Pandora says that because I like Margo Guryan’s music, I should like Isobel Campbell too. And I do.
A Washington rally for hysteria
Today, the concrete structure that had been the Washington D.C. Coliseum looks like this…
… but on February 11, 1964, it was the site of the first Beatles concert in America. The show was taped by CBS. Pieces of it are available on YouTube, but as part of Apple’s promotion of the Beatles catalog being available on iTunes, the complete concert can be seen at this link. Here’s a preview. The narrator isn’t credited, but it sounds like the BBC’s Paul Gambaccini.
The technical setup for the show was pitifully primitive, but the excitement and energy were incredible. Just three years later, there would be “Strawberry Fields Forever”.
A tale of two CNN Alerts
This CNN Alert came in today…
— Nancy Pelosi elected House minority leader by Democrats in a 150 to 43 vote.
… followed only a minute later by this one.
— Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, was unanimously selected as the Republican House leader for the incoming Congress.
I’m a Democrat, and I’m not a big fan of Nancy Pelosi, but if I were a member of the House I’d vote for her. Can’t Democrats ever be unanimous? Say what you will about the GOP, they know how to get their constituents to toe the party line.
In the Vinyl analysis
Ah, vinyl records. A needle vibrating as it travels within an undulating groove. I’m looking forward to getting a new LP re-release I’ve ordered. Denro spotted this video from a Boston TV show, with a discussion on the past, present, and future of music on vinyl.
Black comedy
I know that a lot of people really like comedian Lewis Black, and when I see him he does make some good, if sometimes obvious, observations. Black is on The Daily Show right now, but I can take only so much of him, because his grating delivery reminds me of Gilford Godfrey, and it gets annoying very quickly.
Apple Beatles Apple
Note: Denro says at first glance it isn’t obvious the image above isn’t official. This is the original.
My edit was done in five minutes, with Microsoft Paint and XnView, and I think it more accurately describes the significance of the announcement.