Helio Sequence

The energy of rock.
Guitar, drums and a computer.
Van ride home.

Bringing it.

The boys from Portland based band, Helio Sequence, got a bit of culture shock when they showed up for their gig at The World Famous Milestone Club in Charlotte on May 30. They had recently been touring with Keane, playing large venues and had been at Radio City Music Hall a couple of nights prior. The Milestone is in the heart of a tough section of Charlotte and the club portrays an even tougher image with a fenced in rutted parking lot and graffiti and sticker laced walls and interior. But behind that tough presence, the Milestone carries the soul of the hundreds of bands and thousands of fans who have passed through its doors since the early 1980's. Known as a place where bands such as REM played to 30 people shortly before going on to greater fame, it is easy to see that Helio Sequence might find itself in the same place. The guitar player told me when they arrived a band was warming up in the room, but basically nobody was there and they wondered whether or not they were in the right place. He marveled at having had the opportunity to play Radio City and seemed a little taken aback that he was here just a couple of nights later. Yet, shortly thereafter, the band from the Subpop label rocked a set of power pop that had the crowd bobbing its heads in unison. I don't know if this is called "shoe gazing" music and a rather drunk young lady was explaining to me that her fave band in this genre is "My Bloody Valentine". I thought she was talking about a movie. Anyway, with a guitar and drums and background sampling to fill out the sound, these guys did some songs that had a ring of familiarity. Though I don't listen to popular radio, preferring instead independent station WNCW 88.7, I can tell that this sound will dent the pop charts. So, anyway, be on the lookout for Helio Sequence. http://www.myspace.com/theheliosequence

The Lights, Fluorescent

Yeah, that's me hanging on the stage while the band jams.
Erika Blatnik, mini moog and vocals. Craig in the background on guitar.

Robby and Erika, new drummer Nick in the background, Andre on right on guitar.

Erika, Robby, Nick and Andre. Rock on!

We made the road trip to Charlotte and into the depths of the westside to see our favorite hard rockers on the local scene, The Lights, Fluorescent. Featuring Erika Blatnik on vocals, acoustic guitar and Korg mini moog and Robby on bass and vocals and Andre and Craig on guitar and now new drummer Nick, this band is continuing to show its chops. If you are looking for an energetic, hard rocking show with lyrics that show a level of maturity beyond the age of the members, you need look no further than to see The Lights, Fluorescent. Catch them now while you can see them in the small venues. They have some new songs recently and the drummer adds some power to what was already a strong rhythm section with Robby on bass. My vid from the recent show is not as good due to sound issues with my camera but all vids are available at www.youtube.com/nosyfieldstone For the Lights and Erika see www.myspace.com/thelightsfluorescent and www.myspace.com/erikablatnik

Ultimate Optimist

Optimistically drumming himself into a frenzy.
With Fly at the Club.

We loaded up the van and went down to Charlotte. Had dinner at Ru'san's which is always excellent. A primarily japanese menu with about 600 choices. Afterwards on to the World Famous Milestone Club for a triple bill. Ran into Robert Childers, drummer for 2013 Wolves and the Overmountain Boys and formerly with David Childers and the Modern Don Juans. Robert was purchasing some cool pen and ink art from a guy at the club. Opening act was the "Ultimate Optimist", a drummer who used an ipod to start a sampling loop and then played over the loop very frenetically on the drums. It's great to see experimental music and who knows where this will head. Go to my youtube for a vid. The sound is a little distorted, but I have a new camera and am working out the kinks. Plus the Milestone was loud, as it should be. www.youtube.com/nosyfieldstone See the Ultimate Optimist at www.youtube.com/ultimateoptimist

Wendell Gladstone at Kravets/Wehby Gallery

Not the gallery, but an interesting building built around a gas station.

