Caveat Lector 98-99
Contents:
Theater Review
Saturday, April 18,1998. 2pm
My first Broadway show in four years. Rent at the Nederlander Theater. These tickets were passed along to me from a friend that
could't use them. After I got the tickets, I was the last one in Manhattan to find out that the playright, 35-year-old Jonathan Larson, died the night before his East Village
take on Puccini's La Bohème began playing off-Broadway. What a shame. Who knows if this musical would have been quite as successful had it not been for that
notoriety. Anyhoo, it is a funny, touching and sweet story. It brought tears to my eyes, as I overlooked the moments of hokeyness. The music is poppy, but still of the
run-out-and-by-the-soundtrack genre. Definitely worth the wait and price.
Sunday, May 17,1998. 3pm
I went to see Jekyll & Hyde at the Plymouth Theater. What a show. I have found that it
takes me a few scenes before I get used to a musical. It seems unnatural to have people singing to communicate. But J&H had me believing within moments. This is the
first musical that I got so lost in I did not even notice that this wasn’t real life. Unfortunately, I felt that the strength of this play did not lie in the music, script or the scenery.
While those were good enough, the heart of this show is the star, Robert Cuccioli. He sings and
performs with such a presence that it ripped my heart out. I felt as if he was looking right at me. He has an amazing voice and bearing that gives this musical beauty and
strength.
Movies(Ratings are out of 5 stars)
**** The Last Days of Disco: I hadn't been to the movies in a while, then caught two in a week. The first
was "The Last Days of Disco". I liked the music and the premise and remembered Chloe
Sevingy from Kids. This is a real talker, but if you are the kind of person who can watch
the Real World and would be even more interested in a Real World filmed in the 70's (who
wouldn't?), then definitely check this movie out. The smile you'll get from the scene on
the subway at the end alone is worth the ticket price!
*** The X-Files: Whoa. I guess it depends about how you feel about David Duchovny,
but I'd pay to watch him read the newspaper. Seriously, this is an awesome adventure movie
and the added static between the lead characters is just gravy. I was afraid that they might
leave too many loose ends for my taste, but thankfully I left the theater satisfied. The storyline
was so cool, it's definitely a must see for those who stay home on Sunday nights and for those who don't.
***½ Saving Private Ryan: This was some movie. I don't know how Spielberg does it, but I was crying in the first half hour. While I'm not Dawson, you have
to give the guy some credit. With the help of really loud sourround sound, this movie makes you feel as if you are part of the war. And that isn't even the depressing part.
The really tear jerking part is that while I was in a theater freezing watching people's heads being blown off, I realized that that isn't even a truck in Saugerties compared to
what real soldiers went through.
**½ Psycho: This was a pretty good movie. I definitely was scared and enjoyed the hour and a half sitting in the theater, but it is not something that you'll rave to
your friends about. I hadn't seen the original in a very long time, so I enjoyed watching the well-known story unfold, and I always think that Vince Vaughn is delicious, even
if he's a sociopathic lunatic. I guess it was worth my 6 bucks, although all I really got out of it was a bunch of terrifying nightmares and the desire to rent Hitchcock's
version.
* Stepmom: Ugh. I guess that I should have known better, but this was even worse than I expected. I thought that this movie was going to be the type of
movie that is corny and that you know isn't the 'best' ever but you really like anyway. I was very wrong. The dialogue was predictable and trite and just plain awful. The
characters were stereotypes and boring. I don't think the idea of a quarreling and distrustful extended family immediately becoming happy and loving once some one gets
cancer is even entertainable. Although that doesn't even scratch the surface of why it was so bad, I hestitate to continue for the sake of the value of your time and suggest
skipping this one.
*** Shakespeare in Love: I think that I was a little disappointed by this flick because I had rather high expectations. SIL had a fun plot line and it was interesting
to see how this interpretation of Shakespeare develops his plays. There were quite a few laughs and watching a well-executed farce is rare and enjoyable. While the film was
entertaining and the ending was surprisingly good, I think that this movie had greater potential. The supporting cast was excellent (particularily Ben Affleck and Ruppert
Everett) and I think a little more of them and a little less Gwen would have done a world of good.
Concerts
Dave Matthews at SPAC 7/26/98... I have seen them several times, but each time I like this band more and more. They sound so much better in concert and
they make you feel as if you are their friends and they are playing at a party. They are unbelievable musicians and if you like their music you'll love them in concert.
Page and Plant at the Continental Arena 7/18/98... This overshadowed any concert that I have ever seen in my life. I was really looking forward to this show,
but I thought that I knew what to expect... old rockers. Granted these dudes are way up there and possibly have egos larger than the solar system and they dissed John Paul Jones, but they rocked. My heart was racing for the entire show and it brought tears to my eyes. I felt like I'd been hit over the head witha sledgehammer and fallen in love in the same day. I don't mean to be blasphemous, but is possible that Jimmy Page is divine.
