'I Am Not A Hipster' named in Top 10 Best Music Films at Sundance by Rolling Stone

While I've been up at NAMM, Sundance kicked off in Park City, Utah, and the local-project-that-could has been getting some attention. Destin Cretton's film, I Am Not A Hipster, was named one of the top 10 best music films at Sundance by Rolling Stone. Personally, I cannot wait to see the film and hopefully there will be a local screening at some point soon, but in the meantime, here's the trailer and the full soundtrack available for streaming.


I AM NOT A HIPSTER (the movie) from Destin Daniel Cretton on Vimeo.

San Diego Newsy Bits

Over the holidays, there were some newsy things that were Facebooked and Tweeted and such, so I thought I would just highlight a couple in case you missed them.

• The New York Times highlighted San Diego in their 45 Places To Go In 2012. They highlighted our booming beer culture and some of our favorite haunts and put our fair city at number 14 among places like Tokyo, Cuba, and Glasgow, with Panama taking the number one spot. 
• The San Diego Foundation awarded $285,000 arts grants among several local artists and musicians. Among them were musicians Joel P West and Gilbert Castellanos and artist Wes Bruce. You can read about their projects at the U-T, NBC, CityBeat, and Sezio.
• This week The Guardian (London) named Psychic Dancehall their new band of the day. "Chuck Rowell and Hollie Cook's synth-pop noir is inspired by San Diego's seedy side – with a dollop of David Lynch". Check it in the player below.

Psychic Dancehall - Dreamers LP by wearesolidgold

Finally, this month the Casbah is celebrating 23 years. It's been an honor to be a part of the family for the past few years and if you haven't checked out the calendar lately, I added the remainder of January's shows in the sidebar. Several of this month's shows celebrate new releases, so be sure to check out new stuff from A Scribe Amidst The Lions, Black Box Studios, The Beautiful View, and The Howls. You're also going to want to stay tuned because with Coachella being two weekends this year, you can count on some of the bands playing shows in town. I can't spill the beans just yet, but you're gonna want to pay attention.

The Tree Ring release video for "Wore It Deep"

I've long been a supporter of Joel P West not only because we share a birthday (though I'm YEARS older), but because everything he does is approached with a complete project and plan in motion. He doesn't record willy-nilly, he takes his band to Idyllwyld to hide out and create. He doesn't just have a show, he creates an environment. He doesn't do all of this alone, of course, but even from his early records, like the Dust Jacket Project, which offered a free download if you submitted some form of creative art, he is much more than just a musician, even deciding to drop his own name for the complete package of his full band, The Tree Ring. The band released a music video this week and it's absolutely beautiful (though I've found it slow to load...be patient).

Wore It Deep (The Tree Ring) from Destin Cretton on Vimeo.

The Tree Ring will have their official record release party on February 12th at the San Diego Woman's Club. Tickets can be purchased here. The show is an all ages seated show. Tickets are $12, or $20 which includes a copy of the vinyl.

Ben Sollee Bicycle Tour Kicks Off In San Diego

Ben Sollee might not be the first musician ever to do an entire tour on bicycle without support vehicles (see Blind Pilot)the idea certainly isn't common, by any means, and any artist who sets out on the journey deserves some serious credit, especially ones like Ben who plans on riding all the way back to his homestate of Kentucky with his cello strapped to his bicycle. Sezio.org has arranged for yet another night of amazing music at the Sushi Performance and Art space in East Village and I urge everyone to check it out. Joel P West is opening the show (solo) and it promises to be an incredible night. Click the flyer for tickets and more information.

Friday Night: Joel P West, Black Mamba, Lemon Sun & Leopold & His Fiction

I know it's only Tuesday, but let me help you plan your Friday night.

First, start of at the Museum Of Contemporary Art La Jolla for an enchanting evening with Black Mamba and Joel P West. It's a big Sezio, Holiday Matinee, & Ford Fiesta production and it sounds like the show will something quite incredible.
For info, check out Sezio. For tickets, click the banner at the top of the page.

Behind The Scenes w/ Joel P. West & The Tree Ring from Holiday Matinee on Vimeo.

After the show ends, make your way down to Bar Pink for Leopold & His Fiction and Lemon Sun. Both are incredible bands...the former from the Bay Area, the latter from LA. If you happened to be at the Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros show at the Belly Up, you likely saw the opener He's My Brother, She's My Sister. The brother in question, Robert Kolar, is the front man for Lemon Sun. I've seen both bands live and they're both worth checking out. Below is a new video from Lemon Sun. Also, grab this free MP3 by right-clicking and choosing Save As. "Touch The Lightning"

Joel P. West at Casbah

Earlier this week I posted about the Sezio show tonight at the Casbah. While I was up super late last night, or early this morning, depending on how you view the world, I realized I never posted the videos from their December show with J Tillman, so I put it in a little playlist and decided to share with you.



See you tonight at the Casbah!

Sezio receives 501(c)(3) Status, Plans Celebration / Fundraiser at The Casbah 01.21.2010

After a year's worth of paper work, and contemplation of whether we really have the energy to do this for the next decade... Sezio applied for and was granted 501(c)(3) status by the IRS. We'll soon be announcing our four programs designed to fulfill our mission statement of providing resources, exposure and community support to emerging artists and musicians, but for now it's time to celebrate.

We've booked The Casbah for Thursday, January 21st to host a special night of live music and to fund raise a bit for our fledgling non-profit. Tim Mays has generously offered to donate the night's cover plus a percentage of the bar. Jamuel Saxon will headline the evening, joined by special guests Writer, Tape Deck Mountain and Black Mamba. Martian Horses and Joel P West will open up the evening.

Details:

When: Thursday, January 21st
Where: The Casbah
What: Concert / Fundraiser
Who: Jamuel Saxon, Joel P West & Martian Horses
Time: 9pm
Cost: $10



Congratulations, Zack and friends! San Diego is a better place to live because of people like you and organizations like Sezio.

Tonight: Local Production Featured On TLC

Local filmmaker Destin Cretton created a documentary called "Born Without Arms" that will premiere tonight on TLC. Destin writes, "The film features San Diego Musician/Songwriter Mark Goffeney, who is the lead singer/bass player in the band "Big Toe." (bigtoerocks.com) Along with the other two amazing people highlighted in the film, Mark was born without arms. He also plays the guitar (with his toes) and takes the time to be a good dad to his three kids."

They're also having a premiere party at The Pearl Hotel on Sunday night from 9pm to 11pm (show starts at 10pm) with the doc projecting on their big screen outside. Some of the San Diego local artists involved in this film are:

Destin Cretton - Writer/Director/Producer/Editor
Joel P. West - Composer
Brad Kester - Assistant Director
Andrew Glendinning - Illustrator/Graphic Design
Keith Milgaten - Music Engineer/Mixer
Jon Smith - Animator
Kelly Bennett - Violin
Doug Welcome - Bass, Trombone

BORN WITHOUT ARMS
Imagine trying to navigate through life without arms. It almost seems impossible. But three extraordinary human beings, Mark, Jessica and Nadia, don’t have to imagine — it’s their reality. They were born without arms. Watch as all three individuals set and accomplish goals that surpass what the average person might ever dream to achieve. Their incredible stories premiere on TLC 12/13/09 at 10pm/9 central.

Live at Luce Loft: Joel P West & The Paddle Boat

Sezio.org posted the last of their Luce Loft videos and reviews. It feels so long ago now, but seeing the videos certainly takes me right back to that Love Sac where I was privileged to witness five amazing nights of music.

The Paddle Boat


Joel P West

Rosey's Diary: 3.3.09-3.11.09

You know, I had a conversation with a friend about blogging and I've been doing this since 2003. Crazy. It all started as these long diary-like posts where I rambled about everything I did and saw and everyone I talked to or hung out with. So while this might be unfamiliar to readers of this site, it's really the most natural way for me to write and the best way to get it done because it feels less like work and more like I'm just chatting with an old friend. That being said, I am picking up where I left off on that last "diary" post...at least I got past February and am finally writing about March, right? I'll probably keep labeling my posts as such, now that there are so many people contributing to this site these days and since someone jumped down my throat for all my "overdue recaps". So to read my 'diary', click 'keep on reading'.


3.3.09: Neko Case @ Casbah, Joel P West & Matt Curreri @ Soda Bar

I already wrote about spending the day at the Casbah for the free Neko Case show and hopefully you were following me on Twitter and were able to make it to the show because it was a good one. Neko Case played a long set and kept the crowd (well, maybe with the exception of photographers) happy, but as it was an early show with no opener, after the show I made my way to catch Joel P. West and Matt Curreri at Soda Bar. I was pretty exhausted from the day, however, so I didn't take photos, rather just hung out with my friends and enjoyed the show.



3.4.09: This was an all internet day for me, save for lunch with some friends at Souplantation and catching up on much needed sleep. This was the day the CityBeat demo review came out, so I have to admit I spent a day digesting the reviews.

3.5.09: It's no secret that I love Twitter and when Burger Lounge offered free fries to their Twitter followers, it seemed as good excuse as any to walk across the street from my apartment and meet some Twitter friends for a nice lunch. From there, Jake and I went to Gelato Vero to catch up with Daye. I also bumped into Josh from Silent Comedy and chatted a bit before heading home for a bit before making my way to TNT to see Writer and Joel P West as the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. The crowd was a little thin at the start, partly because now the City permit requires that the patio be fully enclosed with a temporary fence and open only to those 21 and up, but by the time the music was full swing, there was a healthy crowd there to enjoy both performances.



After the show, I met up with Petro, Kris, and their visiting friends for some beers at their apartment before they called it a night. From there, I joined Jake, Pall, Jimmy, Hoth, Gabriel and a few others who were at Lou Jones before we all walked to Ould Sod and watched some karaoke before it was finally time to call it a night. I know writing about this portion of the night sounds really boring, but in reality it was one of those rare nights that happens when you least expect it. I guess I should just thank those guys for letting me be a part of it.

3.6.09: Friday I woke up with a sore throat and a cold but I wasn't going to let it stop me from my evening plans. In retrospect that might've been a mistake because I got my ass kicked with illness, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

The night started picking up Dagart, meeting at Alex's, then grabbing Natalie on our way to National City for Hotel St. George @ X1FM Open Door Session.
Here are a couple pics I took:





Local Bands should all be trying to get on the Open Door. The crowd is all ages and exposes bands to prospective fans who might not otherwise know the band, there's people watching from across the world via the live stream, the sound is impeccable as a recording studio, and all bands should know how to stretch their performances to an hour when they're accustomed to sticking to 30-40 minute sets. Plus the bands are given a recording of their performance and it is added to the X1FM.com archives (then embedded here).

After the show, I grabbed dinner at In and Out before Alex took me to my car. The rest of them headed to Casbah, but I went to the Marquee to see The Howls, Matt Haeck & The Guiding Light, John Meeks. The venue is a converted church across the street from the Shell station on 25th, just north of the 94. The space is really cool and I'd been warned that there were shows there before that were peppered with religious sermons, which honestly would've made me walk out, but this was not the case at all and the people running it seem to be trying really hard to offer a cool spot for the under 21 crowd to be a part of the music scene, offering bands on weekends, open mic nights for poetry, spoken word, and music, and coming soon, "The Kids Are Alright" karaoke hosted by Adam Gimbel.

The arched ceilings and comfortable low vinyl couches were perfect for the alt-country sounds of The Howls, Matt Haeck, and John Meeks, and actually just what I needed as I felt illness creeping up on me. Since it was an old church, I kinda hoped there'd be hot chocolate and baked goods from grandma's, but maybe they'll work on refreshments in the future. My only complaint about the night is that between bands they played top 40 music that was louder than the bands had been. I know I wasn't the only one cringing as I listened to Fall Out Boy between bands.

As for the music, I'm already a fan of The Howls and John Meeks (who was backed by Jimmy Lavalle, Brian Holwerda, Hoth, and Matt Resovich), but I was glad to finally see Matt Haeck and The Guiding Light, who reminded me of Rocky Votolato both in style and appearance. My camera did not like the lighting, however, so you'll have to see him for yourself. At least you can kinda see the room in these couple snaps.



When the show ended somewhere between 10:30 and 11, I took off and made my way to the Casbah for Team Abraham's CD release show. I rejoined my friends from earlier in the night as well as seeing lots of other friendly faces that made it feel like a crazy house party more than a night at a bar, only I was sick and therefore perhaps the only sober person in the crowd. I wasn't there in time for Gray Ghosts, but noticed music in the Atari Lounge and remembered that Evan of the Parson Redheads was playing, so I went back to listen as best I could over the volume of the smoking patio and the DJ mix inside the venue. Evan was a trooper, though, and when a group of loud "Oh My God!" girls came in those of us listening just pulled up our stools to pay attention.



I'm not exagerrating about the non-sobriety of the crowd. As Team Abraham played and as Andrew mentioned, LJ threw her bra onstage and Dagart stripped to throw his boxers onstage. Nuts. The vibe between the crowd and the band made for a fun performance and I was a little sad I wasn't taking part in the rowdiness.



3.7.09: Saturday I woke up feeling better, so I took care of my household in the morning and then met up with friends and family at Blind Lady. My best friend was in town from Chicago after living in England for a while, so we hung out and caught up over the great organic pizzas and tasty beers that Blind Lady offers.


Eventually everyone had to go, but I was able to drag Todd with me to Jose's because I had to take pictures for an opportunity that seems to have now passed, but at least we had a couple good margaritas. After we ended up at Soda Bar for The Morning Benders and Cuckoo Chaos and I was in an alcohol mixed with cold medicine induced cloud so no pictures of that little adventure. Even Twitter failed that night. I guess it was going around.

I was feeling much better from my cold come Sunday and then I was hit like a truck by a flu that kept me at home and out of commission until Thursday night. Thank goodness for my wifi and Hulu.com as I pretty much laid in bed digesting medicine, liquids, and watching two entire seasons of Friday Night Lights over the course of four days along with my usual regiment of reading news and blogs and twitter and facebook and all these other glorious creations that can allow for someone to be out of commission for four days without feeling disconnected from their world. With that, I'll move on to the last of my diary posts that will make me all caught up.

Rosey's Diary: 2.25.09 - 3.03.09

I caught up with a few way overdue posts yesterday, but I quickly realized that part of the reason I haven't been writing is because I have been so incredibly busy, and when I have room to breathe, I have actually been giving myself time away from the computer. That said, I'll pick up where I left off at the end of February. If you care to read my diary, click 'keep on reading'.



2.25.09: AC Newman, Dent May @ Casbah, Karaoke @ Soda Bar

I sold merch for AC Newman and Dent May, so I didn't really get to see the show, but Dent May is this amazing band with a eukele as the centerpiece. I was a little surprised the show wasn't sold out, especially since there was such demand for Neko Case tickets just a week later, but there were plenty of people who told me that A.C. Newman's first album, A Slow Wonder changed their lives. Carl was kind enough to sign a tour poster for me at the end of the night.

The show ended quite early because the band was playing on KEXP the next morning and had to be up by 4 a.m., so this gave me time to hit the Soda Bar where I ran into friends on Kipper's Karaoke Night. They tried to get me to sing, but as I've said before, it is NEVER going to happen, so instead I played pool with a guy who lives around the corner from the bar and asked if I was a student at SDSU. Considering I graduated college in 1998, I have to say I was more than flattered. The bar was a bit slow so they closed down a little early and I was on my way to prepare for another day.

