The Cosmic Kid in Full Costume Dress

Help my band, win free stuff!

2007-10-18T13:53:00.000-04:00

[Copied from bulletins/the band's blog]

Wotcher, Creative Wizards and Witches!
http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
As you can probably see, we have the design for our Album's cover all finished, but the only problem is that WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO CALL IT!! So, it's up to you, fair fans to name the album. Go check out the cover in the Posters/Logos/Album Art folder, and start brainstorming. You can send your entries to us by leaving us a comment, sending us a message, or talking to us on AIM (tonksntheaurors) or Skype (tonksandtheaurors). Duplicate entries will be determined by whoever suggested the title first. We will announce the winner Next week sometime in our blog, so stay tuned!

Werewolf nuzzles,
Tonks & the Aurors

YOU can enter at our myspace page HERE

To prepare you for the tour...

2007-10-11T01:30:00.000-04:00

The best television performance of the last 15 years:

Bruce & the E Street Band on Conan O'Brien in 2002 playing "Kitty's Back," a song off of one of Bruce's first studio albums that definitely doesn't get enough air time. Bruce has at least 3 outstanding guitar solos in the video (one in the first 30 seconds) and the band sounds amazing with the horns from the Max Weinberg 7 backing them up.

Definitely legendary.

Another Reason why I miss Bill Clinton...

2007-10-09T16:57:00.001-04:00

“I have learned that building up women does not diminish men”
-Bill Clinton

Our most distinguished alumnus...

2007-10-04T23:09:00.001-04:00

This was in the display case in the Arthur Miller Theatre Lobby last weekend...

I love my classmates.

I'm PUMPED!

2007-09-20T17:46:00.000-04:00

Springsteen Update for 9/4/07

2007-09-04T13:17:00.000-04:00

The video for the first single off of "Magic" was released through amazon.com. It's awesome to see the E Street Band back together, and the video just gets me even more excited for the album and reunion tour.

Watch the video here.

Thursday 13 #30: Potter Pics

2007-08-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

My Thirteen Favorite Pictures that I took at the Harry and the Potters Concert in Ann Arbor!

1. Draco & the Malfoys opening the show...

2. Harry Potter 7th Year (Paul) during "Voldermort Can't Stop the Rock"

3. HP7 with his party hat on because it was Harry Potter's Birthday!

4. Harry Potter 4th Year (Joe) with the Library Sign

5. HP7 breaking it down...

6. HP4 demonstrating the new Hagrid song with dance moves!

7. An awkward moment with Bill Weasley on drums during "The Weasle"

8. HP4 rocking out during "The Weasle"

9. HP4 letting loose

10. The signature HP4 Mic Cord move

11. I really just love this picture of Paul. Adorable.

12. SAXY TIME!

13. The Weapon We Have is Love!

Want more from Harry and the Potters? Check out their Myspace

Springsteen Update 8/22

2007-08-22T12:06:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Bruce Springsteen announced the release of his latest album titled "Magic".

"Magic" is a return to the more traditional "rocking" style of Springsteen music, according to Jon Landau. With this return, Springsteen also welcomes back the E Street Band as his band. Rumors previously claimed that this could be the Full E Street Band album and tour, due to Clarence Clemons' declining health. Fans have waited five years since "The Rising," the multi-platinum and grammy winning album that last featured the E Street Band.

If you want to hear what could be the last hoorah with "The Big Man" on sax, I would advise you to buy this album and fight to get some tickets to the inevitable tour with the E Street Band.

The album comes out October 2nd, and more information can be found at www.brucespringsteen.net

Band to Look for...

2007-08-06T22:59:00.001-04:00

So, there's this new Wizard Rock Band that's trying to tear up the nation, and I thought I'd give them a plug. Head over to their Myspace and hear their awesome demos!

An official announcement

2007-07-31T00:26:00.000-04:00

Well, ladies and gentlemen of the internet, I can officially tell you that the worst movie of the summer is SPIDERMAN 3. Thank God I only paid $1.50 for it, because I feel bad for anyone who paid full price. What. a. stinker. Peter Parker turned into either some weird emo kid or Garth Brook's alter-ego Chris Gaines somewhere in the middle there.

Luckily I went with a friend and MAN did we snark up the joint. They might as well have taped us and made the entire experience into a Mystery Science Theatre 300 episode.

Tomorrow will make up for it though! Harry and the Potters at the Ann Arbor District Library! YES!

Getting Smarter!

2007-07-29T00:11:00.000-04:00

Excited doesn't even begin to explain how I feel about this movie. See for yourself:

Get Smart has been my favorite TV show (of all time) since I was a very small child, and I think Steve Carell is brilliant, so this better be awesome.

A Challenge

2007-07-28T20:06:00.000-04:00

I've decided to stop biting my nails. Yes. After 11+ years of biting, I'm trying to stop. I stopped cold turkey for almost two weeks, which was amazing. I finally invested in a nail polish that tastes like poison and is supposed to nurse my nails back to health.

Why did I decide to finally stop being a misfit and kick the habit? Well, I was driving and noticed how small the nails on my ring fingers actually were. Nothing motivates my ass into action like fear. I had a small panic attack over the idea of never having a nail there again! While I'm sure this is a ways a way, actually reaching the day where no nail exists is a terrifying one.

I pray to God I can kick this habit. It's not a verves thing, it just comes down to the fact that I get bored, and when I'm bored I amuse myself by gnawing on my own digits. I can never have long nails because of needing to play guitar, but I just can't take being disgusted by my own hands anymore.

Oh, and good news on the music front: a church in Ypsilanti, MI may be hiring/using me to lead their Saturday evening masses. While I don't imagine leaving my current church any time soon, another music gig to add to the resume is good. Maybe it'll lead to bigger, better things? Bringing the progressive/alternative Catholic-Christian lifestyle to one church at a time.

I've got to remember to blog about Warped Tour next time. What a story...

Thursday 13 #29: Harry AND THE Potters!

2007-07-25T00:39:00.001-04:00

After another summer hiatus, here's a great Thursday 13 to make up for it! One of the best live bands ever is a band called HARRY AND THE POTTERS, the original Wizard Rock (WRock) band, and still the best. If you hadn't guessed it already, Harry and the Potters play songs only about Harry Potter and even dress as Harry Potter. The two brothers play Harry Potter 4th Year and Harry Potter 7th Year, who met during a night of time travelling and decided to form a band together. Check out their albums, which are now available on iTunes! So without further ado...

13 of my favorite Harry and the Potters songs

1. Dumbledore
Written after Dumbledore's death in book 6, the song can make me cry.
"You were the best we ever had (you were the best)/I wish we could have shared more together/But now you're off on your next adventure/DUMBLEDORE WE WILL FIGHT FOR YOU TONIGHT!...Your love is keeping us alive!"

2. Save Ginny Weasley
The song that helped start the movement!
"We've got to save Ginny Weasley from the Basalisk!/We've got to save our school from that unseen horror!"

3. Save Ginny Weasley from Dean Thomas
"My Wizard Scar still burns for you..."

4. Fred & George
A great stuttering rock song that is so punk and so catchy
"So what's your deal? Are you a prankster? Or are you just looking for some skivving snack boxes to get you out of class?

5. Dumbledore's Army
"Oh my god you look like a frog/Oh my god you look like a frog/Umbridge you're going down, Umbridge you're going down"

6. Platform 9 3/4
"The bus don't run to Hogwarts/You have to take the train/We'll take the train from platform 9 and 3/4

7. We save Ron's life (part 8)
A really funny song about all the times Harry and Hermione save Ron's life

8. Phoenix Song
One of the best produced Harry and the Potters songs, and it's got a gorgeous intro. Just go download it!
"Put your wand in your hand!/Put love in your heart!/Get your friends by your side!/And tear evil apart!"

.9. I am a Wizard
I think you get what this is about, right?

10. Song for the Death Eaters
"You're running scared/You run and hide/your hearts have nothing warm inside"

11. The Weapon
And there's one thing that I've got/One thing that you've got inside you, too/One thing that we've got/And the one thing we've got is enough/To save us all/The weapon we have is love"

12. The Human Hosepipe
"I'd rather not talk about your dead ex-boyfriend over coffee...Cho Chang, what have I done?"

13. Cornelius Fudge is an ass
"Do you wanna go back to the way we were?/And do you wanna stay how we used to be?/And do you wanna pretend that the Dark Lord didn't come back?"

I've been saying it for 6 years...

2007-07-17T15:56:00.000-04:00

Avril Lavigne sucks, is not punk rock, and now she's a theif...

I hope the Rubinoos take her down.

What do you think?

I love HELL'S KITCHEN

2007-07-17T02:15:00.000-04:00

I've been watching Fox's HELL'S KITCHEN since it's first season 2 summers ago. I'm obsessed. Here's some reason's why:

!. A Waffle House short-order cook can make it to the final 5

2. Gordon Ramsay is a very attractive British man

3. The challenges and punishments for the losing team are awesome. Diving through trash, cleaning fish...awesome.

4. It's the only place where you can hear a man yell "DONKEY!!" at another person and it's hilarious

5. Ramsay will yell at restaurant patrons. For real.

Thursday 13 #28: What I've been up to...

2007-06-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

13 Things I’ve been up to since you last saw me…

1. Stage Managing a Sketch Comedy Show!
At the University of Michigan, Orientation is a huge deal. The program has all the usual walking tours, question and answer sessions, etc…but the best part is the Sketch comedy show that the Freshmen get to see on their first night in Ann Arbor. I’m stage managing/tech directing the show this summer, and it’s been keeping me super busy, but it’s also been a blast.

2. Spring Classes
On top of everything I’ve been working on I’m attending 2 classes 3 days a week. It’s difficult to keep up with all of the material, but at least the classes are interesting!

3. Jimmy Pardo
Imagine my delight when I found out my favorite stand up comedian was performing for a weekend in Royal Oak! Well, I rounded up a couple friends and we made a night of it, and it was totally worth it. Jimmy performed amazingly and even autographed a CD for me.

4. Movies
Summer time means that I finally have the money to rent and attend movies! I’ve been a regular at Blockbuster lately, and I’ve seen quite a few movies. Favorite rentals: A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, The Godfather of Green Bay, Music & Lyrics. Favorite in theatres: Disturbia, 28 Weeks Later, Knocked Up

5. A Bad Axe Gig!
My church band got asked to play a baccalaureate mass in Bad Axe, MI…which is approximately 3 hours away from Plymouth. The band drove up the Saturday before, set up, rehearsed, had a meal together, and then played the mass the next day. Spending time with the LifeTeen band is one of my favorite things to do, so I had a great time in Bad Axe. And considering what a small town it was, they loved our music!

6. Home Depot
As the Technical Director of a show, I spent a lot of time at Home Depot a few weeks back. I love home depot, but it’s a frustrating place for me to be. None of the workers wait on me because they don’t think they’ll get a sale out of me, and all of the patrons hit on me because I’m a woman in the middle of the boys club! Now, if any of these men weren’t 10-20 years older than me, I wouldn’t mind. But they’re not.

7. Board Games
I’ve become obsessed with board games. My friends come over, and I immediately want to play DVD Clue or Apples 2 Apples or Pop-O-Matic Trouble. It’s awesome.

8. Fountain Dwelling
So, there’s this fountain in front of the Michigan League, and at Freshman Orientation you walk through it as a right of passage. My roommate and I, being Upper Classmen and tired of Frisbee decided to take a frolic in the fountain once again before I graduate.

9. Frisbee
Yes, I suck at Frisbee. BUT I have a light up one, so people tolerate my suckage to play with my awesome toy. There’s nothing better than a late night game of glow frisbee

10. Music
In the same way I have money for movies in the summer, I have money for music again! Here’s some music I’m loving for summer: Oh What a World by Rufus Wainwright, Ludo’s self titled album, Dustin Kensrue’s album Please Come Home, Warren Zevon’s songs Lawyers, Guns, and Money and Keep Me In Your Heart

11. Tigers Game
I went to a Detroit Tigers game during Memorial Day weekend. Unfortunately it was during a losing streak, but I still had a ton of fun at Comerica park with all of my friends.

12. Family
I’ve seen my family a lot lately, especially the extended family since my Grandmother had her surgery. It’s nice to see them all again, since I’m always so busy during the school year. I’m making lots of plans for the summer/fall to have family come hang out or visit me!

13. Painting
I’ve started painting some canvases to give as gifts to friends and relatives. Here’s a rose I painted for my grandmother after her knee replacement surgery. I’m so happy with how it turned out.

Thursday Thirteen #27: Lyrics

2007-05-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

Thirteen song lyrics I love.

1. Jack's Mannequuin- Bruised
I lace my Chucks, I walk the aisle/I take my pills, the babies cry/All I hear is what's playing through/The in-flight radio/Now every word of every song/I ever heard that made me wanna stay/Is what's playing through/The in-flight radio

2. Tally Hall-Greener
Wherever you are/Is breaking my heart/Don't leave it alone/Don't leave it alone/You fit just right/Right next to me

3. Rent-Finale B
Women sing: "The hand gropes, the ear hears, the pulse beats/Life goes on, but I'm gone/Cause I die without you/I DIE WITHOUT YOU"
Men Sing: There's only now, there's only here/give in to love or live in fear/no other path, no other way/NO DAY BUT TODAY"

4. Bruce Springsteen- Jungleland
Outside the streets on fire in a real death waltz/Between flesh and whats fantasy and the poets down here/Dont write nothing at all, they just stand back and let it all be/And in the quick of the night they reach for their moment/And try to make an honest stand but they wind up wounded, not even dead/Tonight in jungleland

5. The Beatles-Blackbird
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see/All your life/You were only waiting for this moment to be free/Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly/Into the light of the dark black night.

6. Dashboard Confessional-This Ruined Puzzle
But I’ve hidden a note/it’s pressed between pages/that you've marked to find your way back/It says Does he ever get the girl?

