cover me...

Giant Win!

2008-12-07T17:35:00.000-08:00

The Eagles did it again. I had a feeling coming into this week that the Eagles would upset the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants. With the whole circus going on up there in regards to Plaxico, I figured they would be a little unfocused. I also figured the Giants would eventually not play a good game - and it all came together for the Eagles today.
It looked to me like Marty was calling the plays. There was a stretch there in the third quarter where they must have run the ball five or six times in a row. I seriously think that is the first time I can ever remember them doing that under Andy. McNabb threw around 30 balls today - which is PERFECT! A majority were high percentage passes and he picked his spots to make a long throw - in particular the pass where Curtis reached up behind and made a great catch to set up the first half field goal, or maybe that what was the D was giving him. He also had a couple key scrambles for yardage.
It's amazing what happens with a commitment to running the ball. The line got into a rhythm and started pounding the Giants front seven. It was great to see. And the defense came up big all day long. I don't really recollect any sacks today but they had pressure on him when they needed it and unlike the matchup in Philly a month ago where they were utterly dominated, the defensive line - in particular Trent Cole - really showed up this afternoon. Kudos must also go out to the linebackers - Bradley, Gocong and Jordan (nice freakin' move!). I thought all three played great today, Gocong and Jordan probably their best games of the season.
Now sitting at 7-5-1, the Eagles are still on the outside looking in. Big THANKS to the Steelers for coming back and beating Dallas. It's still too tough to be playing out all the scenarios about the teams ahead of the Birds, all they can worry about is winning their games. Next Monday home vs. Browns, thinking a win. This team could be 8-5-1 heading to DC. Let's hope so.

My Lucky Day?

2008-12-01T12:35:00.000-08:00

I really think this is unprecedented in the history of Bruce Springsteen releases. We've now gotten two singles within a week of eachother! And "The Wrestler" is floating around on YouTube for all to listen. Amazon.com posted a 30 second clip of "My Lucky Day", the new single from the upcoming album Working on a Dream, on Friday. I listened a few times and was pleasantly surprised. Here is the new full-length video with some behind the scenes footage reminiscent of Blood Brothers. This song has been growing on me since I listened to a rough version of it last night.

In the past, when Springsteen has recorded a new album, particularly with the E Street Band, it has been years in between releases. This one was recorded during breaks of the Magic Tour with the band in full form from being right off the road. In effect, I think this has resulted in more of what the afficionados refer to as the "classic E Street sound". Now, this song obviously isn't the early 70's boardwalk sound.....BUT, it is the late 70's, early 80's hard rocking, in your face sound of the E Street Band that you got on songs like "No Surrender" and nearly all of the The River. "Working on a Dream" has drawn mixed reviews, but it is Bruce and producer Brendan O'Brien trying to get the E Street Band on record as they sound live. I think this should bear well for the full length album.

Here We Go Again...

2008-11-28T07:15:00.000-08:00

Donovan McNabb evoked memories of 2001, Brian Westbrook finally got his carries and the Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Arizona Cardinals 48-20.
Literally, from the start of the game the Birds from Philadelphia dominated their former NFC East rival in a way that has been missing all season. Sure, there will be those who sit back and say that Arizona stinks. Regardless of whether they play in the NFC West (a division the Eagles swept this season), they still had a 7-4 record coming into play. 7-4 is 7-4 -- I'm sure there are plenty of Eagles fans who would have taken a 7-4 record coming into last night's game.
Then the game started and the Eagles showed up playing like an entirely different team then the ones from Baltimore and Cincinnati. They looked like a completely different team than the one I had seen all year. It started from the man drawing up the plays. On the opening 12 play scoring drive, 6 were runs and 6 were passes. No coincidence that this was the best drive I had seen from the offense all season. Wish it hadn't taken Andy Reid three quarters of a season to figure it out, AGAIN. That pretty much set the tone for the evening.
Reid showed a commitment to running the ball, and the offensive line responded by opening up huge holes for Westbrook, missing child Lorenzo Booker and even, Kyle Eckel. Right, Kyle Eckel. Reid showed some diversity in the playcalling and a word I've heard many times since last night is "unpredictable".
Unpredictable is a perfect word since it the exact opposite of what this offense had been for the past month. Stale, boring, slow and horrendous were all adjectives that had been thrown around in discussing the offense.
And obviously, Donovan McNabb responded in the way I totally expected from him. Here is a ten year veteran who holds nearly every passing record in franchise history, who has taken this team to 4 NFC championship games and a Super Bowl, who had the eyes of a nation on him this Thanksgiving night. This guy was ripped by everyone from Warren Sapp to your Uncle Pete.
There was intensity on defense, the first time that has been really evident in a long time. Being down at the game may have played a part in that, but I really feel like the guys were feeding off it. How about Joselio Hanson? There is a reason that Lito Sheppard didn't start and it has to do with that thing a few inches below your left shoulder. Dawkins came up with a big forced fumble and guys were swarming the ballcarrier. It was nice to see.
There are now ten days to go until this team heads up I-95 for another battle with the New York Giants. Everything is a must win from here on out. To make the playoffs the Eagles are going to have to beat the teams ahead of them. What a wild situation it would be to go into the last game of the season in late December against the Cowboys with a wild card berth on the line. To get there, they have to win and that starts in ten days.

"then you've seen me..."

2008-11-27T11:58:00.000-08:00

Well, we finally have a clean, full version of "The Wrestler". This song, for me, evokes the same kinda feeling as "Terry's Song" from Magic. It's a quiet, acoustic song that essentially represents the double sided coin that is Springsteen's career. On the E-Street side we have classics like Darkness on the Edge of Town, Born in the U.S.A and The Rising. On the solo side we have the masterpiece Nebraska and stand-out tracks such as "Youngstown" and "Devils & Dust". I believe this is another track to chalk up in that same category of stand-out solo material.

