All Categories Trivial Links
Written by Nathan Mattise

Look, just because I’ve neglected my 3-day-a-week posting schedule here at In Pursuit of the Trivial doesn’t mean I’m being lazy.

I’ve simply been busy (which in some contexts, is certainly a suitable pseudo-synonym for lazy).

Here’s a look at work being done this November as the return of “Five Signs” looms…

• Ira Glass came to Syracuse and made my journalistic career at the ripe age of 24. I interviewed Glass,  had my interview picked up by two local and one national outlet and then made a low-grade video tribute to all of it (while managing to sneak in my L4D2 fanaticism).

• Anthony Bourdain came through CNY in that same week and I managed to ask him what his favorite breakfast is.

• My Top Five Pop-Culture Diners list made its way onto USA Today’s Pop Candy blog.

• Two more diner-related happenings, I finally had the opportunity to dine at the infamous “DINER” off I-81 North at the Onondaga Nation exit. Then, I got to sit down and chat with local Syracuse foodie “The Baking Chin“

• Finally, I’ve been promoting my hopeful picks to perform at  SU next semester since our campus programming board is passing a survey around.

(Links today from The NewsHouse, InsideSU, Syracuse.com, USA Today’s Pop Candy, Diners Without Frosted Tips, Questions for Ira Glass, You Tube, Vimeo, The Baking Chin)

Got something for next week’s Trivial Links? E-mail it in.

Sometimes it takes a village to raise a child… or to invigorate a blog?

Next week will mark the return of the “Five Signs” series. There will be a M-W-F full to commemorate and also to get regular posting back on track. I know – you ask,”are the locales exotic enough?” Well, any theme week needs a crown jewel after all, so get ready for some  virtual travel after the weekend.

Update-Update: This has been pushed back until after Thanksgiving to the week of 11/16 due to the proximity of Ira Glass’s SU visit and the work being done surrounding that.

- In Pursuit of the Trivial

Science & Nature Trivial Links
Written by Nathan Mattise

• The more I experiment with video or audio editing, the more useful free journalistic technology services like these become.

• Speaking of online journalism experiments, here’s my recent favorite from online story innovation guru Jonathan Harris.

• This study just confirms what everyone already knows – Facebook is wildly popular (1 in every 4 pageviews popular).

• Finally, two intriguing NYT pieces… this midwestern study attempts to find whether the positive or negative externalities of office gossip win out.

• …and this piece lets you know that those weekend mornings of sleeping ’til 1 p.m. really don’t recover for lost sleep.

(Links today from ESPN.com, The New Yorker, KEXP, Brooklyn Vegan, The NewsHouse, Twitter and Morman Husbands)

Got something for next week’s Trivial Links? E-mail it in.

All Categories Trivial Links
Written by Nathan Mattise

Unfortunately, it’s been awhile since we’ve posted (anything, period.) here at In Pursuit of the Trivial. It’s been even longer since our last consistent Trivial Links run. To commemorate the return to normalcy, here’s a smorgasbord of the best reads that span a variety of Trivial topics…

• The famed Malcolm Gladwell recently tackled the topic of violence in American sports (even comparing football and dogfighting).
  

• This article is a bit older but just as good for the sports lover, here’s why folks should stop ragging on Shawn Bradley in retrospect.

• One of our local favorites, Phantogram, has been all over recently (from Brooklyn Vegan to the BBC).  Major indie radio KEXP in Seattle has been on them to the point that they even linked In Pursuit of the Trivial work on them.  (Congrats on Barsuk to the band as well!)

Twitter / Phantogram: Hey folks! Phantogram is n … via kwout

• The new ESPN Ombudsman unleashed his first lengthy reflection on audience perception of the success of a live program.  (…and on the same day Bill Simmons talks with Chuck Klosterman again).

• Finally, with all of the self-deprecating Letterman stuff happening now, it was interesting to hear from a former-insider on the situation.

(Links today from ESPN.com, The New Yorker, KEXP, Brooklyn Vegan, The NewsHouse, Twitter and Morman Husbands)

Got something for next week’s Trivial Links? E-mail it in.

