Jukebox the Ghost @ Bowery Ballroom

I’m not sure whether it was here or Twitter that I mentioned having a surprise in regards to my trip to see Jukebox the Ghost at Bowery Ballroom earlier this month. It took longer than expected, but my surprise is finally ready for the masses. See, I was asked to write a review for Beyond Race Magazine, and I thought it was only fair to wait until it was posted on their website before I did the same here. So here is my part of the review. The other section on the headliner (Tally Hall) was written by my friend who works at the magazine. (He also edited some of my bits, because I am, to be perfectly honest, not that good a writer). The complete review has been linked to above, in case you want to take a look. So, without further ado, I present: Jukebox the Ghost.

The following is my review as written by your humble blogger. There are a few edits on the BRM post, but that was probably for the best. Consider this the “deleted scenes” at the end of the movie, if it so pleases you.

Fresh from a month in Europe, Jukebox the Ghost played to a packed house at Bowery Ballroom. The band always has something special to offer their audience, and this was no exception. Whether it be ghosts for Halloween or Christmas lights strung everywhere, the stage is always an element of the experience. The staging this time was set with bubbles blown from members in the audience, turning the room almost into a playground. The comparison seems appropriate, for if Jukebox could be described with one word it would be “fun.” Not only does it fit the audience’s experience, but what the band seems to feel as they perform. Ben (their keyboardist) tells stories of their tour or some other tale as if he’s sharing this with a group of friends who have stopped by for a friendly visit. Two other members (Tommy and Jessie) shared that they caught a bug while in Europe. “Jessie is actually too sick to do this next song – but he’s going to play it anyway,” Tommy comments before starting his favorite dance tune from their new album (release of which is unknown at this point). This shows a dedication to their music (and their fans) that is remarkable. You can tell they enjoy performing just as much as the audience enjoys watching them. The crowd dances and sings along throughout the set. There is even participation during a few of the songs. This is especially evident with the fan-favorite “Hold It In”, which they concluded their set with. Not only does the audience sing along, but there is also clapping which not only adds to the rhythm of the song, but also brings a wave of joy as the song progresses. It’s as if you have become part of the experience, part of the fun. And that is just one more way Jukebox the Ghost becomes not just another band, but something truly special.

Happy Birthday, Alyson Hannigan

News on Shuffle would like to wish the lovely Alyson Hannigan a very happy birthday. Hannigan was once the star of the cult classic “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” as Willow and also appeared in the spin-off, Angel. She currently stars with Neil Patrick Harris in the CBS comedy “How I Met Your Mother”. Hannigan is married to Aleixs Dennisof, who also starred in “Buffy” and “Angel” as Wesley. They have a daughter who was born March 24, 2009. Hannigan turns 36 while her daughter turns 1.

Happy Birthday to them both.

New New News

Lots of new music things for us to look forward to.

1) Wolf Parade is apparently working on a new album to be released in 2010. The goal is to have the finished product ready by the spring.
2) MGMT also have a new album, which is already available for streaming online. When you’re finished listening you can pre-order the album on their website.
3) The American Idiot musical is starting previews tomorrow. Buy your tickets today.
3.1) There is already talk of turning American Idiot into a movie as well. Seems Tom Hanks wants in on the gravy train. Thoughts on this? Good idea? Bad idea? Not entirely sure?
Lastly, don’t forget to program your Tivo for Lost tonight. The season is heating up, and there is still a lot more to discover about the inhabitants of the island.

Dr. Horrible’s Reprise

Remember that nasty writer’s strike a few years back? While some took that opportunity to get some much needed rest, others spent that time working on other projects. For Joss Whedon, that meant putting together a little mini web series known to us all as “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-Long Blog” (or “Dr. Horrible” for short). The doctor (not to be confused with The Doctor of Doctor Who fame) had a PhD in Horribleness. He also had an adorable little crush on a fellow laundry person called Penny. The story was cooky, the songs full of fun, and the final masterpiece priceless. If you haven’t seen it yet, you should definitely rectify that error immediately. Then you, too, can be just as excited about the idea of a sequel as the rest of us are. There is talk that it will actually be a feature film, as opposed to another web movie. Something big enough scale to give it the justice it deserves without taking away from the low-budget feel that made it so great. That sounds like a Horribly good idea to me.

John Barrowman’s Desperate Debut

The following has mild amounts of spoiling. Please wait until have seen the episode if you don’t want even the vaguest of details.

From the minute John Barrowman first appears on screen, you know you are going to be in for something special. He starts out cool and charismatic. Your first thought is, “Well, he doesn’t look that scary.” Oh, but he will be. For two minutes later you see another side of him, and as he smashes the window of the neighbor’s apartment and gets ready to tie up a few loose ends, you realize he is definitely going to be trouble. He won’t be seen again until the final seconds, but the glare he gives from the shadows of his car could give the bravest of us chills. Desperate Housewives won’t be on again until after Easter unfortunately, but you can be certain there will be plenty of action once it returns.

Hold on, folks. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Muse @ SXSW

Muse played a semi-secret show at SXSW on Friday and announced that video would be available on MySpace this weekend. Said video is now up (and has been linked to above). Unfortunately only the last two songs are available due to sound issues that night, but the video is still worth checking out. Includes the two final songs for the night: Stockholm Syndrome and Knights of Cydonia.

