It List: Wednesday

I got so caught up in watching this video, that I posted this list even later than I usually do.

You know what's hilarious? It's 2010 and people are still writing about how Oak Cliff can maybe be like the new Austin, and Denton can perhaps be like the new Athens. Why the fuck can't Oak Cliff just be Oak Cliff and Denton just be Denton? That should be good enough for everyone, geez. People have been saying that sort of thing for quite some time, and I wouldn't hold my breath.

Also, the new iPad looks awesome and you little nerdy, anti-Apple, "hacktivists" are only making me like it more.


The Fiery Furnaces/Drug Rug (The Lounge): The Fiery Furnaces are one of those acts that seem to be in a constant struggle between concept and song; I've heard firsthand from the recording engineers that have worked with the group that they will take an idea and flesh it out through various strategies and experimenting and rerecording until the original piece is completely unrecognizable. I think that this has always made Fiery Furnaces generally more interesting than your average indie-pop group, even if some of their concepts aren't particularly successful, and sometimes even over the course of an entire record. But I respect that. I would rather be confused and somewhat disappointed as opposed to simply bored any day. The advantage of such a labored-over creative process is that in yielding such wildly different results from track-to-track, the duo is also just as likely to write songs that end up being absolutely memorable and even beautiful, which has obviously held the attention of the run-of-the-mill pop fan as well as assholes like me for quite some time now. "Benton Harbor Blues" is one of the few songs I've ever heard about a place that perfectly captured the feeling of being there. Okay, except for maybe "Werewolves Of London," but that's one of the worst songs of all time. The creepy reverb-pop of Drug Rug sounds like an excellent opener, but I've wasted too much time and can't really get into that this evening. See you there.

Screening: The AAV Club presents: "Hell's Bell's - The Dangers of Rock 'N' Roll," "Devil Worship - Exposing Satan s Underground" (Geraldo Rivera Special), Trick or Treat (1986) w/ Gene Simmons & Ozzy Osbourne (Tradewinds located at
2843 W Davis St, in Dallas): From what I gather not only does this seem like it will be an ongoing event, but it looks like Tradewinds in Oak Cliff is the place to be in the OC, especially until the various projects that are supposed to open there are finally up and running, and probably even after that. This looks like a related little trio of 80's gems, when rock music was experiencing a renaissance of fear; every suicide and case of Juvenile delinquency was blamed on Satan-obsessed metal or Wendy O. Williams' breasts. I almost get kind of misty-eyed for the faded memories of panicked adults all around me when I think back to those wonderful times. Looks like Kara Howell and Tommyboy have a big hand in this, so I would put money on it being worth your time since they might be the single most tasteful representatives of their respective genders. They "get it," and you don't. Know what I mean? Event is free.