Poetry– pretty old stuff– probably nothing new because I’ve been much happier with my life in the past few years…
“nothing”
And what should I do
when you’re not around?
I know I shouldn’t stake
my existance and my pleasure
on you or anyone else.
But where else can I find
the light I see in your eyes
or the smile I hear in your voice?
“Independence Day”
pit of a peach
freedom of speech
stars so high you have to reach
rooms to be built
water you spilt
watching fireworks from a quilt
offenses not meant
too much time spent
on words that aren’t worth a cent
i’ll go away
and you’ll stay
but i’ll be back soon another day
“rage”
so much random shit goin through my brain
just about enough to make me go insane
i scream and you just think i’m joking
you think it’s only fun you’re poking
you don’t know how much is inside of me
and that’s something i’ll never let you see
i wanna scream til i can’t breathe anymore
and break stuff more than just slamming a door
i wanna tell you every horrible thing i know
things you don’t even think are bad and let show
but i won’t scream, break things, or bash you
i’ll just go on hating you and the things you do
“Roommates”
Eleven months down, one to go
I’m counting the days
I didn’t know you then
and I don’t know you now
sometimes I think we’re close
sometimes I freakin hate you
we’re nothing alike
we have one common thread:
I don’t wanna be like you
and you don’t wanna be like me
“inspiration”
Who threw open the floodgates?
I wanted the words to come.
I forced the words to come.
But they weren’t the right words.
Now they’re pouring out of my head
and flowing out onto the lines
splashing onto page after page
flooding the whole notebook.
Pouring, flowing,
splashing, flooding
The drought is over.
“to leah”
There was a day,
when I knew what to say,
Life goes by and doesn’t last,
I never knew things could change so fast
And I can only sit & think of years past.
“Asshole” 7-14-01
I say things and you don’t care.
Does it even matter if I’m there?
Why did I even go back to you?
You were just something to do.
Something to do to hurt myself.
Now I’m back where I belong –
up on the shelf.
untitled poems from Spring 2001:
Sometimes you smile.
And I wonder
Are you smiling at me?
Am I what’s making you smile?
Or is there someone behind me?
Someone perfect that I didn’t see.
Blistering cold, frigid heat
contradictions in everyone I meet.
Does anyone mean what they say
or say what they mean?
Is it that hard not to be a hypocrite?
Can I imagine?
Can it be imagined?
Does anyone know
where we’re going?
And if I could,
could really imagine
my future, and
make that future real.
Would that be
what I really wanted?
If my dreams came true,
would I be happy?
———————end of update—————————————-
From openingbands.com
11/1/03
| Caffè Paradiso – A New Venue – and All-ages, Too! |  |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
| [direct link] | |
|
|
When the IMC was forced to close their performance space back in May, the Champaign-Urbana music scene was left with a gaping hole. The Channing-Murray/Red Herring and the IDF were virtually the only places to see all ages shows. Now in an effort to make music more availible to everyone and not just the bar-going 18, 19, or 21-plus crowd, Caffè Paradiso has risen to fill this void in the community.
They might be competing DJ’s on Monday nights, but Seth Fein (2ON2OUT at Barfly) and Meghan McCook (Betty Rocker at Mike n Molly’s) are teaming up to bring all ages shows to Caffè Paradiso. The two are doing this strictly as volunteers and are seeking community involvement in every aspect from helping with equipment and working the door to booking and promoting.
Caffè Paradiso has hosted a few shows before, but nothing on a regular basis. Performances will have eight or nine o’clock start times with cover usually between $3 and $6; both will help keep shows accesible for the younger audience. The coffee shop has a capacity around 125 and is expected to sell out for various concerts.
The first show was Wednesday, October 29, mainly because of Fein’s desire to book kaitO for this evening. The show also featured The Invisible, Ophans, and American Minor as the headliner. After that, future shows are slated for every Friday of November. Terminus Victor, Pointed, and At Knifepoint (their first performance!) are only some of the bands already scheduled. Complete information on these shows can be found on the Intelligence Report.
