Esoteric Cigar Review

Brand - Dunhill Atado (Havana)

Age - not precise, but estimated to be Mid-Reagan Administration

Size - A little larger than 6 inches and 28cm ring gauge

In a word, damn. These are good. Very cedary tasting, as most aged cigars tend to be.
Amazingly, at least for me the Dunhill flavor profile has lots of lemony/orangeish overtones and is very light. It kind of reminds me of a Trinidad Fundadore in this respect- the complete opposite of an earthy/honeyed cigar like a Cohiba or an earthy, peppery cigar like a Partagas.

These little guys were only produced between 1984 and 1991; negative issues arose between Castro's government and the two private cigar companies (Davidoff and Dunhill) that made cigars in Cuba in 1992, effectively ending private production of cigars on the island. Now you have to hit up your homies @ Christie's or Sotheby's overseas to cop some...so sad.

The flavor of these Dunhills only intensify over the course of a smoke, but there was no harsh or bitter flavors encountered. Whether this is due to the blending or that most of the acids and impurities in the leaves dissipated due to the aging process is not known.
I was about 5 or 6 years old when these were rolled, and therefore cannot compare the tast of the Dunhills now compared to then.

I can recommend some fruit snacks based on that period in my life: go with some Fruit Roll-Ups - wild berry and Shark Bites - the Great White ones in the foil packs. Either one was a great diversion after some 500 or 4-square action during recess at Mountain View Elementary School.

wow. one part elephant 6 athens trip hop, one part dungeon family. blend. 

HOLY SHIT (Pt. 2)

Two words for all of y'all: Gnarls Barkley.
It's the new collab between Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse.
They'll be at Coachella.

It's in the same league as Prince, but a different sport.
It reminds me of the lovely track 'Liberation' from Stankonia.
It may be the best music I've heard all year.

This sweater is cooler than anything puffy has ever done. 

Song Of The Day

"Juicy"- Biggie - Peep this first verse.

In an alternate universe B.I.G. would be rocking the Key Club this week...so sad.


It was all a dream/ I used to read Word Up magazine
Salt'n'Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine/ Hangin' pictures on my wall
Every Saturday Rap Attack/ Mr. Magic, Marley Marl
I let my tape rock 'til my tape popped
Smokin' weed and bamboo/ sippin' on private stock
Way back, when I had the red and black lumberjack/ With the hat to match
Remember Rappin' Duke, duh-ha, duh-ha
You never thought that hip hop would take it this far
Now I'm in the limelight 'cause I rhyme tight
Time to get paid/ blow up like the World Trade
Born sinner/ the opposite of a winner
Remember when I used to eat sardines for dinner
Peace to Ron G, Brucey B, Kid Capri Funkmaster Flex, Lovebug Starsky
I'm blowin' up like you thought I would/ Call the crib, same number same hood
It's all good...

Give The Arctic Monkeys CD A Rest

Best site of the week: www.funk45.com.
This thingy has a bunch of free downloadable MP3s from obscure bands that got lost in the shuffle of regional 70s soul. Most tracks absolutely kill. No need to spend serious coin on EBay for these collector 45's, whic sometimes have sale prices in the hundreds.

Right now I'm listening to "Cleo" by Big T Stigler and the LDS Band, and it beats the hell out of "Mardy Bum." That is all.

This was not a small affair. 

What Democracy Looks Like

You NYC and Atlanta people aren't hearing about this too much, but lots and lots of people in LA are really pissed right now. I mean like a million. The passing of House Resolution 4497 criminalizes immigrants as well as the acts of associating with or employing them. Obviously due to the demographics of LA, this is a big fucking deal around here...all weekend people have been marching and protesting downtown. The police estimated the crowd at more than 500,000 people.

I was down there for a bit, and I realized why this isn't a big story: the attitudes of these people are very, very chill- they're not flipping cars like in Paris. All these cats are rocking white tees (for peace and tolerance, not for Jeezy and D4L!) and American flags. They're all chill because they can't get arrested- they all have fucking jobs! The protestors in France kicking in windows are either thugs taking le Metro into the city to steal shit and blow off steam, or passioned students idealistically interested in correcting the city's large economic imbalance. The poor in Paris have less to lose. I was there last week, so I got to see a little bit of this.

I've got mad respect for these Latino protestors. They all work their asses off out here and love this country. They shouldn't be made felons, which is what would happen if this legislation passes.

