Ryan Adams on Letterman

Did anyone catch Ryan* & the Cardinal's performance on Letterman last night (Wednesday, June 27)? I missed it, but was pointed toward the video on YouTube this morning. The performance that aired was of "Two" which was good, though the quality of the YouTube video was grainy and skipped. The best video was of the web exclusive on Letterman's site. It was of "I Taught Myself How to Grow Old". Though not my favorite track on Easy Tiger, the live performance made me realize just what the critics are saying about this album. This song's lyrics are evidence of the maturity behind this album -- the depth. Head over and listen . . . really listen, and you'll hear it too.

After watching the Cardinals I scrolled through the archive of web exclusive performances and found Wilco performing "What Light" from their new album Sky Blue Sky. I haven't had a chance to really get into this album yet, but plan to add it to the list of required listening on my solo road trip to the beach in about a week. Six + hours of I-95 drive time is just the excuse I've been waiting for to catch up on the new releases I've taken on in the last months.

What a goldmine this site was for me tonight. I found this Andrew Bird performance of "Plasticities" too. If you've yet to take my advice and sample Andrew Bird, here's a great chance. Oh, and of course, there was whistling too! Ahhhh.

*I promise, the Ryan Adams posts will start to dwindle. I just can't get enough these days!

Long live the music

Two new music venues opened in Richmond last week. The first to open it's doors, sans a liquor license, was Toad's Place. Located on the Canal Walk, music fans and bar flies alike have been hearing rumors of a Toad's opening for months and with Squirrel Nut Zippers booked for a June 21 fundraiser gig, management made it happen -- though, I bet, with some thirsty customers. Their website claims there are just 39 days until their Grand Re-Opening so it seems we have to wait another month for the shows to officially start.

With a more successful opening night, Capital Ale House Downtown opened their shiny new music hall with the first of the Ale House's Brews & Blues series on Friday night. I was there having drinks with a good friend (who moved to New Orleans today -- bummer) and really enjoyed the atmosphere of the new space. There is a large window at the front (or back, depending on how you look at it) opening up onto the street and the curious passerbys couldn't help but stare at the new interior, looking jealously at the packed tables and cold beers (of which there is a list of, supposedly, a million options). The lineup isn't worth shouting about yet, but as word gets around town about these venues, the list will get much more interesting. In the meantime, if you're in the neighborhood, check it out. The new 'spa-like' restrooms alone are worth a visit -- yes, I just praised a bar's bathroom -- and, of course, the beer!

Oh Happy Day

I bought a CD today. I haven't walked into a store to buy a CD in two years -- it was like stepping back in time. I slid my cash across the counter and the tattooed Plan 9 cashier handed me my very own copy of Ryan Adam's Easy Tiger, just unlocked from it's plastic, theft-proof box. I watched the clock at my desk at work, anxiously waiting for the hour when I could rush out and pick it up. I resisted the temptation to download it early and took the advice of a friend and added my sale to the album's total for the day. And I wasn't the only one -- the person ahead and and the one behind me in line bought the same album, promising for a good release date for Easy Tiger in Richmond.

So, enough talk about procuring the album. You want to know how it sounds, right? I've listened to the 13 tracks four times through and my expectations have been met! I knew I loved tracks two and three, Two and Everybody Knows, respectively, as I had a pre-listen as I mentioned here a few weeks ago. Two is still one of my favorites and I've also enjoyed Pearls on a String and Goodnight Rose. I've read quite a few reviews today and all are glowing. Most mention Ryan's maturity -- his growth -- and that this album is a lovely culmination of where he's been and a preview of where his career is headed. The time between albums, uncharacteristically long for Adams, was well worth the wait. I'm excited to get to know it as well as I've grown to know his previous albums. It's sure to be another summer with his music as the soundtrack.

Someday Some Morning Sometime

After recently acquiring a 2+ GB mix of new-to-me-tunes from a one of my concert cronies, I told myself, NO MORE. No more downloads Beaze until you submerge yourself in the stuff you have. Play what you've got -- there are music starved people in this World, geesh! But, why oh why, would I deny myself the pure pleasure of discovery? I just never know what I might be missing out on.

So, I said eff it, and bounced over to I Am Fuel, and checked out the Monday Music Roundup. There was a new Josh Rouse track, from a forthcoming album, and an interesting little tune from a group called Romantica from Minneapolis. A Ryan Adams fan suggested she check it out and, if you've read anything here at No Filter lately you know, I too am an R.A. fan(atic) so I couldn't resist the recommended download. It's smooth but with a nice little back beat and, yes, harmonica and accordion -- oh joy! There's a little mariachi flair too. Now, I know you're intrigued, so pop on over and give 'em a listen.

Of the massive mix I acquired, I'm enjoying the discovery of Billy Bragg to which I could not do proper justice if I tried to describe him or his music here. After a bit of research, I learned Bragg has been around for decades and has been referred to as a "national treasure" in the UK. All I needed to hear was that he's done quite a bit of work with Wilco. Sign me up!

Speaking of Wilco, you probably noticed I stopped dropping Bonnaroo updates a couple of months ago. I've been secretly holding out hope that I might just make it to this year's festival but, alas, no trip to Manchester for me this weekend. I'll be following the shows in spirit online and, I hope, OnDemand on ConcertTV (which I discovered last week!) and holding out hope for a trip in '08. Or maybe I'll fore go the hippies and hit up Jazz Fest in NoLa! The possibilities, and the highways, are far reaching . . .

Timing is everything

An update to my recent Ryan Adams post. I noted the new album, Easy Tiger, would be released on June 5, when the actual release date is June 26 -- ARGH, lesson learned about trusting the accuracy of everything read online. So, we hunker down and wait a few more weeks.

Good news for my fellow R.A. fans in Central VA -- Ryan and the Cardinals will be hitting The Empire Theater in Charlottesville on July 10. Bad news is I'll be vacationing with the the family in S.C., several hundred miles away from Ryan and his golden voice. Timing is everything.

Hit it!

If you want to get your dance on, you should catch Bloc Party on their current tour. Kathrin and I drove to DC last Sunday evening -- in pouring rain, snail's pace traffic on I-95 and in spite of the penultimate Soprano's episode airing the same night -- for the show at DAR Constitution Hall. We'd heard from friends who'd seen the group in NYC that they were unimpressed by the performance so we were going into it with few expectations. We were pleasantly surprised by a rousing, dance worthy show that kept us, and everyone else in the place, on our feet through the two hours. There was a "thanks, we're finished with you people" fakeout just about an hour into the show but the group returned to the stage with the question, "DC, are you ready to dance?!" -- and we were!

I have to make a special note of the venue. It was, I thought, a little high-brow for such a dance worthy show. This was a venue where you might expect to hear an orchestra performance or Presidential Inaugural concert -- anything but a loud, danceable, British Indie rock group do their thing -- but, it worked. The sound and acoustics were great -- clean and clear. And there was plenty of room in the aisles for the teenage thrash dancers two rows ahead of us. The energy was most contagious.

Here they go again

From moveon.org:

In the next few weeks, Congress could vote to DOUBLE the amount of greenhouse gases America produces from our cars and planes.

It's the greatest single threat to solving the climate crisis in a decade.

It sounds crazy. But Congress is rushing through a package that could lock us into liquid coal as our country's new energy source for transportation. For every mile driven, coal-based fuels produce as much as twice as many greenhouse gases as petroleum. That means even a Prius would drive like a Hummer.

The coal industry has been lobbying for this break for years, and many in Congress don't understand the facts.

Can you sign the petition opposing liquid coal right now—and then please alert your friends?

"Liquid coal would be a disaster in our fight against the climate crisis. Congress should vote against tax breaks and subsidies for coal."

The legislation would take billions in taxpayer dollars to build up to 10 more dirty coal plants, provide taxpayer subsidies when the fuel can't compete on the open market, and guarantee that the government will buy this fuel no matter what.

The industry promises to clean up after itself, but "clean coal" doesn't exist yet—it's pure fiction. While some technology is being tested to capture the greenhouse gas before it goes into the air, no one knows if it will work. But the plants will be built regardless.

To make matters worse, the financial outlook on this technology is shaky, which means taxpayers could be left holding the bag. According to an MIT study, we could spend $70 billion to replace just 10 percent of current gasoline use. And by the time we bring the technology to market, it is likely that cheaper, cleaner fuels will be available for less money.

These snake oil salesmen are in the Capitol in force—selling Congress a line that kicking our oil habit is easy if we just commit billions in taxpayer money to coal. And some in Congress are buying it—even folks who have been with us thus far on the climate crisis. But with this bill, they're gambling with the future of our planet.