DIM THE LIGHTS: Muse - 2004/04/09 11:04

setlist: Hysteria/ New Born/ Butterflies & Hurricanes/ Thoughts of a Dying Atheist/ Citizen Erased (abandoned)

there are some things that you'll never let go... and this show is certainly one of them.

the stars were aligned on the evening of April 9th. UK rock sensations Muse were finally getting their chance in the American market after reaching massive successes overseas for years. Absolution was getting serious play on alternative radio and where-ever you went that spring, you could not escape the anthemic "Time Is Running Out". small shows (compared to the arenas they typically played in Europe) were booked, some in areas the band never explored previously.

you see, Muse had it all overseas. they had chart-topping albums, sold-out arena tours, fame, etc. in the early '00s, they started developing a cult following in the United States because of their inability to cross the ocean. most (including myself) thought they were a harder Radiohead, with Matthew Bellamy playing the role/voice of Thom Yorke almost naturally. some (including myself) knocked them for that and never gave them they chance they rightfully deserved. albums Showbiz and Origin of Symmetry have some ridiculously powerful tracks on them that I sadly cast aside due to my own stubborness.

so when a friend of mine (who introduced me to Muse when Showbiz was released) persisted with this new album of their's, I think my wall finally broke down. strong instrumentation, elaborate songwriting, power and fury along with some delicate simplicity - all of these contributed to why I finally started embracing Muse after all of these years. as a result, I dug into the records that I was missing and was getting it. take that musical epiphany, combined with a national tour of small venues for this high-octane band with a rabid following that finally got their moment to witness greatness - it was all set. a new obsession was about to take place and I was oh-so-willing to let it happen.

and then this happens:



all you really need in that video is the first 75 seconds or so to get the point. Muse were absolutely on fire that evening. they had it all in their court and they were running like mad. it was really unbelievable what we were taking in. those first four songs were probably the best four songs I ever saw live... perhaps. but to think that this show started off SO STRONG and SO INTENSE and ended so abruptly was disappointing beyond belief.

and there went my high point with Muse. after Matthew Bellamy busted his face to "Citizen Erased", I saw them later that month @ my first Coachella Festival trip and got into it as much as one could while dealing with 100+ degree California desert heat. and it was a festival set, so there was a sizable distance between myself and the band, something that was non-existent earlier in the month. my girlfriend and I attempted to see Muse months later when they returned to ATL and played the "bigger venue", the Tabernacle (the Cotton Club is more like the Tabernacle's basement). we decided to take in the show up in one of the balconies there and fandom just evaporated before our very eyes. we didn't understand the matching uniforms the band members had, thought some of the lights were cheesy, and we basically wrote off the entire experience.

it sure seems that that April evening didn't deter the band in North America as they are going stronger than ever and possibly headlining the next version of the Coachella Music and Arts Festival and releasing a couple of new albums in the years past to much fever and fervor. while I don't hold what happened that evening against Muse, it just happened @ a terrible time that could've changed a lot of feelings I had about the band.

now that Kovy is out for weeks, this should be the Thrashers anthem during this transitional period:



indeed, Thrashers, make 'em say UGH.

DIM THE LIGHTS: Hot Hot Heat - 2005/03/13 13:06

possible setlist: No, Not Now/ Island of the Honest Man/ Change Change Change/ Get In or Get Out/ Dirty Mouth/ Talk to Me, Dance With Me/ Middle of Nowhere/ Le Le Low/ You Owe Me and IOU/ Jingle Jangle/ Oh, Goddamnit/ Naked In the City Again/ Elevator/ This Town/ Goodnight Goodnight/ Save Us S.O.S./ Bandages

my second time seeing Hot Hot Heat probably put the nail in the coffin w/ them. I saw them tour for their first record, Make Up the Breakdown, and was left a little unsatisfied. I was hoping to get a little more w/ a new live set and a new record. things didn't pan out that way, exactly. this show was more-or-less memorable b/c I spent the majority of it watching the crowd from the side of the venue @ the bar due to my girlfriend @ the time (now wife!). she recently had foot surgery and was accompanied w/ crutches and couldn't get into the crowd as much as we both would've preferred.

regardless of where we were for the show, I don't feel it would've mattered. we realized that maybe we were past the Robert Smith-esque whinings of Steven Bays and the teens there were in strong representation @ this all ages show. maybe we were a bit out of place in our liking of this band as it seemed we were missing something. HHH's first record was fun and possibly a novelty in a career that could've moved more towards darker, more full music. instead it appears that they chose to ride the wave of that first record and retread the same water that got them big enough to play venues like The Loft. I haven't followed the band since and I'm not even sure what they are up to these days... if they are still around, satiating the teens of the world.

