I am not a fan of Christmas songs (I blame years of working at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar). But I do love the Muppets. I think I will treat myself to a little Emmett Otter’s Jugband Christmas today. In the meantime, I will leave you with a new twist on a classic.
The 12 Days of Christmas with the Muppets, Jimmy Fallon, and the Roots
M and I should try to tell you more about free stuff around town (or how to live a rock and roll lifestyle on the cheap). I usually tell you after the fact during SXSW, but this year I will make an effort to tell you ahead of time how to save some $$.
The Channukah Fairy dropped this in my inbox last night.
Just when you thought there would be nothing to do between now and SXSW, Transmission decided to say, “Fuck the Recession”, and give us free week once again. January 1st-9th you get an all you can eat buffet of music along Red River.
And now for my psa…
Just because you get to see shows for free doesn’t mean you won’t be spending money. Please support the bands by buying stuff at the merch table. Please support the bars by buying booze. …and lastly, don’t forget to tip those bartenders.
So last night I went to the 101Xmas Show. Thanks to the internet, I had a set list to confirm my hipster math calculation. I was spot on. I decided to head down early to try and find decent parking. I found primo parking on that street where I usually park for events at the Music Hall and La Zona Rosa. I managed to hit LZR at the end of White Denim’s set. Which was perfect. Arriving at the end of the set allows you to get into position to fill the gaps made by the people who need beer refills.
I was about eight people back from the stage, just left of center, before Hockey hit the stage. I felt like I had entered a time warp. Was the lead singer wearing a feather earring? Is it me or is there more Disco throwback music in circulation? Is that why 101x only plays Too Fake? Seriously, their set sounded like the Flashback lunch, new wave and disco (I happen to like these things, but then again, I was there the first time that music was in fashion.).
The crowd started to grow larger at the end of Hockey’s set. People had stupidly paid scalpers $80+ to see the next band and they wanted the primo spots that myself and my other happy camping buddies had acquired. I stood firm (BTW. since when is it acceptable to use another person as a post to lean on. I swear, this chick was all up on my ass like I was a wall. I decided to take a step forward to see what would happen. She almost fell down.)
I was able to move up about 2 people thanks to the crowding situation. Because I am a nice person, I let 2 short girls behind me move up (they were well behaved and quiet, not the pushy bitches to my left). Phoenix was all I expected them to be and more. (I have no clue why they aren’t in my ipod. I don’t think it matters now that I have seen them live. You can’t get that sound out of an ipod.) I was shocked that they could rock that hard at the end of a long tour. I had assumed that we would get 45 minutes tops. Try over an hour of old songs and new. The crowd danced and sang and eventually I was able to forget the pushy bitches to my left. All was well until the band decided it would be a good idea to let the crazies get on stage with them after 1901 (Dear bands, it is a bad idea to let the lemmings trample people so they can get their 15 minutes).
Here are the rest of the pics. Enjoy!
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
-Albert Einstein
I continue to do the same thing over and over. It’s like I see it coming, so I batten down the hatches and prepare for the fight, thinking this one will be different. “If I can just get through this, then it’ll all be ok.” Then it ends, and we’re both heartbroken and generally broken. That’s not to say that I don’t believe time heals all wounds, because I do. I think that’s maybe the reason why I continue this behavior. It’s a different fight each time, but I’ll still push and fight to the teeth.
So, yeah, it happened. I kinda had a feeling it would from the very beginning, it usually does. I’m usually the one to get broken up with, I’m just too much of a fighter to not go down swinging.
The problem is, that I never remember this feeling when I’m beginning the fight. It’s like this new fight has erased all the other horrible ones from my memory. And I think, “This time it’s different.” But really, it never is, it might be about something different, but the outcome is the same, I have to eventually give up. The giving up part is harder than the actual fight for me. I’m so determined, and so stubborn, that each time it’s worse.
This begs the question, How much is too much? How much can I put up with and know it is or will be worth it in the end. Am I just going to continue this vicious behavior in every relationship? Or will I eventually be so broken, like Muhammad Ali with Parkinson’s, left trembling and almost incomprehensible?
I want so desperately for my life to be a movie, the happy ending and all that but it never turns out that way. And I know this, its something I tell myself all the time. However, telling yourself something and believing it are two different things.
It’s just not good enough anymore. To continue fighting for things that I know won’t pan out is insanity. From this point on, I’m deciding that I’m only going to put into a relationship exactly what I’m getting out of it.
Can someone please remind me of this next time I start getting ready for the end fight scene? I’m not going get all cynical here and swear off men. I’m not even going to banish particular ones to the closet of misfit toys. I just need help with the perspective thing.
Don't F* with Santa from Austincacophony
Last night, M and I wound up at the Gingerman with the Jew and the Arab (The Jew is prefers to drink between the two highways vs. venturing into Hipstertown.). It was a low key evening of beer and conversation. Meanwhile downtown was being invaded by hundreds of Santas.
