Random Art Found This Evening! Saved The Best For Last...

This, That, A Buncha Crap

February 19th, 2014. This evening has been a pretty great one due to:

1)There is a thunderstorm outside (yes, a thunderstorm in February).

2)I'm off tomorrow. Which is payday, and will include almost 8 hours of overtime.

3)Tonight is the first time a rum & cola has touched my lips in about 2 weeks.

4)I got to see Ashley Wagner ice skating to "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" for the second time. Anyone who skates to Pink Floyd has my undivided attention.

5)Saw some excellent stuff tonight. Most of it featured Jimmy Fallon. My husband showed me the clip of Fallon collecting on the bet that he wouldn't make it to host the Tonight Show. (I loved how it started with De Niro.) Then I saw a Brian Williams rap, which I absolutely loved. And lastly, I just saw him (Fallon) playing charades with Tim McGraw, Bradley Cooper, and one of my favorite actresses... Emma Thompson. That was quite humorous.

And here's the selfie that Colbert does of himself and Fallon:

Too cool.

I hope he does well. So far he seems to be a huge hit. Even though I remain a life-long Conan fan, I wish him the best.

Side note: I liked how Conan made just one, but perfectly clear to those who knew his history, comment on the big NBC transition.

Ah you cheeky pompadour-endowed tall guy. I miss watching you after Letterman.

Ultrasound tomorrow for cyst. I haven't felt any pain in about 2 weeks, so maybe it finally dissipated.

I'm so excited about seeing Elbow. I imagine it every night before drifting to sleep. I know it may seem a bit odd to do so, but I can't make you understand how much I've wanted to see them for the past three years, and how frustrating it's been that I couldn't.

Oh! I mentioned before how I regretted having to miss Queens of the Stone Age to see Elbow. Well, I was listening to Guy Garvey's latest Finest Hour broadcast, and he mentioned how he hadn't heard the Queens' song that featured Elton John yet, but he wanted to. I thought, "I know the one he's talking about! It's my favorite from their new album." It's called "Fairweather Friends." I just thought it was a pretty awesome crossover for someone like me, whose two favorite bands are QotSA and Elbow.

Also, I listened to Glitch Mob's new album yesterday, and saw that Aja Volkman, who is the lead singer of the new fave band of mine I've mentioned, Nico Vega, provides vocals on it. Very awesome.

New Tunes

Several albums added to my collection as of late. Most excited about Glitch Mob. Last night I discovered they released their 2nd album, Love Death Immortality, a few days ago.

She Keeps Bees is new to me. I heard their song "Vulture" on an episode of Ringer and liked it. Thought it was Florence + The Machine at first, kinda sounded like them. Anyway, got two LPs and two EPs.

Apparently Eve 6 got back together a couple years ago. They were a favorite of mine pre-breakup. I listened to their album "It's All In Your Head" repeatedly, but it received poor sales elsewhere. They reunited and released "Speak In Code." I'll listen to it soon.

AFI released "Burials" about 4 months ago. Also added.

Depeche Mode released "Delta Machine" in March of last year. Added.

I know I'm kinda behind on these, but I keep track of the important ones (22 days til Elbow's newest!).

Elbow!

So, about how I was saying I wanted "more" previously... Monday night I find out that the Queens of the Stone Age will be touring nearby. So I say "I'm going." Because seeing them near or especially on my birthday, which was panning out to happen, would have been one of the best things ever. And their newest album, one I still listen to most almost 9 months after its release, is certainly going to play a big part in it.

However, the next day it is disclosed to me that Elbow, ELBOW, will also be in the area. Elbow, as in the UK band that I've loved since... well... I remember waiting for their Build A Rocket, Boys album to come out, and that was released March '11. So... loved them for at least 3 years now. Elbow, as in my favorite band from across the pond that hasn't been here for probably that long, and had resolved to not tour here anymore due to basically spending money rather than at least breaking even.

I will be seeing Guy Garvey. Live, not on a screen.

I will see the way he moves with their music, particularly One Day Like This. Live, not previously recorded.

I will see Richard, Pete, and brothers Mark & Craig.

I will hear Elbow's music, pure. Unmitigated.

While I'm greatly disappointed in missing my other favorite band, QotSA, especially how it'd be perfect timing and an awesome way to celebrate, choosing Elbow is a no-brainer. How many times have I talked about them? Compared to Queens? Two or three times as much, yeah. And I'd hate myself for missing this chance, when Queens will more than likely be around again.

So yeah, excited doesn't begin to cover how this chick feels.

Seconds

One month today! One month til Elbow's album release. I. Can't. Wait.

I do so relate to the people on their latest music video (see previous post). "I'm curious about the people that create this music and I want to go see these people. That's what I do with my money: buy gas and go see bands."

I used to be able to build up a savings and occasionally reward myself with shows and trips. But... I want more. More famous people seen/met. More iconic places visited. Used to be, while I wasn't doing what I'd hoped to be doing with my life, I was still occasionally able to make up for it, about once a year. This year isn't looking so promising. At all.

My God... I still can't hear Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain" without thinking of the dramatic promo vid for the finale of Rescue Me. Here:

Seriously... Most dramatic week of my life. At the end of the next to last episode, the show ends with an explosion. And you're left wondering "who made it?" So I'm reading threads from people who'd watched this promo and are saying "those hands are pudgy, that's Lou" and "no, they're darker, they're Franco's, he was going for Lieutenant" and "that's Tommy's beat-up helmet!" Meanwhile, I'm thinking, "I see three caskets there, maybe more... Oh My God, this is bad. Who will they kill off?" One had just gotten married, and another had just proposed... Then it finally airs, and the first part of it is so, so, so very... I have no other words except Powerful. Intense.

Now that I'm done with the 151 episodes of Malcolm in the Middle, my next move may be to re-watch Rescue Me.

Well, in favor of those who look at blogs solely for the pictures, here are a few of my newest rotating backgrounds...

 ^Awe. Some.^

Thank you and good night!

Queens and Elbows

Nico Vega will be nearish next month! I wish I could go.

Currently watching Queens of the Stone Age live at the Wiltern. It's from May of last year, but they play music from their most recent album along with some older stuff.

Cyst appointment tomorrow. Finally. Hoping to get a better grasp on what's going on with Moira. (With all this going on, I named my ovaries. The troublesome one is Moira, the left one is Lorelei.)

Ooohhh... Elbow's new album comes out soon. March 10th. They've released one of their songs already, and listening to it for the first time tonight... I love it. I'm not just saying that because they're one of my two favorite bands, it's truly a beautiful song.

I know it might be difficult, but read the text, read what the people in the video are saying. (Perhaps just listen to the song first, while watching the video, then pay attention to the text the second time?) And look at all their collectibles... I saw a Gollum, Nick Cave, a James Brown, a Popeye... Wow. Quite a collection.

AND they have ANOTHER BEER out! I'm still bitter about being unable to get ahold of their first, and now they have another. Crap! It is described as "a classic, easy drinking Pale Ale with a blend of three malts that deliver a luscious malt biscuit flavour, whilst a nod to American steam beers, sees the beer fermented at a higher temperature than the norm to release a fruitier aroma and sweeter finish." Damn.

They've given it the title "Charge" and they brewed it while creating the upcoming album, which is entitled "The Take Off and Landing of Everything."

And in a sad conclusion, must bid an unexpected farewell. I can't tell you why this death affected me, but it did. I never collected or watched all of his movies, but knew who he was and liked him. From the first of his I'd seen - Twister - to the last - Catching Fire - he was always the role, not the actor playing the role.