Breaker's Point #19

Hello readers. I am coming to you from Bird Library at Syracuse University, where today I embark on my final first day of school. EVER! It is a crazy feeling, but at least now, I am excited about being here and enjoying every second of my senior year. Before I mention anything else, I want to remind all of my readers in the Syracuse area that I have a show at the Westcott Theater on Thursday. It is the first Mnemonic Advice performance of the semester, and it comes at Bloomfest II; a fun four-act concert to kick off the semester and show and tell about all the amazing musical opportunities Syracuse has to offer both creative and business-minded. I expect a good-sized crowd at this event and I cannot wait to rock the house.Speaking of rocking the house, I saw Wilco last Tuesday and Beak and Skiff; an apple orchard with a nice open field with a stage at the front of it. I took Ben Dietz to the show for him to see my favorite band for the first time, and I am happy to report that he enjoyed it and was impressed with how good they are live. I am glad he caught onto what makes this band special and why fans are more than eager to see them again and again and again. Going into the show, I was a little bummed about how static the setlist has been on this tour with minimal variation from night to night, which is part of Wilco’s appeal. However, it ultimately did not matter, which I also expected. Wilco never disappoints regardless of what they play. That is what you get with a band that has such a deep and prolific catalog to the point where fans leave the show satisfied, while also wishing that they got to hear thirty more of their favorite songs. There was a lot of jamming in this setlist, more than I have ever seen them do in one set. Handshake Drugs, At Least That’s What You Said, Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull, the Many Worlds coda, and Spiders showcased the chops and cohesion of all three guitar players in the band. It was awesome. I loved it. The Cruel Country songs are all so good. There is not a whole lot to report other than that. My friends and I have been on a bit of a bender since we arrived here. Too much alcohol has already been consumed. It ended last night, but with sylly week, there is a chance round two starts tonight. God help me. I am being safe everyone, do not worry. I am a safe drinker. With that being said, it has been an endless stream of fun since I got here. I cannot wait to take this energy into the semester. Oh, and I am debating going to Ithaca to see Dinosaur Jr. on Friday. Should I do it? I am not crazy about going alone but maybe someone will be willing to come with me. The tickets are cheap! They are indie-rock LEGENDS. J Mascis is one of my favorite all-time guitarists. Grateful Eight:* I am grateful to be back at Syracuse after a long time away. You realize how much you love something when it is gone. That is a cliché, but certainly true.* I moved in half of my stuff about a month ago, so it made moving in not so terrible last week. I am happy I was able to fit all of my musical gear, so if creativity calls, I can confidently answer.* Sam is all moved into college and is doing really well. The adjustment is so tough, but he is killing it. Woo hoo.* Fresh garlic’s impact on taking home cooking to another level and increasing the taste of whatever you cook tenfold. * It is awesome to have seen Wilco somewhere not only off the beaten path but 20 minutes away from where I live up here. * My portable air conditioner. It is truly one of my favorite things in the world. As cold as the winters are, the summers in Syracuse are humid and scorching. It is not fun. It gets so hot, but last night I went to sleep and my room was a crisp 64.* Going to bars at school. I am a very sophisticated distinguished 21-year-old gentleman. I like to go to bars. I also like to see people from all over be it different sororities and fraternities or friends from school. Sometimes, it is limited who you can hang out with and frat parties.* Thank god we no longer have to wear masks in class anymore.This Week’s Rare Mnemonic Advice/Josh Carus Recording: “You’ll Be Comin’ Down” by Bruce SpringsteenIt has been a while since I dropped a Bruce cover. This is the second track off Bruce’s 2007 album, Magic, which is my favorite Bruce album of the century. To my knowledge, this song has only been played once live. That seems wrong to me. I guess on the flip side, there are so many great songs on Magic that deserve to be played. I recorded this when I was locked up in the Sheraton sophomore year because I was exposed to COVID. It was around the time of the 2020 Presidential Election. This song was written presumably about the greedy millionaires and billionaires who have exploited and taken advantage of the working class, leading to a giant recession and hard times in the United States. I think this song was also written about George Bush specifically. It does not to be stated what Mr. Springsteen thinks about that guy. Anyway, this is an angry song and I thought that the lyrics applied to the Republican candidate in the 2020 election almost to an absolute tee. I think it is underrated. It has a nice sax solo from Clarence, which I have whistled here. The only thing I think is that it is a bit overproduced, as is much of the Magic record. It does not take away from the writing though. The lyrics on this album are impeccable, thoughtful, and extremely sticky. He is a genius what can I say? This is a public episode. 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