MOG - Dale's Posts

Today's lasting forever

Dale — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:20:50 GMT

At least work-wise, ugh. Something about IT security audits make managers and such ultra-tense, especially when the auditors basically announce that they are going to rake us over the coals in areas we've not even been audited before.

Right now, the only thing that's improving my mood is going through the Today Forever EP by Ride, a wonderful 4-song nugget that catches Ride at the height of their powers. And lookie here, some lovely person on YouTube posted the videos for all four songs. Not that they're a treat visually, mind ...

Dig the bass line on "Unfamiliar", something that usually isn't at the fore for most Ride songs.

Check out the Andy Bell vocal turn on "Beneath".

The hazy jangle of "Sennen" is especially good at loosening the knot in my forehead right now.

And finally, "Today slows down to a crawl, and lets Andy and Mark's sweet harmonies shine.

Brainlock -or- Your favorite concert memory?

Dale — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 04:36:16 GMT

Last Tuesday night, I was working out at the YMCA with one of their personal trainers, just to get some new ideas. She was a chipper sort, which is good because I tend to withdraw and don't lead the conversation much. As she walked me through my paces, we talked about The Dark Knight (turns out she's a comic fan) and other movies. She must have sensed that, aside from The Dark Knight, I'm not much of a movie person. Then she switched tacks and dropped this one on me:

"So, what's the best concert you've ever been to?"

Uh ... uh ... uh ...

At this point, please feel free to peruse my back pages and you'll clearly see that I don't attend loads of concerts. I have seen some doozies, though. Here's a few that popped to mind:

Attending the first stop on the first Lollapalooza tour, a gift from Melissa where we were just happy to see Jane's Addiction and had no idea what the heck "Lollapalooza" was anyway. This show featured Trent Reznor throwing (literally) a hissyfit when his DAT tapes wouldn't function, and Dave Navarro stomping offstage at the end of a transcendant Jane's set.
Standing at front row to see PiL on the 1992 120 Minutes tour, and getting the privilege to see Blind Melon and Live, both just starting their rise. PiL was interesting on its own because Melissa leaned on the barrier bored (she's never liked PiL). John Lydon notices her and starts mocking her, and the two of them have a brief back-and-forth until he wis the fight by dropping trou and exposing his white flabby English butt.
Tromping up to Pasadena with about 100,000 of my closest friends and seeing Depeche Mode at the Rose Bowl. Yup, Depeche Mode 101. I posted the experience here.
Seeing the Curiosa festival in Chicago with my best friend Sam, who had never seen The Cure live before. Mogwai tore the roof off, The Rapture had the kids dancing in the aisles, Interpol brooded in their special way, and Sam freaked out at every Cure song because it was exactly the song he had been hoping for. The only bummer: Matt Bellamy was sick so we didn't get to see Muse.

After some quick reflection, I narrowed down to these two choices. I'm pretty happy with them.

April of last year, I headed down to OKC and got to see Silversun Pickups play a side show away from the tour they were doing with Snow Patrol and OK Go. It was in a small venue, so there were maybe 200 people at the show. I had heard reports that Silversun Pickups did not impress in their opening slot, so I was justifiably concerned that they would fall flat. I had no reason for such worry. They really enjoyed that so many people came just to see them, and gave a terrific performance. Topping it was the chance to stand second-row in front with Nikki and interact with her a bit. I posted about it here. Oh yeah, good times.
Coachella '08. Big crickets, bigger air mattresses, good music, better friends, and Beth Gibbons' waist. Mmmmm. Check the first few posts on this Google search, and you can read up.

This all begs the question, what is your favorite concert memory? Take your time, think it over, and let me know. Post a link to a post, if you're reviewed it here.

MOG heaven is now online!

Dale — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:57:37 GMT

It's time to ressurrect a tradition that started back with AJ at the original MOG Wars: MOG Heaven is now opening its doors. You know, the big gates with the treble clefs? Yeah, those gates are now open.

I promise you that the performances make it so people will be dying to join us up here. (haha, I kill myself.) (There I go again, haha.)

Tomorrow, Nick Drake is gonna kick off the acoustic stage in fine style.

Later, Ian Curtis, John Lennon, and Cliff Burton will be playing new material. I understand that Echo, the drum machine from Echo & The Bunnymen, will be pressed into service. That should be good.

Finally, how's this for a supergroup? Janis Joplin. Jim Morrison. Jimi Hendrix. Jaco Pastorius. Keith Moon. Good. Good. Golly!

Oh, and the fountains! They're not only lovely, but the liquid that issues therefrom turns into the drink of choice once it hits your cup. My last cup tasted of the best black cherry cola ever. But never fear, there's no hangovers here. ;)

So, come on in, those that have passed on from this latest incarnation of MOG Wars, come and find the rest you crave. Let your souls heal. And let the rawk have full sway! O:-)

Well, that's just perfect. I'm dead.

Dale — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:07:33 GMT

Some ninja. Sheesh!

I have received my instrument of death from New York City itself. Yeah, you know it's hard. I'll give it a spin later, but I don't have a track listing yet.

And I had completed my mix of death, but because I've been stupid busy, I didn't send it out. My intended victim lives; that just stinks on ice.

As I ponder the eternities, I will only have myself to blame for my sloth. Sigh.

Muscle and hate, whoa!

Dale — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:06:14 GMT

All this talk of killing and such has me seriously jonesing some Nitzer Ebb. Wrap your ears around this deliciousness. I saw this on 120 Minutes in my suburban bedroom in 1987, and knew I'd be powerless to resist.

For their first four albums, from 1987's debut That Total Age to 1991's Ebbhead, I could count on Nitzer Ebb for some of the heaviest dance rhythms going. There was many a Saturday night I would surrender to their beats at the local alternative/goth club.

It may not sound so tough now, but keep in mind that before Nine Inch Nails released Broken, this was the sound of industrial, and it was glorious to behold.

It begins ...

Dale — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:08:06 GMT

My long years of training have led me to this moment, to be pressed into service to slay the worthy. My shiny disc has been hined to razor-sharp perfection, and now will go out to its intended target. It has been too long since I have heard the gasps of the unaware, felt the rush that only the kill can provide. Oh yes, this will be good. Don't let the soft fluffy exterior fool you.

I will say no more now.

:::melts into shadow:::

So maybe Wichita has a scene after all

Dale — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 04:49:49 GMT

As many of you know, I have frequently complained that there's no decent live music in this city in which I have lived for four years. It's still true that the bigger bands that I want to see don't come anywhere near, but I may have another outlet.

While looking around for decent local bands, I found something even more attractive: a live venue. Not just any concert hall either, but an actual home, where bands can come and crash, that sets up shows twice a month. Sweet, right? Well, tonight was our first chance to take a look, and it was well worth it.

Melissa and I both decided to leave a bit late, thinking there was no way that a venue would actually stick to a 7PM start time. We didn't get there until about 8:30, and found out that we had in fact missed the first two bands. Whoops! We found this out because, standing just outside the door, was the guy that owned the house. We talked for a bit, and he invited us in and told us to make ourselves at home. Okay...

One step into the house revealed what he meant. The bands set up in the living room, which had the two couches scooted to one side to make seating for 8-10 people. There were people scattered all over the house, enjoying the music and chatting together, or maybe enjoying the snack platter spread out in the kitchen. (BTW, the chocolate chip cookies were delicious!) The backyard was set up with lots of seats for when the house got too hot. Everyone was just having a nice time together, even though alcohol was not present, and there were at least five different kids running around the house.

Oh, the music! Few Against Many, a local Wichita band just starting up, played about six songs of toe-tapping alt-rock. Cloud City from Springfield, MO came next, with a slighty heavier, more droney sound that felt just right to me. In fact, if I had a few more dollars to my name I would have bought their CD from the merch table, which I'm quite certain was the dining room table earlier.

Melissa was a bit concerned at first, as we were driving up to the house, but warmed right up once we were in, and was soon chatting up everyone and making plans for our backyard based on the layout they had. At one point she even borrowed my cell phone to call Morgan and held the phone up so he could hear the music for a bit. I think she likes it, heh.

I didn't take any pictures, but I did find a clip of another Wichita band playing there. Note the huge vertical violet and purple stripes.

The band in the video is polarOPPOSITEbear, another local Wichita band, albeit one that sounds pretty excellent. I'm very much looking forward to seeing them.

We're going back in two weeks for a huge pond party, with bands playing in the house and acoustic acts in the backyard. It's gonna be awesome!

On this happy Independence Day ...

Dale — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:05:01 GMT

... there might be more appropriate things, but nothing funnier than the sound of Robert Smith with a fake American accent. Mmmmmmm.

Enjoy your night, MOGgers!

Remember these guys?

Dale — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:05:59 GMT

I was just filling up the Gigabeat with random songs for a workout mix, and ran across this blast from the past.

This song by Alabama band Verbena, and their album Into The Pink, came out in 1999 with loads of press, including production help from Dave Grohl and a release from Capitol Records.

Then ... nothing.

They did release another album, but from the looks of things, it was met by a huge yawn. Shame really, that song above's a killer.

Anyone else remember them at all? Did they go on to better things, or fade into obscurity? Were they good live? Questions abound.

EDIT: This is a Filling In The Gaps post, since I belatedly realized that there were no Verbena posts on MOG. Then again, based on today's comments, that's no surprise. ;)

I am such a sucker for a meme

Dale — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:02:39 GMT

Big thanks to masoo for first bringing this meme to MOG. I could go days doing these things, seriously. Add your own answers here or your own post, but if you're going to do your own post, it would only be fair to give masoo credit.

OK, on with the show. As always, these are real answers from the real me.

