and, yep, rumors. Personally, I'm no good at any of those two things. I'm too casual of a fan to really start wide-spread inner thoughts and feelings on the subject of my beloved hockey team and their competition. But, since I'm on the topic...
The Thrashers went into this summer's free agency period with a few question marks. A majority of the team's salary is tied up in marquee players such as Ilya Kovalchuk ($5.5 mil) and Marian Hossa ($7 mil) and other overpaid players, namely Bobby Holik ($4.25 mil), and perhaps the addled Steve Rucchin ($2.4 mil). With all of that committed to the upcoming season, the organization was hard-pressed to come up with suitable talent to further the Thrashers "acknowledged" successes from the previous season. Apparently feeling their needs didn't fall into the success plan for this next season, the Thrashers cut ties with Eric Belanger, Jon Sim, Keith Tkachuk, Greg deVries, Andy Sutton, Shane Hnidy, and, most recently, J.P. Vigier. As such, their "replacements" (can you even call them replacement players? uhhh...) are as follows:
Todd White
Eric Perrin
Ken Klee
Chris Thorburn
Pascal Dupuis (resigned)
So, the Thrashers dumped a lot of defensemen in favor of the experienced Klee and the newcomers (TBA, really). They also picked up a solid (yet not true "first-line") center in White, while washing their hands clean of Tkachuk and Belanger. Personally, the times I saw Tkachuk and Belanger on the ice, I didn't feel a bit of regret in going after either prior to the trade deadline last year. "Walt" brought a bunch of personality to the ice each shift and I really felt like he and Kovalchuk developed good chemistry during their brief time together. Also, it was clear that Belanger had a solid impact on a team that was somewhat lacking in the "center with initiative" department, scoring nine goals and fifteen points in a 24-game span.
While I'm still as excited as ever for this '07-'08 season to get started, I'm still questioning these moves. I don't feel that secure with any of them, except the Dupuis signing. Then again, who really skipped around the block when word came down that the Thrashers picked up Eric Belanger from Nashville, from Carolina, in a matter of minutes? I've read random things online about Todd White from Minnesota Wild fans and they've had nothing but positive things to say about his play and his camaraderie with teammates. That's encouraging and all, but I'm still not sold. I think I was one of the few who got mildly excited about Steve Rucchin's addition to the team last season, and I saw how that panned out. The White signing comes off as a similar move to me. Then again, there's more room for surprise with White because I'm admittingly unaware of him; with Rucchin, I clearly remember the role he played on the Anaheim team that went to the Stanley Cup finals years ago, therefore, I knew what kind of player we acquired. And Eric Perrin? We'll see. Still not sold on Klee, either.
There's the free agents we signed and then there's the other side of the issue - dealing with n00bz. This season, expect quite a few, more than the recent Thrashers fan is used to. With just Klee, Zhitnik, Havelid, Exelby, and McCarthy on the current roster, that leaves open at least one more slot on defense. AHL players like Mark Popovic and Boris Valabik will get serious looks during training camp as will up-and-coming European stars Ilya Nikulin and Tobias Enstrom. Surely one of them will make the opening day roster, but who? And how quick will this player fit into their role of NHL defenseman on a daily basis? I don't know, but the thought of that leaves me scratching my head a bit. For offensive flair, we're relying on Brett Sterling, Darren Haydar, Jason Krog, etc. to step up and fit into the NHL roster as well. As a Thrashers fan, I absolutely heard A LOT about these players' roles on the team in Chicago (AHL) - how Sterling was AHL rookie of the year, how Haydar broke scoring records, how the chemistry between those three players was apparently tight. But we need to be reminded that we're talking about the AHL here. I remember the only preseason game I went to last season included some plays from Brett Sterling (including a few points on the board?), so he probably can compete at the NHL level, but I'm still unsure.
Basically, there are too many question marks surrounding this season and I'm hard-pressed to see immediately past them. Granted, things might work out and all of my doubts and fears about this team will be laid to rest and there will be even more success come April of '08.
But like I said, I'm super excited about hockey again. I can't wait to see how these new players play, how the players we've come to know will fit with the n00bz, how the n00bz will fit into the grand scheme of things. I remember reading a story during the off-season in The Hockey News about the big prospects that Anaheim had - do the names Getzlaf, Perry, and Penner ring any bells? While maybe the talent level isn't as high with the three Thrashers prospects I mentioned earlier as it is with the three Ducks, I kinda get the same vibes from our three birds. Inserting Krog into the lineup midseason didn't have much of an impact, and Haydar didn't even register on anything that I can remember. And looking at their roles during their short stints with the team, it was hard to develop into anything with 14 games and four games under Krog's and Haydar's belts, respectively.
Who's to say what this season holds for the Thrashers, and the rest of the Southeast Division? Will there be a new division champion at the end of the season, as the trend has been? Or will the "big three" - Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay - still race for the top? How about Florida or Washington - will they be the dark horses that no one is counting on? I don't know, but I'm getting more and more psyched for this upcoming season.
Bring it on and let's raise that banner!
The Thrashers went into this summer's free agency period with a few question marks. A majority of the team's salary is tied up in marquee players such as Ilya Kovalchuk ($5.5 mil) and Marian Hossa ($7 mil) and other overpaid players, namely Bobby Holik ($4.25 mil), and perhaps the addled Steve Rucchin ($2.4 mil). With all of that committed to the upcoming season, the organization was hard-pressed to come up with suitable talent to further the Thrashers "acknowledged" successes from the previous season. Apparently feeling their needs didn't fall into the success plan for this next season, the Thrashers cut ties with Eric Belanger, Jon Sim, Keith Tkachuk, Greg deVries, Andy Sutton, Shane Hnidy, and, most recently, J.P. Vigier. As such, their "replacements" (can you even call them replacement players? uhhh...) are as follows:
Todd White
Eric Perrin
Ken Klee
Chris Thorburn
Pascal Dupuis (resigned)
So, the Thrashers dumped a lot of defensemen in favor of the experienced Klee and the newcomers (TBA, really). They also picked up a solid (yet not true "first-line") center in White, while washing their hands clean of Tkachuk and Belanger. Personally, the times I saw Tkachuk and Belanger on the ice, I didn't feel a bit of regret in going after either prior to the trade deadline last year. "Walt" brought a bunch of personality to the ice each shift and I really felt like he and Kovalchuk developed good chemistry during their brief time together. Also, it was clear that Belanger had a solid impact on a team that was somewhat lacking in the "center with initiative" department, scoring nine goals and fifteen points in a 24-game span.
While I'm still as excited as ever for this '07-'08 season to get started, I'm still questioning these moves. I don't feel that secure with any of them, except the Dupuis signing. Then again, who really skipped around the block when word came down that the Thrashers picked up Eric Belanger from Nashville, from Carolina, in a matter of minutes? I've read random things online about Todd White from Minnesota Wild fans and they've had nothing but positive things to say about his play and his camaraderie with teammates. That's encouraging and all, but I'm still not sold. I think I was one of the few who got mildly excited about Steve Rucchin's addition to the team last season, and I saw how that panned out. The White signing comes off as a similar move to me. Then again, there's more room for surprise with White because I'm admittingly unaware of him; with Rucchin, I clearly remember the role he played on the Anaheim team that went to the Stanley Cup finals years ago, therefore, I knew what kind of player we acquired. And Eric Perrin? We'll see. Still not sold on Klee, either.
There's the free agents we signed and then there's the other side of the issue - dealing with n00bz. This season, expect quite a few, more than the recent Thrashers fan is used to. With just Klee, Zhitnik, Havelid, Exelby, and McCarthy on the current roster, that leaves open at least one more slot on defense. AHL players like Mark Popovic and Boris Valabik will get serious looks during training camp as will up-and-coming European stars Ilya Nikulin and Tobias Enstrom. Surely one of them will make the opening day roster, but who? And how quick will this player fit into their role of NHL defenseman on a daily basis? I don't know, but the thought of that leaves me scratching my head a bit. For offensive flair, we're relying on Brett Sterling, Darren Haydar, Jason Krog, etc. to step up and fit into the NHL roster as well. As a Thrashers fan, I absolutely heard A LOT about these players' roles on the team in Chicago (AHL) - how Sterling was AHL rookie of the year, how Haydar broke scoring records, how the chemistry between those three players was apparently tight. But we need to be reminded that we're talking about the AHL here. I remember the only preseason game I went to last season included some plays from Brett Sterling (including a few points on the board?), so he probably can compete at the NHL level, but I'm still unsure.
Basically, there are too many question marks surrounding this season and I'm hard-pressed to see immediately past them. Granted, things might work out and all of my doubts and fears about this team will be laid to rest and there will be even more success come April of '08.
But like I said, I'm super excited about hockey again. I can't wait to see how these new players play, how the players we've come to know will fit with the n00bz, how the n00bz will fit into the grand scheme of things. I remember reading a story during the off-season in The Hockey News about the big prospects that Anaheim had - do the names Getzlaf, Perry, and Penner ring any bells? While maybe the talent level isn't as high with the three Thrashers prospects I mentioned earlier as it is with the three Ducks, I kinda get the same vibes from our three birds. Inserting Krog into the lineup midseason didn't have much of an impact, and Haydar didn't even register on anything that I can remember. And looking at their roles during their short stints with the team, it was hard to develop into anything with 14 games and four games under Krog's and Haydar's belts, respectively.
Who's to say what this season holds for the Thrashers, and the rest of the Southeast Division? Will there be a new division champion at the end of the season, as the trend has been? Or will the "big three" - Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay - still race for the top? How about Florida or Washington - will they be the dark horses that no one is counting on? I don't know, but I'm getting more and more psyched for this upcoming season.
Bring it on and let's raise that banner!
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