I'm a sleepy girl, but still excited by what i like to call "football in florida"

what a long day in orlando, so long that i'm going to write in all lower case and we haven't even gotten close to sunday yet!  my body aches so much that i can't wait to get a massage when i'm home, even though i went on an indefinite hiatus after that incident in hawaii, which i am currently laughing about all by myself in my hotel room.  and why i share that story is beyond me.  also, why i answer the phone in the middle of the night and pretend that i've been awake all along is something that i don't get.  its even better when your friend who calls just laughs at you and yells lauer go back to sleep, i deny that i was ever asleep and then chat for twenty minutes in delirious jess voice.  

okay, i'm rambly.  things are good down here, even with the body aches and lack of sleep-i'd be ready to embrace my insomnia if i had someone to keep me company like back at nd when i'd roam campus at all hours, wishing for sleep.  

onto today's celebrity sightings!  i'm sharing a floor with jessica simpson and michael phelps (who are not in the same suite).  haven't seen romo yet, but matt ryan is here and his girlfriend has fantastic legs, which i almost told her.  howie long is here, too.  we're still trying to figure out who the humongous man in the blue ferrari might be.  

and if you're wondering what the boss might play on sunday, rumor has it that dress included tenth avenue, btr, working on a dream, and glory days.  we'll see how good my sources are on sunday.  

i'm diving into bed for a few hours...

Celebrity Sighting! I've Only Got Eyes for Archie

Peyton or Eli?  I don't really care, there's only one blue-eyed Manning that makes my heart beat faster.  We were walking through the hotel to dinner last night and completely blew past Eli and wife in the elevators without realizing who they were.  Of the nine of us, only one picked them out and everyone still questioned her, but coming back from dinner our paths crossed again and this time Archie was with them!  I spotted that man from a few football fields away in the cavernous hallways connecting the Ritz and the JW.

I get really excited when I see Archie, in person or on TV and this all dates back to grad school when we were working in New Orleans (pre-Katrina, but with plenty of hurricanes consumed by the group).  We held an event at the Super Dome and Archie was our celebrity that night.  While Amy and I kept running in and out of the tunnel in an attempt to produce the perfect photo, Mr. Manning was coming through.  We started chatting with him, took a photo and asked him to run through the tunnel with us.  "Ladies, these knees haven't run in 20 years," he tells us.  "Okay," I said, "we'll just fast walk then."

The New Orleans weather gave me some serious Monica hair.  

So I'm Going to Miss LOST Tonight...

Hey--if you're my friend and not an anonymous stranger on the blog, DO NOT RUIN LOST FOR ME.  I won't be back in my house until next Wednesday, so please no spoilers.  There is a good chance of me hiding and watching in my hotel room late, late at night when I should get a few precious hours of sleep.  I didn't even get to read Doc Jensen until last Sunday night--a sin, I know!  

While I've given up on Kate ever having a solid love story on or off the island, I have nothing but love for Penny and Des(mond).  Ebele and I were emailing over the last week and I couldn't help but watch the constant again as we discussed our LOST loves.  I'm a sap (shhh!  don't tell anyone) and it makes me think of the constant in my life, although with my luck he has no idea and I'd be lost to some wrinkle in time ;)

Watch and if you aren't touched, you have a heart of stone, just like my little sister.  

I Need FBF Down Here for Celebrity Identification

Can you pick this guy out of a crowd? I can't.

Yesterday when we were checking into the hotel, a bunch of tall dudes in practice gear rolled through the lobby. I said, well those must be basketball players and just as I was spotting the Pacers on their uniform, Mike spotted Hibbert walking by and beat me to the realization of who these guys were. Since then, we've seen a lot of large guys, who must be football players.

I am awful at this celebrity spotting. FBF is just the opposite. Whenever we traveled together, he was always finding random celebrities, all the way down to the D-list. Only FBF would know what Elliott from ET looks like 20+ years later while we're out in L.A. or know that a former player from the Pistons in the 70s was eating a few tables from us at an airport Chili's. Then there's the night we were out and Ja Rule was a table away from us. When a fight broke out, FBF was convinced it was going to be a gun fight and threw me up against a wall and wouldn't let me out from behind him. Maybe his celebrity spotting and making friends with the paparazzi on that trip went too far as he jumped to conclusions over a little fist fight. Either way, I wish he were here.

(To this day it still makes me smile that FBF's most noble/honorable moment came at a club in L.A., as he likes to remind me that he was willing to take a bullet for me.)

That's a lot of Butter!