1. What's your favorite band?
My Bloody Valentine. Mmmmm, swirly.
2. Do you play an instrument?
Bass guitar, haltingly. I should fix that.
3. Sing?
Yes, there's even photographic evidence, thanks a lot Amber. :P
4. Write lyrics?
I haven't, but Melissa used to write poetry in a lyrical format. At one time, we thought we could transform them into song lyrics.
5. Have you ever slept with a drummer?
Nope, and not even the drummer from Black Angels could get me to change that.
6. What's the coolest concert you've ever attended?
Wow, that's a tough one. Coachella 2008 would be the obvious choice, for the total package of atmosphere, great bands, and great friends. For just the music itself though, I'm gonna go with seeing Silversun Pickups at a 200-person venue in Oklahoma City, as they got to play a small gig while slumming from the Snow Patrol tour. The small environs energized them, and it was an awesome set.
7. Who's the most skilled guitarist of all time?
Yikes! Virtuosity isn't something I usually prize so I'm probably a lousy judge but I'll give it to Jack White for now.
8. Name a song that just makes you want to break stuff.
"Stigmata" by Ministry. I used to play that song in my head before playing football, and it would psych me up bigtime.
9. Name three musicians who died of drug overdoses.
Too darn many. :(
10. What's the best lyric ever written?
This remains my favorite: "When you're sad, the hairs of your neck form a noose around mine" - AR Kane
11. If you could experience one band/artist perform live at any point in history, who?
My Bloody Valentine, supporting the Jesus and Mary Chain on the 1992 Rollercoaster tour. Surrender to glorious noise!
12. If you could master any instrument, which would it be?
That bass guitar behind me that sits so forlorn.
13. If you had the power to rid the world of one genre of music, what would be gone?
Wow, that's tough. One man's trash is another's treasure, you know? Ummm ... yodeling? Is that a genre?
14. What song do you have playing right now?
Click the red button and see. :)
15. Greatest album in the history of time?
I'd go with Loveless, but I'd hate to be seen as one-dimensional, so I'll go with Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures.
16. Is Elvis still The King?
Sure he is. Why wouldn't he be?
17. What's your favourite musical?
I'm no fan of musicals.
18. When you hear the phrase "Rock 'N' Roll" what comes to mind?
Love and Rockets song "Rock and Roll Babylon".
19. Ever wanted to be a DJ?
Desperately; I used to DJ church dances when I was younger, and tried to be a guest DJ at a radio station in Tucson.
20. If you could sleep with any famous musician, who would it be?
Meh, I'll pass. Yes, Melissa is sitting right here, but the answer still wouldn't change. :P
Her response: "You know, it doesn't say you'd have to have nookie with them, you could just have a sleepover." All righty then. She'd have a sleepover with David Bowie, as long as Iman came too.

Drama on the high seas - Girls Camp Day 4

Dale — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 05:06:26 GMT

I wonder if I've driven everyone away by these, because I can't imagine these posts being interesting for anyone but me. If you have read all four of these the whole way through, you deserve a big gold star.

It's a natural fact that when you put 100 women in a cramped location, that drama will happen. Us men are normally (aside from Gale our fearless leader) just not privy to all of it. This day, I got a faceful, and lived to tell the tale.

I arose at 7AM to the sound of a woman in tears. Usually, our quarters are off-limits to the womenfolk, but since we had the sweet digs, including a nice little kitchen table (and did I mention the AC?), our cabin had become home to a few meetings, and sometimes just a nice hideout for the camp leaders to get out of the way and get things done. No worries, but crying meant something bad. I dressed quickly and came out to see what was going on, and found the camp leader telling Gale how another woman had usurped her authority and changed things out from under her. With only one full day of camp left, we offered the best advice we had: continue to serve the girls, and try your best to not let them notice what's going on.

After she left, Gale and I talked it out for a bit, and we figured out that the two leaders had been butting heads for weeks, and it had carried over to camp. The meetings every evening where we correlate the enxt day's activities were not happening, so people weren't on the same page. Thankfully, I don't think most of the girls noticed, but we realized that the contention between the two leaders was most likely the source of the "dark vision" that Gale had before camp. Alas, there was nothing more to do but get back to work, so after a quick shower and breakfast, it was off to the races.

Today's big feature was a canoe trip across the lake for the fifth-year and older girls, something we've never let them do before. To pepare, we set out all 11 canoes, and cleaned them of spiderwebs and mayfly nests. I was expected to give a brief talk, so I placed my scriptures in a plastic bag and stuffed them into my backpack, along with sunblock and bug spray. We got the girls loaded into the canoes and sent them off, after giving them directions. I stayed back, and one of the leaders and I waited to make sure the girls were headed in the right direction.

Have you ever met someone that just thrives on drama, that actively seeks it everywhere she goes? We had one of the at camp. Let's call her Emily. She's in her sixth year, and she's been at the center of drama every year I've seen her. I can't imagine living that way, but that's just me. Anyway, since she's not an especially strong swimmer, we placed her in the middle of a canoe with two good swimmers, and sent them off. Sure enough, their canoe zigzags across the lake, with us slowly trailing them. I tried to give them advice, but it just wasn't working. They made it to the other side, all the while complaining that their canoe was cursed. Uh-huh.

Melissa and her helpers in the kitchen had set out a nice fancy lunch (crab salad on croissants, ooh la la), and after lunch I gave my talk. I wish it had gone better; I spoke about Rebekah at the well, and from the few words written about her (Genesis 24), some of her characteristics. I got so nervous that I failed to conclude the talk properly; I had wanted to show them that if they prepared themselves properly, that the right man would come to them, that they didn't need to worry about chasing down the right man. Not terible, but it could have been so much better.

After that, it was back out to the canoes for the trip back. One pair needed to use the ladies' room, and didn't want to squat in a bush, so they made a vapor trail to the other side of the lake; I had to haul tail just to make sure I could see them as they turned around an island in the lake. And predictably, Emily's canoe once again fell behind, as they just seemed unable to keep the canoe going straight. I tried to instruct them again, going so far as to tell them, "Paddle left! Paddle right!", but to no avail. At about the midway point, Emily reached the end of her tether, started screaming about how frustrated she was, and stopped paddling, along with the rest of the canoers. We paddled over to them, grabbed the rope at the front of their canoe, I tied it around me, and pulled them in. As we neared the shore, I heard Emily say, "We should probably help, huh?" to which I thought, "Please don't help." Hehehehe. We then pulled the canoes back onto the shore and returned to camp.

Next up for the campers were skits. In previous years, they were elaborately prepared, but this year each cabin was given a bag of props and asked to come up with something in one hour. The men's skits used to be pretty lame, but since Jim and I (both natural hams) showed up, things have gotten much better. We took our bag and managed, in one hour, to cobble together something based loosely on "The Wizard of Oz" that I wish I could find on YouTube, because it really was funny. The girls' skits were good too, although the girls often forgot to E-NUN-CI-ATE and talk to the audience. Good times were had by all.

Dinner was pizza, which led to the most unexpected beat-down I got all week. I was casually eating my salad and pizza, and decided that I was going to need a third slice, as I had a long night of tearing down canopies in my future. I had no sooner sat down with that third slice (and a mess of green beans), when I hear "ARE YOU CHEATING?!?" to my left. Stunned, I look over and see Maddie, a third-year girl who'd said maybe three words to me in her previous time, Staring me down. I had no idea how seriously the girls took my diet, sheesh! Feeling a bit guilty, I explained that I would be doing a lot more work that day, and it was just a small slice of Hawaiian pizza, and could I please have it, with puppy eyes and everything. That smoothed things over. ;)

After that, it was off to tear down canopies and put away the canoes, oh joy. The work was only interrupted by a detour to put on all my black (I'm a ninja!) and get to shoot a Nerf arrow at the leaders, who then got to attack me and beat me down. I didn't get to stick around and see the purpose of the thing, but I'm sure they tied it in nicely.

One final thing: we finally got to relax with a late-night swim at the pool with all of the adult and girl leaders, followed by letting the girls raid the fridge and stay up late and goof off for a while. Good times. There's no way anyone got to sleep before 2AM.

Oh, and here's day 5 in a nutshell: we cleaned up, got on the bus, and made it straight home. Yay!

Leave me alone, I'm cookin' chicken - Girls Camp Day 3

Dale — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:15:50 GMT

Fair warning: this is not near the fun read the others were, because for me his was not a fun day. Well, let's get to it.

My alarm woke me at 5:30 this morning, although I had no reason to wake up at that hour. I tried to get back to sleep, but only slept in fits and starts until 7, when I had to wake up. At this point, I should have realized that this would not be my day.

After a quick breakfast, it was time to set up for the big activity of the day, a small Renaissance Faire on the camp grounds. We had rented a jumping castle, dunk tank, and inflatible climbing pyramid, all of which needed to be set up and staffed. In addition, there were photo booths, jousting suits, and stations for making daisy chains. Lunch this day would also consist of chicken drumsticks, as opposed to the traditional turkey legs, so girlls needed to be staffed and about 150 drumsticks needed to be grilled.

Before camp had started, I had been asked to sit in the dunk tank. Early in the morning, this didn't look so fun, but by 10AM, the sun was shining bright and warm, and the water looked inviting. I went and changed into swim clothes, but all the other men had been asked to man the climbing pyramid, so I was handed charcoal and asked to grill the chicken.

Let me stop here and declare that I love to cook, it's one of my favorite hobbies. Ask the Coachella gang if you don't believe that. However, my least favorite method of cooking is grilling. Yes, I assure you that I'm actually a red-blooded American male, but my Y chromosome must be slightly malformed. Anyway ...

