Death Cab For Cutie and Frightened Rabbit in Chicago

At about 11:00 pm on August 25, after about 3 hours straight of live music, I exited the UIC Pavilion theater in Chicago and I realized that my jaw was sore. This wasn’t because I had been busy eating concession stand popcorn or talking throughout the show, it was because I had spent the near entirety of the concert beaming. It began when a band I hold close to my heart, a band introduced to me by my friend from Denmark opened. A band called Frightened Rabbit who hail from Scotland who I never in a million years dreamed I would have the opportunity to see live. They opened their set with a slowed down, rumbling version of “The Modern Leper,” the first song on their 2008 album “The Midnight Organ Fight.” They roared through an hour long set of songs, powered by 3 guitars and a bass that rumbled the entire building to the point where you could feel your nostrils shaking.

After Frightened Rabbit closed their set with “The Loneliness and the Scream” there was barely time for a quick walk to exercise your legs before Death Cab for Cutie took the stage and the crowd erupted as if someone had just detonated a bomb. They dove right in and opened with the eight and half minute long “I Will Possess Your Heart.” They then played an incredibly tight 18 song set, occasionally pausing for some brief dialogue from Ben Gibbards about everything from his drinking olive-oil onstage to preserve his voice to an audience member in the front row who was sporting a She & Him tee. After their 18 song set, which had just about every well known song in their repertoire; everything from the heart-on-sleeve ballad “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” to the sublime title track of their new album “Codes and Keys.”

Following a mere 30-45 seconds of applause after they closed their initial set with “Marching Bands of Manhattan,” Death Cab took the stage yet again to play not two, not three, but four encore songs; closing with two songs from their 2003 album “Transatlanticism.” The first being sing-along, television commercial-ready single “The Sound of Settling,” followed by the 8-minute epic title track, “Transatlanticism.”

A dynamic show by two dynamic bands. I heard they played an equally fantastic show the next evening in St. Paul, Minnesota, which was the last date on this tour. As Death Cab takes a month off to prepare for another leg of touring and Frightened Rabbit go on to continue promoting themselves as they begin to break through over here in the States, I will be anxiously awaiting new music, shows, and even philanthropical efforts from these bands (check out www.invisiblechildren.com for more information about a charity supported by both Death Cab for Cutie and Frightened Rabbit) that are already creating cultures and influences all across the board.

The Class and Culture Appeals of Coffee in Modern Society

Coffee. It’s been around nearly since the dawn of time.  One of the first addicted to coffee and caffeine? Montezuma, emperor of the Aztecs in the mid-15th century. The first time coffee is referenced in history in the English language? The year 1598, right at the tail-end of the 16th century. So, obviously coffee has been present in society for centuries. Ever since, people have been enamored with the damn thing. Over 18,000 studies have been conducted in just the past few decades. Like the drink or not, it’s a very fascinating beverage to us humans. It’s got the caffeine buzz, the rich aroma, it can help calm nerves, and there are countless physical health benefits (although coffee also yields its fair share of negative health effects). Although centuries ago, people probably weren’t aware of some of the latter listed, they loved their coffee just as much as we do today. But why, all of a sudden, has coffee become such a staple in our pop culture?

About 40-50 years ago, coffee shops started to pop up more frequently around America. But not until about the mid ’90s and early ’00s did coffeehouses suddenly become an incredibly pop culture phenomenon. I think there are many reasons for this, one of which being the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, which raised drinking age to 21. I believe that coffeehouses and cafes became more of a part of college life after it became a reality for the majority of college students that they weren’t going to be allowed in bars.  I mean, you’ve also got to figure in the fact that many Americans have slowly been shifting to try to live a healthier lifestyle, and a cup of coffee and a muffin offers a much healthier alternative to something like a bowl of Lucky Charms and a glass of orange juice both of which are most likely loaded with artificial sugars and sweeteners. Anyway, whatever the reason is, coffee has come to represent class and sophistication in modern society.

