New York, New York

April 22, 2008

Last night I got back from Northampton. The trip to New York was amazing.

 

 

Early Saturday morning we got up and packed into a cab to Springfield. Being neurotically early (my fault) left us wandering a little, and I took the above shot near the bus station. Not bad.

 

 

Eventually we made our way up to the train platform and took a seat. I look demented because I typically try to remember to do something to prevent the fat chin in these kinds of pictures. Ah well, not as bad as it could have been.

 

 

I had not taken the train down through Connecticut since before I can remember, so it was interesting to see the path it took. Some familiar, some not so familiar. Above we got to wander around on the platform for a little bit as they swapped out the diesel locomotive for an electric one in New Haven.

 

 

There are some fairly large gaps in here between the images and what we were actually up to, so you’ll have to forgive that. Above is of course the Metropolitan Opera House. The performance of Philip Glass’ Satyagraha was completely amazing. I was in awe the entire time. The tough thing about Glass’ music is that it requires such precision - although they did a tremendous job, it is tough to stay on top of the music as written.

The visuals that went with the performance were remarkable as well. Glass leaves this end more or less up to the director based on the thrust of the scene in question and the libretto, so each new production is a thoroughly new interpretation. This is the only performance I’ve ever been aware of (besides one in Tehran a few years back - wha?), though, so this will likely be the only interpretation I ever see. If that’s the case, then I’m awfully happy it was this performance - it was stunning.

After that we swung by the hotel to get our room and drop our stuff. Sensing that we were going to run into timing issues if we tried to go for a big meal we stopped by the hotel bar and pounded down a few beers and quesadillas. The food was decent, the service not so much so. What can you do.

Then it was off to the Cherry Lane Theater for a double bill of Edward Albee’s The American Dream and The Sandbox. Both were wonderfully executed, directed by Mr. Albee himself. Rachel and I had a few minor quibbles, but overall it was a very handsomely mounted production.

 

 

Sunday morning we got up and tried to figure out what the Pope was up to. Our hotel was right next to ground zero, and we walked through all the preparations the night before on our way back from Greenwich Village.

Of course, there wasn’t much to see out the window. Only a tiny crowd of people on one street corner was at all visible, the rest obscured by our neighbor. I went down to get coffee and received very firm direction from the Secret Service about where I could go, when, how, etc. I am of the belief that Secret Service personnel should be posted at all points where lines are a problem. They were very effective at making sure everyone got through Starbucks promptly.

After a quick text message to Ethan to find an ideal lunch/beer spot, we ended up just blocks from MoMA for a quick bite. Rachel was very good and had a Caesar Salad, I was rather naughty and had the meat loaf paired with first an IPA, then the beer sampler.

 

 

After a stop at MoMA (too many people, though the exhibit was great), it was time to head out to the train. We loaded on and both plugged in to our music immediately. Neither of us had enough rest to chat too much.

Things were progressing nicely until we hit Windsor Locks, CT and were informed that there was a medical emergency on the southbound train that was preventing us from getting past to Springfield. Gee, eliminating the second track on these lines was a real good idea, wasn’t it?

Mercifully Mike was able to rescue us in no time flat.

A great trip and a wonderful time.

Posted in: photo, the world, wonderful things 1 Comment »

Back in NYC

April 17, 2008

I’ve always been suspicious of New York. While there is definitely something exciting about it, more often than not I am weary just being there. Truth be told, I can’t say that I’ve ever really given the city a chance. It’s just… intimidating.

Saturday Rachel and I are taking the train from Springfield, down through scenic Connecticut, and straight into downtown Manhattan. We have an opera and two Albee one-acts to see almost as soon as we arrive, and Sunday will be spent in museums and whatever other trouble we may care to find for ourselves. We are spending the evening down near World Trade Center, as Rachel was able to score a great Priceline deal on the Sheraton Manhattan. Livin’ large.

Want to keep up with our antics? We will likely be posting updates here.

From where I sit right now I am looking forward to the train trip(s) as much as anything else. With the way last week went it will be nice to climb aboard the train to Springfield tomorrow and just stare out the window for a change. It’s gotten to the point where I even fantasize about my morning commute bus never reaching its destination so that I can just sit there, listen to music, and watch the world.

