As you may or may not know, I am not usually one for spoilers. While I don’t mind knowing who is going to guest star on How I Met Your Mother or The Big Bang Theory, I REALLY don’t want to know what’s happening next on Dexter or Friday Night Lights, or who’s getting kicked off Project Runway.
Similarly, I have enjoyed all the surprises of Glee so far this season. This includes both plot lines (Rachel and Puck? Brilliant!) and the songs they perform. While I knew that Kristen Chenoweth was going to be on the show at some point, I didn’t know when, and seeing her show up and sing a dueling pianos version of “Maybe This Time” with Rachel was a major thrill.
With that in mind – today the first volume of the Glee soundtrack was released, and so of COURSE I went to get it on my lunch break. I figured that it would just have the songs from the first half of the season – i.e. what we’ve already seen. It did – along with two extras that I assume we’ll hear sometime this month. While I’m disappointed about being a little spoiled, the tracks are so good, they pretty much make up for ruining the surprise.
This post is brought to you by one part disappointment, one part nostalgia.
A friend has asked me to make her a Best of U2 mix. This is proving to be a lot harder than I thought. In fact, it might be the hardest mix I’ve ever made. Don’t get me wrong – there is nothing I enjoy more than putting together a good music compilation. So, I’m having a good time.
The problem is, U2 has a ton of great songs. Best of? Almost every song is a classic! So far, I have it narrowed down to, erm…70. (I’m working on it, I swear. But I honestly don’t know what to cut from the list of 70. Do you NEED the original version of “Stay” as well as the mind-blowing live version? Yes, yes you do. Does almost every song from Achtung Baby need to be on there? Well, it’s only their best album, so duh. Welcome to my brain for the last few days.)
Anyway. So, I’m not going to see their tour this time around. Despite my love for almost everything they’ve done ever, I’m not too excited about their latest effort. I hate that I don’t love it.
I was totally fine with my decision until I started working on this mix. Then I remembered how much I love The Boys, and that they put on a show like no one else. So I looked to see if tickets were still available. They are – but only behind the stage. And, though there is not really a bad seat in at a U2 concert, behind the stage is not ideal. I don’t mind being high up in the nosebleeds, so long as I’m facing the stage. So…woe is me. Pity me. For the first time since 1997, I’m not seeing my beloved foursome on tour.
But hey, you didn’t click over here to read about me feeling sorry for myself. So, let’s get on with it.
Making this mix has also reminded me that U2 has so many hidden gems. Not breakout hits, these aren’t songs one would think about putting on a “best of” collection. Well, OK, so a few might actually be on The Best of U2, but they aren’t songs people remember when they think about U2. Not a “Streets” or “One” in the mix.
Without further adieu, here are some hidden gems in U2’s catalogue.
Closer to you every day. Didn’t want it that much anyway.
“Gone” (from Pop)
When Pop first came out, my friend and fellow U2 fanatic said she believed the song was about Bono’s Mr. MacPhisto from the ZooTV tour. I don’t know if she was right. But I do know this is one of my favorites from the album. See for yourself below. Also: The Edge is a fucking badass.
Love is hard, and love is tough. But love is not what you’re thinking of.
“Please” (from Pop)
One of the best songs about religion, written by a Christian talking about the dangers of religon. (Got that?) On the album, it’s all techno-driven and loud and angry. I love that version, but I also love this stripped down one from 2001.
Am I buggin’ you? I don’t mean to bug ya. OK, Edge, play the blues! “Silver and Gold” (from Rattle and Hum)
According to legend, they wrote this song in one hour. Kind of hard to believe. It’s so powerful. And, of course, Bono is ever the showman. (Also, I just really like saying, “Am I buggin’ you? I don’t mean to bug ya.” Try saying it to someone who won’t get the reference. It’s fun.)
She will suffer the needle’s chill. She’s running to stand still.
“Running to Stand Still” (from The Joshua Tree)
To be honest, I didn’t give this song much thought until I saw the ZooTV tour. Bono gives a spine-tingling performance that always leaves me breathless. If you didn’t know what the song was about before, you will after seeing this.
The Irish been coming here for years, feel like they own the place. “New York” (from All That You Can’t Leave Behind)
This is a pretty stirring song, all things considered. I don’t think it was written to be, but timing is everything. I saw them perform it in November, 2001, just a few months after Sept. 11th. Unlike the video below, during the song, they ran the names of every person who was killed that day. The audience held their breath through the last note. It was one of the most memorable experience of my life.
Don’t you know you old fool, you never can win. “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” (from Frank Sinatra’s Duets)
After Natalie Cole but before American Idol, Bono did the whole split screen duet thing. The result is delightful, and oddly touching. (Also, Bono sounds super sexy.) See for yourself.
Still I’m waiting for the dawn. “Yahweh” (from How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb)
This will go down in U2’s history as one of the songs best heard live. While it’s great on the album, this song is an anthem, best experienced in concert.
