Gang Gang Dance and Grizzly Bear

Add to the bands I've seen:

Gang Gang Dance and Grizzly Bear: Skidmore College, Saratoga, NY

I went to this show knowing nothing about the opening act, Gang Gang Dance and being only slightly familiar with Grizzly Bear. Grizzly Bear for me falls into a category of lo-fi, ambient, interesting but not quite my thing type of slot in my musical panorama. I have listened fairly extensively to their album "Yellow House" but I've never been able to get much into it.

The Gang Gang set was incredible. Their neo-primitive, kind of tribal drum circle feel had me dancing and just feeling like I was meditating. The surreal atmosphere they created was phenomenal. It took some people a little while to get into it but after just a little while most of the crowd was dancing and having an awesome time.

Toward the last half an hour of their show this guy behind me started shoving me into the small girls in front of me causing me to shove them into the rail. He was sticking his elbows into my ribs as he was not even facing the stage, so I asked him to stop shoving me and he responded with "Shut up and just go hit on that girl or something." Thanks for the advice cock sucker. So I proceeded to push back and stick elbows back in response as the problem did not subside. He then began grabbing me and throwing me into other people and I again asked him to just back off and stop and there wouldn't be an issue. He continued pushing even through the break in between bands and after a while a girl who earlier was dancing with multiple guys and looked pretty shit faced came around from behind this guy and introduced herself as meredith and asked my name. I responded and she politely told me she was going to punch me in the face and proceeded to do so. Fuck you meredith. As I did not want to start a brawl at a fucking Grizzly Bear show (music that I believe to be much more relaxed and not fit for shoving or punching) I left and found other seats. Fuck you assholes that don't get what the music is about.

On another note: Grizzly Bear's set was incredible as well. The drummer is phenomenal. He has a very strange but powerful rythm that really gave me a lot more understanding and enjoyment out of Grizzly Bear's music. I will enjoy continuing to listen in the future and would definitely go see either of these bands again. Hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.

Full Circle

Full Circle

My likeness for you is growing
And it started as a very tall tree.
It's leaves like a jade fu dog
or orange in the fall like the fire in your eyes
or the fire that may
one day release you back into the atmosphere.
Full circle. Those eyes. Orange eyes.
Orange like the brightest fold
In the blanket of space that we call
A universe. Boldly the Gods pull it over
Your eyes. Your eyes. And all they
See now are patterns. Patterns of habit,
Patterns of color, patterns of energy.
Oh and if you could only close your eyes
And burn all the bridges inside
Until you were lost with nowhere to hide
Until the blue blue sky just up and cried
A blue blue rain that felt no pain
And put you out in a puddle
Of black black creosote that the sun
Would dry into a black black stain.
All it would take is a seed, a spark, sight, and a flame
To see that one day the human
Perceiving what seems so inhumane
Will be a white, woven light
and colorblind again.

MOE.DOWN X

moe.down ten:
Add to the bands I've seen: (all at moe.down X: Snow Ridge Ski Resort - Turin, NY)

Friday:

The New Mastersounds
Okemah
Method Man and Redman
moe.

Saturday:

The Family Groove Company
Sam Bush
moe.
Ani DiFranco
The Heavy Pets
CAKE

Sunday:
My Dear Disco
The Ominous Seapods
Mathew Sweet
Lynch
Umphrey's McGee
Nate Wilson Group
moe.

Please note that many of these bands played multiple times. Some of them played 3-6 times.

The highlights of this weekend were:
climbing the ski mountain, moe., Umphrey's Mcgee, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, meeting Sean and Nora, getting locked out of my car at 4:30 in the morning with it running and the light on and my phone in it, walking around for 3 hours asking anybody if they perchance had a wire coat hanger stuck up their ass, breaking the coat hanger that I did find some hours later and resorting to breaking my back window out, not having to break my back window out cuz some dudes helped me break into my car. Many of the other bands were also good but not necessarily highlights. I would say that I only didn't see 6 or 8 sets of the 28 that happened. Lots of music and lots of love. It was a good moe.down. Happy moe.down to all.

