iPhone Users Beware! And An Unrelated Tale of Mistaken Identity

iPhones users! Goodchild informed me that there may be some crazy phone virus headed your way, check out this article on Forbes.com.

Yeah so Tim is my band mate slash room mate and Goodchild had a funny incident with a person whom he thought was Tim. Read the story below as if Tim is someone you know.

- Sonic

so ... the attached pic is of Tim, though not of tim:

i walked to the 7th ave stop on the B/Q line on the way to work, as I do when it's not pouring rain.
I was waiting for the train underground, sweating my ass off, when I decided to take my glasses off a second and wipe my brow.
without my glasses, I saw someone come down the stairs to the platform, and the fuzzy out of focus shape had a familiar feel to it ...
I put my glasses on, and i saw Tim standing there, looking at me, wearing slacks, a button down shirt, a tie and a sport coat.
"Hey!" I said.
Tim stared at me a moment more, said nothing, then turned away ...
When I caught the profile, it occurred to me that it might not be Tim -
after all, what the fuck is Tim doing waiting for the B or Q train in park slope at 9am?
And - I hoped - wouldn't Tim have at least said "Hi" back to me before ignoring me?
I thought we were friends ...
I looked closer, and, yeah, it was Tim ...
So I took a few steps towards him, and saw that, No, No Way, it was NOT Tim.
Shit.
My bad.
The B train came, I hopped on ... and he hopped on the same car.
I got a seat, and he stood, almost facing me, and for a while I was staring at him ...
same height
same weight
same hair (though it was sweaty and matted down)
same mannerisms
same gait (is that the word for the way someone walks?)
and similar fashion, to a sense - As it was a workday, I totally believed Tim would wear this getup.
I realized I had to get a picture ... i kinda snapped one, it's not the best, and it doesn't do justice to how much this guy looks like -
no, how much this guy IS Tim...
Tim has a doppleganger in park slope, i swear it.

- Goodchild

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Why The Japanese Are Way Cooler Than Us Americans

Perhaps a bit overstating there, but in many ways it seems true. For example, Americans created baseball, and it is our national pastime – but even though we have always been rather dominant in the sport, once an actual world championship was created (the World Baseball Classic), Japan showed the world who’s got game (they’ve won both tournaments so far). That’s just cool.

Know what else is cool? Studio Ghibli. I mean, these guys are just the absolute greatest at what they do – and what they do is make awesome animated films.

… I’m looking at that last sentence and it’s not doing it for me. “Awesome” is a word that simply gets bandied about too much, and has lost its punch. Ok, how about this: Studio Ghibli makes films that will instill a wholly childlike sense of awe and wonder in you, and make you wish that the film never ends so that you never have to go back to the real world. Alright, I like that better, but it still doesn’t do them justice. The films these guys put out there just exude a coolness on a level that no American animation even comes close to – not even our mighty Pixar.

Helmed by the masterful Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli has created some of the most wonderful films (and think about that word a minute – wonderful … FULL of WONDER) the world has ever seen. The films are so wildly successful in their native Japan, that Disney secured rights to dub them in English for North American release. If you’ve ever seen a Japanese movie dubbed in English, you might think this is a terrible idea – but in their defense, Disney does the right thing by Miyazaki’s films, hiring the right actors to get down the rightly translated dialogue. While I usually insist on watching anime in Japanese with English subtitles, Disney’s dubs of Miyazaki’s films are a pleasant exception, and are excellently done. They are even so well received here that Spirited Away won the Academy Award for best animated film in 2002.

Last year, Japanese audiences were treated to Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s newest film – and the slow process of properly translating the script, finding the right actors and redubbing it in English has finally come to fruition for Disney, who will be releasing Ponyo on August 14th. Check the trailer, then get the family together and tell them not to make plans for August 14th!

- Goodchild

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Portugal. The Man - New Album Out Today!

Portugal. The Man's new record The Satanic Satanist comes out today! They are also playing some gigs in our neck of the woods, August 4th at Union Pool (Brooklyn) and August 5th at Mercury Lounge (NYC). See you there!

- Sonic

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As Tall As Lions - New Record Hits August 18th

It’s Been Fun, But Looks Like We’re All Doomed!

