i'm typically iffy on most musicals; a full two hours of showtunes tend to make me start twitching. but there are two that i can't get enough of: rock of ages and RENT. i was fortunate to see the latter for the fourth (!) time on wednesday night at the shubert theatre in boston as part of the 20th anniversary tour, and it was fantastic and i teared up about four times.
based on the opera la boheme, the show premiered on broadway in 1996 and centers on a group of artists/musicians/creative types living in manhattan -- most of whom are drug addicts living with HIV/AIDS. not the sunniest subject matter, for sure, but most of the songs are surprisingly upbeat and get stuck in your head immediately. i had to stop myself from mouthing along the entire time like a freak. my favorite, "la vie boheme," from the movie adaptation which includes references to pee-wee herman, the sex pistols, soy burgers, dildos, and even pablo neruda.
the entire cast was incredible this time around, but i've gotta say that aaron harrington, an apparent "musical theater newcomer" who played tom collins, was far and away the best vocalist i've heard in a production (including broadway) in a loooong time. my mouth dropped open every time he sang, legit.
A post shared by Aaron Harrington (@doubbleayye) on
and of course, the iconic "seasons of love" just got me right in the feels as always. i mean, that high note at 1:16? HOW CAN YOU NOT SOB? she nailed it just like in this video, too.
the t-shirt i bought last night/the best t-shirt i'll ever own
gather 'round, kids ... let me tell you the story of a band called diarrhea planet, who have inspired air guitarists and drummers, made uptight prudes scowl at the mere mention of their name, and melted faces across the country.
i first discovered the six-piece revelation back in 2011ish, along with some of my other favorite nashville acts like natural child, JEFF the brotherhood, and pujol, but didn't witness their epic live show until last year. they played great scott, which is the size of a shoebox, and my friend and i were among the ... oh, four or so women in attendance. after having my mind completely blown by the four-guitar assault, i knew i couldn't go a full year without seeing them again.
this time around, they moved to my favorite venue in the area (the sinclair) and i was pleased to see that the female contingent was higher (though it was mostly just dutiful girlfriends ... sigh).
i arrived at the tail end of the first opener, local band salem wolves. they had great stage presence and solid chops, but weren't quite my cup of tea music-wise. straightforward, bad religion-esque punk would probably be the best way to describe them.
next up was western medication, a fellow nashville outfit and possibly my new favorite band. live, the vocals made me think of king tuff and white reaper, but not so much now that i'm listening to their album. and i still can't put my finger on what the music itself reminds me of. smith westerns, maybe? stone roses? it's driving me insane. regardless, i'm a big fan.
(update: i just read a youtube comment after i typed that paragraph about how they sound like smith westerns. can someone pay me for this?)
and finally, the main event ... the one, the only, the planet of diarrhea. if you haven't had the pleasure of experiencing one of their concerts, i can only liken it to a 45-minute roller coaster ride of stage-diving, fist-pumping, guitar-shredding goodness that leaves you wondering where you are and what just happened to you in its aftermath-- in the best way. the fact that nearly all of the members trade off vocal duties makes for an exciting and dynamic show as well. at one point, i was covered in beer (and god knows what else) and could not care less because i was headbanging and screaming "STREET RIP!" the power of diarrhea planet, man.
this wasn't my first rodeo, so i knew to stay as far as i could from the front of the crowd, where punk bros-a-plenty moshed the night away.
guitarist jordan even got in on the action towards the end, simultaneously surfing and playing. siiiick.
if you're still not sold, i'll leave you with one of my favorite d-planet videos, a homage to nickelodeon classic pete and pete. aw yeah.
i've been spreading the gospel of hindsight to my friends since i watched the first episode over a month ago, so i figured i'd tell the internet about it.
it's no secret that i'm obsessed with all things '90s, and often feel like i'm a misplaced member of gen-x. i mean, one of the best days of my life was the one where i got to see buffalo tom and the lemonheads perform on boston common for free. so when i heard about a show that revolved around the idea of a woman being transported (via elevator??) back to 1995, i was all in immediately.
surprisingly, the writing and acting are actually quite good, and all of the characters are interesting and relatable, so it's not even a guilty pleasure by any stretch. the soundtrack is spot-on (toadies! alanis! REM! dishwalla!). plus, john patrick amedori plays the main character's shaggy stoner brother -- the one in the trailer that assures her it is indeed 1995 -- and i'm completely and totally in lust with him. unf. if you're reading this, JPA, call me.
but back to the point. please watch this amazing show. it's on vh1. wednesdays at 10, though i watch it on demand because workaholics/broad city obviously takes priority over everything. i'm sure you can find it illegally on the internet, too.
that's all i've got, so i'm gonna go listen to some spacehog and buy some doc martens now.
