once a year

its 2015 so here is my one post of the year...so far. things are peachy. things are grand. I'm blessed. I'm lucky. constant underlying feeling that it can't/won't last because..that's life? that's the pattern. early 20's was thin and depressed,quiet.gradual shift into the 30s in OCD and survival mode. and then the light came. i luckily wanted to keep living and do it well. the battles came and went.. and here I am...not taking much stock and writing once or twice a year, regretfully very little. i think when i stopped being scared of the future-whatever that meant, bio clock, losing ppl, changing in general,indecision- i stepped my way into the moment. took a long time...so much fuckin wasted time. Its nice to be able to sift through the bullshit and for me that's enough for now. Thankfully more than enough.

disgusting optimism

one of my Jazzer customers asked me about a song we dance to in class.. She had it right, she knew the moves, the vocal rendition was priceless. It was Pitbull and Becky G. I gave her the info. Her lament was that she tried to ask her friends what it was..they had no clue..I explained my roadtrips with my own pals and my solitary joy in the top 40 hits. whilst loved ones questioned my taste and motives, i broke into backseat dances and pure elation at the moment..not in high school anymore, but still feeling that feel... so yeah, all is well. let go of that thirst...just taking what comes as it does. Still finding my time is well spent. when moments of elation come, just gotta take em. very inspired of aforementioned thoughts by sweet sweetheart. He makes things golden just by thinking about them. its a lucky feeling..to be able to get excited by somebody else's foreign ideas. to mold their far out curiosities into your own. Odd to find the most unlikely match to my brain and have it fit so rightly into my puzzle. I will say, my life makes a lot of sense right now. Its not a feeling i'm used to ever ever. met a new life this past week. he's called Hugo Julian Mikulenka. thought about him every day til i met him, just as i did my niece Audrey Luna. overwhelming connection. in some form or another, I will always be a caretaker. But at certain times, it means more than other times to relish that role. time is on my side... glad to see that thing goin on right now and not see an end.

Happy, did someone say..happy?!?!

oh damn, i guess i only post every 6 months now?? it just seemed appropriate to do it in case i forget what this feels like. its called HAPPY. that's the word. that's me right now. knock on all the wood. Life has just been a grand victory as of late. Worked hard to get here, psyched to be here.. not forgetting how i got here.. <--thats the most important thing. it keeps us all legit. Blessed with so much right now. Its odd the feeling of content that's around. i think part of it has to do with goals and having a focus and looking towards a certain achievement. I've never been able to measure goals too well. i can def look at strides i've made in therapy and with interpersonal relationships.BUT, those are so hard to quantify...and even harder to open up about sometimes. (sucks cuz these strides are the greatest quantities) Apparently i set a goal and i mastered it. It doesn't involve basketball or a dance off, however..hmmm.. ALSO I happened into a good job situation and that feels progessive too. i feel like i have some past waves to ride on as well as current state of productivity-something i always value,but never prop myself for. always my toughest critic. THAT SHIT stops. i'm doin fine. got myself some best friends, gotta GOOD MAN boyfriend who keeps me on my toes, got a home in a place that i can't let go of, got some purpose. Thats cool yeah. of course, still not sleeping enough, drinking too much, over worried about lotsa things, using nicotine, am virtually clueless about pop culture,and i need a proper haircut. BUT, if i'm taking stock as of the moment, feeling on the highest of clouds and over the moon. (KNOCK ON IT AGAIN)

christmas day in BK

Christmas in New York this year...just happens to be my first christmas away from home.. Count up those years in your own head.. WOW. face time saved it all. Just got back from Courtney and Joe's where Mom and Dad were all too happy to see on the screen that i have a family skies away...and its full of love,laughs, lasagna,and a bottle of evan williams -to which my dad prolaimed was the wrong color label. ha! call us cheap. But it all fit in a cozy greenpoint bungalow where the dogs were playful and the giggles plentiful. I missed being home..however being away and abiding by my own rules was peaceful and relaxing. No more FOLO. i adore phonecalls and good basketball. Day jogging on off days. Xmas horror movies are a big win. Hearing bands from Austin on Joey's ipod is good news..plus good power pop and dance jams from courtney. we coulda went forever. so yeah! my own christmas day of leisure - albeit casual, lacking the usual frills, enabled by public transit-paved way for proper christmas traditions to come. I am feeling blessed. pic this day and print it on a greeting card. Tis the season.

