I saw Jackstraw last night. Portland Country Underground the night before. Having such good music in the neighborhood has made me kind of lazy and relu ctant to go see bands at different venues. It doesn't make for an exciting blog, but at this point I'm just trying to complete the year.

I've been listening to some music on CD, the new Los Campesinos! Hello Sadness is melancholy for a band with an exclamation point in its name. Also Teddybears has been on high rotation.

Couple Freaks songs minus Lex and one set of Dan Haley sitting in for Billy Kennedy with Tim Acott.

Couple of songs by Jackstraw and then a full set from Jeff Crosby and the Refugees (actually one guy on keyboards and accordion). They are from Idaho, good music. And I had a nice conversation with a fellow member of the bar.

Portland Country Underground birthday party.

I'm a new fan of W.C. Beck's.
http://wcbeck.com/
http://www.myspace.com/wcbeck

I was sad when I read on Twitter that I'd missed a good show, but then last night I was seeing a good show and will probably see one again.

What is going on with the world though?





We all just want love. Better to give than to receive?

http://www.ips-dc.org/reports/america_is_not_broke

I haven't seen much music lately, just a little Billy Kennedy/Tim Acott last night.

I'm getting lots of advice that I can't see myself following.

I've been thinking about what I'm thankful for this year, had something good but can't remember it now.

11-11-11 was an important day for Jason Webley. I was able to celebrate with him and watch as his hat was lifted into the sky by the red balloons. Neil Gaiman read a poem that matched the meter of a song that Jason and AFP sang. Maybe I could do better with poetry if I tried to match a good song. Lots of coincidental 11s and other doubling but I think you see what you look for.

After the Laramie Project, I got to see the son of one of Kiba's teachers play guitar in the only bar that stayed open Saturday night on the island. He and the unnamed band played covers-- Hendricks, ACDC and Elvis.

On the car ride I heard this song, but it seems that Portland was mostly peaceful while I was away.



Now that the clocks have changed it feels like winter, time for soups and hot toddys.

My long weekend ended with a visit to a cute bar in my neighborhood that I'd never been to--the Jade Lounge where Dan Haley and Janet Julian were playing. I like them both as musicians and as people.

I hate missing things, last night I missed a ninja gig at Occupy Portland by Amanda Fucking Palmer. I need to keep up better with my twitter feed. There was also a show at the Wonder Ballroom I didn't go to. I'm feeling like I'm behind a veil or in a cloud and am missing many things on the other side. Things to do, people to see. What I am doing feels sort of pointless/insubstantial. Usually when there are important things to do, I see to them. I hope my feeling that something big is out there undone is misplaced.

I caught a couple of songs by the Portland Country Underground and then went home, ate leftovers, folded laundry and played a little autoharp. All those strings are hard to tune.

I saw Jay Farrar he had a good accompanist. I liked his opening act Bobby Bare.

I have never had a really fun time at the Doug Fir. Last night wasn't an exception. Although buying a drink for the kid Patrick was kind of nice.

Weird Week

Locked out 2nd Friday night in a row, but this time it was easier getting in.

I liked Curt the best at Clowns Without Borders.

Shoehorn reminded me about Baby Gramps at the Laurelthirst whom I'd never seen before. Peter, Paul and Mary's son played washtub bass with them. It was a late Halloween show. At first I was creeped out by the Dr. Demento factor, but Shoehorn had told me not to be scared. And once I realized the scary tone was seasonal, I dug the rhythm and became a fan.

The icing on the cake was the icing on Mirage's cake, after sticking around so late without any of Claire's birthday cake at her party. Friday was also Mark S. and Lenny's birthdays. I decided with a girl whose birthday is Tuesday that all these Scorpios are the result of Valentine's day 9 months prior.

According to Wikipedia, Baby Gramps is famous for palindromes. Had one about bohemians.

El Dia de los Muertos They Live in the Stories We Remember.

We are all scared
It's spooky times.

A baby's first wail worried
having to breathe. At
some deep brain level
knowing without breath
I'll die.

(Pain is different but can include the
suffering fear begets. Pain creates anger,
aggression or peace.)

Conscious, or Un like in a crib or a nightmare,
existence
creates the fear of losing it.

The idea of what might be lost is scary.
(Even
when the thing that's gone
wasn't that great
after all.)

Plus some things never die.
Ancient Pharaohs, Kings and Queens
Heros, Hobos, Villains and Sluts
march around at least once a year
alive in our memories, along with our fear.

(If a statute stands in an empty museum is it an effective tribute? Probably, if people know it's there.)