June 28, 2004
The briefs
The Briefs need to be seen live. In a landscape of "hey we're the kinks, but new fresh & cool" The Briefs aren't re-packaging retro sounds, they ARE retro sounds. Like characters in an 80's movie, they just stepped out of a time machine - complete with guitars, skinny ties, and little buttons on their collared muscle shirts. Lots of energy, skateboarding on stage, stage diving antics of the humorous variety, made me want to go watch Repo Man....
If they come to your town, go.
June 26, 2004
June 25, 2004
June 23, 2004
Mom
My Mom. Circa...well, a long time ago. Any guesses on which one she is?
June 20, 2004
June 17, 2004
Old Naked
I'm folding laundry in the upstairs front room of the house in shorts with my shirt off. My neighbor pulls up, gets out of the car with a houseguest that's going to be staying with them for a week or so. He sees me and says to her, "Hey look, there's neighbor Mark dancing naked!"
The houseguest looks up at me, slightly horrified, and continues walking by saying nothing.
The next day, houseguest is out front so being friendly I say, "hi nice to meet you, especially now that I have my shirt on". She looks at me, squints, and then finally says, "oh, that was you? I thought you were much older."
Great, just great. I'm old naked.
June 15, 2004
Beulah
Sean says the show was the sleeper hit of the season. I think it was the show full of people that can't dance. Not that I can huck any stones in that arena, but it was amusing.
Unfortunately, due to some crazy over zealous management at the bluebird, the show was shut down early. The band invited - and escorted - some under agers down to the stage to play some tambourines during a song. Then escorted them back to the balcony. The manager didn't like it and shut the show down. Lame. Oh well, joined them at the after party at sputnik. After being mistaken for a cop on colfax....
Scene: Sean & I leaning against a brick wall on colfax chatting after the show around midnight. Bum Wanting Money rides up on his bicycle.
BWM: Hey guys, I'm dying for a drink can you give me a buck.
S&M: No.
BWM: C'mon, if the answer is yes, then yes, if no, then god bless and I'll be on my way...
S&M: No.
BWM: C'mon, if it's just yes, then yes, if no..(shrugging shoulders)
S&M: No.
M: We said no, you said if no then god bless and you'd be on your way.
BWM: Hey look, I'm not mexican, I'm from Nevada!
S&M: (stifling laughter) Look, we said no, so be on your way.
BWM: Hey...wait a sec...you guys are cops! Right? I knew it! You're cops! I could tell! You're cops, huh??
S: Yep, you figured it out.
BWM: I KNEW it! Hey, if you guys need any info I can totally help you out, I know stuff.
S&M: No.
BWM: Well don't kick my ass or anything, I love you guys!
S&M: Time to move along
BWM: I love you guys! (rides off)
S: Officer Hansen?
M: (laughing hysterically) That's a first, me mistaken for a cop.
Stratford 4
Stratford 4 were good. Fun to be surprised by the opener. Interesting that the main guy was previously in a band where the other members went on to form Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
Kids and Burbs
With my sis in mexico and the 2 oldest Nephews in PA, I took care of my youngest nephew (9) and my niece (7) for a few days down in the burbs. Random comments/observations:
People say driving in the city is confusing/scary/etc., one way streets, lots of traffic, and so on. Driving in the suburbs is flat out dangerous. You've got the mom's turned around wiping drool off their kids in the back seat, millions of contractors driving like maniacs to be late for appointments, teenage girls text messaging while driving - wait, that was me.
Then, all the street names are the same, just the type of street is different, "take a right on rock creek st, then left on rock creek avenue, right on rock creek circle and our street, rock dove ave, is the first left after the bend. Uh...
"Uncle Mark, I had no idea you were so good with girls hair!"
My niece after I executed a flawless braid in her hair.
"YOU can do a flip?"
My nephew after I pull off the weakest front flip in the history of the front flip.
"We're allowed to stay up all night if we want"
My nephew attempting to pull one over on me. Uh, I invented that one kid. You'll have to step it up.
"What up HORSE!"
My nephew after repeatedly whipping me at "horse" on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.
Did you know that the new nerf dart guns come with laser sights? Freaking laser sights! I'd have killed for one of those. In fact, put that on the xmas list....
Staying at my sister's house, I had access to TV. Cable TV even. Turns out, TV still sucks. My stance, validated again. Interesting (?) to note that MTV has decided that the phrase "bling, bling" is dead. They kept flashing little ads that said, "bling, bling 1997-2004" in that RIP script. Talk about force feeding cool.
June 10, 2004
At the matinee...
Franz Ferdinand. Talk about a rockin' show. So much fun to see a band having a good time, not too cool to smile and laugh at themselves a bit. They were having every bit as much fun as the crowd - a sold out bluebird crowd. Not to mention, the music is fun. If they're coming to your town, go - and no arguing about it.
Plus, the guitar/keyboard guy looks like a young kyle maclachlan - I kept waiting for him to ask for a nice cup of coffee....
I'm no rock photographer. The crowd shot is fun though.
June 09, 2004
The Bon Jovies?
The Von Bondies at the gothic last night. Fun show, the crowd was assembled in order by age, which meant I wasn't allowed to get in the mosh pit in front. Darn.
Spin mag lists the vb's as one of their "35 underdogs, bands that should be huge" which was an odd list btw, I figured most of the bands on the list were popular?
June 04, 2004
Sprint doin' it doggy style...
Eating pancakes messing with my phones ability to download fancy ringtones. Mostly because I'm jealous of Porter's Joy Division tone. Looking thru the primary categories I see things like:
1. What's Hot
2. Alternative (funny how "alternative" is #2 in the list??)
3. Country
4. Latin
and then I come across:
11. Snoop Dogg
Yep, sandwiched between Seasonal/Holidays and Voices. Listed above TV/Movie Themes (#14) and College Fight Songs(#15)!!
June 02, 2004
My Albertsons
Diet food and Candy in the same aisle. Oh, and while were at it, let's throw in the toothpaste too. Oh, and what else goes good with candy? That's it! school supplies!
The Bond
Saw the Decemberists last night, and a little bit of The Long Winters. The LW bassist is a bit odd, he's like that weird kid in school who just stared at you, and leered at the girls. He looks as if he's freaked out to be on stage and just stands there leering at the girls in the front row. The rest of the band seems happy go lucky though, and the music is good.
The Decemberists were a lot of fun, ending their set with the Smiths Ask Me was a nice touch. After all, in geek rock, Morrissey is the bond, the bond, the bond, that keeps us together.