We went down to far west 21st Street to the Gagoosian Gallery to see an exhibit of late Picassos. The exhibit was worthwhile, though Picasso was widely panned for the works he produced in his 90's ! It was interesting to see a number of Picasso's works grouped in a large space and to see the slight variations between the pieces that he produced during that period. The broad strokes and interesting colors help to solidify Picasso's standing as the legendary artist that he is. The good thing about exhibits of this nature is that the viewer may wander into one of the nearby galleries. We wandered into the Kravets/Wehby Gallery, a small gallery located at 521 West 21st Street http://www.kravetswehbygallery.com/. We were glad that we went. There was an interesting exhibit by Wendell Gladstone. His work was precise and colorful and consisted in part of carefully sculpted symbols that almost looked like the relief or face of a coin and in part of drops of pain arranged in a fashion so as to create a cohesive image (unlike, for example, Jackson Pollock). The gallery was cozy but large enough to display enough works to demonstrate the quality of the artist.

Frank Lloyd Wright and the Guggenheim

Guggenheim.
Model of the Guggenheim as done by Wright.
Inside the Guggenheim. NY Times photo.

We were in NYC when the 50th anniversary celebration opened for the Guggenheim. The Guggenheim facility itself was the post-modern brainchild of Frank Lloyd Wright in his last years. He died six months before it opened. In recognition of its anniversary, the facility is staging a huge display of the architectural works of Wright. Wright's work carries the weight of a great deal of irony. He was an architect known for not listening to the needs or desires of his clients who were paying for his work. Though this allowed for some of the great innovations that Wright is known for, it also resulted in buildings with many impracticalities. We had the opportunity a couple of years ago to visit a home Wright designed in Buffalo. The ceilings were low and the rooms claustrophobic and it appeared that the restoration work was a challenge. The Guggenheim meanwhile is not truly suited to most shows of art. It is a work of art itself. The exterior demands attention in a neighborhood of old mansions and upper east side high rises. The interior, consisting of a seemingly endless ramp to the ceiling, is magnificent but creates impracticalities for the display of art. Wright's works as displayed in the Guggenheim are interesting and certainly laid the foundation for some later more practical manifestations that are primarily seen in take offs of the craftsman design which was somewhat associated with Wright. However, Wright's body of work must also be critically challenged for its lack of staying power from a practical case by case standpoint. For example, one of his most famous works is Fallingwater in Pennsylvania. That house has faced huge challenges due to the lack of functionality of its foundation and roof, basic components of a house. Ultimately, the trip to the Guggenheim was made most rewarding by an impressive room full of impressionistic and post-impressionistic works by the likes of Gauguin, Van Gogh, Manet, Monet, Picasso and Matisse. For more information and views of the Guggenheim, check these links at the New York Times: http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009/05/14/arts/1194840215901/guggenheim-museum-turns-50.html?ref=design and http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/arts/design/15wrig.html?ref=design.

Kampuchea Restaurant in Manhattan

Nice windows that open to the street. Great on a beautiful spring day.
Man , this ain't nothin' but some pho for $15.00 a bowl ! Damn.

One of the great things about dining in New York are the fold in windows at the restaurants which allow the restaurants to be simply open air restaurants when the weather is nice. Kampuchea is a Cambodian restaurant on the lower east side that takes advantage of this great atmospheric detail (www.kampucheanyc.com 80 Rivington Street). However, the restaurant, though interesting, does not rise above the level of simple pho as may be found in typical Vietnamese restaurants but the prices charged are close to twice what one can usually pay for pho, even in Manhattan. Kampuchea does offer an interesting mussel dish in a coconut broth similar to that used for Tom Kha, the Thai soup. And the dessert was interesting, a chocolate mousse bathing in a cold soup of papaya puree. Certainly a nice atmosphere and a nice effort but to make it in the world of pho, the word is value, at least in my book.

Goin' to the Race

Chillin' at the Race

We're here in racing country, stock car racing that is. About a 25 minute drive to Lowe's Motor Speedway when there isn't traffic. I don't like paying to see a race because it is usually not worth the money. So, over the last few years, I have figured a way to get into the Saturday night Nationwide (Busch) series race at Lowe's. We wait and leave the house a half hour before the race starts. When we get there, we pull right up and park in the VIP parking next to the track. This is because there is no traffic (everyone is inside) and nobody is running the parking lots. We then walk to the gate and buy tickets for five dollars that people are trying to get rid of. This beats paying $40.00 for a ticket and waiting in traffic and then walking a half mile to the track. Last night we did it a little differently. We had a social obligation and the race was delayed by rain, and we got there close to the halfway point. A couple of people who were leaving gave us their ticket stubs (good for re-admission) and we watched about 70 laps until the race was ended by another rain storm. Was worth every dime ! Ha !

