This Changes Everything.
My love affair with the desert looked like it would only last a year. With my new position at the law school, those of you braving the heat would be without me. After reading this line-up taken from Productshop NYC, things are beginning to change. Yes, I would cross the country to see Weezer, New Order and Gang of Four in the matter of two days. Toss Arcade Fire, Shout Out Louds, Bauhaus, Wilco, The Faint, Black Star and British Sea Power on the fire, and now I'm scrambling.

Giving Money to Jesus Fucking H. Christ.
Last night I returned home after the party at Eleven and proceeded to listen to the new Trail of Dead album, World Apart straight through. Now there are bags under my eyes like I’m some sort of seasoned drug addict, but I wouldn’t change one piece of last night. Thanks so much to all the kids who braved the wicked cold weather to come have a beer with me. You guys made my night. Thanks also to Audrey for giving me a shot to rock Atomique and for putting up with the few hipityhopity tracks that were played. It was awesome to the max. There will be more to come on the whole evening, but I have to get some work done before rambling on about the semi-drunken exploits of last night. In the mean time, here is a list of a few songs I played in no particular order:

- New Order, Regrets
- Michal Jackson, Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough
- LCD Soundsystem, Daft Punk Is Playing At My House
- The Libertines, Don’t Look Back Into The Sun
- Gang of Four, Return the Gift
- Guided by Voices, Glad Girls
- The Go! Team, Power Is On
- 50 Cent, In Da Club
- Broken Social Scene, KC Accidental
- The Pixies, Umass
- Superchunk, Beat My Guest
- Joy Division, Digital
- The Faint, Glass Dance World
- DJ Shadow, Organ Donor
- David Bowie, Rebel Rebel
- The Thermals, How We Know
- ESG, Dance
- Mark Ronson, On The Run
- The Undertones, I Gotta Getta
- Weezer, Paperface

There may have been more, but considering my typical memory that list is pretty fucking good. Again, thanks soooooo much to everyone who took a second to stop in or stuck it out and danced like a monkey with me, (I'm pointing to you Mr. Rothfeld). You make me warm inside. Now go away. I need to be alone. I kid. I kid.

Fight For Your Right.
So it’s Friday which means there are a few announcements I have to make regarding this evening. Tonight you have the opportunity to get a little cultured followed quickly by getting a lot of drunk. First up is an art show featuring a Mexican Santa Clause who may or may not be played by my big brother. Last night I vaguely remembered promising that if we took a picture with me on his lap, my tongue would be in his mouth. Don’t worry mom, I’m still straight. If Nate in a Santa costume isn’t enough to get your panties in a bunch, there will be work on display by David Black and Brendan Donnelly. These boys are the Real-Deal-Holyfield when it comes to the bustling young art scene. Ok, that sounded terrible, but they do great work. Trust me. Here is the information from a Brendan MySpace post, but what’s with his math:

Come to an art show on Friday. Its 3 hours out of you’re night and you'd be doing the same thing from 8-10 with you’re bros: drinking shitty beers, clowning around and telling stories of last nights romps around town. But here’s the catch; you get to see some awesome work by a group of talented people.

149 Reade St. (between Hudson and Greenwich)
Friday night, the 28th of January (8-10pm)

Brendan Donnelly
Jason nuncio
David Black
Dave Toro
Blake Connelly Lamar
Rebecca vet
Katherine Hillier
Matt Lopez
and a bunch more…

Photos, illustration, painting, instillation and I think the dudes Vietnam might Dj (and do trucker speed) but not sure if their in town yet.

Once you’re done at the art show, expect a bit of an after party, but at 11:00pm it will be time to hop a cab back to the neighborhood to see Karl, Scott, Simon and Sascha’s band, The Stammers at the Luna Lounge. This will be their final show at the famed L.E.S. club, so come show them love in a venue that’s done nothing but. As you know Luna Lounge is going the way of Old Yeller, (so is Mighty Robot, Fez and Plaid). This is all to disappointing so you’ll want to go support the clubs as they fade away into the memories of us all, (fuck, I couldn’t be lamer this morning). Anyway, don’t think I’m lazy because there are so many emails posted here, but if it matters, I feel lazy. Check out what Mr. Cardinal had to say:

Hey everybody,

We're playing a show on Friday the 28th at Luna Lounge (171 Ludlow bet. Houston and Stanton). The set will begin at 11:30 so you should be nice and early and there is no cover... so you're all on the list. I (Karl) will also be drinking any beverage one wishes to buy me before, during and after the show.

If you send this email to 10 people I'll give you $1000. If any of those people send this email to 10 other people they get $1000 AND you get $200.

See you there!

Karl is bringing his checkbook so make sure you bring the properties of your sent emails. I plan on making 50k today. Ok, dress warm or stick to the credo, ‘Fashion before comfort’ and have a great time.

One more note: You should buy the Trail of Dead album. I shit you not.

Big Ups To Mi Main Man Noah.
I’d like to send out big congratulations to Noah and the rest of Sam Champion for inking a deal with Razor and Tie. I’d also like to send congrats to Dave for reeling in one of the best unnoticed bands in the area. It’s great to see one of your close friend’s bands finally get some just rewards. Though Noah’s band is still in the growing stages, he has been writing songs for a lot longer than I’ve known him. At this point his song writing ability is coming into clear view. Though their craft has yet to be completely perfected, they are in a great position with Razor and Tie to grow and fully mature with the backing of an enthusiastic label. Nice work boys. I'm really psyched for all of you. Now let’s get you on the road. Expect Sam Champion’s debut full length Slow Rewind to drop before we see 2006.

Tumbleweed’s Personal Battle.
If you scroll down, you’ll see a post in regards to a new reality series were people audition to become the new lead singer of INXS. Danny was none to pleased with it, so he decided to drop a comment to the man upstairs.

----On 1/27/05 9:55 AM, "Daniel I Elder" wrote:

...if you had any clue as to how stupid and ridiculous this is.
Form a new band. We all know this is just a matter of money.

----- Original Message -----
From: Peter Cohen
Date: Thursday, January 27, 2005 1:08 pm
Subject: Re: I was wondering...

You must be a business major at NYU...

----On 1/27/05 1:55 PM, "Daniel I Elder" wrote:

No. I write fiction. And when one of my main characters dies, I don't
rewrite the same story with a new one.

Tumblehawk is always fighting the good fight.

The ‘D’ Stands For Death.
Don’t be alarmed. There were no deaths in the band, but be aware that DFA 1979 has dropped off of tonight’s bill at the Mercury Lounge. Man Man will now headline the show. Refunds are offered at point of purchase. If this news puts a black cloud over your evening, then put on your dancing shoes and join me:

ATOMIQUE @ Eleven (Downstairs Lounge)

Thursday January 27th :: Filter Magazine presents... .
The Trail of Dead: "Worlds Apart" listening party with tons of giveaways!
+
Guest DJ: J Good Times. (Loose Record)

:: Party starts at 10pm
:: Beers and Well Drinks 1/2 off for the first 2 hours!
:: NO COVER! - 21+
:: 152 Orchard St. between Stanton and Rivington St. (East Side)

And as always the Blue Light Specials! Every 1 1/2 hour, you get FREE drinks for 15 minutes!!


