Out with the old...

Song: "Hail to the Chief" - United States Marine Band

Ear on TV Addendum: Inaugural Balls the Wall

Another casualty of posting early in advance of my vacation was that I missed this Sunday's Pre-Inauguration Celebration to be televised on HBO for free (to those with cable and satellite reception). Featuring performances from Bruce Springsteen ("The Rising",) U2 ("Beautiful Day," one presumes,) Stevie Wonder ("For Once in My Life" is my guess) and Beyonce (singing "At Last," reprising her role as Etta James in Cadillac Records,) it looks like a better party than the real Inaugural Ball.

Sunday: HBO: We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration: U2, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Peet Seeger, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Herbie Hancock, Bettye Lavette, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Shakira, James Taylor, Will.I.Am, Sheryl Crow, more

Ear on TV: Week of November 10

Last week, rock legend Ray Davies dropped a bomb that rippled across the music world: A reunion of The Kinks was in the works. "We've started a little bit of this and that," Davies recently told BBC News, "but it is too early to judge the quality." He then hinted that if everything went right, they could have new material to tour with over the summer, depending on his brother Dave's health (he suffered a stroke in 2004). Dave, for his part, denies the rumors, posting this weekend on his website "all this BS about working on stuff is fantasy land." The historically volatile relationship that exists between the Davies brothers makes Liam and Noel Gallagher (Oasis) look like the Osmonds, but if even The Police could patch things up for a tour, maybe Ray and Dave could work it out as well.

Ray Davies isn't standing still waiting for any reunion, though, as he's embarked on a solo tour here in the US, tapping the Brooklyn group Locksley to act as his backing band. When Davies plays The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, he's sure to be playing something from his latest album, Working Man's Cafe, but on tour, he'll sprinkle in enough Kinks to tick his brother Dave off, who recently quipped that his brother has been performing "Karaoke Kinks shows since 1996." There's nothing like the love of one's family.

Speaking of family, legendary jazz bassist Charlie Haden brought in his for his latest album Charlie Haden Family and Friends - Rambling Boy, calling on his daughters Petra, Tanya and Rachel along with son Josh to help out. Besides his talented offspring, the album also features guest spots from Jack Black, Bruce Hornsby, Ricky Skaggs, Pat Metheny, and 2008's sidekick of the year Elvis Costello. When Haden appears on Letterman Wednesday night, he'll be in a celebratory mood of sorts, having recently finished bringing back together his political Liberation Music Orchestra, touring the country in support of both a recent album (Not in Our Name,) but also an Obama win. Playing at the Blue Note in New York on election night last week, Haden asked for updates on the electorate count between songs, and when it was confirmed that Obama had won, the band broke into "Amazing Grace." Beamed Haden from the stage, "Oh, I'm so happy! I don't have to wake up depressed any more!"

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, November 10
ABC: Good Morning America: Alicia Keys
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: The Whigs (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Alicia Keys
FUEL: The Daily Habit: The Knux
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Dido
Tuesday, November 11
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Low vs Diamond
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Kaiser Chiefs
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Conor Oberst
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Sounds
Wednesday, November 12
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Charlie Haden
IFC: From the Basement: Jose Gonzalez, White Stripes (see video)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Beck
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Yelle
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: Dido
Thursday, November 13
ABC: Good Morning America: Quincy Jones
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Sia
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Cold War Kids
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Senses Fail
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Boz Scaggs
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: 3oh!3
SUNDANCE: Live From Abbey Road: The Subways, Gnarls Barkley, Herbie Hancock (REPEAT)
Friday, November 14
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: T-Pain
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Ray Davies
FUEL: The Daily Habit: The Gaslight Anthem
IFC: Henry Rollins Uncut: South Africa (see video)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Cut Copy
Saturday, November 15
PBS: Austin City Limits: Aimee Mann, Iron & Wine

Hello President Obama

Goodbye insomnia.

Just one thing, in the words of your very wise wife Michelle, "just don't screw it up, buddy!"

Barack Rock in Brooklyn

Add Andrew Bird, Les Savy Fav (playing an "acoustic spectacular,") The Fiery Furnace and Special Guests (aka Franz Ferdinand) to the list of indie rockers for Obama. While not as stunning as the poster we saw last week for the upcoming National/Breeders Obama show in Cincinnati, it's still works for me, considering how many acts that they had to fit in there.

It's more than just rock, though, as there's also comedian (and indie rock groupie) Eugene Mirman. And how cool would it be to see home run hitter Josh Hamilton doing a reading George Saunders' New Yorker piece on Sarah Palin? We'll have to settle for the actor Josh Hamilton instead.

Meanwhile, The Boss and The Piano Man look to shore up the turnpike.

Ohioans: Vote Early, Rock Late

The National and The Breeders play a special Obama rally in Cincinnati, October 16, to try and get out the vote. Early voting starts next week (Sept 30) for Ohioans, while folks in Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Kentucky and Virginia can cast votes even before the first debate this Friday.

Early voters, for the most part, consist of folks who have already made up their mind, so on the surface, it wouldn't seem to benefit one candidate over the other. But it can benefit the Democrats in that it helps alleviate the stress of huge voter turnout in densely populated areas (which lean Democrat). Ohio's Franklin County had too few functioning polling booths to handle the influx of voters back in 2004, with folks waiting 4-6 hours at some places to vote. It's been estimated that "between 20,000 and 30,000 people were deterred from voting because of the long lines."

Short take on the Saturday's caucus

My (nearly) 3-year old took photos at the Democratic Primary Caucuses for Washington State, documenting a view from knee height of the goings on at precinct 1319. It was pretty much Obama's night at all the precincts we saw (he swept every county, save one).

We had a lot of fun and all gathered back in the neighborhood to eat, drink and watch the inevitable Obama wave roll over the news throughout the evening.

Looking through the photos, one things clear. Adults open their mouths when being photographed by toddlers (sorry Lindsey!)

Playlist: The Caucus
1. The Candidate - Urge Overkill
2. A Caucus Race - Randy Greif
3. Obama - Extra Golden
4. I Got A Crush On Obama - Obama Girl