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Stuart Gibbs–Charlie Thorne and the Curse of Cleopatra [Charlie Thorne #3] (2022)

July 4, 2022 by Paul Debraski

SOUNDTRACK: Hiatus.

[READ: July 4, 2022] Charlie Thorne and the Curse of Cleopatra

This is the third book in the Charlie Thorne series.  And there will clearly be a fourth.

Sarah brought this home and was very excited about it.  I was pretty excited to read it as well.  Our excitement was justified, because Stuart Gibbs has created a great heroine, an intriguing mystery and a thoughtful historical quest.

One of the things I liked best about this book was the historical information about Cleopatra.  We all know all about Cleopatra.  Except  that everything we know is incorrect!  The course of (male) history has been very unkind to Cleopatra–she was an amazing woman and ruler and has been historically described as little more than an exotic temptress.

In the acknowledgements, Gibbs, heaps praise on the book Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff.  I have just checked out the book and the first chapter is fantastic.

The Prologue is set in Alexandria, Egypt in 30 BC.  Cleopatra was being held prisoner by Octavian–Julius Caesar’s nephew.  Cleopatra and her husband Mark Antony were united in a war against Octavian–but they had lost.

Octavian lied about how he would treat Cleopatra after Mark Antony’s death.  She discovered this and was preemptive about her own fate.  She did not kill herself with an asp–rather, she drank poison and burned down her mausoleum.  And her great treasure was destroyed wit her.

Staying in Egypt, the book shifts to the present day.  At the end of the last book Charlie has escaped from the CIA as well as the Mossad, the national intelligence agency of Israel.

Now she is sneaking into a party in Giza, Egypt, at the penthouse of Ahmet Shah, the oldest son of a wealthy shipping magnate.  Ahmet has a ton of security because he has a ton of expensive things in his house.  But one thing that Charlie wants is not expensive–it is information. Continue Reading »

Posted in Adventure, Charles Darwin, Children's Books, Cleopatra, Death, Feminism, History, Julius Caesar, Robbery, Scientists, Smarty Pants, Stacy Schiff, Violence | Leave a Comment »

Man Man (Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, June 30, 2022)

July 1, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: June 30, 2022] Man Man

I have seen Man Man twice before and each show was a wild extravaganza of fun and craziness.  Lead Man, Honus Honus knows how to put on a show–part lounge, part punk, part WTF.  It’s a spectacle in the best possible way.

This was the first time I Was seeing them as the headliner–they did headliner Philly Music fest, but it was a Festival, not a Man Man show.  The crowd was there for Man Man and they were pretty rowdy and wiled up (I didn’t really care for them).

But we were all there to see the band put on a great show.  So the lights dimmed, the band came out and soon enough Honus Honus walked up to his keyboard (which, as always, abuts the drums that sit at the front of the stage) and the launched right into their latest single “Cloud Nein.”

The band recently (pre-pandemic) put out a new album, Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between, and this was their first time back in Philly since the album came out.  They were well practiced with the song with Honus standing up and getting everyone to sing along.

It was followed by an oldie, the swinging surfy “Piranhas Club.”  It’s impossible to keep track of what everyone is doing on stage.  Especially since everyone seems to play whatever they can get their hands on during the next song.  As for a lineup.  I’m seeing:
Jazz Diesel on drums, Smunk Smalls on guitar, Eggs Foster on keyboards, Mature Kevin on marimba, and Hard Tay on wind instruments.

Next came a new song.  Not a new song on the new album, but a new, unreleased song.  This would be the first of several new unreleased songs.  This one was called “Iguana” and featured several deep chants of “Iguana!” Continue Reading »

Posted in A Hard Tay's Night, Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, Man Man, Philadelphia, PA | Leave a Comment »

A Hard Tay’s Night (Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, June 30, 2022) [MAN MAN]

June 30, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: June 30, 2022] A Hard Tay’s Night

I was pretty excited to see Man Man again and I didn’t really care who the opening band was.

Originally it was supposed to be Pink $ock, whom I have listened to and hated–a cheesy R&B lounge act that I was glad not to have to sit through.  He was replaced by A Hard Tay’s Night, which I didn’t understand the name of.  And didn’t really understand the concept of until it was over.

A Hard Tay’s Night is the creation of Taylor Plenn who is the saxophone player for Man Man.  Taylor, according to him plays saxophone, flute and EWI (an Electronic Wind Instrument that is a synthesizer controlled by breath) and is “known for my improvising skills and my ability to adapt to different genres. I have had experience performing and recording a wide variety of styles, from hard bop, rock and roll, blues, free jazz, hip hop, electronic music.” Continue Reading »

Posted in A Hard Tay's Night, Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, Man Man, Philadelphia, PA | Leave a Comment »

Purity Ring / Dawn Richard (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, June 27, 2022) [rescheduled date] [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 27, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 27, 2022] Purity Ring / Dawn Richard [postponed from May 13, 2020 and April 21, 2021 and November 12, 2021] 

This show came and went.  I never got tickets and never wound up going.

