Vibes blog

A couple of weeks ago, I went to my high school reunion. I have no desire to tell you how old I am so we’ll refer to it as the __th year reunion. If you’ve read many of my weekly posts, you know I occasionally (read: every week) like to rail on the state of pop music and zing the likes of Lady Ga(g) Ga(g), Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers.

I like to think that I know good music when I hear it, and of course make fun of bad music because it’s fun. Fast forward to high school reunion ’09 or as I like to call it – “The Day Bad Music Reigned Supreme”. Let’s just say that when the dj fires up “Pony” by Ginuwine, the night is heading downhill quickly.

What does this mean? We all like bad music at some point in our lives. And we all like to think the songs we heard and listened to over and over and over again back in high school were great and meaningful and world changing. I mean “Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm” by Crash Test Dummies should be the song they play in the background for all those starving kid commercials right? It’s a DEEP song!! Maybe not. (more…)

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“I know that for some musicians, writing songs is like therapy and the way they get their emotions out,” says Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Robert Francis. “But for me it’s more than an outlet — it’s a way to keep me from completely losing my mind.”

Meet Robert Francis. When reading the above quote you might think that this is just another artist trying to sound good in an interview. Not this time. I had the opportunity to speak with Francis before his show in support of Noah and the Whale in Pontiac, Mich., and one thing is for sure – Robert Francis puts everything he has into his music, and he does it well. When speaking with him, I learned that he had just gotten out of the van after driving for six hours to the Michigan show. From there he would be off to Toronto, and then make the drive over to New York City for a 3-day gig. Let’s just say that’s a whole lot of van time.

The first thing you notice when talking with Robert is his humble, down-to-earth view on life and his career. Throughout the interview he repeatedly thanked me for my time and for the praise I gave him for his album Before Nightfall. When I asked him about the theme of the album, looking back on a failed relationship, Francis said, “It’s all about being comfortable in one ’s self. Accepting reality as it is, especially when you’ve been haunted by something for so long. This record puts all that to rest.” (more…)

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So, it’s time for Halloween. That one time of year where you can dress up like the opposite sex, get really drunk and jump out and scare people – and actually not get arrested. Where ladies can dress like a nun – if said nun was a hooker in her spare time. Or a nurse – if this particular nurse was a hooker on the weekends. Or a cop – if this cop was… you get the idea. Every year, you always gather around the t.v. and watch scary movies. You know like Dirty Dancing, Steel Magnolias, or anything with Matthew McConaughey.

And the radio stations and djs play those always popular spooky tracks. But here’s where they get it wrong. They always play “Thriller” or “Monster Mash.” They might get really wild and break out “Weird Science”. The problem is simple. These songs aren’t scary. There are plenty of scarier options. So djs and party goers, if you really want to freak out the crowd, just fire up one of these diddies – if you dare! (more…)

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Wait, I’ve seen this movie before. Yeah, it’s called Groundhog Day, but this version isn’t funny. It’s actually pretty damn sad. Yes, I am referring to our hometown NFLers, the Carolina Panthers. And yes, you can add me to the list of fans that are none-to-happy and a little (see: LOT) ticked. In case last year’s season finale – in the playoffs, at home no less – wasn’t bad enough, we had to endure the Week 1 shellacking that felt eerily like a scene from The Bad News Bears Try Football.

Watching quarterback Jake Delhomme (that’s pronounced Go-Home!) forget which team he plays for – four separate times – was about as depressing as watching Kayne make an idiot of himself on national television.

But enough about all that — you watched, you don’t need a reminder. So instead, I thought I’d give you a glimpse at what the Panther’s players might be rockin’ out to on their iPods this week. You know, in order to get their minds off Week 1 and onto Week 2 – which might soon be known as The Replacements Pt 2. If you’d like, you can make your own playlist. Just title it the Poo Poo Platter Playlist – keep it easy to find.

Coach John Fox – “The Heat is On” by Glenn Fry – The man who continues to back the wrong horse has to know that if Jake goes, he goes. To the unemployment line.

Jake Delhomme - “Here Comes the Rain Again” by Eurhythmics – A number of songs work here for Jake – “Hit the “Road Jake,” “Color Blind” (Counting Crows), “That Smell” (Lynyrd Skynyrd).

Owner Jerry Richardson - “This Old Heart of Mine” by Rod Stewart – Poor Jerry’s new heart doesn’t deserve this treatment.

Steve Smith & DeAngelo Williams – “Wasting My Time” by Default – The two best players on the team might be wasting one of the few pro bowl years of their career.

Julius Peppers – “Take the Money and Run” by Steve Miller Band – Because the team owes Peppers $19 million this year, they couldn’t afford anyone else in the off-season – so he shouldn’t go blameless. Oh, and he’ll be gone within a week of free agency at season’s end.

