:: SUPLEX FOR LOVE ::

It had been almost half a year since I shot the Metropolis Wrestling Federation's first event before they invited me back to the church bingo hall to shoot again. How could I say no to MadDog, Lucifer Darkside and Ron "The Last Outlaw" Price?

Thanks to Boy Scout Troop #996 for sponsoring the event.

Ron "The Last Outlaw" Price and a fan.

MadDog and Tiberias faced off yet again in a chain match.

Ron "The Last Outlaw" Price's promoter watched on as he faced Lucifer Darkside for the Heavyweight Title.

The match ended on a technicality and with little fanfare.

:: MAJOR BONER KILLER ::

(and even more photos from the F*** Yeah Fest Tour, Birmingham, Gainesville, and Tampa)

The tour has been going pretty well. No major catastrophes, and we haven't left anyone at a gas station, yet. Although we did get thoroughly stuck for a while leaving Birmingham when the bus tried turning into a driveway and the trailer hit the incline on the ground and lifted the rear wheels of the bus off the ground (and its a rear wheel vehicle). But after attempts by everyone ranging from good old-fashioned pushing to laying logs under the wheels to asking a nearby fire station for help, we were eventually saved by a AAA tow truck and a helpful passerby with a magic touch for our dipstick.

The biggest bummer of the trip was probably last night in Gainesville. Tony Weinbender (Gainesville promoter) decided for some reason to be a giant dick. I've toured with bands and dealt with venues in NYC and this guy is winning for "biggest asshole." When you call yourself a promoter, that usually means you tell people about the shows you book, respect the bands, and you don't book bands that you've booked before and then freak out when they do what you know they're going to do. And no one cares if you "do the fest" dude, it doesn't give you license to be a prick. If you are a band or booker I would highly advise avoiding this two faced jerk.

Matt & Kim perform "Silver Tiles" live and acoustic.

On the bus on the F*** Yeah Fest tour 2008.

MP3:

How could Ratatat put out a new album and I not post something from it? Impossible.

- Ratatat - Schiller

A band's place in myspace.

:: OLD DOGS DON'T NEED NEW TRICKS ::

(more photos from the F*** Yeah Fest Tour, Winston-Salem NC and Atlanta)

- Being grateful for when I get to share Matt & Kim's hotel room.
- Having a crowd surfer come crashing down on my head and neck at the Baltimore show (can't defend yourself too well with a camera in your hand). You're supposed to jump out into the crowd buddy, not just collapse on them. My neck is still pretty messed up.
- Seeing Ms. Rabbit in Baltimore is always nice.
- Hanging out with Dan Deacon and his sister at his house.
- Going on a late night grease/fuel run.
- Being woken up by two middle-age ladies standing over me asking each other if they thought I was okay. I had fallen asleep in Krankies Coffee the night before, not realizing that the show space was also where the coffee shop patrons hung out as well. I found my pants, gathered my things, and retreated to the hard tile floor upstairs so as to not creep them out any more than I already had.
- Whirlyball = the least athletic sport I've encountered. No running or even walking, you drive around the court in an electric bumper car trying to hit a target with a wiffle ball. Kind of like if you were a paraplegic, except that you're not.
- The Bottletree is an amazing venue in Birmingham, really friendly people, massage chairs, good food, and an Airstream trailer for the bands with beds and CLEAN SOCKS.
- Sleeping under Bottletree Rebecca's kitchen table in Birmingham was a good idea, you're kind of sheltered from whatever chaos is going on around you.
- Having to explain to a cop in Roswell, GA that I was powerless to stop Monotonix from creating a parade of their show down the weird mall hallway.
- Being mistaken for a fire fighter after I went to the station to ask for help when the bus got stuck. I didn't realize we were all wearing the exact same thing (dark blue pants and dark blue tshirts with white lettering) and they had shaved heads too.
- After disconnecting the gear trailer, realizing that pointing it downhill at yourself was not the best place to put it.
- Only on minor injury so far, a cut in the fold of my thumb.
- Picking up a few new nicknames already.
- Meeting a couple fans of Sucka Pants at shows.
- Having massive difficulty editing photos because of this lemon of a computer Apple sold me (and won't repair or replace it).
- Holding on to my tour regime of a V8 every day.
- Being really glad to get to hang out with Ryan of the Homestead in Pensacola again.
- Sean possibly missing his flight back to LA because I made him let me take his portrait.
- Johnny doing body shots off of Homestead Ryan, and then picking the curly stomach hair out of his mouth.
- Jury-rigging an inverter on the bus' battery, with the cables running in one of the emergency exit windows on the outside of the bus.

