Last Friday I played Journopalooza with the Surge. While a weird gig, probably not the weirdest that I have ever played. It did kinda feel like a wedding though, and not a cool Belgian or Californian wedding.
On Monday, I saw Betrayed with Sarah Jessica Parker. Some may say that I saw Betrayed in the same theater as Sarah Jessica Parker, and I may say that those people are jerks. It was a really good play, and family friend Jeremy Beck was great.
On Tuesday I feel at a work event and cut my left pointer finger pretty good. It bled for about a day, and that was fun. I got a tetanus shot, now with extra Whopping Cough protection, so it was really a fortunate accident. It is also fortunate that I am not in a band right now, because I cannot play an instrument right now, and probably won't be able to play for at least a week.
Speaking of my former band, we have been nominated for a Wammie for Modern Rock group. I don't quite know how I feel about this.
I saw Signature Theater's production of Les Miserables yesterday, and it is very good. I think people will find it particularly affecting if they have seen a fully Broadway style production. People much smarter than me have already writtenabout it, but let me add two things that I liked.
First, the intimate staging gives a "Do You Hear the People Sing?" a nice accusatory feeling. The performers are really close to everyone in the audience, and look directly at the audience throughout the performance. When I have seen this number in traditional performances, the song has inviting feel, sort of "come on down and join us." In this production it has a "look at all of this tragedy, what are YOU going to do about it." I like that switch.
Second. The barricades, or at least part of them, are always on the stage reminding you of the sacrifice of the students either to come, or that has happened. It looms over the whole production.
On a larger point. It seems like Washington theater is on the rise. Companies like Arena Stage, Wooly Mammoth, Synetic, and Signature are staging good, interesting works. I have read that Washington has become/is becoming a major theater city. Kriston tells me that Washington has a thriving and important art scene, one of the better in the countries, and you know that I am a fan of DC music.
I am predicting that in a year the New York Times will write one of those irritating "look, things sometimes happen outside of our city" articles about DC theater/art scene. They will attribute the increase in quality to Obama.
Speaking of local music. Le Loup just did a Daytrotter session that you should download.
Well, I am back. The band is done, so I figured I would just head back over here. Judging from the titles of this and the previous post, I guess I was destined to come back here after all.
There isn't much to add to what I wrote over at the band site. There just isn't much to say. We were a band that had some good songs, and played some good concerts, but overall just didn't work. The one thing that I didn't put in is that I think the breakup is mostly my fault. I have a feeling that if I really wanted the band to continue, then it probably would.
I think is should be fairly obvious, but I am not really posting over here any more. Not that I was the most prolific blogger out there. Actually, I am just going to start posting over at the band blog. For example, I just posted a recap of my performance at Darren and Emilie's wedding. So head over there. I also now cover the Nats, and Boxing, for DCist.
First, I want to reiterate what I said over at the band blog. Thank you all for coming out to the last few concerts. Sundays and Mondays suck, a lot, and it is great that so many of you came out to them. Fortunately, we are giving you all a break for a few months.
Also, let me add DCist to my growing blog empire. Today my first post covering the Nats went up. I hope to have at least one column a week about the Nats, and a boxing post whenever it is relevant. This is all part of my plan for global domination that involves taking on projects that don't pay me anything. At least at DCist, unlike the stupid band, I won't be losing any money.
My band managed to schedule a concert in Norfolk this Friday followed by a concert in New York on Saturday. I think this picture accurately sums up the situation.
In other exciting news, I don't have Celiac Disease, so that is good.
Gosh, it has been a while since I have been here. Between attempting to keep my band together, and a child-like ability to be fascinated by free internet flash games, I just haven't had the time to write on this site. Well that all changes today!
First, because I know that you all are fascinated by my digestive system, I recently had a blood test to determine if I have Celiac Disease. Throughout this whole medical situation I have attempted to make a series of compromises. For example, I would have preferred depression to lactose intolerance. Well now, I am really pulling for lactose intolerance, because this Celiac thing looks like even less fun. And while a lot of things have dairy, I suspect that even more things have wheat. Also, I am not really comfortable with the thought of my body attacking itself.