A businessman on his way to work. A college student on summer break around mid-morning on a Saturday. A young couple out for an afternoon stroll; maybe going to see a movie later. These are just a few candidates ready to cough up 4-5 dollars for a decent-sized latte or cappuccino. This has become modern day reality. Be it Starbucks, or an off-beat, funky, independently owned coffeehouse, the people of America want coffee. Why? Some of the reason for this comes from the indie-hipster crowd. The group of people who sport tight pants, vests, a casual beard, and berets. The people who listen to the most obscure music on the market, just so they can say they knew a band months before you did. But, as pretentious as they can be, they’re classy and cultured; two things the people of America love. And aside from the influence of this group of people, why else drink coffee? A few maybe like the taste. But the vast majority is just in it for the image. Anyone with a cup of coffee in their hand is automatically classy. With drinks like frappuccinos and mochas, you don’t even have to like coffee. Basically, you can drink a frappuccino (which is essentially the equivalent of a milkshake or malt in nutritional value and taste) and still get the classy persona that comes with drinking coffee. So, this beverage that began thousands of years ago as Montezuma’s favorite hobby has become a defining characteristic of our generation.Coffee has gone from merely a wake-up beverage in the morning to representing the culture of an entire generation.

The Phenomenon Surrounding the Death of Bin Laden

As we all know, the world was shaken last night when President Obama addressed the United States and made it known internationally that Osama Bin Laden was in fact, dead. Rejoicing is still taking place all over the world, particularly in America, where Bin Laden masterminded the plan that was 9/11. He killed thousands of innocent people and rocked the entire United States, if not the better part of the entire world. His death was long awaited and welcome news in a world where tragedy and death make up the better part of the news. But wait a second, isn’t Bin Laden’s assassination a death? Although I myself was relieved to hear the news last night of Bin Laden’s death, I also felt that it was a bit odd that people were singing the national anthem and cheering outside the White House, and really nationwide.  It’s a very counter-intuitive act to rejoice in death. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying in any way, shape, or form that Bin Laden’s death wasn’t a good thing, it is. I hope that with his death comes some sense of solace for the thousands of families of the victims of Bin Laden’s terrorism.

On another level, I feel that maybe this isn’t the best way to handle his death, on a national security level. I have pondered the idea that this reaction to the death of a “hero” in Al Queda’s eyes could cause even more bitter hatred of Western society. But from a different perspective, the death of Hitler cause a breakdown and the near immediate fall of the Nazi empire. Although, the Nazi empire had some level of organization and built society, in which Hitler’s death caused a type of trickle-down effect that caused the whole empire to breakdown. Al Queda is far from organized, they’re an organization scattered throughout several countries in the Middle East with allies and connections dispersed throughout different corners of the world. To destroy an organization like this, it will definitely take more than the death of one figure in their alliance, a key figure though it was.

What comes next is shrouded in mystery; will this cause a ripple effect and destroy Al Queda? Probably not, but who knows. Is our nations jubilant reaction to the death of Bin Laden just fueling Al Queda’s hatred of Western Society? Time will tell.

The Second Folk Revival and the Promise of the Next Decade

Everyone is familiar with the historic folk revival affiliated with the political revolution of the 1960s.  Legendary artists emerged such as Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Joan Baez, Peter Paul & Mary, and of course The Weavers.  Well, in the past decade that has been full of what seems like a 1980s revival of bad synth pop and bubblegum pop as the mega-hit popular songs, the world of music looked like it had a bleak future.  But, there may be hope! In the mid to late ’00s, we started to see a boom of fantastic folk music coming back into the world.  Dylanesque artists like Tallest Man on Earth, Bon Iver, The National, and many more started to pop up out of nowhere.  Soft folk-pop artists like Iron & Wine, Band of Horses, Alexi Murdoch, The Soft Hills, and others  started to come to some prominence. As we transition into the second year of a new decade, these artists are well on their way to building good sized cult fan bases, if not already larger.  Indie acts like The National and Band of Horses that I mentioned earlier have already largely broken into the mainstream.  Acts like Tallest Man on Earth and Bon Iver have gained much critical praise and attention from respectable music magazines like Spin and Paste.  This new decade is starting to show promise.  It’s becoming ridiculously easy to make recordings and music off of a laptop and upload it onto a music sharing site like MySpace or Pure Volume; which just makes the vast, endless abundance of music out there even vaster.  If record companies can figure out a way to pick out the cream of the crop out of these internet artists and bring them fame, they might just be able to save their precious music business.  Indie acts are giving more promise than ever as they try new things and grab the attention of interested listeners and critics.  Acts like Arcade Fire and Wilco have become hugely popular. Musicians like The Decemberists and My Morning Jacket are well on their way.  As these indie acts break into the Top 40 and start to push out the horrid, cheesy, unfeeling music that mostly clutters the charts, music might just have a chance.  The complete breakdown of music seems to be showing some signs of fixing itself. Time will tell.

