rEELmandy

Black Friday

2008-06-04T14:42:00.000-07:00

Check out the interesting video for Cool Calm Pete's (feat. RJD2) song "Black Friday". Its one of the better "the world is shit, eat your Xanax and wait for the aliens to arrive" warning songs I've heard of recent.

Here's his myspace

Why its called a tourist trap

2008-05-12T16:06:00.000-07:00

Probably the worst food I've ever tried--San Diego Pier Cafe, Seaport Village

From the moment a few local friends and I mistakenly, and hungrily, decided to take our chances at this tourist trap, we were in for it. The hosts were terribly rude. One went so far as to use hand signals instead of words when we politely, and rightly, asked for 3 menues for 3 people at the table, instead of 2.

The waitress was stressed about all of the kids and tourists and when our food came, we almost thought it was a joke. One friend ordered the kid's fish and chips which was literally ROTTEN fish with a fettuchini noodle on top??!

My "pineapple burger" didnt even have a god damned pineapple on top of the severely sketchy looking beef balls comprising the "hamburger". There was shredded, unmelted cheese droplets on the burger, cold bbq sauce and flavorless other-ities.

When I asked for bbq sauce from the food runner he said "your sandwich already HAS bbq sauce on it". What a piece of shit. I was asking for the table. We needed to drown our nasty squishy onion rings in something other than sorrow. And WTF does this guy care about what Im using it for? Bring me some fucking bbq sauce you retarded mother fucker. (Sorry, it was a bad day)

Melina couldn't even eat more than her french fries. Heather and I had about one bite and then just stared at the sickness in front of us.

Finally we had to muster the courage to tell the manager that we were not paying for our food. This is a tough thing to do, especailly when you worry they are going to think you are lying. It must have been extremely ovbious to him, considering that 80% of our food was lying lifeless on the dingy plates. Get this--he didn't even appoligize! He just stood there and finally said "so, basically it was a bad experience all together" and then walked away.

Puff, Pass Pass

2008-05-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

Light it up! Turns out the constantly demonized, completely natural Marijuana plant does not, in any way, cause cancer. In fact, the nation's top weedsearch scientist has comfirmed that the THC in mj might even fight cancer-causing cells. Take that, you stupid DEA monsters that make those 'funky, cool' websites that try to equate weed with heroin, or any other obviously destructive drug. Go smoke a joint and join in the celebration that the rest of us have always know is perfectly fine, healthy, natural and downright awesome.

From The Washington Post: "The largest study of its kind has unexpectedly concluded that smoking marijuana, even regularly and heavily, does not lead to lung cancer.

The new findings "were against our expectations," said Donald Tashkin of the University of California at Los Angeles, a pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years."

"We hypothesized that there would be a positive association between marijuana use and lung cancer, and that the association would be more positive with heavier use," he said. "What we found instead was no association at all, and even a suggestion of some protective effect."

Party Friday

2008-04-02T17:06:00.001-07:00

In case you have not heard...Party Friday!

Get ready for bands, games, popcorn, beer and lots of dancing!

Behind the Yak: Bjork's Wanderlust Video

2008-04-02T16:47:00.000-07:00

Please Note—While you can find a version of the video on Yahoo and Youtube, PLEASE do not watch those versions. They are bastardized, shit versions and, trust me, you need to see this video the way that it was intended. Watch it HERE, in the EP webpage

The following is from a conversation I had with long-time friend Sean Hellfritsch. He’s one part of directing/producing/ team Encyclopedia Pictura, which has been in the press lately due to their release of Bjork’s 3-D “Wanderlust” music video. The narrative masterpiece took Sean and his team about a year from conception to completion and if the amazing stills are any indication, it was time well spent.

I’ll never forget chatting with Sean almost a year ago, when suddenly he said, “Hold on a sec, Bjork is on the phone!” The thing you gotta know about this kid is that he is the poster child for hard work. Bjork was interested in their previous work because its very plain to see that this team has a weird yet appealing artistic vision that flows through all of their work.

He and Isaiah have got to be not only the sillies and most creative guys I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, but the ones that work 18 hour days for 6 months with nothing but a positive attitude and desire for perfection. Even when the budget for the shoot ran out, they decided to work for free—building their own 3-D camera and following through till the end. I know from working on a student project with Sean that he is not satisfied until his vision has been fulfilled.

Watch and hear the guys talk to the NY Times about magic mushrooms, building the camera, and even some comments from Bjork about their work. Click HERE

The same went for the Wanderlust video. The final product almost perfectly matched the storyboards and concept ideas that the team came up with. While they only had a few days to capture Bjork in human form, other parts of the video consist of a giant 7’ tall fiberglass yak, covered in meticulously detailed hand carved foam and paint. Technically, the face is a malleable soft foam casting made from a clay sculpture. The face also had mechanical puppet rigging for his eyelids, eyeballs, nostrils, mouth & tongue. Check out this “making of” video to see just how it came together. As far as the final version is concerned, Sean “couldn't’t be more happy with it. The 3-D is knocking everyone’s socks off”

Watch the "Making of" video:

Of course, for some, work is never done. Now that the video has premiered on both coasts—to rave reviews and packed festivals—the team is finishing up their narrative short film “Mountain Yoga”, preparing web versions of Wanderlust and getting back to real life.

It’s easy to find articles out there of Bjork praising the work of these “gorgeous computer nerds.” She liked—and trusted—them enough to be making the video while others, such as infamous creator Michel Gondry, were working on videos for other songs on the album. Not bad for a 24 year old, sharing a tiny apartment in San Francisco’s mission district, living in bunk beds and surviving off of organic produce.

Things may change a bit for the guys, but from knowing Sean, I highly doubt it will be anything along the lines of their way of life, their love and connection with nature, their kind and generous attitudes and, most of all, their work ethic that proves that you can do and create anything you can dream up.

GOP News: Look Out Young Son Music Video

2008-03-27T19:36:00.001-07:00

About a month ago, our basement was transformed into a dark, circus-like Vaudevillian shoot for a music video. Grand Ole Party was shooting their first music video for "Look Out Young Son" from their Humanimals LP. A team of two young directors from LA were able to rent a turn-of-the-century camera which they were filming with, and then using a high-tech HD cam to film THAT image. There was a large circle of lights set up around the band to make it look like they were inside one of those old penny arcade video machines...I'll let the pictures here do the rest of the explaining.

Look for their video in the next few weeks!

He's BACK! Dan Deacon April 26th

2008-03-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

After a somewhat disappointing show at the Epiceter a few months back-something went terribly awry with the sound-my girlfriends decided it would be a good idea to invite the admittedly somewhat sad and disappointed electro-freak Dan Deacon to play a show in the basement whenever he was back near California. We thought it a nice gesture, but one surely to be forgotten. Well, turns out he is quite the partier and really did want to play at a San Diego House Party!!

Dan is at Coachella on April 25th and will be stopping by San Diego on April 26th for a house party!

He is on tour with Kyle H. Mabson, check out these electro-freaky guys. It's a guaranteed dance party with sounds and visuals like you've never experienced.

Here are some videos to watch and see if you'd like to be there

Where does the money GO???

2008-02-28T16:09:00.000-08:00

We get this question a LOT at the house parties. Just thought I'd finally clear it up for everyone.

Bands
Headliner $200
Openers (2)-$100 Each

DJ-$50-150
Door Man $75
Door guy supplies-$20

Poster-$50

Kegs & Rentals $200
Cups $50
Decorations-$30-100 ($50 average)

Various expenses (cords, plugs, lights,--things we need each party) $40
Alcohol/mixers for bands $50-200

TOTAL
$885-$1285—Low end to High

The People
$5 per person
about 50-75 people get in free, either list, friends or magic
Average party 200-325 people throughout the night
200-50= 150 paying people= $750
325-75=250 paying people= $1250 (which we’ve never made)

The most we’ve had come in at a party was around $1050.
The most we’ve ever made after expenses, not counting gas driving around to flier/pick up kegs, etc is $6.

Not to be Missed: Liars and No Age at Casbah

2008-02-20T18:51:00.000-08:00

Thursday Night! $12 now, $14 day of.

If you've never experienced the droning, loud, yet somehow tight and melodic spastic sound of Liars, you can download their newest album, "Liars" here at My Inland Empire. Click about 2/3 of the way down the page to find it. Highly recommended.

Here's what a blogger from Radio Free Chicago had to say about their live shows:

"Some music, for me at least, isn’t appealing live. It was meant to be listened to while I’m in my own element. Certain musicians move beyond the framework of an indie rock show and merge into the limitless confines of aural transcendence. Some music is meant to be experienced rather than listened to. And Liars is among the select modern bands whose music is at its most meaningful when it is live and coursing and threatened by the potential for collapse. With Liars your element is at the mercy of the band’s own terms."

"It’s besides the point to critique the sound quality of a Liars show. To be honest, I didn’t even make the slightest note of the show’s production. It was all about invigorating noise, the mushy feeling in the gut. The energy was altogether profoundly personal, profoundly sexual, and through much of the show I had my eyes closed and found myself lost in the sound of raucous guitars, grumbling, screeching vocals and pummeling beats, elevated to that height of introspection where thoughts and sounds mesh, and I forgot that I was at an indie rock show, forgot the smell of sweaty bodies, forgot that I was among a crowd of music snobs somehow unmoved."

WOW. Hope its this good at The Casbah.

LA Punksters No Age open up the set and are sure to get you going nice and early.

New Restaurant: Lucha Libre Taco Shop

2008-02-19T21:11:00.000-08:00

Lucha Libre Tacos!!!

Bottom line: Cheap (much cheaper than it tastes), close to freeways, hillcrest, AMAZING salsas, very fun and cool decor, OPEN LATE Sun-Th till 11, Fri, Sat, till 2:30.

Review--
Though some may miss Valentine's, the taco shop that used to be in the same place as Lucha Libra, be assured that "out with the old...in with the new" is a positive statement here.

Upon seeing and entering Lucha Libra, and--err--reading the name of the place, you can tell its going to be all about Mexican Wrestling Kitch. Wrestlers spray painted on the walls, small pictures lining the walls with faces covered in Lucha masks. Even the bathroom is adorned with famous painting of past US presidents. In Lucha masks. The bright bubble gum pink and bright baby blue lining the walls may put off some, but the overall look of the place is fantastic. They've even gone so far as to put a genuine Lucha mask in the seat of each comfy chair.

With space for about 20, this new late night destination will be popular in no time. And I haven't even mentioned the food.

Ive been twice, and I must say that this is definitely my new favorite taco/late night Mexican stop. Here's what we've tried:

--Nachos: great, classic crispy chips smothered in queso, rich (kinda lard-y) beans, tons of meat or veggies, plenty of sour cream and guac to boot. Only about $5. Two of us shared these and had about half to take home!

--Tacos: Ive tried 2 of their tacos, but it should be more like 4. They are served traditional TJ style, with 2 corn tortillas and plenty of fillings to fit into both. 2 for the price of one. Their chicken is moist, marinated and not at ALL dry, taco-standy-ish. The "special" chipotle and mole sauces are incredible--much better than one might expect even from a fancier Mexican food restaurant. Try the Tops Taco, its the best. $2.25-3.25

--Tijuana Hot Dogs: How can you beat a meaty dog, covered with grilled onions and peppers for only $1.50? You can't.

Salsas--Probably the best part of the shop!

--House salsa
Tomatoes, cilantro, onions. Decenty spicy and very good.
--Diablo
runny and spicy, just like most like a nice hot salsa
--Creamy Cilantro
One of the best cilantro salsas I've tasted. Very thick and, full of garlic and flavor.
--Pineapple
Very dry, but in a good way. Pineapples marinated in something spicy, along with small bits of peppers and onions. If you like fruity salsa, this one is delicious and great on tacos.
--Chipotle
Runny and great. Nice, smoky flavor

So, basically you can get a complete meal for $4-6, including a drink! Check out this new Mexican joint, you're sure to love it!

