This Was Supposed To Be Coherant

But when you start off the week with a migraine, your ability to put together anything that even remotely resembles a cohesive narrative definitely suffers. So what you’re left with is another rambling blog post about nothing in particular, but everything in general. Which, I suppose, isn’t all bad. So here we go:

- I need to write here more often, if only to remind myself what it’s like to write in first person. Having to use the royal “we” over at Houstonist is like nails on a chalkboard at times.

- Not that I’m complaining about Houstonist, mind you.

- Thanksgiving was nice in a “good grief, how’d I get so tired?” kind of way. When your compass points to Conroe and Katy and points in between all weekend, with precious little chill time, you end up longing for Monday if only to get out of your damn car.

- Not that I’m complaining about Vesper, mind you.

- December looks about as busy, but spread over a longer time period. Which is good, I guess. After spending the past couple of years celebrating my birthday in a pretty laid-back fashion, my birthday falls on a Monday (free beer at the Saucer!) and the lovely Miss McNamara is planning something delicious. Should be fun.

- Not that I’m complaining about my birthday, mind you. (I have no idea how long I can keep this up)

- I’m seen as something of an authority on baseball within my social circle now. How crazy is that? Sure, it seems as though I’ve got a stronger handle on what the Astros are doing this offseason than Richard Justice does (does he snuggle up at night under a blanket with Chris Burke’s face on it? and does that blanket swing at bad pitches like it’s going out of style?) but I’m hardly a real expert. Unless….*runs to see if he can interview Ed Wade*

- Not that I’m complaining about the Chronicle’s sports coverage, mind you. (actually I am. this whole conceit dies here.)

- One of these days, I’ll actually interview a band or person on Houstonist that I’m not friends with, or where I have no previous connection. Until then, time to review Monica Pope’s new restaurant!

- I found my ticket stub from the Explosions In The Sky show in March (!), and that got me to thinking about the shows I’ve seen this year. Here they are, as best I can recall: Mute Math, Explosions In The Sky, The Hold Steady (with Illinois), Okkervil River, Guy Forsyth (3X), Trout Fishing In America, Junior Brown, The Avett Brothers, Girl Talk, Nickel Creek (2X), Zookeeper (2X), Ethan Durelle (2X), Two Tons of Steel (2X), The Church of Philadelphia (2X), Hollywood Black, and last but not least, Meryll. Throw in Asylum Street Spankers and possibly This Will Destroy You to finish the year, and the hits outweigh the misses (Bloc Party, Spoon, etc.) by far.

- New Favorite Nickname: Mr. Tummnus. This one will be nearly impossible to top. Especially when it’s delivered with the lisp of a 9 year old.

- Why oh why can’t we get these in the States?

Ok, that’s enough rambling. I will update more often because we are tired of we.

Notes on a Weekend

Yet another filler post. Sue me. It can’t all be cavorting with professional athletes around here.

-Sometimes answered prayer looks completely different than you imagine it would. Sometimes having every expectation turned on its head is the best thing in the world. Sometimes it’s best when you’re not heard at all. When hesitant eyes become comfortable hands, and fears become safety, something truly amazing is happening. And sometimes a good weekend is just a good weekend.

- On the heels of the recommendation of their music a few posts back, The Avett Brothers are coming to Houston on November 3rd. They’ll be playing small, outer stage at Meridian, which should be appropriately claustrophobic. Be there for a foot-stomping good time.

-Great. Now that Astros season is over and the Rockets are still in pre-season, there’s not a single Houston sports team still playing that I really know much about. Don’t tell anyone at Houstonist, please.

- I’ve been to LaPorte twice in the past week, and I may be going again on Wednesday. I keep expecting to look at the passenger seat of my car and see Dante sitting there, recording my descent drive.

-Divine Reserve no. 5 is the best beer St. Arnold’s has ever made. It’s like espresso with 10% alcohol.

- Is this a job or a support group for web junkies like me?

All esoteric nonsense aside, I’ll post something legitimate at some point in the future. But I’m not making any promises.

Ten Nights of Distinction

Hopefully this will become something of a recurring feature. I’m gonna throw some concert dates up here for a couple reasons: 1) if I ever go missing while at a show, you’ll know which one I was at. You can start the subsequent investigation there. 2) You should come, too. Without further ado, here’s where I’m going to be on ten nights over the next several months, according to Pollstar and other sources:

5/6/07: Mute Math and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin at Meridian
One of the best live bands I’ve ever seen with the worst-named band in history that are actually good(sorry, Cinderella). I’m gonna sweat a lot this night. Plus, there’ll be more wholesome emo girls than you can shake a stick at. Not that you would.

5/13/07 NothingMore at Minute Maid Park
Come for the rock, stay for the baseball. Or maybe vice versa. Depends on how well Hunter Pence is doing at that point.

6/7/07: The Hold Steady at Walter’s On Washington.
Somehow, a band whose CD made just about everyone’s top-10 last year managed to book a gig playing the diveiest mainstream venue in the whole city. This is actually perfect, since they’re a bar band, through and through. I honestly didn’t think I’d ever get the chance to see them at a venue this size.

6/14/07: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at Meridian
I’m streaming the new album, Baby 81, right now. Not quite so roots-rocky as Howl, but a more mature sound. Should be a fantastic show. I’ve passed these guys up at least three times already, so it’s about time. Besides, I want to hear my ringtone live.

6/29/07 Two Tons of Steel at Firehouse Saloon
TWO TONS! Plus, this is the night of the Police concert downtown. I’d rather be around drunk cowboys than women swooning over Sting and people ceaselessly trying to remind me that the Police were the best. band. ever. Besides, I’ll be jet lagged from DC; Shiner Bock and Two Tons sounds like the perfect cure.

7/6/07 Clay Aiken, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

7/26/07 This Will Destroy You at Meridian
So. Pumped. These guys are from San Marcos (really) and sound a lot like Explosions In The Sky, with that whole instrumental post-rock thing going on. If the EITS show was any indication, should translate well live. I still haven’t figured out how you’re supposed to rock out at a show where you can’t sing along, though. I’m totally leaving before the headliners, Fear Before The March Of Flames, out of protest for their lame tough-sounding name. TWDY gets a pass in this category because their name is actually true, in the best way possible.

Ok, so it’s six nights, not ten. But I’m anticipating the possibility of Wilco, The White Stripes, and Interpol, given that each of those bands has a new album coming out this summer/fall. Besides, I’d drive to Dallas/Austin/SA/NOLA to see any of those guys.