pre-post

This is not a real post but a pre-post preview of tomorrow's post. In which we will be discussing the Heritage Party 2: Operation American Freedom.

Also, is did I really just see a line-up of a show that goes Melvins, Jello Biafra, Losin' Streaks?

breakfast chat

Info stolen from Allycat's blog-the old Levinson's books is now a coffee shop and it opens tomorrow! I wonder if it's a stop-in and get stuff to go coffee shop or a sit down ala say Lucky Cafe. If it's a stop and go I might be inspired to stop there on my way to work. Speaking of Lucky Cafe, does anyone ever eat there? I have never heard anyone mention it. I ate there once many years ago and it made no impression. And speaking of breakfast, you breakfast lovers don't forget about the new Sub Shack. The Guiness corned beef hash must be had and they serve breakfast until 2 on sundays.

Pony love

Pony love
Originally uploaded by riblet.

more pony pictures-stolen from niki with her captions

Oh Pony!

Oh Pony!
Originally uploaded by riblet.

Ahem.

Ahem.
Originally uploaded by riblet.

zelda's rec

On Niki's recommendation, me and smiller got the onion, garlic, olive at Zelda's and it was the most delicious pizza known to mankind. I would dare to say that it's better than the standard veg.

holy shit, requestin' it

The Four Eyes are taking requests for the xmas show over at their blog. When will it be? Also, I want to take back my latter two requests and request that the re-formed acoustic band learn those songs for my birthday party. That's right, it's at the end of July, but I am making my birthday demands now. Which are:

Nar reunion show
Acoustic band-with my special requests
Four Eyes.

Speaking of parties, Katy, when's your Christmas party scheduled? I know it's early but this town loves that party and we're counting on you.

that's a spicy meatball!

bananasgraf
Originally uploaded by becklerg.

Dave Smith sent me some Bananas graffiti that someone saw in Italy.

party pictures!

ponypanties
Originally uploaded by becklerg.

Niki posted a coupla pictures from the party.

smell like a diamond princess

Thanks to Niki for the sample of Trina's perfume. It was very exciting to smell like the Baddest Bitch this weekend. You can buy it here. Those Trina tracks killed at the dance party, too, at least for the 3 people that were dancing. Trina is the best! A sample line "See if I had the chance to be a virgin again I'd be fucking by the time I'm ten". Hmm...that looks harsh written down but it's funny!

stone cold dis

Ooohh!! Burn!

It's in response to this

Halloween MCs

I'm really into all the Halloween MCs today. The one with superwoman and the handsome devil is a little sad. It seems clear that girl is out of his league and that she was just wasted. But maybe not, who knows. That girl is fine and supposedly she has 3 bachelor's degrees. The one with the monk and Holly Golightly is also rad. If I have time today (and I probably will) maybe I'll wade through the NY ones and post some good ones.

Ride it, my pony

OK, Niki, where are the pony pictures?

We had a little party on friday and it was a smashing success. All the booze got dranken, and the pony got ridden. I threw together a costume as the Orion slave girl from Star Trek at the last minute based on a gold dress and a love of Trek, and it was OK but the green skin paint drove me insane and I wiped it off. I am still finding little spots of green paint in various places where the sun don't shine. Other notable costumes included safety guy and the Shroud of Turin. There were various chants of stuff like "i'm loud, i'm proud, i'm the shroud" etc, etc. I ate two bites of some killer pot brownies and let me tell you it was the best. The new Animal Collective was a little intense but mostly I just laughed my ass off at everything.

There is now talk that the Halloween show might be on December 3rd? Nobody wants to go if they can't see it written about in Heckasac later. I think that's why, anyway. I'm just happy the Mac is coming together but I want to start an online petition right now to INSIST that they play "secondhand news" unless they want the crowd to loudly chant bullshit during their entire set.

Saturday night I went to see Capote and I recommend it. I'm re-reading In Cold Blood right now so that was perfect timing for me. Unlike Jim Lane, I find In Cold Blood to be a gripping page turner. On Liv's recommendation I'm going to Netflix "murder by death" which is a Peter Sellers vehicle which also stars Truman Capote. I just love his voice, at least as imitated by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and I want to hear the real thing.

Last night, we checked out Chada Thai and it was fucking delicious. I have to sample the Pattaya Thai Pad Thai again before I can be sure, but the Pad Thai at Chada may be the best in Sac, in my opinion. The only thing wrong was that it completely lacked spice, but other than that, great. The squid salad (recommended by Alice I think?) was also wonderful, and I was stoked because without the recommendation I never would have thought to order it. Once again, Taste of Thai was pretty packed and Chada was empty except for us and two stoned dudes, but I found the food to be better than Taste of Thai.

the end

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! I've gone insane from boredom. I have just gouged out my left eye with a dull pencil and now i'm going for my.lujl;aksd7uvjonpasdl;irurjawenkfkljgliuycxn

gruesome halloween post

warning! don't click if you can't handle some fucked-up shit. no picture, just a news story

free money

I got this off the chicklist. It's the state website where you can search your name and see if anyone owes you any money. I've been putting people's names in. Looks like maybe somebody owes Mike Banana like 50 bucks and the homzee has a 100 coming to him if he wants it. I got nothin'. Of course.

another possibility for the ladies?

I am posting this even though I know that having a long distance relationship with a guy in Pleasure Land would be a real hassle. In addition to the usual problems that come with a long distance thing, you'd have a real bitch of a commute to hang out, what with all the traffic on the pleasure highway and the constant construction on that new pleasure overpass.

spooky ad

Do you think this guy meant to say "bedroom"? Or does he like to get it on in a dark, locked bathroom? Because that sounds dangerous, what with all the sharp edges and things you could slip on. On the other hand, maybe he does mean bathroom because he says that he can hear her bra echo as it mysteriously unsnaps. I know he's not unsnapping it because he has his hands (plural) in her g-string. Do you think there's someone else with them in the bathroom? OH NO!! LOOK BEHIND YOU CHAMP, IT'S THE CANDYMAN!!!!! I TOLD YOU NOT TO SAY IT FIVE TIMES!!!

elmer fudd posts an ad

He didn't have to mention that he's funny. After reading that title and this ad it's obvious that he's a real laff factory. And he will always treat you with respect, despite the fact that he will refer to you as a "beaver".

skraching recerdz

I thought it was bad to scratch your records. Is he going to provide the records to scratch, cuz he's not touching my records. Oh boy I've gone insane. In an unfunny way.

weird

There's nothing wrong with this ad except the picture. Well, nothing any more wrong than there is with all of the other listings.

travel opportunity

I do not understand this first sentence:21 days before I get my Kangaroo booty in Sacto from the East Coast. Is he offering a trip to Australia? What does the east coast have to do with it. Regardless, I know some of you fit all these qualifications so send me a postcard. Oh yeah, and it's cool if you're sexy. He won't disqualify you for that.

woah. freak alert!

You can tell this guy likes to get wild by the way he throws in that "okay, maybe a few candles too!" What a kinky freak! This ad is kinda cute.

job opportunity

I'm really at a loss as to what the "etc." might be. I don't wanna know.

for the ladies

Hey ladies here's a hot guy looking to meet some non-douchebags. Hmm...he looks a little familiar. Not sure from where. Oh yeah, it's fucking Billy Zane!! Does he think he's going to fool anyone with this?

xxxxboxxxx

So it's platonic and he doesn't care what you look like, he just wants to play xbox but it has to be a woman and he needs to see a picture first. Makes sense

MC

I started to try to post a reply to this but it didn't seem worth it and I ran out of steam. But it is hella dumb. I don't even get it. The guy's kicking himself cuz he didn't tell the lady she had a nice ass? He should be congratulating himself on not being a pig. Or is he regretful that he didn't try to start a relationship with her based on his admiration of her ass?

come out, come out

I saw this on Josh's blog. George Takei came out of the closet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is so awesome! First Cheryl Swoopes, now George Takei. It's time for everyone to come out! Anderson Cooper and Kevin Spacey I am looking at you. C'mon Spacey, are you worried that it will hurt your career? What career? It can only help you.

halloween show postponed!

Dudes, I'm serious about this Finches CD. I'll stop harping on this but I must say again that you have to get it.

OK, big news of the day-the Halloween show is officially postponed. No one (besides Oasis) has gotten their shit together. This always happens with the Halloween show. It's now on saturday, November 19th, right? Which means I will probably be on the east coast. Last night under the influence of many glasses of wine some people had convinced me to forgo extending my east coast trip just so I could go to the show, but this morning, clear-eyed and (semi)sober I'm all like "Nuh-uh". So you'll have to bravely proceed without me.

