Playing Catch Up.

So things are busy as usual. Finally got my dog Chancho back. Started subbing again. Trying to start skating a little again. Got some EFC T-shirts printed. Going out of town again next week. ...Just trying to catch up so that I can eventually keep up with the world.

On Saturday (10/13) I went to Mexicali to catch Cat Dirt Records' own, Fifty on their Heels, a DJ set by Blake Miller of Moving Units, and Mexicali "hardcore with a keyboard" locals Lipstick Terror. The bar had a pretty cool setup. There was a separate stage in the back with its own bar. Lipstick Terror didn't take the back stage until nearly midnight. This was before Blake Miller's Dj set started, so there were actually people in there to see them. Granted, Lipstick Terror is a relatively popular local band, but by the time Fifty on Their Heels set up and began to play Blake Miller's "Puro Party" dj set was in full swing, and the back room remained relatively empty. It was pretty dissapointing how much time was wasted, and how little effort there was to showcase each act. My sentiments couldn't be expressed better than this article for City Beat by Cullen Hendrix or Shane from Cabron's blog, A Coat of Red Paint in Hell, which said, among other things, "Music that is spun should be either relegated to the background, or put in the forefront to stand alone and get asses shaking, it should supplement a band not be an equal ‘performing’ entity." Tons of kids showed up for Blake Miller, unfortunately dancing to his set was excluded seeing Fifty on Their Heels. Bummer. Cat Dirt Sez also had some words about Lipstick Terror and the Border Scene.

I missed Two Gallants last night (10/17) at the Casbah. They're an exciting two piece, who know how to tell a story with a song. One of Saddlecreek's newer additions. They played with two bands I've not yet heard of, Blitzen Trapper and Songs For Mom.

Tonight (Thursday 10/18) gear up for a hell of a punk/garage showdown. The Black Lips, The Spits, The Heartaches, and The Sess at the Casbah. If you're lucky you might catch some full frontal male nudity, band members urinating into their own mouths, and just general shenanigary. You can definitely count on seeing a shitload of punks drinking a shitload of beer, and professional skateboarder/punk drummer, Kristian Svitak, beating skins for the Heartaches. The Sess is one of my favorite local bands, who are in my opinion, underrated and by far the best and most talented of the group of buzzy local bands that get lumped together (atoms, powerchords, muslims, prayers, vultures...) They play the Atari lounge.

On Saturday (10/10), Batwings played Scolari's again. Ah, home sweet home. We played with the Frauds, Cabron, and The Dissimilars. Cabron, our "shit smelling practice space" buddies, just released Mexican Shoe Thief which I have yet to hear. I did however just discover the Blog by band member Shane, which is complete with band interviews and in depth reviews, called A Coat of Red Paint in Hell. The Frauds played first. After they were done, they fought for most of rest of the night. Now, by "fought," I don't mean they simply argued. Sure, that was part of it, but so were fisticuffs, physical assault. They actually got into it and started punching each other in the face inside the bar. The drummer went to the merch table and yelled "Get your Frauds merch, this might be your last chance." At one point one of the members went outside and began banging the shit out of his head on the wall. They yelled at each other all damn night. "You want a piece of me? Take a fucking shot big man!," "Your so fucking punk man!" At one point at the end of the night a small group of us were torn between what to watch, an obviously wasted girl attempting (unsuccessfully) to pull out of a parallel parked spot without hitting the cars in front of or behind her own, or the drummer and guitarist of the Frauds yelling and clawing at each other. It was quite a show. Actually, it was really uncomfortable. Cabron played really well. It's really a testament to taste and ability to see Leo sing for Cabron one night and play bass in his other band Fkenal. The Dissimilars bought their familiar brand of punk with gusto, as singer Jimmy crawled all over the bar with mask and cape. It was a fun night.


Not only have I been lazy, but the weather is keeping me shitty, so I missed Wild Weekend on Sunday (10/07). Yeah, if I weren't actually in the band, I probably would have missed the Batwings show at Scolari's and gone to see Sleeping People and Kill Me Tomorrow. Cullen reviewed it here. T-Bone is playing additional percussion for KMT which brings his band count to somewhere around 5 or 6, I think. Sleeping people will soon be going on tour with the Locust. Bobby Bray of the Locust was recently in attendance at one of his girlfriend's shows at the Brooklyn House AKA Ninja House. Maria Cochina's two piece noise band The Vaginals played as well as the band my younger brother was on tour with, Alak Alas Alaska. Fkenal also played featuring Leo fromCabron on bass guitar. Their drummer is a badass.

I still have yet to hear the new Radiohead album. Also missed Rogue Wave last week at the Casbah, Cattle Decapitation covered in molasses at Scolari's, and Polysics and Numbers at the Casbah. Damnit.


.