the very thing

venue: the independent
artist: stars (sold out!)
who: ro
when: 19 june (saturday) & 20 june 2010 (sunday)
doors open at 7p & 6p, respectively

this is the 8th & 9th time i've seen stars and they just get better and better. i know i say this all the time. but having seen them since 2003 during the heart tour, i think that last comment holds true. i went to this show with ro, around both our birthdays since he is the one who introduced me to them. it was at this show that i took the liberty to speak to both torquil campbell and amy millan. and just the beginning of many more unfortunate situations i've had, given the opportunity to speak to musicians i really admire. i think i should retire this meet & greet stuff.

during the opening, torquil played a dj set as "dead child stars" which was the title of one of their eps. he was also a "child star." during this set, he sat in the dark with his ibook, played some tunes, asked us some questions and blew bubbles. it was different and i found that for the most part, i like the same music as he does. on saturday, he played the trashcan sinatras and went on about how brilliant they are. that night, i went home to look at my stars cds and saw that they included the trashcans in their acknowledgments on the nightsongs cd. and on sunday, he played every little counts by new order. i love this song, partly because you get to hear bernard sumner giggle during the song. torquil said that it was new order that was the reason they got into music. these two bands are one of my favorite bands since high school.

this got me thinking... is this why i love stars so much? then i realized that i love this band dearly because through their songs, they get me. they sing about relationships gone wrong, good love, bad love, sex (mostly good sex), and most recently... ghosts. if stars was a man, he would be my perfect match. and boy, i would be ALL over that. they bring out the hopeless romantic in me. incurable romantic, really. their new cd, the five ghosts, really hits close to home. i can relate to the songs on so many different levels.

back to the shows. they played their new album in its entirety. bands don't do this, ever. especially before the cd was released. after that, they played a set of fan requests from their website. then, they came back for an encore set. and for us lucky ones on sunday, torquil came back a fifth time for a solo encore. it was such an amazing show. on saturday, as we were leaving, i was telling ro how i was sad that the show was over but super excited that we were coming back the next day to see them again. they gave me this indescribable joy that lasted quite a while. this kinda explains the playful mood i've been in all week. then again, it might have been the full moon. i'd like to think it was because of stars.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ dead hearts are everywhere

in the music, take 2

venue: slim's
artist: trashcan sinatras & mike viola
who: ro
when: 1 june 2010 (tuesday)

the last time i saw the trashcan sinatras, i think it is safe to say that i didn't really get a chance to hear them play. it's hard to pay attention when a psycho little man is bothering you. it's especially creepy when despite fleeing the scene, he followed us to the bar. at first, i felt cheated and ripped off. then i felt violated and forgot all about being cheated out of the show. i just wanted to get out of there.

this 8th trashcans show made up for the last one. this was a nice break from all the sold out shows i'd been going to. mike viola opened for them. he was folky but poppy. he talked about how he writes a lot of music for films. and how he moved from new york to los angeles. then he started playing that thing you do from the film with the same title. i got really excited and told ro that i heard the "guy" that wrote this song was the one from the band, ivy. ro said that they were from new york. later, mike viola confirmed having been in ivy. this got us really excited about him. he was so down to earth. we both really enjoyed him and his music.

despite how i feel about the lead singer (i think frank ready is a total diva) i still love the trashcans. they still put on really great music. and even though, i think the old stuff is better than the new stuff. its nice to see/hear them change with the times. just like many of the bands i've been seeing lately, i can honestly say that out of the five albums the trashcans have put out, i like every song. they are tremendously talented. the fact that they are still putting out music is fantastic and amazing. i hope they do so for another 10-20 years. i admit that there was some disappointment on my end. one, they didn't play earlies (sang by john douglas). two, they didn't end the show with the therapist so i will in this post. oh, their new bass player (frank divanna joined in 2009) is kinda hot so he makes up for the disappointments.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ tick tock, running over
good-bye now i'll see you later on
tick tock, working all night
time's up, shut up
time is up

double trouble

yes, they are very similar. both have elastic bands and a t-strap. both have a 1" platform with a 3" heel to total 4 inches. however, they are not the same shoe in different colors. if you look closer, the black wedges have a buckle, single elastic straps and in patent leather. while the camel wedges have double elastic straps each half as wide as the straps on the black pair.
these wedges are my new summer shoes. they are fun, flirty and comfy (as long as i am on even ground). they are replacing a brown pair of wedges i finally decided to retire. for the most part, i love each and every pair of shoes. despite wear and tear plus multiple trips to the cobbler, i am forced to throw them out. luckily, i have this particular pair in red. ha.