Saw "Saraband" and I'll pronounce it for hardcore Bergman fans only. I'm hella hardcore so I loved it, despite the squirm-inducing and labored scenes with loathsome Henrik and his annoying daughter. It was all worth it to see Liv Ullmann and Erland Josephson reunited. Liv Ullmann looks so beautiful! And I won't give away the end except to say that there is some hott octegenarian nudity. It has the usual Bergman theme of the suffocating closeness and hatred that hold some families together. It ain't the Family Circus, kids (or is it?).

oh my god! oh my god! it's the park downtown!

Everyone over at the Bee is hyperventilating over The Park Downtown complex (dumb name, you know, it's where Beers used to be). I haven't even looked through the windows yet, so I'm behind the times. Here's a typically vague and postive review by Mike Dunne of Masons. And here's a vague and poorly written description of the night club elements of this complex. This writer (Lisa Heyamoto) uses the terrible literary device (that is widespread on blogs, I think I've was guilty of it a few times before I realized what a cliche it was, not that I don't use plenty of cliches) of saying "we" when she is talking about herself, as in "dang, we're wearing really uncomfortable shoes". Just read this second article. I can't do it justice. She does lots of cutesy little things, like saying "like" and "seriously". It's so blog-style it's crazy it's in the Bee. But maybe it's part of their attempt to be hip. Here's a Mike Dunne rundown of new restaurants. He's like the Alive and Kicking of restaurant reviews. Everything's good.

Prada sackdress

pradasack
Originally uploaded by becklerg.

I've been spending a wee bit of time looking at the new collections on style.com and I just wonder if this Prada dress could make a model look this bad, what would it do to the average lady. Also, I note that eastern european models are ruling the runways, big time.

straight linkin'

A link for all the straight dudes reading

weekend stuff

The new SN&R is out, and it has listings for all the crap that's going on this weekend. There's a lot of it, and it's all happening on saturday. I can't find anything about it online, but there's an event at the Memorial Auditorium on saturday from 10-4 that has some old-timey art deco shit on display. It also says there will be two silent films exhibited with a real organ playing, but it doesn't list titles or times.

The "found" magazine guys are coming to town and they have a show at Bodytribe on saturday. I love found but I don't know how good the show would be. Has anyone been? The idea of watching them perform songs based on some of the found items is not enticing me to punch it into my blackberry.

The TFO is this weekend at the Crest (sux for the Crest employees, sorry dudes), and they're showing "Carrie" at midnight on saturday. I'd kinda like to go to that but the rowdy TFO people usually ruin the screenings.

I'm going to see "saraband" at the Tower today because it only played for one week and today is its last day. It's the sequel to "Scenes from a marriage" like 30 years later. I think I better grab some kleenex because I bet I will be crying. I love that movie and the idea of seeing those two reuinted after so many years has me tearing up right now. Speaking of movies (and now I'm treading on Barnesyard territory) has anyone seen the preview for the new Terence Malick about Pocahontas? Malick's one of my favorites but this looks like a stinker. Why the fuck did he cast Colin Farell?

Capote opens at Tower tomorrow and here's the first few lines of Jim Lane's review: I tried years ago to read Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, but I was never quite able to finish it. Capote himself has called it a masterpiece, and no one has ever contradicted him. Certainly I won't: what I read of the book was indeed masterful.

That is so weak on so many levels that I don't even know where to start. 1) who could start that book and not finish it? 2) why mention it if you didn't finish it? 3) are you quite sure that NO ONE has ever disputed that it's a masterpiece? I doubt that 4) If it was so "masterful", once again, why couldn't you finish it?

Capote is HOTT right now. He has two movies out, Sac's literary crowd (consisting of heckamax) has been buzzing about him, and this week the New Yorker printed an unpublished story that he wrote when he was 19. The New Yorker also has the Sarah Silverman piece in which she is again not funny.

C.K. in Clubber this week continued the breathless countdown to the opening of the new True Love. Maybe the SN&R could just get someone to live blog it as each piece comes together. I want to know which posters are going on the walls, which brand of spatula they are buying, and I want the SN&R to tell me!

And last but certainly not least, Kate Washington wrote a mouth-watering review (I haven't had lunch yet) of a new Indian place called Chaat Corner on 2700 Northgate. I can't wait to eat there! Housemade yogurt, for fuck's sake! Now there are two reasons to eat on Northgate, 524#2 and this place (presuming I agree with her). Does anyone know where on Northgate that is? Like in relation to thrift stores?

but wait there's more

more wedding pix!

finches

Wow. You guys are passionate about your Thai Food. I had no idea.

I am freaking out over this Finches CD "Six Songs". They are the folk band (or folk girl) that recently played in Davis and of course I did not go see her because it is my fate to always hear awesome people right after they come through on tour. Nevertheless this EP is so pretty. Here's a link that has an MP3. No less a pop fan than smiller has declared "daniel's song" to be his favorite new pop song of the year, and remember, 10 months have already elapsed so he's serious, folks. Go pick up the EP before Tonevendor closes down, after which point you will have to mailorder it.

platonic dude wrestling

Once again, I'm posting this as a service to any dudes who might be interested because I'm nice like that.

Oh yeah, and I read on the chicklist that saturday is the last day of tonevendor, not friday. And everything's on sale, too!

yeah right, platonic

You know, they can discuss things that married people can relate to. Like the overwhelming desire to cheat. Or what to do if your husband won't take the trash out. Or is cybercheating really cheating? Innocent stuff like that.

the cobrasnake

If you've ever been curious about who the cobrasnake guy is, here's a profile.

madge

madge
Originally uploaded by becklerg.

At the request of a faithful reader, here's madonna's new look that she's sporting for the release of her album. This is her posing all cobra snake style when she guest djed the NY club Misshapes.

straight to bangin'

and what exactly is "the next step" after a smile?

see food? get it?

You guys were pretty active in the comments yesteday, so maybe you're ready for a little interactivity?

Favorite Thai resaurant? I feel like Thai food doesn't get enough props and that we take it for granted we have so many delicious Thai places around here. There may not be any valets parking Hummers outside or girls in silky halter tops with spray on tans talking on their cellies while they wait to get in, or flat screen TVs in the bathroom, but the food is the bomb. I ate at Amarin last night and I find that it is consistently delicious. I also like how you can still get a table there on a friday or saturday night without waiting. If Ella reads this, I would like her to remind me of the name of the place in North Highlands that has the best pad thai. I can never remember what it's called or where it is, so needless to say I don't go there as often as I'd like. Taste of Thai has really good seafood. And I'm on a seafood diet. I see food, I eat it. Har.

speaking of calvin johnson....

calvinjohnson
Originally uploaded by becklerg.

he's playing a show with some new band at the fool's foundation in december. That should be entertaining. That reminds me of how dub narcotic had that creepy bass player and that when they played at the loft he said something to the effect of "man, there's a lot of fine snatch in this town" or something like that. Maybe he didn't say snatch, but he said some nasty word. Brew, do you remember? I thought he said it to Tyler.

And speaking of Fool's Foundation, what's up with their shows lately? Are they on hiatus? They have some shows coming up right when I'll be in DC.

And speaking of DC, I was bummed to discover that Ian Svenonius' regular DJ night was just recently cancelled so I can't go to it!!! What's a trip to DC if you can't see the sassiest boy? I better fucking see Ian Mackaye. Or the president.

And speaking of the president, does everyone know that friday is Tonevendor's last day of business. So from now on when you want to get stuff like the new Fiery Furnaces you will just have to fuggetaboutit and just start planning to move to a real city that has real record stores. Like Des Moines. I hear houses are cheap there, too.

Bai Link

Roger Ebert so obviously has a crush on Bai Ling. And besides the fugly outfits, I can't blame him. She's 35? She looks about 23.

boner joke

man a new vice is out already? and the dos and don'ts suck. and the fashion thing is photographed by richard kern and don't look at it at work, i'm warning you. i'll sum it up for you: tits never go out of fashion

remember when i used to talk about things in sac?

to get back to those days, i guess the halloween show is shaping up pretty well. oasis is on. there is supposed to be a fleetwood mac and an aerosmith. i have heard that some santa cruz dudes are doing something. k.k. said that there might be a heart if anyone can get it together. the real tragedy is that chris olsen is out of town and isn't going to do elton john. that sucks! cancel your trip! sac needs you. oh my god and then someone could do billy joel and you could both play keyboards and lock eyes and then we would all die of happiness. look i've been reading too much vice and trying to write in that style. if this really was vice i would make a boner joke right about now.

blood on the wall

random

look scott, it's that band we saw with the van morrison guy and the natasha lyonne chick.

poor clooney!

pitchfork reviews the new fiery furnaces album. will someone buy a copy and burn it for me? heckamax, you liked blueberry boat, so you're it!

hot pix

rockit!
Originally uploaded by becklerg.

wow! i spend an hour or so doing a little bit of actual work and you guys are doing all the blogging for me.

there are some banana pix on the banana myspace page. i started looking at it for five minutes and i got that myspace feeling, so i stopped. i don't know how to put my finger on what it is. i don't like it.

also k. katy has more wedding pix

employment opportunity

any of you dudes out there need some extra money?

twee as fuck

tigertrap
Originally uploaded by becklerg.