Our First Casbah Show

2008-02-06T14:53:00.000-08:00

Come on out to support The San Diego Burrito Project...
Check out more at myspace.com/sandiegoburritoproject

party

2008-01-31T12:10:00.000-08:00

Andrea's 1979 "My Husband is in the Mob--I mean Waste Managment" Party

2008-01-21T17:14:00.000-08:00

Always nice to have people in Long Beach. Great city, cool bars and a diverse group of kids. This weekend we all dressed as super classy broads from the late 70's, chillin in Brooklyn.
Hilarity ensued once again.
At Alex's Bar was Niel Diamond/Elvis impersonator Phil Shane. Hearing 200 drunk people sing along to Sweet Caroline could have only been done right in my bright pink sequin'd out slammin' dress.

Liquor store man

Harry drank so many high balls of Jack that he didn't make it to the bar

Classy Broads

And our hubbies

The Magic of the Golden Goose Egg

Getting there...

Phil Shane

We're done

Gettin Out of Dodge

2008-01-15T19:34:00.000-08:00

sometimes you just gotta do it.
After being hit pretty badly by a drunk chargers fan, and then watching him quickly leave the scene of the accident, I had had it.

Im mainly going to post some pictures from the vacation for my friends and family to see...enjoy.

On the drive...

Staying at the Marriott Desert Island Villas--thanks mom for the cheap rooms!
Kitchen, Living room and our view from the balcony

With a kitchen, there is no bar needed

Relaxing on the patio in great weather

How Mike spent his days: Guitar Hero and Sleep

We finally left the condo for dinner

Originally we were going to stay for 2 nights, but it was just all too good. So we moved from Palk Desert to the Newport Coast Villas in Snazzyy Newport Beach.

The Outside

The Inside

Champagne and Guitar Hero and Swimming were pretty much all we did. I also had an amazing massage and facial at the Spa.

The end!

Room Available at the Ivy House

2008-01-12T11:28:00.000-08:00

Here is the post from Craigslist and some extra pics:

The House:
Large 1 story home with basement underneath and studio as well. 2 large bedrooms and one medium in house. Lots of parking, big kitchen, big shower, hardwood flooring. Covered front porch, living room with fireplace, family room with couches and TV (no cable, just movies).

Room 1: fits queen bed, desk and other things. Large window and in private area of house. Medium closet space. Access to all other rooms in house.

Roommates: 2 females and 1 male, all in mid-20's. College educated with a desire for a peaceful and clean home. We clean up after ourselves and you will be expected to as well. We all communicate and are not afraid to ask people to move/clean an area. We are liberal, 420 friendly but do not like people with a lot of drama in their lives. Prefer to stay away from anything "hard" or crazy, if you know what I mean. We do not have cable but enjoy DVDs in the basement or family room. We like to play board games, drink wine and hang out in the evenings.

You: The ideal roommate is open-minded but respectful with a steady income or job. You don't have to be our best friend, "roommate" only is welcome as well, as we respect privacy. Meeting in person would be best to see if we get along.

Other: We have large house parties/live music almost once per month. The house is safe, as we have them in the basement. Just want to warn you that the house is dirty for about 2-3 days afterwards, but other than that it is usually quiet and mellow. Would prefer someone that wants to stay at least 6 months, but on a month to month basis.

We have small and friendly dogs. SMALL dogs welcome that get along with ours. Might consider cats if they like dogs.

Room available Feb. 1st. Deposit is one month's rent--$675, to be paid back when moving out with 30 days notice.

Bills usually total around $35-50 for Gas, Electric, Water and high-speed Internet.

Shapeshifting Aliens

2008-01-12T10:33:00.001-08:00

check out morphing on myheritage.com

The Silver Lining Theory

2008-01-10T14:24:00.001-08:00

So, they say bad luck happens in threes. For once they are right. As some of my friends definitely know, the past few months have been quite a shake up for me. I'd just like to share the cool things (blessings, if you will--but I wont because of the word's religious and otherworldly connotations) that have come out of crappy situations.

October-I break my foot at Scolari's Trivia Night.
Yes, I had been drinking, but this definitely not a drunken fall. It was as simple as Taylor leaving his little bike backpack too close to my seat, I got up, tripped and feel just the wrong way on my foot. The next day, the er doc said I'd be in a cast for a week. The next day my orthopedic doc said 8-15 weeks. Wow. Three months in a cast...at least I still had my "steady" job that my bank account had grown so accustomed to.

November-The company I've worked for for about 2 years finds out they did not get a giant key account and can't keep me on the payroll without it. I get laid off from a job that I enjoyed, afforded me a lot of freedom and an office that was mellow and easy to be at.

Last week-January. Heather and I were waiting to get out of the Costco in my Mitsubishi Shark. As we're stopped in the rain, waiting for the line of people to move, a Ford Explorer comes crashing into us at an unknown speed that scared the shit out of us. He backed up immediately and took off. We have no license plate and no info. The cops say there is nothing they can do. My favorite little car is totalled and some of my item I just bought at Costco are ruined.

Sounds pretty shitty, right?
It was. For weeks after breaking my foot, I was not able to get around very easily, but thanks for Heather and girls, they would get me out of the house now and then. Here are the simple and sometimes simply Divine things that happened next;

1. I was able to rewatch Lost. Not only watch it, but get so deeply involved with the show, the mythology and its characters that I hardly left my room other than to take care of bodily needs and functions.

2.Because I was disabled from even looking for a job and unemployed by being laid off, the state of California starts sending me checks each week which are more then generous to say the least. Im sorry for those of you that dont believe in socialized programs like these, but Ive been working and paying taxes for 10 years, including over 37% of my last paychecks to Uncle Sam. As mouth from The Goonies might say, when confronted with all of his unanswered wishes, "I'm taking it back. Im taking them all back." For once in my life Im out of a job but have money. This affords your brain all kinds of clarity. In addition to this, my company offered me a generous severance package, some of which Ive saved to follow-who else-Radiohead all over the US and Canada this summer.

3. Not having a job and not being pressed to look for another one immediately has made me realize that I can't go back to the 9-5 lifestyle. I was having just as good of a life when I was working at a coffee house. Sure I was making less, but the only things I really did differently when making more money was to buy too much home-y shit from TJ Maxx. I have all kinds of ideas about what I can do for work--including starting to manage and develop local bands, plan shows around the San Diego area, freelance write for City Beat once again now that I have time, start a dog babysitting thing where I take a buncha pooches to the park and dog beach during the day.

4. Ive been able to do exactly what I want to do when I want to do it. Having control of your life makes you motivated and pumped, as sarah might say. You realize how much control you have over the things you fill your day with, or the things you continue to ignore. Doing exactly what i wants including going to LA for New Years, visiting my cousin in Long Beach and taking little out of downers at the drop of a hat.

5.Since my car was hit and run, my insurance let me rent a supper silly and super fun mustang convertible. If you've never driven a convertible with the top down, I suggest you do it sooner than later. It makes driving a lot more like riding a bike, which is a good thing.

6. My mom works for the Ritz Carlton and is able to get Marriott hotels for a very cheap rate. The funny, cool and hot boy I met about a week ago decided to accompany me to a little vacation out to the Palm Desert. We got to drive through the mountains with the top down in a speedy rental car. We're now staying at the Palm Desert Villas. If this sounds like bragging, I dont care. This place is FUCKING AMAZING. Our condo is on the top floor overlooking a giant golf course, lake and palms. In the background is a giant mountain range sprinkled with bright white snow. It's 74 and sunny. Im drinking beer, getting a tan and typing on my laptop on our balcony. Is this the life? The muscle relaxer/pain pills my doc gave me for my crash pain are not bad either.
The condo is incredible. As you walk in, there is a gian open living room to your right with an L couch to fit a football team. In front of you is a dining room table and just outside a giant balcony with a table and sun chairs. The kitchen is full and there's even an ice maker. The bedroom--with its new ma tress, pillows and down comforters that turn you to butter and giant TV is enough on its own. But as you walking to the left, there is a jacuzzi tub. A GIANT JACUZZI TUB. Its like the high roller's suite. Through that tub is the actual bathroom with a shower fit for 3 and full sink. There's even a washer/drying in the kitchen. I just cant get enough of this place. I don't even want to leave the room or the balcony.

Also, my doctor recommended that I get a massage, which my car insurance covers. Tomorrow, we're getting an 80-minute Swedish "couple's massage", where you're in the same room and can chill. 80 minutes. I can't wait.

I'm walking on my foot again, have a few job opportunities and, since my car is totalled, will be getting my dad's Volvo station wagon that Ive always wanted.

Im beginning to this that this is just one giant Silver Cloud

MOST IMPORTANT: I have the best, smartest, funniest, coolest, most open minded, confident free thinking girlfriends in the world. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH. Thanks is not enough for what you've all done for me in these months.

The Butterfly and the Butterfly

2008-01-06T11:43:00.001-08:00

Mike and I were having dinner at Thai Time downtown the other night, since our original plan of Sushi Deli was a cluster fuck of everyone GD person in town, and we noticed something disturbing. Above our table was a real live dead butterfly. That's bad enough, but our butterfly was kinda falling apart and almost seemed to be bleeding. The food was kinda gross, but we had fun taking pictures.

I'm sticking to Antique Thai in Point Loma.

Movie Reviews as told through music

2008-01-05T23:19:00.000-08:00

While I am a big fan of film--went to "film school" in LA for 6 months, studied media communications at my university--I feel hardly the same way about most movie reviews. I prefer a good description of the film's aspects-acting, cinematography, score, plot, and setting--than one person's opinion that has the ability to truly influence my thoughts on the matter before I've even taken it in.

In that spirit, I've decided to review the latest movies I've seen through lyrics. The description at the beginning is just to inform you of the general ideas and feelings the film elicited in me.

"Juno"
Directed by Jason Reitman
The sweet and extremely smart and funny little film that is less about the story than young Ellen Page's snappy dialogue and a the giant heart right in the middle. Witty teen Juno is accidentally impregnated by her best friend and possible love, smartly finds a "great young couple" to adopt her baby which gives way to 9 months of confusion, trials far too mature for a 16 year old, and, ultimately a view of the possibility of true love. In all of its many unconventional forms.

The song I chose is one that represents to me, the erie and all to familiar story of the "great couple's" husband, played subtly by Jason Bateman. He's the former-musician who's lovely yet traditional wife has given him one whole room in the house to contain his lost dreams. He is a coward at heart, however, hiding who he really is until far too late into Juno's pregnancy and his own lie of a marriage. You run all kinds of red lights, except the ones on your street.

"Count Sheep"
By Enon-on the "High Society" album

She's got to love herself
too bad the lens got in her way
time changing off her head
so cut off your ears and issues
this conversation's done
we've covered heads she's covered tails
she's cut off her conscience son
deep in your head and your still crying but you don't have the right
you take sides and spill it at the sink from the spite?
from the role of the honor and the gluttonous heap
you would use the whole barn up and you love to count sheep
so count sheep

this diamond's not for sale
a big advertisement in our heads
one lie won't tip the scale
for rich little beggars making big bets
they're out to mark the score
fat cat's away dead mice decay
retouching on the course
awake in the bed and lay there crooning but you don't have the right
go on open your finger for another big bite
you run all kinds of red lights except the ones on your street
when you run out of exits you can always count sheep
so count sheep

Atonement
Directed by Joe Wright

The film that's causing all the Oscar/Golden Globe hysteria does quite a good job of deserving all of those stars littering its advertisements. Interesting and deeply involving plot aside, this film is simply beautiful. "Pride and Prejudice" director Joe Wright (can we now consider Kiera Knightly the Uma to his Tarentino?) directs near-perfect performances from these young actors--especially the creepy and self-righteous show from young doe-eyed Saoirse Ronan. She plays the self-important 13 year old Briney Tallis--who mistakenly and mischievously misinterprets a few sensual events between the two lead lovers. Consequences of great magnitude follow.

Each and every frame of this film is composed with the care of a brilliant still photographer. I've seen it twice now, and can't help but think that the film might possibly be better without dialogue. The cinematography and score carry the true story along the way it was meant to be seen. In fact, a few almost colloquial "I'm in love" phrases from Knightly's older sister role of "Cecilia Tallis" lessen the deep longing her character is experiencing.