I heard really good things about the show.  And I have put them on my list of bands to see when they come around again. 

I’m not sure what kept me away–sometimes, you just don’t feel like going outside.

It’s a cool poster though.

Continue Reading »

Posted in Coronavirus, Dawn Richard, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Purity Ring, Quarantine, Union Transfer | Leave a Comment »

Starset / Red / Divide the Fall / Oni (Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ, June 26, 2022) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 26, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 26, 2022] Starset / Red / Divide the Fall / Oni

My son and I have seen Starset twice.  Each show has been pretty fantastic.

When this tour was announced, I was excited that a show was going to be at the Starland Ballroom (a venue I don’t love, but which he does).

But then it turned out to be the night before he was leaving for Europe.  There was n way we were staying out all night the night before his flight.

So, we gave this tour a miss.

Rock on Purpose has a big review of the show.

I didn’t know any of the other bands.  The above reviewer is a big fan of Red, who he says plays a “combination of cinematic, uplifting, and hardcore rock music.”

They are a Christian band, which seems an odd fit for Starset’s cryptic stances, but whatever, their songs are pretty good with interesting orchestral arrangements over the heavy guitars.

Divide the Fall are from Minnesota.  Spill, their local magazine says

their modern hard rock sound and catchy choruses with the occasional heavy breakdown.

And a review of their recent EP describes melodic harmonies and stunning, clean vocals.

Oni were a progressive heavy metal band from Canada with growling vocals and crazy technical profiiency, at least in 2016.  In 2022, they released a new album about which Drowned in Sound says

If you were anticipating another round of technical bludgeoning akin to the Ironshore era then you may be disappointed as ONI have taken an entirely different direction this time round.

Sounds like the heaviest bands went on first, although some of their new songs are pretty mellow too.  Interestimg.

Posted in Divide the Fall, Oni, Red, Sayreville, NJ, Starland Ballroom, Starset | Leave a Comment »

Ty Segall & Freedom Band / Shannon Lay (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, June 24, 2022) [rescheduled date] [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 24, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 5, 2022] Ty Segall & Freedom Band / Shannon Lay [rescheduled from October 2, 2020 and June 24, 2022]

I have become a fan of Ty Segall in the last few years.  He releases far too much music to keep tabs on him, but I’ve wanted to see his fuzzed out live show for a while now.

He has had a bunch of shows in Philly, both with Freedom Band and with his other band Fuzz get postponed over and over again.

Back in April the Fuzz show was finally rescheduled and I was really excited to see them.  But we wound up going on vacation that week instead.

Now came this show, which I didn’t realize would be as amazing as it is (if this KEXP live performance is any indicator).

But my son was leaving for a trip to Europe in a couple of days and I wanted to spend time with the family.  So I blew off this show.

Now, since he puts out new music all the time, I have to assume he’ll be back next year (and I hope with this kick ass band).

Shannon Lay is a former punk and now folk singer.  Her songs are quite lovely but 100% unlike Ty Segall & Freedom Band.

However, Ty Segall also plays acoustic shows–he has one coming up in Philly in November (so that’s three shows in Philly in one year).  and I wonder if she has played with him in these solo settings.

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Shannon Lay, Ty Segall, Ty Segall and the Freedom Band, Union Transfer | Leave a Comment »

Tears for Fears / Garbage (PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ, June 24, 2022) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 24, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 24, 2022] Tears for Fears / Garbage

I’ve never been a huge fan of Tears for Fears, although I like more than just their big hits (I especially like the Sowing the Seeds of Love album).  With the release of their most recent album, there’s been a lot of discussion about their music with many people point out just how prog rock they are.

This seemed like a really interesting tour, but I wound up never getting tickets.  Sometimes those PNC Bank shows are really pricey, and if it doesn’t look like there’s going to be an seats to upgrade to, you’re stuck in the lawn.  Which is no fun at all.

Although a double bill with Garbage would be the best way to see them.

Reviews of the tour are overwhelmingly positive, so I guess I missed a good one.

I have seen Garbage a few times (most recently in 2018).  They are great live, even as an opening band.

Although I’d rather see them as a headliner.

 

Posted in Garbage, Holmdel, NJ, PNC Bank Center, Tears for Fears | Leave a Comment »

Vundabar / Runnner (The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA, June 23, 2022) [rescheduled date] [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 23, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 23, 2022] Vundabar / Runnner [moved from March 25, 2022, First Unitarian Church]

This show was moved forward a couple of months.  By this time I knew who Vundabar was and was interested in seeing them because of their ubiquitous (in my house) old song “Alien Blues.”