7. Elton John-Ticking
Oh they pleaded to your sanity for the sake of those inside
"Throw out your gun, walk out slow just keep your hands held high"
But they pumped you full of rifle shells as you stepped out the door
Oh you danced in death like a marionette on the vengeance of the law

8. Ludo-Save Our City
(This is one of 5 songs from a mini-rock opera)
O'er the Mayor's ruined head, the boy steps the window/and cries out from the ledge to the people below:
"There's a time to pray, and there's a time to fight.
Anything can be a weapon, if you're holding it right.
Defend what is yours, they will not take our souls.
It's time to rise, and fight!"

9.Elvis Costello-Radio Radio
You either shut up or get cut up/they don't wanna hear about it/It's only inches on the reel-to-reel/And the radio is in the hands of such a lot of fools/tryin' to anaesthetise the way that you feel

10. Harry & the Potters-Human Hosepipe
well maybe I shouldn't have mentioned hermione/and maybe you shouldn't have brought up cedric diggory/because I'd rather not talk about your dead ex-boyfriends over coffee...Cho Chang, what have I done?

11. Patty Griffin-Long Ride Home
Headlights searching down the driveway/The house is dark as it can be/I go inside and all is silent/It seems as empty as the inside of me
I've had some time to think about you/And watch the sun set like a stone/I've had some time to think about you

12. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists- Me & Mia
(two faves from this one!)
a. "Do you believe in something beautiful? Then get up and be it!"
b. "Not doctors, nor your mom and dad, but me and Mia, Ann and Ana/Know how hard you try. Don't you see it in my eyes?/Sick to death of my dependence, fighting food to find transcendence/Fighting to survive, more dead but more alive

13. U2-Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own
(two from this one too)
a. "We fight all the time/You and I...that's alright/We're the same soul/I don't need...I don't need to hear you say/That if we weren't so alike/You'd like me a whole lot more
b. "Can - you - hear - me - when - I -/Sing, you're the reason I sing/You're the reason why the opera is in me"

I Could probably do another 13 if I wanted to!

Music Obsession of the Week:

2007-05-11T16:39:00.000-04:00

Rufus Wainwright's version of the latin "Agnus Dei"

I've become intrigued with how many classical and catholic mass pieces are being reworked by contemporary artists. First, with Sufjan Steven's "Holy, Holy, Holy" and now Rufus Wainwright's version of this Agnus Dei. Rufus is hauntingly gorgeous on this song. He's approached it as some a protest song, begging god to forgive us our sins. Take a listen.

Thursday Thirteen #26: Summer!

2007-05-09T14:46:00.000-04:00

Thirteen things I'm looking forward to this summer!

1. Living in the City
I will be right in the heart of Ann Arbor all summer, and I'm completely excited for it! Those big sales at urban outfitters during the art fair? You better believe I'll be there from day 1!

2. Detroit Tigers!
Another run for the world series is coming our way, I hope to catch a few games this summer.

3. Sleep
No more early morning production meetings! Unless I'm getting up to make some money, I won't be waking up early.

4. Harry Potter
This summer is a Harry Potter-palooza, with the final book and the movie being released. I'm more than excited for all of the big events.

5. UMetc
I'm stage managing the sketch comedy show for the University of Michigan Educational Theatre Company this summer. The show is performed at every orientation session, and each incoming freshman will get to see it. How good is that going to look on my grad school application? Very. 32 Performances is a little daunting though, right?

6. GREASE
Another Summer, another High School Alumni production to stage manage. This year, it's GREASE. Should be quite an adventure!

7. Concerts
Last year was a crazy summer for concerts, and I only missed a few, so hopefully this summer also turns out to be a great summer of tours!

8. Interesting Summer Classes
I always take summer classes that are super interesting, and this year I'm taking Shakespeare with the greatest professor of all time, and a Cultural Anthropology class about the Linguistics of Religious Language.

9. The Ann Arbor Art Fair
The Ann Arbor Art Fair is one of the most famous things about Ann Arbor in the summer time. Most of the city shuts down and is taken over by artists and artisans from around the world. Now that I'll be only a block away from the action, I can only imagine how fun it's going to be!

10. Summer Fest
Movies at dusk in front of the Graduate building. Concerts on the diag. World class musicians on the University mainstage. These are just a few of the awesome things that the Summer Festival presents every summer, and most of the events are FREE!

11. Hunting for Graduate Schools
This summer I'll be beating the pavement and the internet to hunt down the perfect Theatre Education/Theatre for the Young Grad program for me. I've already gotten in contact with two schools, so hopefully this will be a very successful summer for me.

12. Visiting the Lake
I grew up on a lake my entire life, and now that my mom is planning on purchasing a speed boat...I'll probably spend quite a few weekends back home. Plus, I'll need to hang out with the two siblings, and my dog!

13.Makin' Money
For the first time EVER I'm getting paid to stage manage, so add that to my church job, and a day job I'll be acquiring soon, hopefully I'll have a nice chunk of change saved for the fall!

Thursday Thirteen #25: On the Look Out (Movies)

2007-05-01T16:28:00.000-04:00

13 Movies I'm Looking Foreward to from May-September
I don't trust some of the release dates I found for these movies, but I'm positive all are coming soon, and I'm psyched!

1. Across the Universe
(September 28)
I saw the trailer for this movie on sunday, and I'm pretty sure that this will be one of the best movies of 2007. If I could only see 1 of the movies on this entire list, it would be this one.

2. 28 Weeks Later
(Coming out May 11)
Yes, I like zombie movies. The trailer for this movie is pretty awesome too, so I'm excited to see how it turns out.

3. ShowBussiness: The Road to Broadway
(May 11)
From comingsoon.net: Over the course of one Broadway musical season, "ShowBusiness" follows the four high-profile productions that would eventually become Tony nominees for Best Musical: a big-noise musical named "Wicked," the Rosie O'Donnell/Boy George collaboration, "Taboo," the much-anticipated Tony Kushner musical, "Caroline, or Change," and an irreverent puppet show named "Avenue Q."

4. Live Free or Die Hard
(June 27)
I fell in love with the Die Hard franchise a few years ago, and it's still a favorite of mine. So, of course I can't wait for the newest installment!

5. Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix
(July 13)
Who ISN'T looking forward to the newest Harry Potter movie? Of course I'll be seeing this one!

6. Hairspray
(July 20)
I will admit that I'm pretty disappointed with some of the casting choices in the film...(Zach Ephron? Seriously? He didn't even actually sing in High School Musical...and really, did he act?)...but I'll probably still catch it just to see how it translated back to the screen.

7. Under Dog!
(August 3)
"Never Fear, Underdog is here!" I was in love with Underdog as a child, so I'm pumped for a big screen version. And I'm intrigued to see how the whole live-action thing works.

8. Stardust
(August 10)
The trailer for this movie makes it look like an awesome blockbuster. Too many stars to name are in this, and it looks visually incredible!

9. Fanboys
(August 17)
From comingsoon.net: "The movie follows four "Star Wars" fanboys from the Midwest who drive across the country to honor the wish of their dying friend: to see the yet-unreleased "Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace" in its most optimal setting, George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch."

10. The Wristcutters
(August 31)
From comingsoon.net: "From the moment Zia (Patrick Fugit) cuts his wrists and enters a bizarre afterlife reserved for suicides, this film becomes a strangely uplifting, darkly comic tale about a journey through the hereafter. This is a world where everyone still bears the scars earned from the manner in which they "offed" while the everyday reality is a twisted mirror image of our own mortal world."

11. The Nanny Diaries
(September 7)
The best selling book is moving to the big screen with Scarlett Johanssen as the star. I enjoy Scarlett's work, and the book was pretty good, so hopefully this film version works out as well as the Devil Wears Prada did.

12. The Savages
(September 7)
Wendy Savage (Laura Linney) is a self medicating struggling East Village playwright, AKA a temp who spends her days applying for grants and stealing office supplies, dating her very married neighbor. Jon Savage (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is an obsessive compulsive college professor writing obscure books on even more obscure subjects in Buffalo who still can’t commit to his girlfriend after four years even though her cooking brings him tears of joy. Then, out of the blue, comes the call that changes everything – the call that informs them that their father ... Lenny Savage (Philip Bosco), has lost his marbles. And there is no one to help him but his kids. Wendy and Jon are forced to live together under one roof for the first time since childhood, soon rediscovering the eccentricities that drove each other crazy. comingsoon.net

13. Evan Almighty
(June 22)
I would watch Steve Carrell read the manual to my dvd player, I love him so much, so I'll definitely be watching Evan Almighty

Thursday Thirteen #24: The DO WORK playlist

2007-04-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

Ok, I'm back! I survived TOMMY, and finals, so here's my first Thursday Thirteen of THE SUMMER!

Thirteen Songs off of my playlist entitled "DO WORK, SON!" which I listened to while studying/writing papers this year during finals.

1. Chicago-Sufjan Stevens
Off of the Illinois album, and featured heavily in Little Miss Sunshine this song has a really calming effect on me, and is a really great song to work to since it's not distracting.

2. Indoor Fireworks-Elvis Costello
Elvis' voice is like velvet on this song, LOVE IT.

3. Counting Down the Hours-Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
The definition of finals week this spring!

4. The Song of Purple Summer-The Spring Awakening Broadway Cast Recording
This song oozes summer out of every note, and I can't wait to listen to it some night as the sunsets. It's on the list to remind me of what I'm working toward.

5. The Animal Song-Savage Garden
So...this is a huge guilty pleasure for me, I'll admit it. Savage Garden produces some great pop tunes.

6. A Day in the Life-The Beatles (Love Remixes)
I was apprehensive when I was told Cirque du Solei remixed the beatles to creat their show LOVE, but I was very pleasantly surprised. This album is amazing!

7. A Case of You
As the facebook group puts it: "Joni Mitchell is a F***ing Baller" and I will listen to her until the day I die.

8. Nan, You're a Window Shopper-Lily Allen
I can't get enough of Brit "hip-pop"...as I like to call it. Lily Allen rocks out on this track with her dry wit.

9. North Country Girl-Pete Townshend
I love Pete's voice, and his guitar playing. This song is gorgeous.

10. Lost in the Supermarket-The Clash
Joe Strummer is my homeboy.

11. Racing in the Streets-Bruce Springsteen (Live Bootleg)
This song is so beautiful that I have to stop all my work and just take time to listen to the lyrics when it comes on.

12. Head Over Heels-Tears for Fears
Yessssss 80s music!

13. I'm Not Alright (Acoustic)-Sanctus Real
I didn't think christian alt-rock could be this hauntingly beautiful.

And the 2006/2007 school year comes to a close. (I don't think my mom has realized it yet...but I'm officially a senior here at the University of Michigan!)

"Called it"

2007-04-23T23:55:00.000-04:00

My name is Cosmic Kid, and I'm a movie "caller".

I made this realization tonight, while watching the movie Fracture, starring Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling. An hour into the film I knew how it was going to end. I never said anything out loud, however, it drove me crazy for the rest of the film. What bothered me the most about figuring this movie out so early was that I definitely enjoyed the entire movie, and thought it was very well made, but I guessed it so early.

This is not the first time this has happened, either. The Prestige: 45 Minutes. Disturbia: 30 Minutes. And these are just the recent occurances, and both are movies that I really liked! I'm starting to think I've just seen too many movies. Have I hit my film peak? I mean, I am only twenty years old!

...maybe I'm just procrastinating so that I avoid writing the paper, the take home final, and the research project I have due this week. That's probably it.

Thursday Thirteen #23: Opening Night

2007-04-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

In honor of the opening night of the show I am Asst. Stage Managing this weekend, here are...
13 things to know about the opening and running a show!

1. Everyone is happy because there are no more early morning production meetings
Most shows have regular production meetings, and UMich likes to have them between 9am & 11am. Tommy was blessed with 9am meetings, which after rehearsals that went until 11:30, is early.

2. Never say "good luck"
In every performance circle, the big G.L. is actually bad luck. For theatre say "break a leg" and for opera say "Toi Toi Toi!" (I still have no idea what Toi means)

3. The Cast is usually well behaved
Between nerves and wanting to perform a good show, most casts are quiet back stage and nice to everyone.

4. People get to see the show!
After 5 weeks of rehearsals, bad moods, late nights, and hard work, friends and family finally get to see what you've created such a fuss about. (And hopefully they're impressed)

5. It gets easier!
Rehearsals, Techs, and Dress Rehearsals are frenzied, but usually things get easier during the run of a show. The crew has finally learned the show, so most things become routine. With a long running show everything can become clockwork...as long as no disasters happen.

6. Something always goes wrong
I love problem solving, so waiting for that one thing to go wrong and having to trouble shoot around it is a challenge I look foreward to.

7. Stage Blacks
My wardrobe is distilled down to 4 things during performances: Black shoes, black pants, black Tshirt, and a black hooded sweatshirt. THis makes getting dressed a lot easier in the morning.

8. No Foot Wrestling
On Saturday's rehearsal the crew was so bored that they actually foot wrestled backstage. Now they barely have enough time to sit down!

9. The Orchestra Arrives
With musicals, opera, or theatre featuring compositions, once the musicians arrive beautiful things happen to a show. I always love when full orchestrations are added, since the show really comes alive once they're all there.

10. Never mention the "scottish play"
Another huge no-no once a show has moved into the theatre is ever mentioning Shakespeare's "scottish play," M*cB*th.

11. "Thanks"
Once the actors have moved past the insanity of moving into the theatre, then adding costumes, they start to notice all of the hard work the Stage Managers and crew members are doing, and start saying thanks. It's nice to finally reach this point, since all the hard work is being rewarded.

12. Costumes rock
Whether the show is a period piece or modern, costumes are always an awesome addition to complete the world of the production. Love them!

13. Cast Party!
It's finally time to celebrate all of the work you've done!

Here's to a successful opening night of The Who's TOMMY here at UMich!

Loving Love

2007-04-09T02:11:00.000-04:00

One of the room mates finally burned me a copy of The Beatles' LOVE, the collection of remixes from Cirque du Soleil. All I can say is WOW. This album takes these Beatles tunes to a whole new place, and it's a good place.