The owner of my restaurant recently sold the place. It has been a hard year or so for her, and I am glad that she is finally free of the restaurant. She worked harder, and had to endure more crap, than anyone should and I wish her all of the best. It was funny, one the last night, most of the staff gathered at the restaurant. As we were saying goodbye, I realized that this had become more than a job to all of us. There were plenty of hugs, and exchanging of e-mails and addresses. It felt more like the last day of school than the last day of waiting tables. This feeling is a tribute to my former owner. Everyone worked there because they loved her. So congratulations Jefa!
In a funny way, I am going to miss the restaurant. Sure I was busy all the time, but I got use to it. Last night, I came got home around 5:30, and did nothing. By 9:00 I felt like it was bed time. I am just not use to having that much time to myself on a weekday. Granted, as compared to the wheat stomach eating disease, this is a pleasant problem to have.
In more exciting news, my band is a finalist to get the last spot on the FettoFest. The competition will take place this Sunday at Growlers Pub in Gaithersburg. Those unable to attend will be able to listen to the performance on 94.7, or on The Globe's website.
And in actually exciting news. My friend Darren is getting married to the lovely Emilie in Belgium in September, so I get to go to Europe. I will be spending three days in Paris before departing to Brussels. It should be a lot of fun. For example, I think I might be staying in a castle for a few nights.
So that is it for now. I think I should be congratulated for creating a remarkably boring post out of actually interesting activities.
7.17.2007
First, I would like to thank everyone for coming out to the Velvet Lounge last Friday. It is nice to see that you all don't hate me, and are not afraid of FRIDAY THE 13TH! So thank you again.
For those who missed the show, shame on you. Don't you know that my band is endorsed by the Atlantic? Also, I accidentally knocked my keyboard off of the stand and had to finish playing the song with it on the ground. This was bound to happen given that I violently play it with a tambourine. The problem is that I like the effect of the keyboard falling and thus this "accident" might have to happen at every concert.
It looks like I am going to start writing about sports for DCist. I will probably start covering the Nationals in August, although when I agreed to the gig it looked like the team would be historically bad rather than just mundanely bad, so I feel a little gypped. Anyway, my first post is up, and it is about Tony "The Tiger" Thompson. He is a left-handed boxer from DC, who just won a big fight to get a title shot. My hope is that I can parlay this DCist thing into free tickets to boxing matches in the area.
Speaking of historically bad, it finally happened. Congratulations to the Phillies, and the wonderful sports fans of Philadelphia. Let me wish you 10,000 more.
I really like my neighborhood a lot, and I am excited when new businesses move into it. For example, I box because there is a gym about a block from my apartment. I have started Yoga because a studio opened up within a block of my apartment as well. I am excited that Corduroy is moving nearby, and all of the other restaurants that have and will be opening up. That said, I am a little worried about this place. A bar/club/whatever that only caters to members sounds a little Smith Pointy to me. Also, looking at the application, I am pretty sure that I can't: a) gain membership, or b) afford it. This has me a little worried, and I might have to investigate more.
Come out an see us tonight at the Velvet Lounge with Lights Resolve and Black & White Jacksons. We should be going on around 11:00, I think, but don’t hold me to that. We have free copies of our EP “A Weekend Affair” to hand out, but you do have to pay to get in.
For those of you who can’t make it out tonight, or who want to bankrupt us with shipping costs, you can order a copy of the EP here.
First, in the "Things I Don't Want To Do at 9:00 am After a Bachelor Party" category, let me add "smell items in the company refrigerator to determine what is giving the office the unique aroma of dead rotting animals." Fortunately, I prepared for work today by not reaching the level of debauchery appropriate for the event last night.
Second, the band is playing at the Velvet Lounge on Friday, July 13th with Lights Resolve and Black & White Jacksons. This is a concert that we would really like a good amount of people to come out to, and most of you live withing 5 blocks of the club, so it would be nice to see you all out. Besides, you are not going to let a stupid superstition scare you away, are you? The only thing that I will be able to conclude is that you are a coward if you don't come out next Friday. Or you hate me. Those are your only two options.