howl howl gaff gaff

venue: great american music hall (sold out!)
artist: shout out louds
who: ashley
when: 18 may 2010 (tuesday)

when i first heard the shout out louds, i thought of the cure but updated and with female vocals. for me, shout out louds' adam olenius is very reminiscent of robert smith's vocals in sound and style. their appearances are nothing alike, however.

i liked every song on their first album, howl howl gaff gaff. when i heard ill wills, again i thoroughly enjoyed every single song. so when work came out, i was pretty excited about it. unfortunately, my expectations were a bit too high and i am still getting a feel for it. maybe it will turn out to be like my experience with my maudlin career.

i went to the show with my dear friend, ashley, who is a sweetheart. she and i have very similar tastes in music. a rare find these days. we had dinner there upstairs. since the show was sold out, i wasn't terribly concerned about seeing the band as much as i care about just hearing the band. the energy was invigorating and thrilling. i was dancing in my seat as i often do at shows. their music is whimsical and delightful, even with the slow songs. i am happy to report that the shout out louds left me coming back for more.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

careless love

venue: great american music hall (sold out!)
artist: camera obscura and best coast
who: ro
when: 21 april 2010 (wednesday)

this was the second round of camera obscura's my maudlin career tour that ro and i caught. when i saw them last june, i hadn't gotten into the new album until after the show last year. i have been really enjoying it. in fact, i can't stop listening to it.

the opening band, best coast, was refreshingly appealing to my ears. ro knew about them and wanted to make sure we caught them. i'd heard one song before the show and i liked it. after seeing them live, i liked them even more.

the great american music hall is an all ages venue. they really mean "all ages." there were at least two 6 year-olds upstairs in the balcony. it was a bit disturbing as the show ran quite late and school was still in session. otherwise, camera obscura were fantastic. the music takes me to a different place. hearing it live goes a step further.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

teen dream

venue: bimbo's (sold out!)
artist: beach house
who: ro
when: 14 april 2010 (wednesday)

two houses in one night...

we planned to have dinner at the house in north beach. i always seem to end up with the deep fried salmon rolls and the hangar steak with wasabi noodles. ro got one of the specials which wasn't nearly as good as the hangar steak. he should have gotten the sea bass. lisa always gets the sea bass. we were surrounded by people who ordered the sea bass and he lost his appetite for sea bass. it's too bad. the sea bass is damn good.

after dinner, we headed over to bimbo's for the other house that night. beach house! the last time i saw them was upstairs at the swedish american hall. they were fantastic despite it feeling like an elementary school auditorium. the sound at bimbo's is much better. victoria legrand has awesome vocals. beautiful, really. just like thao nguyen, victoria's voice is nothing like candy pop. it's dream pop that's haunting and leaves you wanting more.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ so very dreamy...

sparkly boots!

i already have a pair of grey ankle boots but i still wanted another pair of grey boots. these are pull-on boots with a 4" heel. best of all, they are sparkly!

new wedges!

these are black python embossed open toe, sling back wedges with a 3½" heel. aren't they cute? i looooove my wedges!

happy 2nd anniversary... to me!

i have been cancer-free for 2 years, today.
so go out and have some bubbly, for me! xo

the 4th date

it's been nearly two years since i last saw bernie. about one year since i last heard from him. he emailed me last year so this year, i decided it was my turn. turns out, he was going to be in town the following week. so we planned to have coffee and catch up.

