bend it like briando

braundiggity @ 2007-06-09T15:33:00

2007-06-09T22:37:52Z

As I don't write in this too often, I've started two new blogs. One is mine, the other is by myself with friends.

Thus, I present to you:

somuchbetterlive.blogspot.com
-->this is my new pop music blog. daily updates, all the news that I care about (and thus, you should care about), videos, songs to download, and plenty of reviews/musings. If you like music websites, I'm gonna do my best to make sure it's one you'll like.

dailyflingo.blogspot.com
-->this is by me and my roommates, and our friend Carl. We choose a different topic each day, and everyone writes about it. So sometimes it'll be boring, sometimes it'll be entertaining, but it'll always be fresh. Do you flingo? Well, you should.

I'll maybe update here occasionally, but those are gonna be where I do most of my writing from here on out. Enjoy.

ps, I straight up love Justin Timberlake's "What Goes Around, Comes Around"

braundiggity @ 2007-05-16T19:28:00

2007-05-17T02:29:42Z

This is my film that I've been working on the last few weeks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TZXbB63-Bg

Be honest, and unmerciful.

braundiggity @ 2007-05-01T15:45:00

2007-05-01T22:45:21Z

So, Coachella was amazing. I’m just going to say every thought that comes to mind, rather than break down the festival with any sort of organization.

Revelation of the festival? Manu Chao & Radio Bemba Sound System. I’ve got two of Manu Chao’s albums, but when he plays with Radio Bemba Sound System, he apparently rocks the fuck out. SO loud, SO much fun. That was unlike any show I’ve ever seen, and blew me away. Easily one of those shows I’ll look back on years from now and still think of as one of the best I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t believe my eyes, it was so amazing. Bloc Party last year took the cake because of the audience experience. This was just purely mindblowing performance, though. I just got the live album, and it’s one of the best I’ve heard at expressing the energy of a live performance. Totally awesome.

Tony put it nicely. Manu Chao was like a “prelude to a communist revolution.”

Which would be Rage. Which was totally and thoroughly and completely awesome. I was really glad they mostly let the music do the talking. One great speech during “Wake Up” (in which they called for all American presidents to be hung, tried, and executed for war crimes, particularly the current one) but otherwise just great music. Tom Morello is a guitar god. And Zach de la Rocha, back from the wilderness, was exploding with energy.

That said, I hate hate hate Rage fans. Total asshats, total morons. More interested in beating each other up than enjoying a show. I’m all for mosh pits when they come from the energy of the music, but when the crowd is moshing 3 hours before the show and throwing shit at the bands before Rage, you know you’ve got a ton of fucked up people. Just totally disrespectful assholes, the lot of them.

Arctic Monkeys gave a great performance. Amazingly polished, they had their shit down. They don’t go crazy all over the stage, but they play with a confident energy that’s just great. They also look like they’re 15. Trippy. Because they’re amazing.

Arcade Fire was, naturally, incredible. Bombastic and theatrical, the kind of religious performance that turns people into lifelong fans. They played everything I wanted to hear with more energy than any other band in the festival (or possibly ever, in my experience). I’d be seeing them again when they come to LA, but tickets sold out in like 30 seconds. They’re probably the hardest act to get tickets for these days, so I’m glad I saw them.

Oh, and Scarlet Johansson came out and sang with the Jesus and Mary Chain. They didn’t introduce her, but it was her, and it was way cool. She sang the backup on “Just Like Honey,” which was the song at the end of Lost in Translation. Nice.

Rodrigo y Gabriela had probably the best audience reaction of the festival. They had their tent overflowing to the point where I couldn’t get inside, and this was in the early afternoon, when nobody pulls that off. A full audience singalong to Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here,” full-on clapping (as in everybody, I couldn’t find anyone not clapping. and in legit unison! wow!) to every song. It was wild to watch and be a part of.

Biggest bummer? Air coming out 30 minutes late. But that wound up leading to us checking out Manu Chao earlier, so there’s a silver lining.

Grizzly Bear were like an acoustic Radiohead, rocking out very nicely.

