Still got it?

Today I was sitting in front of my computer taptaptapping when I became inexplicably sad.  After 10 minutes of looking at pups failed to cheer me up, I realized the problem-- It was Dance Party Friday, but the prospect of a Dance Party was so far off as to be impossible.  I estimate that 200 consecutive Fridays have gone without a proper Dance Party prefix.

We've gone soft under the pretenses of professionalism, education, adulthood, whatever.  You can blame dubstep, but when you get right down to it the only responsible parties are we who lack the impetus to invite a bunch of strangers over and flail around in their proximity.  And no, James, swing doesn't count.

But even in this time of darkness and obligations and joint pain, there's hope yet for the sacred brotherhood (seriously, no girls allowed) of Dance Party.  While we've all gotten fat and lame and normal, Channel 12 is still out there keeping it super weird at 5am when no one's watching.



So pump the bass and hide your valuables, because after 4 years of buildup something's likely to get knocked over.

Madison bartenders spoof themselves with 'Shit Bartenders Say' video- a video from Isthmus|TheDailyPage.com

I'm glad they can make fun of themselves, because I think I've been doing it since "mixologists" started wearing vests and fedoras... so basically since Merchant opened.

Madison bartenders spoof themselves with 'Shit Bartenders Say' video- a video from Isthmus|TheDailyPage.com

The Filthiest Standup Show of All Time

I need a guitarist... can we condense Masturbation into 4 minutes?

http://www.isthmus.com/theguide/details.php?event=278446

The Filthiest Stand-Up Show of All Time
Comedy
With Dave Labedz, Mike Schmidt, Rick Yoose, David Fisher, Phil Harrelson, Sam Hertz

When: 03/10/12 @ 11:00pm
Cost: $2
Call: 442-1112
Web: therigbypub.com

More Information:
"The Filthiest Stand-Up Show of All Time"
On Saturday, March 10th, several regulars from Madison's stand-up scene will take to the basement space of The Rigby to perform "The Filthiest Stand-Up Show of All Time." Comics will perform **4 minutes each** of their most concentrated filth, ensuring that no one will overstay their welcome, and that everyone will consolidate their most truly awful humor.

Due to the short-form nature of the show, between 8 and 10 comics will perform, but an exact line-up won't be determined until the day of the show. Attendees can expect a cast of regulars from the Big Deuce Open Mic and other comedy mics around town, including Mike Schmidt, Rick Yoose and the Brain Fart Theater sketch crew (Dave Labedz, David Fisher, Phil Harrelson, and Sam Hertz).

We're also working on some non-traditional content for the show, such as characters and sketches, and Labedz will be closing the show with his Aristocrats joke, which won 2009's Madison Aristocrats Joke-Telling Competition:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L49waIc-B90&list=UUCT-PMP2Q_3LEo6nZBqIGLQ&index=24&feature=plcp

The Cincitucky Chick-a-chili

Dear CVG,
Thanks for having the foresight to put a Chick-fil-a right next to a Goldstar Chili.
xoxo,
J

PS- I don't recommend the 5-way chili for dunking, as the noodles prevent fll immersion of chicken into chili.

And Sing It Til You're Done

The best music to my ear captures a particular time and place in a way that resonates with the listener. I don’t know if Wrecking Ball will receive much critical acclaim but it’s unlikely another record this decade captures precisely what living in 2012 feels like. Angry. Blunt. Fierce. Unapologetic. Spiritual. I’m a huge sucker for records that take on the world and express what a large portion of the population feels. Unfortunately, I don’t believe musical artists do this much anymore, certainly not the white ones at least, and certainly not very well. As Lester Bangs said back in the 70’s or was it Phillip Seymour Hoffman, “Rock N Roll has become an industry of cool.” It’s a hell of a lot easier to write a song about breaking up with a girl or partying all night. There’s nothing wrong with this type of record but its way more daring to write for the masses at a critical moment in history. In my lifetime, Green Day’s American Idiot and Springsteen’s The Rising are the most successful records that come to mind that took on a heightened moment of the present and put it into music. Springsteen's added another gem to this short list with his new record Wrecking Ball.

Springsteen’s success comes from the fact that he has taken on the systematic collapse of the economy and made it personal. If you haven't personally been affected by The Great Recession in some way, somebody in your family has. Most of the songs on the album are all first person narratives evoking a different response to the crisis. The diverse musical styles and bombastic drums certainly help make this record feel fresh and alive.

Enjoy the record my friends and be sure to soak in the Big Man’s solo on “Land of Hope and Dreams.” You’ll hear a lot of people hate on Springsteen for his righteousness, especially at the age of 62. It takes balls to make a record like Wrecking Ball. He certainly doesn’t have to be doing this at his age.

Thanks Boss. See you at church this fall.

Clear Heart, Full Eyes

I finally got around to listening to Craig Finn's solo album, Clear Heart, Full Eyes.  It was pretty different from what I'm used to from the Hold Steady.

The sound was a departure from most of the Hold Steady work - the steel guitar and violin gave some of the tracks an alt-country twang.

CHFE was also thoroughly depressing.  The storytelling reminds me of previous Hold Steady albums, but if you remove all the lights and the uptempo tracks.  No hot soft lights, the massive nights have given way to massive hangovers and the subjects of the songs don't seem like caricatures anymore.  I think Finn puts it well in an interview with AV Club, "maybe I was fatigued by all that optimism".

CHFE isn't a pre-game or after-bar record, but still worth a listen.

Plans?