HOLY SHIT

According to the brodawgs @ the Fader...when concerning the new film/album made by OutKast, (http://www.thefader.com/blog/articles/2006/03/24/wild-man-blues)
Andre 3000 Benjamin aka Big Boi aka Lucius Left Foot aka Billy Ocean aka Francis the Savannah Chitlin Pimp DECIDED TO START RAPPING AGAIN.

Usually I don't comment on other people's reporting (this site is for live music, y'hear!) but this is serious. Word was that the soundtrack to Idlewild (the duo's period musical) was going to be just like Love Below/Speakerboxxx: Big Boi's stuff being hiphop and amazing, and Andre's stuff being jazz crooning/rock/hop/weird and amazing. But I have to say it again----according to the cats in the studio, with about half the traxxx for the album already recorded, DRE DECIDED HE WANTS TO RAP AGAIN!

ATLiens and Stankonia are classics, and the fact that Dre is putting the semi-experimental "love hater" ish on ice for a minute or two makes me want to have a party. Don't get me wrong here, "Hey Ya" was amazing and groundbreaking, but some of those tracks were self-indulgent on a Mike Jordan-playin'-baseball level. Here's to Dre lacin' up the sneaks and putting on the red #23 to astound us once again.

Oh yeah- the film looks ill.
Savannah tree groves, 20s clothes, and Andre with a Havana in his mouth.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/idlewild/large.html

Taking My Dad To See Gogol Bordello

on saturday at the Key Club or Ghostface on Monday at the House of Blues.

I hope...I would so love to see my dad wyle out to some live Wu-Tang.

Dammit American Apparel can't be avoided! 

Leg Warmers Optional

Yeah I hate to sound like a trendoid here, especially when every third dime is rocking leggings these days...but electro-crazies the Juan Maclean rule. On an amazing Arthurfest bill that included Yoko Ono, Spoon, and the amazing reunited-for-a-minute Olivia Tremor Control, these guys held their own. Not just a dude in the DFA lab with a laptop, these guys are an actual band. [I could go on here about how an actual grouping of people banging on shit is more organic and galvanizing than a dude with a laptop, but if you want to read stuff like that peruse some Sound Tribe Sector Nine liner notes and get back to me.]

Powered by Jerry from Maserati attacking various drum pads while the other members bang on shit and tweak knobs, these guys can turn a hilltop in Echo Park in the afternoon into an 80s ESG gig.

Clapton and Townsend like him. you should too. 

More Underrated Geezers

Okay kids. Like Waylon and Willie? Have one of those black CASH bumperstickers on ya' Volvo?

Even if not, you need to cop some Don Williams 101. Naw shorty, it's not some off-brand Jack or Jim only available in Texas or some shit (and yes Van Halen members, cross-marketing liquor is lame even if said tequila is good) but another country OG who hasn't gotten his due.Just go to his website, www.don-williams.com. Yea, I hear the sniggers. His website was created in the 80s by Al Gore himself during the nascent days of the inter-web. But after you hear "If Hollywood Don't Need You," you'll look at that crude little webpage and want to go give this dude some money to hear his music.

It is that good! Homie has a Greatest Hits collection that runs through volumes 1-4, some of which are only available on 1980s MCA tapes, so hit up a gas station in Alabama near you for those or do whatcha gotta do.

And more importantly, this year is his Farewell Tour. Check the website and see this guy live before he hangs it up. Unlike the Eagles, he isn't kidding.

much love.

I Miss Southern Food

No, not friggin' fried okra...i miss Wild Wing and Taco Stand and Caliente Cab.
I miss Daddy Dz in ATL and that BBQ joint out on Gaines School Road called Jot-Em-Down.
I miss those damn cakes at Last Resort. I miss Barberitos.

fuck this.
i'm going to get chick-fil-a, cracked windshield and ticket-garnering ghettoness of my brother's car be damned.

Athens GA people, be thankful for what you have.

Baby Live Gig Calendar

I will be reading civil procedure tonite, but if I had endless money and no commitments I would go check out records at Turntable Lab, then maybe go see the Sounds at the Avalon.

Or maybe Snow Patrol at the Troub, or SXSW darlin's Tapes n Tapes at Spaceland.

If you're a Britpop kid then I don't even need to tell you, but for those who don't read NME anymore----the Subways play the Troub. tommorrow. Just close your eyes and pretend you're at the Strokes show that happened at the same place last month.

