A big congrats goes out to my pal/former roommate Maura Johnston on this special day in which her new gig, Idolator, is unleashed into the wild. It’s been mere hours and she’s left blogs such as Gothamist & Philebrity foaming at the bit already and its seriously hilarious. Gothamist may want to rethink the “Oh shit another Gawker blog?” stance after taking some time out to read their -Ist sites, instead of keeping watch of Maura’s Last.fm stats. Just sayin’.

Anyway, time for More Maura In the Monitor — she’s got ace musical taste, amazing karaoke skills — but more importantly, I think she’s a seriously talented writer that’s been overlooked for far too long. She is definitely one of the reasons I took up blogging [way back before the turn of the millennium!?]. I look forward to hearing about her adventures with Axl, should they ever happen.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/15518005.htm

This is definitely _not_ a replacement for a coach, but the USFSA has posted a bunch of diagrams & videos on their site. If you haven’t plunked down the cash for a USFSA membership, grab the diagrams, since they’re straight out of the members-only rulebook. The videos are useful too, but only if you’re using Windows Media or RealVideo as your player.

A Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for girls is coming to Philly! This is a totally awesome experience for young girls to play music and learn about other facets of musicmaking. Don’t forget about today’s informational meeting. If you can’t attend, contact Beth Warshaw for more information!

I strongly encourage you to pass along this information to interested parties!

OK, the details:

3025 Walnut Street @ XPN Conference Room
Wednesday, September 13th
6:30pm

About the Portland version:

Our mission is to encourage, engage and showcase the musical, artistic and individual talents of girls and young women ages 8-18, and to empower them with tools for self-reliance as a means to enhance and affirm positive self-esteem. We pursue this mission by offering programs throughout the year including the Girls Rock Institute and the RnRC4G Summer Camp. Each program, lesson and workshop uses music and music-related topics to teach technical skills and life skills.

Here’s what Beth Warshaw, who is holding the meeting and has articipated in the NYC versions, has to say:

Girls Rock Camps have been starting up all over the country (Portland since 2000, NYC since 2005, Chicago this year) & having volunteered in New York each time, I can say it’s an incredibly positive week long program that gives girls ages 8-18 a chance to make some music, write songs together as bands, and learn the basics of getting along cooperatively & respectfully.

If you know me, you know I’m not particularly a joiner, either, but this program’s something I wish I had when I was young — maybe I wouldn’t have just sat around watching boys practice guitar or thinking I didn’t look the part, but put together a band myself. So now that we all know better, I’d love your help in starting a Philly Girls Rock Camp together.

Intrigued? I’ll have a (little) presentation for you & let you know about lots of positions that range from lots of time over the next year to 10 hours during camp week. Bring anyone you think might be interested (mostly women, please).

I lied — I didn’t take a nap like I was going to. I felt this twinge of guilt and because I heard CC blaring out into the street from five stories above, the twinge ate me up and so I went back in to watch CC and Times New Viking. [The crazy rumor goin’ round is that TNV are getting signed to Matador?! If that’s not true, GC you should totally make it happen ’cause I said so.]

CC’s last few songs were par for course — *Sharkey put the mic down the back of his pants, licked a girl, dismantled Richie’s drum kit tout en jouant and threw it into a garbage can.* The crowed enjoyed it, I think. I know I did!

TNV were supposed to play next but instead it was this dude with a violin making screechy noises a la Raincoats. Cool/Boring? Hard to tell… *Anyway while waiting for TNV all I could hear coming out of any dude’s mouth for a 100-mile radius was about how hot the girl in the band was and her shapely thighs.* [Also, she is a cross between some celeb and Eleanor Friedberger, wrapped up in 90’s flannel gear and cutoffs.] When I hear dudes talk like this [and they say this shit all the time], I am glad I’m not attractive, conventionally speaking or otherwise. I would hate to have to be the center of attention like that.

I am sure they all blew their mental load when TNV brought forth the rock, sounding wonderfully scuzzy in that “i am so psyched about playing shows in lofts!” kind of way, with the warm glow of the _Columbus Dispatch_ sign in the background. They are like a directionless Thermals and I kiss the ground they walk upon for simply existing. When I watch kids in the Midwest spazz out during shows, my heart gets all tingly. It’s so easy to lose track of these things on the East coast, where there are a bazillion bands and scenes unraveling on top of each other all at once. Moments like these remind me about why touring is so awesome. [Also: *guys in the Midwest are so hot and polite!* I can only hope that I marry one of you someday.]

