The new Batman movie was good. A little long but overall I didn't have complaints. After discussing it with people they keep bringing up the Dark Knight movies and how fond they are of them. The joker one was good, I don't remember the middle one but here's my take on the last one. I watched it twice just to make sure I wasn't crazy but it still sucks. I haven't seen it in a long time so I might not remember but this was my review from back then after watching it for the second time.
somebody's dark knight is rising. heh heh
OK so... they waste three months tracking the bomb truck down. Then after getting duped they miraculously end up finding it in the last 10 minutes. Bruce Wayne magically gets from a random generic place in the middle of nowhere Asia all the way to Gotham City in just a few days. He does this somehow with absolutely no resources, no money, shoes or anything. (remember he's just an angry rich guy who relies on gadgets, he's not dumb ass Superman who can fly) After he teleports across the world in 2 days he's somehow able to get right into the city that's being heavily guarded on lock down without a fight or any explanation.
When their big plan to get the bomb back into the reactor fails he just decides to tow it with his bat plane out of the city to a safe distance over the ocean. Which he somehow survives by the way. Which he could just have done first and saved everyone a whole heap of trouble. I thought it would make more sense the second time but it still pisses me off at how fucking stupid it is. It's almost as bad as Iron Fist.
We Need To Talk About Your Band's Stage Appearance.
A friend saw a band at his local club that he really liked and posted a video on his facebook. I'm not gonna post it here or mention the band because it's really not about them. They are a really good sort of progressive sort of thrash/death metal type band and there was nothing really wrong with them other than some pitchy melodic vocals but that wasn't what kept distracting me. It's something I notice more and more lately about a lot of bands.
A lot of bands have their shit together, they play very well and they probably play out and practice a lot which makes me hate to talk about what I'm about to talk about but visual appearance is more important than a lot of bands realize. This seems petty but when serious heavy metal bands wear cargo shorts or dickies shorts or sweat pants other casual shit on stage. I don't need leather pants and corpse paint, just show the audience a complete cohesive package that fits the aesthetic of the music. I'm sure cargo shorts fit a certain musical style just like tight jeans, ripped t-shirts and puffy white basketball shoes fit whatever Anthrax and Megadeth was doing in the 80's Maybe I'm just really old I don't know what's cool anymore but it's not 2004 and to me Limp Bizkit isn't the vibe I'm getting from the music here. Not because I don't dress like it's 2004 still, or that I don't like loose fitting jeans as a comfortable thing to wear, it's because looking like a schlub takes me out of the dark and scary heavy metal world I wan't to be in while watching a band like this. It makes them look like they just got off the couch or off of work and picked up a guitar. This may be the case for many, I know times can be tough but it all falls into that same 'make it look like you give a shit' basket. I watched an official music video of theirs and they have and there's a clear theme to the video and they're all period accurate clothing to match which is fucking awesome. I can tell they clearly know how to bring it in the image department so what the fuck is up with the cargo shorts?
Another thing I noticed about the video my friend posted was, and again this isn't a knock on the band, unless it is –but I hate that the lights are behind the band. This is a pet peeve of mine which could mean that the venue doesn't know how stage lighting is supposed to work (which is common) or maybe this is what the band wants but all I see is silhouettes. Lights are supposed to be shining on the band so the audience can see them. This ties into the visual appearance thing. Be proud of your music and yourselves, don't hide in the dark or in your comfy every day clothes. And even if you have a bad sense of style, as most dudes do, I'm not saying you need a visit from Queer Eye, you just need to leave that shit at home and present yourself on stage in a way that presents a complete package for your music. Image can seem dumb but it makes a difference. I once got some advice a long time ago that went something like; you can get away with things on stage that you could never in real life. The audience came for a show, give them one. Don't just have band practice on stage.
I have fallen in love with some bands after hearing them. Some major heavy hitting national bands... and then I looked them up on Youtube and seeing them live was like looking behind the Wizard of Oz curtain. The music is still really good but all I can think of now is Supercuts and the job interview clothes section at Kohls when I listen to them. So you're just a bunch of computer programmers? There's a thin line tho, you can't come out in matching elaborate costumes and just completely suck. There's definitely a balance. Just show as much passion and care for your appearance as a band as you do about your music. It feels fucking shallow of me to say shit like this but a little bit goes a long way.
Here's the part where I talk about being a hypocrite. Yea I haven't really practiced what I'm preaching lately but I've also never been in a serious progressive metal band. And despite actually being in a post grunge nu-metal band in the early 2000's where cargo shorts and baggy pants would have been appropriate for the genre, we actually did have specific matching stage attire and a theme when we were starting out. We all had matching dickies work shirts with our band insignia on the back. Each in a different color. I was orange. At times we also died our hair to match the colors. It was cheesy and sort of indicative of the Power Rangers but like it said, stuff that feels super cheesy, you can get away with on stage. It's a show and you're a character in that show. People loved it and it was memorable and recognizable.
How is it March? January 1st feels like it was 7 years ago. I know Feb is the shortest month but it literally flew by. If I'm being honest 2019 feels like a whole different lifetime ago. Anyhoo, here's some nonsense.
Today I was at the Jack in The Box drive thru. I hate drive thrus but our one and only Jack in The Box is still closed for dine-in because of Covid. A lot of dining rooms have opened back up but the few that haven't by now I think have just gotten used to not having to deal with shitty customers in person, homeless bugging them and messy assholes shitting up the place. I don't blame them but that doesn't change the fact that I hate drive thrus. Like I've said before the combination of shitty speakers and employees who's first language is not English is a recipe for disaster. Today I ordered my Jumbo Jack like I always do; no mayo, no ketchup. Add mustard. But they must have gotten new people because the old guy would finish my order for me because he knew it was me. Today as with the last couple times when I ask for no mayo, no ketchup the read out says "no pickles" I never said pickles. One time it said no lettuce. I never said lettuce. I tried to correct him but he just told me my total and said thank you. They had to remake when I clarified at the window. Sorry line of cars behind me. Fucking drive thru!!
When I got home to let my dogs out there was shit all over the floor. This is the whole reason I go home for lunch and am late almost every day going back to work and these fuckers shit on the floor anyway. The fucked up part is I found out about the shit because I stepped in it. I love my dogs but got damn.
Last night I had a dream that I had to take over driving a pirate ship. For some reason the captain was unable to do it but was sitting near me telling me what to do. Most of the time I really didnt do shit but keep the giant ship steering wheel straight. But then it got super windy and I didnt know what to do. The captain was hella drunk but he was yelling in a gruff pirate voice "TURN LEFT!!!!!" so I'd spin the motherfucker with all my might to the left. then "RIIIGGHHHTTTT!!!!" So then I'd spin it the other way. I started to get the hang of it then suddenly there was hella traffic. A bunch of other big pirate ships, smaller boats, then huge modern oil tankers and yachts. I was still going full speed like it was open ocean so I had to keep zigging and zagging like crazy to not hit any of the other ships. It was intense. Then out of no where I see a semi truck.. A big rig with a 70ft trailer. Then I noticed that there was an asphalt highway. A paved road that went straight through the middle of the ocean rising up out of the sea. I was headed straight for it and hit it but skidded my keel up the side and back down the berm of road popping out of the water. Amazing it didnt break right off but it was a dream so fuck it. I got back in the water and zigged and zagged some more .... then I woke up.
I've been obsessed with this new TV show on AppleTV Plus (I know another streaming service I hate that I have to have) called Severance. Open the web version if you're on mobile (link at the bottom) and use the searchy thingy in the top right and search for Lost. You don't have to read any of it but you'll get an idea of how utterly stupid I was over that show. Anyway, 3 episodes into Severance and I'm getting the tingles again like I did back then. Luckily there's reddit now and I can get my theory fix there instead of blasting it all on here. Just watch the trailer.
here's some crap.
My thoughts are with the people of Ukraine - Putin sucks. That's it.