Check These Out

2008-11-23T20:35:00.000-08:00

I saw two films this weekend. Saturday, I went and saw "Rachel Getting Married". I really did not know much about this film going in, except that it starred Anne Hathaway. I had heard a number of good things about her performance and I was not disappointed. The scenes at the rehearsal and wedding suck you in, making you really feel like you are present. Check out a trailer and clip of the film here.

The second film, "The Visitor", I viewed at home thanks to the wonders of Verizon FIOS. It was a film released back in April of this year starring Richard Jenkins, the ghost dad from Six Feet Under, as a college professor coasting through life. I never got around to seeing it, but glad I finally did. A quiet film, so be prepared. Here is another trailer, thanks to the people at Apple.

Both films featured music as parts of the story, which possibly played a part in my enjoyment level. I also pretty much only enjoy dramas, so that may be part of it as well. Check them out!!

Time to Move On, Part 2

2008-11-23T20:24:00.000-08:00

What is there to really say after a game like that.
During the week, I spoke to numerous friends who told me that last week's 13-13 tie with the Cincinnati Bengals was the worst football game they had ever seen, as well as one buddy who said he had never been more embarrassed to be a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles. Yes, last week's game was a horribly played game for both side. Today may have been worse.
Remember the date - November 23rd, 2008 - because that will forever mark the end of the Donovan McNabb era in Philadlephia. It will be remembered as the day head coach Andy Reid, after 9 and a half seasons with #5 behind center, finally decided to pull his first ever draft pick out of a game. The Birds were only down 10-7 at this point, remember, even though Donovan had continued his month long...season long slump.
Was it the right move to pull Donovan out of the game with the team only down three points? Even more thought inducing is whether or not it was fair to throw second-year backup Kevin Kolb into the game against the vaunted Baltimore Ravens defense, on the road nonetheless?
The answer is no.
I was all for starting Kolb from the beginning of the game. The Eagles season ended last week, despite what you might have heard about this situation, or that team losing and the Birds team going on one of their patented late-season runs. Preparing Kolb properly and having him start a tough road game would have been appropriate - tough, but at this point, you might as well see what you got. To toss this kid into the lion's den was unfair and well, stupid.
The decision once again illuminates the number one problem with this team and within the organization that is the Philadelphia Eagles. That problem is Andy Reid.
For the better part of the last decade, Reid has been the face of the Eagles. These are his draft picks, his free agents and it is his strategy and gameplan that you see executed, for lack of a better word, week in and week out.
Andy has lost control of the situation. In 2005, following the Super Bowl loss and the T.O debacle (which may have been the turning point in McNabb's apparent decline), Reid got a free pass for going 6-10, especially with losing 5 to injuries (again). In 2006, let's face it, Reid got lucky with Jeff Garcia. Last season was the turning point. It started from that week one disgrace in Green Bay with Greg Lewis fielding punts. Lots of people said at the time that Reid was unprepared for the season and wasnt focused properly because of the situation with his sons. The problem is that Andy Reid was focused and was prepared, at least in his mind.
This season, again, I've heard time and time again that the organization is not focused on winning, that they don't want to win. To a certain extent, that may have some validity. But the overriding problem is that Jeff Lurie, Joe Banner and Andy Reid want to win, they just do not know how to.
Therefore, it is time for Andy Reid to go. It has been ten long years. From 1999 until 2004, this team was on an uphill clime searching for the promised land. Since then, they have been a steady decline back to the foothills of mediocrity, and now, despair. This is a pathetic team to watch led by a pathetic head coach who does not know how to win.
How fitting that nearly a year ago, almost to the day, I wrote on this very blog that it was time for the quarterback to move on. 362 days later, it's time his coach joined him.

Mickey Rourke Comeback??

2008-11-21T19:11:00.000-08:00

I was so jazzed up over the release of the new Springsteen single, I forgot to mention that a new trailer for the upcoming film, "The Wrestler", has been posted. This looks like it could be a really good film, and of course, this trailer features the new Springsteen song of the same name. It always seems the best movies come out in November & December when no one is really paying attention. This looks like one deserving of attention.

And hey, for all you Marisa Tomei fans out there, looks like she might be getting naked. Costanza?

The First Single

2008-11-21T19:00:00.000-08:00

Well, after a week of disputing what was played of Bruce Springsteen's new single, "Working on a Dream" on NBC's Sunday Night Football, we finally have the FULL-LENGTH single available. New York City's Q104.3 has been streaming the new single all day. You can listen to it....right here.

Honestly, I was a little nervous after Sunday night. As an avid stalker of Springsteen message boards, in particular www.backstreets.com, the opinions were generally negative after Sunday night. I must say though, that I really do like the new single. Now, I'm not trying to say that this is an INCREDIBLE song or that Bruce is really breaking out of the box on this one, but honestly, after 2002's The Rising and 2007's Magic, I was worried we would never really get to hear that classic E-Street sound on record again. Right from the start we got a nice little bass line from Gary, that sweet piano touch from Roy and before you know it....they are kicking into the hook with Stevie singing harmony (or is that Bruce double tracked?). I must say that the Beach Boys style background vocals are what got me. It's a throwback to the old days when all the guys in the band would be singing, something I really think has been missing. Seems like Brendan O'Brien who produced the aforementioned albums, in addition to 2005's Devils & Dust, has gotten over the muddy sound that plagued Magic, and has been able to allow the listener to hear the depth of the E Street Band. I think this is a good start, but hey....give it a listen and form your own opinion.

Introducing....The Felice Brothers

2008-11-19T14:58:00.000-08:00

These guys, The Felice Brothers, have been getting some airplay on 88.5 WXPN and I'm really digging this song - "Frankie's Gun". I finally got the album "The Felice Brothers" yesterday, and will have a review sometime shortly. I'm really digging it, though. The band - three of the members are really brothers, surname Felice - hails from upstate New York and really seem to be rooted in traditional styles of music. At the same time though, they are able to bring those roots and place them in a contemporary setting. I find it to be a refreshing sound amongst today's many retro-ish, synth, dance-pop rock bands (many of which I do like).

