31 Going on 13

So, it's my birthday today. I turn 31. Mentally, I think I turn 13.

And if you've been reading my blog in the past year (which seems is when most people joined on), then you've probably seen it coming, considering my propensity for all things High School Musical (the sequel which I just rewatched at the gym the other day because it happened to be on, completely with no shame while surrounded by the muscle guys) and other such Disney tween propaganda (I've even watched parts of Hannah Montana (the brother Jackson is comic genius in the vein of Uncle Joey's Dave Coulier, as in, if you can sell it, sell it 100 times more because subtlety is overrated) and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody).

Once upon a time I was cool (or at least, I tried to be, though I'm sure Michelle can prove otherwise) and I would go to see bands like The New Pornographers, Ozomatli, Belle & Sebastian and Broken Social Scene. It's not like I hid my love for the Backstreet Boys, but at least I tried to balance it out.

Now I don't even bother anymore. I was reminded by how unhip I've become (enough to actually use the term "hip" as a description) after meeting with the ultra cool Liz from Glowybox and Dan from TiFaux and they started talking music and I realized that I'm quickly devolving into the cliched uncool older person because I knew all the bands they talked about, it just had been a few years since I had actually listened to them. I know, there are lots of older cooler people but they were always cool to begin with. I, like Michael Cera in Juno, was always trying very hard.

Now I look at the lists of concerts and all I see is... oooh... OneRepublic. Not Josh Ritter, not the Dragonettes, not Kathleen Edwards, not Neverending White Lights (and those are the ones I've HEARD of).

In fact, I've been loving a song I've been hearing on the radio lately and I totally thought it was some new Backstreet Boys song or something... then realized last week it was a song from the Jonas Brothers. The fricken JONAS BROTHERS. The band being groomed to take over the Disney tween world (with an upcoming show J.O.N.A.S!) and appearances with Hannah Montana. What the?

But uh, while I'm at it, here's their new video:

Jonas Brothers - "When You Look Me In The Eyes":



In addition, I've been listening to the songs I could find (for download) for the musical "13" by Jason Robert Brown (Parade, my top pick for the Best of Stage last year) which is supposed to be heading to Broadway hopefully soon, which the New York Times says is more likely to happen, just delayed a bit from this spring (and apparently there is a casting call to audition for 13 that was just put out so I guess that is a good sign, though I wonder if it's for the Goodspeed Theatre's presentation this May and June?).

The new musical is about 13 year olds played by a cast of teens (including the band) and deals with the struggles of being... well, thirteen. (The show premiered in LA in Dec. 2006)

Sadly, the more I listen to the songs (especially the short part from "Being a Geek" (video of Jason Robert Brown performing the song along with more photos of 13 after the jump), the more I seem to identify. Oh great. I'm totally reverting.

It also explains why I'm still breaking out like crazy.

Jason Robert Brown - "Being A Geek:



Here are more photos from the Los Angeles production of 13:






13 photos by Craig Schwartz from the LA production.