Thursday, May 19, 2005
big day at the movies
Okay, I'm a total geek but I had to go see the new Star Wars movie today. Aside from the first one (or "fourth one" if you're a storyline timeline traditionalist) I've been at every opening day for every film in the series. When "Return of the Jedi" came out my Mom actually waited in line for us so we could still go to school. She's good like that.
This time around I bought the tickets online, weeks in advance. Sam met me at the Cinerama about an hour before the show. We were closer to the back of the line than the frothy front, but we still scored decent seats.
I guess the movie has already been leaed to the internet. But I can't imagine there'd be much of an audience out there in webworld, as virtually every computer nerd around was at the theatre today. Who else would stand in the hot sun for three hours in a full Darth Vader outfit?
Even better than the acne-prone types in costumes was this large woman who waddled away from the concession counter toting a large drink, box of red vines and a HUGE bucket of popcorn. She appeared to be alone as she shuffled over to the napkins and self-serve butter dispenser. Shoving her popcorn under the butter spigot, she jammed her thumb on the button, watched as the butter started to flow and then, with her thumb still attached to the machine, actually started looking around the lobby... like she was pumping gas and gonna be there for a while. Or maybe she was looking for someone to help her eat all that food?? I was waiting for her to actually start whistling.
The movie was good and I already want to see it again, maybe in a month or two. My sky-high expectations weren't exceeded, but I'm happy they were at least met.
This time around I bought the tickets online, weeks in advance. Sam met me at the Cinerama about an hour before the show. We were closer to the back of the line than the frothy front, but we still scored decent seats.
I guess the movie has already been leaed to the internet. But I can't imagine there'd be much of an audience out there in webworld, as virtually every computer nerd around was at the theatre today. Who else would stand in the hot sun for three hours in a full Darth Vader outfit?
Even better than the acne-prone types in costumes was this large woman who waddled away from the concession counter toting a large drink, box of red vines and a HUGE bucket of popcorn. She appeared to be alone as she shuffled over to the napkins and self-serve butter dispenser. Shoving her popcorn under the butter spigot, she jammed her thumb on the button, watched as the butter started to flow and then, with her thumb still attached to the machine, actually started looking around the lobby... like she was pumping gas and gonna be there for a while. Or maybe she was looking for someone to help her eat all that food?? I was waiting for her to actually start whistling.
The movie was good and I already want to see it again, maybe in a month or two. My sky-high expectations weren't exceeded, but I'm happy they were at least met.
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
the good, the bad, the bronzed
What rocked about Coachella 2005:
-Beating all the traffic on Friday and heading straight to El Mirasol for food and margaritas when arriving in Palm Springs.
-Ray’s backstage parking pass, resulting in a fast and pain-free journey to and from the show.
-Scoring VIP wristbands for myself, Brad and Lisa for both days. Thanks Allison! (again)
-Walking into the Sahara tent early on Saturday for Tiga and immediately getting a full-body rush (while completely sober) as everyone started going nuts.
-The 2.5 songs I saw The Kills perform. Holy fucking shit were they good. And sexy as hell.
-Misha making a fake wristband from a piece of pipe tape and using it to get in VIP the lounge all night.
-Bauhaus opening their set with “Bela Lugosi’s Dead,” the entire song performed by Peter Murphy while hanging upside down like a freaky bat.
-Perfect weather: mid/high 80s during the day, mid 60s at night.
-Staying in shorts all day and night.
-Brad bullshitting someone at the gate to get us past the clusterfuck crowd and into the URB and SPIN afterparties.
-Scoring a free pair of new Jack Purcell shoes at the SPIN party.
-Sooooo many hot, shirtless guys.
-Not having to deal with being the hotel room wrangler.
-Hearing some big news from some close friends and managing to keep it a secret all weekend long.
-Miss Kittin surprising everyone with a kick-ass set.
-Café Tacuba’s extended synchronized dance moves executed by all five frontline players.
-New Order playing a killer Joy Division trifecta: Atmosphere, Transmission and Love Will Tear Us Apart.
-Discovering much more than hype behind Bloc Party and The Bravery.
-That incredible green floppy hat worn by Megan's friend from NYC whose name I know I'd spell wrong.
-Finally finding Lydia just before Nine Inch Nails and dragging her deep into the crowd for a slow dance to “Hurt.”
-Making a last-minute decision to stay for the triumphant return of The Prodigy, who closed out Sunday night by making the entire Sahara tent go absolutely apeshit.
-High-fiving, handshaking and hugging total strangers who you just happened to be having the time of your life with.
-The girls who directed me into the ladies room trailer to use the “secret urinal.”
-Not getting sunburned.
-Better art, slightly smaller crowd.
-The post-Coachella pool party where Tabitha won the “Never Laughed So Hard in My Life” award.
-Lots of quality time with my unbeatable L.A. friends.
What sucked:
-Having paid for my tickets but never actually using them, as we walked in with Ray through the backstage entrance. Bright side: I never got searched.
