Nha Trang

We got a lot of face time in with back home:



Wedding party set-up on roof next door:









Squid lights:



Wedding party:









Vietnam works 24/7, only school children get weekends off.

Lately, quickly

Santigold:  Her voice.  Great beats, zounds, and lyrics aside, it's her voice gets me every time.  Her latest track is SOLID, even if, as pointed out to me, it sounds like XTC's Making Plans For Nigel.  







Watching THEE Satisfaction's QueenS video made me a little emo, but in a really good way.  Get this: it's a video where women are being supportive of each other & helping each other get ready for a dance party in the living room.  Wilin'. There's a little robot action towards the end there.  Whatever you do, don't funk with my groove.







Django Django.  Good grief, I haven't gotten so googley-eyed over in a band in awhile.  I'm thoroughly enjoying it.  I'm THIS CLOSE to making a homemade band t-shirt, shit.







Cumbias En Moog: Cumbia De Sal





And one more to make it an even five...


The Monochrome Set

DISAPPEARS

Oh, man.  We went to Memphis last night to see DISAPPEARS (w/ Lotus Plaza* opening) @ the Hi-Tone and the negative side of seeing a really amazing show is that you wonder how long** it'll be before the next good gig comes along and how far*** will you have to travel to get there.                       C U R S E S !


So, DISAPPEARS are terrific live.  They performed nearly all of my favorites tracks and threw in a Suicide cover!  It was so boss & I needed it.  Because it was a Sunday night, there weren't too many people in attendance, so we got to comfortably chat up a couple of the fellas.  Let it be known that Steve Shelley is a fucking sweetheart.  Brian Case?  Ultra polite.  Find a way to go see them.  You can get their LP here.





I'm really into Chicago right now.  There's a lot of good noise radiating from there:


COFFIN PRICKS
E+
DISAPPEARS
...to name a few.


* Because Lockett lost his voice, Lotus Plaza played an improv set, which was quite good, but shorter than we expected.  They, at times, reminded me of Acid Mothers Temple and ATM of Spacemen 3.  Groovy.  I'd definitely go see them again.
** Ty Segall/23 May
*** White Water Tavern, Little Rock.  O.k., o.k., I'll concede that a proper one gets booked occasionally.  At best, bi-annually.

Birthday B

Threw a little dinner party for my pal Brittany this past Friday in honor of her 25th birthday.   It's been a minute since I've prepared food for more than two people, so I was happy to do it.  I made fish tacos, guacamole, key lime pie, and gin/tonics.  That's a lot of lime.









Brittany is venturing into cocktail making, so she tended bar at her own party.  We've yet to come up with a name for this one, but do not be fooled by it's prettiness; it is stiff & will get you smashed and you'll start talking shit in front of company and REMEMBER EVERYTHING THE NEXT DAY.  Uch.



It was fun and good way to kick off a busy fun-filled weekend.  Wedding parties.  Pizza parties.  Quick trip to Memphis to see DISAPPEARS w/ Lotus Plaza opening.  It's o.k. if you're a little envious.

Motorways

By hand, one plant at a time:






















































I really love this photo.  Movement: