Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun - TONITE!

Today's a day I've had circled on my calendar for a long while now, for it is Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun's record release party at Vinyl.

I've known about this band for a little less than a year and I've heard the songs live several times over that period. A few months ago, my wife and I were invited to their studio to listen to some early mixes of songs that were slated to appear on their debut release. While this band is meant to play live, the rough takes sounded awesome and their official release finally sees the light of day, uh, tonight. Weird sentence there.

ANYWAY!

TTMTTS' debut EP, "Hurry Up and Wait", will feature most of the live staples from the past year and I'm sure that they will not disappoint. This band just tears it up in the clubs and I cannot wait for them to rip apart the speakers of my car.

If you're not doing anything this evening, I highly suggest that you take a trip to Vinyl (located in the CW Midtown Music Complex with Center Stage and The Loft). The show starts at 9PM and tickets are only $8. Sure, gas is pricey these days, but when you can get your face melted for only eight dollars, I'd say that's a tremendous deal.

Currently, their myspace is hosting a few songs from their EP. It's only a click away. Get yourself warmed up for tonight!

Also, the Atlanta Rock Blog conducted an informative and insightful interview with all four members of the band. Part one is here, and here's part two.

Coachella Misses You, Too - Pt. 3

I love how something spawned by this festival can translate into news across the country. Naturally, the biggest news about this year's Coachella is the "one-time" reunion of Rage Against the Machine. News of this reverberated everywhere as RATM are one of the most vocal politically-powered bands of the current generation... and also one of the most ferocious and excitable live acts, as well. A few days after the announcement of the Coachella bill (that included RATM), I was told about this at my job here in suburban Atlanta. At the Lily Allen show I went to on Monday, there was talk about the Rage reunion also. It just gives me a smile to be a part of something that's so incredibly noteworthy... even though, in all honesty, I really couldn't care about RATM.

With that said, here's the last of the three-part series of what I'm looking forward to about this year's Coachella lineup. This final installment focuses on the last day, Sunday, April 29.


Courtesy of cybele malinowski.

Klaxons - I've heard this band on Left of Center (Sirius 26) enough times to really form judgement, especially since I've heard three of their songs now as well as an interview with the band. All of the statements about this band somehow tapping into the future are true - how this band sounds fits perfectly into the framework of the year 2207. Yes, that's right, their sound is two hundred years ahead of their mortal bodies. They've talked about how rave culture applies to their music, but it's also indie sounding. I mean, in "Atlantis to Interzone", there are sirens going off, minimal lyrics (saying "Atlantis" and "Interzone" x-amount of times doesn't suffice as a "lyric"), tremendous beats, and Britishness beyond belief. The future is now with this band and I entirely expect them to be "buzzworthy" at this year's Coachella. Personally, I cannot stand the track I just mentioned, but "Golden Skans" is very tolerable. I really like joining the band in their "ooh-woo-ooh-woo - OOH!" that they have going on throughout the track (hm, you need to hear it to understand). I just heard another new one the other day, but it didn't stand out. When it comes down to it though, I might visit the Mojave (because they will own this tent early in the evening) and see the reaction they are getting. People will either go berzerk over it or they will be lambasted with palm trees; it's a toss-up at this point.


Courtesy of Danny North.

The Kooks - I'm ready to take bets here - who will join who on stage for "Naive" - Lily Allen joins The Kooks or vice versa? Place your bets now!



Lily Allen - She created significant buzz over the summer with her UK-released debut Alright, Still, and she's already whining about playing her own songs to get more recognition Stateside. So who knows what kind of set we'll get at Coachella. But you cannot deny her cuteness or her wit with her songs. Some of the tunes fall a little flat, but the ones that are strong are pretty much unstoppable. As I said earlier, I saw her here in Atlanta on Monday and I was already curious about the show after reading that NME article (oh, credibility!) from Saturday. Despite her "boredom" with her songs, she carried herself nicely throughout the show. I could notice moments of, "Ugh, gotta do this AGAIN," attitude, but her songs held up and she let out a few chuckles every once in a while. When I asked her afterwards about Coachella ("See you at Coachella! Are you excited about it?"), all I got was a simple, "Oh, yes!" Hmm.


