John Mayer at Shoreline

After work yesterday, I went to watch John Mayer perform at the Shoreline Amphitheater. Owl City opened the concert with a bunch of their favorites like Hello Seattle and Fireflies.

I first heard Owl City on Pandora a couple of years ago when they were still not widely known. I remember finding their style a bit eclectic, but fun. Seeing Owl City live was interesting for two reasons:

1) Owl City is actually just one person (Adam Young) who started out playing in his Minnesota basement. I had heard that before, but seeing it for myself was a whole different story. It was really quite amazing to see what Adam was able to create on his own.

2) The songs had very distinct beats that made it easy to move to the music. Seated on the lawn, I got a chance to practice some of the isolation moves I'd been learning in my beginning hip-hop classes.

After Owl City finished, there was a forty-five minute lull before John Mayer took the stage. I passed the time people-watching, digitally and otherwise. On the large screen in front of the lawn, there was an announcement inviting viewers to text in messages to a Shoreline number. These messages then scrolled by on a ticker-tape on the bottom of the screen.

It was almost like a live Twitter stream of people's thoughts except with some amount of anonymity. There were the expected shout-outs, the "I love you"s, the "happy birthday"s, and the "me + John Mayer = lovers"s. There were also some anonymous come-ons and snide comments: "to the boy in the green sweatshirt, I think you're cute and you could do much better...". 

Besides being an entertaining way of passing the time, these snippets got me thinking. To the casual outside observer of these messages, the names are faceless and may as well be characters in a story. For any given message, there were probably only a handful of people who knew the context and stories of the people featured in the message. To the rest of us, it was just an anonymous blast, a stream of consciousness that probably would never get shared in person. How much of our days are spent internally voicing such thoughts that never get aired in public? And when they are aired in such anonymous mediums, are they still genuine or fictionalized?

Anyway, I stopped pondering such weighty questions as soon as John Mayer burst on to the stage with Vultures. My first impression of John was that he looked slightly crazy with his unkempt hair and old-school headband, but that he was also completely comfortable and at ease in his own skin. His musical improvisations and impromptu, unfiltered comments in between set pieces only made him appear more genuine and strengthened his connection with the audience.

I'll try to recount some of the ridiculous things he did, but probably won't be able to do them full justice. In the middle of one song, he broke off to do a series of faux rocker-poses "for the photographers" since every picture of him playing makes him look "like a damn fool". In the lead-in to Who Says, the first song he played from his new album, he asked us how many people in the audience thought he was high at the moment. "I'm not high... but that's what a person who's high would say..." And "I've done nothing but arouse suspicions... and myself...". And near the end of the concert, he unabashedly admitted that he'd had too much tea and had to go to the bathroom.  Seriously, I can't make this stuff up.

John also gave the audience a bit of advice that resonated with me. "Eighty-five percent of the weight on your shoulders", most of what you worry about every day, is nothing. Burdened with self-consciousness, we often spend so much of our time fretting about little, inconsequential decisions, about how "our worst enemy" would rip us apart for it. Just let it go.

--Arkajit

Wicked!

Sometimes, I feel like being just a little bit Wicked! Not mean wicked, but crazy wicked. There are times when I'll be sitting at my desk, trying to work. But the more I try to concentrate, the more I just want to jump up from my desk, break into song, or do a little jig.

Today was especially hard since I just saw Wicked for the first time last night and my head was literally swimming in songs from the musical. It probably didn't help that I was listening to the songs on Grooveshark while trying to work. But I couldn't help it; they are just so good!

And several of the songs seemed to be simply beckoning me to break away from my desk and dance. Dancing through Life and Thank Goodness, especially, make we want to waltz every time I hear them. "I couldn't be happier..." that I finally got to see Wicked. I've been wanting to see it for the longest time. Now, if only I could be in a production of it... that would be wonderful :)

--Arkajit

Singing on a Bike

This summer, most of my Saturday mornings have begun with a singing bike ride. Actually, several of my weekday morning bike rides to work have also featured similar musical numbers. And though I've been meaning to write about these rides for a while, I've never gotten around to it. So instead, I've decided to show you, rather than tell you.



These bike rides are really quite exhilarating. I find it quite freeing, especially when my hands are off the handlebars and free to gesticulate along with the music. I'll occasionally throw in a few simple dance numbers too, but that's harder to do with one hand holding a camera ;)

But when my hands are completely unencumbered, the bike's frame just becomes an extension of my feet. And at times like these, I'm often inspired to dance around turns while waving my hands maniacally :)

Oh, and I've found that these shenanigans are best-saved for the early mornings when there are likely to be fewer witnesses ;)

--Arkajit

Nostalgia

When I woke up this morning, I started singing Disney songs. Initially, it was "A Whole New World" and other Aladdin favorites like "Friend Like Me". Then a bit of "Under the Sea" with a chorus of "Be Our Guest". Here's a bit of my morning in YouTube videos:

Awesome, the Christian in Christian Dior. And damn they don't make 'em like this anymore. Good thing we now have Pixar. I'm looking forward to Toy Story 3 unleashing another wave of nostalgia :)

--Arkajit

4 a.m.

