At least that's what the dogwoods tell me
Monday, March 30, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
SXSW Day Three
South by Southwest means different things to different people; publicity firms looking to expand business; bands looking to expand their fan base; record labels looking to expand their band roster; businesses looking to expand their publicity. Most people are looking to expand their experience, notoriety, and contacts. I just wanted to hear some music.
I was here a couple of years ago with the muckrakers; we had three shows, two of which went extremely well. It’s the contrasts that are standing out to me now, the much lower percentage of heavier bands and the larger numbers of electropop bands. There are more female led bands this year, more americana bands, and many more tight jeans.
Today began with the same gorgeous weather we’ve had the entire time here, and the short drive down 1st St. is one of peaceful anticipation, often accompanied by the Beastie Boys or AC/DC, which seems entirely appropriate. After a brief walk down 6th St., I arrived at the first show of the day, Wax Fang at the Troubadour, a typical enough venue for the area; a long shotgun style bar with just dingy enough to proclaim authenticity as a local institution. Wax Fang hails from Louisville, KY and got quite the boost opening for My Morning Jacket. This week they have devoted themselves to playing as much as possible, their sets ambitious, powerful, and loud. Wax Fang sounds like a frightening night spent hallucinating in a southern swamp. The crowd is intrigued and mesmerized. Singer Scott Carney plays guitar and theremin like a crazed conductor escaped from an asylum, while the band stays in the groove and rides the wave of the song. A nice spotlight on Louisville’s eccentricities.
A few blocks down the street, we manage to catch the Bitter Wigs, the latest creation of Josh Hawkins, Louisvillian by way of Chicago these days. This three piece doesn’t so much as play their songs as ignite a blowtorch and take it to your face. The Bitter Wigs land in that late 70’s, early 80’s era of punk and AC/DC, the Sex Pistols and Black Sabbath. Not for the faint of heart, this riff-oriented groove machine lets Hawkins wail his tenor with the best of them.
Finding our way down 6th to Red River St., we head in Mohawk and check out the bill. The next band to play is called Peelander-Z. Well, seriously, nobody wants to see a band called Peelander-Z, but we end up talking to some people we know when a Japanese band called Peelander-Z takes the stage, but may also go by the name Might Morphin Acid Trip, or at least that’s my impression since they are dressed in those costumes, with the singer having a shaved head except for his long pigtails that he has let grow and partially dyed blond over black hair. I’m just going to have to post pictures. Peelander-Z is basically an Absurdist Thrash Punk band, introducing songs through broken English and holding up the song title on poster board, which is also the chorus, which they get the crowd to chant at the appropriate times, which is really the only lyrics to the song. They played such hits as Mad Tiger, the ever-popular Ninja High School, and everyone’s sing-along favorite Steak: Medium Rare. They climb speakers, hang from the rafters, get on top of the tents, enter the crowd and jump rope, and generally entertain the pants of the crowd. Their final song, What The Health – SUPER HEALTH! has the band in a groovy thrash metal number as they invite a few members of the crowd onstage to take their instruments and continue the song while they put on Mexican wrestling masks, a bowling pin costume, a huge green afro wig, picking up the drums, taking them into the crowd, and handing out pots and pans for the crowd to bang until the whole thing falls apart like some steampunk ferris wheel. I’m honestly not sure what happened after that. I’m beginning to think it was all a dream. I’m really trying not to make a gonzo reference here, but I feel it pulling me in like a stifled tourette’s tic.
As the absurdist fog of Peelander-Z lifted, we made our way to the Austin Convention Center, where a thick line snaked its’ way all the way around the concourse. Looking for the will call window, we passed the 900 or so people standing there and went to claim our Rolling Stone tickets to see Echo & the Bunnymen. As the first ones in the doors, we walked to the front of the stage where the cameramen were as the crowd filled in behind us. This was not my doing, and I owe a great deal of thanks to Kyle Meredith for the tickets. It was an event that was being filmed for direct tv and was a 42 minute set of their most recognizable songs.
Afterward, we decided that a short walk and a drive through Austin would allow us to collect ourselves and find a relaxing dinner. This turned out to be at the Green Mesquite, a fantastic BBQ place near Auditorium Shores that served me some of the best turkey I’ve ever had, complemented by a fantastic meal with friends. This gave us just enough energy to make it back to 6th St., and the swarming masses of the streets throbbed with life and was motivating enough to make a few passes back and forth and pop in on whatever sounds caught our ears. At some point, we saw Brigid Kaelin sitting in with various musicians playing saw, later entertaining a group of comedians entertaining her by writing her into a television script. Rocky Top! they yelled. She complied and promptly trumped them with a Margaritaville yodel.
In the end, South by Southwest was exactly what I wanted it to be, full of friends and music and good times. I missed a couple of the bands I needed to see, I picked up a couple of Louisville bands that weren’t on my schedule, so maybe in the balance of things, I only have one foot on the lounge chair in the swimming pool. But I won’t miss the big fight either.
b
I was here a couple of years ago with the muckrakers; we had three shows, two of which went extremely well. It’s the contrasts that are standing out to me now, the much lower percentage of heavier bands and the larger numbers of electropop bands. There are more female led bands this year, more americana bands, and many more tight jeans.
Today began with the same gorgeous weather we’ve had the entire time here, and the short drive down 1st St. is one of peaceful anticipation, often accompanied by the Beastie Boys or AC/DC, which seems entirely appropriate. After a brief walk down 6th St., I arrived at the first show of the day, Wax Fang at the Troubadour, a typical enough venue for the area; a long shotgun style bar with just dingy enough to proclaim authenticity as a local institution. Wax Fang hails from Louisville, KY and got quite the boost opening for My Morning Jacket. This week they have devoted themselves to playing as much as possible, their sets ambitious, powerful, and loud. Wax Fang sounds like a frightening night spent hallucinating in a southern swamp. The crowd is intrigued and mesmerized. Singer Scott Carney plays guitar and theremin like a crazed conductor escaped from an asylum, while the band stays in the groove and rides the wave of the song. A nice spotlight on Louisville’s eccentricities.
A few blocks down the street, we manage to catch the Bitter Wigs, the latest creation of Josh Hawkins, Louisvillian by way of Chicago these days. This three piece doesn’t so much as play their songs as ignite a blowtorch and take it to your face. The Bitter Wigs land in that late 70’s, early 80’s era of punk and AC/DC, the Sex Pistols and Black Sabbath. Not for the faint of heart, this riff-oriented groove machine lets Hawkins wail his tenor with the best of them.
Finding our way down 6th to Red River St., we head in Mohawk and check out the bill. The next band to play is called Peelander-Z. Well, seriously, nobody wants to see a band called Peelander-Z, but we end up talking to some people we know when a Japanese band called Peelander-Z takes the stage, but may also go by the name Might Morphin Acid Trip, or at least that’s my impression since they are dressed in those costumes, with the singer having a shaved head except for his long pigtails that he has let grow and partially dyed blond over black hair. I’m just going to have to post pictures. Peelander-Z is basically an Absurdist Thrash Punk band, introducing songs through broken English and holding up the song title on poster board, which is also the chorus, which they get the crowd to chant at the appropriate times, which is really the only lyrics to the song. They played such hits as Mad Tiger, the ever-popular Ninja High School, and everyone’s sing-along favorite Steak: Medium Rare. They climb speakers, hang from the rafters, get on top of the tents, enter the crowd and jump rope, and generally entertain the pants of the crowd. Their final song, What The Health – SUPER HEALTH! has the band in a groovy thrash metal number as they invite a few members of the crowd onstage to take their instruments and continue the song while they put on Mexican wrestling masks, a bowling pin costume, a huge green afro wig, picking up the drums, taking them into the crowd, and handing out pots and pans for the crowd to bang until the whole thing falls apart like some steampunk ferris wheel. I’m honestly not sure what happened after that. I’m beginning to think it was all a dream. I’m really trying not to make a gonzo reference here, but I feel it pulling me in like a stifled tourette’s tic.
As the absurdist fog of Peelander-Z lifted, we made our way to the Austin Convention Center, where a thick line snaked its’ way all the way around the concourse. Looking for the will call window, we passed the 900 or so people standing there and went to claim our Rolling Stone tickets to see Echo & the Bunnymen. As the first ones in the doors, we walked to the front of the stage where the cameramen were as the crowd filled in behind us. This was not my doing, and I owe a great deal of thanks to Kyle Meredith for the tickets. It was an event that was being filmed for direct tv and was a 42 minute set of their most recognizable songs.
Afterward, we decided that a short walk and a drive through Austin would allow us to collect ourselves and find a relaxing dinner. This turned out to be at the Green Mesquite, a fantastic BBQ place near Auditorium Shores that served me some of the best turkey I’ve ever had, complemented by a fantastic meal with friends. This gave us just enough energy to make it back to 6th St., and the swarming masses of the streets throbbed with life and was motivating enough to make a few passes back and forth and pop in on whatever sounds caught our ears. At some point, we saw Brigid Kaelin sitting in with various musicians playing saw, later entertaining a group of comedians entertaining her by writing her into a television script. Rocky Top! they yelled. She complied and promptly trumped them with a Margaritaville yodel.
In the end, South by Southwest was exactly what I wanted it to be, full of friends and music and good times. I missed a couple of the bands I needed to see, I picked up a couple of Louisville bands that weren’t on my schedule, so maybe in the balance of things, I only have one foot on the lounge chair in the swimming pool. But I won’t miss the big fight either.
b
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Austin Convention Center
Pressed against the stage for Echo & the Bunnymen. Thanks to Rolling Stone for passing up the line of 900 and walking first through the door.
SXSW Day Two
When I was a senior in high school, I had an English teacher who included a movie in his class: When We Were Kings. It documents the famous Rumble in the Jungle boxing event in 1974 between the former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali and the then current heavyweight champion George Foreman. The movie had an influence on me because it illustrated an amazing strategy with boxing (the now famous rope-a-dope) as well as showcasing the style of Muhammad Ali, also known as the Louisville Lip, and made me want to know more about my hometown. It wasn't until recently that Hunter S. Thompson stories became known to me as well, specifically one associated with the Rumble in the Jungle event that he was assigned to cover for Rolling Stone. I'm thinking of this because on the night of the fight, Thompson decided that the event would be a non-story, so he chose to stay nestled in a floating lounge chair at the hotel pool.
The kind, kind folks at LEO asked me to check out a few Louisville based bands here in Austin for SXSW: The Watson Twins had performances last weekend; Broadfield Marchers perform late tonight; Wax Fang perform today at 1 pm. I bring this up because I don't want to be the guy in the floating lounge chair at the hotel pool. I'm here with a few friends, and it was Brigid Kaelin who summed up the experience of this music festival the best: South by Southwest is all about riding the wave and seeing where it takes you. Hopefully today the wave will deliver.
Yesterday was a scorcher, the sun was beating down on my baseball hat. We headed in town and first landed at the Insound party. The day started off well with an impressive duo from Montreal performing their sweet brand of electropop, the Handsome Furs. They prefaced their opener with "This is a song Charles Manson stole from the beatles, we're stealing it back". Kyle got an interview with the singer, Dan, and I took pictures of kyle getting an interview with the singer, Dan. We popped in a few places down the street, stayed for a song, popped in a few more, and settled in to hear the Hold Steady. I have to say that so far, theirs is the most high intensity show I've seen, as well as the most crowded. Their singer, Craig Finn, transforms on stage into an exuberant kid in a candy store, a toddler who revels in all the people that have come to his birthday party to see him, basking in the glory of the crowd and delivering his lines with a playfully passionate intensity. Kyle and I headed down 6th for a brief rest at the Driskill, before rejoining the rest of the group down Congress, where we happened upon Guero's once again. And once again it blew my mind. Quite possibly the best mexican food I've ever had. And I got a picture of Kyle with the framed Death Proof photo montage on their wall I'll post later.
The rest of the evening belongs to Bob. We headed a bit further out to swing by the Saxon Pub to catch Bob Schneider, who is apparently king of Austin. I did not know this going into the night. However, Bob went out of his way to make this fact known. It was an interesting night because this first show was solo, just Bob and his classical acoustic guitar, his keyboard, his loop station. And it was amazing. He has these lines that occasionally knock you over the head, or are delivered so quietly at such low intensity as to be inaudible, only to set up the explosion. This room was packed, these people don't talk while Bob plays, these people eat from the palm of Bob's hand, and I see why. You don't want to miss a thing. It makes you sentimental for all the future treasured moments you will have. When his set was finished, he dropped his guitar, walked out the exit door and got in a car. His next set was a few miles away with a full band at an outdoor show, and elvis had left the building.
Threadgill's is located near Auditorium Shores, Austin's downtown waterfront park area, notable to me as the location where I saw spoon a couple of years ago. It seems an institution unto itself, with a fantastic large outdoor patio and stage setup that are perfect for fresh Spring Austin nights, like this one, that attracts all types, including Rachael Ray, who I can't see without thinking of Bourdain's reference to her freakish Joker-like grin. Schneider's full band tonight included an electric guitar player, drummer, the best female bass player I've ever seen, and the accordion/trumpet player, who provided some of the most amazing trumpet/dance combos/entertainment (often playing accordion as a disney robot animatron). It was about two hours of Bob Schneider pouring his charisma onto the even larger crowd, but this time they weren't quiet and hanging on his every word, he was their Pied Piper, their David Lee Roth circa 1984 (go ahead and jump). He had a couple of songs breaking the 12 minute mark, and on top of his amazing songwriting, he did something I've always wanted to do: end the show with Biz Markie's You Say He's Just a Friend. It's hard to imagine that Day Three can compare, but here's to trying.
b
The kind, kind folks at LEO asked me to check out a few Louisville based bands here in Austin for SXSW: The Watson Twins had performances last weekend; Broadfield Marchers perform late tonight; Wax Fang perform today at 1 pm. I bring this up because I don't want to be the guy in the floating lounge chair at the hotel pool. I'm here with a few friends, and it was Brigid Kaelin who summed up the experience of this music festival the best: South by Southwest is all about riding the wave and seeing where it takes you. Hopefully today the wave will deliver.
Yesterday was a scorcher, the sun was beating down on my baseball hat. We headed in town and first landed at the Insound party. The day started off well with an impressive duo from Montreal performing their sweet brand of electropop, the Handsome Furs. They prefaced their opener with "This is a song Charles Manson stole from the beatles, we're stealing it back". Kyle got an interview with the singer, Dan, and I took pictures of kyle getting an interview with the singer, Dan. We popped in a few places down the street, stayed for a song, popped in a few more, and settled in to hear the Hold Steady. I have to say that so far, theirs is the most high intensity show I've seen, as well as the most crowded. Their singer, Craig Finn, transforms on stage into an exuberant kid in a candy store, a toddler who revels in all the people that have come to his birthday party to see him, basking in the glory of the crowd and delivering his lines with a playfully passionate intensity. Kyle and I headed down 6th for a brief rest at the Driskill, before rejoining the rest of the group down Congress, where we happened upon Guero's once again. And once again it blew my mind. Quite possibly the best mexican food I've ever had. And I got a picture of Kyle with the framed Death Proof photo montage on their wall I'll post later.
The rest of the evening belongs to Bob. We headed a bit further out to swing by the Saxon Pub to catch Bob Schneider, who is apparently king of Austin. I did not know this going into the night. However, Bob went out of his way to make this fact known. It was an interesting night because this first show was solo, just Bob and his classical acoustic guitar, his keyboard, his loop station. And it was amazing. He has these lines that occasionally knock you over the head, or are delivered so quietly at such low intensity as to be inaudible, only to set up the explosion. This room was packed, these people don't talk while Bob plays, these people eat from the palm of Bob's hand, and I see why. You don't want to miss a thing. It makes you sentimental for all the future treasured moments you will have. When his set was finished, he dropped his guitar, walked out the exit door and got in a car. His next set was a few miles away with a full band at an outdoor show, and elvis had left the building.
Threadgill's is located near Auditorium Shores, Austin's downtown waterfront park area, notable to me as the location where I saw spoon a couple of years ago. It seems an institution unto itself, with a fantastic large outdoor patio and stage setup that are perfect for fresh Spring Austin nights, like this one, that attracts all types, including Rachael Ray, who I can't see without thinking of Bourdain's reference to her freakish Joker-like grin. Schneider's full band tonight included an electric guitar player, drummer, the best female bass player I've ever seen, and the accordion/trumpet player, who provided some of the most amazing trumpet/dance combos/entertainment (often playing accordion as a disney robot animatron). It was about two hours of Bob Schneider pouring his charisma onto the even larger crowd, but this time they weren't quiet and hanging on his every word, he was their Pied Piper, their David Lee Roth circa 1984 (go ahead and jump). He had a couple of songs breaking the 12 minute mark, and on top of his amazing songwriting, he did something I've always wanted to do: end the show with Biz Markie's You Say He's Just a Friend. It's hard to imagine that Day Three can compare, but here's to trying.
b
Apologies
I'm looking at my notes for the day and there's no way I'm going to try to put them in any sort of narrative form tonight. It's been a great long day, lots to report. Tomorrow.
b
b
Friday, March 20, 2009
SXSW Day One
For the record, fifteen hours in a car is just too long, no matter what. Discomfort turns into exhaustion, which turns into delirium, which turns into hallucinations. Long story short: We Arrived.
I've been in the music industry for a while now, and in many ways I am jaded. I am not, however, jaded enough to not fall under the spell of Austin. It's a fantastic place that is best described as eccentric; it still retains its own identity in the midst of the very large and loaded-with-preconceived-notions state of Texas. During the music festival known as South by Southwest, every available room, space, vestibule, or cubicle is taken over by organizations (record labels, booking agencies, magazines, radio stations) and packed from open until close with bands from all parts of the world, usually in blocks of 45 minutes. Spring has sprung here, and it's absolutely fantastic weather. We arrived last night 4:30-ish, caught a few hours sleep and headed downtown: streets are closed, everybody's out and about as music bleeds from one venue into the next. We found our way to the New West Party at Club de Ville and really enjoyed Tim Easton's set. To make this even better, they had a great set up providing small plates of cooked chicken tortillas (pictures provided). Corb Lund followed, and had the fantastic and notable line "Good Copenhagen is better than bad cocaine". We took off for a bit and walked down 6th St., making our way through the crowds, dodging the music bleed, and noting the lengthy lines to get into the more popular places, not unlike the long lines at an amusement park that you decide can't possibly be worth waiting in. Took a break in the Driskell Hotel before heading out again to catch the Gary Louris / Mark Olsen set. It's been a long time since I've seen the Jayhawks in any formation, and it was great to hear them.
A few blocks away we were trying to check out the Hold Steady show, but not only was the club packed wall to wall, there was a line around the block waiting. Headed to the Alternative Press party at 5th & Congress, which turned out to be a DJ party on the roof of a building. While beautiful and full to capacity and definitely a hip an happening place, it was chest-thumping-ly and ear splitting-ly loud. On the sidewalk outside, we found a few options down Congress across the river. After walking 17 blocks or so, we ended up in front of Guero's, and the answer presented itself.
The goal of the night at this point was to make it to Stubb's to see http://www.gomeztheband.com/. As we got in line, security informed us and everyone behind us that they were sold out and that we would not be able to get in. Unless we wanted to wait a bit, then maybe we could. Well, ok. We hung out a bit in line, moved forward and they eventually let us and a few of those behind us in, and it was definitely the payoff of the night. Stubbs was packed and gomez was fantastic (if you are unfamiliar, start with How We Operate) and I'm really looking forward to their new album coming out at the end of this month.
Being on our feet all day has finally taken its toll, so to rest we go. Tomorrow will be another fun filled day. Unfortunately, the wireless networks are severly taxed down here and I am for the most part unable to do any kind of serious writing or updating during the day, apart from the twitter type status updates. With that in mind, you will be able to find out what's going on with us throughout the day in 140 characters or less at twitter.com/bsm1
b
I've been in the music industry for a while now, and in many ways I am jaded. I am not, however, jaded enough to not fall under the spell of Austin. It's a fantastic place that is best described as eccentric; it still retains its own identity in the midst of the very large and loaded-with-preconceived-notions state of Texas. During the music festival known as South by Southwest, every available room, space, vestibule, or cubicle is taken over by organizations (record labels, booking agencies, magazines, radio stations) and packed from open until close with bands from all parts of the world, usually in blocks of 45 minutes. Spring has sprung here, and it's absolutely fantastic weather. We arrived last night 4:30-ish, caught a few hours sleep and headed downtown: streets are closed, everybody's out and about as music bleeds from one venue into the next. We found our way to the New West Party at Club de Ville and really enjoyed Tim Easton's set. To make this even better, they had a great set up providing small plates of cooked chicken tortillas (pictures provided). Corb Lund followed, and had the fantastic and notable line "Good Copenhagen is better than bad cocaine". We took off for a bit and walked down 6th St., making our way through the crowds, dodging the music bleed, and noting the lengthy lines to get into the more popular places, not unlike the long lines at an amusement park that you decide can't possibly be worth waiting in. Took a break in the Driskell Hotel before heading out again to catch the Gary Louris / Mark Olsen set. It's been a long time since I've seen the Jayhawks in any formation, and it was great to hear them.
A few blocks away we were trying to check out the Hold Steady show, but not only was the club packed wall to wall, there was a line around the block waiting. Headed to the Alternative Press party at 5th & Congress, which turned out to be a DJ party on the roof of a building. While beautiful and full to capacity and definitely a hip an happening place, it was chest-thumping-ly and ear splitting-ly loud. On the sidewalk outside, we found a few options down Congress across the river. After walking 17 blocks or so, we ended up in front of Guero's, and the answer presented itself.
The goal of the night at this point was to make it to Stubb's to see http://www.gomeztheband.com/. As we got in line, security informed us and everyone behind us that they were sold out and that we would not be able to get in. Unless we wanted to wait a bit, then maybe we could. Well, ok. We hung out a bit in line, moved forward and they eventually let us and a few of those behind us in, and it was definitely the payoff of the night. Stubbs was packed and gomez was fantastic (if you are unfamiliar, start with How We Operate) and I'm really looking forward to their new album coming out at the end of this month.
Being on our feet all day has finally taken its toll, so to rest we go. Tomorrow will be another fun filled day. Unfortunately, the wireless networks are severly taxed down here and I am for the most part unable to do any kind of serious writing or updating during the day, apart from the twitter type status updates. With that in mind, you will be able to find out what's going on with us throughout the day in 140 characters or less at twitter.com/bsm1
b
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The Way to Eat in Austin
First stop of the day, New West party, enjoyed the Tim Easton set, and thoroughly enjoyed the guys prepping the incredible food. Hoping to catch the Mark Olsen/Gary Louris set at 4
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Hours in a Car
I'm estimating 14 hours will be the final travel time from Louisville to Austin. We are currently 9 hrs in, passing through Little Rock. 4 guys in a car, music, talk, reading, talk, music. Listened to License to Ill, Mitch Hedberg, Kyle was dj for a bit, rem now. It's going to be a long and late night.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Whiplash
That whole thing about the spring in my step, well, I take it back. This city is famous for its' whiplash weather, its' neck breaking, wardrobe testing, inducing-weathermen-to-a-fever-pitch, capable of jumping or dropping thirty degrees in a single evening weather. And sometimes, it's just too much. I mean seriously, like when you didn't even know it, but you're ready for spring, and then spring comes (Tuesday) and then it's gone (Wednesday), and it drives you mad. Now, let me gather some perspective. I like Louisville, I like that we get to experience all four seasons here, and they are each gorgeous. The change in the smell of the air from winter to spring, from summer to fall is enough for me to get through the dog days of summer and the power failures and incompetent drivers of winter. I realized Tuesday night that I welcomed spring with open arms, to sit outside on a deck and feel the breeze and see the moon and smell the smells of spring and growth. And when I woke up Wednesday morning, I felt robbed. You see, one of the best things for me about winter is pockets. I love wearing jackets and long pants and having pockets full of all the things that you might need; wallets, phones, swiss army knives, money, earphones, flashlights, gloves, toboggans. The massive head fake of letting this go and moving to a jacketless, shorts driven climate and then jumping back is enough to induce grandma "spells". You know, "I'm just having one of my spells". Yeah, me too.