Thursday Thirteen #22: Television

2007-04-05T00:14:00.000-04:00

13 TV shows I absolutley have to see each week!

1. House M.D.
Can you say "obsessed"? I record every new and repeated episode each week

2. The Riches
This new show from FX rocks! Eddie Izzard is amazing!

3. Grey's Anatomy
I'll never miss a new episode of Grey's

4. Mythbusters
I'm a nerd, and happy to admit it

5. Dirty Jobs
Discovery runs my life, and Mike Rowe is just too entertaining

6. Colbert Report
Mr. Colbert amazes me, because he is so perfectly in character during each moment of his show, that I love every second of it.

7. It Takes a Thief
It makes me paranoid and entertains me all at the same time.

8. Cash Cab
The greatest game show ever, that takes place all in the back of a New York City taxi cab!

9. Project Runway
I've watched it since day one, so I'm not giving up on it any time soon

10. Hell's Kitchen/Top Chef
I like Hell's Kitchen more than Top Chef mostly because of Ramsay, but Top Chef is pretty awesome too.

11. The Sopranos
This show is so incredibly well written that I can't stop watching!

12. Curb Your Enthusiasm
The funniest show on television, hands down!

13. Scrubs
Scrubs is the snack food of tv, if it's on, you can't help but keep enjoying it!

What shows do you have to see/Tivo?

Thursday Thirteen #21: Movies

2007-03-28T23:49:00.000-04:00

Thirteen Movies I Love!

1. Charles Chaplin's City Lights
My #1 favorite movie of all time! It's funny, poignant, and brilliant.

2. Labyrinth
The music! The Puppets! David Bowie! All the glitz and glamrock even makes up for the 16 year-old Jennifer Connely's bad acting.

3. Harold & Maude
Another movie with a wonderful soundtrack, Cat Stevens at his best! A wonderful story of love and growth. it doesn't get any better than the Hearse-Porche!

4. Being There
My other #1 Fave! Peter Sellers is best known for playing the bumbling Inspector Cluseau in the Pink Panther films, but I like him best as Chance (Chauncy) the Gardner.

5. The Godfather
Francis Ford Coppolla made a masterpiece with this one, and I'm still amazed at the actors performances of this brilliant screenplay.

6. Groundhog Day
I watch it every year on Ground Hog's day, and I still laugh at Bill Murray!

7. Annie Hall
I could fill this list with Woody Allen films, but I'll settle for just one. A perfect combination of a great screenplay, wonderful actors, and Allen's direction.

8. The Producers (1968)
I fell in love with Mel Brooks after seeing The Producers. Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel are over the top characters, and the brilliant writing on Brooks' part is brilliant!

9. Star Wars
I can watch all three films in the Original Trilogy over and over, and it's as exciting as the first time I watched it!

10. When Harry Met Sally
Can men and women remain only friends? Apparently not.

11. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
It's snarky, it's dark, and it's hilarious. Robert Downey Jr masters this film, and the on-screen chemistry between RDJ and Val Kilmer rocks.

12. This is Spinal Tap
Every musician has to see Spinal Tap. Every theatre person has to see Waiting for Guffman. And dog lovers should see Best in Show. Christopher Guest is a genius.

13. Chaplin
This is my favorite bio-pic, and it's probably one of the best ever, since it beautifully tell's the story of Charlie Chaplin's life. Robert Downey Jr was robbed of the best actor Academy Award!

7 Songs...for 7 Brothers?

2007-03-27T14:03:00.000-04:00

The rules are post 7 songs you've been listening to lately, and tag 7 people...but as far as I've seen, all the people I visit regularly have done the meme, so consider yourself tagged if you haven't.

1. Queen-Somebody to Love

2. Lily Allen-Alfie

3. Elvis Costello-(I don't want to go to) Chelsea

4. The Living End-Short Notice

5. The Spring Awakening Soundtrack-And Then There Were None (And the rest of the album for that matter)

6. Seven Places-Even When

7. Big City Rock-Sink

Definitely give these songs a look!

Awkward? Very.

2007-03-24T01:50:00.000-04:00

The Top 15 funniest Comic Book plates

Most are hilariously funny and/or awkward...

Thursday Thirteen #20: Bruce Springsteen

2007-03-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

The Thirteen Best Bruce Springsteen Songs

In case you didn't know, the name "Cosmic Kid" comes from a song by Bruce Springsteen, who is one of the most influential musicians in my life. In honor of him, here's my 13 favorite Springsteen Songs

1. Racing in the Street
There's too many amazing lyrics to choose from in this song, but here's one I love:
Some guys they just give up living/And start dying little by little, piece by piece/Some guys come home from work and wash up/And go racin' in the street

2. Jungleland
For me, this song is 10 minutes in heaven...
the poets down here don't write nothing at all/they just stand back and let it all be/And in the quick of the night they reach for their moment/And try to make an honest stand but they wind up wounded, not even dead/Tonight in Jungleland

3. It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City
The acoustic version on the Tracks box set is my favorite
The devil appeared like Jesus through the steam in the street/Showin' me a hand I knew even the cops couldn't beat/I felt his hot breath on my neck as I dove into the heat/It's so hard to be a saint when you're just a boy out on the street

4. Dancing in the Dark
Sure, it's got a terrible video, but it's a great dance song!
Message keeps getting clearer/radio's on and I'm moving 'round the place/I check my look in the mirror/I wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face
5. She's the One
A great live song...
And no matter where you sleep tonight or how far you run/Oh-o she's the one, she's the one

6. Thunder Road
One of the most beautiful songs ever written, possibly.
so Mary climb in/It's a town full of losers/And I'm pulling out of here to win.

7. Growin' Up
My namesake!
I took month-long vacations in the stratosphere and you know it's really hard to hold your breath./I swear I lost everything I ever loved or feared, I was the cosmic kid in full costume dress

8. Born to Run
It's the song that most people identify Bruce with, and it's an incredibly layered song musically and lyrically
Baby this town rips the bones from your back/It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap/We gotta get out while we're young/'Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run

9. If I Should Fall Behind
This song closed out the entire 2001 Reunion tour, and the version off the Live in NYC record, is gorgeous...
We said we'd walk together baby come what may/That come the twilight should we lose our way/If as we're walkin a hand should slip free/I'll wait for you/And should I fall behind/Wait for me

10. Born in the USA
This is not a triumphant american anthem, and if you think it is, go take another listen and you'll see why Ronald Reagan was stupid to try and use it as a campaign anthem.
Come back home to the refinery/Hiring man says "Son if it was up to me"/Went down to see my V.A. man/He said "Son, don't you understand"

11. Stolen Car
I discovered this one when Patty Griffin covered it, and it's a really raw, heart wrenching story
And I'm driving a stolen car/On a pitch black night/And I'm telling myself I'm gonna be alright/But I ride by night and I travel in fear/That in this darkness I will disappear

12. Land of Hope and Dreams
Now this is an American Anthem!
(This train) Carries saints and sinners/(This train) Carries losers and winners/(This Train) Carries whores and gamblers/(This Train) Carries lost souls/(This Train) Dreams will not be thwarted/(This Train) Faith will be rewarded/(This Train) Hear the steel wheels singin'/(This Train) Bells of freedom ringin'

13. One Step Up
The Tunnel of Love album has a few gems on it, and this is the best.
There's a girl across the bar/I get the message she's sendin'/Mmm she ain't lookin' to married/And me well honey I'm pretending

Honorable Meantions: Rosalita (I named my dog after that one), You're Missing, Jesus Was an Only Son.

You can stream all of these tracks at www.brucespringsteen.net under the SONGS section

Name that Rockstar...

2007-03-21T17:27:00.000-04:00

Name that Rockstar! 2 chances to get it right with this one...

Album Review: Ted Leo

2007-03-19T14:44:00.000-04:00

Artist: Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
Album: Living with the Living
Release Date: March 20, 2007
Recommended Tracks: Bomb.Repeat.Bomb., Bottle of Buckie, Colleen
Rating: &hearts &hearts &hearts &hearts 1/2 (out of 5)

It's a new release Tuesday, and there's finally something for me to talk about!

Ted Leo, who I have deemed the "blue-collar hardest working man in show bussiness" released his much anticipated new album Living with the Living today. The New Jersey native indie rocker gained some recognition a few years ago after releasing a cover of Kelly Clarkson's Since U Been Gone, building his small fan base into a much wider one. For Ted Leo fans this album has been highly anticipated after Shake the Sheets was released in 2004, and it shows a great amount of growth in production and musical styles for the entire group.

Living with the Living features textbooks example of Ted Leo's musical style, with muscular guitars and strong support from the Pharmacists' rhythm section. However, the group flexes it's musical muscles with Rude Boy rhythms and some acoustic breaks. Ted brings political agenda to the table, confronting the war in Iraq on the track Bomb.Repeat.Bomb, but accompanying his lyrics with a rushed punk rock guitar accompaniment, creating a raucous anthem. For me, the songs that I enjoy the most are the ones that I envision working well on stage, with Ted backed solely by the 2 members of the Pharmacists, and many of these tracks fit perfectly into the energetic stage presence that Ted Leo and the Pharmacists embody.

Look for Living with the Living at a record store near you, and if you can't find it, REQUEST IT! Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are currently on a US tour to support the album. Visit www.tedleo.com to find a complete list of tour dates.

Thursday Thirteen # 19: Style

2007-03-13T13:50:00.001-04:00

Thirteen things that define the Cosmic Kid "Style"

A quick over-view of 13 items that I'm often found wearing/carrying, from top to bottom.

1. Military Cap

Bad Hair Days beware, because I've got plenty of hats to cover it up with. My favorites are military caps, with their shorter brims, and flat tops.

2. A Disciple's cross, and St. Christopher Medal
The disciple's cross is made of 4 nails and wrapped wire, and comes in tons of colors. I'm always wearing my black one. St. Christopher is the patron saint of travel, so I keep him with me during everyday travels.

3. A choice from the T-Shirt Collection
I have a huge collection of T-Shirts, and most days I spend a while figuring out which one to wear. I have a few favorites, like my Harry and the Potters T, my new Sun Records shirt, a vintage Springsteen concert T, and many more. Most of my Ts are either concert memorabilia, or thrift store finds.

4. a Zip-front sweatshirt or track jacket

The Ted Leo sweatshirt is an old favorite, but recently I've acquired a cool Hard Rock Cafe track jacket and a Rent zip-front hoodie. Most of these are black, so they match with anything I decide to wear.

5. Bracelet
I got this bracelet at ALDO after christmas for $10, I can't bring myself to spend the money on boots there though...

6. Jacket
I'm a jacket junkie. Depending on the weather, I've got a leather Vespa jacket, 2 thigh length vintage over-coats, 2 Members Only jackets, a mechanic jacket, a jacket deemed "The Ugliest Jacket Ever" by my friends, and more that I don't have time to meantion.

7. Messenger Bag/Purse
During the school day, the purse is inside the messenger bag, which is a simple black bag that I love. The purse is amazing. Be Jealous.

8. Studded Belt
Whether I'm in jeans or dress pants, I'm wearing my studded belt...mostly because I'm pretty sure it's the only one I own.

9. Belt Buckle
For a long time I searched for the perfect belt buckle, and 3 years ago I found it. And, it's a time saver when introducing myself to new people!

10. iPod
Yes, my iPod is ancient...but it works, so of course I use it! I've got to get my podcast fix!

11. Jeans
I wear Levi's 515 Nouveau Boot Cut jeans. This is a recent discovery, since for the longest time I loved the cheap Sears brand called Canyon River Blues...but these Levis are too comfortable, and have the perfect leg shape, since most jeans have too much room in the hips, and I have none.

12. Colorful Socks!
My socks don't need to be patterned, but they need to be colorful. If I'm feeling especially proud to be a Michigan Wolverine, then I'll wear one Yellow and one Blue one, but mostly I just love having a bright Red sock peek out from under my jeans cuff.

13. Shoes!

I've got skate shoes to skate in, some slip-ons for warmer weather, and multiple pairs of sneakers. Of course, none of these are just run of the mill sneaks. I recently went on a mission and purchased 2 pairs of 80s style high tops (one even has a velcro strip at the top). My current slip ons have a Union Jack on them. I love fun & funny shoes, so I've got a closet full of crazy patterns and colors.

Top Ten: Va-Va-Victory!

2007-03-13T01:19:00.000-04:00

It's the little things that count in my life right now...

1. I am going to bed on time for the first time in almost a week and a half tonight! Yes!

2. Everyone liked my Lighting Design Project! Woo!

3. I get to stage manage a ballet! Anastasia the Ballet: March 24!

4. My history GSI (Graduate Student Instructor AKA a T.A.) understands that I have a life outside of HIstory class...which includes 6 classes, 3 Jobs, and a show to stage manage!

5. I'm obsessed with British singer/songwriter Lily Allen

6. Sufjan Stevens is supposedly starting to write/record his next record in the 50-States Collection!

7. I gave one of the best talks of my life on retreat last Saturday

8. Finished this year's Pine Car Derby car with my Bro on sunday

9. I saw RENT on Wednesday...WOW!

10. It's starting to get warm in Michigan!!!!!!

Thursday Thirteen #18: Memphis

2007-03-08T01:31:00.000-05:00

Thirteen of my pictures from my trip to Memphis, TN for Spring Break!

1. Happy Cousins!

2. Rock On!

3. Beale St.--Downtown Memphis

4. Maya Dressed Herself...

5. Unfortunately, this princess camera wasn't real...

6. Touring the Gibson Factory

7. She's a bear! With a tail and everything!

8. W.C. Handy, won't you look down over me? Yeah, I got a first class ticket, but I'm as blue as a boy can be...

9. Crafts!

10. O'Sullivan's

11. Gibson Factory again...

12. Beale Street again

13. The best pic from the entire trip...

Unfortunately, due to bad weather I couldn't visit Graceland or Sun Records, but hopefully that'll happen if I go back in May!

SHE LIVES!

2007-03-04T22:09:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm still alive!

For an entire week I suffered with a broken computer...which turned out to be something easy to fix, and I fixed it myself.

Aside from that, I was in Memphis, TN visiting family and the roots of rock music. I enjoyed 5 days of Rest, Relaxation, and Rock & Roll! I'll post some pics soon, since I'm catching up on class work I was supposed to complete over break!