I spend my whole life running; he spends his running after me. “The First Time” (from Zooropa)
Quite simply, this is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Quiet, unassuming, perfect.
You are the first one of your kind. “Original of the Species” (from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb)
Another song I didn’t pay mind to until hearing it live. You guys – this song – this song is wonderful. Bono and The Edge wrote it for their oldest daughters. Before I knew that, I didn’t get it. I do now. “Original of the Species” is a glimpse into fatherhood. Bono and the Edge share what it’s like for them to watch their little girls grow up. Quite honestly, I can’t listen to the song now without tearing up. Also, this video you’re about to see is from the concert I went to. And it was Bono’s birthday. And his daughter’s. Pretty awesome to have that night captured forever on film. (And yet…I don’t own this DVD.)
Here she comes. Heads turn around.
“Miss Sarajavo” (from Original Soundtracks 1)
I don’t know that any introduction is needed. The song – and this performance in particular (seen in U2:3D) is breathtaking. Definitely a rare gem in the U2 ouvre.
Last, this is not really an obscure track (I don’t think), but it is my favorite U2 song of all time, so I must include it.
You say when he hits you, you don’t mind. Because when he hurts you, you feel alive. Oh now. Is that what it is? “Stay (Faraway, So Close)” (from Zooropa)
I love it in any form: on the album, live, acoustic, plugged in, whatever. However, my favorite performance would have to be this one. Just look at how his eyes bulge, and his neck sticks out. Is it weird I think that’s incredibly sexy?
Next time round, I’ll come see you, Bono. I promise. In the meantime, I’m going to work on narrowing the compilation down to at least 50.
Who has two thumbs and just scored tickets to Bye Bye Birdie in September? THIS GIRL!
It’s fair to say that I am just a bit excited.
First of all, it’s got a great cast. Sure, you’ve got John Stamos, who I am sure will be an excellent Albert Peterson. But, honestly, I am most excited about Bill Irwin. I love Bill Irwin. I’ve loved him ever since he played The Flying Man, the mute circus performer who wooed Marilyn, on Northern Exposure.*
A few years ago, I had the privilege of seeing him and Kathleen Turner in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, for which he won a Tony. Most recently, he was one of the only things I liked about Rachel Getting Married.
You might also remember him as the clown on that episode of The Cosby Show where Cliff takes Rudy’s friends out for her birthday.
What most amazes me most about Bill Irwin is the complete and total command he has over his body. It’s just amazing to watch, even when he’s not being a clown or doing acrobatics. Playing George in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, he communicated so much to the audience without dialogue – the way he carried himself, his body language, his face – spoke volumes. (And let’s not forget, The Flying Man had entire conversations with Marilyn without speaking a word.)
It’s rare that you see a performer on TV, stage, or movies who really stands out. Bill Irwin stands out. Without even knowing who he was, I remembered him as the clown on The Cosby Show for years. That episode is a permanant part of my childhood. On a mere two episodes of Northern Exposure, he stood out to me as one of the best characters in the series.
The point is, Mr. Irwin is extremely talented, and I can’t wait to see him sing about Ed Sullivan and go beserk when his meals keep getting cleared away before he’s had a chance to eat.
Here’s another clip of him, playing the fool to Karen Ziemba in a Sondheim Celebration at Carnegie Hall. (I couldn’t find the one where he gets dragged off stage, but this is pretty great, too.)
So, there’s one reason why I’m thrilled about Bye Bye Birdie.The other reason? It’s a great show. It’s the show that introduced me to musical theater, back in 1994, when I was in my community theater’s production. I was a chorus girl, and got to wear a poodle skirt and bounce around the stage singing “Going steady! Going steady!” It was a blast. A few years later, my high school put it on. By then, I was behind the scenes, and ran sound for the production. Again: it was a blast.
Despite being wildly popular in regional, community, and high school theater, I think this is an overlooked production. (Can you believe this is the first time it’ll be on Broadway since its debut in 1960?)It’s a very light show – nothing serious, lots of jokes. But if you actually listen to the score, it’s pretty tight. Think about it: “The Telephone Hour,” “Kids”, “A Lot of Livin’ to Do”, “Spanish Rose”, “Talk To Me” “Put On A Happy Face”, “One Boy”, “Hymn for A Sunday Evening” and (my personal fave) “Rosie”, among others. Plus, the book is hilarious. There’s a reason the show won a slew of Tonys.
My only concern is critics will write Birdie off as”dated.” Well, sure it is. It’s supposed to be. It parodies a very specific time in America. Hopefully I’m wrong. Hopefully critics will love it and Birdie will be the hit of the season.
After all, with all the shit going on in the world right now, this lighthearted, frothy show is just what America needs.
*For those interested, he did a great interview for American Theater Wing’s Downstage Center podcast a few years ago. You can find it here.
