bigmattcmu

2 posts in 1 day, crazy

2008-05-06T03:06:34Z

Me and 4 other people got excited when they came across this story today. Candlebox is coming out with their 1st new album in 10 years. At the bottom of the story are some tour dates and it says they are playing in Mt. Clemens at something called the Stars and Stripes Festival.
I've never heard of this event and I'm really not sure if it's new or not but it looks like a winner. The music list is nothing but awesome........especially if you haven't heard any music since 1996. Scheduled to play are Candlebox, Skid Rowm Uncle Kracker, The Romantics, Gary Hoey, Everclear, Sponge, Mitch Ryder, LA Guns and more. I totally want to go, maybe.

When I was in Chicago we went to the art mueseum there and I saw this painting. This painting is only cool because this guy has a sweet beard just like mine.

Here are some pics from Chicago. Im dumb and didn't charge my camera up and I hate carrying my camera around town so there are really only a few, mostly of us playing Rock Band.

A week late

2008-05-06T01:10:16Z

Last weekend a bunch of people all went to Chicago for a 30th birthday party which was tons of fun. The highlight was going to this bar that had live band karaoke. It was a total blast. I wish someone would do it here but like most things here Im sure it would suck. I would have liked to sing but the wait to sing was insane. Live band karaoke is such a cool idea because everyone sort of wants to be in a rock band at least for 5 minutes right? The band was pretty good. They had a list of about 200 or so songs, mostly big rock songs that everyone knew. I think I would have sang Tom Petty's American Girl.

Also while in Chicago I saw the musical Jersey Boys which was so great. I know, I know, make all the jokes you want about me going to the theatre.

mmmmmmm

2008-04-24T15:02:25Z

Best news ever.

Firing it up — The crowd-pleasing burritos, tacos and salads of award-winning chain Chipotle Mexican Grill will come to Royal Oak this week. Before opening their doors to the public on Friday, Chipotle will team up with Royal Oak High School to sponsor a 5-8 p.m. fundraiser Wednesday, April 23. Come in and pay $5 for a burrito, bowl, tacos or salad and your choice of soft drink. All proceeds to benefit Royal Oak High School Athletics. Come on Thursday for a "free burrito day" for a complimentary burrito and drink, no strings attached. Finally, come Friday, April 25, for the grand opening, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. At 32824 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak; 248-658-3100

Things that are stupid

2008-04-21T04:57:27Z

Crocs
Shopping
Girls who put their feet on the dashboard of the car
Mosh Pits
Sand
CSI
Coleslaw
Raccoons
After market car parts
Kalib Starns
Cheerleading
Motley Crue
Sandals

R.I.P. "Phantom" Dan Federici

2008-04-18T05:19:16Z

Worst.

The longest serving member of the E-Street band died on Thursday. Dan had been playing with Springsteen for about 40 years. He actually hadn't been playing with the band for this part of the tour because he had been getting treatment for cancer. However he was at the 2 shows I saw in November. When the tour started you kind of got the feeling that this would be the last tour with the the guys who have been the band for the last 35 years which is one reason Ive been trying to see the band as much as I could. Everyone is getting up in age and suprisingly Danny is the 1st member of the band to pass away.

Here's the band intros and end of the last song Danny played with the band in Boston a couple months ago. I think Bruce almost cries but I don't think that's possible. Bruce doesn't cry.

4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)

In other Springsteen news, Bruce has officially endorsed Obama, for whatever that is worth and gets hit with a couple good jokes on the Colbert report.

the 411...............................

2008-04-17T05:54:04Z

Where to begin? I just realized I haven't been on LJ much at all this year. I'm trying to remember what I have even been doing over the past few months. OMG, m y house smells like burning right now. I'm fairly certain a bug just landed on my lamp.