Thursday Thirteen #17: Podcasts

2007-02-22T00:24:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Podcasts that I love
I'm a huge fan of the free podcasts that iTunes offers, so here's a few I'd recommend

1. Jimmy Pardo's Never Not Funny
Comedian Jimmy Pardo hosts a "party conversation" with fellow comedian Mike Schmidt and Matt Belknap in his dining room each week. I'm completely addicted to this podcast, and all 3 of the guys crack me up. Each episode brings new topics to rant/discuss/make fun of, and every 4 episodes a guest (usually another comedian) comes to add their two cents. You won't be dissapointed with this one.

2. Discovery Channel Features
I love 90% of the programming on the Discovery Channel. Discovery Channel Features allows you to download audio versions of shows like Dirty Jobs, Cash Cab!, and Mythbusters. It's Discovery-On-The-Go!

3. San Francisco Chronicle's Correct Me If I'm Wrong
The SF Chronicle has a hotline that readers can call into and vent their anger about the newspaper, and get their voice heard, great idea, right? Well, the chronicle took it a step further and decided to start podcasting the funny/outrageous voicemails that they have received. Hearing a man rant about the headline reading "Pilotless Drone" for 2 minutes is one of the funniest things I've heard in a long time. Most episodes are under 3 minutes, and just enough to make you smile.

4. LifeTeen.com's SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY Podcast
Mark Hart, aka "The Bible Geek" podcasts each week about the Sunday Mass readings. He doesn't just read them, but he breaks them down, and explains them in a way Teens and adults can both understand. From pop-culture refrences to historical refrences, Mark Hart brings the mass readings to the Catholic-Everyman(/woman) and makes mass a lot clearer. I listen to the podcast before mass, and sometimes again after mass if I didn't understand it the second time.

5. NPR: Pop Culture
A 30 min compilation of the week's pop-culture segments collected from shows like "Fresh Air" and "All Things Considered". It's essentially a cliffnotes version of that week's NPR coverage.

6. The Paul Goebel Show
Comedian and King of TV Paul Goebel 'casts once a week about the TV shows he's loved or hated that week. Paul brings on a guest for the shows to discuss their favorite shows too. Each week there is a trivia contest for listenters to win cool prizes, a round of 6-Degrees-of-Henry-Winkler, and a "Mash Up" of TV characters/stars.

7. NPR: Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
The NPR Pop-Culture Quiz Show re-broadcasts this weeks episode as a podcast!

8. The Sound of Young America
America's Radio Sweetheart podcasts on things from Comedy to Books to NPR. All segments are well produced, and interesting. The comedy segments are awesome!

9. NPR: This American Life
NPR's This American Life re-broadcasts each week's episode as a free podcast!

10. Fair Game with Faith Salie
Fair Game is a Daily Show-esque radio show using political commentators and comedians to present the week's news and notables. Salie is a charismatic host and brings her own sense of humor to each story.

11. The RELEVANT Podcast
The alternative-christian-lifestyle magazine RELEVANT brings together it's editorial staff to present each week's new music and movie releases, and news stories, while providing christian values to situations. The staff is very funny and uses unique games and contests to encourage audience participation.

12. The Tartan Podcast
Ever wonder what kind of music the scottish indie rock scene is producing? Well, the Tartan Podcast brings 3-5 songs from 3-5 bands right out of the scottish underground each week.

13. The Spring Awakening Podcast
News, interviews, and videos about today's broadway hit: Spring Awakening!

All of these podcasts can be found through iTunes, and are completely free!

Happy Valentines Day

2007-02-14T17:41:00.000-05:00

Can we discuss that I forgot it was Valentine's Day today? I saw a sign for a rose sale in the North Campus Union, and I thought it was odd...until I realized it was Valentine's Day. Without a significant other, I tend to be completely oblivious to these events. Oh, well!

I'm not one to mope on V-Day, so I'm not one of the many people who cry about "SINGLES AWARENESS DAY", and I'm not super smushy, so I don't celebrate outlandishly. Apathy. That's what it is. I'm 20 years old, my day will come. I do miss the annual handing-out of cheap character valentines every year though. Who doesn't love that?

Anyway, what did I get for Valentine's Day? I found the entire leaked album of Ted Leo's Living with the Living, and that's quite wonderful. Actually, it's amazing. I'm in love with this album. Buy it when it comes out in March!! Definitely early-Elvis Costello influenced, which is what I love most.

I will say that the one thing I will miss after V-Day is Esspresso Royale's Sweetheart Latte. Carmel and Cinnamon, who would have thought?

So, what I'm trying to say with this long, rambling, pointless post is... Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

Thursday Thirteen #16: Photos

2007-02-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

13 of my Favorite Photos from my iPhoto account!

1. Roses in Paris
My dad took this while we were in a wonderful little area of Paris in 2004

2. KEY PLAY @ ACTF
Two of my friends participated in the Tech Olympics at ACTF, and the rest of us cheered them on Umich way!! Key Play!

3. Cannibal Pumpkin
My cannibal pumpkin from Halloween 2006

4. Too Many Stage Managers!
UM Stage Managers Winter 2006

5. Dance Party!
A pic I took from the dance party before Mock Rock this fall

6. Flyering at the Media Union
I took this at the media union this fall while my room mate was flyering. Pretty cool!

7. Halloween costume 2005!

8. Tally Hall @ the Blind Pig
I don't know who took this, but they caught the awesome christmas-light-suits perfectly

9. Packing Peanuts!
The boys that I live with, having fun with packing peanuts!

10. Bonfire Summer 2006
This is one of the collest pictures I've ever taken. It wasn't as dangerous as it looks...

11. Revenge
This is a picture of the most rediculous display at ACTF, and when it didn't make it to round two we got a little cheeky...

12. Junkyard Bike
A bike at the Junkyard...

13. Songs from a New World: Mock Rock '06
A great action shot from Mock Rock. yes, he just got a bucket of water dumped on him...

GROUNDHOG DAY!

2007-02-01T23:33:00.000-05:00

America has some pretty rediculous holidays, and last year I decided that Groundhog Day is by far, the greatest pointless american holiday.

I mean, it's a holiday about a rodent crawling out, and humans deciding whether it saw it's shadow or not!

So, I started the tradition that every Groundhog Day I would gather together my closest friends, order in some Cheeeeesy breads, and watch the Magnum Opus of this fair holiday, the aptly titled: Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray. Last year I also made a wonderful Groundhog Day T-Shirt, which I wear 2 days in a row to be witty. This year the celebration is going to be even bigger than last year's.

So, join with me on this joyous day, and pray for an early spring!

Thursday Thirteen #15: Recently Played

2007-02-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Thirteen songs that have been recently Played in my itunes...that I would reccomend to you

1. Handle With Care-Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins
Been beat up and battered 'round/Been sent up, and I've been shot down/You're the best thing that I've ever found/Handle me with care

2. Short Notice-The Living End
I said I wanna see you/I really meant I wanna leave you/I said I wanna touch you/I really meant I wanna punch you/I said I wanna kiss you/I'm never gonna miss you
If you had a clue you would never stay/If I told the truth I would have to say/We're going round, round, round
Short notice - and now it's time to go/Misguided - shot down when you didn't know/Short notice - and now it's time to go

3. The Bitch of Living-The Original Cast of Spring Awakening
It's the bitch of living/with nothing but your hand/just the bitch of living/as someone you can't stand....
See previous post to stream the song/music video

4. Let My Love Open the Door-Pete Townshend
When people keep repeating/That you'll never fall in love/When everybody keeps retreating/But you can't seem to get enough/Let my love open the door/To your heart

5. Everybody's Up to Something-Brian Setzer
I saw a man on a TV show, Said "Don't drink alcohol/please don't smoke no cigarettes/don't drink no coffee at all"/Later on, I'm watchin' the news as the man from the TV show/get's stopped by the cops and in his trunk/was a suitcase of...well, you know

6. I Walk the Line-Johnny Cash & The Tennessee Two
I keep a close watch on this heart of mine/I keep my eyes wide open all the time/I keep my ends out for the ties that bind/Because you're mine/I walk the line

7. The Sweetest Thing-U2
My love she throws me like a rubber ball/(Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing)/She won't catch me or break my fall/(Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing)/Baby’s got blue skies up ahead/But in this I'm a rain cloud/You know she wants a dry kind of love/(Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing)

8. Everybody Wants to Rule the World-Tears for Fears
Welcome to your life/Theres no turning back/Even while we sleep/We will find you/Acting on your best behaviour/Turn your back on mother nature/Everybody wants to rule the world

9. London Calling (Live @ the Grammys)-(Tribute to Joe Strummer)Bruce Springsteen, Little Steven, Elvis Costello, Dave Grohl, etc.
The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in/Engines stop running, the wheat is growing thin/A nuclear era, but I have no fear/Cause London is drowning and I, I live by the river

10. Baba O'Riley-The Who
Don't Cry/Don't Raise Your Eye/It's Only Teenage Wasteland

11. Mixed Tape-Jack's Mannequin
And this is my mixed tape for her/It's like I wrote every note/With my own fingers

12. Save Ginny Weasley-Harry and the Potters
We've got to save Ginny Weasley from the basilisk/We've got to save the school from that unseen horror/We've got to save Ginny Weasley from the basilisk/We've got to save the school again

13. Hey Jane-The Pink Spiders
Hey Jane I know your hungry honey/But I promise you that things will change/Just don't let your life's income determine your life's outcome

Broadway for Everyone

2007-01-30T01:52:00.000-05:00

I'm going to give everyone here a big tip right now, so listen up.

If you buy one musical soundtrack this year, make it SPRING AWAKENING.
If you find yourself in New York and can only see one show, see SPRING AWAKENING.
If you think you don't like musicals, watch the video I've posted below, or at least listen to only the music. I promise, this is an amazing show.
Music by Duncan Shiek....sure, his solo career hasn't been amazing, but this is some very well written music. Give it a try.

www.springawakening.com

Thursday Thirteen #14: Pet Peeves

2007-01-23T13:44:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Pet Peeves that I have....

1. People who chew with their mouths open/chew loudly
When I'm sitting across from you, I don't want to see what's in your mouth. When I'm sitting next to you, I don't want to hear every sloppy gloppy piece of whatever you're chewing. (Loud foods like chips and nuts excluded, but if I can hear you chewing soup, STOP!

2. Bad Time Management
Am I seriously the only person who understands this concept?

3. Unreliable people who don't understand why you're frustrated with them
Also falling into this catagory: Unreliable people who want you to trust them with big jobs.

4. Actors who don't appreciate the technical people/aspects of a show they're in
I quote an actor walking into rehearsals for 24 Hour Theatre "I don't understand why they [The Lighting Designers/Techs] are always messing with the lights...it always looks the same..." Little did he know, but there were no lights in the studio less than 24 hours ago. The techs had to take all the lights down, re-hang, re-wire, and re-focus the entire plot in approximately 12 hours...or there wouldn't have been a 24 Hour Theatre.

5. Techs who don't respect actors.
There are a lot of really talented people out there, and we need to work together to produce good theatre. People will only sit through a few Light Shows in their lifetime.

6. People moving the thermostat
65 Degrees is the temperature we can afford...so stop moving it! $400 DTE bills are getting annoying!

7. Single-Issue voters
Around election time, I get pretty worked up about this. Don't base your entire voting on one issue, educate yourself!

8. Heelys in public places
I'm sure they're fun. I can bet that if I was 12 I'd want a pair, but letting your kid run rampant in a packed mall with them is unsafe. Around the holidays at the mall in Florida, I almost got hit 4 times!

9. People who listen to only show tunes
Now, I love some musicals, and I listen to them fairly often....but how anyone could listen to ONLY showtunes, is beyond me. There's so much good music that has been produced for hundreds of years, to ignore it is awful. I might even say that someone who pigeon-holes themself into only one genre of music, no matter what genre, is wrong!

10. Talking loudly in class
If you have to talk, whisper! I don't need to hear about how you were "soooooo wasted" last weekend, or about that rash you have and don't know who/what/where you got it.

11. PC users bashing Macs, when they've obviously never used one...
for an extended period of time. I'm sorry, but Macs make sense. Want to burn stuff onto a CD? put the CD in, drag the files onto the icon, and click burn. On a PC you have to have burning software. Once the software loads, you have to sort through menus to get to your files. Click the files, then after a few more hoops you're ready to burn. I'll pass. Macs aren't the devil. Sit with one for a few hours, and you'll figure that out.

12. People who pass gas loudly and don't apologize
I have someone I know who is notorious for this. He/She is actually known for it among my friends since he/she tends to pass gas very very loudly while only a few people around, and never even acknowledges it! At least apologize! We know you did it!

13. Creep-tastic Myspace!
I have a Myspace...and I'm not a huge fan. There are so many creep-tastic people on there (men and women) and I can't deny their requests enough. I have denied some of these guys/girls upwards of 5 times and they still keep requesting me. On top of that, I receive random messages a lot too. It's just gross sometimes. I'll stick with Facebook.

Shout Out: David Bowie

2007-01-19T16:19:00.000-05:00

I'm giving a shout out to David Bowie today for his awesome performance in The Prestige!

Bowie plays Nikola Tesla, who helps Hugh Jackman's character develop a new magic trick. The role of Tesla is cool because he was a real scientist, and the role is written so that it shows what a bully Thomas Edison was to all other scientists who were inventing at the same time he was. Bowie is actually fairly impressive in this role, and I almost didn't recognize him at first. The film as a whole was awesome, so to have a gem like Bowie's cameo hidden in there is just an added bonus. If you need one reason to go see The Prestige, then David Bowie is it.

Thursday Thirteen #13: Movies

2007-01-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Movies that Changed the Way I Looked at Films

1. City Lights
This is by far my favorite chaplin film. The entire blending of comedy and selfless love as the tramp does everything he can to help the blind girl pay for the operation, is brilliant. And then, an ending that just breaks your heart the way only Chaplin can. This movie truly defined craftsmanship as a film through plot, shots, and editing...and it was made 30+ years before most of the films on this list!

