Jodante's

Outdoor Ice Skating, Los Angeles Style Winter 2011-12

2011-11-05T15:33:00.000-07:00

Surf, sun, sand and ... ice? That's right, 'tis the season for outdoor skating in Southern California. In locales ranging from the heart of the city to the suburbs to the ocean, Angelenos can skate outdoors in 80 degree weather to their heart's content.

Click "view larger map" below to go to my interactive Google map.

View Larger Map

London Calling

2009-10-18T13:34:00.000-07:00

Apple Store Black Friday Specials

2008-11-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

I'm making a list and checking it twice, 'cause the Apple Store is going to be nice... at least in Australia! No reason to think that U.S. specials won't be as good. There's so much stuff on sale I won't know where to begin.

Apple

Radiohead in Japan: You Control the Cam

2008-11-20T22:16:00.000-08:00

The concept is great; Radiohead in concert in Japan broadcast "live" on tape but you the viewer controls the cameras. A little pixelated, but cool nonetheless. Radiohead in Japan.

Puppy Love

2008-11-11T15:15:00.000-08:00

For some reason, I've been on a dog kick lately! In this photo, a yellow lab puppy makes a new friend at the park.

Obama's Puppy Dog -- Havanese!

2008-11-08T22:35:00.000-08:00

I highly recommend that the Obama's adopt a Havanese puppy dog. The Havanese, which is actually a cross between a Bichon and a Llasa Apso, is an intelligent, gentle and loving dog that does not shed and is hypoallergenic. It is playful and a great companion. Here are some videos of Havanese:

Ruggles the Singing Dog

Havanese Dancing

Radiohead's New Album "In Rainbows" Streaming Live!

2008-07-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Lastfm is now streaming the entire album for free, thanks to Radiohead and its managers. Check it out now at In Rainbows, July 2008.

Originally published 10/10/07: Didn't get your activation code yet? Download taking too long? Have no fear, NME is streaming Radiohead's "In Rainbow" live today in its entirety three times, In Rainbows.

New NIN Album Drops Online

2008-03-02T22:02:00.000-08:00

Surprising everyone, Trent Reznor has released an all-instrumental album tonight. Available only only at ghosts, NIN is borrowing a page from the Radiohead playbook and inviting fans to pay what they want.

Nine Inch Nails Goes Indie

2007-10-08T22:11:00.000-07:00

"08 October 2007: Big News

Hello everyone. I've waited a LONG time to be able to make the following announcement: as of right now Nine Inch Nails is a totally free agent, free of any recording contract with any label. I have been under recording contracts for 18 years and have watched the business radically mutate from one thing to something inherently very different and it gives me great pleasure to be able to finally have a direct relationship with the audience as I see fit and appropriate. Look for some announcements in the near future regarding 2008. Exciting times, indeed.
posted by Trent Reznor at 10:45 AM."

The change in the business Trent refers to is actually a reflection of change in life in general. We are in the new digital age and the old models of doing business do not work as well as they used to. Trent is jumping on the train of individuality and self-direction, and, as the campaign for "Year Zero" demonstrated, he is willing to try new forms of marketing to get the word out and he will succeed. I look forward to hearing NIN's next CD (in whatever form it might take) and watching Trent navigate unchartered waters to take the band to new heights.

High School Musical on Ice

2007-10-06T16:04:00.001-07:00

High School Musical on Ice Cast
Originally uploaded by Jodante

The other night I escorted a young friend to see Disney's "High School Musical on Ice at the Staples Center. Although the music in the show is not exactly my cup of tea, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the show was very entertaining. Slickly produced and professionally choreographed by Chucky Klapow and Cindy Stewart, the rapid pace of the show held the audience's attention, especially the many children who were present and were captivated by the production. At first, it was startling to hear a chorus of 3 year olds singing along to every song and pre-teens screaming at every movement of the Zac Ephron lookalike on the ice. Then it was amusing (for a while, anyways).

The young cast of skaters was quite talented, especially the leads, Lane Walker ("Gabriella"), Jordan Brauninger ("Troy"), Sandy Rucker ("Sharpay"), Peter Bonard Muck ("Ryan"), Simeon Hanks ("Chad"), Tetona Jackson ("Taylor). A standout performance was delivered by featured skater Girade Jackson, whose big smile and infectious enthusiasm delighted the audience.

As a sidenote, it was amazing to see the amount of merchandise that Disney moved. $16 snowcones in "souvenir" plastic cups, $12 for cotton candy that came with a green plastic hat, souvenir cups and buckets of popcorn...seemingly every possible opportunity to sell branded merchandise was used, and it was flying off the shelves. My recommendation? Feed the kids before you leave home, and spend your money on the glossy program or the other, more durable, souvenirs.

Got Joost?

2007-05-09T22:27:00.000-07:00

I just so happen to have some Joost invites...no, you don't have to give me your email address, or post a comment, just click the link below and enjoy...

gimme Joost.

If that doesn't work, give me an email address and I will forward you an invite.

Nine Inch Nails Secret L.A. Show

2007-04-26T22:12:00.000-07:00

NIN put on a secret show in Los Angeles last week. Click here for video.

Nine Inch Nails Streaming "Year Zero"

2007-04-08T14:46:00.000-07:00

Staying ahead of the curve as always, Trent Reznor and his label have made the wise decision to stream the entirety of "Year Zero" at year zero, over a week prior to its April 17 release. On first listen, the album lives up to the promise of the initial songs that were leaked.

"In the Twilight" -- Fourth Nine Inch Nails Song Leaked

2007-03-03T15:40:00.000-08:00

And the viral marketing juggernaut continues... The fourth song leaked by NIN, this time found in the U.K., is now on the NIN Myspace page.

Third New Nine Inch Nails Song Posted on Myspace

2007-02-25T14:27:00.000-08:00

A third track from "Year Zero", the upcoming Nine Inch Nails release, has just been posted on Myspace. The song is "Me I'm Not", and like the other new tunes, it's psychedelic. You will find it on the official NIN page, Me, I'm Not.

You can also add it to your page like I did, click.

Nine Inch Nails Releases "Year Zero" Trailer

2007-02-22T18:12:00.000-08:00

The trailer for "Year Zero" has just been officially released.

Go to: YearZero to watch.

Nine Inch Nails "Survivalism" Live

2007-02-20T21:13:00.000-08:00

Link from numerous NIN websites. Apparently this video was filmed at the Barcelona concert; the quality is so good I suspect that the band "leaked" it.

Finetune -- Full-Length Versions of Your Favorite Songs

2007-02-09T21:53:00.001-08:00

Finetune is a great new site that is essentially a do-it-yourself radio station. Finetune is sort of like a free version of iTunes' iMix feature -- on it, you can create playlists (minimum of 45 songs and 15 different artists) and share your good taste (or not so good taste!) with the world.

Check out a playlist I put together featuring many of the artists I have written about here:

Music News and Notes -- Peter Bjorn and John, iTunes' discovery The Fratellis, James Morrison and Everblue

2007-02-03T12:21:00.000-08:00

My overplayed Muse, Nine Inch Nails and Red Hot Chili Peppers cds are about to get a rest -- I have recently heard some great new music that will be getting major airplay in my space.

Peter Bjorn and John: This Swedish trio is about to hit it big with their release "Writer's Block", due for release in the U.S. Feb. 6. Inventive, original, and fresh. PBJ's myspace Additional streaming songs can be found at the PBJ website, just click on the music player: PBJ website.

James Morrison: Captivating blue-eyed soul from the U.K. Already a best-seller in England, Morrison's debut CD "Undiscovered" will be released in the U.S. March 13, 2007. Visit James Morrison's U.K. webpage for music and video downloads.

The Fratellis: Yet another British import, the Fratellis boast some of the most infectious tunes since Franz Ferdinand's debut; reminds me of The Streets with a twist of early Clash. Just try to listen to "The Guttrati" on their myspace page without smiling. In fact, the Fratelli's song "Flathead" is featured in the newest iPod ads. This is another album set for a March 13 release.

Everblue: Although based in Burbank, California, this quartet's debut cd conjures up images of a southern rock band. Very melodic, bluesy songs, including the first single, "Baby's Lullaby", that undoubtedly will surface on an AOR station near you. Right now, the album is only available on cdbaby, but it will soon be for sale on iTunes and Amazon. In the meantime, sample the music at Everblue's myspace page.

Comets on Fire: Aptly described by the Los Angeles Times as what might happen if "the Allman Brothers met Queens of the Stone Age over at the Stooges house", this rock band modernizes old-fashioned hardcore acid rock. album info. Their newest album, "Avatar" is available on Amazon.

Rage Against the Machine: I can't wait to see the reunited Rage Against the Machine play Coachella.

Prince Rocks at Pre-Super Bowl Press Conference

2007-02-03T11:17:00.000-08:00

EDITOR'S NOTE FEB. 12, 2007: In yet another example of the new Youtube; this seemingly innocuous video was removed.

Eno Producing Coldplay? I like!

2007-01-30T11:47:00.000-08:00

Brian Eno has stated that he will be producing Coldplay's next album. This should be interesting. Hopefully they will get away from the blandness of "X&Y" and back to a more interesting, dare I say progressive, sound.

Eno speaks

Loving These New Videos From U2 (Window in the Skies) and Muse (Starlight)

2007-01-06T13:20:00.000-08:00

U2 -- "Window in the Skies"

U2 "collaborates" with many of the greatest musicians of modern times in this stunning video.