I am now home and have been writing a new song as well as learning a couple others. I am excited to start working on a second album for the Steve Yanwie and Joe Spiegelman Project. I will post when it is ready although it may take some time...

The Allman Brothers Band - The Best

Add to the bands I've seen:
The Allman Brothers Band: PNC Bank and Arts Center - Homdel, NJ

I went to this show not really knowing what I was getting into. The Allman Bros have been a mere shadow in the panoramic scene of my musical taste. Eat A Peach is a damn good record and I've never doubted that but seeing Trucks and Warren Haynes go at it with all the other aspects of the band combined blew my mind. The power and the energy coupled with the flow and how the two guitarists pick up after each other and lay out their solos was absolutely fantastic. Now, I would be hard pressed to think of a better pair of guitar players. Much enjoyed and I cannot wait to see them again.

Hot ‘Lanta
Done Somebody Wrong
No One To Run With
Woman Across The River
Soulshine w/Juke Horns
Stand Back w/Juke Horns
Stormy Monday w/Pat Simmons, guitar
Black Hearted Woman
Same Thing w/Juke Horns
Jessica

Encore:

Melissa
You Don’t Love Me

Animals Collected

Add to bands I've seen:
Animal Collective: Prospect Park - Brooklyn, NY

This was my second Animal Collective event but I enjoyed it much more than the last concert I went to. I saw them in Montreal with a moshing (yeah wtf right?) crowd and a horrible opener. They played a lot of drone/ambient transitions between their songs and it just wasn't what I was hoping for in my live Animal Collective experience. Despite an equally terrible opener, Dam-funk; Animal Collective kicked ass. I had a great time and danced my ass off. The balls with the glow sticks were also particularly fun. They played a great set-list and rather than a droney lead in to every song, they might tease for a minute or two but they really jumped into them all feet-first and rocked the house. I was hoping for Reverend Green but was not disappointed with the encore none the less. All in all, I've never heard Animal Collective like this, ever. A truly enjoyable show, exactly what I had hoped for, and a great performance by the animals collected.

01 - Grace
02 - Summertime Clothes
03 - Leaf House
04 - Guys Eyes
05 - Slippi
06 - #1
07 - Also Frightened
08 - What Would I Want Sky
09 - My Girls
10 - Fireworks
11 - Brother Sport

12 - In The Flowers
13 - Comfy In Nautica
14 - Lion in a Coma

The Story Of The Steve Yanwie and Joe Spiegelman Project

The Story Of The Steve Yanwie and Joe Spiegelman Project

It all began sitting on a bench with my friend Josh, we saw in the courtyard of a little park that there was a couple fighting. They were fairly disheveled, and most likely hobos. The woman was screaming and actually threw a smoothie at the man. She was yelling, "Fuck Joe Spiegalman, I don't want to fucking go to Joe Spiegalman's House!" The man subsequently asking back, "Please baby, come on. Let's just go to Joe Spiegelman's, come on." which was immediately returned with a boisterous, "Fuck Joe Spiegelman, I don't wanna fucking go to Joe Spiegelman's house!"

The two it seemed had agreed to meet at this location to hang out for two hours and at the hour and a half mark or somewhere thereabouts the man wanted to go to Joe Spiegelman's house. The young lady was not amused. They eventually walked off screaming at each other some more with some more profanity and yelling mixed in. The phrase that really stuck was "Fuck Joe Spiegelman" I mean the guy didn't do anything wrong that was apparent from the conversation. I mean he just wanted someone to hang out with as far as we know. So, I turned to Josh and told him that we should redeem the name of Joe Spiegelman with a band at some point and time. We continued on, thinking nothing of it and regarding it as one of those times where you say, "Hey this should be our band name." Which I feel happens quite frequently when you don't have a band name.

A couple months later I was on a train to Albany and as I was moving along the rails I looked out to the right and saw a building spanning at least 100 feet with the words "FUCK STEVE YANWIE" from one side to the other. I can't imagine what the guy could've done to deserve that kind of advertisement against his name. It recalled the Joe Spiegelman incident but didn't really last long because what really stuck with me about the Joe Spiegelman extravaganza was the repetition of the "Fuck Joe Spiegelman." So I kind of dismissed it, but then another 1/2 mile or mile down the tracks there it was again, plastered across another huge building in the same giant block letters, "FUCK STEVE YANWIE" and I was like well, all righty. I have my band name and the Steve Yanwie and Joe Spiegelman Project was born. I have vowed to redeem these two men whether they were drug addicts or drug dealers or con-men or a misunderstood simpleton, I will do my best to redeem their souls through the cosmic force of music.