Just as in Juno, the character that tears apart the lives of others is a cowardly individual. Briney selfishly and deliberately sets a course of pain and disaster in the lives of those around her, but even when given the chance to atone for her sins, slinks and runs away. Those who cry and run away, live to cry another day.

Run Away
by Super Furry Animals, off the wonderful new album "Hey Venus"

I could have told you why
It would have made me cry a little
I could have told you lies
It would have made me die a little
I could have told you anything
Except the truth which burns my middle

Run away that’s what I did today
Run away there’s nothing I could have said

You found another love
Someone to wipe away your tears
I left it all behind of me
Never to turn and face my fears
We may have fought with teeth and nails
I still recall your banking details

Run away that’s what I did today
Run away there’s nothing I could have said

Those who cry and run away
Live to cry another day

Run away that’s what I did today
Run away there’s nothing I could have said
Run away that’s what I did today
Run away there’s nothing I could have said
Run away that’s what I did today
Run away there’s nothing I could have said
But cry a little
Lie a little
Die just a little

**On the lighter side of life, enjoy this silly and sweet little music video for the previous song.**

New Year's Countdown: 3 Days

2007-12-27T17:36:00.000-08:00

I've collected some lists from other websites about what's happening locally and around the world. What is a blogger other than a copy+paster of info? (thanks to Google, Pitchfork, SDdialedin, Aol, etc)

San Diego:

Big Night San Diego
Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina, 1380 Harbor Island
Sunday, December 31, 2007, 9:00 pm - 2:00 am
Tickets: $109.99 per person (advance purchase, all-inclusive, 21 and up only). VIP tickets also available
This event has become popular with young adults because of its size and the price is all-inclusive of food and drink. Big Night features 12 party areas including casino and Mardi Gras areas, six dance floors, party bands and DJs. No big name bands, but lots of partying and dancing.
TARD-O-METER: 8 of 10 tards

National Comedy Theatre
December 31, 2007
3717 India St., San Diego
Tickets are $69 per person
The National Comedy Theatre will present its annual New Year’s Eve Spectacular. Similar in style to Drew Carey’s “Whose Line is it Anyway,” the National Comedy Theatre (NCT) is a high-octane improvisational comedy show based completely on audience suggestions. In addition to the regular performance, there will be catered food, and an after-show party with the cast, culminating in a countdown to the New Year. The show has received national acclaim and is appropriate for all audiences.
7 Tards

New Year’s Yacht Party 2007 :
December 31, 2007, 8pm-1am
Ticket price: $179 per person (advance purchase)
Saunter aboard the largest private charter yacht in Southern California and enjoy unlimited beer, wine, top shelf liquors, hors’ devours, chocolate fountains and other tasty delights. This event will feature 3 levels of music including a Hip-Hop dance deck, a legendary 80’z all-stars cover band and a variety of smooth tunes on the open air deck. Enjoy the best view of fireworks in San Diego.
9 Tards

Scolari's Office:
People like this

Also...
# Transfer, Get Back Loretta, Vitro, Microphone Mike @ Ken Club
# Punkaraoke, Wild Weekend @ Tower Bar
# FM 94.9 presents The Aggrolites, Grand Ole Party, Beatmo @ Belly Up
# May*Star's Fashion Whore/Club Pop Noir feat Edgartronic, Groundfloor, Wendy Darling @ Beauty Bar $20, includes 2 hours of open bar
# Pete Stewart and the Plastic Saviors, Vocoder, "Deadbirdz on Wax" DJs @ San Diego Sports Club
# Pierce The Veil, Suicide Silence, Stick To Your Guns, The Warriors, Lower Definition, The Faceless, Elysia, His Irate Life, Carnifex, Misdelphia, Tragedy&Triumph @ Soma
# Ziggy Shuffledust and the Spiders From Mars, The Baja Bugs @ Bar Pink Elephant
# NYE Party @ U-31 ($40 includes open bar)
# No Kontrol Dance Party @ Whistle Stop
# Reverend Horton Heat, Hank III, Nashville Pussy @ House of Blues
# Electric Waste Band @ Winston's (no cover)
# Anti Monday League presents New Year's Eve with Mother Hips, Billy Midnight @ Casbah

LA/OC:

Staples Center

1111 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA
The early-to-bed crowd can catch a Clippers/Timberwolves matchup at 6:30pm.
No tards, basketball is fun to see live. However, tard basketball would be better, so 1 tard.

Disneyland

700 W Ball Rd, Anaheim, CA
The park stays open until 2am and features two fireworks spectaculars, one at 9:25pm and a "Fantasty in the Sky" show at 11:59pm.
I love Disneyland--but so do tards. 2 gay tards.

Eagles of Death Metal

Dec 31, 2007 The Roxy Theatre
Ring in the new year with old school-style garage rock at this classic Sunset Strip venue. $51.50 + two drink minimum.
Meh, they still get one tard.

Hard NYE

Dec. 31st, 2007 Downtown LA
This is where I'll be--Justice, Peaches, MIA, 2 Live Crew, DJ's galore, circus performers,4 block in LA. Check the post below for more info.
No Tards!!! But prolly a lot of indie stupids

Rest of the World

CHICAGO

Spoon, The Sea and Cake - Metro
Switch - Smart Bar
Black Kids, These Are Powers - Empty Bottle
Jon Brion - Harris Theater

NEW YORK CITY

Patti Smith - Bowery Ballroom (early show)
Les Savy Fav - Bowery Ballroom (late show)
Dirty Projectors, Cex, Ecstatic Sunshine, WZT Hearts - Knitting Factory
The Dresden Dolls - Grand Ballroom at the Manhattan Center
Earl Greyhound, The Big Sleep - Mercury Lounge
Mr. Brownstone ("The World's Drunkest Guns N' Roses Tribute Band", also features "fully tended bar on stage", "massive Guitar Hero contest with final on-stage battle", "raffle to join band on stage for a song") - Music Hall of Williamsburg
Dean & Britta - Maxwell's (in Hoboken)
Gogol Bordello - Terminal 5
Nellie McKay - Joe's Pub
Slick Rick, Kudu, Moby (DJ set), Holy Ghost (DJ set) - Studio B

LOS ANGELES

Justice (DJ set), Peaches, 2 Live Crew, Busy P, A-Trak - HARD New Year's Eve Music Festival
Rufus Wainwright, Belinda Carlisle - Walt Disney Concert Hall
Bloc Party (DJ set), The Rapture (DJ set), Talib Kweli - Roosevelt Hotel
Dengue Fever - Temple Bar
MSTRKRFT - Giant Maximus
Nas, Salt-N-Pepa - House of Blues

SAN FRANCISCO

The Mars Volta (acoustic and electric sets), Peanut Butter Wolf, The Eternals, Nobody - Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Diplo - Temple Bar
Junior Boys (DJ set) - Mezzanine
Earth, Neurosis (includes free show-only Tribes of Neurot/Earth 7") - Great American Music Hall
Melvins, Comets on Fire - Slim's
Patton Oswalt - Cobb's Comedy Club

MIAMI
R. Kelly - American Airlines Arena

PHILADELPHIA

Datarock, Low B - Electric Factory

OKLAHOMA CITY

The Flaming Lips - Cox Center
Evangelicals, Starlight Mints - Cox Center (Flaming Lips pre-show)

ATLANTA

Band of Horses - The Earl
Black Lips - Drunken Unicorn

LAS VEGAS

Kanye West - The Pearl

WASHINGTON, DC

Georgie James - Rock and Roll Hotel

MINNEAPOLIS

Brother Ali - 7th St. Entry

PORTLAND

Wu-Tang Clan - Roseland Theater

BOSTON

Harry and the Potters - Hynes Convention Center

MONTREAL

Crystal Castles, Guns n Bombs, Curses! - SAT

EDMONTON

Digitalism, Shout Out Out Out - Starlite Room

LONDON

2ManyDjs, Simian Mobile Disco, Mylo - Turnmills
Super Furry Animals, Deerhoof - Royal Festival Hall
Tunng, Kevin Rowland of Dexy's Midnight Runners, The Horrors - 93 Ft East

GLASGOW

Dan Deacon - Optimo
Bis, Errors - ABC

Cloverfield

2007-12-25T22:59:00.001-08:00

J.J. Abrams-creator and producer of my favorite show Lost, is coming out with a much-anticipated film in January called Cloverfield. The producers of the movie have kept most of the details of the story hidden, from the time they named the project "slusho" or "cheese" or-most recently- "Untitled J.J. Abrams Project".

Well, the trailer is out (click here for Official Website) and looks quite intense. The basic plot revolves around an unknown yet extremely powerful monster terrorizing NYC, and the small group of people experiencing and documenting it.

While this may sound like just another apocalyptic monster flick, Abrams work to date has lead me to believe that there is much more to this film. Will we see the monster? I doubt it. After all, one of the main themes and ideas on Lost is the constant questioning of who or what the "monster" is. What are good and evil and when, if ever, are we able to tell their true form before its too late?

Anyway...enjoy the trailer and please share your thoughts and theories. If I hadn't spent the last hour reading and researching the various economic theories on the Lost Island, perhaps I could start an entire Cloverfield wiki.

Secret Guest for Hard NYE revealed

2007-12-25T00:56:00.001-08:00

Friend of a friend of a promoter let me know a little something interesting about the Hard NYE event in LA this New Year's...

As you might already know

Justice

Peaches

2 Live Crew

Steve Aoki

are all going to be there. 3 stages spanning 3 blocks in downtown LA. 5000 capacity.

All's well, however the secret guest will be...

Mm Ii Aa, MIA, Mm Ii Aa

What can I get for 10 dollah?

Here's some more info:
Downtown Los Angeles - DECEMBER 31st, 2007
8PM - 4AM
3 Stages * VIP Warehouse * 35 bands and DJs

VIP tickets ($175):
Includes VIP valet parking, separate no wait entrance into event, entrance into separate vip only warehouse, and new years party favors. Plus open bar all night long with premium spirits Grey Goose , Patron, Premium Champagne and more.
Buy VIP tickets here right now

Attractions:
Cirque Aerial Acrobats Wish and J'Dagon
The Engine
We will be screening Daft Punk's film Electroma in the chill out area.
Visual Stimuli by MC This!
Photobooth Cobrasnake / Ronys and much much MORE TBA
come rain or shine / line up subject to change

URL: http://www.HARDNYE.com

Location:
Premiere Events Center with extended street closures
LOT 613 (see the map at HARDNYE.com)
613 Imperial Street
Los Angeles , CA 90021
Buy General Admission tickets here right now

My Space is a Small World

2007-11-28T13:54:00.000-08:00

Adam Gimble, local music hero, trivia master and new host of "Too Cool for Karaoke" stumbled upon a strange little message on my flier for the Golden Years Party.

"Fluff" aka Susan Olsen aka "Cindy" from The Brady Bunch commented "Prunetinis?", suggesting not only a wonderful addition to the old people theme, but also reminding us that nearly EVERYONE is on the space these days.

I loved the Brady Bunch and especially liked her character because I was the youngest of three girls as well. I didn't snitch nearly as much, but did have the whole blonde braids thing going on.

click here to see the comment

A Special Thanks

2007-11-27T01:33:00.001-08:00

Love and mroe love goes out to Tim Pyles for handing down some sweet tickets to me and the girls at the Casbah on Sunday night.

Heather and I got to see the very last show of Travis' tour tonight at the House of Doosh. The crutches helped, as we were able to snag balcony front row seats for a nice evening of quiet Pretty Rock. The band was on fire, very smiley and lively. Their encore consisted of 6 songs, once sung completely acoustic (and the audience was actually silent for it). Overall a great night, and a free one at that.

Tomorrow, we've got tickets for Iron and Wine, another band I love but have not seen live.

Timy Pyles is by far the nicest, most generous, helpful, kind, loving, cool, funny, awesome guy to be in San Diego right now. If you see him out, be sure to say hi, as he's always up for meeting new people and having a chat, or much needed cigarette.