Pinkberry

Walking down St. Mark's Place in the East Village on a Friday night. A vibrant and bustling crowd fills the sidewalks to the extent police barricades are in place to keep folks from falling out into the street. It's 9:30 and the numerous small Asian restaurants cramped into basement spaces are filled with socializing partiers. Walking along this microcosm of NYC we see the "Pinkberry" store with its large windows and brightly lit space. Yes, the home of real frozen yogurt and fresh toppings. Not to be found in NYC or apparently anywhere in the US outside of NY and California (from looking at the website). Anyway, this stuff was good and refreshing. Pinkberry, yeah, check it out.

Tori Amos Cuts the Edge (As Usual)

I have been fascinated by Tori Amos in her roles of songwriter, performer and general challenger of the male/female status quo. I had the opportunity to see her play at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte a year or two ago and her live show impressed probably more than her studio records. She brought an energy and defiance to the stage that is expected of a true rock star. Her recordings over the years have been uneven with gems like "Cornflake Girl" strewn among lesser tracks. However, I can say now, rather unequivocally that her new record "Abnormally Attracted to Sin" is a heavyweight record that is one of the better rock records I have heard. The strength of the record is in both its variety and in Amos' more liberal use of instruments other than the keyboards. There is much more guitar work than on past Amos records. There is also a use of sampling and/or synths that brings a more foreboding imminence to the music. Several times while listening to this record for the first time tonight, it occurred to me that she has taken some cues from Portishead. But ultimately the voice and lyrics belong uniquely to Tori. "Lady in Blue" is a song that has one of the most stunning transitions I have heard in a song. It starts out almost as a torch classic but devolves into a bit of a rock manifesto. Anyway, give this record a listen. Its lushness will surely draw you in.

Lady M Cake Boutique

Lady M, from the outside looking in.
Lady M, from the inside looking out.

A unique bakery is an understatment for this visual masterpiece located at 41 E. 78th Street not far from the Guggenheim. It is known for its mille crepe cake. But instead we enjoyed a lemon meringue cake. The place is simply radiant in the white interior and large glass entrance way that allows the natural light to exhibit the art in its truest form and color. And that's before you even taste it.

Iroha Sushi NYC

Top left is the monkfish liver pate and center is the red snapper.
A little cold potato and tofu soup.

Iroha Sushi is located at 152 W. 49th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. We ended up there quite by accident. I had read about a restaurant called Sapporo that is known for its cheap noodle soups such as soba. We went and ate one day at what we thought was Sapporo and emerged to realize the Sapporo was next door. We then realized we had eaten at Iroha and we are glad we did. In fact, we liked it so much that we returned for a quick dinner before the Leonard Cohen show. The little restaurant was packed but not noisy. The service was quick and the menu interesting. We had the potato-tofu soup. Our daughter, P, is a huge tofu lover so she enjoyed the soup which was basically a Vichysoisse. Very creamy and cold. P, being a vegetarian, had the cucumber and avocado rolls which she thoroughly enjoyed. I had the specials for the night which included a pate of monkfish liver. This was a pate, apparently made of the liver of a monkfish and sliced into several thick slices. Accompanied by a ponzu sauce and some pickled seaweed, it was a flavorful delicacy at only $9.00. The other special was some red snapper line caught in Japan. It was translucent in color and had an extremely fresh taste. Yeah, it was good. And we even had dessert--a mille crepe cake which consisted of numerous crepe layers sandwiched over a cream layers such as that found in eclair. Excellent. Probably came from outside but it was good, so who cares. Iroha is just another example of the many well run, intimate restaurants that can be found in Manhattan. If you are in midtown, check it out. And Sapporo looks like it is worth a try also !

