Rogue Wave Nada Surf

Both played at the FNX Clambake tonight. While I appreciate the surf theme, I really don't have much to say.

What is worth talking about is Silversun Pickups. At one point Brian Aubert pointed out the full crowd of fans on Lansdowne street was completely free of 'douche-bagery'. He was pretty much right on. The crownd was into the show and pretty cool. More importantly, the band pulled off a show reminiscent of the best Smashing Pumpkins....but without the douche-bagery. So it seemed like everyone was in sync. 'You get up there and kill it on stage and we will love you for it'.

Not surprisingly, highlights included "Common Reactor", "Future Foe Scenarios", "Kissing Families", "Panic Switch" and the opener "Growing Old is Getting Old". Highlights also included a mixed up set that didn't seemed predesigned to maximize public appeal, returning for an encore/second set by walking across Lansdowne in full view of the crowd, completely leaving the stage and the street to the sound of their own feedback.

TX

I am not religious. At all. But I do believe in hell. I believe in it because I've been there and then had subsequent brushes with it. It's called Texas. I haven't thought about it in a long time but tonight I was reminded of it again. I really shouldn't explain why - so I won't. Let's just say I had a near-hell experience and it had 'Texas' in the title.

At first I wasn't going to write anything about it. At first blush it seems like the completely wrong topic for this blog. But then I thought about all those sayings like "know your enemy" and such. WATER is the theme of this blog and it's quite possible that TEXAS is the opposite of, and the enemy of, WATER.

The first time I went to Texas was actually to consider moving there. I had a grad school opportunity. And yes it was on the water. Texas has water. Texas has beaches. I've seen pictures of beautiful beaches and wildlife and clear water in Texas. But I don't believe it. The beaches I saw weren't any place I'd set a towel. the wildlife I saw was heartbreaking (dolphins swimming in sewage), and the water...well I guess it probably had some Hs and Os but it wasn't what I think of as water.

I remember returning home from Texas and L asking me "so how was it?". My answer was "Think of anything you like to do....you can't do it there." It's flat, it's hot, it's dry, etc, etc. HELL. I fold.

Jones River: A Duck's Eye View

A kid's movie.

This was a fun project. We - the JRWA crew - have been discussing film making concepts for almost 2 years now. We've had some common ideas and some individual ideas, but I think the stumbling block has always been execution. We are working with some folks with the equipment and expertise that will eventually generate a great product. But I continue to struggle with how to relate the concepts in my mind to others who might implement them.

So while I figure that out, I thought I'd try a DIY version. I spent a few days learning some under-appreciated features in Google Earth. With that as a basis, L. helped me develop the story outline. Then on a beautiful Friday afternoon we toured around and shot some targeted bulk footage in the hopes of catching some usable pieces. We then spent the next three days editing the footage and writing the story around the it.

Here's the end product. The audience is 5th graders in Kingston, who will get a look this Friday. It's a silent version for now as it suits the venue. A soundtrack will eventually follow.