There's a little more to the story but perhaps maybe I'll make a concept album to reveal the rest of it. Until then, please enjoy my low-tech, first attempt at musicality. I promise for Steve and Joe's sake, to improve. If you have any comments or questions please feel free to email them to me at goingonawhim@gmail.com.

If you would like a hard copy, I will except a small donation for materials to hand make a one of a kind cover and personalized CD case. For now, feel free to download for free. If you don't know how to use megaupload, simply type in the code, download, unzip, and import to itunes by either dragging or dropping with a mac or File>Add Folder To Library for PC. Enjoy!

Asitti by The Steve Yanwie And Joe Spiegelman Project:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=O2PG529L

First Venture

Today was my first venture out of the house with all of my musical equipment. Not Quite all I guess but most of it. Pedals, Guitar, Amp, Harmonica and Jaw Harp. It didn't feel out of the ordinary per se except the fact that it hasn't ever happened. I finally got a little glimpse at what it would be like to cart around my amp and everything to shows, that type of thing. I know I'm a long way away but it was a glimpse.

Here's what I gathered from it. That amp is FUCKING HEAVY. We loaded it into the back of the car and were off. Not really a big hassle at all. Just it's a big amp...

The music was good. Beats and loops and a couple of key presses, plucks and pounds of a drum later a bitty sound clip was born. Good times, the progress will continue.

Gov't Mule-Party In The Park

Add to the bands I've seen:
Gov't Mule: Party In The Park - Rochester, NY

This event was awesome, we got there in the middle of a jam, fairly well medicated :-) and immediately got to the dancing. We only caught the last half hour or so and the last four songs. We came in the middle of "I Am A Ram" and the jam was awesome. Warren was not only wailing away on his Firebird but looked like he was having an awesome time playing which got the audience that much more into it.

The crowd was packed in past the taping microphones and the mixed crowd of bikers, hippies, and hicks as well as some random people that most likely just showed up to drink was fascinating and they all got into it.

Next they played "Mule>I've Been Working>Mule" before leaving the stage on the screaming audience. They soon after took to the stage again playing a mellow and thoroughly enjoyable encore of "Into The Mystic" and "Soulshine," the latter dedicated to Brother Wease. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brother_Wease) We left the show having seen a very small part of the set list but having gotten our Mule on with full satisfaction. A very enjoyable show, if they come to town; don't miss.

Lately, I've been constantly eating catch up

Lately my life has felt like a mad scramble to catch up to myself. We all spend a lot of time doing and thinking about who we want to be, what we want to do, things we feel we should say. The past week or so, I've been trying my hardest to fulfill the things I say I'm going to do. I've been rather unsuccessful as it's been a difficult week but I've played a little guitar, I've spoken to a lot of friends and even seen a few, I've eaten some good food and enjoyed myself, but I'm very ready to step it up a notch. I need to pack, I'm going to a free Gov't Mule show on Thursday, I'm finishing up work on the 14th and then heading to Animal Collective and my grandmas near NYC before visiting some some friends. Talk at you soon.

Gathering Of The Vibes

Added to music I've seen are the following bands, all at Gathering of the Vibes: Sea Side Park - Bridgeport, CT:
Keller Williams and Moseley, Droll & Sipe
George Clinton and P-Funk
Deep Banana Blackout
moe.
Moonalice
Assembly of Dust
Max Creek
The Levon Helm Band
Bob Weir and Ratdog


This was an awesome time...It was my first festival and it was everything I expected and some things I didn't. It was hot in Bridgeport, people were family in a respect, and everyone enjoyed themselves fairly well. All of this I expected. I did not expect that moe. would only play for 20 minutes, but a ridiculous thunderstorm made it a necessity. But expectations usually get shattered at shows. I got there just in time for the last couple of Keller Williams songs and he didn't dissapoint, but I was sad to miss most of the set. Damn traffic! The Vibes dance that he did was priceless as Keller's dancing always is, and his backing band (Moseley, Droll & Sipe ) was fantastic as well.