is that a pizza balloon with a side mug of beer?

nothin like bruised knees and skin drenched in beer on a tuesday night. thanks a million to Diarrhea Planet for TCBing on that tip. 4 guitars, bass, drums, plus endless amounts of unabashed spunk/pride/humility ...to make a DBA show feel like everything else outside the sweaty confines of a tiny graffiti filled noise box didn't matter. All else was invisible. Show of all shows..anchored (literallY) by supersized balloons shaped as pizza and beer mugs and a happy newly-turned-30 dudefriend. OH GOSH feeling feelings, OH MY! get sentimental at birthdays and milestones, no doubt. inching upon my first foray into Bushwick living. Leaving my first NY apartment for the everexpanding/gentrifying neighborhood we all keep hearing about: the one that we let linger in our budget conscious and next big thrill thoughts: AKA Bushwick. Tacos, 99cent values, and THE spandex goldent skintight fabric mecca of stores thrive. here i COME fuckies~! welcome me to lost adventures and proper late night sandwich discoveries. and if my fear of change is listening, well fuck off. LETS REALLY BE REAL: i'm throwing a show/party thsi saturday. i miss putting on events and shows in the ol homestead, so i feel lucky to have found a space that allows me to curate a proper bill and DJ for the straphangers as well. its nice to be free of pressure and expectation which was a hovering beast in austin..and just put together somethign special. Dont wanna know or care about much of anything except good times and big fun..in the form of sonic happiness. how gay does that sound?!?! so much faITH in Cool Serbia, daytona, and Summer Saints..i'm gonna be a kid in a gumdrop swimming pool!! and Kate is a dreamy DJ partner who is always in it to win it and i wouldn't have it any other way in terms of an inspiring and funloving partner. SO THERE> I really hope the enthusiasm in my head makes its way into the heads of everyone! (GOD PLEASE) 6:00am its been a night and its time for bed.. post pickle sleep, its the best sleep you and I will ever know. a thousand things are on my mind: my upcominig change of scenery, my trip to Atlantic City with the unstoppable K-Spot, Spring time in Austin, my new crush who gives me blushy cheeks and peels off the layers of this weirdo brainfruit ever so nicely, Jazzer boot camp, the end of Middlesex, hugging the new everything and letting go of the old everything...sometimes the mind overflows and its a really sweet feeling <3

going coming

its not a settling down weekend. Lots of greenpoint love tonight and saturday shows (radar eyes). Then Friendgiving on Sunday.. luckily this time of mine has bloomed into a lovely and miraculous thing. Only a short year ago it was different...less than...unassuming. (still on the grand cusp of pretty, but open for wounds and otherwise..lonely at the wrong times) This weekend I enter and exit hopefully on the highest of notes, accented by comfort, belonging, friends, ideas, pockets of home found away from home, optimism, and lookings forward to. Grant came in on tour and it was a time of talking about pastimes and Austin times and teeny bits of months and years ago. We all feel the same way.. and get to that point in the most outlandishly different ways. Still the same though. grant is playing for s crowds of thousands.. i am seeing beauty in numbers of 10. everyone wants to carve something out of slate. we all keep trying and tasking. even when we're rewarded, it never seems to climax. when will it all come down? when will it all settle.. and when will the blanket we weave for ourselves be warm enough? always wondering (semi happily, yet still.) Wondering.