Sonic Youth played a noise-heavy set with lots of stuff from their latest album, “Rather Ripped,” and I ate it up.

Bjork is just weird, but incredible when she rocks out instead of staying mellow.

The Chili Peppers put on a very solid show, though it wasn’t quite as awesome as I’d hoped.

Kings of Leon were another band that just rocked so much harder in concert than they do in their albums, and I love love loved it. I was actually glad I caught them instead of The Decemberists.

Lupe Fiasco was sweet, bouncing all over the stage. And the New Pornographers played a set that I very much enjoyed, thanks to my recent falling-in-love with “Twin Cinema.”

And I think that’s most of it. Only Air really let me down. RHCP were a bit disappointing, though it may be because they had to follow Arcade Fire. My top 5 acts? Manu Chao, Rage, Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Grizzly Bear, and Sonic Youth. Wait, that’s 6. Dammit.

Oh well. Heaven '07 is over. Pictures will come soon.

braundiggity @ 2007-04-27T01:27:00

2007-04-27T08:27:59Z

This is the planned schedule:

Friday:

Brother Ali --> Tokyo Police Club --> Satellite Party --> Silversun Pickups --> Arctic Monkeys --> Jesus and Mary Chain --> Jarvis Cocker --> Interpol --> Sonic Youth --> Bjork

Saturday:

Fountains of Wayne --> The Fratellis --> Regina Spektor --> New Pornographers --> Kings of Leon --> Arcade Fire --> Red Hot Chili Peppers --> The Good The Bad and The Queen

Sunday:

Lupe Fiasco --> Tapes 'n Tapes --> Grizzly Bear --> Explosions in the Sky --> The Roots --> Kaiser Chiefs --> Willie Nelson --> Crowded House --> Manu Chao --> Rage Against The Machine

See you on the other side, bitches.

braundiggity @ 2007-04-25T16:02:00

2007-04-25T23:04:48Z

Someone wrote it for me.

http://www.slate.com/id/2164914/nav/tap1/

(no, I don't agree with everything there, but most of it sums up my sentiments now, just over a week after).

Thanks, Slate, for having the balls to say it. No one else in the media would dare. This is why I love you.

Coachella Preview day 2

2007-04-25T16:43:16Z

Totally didn't update yesterday. Nobody out there really cares.

Anyway, three more bands to get you jealous.

Friday: Silversun Pickups. The closest I'm gonna get to seeing Smashing Pumpkins, it appears.

Saturday: The Fratellis. Like a brighter Franz Ferdinand, or a better Hot Hot Heat.

Sunday: Lupe Fiasco. Just awesome.

braundiggity @ 2007-04-23T17:21:00

2007-04-24T00:40:46Z

So, I haven't been writing much lately. This is a good thing. It means I'm busy, but not with work (if I had work, I'd be writing, because I'd be procrastinating). I've been super-happy-busy.

This week, I finish the sound on my film. When I do so, my film will be done. I'm really, really, really happy with it. There's just a lot of sound to do now, lol.

Never wrote any reactions to the virginia tech events. It's gonna stay that way, though I have immensely complicated reactions. Ask if you care.

This upcoming weekend is Coachella. I'm going to use this week every day to highlight two artists I'm incredibly psyched about (other than Rage and RHCP, since hopefully you all know their music).

So today, check out Arcade Fire and the Arctic Monkeys. Arcade Fire's the band I'm most psyched for. Epic rock, amazing performances. They're one of my favorite bands right now, just stunning. Check out their performance from Coachella '05 and be jealous you won't be there:

Meanwhile, Arctic Monkeys just released their new album, and I like it more than their first one, which was one of my favorite albums of last year. Plus, the first single is called "Brianstorm," and I've been waiting all my life for a song about someone named Brian (other than Brian Wilson), and it's a badass song. Here's a live video of them. I'm so excited.

So yeah. Get jealous. Three more days of this still to come, and then I enter heaven '07.

braundiggity @ 2007-04-10T17:03:00

2007-04-11T00:03:25Z

I forgot how gut-bustingly hilarious this was.

"Oh, the dashboard melted, but we still have the radio."

2007-04-08T07:25:57Z

Man, I couldn't be happier with the way things have been going lately.

The film is looking really, really good so far. I'm really thrilled. We've got about 4/5 of it done. We just need our opening scene, and a middle scene, and it'll be finished. I got to work with the three coolest kids today. Sure, their parents forgot their work permits, but they were just awesome to work with. And perfect for the roles, despite having not auditioned them -- they were the kind of kids that I would've selected even if I had auditioned.

Everything's just coming together really nicely. Coachella will make finishing the sound a real bitch, but that's okay, it'll be fine. We've got our composer, and he writes beautiful stuff, so I can't wait to meet with him and hear what he's got.

I wrote a big report on the state of our gym here, and I'm making a presentation on Monday to representatives from the Gym and Student Affairs. I feel really good about our chances of getting extended hours and increased funding next year. This report will kick some ass. Plus, it's the last big project I wanted to work on. I've accomplished most of what I really wanted to do in student government, and sure, there are a ton of other things I think we should be working on, but the things I wanted to do will be done.

Friday Night Lights has its season finale this week, but that's okay, because Entourage comes back tomorrow. I fucking love Entourage. I have some major 24 catching up to do.

I cheated on my celiac disease today. On set, the only thing I could eat was pizza, so I had to eat it. God, it tasted so good. And when I got back, I was too exhausted to eat just rice, so I cheated again and had three plates of tortellini alfredo, fried rice, and a hot dog with a bun. Oh man. And just now, I couldn't figure out anything wheat-free to eat this late, so I just said screw it and got a BMT at subway.

I love food SO MUCH. That all tasted so much better than I could have ever dreamed.

I'm just very happy these days, what can I say? It's pretty awesome.

braundiggity @ 2007-04-04T15:01:00

2007-04-04T22:15:13Z

So, my life has taken a 180-degree turn in the last month or so. Really, almost everything seems different.

My friends are different. Some for the better, some for the worse. It's going to be a complicated senior year. I guess that's just how senior years go. I'm happier with/for a couple of people than I've been for anyone in a long time, and I'm more upset with a couple of people than I've been in a long time. My instincts confirmed, both for good and for bad.

Meanwhile, I'm nearing the end of the shoot for my film. It's been going mostly really well. We've got about half of it done, and we're shooting the other half this weekend/next week. It'll be an intense shoot, but only two days, so it should be good.

Of course, Coachella's less than a month away, and I've barely had time to be psyched. This is a good thing. I like that it's snuck up on me.

For the uninformed, I may or may not have Celiac disease. This involves me not being able to eat wheat products, or anything with gluten. So basically, everything I've ever eaten is out of my diet. I have to do this for two weeks and see if I feel better, then maybe get an endoscopy (as my dad put it: "That's what I had, except the other way!" Thanks, dad.).

All in all, I'm happier than I've ever been here. Happier than I've been in a really long time. I'm just generally really excited about the summer (which I'm spending in LA), and next school year. No more RA job, no more student government. Just partying and hitting the beach, every week. A personal life? Remarkable! It's going to be awesome.

braundiggity @ 2007-03-29T02:23:00

2007-03-29T09:24:38Z

Jesus Christ, Friday Night Lights is so good.

SO. FUCKING. GOOD.

This marks, like, the 8th time I've written some variation of that as an LJ post. I can't even begin to describe how much I love this show. Only The Office does it for me the same way these days. And at this point, I don't think 24 or Lost were ever as good as FNL/Office are now.

What happened??

2007-03-24T17:40:24Z

I can feel myself reverting back to cynical, assume-the-worst senior year Brian. Which totally sucks, because that Brian ruined my senior year. I don't like that Brian. That Brian loses people close to him.

I can't let that happen again.

I just wish things were fucking easier for once. God dammit. It really isn't fair.

EDIT:

But amazing ice cream and fun fun fun all day adventures make everything better.

braundiggity @ 2007-03-22T16:06:00

2007-03-22T23:05:54Z

I forgot how much I love Hanson.

Underneath rules.

