Street Scene

This past Street Scene here in San Diego, I was fortunate enough, through my involvement with RAEN optics , to receive a few free passes to the festival to tag along with the rest of the brains behind the brand. RAEN optics sponsors Modest Mouse, one of the headliners for the two day concert series located in San Diego's gaslamp quarter and they have also created two zines in collaboration with photographer Pat Graham who travels with MM as they tour across the globe.

Enough about that, let's get the run-down on my Street Scene this year.


Chromeo. The girls love to dance to it. They kept the energy high and the crowd moving. Besides the fact that it's not my favorite sound in that genre, it was still a great time and good preformance. Did i mention the girls love to dance to it?
More Chromeo.

Next up, was my favorite of the whole weekend, and a surprise for me at that. The Nortec Collective was killing it. Not the largest crowd but as far a energy went on stage, and also the amount of curiousity these guys struck in everyone else, they were "numero uno!"
Tuba. Trumpet. Stand-up Bass. and two dudes, one who looked like he was wearing Dharma Initiative garbs stright from the LOST tv set, and the other wearing a ten gallon hat, and bollo tie, both playing these crazy digital screens that had something to do with the background beat/looping.

Either way, you're checking the video out...


We all know MM killed it, they always do. So many people talk their shit on a band that has made it, or come a long way. But these guys still deserve all the credit in the world. Tight set, good energy, still the same fun, creepy, eerie vibe they've always had....

With that said, we move on to Girl Talk. One man, 2 computers, and stage full of dancing crowd members. Once again, some of the songs he mashes-up I hate, but he manages to make me accept it, say "F*ck it," and dance my tail off...
Show them phones?


Couple of the year. SS 09'


J.P. was as excited as a T-Rex.


Fireworks at the end of Girl Talk. No I won't see Black Eyed Peas, sorry Fergie!

Til next year. -bG

Built to Spill

A few nights ago I was convinced by my friend Nikolas to go down to the Casbah and see if we couldn't get some tickets to the already sold out Built to Spill show.

After only 15-20 minutes, random dude A comes through, "yadayadayada i have tickets, face value, last minute," DEAL. Note to self: Never think you can't get in to any sold out show last minute, give it a try, you'll be pleasantly surprised, if you still can't get in, well grab a beer somewhere close by or go home knowing you gave it a some real effort.

They played a lot of great songs, but my friend and I(skateboard enthusiasts ourselves) noticed that there was a favoring to the skateboarding crowd, for instance songs that have become very popular in the skateboard world for their roles in bigger skateboard films.

Started the night off with a short walk and a "roadie" down to the venue.



So glad to see "Stab" played live!




The whole band is so low key, you could run into either one of them not know who they were unless they had their instrument in tow. The whole audience had a lot of energy and band meet them with an amazing set.