news. views. tunes.

The Darkness -- those men who do rock, baby -- were in Cleveland Tuesday.
I know this because they signed my ticket to their show while at the Rock Hall.



But, not 3 hours after I met them ... they cancel their show. Yet the Agora parking lot was still letting patrons pay $5 for parking after the news got out. Oh well, I'll watch their videos 1, 2, 3 until they show up in Cleveland for a make-up date.

Again, why did I ever stop playing guitar?

Suburban-TrunkMonkey -- take that, OnStar.

For what it's worth, here is our Netflix usage to date. Because I just had to share.

Best: The Big Sleep
Worst: Any of the many we didn't watch ... Pillow Book, Salon Kitty
I'd recommend: Dawn of the Dead, The Transporter, The Pianist, The Apartment, A Place in the Sun, Say Anything

Dawn of the Dead (1978) (1978)                              03/11/04       
03/22/04
The Transporter: Special Edition (2002)                     03/09/04       
03/22/04
Blue Velvet (1986)                                          02/23/04       
03/11/04
Lost in Translation (2003)                                  03/04/04       
03/09/04
The Pillow Book (1997)                                      02/02/04       
03/09/04
White Oleander (2002)                                       01/29/04       
03/04/04
The Big Sleep (1946)                                        02/04/04       
02/23/04
Love Story: Special Edition (1970) (1970)                   01/26/04       
02/04/04
The Pianist (2002) (2002)                                   01/13/04       
02/02/04
The Apartment (1960)                                        01/14/04       
01/29/04
Secret of Roan Inish: Special Edition (1993)                01/15/04       
01/26/04
A Place in the Sun (1951)                                   01/09/04       
01/15/04
Pride and Prejudice Vol. 2 (1995)                           01/06/04       
01/14/04
Salon Kitty (1976)                                          01/06/04       
01/13/04
Pride and Prejudice Vol. 1 (1995)                           01/05/04       
01/09/04
Bruce Almighty (2003)                                       12/26/03       
01/06/04
Swept Away (1974) (1974)                                    12/12/03       
01/06/04
Anger Management (2003)                                     12/19/03       
01/05/04
Chicago (2002)                                              12/03/03       
12/26/03
Scarface: 20th Anniversary Edition (1983)                   12/12/03       
12/19/03
Do the Right Thing (1989)                                   11/13/03       
12/12/03
Swept Away (2002) (2002)                                    12/03/03       
12/12/03
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Special Edition (2011/13/03       
12/03/03
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)                         11/13/03       
12/03/03
The Bourne Identity (2002)                                  10/29/03       
11/13/03
Alias Betty (2001)                                          10/27/03       
11/13/03
Real Women Have Curves (2002)                               10/27/03       
11/13/03
Night of the Living Dead (1968)                             10/13/03       
10/29/03
Funny Girl (1968)                                           10/15/03       
10/27/03
Chinatown (1974)                                            10/09/03       
10/27/03
Doctor Zhivago (1965)                                       10/06/03       
10/15/03
Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002)                                   09/16/03       
10/13/03
Serpico (1973)                                              09/25/03       
10/09/03
The Court Jester (1956)                                     09/05/03       
10/06/03
Say Anything (1989)                                         09/16/03       
09/25/03
Soylent Green (1973)                                        09/05/03       
09/16/03
One Hour Photo (2002)                                       09/05/03       
09/16/03
Bowling for Columbine: Special Edition (2002)               08/26/03       
09/05/03
... And God Spoke (1993)                                    08/26/03       
09/05/03
Minority Report (2002)                                      08/26/03

THE OFFSHORING DEBATE

"Moving overseas as a business strategy to serve a global market is the right thing to do. Moving overseas to ship manufactured parts back to the U.S. is wrong. ... "Why are American manufacturers still chasing labor rates when they know that is not their greatest cost? It’s all because our traditional accounting systems point us in the wrong direction. Traditional accounting systems, like absorption accounting, focus on the production of parts, whether they are needed or not."

Favorite band Dream Theater in town Saturday night ... awesome set list at the Agora, including 5 off the latest album, old favorites like The Mirror and Fortune in Lies and the sweetest of the sweet, Metropolis, Part 1 and A Change of Seasons in all of its 23 minute glory.
Tommy sez it was their best set yet ... and I am starting to agree.

So, number six with Dream Theater was a good one ... 3 hours of prog rock done right in the rock and roll city.

Next: The Darkness.

Set List, 3/20/2004
As I Am
This Dying Soul
The Mirror (w/ Lie outro)
Through My Words
Fatal Tragedy
Hollow Years (w/ extended guitar solo and gayness)
War Inside My Head
The Test That Stumped Them All
A Fortune in Lies
Endless Sacrifice
Finally Free

-- beer and potty break #2 (intermission) --

Metropolis part 1
Honor Thy Father ??? -- they played it, I don't remember when
Keyboard solo (a.k.a., 2 minutes of wanking)
A Mind Beside Itself:
I Erotomania
II Voices (abridged)
III The Silent Man (electric version)
In the Name of God

-- break --

Dead Poets Society (intro tape)
A Change of Seasons:
I The Crimson Sunrise
II Innocence
III Carpe Diem
IV The Darkest of Winters
V Another World
VI The Inevitable Summer
VII The Crimson Sunset

THE FLAMING LIPS have a wonderful, flash-based music player on their site. Phenominal. I'm buying.
Yoshimi ... Magicians ... Jack White.