So away I went, to grill and grill and grill. While the other adults got to interact with the girls, get wet in the dunk tank, and do whatever else. I grilled. For four hours. That entire time, I was either wrestling with coals, grabbing bags of drumsticks from the kitchen, or delivering the finished drumsticks to the oven to make sure they weren't bloody. Or singeing my arm hairs reaching across the grill to flip the legs. I tried to put on a happy face when people asked me how it was going, but I'm pretty sure I failed miserably.

Next up, I had been asked to teach the third-year campers how to navigate using a compass. It's become a tradition, something I've done for four years of camp, and I enjoy it greatly. Part of the process is teaching the girls how to calculate their pace by having them walk 50 feet and divide by the number of steps. The previous night, I had placed two rebar poles out to mark the beginning and end of the course. As I took the first group to the starting point, I saw that they had been removed. I asked if anyone knew what had happened to them, and found out that an adult had been driving along in a golf cart and scratched her leg by brushing one of them. She found them and threw them away in a rage. So, there's that mystery explained. I ran and found my tape measure and we made do, but the first group was put off at that point. Several of them whined their way through the (short and simple) orienteering couse, and I got them through it as fast as possible, just to be done with them. Thank goodness, the second group actually enjoyed the process, and we laughed and joked through the entire course.

Next, it was off to the waterfront for canoeing. Usually, this is very well-attended, but this year, the third-year girls were taken to go tubing at an adjoining lake, and that made the canoeing lose a lot of its luster. In previous years, I've had six or seven canoes in the water at a time. This year, three sufficed.. I finally got to play in the water, at least, as I helped the girls get in and out of the canoes and watched to make sure they didn't get too far away. After two enjoyable hours, it was time to head back to camp, so I put away the three canoes and made sure everything was cleaned up before heading back.

Dinner was short, as I needed to help tear down everything from the Renaissance Faire and get it stowed away. Frankly, I don't really remember the rest of teh day, which is just as well. I was essentially shoved off to bed at 10PM by Gale, which figured out that I had reached the end of my tether. After a few blissful minutes of music, I was long gone, but not before fixing the alarm so it would wake me at a much more proper 7AM.

Where I explain myself

Dale — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:34:48 GMT

Maybe not EVERYTHING about myself, because that would take too many 0's and 1's, but at least my favorite new releases of 2008 so far. This list, as posted on Stef's post of the best albums of 2008 so far, reads as follows:

Portishead - Third
Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now Youngster
The Kills - Midnight Boom
Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
Foals - Antidotes
Ladytron - Velocifero
These New Puritans - Beat Pyramid
Sons & Daughters - This Gift
M83 - Saturdays = Youth
The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead

Now, behold as I embarrass myself with my record-reviewing "prowess".

The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead: The Helio Sequence have been around for some time now, but this time they put together a lovely cohesive album filled with heartfelt vocals and a surprisingly rich sound from two guys.

M83 - Saturdays = Youth: Another excellent M83 offering, but this time with a more conventional song structure, fewer layers of sound that obscure the melodies, and a brighter, sunnier outlook. I've read a few reviews where Anthony Gonzalez talks about being heavily influenced by John Hughes movies. I'm not sure I hear it, but I could easily see Ally Sheedy's character in "The Breakfast Club" getting down to "Graveyard Girl."

Sons & Daughters - This Gift: Nasty dirty and brutish, this Scottish band kick up a fuss with their big guitars and awesome male/female vocals. Songs like "Dance Me In" caught my attention, but it all comes together here so much stronger.

These New Puritans - Beat Pyramid: I'm totally blaming Anna for find these lovely lads with their rhythm-based take on neo-post-punk. I particularly like the way the drums take center stage for so many of their songs, as opposed to the bass, as is the case with many of the bands in Interpol's wake. Not so sure about all the references to numerology, though.

Ladytron - Velocifero: Nothing unusual or groundbreaking here, just a refinement of the sounds Ladytron have been cooking up ever since 604. This time, Mira Aroyo's vocals get more play, adding variety to the proceedings.

Foals - Antidotes: Much like last year's beloved Battles, this quintet from Oxford rock their guitars up real high and clean, but with more traditional rhythms and intelligible (read: not evil squirrel) vocals for easy pop digestion.

Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours: One of two bands I was privileged to see live on this list, both at Coachella. This band from Australia could almost get accused of excessive 80's worship, if the songs weren't so darn catchy. Live, they had so much energy the crowd could not be restrained from jumping around.

The Kills - Midnight Boom: Like the Helio Sequence, another band that has been around for some time, but has finally delivered the album that we hoped they had in them. I hate to use the word "accessible" for their minimal dirty blues, but songs like "Cheap and Cheerful" are easily digested with their insistent melodies cut across with Hotel's noisy guitar. And yes, I take full blame for getting Anna hooked onto this album. Don't forget, it's all right to be mean. ;)

Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now Youngster: The biggest blast of fresh air these ears have heard this year. You can almost feel the way these kids try to get all the creativity out of their systems as fast as possible. They remind me most of Belle and Sebastian's spastic younger siblings.

Portishead - Third: Three words: Beth. Gibbons. Waist. Now that that bit of fanboy-dom is behind me, the album itself teems with their normal stock in trade: tomes of sheer heartbreak. This time, instead of slowed breakbeats, the music takes on a more ominous tone with occasional hard-hitting drum and guitar work. Nasty stuff, but cathartic in its way.

Heads up fans of aggregation!

Dale — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:07:47 GMT

I have nothing for you at this time, but our Dutch rep Stef aka SA is collecting the best albums released in 2008 so far. Head on over to his post at http://mog.com/SA/blog_post/169238.

I expect lots of representation from my Trusteds, so hop to people! :)

Mind where you crouch - Girls Camp Day 2

Dale — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:02:59 GMT

OK, this song's a real stretch, but it sorta connects. Trust me on this.

Day two started at the obscene hour of 5:30. I have no one to blame but myself, as I had noticed that there was a early-morning hike for the first-year campers, and had asked if they wanted a guy on board. They decided they did, and would I be so kind as to come along? Of course, but it didn't sound so appealing at that wakeup call. Being dutiful above all else, I dress and throw the necessities in a backpack, including bug spray and the first aid kit.

After a slight delay, our sleepy-headed first years arrived and we set out. We got to see a lovely sunrise over the lakefront, and chance to feel the cool air for about the only time all week it felt anywhere near cool. Then we headed into a lovely tree-lined amphitheater called the Green Cathedral, where Chris had started making some yummy Dutch-oven breakfast with cinnamon rolls and hash browns and scrambled eggs. We then hiked back and rejoined the rest of the campers.

The four of us men all got together and set out to set up two more canopies before the skies, which had grown progressively more grey, started to open up. I caught up to them just as they had finished setting up the first canopy. Gale said that he still had a funny feeling about the camp and asked me to offer a prayer of blessing on the site. That's when the miracle occured.

Last year, I had lost so much weight that my wedding band no longer fit, and it was literally hanging off my finger. Well, two days into Girls Camp I lost it. I told Melissa right away, and we were bummed but not overly stressed. The campers were shocked and appalled, and many of them spent time combing the campground looking for it. I figured it had fallen onto the ground somewhere and had been lost, and when no one could find it, I gave up hope, and we replaced it with the ring I wear now.

Back to the present day, right after I offered the prayer, Jim grabbed the bag that held the spare parts for the canopy we had just set up when he noticed something round and silver fall out. He held it up for me to see, and sure enough, it was my old wedding band. The four of us looked at it in amazement, then we tried to figure out the best way to tell everyone. I finally hatched a plan with the camp leader, who took the band. We'll return to it later, I promise.

The rain started falling, so plans for outdoor team-building exercises were put on hold, and indoor workshops were held instead. I was invited to demonstrate "putting on the armor of God", which involved me getting shot with a Nerf gun with no protection. I got one stuck on my upper lip, another on my neck. Then I was suited up with a breastplate and helmet, and given a shield, and asked to defend myself. Exce3pt for one shot the eluded the shield and hit me in the upper thigh, I was totally protected. We then read Ephesians 6:11-17 and discussed at length. We then repeated the process for the other half of the campers, with similar results. You would have been so proud of my shield-weilding prowess.

Now would be a good time to hit the red button.

After this, Chris and I decide that we had best go check on last night's work and ensure that our canopies are still standing. We head down to the waterfront, but not before being alerted by the camp leaders that girls were trying to sneak down to the waterfront without supervision, a big no-no. We head down and inspect our work, and after tightening a few lines, head back. As we're walking, we hear the unmistakeable sound of giggling girls up to no good, so we investigate. After walking along a way, we find two girls crouching behind some trees, hoping we wouldn't see them. What they had not noticed, and what we immediately point out, is that they're standing in a nice batch of poison ivy. We send them immediately to the nurse's station for a checkup, laughing inside that they had been so addled-brained to jump into some weeeds without looking. (They were fine, no worries.)

Lunch this year was a revelation, as the girls were expected to cook their own lunch two days. Day two was one of those days. I was invited to come and eat with the first years, and was happy to see that they had laid out the fixings for some yummy ham-and-pineapple kabobs, with lots of onions and green peppers. Delicious, and it didn't mess up my diet at all. That's right, for the most part I kept up with my diet, despite the extra workload.

After lunch, it was decided that we would try to open the pool so the girls could go swim, and I volunteered to assist there. The kids were playing along, and having a good time, when I heard a rumble of thunder. I hoped it would be a one-off, but I heard another one shortly thereafter. Caring for the firls' safety above all, I stood up and asked everyone to get out of the pool. There was quite a bit of grumbling, but they did leave the pool. Maybe a minute after everyone left, KA-POW! a HUGE peal of thunder sounded right over our heads. After regaining our bearings, the next sound we heard was the camp leaders running to the pool to get everyone out. I reported that everyone was already out, to their immense relief. Yay for foresight! The lightning and rain clear after a few minutes and the pool repoens later.

