Dr. Dog In-Store

Okay, I have to admit...they have a really stupid name. Worse than Casper and the Cookies. At least that sounds like an indie rock band. "Dr. Dog" sounds like a really lame (or "wack") rapper riding on the coat tails of Snop Dogg. Anyway, I went down to the Loop (for the third time this week) to Vintage Vinyl and saw the boys play live. It was 4:00pm on a Thursday...so you can imagine how many people were there. I let them play one song, hesitating on whether or not to film them. I mean...they were staring right at me. There were two dudes in front of me and about six other non-Vintage Vinyl employees there. But then they said they'd play "Die, Die, Die" (which, just to plug, I downloaded for free from the Minnesota Free Song of the Day Podcast) which I love. SO I reached into my jacket and whipped out the camera:



I felt really bad, beacuse right after they finished this kid came up and was like "Hey can I film you guys?" He had a really nice, super spiffy digital recording studio...of course they were like "Sure." I felt bad for not asking. But then my bad feelins went away as they started up their next song "Ain't It Strange." This song along with "My Old Ways" are quickly becoming my favorite from the new album. So here they are playing "Ain't It Strange" (which is going to be used in the movie version of FASTFOOD NATION):



They were awesome but cut their free set short because they had to get over to the Creepy Crawl (which they didn't even know where that is at...and I don't either). I wish I was going, but money is short in supply and I can only drag Leah to so many boring rock shows...

Apples In Stereo In-Store

I swear...this is my last Apples in Stereo post!!! Anyway, I woke up (went to bed around 3:30) and hopped in my car for the Loop. I got to Vintage Vinyl at about 11:45. I wandered around (a dangerous thing for me to do in a record store) while the store people set up the band's little performing area at the back of the store. I had about 10 CD's (well over $100) in my little boy arms...just walking around (saying the famous Leah "WOW!"). Then I remembered self control and put it all back (except a copy of the new Apples Album NEW MAGNETIC WONDER--come on...it came with a free bonus disc!).

The band came out on time (noon) but it took them a half hour to get settled in. They had them set up in the Jazz section, and while Robert the lead singer settled in (he's kind of a prima donna) the rest of the band kept yanking out jazz CD's and saying "Holy crap! I need this" or "Hey don't you collect these guys?" I was surprised at how steeped in jazz those guys were. I figured all they listened to was rock and pop...but then again, why should they? I'm not in a band, and I listen to all sorts of music. Living in the dorms, I've discovered that people that play instruments tend to listen to all sorts of crazy stuff.

Well I was pretty nervous, to be honest. I always read about these stories in Rolling Stone about Guns 'N Roses going ape shit at the sight of a camera. I guess filming is different because there is no flash (which I think would get a little old after a while...I mean who wants to be blinded?). Anyway, I whipped my camera out and filmed three of the 7 or so songs they did. I was really hoping that they'd do the new single "Energy" and they did! I almost got them doing "Go!" from THE WORLD INSIDE THE MOONE but they decided they didn't have enough instruments (this was, after all, a free show in the back of a small-ish record store...they didn't have drums or anything). I thought they did a great job, especially considering that they'd been up all night drinking and playing rock the night before. All I did was watch and I was exhausted!!!

The first clip is the first song they did, "Skyway." It's a great track from the new album:


Later they did "Energy" and I freaked out:



Lastly, they started playing "Green Machine" but realized that they had forgotten it. So they went into "Open Eyes" (which is also from the new album). Good stuff:


Alright, so that's it for my blogs extensive coverage of the Apples visit to St. Louis. I'm currently listening to the new album, and I'm going to write a review...but I'm going to wait until next week. Later, gators!