If you're a slightly older hipster, you might be at CYHSY/the Brunettes at the El Rey Friday. Loved the Brunettes on the Shins tour...but can't say the same about their dirg-y headliners. They just don't do it for me.

Also Friday at Spider, the great Steve Aoki spins excellent rock and hip-hop bangers, and is now even going public with some of his scratching skillz. Take a Jager shot, drink 2 Sparks, and go.

Saturday @ the Smell one of the Bikini Kill ladies plays with her new band. Me, I'll be at a little warehouse party tonite. Get at me.

Sunday, mutherfuckin Snoop Dogg, Daddy Yankee, and other stars of reggaeton y hip hop rock the Great Western Forum. Don't be scared white kids. Those other people smoke the same weed you buy in Brentwood for more money.

If you want more hiphop, call the people at the Temple Bar....they'll educate 'ya.

pics from brooklyn vegan. 

Jose Gonzales Is As Good As Nick Drake

...so far, maybe better. As opposed to the more maudlin exploits extolled by the lovely Mr. Drake, Jose's songs are brighter. Going with that theme, in the venue last night a small fire burned in the corner of the room opposite the stage. I waited outside for an hour before being admitted to his show in Echo Park last night, but it was worth it. I probably won't get the chance to see him in such a small venue ever again. Fans of Cat Power, the N.O.T.O.R.I.O.U.S. W.I.L.L. Palace Oldham, Elliott Smith, and Iron and Wine, take note.

I hope to one day do something as beautiful.

Three Sentence Wine Review

Liberty School Cab. 2003. Paso Robles CA

Trader Joe's. 12ish?


Good tannic pomegranate and plummy flavors with a medium loamy earthy finish.

Most budget Cal. Cabs are all fruity and fat, two things I don't usually look for in a bedside companion.

Not this one, it gives you a taste of what a lot of the boutique expensive shit tastes like.

I took this from their website because i'm not one of those obnoxious duderoos who takes mad pictures at a show.  

Sensitive as a Motherfucker

Yep, I couldn't help heading out to the Wiltern once again- this time to peep Scottish softies Belle and Sebastian. These cats have been in the game longer than Cam and the Dip Set, forming in art skool (doyyyyeee!!!!!) at the same time Izzy and the Olympics rocked Atlanta. I was very interested to see how their 500-thread-count jams would hold up live.

Surprise! (imagine me, or if you're a dude imagine Selma Hayek, jumping out of a cake at this point) THEY ROCK!

I know. You're thinking, what? no. It can't happen, right? these guys are the white boy pop European versions of quiet storm smooth jazz, except really good...but how can they rock?

Well, combine these two modalities together:

a) an orchestra pit full of B&S fanboys and indie girls so crunk that they rock out with devil-horn signs to soft renditions of 'Oooohhh, Get Me Away From Here I'm Dying' (male) and take multiple opportunities to throw knickers on stage (female)

and b) an LA Weekly blurb that basically stated that the only way one can rock out at a B&S show is by watching the opening band, the New Pornographers.

The fans up front were really psyching up Stewart... at one point he asked the crowd in the back if they were having as rowdy of a time as the fans in the pit "because these guys up here, even though it's sunday, are gettin all friday night rock out down here." His announcement, of course, was only greeted with cheers from all parts of the arena.

As for the LA Weekly article, I can see Bobby (newer guitarist/plays an LP Junior/could be mistaken for a member of Kings of Leon) and Stevie (always wears suits/chases ladies/probably uses recreational drugs and alcohol/is the band's other real rock star) seeing this yank mag blather as a bluddy challenge if they've ever fookin seen one...and were ready to match when Stew started playing off the crowd.

So in short, B&S brought us their newer-style party rockin jamzzz, then gave us their "earlier, prettier songs" (Stewart's words) with renewed vigor near the end of the gig. Good show boys.

other guys in the band 

this guy handles most of the vocal duties. 

South By South West Coast

So unfortunately law skool spring break 2006 (i had to say that phrase) came too early to attend the festivities in Austin this year. However, I am lucky enough to live in one of the top 3 dopest cities in the States, and occasionally good musics gets played around here. The greater LA area is straight chock-full of bands that do the whole moppy-top rock thingy, and some of these are pretty good. One such band is Army Navy; these guys have shared gigs with all kinds of hyped Next Big Things and hold their own with all of them. Hit up that as-addictive-as-crack music and social networking site with the blue background to snag their catchy song Snakes of Hawaii...then cop the EP at Amoeba.

