Pretty Persuasion
News and Notes, in Roughly Negative Chronological Order:
The National Car Rental "Emerald Club" Tent, Honolulu Int'l Airport: Really? The best you can do for me as an Executive Baller is a choice between a Grand Prix and a Malibu? Really? Grade: D
2007 Chevy Malibu (Rental Version): The actual retail Malibu has won all sorts of words en route to becoming the Great White Hope for GM finding its way out of this mess. Unfortunately, they continued to manufacture the Old Malibu for rental fleets. Grade: C
Hawaii: Sucks. I'm not kidding. Grade: C-
2007 Chevy Cobalt: This was the first rental car I got in Honolulu, with the choice between that and the Pontiac G5. Reasoning that I liked the G5 except for its shitastic interior, and hoping that the Cobalt would improve on that score, I went for the Chevy. BZZZT!! WRONG ANSWER!!! Grade: D+
R.E.M. and Modest Mouse, United Center, Chicago, IL: Modest Mouse was terrible. I'd like to believe that this was just due to their unfamiliarity with the arena concert-going audience, but... it was more than that. There was distinct contempt for their fans. How is Modest Mouse going to play that large a show and not play "Float On?" Are you fucking high? This was a Walkman-level performance (see archives for details).
Luckily, REM fucking delivered. I've had this discussion in meatspace with Steve at least a half dozen times -- REM is extremely underrated, and need to be in the discussion of finest bands of our era. Next time, I will spring for the good seats instead of settling for the upper rafters, parallel to the band, that still cost $45 a head. Grade: B
2007 Dodge Magnum: Surprisingly driveable. Not offensive. I know, I was surprised as hell too. Grade: B
2007 Pontiac G5: A lot of sportiness for a car that you could buy new for like $14K. Not my first choice, but it handled the curving highways into and around Knoxville, TN with aplomb. Grade: B
Lynyrd Skynyrd: Forget your lust for the rich man's gold / what you need is in your soul / And you can do this, if you try / All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied. Grade: A
The Throwback Mark Grace Jersey I'm Going to Wear to the Cubs / Sox Game at Wrigley Next Weekend: Oh man, this is going to be fucking sweet. Fuck the Sox. Grade: A+++
Labels: cars, gallimaufry, music
posted by neill at 5:36 AM
5 Comments:
Did you buy their album in a patchouli smelling indie record store before 4 years ago? If you did not, I get the distinct impression that Modest Mouse doesn't like you and doesn't want you listening to them.
And REM is awesome.
11:24 PM
neill's reviews: A+
WTF happened to modest mouse anyway? I'm a latecomer to their game anyway. Whatevs.
Did a pack of Lucky Strikes come with the Mark Grace throwback?
I need a Ron Cey jersey.
10:32 AM
I need a Coomshot jersey... Or a shooter jersey, to honor the dead.
12:08 PM
Nice use of "patchouli," BTW.
5:44 PM
I was at the same concert, in the shitty upper rafters, and was delighted by the throngs of restless people waiting for the band to roll out the greatest hits. "Play some shit we know!" one of them screamed as the boys dusted off some IRS-era gems. A great night, start to finish.
12:09 PM
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