George Clinton and P-funk was good but not great, I can see their appeal but it just didn't grip me as well as the other bands did. I caught the last little bit of Deep Banana Blackout and it seemed like they had an all right thing going on as well.

moe. came on and started to establish their groove playing a pretty slow but energetic version of mexico. It was the perfect set-up before they really got into it and then, the rain came. soaking everyone and forcing tarp over the equipment it came down in droves with huge lightning strikes lighting up the sky. I went to bed around 1:15 with no hope of seeing moe. and doubtful that late night performance "Lettuce" would be coming on. I was sadly mistaken.

The next day, Moonalice started us off in the morning with a fantastic set, especially their rendering of Sugaree. I spent a good deal of time surveying vendors, with some beautiful things. and wandered away the day with some good tunes on stage with the likes of Max Creek. I was also not expecting the State Radio show to be canceled and was even more deeply saddened when I found out that it is led by one of the members of Dispatch, a high school favorite of mine. Guster came on and I went back to the tent but caught a bit of it when I went back and on the radio in the shuttle ride. It wasn't really anything special and I felt it was a bit musically bland for a show with so much talent for improvisation and grooviness. But to each their own.

Levon Helm's Band was fantastic, I am a huge fan of "The Band" but it was neat to see what Levon did for his own project. It really showed his true colors in a unique way. Bob Weir came on and did a couple of songs with him which were good as well. Levon had other band members fill in for the singing which was a disappointment but I only hope he's in good health and will give us more good times in the future. Seeing Levon was a huge treat for me as I've been woken up with the band on many many days through my life and have always held their songs dear. Especially good from this set was a version of The Weight.

Bob Weir was good as well although I didn't stay for long as I had a six hour ride home. This also means that I missed Sunday, which is too bad as I'm sure that Buddy Guy and Crosby Stills and Nash put on amazing shows.

Overall, an amazing first festival experience. moe.down here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If anyone finds any tapes of any of the performances, please send them to me or shoot me a link.

Branches

Today awoke suddenly,
A mad sun burning
Through clouds. His ego
Shining through to the ground.
Fumbling through the day
Riding a wobbly train,
An enormous bleeding stain
in the reflection of sky.

Leaves piled high on branches,
Below, the shade's screams grow as
Grass begging for light,
Panicking for water,
And burning in forest fires
From the anger
Of the lonely sun.

While I've Been Gone

Lately I've been up to getting pretty much nowhere. I had a great opportunity arise for my living situation, I'll be moving back east of Albany to live with family for a year while I take a leave of absence form school. I'll have a good job and possibly be able to quasi-apprentice at a recording studio. I would be able to really get my feet under me over the next year and it'll really help me get ahead of the game a little.

I've been doing a little guitar playing, not much as I was out of town digging ditches for a few days but some. I have been contemplating doing a little drawing as well and look forward to actually carrying through with it. I've been obsessing over my last.fm as well as looking into getting some recording stuff so that I could start up my own recording gig. I'd love to record some demos for my friends and such. I've also been learning a decent amount about cars. I learned the basics of how an engine works, so that was neat. Howstuffworks.com had some fun animation that was also very helpful.

I'm about to make a big life change but I'm excited for it. I don't mind change and I do my best to embrace it even though I miss the way things used to be. But I'll be back in a year and we can start anew.

Look forward to a post either before or after the weekend. I may put up an album review and also a line-up for the Gathering Of The Vibes Festival that I will be attending Thursday-Sunday. Please feel free to comment on any past, present, or future posts as the comment feature is fixed.

Salutations from the side hill,
Zah

Another Shot At That Red Head

Just try not to let life walk right by your cage; bite that motherfucker.

One More Shot At That Red Head
Dedicated to my father.

