Year of the crowd shot

 All photos from the Punk Porch show on 9.22.2009.

Rag Rage @ The Punk Porch, 9.22.2009

Definitely didn’t see that improvised Against Me! cover coming. As much as I want to hate them (Against Me!, I’ll always heart Rag Rage), I still feel Reinventing Axl Rose is the top punk album of this decade.

The Little Brown Jug is (somewhat) Decadent and Depraved

The first leg of the harness racing triple crown is the Little Brown and Mr. Ohio promised public debauchery of all types in Delaware, Ohio.

“Last year as soon as the Jug race (the last one which decides the champion) was over, I mean right when it ended, I instantly saw someone puke and two men get into a fist fight,” he said.

I know a little bit about the makeup of the most conservative county in Ohio through working up there occasionally and I trusted Mr. Ohio’s account. See, the race is an annual family tradition and it’s in his genetic makeup – his dad was a horse racer and his mom a horse trainer.

You know an event is meaningful to the natives when it rains for hours and they don’t leave or lose their ferocity. Two women nearly got into a fight because of an umbrella. Aaron coaxed Jell-O shots for our entire group. Mr. Ohio’s aunt ate shit trying to stand on a cooler.

The rain was incessant and that brought a huge grin to the face of Mr. Ohio’s uncle.

“This is good weather for a wet T-shirt contest,” he said. “Last year it didn’t even rain and I saw eight girls in the parking enticed by a little money. They ruined some guy’s car by crawling over it.”

The thought of trowling the parking lot looking for farm girls fed on corn and awkwardly gyrating their bodies was unappealing. Instead I decided to learn the basics of horse racing and in nine bets won a total of $3.40. Not enough to convince me to quit my job and rely on the ponies for enough income to live but not bad for a first time.

Besides, enough PG-13 entertainment was provided by Aaron who began drinking at 9 a.m. and knew exactly how far to push the drunk rednecks before they beat him up.

Leaving the fairgrounds we carried a large cooler of beer that was mostly empty and a boombox blaring a strange style of music that has yet to arrive in Delaware. Not even a mile down the road Aaron woke up from a brief slumber and made the universal sign for pull over, I’m about to vomit.

Around half the thick white liquid, that resemble a mix between tapioca and melted insect larvae but spelled like a rotting animal carcass, made it outside my car which would be used later that night as the transportation for a bachelorette party.

That’s when I realized we were the Little Brown Jug.

Click here for one of my all-time favorite HST pieces.

Dead Dog @ The Punk Porch, 9.22.2009

Playing hard every night and going on (what feels like) nonstop tours makes Dead Dog the epitome of DIY punk. On top of that, I believe Dead Dog is the first touring band to play The Punk Porch twice. Hard to believe it’s been over a year of generator shows.

Cheap Ventilators @ The Punk Porch, 9.22.2009

Bob makes Bloomington better one beer at a time.

God hates Christian Fundalmentalists

 

Nothing like a far-right cult made up almost entirely of family members to make you feel patriotic.

While I think America is better than just about anywhere else, it’s certainly flawed and blind patriotism will not improve the world. Still when you see a group (I won’t give them additional attention by mentioning their name) send three people from Kansas to protest a military funeral it’s easy to take the side of the better group.

Than I remember: In this increasing partisan world – where you’re either with us or against us, red state or blue state, Mac or PC (that was a joke) - you don’t have to choose a side. You can cherry pick the positive attributes from each or better yet, create your own values.

Happy Birthday, Nick

Happy belated birthday (it was yesterday), to one of Columbus’ finest. Buy him multiple drinks because a birthday is worth celebrating all weekend long.

Random photo news

Almost finished on my third zine so that’s why I haven’t been posting much. Besides, there hasn’t been much going on in Columbus which is nice for a change.

  Article on a local photographer who is bipolar.

Article about a picture of a dead marine that created some controversy. I think photographers that show the effects of a bogus war are more heroic than the soldiers.

World’s most famous photographer is broke.

Last but certainly not least, is a hilarious aids awareness short staring none other than Adolf Hitler.

I got nothing

Haven’t been shooting lately, there’s just not that many shows and I’ve been busy working on Issue 3 (spy photos of my work area coming soon – it’s a mess).

Made this “stencil” art while practicing for another project. Feels like that digital manipulation college art class all over again.

Fellow Project

A little too mellow for my tastes.