ApproximatelyInfinite

I write a lot, so this is under a spoiler to hide like 3 paragraphs of rant, haha :P

I kind of hope they're not lyrics (but really, what else could they be?) because it sounds like a hip-hop song or something, haha. But no judgements from me yet. I'm just happy that something seems to be happening! :bomb: A mysterious tweet, a mysterious video, and a new Twitter icon!

I was blown away by that. I feel biased because Julian is one of the musical loves of my life, but besides that, he really nailed the whole point of doing a cover to me: to stay true to the original while spicing it up with the covering artist's own style. None of the others that have been released yet hit the nail on the head like that, in my opinion, even the ones of Buddy Holly songs I happen to like more than "Rave On" ("That'll Be The Day" is my ultimate favorite, and I'm just not feeling Modest Mouse's cover :sad:)

I agree, I think they could do something like they did for "Christmas Lights," where they only really announced it a week beforehand. That would be ideal to me--it cuts down on the waiting agony! I'm now thinking a single possibly in early June, if Jonny's word is to be trusted, and still the album in September/October. I feel like "sooner than we expect" really could mean before the festivals. I don't see them releasing anything DURING the festival tour, anyway. I say it's either before them all or after them all, and I think before is now looking likely :dance:.

I'm going on Friday & Sunday now, for The Strokes and Coldplay. If I had known The Strokes were going to change the day they were playing from Sunday to Friday, I would just have gotten a whole weekend ticket, but...urgh. I blame Blink-182 for dropping out and Beyonce for taking The Strokes' place on Sunday, haha :P. Now I just need everything to pull through for Jo! Despite the additional, unexpected expense...I'M SEEING BOTH MY FAVORITE BANDS OF ALL TIME IN THE SAME WEEKEND :bigcry:

Yep, 0.2% of the population of South Africa is Jewish. I worked it out, that amounts to about 100,000 people. The stadium they're playing in can HOLD about that many people. I bet like 10 Jewish Johannesburg residents maximum were going to go to this show anyway...and those 10ish people are perfectly within their rights to be disappointed, but to petition for a date change for a problem that affects a tiny, tiny fraction of the population is ridiculous to me. If the concert was in Jerusalem, or NYC, or even most places in the US, I could see why that would have been bad scheduling on Coldplay's part. But Johannesburg? :dozey:

I will say that I think their best years were their early years, no question, but I don't think they can (or really necessarily should) go back to how they performed when they were very young. At the same time, though, I think they get a bad reputation for their live performances sometimes--just because they don't freak out and leap around the stage like they used to doesn't mean that they're bad live at all, I think it just means they've gotten older. They're incredibly proficient live musicians and put on a great show, but if you're looking for people that look like they're going to have a heart attack from so much dancing and stage antics, then The Strokes aren't your band anymore. But just because they're not all over the stage doesn't mean they're boring, either. Nick Valensi could use a lesson or two in "looking like he wants to be there," but the others all have a great time, you can see it in their faces and the way they act, and Nick has never really been an animated performer (except the Arlene's Grocery gig from 2000, but I'm pretty sure they were all on some crazy drugs during this show). [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoTaxh_rt0Y]YouTube - The Strokes - Arlene Grocery (00-04-29)[/ame] Julian's priority is now the sound, so he spends his time trying to make sure he's doing his part than rabble-rousing the crowd or drunkenly romping around like he used to.

Awesome! Where were you in the crowd? :D

Maybe it was just because I was in the very front with all the big fans, but wow, that was one of the best crowds I've been in for any artist in terms of how much they were into it. It's a shame that doesn't come through on the stream, really, because even The Strokes said so multiple times, like Julian at the actual show and Julian, Albert, and Nikolai on Twitter after. It was absolutely insane. I'm sure the front was really supportive at Coachella too, but where I was halfway through the crowd most people weren't that into it. I think it was much more of a whole-venue party at Sweetlife, judging by how much noise there was. Just watch "Hard To Explain" on the stream where there's actually some light on the crowd and you can see all the crazy dancing, and imagine that being the whole venue for the whole hour they were performing.