Pics from their recent gig headling at the Echo on Sunday with pop-rock band Everybody Else; some of the aforementioned band's 18-year-old fans surely returned to mommy's minivan after the show with their faces thoroughly rocked off. Photos by Marky Mark the Cobrasnake.

The Best Live Music Reviews in Los Angeles

Well maybe not the best, but at least the most interesting. Here on Struggleville we strive to swiftly stimulate your senses with the most interesting tidbits of info concerning live music in the Los Angeles and greater LA area. Wine and Habanos cigar reviews, hiphop talk, and other useless bullshit will also appear occasionally. Thanks for reading.

VanMo, the professional. 

Don't Be Late to a Van Morrison Concert! You Might Miss It.

Yes, on Sunday, March 5th, I was lucky enough to be in the same building as Van Morrison while he performed music with a full band. The musical results, were like a Cohiba Siglo I, the Cuban cigar that was created supposedly as a replacement to the now-rare Davidoff Chateau Haut-Brion. For those not up on their rare and aged Havana cigars game, it means that the experience was rare, short, expensive, but damn good. The Cohiba cigar (and the Davidoff it replaced) is thin and only 4 inches long- a shrimp in the world of foot-long beasts preferred by Hong Kong bankers and CEOs in the States.

The Van Morrison show started precisely on time at seven-thirty, with Van himself striding on stage at eight after a song by his band sans Van and an introduction by his hypeman/trumpet player. It lasted barely an hour and a half. Also like the cigars mentioned, this was not an inexpensive affair. A box of the Cohiba Sig I's will cost you 170 USD before taxes in the country of your choice---and the face value of the Van Morrison tickets was 168 USD. That's the upper echelon of live music prices---up there with fellow plutocrat-pleasers the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney. I was lucky enough to buy my ticket for $40 from one of the myriad numbers of pathetic old people outside the venue selling them. These were not scalpers, but everyday rich LA people who bought tickets in anticipation of that big date or client meeting that fell through.

It was Oscar Night in LA---there were lots of competing entertainment options. I should have held out or induced competition among these peeps to get my ticket down arouind the $20 range, but i was anxious to see all of the show. My particular sellers were a pair of corpulent fellows that looked like music-industry 'execs'; judging by the all-white sneakers, 80's leather jacket, and Velvet Revolver t-shirt worn by one of them, and the unintentionally-shiny suit (no tie, 'cause a tie sells you out to the Man, bro!) worn by the other specimen.

After a short haggle I got the hook-up only after Mr. Velvet Revolver told his buddy with the tickets---and i quote----"duuude, don't give him the seat next to me!" Wow. That was probably the meanest shit that I've heard roll off anyone's lips in the city of Los Angeles since I've been here. (six months.) I wish there was even the slightest chance of this guy reading this, because I would love to tell him "fuck you" or something or other. Unfortunately for me in this case, the only materials that guy probably reads are fast-food menu signs and the occasional Rolling Stone to "see who's makin' hits."

Oh yeah- I snuck up to the front as soon as i got inside the venue.
screw sitting with those fat fucks.

Anyway, Van entered the boundaries of the stage wearing a suit of considerably better cloth and cut than all of his audience members,and conducted his band much as I would imagine Benny Goodman or Louis Armstrong would do in their heyday: smooth and buisnesslike. It was a little too formal for me: all of the six-or-so people on stage read from charts and took direction from Van like he was the conductor of La Scala. Not as if that's always a bad thing, but my favorite VM material is the unscripted stuff like 'Listen to the Lion'. This track, from his 1972 record St. Dominic's Preview, epitomizes the elements of Mr. Morrison's best work of the period: loose vocals that border on animalistic transmorphication; (in other words, his young voice roars and scats) long, rambling stories (can you see why I can identify?) and a loose accompaniment that sometimes lets out a discordant note or two.

This live experience was nothing like those recordings. Van was James Brown here; in charge of the show, cool and in control like a pilot walking through the airport. Mr. Morrison did break out his saxophone skills (that i didn't know he had!) taking leads occasionally on 'Moondance' and on his newer tracks that make up his new country-infused album Pay The Devil. I was just sad that he didn't play much from his first four recordings, because aside from a smattering of songs from iTunes and his Greatest Hits record, I don't love most of them. Life is short: when I want to hear the Rolling Stones, I drop the needle on Sticky Fingers, Exile, and Beggar's Banquet. I don't listen to Steel Wheels. Sure, there might be a few good tracks on there, but most late-period work from artists with 30 records under their belt has too much water in the Kool-Aid for my tastes most of the time.

