Hi everyone ! 1. A question in french Une question aux listies parisiens : qui va au concert de Nada Surf ce jeudi (demain) � la Locomotive ? 2. The trouble with pop music and Belle & Sebastian on stage Yesterday I saw the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. That was... an explosion (OK, it was easy, I'm sorry) ! I still can't believe what I saw and heard on stage. They're certainly the best performers I've ever seen. I think sometimes the trouble with pop-music is that it is not a good music to be played and to listen to live. I went to so many concert where I was just listening to a band playing songs, and that's all ! I don't mean that that kind of concert is boring, not at all. It's often a pleasant moment to spend. The miracle with Belle & Sebastian is that they can reproduce on stage the same fragility and sensitivity they give on their records, which was not obvious and is always magical actually. But that is not enough to me. In such concerts you can easily close your eyes and let you take by the music, making abstraction of the band who is playing... and the trouble is here. I don't want to make silly comparisons, because Belle & Sebastian and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion have nothing in common. But the fact is that I always had a feeling of frustration, not while (because you are charmed and delighted) but after seeing Belle & Sebastian live (and that happened 4 times). Of course, it is not necessary to be dressed like Elvis, to play the guitar on your knee, to roll on the floor and to jump from your amp screaming things like "blues is number one but I play rock'n'roll" to give great concerts. The difference is that the three musicians of the Blues Explosion are all quite sexy and glamour, and that they give anything they have on stage. Not only their songs, but themselves as well. The show was blazing. They seemed burnt and *haunted* by their music. They were not only playing, but they were *living* their music and they gave to it more soul than it has on their records. And that is what I want to hear and to see when I'm going to a concert, and that's not what I saw with Belle & Sebastian. In the early 70's, Bowie showed that you could play pop music and give blazing concerts. But I don't blame anyone. I love to see Belle & Sebastian on stage actually - and the fact is that in spite of anything I can say it is very addictive. I think finally that Belle & Sebastian have nothing more to give than their songs, and that's just fine as long as they touch me. And I don't know why I care actually. 12 homeless died in one week in France because of the cold and the coldness of this society which is not able to give a home to everyone. That makes me very angry. I'm sorry, I'm in my Hate and War mood today. I have love only for all of you. Love, Julien _________________________________________________________ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister@majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo@majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+