CMJ and the situations that come with it

CMJ is coming up next week. honestly, i just wanna make tons of money $$$$$ and then after/during see whatever i can secondhand at Cake Shop. My free night is next Tuesday...reserved for the So So Glos and Weekend (fuckin finally) at Shea. In the meantime, I'll catch Ghost Wave at work to feed my NZ lust. Twerps are playing Friday with Air Waves, and Shark? on saturday so i'll get my golden moments prior to the music fest party thing?? Plus Radar Eyes in november...another fill. I consider CMJ work time and SXSW fun time. so really sxsw better be worth my while cuz a road trip is in serious consideration at this point. DAIRY QUEEN AND WHATABURGER!! also i DJed this weekend for the @bkgirlproblems party and i couldn't have been prepared for the onslaught of AMAZING that occurred. also stoked to play all my favorites and have ppl enjoy them, aside from the TLC and 90's hip hop requests. I think Carly and myself held it down proper. I miss that shit for real. Also VOTE. for something. I may not spill out blogvomit until christmas in texas so heres a reminder to anyone to just do it and know YOU COUNT. xoxo

oh JEsus!!

well shit, it happened..i missed Jesus and Mary Chain play in new york. thursday and friday night, meaning thursday is always out but i don't work friday and coulda made a proper effort and gone. honestly, $40+ tix price kept me at bay but instagram pictures from friends put it right in my face. meaning I FUCKED UP. not that it was the greatest show...or even marginally great. BUT it was a band that impacted me to no degree..and it was that band that i could listened to in pitch black on a bean bag, crying for everything, living for a strange and peculiar summer at my parents, just one year deep at college. THAT BAND. them and GBV. And i shoulda gone for that sake alone.. it was a thing i would not have passed up in Austin.. The venue woulda royally sucked in ATX but i would have put up with it. I always wonder about the cost of living here and the trade off btwn ...well..just living i suppose..and seeing stuff. enjoying food and beverage..shelter as well. I get my fair share of shows here, but i skip out on pretty much anythign outside of BK and Cake Shop. In the end (blogging attitude is shifting/being honest here), the little guys win: too many basement/shitty bathroom shows with 10 ppl outway any show where a beer is $7 and the battle to the front is seemingly endless/blatantly atrocious. i will stick with what i'm in love with. and right now, its not JAMC. I could pay $40 to mourn this occasion..but oh well, i'm tired, hungry, and i can walk to Shea and get tacos on the way home . so THERE!

all i care about right now for the sake of my ears: "into the atmosphere" by Dusted Royal Headache Jaill Radar Eyes "wedding day" by Dent May cuz he MUST know what its like to be a 30 +ish lady in OCK singletown in BK...grosssss..but really, he gets something into me. outta me. good kid. Cool Serbia- any and all of it fuckies. gonna make a crying mixtape for Mr. Timmy G. track 1- I adore you by Melpo Mene track 2- my whole life story by holy shit (new album to come, oh my!) track 3- into the atmosphere by dusted track 4- my good deed by shearwater thats it, you'll all be bawling by verse 1 track 1. promise. We all have something to cry about right?!? c on a laughing tip...if anyone is down to put the elfgirl back on DJ duty, she's all ears...Its high time me and Kate (AKA Kate Pilgrim) got some sort of collaboration going. seems like a real deal banana split knotty bit of lusciousness for everyone yeah!?! yeahhhh!! xoxo

Sprung Spring

oh goodness, this is so strange. I'm approaching a year in Brooklyn, and holy shit! i'm so so happy. i can't count too many letdowns. aside from triple the rent and less than triple the pay, everything is coming up roses. I'm excited for summer..the impending bicycle purchase, visit from Krissie, and BBQs apparently. having a job for 3 days a week and a DJ gig to supplement means enough free time to Jazzer, adventure, and laundry my life into something pretty manageable and enjoyable. hopefully a trip to Boston at the end of the month of May, and i'll feel like i really am utilizing this whole living in the northeast strategy. Also being in love with the Celtics with the Knicks second, it makes sense to meeeeeeeee. In quotable news, heard a few good ones lately: "I have a crush on every boy." - perfect companion "I believed in myself too much." - homegirl on #420 "We're out of Rolling Rock." - God bless you "Williamsburg resident and avid bruncher" - ughhhhhhdjakoeijelkje;lkj!!! lame UPCOMING AWESOME SHOWS: Shark? at Shea Stadium The Death Set at Shea Stadium Crystal Stilts/Woods at 285 Kent The Babies/Ducktails DJ set at 285 Kent The Hairs at Cake Shop Ty Segall/White Fence/Strange boys at Webster Hall The So So Glos at Shea Stadium Big Troubles/The Hairs at Glasslands Summerstages with Beach House and lots of other bands i hopefully will be biking to.. Oh and BTW, all i got for record store day was a 12 hour shift and a Davila 666 CD. (wanted Nobunny real bad) But hey! i'm rich by my standards and i don't quite have a turntable here...so i count my blessings, iPod dock and everything <3

wanderlust

moving on with the beginning time of the grand ol 2012..sorta felt like someone/thing pasted a "Kick Me" sign onto my back. not pretty. Made it outta the fog though, and continue to soul search without feeling such a "plunging into nowhere" rush of anxiety..
after much contemplation and pingpong headplay, i decided to hit up SXSW this year. goin on a plane as an early Bday present from mom and dad. i can't even say i'm stoked on the bands or have any semblance of a schedule. just gonna go and take it all in from a tourist point of view, however possible that is from a native. This means i prolly won't RSVP for shit, but just wander.. stress free, and 20 pages of underlined/ must see shows lighter than usual. When you aren't DYING to see the Jesus and Mary Chain, it may just happen ;) Its a different mindset knowing that most of the bands i'd go outta my way to catch in past years are bands I can see *almost* any day of the week in the new homeland. I wonder how new york friends will look at the Austin, Texas.. i wonder the small world connections we all have.. i wonder if I'll be lost in a sea of people alone.. i also wonder where i'm gonna sleep. Small worries.
PLUS, people: All the exes seem to have grown up, grown beards, and achieved the status of unavailable as of late. Some of the lady friends have literally moved the fuck on and out. I"m gonna try see as many of everyones as possible but the dynamic is surely gonna be different, if not nonexistent, with certain folks. LIfe is happening to everyone. not lamenting too much, just observing as i do best.

So, as it stands i'm 13 days away from it all, and i really can't fucking wait to sleep in mom and dads guest bedroom. i've had a certain cheesy smile on my face since i booked my ticket. gonna hit up sobriety for a bit before the march madness ensues. but yeah , bring it.

according to the twitter feed

Fang Island, Bear In Heaven, Oberhofer, Frankie Rose, Eternal Summers, Perfume Genius, Tanlines, Best Coast, Porcelain Raft, Shark?, Tennis <---------glad you all finished up in the studio, and super duper cant wait for the releases to come out. Myriad reasons to be excited for springtime!

In other news....

Didya see that The Clean are playing Chaos in Tejas? I would honestly flip my lid to hear "Two fat Sisters" or "Oddity" live..or "Secret Place." all of it.. now hows about that tour...convince them Merge!

Didya see the Austin Psych Fest lineup? i was sold on Black Keys and Olivia Tremor Control.

BTW, anyone else prefer the black lips to the black keys? its a no brainer to me, the lips win.

hows about SXSW? thinking of road tripping down. But damn, lookin at these other lineups, it almsot seems better to wait. or not..In fact, i think i'm alomost more excited about the prospect of jumping into a car and just riding (its been a while).. riding down to the south. warmth. rolled down windows and loud music. girl time. cheesy shit like that. i'm into it.

my bro and sister in law came to town this weekend. It was pretty fucking amazing all around. It was def awesome to see Brooklyn with their borrowed sets of eyes. We caught Dive at 285 Kent, and made it to Rocio's two times before calling it quits on breakfast food. First official Broadway show was Memphis. Loved the shit out of it and made me want to rethink my choices and reformulate my dreams of operating a venue to professional dancer. I think i missed the boat on a certain one of those..i guess that's where the jazzer comes in. and sometimes an empty living room after a good run is the perfect time to dance.