DIM THE LIGHTS: Coldplay - 2001/05/30 11:39

setlist: Shiver/ Animals/ Don't Panic/ Spies/ Murder/ Everything's Not Lost/ We Never Change/ God Put a Smile Upon Your Face/ Yellow/ A Rush of Blood to the Head/ See You Soon// Trouble/// In My Place//// Georgia On My Mind [Carmichael/Gorrell]

before Coldplay played arenas, did iTunes commercials (YouTube it!), and wore schticky matching uniforms on stage for shows, a simpler band existed - a British four-piece that didn't need to spice up the stage show w/ cheesiness or other things that made their live sets excessive. the Coldplay that I know (and still appreciate) was back when Capitol Records heavily promoted them as "THE NEXT RADIOHEAD". before Chris Martin started dating (and subsequently marrying) Gwyneth Paltrow (and naming children after fruit), he was rather bashful. you see, Coldplay was actually a modest band once!

so, back in 2001, the band was attempting to rise to the fore-front of the entertainment industry. hits like "Yellow" and "Trouble" where EVERYWHERE. in order to really get their faces and tunes out to the masses, Capitol (or whoever was responsible for their mgmt) booked some of their first North American shows as festival appearances. in December 2000, their first two shows were in California for holiday-themed festivals for KROQ and KCRW. when they returned to the states nearly six months later in the spring of 2001, Coldplay played a headlining show in Chicago that was immediately followed by two festival shows in Boston and Washington, DC. oh, I also forgot to mention that Coldplay was a part of the traveling festival Big Day Out in Australia and New Zealand throughout January 2001, prior to coming stateside.

Coldplay were exhausted. they weren't sure they were prepared for this kind of lifestyle. for two years, they slowly built up a following in the UK and most of Europe. I think, at the time, they got much more than they bargained for when they were getting promotions in the United States. their world was blowing up too fast and they were @ the breaking point. also, w/ these festival bookings, Coldplay weren't always playing to their target audience. they were often thrown in the mix w/ harder and more aggressive bands, which often led to much heckling or audience straying.

all of a sudden, we arrive to May 30, 2001. before the jokes of, "You know how I know you're gay...," Coldplay already had a reputation of being too soft, too quiet, etc. I was even told by a friend @ the time that, "I can't believe you'd pay $25 to see a one-hit band." they had a lot going against them. no one was sure where Coldplay would end up after 2001. and I think that was taking a toll on the band, as well.

while I cannot remember the show vividly, I can remember that it seemed like it started off like any other recent headlining show they did. something that I alluded to earlier was mentioned and that was the recent festival appearances and how they were thrown on stage w/ bands like Metallica and how they weren't sure where their place was in the grand scheme of things. what shocked me the most was how energetic Will Champion was when he just killed his drum set to tracks like "Yellow" and "Shiver". Chris Martin was working out the kinks of his now-trademarked flailing about on stage, so this wasn't so noteworthy as of yet. what I also noticed was how absent Johnny Buckland and especially Guy Berryman were during the set. Johnny appeared to be mailing in solos and atmospheric guitar noodlings while Guy was just not present. you could tell that some in this band had more to offer while others weren't certain of their place.

obv they liked what us Georgians were giving back to the band b/c Chris was certainly feeding off it that. many new songs were peppered into the set, so there may have been a few times during the show that the crowd was a bit lost, but any off-course diversions were quickly corrected when "Yellow" was played... or "Trouble".

this show, @ the time, was freq cited by the band as "the one that got Coldplay back together". that statement would be strange, if it weren't for Chris Martin's impromptu solo cover of "Georgia on My Mind" as the last of three encores. I do recall this as being very special, w/ Chris on piano, the Parachutes globe perched atop the keys, and some members of the band standing backstage just watching. w/ such a big statement as, "Atlanta saved us as a band," it would normally be a stretch to believe, but that comment always resurfaced, whether it be in interviews in between their first and second records or their subsequent returns to Atlanta (that involved guest appearances from Sir Elton John and Michael Stipe, for example). you really got the feel that late spring gig changed things for the band, like it or not.

