Bolt of Blue

Phantom Planet’s show at the Troubadour last Friday was simply incredible.

The entire night was emotional, fun, silly, and surreal. This is a band I’ve loved and followed for 10 years. My first time seeing them live was September 20, 1998. Ten years later, it was hard to believe this would be their final show. Alex said they are on indefinite hiatus. Not a break-up technically, but still… and apparently Sam told folks after the show that maybe they’ll be back in a couple years. As it stands though, Friday night may have been the last time I rock out to “All Over Again”… sniff.

Thinking back to all the memories of shows and signings through the years, I can’t help but get a little choked up. This band and their music shaped and formed most of my 20′s.

I’m so thankful I was there for this special show. It was bittersweet and rather magical. Jacques came back to play a couple songs including Recently Distressed and boy, did that take me back!

The disLike opened. Again. In many ways, this show encapsulated all the things I loved and loathed about the Phantom Planet fandom/world.

I’m sad this amazing band never made it as big as they deserved but I feel lucky to have been part of their journey. Their music lives on and I’ll always have my crush on Sam… le sigh.

Uploaded 8 videos I took. Behind the cut for those interested.
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I think I need a break. Not a vacation where you end up planning a bunch of things to do and end up running around. Just a break where I can do all of things that I want like scan a bunch of clippings, make thousands of screen grabs, redesign sites, sort through my books and clothes, toss what I don’t need, finish my taxes, clean up our condo, work on remodeling our bathroom… it’s rather endless.

When I get home from work, we’re usually too tired to do much of anything besides watch a little Animal Planet or the History Channel. Eat. Go to sleep. Start the day all over again. Weekends are a bit better. Fridays we reserve for Monk/Psych fun (sad it’s ending this week). Saturdays we do as much work as we can manage… but some Sundays we just veg and watch Law & Order marathons on USA all day.

And I just want my knee healed already. I went in last Friday for an MRI. That was weird. I’d never done that before. Tomorrow I go in for my results. My doctor ordered it because he didn’t like that I still can’t straighten my leg and it’s been over 2 months since the dislocation. The MRI is to make sure there’s no cartilage floating around in there. I guess it’s good if they find something or don’t. Either way, they’ll know what I need to do to get better.

Tonight I’ll be attempting a show at the Troubadour. French Kicks. I haven’t seen them in what feels like forever. I just hope I can get a seat because I really don’t think I could make it standing for hours. My friend’s band is opening for them. So I’m looking forward to seeing them too. Should be fun. And apart from going with Remi to see Flogging Molly last Friday, I haven’t been to a show in a very long time…

Damn you Blake Lewis for getting me sucked into American Idol again.

And damn you people who were putting on the test screening of Across the Universe! I was going to see this tomorrow evening but they cancelled the screening. I hope when it’s scheduled I’ll be able to go. Want to see so badly.

Alright, I was going to write up this whole account of the instore at Amoeba for the French Kicks and how I then ran over to the Troubadour and saw Division of Laura Lee rock the house.

I can only write about half of that since I never made it to the Troubadour due to my needing food and then my legs feeling really wacked. I’ll get to that in a moment. First, let me gush about the French Kicks and recite all the ways I love them.
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It had been more than several months since the last time I saw Mellowdrone so I was looking forward to this. I’d also never seen Elbow. The night turned out very relaxed and there was an underlying sadness to both sets. Jonathan started off the Mellowdrone set dedicating a song to Elliott Smith. The rumors were already sweeping the Troubadour that poor Elliott had killed himself. We didn’t want to believe these rumors. After an intense set of some new and old songs, my friend asked Jonathan if the rumors were true. Sadly, they were. We still didn’t want to believe even though we knew Jonathan and Elliott were friends. It was just to shocking and tragic and for a couple more hours, we held on to the belief that this was not reality. That Elliott was fighting to live and was not gone from this world.

Elbow were quite impressive. I don’t know if thoughts of Elliott influenced the emotions of the evening, but even though I had laughs with friends, I went home feeling cold and so very alone.

Sidenote: Nick Wechsler (of Roswell fame) walked up and joined the line right behind us prior to being let in. I turned bright red and pondered if I should talk to the fella. I know he recognized me but wasn’t sure where he knew me. Eventually I got the guts to strike up what turned out to be a hilarious and fun conversation. Such a sweet guy. In case you aren’t aware, I have a serious Roswell obsession. Still. I’ve met and seen Nick a few times now (see rock star). Plus, I have a lot of trouble talking to actors. Musicians = no problem. Actors = want to vomit.

