A few years ago I went to see Counting Crows on the Hard Candy tour in the CIA and left feeling very disappointed. So much so, that I wasn't really looking forward to seeing them on Saturday night. In fact, if we hadn't been bought tickets by my generous sister-in-law, I wouldn't have gone. (Especially as it was in the CIA, a venue I hate.)
But if I hadn't gone I would have missed out on a great gig. Support wise, Oregon band Blind Pilot were pretty good and just quirky enough to be interesting without being pretentious. The other support band, The Hold Steady, weren't much cop, although a fair few people in the crowd seemed to be shouting along with their songs. It didn't help that they seemed to be fronted by an aggressive geography teacher, while the spiv-suited keyboard player was obviously a "character".
The main attraction made a bold choice, opening with a brand new song, which of course no-one knew. They went for an alternative feel on "Mr Jones" which didn't really work, played more songs off This Desert Life than I would have expected, missed out "Angels of the Silences", played great versions of "A Long December" and "Omaha", and finished with an awesome version of "Rain King", which segued halfway through into 'I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends' before seguing back into the last chorus of Rain King for a finale.
The encore - a couple of songs off their new album - was a bit disappointing after that. I always think bands should end on a song everyone knows, but there you go.
So all in all, an interesting set-list delivered with energy and punch. Adam, the singer, seemed to actually be interested and engaged this time around. And it helps that the CIA have installed a much better sound system too (although the acoustics were terrible during the support acts), although I'd still prefer to see them somewhere else really. Somewhere with soul.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Recently seen movies
Coraline
3D stop-motion animation based on a book by Neil Gaiman (slightly macabre writer) and directed by Henry Selick who directed Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach (ergo, a slightly macabre director). The end result is gothically weird. There's plenty of offbeat humour - like the dead dogs dressed an angels - but overall it's a bit of a horror movie for young 'uns. I wouldn't take small kids to see it, but I enjoyed it.
Jongudmund's rating: 7/10 Well worth a look
Monsters versus Aliens
Hilarious cartoon. An evil alien attacks earth to reclaim a meteor that has transformed an ordinary woman into a 'monster' 50ft version of herself. Spoofing The Fly, The Blob, Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Godzilla-style monster films and just about everything else from those 50s monster movies, I imagine most of the jokes would go over the kiddies' heads. But I laughed a lot, particularly at Bob the Blob voiced by Seth Rogan. It had a bit of a deeper storyline than you normally get from this sort of thing too.
Jongudmund's rating: 8/10 Thoroughly worth it
Tropic Thunder
"Comedy" that falls short on just about everything. A weak storyline based around making a Vietnam war film fails to use the comic genius of several top-rate actors , including Ben Stiller and Jack Black. There is a LOT of swearing in it and far too many in-jokes about film-making and studio bosses that would be funny to people working in Hollywood, but are craply dull to the rest of humanity. Frankly, this is one sick puppy that should have been drowned at birth.
Jongudmund's rating: 1/10 Avoid, avoid, avoid
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
An oldie seen on TV. Given the way profile of Angelina Jolie in the TV spots and billing, she's hardly in it. Which is disappointing as her character is easily the best one. This has the feel of a hammy TV serial from the 60s. The plotline is interesting. There are one or two holes, and several cliched plot 'twists' and conversations.
Jongudmund's rating: 4/10 Mildly diverting. Probably more fun if you fancy Jude Law (I don't)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
The only problem with this is that I kind of guessed/knew all the plot twists before they happened. Of course the British guy was going to sell him out, obviously Mutt was Indy's son, etc. Harrison Ford is always good value and the script had its moments. But this seemed scattergun in its approach to story. It was very episodic and some things seemed to happen because they're the sort of things that happen in Indiana Jones films, not because they added to the plot - like mysterious decorated natives jumping out on Indy and Mutt in a cemetary. Half the time I was left thinking 'Why?'
Jongudmund's rating: 5/10 Watch it if you're an Indy fan
3D stop-motion animation based on a book by Neil Gaiman (slightly macabre writer) and directed by Henry Selick who directed Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach (ergo, a slightly macabre director). The end result is gothically weird. There's plenty of offbeat humour - like the dead dogs dressed an angels - but overall it's a bit of a horror movie for young 'uns. I wouldn't take small kids to see it, but I enjoyed it.