Additionally, warm yourself up with the lovely new video for the first single off of Beck’s forthcoming record titled, Guero. The song is called Hell Yes and the video was directed by Mumbleboy, (WindowsMedia or Real). This message is to Tumbleweed: Eat an eighth of mushrooms, put this on repeat and call me to tell me how much you love it.

He Put The F-U-C-K-Y-O-U In Sensitive.
Oveis just sent me this little piece of dickhead capitalism. Holy bulldog. Could these people be more ridiculous. Another brilliant idea. Please feel free to email or call this asshole to let him know he's taking the express train to hell.

Our lead singer committed suicide in his hotel room while we were on tour. Why don’t you give it a try?

INXS, the multi-platinum international Rock band is looking for their next lead singer. Mark Burnett Productions, the creator of Survivor and The Apprentice has created a new TV reality series on CBS that will give singers and songwriters the opportunity to become the next lead singer of INXS. We are looking for Men and Women of all styles that are ages 21 and up. Auditioners will be asked to perform up to 3 songs (INXS songs are NOT required.) They may perform to a CD track (w/ no vocal) or with 1 musical instrument.

Auditions will be held in:
NEW YORK, NY
On 1/30/05- Open Call
ON 1/31/05- Industry Referral/Appointment Only

To schedule an audition or for more information, contact:
Peter Cohen
Talent Producer
310-471-3781 x202-Off
pcohen@markburnettprod.com
www.INXSrockstar.com

Girls Just Want To Have Fun.
A typical Monday night…

As the clock approached quitting time, I received a distressing phone call from one of the students. There was a mistake on their registration which ultimately led back to me. It could be easily fixed if the paper work existed. By the grace of tequila, I found the paperwork around 5:35pm last night. The error was corrected and a sigh of relief exited my lungs. It was ten times more nerve racking than I can convey in words. This is exactly the type of bullshit I don’t want to deal with so if you are independently wealthy and looking for a new person in your crew; give me a call.

I quickly maneuvered through the ice and pedestrians with the hope of making it home in time to cook some dinner. As I barreled into the subway, Denise called out to me. It was a top notch run in. We decided to grab some dinner at a vegetarian joint on Allen just below Stanton. My curried vegetables with vermicelli were delicious. With happy bellies we said later on, and I cruised back to 186. Builder quickly showed up, and we decided DBA on 1st Avenue would suit our needs. DBA is a bar that has free internet access, tons of beer on tap and a cute blonde bartender. What else do you need? We managed to release Loose Record Mailer #2 before settling into a long discussion about the direction of our project. Miriam joined us later, and we called it an evening.

Around 11:30pm Builder returned to 186 and popped in the Can DVD he recently purchased at Etherea on Aveune A. We sat there mesmerized by the weirdness of the way before their time kraut rockers. I’ve listened to their records before, but putting faces to the music helped it all make sense. The one time lead singer, Damo Suzuki, looks like a strung out Yoko, but it didn’t take away from the Gallagher looking bassist, Holger Kzukay. One thing I can’t get over is how amazing their drummer sounds at all times. He has such great control, but rarely looks interested in the pounding beats he’s using to force the jammers forward. Since this introduction to Can, I played Tago Mago straight through twice at work yesterday. Now its time to move on to the record, Monster Movie. Check them out and learn to love.

Sidenote: Pitty Sing’s We’re On Drugs is currently streaming on KEXP, and it blows. Are people willing to get into this band? It would surprise me.

Still Wearing Dickhead Shoes.
My mom once called my Chucks, ‘Dickhead Shoes.’ It sometimes feels that her biggest concern in the world is the footwear protecting her son’s feet. She drives me crazy with it, but it’s nice to know she cares. The point is, do any guys have suggestions for man boots or some sort of protective sneaker that will keep mi toes warm? After last nights adventure out to Park Slope, I realize my ‘Dickhead Shoes’ might not cut it.

At 6pm I rolled down to Delancey to meet up with Nate. We hopped on the F Train, and made our way to the 4th Avenue stop. We finally caught up with Rick from The Hot Snakes, and I had to complete a longstanding interview. The plan was to meet him at a neighborhood joint called Buttermilk. Well, Rick gave us the wrong address so we were wondering around 5th Avenue aimlessly. It ended up being quite funny, but my feet weren’t laughing. We finally found Buttermilk, and Rick walked in a minute later. We scored some drinks, got cozy in the back and I proceeded to ask him questions that didn’t provoke the desired reaction. After a couple drinks, the tape was stopped and we cruised back to the city.

Having yet to score my evening does of the proper nourishment, I jumped at the chance to have dinner with Builder and Gabe. We decided the AKA Café would fit our needs. We enjoyed some delicious nachos, and I had the Sirloin Sloppy Joe which knocked my socks off. Dinner flew by and at 10:30pm I was back home watching more of the Can DVD and slipping off into a much needed full nights rest. I never made it to the benefit at Rothko, but everyone has been telling me it was a great show. My apologies to Dana if I in any way fucked up her night taking the last minute interview with Rick.

Bands You Should Love.
#1.) If you don’t love everything James Murphy touches, then you, my friend, are a fool. Throughout many discussions with friends, I feel like the minority on this one, but then again, we aren’t the coolest kids in school. Well, I might be. Anyway, you should check out the great article in this month’s Wire. Mr. Murphy scored a sweet cover and the article explains why he is such an elitist dick who recently decided to sand his edge at the behest of his label partner. So LCD Soundsystem is dropping a new album soon. Stay up to date with their new website and check out the awesome video for their new single.

LCD Soundsystem: Daft Punk Is Playing At My House, (Quicktime).

#2.) In keeping with #1’s theme, if you don’t love the forthcoming Shout Out Louds full-length debut, Howl Howl Gaff Gaff, you may want to see a doctor. This Swedish five-piece is putting out their record on Capitol. Some of you may already own the Oh Sweetheart Ep or even some of their vinyl singles, and if you dig that work, you’ll love the new stuff. It’s a definite extension of the earnest and loveable sounds from a purely pop band. Their upcoming release will make mixtapes obsolete. Stop worrying about what tracks will grace your Valentines Day mix. Just burn that special someone this disc, and you’ll become a hero. Check out these clips.

Shout Out Louds: The Comeback, (mp3).
Shout Out Louds: Shut Your Eyes, (mp3).

#3.) Finally, a band that’s been dubbed as KEXP’s ‘Your New Favorite Band’ The Go! Team has been captivating listeners across the pond and making friends with Pitchfork and the kids at Other Music. A few months ago I picked up the debut Ep Junior Kickstart on a whim at Virgin Megastore. Later that same afternoon, Kyle and I popped it into the kitchen stereo during an intense knifer session. After the three songs finished, we collectively pealed our jaws off the floor and realized this band would be huge. They have recorded a full-length called Thunder, Lightening, Strike which has been available at import prices in New York’s independent record shops. The first single off the record is titled, The Power Is On, and it delivers on it’s promise. With The Go! Team scheduled to play SXSW this year, you can expect their first United States show to be at a venue near us, (rumors are abound about a Bowery performance). You can hear a bunch of their tracks at the Memphis Industries web site.

So I realize this isn’t the newest of the new, but it’s the best of the new so check it out and thank me later.

Are You In A Band? Want To Travel?
Chris Davies dropped this email newsletter in my box today, and it sounds like a great opportunity for anyone in a band who is looking to expand their fan base overseas. This is an especially tight offer if you are lacking in the agent realm. Check out the goodness:

Planetary Presents: Tour Scandinavia!

The Planetary Group has been presenting shows in the Scandinavia regions for the past several years. Shows have been at the club, theatre and special event level. The NYC band The Realistics are one of the bands that recently rocked Scandinavia. Along with them as part of a competition, the Unicorns and Ovali Virta played shows in parts of Sweden as well.

Planetary and Sonicbids are now excited to be offering the opportunity for more artists to perform and tour in Scandinavia. Genres accepted include Rock, Pop, Reggae, World, Jazz, Singer/Songwriter and Hip-Hop.

The tour will be in Denmark, Sweden and Finland and you will likely travel through London or part of Europe to get there. The tour will be from 1 to 2 weeks in length, depending on the amount of dates confirmed. Planetary takes care of all logistics: visas, airfare, equipment rentals, permits and housing. All members must be over 18 years of age to participate.

The Scandinavian tour follows the successful recent Planetary/Sonicbids China tour (December '04) of Superhoney, who recently completed 5 shows in Shanghai and Beijing. You can read about their tour and view photos from the tour (and the eight other China tours) in the China section of this website.

If you are interested in submitting for the Scandinavian tour, you may do so through either Sonicbids.com - or directly through us. Just go to the tour section of our website. Be sure to read the FAQ section to answer any questions you may have.

Don’t miss this solid opportunity to get your name out to the international market.

Tonight’s Specials Include.
*** First of all let me say that The Stands have canceled their set at Mercury Lounge because they didn’t get their immigration papers done properly. I don’t understand how bands manage to fuck this up, but if we learned anything from The Libertines, besides the fact that crack breaks up bands, you best have your papers straight or you aren’t going anywhere.

*** Tonight is the last installment of the Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah residency at Pianos. They are a decent local band that is guaranteed to blow up. Playing an early showcase is another local favorite, Orange Park. If you want to be in for the long haul, stick around for This Blue Holiday or pop upstairs to say hello to Nora who will be rocking her weekly party Savvy.

*** Finally if you are feeling adventurous, (I say that ever time Brooklyn comes up), stop by Northsix to catch a set by the Philly freak out’s known simply as Man Man. Ace Fu released their debut record and The Fader loves them which should be enough reason for you to throw on a white belt before heading to the club. Don’t expect to catch them tomorrow night because their show with DFA 1979 at the Mercury is sold out. Instead come by Eleven and to have a drink with me.

You’re Covered In It.
Winter finally caught up with Manhattan. This season has been particularly mild with little snow to report. The past week changed everything. During the first half of the week it was so cold I could not stand to be outside for an extended period of time, (unless working). As the weekend approached, word of a blizzard flooded local and national newscasts. On Saturday around noon the snow began to fall and it didn’t quit until 9pm that evening. The snow caused a massive reshuffling of plans, but the weekend still ended up on the great side.

Indie Guys Love Sports.
Friday night began at a slow pace. After a horrendous day at work, I returned home with the hope of shedding all remnants of the crazy work week. Some grilled cheese and a nap certainly did the trick. By 9pm I was revved up to see And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead at Rothko. Thank god my apartment is a stones throw away from the club because Friday night’s temperature was no joke. I met with Audrey and Dennis who were kind enough to help me get into the club, (thanks so much!). We hustled into the already jam packed venue and took a spot way in the back. As we waited, familiar faces poured into the club. Stephen Culkin joined us in the back corner while we waited for the Texans to blow us away.

It didn’t take long for the five-piece to take the stage. They warmed the crowd up with a minute long intro that lead into a run of a couple new songs. Lacking knowledge of their entire catalog, I thought the first song was an old one because I’ve heard it a couple times, but it turns out they played a lot of their new tracks at the CMJ Bowery show and the post (or pre?), Siren Festival Rothko gig. As they continued to impress me with their new material, we were joined by DJ Del who has been under the radar for quite some time. I didn’t realize he shares the exact same birthday as Mia. They both turned 30 last Monday so if you see him, buy him heaps of drinks.

One of my favorite aspects of Trail of Dead is their split personality. On one hand you have a deeply melodic pop group that uses odd time signatures and some atmospheric guitar sounds to create some beautifully dark tunes. On the other hand Trail of Dead is a hardcore band paying homage to acts like D.C.’s Gorilla Biscuits and Black Flag. This duality is pulled together by a love feedback and Sonic Youth type noise. It is easy to tell which style they are playing. It is often indicated by whoever is taking the vocal duties. If Conrad is singing expect to hear the more melodic side of the band, but if Jason comes out from behind the kit to sing, you can bet on hearing an aggressive track rooted in hardcore.

I’m thinking of starting a self help group for indie kids who hate sports. We need to get to the bottom of this because too many of you despise a good contest. In an effort to disprove the common misconception, I leaned into Craig Finn (The Hold Steady’s lead singer) to ask him why he had to hate on the Yankees during his introduction of Hostile, MA at last weeks Mercury Lounge show. The can of worms opened by this comment caused me to miss the last few songs of Trail of Dead’s set though I did manage to hear their cover of I’m Too Sexy in between poetic waxing about the Vikings and Twins. Craig sure knows his shit and is an avid fan of all sports sans hockey. This conversation along with a few others over the past few weeks make me believe its no longer ‘uncool’ to love both indie rock and sports. So quit fronting. If you were never into sports, that’s cool, but keep it to yourself, because even if some kids don’t wear it on their sleeves, deep down they may love a good game.

Never Say Goodbye.
Once Trail of Dead finished, a sea of people dumped onto Suffolk Street. Adam and I cruised up to the Mercury Lounge with the hope of catching Say Hi To Your Mom’s set. We were greeted by Beach who was handling a sold out room. We caught a quick drink and slipped into the back were Tumblehawk and Lucy were hanging out. Mobius Band took the stage and played a somewhat unimpressive set. I’m a big fan of theirs, but Friday night didn’t move me one way or the other. I’m glad to hear they are putting out an EP with label support. They have great future in front of them, but Friday was all about Sea Ray.

During change over I shot the shit with a Dirty On Purpose crew that included DJ, Doug, Joe and Jin. They were all present to lend support to their friends and fellow musicians. Speaking of Dirty On Purpose, if you missed your chance to score a ticket to their Sold Out, February 4th show with Sam Champion and Rogue Wave at the Mercury Lounge, don’t fret. They were added to the second night which will take place on February 7th at the Mercury. Get your tickets here or by stopping by the Mercury Lounge during the day while the box office is open. Pick them up soon because these shows are sure to warm you up in the dead of winter.

Sea Ray took the stage to a huge ovation. On Friday night they played their stunning shoegaze pop for the last time. The announcement of their breakup came at a somewhat prosperous time for the band. The surprising nature of the news was facilitated by the success of their previous full length release that was highly regarded in various publications. From what I hear most of the members decided it was time to move on after nearly 10 years of playing together. Jordan is heading to Chicago to start a new band, Colin is now the drummer for The Stills (I’m wondering how this will effect their songs since their old drummer played a heavy role in writing) and Jeff is now playing keys on Longwave’s next tour. Don’t worry, they are keeping busy. Their set felt awfully emotional and despite my fatigued body, I did my best not to fall under the spell cast by their dreamy sound and intoxicating visuals. Though I’m not too familiar with all of their work, Sea Ray was a band I’d jump at the chance to see. After their set we stayed in the back for cake They were a fantastic break from the New York norm that will be sorely missed.

The Great White Adventure.
Saturday was the Blizzard of 2005. As the snow began to fall, Builder and I met Mandel at Clinton Street Bakery for some delicious brunch. They had a special salad dish that was basically a Cesar with seared scallops. Always a sucker for the delicious mollusks, I ordered the dish and started my day off right. With the snow falling at a good clip, I decided it was time to get a move on. Earlier last week I made plans with Diane aka Jenna to hang at the Museum of Natural History, but with the bad weather we decided sitting inside with bottles of wine would be better. I trudged my way through the snow to the Bleeker Street 6 Train without falling on my ass. Quite a feat for a man in Chuck Taylors. A short subway ride later and I was out of my league on 95th Street.

It was my first time on the Upper East Side in a number of years, but I managed to keep my bearings. Jenna lives steps away from the train station on which suited my needs dye to the inclement weather. We had planned on throwing in a movie, but with her roommate Lisa and friend Jamie hanging out, we opted for school girl banter about boys and the guidelines for being a slut. Do you know my catchphrase, “Jay Belin: A Girl’s Best Friend.” Yeah, I’m a sorry sack, but it was fun. We drank the afternoon away and by 8:30pm I realized it was time to get out of the high altitudes and back down town. On my way back to the hood, I got the bright idea to stop at Red Lobster to pick up the boys of The Upwelling some biscuits because they were part of the giant Endless Shrimp pilgrimage to Times Square. Fortunately I scored a cab driver who persisted on telling me about how when he was 23 years old he was fucking everything. I humored him for awhile until he began giving me details. At this point I ducked out of the conversation to make phone calls.

As I entered the Red Lobster take out door on 41st Street, Phillip, the super helpful employee, gawked at my request for four dozen biscuits. He asked me why I only wanted biscuits so I proceeded to tell him the story that brought me to Red Lobster. While waiting I perused the menu in search of something for dinner, but when I read the words shrimp scampi it reminded me of how sick I got after the last trip. I grabbed my biscuits and jumped another cab back to the L.E.S. This cab driver decided to tell me about how the snow makes everything beautiful. Since he was in great spirits even though the driving conditions were shite, I tipped him 2 bucks and 2 biscuits. I took the next couple hours to rest up for a big evening.

Around 10pm Alister, Builder, Miriam and Elise came by the apartment to pick me up on our way to the Mercury Lounge. We were greeted by Captain Beacheros and the Forty Thieves. We stashed the biscuits and settled in for a couple songs from the King of France. They play interesting pop songs that have definite roots in Frank Black’s music. Their lead singer’s humorous deadpan front got me involved in a conversation with Miriam about the difference between ‘taking the piss’ and ‘taking a piss’. You got to love your foreign friends. Throughout the course of the evening I ran into the always awesome Christian and the lovely Nora who joined us (or should I say helped us) for a huge tequila shot, (thanks Richard). This set the tone for the rest of the evening that included an off his ass funny appearance by Sean Bones who was reveling in his night off. Skye and Rob joined us during the later half of our evening. This came post Culkin (at the hands of Builder and Beach) that almost resulted in a scuffle because I was running my mouth. Tequila makes me crazy.

As for The Upwelling, I can’t remember specific things about their songs, but they have a great sound anchored by three guys who flash definite skills. They are a drums, guitar and keys trio, but the bass isn’t missed because in addition to playing sweeping keys parts and various samples, Scott plays the bass notes on foot pedals. Then Josh has a huge kit that he utilizes to the max, (I say ‘to the max’ now). The best part about his drumming is the use of all these different cymbals that have the ability to change the feeling of a song in a heartbeat. Ari, their singer / guitarist, has a great delivery that reminds me of a Paul Banks (who doesn’t need to be punched in the stomach) meets the lead singer of Longwave. If I’m correct, he also manipulates his vocals and guitars through a penal of pedals that sits in front of him. Give them a shot; you may like what you hear.

Later that evening we were joined by Adrian and Cami for drinks post rock show. After we finished said drinks at the Mercury, we stopped by 2A where Jen was holding down the upstairs bar. She is grand. We were joined by the whole Bowery crew that just finished closing The Fever show, and we got silly. Frank B. might be the coolest guy you don’t know. Go see his show with Sam Champion at the Luna Lounge. On our way out of the bar Beach decided to take down Builder which led to a pile on by me. Builder claims that I rubbed his face in the snow ala Daniels in Dumb and Dumber, but I couldn’t remember. We stopped into Gracefully for a Mr. Nice then called it an evening.

The Season Is Nearly Complete.
With a mini-shitshow weekend behind us, I ventured into Sunday looking for brunch. Thankfully Brenda, Jordan and Stevo were doing the same. Boca Chica pulled a pussy move by remaining closed on Sunday so we cruised down to some joint on Orchard and Stanton. Both brunches this weekend were fantastic because everyone was being fucking hilarious. It’s always nice to fight a hangover with a bunch of equally hurt friends who are simply looking to forget. After brunch I walked through the snow to Christina’s house. We met for a Loose Record meeting with plans to keep it brief for football. Builder and I saddled up and got back to 186 in time for kick off.

The house filled up awfully quick yesterday. Builder and I were happy to have Beach, Daylen, Dan, Matt, Dana and Mya on board for most of both games. Mya is John and Jamie’s puppy who is smart as a whip. I’ve never seen a dog as smart as her. I might have to steal her. We managed to squeeze in some Mario Tennis during both half times, and by the end of the evening everyone was exhausted from sitting around and watching the Eagles and Patriots pave their way to the Super Bowl. It should be a hell of a match up. I only wish we didn’t have to wait 2 weeks to see it. My evening ended watching the Ken Burns documentary on Jack Johnson on PBS. He was a crazy American hero. Check it out.

Don't Be Afraid Of Mother Nature.
Here is a some party information for all of you willing to brave the cold. If you were planning to see Dr. Dog at Mercury, Walk Humongous at Siberia or The Zambonies at Tommy's, tred lightly because all those bands have canceled. Sam Champion (Noah solo) is still planning to play at Tommy's and The Upwelling & The King of France are still rocking the Mercury so don't be afraid of the weather. Also, here is some information about a kick ass party happening in Brooklyn.