11/15/03
| The Great Cover Up – A Tradition and a Good Cause | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| [direct link] | |
|
|
What happens when 17 local bands become tribute bands for one performance? You get the Great Cover Up Benefit. Yes, I said “benefit,” so not only is this event great fun, it’s for a great cause. Proceeds from this year’s Cover Up will go to support The Conservatory of Central Illinois which is right here in downtown Champaign and is the only not-for-profit music school in downstate Illinois. Hosted by The Highdive, the Cover Up traditionally took place over three consecutive nights, but this year it’s happening for three consecutive Wednesdays.
Right now, the 13th Annual Cover Up is already two-thirds over. For those who either did not attend or have a less-than-perfect memory, I’ll recap the first two shows. Part 1, November 5, featured Temple of Low Men as Stone Temple Pilots. Signalmen added their own flavor to the songs of Iggy Pop. G. Lee & Jet Blonde covered Steely Dan and The Greedy Loves performed as The Replacements. Edward Burch did the formerly local REO Speedwagon. Part 2, November 12, boasted the line up of Sick Day as Nirvana. Feed put on a Cheap Trick show for an excited Tokyo audience. Nadafinga entertained the crowd with their costumes, songs, and dancing from Rocky Horror Picture Show. Terminus Victor rocked, as always, with a set from past locals Lovecup. The Blackouts performed a few songs from Jimi Hendrix and Mezzanines headlined as Metallica.
As for Part 3, it’s still coming up. Green Mountain Grass, Goldfronts, Lorenzo Goetz, Everybody Uh Oh, Orphans, and Red Hot Valentines will be performing, but I can’t tell you who they’re covering. The surprise is half the fun. You’ll just have to come out to The Highdive on Wednesday, November 19, and see for yourself.
More information on The Conservatory of Central Illinois can be found at www.conservatorycentralil.org.
2/15/04
| Innocent Words – CD Release Show Summary | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| [direct link] | |
|
|
Friday night at Cowboy Monkey, Innocent Words Magazine & Records released their second compilation album, A Warm Breath…and a Scream. The concert featured three bands. They are all local, signed to Innocent Words and have songs on the compilation. Profits from the concert and CD sales will benefit Riley Children’s Hospital.
Triple Whip started the show at 10:20. The band, whose lyrics are all based on movies, include vocalist Santanu Rahman on guitar, Brett Sanderson on drums and Holly Rushakoff on bass. Their new song “Tax” is on the compilation.
Lorenzo Goetz took the stage next. While onstage, singer/guitarist Larry Gates told the audience he had three goals: make people smile, make people dance, and sell some comps. Other band members are guitarist Josh Miethe, bassist Eric Fisher and drummer Kevin Colravy. Their track on the compilation is titled “Fist Above My Wrist” and features Czar Absolute of Animate Objects.
Terminus Victor headlined the evening. Scott Kimble sings and plays a three-string bass while Don King plays guitar. Terminus Victor doesn’t have a drummer, but a drum machine with beats they programmed themselves. Their contribution to the comp is called “Strange Fulfillment.”
The concert attracted over a hundred people. Many of the audience came to see particular bands or knew band members. Austin Warner, a sophomore at Southern Illinois University, came with his friend Jess Cochran who is a University of Illinois student.
“I don’t really know any of these bands, this is a new experience for me,” Warner explained.
A Warm Breath…and a Scream is a 19-track CD with both local and nationally-known artists. Nine of the tracks are previously unreleased. One of the already released tracks, however, is “School Night” by folk artist Ani DiFranco. Innocent Words owner, Troy Michael, is thrilled to have DiFranco on the album and praises her as one of the most talented musicians he’s heard.
