Memorial Day

 

Littlest March, Memorial Day Parade in 2008. Something about this picture....

I never wanna find the answer, cuz I don't want the truth

Hope you might take time out if your day to check out Forgotten Disc Friday.

This week I listen to a record that I bought off the strength of the single at the time (it would spawn 2 more). I never really got in to them as much as I thought, but honestly want to check out more of their stuff now.

Happy Friday and onward to JUNE??! (Where does the time go?

Thanks to all for reading.

and so it ends...

Hockey season officially came to a close for me for the season yesterday when the Providence Bruins fell to the Hershey Bears 5-2. The PBs lost the series 4 games to 1.

Providence took a game on the road but failed to win any of the three games at home this weekend. Friday they came right out, up 2-0 after the first but sort of fell flat. Sunday was much of the same, end of one they were up 2-0. Hershey got it to OT and they won it with under 5 minutes left in the first OT period. Monday afternoon our hopes were "high" as we expected a "do or die" type game..but alas we fell short once more. The Bruins had THREE shots in the first period...THREE..and seemed out of step the bulk of the game.

I am a hockey fan first and foremost and the bulk of the season I was pleased. The team tried and made it further than they ever had with me as a partial season ticket holder.

Now I have to address the Hershey Bears fans... 100% class. Honestly.

The section I sit in the Bruins "attack" for two periods. All three of the games, and some games within 2 seats of me, were Bears fans. Fans that had taken a bus trip up to be a part of. I got to talked to the two older women on Friday. They had been season ticket holders for the Bears for 10 and 8 years respectively. The next night the guy next to me had them for 10, and the gentleman behind him close to 20. Sure they were "older" but they rooted for their team with class and respect to the "home team". Sure they'd shout when a call seemed "suspect" or a puck rang off the post, but it was refreshing to sit around such avid hockey fans as myself, regardless of who they were cheering for.

Case in point. Game 2 a guy 10-11 rows behind me was the sections "big mouth". He was yelling nonsense, fueled by overpriced domestic beer, he and his buddy took to chanting the goalies name..and following it up with the ever classy shout of "You Suck". This was repeated ad nausea to boot. In the OT period, Hershey was attacking on the end where I sit, and as noted potted the winner. As the Bears began to celebrate around the goal scorer up against the glass, bozo #2 from behind me..comes running down the steps...bangs the glass...and gives the Bears "the finger". Not one, but both. Way to keep it classy.

I looked at the guy sitting next to me and said "I hope you realize that right there does NOT represent the Providence fans".

A hard sell, and I am not sure he was sold on it.

It will be interesting next season, with the biggest rumor being that starting goal tender Tuukka Rask is headed to Boston to be the full time backup. I didn't see many other goalies in the games I went to other than Rask, so it may be a slow start for the team.

Like the Boston Bruins I start each season "hopefully optimistic". It was a fun run, time to enjoy summer.

Did you lose something the last time you were here?

Hope you might take time out if your day to check out Forgotten Disc Friday.

This week, we tackle and pretty well known band, but one of their records that might not get as many spins or mentions in recent years.

Have a nice Memorial Day weekend (to all the U.S. readers) and a nice weekend to all others!

Thanks to all for reading.

Now this would be a cool gig....

Legendary Saturday Night Live announcer Don Pardo has "retried" from his announcing duties. Pardo has been with SNL since 1975. (Also Darrell Hammonds final show was May 16th)

Anyway..i do a KILLER impression of Don. Granted they probably don't want someone to copy what he has done but if they want to come close..I am your man.

*awaits phone calls/emails*

I can be in NYC for Friday evenings and leave Sundays...easy right? Let me know what we can work out.

Thanks
-March

***Sigh***

It has been a little over 12 hours now since the Boston Bruins fell in overtime of game 7 to the Carolina Hurricanes and, you know what..life goes on.

Am I sad? Sure.
Disappointed? On some levels yes
Happy it's "over"?" - again yes and no.

Readers of this blog know that I am a hockey fan first and foremost, a Bruins fan second. I can watch just about any team play, at least a period, on television and interest.

Two years ago the Bruins were 13th in the division. Last year they snuck in as the 8th seed, played a game 6 that was off the charts. That one game even had me post a blog post on "So this is how it feels". They scored goals late to force the game 7 and suddenly it was okay to be a fan of the Bruins.

Before the season, expectations were average at best. They "might" make the play-offs was the buzz...but they'd end the regular season with 116 points, first in the East.

I have lived in the area my entire time on this planet. I am used to losing (86 Red Sox), a HORRID Football team for lots of year (you couldn't even see the games on TV and we lived 20 minutes from the stadium) a Celtics team that historically been amazing fall on hard times.

