An interesting thing has come to my attention regarding my band, Birds Without, playing at the Avalon on Saturday.  It was an exciting prospect from the beginning, playing at a venue where I’d actually been to see a band I’d actually heard of before (I saw Love You Long Time, Dave also saw Eisley there, but I missed that one) and having people in the crowd who didn’t ride there with somebody playing that night, but it just got more exciting.  Turns out the show will be taped and available on ComCast’s On Demand Presents Band Wagon LIVE.  This is copy/pasted from the Avalon website:

ComCasts On Demand Presents Band Wagon LIVE. They will be filming live tonight at this show! Come show your local music support tonight on ComCast!

Tickets are ten bucks, doors at 6:30, show at 7:00.  The lineup will be Going Second, Uncomfortable Silence, Birds Without, The Desert, and our friends in Arienette, with whom we’ve played a few times.
I’m really excited to play this show, guys.  We’ve got a few new songs* that we’ve worked out, Dave got a drum kit, so this will be his first show on that instead of the bongos, and we haven’t played in a few weeks, I’m getting the itch (or maybe it’s just this Mountain Dew I had for breakfast).

Anyhow, come out and support us and Arienette and these other fine bands.  You can even do it without going to the Avalon (3605 South State Street)!  You can watch us at home (at least that’s my understanding of how On Demand works, I’m simple in the ways of cable and satellite teevee).

*”New” here meaning new to me.  Ned put a band together so he could play some of his newer, more experimental songs live, and then Dave (Ned’s brother) and Mick (who went to high school with Ned and played bass for him occasionally back then) got Ned interested in all these old songs he wrote in high school.  We’re working on rounding out the set, and even with all this old material, we’ve written one song since the band formed as such.

Last night, in the space of maybe 30 minutes, I had four people (including a man on the radio) tell me about the new Weezer video, “Pork and Beans”.  Dave picked up his laptop & watched it, asked if I had.  Deven says he saw it on Boing Boing.  Taryn texts me and tells me it’s got the “Shoes” guy.  Then Corey O’Brien plays the song and invites us to go to YouTube right now and check out the video.  After that, I got the idea and watched it as soon as I was at a computer with speakers.  Then, this morning, my dad called to tell me there’s a new Weezer video.  And now I bring it to you, though it’s fairly obvious that I don’t have to.  I’m sure you already know.  Or know somebody who knows and is all, “OMG it’s got the Numa Numa Guys/Diet Coke & Mentos thing/that “Chocolate Rain” weirdo/K-Fed/that dreamboat Scott Shriner!”  And now you’ve heard it from your friendly neighbourhood spider-blog.

P.S. I’m a little embarrassed at how many of these I knew.  And also how many I now know because I looked things up on Wikipedia afterwards.

The Cure released the first single from their upcoming (and as-yet untitled) thirteenth studio album today, with at least three more to accompany it. A song will be released on the 13th of every month leading up to the release of the 13th album on the 13th day of the 13th month September. 13 13 13. Robert Smith is making sure this album gets the attention that 2004’s The Cure didn’t by making a big to do about things. Which I appreciate.

The new single sounds like a Cure single, which I guess is the best we can hope for. Seems like every album after Wish in ‘92 is increasingly ignored, but Robert Smith is very excited about this one. It’s a double album, and he’s arranged to have it sold at a regular album price because it’s a decent thing to do. And because he likes the album. And because people aren’t about to pay double album prices ever again. Sound fair? Tune in next month for the next single, “Freak Show.”

Bonus Thingy!! I’m also including and MP3 for the song “The 13th” because I think it’s funny that they’ve already used that title so it can’t get mixed into this current rush of 13.

 The Cure - The Only One [3:57m]: Play in Popup | Download (2166)
 The Cure - The 13th [4:20m]: Play in Popup | Download

Alright, kids, here’s the deal. It all comes back to Love You Long Time. This whole indie obsession with the last two decades comes back and is glorified in LYLT. The tight pants, the subtle interest in hip-hop culture, the Teenage Mutant Ninja 80’s References; the whole current wave of hipster throwback all point directly to Love You Long Time.

So here’s the breakdown: MC Oz (vocals, keys, occasional guitar), $ally Kat (keytar, vocals), Chains (bass) and Dr. Liam (drums & sequencer) throw down a fantastic selection of party time hip-hop and feel good synth-pop, then sprinkle it generously with a commanding stage show: lots of dancing (break and otherwise), some freestyling, a big ol’ boombox, riding on shoulders, and frontflip 180s off a stack of speakers. It’s the best feeling party time always, deal?

I had to tell you that. It’s important to know.