Last year, proceeds from the first Innocent Words Compilation, Small My Table, bought art books for patients at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. This year, Michael hopes to buy crayons, coloring books and other art supplies for the kids.
Michael started with the magazine three years ago. Innocent Words Magazine is a quarterly that features CD and film reviews, artwork, interviews and other music-related stories. A year later, Michael began the record label portion of Innocent Words. Currently, Innocent Words Records has the three bands that played the release show and also Legs for Days.
“And yeah, I want to sign bands outside of Champaign-Urbana to get us to the next step of being known as a national label. We are currently looking at some bands from Seattle,” Michael said.
A year and a half after starting Innocent Words Magazine & Records, Michael launched www.innocentwords.com. The site contains information about the bands and CD’s released on the label as well as content from current and past issues of the quarterly magazine. The website has been up for about a year and a half and has already received over 12,000 hits.
3/1/04
| Side 11. David 2. Manhattan Avenue 3. Sari 4. Ding Dong 5. Baby Watch Your Back 6. The Dog Song 7. Waiter 8. I Wanna Get Married 9. Change the WorldSide 21. It’s a Pose 2. Toto Dies 3. Won’t U Please B Nice 4. Inner Peace 5. Suitcase Song 6. Work Song 7. Clonie 8. Respectable 9. Really |
|
Review #1 – Nellie Waddell
I noticed this CD because the artist and I share a first name. I picked it up and read the back where The New York Times called her a cross between Doris Day and Eminem. I was intrigued. I love Eminem and I grew up with my mom’s Doris Day records. This two-disc set is Nellie McKay’s debut. I listened to the first disc as soon as I got home. This left me with a few questions. #1: What was so urgent about releasing all 18 of these songs at one time, especially for a debut? #2: What was that Times critic smoking? #3: How was I going to make myself listen to disc two? So far I’ve only been able to answer the last question. You listen to disc two when you realize your review is due that day. #2 can only be answered by the artist and Columbia Records, the label that released Get Away From Me. Speaking of Columbia, I should have learned by now not to have so much faith in an album just because it’s on a major label. Silly me.
As for The New York Times, the similarities they note are superficial at best. Most of McKay’s songs have a lounge-singer feel to them—her voice, the piano playing, the drum rhythms. That said, I never considered Doris Day a lounge singer; they’re just from the same time period. Additionally, Day’s songs are much more upbeat. A few of McKay’s other tracks are raps. Some of the lyrics in her raps are political, but they lack the edge Eminem’s rhymes have. If any comparisons must be made, how about: “Sari” sounds like Dr. Evil’s rap in the Austin Powers movie Goldmember?
Some might call McKay’s mix of song and rap innovative; I’m more skeptical. To me, it’s a new artist not sure of her direction. I can see the 55+ crowd tapping their toes to these tunes, but the lyrics and vocals don’t add anything. I’ve heard karaoke as good. Also, the album lacks cohesiveness. Songs with lyrics like a screamed “die, motherfucker” don’t mesh well with a crooned “I wanna get married/that’s why I was born.” I don’t think I actually need to say it for you readers to understand that this album disappointed me.
4/15/04
| CV Lloyde’s – A New Place for Local Music | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| [direct link] | |
|
|
When you walk into CV Lloyde’s Music Center in downtown Champaign, you see boxes stacked in the windows and countless guitars hanging along the wall. Packages of strings line the wall behind the counter. A new display occupies space off to the side of the counter. That display is CV Lloyde’s new collection of CDs. Soon (maybe even by the time this issue goes up) the area will include an Apple laptop where customers can listen to albums before purchasing.
The CDs are from local bands and are being sold for no profit to CV Lloyde’s. Currently the selection includes nine bands, both Innocent Words comps, and the WEFT Sessions Comp. Prices range from five to twelve dollars. After two weeks of sales, the store had already sold two dozen albums. More bands are welcome and even encouraged to participate, just bring in the CDs you want to sell.
