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This last weekend was pretty hectic for music.  The Thermals had an instore at Jackpot on Friday, PDX Pop Now! was on Saturday and Sunday (I didn’t go, I was fighting a nasty head cold in which my snot was somehow stuck in a gravity well), Monday was the Noisettes at Berbati’s (again, didn’t go, mostly because it was FRIGGIN HOT OUTSIDE), and Tuesday was Horse Feathers and Thao Nguyen at the Woods (Which I did go to, and will be the subject of the “show #2” post.

You know, the great thing about the Thermals instore[1. It was all great.] was that it wasn’t over a hundred degrees outside.  It was still hot, but it wasn’t Ridiculous.  Were they scheduled to play a show today, or yesterday, with 100+ degree temperatures, I think they would’ve called it off, because we would’ve all gotten heat exhaustion from rocking out so hard.

… That was a really long-winded way to say that the Thermals kicked ass at Jackpot.  Sorry about that.  Sometimes writers like to be a little too wordy.

I don’t really have much to say, other than they were tight, they were awesome, and they played that one Nirvana song that I can never remember the name of (“and if you something something, i will make you happy” or however those lyrics go) AND “Basketcase,” which was cool.  It was hot, we were all sweating, and some dudes in the front were headbanging to everything.  Overall, it was a lovely reminder of how great that band is, and now I can say that they are great live.

Here’s a couple of photos I took with the ol’ cell phone camera:

Finally, something interesting happens with my life, which means I can update my blog.  I feel bad, because my last blog was harping on Portlanders, calling them “two-dimensional.”  I should say some Portlanders are two-dimensional.  It was all tongue-in-cheek to begin with, I swear!

Anyway, this past weekend was, since Musicfest all the way back in September, my favorite weekend that I’ve had since moving to Portland.  Why was it my favorite weekend since moving here, you ask?  Because I got to see the Decemberists play twice, AND I GOT A BACKSTAGE PASS.

Read on, reader. (more…)

I’d say eighty-five percent of conversations I’ve had with people who live in Portland either start, or turn into, something like this:

Me: So I’m thinking about getting something to eat…
Person: Oh yeah?  Where are you going?
Me: I dunno, I was thinking East Burn?
Person: OH. MY. GOD. THAT PLACE IS SO. GOOD.
Me: Uh, yeah, it’s pretty tasty.

Or:

Me: So I’m thinking about getting something to eat…
Person: Have you ever been to Mama Mia?
Me: Mama Mia? Nope.
Person: OH. MY. GOD. IT IS SO. GOOD.
Me: Oh yeah?

Or:

Person: Have you tried the new Rogue ale?
Me: Nope. Let me guess, is it good?
Person: OH. MY. GOD. IT IS … SOGOOD.

Or:

Me: I’m thinking about heading to Powells to–
Person: OH MY GOD, I. LOVE. POWELLS.
Me: Yeah, everyone does, it’s–
Person: IT’S A BLOCK OF BOOKS.
Me: I know.
Person: SO. GOOD.

Or:

Me: Have you heard of this band?
Person: SO. GOOD.

Or:

Person: We should go to Ground Kontrol tonight. THAT PLACE IS SO. AWESOME.

Or:

Me: Have you been–
Person: SO. GOOD.
Me: I haven’t even said–
Person: AWESOME, THEIR SUSHI IS TO. DIE. FOR.
Me: It’s not sushi!
Person: I GOTTA GO.

Or:

Me: Have you been to that baby-strangling place?
Person: OH. MY. GOD. BEST BABY STRANGLING PLACE EVER.

My point being — the city is apparently the best place ever, but the people are a little two-dimensional.  When you ask people what they do for a living, they say something like, “I’m a vegan” or “I have tattoos.”  They pierce their septum or wear bright neon spandex or ride bicycles everywhere.  They read Nietzsche and Marx and quote them in an attempt to seem cool, but when you try to have a conversation with them it all falls into mush.  They love pop culture “ironically” (read: they really just love pop culture), and they like bands so obscure they probably just made them up on the spot.

I always thought that I wanted to be a part of the hipster community, but now that I see it face-to-face, I really, really don’t.

Tomorrow is the last day I see my morning bus driver. He is driving at a different time, and I leave for Boise on Friday. I truly am going to miss him: of all the bus driver’s I’ve let drive me around, he truly was the most punctual and the most efficient, while at the same time being friendly and very aware of his job. A lot of bus drivers don’t take the time to see if their regular riders are a little late to their stop. Once, I saw the 19 drive by as I was a block away from the stop. Annoyed (more at my own tardiness), I walked to the corner, and turned … to see that he had stopped the bus, as if he was waiting for me. When I boarded, I said, “I didn’t think you would stop for me!” and he said, “Well … I got here a little early…”

Truly, if there ever was a better example of pure heterosexual brotherly love than that moment, I would like to hear it. (and no ancient Greek examples, please.) (more…)

In 2004 I purchased a computer using my sweet, sweet financial aid money.  It cost me around $750 dollars.  I named it the Fortress of Consternation.  It had two drives (one a partition of the other).  I named the C: Gondolora and the D: Panda Bears.  I’ve had this computer for five years, and most of the time it was damaged, freezing on random occasions, making my life a living hell sometimes.

Well, the Age of Gondolora is over.  I have purchased a new computer, for nearly half as much money but twice as much power.  This computer is called Magrageeves, and it rises from the fiery ashes of Gondolora.  It has only one drive, but it is Large, and I need to name it.  Right now it’s called Pencil Bandit, which I think is kind of funny, but not really appropriate.  Suggestions?

The Fortress of Consternation is not dead, however.  From all ruins come new civilizations.  Gondolora and Panda Bears shall be razed, and on their ground shall be built new cities, under the watchful eye of Ubuntu, lord of Free Operating Systems.  There peace shall prosper and man shall learn how to access Terminal and receive Root.  And life will be good.

Really, I’m just stoked cause I can play Morrowind again.  Morrowind!

Some things that have happened over the past few days:

– Went to Music Millennium to get my vinyl copy of the Decemberists’ The Hazards of Love signed by members of the band.  Very weird experience, especially after making this video/song in response to this tweet by Colin Meloy, the lead singer.  I couldn’t look him in the eyes for fear of catching a glimpse of recognition … That’s the guy who did “Linda”?

– After signing, proceeded to get completely trashed with my /orate friends at Paul’s house.  Like, drunker than drunk.  I’ll put it this way: I puked.  For the first time since I was, oh, eleven.  I am not proud of this whatsoever.  In fact, it’s kind of infuriating.  It was partially because I am used to parties with Keystone Light[1. Or other cheap, watery beers.].  It’s not hard to pack away a few of those in a night and not feel anything.  But I was drinking good, strong beers, and I was drinking far too many of them. There is a video of us singing “The Rake’s Song” on YouTube but if you want to see it you’ll have to search it yourself, cause I sure as hell am not posting it.  Regardless, I am so drunk I’m on the floor, semi passed out. Ugh, it makes my stomach churn just thinking about it.  I had fun and I love my friends, but I refuse to be inebriated that much ever again (especially cause my dad reads my blog, for pete’s sake!).

– The next morning found me calling in sick to work[2. Obviously.].  I slept at Paul’s mom’s house, which is in the wilds of Gresham, and besides I was hungover.  Now this would not have been a big deal whatsoever … except that my brother decided to head into the clinic that same day to get a check.  So the following conversation occured:

BRO. Hey Boss, I’m here to get a check!
BOSS. Hi Josh’s brother!  How’s Josh doing?
BRO. He’s great.
BOSS. GREAT, HUH?
BRO. Yeah, I mean, I guess he’s great ’cause he didn’t come home last night.
BOSS. EGADS!

Meanwhile I’m at the Tin Shed on Alberta trying to determine if I really want to eat biscuits and gravy[3. I did. They were delicious.].  When I went to work the next morning I wasn’t sure if everyone knew I played “hooky”[4. I put quotes around that because I technically did not — I really was sick. Just not with a cold or the flu.].  This made the bus ride rather worrisome — would I be tested?  Tricked with questions created to deceive?  Led astray by the same people who hired me?

Instead I found out that no one else knew besides my boss, and she gave me lighthearted shit about it all day long.  God I love my job so much[5. Though I will, of course, not play hooky again.  Ever.  Never ever.].

– This past weekend I traveled back to Boise, just to hang out and see my friends and family for a bit.  It was a lot of fun, and a lot of really interesting things came from it.  I saw a Snuggie for the first time ever.  I wore said Snuggie, complete with a wig.  I drank a lot.  I also found out that I am an idiot and should’ve pursued a particular woman in the past, rather than shrinking back and being a socially awkward nerd.  I couldn’t help it (at the time); I was broke and felt like a loser.  Now I don’t feel like a loser at all but I am in Portland and she is in Boise.  Ugh, it’s always something, isn’t it?

So, uh, if you’re reading this, dear lady, you know who you are and maybe you should move to Portland?  That would be awesome? kthxbai

– Oh, and recently I released a free single that you can download.  It’s called “Mary! (Get Frisky!)” and you can grab it from my other website.  Here is a picture that you can click that will help guide you to a favorable destination:

– OH AND MY DAD HAS A BLOG!  He is the coolest.  Check it out!  http://rockinjohnnyb.blogspot.com

Okay that’s all! Hooray!

NOTE: This is a bit of a TMI/NSFW entry.  You’ve been warned.

I tend to not be a very debaucherous person[1. I think I just made that word up.].  Most of my time is spent at home, either noodling on the guitar or playing Fire Emblem or some other incredibly nerdy task.  When I lived in the Dorian House, even though we would have some pretty crazy nights, it’s not like every night was crazy.  Generally we would sit and watch TV and make fun of shows on VH1.  Or they would watch baseball and I would wonder why I was watching baseball.  Or I’d play Final Fantasy XII and Aaron would bitch about the fact that I was playing Final Fantasy XII.  Or some combination of all of these. (more…)

This is gonna be a long post, I reckon, to make up for all the short updates I’ve been doing.  It feels good to be writing again! (more…)

Todd tagged me to do this, and I must, by law of the Internet Meme Act of 2007, respond.  The deal is that it’s six random things about me.  I talk a lot about myself so I hope that you haven’t heard these before.  Here we go! (more…)

I’m not shy about my love of the Decemberists.  At one point I owned five of their t-shirts and an assortment of CDs and vinyls (some of which were all but stolen by my ex-girlfriend), and I can play almost all of their discography on guitar, and know most of the lyrics by heart.  So when the time came for them to play the Crystal Ballroom, I was excited.  Like, little girl excited.  Little girl watching the end of American Idol excited. (more…)