2. Star Wars (OT)
I saw the entire Star Wars Original Trilogy when they were re-released into theatres in the 90s completely remasterd. I immediately fell in love with (through my studies I've come to call) this brilliant Space-Western. George Lucas leads you along on the edge of your seat as you follow the farm boy, the princess, and the cowboy all over the galaxy. I still get excited watching the original trilogy! (Those other 3 movies Lucas just made?...well, lets just say I choose to ignore 80% of what happened there)

3. Shampoo
I really enjoy Warren Beatty as an actor, and my freshman year at Michigan I watched Shampoo for my film history class. I think that this film is the first one to truly break my heart more than City Lights did. The entire movie is set up as a wonderful romantic comedy, and by the end you really want things to turn out right for Beatty's character, but the plot has better ideas. After viewing Shampoo I was a little angry, I'd felt robbed of a great romantic comedy, but really it was all still there. The ending isn't what defines a great RomCom, it's the soul of the movie, the content, the jokes, and the believablity of the characters. I think RomComs are failing as a Genre now because they've lost a lot of their soul and believability.

4. Annie Hall
I could have filled this entire list with Woody Allen's work. As a writer/director, he's had a huge effect on me, and it's hard to pick just one movie to include on this list. I think Annie Hall truly encapsulates everything I love about Woody's work. It contains two deliciously flawed individuals trying to love eachother eventhough the drive eachother crazy. In the end, I always root for them to be together...because who else could they end up with? So many scenes shine in the film, and it all works so perfectly.

5. The Godfather
I & II are brilliant, III is....well, it's Godfather III. The Godfather is a cinematic masterpiece, and it still amazes me. I read a draft of the screenplay this past summer, and even on paper, the movie is riveting. I get chills from some of the dialogue, and I'm entertained by how many people don't know the fun fact that the horse head was actually real! No other crime drama will ever live up to this film, but I also think the genre of family-relationship dramas has been forever changed too. No other "black-sheep coming into his own" story has ever compared to that of Michael's.

6.Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
My favorite "Buddy Film" ever! Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer are brilliant as a con-man and a gay-PI trying to solve a crime, and almost failing. A great script gives both of these actors great material to work with, and the plot puts them through the ringer. If you haven't seen it yet--GO GET IT. It was my favorite film of 2005.

7. Harold & Maude
Where to begin with Harold & Maude? This film made me think twice about every other teen relatioship movie I'd seen. Harold is one of the most brilliant characters ever in film, with his suicide "attempts" every 5 minutes, and his hearse-porche hybrid, it's non-stop brilliance. His relationship with Maude is heart warming and disturbing, but makes sense in some way. As an audience member, you end up rooting for Harold a lot, and so his happiness around Maude is welcomed, and Maude's death is great cinema.

8. The Company
Robert Altman was a truly brilliant man, and this film is awesome. Neve Campbell wrote and developed the film herself, and her performance is great, both acting and dancing. The cinematography and choreography work together to make a gorgeous product. What I really love is how conflict is not forced upon the audience. The simple conflicts of the dance world, the relationship world, and the job world are beautiful, while the threat of injury (temporary or permanent) is always hanging over the dancers' head.

9. When Harry Met Sally
The friends-turned-lovers comedy has never been the same since When Harry Met Sally was released, the same has been true for how I approach this genre ever since I saw "WHMS". There are too many moments to meantion, but I will say that it has forever changed how I say "Pecan Pie."

10. The Producers
Let's just say I was more than a little obsessed with The Producers in high school. I loved this movie way before the musical was even rumored to be in pre-production. I stumbled upon the film during a Mel Brooks movie marathon one day. I've always been a fan of "Get Smart" so my dad reccomended the Producers, and I've been addicted ever since. Gene Wilder completely redefined the perfect character actor for me after watching this film.

11. Chaplin
This is the perfect Biopic by far. Robert Downey Jr. was definitely robbed of the Oscar in 1992, because his performance was superb. I was also impressed by how accurate most of the film was. Sure, there were some liberties taken with Chaplin's childhood, but it was quite impressive. Well done!

12. Singin' In the Rain
I was trying to think of another movie musical that truly changed the way I approached the genre, and it always came back to this one. The film even makes the best out of the lame tradition of a ballet sequence in classic musicals. With two great leads and a fabulous supporting cast I'm sure this movie could have survived even the worst of scripts...but luckily the book and the music are also wonderful.

13. Snakes on a Plane
Yeah, that's right, Snakes on a Plane had a profound effect on me. I've studied silent cinema for a long time, and a little known fact is that silent movie halls were far from silent, there was music, but the audience also participated. The audience would boo, cheer, clap, and yell whenever the plot called for it, and these Nickelodeons were a community event, a place where people came together and enjoyed themselves. No other movie have I seen in the theatre that recreated the Community Event experience than Snakes on a Plane. I had so much fun, and it truly made me reevaluate how I experience movie-going.

Life Lessons Learned in Wisconsin

2007-01-15T14:37:00.000-05:00

My week in Wisconsin was eventful! The Michigan Theatre Dept. represented itself well, taking home an honorable meantion and the Gold in Stage Management, and honorable meantion in scenic design, and a spot as an alternate for Lighting Design.

Here's what I learned while in Wisconsin:

1. The Cheese Cake Factory makes INTENSE salads...

(My roommate, Stephen, with his intense-garnish-salad)

2. A Chicken can hook up a sound system in under 5 minutes...

(Taken during the Tech Olympics)

3. Wisconsin supposedly loves cows...but these were the only ones I could find!

(The cows behind Kopp's Ice Cream Parlor)

4. I know who the first mayor of Milwaukee was...Juneau?

(My friends standing with the mayor himself, Mr. Juneau.)

5. The old Pabst factory is the coolest looking complex of buildings ever...

(The Pabst factory!)

Going BLUE in Wisconsin!

2007-01-09T17:12:00.000-05:00

I'm in the land of hopes and CHEESE all week for the Kennedy Center's American College Theatre Festival for a friendly Stage Management competition.

First impressions:
1. There needs to be a tunnel connecting Michigan with Wisconsin. Seriously. A SIX hour drive? please.
2. There are a lot of annoying theatre people staying in our hotel. Hopefully they're not up late.
3. Free wireless internet in hotel rooms is awesome
4. People can't drive. This is just in general. Go back to class!
5. This is going to be an awesome weekend
6. University of Michigan Theatre RULES!

Thursday Thirteen #12: Advice

2007-01-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

Thirteen things I would like the youth of today to know

1. Radio
There is more music than what you hear on the radio everyday, explore it.

2. Get involved with the arts!
Even if you can't draw a straight line with a ruler, or couldn't act to save your life, get involved with the arts! Whether you're making the art, or appreciating it, jump in with both feet. If you think art is boring--change it yourself, make something you think is awesome!

3. Classic Movies
School yourself, kids! Turner Classic Movies is amazing, and you should definitely learn who Carey Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn, are as soon as possible. (Photo from Bringing Up Baby

4. "Best" Friends
I've seen too many arguements in middle school, high school, and even college start over someone naming different people their "Best" Friend. Don't limit your friendships, value each friend the same as another.

5. "Punk Rawk"
Blink 182, Good Charlotte, Avril Lavigne, Sum 41, etc etc etc...are not punk rock. They're pop-rock. Do not assume that they are punk, just because they shop at Hot Topic.

6. The DaVinci Code
It's fiction. Using it as hard evidence for the Bible's inaccuracy is like using Spider-Man as a medical refrence on the effect of spider bites.

7. Older music doesn't suck
Classic rock, oldies, rockabilly, classical, they don't suck. There would be none of the music that's popular today without them. (Photo is of the Rockabilly band The Living End)

8. Appreciate your parents
Even if they drive you crazy, appreciate your parents, most are just trying to love you the best way they know how. If you take them for granted, you'll regret it later. As someone who lost a parent as a teenager, I know how precious time with your parents is.

9. Silent Movies
Silent movies are what started it all, and once you watch some, you can see where today's cinema came from. I love to see comedies now, and find all the gags that were recycled from the silent greats.

10. Take time for yourself
Going from school, to cell phone, to instant messenger and email, to text messaging can slowly overwhelm you. Be sure to give yourelf some time to relax without friends and distractions. Allow yourself to just sit and listen to music, read, exercise, or sleep.

11. Name Brands
Does paying $30 for a badly made Tshirt make absolutely no sense to only me? The latest trends are taken from the people who don't shop at Abercrombie or Hollister, so try shopping elsewhere.

12. Find a spirituality that works
You don't need to be "born again," however, find a religion that you identify with. Explore the great thinkers in religious thought, and make an informed decision. I'm catholic because I want to be, not because someone told me to, or because that's what my parents are. Having an uniformed religious life, is just as effective as an uniformed political life.

(Oops for forgetting #13!)
13. Sleep
Get some sleep! A lot of "attitude problems" could probably be solved with an extra hour of sleep or so during the school week. I always needed 8 hours in high school. Find what works for you, and try harder to meet your needs!

SHOUT OUT!

2007-01-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

I'm giving a BIG Shout Out to my friend and author Colleen Gleason today!

Her book The Rest Falls Away is being released today, and I'm giving it a big &hearts &hearts &hearts &hearts &hearts! After finishing the book this weekend, I found it incredibly exciting, and definitely a page turner. Coming from me this is surprising for most people, since I tend to read comedic novels, and non-fiction, and this is a historical vampire serise. So, I'm proud to say that I think anyone can enjoy the book. Featuring a sassy female lead, and stellar plot, I was hooked from page one.

Go get your copy today!

Collen's official website is www.colleengleason.com, and she blogs at www.colleengleason.blogspot.com

Top 10 of 2006

2007-01-01T02:41:00.000-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, here is my list of the top 10 things that happened (to me) in 2006

(These are in no particular order)

1. Stage Managed my first University of Michigan Mainstage production
I stage managed The Pajama Game and now I'm taking my work to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in two weeks! Exciting!

2. Moved out of my Parent's house
I'm all on my own in Ann Arbor in my big beautiful house!

3. Started working for OLGC Lifeteen band
Technically I started in November 2005, but 2006 was my first full year with Good Counsel. I love everday I go to work.

4. Life on the Road
OLGC sent me to Ohio for a Life on the Road conference. I learned a lot and had a great time working with and hearing from so many talented Catholic musicians.

5. Painted a Mural

My blood, sweat, and tears went into this mural, and I love seeing it every week.

6. Asst. Stage Managed 3 operas
3 operas at once. Never before attempted by the University of Michigan...and never again. It was tough coordinating all 3 operas, while keeping 3 casts and a very thinly spread director at bay.

7. Worked for Steppingstone School as a camp counselor
It was fun working with kids all summer!

8. Learned how to skateboard
I've always wanted to, and now I can!

9. Became a member of the OLGC Lifeteen College Core
We ran the Lifeteen program all summer, planning life nights, meeting with teens, inventing games, hosting events, it was all in our hands. I made some really good friends through college core.

10. Harry and the Potters @ the Blind Pig

One of the best concerts I've ever been to.

What's your top 10?

Returned from Sunny Florida!

2006-12-30T15:04:00.000-05:00

Yes, I've returned from my 9 day trip to beautiful Florida!

My family and I spent a night at the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando, which is by far the best hotel ever created. I was in Rock N Roll heaven, wandering around the floors of the HRH looking at the memorabilia, especially the Gingerbread Graceland that I found (That's my pic of it! It's AMAZING!) What's great about the HRH is they're a incredibly nice hotel, while still being down to earth. All of the bell hops, desk help, and even the waiters are funny, and helpful. One of the best parts about staying at the HRH is that if you show your room key when you get in line on any of the rides in Universal studios or Islands of Adventure, you get to go in the Express Lane! I rode some great rides at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, and my sister and I still agree that Earthquake is still the most fun.

After Orlando, my family drove down to our time share in Hollywood Beach, Florida. Hollywood Beach is the french quarter, with a full "Broad-Walk" (It's not a boardwalk, since it's not elevated...So the pool attendant claimed). There are plenty of restraunts and shops, and a full beautiful beach to enjoy.

Over all, it was a wonderful christmas time!

Thursday Thirteen #11: Classes

2006-12-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Classes I've enjoyed in my 5 semesters at The University of Michigan (and 2 half semesters)

1. Theatre Pedagogy
The wonderful Dr. EJ Westlake led this 4 person class on teaching theatre, and using theatre as a teaching tool. I learned so much and had a lot of fun. With only 4 people in the whole class, we had some very good discussions on how theatre should be taught and what we've learned through observation.

2. History of American Film
The film department no longer offers this class, but I thought it was awesome. We went from Edison's black mariah films all the way up to today's industry. I got to see movies like The Gold Rush, Night of the Living Dead, Shaft, It Happened One Night, and Shampoo up on the big screen and talk about film history---a subject I personally love.

3. Set Design 3
Considering I was the only person who showed up for every class (and on time too!) I enjoyed this class. I feel like I'm really growing as a designer, and it's fun to see my class mates improve so much also.

4. Intro to Stage Management
Considering there's no Advanced Stage Management class at UMich, I'd have to list this one. I loved learning about the field hands on and in the classroom. No one can teach a class like Nancy Uffner.

5. The Screenplay as Literature
I took this class during the spring half-term. It kicked my butt, since I was working part-time too, but I kept up with the reading. I learned that the Godfather's script is much different than the movie, that the screenplay of Star Wars sucked, and that Harold and Maude is amazing.

6. Intro to Design
This is the class where all the freshman designers get their feet wet. Featuring projects like: pasting macaroni to paper, painting a hat, making shoe box models (aka diaramas), drawing/painting characters from The Snow Queen....wait, was that College or Second Grade?

7. Theatre History 2
After suffering through a semester of theatre history I didn't care about, I finally got to the real meat of what interested me in theatre history. We read some great plays, and the professor led some good discussions. Mostly, I liked my group's final project, where we presented 2 minutes from Twilight Los Angeles: 1992 as a battle rap.

8. Communications 101
Another spring half-term class, this one was pretty cool. Basically, we talked about media, and how the world interacts with it, how technology has changed everyday life and how media is created, etc. The professor was a little crazy, but she was super nice and understood that all of us were working and taking other classes at the same time, so she was really flexible.