2.26.09: Kinky @ House of Blues, N.A.S.A.@ Casbah

The next night I made my way downtown with a Jonathan and Xavie to see Kinky. I had won 10 tickets from Kinky and thought I'd take my best friends who both had upcoming birthdays, but they couldn't make it after all, so I hooked up some friends with tickets. When we arrived, the line was crazy and the first band hadn't started, so we decided to hit up The Local. On Thursday nights they have $3 pints and other great drink specials, so we stayed there for quite some time, bumping into a few of my friends who were on a pub crawl. When we finally left to the show, Kinky was about to take the stage. I smuggled my camera in, as did half the audience, but could never really get close enough to the stage for any real results, so this is the best I got, and actually the photo on the left was taken from the balcony when we were getting drinks. It's funny that I get press releases so frequently from the band's publicity agency but they couldn't hook up a photo pass or tickets for the actual show. I don't hold it against the band at all and they gave a stellar performance and it seems to me that of all the shows I go to, the rock en espanol crowds are by far the most frenzied and enthusiastic at shows, perhaps because they don't happen very often.



After the show, we made our way to see N.A.S.A., a DJ duo, at the Casbah. It was fun and the crowd was in full dance party mode, but personally I just don't get the whole DJ thing. I felt like I was at Mr. Crown's or Safari in Tijuana back in 1993, which is all good and fun, but I guess I'm just always gonna be someone who prefers to see live bands. Maybe I should look into ecstasy?





2.27.09: Swim Party + Writer (Split 7" Release Party), Joel P West @ Whistle Stop

Because I was going to be on a music panel on Saturday, I opted to steer clear of any drinks on this night, which was a damn shame because all my favorite people were there and everyone was having a blast. Joel P West started off the night and where my photos as Whistle Stop generally suck, now that my camera is failing and making everyone purple, you can really see why I didn't really bother with photos that night:



Still, Joel told me he's taking some time to work on new songs and hopefully start recording a new album so I'm looking forward to that. He's a high school teacher so I guess spring break gave him some time to play shows including this one, one at Soda Bar, and another at TNT, all in the span of a week. His songs simultaneously make me happy and sad inside and his vocals backed by beautiful string arrangements make him an artist to watch.

To make it an extra special night, Writer and Swim Party were releasing their split 7" record and played together. Eli, Jaime, Andy, Petro, Alex, and Erik all played along, and even had Natalie on keys for a couple songs. For the most part they alternated between Swim Party and Writer songs that just made for this amazing superband that couldn't be drowned out by the beyond packed Whistle Stop.The $5 records can be purchased at either bands' shows.



2.28.09: Associated College Press Panel, Sight & Sound feat. Jamuel Saxon, Swim Party, Joanie Mendenhall, art, performers, and more. Hosted by ME! @ Planet Rooth Seth Combs B-day Party featuring Transfer @ Ruby Room

I had been invited by San Diego Union-Tribune music critic George Varga to be on a panel for the National Association of College Newspapers convention that was held in San Diego. Once I got over the feeling of "what the hell am I even doing here", we actually had a great discussion about music journalism and it was cool to be on a panel with Bart Mendoza, Marc Balanky, Keli Dailey, and my blog partner-in-crime, Natalie Kardos. Natalie and I stayed after for a while and chatted with some students until we finally had to bail so she could dye her hair blue. I didn't have much time to do anything after because I had to be at Planet Rooth by 6 to get squared away for my night of being MC for Sight & Sound. I know it's a bit of an oddity for someone like me who hates being photographed or onstage to be at two events in the same day where I was on a mic, but it ended up being a really good time...at least once I was able to introduce the bands. There was a long wait between my arrival and the festivities beginning, so Natalie and I walked to Sicilian Thing and had some pizza before returning. I took to my hosting duties, but the actors and carnival people just kinda did their own thing, starting before I got through my intros, so who am I to argue with thespians or a carnival woman with a painted clown face?

There was a contortionist, a young acrobat on a Chinese pole, a duo who did a scene from a play, and then Joanie Mendenhall playing solo. And, as self depracating as she can be, she sounded great. She wanted me to introduce her as a "five time San Diego Award loser."