The Golden Years

2007-11-27T01:32:00.001-08:00

finally made a flier of my own...You'll be hearing about this all week, so no complaining!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE dress up! It will be so funny to be partying with old people. Just wear some old, high-water pants, suspenders, wigs, old lady jewelry, stratchy pants, bad colors, bad sweaters, bad anything! Prok pie hats! Canes! Walkers! All are welcome.

Thankful for...DANCING

2007-11-22T01:24:00.000-08:00

If there is one thing I miss the most in these weeks with my broken foot, its dancing. Before the stupid accident, I was taking 3-5 dance classes a week and going out at least that much at night. Sitting on a stool at the Casbah just isn't the same as dancing in the front next to the stage. This has only led me to watch some old music videos of some of my favorite dancers.

The Temptations. They started modern dance, they started classy group choreography. Hands down unstoppable.

Shakira
What I love about Latin sexuality is that its apparent and obvious but not overdone. Its sexy for sexy's sake. Watch Shakira, her hips are leading her movements like most women would use their eyes or breasts. They way she looks at her own ass when she's moving is like "damn, even I'm impressed with you"

Aliyah, may she rest in peace.
Aliyah knew had to walk the line between innocence and sexuality, between obvious femininity and subtle boyish charm. She was classy, mature and always entertaining. I was in high school when this song came out, and who doesn't remember trying to learn the "sleep, sleep sleep" dance moves?

Usher
The black Fred Astaire. He's equal parts hood and Broadway. His giant ego shines through in his movements, but luckily he lives up to it. I like it his way.

From Crackle: Usher - My Way

Janet Jackson
Before Beyonce, before Britney, before Shakira and all those bootches...there was Janet.

nicholas brothers-their lines, techniques and precision, no tricks, just them

House Party News

2007-11-21T12:54:00.001-08:00

Each weekend, a handful of friends and I casually bemoan the loss of the Ivy St. House Parties. Sure, we pulled together a decent Halloween bash, but it was nothing of the likes of the Great Rivals, Summer Circus or Office Parties of yore.

That's about to change. On December 1st, were having a Retirement Party for our friends, The Muslims. Against the advice of most people here, they've decided to move up to the stinkhole of the north, LA.

But we've supported them the whole time they've played around town and we want a giant bash to send them away. Vision of a Dying World will be ushering them in.

There is no official flier yet, but BT from TPB made this one for fun

Since its a retirement party, that means its time for costumes yet again. These should be easy. Go get some old people clothes at Amvets, wear big glasses and walk slowly--which should not be hard for me. Finally, my ghetto scooter will be appropriate.

DECEMBER 1st

Here are some costume ideas, thanks to my wacky cousin Liz from the LBC:

http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

THIS JUST IN: Shows in the New Year (and possibly ON New Year's Eve) to include...

Underground Railraod to Candyland
Vena Cava

And many more...feel free to leave suggestions of bands you like to see in the comments section

I am hunnng-ohhver

2007-11-21T12:35:00.000-08:00

Vodka+High Life+Champagne+Red Wine+Malibu Rum=

We were welcoming in our new roommate Lily last night and things got a big out of hand. I played my guitar so hard, I now have bloody fingers, eventually started drumming with wooden spoons and talking gibberish. Lily was falling all around the kitchen by about 5am when we decided it might be best to stop scouring the kitchen for anything with alcohol in it.

While I sleep this off, here are some interesting links to entertain you

Funny Holiday gifts at Perpetual Kid

Cool things for your house at This Next

Black Friday Updates for all stores

CONSUME AWAY!

Zeebras on a Thursday Night

2007-11-19T02:37:00.000-08:00

Thursday night, we were lucky enough to get into the Casbah for free, which is nice for a penniless young lady. Matt, my favorite bartender from LiveWire and Bartender's Bible member took a night off from making me Long Island Ice Tea's and played a great show with Mr. Tube, MEX and a gaggle of others.

Perhaps the best part of the night, other than the music, was the percentage of men in flannel to, well, other people. Casbah is wonderful for so many reasons. Cheap-ish drinks, great bartenders, Tim's usually walking around (especially tonight, considering it was his birthday), Ben, when he's at the front door, it always a great mini conversation when you're waiitng for your friends. You can hear the music and smoke a cigarette, if you find a great stop right outside the door. When inside, you can still get close enough to the stage, be close to the bar and be next to friends the whole night. For me, Im less than mile away.

yay! Casbah. I love you

here are some random pics from the night. I think I met about 5 Matt's that night, one that just moved here from San Francisco, one that lives in OB, and another I keep meeting just forgetting. Yay Matts. Rosey, sddialedin was there with her slick new haircut...good to see you guys all out.

2 Seconds with 16 year olds

2007-11-19T01:36:00.000-08:00

One of the perks of being on the internet for 18 hours a day, is that you find a lot of cool shit. Mostly useless youtube videos, but occassionally a promising new band.

I found these girls, err, somewhere. They're called 2 Seconds, they're from San Francisco and have got the 2 people, one guitar, one drumset Whit Stripes thing going on. Oh, and they're 16.

I'm trying to get them down here to play soon, but not sure if they even have their driver's licences.

The story behind "Steadfast Kickdrum" is that a venue owner, somewhere, told the girls "if you can't dance to it, then you cant fuck to it. If you can, that's Rock and Roll. And no one is going to drive anywhere without that."

Sounds dacnce and fuckerific to me...

Around Town

2007-11-15T12:02:00.000-08:00

There are usually some pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good things happening on Thursdays, and this week is no exception.
Here are my choices for a wonderful night out.

-Big Lebowski on the big screen at the Museum of Photographic Arts. Every Thursday the museum puts on a film, but this week just happens to be the best film of all time. 6-9 PM, Balboa Park, $6

-Enjoy the magical sounds of Mr. Tube and the Flying Objects, Bartenders Bible and guests @ Casbah, $10

-Mario, Charles and the other Skullz spin "Mr. Postman" and other 60's soul (plus rap towards the end of the drunken night) at Livewire. The drinks are strong and you can sit in a booth and watch people try to hook up. Perfect for a cripple.

ENJOY!

Princess Bride-20 Years Later

2007-11-14T12:44:00.000-08:00

Doesn't that make you feel old?

This is probably the only movie, next to Dumb and Dumber, that everyone I know either owns or has owned.

If you're a super fan of Rodents of Unusual Size, you might want to pick up the special 20th anniversary edition of this classic and quirky tale of twouu wuvvv.

Check out the beautiful amigram on the cover...

Also,watch as some of the characters reminisce about Rob Reiner's lovely fairy tale.

Shit you probably already know...

2007-11-13T17:31:00.000-08:00

but might like to read about:

-Winona Rider set to play Spock's Mom in J.J. Abrams' (creator of LOST) new star Trek Prequel.
Scripted by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, the film revolves around the Starfleet Academy days of the crew of the Starship Enterprise. Chris Pine has been set to play Capt. Kirk, Simon Pegg will play Scotty, Karl Urban is Dr. McCoy and Eric Bana will play the villain, Nero. Banna was awesome in Munich.

-My Bloody Valentine reunite!!!
"Shields stated the album (their first since their break up in '95), will be divided in three sections. Besides the new material, the album will consist of songs from '96/'97 (work done between Shields and fellow Valentine, Bilinda Butcher) and a couple of previously unreleased tracks from '93/'94.

As for those rampant Coachella rumors, there has been no comment by Shields or anyone connected to the My Bloody Valentine camp."

-62% of people paid $0 for Radiohead's In Rainbows album. The other 38% of us paid an average of around $8, but fans in America paid the most.

-ABC fires more than 100 people from The Office and next week will be the last episode. Im so sad about this.

unemployedloldogz

2007-11-12T15:38:00.000-08:00

Radiohead TV

2007-11-12T11:52:00.000-08:00

So, telling you I write about Radiohead a lot is getting more annoying than the actual posts. And with that I'll let you enjoy these fine video clips the boys made in the last week.

I hope it gets you excited for their upcoming 2008 tour.

Smith's Cover

My favorite-Faust Arp

Also, here's the setlist the band played in the studio while hanging out:
Burial - Near Dark
MIA - Pull Up the People
Tomas Anderson - Happy Happy
!!! - Heart of Hearts
Kings of Leon - My Party
AFD- Model Apprentice
Jorge Ben - Take It Easy My Brother Charlie
Les Baxter - The Ancient Galleon
Kenny Rogers - Just Dropped In
Iggy Pop - Nightclubbin'
Squarepusher - My Red Hot Car
Bauhaus - Bella Lugosi's Dead
Iron and Wine - Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car
Bonnie Prince Billy - Lessons from What's Poor
Asian Dub Foundation - Naxalite
Ray Charles - It should've Been Me
Juana Molina - Micael
Fela Kuti & the Africa 70 - Alu Jon Jonki Jon

visit greenplastic.com for more on the best band in the world.

Laid Off and Laid Up

2007-11-04T22:20:00.000-08:00

They say bad news always comes in 3's. I hate them. According to them, I'm still waiting for the 3rd catastrophe in my life. In the last 2 weeks, I badly broke my foot (at Scolari's Trivia Night, of all places) and was laid off from my job on Friday. Fuck.

In thinking about the limited jobs I might apply for, considering all I can do it sit on my ass and be on the internet, I thought that I might get back to this blog for a while. In the past, I've only posted sporadically and without much vision or idea of where the content was going. Don't worry, all the Radiohead news you could possibly read will still pervade the pages, but I'm thinking of some new things to add. Hopefully, dear faithful (7) readers, you will find something on here that makes your shit job just a bit less shitty.

Here are some weekly or daily columns that I plan on incorporating:

--Movie Reviews
--Music and live show reviews and previews
--Netflicks picks
--Things to do instead of drinking
--Invading the church of Scientology (this might take a while, but Im doing it)
--Upcoming show calendar
--San Diego House Parties News
--Odd News stories
--This week in 1982
--how to get into movies/show/events for free
--Daily Pictures of Mia and Iggy

Write me on here if there is something that you've liked from the past or would like to see again.

Family Pumpkin Bread Recipe

2007-10-31T12:20:00.000-07:00

My mom and grandma have been making this for as long as I can remember. Its the best Pumpkin Bread I've ever had, and disappears quickly around family/roommates/humans/dogs. The recipe makes 2 large loaves in loaf pans. Loaf.

1 cup oil (preferably veggie oil, but not olive)
3 cups sugar
4 large eggs

MIX THESE TOGETHER IN MEDIUM BOWL

3 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Nutmeg
1 tsp. Ginger
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)

16 OZ. Pumpkin-2 cups (read below for when to add)

MIX THESE TOGETHER IN LARGE BOWL

1. Pour the egg/sugar mixture slowly into the flour mixture. Make sure you mixed the flour bowl pretty well before dumping the wet ingredients in there.
2. After that mixture is set, add the Pumpkin in slowly.

Pour into 2 loaf pans or cupcake pan
Cook at 350 for 1 hour.

Enjoy!

Zombie World Record

2007-10-15T14:13:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't heard, Zombies are taking over the world. Well, that is my hope for any sort of end-time scenario, at least.

In the meantime, gore/horror/zombie fans can practice their best dead-on-dead impersonation in this year's San Diego Zombie Walk.

Its basically a chance to dress up, get all bloody and pretend you're roaming the streets for brains. Just in time for Halloween!

The best part about this year's walk is that they are trying to set a world record for the largest group dance to, what else, Thriller!

There are still a few Monday night classes left where you can learn the dance.
Remember, no ghosts, goblins, skeletons or shit like that.
ZOMBIES ONLY!!!

Here's come basic info:

Everything You Could Possibly Want to Know About The Upcoming Walk!

Okay, here we go... WALK details... I know you guys have been waiting for them and have all the details for Thrill San Diego, but here are the ZOMBIE WALK details!

WHEN IS THE WALK?

The walk will take place on Saturday, October 27th, 2007 at a little after 3:00PM.

