Sorry, in advance for pissing you off.

Fuck being limited to just the Fourth of July. We’re lighting off fireworks all year.

Is this the summer of generator shows?

 I can only hope so. Next time, let’s hit up the abandoned night club on campus.

Before any planning happens, I should post some photos from show one. Happy with how they turned out, but it was more challenging than your average basement because of the rapidly-cooling sunset. Chad picked an incredible spot that had everything from a waterfall (man-made to kill other men), sunset and lawn seats. It feels like one of those spots where you’ll never get busted by the cops.

Also, Dusty and I ventured out to Kirkersville and talked Phantom Fireworks into giving us the buy-one-get-one deal (usually they suspend the deal from 7.1 to 7.4). If bands are interested in a pyrotechnics show to go along with their set, let me know.

 

Speaking of fireworks, someone just set off a pretty penny’s worth near our house. Is a firework’s house war on? Am I the only one who thinks like this?

             

1 - lawn seats

2/3 - What if? From Chattanooga.

4 - Jimi from the Young People as the heartthrob

5 - Who gave all these damn white people instruments?

6 - crowd watching fireworks

7-9 - Welcome to Concrete: Think it’s about time to record?

10 - Brit and Nick.

11 - John and Samm

12 - Kari, Ryan and Jimmy.

13 - Gotta advertise your Web site some how.

14 - Artsy shit.

15 - Generator love.

A few random non-generator show links:

 

* Ah, the sweet taste of little boy’s urine. Arrest made at one of the places we play soccer.

 

* Bernies used to be one of my favorite places to see shows, but it’s been around 18 .months since there’s been something worth attending (and what a strange mix it was: Defiance, Ohio, Leftover Crack, Citizen Fish, and Witch Hunt, huh? Yep, couldn’t make up that lineup).

 

Once a week I get an email with their upcoming shows. I’ve been tempted to unsubscribe, but the nostalgic Bret keeps hanging on, maybe one of these days there will be a good show …

Still hasn’t happened, but this caught my eye on the latest calendar:

 

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Zachery Allen Starkey

Help Is On The Way

 

* Lastly, Mickey called me from Buckeye Donuts because they were playing my all-time favorite guilt pleasure: Rancid.

 

Which got me to thinking, I’ve never seen them live and guess who’s going on tour this summer. The closest dates are a bit of a hike, but I could easily be talked into a road trip.

Do Ya Hear We, late show Saturday, June 21

Punks renting out a party hall? I was skeptical. Sure it would be difficult to be DIY hosts for a festival of this size, but a party hall? Really? I guess it shouldn’t have been that big of a deal: all the previous shows had been at bars, and is there really any difference between the two?

Actually there’s a huge difference: bars normally don’t have pools!

Yep, Clean Cut Entertainment worked out well. The sound was good. No cops showed up. There was ample space indoors and outside. The staff was more than friendly and accommodating. Burgers were on the grill. And, of course, there was the pool (more on that in a later post where I’ll review the entire weekend).

If anyone reading this on the Interweb has a (maga)zine that I could write a review for let me know. I am a professional after all.

Besides the review, I still have photos from Sunday and some catching up to do on captions for the last few posts. Not sure when I’ll get to them, considering there’s a generator show at 9 p.m. sharp Tuesday, July 1 on the bike trail underneath King Avenue. Never slow down, never grow old. Right …

                     

(All photos taken at Clean Cut Entertainment during Do Ya Hear We fest in Chattanooga, TN, 6.21.2008.)

Opening Band

Such a fun weekend and no photos to show for it. Flashback to Thursday, June 26 for the first musical performance at Pigpen’s Bar & Grille. Also my first time seeing the infamous Biff Boff Barf believe it or bot.

(Playing with special guest Ryan Jewell.)

(He wants to be a full-time member so bad that’s the only shirt he wears.)

(Anthony wore this tie-dye on Thursday night so no matter where he passed out he could get up and go straight to Comfest.)

(Max working the bar and providing the entertainment …)

(… in more ways than one.)

(It’s all fun and games until someone graffiti’s your house.)

(You’re welcome in advance for when you thank me in the future.)

(It’s probably already been done, but an entire photo series from the bartender’s perspective would be rad.)

So I guess it was the following night shit went down. Wasn’t there so I’m not going to try to describe the course of events that includes domestic violence, a knife, a pulled gun, and a tazer. What does this mean for the future of the bar? Hell if I know. Good thing they’re building a police station right across the street!

Also, anyone wanna sell me a motorcycle? Looking for a maintenance-free, 500-700 cc bike under $1400.

Do Ya Hear We, afternoon show on Saturday, June 1

On Sunday morning at Suck Creek a middle-aged native named David Alan talked me into moving a giant dead tree so we could climb the highest rock (14 feet high or so) at our swimming hole and jump into 4 feet of water. OK, there wasn’t much convincing needed as I had eyed the rock up the previous day and would have jumped then if I had a way to the top.

As we sat on top, triumphant and sharing one of his Bud Lights, David learned we were going to Ziggys.

“Are they still headbangers there?”

“Uh … yep, they’re headbangers there for sure,” I said not wanting to explain the difference between punk and headbanging.

Inside Ziggys there were a variety of seldom-used bar games as well as a no-frills yet efficient bar setup. A four-foot stage was hidden behind first the outdoor patio and then the bar, and if there wasn’t a show, headbanging or not, there would be no way of knowing the back room even existed.

