No more, geeks! Bountiful blogging (are you digging all of my alliteration? I don’t know what it is about B’s today) is one of my New Year’s Resolutions, and so far I’m sticking to it. And this is something I’ve been meaning to post about for a while–you guessed it: George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, the first novel in his epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire, and the subsequent HBO television show that aired earlier this past year.

I’d been talking about reading the first book in the series and then watching the show for forever, and I finally finished the novel (thanks to two 8-hour bus rides) this past Wednesday after months of toiling through it. Blame it on my lit-heavy Writing major. Verdict: Game of Thrones is epic. And I don’t mean epic just in the sense that it’s very, very good, although that is also certainly true–instead, it’s really just epic.

The span of this book, and I’m sure the rest in the series, is incredible. It’s like Lord of the Rings but bigger, if you can believe it (with a lot more sex and backstabbing). The land is divided into Seven Kingdoms and even more across the Narrow Sea, and the plot is intricate, following the lives of several different people all split up and divided by their separate houses (families), ranks, and origins. Bottom line, it’s a lot to go into, but I’ll give you a basic summary: throughout the first novel, a lot of people are conspiring for the chance to rule The Seven Kingdoms, and from all over–the North (the Starks, and the noble protagonists), the South (the evil, rich, and very blonde Lannister clan), and even those that were exiled across the Narrow Sea to Essos (Daenerys Targaryen and her band of Dothraki warriors).

I’m barely scraping the surface, I know. Just go read it. If you’re not one for reading (tssssk–and that’s coming from someone who took months to read it all), then watch the fabulous show HBO has done. It’s ten 60-minute episodes and it’s a lush, breathtaking adaptation of the novel. The worst I could say about the show is that they cast some of the parts a little older than described in the book, but I’m sure that’s because they didn’t want to worry about depicting some of the bad things that happen to children in the novel.

Some of my favorite characters: Daenerys (badass), Jon Snow (leave him alone, Catelyn), Arya (also a badass–yay Martin for writing strong females), Tyrion (he’s a Lannister but undeniably hilarious/awesome, and Peter Dinklage plays him to perfection in the show), and many other minor characters. There’s also a lot of familiar faces in the series for any fans of British television/movies–was that HP’s Tonks I saw as Osha and Argus Filch as Lord Frey? Also, Twyin Lannister is totally in BBC’s Merlin, and I feel like there’s a toooon more.

All in all, I’m pumped to read the next book in the series, A Clash of Kings before HBO debuts the second season. Let’s hope I read this one faster than the last. Till next Friday, geeks, when I detail my other long-delayed but totally worth the wait obsession, BBC’s Doctor Who. Thank god for Christmas breaks. It’s when you get time to catch up on geeking out.

What about you lot? Fans of Game of Thrones? Who’s your favorite character? If you’re not excited yet, check out the trailer for the second season on HBO, below. I have a feeling that the voiceover has GOT to be Stannis Baratheon, Robert and Renly’s brother–and is it just me or does it sound an awful lot like David Wenham, Sean Bean’s (who this season played Ned Stark) brother Faramir in LOTR (when he played Boromir)? If only. It’s actually this guy. Anyway, the trailer:

May the geek be with you,

Lindsay

Anyway, I promised you lot a post sometime featuring either news about The Legend of Korra or Game of Thrones. Turns out it’s going to be the latter.

The good news: that Avatar continuation comic I mentioned a while back? Well, it’s out and ready for purchase. Just added it to my cart–I can’t wait to read The Lost Adventures! Some even better news is that Dark Horse Comics has announced another comic—and this one is going to narrate the period between the 100-Year War (aka. the Gaang’s story) and the coming of Korra. The comic will be in two parts, written by award-winning graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang, and be titled “The Promise” (cover art embedded for your fan-tastic pleasure).

Now onto the bad news. (Insert long, dramatic sigh). While there has been only speculation up to this point, The Legend of Korra may be postponed until 2013. I know what you’re thinking—or rather, mumbling incoherently in vast disappointment—what??

Well, don’t mar your pretty foreheads with worry lines just yet. Nothing’s official, despite Tumblr blowing up with rumors. If Korra is going to be postponed, then it’s going to be postponed. It’s been nearly four years since ATLA ended, so waiting an extra year for the new mini-series doesn’t sound so awful. Besides, there’s always Nick reruns (or, if you have the DVDS like me, weekend marathons) and fanart/fiction to get you by. I’m more than willing to wait if it means creators Bryan and Mike will make it as awesome as ATLA (though I’m still disappointed Zutara isn’t canon)—especially since it’ll help everyone forget this. 