A certain relative of mine might have a tendency to buy things in bulk.  This created a fantastic game for Jody in college as we would play guess how many boxes of cereal, rolls of gift wrap, laundry detergent would be in the house at once.  Then when I was home from grad school, I opened the fridge to find this.  The photo has been passed around among my friends and I was reminded of it at William Eggleston's photography exhibit at The Whitney a few weeks ago.  He had some fun fridge photos, but none with as much butter as my mother!

If you're afraid of turning into a butter hoarder or maybe like me you developed a slight addiction to the Scottish peanut butter you found abroad and brought jar upon jar home, this chart will clue you in as to when it's time to toss it.  Those perishables go bad much sooner than you'd expect!  I keep telling my mom to print it out for her fridge right next to the adorable kid photos of me. 

It's Time for Another Road Trip!

The Shannon

Hey there...it's after midnight and my bag is nowhere near being packed, but that's okay, because in 8 hours I'll be on a plane heading south for the week.  Sure, it's to Orlando, one of my least favorite cities (See PGA Show trip with Tommy), but it's horribly cold up north and I need to get out of here.

While I'm still not sleeping, I'm at least mentally refreshed after a weekend with some of my favorite college friends in CT & Hoboken.  It was fantastic being with the three of them and something that I was in desperate need of...they're like home to me, minus that whole boring state of Ohio thing.  After the world's worst buck hunter experience, I redeemed myself at darts...possibly with a little too much celebration.  (Kelly, if the wall hadn't been there, I would've had a trip to rival the best of yours.)

I'll be back in a week and hope to accomplish the following things in Florida:

-Gain any sort of color on my ghostly body

-Wake up super early to swim a few mornings in the outdoor pool

-Reunite with Boom Boom, who I haven't seen since Pro Bowl '07.  Let's just say he enjoyed me a little more than Jeff Garcia, which isn't saying much :)

Where's your hand Boomer?  Oh there it is, on my hip.  

Boom Boom is good, but Romo is better.

Next Tuesday I'm flying back in the afternoon for a few hours of roaming around the city, before hitting the Tibet House Benefit at Carnegie Hall.  And best of all, The National are performing so I'll get to see them again before they hit the studio.  Plus, this is my first trip to Carnegie.  I am such a transplant.

The National - Gospel (live at BAM)

(This song as the second encore made my night at BAM last February.  It's all I wanted to hear and after they did the usual encore, I didn't think it would happen, but the music gods were looking down on me that weekend.)

Jessi's Reading 1.26.8

Okay, two quick posts here.  

I tend to scan the headlines at Pitchfork, read the guest list and occasionally click on something.  Last night I went for an article about 808s & Heartbreak and ended up in the midst of a touching tribute to a friend.  So interesting how one event can completely remove most of your music library from potential listening, while you hone in on that one album that fits.  

I wanted to post the Pitchfork article last night, but I needed something to temper its mood and found it this morning in Slate's piece on Billy Joel.  (Confession:  I once made a Best Hits by Jessi of Billy Joel and it ended up needing to go on 2 discs, as maybe two or three songs couldn't fit on the first one.  It was a struggle to fill the second one, even with a BJ loving friend's collection so readily accessible.) 

Pianoman kicks off Rosenbaum's song-by-song analysis.  How could he miss the Pavlovian response that this song creates in me (and others)?  Ever since a trip in 2002, I hear this song, my body starts to shut down, and I need to be in a bed before the final chord, giving me just a few minutes to sway with my drink in hand, before darting upstairs to brush my teeth and fall into bed. While this might cure me of my insomnia, I'd much rather lay in bed listening to my favorite heartbreak albums of the last year, waiting for sleep to finally grace me.

P.S.  I'm already waiting for the 'Jessi--how dare you say that about BJ?' from a few fans in my life.

Happy Inauguration Day from Me, Plus Freeland & Daft Punk!!

Welcome to office, Barack and Biden!  I missed the fun of live blogging or joining the live emails between Jody and Woody and the sports agency might have lost about 120 billable hours today, as we could all be found around the office TVs watching the inauguration--but this is history or at least that's what we kept telling our bosses before they ended up joining us.

I'm still feeling the post-inauguration excitement and had to share this little electronic gem that showed up in my inbox this afternoon.  Unfortunately, we all know that I'll be hearing it over and over as I fail to fall asleep again tonight, but the fact that Woody will be hearing it in his head all day tomorrow completely makes up for it.  

From Adam Freeland's Daft Punk mashup, here's Aer Obama, full of mixed media and stop motion videography.  A labor of love, you might call it.  

