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I recently discovered that I DO have Windows Movie Maker on my computer and so I decided to catch up and edit a lot of the video I've shot since I got my new digital camera on Christmas. (My old camera's files are not compatible with Movie Maker and I haven't gotten around to doing them yet.)
The chance to catch them live and see my brothers' friends' band open for them was one I couldn't possibly pass by. Plus it was free, and there were fireworks. Did I mention all the fireworks in Alton were canceled this year?
Anyway, the show and the fireworks were a part of Celebrate St. Louis - http://www.celebratestlouis.org/. It was called "Live OFF the Levee" this year instead of "on" since it was moved due to Mississippi River flooding, and it was held at Soldier's Memorial Park at Market and 14th Streets instead.
I hadn't seen One Lone Car since they got a new singer and, up until last night, I hadn't seen them in a venue larger than the Pageant (which I thought then was a pretty big deal since the Pageant hosts acts like The Flaming Lips and Nas, etc.). I'm not sure how big the crowd at the park was last night was but I know there were A LOT of people there.
Their new singer Aaron Kellim (well, new since the last time I saw them) didn't sound too different from their former singer Dei Plegge so the old songs worked well, but he sure was easier on the eyes (Good move guys, especially if you're looking for that boy-crazy girl fanbase. I'm sure you picked up quite a few groupies with that move :))
Here's a shot I found of OLC on stage (I haven't uploaded my own photos yet, which are from a side angle but are about this far away).
I just wanted to say that One Lone Car did me proud. Later on in the night I saw Neal, their guitarist and James' buddy, and told him what a great job they did. I'm definitely happy that he and Michael, the bassist and another of James' friends, are doing so well and I wish them the best of luck as time goes on.
You can check out the band/listen to some of their music (and I suggest you do) on their MySpace page, www.myspace.com/onelonecar.
OneRepublic was next. I already knew I loved singer Ryan Tedder's Justin Timerlake-esque voice, but I didn't realize how much I would like them as a band. Guess what? LOVED them.
They sound somewhat similar to Coldplay and the Fray and I love the piano and various string instruments that add a little something special to their sound. Favorites were "Apologize," which Z107.7 has played to death (made famous by Timbaland's remix of the band's original), a cover of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" and "All I Need," the video of which you can view for free at http://www.onerepublic.net/. (P.S. For another awesome song called "All I Need," see Radiohead's "In Rainbows." http://www.radiohead.com/deadairspace/)
You may also remember Tedder from the 2008 finale of "American Idol" when he performed with "the Chosen One" David Archuleta.
I took video clips of much of the concert and am working on a snippet from the experience, which I plan to post soon. So stay tuned and thanks for listening!
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Since we posted notice on http://www.thetelegraph.com/, we've racked up the friends. Is it dorky that I'm kind of excited??
Girl Talk Feed the Animals [Illegal Art; 2008] Rating: 8.0
"Unlike mash-up makers in it to figure out the lamest way to combine two song titles, justify their existence with cheap mp3 blog Diggs, or wind up in a Cobrasnake shot with some Olsen twin look-a-like, Gillis just really likes stuffing tons of his favorite FM moments into bursts of Top 40 overload. "I'm a pop music enthusiast," he told me. Hailing from the anti-flash city of Pittsburgh, Gillis has sidestepped the Absolut-sponsored stigma associated with of-the-moment party starters ever since 2006's Night Ripper sent him on a never-ending tour of sweat-stained clubs. While his live set changes with the ebb and flow of the Hot 100, this is Gillis' first major release as a semi-popular act. Unsurprisingly, his new record, Feed the Animals, comes off like the ultimate July 4th rooftop soundtrack..."
I have become pretty engrossed in this album over the last day or so. Right now, I'm fighting back the desire to get in my car and cruise with it. (1- I'm working. 2- Gas is not cheap!) So I just grabbed my iPod.
No matter who you are or what you listen to, no one can deny pop music completely. There's always going to be that one song that you reminds you of hanging out with your friends in the garage as a teenager or the song that was playing at the dance where you first kissed your sweetheart.
For me, someone who appreciates good music but still drives around with Z107.7 in the background (whether I like to admit it or not), the album is perfect. It contains both songs I can't get out of my head and those I don't want to get out of my head.
My personal favorite track is 3, "Still Here." It blends the song "No Diggity" over the clapping sound from Radiohead's "15 Step." Before that, you heard correctly: "Wont' start no shit, won't be no shit." Later in the same track, you hear from Ace of Base and The Band.
I feel like this could appeal to a lot of people. If you haven't heard it, you can download it for free on his Web site, http://www.myspace.com/girltalk
Normally I can see a tiny sliver of the Mississippi River around ConAgra from our loft, but now I can see a whole mess of it!
This was our view Saturday night. Cones had to be laid out to deter any block partiers from taking a dip or wandering into the floodwaters.
Our neighbors, The Big Muddy Pub, have been pumping water out of their basement for weeks. Our landlord just started last week. Before we left on our vacation, he told us he couldn't start pumping until it reached 2-3 feet, so we knew the pump being out meant business.
This was the view on Sunday morning. The water had crept above a temporary road built up on Broadway to let trucks through.
The actual Big Muddy, referring to the river, supposedly crested Sunday night and is going down (cross your fingers) barring any heavy rains.
Seeing as though we live on the second floor of our loft, it would take a flood of drastic proportions to reach us, but still -- those pumps running every night is becoming a pain in my butt!