Party To Save The World!

Saturday, January 22, 2005
“The Academy”
254 North 8th Street,
Apartment #1 (9:00pm till Dawn)

$20 open bar!!!
Proceeds go towards funding educational projects in under funded public
schools in and around New York City through www.donorschoose.com

Directions: Take the L train to Bedford (first stop in Brooklyn) walk out
the Bedford Ave. exit, walk north one block to North 8th street, make a
right and walk east three blocks. The Academy is on the right past Roebling
closer to Havemeyer. Walk in, save the world… party like a rockstar.

I’ll Wait Because That’s What Grownups Do.
If my job was a period, today would be the heaviest flow ever. Whoa, sorry, that crossed a line, but today has been relentless. One of the craziest days ever, and it’s because of a stupid deadline that shouldn’t have been put in place. This terribly bureaucratic system isn’t going to disrupt the fact that today is payday, and I have an amazing evening in front of me. Let me quickly say that I’ve updated the show listings on the sidebar of this page so get your calendars out, make some notes and prepare for a couple of months of heavy rock flow.

Did you see last night’s episode of The O.C.? It didn’t register high on the awesome factor, but it didn’t let me down. After whipping up some fajitas, I took a solo seat on the couch and settled into a bitching episode of my favorite Newport family. Speaking of the Cohen’s, last night was seriously lacking in the parent child interaction. I love hearing Sandy spill his pseudo hippy philosophies all over Ryan and Seth, but last night there was a strict division of all things kids and adults. It might be in retaliation of last weeks groundings, (what happened to them), but the writers need to find a proper balance or they may receive a nasty letter. The biggest development is the lesbian action that’s heating up. Marissa and Alex will soon be sharing their furry cups with each other. This may be the crowning moment of my young adulthood. Make sure to have your VHS tapes ready for next week. I’m glad to see someone finally understands.

Another thing occurred to me as text messages poured in throughout the show; Lindsey is getting on my nerves. She needs to stop with all the awkwardness. Granted she’s dating the surrogate son of her sister, but does she always have to be so quirky. At first these actions were written off as cute, but last night made me realize she needs a Culkin, (after our make out session). If she can’t handle her liquor, maybe she shouldn’t throw it back like Keith Richards. The incident under the pier reminded me of my high school days. My old lady friend used to come by my house with her friend Katie. We would rock an hour make out session before breaking out a bottle of Schnapps or whatever was stowed away in my dresser. My lady showed little restraint, and would often get out of control. Then I had to deal with the pain of driving her around while she ate bread and pounded water until she sobered up enough to be dropped off. One particular incident at Lower Whitmer Park came to mind. The girls got hammered so we drove down to the park to smoke cigarettes. They ran off and wouldn’t stop yelling while across the street sat a Police Station. This was right downtown. Trevor and I managed to corral them and dump them off, but it was still quite a hassle. I’m with Ryan on this one. If a girl can’t hold her shit, she shouldn’t get out of control.

Naturally, this is all a pile of bullshit. It’s spilling from the mind of a kid who once drank so much at a kegger that he passed out in his back yard with puke all over himself. This is the same kid who pissed on the doorway of his neighbor in his first apartment building. This is the same dickbrain who used to pee in closets. I know what you’re thinking and it’s true. I register on the highest end of the awesome meter.

Late last night the Loose crew assembled for another meeting. Some issues have been getting quite discouraging, but the best part about our dynamic is that we refuse to allow them to marinate. Last night we had a massive problem to map out, and even though it took over two hours to hash out we came to an agreement that satisfied everyone’s concerns.

Play Date With The L.E.S.
Tonight should prove to be interesting. There are heaps of attractions on what is shaping up to be a bitter cold evening. My night will consist of some post work-work before meeting up with Ms. Nelson to accompany her to the Trail of Dead show at Rothko. Hopefully there will be some familiar faces in the crowd to help warm the frozen hearts of these native Texans. Despite my request for the record from Noah (our hand off never happened), I have yet to hear any of the new songs which I’m psyched about. Tonight will surely be a preview to what is going to blow me away come Tuesday. T.O.D. has been in town for a few days, (I don’t know why, but I saw Conrad at the Hold Steady show) so hopefully their knickers haven’t fallen off and their balls out rock will deliver.

Following the goodness at Rothko, I’m going to hustle over to the Mercury Lounge with the hopes of seeing a song or two by Eric and the rest of Say Hi To Your Mom. Then the Mobius Band will grace the stage with their glitchy pop tones and droning indie rock. It’s nice to know they’ve made the move to NYC, (well most of them). Headlining tonight’s sold out gig is Sea Ray. Unfortunately this has been billed as their final show, but here’s to hoping all good things don’t have to end. Check out my listing in this week’s Flavorpill.

As for tomorrow, don’t expect to see me out. Self-imposed seclusion is on its way. I may sneak out for some Mario Tennis and maybe a spot of Dr. Dog at the Mercury.

In Case You Were Wondering.
Stroke of Genuis, (thanks Build).

David Black is a big sweetheart. He is one of those kids you run into once a week just because you live in the same neighborhood. Unfortunately those run-ins have been few and far between. Yesterday I received an email that finally explained why. Check him out. I’ll keep you posted as to a premier date. The boy has wicked skills.

HELLO EVERYONE !!!

A lot of you have been asking when my film will be finished... So I decided to send a mass email out (a sort of news letter) to tell you all about it and give you an idea what it looks like......

It all started with just wanting to make a funny artfully done film with my close friends. I wanted to keep the experience intimate with as few people as possible, so we can work fast with friends used to working with each other. The film we made is entitled the "THE ICE CASTLE”. The film follows two close friends through one night in their lives when they attempt to break into a local ice rink. The main characters are childhood buddies existing in the typical state of arrested development common to twenty-somethings.Throughout the film they choose to talk about a wide array of quirky topics such as breathing sharks, bed wetting serial killers, moonburbs, and the threat of nearby teenage satanic cults, yet they neglect to mention their growing feelings toward their own reality and the inevitability of growing up.

In October I began with the writing process. Now I don’t claim to be a good writer, and in fact my writing skills are quite terrible (I'm a much better talker). Although, I knew the story that I wanted to make and began to write out the first draft. In terms of the dialogue the actors (Brendan Donnelly, Homer Murray) and I spent a fare amount of time videotaping improvisations. Afterwards I picked through the videos using the improvisations as a way to map out the dialogue.

In terms of funding, assume that you will be broke if you attempt to make any 45min film and shoot it on super16mm. I'm accpeting donations!!! That said… production began the first weekend of December. We shot the primary photography in three days in Poughkeepsie New York, and returned for b-roll the following weekend.

Now as the rules stated I wanted to make this film with only my close friends, and none of us are professionals. The idea was to keep the experience intimate with as few people as possible. Although we are all ambitious amateurs, and had no previous experience the shooting went tremendously well.

After the shooting I headed out to Los Angles where Hak Lonh edited the film. We are now are touching up the rough cut and getting ready for the final version.