Then it sort of happened. The Patriots started winning. The stadium was full, it was hard to get tickets and the waiting list for season tickets is more than the capacity of the stadium. The Red Sox won after 86 years..then took a year off..then won it again. Even the Celtics who had been below average for a lot of years won it all last year.

This was the Bruins turn..or it is their turn right?

I am optimistic. The salary cap comes in to play but the Bruins have always been smart to develop their young talent. Adding to that I get to see (and meet) a lot of these guys play on their AHL affiliate squad the Providence Bruins.

Still..when I sat back to watch the games on TV it never seemed "loud enough" for me. Even in High Def it seemed like the stands were lacking the action. When i watched the Capitals games, the seats were full, the people standing..in Boston, at the start of each period the lower bowl gold EMPTY seats stood out. I realize its been unhip to be, or say you are a Bruins fan for a lot of years but the hassle and price of a ticket, you'd think these people would be in their seat.

Oh..and at the end..when we lose in OT on a fluke goal its real classy to toss your garbage on to the ice.

Do me a favor and stay the hell at home..seriously. You make the city look bad and the game look bad. When Washington lost I didn't see ONE thing get thrown on the ice. In fact..with 2 minutes left and the team down by 3+ goals their fans stood..and cheered. Sure they were going no further, but they told the team..we have faith in you..we will be here next year..we will make it hard for people to get tickets..we will make teams hate to play here because it is so noisy etc.

I want the team to win as much, or more than most. Some day I want to feel that feeling that "my team" did it. Am I tired of waiting? Well a little, but effort goes a long way..and if they rolled over all season then I'd be soured on it.

This post makes little sense as I try to work through what really is insignificant on the grand scheme of life..just trying to tell myself its okay, we will make it..and when the puck drops we will start the cycle all over...opening night is only 5 months away.

You hit me with the chain, you drive in the pain...

Hope you might take time out if your day to check out Forgotten Disc Friday.

This week, the band had a pretty big single off this record that made them a little more of a household name..as silly one..but a household name for a bit.

Also, happy b'day to Mrs. March tomorrow!

Thanks to all for reading.

Short stuff

Last night my mom called and wanted to know about "ear protection" for a concert she was headed to tonight. Sorta a fun, and funny conversation. Mom, ready to rock out once more.

Years ago the local outdoor amphitheater used to do "package" deals where you could sign up for 5 shows and have the same seats etc. My parents would go to Willie Nelson, Linda Rondsandt, Kenny Rodgers..stuff like that. I can't even think of the last thing they went to. I am SURE it will be way too loud for them no matter what.

On other happy/good news the Providence Bruins won last night and advance to the conference finals next. They play the Hershey Bears, whom they beat good at home, but lost badly to on the road. Should be a good series. As a partial season ticket holder this is the deepest into they playoffs they have gone with me on board. Good times..good times. Possibly three home games Memorial Day weekend..which is good and bad..mostly good though.

In the News...

In 2006, the world produced 161 "exabytes" of digital information - 3 million times the amount of information contained in all the books ever written. Next year, we could produce 988 exabytes of data. Columbia Journalism Review.

Thousands of boat owners hit hard by the recession are just abandoning their boats rather than paying for mooring or upkeep. Folks sandpaper off the registration numbers and sink the boats, or just ditching them in harbors. - The New York Times.

With automakers expecting to make 6 million fewer cars this year than five years ago, 1,200 car dealers will go out of business this year. 900 went out of business last year. - The Washington Post

Nearly half of Major League Baseballs 30 teams had a lower opening day payroll than they did a year ago. The Yankees still lead with a 201.4 million dollar payroll, but its down 8 million from last year. - USA Today

A government worker in Binghamton NY who had to stay at his desk during a recent massacre wants compensation for missing his lunch hour.

When Federal income tax was first established in 1913, the tax code was 400 pages, today it is 70,320 pages. - USA Today

Since 1976, there have been an average of 18 mass murders every year in the US in which gunmen kill four or more people. Nearly 3,000 people have died. - USA Today

Sales of wine, beer and other alcoholic products are on pace to rise 4.8% this year to 79 Million. Many drinkers are just drinking at home to save money. Associated Press

Illegal immigrants have given birth to about 4 million children on US soil. These children are US citizens by right of birth, making about 8.8 million people members of "mixed status" families, in which some members are legal and others face deportation. San Jose Mercury News

Legal firearm sales have soared 27% in the first three months of 2009. Many gun owners fear that the Obama administration will impose new restrictions, so they are buying now. The Wall Street Journal

A glut of stolen credit and debit card numbers is driving down the black market price of illicit financial data. Identity thieves now make about 50 cents per stolen number, down from about $16 per number in mid 2007. Washingtonpost.com

I'm a car broke down in the rain

Hope you might take time out if your day to check out Forgotten Disc Friday.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms reading and otherwise.

