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Jekyll & Hyde

As I mentioned in my post from yesterday, I’ve been binge watching a bunch of shows that Netflix is taking off Instant at the end of the month. Today’s viewing was a marathon of the 6-episode series Jekyll, which was a modern version of the classic Stevenson story as told by a different Steven – Steven Moffat. Usually I am cautiously optimistic when it comes to modernizing classic tales, but I think Moffat did a superb job with his version of the story. Warning: spoilers abound in the next section, so please consider yourself warned…

The story begins by introducing us to the main character, Dr Jackman. Jackman is originally presented in a very mysterious manner. As the viewer I knew what the story was supposed to be based on and made assumptions based on that which turned out to be accurate, but it was still fascinating watching the story unfold as we gradually realize Jackman has his version of Mr. Hyde. The two personalities seem to have a sort of truce where they work out scheduled times each one is allowed to be in control. They each have their own personal lives, although they spend their time in completely different ways. Jackman has a wife and two sons (twins), none of whom know about this alter ego. On the other side of things, Hyde does not realize Jackman has a family, at least not when we first meet him. The story progresses to show the struggle the two sides fight in trying to assume control, until ultimately they are put in a situation where they are forced to join forces for the big finale. It is fantastic the moment you realize Jackman and Hyde can control the transformation and switch between one or the other at will. Moffat does a splendid job spinning his tale and slowly revealing layers until you get to the creamy and delicious center of the show. I definitely recommend giving the series a try while you can, and at just 6 episodes long it should be easy to finish before Netflix takes this gem away from our Instant queues.

Happy 2015!

New year, new possibilities. Unfortunately for us here at News on Shuffle the new year started with our site having to be temporarily taken down, thus preventing me from doing my traditional new years post. Fear not, gentle reader, for we are back now after moving our hosting *blah blah blah insert tech stuff here*. Thanks to the man behind the scenes for taking care of that stuff so I don’t have to.

Moving right along… I have some things I planned for the end of last year that got pushed back due to the fact moving your entire life is really tiring and time consuming and my brain just couldn’t handle that and also being creative and funny and stuff. There are still boxes that are unpacked, but I’m mostly settled in now and hopefully things will go back to what passes for normal around here. I was really proud of the content I put out last year, but I know I can do better. And I shall! So yeah, there are two reviews I still owe you and am ashamed I haven’t gotten around to yet. And a third that was sent to me yesterday and am pretty excited about because of how this person found me. Oh, and I’m following a band on tour for a few days and hopefully will have some awesome pics to share when I get back. Yep, lots of cool things to look forward to…

Not to end this on a bad note, but there is one bit of entertainment news I should report on before I go.

NETFLIX IS TAKING AWAY ALL THEIR BBC STUFF! WHY GOD, WHY?!

*Ahem*

I’m sorry, but I’m rather upset about this news and have been binge watching a ton of stuff on my queue before it goes away. I’m currently wrapping up the last few episodes of Robin Hood, which lasted three seasons. I have to say the first two seasons were AMAZEBALLS but the third one I’m still not sure about. There were a lot of changes at the end of season 2 (don’t worry, no spoilers) that I’m not super happy about. There are some new characters added for season 3, but I only really love one of them and the rest are just a feeble attempt to replace those lost from the season before. Having said all that, I would definitely give the show a try for at least the first two seasons before it goes away and you have to *gasp* rent the DVDs. Also do your last bit of Doctor Who watching and catch that last season of Torchwood you never got around to because those are going away too. And if comedy is more your style, maybe give Fawlty Towers or A Bit of Fry and Laurie a try. John Cleese is great as the owner of a hotel in Fawlty Towers, and Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie are great together in Fry and Laurie. The show is mostly just the two of them, but it never feels stale at all. I marathon-ed an entire season in a day. Granted it was just 7 episodes, but still, it’s pretty darn funny and you should give it a try.

That’s all for now. I’ll let you go binge watch some tv and see you again on the other side.