If you want to participate in the walk, please arrive no later than 2:30PM.

We've had several people show up late to past walks and either have to join the walk midway through or miss out completely - and we don't want that to happen anymore! It's no fun to have to run and catch up (besides, zombies don't run) or miss out altogether. Please plan ahead for drive-time, parking, taking the tram, doing last-minute makeup/costume fixes, etc.

Hey Venus!

2007-08-30T15:57:00.001-07:00

Some of my favorite music contains some sort of contradictions. Lyrics don’t match up to the singer’s voice, tonality and beat don’t match the mood of the lyrics-some measure of irony is always a bit nice.

Other than the obvious and oft-noted disconnect between Morrissey’s upbeat and lighthearted Girlfriend in a Coma-as compared to its subject matter, there are a few other bands that delight with this sort of welcomed confusion.

Gruff Rhys, lead astronaut of psychedelic Welsh band Super Furry Animals (light listeners may remember their hit song “Juxtaposed with U” from 2001’s brilliant “Rings Around the World”) has always had the tendency that many non-native lyricist do--make things up, make them funny and make them weird.

One of the more soothing songs from Rings was Presidential Suite. The mellow horns and minor-chord melody would lead you to believe this tune is simply a love song-an expression from one poor romantic youth to another detailing the “how it should be”s of life. But listen closely to the opening and hear,

Monica and naughty Billy
Got together something silly now

Holy wars out of lusty minutes
Another Cuban cigar crisis

Honestly!
Do we need to know if he really came inside her mouth?
How will all this affect me
Now and later?

Ah, now its quite obvious- an admonition of America’s silly focus on the details of Clinton’s sex scandal, amid other growing tensions throughout the world that could possibly use just a bit more attention. Set to a dreamy pop melody, of course.

On their brand new album, the first in 3 years, Hey Venus! Continues in this vein and blows it all out to space in the meantime.

They still hit the humorous notes, such as in Baby Ate my Eightball, where a baby literally eats the entire package and is sent to the ER. Slow Your Hand reminds of masturbation addiction, but is really about gambling. And Battersy Odyssey is just plain, well, a perfect pop song.

In an interview with Pitchforkmedia, Gruff reveled that the song Run-Away was inspired by listening to 7’’ singles form the 1960’s girl-group “Les Surfs”. Along with this obvious doo-wop inspired tune comes its partner, “Carbon Dating” which sounds like a deviously happy group of freed circus performers, floating through space, still atop their elephants, finally able to make the music their leaders would not allow. Or something like that.

Les Surfs

You should check this madness out. It’s quite inspiring. At least, inspiriting enough to try to get to the bottom on the inspirations, contradictions and relaxations that the Super Furries use to come up with this stuff.

San Francisco

2007-08-29T13:41:00.001-07:00

This blog is dedicated to Heather. Mainly because she was an excellent travel partner when we ventured north to the great "REAL" city of San Francisco. Secondly, because some assholes stole both our cameras from the party on Friday.

These are all that remains from those 4 days. And a lot of great memories.

Weekend Rhymes with Drinkend

2007-08-24T11:08:00.001-07:00

Tonight:
--Turfy reunion with the boys (Taylor, Jesse, Roomie guy, Colin, etc) come meet us and meat us.
--One of Mario's many celebrations of being palindrincially 33. Live Wire-11-ish.
Try a Long Beach Iced Tea from Matt: Vodka, Tequila, Rum, Triple Sec, Cranberry juice and sweet & sour. KILLER.
--Baking a penis cake for the B-day bash tomorrow.

Friday:
--Electric Warriors Bike Ride from the Balboa Fountain--10 PM.
--House Party here (2220 Front & Ivy) starts at 9. Come early for kegs of Stone beer. Remember: The liquor stores close at 11, so come prepared or stop by the Cherry Bomb across the street and be back for late night dancing.

Saturday:
--beach day in OB in the morning
--SoCo FREE FREE FREE Scarlet Symphony, Delta Spirit, BRMC, and THE FLAMING LIPS. I will personally give you $20 if you honestly do not enjoy their show.
--Dying of exhaustion.
--Booty Basement Ass Shaking contest at Whistle Stop.

Sunday:
--Free BBQ at Tower-2pm-6.
--Sunday Movie day: Rocket Science, 2 Days in Paris
--Intense fear of work the next morning.

Monday:
--Wilco at SDSU-SOLD OUT
--Gogol Bordello at HOB-Prolly Sold Out
--Chow Nasty dance dance party at Casbah
--Gogol After Party at Kava. Wear purple!?!

Not Believing VS. Believing "Not"

2007-08-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

As Im sure some of you know, over the past few years I've decided to embrace reason, rationalism, and reality-which, to me, have no place in the Christian faith.

I'm always pleased to read articles or statements from other Athiests, Agnostics or people who just believe that there is more mystery to this life than can be explained in one of man's top 5 concocted religions.

NPR had collected essays from various celebs/writers entitled "I Believe".

Teller, big man of Penn and Teller, wrote a very simple message on his belief in NO god, rather than, "not believing in God".

Here's an excerp:
"Believing there's no God stops me from being solipsistic. I can read ideas from all different people from all different cultures. Without God, we can agree on reality, and I can keep learning where I'm wrong. We can all keep adjusting, so we can really communicate. I don't travel in circles where people say, "I have faith, I believe this in my heart and nothing you can say or do can shake my faith." That's just a long-winded religious way to say, "shut up," or another two words that the FCC likes less. But all obscenity is less insulting than, "How I was brought up and my imaginary friend means more to me than anything you can ever say or do." So, believing there is no God lets me be proven wrong and that's always fun. It means I'm learning something."

Decemberists News: Spreckles!!!

2007-08-22T17:09:00.000-07:00

I just found out that The Decemberists are playing 2 night in November at Spreckles. It's a disappointment that they can't play Mt. Helix, but we'll find someone else.

If you missed their LA Philharmonic show, I'm very very sorry. This should be at least 1/2 as good.

They are playing December 1st and 2nd. "The Long and Short Of It" Tour means that one night they will be playing their short, more pop-oriented songs, and the other, their epic, long, fighting-in-the-belly-of-a-whale songs that are rarely heard live.

Of course I recommend going to both nights, but if you had to choose, pick the Long night.

Pre-sale tix go on this Saturday, the 25th. You have to be a member of their fan club to have access to the password.

www.decemberists.com

Kill Me Friday

2007-08-21T14:26:00.000-07:00

Ye Old Cat Dirt, over at catdirtsez.blogspot.com, has made a short and sweet little introduction to, well, 2 kinds of people in life.

In the preview for Denzel’s new baddasss movie American Gangster, he coldly speaks “In this life you’re only one of two people: you’re either somebody or your nobody”.

Not that I think partiers are somebody and homebodies are nobodies, but you get the point.

From the blog:

“Oh my word the haters. They just sit around all day, playing Xbox and crying about "the scene" and how everyone sucks so much. And then there are people who do stuff.”

Tentative Excitement + Cats = Dan Deacon Afterparty

2007-08-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

So, somehow Heather has worked her booking magic and gotten wacky electro goofball Dan Deacon to play an afterparty in the Ivy House Basement.

Cool. His show at the Epicentre (blehhh) is on September 27th, also the night The National returns to the Casbah. Conflict of interest, says I.

I imagine this is going to be a very unique and interesting night, so we’re thinking costume only. That’s your ticket in, a costume. Anything really, it just has to get you past our ardent doorman of wonder, Chris Mutter.

Again, all tentative. Hate that word, but must use it for something like this!

Costume:

No Costume:

Radiohead Blows up the UK

2007-08-17T11:47:00.000-07:00

Always fishing around the net for some Radiohead news (boo, hiss all you want), I’ve come upon and interesting eBay auction.

The MAG foundation, which raises money to clear the UK of landmines, got all of the artists from London’s V fest to sign a Fender Strat. Im surprised that with 20 hours left on the auction, the highest bid is around $2000.

Aparently Sir Thom Yorke (is he knighted yet?) rarely signs, well anything, even if it is for a good cause, as this is. Landmines kill someone every 20 minutes somewhere around the world.

Check out the ramshackle collector’s item here.

In other, and a bit more disappointing Radiohead news, turns out their new album will not be released in 2007. BOO! HISS!!! How shall I make it through the dreary holidaze?

Hmm, Halloween. Fall. Cold. Yes, that might be nice.

SLAVES!!!

2007-08-10T13:21:00.001-07:00

Thank you!

Moustaches

2007-08-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

MoCASD held another TNT (Thursday night thing) this past week and it was better than most. It's basically a free night of entrance into the museum, combined with a couple of free bands and decently cheap beer. Arrogant Bastard tall cans were $5. This helped the giant furniture exhibit look a whole lot better.

There was a station where you could create moustaches, and needless to say our group had fun with that:

It's an arrow, obviously

US Military: Ultra-Sonic Assholes

2007-08-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

This story is yet to be picked up by a national news source, but there are plenty of articles all over the nets and the blogs covering it. Apparently, at the exact time and location that the bridge in Minneapolis went down, there was a "massive" ultra low frequency (ULF) 'blast' emanating from Latitude: 45° 00' North Longitude: 93° 15' West at the "exact" moment, and location, of a catastrophic collapse of a nearly 2,000 foot long bridge"

Aliens? George Bush? Sadam from Hell?

Funnily enough, "... reports further state that one of the United States primary research organizations into acoustic weapons research is Augsburg College, and which is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and most importantly less than 1 mile from the Interstate 35W Bridge collapse."

Hmmm...

Let's not forget about Muslims. Always something to do with them:

"To the exact reason of why the United States would be targeting Minneapolis with such a massive ULF "blast" we can find in the exact neighborhoods that surround the Interstate 35W Bridge, and which are home to one of the largest Muslim populations in the United States, including over 30,000 Somalis who are outraged by the U.S. sponsored invasion of their home Nation by Ethiopian forces. "

Check out the original article here

Chin up!

ROCKtail Pictures

2007-08-03T13:11:00.000-07:00

These will be on the Myspace page v. soon.
Thanks to everyone who made these party exceptionally fun.
Special thanks to Ashleita for taking this pretty pretty pictures.

Open Studio in Ivy House

2007-08-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

We have the studio downstairs available. Its pretty big and private. Downsides are that you have to walk up to the house for the bathroom (not far) and there is only one window.

There is space for a Queen bed, desk and even couch in there. The closet is a bit make-shift, but the people down there have had no problems so far.

Rent is $475-WOO HOO! that's cheap. Deposit is the same. Utilities are usually around $35. Internet is $15.

We have a big party once a month, that's all you'd have to put up with.
Decently clean house where we expect roommates to clean up after themselves and help with house chores.

2 small dogs-Pug and Pomeranian

We prefer someone with a very steady job who likes to keep to themselves somewhat and wants a peaceful environment.

Let me know if there are any more questions!

Weekend Rhymes with Drinkend

2007-08-02T12:21:00.000-07:00

This week has been a slow one and my body is craving some goingoutness. Good thing San Diego nights start on Thursday this time of year.

Thursday:
-TNT with Society! MoCA-Drink are expensive, but get one to start the night out right.
-Casbah for Muslims, Slits, Tenderbuttons-Always enjoy most of these guys and Casbah is down the street
-The Return of Skull Kontrol at Live Wire-They better not play 'Mr.Postman' one more time, get some new doo-wop out there, boys, I know you got it in ya! Yah Long Beach Iced Teas as made by Matt.
-Southpark episode (but this ends every night)

Friday:
-4 O'Clock Fridays with Violent Femmes-they always play and I've never seen them. Might be hard to make it thorough traffic though
-Bourne Ultimatum-GET ME JASON BOURNE!
-Silent Comedy/Silverbird-Beauty Bar. Ehh, going to BB tomorrow and twice in one week might be too much on the soul.
-Reel Big Fish at HOB. WOW. Might relive 15 if its free.
-Blue Ice Vodka Promo Party @ The Pink Elephant ($3 Blue Ice Vodka Drinks)-I feel about Vodka the way Homer feels about beer. MMMM vodka...