Soul Coughing (with Los Amigos Invisibles) at Irving Plaza NY, NY 10/22/1998... Never seen this band before, but they were fabulous. Great venue, great
sound, great band, great crowd.
Chris Isaak at the Roseland Ballroom, NYC 11/20/1998... I have wanted to see Chris Isaak perform ever since Forever Blue came out and it amazed
me. Roseland is another wonderful place to see a band. While usually GA, this show had reserved seating. Me and my friends splurged and bought like 10th row seats. I
wasn't sure who went to see Chris Isaak in concerts, so I was pleasantly surprised to see quite a few young people, although sometimes in bizarro world people show up in
dresses with their dates for shows and for some reason there was a scattering of those cases, but even though I'm a Singleton I wasn't going to let that lessen my fun.
Enjoyment turned into undying devotion when sometime after Wicked Game CI invited everyone to come down closer, so the people in the front rows came down and
gathered around the stage. I grabbed two of my friends and we were up against the stage for the rest of the night.. The band was phenom and the music speaks for itself,
but the way the band adores their fans and the fans adore them right back is outright charming and made you forget that you paid sixty bucks for your ticket. Afterwards the band members hung out in the back of the ballroom and talked with fans, and CI gave out autographs. Please come back to New York soon,
Chris.
For more info on shows I've seen...check out my setlist page.
Editor's Pick: The Best Albums Ever
These are just my picks as the best albums ever. The ones that you can listen to from start to finish, as a whole, and the entire album rocks. And makes sense to you. These
are the disks where the the songs belong together. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
In no order...
The Beatles - (every album but these especially) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Abbey Road, White Album and Rubber Soul
Led Zeppelin - I, II, III, IV, Houses of the Holy, et al...
Pearl Jam - Vs.
Chris Isaak - Forever Blue
Pink Floyd - The Wall
Dave Matthews Band - Crash
Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill
Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine
Jane's Addiction - Ritual de lo Habitual
U2- Achtung Baby
REM - Murmur
Red Hot Chili Pepper's - Mother's Milk
You know you are from Saugerties (and you probably graduated in 92 or 93 from SHS) if...
You've been at a bar called the X at 4 am.
You know people that have been arrested, and they are still your
friends.
One, if not several, of your friends drive a pickup truck.
You know what a citidiot is.
You remember listening to 'Friends in Low Places' and 'Devil went
down to Georgia' in high school.
You know why we are the antique capital.
You have drank beers on the golf course.
You are at the Dutch on every major holiday eve.
You know what the Cru is.
You know where the 'Heights' are.
You've ridden a sleigh on Snyder Hill.
You know what a townie is.
You've camped at Trina's.
You know where the Loveshack is.
You would know where to go if a party was at the Crane.
You knew people in high school that smoked Winstons.
You wore flannels to parties in high school.
You remember the funhouse.
You know the words to every song on The Steve Miller Band Greatest Hits (74-78) album and have probably seen them in concert.
You spent countless hours of your life in the Buono's basement, from
watching The Wall to being very drunk to skipping school to smoking
cigarettes to sleeping..
You've been driven in the wagon.
You know how the radio on Dan's convertible was haunted.
You were friends with Jorge.
Don't be a sellout.
Crystal Method's track "Busy Child" can be heard in one of the Gap's khaki spots.
Gipsy King's "Bamboleo" is in a Burger King commercial.
I could list more but I am starting to feel ill. Granted, money is important. I want more money just like everyone else.
But we are talking about something else here. If you can't afford life necessities or even basic make-your-life more comfortable type items,
then maybe I can understand doing things for money that you might not be proud of. I don't mean prostituting yourself, I mean working
for a corporation that you don't particularly agree with. Or continuing a job that you dislike. Or whatever. But if you
are making well over six figures, as both of these bands are... You should be ashamed. That is plenty of money for anyone.
Maybe they are not multi-millionaires but give me a break! I am so tired of this garbage going on! These people are supposed to be
musicians, not jingle-writers! It is an embarrassment to music. It is not as if their careers are long over and this is a attempt to get their song
heard in any way possible. It just turns my stomach to see such total sellouts. You would never see the Dave Matthews Band selling their music to McDonald's.
Nor the Beastie Boys. Nor Cypress Hill. Nor the Grateful Dead.
I have to admit that I accepted Aerosmith and Dave Navarro's performance footage for the Gap.
But that is probably only because they were actually doing what they do. Playing music. (And partially because Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and
Dave Navarro are some of the sexiest men alive, IMHO.) I can't help that I like a band a lot and then they do something I disagree with, but I think that
these performers need to realize, that not only does this make we want to eat at BK even less (if that was possible) but it also makes me listen to the
Gipsy Kings with a sellout-bad-taste in my mouth. Not to over press my point but who on earth likes to listen to music and be reminded of greasy fast food?
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