"Working on a Dream" to be released January 27th

2008-11-18T17:29:00.000-08:00

After months of rumors about a new Bruce Springsteen album it has finally been confirmed.

Little is really known about the new album. The title song, "Working on a Dream" was premiered during an Obama rally right before the election in an acoustic form with his wife and E-Street Band member, Patti Scialfa. This past Sunday, the song was supposed to be "premiered" on the halftime of NBC's Sunday Night Football. What we got instead was this: an obvious chop-up of the song that robs it of any potential.

To be included on the new album, though, are two bonus tracks. Here is a really poor sound quality version of "The Wrestler", which is apparently going to be featured over the credits of the upcoming film of the same name, starring Mickey Rourke. The other bonus track, "A Night with the Jersey Devil" was released Halloween weekend on brucespringsteen.net as a a "treat". I doubt any other part of the album will sound like this, but it still is something fun to listen to and look at.

No word yet on an upcoming tour, but Bruce and the E-Street Band will be playing halftime of Super Bowl XLIII on February 1st. Rumors have been circulating for months that a tour will be kicked off with the Super Bowl appearance, first in Europe and then back in the USA. All reports have said it will end before June 1st, 2009, as that is the date of Conan O'Brien's new time slot on NBC with E-Street Band drummer Max Weinberg and the Max Weinberg 7. Check back here for any updates.

Phinally!!

2008-11-18T16:30:00.000-08:00

Well....it's been a really long time since i've written anything. So I have a lot of catching up to do with all my loyal readers.....riiight.
Anyways, the world has changed since I last posted in February. I graduated from college, our economy fell into shambles, Obama won the presidency and the PHILLIES won the WORLD SERIES!!!!
It was simply an incredible run from the middle of September on. I'll never forget watching that four game sweep of the Brewers from 9/11 to 9/14 with my dad and him telling me during Sunday's first game, "I've been watching the Phillies for 50 years AND they won once". I told him to have faith, that this team was different. I don't know why I said it. Down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs, whenever they fell behind in a game, instead of having that usual here-we-go-again-Philadelphia mentality, something else took over. I started to feel confident. Something told me they were going to win....going to win it all.
That was until Game 5. After Bud Selig's latest debacle of a decision, those familiar old sinking feelings started to rush back. Sitting at my buddy's place before Game 5, Part 2, I was a ball of nerves, unsure of what was going to happen and trying to convince myself this wouldn't be a repeat of the NFC Championship game from January 2003. Something changed though, when I got off the subway at the stadiums and I heard someone play this. I texted my buddy, "We're going to win".
I wish I could bottle up all those feelings from that night. I had a headache after the bottom of the sixth from cheering so loud. First Jenkins, then Burrell and finally, Feliz came through. And that last half inning, I just stood there next to my sister with my hand on my chin, covering my mouth, holding back the tears. And, finally, right before 10:00 PM on October 29th, 2008, WE WON! That glorious roar of the crowd at Citizens Bank Park is a sound I will never forget - the sound of entire city finally, finally, finally getting what they had waited twenty-five long years for. It was a roar filled with pain and heartache, disappointment and resentment, it was a roar of emotional release. Finally Joe Carter and 10,000 losses didn't matter anymore. Hell, the memory of Joe Jurevicius and Ronde Barber running all over the Vet was expelled from my mind, Eric Lindros getting knocked out against the Devils all those years ago was forgotten.

The Philadelphia Phillies were World Champions and we were all winners.

I was there when they clinched the division and thanks to my sister's boyfriend I was able to attend NLDS Game 2, NLCS Games 1 and 2, & World Series Games 3 and 5. THANKS AGAIN MIKE!

That month and a half was the greatest time of my life.

History in the Making

2008-02-02T17:13:00.000-08:00

Just look at this picture. It's really amazing that we are now at this point in American history where the two final candidates for the Democratic nominee are not old, white men. Think about how outraged people would have been at this picture 50 years ago - and then think about how many people probably still feel that way.

Time to Move On

2007-11-26T12:53:00.000-08:00

It was the first game all season where the Eagles showed life. The biggest underdog ever in NFL history held the undefeated, unstoppable, best team ever New England Patriots to their lowest scoring total all season and to their closest margin of victory in falling just short 31-28 in Foxboro last night.
For the second time in as many years, the offense played better without the franchise player. Receivers were catching balls in stride and making plays. It's much easier for Kevin Curtis and L.J Smith to get involved in the offense when the ball is on mark. Even the deep balls, supposedly backup A.J Feeley's weakness, were getting caught by Greg Lewis and well.....Greg Lewis. This is how the West Coast offense is supposed to be run.
There will be a quarterback controversy on the sports stations and in the papers, but Andy Reid said it after the game, that his first ever draft pick will start next week, if he is healthy.
The truth of the matter is that Reid built a system which Donovan McNabb simply doesn't fit into and never has. There is no denying the fact that the offense now runs better without the player that the coach picked to run it.
The story of McNabb's career in Philadelphia is this; when he was a younger player, the defense was one of the top in the league and McNabb was able to make enough plays to win games. As he matured into one of the top quarterbacks in the league he relied more on running the offense with his arm and less on his legs.
There can be no denying the fact that Number Five has not been the same player since that Super Bowl loss against the Pats in 2005. Whether its because of physical or mental reasons is moot at this point.
Last week against the Dolphins the team ran the ball and Feeley made enough throws to win the game. The question was raised then that if the team can run with Brian Westbrook like that and win, what is the point of the million dollar quarterback.
This week the team threw the ball, controlled the clock and moved up and down the field against the league's top team - again without Donovan. The answer is simple: Donovan must go.
This is not to be an indictment against Donovan McNabb. His number's don't lie. He has been the most successful signal caller in Eagles history and over the past decade, only Brett Favre and Tom Brady have winning percentages that compare with his. Both of them, though, have won Super Bowl rings. Donovan has not and will not with this franchise.
McNabb will start next week at Lincoln Financial Field against Reid's mentor Mike Holmgren and the 7-4 Seattle Seahawks. He'll start the next week against the New York Giants and probably will start in Dallas the week after that.
Anything short of a Super Bowl victory will end the McNabb era in Philadelphia. He will be playing somewhere else next season and the Kevin Kolb era in this city will have begun. McNabb will be another year removed from the ACL injury and there is no doubt in this writer's mind he will be successful. He has too much talent to not be.
It's a shame that McNabb and Reid didn't win a title together. McNabb has been a class act his entire career and true role model in the NFL duriing these days of dog fighting and cheating. They had their chances but injuries to key players like Correll Buckhalter and Troy Vincent in '01, Donovan in '02 and Westbrook in '03 held them back. Anyone who has watched this team over the past decade knows that the play calling has always been average, at best.
Here's hoping that Donovan comes out next week and sets the world on fire, igniting this team down the stretch and sending them into the playoffs with a chance to make a deep run. The safe money says that this won't happen - that the franchise player and the franchise will part ways after the season and a new era will begin. We'll find out Sunday at 1:oo.