Not much action on the old blog today. Guess everyone has that certain monday feeling. For any of you out there who has been accused of being indie who isn't quite sure what that means (that sentence is awkward as fuck), Pitchfork today has a sizable article on the origins and history of indie pop. This is not something I know much about (although I know an old dude who could probably tell me a thing or two about it), so this article was a fairly concise primer that will help me fake like I know what I'm talking about. Major props are continually given out to Sac's own Tiger Trap (one of the few indie pop bands that I was ever really into) and the Softies, which was a later band of Rose from Tiger Trap. Considering how influential this band was and continues to be, it's surprising that a google search for anything on Tiger Trap in the SN&R yields up a single hit for a comparison to another Sac band, the Frenchman. Maybe someone should write a little feature? Just an idea. I guess the tenth anniversary of the release of their album probably already passed.

Another MC?!?

Now Sauron got one!

Vashti Bunyan Interview

There's a quite touching Vashti Bunyan interview on Pitchfork today. It's so sad that she gave up writing music for 35 years due to lack of support and, interestingly, because she heard Joni Mitchell and felt that she could never top it. Her new album comes out today, I think. She says she would love to tour and she has one show scheduled in London, but during a quick search I couldn't find any details on that.

Down with ODINTW

The oldest dude got an MC!

Wedding Awards

Well I thought why bother blogging about the wedding, there were so many bloggers there and some of them had digitial cameras so their posts will be better. But lo and behold, I guess most of you are "tired" or "hungover" or "didn't go into work today" (I don't know why these words need quotes), so once again, the burden falls on me. Niki has at least posted her photos, so go here if you want to see them. I would like to hand out a few awards

Best Bride and Groom: Joel and Hillary (of course)

Best Team Costume: Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera

Best Toast: FDR (he bravely stood up from his wheelchair and delivered a rousing speech)

Most In Character: The Oldest Dude in The World-he's probably still in character right now, screaming at someone and hitting them with his cane

Biggest Shitbag-Carlos Santana (except why no solos, Carlos? You let us all down)

Best Dancing in Character: tie between FDR doing the Charleston and Brew dancing like the hot 70's divorcee

Best Band Costume: The Lollipop Guild

Best Taco Bar: The Taco Bar

Best Middle-aged Lady Cutting Loose-Joel's Aunt Donna

something for the ladies....

fine!
Originally uploaded by becklerg.

mostly for Natalie but eye candy for any ladies out there reading

and something for the dudes

007355.002_Heeb_Poster
Originally uploaded by becklerg.

So we can all agree that Sarah Silverman is fine, but is she funny? Judging from the preview of her movie "Jesus Is Magic" which will probably come to Sac in November, no. Yes, she says shocking things including the n-word, but I have yet to hear her tell a funny joke.

Bistro 33 review

I went to Bistro 33 in Davis for lunch today. It has tons of outdoor seating but it's by a very busy intersection and there is no shade or greenery, so I sat inside at the bar. I wrestled with my inner demons over whether to get a glass of wine or a beer for a few long minutes. I finally convinced myself that one drink would just leave me wanting another and that because I'm at work that's out of the question and so it would really just mean empty calories. Becky, 1, demons, 0. But they're gonna score about 8 later tonight so they were happy to concede. Decor is pretty standard for a restaurant that's brought to you by the 33rd st. Bistro and Riverside Clubhouse people. It's OK. Crapola beer selection on tap. Rouge ale, Coors, Widmer Hefeweizen and some pale ale. The menu is very similar to the 33rd st. Bistro menu. I couldn't pick out any differences. If you go here you are going to spend at least 10 bucks, probably more, so it's pricey for lunch. They have the Puget Sound sandwich which is usually delicious but sometimes it can be all sloppy with mayo so I was scared to order it. I got the Nicoises Salmon salad instead. Now I love a Nicoise salad. It's one of the most perfect salads invented by man (we all know the best salad-ambrosia-was invented by God). I was OK with trying this variation, with poached salmon rather than tuna. It was presented in the traditional Nicoise deconstructed style, where each ingredient is in its own separate little pile. It looked pretty but this bugs me. When I make it I mix it all up. The salmon was great, not overcooked, not too fishy and a nice pale pink. There were not enough greens and the whole thing was so lightly dressed as to almost be naked. One weird thing was that it included grilled radicchio. Guess what happens when you grill radicchio? It becomes unbelievably bitter. MMM. Instead of cherry tomatoes there was a sad little pile of chopped supermarket-quality tomotoes. If that's all you have, forgetaboutit. Keep them off my plate. I am a fan of small portions, but this thing was really small for 10 bucks. They only give like 3 tiny slices of red potato. This is dumb because this would be a very cheap way for them to bulk up the salad to give you your money's worth. And this has been an overly detailed description of my lunch. You must be really bored if you are still reading this.

everybody's working for the weekend

The Cassidys are playing two shows this weekend. They don't seem to play live very often so check 'em out. Tonight they are playing a cheap show at the Fox and Goose. Tomorrow they're at Old I. with a bunch of other bands.

Other than that there are two big weddings this weekend. Brian Pyne is about to become a lawfully wedded husband till death do him part to Erin Lovig. And then there is the costume wedding extravaganza of Joel and Hillary (or Jillary as the tabloids call them) that I haven't even really thought about because my mind can't comprehend how amazing it will probably be. Too bad my costume is kinda uninspired and I have to go with some old dude. I better score some of that magical liquid "G" for after the wedding if I wanna see any action at all.

more more more

I think this girl needs to read this best of post. It's harsh but I can see how this would be extremely annoying.

Down wit dat!

Also, I will be busy tonight hanging out with this girl, so don't bother calling

more good craigslist crap

Don't click here if you are easily frightened. Spoooooookyyyyy

The magical liquid G guy is back, this time with more details.

urgent MCs!

Get ready for this one ladies. This guy likes to...(you're not gonna believe this)...have fun! Isn't that refreshing? The dating market in Sac sucks and when was the last time you actually met a man who liked to have fun? I can't even remember. Unfortunately, the MC is only directed to those female readers who were at the Eagles concert. Sorry.

Another relief. Dexter is alive and well.

admit it, it's the exact same thing

No, I am not going to explain the point of neuroscience besides just to say-to study the brain. Jake also let me know that the Lama would not be welcome at a philosophy conference. Poor guy. No one wants him around. Not to continue this debate but I do have a question. Would anyone be busting my chops about having a problem with this if the keynote speaker was the Reverend Billy Graham and he was giving a talk about the scientific study of the power of prayer? Cuz it's the exact same thing.

tweakers-enjoy your 25 bucks

I hope the tweakers who stole my front and back tires last night have a great time with the money they got for them. I hope they got a really good deal on crank and that it wasn't cut with too much laxative or whatever. I hope that it led to some really good tooth grinding sessions, maybe so good that a tooth or two falls out. Maybe they will have some really good mumbling and yelling episodes or even make some cool tweaker art. Or maybe the large quantity of crank will just give them the energy to go out and steal lots more bike tires. I think Elton John refers to that as "The Circle of Life". I certainly don't begrudge them the money. I just admire the balls it took to steal them both at eight at night out from under an open window that all of us were sitting next to, talking and laughing and drinking wine. Did the tweaker pause for a minute and listen to our pleasant conversation and wish, just for a fleeting instant, that he wasn't a drug addicted piece of shit who steals things from people? Maybe, I'll never know. If I could ask him one question, it would be "why is it that if I park my bike one single block away that I can even leave it outside overnight (which I've done by accident when I forget it's out there) and you won't touch it? What is it about this block (11th and T) that makes it so attractive for you to instantly steal my tires?"****

So, long story short I probably need a new bike. Last time when just my back tire got stolen the folksy old guy at College Cyclery was pushing pretty hard for me to just get a new bike and made me feel stupid for wanting to fix mine. It would need both tires and a full tune-up and new brakes. I want a bike that's light and fast, not a cruiser, and it has to have a pretty big frame cuz I'm tall. Can anyone help me out? Or where should I buy one? Or, if I do decide to just fix mine cuz I really like it, where should I take it? And I don't want to buy a bike at that place on Franklin cuz I think they buy stolen bikes. I'm gonna look on Craigslist today, too.

In more neighborhood crime news, there are four dudes robbing men on the southside. There have been four robberies in that area and one of the robberies happened wednesday on my block, which I read in the Bee and which is news to me. They've just threatened to kick the guys asses, they don't have any weapons. They jump out of a red sports car. Hopefully, now that it's in the paper these guys will knock it off because randomly robbing people, especially people in my neighborhood and then splitting it four ways could no way have netted them more than like 50 bucks each. So now that they know the cops are onto them I would think they would stop.

