wow. just wow.

seriously?

Banking with The Hold Steady

Last night I was invited to attend a private party at an old Emigrant Savings Bank building in lower Manhattan, sponsored by Grey Goose, and featuring a free concert by The Hold Steady. Put together by Artists Den, who have been putting on shows in unique settings since 2004, the show completely changed the way I think about banks! Complimentary Grey Goose Coctails were served from old fashioned marble teller windows, and the ornate central fixture of the large open space, where deposit slips were typically stored and filled out by bank patrons, turned into a bar table, where concertgoers rested their drinks and leaned their elbows.

The Hold Steady rocked the tiny crowd beneath cathedral ceilings, that housed the first crowd-surfing in the building's long history with hits like Chips Ahoy, Sequestered in Memphis, and Party Pit. If you are a fan of anthemic sing-alongs, rythmic clapping, or banking in general, you should have been with us last night!

Overkill

It was just a few weeks ago, as I was reading tabloids, that I inquired, to no one in particular, about the status, or seeming lack thereof, of Gavin Rossdale's music career. Almost immediately thereafter I heard his new single "Love Remains the Same" first on Spinner.com, then in both a commercial for The Biggest Loser and a trailer for the new Richard Gere and Diane Lane movie, Nights in Rodanthe.

I do understand that with the status of the music industry being what it is, artists, new and old alike, must seek out innovative ways to not only get their music heard, but to make money in the industry. I love movie soundtracks, and getting your song on the soundtrack of a movie, especially a good one, is a brilliant move, at least in my opinion. I'm slightly more skeptical about licensing music to endorse products, ONLY because I feel like the songs are often not properly paired with products, and are used out of context, calling into question the integrity of the music and/ or the product. For instance: The use of "Nth Degree" by Morningwood in a popular car commercial is a prime example. That's just silly! Who gave the OK on that one? Did this car company not think we savvy music fans would recognize the song, and then associate their product with an erection (please do no ask me to further elaborate on the meaning of "morning wood").

Ok, Rossdale. From what I gather, your song fits well in the trailer for a love story. Kudos. I'm glad you're back on the scene. BUT, what does your song about love have to do with fat people? Do you want me to think about donuts, or worse- exercise that borders on torture every time I hear your song? Its not a car commercial about boners, but its slightly ill advised.

Just my two-cents :)

Hipsters in Space!

I hope people living outside NYC can fully appreciate both the accuracy of this cultural parody and the absurd hilarity of it all! Enjoy...

Matt Damon shares my fear!

But I don't get the bit about dinosaurs! They WERE here, weren't they?!

NKOTB AOL Sessions

The new New Kids on the Block album, The Block, dropped this week, and to prep for the release, NKOTB took cameras behind the scenes for their very own AOL Sessions. Is it a problem that these guys still make me swoon? Jordan is sooo so so cute! :) NKOTB 4-Life!

Lily Allen's royal embarassment!

Oh noooo, Lily! :( I love Lily Allen but I was so embarassed for her when I saw this video of her making a complete ass of herself while co-hosting the GQ Men Of Awards with Elton John. She gets completely drunk throughout the show, annoying the piss out of Sir Elton John, and spills the secret beans about her brother, Alfie's engagement to Jane Winstone. Ouch! Read more here an watch the awful evidence below.