Karmic Life

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and He's My Brother, She's My Sister, Belly Up: 4/15/2010

2010-04-20T10:59:00.000-07:00

I got all pumped up when I heard that Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros were coming to San Diego. One more band that I wasn't worried about missing at Coachella. Check! Pre-sale tickets are the way to go. If you want to get tickets to potentially sold out shows, you need to sign up for a few mailing lists. The following are my recommendations:

Belly Up Tavern VIP: frequent ticket giveaways and pre-sales
FM 94.9 Insiders: lots of contests and pre-sales
KPRI Freeqs: free shows all the time (but only for those signed up)
Any of your favorite bands: some have pre-sales, but really, who wants to miss out on their favorite band coming to town.

On with the show... I made sure to get there early to catch He's My Brother, She's My Sister. By the way this show wins for the longest band name pairing that I have been to. The gypsy, co-op vibe perfectly paired with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. It wouldn't surprise me if they weren't really related - ala The White Stripes, Jack and Meg. The uniqueness of this band was actually the performance of tap dancer, Lauren Brown, who served as additional percussionist tapping along to the beat. Here is their cover of The Velvet Underground's "Baby Be Good, Do What You Should":

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros took the stage, opening with a children's song they wrote called "Janglin." The sound quality became worse as the headliner's volume increased. I apologize for the distortion.

Overall, I was disappointed with the performance, and the hippie, glow stick twirling crowd was just a part of the issue. To boos of the crowd, Alexander stated that they were "saving themselves for Coachella." It was also very evident that he did not want to play the hit single, "Home" from their debut album, Up From Below. Even as Jade chanted, "There's no place like home, there's no place like home," Alexander gave her a look as if to say, "Noooo, why?" Sadly, they, well at least he (Alexander), has reached that point of disdain for the band's most popular song. Like Radiohead's "Creep" or Nada Surf's "Popular," I am disappointed when bands take the low road in hating the song that brought them to the next level instead of embracing it and hoping that the the masses latch onto something more. Not playing the song makes for dissatisfied listeners. Jade and Alexander managed to push through "Home" including the spoken word part, where Jade said "I don't even know what to say here." That's alright Jade.

At the end, Alexander after inviting the audience to sit on stage, convinced the rest of the crowd to sit on the floor. Yes, the same floor where drinks were spilled and most likely a few glasses were broken. I must admit the stunning effect this had. It was on the same level as when Tegan and Sara convinced the entire audience at Spreckels Theatre to stay completely silent for a un-amplified version of "Ghost." I sort of felt giddy inside to be a part of something so cool. For that I do have to say, "Thanks."

Upcoming Show - Samuel Stewart, Lestat's: 4/23/2010

2010-04-19T12:44:00.000-07:00

I realized after I got the press release for this week's upcoming Samuel Stewart show at Lestat's on Friday, April 23, that I never actually finished my show review from his last visit at the Casbah on February 22, 2010. I was expecting alot after hearing the gourgous EP, The Beginner ahead of time. Although Samuel is all grown up, he has an air of childishness about him. The professional musician shines through as he launches into Devil Music. His incredible vocals took me on a rollercoaster ride... swelling highs and lows caused my insides to flit about like the youngish crowd who were there actually dancing without inhibitions.

I do plan to go to Friday's show with the little one, hoping to see more dancing in the aisles. I hope you are able to join.

This Friday's show claims that doors open at 8:30pm. Lestat's is not known in my circle of friends for adhearing to these times. So be prepared to wait a little outside or be rushing in to finding a seat (since they often mix up the door time with the show time).

Rafter: Animal Feelings

2010-04-16T16:57:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm addicted. I was introduced to Rafter a while back through Emily who works behind the bar at The Casbah. She sings and plays drums in a quirky, fun little band called Bunky, while he supplements by playing guitar. Well he isn't simply playing guitar. It is hard for me to find my words today. There are pedals and maneuvers that produce lots of cool sounds that go along with the beat. How's that for knowing what I am talking about?

Anyhow, I then fell more deeply in love with them when I found out that both Bunky and Rafter's solo material were release through Asthmatic Kitty Records (Sufjan Stevens' label). Rafter's solo albums prior to this newest venture include Sweaty Magic, Sex Death Cassette, Music for Total Chickens and aptly named 10 Songs.

I always viewed Rafter as an experimentalist. His childish, fun loving attitude emanates from every note and beat coming from his direction. Animal Feelings bottles that all up to give you a dose of goodness every time you listen to it. Since the album's pre-release at MBV, I have not been able to tear my ears away.

Listen to Animal Feelings for yourself at MBV and then go buy it tomorrow, National Record Store Day, at M-Theory Records or head over to Tin Can Alehouse for his CD release party and purchase it straight from the source.

Word Progression

2010-04-06T17:01:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have posted anything about Thomas. So here goes. The boy is, well just that, a boy. He really has grown, a lot! Currently, he is a little over 14 months old, but thinks he's a 2 year old. At daycare, he sits with the big kids at the table and *tries* to bring his dishes to the sink when he is done, while the other kids his age are still in their high chairs.

His walking is now running and if you don't give him what he wants, you will receive a meltdown. The tantrums are daily and a bit hilarious, but sometimes frustrating. At least we haven't had him breakdown in public, as he loves being out of the house and around other people. Here he is at Queen Bee, dancing and rocking out with his drum sticks to School of Rock's house band.

The other night I sat down to color with him, and thought I would write down all of the words he knows, aside from ma-ma, da-da and Tee (aka Thomas), and was impressed to find that he has a 25-word vocabulary, at least. These are words he is able to vocalize, he understands the meaning and I can distinguish what he is saying. There are other things he is saying that I don't understand and other things he understands (like nose, eye, head) that he hasn't said but points to them as they are said.

Last night Roger was playing with Thomas and he started to imitate the barn animal sounds from one of his toys. This was a first. I might have to add quack-quack to the above list.

After recording, we played back the video and he was following along, imitating the sounds. Learning a bit more about how an owl sounds. Whoo-hoooo!

Free Music San Diego, not forgotten

2010-04-06T12:37:00.000-07:00

In the middle of the night I realized I omitted a pretty major opportunity for free music in the last post: In Store Preformances. Several record stores in town host a variety of musicians both local and those that pass through San Diego to promote their records. Here are the places that I know that have performances on a semi-regular basis. Be sure to check their websites/schedules for upcoming acts.

M-Theory Music
Lou's Records
Borders Books and Music

Saturday April 17, 2010 is National Record Store Day (always on the thrid Saturday in April)! So make sure you take the time to visit and support your local record stores.
Oh and as a bonus, these places are all-ages. I realized that my last post highlighted bars but no all ages venues (except the fairs, festivals, and summer concert series). I tried to find coffeehouses with regular free music, but found most charge some sort of cover or don't offer much in terms of live music aside from an open mic night.

Free Music San Diego

2010-04-05T17:33:00.000-07:00

Money is tight, but music remains a huge part of our lives. Paying for shows has gotten expensive even the cheaper ones at $8-10 per ticket. If you go to shows all the time you may know there are plenty of options to see music for free. But if you don't leave the house very often, you might be thinking, "Free? Where? I wanna go." So I have compiled a fairly comprehensive list of regular events, shows and venues that will leave your wallet un-touched, as long as you avoid purchasing drinks, food or other fun stuff.

Street Fairs, Festivals and Events
Seaport Village Busker's Festival: April 10-11, 2010
Adam's Avenue Roots Festival: April 24-25, 2010
ArtWalk: April 24-25, 2010
North Park Festival of the Arts: May 16, 2010
Rock 'n' Roll Marathon: June 6, 2010
OB Street Fair: June 26, 2010
Fiesta del Sol: July 30-August 1, 2010
Adam's Avenue Street Fair: Sept 25-26, 2010

Free Summer Concert Series
The Union-Tribune usually will release a full schedule of all of these concert series once all of the line ups have been confirmed. Perfect for putting up on your fridge.
Alpine Summer Concert Series: TBA
Balboa Park - Twilight in the Park: June 15-August 26, 2010
Carlsbad TGIF Jazz in the Parks: TBA
Chula Vista Music in the Park: June 8-August 17, 2010
Coronado Summer Concerts-in-the-Park: TBA
Del Mar Twilight Concert Series: TBA
El Cajon Concerts on the Green: June 25-September 3, 2010
Encinitas Sunday Summer Concerts by the Sea: TBA
Escondido - Summer Pops in the Park: TBA
La Jolla Concerts By The Sea: TBA
La Mesa Sundays at Six: June 13-July 25, 2010
Lemon Grove Concerts in the Park: TBA
Mission Hills Concerts in the Park: TBA
North Park Bird Park Summer Concerts: TBA
Pacific Beach Concerts on the Green: TBA
Point Loma Summer Concert Series: July 16-August 13, 2010
Poway Target Summer Concerts in the Park Series: June 20-August 15, 2010
Santee Summer Concert Series: June 10-August 19, 2010
Standley Park Concerts in the Park: TBA
Trolley Barn Park Summer in the Park: TBA

Regular Performances and Showcases
Every last Sunday of the month, The Local 94.9 broadcasts live at from the Atari Lounge at The Casbah. The regular event usually showcases local bands that you may or may not have heard of. It is a great opportunity to see what this town has to offer in terms of local music. Includes free food from Luche Libre. Free food AND music?! How can you go wrong? Doors usually at 7pm, show at 8pm.

Every second Saturday of the month 6-9pm, North Park galleries and businesses open their doors and share their space with the public at Ray at Night. There is usually some decent bands showcased, but sometimes it is more about the visual arts.

Every Wednesday night at 10pm, Lady Dottie and the Diamonds play at Gallagher's Irish Pub in Ocean Beach. On occasion this venue has decent bands on the weekends for free, check their schedule for details. Lady Dottie and the Diamonds also play every Sunday 1-5pm poolside at the Handlery Hotel in Mission Valley during the summer months (2010 date TBA).

Every Sunday, 9am-2pm the 7th Day Buskers play the Hillcrest Farmer's Market, while the OB Farmer's Market on Wednesdays 4-7pm hosts a variety of live acts.

Daily the Seaport Village East Gazebo hosts a variety of entertainment including live music usually in the afternoon.

Bars Offering Free Music
Make sure you check their schedules or call before you go.
The Tiki House
Stage Bar & Grill
Club Kadan
Ruby Room
Bar Pink
The Radio Room
O'Connells Bar

Don't be a cheap skate: If you can afford it, please consider donating to the organizations who put on these events or patronizing the businesses by purchasing food or drinks so that these events can continue to be free for all.

1024 bits of you and me

2010-03-17T16:47:00.000-07:00

I love to share awesome when I find it. About a week ago I stumbled across double-, nay, triple-awesome. It all started with a tweet about the members of Polyphonic Spree along with Yeasayer and one other band raising funds to produce a documentary in Uganda. The bands will learn about the many affects the 24-year-long war has had on the area and its inhabitants, and what’s being done to stop it. During their stay, each of the bands will play a show interacting with the locals and using the surroundings and the scenery to enhance the experience for all. Oh yeah, and by donating $50 I get a copy of the documentary. Awesome, right?

Well, in typical internet browsing curiosity and my personal interest in fundraising, I was curious about the platform that they were raising money on... thus finding Kickstarter. Kickstarter is just that... a kick in the pants that you need to help do that awesome project that you have always wanted to start. They are focused on creative projects with a very broad definition of creativity. Many bands and filmmakers are using the site to raise money to make the CD or film that they have had on their mind for years.

Unique features of the platform:

Funding is always all-or-nothing. A project must reach or exceed its funding goal or no money changes hands.
Rewards to backers with various levels of giving. If I had only given $25 to the above I would have only received a digital copy of the video so I stepped up and gave $50 to get the DVD. Oh and you as the creator set the levels.
Project creators keep 100% ownership.
Kickstarter collects 5% from the project creator if a project is successfully funded.
Engage with backers through email/blog style updates.

Pretty cool stuff. I know I've got a few things that I could use a kick into action. And you?

While exploring the Kickstarter site looking for examples of how various people developed their project levels, I stumbled across this artist, Pesi Pop from Grand Rapids, MI and his project, 1024 bits of you and me. Backers have the chance to participate in this project by submitting words or phrases that he then turns into art. From the art, he will develop a book with each of the pieces as a part. Coolest part? You, as a backer get to keep the art. Love!

To further tout Pesi... his love for doing awesome is up there with the folks of Holiday Matinee, Sezio, Good, Legit Radio and EcoPop. His passion shines through in his frequent updates and personalized thank you emails to each backer. In his latest update, he shares his successes of this project through his experience using Kickstarter. He has faith that he will succeed and charges forward showing his commitment to both the project and the people who back it. My thanks to him comes in the form of a donation and spreading the word and I hope you are able to do the same. Share the awesome. Someday your moment of awesome will come too, but only if you bring it.

SoundDiego Launch Party, Bar Basic: 3/4/2010

2010-03-12T16:42:00.000-08:00

A week ago Thursday, a gathering of postive energy in celebration of the San Diego music community occured at Bar Basic with the launch of SoundDiego, NBC San Diego's new platform for showcasing music in San Diego. Two of San Diego's most beloved music acts, Gregory Page and The Silent Comedy hit the stage in support.

Brain child of Cantore Creative, Chris Cantore's "full service social media agency, specializing in networking / interaction, content management, and events (”tweet-ups.”)," the SoundDiego blog connects the San Diego music scene on a whole new level. The site brings together San Diego's most involved music bloggers Rosemary Bystrak from SD Dialed In as well as T. Loper and Chris Maroulakos from Owl and Bear. SoundDiego's posts include music news, weekly listings, music features through videos, interviews and show reviews.

The SoundDiego blog's vision is to serve as a platform for connecting people to music and (eventually) people to other people. Engaging the listener will take on a new level as people share the music experience online and then meet in real life through shared live music experiences. Individuals from Legit Radio community (another Cantore Creative Project) represented in this same capacity. Many individuals were meeting for the first time in real life as opposed to on Twitter and in the Legit Radio chatroom, expanding social circles in the light of a common interest: the San Diego music community.

Here are a few of my favorite photos of the night:

Gregory Page

Steve Poltz and Gregory Page

Joshua Zimmerman from The Silent Comedy

Ian Kesterson and Andy Ridley from The Silent Comedy

Joshua Zimmerman, Ian Kesterson and Jeremiah Zimmerman from The Silent Comedy

The tweet-wall was in full effect giving shoutouts to Chris Cantore and the whole SoundDiego crew using the #sounddiego hashtag. Photos of individuals and fashion wares were dispayed through TwitPics taken throughout the night. Even people who were missing out due to needing to stay home with family or had other obligations seemed to be following the trend.

SoundDiego Tweet-Wall

At the end of the night Roger and I felt contented to to feel a part of something so good, a community of people that support each others' talents.

Steve Poltz's 50th Birthday/CD Release Party, Belly Up Tavern: 2/19/2010

2010-02-25T15:31:00.000-08:00

Friends, border-lining family, of both past and present gathered at the Belly Up Tavern last Friday to celebrate the aging of Steve Poltz and the release of his newest CD, Dreamhouse. Not much tweeting going on that night since everyone was living in the moment whether that was chatting with a long time friend or watch the continuous stream of musicians taking the stage throughout the night and into the morning.

Steve wanted to celebrate with all of his friends and family in one place. He was joined on stage by Lisa Sanders, Mojo Nixon, Fred Van Vactor, Patrick Dennis and Christopher Hoffee (the Cynics), Anya Marina, Cindy Lee Berryhill, Berkley Hart, AJ Croce, Gregory Page, as well as Jeff "Stinky" Aafedt, "Dr." Robert Driscoll and John Castro with The Rugburns.

Due to a crash on the ski slopes while in Rossland, B.C. he broke his left arm, which could have put a damper on things. Steve exclaimed that no shows will be cancelled and continued his tour and the planning of his birthday bash/CD release.

Shawn Rohlf of the 7th Day Buskers generously stepped up to the plate by learning a large number of Steve Poltz and Rugburns songs... and that was not an easy feat. Steve had previously commented that the new Dreamhouse album is very guitar heavy, with more complex chord combinations and picking patterns than he has ever done before. Shawn certainly pulled it off even working collaboratively with Steve for "You Were Meant for Me." If you closed your eyes, you couldn't even tell there were two people there.

Steve Poltz and Shawn Rohlf

Before the show, there was talk of a set list. A set list?! I didn't even know that Steve knew what one of those was. Here is a tweet that came from Patrick Dennis about a week before the show:

Via @Wirepony: Poltz and a 25 song set list for his guest heavy show next week. Set list?!? Don't ever believe him. Even with his broken hand.

However, the night of the show Joe Daly tweeted the following:

Via @JoeDaly_SD: Soundchecking at the BUT! @stevepoltz in top form. Just heard "Hey, do we have a set list yet?"

I guess things don't really change. Speaking of things that don't change, Julia Sanchez Harris and I spent half the show discussing if we should sneak backstage. We never ended up doing it, mainly because we didn't want to miss any of the show. And with no set breaks, there was never a good time to leave my awesome spot in the front.

I tried to be a good blogger and take photos, but if there was a time to sit and bask in the experience, it was this night. Here are the photos that I managed to take:

Mojo Nixon and Steve Poltz

Steve Poltz and Christopher Hoffee

Steve Poltz and Gregory Page

Steve Poltz, Dennis Borlek and John Castro

Steve has touched the lives of many over the fifty years he has been on this earth. And just about every one of those people were packed into the Belly Up Tavern last Friday. Included among the crowd were "Java Joe" Flammini, Frankie Lee Drennen, Kevin Hellman, Halloran, Dennis Borlek, "Happy Ron" Hill and more.

I think Rosey from SD Dialed In stated it best with this tweet:

Via @sddialedin: There is some sort of magic knowing that every single person in this sold out crowd has a @StevePoltz story or more. That's why we love him.

This is exactly how I would like to spend my 50th birthday, when it comes along... with good friends, family and a dueling drum finale.

Via @Wirepony: A dream was realized. Stinky and I sent @stevepoltz off in a dual drumming frenzy for his birthday bash two full kits flying. Goodnight!

Bob Schneider, House of Blues: 2/18/2010

2010-02-22T17:41:00.000-08:00

After an amazingly inspiring night at Bar Basic, I briskly hurried over the 15 blocks to the House of Blues San Diego to see Bob Schneider perform. Glad to see my press pass waiting for me, I rushed down the stairs, bypassing a stiff drink for a spot near the front of the stage. Sadly, I missed one or two songs of Bob's set, as well as the opening act, Smile Smile, whose music I'm sure I would have loved based on the dancy, energetic stuff that I have listened to over the internets.
Over the years I have seen Bob's sets diversify from the solo, sappy, ballad-singing songwriter to the drunken rebel-rouser, cursing and rocking with a full band backing. This show was another experience to add to the list. To understand the context of the contrast... recently, as in less than two months ago, Bob played a KPRI show solo at the Bernardo Winery to an all-ages crowd. Roger and I watched as he appeared to struggle finding age-appropriate songs, songs he could play solo and/or songs that were in his current playlist. If that was your first introduction to him, this HOB show must have come off as a shock. For the KPRI chill, happy family-types, you're probably thankful he didn't go so far as playing "Sons of Ralph" or better yet, "Ass Knockin'."

After several years of playing to Belly Up Tavern crowds, moving back to the House of Blues main stage brought the inevitable disconnect between the audience and the performer. Bob tried his best to connect with the crowd by using eye contact to those individuals he could see through the glaring stage light. I smiled as I caught a bit of that action during "40 Dogs (Romeo and Juliet)." Sweetness.

Unlike other musician-types, he is not the type to make a standard set list. He's more of just going on the fly kinda guy, rarely informing the rest of the band of the path they are taking. They just have to be ready. At one point in the set, I watched as Bob leaned over to the lead guitarist and said, "Feel Good". The guitarist smiled in acknowledgement, and started setting up for the song. However, as Bob launched into "Metal and Steel", the guitarist's smile was crushed as he rushed to catch up to the correct tuning. After "Metal and Steel", Bob did end up playing "Capn' Kirk (I Just Want to Feel Good)". Was this a case of a scatter-brained musician, purposeful prank or me, completely missing something? We'll never know.

The newest addition to the Bob Schneider band is comic relief, Ollie (I think that was his name). His primary job was playing trumpet, keytar, accordion, but attempted to add to the show by performing slip-stick comedy falls, crazy dances and a variety of extreme facial expressions during nearly every portion of the show. His behavior struck me as odd, since Bob Schneider has always served as the focal point of the performances. In essence, Bob shared the stage with Ollie, forgoing his usual ego (or just taking some sort of a break from the crowd adoration). The crowd loved Ollie, however, I was annoyed. His antics really didn't fit in to the overall feel of the show. But again, perhaps it was just me.

As for the crowd, it could be best described as a reflection of the Gaslamp scene. Club-going frat boys and shiny, skimpily dressed girls clamored toward the stage, while the typical Belly Up goers of the older, upper-middle-class-hippie variety sat up in the balcony and left well before the end of the night. Bob again catered to his perception of the crowd. Songs with mambo and other Latin rhythms provided a groove you could really dance to. Club-like beats from "Mudhouse" bounced the house and "Ready, Let's Roll" finished off the night like the aftermath of some good sex.

Continuing the awesome tradition, Bob recorded the night's performance and sold those CDs immediately after the show (also known as the Frunk collection). Every show is unique. Not a cookie cutter in sight. I usually purchase one from each show I attend but due to the long line and knowing it will eventually turn up in the archives, I skipped out on this one.

Holiday Matinee's Book Launch Party, Bar Basic: 2/18/2010

2010-02-20T21:50:00.000-08:00

For one night, Bar Basic was transformed into a place of positive collaborative discussions where creative minds could be set free. The space was packed with people interested in doing good and making a difference. This past Thursday night, Holiday Matinee launched his book, I Swear to Good You Are God at This, an inspiring look into 25 projects and individuals who are thinking beyond the four walls to, as Dave Brown says, "make awesome."

Several projects highlighted in the book were featured at the party, allowing guests to be entrenched in the awesomeness.

As you arrived to the event, a bed with a bleach blonde-haired mannequin tucked under the covers, was parked directly outside the bar. Passers by stopped in curiosity pondering the purpose of object's placement, satisfying Mark Jenkins' artistic mission.

Guest received complementary gift bags from Baggu, a maker of reusable, zip-stop nylon bags. Stylishly made and super compact, guests were given a choice of seven or eight colors, a mere percentage of the actual colors in stock.

To completely engage the guests, a section of the bar was set up where individuals could live their "Dreams of Flying" through a physical representation of Jan von Holleben's photographs. Natalie, from Too Sunny Out Here and I were given "wings" and became fairies in our own version of Jan von Holleben's piece, Peter Pan.

Both T-post and Anthony Burrill's work were displayed and Sezio was there silk screening shirts on-site.

A couple of my personal favorite things exhibited at the launch included the "Wall of Dave" (as Seth Combs from City Beat called it) , which was a visual timeline of Holiday Matinee's accomplishments, and the wall of concept cover designs for the book, each equally cool that I am not sure how a decision was made.

If you missed the launch party, that is sad. However, the real good comes not from being seen at a party but from the impact you make on the world at large. By supporting projects and people like those featured in I Swear to Good You Are God at This, you are making steps towards making the world a better place.

Upcoming Show: Samuel Stewart at The Casbah, 2/22/2010

2010-02-19T12:18:00.000-08:00

Nurtured with music and arts as a child, Samuel Stewart certainly embraces his genetics. His father is Dave Stewart from The Eurythmics & Stewart/Gaskin, and his mother, Siobhan Fahey played with both Shakespeare's Sister and Bananarama. Not to say that is the defining characteristic of his artistry. He has found his own through listening to a variety of music including Smashing Pumpkins, the Pixies, Leonard Cohen, the Beatles, Morrissey, The Smiths, Nirvana and Bowie. You can see bits and pieces of each of these bands in his music that he brings to life.

I often disagree with how publicists describe their artists' music but in this case, I really feel that this description accurately portrays what I have heard in Samuel's music: "Samuel Stewart's solo project is like a fractured waltz from that carnival troupe lurking in the shadows at the edge of town, ominous yet richly atmospheric songs with an irresistible energy that is both timely and timeless."

