Ween - Frank

Here's another track from that first Ween show that I shot (5-22-00, 9:30 Club, DC). It's Frank, and Gener busts out the bullhorn for this one. It's sick! I've got this whole show as a DVD which is currently available for bit torrent download at Browntracker, an all Ween torrent site. Go grab it!

First Hatemail

Today I got my first piece of hatemail from this blog. It was a response to my video from Tookie Williams' execution. Here it is in its entirety:

Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted by
(ufflernot@aol.com) on Monday, January 30, 2006 at 20:32:42
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name: Kram

message: Why in the fuck would you go to protest the execution of a fucking MASS murderer?(that's a rhetorical question) LOSER. I'm glad he's DEAD! I'd like to dig him up and kill him again. Fuck you, murder lover. I bet you enjoy child molestation too, sick fucker. PS Your website is LAME!

What about my video would elicit such an idiotic response? While I am solidly against the death penalty due to the way it is unevenly enforced and that the idea of killing people who kill people to show that killing people is wrong just doesn't make the slightest bit of sense to me, I covered this event in an unbiased way. I showed people speaking on both sides of the issue. So I don't get how this makes me a "murder lover." What the hell is wrong with people? What kind of imbecile feels so moved by a video like this to not only bash the guy who shot it but to cheer for another guy's death? People really suck sometimes. Anyway, I thought I'd re-run that clip below to put this all in context.


UPDATE: Wow, somebody needs a life! Check out the rest of this lovely correspondence -

Jason Buckley to ufflernot
Well let's see, there was a major newsworthy event happening around the corner from my job, I had a place to stay right there, and I wanted to cover it and show both sides. Do you send hatemail to the news media when they cover events? How old are you, kiddo?


Ufflernot@aol.com to me

Hey 'Kiddo', if you were there covering the whackos and reporting to the world how sick people can be supporting a MASS MURDERER, that's one thing. But if you were there to actually join in on the protest, you're one of them, and should be ashamed of yourself. And if you think that was hate mail, you're wrong. You should read some of the emails I send to Kerry, Kennedy, Dean, the French Embassy, etc. THAT'S some hateful shit! And I do this to voice MY opinion of them, unafraid that George Bush is gonna come and knock down my door because he's been reading my emails, as the cowering, pussy, and treasonous liberals would like us to think he's doing. If you were there in disbelief at stupidity, I apologize. If you were there protesting Mr. Mass Murderer...FUCK OFF! Either way, your web sit is still lame.
Kram

PS I'm not afraid to "kick it around with ANYONE old man, so if you're a liberal, Kerrystickerkeeper...bring it on! I've debated ACLU lawyers and got them so frustrated by LOGIC, they hang up on me. truth is a powerful weapon.


Jason Buckley to Ufflernot

Dude, you've got some issues. Get help.


Ufflernot@aol.com to me

MAJOR ISSUES!! I admit it...LIBERALISM! It's ruining this country. I'm trying to help, calling people on it. Bringing it to people's attention so the "normal" people (you call them red states) can laugh at it...or stamp it out. This will be my last email to you unless you choose to debate any liberal issues YOU might have. In that case I can cure you with logic and reason (with a few F words thrown in for impact, hehe). Later, dude.

Kram


Jason Buckley to Ufflernot

Wow, such a brilliant diatribe! Life is too short to waste it "debating" somebody like you. But I'll be happy to post this on my blog to show my readers what you "normal people" are like.

Somehow I doubt that it's his "logic" that makes the ACLU lawyers hang up on him. This isn't a political blog. I used to run a political blog and all the futile fighting back and forth was just frustrating and pointless. I don't go looking to get into it with people I disagree with anymore. You know what they say about arguing on the internet being like running in the special olympics, right? That said, I'm not going to just let some bozo send me hatemail without posting it.

Sleater Kinney @ Vegoose - Entertain

Here's the very last song from Sleater Kinney's set at Vegoose. Watch at the end as they walk right past me off stage. The DVD of this footage is available for download here and here.