in even more other news..i just read that DFA tweet about LCD Soundsystem trying to get on SNL for 6 years while Lana Del Ray was rushed into the spotlight. makes ya wonder yeah?

another fun twitter tidbit.. One of the so so glos got arrested last nite for subway turnstile jumping, as documented quite humorously on the feed. Apparently only 1 so so glo has never been arrested. haha, amazing..i jog by their home/venue Shea Stadium pretty frequently and they seem to be having fun doing art and shit on their balcony, practicing whenever, not bothering anyone. way to put a bad one behind the bars nypd.

alright, speaking of running... ciao for now. xo

the end of the year..

"I need time to stop moving. I need time to stay useless." - Cloud Nothings
kinda love these lyrics. And the new GBV album is titled "Let's Go Eat the Factory." classic GBV phrase.
been reading some year end lists lately, most of which only vary slightly. boring.But i love lists and trends, and all that jazz. I'm not gonna lie...can't get behind all the shabazz palaces , fleet foxes, st. vincent, bon iver doting. Frankly i'm a little sick of it all (reading crap about stuff you could give a fuck about, with optional videos for watching...)So i just live my lil ol life and listen to what i listen to, and try go see it live if possible.
Moved to new york this year..its been the greatest decision i've made in my entire life.. as cliche as that sounds, i will stand behind it until i get married or have a kid or forever.. Its been a crazy transition, and constant comparisons to my old home of Austin are made on a daily basis. they will continue surely.
i notice myself still endeared by the songs i was listening to in those months before leaving, songs that remind me of the familiar. This is juxtaposed with a desire to immerse myself in another scene..art, bands, shows, labels... And as i look back on the year..it seems that a year end top album list isn't appropriate. half of that shit would be from 2010, ha! kidding sorta Seems better to go over some of the most memorable shows/bands/songs that have been pretty important and super enjoyed throughout the crazy year:

-Jeff Mangum live in new jersey
-xray eyeballs at a number of places
-Dive at even more places
-Nurses at glasslands
-Twin Shadow/ Diamond Rings at the earl
-davilla 666 at 285 Kent
-The Oh Sees at 285 Kent
-Ty Segall at the mohawk
-Future Islands at Death By audio
-Cults "Abducted"
-Kids on a crime Spree "Sweet Tooth"
-captured tracks
-Tennis
-Weekend (not the weeknd, or whatever the fuck)
-Veronica Falls, Big Troubles, Shark?, Wu Lyf jamming at Cake Shop
-Atlas Sound /Parallax
-Beach Fossils show at 285
-discovering Shea Stadium
-Darlings
-Dom Family of Love EP
-Hooray For Earth at east side drive in
-Eternal Summers at cake shop
-The Hairs at cake shop (finallly!)
-Fat Possum
-Ghost Animal "In Your Room"
-Bass Drum of Death "Get Found"
-Oberhofer at Mercury
-real estate
-Tan Dollar "the turning poing"
-Girls taping at Jimmy Fallon
-Air Waves several times
-crystal stilts
-Wild Nothing
-The Beets at 285
-twitter in general..which i didn't use before i had to ride the subway
-showpaper
-Fanfarlo "luna"
-Harlem... Hippies and Free Drugs
-Gauntlet Hair "top bunk"
-Men "Off Our Backs"
-TCB Tuesday

maybe i shoulda categorized this. maybe next year? this will probably be the last post of 2011...a year I dont' feel the need to kiss off and bid good riddance to. Now isn't that nice?!?!?!?? in the look out for five finger disco shennanigans and TBA in Austin before too long.. and happy holidays kiddos!
xo

ATTN: Dudes

....who live miles and miles away, who are emotionally unavailable, who text two word replies, who i can't figure the fuck out, who are significantly younger, who make me too nervous to be myself around..

feel free to hit me up, apparently i'm still way into your type.