08 Retrospective...Part 5

Yay!! While writing a retrospective is fun and turns me all nostalgic, having to post it can drag on for days, which turn into weeks. Here's the final part of our series, which was supposed to cover five consecutive days, but I'm a tired girl most night after the pool or yoga!!

OBAMA! - You had me at hope. You had me at hope! So what, not only are you following W in the presidency, but the world is in the shitter, all those rich finance people have 4ucked up the world, and a bunch of groups want to annihilate each other. But you, my beautiful, awe-inspiring almost-president are already in DC and I am still full of hope and ready for change. Also, you were a fabulous way to vet anyone I met in ’08, because we all know that Jessi could never settle down with a Republican (okay, minus a few, very select guys, but I never said that aloud, blog).

Seeing Bon Iver - I go to concerts because I love the music, but there’s always that hope of that occasional show that turns into something communal, almost spiritual...where you are no longer just yourself, but part of a random group of music-loving strangers in some hall in Brooklyn. This show was that for me--and as often as I'd heard the collective chorus of the audience on the live tapes of his shows, it still gave me a slight chill when everyone joined in on The Wolves...talk about a collective heartbreak.

I first found Bon Iver after reading the comments on nyctaper’s The National at BAM concert, where someone asked what song the band walked out to--turns out that it was Flume and nyctaper was recording Bon Iver and Black Mountain the next day. Then came the album, and the numerous shows on NPR, before I finally saw him live at the end of July. After that show, I knew that it was unlikely to be topped for awhile, making it the perfect culmination to a magnificent stretch that began with The National and Dax Riggs at the end of February.

I adore Justin Vernon's story, but kept watching Mike Noyce playing on stage--he'd taken guitar (and life) lessons from Justin while he was growing up. When Justin started touring, he put in a call to Mike who decided to leave college and join him. When I saw them this spring, it was just a few days after Mike's 21st birthday. How remarkable and amazing to be presented with such a unique opportunity to travel the country with your old friend and teacher.

The Blog Correspondents - I didn’t even tell my closest circle about this thing until a few months in, but they jumped at the idea of being a correspondent. Now just to get some photography lessons for Jody, to stop being jealous of the shows Kelly sees and to convince Woody that Vegas cover bands and country shows are not the best. Thanks to Phil and Em for their spontaneous contributions to the blog, too. You make me laugh and smile as I read your emails and I'm looking forward to more blurry photos and concerts in 2009.

The Waterfalls in NYC - I thought it was odd during the day, but they looked gorgeous gazing across to Brooklyn from the South Street Seaport.

Throwing Plates - I see Vicky, Christina, Barcelona and all I want to do is throw plates at a certain someone for weeks. Luckily for him, he lives a little ways away and is usually oblivious to my rage or else he might have had a serving platter, dinner plate, salad plate or saucer thrown at him. Once I reached the saucer size, we knew I was okay again.

Also, one of your friends should never tell you that you remind him of the Scarlett Johansson character before you see the movie, as you will psychoanalyze yourself the entire time. Nevertheless, I’ve always loved Penelope Cruz and fully embrace her crazy plate throwing at her ex-lover.

St. Patty’s in Chicago - Thank you work travels for letting me spend most of March in Chicago with The Kelly, Dominic, Emily, Mary, Chrissy and Ned, among others. We had brunch on St. Patty’s Day, then spent the next 11 hours or so at the corner table in the bar. Nicole from OU managed to find me later in the evening. Kelly and I showed a lot of shoulder.

Dax Riggs - Such a mournful voice from the bayou with songs about death and sadness, but I could listen to him forever. My brother introduced me to Dax, then playing as Deadboy and the Elephantmen six years ago and I’d only seen him at Lollapalooza before catching him at Maxwell’s in Hoboken with maybe 50 other people. I made a new friend that night who was equally obsessed with Dax, bought Dax a drink after she left and didn’t even have to walk all the way back to Court Street that night. I'm still kicking myself that my brother couldn't make it in for the weekend, but it was fun to call and text him throughout.

Maine with Mom & Dad - My parents met me in Boston where I was working and we headed up to Maine for a long weekend together. We came to know the streets, lighthouses and waters of Portland, while a trip to Acadia made for a beautiful day.