When I think of you
Up in a corner where your
Spirit hangs
You and some red head that crossed your mind
Batting eye lashes over some green eyes
And you two just sway to the sound
Of your beating heart
Pumping so far away in this hospital room
Thanks for leaving some music so that we don't have to just sit here in the silence
I've thought of what I would say to you
To your last tune
I tried it all.
I said I love you and thank you and goodbye and I'll never forget you and that you were so strong and how you lived so good.
But none of that ever needed to be said and
Neither did anything else
After all, what do you say to the man who
Gave you everything?
I had my foot down and I made record speed
I said hi and I cried but not like the day I realized I was your son and the grey sky smiled and the truth came.
But how's that redhead?
Careful Pa,
I didn't like the last one.

driving rain

driving rain

I'm lost in found footage
Footsteps of film reals
Tearing down the freeway
In a muscle in the arm
Of some indignant youth
Like a blood cell in an organic
Traffic jam, and we're all staring
At the crash but it wasn't our fault.

The only words that come
Out of my lips are brambles
And broken sighs that feel
So good to exhale but don't
Make me feel as though I'm
Breathing; the feeling of feeling
Can sometimes
Take your breath away.

The Life and Times of a Cosmic Sheep

The Life and Times of a Cosmic Sheep

I don't feel like writing about
how we are all alive, I've
convinced myself for now
and I think we all understand.

I don't feel like writing about
how there is some intrinsic
universe filled with energy
matter and darkness.

I don't feel like writing about
myself. I am what I am and
I will stay that for now, but soon
a change will happen.

I don't feel like writing about
war or poverty or race issues
or news headlines as I think
it's all a misunderstanding.

I do not feel like writing about
my issues and my problems
my struggles as a human
my dumbness as a cosmic sheep.
But what else is there?

Writer's Decomposeur

Writer's Decomposeur

I have no words, no images
just overwhelming life
living through me. Call it the universe
call it god, call it out on all the things that
it's doing wrong but you still can't
change the past even though it seeps
into the presents that we put under
trees and watch all the leaves fumble
and fall and gather on stone walls
in orchards and fields they duel for a place to
decompose back into the earth.

Modest Mouse: Good News For People Who Love Bad News

As a side note, I realize that I primarily review albums that are rather old, but I more do it to show what I like and the music that has helped or moved me the most. Enjoy!

This album has been practically a life saver to me. Isaac Brock's introspective lyrics and his jagged guitar get inside of my head and almost allow me to have conversations with myself because the music feels so relevant to real life for me. It is the perfect album to get me out of a slump and also to make me understand how beautiful life is no matter what it dishes out. Lines like "If life's not beautiful with all the pain, I'd rather never ever see beauty again," and "If it takes shit to make bliss, well I'm living pretty blissfully." Both of those lines are from the track titled "The View." He perfectly captures mortality, struggle, pain, and hardship and its place amidst the beauty of living life. As my friend once said, the words feel so good. Amen.

I Am An Ignorant Poet

I am an ignorant poet.
not studied up on my lit-
erature. not knowledge-
able of the goings on.

1-3-5 is no silver spoon
doesn't promise me nothing,
but leaves me thinking;
I am an ignorant poet.

You say I can't bet my
life on music but then
what do I do with my chips?
We've all got to bet on

something, so it might
as well sound good. But
then again, as I said; I am
an ignorant poet.

I know myself and every
one else, but they just won't
take the time. If I am wrong
then show me right if you think

I'm an ignorant poet.
when you're standing up to a
challenge and forced
off balance, only challenge

will rise again. As far
as I'm concerned I'm right
you're wrong is made vice
versa. But I'll live my

poet life and play sweet music
through the bends
An ignorant poet is always
right until proven wrong again.

Medeski Martin and Wood

Add to bands I've seen:

Medeski, Martin, and Wood: Party In The Park - Rochester, NY

Last night Medeski, Martin, and Wood put on an amazing free show at Party in the Park, a series of concerts and fun in downtown Rochester. I was upset that I had missed the opening act of Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad but I will catch them again soon hopefully. This is my second MMW show and it lived up to the funky jazz fusion jam sound that I expected from them. I had an awesome time and there was quite the Jam scene there. When I saw them at the Jazz Festival last year, I didn't see as much tie dye and Grateful Dead apparel but was pleased to find a large portion of the crowd was sporting the various colors of life and music.

