but wait, it gets even better!!

the Three Dog Night guy with the Begbie mustache…

is related to that guy from everything!!!

NEGRON AND ON, TIL THE BREAK OF DAWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Searching For Sugar Man
Unearthing Forgotten Buried Treasure
Official Website | Trailers & Mo
PG-13 | 86 min

‘Sugar Man’ is Sixto Diaz Rodriguez, a working class Detroiter who made 2 Dylanesqueseish albums in the early 70s that never gained any traction in the US, so he gave up on his musical aspirations and killed himself on stage.  Or did he?????????????????

Well, apparently the US’s loss was South Africa’s gain.  Rodriguez somehow had a following there, a BIIIIG one (his rebellious music spoke to white folk who hated apartheid), but Rodriguez had zero idea about it, and his South African fans knew so little about him, cause this was during a pre-internet time, which is hard to fathom, cause who would want to live in a time without the interwebs????  [we also can’t fathom a time where men had to wear suits ALL THE TIME, like in 100000 degree heat]

There were two South African men who refused to let the Rodriguez mystery remain a mystery – a record store owner & a journalist.  Together they unraveled the mystery, wrapped in a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a burrito wrapped in saran wrap at a wrap party sponsored by Rap Snacks, by finding what they were searching for, and in turn created an incredible fairy tale ending that was only just the beginning of more amazingnessnesssss to come!!

This documentary is not about who Rodriguez is, but the search for him.  This journey and its destination create quite an emotional roller coaster, which had us fighting back tears and welcoming smiles at each and every turn in the road.  It doesn’t hurt neither that Rodriguez’ music is simply INCREDIBLE, which basically makes Malik Bendjelloul‘s doc is the greatest untold music story about (maybe) the greatest unknown musician, away and far and far and away, hands AND thighs down.  That’s quite a claim, WE KNOW, considering there are probably zillions of untold tales about zillions of unknown musicians that are still, well, untold, but we stick by this claim cause we are actually the final authority on everything, and we know what’s good, for you and for we, and for us all

Soundtrack of Our His Lives: a man who released only 2 albums in his prime that most people never even heard of to begin with, doesn’t exactly need a greatest hits album, but that’s pretty much the void that the fantastic soundtrack serves.  so, see the doc, then discover the music OR ELSE!!!

Verdictgo: Breast Breast Breast Breast In Show

Sugar Man is found NY/LA today, and elsewhere elsewhen

and until next thyme the balcony is clothed

The Beach Boys
Jones Beach
June 24th

There’s just something about seeing The Beach Boys in an aquatic setting that just screams BEACHY KEEN!!!  And there was plenty of beachy screams too, by us, cause we become lil girls when seeing the American Beatles, although most of the ladies in the audience only got wetty wet when Uncle Jessie reared his pretty head, when the ladies should only be getting wetty wet at the sight of Al Jardine’s face, Brian Wilson’s crazed-genius, Mike Love’s a$$holey bravado, Bruce Johnston’s smile, David Marks’ marksmanship, and the non-original B-Boy member who’s the true glue making this show the tour of the summer - Jeff Foskett [read this article]

Most people wouldn’t bother seeing The Beach Boys in this day and age, and given their age.  Understandably, as one would think that their concert would be juss one giant geriatric wheelchair bound nostalgia stale air affair, but if one thinks that way, then one will miss out on perhaps one of the last chances to see Rock n Roll royalty reign, and if you do dis & miss out, yer a grade-AAAAA moron and should be deported back to Uranus or whatever anus you came from [we’ve said this before, but repeating things sometimes drives homeslice a point]

The show was basically the same as the Beacon one we saw a month ago, but the fellas dropped a few different tunes into the mix [set list below].  The biggest and bestest addition was ‘Our Prayer’, the actual lead-in intro to ‘Heroes & Villians’ (one of their bestest), and while the song contains no instruments and very few words (mainly ‘oooooh’s, ‘aaaaah’s and a bunch of ‘doooot’s), it captures the pure (cabin) essence of what The Beach Boys are – perfect harmony, in harmony.  YOU CAN HEAR THE LIVE VERSION OF ‘OUR PRAYER’ HEAR!!!

and - more of what they sound like live these days HEAR

Also, whilst wees here, their new album…

is what you would expect from the Beach Boys at 50 (the band’s age, not theirs).  there are slower paced songs about reflecting on times past, and cars and surfing, and other California dreamts.  As a whole, it doesn’t pack much of anything, but hearing songs like the title track & ‘Isn’t It Time’ live, alongside their hits of yesteryear, they sound like they is from yesteryear too!!!  That’s a good thing  Why?  CAUSE GOD MADE THE RADIO, THAT’S WHY!!!!!