Joey Hebdo - While I never wrote about Joey during the year, I did occasionally refer to him as Dread Zeppelin, our nickname for him when we lived in Athens. Little did I know that Dread Zeppelin is a reggae Zep cover band until people started googling them :) During grad school, you could usually find Kupper, Woody, Phil, occasionally Joe, and I at the Blue Gator for open mic night and Joey (plus a girl named Sophie) were the reasons we went. Joey released an album with his post-college band, Black Coin, after I moved to Connecticut, then he went solo and headed west this year to pursue things. His late night updates always brightened my evenings or early mornings and gave me something to devour musically while I got ready in the morning. I owe the boy a proper post, but my favorite musical secret had to at least be revealed as each new email/song post gave my guys and I something to get excited about throughout the year and took us back to those nights in Athens.

#86.2 - Stephen Malkmus - We can't help you
by lablogotheque

Stephen Malkmus’s We Can’t Help You - This video puts me at ease like no other and reminds me favorite tour guide in Austin.

Bushisms!

While W is wrapping up his final week and conducting those final press conferences, we can all keep our fingers crossed for some more Bushisms. I think the Decider enjoys his Bushisms as much as the rest of us :) And for that I hope he continues to make these and maybe one day he'll be hosting his own one man show, kinda like Will Ferrell's upcoming one.

As Jacob Weisberg wrote in his piece for Slate collecting the the Top 25, "I find the Bush who flails with words, unlike the Bush who flails with policy, to be an endearing character. Instead of a villain, he makes himself into an irresistible buffoon, like Mrs. Malaprop, Archie Bunker, or Homer Simpson."

Here are some of our favorites:

"Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across the country."—Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004

"One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures."—U.S. News & World Report, Jan. 3, 2000

"I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family."—Greater Nashua, N.H., Chamber of Commerce, Jan. 27, 2000

"Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's trustworthiness."—CNN online chat, Aug. 30, 2000

08 Retrospective...Part 4

Hey blog, let’s keep this recap thing going, only one more day...which I should put up before the end of January.

Latarian Steals a Car - Oh, my favorite little (really) underage hoodrat. I just hope that life gets a little better for you, then I won’t feel so guilty about how much I loved that news report about you.

Two of my favorite people in another idiotic photo

The Boss in Jersey - I can still hear Perry yelling BRUUUUUCE! It was an ugly day in Jersey with violent winds and a cold rain ripping through the tailgate lots at Giants Stadium, but I made it to my first Bruce show with some of my favorite people. We managed to grab seats at the end of the row (don’t you dare yell at me Jody & Lauren) and some of us might have swayed during Rosalita...just not the ones we were predicting. Yay for seeing Bruce. Boo for my life turning upside down after the concert.

Wanting to Rescue Ryan Adams - I saw him at Lollapalooza a few years back and left slightly disappointed. Then he released Easy Tiger, which was just what I needed in 2007. Cardinology and his Halloween show just added to my recent love. We’re both insomniacs, he always seems troubled, I like to rescue people. We’d be great together. And he could write songs for me!

Peter Katis - You were just that producer whose wedding was the scene of The Boxer cover until I started looking at your site and realized that I love most of your work. And you live in Connecticut, too.

The Raveonettes - Hallucinations I probably would’ve never picked up Lust, Lust, Lust if my iPod hadn’t been at my friend’s in Union Square as I was leaving the city from the UWS. Thankfully, Jeff handed me this cd as I headed back to Connecticut and I first fell for the even numbered songs, before the entire album grew on me. I cannot get enough of Hallucinations and Dead Sound. (New Yorkers...they are playing at Webster Hall this Friday. I might skip a birthday party for them.)

A Certain Video - There’s a fabulous video that used to exist on a certain site on the internets, but that’s all that I can say. Whenever I was terribly upset, I would type in those two key words in the youtube and it would make the tears stop, for a little bit, anyway. Thankfully, I have downloaded it to my iPod. The rest of you will just have to imagine the goodness!

Two Nights in Austin - Ever since I wandered up to Seattle for two nights by myself between a vacation in San Fran with Jody and a work trip in Chicago, I’ve fully embraced vacations by myself. After the Woody Wedding, Eric dropped me in Austin for two nights before I had to be in Naples for work. I walked all over the town, met an interesting guy, tried absinthe and managed to wake up at 3:30 for my super early flight. Now to just get back there.

Lykke Li - Little Bit - The beat is irresistible. Luke---add it to the playlist.

"The Recently Deflowered Girl"

I'd just emailed this to Kelly, but realized that it was too good, not to share. Besides, when would I ever be able to have a blog post with such a fantastic title again?

If I had a cute, retro bathroom, this would be the only bathroom reading allowed. And Woody, please no case-by-case commenting ;)

Enjoy: The Recently Deflowered Girl! There's plenty more where the below came from.

