12 posts tagged “random”

Is it weird I am about equally enthused (and ecstatic, mind you) about seeing both Celine Dion and Lil Wayne?

So, Tuesday nights, some friendies of mine started going to the Pub Quiz Night over at the Bitter End, which is ironic that this is happening now because I used to live two blocks away from this joint last year and now live 14 away. I digress.

Anyway, the quiz night consists of four rounds:

• a general trivia of current events, this day in history, and other gems you'd randomly know
• a music test, where snippets of songs would be played and you'd provide song title and artist
• a picture round, in which a handout of pictures with a theme need to have the faces featured identified (i.e. Irish entertainers, people who've appeared in baseball movies)
• a general trivia round to end it all

Obviously, I was approached/interested in the music portion of this whole shenanigan, so the first night I went three weeks ago we got a couple of pitchers of the house special (hello, Anchor Steam for $10!), and I then got absolutely murdered in the music round. I recognized a Notorious B.I.G. song and the track "Satellite of Love" from the Velvet Goldmine soundtrack (I thought it was Venus In Furs, but it was actually Lou Reed), but that was about it. Stuart was very quick to point out and prod at me that if I'm supposed to be some great music journalist, shouldn't I know my shit? (We were also very drunk and playing pool.) I know he was slightly chiding me about it, but another part of me was really sad and upset that I completely tanked during the one round I was supposed to shine in.

So I studied. Oh yes, you better believe the iTunes shuffle button became my BFF for that week.

Last week, my team sat near the speakers of the bar and I was determined to rock at least half of the music round. It's for a total of 30 points: 15 songs that receive two points for each title and artist listed. I realized I was good at recognizing bands and eras, but not particular song titles: I knew it was the Smashing Pumpkins and Led Zeppelin, but not the specifics ("Immigrant Song," I am sorry I forgot you. My dad is shamed now). Granted, I was not the only one who was trying to identify songs, but nothing like a tune coming on and everyone looking at you for the answer and you coming up short. I drank in response.

So, back to studying I went for last night's quiz night. Classic rock, hip-hop, R&B, oldies, jazz, ambient, reggae, grunge, punk, soundtrack - where the fuck do you start? It's one thing to know genres, another to know artists, another to know what year and song title and who was the inspiration for it all. I ended up just flipping on a streaming radio channel and zoning out, letting go of my aspirations of becoming the greatest music nerd in the face of the universe. I've come to recognize this: I have my sheer love for early 90's R&B and rap, teeny pop, trendy indie, late 90s alternative, Britpop the first and second time, whatever's popular now, and the random classic rock. I'm generally not adverse to trying out new music, and I'm willing to listen to nearly everything just to check it out. And that's okay. And while I know most pubs out there like speciality in their writers, I'm pretty sure me being flexible in what to write about is okay too.

Last night we didn't do too bad on the overall trivia in points: we rocked the picture round, which were self-portraits of famous artists (thank you, art history classes, though I hated you all), and the music round wasn't too gnarly either (I pinpointed Jay Z, DJ Shadow, and The Hives, but totally mixed up LL Cool J for Elvis Costello. Yikes). Thus, it was really hilarious we won the "Best Team Name" title and a round of shots as a result. I can go back to my hole and listen to whatever my little heart desires.

Our team name, if you've come this far, was this:
"What kind of file makes a 3mm hole into a 10mm hole? A pedophile!!!"
(Kim insisted on the !!! for emphasis)

Hey, it got me booze. Inappropriateness rules.

• Avril blows,
• Metallica?
• Fuck yeah, "Ghostbusters"!!
  

So many things happened (or, I found out about) while I was gone!! Shit...

• Chris Cornell, again solo - and playing July 10 at the Warfield. First rock'n'roll crush, do I go see you?
• While doing my concert calendar for professional and personal purposes, I found a listing for a band at the Make-Out Room called Eggplant Casino and all of a sudden, it made sense: SFist music kid and fellow Vox'er Krissy was right about the whole naming-your-band thing. (For the record, I tried finding them and no MySpace results heeded anything - their band website doesn't have audio either).
• Too many concerts coming up, with a number of good shows all on the same day: Hot Chip or Pipettes? Gwen Stefani, Roger Waters, The Horrors, or Darren Hayes (um, of Savage Garden fame)? Nelly Furtado or Skinny Puppy? Incubus or Vanilla Ice? Damn my crazy music tastes.
• October is a little far away to be thinking of a show, but with the Cure, BRMC, and my other boyfriend in AFI playing...I'm down.
• I'm not sure what this is?? Tom Waits Peep Show?? Confused...
• Okay, a little sad I missed Jordan Knight play...a club prom...shut it...
• And for a laugh: my friend Wendy drove me to San Jose the day I flew out on a trip so I could meet up with my parents - I had just walked the Golden Gate Bridge with my best friend Lissa and I told Wendy I couldn't stop laughing because all I could think about was this video:

Points for the sweet locations in North Beach (specifically the Washington Square church and the bus stops) - whoever was the cinematographer had a good eye.

...except not. It's so mothereffing hot in the City today, thank your local global warming for it.

Things that have interested me this week:

• Jason Schwartman's brother Robert (Carmine) doing a lip-sync to his bro's new song "Nighttiming." I was like, super in love with Robert when I was 17 and wanted to be Anne Hathaway's character in "The Princess Diaries" so I could have (what I thought was) an indie rock boyfriend...those were the days...
  Coconut Records - Nighttiming
• I am the first to admit that rap sometimes doesn't do anything to help its case...that Akon song "I Want To Fuck You," which I am ashamed to like, really isn't the best thing to be promoting. Now that he's in trouble for simulating sex with a 15 year-old - daughter of a priest, mind you - it makes me wonder whether or not I should be caring about musicans' activities off and on stage, and just judge based on the music. Right?
• I WANT TO BE IN KINDERGARTEN CLASS AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How much does that rule?!
• Nelly Furtado in my hood June 21st...stoked but kinda disappointed she's not gonna support JT in his fall tour, so sad...
• The house Johnny Cash lived in with June, wrote many songs in, and was the place they filmed "Hurt" at burned down. This is a bit of old news, but so sad nonetheless. "It did seem like it was the Good Lord's way to let it go, though..."
• How can Genesis even tour without Peter Gabriel?? It's like this whole Queen thing without Freddie Mercury - it just seems so wrong and off and almost dishonest.
• But to end my diatribe on a good note...Keith Richards will continually be crazy and I love him for it. Dear Keith: please just legally adopt Johnny Depp, and all will be good in the world.
  

• Scarlett Johansson singing with Jesus And Mary Chain at Coachella...interesting...not.
• SNOOP DOGG AND TOM WAITS FOR THE SAME CONAN SF SHOW TAPING OMGOMGOMG. How fucking stoked I am, oh sweet Jesus. I am so figuring out how to crash. The other nights are pretty decent too: Arctic Monkeys on Monday, Chris Isaak on Tuesday, Robin Williams on Wednesday (such a cheat, he lives in the City), in addition to the amazingness of Friday. Tiny rumor being passed around that they're releasing tickets the day of. Methinks missing Exhibition Design might be worth it...it totally brings me back to when I was a huge Backstreet Boys fan and would wake my parents up to take me to the nearest Ticketmaster outlet to start waiting in line at 4:30 AM for tickets. Yeah dude, I don't fuck around.
  
• There were shows galore this week, I'm also working on a pre-Coachella feature for Trip. Placebo was phenomenal Monday, Jet was cute Tuesday, Junior Boys was dancetastic on Wednesday, and Amy Winehouse/Klaxons were insane on Thursday. The Shins last week were good too and I never got around to posting the Ratatat thing alongside Freddie's pictures. Busy bee.
• Next week for me: Kooks Monday, Travis Wednesday, The Apartment/DJ Jimmy Tamborello Thursday, and Jimmy again on Friday if he's good the night before (...that's what she said).
• Prince and Bjork are playing the same night. WHAT THE HELL, CONCERT GODS? How the fuck am I supposed to choose with that one? (Edit: Prince tickets start at $90, Bjork at $30. Hmm...)
  
• I've been sort of obsessed with Margot & The Nuclear So and So's for a while...and just read there's not really going to be any touring until the end of the year so they can make the new record...I was such a dumb ass to have missed Richard Edwards play the solo set at Rickshaw. SO DUMB.
• OMG, Tyrese is still touring??
• I missed Air at the NBMA and Rufus at the Palace of Fine Arts in lieu of that Junior Boys show...man...
• I am a nerd.
  