All of you have a wonderful weekend and stay warm. Word on the street is snow is heading our way. If you organize a snowball battle, give me a ring. I may throw like a girl (according to the Massachusetts State Police), but I’m always down.

Anyone Up For An Apartment Swap?
Ok, so I’m not exactly serious with that line, but if you have an amazing offer or you are a pretty lady who would like me to move in with you to split the rent; then drop me a line so we can work this out. Seriously, I cook. I clean. I’m terrific at cuddling. Don’t you need a nice big body pillow to get you through the winter months? I’m on the verge of taking offers from dudes.

Down By Da Beach, Boi!
Last night I hustled home to whip up some delicious dinner before trudging through the snow to the Bowery. Dave and I once again gave the 2nd door a collective bitch slap as we braved the cold for all you Ray Lamontagne fans. Last night was nearly 10 degrees warmer than Tuesday which made me feel like I was on a tropical island. Ok, so my toes still froze, but we were lucky enough to have two coffee deliveries tonight. Thanks to Noah and Beach who hooked us up on back to back evenings. Anyway, everyone at RCA was great so the night ran smoothly. Once we shut down, Merida hooked me up with my post shift whiskey and I said hello to Bango and Noah who were hugging the bar. On my way upstairs I noticed that Dan stepped up to merch table for the second evening in a row, but he honestly has to stop using the reading of this blog as a reason for self deprecation. You love it.

As I settled into the back corner with the likes of Tumblehawk, Lucy, Daylen, Beach, Gigs, Sarah, Kara and Lumberyard, there was a bit of drama going down. Some kids were rocking the no class rule and thought it would be awesome to be dicks. It’s quite unfortunate when a couple of people have too much to drink and decide it’s funny to be assholes. Granted I’ve been on the other end of this stick, (too many times to count), but seeing it sober just made me pissed. The problem wasn’t exactly them disrupting the crowd, but they were heckling the artist which isn’t the coolest chapter in the handbook, (unless it’s Sam Champion). Thankfully everything was handled professionally, and the onlookers were able to enjoy the rest of the show sans incident. Ray is a singer songwriter who doesn’t push my buttons, but was able to captivate the room minus said dicktards.

Around 11pm we saddled up to leave the club. After James stole my bag one more time, we cruised to catch a quick cab ride so we wouldn’t miss the Hold Steady’s set at the Mercury Lounge. We cruised in to find DTL manning the fort. As I sipped the first of a few vodka tonics, a wave of drunkenness came over me. Sure, I’d only had 3 or 4 drinks, but shit, I was plowed. As the five boys who make up the Brooklyn via Twin City band, it was decided that Jay would be home well before the set ended. They began their set with some new jams which had me feeling confident about my recent, “I’m over them,” comment, but by the time they rocked out Hostile, MA I was eating my own words. The one thing that bothered me was the crowd’s excitement over Craig Finn’s negative Yankee comments that introduced the track. What the fuck is wrong with you New York? Have you no soul? Must you cheer when someone gives props to the Red Sox? At any event, they also threw down Knuckles before I left the club which was superb. Their big riffs and high energy sets are the good stuff kids go for. Unfortunately I bailed before hearing Killer Parties and Most People are DJs, but the reports that came in are all leaning towards rock.

Take Advantage, (Of Me).
Tonight there are a few beeps on the radar, so get set for some solid rock, but first a couple cancellations. The first comes from The Giraffes camp who canceled their second show in a row, but with good reason. This email landed today:

On Monday January 3rd I had two episodes of "Sudden Cardiac Death" (thats a heart attack kids) while sitting in the rental car on my way to drop off my girl (Maggie) at work and the car back at the rental place. What did it feel like you ask? Remember that first hit of a cigarette, whoosey and sick? Multiply by ten thousand, i blacked out behind the wheel on that street that leads to First Ave. off of the Manhattan Br. right behind a cop. Now thanks to my girl getting attention and explaining what was happening (namely that i was not wigging out on dust) the cop put up with me unconsciously fighting him, screaming at the top of my lungs (none of which i remember) and did CPR on me when i finally stopped fighting, and called an eps team from the fire house around the corner (lucky fucking bastard that i am) who zapped me with big voltage to get the heart working again. At this point i was sitting shirtless in an ambulance on my way to Beth Israel, talking shit with two big welts on my chest (don't remember any of this either). Got to the hospital, had another Sudden Cardiac Death moment and got shocked back to the living again, fighting like hell with the hospital staff wherever I went ( don't remember none of it) winding up in 4 point restraints in the cardiac ward of the hospital, and stayed there under sedation for the next day.

Woke up on Wednesday? Maybe Tuesday? Whatever, had the tubes in my dick and throat, little suction cups glued all over me an apparent heart efficiency of 15% (normal is 60%) and slowly.... slowly came back. i don't really remember most of this. as far as my brain is concerned i went out in the car and woke up a day or so later in the hospital, no near death shit, didn't give my regards to Rodney Dangerfield, or any other dead folk , nothing. Nap time, blank so don't ask me about that stuff... woke up with lots of friends, lots of family from around the country in the room staring at me like i just ate a kid or something....

OK so the doctors put me through the battery of tests catheters up my groin veins, into my heart, MRI's (which to me were quite relaxing) EEG's etc. after a day or so my heart efficiency was about 65% (better than average), and after a week in the cardiac care unit at Beth Israel Hospital, with awesome nurses, doctors, family and friends I was let go, to a extremely clean apartment, a new sofa, and an x-box (don't get much better than that)

The doctors tell me as soon as the scars heal I will be 100% again, which is good 'cause I am bored sitting at home all day. So I am no longer smoking. I am taking it easy and will be getting back ASAP, because I got some big ass medical bills to pay off.

Immune to heart attacks,
Aaron Lazar
The Giraffes

In less dramatic cancelationg news... According to Manic Mess, Diamond Nights’ lead singer has fallen ill and must rest his vocal chords for their opening slot with The Fever this Saturday at the Bowery Ballroom. Diamond Nights will not be appearing this evening at Delancey


This evening the boys of RANA will kick off a three week residency at Tribeca Rock Club. Tonight’s opener is Hell Is For Children featuring Scott Metzger (RANA-guitar), Joe Russo (Duo-drums), Claude Coleman Jr. (Ween-drums), and Dave Dreiwitz (Ween-bass).

Don't forget about Atomique. This week Audrey is splitting her time on the decks with the Husky Gentleman. Make sure not to blow your wad tonight because next week I'll be kicking the shit out of you. Clear your calendars.

And Finally, Ms. Sivan Harlap sent me this message:

Get wasted on inauguration day (which is really what you want to do) with the friends you love and not feel bad about it. The other option is me sitting all alone at B-side and you being sober and Jonesing to shop.

Our movie tomorrow is: Napoleon Dynamite
Followed, of course, by: The OC
Happy Hour 3-8pm
Half off Beer and Well...
$1.50 Bud and Rheingold
$2.00 Amstel, Brooklyn, Woodpecker, Lowenbrau
$2.00 Well Drinks
$2.50 Stella, Heineken, Corona, Red Stripe
$5.00 Bloody Marys and Margaritas!!

