epic fail and untold hilarity

that's right

2011-02-15T05:45:00.000-08:00

shut up, jerks, I totally like BANG

2010-04-30T21:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Tom and Ryan,

Quit Googling yourselves.

Love,
Meebs

(all around the room)

2010-03-09T11:00:00.000-08:00

It is a damp day here; the fog is hanging low over melting snowbanks and the ground where it shows through is dead-grass tan. Which is perfect weather for listening to an album - EP? What does seven songs count as these days? - full of weird, mythical, seems-to-be-about-breakups songs. I'm not sure how else to describe Bang, Empires' newest release.

Empires as a band do it the newfangled, Radiohead-type way. In December, they posted the title track as a free download. In January, “Damn Things Over” and “I Know You Know” were posted - $2. In February, “Strangers” and “Intruder” – pay what you want, with a minimum of $2. Today, two versions of the album were released, made up of the previously released singles and two new tracks, “Voodooized” and “Hello Lover”. There’s a hard-copy pre-order option as well as the digital download. The deluxe edition gets you another b-side, “Animal”, an eight-minute video and a bunch of guitarist Tom Conrad’s photography.

(Basically, for all of this, I have spent $27. A $2 single, a $5 single, the $7 + $3 shipping pre-order, and then another $10 for the deluxe digital download when I realized I’d been a dumbass and bought the regular version instead of the deluxe. It’s cool, though, $27 is actually a drop in the bucket considering how much they’ve gotten from me in the last two years.)

One of the things I’d liked so much about Howl, their 2008 release, was that each song had a separate and distinct sound. “All Night Long” didn’t sound like “Midnight Land” didn’t sound like “Believe!”. When the Howl singles dropped, I missed that separate sound. But the actual album listened to in order breaks up the solid guitar layer. “Voodooized” doesn’t smash you like “Bang”, which opens on a screaming “I’m sick of banging with your skeleton / you were gorgeous ‘til you gave out all your skin” and doesn’t stop screaming. Instead, “Voodooized” is a notch lower, a little slower, and then in the middle there’s this jangly guitar bit that made me go “Oh, hey, I have heard this live, because this is the part where the tempo is not made for dancing!”. (This is driving me nuts because I can’t find video proof on YouTube that they’ve played it. I could possibly be mistaking it for something else. ETA: Figured it out. Same thing happens in "Darko". AHA.) It moves into “Damn Things Over”, which needs an apostrophe, but we’ll ignore that. What it does have is a good audience participation part, because rest assured, Sean will make you clap before the “I keep rolling down through the world to find you / asking all the fakes and the awfully confused” verse, and lyrics that make me wonder if it’s a Orpheus and Eurydice spinoff the way that “Midnight Land” is Inferno. The speed picks up from the opening track, another step towards the smack in the face that “Bang” will be, having been moved to the third track.

This one has been around, but the lyrics were different and there was a tambourine (from the Snakes & Suits acoustic tour with The Academy Is…) and the evolution of it has been interesting. It’s not often I see a band enough to hear a song change like that. It started life as the oddly titled “Blue Crush” and I remember talking to Sean after a show in DeKalb once and him telling me it wasn’t going to stay “Blue Crush”, that he had a new awesome title for it. Then it got called “Bang” and I went “…really?”. The shouting about banging up his heart to get you is fairly new, at least new in Empires-land (where “Intruder” has been on tape since at least the end of 2008); it wasn’t like that until the single came out.

“Hello Lover” opens with this – “Hello. I love you. I’m leaving.” – and way to break someone’s heart, Sean Van Vleet. This is a definite slowdown from “Bang”, but it turns into something with just as much sound. Like how “My Poor Lover” live used to start out quiet and turn into noise. In fact, I listened to “My Poor Lover” just now to sort of compare/contrast it against “Hello Lover”, and it hit me what I’m missing in Bang - the piano. Why lose the keys? It’s like where the keys would be is instead a lot of “ooh-oohs” and such.

In December of ’08, I saw Empires in Omaha, and their SUV needed a jumpstart. In exchange for providing this, I was allowed to listen to “Intruder” and one other song that I can’t place – it might have been “Bang”, it might not. I described them to someone the next day as “something heavy-sounding, and something catchy about not being allowed in someone's home or something like that?”, and for more than a year, “Intruder” stuck with me. For weeks after Omaha I was annoyed by the sound of the chorus in my head because I didn’t really remember hardly any of the lyrics, and it was probably six months before it made it onto the set list.

Truth: It might be my favorite out of all twenty-odd official and semi-official songs that have been released altogether. I don’t know enough musical terms to explain exactly what particular moments work to make this song just - work for me, but it does. It’s my “Anywhere” for this release. The composition, the way the different pieces of it fit together.

One of my dad’s major complaints about the singles as they stood before today was that there was too much sameness. Yeah, “Strangers” and “I Know You Know” slowed it down a little, but not distinctly enough to break up the complete wall of sound that “Bang”, “Damn Things Over” and “Intruder” create. The two songs added to this final release bring that moment you can catch your breath a little more – three songs if you count “Animal”. In fact, I really like “Animal” – it reminds me more of the early b-sides we got with their homemade CDs at the first few shows, but with more polish. A little more grown up. But back to getting some space – imagine, if you will, Bang as being in the middle of a dim room packed with people all dancing until the sweat drips from them, singing along until their throats are hoarse – you can see how a moment to catch your breath is a welcome pause.

(PS: Try listening to “Intruder”, then “Under the Bright Lights”, and then “I Know You Know” – it works amazingly well.)

Roasted Cauliflower Soup & Fennel-Orange Salad

2009-12-31T14:02:00.001-08:00

In no way do I fancy myself a food blogger, or even a decent cook, but these both turned out good, so I thought I would share.

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to be kinder to my body, and since my body is all "wtf dairy?" lately, when I have some, that means eating more vegan meals. Not to mention, I know that I feel better physically when the majority of my diet is fresh fruits/vegetables, and I need to get back to that.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

* 1 small head cauliflower, chopped in medium-sized chunks
* 3 cloves garlic (I had 5 tiny ones from the inside of the bulb)
* 1/2 onion, cut into large pieces
* 1/2 bulb fennel, cut into large pieces
* 1 wedge lemon
* 2 tsp. olive oil
* 2 tsp. sesame oil

Toss above with olive/sesame oil mixture and squeeze the lemon over, then roast in 400 degree oven (with the wedge of the lemon) until edges are browning.

* 1/4 c. white wine
* 1 large bay leaf (or 2 small)
* 8 c. water
* bouillon cube, your choice flavor (I used vegetable)
* small pinch saffron threads

Add to soup pot with 1/4 c. white wine and bay leaf, and heat on medium until wine has almost all sizzled away. Add eight cups water, saffron and bouillon cube. Bring to boil uncovered, making sure the cube is dissolved. Reduce heat to simmer and taste your broth. Add salt if needed (mine needed it, and a few cracks of pepper). Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

At about 10 minutes remaining, stir in -

* 1/4 tsp. dried tarragon
* 1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
* 1/4 tsp. dried herbes de provence
* 1/2 tsp. dried parsley

Return to simmer for the remaining time.

Remove bay leaves and the lemon wedge, and puree with immersion blender. Alternately, blend in small batches in a blender or food processor. Taste again and add more salt/pepper if it needs it (mine did). I turned the heat up to medium-low here for a few minutes to get it hot again before I had some.

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds to serve.

Note: I added 2 tbs. soy creamer while I pureed, but that could be an optional thing. Also, I'm a loser who missed one of the bay leaves, so it got pureed in. Still good!

Fennel-Orange Salad

* 1/2 bulb fennel, sliced as thin as you can
* small amount of thinly sliced white onion - it was maybe a tablespoon's worth, if that
* 1 orange, sectioned
* 2 tsp. sesame oil
* 1 tbs. orange juice (could squeeze it out of what's left of the orange)
* pinch salt

I put all the ingredients in a Tupperware container and shook it to mix them. I also let it rest in the fridge overnight.

To serve, I sprinkled toasted sesame seeds and a little black pepper.

Note: If you don't want to mess with sectioning an orange, 1/2 a cup of canned/drained mandarin oranges would probably work well.

