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When the world is bringing you down

Call me sensitive, call me over-involved, call me a nerd, but sometimes listening to the national news makes me really depressed. There's the whole domestic spying program, Iran is going to get the bomb, Israel is flaring up again, the ABC News anchor and his photograher were almost killed in an IED attack, a wife and her baby were shot to death in their Massachusetts home and the police didn't find the bodies on the first check of the house, the Republicans are completely corrupt and out of control and the Democrats can't seem to put two words together that make sense. Need I go on?

I spend a lot of time on this blog writing about meaningless things like getting boozy, seeing stupid movies and listening to bands that will likely never play outside the Seacoast area, but lately I've felt that these endeavors have been keeping me sane, giving me a chance not only to forget about our global troubles, but a chance to hash out the issues of the day with my friends and vent a little.

In hopes of helping anyone out there that may have the "can't escape the crushing yoke of reality" bug, here are two events that are sure to spark some great political conversation and maybe even make you feel a little better.

Monday, Jan. 30
Alive in Baghdad
6:30 PM Dover Friends Meeting House
Central Ave. by the large cemetery
www.aliveinbaghdad.org

Whenever I interview a soldier who has just returned from Iraq, I ask that person to tell me what it was like. How hot is it? How smelly? How do people react when they see you? Do they hate Americans or do they understand we're just trying to help?

Not once has a soldier given me a truly descriptive, satisfying answer. When I told another soldier this, and asked him why he thought no one would tell me what it was like, he said, "Well, it's probably because there's no way to describe it. There's no way to make you understand what it's like over there."

Fair enough, but there's a part of me that still wants to know, and when I watch the news, I just don't get it.

Alive in Baghdad is an attempt to describe the indescribable, to document what the U.S. invasion means to the average Iraqi. Brian Conley, a 25 year-old journalist and filmmaker from Somerville Mass., started the project, according to his Web site, because he felt the mainstream media was failing to give voice to the people the invasion most affected. Conley is now back from Iraq and is trying to raise money for a return trip (so expect some financial begging at this thing).

For those of you unaware of the Society of Friends, a.k.a., the Quakers, they are a peace-loving bunch. Therefor, the evening will likely have an anti-war slant, just to let those of you know who may not take the same position.

Mon. Jan 30 through Thursday Feb. 2
Goodnight and Good Luck
7:30 p.m., The Screening Room
Newburyport, Mass. $7
www.newburyportmovies.com

When I was in the eighth grade, I had to do a biographical report on some historic figure. Not one to cop out by doing Betsy Ross or George Washington, I opted for Senator Joseph McCarthy, following my mom's suggestion.

I have always been fascinated with stories of powerful men who try, and inevitably fail, to gain more power by controlling people's views. McCarthy's story is one of the more interesting examples because the very thing he was trying to protect, was what he eventually started to destroy.

I won't pretend that there is no intended parallel between McCarthy's efforts and those of the Bush Administration. George Clooney has basically said that about a million times already. I do find Edward R. Murrow's bravery inspiring, especially when the national press corps seems so spineless these days. I mean, how many times have we heard Bush spin this whole domestic spying thing. I'm sorry, but I just don't feel comfortable with the thought of you possibly listening to me talk about my love life to my pals. What ever happened to the Republican tenet that the government should stay off our backs (and off our phone lines)?

If you've been as annoyed about the world as I've been, this movie will likely be the cure. Nothing makes people smile like watching the undoing of a despicable man.

Posted by blamontagne at 12:52 PM | Comments (0)

Stuff to do

Lately, I've been a little obsessed with the "ripped from the headlines"-type topics. There are just so many great night life related stories out there right now. But when you work at a paper, it's easy to get caught up on the political jibba-jabba of the day. My resolution this week is to get back on track regarding the goings-on around town. Here is a brief list of what I found:

A History of ViolencePortsmouth Music Hall
Jan. 27 at 7 p.m.
Jan. 29 at 7 p.m.
Jan. 30 at 7 p.m.
Jan. 31 at 7 p.m.
Feb. 1 at 7 p.m.

When I first caught the trailer for this movie, I thought, that could either be really dumb or totally awesome. Then it received a number of good reviews, (Roger Ebert called it an "inspired audience thriller"), a few big-name nominations, and I thought perhaps my latter prediction was true.