9. Intro to Technical Theatre
The best part of this class was the professor, because Gary Decker is amazing.

10. Rendering
This class taught me to draw, paint, and approach design well. The projects were challenging, but I enjoyed doing them. My portfolio is awesome now!

11. Intro to Information Science
From the name, it looks boring, right? And I admit, that I took this class purely to fulfill my Social Science graduation requirement, but I will also admit that this class was really interesting. The flow of information is complex and confusing, but I understand it now. Also, how we gather and store information has evolved a lot over the last few decades. The lectures were amazing, so I always showed up...even though the Professor podcasted the lectures. I've been pleasantly surprised by most of my non-theatre classes, and this one takes the cake for the most surprising.

12. Scenic Painting Lab
I spent 45 hours in the paint shop for this One Credit practicum, but I'd rather spend it there than anywhere else.

13. Musicology
I love music history, so studying music from Bach to the Beatles was right up my alley.

Pics are of projects I did in some of my classes. First is my Waiting Room set design, second is my Snow Queen scene, and last is my rendering final project

Thursday Thirteen #10: Sufjan Stevens

2006-12-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

My Thirteen FAVORITE songs off of Sufjan Stevens' album Songs for Christmas

The Michigan native Singer/Songwriter, Sufjan Stevens, has been earning acclaim for many years now for his one-of-a-kind music. Sufjan has recently been in the spot light because of his mission to record an album dedicated to each of the 50 States. Already tackling Michigan and Illinois (IL got 2 albums, technically), Sufjan has released a 5 CD box set for Christmas. Songs For Christmas started as a simple tradition that Sufjan started, by quickly recording Christmas EPs for his friends and family, and the following box set is the result of 5 years worth of EPs. The production quality improves with each disc/year, but Sufjan's original approach and heart-felt delivery of each song brings new meaning to many christmas classics. Sufjan also supplies brand new Christmas songs that are infused with his creativity and humor. The following list is a very small selection of the 2 hours of sonic bliss that I promise you will experience while listening to these albums.

1. Holy, Holy, Holy (Disc 5 version)

2. Get Behind Me, Santa!

3. The Little Drummer Boy

4. Angels We Have Heard On High

5. The Incarnation

6. O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Disc 1 Version)

7. Star of Wonder

8. Ding! Dong!

9. Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming

10. Only At Christmas Time

11. Once In Royal David's City (Disc 5 Version)

12. Christmas in July

13. The Winter Solstice

Concert Review: Ben Taylor @ Borders

2006-12-13T16:53:00.000-05:00

Ben Taylor featuring Sonya Kitchell and David Saw
Friday, December 1, 2006
Ann Arbor-Downtown Borders

Ann Arbor's 107one, local radio station, has a feature on their station called Studio A2, where they have national artists perform and get interviewed. Last year they started doing Studio A2 ON THE ROAD at the downtown borders. This was an interesting event, since it was technically just a live radio interview, that just happened to be at Borders.

For those of you who don't know, Ben Taylor is the son of James Talyor and Carly Simon. I first saw Ben when he was on tour with his mom as the opening act. He immediately blew me away with his great acoustic guitar lines, brilliant lyrics, and his voice sounds exactly like his father! After seeing him that one time, I became addicted to his album "Another Run Around The Sun" and was hoping he would come back to the Ann Arbor area. A year later, he finally returned! Unfortunately I couldn't go to his concert at the Ark, but 107one set up this great in-store appearance.

The set up was incredibly simple, just 3 stools, the sound equipment, and a backdrop. I was really impressed with how good everything sounded eventhough the venue isn't suited for this kind of performance.

Finally, between the cookbooks and coffee shop, Ben, Sonya, and David appeared from behind the backdrop and were introduced by the local radio personality. Sonya Kitchell performed her song "No Matter What" first, which had a great guitar line, lyrics, and featured her voice really well. David Saw accompanied her on guitar, and Ben provided back-up vocals.

I was completely floored to find out during the radio that Sonya was only 17 years-old! She says that "[I] was born, and started singing." She was raised in a very creative household, since her parents are both visual aritist, and they have always been supportive of her music career and her dreams.

After the brief interview with Sonya, Ben played a new song called "Wicked Way," which was a really witty song that immediately had the crowd laughing and clapping at his lyrics. The song will hopefully be on his next album, which “About...0%” has been recorded, according to Ben.

Once the song was over, Ben talked about growing up as the son of James Taylor and Carly Simon. Their advice to him was to always remember that "music is blue collar; don't be fooled that everything is glamorous." He took this to heart, understanding that his parents came from a time when it was much easier to be successful in the music bussiness, and that the industry has changed a lot since they started.

Sonya played one more song live on the air for the radio audience, which had a very sophisiticated melody, and wonderful lyrics. David and Ben both played guitar, and their strumming/picking styles blended very well together. Unfortunately, the song hasn’t been recorded yet, and probably won’t be any time soon, since she’s touring in Europe in the spring, and will be unable to get any recording done until the fall of 2007.

Ben played one more song for the in-store audience, which is one of my favorite songs off of Another Run Around the Sun, called “Ghost”. Ben apologized to the audience, since he had flown from Dublin the night before and on top of that he was pretty sick, so he was afraid he sounded terrible. But honestly, I thought he sounded great!

Over all, I thought the morning was really fun, and this intimate setting made me enjoy it all the more. I hope that next time Ben comes through town I’ll be able to see a full concert of his!

Welcome to the NEW Cosmic Kid!

2006-12-11T00:05:00.000-05:00

I spent all sunday night re-building this wonderful blog, and I for one, think it turned out beautifully. Featuring my own photography in the background, and some improvements on a stock blogger template, I came up with this.

Hopefully this week I'll finish my concert review of Ben Tayor's in-store acoustic set at Borders, and an awesome new Thursday Thirteen.

Next week, I'll have a book review, and my Favorites for the Month of December!

See you around,

The Cosmic Kid

Thursday Thirteen: Trapped on an Island

2006-12-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Albums I'd want to have with me if I was trapped on an island

1. Rent-Original Motion Picture Cast Recording (Delux Edition)

2. Bruce Springsteen-The Wild & The Innocent & the E Street Shuffle

3. U2-Best of 1980-1990

4. Beastie Boys-To the Five Burrows

5. Elvis Costello-North

6. Dashboard Confessional-The Swiss Army Romance

7. Jack's Mannequin-Everything In Transit

8. Bruce Springsteen-Live 1975-1985

9. Joni Mitchell-Blue

10. Radiohead-OK Computer

11. Wicked-Broadway Cast Recording

12. The Who-Ultimate Collection

13. Ted Leo-Shake the Sheets

On a Side note: Go buy Sufjan Stevens' Album Songs for Christmas if you want to hear some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard! If you buy this box set and can't find at least one song that you like, I will buy the CD back from you.

Thursday Thirteen: About Me

2006-11-30T00:50:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things You Probably Didn't Know About the Cosmic Kid

1. I Skateboard
I may not skateboard well, but I do skate. I learned this summer and absolutely love it. I especially like riding through the theatre building since it has all concrete floors!

2. I have 5 roommates
Luckily we live in a 6 bedroom house, or we'd probably hate eachother. I love them all!

3. I have the same job now that I had in High School
In high school I started music ministering in Freshman year. By the end of Sophomore Year I'd taken over the Music Ministry and was running it by myself. My friend Chris was the campus minister and he coordinated all of the other complicated aspects of the mass. Today, I work as a music minister for a church in Plymouth, MI, and Chris is an Associate Youth Minister........AT THE SAME CHURCH! Kind of funny how that works out, eh?

4. I hate Keanu Reeves
I would rather watch paint dry than Keanu Reeves act in a movie. I have never seen any of the Matrix movies because of this.

5. I have a paranoid hamster
I've had this hamster for a few months, and he refuses to be handled. He's warming up to me, since I give him treats and let him run in his hamster ball, so I'm hoping he'll let me hold him soon. However, the other day he barricaded himself inside of the "cool petting zone" portion of his cage by filling the tube that connects it to the main chamber with bedding. The next morning it was all gone, but I can't help but worry that he thinks someone's out to get him....

6. I went to my first concert at age 5
Maybe I was 4, but I'm positive it was before my sister was born when I was six. I went and saw Fred Penner LIVE with my too-cool-for-school parents. I'm pretty sure it was at the Fox in detroit too....very classy.

7. I adore Hockey
I love hockey and I love living in hockeytown! If there hadn't been a 2.5 year waiting list for the girl's league near my house I probably would have played. GO WINGS!

8. I listen to the Beastie Boys
The Beastie Boys is the only kind of rap that I can stand, mostly because they don't take themselves too seriously, and they have fun with their music. I honestly couldn't care how many chains and "b*tches" the dime-a-dozen rap stars have today. Give me some Beastie rhythms and I'll be a happy camper.

9. I am addicted to Podcasts
Now that I've discovered that NPR podcasts Wait Wait Don't Tell Me and This American Life I've found even more addicting podcasts and listen to them religiously!

10. I have only pulled one full all-nighter in college
I don't know how I've managed it, but I've only had to have one full-on all nighter after 2.5 years at the University of Michigan. Sure, I've gone to class on 4 hours of sleep, but that's not a huge deal. After my all-nighter, I seriously wanted to die. I'd stayed up to finish my History of Dress source book on the 1970s. Not only that, but I then had to DRIVE on the freeway, in rush hour morning traffic to get to class on time! I was the most dangerous person on the road that day. I got a B+ on the project though, which is outstanding since the prof never gives good grades to non-costume design students.

11. I don't drink
As a 20 year-old Junior in college, I have participated in some crazy things, but I am proud to say that drinking isn't one of them. I have nothing against drinking--legally, and in moderation. The main reason I don't drink is because it seems like such a hassle, to have to worry about geting a MIP (Minor in Posession), or worrying about what I did last night. I have plenty of fun perfectly sober. Oh, and have I meantioned I hate drunk people? I do. I can't stand to be around them at parties, at concerts, at sporting events...they ruin my night if they're really bad. I just don't want to be that person. So, I can honestly say that the only alcohol I've ever had has only come after the word "Amen"

12. I greatly dislike Steve Angrisano
Angrisano is a christian music artist, who is used by a lot of churches who have bought into his "Youth Oriented" music. I don't like Angrisano, mostly because his music is really boring and overdone and his lyrics are lame. I honestly thing that Angrisano sits down with the task to write a song that youth will like, but it doesn't work like that, because if you write that way then it comes off as forced. There are plenty of musicians who are making christian music that youth really respond to, without being boring. If you set out to make good music for God first, and then look for your audience, then you won't be shoving a square peg in a round hole all the time.

13. I've been entered in a National Contest
I've been entered in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival's Stage Management contest. I get to spend a week in Wisconsin participating in the contest in January. I have to make a display for the Pajama Game, which I SM'ed in October, and then have a panel interview about the show and my experience as a stage manager. I'm also entering a set design in the "paper project" contest (which means the design never actually happened). It's going to be pretty exciting.

Thursday Thirteen: Posters

2006-11-23T00:00:00.000-05:00

So, I'm going out tonight...and today is Thanxgiving, so I'll be posting this now. Sorry it's not themed for the holiday...I wrote it in advance for times like these

Thirteen Posters I Have Hanging In My House

1. A 1989 Promotional poster for the University of Michigan Theatre Dept.
This poster is amazing! With a really cheesy picture and a list of faculty that is incredibly out of date, this thing will be worth something some day!

2. Charles Chaplin's The Kid
I've seen a lot of posters for The Kid, but none like the one I have. It's chaplin holding the baby he has just found abandoned, and a policeman stands over chaplin. The picture is beautiful, with so much emotion passing between chaplin and the baby, but the policeman brings humor to it. They don't make posters like that anymore.

3. Harry and the Potters-Summer Reading and Rocking Tour 2006
Great art, great band, GREAT concert! I had to get this poster to remember the night by, especially since the picture is AWESOME, it could be the poster for the next book, really.

4. Bruce Springsteen-Born to Run
When you're as big a fan as I am, you've got to have this iconic poster somewhere in your house!

5. The Who
My favorite picture of the who is the photo of the band sleeping underneath a huge union jack. I found a poster of it this fall, and now it hangs proudly above my bed. They're so peaceful when they're sleeping!

6. James Dean
My roommate and I are huge fans of James Dean, so we've got two posters of him hanging in our breakfast nook. One is a nice head shot, and the other is James walking down Broadway in the rain, huddled into his coat. It's a gorgeous shot.

7. SNAKES ON A PLANE!
The best movie of the summer has the best poster too. This one is rare too, since they used the snakes wrapped around a plane logo for all the official posters.

8. Action Action
The pink/green sceme of Action Action's album "Don't Cut Your Fabric to This Year's Fashion" is really cool, so the poster I have for it is double awesome.

9. Psalm 144:9
The psalm reads: "I will sing a new song to you, God. On a ten-stringed lyre, I will sing praises to you." randomposters.com has an awesome poster for it with an electric guitar player on it, and the psalm superimposed over it, it's a great image.

10. John Lennon-Imagine

11. Rusmore
Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray hang proudly in our 2nd floor hallway.

12. Elvis Presley for President
Elvis for Prez and Nixon for VP in 2008! Get the vote out!

13. Promo poster for Apple's IPOD
This poster is really cool since it's one of the original promo cards. It says LIVE TONIGHT 5.2.03 on it, and has an ipod dramatically lit. It's pretty awesome

Away, away

2006-11-17T02:11:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all the bloggers who wished me a happy birthday in my Thursday Thirteen! I had a wonderful day with my friends, and recieved some very thoughtful gifts from them.

Well, it's another weekend on the road for the Cosmic Kid. I'll be music ministering on a retreat for the church I work for alllll weekend. Teaching the kids to "Cry the Gospel"! It's my first retreat with the new church I work for, so hopefully it's a great experience.

Have a wonderful weekend! Peace!

Thursday Thirteen: Birthday edition

2006-11-16T12:15:00.000-05:00

In honor of my birthday being today, here is a very special BIRTHDAY EDITION of Thursday Thirteen!

Thirteen Presents I Wouldn't Mind Getting This Year

1. The complete series collection of Get Smart
Sure, the DVDs won't come until Nov. 2007, but I will count down the days until it arrives at my door.