****I know this diatribe was harsh and I don't actually think any human being is a piece of shit besides obvious people like George Bush.

another one?

Yet another fancy restaurant opens in sac, joining the growing list of places I probably won't ever eat at. I could try some of them if I wanted, but with my dining budget if I'm going to treat myself to an expensive meal it's probably going to be at a place that I know is good. I wonder out of all the new places, such as Spataro's etc., which would be the best to try? I haven't heard glowing recs for any of these places.

MC at the Beat

Were any of you dudes buying records at the Beat on monday? Just trying to help you out.

nothing dirty here, heckamax

That unpleasantness this morning has left a bad taste in my mouth. Or maybe it was the gross soup that I made last night in a crock pot. It was exciting to use a crock pot, though. I will try to clear the air by posting some dumb crap. Enjoy.

My best wishes and prayers (which scientific studies show DO work, at least according to studies conducted by the Dalai Lama) go out to the Head. Who was felled by her mortal enemy, salt. No, not really, her other foe, the light rail tracks put a hurt on her quad muscles. Keep blazin' it up to ease the pain and watch Dr. Phil just for me.

I checked out the new cafe at Beers books and the coffee was really good. It's weird to try to juggle coffee and browsing, but I managed to not damage any merchandise. I found a sweet Taschen book on Tom of Finland that contains such erotic images as a giant butch guy actually giving it to the world. As in he's floating in space and uh, being carnal with our own blue and green planet. Hott! Here's a cool NSFW website of the Tom's of Finland foundation that carries on his legacy and finances other erotic artists and stuff. That's Tom himself on the left in the photo.
And here's a lazy post. What is the magic G that this guy is talking about. And can't his girlfriend just do the thing that he mentions? Is there a problem with her doing that? It seems easier than taking a pill. I can't mention what it is because I need to tone down the racy comment so that
Heckamax will come back.

four eyes drawing

foureyes
Originally uploaded by becklerg.

I have gotten permission from Chris O. to post his brilliant sketch of the Four Eyes. Joel looks particularly true to life.

forget it.

I took a post down that I shouldn't have posted in the first place because I paraphrased someone's statement that could possibly get them busted becaue of who is reading this blog and taking umbrage at everything I say today. Sorry to everyone involved. I would like to get old Heckasac back on a positive track today and note that there's (a contraction of there is) a show tonight in Davis. It's a kinda psych folk show and I hear it should be good. Brew is making me a gourmet dinner tonight so I can't go. But check over at undietacos for the details.

rama lama ding dong

Alice sent along a link to a NY Times article about how the Dalai Lama is speaking at the annual neuroscience meeting. As I said before, this has got a lot of scientists really riled up. I think it sucks. There's no way he should have been asked to speak. However, I may go see it when I'm there just out of curiosity. Maybe when he says psuedo-scientific crap I can boo. I bet some people will cause a ruckus. Scientists can get pretty passionate about stuff like this and they're not shy about expressing their ideas. There will probably be protesters outside, too. They can hang out with the animal rights people.

Are Jews smarter?

I'm just sayin'...

Just kidding. This paper sounds like crap. Here's a funny quote from a naysayer

“I’d actually call the study bullshit,” says Sander Gilman, a historian at Emory University, “if I didn’t feel its idea were so insulting.”

Kev has a ghetto moment

The Vice thing has sparked some interesting debate about boomers and the prospects of our generation.

I will be leaving work today because I have a work meeting....AT HOOTERS! JK, it's an informal gathering. Because it would be questionable to have a meeting there. Anyways, I'll report back on it tomorrow.

Kevin Seconds wrote some stuff on his blog about people talking through a Ghetto Moments show. If he had been keeping up with this blog besides the entries that talk about his hott sex life he would have seen that I wrote about people doing the same thing at the Daisy Spot show. I doubt if it's any worse in Sac than anywhere else, though. So he writes this, and some guy starts busting his balls about it, and it turns out that this guy thought the whole True Love crowd was cliquey and non-inclusive. Imagine that! He also accuses him of wanting to "publicly jerk off", which was an aspect of Kev's sexual peccadilloes that hadn't made it to me through the grapevine yet. If you care to read it, and it's pretty entertaining, go here and scroll down to the Oct. 16th entry first, and then read the "OK, I'm a jerk" entry.

boooring

Here's a kinda boring article on the Animal Collective. Read it if you must. The writer snipes at Devendra Banheart. It seems like he rubs a lot of people the wrong way. Don't forget to buy tickets to the Animal Collective show on November 21st. It might sell out.

fucking baby boomers

D.P. was just mentioning that he's getting increasingly fed up with the Boomers and their self-indulgence and then Vice comes along and does their new issue about this (it's Vice, it's not really SFW, but you can sneak a glance here and there). This page has some funny stuff. The boomers that I'm most (I almost wrote intimately acquainted but that sounded wrong) familiar with (my parents, obviously) are selfish and childish to the max (as we gen x-ers say). I have more maturity in my pinky toe than they have in their whole bodies. I don't know if it's cuz they're boomers, but a lot of my friends parents seem to never to have gotten their shit together, and quite a few are drug-addicted on top of that because they want to remain forever young and can't stand the aches and pains that go with old age. Not to mention their vanity. And so many of them seem to be desperately unhappy and searching for a quick fix to get out of it. I could go on but I'm getting mad thinking about it.

this guy is sooooo funny

and good looking, too

time to move

nope, sorry

point? what point?

I keep listening to "All I Wanna Know" from the Daisy Spot CD. It was worth buying just for that song. Tatiana's voice is like honey poured onto velvet. Wait, no, that would just be a sticky gross mess, it's like something that sounds really good. And smooth. Like melted chocolate on silk.

Who ever said that whining won't help you get your way? I got tickets for the Birds so now I can live blog it on my Blackberry. I'll be sure to hassle Tippi Hedren about foisting Melanie Griffith on the world.

This post is semi-pointless, sorry.

the worst

ohno3
Originally uploaded by becklerg.

I'm posting some pics to keep you amused. Can you believe someone who is not Angelina Jolie got a tattoo of Maddox? People are so weird.

Sedaris!

sedarisrack
Originally uploaded by becklerg.

Here's a hott pic of Amy Sedaris to hold you over till the Strangers with Candy movie comes out (which may be never, unfortunately)

NY times mag

eleanor
Originally uploaded by becklerg.

Eleanor from the Fiery Furnaces made it into the NY Times magazine style section this week.

movie crap

I bet it's gonna be a slow day on the ol' blog but I guess I'll just keep posting because the alternative is working.

I feel like a real chump that I didn't call about reserving free tickets to the showing of the Birds at the Crest this wednesday until it was too late. I knew about it like two weeks ago. And I found out later that the night I went to see Everything is Illuminated at the Crest they still had a few free tix there but now they're gone. I felt even worse after I watched North by Northwest last night (which I had never seen) because it was so brilliant. It moved into my top five Hitchcock films with a bullet. Maybe number 2? Hard to say. He really is the master. And so many dirty, dirty double entendres. I like the part where Eva St. Marie sez "I'm a big girl" and Cary Grant says "yes, and in all the right places". And then way later in the movie she says "you're a big boy" and even though he doesn't say "in all the right places" you know it's implied and it's even better than if he had actually said it!

Speaking of Everything is Illuminated, I don't recommend it. It wasn't that bad, but if you haven't read the book , you should just read the book first and rent the movie later. Some of the casting was brilliant (particularly Eugene Hutz as Alex and the guy who plays grandpa, oh yeah and the dog that plays Sammy Davis Jr., Jr. is perfect) but Elijah Woods is egregiously miscast. I felt like he was still playing the psycho in Sin City. And he's not even Jewish!!!!!!!!!!! Liev Schreiber is a pretty crappy director, too. Amateurish.

holy shit! supportin' it!

I did my part to support the scene on friday and went to see that Daisy Spot show. They were in fine form. Tatiana was mesmerizing, and Mike Farrell was busting some solos that had jaws dropping all over the place. Of course it was hard to distinguish the dropped jaws from the jabbering jaws, as many jerks were alternating between drunkenly yelling "wooo!" and loudly talking to their friends so that they drowned out the band. Dear Jerks-Stay home and drink next time. I hate you. There was an extremely wasted lady there who was standing right up front and trying to coerce people into dancing with her. She tried to grab me and Al and D.P. She finally succeeded in getting JerPer to dance with her, which was a relief as it took her out of our general radius for a few minutes. This same lady was there the last time I saw Daisy Spot and she tried to get me to force me to dance with her that time, too. She grabs you and scratches you with her claws. She kept yelling "woooo!" into this pregnant lady's stomach. I was afraid she was gonna make the lady give birth.