:lol: Oh, Jo :heart:. IT WAS SO FUCKING AMAZING :bigcry:. Literally my only complaint was that it was so short: it was supposed to be an hour and fifteen and they only did an hour :dozey:. For a while it seemed like they were going to do an encore, but then they didn't. Ah well. I'm so happy I lasted at the barrier all day. WE CAN DO IT AT OXEGEN, JO! :dance: I was also slightly disappointed that there were no songs from FIOE, but there's really nothing I can complain about in terms of setlist from them--there's nothing I'd ever be unhappy that they played. My only wish is that they open with "What Ever Happened?" at Oxegen because I STILL haven't heard that live and it's my all-time favorite. "AUTOMATIC STOP," THO. Before the show my friends and I were talking about what they might play, and one of my friends was like "oh, what if they play 'Automatic Stop?'" and I was like, "meh, they haven't in so long." We almost mauled each other to death with hugs and squees when we heard that riff, I swear. The stream itself was much better than Coachella's, but they missed so many great little things that happened, and it made it seem almost boring. The crowd was SO responsive, so great, and I don't think that comes through on the video. Also, they didn't get a single shot of Fab smiling, missed Julian's epic mic-smash, didn't film Julian leaning over us (:P), missed Albert eating something onstage, and missed Albert and Nick doing a really cute high-five chest-bump. Inevitable, of course, but there were so many great little things that I'm sad I can't re-live, haha. The stream made it look routine, and it was as shows go, but there are always great little things that happen at gigs for any band that you can only see up close. I wish everyone could experience them. This is my long-ass story here, if anyone else wants to read it. And these are the best of my photos.

Nah, I'm not in England anymore then. I would if I was still around in August, though! I decided I had to go to Oxegen because it's The Strokes AND Coldplay on THE SAME STAGE, one right before the other. And I didn't win tickets to the BBC R1 Big Weekend :dozey:. But it would have been next to impossible for me to get up to Carlisle on that day anyway, I guess.

Yeah, I've already seen them once this year, I'm seeing them on Sunday (:dance:) and I'm seeing them at Oxegen in July :P. I have NO RIGHT to complain at all, haha. It's just stupid that literally the only day I'm not available to go to Paris in July is the day they choose to play there, haha.

Nikolai and Julian went to French-speaking school for years straight, and I think Nikolai spoke mostly French at home as a kid :D. I think Nick's parents are French too. It's actually kind of interesting to watch them in French interviews, because it seems a lot of time like they're listening to the questions being asked in French and they completely understand, but they answer mostly in English. BTW, The Strokes just announced a French gig today! July 20 at Le Zenith in Paris! Could you make it? Tickets onsale tomorrow :dance: I'm actually really, really sad about it because July 20 is the VERY DAY of my university graduation :sad:. ANY other day and I'd be there in Paris (I live in England most of the year so Paris is easy to get to!). I'm seeing them so many times this year so I can't complain, but it's just kind of tragically hilarious that the ONE DAY in July I can't go to see them, and they're playing somewhere I could easily get to :dozey:.

I don't know the specific name for it or anything, but it has to do with recording and quality, nothing to do with the tour itself, haha :lol:

Here it is! It's really, really long, though. :clap: Katie knows what she's talking about. There was just a really inflamatory interview in Q magazine and everyone's freaking out. I just roll my eyes. Of course, there were/maybe still are some band issues--no one's denying that. But everyone needs to stop acting like they're going to break up tomorrow. They seem to have pretty concrete plans for making a 5th album, and soon. After that, who knows, and as heartbroken as I'd be if they called it quits (I'd probably take to my bed for like a week, seriously)...I'd get it. Because bands don't last forever. And the ones that do usually drop off drastically in quality over the years. I really do think these are speedbumps rather than the bitter end, though. However, that's not stopping me from going to every single concert of theirs I can possibly go to just in case. All anyone can do is wait and see, because no one's ever going to know the real story except those five guys.

:lol: I should have KNOWN everyone was going to go crazy over every little blotch of color in that single photo. Coldplaying should win an award for "website that looks way too deeply into everything" :P.

I agree that it was a pretty empty update, but come on, guys, it's nice that they're still thinking of us enough to give us little updates. They could just be silent for ages at a time and never say a damn thing like some bands do. I'll tell you that that's maddening. Also, I think they're gearing us up and getting people more in the habit of checking the site for larger announcements in the next 3 or so months.

I bet the crowd calmed down by the time he took the stage, but it was dangerous as all hell shortly before he came on (and all day up to his set) because of people absolutely adamant about seeing him up close and being ready to mow down anyone in their path to get a glimpse of King Kanye.

Thanks, Jo! :kiss: Yeah, it was scary. But I agree, I think as long as there's not a hardcore act before them, it can't possibly as bad. And because I was faring well for myself at Coachella and decided to get pulled for enjoyment reasons, I really think I can handle Oxegen. Unless I get seriously freaked, which I doubt, I will be standing my ground at Oxegen 100%. I will NOT relinquish my spot for The Strokes AND Coldplay (and hopefully The National!), I don't care if I can't move my arms or touch the ground. You mean in the press, or personal? I could link you to my long one, but it's not a review, it's a personal experience.

I wouldn't say I was disappointed, I just felt that I was prepared for it to be very, very bad, but not THAT bad. And yes, I've got two more chances to see them close, so that's why I wasn't really too broken up about my plans going to hell :D. The Black Keys were probably my second-favorite set of the weekend. WOW. I loved them before, as well, but now...I'm like 100% obsessed. There was pretty much no choice BUT to walk out on Kanye if you valued your life and limbs. I'm serious, it was close to being a full-scale riot. At least for DFA 3 acts before him, it was basically a riot, not just "a bit of madness."

My biggest regret of the whole weekend was not going to see The National--I love them, but I decided to see if I could get close again for The Strokes. Since I ended up so far back anyway, I'm still kicking myself for not seeing them :bigcry:.

I understand that's just the way festivals are, and I was up front for the headliners on Friday and Saturday, but Sunday was a WHOLE DIFFERENT kettle of fish. The band Death From Above 1979 absolutely ruined everything--people were trying to start a mosh pit, crowd surfing, mauling people smaller than them to get closer...I saw grown men much, much larger than me sobbing. So many unconscious people were pulled out, and I even saw two people bleeding from the head. I actually felt pretty in control of my safety the whole time, somehow, but I decided to get pulled after DFA got off because I knew I wouldn't be able to enjoy my favorite band to the fullest in that scene. And GOD, getting out after Kanye...I was a mile away, SO far from the stage, and it was still a stampede after The Strokes got off. I watched Kanye from so far away I would see his mouth move on the screen before the sound was able to reach me from how far away I was. Here's to hoping there aren't any hardcore acts before The Strokes and Coldplay at Oxegen in July...I know both acts are popular and Strokes fans can get rowdy, but I know I can handle Coldplay crowds easily. I just want to make sure they don't book a fricking heavy metal or hardcore act before them that I have to worry about again.

Well, just as an FYI to anyone else going to a Strokes show, particularly a festival where there are hardcore and/or other really, really popular acts on the same stage...beware. As fun as Coachella was all weekend, it was an absolute riot scene on Sunday. I was expecting bad, like I said in my previous posts, but I wasn't expecting THAT bad. I'm curious to find out how many people were taken to the hospital--so many unconscious and bloody people pulled out of the crowd. It was mostly due to the act two acts before The Strokes and Kanye right after them, but I think all festival goers need to be aware of how other bands' fans can seriously affect what goes down in the crowd. If it had just been Strokes people, I think it would have been much better. I ended up at the back of the crowd, a mile away, unable to see anything but the screen just so I didn't have to worry for my life and be distracted from the music. Anyway, there's a little PSA. I see them again in 10 days, so there's my second shot, and again in 2.5 months at another huge festival, so hopefully what I learned this past weekend will better prepare me for what to expect.

If you guys are talking about where to re-watch the sets that they broadcasted, go to theaudioperv.com and search "Coachella" and you can download every single set in full that they broadcasted :D. I'm currently burning them all to DVD. I was there. It was the best weekend of my life. However, the act I was really there for was The Strokes, and I almost died three times. It was a full-on riot scene due to the band two acts before them and Kanye after them, which made it a bittersweet ending to the weekend. I was really disappointed I wasn't at the front for The Strokes (I'd waited 8 hours up there and decided to get pulled just because it was so dangerous), but I was lucky enough not to sustain any serious injuries but a whole host of people were taken to the hospital :\.

I always feel like a creep posting pictures of the kids, so I'm just going to link to it, but a) Apple looks SO MUCH LIKE CHRIS (I think, anyway), and b) That woman in the back of them papping them with her iPhone made me lol :lol:. I mean, I think it's obnoxious, especially because it's so obvious, but I'd probably at least feel like doing the same. And yeah, one photo of him probably taking a break = him being a "party pooper" :dozey:. He sure looks good being one, though :wideeyed:.