AA Bondy: A Rider With A Sense of Humor

I haven't had the chance to even look at my video from AA Bondy, but I'll tell you that I didn't take very many photos. I was next to O and he was getting some great shots, but it felt a little paparazzi style with about 10 people all shooting photos (especially because the lights were so low there was a whole bunch of flash.

The show was as great as I expected it would be and JBM absolutely won over the entire crowd who stood silent for all of his set. Unfortunately I missed Aaron Swanton because I was meeting with my cohorts from SoundDiego but I've seen him before and know how great his solo music is.

I did take one photo at the end of the night that I loved. For the uninitiated, a "rider" is the list of things a band includes in their contract for a show...added value perks, if you will. For giant touring bands this usually includes quite extensive requests with anything from specific foods, alcohol, water, snacks, and sometimes things like "Hane's mens t-shirt pack of 3 size Medium". If you didn't see it on Twitter last night, I had to take a photo of AA Bondy's rider.

D-Pain Pimping "App 4 Dat"

Dan Reed (from SD band SayVinyl) is featured on FunnyOrDie.com. Just be careful before opening, as it is NSFW.

D-Pain -- App 4 Dat - watch more funny videos

Comic-Con: In Honor Of Nerds Everywhere

This is from the Correspondents Dinner at the White House about a month ago. I laughed then, and I laugh again now in anticipation of the beginning of Comic-Con.

Enjoy!

Today: Zombie Pub Crawl

A couple weeks ago I saw some flyers for a zombie pub crawl happening in my area, so I dug around and found the organizers and the event which is happening today (though it would've been SO. MUCH. BETTER. if they did it during Taste of Adams tomorrow):

The Zombie Pub Crawl is set for tonight starting at 7pm at the Triple Crown Pub. We will be going down Adams Ave visiting The Ould Sod, Lou's, Rosie Ogrady's, then down to Kadan & AC Lounge. We have arranged drink specials at most of the bars for those in the crawl. This is event is sponsored by SCR2P.COM. We are an online social calendar for people that like to meet new people and have a fun time.

You can meet the organizers at the event, just ask for Steven or Brent!

This event is free to attend and your encouraged to bring your friends. Arrive early at the Triple Crown for makeup from professional makeup artists.

Triumph The Insult Dog Covers Bonnaroo

Kinda the best music festival reporting ever, right?

A Letter To Esquire Magazine

My friend Beezeley (Nautical Disaster) sent this letter out. I'll let it speak for itself.

I just wanted to share a letter I've just sent off to Esquire in response to their "America's Best Bars" article. Once again, San Diego has been dissed so I figured I'd share my thoughts with them. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it! And if you're trying to wrap yer head around why I'm reading and writing to Esquire, well, let's just keep it moving folks, nothing here to see...

The full San Diego loving letter if you 'keep on reading'.

Dearest Esquire,

I would like to thank you for once again perpetuating the undisputed truth that San Diego is a vapid cultural vacuum that has nothing to offer but Shamu and disappointing sports franchises. After reading your recent "Best Bars In America" article I checked the online database and sure enough there is only ONE San Diego bar mentioned. While the Red Fox Room is surely a fine place to down a few you definitely missed out on not mentioning that if you go to the Hotel Bar next door and order a drink you get to use their pool FOR FREE. Sun, pool, drinks; sure bet for some good times. As thanks for making sure we aren't inundated with pesky outsiders looking for "the San Diego Experience," I will not mention where to go for the best dirty Hendrick's martini that also happens to have great live music for free and inebriated elephants painted on the walls that'll tickle you "pink". I also won't tell you where to get one of the best burgers in town in a fantastic "waterfront" dive bar just a few blocks from the world famous Casbah. I certainly wouldn't want to tell you about one of San Diego's oldest neighborhood bars where you don't need an "alibi" to order one of their spicy Bloody Marys with pickled green beans! Yep, definitely no reason to visit the Capital of Small Breweries (believe it!) And just in case you were wondering, there is absolutely no Local Music Scene to speak of so please don't come here expecting to be entertained by anything resembling a vital community of bands. There are so many more I won't be telling you about (hey Beach Communities, you'll have to lobby yourselves for all the reasons no one should visit the half million or so dive bars in your neighborhoods!) 'cause really, LA and San Francisco are truly the only noteworthy cities in California and you really wouldn't want to bother yourself with us. We thank you and our hard working bartenders thank you! By the way, I believe there was a mistake in your listing for Tucson. The Buffet is the Scariest Bar in America. It's like walking into a David Lynch film without all of the Magical Wonder leaving only a sinister dread that something terribly terribly wrong is about to happen. At two in the afternoon.

San Diego's Warmest Regards,

beezeley

Digital Conversion Underway

Despite the fact that congress approved the postponement of digital conversion, many stations are still flipping this month. My Godfather sent me this video to help explain how simple the transition will be for all those who still use rabbit ears...

Michael Cera Mocks Christian Bale

I think I love Michael Cera even more than before after watching this video, so I thought I'd share. (strong language- don't play it with your boss over your shoulder)

What are the odds?

Last night's Casbah show ended pretty early, so I swung by Chee-Chee to say hi to Jeff. It was quiet there, but had it's share of misfits, including an older man in a motorized wheelchair who was rocking out to New Order. I happened to look to my right and saw this book sitting on the counter next to a patron. Jeff and I had to capture it.



