'ello, Guv'nah!

Cheers and salutations and all that to ya. Work's busy (shocker!), so I'm just gonna jump right in here...


Much to my surprise, the Dinosaur Jr. tickets I mentioned yesterday, y'know the ones for their 'intimate' show at the Middle East Downstairs (just you and 575 close friends) on December 4th? Well, there's still some available. I mean, you'd think that given the bajillions of people that visit the 'Nac site every day, they'd all be long gone. [sarcasm off]. Seriously though, word must not be spreading all that fast.

Wanna know what sucks? That show is on the same night as both New Radiant Storm King at PA's Lounge and Mark Gardener (of Ride) at the Paradise Lounge. Feast or famine, I tells ya. Fairly freakin' frustrating.


Speakin' of that massive 'Nac traffic, can I just tell you how much I'm loving the whole Frappr map thing? I get a mini-thrill every time someone jumps on there, every time I find out where you and your computer call home. My hungry hungry ego cries 'mmmm... sustenance!'. If you haven't yet done so, go on and stick a virtual pushpin in this sucker. Thanks to all who have already.


As he reported himself on the Whedonesque site, Sir Joss Whedon will be continuing the 'official' story of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in comic book form, picking up after the events of the seventh and final TV season, with Ms. Summers doing slayer-type-stuff over in Italy. This fills me with geek-flavored joy.


And speaking of things Whedon-y, you may have noticed up in the upper right corner that Amie and I were in the presence of Buffy actress Amber 'Tara' Benson, who was appearing in her role as fiction writer at the BU Barnes & Noble with co-author Christopher Golden. Non-Buffy fans just tuned out again there, I know, but bear with me. While Ms. Benson is mainly known as Willow's main squeeze on the show, she's building quite a bibliography, with screenplays, comics, and now a novel on the list. Her new one, 'Accursed: Ghosts of Albion', is a collaboration with Mr. Golden (known for his Outcast books, comic work, and a couple of excellent original Hellboy novels, which is where my appreciation of his skillz stems from), and follows up on the online animated stories they started for the BBC.

Some bits from the Q&A conducted after the reading...

They've written a horror screenplay together that they're hoping to get made.

Golden isn't afraid to speak his mind, even when he's being recorded: After hesitating and then revealing that a screenwriter (the gent who did first drafts of Seabiscuit and Cinderella Man) is working on a script that will adapt his first two Outcast novels for the screen, and that the writer is being paid 'a million dollars', Amber said to him "you're being recorded, you know". Christopher followed with "It'll be just like when I said at the Boston Comicon that I thought Serenity sucked!". The Joss-worshipping crowd at the reading let out a mild gasp.

Less surprising: On the subject of modern horror movies, Golden said "If you haven't already, do not see the new remake of The Fog. It may very well be the worst movie of all time." Amber said "But wait, doesn't Tom Welling take his shirt off in that?!" Not enough to save it, apparently.

Benson then blurted out "Isn't ('Lost' actress) Maggie Grace in that? I helped her get an abortion!". Another gasp from the crowd, until she revealed it was when they were co-starring together on an episode of 'Cold Case'.

Benson loves reading Dostoyevsky ("Those Russians sure can do tragedy."), although Golden has never read him and has no interest in doing so. He's read the classics, but would rather stick forks in his eyes than read 'Moby Dick'. He reads comic books, has for years, and prefers Dennis Lehane's detective novels over 'Mystic River'.

And I apologize for the 'z' at the end of 'skillz' up there. I'm probably too old to pull that off.


You may have also seen the photographic evidence of our evening with Sarah Silverman, which was such a freakin' good time. Her new stand-up film, 'Jesus Is Magic', is just as offensive, bold, and funny as I'd hoped, and her absolute cuteness is even more apparent in person than it is on screen. Go see the film when and if it opens near you (release dates here). Might not want to bring your uptight and easily offended friends, though... no stone gets left unthrown.


