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BATTLESTAR GALACTICA FINALE = PU~

March 22nd, 2009

For several years Chocolate Snowflake and I have been riveted to the television set over the BattleStar Galactica series. I can count on one hand the programs that she and I watch with devotional religion, better known as DVR, and BSG is one of those shows (FYI – The Office, 30 Rock, SNL and Anthony Bourdain FTW). I was a little melancholy that this was thre final season of BSG. The show has been more than a little entertaining and exciting considering the premise is simply just a soap opera on a space submarine.

There have been real life themes addressed on this program that transcend the overall plotlines and make you forget that you are watching a science fiction program. I’ve discussed the movie BladeRunner here on this site often. BSG picks up on that theme of what exactly constitutes humanity. We are confronted with characters that are machines in theory, but they respond to situations with emotion that is raw and palpable to that of any “human”. Racism was laid bare and dissected when the viewer had to consider the differences between the human and Cylon perspectives.

“Why can’t we all just get along?”
– RODNEY KING

The BSG finale was going to the answer to this question. The answer was going to lie inside of the mind of a child. Isn’t that where the universe is always the most majestic. Children don’t understand shit like racism or recessions. I thought the writers would bring us to this conclusion but instead they gave us a wild and meaningless shootout and a final thirty minutes of misplaced sentimentality. WTF?!? I have not spent the last four years of my life following this show to be let down like this.

BattleStar Galactica should be ashamed with itself for treating its viewers to such a lazy and morose finale. If I had know they would finish their production in this manner I would have never invested a minute in tuning in this season. It was like getting 24 hours of constant intense foreplay only to find out that the lady spooning your sachs had her vagina removed. At least the Cylons Boomer and Number 6 had operable vaginas.

Posted in 5000, Fanboy Ish, Hollyweird, Lust = Love, Social Upheaval, The Addict, Weird Science | 9 Comments »

The Roots Jam Session…

March 21st, 2009

roots highline

MEL D. COLE @ VillageSlum on the lens

Going to see the Roots Jam Sessions at the Highline Ballroom is something like going to church mixed with going on a safari. Hear me out on this one…

When you go to church you know that there will be some part in the service where someone gets touched by the holy spirit. They will start chanting and speaking in tongues and then breakdancing. At least, that is how it pops off at the churches that I go to.

The Roots at the Highline Ballroom are in their natural element. These dudes are performers of the highest caliber. Nothing slows down the Roots movement at the Highline. There are no commercial interruptions or nervous TV hosts. There is only the jam.

Earlier in the week I was treated to a performance at Carnegie Hall from the Roots and some other notables. This was my first time in Carnegie Hall and Chocolate Snowflake selected the best seats. It’s incredible to watch these dudes transform themselves from the staid surroundings of Carnegie Hall into the loose fittings of the Highline.

I don’t bring C.S. with me to the Highline because I am usually getting too loose my damn self. This show was courtesy of the people at OKayPlayer. Earlier that evening I was treated to the bar courtesy of the corporate card of ONSmash.com and Capitol Records. So as you can imagine, I was quite loose.

The Highline Ballroom event is about as smooth as you would want a concert to be. The deejay that warms you up plays classic rap, rock, funk, soul and R & B. The Roots don’t play that diva shit and they get to business early. Black Thought warms up his vocal chords while the band flexes its musical muscles in the early minutes. Buckle your seatbelts because the spaceship is about to take off. The Roots are similar to the crew of the starship Enterprise. Maybe that is why they call the lead guitar Captain Kirk.