Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Sleater Kinney Part 2

1. At the pinnacle of greatest concerts ever attended: Patty Smith, the Boarding House 1976, San Francisco. A couple of months after her album 'Horses' was released, and comped by my sister who worked at Arista records, Patty Smith blew my doors off. People drenched in sweat, stood on tables screaming; the room polluted by a mixture of smoke imploded.

2. Which segues into last Saturday night. A perfect storm of events...the Kentucky Derby, NBA playoffs, and the fight of the decade from Vegas. But, who in my crowd of 2,000+ gave a flying F?  For we were tucked into the Masonic, a temple built by the cultish free Masons (google them), residing high on Nob Hill flanked by the Grace Cathedral, Mark Hopkins, and Fairmont Hotel attending our own religious experience. Sleater-Kinney, the sequel. A decade. As the Stones once sang, 'it's been such a, such a, such a, such a, such a, long, long time.' That's 3,650 days without. And we all acted like it too. The signature SK guitar riff and vocals arcing off the stage; the stage lights swirling and B slapping you silly-blind; the magnificent movable wall, rippling up and down. Static? For the dead. Harmony? Your mama. It was the 2nd coming. Better than sliced bread. Legends never ever faaaade away. Uh, listen up, y'all.  Patty Smith has company at the top.

3. Sunday. Honor your mother.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

'Strange brew...'

1. Back from the islands. And Hawaiian paralysis. Entertaining thoughts of longer winter extensions. Like those 'snow birds' slathered with SPF 35 soaking up the rays. In exile from the frosty. And their boxed up SAD lamps. Tropical storms, teased, but veered towards the leeward side. Oh that would have been lovely. It only rains in my dreams. And Seattle. Drifted around in slippas and shades. There is nothing like those island trade winds in the morning. Lunched with my 91 year old aunt at the Elks Club which is old school Honolulu. Nostalgic. The view from the terrace exquisite; the water glittering, lapping the shore. Could have hovered on and on. Moving down the line, we crossed over and closed out the week at an off the gird happening. 'Local' ingenuity always at work: da best: the malasada burger. Who knew? And no, I didn't.

2. Flying back. Mental note to never go during the winter months when the currents from Japan are so blustery. Three hours of turbulence. The woman across the aisle from me, crossed herself at least 10 times; couples, white knuckled, held hands for hours. Uh, yeah, those clever royals and their separate flights. Jesus H. After all that, everyone should have been served a round on the house.

3. Hoops time. The Madness. Will we see a team, Kentucky, go undefeated for the entire season? The team features a roster full of McDonald all Americans; most of them will come out in June and flee to the NBA. One and done. Bulls eye on their jersey, it will take stones to raise the hardware. Look to the Big East and Nova, or the Pac 12 Zona to shock the world.

4. Sports trivia. 10 billion wagered on the Super Bowl. 12 billion during the March Madness. Millions in the work force will stream games at their desks. Is this a great country or what?

4. In Cali, it's almost April. No relief for the central valley. Global warming burrowing in.

Friday, January 30, 2015

#Desert Storm

1. It's almost Super Bowl Sunday in Glendale, Arizona, where it's been raining for the last 24 hours. Some fun facts to tide you over until kick off: Only the 4th of July rivals beer consumption on SB Sunday. A frothy $1.01 billion dollars is spent on beer in the 2 weeks surrounding the gridiron date. Hmm, evidently, people are falling under the spell of those corny chick-fil-a telly advertisements. Because approximately 1.23 billion chicken wings will be sucked up while watching the game. Last year, $119.4 million was wagered in the Nevada sports books. A pittance compared to how much $$$ has been illegally sunk in office pools across this great continent, from sea to shining sea. Here's another nugget for your plate: the most shared SB ad ever was VW's, 'The Force' from 2011. This year, deep pockets, $4.5 million buys you 30 seconds of air time on Sunday.  But, my friends, if you're not one of the projected 112.1 million sitting in front of a flat screen besotted by food and drink, and dazed by spectacle, why, the streets, big box stores, and the malls are all yours. Gloat and enjoy.

2. Watched one of this year's best documentary, 'Finding Vivian Maier;' a chronicle of the life and work of a nanny, eccentric, and mysterious, leaving an amazing collection of 100,000 photographs some of which have been exhibited in numerous museums around the world.

3. Rod McKuen. Born in Oakland.  Not a great poet. But a good song writer, flourished in the right decade and was prolific. His 'Stanyan St. and Other Sorrows,' is one of the all time great titles for a book of poetry. April 29, 1933-January 29, 2015.

4. Sleater-Kinney punk'd me. They will be touring California in May. Their new album, 'No Cities to Love.' Is the shizzle. Is fly. And we can't get enough.

5. Super Bowl prediction: Pats 27- Seahawks-23. Pass the nachos.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

The Pen is Mightier...





Freedom of expression. We own it. And we WILL have the last word.