Not long thereafter, Melissa finds me and reveals that she doesn't think there will be enough pulled pork for tonight's finner, and asks if we would be willing to grill some burgers for dinner to supplement the pulled pork. We dig up the grill, find cleaning tools and charcoal, and proceed to cook 80 hamburgers. At the same time, some of the girls decide it would be great fun to squirt the men with water guns. I do my best Roadrunner impression for a while, but finally let them soak me good, which felt nice standing in front of the hot grill. We deliver the cooked patties in time for dinner, where the girls predictably wolf down the burgers but barely touch the pulled pork. Figures.

Ah yes, back to the missing ring. There is a tradition at camp that if someone misplaces anything, and it gets turned in to lost and found, the owner must sing for the missing item. It's a cute way to remind the girls to take care of their stuff, and provides free entertainment to boot. This time, the camp leader gets up and asks if anyone lost a silver ring with the words "Families Are Forever" etched thereon. I make like I'm embarrassed to get up, then start walking up to a rising chorus of cheers, as the girls who were at camp last year realize what's happening. Someone pulls Melissa out of the kitchen as I sing "Love At Home." Melissa then slinks back into the kitchen, since she's not a big fan of singing in front of crowds, unlike her weirdo husband.

We had a light load the rest of the night, as everything was set up. I did have to flex my PC skillz, as we had some difficulty with a presentation running from a laptop, but nothing I couldn't handle. All in all, a great day, one for the books.

The devil, sleepy driver, and a huge sail - Girls Camp Day 1

Dale — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:48:38 GMT

No real connection between the story and the song, but it did help me think of the title, and it's a mighty fine song.

I spent last week "swimming in the estrogen ocean," as I put it in a previous post. To be more descriptive, I spent Monday through Friday last week with about 100 women and girls, all LDS and all from west Wichita and the surrounding towns, at their annual camp, deep in the heart of Oklahoma. Yeah, 100 women and 4 men, we were a bit outnumbered. We were also far removed from cell phones and malls and other distractions, so the girls got the learn to cook outside and sing silly songs and bond together. Us four men were there mostly to do man things like heavy lifting, removing pests and unclogging toilets, but we were able to do more than that, rest assured.

Late last Sunday night, I ran a few things out to Gale, our leader and one of the finest men it's been my pleasure to meet. While there, he scared me a bit by saying that he had a "dark vision" and to be sure to pray before we left that the girls would be protected and kept from Satan's grasp. Unfortunately, he didn't elaborate until much later in the week, so I had a lot to chew on that night and didn't sleep much.

Monday arose warm and muggy as Melissa and I went to church to meet up with everyone else who was going. Oh yes, we both went this year; her mom watched the kids so we could do so. Melissa ran the kitchen staff this year, which is beyond funny as I do most of the cooking at home. We checked in on the girls that we knew, and most were excited to go, although the first-year campers were very nervous as well. It didn't look like anyone had much sleep. I packed the essentials: trail mix and baby carrots to keep me from running for candy, towel and toiletries, and of course the Gigabeat which had to be kept on the DL since the girls weren't allowed to bring any electronics. Heehee. Alas, that means no camera, so no pix, boo.

This year, instead of having many people drive a few girls, we rented two school buses to drive most everyone down. The drivers appeared to be competent and ready to go, so we got the girls piled into the buses and I said goodbye to Melissa, who would be driving in later with the food. I took a seat near the back and prepared to take a nice long nap for the four hours until we arrived.

About 30 minutes into our drive, one of the adults near me pointed and said that she thought the driver was sleeping. I didn't think so at first glance, but another adult up front concurred, so I walked up close to confirm. Sure enough, he was rubbing his face and head in that same way that I've done on so many trips driving at 2AM from a show. Oh great, he is sleepy! Driving all thoughts of sleep out of my own head, I grab my stuff and sit right behind him so I can talk to him and keep him alert(er) the whole trip. It wasn't perfect, but after a couple of long stops we managed to get to camp, a bit shaken but none the worse for wear. We do however inform the camp leaders so they know to call the company to request a different driver for the trip home.

After checking in, I proceed to my home away from home, to find that we scored the only place with central air in the whole camp. w00t! I meet up with Gale and our other two men, Jim and Chris. Gale, Jim and I have done this the past three years, so we work together really well, but Chris is a n00b, so we take some time to go over the basics, then we get started setting things up.

First thing to set up is coolers filled with ice water, a clear necessity in summer. We dig up as many coolers as we can find, fill them with ice and water, and set them out strategically throughout the camp. So far, so good.

The next big project is to set up four large canopies so the girls can get respite from the sun, rain, or wind. Two need to be set up at the water front, so Chris and I set about it. Of course, while we do so a fierce wind kicks up, so as we attach the canvas fabric to the metal frame we about get taken on a ride. After two good hours of sweating and stressing, we manage to get them tied down enough that we think they'll stay in place. Just in time too, as by the time we return to our base, the rain starts to fall.

After dinner, it's back to work, so after a quick meeting, it's off to the cabins to ensure that the girls are all safely inside. I check in with the girls from my ward and find them playing nicely together while decorating their cabin. I get a few minutes to talk to Melissa about her trip down, which wasn't as eventful as mine, and then head back to set up more stuff, including a campfire for the second-year campers for s'mores and such. Yum! It was about 11:30 when I finally crashed on my bed and grabbed the Gigabeat for some bedside listening before getting shut-eye.

More tomorrow, sleep now.

Wow, two years. What are the odds?

Dale — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 04:23:44 GMT

oyou

So, I got back from my marvelous experience swimming in the estrogen ocean, and realize that today's my two-year MOG-iversary. so, I need to put something up.

I'm delighted to report that the community that made me stick with MOG has not stayed static, but has grown and deepened with time. It makes me very happy to see new people join and bring some good commentary to the table. What makes me even happier though, is to meet people face-to-face that I have only met through the computer, and find that they are every bit as warm, friendly and charming in person as they are in the land of zeroes and ones. Coachella 2008 will forever be burned into my grey matter, and that only partially for the music.

Lest I forget, the music! My original purpose for creating an account on MOG was to discover new music, and I have continued to find new music all over the place thanks to my Trusteds. I know I speak for all when I say that there is a veritable treasure trove of music out there that I'm just starting to tap into, and most frequently it's unearthed by a Trusted's post. In fact, just today I was turned on to the joys of Joy Zipper, thanks to a post by John (ZenPop). Then again, I've been gone all week, and I'm sure I'll find more amongst the 160 posts that I need to read. Whew!

Recent developments at my job have curtailed my energy, and forced me to drop out of the new MOG Wars, but I'm sure Chris will do a fine job of running it, even without the High Evil Instigator. I do hope to be able to run the Secret Santa again, as well as some more data aggregation, because I enjoy that so.

At this moment, I am reflecting also on my place within the community. One of my concerns when joining MOG, was how I would be received as someone from the Midwest that neither smokes nor drinks nor swears. I had no idea that I'd be received so warmly.

So, in honor of you lovely people, here's a tidbit from Big Star. Keep doing what you do.

Common Ground

Dale — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 03:47:03 GMT

I somehow see Blair and I agreeing that this song is ear candy, from the sweet plaintive vocals to the guitars piled just so, not too heavy and not too light.

From the Safranin Sound website:

Members:
sam chintha, craig garrett, greg svitil

The Antiques do not make songs, they craft them. Rich soundscapes full of emotion and melodies that stay with you long after the record has ended. While so many bands today get dressed up and have the image down to the effect pedal, The Antiques focus on making beautiful songs deep from the heart, catching a glimpse into a person's soul that most current music so often fails to offer. From the lyrics that are raw and exposed, to the abstract personal details that simply express the personal experiences, you will want to listen to this over and over again. Each song represents a small snap shot forming a record that tells a story about love and loss and moving on.

Sewn with Stitches features many different sounds and influences. Comparing The Antiques to another few bands would do them a disservice. They are what they are, and what does it matter really when the songs sound as great as they do. This is what music is all about, it's why you love to collect records, it's why you like to roll the windows down on warm days and turn the stereo up just a bit louder on the road. The album also was produced by a few different hands as well as featured guest musicians. The Antiques are easily the best sounding band in DC right now both on disc and their fantastic live shows and Safranin is very proud to be a part of their full length release.

This is what makes music great and also gives us some hope that there are still a few bands that aren't afraid to put it all on the table for us to experience.

So maybe they lay it on a bit thick, but click the button already, I'm betting you'll like it. Go on.

Hissssssssss

Dale — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:00:47 GMT

Take a second and go ahead and click on the red button above. Since this is my first post on the new system, I hope it shows up.

Hear that hiss at the beginning? Hear how flat it sounds? Yes, I think I just heard a few audiophiles cower in terror. That, friends, is the sound of a cassette recording of the Jesus and Mary Chain's most joyous moment, "Happy When It Rains."

But "why?," you ask. Why keep it, right? Wouldn't it be so much more satisfying to have that song in some kind of lossless format, with much cleaner and brighter sound? Sure, it would, but the memories wouldn't be as strong.

