President Obama treated military families and White House employees and families to bbq, drinks, games for the kids, and a free concert by Michelle Branch and the Foo Fighters, hosted by Jimmy Fallon. Many of these same staffers had petitioned for the Arcade Fire to play the Inauguration ceremony last January. Perhaps this was a nice substitute.

Frontman Dave Grohl was quite thankful to be there, remarking how he grew up just over the river and used to watch the same firework show on The Mall as a kid. He certainly never thought he would be a guest at the White House, much less performing on stage.

They started off with rousing favorites, Times Like These, where Dave even coached the audience on lyrics, followed by Learn to Fly and Long Road to Ruin.

Dave announced that the band has been in the studio this summer working on a new album. Unfortunately, it’s a greatest hits record. Boo! We need new material!… I guess we will just have to wait until this fall to see what will be on the album. Maybe they will throw in some surprises. I shouldn’t jinx it, but best of albums always make me a little nervous as to the future of the band. {Knocking on wood. Throwing salt over shoulder.}

They performed a new song that will be included on this fall’s disc called Wheels, yet another song about flying. (I thought Dave was over his phobia of flying?) It’s a little country. A little rock. A little predictable. Not sure how I feel about it just yet…. Watch it below and be the judge -

The boys closed it out with the fan-pleaser, Everlong. Seems as though their set went a little long (no pun intended), as the fireworks started up midway through the song. But, the full band kicked in and fireworks really got going… perfect timing, if you ask me.

The entire concert was streamed live on the White House website.

Set list:

Times Like These
Learn to Fly
Long Road to Ruin
Wheels
My Hero
Everlong

Foo Fighters have emerged from hiding! They will perform tonight at the White House Independence Day Celebration.

Watch it here streaming from the White House website starting at 6:45 EST. The concerts are set to start at 8pm EST.

Remember what life was like before cell phones, twitter, and the iPod? I know, it’s hard to imagine… but we did manage to make due. One item that music fans everywhere could not live without in the 80′s and 90′s was the Walkman. Audio tapes? Yes, our world was shockingly analog.

Someone had a great idea to have a 13 year old kid give up his iPod and use a Walkman for a week.

It took me three days to figure out that there was another side to the tape. That was not the only naive mistake that I made; I mistook the metal/normal switch on the Walkman for a genre-specific equaliser, but later I discovered that it was in fact used to switch between two different types of cassette

Wow, this kid is hilarious. I especially love when he refers to the Walkman an “antique technology”…. Antique? Now I feel really old….

Read the story in his words here.

Did I mention, this 13 year old is an active blogger?

Oh, so sad…. a portrait of a guy who’s wife has far and away surpassed him. Clumsy guitar riffs + whoo whoo lyrics, strange little bounce/ shuffle movements. He looks awkwardly robotic… and nowhere near his old Bush days. Maybe you can go back to being Mr. Stefani for a while and let your wife bring home the bacon. Here he is doing This is Happiness.

Tuesday 6/17 -
Incubus on the Tonight Show

Same old Incubus, same old stuff. The band definitely peaked with the well-rounded album Make Yourself a decade ago. Since then, everything kind of sounds like Morning Glory… all the same. No evolving. Just repetitive. To be fair, I haven’t heard the new album in it’s entirety, but if this is the best song.. well, I may pass. But, hey, if you’re really into this same old Incubus you shouldn’t be disappointed. Here they are performing their first single off the new album, Black Heart Inertia.

Wednesday 6/17 -
Street Sweepers on the Tonight Show

I have to say this, Tom Morello gets on my nerves. Ok, with that off my chest, this review may be a little prejudiced. Even despite this fact, the biggest Tom Morello fan would have to admit that SSSC is just a rehash of Rage Against the Machine. ‘Cmon Tom, get an ounce of originality already! Here they are rippin’ off ROTM with their first single, 100 Little Curses.

Thursday 6/18 -
Dead Weather on the Tonight Show

Metric on the Late Late Show

Finally, THANK YOU!  The week was almost over, and nothing but crappy reviews. Here’s a great performance for the round up. Metric doesn’t disappoint… “Canadian, but very nice,” as Craig says in his intro. (too funny). Must say though, it would have been cool if they had done the acoustic version. Check out their performance of Help me, I’m Alive, one of my favorite songs of the year so far.

Phoenix on Letterman

A second excellent one on Thursday night! Other Phoenix TV performances I’ve seen have felt pre-recorded (SNL), but thankfully this seemed a little more live. I guess they’re just really consistent guys. Here they are doing 1901 on Letterman.

Friday 6/19 -
The Sounds on Letterman

Wait a minute, is that Amy Pohler? Not sure how I feel about this song. A little sketchy.

1.) Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
2.) Mos Def – Ecstatic
3.) Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
4.) Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
5.) Busdriver -Jhelli Beam
6.) Warpaint – Exquisite Corpse
7.) Sonic Youth – Eternal
8.) George Harrison – Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison
9.) J Dilla -Jay Stay Paid
10.) Elvis Costello – Secret Profane & Sugarcane

The Bartman

Yes, we have fun in prison. Is this really punishment?

The real video scared the bajeezers out of me when it first came out. MJ was certainly the master of theatrical music videos, I will give him that much. But the video below just makes me laugh. The inmates are forced to practice this routine 4 hours a day, every day. And, yes, the “girl” is really a guy dressed as a girl. Bet he didn’t think millions of people around the world would see him.

Summer Concert Calendar (LA Edition)

Looks like it’ll be a busy summer! Here’s my wish list, …what’s yours?
(newly listed since last posting in pink below)

6/4 – green day @ the music box
6/6 – clues @ the echo
6/6 – eagles of death metal @ glass house
6/8- metric @ the wiltern
6/9 – the mars volta @ majestic ventura theater
6/11 – great northern @ glass house
6/17 – cut off your hands @ the echo
6/17 – the airborne toxic event @ the avalon
6/19 – grizzly bear @ the wiltern
6/20 – grizzly bear @ the troubadour
6/25 – bird and the bee @ descanso gardens
6/25 – mt st helens band supporting cursive @ the el ray
6/28 – phoenix @ the wiltern
7/4 – deer tick @ spaceland
7/5 – death cab for cutie, tegan & sara, new pornographers @ hollywood bowl
7/10 – andrew bird @ the greek
7/12 – neko case @ the Greek
7/12 – jenny lewis @ the hollywood bowl
7/13 – natlalie portman’s shaved head @ spaceland
7/17 – tori amos @ the greek
7/18 – girl in a coma @ the knitting factory
7/20 – pains of being pure at heart @ the echo
7/22 – elbow @ the wiltern
7/28 – glasvegas @ the music box
7/29 – glasvegas @ the music box
7/31 – stellastarr* @ the troubadour
8/4 – ting tings @ club nokia
8/17 – flaming lips w/ ghostland observatory @ the greek
8/18 – elvis costello @ the greek
8/23 – los campesinos! @ detroit bar
8/24 – friendly fires @ the el ray
8/25 – green day @ the forum
8/27 – the dead weather @ glass house
8/27 -  Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band @ echoplex
8/27 – matt and kim @ the el ray
8/29 – band of horses -@ the fox theater
8/28-29 – street scene @ downtown san diego
8/28-30 – outside lands @ san francisco golden gate park
8/31 – bat for lashes @ the fonda
9/4-5 – john williams @ the bowl
9/5 – sea wolf @ spaceland
9/16 – metric Phoenix
9/25 bon iver @ the wiltern
10/10 – mute math @ club  nokia
10/10 sunny day @ anaheim HOB
10/11 – sunny day real estate @ the fonda
10/14 – passion pit @ the fonda

Some omissions: no doubt, U2, coldplay, depeche mode, etc. Really people, these are pretty big summer shows. Every radio station in town is talking about these…. no need to mention them here.

Courtney Love apparently wants to relive her past and resurrect Hole …. and she’s taking Melissa Auf Der Maur down with her. Please say noooooo!!!! Well, if you think that’s funny/ weird, it gets better. Apparently Auf der Maur is a little “confused” about the whole idea. Says Melissa, “I don’t know what to say about [the situation]. I’m a little confused as to what the plan with that is. All I can tell you is that I like singing ooos, ahs, and la-la-las behind her voice.” Did Courtney not let Mel in on the big plan? Forget the “save francis bean” shirts… how about “save melissa”?

The Airborne Toxic Event

Check out their recent live acoustic session at RS

Jack White whines about being famous

Oh, Jack you are too cool. I suppose modern conveniences are going to be the downfall of us all…. Talk about a guy who tries way too hard to be edgy. Okay Sweeney Todd, slap on some more white face powder and keep frowning.

Green day’s rock opera

Set to premiere this fall in Berkeley

New MGMT video for Kids.

Why is there so much buzz about this? I think it’s just plain creepy…. magic mushroom induced nonsense.

Lily Allen’s new video

Great concept. Has nothing to do with the song, but still real creative.

Glastonbury this weekend

Slosh or Sun? … Is anyone taking bets?

San Francisco Outside Lands

Aug 28-30 – Single day tickets will go on sale next week and the day by day schedule is up now. Pearl Jam will headline on Friday, Dave Matthews on Saturday, and Beastie Boys on Sunday.

San Diego Street Scene

Aug 28-29 - Street Scene hits the streets of downtown San Diego, celebrating its 25th anniversary. Many of the same artists as Outside Lands, minus the big notables (Pearl Jam, Beastie Boys, Incubus). Their headliner is weak. Black Eyed Peas. Disappointing. Only a couple noteable acts dot this small festival: Silversun Pickups, Connor Oberst, Band of Horses, Los Campesenos. A rather disappointing 25th anniversary show, if you ask me.

Austin City Limits

Oct 2-4 – ACL is definitely the big daddy of these late summer/ early fall festivals. The same headliners as Street Scene and Outside Lands- Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews, and Beastie Boys- but, with solid supporting lineups for every day of the show. Lily Allen, Phoenix, Andrew Bird, Ghostland Observatory, Decemberists, Mute Math, Grizzly Bear, Airborne Toxic Event, Dead Weather, Sonic Youth, Passion Pit, White Lies,  and on and on…. Check it out: ACL 2009 Lineup

Sacred Trickster

green day on carson tues 6/10-11

Murder city

21st century breakdown

Green Day on SNL 6/13

(a re-air of 5/16 season finale)

Know your enemy
21 guns