Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Whigs at Harlows 2/26

Last night at Harlows Nightclub marked the first date for BRMC on there tour to support the up coming album "Beat the Devils Tattoo". I have never been a super huge fan but a few of my beer loving friends decided to go so what the hell I'll go just to check out the scene. I also figured seeing BRMC at a 200-300 club like Harlows could be really cool. I usually enjoy seeing bigger bands in smaller venues, get up close and personal with them. Rub elbows with the life I never quite made it into. As we rolled up to the front door a 35 person line stood in our way. Not a good sign. While we waited in the freezing cold I looked around at my fellow concert goers...more skinny jean wearing, trendy beard sportin hipsters than you could shake a stick at. Not a good sign. When I finally made it threw the door I realized why it took so long; the show had been close to double oversold. Not a good sign. I hate it when clubs or promoters over sell shows by that much, it's dangerous. Anyway I had to bump and grind my way to bar it was stacked about four people deep. The only way I even got a drink was because a friend of mine was working, sweet I grabbed two drinks cause I wasn't about to wait in line again. I turned in circles to find a place to stand but it was so over crowded I could barley move, then some kind sir aloud me to cozy up to the corner of his reserved table pretty close to the stage. About this time Georgia's finest three piece garage rock band The Whigs hit the stage. I couldn't help be a little disappointed that there wasn't a local band on the bill, it's always good to see local guys getting a shot at a big time show. But The Whigs were pretty cool. They had sort of a grunge/southern rock sound to them, as if Kurt Cobain tried to sing like Waylon Jennings. The southern rockers brought some good hooks and riffy songs, but I do think they over used The Pixies style song writing. A lot of there songs used palm muted power chords to get that throatie chugin guitar sound then when they went into the chores an open chord to get a much larger wall of sound. On A few songs the vocals followed the scale the guitar and bass played which is bitchin. It's extremely hard to write songs in that style, that don't just sound like some sort of middle eastern hack job. IE White Stripes song Conquest. By the time The Whigs left the stage I was convinced to buy an album, good stuff. So of course BRMC takes forever to get to the stage. Nothing I like more than sitting in a hot, humid, over sold show with no drink in my hand. I don't understand why you don't add another band to the bill if you are going take your sweet ass time getting to the stage. At Least give us something to watch. Needless to say I was not in a good mood. Like I stated in the beginning of this piece Im not a huge BRMC fan but I DID like them. When the rock stars finally sauntered on stage they came out with a powerful, ambient song? The rest of the set continued to underwhelm. I never noticed how many effects are on the singers voice, live he sounds like an unoriginal version of Billy Corgan. I guess musically speaking they played well, no missed chord changes or off beat train wreck moments but my god I have not been that bored at a show in months. BRMC player mostly their mid-tempo songs, you can only listen to a band rip off Smashing Pumpins (without the good guitar player) for some many songs. Not only that but I think they said as many as two sentences to the audience the entire show. Both the guitar player and the bass player changed instruments between almost every song, Ive done entire tours without turning that much! The drummer played some pretty good drop beats but the bass player played root notes the entire night...BORING. The guitar player used a Capo to play lead parts, how does that?! Most guitar players consider this cheating. When the night came to a close I swore I'd never see BRMC again. They did not come close to living up to quality of there albums and to boot they bored me out of my mind. I do have to give props to The Whigs, good stuff I recommend it. As over sold as the show was the Harlows staff did a great job, from sound to bar, grade A.

Anthony
ps. I know I can't spell or punctuate correctly

Mustache March!!!

Mustaches have been a controversial part of history, they have been banned by kings, forbidden by employers and used as a form of protest. The popularity of mustaches has had its peeks and valleys but today we find ourselves at the lowest of the lows. Somewhere in time mustaches have fallen from the grace in our society. It has become an eyesore, an embarrassment and most disturbingly a joke. In the past a mustache was a symbol of being a man. It showed the world yes I have reached male adulthood and I am proud of it. We need to bring this back! This is why I bring you the Mustache March competition. Restore mustaches to there former glory days. This is not just a contest but a grass roots cultural movement. A revolution if you will. The Mustache March competition is the beginning of this revolution. So let the hair on your upper lip grow for the the month of March and VIVA LA MUSTACHE!! If the simple satisfaction of bring back the mustache isn't enough for you I am offering some intensives through my barbershop, Anthony's Barbershop. Here are the rules:

1. CLEAN SHAVED AS OF MARCH 1st

2. NO CONNECTING BEARDS AFTER MARCH 15th

3. COME IN TO MY SHOP BY 4PM APRIL 10th TO HAVE YOUR PICTURE TAKEN TO ENTER THE CONTEST. NO LATER!!!!!!!

Anthony's Barberhshop is located at 2408 21st street in downtown Sacramento. Hours are Tuesday-Friday 9-6 Saturday 10-4. You have to come in to get your picture taken so I can post it up on myspace and on facebook. Votes from myspace and facebook will be combined. The TOP 3 VOTED mustaches get a FREE HAIRCUT, STRAIGHT RAZOR SHAVE, and T-SHIRT. So tell your friends to vote for you!!!! The more creative and extreme the better chance you have of winning. Check out the pictures of two of the winners from last year!

Ladies we need your support. Kiss a man with a mustache

Have fun and TELL YOUR FRIENDS

Anthony
ps. I know I can't spell or punctuate correctly

Because George Clooney is better than me

George Clooney bought his girlfriend a Mansion on island in a lake. The "Up In The Air" mega star already owns a home on the shores of said lake, but apparently that is not good enough she had to have the island mansion too. Side point it happens to be Lake Como in Italy the same lake the french charter from Oceans 12 supposedly lived at. I think he did it just to out do me, I bought my wife flowers this week. Everything that guy does have to make me look like an ass. DAMN YOU GEORGE CLOONEY!!! Oh well I still love him.

Anthony
Ps. I know I can't spell or punctuate correctly

A show review I did for Submerge Magazine

7Seconds, Youth Brigade, Pressure Point, Boats!, The Knockoffs
Shire Road Club, Friday Jan. 29
Words Anthony Giannotti

When I heard about this show I was really excited for several reasons: First, I hadn’t seen some of the bands in almost 10 years; second, it showcased a wide cross-section of Sacramento punk rock talent; and third, it gave me a reason to get out of the grid and check out a new all age’s venue. So I made the trip all the way out to The Shire Road Club.
First up were The Knockoffs. The band consists of guys from other great Sacramento punk bands The Secretions and The No-Goodniks and Berkeley, Calif.’s Mr. T Experience. Right out of the gate these hometown heroes hit us with three-chord punk that would do The Ramones proud—songs chock-full of sing-alongs, power hooks and quirky choruses about girls. I found the drummer of this band to be very interesting; in fact I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Imagine if The Rock stopped taking steroids AND played with the exact facial expression/drumming style of Ringo Starr circa 1964.
Next up was the pop punk trio Boats! The set started out with some equipment malfunction that caused the guitar player to miss some notes and forget chord changes. Anyone that has played in a touring band understands every show can’t be the best one you’ve ever played; you just move on and play better next time. These guys did have some catchy tunes. Similar to something you might here on a late 90’s Screeching Weasel album, fun goofy three chord punk. The bass player David blew me away, honestly one of the best young punk bass players I’ve seen in a long time.
The third band, and arguably the best band on the bill, was Pressure Point. I really don’t know what else to say about these guys, they are just fantastic New York style hardcore punk. Apparently I was not the only person who felt this way because the previously motionless, expressionless crowd burst into a wild circle pit, fist-flying singing along to all the songs. These guys brought a little more musical complexity to the night, more than five chords per song and some flashy lead guitar. Pressure Point brought out an interesting observation; punks, skinheads and hardcore kids attended this show. Not a lot of other cities can boast such unity.
As soon as Youth Brigade hit the stage I was immediately unimpressed. Yeah I know, punk legends, been around forever, whatever. For some reason Shawn Stern (lead singer) had a problem with the majority of the audience not being born before his band started. He seemed to imply that we weren’t there so we don’t “get it”. This is the equivalent of Boss Hogg telling me I don’t “get” Dukes of Hazard because I wasn’t born in the south. I don’t see this in any other genre of music but for some reason some old punk rockers are ageists. Sorry for being younger than you. I don’t know what you want me to do about it. If you’ve seen the classic punk documentary Another Sate of Mind you’ve seen modern day Youth Brigade. They still play teeth grinding aggressive 80’s style barking hardcore punk. Shawn is still singing about politics and playing the same power chords, I didn’t get the impression that he wanted to be there. He acted as if he was going through the motions, to get paid.
7Seconds was the last band to take the stage, they immediately kicked down the doors and tore the roof off. They played fast, loud, and hard. I was surprised Bobby didn’t break a string the way he slammed on that guitar. Steve Youth played about as complicated of a bass line as you can fit into a blazing fast punk song. I loved Kevin’s vocals, that distinct higher range is one of the things that has made 7 Seconds so recognizable over there career. What an extraordinary band, they are celebrating there 30th anniversary so get out and see them!!!
All said and done it was a good night with very talented bands. It was a good reminder of what I love about punk rock. I hope Shire Road Club has more of these shows in store for us.