For most of my youth, and really until about 1996, the cassette was my primary method of music purchase and enjoyment. Until 1990, I did not own a CD player, and I reasoned with myself that why should I bother to pay $15 a pop for a CD that I might not even like, and that I would have to record onto cassette to listen to in the car anyway, when I could pay $8-9 for a cassette and take it wherever I go? See, I need to point out this reasoning so my wife can understand that I've always been cheap. ;)

So, my natural impulse upon seeing the video below on 120 Minutes sometime in 1988 was to run out to the local record store and pick up the cassette of Darklands.

Now, it has been posited elsewhere that Psychocandy is an indestructible album in all formats, and I would dare say that the same is true for Darklands. I still have that cassette in storage somewhere. That cassette has seen many many days of exposure, at high volume, from homes, Walkmans and vehicles that have long expired.

So why does the MP3 have all that hiss? Sometime shortly after I discovered the MP3 format, and the tools to make my own MP3's, I set out on a project to record all the music I had and save it on the puter. That included the cassettes. So, after grabbing a patch cable for my trusty boombox to plug it into my PC, I set about recording all my cassettes into MP3 format. Darklands was one of many to receive this treatment.

So, I keep it as it is, sounding just like it did back in '88. This would make me about as far from being an audiophile as possible, but it still sounds good to me. Mmmmmmm.

Or more appropriately, ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.

Well, all righty then

Dale — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:21:14 GMT

My favorite thing about the people I have met here on MOG is that, while we may not absolutely agree on our music choices, there's still a sense of appreciation for the craft. The junk filter is real high here, you know?

I wish I could say the same in real life.

I spent two days last week out with my middle son Jordan, and a dozen other Boy Scouts and dads, on a canoe trip in Oklahoma. It's an annual tradition for all new Scouts to give them a big push into Scouting, and it's lots of fun.

However, we have one dad who came with us, from the ward I attend every Sunday. He's a good guy, but ... he's a blowhard. No other way to say it. He almost got us lost twice because he called shotgun instead of letting our camp leader sit up front. You know, the guy with the map. After setting up camp, he proceeds to launch into a loud diatribe against our governor, all the while asserting he's right because "he's a poli-sci major." And on and on.

Well, at some point the topic changed to music. I don't think I brought it up, maybe Jordan mentioned my weekend in paradise (Coachella). That's when me really took my breath away with this nugget: "You know what artist I really like? Colbie Caillat. I think her music is on another level from everything else." He went on to wax poetic on her exclusive appearance on Wal-Mart's website.

WHAT?!?

Dude, you're not even her target audience. As Erin ahred with us, her target audience is 13-year old girls that have no interest in hip-hop. And not to totally rain on your parade, but she's just like a female Jack Johnson, but totally corporate.

(Let me interject here that I don't like Jack Johnson's music at all, but I at least think he's completely sincere, just a surfer dude that makes mellow tunes about bubbly toes and other stuff that some people love, and that drive me batty.)

Really, it was the Wal-Mart thing that took me over the top. Ah yes, the Wal-Mart Network, the prime bastion of independent, free-thinking musicians everywhere. I don't know what I'd do if a band I really loved showed up there, probably just cry a lot.

What blew me away was how passionate he was about how wonderful her music was. See, I always figured that adults that listened to that kind of music weren't choosing to listen to it, it's just on so there's no uncomfortable silence. I say this because I've caught Melissa with the radio on when that stupid "Bubbly" song comes on. She doesn't like the song either, but it was just background noise. Not this guy, though. He's way into her. Wow. Even saw her live at the festival here in town. Oh yes, she played Wichita. Don't get me started.

Now, I'm not near rude enough anymore to retort with any of these thoughts out loud. (Fifteen years ago, I'd have tried to rip him a new one, but I've grown up a bit since.) I just smiled and let him go on, while having a second helping of Dutch-oven peach cobbler and wishing I had the Gigabeat with me.

I won't make you listen to her dreck, but those with access to the yellow button may "enjoy" at their leisure.

For the rest of you, here's a video from the new album by The Charlatans. I finally gave this a good spin, and it's delightful, a return to the dance-rock style of Tellin' Stories.

Oh Vanity

Somewhere in eastern Kansas ...

Dale — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:45:13 GMT

... there's a green Jetta with my wife and oldest son, hurtling back to Wichita.

This was to be the week where Morgan extricated himself from the video games, and learned how to be a camp counselor at the local Boy Scout camp. Alas, his bullheadedness struck again, and now he's headed home.

This all started last Saturday, as we headed out to the water park at the local YMCA for some fun in the sun. I was being the ever-cautious father, and brought the best sunblock we had available. Morgan, however, had other ideas. He thought that he needed to get a good deep sunburn in order to begin sun-tanning properly. No matter how much I appealed to him that this would end badly, he refused the sunblock. As a consequence, he became the proud owner of a bright red sunburn on his entire torso.

Yesterday, we sent him off to the camp, with specific instructions to not go out in the sun without applying sunblock. We feared that if he went out into the sun more, and got burnt again. he would risk some serious skin damage.

Did he listen? OH NO! Today, he spent most of the day at the waterfront, shirtless and sunblock-less. When his trainer asked him about sunblock, he lied and said that he applied some SPF 50 sunblock. He then proceeded to get burnt to a crisp.

Sometime this afternoon, he must have realized that his skin hurt, so he appealed to the camp director to go home. Now, the camp director, being a good Scouter, tried to buck him up and asked him to stick it out for a while. Then he got a glance at the sunburn, and called us at home to ask us to pick up our son.

Please, remember this the next time you think that I'm a good father. I led the child to camp, but couldn't make him think.

I hope Morgan enjoys molting, because that's what he'll be doing all week. Frankly, I'm glad I'll be gone the next two days, so I don't have to hear his moans of agony and think to myself, "You brought this on yourself, you know."

Argh.

Scratching The Surface

Dale — Sat, 24 May 2008 16:15:21 GMT

I've always been a bit jealous of those with a vibrant local scene (not naming names) and always wished something cool was going on here in Wichita.

Maybe I'm not looking hard enough.

Two weeks ago. fresh from my triumph in the 10K, I was downtown buying a birthday present for Melissa when I found, wonder of wonders, a used record store. I don't mean a used CD store either. The had a nice selection of vinyl. Sweet!

So, I'm perusing the aisles and come across the Local Music section. Local music? What could this entail?

After some digging, I find a CD-R by a local band called Allison Research that piques my interest. I ask to take a listen and like what I hear, so I buy it (along with Drunken Lullabies by Flogging Molly).

Then I hop onto their MySpace address, but it's gone. Bummer. So I search and find this yummy little band that's grown in the wake of Allison Research:

No Romance In Russia link to MySpace

Check out their debut single Leningrad, it's pretty good.

Now I go to find more. Wish me luck!

My album du jour and a race reprise

Dale — Fri, 23 May 2008 20:45:31 GMT

I still find myself instinctively reaching for this album on the Gigabeat even though I have a couple hundred other albums. There's nothing better for working out.

Just to underline the point, I give this example: This past Tuesday, I went to the YMCA and got me a good workout, lifting weights followed with a 500m swim.I walked out of the Y tired yet exhilarated, endorphins kicking hard. I had been listening to Unknown Pleasures on the drive in, but was dissatisfied with it now that I was leaving. I pondered what to queue up when an idea struck: EVERYTHING IS! I switched to it, cranked the volume, rolled down the window, and scared the poop out of the gossiping cougars with all that \m/.

And to reprise my lost race results post, I finished my first 10K in 56:42. Mind overcame body for sure, as my left leg wanted to cramp real bad, but I ran right through it. I got a nice shirt and participation medal, and the thrill of doing something really cool that I never would have considered last year, not to mention two years ago.

My next event, if I can manage to get a bike together, will be the local triathlon. That explains the long swim, since the first leg is a 750m swim, followed by a 20k bike ride, topped off with a 5k run. If that doesn't happen, there will also be a 10-mile run the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Easing in ...

Dale — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:14:22 GMT

So, how does this site work again? ;)

Yes, I was gone as well. Surprise!

No, I didn't use the avatar, but I stopped posting and commenting. I only took the occasional peek in the posts, and shut off all notifications, although a few did trickle in.

Why? It's been stated elsewhere, but the whole point was to raise awareness that new features are not what the general MOGger in the street want. WE (and when I say we, I mean EVERYONE on MOG) want a site that we can log into the first try, that does not lose posts by committing the cardinal sin of clicking "preview". We want a site we can display to our friends and not have them come back to us and say, "Wow! That site's got problems." While the hubbub got WAY out of hand, I think that goal was met.

And never forget, I went through this pain because I LOVE the MOG and want it to be at its best. I'm anxious to see how MOG 2.75 works, which bugs it fixes.

This seems appropriate.

Live music missed connections

Dale — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:53:20 GMT

This post is an outgrowth of two things. First was a comment I wrote for a post on Howard Jones, that after reading felt like a post starter more than a comment. It has been reprised here in its entirety. Second inspiration was Blair's often-hilarious Craigslist missed connection musical dedications, which show that your garden-variety "missed the show b/c I was broke" won't work here. No, there's some REAL pain involved.

Please don't misunderstand, this is no plea for pity. I've seen some great shows in my time. How can we really appreciate the sweet if we do not suffer the bitter, though? Know what I mean?

And so, we begin ...

1985, I'm a sophomore in high school, and not exactly the height of popularity. (shocking, no?) There's a new concert arena that opens not far from home (Irvine Meadows, not sure what it's called now), and Howard Jones plays there. I go ahead and get a ticket, but can't find a ride with any friends. My mom bails on giving me a ride, so I miss the show. The next day, HALF the student body is wearing HoJo concert T-shirts, and I'm left with a burning desire to cut my eyes out. :(

A few years later, I find myself in Tucson for college. At the time, Tucson is a bit of a wasteland; only one decent radio station, and not a lot of shows by bands I recognize. Invariably though, a band I would want to see, such as Nitzer Ebb or My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult (slight industrial phase, heh) would come through ... on Sunday. Gaaaaaah!

