Wacky Wednesday

Wow, it's been awhile since I updated this here blog. And so much has happened:

About an hour ago, Genesis announced its 2007 reunion tour. The trio of Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins comes to the Hartford Civic Center Sept. 16. Is it wrong that I am so much more excited about this tour than I am The Police? I simply can't wait till September. I even watched the press Web conference earlier this morning. That's sad. Tickets go on sale Monday. Look for details in Weekend.

The Arcade Fire dropped its new disc, "Neon Bible," yesterday. And although I wasn't as big of a fan of the band's last disc, "Funeral," as most rock critics, I absolutely love this new album. It's bigger, better, more Springsteen, some Cafferty, huge orchestration, less introspective ... just gloriously grandiose. I haven't stopped listening to it for about three weeks, and I can't imagine it leaving my CD player anytime soon. Of all the great material that's come out of Montreal in the last few years, this is the crown jewel. Just a tad bit more than two months in, Arcade Fire and The Broken West are neck and neck for the coveted Register's Album of the Year Award, but there's tons of time. Pick up "Neon Bible." It's too good to miss.

The Space's Battle of the Bands IV begins tonight. Yours truly will be putting his judging hat on for the festivities. So if any band competing is reading this, leave some cash under the venue's welcome mat and we'll talk. I'm just kidding .... I can't wait to hear the bands and eat pizza. Come join me in watching some new up-and-coming local acts and support the scene. It begins at 7 p.m.

We have a huge Weekend coming up, for both the section and the actual days. Look for preview articles on The Smyrk and Switchfoot in Weekend, and Sparta in Thursday's paper.

It looks like Captain America is going to die. I used to love him, although I've never read a comic book in my life. I'm talking about the really cheesy movie that came out in the early '90s. That kicked butt.

Why can't George Michael just enjoy his drugs in peace? I'm not a fan of legalizing drugs or anything, but George gave us "Faith," "Monkey," "I Want Your Sex," Wham! ... If anyone has made a lasting contribution to the world, it's him. Leave him alone. And a character in "Arrested Development" was named after him. That's high praise.

Just when you thought Bono might not be the second coming of Jesus (in his own mind), he gives you this. What would the world be like without a singer who's made mediocre music since the early '90s?

Too bad for those Yankees, it looks like the team's Japanese pitcher is a ball-throwing machine. And I mean the opposite of strikes when I say ball.

Hanson came to New Haven last Friday. The show sold out incredibly quick. Don't believe there are still huge fans of the brotherly trio? Read on.

And I guess that's about it on this end. I'll write more tomorrow, promise.