I saw District 9... and S’crimps Kick Ass!
Posted by Benjamin Holcomb in Cinema on 22. Aug, 2009 | No Comments
So the other night, I saw this documentary called, “District 9.” It’s all about this guy named Steve (or Michael; I can’t remember which, so I’ll call him “Wikus”) who works in a boring office. I think the place is called Dunder-Mifflin. There’s also a TV documentary about him… but he doesn’t have an accent [...]
I saw Hypnogaja... And I Shook My Rock N’ Roll Bootie!
Posted by Benjamin Holcomb in Alternative, Music, Rock on 01. Aug, 2009 | No Comments
My prevailing thought this morning, after seeing L.A.-based rock band Hypnogaja live at The Viper Room (great live music venue once owned by Johnny Depp): I need to go out and see more local bands.
Seriously, Hypnogaja’s music is superior to 95% of the music we hear on Rock, New Rock and Modern Rock radio.
To my [...]
I saw Ladysmith Black Mambazo... And It Was Mellow Like Jell-O™
Posted by Benjamin Holcomb in Music, Worldbeat on 07. Jul, 2009 | No Comments
The best part about this show was seeing it with my father. I only saw two shows with my dad (the other being 10,000 Maniacs). This show happened in 1988, my senior year in high school. I wasn’t a big fan of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, but everybody knew who they were; Their collaboration with Paul [...]
I saw Laurie Anderson... And She Signed My Ticket!
Posted by Benjamin Holcomb in Alternative, Music on 05. Jul, 2009 | No Comments
This was an interesting show for me. I bought tickets with the following thoughts: a) I was a huge fan of Laurie Anderson’s “Strange Angels” (1989) and; b) I wanted to hear her music from earlier albums I’d never heard.
Neither ticket-purchasing criteria mattered. This was a spoken-word tour, devoid of any music. Not that I [...]
I saw Lollapalooza '91... with Jane’s, Siouxsie, NIN, Ice-T, Surfers and Rollins!
Posted by Benjamin Holcomb in Alternative, Festivals, Music on 02. Jul, 2009 | 2 Comments
I’m proud to say, “I was there” for the inaugural “Lollapalooza Festival” in 1991.
The brainchild of Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell, this was the first major concert festival of my generation… a veritable Woodstock for us Gen-Xers.
The line-up was astonishing, and included Jane’s Addiction, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Living Colour, Nine Inch Nails, Ice-T & [...]
I saw Nikka Costa... Nice Place To See a Show!
Posted by Benjamin Holcomb in Music, Pop on 02. Jul, 2009 | No Comments
I attended this show with a friend who really loves Nikka Costa. I had not heard of her before we saw this show at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve heard of her since the show in Hollywood.
Oh snap.
Seriously, though, I was not impressed with Ms. Costa [...]
I saw Public Enemy... in Canada!
Posted by Benjamin Holcomb in Music, Rap/Hip Hop on 30. Jun, 2009 | No Comments
I was a sophomore at the University of Michigan School of Art in 1990. My best friend, Andrew, and I were seriously bummed when word came around that the much-anticipated (for us, at least) “Sisters of Mercy and Public Enemy” tour was announced… then quickly canceled.
Rumor was that promoters feared a a clash between white [...]
I saw REO Speedwagon... And It Was Like a RenFair!
Posted by Benjamin Holcomb in Music, Rock on 29. Jun, 2009 | 2 Comments
1987 was my Junior year in high school. I remember really liking REO Speedwagon when I was in, like, elementary school. That would be around the time of REO’s “Hi Infidelity” which featured killer tracks like, “Don’t Let Him Go,” “Keep On Loving You,” and “Take It on the Run.”
I’m pretty sure REO had a [...]
