Happy Birthday Dad! Maybe we’ll kick out the jams on your birthday present soon - can’t believe you got a Taylor guitar before I did! Next year, you should get a drumkit to add to the collection. Love ya and here’s to many more…
I’ve neglected this space for quite a while… I had some updates but have been procrastinating posting them. I guess I’ll condense them and make a long-ish post soon.
Most importantly, I forgot to post this last week. We’re playing at Birdy’s tommorow with Farwell, an indie/emo band from Chicago (www.myspace.com/farwell). They’re a pretty good band and we want to make a good impression so they’ll hook us up with a show in Chicago, so if you can spare a Tuesday night out, put your butt in a seat at Birdy’s (71st and Keystone). Need directions? www.birdyslive.com.
P.s. This journal/blog will update soon.
There was a 3-alarm fire at my apartment complex early Sunday morning. Affected 16 units. It was on the other side of the complex from mine… I went over to look at the damage - it was pretty bad. No one was hurt, but I felt sorry for the people that lived there and reminded myself to get renters insurance. Scary part was that I slept through it all (yes, 3 firetrucks and also police sirens) and only found out Sunday morning watching the news…
Here’s a piece from the Indianapolis Star if you’re interested.
Happy Deepavali and Selamat Hari Raya to everyone Hopefully everybody will have a great holiday season, full of family, food and fun! - Watch out for crazy drivers on the balik kampung journey! Wish I wasn’t half the world away right now…
Thanks to everyone who sent emails/called/IM-ed. Tommorow, I attempt to cook some real Raya food. Wish me luck!
Had a visitor a couple nights ago - a black cat. How appropriate cause it’s almost Halloween. It looked lost and hungry, so I gave it some leftovers… it ran away with a whole chicken leg/drumstick!
I thought it got loose from someone’s apartment and they found it as I didn’t see it all day yesterday. Beth cooked some dinner tonight and it showed up as we were finishing up. This time, it was friendlier and obviously still hungry. I put out some fish and the rice we had for dinner and it devoured everything. We coaxed it into the apartment, so it would be warm. She came in and fell asleep almost immediately.We’re prolly going to post some "Cat Found" posters or maybe send her to Animal Control/ Humane Society tommorow.
Foo seemed to be okay with the cat hanging out. I’m thinking about putting her in the bathroom tonight, so she won’t hurt herself or destroy my stuff heh heh
Here’s a couple cute-sy pics Beth snapped. I’m tempted to keep the cat, but then I’d have another mouth to feed… and Beth will probably go out and get a matching dog.
In support of Breast Cancer Awareness month here in the US, here’s me in a pink shirt from our Melody Inn show (click to enlarge):
Blatant plug: We’re playing at the Birdhouse in Anderson this Saturday - no cover and show starts at 9pm (sorry kids, but it’s 21+). Second road gig! Sweet!
We are playing the Meloday Inn again on Nov 26. Yes, it’s Thanksgiving weekend for you Indy/USA folk. Get your fill of turkey, and then come out and rock with us! Other bands TBA. Cover TBA too… heh heh
P.s. The previous blog was deleted by me. I just had to blow off some steam and I won’t bring it up again until it’s settled. Enough said.
It’s all set - Courting Disaster is playing with two of Indy’s biggest rock bands, Devil to Pay and Istari at one of Indy’s legendary venues: the Melody Inn on Friday. Show starts at 9.30 and we go on right after Devil to Pay. Four bands, six bucks… see you there!
Things I learnt (learned?) this weekend:
1. Keg stands are for college kids heh heh.
2. Writing "Don’t call me white!" on my t-shirt is very appropriate at parties where I am the only non-white person.
3. Mad Mushroom has the best pizza in W. Lafayette.
4. I really suck at golf, which doesn’t bother me cause I only play one time a year.
5. Doing doughnuts on golf carts is easy. Getting airborne is not. Those jackass guys make it look too easy!
6.
Dragons will be discovered hibernating underground somewhere near
London. They will wipe out almost all humans by 2010. Oops… that was
from Reign of Fire.