Santas? Yes, Virgina, last night was Santacon. According to the Wikipedia, Santacon is
a mass gathering of people dressed in Santa Claus costumes parading publicly on streets and in bars in cities around the world. The focus is on spontaneity and creativity, while having a good time and spreading cheer and goodwill.
I had received a Facebook invite not too long ago from the Austin Santa Rampage group, inviting me to join them for Santarchy/Santacon. There plan was to swarm the downtown area from noon-until the bars closed. I was surprised that there were so many rules for this mass gathering of jolly people. The first rule about Santacon is that you can’t talk about Santacon. Seriously. There was the FB invite with vague instructions. If you RSVP’d yes you were sent an email with additional details (Santa rules/guidelines, the starting point, and a website to read the FAQs). From the website you could get the Twitter account to follow so you knew what bar the Santas were invading.
The Great Wendini (my new yenta) invited to roll with her Santa Posse. I spent a chunk of yesterday developing my Santa outfit (which involved a cape trimmed in gold and silver garland). By the time 7pm rolled around I decided not to join the herd. I could do a small social gathering/costume party but not this. This was going to be overwhelming.
According to the rules, Gingerman was to be a Santa-free zone (we spotted a few renegade Santas on the back porch). After Gingerman, M, the Jew, and myself went to 24. It is in the old Waterloo Icehouse location. I wasn’t that impressed. It was partially due to the waiters inability to tell us what cheese was on the cheese plate. The prices weren’t that great either.
The show sold out as predicted. Lucky for me I had the laptop and credit card ready to go before I went to bed. I set the alarm for 9:50am. Bought my ticket at 10am and went back to bed.
I am looking for a sidekick for the evening (M will be on vacay). Doors at 8. Show at 9. Based on the hipster math I am guessing that Phoenix goes on at 11. I’ve seen White Denim before but I would like to catch Hockey. I could do drinks at Star Bar before the show or maybe grab dinner at Hut’s or Frank & Angies.
SXSW dropped a big bag o’ Xmas cheer. The 2010 Showcasing Band List. Which means I get to start my research early this year (last year I barely scratched the surface).
Stay tuned little readers. This weekend I will start the google docs spreadsheet.
Bands I look forward to so far…
Apostle of Hustle (Toronto ON)
Bomani Armah & Project Mayhem (Washington DC) - Read a Book!!
*Breakestra (Los Angeles CA)
*The Dollyrots (Los Angeles CA)
*The Ettes (Nashville TN)
*Fool’s Gold (Los Angeles CA)
Frightened Rabbit (Selkirk UK-SCOTLAND)
*HEARTSREVOLUTION (New York NY)
*The Hood Internet (Chicago IL)
We Are Scientists (New York NY)
Probably
Most people are just a little crazy in their own little way. Last night I went on a mini pub crawl with M and the Arab (yes, he is real). Last night’s topic of discussion was about crazy (or “the crazy” as we prefer to call it). It’s not a horrible thing to be crazy. Seal says, “that we’re never gonna survive unless we are a little bit crazy.” Gnarls Barkley was at peace with being crazy.
Here are some benefits (according to the dictionary) that go along with being crazy:
I was inspired to harness the power of social networking after M forwarded a tweet from a guy who was looking for a date.
Alright, twitter friends, I need a date. With a girl. Just dinner and such. PS-I have a job and a car. RT! RT!
Simple and to the point. Apparently this guy decided it was worth a try to use twitter to get a date before the end of the year vs. paying for internet dating sites. I am curious to see how that goes.
M and my sis made an attempt to find me a date on Twitter last February. I think the failure was that the “ad” took 3 to 4 tweets. This time I went with something simple.
In my head this was safer than posting or trolling on CL to keep myself entertained this winter while M is on vacay.
So I have received a billion (well, maybe not that many) invites to the Smirnoff party in last year’s SXSW Fader Party shack. The party sounds like a great idea. Who wouldn’t want to get all liquored up (hopefully they will be serving vodka and not that Smirnoff Ice crap) and dance around to DJ Peanut Butter Wolf and Foot Patrol?
But wait for it… Some super genius decided that it would be a good idea to let a bunch of intoxicated adults put paint on their feet and dance around on canvas in the name of art (…and no, I did not make this up).
The theme for the event is the “Art Sole” party. Art Sole provides a unique live art installation and live music event for the party-goers of Austin, TX. People will be asked to dance on a giant canvas after dipping their feet in paint. The event attendees will be dancing to the music provided by special guest performers.
Once again I say, “WTF!” As an ex-preschool teacher I know what happens when you have the best laid plans to create art with imagination, paint, and body parts. You get messy. Messy to the point where it may be easier to burn the close and hose the kiddos off in the yard.
I am thinking that drunken adults will yield the same results as my room full of three year olds.
So, Be There, but Beware. You might want to put on some clothes/shoes you don’t care about.
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