When the Sky is Full of 0’s and 1’s
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Chicago Tribune | Air Marshal Kills Passenger, Citing Threat

WTF…no.no.no WHAT THE FUCK!

So now we let police shoot first and ask questions later. I thought this was innocent until PROVEN guilty. According to the story, even after the shooting, the man is already dead, husband of 20 years, they found NO BOMBS ON THE PLANE! This has gone way to far to the other side. We are getting way to parinoid and need to take a step back and rethink these things. All these marshalls couldnt catch up to the guy and pin him down. Where they too scared of getting blown up themselves. Well here is news for you, your line of work is dangerous. TO SERVE AND PROTECT. You dont get to choose who to serve and who to not. Couple this incident witht the one in England and things start to get really scary. Officers of this caliber are very well trained markmen. They know where to shoot a person where it will only wound them and where it will kill them. If they have to resort to shooting they should attempt to wound so that a fair trial and investigation can take place. Isn’t is what our fore fathers wanted.

You gotta love the empty bottle and their free monday shows. Monday is not usally a good night for us, but since one of our favorite local Chicago (by way of texas) bands was playing we couldn�t pass it up. The band I speak of is Palaxy Tracks, who have released one of the best records of the year, the perfect �12 rooms�. They were 2nd of 3 so it made the deal even sweeter, we could get home at a reasonable hour.

We got their a bit after the first band went on, Rain Delay Theater. It was just one guy with a couple of keyboards, a laptop and a few other things I couldn�t quite make out. He was good in the sense that the songs were tight and coherent, but he really didn�t do much with the music. The songs were along the lines of club music: heavy bass beat, an interesting albeit clichéd arpeggiated melody line, and some throw-away lyrics. It was fun, you could dance to it if you wanted too, but not really what I am into.

Inbetween bands Jarret from another local fav of ours , Walter Meego, spun everything from hip-hop to funk and techno. It was a nice tease being that we are seeing them open for the amazing Caribou this Friday at the Subt.

Now for the reason we came out, Palaxy Tracks. We had seen them less then a month ago open for Canasta, and picked up their new album, 12 rooms, which came out in april. I am not sure how we missed that release, although its not surprising seeing how each time we see Palaxy Tracks they push the other bands records more then their own. In Feburary when we saw them they made the comment that if you wanted to by some merch that you might have to find a band member in the crowd since they forget to actually go back to their booth after their set. During this show he informed the crowd that the headliners, Mobius Band, came all the way from the east coast (NYC, and Mass.) and that we should help them out and buy their record.
The set they played tonight was more of the earlier records then the new one, although they did play my favorite song �Camera� and a few others off the new one.

The headliners, Mobius Band, had gotten one favorable review of an early EP on the fork and then slamed for the LP. We stayed for about 4 songs and I thought they were ok, nothing special. They claim to mix electronic with indie-rock, and really all they do is use a synth drum pad and a sampler along with the regular guitar/bass/drums line-up. Being a three piece with all this stuff meant that usally one band member was doing double duty, be it playing guitar and triggering samples, or playing bass and keyboards. This made them not only look ridiculous but also a bit sloppy. The songs were fairly straight forward pop songs, but nothing really grabbed me.

Maybe I am just overly cynical today, or just overly enamored with Palaxy Tracks.

Chicago Tribune | Where you can, can’t smoke

What a deal. NOT. Most of the things on this list you couldnt smoke at any way. Come on. When was the last time you could smoke in a movie theather, or a public elevator. I was hoping for a ban on smoking in bars and restraunts, where the most damage is done to employee’s and non-smoking patrons. I went to San Fran a few years ago and saw The Delgados play at a club called Bimbo’s. We walked in, watched the opener and a few songs in I turn to Kirstie and ask “Does something seem missing to you” and we both went “Doh” San Fran is no smoking. Double bonus is that inbetween bands all the smokers (and there were lots of them) rushed out side, giving up their choice spots on the floor. So you could go and see a show, get a spot on the floor where you like, and leave the night not smelling like smoke, or having your eyes tear over from the thick haze. But, you say, the deal says that restraunts and bars have until 2008 then they will be no smoking too. Not really.

* Bars, taverns and other public areas or workplaces that install air purification devices that ensure the same air quality inside as outside can seek an exemption from the smoking ban.

We have all seen those things. They could never clean out all the air in, for example, The Empty Bottle and make it like the air outside. This is just a great loop hole for restraunt and bar owns to use in the future.
This is a great step, but on a very long journey. We must not give up the fight for clean air in all public spaces.