Benji Hughes in Soho

A shop in Soho where Benji Hughes was heard.

Benji Hughes of Charlotte has a fine record out called "A Love Extreme". It received four stars from Rolling Stone and Benji has toured Europe with Jenny Lewis. And yet, in Charlotte, we can catch Benji at a club like Snug Harbor. While strolling through Soho on our New York trip, we popped into a trendy casual wear boutique. Imagine our excitement when we heard Benji Hughs on the piped in music, singing one of his many great songs, "So Well." Congratulations, Benji, and to those who haven't checked out his record, you need to. I have some of his vids up on my youtube, www.youtube.com/nosyfieldstone.

Leonard Cohen at Radio City Music Hall

The crowd pays homage.
Beautiful lighting , excellent sound and best of all wonderful songs by the man who wrote them.

Radio City, truly unique--and not just because it's the home of the Rockettes.

Interior of lobby, Radio City.

Leonard Cohen wowed us Saturday night May 16, 2009 at Radio City Music Hall. And that is saying alot because we expected to be wowed. A sold out crowd (rumored to include Bob Dylan) sat in awe during the three hour performance (less about 20 minutes for intermission). The performance ran the gamut of Cohen's career from his early days as a folkie in New York City until his current masterpieces of lush commentary on the ironies of our world. Cohen came to the stage most relaxed in his cool fedora. He opened with "In My Secret Life" a song he co-wrote with his recent collaborator, Sharon Robinson, who blew the crowd away in her own right with her beautiful vocals. The setlist included perhaps every song that you wanted to hear. "Chelsea Hotel" had a particular resonance, opened by a stirring flamenco guitar solo by a fellow from Barcelona. As we sat in mid-town Manhattan, just blocks away from Chelsea, the air seemed filled with the history and the present that is Leonard Cohen. There was "Bird on a Wire" and "Suzanne" and "Goodbye Maryann". There was a spoken word rendering of "A Thousand Kisses Deep", oozing the soul of the poet. There was a duet by the Webb sisters on "If it be your will", one playing a harp and the other playing guitar that felt as if it had been directly dropped down from heaven, if there is such a place. "First We Take Manhattan, then We Take Berlin" just felt so right amongst the New Yorkers. It was a sold out Radio City and will be so tonight as Cohen takes the stage again. I had never been to this venerable venue and our daughter P and I were amazed at the professionality of the staff, the cleanliness and well maintained presence of the venue and most of all the Art Deco architecture and lighting that does nothing to sacrifice perhaps the strongest acoutical room of this size I have ever been in. The place seats 6,000 people in gradually sloping seating so there is some distance between most seats and the stage as you can see from my photos and vids, but it simply is a magical experience to see Leonard Cohen in this building or anywhere else. "Democracy is Coming to the USA" brought some chills as we embark on the unknown excitement of the Obama era. "Everybody Knows", another gem written with Sharon Robinson seems even stronger in it cynicism and irony as it is performed live. Cohen bantered with the crowd and really made the audience feel as if it had been invited into his home. The musicians, ranging from a master of the Hammond B-3 to a woodwind fellow who blew on everything from a sax to a bassoon to some sort of electronic looking clarinet made it feel special. The bass player, and musical director kept the right thump going all night. Yes, this will be one to remember and I am thankful that I could be there with our daughter for memories that she can carry into the next generation as, like all of us, the 74 year old Cohen will not be here forever. For more vid check my youtube: www.youtube.com/nosyfieldstone Though the vid is shot from a distance, the sound quality is pretty darn good considering it was on a Canon powershot camera.

Blue Man Group

I'm sure there was a time when these guys were cutting edge or unique. Though that time has passed, they do put on an entertaining show in the tiny Astor Theater on Lafayette near 8th Street. The show is rambunctious entertainment with audience participation. After the show, the crowd gets an opportunity to "meet" the Blue Men although they never speak.

Sushi Samba in the Village

Whole Snapper, split down the middle.
P and Dad on the sidewalk.

Agedashi Tofu.

Yellow Tail with jalapeno and some refreshing drinks.