This show sold out before I really knew about it, so there was no way i was going.

I was also a little surprised to find out that their music doesn’t really sound like “Alien Blues”–that song is a bit more frenetic and weird than their most recent album anyway.  Although most live reviews I’ve read say they are terrific live.

M.A.G.S. was supposed to open for this tour, but he couldn’t accommodate the new dates.

Instead, Runnner was the opener.  Noah Weinman is the singer-songwriter behind the melancholy bedroom-folk project.  I listened to a couple of songs and yes, “melancholy bedroom-folk” sounds about right.  I wouldn’t have enjoyed them as an opener, especially if I thought Vundabar was going to be a rocking outfit.

 

Posted in M.A.G.S., Philadelphia, PA, Runnner, The Foundry, Vundabar | Leave a Comment »

Valérie Mangin–Yuanyuan’s Bubbles [by Cixin Liu] (Graphic novel #4 2021) [originally written 2004; translated 2021]

June 23, 2022 by Paul Debraski

SOUNDTRACK: hiatus

[READ: June 23, 2022] Yuanyuan’s Bubbles

This is the fourth of sixteen graphic novels based on Cixin’s Liu’s stories.  This story, originally called 圆圆的肥皂泡, is the most straightforward one yet.

It is full of hope and shows that play is just as important as other scholarly pursuits.

When Yuanyuan was born, the one thing that made her happy was bubbles.  Her mother was a scientist and rather serious.  While her father often chided her mother for being too straight-faced.  But her mother had serious work to do.

Their city–Silk Road City was having severe drought.  If nothing could be done about it, the whole city would have to be abandoned.  Yuanyuan’s mother’s idea was to drop ice bombs with plants in them from a plane.  The project worked–the water helped to keep the seedlings alive.

However, in a rather dramatic early moment, the plane went down and Yuanyuan’s mother was killed.  Yuanyuan’s father was affected by the death of his wife and insisted that Yuanyuan grow up to be just like her mother–serious and thoughtful.  But Yuanyuan had other ideas.  She was still obsessed with bubbles.

Even her teachers noticed her attitude.  But her grades were excellent. Indeed, one of her teachers explained to Yuanyuan’s father that “in this new era, being a  little more relaxed and carefree isn’t a weakness.”

Her father still wants her to take things more seriously, but in the meantime, Yuanyuan has discovered a formula for creating the largest bubble in the world–it’s breaks the world record!

Yuanyuan becomes very successful–her formulas for creating elasticity in bubbles is greatly in demand.  Ultimately, her father asks her for a loan to help keep part of their old city alive.  But she says she cannot.  She is using her funds for her next project–a bubble that can envelope a city.

That’s actually not what she intended, but the bubble does settle onto the city, forcing everyone to figure out how to survive with their oxygen being cut off.  Everyone is furious at Yuanyuan, but she only sees the possibilities–what is she made bubbles that could carry water from he sea to their desiccated city?

No one thinks she can do it.  People make fun of her.  Even her father is disappointed in her.  But she won’t give up.

As with most of these graphic novels, I feel like the story suffers a but from being truncated (I assume it was truncated a lot).  And yet the general tone and tenets of the story come through clearly.  And it’s very cool.  It was translated by Nicholas Blackburn Smith and then written for this book by Valérie Mangin.

The story was illustrated by Steven Dupré and he does a great job creating the images of the bubbles.

Posted in Barack Obama, Bubbles, China, Cixin Liu, Death, End of the World, Graphic Novel, Nicholas Blackburn Smith, Steven Dupré, Supernatural, Talos Press, Translation, Valérie Mangin. | Leave a Comment »

Midnight Oil / Liz Stringer (Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, June 22, 2022) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 22, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 22, 2022] Midnight Oil / Liz Stringer

When I was in college I was a DJ for a few years.  My freshman year, I loved “Beds Are Burning” and played the song on my show all the time.

I enjoyed the rest of the album, but really don’t know much else by them.

When this tour–their final tour–was announced, I dithered about whether to get tickets.  I assumed it wouldn’t sell out (it didn’t).  I don’t love Franklin Music Hall, so that was a strike against it.  A friend of mine said they were great live (she went to the NYC show and said it was great)./

But ultimately, I decided not to go (or buy a ticket).

And I’m okay with that.

Liz Stringer is an Australian singer who is beloved by many Australian musicians.  She has a devoted cult following.  but it never translates into mega sales.  I’m a little surprised by this because her music is pretty straightforward with an alt-country feel that could appeal pretty broadly here.

I guess I’m not that upset that I missed her though.

Posted in Franklin Music Hall, Liz Stringer, Midnight Oil, Philadelphia, PA | Leave a Comment »

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