Oct/090
DAN DEACON @ THE EAGLE ROCK CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS 10/16/2009
Wow.
So on the bill was Moses Campbell (rad), Nuclear power plants (holy shit, dronemetalravepunk), and DAN FREAKIN’ DEACON.
This was literally one of the greatest shows ever, and I am only blogging about it at 2:00 AM because I want to put my feelings out there fresh off the presses. Pictures hopefully soon.
Sweatiest, danciest, most crowd participatingiest show ever, complete with EPIC lights and dance marathons. So visceral, and loud, and I felt like I was consumed into the crowd to become a self aware hive mind of ROCK. It was seriously primal and full of incredible energy. I was right up next to Dan basically the whole show. For those not in the know, he basically sets up this cluster of rocking pedals and synths and lights and plays the entire show with his back to the crowd, but instead of onstage he is in the pit! I got a sweet Dan Deacon hug and I probably won’t ever wash my sweet demonbabies t-shirt now that it is imbued with the power of the Deacon Sweat™. Gross. Sorry.
He played some raging tunes (all of my faves, including Ohio!!!) and we did some crazy interpretive dances and a giant collaborative snake around the building project which I will call “They will know us by the trail of hipsters.” Maybe too difficult to explain, but trust~ it was incredible.
THEN THE BEST PART, which is maybe deserving of a separate post? I dunno… THE BEST PART (maybe even better than Dan Deacon? It’s tough… But certainly more “unique…”: I picked up these two dude hitch hikers outside of the show as I was leaving, who needed a ride to a bar. So I did what any normal, self respecting person would do! I took them. To a bar called “Footsies.” One was a pretty large dude with long hair, and the other was from Colombia. Both mid thirties. Both BLASTED. I drop them off and they insist that they buy me a beer. Each. Pretty funny. Colombia told me about his love life trials and tribulations, and they both kept introducing me to their friends as their hero. Lots of hugs with strangers. Lots of arms around my shoulder telling me about how I was a beautiful person and the beers wouldn’t be enough but somehow I’d be thanked for being so “beautiful.” One of their girlfriends grabbed my ass. I was offered many illegal narcotics. I was totally out of my element, but what a story, hey? I had my beers and I departed mysteriously into the night. PAY IT FORWARD, PEOPLE! So far my worst fears about them spiking my drinks have gone un-answered. Thank god. I LIVE TO TELL ANOTHER TALE!
Also the Dodgers won today. 1-1. My boys in blue dropped game one of the NLCS in 1988… The rest is history, heeehee.
Tomorrow UCLA vs. Cal at the rosebowl! I am going with my Cousin Matt, his girlfriend Adina, and my Aunt… They’re all big Cal fans, so I gotta step it up for the BRU-CREW! GO BRUINS.
Good night.
Oct/090
ZOMBIELAND
Zombieland Poster
This movie was actually pretty great. I took Gabe and two of his buddies to see this, and honestly it is one of the better films I’ve seen this year.
I’m not sure if I prefer it to Shaun of the Dead, but it is in the same comedic zombie vein. Woody Harrelson is really funny, and this could be my favorite role of his, and the best since No Country, despite the obvious gap in face-time between the two roles.
Don’t go into it expecting an art-house, oscar worthy epic. It’s meant to be some cheap laughs, and it delivers.
Bill Murray has an epic Cameo.
Fellini Scale: 6.0 out of 8.5
Sep/090
Happy Birthday, Clifford!
My father turns a year older (wiser, and more fantastic!) today. He has aged beautifully, like a fine wine. I ask my reader(s?!) to enjoy a moment of their time by living GLORIOUSLY in any manner of their chosing, but to do so in his honor. Particularly appropriate devotions might include: sampling fine wine, appreciating a stamp, making a hilarious wise-crack (I’m a chip off the old block), or engaging in a sprawling intellectual discussion about the nature of all things, history, science, music, art, or how much you regret having that huge dinner last night. Look at the stars! Sing a show tune. You will be enriched by this moment. Do it every day, but today do it up brown. For Clifford.
I will be dining with him at Le Petit Greek, on Larchmont… IT WILL BE A FEAST FIT FOR DIONYSUS HIMSELF!! Stop by if you’re in the area and bestow upon us good tidings, all manner of fine beverages, or just a smile!
I love you, Dad!
Sep/090
Bending Toward the Sun / Family on the Today Show!
The Cover, Photo Editing by Chris Gilbert
As a part of the promotion of her new book “Bending Toward the Sun”, (Click to buy it!) my S’mom Leslie was interviewed on the Today Show. (Click to watch it!)
I’m very proud of this book, as it has been an extremely cathartic outlet for Leslie, her mom, and to my wonderful sister Mikaela.
It is the product of years of hard work, and often the painful rehashing of dark memories of a dark time in my Grandma’s life, and the world.
A brief synopsis of the book: My Grandma’s story is similar to Anne Frank’s in that she lived out some of her formative years in a tiny attic in Poland to escape the Nazis, the key difference being that my Grandmother survived to tell her tale. Thank god. The book chronicles her harrowing experiences, then goes on to trace how those horrible times have gone on to affect future generations. As my Grandmother started her family in America she passed down some of these traumas, and so the book becomes a generational memoir of this Holocaust legacy: from Mother to daughter, and from daughter to grand daughter.
Anyhow, the book is a great read if you’re at all fascinated by the Holocaust, my family, or psychology.
Congrats Leslie, Grandma, and Moosh- You are incredible human beings, and I love you all. So proud.
Jul/090
The Attack of Fanzilla
My cousin Fanny is from New York, and she is cute, and she sorta flew over here with her mom to visit us rather spur of the moment. Amazing! She has totally grown into the nick name I gave her: “Fanzilla”. Quite simply, she terrorizes New York yet still manages to occupy a special place in my heart, aww.
She leaves tomorrow. Bummed! Still a great visit.