Sunday, February 17, 2013
(34) Deleted Scenes!
Could a podcast have Deleted Scenes? The answer is yes! Got a portable was testing it out so most of this is stuff that would have normally been deleted but for the sake of consistancy here it goes … Bullshit & Dolphins, Portable Recorder Nonsense from Various Locations, Best Buy, Rude Toll Booth People, Word [...]
Review: K?s Choice Echo Mountain tour in Eindhoven
K’s Choice were supposed to play at the Effenaar shortly before Christmas 2010.
But I heard their American record company planned a US promo tour, which took precedent to their European one, so part of their European tour got postponed to a later date. I was informed the Eindhoven date was set for March 2nd, 2011. That was fine with me until I found out Serena Ryder and Melissa Etheridge were going to play Halifax Metro Centre the exact same day. Well, poop!
K’s Choice kicked off the Eindhoven concert with Favorite Adventure, a song they wrote for bass player Eric Grossman’s wedding. It was clear that this audience showed up to see K’s Choice - even though they gave opening act Arid, fellow Belgians, a shot. I have heard of them, and the one song I recognized off their set list was Too Late Tonight (which they played early on, but judging from the response from the audience, it might have been better if they played it towards the end of their set).
Singer Sarah announced at the start that this show consisted of two parts: an acoustic set and a full on “rock and roll” set. It’s very much like their latest album Echo Mountain of which the first disc contains up-tempo songs, and the second one consists of the slower songs and ballads. I was glad they decided to turn that around for the show and start off with the acoustic set first to get everybody warmed up and ready to rock out later.
The acoustic set lasted about half an hour (it seemed shorter), after which the band took a quick break, allowing their roadies to ready the stage for a regular rock concert.
I was pleasantly surprised when the band also played Virgin State Of Mind: Buffy fans may recognize this song from an episode in which K’s Choice had a cameo. They, of course, played their biggest hit - worldwide - Not An Addict as well.
I had a great time people watching: it almost felt like Pride. The audience consisted of people of all ages (anything from teenagers to your mom and dad), straight couples, lots of queer women. I eavesdropped on a conversation happening behind me where a straight guy introduced his lesbian friend to K’s Choice. (He, too, appreciated Sarah Bettens’s singing voice.)
K’s Choice came back for two encores. The first one was kicked off by Gert performing Shadowman, a song which (in a past tour) he had paired up with Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. It’s a slightly haunting song, and in total contrast to the rest of the show, but a good indicator the show is coming to an end. Both encores consisted of songs that are slower and have a more intimate feel to them.
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If I remember correctly, they ended the show with God In My Bed. People in the audience either hummed along, or were silently listening. And I was reminded of the fact there once was a time where smoking at venues and public spaces was still allowed: moments like these lent themselves to fish out one’s lighters and sway along to the music. Not anymore. People didn’t even take out their cell phones do to something similar.
Sarah thanked the audience for coming out (no pun intended), and said that playing at a sold out venue on their first date back in the Netherlands was wonderful. I had a great evening.
In case you’re interested, I found a slide show of band pictures taken at the Eindhoven show here.
But I heard their American record company planned a US promo tour, which took precedent to their European one, so part of their European tour got postponed to a later date. I was informed the Eindhoven date was set for March 2nd, 2011. That was fine with me until I found out Serena Ryder and Melissa Etheridge were going to play Halifax Metro Centre the exact same day. Well, poop!
K’s Choice kicked off the Eindhoven concert with Favorite Adventure, a song they wrote for bass player Eric Grossman’s wedding. It was clear that this audience showed up to see K’s Choice - even though they gave opening act Arid, fellow Belgians, a shot. I have heard of them, and the one song I recognized off their set list was Too Late Tonight (which they played early on, but judging from the response from the audience, it might have been better if they played it towards the end of their set).
Singer Sarah announced at the start that this show consisted of two parts: an acoustic set and a full on “rock and roll” set. It’s very much like their latest album Echo Mountain of which the first disc contains up-tempo songs, and the second one consists of the slower songs and ballads. I was glad they decided to turn that around for the show and start off with the acoustic set first to get everybody warmed up and ready to rock out later.
The acoustic set lasted about half an hour (it seemed shorter), after which the band took a quick break, allowing their roadies to ready the stage for a regular rock concert.
I was pleasantly surprised when the band also played Virgin State Of Mind: Buffy fans may recognize this song from an episode in which K’s Choice had a cameo. They, of course, played their biggest hit - worldwide - Not An Addict as well.
I had a great time people watching: it almost felt like Pride. The audience consisted of people of all ages (anything from teenagers to your mom and dad), straight couples, lots of queer women. I eavesdropped on a conversation happening behind me where a straight guy introduced his lesbian friend to K’s Choice. (He, too, appreciated Sarah Bettens’s singing voice.)
K’s Choice came back for two encores. The first one was kicked off by Gert performing Shadowman, a song which (in a past tour) he had paired up with Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. It’s a slightly haunting song, and in total contrast to the rest of the show, but a good indicator the show is coming to an end. Both encores consisted of songs that are slower and have a more intimate feel to them.
<!--pagebreak-->
If I remember correctly, they ended the show with God In My Bed. People in the audience either hummed along, or were silently listening. And I was reminded of the fact there once was a time where smoking at venues and public spaces was still allowed: moments like these lent themselves to fish out one’s lighters and sway along to the music. Not anymore. People didn’t even take out their cell phones do to something similar.