After Joanie the crowd moved outside, where I introduced a comedy/acrobatic group called the Platt Brothers who had this choreographed dance routine that was pretty funny. I was really happy to be able to introduce Swim Party, and later beatboxer Generic, who ended up joining forced with Jamuel Saxon. It was also cool because some of the students that were at the conference earlier in the day came to the event. (Although their advisors left after an awkward jaunt into The Rubber Rose. They explained that they were from a conservative Jewish school on the east coast and I felt bad for not even thinking about warning them.)





I hung out for a few minutes after the show but I wanted to catch Transfer at Ruby Room, too, so I said my goodbyes and headed over. I missed the show, walking in during the band's last song, but I at least got to wish Seth a happy birthday and chat with Matt and Sean for a bit. I think I might try and do an sddialedin.com show soon, and it will likely be at The Ruby Room, so I'll keep y'all posted.


After all that goodness, I took a couple days off from going out and actually wrote a bunch, catching up from the previous month. Yikes. I think I need a better time management system. I'll pick up this diary post in the next post...

Overdue Recap: SD: Dialed In 2 Year Anniversary

I have to say I was so nervous about Monday. I celebrated the first year anniversary of this website at the Ken Club last year with Swim Party, Writer, and Pocket Utopia, and it was awesome, but it felt more like a birthday party or like when I held my high school's 10 year reunion...people could hang out or watch the bands, and it was just a big social event. While I've helped promote shows, never was I given the reins to book a show, and I booked bands that I love and hoped people would show up and be equally as enthusiastic as I am about the music they were hearing.

Well, clearly, I should've worried less, because Writer and Joel P. West are both amazing local acts, and people were enthusiastic about Low Red Land from San Francisco, despite most not having seen or heard them before. It was a weird thing, feeling all this support for this website but also knowing that it was the real talent behind the music that drew so many people to the Casbah on a Monday night.

So first, let me link to all the videos from the night in case you missed them...

Joel P. West

Writer & More Writer

And Sezio.org, who I can definitely can say was responsible for a large amount of the crowd, posted about the show here.

You can click 'keep on reading' for my take on the rest of the show and some more pics.

Before the show, I got a call from two of my best friends who were having drinks at the Ken Club. Jake was kind enough to be willing to drive for the night, so after catching up with Sara and Stef for about 45 minutes, he picked me up and we made our way to the Casbah. We arrived just as all three bands did and it was a little chaotic. The bands didn't get sound checks so much as line checks, and I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing, but thankfully Justin and Doom managed everything and made me chill out.

The rest of the night was just amazing. Joel brought out so many people. I've never seen 120 people in the Casbah by 9:15, but he did it, and it speaks to his amazing music and how much San Diegans would like to see him play more.



I had seen Low Red Land twice before this show- once at Scolari's and once at Chasers, and I should say that while we had e-mail correspondence after both shows, I still didn't really know the guys in the band. In fact, this whole show kinda came about because they were on tour and had two dates they were hitting San Diego...one in October which they played at Surf n Saddle with Writer, and November 10th which was up in the air when they contacted me. So honestly, I can say this anniversary show came about because they were looking for a show and after having listened to their EPs and seeing them, I wanted them to get a crowd because I want them to come back often, because they're everything I love about music...they sometimes take me back to the old Straight Edge hard core shows I saw in basements and garages, they've got melodic rock that I see in bands of today, and then there's that awesome tinge of alt-rock-country that I listen to so much these days. I wish I'd gotten video, but I was all over the place that night, so just check out their MySpace and do yourself a favor and buy their latest release, Dog Hymns. I was happy when Randall poked me and said how good they were. "I know! That's why I did this!"





I should say thanks, on a side note, to all the people who were there, and to those handing me drinks. Perhaps I was a little over-celebratory, but it was so good to see so many friends out that night and if I ever doubted that people read this site or that people don't support great bands, I was wrong on both counts.

Writer closed out the night and as they do, they brought the crowd in with their beautiful songs that have now reached anthem status, with everyone dancing and singing along. I know it was a late night but I guess it was fortunate for at least part of the crowd that it was Veteran's Day the next day, so people stayed out till the end of the show and I definitely appreciated that on behalf of the band.





