So yeah, I'm a Jew. But I also celebrate most Christian holidays, like Easter. My wife is a Christian, although not a very good one. Not that I'm a great Jew either. I think that's why we've never had any quarrels about religion. So being that yesterday was Christ's big day and all, we got together with her side of the family to celebrate, eat lot's of good food and drink an obscene amount of mimosas. Gosh Easter is swell! So after about my 10th cocktail, I got to thining about religion abit, and my mind naturally started to wander towards the divine enigma which is Bono. And you know what I realized? I can't stand the little fucker anymore. The smug looks. The tired poses. The retreaded shit that somehow passes as an "album." What the fuck does this guy possess that still endears him enough to his legion of fans for them to line up a whole DAY before their sold out show at The San Diego Sports Arena...ahem, excuse me, the IpayOne Center, just to get in the front of the GA line? Will someone PLEASE explain this to me? Cause I really would like to know. Mind you, I won't try and hide the fact that, yes I did attempt to procure tix to the SD shows this week, but after being bounced out of the ticketbastard system after 1 minute, well I gave up. How badly did I really want to see U2 shake their tired asses on stage? Not very much apparently. Someone offered me one ticket for $150.00 Not in this fucking lifetime sorry. I'll gladly pay $200 for one ticket to Radiohead anyday of the week but for some reason, paying that much to see U2 is akin to buying the cheap seats for the Ice Capades. So, to sum up: Bono...the soapbox you've been standing on for the last 25 years is starting to splinter. And I hope when it cracks, you get one helluva large piece of wood up your arse.

Anyway, here for your listening (dis)pleasure:

U2 - How to Dismantle, Promo
U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind 2
Belle and Sebastian - Present Books
Q and Not U - Power
Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism

In other news:


CROWDED HOUSE DRUMMER DEAD

After disappearing on Friday, PAUL HESTER, drummer for Eighties pop bands CROWDED HOUSE and SPLIT ENZ, was found hanged in a park near his home in Melbourne, Australia, on Saturday. Crowded House was one of Australia's most successful bands in the late Eighties and early Nineties, with hits such as "Don't Dream, It's Over" and "Weather With You." Hester was forty-six years old. Speaking to the Australia Daily Telegraph, Crowded House singer Neil Finn paid tribute to Hester, declaring "I’m devastated, I have lost one of my best mates". Hester lived in Melbourne and is survived by his partner Mardi Sommerfeld and two young daughters.


BRIGHT EYES TOUR "URN"

Singer-songwriter CONOR OBERST's BRIGHT EYES will launch a thirty-date North American tour supporting their "Digital Ash in a Digital Urn" album with Saddle Creek labelmates the FAINT on April 28th in Kansas City, Missouri. The jaunt follows the band's supporting tour for the folksy "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning," released simultaneously with the more electronica-tinged "Digital Ash."

04-28 Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theatre#04-29 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre#05-01 Indio, CA - Coachella05-04 San Francisco, CA - Concourse Exhibition Center#05-06 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom#05-07 Seattle, WA - Showbox#05-08 Seattle, WA - Showbox#05-11 Council Bluffs, IA - Mid-America Center#05-12 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue#05-13 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue#05-14 Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre#05-15 Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre#05-16 Cleveland, OH - Agora Theatre#05-18 Toronto, Ontario - The Docks#05-19 Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis#05-20 Providence, RI - Lupo's At The Strand#05-21 New York, NY - Webster Hall#05-22 New York, NY - Webster Hall#05-23 New York, NY - Webster Hall#05-24 New York, NY - Webster Hall#05-25 New York, NY - Webster Hall#05-26 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club#05-27 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club#05-30 Atlanta, GA - TBA#06-02 Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live#06-03 New Orleans, LA - TwiRoPa#06-04 Austin, TX - Stubb's Barbeque#06-08 Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre#06-09 Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre#06-10 San Diego, CA - SOMA#

* with R.E.M.# with the Faint


Members of RADIOHEAD debuted new material on stage in LONDON on March 27

Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke played two tracks together at the Royal Festival Hall with the London Sinfonietta. The duo debuted the delicate-sounding ‘Arpeggi’, which featured ocean-themed lyrics, plus played ‘Where Bluebirds Fly’, a b-side of ‘There There’. Both tracks were specially arranged for orchestra by Greenwood.

The appearance was part of Greenwood’s collaboration with the London Sinfonietta for the South Bank’s Ether festival, and saw the guitarist pick a selection of experimental music for the evening. The orchestra performed two compositions by Greenwood, "Smear" plus the world premier of "Piano For Children," along with a series of other short orchestral works.

The event also witnessed a guest collaboration with the Nazareth Orchestra who injected an Arabic influence not only with their own work, but by joining in ‘Where Bluebirds Fly’ with the Radiohead duo. The programme featuring Yorke and Greenwood, is due to be repeated tomorrow at the Royal Festival Hall.