Introducing the Amazing Rockethead!

Now this is funny.

From CNN to the New York Times, the media hyped Barack Obama's Portland, Oregon rally on Sunday, some comparing him to a rock star.

Unmentioned in national reporting was the fact that Obama was preceded by a rare, 45-minute free concert by actual rock stars The Decemberists. The Portland-based band has drawn rave reviews from Rolling Stone magazine, which gave their 2005 album Picaresque four and a half stars (out of five), and another four and a half stars for 2007's The Crane Wife. 

How many of the people showed up to hear Obama, and how many to hear the band?

But this is funnier.

I don't listen to that kind of noise pollution, but I know that on a gorgeous, unseasonably mild day in Portland, a free performance by a hugely successful local band is likely to draw a huge crowd, and it seems that's precisely what happened. Nobody denies that Obama is a phenomenon, drawing enormous crowds wherever he goes, but this was reported like all of Oregon showed up to see Obama. New information has come to light.

Hugh also notes that The Decemberists typically open their shows with what I'm sure is a stirring rendition of the Soviet national anthem. No word on whether they opened the Obama rally with such a performance, but I'm certain our trusted media would have reported it if they did.

Quick, someone e-mail Michael Goldfarb a detailed explanation of how Obama only connects with African-American voters because he won the endorsement of Death Cab for Cutie. Bet you a nickel he'd go for it.

(See also syrup boy.)

UNRELATED UPDATE: Via Gavin, "The Purple Avenger" at "Ace of Spades Hates Gays HQ" believes that, and I quote his headline,

Obama displays profound ignorance of asymetric warfare

As Myles would say, "Very sic." And yes, spelling flames count in this particular case. Hell, they count double.

RELATED UPDATE. I have it on good authority that "rock and roll ain't noise pollution." However, all the evidence I can detect in support of this thesis is the following:

Comments

[lightning]

So let's see which rock band opens for McCain.

Oh, wait, that's right. Sorry.

[Fats Durston]

I don't listen to that kind of noise pollution.

Me either. Kids these days with their "race music" and meat-cleaver-murderer songs and high falutin' litruhchuh references...

[EM]

The Decemberists? Noise pollution?

Man, those crazy wingers must really be dying for a 2 Live Crew comeback or something if the best they can do is attack the freakin' Decemberists.

[DrDick]

Ah yes. The wrongwing blogosphere delving new depths of stupidity. These people's heads are so far up their asses they can lick their tonsils.

[jpe]

No wonder he got that many people. Let's just see how many people would still trek to see Mr. Popular if it was held on a rainy day, the opening act was Rick Astley, and it was held at the bottom of the sea.

[Trevor J]

It's been a couple years since I saw a Decemberists show, but I'm pretty sure Hugh is full of shit on how the band "typically" opens their shows. My guess is Hugh knows where they got their name and made an assumption or a really lame joke.

Probably the latter. Obama's a Marxist, you know? Spread the word.

[KC45s]

Goldfarb's favorite noise: John Ashcroft Live at Budokan. Let the Eagle Soar!

[Andy Vance]

Hugh also notes that The Decemberists typically open their shows with what I'm sure is a stirring rendition of the Soviet national anthem

Hugh Hewitt
can spit kitsch
a mile a minute
but he couldn't spot it
if it bit him in the arse

[dadanarchist]

Do the right-wing morons even know what the Decemberists' name originally refers to and why, perhaps, they might open with the Soviet anthem?

[ErinPDX]

Now that I've seen them live and in person, dug the Decemberists. Whole day rocked.

[herr doktor bimler]

Obama displays profound ignorance of asymetric warfare
Over at Sadly,No!, we are still wondering which alternative candidate has proven to be any more knowledgeable about asymmetric warfare.

[rea]

which alternative candidate has proven to be any more knowledgeable about asymmetric warfare.

Getting shot down over N. Vietnam is certainly pertinent experience, although there is little sign he learned anything about asymmetric warfare from the experience.

[Gerald Curl]

Symmetrical warfare is considered the more beautiful warfare.

