“Void Vanishing” is a Qurious departure for ambient duo

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On its third album Void Vanishing, the duo of Mike Netland and Catherine Quesenberry continues to create uniquely Qurious atmospheric sounds. The dreamlike electronic soundscapes Netland conjures are the perfect backdrop for Quesenberry’s sleepy vocal delivery, which sounds as if it’s being emitted from some distant place only to float in at the perfect moment.

The allure begins with “Gaida,” an enchanting cacophony of organ and ethereal singing that melds right into “Wunderkammer,” with its more distinct beats and lyricism. “Rubies” pulsates out of an atmospheric abyss to gradually become one of the album’s most pop-structured songs before dissipating  into an airy breakdown that flows right back into the song’s framework.

Much of Void Vanishing (namely songs like “Gears” and “Rima”) are reminisent of nursery rhymes sung by a fairy while “Gold” and “Termina” have a Devo-meets-Kraftwerk urgency that provides something more upbeat than the rest of the album. But whether it’s the ambient instrumentalism of “Pactolian” or the abstract arrangement of “Rima,” Qurious is adept at aural experimentation always on the verge of evaporating but never completely fluttering away. Much like those lucid moments between sleeping and waking, Void Vanishing‘s electronic pulse is always pumping just enough to keep Quesenberry’s feather-like afloat.

www.qurious.bandcamp.com

Georgia Wrestling Now welcomes Brian Alexander “The Great” and Geter

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With Thanksgiving just a few days away, Wrestling with Pop Culture has a lot to be thankful for. And with the guests lined up for this week, Georgia Wrestling Now is one of those things. Listen as Team All You Can Eat’s Matt Hankins and I talk to Georgia wrestling veteran Brian Alexander “The Great” about his Thanksgiving night match against Murder 1 for Georgia All-Star Wrestling. We also talk to the mammoth Geter, one half of the reigning Platinum Championship Wrestling Tag Team Season Champions who recently made the biggest impact of his career by aligning himself with the Elite and taking out Mikael Judas at Anarchy Wrestling. We also talk about WWE‘s Survivor Series, Rampage Pro Wrestling, Universal Independent Wrestling, Monstrosity Championship Wrestling and more. Listen live every Monday at 7 p.m. and call 347-324-5735 for questions or comments.

Brian Alexander "The Great" takes on Murder 1 for Georgia All-Star Wrestling on Thanksgiving night.

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Gift of Lights illuminates holiday cheer at Atlanta Motor Speedway

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Courtesy Atlanta Motor Speedway

Last year Atlanta Motor Speedway joined a growing holiday tradition at racetracks across the country with its inaugural Gift of Lights. With more than a million LED lights, this drive-through display was one of Georgia’s most successful holiday events in 2011. As a result, Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Gift of Lights returns on Nov. 18 and continues through Jan. 6.

Even though the Gift of Lights requires you to drive through its mile-and-a-half of festive scenes (at a time when a gallon of gas typically costs more than $3), it’s actually one of the most eco-friendly holiday displays around thanks to its energy-saving LED lights. The journey begins with a welcoming Christmas tree display as you enter the grandstands. But it’s not all about Christmas as the Gift of Lights’ initial stretch features blue menorahs, dreidels and other traditional Hanukkah icons. From there, things take a whimsical turn as fairy tales and nursery rhymes such as Cinderella, The Old Woman who Lived in a Shoe and Humpty Dumpty get lively illuminated treatments.

Photo by Brad Harrison, Atlanta Motor Speedway

After you pass the smiling green dragon (wearing a celebratory Santa hat, of course), you go through an under-the-sea-themed section that features fish, crustaceans, waterfalls and other aquatic life. Then you finally get to a wintery North Pole-like area where penguins and other arctic creatures have fun with elves, candy canes and other Christmasy creations. But it seems that Santa is also a NASCAR fan as brightly-lit race cars (driven by Santa and his reindeer) line an outdoor stretch not normally accessible on race days. Gift of Lights concludes with a visual display of eight maids a-milking, five golden rings and all the other gifts from “The Twelve Days of Christmas” before you drive through a colorful tunnel that takes you to the exit.

The entire display is set to holiday music and NASCAR drivers recounting their favorite Christmas memories on your car radio. New for 2012, you can also get your photo taken with Santa Chris in the Speedway Gift Shop for no additional charge. When I talked to Mr. Cringle, he recounted some of his larger-than-life memories yesteryear’s wrestling greats like Ox Baker and Andre the Giant. And I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better early Christmas gift than talking to Santa about wrestling!

www.giftoflightsatlms.com

“The Twilight Saga” comes to a sparkly conclusion in “Breaking Dawn – Part 2”

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In 2008 fans of all ages fell in love with a new breed of vampire with the box office smash Twilight, the first installment in The Twilight Saga, based on the Twilight books by Stephenie Meyer. The much-anticipated Breaking Dawn – Part 2, the fifth and final installment in this sparkly saga, offers such an explosive conclusion that it gives new meaning to the phrase “going out with a bang.”

Undead newlyweds Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Bella (Kristen Stewart) in Breaking Dawn - Part 2. Photo by Andrew Cooper, SMPSP.

Having already won numerous awards for their portrayals of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, respectively, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson give emotionally-charged performances as the new parents of Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy), their  half human/half vampire child. And as a newly-changed vampire, Bella must discover all the hidden new talents that a vampire possesses. Circumstances take a terrible turn for the worst when a distant relative comes for a visit and mistakes the child for an immortal child, which happens to be completely unlawful under Volturi rule. As a result, their new family becomes a target for assassination as the demented Volturi set out to destroy Renesmee and the Cullen family.

With no other options, they resort to asking for help from surrounding covens in hopes that they will stand with them and possibly fight against the Volturi. Edward and Bella find they have to do what they must to protect and save their family. And for those of you who think you know how it all ends because you’ve read the books, there’s a new nail-biting twist that no one is likely to expect. So be prepared to spend a lot of time on the edge of your seat because Breaking Dawn – Part 2 is a must see conclusion for fans of this sanguine saga.

www.breakingdawn-themovie.com

“Lincoln” portrays struggles of one of America’s most influential presidents

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Photo by David James, SMPSP

Given that we’re just days away from one of the most heated presidential elections in recent memory, and that our nation’s first black president was just re-elected for a second term, Steven Spielberg’s new docku-drama Lincoln couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time. Focusing on the final months of Abraham Lincoln‘s presidency (and life, for that matter), Lincoln‘s focal point is the Emancipation Proclamation and the struggle it created in a country already tearing itself apart at the height of the Civil War.

In hindsight, most of today’s American society would fervently agree that slavery is (no pun intended) one of the darkest periods of this country’s history. But at the time, that institution had become so engrained in the United States’ culture, economy and infrastructure that a sudden emancipation of an entire race of people you had previously oppressed and mistreated had to be a frightening proposition for many reasons. But Lincoln was determined to not only free the slaves, but also to end the war and reunite his country.

Though his intentions are noble, Lincoln’s somewhat manipulative proposition of simultaneously ending the war and freeing the slaves creates quite a dilemma, even for some of his closest allies and supporters. Ending the war is pretty much a given, regardless of one’s political affiliation. But what if the war ends before the proclamation (and the 13th Amendment, freeing all slaves) is passed? What if one is in favor of ending the war, but not necessarily in favor of freeing the slaves? These are the polarizing issues addressed in Lincoln.

Photo by David James, SMPSP.

Daniel Day-Lewis portrays Lincoln with both the heroism of a president whose radical thinking changed the course of this country, and the strategic plotting required of such a monumental task (he was a politician, after all). But aside from the very public battles he faces, Lincoln also shows his personal struggles with his wife (Sally Field), their son (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), his even more radical political ally Thaddeus Stevens (Tommy Lee Jones), and his own colored servants, who he treats like any other friends. As has been noted in numerous historical texts, Lincoln points out that in the year leading up to the vote to free the slaves, Lincoln appears to age ten years. While times were stressful for the entire country during the Civil War, Lincoln shows us a president unwilling to give in to that stress.

The ongoing death and destruction of the war weighs heavily on Lincoln, and having such a huge responsibility is something most of us will never understand. But Day-Lewis captures the weariness of a president whose ongoing determination to do what he feels in his heart is the right thing for his country, and humanity, means lives will continue to be lost. And Lincoln doesn’t shy away from such issues, giving the viewer reason to believe that maybe Lincoln’s approach is a little too drastic or abrupt. Of course we all know Lincoln’s steadfast resolve allowed him to achieve his goal. But we also know it cost him his life not long thereafter. And even though Lincoln shows this president’s flaws as much as his strengths, it ultimately portrays Lincoln as a man with a good heart more influenced by his own compassion than the logic of those around him.

www.thelincolnmovie.com

The Casket Creatures bring horror rock to Monstrosity Championship Wrestling

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Over the past year, The Casket Creatures have emerged from their crypts with a unique brand of horror-inspired rock ‘n’ roll. Clearly influenced by horror punk acts like the Misfits, Blitzkid and Calabrese, as well as hard rock and heavy metal bands like Mötley Crüe, Alice Cooper and Iron Maiden, The Casket Creatures breathe new life into the horror rock genre with a look and sound that is both fiendishly familiar and rottenly refreshing. Having released its debut album Tales from the Unknown a year ago, the band has rapidly gained a strong following by opening for the likes of Wednesday 13, Static-X and former Misfits singer Michale Graves, and performing at events such as Six Flags over Georgia‘s Fright Fest, the Little 5 Points Halloween Festival & Parade and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Monster Bash, where the Creatures were also introduced to Monstrosity Championship Wrestling. Before the band returns to its tomb to focus on an early 2013 release for its second album Sex, Blood and Rock ‘n’ Roll, it plays what is likely to be its final show of the year as Wrestling with Pop Culture presents Monstrosity Championship Wrestling with The Casket Creatures! Vicious vocalist Eddie Cadaver and grim guitarist Derek Obscura talk about all the ghouls they’ve rocked before, performing with monster wrestling and other atrocities.