Nuts & Seeds Egg Salad

2009-12-28T12:16:00.000-08:00

I'm going to be eating vegan again after New Year's, and I had eggs in the fridge to use up this week. So this is my good-bye to eggs, I guess. I have an aversion to mayonnaise about 99% of the time, so this is mayo-free. I liked it - just remember that it's more of a salad than a sandwich spread!

Nuts & Seeds Egg Salad

- 5 eggs, hard-boiled and peeled

- 2 slices of lemon, one squeezed (zest too, if you like it) - hang on to the other
- 1/4 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp. white wine vinegar
- 1 tbs. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. mustard (or more or less)

- 1 tbs. sunflower kernels
- 1 1/2 tsp. sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

- 1 tsp. dried parsley
- pinch tarragon
- generous sprinkle paprika
- salt, pepper & red pepper flakes, to taste

- any other veggie add-ins you desire (I used a heaping tablespoon of finely chopped onions and half an avocado, diced to the same size as my egg pieces)

I hard-boil eggs by placing them in a pan of cold water that just covers them up, putting a lid on it, and bringing it to a boil. Once the water reaches a boil, turn off the burner and leave it there for fifteen minutes. Then run cold water over the eggs or place in an ice water bath until they've cooled.

Chop eggs how you like. I'm not a big yolk fan, so I only used one and a half of the yolks. Yeah, for five eggs.

Whisk together mustard, vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice from one of the slices. Squish yolks into the dressing if you want (I did).

Dump seasonings/nuts over eggs/veggies, then pour over dressing. Fold to combine. It might not seem like you have enough of the dressing, but here's where you squeeze over the other lemon wedge.

Taste to see if it needs more salt (or even if you want more lemon).

I ate some immediately with Wasa Crispbread, but I'm guessing the flavors would intensify with a little time spent in the fridge.

(fast to the midnight land)

2009-07-15T07:28:00.000-07:00

The crowd watching Empires at Summerfest, 06/26/2009.

(it's gonna redefine you)

2009-06-21T13:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon I got to see a band that I've been a fan of for nearly a decade (close enough!) perform the entirety of one of my top five albums of all time. I almost didn't go, but I also knew that I would be sad in my soul if I played the loser card and stayed home.

The me of eight years ago, when I was really into The Posies, would have flipped at being directly in front of Ken Stringfellow. The me of eight years ago would have freaked out when he jumped off the stage and then climbed over the barrier next to me, to lead a handful of us like the Pied Piper over to where he and Jon Auer sold their merch, kneeling on the concrete. The me of eight years ago would barely have been able to look at them long enough to buy the vinyl of Nice Cheekbones and a Ph.D., much less say that I was glad I'd finally gotten to see them. Because the me of eight years ago would never have driven to Chicago to see a show alone, at all. Period.

Strangely enough, I never would have realized they were playing Taste of Randolph if Empires hadn't posted about performing at an after-event, because then I went "What is this Taste of Randolph thing?" and looked it up.

That was only on Tuesday. Sometimes the best things are the ones you find out about at the last minute.

2009-05-18T07:53:00.001-07:00

Ordered: One copy of Wilco (the Album) on vinyl, due to arrive around June 30th. I am stoked for this.

(blue crush)

2009-04-13T10:40:00.001-07:00

I think some of my pictures from that show are okay, but they need some touch-ups before I will actually post them.

My three shows of the Snakes & Suits tour were all fantastic, and it was great to see everyone again.

what the world needs more of

2009-04-03T05:25:00.000-07:00

(no more boarding calls)

2008-12-09T05:43:00.000-08:00

My favorites from the last few shows. I'm getting better, but it still mostly depends on what kind of light it is, and who the light is mostly on. Usually it's Sean, so I end up with a billion decent pictures of him and blurry dark messes of everyone else.

From Madison, 12/06...

Forgive Durden in Omaha, 12/07...

Empires in Omaha...

(by design)

2008-12-05T12:09:00.000-08:00

(where i've been)

2008-11-07T07:04:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago in Iowa City, while Tom Conrad looked at me and the person who's become one of my closest friends in the past year like we were crazy for showing up, I said, "It's not just for your band, you know. I'm getting to go places I've never been before!". And it's true, true, true. Now every few weeks I get the roadtrip bug and just want to get in my car and drive. Fortunately for Speedway's profits, there's been someplace to go every few weeks. (I was really excited when gas prices dropped below $3/gallon here.)

