Congrats to Fleet Foxes

I agree with this:

US rock group win vinyl art prize
Fleet Foxes' self-titled album was voted the winner in the online poll.

The debut album by US indie rock group Fleet Foxes has won the Art Vinyl prize for best cover.

The self-titled album features the 1559 painting Netherlandish Proverbs, by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.

A mixture of 50 obscure and well-known vinyl record sleeves from 2008 were shortlisted for the prize, with 3,000 people voting online.
The winning covers will be on display at art galleries in London, Birmingham, Northampton and Norwich.

Londoner Roots Manuva's album Slime and Reason - featuring a classical-style bust of the rapper complete with green slime - was voted second while the cover of Coldplay's Viva La Vida came third.

'Real surprise'
In it, the band reproduce Eugene Delacroix's 1830 painting Liberty Leading the People.

"For the past four years, the Art Vinyl award has very much celebrated the work of new emerging artists and graphic designers," said awards director Andrew Heeps.
"So, this year, it has been a real surprise to see how some past artistic works have proven to be so popular from 2008's record cover designs."

Previous winners of the award include Hard-Fi's Stars of CCTV and Thom Yorke's The Eraser.

This year's winners will be featured in exhibitions at London's Rough Trade East gallery, Snap Galleries in Birmingham, Fishmarket Gallery in Northampton and the Perfect Pad Gallery in Norwich.

And for those of you who haven't heard of Fleet Foxes, this is what you've been missing:

"Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" by Fleet Foxes (Live in London)


"He Doesn't Know Why" by Fleet Foxes (Official Video)

Matt Smith Press Clippings

Here is an article from Outpost Gallifrey:

The New Doctor: Press Clippings
January 4, 2009 • Posted By Chuck Foster

Inevitably it was moments after Matt Smith was announced as the Doctor that the press published its first reactions to the casting. As one might expect, the initial reports were mainly based around the BBC Press Release and comments within Doctor Who Confidential itself. However, as the evening/morning progressed further media comment began to emerge, a selection of which are reported below.

Andrew Pettie of the Telegraph commented on how Doctor Who is a 'savvy multi-million-pound brand' and how casting has become a major news event. "... Doctor Who is a success primarily because it is so effortlessly entertaining. This is in large part due to the elasticity of its sci-fi premise. Thanks to the Tardis, the Doctor can travel anywhere in space or time. One moment he's rubbing shoulders with Shakespeare, the next battling aliens far in the future. And the Doctor has a further ace up his sleeve: the ability to change not just the actor playing him, but the nature of his character. ... Which is why Matt Smith is such a bold and exciting choice as the next Doctor. His relative lack of fame shouldn't matter a jot. It's hard to recall now, but before he regenerated as the Doctor, Tennant's most high-profile TV role had been in the BBC3 drama Casanova, written by Davies. Indeed, the key to Tennant's success as the Doctor has been how the crackle of his performances has matched the exuberance of the scripts."

The Independent commented on what fandom might think of the casting: "Smith is not black and he's not a woman, which left some fans wondering why a more daring decision had not been made; but he is the youngest of the 11 actors to have played 'official' versions of the time-travelling Doctor who first stepped out of that battered blue police box called the Tardis in 1963. ... Smith now faces the challenge of winning over two passionate camps: the families who sit together to watch on the sofa on a Saturday night and the hard-core Whovians, some of whom still complain that the lavish effects, high production values and often superb scripts of the modern version are somehow a betrayal of their hero. The Doctor Who Forum online was so busy last night that only veteran contributors could get in. Elsewhere, blogging fans admitted they didn't know much about Smith. 'He's so young,' said one. 'They must be going for the Twilight market.'"

The Sunday Herald also carries opinions on the casting, with Antony Wainer from DWAS commenting: "It's a different choice and I'm delighted by it. But I do think it has taken some people by surprise. The shadow of David Tennant looms large. He was so great, which makes the job for the next person even harder. But here's someone who is younger, and with that youth comes more enthusiasm. It is the only way you could trump Tennant." Also from Glasgow South MP and Who fan Tom Harris: "In the Whovian community there's a huge amount of respect for Steven Moffat because he's been the best writer for the past three or four years. So any people with reservations will give Smith the benefit of the doubt because he was Steven's choice."