So my mini-vacation will be a combination of great stuff to see and do and lots of train tranquility. This formula seems to be working pretty well for me. It won’t be long before I am back on the train to Buffalo in May. Twelve hours on the train may sound like pure hell to some, but I have a grand old time.

If the ill-fated Lebanon trip stays off the table for this year (when do I just give up? hmm), stay tuned for murmurings of another stab at the train trip. I have a much better idea how I’d do it this time (my tiny digital camera, less overnight stops in cities), and think I could pull it off quite successfully.

We’ll see.

This is not actually my last trip to New York, but the second to last. Me, Melissa, and Baha went down to see Christo’s The Gates, and Melissa bought herself a fancy new digital camera. This plus my usual web headshot both came from this trip. Nice shots of me! If that’s not an accomplishment…

Posted in: the world, wonderful things No Comments »

10 Albums

March 4, 2008

The formatting of this post did not make the blogger-to-wordpress transition very well, and if you’ve never tried it before, rest assured that trying to undo all of blogger’s weird code is not a project that you really want to take on. So I’m redoing it here. Enjoy. (again)

The idea here is to come up with your ten favorite albums that you could listen to front to back without skipping tracks or getting bored. In fact, you often have to fight the urge to just start it right back at the beginning when it is done.

In no particular order, except alphabetical. Also subject to change. In fact, this has already changed slightly from one I posted to my old blog about a year back.

Fickle.

A-Z Colin Newman

My photographing soundtrack. I picked this up on cassette back in college and haven’t stopped listening to it since. Still dialed up on the ‘Pod to this day whenever I’m out shooting.
Highlight: “I’ve Waited Ages”

 

Aja Steely Dan

An album best savored with a bottle of wine and a quiet, warm evening. Staring vacantly off into space completes the experience.
Highlight: “I Got the News”

 

A Bell is a Cup Until it is Struck Wire

There are those who would argue that this album pales in comparison with the holy trinity of the first three (Pink Flag, Chairs Missing, 154). There’s a certain logic to that. However, this was my first Wire album and still a remarkable document. I could listen to this one all day long.
Highlight: “The Queen of Ur and the King of Um”

Copper Blue Sugar

Busy, distorted guitar work always kind of annoyed me until I heard this record. Now I appreciate it much more.
Highlight: “The Act We Act”

 

Innervisions Stevie Wonder

Stevie’s made some wonderful albums. This one, though, not only makes my top ten, but should probably have some kind of place in the top ten albums of all time.
Highlight: “Livin’ for the City”

 

Night and Day Joe Jackson

I don’t give this album nearly enough credit on a day-to-day (night-to-night?) basis. Great to put on… well… whenever.
Highlight: “Another World”

 

Official Version Front 242

The Art of Noise and Depeche Mode got me off the Billboard Top 40 charts and onto more adventurous music (although there are those who would debate Depeche Mode’s role in “adventurous”). Front 242 improved on those themes and gave me a little clanky computerized area of modern recording to call my very own. Seemingly political, but what’s the message? Who knows. Oddly emotional, but about what? Search me. Ominously angry, but why? Haven’t the faintest.

I know the feeling.
Highlight: “Rerun Time”

 

Satyagraha Philip Glass

The opera that really marks the transition from the early Ensemble days to the more grand orchestral style of his later years - an exhausting yet highly invigorating experience from beginning to end.
Highlight: “Indian Opinion”

 

Scenes Michael Galasso

A wonderful album for sleeping.
Or riding in a bus, late at night, watching the snow fall.
Highlight: “Scene VI”

 

Tusk Fleetwood Mac

What can I say? As the band goes off the rails (due to over-reaching artistic ambitions, or cocaine, or band politics, or all three) they produce 20 outstanding songs that range from old fashioned bar rock to nutty Lindsey weirdness. As I grow older I find myself warming to well-played basic rock. It’s a nice contrast to some of my more oddball choices.
Highlight: “I Know I’m Not Wrong”

There’s always room for honorable mentions:

 

Music For Fruit / Insiding Bruce Gilbert
Wire’s guitarist makes fascinating ambient noise epics. Both records are rather short, so they always get merged in a playlist.