… I am still not sure about (500) Days of Summer. I really, really wanted to like it. It’s got a drop dead gorgeous leading man and leading lady (Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt) It’s hip. It’s a contemporary film about single people my age. And, unlike a lot of romantic comedies out there (even though it is NOT A ROMANTIC COMEDY) it’s quirky, fresh, and something different.
There’s just one problem: I hated Summer.
I know that’s kind of the point of the film. (Or is it?) She’s supposed to be someone unattainable, someone that all the guys love and all the girls secretly hate. Someone with an ephemeral quality that cute, hipster boys seem to love so much. It’s not a love story; it’s a story about love.
But I couldn’t help it. Summer is an amalgam of all the girls I’ve ever known and secretly hated. (And not just because she’s the kind of girl boys go for. It’s because she’s so…transparently fake. I mean, really, who runs around IKEA pretending to be married? I bet she doesn’t watch TV either, because she thinks it’s a waste of time. Get the fuck over yourself, fictional character!)
Some background:
After I graduated college and moved to Chicago, my first job was crewing on a documentary about vampires. (No, really.) I was thrilled. The guy making the documentary was cool, and I was actually going to get paid to work on a film. But all that changed after I met the other crew member. She was my very own version of Summer. My Summer dressed all hipstery, wore too much lip balm, and had that “I cut my hair at home because it’s too expensive to go to a salon, that’s why it’s all uneven, doesn’t it look GREAT?” ‘doo. My Summer had scrabble nights at her apartment. She didn’t DARE watch TV. And, to top it all off, she turned my cool, funny director into a total douche bag.
In short, I hated her.
So maybe this movie hit a little too close to home for me. Maybe I didn’t give Movie Summer a fair shot. After all, she does love The Boy With the Arab Strap, and so do I.
After the movie I was in a foul mood. It put a bad taste in my brain. So my immediate reaction was to not like (500) Days of Summer.
However, it’s 5 days later and I’m still thinking about the film. So, what does that mean? Was it just so unpleasant that it’s still there, lingering like bad Mexican food? Or did I secretly love it, and my brain is trying to process this surprise?
My immediate thought walking out of the theater was that I wouldn’t see the movie again. Once was enough. But now I’m thinking I need to revisit Tom and Summer’s relationship. I need to go in with a clean slate, and not equate Summer to the annoying girls in college and my post-college nemesis. Maybe I should watch the film and try to see things from her perspective.
Damn. Don’t you hate it when a film makes you think?
Video of the Day: Whether or not I end up liking (500) Days of Summer, I already know I love this. The song is called “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here” by She and Him – the “She” being Zooey Deschanel. The duo has one album thus far (Volume I), and it’s delightful. If you haven’t gotten it yet, check it out here.
Last month, I had the pleasure of seeing Next to Normal at the Booth Theater in New York. I haven’t written about the show, mostly because I can’t say muchwithout spoiling it for future theater-goers. My friend and I went in knowing very little about the show, and that’s the way to see it.
Here’s what I can tell you: The show is about a woman named Diana struggling with depression and mental illness, and how this affects her family. Her husband just wants things to be normal, loves his wife unconditionally, and is frustrated that she is unable to return to her former self. Her daughter is a perfectionist, eager to get a scholarship to college and flee her family. Her son is, as Diana puts it, “a little shit.” Throughout the show, Diana goes through a variety of treatments; some help, some don’t.
Despite the depressing plot, it’s actually a very funny show. Diana, who knows she is sick, has a sarcastic self-awareness. Likewise, her daughter Natalie has inherited Diana’s quick wit.
It’s also sad, and the most heartbreaking character of all is Diana’s husband, Dan, played to perfection by J. Robert Spencer. There’s been a lot of hoopla about Alice Ripley’s performance. And yeah, she’s very good. I can see why she won the Tony this year. But to me, the real hero in this ensemble is Spencer. I’m not an actor, and I wouldn’t presume to know anything about playing a character struggling with depression. However, it’s one of those roles that garners attention. It’d be easy for the person playing the foil to be cast aside. Spencer does not let this happen. He holds his own against Ripley, and gives one of the best, most convincing performances I’ve ever seen. Watching Dan struggle to keep his family together broke my heart. And, without giving too much away, there is a scene in the second act between Dan and his son, Gabe, that brought me to tears. (See picture above) In fact, I still get teared up listening to it on my iPod.
Those kids were cute on the Tony Awards, and I’m dying to see Billy Elliot, but Spencer was seriously robbed this year. He should have won.
And really, that’s all I can say about the show. Everyone should go see it. It’s heavy, but not in-your-face. It will make you think. It will move you. But, much like Rent (also directed by Michael Greif), it leaves the audience feeling hopeful, and ready to live life to the fullest. (Cliche? Maybe. But it’s true.)
Oh yeah, and the music is incredible. I can’t get the score out of my head.
Here’s a little taste – here is one of my favorite songs from the first act.
And now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go listen to the cast recording for the second time today.
Retrowatching 