-Never hooking up with my hot new buddy Bill after a valiant effort on both parts. Next time, my friend, you’re pitching a tent with ME.
-Finding out too late about Todd’s DJ set.
-Missing Kasabian, Ben Watt, Stereophonics and Coldplay completely.
-The Arcade Fire… though I’d give them another chance as my biggest complaint with what I experienced was the crappy sound, which may have been due to the wind that suddenly kicked up.
-Missing MIA, which I wasn’t bummed about since I’ll be seeing her next week but apparently the massive crowd she attracted was momentarily chased away by a swarm of bees, and that I would’ve liked to have seen.
-Not making it to the Grandaddy Talkscape Gathering house to meet a bunch of online pals, and also not making it to the B-sides house or the “much nicer yet cheaper” other house of friends.
-James Lavelle (aka UNKLE) making no effort to mix his records and ending with U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name.”
-Not seeing Beck, for the first time ever at Coachella.
-The VIP food not cutting the mustard.
-Lack of quality starsightings.
-Never running into Kirsten, Gary, David, Allie, Todd, and many others.
-Shelley, Abe & Louie not being there.
-Tearing myself away from the pool to pack my bags.
-Carrying the new Fischerspooner record home after Megan gifted it to me.
-I wish my tan was a little darker.
-Beating all the traffic on Friday and heading straight to El Mirasol for food and margaritas when arriving in Palm Springs.
-Ray’s backstage parking pass, resulting in a fast and pain-free journey to and from the show.
-Scoring VIP wristbands for myself, Brad and Lisa for both days. Thanks Allison! (again)
-Walking into the Sahara tent early on Saturday for Tiga and immediately getting a full-body rush (while completely sober) as everyone started going nuts.
-The 2.5 songs I saw The Kills perform. Holy fucking shit were they good. And sexy as hell.
-Misha making a fake wristband from a piece of pipe tape and using it to get in VIP the lounge all night.
-Bauhaus opening their set with “Bela Lugosi’s Dead,” the entire song performed by Peter Murphy while hanging upside down like a freaky bat.
-Perfect weather: mid/high 80s during the day, mid 60s at night.
-Staying in shorts all day and night.
-Brad bullshitting someone at the gate to get us past the clusterfuck crowd and into the URB and SPIN afterparties.
-Scoring a free pair of new Jack Purcell shoes at the SPIN party.
-Sooooo many hot, shirtless guys.
-Not having to deal with being the hotel room wrangler.
-Hearing some big news from some close friends and managing to keep it a secret all weekend long.
-Miss Kittin surprising everyone with a kick-ass set.
-Café Tacuba’s extended synchronized dance moves executed by all five frontline players.
-New Order playing a killer Joy Division trifecta: Atmosphere, Transmission and Love Will Tear Us Apart.
-Discovering much more than hype behind Bloc Party and The Bravery.
-That incredible green floppy hat worn by Megan's friend from NYC whose name I know I'd spell wrong.
-Finally finding Lydia just before Nine Inch Nails and dragging her deep into the crowd for a slow dance to “Hurt.”
-Making a last-minute decision to stay for the triumphant return of The Prodigy, who closed out Sunday night by making the entire Sahara tent go absolutely apeshit.
-High-fiving, handshaking and hugging total strangers who you just happened to be having the time of your life with.
-The girls who directed me into the ladies room trailer to use the “secret urinal.”
-Not getting sunburned.
-Better art, slightly smaller crowd.
-The post-Coachella pool party where Tabitha won the “Never Laughed So Hard in My Life” award.
-Lots of quality time with my unbeatable L.A. friends.
What sucked:
-Having paid for my tickets but never actually using them, as we walked in with Ray through the backstage entrance. Bright side: I never got searched.
-Never hooking up with my hot new buddy Bill after a valiant effort on both parts. Next time, my friend, you’re pitching a tent with ME.
-Finding out too late about Todd’s DJ set.
-Missing Kasabian, Ben Watt, Stereophonics and Coldplay completely.
-The Arcade Fire… though I’d give them another chance as my biggest complaint with what I experienced was the crappy sound, which may have been due to the wind that suddenly kicked up.
-Missing MIA, which I wasn’t bummed about since I’ll be seeing her next week but apparently the massive crowd she attracted was momentarily chased away by a swarm of bees, and that I would’ve liked to have seen.
-Not making it to the Grandaddy Talkscape Gathering house to meet a bunch of online pals, and also not making it to the B-sides house or the “much nicer yet cheaper” other house of friends.
-James Lavelle (aka UNKLE) making no effort to mix his records and ending with U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name.”
-Not seeing Beck, for the first time ever at Coachella.
-The VIP food not cutting the mustard.
-Lack of quality starsightings.
-Never running into Kirsten, Gary, David, Allie, Todd, and many others.
-Shelley, Abe & Louie not being there.
-Tearing myself away from the pool to pack my bags.
-Carrying the new Fischerspooner record home after Megan gifted it to me.
-I wish my tan was a little darker.