Mocean Worker

2007-09-13T10:04:00.000-07:00

Trotter Will Be Missed

2007-08-23T19:33:00.000-07:00

It always hurts more when it's one of your own and to Philadelphia Eagles fans, Jeremiah Trotter was one of their own.
On Tuesday, the Eagles released the nine year NFL veteran. Trotter, who had spent seven of his years wearing the midnight green, was informed Monday night by head coach Andy Reid in what was supposedly a very emotional meeting. The two, who in the past have butted heads, most famously following the 2001 season in which the linebacker felt disrespected by the Eagles, in particular his head coach, were in Trotter's words like "two old ladies".
The move came as a surprise to Trotter, his teammates and to the fans. There had been rumblings following the playoff loss to New Orleans in January that Trotter was in jeopardy of not making the team. The Eagles told him to lose weight and be in better shape for training camp. "The Axeman" had come into camp in shape and looking forward to pairing up new acquisition Takeo Spikes but, it was not to be.
Trotter was drafted in 1998 by then head coach Ray Rhodes but for the most part sat on the bench that year. In 1999, Reid was brought in along with defensive coordinator Jim Johnson who was able to devise a defense that utilized Trotter's downhill playing style and instincts, as well as his 260 pound frame.
In the years that followed, Trotter along with Brian Dawkins, Hugh Douglas and Troy Vincent formed the foundation of one the league's most feared defenses. Trotter, Dawkins and Vincent were part of the 1998 team that went 3-13 and that's what makes his departure so difficult. He was one of the last reminders of how low this franchise had fallen. But he was also a part of those teams that turned things around, the teams that were filled with so much potential and gave so much hope to a city that was starved for a Super Bowl.
Now, Dawkins and offensive tackle Tra Thomas are the only players who remain from the 3-13 team. From the team that went to the Super Bowl in 2004, only 4 starters remain on defense; Dawkins, Sheldon Brown, Lito Sheppard and Jevon Kearse.
Trotter was a 4-time Pro Bowl player and was at one time, arguably the top middle linebacker in the league. Reports say he has visited with Denver and Tampa Bay, and that Minnesota is a possible destination for him. Time will tell if the Eagles were correct in their decision.
For Philadelphians though, it was a sad day and as quarterback Donovan McNabb said in his press conference yesterday, it will take time to get over.

Springsteen Pulls One Out of His Hat

2007-08-16T20:19:00.000-07:00

Shore Fire Media and Columbia Records announced today that Bruce Springsteen's 15th studio album, Magic, will be released on October 2nd. This will be the Boss's first album with the E-Street Band since 2002's The Rising. 2005's Devils & Dust featured mostly minimal backing music and last year's We Shall Overcome, featured old folk songs and reworked Bruce classics and a 17 piece band; both were met with mixed feelings from the die hard fans.
Springsteen's long time manager Jon Landau had this to say about the new album; "(Bruce and I) have been together since 1974 and I don't think I've ever seen him more excited than he is right about this record...Clarence (Clemons) has some great moments on it. You could say that it's a little more sonically guitar-driven that any past Bruce album. There are a few sort of pop, romantic touches that haven't showed up recently, but were very prominent on the very early records."

Track listing:
1) Radio Nowhere
2) You'll Be Comin' Down
3) Livin' in the Future
4) Your Own Worst Enemy
5) Gypsy Biker
6) Girls in Their Summer Clothes
7) I'll Work for Your Love
8) Magic
9) Last to Die
10) Long Walk Home
11) Devil's Arcade

Hoots & Hellmouth

2007-07-10T21:18:00.000-07:00

Hoots & Hellmouth, a local Philly band, put on a loud, exciting and highly intense show when they stopped by the World Cafe. At their core, the band is a couple of friends rocking out. It makes for an energetic live show where they encourage audience participation. During the show at World Cafe, they brought 10 fans onstage to sing the last song of the set with them. Recently named Artist to Watch by for July by XPN, Hoots & Hellmouth will be performing at the XPoNential Music Festival on Thursday, July 19th. Check out for other dates in the area on their website at www.myspace.com/hootshellmouth.

Slo-Mo featuring Mic Wrecka

2007-07-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

Slo-Mo featuring Mic Wrecka was one of the best shows I've seen at World Cafe so far. A Philly band, Slo-Mo and Mic Wrecka were both down to Earth guys. Slo-Mo actually asked me to run and get some cigarettes for him and the bassist. They have a big band that is centered around Slo-Mo's steel guitar and Mic's conscious lyrics. The band will be playing July 19th at the XPoNential Music Festival. Check them out at www.myspace.com/heyslomo

Great Lake Swimmers

2007-07-10T20:23:00.000-07:00

The Great Lake Swimmers stopped by The World Cafe for a Free @ Noon concert about a month or so ago. Hailing from Ontario, their music was a quiet, intense mix of alt-country, folk and rock. Their front man, Tony Dekker, was shy and unassuming with a killer voice. Check out some of their music from their recent release, Ongiara at www.myspace.com/greatlakeswimmers

Spirit on the Water

2007-06-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

Some Ghosts of the Past

2007-06-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

Brown-Eyed Women and Red Grenadine

2007-06-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

"when night falls on the city
there is no peace
the lights may be gone
and the sound may be low
but the dark faces in the street lamp's light
are there around the corner
hiding out in the night" - AF

The sages of the subway sit just like the living dead...