Courtesy of Serena Sundai.

Placebo - Brian Molko is back, and he has an agenda this time, folks - PURRRRRRREEEEE MORNNNNNNING! Uh huh. That aside, my only experience with Placebo is during the Black Market Music phase of their career. I did enjoy that album (to an extent) and ended up seeing them live on the resulting North American tour. The show left much to be desired for me, and revealing a hiding Brian Molko from the masses outside of the venue made it all worthwhile. Apparently their recent album Meds is something worth investing time into. We'll see about that one. I see a late afternoon Coachella Stage appearance, possibly similar to Muse's slot in '04. I just hope the IEH isn't too much for the kids in southern Cali.

Crowded House - I really couldn't believe that this was true when I first heard it. Their drummer killed himself several years ago and they were complete 80s has-beens. I just couldn't justify why they were on the lineup. But alas, they are there. I'm definitely interested in hearing how the Finns are doing these days and how those tunes are holding up. If worse comes to worse, get Six Pence None the Richer to come and complete the set... or just sing "Don't Dream It's Over".


Courtesy of Guy Eppel.

Kaiser Chiefs - I could've sworn that parts of their last big hit here ("I Predict a Riot") sounded like the Ramones. This time, "Ruby" is completely infectious. They'll probably go on right after Placebo and get the crowd all riled up for the evening session.



Explosions in the Sky pic courtesy of cyberkode.

Explosions in the Sky/Air - Here's the conflict everyone hopes to avoid this year. Everyone knows how good Air is live, especially after their out-of-body experience in '04. Also, a lot of people know how ridiculously mindblowing EITS is in the live setting. Both bands appeal to those who long for "sunset sets". I fall into each sentence I've said so far. I've seen Air twice and loved 'em both times. I recently saw EITS for the first time in a packed, sweaty club that they blew apart. Both bands are pretty amazing live. Please, for the love of God, Goldenvoice has to really examine this possible conflict.

Thrashers Update-a-roos!

It's been a while since the last Thrashers update, so hopefully I can get back on track a bit. Suddenly, I find myself stuck blogless (in terms of Thrashers-related stuffs) as I did after my Raleigh adventures. Remembering that event, I entered into the wonderful black hole in terms of writing and basically missed out on the trade deadline, where the Thrashers beefed up the lineup to what it is today with Tkachuk, Zhitnik, and DOO-PWEEZ. Now, I find myself struggling to meet the needs when this squad is at the tail end of their great season, still fighting harder than ever. And here I am, still missing out on posts. One excuse that I can make, however, is that, when I wax Thrashers, I usually do it in recap fashion (i.e. after I actually watch a game). For the past few games (since the Montreal game, obv), I've either watched portions of games or haven't watched at all. And who wants to hear someone ramble on about a game that they watched only 10 minutes of, you know?

Meh.

Placement Placement Placement... Just Take Charge!
Currently, the Thrashers sit atop the Southeast Division with a four point lead over Floridian pests Tampa Bay. There are no games in hand here, so if the Thrashers keep up their game, as does Tampa, Atlanta will be sitting pretty come April 7th at Philips. Things aren't that simple, unfortunately. Six of the next eight games for the Thrashers are against legitimate playoff contenders, whereas Tampa plays five of their next eight against similar teams. The home ice advantage also goes toward Tampa as they play 3/4 of their remaining matches at home, as the Thrash do four at home and four on the road. What really needs to be the factor is that the bigger team needs to stand tall right now. Despite however you look at the circumstances surrounding these upcoming eight games, each game day must be met with a clean slate. Focusing too much on extraneous factors will only take a toll on the members of a team, if not the entire team. The Thrashers absolutely must not fold at this point in the season. Hopefully we got all of that garbage out of the way during the February road trip, or February altogether. At least we don't have Mike Dunham as the stalwart goaltender this season. No choking allowed, boys. Worry about where you are in the conference after the season... or don't worry about it at all! Just come to the rink each game day and PLAY - it really is that simple.



Strong Isle REP-RAZENT!
First, he finally jumped the hurdle and made it into camp last summer. Then he got signed. Now, it's Dave Caruso - "hometown" favorite. This was a great story for Jeff Francouer (sp?) with the Braves a few years ago... in a town that's kinda crazy about baseball. But for a hockey goalie to make it... from GEORGIA... IN Georgia? I can't say it enough about this story, and I only hope that it continues to pan out for the guy - but this is so awesome.

Damn, here's where the bias comes into play!

Off the bat, I heard that Caruso was right out of school - I graduated from school last December, so I feel ya on that one, Dave. After I got word that he was originally from Long Island, I found out this guy is officially my homeboy. And then there was this article that hit the presses today, saying he is from not just Long Island, but Hicksville. Instantly, there were tears in my eyes. If only he were Polish, then it would be over. But seriously, this is the ultimate story of someone from my hometown making it, and making it HERE. Anytime there is any word of someone from your hometown, your high school, etc. making a splash, you follow it. Hell, I never even went to the school, but because I'm tied to it by my girlfriend's family (because she went there, as well as her brother, and her mom teaches right by there), I will always follow Calvin Johnson because he's a graduate of Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone.

The moral of this story is that anyone can make it anywhere. There are times when that's incredibly hard to believe, but it's so relieving to know that things like this really do happen. Keep it up, Dave, we're pulling for ya!

Dangerous Fins, Bite?
Tomorrow's matchup at Philips includes a skirmish with a pretty powerful Sharks team from San Jose - second in their division and sixth in the West. In the middle of a four game east-coast trip, these Sharks will also be in the hunt for more. The Dallas Stars are only one point behind them in the division and San Jose is only one point behind fifth place Minnesota. This is still a crucial game for the Thrashers, so there's no need to go into the details about this game for them. This game won't pan out like a typical mid-season game, like how it was when Anaheim came to town back in January. So don't expect San Jose to come out flat. They have one of the best power play units in the league and a great one-two goalie tandem with Nabokov and Toskala. Dominant forwards Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Milan Michalek, and Johnathan Cheechoo stand strong, along with new acquisition Bill Guerin. They also have a great young crop of players, including Steve Bernier, Matt Carle, and recent scoring threat Ryane Clowe. This isn't a team to second guess, that's for sure. It'll prove to be a great game. The Sharks play tonight against struggling Chicago, then get a few zzz's in time for the Atlanta game, which'll feature a Thrashers team that's rested since Sunday's winning performance against Buffalo. While it could take a while for the goalies to get a little warmed up (especially since SJS loves to rotate their goalies), I'm sure the offense will take charge and early scoring should be rewarded come the end of the game. We'll see how this one pans out... hopefully I can get my paws on some tickets and make it up to the Phil for some Thrashin'.

Coachella Misses You, Too - Pt. 2

Yesterday, I went over what interested me from the first nite of this year's Coachella. Tonite, I'll continue the trend and go over Saturday.


Courtesy of kathryn.

Fields - After writing about 'em more than a month ago, I'm still lovin' me some Fields. Their debut album, Everything Last Winter, hits the shelves on the 3rd of April. If it's anything like their great EP, "7 From the Village", then we're in for a treat. To have an early appearance in Gobi would be a safe assumption.


Courtesy of mediaeater.

The Fratellis - Don't let the acoustics mislead you with this group. I've only heard a couple of tracks from their album Costello Music and I know I must see these guys live. If "Chelsea Dagger" doesn't sound like a stereotypical downing-a-pint-in-a-packed-pub track, I don't know what does. That song just makes me want to drink Guinness... and I hate Guinness. Regardless, The Fratellis have a ton of energy, and I'm looking forward to catching 'em at Coach. They just announced a tour with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, but, unfortunately, they aren't on the dates that bring them to Atlanta (or the Birmingham show, which I'd rather attend). With that said, seeing The Fratellis is high on my list.


Courtesy of kathryn.