I'm listening to the Daisy Spot CD that I bought right now (that's right, further support of the scene) and it sounds good. The amazing song "All I Wanna Know" is on there. I have heard rumors for months that this CD doesn't capture their charms very well, but right now I can't remember why people think that. I think I heard that it's a bit bland or something. I don't know, I like it, but I guess it does sound a wee bit flat.

rolling haunches?

Holy crap. What is this one? Why is it strictly platonic? It should be in "strictly creepy". I feel sorry for the lady who just moved into the complex. Or was it written by the lady? I can't tell.

listed in strictly platonic?!

Dude, you're gonna have to pay more than that! Back in my housecleaning days (I got fired by every single client if that tells you how good I was at it) I made like 20 bucks an hour for working fully clothed.

strictly platonic

This guy is really charming, so if anyone needs anyone to kick it with this weekend...

ding dang

Curse you, earlier commenter, for mentioning the Beach Boys Love You. Now I have "honkin' down the highway" stuck in my head for all eternity and I had just succeeded in getting it out of my head after it echoed in there all last weekend. Especially the line "I guess I have a wwwaaayyy wwwith girrrrrrrllllllsssss".

The supposedly "liberal" Sac Bee had a decidedly different take on G.W.'s fake impromptu video conference call with the troops than the NY Times did. The Times performed a pretty thorough ball-busting, calling it "scripted" (in the headline), "awkward", "stage-managed", and "carefully scripted". Yesterday they had a story where they called the presentation "less than smooth", and said Bush appeared "slightly uncomfortable" and noted that the troops sat "rigidly" with "fixed expressions". If you just read the Bee you would think that the presentation had gone great, except for some spoilsport Dems calling it a "photo-op". There was no mention that it was pre-scripted, which seems to be a fact. The most infuriating part was how Bush kept cracking jokes which is COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE when you consider that he is talking to young men and women who are so far from home and in so much danger. They probably aren't in much of a joking mood lately, but the prez wouldn't be able to understand that. Also from the Times:

Mr. Bush himself drew a final laugh when, again thanking the troops, he offered an invitation. "When you get back to the States, you know, if I'm hanging around," he said, "come by and say hello".

He should have added the final punch line, "if you don't die first!" That really would have got them rolling in the aisles.

MC

This has gotta be Jay H. Every time I go to Naked I see him. I'm sure the MCer didn't intend it this way, but to say that Mochi is "even cuter" is a semi-dis.

sounds good

You billyburg folks should try this place.

boss the big biz

Everyone's favorite Davis band, Boss the Big Bit, is playing at the FF tonight. They will probably play another stellar 2 and a half hour set. Too bad I'm going to a different show.

Pitchfork has a thing today about how David Cross is getting sued by the owner of that Nashville club that he made look like a total D in his DVD. That thought occurred to me when I was watching it. The owner has started his own website to dis David Cross. It takes forever to load.

Pitchfork also has a little item about how Jandek is playing a festival in Glasgow. That sounds so fun to see! I really want to go to Glasgow.

southside is the best side

The big news in my neighborhood is that the cafe in Beer's books is finally open. I haven't even laid eyes on it yet, though. I hear they serve great coffee but they don't start serving until ten. That's too bad because it would make me happy if I could stroll over there before work and pick up coffee and something to eat. They have sandwiches, too. Knowing the southside as I do, I give it a few weeks before it's filled up with old dudes, chillin' all day over a single cup of coffee. Well, it would be like that if they had outdoor seating and the old guys could smoke, anyways. I name the southside the most chill neighborhood, for sure. The sheer strength of chilling that goes on on the corner across from my house sometimes is astounding. Old guys. Squatting. Smoking. Hashing it out. Old ladies. Staring. Arguing. Walking slowly around the block together while waving their arms (to increase circulation, presumably). The, let's say, eccentric, lady downstairs hasn't barged her way into the house for a while, but she was going through this weird phase where she suddenly had thick glasses and a cane and looked 15 years older, but now the glasses and cane are gone and she is once again spryly sweeping the dirt in front of the house with a palm frond all the time. I'm glad to see she recovered her strength. It will come in handy the next time she needs to push me aside when I'm trying to block her from entering my house.

Tonight is Daisy Spot at Old I and I think there may be some frontloading and backloading at my house. It makes me happy that right now I have about 8 bottles of wine in my fridge, and full bottles of courvosier (spelled wrong, i'm sure), hennessey, rum, and portuguese liquor, among other substances. Most of these were gifts, so quit judging me!

This weekend is another bananextravaganza! They are playing two early shows in the Bay Area, one on saturday in some park which should be great since the predicted weather is cold and stormy, and one on sunday at the Hemlock.

Does anyone know when Melange makes the change into Crepeville? I'm afraid it will happen before I've had a chance to eat there again.

Later today I will probably review Bistro 33, the new restaurant in Davis that was opened by the same people that brought you 33rd street bistro and Riverside Cafe. So you have that to look forward to. Don't get too excited.

Aragorn's vestigial tail

Not really feelin' it blog-style today. I saw History of Violence last night. I thought it was great. I managed somehow to look away or squint my eyes during every single super gory part. I don't like super-violent movies (like Sin City), but the violence in this movie comes in quick bursts, not relentlessly throughout the movie. Some performances were fantastic (Viggo, a couple of the smaller supporting parts) and some were pretty crappy (Maria Bello, out of her league as an actress and William Hurt, scenery-chewing with a super affected Philly accent). I love how Cronenburg's movies have this B movie feel that you just don't see anymore. Most movies these days, even piece of shit movies, have this slickness to them, but Cronenburg's stuff always looks like you're watching it late at night on Channel 40 (back when that was the kind of thing you would see late at night in Sac on 40, 31, and 58).

There's a couple of pretty graphic sex scenes (always a plus!) and there's a part where you see Aragorn's ass pretty clearly. I'm not that into him so whatever, but I was distracted by this weird lump that looked like a vestigial tail. So you read it here first, Aragorn has a vestigial tail.

link from alicia

alicia's friends blog about being a cabbie in NY is really good. It includes the helpful tidbit that car service drivers are often drunk.

ladies flash us truckers-44

All that meth must give truckers eagle eyes if they can spot this kind of detail while whizzing by at 60 miles an hour. Come to think of it, that's kind of a tired cliche. I don't know any truckers and I don't know if they really do speed. I don't want to speculate because I don't want a bunch of hurt comments from truckers showing up. And really, it's their business whether they do speed. Their own, personal business which shouldn't be interesting to anyone besides them.

Gouda vibrations

Holland

So I've been obsessed with the Beach Boys album Holland lately. It's so good! I've been trying to puzzle out who sings what, and I found this website which has a reprint of a booklet that was released by the Beach Boys in advance of the album. The song credit stuff is at the end. Turns out that one of my favorite songs (only with you) has music by Dennis, words by Mike Love (which makes me like it less) and is sung by Carl.

The booklet has some great stuff, including this quote:

they took off for Holland where the surf's NEVER up

The story of how they built an entire huge studio and then flew it to Holland has so many insane things about it that it can't all be true. Come on, the plane was so heavy it cracked the tarmac? I don't know if I believe that.

The cover of Holland is rad. I just wish my copy had come with the Brian Wilson 45 inside.

I tried a new sausage!

daisyspot
Originally uploaded by becklerg.

Waterboy last night was fantastic, as usual. I highly recommend the bollito misto that they have on the menu right now. It had a big chunk of cotechino sausage in it, which is this soft Italian sausage that has nutmeg in it. And the broth the whole dish was swimming in was SO TASTY. We finished off the meal with some fine aged port. However, I heard my second story in just a few weeks of someone puking after eating there. I can only speculate that it's the richness of the food coupled with a good amount of wine that upsets some people's stomachs. The fact that one person had eaten lamb tartare makes it not too surprising. Raw lamb sounds really gross to me, but I can think of a certain Armenian who would probably be stoked on it.

I read the Daisy Spot article in A & K today. It was pretty good. A bit cutesy. I'm happy that they're finally releasing a record. They're having their record release show at Old Ironsides this friday. I'll most likely go. The only weird thing about the cover story is that they used a primitive chalk drawing of Tatiana and Mike for the cover. As a friend said (OK, I'll name drop him, it was Anton Barbeau) "you take the most photogenic band in Sacramento and use a crappy drawing of them for the cover?". See above for evidence.

that zanger!

this is another dutch on and this is getting ridiculous.