Me, My Music, and Where to Find It

In this day & age it’s easier than ever to get yourself out there. But, unfortunately, as a result it’s hard to get found with millions of people out there promoting themselves and trying to break through as actors, musicians, artists, etc.

At this point, I would like to share with you some links to the ways I’ve been trying to get myself out there and get my music out to the world:

First and foremost is my Facebook Bandpage where I post the majority of my music: The August McWake Facebook Bandpage

Secondly is Myspace. Myspace is the place for every musician these days. If you’re a serious musician, you have a myspace: My Myspace.

Next are YouTube videos. Here are some of my performances that I’d like to share with you:

“Wildflowers” by Tom Petty-cover

 “Graceland” by Paul Simon-cover 

“The Way” by August McGinnity-Wake-original song 

“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” by George Harrison-cover 

“You Can’t Be Too Strong” by Graham Parker-cover 

“Humbled & Forgotten” by August McGinnity-Wake-original song 

“Let it Be” by Paul McCartney-cover

Early Grammy Predictions and Personal Opinions

The Grammy’s are only a few months away, so it is time to start discussing the possible winners! The Grammy’s are the

most prestigious award that can be given to a musician. Every young, budding artist dreams of receiving one, and most all who have earned a Grammy are among the most respected musicians in the industry. The Grammys (then called Gramophone) Awards began in 1958 and have held an annual ceremony since.

For me personally, this year’s Grammy’s is an opportunity to redeem themselves, in a sense, after last year’s disastrous winning of Taylor Swift for Album of the Year. Unfortunately, I fear this year will turn out no better considering soon-to-be released album of Swift’s, “Speak Now.” Last year was also full of awards won by Lady Gaga, Kings of Leon, and the Black Eyed Peas. None of these artists are above average or satisfactory in my book. Lady Gaga is known for stage performances and dance music and the Black Eyed Peas for their heavy electronica beats.

This year I hope the Grammy’s will get back to their roots and actually nominate excellent albums and musicians. Now, my pick for Album of the Year is Peter Wolf’s “Midnight Souvenirs.” This album if tremendous. It’s a fantastic rootsy blues rock album in which every song is dynamite. There are great collaborations with artists like Cyndi Lauper, Shelby Lynne, and even Merle Haggard. It’s one of those albums if the Grammy’s are still interested in being respected among musicians and the entire music community they just cant overlook in the upcoming awards. So will the Grammy’s continue down the road of awarding Top 40 uninteresting pop, or will they stop in their tracks and consider the consequences? Only time will tell.

The End of the iPod Classic?

On September 1, 2010 Steve Jobs took the stage to unveil a new iPod lineup full of exciting and redesigned models. He introduced the new Nano which sports a touch screen and absence of click wheel, the new iPod Shuffle which reinstated buttons into the ‘Pod, after the “no button complicated earbud controls fiasco,” and the new Touch which has been upgraded to accommodate the upgrades made to the new iPhone 4, which includes a front and back camera, Facetime ability, and Apple’s Retina display screen (326 pixels per inch).

But there was not a word spoken concerning the iPod Classic, which is the iPod that started the revolution back in 2001.  The Classic may not have all the fancy gadgets and apps of other iPods, but it holds one thing over it’s competitor iPods: space.  The iPod Classic has 160 gb of space, more than double the 64 gig iPod Touch, which would be the iPod with the most space if the Classic were to vanish.  Although the Touch and Nano outsell the Classic by far, Apple would be making a big mistake if they were to do away with the iPod Classic.  The iPod Classic still has quite a following. There are plenty of music fans who need the 160 gb and space for 40,000 songs.  Even myself, who has owned an 8 gig iPod Touch for the last few years, was considering investing in a Classic considering how limited my space is.  I decided to wait until September when I suspected Apple would release a new iPod Classic.  I was obviously wrong.

So, is Apple discontinuing the iPod Classic? Only time will tell, but I feel they would be making a huge mistake.

