GIG OF THE YEAR: POSSIBLY REVEALED

Oasis. I love 'em. Unabashedly. Till I'm in the grave. Seen them 9 times, even once in the UK. But as I mentioned earlier this year, I thought they were done here, relegated to the occasional few nights at Roseland or the Beacon (as they did in 2002). I couldn't believe (yet loved) the audacity they had to book a gig at Madison Square Garden. Whoever thought of this is a fucking genius. Honestly, I wasn't worried about them playing as much as them actually making it. I half-expected Liam to bail (which he did earlier this month in Italy) or for Noel to get in another car accident (which happened in 2002). So after a solid meal at the excellent A Salt And Battery on 2nd Ave (best fish and chips in NY), we made our way to the Garden.

I can't even believe how amazing they were last night. You won't believe it even from reading this. I won't be able to convince you with these simple words, it was something you had to absolutely see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears. Earlier this year I was pondering on this very blog where Oasis fits in today's landscape. Last night it was all revealed to me. Gone are the loutish big mouths we fell in love with a decade ago and in their place is an amazing band who have honed their craft to perfection. This, my friends, is simple, hard, ROCK N ROLL that was delivered without frills, without a fancy stage show and yet was able to make a real inpact on the audience. Though they ignored BE HERE NOW (later discussed at length post gig), the new songs really worked live (MEANING OF SOUL in particular), the classics went to a whole new level and a few surprises (BRING IT ON DOWN, LITTLE BY LITTLE) made it an almost-perfect set list. If i had any complaints, it was that they didn't play Andy Bell's now classic KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE from the new album. G complained, yet again, that the band did not play FADE IN/OUT, which became a longer conversation when the legendary Manny (not the guy from the Roses) made the same complaint! What a can of worms that became!

As for the band, the addition of Zak Starkey (son of Ringo and of Who and Johnny Marr fame) on drums really brings a fresh new dynamic to the band. He's a cleaner drummer than Alan White, and a more powerful drummer. He is sharp and precise and his more simplistic approach to the songs allowed the rest of the music to breathe and come alive. He is a very welcome addition to the band and I hope they keep him onboard as long as they can. And while I love Noel, and he delivered by playing my favourite new song MUCKY FINGERS, I was really surprised by Liam. His voice was excellent, and he seems to have matured (at least on this night), into a sharp looking, charismatic frontman. He still doesn't do much onstage, but he now does it in a way that connects with the audience in a positive way. And I can never say enough about Gem and Andy Bell, who continue to keep things moving at a brisk pace and look cool doing it.

When I tell you we were close to the stage on the floor, I am not kidding you cause we were close enough to completely miss the 14,000 other people in back of us cheering the generations best band. Speaking of generations, we were shocked at how many kids were at this gig. They are so smart to tour every 3 or so years cause each time, there's a new generation of kids waiting to see the legend that is Oasis. Now after last night, there's a generation that will start off seeing them properly presented as an epic now-classic generation defining band.

In the case, believe the truth, cause Oasis are, in fact, the reason. The next Gig Of the Year Candidate.

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To Be The Man You Have to Meet The Man...

THE MAN.
Originally uploaded by Hypefactor.

And today I met 16 time World Champion Ric Flair. He is an extremely charismatic presence in person, very magnetic. He was extremely nice and told me he was impressed and appreciative of my knowledge of what we call The Great Sport. This totally made my day and I haven't even arrived at the Garden for Oasis yet. WHOOO!!!

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MOVIE OF THE YEAR: REVEALED

MOVIE OF THE YEAR!
Originally uploaded by Hypefactor.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have seen (as of this moment) the 2005 Movie Of the Year and it is called WEDDING CRASHERS. Full review to come next month (as to not spoil it for you), but I sincerely doubt anything this year will make me cry laughing as uncontrollably as I did during this. It's a bit too long, there are some logic lapses, and it receives a foul for underuse of Walken, but it took total advantage of it's leads strengths (VV is in total Kidd in Montreal mode) and brought me a lot of laughs and a new crush in the form of Rachel McAdams.

Kids, the third most anticipated film of this summer delivers...

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Swingers Of the Aggression

"Gimme Something I Can Swing To"
Originally uploaded by Hypefactor.

Fifteen years after that fateful Sisters Of Mercy gig at The Ritz where an idea for a band that became MOG/the aggression was born, we find the founding fathers of MOG continuing to "push the envelope" as Mr. Factor (by the way, now the only member of the original aggression lineup to not be a parent) and Dr. Fury present their new concept of "taking a meeting". Luckily for you, no reunion is on the cards. However, we might have our new studio for the next HF album (but don't tell Fury and Family that yet...

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Notes from The Lucas AFI Tribute

No Sequel Trilogy?
Originally uploaded by Hypefactor.

As you can see, these beloved Star Wars actors have very different reactions to the fact that George Lucas will never make Episodes 7, 8, 9 which he suddenly stopped talking about a few years ago and proceeded to act like he never said anything about such a thing as a sequel trilogy.

Because we don't have video, here's what they said

Luke Skywalker: "God I still have to hang out with Kevin Smith"

Princess Leia: "I got this plastic surgery for NOTHING, George"

Han Solo: "I'm Indiana Jones, bitch!"

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