So, what else has happened since we last spoke?
It looks like I am lactose intolerant. I haven't had dairy in a month and I have felt a lot better. As much as I want to believe that I am just very depressed, it looks like milk is the culprit. I have learned is the dairy is in anything worth eating. I am willing to bet that your favorite food contains dairy. I go back to the doctor on Monday, and then we start "re-introducing" dairy. There are degrees of lactose intolerance, and I will have the fun job of figuring out what I can and can not eat. I guess that means drinking milk and waiting around for side effects, which should be a lot of fun.
What has been fun is the amount of foods containing dairy that both Tommy and my mother now like to offer me. I realize that I use to eat a lot of dairy, particularly cheese, and they are not use to these restrictions yet, but it is funny none the less. Typically they offer me something, like ice cream. I respond that I can't eat it, and then they have a brief confused look on their face before they remember my intolerance and then apologize. I seriously think Tommy went from never offering me ice cream, to offering it to me 3 days in a row after my diagnosis. It was pretty great.
Also, I want to strangle people at my restaurant who order American cheese on hamburgers when we have so many other worthy cheeses available.
It appears that I have entered into the "everyone you know is getting married" stage of my life. I went to a wedding party last weekend, and I have a wedding this weekend. Two weddings in September, and others that I can't attend. Given that Hugh Grant's character name in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" was Charles, I have decided to imagine that my life is a British romantic comedy. For the record, it is thoughts like these that give me hope that depression can beat out lactose intolerance as the cause of my stomach ailments.
At the party last weekend I learned that there is a beach less than 30 miles away from D.C. While I wouldn't bring my surfboard, it is a lovely spot. While I was out there I also stopped by Annapolis, which I frequently forget a) is close to D.C., and b) exists. It was nice, kinda like Old Town but slightly younger and more energetic. I say that, but you must realize that I saw about 15-20 guys in seersucker suits in the span of about 45 minutes, so only slightly younger and more energetic.
First, I don't mean to only post when I have a concert, but that is the way it has been recently. I realize that it makes this blog look like just a tawdry marketing scheme calling into question my journalistic integrity, but let me assure that that is not the case. I use Facebook for marketing, and general internet annoying.
Tonight we are playing at Chief Ike's with First Rays and Prabir and the Substitutes. This is a good lineup, and you should come for all of it. The show starts at 9:00, and the order is First Rays, Prabir, and then us.
As an interesting side note, Adam played in a band in the 8th grade with 3/4 of First Rays. They were called Incubus long before that other band busted out the turntables. I remember them performing a tribute to Kurt Cobain at the final 8th grade school concert. I can actually remember some of the verse, and it was great. Also, I frequently play with Andrew from First Rays in church, and have been for years. I am personally hoping for a final jam at the end of the night mixing their 8th grade band with contemporary worship songs. I think that it will be a lot like this,
except horrible.
The beach was good. Although it was weird to be at the beach with my friends for a week and spend the whole time sober, particularly given the amount of alcohol everyone else imbibed. Let me submit this as exhibit A:
Thanks to Julian for recording this. I should note that this occurred before everyone decided that they had to finish the handle of Jim Beam to prove something to Sommer, I was too sober to determine what. I also found it funny that Matt called it Jim Bean. I think that Jim Bean would be a great title for a fairy tale. Something like Jack and the Beanstalk, but with more vomiting.
I saw the specialist, and had some tests done, and apparently there is nothing wrong with me. I have no diseases, viruses, or cancer. Normally this would be good news, and it is, except that there is something wrong with me. The specialist's two current hypotheses are either:
The illness that I had in February changed the way I digest things and I might be lactose intolerant now. I checked on the hypochondriacs handbook WebMD and apparently this does actually happen. If this is the case the condition could either be temporary or permanent. I am currently not eating dairy for a month and then I go back to the specialist.
My illness is the product of an anxiety disorder and/or depression.
