Monotonix

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

• blows my mind
• guaranteed
• punk
• alive and kicking

• rehearsed
• word
• kick into gear
• drum set

• hands down
• sold out

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Rock ‘n’ roll in recent years has been relatively safe. Bands don’t really endanger the lives of their fans by lighting things on fire and smashing things like they used to (see: Iggy Pop or the MC5 for examples). And even if they do do those things, it usually seems rehearsed and predictable.

But a trio from Tel-Aviv, Israel, have set out to make rock music exciting and dangerous again. Monotonix played over 300 shows around the world last year, and though their audiences are small, word is traveling fast of their outrageous performances and loud, bluesy music. Even if the venue has a stage, Monotonix always sets up the equipment on the floor, and often ends up outside the venue.

Marni recently missed a Monotonix show and no one will let her forget it. Just after she tells Jason she’s tired of hearing about it, he tells her how great the show was.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Jason

Marni:  So I’m really sick of hearing about how I missed the Monotonix show. Everybody talks about how it was the greatest show ever. I totally missed it.

Jason:  It kind of saved rock ‘n’ roll. Like, if there was any doubt, which there was a small doubt in my mind that rock ‘n’ roll was dead, it was kicked right back into gear at that show. They only played for about 25 minutes, but you felt every minute of that.

Marni:  It was the best 25 minutes of your life.

Jason:  Yeah, and as soon as they were done, they took apart the drum set, handed it to the audience, had the audience carry the drum set into the street. Had the entire sold out crowd of several hundred people come into the street and hold them up as they played drums on top of the crowd. It was unbelievable.

Marni:  It was mind-blowing. It was the greatest show ever.

Jason:  But that’s just what they do. Don’t feel bad about missing it because you can just see them next time. I don’t know how they do it, but every night they just do that.

Marni:  They just blow your mind?

Jason:  They just do crazy stuff. I’ve heard of shows where they set the bar on fire. I’ve seen photos of them standing on top of crowds like that other places, so they just do crazy stuff.

Marni:  So the next show is just guaranteed to be as crazy and amazing?

Jason:  I think so. I don’t know. I wouldn’t guarantee it because I don’t understand how any group of three men can do that.

Marni:  And they’re from Israel, right?

Jason:  They’re from Israel.

Marni:  That’s awesome.

Jason:  That is awesome.

Marni:  Israeli punk is alive and kicking.

Jason:  They are the most rock ‘n’ roll band in the world, hands down.

Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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