Muse -- "Starlight"

The best song from their newest album comes alive.

Myspace Tips and Tricks -- Codes, HTML, Animation, Blinking Profiles!

2006-11-24T17:26:00.000-08:00

I have found that Myspace is sorely lacking a search function that would easily enable you to look for tips on how to do things. For example, if you ever go on the Myspace forums to find out how to put a link in a comment, you have to comb through pages of people asking the same question over and over (not to mention thousands of spams). Seriously. And although the resident experts are extremely helpful, one would think that even they would get tired of answering the questions over and over again.

So, here’s my own collection of links and tips on using Myspace more efficiently, the list will be updated from time to time, so check back often!

* Awesome tutorial on getting a Photoshop layout on Myspace using ImageReady:

ImageReady

* Great tutorial on basic HTML codes (to insert links, images, etc. in page):

Jesse's HTML Tutorial

* Animated text:

click

* Do It Yourself Animated Blinking Profile Pictures:

blinking profile

Borat Promotion on Myspace

2006-10-16T20:44:00.000-07:00

So THIS is how Rupert is using Myspace. Clever. Very clever.

Myspace Bulletin from Tom:

Read Bulletin

From: Tom

Date: Oct 16, 2006 7:39 PM
Subject borat & myspace video
Body: hey folks -

so we've got a new video feature. any video on myspace can be added to your profile with one click. it works just like our music player, just click 'add' when and it puts the song on your profile.
for videos, just click 'add to my profile' on the video page, and it'll put the video on your profile - you don't have to copy or paste code ... of course if you still want to grab the embed code and put the video in a different place, feel free.

try it out with this borat clip

[link: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1298311355]

Borat trailer!

or try it with Borat's video blog :

[link: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1027461757]

Borat talks to MySpace

Review: Axl and the New Guns 'N Roses Hits Inland Invasion

2006-09-24T11:53:00.000-07:00

On September 23, 2006, the same day that it was announced that they were pushing back several dates on the U.S. tour, Guns 'N Roses headlined Invasion Invasion in Devore, California. We approached the concert with some trepidation, thinking maybe Axl Rose would be so angry that he wouldn't even show up, thereby causing a riot (hey, it has happened before). When the penultimate act, Alice in Chains, finished its set, the excitement started to mount. The excitement faded and a darker mood set in as the minutes ticked by... The crowd grew restless (to say the least). At first, just empty water bottles were thrown, mostly in the upper lawn area. Filled but uncapped bottles were next. Things started to get really out of hand when certain audience members started setting bonfires in the upper lawn area of the amphitheater, which led to throngs of people running like crazy (whether to or from the fires, I don't know). Considering that security did complete patdowns of everyone entering the stadium and confiscated lighters and pens (!), it was mind-boggling that a little more thought was not put into crowd control inside the venue itself.

Finally, over 90 minutes after Alice in Chain finished its set, Axl and his new band took the stage to the strains of "Welcome to the Jungle" and rocked its way through a tumultuous set of nearly two dozen songs, mostly classic GNR songs and a few new songs. Axl was mature, gracious and humerous. He seemed genuinely appreciative of the audience and in turn, they loved him back. His voice, his moves on his stage -- everything pretty much the same as it was back in the day. The new band members were spot on and played the songs mostly note-for-note (only downside was a couple of gratuitious guitar solos by Robin Frick and Bumblefoot -- hello, Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful"?). The new tunes were well-received, but it was the performance of songs from "Appetite" and "Use Your Illusion" that brought the audience to its feet. In fact, towards the end of the concert, when the house lights were brought up, the place took on the feel of a revival meeting, let by the Reverend Axl. All in all, it was a great show. Axl is a consummate performer.

The two bands onstage prior to GNR were Muse and Alice in Chains. Muse is great on record, but left something to be desired live. The sound was cranked way too loud and the band did not have any rapport with the audience in its short (45 min.) set. After a 20 minute delay to change the stage, Alice in Chains came on and rocked the house, especially when Chester from Linkin Park joined the band to perform "Man in the Box".

For some cool photos of the show and the scene (including the afore-mentioned fires), check out Inland Invasion Pics on Flickr

A Stick Figure Animation Video of Wolfmother's "Woman"

2006-08-30T17:41:00.000-07:00

Gretzky Bows on iTunes: Laguna Beach Tune "Collecting Dust" Now Online

2006-08-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

As I reported back in January, there has been much chatter among MTV's Laguna Beach fans about the song "Fly" a/k/a "Dust", recorded by Paulina Gretzky, that was heard on the show in its second season. The tune, now known as "Collecting Dust", has just been added to the iTunes catalog and is exclusively available for download there. For more information, click here or go directly to iTunes at "Collecting Dust." Comparisons are bound to arise between the song and those of other female pop artists of the moment (Ashlee Simpson, Brooke Hogan, Paris Hilton, etc etc.), but musically and lyrically, this song, produced by Michael Lord, is strong enough to stand up against all of them.

One further comment: some might be inclined to dismiss the track as just another star progeny (Paulina's parents are Wayne Gretzky and Janet Jones) trading off her name, but this is the real deal. The girl can really sing.

Rupert Murdoch's Myspace Page

2006-07-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

As reported by Slate: Rupert's page . Love the comments.

Privacy Please: Executive Door Closer

2006-07-11T22:21:00.000-07:00

Thank you to "anonymous entertainment executive" for forwarding me this Actual Email Received Today (most important feature: it prevents your office door from closing on your assistant, thereby avoiding harassment lawsuit):

"Hello to all.

I am trying to join the ranks of the great inventors, Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell, etc.

A friend of mine and I invented, developed, patented, and trademarked an indispensable office convenience: The Executive DoorCloser(tm). It is portable, remote controlled, easy to set up, and will close any hinged door from anywhere in your office.

The unit is small, quiet, discrete, and has a motor powerful enough to practically raise a drawbridge. It only weighs 6.5 pounds and has a clutch mechanism so that your door will not close on your assistant. Price is $169 + shipping. The Executive DoorCloser(tm) brings a touch of class and dignity to the arduous and predictable task of closing your office door.

Please visit our website for details: www.executivedoorcloser.com
.

Thank you for your support."

I actually think this is a really good idea. You never know when you might need a little privacy.

Stupid Stuff

2006-07-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

As perhaps is befitting for someone who has a video of wind-up sushi prominently displayed on a blog, here is my pick of the week for online shopping: Stupidiotic . Stupidiotic is a shopping site for things wacky and wonderful, items you didn't really think you needed until you see them, such as mop slippers and a doll-shaped knife holder -- complete with witty, ironic, commentary. Sort of like the hipster's Lillian Vernon.

Rodney on the Walk -- Rodney Bingenheimer Gets His Star on the Walk of Fame

2006-06-23T17:51:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to KROQ disc jockey supreme Rodney Bingenheimer for finally getting his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. KROQ's morning deejays Kevin and Bean joined a campaign recently to get Rodney, a Los Angeles radio icon, his star -- glad it paid off! The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced the 2007 star recipients today. Rodney will be joining an eclectic group of luminaries including The Doors, P. Diddy, Matt Damon and Barbara Walters in ceremonies to be held next year. Check here for the complete list.

Nine Inch Nails New CD!

2006-05-26T20:57:00.000-07:00

Trent Reznor and company appeared on the Kevin and Bean Show on Los Angeles radio station KROQ FM this morning. They answered questions from the 106.7 audience members, performed several songs and let it slip that the new CD may be coming out early next year. Expect a different sound from NIN on the CD! For more and to hear Trent almost a capella, check out breakfast with NIN.

American Idol Finale: McFeeble

2006-05-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

Enough said.

By default, my vote goes to Taylor Hicks.

Chris Gone From American Idol?? Time for Fuel?

2006-05-11T16:00:00.000-07:00

The best pure rock singer in the competition, gone? In the quarter-finals? Well, it will be interesting (to say the least) to hear how his song on the forthcoming CD, "American Idol Season 5 Encores," will stack up against the final three, without the visuals of Taylor's manic energy, Kat's constant mugging and Elliott's distractingly bland performance (although Elliott is the best singer of those left). (TMZ has reported that a special surprise awaits Chris tonight on "Extra"... I have learned that he is being offered the Fuel lead singer job.)

Highest Gas Price in Los Angeles?

2006-05-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken Saturday night, May 6, of a gas station located in Brentwood, CA. Mistake? Who knows these days!

Now Hear This: A Semi-Regular Column for Unsigned Artists on Making it in the Music Biz

2006-05-05T08:35:00.000-07:00

Go ahead, get a page on myspace, but don't put all your hopes on that site. Continue to explore other opportunities. One new site that has come to my attention is tagworld. So far, the site has about 1.6 million registered users, admittedly a drop in the bucket compared to myspace, but it has many features that are better, including a music player that lets you input a musician's name and then get suggestions for similar artists (much like Pandora). Unsigned bands can register to get their own pages put up on tagworld.

Another good site is stickam. Film your band playing live -- either in a club or in your own living room -- upload it to stickam and then link the video to your myspace or tagworld page and let the world see how charismatic you really are.

Be sure to include links to myspace and tagworld on your own website!

Radiohead Announces 6 new U.S. Dates

2006-05-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

The following Radiohead shows will go on sale to the general public on Saturday, May 6. I expect more dates to be announced soon.