Tsk Tsk Tsk: . I try by deeply inhaling to profit of possible hallucinating impact. A fruitless forwarding. Even after a wasbeurt my kleren will bring at Schiphol each drug dog in highest state of alertness to next month - in the galaxy, during acting!!!, make smoke me unfortunately far from high. . The seven men on the podium are ongeschoren super clean groove machine. Uncomplicated pleasure is their main point and dances their aim. If you do not have to meedanst you zoeken nothing at them. He sees no verlossing in the intolerable discobeats. That zanger! he complains between two numbers. He behaves himself not only irritating, but he has to not even musical brio its compensate fratsen! Vocalist Nic sacrifice has to indeed a little offer more than effeminate danspasjes and youthful smile. To be for the greater part unintelligible, schorre serves praatzang mainly as an extra percussion instrument, without the dark bijklanken of Scott McCloud (Girls Against boys) or the acerbity of mark E. Smith. He is a more informant then a muzikant, a swinging circus master, dollend in the hay of the piste, where necessary publicly hurrying. And public, that wants, however. opening number Take Ecstasy With me is a weak start. According to sacrifice the new single (and a cover of The Magnetic Fields tells to stereo me later). Seven muzikanten can be led by binding housedreun from a machine. Two gitaristen do wedstrijdje who can more impact from its jet ear obtain then The Edge. To the lock of the first number no less than three link members on percussion stand ram beside the drummer. I can hear them none of all, because the machine stands too hard. As!!! the dwangbuis throws off the link sounds more separately and can the muzikanten more rock in the dance process. Each number has been built as housetrack with the basdrum constantly on each tel, active to a climax, just as implying against the end effectively explode in the coda. The link forms such a firmly dansbare entity, which works their set-up each time, the eenvormigheid of the repertoire on the buy taking. As a recensent critically analyse are meaningless!!! are only and only meant vrijuit foot of the floor and the majority of publicly gladly gives himself to be won. The long drummer John Pugh staggers forward a number long with the motoriek of Daniel Day-Lewis in My Left Foot and the head voice van Scissor SIS-DELICATE ones is share game joy with first ranges. In spite of the rising temperature and ditto positive contact, both on the podium and at the leaping about part of the room, and in spite of the excited clincher me And Giuliani down one By The school yard (in which the catalogue of the link is summarised, including fumaroles and, a word sung melodietje), closes after the lock agreement the curtains resolutely and is the performance surprisingly rapidly beyond. And where has your sober criticus killed its time during acting? To a couple words mainly zoekend to summarise!!!. Because colleague G. has dripped down after a number or five can I only still with maatje J. an enumeration determine of link from the years the eighty true links California by late to influence itself: A Certain ratio, The headstock Group, pace or Four, happy Mondays, Talking Heads, The Contortions. I conclude the evening with only four words: New Fast Automatic Daffodils

hope you guys are enjoying this...

Here's a Dutch one, not quite as poetically funny as the Portuguese, but pretty good:

Good. !!! Is thus in the country. And how pleasant is dàt for all popfanaten. The Californische!!! is eccentric, hip hip hip and with eight man a large tie. Different members of this tie sit also in Outhud and LCD Soundsystem. With these ties shows!!! then also many agreements, with as a core notion 'punkfunk'.
Sleepiness becomes there gediscussieerd over how you really that remarkable tie name pronounce. The tie guesses self three the same sounds on, as 'pow pow pow'. By a small sphere question in the hall, one suggested under others 'tsjak' (3x), 'tsk' (3x), 'well' (3x) and 'WHAAA!' (?). The flyer of the show mentions the most accepted manner: ‘chk chk chk'. This is also the sound that the music approaches the closed. It is namely reteritmisch, funky and terrible dance bar. This everything is not brought alleviate dares with such bijdehante attitude, that you almost to stand.
Boil point Indeed, nobody in the Amsterdam Milky Way stands quiet by the action of!!!. From the first number, the hall goes already well loose. They open strong with their new single Task Ecstasy with me. This is compared yet reasonable light expense by the earlier work of their album Louden plain fizzy drink Now, with which they in the Netherlands last year breaks. Best by this album tonight is increased. Pardon my Freedom is a large success, but the public reaches the boil point on afsluiter Me and Guliani down by the Schoolyard.
Knocked loose multi-percussionisten Also on the stage is one celebration. Because nobody really a fixed spot appeared to have in this tie, comes the stage over as a going out playground for knocked loose multi-percussionisten. About it becomes press changed per song by instruments, are swarm by which they finished and closed with all around the drumstel to drum many different rhythms. The songs are crack built up around the rhythm. Also the melodies-instruments as the guitars do especially service as rhythmical blow instrument. Even singer Nic Offering do not sings real. He calls different rhythms and screams defiantly against its public: "There's no fucking rules, man!" How punk. Drummer John Pugh gathers to sing self halfway the action by Nic a tune with.
No breathing pause De cooperation of these eight men pure synergie, that as a flame misses on the public, is. Only suddenly are she away. Now that already? The set appeared so short. It heated public remains become foolish in the hall behind, if appeared that it no toegift is given and the curtains the stage close. What an anticlimax. But it was structuring then also a vertebra wind of an action, without real rest point the set and were to be given the public just a breathing pause. That is then the task of the dj that what scatters loose soul and motown-wild boar sneer over the men.

who knew?

who knew how amusing this game could be? here' s another translated brazilian review:

!! The!!! they opened the hostes in the main stage. Seven persons in stage in delirium orgásmico, a rhythmic section funk and disk, for times with a drummer and two percussionists, a section of sporadic metals, a vocalista (for times two) and liters of sweat. Half of the band is constituted by hippies of Saint Francisco, and the song that do is unique deed and exclusively for a purpose: fan the fazedor-de-dinheiro. It is impossible hear those short groovy sensual and do not begin to little and little it fan the hips or it jump while the two guitars powders-punk, lovingly mistreated and metallic (not of the “métal”) itself superimpose to the remainder. There is a moment inenarrável in that the drummer passes to song (has a falsete enviable and sings thousand better times than Nic Offer) and comes for the front of the stage, passing itself grossly. There is that say that envergava a divided T-shirt in two it say "Philadelphia" and an enviable beard and walked of a side for another, jumping for here and for there, stealing barely the spectacle to the another vocalista. Nic Offer goes to dance, opening the legs, stirring the arms, dressed with some shorts minúsculos and a T-shirt, pieces with air of never will have been washed. The public asks: "turururururutururururu", "Me & Giuliani Down By The Schoolyard", a portentoso single full of ideias and palettes musicals, somewhat as a showcase of the capacities of the band. It begins with the attack of the guitars, as were being been beaten up, but soon deteriorates for a sensual bass that serves the hips and little afterwards begins the voice. It has several part that go moving, incluíndo a climax of guitars it read Sonic Youth that looks a journey of meter or of comboio. And afterwards everything him mixture and comes the “turururururutururururu” that all the people sings. Be that the problem of Louden Up Now (a party of the beginning to the end) : nothing was level with that magnificent one single. And to the alive one is to same thing. Nothing, but nothing, arrives to the heels of that. Meanwhile, we have to only band it use cowbell in the festival entire (shameful), those short, those guitars, those batteries (for times two, we know there) and the best second concert of the festival (the Arcade Injure would come in the following day).

pom pom pom

I was trying to search for some new !!! press and I came across an interesting page. It's from the recent Brazil show and it's in Portuguese so I don't really know what they're talking about, but it has cool pictures and I like that in Portuguese they like to call the band "pom pom pom"and "won won won" and that it contains the phrase "Nic ganha o troféu Peaches de 2005. ". Do you think that means he's the Peaches of 2005?

On second thought, I'll use on of those online translators. This is good:

Vocalista of the!!! promotes sexual abuse in the Nokia Trends

POM-POM-POM Nic Offer, the vocalista maluquete of the!!! is to big star of this organized and comfortable Nokia Trends (a lot more lawful than the Skol Beats!) The band californiana was to third appeal to be presented in the event, in this Saturday (24.09), leaving the audience in state of shock. "We are pon-pon-pon, won-won-won, chk-chk-chk". With those words, Offer opened the show. Playing the hair, opening the arms and shaking the hands, Nic earns the trophy Peaches of 2005. SAMBA RHYTHM With nine members in the stage, being three of them Brazilian, the!!! carried out the best show of the Nokia Trends of São paulo. His mix of disco-punk-funk this time earns Brazilian pepper, the percussionistsDênis Celestino and Dennys Conceição, of Savior, and Jom, of Rio. SAMBA PUNK THE band and the percussionists itself knew in the Friday (23.09), because the official percussionist of the!!! lost the flight. "We feel the song in the heart, therefore is an alive agency", Dênis Celestino says. "We are going to touch with them, was at the right certain moment and in the certain moment", count Dennys Conceição. "Brazilian percussion has everything to do with electronic and punk", I concluded Jom. COREÔS THE show was a true one catarse, with a lot corporal expression, energy, sensuality and madnesses. Nic is a mix of Iggy Pop, Mick Jagger and Jim Morrison, alone that muuuuuito more played. His coreôsare incríveis and its boldness is an erotic bomb. The moment exorcism stayed by count of the performance ensandecida of the drummer John Pugh, that in the environment of the show changed the baquetas by the microphone and began it squeak in a schizophrenic trance. Was the maximum one. I KNOW, I KNOW In The show, the song are presented as in a big pout-pourri, everything being part of a big one colagem. To catarse general comes when they interpret "Me and Giuliani Down By The School Yard (TO True Story)". Incrível. The vocalista was played in the audience, went up in the boxes of sound and sambou until go crazy. And of that the people likes. SET-LIST Confer the set-list of the show of the!!! :

1. "Manners"
2. "Pardon"
3. "Egg Bomb"
4. "Back' n Forth"
5. "Hello"
6. "Me and Giuliani Down. .."
25.09.2005

There are so many rad phrases in there I can't pick one. I guess Allan W. couldn't get into Brazil so !!! used some Brazilian percussionists in the set and they're the ones quoted in the article.

feud?

there's some sniping against lcd going on over at pitchfork.

there's also a game with the new black dice cover, but the cover is NSFW so i can't play (the link is ok, though)

tell me how to vote

Could some of you politico types explain to me how you are voting on election day? I have heard my friends say that they're voting yes on two props but I don't know which ones.