This is why I was pulling for a bacteria or virus. I figured that they could just give me some pills and clear everything up. Also, I don't see why the two theories are mutually exclusive. For example, I am not going to be happy if I can't eat cheese for the rest of my life. That is also why I am currently hoping for depression, at least then I will get some cool pills. Lactose intolerance is just too severe a punishment to bear.
So that is what is going on with me. As a side note, has anyone ever heard of the band Nomo? Just curious.
In other exciting news, we have been asked to open for Pawns at The Velvet Lounge. As I wrote over at the band blog, this is the first time I have been in a band that has been asked to play a concert. I am use to begging for the right to play some horrible bars, and I just don't know how react. In many ways, I have already accomplished more with this band in two months than I did in 5 years with my last band. That realization makes me happy, although I do wonder what the hell I was doing for those 5 years. I would like to thank the internet for making being in a band easier. Also, I begrudgingly thank Myspace, although I am not happy about it. Now all I need is to actually be paid in some form, however small, for playing music. That would be nice.
I have decided that despite my recent misfortunes, I am going to only focus on the positives in my life. For example, I am grateful that there was nothing in my car when it was broken into on Saturday night. That will teach those thieves to break into crappy purple Dodge Neons. My stereo didn't even merit theft, how great is that! I am king of the world, albeit a ruler without a rear driver side window.
In actual good news, I am going on vacation next week. This will be my first real vacation in a while. In fact, I can't remember that last time I took a vacation. Hopefully my mysterious illness will play nice for the week.
Adam is very bored at work and made up a fake Power Point presentation for our band. Basically, it is just pictures with a brief description of all of us. For me he wrote:
Charles: Guitar, Bass, Piano, Vocals Likes: Boxing, Smoking, Drinking, Cleaning, Complicated Stuff. Dislikes: Too many to list. Suffice it to say, he probably doesn’t like something right now.
It is shockingly accurate.
In other band news, we had to cancel our Sunday concert at DC9. Mothers across the region can thank us later.
Well I have had a fantastic couple of days. Where to begin?
First, it appears that I have contracted some kind of recurring disease. I won't go into detail, but I get these attacks that are fairly unpleasant and come without warning. I have been to see my doctor, twice!, and he finally got me on some medication that seems to be working. Apparently I have to take this medication for 2 months. I am not very happy about this. An unfortunate side effect is that this has made me more anti-social than normal, which is quite a feat. I wasn't even sure that was possible
When I went to get my prescription filled I learned that my insurance doesn't cover the drug in question, but they suggested a different but similar drug. I found it fascinating that my insurance, people who I have never seen, had the gall to overrule the doctor who had examined me. It is really amazing. Anyway, after a few calls back and forth between me, my doctor, and my pharmacist, we eventually all agreed on a prescription that wouldn't cost me $160 to fill. Hopefully it will also address my symptoms.
I decided that if this prescription doesn't work, my band is going to start playing Huey Lewis's "I Want a New Drug." Also, I then have to see a specialist!
In other news, while walking to work last Tuesday I got a ticket for entering an intersection after the signal had changed. The walk signal had changed to the flashing hand right right before I entered the crosswalk. Does anyone know why I should pay this ticket? I pay parking tickets so as not to get booted, but what are the repercussions for not paying this? Lead shoes? (Note, I think my ability to keep up my sense of humor despite these trials is admirable.)
I also got to play a concert while sick on Tuesday. Which is really not a lot of fun. The upside was that I left right after we got off stage, and thus didn't have to move any equipment.
Also, a speaker has blown in my car, thus reducing all music to a muddy distorted mess. Just in time for the drive down to the beach! I would really like to get this fixed, but I really can't afford it. Music is pretty much the only thing that keeps me (relatively) sane.
This problem is exacerbated because I have to drive back to the D.C. area to play a concert on Tuesday, May 29th. Apparently we "won" the show at T.T. Reynolds that I was sick for, and now play in the local music finals on that Tuesday. So I will be driving back to D.C. on Tuesday, and then back to the beach on Wednesday. Then I have to be in Baltimore for a gig on June 2nd. This will be a lot of driving with broken speakers. Maybe there is a good chop shop near my apartment where I can purchase "used" car speakers.
