Mobile
Opinion
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Opinion Looking back on Nirvana's "Nevermind"
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 8:45 AM
As announcements of the 20th anniversary of Nirvana's Nevermind began to pop up — it was released on Sept. 24, 1991 — I remembered back to when I first heard the band's music.
I was heading into my senior year of high school when Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video was just starting to hit the airwaves in 1991. In those days, you always got your music through MTV first — they still played videos the majority of the time instead of constant repeats of orange-toned Jersey Shore personalities and pregnant teenagers.
I remember hearing the song and enjoying the video — images of cheerleaders with anarchy symbols on their tanktops and free-for-all mosh pits breaking out in a gymnasium — but also wondering what the hell Kurt Cobain was singing. Something about an albino mosquito and his libido…? I wasn’t quite sure, but I didn’t really care, either. For so many people, the song’s energy summed up the attitude of the time — a sense of rebellion was needed in music.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Opinion iFrogz vs. Ultimate Ears 700
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Mon, Sep 12, 2011 at 11:07 AM
A couple of weeks ago, a pair of Wicked ear buds that I got last year and reviewed met their demise as the connection became frayed and they no longer worked.
As I sought out a replacement, I thought it might make sense to compare the high and low end of ear buds by checking out a $10 pair of iFrogz from Walmart and a $150 pair of Ultimate Ears 700.
First off, from a quality standpoint, there's definitely a difference. The iFrogz cord is flimsy and rubbery while Ultimate Ears offers a more secure connection and sleeker feel to its cord. The buds themselves are smaller with the Ultimate Ears and there are also more options when it comes to fit.
Ultimate Ears provides five different sizes of covers along with a protective case and some foam tips. Both pairs offer noise reduction, though a better fit with Ultimate Ears, thanks to the size options, gives more reduction than the iFrogz. The sound reduction is enough with the UE700 that I couldn't hear co-workers talking around me, even with music on a low volume.
But what about the sound?
Friday, August 19, 2011
Opinion / Jeff Hahne Don't expect a Britney Spears review...
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Fri, Aug 19, 2011 at 12:36 PM
I've been asked a few times recently if I'm planning on reviewing the upcoming Britney Spears concert at Time Warner Cable Arena on Aug. 25. The answer is "no." And here's why...
She lip syncs. Yep, it's that simple. I don't care if she dances her ass off (which she doesn't anymore), the simple fact is that she doesn't sing live. It's one step above watching Milli Vanilli.
Spears has the audacity to charge her fans anywhere from $38 to more than $300 for a ticket and then simply dance around the stage and do some costume changes.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Opinion / Jeff Hahne Remembering Jerry Garcia
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 10:30 AM
On this day, Aug. 9, back in 1995, the music world lost one of its best with the death of Jerry Garcia and things haven't been the same since...
The Grateful Dead was a touring band and their fans followed them everywhere. The band could play a week of dates in New York City and never play the same song twice.
I saw The Grateful Dead with Garcia at the helm a handful of times in the early '90s and, before you ask, yes, I became a fan before "Touch of Grey" came out.
It was my brother who introduced me to them. He was (and still is) a huge fan and would play Dead CDs on the stereo in his room all the time, blanketing the upstairs of our New Jersey house with the bluegrass-infused style of Garcia's riffs, the warmth and age of his vocals, the jams of the band as a whole.
At first, I wrote the band off as slow and sleepy folk music, but when I actually sat down and listened, I quickly became absorbed by it.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Opinion Update: Wicked ear buds
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Fri, Jul 22, 2011 at 12:29 PM
So, almost exactly one year ago to the day, I received some Wicked ear buds and reviewed them. They've been great — solid quality music and comfortable to wear.
I must now report an update and say — the ear buds have died. I guess countless times of unplugging them from my computer has killed them. The wire has frayed and now they no longer transmit sound...
R.I.P. ear buds. You served me well, but only for a year.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Videos / Opinion Katy Perry knows how to party
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Tue, Jun 21, 2011 at 1:31 PM
Katy Perry has released the video for her song "Last Friday Night." It's a terrible piece of pop crap that appears to celebrate the art of the hangover, regretful sex and other interesting tidbits of life. Yep, this is the kind of stuff that young teenagers will listen to for ideas about what to do this weekend and then "do it all again."
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
News / Concert Announcement / Opinion / Jeff Hahne Cover bands hit Alive After Five schedule
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 12:02 PM
No big surprise here... the first five acts for Alive after Five have been announced and, yep, they're all cover bands. Craptastic.