I am particularly interested in seeing Viggo Mortensen in a role that doesn't require him to speak like a piss-poor Shakespearean actor. Plus Ed Harris's character looks completely horrifying in the previews.

January is the perfect time to go to the movies, but unfortunately, studios often release their schwag right now in fear of being forgotten by Oscar time. Well, the Music Hall hasn't forgotten that it's cold and crappy out. While I took a pass on Capote (haven't finished In Cold Blood yet), I'd got to History of Violence.

Tiger Saw
Saturday Jan. 28
Blue Mermaid
for more info call 427-BLUE

Tiger Saw is a Newburyport band that tours nationally and has developed a pretty strong local following. Their music is of the slow, quiet, depressing ilk, but has a melancholy/hopeful twinge. For a venue like the Blue Mermaid, Tiger Saw is perfect. Plus the Mermaid has a great beer selection, a new wine list and recently hired one of the town's best bartenders, Aaron Buell.

Stagecoach Dick, alternative country
Saturday, Jan. 28
Press Room
9 p.m., $5

About once a year, this local rock mainstay ventures into the world of country music -- and by country music, I mean Merle Haggard, not Shania Twain. I've been told there's usually a large turnout for these shows, so arrive early. Rumor has it some special guests will be on hand to assist with the the show. These town gossips have also said the guys in Shuttlecock like to dress in costume on occasion, so expect some finely embroidered apparel.

Posted by blamontagne at 04:38 PM | Comments (1)

What is this?

It may be cold out, but Magnum will keep you warm.

According to the Portland Press Herald, city officials have limited the number of full service bars in the Old Port in hopes of cracking down on crime.

The thesis is, fewer bars, fewer drunks. Fewer drunks, less crime.

Reporter Kelley Bouchard writes:

Many residents questioned whether reducing the number of liquor licenses would have any effect on the number of bar fights, assaults and drug violations in the district. Still, a majority of councilors decided to back the proposal from Councilor William Gorham, who originally wanted to lower the cap to 22 licenses.

"The more outlets for alcohol . . . the more crime you're going to have," Gorham argued. "We have to begin somewhere . . . I'm trying to make Portland a safer place."

Count me in with one of those many residents. When you're a destination, yes, there might be more drinking related incidents, but if you want to make money off of tourism, you have to pay to keep things above board.

Then I read this little tid-bit, which really got me:

Police statistics provided to the council showed that the number of full-service bars in the Old Port dropped to 21 in recent years, while the total number of calls for police service, both inside and outside bars, increased from 196 in 2003 to 297 in 2005.

Now wouldn't one infer that having fewer bars increases crime? Well, not exactly. Officials say the increase in crime reports is because they beefed up patrols in the Old Port. This crime crack down may seem like a good start to solving a long-term problem, but the councilors feel these extra patrols are simply a drain on resources. A bit too hasty if you ask me. How about giving the crack down some time to crack down?

Anyway, I know that New Hampshire does liquor licenses a little differently, but I can't help but wonder if we tried to do something like this is Portsmouth. Would there still be a mix of places to drink or will we eventually be stuck with a city full of Tequila Jack's or would the trend fall more in line with the Red Door. Who knows?

What I do know is that if I go to Portland, I try to stay away from the Old Port. There are so many other places, particularly on Congress Street, that are way better than Kelley McMulligans or the million other Irsih pubs down there. While there is a need to clean up that area, I'm not sure limiting furture business owners is the way to go.

Posted by blamontagne at 06:07 PM | Comments (4)

Music Hall comes around

Earlier this month, I wrote about the Music Hall and how their schedule seems to be improving. The show that prompted this revalation, is getting some mild media hype, except here, where I've been pumping it like a slot machine handle.

Earlier this month, I wrote about the Music Hall and how their schedule seems to be improving. The show that prompted this revalation, is getting some mild media hype, except here, where I've been pumping it like a slot machine handle.

I guess I've always liked Maria Schneider since I met her while studying in music school. I always thought writing was what I wanted to do, but at the time I thought my medium would be music not words. Her technical abilities are astounding, smart while simultaneously beautiful, a compostional feet that is far more difficult that one might think. Below is my quick preview. I hope my ranting has brought at least one person over to the nerdy, dark side of jazz fandom.