Do You Know What's Fucking Sweet?
When your loan payments jump by $40 because the American dollar doesn’t mean shit anymore. I’d like to find my financial advisor from a few years ago and give her a swift kick on the ass. Why would you ever advise someone to apply for private loans as opposed to federal? I was 18 and didn’t know any better. Anyway, now I’m subject to increasing interest rates because the private companies base their rates on the E.U. index rather than our countries. Life fucking sucks. Then you die.

There's nothing quite like working 50 hour weeks and still being broke.

Taking The Proverbial Ride.
By the end of today President Bush will give his 2nd annual inauguration speech. He is scheduled to be sworn in around 12pm this afternoon. This reminds me of the 2000 inauguration during which we took to the streets of our nation’s capital to protest the swearing in of George W. Bush. We pushed and scrambled to gain a sightline of the action, but the protestors where systematically corralled. Since we weren’t anywhere near the true dissonance, we opted for Subway sandwiches and a hilarious incident that lead to Dan clogging the toilet before a police officer could use it. There were also instances of Whitney telling little kids that he liked to eat children. One of the best moments that was caught on tap involved me protesting by pulling the trigger. Actually, I got sick from my 6inch tuna sub and had to get rid of it. While I’m standing in front of some government facility shoving my fingers down my throat to induce vomiting, Lee ran up and punched me in the stomach. This aided in my mission, and gave me the leverage to chase him down only to wipe my fingers on his jacket. The reason I’m bringing this up the large amount of “Fuck Bush” chants, that emanated from our group, amidst a sea of unhappy protesters, couldn’t be more appropriate on a day like this. Join me in a collective sigh and mutter “Fuck Bush” to yourself. It kills the sting better than a nice stiff glass of whiskey.

(Not So) Fat Of My Land.

So my home town is getting more famous by the minute. Yesterday Oveis sent me a link to a blog that posted pictures of a 100lb Princeton, NJ girl traveling to Clearfield, PA to take down the 6lb burger at Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub. She did what many, including my father and me, couldn’t which was finish the massive meal. She probably scored a t-shirt for her efforts. Over Christmas break I stopped by Denny’s to wish my friend Shazz a happy birthday. They had a poor tequila selection, but let’s put that aside and plan a road trip. I’ll be taking bets on how many pounds of burger I can take down before puking. The line is 2.5lbs. Be still my heart...


Frozen Toes And Blowing Nose.

New York City has been dangerously cold the past couple days and that whore Mother Nature isn’t letting up any time soon. Tomorrow may hit above freezing which would be a treat, but don’t hold your breath. After work I scurried to the subway instead of walking back to the L.E.S. Kyle and Dan cruised through after finishing a shift at the Mud Truck. Lou and Stevo also showed up to do some sort of practice space keys hand off. We took some time to discuss the future of the Jets. I couldn’t be happier to sit in a room with a bunch of kids, most of who love the Jets, and talk football. Around 6:30pm I threw on some thermals, and walked to the Bowery.

The whole crew was working last night. You had D.D.D. (Noah and I), two lovely ladies behind the bar and one surly merch table guy. Ok, Dan wasn’t surly, but he called himself lame for reading this blog. Dan, on the spectrum of awesome this blog registers an 8 so it can only help your personal quotient. Anyway, Dave and I were subject to the harsh conditions while we worked the 2nd door. It really wasn’t all that bad except for my toes. If you have any suggestions or long time secrets about keeping your toes from freezing, please pass them on. I’m all ears. Around 10:30pm or so, the 2nd door got shut down and I feverishly sipped a glass of whiskey with the hope that feeling would soon return to my piglets.

After a quick chat with Noah and Mia, I nestled into the corner with Gigs, Beach, Lucy and Tumblehawk. The six piece Swedish rock band, The Soundtrack of Our Lives was a few songs into their set. Apparently Little Steven stopped into the Bowery to announce the band prior to them taking the stage. They sounded pretty great. Over the past few years the press has given a lot of attention to the idea of a garage rock revival touting bands like The Mooney Suzuki, The Hives, The Von Bondies and various other Detroit bands as the leaders of this movement. While listening to TSOOL, I couldn’t help but think those journalists missed their opportunity to expose a band that was playing some great Nuggets esque garage psych. Fuck all the theatrics of their fellow Sweds or Sammy James, TSOOL were living the sound embodied by those bands rather than simply playing it. They have a cool mystique about them, but they don’t go overboard. Granted the lead singer, Ebbot Lundberg, reminds me of a cross between Tim Harrington and Tim DeLaughter, (maybe in appearance and actions only), but he belts out a sound that pays homage to the 60’s English sound. Though they rarely give you too much to get excited about, they are worth checking out if you are the type of kid that chooses The Stones over The Beatles.

One note from the show: David Fricke loves TSOOL. He was back in our corner doing the scotch hop their entire set. This should indicate to most of us what kind of rock they deliver. My night ended swiftly. On my way out of the club, James played a dirty trick on me by hiding my knapsack. I nearly had a heart attack. My walk home was broken up by a slice at Rosario’s, and my night ended quickly once I was back in our sauna.

For The Brave Rock Lovers.
Tonight a there are a couple shows scheduled that are worth battling the elements. First up is a Mercury Lounge appearance by the always hilarious Hold Steady. If you haven’t seen these guys construct anthem rock around the rants of Craig Finn, stop by the club to check them out. And just incase you weren’t aware, one half of the band is ex-Lifter Puller. Openers White Hassle will grace the stage with their country fried blues with a pinch of punk around 10pm.

If you are looking to be apart of the scene, then stop by Pianos for the second installment of Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah’s residency. They were pretty decent last Wednesday, but some people think they’re all the rave. Stop by upstairs to have a drink at Ms. Nora’s Savvy Party.

Additionally, tonight will be the second installment of Shindig! at the art space on 6th Street between Avenue B and C. For only $10 you get access to an open bar until the liquor’s gone and you get to hear sets from The Five O’clock Heroes (who just announced UK dates) and The Go Station. That and it’s so packed that you can probably get away with a few ass grabs.

Words From The Street.
*** Audrey is helping to put on a SpinArt benefit for Sarah Flynn at Rothko next Tuesday that will include Ted Leo, Apollo Sunshine, The Benzos, The Head Set and The Chinese Stars. My homeboy (I wish) James Murphy will be making you sweat with his moves on the decks. You are highly advised to purchase your tickets soon. They go on sale tomorrow at 12pm.

*** Some upcoming Mercury Shows include the new IT! band from the U.K. The Kaiser Chiefs on February 12th and the wackiness of Lansing-Dreiden on the 17th, (buzz via Melody Nelson via The Wicked).

*** If you've been flaking on purchasing your Rogue Wave Tickets (almost sold out!) don't worry, they will be playing a second show on February 7th (via The Wicked). No word yet as to whether or not Sam Champion will play the second show.