Ziggys was David’s type of place. Think of a rougher Little Brother’s-type of venue only found on your way out of town only in a city like Chattanooga. While stays under its roof might be lonely, frightening or the best you have all year, there’s always something appealing about Ziggys. I’m sure its peeling rooftop sign and sun-kissed walls have sweet talked many men and women, who thought they were headed out of town, into having a drink.

               

 Check back soon for captions. I really need to get to bed - it’s almost 6 a.m. and I got a full day of riding ahead of me.

Hurray for weekends

I haven’t been this excited about a weekend since … last weekend! The last one in Tennessee was hard to top, but I’m looking forward to spending this one on my home turf. There’s a confirmed report of legendary Youngstown BMX legend the Mango making an appearance. Can’t wait to see how much more he’s progressed at bike riding than me. Click here to see the best Mango photo ever.

 

Also going on this weekend is, of course, Comfest. Has anyone seen The Other Paper coverage? Lyndsey Teter’s story on how bands get to play the fest was interesting. If you want to play at the largest non-corporate sponsored event in America (or so I’ve heard), you better be picking up trash or smoking out the right people.

 

After bringing some fresh ideas to TOP, god damn was it getting stale there for a while, Teter’s my favorite journalist in Columbus to read. I could, however, be biased - she has a cute bulldog.  

      

In other Other Paper news regarding Comfest, Erik Johns tore apart the hippy fest. His article is not online so you’ll have to actually pick it up and see for yourself.

 

I was optimistic seeing someone attack the Comfest machine, but thought his points were waaaaaay off base. This is coming from someone, who like Johns, also hates hippies. After the revolution, they’re the first to go.

Bringing BMX back

Crazy video.

Day one … haven’t slept in weeks

All photos taken during the Do Ya Hear We fest, Friday, June 20 at JJ’s Bohemia except the tent photo.

                    

1 - Not really sure who’s punk house hosted the after parties and resided across the street from where we slept, but thanks for the hospitality. Despite being overgrown with itchy weeds and outnumber 20,000 to 1 by ants, the camp spot would make for an incredible squat. It was so set back far enought that I had the feeling no one would noticed if you built your own cabin up there.

2 - I didn’t catch this guy’s name, but I bumped into him everywhere and he was always at the center of (or on top of) the fun.

 4 & 5 - Forced Vengeance: First band we saw and I enjoyed their set even before Chad said they were in his top 5. Chad and I have almost the exact same taste in music, it’s so close it’s creepy.

6 & 7 - Wrister: I liked their set, but I think the timing was unfortunate as a lot of people were dying to get some fresh air. They played fast-as-all-hell southern pop punk, which reminded me of all the Epitaph-ish stuff I listened to when I first got into punk. Not an insult as I’ve been rather nostalgic lately.

 8 & 9 - People get macho when they drink (I drank 34 beers one night then drove to 18 hours to Tulsa, without stopping even for gas, faggot, and didn’t even feel hungover the next day … right), but everyone has to piss eventually. Hopefully no one saw two bright flashes coming out from under the stall door while I was in there … it was innocent, I swear.

10-13 -Some hardcore band, didn’t catch their name. The most unique band I heard during the entire weekend. Reminscent of the Columbus punk scene in the early 2000s. Animated and entertaining.

14 - Chris from Landlord: On Saturday night we were the only two dudes in the pool when it suddenly turned into what could only be described as Spring Break-like. Speaking for both of us, we saw the unimaginable … let’s just leave it at that.

15 & 16 - Will from Landlord: How do you like your bearded punks: full body or close up? My first impression of Will came in 2001/2 when a bunch of us were walking to the old Columbus DIY space Addition 13. There was a giant puddle and he ran, jumped into it, and soaked Steven. I thought he was the biggest asshole.

17 - Future Virgins: Nearly missed the band I was most excited to see because I was loving the appetizer sampler at a near-by diner. Saw them at a little weekday show at the 14th House and also on their home turf. Both times were my ideal punk show: fast, controlled sloppiness and fun. Best new music I’ve heard in a while.

18 - Billy and Mike from the Future Virgins: The prototype southern punk rockers.

19: Michelle as a bouncer- Way to look real tough Ms. Bouncer. If you really want to gain the respect of drunk Tennessee punks, try not wearing a shirt porous to flash and stand next to a Suburban instead of a mini van.

I’ll try to get the rest of the photos up soon, but no guarantees. Started actually riding BMX and doing collage work again. Also, Pigpen’s Bar & Grill is taking up the rest of my free time. First show at the squat bar, BTW, was tonight and it was fun. I saw Biff Boff Barth for the first time (how the fuck did it take this long?) and they played with special guest Ryan Jewell. I even got photographic proof that I’ll post eventually.

Do Ya Hear We … coming soon

 

(Jennifae’s boozecase, Chattanooga, TN, 6.20.200

First photo I took on Tennessee soil during our weekend trip to see the Do Ya Hear We festival. Also the single photo that sums up the weekend most accurately. More to come soon.

You heard it here first …

Pigpen’s Bar & Grill is setting the standard for DIY punk bars in town. Didn’t take the camera for opening night, but I was not disappointed considering it was Tuesday.