Cloud Nothings and such

ALN:
-11/11/11..everyone seems to be gaga about it, but it holds special meaning for me since it was my 6 month to the day anniversary living in new york.
-post anniversary, i saw cloud nothings at glasslands and i will say they put on one of the top 3 shows i've seen since my tenure in nyc
-glasslands is an amazing venue. I can always get in the front row and nobody is a DB...you can even pee and get a beer and head right back to yer spot during soundcheck
-Dylan Baldi a) knows how to spell his name properly and b) looks a hell of a lot like will sheff
-i feel like watching a drummer play drums is like getting a preview of his orgasm face..am i not right?
-BTW, Cloud Nothings drummer must have great sex...in a completely non sensual way, this homie was a gem to watch
-enjoyed seeing 1/2 the band in standard white t-shirts, obviously tour attire
-old songs with sped up tempo still sounded great.
-new songs stretched boundaries in a good way..and hoping that steve albini took it to a dirtier level on the recording
-def prepped properly when DB says "we're gonna play the whole thing" in reference to the new album. thats pretty awesome
-being pushed up against a monitor is comfy and was a nice grip when zoned out
-girl next to me was soo wasted/drained that she decided to ask me for a sip of my beer after proclaiming "this is fucking great isnt'; it?" Of course i obliged. again, can't stress enough how great crowds at glasslands are
-later, sadly, homegirl fell down...passed out for a sec...IDK but it may have been due to happiness
-excellent merch utilizing the mustache, which is normally annoying but somehow dogged the lame bullet
-some sort of video was shot during the set...and now i want a really nice camera. No wonder, the glasslands backdrop really looks like heaven.
-post show drinks at a new bar. Excellent beer choices and ample room for jazzercising on the dancefloor (don't really need to know the song..just count to 8 and its all good.)
-and upcoming....gauntlet hair, flying nun 30th anniversary party at cake shop (the mad scene strikes again NY/NZ), xray eyeballs, the oh sees, the so so glos, night manager, the beets, big troubles, real estate (<---love the new one omg), mannequin men, dive, woodsman, and if i get around to checking out this "five finger death squad" band..well, that could be interesting.

<3s from happy land

gettin off

OMG, i'm not sure if i was hungover or truly sick this morning. Been going nonstop with work lately lately so i went with sick (and tired). the result was: i took a friggin day off. i've worked the past 18 days straight.
i feel high..on life, duh! actually its just giggly fatigue and fuzzy headedness..Plus the idea of having no place or project that warrants my attention whatsoever is pretty awesome..i forgot how great it feels. now i want a week of. or at least 2 days. PLZ

glorified morning rant

the only thing i can tolerate in the mornings lately is deerhunter. Maybe it soothes the fatigue and frustration. today especially I'm finding it super annoying that people on the facebook constantly use the phrase "should of" versus "should have" or "should've". Hell, I'd take "shoulda" over the former any day. love writing about this type of shit on the most ungrammatically correct forum ever. F it.

probably should close this friggin facebook tab yo, since the grammar mistake police are on high aggravation alert. Come on Bradford, help me out here...keep singing..the book is like fucking smoking..its always around to provide a small amount of fun, and sometimes its quite rewarding..BUT most often its pretty boring, a disgusting display of the intolerable attributes of everyday person. and i have more productive and healthier options.. yet i can't fully quit. whatever.. Hazel Street....yum

oh and i have a gay man crush. also a straight man crush. Harmless right? Crushes are fun. plus a sexy dream with someone i follow on the Twitter.. is any of this @ worthy? Bahahaha, i think not. pffsshh...

BTW, tweets are excluded from the laws of language due to the character limit. Annoying facebook posts are not.

I'm learning to accept whatever I can get..thanks Deerhunter.

