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Runner’s diary, Thursday
It was a bit hot out today, but that didn’t stop me from making a four-mile trek. The issue, as always, is traffic and the aggressiveness of drivers — particularly on Ridge Road, where there are no shoulders. It was worse than usual this morning, mostly because I started out a bit earlier than usual, so I had to do a dance along the macadam’s edge, hopping from blacktop to grass and back depending on the flow of traffic. Luckily, the drivers were relatively sane this morning — unlike most days when I have to play chicken with fiery-eyed lunatics who like to bear down on anything not in something that ways two tons.
iPod: a podcast of Bill Moyers Journal that featured a discussion of the conservative movement.
Speaking of music: Bruce and R.E.M.
I mentioned in my running post that I was listening to some iTunes exclusives — three, in fact, but two that are worth noting:
Bruce Springsteen, Magic Tour Highlights: Four songs w/accompanying videos and proceeds going to the Danny Federici Melanoma Fund.
Consider the track listing:
1. “Always A Friend” (performed with Alejandro Escovedo)
Recording Date: 04/14/2008 (Houston, Texas)
2. “The Ghost of Tom Joad” (performed with Tom Morello)
Recording Date: 04/07/2008 (Anaheim, California)
3. “Turn Turn Turn” (performed with Roger McGuinn)Recording Date:
04/23/2008 (Orlando, Florida)
4. “4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” (Danny Federici’s final
performancewith the E Street Band)
Recording Date: 03/20/2008 (Indianapolis, Indiana)
The $7.99 I spent on iTunes would have been worth it for any of the songs, but all four are gems. Escovedo, for readers who do not know, is one of the great Texas country-rock songwriters and one of my favorites from what is sometimes called the alt-country or Americana movement. Bruce and Alejandro let it all hang out and have a great time on the tune.
R.E.M., Live from London: a nine-song set recorded at the Apple iTunes Store in London includes tracks from Accelerate and several old chestnuts (“West of the Fields” and “Auctioneer” are real surprises, along with “Fall on Me” and “Man on the Moon”). Quite a great listen.
Also, check out the extended version of Accelerate (at Amazon, iTunes or elsewhere), which includes two torrid songs not on the CD (along with some live material): “Redhead Walking” and “Airliner” (a driving instrumental).
Runner’s diary, Wednesday
A long day so far — computer acting up and some difficulty with the headlines. It seems like this morning’s run happened on a different day.
But it was a today, a beautiful morning, in fact, with a light breeze and a high and hot sun. I ran four and then did 90 pushups and 45 crunches.
Music: several iTunes exclusives — Bruce Springsteen, Magic Tour Highlights; R.E.M., Accelerate extras; and R.E.M., Live from London.
Inflation song (live and in concert)
Dig this crazy ticket stub — from The Police web site. I attended this show way back in the day (a great show, as the review says) with my brother (then just 13), Annie (six years before our wedding) and her cousin Gerry (who almost had her ticket swiped by some guy running by. The police (the uniformed, law-enforcement police) stepped in and righted things.
I bring this up now, because Annie, Mark (brother), his wife Ana and I will be attending the Police show at PNC Arts Center on Aug. 3. Cost of tickets for section 405: $96.25, plus fees and parking. I still have the Ticketron (yes, Ticketron) stub from the 1983 show, pinned to my bulletin board — cost: $16 per seat for somewhere in the upper stratosphere of the soon-to-be-defunct Shea Stadium.
That’s a 500 percent hike.
I also attended this show, at Liberty Park racetrack in Philadelphia, which was an amazing festival with the Specials and the Go-Gos and featured songs from the then-unreleased Ghost in the Machine. Cost: $15.
Hank Kalet 