I forgot all about this

Some of my favorite dudes are out on the road right now:

Sat Aug 30 Spaceland Los Angeles, CA
Tue Sep 2 Rickshaw Stop San Francisco, CA
Thu Sep 4 Berbati's Pan (music fest NW) Portland, OR
Fri Sep 5 Sunset Tavern Seattle, WA
Sat Sep 6 Media Club Vancouver, BC
Mon Sep 8 Marquee Room Calgary, AB
Tue Sep 9 Velvet Underground Edmonton, AB
Wed Sep 10 Amigo's Saskatoon, SK
Thu Sep 11 Royal Albert Arms Winnipeg, MB
Fri Sep 12 Aquarium @ Dempsey's Upstairs Fargo, ND
Sat Sep 13 Maintenance Shop Ames, IA
Sun Sep 14 Replay Lounge Lawrence, KS
Mon Sep 15 Mojo's Columbia, MO
Tue Sep 16 The Bluebird St. Louis, MO
Wed Sep 17 Schuba's Chicago, IL
Thu Sep 18 Intersection * Grand Rapids, MI
Fri Sep 19 Pike Room Pontiac, MI
Sat Sep 20 Sneaky Dee's Toronto, ON
Sun Sep 21 Il Motore Montreal, PQ
Mon Sep 22 TT The Bears Cambridge, MA

I also caught them doing a performance/interview at the Viva Radio studios a million years ago with Ted. I think these pictures make them look like the happiest band on earth. Why so smiley guys?











You can check out tour updates on the Love as Laughter Blog and also for some cross-bloggination over at Andy's Psychedelic Warlord spot and you can get the full Viva treatment here. Just scroll down to find the LAL interview.

Stormbringer you give me the shakedown

Here, this is me handing you a reason to hate me. And yes, that's a stress ball. And yes, I am sober. Ready...set...go!

I never thought I'd be stoked to combine "Violent" and "Shit" in a sentence...

but Violent Bullshit makes me stoked.

As Webb put it they are dudes who are in the band they've always wanted to be in but weren't because they had to be in bands they could tell their moms about. Actually I am not quite sure where Webb was going with that. It's more of a terminal goodtimes throwback complete with political puns and occasional tongue in cheek grandstanding. The best part of a Violent Bullshit show is the crowd. Nothing like watching a bunch of demurred button-downed plaid Daddys devotees reliving the days when they used to get their mosh on.

It took me about a month to post these because I realized they turned out pretty shitty. Apparently the ceiling collapsed in the basement they played in. P.S. How do you know you're getting old? When you start complaining about the air quality at basement hardcore shows. But seriously, Bodega, while it was hilarious and a good thing while it lasted had a serious mold problem that made me feel like I was going to die.

Here's to Violent Bullshit:





Dude, the guy on the left...I have no words.


After this happened Jayson told the guy that he was way too big to be jumping on him. Whatever...maybe Jayson's just too big...of a pussy!




Tuff earplugs dude! I got the green kind, far more neutral.


I learned the art of crappy hardcore pics in the eighth grade. I was totally that girl with a camera and a backpack at every show. Black and white film of course...


Did I ever tell you about how I was supposed to see Orchid play at the Pirate House in Lawrence, KS but got stuck seeing Don Caballero in KC instead? I was 18 and a drunk by then. No more backpack, but I did have a sweet labret piercing...eww...I had just gotten it and had to use mouthwash everytime I ate. My friend Sarah and I drove from Columbia, MO to see them but stopped in KC to meet up with some dude she knew. Said dude and all his friends turned out to be Christian indie rockers who were really into Stryper...I mean REALLY into Stryper. So instead of seeing Orchid we watched Stryper live in Japan and then went to the Don Caballero show. I'd be bummed on that memory except it was pretty funny. Mouthwash and all.

The mighty may they fall

From Brendan

I saw Metallica play at Ozzfest on the 9th. Much discussion was had as to what songs we wanted to hear most. Brian wanted Creeping Death. I crossed my fingers for Orion but knowing it would not come named Sanitarium as my #1 want to hear it track. They opened with Creeping Death and played Sanitarium third...majorly exciting, but also kind of a let down. After they play your dream songs, what do you have to look forward to? In our case it was a large bulk of songs from the Black album. Crowd pleasers, greatest hits, you know the drill, but at least while we were there we only had to suffer through on post-black track, Cyanide from their new album. It was pretty wretched, far too much hardcore bass slapping for Metallica's sake.

But I made friend with the woman sitting in front of me. Her name was Jenni Jones and she was with her daughter and her mother. Three generations of metal at Ozzfest. She'd gotten in because she had gotten a call from her temp agency asking her to work at the Pizza Hut stand (Ozzfest was at a plcae called Pizza Hut Park btw) and they'd told her she could stay and watch the rest of the show when her work was finished as long as she wasn't in the crowd in her uniform. She wasn't even allowed to take in her wallet much less a bag (security was gnarly enough for us, I am sure they treat their temp workers like dogs) so she made her son-in-law take off his shirt and let her wear it.




