MY LIFE AS A BLOG: The Strokes

Pffff I just came back from seeing Julian. It was a bit wild, but not in that great positive way actually. Not the kind of I went wild and lost it, I was completely in it type. Unfortunately. It was wild in the way that the concert was kind of inconsistent and rather short. The main problem was that, I don't remember exactly but I think it was the third song, Julian just walked into the audience and then up on the balcony while all these security people started to nervously follow him and the crowd went crazy trying to get hold of Mr. Casablancas. All nice and all but that's not what I come for. I come for the music, to hear Julian sing, to see him perform live, not to touch his hand. I don't really care about touching him. I mean, he's great, I love The Strokes and his solo material is brilliant, love that stuff. But he's just a normal person to me who just happens to be the lead singer of a very popular band. On the train back I started to wonder if there's anyone I would really like to touch and adore in that way like some people do and the answer is no. I mean, if I see Gus Van Sant I'd love to tell him how much I love his films and how much he inspires me, but I don't need to touch him and go like AAAAAAH Gus I love you let's take a picture together!!! Not at all. We would just have a normal conversation. So that kind of ruined it a bit. Another let down was that he sang every song from the album, if I remember correctly, except for Tourist which so happens to be one of my favourite songs and I was really waiting for that one. Instead he did like two or three new songs and You Only Live Once but a completely different version than the original song and I didn't quite like this über slow version. There were a lot of good things as well though. Of course, it's still Julian Casablancas, you can expect some quality. His voice sounded great just as on the mp3s, however, I think I'm starting to find that a bit of a downer, because it makes you feel like he hardly sings live. He does of course, but it could have been just the CD that was playing. I had to think about the Kings Of Convenience gig, two guys who play on their acoustic guitars so you can really hear their voices clearly without loud music accompanying it. Or perhaps it was just a bit unreal having Julian really sing for me as I was standing there. Another good thing is that I took a lot of pictures and some turned out rather nicely. Next time I'll put my camera on a different mode though, because on the way home I realized how to use the movement mode without the pictures turning too dark. So next time I'll know what to do. But I'm still very pleased with the result. I did way better than during the Patrick Watson gig but that's because I was standing real close to the stage and eventually ended up front row thanks to Julian walking into the crowd and climbing on the balcony. That's the only good thing to come out of that. While all these boys and girls were screaming at the top of their lungs and were trying to touch him I made sure that when he would return to the stage I was standing center front row :) So I was very well positioned. Something I wasn't all too pleased with either was that people didn't really dance. They were moving, which was great, but you felt some reservation as there were almost no arms up in the air, at least not anywhere near to where I was standing. So when I held up my arms in the air at one point it almost made me feel uncomfortable as if that would be way too enthusiastic or something. At the moment I couldn't care less of course, come on, he was doing Left & Right In The Dark, I love that song, probably the catchiest one on the album. I just had to go all out and didn't care less 'bout what anyone would think, just the way life is supposed to be. A bit of a shame as well that there wasn't too much space to move my arms, so I couldn't really dance the way I wanted to. But overall, it always seems I'm more of a dancer than most people :DD so maybe that's just the problem. I feel like I'm more complaining than sending out praise, but it's just how I felt. That's what I mean with saying that it felt inconsistent. It was like bits and pieces, the gig didn't seem like a tight whole. It was like all these different experiences combined into one or soemthing. I felt it was more show than good solid performance, a bit chaotic. Maybe it's because it's Julian Casablancas and his band, instead of The Strokes, which is also Julian and his band, but all the other members are as much a part of the group as he is whereas here it's really the Julian show. I don't think anyone in the crowd tonight cared about the musicians Mr. Casablancas brought along. I still enjoyed it, though next time I would like for a more calmer concert or one that is just more solid, has more weight, like Bloc Party during the Lowlands Festival. This was just too much ooooh Julian we love you!!!! 'Cause I don't think I've ever seen so many people using flash when taking pictures. I guess I should have known the moment I walked in the room as the first row was already filled with teenagers, 16/17 year olds, most of them girls. Right now I'm not quite sure what to think of it all, am a bit underwhelmed. I need some sleep and I have to admit I regret it just a bit that I didn't buy a ticket to see Julian Plenti this Sunday. That one's sold out already and I would have liked to see him as well :(

Still got a lot to learn though, far from perfect...

PS: I think the same guy who made small video clips during the gig of The xx was here as well, so hopefully there are some with me in it. Always fun to have video footage of me during a concert :))

Don't have to go to school tomorrow, day off. I can sleep! Plus, I'm finally going to see Moon, yes, after all this time...

And here the very cool video for Yeasayer's Ambling Alp that was released some days ago

Yeasayer - Ambling Alp from Spy Films on Vimeo.

I love them more with every second

I'm super excited about seeing Julian Casablancas tonight, just the thought of seeing one fifth of The Strokes! I mean, it's not like they're really legendary or something, but they're definitely one of the most successful and well known bands out there, I mean they're pretty huge! And I feel like they've been in the music industry for like forever. So I feel pretty special 'bout hearing the voice of The Strokes sing live for me tonight. Who knows, he might play some Strokes tunes! I can already imagine the crowd going wild when that would happen. I'll take my camera with me to take some pictures, but I won't be surprised if I get so caught up in the music and hardly find time to shoot, his songs are too catchy! Also, who's in Amsterdam tonight is Mr. Devendra Banhart. I would have loved to see him as well, but both Julian and he are playing at the same time. I'm sure though that one day I'll see Devendra, but for now I'm all 'bout Julian Casablancas!!!!! Can't wait! :-DDD

Can't believe it but there are still tickets available (!) so anyone who wants to join me, you still can!!