That said, I am not sure if it was the show, the Benadryl I took to combat my allergies or the four Starbucks DoubleShot espresso drinks I downed that kept me awake through my nightime drive. Mind you, I love sleep — I’m pretty pro-8 hours a night — but man is *there something so awesome about driving through the US in the dark of night.* The interstate is pitch black, the band is totall passed out [alas, no comments from the peanut gallery] and I have the ipod on Shuffle City. Another plus is being able to take breaks without complaint from everyone, which was a requirement every hour, even if it was just to stretch my legs. Lastly, I don’t know if I’ve ever said this but God Bless the state of Indiana for making the speed limit 70 MPH. I blazed through that state like a hot knife through butter.

I managed to navigate the mess of the Dan Ryan Expressway as the sun was coming up and my “truckers high” was beginning to wear off, just in time to reach the place where I’d be staying for the next day or so. *I slept for 4 hours* and what happens afterwards I shall explain in the next segment.

» Funny story about my first/last visit to Columbus circa 1997: I came out to see Superchunk & GBV play at the Newport. That day _Addicted to Noise_ put out an interview with Bob Pollard where he said he was getting a new band for the next record. However, he failed to inform his current backing band [Cobra Verde] about this and boy oh boy was that backstage tense! However, I had snuck some beers out to my then-boyfriend and his brother, only to be busted for this [keep in mind I was only 19 at the time!]. The club security dragged me up to Pollard’s dressing room, scolded him for letting a minor walk around with booze. Whattanight.

its late night and i’m in columbus, just about to take a small nap. clockcleaner are upstairs at the skylab gallery, probably due to play anytime now. i’d be up there if it werent for the fact that i’m doing the columbus-chicago leg of the drive, which will take anywhere from 5-8 hours, depending on the route/traffic/etc.

as we’ve been in the car all day, its been fairly quiet. we got into town early and located the nearest whole foods/wild oats. healthy foods were eaten, shots of wheatgrass done and we found this sweet bookstore called *liberty books & news*. it had just about the nicest retail restroom ive been in and FREE COFFEE. [what they dont tell you: the coffee is awful.]

skylab gallery is located in downtown columbus, which seems empty in the same way broad street does around 2AM. sort of creepy except that there’s a bunch of upstart restaurants in the area, so its not entirely empty. the show space is on the fifth floor and thankfully there are elevators. everyone’s totally nice and friendly. there’s a huge crowd up there right now but alas, i must nap.

process demystified: making the magic happen.
photo credit: jt

OMG MY RADIO SHOW IS OVER. TEH SAEDNESS! regardless, today was a really fun show. my special guest was jt, who brought it on as a dj & co-host. dude needs his own damn radio show, or, we need to join forces for an amazing 2 hours of amazingness.

anyway, fun fun fun fun show. and if you didnt like it, as i said today, *i dont care*.

oxford collapse - kenny cant afford it - remember the night parties
_frida hyvonen - come another night - until death comes_
helvetia - the clever north wind - the clever north wind - N
flin flon - traflagar - dixie - N
tsunami - loud is as loud does - the heart’s tremelo
neung phak - cheers - famous shovels in twain - N
nomeansno - so low - all roads lead to ausfahrt - N

the thermals - power doesnt run on nothing - the body the blood the machine - N
our favorite band - whats inside of me - 7″
rapider than horsepower - the potential - dont ignore the potential - N
oakley hall - lazy susan - gypsum strings - N
Dudley Perkins - funky dudley - Expressions (2012 a.u.) - N
_lsd march - i have been saving my love for you - empty rubious red_

_times new viking - lion & oil - dig yourself_
eleventh dream day - bite the hand - stalled parade
_grails - stray dog - black tar prophecies_
mirror america - couldnt you wait - an idiot to not appreciate your time: the songs of silkworm - N
the victoria lucas - aint love grand - hit the ground running fast - N
REM - orange crush - green
REM - catapult (live) - 12″