Jenni was totally amped during the entire Ozzy set and then went totally apeshit (note to self...use that phrase more) (another note to self don't make notes to self w/in blog entries, it's self-congratulatory and is almost as bad as copy and pasting your IMs) during Metallica.



In between the two she showed me the two shirts her family bought her (she was at their mercy since she couldn't bring in cash with her.





In other late-breaking Ozzfest news:


You can't tell from the picture very well but that is a Dimebag tattoo on this guy's chest.


I know it's cheesy but I totally have a lady boner for Zakk Wylde and his shredability. Dude is a viking personified and he is from New Jersey! Plus he named one of his kids, Hendrix Halen Michael Rhoads after "Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Mike Piazza, and Randy Rhoads" or so Wikipedia tells me.


There were a fucking lot of people there.


When I told my new friend I was supposed to have met Lars she sighed and told me she was more of a Hetfield woman. I said I wasn't a Lars girl, he was just the most sociable of the lot and that of course I was a Cliff Burton girl in this life and into his next one and she just looked confused. Said, "Oh, he's the guy who isn't in the band any more, right?" It was my turn to sigh and said, "Yeah, something like that..."

What a weekend

I went to Provincetown.

I went to a party.

This man was the host:


This man was a guest:


He was wearing this shirt:


Before the party we went out here:


I was hanging out with this guy:


I'll spare you the shot of me in my bikini and instead show you this:


There was also a tiki bar involved.

I'd never done the east coast weekender before, it's a very strange scene. The streets were packed, riding our bikes down Commercial felt like a third world country, all foot traffic, no room for cars, bikes weaving in between pedestrians, near collisions happening constantly. The vacationers consisted primarily of athletically-built immaculately-groomed men. Nearly every snipped of conversation we heard as we rode out to the break water was pure gold (although no one really wants to hear the words, "speaking of cows..." while riding their bike past a gaggle of gays.)

I had a blast though. Provincetown seemed like the friendliest place in America. Seriously, I had multiple strangers come up to me and wish me a good summer, compliment my ability to run in heels, make fun of my bike riding ability (but in a pleasant manner) and one guy even made fun of a Belgian dressed like Pee Wee Herman to me.

Also of note in Ptown, a youngish mom giving her daughter Pop Rocks for the first time. Daughter reactions violently, spitting them out and rubbing her tongue. Mom points and doubles over laughing still holding the Blue Razz package in her hand.

Also of note, "My boss came to work at the motorcycle shop and told me he fucked George Michael last night."

Also someone had a story about their friend making out with Taylor Dayne. Yes, apparently Taylor Dayne enjoys getting felt up by young gays at parties on boats. The kid had no idea who it was he'd been making out with but it was the talk of Ptown according to the storyteller. The next morning the kid's mother whapped him on the head and asked, "What the hell is wrong with you? You madeout with Taylor Dayne. Do you have any idea how old that woman is?"


Amazing.

P.S. She's 46.

Taylor Dayne - Tell It To My Heart
Uploaded by Sunshinemusikbox

After the storm it's hot but dry

Nothing like seeing old friends shred in new places



Went to Texas, spent a bit of time in Austin, ran into friends I didn't expect to see, didn't get to see other's I'd anticipated on catching up with but such is life. Especially when you are staying in a magical house in the woods with deer having slumber parties in the back yard. Of course like a tool I didn't take pictures of my friends' magical house but suffice to say that my stay in the World of Warcraft fantasy metal suite was pleasant indeed.

Managed to take a dip in the river before I left town though. We took the dog down to the dog run and waded in. I wussed out when I felt little fish nibbling at the tops of my feet. In or out of the water it was beautiful:


Steps leading down into the water


The view


Roots...radical


The lovely Ozma, who was too wild to be let offleash

We bailed on Austin a day early and drove to Dallas where Early Man and Valient Thorr were playing. Nothing like seeing bros rage in a different time zone.








These little dudes ruled. They stood front and center during the entire set pretty much motionless. The look on their faces was if they were politely listening. They were obviously stoked but they had a very passive way of showing it. Quiet reverence and Early Man aren't too things I frequently put together.


So much hair...


Caught in mid-shred

I didn't take any pictures of Valient Thorr. My camera was about to die and I was too busy keeping Pete company at the merch table. But holy hell, those dudes rocked far heavier than I remember them ever having before. I hadn't seen them in two years and it was great to keep company with the hardest working band in rock n roll (at least that I have the pleasure of being acquainted with.)


Herbie with fans with homemade Valient Thorr shirts


Summon the beast my children


Nothing like watching a friend sign autographs...such a weird weird thing

And then...somehow...this picture happened: