December 14th, 2008

This week i am mostly writing about recent shows i have attended. But before i go into "review mode" i am going to say... This week i recorded a really fun song that i am super excited about for my god baby's birthday compilation, and i just put it up on myspace for people to listen to. Its called "things everyone needs to hear." I recorded it at my friend robby's house with andrew and tristan and i think it came out really great. Please listen to it and tell me what you think. And speaking of the iggy comp'... it is turning out to be awesome. I believe emily and liam are only waiting for 1-2 more songs, but the 13 that are already on there are so amazing!

SHOW REVIEWS

CLEW OF THESEUS w/sikhara, james fella and adam mokan @The Trunkspace - This was an all around good noise show. Some of it was disappointing though, Adam Mokan performed for the first time in over a year or something and he made some interesting sounds but usually it is really intense and he freaks out at some point. At this show the sound just built for 10 minutes and stopped. James Fella did a great job, it was slow moving at first but eventually became very hypnotic and almost spiritual. There was a point in his set where his equipment completely shut off and he told me he was upset with that happening but i think it made it all more interesting because you could feel his stress and anxiety. Sikhara reminded me of a more artsy/tribal version of 8 Bit Porno. Sound/musically wise it was very intense and in your face and had plenty of changes in it all. But it was also very ritualistic in a not that interesting sort of way... i don't know, i still have mixed feelings about their performance. But musically it was super great! Clew of Thesis finished off the night with the greatest/most interesting set i have seen him perform. There was fog, intense, candles, a large teepee looking thing with bones attached to it, amazing lights and amazing sounds. I was very impressed and blown away by his performance, mostly because i could tell he put so much time and effort into it.

7 MINUTES UNDER THE MISTLETOE @Space 55 Theater - I didn't stay for the whole thing but i will explain my thoughts and feelings of the events i did witness. First performer was Tom Tuerff, who is hilarious and is pretty popular (and rightfully so) among the weirdo/bizarro "scene" (for lack of better terminology) he did two great songs about Christmas that made me laugh, the only one that stands out though was about how Christmas sucks in Arizona. Lauren Henschen did this really great/funny monologue about the economy and her life in general. There was a funny skit performed about kids opening Christmas gifts and having fun with there toys and it being really "fucked up" it was really funny. Sex vs. Christmas was pretty funny too this time. (there is a cute couple that does this regular "bit" called Sex vs. ____ which is a constant battle to see what is actually better than Sex) This time it was different though, because rather than having the beautiful Elizabeth Peterson  represent "Sex" they had the beautiful Steve Wilcox  represent "Sex" and he did a terrific job! It was all very funny and brilliantly improvised. Some of the jokes (or rather stunts) in the "Sex vs. Christmas" skit were pretty expected but still appreciated. I also saw someone perform the "12 days of a political Christmas" (or something like that) he wrote a song to the music of "The 12 days of Christmas" but every day was something different about how crappy it was to under the Bush administration and it was very very clever. The Naked Magician also performed. He is this very cool older gentlemen who performs magic in the nude, some people love it, some people hate it and i simply love things that are like that. My performance was terrible i don't really want to write about it.

THE QUEST @The Trunkspace - "The Quest" (in case you don't already know) is my newest project i have with andrew jemsek. It is a sort of loungey, layed back, greatest hits compilation of songs we wrote/have performed/really like. Andrew plays guitar and i play drums and we both sing. This was our second performance and it was pretty sloppy and i blame it mostly on myself and the fact that i could barely hear Andrew and we didn't have a set list with us (although we did make one). the songs we performed were (in no particular order)
-I KISSED A BOY (fancy pants)
-LIARS! (hi my name is ryan)
-DRESSING UP IS ONE THING (the real me)
-DRESS FOR SUCCESS (hi my name is ryan)
-KISS ME SON OF GOD (they might be giants)
-WAITRESS TIED UP (the nourishment)
-FUCK WHITE PEOPLE (andrew jackson jihad)
-SLEAZY (fathers day)
-I HATE MY KIDS (fathers day / haunted cologne)
-DID I USE THE WORD DIVORCE? (fathers day)
-I KNOW WHAT YOU DID (the real me)
-SUCK A CHEETAHS DICK (wesley willis)
-WILD THING (the troggs)
-DRUMMER IN MY CHEST (uggamugga)
-HARD ROCK STAR (uggamugga)
-POOP SONGS #1 + #2 (night wolf)
-BRODIE JAM (night wolf)
and that's all i can recall right now, but i think there was more.

THE AQUABATS @The Marquee Theater - The Aquabats played a terrific set. The best i have seen them in years! and here are a few reasons why. 1. They played a bunch of songs they haven't played in years. (Story of Nothing, Magic Chicken, Captain Hampton and the Midget Pirates, CD Repo Man) 2. There stage banters was pretty hilarious and mostly because they thought they were so funny. I love it when more "professional" and "developed" bands do stuff like this because it makes me feel not as stupid when i do it. 3. I was super pumped and hyped on cookies and hot chocolate and went completely nuts for most of there set. 4. THEY THREW FOOD AT THE CROWD! HOORAY! i haven't seen them do that since 2001 but they use to do it all the time and it was always so much fun and a huge influence on me and my performances in the future and... sigh.... it was all so beautiful! After the show i got to hang out with them backstage which was also a delight because they are all really nice genuine people and i like that i am at a point in my life where i feel comfortable being around/talking to my favorite band of all time. PLUS the bat commander gave me his sweaty/smelly rashgaurd that he wore that night at the show. AND! he gave me a new prosthetic mustache and spirit gum! HOORAY FOR FREE GIFTS!