Here are the highlights, of the past couple months.
The Hamtramck Blowout- Always a blast, this year was no different.
Went to Cincy to see Springsteen- Show was great, Cincy is an underrated city. I with I could just follow Bruce around the country. Could someone please pay for that for me?
Got a new car- I am now have a Mercury Milan. I had to support the team I guess. So far the car is pretty cool, I do miss my Jeep though.
Turned 30- I'm old now.
Went to Opening Day and 2 other Tiger's games the 1st week of the season.

Oh also I haven't shaved since January 2nd and my beard is amazing, depending on who you ask. I think maybe I will get rid of it in a couple weeks, but maybe not.

I don't think Ive actually seen too many shows shows lately. Oh I saw Feist last week, that was boring.

The Racontuers new cd is great, everyone should get it.

I saw U2 3D and Shine a Light at the Imax. I don't want to see any movies anymore if they aren't in Imax. Both movies are great but the U2 one is probably better. It's pretty amazing watching a concert in 3d. You can't really describe just how cool and fun it was so go check it out yourself.

I started a Tumbr blog the other day just to post garbage. Im not crazy about how it looks right now but hopefully I will fix that soon.

It still smells potentially dangerous in here.

weird

2008-04-03T14:51:37Z

These are sort of terrible and sort of amazing, either way I really want them.

Awesome

2008-03-22T05:50:02Z

My job is truly amazing. I mean who else can say they have conference calls at 1:45am on Friday night/Saturday morning.

On the plus side I am leaving in the morning to see Springsteen in Cincy!

blah.....................

2008-02-25T16:33:29Z

I went and saw the Foo Fighters last night and it was mostly boring. Dave Grohl talked way too much and the played all "greatest hits". I was close to leaving mulitple times during the show. There were moments that were really good, but for the most part it was dissapointing.

Let It Die
The Pretender
Times Like These
Breakout
Learn to Fly
Cheer Up Boys Your Make up is running
This is a Call
Stacked Actors
Skin and Bones
Marigold
My Hero
Cold Day in the Sun
But, Honestly
Everlong
Monkey Wrench
All My Life
Big Me
The Long Road to Ruin
Best of You

I wish everyone involved with Juno would just go away.

I got the wrong breakfast sandwich at McDonalds this morning. This did not make me happy at all.

Happy New Year

2008-02-13T04:36:27Z

So yeah, I guess I haven't posted anything since December 15th. No idea why, just sort of forgot. I had every intention of making a top 10 list of my favorite cds of last year and making a mix cd of all those songs but I guess I didn't get around to that either. Actually I have no idea what I really have even been doign the last couple months.

If you missed CBS Sunday Morning this past weekend, and I'm sure all of you did, Mo Rocca visited Hamtramck for Paczki day.

Also a story on records, the vinyl kind.

somewhere is the swamps of Jersey.........................................

2007-12-15T17:46:22Z

This one time in 2003 I bought tickets to see Springsteen at Giants Stadium, however I never made it to the show and the unused tickets still haunt me to this day. I don't exactly remember why I didn't go, Im guessing mainly due to money and I couldn't sell the seats because Bruce was set to play 8 shows at Giants Stadium so there were plenty of tickets out there. Fast forward to this morning. I now once again have tickets to see Springsteen in Giants Stadium. So on July 27th, 2008 I better be in that stadium. Its pretty much my concert dream to see Springsteen in New Jersey. I can only imagine what that scene is going to be like. 7.5 months and counting..................

Its snowing like crazy over here and I was actually thinking about going Christmas shopping today. Im so over Michigan.

its been a long time since i rock and rolled.................

2007-12-11T00:27:44Z

Ive been such a nerd today because of Led Zeppelin. If you didn't know the band played a show today in London and at work I was on Billboard for 2 hours to get live set lists updates. The show ended about an hour and the reviews are starting to come out and by most accounts so far the show was fantastic. I haven't read a bad thing yet. Apparently Jason Bonham was "astonishing", at least that is what one guy said. I so wish I could've been there.