1999, and I'm now living in Longmont, about 30 miles north of Denver. The local station, KTCL, manages to organize a electronic festival, "Rave on the Rocks", with BOTH Fatboy Slim AND The Chemical Brothers. I snap up a ticket, but before the concert comes, I get in an accident and get my license suspended. Melissa's so upset that I don't dare ask her to drive me, and DEFINITELY don't dare drive myself. Another ticket in the wastebasket.

2001, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has just released their debut album, and it's begun to really grab my ears. I was casually checking the concert calendar on the local college radio website and find that they're playing at a small dive bar on Capitol Hill in Denver, the 15th Street Tavern (Erin, you ever go there?), and on a night that I can attend. I even have my license back at this point (see previous item). But ... I wuss out. I decide that I spend too much time away from home at work, and bail. I'm now convinced that they've now cursed me so I will never see them live.

The point? I don't really have one. Well, that's not true. First, when you have an opportunity to see a band you like someplace small, GO GO GO! You never know when you'll catch a rising star, like Erin's recent post on Nirvana. Second, take the time to organize your rides BEFORE buying a ticket.

This has proven quite cathartic, really. So, you guys got any horror stories to add, or have I scared you off? ;)

But hey, at least I've never missed a show because my girlfriend with the tickets knocked herself out with a potted plant in the tub. If you think this is an opportunity to pop in a Cribs video, you know me too well.

My money's on VV

Dale — Wed, 14 May 2008 03:23:16 GMT

After having read Mike (zeroskillz) lay out his experience of seeing The Kills in concert, now they drop this ... intense ... video on us for "Last Day of Magic". I personally doubt any malice between the two, but then again, long tours, you never know, right?

Well, I can hope, at least. ;)

Dale — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:06:06 GMT

Dust off them backup plans, let's get those posts back! Please?

Endorphins FTW!

Dale — Sat, 10 May 2008 16:45:16 GMT

If you missed yesterday's big announcement, please read it here. Then proceed.

To make a long story short, I DID IT!! I managed to finish the 10K in less than one hour, and run the entire time without stopping to walk! w00t!

Some observations:

The starting gun was a cannon. I almost wet myself, and so did a bunch of people around me. BOOM!

I did actually pass quite a few people, and was able to keep about a 9-minute-mile pace the entire race, which makes me very happy.

My left quad started to twinge early on, but I told it to shut up, and it did. At about 4.5 miles the same quad decided to CRAMP, but I was able to run through it.

I was feeling good enough to sprint the last few feet, which was on a decline, while hooting and hollering and throwing horns in the air. Now that is a KICK, my friends. :)

I got to suck down about a gallon of sport drinks, ate a banana, and stocked up on the candy. I kept thinking, "What the heck? CANDY?" but it made the kids happy.

And here you go kids, one MOGger with serious endorphin overload and his race shirt, number, and medal.

A little something I've kept under wraps ...

Dale — Sat, 10 May 2008 02:58:59 GMT

Kasabian Empire "Shoot The Runner"

Those who have read these pages are well aware of the steps I have taken to improve my physical condition. I won't belabor the point, as to not bore you more.

But I will add that I'm doing something I've only discussed with one other MOGger, but she's family, so I knew it would be cool.

So, here goes ...

Tomorrow, I will be running my first competitive race, a 10K here in Wichita.

I'll be honest; I have had butterflies in my stomach since I signed up. I know I can handle the distance, and might even manage to complete it in one hour. But what if something happens? I don't even want my family to come, because the expectation will weigh me down for sure.

As part of this, I will be doing something I almost never do. I'll be running without the trusty Gigabeat playing in my ears. I thought that, since this is my first time and all, I would wan to hear the instructions, hear the crowd, and be fully involved in the experience.

That does not mean, however, that I won't have some music stored in the memory banks to motivate me. The song above will be in use, just because the title cracks me up, under the circumstances.

So, your happy lil' MOGger is gonna spend a few minutes tonight burning a mix to blare on the drive to the race, to get in the mood. Suggestions?

Elf Fatima - never too early for Shoegaze Saturday

Dale — Fri, 09 May 2008 04:46:37 GMT

"Last Night From Falls" - 5:40 Elf Fatima Elf Fatima

Nope, no Coachella post here ...

I don't remember now how I stumbled upon Elf Fatima's album from 2005, but tonight I decided to give it a spin while I worked. I'm pretty glad I did. If you haven't clicked the red button, please do so. It's worth the 5:40 of your time.

Unfortunately, I could not find much information on this band. The album was released on Hong Kong's Monitor Records in 2005. They did get an opening slot for Mogwai (a pretty good sonic reference point) on their tour of Hong Kong in 2004. Other than that, nada.

Right now, I'm just letting the waves of guitar, the crashing drums, and the unsettlingly high female vocals go right through me. Ooooooh yeah.

Oh yeah, this also qualifies as a "Filling In The Gaps" post. Hadn't had one of those for a while, yay!

Videos with a point: Death In Vegas

Dale — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:18:21 GMT

I think that the denizens of this website, more than most, realize that there is much more potential within the music video medium than pointless tittilation. So, I may be preaching to the choir. Not that it's ever stopped me before. ;)

Anyway, I was listening to some Death In Vegas as I ran yesterday, and it got me recollecting on some of the amazing videos they've done. They're a group that hasn't got a lot of MOG love, so I can kill two birds with one stone here.

First, the video for "Dirge". It perfectly befits the song, but beware: If you're not feeling a bit misty by the end, you're desensitized. As the electronics start slow and build to a crescendo before fading away, and as Dot Allison wails away mournfully, the video shows the obituaries of a number of people killed by firearms on ONE DAY. Now, your stance on firearm rights shouldn't matter in order to feel something from this video.

(Personal note: I don't want to take your guns away, but I don't want any of my own, thanks. They freak me out, to be honest.)

Next up is "Dirt". As befits the song title, if you could bottle decadence and present it in video format, this is what it would look like. Now, this is one of my favorite DIV songs, but I've tried very hard to remain blissfully ignorant of what that creepy kid's saying in that sample. So far, so good. Anyway, back to the video. Just about every bastion of goodness gets a look: family, children, religion, and the military. Anyway, enjoy, but I need to shower now. Heh.

MOGachella 2008 - Once more with feeling!

Dale — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:06:58 GMT

OK, I promise this will be the last Coachella post you'll read from me ... this week. ;)

Some final highlights to sum up the experience:

Surprise Highlights - Bands I either didn't intend to see, with whim I was impressed Cut Copy VHS Or Beta Dredg Bonde Do Role

Best Excuse from Henry: "I'm Danish ..." The excuse of 1000 uses!

Downers - Bands that didn't quite get it done 120 Days MGMT (may have been my expectations) Jens Lekman (cute but not enough)

Best gadgetry - Kate and her iPhone with Lizzie's phone with GPS coming a close second.

Best Reunion The Verve (grade incomplete since I didn't see Love and Rockets or Swervedriver)

Best Innuendo Jaye, whose battles with the seatbelts in the back of the shortbus devolved from double-entendre to single-entendre at light speed. Heehee

Best Laugh Blair ... perfectly infectious. Lizzie gets a close second.

Best Rock Star Pose Richard Ashcroft of The Verve. Just as cocky and fabulous as the old days.

Best person with whom to endure a bad show Gotta give this one to August, who stayed at 120 Days longer than I did.

Best nickname In a runaway, the prize goes to Lizzie for coming up with D$%@elback, fir the dude at VHS Or Beta with male genitalia lovingly inscribed with Sharpie on his back. Mmm, classy!

Best dancing Gotta give this to Morris Day and Jerome of The Time, but Bonde Do Role came pretty close, based not on technique but on sheer exuberance.

Best pictures I've seen quite a few pictures, but I say, without the slightest hint of fraternal prejudice, that Amber's shots from the Roger Waters set PWN3D ALL. And don't even get me started on the Swell Season ... so intimate.

Best Performance Yeah, I should have stayed close for Prince, even though I was emotionally drained from Portishead. Wow, what a show!

Land speed record No, not driving-related. This goes to the entire MOGachella group, who went from "never seen 'em" to BFF in the blink of an eye.

Can't wait for next year! Thank you guys soooooooo much for making this festival so much fun.

MOGachella 2008 Day 3 - A day of rest, really

Dale — Mon, 05 May 2008 19:00:44 GMT

This post will not be like the others. There will be no concert reviews here, because I didn't see any. You'll have to check with the rest of the group to get the scoop on the shows. Amber already posted on My Morning Jacket, which is a band I think I'm going to have to finally check out live for myself.

At the ridiculous hour of 6AM, I got up, showered, and put on my nicest button-down shirt and slacks, with the blue-green Docs sister Lizzie likes so much. By 7, I was out the door, walking the five-plus miles to the local LDS chapel for services.

I won't bore you with too much detail, but services were quite nice. I had trouble staying awake during sacrament meeting, and the whooping and hollering of the last two days, coupled with all manner of budding flowers and trees foreign to this Kansan left me with hardly any voice. I was able to chip in a few comments during Sunday School, and was able to introduce myself during priesthood. I did get some funny looks when I mentioned why I was in Palm Desert, but someone else asked jokingly if I was a performer, and laughed when I said, "I wish." Just goes to show, church is home, no matter where you are.

