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Archive for January, 2022

The Beths / Weakened Friends (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, January 21, 2021) [rescheduled date–POSTPONED]

Posted in Coronavirus, J. Mascis, Kung Fu Necktie, Lunar Vacation, New Zealand, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Quarantine, The Beths, Weakened Friends, World Cafe Live on January 21, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: January 21, 2021] The Beths / Lunar Vacation [rescheduled from April 29 Kung Fu Necktie and August 27, 2020 from World Cafe Live; moved to February 24, 2022]

indexThis show has been bounced around now to three different venues.  I was sure I’d finally get to see The Beths, but then this new uptick pushed their tour back.  I don’t know how wise pushing back a show for one month is during this pandemic nonsense.  Especially since they’re saying the spike will drop away in mid-March, but darnit, I really want to see The Beths.

I was looking forward to Weakened Friends opening, but Lunar Vacation…

Based out of Atlanta, Georgia, the story of Lunar Vacation can be traced back to eighth grade, when Grace Repasky and Maggie Geeslin met and started sharing musical ideas. As soon as the pair became old enough to drive, they started to take Lunar Vacation on the road, playing venues across the sprawling suburbs of their home city and fulfilling so many teenage dreams along the way. As the buzz around the pair grew, so did the band, as they expanded to their current four-piece line-up, and upon finishing school, they started to self-release their music, in the shape of two EPs, Swell and Artificial Flavors.

And their new album, Inside Every Fig Is A Dead Wasp which dives into the the waters of dreamy-indie, psychedelia and bedroom-pop.  Sounds pretty great!  Come on boosters, let the bands play. (more…)

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Terry Pratchett and Bernard Pearson–The Discworld Almanak: The Year of the Prawn (2004) [Discworld spinoff]

Posted in Almanac, Astrology, Bernard Pearson, Cabbages, Collecting, Dip-in Books, Discworld, Farming, Funny (ha ha), History, Holidays, Pin Monthly, Terry Pratchett on January 20, 2022| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: hiatus

[READ: January 2022] The Discworld Almanak

I assumed that this book would pair well with Nanny Ogg’s cookbook since in Maskerade, there’s a plot point about the Almanak getting published.  But as happens with this sort of thing, this companion book was published five years later.

There’s really nothing in here that’s relevant to any of the plots of the books, so that’s fine.

This diversion is basically an opportunity to explore the lighter side of Ankh-Morpork and astrology.  It also doubles as a journal for whatever year you may wish to use it in (no days of the week are supplied for the two dozen pages of empty calendar dates.

The book has the look of an old fashioned almanac (as you can see by the cover) with lots of little pieces of text in all manner of places.  There’s also old designs and bordered and even a place where you can punch a hole to hang a string so you can put the book in the privy.

As with Nanny Ogg’s cookbook, there are pinned notes from the publisher to the overseer of the book which add an extra level of humor to the proceedings.

The book also sets out the Discworld calendar year–it’s not quite the same as our as it has 400 days an a thirteenth month that no one talks about.

The book starts with a warning that the turtle is likely to turn upside down this year (fear not). (more…)

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David Gaffney and Dan Berry–Rivers (2021)

Posted in Cars, Dan Berry, David Gaffney, Death, Dreams, Graphic Novel, Top Shelf Productions on January 19, 2022| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: hiatus

[READ: January 2022] Rivers

I’m quite the fan of Top Shelf Comics.  Their stories are usually off the beaten path and have a satisfying indie feel.  I hadn’t heard of either of these two writers before though

This book is full of different stories that don’t seem connected. I really applaud the creators for making the story this way because there were times when I wondered if this was meant to be little short pieces instead of a full narrative.  It was a bold decision and it pays off handsomely.

The book opens on yellowish pages (each storyline has a color scheme).  Two boys are reading a comic book in 1992.  The next page shows the book they are reading–a sci-fi story about evil creatures named Ghoulors and the man and do who hunt them.

The boys are very funny and appear throughout the story with deep conversations like “I think if your life is not great you should just take drugs all the time.” “Me too.”  And “What do you think you’ll be doing when you’re 25?” “I’ll be in a band on guitar and occasional synths.  The lead singer will leave and I’ll make the band into an instrumental outfit and we’ll do soundtracks to foreign films with subtitles.” “Cool.”

Then we cut to a blueish story about a girl and her dad.  The girl’s parents have split up and she and her dad spend their weekends at the dump throwing rocks at TVs. She enjoys it (and becomes quite accurate), but enough is enough. (more…)

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Nanny Ogg’s Cookbook: A useful and improving Almanack or Information including Astonishing Recipes from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld (1999) [Discworld spinoff]

Posted in Cook Book, Discworld, Funny (ha ha), Granny Weatherwax, Magic, Nanny Ogg, Paul Kidby, Terry Pratchett, Voodoo, Witches on January 18, 2022| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: hiatus

[READ: January 2022] Nanny Ogg’s Cookbook

I bought this book when it came out because I was working in a book store that sold British imported books.  I knew I’d never find it at the mall, si grabbed it,  And now, twenty-some years later, I’ve finally read it.