Anyway, before I depart for this week, geeks, I’ve got another question to ask you. I’ve decided to try and go for it bender-style this Halloween and be my favorite waterbender, Katara. Which do you think would be cooler/easier, Katara in her traditional Water Tribe robes (specifically from the third season with those cool wrist armor things) or Fire Nation Katara?

Leave your vote in the comments. Don’t be shy. Till next time’s geeking out over Game of Thrones—

May the geek be with you,

Lindsay

P.S. I almost forgot to mention Pinterest! The Geeks Were Right has a new pinboard, viewable on the latest and greatest social media site, Pinterest.com, a virtual pinboard. Check it out here–and if you need an invite to Pinterest, request it in the comments and leave your email. I’d love to share pins with fellow geeks.

So, onto what I’m geeking out about this week! Originally, I was going to blog again about updates on The Last Airbender: The Legend of Korra, but decided to postpone that in favor of something I discovered this past Saturday evening—something I fear I should’ve seen ages ago. Or, to be more precise, years ago: Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.

That’s the worst bit about being busy, in school and working—I feel like I miss the boat on too many things (example and another upcoming post: my current manic reading of “Game of Thrones”). Joss Whedon’s masterpiece that is Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is just one of them—it was released in 2008 during the writer’s strike. What the heck was I doing then?

Whatever I was doing wasn’t productive considering it took me 3ish years to become acquainted with Neil Patrick Harris’s Dr. Horrible. Now, I’ve been a fan of NPH since his reentrance into the public eye in Harold & Kumar and from reruns of Doogie Howser, M.D., so I didn’t really need to be enticed by his natural charisma to enjoy his interpretation of a rising supervillain.

Long story short: Dr. Horrible wants to be a badass-enough supervillian to be inducted into the Evil League of Evil and win the girl of his dreams, Penny, but is often thwarted by his nemesis, Captain Hammer (portrayed with perfect pompousness by Nathan Fillion). Add 14 jaunty musical numbers and it’s tragicomic perfection. Hello, iTunes. (Joss, I know you’re busy right now with the Avengers and what-not, but where’s Dr. Horrible 2?)

If you’re as behind as me and haven’t seen Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog yet, then head to Netflix Instant and get on it. It’s short, sweet, hilarious, and yes, quite sad—but I won’t spoil it for you. For now, just go watch it. I’ll make it even easier for you and throw in Part 1 from Youtube, below:

Until next time, geeks (watch out for Korra or Game of Thrones).

May the geek be with you,

Lindsay

This isn’t, however, a review. This post is going to be less about what was done right or what was done wrong, or what the fans loved and what the fans hated, though I’m sure it will be awful sentimental.

Instead, I’m going to name ten highlights from the film, from a true fan’s point of view, in memoriam of this life-altering, fantastic series. In addition, I have an exciting announcement! TheGeeksWereRight is expanding to Tumblr! Don’t worry, geeks, you’ll still get all your girl geek perspective right here on WordPress, but for instant hilarity utilizing all new media, check out my new Tumblr, Let’s Get Our Geek On. (Sadly, someone else has realized the brilliance of The Faint, hence the name).

Onto business. In honor of Warner Bros., the entire cast and crew of the Harry Potter films, Lit-Goddess J.K. Rowling, and of course, our dear pal Harry, I give you—Top 10 Highlights of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 2:

10. Goodbye, Griphook. Just like his first onscreen appearance in Goblet of Fire, the scene in which Voldemort learns that the trio is hunting horcruxes and, in his blind fury, subsequently murders an entire room of Gringotts goblins, Ralph Fiennes truly inspires real fear. On paper, after seven books, Voldemort isn’t too frightening of a villain. On screen, Fiennes abolishes that with an apathetic stroll through numerous dead bodies, feet stained with their blood. 

9. The Joys of Polyjuice Potion. Helena Bonham Carter playing Hermione playing Bellatrix Lestrange. With the help of Emma Watson’s voice, this scene at Gringotts was a bright, funny spot in a very dark film (and a great showcase of Helena’s talent).

8. The Lost Boys. Though a departure from the book, the scene in which Harry confronts his then supposed-enemy, Severus Snape, about the night Snape killed Dumbledore, is awesome for two reasons: a) Alan Rickman’s poignant pauses and haunted eyes as Harry shouts at him, and b) Maggie Smith’s McGonagall. What a tough old bird.

7. All was well. A lot of people hated the epilogue, both in the book and the film. While I understand and agree with a lot of fan’s reasons why, ultimately, I don’t think there could have ever been a better way to end this magical series—books or films. I think we’re just sad to let it go (I know I am). To see Harry happy with the family he’s always wanted (even if he did have to marry Ginny) is satisfying. And in the film, I thought subtlety worked best concerning aging the actors. And as jealous as it makes me, I’m pretty sure Emma Watson will still be that stunning at 36.

6. King’s Cross. Interpretations of the afterlife, especially on screen, never seem to go well. Kudos to J.K. Rowling for giving Harry his own party—and for the immortal line: “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

5. Dearly Departed. Even without Percy’s redemption, Fred Weasley’s death was heart-wrenching. Watching Ron crumble at the sight of his dead brother was a cue for the waterworks. We weren’t ready, Freddie.

4. The Kiss. I missed Ron’s house elves line (and Harry’s, “Oi! There’s a war going on here!”), but the film version of the most anticipated snogging of the century more than made up for it (and for that awful Harry/Hermione makeout scene in Pt. 1). Ron and Hermione’s passionate kiss only got better when, post-kiss, the two kids burst into giggles. It’s about bloody time.

3. The Boy Who Wasn’t. AKA Neville Longbottom, played to great effect by (Clive Owen-babe-alike) Matthew Lewis. From taunting Voldemort’s army of Snatchers, dissing Voldemort, declaring his love for Luna and slicing off Nagini’s head (now known as NAGINI SLICE!), Neville may not have been the Boy Who Lived—but he was, and always will be, a true Gryffindor.

2. Master of Death. First brought to life in a trailer from the gods, Harry’s walk to death is still one of the best scenes I’ve ever read/seen. Daniel Radcliffe, who has grown into an astoundingly good actor over the last ten years, made Harry’s fear, vulnerability, and ultimately, his courage, so real that many people felt like they, along with Harry’s parents, godfather Sirius, and Lupin, were also walking alongside Harry to meet his fate and truly become the Master of Death.

1. The Prince’s Tale. Whether you loved him or loathed him, after witnessing his heartbreaking, Scorsesean murder, and the story of his true allegiance—his undying love for Lily Potter was why, per Dumbledore’s request, he protected Harry all these years even while playing Voldemort’s right-hand—there’s one thing to be said about the enigmatic, brave Severus Snape, played brilliantly for 10 years by Alan Rickman: we’ll love him. Always.

Well…-sigh- That’s all, geeks. The books are done and the film’s are over…thank god for Pottermore! Anyone been able to get in yet? I’m working on it. So, geeks, what were your favorite parts of the film? What touched your heart? Let me know in the comments, and in the meantime, check out my new Tumblr…so far, all posts are, fittingly, HP-related. Cheers.

May the geek be with you,

Lindsay

“(Sob) It (sob) …pretty much (gasp) perfect (sniffle)…Snape (sob)…Alan Rickman (gasp)…Oscar (sob)…(incomprehensible muttering).”

You get the gist. Full, less emotional reaction/totally unbiased review coming your way later this week, probably after I see it again.

In the meantime, I have plenty to write about—Pitchfork Music Festival, and my 5-day stay in the Windy City. A quick recap of some trip details before I plunge into the bands: we took the MegaBus to Chicago from Iowa and stayed with some new buddies, courtesy of Couch Surfing (a great way to meet fellow awesome people & nerds alike).

We arrived Thursday afternoon, and after being greeted warmly by our awesome Couch Surfer hosts, we hit up the beach near Loyola for a few hours before making our way to B-Dubs and the (squee!) Harry Potter premiere, decked out in all our Potter glory.

The next day, we headed to Union Park for Pitchfork. As such happens with all music festivals, we did not see everyone play, but I’ll give you the lowdown on who we did see. First band we hit up was tUnE-YarDs, the nearly one-woman band dreamed up by Merill Garbus. With a little help from Nate Brenner on electric bass and a sick sax solo from Matt Nelson, the tUnE-YarDs killed it. Their set was dance-able while still managing to mingle dissonance and soaring harmonies, all courtesy of Garbus and her loop machine. Garbus’s voice, though, was the highlight for me–I loved her throaty yet eclipsing vocal style. And for some reason I never dig chick singers.