"coffee" turned into "come up to the city and let's order take out." i went up to the city, he ordered take out and we caught up. well, we might have "caught up" more than expected, but it was fun. lots of fun. i discovered that we are both fans of the wedding present (one of his pandora stations). and i told him about the time i met their lead singer, david gedge, at a bimbo's show when he was in cinerama. speaking of which, the wedding present are playing at the independent next month.

bernie was cute, funny and clever. just how i remembered him.

my new do

after over a year of growing my hair out, i finally got a much needed cut & style. i am fabulous again thanks to gina, at faux salon (in dt campbell). she is the best!

daydream believer

venue: great american music hall
artist: the clientele and the wooden birds
who: ro
when: 9 march 2010 (tuesday)

i actually saw the clientele back in november of 2005 at the bottom of the hill. but for some reason, i didn't blog about it. i think it was because i was having problems with the ex. oh yeah, i tried breaking up with him in october and around or on my birthday later in november. we were in the city all day that day looking at rentals, shopping and sticking around to hang out with nigel and his girlfriend, at the time. if i weren't so tired by the time the band came on, i could have really appreciated them. i do remember that i was pleasantly surprised despite my utter exhaustion. plus, the bottom of the hill is one of the coolest venues in the city.

the wooden birds opened for them. i was very impressed with their female vocalist, leslie sisson. her vocals are amazing. the recorded stuff doesn't do her voice due justice. she is also much prettier in person and super nice. i really enjoyed their set and my brief chat with her at the merch table. andrew kenny is the lead vocalist. his vocal style is soft and pretty. a bit reminiscent of belle & sebastian but more folky. they are playing sxsw this year so if you are going, you ought to check them out.

generally, when i go to shows, i'm standing and can't see the band. so, i had no idea what alasdair maclean looked like. then this guy showed up on the stage before their set and the audience started clapping and whistling. ro confirmed who he was. he was nothing like i expected. the reason being that one of their songs (here comes the phantom) reminds me of the monkeys. that's right, as in davy jones and daydream believer. it's a little funny because he is very british. dry humour and all, when he is speaking. but when he sings, he turns into someone completely different. not only does he totally get into it, but he also does this little dance with certain songs. it's pretty fantastic and quite entertaining. overall, they put on a great show. i'm glad i had a seat with a nice view this time.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

man vs. teeth

location: san jose
artist: man vs. teeth
who: me, aka the band's assistant
when: 27 february 2010 (saturday)

last weekend, my very good friend joe was up for a gig. one that he would be playing. joe is the lead singer of man vs. teeth which is a great combination of electronic and dance with a touch of indie. joe's vocals have an amazing range from delicate highs to strong, bold lows. and what's inbetween could be anything from rock & roll to simply beautiful. reminds me a bit of alexis taylor from hot chip.

as most of my friends know, i love dancing. and if you give them a listen, you to will want to break out in a dance. if you see the video (to come... that i shot), you can see that i almost forget i'm filming as i had the urge to dance (when it gets a little shaky).

catch them on myspace and be a fan on facebook. you must check out their song, u aint 2 old. it's my favorite!

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ hear them, dance to them, love them.

second pair of the year

these are mary jane, open toe wedges with a 3¼" heel. these were actually purchased last month so it was two in january. apparently, i was slippin' and trippin' (right, bob?) so hopefully, this catches me up... a litte bit.

1st pair of shoes in 2010

these are my very first pair of wedge boots. they are dark brown and have a 3" wedge heel. i love wedge heels. they are really comfy and as long as i'm not walking on uneven ground/surface, they are really solid and stable (as opposed to stiletto heels). i feel like i haven't purchased wedges in ages. in fact, i bought one pair of wedges in 2009. those white leather cork wedges are my shoes of 2009. i love them! in 2008, i bought two pairs of sandal wedges which i got such a good deal on. seriously. 2007 was a big year for wedges. i bought four pairs. 2006 brought only two pairs, both of which have been worn so much that i ought to throw them out. but i haven't, yet.

back to these... i feel like i am wearing futuristic combat boots. they make me feel tough, like i can walk through snow in them. and everyone knows what a big wuss i am with snow, or cold weather in general.

oops... i did it again, twice.

not quite the end of 2009 so these two make 10 pairs for the year. and yes, i bought them both on the same day.these are nearly 5" heels, my tallest heels yet. they are black with a wide-not-quite-ankle-strap-not-quite-mary-janes with a platform.and these are dark gray mary janes with a 4" wooden heel.

