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Billy Bragg at the Grand Ballroom, New York, NY

By on Oct 26, 2008 in Music

Tonight I had the privilege of seeing Billy Bragg live for the first time. The show was extra special because it was Adam’s Birthday present … and it was awesome. Part Nader Rally, part punk rock show, part acoustic performance at a coffee shop, on-stage, Billy Bragg, is not like any performer I’ve ever seen – partly because he spent about as much time talking as he did playing. He bitched out an audience member who was heckling him about war in Ireland. He talked about the excitement he felt in the US over this election and warned us that, like Britain when Blair became PM after Thatcher, our expectations were high and likely to not be met. However, if Obama is elected, we shouldn’t be cynical because this election, while it doesn’t represent a change in the world, it does represent possibility. He was so good that I even enjoyed one of my least...

Who hearts Pink? I heart Pink!

By on Feb 6, 2008 in Music

I believe Pink has been listening to a lot of Freddie Mercury lately. There are certain moments in her new album, I’m Not Dead, that caused me to furrow my brow and rewind in case I’d heard wrong. First, it was the chorus to the title track, I’m Not Dead: “I’m not dead just floating.” The punctuated, tentative high pitch of the delivery screamed Freddie Mercury to me but then I thought maybe I was just crazy. On comes “‘Cuz I Can” with high pitched faux-Classical style backing vocals that include “Ice Cream Ice Cream We All Want Ice Cream” and “Ruff Ruff Ruff” (which was preceded by the line “I’m trying to school you dog.” Now I know I’m not crazy … and I know I freakin’ ♥heart♥ Pink. My love of Pink is not new it’s true but I really thought I had gotten over it....