He has a radio program on WXOU out of Oakland University
Wild At Heart
I hope everyone had a good Fourth of July weekend and forgives me posting one day late. I spent the week at the pool or either working (Modest Mouse, Stars & Stripes Festival) or seeing concerts (Clapton/Daltrey) though I was disappointed that Jason Derulo's plane had mechanical issues and he missed his free show at the Stars And Stripes Festival yesterday. I was also disappointed to find out that the Korean girl group Wonder Girls canceled their Detroit date this week and that Lilith Fair has imploded canceling 10 dates down south and Queen Latifah, Kelly Clarkson and La Roux all dropping off the tour leaving the tour as a partial shell of itself. The Courtyard Hounds (2/3 of the Dixie Chicks) have been added but it doesn't seem as fun. What happened to all that girl power? This has been a weird year for concerts with a bunch of tours getting canceled, pushed back or reworked. I think the tours that are hurting most are those that are charging too much or playing venues bigger than their audiences at this time. I have been at a lot of sold out shows recently which shows people are going to concerts but I think a lot of bands have to rework their business model for these economic times. Speaking of shows, here are my picks for the week.
Tuesday (7/06) – one of the best live bands ever, Devo @ Power Center (Ann Arbor)
Wednesday (7/07) - 311 & Offspring @ Pine Knob, Verve Pipe @ Detroit Zoo
Thursday (7/08) – country rockers the Outlaws open for Travis Tritt @ Pine Knob
Friday (7/09) - George Clinton & P-Funk @ Chene Park, guitarist Dave Mason @ Ren Center for Rocking On The Riverfront, Silverstein @ St Andrews Hall, local rockers Catfish Mafia @ Riley Park (Farmington), Hentchmen w/Graveside Manner @ the Ritz (Warren)
Saturday (7/10) - punk rockers GBH w/ Outernational @ Small’s, the great Richie Havens @ the Ark, Santana w/ Steve Winwood @ Pine Knob, Scott Morgan & Irrationals CD release party w/Howling Diablos and Doop & The Inside Outlaws @ Magic bag
Sunday (7/11) - Hole w/Foxy Shazam @ Fillmore, Matt Kearney @ the Ark, the lovely Sara Bareilles opens for One Republic @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Moving on to movies, the new M Night Shyamalan summer blockbuster opened and kids everywhere were excited. I have always enjoyed sci-fi/horror films, so I should love the fact that there is a big time director making these types of films but while promising, his last four movies (The Happening, Lady In The Water, The Village, Signs) have been big disappointments for me. His recent films really tend to lack heart so I wondered what his newest release would be like. Unfortunately, while playing on a grander scale than his last four films combined, the same issues seem to plague this film. Starting off for those not familiar with the source material, the “Last Airbender” takes place in a world which is divided into four kingdoms based on the the four elements (Water, Air, Earth, and Fire). Each kingdom has people which can harness the powers of the elements though the Fire Nation decides it's clan should dominate the world and when they learn of the coming of a new Avatar (a person of one of the tribes who ensures peace throughout the land) to the Air Nomads, they wipe them out to ensure no interference in their plans to rule the world. However, the Avatar has escaped and is trapped until he is found 100 years later by siblings Katara (Nicola Peltz) and Sokka (Jackson Rathbone) from a Southern Water Tribe. They decide to help the Avatar learn the skills needed to bring peace upon the land and defeat the plans of the current Fire Lord Ozai while forming strong bonds with his exiled son, Prince Zuko. The films ends with a big fight when the Fire Nation launches a big attack against the Northern Water Kingdom in hopes of crushing a major enemy and also capturing the Avatar. That is when we find this is part 1 of a series which I find really annoying since it leaves a lot open and for those that actually like the film, they need to hope it makes enough money to make a sequel possible. I'll start off with the positive aspects of the movie and that is solely laid on the shoulders of the wonderful FX team at ILM and the fight choreographers. The film is absolutely wonderful to watch, probably best with the sound off. The fight scenes with their wire work and FX magic of clashing elements are wonderful to watch and the ice castles of the Northern Tribe are stellar. Beyond that, there is not much help as the cast seems almost forced in giving their lines. Only the scenes between Prince Zuko (Dev Patel) and Uncle Iroh (Shaun Toub) seem to have any real emotion behind them. I think I might have to call Shyamalan's writing skills to task here. If he directs the sequel, he might have to go the George Lucas route on having better writers take charge of the film's dialogue and have him focus on directing only. I hope fans of the series get the opportunity to see the film trilogy get finished but I don't see how that can happen with Shyamalan at the reigns, esp with the backlash against having a all white cast which might hurt marketing in Asian countries which is where the source material comes from. I'll give the movie a C- if only because I feel younger kids will enjoy it no matter what (based on the popularity of the anime) and on the power of the FX which might make this a great $1 film when it hits those theatres.
This weeks band of the week will be 100 Monkeys. I feel sorry for Jackson Rathbone being stuck in the “The Last Airbender” but I am a fan of his band which he formed with with two friends whom he met in high school at Interlochen Arts Academy, Ben Graupner and Ben Johnson. I still don't understand the significance of the banana unless it's some artsy thing (maybe a tribute to Warhol). I will be playing an interview with Jackson and Nicola about “The Last Airbender”on my show this upcoming Saturday morning (between 8-10AM on WXOU 88.3FM or www.wxou.org) but here are a few songs to hold you over until then.
Have a good week and here are some picture of Jackson and Nicola when they were in town last weekend.
and stuff by photographer supreme Riaz:
Also, Wild Bill, Buddy Guy and Saad @ Legends in Chicago.
Lastly, I have interviews with Detroit legends singer Kim Weston and guitarist Dennis Coffey on my show this Saturday also.