Monotonix performing in Washington DC.

Team Robespierre performing in Washington DC.

Ami of Monotonix rocks out to the F*** Yeah Fest Tour Bus' theme song "Too Fast For Love".

MP3:

Something that's been on people's minds on this tour. It is, after all, 27 people and only three girls in the bunch.

- E.S.L. - Girls

A band's place in myspace.

:: FORGET WHAT YOU'VE BUILT, LET'S BURN ::

(photos from the F*** Yeah Fest Tour thus far, Baltimore and DC)

F*** Yeah Fest is still rolling. I am not only impressed with the awesome bands on this tour, but the crack team of tour/bus people too. They have to navigate a bus full of people while pulling a trailer full of equipment from state to state (and making sure not to leave anything, or anyone, behind). The refueling process alone involves scouting waste grease dumpsters, and then spending a good portion of the night on the smelly, messy and tricky process of transferring the grease. And then getting up and doing it all again the next day. Thankless to say the least. These are people who do it for the love, for the music. So thanks Sean, Phil, Donovan, John, Malia and Steven.

MP3:

This was a bit to clubby for me at first listen, but the tail end is so catchy I got sucked right in. Now I can't get it out of my head.

- Sam Sparro - Black And Gold

A band's place in myspace.

:: FADE TO BLACK ::

On June 1st, I awoke to a new roommate. The miserable, charming Bailey Hunter Robinson. His room is full of antique scissors, rusted straight-razors, taxidermied reptiles and two stuffed pheasants. Anyway, the other night he returned from the local watering hole three sheets to the wind and spent a good half-hour mopping our floor with his head.

In his sober hours he's a very talented tattoo artist. Check out Bailey Robinson Tattoo.

:: THREAT OF CHANCE ::

(images from the installation Threat Of Chance by Chris Stain, Josh Macphee, and the Polaroid Kidd, photos by Kevin Caplicki)

The above photos are from the installation by Chris Stain, Josh Macphee, and the Polaroid Kidd called Threat Of Chance. It just finished its run at Ad Hoc Art in Brooklyn. Up now is "Poets of Paste" which features a fellow Armadian and friend of mine, Imminent Disaster.

Leaving today to tour with the F Yeah Fest. A bunch of bands all crammed in a bus that runs on used veggie oil. What could go wrong? Check out the tour schedule below and come on out if we stop near you.

:::

F Yeah Tour 08!

Tuesday, June 17th – Baltimore, MD
w/ Matt & Kim, Death Set, Monotonix & Team Robespierre
+ comedy by Reggie Watts
@ Sonar
407 E. Saratoga St
Baltimore, MD 21202
$10 adv . $12 day of / 8:00pm / All Ages
www.sonarbaltimore.com

Wednesday, June 18th- Washington DC
w/ Dan Deacon, Matt & Kim, Death Set, Monotonix, Team Robespierre &
Mannequin Men
+ comedy by Reggie Watts
@ the Black Cat
1811 14th St NW
Washington, DC 20009
www.blackcatdc.com
$13 / 6:00pm / All Ages

Thursday, June 19th – Winston-Salem, NC
w/ Matt & Kim, Death Set, Monotonix & Team Robespierre
+ comedy by Reggie Watts
@ the Werehouse
211 east 3rd street
Winston Salem, NC 27101
www.thewerehouse.com
$10 / 8:00pm / All Ages

Friday, June 20th – Atlanta, GA
w/ Matt & Kim, Death Set, Monotonix & Team Robespierre
+ comedy by Reggie Watts
@ Whirly Ball Atlanta
608 Holcomb Bridge Rd.
Roswell, GA. 30075
www.whirlyballatlanta.com
$12 / 8:00pm / All Ages

Saturday, June 21st - Birmingham, AL
w/ Matt & Kim, Death Set, Monotonix & Team Robespierre
+ Reggie Watts
@ The Bottle Tree
3719 3rd Ave S
Birmingham, AL 35222
www.thebottletree.com
$10 / 6:00pm / All Ages

Sunday, June 22nd – Gainesville, FL
w/ Matt & Kim, Death Set, Monotonix & Team Robespierre
+ comedians TBA
@ the Atlantic
15 N Main St
Gainesville, FL 32601
www.atlanticnights.com
$8 / 7:00pm / 18+ (under 18 can come in w/guardian)

