I haven't posted in some time!


Saturday July 19
Went to SirenFest, drank a lot, swam in the ocean, I only remember hearing Beach House and Broken Social Scene for a few songs. I think Siren is more about hanging out at the beach with old friends/new friends, eating hotdogs, and drinking homemade Sangria out of Gatorade bottles than it is about listening and viewing bands. The sound is never great and it's impossible to get close to the stage.


Thursday September 11
Went to two shows in one night. This is the first time I've ever done this, it was quite easy. Land of Talk had an early show and went on at 7:30 (i think it was still daylight out) at Mercury Lounge. They were great as usual and it was refreshing to hear new songs from Some Are Lakes. I absolutely adore Elizabeth Powell. It was a great show, the crowd was really into it.

After that I walked along Houston to this newish venue, Le Poisson Rouge. It's near NYU and the New Jersey/tourist scene and the 4th Street stop on the D,F subway line. I saw one shitty band I can't remember the name of and Crystal Stilts. Crystal Stilts were everything cool and awesome and untouchable. If they keep up their mystery and don't start bad inbetween song banter, I will love them forever.


Friday September 26
Another first in venues, Terminal 5. I had never been here before and I never want to go back. (Or if I did, I would want to be VIP or get there really really early to catch a good viewing spot from above——I am a railing leaner.) So I went here with my bf at the time to see Built to Spill perform their entire album of Perfect From Now On. !!! At the end they played "Carry the Zero". The openers were equally impressive and very 90s, Meat Puppets and Dinosaur Jr. I KNOW! Doug Martsch has been quoted as saying that J. Mascis influenced the way he played guitar. Now he has one of the guys he looked-up to opening for him. Some things good about the venue, nice bouncers/guards/security, seems like a fun place to get drunk and lost in, nice bathrooms, good sound, nice sight-lines on the main floor. Once I learn how to navigate the place, I'm sure I'll enjoy shows there.


Tuesday October 7
Okkervil River at Webster Hall. As much as I despise this venue, I will go to wherever and whenever Will Sheff is. This performance, holy shit, I love to see this guy perform. He puts it all out there. It's still as great as the first time I saw this band play at Bowery years ago opening up for Earlimart. Even though OR's new material is more polished, everything is still there, powerful well-written lyrics, varied instrumental sound, strong voice/delicate voice, melody, stage performance, soul, PASSION. Sheff must collapse back stage after every show. I have a feeling it won't be that long until I'm dragged out to Terminal 5 to see them again. Hopefully, by then I'll have figured out that venue.


This week is CMJ for 2008. I think only one year I really went to some CMJ shows, but like Siren it was all about hanging out with old friends, meeting new friends, getting quite tipsy, and maybe hearing a few bands you knew you liked already.