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krj
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Top of the Park 2008
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Jun 23 17:29 UTC 2008 |
Here's an item for discussing Top of the Park and the rest of the
Ann Arbor Summer Festival, running now through Sunday July 6.
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| 33 responses total. |
krj
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response 1 of 33:
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Jun 23 17:34 UTC 2008 |
Festival's almost half over... Upcoming tonight are a slew of bands.
Carolyn Wonderland is an electric blues guitarist and singer from
Austin, Texas. Mickey told me I should pay some attention to her, so I
checked out her MySpace sample tracks and I was impressed enough to
bring some extra cash tonight for her two CDs. Ms. Wonderland goes
on at 8:15 pm. I don't know anything about the 7 pm band, The Blue
Rubys. Between 6 and 7 is something called the "Grassroots Stage,"
three bands playing 20 minute sets.
The movie tonight is GOLDFINGER, the most classic and the most iconic
of all the James Bond films, from 1964. A google search on the most
famous line from the movie -- "No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!"
turned up over 400,000 hits.
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krj
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response 2 of 33:
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Jun 23 17:37 UTC 2008 |
((( linked between Summer 2008 Agora and Music )))
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cyklone
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response 3 of 33:
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Jun 23 18:29 UTC 2008 |
So far, I've caught the end of some lame retro-disco band that pretty
much sucked. They were followed by the Macpodz, which has quite an A2
following. The rhythm section was great, but when the skanky front man
grabbed a flute I started to have a Jethro Tull flashback and left.
I caught Hullaballo two nights ago. I've known them for years and
they're always a nice mix of ska and horn-based tunes. However, I didn't
like the stripped down horn section.
I was sorry I missed Leith al-Sadi (sp?) last Thursday, as he's one of
the best all around guitarists in A2. I also heard his new rhythm
section kicks more ass than his old one did.
Anyone have a link for the rest of this year's lineup?
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krj
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response 4 of 33:
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Jun 23 18:59 UTC 2008 |
Here's the offical Top of the Park schedule in HTML. There's a link
to a PDF file if you would rather print it.
http://www.annarborsummerfestival.org/top_calendar_2008.shtml
Laith Al-Saadi was lots of fun; I really need to get out and see him
more than once a year. I'm afraid I don't pay enough attention to
notice any changes to the rhythm section. (For those who don't know,
he's a blues (& rock) electric guitar player, very hot, and he has a
weekly residency at Goodnight Gracie. He's an Ann Arbor native.)
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krj
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response 5 of 33:
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Jun 23 19:01 UTC 2008 |
I played some MySpace tracks from The Blue Rubys, the 7 pm band
tonight (Monday). Lots of harmonies, three women in the band, jangly
guitars: if I needed a quick comparison it would be with The Continental
Drifters, if any of you remember them.
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cyklone
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response 6 of 33:
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Jun 23 22:36 UTC 2008 |
Thanks for the link, ken. Next week definitely looks better to me than
this week, based on my tastes.
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mcnally
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response 7 of 33:
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Jun 23 23:51 UTC 2008 |
Is there a link anywhere with a schedule for the remaining Top of the Park
events?
I'm not anywhere near Ann Arbor these days but I've got a brother who lives
in Royal Oak who was looking for fun things to do with a friend of his who
recently moved to Ann Arbor. It strikes me that TOP might make a good
suggestion for them.
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krj
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response 8 of 33:
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Jun 24 12:39 UTC 2008 |
see resp:4 for TOP schedule link.
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hungus
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response 9 of 33:
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Jun 24 21:37 UTC 2008 |
I went to high school with Laith. I despise his music, but I have nothing
against him personally. Well, except his music.
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cyklone
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response 10 of 33:
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Jun 24 22:13 UTC 2008 |
Well, her certainly doesn't play anything that is less than 20 years old
if that's what you mean. While I admire good musicians in almost any
genre, I have to admit that I probably couldn't listen to more than a
set of his without getting bored.
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cyklone
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response 11 of 33:
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Jun 24 22:13 UTC 2008 |
Er, "her" sb "he"
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tod
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response 12 of 33:
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Jun 24 23:09 UTC 2008 |
Who names their kid after a woodshop machine? Jesus
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krj
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response 13 of 33:
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Jun 25 22:09 UTC 2008 |
cyklone in resp:10 :: I, on the other hand, have been embracing my
inner geezer more and more. But then, it's been about a decade since I
gave up on new rock music, after about a decade of trying to find
something I could enjoy.
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edina
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response 14 of 33:
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Jun 25 22:11 UTC 2008 |
Really? I think there have been a bunch of bands recently that are
really enjoyable: Arcade Fire, the Decemberists, the Raconteurs....
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mary
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response 15 of 33:
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Jun 25 22:13 UTC 2008 |
The Cadillac Cowboys are going to be doing a set on Monday, the 30th.
I've never heard them perform despite the fact a friend is in the group,
so I'm going to fix that, come Monday.
Maybe see others other than other there?
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krj
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response 16 of 33:
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Jun 25 22:24 UTC 2008 |
Digression from Top of the Park:
Edina: You're that younger demographic. :) I used to have a riff
about how I was going to give up rock music when I turned 40, and then
suddenly it wasn't a joke any more. I've heard Arcade Fire and the
Decemberists and have not been motivated to follow up further; there's
a chance I might like the Raconteurs since I do like Jack White's other
band, but then the White Stripes are channelling the year 1973 and Jack
White has strong folk/country leanings.
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cyklone
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response 17 of 33:
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Jun 26 00:51 UTC 2008 |
Ken, don't get me wrong, I enjoy lots of old music as well, and the most
money I ever made was in a "classic rock" band, similar to what Leith
has now. But when it comes to the evolution of music, I simply can't
draw a line at a particular year. It all keeps building on something
earlier, and for that I am very grateful.
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katie
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response 18 of 33:
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Jun 26 01:31 UTC 2008 |
Other doesn't do TOP anymore, at least not professionally.
But, Mary, if you are where I hope you will be on Tues at dinnertime,
you will indeed see other.
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mary
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response 19 of 33:
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Jun 26 11:11 UTC 2008 |
Excellent.
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cyklone
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response 20 of 33:
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Jun 26 13:17 UTC 2008 |
Re #18: I noticed that. Is Scott no longer there either?
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remmers
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response 21 of 33:
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Jun 26 13:36 UTC 2008 |
Do you mean Scott Helmke? He moved away from the Ann Arbor area a few
years ago.
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krj
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response 22 of 33:
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Jun 26 13:46 UTC 2008 |
Not grexer scott. I have not seen former-TOP staff Scott at the
festival this year either.
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cyklone
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response 23 of 33:
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Jun 27 02:16 UTC 2008 |
Looks like we're talking about the same guy, ken. Thanks for the update.
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remmers
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response 24 of 33:
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Jul 1 00:27 UTC 2008 |
Mary and I dropped by Top of the Park tonight to hear the excellent
Cadillac Cowboys. Thankfully, the weather cooperated. The only Grexer
spotted was cyklone.
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