Socks Rocked Off? Check.

I am a sleepy kitty after a weekend of fun at Pitchfork. The big draw for me was to see Mission of Burma play their album Vs. in its entirety. And I have to tell you, they rocked my socks off. In their music I hear the roots of so many bands that I adore, and for that, I worship at their feet.

Pitchfork was pretty much planned to be the highlight of my summer. As my therapist said, "It's the poor man's Lollapalooza." At times I could feel my age as Lulu and I wandered through the crowd of hipsters, but it didn't stop me from having fun. Amazing posters at the Flatstock convention, cool arts and crafts and best of all...vinyl. Lots and lots of vinyl. The second I spotted it I could feel the cold sweat bead up on my forehead as I anticipated the possibility of scoring some. I ended up buying a couple cool compilation CDs, but of course, I purchased four brand spanking new discs. I picked through a bunch of stuff, but purchased all the vinyl from the Touch and Go booth. Picked up some Big Black that I'd had on tape that disintegrated years ago and purchased my first two Shellac records. I felt the wave of relief run through me as I stuck my purchases in my bag.

All in all, I'd say it was a completely fulfilling outing. Incredible live music, ice cold beer, new cool posters for the walls, CDs, and sweet sweet vinyl. I'm a tired but happy kitty. Hope you enjoy a taste of Pitchfork.

Pennies From Heaven

You know how sometimes when you need it most, something simple and really nice happens. Yesterday I went next door to my neighbor's home to wish her a happy birthday and ran into another friend of mine. Turns out that she had this extra ticket to go see Yaz tonight that was already paid for. She asked if I was interested and told me it was mine if I wanted it. Really? Who says "no" to a free Yaz ticket? Truthfully, I had thought about going, but felt that it was really more than I could afford at the time. So now, here I am, thinking about going to the show tonight and feeling really fortunate that I have friends who are so generous and gracious. I have been the recipient of this kind of graciousness quite a bit lately and it has made all the difference in the world to me.

Yaz is one of those bands that is part of the soundtrack of my life. Not only do they bring back memories of late nights of dancing, but some of their quieter songs remind me of driving around or sitting in my room and just contemplating my then young life and all of its ups and downs. Alison Moyet is one of my very favorite female vocalists and I am looking forward to hearing her voice live more than anything else right now. So I guess tonight is kind of a trip down memory lane, but also an ode to friends who seem to show up at just the right moment.



Update: The show was absolutely fabulous! Everyone was either dancing or, for the more introspective songs, just sitting in awe of Allison Moyet's voice. She was flawless live. Just as powerful and perfect as she sounds on record. She also seemed to be having the time of her life and was all smiles between each song, seeming to just be soaking in the praise of her fans and having a blast doing what she loved. It was very clear that she has a very positive connection to their music and that she adores Vince Clarke.

Explosive!

SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES-Fireworks

Happy Fourth of July! Having just returned from the land where children can still buy sparklers (and other fun stuff), we are fully stocked for the holiday. We'll be attending the Evanston fireworks on the 4th at the lake, just a few blocks from our house, which is perfect for our slow and lazy family. We're looking forward to seeing some of you on the 5th at the Compound party as well. And remember, after you light the fuse, you're supposed to run.