2. A Subscription to Relevant magazine
I love the podcast, love the website, must start getting the magazine!

3. The Clash-Singles Box Set

4. An Intramural Zombie Fighting Squad shirt
Found at: http://seibei.com/shop/intramural.html I like the "more gore" option.

5. Anything related to Snakes on a Plane
My new favorite movie, believe me, anything would please me.

6. Money is always accepted

7. The A BABY STOLE MY DINGO! shirt
found at vintagevantage.com

8. A Value World Gift Card!
My favorite thirft stores now offers gift cards! It's the perfect gift for any occasion!

9. A Scooter
I love Vespas...or faux vespas, so if you really wanted to give from the bottom of your wallet...it's Vespa Time!

10. A new iPod
I think I either lost my iPod or it was stolen. But, it was a Gen.2, so maybe it was time...

11. Take me to STEAK AND SHAKE
Just take me to steak and shake and let me enjoy your company. I love steak and shake.

12. Any clothing, accessories, books from LIFETEEN.com
Everytime I get something from Lifeteen.com, I fall in love with it.

13. Anything and everything related to the great BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
I've gotten posters, trivia books (one from 1987), T Shirts, CDs, anything. I read/listen/hang up everything and anything I get...a lot of the times until it's worn out!

Current Favorites NOVEMBER

2006-11-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

My current favorites for the month of November!

Music
1. Cobra Starship-While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets
The band that brought you Snakes on a Plane (Come Bring It) released a full album. It's guilty pleasure-worthy, full of pop-punk-synth-rock goodness, and song names that make absolutely no sense.

2. The Swift-Today and The Swift
El Swifto has been featured in a lot of blogs lately, but hey, it's for a good reason. The guys rock!

3. Steve Burns-Songs for Dustmites
So, Steve from Blues Clues released an album 4 years ago, and I still can't stop listening to it. He's got a great voice and wrote some amazing songs.---Oh, and it's actually rock music, not a kid CD. He's got a new CD coming soon, so keep an eye out

Books

1.Blessed Are the Bored in Spirit by Mark Hart
I picked this book up while at LIFETEEN's Life on the Road confrence. It's written by Lifeteen's "Bible Geek" and it puts living as a young Catholic into great perspective.

Movies

1.Stranger than Fiction
The new Will Ferrell movie is amazing. It's an interesting take on the "you only have so long to live..." genre of movie. Will Ferrell acts wonderfully, and is backed up by an awesome supporting cast. Sit back, and wander through Harold Crick's life with him.

2.Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Robert Downey Jr. made this movie last year, and it's one of the best movies to be released in 2005. Co-starring Val Kilmer, Robert plays a bumbling crook who gets tied into a crime himself. I laughed incredibly hard at this movie, and enjoyed every second of it.

TV

1. Grey's Anatomy
I've given up on Desperate Housewives, but Grey's Anatomy still has me hooked. The characters are interesting and complex, and the writing is incredibly witty. I love it.

2. Gene Simmon's Family Jewels
Oh. My. Gosh. Gene Simmon's family is hilarious. Thank you A&E for putting this actually interesting celeb-reality show on the air.

3. Get Smart
TIME-LIFE is releasing Get Smart on DVD!!!!!!! My favorite television show OF ALL TIME will finally be at my disposal. I can't wait to save up the $200 to buy the set....good thing I have a whole year to do it.

4. House
My roommates got me addicted. Hugh Laurie is so compelling and funny. I love him.

Commercials

1. Mike Cox Political advertizement!
Ok, so political ads were terrible this year. BUT Mike Cox released the single greatest ad of all time.
The ad included the following amazing moments:
a. An old person sick in bed
b. A shady character stealing from the old person
c. A CONVICT (in an orange jumpsuit and everything) stealing from the old person
d. A random shot of what looked like a 1940's oil tycoon smoking a cigar

Fashion

1. Sharpie Tattoos
I like making sweet tattoos in sharpie on my arms

2. Motorcycle Jackets
I have a sweet motorcycle jacket which I'm in love with. I don't want to have to put it away because of the winter!

3. Fingerless gloves
I hate it that when I I wear gloves I can never grip anything correctly, so fingerless gloves are the way I go.

Plays

1. The Waiting Room by Lisa Loomer
This is an incredible play about how fashion has been killing women for centuries. Three main characters a Chinese woman who's feet have been bound, a corseted victorian woman, and a plastic surgery addicted woman from Jersey all meet in the same waiting room and suffer together as their bodies deteriorate. Once you get past the fact that each woman is living hundreds of years from eachother, yet still in the same office, it's a great show. I think any woman would like it.

2. The Tempest by William Shakespeare
This is my new favorite Shakespeare show. I designed a set for it, saw the Royal Shakespeare Company perform it, and have loved every second I've come in contact with it.

3. Movin' Out by Billy Joel/Twyla Tharp
Aside from a few lighting beefs I have with this show, I loved it. The dance is wonderful, the billy joel impersonator was SPOT ON, and the music rocked.

Other

1. The phrase Word to your mother
I don't know why I say it so much, but I do...and it's pretty awesome

A very rockin' birthday...

2006-11-10T01:06:00.000-05:00

My birthday is next thursday, and my mom bought me a new guitar for my 20th birthday and christmas this year. I decided I needed to make the investment in a 12 String Acoustic, so I immediately went to my favorite guitar store to test out guitars. I've been eyeing the Seagull brand for years now, so I was pretty sure where I'd land.

I went home with a brand new Seagull S12+ (with a Godin Quantum I pickup) this tuesday. The guitar is gorgeous. The tapered headstock keeps the guitar in tune longer, and makes it easier to tune too. The top is Solid Cedar, and the back and sides is the beautiful Wild Cherry wood that canadian guitars are becoming known for. I can't wait to test it out at mass this sunday!

So far I give it &hearts &hearts &hearts &hearts &hearts (out of 5)

Thursday Thirteen: Musicals

2006-11-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

My Thirteen Favorite Songs from a Broadway Musical

1. Rent-Finale B

2. Wicked-As Long As You're Mine
I know everyone loves Defying Gravity and Popular and What Is This Feeling (Loathing), but I LOVE this song. It's one of the best love songs I've heard in a while, because it's not a normal love song.

3. The Producers(Broadway cast)-Betrayed!
Nathan Lane is brilliant. This song not only captures Max Bialystock's betrayal, but also reinacts the entire musical in 2 minutes...and it's hilarious. I love it.

4. Les Miserables-One Day More

5. Tommy-Pinball Wizard
The broadway recording is almost as amazing as the original.

6. AltarBoyz-God Put the Rhythm In Me
Word to your mother, this song rocks!

7. Phantom of the Opera-Notes
Brilliantly written, one of the few things I truly love love love from Andrew Lloyd Webber anymore.

8. Sweeny Todd: The Daemon Barber of Fleet Street-A Little Priest
The original version, with Angela Lansbury is perfection!

9. The Producers(Broadway Cast)-Where Did We Go Right?

10. Chorus Line-I Hope I Get It
The show is not very good, but the music is amazing, and I love this song.

11. Into the Woods- You are Not Alone
This song makes me cry.

12. My Fair Lady-I've Become Accustomed to Her Face

13. Rent-Goodbye Love
This song is gorgeous, and I was really disappointed when it got left out of the movie, since Rosario Dawson performes beautifully.

Weekend, Halloween, etc.

2006-11-03T02:15:00.000-05:00

I'm going to be in Ohio all weekend, because my church job has asked me to go to Lifeteen's LIFE ON THE ROAD music ministry seminar. I'm super psyched! I'll probably be out of internet contact until sunday evening, but I'll definitely post about the experience if it's worthwhile enough. Hopefully it will be. Matt Maher will be there, who if you don't know, is a pretty famous christian musician. SO, let's see how this goes!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Oh, and here's a pic of me on halloween. I dressed up as my set design professor, the amazing Vince Mountain:

The informational Belt buckle:

The whole shebang:

A close up on my interpretation of Vince's tattoo. Yes, it says "DRAFTING" in a big flaming heart. It's pretty hard core.

Thursday 13: Music

2006-11-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

THIRTEEN ARTISTS YOU MUST HEAR, BUT PROBABLY HAVEN'T

1. Jack's Mannequin-Everything In Transit
The lead singer of the pop-punk-piano band Something Corporate's first solo album is a HUGE triumph. With wonderful piano-based rock and soulful lyrics, I can't stop listening to Jack's Mannequin!
Stand Out Tracks: Bruised, Dark Blue, and I'm Ready

2. Big City Rock-Big City Rock
This band is going to be HUGE someday, jump on the band wagon now! If you like U2, you'll probably like BCR.
Stand Out Tracks: Sink, All of the Above, Human

3. Ludo
Ludo has a wonderful full length CD, but I love their EP rock opera Broken Bride the best. The opera includes a love story, time travel, dinosaurs, AND zombies. It may sound crazy, but the story works, and the ending is pretty close to a tear jerker.
Stand Out Tracks: Part I, Save Our City, Good Will Hunting By Myself

4. Altar Boyz (Original Cast Recording)
A musical about a Catholic boy band? Yes. Funny? Yes. Great pop music? yes. This is the most original new musical to come around in a long time, so catch it while you can. Plus, a Michigan Musical Theatre Alum is currently starring as Abe in the touring company!
Stand Out Tracks: Church Rulez, The Calling, [Bonus Track]

5. Harry and the Potters!
Do you love Harry Potter? Do you love rock music? Then you'll love HatP! 2 brothers formed this band and they play songs about HP and dress as HP. They put on one of the best live shows I've ever seen, too.
Stand Out Tracks: Save Ginny Weasley, Cornelius Fudge is an Ass, Dumbledore

6. Dashboard Confessional
They've had a few minor hits and a featured song in Spiderman 2, but I'm still surprised how many people haven't heard them. I've listened to them for almost 6 years now, and they've been through a lot of musical changes, but I still think the sound is wonderful
Stand Out Tracks: Stolen, Bend and Not Break, This Ruined Puzzle, Swiss Army Romance

7. The Swift
Yes, More piano rock, but this time Christian piano rock. I can't get this band out of my head, and I enjoy it even more because now I impress all of my friends at work with turning them on to this fabulous "new" band. Their 3rd album just came out, so check it out!
Stand Out Tracks: I Need You, You Burn

8. Jamie Cullum
He reminds me a lot of Elton John when he performs, with sliding across the piano, playing with his feet, etc. His music is great Jazz/Billy Joel-esque rock and he also takes great classic songs and makes them even more wonderful. Jamie brings a Punk Rock attitude to the Jazz Music scene.
Stand Out Tracks: Twentysomething, Everlasting Love, The Wind Cries Mary

9. Patty Griffin
My dad introduced me to Patty 4 years ago, and her brilliance never ceases to amaze me. It's the kind of folk music that makes everything feel better. She's an alt-country version of Joni Mitchell, without being too country.
Stand Out Tracks: Long Ride Home, Making Pies, Stolen Car

10. Pink Spiders-Teenage Graffiti
I love energetic punk rock, and these guys fill that need. A true power trio, these guys kick butt. From classic punk rock style, to a bouncy piano track (Adalae), the guys never cease to please.
Stand Out Tracks: Easy Way Out, Saturday Nite Riot, Adalae

11. Seven Places
Usually I dislike christian rock, but this stuff works for me. It praises without being oppressive and rocks without being lame
Stand Out Tracks: Western Wall, Fall In Line, Even When

12. Tally Hall-Marvin's Marelous Mechanical Museum
A local Ann Arbor band starting to make it big in the music biz, and they're doing very well for themselves. They put on an amazing live show, and I can't wait to see how far they go.
Stand Out Tracks: Greener, The Bidding

13. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
I love Ted and his band! Indie rock has never sounded so good. And no one can write a rock song about helping a friend survive an eating disorder like Ted, and you can quote me on that.
Stand Out Tracks: Where have all the Rude Boys Gone?, Dirty Old Town, Me & Mia

Concert Review: Dashboard Confessional

2006-10-31T11:52:00.000-05:00

Dashboard Confessional 10.28.06
Eastern Michigan Convocation Center
Opener: Brand New

Saturday I spent my evening at the concert for one of my favorite bands, Dashboard Confessional. I’ve listened to Dashboard since it was just Chris Carrabba touring out of a van without a band to back him up, but through unfortunate events, I’ve never been able to see them play live. Since this was my first official DC concert, I was pretty excited to go.

So, my roommate Meg and I headed out for EMU. Upon our arrival we found that only the farthest parking lot was still open, and the line to get in was stretched into and around the main parking lot…which we weren’t too keen on standing in. Luckily, will call customers were allowed to jump the line, which I happily did and picked up my tickets.

Brand New had already started playing, which was ok with me. I’ve never been a huge fan of Brand New, because it’s too much screaming and not enough music. Plus, the guitar reminds me a lot of Nirvana, which is my least favorite guitar style ever. The lighting design was terrible too, with too many lights flashing into the audience and not enough lights on the actual band. I couldn’t see anyone onstage half the time, so I didn’t even have anything interesting to look at. Luckily there were only 4 songs left in their set once I got there!

So, my first complaint of the night came after Brand New’s set when their fans started chanting “Dashboard Sucks”…Now, as I see it, if you go to a concert to see the opener and don’t like the headliner that much, THEN LEAVE, don’t ruin the experience for the rest of the crowd. Meg and I decided to move closer to the stage during the change over, so we got away from the annoying Brand New fans pretty quickly.

During the change over to Dashboard, a large white drape was pulled across the front of the stage, but once DC’s set started, the lights came up behind the drape, silhouetting the band as it started to play “Don’t Wait,” the first single off their latest album. Once the vocals came in the drape dropped and revealed a gorgeous set. The set consisted of a red velvet drape in the background, and hanging paper lanterns that lit up and could change colors. During the second song, the red velvet drape raised up in the center revealing a New York loft style brick wall with large windows that could be lit to show trees behind them and even a moon, through lighting effects. The set reminded me a lot of RENT. The lighting design made it even better. I snuck my camera in and got some great shots of the band.

