Thursday, June 21, 2007

Delayed reaction

I don't know why it's taken me this long to write something about the Supersuckers show at the Tractor Tavern. It was almost two weeks ago. Maybe because I'd seen them, and written about it, less than a week prior, or maybe because my attentions have been diverted to other creative endeavors the past couple weeks and I've now hit a giant snag there in the form of writers block that I can't seem to shake. Whatever the reason I didn't write about it before, I'm ready to write about it now.

You might think it odd that I'd go see the same band twice in a week. Die hard fans won't. People who saw both Pearl Jam shows at the Gorge, or all three Dave Matthews shows, or Dead Heads, but other people might. The Supersuckers put on almost the exact same set at the Tractor that they'd done a week before. So, what's the big attraction? Well, there's the charisma I talked about before of course. Even when the set is almost identical, it's still brilliant, and funny, and it still rocks more than most shows. Also, seeing the Supersuckers at the Tractor is like seeing Death Cab for Cutie at the Showbox or, I imagine, like seeing the Cubs play at Wrigley (and with all the times I've been to Chicago, and my feelings about baseball, you'd think I'd know first hand about that, but I don't); It's the home stage advantage. At least that's the feeling you get watching them there, like they've come home and they're really enjoying it.

Finally, the Tractor Tavern is simply a great place. I'd only been there one other time. It's an odd place. You walk in there and you think there's no way you'll be able to see the stage unless you push your way to the front of the crowd. I'm am most certainly not a push my way to the front of the crowd kind of girl. I like to find a seat, somewhere where I can actually see the stage. I know, it's not very rock and roll of me to want to sit down while I watch live music, but I am the way I am. The initial impression though, that you won't be able to see from anywhere other than right next to the stage, couldn't be more wrong. You can see the stage from everywhere.

You can't beat a great band at a great venue (with the home stage advantage). Viel Spaß!

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Cheese toast: The meaning of life.

I finally graduated from college yesterday. An event which, while thrilling, fills me with abject terror because it leaves me without a goal. So, instead of examining that I'm going to focus on the one thing I've really learned in the last 10 years.

Toaster ovens are far better than toasters. For some people it may seem obvious but others may be thinking, how big can the difference really be? It's just toast. Those people could not be more wrong.

Sure toast is just toast. That's all a regular toaster can make though. Your toaster oven, however, can make all sorts of things. Most things that you can bake in a regular oven you can also cook in a toaster oven, just in smaller quantities.

The two best things about the toaster over though are cheese toast and s'mores. I bet you didn't know that you could toast marshmallows in a toaster oven. All you need is parchment paper which will allow the marshmallows to toast on both sides while also keeping them from melting through the grate.

Cheese toast is self explanatory. I like to put mustard on mine. Sure, you can make toast in a regular toaster and put mustard and cheese on it after it's done, but the cheese won't get all melty and what's cheese toast that isn't melty.

Okay, maybe I've learned a few more things, both in college and in life, but the most important thing is the toaster oven principle.

Sunday, June 3, 2007

I like it all man

I saw the Supersuckers last night. It was sort of culmination in some ways of the last 6 months of my life. Back in late December a friend of mine recommended the Supersuckers to me. Actually, it was someone I barely knew at the time, but I trusted his taste in music because I knew he was a Who fan. So, I checked out the Supersuckers and immediately loved them and made it my goal to see them live (also ensuring the status of said friend as the best person in the world to go to for music recommendations). I missed the chance to see them in Munich, but luckily they're a local band for me so another opportunity presented itself this weekend.

I went with one of my best friends and we couldn't help getting into a conversation afterwords about the importance of stage presence. Now, of course, I love the music on its own, but live it's just different. Some bands you love and then you see them live and it sort of falls flat. You still love the music but the band doesn't have any charisma. The Supersuckers are not one of those bands. Eddie Spaghetti has so much stage presence that it's like a joke at the expense of all other musicians...or at least the ones that have to play before him.

The stage presence conversation lead to discussion of musical genres. My friend asked what genre I'd put the Supersuckers in and I had trouble with that question. I said they're sort of punk, sort of country, sort of pop, sort of rockabilly. She called it "ironic rock" which is a great label, though I think their country is more ironic than their rock. They kind of defy genre, but not in the art housey incomprehensible way, in a different, yet equally specific way that I like a lot.

Regrettably, I forgot to bring my camera and consequently didn't get any pictures. So, you'll just have to trust me, it was a great show. They're playing another show this Friday. Hopefully I'll get some pictures at that one.