To quote the last line in the song Be Here Now, by the ridiculously cool band As Tall As Lions:
“It’s been a good life – I’ll be sad to see it go …”

Clicking this link will explain why and apparently how we’ll all die.

So, why not check out a sweet ass live version of the aforementioned As Tall As Lions song?

- Goodchild

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Watch Out, SoCal!

Two weeks ago, I was on vacation visiting the folks in Las Vegas. Being huge baseball fans, we took a day to drive down to San Diego to watch our beloved Boys in Blue (still the best team in baseball!) beat up on the hometown Padres. Thankfully, they did beat up on them – then promptly blew the lead, and finally won the game in an exhausting 13 innings (hey, at least we got our money’s worth). We walked around downtown San Diego a bit before and after the game, and I simply couldn’t stop talking about how beautiful the city is. I mean, I just love it out there. The architecture, the people, the culture, the food …

Oh, and don’t forget the beaches. San Diego has some awesome beaches, with some great surfing. In fact, with the weather there being almost perfect year round, there’s really only one problem.

Humbolt squid – “aggressive 5-foot-long sea monsters with razor-sharp beaks and toothy tentacles”, to quote the article I just read – are invading the shallow waters off the coast in San Diego, and perhaps moving further north.

Click here to read about some of the experiences people have been having with the giant sea monsters.

Would you head into the sea to swim with them? They’re big … check this video for some being caught by fishermen earlier this year.

- Goodchild

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Julian Casablancas of The Strokes Releasing New Solo Album

Julian Casablancas of The Strokes will be releasing a solo record entitled Phrazes For The Young. All of the other members of The Strokes have released work on side projects but this will be the first for Casablancas. The record is due out in Fall of this year, but check out the preview video for now.

- Sonic

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9th Annual Siren Music Festival

illustration by Paul Antonson

9th Annual SIREN MUSIC FESTIVAL™ Saturday, July 18, 2009

BUILT TO SPILL, SPANK ROCK, THE RAVEONETTES, FRIGHTENED RABBIT, GRAND DUCHY, MONOTONIX, A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS,
THEE OH SEES, FUTURE OF THE LEFT, JAPANDROIDS, MICACHU & THE SHAPES, TINY MASTERS OF TODAY, BEAR HANDS, THE BLUE VAN, JUSTINE D. and DeadHeat DJs Play the Siren Festival this weekend!

SIREN MUSIC FESTIVAL returns this Saturday, July 18, 2009 from noon — 9pm! This free, all ages festival features performances throughout the day on two outdoor stages in historic Coney Island, NYC.

+ Click Here For More Details

- Sonic

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Travel Tips - Las Vegas

Time for something a bit unusual for one of my posts, but something I nonetheless had to give some props to. I’m usually blathering about video games, movies, television, or other forms of media, but today I thought I’d talk about another form of gaming.

I am, of course, talking about gambling – and I thought I’d tip you off on a brand new spot to head off to.


A few years ago, my parents retired and moved away from the loving embrace of New York City, to the bright lights of fabulous Las Vegas. Since that time, I’ve gone out to visit quite a few times, and in many respects stopped considering myself a tourist while there. Now, if you know anything about Las Vegas, you know the strip – that long stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard where all the mega hotel/casinos are. Where you book a room at one hotel, but spend your vacation tooling up and down, visiting each of the others – and why not, it’s legal to walk on the strip with open alcoholic beverages!


My main problem is that I spend most of my time at home at work, and I work right near Times Square. Times Square is one of, if not the largest tourist destination in our country. Since I spend 5 days a week surrounded by the thickest flow of tourists imaginable, when I go away to relax and visit my folks, I try not to go near the strip – it’s like being at work when I’m 2,500 miles from home. There are plenty of really nice places off of the strip that offer everything the mega joints do – sometimes even more. For example, until my last trip, I’d say that my favorite place in Las Vegas was Red Rock Casino. The architecture of the building is incredibly cool, with long, low waterfalls and fire pits outside. The gaming floor has a very pretty red aesthetic, to match the nearby red rocks of the Nevada mountains. They have all the games you want to play – and with better table limits and less restrictions on rules than on the strip. There are a lot of food choices, ranging from good all the way to great. There’s a ton more than the casino, too – an amazing spa, a huge movie theater, the coolest bowling alley I’ve even been to (which is cheap as hell, too!!), and the sweetest pool area I’d seen yet. Oh, and it’s populated by really cool, mellow locals, all friendly and just looking for a good time – the exact opposite of the huge jostling crowds giving off heavy and bad vibes on the strip. All that, and if you’re free during the day, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is right nearby, with some breathtaking views, trails, and a great scenic drive. I recommend climbing to the top of the tallest peak there, Mt. Turtlehead – my brothers and I did it, and it was exhilarating, offering great views of all of Las Vegas.