I'm hoping for good weather in Austin this upcoming week, but I can't check it yet because if it's less than stellar, I don't know if I could handle that right now. I've been listening to the sxsw music player to get a feel for and find some standouts that I want to make a priority. There are a few Louisville bands I need to check out: Broadfield Marchers, Watson Twins, & Wax Fang, as well as an old friend of mine Josh Hawkins from Chicago will be there. Kyle's radio show has been interesting because most of what he's been playing are inadvertently bands that will be at sxsw. As for today, it's a day that lacks motivation, or more accurately, sucks the motivation out of you and makes you either clean the house or watch dvd's. And today, I had forgotten how great season 2 of Alias was (thanks rob).
b
I'm hoping for good weather in Austin this upcoming week, but I can't check it yet because if it's less than stellar, I don't know if I could handle that right now. I've been listening to the sxsw music player to get a feel for and find some standouts that I want to make a priority. There are a few Louisville bands I need to check out: Broadfield Marchers, Watson Twins, & Wax Fang, as well as an old friend of mine Josh Hawkins from Chicago will be there. Kyle's radio show has been interesting because most of what he's been playing are inadvertently bands that will be at sxsw. As for today, it's a day that lacks motivation, or more accurately, sucks the motivation out of you and makes you either clean the house or watch dvd's. And today, I had forgotten how great season 2 of Alias was (thanks rob).
b
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Spring Drive
I woke up today with a spring in my step. Maybe that overstates. Not like Gene Kelly. More like Groucho Marx. But his was more of a squatted slide. Ok, so today I woke up with a spring in my squatted slide. I had to be out early this morning, and maybe it was the atmosphere, or the sun, or the fresh air, or maybe it was the way WFPK was firing on all cylinders and rocked my 20 minute drive, but it was a great optimistic, full of potential kind of morning. This is possibly only because of the contrast with the first two days of daylight savings. Maybe it takes two days to get over the change.
I'm starting to think more about South by Southwest. I'll be going to Austin TX next week, mainly because I'm feeling like that dry sponge for new music and Austin is a big soapy bucket during the festival. I'm looking forward to going with a few friends, like Kyle (who is doing a fantastic job on the weekly feed at WFPK) and Aaron, mainly because it's been a while since we've had a road trip. That's about 2070 total miles, and Kyle and Aaron have proven to be excellent traveling companions. We'll also be there with Brigid Kaelin, and I look forward to keeping a fairly clean schedule to see what we chance upon. Austin is a fairly small city, and just like you can drive anywhere in Louisville in twenty minutes, in Austin you can walk there in that amount of time. I'll also be covering the festival for the LEO, or they will be linking to the site, or copying to their site or something of that sort. I think what I do will be a combination of twitter-like updates throughout the day along with longer blog type posts. And pictures of meals at Guero's.
b
I'm starting to think more about South by Southwest. I'll be going to Austin TX next week, mainly because I'm feeling like that dry sponge for new music and Austin is a big soapy bucket during the festival. I'm looking forward to going with a few friends, like Kyle (who is doing a fantastic job on the weekly feed at WFPK) and Aaron, mainly because it's been a while since we've had a road trip. That's about 2070 total miles, and Kyle and Aaron have proven to be excellent traveling companions. We'll also be there with Brigid Kaelin, and I look forward to keeping a fairly clean schedule to see what we chance upon. Austin is a fairly small city, and just like you can drive anywhere in Louisville in twenty minutes, in Austin you can walk there in that amount of time. I'll also be covering the festival for the LEO, or they will be linking to the site, or copying to their site or something of that sort. I think what I do will be a combination of twitter-like updates throughout the day along with longer blog type posts. And pictures of meals at Guero's.
b
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Once Upon A Time Called Now
Appreciation is a funny thing. Everyone has different tastes, values different things, and it's interesting to chart your life and see when and how you have changed, and the reasons why. Traveling and touring was a major factor for me, that immediate and transformative infusion of observation, experience, and perspective that changes the way you see the world and the way you see yourself. Fundamental questions about preconceived notions, and the reasons those preconceived notions exist. Fears, phobias, and fatigue combine in the crucible of self-examination and begin to melt away into truly experiencing life and savoring every minute of it.
A few years ago we made our way to Austin TX for South by Southwest, one of the largest music festivals in the US. It's a little over a thousand miles from Louisville to Texas, and that's a lot of hours in a car. We had a great experience, played a few shows, met some people, ate well, walked a lot, went to a few parties, and in general just soaked it up. Caught a few shows: Gomez and Nickel Creek at Stubb's; Spoon on the lawn; Jamie Cullen at the Paste party; ate at Guero's (played there too). I found myself missing the city when Quentin Tarantino's "Death Proof" came out and it was based there (including a scene at Guero's). All that to say that this year I have decided to go back. Stag. No band.
I'm not sure when or how it came about. I haven't been involved with much new music lately, and I missed most of last year due to being in the studio. I kind of feel like a dry musical sponge, and I like the idea of being surrounded by over 1800 bands to choose from. That kind of schedule is no joke. And actually, I think that the idea of not performing, not carrying equipment, not setting up drums, not worrying about attendance and performance and tuning, is extremely appealing. To be able to fully enjoy the experience of it all. It's also a great event to run a live blog from, and a local publication is going to be involved, so you may read about how it's going in multiple places. I don't want to overstate, so I'll post that info in a couple of weeks. I'm looking forward to it, looking forward to the people I'm going with, looking forward to the experience of it, looking forward to savoring every minute of it.
A few years ago we made our way to Austin TX for South by Southwest, one of the largest music festivals in the US. It's a little over a thousand miles from Louisville to Texas, and that's a lot of hours in a car. We had a great experience, played a few shows, met some people, ate well, walked a lot, went to a few parties, and in general just soaked it up. Caught a few shows: Gomez and Nickel Creek at Stubb's; Spoon on the lawn; Jamie Cullen at the Paste party; ate at Guero's (played there too). I found myself missing the city when Quentin Tarantino's "Death Proof" came out and it was based there (including a scene at Guero's). All that to say that this year I have decided to go back. Stag. No band.
I'm not sure when or how it came about. I haven't been involved with much new music lately, and I missed most of last year due to being in the studio. I kind of feel like a dry musical sponge, and I like the idea of being surrounded by over 1800 bands to choose from. That kind of schedule is no joke. And actually, I think that the idea of not performing, not carrying equipment, not setting up drums, not worrying about attendance and performance and tuning, is extremely appealing. To be able to fully enjoy the experience of it all. It's also a great event to run a live blog from, and a local publication is going to be involved, so you may read about how it's going in multiple places. I don't want to overstate, so I'll post that info in a couple of weeks. I'm looking forward to it, looking forward to the people I'm going with, looking forward to the experience of it, looking forward to savoring every minute of it.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Live From Sciatica
Aw, baby, I know it's been a long time, but you know baby, sometimes we just get too busy.
An impressive distance between posts, absolutely, but here we are. Maybe it's just the ample time I have on my hands today.
Yesterday morning, after not running, jumping, climbing trees or lifting television sets over my head, something went "boink" in my lower back. That was apparently what is uncommonly known as the sciatic nerve. Amazingly enough, it's the longest and widest nerve in the body, and when you mess with this bull, you really do get the horns. One might think that being forced to lie around all day is great. Well, so is chocolate icing, but after a while, you long for a grapefruit. So, I fortunately have a few things to occupy myself: a Larry McMurtry book, the David Carradine Kill Bill diary, access to my laptop (thank you hulu) and phone for access to net news wire, a fantastic rss reader. I watched North by Northwest last night, and have the last disc of Season 1 Alias today. Hulu helps with 30 Rock, Daily Show, SNL clips, Family Guy, etc. and I chase that rabbit down the hole as far as you can. Makes me wonder how I ever missed this:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/16771/saturday-night-live-snl-digital-short-iran-so-far
I think I'll just keep updating this post throughout the day. Watch as sanity degrades. Enjoy!
b
Edit 1
That was so funny! Watch how sanity degrades! Rhetorical sarcasm? Self-fulfilling prophecy? Doesn't seem so funny now. I feel like I'd give anything to go to the kitchen and make some hummus. Or take a hot bath. Or go for a run even. Now I can't get the "Iran So Far Away" melody out of my head, like a worm burrowing further and further in. At least it will be a funny insanity. 30 Rock really is a consistently great comedy. Like when Tracy Jordan asks Jack if he likes Phil Collins. His response: "I've got two ears and a heart, don't I? "
I also got sidetracked because I started thinking of the Summer of George. This is the Seinfeld episode where George gets fired from the Yankees, but has three months severance. He basically does nothing at all and in the end slips, hurts his back, and goes tho the hospital, only to have the doctor pronounce that "Your legs have sustained extensive trauma. Apparently, your body was in a state of advanced atrophy, due to a period of extreme inactivity." Hmmmm.