I read it a little out of order, but I assumed it would come after Maskerade because in that novel, Nanny Ogg has a book published.  Although, it turns out this is her third book (the other two only came out in Discworld).  This book also references Jingo and Hogfather.

So this is in fact a viable cookbook.  You can cook everything that’s in here (provided you don’t include the arsenic).  But the recipes all have a narrative from Nanny Ogg, so there’s a degree of nudge nudge involved in the whole thing.

In addition to the recipes, there is a section on etiquette, which is more of the sort of naughty fun that Nanny Ogg sprinkles in the books she appears in.

The book opens with notes from the publisher (the one who published The Joy of Snacks), discussing whether or not they can actually publish this book and if any of it should be censored.  They just can’t understand how Nanny can use normal every day words and yet some how make them all sound dirty. (more…)

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Terry Pratchett–Maskerade (1995) [Discworld #18] [Witches #5]

Posted in Agnes Nitt, Cook Book, Death, Death, Discworld, Fairy Tales, Funny (ha ha), Granny Weatherwax, Greebo, Magic, Magrat Garlick, Nanny Ogg, Phantom of the Opera, Terry Pratchett, Unfinished series, Violence, Voodoo, Witches on January 17, 2022| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: hiatus

[READ: January 2022] Maskerade

The Discworld Witches are back for another story.  But things are different, and I didn’t remember this happening at all.  Now that Magrat is firmly established with King Verence, she is no longer witching.

And everyone (even Granny Weatherwax) seems to now that Witches work better in trios than duos (although the duo of Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg is pretty formidable).

So who would be best to be their new third?  Why, that nice Agnes (once Perdita) NItt had a lot of promise.

But Agnes has no intention of becoming a witch.  She knows what the life of a Witch is like.  Plus she has a VOICE!  (The description of her voice is wonderful).

Agnes has set out for Ankh-Morpork to be an opera singer.  Agnes is very fat and there’s rather a lot of jokes at her expense, which comes across as pretty mean, Terry.  There’s a very fat man as well (this being the opera and all) and there’s jokes at his expense too.  It’s surprisingly mean spirited.

But aside from that, the story is pretty great.  Terry opens his book with some jokes/comments about how he never expected the opera to be a fruitful subject.  Until he talked to his friend in the opera who said the opera was full of crazy stories and superstitions. (more…)

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Terry Pratchett–Interesting Times (1994) [Discworld #17] [Rincewind #5]

Posted in Anachronisms, Death, Discworld, Disembowel-Meself-Honourably Dibhala, Funny (ha ha), Josh Kirby, Magic, Racism, Rincewind, Terry Pratchett, The Luggage, Wizards, Wizards on January 16, 2022| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: hiatus

[READ: December 2021] Interesting Times

I tend to think that there aren’t that many Rincewind novels, but it’s clear that Terry liked to have him around as this is the fifth one!

I’ll also preface this by saying that some readers find this book to be problematic because it deals with people from the Aurient (Asia) and tends toward the stereotypical.  I will come right out and say that some of the things said in this book were cringeworthy, and one or two things made me uncomfortable.  However, keep in mind that Pratchett was clearly anti-racist in the Disc overall.  The Watch is one of the most un-racist institutions in fiction.

Remember also that Pratchett was a satirist and is writing for comedy.  Few people fare worse than white “European” men under Pratchett’s pen.  Finally, this book is mostly meant to be about ancient China and the draconian empires.  Yes, he throws in anachronisms (as he always does), and he blurs the boundaries into Japanese culture here and there–not cool.  But the real targets are bureaucracy and tyranny.

The book starts out with Rincewind finally happy.  That doesn’t bode well.

Then the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork receives a demand from the Agatean Empire that the “Great Wizzard” be sent to them immediately.  Vetinari doesn’t know what to make of this, but it obviously involves the WIzards.  All signs (well, the spelling of WIzzard) points to Rincewind.  Although the “great” part surely doesn’t.  But the wizards are suspicious of foreign parts and no one else wants to go, so why not send Rincewind?

In part because after Eric, Rincewind has been on a desert island.  The Wizards use their machine Hex (a proto-computer) to bring him back to Anhk-Morpork.  Rincewind is none too happy–he was really looking forward to the Amazon women that had just arrived on the island.  They might have potatoes after all.