Up until August, I was keeping a running list of all the shows I've been to. It's so much longer than I ever thought it would be when I started keeping track. From shows I went to because part of me needed to go, like Jeff Tweedy's solo show at the Vic Theater, where he sang two songs without the PA and it was so silent everyone could hear (because people who pay $100 to see something like that know how to behave), to shows I went to just for the hell of it, like Gym Class Heroes at Park West, there has been something amazing at all of them. Even when there have been stupid people in the crowd, or opening bands that fail to impress, there's been something amazing at every. Single. One.

So here's the full list so far:

1/26: Jeff Tweedy @ the Vic Theater / Chicago, IL

1/27: Empires @ the Beat Kitchen / Chicago, IL

1/31: The Cab, Metro Station, We the Kings, Cobra Starship @ The Rave / Milwaukee, WI

2/15: Wilco @ the Riviera / Chicago, IL

2/16: wilco @ the Riviera / Chicago, IL

2/18: wilco @ the Riviera / Chicago, IL

2/19: wilco @ the Riviera / Chicago, IL

2/20: wilco @ the Riviera / Chicago, IL

3/5: Empires @ the Metro / Chicago, IL

3/18: This is Me smiling, Debello, The Hush Sound @ the Beat Kitchen / Chicago, IL

3/20: Empires & the Ting Tings @ AV-Aerie / Chicago, IL

4/6: Bang on a Can All-Star with Glenn Kotche @ Pick-Staiger Concert Hall / Evanston, IL

4/10: Gym Class Heroes @ Park West / Chicago, IL

4/11: Beardog, Empires, Mark Rose @ the Beat Kitchen / Chicago, IL

4/14: Charlotte Sometimes, The Cab, Valencia (and random Mark Rose), We the Kings @ the House Cafe / DeKalb, IL

5/14: The Cab @ Beaumont Club / Kansas City, KS

5/18: Walrus, Empires, Air Traffic @ Reggie's Rock Club / Chicago, IL

5/25: Phantom Planet, The Hush Sound, Motion City Soundtrack, Panic at the Disco @ Eagles Ballroom / Milwaukee, WI

6/4: Jane Vinyl, Made in Hollywood, Chris Gutierrez, Empires @ Subterranean / Chicago, IL

6/10: Empires @ Debonair Social Club / Chicago, IL

6/15: The Fabulous, The Rememberwhens, Beardog, walrus @ Subterranean / Chicago, IL

7/11: Kindle, Apteka, Empires @ the Metro / Chicago, IL

7/13: Empires, Gavin Rossdale @ the House of Blues / Chicago, IL

7/18: The Cab & The Hush Sound @ the Rave / Milwaukee, WI

8/05: Empires (acoustic) @ Angels & Kings / Chicago, IL

8/07: Empires & Mark Rose @ Doug's Rockhouse / Aurora, IL

8/08: Empires & Mark Rose @ the Bluebird / St. Louis, MO

8/09: Walrus, State & Madison @ the Beat Kitchen / Chicago, IL

8/19: Empires & Mark Rose @ the Grog Shop / Cleveland Heights, OH

8/23: Kim Clements, Par Avion, Paper Rival, Empires @ the Beat Kitchen / Chicago, IL

9/26: Mark Rose @ College of DuPage / Glen Ellyn, IL

10/4: Walrus @ Subterranean / Chicago, IL

10/9: Jane Vinyl, Last Fast Action, State & Madison, Mark Rose @ Subterranean / Chicago, IL

10/11: Empires & Mark Rose @ Illini Union Courtyard / Urbana, IL

10/24: Empires & Mark Rose @ the House Cafe / DeKalb, IL

10/25: Empires & Mark Rose @ the Picador / Iowa City, IA

10/26: Rolligator, Par Avion, Mark Rose @ Coffee Nation / Bloomington, IL

Coming up: Cavashawn tomorrow, three Empires shows with Steel Train, Forgive Durden and Dear and the Headlights next weekend, with a Cab show right after, an Autumn Defense show that I am really excited about (it's two members of Wilco), hopefully making it to the Family Order record release show, some more Empires dates, and Mark Rose at the end of December. Leave me a comment if you're going to any of these things!