CMJ 2014 – The Final Post

Alright, time to buckle in folks, because I helped TJO Presents run not one but two monster shows as my CMJ finale. There are lots of pictures to share and a final message at the end to wrap everything up in a nice little bow. Also as a side note, I might not have loved everyone who played, but I at least enjoyed everyone I saw to some extent and don’t have anything bad to say about them, so unless there’s a story to share I’ll probably just post names and photos instead of repeating myself a lot. Without further ado, however, let’s go on with the show…

Our story starts at Rock Shop for a day show with 8 (!!!) different bands. First up was Brian Bonz, who I remember seeing several times before paired up with one of my favorite local artist, Kevin Devine. You know it’s going to be a good day when you can boast something like that.

I got to speak with Brian after the show and found him to be quite enjoyable to talk to. I look forward to seeing him again in the future.

Next up was Charles Ellsworth:

Next Bree and the Whatevers. One critique I have here is that Bree has always struck me more as a performer than just a singer. There’s always a lot of energy on stage and a feeling that she loves every minute of her time there. I love that about her and think it’s what makes this band more enjoyable than average.

Daniel Sage:

Hot Jam Factory:

These guys were a fun mix of a lot of different things, but the hint of Arcade Fire was what I think really sold it for me.

Next up, End of Love, which included members of a little band called “Wilco”…

Next act was Andre Obin, who offered an odd transition from the previous band but I enjoyed nonetheless.

Last band for the night was The Netherlands, but unfortunately we had to run to get two evening shows up and running. One of them was at Bar Matchless, but I was only really there for a few minutes to make sure things were running smoothly. The show I mainly was interested in was at Muchmores. Before I delve into all the bands who played that evening, I have to say at the end of the night I got a chance to chat with the owner and he is incredibly nice and bright and overall a great dude. I would love a chance to work with him in the future. Honestly the concept he has going for him now is one I’ve had for awhile and the fact he makes it work so well gives me hope that there’s still a chance I can too one day. In the meantime I wish Andy Muchmore great success. You will definitely see me hanging out in those parts again.

With that little bit of sidetracking done I will now continue to give you lots of pictures and stories from Saturday night.

First up were some very good friends, Out of System Transfer. This band always brings the fun in, so if you ever get the chance I definitely suggest checking them out.

These guys were followed by another good friend, Brook Pridemore. You might know him from the band Brook Pridemore. You might also know him as the guy who does that song about building a death ray. However you know him, be glad that you do, because your musical library probably thanks you.

Moving right along, we have Manic Pixi. This female fronted band had a ton of energy. I really dug their lead singer, and had a fun chat with her later in the night. I have to say I usually hate the color pink, but this girl had matching dress and boots that somehow was awesome and not infuriating to me. Props to you on that one.

Up next we have Fancy Balloons. For a bit of trivia I’ll tell you that this band shares a member with one of the bands from the day show, Bree and the Whatevers. While I might be partial to Bree, I still found Fancy Balloons enjoyable.

At this point I was dealing with a dying camera and a room that was starting to get packed, both signs we were having too much fun and total first world problems, but it did make it harder to keep getting good shots throughout the night. In quick succession let’s break down the next few bands.

The Shackletons:

Grundle Thunder (made up of a bunch of friends from my local bar AND voted one of the best band names this CMJ):

Cosmonaut:

And finally, Great Caesar:

I didn’t know anything about this last band going in, but it was a nice surprise hearing some horns to close out my night. Also was glad I got a final burst of energy both from myself and my camera to enjoy their set.

Thus concludes a very successful CMJ Music Marathon. Shout out to the man in charge of TJO Presents, TJ Olsen. He’s a very good friend, and I was beyond proud of how well his marathon Saturday turned out. Much success to you in the future, good sir. Anyone wishing to follow all the great shows this guy is doing can check out Facebook and Twitter. And if you come out to a show perhaps I will see you there.

CMJ 2014 – Day 3

Hey folks, just a quick post about some of my CMJ adventures yesterday. I only got pictures of two of the bands I saw yesterday and honestly bounced around so much it’s hard to remember everyone we caught. I made a comment to a friend while standing in the upstairs part of Pianos that CMJ is terrible for people with ADD because there’s simply too much to take in all around you that it’s easy to get distracted and want to keep moving from one show to the next. Having said that, a couple bands/artists did stand out to me, as well as a fun event we attended before I called it a night and my comrades moved on to Williamsburg (but not The Gutter because that show had been called due to Ebola).

First up (and the thing that convinced me to get out of the house) was Wakey Wakey at Rockwood Music Hall. Of course it turned out to be a bit deceiving, as it wasn’t the band but one member who was doing a solo set. It was still good but way more chill than I was expecting.

The other band I was able to snap some pictures of was Fictionist at Arlene’s Grocery. I have to say that was my first time visiting that particular venue and I was pretty impressed. Sure it was loud, but you could still understand everything being said. I also really dug the band, whom I had never heard of before but went on the recommendation of a friend.

The one other thing I feel worth reporting was the unofficial pre-party for Slothrust and The Kills at Bowery Ballroom. The event took place next door at One Mile House and featured Savoir Adore as DJs as well as free food and drink specials. I met some cool people and of course enjoyed the free food, which was mostly passed appetizers including these real tasty chicken sliders and some flatbread pizzas. It was a great way to end my night. Today I’m taking it easy but I’ll be back on the scene tomorrow all day and night.

CMJ 2014 – Day 2

The little blog that could went back out into the field to enjoy some more of what CMJ has to offer this year before going back to our “real job”. I didn’t get as many pictures this time but can report about three bands that wowed me yesterday.

First up it’s Frances Cone, who I saw at The Delancey during the day. Unfortunately I caught the last couple songs of their set, but what I heard I really enjoyed. I also managed to snag a picture just as they finished their set.

This was in the upstairs part of the venue, which was originally supposed to be on the roof but got moved due to the rain. Next up I wandered downstairs to catch what turned out to be the end of Peach Kings set. I still managed to grab a couple quick shots before they finished though, and again, I loved what I heard.

I wandered over to Cake Shop after this for what turned out to be the last band I caught for the day: Field Mouse. The room was packed and we got there a few minutes late, so it was near impossible to sneak up for some pics, but I loved their sound enough to give them a mention here anyway. After that I wandered over to the DL for a networking event on their rooftop, which was quite nice. Tomorrow I’ll have at least a few more bands to throw at you, including hopefully Wakey Wakey at Rockwood Music Hall (which starts at 3pm). Until then, keep rocking!

CMJ 2014 – Day 1

It’s that time of year again, when all us music nerds run around NYC trying to catch as much good and/or new music as possible. This year I’m working a night job every night of the week, so most of the shows I will be attending are during the day. I did manage to catch one good act last night though, in addition to being introduced to two new bands during the day.

First up I went to Pianos to catch this band from Berlin called Mighty Oaks, who absolutely blew me away. After their set I asked about buying their CD and they said I could do so online.

Next up I moved over to Cake Shop to catch a noise pop band from Dublin by the name of September Girls. They didn’t exactly wow me like the first band did, but they definitely had their moments. I think a large part of my problem was they like a lot of reverb and it made it hard to understand all of the vocals. Still enjoyed their set and of course grabbed some pictures.

Unfortunately after this I had to take a break to go to my real job, but I did manage to make it over to Bowery Electric to catch one of the bands I was most excited about seeing this year: Butcher Knives. They have one of the best live shows of any band I’ve seen. The amount of energy they put into each performance is incredible, as were the photos I managed to snap during their set. (hashtag: humble brag)

It was definitely a wild and crazy night, and a great start to this year’s CMJ. Hopefully you had as much fun as the crowd did at Bowery Electric, and you keep on rocking all week.

