We got feast... all the time... We got famine... all the time...

So I caught up last night with a few friends to see a few more old friends.

We popped in at the Mercury Lounge to take in the triumphant NYC return of one of our favorite bands of yesteryear, Rustic Overtones. We discovered them as an opening act for They Might Be Giants at the Bowery Ballroom and followed them anywhere they went.

You can read their history elsewhere - but our history's a little more intimate. You'd think Rustic Overtones was one of those bands that you discover in college and you think is awesome solely because no one else is listening.

You'd be wrong. This isn't Guster here.

Rustic Overtones can play. Their music was up, funky, accessible, never arrogant or pretentious. You could move to it. Unwind to it. Sing along to it.

And they're back together and looking for one more shot at the big time. Last night was a good first step. They played a set that consisted of half new songs and half songs from their last album, Viva Nueva. Sadly, they didn't play some of their best work ("Check," "Cherry," "Feast or Famine," and their best by far - "Iron Boots") - but they sounded good. They didn't bring the megaphone for "Smoke," but they didn't have new gimmicks, either. Just Dave Gutter singing like he's having a seizure. Spencer Albee jumping perpendicular to his keyboard. Like they're back on track. Like they will go places.

I don't meant to wax nostalgic and get all sappy about the Overtones. It's just that it was a 45 minute set, but could've gone on for 4:45 and I wouldn't have cared. It was a damn good show. It's nice to have them back (if only because I've never heard "Scarecrow" live).

Just for kicks - here's a live version of "Cherry." And a live version of their cover of Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer."

I won't say, "I told you so."

"So when you reach into your pocket
reach down further than the seams
to the leg that you could kneel down
and beg upon; one day a prince
and the next day a vagabond.
I flip a coin into a wishing well
this one's for you..."
-Rustic Overtones, "Long Division"

These, Tom, are the Causeheads. They find a world-threatening issue and stick with it for about a week.

(Yes, I know I owe you a Transformers review. Don't worry - it's coming. Go read Pat's thoughts in the interim. They're not too far off.)

So I'm returned from Live Earth. I left home at 11am this morning. It's been a long day.

It started with a crazy line for a bus in Secaucus, then venturing into the stadium as KT Tunstall finished up her set. She may or may not have went second - I stopped paying attention to order rather quickly.

So, what did we learn today?

- Hipsters may have supplanted hippies. Yes, it's closed-minded and shallow - but I kinda hoped to see a line of tree-hugging hippies and militant lesbians types. Just something about a "Save the Earth" event invited that expectation, politically incorrect as it might be nowadays. Instead, I'm greeted by frat boy types and trustafarians who own green t-shirts and showed up for the party of the year and probably Dave Matthews band. If I wanted that, I would've gone to Williamsburg.

- You have to understand... this was 10 hours worth of alcohol. This was sloppy, going inexplicably crazy for Kelly Clarkson, please stop spilling your beer all over my breasts, "Yank-ees SUCK!" drunk. I haven't seen that kinda drunk since my last poker night.

- By the way, I'm changing all my light bulbs to compact florescent bulbs. Please stop reminding me.

- On Taking Back Sunday, AFI, and Fall Out Boy... they are who we thought they were. And we let 'em off the hook.

- On Melissa Etheridge and Alicia Keys... they've got a little crazy in their eyes. Entertaining, don't get me wrong. But they're a few trees short of a rain forest.

- On my inaugural Dave Matthews Band concert... oh wait, sorry. Was online for chicken tenders for that. And part of Kelly Clarkson, too. Note to self: Next time you want food at an epic concert at Giants Stadium, just buy beer instead. No wait.

- Concerts we're now further excited to attend: The Police.

- Concerts we're now looking into attending: Smashing Pumpkins, Bon Jovi.

- Nanatak. So Live Earth played all on all 7 continents, including a performance by a group of scientists stationed in Antarctica. Nanatak, as they called themselves, appeared onscreen between acts and played an original song as penguins literally walked by them. Next time you're in Antarctica, check them out.

- I had every intention of awarding Bon Jovi the "best performance of the night" tag. I'm confident enough in my masculinity to admit I'm a fan. So suck it.

Then Roger Waters hit me with this...



Yes, if that's not clear:


It's the Pink Floyd signature giant inflatable pig floating over the crowds as Roger Waters played "Another Brick in the Wall." On one side of the pig: "S.O.S. Save Our Sausages." The other side: "United We're Together, Divided We Fall."

The Pink Floyd pig has an origin. It's just a little airborne, it's still good. It's still good.

- You would think they would stock more than like 8 t-shirts that aren't XXL in the souvenir stands. I mean, I got one - but have a little consideration, people.

- The Meadowlands State Fair was going on at the same time. I thought about it. They had a slide.

- I'm all for this "Go Green" movement, encouraging conversation about global warming and the environment. That's fine by me. Surely, a plane flying overhead in the early afternoon advertising DemandDebate.com reminded me of that today.

It's just that there's something a little too "Big Brother"y about Al Gore's role in this conversation. I like him and appreciate his viewpoint - but it can get kinda creepy at times. Surely, a plane flying overhead in the late afternoon advertising "Draft Gore" reminded me of that today.

- Speaking of which, I left Live Earth asking myself what, at the end of the day, this intended to prove. Live Aid brought awareness and aid for African relief over 20 years ago. Live 8 revisited that. Now, Live Earth... yes, it's not even 24 hours since it's completion. And people know it happened... but did it/will it register? I'm not getting jaded or anything - I intend to "Answer the Call" and I have no plans to throw up my hands after completing this blog and enrolling for LSAT classes, but what's next? I remain cautiously optimistic regarding the pledge.

It's all behind me now. See you on the next one.


Aww screw it... here's 14 seconds of Bon Jovi for you...