7. It is hard to suspend disbelief while watching Reign of Fire.
8. I need to watch Fearless A.S.A.P. - it has no dragons, only mucho ass-kickery by Jet Li. I suggest you do the same.
The MUSE show was great. Definitely worth
the drive. We actually stuck around and met them afer the show! They
played quite a few tunes from Black Holes and Revelations - even Take a
Bow. On Sept. 11th! Take that America!
Plug In Baby kicked major
ass, as did Exo-Politics. There was one part where they jammed out what
sounded (suspiciously) like it came from a Rage Against The Machine
song… or my ears decieved me. I don’t know. His guitars were amazing- he used the Manson with the built-in Khaos pad a lot. And played a guitar solo in lieu of a horn solo at one point.
The venue was
pretty cool. The floor was two-tiered and they had TV screens
everywhere, so if the stage was being blocked, you could still see what
was going on. We were in the lower tier, closer to the stage and had
the usual problems of people who were 7ft tall standing right in front
of us.
Beth got into it (with a guy who stood in front of her)
and he replied by saying "Listen to Muse’s music before you talk like that. It preaches peace". Peace? Are you listening to the same Muse I am?
Anyway, the guy walked away after Belinda said something to him too.
That
(and the opening band) were the crappiest part of the night. Right
after the show, Belinda said that they usually come out to meet fans.
The security kicked us out of the venue, so we waited outside by some
gates where the buses and semis were parked. I was cold, kinda tired
and didn’t want to wait long as I had a 3 hour drive to get home - but
Belinda insisted they always come out.
I’m glad she did cause
when I went to get the car and as I drove up to where we were waiting,
Matt and Dom came out and hung out on the far end of the lot. After
some moments, where Matt looked like he was trying to ride a bicycle
owned by a crew member, they walked over to the gate.
Everyone
rushed Dom and Chris on the other side and Matt casually walked up to
my side. Sweet! It looked like he was shorter than Beth! I shook his
hand and said great show - he looked somewhat flustered and mumbled
thanks. The guy next to me then proceeded to shove a pen and poster in
his face for him to sign.
As I was contemplating what to say to the
Matt Bellamy, a kid walked up and asked him if he took guitar lessons.
He said no (a blatant lie, apparently). Another kid then said he was
the only person in the world that can play a Rachmanikov or
some-other-Rach-sounding-name composer’s piano parts to which Matt
replied, "No, that stuff is pretty hard." Another lie - I was really
starting to like this little british guy. That’s how I would deal with
stupid questions from dumb kids.
As this point, Beth and Belinda came over and
got some stuff signed. Someone mentioned something about the pizza that
was just delivered and Matt said "Pizza? Nah…it’s for the crew." Beth
asked Matt about his light-up piano from last year. He said he didn’t
know here it was now. Belinda suggested he threw it in a dumpster. He
said he should have…
Okay that’s long enough. It was
definitely more impressive than meeting Metallica, but I don’t know if
it was cooler than meeting Eric Cantona. Or watching Cantona drink teh
tarik. It kept me awake on the drive home… and I got a pink
"Supermassive Black Hole" t-shirt signed by Matt and Chris. Not bad.
Not bad at all.
P.s. Columbus is the most emo city I have ever been too.
Th Ugly Monkey show kicked ass, despite broken strings and a complete loss of soberness by a few band (and audience) members.
A belated Selamat Hari Merdeka to everyone as August ends. It looks like September is gonna be a busy weekend-hectic month for me. To add to that, hopefully I’ll
get a recall (or a job!) at the place I interviewed last week - fingers
crossed! Weird enough, it won’t be band-centric cause we all are
having full Septembers apparently, so the gigs aren’t aplenty. My Sept schedule:
Weekdays: Job hunting!!
This weekend: Merdeka potluck maybe? Haven’t heard from the others yet.
Next weekend: Courting Disaster @ the Birdhouse in Anderson - our first all-ages show! Part of Dubya’s "No Child Left Behind" policy.
11th: MUSE concert in Columbus!
16th: Courting Disaster’s first promo photoshoot (been practicing my scowl all week!) and the Oranje Art & Music Expo downtown.
23rd: Escape to Crown Point w/Beth for a relaxing weekend. I think.
It’s
not often that I have things planned out for a day, let alone a month,
so I thought I’d share it with you. Just one more step to adulthood, I
guess (DAMN!). Here’s wishing you have a fun and mostly sober September too…