Saturday:
-Snorkeling at La Jolla Shores-great this time of year if you swim past the tourists.
-Stop by Borders to pick up Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Book. Uhh, how did I not know about this??? Thanks to the guy at Record City for shooting the shit about Crazee Eyez Killah.
-Delta Spirit/Skullz at Beauty Bar. Yes, Beauty Bar.
-Walk to Tower for the end of Vena Cava, Down In The Dump. Spy on punkboarders. Get free PBRs (ha. ha. ha.)

That's as far as the eye can see for now. Sunday seems too far away.

Get UR Tea On

2007-07-25T15:51:00.000-07:00

If you’re like most people my age, you thoroughly enjoyed Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

I’ve been waiting quite a while for info and a trailer for Anderson’s newest perfect-colors, perfect-soundtracked movie to come out and here it is: The Darjeeling Limited.

Doesn’t hurt much that three of the best and most handsome actors are starring: (in my personal order) Adrian Brody, Jason Swartzman and Owen Wilson. Angelica Huston made her way in as well, and one can only hope she’s some sort of gorgeous Indian spiritual healer (with a dark side).

THIS JUST IN: Flaming Lips News!

2007-07-25T15:50:00.000-07:00

As reported earlier by Rosey, THE FUCKING FLAMING LIPS!!! Will be headlining the SoCo music fest. In case you’ve been unfortunate enough to have never experienced the Lips live show, please mark this date in permanent ink: August 25th.
Even if you hate their music, don’t know it or simply have hummed along once or twice to, ‘Do You Realize’, everyone needs to see the brightly colored, confetti-laden, spaceship donning, giant-hand wielding, nun puppet dancing-est show on earth!

Check out a shitty Youtube video from their New Year's Eve show in LA (I was 10 feet from the stage for this insanity)

Tokyo Police Club: Pre-Show Info

2007-07-23T11:47:00.001-07:00

Okok, so these guys are pretty damn good. They remind me a lot of The Unicorns, but take themselves a bit more seriously than those goofballs did. Some say Strokes as well.

Just signed to Saddlecreek yesterday. Congrats!

I interviewed them for City Beat-Check it out on Wednesday.

The Canadian rockers play the Beauty Bar on Thursday, the 26th.

Here’s their myspace.
Here's an article.
And another one.

Sad but True?

2007-07-23T00:46:00.002-07:00

Please Vote: Impeachbush.org

2007-07-22T23:33:00.000-07:00

Impeachbush.org

Remember when you used to read about Hitler or watch 'Triumph of the Will" and almost not believe it was true? How could those people have faith in him? How did that happen so recently?
Watch this, and I swear its nearly as powerful. Do we have to wait until our government starts eating Asian babies on live television?
Please vote!

Be There

2007-07-21T10:32:00.001-07:00

Date got cut off, its saturday! $5.
Myspace Page

I Don't Care if You've Seen This

2007-07-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

Watch it again.

If you've never seen this-aka the best youtube video ever-watch it at least 3 times until it starts to make/not make sense.

Chuck! Palahniuk! MOVIES!

2007-07-17T16:37:00.000-07:00

Its been about 90 years since Fight Club was released, watched and changed young men and women everywhere (at least until they realized that, they too, could not afford anything better than Ikea furni). And though the Pixies played over a genuine hand-holding whilst the economic infrastructure of America is demolish is probably an ending that shaln’t be topped, we have room to hope…

For…

CHOKE and INVISIBLE MONSTERS!!!

I’ve been hearing round these net parts that these movies were going to be produced sometime in the distant future, but the geeks at IMDB are now abuzz with some details.

"Choke"
Will star Sam Rockwell as Victor, Angelica Houston as his sick mommy and a few others that need not be mentioned at this time. I wish there was a movie poop shoot for this one.

Summary (in case you have not read the awesome book):
is a black comedy that follows Victor Mancini (Rockwell), a sex addict who works as a Colonial War re-enactor and runs a con scheme that involves deliberately choking in restaurants and attaching himself parasitically to his rescuers, all to fund his mother's (Huston) care at a private mental hospital.

He is forced to address his intimacy issues when he falls in love with his mother's doctor and discovers that he is unable to perform with the one woman he actually likes.

And even better: INVISIBLE MONSTERS

No word on actors for this one yet, but a few years back it was rumoring that bootylicious fallen angel Jessica Biel would play the morbidly deformed former model lead chick.

And will Brandy be played by a man or woman? A woman as a man as a woman?

This book is definitely my favorite of Chucks as the concept is quite interesting: what happens when the “pretty girl” loses her entire identity-her beauty? What did she do to the people around her when she still had her all-empowering beauty? Who shot her face off? Why did birds eat it?

Libraries are for Dorks (like me)

2007-07-17T16:35:00.000-07:00

Since 2000, I’ve owed the San Diego Public Library system about $40. Granted, you say, that’s not too much dough when I’m making like fifty thou, but that’s also one night at Casbah and one night at Livewire (IF I get in for free, that is).

So, just as I was about to suck it up and pay-so that I could check out photoshop books and titles somewhere along the lines of “Indie Rockstars Guide to Music Management”-I see this thing about Open Library (demo).

It’s just as it sounds-finally a wiki where you can look up (someday) all published books, and hopefully, read them. For now, it just gives you info on most popular copyrighted ones and lets you know where to check them out. But I searched quite a few that I was able to read.

iPhone+Open Library= no more paper for me.

The downside: one less public place to pick up on dudes or chicks. Damn.

Gotta Love the BBC, Gotta Not love Scientology

2007-07-11T12:30:00.001-07:00

I truly mean this when I say it: I'm in fear for my life when I post this blog.

This morning I just got thorough watching the ever-witty BCC Panorama report entitled Scientology and Me. Aging reporter John Sweeny was on a Mission:Impossible (anything for Cruise thwacks) to uncover whatever he could about the very private "religion" of Scientology.

What he found, and what he absolutely could not find, was breathtaking. He interviewed a few mothers that had literally lost their children to the church. One day, one of the mums received a letter of "disconnect" stating that her daughter would have absolutely no contact with her in the future.

Another couple, who spoke boldly about their previous 10 years and $1 million spend on the group, said that there were still 6 children involved that refused to visit their dying father due to their disconnect.

The funniest/saddest part of the report is how Scientology leader and Cruise look-a-like Tommy Davis just SHOWS UP anywhere the reporter is trying to have an interview. At one point, he runs out of a black SUV on a private rooftop where Sweeny was interviewing a dissenter. Large file folder in hand, he begins to rattle off the legal trouble that the interviewee has had in the past, trying to defame him on the spot.

This guy is seriously out of his mind. Apparently the church has a method called "fair game" in which they dig up even the tiniest detail of someone's life, should they choose to criticize or even question the church in any way.

So, therefore, I'm going to stop here. This is America and you can believe what you'd like. I just don't want to have to spend $500,000 before I can become a 3rd Level Thetan.

Good Ole Wis.dm

2007-07-10T16:17:00.000-07:00

As if we don't have enough of those pesky social networking-majigs out there, here's a new and kinda fun one.

Wis.dm (notice there is no .com, just type in wis.dm into your browser)

It's basically a place where you can go to ask a question and see what everyone thinks. You can leave comments and begin to get some ideas about what you'll ask, once you sign up of course. Sounds simple and not terribly interesting, but stop by anyway.

My favorites so far are:
"Is forced oral sex still rape?" (no, its called "super fun mouth sex that does not take your virginity")

"Do you ever question the validity of your memories?" (uhh, like every morning)

"When you drink alcohol, do you drive around the room with a pretend steering wheel?" (gotta try this)

---m

It's All OK: 10 Years After the Release of Radiohead's OK Computer

2007-07-10T13:16:00.000-07:00

July 1st marked 10 long years since Radiohead released it's universally and personally-acclimed record OK Computer. Today I'm taking a look into why this album has been a friend, an emeny, an inspiration and a life-saver.

Part1: We're All Going to be OK

The Beatles’ “Yesterday” is not merely a universal favorite because of its tender melody and sing-a-long lyrics. It both adequately and simply sums up humanity’s constant longing for good, or better, times. We are trapped by this nagging notion of time, constantly looking back-or occasionally forward- to the times that we identify as happy. How often have we been in the middle of one of these moments, only to notice that the first thought that comes to mind is, “I hope this lasts forever”, and thereby admitting that time has destroyed the moment?

I bring up this point not to depress, but to ponder: what is it about sad songs that make us happy? When you’re freshly in love, all love songs whether from Kelly Clarkson or The Temptations, explain the way you feel as if the artist were writing your story. When you break up, inevitably, you suddenly notice songs about heartbreak that, again, run eerily along the lines of your life.

Radiohead has done an incredible job of walking the line between admitting and expressing a near-defeated, nihilistic view of the cold, “professionalism” of the 1990’s, while still letting in enough light and understanding to bandage the wound that has just been opened.

A perfect example of this dichotomy is portrayed in “No Surprises”. The title alone suggest a closed-case attitude toward, well, everything. It’s always the cynic in us that utters, “that’s no surprise”. But when the music starts, we enter a soft xylophone-driven landscape, safe enough for even the most anxious, worried and scared child in all of us.

Just as we’re getting comfortable, Thom’s voice prances on top of the melody to remind us of what we’re really made of:

“A heart that’s full-up like a landfill. A job that slowly kills you. Bruises that won’t heal.”

And with this bruised heart in hand we supplicate, defeated, and desire only:

“A quiet a life. A Handshake. Some carbon monoxide. No Alarms and No Surprises.

Silence.”

How many times have we sat at our desks/coffee/bars/prison cells and uttered “this job is slowly killing me” and then inevitably, “but you have to work, I mean, you have to. You need money. Can’t sleep on the streets. Can’t live at home with mom forever. Gotta grow up. This job is secure! This job will lead to other things. I kinda like that one guy around the corner. Traffic isn’t that bad…”

These feelings come from a complete disconnect of our job directly impacting anything tangible. There are a lucky few that actually know where their time and efforts are going toward, other than a pay check.

Before the industrial revolution-and I promise I’m going somewhere with this-most avenues of making a living were direct and easy to comprehend. You woke up in the morning, you milked the cows which was then packaged and sent to the families around you because they needed milk. And you gave them milk. And they gave you a shirt on your back that protected you from the sun when you were outside milking the cows.

Now this notion of simplicity vs. complex modern society has been hashed over in music, literature and, most likely, your upper-level college courses until it has become passé and vacuous-a problem without a solution.

But I bring Radiohead into this discussion because I believe they were some of the only artists to truly capture, through music and lyrics, the spirit and sadness of this disconnection with nature, work and even other humans. Sure, we have to work in a workplace in order to make money in order to buy our milk. But this modern idea of polished professionalism and policy has truly degraded our ability to connect with, well, anything.

Except that, at the end of the day, there is one place we can still escape: music. Why does listening to songs about a desolate future and placid present make that present seem just a little better? Why does singing songs about yesterday make today a bit easier to get through?

Maybe the only thing we, as humans, have left to connect with is our shared sense or sorrow and desire for a world we can’t even begin to imagine or define. As Paranoid Androids we cry

“Rain down, rain down. Come on rain down on me. From a great height.”

A computer can never be OK. A computer can’t be sad or happy or grateful or lonely. It just is. As we are.

Part 2: In Desperate Attempt to Express Gratitude

In the 8 years that I’ve been religiously listening to Radiohead, and I say 8 because those were the times that I’ve concentrated most of my efforts, I’ve considered these tributary signs of love for the band:

1. tattoo of parts of the OK Computer album artwork.

2. a dissertation on how the album brought about both the resurgence of atmospheric, emotional, well-executed rock (i.e. “saved rock-n-roll) and, sadly, the less-impressive and more derivative modern and overly commercialized indie/emo landscape.

3. Writing Thom York (or Jonnie Greenwood, depending on the day) a letter in which I profess that simply listening to their music is not enough for me. I wish him a swift and painless divorce coupled with an equally lithe and well-executed exodus of me, my dog and my best friend over to England or wherever he chooses to be. I’ll inspire his next 10 albums with my youthful vitality and muse-like genius. (actually, this has been my dream with all the musicians I’ve dated.)

