Who do you love?

It's funny how since I've started this little bloggy thingy, people ask me what I'm listening to, as if my opinion matters. They ask what local bands are on my radar, and what I like in general. I sit at a desk all day and the reality is that I can literally sit at my desk all day without exchanging any conversation with anyone in the office, so I like listening to streaming radio for stimulation. I like the radio banter on Indie. I like listening to the DJs get buzzed on Wino Wednesdays, I like how Jonesy just rambles whatever the hell he wants, and I like the sports reports from Timothy Oliphant (of the HBO series Deadwood) and news from Liz Warner. All this and the MySpace music I listen to or the Insound music player, and I don't listen to a whole bunch of CDs. And after work, I'm too busy going out to shows, you know?

On the occasion that I do pop in a CD, here's what I've been listening to (new and old stuff):
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah- Some Loud Thunder: If Satan Said Dance, I better listen, right?
Gomez- How We Operate: This was one of my favorite albums last year and I'm listening to it a lot as I try to decide whether I want to see Cold War Kids at the Casbah, or sell my ticket and buy one for Gomez and Ben Kweller on the same night at the House of Blues. Gomez are coming from across the pond, CWK are just coming down from LA, but it might be the last chance to see them in a small venue. Also, seeing Gomez last year on a harbor cruise for a KPRI Private Listener Show was amazing but the live show (as pretty much all shows at the House of Blues) left something to be desired. This brings me to
Cold War Kids- Robbers and Cowards, Up In Rags (ep), With Our Wallets Full (ep): I love these guys and notice more and more bands (especially Monarchy bands) emulating their distinct onstage style.
The Long Winters- Putting the Days To Bed: A great show last year at the Casbah, but with the poor attendance, I can't blame them for skipping San Diego on the upcoming tour dates.
Rocky Votolato- Makers, Suicide Medicine: Rocky is hands down my favorite singer/songwriter and is playing at the Casbah on April 15. I hope that he's got some new material and hope he gets a good crowd because Barsuk seems to be more focused on their other artists these days (Menomena, Jesse Sykes, et al.)
Piers Faccini- Tearing Sky: Good gray day music. It will get heavy rotation if it does in fact rain this weekend as predicted by our meteorolgical "experts" of San Dieo news.
The Brian Jacket Letdown- Piratas: Last year when South played at the Casbah, I met Thomas, who was playing keyboards for the band on tour. The Brian Jacket Letdown is his fulltime band and they are planning on recording an album starting in April. Piratas is only a 2 song CD, but I like it a lot and the band is getting buzz in England because of a recent television appearance.

I also listen to local stuff and of course have been taking in the new Vinyl Radio, "A Better Time Coming" and listening to A Week's Worth and The Burning of Rome and still spinning Kite Flying Society's "Where Is The Glow?". I have been meaning to review some stuff, like Anna Troy "Ain't No Man" and Starcrossed "Waves" but haven't had the chance.

Since my local music collection is relatively sparse, mostly I catch my local fix live, which is why tonight's Casbah show should not be missed: The Roman Spring, Republic of Letters and Swim Party. Also some of the bands I love to see live include Old Man Hands, Matt Curreri and the Ex-Friends, Plural (did they break up?), Rafter, Bunky, among many, many others.

So there it is. Thinking about all of this, I think I need to go spend some money on Insound.

Piers Faccini & The Colour: Set-lists

Sorry, these are a little late but I thought I'd post them anyway.

This one is from the Colour, written on the back of a 94/9 drawing registration slip:


This one is Piers Faccini's. This dude standing next to me in the front saw that I wanted it and grabbed it for me after Pier's set down his guitar and said "Thank you" to the crowd, only to come back with another guitar for one more song. He had to check a set list on the side of the stage. Cringe. I felt like an asshole.

Cold War Kids, Piers Faccini, The Colour

I had an awesome night last night. I started my evening by filing my taxes which made about 700 pounds come off my shoulders. I heated up some leftovers and headed up to Solana Beach.

My first stop was Surf n Saddle. I'm not a fan of North County (I was raised south of the 54, before the 54 existed), but I LOVE Surf N Saddle. Crystal is the bartender there and she hooks up a fat pour, is queen of mojitos, and is just genuinely cool (like saying she's met me a "million" times when I've only been there thrice). I got myself well lubed and headed to the Belly Up in time to catch the last song of The Colour, a bluesy rock band from LA. I know they will be here again, so I wasn't crushed about missing them. I believe Gabe Vega had them play a night at the Beauty Bar before, so I'll catch them on the next go-round. I got their setlist but left it at home, so here are some pics for now:










The second act was Piers Faccini. When Andrea and I discussed the show and meeting up, she said she didn't care about the openers but that I would like Piers Faccini. In listening to his MySpace songs, I was under the impression that he would rock about as much as Jose Gonzalez, but I was mistaken. Yeah, he's probably more of a solo performer than anything, but his closing Hallelujah's hit an almost yodel and I thought his voice was amazing. It helps that he was hot. That always helps. Some awesome guy up front with me grabbed me Piers' setlist, too, but that's at home with the one from the Colour, so more pics for you...

Finally it was time for Cold War Kids. As I've mentioned, this was my fourth time seeing them, so I didn't feel the need to elbow anyone in the face to get to the front.

I think I enjoy them on a stage lower to the ground because they rock so hard you feel like you're a part of them at times, joining in the percussive fun, but we'll have to save that for the February show at the Casbah...I really am torn about going to CWK instead of Gomez, but CWK just does it for me. I was actually listening to the CD yesterday and thinking that I wouldn't like it nearly as much had I not seen them live first, and also if I didn't have the 2 eps that essentially became Robbers & Cowards.






That is the end of my decent photography (thanks to Sara for letting me borrow the camera). Here are a couple reject-o-pics, when the vodka kicked in and those damn Cold War Kids wouldn't stand still for one second.






Believe me, those are the best of the worst. CWK didn't have a set list or I would've been all over it.

Just double checking, but I've mentioned I'm a dork, right? OK, then, I may proceed. After the show, people were trying to snag the silkscreened posters that the Cold War Kids were selling for $15. There was a dude at the merch table, but he wasn't paying attention and was only selling the shit from the Colour or something. So being the dork/champ/socially just person that I am, I jumped behind the merch table and started selling the posters. I think I sold 4 or 5 of them. The dude took all the cash and it turned out it was the CWK drummer, so I'm not sure why he wasn't paying more attention, but he hooked me up with a poster and The Colour's CD for my efforts. Seriously people, if you need merch sold, I am your girl. Ask Angelina from Persephone's Bees, whose merch I sold when I was supposed to be registering voters...And Cold War Kids...make some t-shirts! Holy shit. You are missing out on some SERIOUS cash flow. At least 30 people asked for shirts last night within a matter of 10 minutes. C'mon people, get it together!

Awesome show- not bad for a Monday, I must say...