But Hex worked and Rincewind is back.  Although soon enough they are about to send him to the Agatean Empire.  The Hex works by displacing something from where you land.  Which in this case was a lit cannon.  It arrives in the middle of the University (the Wizards wisely put out the fuse). (more…)

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Dustin Bates / Peter David–The Prox Transmissions [graphic novel] (2017)

Posted in Corporate skewering, Death, Dustin Bates, End of the World, Environmentalism, Graphic Novel, Outer Space, Peter David, Sci-fi, Science, Sex, Starset, The Future, Violence on January 15, 2022| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: hiatus

[READ: January 15, 2021] The Prox Transmissions

I had recently seen Starset live and decided to check out lead singer Dustin Bates’ books (which I had gotten for my son for his birthday and I think he hasn’t read).

All of the CDs have a theme and the story of the Prox Transmissions is meant to tie into the album called Transmission.

My understanding was that the graphic novel was an adaptation of the novel.  I couldn’t find the novel in his room, but I did see the graphic novel, so I started with that (even though I’m sure it would have ben smarter to read the novel first).

The most impressive thing about this to me was that it was published by Marvel.  Not because I’m a Marvel fan boy but because I just assumed it was self published.  That being said, I think a thing or two was lost in the abridgement.

There are double crosses and possibly triple crosses and seemingly minor characters come to have major roles without a very satisfying explanation.  Basically it feels like a story that has has a lot removed (which it is).

The actual story line is pretty cool though. (more…)

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Guster / Ben Kweller (Wellmont Theater, Montclair, NJ, January 14, 2021) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Ben Folds, Ben Kweller, Ben Lee, Cancelled, Coronavirus, Guster, Montclair, NJ, Quarantine, Wellmont Theater on January 14, 2022| 2 Comments »

[POSTPONED: January 14, 2021] Guster / Ben Kweller [moved to August 10, 2022]

indexCOME ON!

In March of last year, Guster was supposed to come to NJ to play An Evening of Acoustic Music & Improv–a tour that had been going great.

Then it was cancelled.

The band waited almost a year to reschedule a NJ show–who knows if they were going to do an acoustic show or not.  (Probably not as the last show all tickets were seated).

And then the jackasses who didn’t get vaccinated caused the virus to mutate and infect all of us.

I tested positive last week and tonight was going to be the date I was allowed back into society.  I don’t blame the band for cancelling–literally everyone is catching it.  I blame the idiots who trust Facebook more than science.

Who knows when they’ll want to come back–although come back they will because Guster doesn’t give up!

UPDATE: Until Maryann commented, I didn’t realize (or I forgot) there was a special guest (I didn’t look at this poster very clearly, obviously).  I know Ben Kweller from the compilation The Bens, which has Ben Folds and Ben Lee on it.  I didn’t think I knew much else from Ben Kweller, until I just saw that he sings lead on “I Hope Tomorrow is LIke Today.” which, how did I not know that?

I hope that he is still the opener for the rescheduled date.

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Eugene Yelchin–The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain (2021)

Posted in Artists, Autobiographies, Ballet, Eugene Yelchin, Lenin, Leningrad Russia, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Oleg Mandelstam, Religion, Russia, Soviet Union, T.G. Bruni, Tatiana Georgievna Bruni on January 13, 2022| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: hiatus

[READ: January 13, 2022] The Genius Under the Table

Why would anyone read an autobiography of someone they’d never heard of?

Well, in part because it’s a children’s biography, and therefore a fairly easy read.  But mostly because Eugene Yelchin grew up in the Soviet Union under the watchful eyes of Lenin and his KGB informants.  And it’s a fascinating look at a world that is as bizarre as it is unsettling.

And it’s a well-written and interesting story, too!

Yelchin was the youngest of two sons.  His older brother was on track to become a national figure skater.  His mother worked in the ballet, assisting the ballerinas and having a close up view of the amazing Mikhail Baryshnikov.  His father was a working man as well–they needed all the money they could get (which wasn’t much).  And what of Eugene (Yevgeny)?  He had no talent.

He couldn’t play sports (not even chess).  He couldn’t dance.  He wasn’t super smart.  He wasn’t exactly a disappointment to his parents (although he was, kind of), but they knew that the only way to get out of the squalor they lived in was to be great at something.

And he wasn’t great at anything. (more…)

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Aaron Blabey–The Bad Guys: Episode One (2015)

Posted in Aaron Blabey, Children's Books, Fairy Tales, Funny (ha ha), Graphic Novel, Morality, Piranhas, Sharks, Snakes, Wolves on January 12, 2022| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: hiatus

[READ: January 12, 2022] The Bad Guys Episode One

A movie is coming out about this book series (Scholastic must have SO MUCH MONEY!).  S. brought it home from the library and I figured I’d give it a read.  And five minutes later I’d finished it.

It’s pretty funny (although not as funny as I would have liked).

It’s also clearly designed for young readers since there are usually no more than five words per page.  I guess it’s a graphic novel, although there are chapters.

The book opens with Mr Wolf staring at us and telling us to come closer.  But we are smart, we know he is a monster so we do not get any closer. (more…)

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