Beware the Dog

For the first time in what felt like forever, I went to a concert last Monday! I haven’t been to a show since February and when it’s been a long time, I tend to feel jittery and a little stressed out. Luckily, The Griswolds were just what I needed to ease myself back into the concert-going mood.

We saw The Griswolds last November when they opened for Andrew McMahon, and they were so much fun, we had to get tickets as soon as we saw them announce a headlining show. They’re from Australia, and they have an addictive indie rock sound that will have you dancing in your seat (or at least bopping your head).

Opening band Panama Wedding fit in perfectly with this tour. They’re also indie rock with a hint of electronic, and they’re a lot of fun. They played a great cover of The Killers’ “When You Were Young” that was just as good as the original.

The Griswolds came out next, and their live set was just as dynamic as I remembered. They didn’t talk too much in between songs, and, since they mostly played the high-energy tracks from their debut, 2014’s Be Impressive, there wasn’t any down time.

One of the great things about The Griswolds is how simple and easy to learn the choruses are. I don’t always remember the lyrics to their songs (plus they’re Australian so sometimes I completely mishear what they’re singing/saying), but for the most part, it’s easy to catch onto the chorus so you can shout along with them.

They also played a couple of new songs – I can’t remember what the first one was, but the second is called “Role Models”, and it’s pretty groovy. They’re working on their second album now, and I expect it to be just as catchy as the first.

Side note: I have to confess that we didn’t stay for Magic Man, the co-headlining act. This was partially because we had bought tickets specifically for The Griswolds (we had expected them to close the show), but also because we’ve seen Magic Man twice before (both times as opening bands in 2014), and couldn’t remember anything about them. Which seems to indicate they didn’t leave that much of an impression on me.

Five Short Graybles

Since I accidentally dressed like Magic Man today (too much yellow!), I figured it would be as good a time as any to write a recap/review of Adventure Time.

Magic Man!

I’m always a little behind on TV shows, so even though AT has already started season six (I think), I just finished watching the season four DVD. This season was by far the trippiest I’ve seen, but it also had some pretty solid episodes. Here are my top five (technically six):

Return to the Nightosphere/Daddy’s Little Monster

Marceline (the Vampire Queen!) is one of my favourite characters on the show, and naturally, I automatically love any episode in which she has a central role. These two episodes also had the added bonuses of a) re-introducing Marceline’s dad, Hunson Abadeer, and b) actually forming a continuous story line. AT rarely has two part episodes and has, more than once, left the viewer hanging. So imagine my surprise when I got to the end of “Return to the Nightosphere”, and realized that the story was picked right back up in “Daddy’s Little Monster”. It was great character development for Marcy (and her already tense relationship with her dad), plus the Nightosphere is fascinating.

Gotcha!

Lumpy Space Princess is sassy and crazy and I love her. In this episode, she decides to write a “trashy book for ladies” and starts working with Finn and Jake in an attempt to teach Turtle Princess how she can win over any man…but she ends up learning a lesson herself (awww). Sidenote: LSP always looks fresh to death.

Ignition Point

Flame Princess, the newest (in this season, anyway) princess/object of Finn’s affection is swiftly rising on my list of “favourite Adventure Time characters”. She’s more volatile (literally and figuratively) than most of other princesses, and her relationship with Finn is precious (she can’t touch him without burning him and it’s as heartbreaking as a cartoon can be). Finn and Jake end up back in the Flame Kingdom where they overhear two people plotting to assassinate the Flame King (using ice water, obviously). Not only is this episode full of Hamlet references (who doesn’t love a little Shakespeare now and then?), but the humour is on point (the “magic air”, the scented candles, the snake on Finn’s shoulder, etc).

I Remember You

Another Marceline-centric episode, but this one also gives more insight into the Ice King’s pre-crown life. Though it starts off funny – with Ice King remixing Marceline’s “Daddy, Why Did You Eat My Fries?” song for Gunter the penguin – it slowly turns into an exploration of Marceline and Ice King (aka Simon)’s relationship and shared history, something that had previously been glossed over.

The Lich

The Lich, the ultimate villain in Ooo, is back and just as terrifying. This episode is great for its callbacks to previous seasons – the Cosmic Owl, Billy, the talking bear, and, of course, the snail-Lich – but it also ends with an outrageous and unexpected cliff-hanger. I don’t want to spoil anything, but if this episode is any indication, season five probably takes the show to a whole new level.