Take a listen for yourself. The Beginner EP is filled with melodies that trip and stumble through the dark and the fantastical. Yeah, I know that's not a word, but it seemed appropriate. His voice carries hurt and sadness, but the pop and buoyancy of the musical arrangement keeps you riveted.

Samuel Stewart plays this Monday, February 22 at The Anti-Monday League at The Casbah for just $5. Seriously, Tim, awesome find.

3rd Anniversary Show, The Casbah: 2/14/2010

2010-02-16T23:52:00.000-08:00

Roger and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary this past Sunday at The Casbah. Three years ago on the Sunday of President's Day weekend (not the 14th of February... that was just incidental this year), we said our vows into the mic on the stage of the most important music venue in San Diego (at least to us). Here is an article from the Union Tribune that tells the whole back story.

Thanks to a few friends at FM94/9 for helping us to promote the show through the concert calendar listings on the Friday before and the locals only show on the evening of. We were also amazed that the show was even listed as alternate plans for both CityBeat and the Reader. SD Dialed In listed our show in her listings and the show was featured on The Casbah website. We thank you for the extra mentions.

The best part of the evening was all of the people who came up to me telling me how much they enjoyed the bands, including ones they had never seen before. Introducing new bands/music to people is something that both of us love to do and is one of the main reasons I started blogging. So for those of you who didn't make it out, for whatever reason, we still love you and we hope that you keep reading to find out about all of the cool bands that played on our happy day.

Kicking off their West Coast tour, Tan Sister Radio finally made it to The Casbah stage for their first time ever. These young ones at 19 years of age each, from Encinitas, rock harder and tighter than most bands that have been around twice as long. I feel lucky to know these guys and to have been able to watch them grow through the years (here is an earlier post about them). They are true to their art, sticking with each other and their music even after they graduated high school. Their gritty, grunge-rock style music harks back to early Kurt Cobain but with pure innocence and honesty. Just good kids who really know how to play.

Sadly, they forgot their merch, purchase "...and The Mystery Punk" through iTunes or Napster or contact them directly through their Twitter, Facebook or MySpace profiles. Yeah, they are cool like that.

For the past two years we have talked to The Silent Comedy about playing our anniversary show, but this year the stars aligned and they were able to commit. Changing it up from their usual jumping, dancing, sing-a-long vibe, in honor of our wedding anniversary and Valentine's Day, they decided to bring the energy down by playing mostly ballads and slow jams. However, even their slow songs have a beating pulse that makes you want to move.

The change up frightened The Silent Comedy groupies, and fearful that that they wouldn't hear their favorite song (for the um-teenth hundred time), they proceeded to yell out during every song break, "Gasoline! Play, Gasoline!" Had they been sober or smart or both, they would have noticed that Gasoline was clearly written down on the set list. Roger and I are slightly fearful that the song may disappear due to fans like these.. ala Radiohead's Creep or Nada Surf's Popular. All I have to say is, don't do it... as much as it pains you, embrace the song and the people's love for it.

And the headliner of the evening was Listening to Rocks... who? That would be Roger's band with Dave Rizzuto on the Daisy Rock guitar, Jon Kanis on bass and Brad Smith on drums. In 2008, Roger formed Listening to Rocks as a one-off band to play at our first anniversary at The Casbah with Bunky and Get Back Loretta. The band, only a couple rehearsals in, asked, "Can we keep this going?" Since everyone was having fun, they kept it going.

As for the name of the band, when looking up online to see if certain band names existed, Roger came across this guy from China's MySpace page stating that he "enjoyed listening to rocks..." as in rock music. It had a good ring to it, so he kept it. Funny though, he never actually looked up that name to see if anyone already had a band by that name.

The band has certainly evolved over time. Since there are really three front men to the band, they have found that the songs didn't always flow and sets sounded fragmented with three distinctly different music styles. In this recent performance, they seemed to gel as one band. It is also evident in their new recording done at Chaos Recorders. Check out their MySpace for a listen for yourselves.

Halfway through the set, I joined the band as the harmony vocals for a Nada Surf cover of "I Like What You Say." If you missed it, so sad. But I can't say that this will be the last. I certainly had fun up there.

The night would not be complete without Roger serenading me with "Kiss Me," one of the two songs he wrote for our wedding. It sums up our feelings for each other and is another reminder of our love: "Kiss me again, like when we wed..."

Langhorne Slim, M-Theory Records & The Casbah: 2/8/2010

2010-02-16T16:00:00.000-08:00

Sweet, wholesome and so damn cute. Ok, I couldn't resist. Langhorne Slim swung back into San Diego last Monday for an in-store at M-Theory Records and a show at The Casbah to promote his new album, Be Set Free.

Roger and I can't resist a chance to take Thomas to live music shows. And this was no exception. I actually skipped the first part of derby practice to head over to M-Theory Records for this family outing opportunity. Their late arrival due to The Casbah sound check allowed us to pick up a couple CDs that we've been missing including: Contra from Vampire Weekend, The Crow from Steve Martin and Phrazes for the Young from Julian Casablancas.

Langhorne Slim takes your senses to Appalachian Mountains with the song-writing style that you can only imagine stems from backcountry love and appreciation. Many define his style as simply folk music, but hearing the tinge of banjo and passion of the words, you can easily see that it is much more. He invites participants to engage in his gospel-like performances, uplifting both spirits and "spirits" of the drinking variety alike.

The acoustic set started with "Back to the Wild" and "Cinderella," then prompted the crowd for requests. My brain was thrown for a loop since these were my two favorite songs off his newest album and I never thought they would actually play "Cinderella" in this setting. Luckily, someone else jumped in with a request from an earlier album. For this intimate session Langhorne hid coyly beneath his fedora cradling his well-worn baby guitar with a golden glittered pick guard, appearing as an artist internalizing his craft.

Returning from practice to The Casbah for an additional dose of Langhorne, I missed the opening act April Smith and the Great Picture Show. From what I have heard of them, I truely missed a good show of the old-timey variety.

The Casbah performance varied greatly from the deeply personal insight that caught a glimpse of earlier. More than toe-tapping, you could say it could be best compared to complete revelry. With the same uplift of the heart and soul, Langhorne delivered some of my favorites from his self-titled album, "Diamonds and Gold," "Worries" and "Hello Sunshine" along with newer cuts "I Love You, But Goodbye" and "Say Yes."

Satisfying my palatte for good, honest music, Langhorne definitely made my day.

$5 off Bob Schneider, House of Blues: 2/18/2010

2010-02-08T16:53:00.000-08:00

I wish I was in collage again. I was really good at writing essays and partying all night while still getting to class on time. But one of the things I miss the most is thelittle piece of plastic with your photo on it, provided by your school, that got you discounts galore. On Thursday, February 18, Bob Schneider, a virtuoso of singing/songwriting based out of Austin, Texas will be playing the House of Blues with $5 dicount tickets to students.

Discounted tickets can be purchased at HERE or will be honored at the door with proof of student ID.

I might have to scrounge around my files to look for my student ID from days of yore (I think my school was stupid/smart enough to not put a date on the thing).

If you want to learn more about my love of Bob Schneider:

Roger and I pretty big Bob Schneider fans, owning nearly every album plus some live performances to boot. We try to see him perform each time that he comes to town which is at least 2-3 times per year. His song writing style is similar to Steve Poltz, with the ability to write entertaining songs off the cuff. Actually, the two of them are friends and challenge each other to write songs in 24 hours with particular words in them. Steve's songs, Cold German and Sewing Machine came from these games. And I am fairly certain that Bob's song Trash and Steve's song Trash are related in a similar way.

Anyhow, Bob released his latest album called Lovely Creatures on September 29, 2009 through Kirtland Records. Although there are tracks I have been waiting for studio recordings of, such as "Tarantula" and "40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet)," Lonelyland and I'm Good Now continue to be my favorvite albums.

If you haven't had the chance to see him live, you really need to. He has a cult-like following similar to an older, less red-neck crowd of Lucero. He can be beautiful and a train-wreck all in the same night. The words and melodies are catching and he can't resist a few sing-a-longs. For certain it will give you a few laughs. So have your neighbor's college kid purchase you a few tickets for a $5 discount for the show on February 18th.

Banked Track Roller Derby in San Diego!!!

2010-02-05T16:18:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow night will go down in history. It will be the first banked track roller derby bout in over 30 years at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. At 7 p.m. in Wyland Hall, over 1,800 people will witness the San Diego Derby Dolls Banked Track All-Stars taking on the Mitten Kittens from Michigan on their shiny new track.

The Mitten Kittens are a team of skaters from several leagues in Michigan that also includes nationally qualifying speed skaters in the mix (who also happen to play derby). Some of them have also had experience on a banked track as extras from the movie, Whip It!

Tickets are going fast (bleachers seats are almost gone and the party bus from Bluefoot is already sold out). The cut off for online sales is at 6 a.m. Saturday morning. If you want to be a part of history, get your tickets NOW!

For more about the banked track itself:

Check out this 14 hour time lapse video of the track being built:

Here is Cherry Blue in all her glory, named for Cherry Punch, who made this track happen. It was Cherry who worked countless hours and whose sweat and blood was sacrificed. The blue stands for the turquoise blue that is the San Diego Derby Dolls. The padded uprights and rails will be covered in black and blue fabric in its final touches.

Cherry Blue will be stored onsite at Del Mar in a movable storage unit. It will take 4-6 hours to set up before a game and 4-6 hours after. If you are interested in being on this crew cause you love us so much, contact our bout production coordinator at SDEvents@derbydolls.com.

Transfer, Wirepony & Hong Kong, The Casbah: 1/29/2010

2010-02-03T17:07:00.000-08:00

From the positive reviews and airplay of Transfer's new album, Future Selves the show was sold out two days prior. If you missed this one, you should be feeling bummed. It is shows like this one that make me energized about music in San Diego. This show had everything: sweat, lights, good friends rocking the stage and hanging out, new bands I never heard of blowing my mind, and incredible performances all the way around.

Artwork from P. Drohan - D5ive Design

For photos and a detailed show review:

Talking to a few of my musician friends about going to this show, I was explicitly told not to miss the first band. It was pretty much an order. I had to be there front and center when the show began. In their first ever performance, Hong Kong took the stage. I mean they took the stage. This well-dressed, three-piece band energized the crowd with their instrumentals of something between 70s soul and 50s surf rock. Many commented that it would be their soundtrack of choice if they were the star of a film, walking down the streets of downtown or along the railroad tracks of California.

I wish I could direct you to when and where they are playing next, but since there seems to be another band in this world with the same name, they are pretty much impossible to search for. Hint: you may want to consider another name.

The only time I have seen Wirepony, the next band on the bill, was at a solo show at Lestat's. NOT AT ALL the same. Patrick Dennis (from the Truckee Brothers and other projects) has put together an awesome line-up for this band. On lead guitar is his son, Aaron Dennis (from Tan Sister Radio). O is on bass (from Fluf, Reeve Oliver, and many other bands past, present, and future) and Charlie McCree on drums (from bands fromerly known as Hatchet Brothers and Momma/Vertibird). Incredible talent separately, but together they have audible power that could trigger a revolution.

This night was the release of their physical album, Right Hook of Love recorded and mixed in just two days at Chaos Recorders. Here is video of "Willing to Break," that is on the album, shot by Aaron using a camera hidden in the back of the stage:

Their energy and passion for the music prevented me from taking quality photos. Look at that, I'm blaming the band for my poor photography skills. The only time I could get a good photo of Aaron was while he was tuning.

Patrick Dennis

Aaron Dennis

The high level of emotion and energy did not stop there. Oh no. Transfer stormed through their set filling the room with heart drenching resonance. Waves of unassailable harmonies drifted through the air into the minds of the crowd causing them to lurch and shake. Their live performances can never be duplicated. Although great, both albums (Future Selves and Sunken Eyes) do not compare to seeing them in person.

With the sold out crowd and awesome tour lined up, I imagine that seeing them play at the Casbah and smaller venues may be a rarer thing in the near future. Catch them while you can.

Matthew Molaris

Shaun Cornell

Michael Cooper

A perfect ending to a perfect night, Transfer played "Sinking Sailing"/"Sailing Ships" a song that lifted my head out of the musty room onto the waters off the coast and happens to be my favorite of all of their songs. Thank you all for an amazing night.

Dorkdom

2010-01-29T14:06:00.000-08:00

Straight from the Urban Dictionary:

Dorkdom (Not to be confused with geekdom, or nerdocracy)comes from achieving a mere fraction of the coolness that one believes they are emmulating.*

I believe that everyone has a bit of dorkdom -- i.e. Knows way too much about something in particular, be it a movie, TV series, author, game, toy, location, time period, etc.

Lately I have been pondering my own geekiness while listening to The Dork Forest with comedienne, Jackie Kashian. This show focuses on the dorkdoms of various guests on her program. Most are comedians but some come from the comic and gaming industry while others have science and engineering backgrounds. The past few shows have included a cat dork and a food dork.

Here are a few of my dorkdoms, the proud and the lame:

Music: specifically local San Diego music. I have been known to be the wiz kid in answering music trivia on our local music artists. My husband and I own about 200 albums of local music. (Note: I don't count my CD's so I really have no idea how many we actually have. 200 sounded reasonably correct). Compared to the likes of Rosey of SD Dialed In, Tim Pyles from the Local 94.9 and Bart Mendoza, I can't compare. But it is a subject and an art that I love and know a little too much about. And I don't mind sharing.

Local San Diego History: One of my collections (of which I have very few), is a library of books focused on the history of San Diego. I love the city I live in and it's history, although short is very rich of interesting tales. From the Spanish to the Mormons to the Navy, cultures shaped the ideals. From Wyatt Earp to Ulysses S. Grant to Dr. Seuss, individuals shaped the landscape and identity. My favorite of all of my collection is San Diego Legends: Events, People, and Places That Made History by Jack Scheffler Innis. Although, not a comprehensive history, it is a good read.

Disney: I worked for Walt Disney World for a month at the end of 2000. I was already a bit of a Disney dork before working there, but they really do brainwash you. I was always interested in the behind the scenes stories, but never a collector of Disney stuff. I feel anyone who likes Disney is a bit of a Disney dork. Walt hides so much in the magic that people are compelled to know what is behind the curtain.

Ray Bradbury: This man is my hero and really should be at the top of my list for dorkdoms. I have read nearly all of his works (except for the newest stuff). Last September, I shared about my inspiration from his writing genius. He is connected to San Diego through his design of Horton Plaza and connected to Disney through his animatronics creations. He is the reason that I am a dork.

Semi-Dorkness: Muppets, Roller Derby, Beer

I am aware that I am not an extremist or an expert on any of the above. There are many more individuals in this world that take dorkdom to new heights including the collection of random crap, interrupting conversations with random facts, and sometimes stalking others to "understand them more".

I am one of those people that retain various little factoids about a variety of topics so as to remain somewhat aware and knowledgeable in various discussions. This sometimes gets me in trouble with true dorks, where they truly believe I care about their collection of comic book action figurines. Sorry, really, no offense.

*Note: Emulating is spelled incorrectly. What does that say about me?

Coachella 2010

2010-01-21T13:09:00.000-08:00

I love me a festival. Art festivals, comedy festivals, film festivals, any large scale massing of purpose. Of all festivals, music festivals top them all. Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the biggest and baddest of them all happens each spring (April 16-18, 2010), kicking off the summer music festivals. I have yet to go, but man, at some point, I've gotta make this happen.

The excitement and speculation begins at the start of each year, as bands begin to post their tour dates. Is there a gap during the festival? Who is reuniting for this year's festival? Lots of rumors flying on blogs and Twitter. Everyone wants to know.

The day finally comes. Tuesday, January 19. Bloggers and music nerds alike were on the edge of their seats as fake event posters with fake line ups circulated late Monday. The anxiety grew as people who wanted to be in the know, stayed up past midnight to find out who was playing. Coachella organizers chimed in on Twitter stating,

@coachella: "when we said tuesday, we really meant Tuesday, like during normal waking hours. xxoo"

After waking twice during the night, due to a fussy baby, we awoke in the morning to the ominous message:

@coachella: "the time has come"

Radio stations and media outlets were released the line ups to be broadcast out to the masses.

Diversity in the schedule means that there is something for everyone. Just like Kristian with SD Dialed In, Sunday is my preferred choice out of any of the days. I have seen Muse on several occasions and can't imagine I really could care less about Jay-Z.

I remember the first time that I heard Gorillaz, "Clint Eastwood" off of their first album (self titled), when I was in New Zealand. Knowing that most music varies per country, I bought the CD, soaked in what I could and came back to the states. The second album, Demon Days took over the airwaves in the states with Dirty Harry, DARE, and Feel Good, Inc. So excited to see these guys.

Some of the other bands I am excited to see on Sunday's line up: Phoenix, Spoon (love, love), Julian Casablancas, Sly and the Family Stone, MUTEMATH, the Big Pink, and Sunny Day Real Estate.

The rest of the weekend is decent with my interests including: MGMT, Coheed and Cambria, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Frightened Rabbit, Vampire Weekend, She & Him (I've been wanting to see them since they started), Them Crooked Vultures, Lucero, and Hockey.

"So are you going?" you ask. I would like to. But I will not be the first on in line to by tickets this Friday, January 22 at 10am. $269 for a 3 day pass, plus $55 for camping, plus money for food and drinks is way outta my league right now. Although... I am always looking for a sponsor, let me know if you can score something, otherwise, I will be forced to attend EarthFair for the um-teenth time in my life.

College Success Story... SF Sketchfest

2010-01-14T08:06:00.000-08:00

I am so proud of my friends from college. They took what they love and decided to share it with the world. Upon graduating from San Francisco State University in 2001, Cole Stratton, David Owen and Janet Varney decided to collaborate creating SF Sketchfest as a way to showcase the work of six Bay Area sketch comedy groups: The Fresh Robots, Kasper Hauser, The Meehan Brothers, Please Leave the Bronx, Totally False People (their own sketch group, along with our friend, Gabriel Diani) and White Noise Radio Theatre.

In January of 2002, the first festival kicked off at the tiny 300 seat Shelton Theatre in downtown San Francisco with two weeks of sketch comedy sets. Rapidly the festival has grown into a nationally recognized comedy festival mixing national headliners, local favorites and the best up-and-coming groups from throughout North America for a month of sketch, improv, stand-up and alternative comedy. The festival has grown substantially to become a favorite among critics and fans for it's artistic showcase that consistently delivers top quality comedic performances, tributes and panel discussions.

Recently featured in Paste Magazine, this year's festival starts tonight and goes for three weeks. I'm bummed I am going to miss this year's event since it features a Tribute to Conan O'Brien, Monty Python's Terry Jones, Cinematic Titanic with the peeps from MST3K, Reno 911!, Comedy Death-Ray and more (click here for the full line up)!

In the past they have had acts such as performances from Saturday Night Live, The Kids in the Hall, Mr. Show, Arrested Development, The Upright Citizens Brigade, The State, Strangers With Candy, The Simpsons, The Daily Show and more. I have been back for the festival twice: once in 2003 and once in 2008 and already have plans to be there next year for their 10th anniversary. It is an awesome experience similar to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. With multiple venues and several shows per night to chose from it is easy to hop from show-to-show to fulfill all of your comedy needs and desires. You NEED to go.

I love my friends and love to see that they are doing so well. On a side note, Cole Stratton also writes one of my favorite entertainment blogs, Riverbottom Nightmare Blog, named for the gang our favorite Christmas special, Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas.

The Future of Radio???

2010-01-05T17:25:00.000-08:00

The new year (and the end of last year) has so far brought a bit of chaos and rumbling in the air waves with the departures of radio personalities: Dave, Shelley and Chainsaw, Jeff and Jer, and Mikey. In addition, the contract for Halloran from FM94.9 was not renewed in the new year. I know that much of the San Diego community has been shaken by one or more of these not-so-fond-farewells. I know I have. Here are a few insights on the current situation and the vision for the future:

Chris Cantore's appearance on NBC capturing the the state of things perfectly.
SD Dialed In sharing her empathy and vision.
SDRadio's Tribute to the DSC with comments on the various parties to blame for the ducks being shot out of the water.
Chick Rawker re-post of the ChrisCantore video and details of Halloran's departure (coming soon).

All of this madness made me go digging through my archives to find a previous post on the subject. Here is
Radio Nowhere from October 7, 2008.

I will end with what I said then:

So those in radio, I feel for you but this is the life you have chosen and I admire you for it. It is definitely not for me. Those who listen to radio keep on... it is you who drive the market.

Top Ten Songs of 2009

2009-12-31T11:52:00.000-08:00

So I feel a little bad for no doing my top ten list 12 hours before the end of the decade, but really, no time. Anyhow, I have thought about it... a lot. I've done my homework and realized that I can't sufficiently give my top ten albums of 2009 (and the top ten of the decade is just unrealistically mind-blowing).

"What?!", you say... To my defense, I barely bought ten albums in the last year. Mostly of my listening time has been spent with podcasts or radio. I don't feel that I could give a list that covers what should be the top of the year. But since I have been listening to some music this year, I do feel I can give to you my top ten songs of the year. So here they are:

10. Fiction Family "When She's Near" - Bringing me into the new year... This song is like a warm fire in my soul. Yes, I mean it. I can imagine curling up on the couch next to a warm fire in the hearth on a cold winter day. Now, how's that for a song description?

9. Phoenix "1901" - I have yet to get tired of this song. So sad to have missed them at the FM94.9 Holiday Hootenanny earlier this month. I heard they blew everyone away.

8. Metric "Twilight Galaxy" - Although "Help I'm Alive" was the hit off the Fantasies album released this year, I fell in love with the lyrics and melodies of this song. "I'm higher than high, lower than deep."

7. Owl City "Fireflies" - I can't resist. As much as people have a love/hate feeling toward this band, I have fallen in love with this song just as much as I love Death Cab and Postal Service. Cute video too.

6. Company of Thieves "Oscar Wilde" - I think I fell in love with this song after Thomas was born and as my grandfather's health was fading. My recognition that time is a precious thing connected me to this song instantly. "Time keeps on ticking away, always running away, always running from time."

5. Fanfarlo "The Wall Are Coming Down" - Beautifully organic. I originally heard it on the Paste Magazine Sampler #55. I love every small xylophone tap, trumpet blow and violin pluck. I was lucky to have gotten a chance to see them as they rolled through town at the Casbah earlier this month.

4. Harlem Shakes "Sunlight" - This song was also on the Paste Magazine Sampler #55, good solid mix. Similar to Langhorne Slim but more upbeat and dancy. Love.

3. Pearl Jam "Just Breathe" - Favorite radio play of the year. Listening to this song grounds me. It makes me introspective and start thinking about those that I love. One of the DJ's from FM94.9 stated that it sounds like it should be on the "Where the Wild Things Are" soundtrack. I totally agree.

2. Flaming Lips "I Can Be A Frog" - I love this. Karen O. on the other other end of the line making the craziest animal sounds. I would love to know how this song came to be. Ultra silly and fun.

1. Jonathan Coulton "Blue Sunny Day" - I heard this song as the intro to Kevin Smith's and Scott Mosier's Smodcast a few months back. I new that I had to get it and you should too (here). It is the first time that I have bought just a song. Though if it was available on an album, I would have bought it. Super catchy. Somewhere between Ben Folds and Brian Wilson. Listen to the lyrics. It is about a vampire about to die. Awesome. PS... Ignore the cheesy video.

And with that I leave you to enjoy your new year!

Fanfarlo, The Casbah: 11/24/2009

2009-11-27T23:14:00.000-08:00

"Are there any free Twitter tickets left?" I said greeting Ben at the door of the Casbah, while rolling in late, around 10:15 p.m. on Tuesday night.

"Just say the words," he responded.

As I recited, "Free the Turkeys," he stamped the inside of my wrist, granting my entrance to my chapel.

The Casbah offers free tickets nearly every Tuesday through giveaways on Twitter, offering a secret password to gain access to the show for a limited number of entries. It slightly feels like an old speakeasy but it's all legal and no one is really hiding anything.