4. Killing myself during the last 10 seconds of “Lucky”. “We are standing on the edge?” How dramatic of me, and what a way to go.

Part 3: Ways That Others Have Reacted

Recently Stereogum. com quickly put together the first tribute to OK Computer that, in my opinion, does the least bit of justice to the record.

Standout interpretations on OK X: A Tribute to OK Computer include:
-Sweedish band Slaraffenland's take on "Paranoid Android"
-The Twilight Sad's really, really sad "Climbing Up the Walls"
-Personal Favorite My Brightest Diamond's "Lucky"

Check out the entire *FREE* album here.
Read Pitchfork's take here.

About a year ago, a select group of musicians, producers, and critics got together for OK Computer: A Classic Album Under Review. If you really want to go deep with chord structure, Beatles comparisons, albums release history and brilliant anecdotal passages that cover every minute detail of the album, its artwork and its place in history-then this DVD is for me, err, you.

Don't miss out on:
- "7 Television Commercials"-7 Select music videos that are varied, intense and original
-"Meeting People is Easy"- a documentary on the band that shows a deeper side of their personalities, inspirations and frusterations with the modern music industry
-"Radiohead: Back to Save the Universe. The Stories Behind Every Song"-not terribly in depth but a good beginner's book on the history of most of the songs.
-"

What Do We Do? The Decemberists Know

2007-07-09T15:32:00.003-07:00

Considering I’m only 25, I’d say there have been about 10 experiences that have changed my life. And the people who have these experiences, and claim to have had them, know how I define life-changing. It's not a new take on your destiny, it's not necessarily a movement away from your current situation, it's not even that you realize that you need to “be a better person”, or anything unnecessary like that. It’s that the moment itself makes you utterly grateful. You are, more or less, impressed with the idea of being alive. You move on from these moments with a newfound ability to get through all the shitty days in the hopes that sometime in the near future your life will change again.

Radiohead at Embarcadero. R.E.M’s Monster Tour, Arcade Fire. Parque Guell in Barcelona. Kissing a lover in Berlin. Extra Action Marching Band at the Casbah, The Flaming Lips everywhere I've seen them. These, though mostly music related, are my most recent memories that involved times of transcendence.

But I have a new one. Saturday night, 7/7/7, Heather and I were lucky enough to witness possibly one of the most magical moments in my personal experience with music. I feel that even typing the word music is near blasphemous because it is all too common and vulgar. A longtime favorite band of mine, The Decemberists were playing possibly the most beautiful venue in the world, The Hollywood Bowl. On top of these facts, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra was finally setting their music to its full potential.

At one moment during the show, faithful leader Colin Meloy quipped that his music was always written and intended to be heard the way that he was hearing it that evening. If you listen to any one of their albums, especially Castaways and Cutouts & Her Majesty, The Decemberists, you can tell that they did not have the budget to afford more that a few violins, guitars and banjos. So after years of patiently listening on shitty speakers, ipod buds or (ekk) my computer, I too was able to experience that fruition with them.

I don’t want this to be a regular concert review. Yes, they played personal favorites, The Bagman’s Gambit, We Both Go Down Together, and Los Angeles I’m Yours (to ironic cheers during the line, “but oh the smell of burnt cocaine, the dolor and decay”). But the song that made me nearly fall to my knees in anticipation was the epic Odalisque. The arrangement of this song was taken far beyond even its regularly impressive minor-key chord progression. The guitar solo sounded even more like The Beatles “She’s So Heavy” and the orchestra was simply on fire.

The chord progression and final payoff during, “And what do we do with ten baby shoes, a kit-bag full of marbles and a broken billiard cue?” sent my soul (yes I said soul) to a level that no man, drug, friend, place or sound has ever taken it. For so many years, these lines have epitomized the empty feeling of having no money, no possessions and no clue of what the FUCK to do with life. What do we do? What do we do?

What we do is make music. What we do is try desperately, in any way we can think of, to express this all-too common emotion to others that we are sure know how it is.

There was nothing I could do to stop the stream of tears falling into my glasses and onto the concrete. Heather was feeling the same way, I can only imagine, and so were a few people right around us. There were a few seconds I really thought I was going to completely lose it, but thanks to the antics following the end of the song, I was able to be distracted. I know a lot of people that for one reason or another claim to not be able to, or not “choose to” cry. From the bottom of my heart I feel sorry for these people because when something gets inside of you that deeply, there is hardly any other way to express it.

While I do have a love affair with the Internet and all things Youtube, it was a tough decision of whether or not to post the following video. All I ask is that if you watch it, you please also buy/watch the (HOPEFULLY!!!) forthcoming DVD of the entire show.

Thanks for listening…

The Master

The Cell-Phony Crowd

Weekend Rhymes with Drinkend

2007-07-06T12:16:00.001-07:00

Saturday:I have been patiently awaiting The Decemberists, Band of Horses & Andrew Bird concert for about 4 months now. They are teaming up with The Los Angeles Symphony for a Metalica-esqe romp in the Hollywood Bowl. That is, if Metallica sung about Courtesans, Petticoats, Edith Piaf and the fall of the Reich.

The Decemberists have been a favorite of mine for about 4 years now, but their newest release, The Crane Wife, left much to be desired. I do realize that as bands “grow up” they tend to shy away from 6-part harmonies, 15 guitar tracks and over-the top lyrics that are just plain fun. But these are the things that I truly loved about these Portland natives. It’s great when you can listen to an entire album and then have to read about 4 history-bookish websites to fully understand what the musician was talking about.

I’ve also saved up about $200 to be spent solely at Amoeba. That place is giant and makes me smile like a 6 year old. I’m still hoping to find Dio’s “Dream Evil”, but have had no luck thus far in San Diego, Barcelona, San Francisco, London or Dublin.

The one problem with Amoeba, other than looking around and feeling like you have no style, is that just when you’re done picking out all your records, used CDs and some random dub album, you remember that there are DVDS!! Upstairs. Shit. Not only DVDs, but really good, hard to find, and brand new music videos, concerts and boxed sets to die for. Last time I was up there I left with Bjork, Super Furry Animals, and Radiohead DVDs.

Should have saved more.

This picture reminds of myself:

Commap Da Showden

2007-07-05T13:14:00.001-07:00

A few years back, the Best Guy in the World (aka Mark D) introduced me to the minimalist music of Steve Reich. We had been going through a major 60’s music period, which happens about every 3 minutes in my life, and had discovered something terribly interesting, different and impressive.

Steve Reich, along with contemporary and sometimes partner Terry Riley, is credited with starting up the minimalist/modern classical music genre around 1966 in NYC. By using tape loops to make phasing patters, or repetitive speckles of grungily recorded speech, he creates a sonic universe that is weird at first, boring at second, annoying at third, and blissfully meditative from there on out.

One of his best known, “Come Out” is basically a clip of a man saying something along the lines of “come out da show dem”. The songs beings like you might expect many of his experimental/electronic followers to start: a rhythmic repetition of a single phrase. There are 2 things you can do from here: pay extremely close attention to how slowly and methodically the beats and phrasing is changing, or just relax and begin to hear all kinds of wack shit:

Come Map the Show Then
Cum Opta Showden
Commapta Snowden
Come Out There Shorty

It’s so impressive that this guy was doing this before drum machines and modern technological help. The Books' album "Lemon of Pink" as well as The Notwist's "Neon Golden" are very similiar to some of the stylings that can be heard on 2006' Reich Remixed, especially the Books' "A True Story of a Story of True Love". Four Tet’s drum and Xylophone-heavy working of “Drumming” may be quite a departure for hardcore Reich fans, but I love it.

Apparently, these kids do too:

Lotsa Movie for the Kid's Price

2007-07-03T16:47:00.000-07:00

If you'll just take my simple 4 step advice, I can guarantee you'll be in cinematic bliss for 4-6 hours on any given night of the week. Money back guarantee! Act now and receive a free Child's admission ticket and Kid's pack popcorn. First one to email (reelmandy@gmail.com) gets to see how I do this first hand.

1. Become a Scheduling Genius.
You can't exactly see Transformers at 4:30, Die Hard at 6 and Joshua at 11. You'll miss the important plot points in Die Hard (har har) and have to spend 3 hours in the restroom waiting for the newest evil-in-childcarnate flick.

Best advice: Choose theaters that have no choice but to space their movies so that there is between 10-30 minutes of wait time. If you've only got 5-10, skip the popcorn and credits from your first movie and just walk right into the other one. If you've got a longer time to wait (I say 45 mins max), get in line for a drink which both shows the theater workers you're supporting their main source of income and, who the fuck is going to kick out someone who's just purchased a 76-ounce soda for $6?

Mission Valley and Landmark Hillcrest seem to be the best theaters to do this at.

Check Rottentomates for a easy way to figure out your own perfectly-preplanned schedule. Soon, there will be a widget that can do this for you. ohh, ahh!

2. Never Let them know you know anything.
This is brilliant advice for sneaking into concerts, movies, the ghetto, you name it. Its easier when you're a girl because bitches tend to ACTUALLY not know anything, but men can pull it off too. If you're nervous the first time you do this, wear something especially dorky and lame looking as to add to your perceived ignorance. I've had some friends get really scared that someone is watching us as we move from theatre to theatre, but in the history of this plan-at least 9 years-I've never once been found out or thrown out. Be nonchalant. Be friendly and normal.

IF ALL ELSE FAILS: tell the anal worker that you ALWAYS watch two films and that you bought 2 tickets. They will get embarrassed for calling an adult out for movie-hopping and won't stick around long enough for you to root through your pockets for the correct stub.

3. Eat a meal before you go, popcorn in between the shows.
Could not help myself with that one. Ok, so 6 hours in a theatre is no joke. You might need caffeine, you might need a sub. Only you know yourself, but prepare like its Coachella. Bring water in your bag, and gum. you never know if there's going to be someone you might want to make out with during an especially long-winded scene in Ocean's 13. Like I've stated above, the best time to buy any snack is in between shows. It makes you look like you just got there and makes you look like you have money to spend there-which you obviously don't because you're seeing 3 movies for $7.

4. Buy your tickets online. Child's price.
I think by now you've discovered that I don't have much morality (period) or respect for major motion pictures. I do, however, spend a lot of my money on the movie industry-Hollywood Video, books about directors and French cinema, my $100,000 "film" education from Point Loma. So I don't feel bad about any of this. Visit Movietickets.com, fandango or rottentomatoes to purchase your tickets before you go. Choose the child's price. Again, no one ever notices this. And if they do, just follow rule #2, play dumb (that darnd Internet thing-a-ma-jig is so confusin').

Quick Stop Movie Reviews

2007-07-03T16:05:00.001-07:00

I'm thinking of doing a weekly part of my blog for the Quick Stops. Might contain music reviews, restaurants, plays, or tuberous nights at the Casbah. But always Quick.

Ever since I discovered the magic of film and the grandeur of seeing the talkies in a big, dark theater, on average I've seen about 3-7 new movies per week. I usually go alone because I don't have too many friends that can stand to watch 2-3 movies in one sitting. Read below for expert advice on how to do this, unfailingly well, for the price of one child's ticket.

Onto the Quickies:

Once-
This is probably going to be my favorite of the summer. I saw it twice in one night, just to listen to the music again. The story is more than simple-Irish Musician Boy meets poor Czech musician Girl with complicated past and present. They don't necessarily fall in love as much as discover their unique bond through music. And as someone who is musically-inclined and has been singing most of my life, yet has never fully been a part of a true-to-life band, this movie is equally heart-breaking and inspiring. We get to see the 2 put together a street-musician, ramshackle band and practice one evening before heading into the studio to record. If the official soundtrack is any indication, they did a hell of a job in 2 days. If this one cant make you believe in "good" in the world, not much will.

Moral of the story: If you possibly can, do what you really want to do, with someone you really want to do it with. Might only happen once.

Knocked Up-
If you're at all in the Apatow camp (Anchorman, Freaks and Geeks, 40 Year-Old Virgin), you know what you're in for. Grungy stoner jokes that somehow come from ultimately sweet, gentle people with Hearts of Gold. Doesn't Judd get that some of the loser/stoners out there really are assholes?

Comedy aside-and see it for the well-timed lines from Rogen, Rudd and Mann-there is a major problem with this movie. Utter and total lack of social responsibility in our over-populated, quickly crumbling world of 2007. Heigl's character hardly even considers abortion or adoption, even though she is a very successful, happy, beautiful single girl who's about to have a baby with a guy that like fart jokes, his bong, and his "($900) that will probably last about another 2 years".

As you already know, I'm completely biased when it comes to the life-threatening decision of having children. I know movies are supposed to get us to suspend our disbelief and all, but COME ON, I can't believe the

Moral of the Story is: No matter your situation, no matter the father, no matter the consequences for the child, babies are cute and cuddly and everything will work out just in time for the little nubby to pop out. Life is great. Life is simple. Irresponsibility will eventually turn into success and happiness if you just have a few rows and then make up.

1408
Oh god, its scary to even begin to write about this one. I'll be brief cause the Knocked Up review was bitter and lengthy. I love John Cusak and so should you. Though he's won my heart in many previous films, High Fidelity is still my favorite. It makes me believe that there is some good in the world, and some good taste to go along with it.

Anyway, John holds together this somewhat shaky, spooky film about a bitter man who is desperately seeking any shred of evidence of the after-life. He's lost his young daughter to cancer?!? and we discover the details of her life and death throughout the film. The best part of this movie is the pacing and the audience's ability to live through the experience with the character. Some horror films you're just a voyeur, watching the teenies getting picked off one by one. You might even have the satisfying view from the killer's side. But when you check into apparently haunted room 1408, you're discovering the story and the gory right along with him.

The one downside was that this film brought up some bad memories of when I used to believe in hell. Christians would be happy to abuse their child's mind by taking them to this movie and then saying something like "see, aren't you glad you accepted Jesus and never have to go through any of that?" Bastards.

Moral of the Story: Its ok to be live in things, sometimes. Atheists are bitter people who just can't seem to accept anything (lame, lame, lame). Sometimes movies don't need morals, just spooky fun.

Battles/Skullz/Tower Photos

2007-07-02T00:32:00.000-07:00

Don't think this night needs any review:

Weekend Review-OR-FUCK! tomorrow is Monday

2007-07-01T22:38:00.000-07:00

"I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues."-Dr. Suess

Here is what the trees of Mt. Laguna told me over the past 2 glorious, party-free days:

1. No matter how cool nights are on the weekends in San Diego, you gotta get out of dodge now and then. And just look at us-the trees.
2. You can hug us all you want, no one is looking.
3.You are smack dab inside of one of the best years of your life. Enjoy it.
4. People change.
5. Corn is best in salsa.
6. Bizzy Crizzy Camping Trizzy.

Lucky for us, getting out to the Cleveland National Forest can be done with about 2 hours of planning at 4am the night before departure. La Posta burritos are always a good start.

After quasi-brief stops at TJ's, Rite Aide and OB (duh), Heather and I took the good ole Shark on a trip out to the trees. One hour and one stop for overheating later, we were there. We usually camp at the Laguna site with its perfect access to the Pacific Trail, a small lake and a giant hikeable view of the canyons, but it is June and that place was packed. Instead, we tried Burnt Ranchiera's equally large site. After 5 rounds scoping the best, most secluded spot, we found #100. Tent up, my new airbed full, beer chilled, and Mia running around like the little nature dog she is; perfection.

The details of the trip are lost on the overall feeling: rejuvenation. Our plan was, as stated so perfectly to Michael Bolton in Office Space: "I did nothing. Michael, I did nothing at all it was everything I hoped it would be."

We solidified our next few weeks of absolute insanity-literally something fun to do every night in the next 2 weeks. We'll be in LA next weekend for Band of Horses and The Decemberists, Long Beach the next day for Sunday Funday with my crazy cousin Liz. By next Thursday we'll be up in San Francisco hanging with The Prayers, Vultures, Skullz in general, Chow Nasty, Encyclopediapictura Boys, and Naan-n-Curry.

Here are some pictures from the weekend:

Poop-free Guide to My Favorite Ladies' Rooms

2007-06-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

1. Tower Bar “The best place in town to meet some cool ass bitches”

Size: Insanely small, but comfy. I’ve seen probably 5 girls waiting in the outer-room to get into the stall which is even smaller.

Look: beautiful, or at least the pin-ups are. There has been many a Lady Dottie night where I would try to imitate the ladies’ poses in the mirror, but only until someone comes in to embarrass me.

Smell: The outer room just smells like girls. The stall smells like cat litter, but it ALWAYS smells the same. Even when you go #2, still cat liter. Cat dirt, on the other hand—what does that smell like?

Issues: the toilet wobbles back and forth when you sit down so don’t leave your wounded soldier on the seat or it will just be added to the various liquids always present on the floor.

Other tidbits: Careful when you walk in, because creepsters at the bar usually try to take a peek, and can, because the door stays opens for so long. Cassandra once peed in the sink, but that bitch just does whatever she wants. If it’s too full, just go into the men’s room. Mick and Danielle have never minded.

Overall: Absolutely the best females are in this bathroom. I’ve met friends, dance partners and, like I said, cool ass bitches in this bathroom. And in the bar as well 

2. Casbah “3 stalls, space-a place to check ya face”

Size: One of the biggest. I’ve never had to wait in line for more than a minute or so, even on sold out nights. 3 big stalls to do ya business in. Great place to adjust your clothing/wipe that much-deserved sweat off your face

Look: red, cool-just like the rest of the bar. There’s not much to look at other than you- in the very large wall-covering mirror.

Smell: Not too noticeably different than the rest of the joint. You can smell poop in this one cause it’s all one big room. Don’t poop at rock show, wait till the morning after.

Issues: The door furthest from the entrance is too low to be able to lock. Just kick it up a bit with your foot and simultaneously thrust the lock into place. You’ll feel like a big-bladdered ninja. There is some space between most of the doors which lets you see if there are any frenemies waiting to scoop your spot. It also lets people see your ‘gine.

Other tidbits: Bitches ain't that cool in here for some reason. Hard to strike up a convo. I think it’s because there is no waiting room and you can just hear everyone peeing and (hopefully not) pooping. Bitches tend to get all uncomfy when this happens.

Overall: Big, not smelly. Lotsa mirror space as to not have to fight for it. Usually TP and PTs.

TO BE CONTINUED…I am Le Tired

iPhone Insanity

2007-06-29T12:25:00.000-07:00

As a former Apple employee (retail-8 months I hacked it out in that no-commission, high-expectation arena-listening to the Chili Peppers and James Blunt all day), I know what its like to deal with the hype-sters. Fuck just invented a new word. People that like hyped gadgets+ Hipsters. Nice.

Anyway, I think that Apple STILL has the market on cool-lookingness. And let's not underestimate the power of good looks. Marilyn, Ford Mustangs (1964-69), my powerbook. Turns out the value to even get a chance to buy the $500-600 ipod/phone/web browser ma jig is worth $1500. That's supposedly how much someone in line at the NYC store was asking for his spot in line. Wow.

I just really hope the touch screen lasts more than 5 days.

Check out this video of the NYC Hypsters.

Fuck Book

2007-06-26T11:43:00.000-07:00

About 3 years ago, my lovely cousin was over for Thanksgiving dinner and asked to borrow my computer. What I thought would be a routine e-mail-checking session turned into my first lesson in social networking (whatever the fuck that is). She logged into her Myspace account and began showing be pictures of her hot friends. Are these your actually friends? Where do they live? Is it hard to make one of these sites? Will I EVER get 100 friends?

Of course those questions were easily answered after about the next 4 hours I spent ignoring the turkey and writing an “about me” that portended to make myself feel important-to my 3 actual myspace friends.

Which brings us up to today (well, you don’t need to know my personal myspace history, as all of ours share enough in common to not write about here). I love the space. It’s constantly on in one of my windows. When I get to work in to morning, I open 2 windows-work window, play window. Play is fun-Pitchforkmedia, CNN, Myspace, Boing Boing, SD Citybeat, Rotten Tomatoes, allmusic, and various other blogs.

But Facebook? Never.

I think I’ve opened that devil-forsaken, ugly, hard to understand, myspace-backstabbing site only a handful of times. Nay shall I ever again. So much to my surprise did I learn today that, according to one Danah Boyd- “Social networking” researcher linked from Boing Boing-that I, as a loyal myspacer, am one of the non-college attending, “Latino/Hispanic teens, immigrant teens, "burnouts," "alternative kids," "art fags," punks, emos, goths, gangstas, queer kids, and other kids who didn't play into the dominant high school popularity paradigm.” Hmmm.

Facebook kids, she contends, are the whitey-white bread athletes who only want to please mommy and daddy by going to a super rad college and making lotsa lotsa money. These “goodie two shoes, jocks, athletes, or other "good" kids” are relegating themselves to the, in my opinion, lamest, dorkiest, weirdest, and again, hard-to-navigate and search-websites I’ve come across.

But hey, I was an athlete in high school, and I was also an art fag. I went to shows every weekend, painted my eyes black and still got into a good college. I never truly burnt-out, just every other Saturday night. Not sure if there’s any thin other than Swedish/Irish whiteness in my blood, but I still like the punks, and queer kids.

Basically, fuck this girl. While there is something to be said about researching and noticing patterns, especially in this new web 2.0 realm, I don’t think it’s a good idea to use the type of generalities and wording she does in this paper. It’s just once again reinforcing these archetypes that keep the Latino/black/punk/whatever kids thinking that they somehow don’t “belong” in college/executive positions/government/the ruling class.

Read the article here

Having Children: Another View

2007-06-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

Clinical research provides a growing body of scientific evidence that having a child can cause psychological harm to some women. "Women who report negative after-effects from childbirth know exactly what their problem is," observed psychologist Wanda Franz, Ph.D., in a March 1989 congressional hearing on the impact of pregnancy, labor and the never-ending care and support of a whining, selfish and spoiled child. "They report horrible nightmares of children calling them drunk from house parties, using up all of their hard-earned resources and time," Franz told the Congressional panel. "When they are reminded of the time they first got pregnant," Franz testified, "the women re-experienced it with terrible psychological pain ... They feel nervous and upset (that is might happen again) because they took on at the most natural and potentially harmful of human activities -- the role of being a mother."[106]

The emergence of young motherhood and unplanned pregnancies, even those in a well-maintained marriage, poses a new possibly more devastating psychological threat. Unlike taking the time to get to know one’s self, develop interests and devote one’s time to causes outside of their own desire to buy “cute baby clothes”, women who either choose or happen to become pregnant are not fully aware of the nagging, incessant crying and, some dare say, abuse that any given parent might experience. “I just thought I wanted a cute, cuddly little baby”, laments Sarah Rilie, mother of three children ages 2, 7 and 13. “I didn’t know my life would turn into a never-ending circus of poopie pants, temper tantrums, and expensive clothing bills-all to the soundtrack of Baby Einstein or Panic! At the Disco.”

Sarah also warns of the effect the pregnancies have had on her relationship to her once-loving husband, Jerry. “We used to be so involved in the local culture and music scene of our town. The weekend meant seeing the best local show, catching a new thriller at the Cineplex or just snuggling at home in our quite house. These days, the only culture I’m exposed to is through Oprah (if I’m lucky enough to change the channel from Dora the Explorer-she’s on at the same time).”

So traumatic is this for some women that both patients and researchers involved in these studies have recommended that women unprepared for the experience of giving up their entire social lives reconsider the pregnancy in the first place.

“I just wish I could do it all over, maybe wait about 10 years to experience the globe. I mean, I’ve never ever been out of the United States!”

Of course I'm joking (on the square), please view the original article here

To view the story that inspired my take, get your CNN on