now playing on iTunes/iPod: silence

This past Saturday's Powerball jackpot was estimated at just a shade over $180 million. Upon hearing this, I excitedly licked my chops and promptly forgot about buying a ticket. Then, en route to church Sunday morning, I saw the giant billboard that denoted the new, paltry $10 million prize. I was fully expecting the monies, like in previous Powerball payouts, to go to one of this country's many "hick" states which would then be spent on meth, store-bought moonshine and a new NASCAR racing team, but the Star Tribune and several television stations started reporting Sunday night that the buyer was actually from here! Wow, imagine the excitement.

Again I forgot about it, until today when the winners came forward. And after reading the story and seeing them on the news, I must say that I think they are the most deserving couple so far. An excerpt:

"I guess there was divine intervention," Paul Rosenau said. "This happened for a reason."

[...]

As for what they'll do with the money, Sue Rosenau has ideas of a trip to Hawaii while Paul Rosenau spoke of philanthropic plans, including giving money for research toward the disorder that took their granddaughter's life.

Good on you, guys.

In a loosely related story, Strib sports columnist Patrick Reusse took Minnesota sports fans to task for treating former Wild majority owner Bob Naegle like a deity while vilifying Twins owner (and 2008 Forbes Magazine Richest Man in Pro Sports) Carl Pohlad. Now I'm not a fan of either; Pohlad has pulled his share of dick moves on the Twins fan base (see 2001 contraction attempt) but he seems to be at least trying to make sonething happen now while also keeping the team in the black. My favorite part of the article though is in the comments, where illiterate and belligerent hockey fans try to defend their patron saint and then get collectively ripped to shreds by a guy called 'cartwa':

You can rip the Twins, Vikings, T-wolves, and gophers but you cant rip the Wild. It isnt fair. It is much like ripping on the kids on the short bus. Wild fans can barely read and logic is something they just dont understand. Expecting them to grasp reality would be way too much to ask. Keep in mind that these are the same fans that think mullets are cool and that wearing an oversized jersey with jeans and tennis shoes is styish. Wild fans think nothing of having their winter sport championship in June. Wild fans dont find anything odd about having teams in hockey hotbeads like Atlanta, Nashville, Phoenix, Charlotte or Florida (twice). Wild fans actually wait in line to purchase $85.00 game tickets and then never complain when their team musters only a handful of shots. Wild fans are so loyal that the mere attempt to open their eyes generates 80 plus comments that are so creative, you question our public school system. My favorite is the post that simply says "Reusse, you are an idiot." Please Mr Reusse, please dont rip the Wild.

Thanks for the humorous yet astute characterization of Wild fans, my friend.

now playing on iPod: Josh Kelley "Travelin'"

[Photo courtesy roadsidenut and Flickr]

Labels: local, media, twins

I think this is the unofficial start of spring. Sure as hell doesn't feel like it though.

Alyssa and I finally booked our trip to New York City a couple weeks ago. It should be good times; I'm pretty excited. We have already planned quite a few things to do during that span. It also gives me a chance to test out my camera in a tourist setting rather than just family functions and city randomness. If any of you guys have any ideas though for us, please let me know.

now playing on iTunes/iPod: silence

Labels: personal

Fine Line Music Café, April 15, 2008

I know, I know, it seems like I'm always at the Fine Line. Shut up.

Tax Day 2008 turned out to be very pleasant weather-wise. Mostly sunny skies and temperatures hovering around 60. This is why there was a tinge of regret in my soul as we headed downtown to catch an early show featuring the rising Sara Bareilles. But all was well, because we grabbed sone Panchero's beforehand and ate while waiting outside for the doors to open.

Six o'clock, and the opener comes out. I've had pretty awful luck with opening acts since the Mandy Moore show back in like September, and tonight was no different: an atrocious chick-quartet called Raining Jane came out and channeled the Indigo Girls, dashing my hope of them being a Saving Jane clone. We suffered through about six of their songs; the highlights of their set were 1) a cello solo, 2) the surprise reveal that Rachael Yamagata was on the bill, and 3) when they left the stage. Oh, and in case you wanted to hear what the dumpy girls who didn't get asked to prom have been doing since you graduated high school, check out their album!

One bad thing about early weekday shows is that every act feels crammed in and constrained. Rachael came out about 15 minutes after the lesbians had torn down their equipment and wasted no time getting underway. She has a new record due soon, and is apparently using this tour as a vehicle for trying some of her new material out. Her performance was good but unremarkabkle, but was highlighted by an a cappella song that managed to silence even the activity in the smoking alley adjacent to the building.

Shortly before 8:00, Sara Bareilles came out. Touring in support of her major-label debut, Little Voice, she also had new material to show off. Honestly, I went into the concert expecting a Colbie Cailat-style experience, with unenthusiastic, by-the-book performances that were essentially the album played live, but Bareilles proved to be much more than that. She was engaging, had non-album stuff to play, and actually seemed to enjoy playing and mixing it up a bit. The last two songs she played were "Love Song" and, as an encore, a tune by Bonnie Raitt, and finished just a shade before nine.

Overall, the Bareilles/Yamagata show was a good time. One thing I didn't enjoy was one of the things that bugged me about the Cailat show: the crowd. Listen, I know it's an all-ages show, but really, if you have no idea how to act at a show, go to a free one to learn or stay the fuck home. And if you act like an ass at a show, don't get pissed if I mock you.

Coming next week: The ES.com Primer on Being a Good Concert-Goer

Labels: local, music, personal, review

now playing on iTunes/iPod: silence

Labels: bestof, site

As an Apple fanboy, it gives me great pleasure to see Macs out "in the wild." I already point out any Mac appearances in television or movies, which my girlfriend mocks me endlessly for, but that still isn't as cool as seeing regular people using them in everyday situations. Example: I am sitting in Panera Bread right now, and of the 10 or so people using their laptops, four of them are on MacBooks. Pretty friggin' sweet. The OS X marketshare may still be at like, 6%, but the real world ratio is definitely going up.

now playing on iPod: Pat McGee Band "Anybody"

Labels: mac, tech

Everyone who knows me knows I am super excited about the new Twins ballpark.  So much so, in fact, that I track pretty much anything I can regarding it: the webcam, construction galleries, etc. I even track down news articles from the Star Tribune. Which is why I read an article concerning the vendor selected for the new concessions. My favorite part? (emphasis mine):

Labels: internet, local, twins