Crib Notes

ATLANTA THRASHERS: It’s rare that I leave a show scolding myself for not using earplugs, but DAMN! that Mark Arm can holler.

Check out Perry Julien’s photos from Mudhoney’s Wed., June 11 show at the EARL — all the more impressive considering the sweating, screaming, thrashing pit of fans in front of the stage. The band’s latest album, The Lucky Ones, is out now on Sub Pop.

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I’m a creep. You’ll probably think I’m a weirdo, too, when you hear what I’m about to say.

I think Radiohead can be kinda boring live.

There, I said it. Unleash the hounds. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love Radiohead, and I’m not disputing the fact that Radiohead is one of the greatest bands of all time. But I’ve seen the band before and it’s been fairly unmemorable — except for the fact that I can recall not even being able to give away an extra ticket we had the last time they came through Atlanta. So this time my friends and I hit Lakewood ticketless, all scored lawn seats for $20, and then snuck into the covered seating for the show. Lakewood can be a very cheap date.

The stage setup was incredible, with its blazing light show reflecting off of stalactite-like rods dripping down from the roof. Cameras filmed individual bandmembers throughout the show, and all of the black-and-white footage played simultaneously in separate blocks on a long, wide screen backdrop.

Radiohead did sound incredible. They played from just about every album except Pablo Honey, and highlights included “Idioteque”, “Bangers & Mash”, “Just” and “Paranoid Android” into “House of Cards” for the final encore.”Just” alone was worth the price of admission (if you paid what I did). As one of my friends who was there put it, “Few bands can completely recreate live, the sounds on their records like Radiohead can.” He’s right and it’s an impressive feat, given the music’s complexity. Still, some of the slower songs can be taxing live, and I find myself itching for songs such as “Just.”

The show was simple, tight and definitely more memorable than the last time. I’d certainly see them again, but I wouldn’t pay more than $20.

Check out the photo slideshow below for shots of Thom Yorke thrashing about on stage in his dancing fits, among other highlights.

[iframe]atlanta.creativeloafing.com/slideshows/RadioheadSlideshow/[/iframe]

Creative Loafing Atlanta is looking for a visual arts writer with the knowledge, wit and point-of-view to become Atlanta’s next great arts critic.

Check out PopSmart for more info.

Winehouse’s husband Blake Fielder-Civil was arrested today in London. Fielder-Civil, due in court next week on charges of beating bartender James King, is accused of “perverting the course of justice” by allegedly offering King £200,000 not to testify, the Times of London reports. National newspaper the Daily Mirror apparently tipped off cops who busted down the couple’s door last night and found the house empty.

If he’s found guilty, Fielder-Civil could be sentenced to life in prison.

Recently, bad press concerning drugs, fighting and general bad behavior has entrenched the songstress and her “better half,” overshadowing Winehouse’s musical successes.

For more about Winehouse and her music, check out her website, www.amywinehouse.co.uk.

“Welcome to the Variety Playhouse, may I take your order?”

“Uh, yes. I’ll have the pop-star combo No. 3 with the extra-catchy sing-along sauce. For here.”

When Ben Kweller, aka BK, plays a show, which he did twice this week in Atlanta, toes tap, young girls swoon and the whole crowd sings along. Kweller’s got a knack for the kind of pop that made teenyboppers scream at Beatles shows. But he’s not formulaic; he’s for real, writing clever and heartfelt (if sometimes a little sappy) lyrics.

At Tuesday night’s Variety Playhouse performance, Kweller bounced around on stage, curly locks flopping, as infected by his melodic do do dos and ba ba bas as the crowd was. He did a rocking acoustic cover of the inescapable “Ice Ice Baby” (what is it with my generation and that song?) and picked a bit of the Deliverance theme – OK choices, but not as exciting as his “La Bamba”/“Twist & Shout”/“Undone (the Sweater Song)” trio at Sunday’s Unplugged in the Park.

The set list contained ditties from all three full-length albums, including “Commerce, TX” (Sha Sha), “I Need You Back” (On My Way) and “Thirteen” (Ben Kweller).

(Photo by Ray Lego)