(PS: I take terrible concert pictures, but the one of Dmitri and Charlie is probably my favorite picture I've taken all year.)

new projects!

2008-10-03T12:06:00.001-07:00

2008-09-12T08:35:00.000-07:00

Music things I am enjoying lately:

Whiskeytown's Stranger's Almanac. I know it's eleven years old, but if I could only take five albums to a desert island, I think this would be one of them. I'll own up to being a total alt-country fan (like it's not already obvious). Also, I should really buy Heartbreaker one of these days. I have other Ryan Adams albums, but somehow not that one.

iTunes 8.0's Genius playlist feature. Maybe it just works well for me because most of what's in my iTunes is in two distinct veins, "things that are kind of Wilco-y" or "things Pete Wentz sells to emo kids" (and the slight offshoot of "bands that play shows with Empires"), so almost everything from one group or the other seems to go together. But everything it put together last night seemed to work pretty well.

Things that I wish worked together:

Last.FM, FineTune and Pandora. If Last.Fm could track what I play on FineTune and Pandora, I would be really happy, since I have this obsessive need to count everything I play.

Food things I am enjoying lately:

Vegetarian chili from Beans & Barley. Spicy but not overwhelming and tastes just like I remember chili tasting when I still ate meat. I need to figure out their recipe, or at least a reasonable facsimile.

What are you enjoying lately?

(acres of opportunity)

2008-08-13T08:01:00.001-07:00

For today, just a quote...

The world is so huge that people are always getting lost in it. There are too many ideas and things and people, too many directions to go. I was starting to believe that the reason it matters to care passionately about something is that it whittles the world to a more manageable size. It makes the world seem not huge and empty but full of possibility. If I had been an orchid hunter I wouldn't have seen this space as sad-making and vacant -- I think I would have seen it as acres of opportunity where the things I loved were waiting to be found.

from Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief.

close your eyes, and feel what is happening

2008-07-27T18:07:00.000-07:00

Six months ago today, I went to the Beat Kitchen in Chicago to see a band that I'd only heard of three weeks before. I had friends online who were fans of the guitarist's previous band, and they were raving about his new band. And it was an excuse to meet up with people I hadn't seen in years and people I'd gotten to be friends with online but had never met in person. I didn't really know much about the band I was going to see, outside of giving the songs on their MySpace a couple listens before I headed out for the show. (I was more worried about standing in line alone in the January cold to see Jeff Tweedy, which was the day before. I'll tell that story some other time.)

That band was Empires.

To be honest, I don't remember much of their set except for the photographers shoving past me the whole time and thinking that the bass player was not listed on their MySpace. But they were good enough that I kept checking back to see if they were playing again somewhere else, and a month later, they played the Metro. Two weeks after that, they performed at a charity program at AV-Aerie, and I managed to make conversation with everyone in the band. It was pretty ridiculous how nice they all were, and somehow they are even nicer three months later. Does it help that they know me now? I don't know.

As of today, I've been to nine of their ten shows. Two weeks ago, they opened for Gavin Rossdale at the House of Blues in Chicago sounding their best yet, and looking more comfortable on stage than I've ever seen them before - and in front of a crowd that, for once, wasn't really there for them. When that curtain went up and they launched into "Spit the Dark" in front of that famous House of Blues backdrop, my heart was in my throat. But they seemed to win at least some folks over, judging from how many people stopped by the merchandise table once Rossdale's set had finished.

I've spent a lot of time trying to put into words exactly how Empires has changed my life. It's such a foolish-sounding thing to say about a band, you know? But in the last six months, I have gone places I never thought I'd go - and not just for them. I've met people I never thought I would meet, and I've made some seriously amazing friends. I've had conversations I never thought I would have. I've stood in the front row for other bands that hardly anyone has ever heard of and danced until I felt like I would fall over. And I am just not the same person I was in January. (I didn't dance, okay?)

And I have experienced such kindness. Not only from Sean, Tom, Max, Al and Ryan, and their friends and family, but from the people I've met going to their shows. There's something amazing about being in line with twenty people and knowing all their names because this is where you've met them before, half a dozen times. It never gets boring when there's that many people to pass the time with. (After Wilco, I know all about being bored in line. I had it down to an art form. Bring a book you don't care about losing.)

