“Could you tell me in 3 words or more?”, a Colonel with a conscience, and a little inDiggnation (or is that inDiggestion?)

Had a chance to check out the Kaiser Chiefs/Walkmen show at the 9:30 Club with fellow SNFC’er Brock. His comparison of opening band The Annuals to the New Pr0nographers is an apt one, although they hit me with a strong Southern influence, a la MMJ. The evening started off on a good note, with a chatty, over-caffeinated Chiefette keeping us entertained despite the cold. The Annuals inserted themselves onto my list of “Bands I Need to Check Out”. The Walkmen played a short, uninspired, rather workmanlike set. Given that it was the second show in the tour, vocalist Hamilton Leithauser was in fine vocal form, but the band played a handful of selections from A Hundred Miles Off. I was happy to hear Louisiana, but overall I was resoundingly disappointed in their set. I had built up the band’s performance by saying that every prior time I had seen them, they were either fantastic or fantastically high, but always entertaining. Thanks a fucking lot, guys.

The Kaiser Chiefs, mercifully, did not disappoint. In my post-concert glee, I purchased both Employment and Yours Truly, Angry Mob from the iTMS. While I enjoyed both albums, the Kaiser Chiefs recorded sound doesn’t hold a bloody candle to their live energy. Not being a huge fan of theirs prior to the show (unlike Brock), I approached the show with a fresh set of ears. My only prior exposure to the Chiefs, besides I Predict a Riot, was their contribution to the Give Listen Help compilation sold at Urban Outfitters (which I didn’t like). Live, Angry Mob came across as a raucous, Chumbawamba-style romp with a dash of Pet Shop Boys-esque post-irony. Na Na Na Na Naa sounded more the Scissor Sisters on meth trying to cover the Cold War Kids, if that makes any sense (and it’ll annoy Brock if he reads it). Modern Way sounded at turns like the Church, Echo & the Bunnymen, and the Smiths. Lead singer Ricky Wilson pogoed madly around the stage for much of the set with a cowbell, confirming that Gene Frenkle was just ahead of his time, man. The highlight of the show was Wilson crowd surfing across the stage to the bar near the end of the set.

So I’m about a week and a half late on this story, but Lt. Col. Stuart Couch is my Hero of the Week. For those too lazy to follow the link, Lt. Col. Couch volunteered to prosecute terrorists being illegally detainedheld at GTMO. When he discovered that the only evidence against Mohamedou Slahi, an organizer of the infamous Hamburg al-Qaida cell, was obtained illegally, he declined to prosecute Mr. Slahi. The decision was made tougher by the fact that a former Marine buddy of Couch’s had been the pilot on the plane hijacked by members of the Hamburg cell. Although it will likely cost him any future as a military lawyer, I have to tip my hat to Lt. Col. Couch for remaining true to his convictions.

I don’t waste my time with Digg, but this is priceless.

And my one-sentence movie reviews:

Reign Over Me – another great performance by Adam Sandler (not to mention a fine one by Don Cheadle) in an otherwise uneven film

Shooter – you knew it was over when they killed his dog

The Namesake – a beautifully shot film, albeit one that could have used a little more time in the editing booth. I was a little shocked at how negatively both of Gogol’s romantic interests in this film are portrayed, especially given the fact that the film’s director is a woman.  OK, that was two sentences, but I felt strongly about that second point.  Despite this, you should run and see this film.  It’s a very sweet, thoughtful generation-spanning love story.  The love of a man and a woman…the love of parents and their children…and a love of home, whether the land of your birth, the land of your ancestors, or an adopted home half a world away.