It's summer...

Today marks the start of Memorial Day weekend here in the US and Memorial Day weekend always means that it's now summer! Summer in New York is one of my favorite times of the year cause it means the summertime concert festival season is in full swing. There is Celebrate Brooklyn, Northside Festival and the 4Knots festival which was formally Siren Fest. We or me at the Whatever blog plan on covering these festivals for you.

Moving along..today two celebs who had a huge impact on me passed away.

The first being  actor Jeff Conaway. Conaway is best known for playing Kenickie in the film "Grease" and like many in my generation "Grease" was one of my favorite films growing up. I can't tell you how many times as a kid my friends and I would act out all the dance numbers in "Grease" in my backyard. I knew every one of the songs from "Grease" and all of the dialogue. Jeff Conaway also played Bobby in the classic TV show "Taxi" a show that my parents watched and loved and I didn't appreciate till I got older. In recent years Conaway appeared on Dr. Drew's reality show "Celebrity Rehab" trying to battle his drug and alcohol demons and I have to say I don't really watch reality TV but the few times I did flip the channels and see Jeff Conaway on "Celebrity Rehab" I found it really hard to watch. RIP Jeff Conaway your passing feels like a huge part of my childhood is gone!

The second is musician Gil Scott Heron. Gil Scott Heron is called by many the godfather of hip hop because of the poetic way he delivered his lyrics. Almost all of Gil Scott Heron's music was political in nature, he is best known for the song "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised". Scott Heron released an album last year called "I'm New Here" and it was more electronica based compared to his previous work I know many purists hated it but I have to say I really quite liked "I'm New Here". RIP Gil Scott Heron you were brilliant!

Bob Dylan & other news

I screwed up on Bob Dylan's birthday it wasn't Monday but yesterday. I'm gonna get hate mail for this and what I'm about to say is sacrilege but honestly I'm not a Dylan fan. And before you start telling me that I should stop blogging about music due to me not being inspired by Dylan let me say this I get that the man was a ground breaking musician & had a huge impact on modern music but his music doesn't move me in the same way that it does for other folks..that's me maybe I'm the freak.

Anyhow with all due respect to Mr.Dylan on the occasion of his 70th Birthday here is Jimmy Fallon as Bob Dylan doing the theme song to the 1980's TV show "Charles in Charge".



And here is a clip of the man himself with legendary poet Alan Ginsberg at the grave of writer Jack Kerouac who wrote the famous novel "On the Road".




And in other non Bob Dylan news the next Whatever blog party will be on July 28th at Bruar Falls in Brooklyn. The Diamond Center headlines the July 28th party and I know I promised you kids an interview with the Diamond Center and it did happen but due to the craziness of moving and dental issues I haven't had a moment to post it. So once I'm settled in my new apartment I will post the Diamond Center interview. And also confirmed for the July 28th bill thus far are; Wojcik and Dialogue from a Silent Film more bands to be announced soon so keep it here!

A Shark? Monday

Well this past Saturday the world didn't come to an end and now it's Monday some apparently big music guy named Bob Dylan is turning 70, I have a nasty sinus infection and Shark? has a new video out today. The song is called "You Don't Love Me Anymore" and it's off Shark?'s album "True Waste" which you can download from iTunes starting tomorrow 5/24.



You Don't Love Me (Anymore) - Shark? from kevin diamond on Vimeo.

Metropolis Fest

I go to see so many live shows and it becomes the same after awhile people who think they are too cool for school watching some Pitchfork approved band who also thinks they are too cool for school. Last night I went to the type of show that I'd rather be at, a real punk show complete with a scary looking biker/metal MC, brownies, lots of kids in cut off jean vests, leather and studs, feedback and tons of no bs bands.

 Metropolis Fest at Brooklyn Fireproof was last evening and it was a great time. My two latest obsessions White Mystery and Nobunny co headlined but due to the lovely G train not working (a normal 25 min trip took 1 hour..way to go MTA!)  I only stayed for a few of the bands.

The bands that I saw I liked a lot. The first band was a female fronted 3 piece shoegaze band from Oregon called The Whine, the Whine was very tight and played a really stellar set. The next band was a two piece punkabilly band called The PeaceKillers who were just so awesome in every way, The PeaceKillers singer Jess Walton's stage antics sort of reminded me of the Giraffes lead singer Aaron Lazzar, I just love that in your face style and I'm happy to see that in this day and age of bands who take themselves way too seriously it lives on. The last band that I stayed for The Psyched who were also a two piece who played balls to the wall feedback laden good old 3 chord punk that boardered on metal.

Besides the fantastic music last night another thing that impressed me about Metropolis Fest was the amount of kick ass female musicians on the bill, i.e. the lead singer of The Whine, the drummer from the PeaceKillers and Miss Alex from White Mystery.

I felt as if I totally was in my element at Metropolis Fest! Here are my pictures and I was trying to be all arty with my badself hence the different picture settings!

The Whine

The PeaceKillers

The Psyched



Miss Alex (r) from White Mystery enjoys The Psyched



This is what we were dealing with

More PeaceKillers