I arrived right after Freelance Whales finished their set. Since I had no prior knowledge of either of the bands playing that night before coming to this show (or so I thought, as you will see), I didn't really know what I would be missing. I was out on a whim. It wasn't until after the show that I found that Freelance Whales was listed as Stereogum's Band to Watch at the end of September 2009. From the conversations I had on the smoking patio and the back bar, they were a perfect match with Fanfarlo (the headlining band), and yes, I really did miss something good.

Drawn into the main room by the harking sounds of mandolin and trumpet, I was certain that I would be in for a perfromance that I actually would dig (yeah, I said dig).

The symphonic melodies surrounded your senses, knocking out your heart with the beat of two drums. The trumpet and keys fill your lungs with a sense of anticipation and hope. The lyrics and harmonies caused my mind to drift away like a small sail boat on the ocean into the setting sun.

Fanfarlo captured the audience similar to finding a lost puppy to take it back home, showing them the good in the world through their music.

It wasn't until halfway throught the show that I had figured out that I had heard Fanfarlo before. "The Walls Are Coming Down" sounded echoes from the past that I couldn't quite put my finger on. The trumpets swelled and ebbed in dreamlike sequences through your head. The violin and xylophone twinkled like stars in the night sky swirling with catchy lyrics.

It wasn't until the following day that I realized exactly where I had heard "The Wall Are Coming Down" before. I kept thinking, maybe a new song on FM94.9 but I don't recall ever hearing it while in my car which is about the only time I listen to the radio. I was also thinking that maybe it was one of the albums given to us by our friend Lyn, http://www.chickrawker.com/ as she send us a lot of albums. But if that was the case, I would have recognized more than one song in the set. Then I discovered and confirmed that it was from listening to the Paste Magazine Sampler: Issue 55 (August 2009).

The night proved to be a surprisingly positive, uplifting experience... as well as extremely cheap. I spent less then $20 for an amazing show, three beers, a CD and a poster. Ridiculous. I love my town, my bar, my life...

They Might Be Giants, Belly Up Tavern: 11/17/2009

2009-11-23T10:59:00.000-08:00

Walking out of the Belly Up Tavern last Tuesday with my fedora brim filled with confetti, my spirit soared from one of the most over-the-top, ultra-amazing shows that I have seen at that venue ever. Yes, I saw Death Cab for Cutie months ago hit me in the heart with an arrow of emotionally beautiful songs. I have seen Johnette Napolitano streaming tears down the faces of the crowd from her powerful voice. I have also seen Bob Schnieder on several occasions get the crowd in such a ferver that girls and guys are nearly crawling up on stage to get at him. All of these incredible shows I've seen at the Belly Up Tavern over the years still can not compare to the energy and playful production that They Might Be Giants brought to their stage last week in the last show on their 8 Bit Tour.

The moment Roger and I walked into the venue, we were blown away by the amount of equipment on and around the stage. TMBG brought in their own lighting, video and sound (minus the main speakers). The AV boards took up the most of the seating on stage left (the right hand side of the stage as you are looking at it). No front seats available there.

We stood with our Red Stripes in hand, in awe of the equipment, when the opening act started. Guggenheim Grotto caught our ears with a whimsical melody played on a ukeleli. I heart ukes and this tune made me want more. Sadly they switched to an acoustic electric for the rest of the set, only bringing the uke back for the closer. Even they realize that their uke songs are their best songs by far. The duo, Mike Lynch and Kevin May harmonize like blood brothers, singing songs of fancy based on literary characters and real life. It is easy to see how these two acts came together on this tour.

When They Might Be Giants took the stage, the lights went crazy in a ballyhoo and the crowd went nuts. My stomach all flittery as I realized that I finally was going to see TMBG play. Yeah, I know, I must have seen them before but somehow it never happened until now (and same for Roger).

They began by playing "Meet the Elements" off the Here Comes Science album, their newest album geared towards teaching kids about the wonders of science. Right away I felt cozy and warm with goodness. Their songs brought back a time of playing tag, digging in the sandbox to finally reach China and talking in secret languages our parents wouldn't understand.

At one point in the show, The Avitars of They, sock puppets in the likeness of John Linnell and John Flansburgh, took over the performance though live video projected on a screen in the back of the stage. Hilarity ensued with a mini comedy performance, playfully bashing They Might Be Giants by They themselves. The Avitars of They performed two songs, then returned to the regularly scheduled performance.

Disco lights spun around the room, entrancing many as they sung "What is a Shooting Star?" Probably one of my favorite songs of the night from Here Comes Science ending with confetti cannons shooting multi-colored confetti over the front half of the room. And we were no where near the encore.

The night would not be complete without hearing songs from their second album, Flood, the album that brought TMBG radio play and the "fame" that came with it (aka bringing home the paycheck). We were privvy to "Particle Man", "Birdhouse in your Soul", "Istanbul (not Constantinople)", "They Might Be Giants", and my personal favorite, "Whistling in the Dark".

The night of music came to a close after two short encores and another cannon blast of confetti over the entire room. I can only imagine what the Belly Up staff thought of the drifts of small pieces of crepe paper. The room was cleared by 11pm. Early night for most rock shows. But for They Might Be Giants, early nights are the standard. About fifty percent of their scheduled shows are geared towards a younger audience, a much younger audience of preschoolers with their hip parents. I totally would have brought Thomas to one of these shows, but the last one scheduled on this tour was in LA. Next time, oh definitely next time.

Writers Weekly 24 Hour Contest

2009-11-03T15:23:00.000-08:00

I guess I should stick to my day job. The results for Writers Weekly's 24 Hour contest came in at the end of last week. Me, not a finalist of any sort. But that does not mean I am giving up on writing (in fact I have already signed up for the Winter 2010 Contest on Jan 23). I love words and the way they can paint a picture, just as I love actual paint. So read my story, then take the time to read the winners' stories as they are definitely good reads.

---------------------

Rural Squall

Anticipation filled his chest as the cameras unloaded from the van to set up next to the entrance to the corn maze. Marcus hopped out of the passenger side of the van in his flannel shirt and jeans, trying a little too hard to fit into the rural atmosphere that he just emerged into. Today will be his first live segment interviewing a farmer in central Wisconsin in advance of next weekend’s county fair. The rains from the early afternoon made the ground underneath spongy, adding a little spring to his step.

“Hello!”

Weathered and jolly, an older man hurried towards the camera crew with two dogs trailing behind him. His chest puffed with impending pride as he introduced himself to Marcus.

They chatted about the dreary weather and the positive effects on the crops, as the crew finished setting up. Waiting for the segment to start, the farmer meticulously picked at his vest that he donned for the special occasion. Marcus envisioned how the farmer’s neurotic ways surely would earn him the blue ribbon for his biggest pumpkin.

As the farmer shared his tales of obsessive tending and gentle turning with the camera, Marcus instinctively turned his head toward an infant's cry. At the top of the hill, under an old maple, a pretty girl was shielding a bundle from the wind, fumbling with her blouse. Distracted by the sight of the woman’s ordinary behavior, Marcus stumbled through the rest of the interview.

As the camera equipment was being loading back into the van, Marcus glanced back up the hill observing only the silhouette of the old maple as the clouds turned shades of orange and pink from the sun setting.

“She is stuck up,” the farmer disclosed, irritated that the woman had interrupted his moment of glory.

“Who is she?” asked Marcus still gazing up at the painted clouds.

“That’s Elle, the daughter of the Hagens, who live next door,” He said conclusively. “She cares for no one but herself. Like I said, she’s stuck up.”

The cold wind started again and he shivered, watching the sky darken too quickly Marcus ambled into the town’s only pub to get out of the weather and have a cold one before heading back to the inn for the night.

Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” was playing on the jukebox while a number of local farm boys on the far end of the bar pounded drinks like the frat boys did back in Madison.

Marcus pulled up next to a girl with her head down on the bar, soggy hair flowing around her ears. She looked vaguely familiar.

“Elle?”

She turned in his direction looking through him, not at him. The farm boys were now pretending to shear the bar stools as if they were sheep with wooden legs.

She giggled, prompting Marcus to look in the direction she was staring. He laughed along.

“I saw you on the hill today overlooking the Altenburg Farms. Where is your baby?”

Without blushing, she answered assuringly, “With my parents.” She cautiously continued, “I am living with them for a while, until I can get on my feet.”

Prompted by Marcus’s prodding questions, Elle continued to speak about life in a small town and her dreams of leaving the rural life to become a hair stylist for a fancy salon. With each question she became more intense, divulging more than he asked. Marcus was fascinated by her wisdom for such a young age. She was maybe 21 or 22.

He found out that she had grown up in Wisconsin Rapids her whole life. Her parents had been supportive when she became pregnant after being raped by some local farm boys, not unlike the rowdy boys at the end of the bar.

Even with all of her troubles, she seemed to have her life in order including step-by-step plans for fulfilling her passions.

It was late when Marcus walked Elle back to her car. Walking along the tree lined Main Street, he noticed for the first time that she was barefoot. She carried her shoes in her right hand swinging them in time with her stride, allowing the rain soaked sidewalks to wrinkle her toes. This prompted a smile on his face.

“It was great to talk to you tonight,” she said seriously. “I really needed that.”

She hugged him tightly, squeezing his chest to where he thought he wasn’t breathing. Before he could open his eyes, she was in her car driving away.

The tires splashing through small puddles of rain was the only sound on the town’s quiet streets as Marcus made his way back to his hotel.

Frigid morning air flowed through the van’s open window stinging Marcus’s face, as the crew headed back towards Madison. Marcus reflected on the evening with Elle and how he may have just ruined his chances for any future live segments due to his inability to focus during the interview. His thoughts were so distant that he was completely unaware of the news report on the radio stating police had found an infant drowned in the Wisconsin River.

Fiction 101

2009-10-15T14:45:00.000-07:00

Every year, San Diego City Beat runs a contest called Fiction 101 (now in it's seventh year). The goal is to write a fictional story in 101 words or less. That is pretty much it. This was the first year that I entered and while I didn't win or have an honorable mention (psst... there really isn't a prize besides seeing it in print anyhow), I did want to put my stories out there for people to read. So here are the two short stories I sumbitted for your enjoyment:

Second Life
Behind the wooden bookcase, through the paneled wall in the study hides a door to the room where he spent his nights alone. His wife would never understand if she discovered the room he built to hide his deepest secrets. His second life gave him autonomy and power that his real life at home and working in the factory had always lacked. In his room, the Lilliputian people with their painted on smiles frozen in their stance waved up at him in his blue and white striped conductor’s hat, as he prepared the next miniature train for departure. All Aboard!

The above story was the first one that came to me. It really is inconclusive with no depth. I think I just really wanted to use the word "Lilliputian."

The Bouquet
An elderly man sat on the patio of a café savoring each sip of his wine. He arrived in Madrid that morning. Watching the pigeons scavenge crumbs from the cobbled streets, he thought about his family left behind, wars fought, and miracles witnessed. A young boy on a bicycle stopped to smell flowers at a cart across from the café. The man reminisced returning from the war, embracing his wife and the floral essence of her perfume. “It is time,” he whispered, as he walked back to his hotel, to swallow the pills that will take him back to her.

The second story sort of stem from my grandfather's trip to Spain. He flew to Spain for one day and then came home (no, he did not commit suicide). His trip to Spain at 82ish years old is one of my favorite stories from his many life stories and a true testament to who he was. Adventurous and caring (he went there solely to teach a friend to fly via Space A - military flights). The man was amazing. We charged me with helping him finish his biography/memoir when he passed away. I don't know if I could ever do him justice, but I will try.

Watching the Wheels

2009-10-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round. I really love to watch them roll...

Driving back down from LA this past week, I was listening to John Lennon's "Watching the Wheels" on the radio. I believe it was KPRI but that doesn't really matter. The song sent me into a spiral of memories of when I was 16 years old living in San Diego and many of the people who made impact on me. It is amazing that a song can throw you back in this way.

People say I'm lazy dreaming my life away...

Hearing that song, made me think of the great rock writer, Paul Williams and his experience being a part of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Bed-in". I had the honor of meeting Paul when I was 16, prior to his bicycle accident and hearing many of his great stories of interviewing Bob Dylan and Brian Wilson. I remember sitting on the floor of my friend's apartment stapling copies of Crawdaddy! to get ready for mailing at a time when the magazine's budget was near it's lowest. I remember feeling that I was a part of something greater but also the normalcy of the occasion.

Emma Dennis, a budding rock journalist for the current incarnation of Crawdaddy! who also just happens to be Patrick Dennis's daughter, wrote an amazing piece on her blog, Whimsy in Dive Bars, about her first meeting with Paul which brought me to tears.

People asking questions lost in confusion. Well I tell them there's no problems, only solutions...

Thinking about Paul prompted me to think about the other individuals who helped shape me into the music-loving, community oriented being that I am today. I thought about Jackie Starr, a spunky musician who lived here in North Park, who I can directly pinpoint as the reason that I love the Pixies and Elvis Costello. Listening to Frank Black while petting her cat on the floor of her living room (I guess I spent a lot of time sitting on the floor as a teenager), I could only imagine the doors that were opening regarding musical influence. After I ran away from home (a story for another time), I continued writing Jackie. Yes, the handwritten letter type of writing. I am not sure if she realizes the impact that she had on me, but I still want to thank her.

When I returned home in the wee hours of the morning, I searched online for my past. Finding Jackie on facebook it made me smile to see her happily married in Massachusetts.

Surely you're not happy now you no longer play the game...

I also thought about Veronica Boyer who assisted in my escape plan and was a true friend. It was her floor that I sat on while stapling Crawdaddy! magazines. She introduced me to Guinness and the close knit community that is the San Diego Music Scene. I remember going to shows and walking through shops downtown with her. She always made me feel like I belonged and never treated me like I was just a kid.

I remember her telling me that she was moving to Washington state, where I never heard from her again. I tried to look her up but have been unsuccessful. I hope that one day I will get the chance to tell her

No longer riding on the merry-go-round. I just had to let it go. I just had to let it go.

Whip It! Jucket!

2009-09-29T16:33:00.000-07:00

Junket is my new word for the week. I had never even heard of the word (amazingly) until yesterday when I actually went to one in LA for the movie, Whip It! starring Ellen Page and directed by Drew Barrymore.

Yesterday's junket for Whip It! was a larger-than-life event that took place in the LA Derby Dolls' Doll Factory in Historic Phillipino Town.

The excitement started out with Har Mar Superstar, aka Sean Tillman, performing the national anthem. I really didn't pay much attention at the time so I didn't realize that he was one of the actors in the movie (playing the coach to Juliette Lewis's team) and that he has a song on the soundtrack called "Never My Love".

Then the LA Derby Dolls Tough Cookies took the track against the Varsity Brawlers in the most publicized, over-the-top production for a practice bout ever. It was a thrilling bout that included a leg whip by Crissy Crassy and Leguna Beyatch, and at least one skater, Jacq Pot, flying over the rail. They will be playing again this Saturday for their regular season. The Tough Cookies won over Varsity Brawlers, one hundred and something to something less than that. Tough Cookies are currently undefeated, as are The Swarm (San Diego team).

Singer and actor, Landon Pigg, who plays Ellen Page's boyfriend in the movie, performed the song "Hightimes" from the movie during half time. Again, I really didn't pay much attention here, I was taking a look at the production booth, watching the emails fly in with questions for Drew.

At the end of the bout, the cast of the movie and Shauna Cross (aka the real Maggie Mayhem), skater and author of the book "Derby Girl" of which the movie is based, came out into the middle of the track for a Q&A session moderated by Axils of Evil, a popular KPCC radio host.

Here is the best photo I could get of the Q&A session with my camera phone right before it ran out of batteries.

Director and actor, Drew Barrymore plus Eve, Alia Shawkat, Landon Pigg, Zoe Bell, Har Mar Superstar, Juliette Lewis, Shauna Cross, Ellen Page along with LA Derby Dolls' Rachel Piplica (aka the real Iron Maivon) and Kristen Adolfi (aka Crissy Crash) all shared the mic for an inspirational Q&A session. My favorite moment was when Juliette Lewis shared that she really just wants to work on her form (getting low and her starts to be specific).

Over 2,000 people watched the event online at www.derbydolls.tv. You can watch the entire event (in two parts) on Justin.tv. Check out some photos from the event HERE.

I managed to walk away from the event with a a prize pack from Fox Searchlight that included promotional items including the soundtrack, the book (renamed to "Whip It!), pins, sweatbands, a cup and a t-shirt. Definitely a sweet package, but no celeb meetings. That's fine, I would rather see them on the track.

I did find out that the reason that celebs don't skate is that the insurance with the movie studios doesn't allow or cover it. I guess Patricia Arquette tried to join LA Derby Dolls in the past.

The Whip It! soundtrack comes out today via Rhino Records and the movie also officially premieres today at the Grauman's Historic Chinese Theatre.

Writing Like Crazy But You Wouldn't Know It

2009-09-21T13:07:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks I have started writing just for writing sake. I entered two short stories competitions: Fiction 101 with City Beat and 24 Hour Contest with Writer's Weekly. City Beat should be publishing the finalists in the next couple weeks and Writer's Weekly won't publish their results until almost Halloween. Win or lose, I will post the stories once the results have come in.

Deadlines seem to help drive my imagination, as do word limits. College was great for that. How can I say a sentence the most eloquently or creatively in the least amount of words? I guess that is another reason that I like Twitter. Sometimes it feels like a puzzle, re-arranging words and using the thesaurus to get the right phrase to give the right feeling.

I have always wanted to write a book, but I am a bit of a procrastinator. It is also hard to imagine writing on one subject for 100 plus pages. That is where blogging and short story writing comes in.

Ray Bradbury is my favorite author of all time. Well known for his novels "Fahrenheit 451" and the "Martin Chronicles", Bradbury composed most of his stories as chapters or short stories to be published in journals (he could make more money that way too). His short stories are descriptive and captivating. The endings are never what you imagine.

He also wrote a book on writing called "Zen and the Art of Writing". Inspiring, yet simple. He talks about why he writes and where he gets his inspiration from. You can see common threads that run through each of his stories that allow you to see pictures of the whole from only reading pieces.

If you have never read anything of Ray Bradbury's except for "Fahrenheit 451," try something new for a change. Here are my favorite novels and short story compilations:

"Dandelion Wine" My favorite novel of all time about a boy and one summer of his life. Horrible description on my part, amazing story from a child's mind.

"Something Wicked This Way Comes" The carnival comes to town and the dark things that come with it. Again, from a child's view.

"The Veldt" Short story published in "Illustrator Man" and "The Vintage Bradbury"

"The Small Assassin" Short story published in "Dark Carnival" (Ray Bradbury's first published book of short stories, now out of print and pricey), "October Country", "The Vintage Bradbury" and "A Memory of Murder"

"Skeleton" Short story published in "Dark Carnival", "October Country", and "The Vintage Bradbury"

"The Gift" Short story published in "A Medicine for Melancholy" and "R is for Rocket"

"The Anthem Sprinters" Short story published in "The Machineries of Joy" and "The Vintage Bradbury"

"Yestermorrow" A collection of essays from Bradbury on projects that he worked on including Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland and the design of Horton Plaza mall. This one is hard to find since it is out of print.

Don't Let Concerts Pass You By: Tips for Concert Going with Your Baby

2009-08-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

After going to this weekend's Flaming Lips concert at the Del Mar Fairgrounds and being complemented on our parent planning skills and concert preparation, I thought I would share a few tips about getting out to see shows with a small one.

Research the Venue
First off... is the venue all ages. This will help answer the first question of whether you should take him or leave him. There are lots of all ages venues in San Diego: the Marquee, Lestats, SOMA, Epicentre, Java Joe's at Café Libertalia, Club 8Teen (formerly Avalon, now called something else) and ChannelTwelve25. The Del Mar Fairgrounds holds concerts throughout the summer as do a number of communities (Bird Park Concerts, Trolley Barn Concerts, etc.)... Plus there are many street fairs and festivals that are open to everyone.

Take in consideration that you will need a place to change the baby that is inoffensive (sorry, no changing on dinner tables). The ground always a place as long as you have a quiet corner and the proper changing tools mainly a blanket or pad.

Make sure there is a place you can step away from the action for fussiness. This could be outside, another room, or just distancing yourself from the action. This is important in smaller venues where cries could potentially disturb the show.

Ear Protection
If you think the music isn't loud, you're wrong. You want your child to grow up with his or her full capacity to hear even the softest of noises. I have been to so many concerts and bouts where parents think that if they are sleeping or if they aren't reacting, that the noise must not be bad for them. I don't personally have a link to the research on this, but I know that theory is wrong.

There are options for protecting your child's hearing even as early as 2-3 months (before that you should really avoid taking you kids to places with loud music/noises... get a sitter). We use the Peltor Kid Ear Muffs. They cost less than $20, they last until your child is about 7 years old, and they come in three colors (pink, blue and black). If you start your kid young in these, they would be bothered wearing them. They can still hear the music but it takes the edge off. Thomas has enjoyed listening to Roger's band practice and has even fallen asleep while wearing them.

Pack Your Bags
Just like going out for the day, you need to be sure to pack food, milk or formula, diapers, wipes, clothes, a bib, a burp cloth and toys. Make sure that you think about the food temperature. In many concert situations you won't have access to heat a bottle. My child is not picky about temperature, so leaving milk or food out at room temperature is good enough.

Also don't forget about your needs. Often when I am packing for Thomas, I forget that I need a jacket or food. It will happen, but here is another reminder to take care of yourself too.

Your Arms Can Only Hold So Much
It really does suck if you have to hold a sleeping baby for hours. Consider the venue again. Think about whether a sling or stroller is more appropriate. If you are standing room only, a stroller is better towards the back of the room while a sling allows you to get closer to the action.

Bonus/luxury items include having a backpack style carrier or a wagon. We are lucky to own both (as gifts). The backpack we have yet to use but believe it will come in useful during street fairs. It will be great place to feed him on the go too.

The wagon we have is a portable, fold up wagon called Fold-It & Go Portable Wagon. It folds up like a PacknPlay to load in and out of your car. The wheels are large making it easy to go over rough terrain (like sand). It claims to hold up to 150 lbs. We use it as a playpen (for now) and a portable crib. The only thing it is lacking is brakes so supervision is heavily needed.

At the Flaming Lips concert we loaded up our wagon with a small cooler, a couple of chairs, and a bags of our stuff. On the way out, we hauled Thomas, passed out in the wagon with the earmuffs still on, back to the car while carrying the rest of the gear. It was perfect for this occasion. It should be also be useful for the Bird Park Concerts.

The biggest takeaway for me is all of the preplanning. It is no longer possible to just leave the house on a whim. Before I would preplanning for comfort, now it is a necessity.

If you have any additional tips on concert going with kids/babies, feel free to comment.

Alex's Lemonade Stand @ The Miller's House

2009-07-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the 4th annual FM94/9 live broadcast of Alex's Lemonade Stand at the Miller Family home on the corner of Redwood and Thorn. Roger and I have wanted to make it out for this event pretty much every year since it started. Now that we live five blocks from the Miller Family, it will become an annual tradition for us too. That is, if they able to keep it there.

Of the four years they have been doing this event, this is the biggest yet. The stands take over three of the four corners of the intersection, selling lemonade (both pink and yellow varieties) to passers by for donations to pediatric cancer. They also had a silent auction, live local music and guests from the local Star Wars Society, all part of the event.

Their fundraising goal was $10,000 which they had raised the previous year. By 11am, only one hour after they started, when our family stopped by, they had already raised $2,000. One of the big draws was the family four pack of Legoland tickets that they were giving away if you donated $80 to the cause. By 11:30am, the tickets they had on hand where gone and they had to start taking IOU's. As FM94/9's DJ, Hilary put it best "It is so California of us," referring to the the state tax returns.

According to Amy Miller, the event had much more press than in previous years including on-air segments on both KUSI and NBC 7/39. It was overheard Amy saying that she doesn't want this event to get any bigger. And neither do the neighbors. The cops came by at least twice in the hour that we were there, responding to neighbor complaints regarding music volume and crowds in the street and sidewalks. If it does get much bigger, they would have to look at a different venue, which would be a sad prospect to both the Miller Family and the community as a whole.