The second show that caught my eye is the Maria Schneider Orchestra on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. Her music is what I'd call psychedelic jazz, using instruments in ways they were never meant to be played. Her pieces are long, sexually infused symphonies that take patience and a love of modern composition to appreciate. Going to see the Maria Schneider Orchestra is almost as much about seeing her cunduct as it is listening to her music. She's like a acid-head hippie at a Dead show, moving and swaying to her own pieces as if they were moving her.

Most people I know will likely hate her stuff, or give me a reluctant frown when I ask them to go with me, but regardless, I'm impressed. In nerdy jazz circles, which I was told is pretty much the nerdiest nerd you can be, Maria is a red-headed goddess. The fact that the Music Hall is attaining well-know experimental musicians, like her and Kronos, makes me think they are trying to schedule programming geared at more than just the wealthy senior citizens and their grand-children. I say, give me more and I will certainly come.

Posted by blamontagne at 12:43 PM | Comments (0)

Still on the Legislative Tip

I personally don't care either way. I do think it's gross when I wake up after a night out, feeling a little hung over, and my hair reeks of an ashtray. I hate wearing a brand new shirt out on the town only to send it to the dry cleaners the very next day because it's covered in smoky stank. And I can only imagine what effect the smoke has on those poor bartenders and servers' who work in a smoking establishment but choose not to smoke.

Since it is the season for introducing bills, I thought I'd continue highlighting the new legislation that could effect local night life. (And thank you Rachel Forrest for bringing it up after my last entry.) I know it's boring, but everytime I go out, someone asks me about it, so here's the info:

Tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the Concord Legislative Building, the state House Commerce Committee will be holding a public hearing on House Bill 1177, otherwise known as the restaurant smoking ban bill.

I speculate this public hearing will be heavy on the pro-smoking ban side. Indulging in cigarettes has become so frowned upon in recent years, I can't imagine anyone, besides a dive bar owner perhaps, who would ask the government to continue to allow smoking in eating and drinking establishments.

I personally don't care either way. I do think it's gross when I wake up after a night out, feeling a little hung over, and my hair reeks of an ashtray. I hate wearing a brand new shirt out on the town only to send it to the dry cleaners the very next day because it's covered in smoky stank. And I can only imagine what effect the smoke has on those poor bartenders and servers' who work in a smoking establishment but choose not to smoke.

Regardless of these downfalls, I don't think there should be a law prohibiting smoking indoors. There are plenty of choices in Portsmouth, Dover and other restaurant towns in the area. If you don't like smoke, don't go to a smoky bar. While I prefer not smelling, I really hate trying to spend quality time with friends, particularly in the winter, if everyone is coming in and out of the bar all night on smoke runs.

If the goal is to make people quit, then go for the ban. Chances are people will be so put out by continually having to leave their drink and smoke outside in 17 degree weather that they'll eventually quit. If it's just a financial issue, perhaps we should give individual business owners, and individuals, a chance to decide for themselves.

Live Free or Die, right?

Posted by blamontagne at 02:23 PM | Comments (1)

Drink age debate again?

Okay, I thought we had settled this debate already. People who are 18, 19 and 20 are too irresponsible too drink. It has proven with studies and experience, so why is Portsmouth state Rep. Jim Splaine raising this issue again?

Well, it's the old too young to drink, but old enough to kill argument for military personnel. Splaine, who is sponsoring a bill that would allow those in the military over the age of 18 drinking rights, argues that not allowing soldier to drink after we have put them in harm's way is disrespectful. He also says that it's wromg to criminalize underage drinking for that age group because it leads to unsupervised, and more irresponsible, drinking.

Valid points, I have to say.

I just wonder if during this debate, people are asking how this will change the drinking and bar atmosphere in the state. Will New Hampshire become a military destination, a soldier's Cancun, if you will? I'm not quite sure how I feel about that.

I guess I've always found this pro-military drinking argument a bit silly. Yes, they are old enough to defend our country, by force if necessary, but they can't have a cold brewski after a long day of work? That's an understandable question, but you can start having kids at 12 and 13. Child rearing is a vast responsibility, so should we allow teens with kids to drink? I doubt that's a good idea.

I read a letter to the editor that suggested limiting military service to those over 21. Fine solution to this debate, but so unlikely I can't even fathom an analogy to put it into perspective.

