Wednesday, October 24, 2012

The Cause, Uptown

With all the excitement of the last couple months finally simmering down, I've been trying very hard to reestablish my introvert status.

Making concerted efforts at "self time" and reflection, meditation and hiding from roommates...
Yet, even with a staunch commitment to solitude, by 8pm I'd watched enough Netflix, paged Tumblr dry and even updated my Facebook status. I had no choice but to go up Lowry Hill for some wine.

By that point I was lonely of course, and had to hit the streets.

Though I've been in this neighborhood for 5 months, I'm only now discovering some of what it has to offer. The Lowry for example has delicious breakfast, this after months of lamenting of NO PLACE to have someone else cook eggs for you a la Hard Times.

The Cause Sound Bar is another one of those places.

After a ska show at the Nomad last spring, someone told me to check out another band at the Cause. "Free show!" they said, "And right in Uptown!" I was excited because I was just about to move to that area, so many possibilities!

Aaaand, a whole season later, I finally checked it out.

There were two bands playing, "The Blonde Stripes," a White Stripes Tribute band, and "The Word Party." Simply the name, The Word Party was enough to intrigue me. Being a nerd myself, I love words! Why not party? That, and it brings to mind thoughts of Scrabble and vast vocabularies. I showed up for the last few songs, got my dance on, and then went out side to socialize... I admittedly did not see any of the other band.

I talked to Nick, the Word Party's guitar player, and was truly impressed when it was HE telling me about Rasputin's notable appendages, and not the other way around. Like it usually is.

I think "Nerd Rock" is an appropriate genre for me.

Anyway, I had to make a phone call, and my blog vibe is shot. Whatever the case, The Cause is great, free shows, cheap beer, near by, and I had an excellent time rocking out with fellow nerds. Here's a city pages article:


http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2011/09/the_word_party_interview.php

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Climbing Trees and Disaster Birds

Here I am, Live, from Studio Five (Two, actually, if you're going to be technical) on this, Wednesday night, and you know what that means!

As I am still getting into the flow of blogging here, and you've but just met me, my posts probably won't be THAT good,

but for tonight, I want to say a little about Climbing Trees, which I had the pleasure of seeing some of last week.

First, I'll hook you up with the live stream: http://kfai.org/playlists/610/2012-10

And then, I'll show you this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY8SJkypy6o

It's from last year, but it's a good song. I liked the band Climbing Trees, I only stuck around for a bit, but they're definitely a group I'll keep on my radar. I can see myself rocking out at a concert with them, or cranking them up for a day of productivity.

But now, the more I listen, I realize how sexy they are. They seem to be aware of this, as their reverbnation page bio says, "Springing out of depths of the Minnesota "Turtles" music scene comes Climbing Trees with competent grooves that makes your girl shake her tittys. The Climbing Trees are a clammy plamed, jetsetting drunken orgy of the ears."

Or maybe I'm the only one that finds "clammy palmed ear orgies" sexy. It also helped that their drummer Vincent, disrobed right off the bat. Granted, studio Five gets pretty steamy, but some do it better than others. I was sad that the wrestling mask was also a casualty however, this band definitely holds up its image.

From here, I start prepping for tonight's band, "Disaster Bird."
I saw them hauling equipment through the hall way. According to their facebook, I can tell I'll like them. Their instrumentation includes a trumpet, accordion, glockenspeil AND mischief. I'm going to go shmooze so I'll have something to write about next week!

Also, I've had an ear worm this week, "The Sunny Era." The Thug told me they've already played for us, and that makes me sad, but I'll write more about them later too. I promise.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Greetings and Salutations

Hello, internet,
It is I, Greenswamp Lily, and I hereby humbly begin to follow in the foot steps of our worldly Erica.

I have been dubbed "Temptress" and "Events Editor" of KFAI's Live From Studio Five, but in my four months of haphazard attendance as a KFAI volunteer, I've learned a range of skills, but mostly, I post on Facebook so everyone and all their friends listen on Wednesday nights. Now, from the comfort of my cheap apartment, I begin my career as a LFS5 blogger.

I've blogged before, for my dear Alma Mater, Augsburg College (it's so weird actually using "alma mater" in a sentence!). It was/is(?) a blog for incoming students to have an inside look at Auggie life. I don't feel like I did it justice, I had a ton of fun at school, but never found the time to share it. I still keep it. It's all right. www.lillianthegreat.blogspot.com I think.

Some more about myself,
As suggested, I am a recent graduate of Augsburg College, where I studied History and Women's Studies, in addition to a fair helping of music. I played my trumpet in Concert Band, Jazz Band, Brass Chamber, and Pep Band, and took lessons from Lynn Erickson, trumpet player for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

I'm still not that good.

This spring, I joined the band, "The Drug Budget," and popped my rock star cherry in a bar in Madison, just weeks after going to my first practice. I think it would be hilarious for us to play LFS5 someday, because we consist of 11-18 people and would pack poor little studio five to it's hot and sweaty gills.

In August, I started my second season as a Royal trumpet at the Renaissance Festival. I say "second season" but mean only as a trumpet player. I've been at the festival my entire life, and with each year I become more and more entrenched. This lead to another fantastic opportunity that I embarked in just last week.

The story goes like this:
I was up on the Morris Dancer Knoll in the Ren Fest camp ground, probably eating cheese, drinking tasty beer and flirting, when a woman over heard my chat and said, "You play trumpet?"
"Yeah," I said, "for the king."
"Do you want to play trumpet in a rockin' girl band with boy dancers?"
"Hell yeah I do!"
"Are you ok with wearing a corset?"
"Hell yeah I am!"
"Great. We're called, 'The COCKTAILS.'"

I've been to two practices, I don't suck, and Border Morris dancing is sexy as hell.

Oh yeah, and I'm interested in Radio. Who knew?
In high school, I Dj'ed for KBEK 95.5fm, Mora, Live and Local Radio, playing the songs from the Best Times of Your Life. It was the coolest job a 17 year old could have, and I had a blast. I'd intended to continue that into college, but even with KFAI just down the street, I didn't have the time. So now here I am, hanging out with radio people-who really are the coolest people- and cutting my chops bit by bit in public radio. I often doubt the future of radio, but I think that there is still plenty of fun to be had by all, and in the long run, I think it would be great to stay involved in one way or another.

Who knows, maybe some day the Thug will let me co-host!

So there's me in a blog shell.
I would tell you about the awesome music of Climbing Trees, who we heard last Wednesday, but they deserve a post of their own.

Farewell until the next post.
I look forward to our time together. :)
Yours,
Greenswamp