Our family hopes they continue this successful fundraiser at their home for years to come. Not just because it is within walking distance, but because it shows the collective power of good in our community.

--Thomas playing with his lemonade cup--

So much for being backblogged...

2009-07-12T08:48:00.000-07:00

I have been out living life. Those shows I said I would get around to writing about... sorry. Not gonna happen. Not the kid's fault. Just been too busy with life's happenings to take the time to write thing down. Here are some of the things that have kept me from writing over the last few weeks:

1) Work: Yeah, I know it is a lame excuse but I am in a transition phase at work that doesn't give me time to even check my personal email let alone blog.
2) Shows and other fun events: These include... Get Back Loretta CD Release @ the Casbah, FM94/9 Beer for Breakfast event @ Stone Brewery, Death Cab for Cutie Secret Show @ the Belly Up, Smart Brothers & The Wrong Trousers @ Lestats, Alex's Lemonade Stand broadcast.
3) Personal stuff: My grandfather was in the hospital for two weeks, my iTouch was stolen, famliy BBQ's

So yeah, busy. What that mean is that I will get to what I feel like getting to instead of putting expectations on myself to type up everything. I guess this is a personal release of thoughts since I know that my blog is low on readers. It feels good to get it out none the less.

Derby on TV, Not Exactly

2009-06-26T15:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I sat in front of my computer screaming at the monitor, not cause my computer crashed but because my teammates in the San Diego Derby Dolls were kicking ass at the Battle of the Banked: Capital Punishment Tournament in Austin Texas. They came home with the 1st place trophy, rightfully claiming their place as the best team in California on any surface and the best in the nation on banked.

But I realized as I was watching these intense games, we are just about there. Who really needs a TV to watch derby. As it stands now, I don’t have cable anyway. I have to go to the bar or over to my friend’s or family’s houses to watch the Chargers play or the Lakers game. Nearly everyone I know has a computer with the Internet. Streaming videos is common place now with sites like YouTube and UStream.

About a year ago, Derby News Network started broadcasting bouts as text-casts; enlisting the help of local derby fanatics to text the updates from a game. Slow and lacking the same intensity, the text-casts offered the derby community an outlet to see how your team was doing in a game that you could not be at. They got the points, penalties, lead jammer status and maybe when a key player took a spill. Viewers could give their two cents or shout outs like a standard moderated chatroom.

For nearly every tournament since August 2008, Derby News Network has broadcasted video boutcasts showing the true excitement and intensity of the sport. Text-casts still continue to this day as an entertaining communication tool to the eyes on the track.

This weekend is the East Coast Extravaganza in Philly, a large-scale flat track derby event featuring teams from across the US and Canada. And guess what that means? A weekend of watching roller derby streaming live straight to you. Derby News Network will be broadcasting (video and text) HERE both Saturday and Sunday, all games starting at 10:30am EDT.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the country, the LA Derby Dolls are streaming live the their double header for the first time in five years (or is it six). The Rookie skaters will duke it out in the Baby Doll Brawl. In between bouts, the Junior Derby Dolls will take the track showing off their moves. Kids in derby, priceless. The second match up will be the LA Derby Dolls B Bracket Team, the Aftershockers who will take on a combination of skaters from local Flat track leagues called the Prom Queens. HERE is the link that will take you to this west coast action. Bout starts at 3:30pm PDT, don’t be late!

I think this signifies a new era. We may not be on TV but the Internet reaches a wider audience and is much more portable. So if you haven’t got a chance to go see your local derby league play, check out the action online. Who knows, you may find you actually like it.

2009 North Park Festival of the Arts

2009-06-17T11:31:00.000-07:00

After going to the North Park Festival of the Arts in 2006 and seeing its poor state of affairs, I called up the North Park Main Street office and spoke to Liz Studebaker, who had only been Executive Director for about two months at the time. I decided that instead of just complaining about all of the festival’s many issues, that I should get involved and use all of my event planning knowledge to help this community event live up to its full potential. So after being poorly utilized as a volunteer at a water tent in 2007, Liz sat down and listened to what I had to say. My voice was being heard and I was also invited to be on the committee for the festival.

During my first few committee meetings, I really wasn’t given a job because they weren’t really sure of where to place me due to my experience in event planning, fundraising, San Diego music, volunteerism and more. By the third meeting, I decided with Liz’s approval that I would love to help out on the music/staging aspect of the festival and as luck would have it, the Main Street Stage producer was an open slot.

For the last two years I have been booking, producing and managing the Main Street Stage. The North Park Festival of the Arts has also blossomed in the last two years with the following improvements: the addition of the City Beat Festival of Beers since 2008, collaboration with North Park Craft Mafia, Mudfest in 2008, retiring of many festival committee members (sad, but necessary for growth), and more connections with local businesses and artists. Better music and beer has brought more people to the festival, which has also brought more artists. I didn’t make all of these things happen, but I was on the supporting end of them.

This year the festival was held on Sunday May 17, 2009 and here was the line up for the Main Street Stage:
Trophy Wife
School of Rock
The Tighten Ups
The Shambles
Anna Troy Band
Transfer

There was a dog fashion show in between The Tighten Ups and The Shambles that was ridiculously popular (second to the baby fashion show that never occurred). Each of the bands came back to me and told me how much fun they had at this event. Bart Mendoza said that his parents even came out to see him play, which I guess isn’t that often.

This year’s festival was awesome, but next year’s will be even better. Why? I was recently asked to chair the festival committee and I accepted the challenge. Feel free to send me any ideas on how you think the North Park Festival of the Arts can improve. Also, if you have never been, you really need to go. It is always on the third Sunday in May. Mark your calendars now.

Backblogged

2009-06-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

I really am not one of those moms who disappears off the face of the earth after having a kid. We do make a point of getting out of the house at least once a week. But I have been quite lazy in the last couple months when it comes to blogging, making me a bit backblogged. Here is a list of events that I hope to catch up on in the next week or so.

May 17: North Park Festival of the Arts
May 29: Transfer @ Belly Up
May 21: Ben Folds @ HOB
Jun 7: FM 94/9's Indie Jam
Jun 11: Rhett Miller KPRI cruise

San Diego Backroads

2009-06-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

I have always been a city streets driver rather than a highway driver (unless the highway really does get me there faster). I like to take the path of least resistance. his means fewer stopsigns and stoplights (or at least stoplights that run in your favor). I actually prefer stopsigns to a majority of stop lights as with stopsigns I have more control of the length of time I will be sitting there. Anyhow, I probably will get called out on this one but I thought it would be a fun one to write about. Plus I don't really think my readership is that high to really impact the number of cars on these roads (that would be cool though).

The following are all of my favorite "shortcuts" or "roads less travelled" to get around this lovely city of ours:

Pershing Street (North Park to Downtown... and more)
This is a daily route for me to get downtown, on to the 5, 94, the airport and more. Even if you don't need to always get downtown from North Park or visa versa, this is a great road to know about should you ever find yourself needing to. This two lane road (each side) hardly ever has traffic, there is only one light as it crosses Florida/26th Ave... oh and the speed limit is 50 mph. As another bonus, I have never seen a cop hanging around this stretch of road... I'm just saying, I might be driving a bit faster than 50mph.

A Street and B Street (Downtown)
If you are ever trying to negotiate downtown with all of the one way streets, you will often find yourself waiting at light after light. For some reason all of the direction websites like Yahoo and Mapquest send you down Broadway. Never take Broadway unless it is absolutely necessary. Both A Street (leaving downtown) and B Street (going into downtown) the lights are actually set in your favor to help with the flow of traffic. You may in up sitting at one light, but not for long.

Meade Ave (Park Blvd, University Heights to Fairmount Ave, Rolondo)
I heard about this one from a friend that frequently drove drunk. Not smart in that aspect but I now use this road all the time instead of Adams Ave or El Cajon Boulevard. The road has only a few lights that are quick and very few stop signs. Few if any cops hang out on this road, per my friend. The road cross the 805 and 15, sneaking through University Heights, North Park, Normal Heights, Kensington, into Rolondo/City Heights.

Beryl Street (Pacific Beach)
Many people who live in Pacific Beach swear by this road. I love it too. It gives you great access to both North PB and PB proper (proper really seems like the wrong word for PB). To access this stretch of road you want to turn right onto Soledad Mountain Road off of Garnet Avenue, then you will make a left onto Beryl Street. The road has two stop lights (as I recall). The first is nearly always in your favor at Lamont Street, the second is Ingraham Street/Foothill Boulevard. Here is were you decide where to go. Go straight through a few stop signs to make it to central PB (near the bars and pier), OR make a right for Northern PB (Turquoise and Tourmaline Streets). Quick in and out route to PB... cause who really wants to stay in PB?

Texas Street (Mission Valley to North Park)
Texas Street is a great quick way of getting in and out of Mission Valley into North Park. I guess this road is only good for those who live in this area, but a very necessary route when it comes to heavy shopping days and when there is a stadium event. The road is very steep, giving those with stick shift butterflies in heir stomachs that they might roll back into the car behind them. Well at least it did for me when I was taking driver's ed and they made me go on this hill.

Kearny Villa Road (Miramar to Mesa College)
This road is a great frontage road for the 15 and 163. It will take you from the Marine Corps base in Miramar ending at Mesa College in Kearny Mesa. I never find very mush traffic on this road except over by Sharp Hospital at the end of the day (4-6pm). I don't often travel up this way but I find myself using the road frequently none-the-less.

Here are some not-so-short, shortcuts that others swear by:

Pomarado Road (15 to Poway)
This used to be a great way to get from the 15 to Scripps Poway Parkway. Now it seems that many people know about this route and more development has occurred along the way. Some people still continue to swear by this route, claiming it's quickness. All I find is slow traffic accompanied by lots of lights.

905 (out of Cricket Amphitheatre)
I am still arguing with friends on this one. The problem with getting out is not the roads as much as it is getting out of the parking lot in the first place. Turning south (right) out of the parking lot instead of going along Main Street by turning left seems like it would be quicker. But the actual drive is about the same. What they really need is professional traffic controller (not kids) and more than two exits out of the place.

Derby Party All Around

2009-05-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

The Derby Dolls are trying some new things for this upcoming bout. 1) It is on a Friday night. I guess Del Mar was booked on the Saturday. 2) It is a theme night. 70's flair is highly encouraged, but not required. 3) A double-decker party bus from the Arizona Bar in OB was added to the mix.

I hear something about drunken fun... well, that has always been my experience when it comes to double-decker buses. I usually don't remember the whole experience. Penny McSquish will be your party wrangler for the night making sure you get on the bus in both directions because we realize it would really suck to sleep in the horse stalls at Del Mar Fairgrounds.

Well if you want to have a great time and remember the game, drive to Del Mar sober, pay $9 to park and buy a $12-$20 ticket to the bout. OR take the party bus for $25 and don't worry about a thing... parking, ticket, and beer & soft drinks are included. So even if you are not drinking this is a great deal. Don't pass this up. If we don't sell out, we may not be doing this again. Yes, that is a very real threat.

Go to the Derby Dolls website to purchase tickets.

Fastball, KPRI Concert Cruise: 4/24/2009

2009-04-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

I was asked to do a concert review of the Fastball concert cruise with KPRI for another site, Your Concert Reviewer. Check out my review here.

Time out for cute baby photos

2009-04-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

Thomas is exactly 12 weeks old today and has doubled in weight since birth. I am enjoying every second that I get to spend with him. He is smiling and laughing now and can roll over from front to back. It is most likely that he will begin to crawl within the next 4-6 weeks which means Roger and I need to get going on the baby proofing of the house.

Since it has been three months, I figured that I would post some of my favorite photos for those who don't get a chance to see him on a regular basis.

Thomas started swim lessons about one month ago. The Clairemont Boys and Girls Club through a program called Aqua Pros runs a parent/tot swim class starting at two months. It is a great program that uses verbal cues and praise to help babies learn basic swim skills. My mom took photos but did not know how to use the zoom, so this is the best photo I have.

My parents got this little bear pajama outfit for him. I only think it is slightly cruel to dress up your child in costumes when it is not Halloween. But our house is cold and it is made of warm fleece, plus he is so damn cute in it.

Our friend Jude got us this blue elephant stating that he had no idea what to give a baby. This blue elephant is now Thomas's favorite animal. He talks to it and gives it hugs and kisses. Ridiculously adorable.

Dad and sleeping baby... I love this photo!

Damn, I wish I could be cloned for a day

2009-04-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

For some reason, event planners don't always check to see the competition before planning an event, so this Saturday is jammed full of exciting things. I wish I could have three or four of me to go out and enjoy all of the cool things that are happening on April 18. If you are not already totally busy this Saturday (which I can't seem to understand why you wouldn't be unless you are a hermit), I have put together a list of things you could be doing this fine Saturday instead of that family picnic at the beach.

Support your local roller derby league

There are about 8-9 bouts happening on the West Coast this Saturday but the following are happening in Southern California:
http://www.derbydolls.com/sd
Note: I will be skating in this bout. My first game back since last June! Come cheer for me.
http://www.derbydolls.com/la
Angel City Derby Girls versus Inland Empire's Derby Divas @ Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo

http://www.mtheorymusic.com/calendar/index.php?EID=55

In-store performances with Dramarama, Anya Marina, Silent Comedy & Maren Parusel! Plus a Foosball Tournament with Menomena (Beat them & win stuff!) Guest M-Theory Cashiers Pall Jenkins of Black Heart Procession & Jimmy Lavalle of Album Leaf! Sidewalk sale and more! (10am-8pm)
Note: I will most likely be there in the early afternoon to catch Silent Comedy and Anya before I head over to Del Mar.

Taste of Hillcrest

Take a self-guided stroll around the neighborhood and taste some of Hillcrest's favorite and new restaurants and cafes (Noon to 4pm). $30 (advance) $35 (day of event)

http://www.seaportvillage.com/busker/

I saw this posted when taking my in-laws around town. A street performer's festival featuring sword swallowers, jugglers, acrobats, comedians, musicians and more are sharpening their anything but ordinary talents. Both Saturday & Sunday (Noon- 5pm). There is even a Buskers After Dark event running from 7-10pm. Maybe I will make it out on Sunday.

http://poltz.com/

This is Steve's last show in San Diego before he heads out on a major tour of Australia. He will be back though... Sad to miss.

Coachella Music Festival

Three days in the desert watching some of the coolest current bands. Haven't gone yet. Never has fallen at a good time. Tickets are still available ($256 for 3-days).

Historic Homes Tours

Mission Hills Home Tour: Tour six privately-owned historic and architecturally diverse homes with the Mission Hills Heritage from South Mission Hills (10am-4pm). $25 (MHH members),$30 (non-members) Meet at 1214 Sutter Street.
North Park Historic Home Tour: Guided walking tour of North Park's Dryden District featuring 30 historic homes (9am) $10 Meet at 28th and Upas Streets.

For Moms (and Dads) Who Like to Drink

2009-03-25T12:46:00.000-07:00

Unlike my mom, but like a lot of new parents, I made the decision not to give up things that I love for my child. I still drive my MINI Cooper, play roller derby, go out to watch bands, and of course, drink. Now that Thomas is in our lives, there are limits to how much I drink and where I can drink. Many parents think that the bar scene is so far behind them. I disagree. There are many cool places that you can go enjoy a few good drinks and bring the little one(s) along that are not Gymberee or Dave and Buster's. Here are a few of my favorites:

Toronado
I found out that I was pregnant the day that this bar/restaurant opened. The kids that were tagging along with their parents made me realize that my drinking days were not over. This place feels more like a bar than a restaurant (all the better). If you do bring your little ones, you may be among the few (if not the only ones) that have children there. They serve an excellent

Blind Lady Alehouse
This is a fairly new pub/restaurant located in Normal Height. They serve good beer through a stainless steel draft system making it cleaner than other bars/pubs. They serve amazing pizza and salads. You have to try the cheese plate! Many families do come here in the early evening. Get there between 5pm and 6pm to ensure a seat otherwise look forward to hovering.

Baja Betty's
Craving margaritas or straight up tequila? This place is for you. They also have awesome happy hour specials so non-working moms can hit it up early.

Lei Lounge
Roger and I disagreed on this place. He was positive that it was 21+ only. After a quick query, I found it indeed can have minors. Great mixed drinks (by the pitcher if you choose) and fresh food that comes out as it is ready. Get a cabana for you and your crew.

To check out places that you would like to frequent, try the California License Query System where you can search businesses by business name (Doing Business As), address, licensee name, or license number.

To understand the what the numbers on the license type mean, check out the list of common liquor licenses

Sadly, I will not be at the Starlite tonight for the Cause for Drinks, charity benefit of UNICEF's Tap Project to celebrate World Water Week since Starlite is a License Type: 48, meaning no minors, even though they do operate a restaurant.

Sources: California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and individual sites.

2009 St. Patrick's Day San Diego Style

2009-03-16T07:56:00.001-07:00

I am not Irish even though my son and I both have red hair. I do however enjoy my fair share of Guinness and even was proposed to in the back of a local Irish pub. I mostly aviod St Patrick's Day madness due to all of the amateur drinkers that emerge, but there are plenty of ways to celebrate this sudo-holiday without subjecting yourself to drinking green beer (I have to break it to you that it is not real beer anyway). Here is a list of things you can do to combat those individuals who insist on pinching you for not wearing enough green.

Go to an Irish pub/bar to have Guinness, Jameson or an Irish coffee (but stay away from the Irish car bombs). You may not want to go though, since the bars will most likely be packed. I know I won't be. Here is a comprehensive list of local Irish bars.

Attend ShamRock in the Gaslamp. Basically like Mardi Gras all over again, where you will find half naked girls and frat boys drinking anything that is green. At least they have the Downs Family and the Young Dubliners playing.

Partake in some corned beef and cabbage or maybe some shepherds pie. Many local establishments, including restaurants & bars (like Starlite, Shakespheare's Pub, O'Sullivan's and this list) and your nearby VFW, are having specials or potluck-style meals of this delicious dish.

Read some Irish poetry. I guess the D.G Wills Books in La Jolla is on it's 13th year of this crazy celebration. I never really could make any sense of Irish poets like James Joyce and friends. Oh, did I mention that this event does have good Irish beer?

Look for four-leaf clover. I once found over 20 four-leaf clovers in this one field in Battle Creek, Michigan (long story to why I was in the cereal capital of the world). There have got to be some good fields of clover around here somewhere.

Watch a live radio broadcast. Both 91X and FM94/9 are broadcasting remotely that day. FM94/9 will be at Hooley's in Rancho San Diego (6am-8pm) and 91X will be at Rock Bottom Brewery in the Gaslamp (5:30-10am) with the San Diego Derby Dolls & Get Back Loretta. I will be headed to Hooley's with Thomas for some early morning drinks. Come join and please don't pinch me.

Sources: San Diego Travel Tips, San Diego Reader and individual sites.

New All Ages Live Music Venue in San Diego: The Marquee

2009-03-02T11:48:00.000-08:00

Saturday night, Roger and I were edging to go out. We hadn't made any plans for a babysitter and noticed that Tan Sister Radio was playing in a venue called The Marquee in Golden Hill and texted Aaron, the band's guitarists to find out if it was indeed all ages. After confirming that the place was all ages, Roger and I took a gamble that it was suitable for Thomas and his young ears to go (yeah, we are still looking at getting baby muffs). I looked up the venue and saw that it was an old church converted into a venue for local artists and musicians. Cool. This should work.

After walking up a wooden stair case decorated in twinkle lights, we paid the $8 suggested donation and took the time to explore the place. Immediately you walk into the main hall where there are white vinyl pews (couches) facing the alter (stage). There is art hung from walls and a balcony that houses the board for the new sound system. There is a small room that served as a sort of green room in the back (that also had access to the one bathroom). This room also proved to be a great respite for us for taking Thomas away when he became fussy. There was food available that we later found out was left over from a wedding that afternoon.

The line up was all acoustic acts for the evening (yes, Tan Sister Radio reworked their set for this gig). The acts included Tan Sister Radio, Folding Mr. Lincoln, Allied Gardens and Dave Booda. We managed to stay for nearly three sets before needing to leave.

We got a chance to talk to Gill S.O.TU., the guy who books the Marquee. Super cool guy. We found out that the venue's capacity is 180 (even with the last of restrooms). Their schedule includes:

Mondays: Dance Night
Tuesdays: Open Mic Night (Train of Thought)
Wednesdays: Writers Workshops and Movie Nights
Thursdays: Hip Hop (Boombox Sessions)
Fridays & Saturdays: Live Acoustic Music Nights (Acoustic San Diego)

The place is beautiful and inviting. Definitely check it out or consider booking an event there. I know I am.

Adventures in Baking: Scones

2009-02-23T12:44:00.000-08:00

I found this simple scone recipe in this book called "Six Ingredients or Less" by Carlean Johnson that I just had to try. It actually turned out delicious. This ended up being my lunch for today.

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chilled butter, cut up
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add butter and cut in with two knives or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles small crumbs. (I use my new food processor which worked well.)

Add milk and mix just until combined; mixture will be sticky. (Optional - Add any of the following ingredients for more flavor: fresh lemon or orange peel, chopped nuts, chocolate or white chocolate chips, dried apricots, raisins, dried cranberries, fresh or dried blueberries. I added dried cranberries.)

Place on a greased baking sheet. Flatten the dough into about a 3/4-inch thick round. Cut into 8 wedges, but do not separate. If desired, sprinkle lightly with sugar (Hell yeah, I did this!). Bake 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through. Makes 8 scones.

Bar to Bar

2009-02-21T14:32:00.001-08:00

While we were at Blind Lady Ale House in Normal Heights, Roger and I discussed how you have to reference local bars by what they used to be. With recent developments for many bars in the central San Diego area leaves most locals struggling to keep up saying, "What is that place called again?" Here is a reference of recent bar turnovers for those who are having a tough time:

Scolari's Office = The Office
Buster Daly's = U31
Shooterz = True North Tavern
San Diego Sports Club = The Ruby Room
Zombie Lounge = Radio Room
Chaser's = Soda Bar
Dinos = Bar Pink (Pink Elephant)
Hamburger Mary's = Urban Mo's Bar & Grill
Sparky's = Hamilton's Tavern
Wolf's/Rebar = Bluefoot Bar & Lounge

For better or worse, things change. It is hard not to hold on to the past but embrace the awesome things that are appearing.

North Park Art Community Drama: Is this really necessary?

2009-02-19T17:50:00.000-08:00

North Park Nights are officially moving to the 3rd Saturday of the month starting in March in an attempt to separate from Ray at Night which will continue to be on the 2nd Saturday of the month. What does this mean for the hundreds of people that attend the event(s) each month? Well, it could mean a couple of things...
1) There will be two Ray at Night events (most people really don't know about North Park Nights as an event) OR
2) Both events will suffer since half the galleries belong to one of the two groups.

So you might be asking... what in the world is going on? Why would the businesses split the event in two? What is the difference? Well, I will attempt to explain the nonsense:

Ray at Night was started in 2001 by Gustof Rooth, owner of Planet Rooth gallery on Ray Street and an informal collective of art galleries in the North Park area (artist buddies) to bring together the artist community and create an "art scene" on Ray Street. The event involved bringing in a band, opening the galleries and giving out free food and drinks. The following businesses are part of the Ray at Night collective:
* Planet Rooth Studio Gallery
* Santos & Cirello Gallery
* San Diego Art Department
* 4 Walls Gallery
* Obr Architecture
* raystreetstudios.com
* Sharp Studio Gallery
* Luxe Hair Studio
* Soul Ryde
* Enclothe

North Park Nights technically started in October of last year by the San Diego Art Institute as a non-profit organization of a broader collective of art galleries, theaters, studios and supportive business. These businesses and artists want to promote art in the community rather than just create a scene for drinking and hanging out in the street. The event expands beyond Ray Street to include the dance studios on 30th and some of the restaurants and clothing stores. Check out the map and list of the 36 participating North Park Nights businesses.

