I wrote this a few month ago when Pearl Jam 20 initially came out and never ended up posting it. Well now Eddie Veddar is coming to town so it's relevant again right? Right? Well either way I'm going to lay off my usual snarky tone and tell you a serious story for once.
So I watched the new Cameron Crowe documentary on Pearl Jam "20", and I felt this was a platform I could use to tell this story and talk about the film.
When my children were young I decided I needed to take them to a church that emulated my beliefs in religion, which are (in short) that all religions are basically driving at the same point and we should all love each other etc. I also craved a place to find some direction spiritually especially since at the time I was a stay at home mom and honestly pretty lonely so finding people with similar beliefs seemed like the direction I needed. I'm not about to get all religious on you (ok maybe a little). This is ultimately just a story about music don't fret. I decided to try out Unity Church of Fort Worth. I loved it pretty much right off the bat. There were two amazing people playing the music portions Melinda Wood Allen and David Tipps. Melinda mostly sang and David played guitar and sang. I don't remember what they played the first few times, but I know that at some point within the first month they had Rock N Roll Sunday and I was sold. This church is predominately people in their late 40's and 50's so there's a lot of classic rock but I loved hearing that. It encompass the music I grew up listening to with my mother and that eventually led to my heavy interest in music. With the whole congregation standing around dancing to whatever song it was Janis Joplin or The Grateful Dead or something I knew that I could connect with this place and these people. All music speaks to you on a different level than any sermon or religious text can. There's just more power there and when I'm listening to music and other people are listening to it with you and we are all dancing or singing it doesn't matter if it's my church or Lola's there an energy there that is moving. That moves you closer to pure joy. This was a place where I could take the energy I get at shows and give it context with religious text and meditation. So I know for sure that Melinda and David were a main reason that I came and they were a driving force in my spiritual journey.
Here's one of the first songs I heard at the church that gave me nostalgic warm fuzzy's:
So a few months ago David Tipps died from complications involving several anuerisms. It totally sucked! I really was upset about it more than when some of my relatives have died. Three weeks after his death the annual Rock N Roll Sunday came up again. I ,and I assume some other congregation members, thought "how are we going to do this without him?" That Rock N Roll Sunday music program ended up turning it into a memorial for David.Jerko Dabelic (to give you some reference to my normal blog material he plays for the Fate Lions and Sunward) had joined the music program prior to David's death and so he stepped up smoothly. Also David's daughter performed and turned out to be as talented as David. She and Melinda sang this Pearl Jam song
Her voice wavered some but she managed to get the words out. The moment and the song choice were perfectly cathartic for me and I'm sure the entire church present that day. A song I previously considered run of the mill and borderline cheesy suddenly found a special meaning for me. In that moment I liked Pearl Jam more than I ever had before.
When Pearl Jam first came out I never liked them that much. They were ok. I owned "Vitalogy". Now they're older and I'm older. Really terrible bands are around that are worse than Pearl Jam's worst song. And now they had a new song that held special meaning for me. With that in mind and hope for some heavy duty Seattle nostalgia I decided to watch "Pearl Jam 20". Cameron Crowe happens to be one of my favorite director's so I was pumped for that alone.
Please note I'm a little obsessed with all things Cameron Crowe so this is biased for sure.
This is my favorite band of all time ( Nancy Wilson is Crowe's ex )
This is my favorite Romantic movie
This is my favorite movie of all time
My renewed interest in them after David died carried me to the movie, so I thought it was ironic that the band formed from this place of grief after Andy Wood died and one of their first hits was Eddie Vedder working through grief from his father's death. Like any documentary about a band ( like all the Behind the Music's -except Green Day's- proved) this movie makes you like them a little more. I found particular interest in As a teenage I considered them somewhat generic. So, Eddie Veddar's struggle with that and finding a way to separate from the fame and delve into the art of the band interested me especially. The other interesting aspect of the band was the lack of a struggle amongst the band members than in other documentaries about bands where they all end up bickering about who's in charge and break up. I even appreciated the Neil Young collaboration and I HATE Neil Young.
The movie humanizes Pearl Jam a bit. So it helped me to accept them as people who are trying to figure all this life business out. Which I guess leads back to why I went to church in the first place. To figure life out.
Hey you guysss. So there's a lot of shows and stuff in general going on this weekend. It's cray. I mean what's so special about the last week in January?
Well anyhoo here are your choices
Oh so first of all all weekend in the Irving Convention center is one of my favorite events: Zest Fest. You pay like 15 bucks and can sample all kinds of awesome hot foods: salsa, marinades, sausages, etc. from the multiple vendor booths. It's swag city. ( Bring a bag to carry all your swag in y'all) So that's every day this weekend. ( side note this used to be in Will Roger's Convention Center so that's why I originally was pumped and wrote about it but now it's in Irving which is cool, I guess, if you live near there. This sidenote is long)
Friday:
I'm hopefully headed out to Denton because one of my fave bands, Mobley, is visiting Denton from Austin (if you read my top 12 list they were the first one) and is playing along with Skeleton Coast at Andy's Bar.
Also in Denton (this city is where it's at this weekend y'all) Seryn is playing at Dan's.
Our favorite volatile ranter Lewis Black is performing at Bass Hall
Saturday: Oh Lord it's insane. So many things!!!
I'll start off with Denton because one of my favorite bands to see live the psychobilly group The Flametrick Subs are playing at Hailey's.
The song most likely to get stuck in your head if you go:
Mobley is also playing in Fort Worth at Stay Wired
or you can go to the Wherehouse where (on of my faves from the Dallas Observer Music Awards last year) Sealion is playing along with the Cleanup and a bunch of other mother truckers (Tiger of Bengal and Tony Ferraro and the Satans of Soft Rock)
Sealion:
or you can head to the Aardvark where Holy Moly ( a Holy Moly show at the Aardvark NO WAY) and Convoy and the Cattleman are playing
or you can go see hipster approved country crooner Dwight Yoakam (he's hipster approved right? I mean he's in enough independant movies to get some kind of hipster cred right?) at Billy Bob's.
Oh ANNND before you go about with your rocking out (omg poetryy) you should go by Gallery 414 and check out some Art. Saturday is teh reception for the show titled "lol, brb, A Survey of American Painters Age 29-32 in Zip Code 76107". The show includes the art of James Lassen, Devon Nowlan, and Michelle Brandley. Check out the Fort Worth Star Telegram article here. Did I mention idk how many Gallery openings you guys go to but FYI there's usually free beer or wine. It's the best.
One of James Lassen's pieces
ok moving on
In Dallas I highly recommend seeing Soviet at Doublewide along with Sundress. Click on that link to listen to and pay whatever price you want to download Soviet's album.
Sunday:
I totally wish I could go to Lola's for a blast from late 90's pop punk band The Ataris. They're playing with a local popish punk band Perdition who I've heard are good. Punk shows are always bouncy fun. Plus The Ataris write those cutie romantical songs that always made me fall for skater punks when I was in High School thinking they were romantic too. (I never found out because I never actually dated any of them womp womp)
Here's the my favorite Atari's song
And here's Perditon covering Death Cab for Cutie ( it really kicks in around the 45 second mark)
Ok people go do something awesome this weekend! See you next time
Taylor Craig Mills is doing a solo show for FREEE at the Cellar (with Mora Collective and Uboat)
In Dallas if you hurry and get tickets (bc it's almost sold out) you can go see Erykah Badu's new music venture the Cannabinoids at the Granada. They are supposedly amazing.
On Saturday and Sunday at Angelika in Dallas they are holding a kid's film festival that's all Studio Ghibli films. If you don't know they are the studio that made Ponyo, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke. ( and if you haven't seen those movies you're fired and you must stop everything you are doing and watch "Ponyo" right now then come to this festival.) I know it's for kids but chances are they'll let you in without, or if you have kids then hells yea let's go! They are playing 11 studio Ghibli FIlms so this is a great opportunity. Here is the schedule of times. (here)
This is my favorite of all their movies:
Also on Saturday at Caves ( one of the few times I will ever suggest someone go to Arlington sorry Arlington) is an awesome fundraiser for a five year old girl battling Brain Cancer: Caves Fight for Maddie Benefit Show.
There are a ton of bands playing: House Harkonnen, Holy Moly, The Phuss, The Dangits, Convoy & The Cattlemen, Bastardo De Sancho, The Charasmatics and The Plagues!There is also a raffle for awesome prizes and there will be food stuffs. It all starts at 3pm bands play at 4. Check out this FWWeekly article for more deets and a spot to donate
On Sunday the amazing super fantastic Loretta Lynn is playing at At&T Performing Arts Center. ZOMG I LOVE HER. Tickets start at $38.
Allright peeps ttfn. BTW if you hear of any awesome haps or you yourself are performing/putting on some haps let me know and I will possibly post about it. Thanks for reading!
This is one of those weeks where there are a bunch of great things going on but you have to choose wisely because almost everything happens either Thursday or Saturday.
On Thursday there is something going on in nearly every part of DFW so you could just pick what is closest.
In Fort Worth you can go to Lola's for the stellar line-up of New Fumes, Skeleton Coast, and Ishi. I hear that New Fumes puts on a pretty crazy show. If you haven't heard New Fumes is Daniel Huffman who previously played with Polyphonic Spree and has toured with the Flaming Lips. I believe he is currently recording an album on Wayne Coyne's new label. Ishi always entertains. Also this is the event I am attending so that makes it totally worth going to.
In Denton Spooky Folk, Telegraph Canyon, and Centro-matic are playing at Dan's. If you didn't know- Centromatic and Telegraph Canyon are kinddd of a big deal.
If you're in Dallas and too lazy to drive here or to Denton the Reverend Horton Heat is playing at House of Blues. I've seen the Rev probably 25 times since I was 18 and it is always awesome.
On Friday I totally wish I could go see Wu Tang at House of Blues.
Saturday the show at the Granada should be flipping awesome. Burning Hotels, Mon Julien, Menkana and Air Review. Mon Julien is the new band involving some ex members of Black Tie Dynasty. And I flipping loved Air Review when I saw them at the Wherehouse recently. I think we all know how I feel about Burning Hotels. So you should go. Burning Hotels and Mon Julien will eventually be in Fort Worth February 18th.
Or you could go to Texas Theatre to see Neil Hamburger's stand up. Twitter folks should recognize him from how often he is retweeted Specifically for his responses to major food companies and celebrities.
Meanwhile in Fort Worth at Billy Bob's MOTHER FLIPPING STYX Y'ALL!!! They're gonna tear up some Come Sail Away and Renegade and Mr. Roboto and and ok I'm done. Damn I love Styx.
Many moons ago ( in Like 2003?) my BFF Brittany showed me that she kept a calendar and used it as a journal of sorts. On every day of the calendar she wrote whatever interesting thing she did that day and sometimes attached tickets, stickers, etc to that day. Well I immediately started doing the same and now we traditionally send each other a calendar every year. Luckily this year I was very diligent with filling the calendar out ( thanks partially to Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare for helping jog my memory once a month). So, when my friend Sarah told me I should write some sort of best of list I was able to look at my calendar and in short say "Holy Shit, I did a lot of awesome stuff this year and I totally forgot". So, here you go
In Chronological order
1. February 11- Mobley at the Moon with Cityview and the Cleanup.
I decided to go to the Moon on this night because some people I knew from work were going to see the Cleanup. I went to fancy schmancy Valentine's dinner before the show with my husband so by the time we got there the Cleanup was over :( ( I've since seen them like five times this year and I love em). Cityview was the headliner and we then found out some friends of ours from where we first worked were friends with Cityview. So the show was already exciting since I knew half the people there. Eventually I realized there was awesomeness going on onstage. I vaguely remember shoving my way up front to what I can only describe as a wall of hot girls ( and maybe one guy). The lead singer weaved in and out of the crowd and urged everyone to dance. I think at one point he did some sort of crazy bongo solo in the middle of the crowd. There were words projected on the walls, cool light effects. It was a performance. "She said you have to dance with me before you die" is the lyric that stood out most maybe because it felt like we could keep dancing forever (or maybe that was all the wine I drank at dinner).
2. April 30- Arcade Fire at Coca Cola Starplex ( or whatever it's called now)
First of all this show was awesome because I willed myself into it. At some point I decided that I was getting into that show for free no matter what. I eventually found out KXT needed volunteers for their street team and jumped on the opportunity. I asked people to sign up for the mailing list for KXT for maybe an hour and half? and then just walked into the show. I don't even know how but we (we being me and my aforementioned friend Sarah) somehow managed to get five rows up from the front row ( I tried to get into the pit area but it was a no go). When they played "Keep the Car Running" as the second song I thought I would explode with excitement. My friend Tiffany was there too,but her seats were in the back section. I wanted to experience at least part of the show with her so for the last two songs we went to the back. From there I could see the whole crowd was just as excited as I was. They started playing "Wake Up" and the big screens on stage showed the whole crowd with their hands in the air and the feeling it gave me was exactly like that Hunter S. Thompson quote from Fear and Loathing:
"There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right, that we were winning. And that, I think, was the handle - that sense of inevitable victory over the forces of Old and Evil. Not in any mean or military sense; we didn’t need that. Our energy would simply prevail. There was no point in fighting - on our side or theirs. We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave."
Maybe I seem a bit over zealous describing a concert this way but I left feeling if this many people could share the same experience then the world wasn't so bad.
3. May 8- Lolaspalooza at Lola's Saloon
This day stands out for me predominantly because it was my mother's day gift to myself. I thought " you know I don't want my husband to try to get me something that I may or may not like. I just want a day away from everything to go do whatever I want". So I decided to go to Lola's where there was an all day festival going on. It started at two and I was there by 2:30. The day was really a blur of bands and similar to a birthday party where you see everyone you know but in shifts. This was the first time I ever saw some bands that became my favorite local acts like Skeleton Coast, Taylor Craig Mills, and My Wooden Leg. I also loved Carey Wolff and Scott Copeland's song swap because they have a comedic rapport with each other. The day was exactly what I wanted.
LOVEEE this poster
4. June- Watching fireworks from my house every weekend with my kids.
In June the Botanical gardens have their Concert in the Gardens series and after every show they shoot fireworks. I live in the Cultural District just close enough that if I cross the street I can see them. In fact most of the area does the same things. People at the nearest pub to my house ,Bull and Bush, walk out on the patio to drink their beer. Several neighbors come out on the street. My kids are on firework patrol for the whole month. The first boom goes off and they run out of their rooms and start jumping up and down and we haul ass out across the street in our pajamas as often as we can. Eventually we will have to leave this house and I will miss June the most.
5. July 14- Cibo Matto in Chicago
I took a trip to Chicago to show all the shoe gazers how to dance. Ok, maybe I didn't show anyone how to dance. I did take a trip to Chicago just to see Cibo Matto though. They were my absolutely most favoritest band for a long time but then they stopped making albums and Miho Hitori started playing with Gorillaz. When I found out they were touring I am pretty sure I squealed. The excitement died off pretty quick when I saw that they weren't coming anywhere near Texas. Luckily, some of my favoritest people live in Chicago so I decided to take a trip there knowing that I could: see Chicago for the first time, hang out with my friends that I missed , and see the band. My dearest friend April let me stay in her house and took me on a short but awesome tour of Chicago. Then she and I went to the show and it was so fantastic. Cibo Matto played all of my favorite songs and some new ones. One of my old time friends Roy Ivy was there too and soon joined April (p.s. April was all kinds of pregnant at the time she's just cool like that) and I in dancing like crazy. Meanwhile half the crowd just stood there. That's just how we roll. After the show I met Miho Hatori briefly. Actually it was the second time I met her. They played in Dallas at Trees in like 2000? and I gave her my favorite pair of star shaped sunglasses. Anyway, it was good times all around. Immediately after the show I went to the airport but I can't wait to go back. Maybe some other band I'm obsessed with will play there again soon.
6. July 21- Meeting Pam Grier at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth "Jackie Brown" screening
When I was seventeen I became completely obsessed with Pam Grier movies. Well maybe just two: Foxy Brown and Coffy. I had the posters, the movies, the t-shirts. I was sent home from school for wearing a Coffy t-shirt once. So the Lone Star Film Society screened Jackie Brown and Pam ( we're totally buds now so I can call her Pam) came to do a Q&A. She was very laid back and stuck around after to sign things and talk to people. She even signed my Foxy Brown poster. So awesome.
Come on Cleburne ISD! What's so offensive about this?
7. August 16- Kid's Flicks at The Modern
During the summer at the museum I work at there is a week where they show several short films for children. This was the first time my kids and I saw "Marcel the Shell with Shoes on" and since then we watch it all of the time. There was also an activity to do in the museum so we spent a long time looking at the exhibits. I am just so thrilled that I have this job and find out about these events so my children will grow up with art as a staple of their lives. So that's why this day stood out for me. Check out Marcel here and also look for the second video that just came out.
8. October 15- Burning Hotels at the Dallas Observer Music Awards Showcase
I wrote about this show already in this blog ( here). But I'm gonna go ahead and commit to saying this show and their CD release show at Lola's were my favorite local shows this year. There's not much else to say except they freaking rock.
Shane, Sarah, and I at the Burning hotels cd release at Lola's via dfw.com
9. October 16- Participating in the talent show at Texas Theatre
I sang a song in this talent show and it was completely nerve wracking. I will never forget it though because I would normally psych myself out and come up with an excuse to bail but this time I followed through. I talk in more detail about this in the same post I linked above.
10. November 27- The Queers at Lola's Saloon
Back in the 90's (HA! that's so weird to say) the ads at the back of SPIN magazine were all for funky awesome stuff. Specifically independent record labels where you would send a dollar and they sent you a catalog and you could order CD's through the mail. Whoaaaaaa right. So one time Sarah and I sent off as many orders for catalogs as we could. ( this was where I ordered all of my Pam Grier paraphernalia too). I remember being most excited about the SUB Pop catalog which was this little cardboard thing with a picture of Ian Mackaye on the front . This was also my introduction to Lookout records and everything within and The Queers.
Point being that when Sarah and I saw they were playing at Lola's we were pretty stoked. The show itself was a refreshing blast from the past. It was like some sort of aging punk rocker reunion. Not that I saw anyone I knew from when I first started going to shows but you could just tell these were people who used to go to the Wreck Room or Orbit Room or Galaxy Club. It was just a bunch of 30 and 40 year olds jumping around and elbowing each other. It was the most polite mosh pit I've ever participated in. Not that we weren't pushing each other just that everyone knew the rules. There wasn't that one huge jerk who just smashes everyone for no reason. A minimal amount of beer was thrown on everyone. If you fell everyone stopped for a minute and someone would help you up ( or as was Sarah's experience they help you up and say "omg my wife would kill me" [ for not helping you]) . It was fun and nostalgic and at the end I caught a drumstick so yay.
11. December 13th- John Paul Gaultier and Mark Bradford at Dallas Museum of Art. Tony Cragg at Nasher Sculpture center.
I don't want to describe the Gaultier too much because you just need to go if you haven't. It's flipping huge and amazing and the models that are wearing his clothes are ridiculously cool. There was so much to see that I'm going back next week. The Mark Bradford exhibit was interesting in juxtaposition to the Gaultier because here you have all the extravagant costumes and complicated setups and then Mark Bradford has all these predominately paper pieces referencing social issues and Hurricane Katrina. They sort of balanced each other out a bit. I'm so glad I saw Tony Cragg too although I don't have the artistic vocabulary to tell you why. I felt lucky there were three shows I wanted to see in Dallas at the same time. I totes missed the taco truck line though. I'm all over that this week.
my favorite Tony Cragg piece
12. Too many days to list- Karaoke at Sarah's Place
If I'm out on Wednesday this is always where I am. This is my second home, my Cheers etc. I feel most comfortable in little smoky dive bars for some reason. The drinks are cheap. Most of the people that show up can sing pretty decently. My friends are all awesome singers as well. SO of the many, many times I go I usually have a great time. Plus I can sing a pretty mean "Ballroom Blitz".
