Weird Music

This weekend marks the first annual Boise Experimental Music Festival. It's being put on mostly by local mad scientist Krispen Hartung, and RadioBoise is one of the sponsors.

The lineup is pretty interesting, and though I don't know jack about most of them, I'm looking forward to finding out. Hell, just the fact that something like this is going on here in so-NOT-experimental Boise, ID, has me pretty damned excited.

One performance of note will be Art Hodge. Art's a guy I've met through the radio project. He played a big part in helping the webcast get up and running and in helping some of us figure out the finer points of the technology side of webcasting. He gave me a tutorial on ProTools, too. He's got a show called Break Me Off Some, all breakbeats, and also, he's one of the four rotating hosts of the JazzJoint show that I put together for RadioBoise (which runs Wednesdays from 11 to 1, mountain time). I knew the dude knew music, but I had no idea how deeply. Check out his site: http://www.arthodge.com/ His creds are pretty amazing. He produced fucking Santana and got a grammy for it? And he lives in Boise?! Weird. I'm looking forward to what he puts together for the stage.

We'll be webcasting the whole thing, so check it out here. Tonight, Friday 4/28, 7 to 10p MT, and Saturday 4/29, noon to 10 MT.

HORNER!!!

This one's got to be soooo sweet.



In year 2 of his return trip to European road racing, Chris Horner of Bend, OR, has come up with a big one. He won stage 2 of the Tour de Romandie, and I can't think of anyone who deserves it more or who I'd rather have seen win. He gets the V, he gets the yellow jersey. Beautiful.

Back to Spring

The Yellowstone bike trip is now in the history books, and that, along with the sunny blue skies and blustery winds that have settled onto Boise, means that it is indeed springtime. Sure, there was frost all over the city this morning, and the ride in this morning was colder than it's been in weeks, but still. It's spring, and you can't tell me any different.

Riding in Yellowstone was fantastic as ever. Little chilly, little rain, little snow, little sunshine, and lots and lots of buffalo. On day 1 we made it to the Norris Geyser overlook, about a 60-miler round trip with backtracking. Great ride. Our man AP was able to ride about a half hour in and back, which, coming off what he's come off of, is no mean feat. Nice to see him on the bike again--and it'll be even nicer having him ride along for the long haul. (So start logging them miles, boyo.)

Sunday, which was meant to be ski day, was ride day #2. Too warm and too much rain for skiing. So, we made it a bit shorter and faster of a deal, and I made it out to the 2nd junction before turning around and beating it back for the gate. Nice to spring off on my own, iPod engaged, and really open it up. Felt great. On the way back in Tim and I heard an eagle's screeching, over and over, but couldn't see it--until it flew directly overhead and then perched in a tree about 30 meters away from us. Amazing.

Oh, and we heard wolves, too. First day out, within a mile of the park gate, rolling slowly, we heard a good half-dozen of them howling and howling. First time I've ever heard this, and what a sound it is. Unmistakable, and unforgettable.

So, today I've got the mountain bike at work. Out the window the sun is shining, and the flags are fluttering in the spring breeze. It'll be 50s today, and 70 by Friday. No rain in sight.

Yep, it's springtime. Welcome back.

Jellystone

Well, it's that time again. The annual cycling trip to Yellowstone starts this afternoon. This means spring is truly on the way.

The weather's looking like it did last year--chilly, windy, and some chance of rain or snow. But the roads are clear, the room is booked, the beer is chilling, and my butt is ready for some long miles on the Pinarello.

Let's hope the bison are feeling agreeable.

So exciting.

Tapes n Tapes

I know, me and everybody else, right? Or maybe not.

I caught this band down in Austin during the big SXSW, and they hit and sped right on past my high expectations. Why high? First time I heard them, echoes of Pavement, probably my fave band in the whole wide world okay, bounced throughout my head. That doesn't happen.

This is no Pavement ripoff. That would blow. This is a new band, a young and hungry band from Minneapolis-eh, making killer indie rock with its own voice, separate from the shiteload of Britpop stuff and retro rocking knockoffs cramming up the Bitchfork archives. If you have yet to hear this record, please do. Or first, go to the official website and have a listen. There are 3 tracks available, and if any one of them doesn't sell you, forget it. You're dead. Or deaf. Or, I guess, maybe you just don't like this band. Which would be weird.

Anyway. Diggity.

Via Chicago

I'm in Boise airport waiting to catch a plane to Denver, where I'll get on another plane to go to Chicago. Greg Lilley is getting married up in Wilmette this weekend, and I'm headed back for a long weekend. I'm really looking forward to this, as I expect to see a lot of people I haven't seen in years and years.

On the drive here this morning Cathy asked when the last time I'd been back in Chicago, and I was shocked to realize it was for Tony Kernagis' wedding, probably about 5 years ago now. Or maybe 6. Either way, it's been a while, and it's about time to get back there again.

Mostly I blame my parents. I mean, if they hadn't left there and moved to Alabama, I'd still go to Chicago to visit them and therefore everyone else--high school friends, college friends, family and family friends, everyone. Since they're not there any more, I just don't make it back often enough.

Anyway, here I go. Barry'll be picking me up, and I'll be staying with him most of not all of the time. Saturday night after the wedding I'll be staying in the hotel near the reception, and tomorrow night I may end up crashing at Macri's, as Shields and Mack are coming out to Oak Park for the evening. This oughtta be a highlight of the weekend, as I haven't seen or hung with these f'ers since my wedding. Friends from like 3rd grade and kindergarten, respectively. Craziness.

The food list is short but hefty: Italian beef sandwich, pizza, gyros, pizza, and pizza. I brought running clothes and shoes so I don't totally undo everything I've been able to do over the winter.

So, this time I'm bringing the laptp with me. We'll see if I regret it or not. I doubt it.