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Year Long Disaster





I finally accomplished one of my life’s goals, which was to attend the South By Southwest music festival right here in Austin, TX. For the uninitiated, this 10-day music, film, and interactive marathon occurs every March at the Austin Convention Center, as well as at over 80 venues (yes there really are that many!) all across the city. Being the live music capitol of the world, on any given non-festival weekend, one can choose from an average of 40-50 bands playing concurrently throughout the city. And most of those shows occur within a three square mile radius of Austin’s historic 6th Street. But when “South-By” hits, the number of bands easily triples and…well it is something I’ve never really experienced to this magnitude before. Just walking down the middle of 6th Street, midway through the music phase of the festival, bands audible from every corner, a sea of people all around, was a humbling, breathtaking experience.
Ticket prices for the festival are nose-bleed expensive, with badges ranging from $600 - $900, depending on what level of access you desire. However, what I thankfully found out after a bit of online research was that you can easily see a ton of bands without paying much more than 20 bucks for all-day parking. There are numerous venues that have, with the help of local businesses, radio stations, and music magazines hosted free day-parties, showcasing 6-10 bands during any given party. Here’s how it works. The fine people at ShowlistAustin.com have posted an exhaustive list of all the non-Convention Center, non-badge shows, complete with venue links and RSVP e-dresses. It helps to RSVP ahead to guarantee entrance to the parties, but if you arrive early enough (45 min – 1 hr) you should have no problem getting in.

The first shows I attended were on Tuesday night, March 16th, which was technically one day before the music phase of the fest actually began. I saw Year Long Disaster at Stubb’s Amphitheater, who were opening for Motörhead. I didn’t stay for Motörhead as I’m not really a fan, but L.A.-based hard-rock three-piece, YLD put on a worthy opening set. After their show I walked two blocks down to the Red 7 to see Mike Hererra’s (MxPx) Tumbledown. As it turned out, I could have waited to see Motörhead’s entire show because Tumbledown didn’t go on until friggin midnight, which made my pre-planned early rise the next morning rather painful. It was well worth it though because Tumbledown was a whole lot of fun.



Tumbledown




The next day I got into the Paste Magazine day party at the Galaxy Room on 6th St. Canadian folk artist, Basia Bulat opened the party, accompanied by her brother on drums and friend on viola/violin. She’s quite good and even played a 90-year-old (!) hammered dulcimer on one song. Next was Rock Island, IL folk-artist, Lissie Maurus, known simply as Lissie, who has seen sold out shows across the country after the release of her five-song ep, Why You Runnin’ last November. I had really wanted to see her play ever since reading the Paste review of her humble, ep, and her performance at the Paste party definitely didn’t disappoint.



Lissie








After seeing Lissie I walked over to the Lustre Pearl for their day party, featuring a lot of bands I didn’t care anything about, but very importantly featuring one particular band I’d been wanting to see for a really long time. San Diego-based rock outfit, Dirty Sweet play a refreshing vintage rock all their own, but with a respectful nod to a few important 70s-era bands such as Humble Pie, Free, and The Alman Brothers, et al. Their 2007 debut, …Of Monarchs And Beggars has seen regular rotation on my playlists ever since I found out about them last year and their live show is one that should never be missed. I think they actually played a total of six different shows over the course of the four-day music phase of the festival. Their sophomore record, American Spiritual will be released on April 6th, but of course I already have a copy since they were leaking them out at the festival (shhhh…). It’s good. Really good.



Dirty Sweet









On Thursday of the festival I stayed home to hang out with my favorite little people.

Friday was another long day, starting with the Filter Magazine day party at the Cedar Creek Courtyard. Up first was Southampton rock three-piece, Band Of Skulls, another group I’d been wanting to see for a while. These guys are really good (of course…otherwise I wouldn’t be seeing them) for having only existed for two years. Next was long time favorites, Delta Spirit, who I’d never actually seen live before. It was their last show of the festival, so they had an especially raucous set. And last was the slightly disappointing Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. I really like their recordings but, as evidenced by their 2004 Cornell University show, and again at this show they seem to enter the stage with an air of condescension toward their fans. Maybe it’s unintentional, but it was definitely noticeable.





Band of Skulls







Delta Spirit



Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

The final band I saw was the highly anticipated, sporadically touring super group, She & Him. The band, consisting of actress/musician, Zooey Deschanel and indie rock icon M.Ward formed after the two met on the set of the movie The Go Getter. They are backed by Bright Eyes/Cursive multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire Mike Mogis and indie artist Mike Coykendall on guitar. Obviously, due to their other projects/commitments, touring and recording have to be carefully planned in between many other competing demands, which made this show extra special. Unfortunately this event turned out to be a badge-only event, but I was able to get a reasonably close view from outside the fence of the Lustre Pearl. By the end of their set there was just as big a crowd outside the venue as there was inside. The fence-line view was a bit too far to get any good photos, so you’ll just have to take my word for it that I was there.

So anyway, that’s it. Sorry for such a long post, but for those who care hopefully this was a worthwhile read.

Death Lounge

As most of you know, one of the many, many musical genres I enjoy is death metal. Now, as with any musical genre there are a wide variety of lyrical approaches bands may apply, spanning a wide variety of topics. One of the lyrical approaches incorporated by some death metal bands includes horror/gore themes. I am personally not a fan of this lyrical approach, and let me make it very clear that only SOME death metal bands write gore lyrics. Most write songs about chasing butterflies through golden seas of sunshine washed daisies while gently caressing two-week-old kittens with pink bows tied ever so perfectly behind their ears. Having said that, here's a rather humorous lounge cover of a Cannibal Corpse song.

Cheesecake and some very cute little people

I've been craving cheesecake for several weeks now, so I finally decided to make one for Knit Night last night.  As the fates would have it, another lady brought frozen margaritas with chips and hot salsa.  I had no idea that it would go so well together, but OHMYGOSHITWASGOOD.  Fun times, I tell you, and pretty much one of the coolest groups of ladies I've ever met.  And it doesn't hurt that we get a tiny bit liquered up together every now and again.

 

I used the recipe "Tall And Creamy Cheesecake" from Dorie Greenspan's "Baking: From My Home to Yours", and it certainly lived up to my weeks of expectation.

 

I added some vanilla bean pulp to give it a little extra boost.  The recipe states "1 1/3 cups sour cream or heavy cream, or a combination of the two", so I used 1 cup sour cream and 1/3 cup heavy cream because I love a little bit of tang.  Next time I'll go with all sour cream, but it was pretty near perfect.  Dorie Greenspan certainly knows what she's doing.  I'm not sure if I'm her bakerly stalker, or if she's my unwitting Baking BFF.  However, wherever Dorie goes with her sweets and pastries, there I will go also.  I've said it before, and I will say it again (and again): she is my baking hero.

 

The cheesecake is more plush than smooth -- not dense, and melts on the tongue without managing to be actually light.  The crust is just sweet enough, and the pinch of salt perfectly counteracts the richness of the desert.  To top it all off, while it definitely takes a bit of time (it bakes for an hour-and-a-half in a low oven, then sits in a propped open oven for another hour, and finally chills for 4 hours to overnight),  the actual work involved is minimal.

Thankfully, I only made it home with only 2 pieces of the cake left, because it's tempting me from the refrigerator as I type this...  (Shhh, no I did not have a slice breakfast.... I DIDN'T.)

Not related to cheesecake in any way, but I seem to remember a similar picture being taken of my sister Hannah and I:

 

Lavella and Jonah have been playing together more, rather than just playing next to each other -- I love to watch how that develops, as the baby becomes a toddler.

 

Because really, it's all about the dancing.

Some random shots of Lavella and Jonah adventures:

 

Lavella the movie star.


 
(Those vintage inspired glasses just totally kill me!)


Waiting for Elijah's schoolbus the other day:

 


 


 

Last Sunday, I took Elijah out on a Shoe Buying Date:
 


Which of course involved french fries.

 

 I love going out on the occasional "Special Time" with the children, and making an afternoon all about them.  It's good for them to feel really and truly listened to, making their concerns mine, celebrating their little triumphs, listening to their stories with both ears.  My love for my children is feirce, and I want them always to be sure of it.

Snow day!

With the 70 - 80 degree afternoons we've been having around here, it's hard to believe this myself, but on February 23rd, we had a Real Live Snowstorm!


 

The snowflakes were as big as the palm of my hand at some points, and it ACTUALLY STUCK!


 
(As seen through the window)


I ran outside with Lavella and Jonah so that they could experience their first real snow, but they were far from impressed.

 
(Look closely to see the frightening expression on Lavella's face)

 
(This was after only about an hour of our snowstorm)


By the time the boys got home from school, we had a yard full of snow!  Some neighbors came over to play, and we showed them how to roll the snow up and build a snowman (yes, we gathered up almost all of the snow in our front yard, but it worked!)

 


 
(With neighbors JT and little Beau)

The snow was perfect packing consistency, and Elijah was so proud of how big he could roll a snowball.

 

I have no idea what Lavella's deal was.


 



 

 


The funniest part was the next day, when it was 60 degrees in the afternoon, there were snowmen in front yards all over town...but no snow AT ALL anywhere else.

When pirates lie in wait...

Today, Andrew decided that everyone needed to be pirates.  After their (early) dinner, the tiny criminals gathered on the front lawn to await their next victim...

 


 

Truthfully, I was a tiny bit scared.


 


 


 

This guy especially looks like he'd show no mercy.

 

Then suddenly -- a fight to the last with 4 swords and a set of keys!!


 


 


 

Our small group/cell group/Front Porch group (from our church) met at a local restaurant tonight, so of course the pirates went in character. Because that's what real pirates do.

Nico Vega

So most people who've known me for more than three seconds know that I like to go to shows and that I have made it my life's mission to find out about new bands every single day (which, for the most part I accomplish with little effort). One such band I found sometime last year, and Faith and I had the pleasure of seeing live at Emo's last Saturday was Nico Vega. Now I've been to a LOT of shows in my life and seen a lot of really incredible bands, but it has been a long time since I've had my face rocked off as hard as I did while standing on the front row of a Nico Vega set. This three-piece, L.A.-based, female-fronted power house plays a unique style of rock that is a bit hard to describe. I definitely haven't heard anyone else doing quite what they do, but I guess if you put Sleater-Kinney, Joan Jett, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Janis Joplin, and a splash of Tina Turner all in a blender it'd come close to describing this genre-defining group. Front woman, Aja Volkman can bring her voice from a gentle whisper to a full-out rock snarl like she was born for it. Drummer, Dan Epand beats his skins like he literally wants to kill something. And guitarist, Rich Koehler has a set-up so complex he actually plays through three different amps at once to achieve their distinctive sound. Their lyrics, though occasionally leaning slightly toward the unwholesome, are nonetheless centered around love and a passion for social justice. And from a performance standpoint these three put on a show that should never be missed. It was unquestionably an experience that I will never forget.