Peter, Bjorn & John - While everyone went crazy over "Young Folks" last month (and possibly earlier) and how PB&J apparently invaded New York City, I was going nuts over another track from their recent album, Writer's Block. The fourth track on their myspace player is the one that gets me each and every time - "The Chills". I love the drumbeat and how it really carries the song. I do appreciate the band for what they do, but that track is, right now, one of my favorite tracks of the year.


Courtesy of Emdashes.com.

The New Pornographers - I was vaguely familiar with this band before the release of Twin Cinema and the thing that happened to stick out with them was "low-fi". I just had this impression that this band was about quiet-time with poor mic setups and four-track recordings. I still haven't delved into their back catalogue, but I'm glad I got over that mindset because I really dig Twin Cinema. It's just a loud, in-your-face production record with concise songwriting. I could see a late afternoon set on the Outdoor Theater stage, getting ready for sunset. That would be nice.


Courtesy of jonathas.

The Good, The Bad & The Queen - First off, yeah, the pic isn't the best out there, but because I'm a sucker for Lost, I couldn't deny using a pic from a venue that includes a Dharma-esque logo as their own. Back to the subject at hand... I have never cared for Blur. I have never cared for Gorillaz. I have certainly never cared for Damon Albarn. So you'd think that the odds are stacked against this band with me. For now, you're close to right, but things are starting to turn around. For days, I couldn't get "Herculean" out of my head and the only thing I could think about was how it would sound out in the desert. Also, "History Song" isn't half that bad. Considering this is only a one-album type deal for this superband, maybe they should hold it together while Graham Coxon figures out whether he wants to come back to Blur territory. Their material does appear promising, and I'm sure that this Coachella appearance will really enhance their image in this country.


Courtesy of mediaeater.

The Arcade Fire - Ah, the cream of the crop. You can't hate on this band. Mayyyyyybe it's possible after just hearing their albums. Hell, I'll admit that it took me a while to really get why people were FREAKING OUT over Funeral. But I finally did get it, and I realized it was pretty stinkin' good. After a couple friends of mine saw The Arcade Fire a few months before Coachella, they couldn't stop talking about their live show. Then, I saw footage from their appearance on Conan. Then I saw some interview clips, along with some more live performances. I was slowly getting it - but I didn't have the whole picture in perspective. And then there was me strongly urging my friends to stay after Tegan and Sara's set in '05 to catch this band that, really, I had no experience with in the live setting. I was only going on word of mouth at this point. Turns out that this was the set that stole the weekend, if not the year. Now, I find myself two years later still freaking out about this band, a band that I last saw at that Coachella. Since then, this band has opened for U2, recorded and released a new album, and almost conquered the universe. It's hard to imagine them going on right before the icky Red Hot Chili Peppers, and that's probably the case. While I'd love to have them close out the Outdoor Theater (that they happen to pwn), that's doubtful and I know that this is one band that you can always rely on to amaze you in the live setting.

Coachella Misses You, Too - Pt. 1

Ok, so I just received a suspicious email, but it turned out to be wonderful news! After getting word that my tickets to Coachella 2007 are now on their way, I figured that now would be a great time to go over some of the bands that I'm aiming for come the end of April. Either that, or bands/groups that will be on my radar for that weekend. First, let's go over Friday's acts. By clicking on the band's respective pic, that'll bring you to their myspace.


Courtesy of Rocco Kasby.

Tilly and the Wall - I saw them open for Rilo Kiley a couple of years ago and it was a complete schtick act. For some songs, the band's main percussive force is at least one member's tap shoes. While I did find it amusing for a bit, I just couldn't get into the music. I'm sure my girlfriend's love for this band only enhanced my displeasure, seeing how I had to listen to them ALL THE TIME. But you know what - sometimes people come around, including myself. When I found out Tilly and the Wall had a new album, I downloaded it for my girlfriend, like a good fella should do. It so happens that I added it to my iTunes library and, one day, on shuffle, a track from this new album (Bottoms of Barrels) came on and I wasn't instantly repelled by its sound. The track was "Lost Girls" and I think I actually liked it. After listening to the album recently, I came to the conclusion that it wasn't all that bad... and maybe they, as a band, weren't that poor afterall. Assuming that they are one of the earlier acts in the afternoon, I might consider giving them a shot.


