In Concert: We'll Do It Live!

Shortly after posting something on twitter about attending Lollapalooza in 2008, my friend/follower Will told me that he had also attended that same Lollapalooza in Chicago despite the fact that we both live in the Los Angeles area. He sent me a link to an extensive list of concerts he's attended and it inspired me to do the same thing (AKA steal his idea).

This was made surprisingly easy because a few years back my brother bought me an album specifically designed to hold ticket stubs. I won't be able to include the dozens of Christian hardcore concerts I attended, not out of embarrassment but because I can't give you the dates or bands. I also won't include all of the times I saw local bands including my friends from In Ashes We Lie which was easily over twenty times for the same reason. The list is pretty dated but I have no shame for the music I enjoyed and in many cases still enjoy.


Aug 21, 1997 - Collective Soul at The Saltair - Salt Lake City, UT

Nov 22, 1997 - Face to Face at U of R Orton Center - Redlands, CA


Feb 6, 1998 - D.I. at The Barn - Riverside, CA

Feb 21, 1998 - Home Grown at The Barn - Riverside, CA

May 10, 1998 - Strung Out at The Barn - Riverside, CA

April 18, 1998 - Straight Faced w/ Backside at The Barn - Riverside, CA
July 2, 1998 - Van's Warped Tour (NOFX, Bad Religion, Pennywise) at Safari Field - Irvine, CA

Sept 25, 1998 - Voodoo Glow Skulls at The Glass House - Pomona, CA

Oct 16, 1998 - D.I. at Showcase Theatre - Corona, CA

Dec 7, 1998 - 88 Fingers Louie at The Barn - Riverside, CA
Dec 31, 1998 - Soma Live New Years Eve (Face to Face, Strung Out, No Use For A Name, Good Riddance) at San Diego Sports Arena - San Diego, CA


Jan 30, 1999 - Guttermouth at Fly Theater - Victorville, CA

March 5, 1999 - Lagwagon at Soma - San Diego, CA

April 1, 1999 - Ten Foot Pole w/ Diesel Boy at Showcase Theatre - Corona, CA

July 1, 1999 - 98 Mute w/ The Ataris at Showcase Theatre - Corona, CA

Sept 17, 1999 - Lagwagon at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Oct 23, 1999 - Pennywise at Cox Arena - San Diego, CA
Dec 12, 1999 - Good Riddance at Showcase Theatre - Corona, CA


Feb 12, 2000 - NOFX at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
April 15, 2000 - The Vandals at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
April 29, 2000 - Strung Out at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
June 30, 2000 - Van's Warped Tour (Green Day, Weezer, AFI) at Arrowhead Pond - Anaheim, CA
Aug 23, 2000 - Face to Face at Cane's - San Diego, CA
Oct 7, 2000 - Strung Out at The Palace (Avalon) - Hollywood, CA
Oct 19, 2000 - Dogwood at The Glass House - Pomona, CA


Jan 22, 2001 - Alien Ant Farm at The Troubadour - West Hollywood, CA
March 5, 2001 - Face to Face at Cane's - San Diego, CA
March 25, 2001 - Propagandhi at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
June 28, 2001 - Van's Warped Tour (The Ataris, Blink-182, Fenix TX, Juliana Theory, New Found Glory) at Seaside Park - Ventura, CA
Oct 4, 2001 - AFI at The Palace - Hollywood, CA
Nov 11, 2001 - Yellowcard at Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA
Nov 17, 2001 - Pennywise at Cox Arena - San Diego, CA
Dec 13, 2001 - Saves The Day at The Palace - Hollywood, CA
Dec 14, 2001 - Yellowcard at The Glass House - Pomona, CA


Feb 21, 2002 - Alkaline Trio at Cane's - San Diego, CA
March 27, 2002 - Thursday/The Movielife at Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA
June 13, 2002 - Finch at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Sept 28, 2002 - Fairweather/Open Hand at Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA
Dec 6, 2002 - Piebald at Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA


May 2, 2003 - Hopesfall at Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA
June 30, 2003 - In Ashes We Lie at Showcase Theatre - Corona, CA
July 19, 2003 - Reggie & The Full Effect at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Oct 23, 2003 - Saves The Day at The Hollywood Palladium - Hollywood, CA
Nov 2, 2003 - Thursday/Thrice at The Grove of Anaheim - Anaheim, CA
Nov 28, 2003 - Alkaline Trio at The Hollywood Palladium - Hollywood, CA


Jan 24, 2004 - Coheed and Cambria at Soma - San Diego, CA
Feb 11, 2004 - Sense Fail at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
May 29, 2004 - Silverstein at Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA
July 6, 2004 - Van's Warped Tour (Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Rise Against) at Coors Amphitheater - San Diego, CA
Nov 8, 2004 - Breakdance Vietnam at Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA
Dec 8, 2004 - Boys Night Out/Emery at Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA
Dec 18, 2004 - The Bled at Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA


Jan 6, 2005 - Funeral For a Friend at Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA
March 31, 2005 - Taste of Chaos (My Chemical Romance, The Used, Killswitch Engage) at Long Beach Arena - Long Beach, CA
July 3, 2005 - Van's Warped Tour (Circa Survive, Fall Out Boy, The Offspring, My Chemical Romance) at Seaside Park - Ventura, CA
Oct 14, 2005 - Minus The Bear at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Nov 24, 2005 - Saves The Day at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Dec 4, 2005 - Propagandhi at Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA


Feb 18, 2006 - Armor For Sleep/Copeland at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
March 9, 2006 - Minus The Bear at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
March 10, 2006 - Saves The Day at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
March 12, 2006 - Saves The Day at Soma - San Diego, CA
March 30, 2006 - Taste of Chaos (Deftones, Pelican, Dredg) at Long Beach Arena - Long Beach, CA
April 20, 2006 - David Gilmour at Gibson Amphitheater - Universal City, CA
July 26, 2006 - Circa Survive at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Sept 26, 2006 - TV on the Radio at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Sept 27, 2006 - Snow Patrol at The Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA
Oct 1, 2006 - We Are Scientists/Art Brut at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Oct 15, 2006 - Bamboozle Left (Brand New, Thrice, 30 Seconds to Mars) at Cal Poly Pomona - Pomona, CA
Oct 25, 2006 - Alexisonfire at Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA
Oct 31, 2006 - Say Anything at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Nov 8, 2006 - Minus The Bear at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Nov 13, 2006 - Explosions in the Sky at The Glass House - Pomona, CA


Jan 20, 2007 - The Fall of Troy at The Troubadour - Hollywood, CA
March 23, 2007 - Anti-Flag at The Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA
April 13, 2007 - Say Anything/Saves The Day at House of Blues - Hollywood, CA
April 14, 2007 - Saves The Day/Say Anything at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
April 22, 2007 - Men, Women & Children at Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA
May 5 & 6, 2007 - The Bamboozle Festival (Muse, MC Hammer, "Weird Al" Yankovic) at Giants Stadium - East Rutherford, NJ
June 6, 2007 - Mewithoutyou/Manchester Orchestra at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Aug 11, 2007 - Rock The Bells (Rage Against The Machine, Wu Tang Clan, The Roots) at Glen Helen Pavillion - San Bernardino, CA
Aug 25, 2007 - Receiving End of Sirens at Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA
Sept 14, 2007 - Scary Kids Scaring Kids at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Sept 30, 2007 - Jimmy Eat World at University of Redlands - Redlands, CA
Oct 4, 2007 - Dredg at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Nov 4, 2007 - Minus The Bear at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Nov 27, 2007 - Jose Gonzalez at The Fonda Theatre - Hollywood, CA
Dec 9, 2007 - KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas (Muse, Modest Mouse, Spoon, The Shins) at Gibson Amphitheater - Universal City, CA


March 3, 2008 - Foo Fighters at Cox Arena - San Diego, CA
March 21, 2008 - Nada Surf at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
March 25, 2008 - City and Colour at The Knitting Factory - Hollywood, CA
April 5 & 6, 2008 - Bamboozle Left (My Chemical Romance, Paramore, Jimmy Eat World) at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater - Irvine, CA
April 25-27, 2008 - Coachella (Prince, Roger Waters, Portishead) at Empire Polo Club - Indio, CA
July 5, 2008 - Dance Gavin Dance at Chain Reaction - Anaheim, CA

July 28, 2008 - Bloc Party at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Aug 1-3, 2008 - Lollapalooza (Radiohead, Rage Against The Machine, Nine Inch Nails) at Grant Park - Chicago, IL
Sept 22, 2008 - The Raconteurs at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Sept 26-28, 2008 - Austin City Limits (Beck, David Byrne, John Fogerty) at Zilker Park - Austin, TX
Nov 29, 2008 - M83 at The Fonda Theatre - Hollywood, CA


March 5, 2009 - Jimmy Eat World at Club Nokia - Los Angeles, CA
March 7, 2009 - M83 w/Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall - Los Angeles, CA
April 5, 2009 - Bamboozle Left (Deftones, P.O.S., The Bronx) at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater - Irvine, CA
April 17 & 18, 2009 - Coachella (Paul McCartney, Morrisey, Band of Horses) at Empire Polo Club - Indio, CA
May 8, 2009 - Dredg at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
May 29, 2009 - Propagandhi at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
June 27, 2009 - Explosions in the Sky - The Hollywood Palladium - Hollywood, CA
Sept 2, 2009 - Nine Inch Nails at The Hollywood Palladium - Hollywood, CA
Sept 5, 2009 - FYF (Black Lips, No Age, Cold Cave) at LA State Historic Park - Los Angeles, CA
Sept 23, 2009 - The Get Up Kids at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Oct 10, 2009 - Sunny Day Real Estate at House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
Oct 12, 2009 - Thursday at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Oct 14, 2009 - Say Anything at House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
Nov 2, 2009 - Minus The Bear at Belly Up Tavern - Solana Beach, CA
Nov 3, 2009 - Minus The Bear at The Glass House - Pomona, CA


Feb 16, 2010 - Alkaline Trio at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
May 24, 2010 - Minus The Bear/Shout Out Louds at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
June 19, 2010 - PacSun Beach Ballyhoo (Minus The Bear, Circa Survive, Ra Ra Riot) at Santa Monica Pier - Santa Monica, CA
July 17, 2010 - Thrice at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
Aug 12, 2010 - B.B. King/Buddy Guy at San Manuel Indian Casino - San Bernardino, CA
Nov 3, 2010 - Two Door Cinema Club at Belly Up Tavern - Solana Beach, CA


April 14, 2011 - Broken Social Scene at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
May 17, 2011 - This Will Destroy You at The Echo - Los Angeles, CA
May 22, 2011 - Yeasayer at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
June 4, 2011 - The Antlers at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Aug 2, 2011 - Dredg at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Sept 3, 2011 - FYF (Descendents, Broken Social Scene, Explosions in the Sky) at LA State Historic Park - Los Angeles, CA
Oct 15, 2011 - Friendly Fires at Club Nokia - Los Angeles, CA
Oct 17, 2011 - Manchester Orchestra at The Glass House - Pomona, CA


Jan 13, 2012 - M83 at Club Nokia - Los Angeles, CA
Jan 31, 2012 - Crosses at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Feb 23, 2012 - Wye Oak at The Troubadour - West Hollywood, CA
April 12, 2012 - M83 at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
April 13-15, 2012 - Coachella (Refused, Radiohead, Bon Iver, Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre) at Empire Polo Club - Indio, CA
April 18, 2012 - Explosions in the Sky at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Aug 15, 2012 - Joe Cocker at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Sept 1 & 2, 2012 - FYF Fest (M83, Refused, Twin Shadow) at LA State Historic Park - Los Angeles, CA
Sept 27, 2012 - Menomena at The El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Oct 26, 2012 - Two Door Cinema Club at SOMA - San Diego, CA
Nov 10, 2012 - Minus The Bear at The Glass House - Pomona, CA

Feb 1, 2013 - Geographer at The Echo - Los Angeles, CA
April 18, 2013 - Vampire Weekend at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
May 30, 2013 - We Are Scientists at Detroit Bar - Costa Mesa, CA
June 28, 2013 - Twin Shadow at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Aug 10, 2013 - The National at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Sept 14, 2013 - Godspeed You! Black Emperor at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
Sept 30, 2013 - Menomena/The Helio Sequence at The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA
Oct 16, 2013 - Haim at The Fonda Theatre - Hollywood, CA
Oct 25, 2013 - Passion Pit at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Oct 31, 2013 - The Reflektors (Arcade Fire) at Hollywood Palladium - Hollywood, CA
Dec 9, 2013- Brand New at The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA

Feb 21, 2014 - We Were Promised Jetpacks at The El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Feb 22, 2014 - Propagandhi at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
March 6, 2014 - Typhoon at The El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
March 10, 2014 - Russian Circles at The El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
April 18-20, 2014 - Coachella (Arcade Fire, Muse, Beck, Outkast) at Empire Polo Club - Indio, CA
May 4, 2014 - Manchester Orchestra at House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
May 25, 2014 - Propagandhi at The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA
June 6, 2014 - Saosin at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
July 10, 2014 - Wye Oak at The El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Aug 8, 2014 - Spoon at Hollywood Forever Cemetery - Hollywood, CA
Aug 23 & 24, 2014 - FYF Fest (The Strokes, Phoenix, Interpol) at LA Sports Arena & Exposition Park - Los Angeles, CA
Nov 2, 2014 - Jimmy Eat World at Club Nokia - Los Angeles, CA
Nov 13, 2014 - Death From Above 1979 at The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA
Nov 15, 2014 - Saves The Day/Say Anything at The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA
Nov 22, 2014 - Minus The Bear at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Dec 28, 2014 - Face To Face at The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA

April 8, 2015 - Tame Impala at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
Aug 7, 2015 - Outside Lands (Mumford & Sons, St. Vincent, Glass Animals) at Golden Gate Park - San Francisco, CA
Sept 16, 2015 - Hum at Belly Up Tavern - Solana Beach, CA
Sept 18 & 19, 2015 - Riot Fest (Alexisonfire, Weezer, Bleachers, Moneen) at Downsview Park - Toronto, ONT
Sept 25, 2015 - Mew at The Fonda Theatre - Hollywood, CA

Oct 3, 2015 - Taste of Chaos (Jimmy Eat World, Glassjaw, Thrice, Saves The Day) at Glen Helen Pavillion - San Bernardino, CA 
Oct 28, 2015 - Mini Mansions at The Masonic Lodge - Hollywood, CA
Nov 24, 2015 - Jeff Lynne's ELO at The Fonda Theatre - Hollywood, CA

April 11, 2016 - LCD Soundsystem at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
April 14, 2016 - Chvrches at The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA
April 21, 2016 - Miike Snow at Pappy & Harriet's - Pioneertown, CA
May 6, 2016 - Explosions in the Sky at The Theatre at Ace Hotel - Los Angeles, CA
May 27, 2016 - The Who at Valley View Casino Center - San Diego, CA
June 1, 2016 - Yeasayer at The Fonda Theatre - Hollywood, CA
July 16, 2016 - We Are Scientists performing "With Love and Squalor" at The El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
July 30, 2016 - Kiefo Nilsson performing "The Point" at Small Green Door - Los Angeles, CA
Oct 12, 2016 - Neil Young at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
Oct 17, 2016 - Flock of Dimes at The Bootleg Theater - Los Angeles, CA
Oct 23, 2016 - Bear vs Shark at Echoplex - Los Angeles, CA
Oct 28, 2016 - M83 at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Nov 5, 2016 - This Will Destroy You at Teragram Ballroom - Los Angeles, CA

Feb 23, 2017 - Pinback at Belly Up Tavern - Solana Beach, CA
Feb 25, 2017 - Los Campesinos! at Teragram Ballroom - Los Angeles, CA
March 7, 2017 - Thrice/Manchester Orchestra at House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
March 9, 2017 - Japandroids at The Fonda Theatre - Hollywood, CA
April 11, 2017 - Banks w/ Jack Garratt at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
April 12, 2017 - Minus The Bear w/ Beach Slang at Belasco Theater - Los Angeles, CA
April 15, 2017 - Coheed and Cambria at The Hollywood Palladium - Hollywood, CA
April 16, 2017 - Coachella (Kendrick Lamar, Lorde, Bishop Briggs) at Empire Polo Club - Indio, CA
April 18, 2017 - Glass Animals at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
April 19, 2017 - Local Natives w/ Tennis at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
April 20, 2017 - Future Islands at Pappy & Harriet's - Pioneertown, CA
May 21, 2017 - U2 at The Rose Bowl - Pasadena, CA
May 26, 2017 - Brian Wilson at The Pantages - Hollywood, CA
June 12, 2017 - Rostam at The Masonic Lodge - Hollywood, CA
June 24, 2017 - Arroyo Seco (Tom Petty, Alabama Shakes, Broken Social Scene) at Rose Bowl Grounds - Pasadena, CA
July 27, 2017 - Portugal. The Man at House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
Aug 26, 2017 - Mew at The El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Sept 18, 2017 - Explosions in the Sky at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Sept 19, 2017 - Future Islands at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Oct 7, 2017 - Cal Jam (Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Royal Blood) at Glen Helen Pavillion - San Bernardino, CA
Oct 21, 2017 - Ye Scallywag (Lagwagon, Strung Out, The Vandals) at Waterfront Park - San Diego, CA
Nov 18, 2017 - Propagandhi at The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA
Dec 13, 2017 - Grizzly Bear at The Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA

March 22, 2018 - The Decemberists at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
April 16, 2018 - Tash Sultana at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
April 17, 2018 - Fleet Foxes at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
April 19, 2018 - The War on Drugs at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
April 23, 2018 - The Drums at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
May 12, 2018 - KROQ Weenie Roast (Blink-182, Panic! at the Disco, Cold War Kids) at StubHub Center - Carson, CA
Aug 8, 2018 - Bon Iver at Santa Barbara Bowl - Santa Barbara, CA
Sept 22, 2018 - Lagwagon w/No Fun At All at The El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Oct 12, 2018 - Mew at The Regent Theater - Los Angeles, CA
Dec 8, 2018 - Minus The Bear at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Dec 14, 2018 - Nine Inch Nails at The Hollywood Palladium - Hollywood, CA
Dec 17, 2018 - Saosin at The Glass House - Pomona, CA

April 16, 2019 - Hop Along w/Soccer Mommy at The El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
April 18, 2019 - Chvrches at Pappy & Harriet's - Pioneertown, CA
May 4, 2019 - Just Like Heaven (Phoenix, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beach House)
May 9, 2019 - Bayonne at The Casbah - San Diego, CA
May 14, 2019 - Alejandro Aranda at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
June 28, 2019 - Mini Mansions at Teragram Ballroom - Los Angeles, CA
Aug 4, 2019 - Lord Huron at Hollywood Bowl - Los Angeles, CA