An impressive distance between posts, absolutely, but here we are. Maybe it's just the ample time I have on my hands today.
Yesterday morning, after not running, jumping, climbing trees or lifting television sets over my head, something went "boink" in my lower back. That was apparently what is uncommonly known as the sciatic nerve. Amazingly enough, it's the longest and widest nerve in the body, and when you mess with this bull, you really do get the horns. One might think that being forced to lie around all day is great. Well, so is chocolate icing, but after a while, you long for a grapefruit. So, I fortunately have a few things to occupy myself: a Larry McMurtry book, the David Carradine Kill Bill diary, access to my laptop (thank you hulu) and phone for access to net news wire, a fantastic rss reader. I watched North by Northwest last night, and have the last disc of Season 1 Alias today. Hulu helps with 30 Rock, Daily Show, SNL clips, Family Guy, etc. and I chase that rabbit down the hole as far as you can. Makes me wonder how I ever missed this:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/16771/saturday-night-live-snl-digital-short-iran-so-far
I think I'll just keep updating this post throughout the day. Watch as sanity degrades. Enjoy!
b
Edit 1
That was so funny! Watch how sanity degrades! Rhetorical sarcasm? Self-fulfilling prophecy? Doesn't seem so funny now. I feel like I'd give anything to go to the kitchen and make some hummus. Or take a hot bath. Or go for a run even. Now I can't get the "Iran So Far Away" melody out of my head, like a worm burrowing further and further in. At least it will be a funny insanity. 30 Rock really is a consistently great comedy. Like when Tracy Jordan asks Jack if he likes Phil Collins. His response: "I've got two ears and a heart, don't I? "
I also got sidetracked because I started thinking of the Summer of George. This is the Seinfeld episode where George gets fired from the Yankees, but has three months severance. He basically does nothing at all and in the end slips, hurts his back, and goes tho the hospital, only to have the doctor pronounce that "Your legs have sustained extensive trauma. Apparently, your body was in a state of advanced atrophy, due to a period of extreme inactivity." Hmmmm.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
We Assume Too Much
I act as though tomorrow is guaranteed, completely unconcerned with every contraction of my heart, expansion of my lungs, flow of oxygenated blood to my brain. I don't even consider the possibility that a random accident or illness could irrevocable change my life. It obviously goes without saying that I will have shelter, be able to go the grocery, be able to pay the bills. That I will not be the victim of domestic abuse. That the absence of tragedy is guaranteed. The size of this illusion is astounding. I am continually reminded to be thankful for a home, for love, for friends, for breath. I am reminded of those around us in our city who are without, those we don't think about because they don't directly affects us, that someone else will help them, or even those observers who pour out that extra ounce of judgement and pronounce they shouldn't be in that situation, they should pick themselves up by their bootstraps. I don't even know what bootstraps are. Need is need. Grace is grace. Compassion is compassion. All we have is time and money. Usually not a lot of either. Consider ways that you may enrich someone else's life this season. Even if it's as small as cleaning out your home of clothes you haven't touched in over a year (my garage has 10 huge bags to go out), or canned goods, or volunteering phone lines, deliveries, kitchen duty.
Just before signing the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin said "We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately."
b
United Way
www.metrounitedway.org
Center for Women & Families
www.thecenteronline.org
Dare to Care Food Bank
http://www.daretocare.org/
Habitat for Humanity
www.hfhlouisville.org
Wayside Christian Mission
www.waysidechristianmission.org
Healing Place
www.thehealingplace.org
Dismas Charities
http://www.dismas.com/
Kentucky Harvest
www.kyharvest.com
Christian Social Ministries at Walnut St.
http://www.walnutstreet.org/serve.asp#csm
Safe Place Services YMCA
http://www.ymcalouisville.org
Just before signing the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin said "We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately."
b
United Way
www.metrounitedway.org
Center for Women & Families
www.thecenteronline.org
Dare to Care Food Bank
http://www.daretocare.org/
Habitat for Humanity
www.hfhlouisville.org
Wayside Christian Mission
www.waysidechristianmission.org
Healing Place
www.thehealingplace.org
Dismas Charities
http://www.dismas.com/
Kentucky Harvest
www.kyharvest.com
Christian Social Ministries at Walnut St.
http://www.walnutstreet.org/serve.asp#csm
Safe Place Services YMCA
http://www.ymcalouisville.org
Friday, November 7, 2008
The Hands of the Country
It's an interesting time to be alive. It feels like something is going on in the country. I think it's a wave of possibility reverberating through red and blue states, hitting some areas and people a little harder than others. I tried to buy a copy of the NYT to have a tangible document of the occasion. They were completely sold out across the country, as I'm not original as I thought. On the flip side of that, there's also a lot of negative factors facing the country, mostly dealing with the economic crisis, including the threat of and actual loss of jobs and homes. We have decided, in my house, that since helping others consists of giving money or time, in lieu of buying everyone (excluding children) Christmas presents this year, we will be refocusing that money and time on volunteer work and local charities. Sticking with the category of not as original as I thought, Michelle at Consuming Louisville feels the same way, inspired by President-Elect Barack Obama: "So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other." Louisville has a lot of organizations that are in place to feed, clothe, and shelter those who are without: Wayside, Kentucky Harvest, Salvation Army. This could mean working in a soup kitchen handing out food, or delivering meals, clothes, kids toys, or anything. It just seems that no one person will make the country better without a change of attitudes and willingness on the part of individuals be the hands of the country.
b
b
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Philosophies of Food While Traveling
We drove to Bowling Green KY yesterday to play for a big outdoor WKU homecoming event across the street from the stadium. The drive there was remarkable for a few reasons: how hard I laughed on the way there in a car full of guys I have arguably spent way too much time with; that it has to be near fall peak, and while mostly beautiful on a near perfect day, it was more notable that most trees were either empty or still green; and also that it is still good to play music.
When you're in a band and travel, room must be made to accommodate different philosophies of food. A tier system is set up in terms of preferences and absolute refusals. Traveling on a limited budget means that meals must be convenient, moderately healthy, and delicious. After years of honing the system, here's how we typically fare:
Morning: Coffee is mandatory. I mean substantial coffee, which excludes hotel coffee. Independent, local option first, although not usually available. Starbucks second. Cracker Barrel or Dunkin Donuts coffee in a pinch, as in none of the others are available. A good everything bagel is as close to mandatory as you can make something without it being mandatory. I've found that bagels are one of the most perfect things in the world that aren't as available or in-demand as one would think. Cream Cheese, Veggie spread, or even with lox. It makes me want to open my own bagel shop and find out what a person who makes bagels is called so I can put it on my business card.
Afternoon or evening: McDonald's was never really an option with our band. On the road, you can't avoid fast food. We at least are as selective as we can be. Chick-fil-a is our go to for comparative health and quality. You really can't beat their chicken sandwich and waffle fries with a Pibb. Except on Sunday. How many times did we make plans to stop a few hundred miles up the road and let our mouths water for hours only to be met with severe disappointment. Too many to count. Makes me want to open up a Chick-fil-a and violate what I'm sure is their franchise agreement not to be open on Sundays. And sell blankets. Panera or Atlanta Bread Co. is an option, as is Jimmy John's and the occasional in-a-pinch Subway. We were fortunate that WKU provided us with Jimmy Johns, my preference being the Beach Club, made up of turkey, provolone, avocado, cucumber, sprouts, lettuce, tomato, & mayo. Some got a cookie. I did not that a cookie was optional, therefore I was cookieless.