The Mellowdrone show on Wednesday was lovely. Though the set was too short (for good reason it turns out), Jonathan once again impressed me. I felt this was one of his strongest and more playful performances I’ve seen in a while.

It’s certainly something to be surrounded by new fans and curious folks in a packed Troubadour who are all there to see Mellowdrone. Vastly different from the times I’ve seen him in a small bar with 12 other people where he goes on to sample my friend’s laugh and use it in a song.

If you have not checked out his EP, what are you waiting for? You can download all the songs on his website or buy a copy of the EP online for darn cheap.

Coachella is tomorrow. I’m so jumpy and excited about it. They announced the schedule. Only one major conflict for me… Hot Hot Heat conflicts with Blur and that is so wrong. And it looks like I’ll be dancing to Interpol as it all ends.

Speaking of Blur… check out their new video for Crazy Beat on MTV of all places! Swoon. And check out there performance on Jo Whiley. And apparently, in a LA radio interview today, it was mentioned that one Alex James is lost in Mexico without his passport. And this happens often. No wonder he had trouble getting into this country. Let’s see if he turns up on the Craig Kilborn show tonight.

Be still my Duranie heart. Finally. Duran Duran are doing 4 shows in Japan in July. More dates are expected. And damn, they better announce more soon or I’m seriously considering going into further debt to make my first trip to Japan. No joke. These shows will be the first time all 5 original members have performed together since Live Aid in 1985. That’s 18 years! I guess it’s kind of fitting that they will play in Japan first (possibly) as that is where Simon, Nick and Warren played their last show together as Duran Duran.

The box set (all their singles from 81-85) is due out June 10 in the US, May 12th everwhere else. So I’m thinking they may do some things in the US in June too to help promote its release. Right?

For all those who were concerned or just merely curious, Miss Modern Age made it to LA and is alive and currently sleeping on my couch.

Ewan Alert:

• Regis and Kelly, May 6
• Making of Down With Love, HBO, May 6
• Tonight Show, May 9

Last night I saw Phantom Planet at the Troubadour. They rocked. Played more songs than they intended to but they appreciated the loving from the crowd. Eddie and I realized that the crowds at Phantom shows don’t really rock out that much though. I guess it’s just us and a few people here and there. But we don’t care. Stood right in front of Sam. Right before he needed to sing back up, he moved his mike stand to be right in front of me. Then gave me this really big sweet smile as we made eye contact.

We got there so early cause we weren’t sure if we would be able to get in. It wasn’t a problem at all. Saw the guys plenty as they went in and out for their soundcheck and gear. Jason looked like a wreck. He’d been sick or something. I helped him get back into the Troubadour by knocking on the windows since no one was answering the door. He is a super sweet guy. When Sam walked by us at one point, he sort of looked up from the ground, made eye contact with me and said, ‘Hey guys,’ before looking back down at the ground and getting into the Troubadour. I said ‘hello’ before walking to get some sushi.

When Alex left with some guy and Jenny Lewis (I only think of Troop Beverly Hills and not Rilo Kiley, that a lot of the Phantom fans follow as well), he drove his car by us. 3 friendly fans (only got Brett’s name) were the first in line. We were second. Only this girl was there since the other two went to move their car or something. So it was just three of us sitting on the sidewalk. As Alex drove by, he looked over and gave us a big wave. It was sweet.

After the show, Eddie and I made our way to the bar area to finally pick up a membership packet and the b-sides cd. Had to walk by Sam. I told Eddie I think he is a cross between John Taylor and Nick Rhodes. Sigh… so maybe it was the lighting but I swear I kept making eye contact with Sam. And that was it. The membership packet is very cool. Now I have to send in my picture for the corny membership card. Can’t wait to get it.

Let me see, anything else? Up in the balcony it was fun to watch the guys getting ready and looking down at the show and Sam stressing over the computer hooked up to a projector. He is such a computer nerd. Love him! Jason helped Sam stretch which I found funny since Jason is like half of Sam’s height. Oh, they sort of messed up the encore but it worked out. They did do one. Played ‘Surrender’ and ‘Sabotage’. Alex threw a bag of tostitos into the crowd randomly since Jason brought them onto the stage. Got a little offended when this young gal behind me asked her friend after the show ended what song ‘Sabotage’ was. How could she not know? Ahhh!!! Starting to feel really old… and my birthday is in… 9 days… oh man.