Courtesy of andrewkendall.

Amy Winehouse - She's been getting a lot of crap lately, considering that the's cancelling shows left and right, reportedly due to her extracurricular habits (i.e. drinking). With that said, however, there's no denying her voice and how rich it is. I really don't relate to her music that much, but I don't avert my ears whenever I hear "Rehab" in my car. I moreso think it's a bit ironic (and it probably isn't), but that's just me.


Courtesy of Jamarr.

Silversun Pickups - Now this is where it gets good. They played a show here in Atlanta sometime in the summer and I just missed out on the opportunity. After the buzz generated from that show, I decided to snag a copy of their album, Carnavas, and I absolutely loved it. I've wanted to see this band ever since, and I haven't been able to. I can see this band having a slot like Wolfmother had last year - later on in the afternoon in Mojave. This is my first "must-see" band at this festival, and I'll be damned if I miss out on 'em.

Comedians of Comedy - For some reason, I have a feeling that Zach Galifianakis won't be there. If he isn't, I don't know if I'll stick around for a few minutes during their time slot. Can someone confirm whether or not he'll be there, along with the others?


Courtesy of studio 520.

Tokyo Police Club - "Nature of the Experiment" is a nice taste of Canadian rock. I haven't had much of a chance to devote much time to their EP, A Lesson in Crime, but I know I'll be putting it into my rotation in the coming weeks because of the obvious. They're coming to town in a few weeks, too, opening for Cold War Kids. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make that due to my new job, but hopefully I can catch a few tunes at their Coach appearance.


Courtesy of Guy Eppel.

Peaches - I fully expect to get all sweaty, greasy, and sexxed up whenever I see Peaches. I'd like to say that it's a love-hate relationship with her, but I disagree. I don't love her, and I don't hate her. I had a great time seeing her back in July . I'm sure I'll see her and the rest of the Herms on the Outdoor Theater stage under the stars, probably with a slot like Eagles of Death Metal's last year (after 8PM).


Courtesy of Nick Helderman.

Sonic Youth - I'm still wondering how a band like Sonic Youth can exist for 25 years and still be a powerhouse on the indie rock scene. I mean, Rather Ripped, their 15th studio album, nearly topped several "Best Of" lists at the end of 2006. How is that possible? I'll tell you how - because they will blow yr mind! I saw 'em with Mary Timony in August of '02, right after Murray Street came out. I couldn't believe how good they were and how their improvising really fit in so well with the "traditional" songs. I wouldn't be surprised if they closed out the Outdoor Theater, and, if they do, I'll be there.

The Jesus and Mary Chain - Let me just say this - I'm completely unfamiliar with this band. From what little I HAVE heard, however, it certainly hasn't been that bad. There's a good possibility that I'll check this out on sheer noteworthiness. I'm probably a moron for being that far out of the loop when it comes to bands like this.


Courtesy of andrewkendall.

Interpol - Do I really care about Interpol anymore? This performance might make or break it. Let's face it - everyone loved their first record. Their second seemed like a retread of their debut, and it got them more commercial notoriety. I loved 'em the first time I saw them when they sold out the Cotton Club. Then they came back during the Curiosa tour and I could've cared less. Apparently they have a new record in the works. The Coachella crowd will definitely get a taste of some of the newies. But how will it be received? Like I said - do we really care?


Courtesy of Waltzzz.

Bjork - I never got Bjork. When her Greatest Hits album came out a few years ago, I bought it, wanting to appreciate her material. I figured that that was the time to really get started with liking Bjork, or just getting a good taste of her material. Well, I just could not get into it. I can like the music, but I just cannot get past her voice... or her antics. After watching the footage of her '02 appearance on the DVD, it only reminded me that maybe I should continue to give her a chance. Maybe this is fate's way of messing with me and my preferences and that I'm destined to cross paths with her on April 27th.