Part of the decision to sell local CDs came from the demise of Record Service. People need a place to be able to buy local music. A few bookstores sell local music, but they’re much farther from campus. But what about the decision not to take any profit from sales? Why would a business do that? First of all, it’s a way to get new people into your store. Many who enjoy music are musicians themselves. Someone can come in to buy the newest album from Band X and leave thinking, “Hey, this is a cool place, if I need some new gear I’ll come here.”
But more than just attracting customers into the store, CV Lloyde’s wants to give something back to the local music community. The employees explained that the community has been giving them business for years, and now they have a chance to contribute to the business of local bands.
Selling CDs is a new venture for CV Lloyde’s, but supporting local music isn’t. They’ve sponsored concerts in the past and are backing more in the future. They don’t actively seek out events to sponsor, but assist organizations that come ask for help.
11/1/04
| 01. Fear of Failure 02. Move On 03. Have You Ever? 04. This Way 05. Random Life 06. Misplaced (Ina) 07. Perfect Day 08. D.B.D. 09. Away 10. Worthless 11. Porch Song |
|
Review #1 – Nellie Waddell
Saraphine’s long-awaited full-length debut, Random Life, came out at the end of June. The album far surpasses the seven-track EP they put out in March ’02. The five-piece band from the suburbs of Chicago plays an upbeat, completely danceable brand of pop-rock. Not too much bubble gum, but still not too hard. These guys have fun making music, and you’ll have fun listening to/seeing them.
“Away,” the EP’s strong opening track, has been reworked and sounds even better. “Porch Song” was on the EP as a live recording. It remains an acoustic solo by singer Scott Sweeney, but now has the nice polish of a studio recording without the background crowd noise. “Worthless” was recorded for the EP, but didn’t make it on. Luckily, Saraphine held onto it and put it on this album. Another improvement over the EP is the song order; slower songs never disrupt the flow of Random Life for too long.
The title track, “Random Life,” is an extremely catchy story of someone who left and came back: “I’m surviving off of alcohol./Long nights alone by the stereo./You left why did you come here at all?” “D.B.D.” is another quick, catchy song. So energetic, it was a great opening for their Oct. 2 Courtyard Cafe show with Local H.
Don’t stop your CD player as soon as “Porch Song” ends or you’ll miss the bonus tracks. They’re goofy and out of place, but listen anyway. Sweeney says “Rose in a Desert Storm” appears on the album as a tribute to Saraphine’s former guitarist Matt Wydra who left the band to join the Navy just after recording the song.
Despite being a proclaimed hater of pop-rock, which you’ll know me to be if you read my review of Pale Morning Dawn, it’s hard to find a weak point of Random Life. If I had to choose something, I’d say I don’t like the end of “Away” with the unnecessary repetition of “fly away.” Basically, if I have to be that picky to find something bad, this is a solid album. Saraphine will be back in Champaign Nov. 4 at Cowboy Monkey.
12/1/04
| The Arcade Fire – Interview | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| [direct link] | |
|
|
Nellie Waddell: Talk a little about how and when the Arcade Fire got together.
The Arcade Fire: We were all in a production of Little Orphan Annie in Montreal. Regine was a great tap dancer, and had these strange contacts that made her look like she didn’t have pupils.
NW: What bands did you listen to growing up and would you consider them your influences?
TAF: The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Cure, Cindi Lauper, influences all.
NW: Who would you most like to tour with? (realistic or not)
TAF: This south African band regine saw while traveling in france, but we would have to open for them, because they would wipe us off the stage.
NW: How have things changed since your May 2004 signing with Merge Records?
TAF: We have a record out that people can buy, more interviews…we sold the school bus for 200 bucks, and the guy’s check bounced.
NW: Is your touring mostly in the U.S. or Canada, or pretty evenly split?
TAF: Mostly the US but some in Canada too.
NW: Any cities not on your tour that you’d really like to play?