The first four weeks will be held at the Wachovia Plaza and feature a quartet of "party bands" — Liquid Pleasure on April 7, 80z Enuff on April 14, Hot Sauce on April 21 and Love Tribe on April 28.
The event will head to the Epicentre on May 5 with Alternate Take, described as a "party band" that's also available for weddings. Great...
How about a schedule that reads something like - Simplified, Matrimony, Overmountain Men, The New Familiars, Eyes of the Elders and Harvard... I can give the names of 50 more local bands that should be playing instead of the usual suspects. Something instead of the same crap year after year after year. Give local bands some exposure and some money in their pocket and support originality.
Actually, I need to find out who does the booking for this. I think they'll be interested in my new TV show. It's going to be called "Einsfeld." I'm now casting the parts of Egorge, Yerrj, Lainee and Ramerk. It's basically a show about nothing... In one episode, it's all centered around waiting for a table at a Chinese restaurant. Yeah, you've heard it before, and it won't be as good as the original, but there will be different people playing the characters, so I'm sure you'll be interested.
I'm also looking for six people who can star in another comedy called "Buddies," kinda like "Friends" — a lot of it will take place in a coffee shop. The best part is that the scripts are already written - we just need to find a location and some cameras.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
On TV / Awards / Videos / Opinion / News Britney Spears 'performs' on Good Morning America
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 10:30 AM
Did you catch Britney Spears on Good Morning America on Tuesday morning? It was quality entertainment — and I mean that in a laugh-out-loud sense.
Here's what's sad. The show sold out in 14 minutes. So people had to buy tickets to this, just like any other Britney Spears concert. And just like any other Britney Spears concert, she lip synced the entire thing. Known to lip sync so that she can focus on her dancing, Spears could hardly get her ass moving this morning. Maybe it was the early hour, maybe she's just out of shape.
She sat on boxes and gave them a light humping. She threw a hand in the air and waved it around like she kinda didn't care too much... Her panties hung out of her leotard. It was a hot mess with the emphasis on mess.
Her fans won't care because they're fans. They'll say I don't know what I"m talking about and that I'm a hater. The fact is — they should care. They should be outraged. They should want to see someone sing and give it their all instead of acting like a puppet or like a 5-year-old putting on a Britney Spears impression for a child's talent contest. It was weak, lacked emotion and showed what's completely wrong with pop stars these days.
Dear Britney, why don't you give a shit? Oh yeah, because you're rich and your fans are paying you and not complaining. Your new album, Femme Fatale, is out today and I hope sales are poor. Not so that you don't earn money, but maybe to inspire you to offer something worth a damn.
\
\
Monday, February 14, 2011
On TV / Awards / Opinion / News 53rd Annual Grammy results
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 10:38 AM
Wow, what a night! First off, big congratulations to The Avett Brothers for a fantastic performance and great job backing up Bob Dylan!
Who wasn't surprised by some of the night's biggest awards? Lady Antebellum received the award for Song and Record of the Year, Esperanza Spalding won Best New Artist and Arcade Fire won Album of the Year. Never would have guessed it!
Here were my predictions. Overall, I got a terrible 39 right out of the 109 categories. Some of my "second choices" were correct; and I also oddly talked myself out of some winners... Oh well. With so many surprises in the main categories, I'm not shocked by my results.
\
Friday, February 11, 2011
On TV / Awards / Opinion / News 3rd Annual Grammy Predictions
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Fri, Feb 11, 2011 at 12:04 PM
It's that time of year again, when I bore you with a long list of Grammy Award predictions. That's right — I give my thoughts on all 109 categories.
In 2009, there were predictions for 110 categories. I only got 49 right, but would have had 61 if I went with first instincts.
In 2010, there were predictions for 109 categories. I did a little better as I got 52 correct.
Now, without further ado, here are this year's selections and comments:
Record Of The Year — "Empire State of Mind" was released in 2009, so it shouldn't even be included here. It would be hilarious to hear someone say, "The winner is, 'Fuck You'!"
-
Live Review: Soweto Gospel Choir
Review of Soweto Gospel Choir's performance in Charlotte.
-
Antiseen plays Tremont Music Hall with the Belmont Playboys (2/25/12)
-
Charlotte singer-songwriter Bart Lattimore releases the ultimate 'dad' video 1
Lattimore and Modern Primitives drummer Phillip Gripper collaborate on "That's What Daddies Do."