We don't normally do big dinners. The occasional University would take us out, and we've had some incredible meals. We just recently went to Artemesia here in Louisville for some discussion. It's located in the East Market art district of town and has such a great feel to it. The standout mind blower of the meal turned out to be one of the appetizers we got, Bruchetta a la Ann, described on the menu as "Toasted Focaccia, Homemade Marinara, Goat Cheese, Kalamata Olives". If you're ever in the area, go if only to indulge in an appetizer. But for now, I'm just trying to figure out where to camp out Tuesday and watch Election Results come in.
b
When you're in a band and travel, room must be made to accommodate different philosophies of food. A tier system is set up in terms of preferences and absolute refusals. Traveling on a limited budget means that meals must be convenient, moderately healthy, and delicious. After years of honing the system, here's how we typically fare:
Morning: Coffee is mandatory. I mean substantial coffee, which excludes hotel coffee. Independent, local option first, although not usually available. Starbucks second. Cracker Barrel or Dunkin Donuts coffee in a pinch, as in none of the others are available. A good everything bagel is as close to mandatory as you can make something without it being mandatory. I've found that bagels are one of the most perfect things in the world that aren't as available or in-demand as one would think. Cream Cheese, Veggie spread, or even with lox. It makes me want to open my own bagel shop and find out what a person who makes bagels is called so I can put it on my business card.
Afternoon or evening: McDonald's was never really an option with our band. On the road, you can't avoid fast food. We at least are as selective as we can be. Chick-fil-a is our go to for comparative health and quality. You really can't beat their chicken sandwich and waffle fries with a Pibb. Except on Sunday. How many times did we make plans to stop a few hundred miles up the road and let our mouths water for hours only to be met with severe disappointment. Too many to count. Makes me want to open up a Chick-fil-a and violate what I'm sure is their franchise agreement not to be open on Sundays. And sell blankets. Panera or Atlanta Bread Co. is an option, as is Jimmy John's and the occasional in-a-pinch Subway. We were fortunate that WKU provided us with Jimmy Johns, my preference being the Beach Club, made up of turkey, provolone, avocado, cucumber, sprouts, lettuce, tomato, & mayo. Some got a cookie. I did not that a cookie was optional, therefore I was cookieless.
We don't normally do big dinners. The occasional University would take us out, and we've had some incredible meals. We just recently went to Artemesia here in Louisville for some discussion. It's located in the East Market art district of town and has such a great feel to it. The standout mind blower of the meal turned out to be one of the appetizers we got, Bruchetta a la Ann, described on the menu as "Toasted Focaccia, Homemade Marinara, Goat Cheese, Kalamata Olives". If you're ever in the area, go if only to indulge in an appetizer. But for now, I'm just trying to figure out where to camp out Tuesday and watch Election Results come in.
b
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Music, The Mind, and Bison
Most days I wake up with a song in my head. I have recently found out this is not true for everyone. It makes me wonder at the complexities of the human mind. I mean, what is it, exactly, that makes Bobby Brown's 1989 Ghostbusters II hit "On Our Own" or Madonna's 1984 song "Borderline"? I don't like it, but I have to be honest. Except that I do like the Bobby Brown song.
Throughout the day, there is always a song in my head. I often have no idea what triggered it, but yesterday I was able to reverse engineer the mechanism that got me from Elvis to Paul Simon to Jerry Lee Lewis to Jim Morrison to George Thorogood. All of these things make me wonder if it applies universally by profession, as if a chef wakes up craving a dish or a meal.
I've had some incredible times recently. One is Havana Rumba, a perpetual provider of comfort, cool, and mouthwatering cuban food. (Note to self: improve alliteration skills). Fricase de Pollo is my go to dish there, with the Cherna a la Parrilla (grilled grouper, rice, black beans, plantains) as a worthy backup. If only they'd bring back the Pollo Ropa Vieja....
One of the fantastic hidden gems of Louisville is Cumberland Brews, on bardstown road in the heart of the highlands. I was a bit early for the evening plans, so I stopped in next door neighbor Ray's Monkey House, a great coffee shop, sat outside with a latte and chugged through a portion of my current book, of which I'm on my final allowable renewal from the Library. It was a beautiful evening, the first nip of fall, and bardstown road is a great place to sit outside and have coffee.
Cumberland Brews is small and quaint, but one reason for its greatness lies in the fact that it has a hidden upstairs, a secret stairway that is as close to a speakeasy entrance that you'll find. Upstairs has four tables and a bar. That's it. I was there to watch the last presidential debate with some friends, and if ever there were a room for small informal gatherings that may or may not include the heat and rhetoric of politics, this is it. My recommendations include Octoberfest brew and the Bison Burger, which I must say, far exceeded my expectations and actually made me desire a burger again. I even took a picture of it with my phone. But it didn't do it justice. Ansel Adams couldn't do it justice.
b
Throughout the day, there is always a song in my head. I often have no idea what triggered it, but yesterday I was able to reverse engineer the mechanism that got me from Elvis to Paul Simon to Jerry Lee Lewis to Jim Morrison to George Thorogood. All of these things make me wonder if it applies universally by profession, as if a chef wakes up craving a dish or a meal.
I've had some incredible times recently. One is Havana Rumba, a perpetual provider of comfort, cool, and mouthwatering cuban food. (Note to self: improve alliteration skills). Fricase de Pollo is my go to dish there, with the Cherna a la Parrilla (grilled grouper, rice, black beans, plantains) as a worthy backup. If only they'd bring back the Pollo Ropa Vieja....
One of the fantastic hidden gems of Louisville is Cumberland Brews, on bardstown road in the heart of the highlands. I was a bit early for the evening plans, so I stopped in next door neighbor Ray's Monkey House, a great coffee shop, sat outside with a latte and chugged through a portion of my current book, of which I'm on my final allowable renewal from the Library. It was a beautiful evening, the first nip of fall, and bardstown road is a great place to sit outside and have coffee.
Cumberland Brews is small and quaint, but one reason for its greatness lies in the fact that it has a hidden upstairs, a secret stairway that is as close to a speakeasy entrance that you'll find. Upstairs has four tables and a bar. That's it. I was there to watch the last presidential debate with some friends, and if ever there were a room for small informal gatherings that may or may not include the heat and rhetoric of politics, this is it. My recommendations include Octoberfest brew and the Bison Burger, which I must say, far exceeded my expectations and actually made me desire a burger again. I even took a picture of it with my phone. But it didn't do it justice. Ansel Adams couldn't do it justice.
b
Saturday, October 18, 2008
More Sincerity Than Nobility
I just thought that was a great line from a book, the context of which is that the character is contrasting himself and his aristocratic relative, stating that the relative is more nobility than sincerity, but he is more sincerity than nobility. It's stuck with me for a few weeks so I thought I'd put it here.
To borrow from Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin & Hobbes, the days are just packed. It's been a blur the last two months working out details for the release of the new album and I think it's catching up to me. Hopefully in the next few days I'll be able to get some decent sleep. It'll be a busy week in Louisville for us, and then on to crafting some fuel efficient travel plans. I don't know if we'll make it much further south than Atlanta, I'm sure the Carolinas will be in play, and we will make good on our intent of hitting the northeast, or at least DC, NY, NJ, Boston, Philly & Chicago. More updates as they arrive.
To borrow from Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin & Hobbes, the days are just packed. It's been a blur the last two months working out details for the release of the new album and I think it's catching up to me. Hopefully in the next few days I'll be able to get some decent sleep. It'll be a busy week in Louisville for us, and then on to crafting some fuel efficient travel plans. I don't know if we'll make it much further south than Atlanta, I'm sure the Carolinas will be in play, and we will make good on our intent of hitting the northeast, or at least DC, NY, NJ, Boston, Philly & Chicago. More updates as they arrive.
Tears and Moments of Profundity
*originally posted on muckrakers blog Sept 9, 2007
I sit now in my kitchen and the waterworks are flowing. Eyes and nose wide open like a broken faucet. I decided today to try my hand at the creation of the perfect French Onion Soup. The main guide is Bourdain's Les Halles book, with a bit of extra guidance from Thomas Keller's Bouchon. As one puts it "French Onion Soup is, unsuprisingly, all about the onions", and right now I am halfway through the cutting of eight large onions. Can you smell me? It's ok, go ahead and say no just to make me feel better, but I'm probably going to have to fumigate my house and not be around anyone for a few days after this is all said and done.
I could be mistaken, but I think that the first time I had the dish was in Manhattan last week. It was odd because I sat down and immediately thought, Yes, That's what I want, when without realizing it, I had nothing to base that decision on. Maybe just the preconscious desire to have me some French Onion Soup. It turned out to be incredible and I remembered seeing it in a book I had, so here I am today.
