On Friday, I drank my first Brass Monkey. I did it right, too. I bought a 40 oz Olde English 800, drank it down to the label then refilled it with a cheap, small bottle of orange juice.
I arrived at my friends, Tony and Trey’s, house in Denton, sat down and started eating and drinking my dinner of Taco Bell burritos and Olde English. Tony looked at the Olde English bottle and his only response was, “Oh! That’s disgusting!” It wasn’t that bad to me. I’ve drank a few 40′s in my day but never an Olde English but, I didn’t mind this.
When people saw me cradling my large bottle of brew throughout the evening (even at an art gallery…yes, I took it to an art gallery…reason number 472,629 I love Denton, TX), I figured I’d explain why I was drinking it – but, then again, if you’d paid any attention to news or social media that day, you would have known.
I was drinking it in honor of the late Adam Yauch.
No, maybe not the best way to pay tribute but I found it fitting. I also spent the afternoon listening to various Beastie albums on repeat. I think over the course of Friday and Saturday, I listened to License to Ill about 15 times. I watched the video for “Sabotage” a good 5 or 6 times. It’s all just perfect.
I’m the whitest of white girls but I do love music and had it not been for Beastie Boys, I probably wouldn’t have ever given a shit, or a chance, about/to hip hop. Complete innovators, rock stars, everything.
I don’t usually get too affected by the death of a musician, celebrity, etc. but for some reason this one hit me. The world lost a good one on Friday. Luckily, we have years of great music to help us celebrate MCA.
As I walked out of my box (how I refer to my designated cubicle), I rounded the corner only to see a lady walking toward me. I smiled as I got closer to her, as did she. When we crossed paths she said, “You look like a model comin’ around the corner.” I, of course, thanked her but laughed in the process. Apparently, walking quickly with your hands in the pockets of your skirt is all it takes. Apparently, me, with a Friday the 13th anchor tattoo that looks as though it was done in prison on my wrist (the rest hidden under a jacket), and chigger and flea bites on my pale little legs, looks like a model. Hey, I’ll take it.
I know the description of my legs sounds less than attractive but when the weather warms up and I go outdoors, the little critters seem to feast on me. I know a couple applications of OFF! could prevent this but it’s kind of like sunscreen to me: it’s greasy, smells weird and ruins any positive opinion I had of my appearance. I’m also now convinced that my new kitten of three weeks, Lucille, has somehow contracted fleas and has sent me into a tailspin of paranoia. For those who don’t know, flea medicine is expensive.
Anyway, I mentioned the outdoors – yes, I was outdoors all day Saturday for Denton’s annual Arts & Jazz Festival. I sounded as though I was complaining about being outside but that was just my sarcasm. Arts & Jazz is always a good time, complete with a cornucopia of fried-foods, various tunes and a nice way to simply hang out among friends. (All following photos are mine.)
This year my experience was made better by the fact that Denton’s new Oak St. Drafthouse is within walking distance. Don’t want to pay $4 for your everyday, run-of-the-mill beer? Walk to Oak Street for something better, and for the same (if not better) price.
Oak Street is definitely one of my top bars in Denton. The amount of good beer on tap is second-to-none and it’s just a damn cool place to hang out. A few weekends ago, while sitting with friends, another friend arrived with a bottle of wine in hand (which he had purchased at the bar) and a box of donuts from Panera. Why? Why the hell not.
Obviously, it’s clear where I suggest you stop next time you’re in town.
So, what else? I’m likely moving back to Denton when my Dallas apartment lease is up (I say likely in an effort not to jinx it, or something. I sincerely miss the charm of the city, it’s people, it’s everything. And, I’m tired of missing friends and missing out on all the fun.), I was going to write this last night but instead drank a bottle of wine and fell asleep, FC Dallas games are one of my new favorite things, pick up the new issue of Little d After Dark and read about Amandus Films, OH and look at this cool GIF I helped make from colored cigarettes with Trey Wright.
That’s all for now, you guys. Salud, Cinco de Mayo.
Writers Note: So, I was supposed to write this last week but basically, I got lazy, started working on various different things and didn’t really get around to it until now, so, sorry.
To me, when I hear the words “secret” and “cakes” I immediately think of a box of stashed away cupcakes or maybe a bakery that has some kind of secret recipe but both of those imaginative descriptions of the term would be incorrect in this instance. Secret Cakes is a Denton band comprised of four of my good buddies.