The Entire Defense – “Workin’ Overtime” by Diana Ross – Most will earn their paychecks this year (see: Peppers).

The Fans – “Think I’ll Just Sit Here and Drink” by Merle Haggard – If the seasons continues down this road, there’ll be lots of empty seats at BofA Stadium and lots of full barstools at the local watering holes.

Did I miss any? And look on the bright side – the Bobcat’s season kicks off in just two short months… oh wait, nervermind.

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One of the most common questions I get asked from friends from out of town is “What the hell is there to do in Charlotte?” Or some similar version to that.

The thought by many of those new or visiting the area is that there just aren’t that many cool, unique places to go in Charlotte, or at least they haven’t heard of any. I, as most of you, beg to differ.

Charlotte might not be New York City, but you can have a helluva time for a fraction of the Big Apple price. You just have to know where to go of course. But have no fear, here’s a list of the “must-see” places in the Queen City where a visitor (or regular for that matter) needs to make an appearance. In travel guide style, of course:

THURSDAY
We’ll start on a Thursday night to make sure we hit all our stops.

Area: Derita

Location: Puckett’s Farm Equipment — What better place to hear real southern rockabilly and country than in an old building that used to sell farm equipment? Grab a PBR draft in a plastic cup for a buck, sit back and enjoy. If you don’t feel the essence of southern hospitality here, you ain’t gonna anywhere.

FRIDAY
Now that we’ve gotten you acquainted, let’s crank it up a notch.

Area: NoDa

Location: Start at the Rat’s Nest. Grab a free beer from the bathroom, roam the aisles and find a classic concert tee from George Jones, Willie Nelson or even New Kids on the Block. Grab a pair of used cowboy boots (wear ‘em out the rest of the night — blend, baby, blend) and head over to The Evening Muse or Neighborhood Theatre (or on a Gallery Crawl night both). Enjoy some of the finest acts around and once the show is over, if you’re lucky, the boys at the Rat’s Nest will be banging out the country covers out back (with, of course, more bathroom beverages).

SATURDAY
Check the latest Creative Loafing and pick the best act at Visulite, Tremont Music Hall, Amos’ Southend or Snug Harbor. After the show, head to the Thirsty Beaver for a night cap (and maybe get lucky and hear the house-band Loose Lugnuts pound out outlaw country covers), then head over to the Penguin Grill for some grease, another beer or three, and the best people watchin’ in town.

SUNDAY
Head over to The Original Pancake House for the perfect beer sponge (with a fruit topping of your choice). Tell stories of the weekend… Or at least what you remember.

Complete the above and consider yourself a member of the Royal family. Of course, fearless readers, I probably forgot something/somewhere. Let me, and the rest, know what other royal places are out there.

Special thanks to Kirk “Underground” Andrews for contributing to this post.

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“I’ll be back!” – Arnold “The Governator” Schwarzenegger, Terminator, 1984.

You have to admit, Arnold wasn’t playin’ around. The ’80s are back. Some of you might argue that they really never left, but the year 2009 has defintely become the Year of The ’80s. Just take a look around:

Crue Fest headlined by Hair Metal icons Motley Crue just rolled thorugh town. And don’t forget that you might have also seen Poison, Def Leppard, Foreigner, The B-52’s, Styx, REO Speedwagon, .38 Special and Cheap Trick. Oh, and you can still catch Journey, Heart, The Cure and The Psychedelic Furs before the end of the year.

’80s bands are also making NEW music. Depeche Mode, Bon Jovi, Metallica and the aforementioned Motley Crue and B-52’s. Just play the hits and let us sing along thanks.

As previously mentioned in this space, ’80s songs are the current cover-of-the-minute genre with “Careless Whisper,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” “Right Round” (by hip–hop artist Flo-Rida), and “Billie Jean” to name a few.

There seems to be a bit of a perfect storm happening to help this phenomenon. With the deaths of the King of Pop (M.J.), and the King of Teen Movies (John Hughes), ’80s music rules the charts and ’80s movies have commandeered your TV.

And don’t forget your favorite ’80s movies and shows making an appearance at the theatre. Halloween 2 just opened in theatres, Friday the 13th just hit the shelves at Blockbuster, and Transformers and G.I. Joe are still around, too. With movie versions/remakes of The A Team, Footloose, Nightmare on Elm Street and even The Karate Kid in the works, the ’80s won’t be leaving the scene any time soon.

The only question now is “Will it EVER stop?” Remember when reliving the ’80s was fun? You’d go to ’80s night at the club (or just go to The Breakfast Club), catch an ’80s cover band, or find yourself channel surfing and stopping when “Girls, Girls, Girls” came on the radio? Now, the ’80s are everywhere and the motto seems to be why try something new when you can just recycle the old stuff.