Last night in the studio, Kyle had stopped by later in the evening, and probably somewhere past one he asked if we had heard the new Silverchair. A large group shaking of the head, and he pulls it up on his computer, plays the video for Straight Line and If You Keep Losing Sleep. Maybe it had been a long day, maybe I was tired and unexpecting something of worth, but it literally blew me away. Stood there with my mouth open, not believing what I was hearing. The strange but fantastic chord changes, the driving rhythm, the singer with a greater vocal range than I realized.
I stated at that point that I couldn't remember ever standing somewhere, watching and listening to something that was truly original and innovative.
I downloaded it this morning and if I have to cry, I might as well have something of this quality to make it better.
Check it out, but now the onions are calling out to be cut.
More to follow as it develops,
b
edit 1, 7:17 pm. Man this stuff takes a long time. I haven't even been able to add the stock yet, as the onions have yet to reduce and caramelize. By the way, Fletch was on tv this morning, which was funny because Rob and I were debating the merits or lack thereof between that movie and the sequel. The former is great, fantastic, hilarious. But Rob made the statement that the sequel was on par with Funny Farm. I immediately lost quite a bit of respect for our favorite front man at that point, since in spite of the title was most certainly not funny.
I'm getting hungry. More soon,
b
edit 2, 8:25 Did I mention this takes a long time? Caramelization has begun. I'm beginning to give up on eating tonight.
edit 3, 8:55 I wish I could import the smell of this, I'm so hungry and it smells sooo good. All ingredients in, being brought to a boil, then simmer for an hour. We'll see.
b
edit 4, 10:20 Soup for me. So good. So good. Happy now. I recommend.
Now go listen to Silverchair, or watch the video. Thanks for indulging me,
bsm
I sit now in my kitchen and the waterworks are flowing. Eyes and nose wide open like a broken faucet. I decided today to try my hand at the creation of the perfect French Onion Soup. The main guide is Bourdain's Les Halles book, with a bit of extra guidance from Thomas Keller's Bouchon. As one puts it "French Onion Soup is, unsuprisingly, all about the onions", and right now I am halfway through the cutting of eight large onions. Can you smell me? It's ok, go ahead and say no just to make me feel better, but I'm probably going to have to fumigate my house and not be around anyone for a few days after this is all said and done.
I could be mistaken, but I think that the first time I had the dish was in Manhattan last week. It was odd because I sat down and immediately thought, Yes, That's what I want, when without realizing it, I had nothing to base that decision on. Maybe just the preconscious desire to have me some French Onion Soup. It turned out to be incredible and I remembered seeing it in a book I had, so here I am today.
Last night in the studio, Kyle had stopped by later in the evening, and probably somewhere past one he asked if we had heard the new Silverchair. A large group shaking of the head, and he pulls it up on his computer, plays the video for Straight Line and If You Keep Losing Sleep. Maybe it had been a long day, maybe I was tired and unexpecting something of worth, but it literally blew me away. Stood there with my mouth open, not believing what I was hearing. The strange but fantastic chord changes, the driving rhythm, the singer with a greater vocal range than I realized.
I stated at that point that I couldn't remember ever standing somewhere, watching and listening to something that was truly original and innovative.
I downloaded it this morning and if I have to cry, I might as well have something of this quality to make it better.
Check it out, but now the onions are calling out to be cut.
More to follow as it develops,
b
edit 1, 7:17 pm. Man this stuff takes a long time. I haven't even been able to add the stock yet, as the onions have yet to reduce and caramelize. By the way, Fletch was on tv this morning, which was funny because Rob and I were debating the merits or lack thereof between that movie and the sequel. The former is great, fantastic, hilarious. But Rob made the statement that the sequel was on par with Funny Farm. I immediately lost quite a bit of respect for our favorite front man at that point, since in spite of the title was most certainly not funny.
I'm getting hungry. More soon,
b
edit 2, 8:25 Did I mention this takes a long time? Caramelization has begun. I'm beginning to give up on eating tonight.
edit 3, 8:55 I wish I could import the smell of this, I'm so hungry and it smells sooo good. All ingredients in, being brought to a boil, then simmer for an hour. We'll see.
b
edit 4, 10:20 Soup for me. So good. So good. Happy now. I recommend.
Now go listen to Silverchair, or watch the video. Thanks for indulging me,
bsm
Mojito
Mojito
So, we went to Mojito (a restaurant here in Louisville) last night, and first of all I must offer congratulations to Fernando. It's actually quite a feat he's pulled off, and I drove home shaking my head that something as silly as food could have been so incredible, or created such an exuberant experience. Havana Rumba was without doubt in my top 3, but I think I really went in with no expectations. We arrived around 8pm Saturday night, I thought it might be a little crowded, since it was the weekend and due to Marty's review, but the place was packed, seriously packed, somewhere around a two and a half hour wait. We sidled up to the bar for a nicely assembled mojito and gin and tonic, a bit clueless as to where to stand for a while. It wasn't too long before we snagged two bar chairs. Looking through the menu, it all looked so good, I decided to try a couple of tapas at the bar. First was the guacamole and chicharritas, which were really good. Light, crispy plantain chips to dip in avocado, lime, cilantro and red onions. Next up was Boniato Frito, sweet potato fries with a sidecar of smoked honey. Smoked honey, you say? Yes,yes,yes and how. This is serious goodness right here. I almost wept. Needless to say: incredible. Trio de hummus next, and they even found a way to infuse an ordinary dish like hummus (garbazo, black bean, and roasted pepper) with some fantastic ingredients and additions.
Let me say a word at this point about the beautiful presentations: from the dish, to the plate on which it's served, to the drink glasses, all very contemporary and just flat out cool. It was somewhere around this point that I realized that my entire dinner was going to happen at the bar, so barkeep! More, more more!
Calamares Fritos were next, and nice calamari though they are, what really set them off was the avocado lime aioli. This was the second time tonight that I actually considered the consequences of lifting the sidecar/dipping cup to my lips. In the interest of decorum I declined, with regret.
Empty plate removed, new beautiful dish arrives, it's like magic. Now landing: croquetas de yuca, a beautiful crab cake in all it's glory, with yet more of the aforementioned avocado lime aioli. You may be no Amazing Kreskin yourself, but I'm sure you won't be suprised that I found the crab cake yet another mouth watering, flavor bursting dish.
At this point, we were squarely tucked in at an hour and a half, completely happy with our good fortune to sit at the bar, and ready for espresso and a dessert, which ended up being the churros con chocolate. I regret to inform you that I only had a very little bit of this excellent dish, as we were sharing and I thought I may lose a digit if I attempted another bite.
So, we laughed, we cried, we talked to Fernando for a minute, as he was just a tiny bit busy, and ate our way through the joys of an otherwise stormy night. Congratulations guys, thanks for a fantastic restaurant.
bsm
07.07.07
So, we went to Mojito (a restaurant here in Louisville) last night, and first of all I must offer congratulations to Fernando. It's actually quite a feat he's pulled off, and I drove home shaking my head that something as silly as food could have been so incredible, or created such an exuberant experience. Havana Rumba was without doubt in my top 3, but I think I really went in with no expectations. We arrived around 8pm Saturday night, I thought it might be a little crowded, since it was the weekend and due to Marty's review, but the place was packed, seriously packed, somewhere around a two and a half hour wait. We sidled up to the bar for a nicely assembled mojito and gin and tonic, a bit clueless as to where to stand for a while. It wasn't too long before we snagged two bar chairs. Looking through the menu, it all looked so good, I decided to try a couple of tapas at the bar. First was the guacamole and chicharritas, which were really good. Light, crispy plantain chips to dip in avocado, lime, cilantro and red onions. Next up was Boniato Frito, sweet potato fries with a sidecar of smoked honey. Smoked honey, you say? Yes,yes,yes and how. This is serious goodness right here. I almost wept. Needless to say: incredible. Trio de hummus next, and they even found a way to infuse an ordinary dish like hummus (garbazo, black bean, and roasted pepper) with some fantastic ingredients and additions.
Let me say a word at this point about the beautiful presentations: from the dish, to the plate on which it's served, to the drink glasses, all very contemporary and just flat out cool. It was somewhere around this point that I realized that my entire dinner was going to happen at the bar, so barkeep! More, more more!
Calamares Fritos were next, and nice calamari though they are, what really set them off was the avocado lime aioli. This was the second time tonight that I actually considered the consequences of lifting the sidecar/dipping cup to my lips. In the interest of decorum I declined, with regret.