Balancing out that Burning Hotels pic
This is the year I fell in love with Fort Worth. I am so blessed to experience so much and know so many amazing people. Here's hoping 2012 is the same. (fart)
Fifteen years ago somewhere around this time of year ( I think it was this time of year at least I remember I was wearing my pimpest Goodwill coat) I went to my first show at Trees: Man or Astro-man?. It was one of the Trifecta of shows that sucked me into the local music scene. ( The other two shows btw were Sloro at Engine Room and Mephiskapeheles/ Blue Meanies at the Orbit Room) A couple of years later I saw them again and this time they were one of three shows in a row at Trees involving fire on the stage (the other two were Sloro again and Nashville Pussy) and the Drummer threw his drumstick at the end of the show and it hit me in the head. Needless to say the show was BADASSSS. So they are playing at Sons of Herman Hall on Saturday and it is sure to be awesome.
Other goings on this weekend include the Spune Christmas celebration tonight at Dada with Telegraph Canyon, Air Review, Datahowler, and Fox and the Bird. Btw I finally saw Air Review the other day and it was stellar.
If you're all boo whatever I'm over music shows then you should go to Texas Theatre for what they are calling something to the effect of a comedy Battle Royale!!! Ok well their probably won't be dead people but at least electronically monitored collars for everyone to wear. Ok maybe not those either. Well there will for sure be 20 comedians.
Meanwhile in Womp Womp town Werner Herzog's new documentary about Death Row inmates "Into the Abyss" is playing here at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Paste listed it as one of the top 20 documentaries of the year. It will probably be depressing, but at least give some sort of insight into what your opinions might be on the death penalty. Speaking of which here's this random photo spread I chanced upon of Death Row inmates final meals. It is reallly weird and interesting.
If you have some shopping left to do I suggest going to Lola's this Sunday for the Panther City Bar Bizarre for their Chili cookoff and sale from 1-7. It's free and there should be lot's of sweet stuff to buy and chili duh. (kids and pets are welcome btw)
Also on Tuesday and Wednesday the Wherehouse is having a trunk sale and show. There aren't many details except the list of bands who have made "Musical Commitments" include Telegraph Canyon, Quaker City Nighthawks, Epic Ruins, Josh Weathers, and Luke Wade. So whatever that means. It will probably be entertaining and there will be cool schtuff to buy is all I know. Friend the Wherehouse for deets I suppose.
Andddd on that vague note: TTFN. Follow me on twitter's @shastinalynn
Ok So This is a super quick rundown for the weekend
Friday:
This picture give me a happy
My first play shout out goes to "26 Miles" at Rose Marine Theatre which opens tonight. My buddy Georgia marshelle Phillips is in it and she is RAD. Check out the DFW.com article. starts tonight at 7:30
Saturday: Is JAM PACKED!
In Dallas The construction on Greenville is finally done so there is a big Block Party Celebration going on. Dove Hunter and the New Fumes plus some other bands are playing and several of the Bars and Restaurants are having drink and food specials. It kicks of at 3:00 so you can make a day of it.
Also if you live anywhere near Southside Fort Worth you've probably heard about the whole Zio Carlo's kerfuffle. (If not you can read about it here) Well as a gesture to ask for forgiveness Zio Carlo's is having a happy hour event with free pizza from 5-7 on Saturday woot woot.
Holy Moly at The Aardvark It's a mustache contest (when will this trend dieee) and A Toys for Tots drive
Sunday
The KAWS exhibit at The Modern Art Museum opens. I am super pumped about this. Every year we do something called Focus exhibits which is a small exhibit of new and upcoming "kind of a big deal" artists. KAWS starts it off this year and it is reallllllly cool. You probably recognize some of his stuff and btw he designed the 808 & Heartbreak cover for Flipping Kanye yo! So come visit me and check it out. You have until February 19th.