CMJoy

The past 7 days have been a whirlwind, physically mostly, due to bartending and dayjobbing it during the CMJ festival. Its also been the best musical week of my NYC lifetime. crazy huh? crazy that i actually got to see several bands and not bitch about crowds or costs..
last friday i finally saw the Beach Fossils in the city. Never let down live or recorded, somehow i've always missed the shows in NY. superstoked! Opening was Heavenly Beat, Dive, and Minks...what an overtime nite for the beachies..Regretfully i missed Heavenly Beat due to work..but was gifted a 7 inch from mr. pena, and it'll take wild horses to keep me away from the next show. (note to self: turntable/synthfix are in order)I couldn't see Dive for shit. God bless 285 Kent, but damn i couldnt see much at all. however, what i heard was bliss. Mostly Wild Nothing style and perfect for captured tracks..And Minks, wow! first time for them too. So impressed with the openers and hearing all the BF side project coverage as of late, i coulda been supremely disappointed with the actual headlining set. BUT, damn did i not refall in total heart with beach fossils again and again. It had been too long obviously. fun jolted me in the heart ..Every ounce of presence and magic and jump around jangle was in full force. These dudes dont fucking fool around with the live performance. Crowd surfing and kspot texting in full effect. Wonderfully enough, nothing ever feels forced..the vibe was that if every member on stage had the flu or lost a job/gf/pet/whatever, the show woulda gone on and the sadness wouldn't have shown. They always come thru like that,and way to go NYC for showing respect.

Saturday nite, caught dominant legs and Nurses at Glasslands..then stepped over nextdoor to 285 kent , yet again, yay! where Davilla 666 and xray eyeballs were playin. Was intrigued by the DL full band arrangement and impressed with the dance moves and tropicalia, which i wasn't expecting. Plus giant musclemen in the front row kept dancing and high fiving the band and clapping like they just got on leave from service..no kidding. it was pretty entertaining and had us in giggles. Props to DL for sorta not knowing how to react and smiling at the random fandom and enthusiasm. up front for Nurses had me blown away.. I still cant place the singers voice..except its got range for days and an eerie pitch that is mesmerizing/mysterious/supersexy..Petter from Alberta Cross is the only modern comparison in my head..but there has to be something else..its pristine either way to me. to some it may be an acquired taste...but honestly, i find it to be a well utilized instrument itself. nothing was wrong with this set at all. and a new appreciation for the casio christmas keyboard (as if it ever left). well done yall.

Next door, Davilla 666 kinda blew my mind. Another rookie to the whole live davilla scene..but i highly recommend it to anyone. i think i counted 7 beaming puerto ricans on stage who simply loved to party and displayed this with instruments. The crowd wasn't crowded, if that makes sense.. and fuckies danced like nobodys biz. ya ya know, ppl bitch about NY crowds not caring, but at 285 Kent and Death By Audio i've noticed..anything always goes.. you'd think ppl were fucking on camera and on cue. *APPLAUSE NOW* *DANCE YER ASS OFF* style. it would be real sad if these DIY venues every went somewhere else..or just left...shitty bathrooms, unbearable heat, sweat, makeshift views from torn up couches and tables...somehow, i rarely leave disappointed. oh and you can smoke cigs and nobody cares..yee haw. and the cheap canned beer: Blue Light..hail canada, o canada!

K so then CMJ started and days ran into nights..can't quite remember when was what and tuesday was friday, etc.. I consider myself quite lucky to work at Cake Shop, where i spent many a long shift this week. i can't even count how many band folk roll into the joint..it seeems to be a place close to a lot of hearts.. and ppl say all the time..." i had my first show here..etc." I see why.. the owners totally give a shit. the bands are treated well. promotion is fantastic, and each night is treated with specialty and importance. Lineups are printed, posters hang everywhere in the venue, website updated, talent buyer and owners come in every single goddamn day to make sure each show happens. There seems to be an understanding that the night is going to be a "night" for someone..even if its past midnite on a sunday nite in nyc, the music is important. The motivation and mantra are captivating.. giving the locals and touring bands a place to play in this grand city certainly means a ton.. its evident in the loyalty. So i got to see several shows..most happily viewed whilst slinging beers or drinking freestyle after shift were Cloud Nothings, Diharrea Planet, Eternal Summers, Dive, Royal Baths, teen daze, and hoop dreams.

