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Hey, remember Bis? That '90s indie rock band from Scotland that used to be on Grand Royal Records? Well guess what? They're back...kinda. The former members of Bis got together (like a year ago) to form a new band and are now performing as dataPanik. Check 'em out.
After you watch this video from Goldfrapp's Black Cherry tour, you will see why...
In truth, I became a fan before knowing anything about the Theremin playing, the antenna licking, the horse tail and the squatting. All of that is just a bonus for me. The reason I became a fan...her voice and vocal talents.
Goldfrapp return to the States for a limited tour (again) but this time with a handful of live performances (not one like last year). In fact, you can count the dates with two hands -- TWO HANDS, people! Better than one or two fingers.
Anyways...people are saying that a full US tour would happen in the fall. We shall see.
In case you want to see the band (and judge for yourself why this band is worth the watch), here are some of those dates -- all in the merry old month of May:
8th - Fillmore, San Francisco
10th - The Crystal Ballroom, Portland
11th - Showbox, Seattle
13th - Jones Beach, Wantaugh with Depeche Mode NEW
15th - Irving Plaza, New York NEW
16th - Live performance on KEXP Seattle http://www.kexp.org
Note to all: If you LOVE your mother, take her to a Goldfrapp gig if you are in the tri-state area (see how the two NY shows are sandwiched between Mother's Day????). I swear, your mom will really enjoy it. My mom is starting to get into Goldfrapp (oddly, the same way she got into Coldplay) after my incessant iPod playing while long drives.
Another N.B.: Goldfrapp will perform on David Letterman on 5/17.
Triple N.B.: Goldfrapp will open for Red Hot Chili Peppers on their UK leg of the tour. Click here and here b/c I am too lazy to copy and paste the dates.
If you played the video game (like yours truly), you will certainly appreciate the film adaptation version of Silent Hill.
The film takes certain elements from the Silent Hill games and neatly plays them out on screen. Everything, from music right down to the devil worshipping unfolds on screen (sorry, no UFO ending). And, at least the film does reveal more about Alessa Gillespie's backstory, which was something that the games never went into. It was a well done adaptation. Downright gory and with nice appearances from Pyramid Heads and those evil nurses.
I smell sequel...
YES! I know you have been dying to see this... Later this year, Japan will run The New World in movie theatres and adding to the experience will be the hot technology of smell-o-vision.
NTT Communications Corp plans to provide seven different smells to synchronize with different scenes. Flowery will accompany a love scene, orange and grapefruit will go with joy, peppermint and rosemary will prevail during emotional parts and anger will come with a mix of eucalyptus and tea tree. The smells are emitted by machines under seats in the back rows of cinemas which mix different amounts of oils. Sequences for different films will in future be available for download, the manufacturer said.
Interesting that they don't include the smell of Colin Ferrell's sweat in those scenes where he makes out with that really young actress. Or the smell of fresh cut fish during bloody battle scenes.
Source: Digital Spy
Actually, this guy seemed to have gone beyond that. An unemployed man going by the name of Kiyoshi Ikeda, 37, was arrested early Wednesday morning for an open tab that costs about 150,000 yen (US$1266). How the hell did this happen?
It started March 10 when he entered a manga cafe in Gifu and ordered a grilled beef dinner. He was in a room that costs 1,000 yen for nine hours and he was in that same room for 34 days. 34 days! Apparently, he was living off of coffee and toast in the mornings and washing his underwear in the wash basin that was in the room. The room also had a sofa.
And because the manga cafe is open 24 hours and employees change shifts, no one really noticed this guy holed up in the room. (Eewwww)
When Ikeda was arrested, he only had 16 yen in his pockets.
Ok...that's just weird.
Source: Mainichi Daily News
Ok, I was a little late for blogging this. But you know what they say...better late than never!
From Organic Hobby press release:
Re: Vampire Hunter - Lei-Lei 6” (Capcom Girls Statue)
Organic Hobby, Inc introduces a new figure for the U.S. market, the Skillful “Lei-Lei.”
The character’s name "Lei-Lei" is a video game character created by Capcom. She is part of the "Darkstalkers" (Vampire Hunter) fighting game series, where various mythical and fantastic monsters (as well as from horror fiction) fight each other.
“Lei-Lei” is being introduced in her traditional colorful costume and she is the first character of the “Capcom Girls Statue” Series that Organic Hobby, Inc will release throughout the year. The figure is around six inches tall and comes equipped with accessories such as her hat. She is guaranteed to appeal to your “Dark side.”
