Saddle Up Pardner....

Saddle Creek Records is pound for pound the greatest record label around. I just watched The Faint and Bright Eyes perform at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles and both were amazing. That makes five bands that I have seen from said label and all not only sounded great but performed just as well. It is abundantly apparent that the music these bands play come deep from within and that they aren't some fly by night, ride on the coat tails of the latest sound type bands. Each offer a unique and independent sound from each other and really from any of the crap played on the radio. What makes these bands even more special is their ability to intermingle with each other and create even more magic (and not that David Copperfield magic). What I mean by that is this. The Faint came out and rocked the house. Their music was pulsating, the accompanying light show mesmerizing and the energy level of Mt. Saint Helens on eruption day. Their drummer kept pounding out the pop/dance/rock rhythms that made me tired just watching him. So they finish and the roadies set up for Bright Eyes. Two drums kits? Yeah, I thought that they just moved The Faint's drums to the side but no, Bright Eyes had two drummers, one of which was The Faint's drummer. Amazing this guy's energy. Not only did he come back out and perform during the entire set but so did the keyboard and bass player. Also from the Saddle Creek family was the cellist from Cursive. She played with both The Faint and Bright Eyes. It's like one big musical family and surprisingly, one without the ego problems. They play music to play music, because it means something, if to no one else but to them. These huge record labels that have these semi to no talents asshats that are there just to make themselves and the record label as much money as possible before they force feed the next flavor of the day down our throats. (Thanks Kat for asshat, I like) As for Bright Eyes, they were awesome. Conor Oberst may be a musical genius. His ability to combine powerful angst rock with classical and melodic undertones is almost indescribable. Several times there was this beautiful cello, violin and piano (keyboard) with pounding dramatic drumming (again by two drummers playing basically the same thing which in itself was amazing but on the verge of creating something unsettling) along with guitar feedback and then Conor. I would elaborate but I find myself lacking the appropriate vocabulary to accurately describe his temperamental vocal style. All in all, I am entirely impressed with the bands of Saddle Creek and for what they and the label stand. Not only do they sound great on the studio records but their live shows leave you wanting more. Check them out, you'll be happy (or sad in Conor's case).

You Really Do Compare to B.B. King....

"Me and BB King have a lot in common. I have diabetes, he has diabetes. I play the blues, he plays the blues. He doesn't like to wait for results, I don't like to wait for results." Hmmm, really? You're 12 and white. He is a 60 something black guitar legend. Oh, excuse me, I see the resemblance. You'll have to pardon me I have a tendency to naive and gullible. What is with this commercial? First off, how does BB King come off for a spokes person on anything other than music, old people related items or equal rights? Diabetes? And having him expect fast results will lure diabetics to rush and get the tester they're trying to sell? Not until they can hit all demographics by throwing in the token white kid. Now it all fits and sales go through the roof. I'm not even diabetic, but I'm white, play guitar, enjoy the blues AND I like fast results, so I already ordered a year supply. Now I can test for diabetes in between not having to do crunches any more. And in eight weeks my fat jeans won't even fit.

Stevie Wonder?

So today is my first day back where I can actually tolerate light. Any light. See (no pun intended) I had laser eye surgery on Friday, it is now Monday. As the norm with my kind of luck my cornea was too thin to have the conventional "Lasik" surgury. I would include links but no one looks at this anyway AND it still hurts some to look at this bright screen. I had to have PRK which instead of cutting and lifting the top layer of your cornea and then burning your eye with a "LASER" (said like Dr. Evil) they had to burn straight through the top layer. Yes painful. What this means is, the "flap" that would normally be present during Lasik is not present with this procedure. This "flap" acts as a protectant and speeds recovery upwards around ONE day. I however don't have the "flap" and have had this hot sand in my eyes sensation since Friday morning. Yeah for me. So my suggestion is, if you plan on getting "LASER" (again Dr. Evil because Austin Power jokes never get old right?) eye surgery and the doctor says PRK, tell him or her to eat shit. Sure I may be able to see 20/20 or 20/15 when all is said and done but horrible burning eye syndrone is not so cool.
As a side note, just like the rest of the country, I have caught poker fever. I am still playing on nonpaying tables but have started entering tournaments. If you play right the people that play foolishly get weeded out rather quickly even if its fake money. Anyway, I have entered several single tables and have placed a majority of the time (1 first, 3 seconds, 5 thirds out of 12 tables). I've also entered a few multi-table with max of 90 and finished 42nd and 35th. Not too impressive but not bad considering. And I've entered 3 multi-tables with over 1250 people and finished at least in the top 50% each time with a 27% finish being the best. I've learned for the big tables I need to get a few big pots so down the road I have money to bet with, I've been short stacked late in the multi-tables. Maybe I'm too conservative or I wait for the "all-in" idiots to get out and by then I deep and short stacked. Don't kn0w. Anyway, "see" you guys later.