Tag: Music

The Honeymoon’s Over.

“It was unbelievable. They didn’t show a lot of what really went on with the enemy attacks and the shelling. There was so much stuff that went on and somehow the tapes got mysteriously misplaced.” Jessica Simpson discovers her and husband Nick Lachey’s experiences in Iraq have been edited down for carefree consumption. Yep, they keep lyin’ when they oughta be truthin‘.

Terrible Lie(s).

Exemplifying MTV’s consistent downward spiral since the heady days of Rock the Vote and Randee of the Redwoods (yes, I just dated myself), Nine Inch Nails drops out of a performance at the Movie Awards after the network got nervous about (gasp!) a “partisan political statement.” “‘We were set to perform “The Hand That Feeds” with an unmolested, straightforward image of George W. Bush as the backdrop. Apparently, the image of our president is as offensive to MTV as it is to me,’ Nine Inch Nails’ leader Trent Reznor said in a statement posted on the band’s Web site.” Hmmm. Well, maybe the Breakfast Club will pick up Reznor’s standard… (Last link via Freakgirl.)

This ain’t a dream no more.

“‘He never missed a single Little League game I had. He’s collected every home run ball I ever hit. And he’s still affectionate to me.’ He paused and smiled. ‘Maybe he doesn’t want people to know that,’ he said. ‘But I’ll tell you, because it’s my interview.'” On the eve of The Wallflowers‘ fifth album, Jakob Dylan relents and opens up about his famous father.

Video killed the Death Star.

Lucasfilm releases a Episode III music video entitled A Hero Falls, which includes occasional bits of new footage scattered amongst the trailer stuff (as well as some cringeworthy Hayden Christiansen line readings.) For what it’s worth, John Williams’ Sith score (which will include an impressive-sounding DVD of music from all six films) generally sounds much darker and more intriguing than this rather bland excerpt.

Also in SW news, Episode III gets the Corliss treatment for a Time cover story which includes this gallery from the film. (Hey, I’ll take it over Ann Coulter.) And, in another cover story, Wired queries George Lucas about his post-SW plans. “‘I’ve earned the right to just make things that I find provocative in my own way,’ he says. ‘I’ve earned the right to fail, which means making what I think are really great movies that no one wants to see.’

Ladies and Gentlemen…

Bob at the Beacon, Night 3 (for me) [Monday/Tuesday]:

Maggie’s Farm / To Ramona / Cry A While / Bye And Bye / Ballad Of Hollis Brown / If You See Her, Say Hello / Lenny Bruce / Honest With Me / The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll / High Water (For Charley Patton) / I Shall Be Released / Highway 61 Revisited

Encore: Po’ Boy / All Along The Watchtower

In all honesty, I think this was my least favorite setlist of the three shows (that missed Wednesday gig still haunts me.) Although I did get to hear my favorite song on Love & Theft this time around — “Cry A While” — I generally prefer the Time Out of Mind cuts when it comes to the new stuff. Still, the show wasn’t a bad one by any means, and while my own personal highlights came early in “Maggie’s Farm” and “If you See Her, Say Hello,” it was also nice to hear “Hollis,” “Hattie,” and “I Shall Be Released.” (And even after two previous shows, nine of tonight’s 14 songs were new to me during this Beacon stand.)

So, that wraps up this leg of the Never-Ending Tour…Next up for Dylan: A ball park summer swing with Willie Nelson, which unfortunately won’t be making it to the city. Catch it if you can. (And by the way, if you ever hit up the Beacon for a summer show, dress light. It’s a great venue in terms of acoustics and view, but the air flow in there leaves something to be desired.)

Subterranean Homesick Blues.

Aw, man. Drifter’s Escape, Senor (Tales Of Yankee Power), Girl Of The North Country, Tangled Up In Blue, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, and Blind Willie McTell? That’s a killer setlist, and no mistake. Monday and Tuesday were both grand, but I hope at least some of these cuts — particularly Senor and Willie — show up on Dylan’s Saturday night closer. Update: Shelter from the Storm, Love Sick, Not Dark Yet, and Things Have Changed? Bob, you’re killing me.

…Columbia Records’…

Night #2 of Bob’s Beacon Stand:

Tombstone Blues / Love Minus Zero/No Limit / Lonesome Day Blues / This Wheel’s on Fire / Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum / John Brown / Under the Red Sky (Listen here) / Highway 61 Revisited / Bye and Bye / Shooting Star (Listen here) / Honest With Me / Masters of War

Encore: Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right / All Along the Watchtower

So, only two repeats from last night (Highway 61, Watchtower) in a 14-song setlist…that’s not bad at all. Tonight’s choices were more esoteric than Monday’s show, with “This Wheel’s on Fire” and “John Brown” the main standouts in the middle going. “Masters of War” has been given a spooky and even somewhat jarring update — as my friend Jeremy noted, it’s not exactly the type of song you expect to rock out to. And, while I don’t think I was as moved in this show as I was by “Visions of Johanna” or “Desolation Row” the night before (the stifling heat in the upper deck cheap seats didn’t help), any evening in which you hear the freewheelin’ Bob Dylan perform “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” has to go down as a good one.

Unfortunately, we missed Amos Lee this time around. As for Merle & the Strangers, I’d say their setlist was about 50-60% the same, although, Greatest Hits-wise, “Silver Wings” and “Okie from Muskogee” had been replaced by “The Bottle Let Me Down” and “Are the Good Times Really Over.” And, on both nights, Haggard has crooned a ditty called something like “Wish I Was Thirty Again,” which strikes a favorable chord in this corner.

At any rate, I’ll be missing the next two shows, but am greatly looking forward to the last stop of this tour, Saturday night at the Beacon. (Yea, I know three shows is kinda decadent, but tix went on sale the Tuesday morning after Hunter checked out, and it seemed to me then that it’s worth catching Dylan as many times as possible if given the opportunity. Two shows into this swing, I’m not regretting my decision at all.)