Each of the North Park Nights events will be themed, with March's theme being "It's Complicated," a group showing featuring controversial themed artwork and events in various businesses and galleries. At the core of the theme stresses the complicatedness of the "break-up" between Ray at Night and North Park Nights.

I really don't think the intention of North Park Nights is to completely exclude the Ray at Night businesses... only to the extent to convince them that it is more about the "art" than the "scene". But what neither group realizes is that the public doesn't give a care about the drama and truthfully will barely notice the difference. Guaranteed that the Ray at Night businesses will be open on North Park Nights events and visa versa. Ray at Night events will be smaller, contained on Ray Street but will still be jumping with art scenesters. Take your pick. More art for all of us.

Derby Social Networking

2009-02-17T12:37:00.000-08:00

If there wasn't enough social networking sites out there already with facebook, myspace, friendster, twitter, yahoo groups... now there is more. Someone in the derby community created yet another place to post things and get to know other derby people from around the world.

Introducing, Derby Nation a site for all your derby connections. Not limited to skater's... open to skaters, refs, coaches, staff and volunteers... both male and female.

The site creators encourage you to: "Post your bout and event dates. Share pictures. Create groups for your league or team. Chat on the message boards. Blog about derby life." It is easier to use than myspace and has less junk than facebook. It is completely customizable for both those who know html and those that would rather not ever have to learn codes.

Will this catch on? Today, there was just over 600 members signed up worldwide and it looks like that it just was released a few days ago. Each individual must be "approved" before your account is completely set up. Mine only took minutes. It is definitely worth a look to see if it is worth your time and effort :)

No Reservations

2009-02-10T16:09:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day this year is even more intolerable since it is on a Saturday. A normal date night and play day will surely saturate the city's restaurants and activity centers. Personally, Roger and I don't plan to go out on Saturday night (mainly since our "anniversary" is on Sunday), but would like to spend the day doing something cool that requires no reservations and isn't too busy. We really have two anniversaries that we could celebrate: Sunday of President's Day weekend or February 18th... and we prefer to celebrate on Sunday. Anyhow, I wanted to compile a few things to do this Saturday that might appeal to those that don't care for the V-day hype, but would like to spend some special, quality time with their loved one.

Valentine’s Day Massacre-ade: A Benefit for Burners Without Borders
Location: TBA the day of the event
8pm
$15-$20
Zirk Ubu, a local circus collective, is putting on performance and fundraiser this Valentine's Day. Also, there will be a creative band called Soul in the Machine, an unannounced DJ, appetizers by Cocina Club, black-light art, hula hoops and more. After the City Beat awards event, I definitely want to see Zirk Ubu in action again.

USA Sevens Rugby Tournament
Petco Park
9:30am-6:30pm
$21-$250
Premiere international rugby tournament. I became a big fan of rugby (and cricket) after living in New Zealand for a while. I might have to talk Roger into this one though. It also does require advance ticket purchase (damn) and will most likely cause craziness in the Gaslamp area in the evening. Also... the rain, who can forget about the rain?

Circus Vargas
Westsfield Plaza Bonita
1:30pm, 4:30pm & 7:30pm
$20-40
Some are opposed to this kind of circus, but I have a sort of fascination with them that stems from my favorite author, Ray Bradbury. I know that I will never see what I imagine or experience the sort of tales that Bradbury tells, but sometimes I still need this fix. Maybe Zirk Ubu can help with this.

North Park Nights
Streets of North Park
7-10pm
Free
Wander the hood at night looking at art. Maybe get some dessert at Heaven Sent Desserts or have a drink at Bar Pink. Grab some sushi at North Park Sushi. I think the rain and the "holiday" will keep many away, but maybe I am wrong.

Or go out to a show, check out San Diego: Dialed In.

Personally I would love to head to Julian or the wineries in Temecula or go whale watching... but the stupid rain/snow in the mountains is messing with my plans. For sure Roger and I will be going to Blind Lady Alehouse in Normal Heights sometime this weekend. Maybe the rain won't spoil everything, but for now I have no plans, still.

West Coast Roller Derby Bouts: 2009 Spring Schedule

2009-02-05T13:04:00.000-08:00

Southern California Roller Derby Bouts: 2009 Spring Schedule

2009-02-04T14:10:00.000-08:00

Although I have been physically unable to play roller derby for the last 9 months or so, I have stayed active through coaching and managing bouts with the San Diego Derby Dolls. I was able to tie on my skates for the first time on Monday to get my bearings. With my weight shifting from my belly to my chest, I really needed to work on my balance. I am so glad to be returning to being a part of this sport that has such inspiring women and much appreciated community support.

If you have yet to make it to a bout, there are many opportunities to get out and see roller derby in Southern California. Here is a compiled spring schedule of local roller derby teams:

February
Feb 21: http://www.derbydolls.com/
Feb 28: http://www.derbydolls.com/

March
Mar 7: http://www.ocrollergirls.com/
Mar 7: http://www.bakersfieldrollergirls.com/
Mar 14: http://www.myspace.com/vcdevilsdarlins
Mar 21: http://www.angelcityderbygirls.com/
Mar 21: http://www.iederbydivas.com/
Mar 28: http://www.myspace.com/prisoncityderbydames
Mar 28: http://www.derbydolls.com/

April
Apr 4: http://www.derbydolls.com/
Apr 4: http://www.ocrollergirls.com/
Apr 12: http://www.angelcityderbygirls.com/
Apr 18: http://www.derbydolls.com/
Apr 18: http://www.derbydolls.com/
Apr 18: http://www.angelcityderbygirls.com/

May
May 2: http://www.myspace.com/prisoncityderbydames
May 9: http://www.derbydolls.com/
May 9: http://www.iederbydivas.com/
May 15: http://www.derbydolls.com/
May 16-17: http://www.angelcityderbygirls.com/
May 30: http://www.derbydolls.com/

June
Jun 20: http://www.angelcityderbygirls.com/
Jun 27: http://www.myspace.com/prisoncityderbydames
Jun 28: http://www.derbydolls.com/

Please note: The links that correspond to each event will take you to the website where you can purchase tickets (most likely the hosting league's website). All bouts listed are flat track unless otherwise specified.

Eddie's Place in North Park opens tomorrow

2009-02-01T11:59:00.000-08:00

I got this email from my friend, Dan this weekend and I just had to repost it since it is hilarious, straight-forward and just as informative. Eddie's Place is a new restaurant located on 30th and Myrtle in North Park.

Today, I was gonna get an answer to the question that many people have been asking.
"When is Eddie's Place opening?"
Eddie's Place is across from Lefty's Pizza.

Hank, the mailman didn't know and actually sounded disappointed that the business owner hadn't communicated with him in any way because people have been asking Hank. Note for future business owners: Inform your mailman. This is a walking, talking free advertising agent.

After climbing the series of steps and ramps to the pinnacle of the front porch at Eddie's Place, I saw a sign on the door that stated they are opening Feb 2, 2009. I have seen similar signs in the past. Seeing the door was ajar and a chef mixing something up in a large bowl in the kitchen, I walked in to confirm the date on the sign as real or hopeful. She informed me the date is very real. Eddie's Place will open this Monday February 2.

After asking what kind of food they will have, she allowed me to look at the only menu they have printed. They will offer lunch and dinner. Lunches seem to be mainly sandwiches, hoagies, etc. Dinner offers ribs, steaks, chicken pot pie, etc. Prices range from $7-$15.
The place also offers domestic beers like Miller, Bud, etc for $3.50 or so.

After thanking her and retreating down the labyrinth I had earlier climbed to enter the front door, I went to Jack in The Box to use the free terriyaki bowl coupon I was given at the Holiday Bowl. One bowl later, I am nearly ready to throw up.

I am looking forward to Eddie's opening.

Dan

Reposted email from North Park resident, Dan Altenburg

The Sweetest Thing...

2009-01-27T12:01:00.000-08:00

I feel like it has been forever since I last posted, but in reality it has only been a week. My world has turned upside-down in the best way possible, giving birth to our son, Thomas Eliot Morrison. I usually reserve this blog for non-personal stuff, but I feel this is an occasion that warrants a few words and photos (as many of you are surely dying to see).

Well it didn't happen at the Casbah as predicted (and hoped for) by many, but Thomas Eliot Morrison was born 1pm (exactly) on Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital. He was 7 lbs, 1 oz and was 19.5 inches... now growing fast.

Many of you knew that we did not want to share our name choices until our little one arrived. The story behind the name is that my grandfather's name is Hubert Thomason... we really wanted to name him after important people, and my grandfather is one of the biggest influential people in my life. He raised me as a child, let me escape there as a teen, and as he has grown older, I have taken on the caretaker role at times. He has some of the most amazing stories including one where he travelled to Spain for a day just to show his friend how to use the military free flights... It took him 5 days of traveling and he was 80 at the time. I could not bring myself to name him Hubert, so Thomas it is (plus everyone calls my grandfather Tom anyhow). Eliot is a name that I have always loved... from the boy in E.T., to the dragon in Pete's Dragon, to the poet/literary critic, T.S. Eliot (whose first name is also Thomas).

Thomas came into the world to the music of Polyphonic Spree's first album "The Beginning Stages of..." Perfect album for this momentous event (aside from the final track that is a loop of feedback for 10-15 minutes). We are currently working on a mixed CD of songs for him that mark special events as a newborn. I will post the list once we have completed it for inquiring minds.

Be prepared for ultimate cuteness...

Family photo

First headphones

Since I won't be out an about for awhile until I get this breastfeeding/pumping thing down, I will be missing a few things including Wednesday, January 28 @ The Casbah Blasphemous Guitars, Pleaseeasaur, Goblin Cock (my original due date). If you can make it to this show, you will not be let down.

I now will be looking at all ages shows and events more closely, as I can at least bring Thomas along for those. Oh and good news for me... Toronado is all ages and within walking distance. I last went there on their opening day (aka the day I found out I was pregnant). Need a good beer fix soon. Maybe sometime this weekend.

Upcoming Event: Saturday, January 24 - Charitable Scavenger Hunt

2009-01-20T21:08:00.001-08:00

Somehow I missed this one. This scavenger hunt was created as a fundraiser for the Junior League of San Diego (who happen to do great work with the Girl Scouts). Have a blast while doing good. This is my kind of event.

Operation City Hunt @ Embarcadero Maria North Park
Saturday, Jan 24
10am-3pm ($50 plus raise an additional $50)
Adult only event

"This fun filled day begins with a scavenger hunt race throughout downtown San Diego. On the day of the event, teams will have to solve clues to find local San Diego businesses and places of interest. Once each location is discovered participants will be asked to perform a fun activity, often supporting the business which has partnered with the Junior League of San Diego."

There is a post race party at The Minus One Lounge at The Keating Hotel. Race participants do get a "thank you for participating" drink at the party (no kidding, that is what they call it).

Source: City Beat & Junior League of San Diego

Not sure if this is news or not

2009-01-20T20:55:00.000-08:00

Take what you want from it. City Beat will be moving into North Park shortly. From what I have heard, they will be renting/leasing the remodeled building on the south west corner of University and Grim, second floor. I guess that means Kevin and I will be neighbors.

Upcoming Event: Thursday, January 22 @ Reuben H. Fleet Science Center

2009-01-09T16:12:00.000-08:00

I love rollercoasters. I even did a paper on rollercoasters in college comparing the relationship between the need for speed in our recreational lifestyles to that of our everyday life pace getting faster. It was fascinating research and actually a fun paper to write. Lucky for me and other speed freaks, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is once again bringing the fun of science (with the bonus of rollercoasters) to adults that cannot shake that kid feeling.

On Thursday, January 22, 6–9pm prepare yourself for rollercoaster physics fun at the second installment of Science on the Rocks.

This event will focus on California Thrills with a special screening of ADVENTURES IN WILD CALIFORNIA on their brand new IMAX Dome screen. Also, back by popular demand is the Tinkering Studio where you will be able to create the hills, ramps, loops and tunnels of a miniature roller coaster. This is where Roger and I spent the majority of the time at the last event. Also try a surf simulator, sponsored by Hawaii Surf Simulators of Carlsbad. Since this is 21+ only, you can enjoy the museum without feeling like you are bumping some kid out of the way as you construct your coaster.

$20 admission includes full gallery access, an IMAX film, hands-on activities, light hors d’oeuvres and 2 drink tickets.

Think You Know Everything... Think Again.

2009-01-07T21:47:00.000-08:00

I am a big fan of creative events, hence the style of my baby shower and wedding. Anyone who can take an event to another level by involving it's participants in more than just drinking, straight up staring at a performance, I am all for. Perhaps that is why I love trivia nights and scavenger hunts. Anyhow, here is a list of events in San Diego that challenge your mind and sometimes your body:

Trivia Nights
Kipper's Pop Culture Trivia @ The Whistle Stop in South Park
Every 1st and 3rd (and sometimes 5th) Monday of every month ($5)
Starts at 10pm-ish (more like 10:30pm)

Adam Gimbel's Music Trivia Night @ The Whistle Stop in South Park
Every last Thursday of every month ($5)
Starts at 9:00pm

Quiz Night @ Shakespeare's Pub & Grille in Little Italy/Golden Hills
Every last Sunday of every month
Starts at 7:00pm

Think & Drink Trivia @ Winston's in Ocean Beach
Every Tuesday night of every month ($1)
Starts at 6:00pm

Taco Tuesdays & Trivia Night @ Big Bertha's Fish Joint in Pacific Beach
Every Tuesday night of every month
Starts at 7:00pm

Tuesday Night Trivia @ The Bitter End in the Gaslamp
Every Tuesday night of every month
Starts at 7:00pm
I can't tell if trivia still happens here since the yelper's are not even commenting on it.

Scavenger Hunts
Holiday Scavenger Hunt @ Omni Hotel San Diego
Saturday, Jan 10
1-4pm ($30-$60)
Discover San Diego's hidden treasures searching the city's coolest roof-top lounges, hip hotels, scenic restaurants and hot spots using photography, creativity, teamwork and strategy, competing for a chance to win prizes.

High Trek Adventure
Saturday, Apr 4
Noon-? ($35-$60)
High Trek Adventure is a unique, one-of-a-kind urban adventure game where brains beat brawn! Teams solve clever clues while navigating the city via foot or public transit! Its a scavenger hunt, with all the thrills of the amazing race, mixed in with Trivial Pursuit, throw in a mini road race and add a dash of cat-and-mouse. And voila! You have High Trek Adventure!

Urban Dare
Saturday, May 30
Noon-? ($90 per team)
Locally created Amazing Race type event. Part running - part trivia quiz - part skill challenges - 2 person teams - solve clues to find checkpoints - take team photos at checkpoints - use public transportation - call friends to help solve clues. The race where smarts can beat speed.

Great Urban Race
Saturday, Oct 24
Noon-5pm ($45-$70)
The Great Urban Race is a wacky urban adventure. Teams of two solve twelve clues, have a wild city adventure and complete fun challenges while discovering the city in a fresh way during a fun day.

Sources: Active Network, Citysearch, Yelp & individual websites.

Staring at the Sun: Volume 7

2008-12-30T10:43:00.000-08:00

This week another volume of Staring at the Sun (San Diego Music Compilation) came out into the world produced by Bart Mendoza and Chuck Schiele at Blindspot Records. With it, three shows around town featuring various artists from for the CD. This past Sunday during The Local Pyle live broadcast at The Casbah, the first of the three shows resumed. The next two shows are scheduled for Saturday, January 3 at Lestat's (9pm) and Saturday, January 11 at House of Blues (7pm).

Per usual, the CD and shows reach out into the depths of the San Diego music scene to feature potentially up-and-coming bands and artists. The genres are spread from blues to acoustic to rock to mod. The collection often brings to life artists that may have been hidden under the radar from listeners for years.

Volume 7's songs and artists of note include The Modlins - For The Good of The Armor, Wendy Bailey - I Swear, I say and The Anna Troy Band - I Can't Don't Want To Faster, among 19 other local goodies.

Although there was a ten year break between Volumes 5 and 6, the next Staring at the Sun compilation (Volume 8) is scheduled to come out next year, including a DVD of local artist performances. Personally, I can't wait!

Shower of all showers... You wish you were there.

2008-12-24T12:09:00.000-08:00

Rock n' roll baby. Yes, you wouldn't really expect anything else from Roger and I. So to celebrate the little one in style, this past weekend we threw a karaoke shower at the Ruby Room (formerly the San Diego Sports Club). Friends from as far away as LA drove down to get their rock on - baby style.

Just like our wedding, we couldn't do this traditional celebration the same old boring, awkward way. Guys and girls were there to partake, no traditional lame party games and no painstaking photo moments of opening each gift. Karaoke with a baby theme was all there was supplemented by munchies, cake and alcohol.

Each song sung (for the most part) contained words associated with baby, children, parents, etc. This left room for improvisation on many levels. Simple choices for baby songs would include "Baby Love" by the Supremes or "Hit Me Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears. Those that sang chose more obscure songs including "Mother, Mother" by Tracy Bonham and "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-A-Lot, and even "Its So Hard To Be A Baby" ("Dur Dur d'etre un Bebe") by Jordy (the youngest kid ever to record a #1 single).

One of the most memorable moments was both of my sisters singing "Push It" by Salt n' Pepa with the video in the background showing Sesame Street with the letter "P" as the topic. Perfect timing. Also, Adam Gimbel sang something about a baby extractor machine. I still can't figure out where the hell that came from.

My sweet husband got up and sang "Having My Baby" by Paul Anka... gotta love him. I did manage to get on stage and squeak out "Black Balloon" by the Goo Goo Dolls. Karaoke or getting on stage for that matter, is still not really my thing. But I really enjoy watching others singing and making fools of themselves.

I want to thank the Ruby Room, Marie Haddad, Tricia Olsen, Adam Gimbel, and Pants for helping put on the most awesome shower ever. Sorry you missed it... stoked if you were there.

Cool Holiday Stuff: Sat. Dec. 13 & Sun. Dec. 14

2008-12-12T14:14:00.000-08:00

Saturday December 13
http://www.rayatnightartwalk.com/
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=17187655
http://www.lmvma.com/
http://www.yelp.com/events/san-diego-santas-sleigh-crawl
http://missionbayparadeoflights.org/
http://www.sandiegocoastlife.com/events/san-diego-coast/events-oceanside-parade-lights.html
http://www.cygnettheatre.com/
http://www.commongroundtheatre.org/
http://www.theoldglobe.org/
http://www.diversionary.org/nowplaying.html
http://www.balboaparkpuppets.com/

Sunday December 14
http://www.yelp.com/events/san-diego-fishnet-follies-burlesque-brunch---holiday-special
http://www.gaslamp.org/
http://www.sdparadeoflights.org/
http://www.cygnettheatre.com/
http://www.commongroundtheatre.org/
http://www.theoldglobe.org/
http://www.diversionary.org/nowplaying.html
http://www.balboaparkpuppets.com/

My Top Ten Album Picks for 2008

2008-12-09T08:41:00.000-08:00

I have thought long and hard about my choices for top ten albums released this year. I guess that is what happens when you just work all day then go home to paint a prep a house for moving. Anyhow there were about 15 albums that I thought worthy of possibly being on my list, but top ten is not top 15, so I needed to listen again. Oh yeah, and thank you Wikipedia for reminding me of what was actually released this past year.

10. Santogold "Santogold": I just wish this album was longer. Saw at FM94/9's Indie Jam for the first and only time.
9. The Night Marchers "See you in Magic" It is great to have John Reese back.
8. She & Him "Volume 1" I love Zoe.
7. Old 97s "Blame It on Gravity" Loved seeing these guys at the Stubb's Main Stage at this year's SXSW.
6. Radiohead "in Rainbows" Amazing show at Cricket (crappy parking) Amphitheatre.
5. Flight of the Conchords "Flight of the Conchords": There is a special place in my heart for these two New Zealand comedians/musicians turned superstars.
4. MGMT "Oracular Spectacular" Saw at FM94/9's Indie Jam for the first and only time (missed them at Street Scene).
3. Vampire Weekend "Vampire Weekend" Saw at Street Scene this year for the first and only time.
2. Kings of Leon "Only by the Night" Damn I wish I made it for their recent tour. This album is so incredible.
1. Nada Surf "Lucky" I LOVE these guys. Saw them three times this year. Sadly missed them at SXSW though.

Sources: Wikipedia and my own remembering

Cool Holiday Stuff: Sat. Dec. 6 & Sun. Dec. 7

2008-12-05T21:40:00.000-08:00

Saturday December 6
http://www.northparkmainstreet.com/
http://www.oceanbeachsandiego.com/
http://www.ci.encinitas.ca.us/NR/rdonlyres/D7BACC85-D481-4460-B4C6-BC22D3E81FCB/0/EncinitasNowWinter2008.pdf
http://www.downtownchulavista.com/things/detail.php?EventID=47
http://sanctuarygallery.wordpress.com/
http://www.blogger.com/www.sdholidayfair.com
Balboa Park December Nights noon-10pm (Free)
South Park Holiday Walkabout 6-10pm
http://www.commongroundtheatre.org/
http://www.artcenter.org/0809%20performances/yohohoapirateschristmas.htm
http://www.cygnettheatre.com/
http://www.theoldglobe.org/
http://www.diversionary.org/nowplaying.html

Sunday December 7
http://www.holidayhitlist.com/
http://www.ljparade.com/
http://www.appelandfrank.com/invite_120708.htm
http://www.sdmaritime.org/ContentPage.asp?ContentID=25
http://www.commongroundtheatre.org/
http://www.artcenter.org/0809%20performances/yohohoapirateschristmas.htm
http://www.cygnettheatre.com/
http://www.theoldglobe.org/
http://www.diversionary.org/nowplaying.html

Sources: Individual venues listed above, San Diego Travel Tips, San Diego City Beat's Last Blog on Earth and FM94/9 Maya's Weekend Stuff

Commercial Holiday Lights Displays

2008-12-03T19:25:00.000-08:00

Anderson Farms/Victoria’s Gardens  13120 Willow Rd., Lakeside. One mile off Highway 67, east. 2-1/2 acres of lighted wonderland. Over 100 life-sized items + $2 hayrides (plus other packages) and 50,000+ lights. Get your Christmas tree while you are there (coupon at their website for 10% off). Nov 21-Dec 24, Dec 26-Jan 4, 2-8 pm.

Chula Vista Downtown Holiday Lights  Third Ave. & E St. to G St, Dec. 2 to Jan. 1. Dec. 2 evening parade, 6 pm.    

Del Mar Fairgrounds Holiday of Lights  Animated holiday lights. Nov. 27 to Jan. 1, Sun.-Thurs., 5:30-10 pm.; Fri.-Sat., 5:30-11 pm.; $14/vehicle (up to 5 people), $19/van or car (6 or more), $49/bus.  

Festival of Lights at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park Dec. 6-30, 4-8 pm. Lights, crafts and snow. Several larger-than-life light features. This is the last year for the Festival of Lights at the Wild Animal Park which is so sad. However, the Festival will be moved to the San Diego Zoo in 2009. Ages 12 and up $28.50, 3 to 11 $17.50, under 3 free.  

Gaslamp for the Holidays Nov. 26-Jan 1, 5pm-midnight Historic buildings and merchants light up for the holidays.
 
Mission Bay Parade of Lights  Dec. 13 Starts at 7 pm. This boat parade of lights begins on Quivira Basin and ends with the lighting of the SeaWorld Sky Tower Tree of Lights and a fireworks display at 9 pm.

Oceanside Parade of Lights Dec. 13, 7-9 pm, Christmas Parade around inner Oceanside Harbor from the Oceanside Yacht Club.
 
Quail Gardens Annual Garden of Lights  230 Quail Gardens Dr., Encinitas. 90,000+ lights illuminating the plants and trees. Dec. 11-23, 26-30, 5-9 pm. Different activities nightly. Admission: Adults $10, children (3-12) $3.

San Diego Bay Parade of Lights San Diego Downtown Waterfront. Dec. 14 & Dec. 21, fireworks at 5:30 pm, parade til 9 pm. Starts off at Shelter Island, goes through the harbor and ends at the Navy Carrier Base.