I know the guys told me the name beforehand but I guess it didn’t register with me until I was asked the weekend before whether or not I was coming. I hadn’t heard them prior to their first show last Tuesday at Rubber Gloves but the name in itself led me to believe the tunes would be worth hearing.
And, they were. It was, more than anything else, a lot of fun. I’m notorious for being terrible at placing bands into genres and I’m not going to try and start with Secret Cakes. The sound was heavy but not too heavy and still had a melody. And, it was loud. The set ended and left my left ear slightly deaf and ringing. But, I’ve always said that loud is good and with Cakes, I still believe it to be true. Maybe I’ll hate myself in a few years when my tinnitus drives me to insanity but until then, I enjoy it.
As far as I know, Secret Cakes is planning to play more shows but I also have insider info that another project of a completely different sound, involving a few Secret Cakes members, is in the works.
Stay tuned.
This is the point at which I’d direct you to their Facebook, website, etc. but as they say, they’re too new for the internet. But, if you’re in the DFW area and get a Facebook invite or just go to a venue and see that they’re on the bill, I’d definitely say that you should check it out.
Now, a new topic…
Megan Recommends
-On Saturday (4/21), check out the 5th Annual Beanstock at Cool Beans in Denton. Music, food, booze and wrestling. You heard me. Starts at 11 a.m. and goes until the bar closes. Also, Panector will be selling some of the sweetest screen printed shirts in North Texas.
-Saturday is Record Store Day so, buy some vinyl why don’t ya?!
-Listen to Diamond Rugs. Why? It’s a band featuring John McCauley of Deer Tick, members of The Black Lips, Dead Confederates and Los Lobos. It’s good, trust me. The album isn’t out yet but you can stream it on TeamCoco.com/DiamondRugs.
-Speaking of Deer Tick, you should probably go see them at The Loft in Dallas next Saturday (4/28). When you listen to the band, you get the feeling that these are a fun bunch of really talented dudes but I was never sure what to expect from their shows until I saw them for the first time last October. I’ve been a fan for a years and I supposed I always imagined the band live to be a little more chilled out, considering their albums span a range of very relaxed tunes, to legitimately beautiful songs to party anthems like “Lets All Go To The Bar”. By even mentioning that last song I know the sentence preceding doesn’t make much sense but their shows have a tendency to turn into a party involving themselves and the crowd. It was way more of a punk free-for-all than an alternative band playing their hits. McCauley ended up pantless, beer was spewed all over the place and there was crowd surfing. Yes, crowd surfing. Also, they sound really, really good. Go see get drunk. Go see Deer Tick.
-Revisit some of your favorite albums from years back. Obviously, this can be done at any time but I like doing it at work because it’s what makes my day somewhat bearable. Lately, I’ve listened to Green Day’s 1994 classic Dookie twice each day for the last two days. I tried going back to some of my other old favorite pop-punks acts but many aren’t as good as they were in junior high. Dookie though, that’s a sure fire hit.
-Want to watch some super cool music videos, some awesome live footage, some neat interviews, some good but sometimes awkward interviews done by myself AND support 35 Denton? Go here. http://vimeo.com/color35/videos
In all my time spent in Denton, I never thought I’d go to Rockin’ Rodeo. Never. But, I guess it occurred to me recently that this is probably the biggest space Denton has for when large acts come to town – unless it’s during 35 Denton, of course. Basically, what I’m getting at is that I’ll only pay 18 bucks for four Bud Light Platinums if a band I really dig is playing – I wasn’t passing up the chance to see The Toadies. (I mean, those were the cheapest beers. Lone Star was more. LONE STAR. Goodness gracious. Those bartenders hustle hard though, for the most part.)
Anyway, small gripes aside, it was worth every penny.
I remember listening to The Toadies in middle school, the days when Rubberneck was in constant rotation in my portable cd player and on 97.1 The Eagle, but hadn’t, unfortunately, been unable to catch them live until last Thursday. I didn’t know what to expect to be honest. I’d heard mixed reviews of the band’s live sets, and reviews that were either at one extreme or the other.
My review summed in one word? Awesome.
I stood back so I could have a little breathing room in the packed, and pretty warm, venue. Did I mention the show was sold out?