2007-06-26T23:36:00.000-07:00

Things Will Be Great...

2007-06-26T23:18:00.000-07:00

When you're downtown...

I'll See You On the Dark Side of The Moon

2007-06-26T17:21:00.000-07:00

Like many young people across the country and undoubtedly, around the globe, I discovered Pink Floyd's classic album from 1973, "Dark Side of the Moon". The themes of escaping youth, growing up, regrets and the ills modern society had struck a chord with me when I was in my later teen years as I saw my sheltered life forever altered by the events of 9/11 and my carefree youthful existence slipping away.
Now sitting here writing this at the wise age of 22, I yearn for the days when my biggest worry was where my buddies and I would be hanging out that weekend or how to skip out of school a few periods early. Anytime I hear a song from "Dark Side", I still think of the days spent hanging out with a couple of my best friends discovering this music for the first time.
When I heard the news that bassist, vocalist and songwriter from Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, would be coming to Philadelphia to perform "Dark Side of The Moon" in it's entirety I knew it was a show I could not miss. Purchasing my tickets in mid-February, it seemed like June 1st was a lifetime away.
But finally, the day had come. The parking lot was filled with a lovely aroma and throngs of baby boomers and teenagers anticipating the show. And what a show it was. From the opening chords of The Wall's "In The Flesh", the audience morphed into one of the loudest, respectful, attentive -- greatest -- crowds I have ever been a part of. As Waters continued onto such Floyd classics as "Wish You Were Here" and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" it became obvious why Waters was able to fill an arena of 20,000 nearly 30 years after his last significant album.
We were all in search of the same thing. The seats were filled with people who all had the same memories that I had. We remembered what it was like to be just a kid, searching for his or her way in the world, trying to find a place where they fit in. When Waters finally kicked into the "Dark Side" material during the second set, every seat was filled and fully in tuned with what was occurring on the stage.
I had feared that this would be nothing more than a second rate Floyd cover band doing songs that only this one band could perform. Luckily, I was wrong; by the time he came out for his encore and the band broke out into "Another Brick in The Wall (Pt. 2)" it had been apparent for a long time that Waters came with an ample band. I would be remiss to not note the incredible pyrotechnics, lighting and enormous screen - but this writer would be unable to describe their usage and really, they don't get to the heart of the show.
The last song of the evening was "Comfortably Numb", a song Waters wrote with David Gilmour for 1979's "The Wall". It's a song that fits perfectly within the context of that album; the writer feels nothing for himself, for the world, vaguely remembers memories from his childhood and in the end accepts the way things are. We should hope for a more positive outlook on life, but in reality, the line "the child is gone, the dream is over" rings true for a lot of us. At least for this one night, Waters let us catch a "fleeting glimpse out of the corner" of our eyes into what it was like to once again be young and idealistic.

A Triumph for craft brewing

2007-05-02T15:50:00.000-07:00

Do you know how India Pale Ale got its name? Patrick Jones does and that’s good news for Triumph Brewing Company.
As the head brewer at the newly opened Old City location, Jones is the man behind the scenes who creates the distinctive beers that now flow at Triumph’s third location in the tri-state area.
With eight beers on tap you are bound to find something you like. Over the past three years, Jones has helped the New Hope Triumph location win five medals at the Great American Beer Festival.
“When I got to Triumph, I was finally able to enter the Festival,” Jones explained. “The Kellerbier won the gold medal in 2004, something I’m really proud of.”
Triumph’s new spacious location at 117 Chestnut Street has two floors, with a bar downstairs running the length of the building and another bar upstairs that allows for a view of the brewery.
Sleek and swanky yet comfortable at the same time, Triumph has a menu that contains regular pub food like burgers and pizza. They also have sufficient seating if you want to sit down with friends and enjoy a more traditional meal.
Brian Fitting , one of the owners since 2001, said that the water in Philadelphia is conducive to great beer. That may help explain the city’s storied past with brewing. Old City Tavern was the hangout for members of the First Continental Congress in 1774. One hundred years ago, Philly was considered the largest brewing city in the Western Hemisphere. That title stood until 1920.
Prohibition wrecked the brewing industry across the nation. Jones explained that by the late 1970’s there were only about 10 craft breweries in the

United States

. Sierra Nevada was among the leaders of the craft beer resurgence during the 1980’s. Flying Fish in Cherry Hill, Yard’s in Kensington and Victory in Downingtown, PA are all proof of the renaissance. Consider Triumph Brewing Company part of that movement.
“I think the fresh beer alone will bring people in,” Fitting said. “The beer production has been phenomenal. We’re going to bring in a different crowd.”
Triumph was started in 1995 in Princeton, New Jersey by Adam Rechnitz, the first brewpub in the state. In 2003, the second location opened in New Hope, PA about an hour north of Philadelphia. The challenge of opening a brewpub in a major metropolitan area is not lost on the owners.
“(The main difference) was the cost, quite honestly. The other two locations are smaller suburbs and were pretty grassroots at the time,” explained Fitting. He added that getting acquainted with the city was part of the challenge.
He also sees similarities between Princeton and Philadelphia. Both brewpubs have downtown locations, are in an arts centered section of town and have Ivy League schools. The Old City location is surrounded by many other bars such as Mad River, Mint and Brownie’s Pub. Triumph isn’t necessarily trying to take customers away but simply offer them something they haven’t had before.
India Pale Ale, which this writer considers his favorite, was first brewed in the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries in Great Britain. It had high levels of alcohol and hops because both are natural preservatives. An export solely to India, it needed higher levels of these ingredients for the long sea voyage.
According to Jones, no one in England was aware of this process until a ship en route to India wrecked and bottles washed ashore. Britons quickly realized this was the best beer they had ever tasted.
Unlike our British cousins, we won’t need to wait for a shipwreck to taste some of the best beer in the city. Stop by Triumph Brewing Company and taste a little bit of history for yourself.

(PHOTO CREDITS: CODY GLENN)

California dreamin' for local band

2007-05-02T15:33:00.000-07:00

Capitol Risk is a name that some on Temple’s Main Campus may already know, and one that may be heard more often in the near future.
A pop-rock band based out of Malvern, PA, Capitol Risk calls Temple University home to some of its members. Bassist Jimmy Guardino, sociology major, is currently enrolled in classes. He mentioned plans to take a semester or two off to focus on the band. Secondary education major, Brian Quindlen, guitarist for the band decided not to return this spring.
“We’re all planning on taking some time off from school to pursue the band,” Quindlen said. “We get together every weeknight and Sunday and write music.”
Capitol Risk recently traveled to Los Angeles, where they met with a few different record labels. Though he was unable to comment on which labels the band talked with, Quindlen did hint that they are close to signing a deal. While in California the group played a showcase at Nightingale Studios in North Hollywood.
“It’s this historic rehearsal space that Van Halen and tons of hair metal bands used to practice at,” Brian said. “In fact, we saw Scott Ian, guitarist of Anthrax, so that was pretty radical.”
What began in fall 2002 as a blink-182 cover band, Capitol Risk has evolved into a four-man outfit that counts U2, Goo Goo Dolls, Cartel and even show tunes as influences on their music.
Lead singer Vince D’Annunzio is responsible for the majority of the songwriting duties, but the band functions more as a democracy.
“Vince usually has an idea for a verse or chorus and will bring it to the band and we will work off that,” Guardino explained. “We usually all have selective input about different parts and from that we come up with a final product.”
Quindlen said that in today’s music scene, where anyone can put their material online to be found, it is hard to stand out. But he knows that in order to set yourself apart you must be able to find something that is new and fresh.
“Even though Vince writes the lyrics, they are something that we and our fans can relate to,” Brian said. “I feel that separates us from a lot of other bands, because there is a lack of honesty in today’s pop lyrics.”
The band comes across as unassuming, and it seems as if they are having a blast while working hard at making their dreams come true.
“Some people spend their lives in jobs they hate but being in a band almost feels like it’s a free ride while it lasts, ya know?”, Jimmy said with all honesty.
Capitol Risk is currently working on new material for a forthcoming release. You can find a show near you by going to their website: www.myspace.com/capitolrisk

New Season, New Hope

2007-04-03T23:04:00.000-07:00

After attending the last six Phillies home openers, I was shut out from purchasing tickets for the game on April 2^nd against the Atlanta Braves. I had more or less resigned myself to the fact that I would not be carrying on the tradition that started in 2001. That is until a conversation about “On the Road” reinvigorated my life.
Since turning 22 this past February I have begun to feel, how do I say it? Old. I know that in the scheme of things 22 is not that old and looking back on this someday I will see how young I really was. But when your future job appears closer to you then your high school days, certain anxieties begin to set in.
I was having a conversation the night before the game with an old friend from high school who is about to graduate from Villanova next month. We were discussing as we often do, our lives, our plans for the future, and ultimately, the conversation turned to regrets and those moments in your life when you feel alive. It is difficult to define these moments. They are the ones when you have an out of body experience, when you can see yourself from above and know in your head that this is life, this is what living means.
He said how looking back, he had a good deal of these moments in his teenage years but like me in recent times, school and figuring out his career had become overwhelming demands on his mind. Basically, we both agreed that as the years have passed by, these moments had become few and far between. We talked about Bob Seger’s “Night Moves”, Van Morrison’s “Wild Nights” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Spirit in the Night”; how these songs seemed to describe a time that had somehow evaded us in our lives. Then we moved onto one of the great American classics, Jack Kerouac’s timeless masterpiece, “On the Road”.
We all know the story of Sal Paradise and his friend, Dean Moriarty and their travels across the country. How their lives seemed like an open book, how their futures seemed to have endless possibilities and compared this with the rigid demands that were placed on us by our society, our peers, our parents and more than anything, ourselves. Needless to say it was a depressing talk. My friend then said, “Where is that person in my life? Where is that free spirit to come and take me away from this normal life? Where is my Dean?” It was at that moment that I decided that one way or another we were going to make it into that Phillies game.
I met up with my friend around noon on the beautiful sunny day, about an hour before the first pitch of the 2007 season. We went up to the box office to see if there were any single tickets left for the game and told that they had all been gone since 9:30 in the morning. We walked to each of the entrances to the stadium, walked through a good deal of the parking lots and were unsuccessful in finding anyone at all who had tickets for sale. Then I had an idea.
McFadden’s Bar and Grille is attached to the ballpark and I figured somehow making our way from the bar to inside the stadium was our last shot. Getting in the bar was a problem, as a long line had formed outside to gain entry. Luckily, an old man was holding a side door open looking for his friend and we were able to slide inside ahead of the crowd. We made our way to the outside dining area and realized the only thing keeping us from entering right into the stadium was a metal fence and a few security guards letting people who actually had tickets into the game. Between the end of the fence and the brick façade of the stadium was a space of about a foot and a half. This was our ticket in.
Among the crowd of people drinking and eating we made our way back to the fence. Sitting for a minute to think of our plan and figuring out the right time to go, at around ten of one I decided, let’s go (and coolly, I might add), squeezed in behind the fence and walked right into the stadium. My friend followed behind. We walked to a spot directly behind home plate and as a sense of excitement and wild abandonment set in that we hade actually made it in, that we had made it to opening day, my friend looked at me and said something I will not soon forget: “I wouldn’t have done that without you. Thanks for being my Dean”.

