Jordan Rudess and James LaBrie "Space Dye Vest" (live)

A lot of fans, especially of the Kevin Moore albums with DT, and Kevin in general (and Awake) have been wanting to hear this song played live for ages.

However, my reaction to this where are the Samples? Floating Synths during the climax? sure it's Jordan's interpretation, but I can't help but be pining to hear Gabriela Kulka's interpretation instead, which I just put on and again for the 1st time in many years and remember why I loved her version of this song maybe as much as the original.

GK sdv by AllMR2

I'm curious if Dream Theater will pull it out live as a band, and if Jordan will continue to play it that way. Namely without samples and synths, and adding a little bit of his own jazzy phrasing. Honestly, I almost saw him as Rick Wakeman playing it like that. And while that's his thing, the song itself doesn't seem to call for that. Whereas in Gabriela Kulka's version there, she totally captured the passion, emotion and feel about what the song is about, at least to me. Those sad harmonies, the subtle feel and pace of the piano parts, and the overall dreaminess is on hers. On this new live version with James, I'm not really sensing it.

Short Notes

Again with time crunches. As I've posted on twitter,

James LaBrie and his band are coming to Station 4 in St.Paul on Wednesday December 8th. I should go, but to say I'm all that thrilled to hear his recent music live would probably be false. I dug the 1st Mullmuzzler album. Why? I can't be certain, but it was prog metal, but it was from a period which I was into that stuff. His last record Elements of Persuasion I really didn't find all that great. It more or less sounded like b-sides from Dream Theater's Train of Thought.

But his new record, I have seen many good comments about it, even from people who aren't all that big of fans of recent DT. The truth is, I haven't listened to it yet. I should, especially now since they are coming here. Hopefully a good percent of the Dream Theater fans in town will show up at it. He did a show back in 2005 to support his last record, in NYC, and like 50 people showed up. Although I seem to recall Ozzfest or something else was playing the very same evening. But Dream Theater and his name have become a fair amount bigger in the last 5 years. What gets me though is he comes here, yet Porcupine Tree still does not.

- I saw Local Natives again last Friday in front of 500 people at 1st Ave. "Sun Hands" still totally kills live. They also did the complete Gorilla Manor including "Sticky Thread." More on that show and I mean to once I remember and discipline myself, to work on my idea for a remix. There's like 30 or more remixes on their official site labeled "Stems."

- I attended Minnesota Renaissance Festival on Sunday again, even in a truncated 3-7:30pm stint. Better than nothing, and Karma was with me and my friend for at least 1 point. I ran into 3 highways with construction, so finding a free ticket at the door seemed to help compensate for the lengthly commute.

- I also have been getting into MyTalk 107..namely the "Colleen and the Boys" from 10-1pm weekdays. I even had the pleasure to meet Colleen and 1 of her co-workers at the station named Mike last week at Kozlak's out in Shoreview. Free ribs+veggies+bratwurst as well. Colleen is a sweetheart and does not have a face for radio ;). Their show reminds me of the Psychic Crapfest podcast I do in some ways, or even a bit like the show My Boys. If it were possible timing-wise, I'd go for getting involved with their station. Do radio again. Even just as a sub/fill-in kind of deal. My friend has an idea for a show called "It's a Guy Thing." 2 male hosts give, well, male perspectives on pop-culture, dating, etc.

I still wish they or another station had a live music-discussion talk show. Maybe some day (the show on the weekend doesn't seem to be that).

-Plentyoffish.com and the pofusers forum..to put it kindly, have been a bit of a headache for me of late. I've written about them via my okc journal. I may elaborate more at some point on here, I'm not sure.

-Warpaint and Pure Reason Revolution are the daily leaks to hunt for, and so far no dice. Hopefully they'll come sooner than later. But the 2010 season and Album Index is shaping up more and more. Sufjan Stevens however has made his presence felt of late. The Age of Adz shall have something more detailed in here soon if all goes well. Also I'd be skeptical still, but Water & Bodies may be finished and sending out their new album to those who pledged on kickstarter like myself, before the end of the year. We'll see. It's good news no matter, as they raised the money and the words written on some of the boards about this new album, many of the old Kaddisfly fans may be surprised about what kind of album this debut lp will be of theirs.

-Kiss Kiss are on hiatus unfortunately. But they have some other projects happening as well as an intended reunion eventually, I'd imaging in 2011.

-As Tall As Lions are breaking up. I knew about it, but something soon should be in here writing a bit more about them.

-The Receiving End of Sirens have a new song along with a re-release (remastering?) of their debut record "Between the Heart and the Synapse" on vinyl and with new artwork. I did order it. I pray to god they fixed the tambourine-toned clipping (4C).

-Movies I look to see: The Social Network, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Catfish, It's Kind of a Funny Story, Due Date

-I enjoyed the Ken Burns extended portion of Baseball "The 10th Inning" last week. Although nothing about the Twins among other noteworthy events in Baseball the last 20 years.

so..more to come, but that's all the time I have right now...sleep, tv, web shit and the like have of course contributed to the lack of content in here still. But I do sense a big spurt of blogging coming soon enough. The shit just needs to get together well enough.

DVR Clearing: for one..Rubicon last week/end and The Gates this week/end..and The Twins playoff run, or lack-their-of has prioritized my time more so.