Thu, 06/01/06: Tower Theatre, Upper Darby, PA

Fri, 06/02/06: Tower Theatre, Upper Darby, PA

Mon, 06/19/06: Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL

Tue, 06/20/06: Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL

Mon, 06/26/06: Embarcadero Marina Park South, San Diego, CA

Tues, 06/27/06: Embarcadero Marina Park South, San Diego, CA

Guns 'N Roses To Tour Europe and NYC

2006-04-24T13:36:00.000-07:00

Axl Rose and company is going back on the road again starting next month in New York City, reports Pitchfork. So far the only announced dates are in New York and Europe, but here's hoping the newest incarnation of Guns 'n Roses hits the rest of the country as well. No word yet on the official release date of the long-awaited "Chinese Democracy". All four shows at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York have already sold out.

A full run-down of the tour dates appears on the Pitchfork site, Pitchfork.

Radiohead Tour Announcement!

2006-04-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

Radiohead will be touring the U.S. and Canada this summer; Billboard reports that so far the band has revealed that it is playing multiple nights in Montreal, Toronto, Philadelphia and Chicago. More locations and exact dates to follow.

Radiohead will also be part of the June 16 - 18 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Tennessee on June 17, along with Beck, Common, Death Cab for Cutie, The Streets, Matt Costa and many many more artists. Want more information? Go to Bonnaroo Festival.

Although no street date has been set for its next album, the band will be playing new material in the summer shows, and will release individual songs for download when they are excited about the songs, rather than waiting until the album is fully completed.

Here are Radiohead's U.K. and European tour dates (all tickets on sale now):

May 6-7: Copenhagen -- KB Hall
May 9-10: Amsterdam -- Heinken Hall
May 12-13: Blackpool, England -- Empress Ballroom
May 15-16: Wolverhampton, England -- Civic Center
May 18-19: London -- Hammersmith Apollo
Aug. 12: Obuda, Hungary -- Sziget Festival
Aug. 19-20: Hylands Park/Weston Park, England -- V Festival (SOLD OUT)
Aug. 22: Edinburgh -- Meadowbank Stadium
Aug. 24: Dublin -- Marlay Park

For more information about ticket sales, go to Radiohead Tour.

Snow Patrol News!

2006-03-16T21:00:00.001-08:00

Great news for Snow Patrol fans -- the band's new album, "Eyes Open", is due out May 1, with the new single "You're All I Have" being released April 24. Hear a preview at their U.K. website, Snow Patrol music

Upcoming CD Releases

2006-01-29T10:12:00.000-08:00

Today's Los Angeles Times features a preview of upcoming CD releases for the first half of the year. Some I am particularly looking forward to are:

The Arctic Monkeys
"Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not", February 21
My pal Nigel in London turned me on to the likes of Franz Ferdinand, Keane and Ash before their releases hit the states. He really like these British rockers. Preview their music here: Arctic Monkeys.

My Chemical Romance
"Life On the Murder Squad", May 16
Live CD/DVD package.

The Vines
"Vision Valley", April 4
After a disappointing sophomore release, can they rebound?

Pink
"I'm Not Dead", April 4
Hilarious video for the song "Stupid Girls" proves Pink hasn't lost her sense of humor. Will the rest of the album live up to its opener? Check the video out at MTV.com.

Audioslave
Title tbd, May (exact date tbd)
See comment on The Vines above.

Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Stadium Arcadium", May 9
I read Anthony Keidis' autobiography this summer, and while its tales of music, women, rehab, music, women, rehab, music, rehab, women, rehab, rehab, rehab, frankly wore me out , it also whetted my appetite to hear more music from the seminal L.A. funk rocker and his band.

The complete list can be found at Sounds '06.

Laguna Beach Song "Fly" Getting Lots of Buzz

2006-01-28T09:08:00.000-08:00

There has been much chatter among MTV's Laguna Beach fans lately about the song "Fly" (also known as "Dust"), recorded by Paulina Gretzky. Turns out that Paulina has belted out a sleeper hit in the making. It is not available for download on iTunes or elsewhere yet, but you can hear it for yourself at her myspace.com page, Paulina Gretzky.

Coldplay Presale Update

2005-11-17T09:18:00.000-08:00

Update from Coldplay central on upcoming Winter tour:

Las Vegas, NV, and Los Angeles, CA Pre-Sales

The pre-sale dates for the following dates will be announced shortly.

3 -Feb Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Garden Arena
4-Feb Los Angeles, CA - The Forum

Extra Chicago, IL Show
An extra show on 31st Mar in Chicago, IL at the United Center has also been added. Please note there will be no pre-sale for this show is will go straight on General Sale on Saturday 19th November (10am Local Time).

Full General Sale dates are below.

Tampa, FL Show
The Tampa, FL date on 5 Mar at the Ford Pavillion will not have a presale as it is a rescheduled date. Any spares will go to general sale (see below)

General Sale Details

There are 2 different general sale dates to note. The first batch is Saturday 19th November and the second is Monday 21st November.