So … what could be better than all that?

M.

That’s it. Just one letter and it says it all. M is the newest luxury joint in Las Vegas, and it sits just south of the strip, just off I-15. Inside, it offers all the amenities on its gaming floor that Red Rock does, but bigger, newer and nicer. I’ve never met a friendlier staff at a casino, with people always looking to help out and hook you up – anytime I saw anyone ask for any type of comp, they got it. Now, I can’t truly speak on what all those peoples gambling tendencies were, but I can say I’ve never seen pit bosses jump so energetically at the prospect of getting something for free for the customers.



And the free things seem to be everywhere. Simply for signing up for a comp card, I was treated to a free buffet. As good as that may sound, consider this: the family that runs the M owns their own farm where they raise the delicious beef used there. They own their own vineyards, and supply their own delicious wine. They own their own microbrewery and supply their own beer. And in the buffet, which featured probably the most amazing selection of gourmet international foods I’ve ever seen assembled in one room, all the wine and beer you want is included. How’s that for value?


My first day in town was July 4th, and my parents and I went to M, outside by the pool area to watch their fireworks show. I was fairly impressed by it, and I’ve seen the one they put on in Redbank, NJ. But what really impressed me was the sweet layout of the pool area itself, and how beautiful it was – and the fact that the strikingly gorgeous sunsets over the mountains around the M didn’t hurt at all. My last night in town, my ‘rents and I went to the Veloce Cibo, at the top of M. The impressive views of Las Vegas were almost as good as those from Mt. Turtlehead (though there wasn’t the I-just-climbed-a-mountain sense of accomplishment to heighten it), and the food there was flat out ridiculous. Seriously. No peppercorn sauce should be that good – that’s how people get addicted.


All this, supported by what is by far the most attractive wait staff I’ve ever seen (why, if I didn’t have my Norah Jones, I’d be in love with every woman there), and you’ve got my favorite destination spot in all of Nevada.

- Goodchild

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Brand New Brand New Song - Bed

As promised here is a live video of the song "Bed" which will be on Brand New's new record entitled Daisy coming out September 22nd 2009.

- Sonic

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Get Ready To Point And Click

This Wednesday, July 15th, something I’ve been waiting a very long time for is going to happen. The Secret Of Monkey Island: Special Edition will be released for download on Xbox Live Arcade and PC.

To those who didn’t play it when it originally came out years ago, it is an old school point-and-click adventure game. It may not have all the bells and whistles of a new HD console or PC game, but what it lacks in flashiness, it makes up for with its awesomely funny dialogue, great characters, and a truly fun-as-hell experience – and it was the first game I think I played that Tim Schafer worked on (Brutal Legend comes out soon!!). Check the trailer, and download it on Wednesday.

- Goodchild

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A Vote For 3D IMAX Movies

With Hollywood’s current shifting towards 3D films, I’ve taken a real interest in something that moves alongside this: ticket prices. It’s bad enough that I have to pay between 12 and 13 dollars when I want to catch a flick with friends after work in New York City – but when you want to go see something in 3d, the price jumps up from there. With nights out at the cinema reaching ridiculous prices, it’s easy to feel like you’re just not getting your money’s worth. This is why you simply have to pick the correct overly expensive movie ticket to buy.

For around $16 a ticket, I can go see a “3D IMAX Experience!” movie at the Lincoln Center IMAX on 68th street. The screen is enormous, the sound system is awesome – if it’s the right movie it’s well worth the money. But how do you know it’s the right movie? Well, reading the book first helps.

When it released, I hopped the 1 train up to the IMAX theater to see the 5th Harry Potter movie. How did I know that it would be well worth the admission? Because I’d read the book, and knew that there was an incredible spectacle of an action sequence in the 3rd act that would not just be something to watch, but more something to experience.

