Relics is the best cover band in WNY. When they advertise "The Music of Pink Floyd" they mean it: clever setlist choices (ie following the first three cuts off side 1 of The Wall with "Childhood's End" from Obscured by Clouds), tremendous attention to Floyd detail, and some serious jamming (they crushed, crushed "Dogs" and "Pigs" from Animals, and they probably crushed "Sheep" but I lost my mojo before they closed their 2nd set- sorry). And the dense sound mix last night at the Four Aces in Blasdell made for a heavy, powerful show, with one of the big highlights being a shredding rendition of "The Nile Song" that conjured almost as much hardcore Sabbath as it did psychedlic Floyd. I love these guys (I even love the art on their posters and flyers- great visual design), and their shows are always a gas.

Upcoming Relics gigs include 11/25 at the Seneca Niagara Casino and 11/26 at Nietzche's.

"Lost" is the best show on TV, dense, raw, and very moving. It might also be something new on the TV scene, where art and craft meets visceral TV drama to create enthralling, spellbinding TV. The first 5 minutes of this week's "Lost" was preposterously enjoyable, some of the best TV I have ever seen: shattering visuals, seemless digital FX, followed by an example of sheer editing art. The folks who make Lost really flex their muscles every week, and clearly love what they are doing, and this of course makes for some damned fine TV. It's a shame it's up against the other "best show" on TV, the superlative "Veronica Mars,"which has replaced the "whodunnit" story arc of last season this year with a tale of political intrigue and class warfare that is unfolding at a deviously leisurely pace that tantalizes viewers with twists always just around the corner. Wow, the folks without a DVR they are in a real pickle indeed.

I also agree with Robin Quivers, who asked on Stern a few weeks back "why would people go to the movies when TV looks better than the movies?"- between "Lost," "Smallville," "The West Wing" and "24" TV has definately closed the gap in terms of production values and cinematic presentation.

Based on Wilco's new live set, "Kicking Television: Live in Chicago" I can say that Wilco is America's Radiohead, our band on the frontiers of our popular musical art delivering the goods.

At last I can say that the audiobook CD of "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" as performed by Jim Dale is of course wonderful. How that man can juggle that expanding cast of characters and voices is extremely impressive, as is his ability to the tone precisely right. Hot tip: you can get the audiobooks on TAPE at the Superflea on Walden mas cheap from the bookselling lady smack dab in the middle of the flea, and on CD from the good booksellers across our nation in the Amazon.com marketplace at a good price. I really hope I get "The Order of the Phoenix" on CD for Christmas- boy howdy.

Maureen Dowd, sharp yet sweet, bold yet modest... is so hot, and her writing is priceless. I can't help it.