See below for a list of which dates go on general sale when:

Saturday 19th November (10am Local Time)
25-Jan Seattle, WA Key Arena
30-Jan Sacramento, CA ARCO Arena
31-Jan Oakland, CA Oakland Arena
1-Feb San Jose, CA HP Pavilion @ San Jose
19-Feb Denver, CO Pepsi Center
20-Feb Omaha, NE Qwest Center
22-Feb Detroit, MI Palace Of Auburn Hills
23-Feb Louisville, KY Freedom Hall
27-Feb Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center *
2-Mar Washington, DC MCI Center
5- Mar Tampa, FL Ford Pavilion - RESCHEDULED DATE (no pre-sale)
20-Mar Cleveland, OH The Quicken Loans Arena
22-Mar Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
30-Mar Chicago, IL United Center
31-Mar Chicago, IL United Center - NEW DATE (no pre-sale)
3-Apr Manchester, NH Verizon Wireless Arena
4-Apr Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
6-Apr Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center

On Sale Monday 21st November (10am Local Time)
26-Jan Vancouver, BC GM Place
25-Feb Houston, TX Toyota Center *
26-Feb Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
25-Mar East Rutherford, NJ Continental Airlines Arena
26-Mar Uniondale, NY Nassau Coliseum

The general sale ticket link for all Ticketmaster dates is: http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/806431

*For details on the general sale links for the 2 non-Ticketmaster dates see coldplay.com on Friday 18th November

All tour dates and ticket information is subject to change, please check www.coldplay.com for further announcements on all dates.

Coldplay Presale

2005-11-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

Register at Coldplay.com now in order to be eligible to participate in the U.S. presale lottery!

Tickets go on sale Saturday to the general public.

U2 at Staples Center, Nov. 2, 2005

2005-11-03T10:03:00.000-08:00

U2 vertigo staples
Originally uploaded by Jodante.

U2 at Staples Center, Nov. 2, 2005

2005-11-03T10:02:00.000-08:00

U2 vertigo staples
Originally uploaded by Jodante.

U2 VERTIGO TOUR AT STAPLES CENTER, NOV. 2, 2005

2005-11-03T10:01:00.000-08:00

U2 VERTIGO STAPLES
Originally uploaded by Jodante.

ALIAS Season 4 Music List

2005-11-01T10:30:00.000-08:00

I have posted on iTunes an iMix of songs that are featured on this season's ALIAS. All are great, but my personal favorites are the tracks by U2, Kasabian, Lenny Kravitz and Jet. You can check it out and hear song samples here:

ALIAS iMix

If you don't have iTunes installed on your computer yet, here's the complete list (please drop me a note if I have missed any songs), along with links to preview some cool songs:

Lenny Kravitz - Lady (trailer)
U2 - Bad (episode 1, 2)
Sarah McLachlan - World on Fire (episode 1, 2)
Etta James - At Last (episode 1, 2)
Cat Stevens - The Wind (episode 1, 2)
Jet - Cold Hard Bitch (episode 1, 2) preview
Juanes - A Dios le Pido (episode 1, 2)
Deftones - Change (episode 1, 2)
Jude - You All ... Everybody (episode 3)
Steriogram - Walkie Talkie Man (episode 3) preview
Greyboy - Genevieve (episode 3)
The Von Bondies - No Regrets (episode 3)
Buju Banton - Champion (episode 3)
Mazzy Star - Fade Into You (episode 4)
Louque - Whoa Now (episode 4)
Umphrey's McGee - Uncle Wally(episode 5)
Teitur - Rough around the Edges (episode 6)
Marilyn Manson - The Dope Show (episode 6)
Michael Lord - Holding My Breath (episode 7) preview
Phantom Planet - Big Brat (episode 7)
David Gray - Freedom (episode 7)
Julie London - Makin' Whoopee (episode 8)
Norah Jones - Sunrise (episode 8)
Rachael Yamagata - Meet Me by the Water (episode 9)
Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl (episode 10)
Alana Davis - A Chance With You (episode 10)
Eiffel - Au Neant (episode 11)
Kasabian - Club Foot (episode 11)
The Mambo Kings - Ran Kan Kan (episode 13)
Johnny Polanco - Baile De Los Ninos (episode 13)
Ray LaMontagne - Trouble (episode 14)
LL Cool J - Move Sumpthin (episode 15)
Ray LaMontagne - Shelter (episode 15)
Doors - End of the Night (episode 17)
U.N.K.L.E. - Unkle Theme (episode 17)
Thievery Corporation - Lebanese Blonde (episode 18)
Junke XL - Dance U.S.A. (episode 18)
Van Hunt - Seconds of Pleasure
Juanes - Un Dia Normal

Bonjour aux francais et francophones. Toutes les chansons mentionees ci-dessous sont disponible sur le site iTunes France (sauf David Gray, Jude, Deftones et Phantom Planet), ainsi que

ALIAS Saison 4 iMix

Bon ecoute!