Empty plate removed, new beautiful dish arrives, it's like magic. Now landing: croquetas de yuca, a beautiful crab cake in all it's glory, with yet more of the aforementioned avocado lime aioli. You may be no Amazing Kreskin yourself, but I'm sure you won't be suprised that I found the crab cake yet another mouth watering, flavor bursting dish.
At this point, we were squarely tucked in at an hour and a half, completely happy with our good fortune to sit at the bar, and ready for espresso and a dessert, which ended up being the churros con chocolate. I regret to inform you that I only had a very little bit of this excellent dish, as we were sharing and I thought I may lose a digit if I attempted another bite.
So, we laughed, we cried, we talked to Fernando for a minute, as he was just a tiny bit busy, and ate our way through the joys of an otherwise stormy night. Congratulations guys, thanks for a fantastic restaurant.
bsm
07.07.07
Codeine and Pneumonia/ The Essence of the Universe
So I was fighting off pneumonia last night, armed only with antibiotics and codeine. Powerful weapons indeed. I woke up shocked that I had written a pretty long blog that cut to the core of living and learning. "I was dreaming when I wrote this, forgive me if it goes astray..." P
Life is growth. Stagnation is an abomination. If we fail to grow, if we fail to dream, if we lose initiative, we condemn ourselves to mere catatonic existence, slogging through the rest of our days in a non-thinking stupor. Is this extreme? Possibly, but I feel strongly that without the clarity of a rational mind, we are doomed to hold as our highest goal the philosophy that ignorance is bliss. Let me step back. I was fortunate enough to emerge from my seventeen years of schooling without my desire for learning completely squelched. What I mean is that all those facts, dates, formulas, and timelines do not provide wisdom. Only the application of knowledge can give the clarity of wisdom. I read more now, learn more now, and ask more questions because understanding and communication are extremely important to life as growth.
Let me make the following disclaimer: I am not a big fan of musicals and musical theatre. There are a handful I can get behind, but for the most part I just don..t enjoy them. I believe that every band is allowed a maximum of one person who loves musicals, and that person in ours is Rob. However, one of the few I have found extremely compelling is Rent, the rock musical by Jonathan Larson based on Puccini..s opera La Boheme. Rob was kind enough to let me borrow the soundtrack a year ago, and somehow in spite of everything, I liked it. It wasn..t until last week when I saw the dvd that I had any visuals to accompany the soundtrack. The musical stands on its own, but somehow the story of its.. creation elevates it to a level of poignancy that really tears me up. You see, Larson received a tuition paid scholarship to college for acting. After that he moved to New York City, where for the next ten years he worked in a diner, writing the whole time he wasn..t working. He wrote some plays, but it wasn..t until Rent that things started to come together for him. A few more years, finding producers, cast, and fine tuning the script, and he had it in top shape. The final dress rehearsal, friends and family were powerfully moved by the performance and story, and Larson felt the fulfillment of his creation received by the audience. The critic from the NY Times was there and spoke with Larson extensively, assuring him the power of the writing and performance would make his musical a hit. Larson went home that night and died of an aortic aneurysm. Rent went on to the success he knew it would.
All of this to say that life is short, there..s no day but today, and to forget regret, for life is yours to miss. And that we have a dream. A dream that is larger than ourselves, bigger than any of us individually. It has been with us for a long time and we invite you to join us in this dream, share our experiences, dream with us. Life is growth. Stagnation is abomination.
bsm
Life is growth. Stagnation is an abomination. If we fail to grow, if we fail to dream, if we lose initiative, we condemn ourselves to mere catatonic existence, slogging through the rest of our days in a non-thinking stupor. Is this extreme? Possibly, but I feel strongly that without the clarity of a rational mind, we are doomed to hold as our highest goal the philosophy that ignorance is bliss. Let me step back. I was fortunate enough to emerge from my seventeen years of schooling without my desire for learning completely squelched. What I mean is that all those facts, dates, formulas, and timelines do not provide wisdom. Only the application of knowledge can give the clarity of wisdom. I read more now, learn more now, and ask more questions because understanding and communication are extremely important to life as growth.
Let me make the following disclaimer: I am not a big fan of musicals and musical theatre. There are a handful I can get behind, but for the most part I just don..t enjoy them. I believe that every band is allowed a maximum of one person who loves musicals, and that person in ours is Rob. However, one of the few I have found extremely compelling is Rent, the rock musical by Jonathan Larson based on Puccini..s opera La Boheme. Rob was kind enough to let me borrow the soundtrack a year ago, and somehow in spite of everything, I liked it. It wasn..t until last week when I saw the dvd that I had any visuals to accompany the soundtrack. The musical stands on its own, but somehow the story of its.. creation elevates it to a level of poignancy that really tears me up. You see, Larson received a tuition paid scholarship to college for acting. After that he moved to New York City, where for the next ten years he worked in a diner, writing the whole time he wasn..t working. He wrote some plays, but it wasn..t until Rent that things started to come together for him. A few more years, finding producers, cast, and fine tuning the script, and he had it in top shape. The final dress rehearsal, friends and family were powerfully moved by the performance and story, and Larson felt the fulfillment of his creation received by the audience. The critic from the NY Times was there and spoke with Larson extensively, assuring him the power of the writing and performance would make his musical a hit. Larson went home that night and died of an aortic aneurysm. Rent went on to the success he knew it would.
All of this to say that life is short, there..s no day but today, and to forget regret, for life is yours to miss. And that we have a dream. A dream that is larger than ourselves, bigger than any of us individually. It has been with us for a long time and we invite you to join us in this dream, share our experiences, dream with us. Life is growth. Stagnation is abomination.
bsm
Paradigm Shift
Sometimes you have to stretch out of your comfort zone. Life is about challenges and how you rise to meet them. I love to try new restaurants. It is something that has been an interesting shift in me for the past few years. It has been a bit strange traveling so much in the past year or so to find myself in a new city and finding the same stores, the same new clean, well landscaped Main Street Disneyland type areas, full of the stores that each of you know so well, or watching those with money to spend go to them. Growing up, I loved my big box chains, my Olive Gardens, O'Charley's, etc. Now, I can understand the allure, you always know what you are going to get, it's always going to be the same. But you're missing out. Every city has numerous local joints that offer up a flavor of the city, or even push it out and adapt it, or those who have emigrated bring in a taste of their own culture. It's all at our fingertips. My birthday was last week, and my only prerequisite for the dinner was that it had to be a place I'd never been before. In Louisville, I chose a cool little place called Havana Rumba, in the St. Matthews area. It was out of this world, an over the stands walk off homerun. It was my mental projection of a happenin Key West restaurant, or would fit in well in Manhattan. I won't go into the meal itself, but it's an example of what's out there that we're all missing when we settle, when we're comfortable, when then anxiety of ordering in broken English puts us over the edge. In this town, there is a gold mine website louisvillehotbytes.com that is fantastic, and I fully recommend, nay, endorse Robin Garr in his status as foodie extraordinaire. I have also been fascinated with Anthony Bourdain, a 28-year professional chef in NYC and now world sampler for the Travel Channel. This is a man who gets the concept of good food as gathering, as friendship, as celebration, as well as wildly entertaining and near enlightening to watch his travels. It's the closest thing to a vacation I get these days.
Wrapping up, I implore you, stretch out; do things that take you out of that comfort zone. The first few times I ever took a stage to perform I can't begin to describe the nervousness and anxiety of the whole thing. Now, it's one of the most pure and fulfilling times of my life.
b
08.27.06
Wrapping up, I implore you, stretch out; do things that take you out of that comfort zone. The first few times I ever took a stage to perform I can't begin to describe the nervousness and anxiety of the whole thing. Now, it's one of the most pure and fulfilling times of my life.
b
08.27.06
Monday, September 1, 2008
Lists
I like lists. Otherwise I forget. Seems pretty simple. I'll go to the grocery for chicken and pasta and come back with donuts and krunchers. So I need lists. Now that about 73 important things having to do with the release of the album are under my purview, I made a big list using zenbe.com, which comes in quite handy as it links to the iphone. The list makes it seem like the whole unmanageable thing is manageable, this list of 73 important things to do. I should probably stop writing and get to it.
b
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