I had an amazing night and it really made me appreciate every person that takes the time to read this site, whether regularly or just on an occasional basis, because so many people had so many nice things to say that night. Sometimes I think I should be less personal, sometimes I wish I could do more, sometimes I think I should hang it up, and sometimes, like that Monday, I know I should keep on just because whatever this is or whatever it becomes, I can't beat the community I felt and continually feel at home here in San Diego with my fellow lovers of music. I might not be a musician, but if this is my tiny contribution to helping San Diego get the attention it deserves, then I'm in for the long haul.

YouTube: Joel P. West

You know what you do when you want a blog to disappear from blog aggregators? You flood them with peppered small posts. So today, I will flood you with videos from the past week. I will get to writing about it all, too, but those will be separate and take a bit longer to compose.

First, here's Joel P. West from the SD:Dialed In Anniversary show. He is just amazing and brought out a huge crowd. If you missed it, he's playing at the Habitat House on Sunday. I love shows at Habitat House and you can be sure this one will be heavily attended.

Thank You Thank You Thank You

Before I get to this weeks listings and a week's worth of overdue recaps, I want to thank everyone who came to the Casbah last night. I knew that the bands I put together were amazing in their own right, but I was completely humbled by the turnout and all the love. I couldn't have done it without Writer, Low Red Land, and Joel P West, but to all the loyal SD:Dialed In readers, you made it a truly amazing night. It was definitely the best Monday I've had in a long time, so perhaps I'm not so Anti-Monday anymore. Special thanks to Tim Pyles, Tim Mays, and Sezio for bringing out such a huge crowd. And, of course, my love to Jake for being my designated driver.

I hope to do it all again soon. And, just a preview, for those of you who stay in San Diego for the holidays, I'm putting together a show at The Beauty Bar on Christmas Eve, so keep checking in. Thanks for all the support these past two years and allowing me to do what I love. I won't go anywhere as long as you keep on reading. xo.

Things To Do In San Diego: November 10, 2008

Monday, November 10, 2008:

Sorry, no listings but mine. Because I can.

• SD:Dialed In 2 Year Anniversary & Anti Monday League present Writer, Low Red Land, Joel P West @ Casbah. $6. 9:00

Federico Aubele, Natalia Clavier, Joel P West @ Casbah, 9.25.08

Technically this doesn't qualify as a recap, because when Federico Aubele played the Casbah, I was working merch. I didn't get to see any of the show, though I was quite entertained by people on the patio throughout the show and loved listening to the music filter onto the patio from all of the bands. Federico is an incredibly talented and technical musician from Buenos Aires, and everyone at the show was in for a special treat with his full band, including Natalia Clavier, who also played a full set with her band, because the next night they were playing Ford Amphitheatre in LA, obviously a much larger capacity venue. In fact, it seemed a lot of the crowd had driven from LA for their rare chance to see them up close. Both Federico and Natalia were incredibly nice and with just some CDs, posters, and one style of t-shirt available, I wasn't too busy at any point of the night which allowed me to chat with people including Kristian and Beau who came to hang out and check out the show.

I did get a chance to see Joel P West soundcheck and heard some of his set and all I could think was, where have I been? A local musician with incredible songwriting skills and music that reminded me in many ways of Bright Eyes and Colin Meloy. As we listened to the soundcheck the bar staff seemed to stop dead in their tracks to take in the band, too. I got the chance to talk to Joel and Kenny on the patio, and they gave me a CD that has been on heavy rotation for me ever since. He also talked to me about his current project, where anyone can submit art, poetry, writing or anything else in exchange for his last album download. You can read all about the Dust Jacket Project here. And while you're at it, check out the band's amazing Daytrotter session here. Joel and I also found out that we share a birthday, so there was an instant bond there, though I am much, much older.

After the show, Federico and Natalia hung out among the crowd and signed posters and CDs for everyone, and he was kind enough to hook me up with a CD and shirt as well. Working merch is always fun for me, but it's that much better when the musicians are cool and easy to work for. No telling when Federico will tour back through San Diego, but don't miss him if he does.