Cutest kid ever!!!

roan!!!!!
Originally uploaded by becklerg.

fear factor sacramento

Last night Grace and I ate at Kru and got the oysters on the half shell. Michele, maybe you can help me out here, as our resident oyster expert (oyxpert?), I know there are a lot of different kind of oysters, but is it ever appropriate for an oyster the size of a tot's fist to be served raw on the half shell? They were pretty hard to choke down. I felt kind of like a contestant on Fear Factor, but we paid 12 bucks, goddamnit, so I was going to eat the nasty things. We had to cut them into three pieces. Also, don't get the unfiltered sake at Kru. The only kind they have is as chalky as pepto. It totally coats the glass with white crap. The sushi rolls were pretty good, though.

Then we showed up late to the Four Eyes "live" show and it was already in progress. I should have taken Davy at his word that it would start on time but everyone always says that. It was pretty hard to figure out what was going on. The dudes were lipsyncing to a recording and their were mics set up around the room to record the audience noise. That didn't phase me, I was just never able to ascertain why we were sometimes directed to boo and why we had to listen to the entire recording twice. Nevertheless, "bosworth's daughter" is a certified hit (there is nothing funner to yell than bosworth's daughter) and it was fun to watch Joel shred on everything from a purse to a cinder block. Other highlights were group pushups and Roan on the wheels of steel.

Everyone left pretty quick and the parking lot scene got weird, with Chris Olsen harmonizing with a bum and other hijinks. Then, on my way home some frat boys threw a water balloon at me. They missed. Ha ha! Who looks stupid now?

spooooky

That Pettibon article is really interesting. Amelie is starting up with her annual spooky postings that I love. She linked to this Everyone downtown knows this house. It is the second creepiest after the giant white house near 18th and O.

link for charles...

charles

or anyone who's interested. the nytimes magazine has a big feature on raymond pettibon this week with an extensive slideshow of his work. This quote is interesting:

his influence is discernible in the current vogue for shambling, winking sorts of drawing, in the mixing of text with image, in the exaltation of comix and the whole D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) subculture of zines and Web sites

I don't know a great deal about art, but when I've tried to get a handle on how to describe the new style of art that kinda goes along with the psych-folk and indie aesthetic (OK I'm reaching here because maybe I should think about this more before I type it but maybe you know what I mean), Pettibon is definitely the guy that comes to mind as being a big influence. I would lump Jay Howell's art squarely in the middle of what I'm talking about. Ooh, namedrop alert.

Crepeville

A friend (I won't say who because he's a prominent local musician and I don't want to be accused of namedropping, OK I'll say it it was Skid Jones) clued me in to the option of adding the smoked tofu to a salad at Crepeville so today for lunch I gave it a try. Man, that shit is good. I have never eaten at the Crepeville in Davis and now I'm psyched to eat there more often. I like their tuna melt, too. The only problem (besides the inconvenience of not taking cards and today having a broken ATM so I was forced to walk TWO BLOCKS EACH WAY) is that the portions are really ridiculously huge. I'm not kidding when I say that this is a real problem. We all know that when you are served a giant plate with a tasty sandwich as big as your head and a pile of potatoes a foot high that it takes enormous self-discipline to not eat until you are overfull and I, for one, resent it. I'm not even saying charge less and serve less, because I know that the reason restaurants do this in the first place is because they make more profit by doing it because the extra few pototatoes only cost them a few cents a pop, if that. I wish they would just give you the option of having less food for the same price. Or I wish I had a friend to go to lunch with to split the sandwich. Stupid Davis! Summary: Crepeville is good. Eat there.

be there AND be square

You all know that the Four Eyes thing is tonight at the Loft at 7:00 and you will all be there I'm sure. Lofties only.

How was the Crest party? Dillon reported that it was kind of dudly but maybe it picked up because Cresties are nocturnal. How about the Feeling show? Someone said it was great but I can't remember who.

private eyes are watching you

The debate trickled in over the weekend on Kev Seconds blog. Carry Rodda weighed in to defend himself against the charges that he writes about the exact same bands every time he writes something. Then he said something really silly that even he must admit is not true (admit it! admit it!). he pointed out that the debate had, "originated in some speculation about someone's sex life. Now really, is that a topic that anyone should care about? What people do in their private lives should be of no interest to anyone other than those involved". That's weird, because I thought that pretty much every book ever written, and every movie ever made, just as an example to start, were about people's private lives. Do you think this guy started to read Anna Karinena once but then he decided that it wasn't interesting to read about what Anna and Vronsky were thinking and feeling and besides, it was really none of his business anyway (I know I always bring up this book, I'm not ashamed to admit that it's the only book I've ever read besides the Bible of course). That's silly, what could be more interesting to humans than other humans and what they do? And sex is a part of that. Now the issue is really whether what I wrote was hurtful or inappropriate, and that's certainly up to you to decide. At the time I wrote it I thought there was zero chance anyone involved would ever read it, so I wrote and didn't think. That kind of shit (usually involving speaking without thinking) gets me in trouble every once in awhile. It's one of my worst qualities, in addition to being too darn self-sacrificing and a workaholic (that's a joke folks). So I'm glad Kev had a sense of humor about it. Charles wrote some really funny stuff, too, so you should read it if you care to.

I spent this entire weekend in the car and it was still totally fun. Who better to be trapped in a car with than the Bananas? Their show in L.A. was a success despite dismal sound and only one mic, and the kids loved it. I discovered that Diet Sparks tastes just as good as regular Sparks but with only a fraction of the calories. Thanks to Amy P. for letting us stay at her place.

bad mc

This guy starts out OK with his MC. Noting a woman has sexy shoulders is pretty innocuous and a good opener. And it's kind of cute to admit he's big but hope he has a chance. It gets worse and worse as it goes along. When he says he wants to stop in the middle of her body and lick there for days or whatever, what part do you think he's talking about? I know, it seems obvious, but I wouldn't necessarily say that part is in the "middle". Isn't that more like the belly button? Maybe he's into that. Maybe it is the middle. Quick, some lady go measure yourself and divide my two and then see what's in the middle. We do have a tape measure in the lab. I'll get back to you. And then by the end he's pretty much implying that he's been waxing it thinking about her. That's not usually a way to appeal to a lady.

shows

Well, the comments are up on Kev's blog and some healthy and interesting debate is occurring. At least I find it interesting. I guess there's nothing else to be said, for now. But the fight will continue....And who says the Loft's dead? If you check my previous post you'll see that there's a show there this monday. The Loft lives on!

Here's the info on the saturday show:

at the distillery

Lyme Regis (good looking in in tune with today's youth)
The Feeling (looking for a new band name)
Dutchess of Saigon (rare gig)

this Saturday Oct 8th at 10pm. 5-6 bucks. this could be the show of the year.

Talk About Charles

I am going to have an insane weekend cuz I just found out that I'm going to the Black Dice tonight in SF, the Bananas in L.A. tomorrow, and the Bananas at Gilman on sunday. Sac people should come to the Gilman show! As I always point out these shows are off the hook and the fact that this one is with the Pipe Bombs means that every brace face and dumpster dude in the Bay Area will be there bum rushing the stage and singing along. And if you've never seen the Pipe Bombs you are missing out cuz they're great.

quick post

OK, I gotta be quick because I just wasted a bunch of work time writing a reply comment on Kev Seconds blog. He thinks I'm mad but I'm not. Who wouldn't be stoked to have the Sac legend Kevin Seconds reading their blog and responding to it. And I'm not being sarcastic. Next thing now I'm expecting is for Heather Fargo to finally discover all the stuff I wrote about the arena and airing her hurt feelings in the comments.