Jodante

Review: Nine Inch Nails at the Hollywood Bowl, October 1, 2005

2005-10-04T16:21:00.000-07:00

On a balmy Saturday night in Los Angeles, Nine Inch Nails put on one of the best concert shows I have ever seen. Trent Reznor was in fine voice and great shape.

Although he had said in an interview the previous day on KROQ that the band plays about 75% of the songs from the new album, it actually turned out to be closer to 50%. Songs included "Only" and "Bite the Hand That Feeds", and a mid-set pairing of "Right Where It Belongs and "Beside You in Time", performed behind a nearly transparent curtain. In an eery courterpoint to those songs, film clips showing disturbing images of animals engaged in survival of the fittest, as well as war, mass marriages, homelessness and our current president were shown. Old classics like "Hole in The Head", "Closer", "Hurt" and "Suck" were also played in the nearly two-hour long set, all with the ferocious intensity Reznor is known for. With between song patter kept to a bare minimum, the focus remained on the music (the band included Jereome Dillon who played drums despite his recent heart problems that forced the postponement of several concert dates) and Reznor's charismatic delivery of his songs.

Second-billed act Queens of the Stone Age delivered a brief, but riveting, set.

The "best dressed shelter"

2005-09-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

Shipment of real and not-so-real designer clothes headed to Katrina victims shelter http://today.reuters.com/PrinterFriendlyPopup.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=uri:2005-09-06T200931Z_01_N0640145_RTRIDST_0_KATRINA-COUNTERFEITS.XML

Hurricane Katrina: The Aftermath

2005-09-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

From the Blogosphere:

A little help is needed at the Red Cross. Read one man's account of how he tried to volunteer but was caught in a morass of red tape and uncoordination. http://www.aarong.thinkcomputer.com/essays/index.html?id=6

But go and ahead and donate anyway. https://give.redcross.org/

Brendan Loy's blog. http://www.irishtrojan.com/

Craig's List: http://neworleans.craigslist.org/

New Orleans Times Picayune: http://www.nola.com/

Direct from New Orleans: http://neworleans.metblogs.com/

Many talented musicians over at CD Baby are donating their entire wholesale price to the Red Cross. Please buy their CDs here: http://cdbaby.com/group/redcross

Fashion commentating site Go Fug Yourself set aside its column on Friday to run the most comprehensive list of links to web sites, companies, and foundations that are collecting donations and helping with relief efforts. http://gofugyourself.typepad.com/go_fug_yourself/2005/09/a_momentary_fug.html

Maui Sunset

2005-07-10T09:05:00.000-07:00

Maui Sunset
Originally uploaded by Jodante.

I can still feel that tropical breeze...

Flickr

2005-07-10T08:59:00.000-07:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Impressions of E3

2005-05-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

I attended E3 yesterday.

In a word: LOUD. Loud music, loud lights, loud gamers and their brethren everywhere. Headache inducing, feet tiring, shoulder killing (from lugging around all that loot). But nevertheless -- fascinating.

The Electronic Arts display was amazing, a theater-in-the-round view of the upcoming EA games. Batman Begins and the NFL game looked the best, so lifelike it was easy to forget that the characters were digitized. The Harry Potter game looked pretty awesome too.

Over in Nintendo-ville, the thing that most impressed me was the display put on showing a truly interactive videogame. The 3D game was incredible, and the Puppy game was very cute and had dozens of people lined up waiting to play it (maybe because they were giving stuffed puppies away? Who knows!).

The largest crowds seemed to be at World of Warcraft, the various poker demonstrations and the EA rotunda. Tony Hawk and Wayne Gretzky also had an amazing display for their new games.

Coldplay U.S. Tour Presale News!

2005-05-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

Direct from Coldplay:

May 17, 2005:

Presale lottery opens today (Tuesday May 17th) and closes on Thursday May 19th at 1pm (GMT)

GO TO
coldplay.com
for more details.

IMPORTANT: You must be a registered member of coldplay.com to access the presale info!

Please see the presale page at Coldplay.com for a full description of the presale lottery and the terms & conditions.