Jongudmund's rating: 7/10 Well worth a look
Monsters versus Aliens
Hilarious cartoon. An evil alien attacks earth to reclaim a meteor that has transformed an ordinary woman into a 'monster' 50ft version of herself. Spoofing The Fly, The Blob, Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Godzilla-style monster films and just about everything else from those 50s monster movies, I imagine most of the jokes would go over the kiddies' heads. But I laughed a lot, particularly at Bob the Blob voiced by Seth Rogan. It had a bit of a deeper storyline than you normally get from this sort of thing too.
Jongudmund's rating: 8/10 Thoroughly worth it
Tropic Thunder
"Comedy" that falls short on just about everything. A weak storyline based around making a Vietnam war film fails to use the comic genius of several top-rate actors , including Ben Stiller and Jack Black. There is a LOT of swearing in it and far too many in-jokes about film-making and studio bosses that would be funny to people working in Hollywood, but are craply dull to the rest of humanity. Frankly, this is one sick puppy that should have been drowned at birth.
Jongudmund's rating: 1/10 Avoid, avoid, avoid
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
An oldie seen on TV. Given the way profile of Angelina Jolie in the TV spots and billing, she's hardly in it. Which is disappointing as her character is easily the best one. This has the feel of a hammy TV serial from the 60s. The plotline is interesting. There are one or two holes, and several cliched plot 'twists' and conversations.
Jongudmund's rating: 4/10 Mildly diverting. Probably more fun if you fancy Jude Law (I don't)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
The only problem with this is that I kind of guessed/knew all the plot twists before they happened. Of course the British guy was going to sell him out, obviously Mutt was Indy's son, etc. Harrison Ford is always good value and the script had its moments. But this seemed scattergun in its approach to story. It was very episodic and some things seemed to happen because they're the sort of things that happen in Indiana Jones films, not because they added to the plot - like mysterious decorated natives jumping out on Indy and Mutt in a cemetary. Half the time I was left thinking 'Why?'
Jongudmund's rating: 5/10 Watch it if you're an Indy fan
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Doing it the hard way
Shrewsbury are back at Wembley for another shot at play-off glory. But, boy they did it the hard way.
They lost 1-0 at home in the first leg to an own goal.
In the return leg away at Bury they gave away a penalty in the first half. The keeper saved it.
They scored in the 88th minute to level the tie and take it into injury time.
They had a man sent off in the first minute of injury time, so had to play the next half an hour with just ten players.
They hung on and it went to penalties. The Town keeper saved two - including one from Bury's leading scorer.
And Town are at Wembley a week Saturday.
But ironically, they really shouldn't have been in the play-offs at all. Two teams would have finished above Shrewsbury had they not had points deducted this season. So, technically, on the basis of points earned over the course of the year, Shrewsbury are only the ninth best team in the division.
I really have this feeling they are going to win. Because they never do things the easy way.
They lost 1-0 at home in the first leg to an own goal.
In the return leg away at Bury they gave away a penalty in the first half. The keeper saved it.
They scored in the 88th minute to level the tie and take it into injury time.
They had a man sent off in the first minute of injury time, so had to play the next half an hour with just ten players.
They hung on and it went to penalties. The Town keeper saved two - including one from Bury's leading scorer.
And Town are at Wembley a week Saturday.
But ironically, they really shouldn't have been in the play-offs at all. Two teams would have finished above Shrewsbury had they not had points deducted this season. So, technically, on the basis of points earned over the course of the year, Shrewsbury are only the ninth best team in the division.
I really have this feeling they are going to win. Because they never do things the easy way.
Monday, May 11, 2009
nonsequitur
My normally-coherent friend Cheryl, uttered a classic nonsequitur today:
"My arms really ache. I think I've got irritable bowel syndrome."
{pause}
(during which time I'm wondering how those two are linked and coming up with a very disturbing, yet plausible, possible reason)
"Er, I mean repetitive strain injury. Ha ha ha."
Fair play, the girl can laugh at herself.
"My arms really ache. I think I've got irritable bowel syndrome."
{pause}
(during which time I'm wondering how those two are linked and coming up with a very disturbing, yet plausible, possible reason)
"Er, I mean repetitive strain injury. Ha ha ha."
Fair play, the girl can laugh at herself.
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Vaguely racist
We've had the first of the European election leaflets through the door. One is the usual incredibly negative tirade against Labour and the Tories from the "friendly, moderate" (il)Liberal Democrats. The Welsh Liberal Democrat campaigns are always the most negative.
But the other leaflet, from the UK Independence Party (UKIP) was more disturbing. They have one aim - to quit the EU - but it's the way they go about it that is troubling me. Two 'facts' are included on their leaflet. Firstly, "1 in 7 prisoners in the UK are foreigners", followed by "Romanians committed 1,080 crimes in London in 2008".
No context, no defining information. What crimes are we talking about here? Are we talking about Romanian women smuggled into Britain and co-erced into prostitution? Are we talking drug-dealing? Both those crimes require a market. Who is the bigger criminal - the seller or the buyer (who is also breaking the law)?
And on a broader reach - it's said that periods of economic crisis usually give impetus to racist movements. It looks like one political party is happy to stir up racist sentiments in the hope of winning votes.
But the other leaflet, from the UK Independence Party (UKIP) was more disturbing. They have one aim - to quit the EU - but it's the way they go about it that is troubling me. Two 'facts' are included on their leaflet. Firstly, "1 in 7 prisoners in the UK are foreigners", followed by "Romanians committed 1,080 crimes in London in 2008".
No context, no defining information. What crimes are we talking about here? Are we talking about Romanian women smuggled into Britain and co-erced into prostitution? Are we talking drug-dealing? Both those crimes require a market. Who is the bigger criminal - the seller or the buyer (who is also breaking the law)?
And on a broader reach - it's said that periods of economic crisis usually give impetus to racist movements. It looks like one political party is happy to stir up racist sentiments in the hope of winning votes.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Book idea - the resurgence of primitive religion
Here's another book idea I've got, based around studies of primitive religious motifs/magic and contemporary culture and religious trends. I've got a few ideas written down somewhere, but I'm not sure where. I can only find notes on two potential chapters. So I'm constructing the following sections mainly from memory:
Return of the Fertility Goddesses
The fetishization of over-sized breasts in our culture, linked to the fertility/grain goddesses of the ancient near east, who are always large-breasted and wide-hipped. The cosmetic search for perfection linking into an ancient represntation of the Divine.
Representative and Sympathetic Magic in a Health Store Near You
The growth of homeopathic remedies aligned to sympathetic magic in shamanistic/druidic cultures and how they both feed off the primitive religious idea that becase a looks like b, a must somehow influence b.
Tribalism and the Shamans Battling Evil on our Behalf
A worked up version of my Is Football a Religion? article published several years ago on a football website (and now no longer online it seems), that identifies players as representatives of the tribe doing battle in an artificial realm against the forces of the 'outsider/other' (the archetypal format of 'evil'). The huge growth in sport as recognisable tribal affiliation over the last few years (including ceremonial tribal vestments ie replica shirts).
Spirituality Without Spiritual Conflict
The rise in 'local gods' and spirit guides, particularly in angelology divorced from the Christian context. Belief in the spiritual but not in forces of good/evil. The moral neutrality of 'being spiritual' paralleling the tribal vision of the spiritual realm which is there to be interacted with, and used by the 'wise'.
The Power of Words
Ironically a powerful sub-theme in the major monotheistic religions - Scripture as a talisman charm to ward off evil in phylacteries, Qu'ranic inscriptions, learning by rote, plastering Bible verses on all sorts of tat. Reference to the 'cursing stone' of Carlisle. The return of a qabbalistic belief in the power of words over a subject.
If I can find my other notes I'm sure I've got enough ideas to make quite an interesting book.
Return of the Fertility Goddesses
The fetishization of over-sized breasts in our culture, linked to the fertility/grain goddesses of the ancient near east, who are always large-breasted and wide-hipped. The cosmetic search for perfection linking into an ancient represntation of the Divine.
Representative and Sympathetic Magic in a Health Store Near You
The growth of homeopathic remedies aligned to sympathetic magic in shamanistic/druidic cultures and how they both feed off the primitive religious idea that becase a looks like b, a must somehow influence b.
Tribalism and the Shamans Battling Evil on our Behalf
A worked up version of my Is Football a Religion? article published several years ago on a football website (and now no longer online it seems), that identifies players as representatives of the tribe doing battle in an artificial realm against the forces of the 'outsider/other' (the archetypal format of 'evil'). The huge growth in sport as recognisable tribal affiliation over the last few years (including ceremonial tribal vestments ie replica shirts).
Spirituality Without Spiritual Conflict
The rise in 'local gods' and spirit guides, particularly in angelology divorced from the Christian context. Belief in the spiritual but not in forces of good/evil. The moral neutrality of 'being spiritual' paralleling the tribal vision of the spiritual realm which is there to be interacted with, and used by the 'wise'.