I'm so psyched for their new album.

braundiggity @ 2007-03-21T12:23:00

2007-03-21T19:34:37Z

This song is like, my personal mantra or something. I can't even begin to describe how word-for-word perfectly it sums up my view of life. I never realized it until today, listening to it just now.

Travelling Wilburys - End of the Line
(download-->End of the Line

Well it’s all right, riding around in the breeze
Well it’s all right, if you live the life you please
Well it’s all right, doing the best you can
Well it’s all right, as long as you lend a hand

You can sit around and wait for the phone to ring
Waiting for someone to tell you everything
Sit around and wonder what tomorrow will bring
Maybe a diamond ring

Well it’s all right, even if they say you’re wrong
Well it’s all right, sometimes you gotta be strong
Well it’s all right, as long as you got somewhere to lay
Well it’s all right, everyday is judgement day

Maybe somewhere down the road aways
You’ll think of me, and wonder where I am these days
Maybe somewhere down the road when somebody plays
Purple haze

Well it’s all right, even when push comes to shove
Well it’s all right, if you got someone to love
Well it’s all right, everything’ll work out fine
Well it’s all right, we’re going to the end of the line

Don’t have to be ashamed of the car I drive
I’m just glad to be here, happy to be alive
It don’t matter if you’re by my side
I’m satisfied

Well it’s all right, even if you’re old and grey
Well it’s all right, you still got something to say
Well it’s all right, remember to live and let live
Well it’s all right, the best you can do is forgive

Well it’s all right, riding around in the breeze
Well it’s all right, if you live the life you please
Well it’s all right, even if the sun don’t shine
Well it’s all right, we’re going to the end of the line

braundiggity @ 2007-03-05T00:55:00

2007-03-05T09:05:48Z

That was a crazy fucking weekend. A good, crazy weekend. Everything's the same, everything's changed, all those weary cliches. Whatever. I just had a good weekend. I even enjoyed being on duty. I never enjoy being on duty.

Blockbuster needs to get their ass in gear and stock more Wii games. We tried and tried to get the new wario ware, but to no avail. Watching Stranger Than Fiction was a quality replacement though.

I have a midterm tomorrow, but somehow I know I won't be getting any studying done tonight. Hooray for pass/fail classes. I guess I can look forward to laying in bed for a couple of hours and hopefully falling asleep at a somewhat reasonable hour. I wish I had a better work ethic, but if I did, I'd just be missing out on good times, right? I'd just be missing out on life.

I leave you with a song that means nothing to what I've just written, but I just happen to really like right now. Check it out, this band is really fun.

click to download-->The Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger

braundiggity @ 2007-02-28T17:50:00

2007-03-01T01:55:22Z

So, the Oscars happened. I only got to see about 40 minutes of it, thanks to some last minute editing and a program at Parkside. What I saw was hilarious and cool, though. Definitely really confused by Best Cinematography, which was embarassing for the Academy. Definitely really bummed by Best Picture, though I love The Departed...I was really hoping they'd finally reward a comedy, but no, they remain helplessly prejudiced against comedy. Which is amusing, because The Departed is almost a comedy, though it's not marketed or presented as such.

I feel like I had a lot to write about, but I remember almost none of it now. C'est la vie. Virgin Suicides is an amazing movie. Watched it again the other day, loved it more than ever. The Fratellis are an amazingly fun new band, like a better Hot Hot Heat or brighter Franz Ferdinand. The new Arcade Fire album, while great, sounds strangely muddy. Too much reverb. This just means they'll sound even better live.

And the new Arctic Monkeys single is called "Brianstorm." Not brainstorm, Brianstorm. It's going to be my new personal soundtrack.

braundiggity @ 2007-02-25T13:14:00

2007-02-25T21:29:29Z

Anyone else watch that amazing SNL last night? The one with the guest host nobody knows by name (Rainn Wilson, from The Office, who looks a little like Ben Gibbard from Death Cab) and the musical guest everyone but the radio is in love with (Arcade Fire)? Yeah, that was the most I've enjoyed SNL in years and years and years. Amazing sketches, amazing performances. And an indie kid's wet dream of a host/musician pairing.

