I should start getting my mail at the Hexagon Bar soon

The Flavor Crystals at the Hexagon - Photo by Matt Porath (with my camera.)

I know it probably seems like I live at the Hexagon Bar, but I do very well for myself there. It's almost like I don't have to go to shows anymore. I just go to the Hexagon, and sure enough the shows come to me. And with "never a cover," it just can't be beat.

After ending up at the Hex Friday night, I was back Saturday for Lukes Angels, Flavor Crystals, and The Autumn Leaves. There's no review yet, but here's a link to the photo set. (The whole Hex photo set got bumped off the main page of HowWasTheShow by my Tagine photos from the Prince Tribute at the Fine Line. Though I enjoyed the Hexagon's music far more Friday night, the Tagine photos were hands down winners.)

Two of the best photos in Saturday's Hexagon set, including the one above, were taken by photographer Matt Porath, who was on hand to see the Flavor Crystals. Matt was kind enough to show me a few pointers (literally involving aim) on flash usage (Speedlight 420EX) and take a few shots with my Canon XT. Since many, many people will be getting Digital SLR's for Christmas this year, it is oh so reassuring to know that despite advancing technology, that "it ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it" that gets results.

Low Christmas concert - Photos by chuckumentary. And HWTS "summit" meeting at the Hex.

Chuck Olsen of mnstories was at First Avenue at the Low show Friday evening and posted a few prize photos of Alan Sparhawk and the band in his Flickr blog.

Below is one. See the rest here.


Low at First Avenue - Photo by Chuck Olsen

HowWasTheShow's writers were spilled out all over town from the Triple Rock to the Hexagon Bar Friday night. Late in the evening, we had a bit of an unofficial summit meeting as contributors Andrea Myers and Jennifer Whigham piled in from the Triple Rock to join Cyn Collins and me at the Hexagon. By the tail end of the Belles of Skin City, who were headlining booker Chris Dorn's birthday party, we were all together in the same club for I think was the first time ever. (And damn, it didn't occur to me to take a group photo.)

But here is one of the amazingly tatooed Dave Matters of Belles of Skin City from Friday's show.


Dave Matters of Belles of Skin City - Photo by David de Young

I'm number 5! (On Dodgeball Twin Cities)

So I ranked as the #5 best Dodgeball.com user in the Twin Cities for the month of November. That doesn't bode well for Dodgeball considering I used the service only on 3 separate days. If it hadn't been for my Thursday night before Thanksgiving runaround where I managed to check in from each of the 9 venues I went to that night, I likely wouldn't have made the top 10.

How does Minneapolis rank up (in terms of check-ins) to other Dodgeball cities in the U.S.?

Top 10 Dodgeball Cities in November

(based on number of check-ins, out of 22 cities)

1. New York
2. Seattle			(20%)
3. San Francisco			(13%)
4. Boston			(4%)
5. Portland			(3%)
6. Minneapolis			(3%)
7. Austin			(2%)
8. Los Angeles			(2%)
9. San Diego			(2%)
10. Philadelphia			(1%)

And I'm now up to 3 whopping Dodgeball friends. Whee!

Meanwhile, over on MySpace, I'm about to pass the 200 friend mark. Who will be #200?

26th Annual John Lennon Tribute is Thursday

Thursday marks 25 years since John Lennon was shot dead in New York City on Monday, December 8th, 1980.

That night I was doing my regular evening DJ shift at WMOI FM in Monmouth, Illinois (cool job for a 16 year old, eh?) The phone rang, and it was my father. He'd just seen on TV that John Lennon had been shot and suggested I'd better check the news wire.

Running to the newsroom, I found the AP machine chugging away. The paper from the news roll had touched the floor -- a no-no, which meant it had been more than 15 minutes since I last checked it.

Confirmations of Lennon's death had already been printed by the time I ripped the paper and ran back to the on-air studio. In an ironic twist, I was playing a Paul McCartney song. "Waterfalls" from McCartney II, if I recall, which had come out just that Spring.