I got a ride back home, just in time to catch the rest of the group before they left for the Sunday shows. After many hugs and some final pictures, they left, with me waving from the balcony like a proud papa. I then returned to the house and crashed. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I asked the group by txt to keep me abreast of the shows, and they responded marvelously. I got reports from August and Lizzie on Autolux and Swervedriver, and Lizzie and Amber both let me know about the MMJ performance.

My other task was to try to arrange a later flight, but that wasn't happening. No surprise really, but in addition to the additional price of the flight, they wanted $100 to rearrange. Ugh. I had not wanted to inconvenience everyone else, so I was resigned to calling a taxi when Amber (only the sweetest e-sister a guy ever had) txt'd me to inform me that the ENTIRE GROUP had decided to forego sleep to help get me to LAX on time. Are you kidding? I got verklempt, there's no shame in admitting it. Such a show of caring, and I know everyone would be dragging tail. I'll never be able to repay the gesture, never!

I did at least resolve to make a meal to show a small amount of gratitude for everything they had done. Now the original plan had been turkey, but no oven in the room dashed those hopes. Alfredo sauce was the next idea, but that was not to be either, so a nice meat sauce with fettuccine came to be, with sauteed onion and orange pepper. The small pots and pans available barely held everything, but it worked out well enough by the time everyone got back (with Mark in tow) from the show.

The rest of the night was spent in excited conversation of all the shows we had seen this weekend, fond reminisces, and plans for the next get-together.

Oh yes, and main-lining music crack straight into Amber's and Kate's laptops. I plugged the Gigabeat straight into their laptops, and since I use Rockbox, everything was in easy MP3 format, no conversion. Both of them grabbed about a hundred albums in total. Now, I take full blame (credit?) for filling Amber's hard drive with music-crack, but Kate only has herself to blame, as she took the Gigabeat and did herself in. I actually finally heard from her today; that must have been quite a music-crack bender, huh? ;)

About 1AM, Lizzie and Mark left, with more hugs and well wishes and promises to get together again. At 2:30AM, we left August at the timeshare and set out for LAX.

Final note: Whomever said parting is such sweet sorrow was WAY OFF; it was nothing but sorrow to know that they would be going on to Denny's, having more great experiences together, while I rushed through the airport to catch my flight.

If this offers any indication as to the influence the weekend of Coachella had on me, note that I'm already saving for next year, even though I had originally resolved to only go to Lollapalooza next year.

MOGachella 2008 Day 2 - Don't get too high or too low

Dale — Sun, 04 May 2008 04:33:35 GMT

First up, the song that opened Saturday at Coachella on the right foot.

Didn't get as much rest as I would have liked, and awoke to the sounds of excited whispering. I arise to find Amber and Jaye going through Amber's pictures from Day 1. I didn't get the full preview, but I did see the picture that now acts as her avatar. Isn't it wonderful?

Anyway, Amber and I duck out for some groceries, and return with breakfast stuff in hand: strawberries, cantaloupe, bananas, yogurt, granola, and pancake mix. Our great Dane had asked for pancakes while here, and how could I disappoint?

It took a while to get things moving, mostly getting used to the mini kitchen, but soon enough banana pancakes (Lizzie's idea) are going forth. We get everyone fed, watered and washed, and head off to the show again. Whee!

Blair and Henry start off their day with Carbon/Silicon, but the rest of us head directly over to the main stage for VHS Or Beta. Our expectations were fairly modest, but they easily exceeded them with great energy and flair. Even if the bass player had a mullet. First song "Burn It All Down" (you DID hit the red button, right?) jumps right out of the speakers and sends yours truly into a pogoing frenzy. I might have scared Kate at this point, heh.

After that rousing start, I take a moment to wander around the second stage to hear Dredg. Again, I had low expectations, not being very familiar with them, but they had a great thick sound, much like Autolux. Their lead singer made great use of a guitar laid on a table, using it like a lap steel to make some lovely racket.

I did not linger long, however, because I wanted to see 120 Days, a Norwegian dance-rock band whose debut album I enjoyed. Unfortunately, they took way too long to set up, starting to play almost 20 minutes late. Then, they start by playing a new song, not a great way to engage your few fans. The final nail in the coffin was the singer's insistence that "This is music for dancing. You're supposed to be dancing." Um, no, your music is supposed to make us dance; we don't respond well to demands. :P Completely nonplussed, I leave their set, although I had managed to grab a front row spot.

Next up was MGMT, a band that has received an enormous amount of hype. Honestly, I wasn't thrilled at all, but Blair put their song "Time To Pretend" on his Coachella mix, and it fit so perfectly that I felt that I had to go see them. Unfortunately, their show was all right, but to be honest, the rest of their album sounds very little like "Time To Pretend" or their other single, "Kids". Most of their set had a classic-rock feel to it, which barely engaged me. However, the two singles, played last, did at least get the crowd moving.

Now seemed a good time to take a break, so I got well watered, then wandered around the tents, listening to a bit of Kate Nash here, a bit of Bone Do Role there. I also found the Thai stand, and got some delicious pad Thia with veggies a-plenty and peanut sauce. I found myself a spot of shade and dug in and soaked up the atmosphere for a while.

The next bands I wanted to see were all at the main stage, so I headed that way, and got to check out Cafe Tacvba for the first time. Now, I'm generally not a fan of "world music", but they had fantastic energy, an engaging frontman, and a wonderfully positive message. They clearly also inspire loyealty from the Latino contingent in the crowd; gotta love the fan in the crowd, singing along in his luchador mask.

Next up is Death Cab For Cutie. This is my first chance to see them live, although I've seen or read of their live experience through Amber's eyes untold times. I was able to powerplay my way to about six rows back, and directly in front of Ben Gibbard's mic stand. The band sounds in fine form, and play many of their familiar songsfrom the last three albums. New song "I Will Possess Your Heart" comes off particularly well. Ben spends some between-song time remarking about whether or not he can walk forth to the front of the stage, unsure if Prince would allow him up there, and later makes some more comments about Prince. It wasn't really clear to me if he was joking or not. Anyway, they wrap up with "The Sound of Settling" as the sun sets.

As the Death Cab crowd leaves, I am able to squeeze up a bit closer for Kraftwerk. I'm still a bit giddy at the scheduling at this point: when I saw that Death Cab, Kraftwerk, Portishead, and Prince were all on Saturday, I figured I would have to miss at least one band on that list. Finding out that they would all play, one after the other, on the main stage, was the best news about Coachella I had heard.

Anyway, Kraftwerk emerge, and it's a bit concerning how well they will connect with the crowd, given that the band is four older Germans with laptops. I need not have been concerned. Starting right up with "The Man-Machine", they play their songs flawlessly, and the huge video screen behind them play graphics to accompany the songs, to great effect. Especially poignant was the graphic marking the 20-year anniversary of Chernobyl during "Radio-Activity." Finally, they have one more trick up their sleeve. They kill the lights and turn on the white lights up front, so no one can see the stage. After a couple of minutes, they start playing "The Robots", and the lights come up to reveal that they have been replaced by robots. Very clever, and the crowd ate it up. They came back out for "Musique Non Stop" and called it a night. I am left to wonder how Portishead will ever top that.

They did, whoo boy did they ever!

After Portishead, I'm emotionally spent, so I head to the back of the crowd at the main stage to enjoy Prince. He was, in a phrase, on fire. Bringing out Morris Day and Jerome for "Jungle Love", then Sheila E. for "The Glamorous Life" vividly reminded me how much influence he wielded within the music of the 80's. His originals were flawless, and his choices of covers connected well with the audience, see August's review of his cover of Creep.

Far too soon, I was saying adieu to the polo field, as my concert experience ended that night. It was a decent ride home, only marred by a foul little man in a white BMW that failed to yield to sister Amber, greatly aggravating us all.

MOGachella Day 1 - ... and on to the show!

Dale — Sat, 03 May 2008 02:10:06 GMT

First, a song from one of the bands that grabbed my attention at Friday's Coachella show, and has not let go. More on them later.

After a restful night's sleep at the deceptively-named Vagabond Inn Executive, and a bit of morning beverage (juice for me, thanks), it was high time to meet the ladies and hit the road. Which we did in style, courtesy of Amber and the shortbus AKA the biggest SUV I've seen in some time. Huge carbon footprint, but at least we're carpooling, right?

There were a few mishaps along the way: Blair has difficulty with the car stereo (key navigator function) and Kate's coffee and the backseat don't quite agree with her, so a swap of positions happens. This works out well, as Kate assumes the role she was apparently born to play this weekend: Magellan incarnate. There was an interlude with some slick shoulder-driving by Amber (let it be said that it was a HUGE shoulder), and the weary travelers ended up making it to the timeshare by 1PM, and had soon unpacked and were ready to rock.

Two problems: August and Lizzie had not yet arrived at the timeshare, and we weren't real keen on having to have them keep their stuff in the cars, so we waited. And waited.

Little-known fact: I can be unbelievably impatient when waiting to do something fun. Don't be around me at Disneyland, just saying. Anyway...

Finally, about 3PM, our final party members made it. Lizzie caught a ride with Mark (Pop Savant), and August drove himself from NorCal. We get everyone settled, and hit the road at last. With eight people, even the shortbus is a tad crowded, but we're going to the show, so all's well.

We get there at about 4:30, and split from there. Blair, the Coachella veteran, is gone in a flash, with Henry in tow. The rest of us decide to start with something light: Jens Lekman.

Jens is immensely charming live, as much so as his latest album, Night Falls Over Kortedala. Jens plays guitar and keys, while the rest of the band consists of a sampler, bass, drums, violin and cello. The enduring image for me was Jens playing air chimes at the end of "The Opposite of Hallelujah."