Here is the setlist

'Good Times Bad Times'
'Ramble On'
'Black Dog'
'In My Time Of Dying'
'For Your Life'
'Trampled Under Foot'
'Nobody's Fault But Mine'
'No Quarter'
'Since I've Been Loving You'
'Dazed And Confused'
'Stairway To Heaven'
'The Song Remains The Same'
'Misty Mountain Hop'
'Kashmir'
'Whole Lotta Love'
'Rock And Roll'

white is the new silver.........

2007-12-10T16:38:19Z

Emily made the best gingerbread cookies on Saturday. I could have had a 1000 of them, but I probably would have exploded and made a mess.

Last week I saw "Michael Clayton & "No Country For Old Men". Both are good. except the ending of "No Country" is sort of dumb.

Ive been thinking a lot lately about what records that were my favorite this year and make a mix again, but I really can't decide. Some cds came out so long ago that I am sick of them now but loved them 10 months ago. I also want to include the cds that were my biggest dissapointment which will be easy because there are a bunch.

I wish I made more lists of things. I try to keep track of shows I go to but it never works out. I know a couple guys that have big Excel sheets of every show they have been to. I would love to be able to look back at that.

Was there actually anyone who didn't think the Lions would blow it yesterday? Really I mean how hilarious was that? I was so cheering for the Cowboys at the end of the game.

Random

2007-11-28T06:13:24Z

I've become such a slacker on updating this thing. I actually have been wanting to write some things but I keep forgetting so I actually wrote down some ideas but I can barely read what I wrote.

The first thing I've been wanting to talk about is how much I love CBS Sunday Morning. Does anyone else watch this show? Each week I actually get excited for Sunday mornings now. I don't think I've liked a tv show as much as this 1 in a long time. If you've never seen the show it's been on since 1979 and basically is a news magazine show that does totally random stories about all these interesting things. The show is very simplistic and there are no "breaking news" alerts every 10 seconds or screaming news people or anything like that. It's totally laid back. Wikipedia describes the show this way, "Sunday newspaper in a [television] tube". That a pretty accurate description except the stories they do are rarely about anything bad happening.
Here's a story from this past week about an old man and his 70 year old car and a story about Complaint Choirs which I think I would be great at. A report on Hot Dog U and Mo Rocca's report on the comeback of ties.

So anyways, everyone should tape an episode of Sunday Morning and check it out. It's on from 9am -1030am. I swear you'll love it. If not I'll buy you breakfast.

Also something that has to do with CBS, is how the NFL is messing up my recordings of 60 Minutes. Last week the Bears game was a long game plus went into OT so I missed just about all of 60 Minutes. Stupid football. I am totally becoming an old man that I would rather watch a news program than football.

Speaking of football I went to the Lions Thanksgiving Day game last week and was treated to the traditional loss. I'm not sure how many years in a row I have been to the game, I think maybe 15 or so. I don't remember what it's like to actually watch the game on tv. I think I only go now because of the tradition because God knows it's never a good game. I was totally disgusted by Packers fans. How can adults go out in public wearing cheeseheads and green and yellow zubaz pants. Seriously, have some self respect.

Last Tuesday I went and saw Against Me! which was a great show. There may have been as much fist pumping as a Springsteen show, which may be a reason he likes them so much. However there were way more kids slamming into each other and falling down than at a Bruce show. I know, I know, Against Me! sold out, they suck now, blah blah blah, whatever. "New Wave" is totally going to make my top albums of the year list and "Thrash Unreal" may be my favorite song of the year. I'm not super into the video but you can at least hear the song.

A couple weeks ago I went to Chicago and splurged on some records at one of my fav stores, Dave's Records. It's so hard for me to not spend a ton of money in there. There place only sells vinyl and the place has tons of new releases too. I picked up Against Me! "New Wave" on yellow vinyl, The 1st Band of Horses, The National "Alligator", Tom Petty "Southern Accents" and Ryan Adams "Follow the Lights ep", which may actually be better than "Easy Tiger", but that is another discussion.