"Lei-Lei" is the “Must Have” figure for the “Darkstalker’s Fan.”
"Lei-Lei" will be available in June with a SRP of $60.00.
Organic Hobby is one of the largest Hobby and Toys makers/manufacturers in Japan and is also very popular for its specialty in "Anime & Manga" industry. Organic Hobby, Inc (U.S Office) is introducing these and other unique products based on J-POP culture to U.S. markets and customers.
I don't think you'll find this in MTV or VH1's video rotation often (or at all). Take a gander at Cat Power's video Living Proof (off of latest "The Greatest") and let me know what you think. Chan, you're definitely awesome (I bet you thought I was gonna say "you're the greatest").
Who is she? This is what the release says:
London - A 24-year-old British singer who garnered a daily audience of over 100,000 by performing songs live on her webcam has signed a recording contract with Sony BMG's RCA Records, CNN.com reported. "I have managed to get massive amounts of exposure through using the Internet and that is something that people have struggled to do for years," singer Sandi Thom told Britain's GMTV, adding that since signing the contract on Monday, her life has "changed dramatically." Thom was courted by several labels after her live concert webcasts from her living room were aired on 21 consecutive nights.
You should check out her website and judge for yourself. Is she the next KT Tunstall? I like how she describes her home venue capacity. I wonder what was the most popular refreshment people brought to her home gigs?
Save up now for what people are calling the most expensive console to date...and there is no real price tag attached to it yet. It's all hearsay and speculation. But, from the looks of things, people are predicting that the PS3 will definitely be more expensive than when the XBox 360 came to market.
The Sony PlayStation 3
Photo: Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images
Click here to read more about how you'll dip into your 401k to get this dream machine.
Isn't E3 coming up?
Goldfrapp's message board is always a hoot to visit. Here's an example why:
Listen to this half-baked yet strangely funny interview of Alison Goldfrapp when she was touring in support of her previous release, Black Cherry. The interviewer was, uh, not that great. But Alison saw the opportunity to have a little fun with the interview (rare) and try to poke fun at the interview. I especially liked the part where she said they performed some place in France where they did an acoustic set to a bunch of hospital patients (so they think). The patients laughed through the band's set.
Source: The ever so cheeky Goldfrapp message board.
During my visit to Tokyo, I realized how rude and dirty most Americans tend to be. I couldn't help but realize also the lack of obesity in the city of Tokyo. Sure, there were some people who were fat, but not obese. There's a difference.
In a society that is basically ruled by protocal, I was humbled by the fact that the people of Tokyo were all accommodating and willing to step beyond their usual routine and assist me and my crew. It also helped that I was representing the largest cable company in the U.S. Nothing can beat that, not even the White House.
It is still a society rife with many social ills (shut-ins, cutting, pervy panty sniffers, etc.). All modern, westernized societies have that. But what I couldn't get over was the fact how clean the city was. I mean, literally clean streets. It was nutty. I noticed it the first night I arrived. If there was clutter, I'm sure a robot or human came by to take it. It just blew my mind away that trash receptacles were few and small (in size). While at the convention hall, I had finished my lunch and was about to throw my trash. I realized that I was supposed to give my trash to the smiling Japanese girl who is hollaring at people to buy from their burger tent. She took my trash with a smile.
And, I only saw one homeless guy and he was in Shibuya. Where are they? Unlike in Houston, they are freakin' everywhere.
And the subway system was pretty spot on...every 3 minutes during rush hour. Damn! I challenge any city to do that.
So anyway, I learned these things about Tokyo: 1) Cleanliness, 2) Lack of homeless people, 3) Subways running on time, 4) Nice people, 5) Kokubunji really is outside Tokyo city limits and 6) Heated toilet seats and bidets rock!
Hmmm...according to a lot of press releases, Warner Brothers will mix in some 3-D footage in their IMAX version of Superman Returns. I dunno...IMAX is a pretty damn big screen and my eyes hurt just by sitting in the middle row (that's why I try to get to the top seats quickly). And like Hi-Def, IMAX gives you crystal-clear views of any star's blemish and what-not (a la Lawrence Fishburn in one of The Matrix movies -- my brother yelped when he saw the craters on his face that close).
Can you say "optigrab"? Opti - for your eye and Grab - for when you grab it...God I love The Jerk.
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