Monthly Archives: February 2006

Montreal, music, musique

Gyroscope

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Went to see Gyroscope at Cheval blanc. Great show!

Apparently, Gyroscope is labelled as post-rock but their music is diverse enough to make them break away from any pigeonhole. The band’s overall sound is consistent throughout yet pieces and sections contrast vividly. Thinking of influences might not be the best way to describe the band’s music. Thanks to circumstances, kept thinking of Francis Dhomont, The Shaggs, Jack DeJohnette, Mogwai, Return to Forever, and Van Morrison. Please don’t ask why! Still, the band’s music was open enough to allow for cerebral wandering despite the fact that the sheer acoustic presence of the group made the show into an immersive experience.

Compare as you will. The show was fun.

Obviously, they have MP3 excerpts on their site. Here’s one: Yinque s’une patte. Yet, the band’s performance was quite a bit better than those excerpts.

Anthropology, applied anthropology, cultural anthropology, U.S. politics

Anthropologists and Foreign Policy

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Maureen Dowd NYT Didn’t See It Coming, Again (via The Neil Rogers Show)

One smart anthropologist reinforcing the idea that “mirroring” – assuming other cultures think like us – doesn’t work would be a lot more helpful than all of the discredited intelligence agencies . . .

So, the psychological concept of projection applied to cultural contacts. Not sure which anthropologist coined the term but it does make sense in an anthropological context.

The piece as a whole is rather typical NYT op-ed. Still, it’s interesting to see references to applied anthropology in such a context.

Africa

Commerce Over Philanthropy

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BBC NEWS | Business | Bono bets on Red to battle Aids

A global brand, Product Red has AmEx, Gap, Nike, and Armani join together to give money for the war against AIDS in Africa.

Bono rejected suggestions that he was being used by companies to restore their reputations.

There could be some doubt on this part and it’s hard not to be cynical about such endeavors. But, at least, it’s honest in its stance about commerce over philanthropy.

hype, journalism, media, mindshare, popular culture

Message to a Journalist Who Doesn't Get Jon Stewart

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New York Daily News – Entertainment Columnists – Richard Huff: A dislocated hipster

Richard,

No, you’re not the only person who doesn’t grok Jon Stewart. And you’re probably getting a lot of hate mail from fans of the Daily Show. That’s sad, but it’s a dimension of Internet culture that’s hard to avoid, at this point.
What’s especially sad is that these messages you’re likely receiving hardly help you to understand the phenomenon. To this social scientist, it’s a sad day when journalists are unable to understand what is happening around them. Assuming they do want to understand, of course. Continue reading Message to a Journalist Who Doesn't Get Jon Stewart →