I have become addicted to VH1 Classic. It's probably my favorite channel on cable right now. I love the "Ultimate Albums" show. Last week they did "Nevermind" and I have a new appreciation for the record. I could watch VH1 Classic all day long. Next week is Rock and Roll Heaven week, I'm sure you can figure out what the programming is for that. The channel is the ultimate place for rock and roll nerds.

If you like Pearl Jam buy the new dvd asap, it's great. I now can't stop listening to "Picture in a Frame".

Does anyone else watch Iconoclasts? I watch 1 last night with Norman Lear and Howard Shultz. It was so interesting. I could have watch those guys talk to each other all day long. I think the part that blew my mind the most is that Norman Lear actually owns an original Dunlap copy of the Declaration of Independence. I guess I didn't even know that was something you could buy, but really what isn't for sale?

seats 12 & 13

2007-11-14T04:12:02Z

So last night my Tiger Stadium seats arrived and I have no idea where to put them. The seats were SO dirty when I opened the box. I tried cleaning them up a bit but I think I will have to take them outside and spray the seats down. So now the big question is what the heck do I even do with the seats? It's so weird having 2 seats from the old Stadium in my living room. I wonder if I ever sat in one of these seats at a game? I wonder how many different people have sat in my seats? Maybe someone super famous sat in one. I wish my seats could talk and tell me all about themselves.

dvr insanity

2007-11-13T20:48:31Z

My dvr is constantly full and some shows need to go. Ive taped all the episodes of Reaper and Gossip Girl and don't know if I will ever have the time to watch them all. Ive watched the 1st couple eps of both and they both ok, but not great. Does anyone watch these shows? Do they get better? Is 1 or both worth keeping?

cover me

2007-11-07T06:09:26Z

I'm going through You Tube and there are tons of clips of random people playing Springsteen in their house.
We'll start off with the new single "Radio Nowhere" Actually this guy does about 50 Bruce songs

"Incident on 57th Street"

"Born to Run"

Butch Walker does "Born to Run", who knew?

"The Rising"

Hey Stevie what time is it, it's Boss time.

2007-11-07T05:33:53Z

Warning, this post may get super nerdy.

So I think I am done going to concerts. After last night's Springsteen show I've decided I've seen it all and there is nothing left to see. I usually go to 1 or 2 shows a week but really whats the point anymore*. Anyways, for the Springsteen tour the main floor is all ga. There is also a "pit" section down in front and they have a lottery to get in and I lucked out and GOT INTO THE PIT!!!. So I was about 15 -20 feet from the stage during the show. I'm fairly certain I acted like a teenage girl most of the time, but everyone down there was freaking out. The guys next to me were probably late 30's and they may have been acting worse than me. It was absolute blast. I'll tell you though, it's a big hassle. So to get into the pit lotto you have to pick up a wristband between 2-5. We got there at about 4. So they 1st give you the regular ga wristband, then you just have to stand around and wait and wait some more. After waiting the organizers but everyone in lines of 100 according to wristband #'s so there is more waiting. During this time you get to hear crazy Springsteen stories from all the losers in line. This one guy right by us recognized another guy he once stood in a line with 1992, I'm not making this up. Most people around us were all from other states and all crazy. I think during the next 30 minutes we moved around from 1 side to another and into more lines. Finally at about 5:45 it was time for the lotto and #175 was pulled, we had 474-476 so we were good. I think a bit over 500 got in last night and everyone who did freaked out. 2 people were spotted crying. 1 line of people who didn't get picked looked like someone died. So then we got another wristband in another line and waiting some more. Finally we got down on the floor at about 6:30 I think and we lined up even with Steve Van Zandt's mic. So now it is about 6:30 and the show was to start around 8:30. More standing, more waiting. It was a lot of waiting around and hours and hours of standing but worth every second. Being down that close was amazing. It was like being at a club show. The lights are pretty bright down there so you can barely see anyone else in the arena.

