Late Night Music Club feat. Robert Plant and the Band of Joy

Bonnaroo starts on Thursday afternoon and I'm honestly still a little bummed that I won't be there this year. But, having to be an adult and hold true to your responsibilities does take precedent - and buying a new car does tend to put a dent in your summertime funds.

For tonight's music session, we take a look at an artist I have had the honor of seeing many times over the last 15 years - most recently at Bonnaroo with Allison Krauss.

Robert Plant and the Band of Joy



For the full line-up of the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, check the official blog here and be sure to listen to Bonnaroo Radio for all the music that makes this weekend special.

Bloody Bonnaroo?

Having been to Bonnaroo the past few years, I can tell you that it's certainly evolved into a different style of festival since it's inception. The 2008 line-up nearly destroyed the 4 day weekend festivities for many, as it was seen as a slap in the face of all that is right and just in the world that Bonnaroo was intended to occupy by bringing in Metallica and Kanye West. I don't think we're going to see that happen again.

Bonnaroo 2009 saw a resurgence in the bands that were destined to be there: Phish, Springsteen, Buffet. So what will 2010 bring?

GWAR?







Surprisingly, this band has enjoyed a rich 25 year history in metal/rock with a cult following that is only matched by the likes of Yello, Zappa, and The Greatful Dead. But is Bonnaroo really asking them to be part of a festival that caters primarily to fans that enjoy bands like Radiohead, Sigur Ros, Dave Matthews, and Phish? Stranger things have happened.

Some Thoughts For Your Morning

Over the weekend, I had these questions rolling around in my brain-pan and thought I would share.

- Why are conservatives so upset that Obama is calling for the nation to come together in service for their country on Sept. 11th? Are they upset that someone is trying to use the day in a positive light to honor those that died? Are they losing the ability to use the deaths of thousands as a tool of fear, nothing more than a slogan?

- What is really going to happen during Glenn Beck's "9/12 Project" thing that is allegedly going to take place in Washington? Considering the very real fact that no person within the conservative movement has the ability to bring out the crazies the way he does, is someone going to get hurt - or worse?

- Do conservatives not realize that you can't just "turn off" the internet?

- The fringe segment of the GOP ( which is growing larger by the week ) should really decide if Obama is a Marxist, Socialist, Nazi, Communist, or Fascist. Do they not realize that he can't be all 5?

- When is TOOL coming out with a new album?

- Exactly how many seniors, that are able to collect Social Security and take advantage of Medicare benefits, have started refusing them since they are so afraid of Socialism now? I'm guessing none.

- I wonder what children of uber-conservatives ( like Malkin, Hannity, and O'Reilly ) think about other kids their age. After all, children aren't born racists, or sexist, or nativists, or think Ronald Reagan was the second coming of Jesus.

- Who's going to be a Bonnaroo next year?

- Why doesn't Lawrence O'Donnell have his own show on MSNBC?

Concords Taking Flight

If anyone reading this happened to make it to the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival last year - and were lucky enough to get a seat in the comedy tent - you probably saw the genius of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. Their HBO program, Flight Of The Concords, has it's second season debut online.

The half-hour Season 2 opener kicks off with one of those comic meetings of the minds, in which Bret and Jemaine dump clueless manager Murray (played by Rhys Darby).

In classic Conchords form, the management meltdown leads to a musical number that kicks off the long-awaited second season's story arc.

If you're new to Conchords, don't let Murray's earnest singing put you off the show. Comedian Greg Proops quickly shows up to make the folkies an offer they can't refuse; make it to the end of the first episode, and you'll be rewarded with a musical set piece showing Bret and Jemaine as guitar-strumming angels.

More on the show here.

Here's a clip from their Bonnaroo performance:

Kanye West Hates White Hippies

This past weekend, I attended the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.

Now, you're probably familiar by now with the Kanye West incident where he was 2 hours late for his performance time and he played less than 1 hour.

True, at one point in is life, Kanye may have been a valid musical force. But, when you become nothing more than a commercialized, MTV-moulded, automatron, you tend to not really care what people think.

What's even worse are the people who claim to be fans of this guy. They just don't seem to get it that he's been marginalized for years and has lost all traces of his original innovative self.

The discussion started long before the magazines or blogs got a hold of it. Chants of "Kanye Sucks" could be heard from across the main field, where Bonnaroo's massive mistake in festival headliner took the stage 2 hours after he was scheduled to perform.

But, the story really doesn't start there.

It begins with Kanye allegedly being upset that he was playing on the second stage, at 845pm, and that there were other artists performing at the same time he would be.

For Shame!!!!

Upon arriving into the Centeroo area, people noticed that signs had already been placed near the main stage area stating that Kanye West would be playing at 245am on Saturday. This still sort of made sense, as West's stage performance was 'glow-in-the-dark'.

The discussions started from the very first day. Was Kanye already complaining? What would his set be like? Would he really play at 245am?

The discussion of Kanye's performance ( or lack there-of ) got a little heated. It's hillarious and sad all at the same time to read the misguided thoughts of people that worship at the feet of a seething douche like Kanye.

However, there's a video that shows what really went on backstage, that no one saw ----

Back From Bonnaroo

Well, so much for the LiveBlog idea........

There was little time and much to do. I have loads of photos and video which will be up soon. I'll be working up my documentary of the weekend. I appreciate each of you that I spoke with, so please be patient with me as I edit everything together.

I should have something up shortly.

Off To Bonnaroo

So I'll be heading to Tennessee in just about an hour.

Be sure and check back thorughout the weekend as I'll be doing my best to LiveBlog the entire festival.


Later

The Best Album Of 2007

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, “Raising Sand”








Despite the fact that each and every year, Robert Plant seems to be morphing into this bizarre caricature of an English grandmother, he can still belt out a tune. Couple that ( the singing, not the grandmotherly visage ) with one of the most haunting and original voices in Blue Grass / Country music and you've got a duet that is hard to top. But, one can't set aside the musical genius that is T. Bone Burnett.

There really isn't a true form of 'country' music anymore. It's all overproduce tripe that does nothing but mock the real country artists that created honest, orignal music. Now, all you have to have is a cowboy hat, a belt-buckle, and some inane lyrics about a tractor or going fishing while you're drunk.

( ok, i'm done ranting on that, for now )

"Raising Sand" takes everything that Led Zeppelin did with conjuring a fantastic image with sound and lyrics and blend it with a little bit of true, southern, music ( you know, like Johnny Cash or Waylon Jennings used to play ) and you've got one of the greatest albums of the last 10 years, and certainly a perfect choice for best album of 2007.

I can wait to see these two at Bonnaroo.

Bonnaroo 2008

So, I'm going to be offine for a few days later this week as I travel to Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN ( June 12-15th ).

Bonnaroo

Last year was amazing -- Tool, Sasha and John Digweed, The Flaming Lips, The White Stripes ( I could go on - though, The Police were just outright horrible and that kind of disappointed me ).

This year might not be as grand.

Kanye West? Really? That guy that whined like a 12-year-old with a skinned-knee at the MTV "music awards"!?!?!?!

Metallica?!?!?! I mean, those guys really haven't been a relevant musical source since 1988's ...and Justice for All.

However, there are tons of acts that are going to be great regardless of who is playing on the 'main stage'.

Oh, and Chris Rock is gonna be there --- fucking sweet!