TOUR DATES

The full list of dates for the “Twisted Logic” US tour are as follows:

8/2 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
8/3 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
8/4 Hartford, CT Meadows Music Theatre
8/6 Boston, MA Tweeter Center
8/7 Philadelphia, PA Tweeter Center @ The Waterfront
8/9 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
8/11 Pittsburgh, PA Post Gazette Pavilion
8/12 Indianapolis, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center
8/13 East Troy, WI Alpine Valley Music Theatre
8/16 Seattle, WA White River Amphitheatre
8/17 Portland, OR Amphitheatre at Clark County
8/19 San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
8/20 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
8/24 Albuquerque, NM Journal Pavilion
8/25 Phoenix, AZ Cricket Pavilion
8/26 San Diego, CA Coors Amphitheatre
8/30 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
8/31 Columbus, OH Germain Amphitheater
9/1 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
9/3 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
9/6 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
9/9 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
9/10 Raleigh, NC Alltel Pavilion
9/13 West Palm Beach, FL Sound Advice Amphitheatre
9/14 Tampa, FL Ford Amphitheatre
9/16 Birmingham, AL Verizon Wireless Music Center
9/17 St. Louis, MO UMB Bank Pavilion
9/18 Nashville, TN Starwood Amphitheatre
9/20 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
9/21 Kansas City, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
9/23 Dallas, TX Smirnoff Music Center
9/24 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
9/25 Austin, TX Austin City Limits Music Festival
9/28 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
9/29 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amph.
9/30 Bristow, VA Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge

PRE-ORDER X&Y TODAY

X&Y is now available to buy from the official US pre-order store at coldplay.com. You can also purchase the X&Y artwork t-shirt and be entered into a contest to win front-row tickets for a US show of your choice.

*********

Just added to coldplay.com: Backstage footage from the Coachella and Hard Rock Vegas performances.

EXTRA CHICAGO SHOW ANNOUNCED
To satisfy all Chicagoland and Wisconsin Coldplay fans, the band has announced a show at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin on Saturday 13th August. This concert will go on sale Saturday 4th June. Fans will be emailed details of how to request tickets to this show very soon.

ALBUM AND SINGLE
‘Speed Of Sound’ is backed by two new songs, ‘Things I Don’t Understand’, and ‘Proof’. Both tracks are from the ‘X&Y’ sessions (with ‘Things Of Understand’ set to appear on album right up until the last stages of recording). Two vinyl singles will also be available in the Coldplay store: the 7 inch and a strictly limited edition ‘clear’ 10 inch.

check out
coldplay.com
for more details.

New Doves CD

2005-02-16T15:23:00.000-08:00

NME is streaming the new Doves CD "Some Cities" prior to its release: Doves Stream

Free Vice

2005-02-05T14:00:00.000-08:00

Hot new label Vice Records has full-length album streams available for its releases including Death From Above 1979 (see my really brief review below), The Streets' "A Grand Don't Come For Free", The Stills' "Logic Will Break Your Heart" and others. Check it out here: Vice Music.

Tracks in Brief

2005-01-18T08:01:00.000-08:00

"You're A Woman, I'm A Machine"
Death From Above 1979

Hard-rocking and fun. Here's a sample: Romantic Rights

"Inches"
Les Savy Fav

Compilation disc of the year.

"Wet From Birth"
The Faint

Hands down the catchiest album of the year. Electronic with a mostly hard rock edge.

"Happiness in Magazines"
Graham Coxon

Blur's guitarist has released a great solo record.

"Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes"
TV On The Radio

Winner of the Shortlist Music Prize for best indie CD of the year, this is a rock album with a rhythm and funk sound.

"The String Sessions"
Michael Lord

The stripped-down versions of 3 of Lord's songs, all featuring the Section Quartet, is an acoustic wonderland.

"Cast of Thousands"
Elbow

Band's sophomore outing features more moody, lush rock.

2004-12-18T19:10:00.000-08:00

Music Reviews

2004-12-08T01:33:00.000-08:00

"FINAL STRAW"
Snow Patrol
A&M Records

This is a brilliant CD; a heartfelt and heartbreaking work of pure genious. No really, it is an amazing CD by one of the most promising bands I have heard in a long time. An indispensable addition to your record collection.

"SWAY"
Michael Lord
AO Recordings

With not one bad track in the bunch, "Sway" is a fresh new addition to any modern rock collection. The production values are great, as is the mixing and instrumentation. Lord's effortless vocals and piano-driven melodies combine for a captivating debut. Standouts include the haunting "Forgiven", the radio-ready "What Have You Got to Lose", which echoes in your head long after the iPod has been turned off, and the ballad "Charity", which showcases Lord's voice to its best effect. While comparisons can be made to such artists as Travis, Damien Rice and Starsailor, "Sway" stands on its own and I highly recommend it.

"CONTRABAND"
Velvet Revolver
RCA Records

Okay, I admit it. I am a huge G 'n R fan so I approached this CD with some trepidation, even after hearing the rocking "Slither" on the radio umpteen times. I was pleasantly surprised. The boys are in great form, the years have only enhanced their musicianship, and Scott Weiland fits in perfectly without coming across like a faux-Axl. Only the power ballads disappoint. They are totally unnecessary and detract from a collection that needs no filler. In the battle of the reconstituted "super groups", Audioslave vs. Velvet Revolver, I would say VR wins by a (pierced) nose.