TV PARTY TONIGHT

Just finished watching a couple live performances of note...

Fell in Love With a Girl, The White Stripes (Later With Jools Holland)

I realized watching Deerhoof on Carson Daly (?) the other night that a really great live TV performance should make you squirm a little. There should be just the right mix of nervous laughter, embarassment for the performer, and some kind of awe.

This was apparently The White Stripes' first time on UK TV from back in 2001, and Jack is all twitchy and jibber-jabbery and he rocks, and they nailed it. Meg is cool like Keith Moon on xanax.

And I suppose there's some way to watch this and not develop a huge crush on Meg, but it escapes me completely...

Intervention, Arcade Fire (Saturday Night Live)

If you're willing to buy into the earnest intensity even just a little, this is massive. A new religion, if the room is small enough.

And now I'm kicking myself for missing them at the 9:30 Club, and then missing them again at the DAR Hall.

Because I know that the venues will continue to get bigger, and the gestures will grow more outsized along the way.

Because I know that the new religion will become a sullen ritual...