Anthony
ps I know I can't spell or punctuate correctly

Gentlemen......please

Fashions and styles seem to come and go in the night. I think they call them trends. We've all gotten caught in something that was trendy for the moment, don't pretend you didn't have MC Hammer pants and LA Lights. Im not usually one to be into or even notice such trends until well I'll be honest they are not cool anymore. However awhile ago I started to notice a new trend for guys. Well not really new kind of a reappearance of a trend: Men are interested in being men. As revolutionary as this doesn't sound, men have always been been men in a psychical sense, what Im taking about is men wanting to be gentlemen. I first saw this movement shortly after the AMC series Mad Men came out. Guys started coming in my shop asking for haircuts like Don Draper and wanting to try out straight razor shaves. Since I work in, I guess, what is considered a gentleman's trade I noticed a lot of questions about what kind of whiskey should you drink, what kind of suits to wear, where to get shoes shined or a shirt tailored. All things that seem to have died with previous more "manly" generations. I also noticed a lot of the ad's in Maxim, GQ, Esquire, and even Sports Illustrated were playing into this. The ad's where featuring guys with more of a dapper look, slicked back hair, nice suit or sports coat. Alcohol company's took advantage of this right away; Dos Equis with their "most interesting man in the world" campaign, Jim Beam has their "Guys never change" slogan, even P Diddy jumped on the bandwagon teaming up with Ciroc to create a "High-class Premium" vodka. As I noticed these things all culminating together I can't help but make one very significant observation. They want to be this high class mans man but on more than one occasion I had guys tell me appalling stories; cheating, stealing from family members, bailing on child support, and the list goes on. I actually had a guy tell me about how he got his girlfriend and one of her friends (the girlfriend didn't know about here friend) pregnant, broke it off with both of them, he would have any contact with them until the maternity results came back. They were both his. Then Mr. Charming asked me where he could get a good cigar. It amazes me how these guys are missing the point of being a "gentlemen". Being a gentlemen or a man isn't what you drink and wear it's DOING THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT. It's taking care of your responsibility's in life, trying your hardest, being able to admit when you're wrong or need help. I don't want to say a state of mind, cause that is stupid but being a gentlemen is an attitude it can't be bought or faked. Learning to be a gentlemen from the one dimensional personalities on television/advertising these guys are confusing being cultured/sophisticated with actually being a gentlemen. It's the gentlemanly attitude then the style comes in time. Seems to me they want the symptoms of being a gentlemen not the cause. Buying Michael Jordan's jersey doesn't mean you play ball like a super star. You should be setting your aspirations after a person because of what that person does or the way they act not because of what there appearance is. I guess that is what is wrong with our society, all about the sizzle not the steak.

