Depeche Mode: Review (More like unfiltered gushing)

All my peeps in Mountain View, CA, I mourn with you. (Confession: I don't have any peeps.) Sorry about the cancelled show. I guess what with Dave getting a tumor removed, injuring himself and Lollapalooza, this tour was just too eXXXtreme to handle. So you had to miss your evening of Dave, Martin, and Fletch. You'll always have amateur youtube videos of other people's shows. That and the concert DVD whenever that comes out.

But! I got to go! And so I refuse to let your sadness dim my enthusiasm for my first Depeche Mode live experience. It was everything I hoped for (and more?). Singing along with Martin (later dubbed Sir Sexy Sparklepants by Rachel) was so satisfying. I got to hear Enjoy the Silence and I couldn't decide between crying, smiling, or singing along to my favorite song everrrrrrr. I also saw the famed Dave Gahan mic stand spinning move during "A Question of Time". This was the best crowd I've ever been in. It beat even the Rush and the Stones crowds at the Idaho Center. It was so freaking LOUD, HOMG. Some guy a few rows ahead of me was into the same songs I was excited about. I got a kick out of noticing that.

This also marks my first show where I freaking knew ALL the words. I didn't even know all the words for Incubus back when I was a superfan. It was so much fun shout-singing along with Dave. I also took some shitty pictures, but if you want some vicarious fun, you can check out this fairly high quality YouTube playlist. These videos totally put my blurry Row 28 pictures to shame. (None of my Fletch photos turned out, sad.)

After this show, Dave was put on 48 hours rest for his voice, hence the cancelled show. Some people noted that they heard the roughness in the singer's voice but I didn't notice at all, probably because I was in musical heaven. I do remember being worried that he'd be tired after months of touring, but he moved around the stage and danced and sang well enough that I didn't think about it after the first number.

Anton's visuals were interesting. Umm, especially "Strangelove". I loved the screen globe and how it was used during "Policy of Truth"

GRIPES: "Stripped" was too short. Or at least if felt that way. Other forum posters said the same thing, so yeah, vindicated. There were also a few complaints about the "soft center" of the show, but I didn't care. I was also surprised that they didn't perform "Peace". After all, it is the second single off Songs of the Universe. (Check out the set lists here.) My last gripe - I wasn't close enough/I'm too short/I couldn't see their faces, waaaaaah.

Despite my slight disappointments, it was the best show I've ever been to and well worth the ticket price of $90 plus the cost of airfare. Now to see if I can tackle the rest of my must-see list. David Bowie, I'm looking at you. Come out of unofficial retirement, plz.

Hey kids

I am the proud owner of Chris Dane Owens' Blue Stone. I'll be reviewing that for your reading pleasure soon enough. I'm also going to be having a chat with him which I'll post in a couple days. I like talking to and about him because he's so genuinely kind. Also, I was pleasantly surprised by the track "Superhuman". It's kind of cheesy nineties-sounding techno, but I like it. This could get me some flack, but it reminds me of Moby/Recoil. Honestly, Moby and Recoil/Alan Wilder do cheesy things, too, so chill.

Add this to your bookmarks: http://www.justhearit.com/ Search the web for any song and find it immediately. It's pretty remarkable. It helps that it picks up Youtube links as well.

Also I'm getting tweets from the Leto brothers saying that the new 30 Seconds to Mars album is almost completed. I'm not sure if they mean recording or post production or what and I don't really want to go deeper into that because, come on, it's 30 Seconds to Mars.

Let's finish things up by posting a video to Adam Ant's "Puss'n Boots" off of Strip (1983). Strip era Adam is so damn attractive, it's criminal. Also this video features the shortest leather mini I've ever seen combined with the longest thigh-high boots. Sassy!

[link]

SotD - Mr. Mister "Broken Wings"

I was at work, listening to the radio, like you do, and this song came on. I'm a big fan of really earnest, melodramatic singing, so of course I love this song. I'm also a big fan of the video, which features singing while driving, singing while looking out windows, and singing while wearing a duster with the sleeves rolled up. Can you argue with that? No, I think not.



Link to video

OMG, this blog is a year old!

Let's take a step down memory lane, shall we.

~*The Chocchiphopera Highlight Reel*~

(1) I rediscovered Square One Television and learned the Angle Dance.

(2) I interviewed Chris Dane Owens at the height of his internet notoriety and made a friend. (Aww.)

(3) I helped spread the news of Warner Music's failure to utilize the publicity tool that is YouTube.

(4) I took inspiration from the film Kissing Jessica Stein and created a sexy-ugly picspam to ring in the new year.

(5) I discovered the magic that is Vitas' unearthly voice.


Macro courtesy of zestylime

What's new? My appreciation for Vitas!

I basically owe my awareness of Vitas to an LJ acquaintance. I still don't know a whole lot about him, but I do know that he was born in Latvia, raised in Ukraine, and resides in Russia. He speaks and sings in Russian. He's also super popular in China, and he performed at the pre-Olympics concert. According to his English language website, he has performed in the US and I'm crossing my fingers that he will again someday.

I've been watching this video a lot in the past few days:



I wish I were a sexy violinist. The best I can come up with is a fairly passable flutist/flautist.

Related links:
Vitas' official site in English
Vitas on Wikipedia

SotD: "The Heist" by The Lonely Island

Long before the album Incredibad came out, TLI fans had "The Heist". This video comes from a member of the Lonely Island LiveJournal Community and it's always been one of my favorite videos made using Microsoft Paint and Windows Movie Maker.



I hadn't thought of this songs in ages. An oldie (in terms of The Lonely Island's existence) but a goody.

You may be wondering

Sarah, how come you haven't talked about Blue Stone yet? The answer is simple: I'm holding out for the physical version. I want to hold that beloved jewel case in my hot little hands and then hug it to my chest in a spontaneous outpouring of love. So just wait, you harpies. Jeez Louise.