If the 20-teens look anything like the first decade of the 2000s, the Grunge Revival is just around the corner. Wake up Eddie Vedder, you’ve got some work to do.

So, fearless readers, do you agree? Are the ’80s overstaying their welcome, or just here to stay?

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What happened to the days when an ENTIRE album was good?

Ok, pop quiz — What was the last album you bought? Easy question, right? Now, a harder one — When was the last time you enjoyed an album so much you could listen to it end-to-end? Harder, right?

While you’re thinking, it seems that the days of a good ALBUM may be behind us. For three main reasons:

1. In the digital/internet age, people can download just their favorite songs – if an artist has a couple good hits, it’s considered a successful album.

2. Today’s “albums” just aren’t that good from beginning to end.

3. Today’s artists just aren’t as good. Or at least that which makes the heavy rotation on radio airwaves.

I remember in the not-so-distant past that when you wanted to get your favorite song, you had to shell out $15-$20 bucks for the whole CD. Now, an album is like an elementary school dodge-ball game. The best songs get picked quickly, and the other, not-so-talented players, are left on the bench.

If you’re like me, you want the ability to put in one CD and let it play – able to enjoy the entire experience. Today, you’d better build your own play list to accomplish such a feat.

So, if you find yourself in the same quandary as me, I offer you the following list of great ALBUMS to listen to. Without further ado, here they are in no particular order:

* AC/DC’s Live — I intentionally left greatest hits albums off the list but a couple live albums make the cut. Nothing more fun than AC/DC at full tilt.

* Michael Jackson’s Thriller — Easiest pick on the list. You could re-release this album brand new, and it’d be number one all over again (and not just because Michael left us).

* Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. — There may be better Bruce songs than on this album, but no album is better cover-to-cover. May explain why seven of the 12 tracks were top-10 hits.

* Johnny Cash’s At Folsom Prison — The second live album on the list – but this captures the Man in Black in his heyday finest.

* U2’s Joshua Tree — Yup.

* Elvis’ The Sun Sessions — Notice a trend occurring on this list? They don’t make ‘em like they used to.

* 2Pac’s All Eyez on Me — Rap makes an appearance with this trend setter.

* Pearl Jam’s Ten – You may not appreciate grunge, but can still appreciate Pearl Jam.

* The Beatles’ Revolver — Hardest part is which album makes the list.

* Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main St. — See: Beatles.

* Prince’s Purple Rain – Yes, it’s a soundtrack. And yes, it’s awesome.

What’d I miss? Which Clapton, Wonder, southern rock or legend did I leave off? And don’t say Pink Floyd.

So try an album out for a change, your OCD will appreciate the time off…

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So I was riding to work the other morning, satellite radio jamming, and I heard the familiar guitar licks of one of my favorite songs, Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy.” My happiness, to my dismay, was short-lived. Once the vocals started, and the voice of Brandon Boyd, lead singer on Incubus, started, I quickly realized that Prince had become yet another victim to cover-song-itis. A disease that has been around forever and shows no signs of slowing down. Ironically enough, the very next song was a remake of the WHAM! emo-hit, “Careless Whisper.” My first thought was “do we really need covers of George Michael songs floating around and melting the minds of another generation??” But there is a bigger, more serious issue here: Are cover songs a good thing? Is imitation really the best form of flattery? The answer appears to be yes and no. (more…)

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We all have one song we know we shouldn’t like – but do anyway. So, here it goes.. I think I am about to lose some credibility. Assuming that I even had any with you, the fearless readers, to begin with.

I like Katy Perry’s song “Waking up in Vegas.” There. I said it. The truth is out. Do with it what you will. I can’t help it. I don’t like Katy Perry. I don’t like most pop music that’s out there today. With acts like Lady Ga(g) Ga(g), the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus roaming the pop currents like a great white taking out baby seals on Shark Week, I try to avoid those waters at all costs. Yet, somehow, there seems to be that stray pop tune that makes it through my defenses, and becomes the guilty pleasure I can’t seem to get enough of. (more…)

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In these times of recession, there appears to be a consistent message coming from you, the fearless reader. “It costs too much to see live music, and when I do go, it costs WAY too much for beer.” That’ss why I’m here to let you in on a recession-proof opportunity. A way to enjoy the fun of live music, with an ice cold beverage in your hand, all for the low, low price of – FREE!

Tucked away in the mystical land of NoDa, is a small establishment known as the Rat’s Nest. For almost five years, the brothers (and sister) Wilson, have been offering a service you won’t find anywhere else. Vintage clothes are officially the draw, but once you walk in, you’ll quickly see that The Nest offers much more. Within 10 seconds of your arrival, you’ll be asked if you’d like a beer. If you so choose, one will be delivered from the fridge – located in the bathroom. That’s right, so far we have free beer. (more…)

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