And, yes, this is from the same guy (Edward Gorey) who did The Gashlycrumb Tinies, a book that I've always loved.  

(once again thanks to the blue for consistently providing such internet goodness.)

08 Retrospective...Part 3

It's day three...here we go with more from 08!

Coffee by Motel Motel - I hate the smell and taste of coffee, but I’ve declared my love for this song since I first heard it. Unfortunately, that was around the time of CMJs and I was in San Francisco for their November show and I’ll be at NBA All-Star for their February show, so please, please play some shows when I’m not trapped in a hotel for work in some far-off land.

My Bobcats with The Woodys!

Woody and I

Woody’s Wedding in Texas - One of my very best friends married the love of his life, who I finally met at the wedding, this June. My favorite Bobcats made the trek to San Antonio for the wedding, we danced (maybe too aggressively) on the dance floor, we had wardrobe malfunctions, we did a photoshoot on a rock, and we drank massive amounts of margaritas. Now for the next OU reunion--will it be in the states, Canada or Japan? God knows none of us are getting married anytime soon :)

Being Anti-establishment at a Punk Show - I used to be quite intimidated by shows in Brooklyn, I knew they’d all be dressed alike and I didn’t exactly do that. Then Brett explained to me that while the hipsters try to be anti-establishment with their wardrobe, they all look the same and carry the same polaroids (sorry about that whole not making anymore film thing). So I decided to be anti-establishment and wear a cute white sundress to the No Age show. I most certainly did not fit in, but the show was one of the best ones I saw this year.

Sigur Ros - Gobbledigook - Soccer Luke introduced me to Sigur Ros when he stayed here a few years ago. Fast forward to this summer, I fall in love with this single, the video is fantastic and it’s now my ringtone. Evie doesn’t want me to answer my phone until the very end so she can dance to the song, while seatbuddy Justin A. (who only listens to rap from the 90s) always yells when my phone goes off at work.

I heart you David Sedaris

David Sedaris Signing - Would I ever have guessed that it was going to take 6 hours to get through that line? Good god, no. (Kelly, I’m still jealous that it was a much smaller crowd in Chicago!) But I have my book signed and David asked about my church-going like a good parent, before diving into a lecture.

The Loom at The Bell House

Rediscovering John Fanning of The Loom - So random, but it’s been enjoyable seeing him and the band along with China in the crowd & at the merch table throughout the year. And it gives me more reasons to trek to Brooklyn during rush hour from Connecticut.

Nothing like a Frenchman in a foreign language Simpsons t-shirt

The Teenagers - I tried convincing my favorite guy to come to the show with me when I got to Hoboken, then thanked the music gods that he stayed at the apartment waiting while I was at the show. I love their French goofiness and overly fantasized lyrics. I was even more delighted to realize that they were opening for Vampire Weekend the night before the show. No one dances in New York, but Quentin attempted to coax the audience into following his dancing lead.

Attempting to Read Crime & Punishment - Okay, so maybe this didn’t make me smile that much. But it did teach me that it’s okay to put down a book every so often. Maybe it’s just that I hate the really heavy books that I drag on trips with me....nevermind, I was completely justified in hating I Am Charlotte Simmons on our Vegas/Beverly Hills/Atlanta trek.

Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals - Nick Brown, I never give you credit for your hip hop and pop songs from prime time soap operas with initials like GG and OTH, but this video made me laugh for days. However, it ruined The Perfect Storm’s ending when Mark’s character is about to drown at sea and starts talking to his girlfriend back in Massachusetts. “Can you hear me Christine? I’m talking to you.” It then gets really mushy, but I’m picturing the SNL skit.

German Kids Try to Elope to Africa

Two Germans in love, ages 5 & 6, left home with the boy's 7 year old sister as a witness and embarked on a trip to Africa, where they planned to marry.  The trio left their house with swimsuits and armbands in tow and boarded the train to the airport in an attempt to elope to Africa.  

The story is adorable and the kids picture is even better.  

It reminded me of the time that Timmy, Renee and I thougth we could dig a hole in our backyard and make it all the way to China.  Unfortunately, our little muscles tired before we reached the next level of earth. 

The 08 Retrospective...Part 2

Hey blog, no need for long introductions.  We might have shared too much in yesterday's intro, anyway. 