In May, Empires posted their first record Howl as a free download from their website. In one week, it logged fifteen thousand downloads from all over the world. Nope, that was not a typo. Fifteen thousand. And it wasn't an album they intended to make. It was a collection of demos that, the more they worked on them, formed themselves into an album. And for the most part, I think they did it in Max's basement. (I hope I'm not giving away any secrets there.) And it's not like it's perfect. It's raw and kind of jagged and so young (which, well, they are young and no one over the age of 25 touched this record) and not polished at all, and I love it with all my heart for exactly those reasons. And it's weird. I enjoy that as well.

Free fall with me to open up, to open up. I feel like that is an amazing sentiment to open the album with. Follow us down this path. It's not pretty, it's not soft or polished or even all that nice. It's dark and sometimes kind of mean and there are songs that hurt, songs that say things like If it ain't your love, I want blood from you, things about people being destructive together, things about hell and cheating and books and novels and movies.

If you're reading this and you haven't heard it yet, go now.

Empires are going on tour with Mark Rose for two weeks, starting August 7th in Aurora, IL at Doug's Rockhouse. They're hitting Missouri (St. Louis @ the Bluebird), Indiana (Highland @ Woodmar Methodist Church), Ohio (Toledo @ Frankie's, and some yet-to-be-posted place in Cleveland Heights when they swing back through), Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh @ Garfield Artworks, Altoona @ Jaggard UMC, and Philadelphia @ the Fire), New Jersey (Hoboken @ Maxwell's), Maryland (Baltimore @ Ottobar), New York (Amityville @ Village Pub South). Mark Rose was formerly in Spitalfield, and he's also a very sweet guy and an excellent musician, so if you go to any of these shows for Empires, please stay for Mark. And tell him thanks for me, for letting slip most of the tour dates before they were posted.

If someone would have said to me after the first show, "Molly, this band will change your life. You will drive to strange shady places in Chicago and pick up people you've never met from the internet and then one day you'll turn around in the drink line and Empires' drummer will be standing there and you'll talk to him," I would have laughed in your face and said that I'd never be able to do that. But it happened. I think going to see Empires the first time was the first really spontaneous, throw-caution-to-the-wind choice I had made in a long time, since there was like a week between when I found out about the concert and when the concert was. And somehow I have just kept on doing it, all for this band. When I said my goal for 2008 was to get out and do stuff, I did not expect things like this.

It's only been six months. I'm excited for what's next.

mushroom risotto

2008-07-24T06:17:00.000-07:00

My first food post!

This is what I made last night for my parents (my mom has cancer, so I make dinner over there occasionally - it's always an experiment since my cooking skills are fairly lacking), it fed four of us and there was some left over.

You need: butter (or your favorite substitute), olive oil, an onion, arborio rice (one cup), fresh mushrooms (I used two whole packages, one white mushrooms and one baby bella mushrooms), some sort of broth (several cups, at least four), seasonings to taste

Saute your choice amount of white onion in combination olive oil/butter. I used 3/4ths of a large onion, and 1/2 a stick of Smart Balance and a tablespoon olive oil. I let it cook for a few minutes, until it was all soft and translucent.

Before I started the onion, I heated several cups of water in the microwave and added two veggie bouillon cubes, two bay leaves, and four dried Shiitake mushrooms. Microwaved it another few minutes and then let it sit to steep. (The broth has to be hot when you add it to the rice.)

In a separate pan, melt a little butter or warm some olive oil with about a clove of chopped garlic. Add the mushrooms and let them cook down while you make the rice. It took me about half the time the rice did, so I just turned off the burner when the mushrooms were done.

When the onion is done, add a cup of the rice and cook (keep stirring) for about 3-4 minutes. Then a splash of white wine (optional), just enough that you can smell it, and then start adding your broth at the rate of about a half-cup to a cup at a time (keep stirring, don't stop yet). I just poured some in, let it cook in, and then added more. You want it to be almost entirely absorbed before you add the next cup, but it won't look like regular cooked rice. The constant stirring releases some of the starch so it gets creamy.