Matthew Sweet commented in the Guardian: "The idea of a black or woman Doctor is something we only seem to be able to enjoy as a tease. When Tom Baker left, for example, there was speculation about Joanna Lumley taking over. There is a little part of me that's disappointed the Obama effect hasn't reached Gallifrey yet. This was one of the best kept secrets. Matt Smith has got a fascinating face. It's long and bony, with a commanding jaw. He looks like someone who could have been in Duran Duran. He has a quality of the old man trapped in the young man's body. I suspect he might be a more sensual character than David Tennant, who had no kind of dangerous sexuality about him. There's something Byronic about Matt Smith – he's got the lips for it." The paper also carries a comment by former companion Sophie Aldred: "I'm delighted. I'm so pleased that they haven't chosen a big name but gone with someone who's obviously a good actor but not well known to the public at large. He's got a very interesting face and a fantastic presence. It's going to be a difficult job to follow David Tennant, but I think he'll be a safe pair of hands."

The News of the World decided to lead with Smith's intimate appearance alongside former Doctor Who companion Billie Piper in her show, The Secret Diary of a Call Girl.

Other reports on the casting may be read from: Times(1), Times(2), Telegraph, Mail, Sun, Sunday Mirror, Scotsman, Glasgow Sunday Mail, Wales on Sunday.

Apparently I Occasionally Have Photography Skills!

 

MATT SMITH IS THE 11th DOCTOR!!

So I had no idea who Matt Smith was at first, and from one of his promo pics I thought he looked a bit like a serial killer, but I've warmed up to him after watching this:



Here is the announcement from BBC News:

New Doctor actor is youngest ever

Matt Smith has been named as the actor who will take over from David Tennant in Doctor Who - making him the youngest actor to take on the role.
At 26, Smith is three years younger than Peter Davison when he signed up to play the fifth Doctor in 1981.

Smith will first appear on TV screens as the 11th Doctor in 2010.
He was cast over Christmas and will begin filming for the fifth series of Doctor Who in the summer. Tennant is filming four specials in 2009.

Smith was named as Tennant's replacement in Saturday's edition of Doctor Who Confidential on BBC One.

He said: "I feel proud and honoured to have been given this opportunity to join a team of people that has worked so tirelessly to make the show so thrilling.
"David Tennant has made the role his own, brilliantly, with grace, talent and persistent dedication. I hope to learn from the standards set by him.
"The challenge for me is to do justice to the show's illustrious past, my predecessors, and most importantly, to those who watch it. I really cannot wait."
Piers Wenger, head of drama at BBC Wales, said that as soon as he had seen Smith's audition he "knew he was the one".

"It was abundantly clear that he had that 'Doctor-ness' about him," he said. "You are either the Doctor or you are not. It's just the beginning of the journey for Matt.
"With Steven Moffat's scripts and the expertise of the production team in Cardiff behind him, there is no one more perfect to be taking the Tardis to exciting new futures when the series returns in 2010."

Wenger said a broad range of people had been auditioned, but they had not set out to cast the youngest Doctor.

Smith's TV debut was in the 2006 adaptation of Philip Pullman's The Ruby in the Smoke, which starred former Doctor Who companion Billie Piper as Sally Lockhart.
He has also acted opposite Piper in the follow-up, The Shadow in the North, and in ITV2's Secret Diary of a Call Girl.

In 2007, he had a leading role in BBC Two's political drama Party Animals, in which he played a parliamentary researcher.

Smith's stage work has included stints with theatre companies such as the Royal Court and National Theatre. His West End debut was in Swimming With Sharks opposite Christian Slater.

He was born in Northampton in 1982 and studied drama and creative writing at the University of East Anglia.

Creative team
Tennant said in October that he would stand down from the show after filming four special episodes in 2009.

Tennant is recovering from back surgery ahead of filming in 2009
The star is due to begin shooting the first special this month, just weeks after surgery on his back forced him to pull out of a London run of Hamlet.
The last of these special episodes is expected to run in early 2010.
With a new creative team in place for the 2010 series led by executive producers Steven Moffat and Piers Wenger, the casting of the Doctor was the first job to be completed before scripts could be finalised.

Doctor Who began in 1963, and seven actors played the Doctor before the show was dropped in 1989.

After a TV movie in 1996 - starring Paul McGann - the TV series returned in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston in the lead role. Tennant took over the same year.

Here are some photos of Matt Smith:

Reasons That 2008 Was Awesome

When I get to the end of a year, I always find myself thinking about what happened that year and what I did. Upon reflection, this year seemed particularly awesome, so I thought I'd make myself a list to remind me of all the things that made it that way :O) (FYI, many of these will be concerts)

January: Finishing my massive room reorganization project and my room looking awesome and clean and organized

February: Obama rally @ UMCP!

March: The Cribs @ Black Cat & doing the Britpop Meetup for the first time, Hellogoodbye @ UMCP, Razzmatazz @ Black Cat w/Britpop Meetup, Alicia & Jean.