If only he were wearing a kilt, Kevin would be off the 'marry Jess' duties

Frightened Rabbit - Oh my favorite Scots, besides Bobby Clark!  I heard Good Arms vs. Bad Arms on KEXP and fell hard.  These four guys have made my musical year and are my favorite new discovery.  After picking up Midnight Organ Fight and seeing them live, I grabbed Sing the Greys during a trip to Austin.  Then saw them twice more this year.  Now just to get my hands on a ticket to their Bowery show in January.  Brutally honest and at times heart-wrenching lyrics about break-up from a man that reminded me of Adam Duritz with a Scottish accent on first listen.  (Note to self:  that was a really bad idea to play Keep Yourself Warm, while driving through Maine with Dad.  You know he loves lyrics and those aren’t the best to sing along with your parents in the car...even if it’s so true.)  Grant’s drumming is my favorite part of their live show and I make sure that I’m in the perfect position.  (I think my camera scares Andy, and I don't even use flash anymore.)

Frightened Rabbit - The Twist (recorded live by me at Piano's in May)

My Velocity Trivia Party Teammates...Damn those Georgetown Cheaters

(yes, Luke's eyes are closed...as usual)

Ebele Throws a Birthday Party - No one throws a birthday party like Ebele.  This one made my weekend.  And I miss my seat buddy, who now lives in Chicago.  

I heart this album

Oracular Spectacular - I always seemed to have tickets to another show or was out of town when they were playing, but this album is one of my favorites of the year.  And this sky-rocketed to the top of my list of albums for certain activities that Luke and I always like to laugh and bicker over.  

MGMT - Destrokk (If you're late to the MGMT game, you missed this gem from their EP.)

One of many, many photos taken on the balcony that night

The Hammer Wedding - My ND Managers regrouped in Boston for Brian’s wedding in early June and it was great to see everyone, especially in dress clothes, rather than our athletic department issued sweats.

Everything Absent or Distorted - I learned about this band after selling my extra ticket to The National on craigslist to the band’s drummer.  The Soft Civil War is one of my favorite albums to listen to on my way out of the city on an early morning.  They just released a new album in December that I need to pay some attention to.  (And if they google themselves again, they are not allowed to pick on me or their band member for this post.  I get quite self-conscious.)  Buried in Guitar is my favorite song from this album, but it's all good :)

The Ever Crazy Nip/Tuck Premieres Tonight - Love it or Hate It?

Nip/Tuck makes my favorite convoluted soap shows, like GG & DOOLs seem tame.  When Justin A started working with us 2 1/2 years ago, he couldn't wait to host watch parties, then it got too weird for him.  He might have given up on the show, but we kept watching. 

Is it bad that Nick Brown and I were talking about the show yesterday and I couldn't even remember that Matt has been sleeping with and possibly even has a bun in the oven with his half-sister?  I kept confusing her for the little tramp that was after Sean and poisoning Julia.  And that was just the start of our litany of weird things that the show has produced.  Oh, Nip/Tuck how we love you...can't wait to see what's in store this season...as long as it doesn't involve that creepy Teddy Bear & Sean Stuffer Stalker.  She drove me nuts!

Nick Brown was a little angry today about some actual journalist at the Sun-Sentinel who wrote off the show.  Here's the email exchange:

Nick Brown:  Can you call this guy an idiot on your blog.  I’m sure he’s wrong

Jessi Lauer:  I feel like his whole message goes along with what we were talking about yesterday, except that we said KEEP WATCHING!

Nick Brown:  This guy blasted nip/tuck.  Our conversation was much different, at least I thought we were speaking about the craziness in a good way. 

 
And if you've seen any commercial promoting the show over the last few months, you can't get Kanye out of your head.  Enjoy the song and join us tonight for some highly anticipated trash. 

Kanye West - Flashing Lights

PS While Christian Troy loves to get naked on the show, there's a singer/actor, Troy Christian, who is part of the ensemble "Naked Boys Singing."  

The 08 Retrospective...Part 1

Hey blog--maybe I’m back again, we’ll see.  We had a really good stretch and everything seemed right from the end of February until the end of July.  We shared lots of good music, some random things on the internets, and my friends loved how our little inside joke of another one of my websites got some very minor attention.  Then came my plate throwing phase in the early fall followed by my Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness.  (Billy Corgan, I loved you during your Zwan days, too.  Dommie can vouch for me. )  

Here’s hoping that my mood picks up again in the new year.  Besides, my favorite Canadian might not call me anymore, but he does check the blog and our favorite correspondents across the country have been hitting some shows and are ready to report.  Plus, I have months of music in my inbox to listen to...it’s time to get back on track.

And since I can’t stand the thought of doing one of those top cd lists from the last year, here’s some of the things that made me (maybe even us) smile or added a little kick to my step this year.  We’re splitting this into installments throughout the week, as the list kept growing and growing, so you can come back for more.   

The National Play MSG in June

Randomly Meeting Matt Berninger of The National on my favorite bench in Central Park - If I had ever questioned karma before, I was convinced of its existence after this day (there's more background than I want to share at this moment).  We chatted for a bit on the bench before I excused myself and grabbed another bench, lest I turn into a crazy stalker girl.  They are my favorite band and if I gave you their cd and you didn’t like it, I may never trust your taste in music again.  They are starting to work on their next CD, which means they might be at Peter Katis’s studios in Connecticut soon!  I love you my favorite band and am looking forward to the benefit at Carnegie!!

Brett is usually this excitable, especially when beer is involved

Brett guest stars on WineLibrary.tv - This was a delicious bit of internet TV as Brett guests to discuss beer with Gary Vaynerchuk!  Bonus points to Brett for climbing into bed with everyone in my house after the holiday party, being an entertaining companion on Mother's Day when everyone else had plans, loving The Loom, and introducing us to The Seascape.  Once they’re of legal age, we’ll see them live :)

Britt Daniels - Bring it on Home to Me (cover) - So what if this came out last year.  It can make me happy and sing like a soulstress from the 60s, as long as no one is in my car to listen to me :)

Daddy Hak, Kupper, me and Woody outside the best little piece of Texas in NYC

Woody Comes to NYC for 24 Hours! - This one deserves an exclamation point.  The more spontaneous my friends are, the better!  And nothing is as fantastic as deciding to fly to NYC for a Texas Independence Party just a few days before.  We had a rain-drenched day in the city, before ending up on the Upper West Side.  

The painting at the last Cloud Cult show

Cloud Cult - Oh The Kelly 

Sept. 07  

The Jessi:  “Should I go see this band?”

The Kelly:  “They’re kinda weird and they paint on stage Jessi.”

The Jessi;  “Okay, Notre Dame game it is.”

Fast forward to the spring, City Jeff adores this band and I drag The Jody to the show.  Ever since then, all she can talk about is the painting they do on stage.  Meanwhile, I cry whenever I listen to The Meaning of 8.  (Thank you Adam Perry, for talking to me when I make the mistake of listening to this while driving and just need to get home.)  I saw them again this fall after flying back from San Francisco and City Jeff even bought one of the paintings for his apartment.  Take that The Jody!

A Bobcat reunion in San Antonio

My Fake Big Brothers Around the Country - It’s hard not to feel loved when the big brothers check in on me, try to protect me from the evil boys of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut and are there for me when everything goes to hell.  I love you and would be lost without you.  

2008 Q4 Concert Reviews

While I'm supposed to be tracking the music I listened to and saw in 2008, I've done a pretty poor job since the summer.  This post is going to be more about documenting it for my own recollection than anything super enticing.  For that, we have Woody's Neil Diamond Vegas Show Review to look forward to!

The Loom at The Bell House

I made my every few months trek to see The Loom in Brooklyn during CMJs at The Bell House.  I was taken by the beauty of this recently opened venue and keep saying that I need to return to the venue again.  There was a great mix of music playing at the storefront with a cozy bar and comfortably old and eclectic seating throughout the front room.  There's a great alcove in the back of the performance space by the soundboard if you just want to slightly escape from the crowd with someone.  I was exhausted after The Loom's set and eager to walk back to my car and get home to Connecticut, so I missed the final act, although one of the girls looked like Mel, causing me to text Brett, who really thought that I got to see Mel play during the magic of CMJ.  (And yes, us FotC fans are ready to go with the new season!)

Check out the band's myspace above as they have a good amount of New York gigs in January, including a residency at Piano's.  And check out my favorite song below.

The Loom - All Your Famous Friends

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals at The Apollo

When I emailed sometime concert buddy about this show, his response was, "I'm there--now I don't have to get dressed up for Halloween and go to some party!"  Only he didn't plan for the traffic delays that would come from the Village's Halloween Parade.  While I sat outside enjoying the kids' costumes on the Upper West Side, Sam slowly made his way to pick me up and we made our way to The Apollo for the first time.  We made our way to our seats during a fantastically drawn out version of "Goodnight Rose."  It was a beautiful show, stopped by the curfew rules at 11 (preventing the band from their planned closing of Halloween Head).  Sam and I both said how nice it was to enjoy a rock show with some extended songs and a band that plays so well together.  I may be biased, but I've been in love with Ryan's stuff ever since he officially partnered with the Cardinals on the last few albums.  Now I'm debating about grabbing a ticket to his show in New Haven later this month.  