Well, it’s almost time once again, my friends, for the show that is far from ending (as the final book 7 is being broken into 2 movies). This week, the 6th Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, is released, and you can expect some incredible action and some awesome sights and fights to behold this time around. If you’ve got an IMAX theater near you, I highly recommend dropping the extra loot for it – it’s going to be quite the experience when [EDITOR’S NOTE: The end of this post has been removed for spoilers of the worst kind. Though, you really should have read the books by now. Seriously, you’ve got no excuses.]

- Goodchild

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Brand New: Music Hall Of Williamsburg 07.11.09

Music Hall of Williamsburg is a rather small venue for a band like Brand New, and as our very own Mitch will tell you it sold out in minutes. There was a 2 ticket limit and a will call only policy on the show to prevent people from selling tickets for ridiculous prices.


The first half of their 90 minutes ish show was mostly songs off of Your Favorite Weapon and Deja Entendu. Then they played a few songs of their upcoming album Daisy which will hit the US on September 22nd. On first listen I definitely liked it, kind of in the vein of God And The Devil Are Raging Inside Me but a little heavier.


They finished the show with "Soco Amaretto Lime" and the whole place was singing along. A great show and I know a lot of you missed it but they will be playing Nassau Coliseum with Glassjaw on November 27th so keep you eyes and ears out for ticket info. I will also have an exclusive video up of them playing a song off of Daisy so check back tomorrow!

- Sonic

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Video Pick: The Lonely Island - Like A Boss

Another video off of The Lonely Island's Incredibad album. Do a YouTube search for these guys all the videos are pretty hilarious.

- Sonic

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Featured Band: Wavves

Wavves' is a band from California playing some surf rock with a punk rock attitude and lofi textures. Maybe the word band is inaccurate since it is currently comprised only of singer Nathan Williams. Drug and alcohol problems led to an abrupt end of their set in Spain earlier this year where he fought with drummer Ryan Ulsh and the crowd. The rest of the European tour was cancelled and Ulsh left the group earlier this summer.

Williams is back though with a few gigs booked including one at Bowery Ballroom on July 15th.

- Sonic

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(2) Weeks Until (500) Days

Anyone who knows me knows I have a strange fascination following the career of Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I liked his old sitcom (3rd Rock From The Sun), and always thought it was weird turning the TV on and seeing John Lithgow talk to the kid from that silly, silly movie Angels In The Outfield. Stupid Angels … nobody likes Anaheim …

I didn’t really take a shine to him until I saw him in one of my proudly admitted “guilty pleasure” movies, 10 Things I Hate About You. I’m a Shakespeare geek, and it was Shakespeare. And it was awesome. So, when a movie called Brick came on HBO one day, I saw he was the star and watched it – and not only was the movie amazing, but he was absolutely great in it – the kid was all grown up, and can act his damn ass off. In case anyone thought different, the same year Brick came out, so did The Lookout – another great film, with Gordon-Levitt as the star, and doing one hell of a job. So, I get a little excited about almost anything he’s in – it seems he picks real winners (we won’t talk about the upcoming disaster he’s in called G.I Joe).

On July 17th, his new film, (500) Days Of Summer, comes out. It has him starring opposite a great actress I also really like, Zooey Deschanel. You know her from Yes Man, Almost Famous, a brief stint on the show Weeds, and my personal favorite bit of her resume – The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy.

This movie has gotten rave reviews at its showings at film festivals, and after seeing the trailer, I know where I’ll be on July 17th.

- Goodchild

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Discover: Dan May - Artist

Stay Off The Grass © Dan May

Dan May is an American artist originally from Rochester, New York. I really enjoy his versatility in his style where he can use very solid strokes as he does in Stay Off The Grass (above) but also is capable of creating soft images like the piece shown below.

Pulled From The Heavens © Dan May

His piece entitled Henry's Burden (below) is based on David Lynch's film Eraserhead and will be a part of David Lynch's tribute show at Alcove Arts in Atlanta Georgia on July 10th.

Henry's Burden © Dan May

+ Dan May Interview [The Little Chimp Society]

- Sonic

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Video Pick: The National - Mistaken for Strangers

This video is from The National and the song is called Mistaken for Strangers. They will be at the All Points West Festival this year, we will be doing a preview of the festival soon. For now enjoy the video to a really good song.

- Sonic

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