I was expecting the band to play all their new stuff with only a little of the stuff I’ve loved for so long, but there was actually a really good balance of old and new. The highlights off the new album were Don’t Wait, So Long So Long, and a new version of Stolen, which is a lot faster than the album version, and much less effective in my opinion. Dash sounded great on old favorites like The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most, Hands Down, Bend and Not Break, and Screaming Infidelities. The song that made the entire night worth it was This Ruined Puzzle. The band hasn’t had This Ruined Puzzle in their set for a few years now, so to have it back was great to hear, especially since it is my favorite song ever recorded by Dashboard.

Chris’s voice sounded great, and didn’t stumble or get off key once during the night. His stage presence is much different now, appearing more cocky and putting up a front for the crowd. I could have done without the very obvious scripted banter though…but he did show his personality throughout the night (commenting on the lack of high-fiving he and his friends do, etc). Scott on bass and Mike on drums were very solid, giving a muscular backing for the guitars and vocals to flow over. Johnny Lefler, the lead guitarist, is a hard working musician, switching between guitar and keys, and providing the signature “dashboard” guitar style that everyone has grown to know.

The two new additions to the band, a third guitar player and the violinist Susan Sherhouse, bring a much fuller sound to the band. The third guitarist also allows Chris to put his guitar down on songs like Don’t Wait and Hands Down, giving him a Bono-like stage presence. Susan’s violin is very subtle, but she takes the foreground on songs like So Long So Long, and brings the song to a new level.

My only major complaint about the show was the crowd. While trying to enjoy Dashboard’s set I was forced to stand next to four idiot boys from Dearborn Heights, who insisted on shoving and eventually moshing. I have no problem with moshing if the concert is one that you are supposed to mosh at, but this was not. The music isn’t fast enough, or hard core enough to be moshed to...just because you’re at a concert doesn’t mean that moshing is required. It’s quite obvious that those guys weren’t as concert experienced as they were acting. Anyone who actually attends concert regularly knows the correct etiquette. In the end they were just making themselves look stupid.

Despite the annoying boys, I enjoyed myself quite a bit. Dashboard played flawlessly, and though it is obvious that Chris Carrabba has changed quite a bit since his earliest days, as long as the music stays good, I’ll continue going to their concerts. I only hope that Chris goes on a solo tour sometime soon so that I can experience the dashboard confessional that I have loved since the beginning, now that I have experienced the full-band electric dashboard confessional.

Rating: &hearts &hearts &hearts &hearts (out of 5)

(*Pictures taken by me, so please don't steal them without asking*)

Thursday 13: People

2006-10-26T02:00:00.000-04:00

Thirteen people (dead or alive) would like to have dinner with (the obvious ones don't count ie. Jesus etc.) and why.

1. Bruce Springsteen
My musical idol, the only musician who can shake me to the core at a concert. When I meet him, I make no promises that I will be able to keep my composure

2. Charles Chaplin
I have loved Chaplin since I saw City Lights with my dad at age 6. I've studied him more than any other person, and so, he's at the top of my list. No other movies have ever made me happier than his.

3. Pete Townshend
Bottom line is that as a guitarist I want to be a female Pete Townshend. He's the greatest ever, just look at everything he can do with the instrument!

4. Elvis Costello
Elvis cracks me up, what can I say? Every time I see him live it's a treat, and I'd love to just take an hour or two to talk music with him.

5. Buster Keaton
Buster is another film love of mine. His films are genius with such complicated and life threatening sight gags. A truly brilliant man!

6. Robert Downey Jr
RDJ is my one true hollywood crush. He's a brilliant actor, and I'd love to talk to him one-on-one

7. Adam Savage
I love the mythbusters! I love Adam! I definitely want him at my dinner! I want to ask him all the questions that I've never been able to while watching the show. Also, Adam has design sets for theatrical shows and props for theatre and film!

8. Janet Evanovich
She'd definitely be entertaining!

9. Susan Stroman
Susan directed (and choreographed) the producers after her husband, who was supposed to direct passed away. I love the producers, and I think she's brilliant, so I'd love to dine with her!

10. Mel Brooks
Who wouldn't want to have dinner with one of the most brilliant comedians of all time?

11. David Sedaris
His books are the only ones that can still make me laugh so hard that I've cried--multiple times. I've seen him read his stuff live too, and it was even better. A night with David would be an absolute ball.

12. Woody Allen
I love Woody Allen, I am amazed by movies like Annie Hall, so I must put him on the list!

13. St. Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc has always interested me, and being one of my patron saints I always want to learn more. I'm glad to have such a strong woman of faith on my side, so I would love to talk to her about her life, and what really happened.

Hail! Hail! To Michigan!

2006-10-21T18:01:00.000-04:00

I attend the University of Michigan, and after stage managing an event for the University this weekend (A gala event for the Michigan Difference Campaign) I've realized that I wouldn't transfer to any other university in the WORLD. Yes, we have an amazing football team, an amazing Med School, business school, music school, theatre dept, and musical theatre dept. We are an Ivy League education in a public midwest school. But really, that means nothing when it comes to me. I love the people. I love walking down state street. I love standing in the middle of the empty Mendelssohn theatre and thinking about everything and everyone who performed there. I love walking around the aerospace buildings knowing I'm walking where astronauts walked. I love sitting in class and thinking about how famous and/or successful 80% of these people will be. I love knowing that I am a part of the Michigan Difference.

Now, you may be wondering what caused all of this loving talk of Michigan, and I'll tell you...It was the Michigan Marching Band.

I stood on Stage Left at the gala cueing people to enter the stage, so I couldn't see the tunnel that the band would emerge from. But you hear it. The drum line counts it off, the drum major enters and all you see is a wall of blue and white uniforms. Then, once the drumline has entered, the rest of the band floods the stage, not marching, but RUNNING instep. The wall of people suddenly lifts their instruments and the blasting sounds of the michigan fan fare starts. The audience is immediately on their feet. The audience, full of older people doesn't miss a beat, pumping their firsts in all the correct places and singing along. I'm standing backstage, and even though I've got a headset, a clipboard, and I'm on standby to open the curtain, I have to join in. I look over at Andrea Joyce, the alumni class of 1976 NBC sports caster who was hosting the event, and she's right with me, crying. It's a beautiful thing.

This is the michigan difference. The fact that 300 people, rich donors, young students, a crew of electricians and out of state event planners can all come together through one song.

Hail! To the Victors Valiant
Hail! To the Conquering Heros
Hail! Hail! to Michigan
The Leaders and Best.

I am proud to be a Michigan Wolverine.

THURSDAY 13: Books

2006-10-19T01:11:00.000-04:00

Thirteen Random Books from my
To-Be-Read (TBR) Pile

1. Janet Evanovich-Motor Mouth

2. Stuart Woods-Short Straw

3. DC Talk-Jesus Freaks MARTYRS

4. Fundamentals of Play Directing
-This is actually my text book for directing class. I have yet to read a single page from it! haha!

5. Acting, the First 6 Lessons
-Another text book for directing---I'm not an actor, so why read it...and we went over it page by page in class, so...

6. Kyle Smith-Love Monkey
-Loved the TV show, so I figured why not?

7. Kenneth S. Lynn- Chaplin, and His Times
I believe this is my....8th Chaplin biography?

8. Julia Solis- New York Underground
The pictures look gorgeous

9. Caroline Archer Paris Underground
Read part of it for a design class. Gorgeous photos from the tunnels beneath Paris.

10. Tim Cockey- Backstabber
He cracks me up.

11. Franklin Bruno-Elvis Costello's Armed Forces (33 1/3 series)

12. Dave Marsh- Bruce Springsteen On Tour

13. The Message//Remix
-This is actually the bible, translated into modern english. I've read chunks of it, but not all, so I don't know how to feel about it.

Pumpkin Carving

2006-10-18T11:39:00.000-04:00

I copied the idea off the back of the Every 3 Weekly (a humor magazine at the Univ. of Michigan) and it turned out fabulously.

PUMPKIN CARVING 2006!

That's right, it's eating a smaller pumpkin. And I carved it all by myself! All 25 pounds of Pumpkin glory!

Current Favorites OCTOBER

2006-10-17T01:10:00.000-04:00

Here's a few things that are Making my life better right now...

Music
1. Jack's Mannequin-Everything In Transit...the album has been out for a long time, but great piano rock never gets old. Dark Blue and Bruised are currently the soundtrack to my life

2. Big City Rock-Big City Rock...I saw them open for Everclear at the Blind Pig, and these guys are amazing. They sound a lot like U2 with a great vocalist, and muscular guitars, combined with the great vintage keyboard sound

3. Cheap Trick-The Authorized greatest hits...I'm telling you, there's nothing better than rocking out to some Cheap Trick in the car. Cheap Trick's guitar is the kind of guitar I've loved to play since I was very little, so of course listening to it is amazing.

Books
1. the PREACHER comic book series-Garth Ennis...So, I stumbled upon this through researching comics for a set design project. My room mate gave me every issue and I read all 65 in less than 6 days. I'd never read a real comic book before. Preacher is the story of a Preacher from Texas, who through a strange series of events recieves God-like powers through a being that has possessed him. After learning about what happened to himself, he then learns that because of this being inside of him, God has quit his job and is in hiding. The Preacher then sets out to find God and give him what for, with his Girlfriend, Tulip, and his friend Cassidy (who also happens to be a vampire) at his side. It's a fabulous story that is incredibly well written and funny. Even if you've never read a comic before, Preacher is worth it.

2. 7 1/2 Cents-Richard Bissell
This is the book that the musical THE PAJAMA GAME is based off of. It's actually a 50s romance novel. Endlessly entertaining with it's vintage charm, I can't get enough of it. And...it's pretty funny to read a 50s romance.

Movies
1. Waiting for Guffman...If you have ever been involved in a play, you have to see Guffman. This story combines every bad community theatre production ever created with the absurdity of Waiting for Godot . And all the favorites from past and future Christopher Guest films are present and HILARIOUS!

2. Jaws...I just watched it last night, and it still entertains me. Maybe it's my love for Richard Dreyfuss, and maybe it's the awesome shark puppets, but it gets me every time! Also, the IMDb trivia page on the movie is awesome, and considering how many problems this movie faced, it amazes me it made it!

TV
1. Project Runway!...It's a tight race between the 4 finalists, and even though Jeffery was a jerk in previous episodes, he shouldn't be kicked off because of Laura's accusations. Give him a chance to show his stuff, since it looks good.

2. Cash Cab...The greatest game show EVER. Unsuspecting people in NYC hail a cab...little do they know, but it's the CASH CAB! A game show that quizzes you until you get to your destination. But if you get 3 questions wrong, you get kicked out of the cab. I've seen people win over $3,000 on this show, and the questions are actually good. Discovery Channel, daily 5-6pm

3. Mythbusters...Yes, another Discovery Channel show. What can I say, discovery rocks! I could watch Mythbusters all day long if I had to. It's the most entertaining show on television, and I have a huge crush on Adam Savage and Tory Bellecci. In the end, I just want to see stuff explode.

Commercials
1. Volkswagon-featuring Nigel Tufnel (Christoper Guest)...So, This Is Spinal Tap is one of the greatest movies of all time. Nigel Tufnel is one of the greatest movie characters of all time. So, seeing him in a Volkswagon commercial should make me angry, right? Nah, because it's too dang funny! A+ V-Dubs.

2. Skittles-The singing rabbit...I can never find this commercial any more, but it's another funny one. Look for it on YouTube. And remember, a singing rabbit may seem cool at first, but in the end, it's never as good as that pack of skittles you traded it for.

Clothing
1. Scarves...Scarves rock. My favorite kind are Football (Soccer) Scarves, since they're warm and they look super cool. I also have one that's my family's Tartan (kilt pattern) from a scottish shop in Stratford, Ontario.

2. Vintage T Shirts...I just got a shirt with a wolf on it. It's pretty hard core. Value World is my favorite store, and it's saved me hundreds of dollars I'm sure with how many coats and shirts I've bought there instead of a full-price store

3. Home Made Arm Warmers...I love arm warmers, but I hate paying $10-20 for them at Hot Topic or somewhere lame. So, I take Knee-high socks, cut out the feet, cut a thumb hole in them, and ta-da, arm warmers. I have baseball sock ones and some cute argyle ones. Your arms will thank you for them.

Plays
1. The Pajama Game...Maybe it's because I just finished Stage Managing the show, but I love this show. From "There once was a man" to "Hey There" to "Steam Heat" the music is good, the story is cute, and the choreography (for my production at least) is awesome.

2. The Producers...I always get back into my Producers obsession during Tech for a show, but really, it's one of the greatest musicals of all time in my oppinion. Nothing can be as dead-on funny as this show.

3. Spamalot...I'm seeing this one live in a few weeks, and can't wait!

Other
1. Pumpkin Carving...I've been prepping for this for an entire year. The idea has gestated, and tomorrow I will get to execute it. I'll post pictures if it rocks as much as I think it will!

2. My New House...I'm living in Ann Arbor now, in a beautiful house. I love the location in the middle of the historic section of Ann Arbor, yet right next to campus! Also, my roommates rock. I wouldn't dream of living with anyone else.

3. Theatre Professors... are the coolest professors ever created. I mean, really, where else could you get away with half of the stuff we do? (ie. rasterbating their pictures onto the design studio ceiling last year...)Also, the theatre dept is so small at UofM that I think the professors all really start to care about their students. It's also fun to be around people who really love to come to work every single day.

Thursday 13: Movies

2006-10-12T00:05:00.000-04:00

Thirteen Things about The Cosmic Kid

Thirteen Movies I'm Embarrassed to Admit I've Never Seen

1. The Shawshank Redemption

2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

3. Memento

4. Apocalypse Now

5. M

6. A Clockwork Orange

7. Resevoir Dogs

8. Saving Private Ryan

9. Terminator 2

10. Kill Bill 1 & 2

11. Fargo

12. Life of Brian

13. Trainspotting

I'll admit, I had to scrounge quite a bit to come up with some!

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An New DAY

2006-10-02T01:40:00.000-04:00

So, I've officially started this blog, hopefully it will be interesting, since I've got tons of ideas for it. I hop you're as excited as I am to see what comes out of it.