The Jacob Tapes

It was the music coming from my finger tips
it was the music

what was I sayin
before the sound escaped me
where was it going

I'm not sure if the sounds will come clear

keep coming out again
keep coming out again out again
keep coming out
keep coming out
keep coming out keep coming out

music music I'll keep coming out
music music I'll keep coming out



Here I am here I am all alone
you think I'd like it, call it my home
and I do

They keep tellin me to prove my way
through the sounds I hear and the crazy ways
they keep coming, into my brain
I call it music some call me insane
just sounds sounds in my brain
This is what I mean
see I've got poetry so deeply woven
and now it's growing out
out of my fingertips and in
in to whatever it may become
who would know
when things will change
those four chords always sounded the same
maybe one day
I'll have perfect pitch and understand
but until that day, just call me a man

A music man

there are little bits between I go astray
spending way too much, let my money get away
but in the end
it all comes back to me
who I am and what I wanted to be
A music man
with an end to his no where
no where: I won't go there.
Cuz that's just a path right back to me
and you'll see there's so many ways to sing
but only one of them
gets to be me.
If you could talk and listen to yourself for just one minute
not on a shelf
any way you could spin it
it's just yourself
and it's all coming back to this
and that's where the music's at.

sometimes it's just gotta be tough
let it free with everywhere to go
I don't even know
If these words will ever make it to your ears
I don't even know
If I can brave my fears
and going on and on again
going on and on and on until the end
A music man


So introspective
gives new perspective
on old familiars ways

The Things My Father Taught Me

The Things My Father Taught Me

When I have a kid,
I'll teach him what my father taught me.
Don't speak in absolutes kiddo
Because I won't always be there
And never, never happens.
Never give up, but always admit
When you're wrong. Stay organized,
Bundle up if it's cold
Or you're gonna get sick.
You can always try harder
And when I tell you something
Just say "Yes father, I understand."
People who know everything,
You can't tell them anything.
Don't believe anything you hear
And only half of what you see.
Always give back and what goes around
comes around so watch what you do.
Think before you speak and be aware
of everything around you.
Keep your friends close
and your enemies closer.
Laugh at yourself, don't be an idiot,
And think ahead.

Yes father, I understand.




Happy Fathers Day Pops, thank you for everything you taught me. I love you and you're on my mind and in my heart and soul every single day.

Air: Pocket Symphony

This album is incredible. Air is one of my top listened to artists and I only listen to this album. I plan on moving on, but it's so good that the other album I have (Moon Safari) just gets ignored. Pocket Symphony is just that. It's like a little orchestra of uplifting, stop you dead in your tracks beauty that unfolds from the pocket of just two people. The lyrical qualities travel well with the perfectly timed transitions and strange yet melodious sounds that emanate from their instruments. Wonderfully complex and composed of sounds that fill my bones and shake my soul, it is one of the best waking up or going to sleep albums that I have found but can also be enjoyed throughout the day and over and over again.

The name AIR is a backronym for Amour, Imagination, Rêve or love, imagination, dream.


I stongly suggest.

Cloud Machine

Cloud Machine

I am a worker in a factory.
The gears rotate, soft steel
clicking into place and twisting out clouds
high above the ferns.

I wish I could lay down in them;
fill their painted leaves with my vibrancy,
with the realism that echoes off the walls of my mind;
and let a miracle grow.

Whether my mind is caught
in these wide wet clouds
or like an imaginary window cling,
colorful clothes splayed like kitchen rags
and my back suction cupped
amidst the growth of the earth;
green fronds in the forefront of white accumulus.

I have no knowledge of green.
My hands are rough from the slow
cold turn of a cloud machine.



This is a version I'm satisfied with. It may go through several more incarnations, but this will do for now.

Music to my eyes: shows of the past year

I am not a musician yet, but I will be someday in the future. Most of what pays musicians bills is ticket sales and merchandise so I try to go to as many shows as I can and usually try and get a t-shirt in the hopes that others will follow my example and help keep the musicians of our day thriving. In this entry, I'm going to make a list of what I've seen this year so that a) I don't forget and b) it'll give you a good example of what I think is worth going to see even if you have to drive 6 hours. :-) I'll write a little bit about each show as well.

