Wilco @ The Joint, June 19, 2009

Write-up I did for Neon Streets, Thirry Harlin's new web magazine:

Wilco played The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on Friday June, 19th. The show was epic. Comprised of 17 songs with a 9 song encore, even hardcore Wilco fans were a hard pressed not to get a little tired. Don't get me wrong, I was ecstatic to be there. I became a fan in 2000 when I friend played Misunderstood for me and when they sang that song on Friday I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. Their tight performance combined with their live improvisation and the audience yelling along, "nothing, nothing, nothing....nothing at all" was one of the best moments of my live show life.

They played with a mixture of rehearsed polish and spontaneity; I particularly enjoyed the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot songs as they lend themselves to the psychedelic improv style that Wilco first pioneered on that album, which is truly a sight to see live. Tweedy gave one of the best guitar performances I've ever seen and needless to say his trademark gravelly voice continues to hit that perfect spot. They're definitely aging, but it felt more like they're coming into their own than slipping out of their sweet spot.

The one odd moment of the night for me was when Tweedy told the audience that he had to play a song because the web vote was cast overwhelmingly in its favor, but only 1% of the audience would enjoy it. This song was Box Full of Letters, a classic track from their first album. It was great to hear the song, but the disclaimer left me feeling out of place as someone who appreciates the breadth of their work and highlighted the comps around me.

They played some of their best songs (Jesus, Etc., Hummingbird, Shot In The Arm, etc.) littered with new tracks, but their encore was hit and miss with a few too many new songs to keep the energy alive towards the end. I know, they're allowed to make new music and I'm sure I'll fall in love with the album, but I haven't yet and it got a little weary at the end. If they just ended with I'm The Man Who Loves You, which was mind blowing live, an absolute masterpiece, I think it would've made the show stronger on the whole. However, all in all, it was a fantastic night at The Joint.

Terribly Awesome or Awesomely Terrible?

I'm really not sure which to claim Crimewave is. Let me start by saying my mind was blown when I heard there was a movie directed by Sam Raimi and written by the Cohen brothers that I had never seen, and so it goes without saying that I immediately tracked said movie down from Netflix.

The basic premise of the film is two hit men take out a man who owns a security company and attempt to blame it on the nearest schmo who happens to be the security guard for the alarm system company. It's comedy comprised of two styles: noirish crime drama and saturday morning cartoons. For example, one of my favorite moments is when one of the hitmen gets knocked against the wall, making the shelf above him collapse, which was conveniently holding 3 bowling balls which each landed on his head one at a time. I think perhaps this is where Sam got the anvil idea for Drag Me To Hell, but I digress.

It's over the top and at times quite annoying, particularly the hit men. The scraggly haired one played by Brion James has this squeaky voice and chews the scenery so hard I almost feared for my life. However, if you can get past that, there are some awesome moments. Bruce Campbell's stereotypical heel, Renaldo, is pretty god damn awesome.

For your own good. . .

Do not, I repeat, do not rent, watch or even think about The Spirit. In fact, you may want to just stop reading this and go find something productive to do with your time for your own safety.

Now, I am not familiar with the graphic novel upon which it was based, but the movie was so painfully bad that even though I was not the one who picked it out, less than 30 minutes into it I found myself watching it alone, and were it not for my desire to have something to write about, I would have shut it off.

To be honest, I don't even know where to begin. . . do I express deep disappointment in Scarlett Johansson and her visually appealing but otherwise un-intriguing character? Do I focus on the overdramatic delivery of trite, cliched gumshoe-esque writing with such wince-inducing lines as "Shut up and bleed" and "Come on! Toilets are always funny! "? Do I point out that Frank Miller's black, white and red stylistic approach is already tired and boring after sitting through Sin City?

Or can I simply say "Samuel Jackson" and leave it at that?

Grand Ole Party Is The Best Kind of Party

So, I'm a bit behind the times as Grand Ole Party's Humanimals actually came out in 2007, but it's my favorite thing this year, so fuck it. The album starts out with Look Out Young Son, a track that I can't resist moving to with such rad lines as I must be the devil's daughter / What a dark father to dwell in me & Bastard child that I am / You can see it in my swagger / In the palmist's lines of my hands / And my lips that bud like daggers.