(PHOTO CREDITS: ANDREW FRANKLIN)

New Bird Enters Flock

2007-03-20T00:38:00.000-07:00

Kevin Curtis might not be a name too many Eagles fans were familiar with before last week. But Andy Reid and company are hoping that it’s a name everyone who bleeds green will not soon forget.
The Utah State graduate, who signed on the dotted line last Thursday down at the Nova Care Complex, comes to Philadelphia after four seasons with the St. Louis Rams. While backing up All-Pro wideouts Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, Curtis was able to average 50 catches, 640 yards and 5 touchdowns the last two seasons.
The Eagles first plan was to bring back Donte Stallworth. That didn’t work when Stallworth signed a six year deal for $33 million with the New England Patriots. The Eagles signed Curtis at $32 million for six years. There was obviously something more than the difference of one million dollars going on here.
Earlier this month, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Stallworth is in the league’s substance abuse program. Joe Banner and his numbers crunchers figured that their money was better spent on a player who is 2 years older but comes without the injury history and off the field issues. The Patriots’ new deep threat has only played a full sixteen game season two times in his five seasons in the league.
Kevin Curtis is a burner who will give Donovan McNabb a down the field threat right away (that is if McNabb is ready for opening day). After playing mostly on the outside in college, Curtis was used primarily in the slot in St. Louis. This should give him experience as he will most likely be moving around the field a lot in Reid’s offensive sets. The Big Guy has always been hesitant to label a #1 wide receiver and this year will be no different.
Anyone looking for the Birds to make a big splash in free agency will be disappointed. Along with the acquisition of Curtis, Bethel Johnson was also brought in to provide some depth on offense, though his primary role seems destined to be on special teams. RB Correll Buckhalter, CB William James and DE Juqua Thomas have all re signed with the team. Don’t expect much more action until the NFL Draft in late April.

The Shins World Changes

2007-03-18T00:55:00.000-07:00

The Shins played to a full house last Tuesday night at the Electric Factory but for front man James Mercer and company, they must have felt left out.
The crowd, which was filled with emo teenagers, frat boys, thirtysomethings and a couple over 50 patrons, was unresponsive for the majority of the show.
The anticipation once opener Viva Voce left the stage was mild at best, and after roughly a half hour wait, the band from Albuquerque took the stage to a less then wild ovation.
Opening their set with the first four songs from their new album, “Wincing the Night Away”, The Shins must be held responsible for the lackluster crowd response.
Throughout the night, the band seemed to lack focus and the intensity that is expected at a rock show. It was not until the fifth song of the night, “Kissing the Lipless” from their second LP “Chutes Too Narrow”, that the audience got into the set and sang along. A few songs later though, the band had lost the crowd again, so they went to their bread and butter.
“New Slang”, their most famous song after being featured in 2004’s Garden State, was able to grab the crowd’s attention again despite a lackluster performance. The remainder of the set was up and down.
The crowd was an odd mix. Before The Shins took the stage, one teenager upon entering the venue remarked, “There’s a lot of old people here.” There were the fans who knew every song, dating back to the band’s 2001 debut “Oh, Inverted World” and then there were the fans like the one’s standing next to me.
About an hour through the set, after guitarist Dave Hernandez told the crowd, “We’re gonna start to rock!!”, the girl next to me turned to her friends and informed them that she wanted to go home. Her friend replied she had heard everything she wanted except for “Caring is Creepy”. A couple minutes later they left.
This is a majority of the reason for the lukewarm reception The Shins received. Their performance itself was inconsistent but had enough high points, like the new song “A Comet Appears” and old song “Know Your Onion”, that an audience of paying customers should be interested.
The Shins, after two releases that fell below the radar, have broken through to the mainstream. This results in a different crowd attending their shows, like the one at the Electric Factory. It also must result in the band finding a way to please their original fans while keeping new ones interested, at the same time without compromising themselves.
Last week, they were unable to find this balance. As one of the few talented and original popular bands hopefully The Shins can find this balance or else they will find themselves left out.

Fine Dining

2007-03-14T22:23:00.000-07:00

If you’re tired of City View Pizza or blowing your money at the Draught Horse, here is an opportunity to try something new.
The Aromatic House of Kabob, a small corner restaurant at 113 Chestnut Street in Olde City, has the ambiance of a café in the Middle East. While serving some of the best Persian food around, they offer one of the greatest gifts known to mankind, the BYOB.
“I’d say about 60 percent of our customers take advantage of it,” said waitress Helen Mojgani. She also stated that on the weekends, Aromatic serves about 150 to 200 patrons each day.
My dinner party was greeted warmly at the door and told to sit anywhere we wanted. We chose the couches against the front wall, which along with the Persian music and dimmed lighting created a relaxed vibe. The earth tone color of the walls and Persian rug added to the feeling.
A basket of pita bread was complimentary. As for an appetizer, we ordered kash-bademjan ($5.95) which is a mixture of sauteed eggplant, grilled onions, garlic and boiled yogurt. The falafel ($4.95) was rather bland.
The entrees we ordered were a good sampling of the menu. The aromatic melt ($5.95), was a vegetarian sandwich served on pita bread with melted feta cheese, mushroom, tomato, spinach and onions. A good amount of food for the price.
When you come to Aromatic, you should make sure to get a kabob. Each of the traditional dishes comes with a choice of bread, rice, salad or baked potato. Combo II ($14.95) was one kubideh (ground sirloin) and one joojeh (lamb chunks), along with rice. This was served on pita bread with lettuce, tomato and onion.
The aromatic kabob ($16.25) combined the best of all their dishes. It included chunks of lamb, chicken, tenderloin, char grilled tomato, green pepper and lettuce. I ordered the baked potato which was served with mushroom, spinach and feta cheese.
I can honestly say that the aromatic kabob was the most fulfilling meal I have eaten in years. The secret to what makes Aromatic so good is their special house dressing. And luckily for us, the beer we brought, Tupper’s Hop Pocket Ale with its rich, hop-heavy flavor, complemented our food choices.
And in the end, a BYOB should be about good food and good drinks, all at a reasonable price.

