The Holidays are firmly here and what better way to ring in the season with the 12 year old red blooded boy that you mentor then a Saturday matinee of the Nutcracker? In all candor it was as part of our association the Washington Street Foundation; the incredible organization that provides incredible opportunities for 40+ valley kids in the valley. Armando admitted that he kind of liked the ballet, at least the visual image of girls prancing around in tights behind an insanely colorful and elaborate backdrop.
The Nutcracker is somewhat of a tradition with my family and I was happy to get a free chance to see what IB Anderson had up his sleeves this year. There's something magical about that production that extends beyond the legions of smartly dressed mothers and daughters. There's also something special about the Washington Street Foundation.
In the 18 months that I have been apart of the organization we have taken the kids to do the following things:
Learn the art of bell making and the science of alternative community development from Cosanti
Learn about college from visits to Scottsdale and Paradise Valley Community Colleges
Visit the Out of Africa Wildlife Refuge and Phoenix Zoo
Ponder the abstract genius of Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin
Learn about nutrition and rudimentary culinary arts
Visit the Mesa Museum of Art for the Muppet's display
Learn the fundamentals of rock climbing and rappelling
The kids are introduced to culture, arts, science, and opportunities that would normally be beyond the limited means of their families. To top it all off they get college scholarships upon successful graduation from the program. Christmas is the time to express gratitude for things that truly enrich our lives. I'm not even a student but I've greatly benefited from the opportunity to be part of this group. I can only imagine the magnitude of positive influence it has over kids from difficult circumstances.
The holidays are upon us and soon time will expire forcing us to reveal how unfulfilled our intentions were through Outback Steakhouse gift cards. Here are a few thoughts to enjoy while you nibble on some gingerbread cookies.
Christmas Music- In our attempt to inject some Christmas spirit into our lives we inundate ourselves with music from the season. Unfortunately most of the music is sourced at the commercial springs of our local radio stations. So instead of "Silent Night" we get fifteen different pop renditions of "Santa Baby". I can tolerate 1-5 listenings of the Muppet's rendition of the "Twelve Days of Christmas". But when it is played for the 6th time in 24 hours and I haven't even heard "Away in a Manger", "The First Noel", or "We Three Kings" once I have to wonder why we have such a hard time even mentioning the real reason for why we celebrate this holiday. Here's to more sentimental, traditional, and -dare I say- religous music at Christmas.
The surprising quality from the 80's- Do you ever get sucked into watching one of those countdown or "remember the..." programs? The other night Jodi and I fell victim to a VH1 countdown of the best songs from the 1980's. Somewhere between "A-Ha" and "Guns N' Roses" we realized how great that music was, especially in relation to the uninspiring stuff of the past decade. These songs offered a new sound, were well crafted, and were exceptionally catchy. I have a hard time naming any song from the past 8 years that could be considered ground breaking or orginal. I have a hard time naming any song from the past 8 years that could be a "pop classic" on the scale of "Billie Jean" or "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." I probably have 1,200 songs from 2000-2008 and they are all suprisingly just pretty good.
Eleanor Antin- On a recent trip to San Diego we had the opportunity to visit Museum of Art at Balboa Park. On display was the work of Eleanor Antin. Her work was titled "Historical Takes" and it focuses on a large series of tableaux photographs that are based on Greek and Roman history but mixed with modern themes. I have posted a couple of her photos here for your enjoyment or dismay. I think her work is definitely worth a moment of your time.
Favorite Movies, universal theme?- We recently rewatched "Stranger than Fiction" and I remembered why it is amongst my favorite flicks. The ending credits had barely begun to roll when I realized how similar this is to a couple of my other favorite movies, "Truman Show" and "Lost in Translation". They are all great films that mark a serious departure for actors who had previously only been known as goofy comedians. They do a great job of broaching themes of loneliness, dreams, and human connection. They all were original and had a very quirky charm. Do yourself a favor and go rent one of these great movies over the holiday break.
We see something once and it is quickly dismissed. We see it again for the second or third time and you have to wonder if a pattern exists. Here are a few observations that might or might not be of any merit. Maybe a social scientist can test these casual hypotheses.
Jewish versus Mormon involvement in the advancement of members within their communities- I have worked with people within both communities and, for whatever reason, there is a greater sense of mentorship and inclusiveness within the Jewish community. It is worth noting that I have almost exclusively lived in areas with strong Mormon communities which might lead to a greater attempt to distance religion and work place advancement due to potential cries of favoritism and bias.