I'm a really light sleeper. I woke up to the sound of a laptop's warning beep that it was running low on battery. The laptop was in the next room. Across a couple closed doors.

I couldn't fall back asleep and stayed awake in bed for an hour or so, just thinking. This blog post is already sounding very familiar, but I'll keep writing and see what it has in store.

Though sleep eluded me, I still felt very relaxed and calm. The days have been a bit trying lately, but I felt quite at peace while I lay awake. I felt less weighed down by my problems. It was a nice, introspective session. It was almost like I was sitting on one of those comfortable reclining couches you see in psychiatrists' offices. (At least the ones on TV shows seem comfortable; I can't speak for real psychiatrists' offices.) Except there was no shrink. Well, not unless you count myself. Yeah, it was a bit like speaking to yourself as if you were an outside listener. I must say that I was a pretty good listener. I bet I could charge fairly competitive rates if I went pro.

What was I pondering? People, mostly. And, you know, life. If you know me, you know that I get easily addicted to TV shows. I'm very careful about starting a new show, because I know that as soon as I do, I'll likely be hooked. I'm a sucker for a good story, whether it's a book, movie, or lately a TV show. I get pulled into the character's lives and I often frame my musings on life in terms of what I gleaned from identifying with a character on some show or book. I like to tell myself that the time I spend watching these shows is time well-spent understanding human character. Perhaps that's just a gross rationalization, but I'm going to stick with that for now.

My musings on life usually culminate with an outpouring of affection and love for people. All the day-to-day prejudices, angst, and feelings of anger just wash away. All the petty troubles that plague my mind during the day don't seem as important anymore. And I realize that the Beatles were right along. All you need is love.

--Arkajit

Sleepless in Boston

Well, I just got back to Boston last night. And after a long day of wanting to sleep and trying to doze off in cars, airport sofas, and airplanes, I finally have a bed and I can't sleep. My mind is full of songs, scenes from my favorite shows, and other miscellaneous thoughts. So be warned that the rest of this entry may feel a bit like a stream of consciousness, like it's been lifted out of some first-person narrative.

What have I tried so far? Counting sheep? Nah, that never really worked for me (not even electric sheep). I did try to sing myself a lullaby, but no dice. Maybe it's just jet lag and I still think it's Pacific Time? (it is after all, only around 10:30 back in the Bay) But, hrm, I did stay awake for most of the previous night to catch my flight. And while I did catch some Zs in aforementioned airport and airplane, shouldn't I be more drowsy around now?

So now I'm trying to write. Maybe if I just put some of my thoughts on paper, it'll clear my mind. That makes sense, right? You know, maybe it'll work like a Pensieve and allow me to siphon my thoughts into paper? I'm thinking of this quote by Dumbledore:

"I sometimes find, and I am sure you know the feeling, that I simply have too many thoughts and memories crammed into my mind... At these times... I use the Pensieve. One simply siphons the excess thoughts from one's mind, pours them into the basin, and examines them at one's leisure."

Ah, yes, I know the feeling only too well. I could certainly do with a Pensieve.

You know what? I think the effort required to write coherent sentences is starting to have a soporific effect. I may not even have to write down all my thoughts. That probably saves you from tons of Buffy/Angel spoilers as that's my show of the moment.

What was I thinking about again? Smurfs come to mind. Yes, there's a particularly funny moment in Bones when Brennan wants a Smurfette doll, but Booth gives her a Brainy Smurf doll instead. I don't really know what made me think of that. Sometimes scenes from some of my favorite TV shows, books, or movies, just pop into my head and make me smile for a few seconds.

Weren't there some songs in the mix too? Oh yeah, I was listening to XM radio 20on20 on the flight. And you know what I realized? My life would suck without Kelly Clarkson. And I can apparently find God on the corner of channels 2 and 3 on the inflight radio. Also, I finally found out the name of this song that I can't get out of my head. And wow, Coldplay covered it? Well, here we are now, entertain us.

Ok, perhaps I ought to give this sleep thing another try. I think I've already filled this post to the brim with enough cultural references. How many did you find?

--Arkajit

Viva la Vida!

Last night, I went to my first (to be precise, I went to a Ben Folds & Sara Bareilles Concert during MIT's Spring Weekend, but I'm counting this as my first real one since it was outside of school) concert: Coldplay at the Shoreline Amphitheater. Needless to say, it was quite mind-blowing.