Anthony
Ps. I know I can not spell or punctuate correctly

Portland Trip Feb 2010

Just got back from a weekend trip to Portland with the wife. I haven't been up that way in several years. It is a town of cooks, you see them everywhere usually smoking behind a restaurant. My goodness did we eat a lot of really good food. Different dishes from all over the world, really great stuff; Italian, Vietnamese, ridiculously fresh seafood, french, and good ole American steak just to mention a few. I had a bowl of Pho from a little trailer in a parking lot. Unbelievable good, the flavors in the broth mixed perfectly the cuts of meat weren't over cooked or to fatty. That area just has such good fresh ingredients and like a I said a ton of cooks that know exactly what to do with them. Portland has the most micro-brewery's in the United States. I don't know how everyone there isn't a alcoholic they have AMAZING beer. My favorite brewery had to be Rogue, there Barley wine and Stout were so good I wanted to punch people. The water and the cascade hops up there provide for a perfectly balanced drink. Not only that but a bunch of great local winery's and distillery's. I tried to sample as much as I could, it was to much for one man to handle. I also enjoyed how weird Portland is. Like I said it's a town of cooks and cooks are weird but this goes beyond that. It's been a refuge for weirdos and degenerates for years. Just walking down the street you see it, literally tshirts, stickers, patches and sides of building all with the same slogan "Keep Portland Weird". Fun weird though not scary. At no point did I feel like I was going to be stabbed to death like I have in parts of LA and New York. I had a nice conversation with a man that had blue hair, blue beard, blue clothes and blue tattoos all over him. He seemed to think he was a Druid (Best known for soldiers of Merlin's Army that supposedly battled King Arthur). People just seemed to be in there own world of quirkiness. I dug it. The city of Portland is very beautiful, it has a nice 1920's feel to a lot of the architecture. The entire downtown area is going through a kind of rebuilding, taking the old abandoned brick warehouses and turning them into trendy work/live lofts. I really enjoyed the very nicely maintained city parks and thousands of huge tree in the area. We did a tour of the Japanese Gardens a short cab ride from downtown. I have to say that was one of the highlights of the trip the way everything was perfectly manicured and all the stones laid out in a certain order. It is the only fully authentic Japanese gardens in the US. I have a nothing but respect and admiration for the Japanese people and culture. As beautiful as the city itself was the people are a different story. I don't know if it's the superficial Californian coming out in me or what but those people up there are unattractive to say the least. My wife and I are okay looking people, not the best or the worst, but I noticed we were consistently the best looking people in the room. Lots of white people with what I call "mountain features". You know round faces, not fat but a little meat on them, and Im pretty sure everyone had freckles with dark hair. We joked as we got on the plane that we should have got Northface jackets as souvenirs because that is what EVERYONE wore. We both agree we can't wait to get back to Portland it is a great city!

Anthony
Ps. I know I can't spell or punctuate correctly.

Avatar: why it sucks and so much more

Let me start by saying I hate James Cameron. It's true I do but I will address that in a minute, now the beginning. When I first saw the trailer for Avatar on Apple trailers website I really wasn't impressed. While I will watch just about anything Im not a big fan of fantasy flicks, it's just not my thing. As Avatar got closer to it's release date a big buzz started to build about how (my first clue that it would suck) JAMES CAMERON had used some new technology that would blow minds and melt faces. Hmmm okay, so I took a look at the extended trailer that was now up and read the synopsis. I couldn't put my finger on it I just didn't like something about this movie. At first I thought maybe it was the the fact that Cameron obviously ripped off Dances With Wolves or any other Native American tale of that matter. No that's not it I watch rip off films all the time and I usually enjoy them. Mostly for the simple reason; I feel smarter than the rest of the audience because I figured out it's a rip off film. (Yes I know the difference between ripping off a film and a film being inspiration for another.) I kept thinking about it, mostly because everyone of my friends(most of who don't like movies) kept asking me if I was going to see it. I watched more trailers. I didn't like the story simply combined a few different indigenous cultures to create the Na'vi charters. I finally settled on the fact that I didn't like how Cameron had such a huge political, environmental, and social agenda in the film. I really thought about this, that couldn't be it either I've watched hundreds of movies with agendas in them I disagreed with far more. Then I figured it out. While all of these things are annoying it's not enough for me to develop the hatred towards this movie that I have. I looked at the root of it all and like a light from god it came down. It all comes back to my hatred of James Cameron. I don't want to hear the political, social, or environmental views of a man I think is a moron and has never made a good movie. Think about it, what movie has he ever made that was good? Not that made money, Im not arguing that the man is not a genius at making money. Obviously he is some sort of freak of nature at making films that make money but name one movie he has done that has a good plot line, good acting, and isn't full of actors that have huge box office pull? Everything Cameron has ever done is know for two things: 1. How much it cost to make 2. the special effects. Some of his films are good because of nostalgic reasons but as a stand alone film, THEY SUCK! Cameron makes movies for people that don't like movies. The masses go to see his films in droves because they are on the same level of entertainment as fireworks no real depth or actual feeling is involved. You can completely zone out for two hours. This all really comes through in the trailer for Avatar you can't help but think "ohhhh pretty" and just kinda stare at the screen with your mouth ignorantly hanging open. It is just a film with some cool, for the moment, special effects and a faux deeper meaning. Proof he only makes films for money is in the fact that Avatar was so successful, translation made so much money, the studio is in talks of doing a second film. The douche even claims to have a story line for a third. Once again James Cameron has duped us all, laughing all the way to the bank. I HATE YOU JAMES CAMERON