I didn't wait for the song to end. Unprofessionally I abruptly turned down the pot, and breathless and shaken up, said into the microphone, "I really hate to be the one to tell you this, but....."

That same night in Minneapolis, legend has it Curtiss A. headed down to the 7th Street Entry and took over the stage to play Lennon songs the remainder of the evening. And so has it been, each December 8th ever since.

THE 26TH ANNUAL JOHN LENNON TRIBUTE Featuring CURTISS A "WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS FRIENDS" $10.00/ $12.00/ 5:30pm/ 21+ - First Avenue

Read HowWasTheShow reports about last year's event here and here.

First Avenue: The Bootlegs Vol 1. CD Release Party and photo exhibit

You may have noticed a couple of older photos in the HWTS photo blog today. No, it's not a malfunction. I uploaded a few photos from last year that pre-dated my photo blog to make a little First Avenue specific photo gallery for inclusion in the DEMO photo exhibit which will accompany the First Avenue Bootlegs CD Release Party on December 14th.

The CD Release show will include a multi-media presentation of First Avenue photos by amateur and professional photographers, including long time First Avenue staff photographer Daniel Corrigan.

Below are 7 of my own photos that will appear in that presentation. Printed versions of the best of the batch will be hung on the gallery wall in the VIP room. (The DEMO team will start installing the exhibit on Monday, December 12th.)


Chris Bessinger of STNNNG

Chris Koza

The Melismatics

Bob Mould

Hundred Flowers

Brother and Sister


Halloween, Alaska

Spot Art Gallery opening to feature music photography by Emily Utne

Here's a great way to start off your Friday night before hitting the rock shows, and maybe have a free glass of wine or beer if you are early enough. Emily Utne, music photographer and Rift Magazine Art director (and my personal photographic equipment consultant) alerted me to this event.

What: Fashion & Band photography, sculpture, painting, ceramics and more by 9 artists.

Where: Spot Art Gallery: 1828 Marshall St. NE Mpls www.spotart.org

When: this Friday Dec. 2 from 7-11 (but probably will keep going
later)

Live music by: Crush Collision Trio featuring Lonesome Dan Kase

Henna Tattoos & Body Art by Judy Ostrowski

Sketch & Stand-up Comedy with local comedy groups Me & Bill and The Label

Spot Art Gallery is open during the winter on Monday-Wednesday & Friday from 6 to 9PM and Saturdays from 1 to 9PM.

Here's the artist listing:

• James Dankert - illustrations
• Junkykid - paintings
• Emily Utne - photography
• Patrick Smith - illustrations
• Kelsey Anderson - paintings
• Sarah Paul - ceramics
• Mark Mustful - raku pots
• Karl Friedrich - sculpture
• spleee - paintings

The show runs through February 3rd, 2006.

I make a cameo in the new Guided by Voices movie

So, I'm listening to "Queen of Cans and Jars" by Guided By Voices from the fabulous new First Avenue - The Bootlegs Vol 1. collection that came out last Thursday. This is a must have disc for Minnesota music fans in general, not just fans of First Avenue. The The bands who appear on the disc range from Minnesota's own Jayhawks to The Suburbs, Husker Du, The Replacements, and Mark Mallman. Non local acts like Richard Thompson, Joe Jackson, Jay Farrar and Guided by Voices also fully belong here since for many of us, that's where we have seen them again and again over the years.

You can buy the CD online here, or you can find it at Best Buy, or at local music stores including The Electric Fetus, CD Warehouse, Down in The Valley, Cheapo and others.

And speaking of Guided By Voices, and another great rock club, Chicago's Club Metro.....



...Nate Kranz from First Avenue told me last night that I make a brief cameo in the new Plexifilm concert movie, Guided By Voices - The Electricifying Conclusion that came out November 15th. (Watch the trailer here.) I have not seen it yet, but Nate says he spotted me in the post-show bits as I leaned against a wall at the top of the stairwell while waiting to exit the venue after the New Year's Eve, 2004 show in Chicago.

Nearest I can tell, this is my first appearance in an internationally-released film. I wonder if this will earn me a bio on imdb.com. Not!