First Set – Do It Again / Little Honda / Catch A Wave / Hawaii / Don’t Back Down / Surfin’ Safari / Surfer Girl / Please Let Me Wonder / Marcella / Wendy / Then I Kissed Her /Kiss Me, Baby / Getcha Back / Why Do Fools Fall in Love /When I Grow Up (to Be a Man) / Disney Girls / Isn’t It Time / California Saga / Cotton Fields / Be True to Your School / Don’t Worry Baby / Little Deuce Coupe / 409 / Shut Down / I Get Around

Second Set – Pet Sounds Instrumental /Add Some Music To Your Day / Our Prayer / Heroes and Villains / Sloop John B / Wouldn’t It Be Nice / I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times / Sail On, Sailor / All This Is That / That’s Why God Made The Radio / In My Room / Forever / God Only Knows / Good Vibrations / California Girls / Help Me, Rhonda / Rock and Roll Music / Do You Wanna Dance? / Surfin’ U.S.A.

Encore – Kokomo / Barbara Ann / Fun, Fun, Fun

Seeing the Boys shine together again, with zero signs of rust (just wrinkles), got we thinkings, what if John Lennon had lived?  We all think that a Beatles reunion was something that would have NEVER happened, but that’s mainly cause Lennon’s death rendered that idea moot.  The Beatles were only 10 years apart when John died, but had he lived, there’s no doubt they woulda reunited (even Led Zepp did, without Bonham, once!), and with a full backing band behind them, like The Boys of Beach have, The Beatles would have been able to reproduce that magical mystery studio tour sound on actual tour.  Imagine. What if.  WHAT IF!!!  If only.  And imagine there’s no religion too.  The only thing you don’t have to imagine is what Al Jardine’s face looks like, cause you can see it live, NOW!!!

Friday

Neil Diamond @ Jones Beach = SO GOOD! SO GOOD! SO GOOD!

just as so good as 2008 was so good!!!

SEE NEIL BEFORE HE OR YOUS DIES, NOW!!!!

+

Saturday & Sunday

Nats @ Fenway – guess what that equaled…

and cameoing on TV replay wasn’t so bad neither

what do you think of all this James Franco?

The Polyphonic Spree
Webster Hall
May 24th

Has it really been 10 years since The Polyphonic Spree released their blessed debut The Beginning Stages of…????  And has it really been 10 wasted years for us, since we’ve never seen the 90 piece band (not literally that #, but not so far off, sorta) in concert?  Well, after finally submitting ourselves (in concert) to the cult that is the Spree, it won’t be 10 mo years before we make it time #2!!  We’re considering quitting our jobs and following Tim DeLaughter & co to the ends of the earth (them or the Nationals).  Pass the Kool-Aid, cause we’re drinking it.  (GO NATS!)

Btw, if you don’t know who the Spree are, you’ve definitely heard their music before, if you’ve ever seen an ad on TV.  And if you’ve heard that song, you can imagine how heavenly it might sound live, and guess what, it’s almost more than heaven! IT MADE US WEAR OUR LOVE LIKE HEAVEN!!!   And every song they played was heaven sent!!  They also threw some Who love, with brilliant renditions of ‘See Me, Feel Me/Listening To You’ + ‘Pinball Wizard’.  Never thought of them as a band that would cover someone else’s music (why support other cults than their own??), but after going bat shit crazy hearing those two Who-ers, we’re now wet dreaming of one day hearing them play Pink Floyd’s The Wall or really anything!  Even Nazi anthems written by George Clooney!

You’ve probably heard us complain endlessly about American concert audiences before.  They never get that super into shows, well, at least not as much as we do.  WE TOTALLY DO!!!  Clapping during a show (not just after the song, but during!) should be the standard, but apparently we’re in the minority on that one.  Well, The Spree didn’t even have to provoke the audience to do so, cause there was nuttin but euphoric applause from everyone in the audience during the encore set.  This gave us renewed faith in music, concerts, audiences, Jim Jones, David Koresh and even Nazi anthems written by George Clooney!