 

Bookends Simon and Garfunkel
Also my favorite album cover ever. I love that the “purists” get upset about the Moog synthesizer being used on this record.

 

Foxtrot Genesis
A smidge boggy in places, but easily the best Genesis album (in my book).

 

I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You Aretha Franklin
I’m sick to death of “Respect”, but the rest of the album is completely amazing.

 

Rubber Soul The Beatles
If not for the tired “Run For Your Life”, this album would be in the top ten.

 

Scoundrel Days a-ha
I make no apologies for my a-ha fetish.

 

Security Peter Gabriel
A slightly flawed classic, and what is up with that cover?

 

Te Deum Arvo Part
Brilliant and beautiful. If there’s a god, s/he’s speaking through Pärt.

 

Warm Leatherette Grace Jones
Slave to the Rhythm.

 

Who’s Afraid of The Art of Noise?
I’m not.
Well… not very often.
Ethan might be.
Just a little bit.

Posted in: distractions, sound, wonderful things No Comments »

stranger and stranger

December 17, 2007

OK, folks.

This makes two mystery gifts.

The Who’s Live at Leeds - one of the big live albums of all time. As Stop Making Sense was to concert films, Live at Leeds was to live albums.

Normally I’d load up my ‘Pod and take a lunchtime walk to listen, but it is rather cold out and I don’t think there will be any walking today. So I’ll have to wait for the commute home. I may have to invent a necessary task and go take a walk anyway, though - this one promises to be pretty damn good.

So, thank you very much for Mystery Gift #2! The disc arrived very carefully packaged by your vendor of choice, and the disc/liftlock case/inserts are all in great condition. An excellent gift. This one will be providing many hours of listening pleasure, I’m sure - the big My Generation medley is amazing.

Other than that, yesterday I had one of those humbling moments where a coworker that you are friendly with - but not necessarily active friends - happens to take a look at your work. Not knowing that it’s yours. And not really liking it all that much. And saying so.

*sigh*

After some extended grumpiness on my part my co-worker figured out what I was worked up about and swears that I misinterpreted the whole thing. I think that’s a little disingenuous, but I am willing to accept that he certainly didn’t mean anything hurtful. But it does raise that age-old question: had he known it was mine would that have caused him to a) look at it more carefully and dig something out of it that he enjoyed? or b) lie?

I know I can’t please everyone, but damn, it’s still no fun to hear that someone dislikes what you do. Ah well, this is one of the reasons I actively elected not to get on the art mil as a Working Artist - the rejection can be, well,

crippling.

Posted in: photo chatter, wonderful things 1 Comment »

getting art in the mail is a great way to start the day

October 23, 2007

I asked Dan Goodsell if he took requests, for I had seen Shutterbug on his site but never in his Etsy store.

What should I find in my mail today?

Thanks, Dan.

It’s completely amazing.

Posted in: plug, wonderful things 2 Comments »

kitty kitty kitty

October 18, 2007

 

I was looking through my Polaroids for one in particular that somebody asked me for a print of. Still haven’t found the damn thing (and I remember seeing it once and thinking “how did that get there?”; did nothing about it), but I did come across this picture of Girlfriend - Rachel’s spectacular kitty.

 

Unfortunately, Girlfriend is no longer with us. But when she was, she was quite easily the most accommodating model on the planet. She would just sit and stare with her great big eyes, pleased that you were paying any kind of attention to her. I always felt incredibly guilty, as the flash made her squint and give me an exasperated look, but it never made her run away - as every other cat I’ve ever taken a picture of has done. Girlfriend was pretty hip.

 

Anyway, I hoped the Girlfriend image would help ease the pain and suffering that my lack of interesting posts must have caused. I have been so damn busy lately, and consequently no new images, no new announcements. I have been tweaking, refining, and making final prints of the images that people have asked me for, so if I haven’t been in touch about that, know that all your prints are about to emerge and be distributed.

 

In the meantime, no Chain Camera Store tonight, so a few prints and then I’m climbing into bed early.

Posted in: filler, photo, wonderful things 1 Comment »