know better learn faster

venue: the independent
artist: thao nguyen + the get down stay down, the portland cello project w/ david schultz
who: john
when: 21 november 2009 (saturday)

last month, i went to my last show of 2009. and similar to the number of shoes i purchased, it came out to a low total of 9. in 2008, i went to a total of 17 concerts so 9 is quite sad for me. i actually saw thao back in september with ro. and had planned to see her while i was in chicago over halloween. unfortunately, it didn't work out. what's funny is that i was going to see thao in chicago with john (who lives in chicago) and ended up seeing them with him here.

before the show, we went to dinner with my friends, grace and bob. we ate at espetus churrascaria in the city. if you've never been there, it's a fancy brazilian steakhouse smorgasbord. all the m-m-m meat that you can eat. and i ate and ate and ate. i took a break and ate some more. i ate more than john did. in fact, i ate my money's worth and his! i think he was a little scared of me afterward. hahah.

after dinner, we walked grace and bob back to their place (also where we parked) and headed over to the independent. we got there early so we could get good seats. in my ripe old age, i find that i don't mind sitting through opening acts if i can secure a seat. normally, i don't care for a good view as i can't really see anything unless i'm on the second floor. the independent does not have a second floor that is open to the public. however, the areas next to the walls are spaces that are a few steps above ground level. and i was pleasantly surprised by the opening bands. david schultz started off the night. he was charmingly folky. next up was the portland cello project. i really didn't know what to expect when i realized it would be mostly if not purely an instrumental set (with the occasional vocalist stepping in). they did a bunch of instrumental covers but the most impressive of them, was the super mario brothers video game theme. it was very entertaining.

by the time thao came on, the venue was packed. it looked like a full house. she was so excited about being back in the city (it was the end of their tour). when i saw thao and the get down stay down play back in september, it was prior to the release of know better learn faster. they played one song (body) from the new album. back to the current show... seeing thao live is a treat. she is so uniquely energetic and genuine. i don't think i've seen many (or any) musicians move the way she does while playing her guitar. it's interesting because she doesn't have the prettiest voice out there, nor are her lyrics particularly thought-provoking. what she does well is how she combines her vocals and the music (with the help of an awesome producer). the end result: amusing, upbeat and catchy tunes that i don't want to stop listening to.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ yep, still girl-crushing on her.

last pair of 2009

i only bought 8 pairs of shoes this year. last year, it was 16. i guess it balances out to an average of 12 per year between last year and this year.
i got these back in early november. they are open toe, mary jane sling shoes in patent wine with a 3¼ inch heel. and uber comfy.

delayed update

here is the long awaited photobooth picture. despite the large numbers counting down, in case it's not clear, i wasn't pay attention. but it was fun fun fun!!

congrats, serena & tom!!

i have known serena since ucsd (in 1998). she is one of my many good friends i know from alpha phi omega (aphio). through aphio, she was also one of about 10 house/apartmentmates during my years in san diego. and though i lived with her for a mere quarter (taking over anne's room), she is really the only former roommate i am still in contact with. but not only that, i consider her a truly great friend. despite the fact that we don't talk for weeks or months at a time, we still find the time to catch up every so often. i actually met tom back in 2003 when i went to boston to visit serena. they were friends at the time but he always seemed pretty nice.

this is me with my lovely sister at joe & carl's house before being dropped off at the hotel to catch the party bus.on the left: me & lisa just getting on the party bus.
on the right: the party bus, broken down in the middle of the street after smoke came out of the back.
this picture was taken from my seat at the reception. it was a fantastic view of the stage and the very cool jazz band that played all night long. it was exciting to be placed at such a fantastic table with nice people and not be all the way in the back somewhere random. thanks serena (& tom)!
to the left: after the unveiling of the, wait for it... candy bar!!
to the right: the aftermath... a couple of sad empty jars.
finally, right before lisa and i took our leave, this is me with the beautiful couple. the food was a chinese banquet and trust me, i've had my fill of this cuisine. but i've never really had chinese banquet food served to me. and the food here was delicious. not to forget, the very cute older chinese lady serving us was genuinely sweet and so efficient.

we had a wonderful time. unfortunately, i wasn't feeling well and didn't get to bust a move on the dance floor. but coming soon... our silly photo booth picture.