Summer Writing Project.

So, I'm back in Irvine. The plane ride was annoying, my flight got delayed twice due to 'Air Traffic.' This boggles me, I thought we created airplanes to avoid traffic.
All in all, it's nice to be back. I get to sleep on a real bed for the next ten days and get to eat good food.

This morning I did an inventory of all the CDs' I own. So my idea for the summer writing project is to write or blog about each album that I have bought physically. Maybe write when I bought it, why I bought it and what got me into the band/album...there are couple albums in my collection that I haven't listened to in years so it will be fun re-visiting them and trying to figure why I bought it in the first place.

I woke up this morning with an email from the Ten Club saying my pre-order of Eddie Vedder's new album has been shipped. I know there is a stream of it on NPR but I am going to try my darn hardest to avoid listening to it until I have the physical copy in hand. Something about an ukelele album recorded by my favorite singer plus a song which is a duet with Chan Marshall (who I'm absolutely in love with) get's me pretty excited.....might be the perfect summer album.

I also pre-ordered the new Frank Turner album last night. I got the deluxe version of the album which for some reasons is $7 more than the normal version. I have never spent $23 on one album in my life...I hope I never have to again. I hope this one is worth it.

So I'm going to enjoy the ten days I have here in Southern California and start with the writing project once the Eddie Vedder album arrives. I think I have a total of 80-something albums. Should be fun.

Couldn't resist turning my phone on during mid-flight to take a picture of the glowing lights.

'Somewhere on the Golden Coast'

Strange Strange Girl

So a week or so ago, The Airborne Toxic Event released their sophomore full-length. Many people around me love it and some of my friends asked me what I thought about it. I couldn't give them a true answer because I don't know how I feel about it.
I have listened to the album few times, from beginning to end with no distractions in between but will it ever top the debut self titled full length? To me, I doubt it.

Back in 2008 and 2009, they were a big part of my life. Living near Los Angeles, I saw em multiple times. I will always associate them with certain memories. Going to San Francisco for the first time on a Wednesday night when I was 18 to see em play a shack hole type place with the Henry Clay People. Going to downtown LA and one of the sketchiest place I have ever been to on a cold December night with two friends of mine because Mikel was going to play couple songs by himself at some guy's living room. Sneaking into the Mezz Bar through the Alexandria Hotel because the people working at the door wouldn't let us in because my friend and I were not 21.

I have fond memories from following this the “little band from Los Feliz” (their words).

So when I listen to the new album, watch the music video for 'Changing' I have almost no emotional response to it. To me its just there.

Ch-Check It Out

Last full week of Class!

A friend of mine showed this to me. Pretty cool. Kinda goes along with what I would like to do next summer.

Straight Trippin' from SKATEDAILY.net on Vimeo.

Only Time Will Tell

So last night I saw Frank for the third time. Dave Hause opened up.
Dave was awesome, it was my first time seeing him solo. I saw him with his band the Loved Ones back in 2009. There were only few people there who knew of him or the loved ones...he played 8 songs including a Hot Water Music cover.
Here's the setlist:
Prufrock
Try This At Home
I still believe
Real Damage
I am Disappeared
Worse Things Happen at Sea
Peggy Sang the Blues
Motel Blues (Loudon Wainwright III Cover)
Fastest Way Back Home
One Foot before the other (New Song)
Sunshine State
Ballad of Steve
The Next Round
Dan Song
Substitute
English Curse (new song)
Long Live the Queen
Journey of Magi
The Road
Photosynthesis
Encore:
Constructive Summer w/ Dave Hause (Hold Steady Cover)
Don' Think Twice (Bob Dylan cover)
Ballad of me and my friends

also I got to the venue Three hours before they opened and got to help Frank set up...While he carried his merch box from the car, I Got to carry His Guitar!

I also meet a nice couple who gave me a ride back to San Jose...which was awesome cause Frank stopped play at 12:30AM...way past the last Caltrain and the Bart

Gasoline Week.

Crazy stuff has been happened this past week. Between the midterms and papers, I found a House for rent which I will be moving into June.
I attended my first San Jose Giants game and my first Minor League game since I moved from Delaware...I am not quite sure why it took me so long.

I must check this out before it goes away....anything related to Patti Smith is awesome!

Also last night, I attended the Sparta Awards followed by the Club Sports Awards/Banquet.
This is what you get for running 900 miles and being on the team for three years:

Cannonball!

It's days like yesterday, it's great to be alive.

I got to Oakland right around 7, walked around a bit and then headed to the venue. The Oakland Opera House is basically a big warehouse. I felt quite like a bad ass in the beginning cause when I was standing in line, Sean recognized me and came to talk to me and when we were finally allowed it, I was on the guest list which was pretty cool. Right after we got in, the guy behind me in line started asking me how I got on the guest list and how I knew Sean and all.

The first opening act was a solo set by the guitarist from the Laura Stevenson and the Cans. The played few nice slow songs including a wonderful John Cale cover.

Next up was Laura Stevenson and the Cans, they were really good. Few jokes by Laura in between songs. They played a good mix of upbeat and slow songs. I got their setlist and bought their new album 'Sit Resist'.

The final opening act was Pomegranates...I was looking forward to seeing em cause my buddy who went to the show in Anaheim said he was really impressed and he even bought their cd. (he never buys CDs). They didn't disappoint, the members kept switching instruments which kind of kept it fresh and they were just down right groovy. I wish I had bought their album.

This was my first time seeing Fake Problems as an headline act. So I was pretty stoked. Earlier when I got to the venue, when I Sean for what seemed like a long time and I dropped in few request. They played a good mix of old and new. I have yet to see a band have more fun on stage than they do. Casey Lee cracking jokes and laughing the entire time, Chris jumping around everywhere. Good set of songs by them, the only one they didn't play that I requested was 'Motion of the Ocean.' Sean after the show promised me they will play it next time I see em.The Setlist below isn't entirely correct. They called some audibles during the show so the order was little bit different

Overall it was an awesome day. There is no band out there that I'm closer with than the guys from Fake Problems. Can't wait to see em at the Fest

Another year, Another Season

So Track season is over. I can't believe I only have one year of eligibility left, time does fly. I think looking back the only thing I will remember from this season is that I went from a long distance running to short-mid distance running. We traveled to couple schools that we hadn't the previous two years but besides that I can't say anything spectacular happened during the 2011 SJSU Track and Field Season.

The next few weeks are going be hectic. As much as I love spring and end of the school year, I hate how everything just seems to pile up during the months of April and May. I can't wait to see Fake Problems this friday for the third time this year, Sparta Awards and club sports banquet next week and of course the highlight of the year (Frank Turner live) the week after. In the middle of all this crazy fun stuff, I have term papers due. Lots of em, I guess that's what I get for being an Anthro major. I also have to start looking for a new apartment since my current lease ends at the end of may and of course, I still have finals

Also I have been going to the school library a lot to get work done...check out the view.
One of the reasons why I love spring time is cause everything is green.


Fun Fun Fun

Grown up.

Things that make me feel all grown up: Tying my own tie.

San Jose's been pretty green lately: