I want to write this post because I saw some video of a person who has (in my opinion) NOT benefited from plastic surgery. But it’s like she can’t stop….and unfortunately she is the rule rather than the exception, especially in Hollywood.

Walter Yeo is widely known as the first person to benefit from reconstructive surgery. He was in the British Navy and sustained terrible but not fatal injuries. The surgery was done in 1917 and is VERY hard to look at, so you’ve been warned.

Again, reconstructive surgery is “performed to correct functional impairments caused by burns; traumatic injuries, such as facial bone fractures; congenital abnormalities; developmental abnormalities; infection and disease” etc etc but towards the end of the 20th Century it became mostly about “Cosmetic” surgery.

LaToya Jackson

Axel Rose

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST

Super pretty Heidi

Think twice about cosmetic surgery, our imperfections are what make us unique and interesting!

If you’ve searched and reached this blog you will find the same posts from here at Against the Grain Blog’s new web address,  www.againsthegrainblog.com.  Additionally you’ll find NEW and EXCITED posts there!  Please take a look!  Remember to subscribe for updates or follow us on twitter.  Both links are at the new site address.

As always thank you very much for taking the time to read Against the Grain Blog!

Yours Truly,

Jessi and Koop

Last year Goldenvoice brought the last thing this country needed more of (music festivals) to the last part of the country that needed it. Most local live music lovers don’t travel across country to, say, Coachella, because they know the lineup will be playing somewhere in Manhattan or Brooklyn within weeks anyway. So the Goldenvoice promoted All Points West (aka Coachella East) had two viable routes to being successful on its own terms, as a festival worthy of infinite ferry lines to Liberty State Park in Jersey City to see a bunch of bands playing Bowery that week: make the surroundings a user-friendly playground like its sister event in Indio (they did not), or book Radiohead for two nights. One out of two is not bad. One out of two did not stop people from calling it All Points Worst.

But this year looks different.

For one, they’ve promised an enhanced beer-drinking experience. That sounds like a petty quibble, until you find yourself trapped on an island with limited access to expensive beers in limited amounts with no forewarning. For another, they’ve picked up on Coachella’s design and created an enclosed, “tent” stage to host some top flight comedy (featuring Tim & Eric, Michael Showalter, Todd Barry, Janeane Garofalo, and Eugene Mirman). Mostly dudes you can see in Park Slope, but still. Progress. And most importantly, this musical lineup is actually righteous, rather than a bad rehash of every band doing every festival this year. Check it:

Tickets are on sale Friday 4/3 at 12PM EST via ticketmaster.com. Single day tickets are $89, three-day tix will be priced at $199 for a limited time, and there is a recession-friendly layaway option. There is also a VIPpackage, but honestly after last year I would say stay far away from that. Unless they’re offering BBQ and earplug-fitting session with Kevin Shields and/or beer-spitting lessons with Karen O.

All Points Worst to All Points Best? Obviously we’ll have to see it first, but the surprise of the morning: We are actually gonna go to see it first. What a difference a year and/or a promising press release makes, right guys? Blogging. Lots more info at the official site. If you are planning to go, here is the primer we hope is outdated but you should read before making ferry plans anyway.

Posted at 9:55 AM by amrit

And I would have linked it if the damn function was working…sigh.

Jessi and I would like to say that we have not disappeared nor have we forgotten about all of you.  We simply had to take a forced hiatus from posting.  Why you ask?  It’s because we are updating our site and we’re waiting to put the new posts up on the brand spanking new site.  Please be patient and hang in there with us.  We promise more new exciting, fun posts will be up as soon as all the bugs are fixed.  And yes we will be moving some of the more popular archive posts over too.  You will not be losing anything; just gaining. 

In the meantime…enjoy a fun performance from Lady GaGa!  It’s from a special show she did for KIISFM.

-Koop

©2009 All Trailer Rights To Warner Brothers.

-Koop

One Grand Prize winner will receive a prize pack featuring some signed rarities from Tegan and Sara along with a pair of each of their Studio Project shoes from Macbeth and Artist Direct.

Two runner ups will receive a pair of the Tegan or Sara Studio Project shoes.

Check out their ad picture too which ran this month in Alternative Press.  Ryan Russell took the ad shot.  I love it!  They really look like each other in it.  For those less in tune; Sara’s in the jean jacket.

-Koop

Telekinesis is Michael Benjamin Lerner  who’s joined on stage by a three person band.  But Lerner sings lead while playing the drums.  Nope, it’s true.  That takes some talent. Having never even heard of Telekinesis I was skeptical at first but soon found myself head bopping along to their songs and being highly amused by their fun, charming, funny on stage banter.  Now they are no rival to the Queens of on stage banter, Tegan and Sara but Lerner’s funny wit definitely made Telekinesis memorable.  Considering this is their first tour…that’s a really good trait for a band to command.  Lerner’s on tour now.  Find tour dates and more information here.

Second up is the New Zealand band, Cut Off Your Hands.  Overall I found them interesting but they tend to have that problem bands routinely can suffer from…every song sounds eerily the same.  But what saves this band on stage is lead singer, Nick Johnston.  I have never seen someone jump around a stage as much as Johnston nor beat the hell out of a tambourine like him.  At times he simply beat the tambourine against the mic stand.  See clip below…you cannot look away!  Alternative Press named them one of the 100 Bands to Watch in this month’s issue.  Find more band info here.

Lastly the main act, Ra Ra Riot.  Oh how I love this band!  Not only does lead singer, Wesley Miles sing but he also runs around playing keys too.  Plus they have a cellist and violinist on stage who simply rock those instruments.  Ra Ra’s album, Rhumb Line was on every major music magazine’s list of one of the albums of the year.  Each song is complex, interesting, and yet still catchy.  Pay attention to Ghost Under Rocks, Too Too Too Fast, and A Manner to Act.  Only bad note was the disappointing sound engineering.  The lead mic was too low but each time they tried to bring up the volume there was major feedback.  For a few songs the lead vocals we’re drowned out by the band.   Ra Ra Riot is on tour now so try and check them out.  Below you’ll find a new unreleased song.  Enjoy!

And just for fun…this guy was really into each band.  He’d just start jumping at each song’s start. Cracked my shit up!

-Koop

For now Hesta is on a short tour and has released a 5 Song Preview CD which you can purchase via her myspace page.  Plus check out Earbuz interview.  Oh and in a fun side note…Sara Quin oversaw the album.

Sorry I cut off the beginning of the song but take a look.  I guarantee you’ll be mesmerised!

-Koop