Aug 8, 2019 - "Weird Al" Yankovic at Pacific Amphitheatre - Costa Mesa, CA
Aug 22, 2019 - Rolling Stones at The Rose Bowl - Pasadena, CA
Aug 31, 2019 - A Taste of Colorado (Kool & The Gang, KC and the Sunshine Band) at Civic Center Park - Denver, CO
Sept 3, 2019 - Bon Iver at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO
Sept 5, 2019 - Tycho at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
Sept 7, 2019 - Mariachi El Bronx at Belly Up Tavern - Solana Beach, CA
Sept 10, 2019 - Torche at Teragram Ballroom - Los Angeles, CA
Sept 12, 2019 - Explosions in the Sky at The Hollywood Palladium - Hollywood, CA
Sept 13, 2019 - Explosions in the Sky at Yost Theater - Santa Ana, CA
Sept 21, 2019 - Gang of Youths at Roxy Theatre - West Hollywood, CA
Oct 25, 2019 - Green Day at Live House - Hollywood, CA
Oct 26, 2019 - Ra Ra Riot w/Bayonne at The Glass House - Pomona, CA
Nov 10, 2019 - Saves The Day at House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
Nov 21, 2019 - Alejandro Aranda at Belasco Theater - Los Angeles, CA
Nov 23, 2019 - Hippo Campus at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA

Jan 15, 2020 - Joyce Manor w/ Oso Oso at The Glass House - Pomona, CA

Jan 28, 2020 - King Princess at The Observatory North Park - San Diego, CA

Feb 1, 2020 - Caroline Polachek at The Fonda Theatre - Hollywood, CA

Feb 13, 2020 - Murder By Death at Belly Up Tavern - Solana Beach, CA

Feb 21, 2020 - Cold War Kids at The Novo - Los Angeles, CA

Aug 14, 2021 - Local Natives at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

Sept 1, 2021 - Future Islands at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

Sept 10, 2021 - Sylvan Esso at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

Sept 18, 2021 - Glass Animals at Hollywood Forever Cemetery - Hollywood, CA

Sept 29, 2021 - Lord Huron at Hollywood Forever Cemetery - Hollywood, CA

Jan 21, 2022 - Washed Out at The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA

Feb 5, 2022 - Built to Spill at Pappy & Harriet's - Pioneertown, CA

Feb 18, 2022 - We Are Scientists at House of Blues - Anaheim, CA

Feb 26, 2022 - The War on Drugs at The Shrine Auditorium - Los Angeles, CA

March 16, 2022 - John Mayer at The Forum - Inglewoood, CA

March 19, 2022 - Bahamas at Belasco Theater - Los Angeles, CA

March 25, 2022 - Nation of Language at The Crocodile - Seattle, WA

April 20, 2022 - Deftones at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

April 22, 2022 - Brian Jonestown Massacre at The Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA

April 23, 2022 - Mogwai at The Fonda Theatre - Hollywood, CA

April 28, 2022 - Widowspeak at Zebulon - Los Angeles, CA

May 7, 2022 - Pearl Jam at The Forum - Inglewoood, CA

May 14, 2022 - Big Thief at Pappy & Harriet's - Pioneertown, CA

May 21, 2022 - Just Like Heaven (The Shins, Modest Mouse, Bloc Party, Interpol) at Rose Bowl Grounds - Pasadena, CA

May 31, 2022 - Spoon at Belly Up Tavern - Solana Beach, CA

June 1, 2022 - Jack White at YouTube Theater - Inglewood, CA

June 11, 2022 - Daniel Rossen at Pappy & Harriet's - Pioneertown, CA

June 29, 2022 - Norah Jones at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

July 8, 2022 - Fleet Foxes at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

July 29, 2022 - Leon Bridges/Little Dragon at Virgin Hotel Theater - Las Vegas, NV

Aug 25, 2022 - Jose Gonzalez at Ford Theater - Los Angeles, CA

Oct 7, 2022 - Lagwagon/Strung Out at The Observatory North Park - San Diego, CA

Oct 8, 2022 - Bonny Light Horseman at Lodge Room - Los Angeles, CA

Oct 18, 2022 - Walk The Moon at The Fonda Theatre - Hollywood, CA

Oct 21, 2022 - The English Beat at Belly Up Tavern - Solana Beach, CA

Nov 4, 2022 - The B-52s at YouTube Theater - Inglewood, CA

Dec 2, 2022 - Everclear w/Sponge at Pappy & Harriet's - Pioneertown, CA

Dec 10, 2022 - KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas (Imagine Dragons, Black Keys, Wet Leg) at The Forum - Inglewoood, CA

Dec 11, 2022 - JD McPherson at Pappy & Harriet's - Pioneertown, CA

April 12, 2023 - Boygenius at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA

April 22, 2023 - Light Up The Blues (Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Willie Nelson, Joe Walsh) at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

May 6, 2023 - Westerman at The Casbah - San Diego, CA

May 13, 2023 - Just Like Heaven Festival (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Walkmen, M83, Future Islands, Caribou) at Rose Bowl Grounds - Pasadena, CA

May 25, 2023 - The Cure at Hollywood Bowl - Los Angeles, CA

May 30, 2023 - The National at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

June 2, 2023 - Bayonne at The Troubadour - West Hollywood, CA

July 10, 2023 - Neil Young at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

July 19, 2023 - Jimmy Eat World/Manchester Orchestra at The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

Nov 15, 2023 - Tennis at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA

Dec 19, 2023 - Kitchen Sink Festival (Jim James, Angel Olsen, Devendra Banhart) at Lodge Room - Los Angeles, CA

April 11, 2024 - Jungle at The Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
Aug 24, 2024 - Jeff Lynne's ELO at Acrisure Arena - Thousand Palms, CA

Aug 31, 2024 - Counting Crows at Pacific Amphitheatre - Costa Mesa, CA

I know I'm missing several. My car was towed twice while parked near concert venues in LA (the first time my fault and one of the scariest nights of my life, but the second time it was at the urging of a friend) and neither of those concerts I have ticket stubs for or can remember the exact details about.


If you remember going to any of these concerts with me or went to one without knowing I was there, then post a comment. Also if there are some that you remember which I didn't add, then let me know about those also.

The Ugly Organs

This morning while driving to work listening to The Kevin & Bean Show as I have for over ten years, Bean began his morbid but generally amusing routine known as Bean's Death Corner. Just last month Bean told the story of Phil Contos who was riding his motorcycle in a protest ride against helmet laws when he crashed and died after landing on his head. The stories told in Bean's Death Corner are generally of that variety which you're likely to read about on the Darwin Awards website.

However, at the end of this morning's segment Bean said he had a story about an organ donation gone awry that he couldn't tell on the air but had posted online. As an inactive organ donation activist my heart immediately sank. I've had countless arguments with people who were against donating their organs and it usually had to do with some ridiculous urban myth about doctors being quicker to let an organ donor die. I was terrified that Gene 'Bean' Baxter was adding fuel to the already raging fire.


So, it might not surprise you that when I read the terribly sad story of Mumpy Sarkar I was somewhat relieved. The 12-year-old girl from India had overheard that her dad wouldn't have his vision restored without an eye transplant and her brother wouldn't live without a kidney transplant. While her father was at work and her mother was getting rice, Mumpy consumed a lethal amount of pesticide. It was a truly selfless and beautiful gesture that unfortunately went unnoticed initially as her suicide note with the wishes that her organs be used to help her family wasn't discovered until the day after her body had been cremated.

This story is heartbreaking and might remind some people of the opening scene to Paul Thomas Anderson's masterpiece Magnolia. Unfortunately this is not fiction but rather an all too familiar story of another family tormented by illness the lack of available organs.


According to the U.S. Census Bureau the United States population is approximately 307,000,000 and based on the information listed on Organdonor.gov the number of organ donors in the United States is 86,000,000. At first glance that might seem like an impressive ratio but it's actually 28%. This would mean that the odds are if you are an organ donor in an elevator with three other people the statistics would tell you the other three aren't organ donors. As of 2009, the number of people on the transplant waiting list was over 100,000 but the number of available donors was less than 15,000.

I thought about writing this without giving my personal opinion and letting the facts speak for themselves but I decided against it. Every day 18 people die while waiting for the transplant of a vital organ. I'll write that again but it is worth repeating:  Every day 18 people die while waiting for the transplant of a vital organ. A person who is against donating organs for a personal or religious reason is cold, selfish, ignorant and the antithesis of Mumpy Sarkar who was willing to sacrifice her own life in an effort to save her father and brother.


No one is asking you to take your own life. Whether you believe that after your death you'll go to heaven or hell, be reincarnated, or simply enter the ground, there is no need for your organs after you're dead. Even if you use alcohol or smoke cigarettes, don't decide if your organs can be used and let a physician make that decision.


I firmly believe that if you're financially able to donate to a non-profit organization or charitable cause then you should no matter the amount but donating an organ is the one thing that doesn't cost you any money and could very well save a life.

Optimistic

"Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in."
- Ricky Fitts from American Beauty


It's been an interesting week for me as I completed another orbit around the sun on Saturday. I am now closing in on thirty years of existence which has given me pause for reflection and some interesting self-examination.


I, like 99% of people in my age group, am not where I envisioned myself to be ten or fifteen years ago. I don't say that in a bad way, as if my nineteen year old self would be disappointed by where I am. But I didn't plan on having my current occupation, which I enjoy quite a bit, and I didn't see myself living alone. These thoughts have been swirling around in my head as I celebrated my birthday with some great friends and family members. There was a brief moment when I arrived at my birthday party in which I thought there was a surprise party being thrown and I got nervous when I saw no cars in front of my friend Paul's house. However, when I walked inside it was just that only a couple of people had beat me there. The emotions I felt when I walked inside were simultaneous feelings of relief and disappointment. I was somewhat discouraged that several of my friends were unable to attend although most of them are the friends who have families of their own, so it was easy to understand. I made a conscious decision to focus on the positive and gravitate towards my friends who had set time aside to spend it with me on my birthday.


I had a busy weekend of birthday lunches and dinners, a concert by The Antlers and a Sunday matinee at the movies. My weekend was followed by an equally busy week at work as I- well, I won't bore you with that.

Two day ago, a stream of the new album from Bon Iver entitled 'Bon Iver, Bon Iver' was added to NPR Music and I could finally encourage those who weren't lucky enough to listen to the album when it leaked three weeks ago to check it out. It is a beautiful album that mixes and defies any traditional genre of music. Without hyperbole or exaggeration I can safely say that I've listened to the album more than once a day since I downloaded it and believe it to be music that distinguishes itself from an already prodigious musical landscape.


On the same day after sharing with some of my friends (virtual and personal) to check out the aforementioned album, I went straight from work to the AMC Covina 30 movie theater to see a screening of Super 8 one day before it's originally intended release date. Like many others, I had been eagerly anticipating the release of this film since the teaser trailer was released over a year ago.

When I wrote about my most anticipated films of the year, Super 8 was at the very top of my list. I strolled up to the box office window and paid my $15.50 (highway robbery, I know, but I recommend the IMAX experience in this instance). I sat in the darkened theater with only about twenty other strangers and a delay of a little over five minutes only raised my level of excitement.


I went into the movie theater with only the information that was released during the trailer and that is exactly the way the movie should be seen during your first viewing. If you're curious about writer/director J.J. Abrams and why the promotional campaign for Super 8 (much like his prior original work Cloverfield) has been so secretive, it was explained it a terrific New York Times article a couple weeks ago. I could write a couple thousand words on a summary/review about the movie but I'll simply tell you that when the film was over I knew I had experienced something special. There's something about your memory recall that puts a special stamp over events of true happiness or sadness. I can recall every detail of watching Explosions in the Sky at Grant Park in 2008 because it was the most awe-inspiring concert I have ever had the pleasure to witness.


When I came home from the movie I sent a tweet and a Facebook post encouraging my friends, family and followers to experience the film that I had just brought me such an enormous amount of joy. I took some time to decompress as I watched my beloved Dodgers twice blow a four-run lead then watched the Dallas Mavericks make a late surge against the Miami Heat to take a 3 games to 2 lead in the NBA Finals (the proverbial yin and yang of my sports watching experience). I decided to go clear some space from my DVR so I watched a couple of short programs including the most recent South Park episode 'You're Getting Old'.

I'll be the first to admit that South Park has not been appointment television for me in over a decade but it doesn't mean that they don't still make very funny and a sometimes even poignant television. The concept of the episode was that Stan turned ten years old and suddenly "tween wave" music sounded like shit. All of the parents in South Park realize the music sounds like shit (except for Stan's dad Randy who tries to fool himself) but Stan is the only one of his friends who begins to see the things his friend's are interested in as boring or lame and just plain shitty. He goes to a doctor who tries to diagnosis him by playing some "tween wave" followed by Bob Dylan but they both sound like shit to Stan and he is classified by the doctor as a "cynical asshole".


I won't lie. I've been accused of being a cynical asshole and I've made comments in jest that those who watch Jersey Shore should get AIDS and anyone who keeps up with the Kardashians should kill themselves. I've also been on the other side of the spectrum when I tell everyone within earshot that they should buy a particular album and as is human nature, they will almost always end up being underwhelmed. There are times when I feel like I enjoy too many albums, television programs or films and think I should be more critical but there's no point to being unnecessarily critical. I often catch flack for making bold statements like the new Bon Iver record is easily the album of the year and sometimes I will hear someone tell me that it is just my opinion. If I want to get a rise out of said person, I'll say "No, it's the correct opinion" but any kind of art is subjective and you reading this right now might not enjoy listening to Bon Iver or you might think Super 8 is overrated (particularly by your's truly) but that's your choice to make up your mind.


The bottom line is simple; Happiness is not a choice but your outlook on life and cynical nature certainly is. I see films and television on regular basis and listen to music (especially of the live variety) that makes me short of breath and sometimes even well up with tears. To paraphrase the quote from American Beauty, there really is so much beauty in the world, it feels like my heart might just cave in. And if I have to pick a side, I'd rather be gloating about the best album of the year than snickering about something that I don't enjoy.

Happy Birthday David Letterman

It sounds strange but over the past fifteen years, David Letterman has been a huge part of my life and one of the biggest influences on my sense of humor. Since today is his 64th birthday, I wanted to take a few minutes to wish David Letterman a very sincere Happy Birthday. I can't give Dave a birthday present that will match the one he got from Drew Barrymore in 1995 and I'm not arrogant enough to believe there's a chance that Dave has the time to read this but I believe it to be good karma to show my respect for perhaps the best talk show host in the history of television.

I can't remember a time when David Letterman wasn't on television and that's probably due to the fact Late Night with David Letterman premiered on NBC a few months before I was born in 1982. For the next 11 years, David and his staff honed their craft by coming up with daring and innovative comedy material. It was during this time spent at Late Night with David Letterman that he debuted such staples as The Top Ten List, Stupid Pet Tricks, and Small Town News.

When Johnny Carson retired and it was announced that Jay Leno would be his successor as host of The Tonight Show, Letterman decided it was time to leave and parted ways with NBC. He accepted a job with CBS as host of The Late Show with David Letterman which would air in the same time slot as The Tonight Show. Once he began battling with his former friend Jay Leno for late night supremacy his show really began to take off. Letterman never relented from his goof-ball persona that made him a success in his days with NBC and after intense battles he was able to use most of the bits he helped to create while employed by NBC.

He grew up in Indiana and went to college at Ball State University but after working in New York City for the last three decades he has become an honorary New Yorker to those who inhabit the city. It only made sense that when New York City was attacked nearly ten years ago that Letterman was vocal with his frustration but kept his composure in relaying Mayor Rudy Giuliani's message to return to everyday life.

If you're a fan of younger hosts like Jimmy Kimmel and Conan O'Brien (which I am also), you should know that both of them have cited Letterman as huge influences on their hosting technique. His program has always given opportunity to up-and-coming comedians and bands often giving them their big break. Tonight to help celebrate his birthday, Dave will be joined by guests who don't need much help being discovered; comedian Ricky Gervais and his favorite band Foo Fighters.

I'd like to end with a quote that was issued when Late Night with David Letterman was given a Peabody Award:

Once a television wasteland, late night has become a daypart of increased interest to programmers, performers, and viewers. In the past ten years, one show has moved to the position of the leader in late night television in creativity, humor, and innovation. That program is Late Night With David Letterman. As one member of the Peabody Board remarked, "David Letterman is a born broadcaster." He is also a savvy co-executive producer. Along with co-executive producer Jack Rollins, producer Robert Morton, director Hal Gurnee, and musical director Paul Shaffer, Mr. Letterman has surrounded himself with exceptional talent and given them the go-ahead to experiment with the television medium. Particularly noteworthy is the work of head writer Steve O'Donnell and his talented staff. Together, the "Late Night" team manages to take one of TV's most conventional and least inventive forms—the talk show—and infuse it with freshness and imagination. For television programming which, at its best, is evocative of the greats, from Your Show of Shows, to The Steve Allen Show, and The Ernie Kovacs Show, a Peabody to Late Night With David Letterman.

Someone is reading in the state of Denmark

I decided to start this blog a couple of months ago to share my views, my stories and my lists with friends, family and anyone else who was interested. I have been encouraged by the strong feedback as well as the high number of pageviews. There is only one thing that strikes me as odd and that is the number of international readers. Over the past month, my blog has had exactly 100 pageviews. As expected, majority of them came from the United States but 26 were from Denmark.

I have Danish heritage but had never mentioned it on the blog. In fact, when someone asks me about my specific ethnicity, I usually respond Danish first (followed by English and Cherokee Indian). When I watch the World Cup or the Olympics I usually root for the team or athlete from Denmark just behind the United States.

My Danish ancestors who came to the United States

One of the stories that has been passed down from my family was about my Viking ancestors from Denmark is The Red Hand of Österblad. I tried very hard to research the story online and there is a story known as the Red Hand of Ulster that appears to be a slight variation on the story passed down from my relatives. From the best of my recollection, the story involved my ancestor in a dispute over a piece of land that may or may not have been an entire island. It was decided that the ownership dispute would be settled by whomever would win a race to the land and the first man to touch the soil would win the race. As the story goes, it was a very close race but as my ancestor approached the shore he realized that he was going to lose so without hesitation he cut off his hand and then flung it onto the sand to best his competitor and claim the land for his family.

The video above is Danish singer Nanna Øland Fabricius whose group Oh Land recently played on The Late Show with David Letterman.


Jeg værdsætter mine læsere fra Danmark.


Farvel,
Nolan

An Open Letter to Jackie K. Cooper

Dear Jackie,

I've taken an interest in your reviews since your "Rotten" review of Fantastic Mr. Fox caught my eye.

After watching Fantastic Mr. Fox, I was so thoroughly entertained that I wanted to see what rating it received on RottenTomatoes.com. I noticed it had received a stunning 100% rating among "top critics" and an impressive 93% among all critics. You were one of the 7% who disliked the movie and your blurb "Another clunker from Clooney aided and abetted by Wes Anderson" grabbed my attention. The start to your actual written review (in which you give an incorrect title) seems like an attack on either Wes Anderson and George Clooney or their fans and perhaps all of the above. As a critic your job is to remain objective. Just because you might dislike most of the work from a particular actor or director does not mean their work should be dismissed entirely but that is exactly what this sounds like:

"Are there really fans out there waiting for the latest Wes Anderson film? And are there people clamoring for the mere sound of George Clooney’s voice? I don’t think so. So why do we have an animated film (stop/action animation) from Mr. Anderson that features the vocal work of Mr. Clooney? It is titled “The Talented Mr. Fox” and seems to be just another exercise in futility aimed at pleasing a very small and select group."

I was upset by your reviews when I thought you were just skewing the Tomatometer on RottenTomatoes.com and writing poorly written reviews for the random visitors of your website but when I saw your review posted on the Huffington Post website, I nearly fainted.

Today I went to see Rango and I personally loved it. This evening I stumbled upon your review of Rango and was shocked by not only your negative review but that in a review of just 430 words you could have multiple grammatical and factual errors. However, I would agree with your criticism that it is probably not a film for small children. I would go so far as to say that Rango is an animated film for adults that children might also enjoy and not the other way around.

Your review posted on your website has the headline "An Animated Lizard - So What!". Shouldn't that be a question mark instead of an exclamation point? Then your review that is linked to the Huffington Post website has the extremely clever headline "Rango: Depp Is Out of my Depth". You clearly have taken umbrage with Johnny Depp and I will clarify that not only am I not a Johnny Depp apologist but I think his recent movies have been poor.

There is a sentence in your review after detailing some of the major characters that states "There are various other characters but these are the main ones." as to explain that you did not list every single character. There is no reason to have that sentence in your review unless you are paid by the word. As a writer you should know that superfluous sentences or even words are detrimental to your work.

I might also recommend that you consult a Holt Handbook because there are several grammatical errors in your review. For example, your put the town name in quotes when there is no need and for some reason you put the rating G in quotes but not PG. You also wrote the following sentence "As the Mayor (Ned Beatty) of the town tells him..." when it should read "As the Mayor of the town (Ned Beatty) tells him..." and you actually don't have to capitalize mayor when there is no formal name or territory attached to it but since that is his character's name, you get a free pass.

As far as your factual errors; you wrote that there are no humans allowed in the town which is never stated or even implied. You also wrote that Rango declares himself the new sheriff when in reality it was the mayor who made him sheriff.

We obviously have some fundamental differences in our opinions on what makes a film good. You wrote on your website that 2007 was a bad year for movies and you listed There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men as two films that would have made your list for the worst movies of the year. Both time and respected film critics will back me up that those were two of the finest films released in the last decade. I respect your right to have an opinion (as wrong as it might be) because any art is subjective but I implore you to not go see the next film by George Clooney or Johnny Depp trying not to think of a clever headline to voice your displeasure but to watch the movie and judge it on the merits of that particular film.

P.S. For someone with your profile picture, you might not want to use the word "kiddies" multiple times in your review.

Sincerely,

Nolan

I'm Sick of Sequels: Part II

I watched the Academy Awards last weekend which I found predictable and disappointing for several reasons including James Franco, the wins by Tom Hooper & The King's Speech, and the losses for David Fincher and Roger Deakins. After the Academy Awards were over I began to look at the films set to be released this year and was deeply troubled by the number of sequels set to be released.

Don't get me wrong, I'll be the first to admit that The Godfather: Part II, The Dark Knight, The Empire Strikes Back, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, and even Wayne's World 2 were all very entertaining sequels and in some cases even better than their predecessors. However, the list of disappointing sequels that includes The Godfather: Part III, Batman & Robin, The Phantom Menace, The Two Jakes, Caddyshack II and The Matrix Reloaded is much longer.

Katie Holmes (left) replaced by Maggie Gyllenhaal

One of the inherit flaws with most sequels is that the story has already been told. Unless the writer set out to write a series of films the storyline always has to start with forced exposition that comes more naturally in the original film. My biggest frustration, and my only complaint about The Dark Knight, is when they make a sequel and swap out a member of the cast due to scheduling, a financial issue or death. As the comedian Matt Fulchiron said when his friend asked to him to watch Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, "I'm like 'No Swayze, no way-ze'". I don't care about the fact Katie Holmes is a terrible actress or that Terrence Howard is a money grubbing asshole, you make the sequel with the same actors or don't make it at all.

According to Box Office Mojo there will be a record 27 sequels released in 2011; which for you math majors comes out to one sequel every two weeks. This number does not include the remakes scheduled to be released this year and that appears to be in the double digits as well. This disturbing trend is likely to continue because the top five grossing films of last year where Toy Story 3, Alice in Wonderland, Iron Man 2, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. There isn't a single original film among the movies that collectively grossed $1.65 billion last year. I, for one, plan to let my voice be heard with my wallet. Much like I boycotted the Dodgers ownership last year by not spending any money on tickets or merchandise, I refuse to spend a penny on any sequels, prequels or remakes this year.

I urge you to join me because film is supposed to be about escapism and original storytelling, not recycled garbage. Instead of going to see Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son, treat yourself to an original and charming comedy like Cedar Rapids. If this current trend continues the only movies on the marquee in five years will be Transformers 7: Giant Fucking Robots and Paul Blart IV: Revenge of the Mallcop.

Most Anticipated Albums and Movies of 2011

We are now seven weeks into 2011 and there hasn't been a single film released that I've had any interest in seeing. Looking at the top films at the box office over the last couple of weeks has been like some sort of a sick joke and the top five films for this weekend had an average score of 32% on RottenTomatoes.com. Before the Mogwai and Radiohead albums that were released this week, things weren't much better on the music front. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see Arcade Fire win Album of the Year at the Grammy's last week for The Suburbs. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and there are several albums and films that I'm eagerly anticipating. Here are the 11 albums and 11 films I'm most looking forward to in 2011:


Albums:


11) Foo Fighters - Wasting Light (April 12th)
10) Friendly Fires - Pala (No Release Date)
9) Bon Iver - TBA (No Release Date)
8) Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (May 3rd)
7) This Will Destroy You - Tunnel Blanket (No Release Date)
6) Moving Mountains - TBA (No Release Date)
5) The Strokes - Angles (March 18th)
4) The Antlers - TBA (No Release Date)
3) M83 - TBA (No Release Date)
2) Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care (April 26th)
1) Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math (May 10th)


Films:

11) Now (September 30th)

10) The Muppets (December 25th)

9) Your Highness (April 8th)

8) Red State (October 19th)

7) The Hangover Part II (May 26th)
6) Immortals (November 11th)
5) Sucker Punch (March 25th)
4) The Tree of Life (May 27th)
3) Moneyball (September 23rd)

2) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (December 21st)

1) Super 8 (June 10th)

The Senior Circuit

I should clarify before I start that I'm biased when it comes to discussions between the two leagues in Major League Baseball. I grew up as a fan of the Dodgers and even though I wasn't born until almost ten years after Major Baseball Rule 6.10 (the designated hitter rule) was enacted, I believe myself to be a baseball purist who enjoys the game the way it has been played for over 100 years.