I only stayed for a few minutes, than made my way to Soda Bar. Emily and I hung out and we met someone and ended up having drinks at his pad after hours. I woke up on his couch this morning and noticed his bookshelves.



Seriously, what are the odds?

Ode To Andre Champagne

Last night I was looking through photos and videos that I have yet to upload from the last month or so and came across this little nugget of a video of Dennis, Frank, Kelly singing the praises of Andre champagne, with a cameo by Nick at the end.



What a great way to usher in a new year.

Sarah Palin: Nuff Said

Nobody Wants To Be A Hipster

You know how sometimes you see or read something and then invariably keep seeing or reading other things and they all sort of come together with a shared theme?

Hipsters have been on my radar over the past couple weeks. I've been completely obsessed with Hipster Runoff after seeing the links on CatDirt and Stereogum. Then yesterday, I was called "The queen of all things hipster" by Fear and Loathing in Golden Hill and I cringed. Nobody wants to be called a hipster. I own no tights or leggings. I don't wear headbands. My t-shirt and jeans "style" has been the same since 9th grade.

So it was funny in all my thinking about what it means to be a hipster that I found this article, via a Twitter link that went to a blog that linked to another blog that linked to an article in AdBusters. The full article is here and here's a link to an entire issue of Time Out New York, "Why The Hipster Must Die".

“I’ve always found that word [“hipster”] is used with such disdain, like it’s always used by chubby bloggers who aren’t getting laid anymore and are bored, and they’re just so mad at these young kids for going out and getting wasted and having fun and being fashionable,” he says. “I’m dubious of these hypotheses because they always smell of an agenda.”

Maybe I am a hipster, maybe not. But if I am, then Known as Ben, you are too. Let's go blog together at the Moose Lodge while drinking Schlitz/PBR/Old Milwaukee and smoking American Spirits/Parliaments. I'll wear an oversized men's shirt with leggings and you can wear skinny jeans and an American Apparel V-Neck.

Political Satire

I'm bunkered in my apartment, trying to keep it as dark and cool as possible, and trying wrap my head around the fact that my vacation time is almost over, then it's nose to the grindstone once again. I came across this lovely little video via a fellow twitterer and I thought I'd share it. If you're opposed to vulgarity, skip this video.

Fashion Lookout

All week I've been on a hunt for a sensible bag to take to the amusement park tomorrow. I was joking that maybe I should've bought that bag on the infomercial that holds everything in it's own little pocket. I have also been joking that I'm gonna bring back the fanny pack. Well, imagine my surprise when I found this article in the LA Times:

LAUGH ALL you want, but it's time to welcome back the fanny pack.

OK, we're heading back. See you all in a couple days.

Time To Walk Away, Hillary

A Dedication to Garrett at FM 94/9

see more crazy cat pics

Super Tuesday: How Can One Not Love The Bible Belt?

My blog idol, Dooce, posted this today and I thought it was worth sharing.
There really are no words, you just gotta watch.

OMG!!! Party with Lauren & Audrina from The Hills For New Years

hahahahahahaha. Sorry. I never do a big New Years. First of all, it's the ultimate rookie night. Second, for me, a new year is for reflecting on the years before and preparing for the coming year and all of its inevitable ups and downs, not a time to be a drunken idiot. Still, every year, stupid clubs offer stupid promotions for a bunch of people to spend a shitload of money on a night that will ultimately disappoint. Though, really, there's nothing better than seeing the drunk girls cry when they don't get that midnight kiss.

This year, why not party in style?? Barf. I'm only kidding. And even as guiltily devoted as I am to watching The Hills, if you think paying $125 for general entry, or $175 for "premium" entry, or $3000 for a table is going to make your 2008 ring in cooler than everyone else's because you're at the same place as Audrina and Lauren, then by all means, have at it. And by the way, congrats, because you are an ultimate douchebag.

American Apparel Ads: Too Risque?

It appears that a lot of people are not happy with some of the recent American Apparel ads. Nothing new, actually. People have been complaining about the ads for a long time. There have been several letters to the editor at CityBeat and other mags and rags that have featured the ads. Like this one where the writer argues, "The ads put prepubescent models in compromising poses, wearing inadequate clothing... Progressive politics is one thing; exploitation is another."

American Apparel seems to relish the attention, even referring to their own advertising as "provocative."

I'm not trying to mock the issue, because even though I don't find the ads inappropriate, I do find them sleazy. But the controversy about the ads reminded me that when I was in LA a couple months ago, I picked up The Onion and couldn't stop laughing at this article. Hope you enjoy.

14 American Apparel Models Freed In Daring Midnight Raid

LOS ANGELES—"There were girls everywhere," FBI agent Curtis Froman said. "Draped over furniture, sprawled spread-eagled in the corner, and huddled close like animals."

Google Hit of The Day: "Skanky Whores"

I like to check in on my sitemeter every once in a while to see what people are googling to get to my site. Lately it's been a lot of "Holiday Hootenanny", "Things to Do In San Diego" and "Nightmare Before X-mas", as well as a lot of referrals since Band of Horses was recently in the news and Pitchfork still has my link associated with the band.

But today, somebody Googled "skanky whores" and hit my site, which was 6th on the list. That just made my day. Welcome to my site to whomever it was searchin for skanky whores. I mean, with the holidays coming up, who isn't looking for skanky whores?