Rare Live Ween and New Blog Renter

Today I've got a new blog renter.Stephanie Davies makes and sells her own incense and has a half-business, half personal blog about it. So check out her blog by clicking that thumbnail in the right hand column and consider buying some of her incense. It's handmade, and it will help keep your dorm room from smelling like a combination of stale beer, bongs and ass.

So here's another track from the first Ween show that I ever shot. In fact, this is the first show of anyone I'd ever shot, just days after getting my camera. This was a great show. Deaner used a talk box, making his Voodoo Lady solo Frampton-riffic and Gener used his megaphone on a few tunes. We were up in the highest part of the balcony, screaming out for songs we knew that they probably were not going to play. Toward the end of their set, they busted out Sorry Charlie and the hardcore fans went nuts.

Angelo Moore Clowning Around

Before a gig with Vau De Vire Society, I had the chance to chat with Fishbone frontman Angelo Moore about his clown tattoos.

Kid Beyond

Kid Beyond is an amazing beatboxer/ live looper/ one man band here in San Francisco. I'd heard about him for a while before getting to see him perform in the Vau De Vire Society's Twisted Cabaret Tent at Vegoose. Video simply does not do this guy justice. It's something you really need to catch live. That said, here's some video. THe sound is a little rough. I think I was getting some clipping. But this ought to give you an idea.

Sleater Kinney @ Vegoose - Let's Call it Love (and a new DVD torrent!)

The DVD of this show is spreading around and now you can get it even if you can't get registered on dimeadozen. Sleaterkinneytorrents has open signup and this DVD is now seeded there too, so go grab it.

Sleater Kinney @ Vegoose - Modern Girl (and NEWS)

Here's the latest track from Sleater Kinney's Vegoose set and I have some exciting news to all of the Sleater Kinney fans who have been coming here to watch the video. If you have a DVD burner and a high speed connection, you can download the whole show. I authored it with song selection and a photo gallery. Mad props to Julia for linking my vids on her SK news blog, and to Joel for answering my call for somebody to seed a torrent. So, without further ado, go download this show and share it all around. If you can't get registered on that site (it's kind of full), just wait as it will probably appear here after a few days, so keep trying both sites.

Please Vote for Me & a New Blog Renter

Those of you who have been reading this blog from the getgo already saw this video very early on. But I still need you to do me a big favor and please go here after watching it and give it a high rating.

I would also like to give a warm welcome to this week's blog renter, "Are we there yet," a collection of silly vids and unusual pictures. Please support my featured blog and give it some clickage from the thumbnail in the right hand column.

Sleater Kinney @ Vegoose - Step Aside

Here's the next song from Sleater Kinney's Vegoose set. I'm all out of Sleater Kinney stories, and I'm nearing the end of this performance. I'm also nearing the end of video that I have captured and streaming which means I'll have to be delving into my drawer o' tapes and finding more interesting stuff really soon.

Ween - Awesome Sound

The first concert I ever shot, just days after getting my camera. Here's Ween at the 9:30 Club in DC on 5/22/00.

Hippy Mosh Pit with Captain Paradox

It's been a few years since I've played any music. This video is part of the second to last gig of the last band that I was in. The band was Captain Paradox and I played bass. We were disbanding because our singer/songwriter/guitarist was moving out of town, and on Jan 12, 2002 we booked two gigs to go out with a bang. The first gig of the evening was at a restaurant called Cada Vez where they were holding a holiday party for the DC activist crowd. As you could probably guess, this was a hippy fest. We had a limited time frame to play because we had to go down the street for our late show at the Velvet Lounge and we were starting to get a little worried that we weren't going to be able to play a full set because of this troupe of teenage interprative dancers that went on before us. While we weren't our tightest during this set (but it was good practice for our second gig where we really went out with a bang), the audience loved us and Sarah, AKA Mrs. Paradox, shot some great video of us with some wacky audience members dancing and then doing some hippied out version of moshing in front of us.