DIM THE LIGHTS: An Introduction 11:18

you see, I'm an avid lover of live music... and a pack-rat (I blame my parents!). with each show I attended over the past 10 years or so, I've saved something tangible from it, be it setlists, CDs, photos... or tickets. I have this sizable plastic jar that holds tickets and random small pamphlets from past events and it's a priceless collection of memories.



so here's something I've thought abt doing for some time now. whenever the mood strikes, I'll randomly pick out a ticket or whatever from this massive batch and go to town w/ it and write abt my experiences w/ that event. this project has the potential to be incredibly self-serving... but that's alright b/c this is my blog!

but seriously, if you have add'l things to add abt seeing a particular band live, a similar experience w/ another band, or something interesting from the same event (!), please feel free and contribute.

Sunny Day Real Estate in Atlanta... tomm nite! 21:50

tomm nite, it's gonna be you and I, SDRE - you and I. all I really ask is for a four song set:

8/ Every Shining Time You Arrive/ In Circles// Flatland Spider

if I don't get any of those, I'm sure that all four members on stage in ATL would suffice!

it's that time of season... finally! 21:32

once again, I'm torturing myself by taking part in two fantasy hockey leagues for the upcoming season. last year, it worked out as I finished first in a points league (first points league EVAR) and second in our friendly league. I don't see anywhere but to improve for this upcoming season! :D here's the lineup that was auto-drafted today for our friendly league.




and here's the lineup I drafted the other nite... IT IS MASSIVE!




ideally, I would've loved to have my two faves on the same team (Getslaf and Savard), but to have one in each league, I'm certainly not complaining. in the random league I just joined, I'm heavy w/ Thrashers and we'll see how that pans out... and that goalie situation, as well. and in all honesty, I'm thrilled w/ how the auto-draft worked out for the friendly league. I guess it pays to make a rankings list w/ about 60 players, exclude the obvious (i.e. Hossa, Gaborik [even these two worked marvels for me a few seasons back], Heatley, etc.) b/c I have a team that I'm completely satisfied w/.

I just love fantasy hockey! LESS THAN A WEEK FROM THE SEASON OMG OMG OMG!!!

an ATL institution!

wild derby nites!

Thrashers Training Camp 23:23

this AM I ventured to Duluth, the site of the Thrashers training facility to witness some fine fine fine hockey. it's this time of year that really gets me going, like every other hockey fan. right now, the sky is the limit - your team can do no wrong and they can probably win the Stanley Cup. but, you know, haters wanna hate and lovers wanna love. lots of critics (or uninformed, for that matter) are dogging the Thrashers b/c of their off-season moves, lack of hockey interest in the South, Ilya Kovalchuk leaving the ATL by season's end - just retarded rumormongering. and maybe some of those people are right, maybe some of those aspects are correct. but you know what? I DON'T CARE. this is my team and this is my sport. whether the Thrashers are a playoff team or not, it doesn't matter to me b/c I will love this team to the end (or when they relocate to some remote part of Saskatchewan, so quoth the critics north of the border). that's why I travel over an hour to see my team practice - it's invigorating, full of hope and promise, and it's the best sport in the world.

do I really think the Thrashers have what it takes to play in the early summer months of 2010? absolutely! do I feel that Ilya Kovalchuk will remain w/ the Thrashers following this season? why the hell not?! like I said - every Sept holds so much hope for the future, regardless of what may lie ahead. the Thrashers could be bottom-dwellers (they won't), but I'll continue to come back to the team that I love.

enough meandering abt my subjectivity here, let's get to the heart of the matter - today.

the Thrashers are an enigmatic bunch right now, let's face it. they made strides in the off-season to significantly add more talent to the roster. enter Nik Antropov and Pavel Kubina. let's keep in mind previous off-season additions - Ken Klee, Niko Kapanen, Glen Metropolit, Jason Williams, Mike Dunham (I shudder to even think of the name)... I could go on. personally, I'll take the two players we brought in for this season over any of the others any day of the week. but b/c of past conditioning, us Thrashers fans are skeptical of the adds b/c none of the other, uh, "experiments" worked out to our advantage. only time will tell how Antropov and Kubina will work out, but you have to think that they will contribute much more than the others I mentioned.

