Oct
24
2009

My First Domo Show

All 10 Minutes Of It

(Add / View Comments) (0)Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 11:02:37 pm
(Posted Under: Music Music, Tempe Music Scene Tempe Music Scene, Live Shows)
Today has been a really good day, but seeing Domo was a bit of a bust. Sometimes something just has to give. Actually, tracing things back, it was really all due to not emptying the storage unit...

After grocery shopping - yes, our third day here and we've only just gotten to that - read into that regarding our priorities what you may [smile] - we had plenty of food options, but with all of them, either nothing to cook it with, or nothing to eat it with. Except for the fries that we brought, that we started cooking up at the last minute. Due to them not cooking quick enough, we didn't get out of the apartment until 9pm, which was when the show started. We got to Hollywood Alley in 15 minutes, and I didn't think that missing a couple of songs would be a problem - if the band even went on right at 9 anyway. And there lies the problem. Not only did they probably go on right at 9, but the set was 25 minutes long, probably due to the number of bands on the bill.

So right after paying our $10 cover charge, we heard Jason announce their last song! If only we'd spent more time outside and heard that before paying. Luckily for us, for whatever reason, the continued playing, and we at least got to see 3 songs from Domo. A bit disappointing, since it was an effort to go out since we've been so busy and are tired, and it was kind of an expensive cover for 3 songs by Domo (our initial plan was to see Domo and then come home to sleep). You win some, you loose some I guess. I did however technically get to break my Domo cherry, and also got to see Hollywood Alley for the first time, which seems like a really cool bar.

Tear down and set up times between sets was very impressive, and the second band had started while we were still outside having a smoke. My plan was to hear the first song, see if they sucked and leave if so. If they didn't suck - well, let's face it, when does a band you didn't go to see not suck? Never! Unless it's convenient for you for them to suck - ala tonight! [wink] We sat around for a few songs, and we decided that Katie would chill out in the car and I'd go back in, to at least get a bit more out of my $5! [smile] I'm glad that I did, because I enjoyed watchuing those guys - who I can only assume were Hard Girls. Strangely, their style wasn't my typical thing, but there was something about them that made them well worth seeing. After their set it was past 10, and while I was tempted to do the "I'll wait to see if they suck" with the next band, the prospect of them not, and hence being lured to stay out longer (given our tiredness) was enough to be able to call it a night. And anyway, given our tiredness, our initial plan was to see Domo and then get some sleep, so in theory I got enough out of the cover charge that we were planning to get anyway.

With that said, I'm looking forward to getting to see Domo properly in the future. I think next time we'll make more of an effort to be on time, and will be more selective about how many others are on the bill. The upshot is that their new record should be coming out soon, hence there should in theory be some opportunities? Can anybody say CD release party!? [smile]
Oct
24
2009

More Funiture Shopping, & My New Pride And Joy

(Add / View Comments) (0)Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 07:00:00 pm
(Posted Under: Operation Desert Rock, Livin' In The USA Livin' In The USA)
Another productive day down. I was up early again this morning - i think it's an Arizona thing. And how bright it is in the morning doesn't hurt any. This morning I took care of some stuff, including updating my address with the powers to be. I enjoy when I'm told that my legal obligations have been met. [smile]

After that we headed out again to continue the furniture hunt. As I'm writing this, it blows my mind that this was today - it totally feels like it happened a day ago! We headed up to north Phoenix to check out a second hand place. It was a glorious day today, and it was pretty awesome being out actually. We passed one of the houses that we'd looked at last month, which was a good reminder of just how far from Tempe that place was! [smile] The second hand place was a lot different to the other places we've looked at, and was kinda a cool different experience to yesterday. Alas it was a lot less productive (though enjoyable for me) than yesterday, all though Katie did snag a cool wooden ornament shelf (that you affix to a wall) with cacti carved into it for $4.

Photobox Image After that, we headed out to another store - but along the way passed a nursery. While I knew that we had a lot to do today (the afternoon was wearing on), I decided that we needed to stop and check it out. We'd only been discussing how we need a Saguaro cactus! Although I knew we didn't have time to just look and we had more important tasks at hand, I figured that since we were so far north in Phoenix, it made some sense gas wise, rather than driving back later. This place was awesome. We looked around the whole place - probably taking a little more time that I'd originally planned - looking at all the 'pipe dream' specimens which aren't realistic until we at very least have a house (and an extra grand for a cactus! [smile] ). However, we did spy some deals, and long story short picked up one for the porch of the apartment (with a $40 price tag, rather than $700). It's brilliant, and was immediately my pride and joy! We actually justified the cost every which way - but basically it's our moving in gift to each other. While it's not a saguaro, it looks like one (so busy, so tired, haven't been able take note of the species properly) and is just a great specimen, and exactly what I had in mind when we were earlier talking about.

For a moment the thought of who was going to be the lucky one to carry it to the car was quite comically. However, they wrapped it for us (using an incredible amount of butcher paper - but amazingly well wrapped) which made it really easy to move around without being stabbed to death. I mentioned in an earlier post the new inanimate objects that I am in love with - this cactus has become the third item in that group! Oh man!

With that little diversion out of the way, we made it to the second furniture store, and unlike yesterday, made a purchase! While we had been thinking of less and something cheaper, this was a smoking deal (sofa, with a love seat included in the price - and much higher quality than what we had on the cards) and is an investment in our future, where as the other main contender would have been replaced as soon as our finances and stability change.

With that out of the way, we blew off picking up anything more out of storage, and headed home to unload the new cactus, and to measure / work out the arrangement of our new furniture.

With that out of the way, and only two pizzas in the fridge (the third one we ate for lunch today), it was time to deal with the issue of grocery shopping - something that we've kept putting off in preference of getting other stuff done. This is day 3 in the apartment mind you. The noteworthy part of this experience is, amazingly finding some hard bread rolls with sesame seeds! This was a major lodge victory, since Americans are obsessed with the softest, flakiest bread known to mankind - to me, it's only a few steps away from just being dough! [smile] So yesterday Vegemite, today some good rolls - it's all coming up Milhouse in that department!
Oct
24
2009

Elvis Before Noon @ Upperdeck Sports Grill

(Add / View Comments) (0)PhotosSaturday, October 24, 2009 - 09:25:54 am
(Posted Under: Music Music, Live Shows, Tempe Music Scene Tempe Music Scene)
Photobox ImageLast night was fun. The stage at the Upperdeck was smack bang right at the front door, with Scotty closest to the door. Katie hustled in head down, I didn't, hence I caught the "what the HELL are you two doing here" look from Scotty as we past the stage. Promptly at the end of the song he gave a shout out to the people from Australia, and asked us when we'd flown in, etc. etc.

I wasn't completely sure what to expect from Elvis Before Noon, but it was a bunch of covers, a bunch of not so much covers (ie: Peacemakers and Gin Blossoms songs) and some originals mixed throughout the set. Particularly enjoyable were the Blossoms covers, whichh sounded so fresh, which was quite refreshing! The first of which was Til I Hear It From You, which is just a yawn fest for me live typically. There's not a live show without it, and it's pretty tired. But these guys made it sound great. Similarly they played Mrs. Rita later on, and a very rockin' tempo which sounded as fresh as when a young band of Gin Blossoms recorded the song in 1991! Love it.

After the first set Scotty came over for a chat, and seemed suitable impressed when he found out that we're now living here. Surprisingly when we said "get used to seeing us" he was visibly excited about the fact.

The second set went for about an hour, before Scotty attempted to shut the whole thing down due to some what I'm going to call "musicians fatigue", although the rest of the band got him to strap on the guitar for one more song.

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