SNL is being really, really cool lately. They had The Shins on a few weeks ago, right before their new album came out and sold like a mother. Later, they had on Lily Allen. Now, The Arcade Fire. SNL is hip again, SNL is helping establish culture rather than simply reflecting it (like Rolling Stone, with their god damned Panic! and Fall Out Boy covers). I'm officially an SNL fan once more.

The Oscars are tonight. My bets are on Little Miss Sunshine for Best Picture. The acting and directing categories are virtual locks, so I won't address those. Though it'll be hilarious (and sad) if Scorsese loses again.

And the film is done, or at least the picture half of it is. Our professor really, really loves it, to a surprising degree. So I'm psyched about that, too.

And my birthday this weekend was very awesome. I love all of my friends, they're amazing people.

And just for the hell of it, here's one of Arcade Fire's performances from last night.

braundiggity @ 2007-02-22T13:21:00

2007-02-22T21:23:58Z

I finished the Cambodia video. Nothing special, mostly just a picture/video slideshow. I figure that's how Vietnam and Beijing will wind up, too.

braundiggity @ 2007-02-20T00:38:00

2007-02-20T08:51:23Z

I'm listening to Bloc Party's "Silent Alarm," and realizing it's gotta be one of my all time favorite albums. I forgot how amazing it is. Their new album is good, but Silent Alarm is insane. My favorite songs?

(click to download)
"This Modern Love"
"So Here We Are"
"Positive Tension"

I think I'm going to do a list of my all time favorite albums soon. I feel like that'd be a nice way to waste some time. I have no idea what'll be on it. I imagine this, Mellon Collie (smashing pumpkins), When The Pawn (fiona apple), rush of blood (coldplay), born to run (bruce), and the bends (radiohead) will be there. In fact, it'll be mostly modern stuff.

If only my "modern music is dead" high school self could see me now. I'm so glad I got Rush of Blood. That album was a freaking portal senior year. Rush of Blood led to Tidal led to The Bends led to A Ghost is Born and from there, the floodgates opened.

that full update, as promised

2007-02-18T21:55:19Z

Bridge to Terabithia is apparently really good, which makes me thrilled. I loved that book, and I'm glad to know the trailer's totally misleading.

So, my life has been balls-out nuts of late. I've spent the last five weekends shooting a short film for class; we've spent at least 10, as many as 20 hours per weekend shooting, which means it's been a struggle to have a life. But all of the shooting weekends went smoothly, the performances are great, I think we're going to have a great, simple (in a good way) film. I can't wait to finish it.

Meanwhile, we've been having the elections on campus the last two weeks. For those who don't know this, student government has become my thing, it's my new theatre. As you've read, there's a lot I don't like about this school, a lot I'd like to change, and it's pretty sweet that I can get paid to do that. I'd wanted to run for president, but thanks to the aforementioned time commitments, I simply couldn't (running is honestly a full time job). But I'm getting excited about the future again, whoever wins. I feel like good things are in store, and I'm psyched to hopefully be able to keep doing this stuff in some form.

Otherwise, I've just been doing my best to stay sane. I mean, there's not a whole ton to update people on in my life, I guess. It's all revolving around that movie. But now that shooting's done, life's a blast. I went to an epic post-elections party on Thursday, a big time birthday party last night, there may or may not be a post-shooting party tonight, my birthday party's on Friday, another person in my cinema class is having a party on Saturday...wowza. It's like, everyone's done shooting, so we're drinking everything we didn't have time to drink the last 5 weeks, haha. (that said, fear not: to be honest, the only party I'm going to in the future is my birthday, right now. I ain't no crazy alcoholic).

I'm also psyched to possibly watch some movies again. I saw Ghost Rider on Friday. That movie is atrocious. But atrocious in a totally entertaining way. It's like Snakes on a Plane, except not scary (and not quite as intentionally hilarious). Nic Cage eats Jelly Bellies out of a Martini glass all movie long, asking people if they want "some jellies." It's amazing. I loved it. It's so bad.