Motion City Soundtrack: U of R - Rochester, NY
This show was eh. The band that I loved so much in high school at a more angsty period in my life had lost its meaning to me but the performance was good and they certainly enjoyed themselves so I had a fun time as well. Things like repeating "This song is for love." before each song (literally) kind of cheapened the performance for me as well as the acoustics of the U of R gym being rather blase.

The Hush Sound: Water Street Music Hall - Rochester, NY
This show's headliner was actually "The Spill Canvas" an alt rock band of the likes of yellow card and such. I really enjoyed what the lead singer said in between songs at the show. He got the point across that he didn't care if we liked their music as long as we like music; something that really stuck with me despite my lack of interest in his type.

The Hush sound however was incredible. I enjoyed the female vocalist / keyboardist the most. She had a really swingy bluesy style and got really into it. The rest of the band was really enjoyable as well although not quite as expressive as Greta Salpeter.

Andrew Bird: The National - Ithaca, NY
All I can say is this man was playing violin in the most beautiful ways in a forest of horns. It was a great trip to Ithaca as well, somewhere I spent several years of my early childhood while my dad was at Cornell. I also go to see my cousin while I was there which was fun. Mainly, there was a man playing violin in the most beautiful ways in a forest of horns.



Andrew Bird: Philadelphia Music and Arts Center - Philadelphia, PA
This time as well.


Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Pittsburg (ish), PA
This was a really awesome show as well. It really put Conor Oberst's other music in perspective for me as well. He's a very lonely man, but lives the most glorious life of misery.

The Elephant Six Collective (Holiday Suprise Tour): The Bug Jar - Rochester, NY
This show was attended as a happenstance of my friend Derek needing a ride to it. He swore by it so Jake and I made our way in as well. A good opening performance by Walri started the night off but I never would have expected what came next. 7 foot tall metronomes and static the singing television. As well as a really good movie at the beginning of the show. It was held in a very variety show kind of way. Julian Koster I think was on LSD as his knee caps were sweating buckets down his shins and he spent a short amount of time rocking back and forth with his shirt color stretched over his face under the piano. He made the performance for me with singing saw and a fantastic banjo. Some of the greatest musics I've seen. Thank you Derek who got to meet Jeff Mangum of "Neutral Milk Hotel" after the show.

Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad: Water Street Music Hall - Rochester, NY
This was my first experience with this band entirely as well. What can I say besides Reggae, solid jams and mad good vibes. :-)

The Dead: Times Union Center - Albany, NY
Ridiculous.

The Dead: HSBC Arena - Buffalo, NY
Ridiculous.

Dr. John and the Lower 911: Lilac Festival - Rochester, NY
I've seen Dr. John before when I was way younger at Mass Moca and I found ten dollars! I went again hoping to find another ten dollars but also to hear his swampy hoodoo sounds. Sooooooo good. I haven't danced that hard at any of the other shows I went to. Also I could tell that the guitar player was good but he was really just keeping rythm during the show. I really wanted to see him let loose and at a point in the show where all the musicians got a little soloing time I expected it but it was still pretty tame. During the encore though he ripped that thing to shreds. I cannot express how good this show was. If you ever get the opportunity, go.














Animal Collective with opening act Grouper: Metropolis - Montreal, Canada
Okay, Grouper would be amazing to listen to as meditation music or if I wanted to hear crazy (and really cool) sounds but as a live act she was boring as shit. Her guitar playing was mediocre at best and it seemed the rest of the sounds were being played out of a walkman tape deck on the floor so I didn't really understand the talent of it all. Animal Collective on the other hand kicked ass. It was a bit loud at first, like make your ears bleed loud, not just normal second row loud but eventually I got used to it. They played an amazing set and I met a couple of cool people there as well. The crowd as a whole however tried to mosh. It felt like the animals were holding back toward the end of the show because they wanted to get the crowd to calm down and relax a bit. It seemed that they didn't really understand the music. I hope to see them again but this time I'm sitting in the balcony.






























Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad: Water Street Music Hall - Rochester, NY
As I said before Reggae, solid jams, and good vibes. Also the opener even though he was a bit wierd was really good. I don't know his name but he was a solo guitar act and I really enjoyed his style.