First, I’d like to thank you for playing this event with Monstrosity Championship Wrestling. With all the national acts you’ve opened for and the big events you’ve been part of, I was glad you guys were willing to be part of this event as such a successful year comes to a close for you.

Cadaver: We had a really good time at the Monster Bash with Monstrosity Championship Wrestling, so we’re really excited about this one.

Obscura: It’s been a really crazy year, especially during the summer and October. The Little 5 Points Halloween Festival was pretty crazy. It’s been an awesome year.

Cadaver:It all started when we got booked at the Monster Bash. It seems like after that, we cannot keep our schedule clear. It’s constantly full. It’s been really cool and we’re having a good time.

Of all these big shows you’ve played over the past few months, which ones would you say got the best crowd response to what you guys do?

Obscura: I think we got our biggest reaction at the Little 5 Points Halloween Festival. It got insane when we played. It was so cool.

Cadaver: The Six Flags show was really cool for a totally different reason. With the Six Flags crowd it was mostly kids, so we played a family-friendly set. But it was actually really bad ass and we had a lot of fun. After we got done playing, we’d pose for pictures with the kids and sign autographs. It was cool as hell. We played three full-length sets throughout the night and they were all completely different. I got to feel like Bruce Dickinson popping out of side doors and running across the stage with a wireless mic. I loved it. Those two shows were our biggest, but for totally different reasons.

What was it like opening for bigger acts like Wednesday 13, Davey Suicide and Static-X?

Obscura: We were a perfect fit with Wednesday and his crowd embraced us right away. The Static-X show as a little tougher crowd, but by the end of our set we had them cheering for us. One of the coolest ones was the Ghouls Night Out Festival up in Jersey where we played with Mister Monster and Blitzkid for their last U.S. show. That was a super cool experience and the place was sold out. We had an awesome time up there.

Cadaver: We also played with Michale Graves and that was a super cool show. He and his crew were really good guys and were really supportive of what we were doing. We made a lot of new fans that night because it was just the perfect fit. I’d say Michale Graves, the Wednesday show and Ghouls Night Out were where we made a lot of new fans and headway in our genre. It was really cool. Static-X was a little different because the crowd was, like, mean mugging us when we started. But I just got in their faces and did my thing, all of us rocked it out and by the end of it everybody was getting into it. I enjoyed all those shows.

When you last saw MCW at the Monster Bash, you had several other bands and various other activities going on. Tomorrow night’s show will just be The Casket Creatures and MCW. What are your expectations going into this event?

Obscura: We’re stoked that we got the chance to play this and it’s really cool that we’re the only band playing. The Kentucky Wolfman is already my favorite wrestler just with the name.

Cadaver: We’re super excited to see the Kentucky Wolfman. We have an older song called “Bark of the Beast” that’s about werewolves an we’re going to play that one for the Kentucky Wolfman. If he wants us to play it as his entrance music, we’ll be happy to!

Green Day’s “¡Dos!” is the second step in a punk rock trilogy

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Not quite two months ago, Green Day began what could be its most ambitious musical project to date with the release of ¡Uno!, the first in a trilogy of back-to-basics albums (read my review here). The second installment, aptly titled ¡Dos!, continues down the chronological path towards January’s ¡Tré! with another set of bouncy, sugary-sweet punk rock blasts that sound like a band gladly reliving its youth rather than becoming jaded and uninspired as it grows older.

The solo acoustic stylings of lead-off track “See You Tonight” might indicate this album is going to explore Green Day’s folkier side (which the band has previously done well on 2000’s Warning and Nimrod‘s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)”). But ¡Dos! quickly reveals itself to be just as energetic as anything the band has previously released. “Wild One” sounds like a mature sequel to “She,” with its calm refrains about a seemingly doomed obsession with a potentially crazy girl. “Makeout Party” is a fast-paced, rollicking rock ‘n’ roll good time while “Stray Heart” has an almost rockabilly feel.

“Ashley” picks things back up with another exciting ode to the virtues of bad girls and “Lady Cobra” takes a few garage rock cues from the White Stripes‘ “Fell in Love with a Girl.” “Nightlife” is the biggest surprise on ¡Dos!, with it’s electro beats and lurid lyricism from Mystic Knights of the Cobra‘s Lady Cobra juxtaposed with bits of dark twang. And “Amy” (a tribute to Amy Winehouse) bookends ¡Dos! with another Elvis Costello-like acoustic pop solo from Billie Joe Armstrong.

www.greenday.com