Myself at age 2

The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs more commonly referred to as just the National League, the NL or the Senior Circuit is the oldest existing professional sports league in the world. Founded in 1876, the National League started with eight teams and two of them, the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves, are still playing today (however, they were using different names).


There are just a few minor differences between the Major League Baseball leagues; the American League and the National League. The most significant difference is the aforementioned designated hitter rule.


Now I will admit that there is a difference between fantasy baseball and the actual game itself but when reviewing the for quality of players that is one of the easiest ways to research the players. Of the top 40 starting pitchers ranked by Yahoo! Sports, 25 of them are from the National League and 8 of the top 10 pitchers are in the senior circuit. Of the last five American League Cy Young award winners, three of them are now pitching in the National League.

Zack Greinke in the Brewers clubhouse

Over this last offseason, there have been several transactions to improve the pitching in the National League: Cy Young award winner Zack Greinke was traded from the Kansas City Royals to the Milwaukee Brewers and fellow Cy Young award winner Cliff Lee jumped ship from the Texas Rangers to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Cliff Lee reintroduced as a Phillie by GM Ruben Amaro

Last season I offered to bet anyone who would take me on that Roy Halladay would win the Cy Young and that the National League would win the All-Star Game. As it turned out, I won both bets and was able to profit well over $100. Not only did the National League win the All-Star Game but the NL team also won the World Series. This year will likely be no different as the balance of power has swung decidedly in favor on the National League and unless Albert Pujols takes his talents to Anaheim next year we can expect the same for many years to come.

A Case for Twitter

I don't write this for the general public who has already embraced twitter as evidenced by the nearly 200 million users. I'm trying to reach out to my friends and family members who say "I don't care what anyone had to eat for lunch" as an example of some mundane tweets they believe to be commonplace. Well guess what, the postings I see on Facebook are much more boring and mundane than almost anything I read on twitter. If someone you are following starts sending out tweets about being stuck in traffic or bored at work, you can simply unfollow that person.

Kelly Oxford with her baby

Twitter is a true democracy in which if you have interesting things to say or share, then people will start to follow you. A perfect example is the Canadian stay-at-mom Kelly Oxford who now has thousands of followers. She had no background as a professional comedian but her constantly hilarious tweets gained her significant notoriety and now over 150,000 people are waiting for her latest quip. If Kelly or anyone else posts something humorous, profound or otherwise worth sharing, you can simply 'retweet' the message to your followers which helps people like Kelly gain their following.


Twitter has recently made Korean its seventh language as it continues to grow internationally. During the recent civil unrest in Egypt there were reporters and protesters who were communicating on the ground with twitter. At the end of the Super Bowl earlier this month there was an estimated 4,000 tweets per second.

CBS Promo with William Shatner

There are many different uses for twitter. You might be aware of the CBS sitcom $h*! My Dad Says which was spawned from a twitter account. In 2009, Justin Halpern had moved back to San Diego, CA to live with his parents after failing to find success as a screenwriter. He started a twitter account (@shitmydadsays) and began documenting advice, words of wisdom and jokes that his father would tell him. The twitter account took off and in less than four months he had agreed to a book deal and began developing the sitcom. His twitter account now has over 2,000,000 followers.


I personally have two accounts. I have my standard account (@nolan82) in which I post random statements, facts, jokes and observations but I also have another account (@LOLmisused) which is strictly used to mock those who misuse the acronym 'LOL'.


The number of different people, businesses, websites and fake accounts you can follow are endless. As for myself, I mostly follow for friends, comedy, sports, music, movies and news. But there are people who are tweeting about technology, politics, fashion, religion and just about any other interest you might have.


Here is a quick list of 25 random tweets I saved as favorites:

• What was the story, medically, with Sloth? - @robdelaney

• Craigslist Killer movie? I'll wait till it comes out on DVD, then wait a little longer and buy it on Craigslist, bring it all full circle. - @SklarBrothers

• I must admit after all these years I'm hurt that Hank Williams Jr still questions my preparedness for football #MNF - @EricStangel 

• There are 1,428 people living in the United States with the name Edward Edwards. In a related story, there are 2,856 extremely lazy parents. - @nolan82

• I heard you can get paid to tweet. Great news. You know what else is great news? "Old Dogs" is now available on DVD. - @KindlerAndy

• As a lifelong Patriots fan, I hope they win, and as a compulsive gambler, I hope it's by less than 3 1/2 points. - @ConanOBrien

• Just saw a cop with a face tattoo which means somewhere there is a dead naked cop. - @seanoconnz

• "post office" describes steve carrell's past and future. - @thegooddavis

• Don't you wish there was a "Previously on..." recap segment for when you run into some people? - @JimGaffigan

• If I'm in a hurry, slow drivers are idiots. If I'm taking my time, fast drivers are assholes. - @rainnwilson

• The Tea Party is to politics, what 'Jersey Shore' is to television. - @kellyoxford

• I bet a lot of people who partied at Studio 54 are now 54 and living in a studio apartment. - @morgan_murphy

• I have such low self-esteem that I'm not the main character in my diary. - @jordanrubin

• Don't know why we have a national holiday celebrating Chris Columbus. Sure, I like Home Alone & Mrs. Doubtfire but c'mon it's a little much - @paulscheer

• Going to open up a self serving Vietnamese restaurant called "Go Pho Yourself" #phokingawesome - @healthbledger

• If you have a parrot and you don't teach it to say, "Help, they've turned me into a parrot", you are wasting everybody's time. - @juliasegal

• Eating sushi alone and the couple next to me insists on feeding one another. Chef, I'll have the eye roll. - @klickitatstreet

• The hours Dolly Parton's boss expected her to keep were really quite reasonable. - @stephenfalk

• I bought a piece of furniture last night, but when I woke up it was gone. Who knew they made one night stands!? - @joselynhughes

• Just finished list of things I want to start to accomplish but then lose interest in and quit before I die. I call it my "Fuck-It" list. @mlynchtweets

• Fox's John Gibson is discussing whether Beck/Palin 2012 or Palin/Beck 2012 is the stronger ticket. #WellPlayedMayans - @clydetombaugh

• I wonder if Southern Belles say "I do declare" a lot when they're doing their taxes. - @thesulk

• If you've seen one child on a leash, you've seen the mall. - @TheJamieLee

• Just visited my old stomping grounds, where I used to rhythmically dance atop coffee beans. - @douggpound

• Larry King's wife is accusing him of cheating on her. "Yeah, get in line," said Death. - @Nicole1067

If you didn't laugh out loud at least a few times reading those, then I think you're beyond help but if you're looking to keep yourself entertained while staying apprised of current events, then twitter is probably for you.