Farm Aid

The 25th Farm Aid concert will take place on October 2nd, 2010 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI. This location is very conveniently about 50 minutes from where I live. I was stoked. I planned on immediately getting tickets. Unfortunately, I had to plan around some already made commitments and this postponed my “ticket-getting” until a few days ago. I was surprised yet ecstatic that the lowest price level was still available ($39).  Anyway,  Farm Aid 25 has a phenomenal lineup.  As always, co-founders Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp will be performing, along with Dave Matthews who began his Farm Aid performing in the mid ’90s. Additional performers include The BoDeans, Band of Horses, Jeff Tweedy, Jason Mraz, Norah Jones, and others.  All of these are renowned and respected musicians, which just about guarantees a stupendous and unforgettable show.

Not only is the music fantastic, but the cause Farm Aid is based around is a noble one.  Farm Aid’s mission is to raise national awareness about the large decrease in family farms around the country and to try to help keep family farmers on their land.  The cause has raised millions for family farmers.

So, great music, great cause. What’s not to love about Farm Aid? I’d say thats a tough question, because I definitely do not have an answer.

Inception

On Saturday I went and saw the movie that everyone is currently raving about; Inception.  Inception takes place in a somewhat futuristic world where the military has developed a technology in which you can go into someone else’s dream, in other words, sabotaging their subconscious. The movie follows the story of the main character Dom Cobb (Leonardo Dicaprio) as he tries to pull off a thought-to-be impossible mission to plant an idea in one’s mind through their dreams, also known as inception. Cobb has created a life for himself by becoming a skilled thief in the art of stealing secrets from deep in the subconscious.  Although, this has cost him the loss of everything he loved and made him an international fugitive.  When he is offered the chance to live a normal life once again, he isnt about to turn it down.  The only problem, it involves the task of inception, which as you know is thought-to-be impossible.  Inception occurs once you delve deeper into the mind by going into dreams within dreams.  You must get the “third-level” or a dream within a dream within a dream for inception to occur, although it’s a very unstable and risky operation.  In Inception you follow Dom Cobb and his team of top notch team he has assembled as he attempts to accomplish inception for a huge corporate company trying to stop a competitor from becoming the largest energy provider in the world and creating almost a superpower in itself.

I found Inception very easy to watch.  It was comfortable to watch.  Although, I felt it very “done up” and like it was made to be a big blockbuster film.  It was obviously extravagantly expensive as the special effects were, though I thought they were a bit over the top, very spectacular.  I feel that Inception was trying to be the psychological thinker that it just really wasn’t.  When it comes to such movies, I feel that a movie like Shutter Island, per say, was much more effective at getting it’s idea across and at least being the movie it wanted to be.  I am glad I saw Inception but mostly just so I can have my opinion.  In other words, I don’t need to see this movie again in my life.

Chatroulette

In the internet based world we live in, new sites are popping up daily.  Many of them just to sit there not to often be seen, but occasionally there’s a website that’s innovative and creative enough to earn the interest of the public.  Right now, that website is Chatroulette.  Chatroulette usually has somewhere between 10 and 20,000 users on.  It revolves around the use of webcams.  You enter the site and begin a “New Game” as it is called and you are instantly paired with a random person somewhere around the world.  You can either talk or message to the person you’re staring at.  If for some reason you’re either done talking, or don’t want to talk at all, just click next and you’re staring at another stranger sitting at a computer somewhere in this vast earth.  My first experience with Chatroulette was not very pleasant, I saw more penises and signs such as “Tits for Haiti” staring at me than anything else.  One of those sites that is often inadvertently pornographic.   But, on occasion you’ll find a very interesting person that you could talk to for hours.  For example, I once had a 20 minute conversation with a man from Britain that only had a chinese letter on his webcam.  But, we messaged.  It started when he complimented me on my bandana.  Turns out he’s going to graduate school in Madison, WI, very close to where I live.  I also had a conversation for about 10 minutes with a teenage girl about John Mayer. Many people have also discovered very creative ways to use Chatroulette.  If you’re on long enough, you’ll most likely run into guitar players, piano players, “dancing ninjas,” masks, and possibly even rock-piano player Ben Folds.  Folds took an idea from another “Chatrouletter” who would improvise songs about the person on the other screen.  So, taking this idea, Folds put Chatroulette on a huge screen in front of a 2,000 person audience at a concert and improvised songs about the other person.  There’s a great youtube video of the concert, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfamTmY5REw.  So, if you look in the right places, you’ll most likely get an interesting, exciting experience out of this new idea that is Chatroulette.  Chatroulette is in it’s young days, and it has huge potential if it plays it’s cards right.  Who knows, maybe we’re in for another social networking type revolution.