In real good news. I thought the Arcade Fire were really good on Friday. I had the "benefit" of never seeing them before, and thus nothing to compare them to, but I enjoyed it a lot. Also, Michel Richard's Central is a really good restaurant. It isn't even that expensive, well compared to Citronelle at least.
So that has been my week. The main problem is that I should avoid alcohol due to my medical condition. I have decided that avoid = "no whiskey, and slightly fewer beers." Of course, this has removed a my major coping mechanism, thus enhancing each of these problems. Sobriety is a curse unto itself, and almost too much to bear given the my other circumstances.
Tonight my band plays its first road gig. Whenever I think of playing out of DC, I always think of this Tenacious D episode. We are playing at the Brass Monkey Saloon, and here is the information. We are going on late, like 12:30 or so.
I learned in my last band that I should always wear earplugs. They are mostly great, but I have noticed a recent problem. We have been practicing a fair amount, and thus I have been wearing earplugs a fair amount. The problem is that they are messing with my earwax. Currently my right ear feels slightly blocked. It will eventually go away, but it is irritating none the less.
I intended to write this yesterday, but stupid work got in the way. Also, I was hella tired. Anyway, I want to thank everyone for coming out to see our debut on Wednesday. It went a lot better than I could have expected, although I am not the most optimistic person in the world so take that with a grain of salt.
I also want to thank everyone who linked to us. It was really unexpected. Personally, I was going to wait until we had played a few concerts before I demanded links. In fact, the bandwidth for our album was all used up and Tommy had to come up with some new hosting. I like to think of it as having been Yglesiased.
For a little behind the scenes information. I usually sing on more songs, but Aaron plugged in a short guitar chord, and I couldn't both play the guitar and sing at the same time. That is something we are going to have to work on. Also, the last song was so long because that is what a starting band does when they don't have enough material to fill out a set list. I hope to shorten it in the future.
I hate Rush. A lot. One reason that I hate Rush is that Neil Peart's drum solos are so long and useless that bassist/keyboardist/irritating vocalist Geddy Lee uses them as an opportunity to check on his fantasy baseball stats. Seriously.
Just a friendly reminder, but tonight is my band's first concert at the Velvet Lounge. We are playing with Tenley from American University. We should be going on around 9:00 and I think that tickets are $6.00. This could all be completely wrong; I am always wary of trusting information given to me by Aaron. You all should come out. Yes You! I have also put a new version of Cultured Capital with real drums up on our blog.
What I find shocking is that all of sudden my band is playing a lot of concerts. We have seven concerts in the next 2 months. I went from not being in a band at all to being in a very busy band awfully quick.
For my friends who have never known anyone in a band before, this means that you are going to hear a lot of whining from me. You can ask Tommy, who has been to the Grog and Tankard more times then any man not convicted of a crime should. Trust me, I feel bad about begging people to come to concerts, but this is life in a band.
The truth is that it is important that some of our concerts are well attended, and others, ahem, can fall by the wayside. To that end, I promise only to bug you all when it is important. While I would love for you all to come to every concert, I am much more realistic.
Just so you all know, if I ever get the chance to stand on the same stage as Bruce Springsteen while he was playing "Rosalita" I would look exactly like Craig Finn from the Hold Steady in this video.
Assuming that I didn't pass out first.
Of course, this is the definitive live "Rosalita" live performance. I dare anyone to watch that and tell me that Bruce is not a genuine rock god. If I can have just one song from my concert on April 11th end like this one does, then this whole learning to play the guitar thing will be totally worth it.
I am not sure if our drummer, Spencer, wanted to re-record some of the drums on the new album because he wanted the music to reflect us as a band more, or because he hated my fake drumming, but on Wednesday we went to his house and recorded some real drum parts. We have the first new song, Strike Up The Band, up over at The City Veins' blog. You should go over and have a listen.
In other news, I installed this plugin and so far I think it works great. If you are thinking about hosting music on your Wordpress blog, you should definitely check it out.
So, I have been kinda busy.