Monday, June 23rd – Tampa, FL
w/ Matt & Kim, Death Set, Monotonix & Team Robespierre
+ comedians TBA
@ Tampa Bay Skate Park
4215 East Columbus Drive
Tampa, FL 33605
$8 / 7:00pm / All Ages

Wednesday, June 25th - Baton Rogue, LA
w/ Matt & Kim, Death Set, Team Robespierre
+ comedians TBA
@ Spanish Moon
1109 Highland Rd
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
$10 / 10:00pm / 18+

Thursday, June 26th - Houston, TX
w/ Matt & Kim, Death Set, Team Robespierre & Brother Reade
+ comedians TBA
@ Walters
4215 Washington Ave.
Houston, TX 77007
http://www.4215washington.com/
$10 / 8:00pm / All Ages

Friday, June 27th- Austin, TX
w/ Matt & Kim, Death Set, Team Robespierre & Brother Reade
+ comedians TBA & spoken word by Keith Morris (his first time ever doing spoken word!)
@ the Mohawk
912 Red River St
Austin, TX 78701
http://www.mohawkaustin.com/events/
$10 / 9:00pm / All Ages

Saturday, June 28th – Fort Worth, TX
w/ Matt & Kim, Death Set, Team Robespierre & Brother Reade
+ comedian TBA
@ 1919 Hemphill
1919 Hemphill St.
Fort Worth, TX 76110
http://www.1919hemphill.org/
$10 / 8:00pm / All Ages

MP3:

Dark Meat are one of those zany bands that literally brings the party cause there's so damn many of them. They've been a highlight of SXSW for me over the past couple years. And now they've put out a really fun album.

- Dark Meat - Well Fuck You Then

A band's place in myspace.

:: SHATTERED AND SHIVERED ::

Back in the States. Spent a couple relaxing days in Rhode Island at the beach house. Late night BBQ, 50 degree skivvy swim and lots of Steve the French bulldog.

:: SPENDING YOUR LIFE NOT IN LOVE ::

(the So So Glos and Ninjasonik perform at the new Chief Magazine space in Bushwick)

I'm going to be heading out on the road soon with the F*ck Yeah Fest Tour. I know I said I was going to be cutting down on the music photography (and I have), but we're talking Matt & Kim, The Death Set, Team Robespierre, Monotonix. . . all together. How could I possibly say no? It's going to be pretty nuts, all the bands are traveling together in a school bus that runs on veggie oil. Let the mayhem begin.

I hope to be able to keep this thing updated while on the road, and part of the reason I am optimistic is that I will be getting some assistance from Sucka Pants' new intern Wes. Hopefully having an extra hand will make updating more manageable. I guess we will see.

MP3:

Yeah

- Soko - No Love

A band's place in myspace.

:: FULL COLOR DISTRO ::

(painting: Psychic Readings by Maya Hayuk)

Another Friday in Brooklyn and another great art show to go to, followed by a Friday the 13th zombie rock show. It's a benefit show for a great DIY cause, Showpaper. Not only do they feature local artists, but they provide a focal point for the DIY music scene in and around NYC, and all this while promoting the love of the zine. These kids work hard to bring you more fun, so come out, see friends and maybe even buy some art. Let's just hope it cools down before the Zombie Party so we aren't so much like real zombies with our heat-fried brains and no-will-to-live wilting.

:::

Full Color Distro is a group art show celebrating the one year anniversary of our all-ages print-only music-listings publication! This show brings together a mix of up-and-coming and established artists we love who share our passion for community-oriented music and art. The show will feature a huge mural by Maya Hayuk and a musical performance by Narwhalz. There will also be a ton of raffle prizes from local businesses including CDs from VICE Records, free movies screenings from UnionDocs, books and prints from PictureBox, t-shirts from Famous Class, and a gigantic obscene cartoon print from Desert Island.

[ ARTISTS ]
Maya Hayuk
Ben Jones (Paper Rad)
Tod Seelie (Suckapants)
PFFR (creators of Wonder Showzen)
Aron Wahl (Big A little a)
Mike Force
Marissa Paternostor (Screaming Females)
Preston Spurloc
Susan Bell
Jason Eisner
Nick Chatfield Taylor
Narwhalz of Sound (music and art)

[ RAFFLE ]
Desert Island
VICE Records
UnionDocs
PictureBox
Famous Class

Friday, June 13th, 7pm
The ARM Gallery is a letterpress studio and art gallery at 281 N. 7 St. between Havermeyer and Meeker in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

[ AFTERPARTY ]

After the art show, there’s a rad afterparty at Death By Audio, just a few blocks away, with Pterodactyl, Fiasco, Puttin’ On The Ritz, and more! It’s a Friday the 13th Zombie Party - come dressed as a zombie and get in for $2 less!