and then there's the Kovalchuk issue, which will plague the team until he resigns... or doesn't. based on my viewing this AM, he was all smiles on the ice, having fun and spending time w/ Russians (Kozlov, Antropov, Afinogenov). Kovy does not appear to be a man w/ one foot out the door, and all local commentary on the issue doesn't even hint in that direction. the same could not be said about the Marian Hossa issue from a few seasons back, where it seemed as if negotiations are nowhere (they were) and Hossa was mailing in his gameday performances (he was) until he was relocated elsewhere. however, there is no extension on Kovalchuk's contract as of this moment. as a result, the questions and doubts remain and they will until something happens.

after watching practice (and a scrimmage) today, I was thrilled @ the prospect of what this season could become. there's hope on the horizon. this off-season for the Thrashers was the most pro-active I've seen and it still continues to head in that direction, w/ the tryout invites extended to Maxim Afinogenov, Manny Legace, and Dan Fritsche. Max adds speed and experience to the lineup and Legace brings much-needed stability to the goalie position, something the Thrashers lacked b/c of Kari Lehtonen's previous bouts w/ injuries (actually, that's not so previous as Kari is currently working out a back injury) and Johan Hedberg's spontaneity that's been a win-lose situation ever since he's been w/ the team.

seeing players like Kovalchuk smile endlessly, like Slava Kozlov constantly giving Legacy a hard time (that often resulted in much laughter in both players), like 18 year-old Evander Kane try and try and try to push his limits higher and higher in hopes of cracking the squad next month, like Toby Enstrom and Zach Bogosian stepping up into roles that maybe they aren't accustomed to just yet (but they are more than willing to play the part) - it just makes me endlessly happy to know that this Sept is as hopeful as it is for the Atlanta Thrashers and I cannot wait to see what's next for the team as they will battle it out all season long for what really matters - playoff hockey in Atlanta.

dang it, my glass of Kool Aid is all out! :D

the calm before the storm!

I could think of worse ways to spend a Sunday!

sickly, sleepy kitty! :(

to be in Greenpoint!

lazy cats!

this little piggy went to market!

heavy rotations 20:32

it's no secret that I love this record. Fort Nightly had some tremendous high points, but it wasn't that complete. It's Frightening lacks in the high points, but is a very thorough album. opener "Percussion Gun" blows you out from the beginning and is met w/ great tracks like "The Lady Vanishes" and "The Salesman (Tramp Life)" before coming to a close w/ "Leave It at the Door". what's even better abt this band is that I just realized that they are finally trekking down south, stopping @ the Variety Playhouse August 20. so stoked!

I stumbled upon this one a couple of months back when I heard "Coast of Carolina" on XMU. thinking it was a semi-decent indie-pop-rocker, I basked in the glory of what the internets has to offer and did a downloading sample of the self-titled album (i.e. downloaded that mother like it was nothin'). what I found out was that it was a nice, poppy record w/ awesome tracks like "Foreign Room" and "Tokyo". there's nothing ridiculously dynamic about Telekinesis!, but it sure is a fun-as-hell record in the summer time.

after my initial exposure w/ Old World Underground... and appreciation for Live It Out, I was finally thoroughly waiting for a new Metric album, hoping that they would deliver the goods. I didn't know whether I should expect some masterpiece due to tension (Emily Haines drifted away for a while w/ her good solo stuff and apparently the band had trouble during the song-writing for this album) or some dancey good-times. seems that I got a nice mix of both w/ Fantasies. I love love love "Satellite Mind" and shake my tuches to "Gold Guns Girls". there are certainly some great parts of the album, and I really enjoy hearing what I imagine to be Metric playing these songs, back-to-back-to-back in a room, just having the time of their lives.

it's hard to say what I prefer more - the beginning tracks of Lost Souls or Kingdom of Rust. I always thought the first few tracks of their debut swept me off my feet and pulled me out into the ocean to just drift away. but I really am taking a liking to the four or five tracks of their latest effort, w/ the jaw-dropping "10:03" taking the cake. there's something abt this band that is so perfect and you know that they will always get just the right mix of soft and structured songs to complement the pounders. and, seriously now, does "Jetstream" NOT sound like a Depeche Mode Exciter-era b-side or something?!