Hello, I am alive. I'm just now recovering from Noisepop, believe it or not. I got way exhausted at the end of the festival and ended up feeling woozy every day for almost a week after. Grand total of hours worked at my real job: 32. Hours worked at Noisepop: about 30. Hours in school: approximately 24. DO THE MATH.

Would I trade it for anything? Hell to the no. But last week was my kick-back time, so now I am back in full effect.

I went to Youth Group on Monday, wherein I was treated to indie tunes from them and the Submarines, who I am slowly falling in love with. I also debated with Vroo, Jenn, and her boyfriend Eric about his dog being an asshole and Bloc Party being renamed "Fuck Party" (as in, hello band members, you are all hot). Speaking of which, I need to get hopping on that review stat. Friday I'm at Presets and Saturday I'm at said Party...Thursday's Epitaph showcase hell that I was going to subject myself to because I love my brother might not happen because he doesn't know if he can make it up in time after work. I am secretly stoked.

Currently I am pulling an all-nighter with Kim (who's taking a cat nap) and Heather so I can study for Spanish Art history rightfully. Hez put on a mix CD that just ranged from hellogoodbye to the Killers to a random rap group, as well as let me borrow her Mary J. Blige retrospective album. A-mazing. Hez also found a site called musicovery.com through stumbleupon.com that I think might be my new best friend...I will explore and report after this exam passes (midterms are for me this week).

Some good bits of news that I am loving: Placebo in April, Low in June, and Daft Punk WITH The Rapture in July. In addition to Ratatat, Blonde Redhead/Annuals, The Shins, Ben Gibbard, and Muse, I am fucking exhausted just looking at the concert list I have. Hooray for good music.

I'm trying to score Eric Clapton tickets for me and my dad on Sunday...if anyone has leads, let me know.

I think I will end this post with the greatest MySpace friend request I've gotten in a while: Wanya from Boyz II Men. I have a sneaking suspicion he/the fangirl who runs the page read all the way back in my blogs from October to know I went to see them the three remaining singers perform. That amuses me to no end.

Actually, I will end this post with a public plea/open letter.

Dear Amy Winehouse,
STOP DOING COKE. I am sorry you and your boy broke up, but really, if you cancel the April popscene show I will be a very sad Jenz.
Love, me

Suz and Kimber left this gem of a haiku on my voicemail the other day. Please note these were also constructed at Macaroni Grill:

• I like to embarass myself, especially in public forums. Yes - I just attended one of the best and biggest, prestigious, bad-assest indie pop festivals in the country, AND I AM NOT AFRAID TO SAY I LIKE ENERGY 92.7. What? *shrug* It's what comes in at work.

• Because I am an awesome sister, I'm buying tickets to that Epitaph Records showcase on the 15th for my brother's 19th birthday because believe you me, I would never be caught in a million years at an Epitaph Records showcase. I mean, it can't be all that bad, right? A few weeks ago I was in a cab on my way to Stellastarr* at Bottom of the Hill adonned in a black and white checkered dress and heels, and my driver was ballsy enough to ask me/state that since I had a lip ring, therefore I "shattered his expectations about me." Er...what? Just because I have a piece of metal through my mouth DOESN'T MAKE ME PUNK. Hardcore, maybe. A bad ass, definitely. Punk? But, alas...me thinks I won't have a hard time fitting in that show.

• Holy shit - Logan Whitehurst died? Fucking A, I don't know why I didn't know about this earlier and I certainly didn't mean to find out by reading it in the program guide while waiting for set change at the Matt & Kim gig on Thursday. Instantaneously the world seemed like a darker place and I let a few tears drop before I had to pony up and get behind the merch table. I was absolutely floored...suddenly selling beer koozies didn't seem like the most important thing in the world.

My college roommate my freshman year (and now best friend) Melissa introduced me to the Velvet Teen and the first Noisepop I volunteered for, they opened for Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks (2003). I've seen them way too many times to count and treasure them very close to my heart as one of my favorite bands that consistently never disappoint me. A little more digging around tonight and I read that Casey (Logan's replacement) went to do stuff with The Americas, Josh with The New Trust, and Judah's...solo/art/record'ing it up. The website says that they all are still friends and are more than likely never swearing off never playing with each other...but shit dude. Two-fold sucker punch in my groin with that news. Tres sad.

• To end on a more upbeat, ridiculous note, I really like that Robin Thicke song "Lost Without U." I am tragic.
  

Just wanted to let you know. At Stuart's eating burritos before I head over to Cake.