The Best Concerts I Saw in 2006

In 2005 i only saw 2 bands that weren't my friends. Those shows were Jason Anderson and Casiotone For The Painfully Alone. Granted, both were fantastic, and of course my friends bands were fantastic (Kalpana, Get Awesome Ninjas, Pink Cammies) but this year really was epic.

I saw a lot of great shows this year, and some I even went to with girls. This is a nice new trend that I would like to continue in 2007. Strangely, my top three shows are all ones I went to alone. It was a tough task to narrow it down to a top 5, but there were some real standouts that were just absolutely stellar. Some of the close ups include: Kind of Like Spitting, Jonathan Richman, Damien Jurado, Flipper, Japanther, This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb, Jeffrey Lewis, and The Thermals.

5.
For fifth place, I would say the Mirah show was fantastic. This was the record release party for Mirah's new remix album entitled "Joyride." The album has great cover artwork of the Fremont bridge, which is quite close to my house, and the show was really close too - at the Here was what the flyer said: 8pm, $5 - Featuring performances, visuals and DJ styles by Mirah, Mt. Eerie, DJ Beyonda, screamclub, Bryce Panic, DJ Anna Oxygen, Pash".
I almost didn't go to this show because I was really getting into sanding my Vespa beforehand, but then Dan twisted my arm and we drove off in the rain even though it was super close. When we walked in Calvin Johnson was selling merch and Phil Elvrum was playing guitar and singing. There were tons of cute girls there and this one band had a song about being a pedestrian and how they love walking around. But I don't even know what band that was because all the acts were so pretentious that they didn't introduce themselves. However, Mirah was super cute and her songs are fantastic and I absolutely loved it.

4.
Earlier in the year, on June 8th at the Wonder Ballroom Joe and I saw The Streets and Lady Sovereign. I didn't really "get" lady sov, but the Streets were so great. They busted out all these songs I had forgotten about and it was really dancy. The crowd was super hip with lots of those tee shirts that have offset designs on the bottom and sides that I own none of. Mike Skinner poured brandy straight into peoples' mouths in the front and it was like a big party. It was fantastic. North Star Ballroom at 635 N. Killingsworth Court. This show took place on November 26, 2006.

3.
So the only reunion show on this list took place at the Roseland Theater on July 26. I have seen Weezer play three times and all three were really cool, but none of them were as rad as when I saw THE RENTALS this summer. Ozma, one of my old favorites opened and they weren't as great because they changed some members, but The Rentals were awesome. Matt Sharp came out dancing wearing an Ozma tee shirt and big glasses strapped on to his head. He bounced around and they played a ton of hits, up to and including "I Just Threw Out The Love of My Dreams" which is technically a Weezer song. The moog synths sounded great and the Matt's singing was top notch. The crowd there was kind of jockish, strangely and I went with a friend but after they played "Friends of P" and I left I called him on the phone and he was across town at some bar, so I consider this show to be one I went to solo.

2.
Okay so imagine you're driving cross country in the snow and by accident you stop in some weird town in the middle of nowhere and imagine the singer of your favorite band is playing an acoustic set at a crappy bar and no one is there but you and also imagine he played your favorite song by said band. This is what happened to me in February when I saw Bob Nanna play in Iowa at Gabe's Oasis.

1.
In an ironic showing of capitalism prevailing for a socialist singer, the best show I went to see this year was also the most expensive. I shelled out $27 to see BILLY BRAGG play at the Aladdin on October 2, 2006. It was so fantastic. I once again went by myself and sat IN THE FRONT ROW! Billy Bragg is so charming and his songs are so punk rock and, dare I say, emo. He had the best stage presence and banter of anyone I've ever seen play. I can't believe I almost didn't go to this show. I loved it!

new pic on top, ya dig?

Rattlecan my heart.

I have begun painting my Smallframe Vespa. For those keeping score at home, this will be my third rattlecan paint job, though my first on a Vespa. It looks good so far: the small bit i've done.

Boyracer - "I've got it and it's not worth having."

Have I mentioned lately that I'm obsessed with Sarah Records? I bought another one of their 7"s on ebay this week, but this one isn't it. This one might be next. It's the band Boyracer, from England, with a great song. Here's a video for it and the lyrics.



I can't even remember a summer day
so much wasted on movement.

Last night alone in your car,
unable to speak.
With every word uncovered.

I've got it and it's not worth having.

And I drink to forget.
Yet increase the distance
I'm trying so hard to be late
It's permanent
This has happened over you.
drink myself stupid and I'm feeling stupid over you.

I've got it and it's not worth having.

(awesome build up and solo)

I've got it and it's not worth having.
I've got it and it's not worth having.
I've got it and it's not worth having.
I've got it and it's not worth having.

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I love Boyracer, especially this song because this might be where emo and indie pop and punk meet. The verses might be mistaken for Jawbreaker taken on their own. The sound is more midwest USA than midlands UK, and the song was covered by The Lucksmiths
for a Sarah tribute 7" on Matinee! This is fantastic and it reminds me
that one of my favorite blogs that covers all of this is called href="http://www.thesoundofindie.com/">The Sound of Indie

Also, Boyracer is on Yellow Mica Recordings along with my new band ROCKET PUNCH! So, we are labelmates pretty much, no?

Rocket Punch's song "Pink Cashmere" - I don't know why I didn't pick up on this before - is track ten on the "C06" compilation put together by Indie MP3 dot co dot UK! How great is that? Check it out here:
http://www.indie-mp3.co.uk/2006/07/c06.html

Relevant Wikipedia links:
Boyracer (phenomenon)
C86 (music)

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I have been working on other things lately including the Scoot.net FAQ. I
wrote a big bit about touring on a scooter: Scoot.net FAQ

Summer Flashback

Matt gave me a bunch of pictures recently and this was one of them. It is me during the 2006 Rally In Portland chilling in Sellwood.

The black Vespa in the front belongs to Kalaisha. The three bikes right by those are Cassie, Tracy ("Skirt") and my roommates' - all from Cute Bunnies and Kitties Scooter Club.

Across the street there I am chilling with coffee in hand. Behind me is my roommates' Lambretta, my white Vespa, and I'm talking with some scooter friends from Eugene and some goofball with sandals on a Derbi Predator who just happened to be riding by.

Year in review!

Coming soon: I am going to count down my favorite concerts I went to in 2006!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rocket Punch plays their first show!

Rocket Punch played live for the first time on December 1, 2006.

We played the following:

Kafka on the S.
Michael, Don't Go To Private School
Emma's House (The Field Mice cover)
Pink Cashmere
Dan: The Song
Better Lives
Dumb Kid
Posters for Cats Disappeared (The Capstan Shafts cover)
Sucked Out (Superdrag cover)



In case you missed it, here is a recording of us practicing our song, "Dan: The Song" which is about this kid right here.

Rocket Punch - "Dan: The Song" (Rehearsal - November 14, 2006) link

Thank you to all who attended! SOON WE WILL BE BIGGER THAN U2!

Also, we have 1" buttons, the hip kind, available. Email me for details.

Also, our CDs are available from www.yellowmicarecordings.com