Skyline Church Night of Light  11330 Campo Rd., La Mesa. Dec. 22-23. Thousands of lights, choir, real snow, Santa, comedian, church services.

Sources: Top Dog Limo Services & San Diego Travel Tips

Holiday Spirit

2008-12-03T18:48:00.000-08:00

I always do my Christmas shopping late, decorating always seems like a chore... This year it doesn't seem to be any different. Since we are moving into the new house the weekend before Christmas, it seems silly to think about decorating at all. But Roger is convinced that if we can get the living room into good shape earlier, that we should decorate a tree in the front living room, even though we are not yet living there. A little crazy in my mind. But we will see if that actually happens.

But seeing as how I was going to put together an events site and have yet to do even that... I thought I might at least post a little holiday spirit on my site since I have the means, and crazy enough, the time to do so. So over the next couple days there will be additions about holiday activities that everyone can enjoy. Maybe I will catch the holiday spirit as I post.

Pumpkin Cookies

2008-11-26T19:51:00.000-08:00

From Betty Crocker's Cooky Book (copyright 1963)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups canned pumpkin (standard can)
2 3/4 cups flour (not packed)
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ginger
Optional:
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 400º. Mix sugar, shortening, eggs and pumpkin thoroughly (there may be lumps of shortening still). Blend dry ingredients; add to pumpkin mixture, sitting until well blended. Add raisins and/or pecans. Drop batter by teaspoonfuls on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cookies may be iced when cool with a thin butter icing (see below).
Makes 4 dozen (depending how big your blobs are).

Butter Icing (I am usually to lazy for this)
2 1/2 Tbsp soft butter
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp cream
3/4 tsp vanilla

Blend butter and sugar together. Stir in cream and vanilla until smooth.
Makes icing for about 4 dozen cookies.

Army Navy & The Takeover UK, Beauty Bar: 11/23/2008

2008-11-25T14:54:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile since there has been a new band that charged me up and made me happy that live music exists in this world. Some of the bands that I have seen that have this ability to continually blow me away include Silent Comedy, Get Back Loretta, Nada Surf, and The Smart Brothers.

The common thread between these bands is that they don't take things too seriously and have fun with what they do. You can see, hear and feel that they love music and want you as a fan to love it too. Their performances feel like parties on stage and off) where you can't resist dancing and singing along... even if it is your very first time seeing them.

This weekend, I was able to revive myself and get out of the house to check out a couple of bands that I had never seen or heard about before. I saw the video for "Thin Sides" by Army Navy with Paul Scheer, from "Human Giant" and "Best Week Ever," and was excited about what I saw and heard. Apparently Army Navy had a few songs on the "Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist" soundtrack, but it has been a while since I have seen a movie. Seeing that this band was energetic and could poke fun at themselves, drove me down the boulevard to the Beauty Bar for a night of music.

Here is the video if you haven't had the chance to see it already:

When we arrived there was a band already playing on stage. I first thought that it was Army Navy, but figured out fairly quickly that it wasn't. Wow, another band that had energy and happy vibes! Awesome night. The band happened to be The Takeover UK, a name that still doesn't roll off of my tongue. This Pittsburgh band actually struck a chord with both Roger and I. Roger stated that The Takeover UK made him "feel like picking up his guitar and tossing it out the window." At least that is what I heard/remember. They inspired me to think happy thoughts while bouncing around on the smoking patio that is the bar's dance floor.

Army Navy from Manhattan was up next. I think I had pretty high expectations at that point after the video and seeing The Takeover UK. They were great, but I was more into The Takeover UK. Sadly the guitarist had injured his foot while on tour and ended up in a low stool for the night. Actually, I think the drummer from The Takeover UK had just gotten back from the emergency room for some stomach/pancreas problem... on pain meds surviving the night. From either bands performance, you could not even tell.

It was the last night on tour. The energy was high. For the final song of Army Navy's set, they invited to the stage members from both The Takeover UK and The Shys, the headlining act. It reminded me of earlier shows with Silent Comedy and Get Back Loretta. Powerful ending to the set, and for me the night. I really wanted to stay to see The Shys, but my bed was calling through my belly.

Revitalization of Karmic Life

2008-11-19T16:48:00.001-08:00

Over the next two weeks, I plan to revamp this blog to include listings of special events around San Diego. There will be a ongoing bar on the side for larger, annual events with their dates and links. I will do also do weekly listings for the week(probably posted each Sunday night).

These special events will include festivals (beer, wine, street fairs, holidays, etc.), arts events, special film screenings, cool sporting events (like derby, OTL or other cool/unusual sporting events), good comedy, trivia nights, burlesque and vaudville shows, as well as other unusually cool things to do around town. Submissions of listings can go to karmiclifeevents@gmail.com. These submissions will be screened, I cannot lie. It is still my blog.

When I'm not crazy with work and family there will also be reviews and promotions of events that I particularly want to hype just cause.

I do need help driving people to my site. Not for money or clicking on ads, but I would like to have a purpose and share what I know. This town is full of cool things to do that often go unnoticed. So help me, help the world to know that they can leave the house (and their TV) and find something fun to do that is not just going to see a movie at the mall.

Roger with Squirrels from Hell in NYC

2008-11-17T09:43:00.000-08:00

I am finally posting the video of Roger playing with his old band from NYC, Squirrels from Hell, who have been playing on the New York Marathon route for 19 years.

Some of you may have seen this already since Roger posted it and sent it to some of his friends. He never told me that he posted it until this weekend. So here it is...

New York State of Mind

2008-11-09T15:07:00.000-08:00

One week in New York City. A chance to getaway from everything, yet still feel like we were in the middle of it all. Fall was all around, the election provided much commentary and images to remember, connected with long time friends... All in all, it was a trip that was much needed.

Empire State Building in red, white & blue

One of the reasons for our trip was that Roger was running in the New York Marathon. He finished in less than four hours keeping within 10 minutes of his previous times from 2004 and 2005. I got a chance to see the marathon from several locations, taking the subway to at least four spots on the route. At mile 19, Roger played with his old band, Squirrels from Hell. I might get a chance to post the video footage of Roger playing with them on the Marathon route, once Roger posts it on YouTube (I still haven't figured that one out).

Cool subway photo

On election night, we wanted to go to this free event that featured a live, play-by-play of the results from editors of the Onion (including comedians from Flight of the Conchords), but it turns out that we had to RSVP way earlier to get in. So we decided that it would be a good night to see a show on Broadway. We went down to TKTS in Times Square to check out the listings of half price shows available. The square was starting to fill which surprised us a bit... not really thinking that people would stand around for hours to watch the results roll in rather than sitting at home or in a bar.

We decided to see Monty Python's Spamalot featuring Clay Aiken, who was off that night. I guess he was probably in Chicago with every other celeb. The performance was pretty good, highlighting pieces of Mothy Python and the Holy Grail. Not your typical Broadway show. They actually weaved some of the election results into the performance. Hilarious.

By the time we got out of there, Times Square was packed. I don't think the police were really expecting that big of a turn out. Since the Western states results were due in about 45 minutes, we decided to stay for entertainment value and to be able to stay that we were there at that historic moment. The crowd was insane. New York is a huge Obama town... I pity the McCain fans who must have been frightened for their lives. When the results were announced, there were people crying, dancing and screaming with joy. As we walked back to the hotel, it seemed as though every New Yorker wanted to give someone a hug, even random strangers.

In Times Square on Election Night

I don't think I have ever seen this much merch for a president in my entire life. Vendors for Obama were everywhere. You could buy McCain or Obama condoms (I didn't really look to see the difference) or a hats with Obama's name across the brim. Roger's favorite was a button he saw this guy wearing on the subway that read, "Vote for Obama because he's black." I was so close to buying an Obama "Hope" t-shirt but decided that it was kind of odd to have a t-shirt that has the president on it. Not to knock on those who do own one.

Obama sign outside a coffee shop

Roger and I walked around Manhattan for miles each day, spending one of our days walking through Central Park looking at the beautiful fall colors. Another day, we walked halfway across the Brooklyn Bridge taking in the sights. Other days, much of the running around was actually visiting friends in Manhattan, Brooklyn and even New Jersey. It was a great opportunity for me to meet some of Roger's long time friends that I had only heard about.

In Central Park

We didn't really get out to see any music, since CMJ just ended and there were no good shows that week, but we did keep busy. One night we went to see amateur comedians perform at Caroline's, a let down performance-wise but I am glad to have seen the venue. Another night we went to this fantastic Venezuelan restaurant, El Cocotero in Chelsea. Highly recommended not only by us but also a bunch of Yelpers.

One night we decided to just hang out at the bar at Sardi's Restaurant in the Theatre District. This is the restaurant that is featured in Muppets Take Manhattan with all of the drawings of famous people who have hung out there. Apparently a big celebrity hot spot. We just wanted a quiet place for a drink. This was the perfect spot, aside for the high priced drinks. No spottings for us but the locals and the bar staff were super friendly and chatty.

So glad to be back, but sad to be returning to work on Monday. Blah.

New York connections

2008-10-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

While many of you will be sleeping, recovering from your extra hour of Day of the Dead partying (yes, Daylight Savings Time ends on Sat night/Sun morning), Roger will be spending the morning on Sunday, November 2 running 26.2 miles through the streets of New York's five boroughs: Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan. This will be Roger's third time running the New York Marathon (the only marathon he would ever consider doing). At mile 19, he will stop torturing his body for a moment to play one song with his former band, Squirrels from Hell, giving him the much needed adrenaline to power on to the finish. The Squirrels have been playing at mile 19 along the marathon route for nearly 20 years.

Here is the map of the route.

If you are up for it, you can sign up to receive text messages or emails as Roger crosses various check points through the Marathon's Fan Alert System, so you can live vicariously through him. Sadly, since the race begins at 9:40 a.m. Eastern, that means 6:40 a.m. our time... on a Sunday morning. I doubt many of you will be following along, but it might be fun to read later to check in.

I will try to get some blog posts in, but I will at least tweet it up as this should be an exciting vacation.

Halloween: the holiday with the most potential

2008-10-29T08:46:00.000-07:00

Halloween in San Diego is something to be proud of. Transplants get it, but many San Diego natives take for granted the ways in which we celebrate this haunted holiday. I personally didn't realize it until I lived in San Francisco for a number of years. San Francisco celebrates Halloween with a big party that is on the scale of Mardi Gras while the few children that reside there have the "opportunity" to trick-or-treat in the local malls. That is pretty much the extent of the holiday that has the most potential for fun. Many other cities around the country, you will find the same. Parties, trick or treating, but very little skill in the decoration or scare department.

The elaborate embellishing skills of San Diego residents and the history that made for real haunted houses, such as the Whaley House in Old Town, has created a culture that takes Halloween to a whole different level. Haunted houses, both amateur and professional spring up all over this city during the month of October that are truly hard to beat.

Scary stories, horror films and haunted houses, some of the most necessary components to Halloween, I really prefer not to partake in. Particularly, I tend to steer clear of haunted houses after an incident that happened when I was about 10 or 12 years old where I got "lost" from the group in a haunted house. I ended up being surrounded by the "actors" in a gory hospital scene involving disorienting strobe lights, large hypodermic needles and lots of blood. I freaked. One of the girls finally broke character and escorted me out.

But for some strange reason, I was compelled to find a haunted house while in college in San Francisco, I guess missing the abundance of freak out opportunities from back home. The only one I could find was a genuine haunted house, known as the Winchester Mystery House located in San Jose. They do midnight flashlight tours during the month of October. Other than that, there was no haunted anything to be found, not even a converted garage or community center.

However San Diego is loaded with opportunities to scare your soul out of you, both real and constructed, amateur and professional. Here is a listing of things to this season to make your stomach lurch or at least enough to get your fill of Halloween excitement.

Haunted Houses
Haunted Hotel
The Scream Zone at the Del Mar Fairgrounds
The Haunted Trail in Balboa Park
Monster Manor in Mira Mesa: Roger says this is the best one in San Diego
Haunted House at Otay Recreation Center: Many community centers in San Diego do something of this nature. You just might have to do some digging.
Sadly, Frightmare on Market Street is no longer open.
The Birch Aquarium also does the place up scary-like, however they ended their hauntings last weekend.

Close by Haunted Fun
Knott's Scary Farm: Haunt
Universal Studios: Halloween Horror Nights

Haunted For Real
The Whaley House
Haunted San Diego Ghost Tours
Ghostly Tours in History
There are a number of recorded haunted hotels and houses in San Diego, the listing above only includes those offering tours.

Sadly, since I will be on a plane to NYC on Friday, I feel like I have missed out on a bit of the Halloween fun. No costume, no decorations, only a couple party invites. Next year, with the new house we will probably do Halloween properly.

Waking Dreams

2008-10-22T17:48:00.000-07:00

I feel lazy but inspired. I want to accomplish so much in my life, but I don't even want to get out of bed in the morning. Dreaming big, but producing so little. Others may disagree with me by saying, "You do so much already." Or, "You get out of the house way more than I do."

What others don't know is that I am only accomplishing about 15% of the things that I want to be doing or should be taking the time to do. There never seems to be enough time in the day, evenings to spare, vacation time or breaks at work to I fit in all the things that I dream of doing. Most are big projects, lifetime aspirations that seem daunting to even start. Other things include dusting or vacuuming the apartment. Not fun, not necessary, but bugs the crap out of me every morning as I look at the layer of dirt on residing my nightstand.

Priorities. We all have them. I believe and stand by the concept that the excuse of "not enough time in the world" is not a valid reason for not participating in something or not getting things done. We all make choices each and everyday. Each moring I make the choice of sleeping in a bit longer and not riddingthe nightstand of the accumulated dust. For me (at this very moment), my priorities include sleeping, resting, working, derby, music, and prepping for a house and baby. This blog is further down the list of my priorities, as is learning to play bass guitar (which I still really want to do).

Everything takes a certain level of commitment in order to succeed. Someday in my life I will write a book, record a song, be on the board of directors for an organization I believe in, and even make a quilt. These things will happen, but not right away, not all at once. But in order for them to happen, I need to make them a priority. For now they are just dreams, even cleaning the apartment.

As frustrating and difficult as it is for me to accept, sleep and rest are my biggest priorities right now. I know that my priorities will alter greatly in the next few months, even years, but it doesn't make the change any easier. Life will carry us only so far. What we choose to do with our time, each passing minute, is up to each of us. I hate wasting even one minute. However, I need to understand that these minutes are not being wasted, they are minutes spent giving life to another. Hey, that's my excuse, what is yours?

Everyone's a Critic

2008-10-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

Last night Roger and I had the chance to watch Heckler, a sort of documentary on heckling. This is a subject that is close to my heart for many reasons: 1) I used to work in a comedy club, 2) I dislike heckling but I find the behavior interesting, and 3) I love studying human behavior and it is part of the reason I enjoy writing.

Moreover, the movie covered much more than just hecklers, it also delved into critics as a whole including but not limited to film critics and bloggers. Basically analyzing and slightly degrading individuals who have opinions and choose to broadcast them in one way or another. Interesting perspective, at times, that allowed me to be a bit introspective; hopefully without becoming hypocritical.

I have an opinion just as everyone else in this world. As a blogger and a writer, I chose to express my opinions through my website, tweets, verbally to friends, and in personal writings that may or may not become public one day. I am a critic. I view the world in a subjective manner. Rarely does any critic take an objective view.

I am not a heckler... the difference (which was surprisingly not discussed in the film) is in the means of the critique, not the motive. A heckler voices their opinions during the performance whether it be a stand-up performance, live TV show, theater, or sports, thereby interrupting or interfering with the performance at hand. The motive, which was covered in the film, can range from verbalizing personal opinion ("This sucks") to attention seeking to the belief that they are actually helping the performance to downright hatred.

The heckler is usually drunk, but always acting inappropriately. The heckler in my mind is an uncontrolled critic who doesn't know or doesn't accept the role in which he or she is placed. The one on stage, with the mic, is the one with ultimate power. They are the ones getting paid; while the heckler usually paid to watch, yes, watch not participate. Those are the rules, written or not.

I also believe that it is up to the club/venue to help control this behavior, not the performer. However, the performer should have some capacity to stand up to the heckler, but ultimately the venue should be responsible for saying, "This is not acceptable."

I truly enjoy my role as a critic, but I have also set some ground rules for myself:
1. I am not out to offend.
2. I attempt to look at the work, not the individual.
3. My opinion is my own.
4. I will never claim to represent others.

That being said, the movie, Heckler is worth a watch. A subplot of the film shows Jamie Kennedy as he takes on the world of hecklers and critics who have adverse opinions of his work. The interviews of stand ups, musicians, club owners, film creators and celebrities are provocative and fascinating. The live shots of performers on stage being heckled was stirring, particularly watching comic legend Bill Hicks oust a chatty woman from the club. Big fans of Lewis Black will appreciate his insight to critics and hecklers. Thank you Michael Addis at your attempt to show the world that heckling is not ok.

If you do watch this movie, you need to check out the deleted scenes, particularly the phone call to Bob Saget. I was dying... Great footage that didn't make the film since it didn't really fit, but hilarious none the less.

Tinkering @ Science on the Rocks

2008-10-11T13:33:00.000-07:00

Creating things and solving puzzles are some of my most favorite things to do in the world. There are often times when I get home and say to Roger (or myself), "I want to make something." When I was a kid, I would build forts, conduct my own science experiments or use random odds an ends around the house to make something cool like a musical instrument or a toy from recycled objects.

The Reuben H. Fleet has a new exhibit (open until June 2009) called Tinkering. It is the dream exhibit for those like me. There is one area where you can build a marble roller coaster on a peg board using various piping and chutes. In another corner you can build any object that you can think of using any of the supplies that they have. The area is filled with scraps of wood, recycled materials, rubber bands, wires, small motors, batteries, as well as random arts and crafts supplies. Within this area there is also a small workbench with tools like screwdrivers, hammers, nails, saws and a hot glue gun.

This past week they had their first "Science on the Rocks" event, sort of modeled off of the "Culture and Cocktails" events at the San Diego Museum of Art but with a few differences. At "Science on the Rocks" you pay one price ($20) for admission and all you can eat/drink of fancy appetizers and drinks (which included Firehouse on tap, Carl Strauss in bottles, wine and vodka drinks). Compared to paying admission, then paying for each drink. The event went from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Actually we left at 9 p.m with at least half the people still standing around.

One activity that went on through the evening, which Roger and I totally got absorbed in, was the Rube Goldburg chain reactor. It is a device created piece by piece that has a sort of domino effect... think of "Goonies" when Data was opening the gate for Chunk, same sort of thing. It was awesome to work with others thinking creatively. The best part was that no one really shot down anyone else's ideas. Anything was fair game. Plus with the event being all adults, you never felt that you were taking away any of the fun from the kids.

The next "Science on the Rocks" event will be in January. They haven't been good about posting event info on the web, but I will let you know when I hear but feel free to email the Fleet yourself to get on their mailing list for future events like this at specialevents@rhfleet.org.

Radio Nowhere

2008-10-07T10:17:00.000-07:00

As economic times turn to the south, radio takes another look at what is possible for them to afford. It does not seem that long ago when radio was a hot commodity for companies like Clear Channel Communications and CBS, buying out large portions of the radio market, making people question, "How much is too much to own?"

Those days are now gone with radio megaliths shedding what "extraneous baggage" that they can. Unfortunately, that so-called baggage are programs and people, people dedicated to a medium that is losing a popularity contest in a big way.

Watching friends struggle as they lose what they love most is disheartening. Many are forced to move away to markets where their talents are still needed. Those that choose to stay are nearly blacklisted, finding it nearly impossible to get a job in the same market that once showed so much love. I had seen this before while I was a student in San Francisco.

I started out going to university as a broadcasting student. I love the radio, more than that I love music. It seemed like a natural thing for me to venture towards. As I started my first semester with a couple of basic broadcasting and communication courses, I hooked up with a local station (Live 105) and became somewhat of a groupie of their morning show. When CBS bought out the station, they fired nearly everyone that worked there to give the station an overhaul of sorts. I remember listening to the station as it happened. Suddenly there was no DJs for hours, even days. Apparently the news came to the staff in the middle of the morning show... ending their on-air personalities on the spot. At that moment, I made the decision not to work in radio or music. I love it too much, but I like security. Security in knowing that I have income and benefits coming in.

So those in radio, I feel for you but this is the life you have chosen and I admire you for it. It is definitely not for me. Those who listen to radio keep on... it is you who drive the market.

Douchebags never have friends

2008-10-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

Roger and I escaped to Copley Symphony Hall last night to see Sigur Ros. Personally, not a huge fan but I enjoyed my evening of chill music with lyrics that I couldn't really decipher. The opening band (can't remember their name sadly), I actually liked. Again, lyrics were indistinguishable but the energy was that of a band of gypsies playing in a fancy recording studio.

Sigur Ros gave a stellar performance with mood setting backdrops of video and lighted globes. The crowd was a mixed bag. Mostly they behaved themselves. It always gets to me the way that regular club goers often don't respect the nature of the fancier venues. Sigur Ros has the option of playing other venues in town (Spreckel's, Viejas, OAT, etc.) but he chose to play at Symphony Hall. The acoustics are probably the main reason. But with that he needs to understand his audience too which for the most part are individuals who rarely (if ever) have stepped foot in a fancy theatre in their lives.

The culture and the tone setting of the show was preset due to the fact that it was at Copley Symphony Hall. The culture was confirmed by the actions and behaviors of the opening act. They did not rev the audience up. They performed just as a symphony performs... little to no crowd interaction, using musical transitions instead of telling stories. Even 94/9 respected the place. Instead of banners hanging everywhere, they were given easals on which to place the sign, very classy.

As I said before, the audience was mostly good, perhaps their parents brought them to a symphony or a theater performance when they were younger. There were a couple of guys (drunk guys) that were absorbed in the music and felt the overwhelming desire to dance and attempted to convince the rest of the theatre to dance as well.

One guy, probably the same guy who was yelling loudly during songs, decided to dance all the way down the aisle. After the security and ushers tried to escort him back to his seat, he decided to yell, cursing at the whole theatre the fact that he was not permitted to dance. It ended up taking 4-5 people to get him back to his seat... yeah, they let the guy stay.

I have to say that I like dancing. But I also have a understanding that there is a time and place. If you want to dance to Sigur Ros, go to Big Sonic Chill night at the AC or wait until he goes to a different venue.

However, I did notice that neither the drunk dancing or the other guy down front who kept trying to get people to stand up the whole night, had any "friends". He may have come with people, but they were no where to be seen as soon as they started acting up. And you know that these guys aren't coming to shows alone. I can't see how they ever get out of the house... I mean, once a friend makes a fool of themselves in a public place like that, wouldn't you never want to hang out at a show with them again? Maybe it is just me. Grow up.

Back to the Streets: Street Scene 2008

2008-09-21T12:52:00.000-07:00

Of the many opinions on Street Scene out there, I would like to add my own take. As an event planner, I do to look at festivals like this a little more critically.

Most people were excited that Street Scene moved back downtown. Aside from the convenience of public transit (and not so bad street parking and lot parking) and additional shade from buildings, the ambiance of this year's event was not much different than at Qualcomm. I'm not saying that this is a bad thing, since I really didn't mind it being at Qualcomm.

I didn't drink, so I didn't really get a good look at the lines for drinks. I did notice the separation of types of drinks... this is sometimes hard to manage since it is not often known what the drink of choice will be. The beer garden did have a good deal for drinks: 7 samples for $10 (probably the best deal at Street Scene).

The layout was ok. I would have positioned stages and bars a bit differently, but it worked. The cramped space at the Zarabanda stage could have been partially avoided with a different line up at that stage. Basically, acts like MGMT and Vampire Weekend should have been placed at the larger stages, especially when both of them have radio hits compared to the others that they were up against (yes, even if they had to have an earlier slot).

Oh... and vendors should not be placed on the corners of major thoroughfares, like the hot dog vendors that were on the corners near the Casbah Stage and the Zarabanda Stage.

I don't know if the emergency crews could even make it to the front of the stage at the Zarabanda stage with the narrowness of the street and stage blocking the entirety. I'm guessing that the city didn't say anything... doesn't mean it is any safer.