Why don't we talk about why teens, and many adults, feel the need to drink five, six, seventeen drink in one night? Why is it so cool to get so wasted? That seems like the worthy debate, but I don't think "Life Free of Die" New Hampshire will bring that up for quite some time.

Posted by blamontagne at 09:53 AM | Comments (6)

Patriots Game?

I remember many a Monday night in my recent-college-graduate days. I would come home from my crappy entry-level job, vye with my room mates for space in the kitchen to cook my Spaghetti-Os, all the while the Insound, PCP House of Coffee, the Trance Lab and eventually Return to the Pit were playing on our crappy, second-hand stereo. It was the perfect sound track for dinner and the inevitable after-dinner intoxication sessions.

In case you aren't planning on watching the Patriots first playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars this Saturday night, may I suggest the WUNH Transe Lab Radio 10th Anniversary show at the Red Door?

I am plugging this not only because I love Trevor, aka Kinetic, or that I've listen to DJ Lord Bass for years, but because my cousin Floyd Brock will be presenting his latest electronic works under the psuedonym Decentigrade.

Call it nepotism, but Floyd has been creating electronic music long before doing so was cool. He took me to my first "party" in New York City during the height of the late-90s DJ craze, that unfortunately was shut down by the fire marshalls and left us stranded at 3 a.m. in a shady neighborhood on the Lower East Side. He boast the most appearances on the Trance Lab show, which, I've always felt, was part of the best WUNH evening line-up of the week.

I remember many a Monday night in my recent-college-graduate days. I would come home from my crappy entry-level job, vye with my room mates for space in the kitchen to cook my Spaghetti-Os, all the while the Insound, PCP House of Coffee, the Trance Lab and eventually Return to the Pit were playing on our crappy, second-hand stereo. It was the perfect sound track for dinner and the inevitable after-dinner intoxication sessions.

The 10th Anniversary show will also feature a number of local electronic artists/DJS, plus Horchata and Portland, Maine, artist j. hjort.

Doors open at 8 p.m.
As usualy, 21 plus
For more info, go to www.trancelab.com

I was planning to spend my night sipping martinis and enjoying the show, but now I've discovered that Nova Mullineaux will be coming into town on Saturday night. Although she'll be around for a few days, I was informed that her schedule is entirely booked and if I want to see her I better come to the Welcome Home party at the Coat of Arms Saturday night.

Well, Nova, I thought you were my friend and that I'd get in a cup of coffee or something, but whatever. I'll make a graceful exit from the Red Door show to come and see you. You are an irresistable rock star, after all.

Posted by blamontagne at 09:17 AM | Comments (0)

2006

One of the guys there had a picture of a steak on his T-shirt and kept pointing at it, saying, "It's a piece of meat! Get it? A piece of meat!"

Yeah, we get it.

I just want to announce before I head into my New Year's re-cap, that my little sister just had a baby boy. Connor Joseph Marquette was born at about 7:40 p.m. on New Years Day. Since then, I've been spending most of my free time at the hospital, competing the other aunts and uncles to get in some cuddling time with the new baby.

This New Year's Eve went far better than expected. My friends and I spent the night hitting a series of downtown Portsmouth parties. Although she told me not to mention her, Kristin, you threw one heck of a New Year's bash. The hot wonton apps were delicious and the drinks were ever-flowing. There were tons of cool people there and I felt relaxed even though I didn't know everyone. When the ball finally dropped, the New Year was ushered in with style thanks to her, Cam, Tom, Chris, Carson Daly and Wanda Sykes.

Shortly after midnight, my friends and I left to stop by a few parties on our way back home. But at each place we went, the party-goers seemed drunker and drunker, peaking at our last stop which consisted of three completely wasted dudes sipping off of a Red Hook stout keg and a girl passed out on the couch.

One of the guys there had a picture of a steak on his T-shirt and kept pointing at it, saying, "It's a piece of meat! Get it? A piece of meat!"

Yeah, we get it.

All in all, I'm looking forward to 2006. I have a new nephew to spoil, a few weddings to attend, a vacation to Vancouver lined up. There are a few things I'd like to see happen, especially in this town which has so much potential, but I'll save that for another day. Until then, I'll take this opportunity to relax, recoup from the remnants of my hangover, and head into another year of work.

Posted by blamontagne at 01:21 PM | Comments (0)