Next up we ventured to Das Racist, a rap group I was already very aware of and half-into, half-offended by, but uneasy to see perform live. For me, there wasn’t much more to Das Racist than as heard on their mixtapes “Shut Up, Dude” and “Sit Down, Man”–but that isn’t their fault. Rap concerts (at least for me) are always pretty so-so live, so all in all, I’d say the trio of Das Racist (Heems, Kool A.D., and Dap) did a swell job. They got a bunch of white people to dance, anyway.

Finally, we trekked (very excitedly) to the headliner, Animal Collective. I gotta say–they were the biggest disappointment of not only the night, but the entire festival. Having heard enough of their albums, me and my group were pumped up for one giant psychedelic rave. And while the show was a multi-colored spectacle, the band just didn’t deliver the sound. For me and my fellows, it was just white noise–though this could be blamed on the Pitchfork’s sound guy. He had issues with the levels for the rest of the weekend.

Commence Day 2. First up: Wild Nothing, a one-man band created by young American Jack Tatum. My first thought upon hearing Tatum was that Wild Nothing had a Smith-sy sort of sound that some might call generic and others, subtle. By the end of the set, I was convinced Wild Nothing was one of those bands you listen to over and over that grows on you, eventually becoming a favorite.

After Wild Nothing, we stuck around the Blue Stage to see OFF!, a hardcore punk rock band. Here, I was testing the waters, as I’m usually inclined to more classic punk such as The (immortal) Clash rather than the harder stuff. Nevertheless, I stuck it out for a good handful of songs–the crowd was into it–before bailing with a few of my companions. I did, however, like that OFF!’s drummer, Mario Rubalcaba, greatly resembled a young Severus Snape (sob). Thanks, Soph, for pointing that out.

Next was Dismemberment Plan, a post-punk band out of Washington, D.C., and hailed as the “fathers of the late-1990s/early-2000s dance-punk movement” by Pitchfork itself. Their set was definitely post-punk with a touch of soul; rambunctious, high-energy–the perfect perk-me-up pre-Fleet Foxes after a long day in the scorching sun. Lead vocalist/guitar player Travis Morrison also had time to joke around a little about Froggy’s in true dork-form. I may have a new crush.

Finally, the moment I had been waiting for all weekend–Fleet Foxes, the Seattle-based folk band that captured my heart in 2008 and reclaimed it leading up to this trip. How did I ever forget how awesome Fleet Foxes are? With their combination of lush, dreamy pop/folk and pure, unwavering harmony, there was no doubt that this former choir-kid wouldn’t love it. Dear Robin Pecknold, can I join the band? Be a roadie? Do your PR?

By Day 3, my group and I were a little worn-out, but we still made our way to Odd Future (Wolf Gang Kill Them All) and Baths–the first, a loud, offensive rap group that was just a little too much noise for me in Sunday’s sweltering heat, and the second, an electronic musician named Will Wiesenfeld whose set reminded me of The Big Pink. Looking back, both sets are blurs I wish I had seen more of. Youtube!

We skipped Deerhunter, who we heard was sort of hit or miss, in favor of hitting up Toro Y Moi. Despite hearing that Deerhunter was awesome, I’m still happy I saw Toro Y Moi, aka. Chazwick Bundick, who we actually had the pleasure of meeting later that evening (picture to come!). Seeing Toro Y Moi perform on the Blue Stage in the blessed shade was the perfect way to cool down–Chaz’s set was, as expected, mellow but still full of enough electro-pop to be mighty fun.

Finally, we made our way to Cut Copy (who I saw last year at Lolla) and the headliner, TV on the Radio. Both bands were reliably good; Cut Copy with their sizzling electronica and dashing Australian accents, and TV on the Radio with their mixed set of post-punk, electronica, jazz and soul, all on the cool grass under the dying sun.

And that, geeks, was Pitchfork–over a 1,000 words later. Sorry for such a long post, but hey, it was a memorable weekend. I was sad to get back to Iowa. For the full lineup, click here. Till this weekend’s post on Potter (sob)–

May the geek be with you,

Lindsay

SIX DAYS UNTIL HARRY POTTER.