[slag]

It's clear that neocons don't go to many rock concerts because they don't seem to understand the popularity differential between the opening act and the headliner. If Obama had opened for the Decemberists (and if the Decemberists could even come close to pulling in 75,000 even in their hometown), that would be one thing. But the Decemberists opened for Obama. When Bob Dylan pulls in huge crowds, you don't hear people claiming that he only did so because Alison Krauss and the Union Station was his opening act. Although it would be funny if you did.

[Bill Cameron]

I was down there, and no one I knew were even aware the Decembrists were performing until they got there.

[dave™©]

As the Rubinoos used to sing, "Rock and roll is dead and WE DON'T CARE!!!"

[David (Austin Tx)]

Coincidentally I am listening to Death Cab for Cutie right now.

That must mean I have connected with Obama on a different level.

What that is, remains an enigma wrapped in a wonton.

[CybScryb]

Let's see...how about a day with The Decemberists, Rush and Bad Religion; three of the most literature oriented rock bands playing today.

As much as I love The Decemberists, and I do actually own everything they offer for sale musically, I'd love to see a "Ba Rack Show" with Bad Religion, The Uninvited and perhaps Delta Nove or Michael Franti & Spearhead.

[Hogan]

Symmetrical warfare is considered the more beautiful warfare.

Neoconservatism meets neoclassicism.

[Ian Ragsdale]

Looks like there was a recent Decemberists show in Portland on January 23, 2008:

http://blog.oregonlive.com/popmusic/2008/01/review_decemberists_at_the_cry.html

This show was at the Crystal Ballroom, which appears to have a 1500 person capacity:

http://www.concertposterart.com/articles/crystalballroom.aspx

Don't you think that if the Decemberists could bring a 75,000 person crowd, they'd play someplace a little bit larger?

It's amazing how much bullshit these people spout without any facts.

[ThatGuy]

The Russian National Anthem is the world's most kick-assingest Anthem. Our Good Friend Pootie-Poot restored the melody of the old Soviet Anthem.

[cavjam]

IIRC, the Decembrist Revolt took place 90 years or so before the Bolshie Revolution. It was a protest against the ascension of Czar Nicholas. The soldiers of the revolt swore allegiance to the Russian constitution, not the new czar. I always suspected the rightie-tightie crowd was Czarist.

I love La Marseillaise and Finlandia. They're gorgeous. Am I therefore a Finnish Franc or French Finn?

[chris]

I was in Portland the day of a Kerry rally in 2004. He didn't have a rock band. He also wasn't nearly as popular. And yet he pulled in a pretty huge crowd. Of course, the righties and MSM can't be bothered to do a modicum of research which would conclusively demonstrate how politically active Oregonians are.

[darrelplant]

I was working the line with literature for Senate candidate Steve Novick (sooo close!) all morning. I walked most of the length of the fifteen or sixteen block line between 9am and noon.

There were people in Obama tees, wearing Obama buttons. There were dozens of vendors selling Obama tees and Obama buttons. I didn't see a single Decembrist shirt or any piece of Decembrist paraphenalia. And frankly, a lot of the crowd was out of the demographic of indie rock.

[Raznor]

Rock and roll noise pollution? Wow, this man is certainly in McCain's constituency. Also, that damn Elvis and his pelvis thrusts are hurting our kids!

[Rotato]

"I'm certain our trusted media would have reported it if they did."

Can you prove that they didn't play the Soviet National Anthem? More importantly, why has not Obama denounced the Decemberists for it?

[Corky Caporale]

Obama displays a lack of knowledge about asymetric (sic) warfare?
How about Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and their brain-damaged puppet-boy, George W. Bush?
A few tears back I had the fortune of going out drinking with a former Lt. Colonel who had been a strategist in the Pentagon for the Joint Chiefs during the Clinton administration. His specialty was asymmetric warfare. He held forth for 90 minutes about how, basically, the whole asymmetric playbook was thrown out the window as soon as the Bushies moved in. The day after 9/11, the Islamofascists became a STRATEGIC threat, despite the fact that there was no way we could engage non-state actors strategically. It didn't matter. There were contracts to be drawn and mercenary armies to be built.
I don't know how anybody -- certainly any Democrat -- makes this point. But if the point is ignored, there's not much hope for our republic.