TAF: Burlington, Vermont
NW: What’s the scene like in Montreal?
TAF: Cold, a lot of people feeding birds, and living in boxes…you mean the homless scene right?
NW: What are your favorite types of venue to play at?
TAF: Not bars, churches art spaces
NW: I saw that you played at the CMJ New Music Marathon in New York a few weeks ago. What was that like?
TAF: Strange…workin 10 AM to 4 AM what a way to make a living.
NW: I realize Funeral was released barely more than two months ago, but when do you foresee another album coming out?
TAF: Who knows…when we have some time I guess.
NW: Where’d the band’s name come from?
TAF: If you rearrange the letters of “afraid the ceer” you get the arcade fire
NW: What do you do when you’re not making music?
TAF: We think about music, and exercise.
(The band didn’t have time to meet me and agreed to answer some questions through email, thus no back and forth, also they thought I was from Iowa, not Illinois–author’s comment added on WordPress 3/10/08)
4/1/05
| 1. All That We Needed 2. Revenge 3. Take Me Away 4. My Only One 5. Sad Story 6. Breakdown 7. What More Do You Want? 8. Lazy Day Afternoon 9. Anything 10. Sing My Best 11. Faster 12. Last Call 13. Hey There Delilah |
|
Review #1 – Nellie Waddell
I was pretty excited at the prospect of reviewing the new Plain White T’s album, All That We Needed. I liked what I had heard of the Chicago fivesome’s first album Stop on what was then the Planet. My excitement ended when I actually heard the CD. The first two times I listened to it, I was at work. I noticed and appreciated the energetic start of the title track when I first inserted the CD and hit play. I started doing my job and suddenly track 13, “Hey There Delilah,” was coming on with a friend saying it was his favorite song on the album. What had happened to the other 11 songs? That’s right, All That We Needed is one of those records—the background noise, totally forgettable album. There’s nothing technically wrong with it; it just doesn’t have anything captivating.
Okay so maybe I was overly occupied with my job to pay proper attention to the album. Listen number three: I slipped the CD into my computer and tried again. I still liked “All That We Needed.” Second track, “Revenge,” wasn’t so bad. Then it happened again; the different songs started blending all together and not sounding too different. A few of the songs have catchy choruses, but mostly I couldn’t keep focused on the majority of the lyrics. The percussion dominated my listening experience and always kept my toe tapping, but that’s not enough for me to consider it a good album. You can make up your own mind by checking out www.plainwhitets.com and clicking where it says “listen.”
4/1/05
| 1. My Everything 2. Wasted 3. Ocean Size 4. Uncomfortable 5. Too Many Nights 6. Damaged 7. Behind the Mask 8. I Want 9. Iron Fist 10. Walk Away 11. Faith 12. Stalker |
|
Review #1 – Nellie Waddell
Disconnection Notice is the first Goldfinger album I’ve listened to completely. I liked it the first time and keep liking it more every time I play it—except “Behind the Mask.” It was okay the first few times, but I can only listen to sound bites of PETA’s president describing a slaughterhouse so many times. “Iron Fist” is the other political track on the album. I’m not a big fan of political music, but I enjoy this anti-Patriot Act song.
After 10 years together, Goldfinger succeeds with Disconnection Notice where many other pop-punk/power-pop albums fail; the 12 tracks don’t all sound the same. There’s the two political songs I already mentioned, upbeat songs you would expect from Goldfinger like “My Everything” and “Wasted,” and one all-out goofy track, “Stalker.” On “Ocean Size,” Bert McCracken (The Used) vocally goes where Goldfinger’s John Feldman only dreams of. If you don’t like one song, it won’t last long. The longest song is 3:38.
If you’re looking for another “Counting the Days,” you might find it in “Wasted.” Goldfinger has no tour dates currently scheduled, so picking up their album is going to have to satisfy you for now. And I think you will find Disconnection Notice satisfying.
