Latest Rock n' Roll Movie Attended/Review

BANDITS

   
Sample the song "Catch Me"     Lyrics/Guitar Tab for "Catch Me"

One of the great things about living in Los Angeles is that when movies open only at selected theaters, there's usually a theater nearby. That means being able to see a movie that I really want to see without waiting too long, which is the case with Bandits, a German film. So hopefully I can generate some buzz for this non-mainstream film. I love when music and movies come together, but this movie stands out because of the talent (the actresses themselves perform their music and for the most part wrote it) and because of the great songs which perfectly capture the moment on-screen. Luckily for me, they sang their songs in English. This "Thelma & Louise" female-bonding movie is about four women, convicted felons, who meet in prison, form a rock band, and desire freedom to play their music and be heard. Luna (lead singer/guitarist - played by Jasmin Tabatabai), Emma (drummer - played by Katja Riemann), Angel (bass/guitarist - played by Nicolette Krebitz) and Marie (keyboardist - played by Jutta Hoffmann) eventually escape and go on the run trying to evade the police, but not wanting to go quietly, they make publicity videos and perform concerts, seeing their music become an underground sensation. I highly recommend both the movie and the soundtrack!

BERLIN/THE GO-GO'S AT THE SANTA BARBARA BOWL (7/9/99)

This was definitely the best concert of my life! Simply awesome. I'm such a huge fan of both Berlin and The Go-Go's, so I was singing and dancing along to every song. The Santa Barbara Bowl is such a cozy, outdoor venue, and I was lucky enough to have tickets for the lawn, close enough to really feel the energy vibes coming from the stage. Terri Nunn, as a highlight, besides climbing on top of the amps, walked into the audience on one of her songs and let fans meet her up close. Unfortunately, I missed out by about two or three rows of people. Berlin opened with "Masquerade" and continued to perform crowd pleasers like "The Metro," "Take My Breath Away," "No More Words," "Sex, (I'm A...)" along with some great, new songs. Then, with the crowd's long awaited anticipation, The Go-Go's took the stage and opened to loud cheers with "Surfing and Spying." Belinda, Jane, Charlotte, Kathy, and Gina all looked great. They performed two encores and performed about 24 songs, including all their hits, and a punk version of the love song from Titanic which drumbeat led directly into "Johnny are You Queer," in addition to a new version of "Cool Jerk" during which they joked about getting older and the need for breast implants, tummy tucks, liposuction, etc. I really hope The Go-Go's will remain a band long after this reunion tour, so that we can look forward to perhaps a new album.

The Blake Babies - God Bless the Blake Babies (2001)

Tracks:
1. Disappear
2. Nothing Ever Happens
3. Baby Gets High
4. Waiting For Heaven
5. Until I Almost Died
6. Picture Perfect
7. When I See His Face
8. What Did I Do
9. Brain Damage
10. Civil War
11. Invisible World
12. On

Wow, my page was lacking an update...I had the Tori Amos album up here awhile, but I've been listening to a lot of music since then. Anyway, the newest album that I bought is certainly worth a listen. The Blake Babies reunited for this one (I think it's been like 10 yrs. since they split)...Juliana Hatfield, John Strohm, and Freda Love Smith. Evan Dando of the Lemonheads wrote track 9 and is a guest performer on this album. Gotta love those Juliana/Evan duets. Anyway, I'm just getting into The Blake Babies now...this is my very first album that I have of theirs, but I'll change that real soon. I am a big fan of Juliana and have all her albums. Love the guitar melodies and all the songs are catchy, more on the ballad side of the spectrum. My favs include Disappear, Until I Almost Died, When I See His Face (written by Freda with nice vocals by Freda as well). This is a relaxing album...put it on, sit back and enjoy!