The Shield Finale

The end is near! I've got about seven hours to kill before paying witness to the close of one of the greatest television series of all-time. And if the last three episodes are any indication, this could go down as one of the most satisfying endings EVER. A couple seasons back, I almost wrote off the show when they killed off Lem. To me, he was the only sympathetic character and after he died, there was nobody else to care about.

Well, I was wrong. I care about where they all wind up. Will Mackey's deal fall through? Will Ronnie exact revenge before being cuffed? Will Shane end his family's misery by his own hand? Will Claudette completely snap? Will Dutch get taken down by a budding serial killer? Will Julien remember that he's gay?

The greatness of this show is that I really don't know how it's all going to shake out, but whatever the outcome, it will make perfect sense. There will be no last-second reversals, no out-of-character moments. Their arcs are galvanized; their actions will follow suit.

The build-up to tonight's show got me thinking of the finales of some of my other favorite series. Most of them ranged from disappointing (Seinfeld, The Sopranoes, Twin Peaks, St. Elsewhere) to somewhat satisfying (Arrested Development, The Wire, Oz). I can't recall one that was great.

I guess the perfect finale is impossible, especially when you are so invested in the show and its characters. First, you don't want it to end. Second, endings are hard to nail. Third, everyone has their own vision of how they think it should play out.

Tonight, I plan to pour myself a healthy glass of wine, kick back, and let the tension of the last seven seasons finally unravel.

It better not suck.

Getting Inside Hymn -- Reckoner

Reckoner
by Radiohead

Reckoner

You can't take it with you

Dancing for your pleasure

You are not to blame for

Bittersweet distractor

Dare not speak its name

Dedicated to all you all human beings
Because we separate like ripples on a blank shore (in rainbows)

Because we separate like ripples on a blank shore (in rainbows)
Reckoner

Take me with you

Dedicated to all you all human beings

Huh??

I'm not even going to pretend that I know what these lyrics are about. I can take a stab at what the lyrics are supposed to elicit: detachment, yearning and loss. Then again, that description can sum up the entire Radiohead catalog.

Before getting into the song, I think I should first give my take on Radiohead as a band. My history with them dates back to about 1995, when The Bends came out. The ensuing love affair can be explained in three words: Fake. Plastic. Trees. Upon hearing Thom Yorke's beautiful, powerfully vulnerable voice on that track, I was hooked. The entire album, in my opinion, is near perfect. The sound was a haunting mix of lavish layers and grinding rawness. It was the church and the sump behind it. This contrast connected with me to the degree that The Bends became a defining album in my musical life.

Their follow-up, 1998's OK Computer, took my appreciation to a new level. Even more isolated and ambitious than The Bends, OK Computer pretty much blew me away. As a whole, the album isn't as consistent as its predecessor, but the highs are unparalelled. Songs like Paranoid Android, Let Down, Karma Police and No Surprises play down in an endless loop in the part of my brain that I like to occasionally visit (but wish I could live in). So, it's fair to say that Radiohead became a very important band to me.

Yet, I haven't bought a Radiohead album since.

It's part of my emotional makeup to try to preserve what I hold most dear. To me, once something reaches that exalted level, there's no place left to go but down. For the same reason, I haven't seen a Wes Anderson movie since The Royal Tannenbaums. Or been to a strip club since a marathon lap dance from a Russian named Svetlana (though that was probably just her stripper name).

So, I'm a huge Radiohead fan that chooses to idolize them from a safe distance. And that's not to say that I avoid their post-OK Computer stuff. I just don't actively seek it out. They've created some really good music in the last ten years, with a few songs that rival some of their best. But that self-preservation mechanism inside me refused to let the music all the way through.

That was until I heard Reckoner.

From the crashing cymbals to the haunting bassline to the ethereal falsetto of Yorke's voice, Reckoner encapsulates what makes Radiohead great to me: a juxtaposition of joy and sadness, celebration and lament. You want to dance and hide beneath the covers at the same time. The lyrics, usually a key component to a great song, are inconsequential. It's more of a soundscape than a song. The sonic layers are transe-inducing, allowing it to seep in without your knowledge.

The best way to experience this song is at full blast through your headphones. And again to Radiohead's rare abilities, you can listen to it in any given setting and get your desired outcome. As a workout song, it kicks ass. As a wind down song, it soothes you. As a background song, it provokes thought. If songs were relationships, Reckoner could be like your best friend.

In actuality, Reckoner reunited me with a close friend that I lost touch with for ten years. It's nice to reconnect, even if only for a few minutes.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go out and rent The Life Aquatic on the way to the strip club.

The Hold Steady - Terminal 5 - New York City - 11/7/08

I know this is over a week old and The Hold Steady are probably in Boise, Idaho by now (that's exactly where they are...I looked it up.) but it's better late than never.

Terminal 5 twice in a three day span. After The Decemberists show I was really wishing The Hold Steady were playing in a different venue. I'm not going to try to compare The Decemberists to The Hold Steady. Two completely different kind of shows. People at Decemberists shows cry when Colin Meloy breaks into a soft Fleetwood Mac cover (I saw pictures). People at a Hold Steady show jump up and down for the entire show singing along with the band.

Troufazz was along for this one. Lucky for me I was at Terminal 5 two days earlier so at least we had an example of "where not to stand" for this one. We didn't get there in time for The Drive By Truckers opting to achieve the perfect concert buzz at a different drinking establishment. I didn't have much of an interest either.

When we got to the venue we went on the complete opposite side from where I was the last time and kind of snuck right in front of a guy who was easily 7 feet tall...easily. We got to press our way pretty close to the stage without blocking anyone's view which is nice considering they probably waited through the whole Drive By Trucker set to get a good spot for The Hold Steady.

As far as the show goes, The Hold Steady are one of the best live bands touring today. There is no dull moments in the set. Even when they do play one of their ballads, they are good, and the next song brings the level right back up. Out of all the people in the place having a good time, it was easy to see who was having the most fun...Craig Finn. There is absolutely nothing choreographed about his performance. What ever herky-jerky movements he's doing on stage is just exactly what he's feeling at that moment. It's awesome to watch.

If I had to pick some highlights they would be Arms and Hearts followed right after by Massive Nights. Your Little Hoodrat Friend is always fun and How A Resurrection Really Feels was a good closer.

The Decemberists - Terminal 5 - New York City - 11/5/08

I'm not a huge Decemberists fan. I only own two of their albums and still haven't decided where I land on them. I do know that the songs I like, I really like, but sometimes it's tough to get through a whole album without skipping a little.

It was my first time at Terminal 5 and off the bat it was not one of my favorite venues. It was pretty crowded by the time we got in. We settled in a little off to the side underneath a big overhang which is underneath the balcony. It was a decent enough vantage point to see the stage but the sound was terrible from there.

From what I've heard before going in was that The Decemberists are pretty chatty on stage. Especially when it comes to politics. Being that it was the day after the election, I was afraid they would be over chatty about it. My fears were confirmed as soon as the Barack Obama lifesize cardboard cutout was brought on stage. Now The Decemberists and I our on the same side when it comes to politics but that's not what I go to concerts for. I don't want to be chanting "Yes We Can" while helping a crowd surfing cardboard Obama around Terminal 5 between every song.

All that being said, a Decemberists concert for me is the same as an album. Valerie Plame, The Engine Driver, We Both Go Down Together, O Valencia, 16 Military Wives, The Mariner's Revenge Song and Sons and Daughters were all really good but there were obvious breaks in the set for me to go get a beer without missing anything...like The Perfect Crime #2. That song sucks.