Sarah thanked the audience for coming out (no pun intended), and said that playing at a sold out venue on their first date back in the Netherlands was wonderful. I had a great evening.
In case you’re interested, I found a slide show of band pictures taken at the Eindhoven show here.
Lesbian Commercials
My friend Kelly sent these great commercials to me recently and I thought you'd all appreciate them...
Lesbian News - 08 Feb 2013
Lesbian Teacher Sues Michigan School for Retaliatory Firing
Binational Lesbian Mums in North Carolina Take on DOMA5 Things Never to Say to Lesbian MumsDaughter?s Birth Certificate Will Include Gay Donor And Lesbian MothersNorth Dakota bill would ban gay, lesbian discrimination
Binational Lesbian Mums in North Carolina Take on DOMA5 Things Never to Say to Lesbian MumsDaughter?s Birth Certificate Will Include Gay Donor And Lesbian MothersNorth Dakota bill would ban gay, lesbian discrimination
Nordic Adventures: The Kennedy Center serves up a dynamic -- and cool -- international festival
Stage:
Alicia Adams has a dream job. As vice-president for international programming at the Kennedy Center, Adams serves as curator for the center's international festivals, travelling the world in search of cultural enrichments.
"We try to present those artists that we have not focused on in any major way," says Adams by phone from a far-away, foreign land where she's researching the center's next international festival. "And that's one of the reasons we're doing Northern Europe."
Vesturport Metamorphosis
(Photo by Eggert Jonsson)
Hence, Nordic Cool, a month-long festival debuting Tuesday, Feb. 19, with a Concert Hall performance by Sweden's Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. It continues through March 17 with a vast assortment of theater, films, concerts, dance performances, readings, culinary events and exhibitions that are at once staggering in scope and, in some cases, spectacle. For example, over the month, the center will nightly ''play host'' to Norway's famed northern lights, as the facade will be lit to replicate the rich, dazzling colors of the aurora borealis.
Adams won't single out any one performance -- unless pressed: She feels that the stage adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's Fanny and Alexander is a do-not-miss opportunity (March 7-9, Eisenhower). She also points out that Bird in Magic Rain with Tears (Feb. 20-21, Terrace), presented by Norway's Winter Guests, is of interest to gay patrons given that the drama centers on the love affair between a dying businessman and a male prostitute. Among the more unique grace notes: a game-play space in the Nations Gallery featuring some fairly well-known titles, including Lego and Finland's Angry Birds, as well as a hands-on knitting workshop (March 2, Grand Foyer).
With a budget of $8 million, Nordic Cool is no small feat for the Kennedy Center. However, the event is mainly supported through fundraising. "One of the things [Kennedy Center President] Michael Kaiser does is to purposely keep the ticket prices low," says Adams, noting that the festivals are seen as an exercise in community enrichment. "It's part of our job in terms of representing the people of the United States -- a whole bunch of immigrants from all over the world -- and having it reflected from our stages."
In all, the center will import 750 performers from the Nordic region. Laughs Adams, "Needless to say the visa process is monumental." '
For a full listing of events, times and dates, visit kennedy-center.org/nordiccool or call 202-467-4600. ...more
Alicia Adams has a dream job. As vice-president for international programming at the Kennedy Center, Adams serves as curator for the center's international festivals, travelling the world in search of cultural enrichments.
"We try to present those artists that we have not focused on in any major way," says Adams by phone from a far-away, foreign land where she's researching the center's next international festival. "And that's one of the reasons we're doing Northern Europe."
Vesturport Metamorphosis
(Photo by Eggert Jonsson)
Hence, Nordic Cool, a month-long festival debuting Tuesday, Feb. 19, with a Concert Hall performance by Sweden's Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. It continues through March 17 with a vast assortment of theater, films, concerts, dance performances, readings, culinary events and exhibitions that are at once staggering in scope and, in some cases, spectacle. For example, over the month, the center will nightly ''play host'' to Norway's famed northern lights, as the facade will be lit to replicate the rich, dazzling colors of the aurora borealis.
Adams won't single out any one performance -- unless pressed: She feels that the stage adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's Fanny and Alexander is a do-not-miss opportunity (March 7-9, Eisenhower). She also points out that Bird in Magic Rain with Tears (Feb. 20-21, Terrace), presented by Norway's Winter Guests, is of interest to gay patrons given that the drama centers on the love affair between a dying businessman and a male prostitute. Among the more unique grace notes: a game-play space in the Nations Gallery featuring some fairly well-known titles, including Lego and Finland's Angry Birds, as well as a hands-on knitting workshop (March 2, Grand Foyer).
With a budget of $8 million, Nordic Cool is no small feat for the Kennedy Center. However, the event is mainly supported through fundraising. "One of the things [Kennedy Center President] Michael Kaiser does is to purposely keep the ticket prices low," says Adams, noting that the festivals are seen as an exercise in community enrichment. "It's part of our job in terms of representing the people of the United States -- a whole bunch of immigrants from all over the world -- and having it reflected from our stages."
In all, the center will import 750 performers from the Nordic region. Laughs Adams, "Needless to say the visa process is monumental." '
For a full listing of events, times and dates, visit kennedy-center.org/nordiccool or call 202-467-4600. ...more
Saturday, February 16, 2013
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