If you don’t think that warranted caps, then I don’t know if we can be friends. Just kidding! …sort of. (Full countdown to the film at Mugglenet.) Plain and simple, my fellow geek-culture enthusiasts, with the announcement of Pottermore (a social network/RPG/lexicon all rolled into one?! Hello, new home page. Sorry Yahoo.), the upcoming LAST MOVIE, and my impending annual vacation to Chicago with my best friend, I’ve been busy.

That’s right—next week I’m heading to Chi-town for the Harry Potter premiere AND for three days of hipster-watching at the Pitchfork Music Festival. And I’m trying to reread all of the books, as I do every year, before the movie. I’m currently halfway through Chamber, but to be fair I just started Tuesday night and have only gotten about 5 hours of reading in total. Here’s hoping I can ignore the rest of my life enough this weekend/early next week to plow through the rest—at least to book 6. (I’m a very fast reader, so, as Ron Weasley might say—doubters, bugger off.)

On top of reading and wallowing in misery that Harry Potter is going to be OVER (thank J.K. Rowling for Pottermore), I’m going to be packing and getting ready for the trip. I don’t think I’ll have a long post for my reaction to Deathly Hallows Pt. 2. In fact, I can pretty much predict that it’ll be all in caps or completely incomprehensible. Either way, I’m sure I’ll love it. But after that, don’t worry—like previous years, I will try to write daily reviews of the goings-on and concerts at Pitchfork (last year was Lollapalooza). Depending on how the weekend goes, I might have another little something to write about. Here’s hoping!

For now, enjoy this Harry Potter featurette that’s been on the web for a few days. That and visiting EW (they have a lot of awesome of stuff on the franchise over the years) should somewhat satiate our Harry Potter sweet tooth till the loooong six days are over:

What about you, geeks? Are you as excited as me for Harry Potter? Is that even a question? And, like me, will you have to see the movie multiple times because you will have bawled during the entire first viewing (and, well, why not?)?

Let me know in the comments!  I’ll catch you a little later next week with loads of content. For now, have to get back to Gilderoy Lockhart. SIDENOTE: Anytime I read Harry Potter or get heavily into anything uber-British, I start talking in a (relatively poor) British accent. Does this happen to anyone else or am I just a bit off my rocker (See!)?

May the geek be with you,

Lindsay

5.  Tom Hiddleston

Where you’ve seen him: Thor as Loki
Upcoming Projects: The Avengers

Is it just me or was Loki kind of hot? Chris Hemsworth got all the attention as the hammer-wielding  Thor, but for me, it was all about Loki’s cheekbones. In all seriousness, though, this previously unknown English actor will probably jettison to stardom due to his memorable take on evil brother Loki in Thor and the upcoming Avengers. Reason I’m crushing: Thor’s hot and all, but it’s one thing to create a super-sexy villain–it’s another thing to make me empathize with one.

4. Darren Criss

Where you’ve seen him: Glee as Chief Warbler and Kurt’s boyfriend, Blaine
Upcoming projects: More Glee and the web-series Life of Leopold

Good news, ladies—though he plays one of the best gay characters on TV, Darren is into the ladies in real life. Thank goodness, right? Reason I’m crushing: in addition to playing the sweetest and sexiest singer on Glee, Darren is also known for originating the role of Harry Potter in the Youtube sensation “A Very Potter Musical”. We already have so much in common.

3. Adam Levine

Where you’ve seen him: As the lead singer of Maroon 5 and current coach on The Voice
Upcoming projects: Hopefully winning The Voice with one of the members of Team Adam and touring the U.S. this summer with Maroon 5. I’m still waiting for a follow-up album as good as “Songs”.

This one’ isn’t technically new, but the rekindling of an old flame. I’ve actually crushed on this “Sunday Morning” singer since seventh grade, but sort of lost interest after two weak albums following “Songs About Jane”. Reason I’m crushing: thankfully, his current stint on The Voice brought us back together—even if he does only date twiggy models (yeah, I’m jealous).

2. Michael Fassbender

Where you’ve seen him: 300, Inglourious Basterds, Jane Eyre, X-Men: First Class
Upcoming projects: Shame (2011), Prometheus (2012)

I remember dear Michael from 300 but he didn’t really hit my radar until I saw him as Mr. Rochester in the recent adaptation of Jane Eyre. Those 19th century tight pants? Smokin’. Reason I’m crushing: if you thought he couldn’t get any hotter, go see him in X-Men: First Class (currently in theaters)–he plays Erik Lensherr, or a young Magneto. Let’s just say Nazi-hunting and controlling metal has never been sexier.