Geography | Entertainment Podcast
Recorded and produced by Nathan Mattise

It’s been far too long since the last podcast, there’s so much to cover…

Time to relax with some classy music.

Footnotes:

CNY Music News

• Phantogram has clearly taken CNY by storm for quite some time now, but is Europe next? Their tour is getting underway soon and more importantly “Eyelid Movies” (their debut full-length) has been release to rave reviews (even from BBC Music). It could be awhile until the next time we see them in Syracuse.

• Concert announcements don’t always make for notable news. When two artists with the top albums of 2009 quietly announce local dates however, that’s an event. St. Vincent (and “Actor”) come to Ithaca and Buffalo starting this month (see below) while Metric (and “Fantasies”) pass through Clifton Park come November. Get your tickets early.

• This month’s major topic was “The Best Non-Mainstream Music Acts to catch in CNY this fall.” Nate was joined by his former colleague at 89.1 fm  in Syracuse, the ever-knowledgeable Professor. The broke down the best symphonies, orchestras, operas, musicals, jazz bands, etc. and ultimately decided on a top three.

The Top Three

1) Dave Brubeck – 10/10 (Sat) Buffalo

2) Syracuse Symphony Orchestra presents “Pictures at an Exhibition” – 10/16 (Fri) Syracuse

3) Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings – 11/21 (Sat) Rochester

Celtic Thunder – 10/11 (Sun) Albany

Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra presents “Beethoven’s Ninth” – 10/8-10/11 (Thur-Sun) Rochester

Branford Marsalis - 10/18 (Sun) Rochester

Chris Botti – 10/25 (Sun) Syracuse

Transiberian Orchestra – 11/13 (Fri) Rochester

Rochester Symphony Orchestra presents “Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto” – 11/19 (Thur) Rochester

World’s Largest Disco – 11/28 (Sat) Buffalo

Manheim Steamroller – 12/1 (Tues) Rochester

Gwar – 12/11 (Fri) Clifton Park

CNY Concert Reviews

The Ratings System:

“Presale” – a show worth waking up at 8 a.m. and waiting on Ticketmaster for

“Purchase” – a solid show worth your time if the price is reasonable

“Pass” – once is enough and we’ve done the work for you

• The Yeah Yeah Yeahs in Clifton Park, N.Y. – “Presale”

• All Tomorrow’s Parties in Monticello, N.Y. – “Presale”

• Ra Ra Riot in Ithaca, N.Y. – “Presale”

• Girl Talk and The Cool Kids in Syracuse – “Presale”

Despite the increased work schedule causing a decrease in overall blogging, the CNY concert scene in August/September was one of the best spans in recent memory. All of the major shows are documented above. Just know that the month included the best show of Nate’s life (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), his first festival experience (ATP NY will now be an annual affair), the return of CNY’s heroes and the most buzzworthy mashup artist being upstaged.

CNY Upcoming Shows

Buffalo

Dave Brubeck – 10/10 (Sat)

AC DC – 10/18 (Sun)

St. Vincent/Andrew Bird – 10/21 (Wed)

Rochester

Jim Gaffigan – 10/9 (Fri)

Branford Marseillas – 10/18 (Sun)

Silverspun Pickups – 10/23 (Fri) [and also 10/18 (Sun) Clifton Park]

Albany (and Clifton Park)

R. Kelly – 10/10 (Sat)

Hanson/Hellogoodbye – 10/16 (Fri)

New Found Glory – 10/22 (Thur)

Canada

Saul Williams – 10/23  (Fri)

Scatted across NY State (but within driving distance)

The Misfits – 10/9 (Fri) Cheektowaga

Kate Voegle – 10/13 (Tues) Troy

Earl Greyhound – 10/20 (Tues) Troy

St. Vincent – 10/22 (Thur)  Ithaca

Syracuse

John Edward – 10/10-10/11 (Sat/Sun)

“Pictures at an Exhibition” w/ The Syracuse Symphonic Orchestra – 10/16

Portugal The Man – 10/17 (Sat)

Dashboard Confessionals – 10/23 (Fri)

Vertical Horizon 10/26 (Mon)

The Whigs – 10/29 (Thur)