There's an awesome thing happening soon. No, not TomKats kitten, this from the Four Eyes:

We're recording a "live" album at the loft on mondaybetween 7 and 9. come and here the never-before-heardsongs and clap. after the cd comes out you can say"that was me clapping and chanting" as use it as analibi for the crimes you're planning on that night.It wont be too loud and may be a little fun.

I'll post the full details on the Feeling show later. I'm bummed I'm missing that show, especially cuz Duchess of Saigon is making a rare live appearance.

I am lame because my jet lag is worsening and at the drive-ins last night I fell asleep the INSTANT that Serenity started (this was at 8:00 o'clock) and awoke only during the final credits to hear a chorus of "that was really good"s from everyone there.

not for the faint of heart

damn, josher has a seriously gnarly story and picture of a cat bite. scroll down to the cat bite post first, then the one above it for the proper sequence.

When I briefly (two days I think) worked at Pet Paradise on Freeport (the name is a cruel irony) and had to wash a cat or two I knew the real meaning of terror. The Russian lady I worked with (I add her ethnicity for color) said cat bites were worse than dog bites and that cat teeth "sink to the bone"

I have downloaded an mp3 of a song from the new Fiona album and I'm digging it. For those of you who may think I'm name-dropping, that's Fiona Apple I'm referring to. No, I don't know her but she's indie as hell.

secret cliquey hipster party

press release from Charles. Email this addres or Charles directly.

There's a PARTY! Sunday, October 9th at the Crest Theatre to celebrate the 42nd annual Arrogant English Bastard New Year (aka Tony's Birthday) and Crest Band Night – with 6 Crest-affiliated bands playing: Don, Outgunned, Jeff Ricketts, Touchy Feelies and Rock the Light.

Music starts at 7pm and will go until a little after 11pm (nothing too late as it's a "school night"). Free soda and chips/pretzels/etc. – beer & wine on sale. There's no cover and you don't need a ticket, but you do NEED TO BE ON THE GUEST LIST. You can get on the list by being a guest of a Crest employee or a band member or by emailing Arrenbas@gmail.com with your last name, first name and the number of people coming with you.

hungry

Chowhound has had a lot of sacto posts lately and one thread is increasing my curiosity about Giovanni's pizza. I ate there once for James W.'s bday but I'm not even sure I ate pizza. Everyone is raving about it and also about the rotisserie chicken they have there. I wanna go! Have I mentioned that I'm hungry?

busted!

I was checkin' my hits and who is linking me and I found out that ol' Kev Seconds read that really old post about the rumor that he and the missus like to swing. Read it here.

Sacramento (a lovely town)

Originally uploaded by becklerg.

So I had already heard about Josh Chaffin buying a copy of this song, but now I am the happy owner of a 45 of it, too. From what I gather, Middle of the Road had a Euro top 5 hit with this in the 70's. They're a Scottish band, but they sound like a Dutch or German Abba ripoff. The song is really catchy. Read the lyrics here. I would have cut and pasted them but this site kept me from doing this. Researching this song led me to this interesting webpage that reviews all the Sac songs, including the Milhouse one!

scratch that, the same website has the lyrics. here they are

Middle of the Road's "Sacramento"

There is something about the weather

That everybody loves

They call it the Indian Spring of Sacramento

And when the sun is up in the sky

the wind is blowingby the riverside

most every day

you're in Sacramento

a wonderful townsing sing, ..

There's something about the people

that everybody knowsthat

gives you a tender feeling of confusion

you're feeling lonely but you don't know

until this other feeling

hereinside you starts to grow

you're in Sacramento,

a wonderful townsing, sing, ..

Now that spring is near again

and you're thinkingif only you were not so lonely

but you can ease your restless mind

'cos all the people are a lovin' kindin Sacramento,

a wonderful townsing, sing, ...

high holy days

I made matzoh ball soup yesterday because I was craving it and when I got to Safeway to get the matzoh I saw that all the Jew stuff was on sale and I remembered it's Rosh Hashanah. DB told me that Yom Kippur is next week and we were talking about what a cool holiday that is. It's the day of atonement and beforehand you are supposed to think about all the fucked up things you've done that year (both in a spiritual and personal sense) and set them right. Before the actual holiday you are supposed to set things right between you and other people, on on the holiday, between you and the Big Guy. I may be getting this kinda wrong, but I think I have the gist. I like the idea of thinking about how you have fucked up over the year and talking to your friends and family about it. AND you're supposed to wear all white on the holiday, which of course is cool. Me and DB were discussing how we would maybe have a Yom Kippur party if there wasn't so much stuff coming up every weekend for a while. Although maybe a party where everyone apologizes to each other a lot wouldn't be that slammin', but it could get pretty emotional.

This time I went with Streitz matzoh balls instead of the regular (what is it? you know with the orange box? Manishewitz? Katz'? I can't remember) and I don't recommend them. They're dense and not giant and fluffy like the other one. I prefer them to be giant and fluffy and eggy. I'm hungry again already! Has anyone ever heard of jet lag making someone gain a bunch of weight?

listing stuff makes it seem more interesting

1) Sorry if my post veered a little far into obscenity yesterday. I woke up at 500 embarrassed about that.

2) I vow to stop guilting everyone about not commenting. It's boring, and also probably mildly insulting to those who do comment. I'll never ever ever do it again.

3) This morning three people at my house were suffering from jet lag. The Armeniac has the worst of it because Armenia had a 12 hour difference. This led to me and smiller going to Waffle Square at 6 am this morning. I guess it opens at 530 if you're looking for an early morning spot. I'd rate it as a 4 on a scale of 1 to 10. Not bad, not that good. Typical watery coffee that tastes really good with lots of cream and sugar. I got the waffles, which, despite the name of the place, are cardboardy and kinda crappy. My eggs were rubbery and cold and my bacon was tough. Scott's veggie waffle was good. They were discussing TomKats "kitten" on the Today show and said "I hope they don't have a litter" hyuk hyuk.

4) Drive-in tonight. I haven't been there yet this year. Should be fun.

5) This is the same year after year, but what is up with the SN&R best of? I nominate the worst two as: century beating out Crest (Tower came in first, which is kinda silly when you consider how much nicer the Crest is but it's a sentimental favorite) and Olive Garden winning as best Italian. Pathetic. I also like number 2 on "best place for a date" being listed as "the movies-various locations". Can't the fucking dumbasses who fill the thing out understand that they are supposed to be specific?

blog envy

Man, I am suffering from some serious blog envy. The Barnseyard has been hoppin' since I left. Dan's a prolific poster and his comments are picking up. Some of you may have missed this but Heckamax can no longer comment in this space because I use too many dirty words and phrases like "cuntswozzler" and "hot jets of ropey cum" (not a Kate Bush lyric, but it could be). I was dismayed to find out while reading the Barnesyard that my plants have been talking shit about me behind my back, but I'm happy to have something good to read. I predict he'll win best blog next year, especially since most of you find everything I say too dreadfully dull to comment on. If the exciting topics don't get you, I'm sure the pointless guilting will make you want to stop reading. But guilt is all I know folks. What am I, chopped liver? Ooohh..Armeniac you should start a blog so that we can be the all-blogging household that rules Sac. By the way, I'd love some more details of the trip to Armenia (online, I prefer it to talking face to face these days). So the racks were poppin'? Wish I could say the same for Portugal. Any country where I'm the hottest bird on the beach had better import some comely ladies from Sweden and introduce them into the gene pool, STAT. No offense to any Portuguese readers, I think the people from the Azores got most of the good looks.

the more I think about sex, the better it gets****

OK, I'll soldier on with posting despite lack of comments that amount to a collective yawn from you readers. The tracklists for the new Kate Bush are out on Pitchfork today. Smiller, I'll be expecting a burned CD by tomorrow.


***that's a Kate Bush lyric. It may also be true.

blogs

I can't remember if I linked Natalie's new blog yet, but here it is. And Lisa Ninja has one too.

sad news

oh my god why didn't anyone tell me about paris squared and now nick and jessica are breaking up too? what is this world coming to? doesn't anyone believe in love anymore?

performance anxiety

As I said yesterday, I have a wee bit of performance anxiety today. No one is biting yet on the Press Club controversy, but then again perhaps not everyone is jetlagged and showed up at work an hour early like me.

I checked undietacos and not too much is going on. I guess Tonevendor had their last show? Fucking lame. How was Max Freedom 2? I wish I could have gone to that. Hella is playing some show at Arco with the Mars Volta and System of a Down. I guess they are laughing all the way to the bank. The !!! dudes are in town but I haven't seen any of them yet. I heard they just played in Brazil recently. The Bananas are playing the Smell in L.A. this weekend with This Bike is a Pipe Bomb (yay!) and Toys that Kill. I'm excited to go to the Smell. I hope the girl from Mika Miko that looks like Laverne will be there. The Bananas are also playing in the Bay Area three times with the Pipe Bombs the weekend after this next one, so I'll keep you updated when I find out exactly where so you-all can go.