High Highs – Ocean To City

On Tuesday Brooklyn based duo High Highs released their new EP, Ocean To City, and I’m giving everyone a chance to listen to the title track before you go download the entire EP for FREE on Noisetrade.

Taken from the press release:

When asked to describe the ideal environment for listening to High Highs’ new EP, lead-singer and guitarist Jack Milas answered, “Just before dawn, when the party has ended.”

If you want to experience this for yourself then listen to the sample and go download some free music. Hey, what do you have to lose?

Gotham & AoS Premiere Reviews

One of the more anticipated series of this season, Gotham, premiered this Monday on Fox. I finally got around to watching it today and am a bit reserved in my reaction. It definitely had it’s moments, but it seems to be a police procedural with Batman characters tossed in to arouse the audience. Don’t get me wrong, it’s cool seeing little Ivy and the rest of the lot, but I think the series is going to need some time to develop if it’s going to be a success. Considering the first season of Agents of SHIELD, it is entirely possible that Gotham runs a similar path and gets exponentially better as the season progresses. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Speaking of AoS, that series saw it’s second season premiere last night, and boy was it a doozy. We got to see how our team is handling the current state of things, and I’ve got to say that some are doing much better than others. I can tell it’s going to be a steep uphill climb to get things back to normal, or whatever the hell is going to pass for normal once we get there. I’m really looking forward to seeing what twists and turns we’re in for this season. If it’s even half as good as the last third of S1, then I have faith we won’t be disappointed.

I’m Not Dead Yet

I realized recently my last post was July, when I left for tour and promised everyone I’d only be gone about 2-3 weeks. Sorry for lying to you but life got busy and I honestly didn’t have much to write about this summer. A couple random thoughts for you real quick as we welcome fall with open arms…

1) When I first started this thing I used to do concert reviews with set lists and how I thought the band was vs the studio recordings or other bands I’ve seen live. I haven’t done much with that since I stopped seeing big name tickets like Muse or Fall Out Boy, but I miss analyzing my concert experience and might try to go back to it at some point in the near future (assuming the opportunity presents itself).

2) Fall = season premiere time. I’m going to watch the Gotham and Agents of SHIELD premieres tomorrow, so stay tuned because I’ll probably at least comment on how I felt about Gotham.

3) In my last couple posts I talked about the Nerdist Book Club I have been following. Well with one chapter left I can tell you it’s been a lot of fun. I especially liked the most recent section because it talks a lot about Sauron before the events that take place in Lord of the Rings. The last chapter is titled “Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age,” so I really look forward to see if this is about LotR time or events leading up to it.

Have you been following the Nerdist Book Club? What are you most excited about now that all our favorite shows are coming back? Have any other topics you’d like me to tackle here? Let me know in the comments and I’ll take it into consideration.

Nerdist Book Club: Ch. 1-4

As I mentioned in last week’s post, I’m participating in the Nerdist Book Club as they read The Silmarillion. Yesterday we discussed Ch 1.4, which goes further into the origin of species in Middle Earth. This first part starts off slow but it’s still cool seeing how the world we know in Lord of the Rings forms. It’s especially cool seeing why the Ents were created and the origins of them being made the protectors of the forest. We also get to see that the dwarves have a different origin than elves and man and why their loyalties are more towards things they make with their own hand instead of nature. My favorite part, however, has to be the origin of the orcs. It seems like they were captured elves that Melkor transformed. That fact really changes how you view future battles that happen in later works.

This has been my reaction to the first four chapters of The Silmarillion. I promise I’m not turning the whole site into a grounds to discuss one book, but this is what I have to talk about for now. There’s big news regarding a certain ska band that’s featured here *cough*ThePandemics*cough* so stay tuned for that. I’ve also been doing a lot of writing over at Nerds in Babeland so definitely go check that out if you’re looking for some new content of the nerdy variety. Until next time folks!