Half Naked Thurdsay - Xeno part 1

Xeno are an amazing performance troupe from here in San Francisco. Here's the first part of their performance in the Vau De Vire Society's Twisted Cabaret Tent at the Vegoose Festival.

Sleater Kinney @ Vegoose - What's Mine is Yours

Here's another track from Sleater Kinney's Vegoose set, and another Sleater Kinney anecdote to go along with it. When I got the gig to go shoot at Vegoose, there were a few bands that I was really excited about seeing, but since I needed to be shooting in the cabaret tent, I wasn't able to catch many of them. Sleater Kinney was early enough in the day so that I could catch them. This was the second day of the festival and I hadn't tried using my artist pass to get backstage yet, so I nervously approached the backstage area and then walked right through without a problem. I wandered around a bit, then walked right up to the side of the stage itself, getting more and more excited. The girls were on stage doing their soundcheck and there were a few people hanging out who mostly seemed to be friends of theirs. My wife, as I've mentioned before, is a huge fan of theirs and as I was reading the band lineup, she was getting really bummed because she wasn't going. I probably could have gotten her to come and help do makeup or something, but she is also pregnant and it has not been an easy pregnancy. So I'm reading off Ween, the Shins, Beck... she's getting more and more jealous... and then I get to Sleater Kinney and she's super-jealous. So I had planned to get an autograph or tape a video greeting from them and maybe Beck if I had the chance (I didn't get to Beck). So I'm standing backstage and they get done with their soundcheck and come over where I was standing for a minute. As Corin walks by, I asked her if she'd mind doing me a huge favor, and proceeded to tell her about my poor pregnant wife who is missing the show and is a huge fan and asked if she'd mind if I put her on the phone. She said sure, after their set. They proceeded to play a great set which I caught all of on tape (stay tuned - I'm working on getting a DVD image on bit torrent) and then they walk back offstage. I asked Carrie how they keep managing to get better every time I see them and she chuckled, then I followed Corin as she's signing autographs and chatting with fans. After she signed the last CD, she said "OK, let's call your wife. So I called her up and say "there's somebody who wants to talk to you" and handed the phone to Corin who completely made her day by saying hi and giving her some tips on easing the morning sickness (ginger ale and saltines). She was so sweet to do that without acting the slightest bit put out, and while I tried not to be a total star struck idiot, I probably came off like Chris Farley on SNL interviewing Paul McCartney.

Aaaarrrrrggggg! Other People's Video and a new Blog Renter

In honor of this week's featured blog, I've got a couple of fine films done by other people for you to check out. This week's featured blog is Haunted House Dressing, a mishmash of all sorts of cool stuff by writer Jeremy C. Shipp. Go check his blog out by clicking that button in the right column. Now, on to the videos... Everybody knows that pirates and ninjas are sworn enemies, and now there are not one but two movies! First is Pirates vs Ninjas, an action packed, ultra-violent and super campy live-action thrill ride. Then for more pirate/ninja action, check out this insane and NSFW animated short called Space Pirates vs Robot Ninjas on Dinosaur Planet. Aaarrrrgggg! Enjoy, maties.

Gooferman at Vegoose

Here's another clip that I shot in the Vau De Vire Society's Twisted Cabaret Tent at the Vegoose festival. This one is Gooferman, voted San Francisco's best electronic music act in the Guardian. All dressed up like clowns and playing a variety of instruments including a set of sample triggers made from Big Boys, they put on a wild show.

It's a Girl!

Being an expectant dad has many milestones. Today we found out for sure that we're having a girl. We were told at a previous ultrasound that it was probably going to be a girl, but our sonagrapher wanted a better look which she got today! This is just as exciting as when we found out about the pregnancy, when we head her heart beating for the first time, and the first time we saw an ultrasound, shown below.

Sleater Kinney @ Vegoose - Wilderness

Happy New Year everybody! Here's yet another song from Sleater Kinney's great set from Vegoose.