I do have to admit that the newer songs sounded great, especially with a cowboy-hat-rockin' fiddle player and slide guitarist, and he did give us a lovely cover of 'Georgia on my Mind'. The latter was so lovely it thankfully caused the band to quit sitting up so straight.

crazy things observed during the show...
1)Van tossed a mic stand during 'Burning Ground'!!! Yes!!! he yelled out the lyrics "take...you...right...down!" and tossed it like some insolent judge banging a gavel. Roadies ran like ninjas to fix it, which almost ruined the effect, but just this act of overt energy from the aging Van fired up everyone in the building. He had spent the previous 30 minutes calmly going through his newer stuff, then finally (at least figuratively) loosed his tie a bit and took us into the friggin' mystic. He sandwiched 'It's All In The Game' with 'Make It Real One More Time' and Burning Ground.

In a perfect world, Van would have taken a break after Wonderful Remark and came back to start a mammoth second set with these three bangers. Maybe if the tix were another 100 bucks...

2)his last song- Brown Eyed Girl! After about an hour of decent music and a few moments of greatness, Van broke out this song, dropped the mic and left the building. Well, he didn't really bust a Mos Def and drop the mic, but the result was the same. It was his only encore, and even though it's nowhere near my favorite Van song due to intense repetition and ubiquity, but it still did the trick. I never thought I would hear that song live. I found out later he plays it all the time...crazy...i guess that's why he can charge people almost 2 bills for the show.

Here's the setlist, in true Dead/Phish/Widespread Panic fashion:

Chicken Shack (just the band)
Intro of Van
Did Ye Get Healed?
Magic Time
My Bucket's Got A Hole In It
There Stands The Glass
Big Blue Diamonds
All Work And No Play
In The Midnight
Real Real Gone > You Send Me (yeah, that 50s jam)
Sometimes We Cry (with Shana)
Wonderful Remark
It's All In The Game > Make It Real One More Time > Burning Ground
Precious Time
Moondance
Playhouse (George Jones?)
Georgia On My Mind
And The Healing Has Begun

E:Brown Eyed Girl

Back In The Mix

Sorry I haven't posted in a bit---but much has happened of note! I saw Van Morrison and the band Belle and Sebastian play live at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, (not together! these were seperate events!) went to Paris for a week, and took a Civil Procedure midterm. More on these and other interesting developments "after the jump."

Coachella 2005

coachella- i'm going, of course---y'all should too- i've never been to one. however, why does bonnaroo get to have its best lineup ever/coachella has its worst....the year i move out to so. cal? tool? depeche mode? i mean, i love industrogoth in-the-closet dance anthems as much as anyone, but bonnaroo gets radiohead, beck and tom petty?

stoked on seeing TV on the Radio, murs, animal collective, daft punk (never seen live)
and cat power, bloc party, the juan maclean (seen them a bunch but love their live shows.)
just not so sure it will match bonnaroo's lovely lineup last year---- friday---drive-by-truckers> john prine> jurassic 5> herbie hancock's headhunters in the day, saul williams then the mars volta 3.5HR. SHOW until 4am

sat.---22-20s>m.ward>kings of leon>mouse on mars>gov't mule>iron + wine> panic> the perceptionists>karl denson>secret machines>rjd2>mutherfuckin DE LA SOUL til 4am.
sunday waking up to toots and the maytals>matisyahu>dr.dog>bob weir>my morning jacket>modest mouse>panic again.
i think it's because i prefer psych/hippie shit more than white people dance music on the whole. that being said you know i'm there...I won't buy tickets but will go and pay someone $20 for their extra. always works at bonnaroo, and my little brother has been to every coachella and hasn't paid yet. and who knows- you always get blown away by some band you've never seen when you go to one of these things. I'm just sad that I've already seen most of the Coachella lineup at SXSW last year----and that most aren't anything special.

me after finding out property class was canceled for the day 

get crunk!

only 2 days until law skool spring break...and prof. kochen has already canceled property for today! i am on my way to surf in 5 minutes. where will i be in a couple days....hmmm....