Happy Birthday, Gary Oldman

A big happy birthday shout-out goes out to Gary Oldman, who turns 52 today. Oldman is known for being in a number of films, including Batman Begins/The Dark Knight, The Fifth Element, and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead, as well as his portrayal of Sirius Black in the Harry Potter series. Sirius returns to the wizarding world in the final chapter, Deathly Hallows. Oldman is also listed as reprising his role as Commissioner Gordon in a future Batman film.

As a postscript I would also like to wish a happy belated to Oldman’s fellow marauder in the Harry Potter films, David Thewlis. Thewlis plays Remus Lupin in the series. He will also be making an appearance in Deathly Hallows. He turned 47 yesterday.
Happy Birthday to you both.

Fooling April @ Rockwood Music Hall

Fooling April played an intimate show at Rockwood Music Hall tonight at 6pm. Even though the band is from Philly, this was not their first time in NYC (although it was their first time playing at this venue). Normally they play the Bitter End on Bleaker St., but the change in venue suited them nicely. Their set ran for just under an hour and included songs both old and new (well, newish). Next time they come to the area I will be sure to promote it so more people can experience the positive vibes this band has to offer. Or, if you’re in the Philly area, you can go see them play their Beatles charity tribute on April 1st. It promises to be a night to remember.

Torchwood: American Edition

After reading today’s title article, I felt the need to share a brief analysis of the anticipated American Torchwood and what I believe will make or break the success of said show.

I first became a fan of Doctor Who and Torchwood back in December, when I finally decided to spend my vacation checking out what all the hype I had heard about both series was about. When I first heard that there would be an American version of the show, my immediate reaction was… fear.

Well, maybe fear is a little strong. Concern might fit better. Worry that an Americanized version would be a poorly made and watered down mess compared to the original that stole my heart from the first episode and dragged it through the ringer through series 3. (No spoilers will appear in this post, in case some of you aren’t completely up-to-date on your Torchwood watching).

So, yeah, I was concerned. Concerned that they would strip down the elements that, in my opinion, made the show great, until there was nothing left but a few mere scraps. Sadly, American television seems to be under the belief that its viewers don’t want to watch anything that is controversial. Or maybe they are afraid of the few people who will take offense to something. Either way, I find this silly. If someone doesn’t like it then they don’t have to watch. And if enough people are open-minded enough to accept the show and its characters for what they are then the networks can have what they want (namely ratings and money) while the viewers get an exceptional show that makes them think.

Now comes my challenge to the networks. I would imagine that Fox sees Torchwood as a potentially huge cash cow for them. It has grown in popularity recently, mostly due to the crossover it shares with Doctor Who. And who can you thank for that? Why David Tennant and Russell T. Davies, of course. David gave them his good looks and talent which, paired with Davies’ superb writing, made the show a huge hit. It was a big enough explosion to help the show find its way overseas. Now Fox wants to take advantage of this while it can, which I don’t blame it for. My only fear is that it fails to see the elements that make the show what it is, and ultimately end up suffocating it.

What elements am I talking about? Well, the writing is a huge part of it. Davies pen is razor sharp, and his stories have an edginess that should not be touched. The man pays great attention to detail. He also isn’t afraid to write a story that his audience might be disgusted by, believing that their loyalty is strong enough that they will not turn away. The success of Children of Earth proves he is right in his beliefs. If you’ve already seen it, then you know exactly what I mean. If you haven’t, then what the hell are you waiting for?!

Go watch.

Right now.

I’ll wait.

Finished?

Good stuff, I know.

Right, moving on then. (But still, no spoilers. Promise.)

Now the issue at hand: controversy. More specifically our opposition to it here. The networks have shown that they may be ready to introduce the token gay character on their shows, but they will not risk making them the lead. And heaven forbid they also be a hero. Because our heroes have to follow a certain mold, and mostly that means being this tough, straight, man. (OK, more women are starting to play the hero too, but the ratio is in no way equal).

So this is my letter to Fox (and anyone else who cares to listen):

Dear Network,

Please do not assume that Americans don’t want to see the same kind of show that the UK has been giving its audience for years now. You may not think we can or want to handle it, but who knows? We might surprise you. Give Russell and everyone else involved a chance to do their thing without any interference. Trust that they know what they are doing. If you do, your faith will likely be rewarded.

I usually try to stay objective in my writing, but this speech has been slowly building for some time now. I only hope the networks dare to prove me wrong and show me that they have more faith in their viewers than I think they do. Here’s hoping.

Muse to Play SXSW

It seems Muse is appearing all over the world these days. It almost makes a blogger want to start a segment titled “Where in the World is Muse” to keep track of all the festivals they will be playing this year. The most recent addition to the list has been SXSW. The band has announced they will play an intimate show Friday night. For those who don’t have the powers of teleportation to magic themselves to Texas in time for the event, they will get the opportunity to watch on MySpace the next day. This band is amazing live, so if you can make this show you should definitely jump at the chance. And even if all you can do is watch online I still say DO IT. I promise that you will not be disappointed.