Perhaps we can consider this an extremely late addendum to the note I posted years ago about the Bread & Circuits set at the Goleta Fest in 1998, eh? A while back, I finally scanned some photos that had been sitting in an old shoebox for years, including these shots of Chuck and Mike, and I thought other folks might be interested in seeing them as well. Perhaps I'll post some of the other stuff I found soon. In the meantime, enjoy, and here's a link to "Letter From Chase," from their record on Ebullition: "There are questions, simple questions / they do not want you to ask / should you choose not to choose / the least resistant path..."
Happy May Day! The last four months have moved with unsettling speed. I know that you've heard this before, but I really am resolved to post with more frequency. For now, a scene from Rude Boy, one that made a big impression on me when I was younger: "I've just thought about it a lot, and I just think there's nothing... there's nothing there. You can get all the Rolls Royces, all the dough, all the country houses, all the servants you want, and I just think there's nothing at the end of that road, no human life or nothing, and that's why I just don't want to go that way. That's why I think that it's all of us or none."
Here's some footage of one of my favorite Fugazi songs, "Facet Squared," at a 1993 show in Nashville. "We draw lines and stand behind them. That's why flags are such ugly things." Happy birthday, America.
Almost all of the shows at the Doug Fir are over-21 affairs, and as a result I'd never been there. An exception was apparently made for Ted Leo's second show of the weekend, however, an all-ages Sunday matinee. It was funny, though - as soon as I went downstairs, I couldn't shake a pretty intense feeling of deja vu. It took me a few minutes to puzzle it out, but then I realized that I had been there before, in a way. Back in 1999, I saw Tragedy play in that same room, but the building at the time was a Chinese restaurant, and the hotel was also under different ownership. It's funny how things change.
Anyway, The Pharmacists were great. This was probably the best I've ever seen them; the James Canty/Chris Wilson/Marty Violence lineup is easily my favorite, and everyone seemed to really be enjoying themselves. I think I heard everything that I'd been hoping to hear - especially "Bottled Up in Cork," "Me and Mia," and "Under the Hedge" - plus a pretty entertaining karaoke version of "Since U Been Gone," a song that I'm afraid I'm not really familiar with. They played for a little over an hour, which I think is just about the perfect time. I'd see them again in a second, so hopefully they'll return sometime soon.
Here's a clip of "The Mighty Sparrow," from the new record:
Cara and Joanna and I went down to the Aladdin last weekend to see Jonathan Coulton play with Molly Lewis and Paul & Storm. It's a curious thing, seeing music in a setting like that: a large crowd, advance tickets, long sets, sitting down for the entire show. I'm certainly not used to that kind of experience, but I really enjoyed myself. Everyone that played seemed to be in good spirits, and the interplay between the folks onstage and the folks in the crowd - and the lighting technician - really added a lot to the whole night. Part of me thinks it's kind of a shame that Coulton's music is known almost exclusively for its humorous quality; there's no denying that a great deal of its appeal comes from being funny, but I think it's the sadness underlying songs like "Future Soon" and "Shop Vac" that really sets them apart. Anyway, the whole show has actually been uploaded, so you can see it for yourself; here's "Betty and Me," Coulton's opening song:
A few nights ago, I went down to Ground Kontrol to see Leeni, Spamtron, and Trash80. It was a new experience for me; I don't really know the first thing about chipmusic, but I stumbled across some of Trash80's material a while ago, and I think it's pretty terrific. Apparently, the folks that are behind this show, 2 Player Productions, are going to be doing more events on a regular basis. As much as I enjoyed the music, though, I don't know how often I'll be attending - the shows at Ground Kontrol seem to be strictly over-21 affairs, which is a fucking drag. Anyway, this is Trash80's "Missing You," the song that first caught my attention:
What to say? This band has been, and remains, the source of a great deal of inspiration for me. While I feel as though 'sincere' is a term that somehow has lost much of its power, in this case it's one that I think applies best. Bread & Circuits were thoughtful and human in a way that set them apart, and I consider myself fortunate to have seen them a handful of times -- including this show. In fact, I can occasionally catch a glimpse of my eighteen-year-old self in the far left corner of this video. Lindsay and I drove down for the festival -- or, more accurately, Lindsay drove while I slept in the passenger seat. We were quite excited by the idea of seeing twenty bands over three days, though now that prospect sounds more daunting than exhilarating. It was also my first time in Goleta, a place that each subsequent visit has increased my dislike for. I've met many wonderful folks who've lived there over the years, but as a college town in southern California, I could never really imagine a happy life there. Anyway, despite the grueling heat, sleeping in the car, and long, long shows, it was a wonderful experience. While much of the music has long since been forgotten, I was also able to see a few bands that I continue to carry with me -- Seein' Red, Former Members of Alfonsin, Suicide Nation, Born & Razed. And many times over the next few years, I would make new friends and later learn that they had also been there, and that shared experience may have proven to be the most valuable thing I took from that weekend.
Perhap
s we can consider this an extremely late addendum to the note I posted years ago about the Bread & Circuits set at the Goleta Fest in 1998, eh? A while back, I finally scanned some photos that had been sitting in an old shoebox for years, including these shots of Chuck and Mike, and I thought other folks might be interested in seeing them as well. Perhaps I'll post some of the other stuff I found soon. In the meantime, enjoy, and here's a link to "Letter From Chase," from their record on Ebullition: "There are questions, simple questions / they do not want you to ask / should you choose not to choose / the least resistant path..."
