Dead Man's Tour

It's official, I have secured 2 tickets to see Ryan Gosling's band Dead Man's Bones at the First Unitarian Church on October 16th. I first thought about going just to get out of the house and see something new. The girlfriend would get to see Ryan Gosling in person and I would get to listen to some live music and see a show at the church where some of my punk heroes cut their teeth and a place I've still managed to never see a concert. Then some things happened that made me purchase the tickets almost 2 weeks in advance for fear it would somehow even sell out and be something I regretted missing.

1. The entire album became available for pre-retail release listening on the band's myspace page, and it's good. I mean purchase good. Ashley and I are both pretty stunned by how much we like the music from top to bottom. Not that I absolutely feel the need to hand money over to two Hollywood actors, but I'll buy it hoping the Silverlake Children's Choir who perform on every track on the album will see a piece of the action or something.

2. The review(s) are in, and the consensus? Not your ordinary actor trying to be a musician. Gosling and his best friend Zach Shields seem to avoid actor-band doom by embracing their pasts and actually incorporating their acting chops and behind the camera skills to not only the musical direction but also any of the media used to promote the band. I mean the whole thing is a little surreal and yet it also feels sincere. Though they benefit enormously by Gosling's fame, the project seems less pretentious than say...30 Seconds to Mars, where Jard Leto seems to be constantly acting a part that will sell rather than something he really identifies with.

3. Lastly, but most importantly, I'm pretty sure I stumbled upon the coolest thing ever by getting tickets to this thing. From pitchfork:

When Ryan Gosling and Zach Shields bring their Dead Man's Bones project to your town, they aren't coming alone. Oh no. On their very first tour, scheduled for this October, the actor/musician duo will bring the songs of their debut album to life with the help of a local choir in each of the twelve spots they're hitting. As Gosling and Shields explained to us, their self-titled debut (out October 6 on Anti-) was recorded with the Silverlake Conservatory Children's Choir. But they can't bring all those kids on the road with them. Hence, a new group in every city.

To make the experience even cooler, the opening act for the shows will be a talent show, organized by the band and featuring local talent in each city. Wow.

And who wouldn't want to see that?