_marble sheep - fla fla heaven - for demolition of a spiritual framework_
_the drones - i dont ever want to change - gala mill_
espers - dead queen - II - N
unrest - june - imperial ffrr
regressive aid - no values - 7″
shooting at unarmed men - never follow me again - yes! tinnitus! - N
tanner - blueprint - 7″

_nikki sudden - the ballad of johnny & marianne - the truth doesnt matter_
feminine complex - time slips by - livin love
celia cruz - mi soncito - celia cruz sings
arthur russell - hiding your present from you - springfield - N
spiritualized - ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space - ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space - R
love is all - felt tip - nine times that same song - N
lush - outdoor miner - for love ep
_rhys chatham - drastic classism - die donnergotter_

oxford collapse - return of the burno - remember the night parties

Ah, Gary Young. The enigmatic, so-called insane original drummer for Pavement. I’ll never forget the time I saw you play at the Fire. You duct taped a mic to your head and covered “Summer Babe”. Most bands don’t frighten me, but you did and that was awesome. However, I was disappointed that you didn’t pass out salads to the audience.

Looks like *the Spinto Band* strike again, showing up on this week’s episode of No Love For Ned. Not only that, Ned’s got a *King Kong Ding Dong* track on the show.

i had a bunch of awesome stuff to tell you but i forgot all of it in my offline off-time. here’s what i can remember. i think dr dog are still playing away at the block party down the street and still busting out that “ob-la-di” rip off tune. ob-la-dont, indeed!

» my last WPRB show of the summer is this week! sad! i can’t believe the fall schedule starts soon. i feel like i’ve officially accomplished nothing this summer. anyway, tune in — ol’ jt is my special guest.

» *i am going on tour*. well, kind of. with clockcleaner, natch. i probably shouldnt use the phrase tour because two shows doesn’t exactly constitute a tour, but whatever. if you consider tour managing to be sitting in the van with my ipod and staring sullenly out the window all teenage family vacation stylee, then thats what im doing. i cannot be held responsible for the actions of clockcleaner at these gigs, so if you are offended, its your own damn fault. im the nice one:

09-08 Columbus, OH @ Skylab Gallery (57 E. Gay St #5) w/ Times New Viking, Lambsbread

Touch & Go Anniversary Afterparty!
09-09 Chicago, IL @ the Mutiny (2428 N. Western Ave) w/ Functional Blackouts

» *ah, yes, touch & go.* i can’t wait to be in chicago this weekend and hanging with tons of rad people! furthermore, i cannot wait to eat lots of hot dogs and sausages and weiners and totally up my caloric intake. i started training for weinerfest by picking up a package of hot dogs this week.

» speaking of training, *i am having a major brodown with my re-emerging inner jock these days*. i started swimming in addition to playing tennis, but i am a lousy swimmer so they’ve relegated me to the slow lane. i only do the breaststroke because anything else looks like im drowning and really, there’s no need to make the lifeguard worry. but hey, i did 16 laps in the olympic-sized pool at work! i am also all about the elliptical machine. did you know that *blood on the wall* and *black flag* make for great workout music? now you do.

» i listened to the first night of *y-rock on wxpn* and made it through three songs before turning off the stereo. sorry, folks? what i heard: pearl jam’s “alive”, ramones “we want the airwaves” and some replacements song about drinking and music being a vital urgent thing [wait, thats like all their songs]. i just didnt understand how this was different from wxpn’s programming and furthermore, when did philadelphia ever lack an alternative? there’s always been wkdu, wxpn and wprb. what more could anyone ask for? also, why did i hear *the spinto band* play live twice on wxpn in a single day? amy and i were driving and we heard them on the noonish slot, then there was something else later [which i missed].

» and now, the moment you’ve been waiting for: my opinion on this year’s *mtv vmas*. they sucked. like, royally. every year i watch for the trainwrecks and this year i got a snoozefest. its a bad sign when one of the more entertaining moments is a bunch of aging indie rockers extending their 15 minutes of fame by leaping around on treadmills like a bunch of trained hamsters. i also dug pink’s dig at nicole ritchie when accepting her award. genius! and did anyone else hear the low groan/boo when britney spears was intro’ed?