Robert Randolph and the Family Band: Rochester International Jazz Festival - Rochester, NY
Motha fucka learned how to do that in church. God Bless.

For the future, I may be going to the offspring for some good ol' Americana. As well as free MMW, Buddahood, Michael Franti and Spearhead, an undisclosed special event, and Gov't Mule at Fun in the Park this summer. Hope to see some of you there.

Life and Times

Lately I've been trying to find a second job, the search continues but I put in a few hopeful apps today. I also got my ukulele in tune and learned a bunch more chords for it so that was exciting.

I'm currently working on a poem as well. All I know so far is the title which will be "Cloud Machine." I have a couple of versions but nothing really cemented in my head yet. A lot of my poems kind of come to me as some sort of concise idea that I can transcribe to paper without much of an editing process, either due to my naivete as a writer or their solidity as concepts in my mind. This poem is a combination of two concepts that have a lot of meaning to me and that are very clear but their combination into one central idea was not one that I planned. I hope it will be readable soon. Usually I have a lot of time to devote to my writing at work in between customers so hopefully I will have something by Monday.

Other than that, Robert Randolph and the Family Band tomorrow followed by Tower of Power for free. So, Saturday expect pictures and a review. :-) Happy weekend and father's day to all.

Mr. Barrick told me he was going to make me a great house wife. I wouldn't want to disappoint the man!

Happy Birthday Josh!

Well, it's Joshies B-day today, so I thought I'd say a few words in his honor. :-)

Joshua Kenyon Eells, I never thought when I first saw your long haired ragamuffin self sitting on my balcony that it would lead to such an incredible friendship. You've since cut your hair but I hope that our friendship will grow much longer (haha, that's punny). You've been a great and positive influence on my life and I thank you for that as well as for having me along for several of the years that you've been on this wonderful planet. You're now 19 which is a pretty sweet year but it really just means that you can drink in Canada. :-D Best of luck this year buddy, I think of you often and hope you're doing well.

The Side Hill Gilly Wopper

The Side Hill Gilly Wopper is a truly mysterious bird. Like all birds, they have feathers. Feathers of all shapes, colors and sizes but not arranged awkwardly. Each bird has a different plumage and molts once a century. The most peculiar trait of the Gilly Wopper is that one leg is always elongated. It can be the right leg or the left but it is this limb which enables it to amble carelessly around Side Hill. Right legged Side Hill Gilly Woppers are able to travel around Side Hill to the left, and left leggers walk to the right. This has created a very strong and interdependant relationship between right leggers and left leggers as things are always needed from both directions. Mates of the opposite leg are usually chosen as it just makes things easier.

Due to their odd appendage, they are able to habitat the strange and mysterious place of Side Hill. It is a steep hill but a hill none the less. It is however too steep and tall for any predator to survive the climb. They would surely fall and be consumed by a large moat of sharpened sticks that the Gilly Woppers have gnawed and collected at the base of Side Hill. This defense has lasted many hundreds of years and has allowed the strange birds to live in a joyful solace for quite some time. They have never been seen by anyone as no one has yet pointed out their existence. Much like the boats of Columbus were not recognized by island natives until they were pointed out by a wise man who could perceive them.

Passerby have only heard their calls which are delicate and intricate as well as robust and deep. I hope to one day hear them again.

Scene but un-Scene

I consider myself a man of music, not necessarily well versed in all the classics and not necessarily up on all the new sounds that make their way into the world but I feel I have a good basis for appreciation. (Click my picture to hear my frequency). This band "The Dear Hunter," was started by Casey Crescenzo as a side project from his post-hardcore band "The Receiving End of Sirens." It would be categorized as experimental rock and prog rock. His voice has kind of a scene like quality but the instrumentation and the lyrics of the songs vary very much from that type of music. I enjoy the album "ACT 1: The Lake South, The River North" very much and think it's a very worthwhile listen for anyone with their fingers in prog rock, alternative or experimental, as well as those of you scratching at the walls for a better listen than Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, or Motion City Soundtrack, but with a similiar sound. Enjoy!