Of Montreal: the new Prince/David Bowie?

I have one word: WOW. I went and saw Of Montreal with my good friend, Matt Coleman. The concert was at "In the Venue" and I'm tellin' ya, the place has changed (and it turns into a gay club after concerts apparently; I have a good source)! We got there for the second opening band. I forgot their name, but they were awesome. Basically, they just rapped to this techno beat. They also had a stuffed animal that was a dog in a motorcycle outfit. I really have no words. It was that amazing.

I've noticed that there are three different types of people that go to concerts: 1. the person who jsut stands there looking bored and pissed off while leaning on you because they, ironically, want their space 2. get all roudy mosh-pit style...even to mellow music (aka Peter, Bjorn, and John; Of Montreal) and 3. the coolest people that dance in their own little space and closing their eyes by singing. Picture this: matt and I were surrounded by 1s and 2s and we were basically the only 3s. I was kind of miffed, but it wasn't as bad as RS where people were just RUDE. And there wasn't as many people.

OK: OF MONTREAL!!! They came onstage. Their opening song was a cover of Prince's "I Would Die For You." That's when I realized Kevin Barnes (the lead singer) is the NEW Prince. He wore this eighties style green blouse with a ruffly front (where one could see a hint of chest hair) and awesome shoulder pads. oh! and he was wearing really cool sparkly blue eye shadow. He also kept stripping onstage and apparently he went in his birthday suit at a Las Vegas concert, but he got in touble. :) Kevin also talked about how "Saturday's Warrior" is one of his favorite movies and that he bought it for a friend. For the encore, they played "Party's Carshing Us" which was AMAZING. Overall, the concert was highly pleasable. In other words, I loved it. They was so fun to watch and the music was great. I think everyone should become Of Montreal fans because they are absolutely spectacular.

At least I think I know my ABC's...

well, I gues that I have to do this because my SISTER is making me...sheesh:

A- Attached or single? I'm single
B- Best Friend? There are so many I can't even begin
C- Cake or Pie? both. yellow cake, cherry pie, AND peach cobbler
D- Day of choice? Wednesday becasue that's when gossip girl AND ANTM is on! YAYA!
E- Essential item? Ipod and chapstick...I'm obsessed with both
F- Favortie color? I'm not really sure. maybe voilet and olive green?
G- Gummi bears of worms? neither, but for sure cinnamon bears. duh
H- Hometown? Salt Lake City. oh man
I- Favorite indulgence? food and facebook. and gossip
J- Janaury or july? I don't really like either, but I guess I was born in july, so july
K- Kids? no, thank goodness! I just have a lot of nephews. that's good enough
L- Life is incomplete without? loved and being loved
M- marriage date? I don't know...I was thinking 12/12/12? no, maybe to cliche?
N- Numbers of brothers and sisters? 4 bros and 4 sis'
O- Oranges or apples? oranges fo sho
P- Phobias or fears? SNAKES!!! especially on planes!
Q- Quote? You're only funny if you offend at least one person
R- Reason to smile? to know that someone is thinking about you
S- Season of choice? Fall! YUM!
T- Tag three friends: BEKAH, OLIVIA, SOMEONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO DO THIS!!
U- Unknown fact about me? I'm not clever under pressure. sorry.
V- Vegetable? brussel sprouts
W- Worst habit? I annoy people really easily
X- X-ray or ultrasound? um, X-ray?
Y- Your favorite food? lemoned salmon
Z- Zodiac sign? LEO RRAAAWWRRR!

if only we knew how to play

A few nights ago, Abby and I discovered the wonders of the (plastic) guitar. Check it out.




We'd make a pretty sweet show.

Regina Spektor 411: "the don't"s at concerts...

K, so last night I went to one of the most memorable concerts ever (at least in the top 5). I saw Regina Spektor live. You know how some musicians don't sound that good live, but they sound really good on their CD probably because they have really good producers? Well, RS is not one of them. She sounds EXACTLY the same live.
So, the last time I was at "In the Venue" was when The Strokes came last year. Back then, or at least it seems, the venue was pretty small. I mean it could fit a lot of people, but it was remotely smaller than other places I've been to. Well, this year it was HUGE, and there were about 700 hundred people. I don't know if it's just because I havn't been there for so long or what...it was CRAZY SAUCE.
I know I'm just blabbing away but now here is the good stuff. Here are the most memorable moments of the night (the good and the bad ones):

1. People putting up their gard: When you would try to get closer to the stage and people would literally block you from moving forward. In the olden days, concert crowds were usually like jello: they would sway and you could get to where you would want to go. But now, man, it's like a frozen custard that doesn't thaw out. (I'm sorry for making food analogies, but I'm really hungry) For example, I tried moving past this girl, and she put her back right onto me so I couldn't get through and I could see over her shoulder that she had about a good three feet of room. I'm tellin' ya SLC people are pretty rude.
2. Oh! You know what's even ruder? People drunkingly yelling throughout the whole show. Even RS had to say "will you shut the F&@% up? I'm trying to play here!" I can't believe that happened. I'm almost embarrased to say that I live in this town sometimes...
3. Also, when you're standing by a girl who probably heard about RS three months ago COMMENTING ABOUT EVERYTHING!!! RS would play a song and the girl would whip her head around to talk to her friend and say "Do you know this song? ...well I do" and then start singing (horribly I might add). There was one time where RS was playing "Apres Moi" and the girl adds "ya she's singing in french...now she's singing in russian...or german. I can't tell." I don't know. I'm so lost when it comes to people's minds and their abilities...
4. On a better note, there was one part in the show where right in the middle of singing "Better," one could hear a train rolling by. RS said she "usually hears subways rumble under her ass, but this (the train) is more classy."
5. For her encore, she sang "fidelity" and "Hotel Song" where the opening guy (I forgot his name) beatboxed while she sang. It was soooo cool and awesome.
   

Overall, it was a fun night; I got to listen to some amazing and inspiring music and also rant about people who don't know when to shut up (both vocally and physically). But I'm kind of sad that she didn't play "The Consequence of SOunds." Doesn't matter. I love you REGINA!!!!

~abby martin

holl-o-ween

Okay, Halloween. Not as exciting as I remember it being back when I was a wee child:dressing up as a Disney princess and wandering from house to house asking for candy in exchange for my costuming efforts.
Anywho, I wanted to go down to Salt Lake to watch America's Next Top Model with Abbsidale but alas, my plan was foiled and I ended "dressing up"--meaning searching my closet for anything semi-costumey--as an overzealous 50's housewife. Very fitting, as Miranda and I decided we would spend our Halloween building a cake.



Lucky for us, Provo is not so lame as one might think. We are privileged enough to have not one, but two concert venues! Tonight, our venue of choice was Muse, where we saw local bands The Black Tie... something or other... and Neon Trees. Not so awesome but entertaining nonetheless. Also, we met boys who were probably in high school. How else do you explain living in Spanish Fork and digging around in your mom's make up to look dead? You don't. It means you're in high school and you're trying to pick up on college girls dressed as a housewife and a librarian.