(Editor’s note:  We’ve grown weary of “borrowing” images from Google’s Life archive.  How many grainy photographs of old white dudes can you really generate clever captions for?  A little break is in order.  If old white dudes are your thing, fear not, we’ll probably be back on them in a week or so.  Today, to spice things up, we’ve snagged an image of the sun rising on Mars from NASA’s killer astronomy picture of the day archive.  That is some bleak shit.  I am glad I’m not a Martian.  Kevin saw it and said “hop out of the camper and fry some eggs..it’s a chilly morning. That sun is fuckin’ far away.”  Indeed.  The copyright information from NASA seemed a bit sketchy, but considering our status as taxpayers, we felt free to use an image from what is, essentially, our communally owned Mars Rover.  If you’re an astronaut or something, drop us a cease and desist request from space.  That would be sweet.)

Given the truncation of Cleveland’s basketball season, we’re back to traditional Lazy Saturday fare this week: random live tracks that caught my fancy for one reason or another with no editorial comments about Hedo Turkoglu’s lack of redeemable human traits and/or recognizable male genitalia.  (I’m done now. Hedo, if you’re reading, come to Cleveland.  I’ll buy you a beer.)  We start with a bit of nostalgia.  Mrs. Citizen and I packed up the Dickmobile in 2006 and hoofed it to our nation’s capital to see Damien Rice perform.  He wasn’t coming anywhere closer, we felt like a weekend getaway and my lady has a serious fixation on the pixie-like Irishman.  We were rewarded with a sweet set from the panty-dropping folkster and a gaggle of photos of us in front of monuments.  A highlight of the show was Rice’s cellist and co-singer, Vyvienne Long, busting out the Flaming Lips’ “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” mid-set.  It was absurd, beautiful and touching all at once; the venue sang along nicely to my recolecction as well.  While digging around for something else entirely, I came across a recording of the cover from a different show on the same tour.  I’ll admit to getting the goose pimples.  As an added bonus, we’ve got my favorite Rice song as well. (Who doesn’t love a song that references a dick made out of wood?)

“Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” – Vyvienne Long (via Damien Rice) – 2006, California

“The Professor” – Damien Rice – 2006, California

Is it hacky for me to post “Junk Bond Trader” after the GM bankruptcy?  Maybe.  Still a sweet tune, though.

“Junk Bond Trader” – Elliott Smith – 2000, France

Last up today is the Grateful Dead.  (Don’t you judge me hipster indie rock guy.)  The New York Times recently did a bit on the greatest Dead show ever in advance of the summer tour from the still-extant members of the band.  (My feelings on that are a whole other matter, by the way.  It’s not The Who without the drummer and the bassist; It’s not Led Zeppelin without the bassist.  It certainly isn’t the Grateful Dead without Jerry Garcia (and, to a lesser degree Pig Pen).  At least The Dead have the courtesy to hijack their fans’ wallets under a different name.  I’m looking right at you Pete Townshend.)  One of the concerts they discussed as the best ever is the 1977 Cornell gig that this version of “Jack Straw” comes from.  Given that article, my own tendencies towards meandering jam bands and my relatively high degree of editorial discretion on Saturdays, I thought this was a reasonable tune to launch into the ether.  (I was going to go with Saint Stephen>Not Fade Away>Saint Stephen, but that’s a half hour of hippie music.  James would have been pissed.)  Enjoy.

“Jack Straw” – Grateful Dead – 1977, Cornell