Keep adding broth and stirring it in until the rice is cooked. It will take, at the very least, twenty minutes. Both times I've made risotto, it's taken a lot more than twenty minutes. During this time, I added salt, pepper, a dash of chili powder, and some dried basil.

When the rice is cooked through and almost all the liquid has been absorbed, stir in the mushrooms and you're done!

I grated some parmesan on mine and also sprinkled just a little bit of crumbled goat cheese. My dad and I ate ours with some baby spinach that I wilted down with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. It cut the richness of the risotto just a bit.

Traditionally, butter and/or some cream are stirred in at the end, but this was certainly rich and creamy enough for me. Next time, I want to try using saffron.

miscellanea, etc.

2008-07-16T00:56:00.000-07:00

I now know the secret to being in the front row at The House of Blues, although it means having the camera on your face the whole show. Not so down with that. But I was only there for the opener, so hopefully they did not run the cameras for that.

Some bands you should check out, especially live if you can get to them:

Empires: Five dudes from the suburbs. With a free record here. (There will be another entry about them sometime.)
Walrus: Four dudes and one awesome gal. Not from the 'burbs, they want you to know!
Jane Vinyl: I tried to get them to play the bowling alley, but they weren't down with that.
Kindle: Any band that can rock three drummers in one song, I have to link to.

what you once were

2008-06-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

I am fortunate enough to live almost smack-dab in the middle of two major metropolitan areas. Well, one takes a little longer to get to than the other - thanks, I-94 rebuild/widening/whatever! Illinois even expects we'll go 45 mph in the express lane, to which there is no other response but "hahahahaha, nice try". (But oh, it is always a bad sign when people brake to merge into the express lane.)

Thanks to living where I do, I can almost always find some sort of musical event to attend, and usually for less than I spend in gas to get to the venue. I guess that's kind of a plus, right?

Earlier this year, Wilco played five nights at the Riviera Theater in Chicago and by wearing my lucky sweater and clutching an ugly plastic Jeff Tweedy doll - yes, they exist - as I refreshed Ticketmaster, I somehow managed to score the five-night package. And by "score", I mean "spend almost $200 on concert tickets in less than five minutes".

Before this, I'd been kind of wary of driving to Chicago. Tolls are expensive! Where would I park my car? How much would I have to pay to park my car? But Wilco has been one of my favorite bands for years and I had never seen them in their hometown. So I was getting over my fear of going to Chicago alone, and doing it.

I put 625 miles on my car driving to and from the Riv. I spent $100 on gas, $70 on parking, and $15 in hand-and-foot warmers so that I could stand in line. I spent eight and a half hours standing in line, and it was freezing. I met a lot of amazing people, folks who offered to share their blankets and hand-warmers and snacks (and one homeless dude who offered everyone a shot of from a bottle of Jaeger - who knows what was actually in the bottle). I talked to people who had flown across the country just for the shows, people who were not used to freezing their asses off on a windy Chicago street corner. At least there was a Starbucks across the street and a Borders down the block, I think we were half their business for those five days.

The idea behind the Residency shows was for Wilco to play every song from their studio albums: A.M., Being There, Summerteeth, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, A Ghost is Born and Sky Blue Sky. And they did it all, even the things that Jeff Tweedy kind of whined a little about having to perform, such as "I Thought I Held You" where he kind of laughed at himself during "I'm like a songwriter / you're the reason I've run out / run out of metaphors" part. There was also a healthy amount of material from the Mermaid Avenue albums, and a smattering of b-sides like "Magazine Called Sunset" and "Bob Dylan's 49th Beard".

Altogether, I watched fifteen hours' worth of Wilco performing over those five nights. It was worth every second of driving and every second spent in the cold to be in the front row for two nights, even if my face did end up on the official Wilco website looking like someone had smacked me around with a glacier. It was worth it because I got to hear songs that they had never performed, and songs they've never performed with the current lineup, and songs that they might not ever play again.

Plus, hometown energy is amazing. There's just something about the entire audience breaking into applause during "Via Chicago", or the crowd shouting along with the lone chorus in "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart":

I am trying to break your heart,
I am trying to break your heart,
But still I'd be lying if I said it wasn't easy,
I am trying to break your heart.

And that's the epitome of a good concert, to me. In two hours, the band breaks your heart... but they put it back together again, too.