The band was able to squeeze in their biggest hits and new tunes, all to the delight of the crowd at Rockin’ Rodeo. I didn’t think the place would get so rowdy but from the first few chords of “I Come from the Water”, which I believe was played either second or third (those Bud Light Platinums went to my head), a mini mosh pit started on a floor that is typically reserved for country and hip-hop dancing. I kept seeing so many sweaty bodies walk past me as they left the middle of the floor as this energy kept up the entire time. The energy was shared by the band and the fans.
All I could do was smile. I was, to say the least, very impressed.
I hate to use the phrase, “They’ve still got it,” but The Toadies do. And that’s not to say they ever lost it. They’re loud, they’re rocking, they’re just as badass as they’ve always been, I think. During new songs, I would try and pick out which could be a possible single but couldn’t do it – there were a few possibilities. The one thing that is for certain with the tunes that will appear on the upcoming LP (being released at the end of the summer), is that regardless of how long the band has been together, they’re still evolving musically. I appreciate that, especially considering how watered down a lot of music is today.
Another new tune and “Tyler” rounded out the bands encore.
You can catch the band, and I highly recommend that you do, on tour with Social Distortion throughout May, and back in North Texas June 16 at The Palladium in Dallas.
There’s really no other way to put this – I’m such a pussy when it comes to storms. I can’t help it. I’ve lived in Texas my entire life but I will never get used to this. Talk of a tornado warning gives me more anxiety than, well, anything and the sound of tornado sirens takes me back to World War II; an era that I obviously wasn’t alive for but you must admit, tornado sirens sound as though they are warning us for the dropping of an a-bomb.
So far this spring, I’ve been in meetings when reports of bad weather hit North Texas. Thanks to Twitter, I’ve been able to keep up with all of the watches, warnings and freak outs. Today, I sat quietly in a small conference room with large windows and read tweet after tweet from reputable news sources regarding tornadoes in Dallas County. My eyes started to water and I started breathing heavily. No one was sharing my panic and urgency so I didn’t say a word, but instead started writing a text to one of my closest friends that basically read, “If I die, it’s been fun!” I wrote a little “haha” at the end of the text to sound somewhat composed but was really and truly going into full panic attack mode.
Finally, more of a veteran in my office spoke up about an email from internal communications warning of the bad weather. Before I knew it, I was running to the nearest TV and watching video of flying semi-trucks. Then, the dreaded sirens started and we were advised to get away from windows and go to designated rooms in the middle of the office building. That was about the time that I started craving whiskey and began wishing I was with people I loved. Yes, I freaked out, ok? Then, calls started coming in from family asking if I was OK and, of course, the tears started flowing.
No everyone in my humble safe room was losing their shit. Many people continued their work-related discussion but the rest of us focused on contacting friends and family and watching live news feeds online. I kept my eyes on social media and seriously, I tip my hat to those of you who tweeted and retweeted the important stuff. I was too concerned with being terrified. I’d been royalty screwed had it not been for my aforementioned pal talking to me and keeping me somewhat calm.
It was one thing after another. One warning would be cancelled then another one would pop up. I looked outside at one point and it looked like midnight outside, even though it was only around 2 or 3 in the afternoon. For the record, my office is off Greenville Ave. near Walnut Hill in Dallas. We dodged a lot of tornado bullets.
The second we got word that we could leave our safe rooms, I darted home. At that point, I realized all was good on all ends and I was able to make light of the situation as per usual. And, somewhat as per usual, I grabbed what was left of my bottle of wine from last night and drank it straight form the bottle. (I say somewhat because I don’t usually drink straight from the bottle.)
Literally, tornado coverage goes like this: Reporters and weathermen suggest you “hunker down”, those interviewed talk of how “it sounded like a train…” and in this instance, the same video of flying semi-trucks is aired over and over again.
Either way, I hope everyone is alright this evening. Cheers, all.
Not the dance. I still have no idea what the hell that is – except that I know it’s a dance.
Call me a Pod-hopper if you wish but when I’m at work, driving, etc., I typically keep the iPod on shuffle. I know many people may find this annoying but my musical taste really is all over the place and shuffle helps me find the tunes I’m feeling on a given hour or day. Sometimes it cracks me up, other times, it embarrasses me: this is why I don’t let Spotify feed what I’m listening to onto Facebook.
So, here’s a small chunk of my playlist today. I’m on a Dylan kick because (not that I need a reason) yesterday, I watched “I’m Not There”, a film about the many lives of Bob Dylan. This was apparently the only film about his life he agreed to being made. It kind of surprises me that he did but on another level, I see why. Its cast of characters who portray Dylan is as all over the place as my iPod and Spotify searches – everyone from Christian Bale to Cate Blanchett. Seriously. And honestly, I think her portrayal of Dylan was, by far, the best.
If you care to hear any of the tunes below, I’m fairly certain that all can be found on Spotify, but if not, well, Google it, I guess.
Bob Dylan – Subterranean Homesick Blues
Deer Tick – Ashamed
Middle Brother – Middle Brother
Bob Dylan – I Want You
Deer Tick ft. Nikki Darlin – Cake and Eggs
*I definitely think this is how the song was meant to be played and sung – drunk, and absolutely adorable. If you want a more polished version, get on Spotify, search for Deer Tick “Divine Providence” and it’s the last song on the album.
The Tallest Man on Earth – The Gardener
Middle Brother – Million Dollar Bill
Every Time I Die – Partying is Such Sweet Sorrow
*Yes, I really do go from Dylan to Middle Brother to ETID. What?
I figured if nothing else, titling this post as such would get your attention.
Don’t get too excited, it’s actually the first track off Miniature Tigers newest album, Mia Pharaoh.
If you haven’t heard it yet, the album is a must. It’s completely different than previous Mini Tiger albums but it’s still damn good. You’ll especially appreciate it if you dig synth and really dance-y tunes.
I’ve never missed an opportunity to see these guys any time they’ve come to town. Not only are their shows a great time but they’re great guys and are always down to hang out with fans and show-goers.
Last night at the Prophet Bar was no exception.
I met up with two of my best friends from Waco whom I haven’t seen in over a year, Whitney and Kristi. I figured that the three of us had changed over the years so I didn’t know what reuniting would be like. But, we all literally picked up where we left off. The first time I saw Miniature Tigers in 2009, it was with Whitney and at The Prophet Bar. Darren Robinson from Phantom Planet was playing guitar with them and it will always remain one of my favorite concert memories.
We got to the bar around 9 in the middle of The Chain Gang of 1974′s set. The 80′s influence was unmistakable. We all tried to pinpoint who the singer reminded us of vocally but he definitely resembled Robert Smith in terms of appearance.
Geographer followed and were great live. I didn’t know of the band prior to seeing them but by the end of the night, we were all best friends as I gave them and members of Pretty & Nice a place to crash.
Miniature Tigers took the stage and played more new than old but that was OK. The new tunes live sound flawless. I don’t know that I’ve seen that much movement on stage from the band before but it seemed to me that they enjoyed playing for us just as much as we enjoyed listening. There was a lot more electronic stuff happening than there has been in previous shows but I dug it. Not that Charlie Brand’s voice has ever been less than great but I feel like it’s stronger these days. He definitely stretches it to higher pitches on the new album. Mini Tigers played favorites like “Cannibal Queen” from Tell it to the Volcano and “Bullfighter Jacket” from 2010′s Fortress. The crowd at The Prophet Bar was so into the show and chanted the band back on stage for a quick encore at the end
I spoke to Rick Schaier briefly after the show and he asked which album of theirs is my favorite. I couldn’t deny that Tell it to the Volcano will always have my heart. I asked if he feels like they’re continue on the same path as Mia Pharaoh and he said he didn’t think so. Honestly, I’ve loved everything I’ve heard from the band and even though each album has it’s own unique sound, whatever direction they take next will be great. That’s probably my favorite aspect of the band – they’re so creative musically. They were very self-sufficient with the new album and it totally paid off.
I feel like this is the most appropriate sign off as I did drink a bit much – Sorry for partyin’ everyone.
I’d been looking forward to 2012′s 35 Denton since 2011′s festival ended. When I started blogging for 35 around September of last year, it definitely lit more of a fire in me for the event. I was constantly covering bands that would play the festival, writing various pieces about Denton, etc. On somewhat of a related note, 35 Denton reignited my love for Denton itself. I miss the place. 35 allowed me to spend more time there, meet new, wonderful people and experience a festival that truly is helping to raise a flag for the city as the fantastic and incredibly talented music hub that we all know it is.