Sure, it's simple. Maybe even simplistic, but I'm a sucker for simple truths and true beauties. Oh, and also for gorgeous girls like Kristen Gundred with deep, soulful, powerhouse voices, which bring me to my knees. If that wasn't enough, she's the drummer too. I mean, fuck if I can resist a female drummer - then you make her all super hot and give her the voice of a sexy siren from hell. Fuck dude. I am her prisoner.

Check this video for Look Out Young Son.

Nasty Habits has a soft spot in my heart. It's an awesome track that totally speaks to me. It makes me feel better about my ridiculous martyr tendencies, but more than that it makes me feel like I can kick the shit out of those ghosts of mine. Love, lust, nasty habits / Make us who we are - just listening to those lyrics is a reminder to me to chill out on myself 'cause all the bullshit I am, everything that frustrates me about myself is still me. It's all me and that ain't no kinda bad thing.

When did you decide to please forever? / And always brush aside your secret pleasures? /Did you think your dreams were best as buried treasure?

I guess maybe I did, but I sure as shit know I'm trying to stop doing that now.

Re-make Schme-make. What Happened to Originality?

I may be a wee bit biased as someone raised watching awesome old movies only to find them maimed by terrible re-makes as an adult, but I just don't see the point in re-making something unless you genuinely have something to add to it or another angle to shine a light on. I actually really enjoyed the 2005 King Kong re-make, because it was recreated in such an epic manner as to conjure the same type of reaction one would have had when viewing the original in the theatre in 1933.

Similarly, '86 Cronenberg version of The Fly brought the horror of the '58 original featuring the always amazing Vincent Price to a younger generation who would've simply laughed at the image of the tiny fly with the human head stuck in web, crying help me, which at the time of its release was considered to be frightening. There are also some amazing films that are remakes of which I've never seen the original. Allow me to briefly voice my respect for the following: '41 Maltese Falcon, '40 His Girl Friday (originally The Front Page in '31) & '07 Sweeney Todd.

That being said, I must also acknowledge that there is sometimes that rare film that can be re-made over and over and pretty much always be good. The film of which I speak is Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It's been made four times, the original in '56, then another in '78, another in '93 and finally the last incarnation in '07 as The Invasion. The first one is incredible, the '78 version with Donald Sutherland brings it up to a more current age and features an excellent cameo from Kevin McCarthy, who played the lead in the first version. The most mediocre of all versions would be '93's with Gabrielle Anwar, but it's still a compelling movie. The Invasion brought some interesting questions to the forefront & a slightly different take on the story. I won't go into this too deeply as I have a bigger point I'm getting around to. Suffice it to say that every once in a good long while a concept so horrifying and fascinating is created, a story arc so sound that it can be reinvented over and over again and the audience will continue to be entertained.

Before I weave my way slowly but surely back to my main point, I must point out the worst movies ever re-made. In an effort to be brief, I shall limit myself to one line per piece....or try to any way...

Hairspray - a movie based on a play based on a fantastic movie. Why the fuck? PS John Travolta?!?

Godzilla - Want to know the secret to fucking a good monster movie up? Just add Matthew Broderick and a crappy re-mix of an amazing Led Zeppelin song by Puff Daddy.

Planet of the Apes - Fuck you Tim Burton. Best movie ever turned into absolute drivel for no good reason whatsoever.

The Mummy - I didn't even have to watch this movie to tell you it sucks worse than the Karloff original. I flipped the channel away from the trailer for christ's sake.

Sabrina - Five words: Greg Kinnear as Humphrey Bogart. I don't fucking think so.

So, you're thinking to yourself, alright, she said something about having a point....there's supposed to be something sharp & pointy coming my way....right? Maybe like sometime soon? You're totally right! There is! It is this, if you can't add something meaningful and different to the original, just leave it alone. All these re-makes and sequels and re-boots coming out of the ass of Hollywood are just too god damn much. Alien reboot, Total Recall remake, Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie remake, Heathers 2?!?, Short Circuit...I mean these were all great movies....okay fine, I never saw Short Circuit, but the rest are some of the best movies ever and I have a really hard time buying that a re-make will be worthwhile or rewarding.

All in all, I find it frightening that we can't seem to come up with some new ideas. Now more than ever Hollywood is just sputtering out remakes & comic books. I love comic books, but I mean aren't there any other ideas out there? I suppose perhaps, when it all comes down to it Dexter Newton was right. There is no such thing as an original idea.

~A~


Note - in researching for this blog, I found that they're re-making Evil Dead again? WTF? Sam Raimi already took two shots at it, why do we need another one?