1. Cobwebs

2. Everybody Knows

3. Born Into A Light 

4. Fix It

5. Natural Ghost 

6. Goodnight Rose

7. Sun Also Sets

8. Rescue Blues

9. Peaceful Valley

10. Bartering Lines

11. Wonderwall 

12. Dear John

13. Go Easy

(intermission)

14. Let It Ride

15. Desire

16. Grand Island

17. Sink Ships

18. Evergreen

19. Please Do Not Let Me Go

20. Two

21. Magick

22. Cold Roses

23. Shakedown on 9th Street

24. Freeway to The Canyon 

25. Crossed Out Name

26. Like Yesterday

27. Stop

(PS  Ryan was really into wardrobe changes/adjustments this show.  It reminded me of the ND-BC game where I probably wore the entire Adidas line throughout the game as I just couldn't find the right temperature.  The Adidas rep, Molly, was loving the TV coverage, though.)

Ryan Adams - Cobwebs (Live)

Cloud Cult at The Bowery

My flight from San Francisco got into JFK around five, I texted Jeff to remind him about the show and headed downtown, even to Jody's protests about the painting.  Jody--the painting was so good that Jeff even bought one, so there!  I've still never really gotten into any of Cloud Cult's opening bands, although the blogs were loving Mason Proper's performance.   As much as Jody  loves to hate on Cloud Cult, I love their lyrics and was enjoying the show, even if we were way in the back since Jeff got in late.

I loved that they closed the encore with Take Your Medicine, then after the show I rambled on about Connecticut and Tapes 'n Tapes with the bassist, before chatting with Connie Minowa, while Jeff figured out how to get the painting into the Yaris.   Plus the bartender at The Bowery recognized my Bag bag and she has 4!  Wow.  I talked a lot that night.

Cloud Cult - Love You All (I recorded this at their spring show, such a beautiful song for an encore)

Set List

Brain Gateway

No One Said It Would Be Easy*

Chemicals Collide

Everybody Here Is a Cloud

When Water Comes to Life

Million Things

That Man Jumped Out the Window

Pretty Voice

Some dum ditty song that I'm unsure of

The Ghost Inside Our House

Bobby's Suitcase

Journey of the Featherless

Start New

Love You All

Grandson of Jesus

The Tornado Lessons

Transistor Radio

Take Your Medicine

*This might not really be the song, as I wrote down EHIAC twice.  Sometimes I am not a good concert set list keeper

Vampire Weekend at Terminal 5

Everyone loves to hate on this band, but it always takes me back to my Hawaii trip in February, as it was the perfect island soundtrack.  While our work holiday party the previous night did Sam in, I still headed to the concert.  I was happy to see The Teenagers again.  They're completely irreverent and goofy in a I want to laugh at them, but they're French and I never really got into that whole Freedom Fries thing way, so I'm not going to.  

Either way, they always make their shows fun.  I'd seen them in Hoboken in the spring and the small crowd was familiar with their lyrics, so I got such a kick out of watching people's mouths fall open as the band broke into Homecoming.  It turns out that the lead singer, Quentin, had invited some 15 year olds onto stage to sing a few days before, so they wanted to make sure that everyone was 18 and legal before joining the sing and dance along.  

I get to a good variety of shows around here and hardly anyone dances.  It was great to be a few rows back from the stage and watching everyone dancing during Vampire Weekend's set.  The Teenagers were peeping out of the curtains on the second floor and dancing with the crowd and each other.  And the band brought a string section out for a bit and we all know how I love strings!  Hate them all you like, but it was a fun show and anyone could use a reminder of Hawaii in early December.

Below are the two songs that closed the encore.  (Sorry, there's dancing, but the sound is good :) )

A cover of Fleetwood Mac's Everywhere

Walcott

Hot Chip & Peter Gabriel - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (Cover)

Vampire Weekend's Set List

Mansard Roof

Campus

Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa

I Stand Corrected

New Song

Bryn

Boston

A-Punk

One (Blake's Got a New Face)

The Kids Don't Stand a Chance

m79

New Song

New Song

Oxford Comma

Everywhere

Walcott

The Teenagers' Set List

Starlett Johannson

Feeling Better

Fuck Nicole

Love No

Make It Happen

Homecoming

Streets of Paris

Okay, Okay, I'll Admit. I'm into this Single Ladies Dance Craze

And this version is my favorite, followed closely by that little girl in a car seat.