The show was great. There were 4 songs different from the night before but the whole show was a completley different experience. 1 cool thing that happened was during the encore there was this 6 year old kid up towards the front who was going crazy the whole show. He had a sign and Bruce went over to talk to him and took the kid's sign. The sign said "Ramrod Please." So Bruce honored the kid's request and played "Ramrod" for the 1st time on the tour. "Ramrod" is a song that is a ton of fun and the band totally messes around on-stage while they are playing. It was a total blast to be in the pit to hear it. One of the best things about the band is how much fun they have on-stage and how much energy they still bring after all these years. Here is a good video of the Ramrod from 2002.

I also went down to Cleveland for the show on Sunday night. The show was great and I had decent lower level seats but people wanted to sit a lot which took a lot of fun out of the show. I still loved it though and he played a few songs I wasn't expecting at all and they were incredible.

So anyways today I sounded terrible from 2 days of yelling along with Bruce. I was also pretty exhausted today. Everyone at work asked if I was sick. I still haven't taken my wristbands off. Maybe I think another show will break or something. I've been trying to come down from the show all day but I can't stop finding more cool youtube videos of Bruce. I could go on and on forever about this. Here are a couple pics from my terrible cell phone camera.

**This most likely is never going to happen

Fist Pump

2007-11-05T17:22:14Z

Yeah that's right, I took the day off because I am going to Springsteen last night. Mainly to get in the general admission line. I also went to last night Cleveland show and wanted to sleep. If I get into "the pit" tonight there is a good chance I may actually wet myself. Not really because of excitement, mainly because I will be stuck there for like 5 hours. Ill write about shows tomorrow.....maybe.

Another reason my job is sweet................

2007-11-03T06:27:32Z

I went out to the bar tonight and I saw a someone from my group and of course she had her laptop with her at 12:30 because some emergencies might break out and need to be fixed. But it gets better. I get a text from a guy I work with at 1:45 am that he needs help with something. So I call him and start doing some work. The best part was 2 other people from our group were online and we all had to check/fix something. Sweet. This is exactly what we all want to be doing on Friday night at 2 am.

Dracu-Steen

2007-10-31T19:12:13Z

Last night Springsteen started off the show by being brought on stage in a coffin. He is so goth. Check out the 1st video. Its the Halloween Eve from LA one.

bigmattcmu @ 2007-10-30T00:55:00

2007-10-30T04:56:45Z

Here are my pics from the Hold Steady show earlier tonight

don't let me explode.............

2007-10-29T15:51:41Z

Over the weekend I saw Glms/Porchsleeper/ Deastro at Lager then on Saturday hit the Zombie Dance party at the Stick on Saturday which of course had more bands. Tonight is the Hold Steady show was usualy ends in craziness. I'm getting sort of wore out from shows but I don't know what else to do with my time. However the show of all shows take place this weekend with 2 Springsteen shows which I can't wait for. Usually I really don't even care about the concert I am going to but all I can think about is Bruce. Hes been everywhere the last month so I've got to see him on tons of tv shows and read about him countless articles.

Yesterday I watched a 4 hour movie about Tom Petty. It was really good. If you have a free Sunday and like Tom Petty, find the movie. I think it's called "Runnin Down a Dream". edit- I just found out the movie is on Sundance tonight at 7 http://www.sundancechannel.com/films/500254630. Set the DVR or tune in. It's a must see.

I still hate the Red Sox. I am still very tired.

best

2007-10-25T17:37:42Z

Best story ever.

WHAT????????

2007-10-25T15:49:40Z

Hey 24 fans, here is the season 7 trailer. So my fav 24 character Tony Almaida is back and is a bad guy. You may remember back to season 5 when Tony was killed at CTU. But I guess that really didn't matter much. I can't wait how they explain that one. I really think season 8 of 24 they should bring back everyone that was killed off, which is a lot and have a zombie season so Jack would save the world from zombies.

I am tired.