CMJ was in constant comparison to SXSW all week in my head. As well as many ppl i heard during random chats amongst patrons..I did find that SXSW is much more of a beast than CMJ..you could actually buy fucking tickets to cmj shows and not be ousted by industry fuckies. NY seemed to stay itself while Austin is transformed and mangled to a degree that's overwhelming and kinda disgusting.. Notably, badge entry at CMJ had a nice low cap on it.. so stuff was pretty manageable to get into it seemed. This means fewer pissed off everyday showgoers, and more legitimacy to the actual shows as good old fashioned, awesome rock shows..compare that to buzzy bullshit, next big blah blah events with corporate sponsorships taking precendence over the acts. Honestly, i know there was a Fader Fort somewhere, but never even cared to find out where.. Furthermore, in ATX, everything is usually in walking distance, while CMJ is spread throughout BK and the city.. Less scrambling around here...less pressure to get in/out/onyerway, sprinting to catch a 15 minute set while missing another.Things just seemed so chill this week. Though catching a cab was difficult, i like that it wasn't too much more of a hassle.. and i only had one place to go when i got in.
Not to diss on SXSW, i really would like to go if i could..its just interesting to see the version of a music festival in nyc, and how different it is from the main one i've been so in love with for so many years. Plus getting paid for being at a venue all frickin week has been nice.. versus taking a week off and spending lots of cash.. coupla things CMJ lacked: elfgirl getting to see porcelain raft and gauntlet hair, east side kings, and afterparties.. perhaps i was too tired to go looking for APs. ON the upswing,maybe i'll save some cash and energy for those ones goin on in the Texas Spring.

nothing special to get off my chest

This city just doesn't stop with the tug of war does it?

Everyone here is drunk or broke. both perhaps? but how does that work?

Gauntlet Hair has two new tracks and they fucking rule.

News from KSpot on the TFFTS, and super excited for the mix.

While researching Gobble Gobble, prolly tied with Hooray for Earth or Soft Moon or Summer Camp for best sxsw show, I found the Eskimo Taco mix from Get off the Coast. The cover art makes me realize i need some new art in the apartment. or more porn.

Note to self: czech out more Get off the Coast action.

Free downloads have been wonderful. iTunes purchases have been minimal :(

going to see The Soft Moon tomorrow. and to Todd P's daytime BBQ.
pretty neat idea..acoustic jams from a buncha great fuckies :

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=287646384579144

Got schooled on the UT football craziness and have decided to reignite my fan flame with a pm game tomorrow. Televised of course. Unfortunately. same with the cowboys. someone misses texas duh!

I barely know what's going on in ATX music anymore.. I do know that Grape St and Frank Smith should go on tour.

Thanks to Craig for the new Gem Club and Future Islands. Dropboxsuckas!

Its been nice not working. It'll end soon. But at least i get a proper weekend out of the whole deal.

Been feeling way too girly lately but then Dude came to town and toughened me up a bit.

Why can you buy beer all nite but its like pulling teeth to get a bottle of wine at a decent hour here?

Found some cool shelves on the street in Tribeca today. My first decent curb find..or the first time i wasn't afraid to pick something up that was still completely useful for fear of bedbugs. If i get bedbugs, its gonna blow. crossing fingers.

TCB Tuesday was great this week. all smiles! happy that school is back in session, cuz i know all those yuppies were totes screwing off their wednesday morning classes.

My last pack of Texas cigarettes will die tomorrow. RIP.

and with that, its back to hot cocoa and cold air. could be worse.

Public policy change

The NYPD will not be arresting anyone for small amounts of weed on their person. i don't touch it personally, but geez isn't it about time? let's see how these officers handle this shit...
Has anyone seen that Religion is like a penis thingy floating around the fbook? maybe its everywhere, IDK but i was impressed. something or nothing about...its fine to have one, its fine to be proud of it...but please don't whip it out/wave it around in public or shove it down my children's throats.

just some things...