Allegedly, Chris Walla’s new solo release, Field Manual, contains two tracks that were left off of Death Cab for Cutie’s 2005 gem Plans. I can’t find anywhere that tells me which songs these were, and most of these songs sound like they could have come from some point in Death Cab’s past, if you let them. But, well, Chris produces all of DCfC’s material, he’s major creative input in the band. You know, kind how if you let it, Thom Yorke’s solo album The Eraser sounds like a proper follow up to Kid A and Amnesiac. Yeah, it’s a solo project, that’s what you get. There are moments, though, like the opening Imogen Heap-like harmonies of “Two-Fifty,” that really get you excited for the next Death Cab album, if this is what Chris is doing on his own. There are some truly good songs on here. Avoiding the solo album/side project pitfall of writing songs that simply are not catchy, or good, we get songs like “The Score,” “Archer V. Light” and my current favourite “Geometry &c,” which, oddly enough, sounds like early Jimmy Eat World as much as it sounds like early Death Cab. I like it, and I guess US Homeland Security was excited enough that they wanted a copy in October.
Check out “Sing Again” and “Geometry &c” before rushing out to buy it, okay?

Chris Walla@HallofJusticeRecording.com | MySpace | Buy Field Manual

 Geometry &c - Chris Walla [3:07m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Sing Again - Chris Walla [2:31m]: Play in Popup | Download

Ozma - The Doubble Donkey 

Ozma Official MySpace

Label :  Kung Fu Records

Yes, that's right, Ozma. After a two year split, Ozma are back and in full form. The reunion officially came to fruition in March of '06, followed by a tour with the Rentals, which I was unfortunate enough to find out about the day after they were in Salt Lake. But after Saturday's show, there's no way I could be bitter about it.After finally finding the venue tucked away in a shady back alley [everybody in the SLC area needs to go to at least one show at Kilby Court, it's the best little venue I've ever been to] I was severely excited at the size of the place. Seeing a band the likes of Ozma, who landed the opening spot on 2001's Weezer/Get Up Kids show without even having a record deal…or a manager for that matter, that's a very exciting prospect. It looked like a place where the original Wailers might have played in 1965. Little more than a cinder block garage with a little stage, an even smaller merchandise table across the yard, and a ticket booth. To add to the atmosphere there was a small fire in a barrel in the yard, with several concert-goers discussing the state of music huddled around it. Opening acts and Utah natives Neon Trees were in full Hallowe'en form, dressed as Edward Scissorhands, Richie Tennenbaum, Indiana Jones, Jon Bon Jovi/Generic Butt Rocker, and what looked like a white Prince. Guessing these won me a free t-shirt. I'm just that good. Anyhow, Neon Trees were rather impressive, drawing on obvious influences of New Order, the Smiths, nine inch nails, and U2's the Edge, they put on a very energetic show. They're really nice guys, and I was surprised to see that they're from Orem, rather than somewhere that can be taken seriously.After Neon Trees, we got Everybody Else, who are definitely from SoCal. Scenesters to a fault, they played tremendously catchy indie pop. A few of the songs were genuinely entertaining, but on the whole I felt they were trying too hard. The drummer did play keys and drums on some song, which is pretty cool to watch, but apart from that they didn't leave a lasting impression.At this point I'd like to point out my position in relation to the stage. Right up on it, at the back corner near the door they brought all the equipment in. This is the spot, far stage left, where Star generally sets up her keyboards. During the set, if I felt the need, I could have reached out and played a bit myself. I just thought I'd throw that out to tease those with severe crushes on female band members. So, Ozma. Either they weren't that affected by two years off, or they got warmed but really well touring with the Rentals, because they were seriously on. Didn't even make us wait for hits, starting off with "Natalie Portman" and "Eponine," arguably their two most popular songs this side of "Korobeiniki," which is really more of a novelty hit than something associated with Ozma. But from the opening keyboard wash of "Natalie Portman" it was obvious that Ozma had not been forgotten. Everyone of the maybe-one hundred people crammed in the hut were singing along. In fact, the only time people weren't singing along was on new, unreleased songs. And I even suspect there were a few people who had heard them on myspace already. The setlist, which was heavy on early stuff, left very little to be desired [although I think a cover song might've been interesting, but that's just me]. As for the performance, if Ryen's mic had been a little louder, it would've been pretty much flawless. But with the crowd singing along, it didn't make as much difference. A bummer for those being introduced to Ozma, but I don't imagine there were many. It is my professional opinion that nobody was disappointed. This said, I would like to hand out a few superlatives:

Sweatiest man beast: Daniel Brummel (Ozma)

Coolest Hallowe'en Costume: split: Jason Gibbons [Richie Tennenbaum (Neon Trees)]/guy dressed as a Tetris piece

Most Professional: Star Wick, for putting up with cheesey comments on how hot she is

Most Keyboards: Neon Trees

Best multi-tasking: Mikey McCormack (Everybody Else); drums, keys, vocals.

And now to dispense the verdicts:

Neon Trees: Exciting prospect from Orem

Everybody Else: Real California Cheese

Ozma: the For Real Deal