The Power of Words
Ironically a powerful sub-theme in the major monotheistic religions - Scripture as a talisman charm to ward off evil in phylacteries, Qu'ranic inscriptions, learning by rote, plastering Bible verses on all sorts of tat. Reference to the 'cursing stone' of Carlisle. The return of a qabbalistic belief in the power of words over a subject.
If I can find my other notes I'm sure I've got enough ideas to make quite an interesting book.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Book idea - t-shirt theology
Every so often I have ideas that I think would make a great book.
Yesterday I thought about writing a theology book based on various t-shirts I own, starting with my "theologian" t-shirt, then incorporating in no particular order "Got Jesus?", "Love your enemies" (with a pic of the ghosts from Pacman), "Think slowly", "Video games ruined my life - good thing I've got two more lives", "You're worth a lot to me" (pic: Lego Boba Fett), "665 - the neighbour of the beast", "I pulled a princess" (pic: Mario & Princess Peach), "Everyone has the right to be ignorant, but you are abusing the privilege", Darth Vader's anger management, and "It's all fun and games until the flying monkeys attack".
I reckon I could make a theological point on all of those, covering just about all the major doctrines of the faith and a commentary on how they pan out in real life, or not as the case may be. But here's the thing, who would buy the book? More importantly, who would pay me to write it?
Yesterday I thought about writing a theology book based on various t-shirts I own, starting with my "theologian" t-shirt, then incorporating in no particular order "Got Jesus?", "Love your enemies" (with a pic of the ghosts from Pacman), "Think slowly", "Video games ruined my life - good thing I've got two more lives", "You're worth a lot to me" (pic: Lego Boba Fett), "665 - the neighbour of the beast", "I pulled a princess" (pic: Mario & Princess Peach), "Everyone has the right to be ignorant, but you are abusing the privilege", Darth Vader's anger management, and "It's all fun and games until the flying monkeys attack".
I reckon I could make a theological point on all of those, covering just about all the major doctrines of the faith and a commentary on how they pan out in real life, or not as the case may be. But here's the thing, who would buy the book? More importantly, who would pay me to write it?
Monday, May 04, 2009
Surprisingly alright for an X Men film
I went to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine last night and I have to say I was surprisingly impressed by it. On the one hand retconning any storyline is difficult. Do you scrap it a la Batman Begins, or embrace it and risk ruining it a la the Star Wars prequels?But this handled it well. It fits into the film storyline, explaining at the end how Logan winds up in X-Men not knowing who he was. The rest of the story is passable. The development of Weapon XI wasn't perhaps as well-thought through as it could have been. I was a bit nonplussed at how casually the film-makers killed off some quite interesting mutants, not to mention passers-by who get in the way. Gone are the days when innocent people survived in Hollywood blockbusters.
Overall, there is something slightly fragmentary about the storyline, and the scriptwriter assumes you know who the hell everyone is. And keep an eye out for a laughable 'cameo' from Professor X at the end, who looks like a jobbing actor wearing a Patrick Stewart mask, or a really bad attempt at a CGI face. Either that or Patrick Stewart needs to cut down on the botox!
Speaking of Patrick Stewart, I saw another Star Trek trailer before the main feature. I've seen three now and they seem to keep getting better. I never thougth I'd admit this on my blog, but I'm starting to feel a bit excited at the prospect of seeing the new Star Trek film. There, I've said it. I can't believe it.
My rating for X-Men Origins: Wolverine: 6.5/10 (Worth a watch, if only for the Star Trek trailer)
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Woohoo! Wemberley here we come
Bizarrely, what happens occasionally in football is that the whole season hinges on the final match. Shrewsbury went into today's game at Dagenham two points behind the Daggers, but knowing that if they won they would finish in the final play-off place (occupied by their hosts).
They duly won - only their third away win of the season - leap-frogged Dagenham into 7th and are now two games away from the play-off final at Wembley. So in three weeks time I could potentially be off to Wembley again, if the mighty Shrews can beat Bury over two games.
I reckon we might do it. Stranger things have happened.
They duly won - only their third away win of the season - leap-frogged Dagenham into 7th and are now two games away from the play-off final at Wembley. So in three weeks time I could potentially be off to Wembley again, if the mighty Shrews can beat Bury over two games.
I reckon we might do it. Stranger things have happened.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Credibility in ruins
I was talking to my sister-in-law the other night and had another "To the blog!" moment.
I asked her about her recent holiday in Rome. "I loved it," she said, "but there was a lot of Roman stuff..."
Erm. Yeah.
I asked her about her recent holiday in Rome. "I loved it," she said, "but there was a lot of Roman stuff..."
Erm. Yeah.
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