Lodestar

It's gonna take a heckuva lot to pry Kovy from Atlanta, impending UFA or not. If they lose him, that's probably the franchise as well, and you can tell that based on the measures they've taken to satisfy him (signing fellow countrymen, appointing him captain, etc). For the Thrashers to even listen, I imagine you'll have to add a Colborne/Marchand plus at least one 1st-rounder to Sturm/Ryder.

This, I absolutely 100% agree with. The movie's first 15 or so minutes were tremendous, I thought, and that was a particularly memorable scene. I love the story he tells his mother, the aimlessness and innocence of it, and the look she gives him once he's finished. I thought the kid who played Max did a great job overall, which is obviously a big reflection on Jonze as well.

Wow, really? His view of which world? And how does his perspective change? In my opinion, there is one tone to this movie -- bleak. He escapes his sad real world to go join a sad fake world, and while he momentarily lifts spirits in the sad fake world, he ultimately leaves everyone feeling as sad as he found them. Everyone in the movie, real and imagined, has the same problems in the end as they do in the beginning, with nothing to suggest that they've found any solutions. I honestly fail to see any way in which Max has been enlightened, except maybe something like you can't run away from yo

I just wanted anything to happen the whole time, and it never did. The uneasiness you speak of was there, sure, but it never translated into anything. Like I said before, nothing changes at any point in the movie, and I don't think that makes for very good story-telling or cinema.

I'm a big fan of the book as well, but sadly I don't think it translated well into a feature-length movie. At all. And I really fail to see how it's "very metaphorical." All of the examples you give are valid interpretations of the book/film/story, and all are probably correct, but they're also pretty easy to see and don't say a whole lot. I won't object to your calling it "brilliant", since that's an opinion, but "very deep"... eh, I don't know. Other than portraying the frustration/wonder of being a child, there isn't really much going on at all. Nothing that happens with the wild things see

There's a video on YouTube of Rawlings and Welch doing "The Weight" with Old Crow Medicine Show, which I must have watched 10 times in the last two days alone. I'd post a link if I could get on YT right now, but alas... just watch it. Willie Watson, who sings the third verse, has the most affecting voice I have ever heard.

When I saw them in June, it definitely sounded like a new Gillian album would come shortly after the Rawlings one. They played a new song called "Sweet Tooth" that she said will be on her new record.

Rawlings is my favourite guitarist in the whole wide world. I wish he could accompany everybody.

Which ones have you read? I can think of several people who agree with you, and I wasn't an immediate fan at first, having started with Yiddish Policeman's Union and Kavalier and Clay, both of which I found "impressive" but had trouble connecting with... His earlier novels and short stories, though, are what really made me a believer.

From Billboard (via a fellow VCer): Man oh man. I have been waiting a very long time for this.

But can you explain the Coronas?

Ah, I didn't know that was out! Let us know how it finishes up. I'm a huuuge Chabon fan, even if his stuff has veered away from my tastes over the past decade or so. I read Wonder Boys this summer and loved it, and Mysteries of Pittsburgh may well be my all-time favourite novel. I'll probably finish Housekeeping today, then on to something else...

Again, I should reiterate that I'm a very big Hold Steady fan, and I think Craig Finn is one of the best songwriters going today. But watching him... well, he kind of annoyed me. It wasn't a matter of sincerity on his part; I just didn't expect (or want, I guess) him to be such a clown, and it was weird seeing him pander to these aping little frat boys. (Though again, I'm not faulting anyone for having fun... there were a lot of people besides me having fun.) I was also bummed they didn't play "How a Resurrection Really Feels", which is one of the great songs of the decade IMO.

My least favourite tic is when he sings a line, then steps away from the microphone and shrugs repeatedly while he mouths the line over again... Also, the entire band was drinking Corona when I saw them. For a bunch of guys from Minnesota who sing predominately about getting fucked up, that was pretty weak.

I saw them in Vancouver about a month ago and was honestly shocked at the number of frat-boy types in the audience. There were about a hundred of these dudes all up at the front of the stage, singing along to every word, hugging each other, high-fiving... I didn't really believe these people existed in Canada, let alone listened to (and clearly worshipped) The Hold Steady. But then thinking about it, what better music is there for teenage and undergrad guys? And like I said, they were all having a blast. I'm a pretty big Hold Steady fan -- Separation Sunday is where I'd start, personally --

So far it reminds me of what Alice Munro might write if she ever wrote a novel... Enjoying it a lot.

This is key. Wallowing is what makes us human.

I feel extremely dirty doing it... but it's just hard not to feel a bit disappointed. Vancouver fans have been waiting a while for this show (they skipped BC entirely on their last Canadian tour), and I don't feel like we'll even be getting a "real" one this time around. The crowd and venue will be nuts, the city will be an absolute shit-show already, and the setlist likely isn't going to reflect what Wilco in an intimate setting is capable of. But you're right, it's completely selfish to ever feel disappointed about a free Wilco show in your area... and yet I can't help it.

Massey Hall >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ridiculous Olympics outdoor free show I really hope it's not another few years before they're back here, and I sincerely hope they play the Orpheum again when they do return.

I'm going as Teen Wolf this year.

Well, I'm not gonna be around anyway, but that kind of sucks. For one, no Victoria -- again. And two, Vancouver is going to be a complete gong show around Olympic time, and combined with the fact that it's a free show probably at some expansive venue... I can't imagine that's what real Wilco fans have been waiting so long for.

No Victoria

Four for me: October 9, 2004, Massey Hall, Toronto, ON November 9, 2004, Orpheum Theatre Vancouver, BC May 28, 2005, Sasquatch! Festival, George, WA February 2, 2006, Moore Theater, Seattle, WA (Jeff solo -- thanks again, Judy!) It's been too long!

I've been waiting forever for a Victoria show... Coincidentally, I'll also be out of the country for the first half of 2010, so it'll probably happen.

Anyone notice any albums on there that Pitchfork originally gave not-great review scores? Only one I can think of is The National's Alligator, which got a 7.9 originally, but placed 40th for the decade. Then again, Pitchfork likes to call the band "grower-rock" because it "grew" on them...