*** Check out Zach's band Octagon. This is the first I'm hearing of the "much praised by Sean Bones" band. Hopefully they'll update their show listing soon so we can see them live.

*** In Issac’s most recent email, he proclaims that the new Brendan Benson single, What I’m Looking For, can be downloaded from the Startime International website. The song will be on the March 22nd release of Alternative To Love.

I Knew It Was You. Doug Broke My Heart.

There were so many shows this past weekend, but my love of all things football prevented me from seeing most of them. You may have seen me at the Mercury or Sin-e, but I definitely didn’t retain any rock due to a massive Doug Brien induced binge. So many of my friends had shows that for one reason or another got bailed on. My apologies to the members of Arbor Day, Demander and Jesuschmesus for not making it to your gigs. Next time you can count on me. My weekend was spent focusing on a Jets win that should have happened, but never did. On Sunday evening the realization came over me that I’m obviously in the wrong place. Why didn’t I go to a school with a program? Why am I not writing for a sports section? Why am I wasting all my time on rock? When Zana (sp?) asked me on Sunday if I had to, “Choose between never seeing rock or sports again?” My answer was simply, “I cannot live without football.” Maybe my approach to life is all wrong, but complaining isn’t going to help anything.

Keep Things Moving Forward.
So a quick recap of the weekend will make me look like a bastard, but I’m going to attempt it anyway. Friday night began with Noah and I meeting up with Merida and Dana at Epstein’s which is a new bar/restaurant on Allen and Stanton. They have cheap burgers that smell delicious so I advise checking it out. Around 9:30pm Dana and I headed to Magician Bar on Rivington and Essex where we met Jamie, John and Sylvia for cocktails. John was starving so I introduced to an old friend named Guaco Loco. On our way out of San Loco the cashier with the bitching haircut recognized me from the whole Perry incident the week before and we exchanged hellos. There’s nothing like being known for a crazy naked friend. We returned to the Magician for a few more drinks before I realized we had completely bailed on both the Arbor Day show and the Mission of Burma show at the Bowery. Once Dana and I hit the streets we decided to meet with the crew at the Mercury where Mia was kicking off her 30th birthday festivities. My time at the Mercury is a bit of a blur, but we managed to pack a few drinks away with the regulars before I said good night and cruised down to Welcome to the Johnson’s to have drinks with Dan, Christie, Erin, Leah F., Vin and a few others who I can’t seem to place at the moment. The night ended with a stumble home and a likely pass out.

Excited? You Bet Your Ass.
Saturday started out great. Christie and I met for brunch at the AKA Café on Clinton Street before going to Key Foods to grab some munchies and beer for the afternoon game. Around 4pm kids started arriving for the Jets versus Steelers game. Our huge crew included: Dan, Oveis, Erin, Daylen, Beach, Noah, Lucy, Tumblehawk, Dana and a brief appearance by Leah. We had a killer time pounding tequila and PBRs while the Jets came back from a 10 point deficit only to lose on a Doug Brien missed field goal, (make that two misses). It was so disappointing that my night began to spiral at the close of the game. We drank so much tequila by 8pm it was amazing I made it anywhere. At 8:30pm we shot over to the Mercury Lounge to see The Head Set who sounded fantastic. They sound wonderfully practiced, but not to the point where they lose their edge. From what I remember, they played a great set. In between sets, Steve and I got a bit of a hang on before Saints and Lovers took the stage. At this point I’m 0 for 2 in remembering their sets, (my apologies Dennis). If only the Jets had won, my night would have been less messy. After their set I returned home and attempted to pass. After much prying from Dana, I got out of bed and headed to Sin-e with Builder and Sky. The club was packed upon entry so I snuggled up to the DJ booth where Jin was rocking out. She played some great hits while I shot some shitty shit with Anna, DTL and Diane (aka Jenna). Dirty On Purpose was the first band in awhile that sounded great at Sin-e. They played sanz Erika which made their set a bit harder, but it was still laced with that D.O.P. goodness we’ve come to love. I was lead to believe I returned home to sleep after their set.

Sunday Was A Bum Day.
Sunday’s can be so awesome. After some walking through the cold, Dana and I settled on brunch at Rue B. I had a delicious omelet while crying over the NY Post’s coverage of the disastrous Jets game. We returned to 186 just in time to watch Randy Moss play like garbage on the way to a loss at the hand of Beach’s Birds. Speaking of Beach’s birds, he poured a beer on my head for calling bullshit on his love of two teams. Retribution is in the cards, but will come swifter and more surprising than a Builder Culkin. Anyway, Dana couldn’t have been happier to see the Moss meltdown after they outplayed her Packers. The second game between the Colts and the Patriots had me in complete awe. Bill Belichick is the best coach I’ve ever seen. He had the Peyton Manning looking like Eli Manning. His strategy to disrupt their offense through a series of defensive audibles blew me away. But I digress. After the game, Loose Record had a long and much needed meeting. We made some great progress. By 11:30pm it was time to head to Mercury to help Mia usher in her 30th birthday at midnight.

Mike and I cruised in to find all the kids rocking out waiting for the countdown. Beach, Oveis, Denise, Gigs, Zana, Greg, George, Mark and a bunch of Mia’s Burlington crew was on hand to congratulate her. We sang her happy birthday and threw back tequila in her honor. Around 1am Beach, Oveis and I stopped by 2A to have a drink. We sat upstairs and talked some serious football for nearly an hour before calling it a night. With the snow on the ground Oveis asked to crash on the couch, but before returning home, we popped back into the Mercury Lounge for a couple of nightcaps. Around 3am we called it a night and watched my tape of Arrested Development, (aka the funniest show on television).

Built For Lounging.
On Monday, my office observed Martin Luther King Day so my day began around 1pm when I met up with Dana so we could brave Key Foods together. I managed to get some solid shopping done before returning home to watch Sid and Nancy and finish Less Than Zero. Brian and Dan stopped by for a mini hang before I dove into Transformer the Lou Reed biography Builder has been raving about. Around 8pm Builder and I began doing Loose work which prevented me from getting to the Jesuschmesus show, but Jeff said it was top notch. Sorry I missed you Pat!

Around 10pm Dana, Josh and I met up with Christie at the L Train and headed out to the official Mia birthday at Barcade. We were lucky enough to find guidance in a fellow subway rider, and we managed to get to the bar way before most. We were greeted by Lucy and Tumbleweed who spent most of their night at the Mario Bros. machine. Dana and I sparked an amazing Arkanoid rivalry that I hope will continue well into the future. She has some serious skills to pay the bills, but I am happy to report we left the bar with me having the high score for the day, (ladies, please take a number). There were tons of sweet games at this Union Street (or is it Avenue) bar in Brooklyn. Empty your quarter jar and rock it out. Mia showed up around 11pm and we proceeded to get a bit rowdy with a huge crew. At one point Beach was buying carbombs for what felt like the entire bar. Every time I saw him he was throwing something back. As 1am grew near, Dana and I said later on to all the kids before sharing a cab back to the neighborhood.

It was a solid weekend of little remembrance, but all and all I can’t complain. Who’d listen?