After starting the day at the Tenement Museum and later having a Cambodian meal at Kampuchea, we trudged through the throngs of Soho, finding some unique items along the way. In the end, I was looking for Sushi Samba, but wasn't sure how far west it would be found. We crossed lower Broadway and 6th Avenue, eventually coming to Seventh Avenue and I told P, "I know this looks familiar". I knew that Sushi Samba was across the street from an excellent ceviche restaurant (that serves fine tequila mojitos, or so I am told) called Mercaditos. I spotted Mercaditos and knew Sushi Samba would be right across the street. It turns out the address is 87 Seventh Avenue, South. www.sushisamba.com/index.cfm/id/9/id2/25.html Sushi Samba does not disappoint with its electric inside atmosphere contemplated with outdoor dining in one of the Village's most rambunctious areas where the "beautiful hipsters" abound. A sushi bar with a Brazilian influence. We enjoyed tropical drinks and then raw yellowtail with a jalapeno sauce. P had an agedashi tofu without the bonito flakes. It was topped with asparagus and eggplant tempura. Very tasty. I had the whole snapper. It was cooked perfectly, still moist and presented in a most unusual way: the center bone of the fish had been removed from the head almost to the tail. The fish was then split, just in its middle part and essentially wrapped around a coconut infused sticky rice. This presentation was inventive while at the same time giving and excellent flavor to the fish. We skipped desert and headed east to go see the Blue Man Group. P enjoyed seeing a transvestite or whatever they are called these days and was enthralled by the openly gay seen at the Monster Bar that we passed on the way. Anyway, NYC is such a great and open place and it has some of the friendliest people in the world.

Things you only see in New York.

Photoshoot at a Diner.

Walking through Chelsea we saw a couple of "tour" buses parked along with several equipment trucks. I commented to P that perhaps a movie or TV was being filmed. As we got closer, we realized that a photoshoot was underway next to the Empire State Diner. The windows had been frosted to give the appearance of winter and snow was blowing from a machine. Of course it is mid May with temperatures in the 70's. Looking closer, we realized that the snow was not some kind of cotton but was "real." It would melt as it hit the ground. We watched the creators do several "takes" with them taking numerous photos. I don't know if the model was someone I should recognize. We asked the staffers what was going on and they said it was a photoshoot for promotion of a product in Asia and probably would never see publication in the US. Well, it was interesting to watch for us yokels.

Joyce Theater--Dance at its Finest

Joyce Theater in the Background.
Yeah, the stores in Chelsea can be "interesting".

Kyotofu.

On the left, strawberry shortcake tofu dessert and on the right, black sesame tofu.

When coming to NYC, many of us from the hinterlands think of going to a show. And when we think of going to a show, we think of going to some Broadway musical on a grand scale, something like "Phantom of the Opera" or "Mamma Mia". Last time Fariba and I were in New York, we went to see "Wicked" and were disappointed. I think, living in the Charlotte area, we now have an opportunity to see so many touring performances of this nature, so it is no longer a big deal to see it on the Broadway stage. Couple this with shows like those from Cirque de Soleil, and the old Broadway musical no longer carries the same "umphh". But our standby in NYC has been the Joyce Theater, the home of avant garde and modern dance on 19th Street at 8th Avenue in Chelsea. After an afternoon of touring the fantastic warehouse galleries between 21st Street and 27th Street (including a super exhibit of late Picassos at the Gagoosian on 21st St.), we ended up at the Joyce for a performance by Momix. This dance group uses sophisticated lighting and various fabric props and costumes to put on an otherworldy show. In a couple of segments, the female dancers were topless, which this unsophisticated patron had never seen in a "legitimate" dance performance. However, the nudity was in context and also underscored the fact that we see male dancers "topless" all the time and don't think anything of it. If you come to NYC, you must come see whoever is performing at the Joyce. This is my third time there and all the shows have been phenomenal. Couple that with a vibrant neighborhood full of interesting and reasonably priced stores and restaurants and it makes for a great evening. We topped it off with tofu based desserts at Kyotofu in the Theater District/Clinton on 48th St at 9th Avenue. And interesting experience as performers from nearby Broadway shows streamed in around 11 for some after show relaxation.