Death By Audio is at 49 S. 2 St. between Wythe and Kent in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The show is all-ages and $8 - $6 for zombies!

MP3:

I've always been a big fan of Crooked Fingers, and this song by Archers Of Loaf has always struck me as a gem. So it's not surprising that Eric Bachmann is the frontman of both bands, and here he is covering himself, kinda.

- Eric Bachmann - Web In Front (acoustic)

A band's place in myspace.

:: THE BENEFITS OF BEING IN A GANG ::

These guys were one of the best parts about working in Israel. This is an ode to the crew--Alex, Chase and Danilo.

Danilo was the designated underwater cameraman. He even got over his fear of snakes in the Mediterranean. He was the all-time good vibe guy (except when he peed in the bomb shelter). Also, you can't make ice tea as dope as him.

Chase played lead guitar. He also filmed the movie. He was usually pretty salty before 1pm but by midnight he was ready to kick out the jams, mothefucker.

Alex often wore a tie. He directed things and usually ruined his hummus with an egg.

We also made some good friends. Arthur was informant, surf coach and local celebrity.

Jungo was special ops and took us to all the dangerous destinations.

Nikki Scoggins was our favorite southern belle who came from the States to keep an eye on the Israeli plumber.

Anna was our nighttime activities director.

Abi was our PA/chef.

Our project is long from over but I'm already psyched for the next one.

:: GETTIN' SWEATY FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS ::

(photos from communal-dumpstered-meal Grub, a new Swoon piece, the Hijcaked book launch party at The Arm, and a DUMBO rooftop)

Not much to say except that Summer is here like a big sweaty fat man's belly-flop on your face. Get your kiddie pools out, your BBQ grills, and make it worth the short tempers and smelly-city smells.

PS. I think I need an intern to help me with this site. It's just too much to keep up with all the "posting stuff" while I am trying to do the "living/working/photo-ing stuff." Anyone game to help put the posts up?

MP3:

Here is the first jam to get your Summer going. It's so infectious that I had it on repeat for a whole day.

- Casxio - Seventeen (Noel Zancanella Remix)

A band's place in myspace.

:: IT'S BEST WHEN THE SHADOWS GET LONG ::

Some more Israel.

:: LIFE WITHOUT FEAR ::

(photos from the Swoon and Tennessee Jane collaboration "Portrait of Silvia Elena" at Honey Space in NYC)

Swoon and Tennessee Jane collaborated at Honey Space last week in an attempt to raise awareness of the brutal killing of women in Mexico that has been rampant since the early 1990s. Below is the text from the exhibition, telling the story of Silvia Elena, one of the murdered women in Juarez, Mexico.

:::

Romana Morales Huerta bends down to clean her daughter's grave. With patient motions that underscore the habitual nature of her task, she brushes away a thick layer of desert sand that has accumulated since her last visit. Later that day, as she leaves the cemetery, the violent desert winds pick up again, and begin to cover the grave once more.

Ramona's daughter, Silvia Elena Rivera Morales, was killed in 1995. Her murder is one of hundreds that haunt the Mexican city of Juarez, just across the border from El Paso, Texas. Since 1993 approximately 500 women and girls from Juarez have been confirmed killed, with at least as many more reported disappeared. Human rights organizations put the number of murders much higher - estimating they could surpass 4,000. Most of the victims are young and poor, and almost all have been sexually assaulted prior to their deaths.

Femicide, the term used to describe this pattern of violence targeting women, is not isolated to Juarez. Since the killings began to occur there in 1993, markedly similar abductions and murders have occurred elsewhere in Mexico and Guatemala. In Guatemala alone alone, over 3,000 women have been killed since 2001, with the official number of victims rising each year.

Despite the horrific nature of these crimes, authorities at all levels have exhibited indifference. In Juarez there is overwhelming evidence of official corruption. There are well-documented cases of the police and local courts falsely pinning blame on innocent people with the use of confessions extracted under torture and planted evidence. To this day it remains unknown whether this disdain can be explained as a perverse symptom of a culture that devalues women, evidence of corruption and intimidation by gangs and drug networks that may be behind the murders, or, at worst, complicity. No matter the cause, the impunity has set precedents: that the murder and disappearance of women is acceptable and there will be no consequences. The patterns seen in Juarez extend to Guatemala, where there have only been 14 convictions related to the femicides, while the vast majority of the 3,000 killings remain unsolved.

