Hey Baby, Que Paso?

Doug Sahm and The Texas Tornados are my favorite new-old bands.  Hit the jump to read why . . .

Upwards To The Vanguard

The FLAMING LIPS have been heralded as one of the essential bands to see live before you die.  Last weekend in St. Augustine, they defended that banner and then some.  Click the Jump for some photos from the show.

Throwin’ Sand on the Floor

The Never Ending Tour is on its way to Purgatory.  Tomorrow night, I’ll be spending the evening with Bob Dylan at the Leon County Civic Center in what I’m sure is the first decent show booked in that would-be monster truck milieu since I moved to Tallahassee.  I was beginning to think there was nothing civil about the Civic Center or its patrons. (see what I did there... ).  Alas, after two years of reading the gaudy marquee with disdain and cursing the venue’s promoters for booking events likes: Monday Night Raw, the country-pop “sensation" of the season, lame/commercial off-Broadway productions (that means you "Legally Blonde: The Musical") and various other red-necky gigs, my restraint in not whole-heartedly praying for an air strike on the building paid off.  In a not uncharacteristic bout of spontaneity, the self proclaimed “song and dance man” scheduled five stops in Florida, one of them in my backyard.  Read more about the show after the jump.

Unlikely Japan

Between work and travel, I haven’t had time to align my thoughts enough to spill any interesting ink.  So, I’ll try this: 

Been consumed lately by Shogun, James Clavell’s epic novel on Japan. 

I’m not one to recommend a book before I finish it, but the first 500 pages have been, as period sagas go, as near perfect as anything I’ve read.  This particular passage struck a chord and I wanted to get it down before the ringing died:

“To think bad thoughts is really the easiest thing in the world. If you leave your mind to itself it will spiral you down into ever-increasing unhappiness. To think good thoughts, however, requires effort. This is one of the things that discipline –training- is about. So train your mind to dwell on sweet perfumes, the touch of this silk, tender raindrops against the shoji, the curve of the flower arrangement, the tranquility of dawn. Then, at length, you won't have to make such a great effort and you will be of value to yourself, a value to our profession- and bring great honor to our world.”

More to follow.

How 'bout A Revolution . . .

Had a blast in Jax Beach this weekend, punctuated by a top-notch O.A.R. concert at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre [sic].

In my humble [cough] opinion, St. Augustine is a great place to catch a show, but I'd be remiss not to mention how bands sometimes treat their stops in the "Oldest City" as tune-ups for bigger and better venues in South Florida.  Not so with O.A.R.

Please Allow Me To Introduce Myself

I read somewhere that it requires acknowledging a certain level of vanity before you decide not only that you have something to broadcast, but that what you do eventually spew forth is worth the time of the intended audience.  To that I say: "Get over yourself, audience.  What makes you think your time is so important anyway?  You're the one searching the internet for blogs named after obscure Grateful Dead songs; or, more likely, were duped by morbid curiosity into following a Facebook link."  

The reason for my foray into the blogosphere is threefold: (1) There are few things more satisfying than an ink/lead/text covered page.  It always gives me a sense of accomplishment.  I'm hoping this motivates me to fill more pages, more frequently, with some degree of regularity; (2) I've been spending way too much time inside my head of late, placing my right brain in serious danger of being devoured by it's analytical neighbor; and (3) I like the idea of having a tangible record of my influences.  A digital memoirs of sorts.  


There, that takes care of the Why.  Now let's get the rest of the basics out of the way so I can make with the more traditional bouts of imblogination.