A more social lifestyle equals a more active life- People, when left to themselves, seem inherently lazy. It is a special person, such as my sisters Amy or Megan, who can motivate themselves to great athletic heights. The rest of us need devices like social pressures, gym memberships, and friends who also share a sense of guilt in order to consistently burn our calories. The more friends we have the greater the chance is that you will be involved in an activity that requires some physical exertion.
Drivers with vanity plates are more likely to cut me off on the freeway- Who is the typical vanity plate owner? Its mister type A personality who is out to prove how cool he is. These types are, by definition, more aggressive and more likely to swerve their heavily financed three series in front of me during rush hour.
I'm less likely to know my neighbors name if I live in a suburb as opposed to the city- For whatever reason there is a greater sense of anonymity out here as people keep themselves and there are fewer activities/establishments to bring the community together. Rural and Urban communities seem to have a greater sense of involvement and mutual ownership.
Mormons are less likely to have healthy views towards sex then other groups- We grow up learning about abstinence and morality. We then get married and what was once an anathema and a taboo is now vociferously encouraged. The problem is that there is little discussion when the green light is lit and most couples are left fumbling in the dark when it comes to intimacy. Strange and explicit blogs like this try and fill in the void and engender some kind of conversation on the matter.
Review of Coldplay Concert: November 26th, 2008, Phoenix Arizona
Few bands can make "arena" rock work. Even fewer bands can pull off a meaningful show in a stadium. Live music is about the fan and the band making an intimate connection through the music. That connection becomes weaker the greater amount of people that you throw into the arena. Relative newcomer Coldplay- well relative to stadium stalwarts like U2, Stones, Madonna, and the Eagles- is out to prove that they can reach every member of the audience and their performance Wednesday night at Jobing.com arena proved that they are almost ready for inclusion into that elite group.
For better or worse Coldplay can't stop being compared to U2. It only takes five minutes of watching the performance before you realize that the comparisons are justified. Norm put it well when he stated that the show is a poorman's U2 concert. There are several hallmarks that make a U2 show unique, here is a breakdown of how Coldplay performed relative to those benchmarks.
Rock Anthems- The U2 catalog is scattered with myriad songs that on any given night 75% of the audience knows intimately. The result is a moment where the band and crowd sway, sing, and cry in unison. There is electricity in the air that is more related to the energy generated by the crowd then by the loudness of the amp. Coldplay has several songs that apply for the term, "anthem" but realistically only "Yellow", "Clocks", and "Viva La Vida" qualify. These are good songs in their own right but the energy generated by the band isn't quite reciprocated by the audience. The intimacy and personalization of the songs just aren't there.
Stage Set Up- Both bands are notorious for the lengths that they will go to in order to connect with the audience. Coldplay took lead from the Elevation and Vertigo tours by extending the stage into the crowd. They even go a step further by locating a temporary stage far into the lower bowl. The result is electric and ballsy. Hat's off for bringing the show to us.
Pyrotechnics- The lighting, screens, and themes very much mirror U2 and many other veteran bands. For the most part the set up enhances the music and doesn't get in the way. The glaring exception was the lasers used during "Clocks" that were eerily reminiscent to the old laser "Floyd" shows that we attended at the planetarium during high school.
Leading Men- I think that even Chris Martin will admit that he has a major Bono complex. Both have unbridled energy, optimism, vocal range, and desire to convey their musical message to the farthest reaches of the arena. But whereas Bono's energy is now finely honed and controlled, Martin's comes across as scattered and somewhat spasmodic. You watch Bono and he has a charismatic and sexual appeal. You watch Chris Martin and sometimes you wonder if he gets the caffeine injected intravenously.
Politics- You can't mention either band's name without muttering Amnesty International or World Hunger in the same breath. Surprisingly the couple U2 tours were far more "message driven" then the Coldplay show. Martin spared us the preaching tonight.
I could probably draw a few more comparisons but you get the point. Coldplay isn't performing to the level of U2 but they, surprisingly, aren't too far behind. I just wish that they had more songs that were worthy of creating that intimate connection.
All in all it was a great show. The chemistry between the band mates is tangible and very real. The way that they interact with each other and interchange roles is world class. Highlights included "Lovers in Japan" as an encore with the paper butterflies mingling with the lights to create a joyfully thick ambiance and the crowd helping out Martin sing "Fix You". Certain songs that I didn't care too much for on the album really came to life when performed live.
I do have a couple of complaints. The wait was long and the opening acts did little to hold our attention. The avant garde sounds of John Hopkins really don't work outside of a club or Soho. Also, I was pretty disappointed to find out that the band plays the exact same set list from show to show. I understand that the complexity of the show makes things rigid but the acoustic set provides plenty of opportunities to mix it up. Our show was the last one in North America and I was expecting something a bit different than the standard set list.