Feeding Frenzy

H & M, an accessible Swedish chain with a store on Fifth Avenue at 51st Street.

I am enjoying the opportunity of spending a few days in New York with our only daughter. She is a deep and introspective person and a pleasure to travel with. We got an early flight to La Guardia, arriving precisely on time at 8:00 a.m. A quick cab ride into the city and we had already dropped off our bags at the hotel by 9. We enjoyed a nice $4 omelet and potatoes at a little eatery right next to our restaurant in the hear to Rockefeller Center and across from Radio City Music Hall (we are going to see Leonard Cohen there on Saturday night!). We took a leisurely walk through Rockefeller Center and it looked like rain and we determined that she needed a rain jacket. We stopped at a beautiful Italian design store on the plaza and found a nice looking jacket for "nine fifty". Our daughter said if that meant $9.50, let's get it. Of course it didn't. But as we emerged on to 5th Avenue we saw a line of about 100 people waiting to get into H and M, a clothing store that looked like it had potential for some cool clothes at good prices. In that H and M, and none of the other stores on 5th Avenue were to open until 10, we took a walk and came back. I told her I couldn't imagine why people would wait in line to get into a store. Why would they not just go in when it opened. It was a large store. Well, we came back about 9:55 and the staff had given up and opened the doors. What we saw were many shoppers (mostly women) who had descended on a section of the store. They were scurrying about, some with ten of the same item of clothing and many with 15 or 20 items of various pieces. They were cleaning the shelves off and staff was replacing the shelves with the same or different items. I asked the door guard what the heck was going on. He said it was the unveiling of the Matthew Williamson design for the summer. All of the clothes were reasonably priced and very unique. So, I shot a video which is attached. Just an interesting slice of Americana where consumerism is not quite dead. We ended up getting a great raincoat for P at Zara, a very reasonably priced Spanish chain with a large store in the heart of Fifth Avenue.

Kings of Leon

Yeah, a rock show.
Young fellows, learning some stage craft.

Nice view.

Chillin' at Intermezzo before the show.

I saw the Kings of Leon the other night. Usually when I go to a show, I am the one who knows all about the band and I am dragging my friends and acquaintances to turn them on to this really cool band. Alot of times it is local bands in Charlotte like Benji Hughes or The Lights, Fluorescent and sometimes it would be my old mainstays like George Clinton or Karl Denson. Well, this time, the shoe was on the other foot. My friend David called me up a couple of months ago and said let's go to Kings of Leon. I had a connection and got some seats for seven of us in the second row of one of the side boxes. Killer seats. I loaded up the crowd in our handy rock and roll conversion van and we headed over to Intermezzo for some pizza and beers. The crew had never been much in the Central area so I showed them around afterward to some of my favorite places like Snug and Pura Vida and Boris and Natasha. Over to the Bojangles Arena. A good way to go from Central is over to Hawthorne and then Monroe Road out to the back entrance. Quick parking, no hassle. We went in as the set change was going on. KoL came out and gave a straightforward rock show. I don't know any of their songs so I can't do a set list or anything. The sound was very tight. Lighting show was unusual and excellent. The crowd was early twenties. No tie dye or colorful clothes. Kind of conservatively dressed. I walked all over the arena to look from different vantage points. Sound was excellent everywhere. The facility is well run. Would like to see more shows there--but, right now, Charlotte is overrun with venues especially when the Lazes stuff opens in full downtown. I hope the venues like Visulite and Neighborhood will continue to do okay--they are the ones among others like Evening Muse and Milestone and Tremont that deserve credit for forcing open the minds of the CLT music scene. Well, anyway, yeah, K of L was a pretty good show. They can't be classified and they are cutting some new ground and for that should be applauded. On the other hand, they need to work on their stage presence and showmanship. Sorry, but when I go to see some guys in their twenties, I'd like a little more show than, say, I might see out of CS & N for example. But, let me say, the K of L bass and drums is what sets this band apart. They kick !