One good thing... the bathrooms were great in number and were fairly clean considering the population's drunken state. Props to Rob Hagey for spending money on toilet facilities.

Below is a quick recap of bands I managed to check out and what I remembered of them:

Friday
Chester French: Looked them up prior to going. Lyrics were entertaining. Poppy melodies song by the curly haired lead singer. Guitarist was wasted.
The Muslims: Seen these guys before. They are popular locally, but I still don't get it.
MGMT: Didn't get a chance to go see due to the large crowd that I didn't want to fight with. Apparently there was glitter and lots of it.
Foals: The Street Scene guide says they sound like Oasis meets Radiohead. Nothing of the sort. The lead singer sounded like (and kind of looked like) Robert Smith of the Cure. The band actually sounded like Scarlet Symphony as well as another well known band that I can't think of. I really did like these guys.
The New Pornographers: I really don't remember anything distinguishing about them.
TV on the Radio: I thought I would like these guys more. They had energy but maybe I didn't.
Spoon: I love these guys. I have seen them at least three times. I really don't ever get tired of hearing their music.
Cat Power: Missed out on seeing her. After her last show at 4th and B, it is hard to go back.
Devotchka: Quickly got a chance to see them. A tuba covered in twinkle lights. I would like to see them again sometime. Again the Street Scene guide was off... no were near like Flogging Molly or Dropkick Murphy. More Eastern European/Mexican than Irish.
Vampire Weekend: Love the album and they played it well live. They need new songs. This album has gotten mileage, but it is really time to get new songs when you really aren't able to play an hour long set to it's entirety.
Beck: Saw a few songs. Would like to see again sometime when my feet aren't feeling like they going to fall off. He really is talented. Weird hairstyle choice, though.

Saturday
The Whigs: Never seen before. They were decent. Don't have much to say.
West Indian Girl: Caught the last two songs. I wish I had seen more. Very moving and powerful.
Dengue Fever: Indian/Thai flavor to the music. Captivating.
Tokyo Police Club: Canadian garage-rock... not British-infused mod like the Street Scene guide would lead you to believe. Strike Three... Get a new music writer.
The Hives: Listened to them as we were eating. Didn't have a desire to see, but actually enjoyed listening to them and watching them on the big screen. Lead singer has an ego... but lots of fun. Would like to see again someday.
Tegan & Sara: I love watching these two siblings. at one point Tegan forgot the lyrics to Speak Slow... the audience was able to help with the first verse, but no help at all from Sara or the audience for the second verse.
X: Tired feet, but still managed to get some dancing in. I love these guys. Was very entertained by this neanderthal-looking guy that must have been there to see the Black Crowes and didn't get the memo.
The National: Sorry Rosey, no feelings what-so-ever.
Devo: Was in bed before they even started... man I must be getting old. There was a guy dressed in a Devo hat carrying around a disco ball. Apparently stuffed animals are not allowed at Street Scene, but a full-sized, mirrored disco ball is just fine.

I did attempt to take photos at Street Scene, however I was far away from the action and apparently not that great at taking photos. They all came out pretty blurry, oh well, I tried at least.

2008 San Diego Music Awards recap

2008-09-21T11:41:00.000-07:00

I highly questioned whether or not to go to the San Diego Music Awards his past Wednesday. I didn't leave work until 7 p.m., which was the listed start time for the Awards. Roger was working way late so he wasn't going to go.I finally decided to head out there just to get out of the house and to see people since I had been working non-stop for weeks. It is a long way to drive and a lot of money to spend just to socialize, but I really needed it.

I got there just in time to see Eve Selis name being butchered by some radio personality from one of the stations that I don't listen to. I'm pretty sure they do a run through of the show prior, including pronunciation of names. This guy really didn't pay attention.

The crowd seemed similar to previous years. Very social, not really paying any attention to the awards being presented. It really is just set up as a place to people watch and be seen. So sad, but true.

Here is the listing of 2008 SDMA winners.

The biggest surprise to me (and to many) was the Song of the Year and Album of the Year going to Slightly Stoopid. I'm pretty sure this one was not up for popular vote. I would love to hear the reasoning behind the choice from this year's 37 person music academy besides the fact that reggae has never been represented as an artist/song/album of the year. Actually, I don't care what they say... I really don't think that Slightly Stoopid's album or song ranks up there with the likes of Switchfoot, Louis XIV, Pinback, P.O.D., Sprung Monkey, Jewel, Blink-182, Jason Mraz, Stone Temple Pilots and all the other song and album of the year winners who have sold more records and had songs that at least made it to the Billboard charts (not like that is a perfect measure, but a reasonable one).

This is my opinion of who should of won those categories... not based on personal opinion, but based on other music news sources:
Song of the Year: Switchfoot: This is Home OR P.O.D.: Addicted
Album of the Year: Augustana: Cant Love Cant Hurt OR As I Lay Dying: An Ocean Between Us

Ok... done ranting for now. I am glad to hear that the San Diego Music Foundation raised over $41,000 for Taylor Guitars in schools. I really hope my kid sees the benefits from this program some day.

Street Scene Schedule

2008-09-16T20:06:00.000-07:00

Apparently, the Street Scene line up was released in the last week or so. Man, I feel out of touch. Personally, I remember there being more bands announced than are on the line up but I understand how that goes. Anyhow, here is the list of bands/times that I will not be missing out on :

Friday
4:40-5:20 Chester French @ Zarabanda Stage
5:45-6:30 MGMT @ Zarabanda Stage
7:45-8:30 TV on the Radio @ Fulana Stage
8:35-9:35 Spoon @ Fulano Stage
9:35-9:45 Cat Power @ Zarabanda Stage (I just need time to see her squirm)
9:45-10:15 Devotchka @ Casbah Stage (maybe)
10:15-11:15 Vampire Weekend @ Zarabanda Stage
11:15-12:00 Beck @ Fulano Stage

Saturday
4:30-5:05 West Indian Girl @ Fulana Stage
5:30-6:05 Dengue Fever @ Casbah Stage
6:30-7:10 Tokyo Police Club @ Casbah Stage
7:35-8:25 Tegan & Sara @ Fulana Stage
8:30-9:20 X @ Fulano Stage

Note: When I'm not at these bands, I will be hanging with my husband... yeah, different schedules. Maybe he will let me post his, but I doubt it. Also if I get bored, I will definitely be moving on. And likewise, if I hear something cool I will be drawn to it like a moth to a light (rarely happens, but awesome when it does).

I need a break...

2008-09-07T20:05:00.000-07:00

With my largest event of the year next week, I am ready to relax. It has been non-stop for the last couple of weeks including managing to see some shows. I think my body is ready to kill me.

Aside from working extremely long days, I have made it to LA to watch Nada Surf play to an all ages crowd (where they actually allow you to drink next to people under 21), I booked a show at the House of Blues restaurant stage and watched Roger play with the reunited Blasphemous Guitars. They is the simple recap... I really wish I had more time to go into detail. But the following is all ya get:

The Troubadour in LA rocks. Much like a Austin club. We stood next to high school girls that disregarded any concert etiquette (talking/screaming during songs while standing near the front, taking myspace photos with the band in the background, etc.). the back up vocals were off mainly because Daniel, the bassist was nursing a messed up knee in Spain (WTF?), but also the sound guy had the rest of the mics (besides Matthew's) turned down low. Got home at 2 a.m.

Booked a Derby Doll fundraiser at HOB. Tough to book because of the night and the type of music requested (all girl bands). The headliner bailed three day prior to the show. None of the bands had all girls... in fact only one of the bands even had girls in it (and they were dolls). The line up ended up being Tan Sister Radio, Unruly Bangs and My Laughing Face. So sad I couldn't stay since Roger was playing the Belly Up.

Got to the show just in time to hang a bit before the great performance. Watching the crowd who were all out to see Super Diamond was interesting. The grown up version of the girls that we had seen at Nada Surf were front and center. Really, someone needs to teach these girls a lesson. The crowd loved Killing an Arab (mashed with Rage Against the Machine) but was almost offended by People are People (mashed with Marilyn Manson). Who knew?

Off for a week of non-stop work and absolutely no fun... See ya all at the San Diego Music Awards and/or Street Scene.

Traffic Jams, Robots, Dogs and Mods

2008-09-01T14:29:00.000-07:00

This past week has been such a blur. I don't want to hear anyone saying that I have become domestic or a homebody. Roger and I found ourselves out of the house six out of seven nights this week. The following is a short/mid-length recap of the places we managed to squeeze into our already chaotic schedule.

Monday
We went to see Matthew Sweet at Belly Up. See previous post.

Tuesday
After a lovely relaxing dinner on the patio of Apertivo on 30th, Roger and I took a walk over to U-31 for the last Too Cool for Karaoke at that venue (see this previous post).

On the way, we popped into Avalon on Ohio Street. We had the good fortune to meet the owner, Mark who has multiple generations that have lived in San Diego. He is savvy to the history of San Diego as well as to the history of the building that the Avalon now occupies. We talked about the space and it's capacity issues. Due to zoning and the layout of the building, it only has a 50 person capacity when it could easily fit 200-300 people. He is working on getting it designated as a historical landmark in order to get a variance that could bump up the capacity to at least 150 people. Be patient, this could be an awesome all ages venue in North Park. For now, stop by every now and again to support his efforts. What he is doing for the community at large is not easy or cheap.

The last night of Too Cool for Karaoke was busy. Not as packed as the Derby Doll fundraiser, but busy... as in Adam and Pants couldn't really keep up with the requests. I offered assistance with organization since I wasn't drinking and I don't really sing. It was a fun night... next stop is San Diego Sports Club for this source of entertainment.

Wednesday
Leaving at 3:45ish, we headed down to the worst planned venue in San Diego, Cricket Wireless Amphitheater for Radiohead. We tailgated in the parking lot for hours before the show, playing Yahtzee and talking to my sister and her friend. The show itself was incredible. It was a spiritual experience for many. Mesmerized by the beautiful lyrics and masterful sounds, I really wasn't braced for the long wait to get out of the parking lot at the end of the night. I am not really an aggressive driver, so we didn't arrive home until after 1 p.m. Knowing that the 805 was closed didn't really affect my route, since Roger and I are pretty good with our Thomas Bros. maps. I really wish the City of Chula Vista would reconsider their city planning efforts.

Thursday
Being that it was the last Thursday of the month, one could easily find us playing music trivia at Whistle Stop. This month's name that tune was done by the Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra. It is a robot singing songs. It is a bit borderline to a standup comedy act with music as it's roots. They are definitely innovative and worth checking out if you haven't seen them.

Friday
Friday was a horrible day. I needed at least one night off this week. I really didn't want to see anyone.

Saturday
We ended up at the Radio Room on Saturday night for a benefit for a friend's dog, Whiskey. The show featured three bands: Unruly Bangs, The Mice and Spazboy. It was really a derby-like night as two of the bands had derby ties. I managed to stay for the first two bands, but was exhausted from working most of the day.

Sunday
After a long day at the races, we managed to make it down to the Casbah for Manual Scan. A popular and influential Mod revival band from the 1980s, Manual Scan made it's own revival the other night performing live for the first time in who knows how long for a crowd excited fans and scooter club members. It looks like Manual Scan may be back in action pending each of the band member's personal scheduling conflicts.

I really want to get better at posting before I go out (advertising awesome things that you should be at) but I really can't see that happening. There is lot of awesome things coming up in San Diego this month in particular. Please get out of your hole and check things out. If you need advice on what is cool, email me or check out all of the other cool music blogs in San Diego to the right.

Matthew Sweet, Belly Up Tavern: 8/25/2008

2008-08-26T08:27:00.000-07:00

"You still can't hide from the ugly truth..." - Matthew Sweet

The truth behind Matthew Sweet's popularity is still a mystery to me. Last night's show at the Belly Up, I was mesmerized by the crowd that turned up. I consider myself a fan of Matthew Sweet after Roger introduced his music to me when we first started dating. But I am still trying to figure out if there is a deeper meaning to being a Matthew Sweet fan. Last night's crowd was filled with characters that I really could only link together one commonality: a connection to nostalgic memories of being a loser (or actually still a loser).

For those who were there, I hate to offend. But watching the single guy bopping his head to the music clutching his vinyl record to be signed after the show and the older couple that sat the entire show except for the five songs that they knew, where they got up excitedly and sang along... I had to wonder.

If you were there, think about it. Look deep inside and ask yourself, "why do I like Matthew Sweet?" His music is actually quite average. He has one hit per album (as Chuck Klosterman so nicely put it). They are not complex songs. And certainly not hard rocking dance songs (as some did not seem to realize last night). So why? I can only attribute it to the same feeling as when watching a John Cusack movie. Their is a connection to the persona... a feeling of love and loss, a feeling of longing for someone else or to be someone else. I guess I sometimes connect this feeling to a sad state of disillusionment that so many "losers" are associated with. Perhaps I am attaching much more profound reasoning than the reality that some people just like Matthew Sweet just because...

Last night's show was the first show of a mini tour (4 dates) in Southern California, in preparation for his larger tour in October. It was obvious that this was the case within the first song of the set where none of their three guitarists could remember the chords to the song. They crashed right through it... The rest of the show was not as bad but you could see the concentration on their faces as they peered at one another, trying to remember how to play each song.

Today is the official date that his album, Sunshine Lies is released, but the CD was available for purchase at last night's show. He actually was offering to the first 50 people who bought the album a chance to meet him after the show. There was roughly 250 people at the show, maybe 25 people bought CDs. I am sorry to say, Matthew Sweet, you are not the big shot you think you are... well at least not here in San Diego.

As we drove home, Roger and I discussed whether the Belly Up was the appropriate venue for Matthew Sweet to play in San Diego. He did not sell out the show, not even close. His crowd would not dare step into the Casbah and Anthology is too upscale. The only place we could think of is a smaller showroom at one of the casinos. What does that say about his draw to loserdom?

This Just In...

2008-08-20T18:52:00.000-07:00

I really am not sure if this is public news yet. No one told me I shouldn't post it, but then again no one told me that I could. I figure since the change happens in a week and a half, word was bound to get out anyway. And considering my source, they might as well have just put it up on myspace, facebook, twitter and rented a big billboard with the news. Anyhow, here is the low down...

Too Cool for Karaoke's last night will be next Tuesday at U31. Some would say, not again others would exclaim, "why?" considering last night's Derby Doll fundraiser nearly filled the room. Well to me this move is not the biggest shocker in the world but the cause of the shakedown is.

After years of performing blues to the hipster crowd in City Heights, the long standing gig is up... Lady Dottie & the Diamonds will be moving to Monday nights at U31 in North Park. This move is scheduled to take place starting September 1st. I guess that means get your butt to Tower Bar for their last Monday night show next week. I personally have had many memories of Dottie at the Tower. That is where I remember first seeing Roger for the first time and asking my friend who the cute guy is. I also remember the ambulance being called when Lady Dottie's husband collapsed (though that was not his final show). This move is good for Dottie & the Diamonds, but still a nostalgically sad one.

But don't fear, Monday night bull riding at U31 will be moved to Tuesday nights. And Adam Gimbel is working (already) to find a new home for those who love to hear the sound of their own voice, singing songs that they didn't write. Potential new locations include the Office and the newly changed hands, San Diego Sports Club.

Double Feature: Man On Wire and Bottle Shock

2008-08-18T20:28:00.000-07:00

Something I never do (until this past weekend)... go to a movie to see a movie (one movie) and end up staying for a second movie. I even went back out to the ticket counter and paid! I have no idea what got in to us. It at least saved us a trip back, as we knew that we wanted to see both movies.

Roger and I don't really even go to see movies in the theatre, but the two movies that went to see were truly exceptions. And since we really don't see many movies, I really haven't reviewed any. So here is my stab at convincing you that you go to see these movies in the theatre and not just waiting around to rent them on Netflix...

By the way both of these movies are currently playing at Hillcrest Cinema, so do not delay... get out to see these before they have moved on. Oh and funny enough, they both take place in the mid-1970's.

Man On Wire
Roger had heard about this one. Being from New York (and I guess actually living during the time period), Roger remembers as a child seeing photos of a man walking a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center. This man's name is Philippe Petit.

From the day he heard about the twin towers being built, Philippe dreamed of stringing a tight rope between them. Part historical documentary and part criminal caper, Man On Wire bring to life Philippe's love of his art, bringing out the beauty and precision of this death-defying and societal-defying adventure of a lifetime. Yeah, these are my words, not those of the PR staff. It is compelling and artistic and a "must see," so go see it.

Bottle Shock
I had heard about this movie from a friend of mine that I haven't seen in years. We keep in touch, he lives in LA, yet we seem to miss each other every time one of us is visiting the other city. Well, I got an email saying that he was in this movie coming out called Bottle Shock. I figured I had to see it... especially since last I had heard that he was doing kids television shows. I wonder whatever happened with that.

Anyhow, the story revolves around the famous wine tasting event, Judgement of Paris that put California on the map in the viticulture community. It stars Bill Pullman and Alan Rickman as well as other prominent actors and actresses. Moments of compassion and triumph as well as humor infused at appropriate moments (though Roger and I cracked up every time that we saw my friend, Hal B. Klein playing a very convincing stoner named Shenky). When I first saw the trailers, I thought it would be more like Sideways in it's humor, building to the ridiculous. But since it is based on a true story, the plot is more defined, leaving not much room for insanity. I don't feel like I have done this movie justice in my description... my best advice is go see it for yourself. If anything, the more people that go see this movie, the more likely it will have a wider release, meaning my friend will make more money :)

D is for Derby Dolls...

2008-08-13T15:38:00.000-07:00

The San Diego Derby Dolls are having a couple fundraisers coming up to raise money for travel games. So far the San Diego Derby Dolls have had the opportunity to travel for bouts in Boise and Seattle... upcoming travel games include Sacramento and Denver. Please come out and support your local derby girls!

Tuesday, August 19 @ U31
Please come out of your hole for this one (though we know that it may take a few drinks). Are you Too Cool for Karaoke? This fine art has to be one of the Derby Dolls favorite pastimes. Please don't miss out on lousy singing and more fun than you could possibly imagine!

Saturday, September 6 @ HOB
For now, save this date!!! There will be bands, raffles and general mayhem as the San Diego Derby Dolls take over the entire restaurant area of the downtown House of Blues venue.

Venting Through Music Appreciation

2008-08-11T20:15:00.000-07:00

Right now, I just feel like writing. I guess this is why I created this blog. Who cares if it is entertaining to others or serves as any sort of educational commentary. Sometimes you just got to get shit out of your head.

Personally, I feel I am a positive person. I have goals and dreams probably more extensive than most. But sometimes the nature of life gets me down. At these times, I take a look around me to check out all of the great things in my life... sometimes it takes some thinking. Right now, I have many things that make my life meaningful. But somehow it seems I still let the sour parts get in the way.

When I went to the gym today, I was nearly crying (OK, I did cry). Things at work... not so great. That is all I'm going to say on that since I vowed from the start of this blog that I would not burden the world with my work woes. Anyhow, I was thinking how I need to bring back my positive energy. It is there.. just suppressed.

Roger awhile back helped to create a mix for the North Park Festival of the Arts to be played on the main stage between acts. I remember he took a while to make sure that all the songs on the playlist were appropriate to play for a family crowd and were mostly upbeat. It never got played sadly since the sound guy had his own mix and had better things to worry about, like the monitors not working. Anyhow, I never really got a chance to listen to it until recently. I thought I would share with you the tracks that are on it (in order).

Artist: Song from Album
1. Vampire Weekend: Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa from Vampire Weekend
2. Wilco: Shake It Off from Sky Blue Sky
3. What Made Milwaukee Famous: Sultan from What Doesn't Kill Us
4. Nada Surf: I Like What You Say from Lucky
5. Spoon: The Underdog from Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
6. Langhorne Slim: Worries from Langhorne Slim
7. Silverchair: Straight Lines form Young Modern
8. She & Him: Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? from Volume One
9. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss: Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On) from Raising Sand
10. She & Him: This Is Not a Test from Volume One
11. Wilco: I'm The Man Who Loves You from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
12. Neil Young: Walk On from On The Beach
13. Nada Surf: See These Bones from Lucky
14. Vampire Weekend: Bryn from Vampire Weekend
15. Matthew Sweet: I've Been Waiting from Time Capsule: The Best Of Matthew Sweet
16. Tegan & Sara: Back In Your Head from The Con
17. The Magnetic Fields: Washington, D.C. from 69 Love Songs, Vol. 2
18. The Flaming Lips: Do You Realize?? from Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
19. Dead Rock West: Highway One from Honey And Salt
20. The Replacements: Kiss Me On The Bus from Tim
21. Pinback: AFK from Summer In Abaddon

The last two songs really don't flow with the rest of the tracks... but I left them on there anyway. When I was looking for a link to The Replacements, I really couldn't find much since they really don't play. So I linked it to this Paul Westerberg blog that is for the super fans of the Replacements. It is entertaining at best.

Anyhow, my brain and my emotions feel a little clearer after this post. Even though I haven't solved all the world's problems, or even my own, I will at least feel better as I fall asleep tonight. It is amazing how a little bit of music and little a bit of sweat can calm the soul, at least temporarily.

Steve Poltz and the Cynics, Belly Up Tavern

2008-08-10T16:32:00.000-07:00

Finding time to type out all the fun things swirling in my head seems near impossible. Right now, I have fifteen minutes before I need to be off to my parents house for dinner. The plan after that is to head to the Casbah for the Silent Comedy, Or the Whale, Hotel St. George. But we will see, staying for the headliner on a Sunday night is a very tough thing nowadays. So I will do my best to at least recap last night's events.

Sara Petite and the Sugar Daddies opened for Steve Poltz and the Cynics at the Belly Up. Sara with her country twang that really only seems to appear when she is singing, livened up the crowd with originals and a few covers. It was a good hour long set...perfect.

Steve took the stage to a packed house with an additional Cynic (besides Patrick Dennis and Chris Hoffey), Shawn Rohlf from the 7th Day Buskers. The show was in typical Steve fashion, full of stories that seem spontanious, but have been performed over and over to the point of near scriptedness. There were definitely amazing moments... Patrick dressing in a dress and blond wig singing "You Were Meant for Me" with Steve, Frank Lee Drennen showing up throwing empty plastic cups at Steve, and Steve inviting both sound guys at the Belly Up (O from the Cheap Leis and Martin) to play Waterfalls and Dick's Automotive... which neither had ever played these songs before.

The hour long encore, typical of Steve in the old days, was a bit much for the Belly Up crowd (and the Cynics... Patrick left the stage twice thinking that the show was over). My feet were a bit sore from the night but I was definitely satisfied with my fill of Steve from this show. He play to all requests and did an ultra-powerful rendition of "Rain" that gave me the shivers.

NXNP: San Diego's Music Event of the Year

2008-08-04T17:34:00.000-07:00

Whatever anyone wants to say about Kevin Hellman (and I will agree with most things people say about him)... this past weekend's North By North Park was probably the best idea he has ever had and a highlight in the history of music in San Diego. Yes, I did say that Kevin Hellman made a brilliant move and that this event will go down in history. So, so, so sorry for you if you missed out on this one... but the good news is, this will be an annual event. Please don't miss out on it next year.

So what made this event one of the most notable music event's of San Diego history?
North By North Park:

1. Brought together all aspects of the local music industry including songwriters and musicians, producers, audio technicians, radio DJs, record A&Rs, marketing promoters, and venue owners, all in the same space to network and share their knowledge about how to succeed in the business.
2. Gave the opportunity to new and veteran artists show their work to the public and to radio producers.
3. Introduced San Diego artists and venues to the public for a great price.

The structure of the event included a "conference" at the Lafayette Hotel during the day that consisted of one keynote speaker, demo review sessions with local radio stations, and panels that focused on various aspects of the music business. In the evening there were shows around the "greater North Park area" at various venues for both the 21 and up crowd, as well as for all ages. The shows invited local musicians to perform short (20-45 min) sets. A wristband got you into all of the venues and use of the shuttle transportation between venues for one low price of $15.

