Archive for October 2007

This weeks installment consists of songs that use perhaps my favorite of all percussion instruments, the xylophone. And what better way to express my love for this instrument and call my manhood into question by posting 4 of the twee-est songs I could find. Enjoy:

 
icon for podpress  Club8 - You and Me: Play Now

 
icon for podpress  Page France - The Ruby Ring Man: Play Now

 
icon for podpress  Embassy - It Never Entered My Mind: Play Now

 
icon for podpress  Eggstone - Wrong Heaven: Play Now

Darjeeling Limited - 4/5

Colorful Backdrop
Flawed Brothers On A Journey
Funny Times ahead

Eastern Promises - 4/5

Dont Mess With Viggo
Not Even if he is nude
Or you will get owned

Toronto - So according to this page, the producer of the song “Umbrella” had written it for Britney Spears, only to have it turned down. Now normally, at the Panic Manual, we don’t usually go about writing about pop stuff, but man, that’s pretty harsh. She probably could of resurrected her career with that song. Even the most hardcore snobby music types would have a hard time denying that ‘Umbrella’ is a pretty freakin good song. Now if only i can find a version where Jay Z doesn’t rap in it..

Anyways, here is a cover of the song made by someone I don’t know.

 
icon for podpress  Marie Digby - Umbrella [3:43m]: Play Now

Toronto - This guy made me almost cry at work.

Toronto - It is not often that I go see a band twice for the same album tour (off the top of my head .. Franz Ferdinand … The Pipettes .. the Rapture). So when I do go, it is often because the first show was awesome. Such was the case with the Klaxons. A lot has happened to this band since I last saw them in April, more specifically, they won the Mercury Award, which is the most prestigious award to win if you are an UK band. It is like the HGH for the music scene. Once you get it, its all home runs baby, all home runs.

So naturally, when they returned to Toronto, they played a much bigger venue - The Opera House (capacity: 850) which is significantly larger then Lees. Wikipedia lists Lees capacity at 600, but I highly doubt that. I would say 350 max. Anyways, so point is, they played to a much larger crowd this time around.

I am not the biggest fan of the Opera House, it is far away, there is realistically only one bar to pre-drink and they got those black guys in the bathrooms. I HATE that. Okay, maybe those guys aren’t always black, saying that would be racist. I hate the bathroom attendants they have at various night clubs. Its like dude, i might be drunk, but i can wash my own f’n hands and dry myself off. I just don’t see why clubs have to be like that, and the people who do that, is that really the best they can do? Wash the hands of drunken people every friday and saturday night? Might as well end it right there buddy, life is certainly throwin ya to the gutter.

I guess its more of a social problem, because maybe if those guys arent washing our hands and giving us towels, then they are on the street and maybe they might mug people and stuff, so on second thought, perhaps its not that bad. I can deal with not tipping them once in a while.

Onto the show. Man was it completely different from last time. Last time, as you can read in a previous post of mine (here) was pure shenanigans. Glow sticks, surfers, stage divers, people dressed like they were colorblind..everywhere. This time around, typical Toronto crowd. I don’t even think people knew what the first tune was (the bouncer) because it wasn’t on the album. So basically, this was a ‘lets go to this hyped up band and check them out’ kind of crowd. The person standing besides me was just obsessed with taking pictures with his dinky little point and shoot camera, from quite a bit away. I wanted to tell him to give it up, but I’ll let him soak in his disappointment when he loads the crappy pics he took on his imac. Him and his girlfriend were both wearing earplugs too. Man, if you are gonna wear earplugs at a concert, it just proves that you should be seeing rod stewart or clay aiken or something. Get out of there.

musically, the band was solid, and the concert was pretty solid. but it didn’t have the same energy level as the first time. I guess that can be expected, as the venue was bigger and the crowd was definitely different. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I have noticed a trend - the second time around, not always as good. I still enjoyed the show however, my only real disappointment (other then the ones i’ve mentioned) was that there really isn’t a good chinese restaurant near the place, as I was craving congee after the show (soul food for us china mens).

Review: 3/5, if I had not seen the other show, probably 4/5. so depends.

PS: I WISH they played this song, which is a cover of one of my favorite 90s tunes

 
icon for podpress  Klaxons - No Diggity [3:23m]: Play Now

Muppet Show

The Muppet Show is funny (1976-1981). That should be all that I really need to say. The humor isn’t dirty, vulgar or degrading. It is timeless comedy that I can watch with my little niece, my grandmother and even my drunk roommate. So many, many levels.

I have no idea why this clip is funny, but it is on of the more classic, familiar sketches from The Muppet Show, and it always brings a smile to my face. I believe that all of lifes problems can be solved through The Muppet Show. Stay tuned for more.

My advice on how to get rich, remix this…

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