Alas, there's no way I can make it over to London for the 4AD Records 25th Anniversary thing in a couple weeks, I'll have to sit here and be satisfied that I was able to make it to their even-better 13th Anniversary back in, um, 1993? (Hey, look, basic math!). I will, however, get to vicariously experience some of the fun as BBC 6 Music will be, and I quote, "will be digging through the BBC archives and broadcasting classic 4AD band performances". They'll also be featuring live in-session performances from 4AD artists throughout the week. While the schedule isn't finished, here's what it looks like so far:

Monday, 11/21: TV On The Radio & Wolf and Cub in session

Tuesday, 11/22: Kristin Hersh & Celebration in session

Wednesday, 11/23: The Mountain Goats in session

Thursday, 11/24: Mojave 3 in session / Robbie Grey from Modern English interview / Emma Pollock in session

Friday, 11/25: Mark Kozelek in session

According to the site, even more performers will be announced. Sounds great already.


Final Fantasy is Owen Pallett, Owen Pallet is Final Fantasy. Violinist extraordinaire, he's an Arcade Fire collaborator and frequent solo performer. I've been on a serious Bloc Party kick lately (yes, again), so I was pretty jazzed to find this video of Pallett and his drummer performing a cover of BP's 'This Modern Love' a couple weeks back. Love it.

(video found over at More Cowbell, who found it at The Smudge of Ashen Fluff, who got it from Blog Party. whew. You can grab an mp3 over at Smudge, but the video it where it's at, just to see Owen's mad looping skills. With an 's'.)


I don't know much about the Magic Numbers, but I do know I like the song 'Forever Lost' and its animated video. I dig it enough to be interested in their upcoming appearance at Allston's Great Scott as part of digArts III, which is being pulled together by Honeypump, the Weekly Dig, and Fenway Recordings. Fine organizations all. It's on Tuesday, November 29th, and from 7 to 9pm you can check out lots of art on display from Dig cover artists while you listen to Honeypump main-man Ben Sisto on the turntables. That part is free, but when the Magic Numbers play after 9, you'll need a ticket, which can be purchased right here.


Monday night show alert: In a mere four days, and also at Great Scott, the Tiny Amps officially celebrate the release of their new cd, 'Trill and Swagger' on Redder Records. That's Monday night, November 14th, with guests Reports and Mad Man Films. Head over here for an mp3 of the Tiny Amps song 'Dance on a Crowded Floor'.


Yeah, yeah, I sure do talk about The Wire a lot, especially for a show that's not even on the air again until sometime late next year. But it's worth mentioning that the second "A Night at the Wire" will be happening on March 25th, 2006 from 7-11 p.m. in Columbia, Maryland. Not many details yet, but the one that happened earlier this year looks like it was a blast. Hob knob with the cast & creators for charity as you bid on open-auction items and get a tour of the Wire's set. It's pricey at $75, but very cool if you're a big fan and have money to burn on a good time and a good cause.


It's a banner month for fans of comics writer Brian Wood: His brand new Vertigo series with Italian artist Riccardo Burchielli, entitled 'DMZ', launched yesterday with the official release of issue #1. I just grabbed it at lunch, and it's killer. Manhattan as war zone. All you need to know. Check out the DMZ workblog for more.

And next week brings the first issue of Local, his 12 issue Oni Press series. Here, have a look at the Local workblog, too.


My pal Miss Mary redesigned her wonderful little Hollypopshop site, where you can get your hands on her handmade crafty things, including totes, bags, wallets, & more. Holiday gifts galore.


It's good news / bad news for this Ester Drang fan. First, the bad news: They were originally scheduled to play with Styrofoam at the Middle East upstairs on November 23rd, but are no longer listed. According to their myspace page, it looks like they opted to head overseas for the month. Now, the good news: That same myspace page has a brand new preview track called 'Come Back Alive', which you can also download at their PureVolume page. It's off their upcoming Jade Tree album entitled 'Rocinate', which will be out in January. That good news easily trumps the bad.


Tonight: The Chris Brokaw Rock Band at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge. They're supposedly on at 9:30, at least according to the LL site, so don't be (re)tardy. I'll see ya there.


Ok, that's enough mouth outta me for today. As you were then...