Starting September Off Right

Last night was the Loose Dudes record release show at The Empty Bottle
as I write this I am still covered in beer and champagne.

I believe this photo accurately shows how awesome it was

this will be on repeat for the next month

Guten Tag

I can't begin to tell you how unbelievably happy I was to see Conrad again - and better yet get to see him preform again.

This band is mOck from Germany and it was such a pleasure to have them in Chicago and to have Rapid Cities from NJ also here hanging out.

We had a near perfect day of Breakfast at Flying Saucer

Shaun and Bobby

then a stroll through Humboldt Park and COCO - yum!
Maybe one of the best things about Chicago.

followed by running through open fire hydrants
yep - this day fucking ruled

Beat Kitchen merch table - it was a really fun night and a good show too
I can't wait until November to see Conrad in Berlin again

Good Music/Good Friends

I love when those things go together - it's totally magical.

Tyler Jon Tyler

Go listen to Separate Issues and try to tell me it's not the best song ever

This was my first time seeing The Girls At Dawn but they were pretty alright

....and perhaps one of my favourite people on earth, Matt Williams, playing drums in Lover!

I'm sorry that every photo from here on in is going to be from my iPhone - it's just too easy and I really like the way they look even though it's fully cheating. Fuck.

Cap'n Jazz

Back in January - at around 2am one night I did a blog post because I couldn't go to bed without sharing the totally amazing/exciting thing I had just been a part of. That night I was with a handful of people that got a surprise 4 song reunion from Chicago legends Cap'n Jazz.

I admitted back then that I was only a new Cap'n Jazz fan but it was still a totally memorable and awe inspiring experience. Now that they have officially reunited for a short summer whirlwind affair I've been trying to keep up with it.

Bobby is lucky enough to be there for ALL of it - because he's doing their merch. Also Ryan takes awesome photos and has been along for the ride thus far so I've stolen my favourite of hers :)

Ryan Kinsella
Louisville, Kentucky

Liam O'Donnell
Bottom Lounge Sunday show - everyone said Saturday was better but to me this was totally perfect
Grown men cried: for real

Elisse LaRoche
look how fucking awesome it is - lasers shooting from Davey's guitar!!!

Elisse LaRoche
I was really lucky to go with a huge Cap'n Jazz fan - thanks for coming with me Liam!
We were in the mosh pit the entire time.
Also thanks Tim for giving me that bottle of water - that place was fucking hot!
There is a photo of Liam and I after the show where we both look like we jumped into a swimming pool fully clothed.....I did not post that photo.

Bobby Burg
It rained in Brooklyn so the show got moved into a much smaller space - it was crazy!

Elisse LaRoche
The culmination
Wicker Park Fest

Jessica Hopper recently did an interview with Tim and this is my favourite part from it that kind of sums it up for me
"Playing to all these people in Philly, I asked if anyone there was at our last Philly show in December 1994—it was a show at Jon Hiltz's house. And here we are now, with Jon Hiltz doing monitors for our sold-out show, and this kid in front yells, "I was three!" So these are people who are new to us." - Tim Kinsella

Pitchfork

that's a music festival right?

This weekend is really one of my favourites of the whole year - everyone in town, the weather is always awesome and people are stoked!
This year Pitchfork was way more about hanging with friends then trying to see live music.
The VIP viewing area might as well be behind the stage, you can't see anything. If you go out into the crowd it's 100 degrees with zero shade so that sucks, but there were some musical highlights for sure.

The Tallest Man on Earth: Thanks for flying all the way from Sweeden for a 30 minute set Kristian :)
Liars: I wish I saw you at the Bottom Lounge instead
Wolf Parade: The only thing worth seeing all of Saturday
Lightening Bolt: Makes me want to quit the drums forever
Surfer Blood: adorable babies making catchy songs
Major Lazer: DAGGERING!!
Sleigh Bells: I totally love this band
Pavement: singing "Stop Breathin" with Brit

Now here is a list of friends who posed for photos.

Cutest boy at Flatstock - Dan Black

reflections
Joe Mohan

Kate, Nathan and Augie

Kristin and Billiams

Brit and Beth

Bobby and Baptiste

Dayton, Ohio

oops - forgot to post about our wonderful time in Dayton

After a not-so-wonderful 12 hour drive to get there we were totally happy to see some friendly familiar faces

Vox Humana
Thanks for playing with us Vic!

Justin from the really awesome blog Atlas and the Anchor
check it out he's always writing about awesome things

Andy and Kris N
"this song is about how Davey von Bohlen caused my divorce" - Kris N

look how much fun Dayton is!!!

thanks Blind Bob's - it was a really good show and a totally chill night

UNREST

After a super fun night in Detroit we got an early start to our epic 12 hour drive to New Jersey

"is there a Tim Horton's nearby?"- Elisse
"what the fuck is wrong with you?" - Chris Koltay

These guys were The Ropers - we showed up a bit too late and missed Bloody Amateurs :(

UNREST!!!

I learned that this lady was kidnapped once upon a time and now lives in Alaska

Mark Robinson makes some creepy eyes whilst playing

blurry friends - having so much fun they can't stay in focus!!
Wildman yelling 'TEENAGE SUICIDE' was my favourite part of the whole night

STOLEN SET LIST!!
Unrest sounded exactly like Unrest. All of the songs they played were great! If more bands sounded like them the world would be a better place. I had been wanting to see them for 14 years. They aren't really a band that puts on a wild stage show, they're stage presence is unassuming. I was really happy while they were playing. I would have rather the crowd was a bunch of wild teenagers but instead it was a bunch of people my age. Unrest will probably always be the most underrated band from the early 90's. - Bobby Burg

Maxwell's is a nice place - except for all this garbage
fuck you garbage

oh hia

Awesome wheel of destiny at Max Fish
We couldn't resist going into the city - even if was only for a few hours it was still a lot of fun

desperately needed pizza around 1am

this pizza maybe only cost $2.50 but the cab ride to get it was definitely a lot more...totally worth every fucking penny!

Ray's Pizza = Awesome times
weird shit happens inside that place and the pizza is tasty

good bye New York - thanks awesome view from our hotel in Jersey City

One of these days I really want to go to New York for like a week and not have any commitments - I've been there 3 times now and feel like I haven't seen much of it at all or experienced what people really love about it.