A Beautiful Day

2007-03-02T19:29:00.000-08:00

Here are some random shots I took walking around the city today. The second day of March was unseasonably warm, to the point where I found myself taking off my hat because it was too hot. Hope this weather keeps up.

Home Sweet Home

2007-02-27T01:24:00.000-08:00

There's no place like home. Founded in 1889 and the home of the Paoli Massacre, the biggest events in Malvern every year are still the Memorial Day Parade and the famed Malvern Fair sponsored by the Fire Company in July. With only one stop light and one bar in town, Malvern is small-town America to the core.

Old Glory flying on folks front porches is a familiar site year round.

Taken from the abandonded lot across the street from my house in the Borough. The house was knocked down after it was discovered the house was built upon a sink hole.

An old spring on Grubb Road in Willistown on the edge of the farm owned by the Campbell's Soup heirs.

Two praying angels represent the importance of religion in a small borough of only 1.2 miles. Within the boundaries are 4 churches.

15% percent of the roughly 3,000 residents are over the age of 65. With everything within walking distance the town is easy for it's older citizens to navigate.

An old swing sits rusting from years of neglect.

White Manor Country Club, located in Willistown is one of 3 golf courses located within only a couple miles of Malvern.

Frozen water in a Christmas cup.

View of the farmland that is located within a five minutes drive of downtown Malvern. This is Willistown, which is filled with rolling hills and animals such as geese, cows, donkeys, llamas and peacocks.

The Paoli Massacre occured in Malvern during the Revolutionary War. This is a view looking east towards First Avenue.

Rocking chair with no one to rock. Abandonded lot in the middle of town is a sore spot among Borough residents.

Someone left this glove on a table and never returned. They let the property, which could have been a beautiful garden, become overgrown.

"Remember Paoli!!" was an early American Revolutionary call used to motivate troops against the British, who ambushed the soldiers sleeping under the command of Gen. Anthony Wayne.

I don't think too many of the items in this bin can be recycled together.

The City That Never Sleeps

2007-02-27T00:36:00.000-08:00

Sidewalks jammed pack with people. Streets filled with cabs ready to run you over. And those silly accents. A nice place to visit, but I'll take the City of Brotherly Love any day of the week. I do enjoy sleeping once in a while.

Fifth Avenue in Manhattan looking northward. Tiffany's & Co. is ahead on the right.

51st Street Subway.

Some graffiti on the side of a place called Burger Heaven. Paying $9 for a piece of meat that wasn't even cooked is far from heaven.

My sister holding up the Brooklyn Bridge before returning to her home on the Island.

Six Weeks and Counting....

2007-02-26T23:27:00.000-08:00

The ground in Philadelphia may be covered in snow, but down south in Clearwater things are just heating up.
Your 2007 Philadelphia Phillies have begun their preseason schedule down in the Grapefruit League, not without a little controversy to warm things up. Jimmy Rollins' now famous comments that the Phightins' are the team to beat in the NL East sparked a small media circus, primarily in New York, where the defending division champion Mets laughed off his comments.
NL MVP Ryan Howard and $85 million dollar man Chase Utley along with Rollins give the Phillies their strongest lineup in years. Wes Helms takes over at third base for Abraham Nunez, a definite upgrade. Also brought into the mix was catcher Rod Bajaras, which figures to make for an interesting battle behind the plate between last year's surprise 33 year old rookie Chris Coste and the equally pleasing David Ruiz. Jason Werth was brought into fill the 4th outfielder role, but he hasn't seen any action since 2005. Gone are late season acquistion and former Phillie-killer Jeff Conine along with David Delluci who formed a nice platoon late last season with the much-maligned and deservedly so joke of a star, Pat "The Bat" Burrell.
As for pitching, the Phils could possibly have the best rotation top to bottom in the Senior Circuit. Freddy Garcia, traded for from the White Sox, is the ace. Hard-throwing and hard-living Brett Myers, fresh off a contract extension, is back and hopes to improve upon his 12-7 record from last season. Phenom Cole Hamels looks to only to develop further and will continue to learn from journeyman St. Joe's graduate Jamie Moyer.
The battle for the fifth and final starting spot has been of much discussion this spring. GM Pat Gillick brought back Adam Eaton, who has struggled with injuries since ex-GM genius Ed Wade (doesn't this team have such a different feel now that he is gone?) traded him away for Andy Ashby (that really worked out well). Also in the mix is veteran Jon Lieber. The Phillies have brought all six starters into camp this year and Lieber figures to be the odd man out. He was the subject of much trade discussion this off season. Something's gotta give, and the bullpen looks to be in dire need of a fresh arm.
Gone from the bullpen are clubhouse favorite Rick White and nobody's favorite Arthur Rhoades. In their place are the six-fingered man Antonio Alfonseca and.......well, they really didn't get anyone else. The team figures to keep Ryan Madson, Geoff Geary, Alfonseca, closer Tom Gordon (let's see if he lasts the entire season), Matt Smith and possibly one or two others.
Worthy of note is the upgrade of baseball minds to give manager Charlie Manule some help. Former manager and player Davey Lopes is the new first base coach and former Red Sox manager Jimy Williams takes over as the bench coach.
The last playoff appearance for this team was the Macho Row crew of 1993. The rest of that decade was filled with lowered expectations under the veil of "rebuilding". Things began to look up once Larry Bowa took over, but the team fell just short every year. The past two summers' under Manuel have been as equally up and down. The key to this year's success is to start off fast. Last year's team dug themselves a hole, went on a nice win streak in taking 15 of 16 and then proceeded to be left for dead by the end of July. But something happened after the trade deadline and the departure of long term fixture in right field, Bobby Abreu. The team, feeling the effects of no expectations began to play together as a team for the first time since April. That will not be the case this spring. Jimmy Rollins has made sure of that and the always vocal Philly fans will be sure to let them hear it if this team sputters out of the gates.