[hastingspete]

The day McCain draws a third that sort of crowd is the day I return to this Board and apologize. 75K for a PRIMARY rally. Same day that McCain, who is the undisputed candidate, only polled 72% of the vote in Kentucky and announced a fundraising haul less than EITHER of the two Dem candidates.

That is what we would call an "excitement gap"

[Hubris]

Goldfarb 2008: Nobody denies that Obama is a phenomenon, drawing enormous crowds wherever he goes, but this was reported like all of Oregon showed up to see Obama. New information has come to light.

The Dude 1998: I'll tell you what I'm blathering about... I've got information man! New shit has come to light! And shit... man, she kidnapped herself.

[Michael Bérubé]

Just wait til Goldfarb finds out that Obama wore his Soviet-flag lapel pin at the event.

[Kumar]

"unseasonably mild day in Portland,"

Mild? It was over 90 f-ing degrees here that day! The last of a 3-day heat wave.

Is there nothing they won't lie about?

[inner d]

I vividly remember the mild day when Bleeding Gums Murphy jam drew 2-3 million.

PS The same guys who are experts on all things Middle-East are also experts on all things Portland?

[b]

Nice GBV reference (assuming it is).

[Michael Breen]

This reeks of the same desperate delusion that gives us "stay the course," "we're winning" in Iraq, and "the Bush boom." I'm from Portland & I'm even a fan of the Decemberists. 75,000 people don't converge on Waterfront Park because the weather is nice or because the Decemberists are playing. The vast majority were there for Obama. But then again, as the greatest conservative of all time said, "facts are stupid things." Clearly that mantra still holds true in wingnuttia.

[Green Eagle]

By the way, if, as someone suggested above, spelling flames count, may I point out that the name of the Russian political movement is normally spelled "Decembrists".

[Vico]

Right. And the 50,000 people who turned out for Kerry during the 2004 General actually came to see Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Leonardo DiCaprio. In fact, we didn't even know they would be there, but we appreciated seeing them. Same with the Decembrists. One of the best local bands in a city that has great local bands, but most of us didn't know they would be there.

BTW, the fogosphere tried to use the same argument about the Kerry crowd.

[slapshoe]

If the Decemberists playing the Russian anthem bugs this clown, what would he say to the Leningrad Cowboys and the Red Army Chorus covering "Sweet Home Alabama"?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lNFRLrP014

I always thought that song could use more balalaika...

[bartkid]

McCain 2008:
Hey you kids, off my lawn!
And turn that racket off.

Sheesh.

[Batocchio]

Damn, he actually said "noise pollution"...? Apparently, without irony?

It's cute the way they're searching Rolling Stone for clues into what those darned kids like these days.

[PeskyFly]

Yeah, you know what the deal is dude!

Nice.

[January]

The biggest venue the Decemberists play in pdx is the Crystal Ballroom which holds 1500-2000 (I'm estimating). No one that I saw left before Obama came on, though the crowd ballooned in size. No offense to Decemberists fans but they're not THAT big.

[Fledermaus]

You know, do you ever get the feeling that all these people would go away if we just tracked down the people who gave them swirrlies in high school and had them apologize?

[pbg]

And y'know, back in Madison in 2003, Kerry and Springsteen were just damn lucky Dave Grohl was there to draw the crowds...

[Ginger Yellow]

"New information has come to light."

That's just, like, your opinion, man.

[Matt]

Re: Unrelated update: That's sic in the hed.

[wenchacha]

I wonder if Goldfarb listens to the sweet sweet melodious offerings of Ted Nugent?

[Chris Fabri]

My high school anthem was set to the music of the Russian national anthem.

Found a great page of Russian anthems as well:

http://www.hymn.ru/index-en.html

Everybody will probably recognize this one:

http://folk.ntnu.no/makarov/temporary_url_20070929kldcg/molitva-russkikh-acapella-valaam_1997.mp3