Day after Silvia Elena's disappearance, two police officers appeared at Ramona's home. They had come to bring her to the morgue to identify a body recovered from the desert, believed to be that of her daughter. Ramona wanted to bring one of sons along, but the police forced her to go alone. Without the support of loved ones Ramona struggled to identify Silvia Elena's dead, mutilated body. She recognized the pattern of a tattered shirt, but the harsh desert environment left Silvia Elena a skeleton with only patches of skin.

Like so many of the femicide cases, the police made defamatory declarations about Silvia Elena to the press, excusing her death by saying she lived a double life as a prostitute.

Ramona and thousands of other mothers throughout the Americas struggle to find a mechanism for justice. Like the violent desert sandstorms, the authorities have worked to cover up the truth about the murders.

Ramona still doesn't know who killed her daughter. The criminal justice system has failed to give her answers, but she hasn't given up. In spite of intimidation, she and other mothers, fathers, and people of conscience have worked to bring attention to this situation. Ramona's words, and this portrait of Silvia Elena, bear witness to the violence these families have endured. They are also testaments to the heroic and constant struggle of the survivors to refuse victimization, stand up to unjust authority, and demand their natural right to life without fear.

For more information please visit:
http://www.elnorteproductions.com/
http://now.org/issues/juarez/femicide.html
http://mujeresdejuarez.org/
http://wola.org/

:::

Thanks to a tip (in the comments), I was lead to this video by old favorites of mine At The Drive In. They did a song and music video about the same issue addressed above, called "Invalid Litter Dept." The disturbing thing for me was that this video is from 2001, and yet it seems nothing has changed at all.

MP3:

Do you really care why I pick the songs I do? Didn't think so.

- Cary Ann Hearst - Dust And Bones

A band's place in myspace.

:: TICKLING THE KEYTAR ACROSS ARABIA ::

Some of our crew saw Terry Poison perform one night and decided that we should do a side project about them while in Israel. Four beautiful girls (Louise, Petit, Anna and Gili) and one dude (Bruno) dancing around in spandex and playing electric music: What's not to love?

We caught up with them on the night of Israeli Independence Day where they played a concert for 5000 smoking teenagers.

There were horses and a trampoline backstage.

Showtime.

We stayed in touch with the girls and they proved to be the most fun in all of Tel Aviv. Thanks, TP.

:: THE PROBLEM IS THAT EVERYONE IS "OTHER" TO YOU ::

(photos from the Bicycle Film Festival's art show and opening party, as well as May's Critical Mass with the return of the ticket-zombies)

Yesterday was the first time I've ridden Critical Mass in a while. And I have to say it was the first time I've been embarrassed by the ride. During the usual rally at Union Square before the ride, the Rev. Al Sharpton made an appearance to speak about NYPD brutality and oppression (something that Critical Mass riders are somewhat familiar with). Just as the Revered was about to speak, a group of riders on the south edge of the square began whooping and leading the ride away, purposefully turning their backs on Sharpton and heading off noisily. It was noticed by everyone there, and a lot of riders were very confused.

I can understand that some people are not fans of Sharpton using Critical Mass as a platform for his Sean Bell crusade, or any other for that matter. However the rejection and display of refutation of this media figure using his clout to bring attention to the NYPD's heavy-handed handling of Critical Mass was just plain stupid. Selfish and stupid. As corny as his speech was, and as spotlight-grabbing as his tactics are, they do help to bring public attention to things. The enemy is the NYPD, not exaggerative media figures. Don't be so high up on your horse that you aren't willing to accept a helping hand.

The very principal at stake here is how Critical Mass rides work. Safety and strength in numbers. Divided you fall.

Update: check out Chris from Team Spider's video from the above-mentioned Critical Mass ride (complete with Rev. Al Sharpton riding a bike).

MP3:

Team Spider is the local vocal proponent of all things bicycle, and up until recently boasted the oldest member of any punk band (R.I.P. Zak). So they seemed appropriate for a post about bikes and Critical Mass. Their new album "Fuck Brakes" is entirely about both of these things, after all.

- Team Spider - My Life Your Rights

A band's place in myspace.