About a week or so before the start of 35 Denton, I got a phone call from my buddy, Chuck Crosswhite, who also served as video coordinator for this year’s event (and is part of Amandus Films who were responsible for the live footage on the big screen at Main Stage 1) and was asked if I wanted to help do some on-camera artist interviews during the festival. Of course, I agreed to what would be such a rad experience.
Simply put, my favorite performances of the festival were as follows:
The Mountain Goats – Seriously. Hands down. My favorite show of the festival. I didn’t know what to expect from them live but they exceeded expectations by clearly enjoying themselves and playing a fantastic set. It’s been said that John Darnielle loves Denton and that was made pretty obvious. During “Best Death Metal Band in Denton”, hearing a crowd of hundreds of folks shout the lyrics “Hail, Satan!” was nothing short of epic. Watching him getting into the face of a great friend (and component of Amandus Films), Jonathan Darr Heath, while filming the band was also a highlight. I was with Jon later that evening and people walked up to him, asking about the experience.
Bleached – I knew these girls would kill it based on the simple sound of their tunes. They rocked The Labb on Thursday night and caused a bit of a rowdy crowd. I think that’s a good thing.
Bun B – I’m as white as they come but I danced to the Houston-based hip hop even though I was trying to hold an umbrella and keep myself somewhat dry throughout the entire thing. It was almost reminiscent of last year’s Big Boi performance – a lot of white kids trying to dance. But damn, it was fun.
Best Coast – I’m a big fan of Best Coast and was surprised (in a good way) that they sound better live than they do recorded; which is still fantastic.
Whiskey Folk Ramblers – I always love seeing the Ramblers. I interviewed their guitarist Mark Moncrieff earlier in the day so that added to the show’s enjoyment for me. I just really dig the western feel to their music. Not to mention, the shots of Jack Daw Russell on the big screen, plucking his upright bass, all the while smoking a cigarette, added to the theme of their music.
Grandlake – These guys get my props because they stepped in last minute when the shit kind of hit the fan after The Jesus and Mary Chain show had to be rescheduled. A combo of Midlake and Granddaddy, the music was just so enjoyable. The sun came out on Sunday, just in time for their show. Whether their set was pulled together quickly or not didn’t matter, they still rocked it. In a similar last minute fashion, I talked to the guys right after their show and did the best I could. Hopefully I didn’t embarrass myself too much.
Ty Segall – Ty was another artist that stepped in last minute and opened for the rescheduled The Jesus and Mary Chain on Wednesday. I’d heard of the kid but wasn’t too familiar with his tunes but I really dug his surf punk sound and was excited to see Mikal Cronin playing bass for him. I talked to the very soft-spoken Cronin on Thursday night and was excited to see that when he got on stage, that quiet exterior was no more.
The Jesus and Mary Chain – I mean, I got to see The Jesus and Mary Chain. That’s pretty neat in itself. The music was loud, it was great and made for the perfect end to a festival that I truly love so much.
I was covering another show but I really wish I could have caught G-Side because all I heard all weekend was how amazing they were. Not to mention, I got to interview them and then ran into the guys later at Rubber Gloves, just hanging out.
I know I’m probably coming off as bragadocious about getting to interview folks during the festival but I am so thankful for that opportunity. I hope they invite me back to do it again. I can’t handle watching the interviews all the way through though as it will only make me cringe at my awkwardness and how many times I say things like, “yeah”, “cool” and “you guys”. Not to mention my giggling after most everything a band member said that was remotely funny. I’m still new at this on-camera business, I’ll be better next year, guys, I promise.
One of my favorite interviews was with a band from Nashville called, Natural Child. I’m sorry to say that I hadn’t heard of them before but the second they pulled up and I introduced myself to them, I knew they were going to be fun. Prior to the official interview, we talked about boots. They dug mine, I dug theirs, it was cool. Sounds silly, and it was, but since the ice had been broken that way, our interview was literally more like a conversation. And a plug for Miller Lite.
By the time Sunday night came along, I was exhausted but it was the best kind of tired. I’m still not sure I’m completely caught up.
I still can’t get over the incredible effort and talent that was put into this festival, on all levels. Everyone worked so hard and professionally. Getting to be a part of 35 Denton was an experience I’ll never forget. So, thank you.
Yes, I realize there is nothing here. One day, I’ll fix this. Until then, read my daily banter on Twitter. @MeganRadke or Twitter.com/MeganRadke, for those of you without Twitter accounts.