As this was my first concert, I should first note a few lessons for posterity:

1. The main act doesn't start until a couple of hours into the show. So while I hurried to the Amphitheater after work to make the 7 p.m. start time, I needn't have. This is only true if you have reserved seats, probably not true for lawn seats. On the other hand, the opening acts weren't too bad, so it might be worth it to show up early.
   
2. I forgot to bring any pocket money, but it was probably just as well. There are concessions, but they are absurdly over-priced. The only thing that was tempting was Ben & Jerry's, but at more than $5 for a scoop, it was best that I didn't have any money.
3. You will be standing for most of the main act and probably singing along if you're a big fan. I luckily brought in a bottle of water which saved me from becoming hoarse before Viva la Vida. But I might have been better served with two bottles.
4. It probably goes without saying, but concerts are extremely loud. They don't lend themselves well to carrying on cell phone conversations. Indeed, I often found myself grateful that I wasn't too close to the stage. I was in the 26th row and it was still quite loud.
   

Coldplay burst onto the stage a little before 9 p.m. playing Life in Technicolor in the dark. A few seconds in, a spectacular array of lights illuminated the stage and the band. The concert had begun!

Coldplay started off with a series of hit singles such as Violet Hill, Clocks, In My Place, and Yellow. During the latter, they released several large yellow beach balls into the audience to add to the excitement.

After the singles, Coldplay relocated to the lawn to play a couple of numbers. And then at the 10 p.m. mark, Chris Martin and Company bounded back to the stage and launched straight into Viva la Vida with a flourish. I think I'd already drained my bottle of water by this time and my voice was starting to grow hoarse. But I still sang along :)

By the end of the concert, Coldplay had played every song from the album (except Yes for some reason; I guess it wasn't concert-friendly?) and also covered Michael Jackson's Billie Jean. Chris Martin came back for an encore and played The Scientist very soulfully on the piano. And the concert ended as it had begun: playing Life in Technicolor II (the one with the words) as the band faded into darkness.

Overall, quite an amazing experience for my first concert. The band also gave away free copies of a live album LeftRightLeftRightLeft containing some of the songs they played that night (also available for free download from Coldplay's site).

I think I have the concert bug now... would love to go to a U2 concert next! :)

--Arkajit

Pandora Pause Indicator

A few months ago for a 6.813 assignment, I'd suggested Pandora as an example of a good user interface. But I'd noted that one thing that annoyed me was that it was hard to tell whether the player was playing or paused. There was a single play/pause button with one function highlighted in orange. Take a look at this snapshot from the old version of the UI and try to guess if the player is playing or paused:


Does the highlighted function showed the current state or the action that would happen if you pressed the button? (Highlight to reveal answer: current state) I'd always mix this up.

Now, it's true that most of the time, the auditory feedback of hearing the song play would tell you which state the player is in. But when your internet connection is flaky and you're trying to figure out whether Pandora doesn't have a connection or is just paused, the lack of state visibility was very annoying.

I later noticed that there was a hidden indicator in the form of a dynamic url change. When you click pause, the url is appended with a #/paused.

This of course isn't too visible, so I'm glad that Pandora just updated their interface to have a very visible pause indicator: a big black paused icon shows up on top of the song's icon. An incredible improvement in visibility -- well done, Pandora! :)


As an added bonus, the big paused indicator does double-duty as a button. It can be clicked to resume playback.

It is worth noting however that Pandora continues to show the current state (paused) rather than the action that will happen if you press the button (play). Contrast this to Hulu whose video player also displays a big black button when paused, except it displays the action (play).

--Arkajit

Cool Music Sites

I love listening to new music, so I drew up a list of some cool music sites. I stumbled upon the first two a couple days ago. I've used the others for a couple of years now and am including them for completeness.

• Just Hear It: type in any artist, song and get a quick list of youtube clips and music videos. The membership component is in private beta, but the search is still very handy.
  
• Musicovery: pick a mood, a decade or two, and some genres and it will start playing that type of music. It also shows a nice visual graph of the songs its playing and similar songs it will be play next.
• Pandora: create a personalized station by entering a favorite artist or song and it'll play similar songs on that station. Say thumbs up/down to make the station home in on the songs you really like.
  
• Last.fm: a music social networking site, has good suggestions for music and presents several useful charts and other visualizations of your listening habbits. You can "scrobble" songs (i.e. have last.fm track them) you listen on your desktop or stream through their online radio.
• Pandora-FM: this bridges Pandora and Last.fm together allowing you to scrobble your Pandora listens to your Last.fm profile. This was pretty useful since I'm often listening to music on Pandora and would like to track my listening habits (e.g. my most popular artist/track in the last week) with Last.fm.

I hope to get around to writing up a longer post comparing some of these services. And I'll update this entry with more links as I find them. Happy Listening :)

--Arkajit