This week..well a one hit wonder for sure, but the overall cd was far stronger than I ever recall.

Thanks to all for reading.
-March

Oh boy...

Last night, little march was working on her homework. As of late homework has been a "big deal" and often she wants to be "left alone" to work on it. Okay, fine. The Bruins game was on so I left the room to give her some quiet.

A few moments later she walks into the room.

LM - Dad...
Me - Yes?
LM - is the property of a trapezoid...is that its a quadrilateral?
**crickets**
Me - ..
after 5-6 seconds.
Me - huh?

She is in 4th grade. Never mind being on the television show are you smarter than a 5th grader. I had to look at the "problem" three times. She had an idea of what it was..and I just said "do you guys go over this stuff tomorrow?" She said they do..and I said "Good, tell me what the answer is".

Mogwai - Wilbur Theater, Boston MA, May 1, 2009

Mogwai
The Wilbur Theater, Boston MA.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Support - The Twilight Sad

It has been a long, long time coming for this show. For a fair number of years now I have been a fan of Scottish instrumental mind melters "Mogwai" but their live shows seemed to elude me for one reason or another. Some tours they'd play the middle part of the state, skipping Boston all together. Last fall I was slated to see them live but the band cancelled the remainder of their tour after drummer Martin Bulloch fell ill. The dates were just cancelled, but a few weeks later there was bubbling of a "return visit". I waited a little longer than I like to get tickets and ended up getting 3 row balcony but I was dead center.

I arrived "way too early" and had to kill close to 30 minutes before fellow Scots "The Twilight Sad" took the stage. They were okay, but nothing left me hooked, or dying for more. They were not horrible, but I was ready for the main event.

About 20 past 9 the band took the stage to a thunderous roar. Touring in support of last years "The Hawk is Howling" the band opened with "The Precipice". Three guitars, bass and drums took off and filled the room with sound. It was just a terrific moment, everything I had hoped for. For the next 1 hour and 40 or so minutes I was treated to a smattering of the bands material all sort of mixed just right. There were a little too much "keyboards" for me at times though. I wanted that wall of Mogwai sound I had been reading about (and warned about) to come lashing out from start to finish. The band follows, at times the quiet-loud aesthetic, but never really over does it. There was the part of me that wanted it over done..and over done a lot, but the other part kept saying "let them shine, let them spread their wings some".

The audience was quiet and respectful and would wait for the songs to be over before shouting their adoration for the band or song played. At one time a "Thank you" came from the stage and an audience member shouts "NO...THANK YOU!"

This was the full set:

the precipice
friend of the night
scotland's shame
hunted by a freak
small children in the background
i'm jim morrison, i'm dead
killing all the flies
i know you are but what am i?
thank you space expert
helicon 1
2 rights make 1 wrong
batcat
encore:
my father my king

The pinnacle of the evening for me was the encore. The 20+ minute "My Father My King" from the opening notes I nearly had to sit on my hands. The song builds and builds and builds and then WHAMMMO you get it all thrown at you. My seat shook, the floor shook, it was an indoor earthquake and Mogwai proved they can play louder than balls. As the song begins to fade thus began the barrage of flashing lights and looping, distortion of the guitars/bass etc. I have to admit its cool, for 1-2 minutes, but when it goes on for 5+ minutes and in your mind you KNOW this is the last song there are parts of you that way to shout "Mercy" and have them be done with it already..but in doing that it would all be over too fast.

Mission accomplished. Mogwai 1..my eardrums - 0.

Hear them on myspace. Read about em on
Wiki. Check out their official site or a great fan site that has a great tour archive.

Odd "sign" of the times..well kinda..

Two things today made me go "hmmmm really?" (well more than two..but..)

I was running errands at lunch today and passed a small pizza place. Its pretty new and they had a "Help Wanted" sign up in their window. I saw the local "music paper" inside the door (its free) so I jumped in to grab the paper and on the back side of the same "Help Wanted" sign was another sign that read "NO POSITIONS AVAILABLE". Two birds w/one stone I guess?

Also, today in the mail there was a small package for me. This past Christmas Mrs. March got me a subscription The Hockey News. I am sure as part of her/our "paid" subscription there was some sort of gift. Well it arrived today. A "winter hat" (May 4th) and all over the package it said "Rush".

Oh well, its cool..it will get worn that is for sure.

Time can't afford no Time.

Hope you might take time out if your day to check out Forgotten Disc Friday.

I assure you, that you have heard one of the singles from this band in your passing, but what really matters is some of the other stuff..is even better. Hope you'll check it out!

Thanks to all for reading.
-March