Anthony
Ps. I know I can't spell or punctuate correctly

Having an affair?

One of my longtime customers came in the shop the other day (Im a barber for those of you that don't know) and said something that really shocked me. I was extremely busy so I wasn't talking very much while I cut his hair, you know a few words here and there but I really had to concentrate. I hadn't said anything for a few minutes when he causally says and I quote "so I think IM gunna have an affair". I was dumbfounded to say the least. Now Ive had guys tell me they where having affairs, just ended affairs, got drunk and hooked up with someone that wasn't there significant other and a hole laundry list of other crazy stuff. After the first couple of times hearing stuff like that you just aren't really surprised it rolls off your back you make some kinda joke about it and change the subject. But these where all after the initial incidents, mostly all in past tense. I don't think being in past tense makes any better of a situation but this guy said it as if he had just decided to order a hamburger. It gets better,
After I wiped the dumbass look off my face I responded "oh yeah?"
Flat out he said "Yeah I think it's time".
Now I tried to make a joke and change the subject by saying "does this women know you're going to have an affair with her?". Hahaha consensual sex is funny.
Totally cool he responded "I have a women in mind".
WHAT? Are you kidding. There was no question in his mind. I know he has been married for eight years, has two kids and a house with his wife. I asked if he thought maybe he should get a divorce. He turned his head to face me and said "Why? I still love my wife." His response was so cold I kinda had to laugh a little. I mean it's just such a ridiculous thing to say I laughed. I asked him if his wife knew. He continued "I think she knows it coming". He implied with his tone and expression that his wife and he had decided this together! Can you imagine that conversation
"So honey I think I want to bang someone else"
"Well lets weigh the pro's and con's"
Or did he try a little sweet talk
"You know I love you baby, would you mind if I sleep with other women?"
"Well as long as she is clean"
Did they decided this together? Like deciding to have a child: are we financial secure enough to handle this? Do we have enough love in our hearts for someone else? Did they call all there friends over to tell them? Can't you just see them sitting on the couch knees touching all their friends anxiously awaiting this big announcement.
"So we called you all here today" a little smiling look at each other "to tell you...we have decided to have affairs".

I know I made some jokes about this situation but I really hope he reads this and reconsiders his options.

Anthony
Ps. I know I can't punctuate or spell correctly

Read this before you read anything else I write

I always assume people that write blogs are even stupider than the people that read blogs. In my mind blogging is for graduate students that use air quotes when they talk, misuse the term postmodern and think their opinion is more important or valid than anyone else. While in a certain sense I have joined these hordes of fools there is one large difference I started this for MYSELF, this has nothing to do with you. I am not doing this to feel more important or convince everyone of my opinions, I write to keep myself from going crazy and finding the nearest bell tower to jump off. If you don't like what I have to say, email me, all my info is public. I will take your opinion into consideration, most likely I will tell you how you are still wrong because you are taking everything I write way to serious. Anyway feel free to contact me. Now that I (and I guess you) feel better about me blogging, I hope you enjoy what I write after all it is all for fun.

Anthony

ps. I know I can't spell or punctuate correctly