Also, the year in music is getting kicked off nicely. Bloc Party, The Shins, Peter Bjorn and John, Lily Allen, Modest Mouse, The Fratellis...all awesome.

I think that's all I got. Hope everything's well with everyone out there.

only fools are enslaved by time and space

2007-02-15T09:34:33Z

oh my god.

frustrated? that was the most stunning episode of Lost I've seen at least since this season's premiere. that was weird as hell, but explained/led to explanation-by-association SO MUCH.

that was a fucking series redefining episode. I can't believe they put their balls out there and did something like that.

braundiggity @ 2007-02-13T13:54:00

2007-02-13T22:14:30Z

Is this why blacks don't support Obama??

Honest to god, that's asinine. That's like self-racism. Don't even run black candidates because of the assumption that this country is so racist we'll carry over our anti-black sentiments to the rest of the party's candidates? Give me a break.

People said when Harold Ford lost in Tennessee last year that it was evidence that we're still not there when it comes to black candidates. Yet Ford came much closer to winning that seat than white candidates had, and muuuuch closer than Kerry came against Bush. So I don't really buy it. He lost maybe because of negative smear campaigning by the Republicans, and moreso because Tennessee isn't a blue state by any means, but his race isn't why he lost.

America is ready to vote for a black President; at least, enough of America is. But we have to nominate one first. Maybe this is why blacks aren't supporting Obama the way whites are; maybe it's the issue with him being mixed-race; I don't know, but I don't get it, and it really frustrates me.

braundiggity @ 2007-02-12T16:28:00

2007-02-13T00:28:29Z

I have to miss the oscars for a fucking RA program?

I hate this shit.

braundiggity @ 2007-02-08T17:45:00

2007-02-09T01:48:26Z

Friday Night Lights used The Go! Team this week! Ahhhh!

It also continued to establish itself as maybe my favorite television show right now, alongside The Office. Lost, Heroes, and Studio 60 all pulled out great episodes this week (haven't seen the last two weeks of 24), but something about Friday Night Lights hits me in a way the others just can't. It's just refreshing to see something so low-concept and unpretentious done so perfectly.

Seriously, NBC, please bring this show back next year. You're cancelling Studio 60, and much as I love it, I'm cool with that. But give people a second chance, and bring back Friday Night Lights. Please.

braundiggity @ 2007-02-06T01:05:00

2007-02-06T09:12:16Z

I uploaded my pictures from Cambodia to facebook today; i'm surprisingly happy with a lot of them. It was frustrating, because I couldn't remember the names of a lot of the temples; it took a long time to research and figure them out.

I have an outline due last week I haven't done, and a character sketch due tomorrow I haven't done. C'est la vie.

Life is...busy. Friday, I spent 13 hours getting permits, locations, props, lights, and equipment for saturday's film shoot. I got back to school at 5:00pm to find out that another film in our class was just shut down, the equipment confiscated, and the students given F's on the project, because they bought their own film for the shoot, because the school wouldn't give them as much as they needed. Five minutes later, I discovered I was too late to pick up our film for our shoot the next day. So commenced three hours of frantically calling professors to make sure it'd be okay that we borrow film from classmates, and calling classmates to see if they'd be willing to let us borrow any film.

Saturday was another 12 hours, from noon til midnight, of shooting. We had about half the film we expected to have, but that turned out okay. Thank god for the people who showed up to be extras; without them, we wouldn't have a film.

I had this thought on set. I can't picture doing this in 20 years; being a crew member, that is. I can picture directing, but not much else. That's a disconcerting thought.

The point is, i've been ridiculously busy. We've got a 7 hour shoot on saturday, and we need to find at least 10 extras by then for that. We're shooting at this (expensive) high school in Pasadena, where they shot Transformers; it's a great location, we're really lucky to have it.

I just wish I still had a life. Talking with Chris tonight made me realize how sad I am that I don't have time to run for student body President. No offense to the two main contenders, both of whom I like a lot, but I think I have more original, fresh ideas, and definitely have a more proven track record of accomplishment. I could have won, I think.

Time to write that outline. Or character sketch. One or the other. Sigh.