I'll never claim to be a fan of the hype machine. as a matter of fact, as a pseudo-hipster, I think it's mandatory to flick off the hype machine. and while I'm finding more and more to appreciate about Veckatimest, it doesn't mean that I'm succumbing to the almighty hype machine. I cannot find any flaws w/ "Two Weeks"... and I really think it could be song of the year quality. believe me, it's hard to come to terms w/ something that I've detested so much and now I'm close to head-over-heels w/ this record. it's hard to get enough of this album, and it's very relieving to say that... esp w/ something that's been so... neglected... by me previously.

sunny Vesa!

hope for aneternalsummer 22:29

trip to New York? check.

trip to Lake Wedowee? check.

trip to Mexico Beach, FL? check.

it absolutely sucks that these wonderful summer days are limited. you just want to cram everything into the coming days, knowing that it will come to an end eventually. so, it's just natural to think of the NEXT thing immediately following yr previous excursion. you spend those dreaded work-filled days longing for something else, something that's somehow a little more exciting than the aforementioned vacation/event/happening/etc.

that's why I came up w/ a list of a few things that I want to accomplish before summer's end. fortunately, I still have some time left to achieve these as summers in GA aren't over until, like, Christmas eve or something. :P

1. river tubing in north Georgia

I first found out about this bit of amazingness when I worked @ a school during the spring and early summer months of 2007. I absolutely hated being the, uh, chaperone, driving around a short-bus that had zero air conditioning and was filled w/ the most delinquent teenagers in the country... in Helen, GA... and watching everyone and their mother having the time of their lives, being completely effing lazy and cool in the Chattahoochee River. it was cruel, cruel punishment and I'm ready to get over it by joining the masses!

2. Zoo Atlanta!

this will probably be something saved for later on as it does get quite hot in Atlanta in July and August. but it's a zoo I've wanted to see for a while now. I've been to the Georgia Aquarium enough times that I think I know the daily food specials and when the sea otters take their naps. but I love zoos and it's seemed like the last one I went to was the Bronx Zoo, and that was when I lived in NY. besides, what's cuter than a panda? EXACTLY.

3. ATL Bravos

for a Thrashers fan (or hockey fan, in general), the summers suck. save for free agency, the draft, or prospect camps, there is a complete lack of hockey. there are no games, there are no words, and there are no signs of it existing anywhere. that's where something else has to fill the void, albeit temporarily. enter yr Atlanta Braves. it's hard to say what interacted w/ me first, hockey or baseball, but I think I'm going to have to go for the latter. even though I admit how boring the game is, baseball an essential summertime event and I love the combo of cheap seats, beers, and hot dogs, no matter what time of the year it is.

4. SixFlags White Water

I cannot stand amusement parks (except any and all Disney parks). hate the rides, hate the screaming children, hate the cheesiness. none of it appeals to me. however, when you substitute AMUSEMENT for WATER, I find diff results. I love water slides, lazy rivers, and splashing into pools @ the very end of a ride. would love to check this place out, and soon!

5. Douchebaggery 2009

hopefully there will be more tk in the next few weeks abt this splendid happening!

you know you want to...

welcome back to SONIC!

prospect camp 2009 00:15

DSCF2180.JPG, originally uploaded by robbie dee.

one of the things I love abt the summer is vacation, esp the beach. strangely enough, another thing I look forward to during these ridiculously hot and arid times (at least in ATL) is hockey. about a month out from the Stanley Cup playoffs and just as the FREE AGENT FRENZY (emphasis added, w/ reverb) starts dying out, prospect camp comes around and diminishes those horrible hockey withdrawals for a little while... until September.

every July, some of the Atlanta Thrashers' youngest prospects come to Duluth's Ice Forum for about a week and take part in a camp, the Thrashers' Prospect Development Camp... like a sleep-away camp... only yr parents aren't trying to get rid of you for the summer and there are no pillow fights (yet to be confirmed) and there's no sneaking over to the girls' cabin and there's no horrible camp food, etc. these young'uns are out to prove their worth to the pros that are invested in them. you see, players like recently-drafted Evander Kane have yet to even taste what professional hockey has to offer. while this isn't exactly a crash-course of the NHL life, it provides these kids w/ a glimpse of what it could be like to run w/ the big leagues for a while.

for the past two, maybe three, years, I've made the trip to, a. reduce the noted hockey withdrawals, and, b. see the possible future of my beloved hockey team. every year, there's something/one special. for example, you get sneak-peeks @ players like Toby Enstrom or Zach Bogosian and before they get to skate w/ players like Ilya Kovalchuk or Slava Kozlov on a full-time basis, or, you get to witness some early hazing - as I once witnessed a fellow-camper taking the stick of then-recently-drafted Boris Valabik and put it into the protective net above the boards that are behind the goals, only to have Boris take advantage of his ridiculous height and grab it down, which caused a significant amt of laughs from players/coaches and fan-attendees alike.

it's always a treat to smell a hockey rink during the hazy days of July, hear the sounds of skate-on-ice action instead of the splashing of pool water (not that that's a bad thing), feel the cold sticking to yr bones as opposed to the sweat that lines yr forehead, and see the sport that you love so much when the only sport that gets the attn this time of year is baseball.

up for tomorrow is the first of three scrimmages that are due to take place over the week. the kids have practiced together for two days now and it will be interesting to see who will step it up early and make an impression and who clearly needs more work. there are always surprises @ camp b/c when you usually assume that the "bigger" names (i.e. Kane) have the best game there, some unknown kid to everyone will come and steal the thunder and leave an impression. I cannot wait!

CHICKEN CORDON BLEU! or blue?

strange hitch

Atlanta's achilles heel gets closer 18:26

Antero Niittymaki, originally uploaded by Bydand!.

Thrashers fans of the world are slightly upset. I come home from work today to finally find out that the Tampa Bay Lightning officially signed Antero Niittymaki to serve as back-up to Mike Smith.

this is terrible news out of Tampa and let me tell you why. Niittymaki's career numbers against Atlanta are

did you get that?
12 wins and 0 losses!

the streak against Kari Lehtonen runs even longer than that, dating back to their AHL days in 2004 (or, for that matter, BACK WHEN THEY WERE IN FINLAND!). those 12 wins contribute to Philadelphia's overall record of 25-4-6 against the Atlanta Thrashers.

ALMOST HALF OF A FRANCHISE'S WINS AGAINST A TEAM ARE B/C OF ONE GOALIE.

well, maybe Niitty's presence isn't the ONLY reason why Atlanta has done horrific versus the Flyers, but it definitely plays a large part. there's something about the Thrashers (and Lehtonen in particular) that causes a rise in Philly and Niittymaki is certainly it. each time the Thrashers attempt to play Lehts against his Finnish rival to try to PROVE something or OVERCOME some sort of PERSONAL/TEAM STRUGGLE, it fails miserably. even when Lehts DOESN'T get the start, Niittymaki has a career performance against the Thrashers.

do you see why this move by Tampa should bother Thrashers fans? we play the Lightning eight times over the season. EIGHT. you better believe that Niittymaki will start each and every one of those games until he loses (if that ever happens).

let's hope a change of scenery does Niittymaki terrible and he porks it up while lounging on the beach instead of hanging out by the Liberty Bell and running up and down lots of stairs.

an open letter to Mexico Beach, FL 23:35

DSCF1666.JPG, originally uploaded by robbie dee.

Dear Mexico Beach, FL:

Next week, it's on.

Six hours away,
foocow

the new accessory 22:58

every so often, I splurge on sunglasses. a few years ago, it was a pair of rockin' Arnette Catfish (!) shades, only I ended up losing 'em somehow.

and thus is my problem w/ this type of purchase. I actually shell it out (b/c, you know, spending between 50-100 $ isn't THAT much, but I consider that a luxury), my plan of owning a bitchin' pair of shades works out for an extended period of time, and then it somehow ends up crashing and burning and I either lose 'em or break 'em or do something stupid.

however, I just can't get into simply owning a crappy pair of glasses from, you know, wal-mart. there's zero style w/ their selection, they end up breaking much sooner than my EXPENSIVO glasses would (I'm sure), and they probably cause me to look like a douche. if I'm gonna look like that, I better do it in style, right?!

that's why I'm so very excited to add these to my wardrobe:



hecks yes! can't wait to start sportin' these in the near future!

pontoonin'

greetings from Lake Wedowee!

d-r-a-m-a 23:49

Dany Heatley #15, originally uploaded by Bydand!.

and then there's the drama of the day.

Dany Heatley. where have you gone wrong? well, besides the obv. but not going there.

you get traded out of Atlanta as a, uh, "favor" to Ottawa. you voice lots of sorrow about leaving the South and how you'll somehow make due in Canada's capital... NOT.

things seem to work out for you for the first few years. then things start turning, slowly. your magic chemistry w/ the PIZZA line dissipates, your beloved coach disappears, as does your time on the ice. you cry, throw tantrums, wet the bed @ nite, etc.

from this seemingly PERFECT ENVIRONMENT, you request a trade b/c little Dany doesn't get what he wants, and that's to be a part of a winning team and to have the pucks bounce to you and get the same chicks that Dion Phaneuf and Miikka Kiprusoff get.

but little Dany forgets that w/ his last contact w/ Ottawa, he included a NO-TRADE CLAUSE b/c he loved it so much back in the day! so little Dany dares to provide a list of teams that he wants to play for... which I'm POSITIVE include Atlanta and Edmonton (ha). he doesn't realize that he has a massive contract and not that many teams can take on that kind of attitude salary. as a result, there aren't that many teams just begging Ottawa to take him on.

finally, things appear to work out w/ the blue-collar Edmonton Oilers and they offer a nice deal that makes everyone happy (maybe w/ the exception of Ottawa adding the Dustin Penner deal from a couple of seasons ago) - BUT NOT LITTLE DANY. he moans and squirms and kicks @ the air (a la Martin Havlat, only w/o a body present) and flat out says, "NO!" little Dany gets exactly what he wants - a ticket out of bloody Ottawa - and he STILL denies it b/c little Dany must be sleepin' around w/ Chris Pronger's wife.

basically, Dany Heatley, you're dead to a lot of people. this whole soap opera that you're playing out is absolutely ridiculous. grow up and take what you're given. or, you know what? JUST PLAY HOCKEY AND SHUT EVERYONE (INCLUDING YOURSELF) UP BY PROVING EVERYONE WRONG. I mean, it's your career - is it that difficult?

hey, UFA Day, what'll ya have, what'll ya have? 23:28

Pavel KUBINA (Czech Republic), originally uploaded by Patxi64.

it's UFA Day in the hockey world and that means that you shell out the $$$ for the players you want. if you're in Atlanta and you shell out the $$$, that's still not enough, as evidenced by last year's attempt at trying to secure Brian Campbell.

so what do the Atlanta Thrashers do knowing that they were hard-pressed to lure anyone over here? TRADE! and trade they did, adding a blueliner from Toronto by the name of Pavel Kubina. the move came @ a cost, however, w/ the departures of Garnet Exelby and Colin Stuart. we take away a nice, young PKer in the form of Stuart and a somewhat declining XLB and add a puck-mover that's, as a result, offensively-minded... like Kubina.

in all honesty, I'm saddened by the loss of those two players. XLB was certainly a fan fave in Atlanta and it will be interesting to see how he performs for the Toronto crazies. Stuart has nice potential to become more and more in the league, a la Marc Savard when he was w/ Calgary and the NYR's. who knows how he'll turn out in a few years, but he displayed a lot of promise whenever he was up in the NHL and playing.

but adding Kubina is a step in the right direction. granted, I'm not the IN DEPTH fan I might've been a few years ago, so w/ that said, I'm not too familiar w/ Kubina and his style of play... or his playing habits of the past few seasons. what I keep on hearing is how this move will pay off for Atlanta in the immediate future. hearing that Kubina has another year remaining on his contract, I'm wondering how that will play out in the coming days, up until the end of '09-'10 (if he isn't given an extension before then). I still have yet to see any sort of reaction on his end, so who's to say how Kubina feels about this deal.

while the Thrashers didn't add a single soul from the UFA marketplace, I still feel fairly positive about this first acquisition. there's still the rest of the summer to pluck out some UFAs and we'll see what happens w/ the field as it starts to dwindle. but I think that for once, this first step is the best first step the Thrashers organization has taken in the summer in quite some time.