As many know, I love music but I am not in a band and have no desire to be on stage or to learn a musical instrument. I went to the panels in the morning with an open mind... since I really didn't think any of it could possibly apply to me. I was wrong. The panels were interesting and engaging. Here is what I learned:

1. Artists should network with bands from other cities to help you connect with venues to play shows on the road.
2. Put your best song first on your demo. Radio/record producers will only listen for about 1 minute or less to pass judgment.
3. Talk to other people about what you are doing (i.e. about gigs, the fact you have a band).
4. Genuinely thank people for coming to shows... they are your best marketing tool.
5. Have a website that you can control (not just a myspace page... but at least have that)
6. Play music because you love it, not to make money. If you love it, you should not mind doing it for free... and don't forget this. (P.S. this goes for everything, not just making music)
7. Don't be an asshole.

In the evening, of all the venues in the area, I was stuck at The Office (the renovated Scolari's Office). For those who haven't seen the place since before it was revamped, you will be in for a shock... it barely looks like the same place. I spent a few hours there and would have to say that the only reason I would go there is if there was a good band there. But since they don't have a permanent set up for bands, I don't think this will happen very often. Anyhow, the owner/manager Joe is a good guy. He used to book bands at the Beauty Bar years ago, he and his friend from Bar Dynamite have been working on the obtaining Scolari's for over 2 years. He loves live music and would love to see more in The Office but he has an uphill battle with the neighbors who called in a complaint during the sound check at 7pm. Sadly, the neighborhood will never be the same...

Anyhow, the bands I was privileged to see included Fing (2008 San Diego Music Awards New Artist nomination), Jezebel and The Atoms. Each were bands that I had not seen but had heard great things about. If I hadn't been stage managing there, it would have been a long time before I would have gotten around to seeing these bands. I highly recommend checking them out... especially Fing. Their sound is incredibly unique and there performance definitely entertaining. They are excited about playing music and love what they do and it shows.

I briefly made it over to Chasers and The Radio Room to see Bunky and The Tighten Ups. We ended up leaving near the beginning of The Tighten Ups' set because I got glass in my leg from sitting on the toilet seat. Yeah, someone broke their drink glass over the toilet and did not think to wipe the seat clean. I did wonder before sitting down why there was a lime floating in the bowl.

Overall, NXNP was a success... bringing in loads of money for San Diego Music Foundation and each of the venues. There were lines outside of Bar Pink (formally the Pink Elephant) and U-31 nearly the entire night. Other venues had large crowds that flowed in and out as people moved from venue to venue to watch bands perform. The shuttle service was maxed out... though they probably under planned for this. Next year, it will be bigger... but I personally haven't figured out how they can expand (at least the evening portion) since all the venues were maxed out. Maybe use non-traditional venues (galleries, stores, parking lots) or think about using the North Park Theatre and the Masonic lodge. It could work. But definitely please spread out the heavy hitters (Scarlet Symphony, Get Back Loretta, Silent Comedy, Buddy Akai all on one bill?!) to reduce lines around the block. I really don't mind moving around as long as I can see the music in the end.

Comedy weekend

2008-07-29T08:23:00.000-07:00

I think I like to theme my weekends. I guess when I get in the mood for something, I really have to go all out. I love watching comedy. Unfortunately, as I have said to many, San Diego has a horrible comedy scene. I has to do with a number of factors including lack of good clubs, it's proximity to LA and the audiences that really are not trained to watch comedy. So the fact that I watched two great shows this weekend, was awesome.

Friday Night
I hardly ever pay attention to the supposed deals that show up in my junk mailbox. They usually include 2 for 1 deals to HOB or a ladies night to some club I have never heard of (but the way, I HATE nightclubs). I was surprised and excited to see 4 free tickets to see Greg Behrendt listed on Thursday. I love Greg Behrendt's style of performance... he is intelligent and honest. It feels sort of like your best friend is telling you about an embarrassing story from college; you feel like you were there and goddamn was it hilarious. The connection he makes with the audience is on that personal level. I know much of the audience was there because of his books, his TV show or the fact that he has some connection to Sex in the City (he wrote for the show). But everyone had a great time... and kept their cool.

Saturday Night
We had friends come in from out of town that day. They wanted to go to Comic Con but realized that they need to plan ahead a bit better (as many realized). Anyhow, big comedy fans themselves, they had bought tickets to the Riff Trax Live! show at the Balboa Theatre downtown. I figured since our choices were 1) Royal Crown Revue at HOB with the Derby Dolls, 2) game night with the Derby Doll refs in East county or 3) see Riff Trax Live! at the historic Balboa Theatre doing Plan 9 from Outer Space with friends from college... I went with the third option since I have never been to the Balboa Theatre since it was renovated, I wanted to hang out more with my college friends and I liked Mystery Science Theatre 3000, so this should be awesome live.

Watching Plan 9 (the color version), was hilarious in itself, but adding the subtext of the Riff Trax crew was gut busting. I had seen the movie before, of course making fun of parts (since it is the "worst movie of all time"). But I guess there were details of the movie that I hadn't seen before... I was rolling. If you ever have a chance to see them live... (like perhaps at San Francisco's Sketchfest), do it!

So you didn't get tickets to Comic Con...

2008-07-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

There is still plenty to do this weekend outside of Comic Con... of course if you want to check out all the local music listings visit San Diego Dialed In.

Saturday
The Music of Billy Joel - Featuring Michael Cavanaugh of Movin' Out @ Summer Pops at the Embarcadero (7:30pm)
Del Mar Race Track Micro Brew Festival feat. perf by Gnarls Barkley @ Del Mar Race Track (2pm post time, show after races)
Zombie Walk @ Downtown (5:30pm)
RiffTrax Live! - Plan 9 from Outer Space @ Balboa Theatre (7pm and 9:30pm shows)
The Merry Wives of Windsor @ the Old Globe's Outdoor Festival Theatre (8pm)
The Phantom of the Opera @ San Diego Civic Theatre (2pm & 8pm)
Comedians of Comedy @ Spreckel's Theatre (8pm)
Arizona Dream @ Cinema Under the Stars (8:30pm)
The Shining @ Ken Cinema (12 midnight)
PBR: Professional Bull Riding @ Del Mar Fairgrounds (8pm)

Sunday
The Music of Billy Joel - Featuring Michael Cavanaugh of Movin' Out @ Summer Pops at the Embarcadero (7:30pm)
Lady Dottie & the Diamonds @ the Handlery Hotel poolside (12-5pm)
Romeo and Juliet @ the Old Globe's Outdoor Festival Theatre (8pm)
The Phantom of the Opera @ San Diego Civic Theatre (1pm & 6:30pm)
Arizona Dream @ Cinema Under the Stars (8:30pm)
PBR: Professional Bull Riding @ Del Mar Fairgrounds (8pm)

If none of these options sound appealing to you, my suggestion would be to go to the beach, have a picnic, visit one of San Diego's many attractions (Sea World, the Zoo, museums, hiking trails, etc.) or just hang out at home and drink a beer.

Lucero @ the Casbah SOLD OUT!

2008-07-23T09:35:00.001-07:00

The last time that Lucero came to San Diego was last October when they played Brick by Brick to a modest-sized drunk crowd. I remember this because it was the evening when the fires were just beginning to spread to Poway where my parents live and where my friend lives, who I was at the show with. Last night they played to a sold out crowd (who was probably equally as drunk) at the Casbah.

Personally, I didn't bother getting tickets ahead of time since the last show did not seem to warrant buying ahead of time. Actually, I made a conscious decision NOT to buy tickets ahead of time. So we were shut out on the street like many others.

In the end, I was tired so it was fine to go home and just curl up in bed to sleep. There is always next time.

Burt Bacharach at the Summer Pops

2008-07-23T08:16:00.001-07:00

At about 4 p.m. on Sunday I get a call from one of my friends saying that he has an extra ticket to see Burt Bacharach at the Summer Pops at the Embarcadero. I LOVE Burt Bacharach. He has been among the artists that I would like to see before they pass away (or quit touring altogether). Among this group includes Etta James (who I am seeing in September), Paul Simon, Elvis Costello, Robert Plant... I am sure there is more that I am forgetting.

Burt Bacharach is a legend in songwriting and composing. He is the man behind many popular songs that were sung by Dionne Warwick, Luther Vandross, Tom Jones, the Drifters and many more. He has influenced many artists over the history of his career. I really shouldn't need to tout him. His music speaks for itself, especially when accompanied by the San Diego Symphony. I could feel the rises and falls of the power and emotion that he consiously put behind each song. This is how it is supposed to be heard.

Halfway through the program, my now drunk friend convinced me to move to the front. I was hesitant, but knowing that he was pissing off the people where we were sitting, I felt maybe we could find a more tolerable neighbor. And we did... two rows from the front. The first two songs of the second set I was fearing that we may be removed from our seats since my friend was now singing loudly and poorly along with the music... as well as taking time in between one of the sets to shout "Your the man!!!" to Burt Bacharach, who graciously smiled in our direction.

Luckily for me and the rest of the crowd (sadly for my friend), my friend fell asleep until the last couple of songs. My friend ended up missing Burt Bacharach singing "A House is Not a Home" and "Alfie" as well as small parts of other pieces in his weak, fading voice. It was serene and sad all at once. I got the feeling that he would not be singing much longer and that hearing his voice in song was something that I needed to cherish. Seeing someone age in front of your eyes brings sadness but also appreciation for what that person has gone through to get this far. I can't turn back the clock to have seen him and other acts in the 50's, 60's and 70's but I can let everything that is happening right now sink in, so I can share my stories with future generations.

Laddy Dottie & the Diamonds poolside

2008-07-22T08:22:00.000-07:00

Sunday, I woke up not wanting to do anything. Laying around the whole day in bed sounded like a great plan to me. Roger and I had talked about finding time to make it down to the Handlery Hotel (yes, in Hotel Circle) to watch Lady Dottie & the Diamonds perform poolside. Sunday seemed like the perfect opportunity to do this, if I could just make it out of bed.

Once out of bed, around 11:30 a.m. or so, we ate a bit of lunch before heading down. We made it there around 12:30 p.m. just in time to get the last lounge chairs available. I believe that having the lounge chairs was key in the lounging part of my day. It was sort of mellow at that time. The band had not started playing, athough the scheduled time to start was posted as 12 noon. In fact Nate was the only one there, with his gear set up and ready to go.

By the time the rest of the band rolled in and set up to start playing, it was about 1:15 p.m. Nobody seemed to care. I know I didn't. I was just happy soaking up the sun with the rest of the scensters arriving.

The day was pretty much like that. The size of the pool area is much bigger than that of the Lafayette. There is bar with wait staff that come to you for orders (much less often then you want them to) and very limited choices of food. I estimate that there was about 150 people there by the time that we had left including hotel patrons (though few), scensters with and without kids, and some Casbah staff including Tim Mays. We left around 4:15 p.m. as they were starting their third set.

At one point this 13 year old kid, Miles, took over drumming for Nucci for half of a set. He was incredible. If you didn't know any better, you may have thought that he was a regular part of the band. Meanwhile, Nucci got a break from drumming to drink. Perfect.

In the end, I managed to leave with a toasted stomach but awake enough to head out to the Summer Pops that evening.

Get your NXNP tickets now!

2008-07-20T17:30:00.000-07:00

North By North Park (NXNP) is happening on Saturday, August 2. This day-long event includes workshops about music and the music business during the day at the Lafayette Hotel and shows throughout North Park (and the Greater North Park area) in the evening. The various shows around town are worth the ticket price alone. There is also a free shuttle to get your drunk ass around.

Tickets are $12.50 right now but the price will go up on Wednesday evening to $17.50. You can get tickets for $10.00 if you use the promo code: sdmusic

Please get your tickets now especially if you want to go to the workshops. This one day "conference" was developed and underwritten by the San Diego Music Foundation (aka City Beat's charity of choice).

I will be there... most likely managing one of the stages in the University/30th area. Hope to see you there.

Catching Up... What a Lazy/Crazy Week!!!

2008-07-17T20:15:00.000-07:00

My calendar is no lie. I haven't really done much this week.

Last Saturday was the last San Diego Derby Dolls bout/double header of the season. The Derby Dolls split into two even teams to play visiting teams: Sonoma County Roller Derby and Dockyard Dames from Tacoma. Both games were surprisingly close. I had the opportunity to manage both games... if you don't already know the story behind why I am managing, ask me the next time you see me.

The rest of the week was pretty low key... Mainly staying in or heading to derby practice. The action really didn't pick up until:

Thursday when we headed up to the Belly Up to see the Cheap Leis, Creepy Creeps and the Night Marchers show. We got there just in time to see the beginning of the show.

I just have to say that I LOVE the Cheap Leis! I have seen them several times before and every time I love them more. They are a mish-mosh of a number of San Diego musicians that have other bands (what San Diego band isn't) and they play Hawaiian style songs: some covers, some originals, all entertaining. I really want to have a party poolside with these guys. Don't be surprised if this actually happens... it is a serious thought.

The Creepy Creeps were up next. I have a bunch of friends that love these guys. I have heard so much about them but I had never seen them. I have listened to a few of their songs online... kind of a surf rock style. I like surf rock. When they hit the Belly Up stage in green masks and matching red & white striped shirts, I wasn't too shocked. Even the dancers in fur lined monster bikinis and the big guys in Mexican wrestler masks didn't throw me. It was definitely a production. The thing that got to me is that they didn't really sound like what I had heard previously. They played mostly instrumental songs, "dance party" style that were more punk than surf rock. Each song sounded pretty much the same. So sad. I may give them another shot some other time... maybe they were just in a dance party mood.

We ended up heading home before the Night Marchers started. I like these guys... I wish that I could have more energy to see their entire set. I think I have seen one full set of theirs, maybe. The CD rocks, if you don't have it already, get it or at least check it out.

Friday after work we went to the Del Mar races... for the last four races of the day. Roger won something three of the four races. Lucky. We didn't bother to stay for Gavin Rossdale, 1) we don't really care if we see him or miss him, 2) we were hungry and racetrack food did not sound appetizing.

Saturday morning the Derby Dolls were in the San Diego Pride parade. Contingent #77 out of 200 plus contingents. This is my only involvement with Pride this year. Roger usually plays the festival, but this year it seemed to fall through. This was also the first year that I have ever seen the parade. Wow, yes, I can't believe it either. It was a blast to be in... we were right behind on of the floats with cute gay boys in speedos playing with super soakers. Very hot.

Listening to Rocks and the Assumptions, Lestat's: 7/11/2008

2008-07-12T11:55:00.000-07:00

Thursday night I headed down to Lestat's after derby practice to catch The Assumptions last few songs before Roger's band, Listening to Rocks hit the stage. This was The Assumptions first live performance as they were created to fulfill Layne Sterling's need to create. The record is complete waiting on the artwork layout for completion. The band includes Layne, her daughter (Sara), Jon Kanis, Mike Keneally and Brian "Nucci" Cantrell. Nucci ended leaving halfway through the set for another gig, presumably the standard Wednesday night Lady Dottie gig at Henry's Pub downtown.

Layne's voice was beautiful as the band's rhythmic sounds put your mind and soul at ease. Sara's vocals complemented Layne's perfectly. You could definitely see the relation. I wish I had made it there earlier, since I know they pretty much have one more performance left... their CD release.

It is weird for me to review Listening to Rocks since I am married to the lead guitarist. I don't know if that makes me more biased or hypercritical. Either way, I will try to make this brief. The band started as a one-off band for Roger to perform our one year wedding anniversary at the Casbah. The band includes: Roger, Jon Kanis, Dave Rizzuto (from Roger's work), and Brad Smith (from Blasphemous Guitars). All of the guys in the band were having a great time, so they decided to keep it going. This was the third performance with at least one more on the books (Aug 23 at Jon Kanis' Birthday party).

Lestat's is known for great quality sound and this show was no exception. This was the best quality sounding performance for the band to date. It was great to hear how the band should sound. However when the quality is that good when mistakes are made it is more obvious to everyone. Anyhow, it is good for them to get a good quality recording (Lestat's actually records of the board and sells it back to the artists for $20) so they can use it to improve.

I am glad to see that each of them are having fun with it.

Derby Weekend

2008-07-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

Since vacationing to New York with family, I am having a tough time attempting to catch up with my blogging. So this is what you get... a quick snapshot of what actually happened a week and a half ago.

On the last weekend of June, my weekend plans were sent into a spiral spin... Friday night, I wasn't feeling well so I crashed around 9:00 pm, leaving Roger to enjoy Tan Sister Radio and Scarlet Symphony at the Ken Club. At least one of us could represent.

Saturday, we headed up to LA at 11 am for the first banked track tournament since roller derby's revival in 2002. The tournament was set up with an A bracket and a B bracket of 3 teams each. The LA Derby Dolls (Ri-ettes), Texas Roller Derby (TXRD), and Team Awesome were in the A bracket, while LA Derby Dolls (Golden Girls), OC Rollergirls and the San Diego Derby Dolls.

I wasn't skating this tournament (as I have little practice on the banked track), so I offered to manage on Saturday. The tournament was set up over two days. On Saturday, each team would play a 30-minute game (two 15-minute halves) with the other teams in their respective brackets. On Sunday, there would be two games: (1) first and second place team in the A bracket and (2) the third place team in the A bracket versus the first place team in the B bracket.

After the upset last month against the LA Derby Dolls, I thought that making it to Sunday was nearly impossible. So I made plans to go to the Del Mar Fair (yes, it's true name) to see the Demolition Derby. I love derby of all kinds!

To my surprise, as well as to the surprise of nearly everyone at the tournament, San Diego Derby Dolls ruled over the B bracket Saturday. First with a crushing victory over Orange County, then in a vicious battle against LA Derby Dolls' Golden Girls.

So hastily, I made the decision to return on Sunday to help with the game. I did drive up and back on both days. What it would take to fill my Mini Cooper's tank is about half of what it would cost to get a hotel room for the night. Plus, their is something to be said for wearing clean underwear and sleeping in your own bed.

I would love to recap the gory details of each of the games, but I would like to eventually get caught up with the rest of my life and blog so I will leave it to the ones who have already covered the insanity.

Derby News Network - covered the tournament, play-by-play with commentary (archived for your enjoyment) and summerized the aftermath including an official statement by the head ref regarding the issues with the rules.

Los Anjealous - an LA blogger who conducts semi play-by-play of every LA bout as well as this tournament (Here is part 2)

LADD's flickr photostream

End the end, I will say this... the rules were written by a doosh (his words, not mine) there by causing much controversy and confusion. The crowd was chanting "bullsh*t" at one point in the tournament. But despite the turmoil, those who attended this tournament can attest to witnessing some of the most amazing derby that they have every seen - nail biting endings, blocks that make you cringe, strategic plays that seemed impossible to execute - this weekend had it all.

Ingrid Michaelson, House of Blues: 6/25/2008

2008-07-02T21:56:00.000-07:00

I am finally getting around to updating... Last Wednesday, June 25 Roger and I headed down to House of Blues for Ingrid Michaelson. Our plan was to meet up with friends for dinner then head in for the show. We ended up eating at the House of Blues restaurant for some decent Southern semi-Cajun food. After some good conversations over gumbo, we threw down some cash to pay for the meal (since the wait staff seemed to be taking forever) and headed outside for will call.

Now, Roger and I have always had problems with HOB... and this time was no exception. When we first arrived, the will call list was not even available (yet doors were open) so we went to go eat. When we returned, there was a short line for will call and a line around the block for security. Only one guy was checking bags, while another guy was making sure no one blocked the entrance to the 7-11 next door. My thought... if you had more than one person checking bags, you wouldn't be blocking the 7-11.

Anyhow, after a half hour in line missing most of Greg Laswell's set... we found out that we didn't need to stand in line since we had dinner at the HOB restaurant. What a waste of time. Already irritated, we headed in to a pretty crowded HOB. The room seemed off. The crowd was loud, even with an acoustic set. Lame people.

Roger and I had the privilege of seeing Ingrid Michaelson before at a small venue at SXSW. Unfortunately, the circumstances were off for that show too. The venue was a tent in a park, with 3 other tents with bands playing at them. The tent directly behind the stage that Ingrid was playing on was the British Indie Rock Fest. She was having trouble keeping time... but her voice was beautiful and I knew I wanted to see her again.

The show itself was good... the crowd, however, was not. The best thing about both Greg and Ingrid is that they connect with people. Even when there is 400 people in the room, you feel like you know her or feel like you could be her best friend. Many artists, famous and not so famous are disconnected with their audience to the point they make you feel small or that they are so much better than you. I love seeing bands and artists that make you feel like they are letting you into their life through music and stories.

At the end of the night, I felt satisfied. Though I still feel like I need to see her again in a proper setting... maybe the rooftop bar at the Hilton Garden Inn at SXSW?? Who knows.

Flight of the Conchords with LA Derby Dolls

2008-06-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

I could not resist posting this... I love the Flight of the Conchords and the LA Derby Dolls, so this is like heaven. I am so jealous!

Weird back story... when I lived in New Zealand in 2001, I hung out in the comedy scene there. While staying with Rhys Darby, he invited me along while he was filming part of the Flight of the Conchords pilot, all the while telling me they were going to be the next big thing (Yeah, I had heard that one before). So while sitting around for several hours watching them retake various scenes, they asked if I minded being an extra for a scene in a boardroom. I said sure (mainly because I was getting bored of just watching).

So somewhere out their is a pilot episode of the original Flight of the Conchords (in NZ) with me in it. Or maybe it just ended up on the cutting room floor.

Anti-Monday League: The Casbah: 6/23/2008

2008-06-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

Roger and I headed down to the Casbah for Anti-Monday League to checkout bands that we haven't seen (or heard of) before. We hadn't done his in a while so we though, what the hell... and made our way down.

Tim Pyles from FM94/9 hosts and DJs on these nights. Anti-Monday League happens each Monday at the Casbah featuring the opener of Pyles choice and other bands trying to make a name for themselves.

Before the first band came on, Pyles shared with us some music that he was personally into right now. Unfortunately I am really poor with names, and have forgotten most of what he played for us. Damn memory. Some I liked, some I could pass on, but to each their own.

Pyles shared some information on the first band on the bill, the Austin James Band. The band is semi-local with band members split, living in Orange County (Long Beach) and here in San Diego. They used to play around a year or so ago, but took a "break" to play as the back up band for Godspell, a 1970's off broadway musical. Interesting... Pyles also described them as poppy, yet hard to describe. He explained that they are definitely worth a listen to form my own opinion of their style. And that I did.

The first thing I thought of as they started playing was a carnival, very whimsical. It made me happy inside... I was also excited to enjoy a band that I had no real preconceived notion about. Roger was very excited over the gadgetry on stage. The band used various added percussion toys such as whistles, wooden blocks, crashing cymbals and a crank. Of the two keyboards on stage, one was set to play lie a xylophone. With all of the bells and whistles (literally), it was already easy to be in awe of this foursome.

The lyrics and melodies made me think I was sitting down listening to a children's story. But there is more... the harmonies, vocal layering, technical skills on their individual instruments and song composition made me think I was listening to something out of the Beatles, Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band or The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds. It is hard for me to put this band up on a pedestal along side the greatest composed albums of all time, but I really think it must be done mainly because there really is nothing else to compare it to.

It was great to see their smiling faces after the show as Roger and I both picked up CDs. So the next time they are around, please go check them out... Aug 28 at the Beauty Bar and tell me what you think.

Since I am not that great of a photographer and the Casbah is notoriously bad for lighting if you are ill-equipped, this is the best shot I could get though I was not trying too hard...

Roger and I stuck around a bit longer to see Frightened Rabbit since Tim Pyles was raving about them earlier. I truthfully was tired and ready to head home but I at least wanted to see a few songs.

The band was definitely engaging. From Ireland, the band told riveting stories between beautiful songs that you could feel the emotion behind. The last time that they were here was during the 2007 fires, playing a show at the Casbah for about 2 people. I don't remember the Casbah being open, but I think I was in a hole that week.

Maybe it was the Scottish accent or maybe because their songs reminded me of another band (that I still can't think of), but Roger and I ended up staying until the very end of their set, ducking out after purchasing a CD.