While nice, we decide that we need to see something a bit peppier, so we mosey from the Mojave tent to the Gobi tent, where Cut Copy are just starting. Excellent choice!

Cut Copy have trimmed away the fat from their sound tremendously since their debut album. If you haven't heard In Ghost Colours, and have any amount of affinity for synth-pop, you owe it to yourself to check them out. Live, the songs crackle with energy that you wouldn't expect from a group that features synth so heavily. Guitar also gets quite a bit of play, and the lads know how to work the crowd into a lather. Blair informed us later that the whole tent was jumping. I had heard them before Coachella, but became a HUGE fan after their set.

Next up, it's time for a bit of grub. I made the unfortunate choice of a vegetarian wrap for $10. I say unfortunate not due to the taste, which was excellent, but the weak paper plate couldn't hang with the amount of juice coming from the food, so at the end I was left with a soggy plate and crumbled tortilla. Poor Mark and Lizzie (who watched me eat) must have been horrified, poor dears. :-$

Next came cleanup and more water, followed by a jog to the second stage to see The National. How was it? Here, go read Amber's post with pix, and know that I agreed with everything she said. Yes, even the sexy part.

After The National wrap up, I had initially decided to see Aphex Twin, but then a wild idea hits me. The Verve are the next band I want to see, but they're at the main stage, where The Raconteurs are playing. I decide that, since there's little crossover between those bands, that I'll sneak up close to the Raconteurs' set, then powerplay for the front for The Verve.

So, the Raconteurs were, in a word ... excessive. (Sorry Blair!) Jack White looks like he's packing on pounds, and his solos stopped serving the song and went on far too long. Soon enough, they finished, and I was able to get to about 10 spots back and stage left for The Verve.

The Verve, on the other hand, took the stage and sounded as if they had never left. Richard Ashcroft remains a mesmerizing frontman, always cool and confident. He introduced new song "Sit and Wonder" by telling us how The Verve would not be like "those other bands" that reunited but did not write new material. It would fit happily on Urban Hymns. They played a variety of songs from their last two albums, topped off with a storming rendition of "Bittersweet Symphony" and a rocking new song, "Love Is Noise". Well worth the powerplay. Here's a video for it:

Next, I worm my way out of the crowd and head on to the Sahara tent, where I intend to dance myself silly to Fatboy Slim. He starts a bit late, but no matter. He immediately gets the party started by sampling "Praise You", before pummeling the crowd with dance-friendly tunage a-plenty. The crowd eats it up, especially the girls in front of me, which I realize quickly are tripping on E. All the classic signs are there: the non-stop dancing, blowing on each other, lollipops; it was almost textbook.

A half-hour was all I could handle (curse my advancing years), so I head out, only to find that the phone I'm borrowing is alight with messages to congregate at one of the sculptures. We spend a happy few minutes catching up on everyone's experience. Kate says that Jack Johnson was actually good, August says Aphex Twin only did a DJ set (whew!), everyone's tired but happy and exhilarated. So, it's off to the shortbus, and into the long LONG drive home, so we can crash and start all over.

MOGachella 2008 Day 0 - SO not in Kansas anymore!

Dale — Fri, 02 May 2008 02:52:27 GMT

To start, one of the songs in high rotation pre-Coachella, which was glued to my ears on both flights. Also a pretty apt description of yours truly; hopefully my friends didn't get bored with it, heh.

Sorry, it had to be done. Heehee. And if you want to see as well as read some of our hijinks, you owe it to yourself to visit Amber's recap. I promise there's at least one pic that I wish I could delete (not really).

I must admit, I was very anxious heading out to Hollywood to meet my fellow MOGgers. I must live a sheltered life, because this was my first chance to meet face-to-face with someone I only knew online previously. Of course, these were people I've known for at least a year, but still, you never know. This whole trip was a great leap into the unknown, that paid off BIGTIME. But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

I had originally been scheduled to arrive at LAX at 7PM, but after some sisterly encouragement, I resolved to go to the airport early to see about standby accommodation on an earlier flight. To my delight, I was able to get on a 1PM flight out of Wichita, getting me to Denver quick enough.

This is when kismet intervened to make sure I had the best vacation possible. Things did not look good for the first connecting flight from Denver to LAX, but I won the standby lotto and scored a seat. I was in LA by about 4:30, much earlier than anyone had anticipated.

Alas, here my Scout training failed me. The truly prepared adventurer would have had phone numbers on hand, so I could have called from a pay phone. But oh no, not me! After an hour and a half on the Metro, I was dropped off at Hollywood and Vine (my guess as to the metro exit closest to Amoeba Music) with no idea where to go.

After walking the streets of Hollywood the wrong direction for a few blocks, I get wise and look up the address for Amoeba Music, and head that direction. And did I mention the straight-off-the-turnip-truck backpack I was wearing, in which I had stuffed all my treasured belongings?

Amoeba Records is PACKED with people to see Flight of the Conchords, and the line is spilling out and down the block, so I guess I'm not getting in there. However, sweet kismet strikes again, as I remember that Alex works in the LA Film School building across the street. So I run in, and sure enough, Alex is around. After a warm greeting, she offers to call the rest of the group. We try Blair's phone fruitlessly, as I had forgotten that it was out of commission, then was able to successfully call Amber, and get the group together at last.

What can I possibly say about our group that I didn't say on Tuesday? Blair and Amber were the talkative ones, which is good, as I tend to shrink, especially in unusual circumstances (you know, like at a karaoke bar). They did a great job keeping the conversation flowing, and before long I was completely disarmed. Before we had even moved on to the Pig and Whistle, it was like we'd known each other for years ... which, of course, we had.

And yes, I did attempt to play the drums on Rock Band, but I was very rusty, and even on Easy level I only managed 51%, which is thisclose to failure. And I did belt out "Black Hole Sun" for our Seattle sirens, though I probably won't pick that song ever again. Next time, it's back to the old standbys: "Paranoid" and "Suffragette City".

Next up: actual concert material, as we get to the show and rock it out MOGtiply style. :)

MOGachella 2008 - The Players

Dale — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 03:11:45 GMT

First, a track from the band that opened the main stage on Coachella Saturday; this song was their set-opener. They really did a great job starting Saturday off on a good note.

Now, to serve notice of those who attended Coachella 2008 together this past weekend, and proceeded to have The. Best. Vacation. Ever.

Amber: The main organizer, our mother hen, bus driver, and shutterbug extraordinaire, not to mention the sister with whom I could commiserate on the state of our teenage sons. And SO many :::BigSquooshyHugz:::, I lost count.

Jaye: Amber's longtime concert buddy, and her husband's last-minute stand-in. I have to give her props for being the only woman with the guts to sit in the back seat of the bus EVERY time.

Blair: Our Coachella veteran, Ohio state buff, and quite possibly the tallest guy in indie-fandom. Dude sings a mean "Sabotage", and pretty much does everything like a rockstar.

Henry: What else can be said about the guy who could easily pass as Ben Gibbard's blonde cousin, has the best accent ever, and can actually sing but passed on karaoke? Time to catch a rising star here, he's gonna be HUGE, at least in our hearts.

August: The man to call on for sure when your drunk neighbor knocks at 2AM to tell you that the water from the gutter under the cars looks like fire. And the guy who borrowed the BIGGEST air mattress EVER. If we had had a flood, all 8 of us could have floated to safety on it.

Kate: (Sorry, she deleted her MOG page) Without a doubt, the best navigator EVER. She managed to handle the radio, directions, and even fixed the Garman at 4AM after I hit the wrong place on the touch screen and fouled it up. For me at least, the greatest X-factor; I'd not talked to Kate as much as the others, but I feel like I know her much better now. An absolute sweetheart.

Lizzie: Yes, she's EXACTLY the same in person as she is on the computer screen. Just a non-stop bundle of energy, positive vibes, and Glen Hansard fandom. If I wasn't getting a hug from Amber, I was getting a hug from Lizzie. Again, not that I minded one bit. :) How did I get so lucky, as to have two green-eyed sisters this cool?

And me. You know me.

Lest I forget, two other supporting MOGgers that played a vital role in the festivities:

Mark: Helped get Lizzie to and from the timeshare that was our home from Friday afternoon until Monday early morning. Attended quite a few shows with us, and came over for Sunday evening dinner. Good guy, vast musical knowledge. I would be sure to be in frequent contact with him at any festival, but especially SXSW; just sayin'.

Alex: Didn't come to Coachella with us, but did provide me safe harbor at her office until we managed to get hold of Amber and the rest. More on that later.

Oh yes, one more thing, quote most often heard at MOGachella House: "#%$#%! Oh whoops, sorry Dale!" Never ceased to bring a smile to my face, not that anyone was swearing, but that they tried SO hard to not swear. So sweet, really. :)

Time to "Recapture the Magic!"

Dale — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 01:09:37 GMT

A few weeks ago, I was chatting with a few long-time MOGgers who haven't been very active here in a while, and talked about why we've drifted away. Most felt that the sense of community the MOG enjoyed had eroded, but none of us knew what to do about it.

Then one of our own, the great Dane himself, suggested we get back to doing what we did to make MOG our online home in the first place. You know, post our musical musings, and comment frequently on each others' posts, as well as the other posts that moved us.

We agreed to take up the challenge, in the month of May. Since May is only two days away, it's time to get started.

So, this is an invitation to all the MOGgers within my range: come back, post your thoughts, be they based on music or whatever. Read others' posts and leave comments. Respond to comments in your posts.

If I didn't already know we've got a great group of people here on MOG, this past weekend proved without a doubt that music obsessives are the best people EVER.

This post needs some music, so here's a note of thanks to all the lovely MOGgers to whom I owe so much.