BACON IN A GLASS!

Evander Kane & ATL 15:08

Giants #9 Evander Kane, originally uploaded by paul clarke photos.

also, big congrats to Evander Kane and the rest of the 2009 class of draftees of the Atlanta Thrashers for the next step of their careers and dreams! I cannot wait to see Kane in a Thrashers jersey in the near future. he's a kid I could see Coach Anderson having a lot of fun w/. he's versatile up front and appears to be genuinely excited to play for Atlanta. here's to prospect camp in a few weeks!

Metric - 2009/06/17 14:04

setlist: Twilight Galaxy/ Help I'm Alive/ Satellite Mind/ Gold Guns Girls/ Handshakes/ Gimme Sympathy/ Sick Muse/ Empty/ Front Row/ Dead Disco/ Stadium Love// Monster Hospital// Live It Out

after seeing Metric about four times or so, I'm very familiar w/ their live set and it's something I really appreciate about the band. one thing that bothered me w/ their last record, Live It Out, was that it seemed to fall a little flat, but in the live setting it was a completely different story; their live show, in the right setting, is exhilarating and flat-out AWESOME. w/ that said, I was greatly anticipating seeing Metric once again and in a completely different setting - their kinda-sorta hometown of New York.

granted, we went to All Points West last year and saw them on the big stage there, but it was an abbreviated set, it was hot, we were waiting for Radiohead, etc. but it was there that we were first exposed to the overwhelmingly EEEGHHHH version of Live It Out. it was slowed down, cheesy, and it really ruined the track for what it is - a loud ending that is desperate, a little furious, and definitely in your face. at APW (and once again @ T5), it seemed like a career-ending song, not in the idea the track is single-handedly killing this band's legacy, but that it now comes across as, "we realize that our time together is limited, so let's enjoy the time we have left and hold on to it as long as possible". that's not what I appreciate about the song (see above). apparently that's not how Emily Haines and Co. feel about it and I guess that's fine. I mean, it IS their song and all, and they can reinterpret it as much as they want to b/c I'm sure it gets old playing the same songs in the same structure for YEARS.

and that's how the show @ T5 went. the new songs from Fantasies sounded nice w/ some interesting arrangements - theremin on opener Twilight Galaxy, Emily Haines w/ her own guitar/bass (I was too far away to make the difference, really) on Gold Guns Girls, etc. but the older songs, even from Live It Out, were given new treatments. as a rabid Smashing Pumpkins fan, I've come to accept and even appreciate remakes of songs in a band's back catalog. w/ Metric's, uh, "reduxing" of tracks like Empty (WHICH, YET AGAIN, KILLS ON RECORD) and Dead Disco and even the instant-winner that is Monster Hospital, I felt the material growing a little older as time passed. I mean, I don't really need to hear random-ass rants during a jam session in the middle of Empty - I just want to shake my hips and move my feet... not think a little about side commentary. once again, I've fallen into this trap in the past w/ Smashing Pumpkins and their ridiculous incarnations of Bullet w/ Butterfly Wings. it's just weird to get the same thing from another band that you feel doesn't quite fall into the schtickyness that, say, Billy Corgan does.

it was very nice to have some personal touches during the show, however. it was clear that the band was excited to play NYC once again and this was stated a few times throughout the gig by Emily and her mates. it's always a special treat to be in a band's hometown (even if Metric split their time between NYC and Montreal) for a gig. there's just a certain vibe about the show that makes it unique and I was fortunate to be a part of that.

it's also amazing to be a part of a crowd that is, plain and simple, INTO THE BAND. so many times I find myself unintentionally STUCK @ a show w/ so-called "fans" that don't want to have a passionate reaction b/c they fear losing SCENE CRED, as if showing support and HAVING FUN damages yr scene points. a highlight of the show was during Dead Disco when the floor just broke loose w/ fans and it seemed as if everyone around me had their hands in the air and was shaking about. it was ridiculously fun to simultaneously be a part of and witness.

the bagel cartel

hell yeah!

the STRONG ISLAND bar scene!

@ Moonshine in Red Hook

curtain call!

absolutely fugly outside the hotel window

Times Square sit-in

the Cooper to the Union