1. Eoin Macken

Where you’ve seen him: Centurion, BBC’s Merlin
Upcoming projects: More Merlin as Sir Gwaine (Gawain in Arthurian legend)

This talented Irish model/actor/director caught my eye when I saw him as Sir Gwaine in BBC’s Merlin. Reason I’m crushing: it’s pretty hard to outshine both Colin Morgan and Bradley James, but somehow, Eoin did it. I don’t know whether it’s his scruffy good looks (totally my type) or his winning performance as the roguish but lovable Knight of the Round Table, but all I can think is: yum.

Well, geeks, hopefully I’ve turned you onto some new (and handsome) emerging talents (crushes). Till next time!

May the geek be with you,

Lindsay

Ahem. Anyway. The post. As a geek myself, I tend to have friends with similar interests. One of my friends pointed me in the direction of two hilarious Deviantart comics when I was in need of some humor and something nerdalicious this semester (thanks again, Natasha), and since then, I’ve been pretty much hooked. If none of you are familiar with Deviantart, it’s a hosting site for artists, who post original work and fanart. So, if you’ve ever wondered how Harry Potter might play out had the trio been allowed internet, now you can see it–illustrated beautifully, might I add (Meanwhile, I find a lot of art reimagining a better ending to Avatar: The Last Airbender).

The comics I’m buggin‘ over are “Roommates” by artist AsheRyder and “Girls Next Door” (GND for short) by artist Pika-la-Cynique, and their comics pretty much progress narratively in conjunction with one another. The premise: One apartment building. Sarah Williams from the film Labyrinth and Christine Daae from The Phantom of the Opera musical live together (forget issue of generation). And guess who lives upstairs? Why, none other than the two lovely ladies’ spurned admirers, Jareth, The Goblin King of the Labyrinth, and Erik, or, The Phantom, who are also roommates. Well-drawn hilarity does ensue. Here’s a taste of each (though it’s important to note that these screen shots are taken out of context of the plot):

If that’s not enough fandom awesomeness mish-mashed together for you, just wait. It gets better. If you’re a fan of anything–and I mean anything–I’m sure it will eventually pop up in one of these two comics. It is one crowded, magical, someone-must-own-a-DeLorean apartment complex. A few of my favorite characters (and their respective fandoms) that pop up: Capt. Norrington (Pirates of the Caribbean), Legolas Greenleaf (Lord of the Rings), The White Witch (Chronicles of Narnia) as Jareth’s mom, and best of all, Howl (Howl’s Moving Castle) as one of Jareth’s distant magical cousins (I KNEW IT).

So, if you’re searching for a little mischief, masks, and magically-tight pants (mmm, thanks, David Bowie), then go check out either of these lovely ladies comics at Deviantart.

May the geek be with you,

Lindsay

Hey geeks—sorry for the bluntness, but it’s just the only way to put it. Let me explain. This past week/weekend I traveled to Denver, Co. with my family for my cousin’s high school graduation, and basically, an all-expenses paid vacation (thanks, Mom & Dad). That included a ticket to see the long-delayed U2 concert at Invesco Stadium.

Now, I’ve never been a particularly big U2 fan. I like Bono’s politics; in fact, I thought that would be addressed a lot more during the actual concert, but overall, he mainly spoke broadly about love rather than preaching, though I would’ve been fine with either (in fact, go sign up like I did for the One Campaign here if you’re interested). I’m also fond of his Irish accent. Regarding music, though, I get the worship of all that is Bono, and pre-concert, I thought I had heard enough of them to understand why U2 is considered a pretty decent stadium band. Well, I at least got why my dad was as excited as a preteen in the midnight release line for the new Twilight book.

So I don’t know if it was the wait—the concert was delayed last year because of Bono’s back surgery—or if I just didn’t fully prepare myself for what I knew was a guaranteed spectacle, but man. The concert rocked. I’ve been to a pretty decent amount of shows, big and small, for someone my age, including, as some of you may know, Lollapalooza last year and Pitchfork the year before that. I’ve seen some pretty big acts, the biggest probably some of the groups from Lolla last year, but seeing a band like U2, whether you’re a fan or not, is absolutely without a doubt worth every penny (especially if you’re in the nosebleeds, like I was). 

Let me paint a little picture for you. You’re in a stadium worthy of the Quidditch World Cup with 70,000+ people around you. In the center of the field sits a giant stage that resembles a weird sort of caterpillar/spaceship. Two bridges connected to the main stage cross over an inner circle of fans to an outer stage; a ring around the main stage. A giant screen flashes jarring stats such as how many births occurred today and illegal drugs sold in the United States this year above the stage.

Everyone’s forgotten the opening act (The Fray, if you wanted to know—with their standard schmaltz you’ve heard on the radio) in anticipation for U2. Suddenly, “Space Oddity” begins playing, and as your heart hopefully starts drumming a little faster just from hearing Bowie (Bono has good taste). As Bowie croons about Major Tom, the screen changes to show the fab four—Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr.—walking from their probably luxe dressing rooms to the stage.
Those 70,000 people go mad.

The band reaches their posts onstage, and you can hear the first few chords of “I Will Follow”. Thousands of fans below the spaceship stage pull out their smartphones and light up like the night sky, so it looks like you’re in a sea of fireflies. The stage lights up, too, and even though Bono looks like an ant from your cheap seat, you can see him swagger and rock out clearly on the giant screen, voice echoing in the giant space like, well, God’s.
Geeks, have a taste (If I ever get to upload my own video, I will. For now, Youtube helps):

So, yeah. Bono is a freakin’ rock star. And so are The Edge, Adam and Larry.

What about you, geeks? Ever been to a crazy sick show like U2? Would you go, or are stadium concerts not your thing? What do you prefer—small, intimate shows or big affairs like my U2 experience this weekend?
Let me know in the comments!

May the geek be with you,

Lindsay

Now, I have to admit…when I saw the legendary Mjolnir (Thor’s powerful hammer, for non-geeks) appear at the end of Iron Man 2, I was a tad skeptical. Thor? How on earth are they going to adapt the Mighty Thor into a movie? Two words: Kenneth. Branagh.

For those unfamiliar, dear Kenneth is an actor/director best known for such Shakespearean works as Henry V, Othello, Much Ado About Nothing, and also Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (and five times winner of Witch Weekly’s Most Charming Smile Award). Needless to say, Branagh is one of those uber-talented British folk I love talking about. When I heard he was helming Thor, my previous skepticism flew out the window, and rightly so. 

Turns out, the key to adapting Thor was by adding humor. More than once throughout the screening I attended today I was laughing so hard I immediately regretted the Diet Coke in my hand.

If you’re unfamiliar with the legend of Thor, let me break it down for you: he’s an arrogant god-royal who needs to be humbled. To do that, King Odin (Thor’s dad, played spectacularly by Sir Anthony Hopkins) blasts him to Earth, where he meets sexy astrophysicist Jane Foster (my girl-crush Natalie Portman) bent on explaining the universe. Meanwhile, back on Thor’s home of Asgard, his younger brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is cooking up trouble. Being banished, Thor can’t really help Asgard–especially without the key to his power, Mjolnir, which Odin has sent to Earth with him to sit in a crater now swarming with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents until Thor is worthy to wield it once more.

The real fun of Thor, like I said, is how funny it is. Sure, the storm brewing on Asgard is epically interesting, but Thor is, essentially, a story about a fish out of water. Or, more accurately, a god on Earth. Add all the buildup with S.H.I.E.L.D. for the Avengers (I didn’t miss Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye. HINT!) and it’s pure, comic book entertainment with a touch of soul. The love story between Portman’s Foster and Thor is touching, but no more touching than the complicated relationship between Thor, Odin, and Loki.

Oh, and the effects are gorgeous. I’m moving to Asgard. In short, it looks like Thor, along with Iron Man, is just another Marvel superhero movie that proves supeheroes are more than just pure spectacle. Captain America, you’re next!

Geeks, have you seen Thor? What did you think? Did you marvel as much as I did? Are you excited to see Captain America and/or The Avengers?

May the geek be with you,

Lindsay

P.S. Best line from the movie (and another awesome Avengers reference):

Agent Cale: [staring at a moving suit of armour] Is that one of Stark’s?
Agent Phil Coulson: I don’t know. That guy never tells me anything…