April: seeing Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Russell Brand was HILARIOUS!), Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin @ Black Cat, Teitur @ Jammin' Java (with the Spring Standards, who are AMAZING!), 2 x Kate Nash (9:30 Club & Recher Theatre)

May: HANSON at the State Theatre and getting to meet them and doing the walk, British Sea Power @ Black Cat, Shannon's graduation from Gettysburg and getting completely DRENCHED because they refused to move it inside,

June: Keaton Simons @ Jammin' Java, Adele @ 6th & I w/Courtney,

July: ENGLAND with my parents, including THE MIGHTY BOOSH FESTIVAL!!! The most amazing day EVER with so many great bands: Polar Bear, White Denim, the Kills, Robots in Disguise, Jarvis Cocker, Peaches, Har Mar Superstar, Charlatans, Gary Numan, THE BOOSH...Also, IAMX and Robots in Disguise in Camden....Plus lots of fun sightseeing and general vacation fun.

Also, MGMT @ 9:30 Club

August: Will Hoge & the Spring Standards @ Jammin Java, Shane Hines @ Jammin' Java, Keaton Simons @ Jammin' Java

September: Les Miserable @ Wolf Trap, Russell Brand hosting the VMAs (and being the only thing that made them worth watching), the Kooks @ 9:30 Club, IAMX in NYC and visiting w/Carin, going to the Renaissance Faire twice in one weekend

October: The Last Shadow Puppets in NYC and visiting with Carin, celebrating my birthday in Olde Towne Alexandria and National Harbor with my family, 2 x Hanson (Baltimore & State Theatre), Jason Mraz @ DAR w/Shannon, Shrinemont

November: OBAMA GETTING ELECTED! BEST DAY EVER!!!!!, TRIP TO ENGLAND with Shannon, including: "Outrage" Boosh afterparty w/Robots in Disguise, 2 x Mighty Boosh live in Brighton, David Tennant in Love's Labour's Lost in Stratford-Upon-Avon,the Wombats, White Denim, lots of sightseeing, delicious food & Shopping ...tasty Thanksgiving dinner

December: Beedle the Bard, Oasis/Ryan Adams at the Patriot Center, Vampire Weekend at 9:30 Club, Michael Tolcher @ Jammin' Java, Todd Wrights 6th Annual Xmas Spectacular @ Jammin' Java, CHRISTMAS where I got to hang w/my family and got AWESOME PRESENTS!!

Other:

~Getting lots of awesome CDs: Kings of Leon, Vampire Weekend, Fleet Foxes, Shane Hines's new ep, Foals, British Sea Power, Lightspeed Champion, Hot Chip, the Kills, THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS, The Cribs, the Gorgeous Colours, SSLYBY, IAMX, Robots in Disguise, White Denim, Justice, Sam Sparro, Radio 1 Live Lounge Vol. 3, Estelle, John Mayer Live CD, IAMX "Live in Warsaw", ETC, ETC.

~Getting to know Northern VA better through working at State Theatre

~Getting to know the awesome members of Britpop Meetup

~Awesome new (or new to me) shows/episodes: Doctor Who Season 4, Spooks, new IT Crowd, Little Dorritt, the Daily Show, The Colbert Report, the Rachel Maddow Show, Skins, Gavin & Stacey, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Snuff Box, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, Sarah Jane Adventures

~Things I bought that I love: my new purse, Mighty Boosh dvds, awesome skinny jeans, Boosh t-shirts, other Boosh merchandise, Tatty Devine jewelry, jewelry and a scarf from Red Mutha in Brighton, THE MIGHTY BOOK OF BOOSH, Russell Brand's "Articles of Faith" and "My Booky Wook"

"How Do You Not Smell That Peppa!?"

I saw this sketch when I watched Saturday Night Live with my bro a few months back, and I thought it was hilarious. It's from the episode that Michael Phelps hosts (September 13th?). It took me forever to find the video, but here it is...Enjoy!

♫Videos to Amuse Myself (and Jonathan)♫

The Last Shadow Puppets -- "Memories" (Leonard Cohen cover)
Live at the Grand Ballroom, New York City, October 30, 2008



(This is the show I went to. It was amazing. I must have been only a few people to the right of the person who filmed this, because I was standing right in front of Miles Kane.)

Oasis -- "I Am The Walrus" (Beatles cover)
Live at the Roundhouse, London for BBC Electric Proms 2008 on October 26, 2008.



Michael Tolcher feat. Graham Colton and Bryan Greenberg -- "A Little Help From My Friends" (Beatles Cover)
Live at the Canal Room, New York City on December 7, 2008.



The Asteroids Galaxy Tour -- "The Golden Age"(Live)


The Asteroids Galaxy Tour Live at Webster Hall, NYC, November 21, 2008



Amy Winehouse on Never Mind the Buzzcocks