Joe Blogs

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Looking Together In The Same Direction

Image by ToastyKen via Flickr

I attended an engagement party this evening, two good friends have decided that they're prepared to take their relationship to the next level.

Admittedly, having a child together probably enhanced their commitment to each other a while ago. I used to be really close to the girl although our relationships with other people have created distance which is understandable. We still have a good accord and I regularly participate in arranged girly nights out!

I'm currently involved with another friend's cousin, he doesn't approve and as he was at the party she wasn't able to attend for me to introduce her to everyone. I could have brought my children as well because there were several families there but I wasn't sure how late the event would finish. It was good to see everyone, especially since I became the pariah of the group. It appears that any holiday to Las Vegas has been abandoned though, available funds being the deciding factor. I was actually beginning to anticipate the attempted kidnapping of Mike Tyson's tiger. Found out that my brother's band the Internal Skars are at the same venue in a few weeks so will definitely add that to what has become a busy calendar over the next few weeks..

Friday, January 29, 2010

Ellie Goulding at Dingwalls

Image by joedawson via Flickr

Dingwalls is a venue adjacent to Camden Lock in London. It houses bars, cafes, clubs and it is one of the city's best known live music venues. As part of MTV’s Brand New 10 For 10, MTV have hand picked the ten most exciting new acts to watch out for in 2010.

The 10 For 10 promotion culminates in a series of MTV Presents live shows and we were at Dingwalls to see performances from Ellie Goulding, Tinie Tempah and We Have Band! Ellie Goulding was the headline act and she follows closely in the footsteps of 2009 successes Little Boots and Florence and the Machine.

Becoming a pop star in 2010 is no easy game to play when the underground has gone overground and the music industry has been relegated to sieving the web, a task every bit as difficult as it sounds, in order to appoint its Next Big Thing.

We arrived at Camden shortly after 7pm, a typical London evening with the reliable London Underground system and the predictable rain. Influenced to purchase Indian tonic water; the cold weather conditions matched the taste being distinctively bitter. Ellie Goulding hasn't yet released a single, but the anticipation for her live performances was evident as she finds herself packing out venues.

There were many photographers in attendance to capture the MTV event and we managed to negotiate the crowds to spectate from the stage area. The opening act We Have Band started the proceedings and I was familiar with them from Last.fm recommendations. Mainly through Bloc Party and their single You Came Out! The objective for the entire night was to acquire set lists and I achieved that and a drumstick from We Have Band.

From the same underground scene as chart-toppers Tinchy Stryder, Taio Cruz and N-Dubz; Tinie Tempah has energy and he's ready to break into the mainstream. Pass Out has emerged as a potential hit and Invincible provoked crowd participation. We even managed to receive a shout-out which was impressive and after his performance we secured the set list and 'borrowed' his jacket! He was unaware that he had left this behind and we made sure this was returned. We also provided footage from our evening on his video-recorder and my partner posed wearing the loaned jacket to show our gratitude.

Ellie Goulding is currently recording her debut album with Mark Ronson super producers Starsmith and has been tipped for greatness. Introducing a sound dubbed "folktronica", Goulding combines pop, folk and electro, even before she has released an album; her voice and distinct sound are destined to become synonymous with 2010. Opening with Guns and Horses, the delivery had significantly more impact than the earlier mentioned Indian tonic water. I wasn't familiar with the tracks that followed until Midlake cover Roscoe was performed. Then the highlight of the set Under The Sheets which incited a singalong, Wish I Stayed followed and the set closed with Starry Eyed which is one of my favourite songs at the moment. Amazing night and can't wait to hear further material from all of the artists!

Set lists -

We Have Band

1. Hear It In The Cans
2. Love, What You Doing?
3. How To Make Friends
4. Buffet
5. Centrefolds And Empty Screens
6. Oh!
7. You Came Out
8. Divisive
9. Honeytrap

Tinie Tempah

1. I'm Hot
2. Pass Out
3. Love Resurrection
4. Invincible
5. Tears
6. Biker Babe
7. Written In The Stars

Ellie Goulding

1. Guns And Horses
2. Every Time You Go
3. This Love
4. The Writer
5. Swimming Pool
6. Roscoe
7. Under The Sheets
8. Wish I Stayed
9. Starry Eyed

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

The Device Consumers Deserve, But Not The One They Need

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

After months of speculation and hype; Apple announced the highly anticipated iPad as the best way to experience the web, email, photos and video. Hands down? Really?! To start the iPad’s browser does not support Adobe Flash, the foundation of rich media on the web today. The transition to HTML5 and CSS 3 for rich web content has started but until it does, it’s ridiculous to call this device the best way to experience the web.

The device features built-in apps that were designed from the ground up to take advantage of the large Multi-Touch screen. This apparently allows users to do things with them that we can’t do on any other device. Although, multi-tasking wasn't considered important and the lack of SDCards, USB ports and a camera is also questionable. Even with the exclusion of these features, the device still has a role -

Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the iPad as a device to fill the gap between smartphones like the iPhone and high-end laptops like the MacBook and MacBook Pro. He said there needs to be a middle device, but it needs to be better than the alternatives at what it does. Netbooks currently fill the void, but according to Jobs, “netbooks aren’t better at anything.” He and his colleagues at Apple believe that the iPad is.

The iPad isn't a replacement for anything, it's not a creative device instead it's all about consuming content. Through audio, video, applications, books and the web, Apple wants us to devour content on the iPad. Downloading our entertainment fix from it's successful iTunes Store. What would Tyler Durden say [sic] "We're consumers. We are by-products of a lifestyle obsession". He's right! I'm impressed with the iPad, but I feel it could have offered so much more! I have decided to wait for the next iteration, much like my stance with the iPhone. I expect then the developer community to have adjusted to the device, providing innovation, applications and services for the device.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Google Voice Available Through The iPhones Browser

Image by marcopako  via Flickr

Google Voice is a service that makes using your current phone much better! Providing one personal phone number that rings all of your existing phones when people call, all of your voicemail in one inbox with unlimited online storage and free voicemail transcripts sent to your phone and email.

You may remember the furore that followed the Google Voice application being blocked by Apple but the service is now finally on the iPhone via its browser. Available through Safari as a Web application, and Apple can’t really do anything about this latest development. Google Voice is available for both the iPhone and Palm Pre/Pixi by navigating to the mobile Website at http://m.google.com/voice. The Web app is built on HTML5 with most of the functionality of the original iPhone app, although the contacts are stored in the cloud as the service is unable to access the phone contacts. What's impressive is that it shows what can be achieved through mobile applications.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

What's To Gain With Being Honest

Image by fofurasfelinas via Flickr

It was my son's football presentation yesterday and he received a certificate for participation and an award for being in the team that won the tournament! I would like to get him into a team where he participates in a competitive league but will probably wait until next season. The same goes for horse riding but that's expensive and difficult to find the time. They enjoy there hobbies though and that's what's important!

In the evening I decided to venture out with friends and my partner. She hadn't experienced what we have become accustomed to on a Saturday night before so we were like her tour guides. For some reason the nightclub operate a policy where they let every female into the venue and the gentlemen have to queue for hours. This prompted a reaction - that actually worked - as I told the bouncers that I would need to accompany her in the queue as she was pregnant. Unfortunately I abandoned everyone else for this but those are the breaks.. What made this story even better was later in the evening the bouncer passed her whilst she was consuming a vodka mixer and in her defence she informed them that it was only water! The evening consisted of the usual blur, dancing and random conversations. I actually prefer the refurbishments to the venue and it's a decent night albeit bright with the white decor, same time next week then..

Friday, January 22, 2010

There's Always One

Image by rpeschetz via Flickr

In an attempt to live life to the full, I have considered eating Go-Cat. They say his name is Bobo: a cat who lives for adventure – the master of the rooftops high above our crowded streets. Sounds like the ingredients for an action fuelled lifestyle.

What would Spiderman say? Especially after last weekend, the impromptu live session which received a perplexed reaction from friends and relatives. Primarily, why?! Video status updates are great fun though and provide an easy way to share what we're doing using short clips. I want to contribute so much more, especially when rooftops beckon but the iPhone 3G doesn't have video-recording capabilities. Upgrade soon, I will likely wait for the latest iPhone although Android handsets continue to improve. Functionality will determine the overall decision, especially video-recording and although obviously unrelated I was referred to as spiderman this evening by a shop assistant, he knows...

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Seesmic Look

Image by David Berkowitz via Flickr

Seesmic Look is a unique way to immerse yourself in the real-time web. Beginners learning to understand real-time can stay engaged and connected without even logging into Twitter, while experienced users can take advantage of Look's powerful features in creative and imaginative ways.
Seesmic Look is a streamlined Twitter client aimed at the mainstream, with a navigation menu that includes trends, favourites, interests, channels, and searches. Trending topics and favourites are familiar features with the introduction of curated twitter lists for interests like sports, news etc and channels which are sponsored by brands. I have many friends that jumped on the Twitter bandwagon only to lose interest because they didn't understand the purpose of the service. I feel that Seesmic Look presents an attractive and engaging interface and I will definitely introduce friends to the benefits...

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