Silversun Pickups

I purchased Swoon on July 4, 2009. I liked it so much, I went and picked up SSPU's Carnavas two days later. SSPU fits into an elite set up JP's bands, one only occupied by them and Jimmy Eat World. They're the kind of band I can push play, and not push the next button and listen to all of their CDs from start to finish. So when I got the opportunity to see them open for Muse, I was stoked. However, MSG proved to be a little on the large side for SSPU. I had to wait for the headlining show to waiting was worth it.

So that came Friday. A friend and I ate dinner in Union Square before heading to the Williamsburg Waterfront in Brooklyn. It's a small piece of land right on the East River overlooking Manhattan's financial district, so, you can imagine how gorgeous sunset is. We arrived half way through Against Me, purchased a refreshing beverage and headed into the crowd. I also noted to a few friends earlier that I was stoked to be going to a rock show with human beings, not angsty eyeliner laden teenagers.

We ended up close to the front, with two pretty tall guys in front of us. However, when SSPU came out and busted into Growing Old is Getting Old (one of my personal favorites), the two Dutch guys promptly started hip swaying and got so into the music, I didn't care I couldn't see one side of the stage because they were so tall (it also makes me want to see a rock band in Europe). So after Growing Old, they then began playing Well Thought Out Twinkles, then Sort Of, There's No Secrets This Year, and the Royal We. Those were JUST the FIRST five songs. AKA the best playlist on my iPod. After the astar studded opening, they continued not to let down. Eventually they busted into Future Foe Scenerio, PANIC SWITCH, and Lazy Eye.

This show got an A+. (How could a show featuring Panic Switch, The Royal We, Future Foe Scenerio, I'm going quit lising all SSPU songs now). The venue was georgous, the crowd was fun and the band was great. Setlist from Brooklyn Vegan. Photos: MetroMix.

Panic Switch





Royal We:




And now I'm off to a superfan experience only NYC can provide. I'll post about this on Thursday, so be on the look out.

And go buy SSPU's Swoon CD RIGHT NOW!

Daughters of the SoHo Riots

What can one do in one weekend in New York City for under $40 on a weekend? Turns out a lot.

But let's backtrack to Tuesday. Have you ever been in a riot? No? Really? Well, I planned on NEVER BEING IN A RIOT. But that all changed Tuesday. So, Paper magazine had a a free concert Tuesday. The bill: some DJ, Hanson and Drake. Of course I was going. So I show up after work, and lets just say I was the ONLY Hanson fan there (I had planned on peacing out after Hanson anyway). The other 19,999 people were like "Hanson who? Mmm Bop Hanson?" Well. The DJ played a 1/2 song, Drake fans climb to the top of bodegas....fast forward 15 minutes. Chair throwing, smothered teenagers, flower pot throwing and JP speed walking to the nearest subway. No Hanson show :( I don't think they'd of gotten through a song either. Even if it was Mmm Bop. (Hanson, if you read my blog, you owe me a free show. I'd pay for a show. First a riot then now flash mob in NYC? FAIL!)

OK, back to my $40 weekend.

It started out with this:


That's offsides, just like the fact that when I got out in to the city undercover, I go as Cat Woman. At any pace, I called the 0-0 England score. Just win, USA, just win.

THEN. For kicks and giggles, I'd heard about a free Band of Horses show in Grand Central! Fearing a riot (no, just kidding, BoH fans wouldn't riot, right? Right?) I go and get in line. I get in. Cost $0. So I started out my weekend with a FULL show. Free! Highlight: Funeral. (Not in Grand Central, but the song!) And Toy Story 3!


Saturday: The Mermaid Parade @ Coney Island. Free.
Saturday night: A Trip out to Governors Island for the FREE Freelance Whales and Morning Benders show. It was on the waterfront facing the city. It was beautiful. Other than the two hours they held us hostage at the Brooklyn Ferry Stop, not too shabby! The food was good, the show was free, the sunset of Manhattan Island was beautiful, and there was NO CHANCE of a RIOT!

Today: A brilliant performance from New Zealand, a less than stellar game from Brazil and Cote D'Ivoire (lets have 3 hand balls, then score a goal, AND THEN joke with the ref.) And dinner and the evening grocery shopping at Chelsea Markets. Which I am now facinated with. Do you know how cheap those vegetables are?!

So that was my very inexpensive, fantastic weekend. New York occasionally really rules.

Heavy in your arms

The Twilight soundtrack was surprisingly really good. Paramore has become one of my preferred bands. The New Moon sound track was all fantastic and emo. Before the Eclipse soundtrack tracks were announced, there was a lot of Adam Lambert talk. And since there has also been very little production time and just a tad bit of over-commercialization of my guilty pleasure books/movies, I had my doubts. Then the track listing was announced one day, one song every thirty minutes for 7 hours. When Metric was the first band announced, I KNEW we were going places. Then Muse, Beck, The Black Keys, and Band of Horses followed. Here's my review: Favorite book, stellar soundtrack, favorite story ....could it be my favorite movie? If the soundtrack is any indication of where this movie is headed (aside from REALLY BAD whig recycling), it is promising. Not to mention it's on regular screens, digital screens AND IMAX screens.

Favorite Song: Florence and the Machines. (Not what I would have thought to be my fav song)


Metric rocks. As does the Vampire Weekend clip.Fanfarlo. Band of Horses.Eastern Conference Champions. Unkle. and MUSE?! Win, Summit, win. Go buy this one too.

And further proof to indicate that Summit has indeed nailed Eclipse:


Win! Win! Win!

And go Team USA. Beat England. Make it to the quarters this year. YOU CAN DO IT. Word of advice from a non-soccer player: don't kick the ball backwards like you did in Germany. Forward and towards the goal. USA! USA! (Portugal is my backup team. Allez! Allez!)

Give A Little

So, yesterday was a pretty great day in JP CD buying history. How? Hanson AND Twilight both had a release.

Hanson has always been my favorite band. In fact, it occurred on May 8, 1997 and really hasn't changed much since then. I was REALLY disappointed with The Walk. So disappointed, I may only know the words to Georgia. So, when a ticket landed in my lap for the 5th show of the Hanson 5-of-5 I decided to give it a go. And I went to the show and I LOVED IT. I wasn't so fond of the songs the next day at Bamboozle when they didn't play Mmmbop, but that's besides the point.

So what do I give Shout It Out? A++++++. Why? I got the CD yesterday at 8AM, and have listened to it in full at LEAST 8 times. It's THAT GOOD. In fact, I'd go as far to say that it's better than Middle of Nowhere, Underneath and The Walk. And quite possibly....This Time Around. I like every song on the CD. Unlike This Time Around.

Highlights/Faves from Shout it Out:
Kiss Me When You Come Home




Give A Little (Taylor's dancing during the 5-of-5 made it a priceless song....then actually listening to it, it gets even better!)




And who can resist the bubblegum goodness of the first song, Shout It Out?




Or not want to start the flash mob in the NYC subway when Thinkin About Something starts on one's headphones?




Really, just all of them. My sister's wedding was this weekend (blog post to come. Need more people to post photos to make a complete post. I have no camera). My Aunt pointed out she was expecting me to lose this obsession. I told her I didn't think it was going anywhere. And that's a FACT now that I've listened to Shout It Out. (Pssst...Hanson. Should you read my blog, please make a tour stop in NYC at the last minute.....some of us need a Shout It Out tour stop. 5/5 tix were PRETTY HARD to obtain.)

Eclipse Soundtrack review tomorrow. It's good. Really good. There wasn't even any Hanson.