I’ll be posting updates from Pitchfork and other assorted travels here.

What’s not to love about a band called Pony Pants? Imagine two metal dudes playing metal guitar with a rambunctious, trebly girl singer singing stuff about –OMG YES– pony pants. [and so much more.] Those of you who have compared them to Le Tigre, you’re a bunch of lazy motherfuckers. LT never partied hard like this, nor could they ever since they were too wrapped up in being whatever the fuck they were being.

Listen Listen Listen »

Anyway, Pony Pants are on tour and blogging about it for the City Paper. They are living for this tour and it would be an honest-to-god crime if you didn’t check them out.

Sep 26 Kitchen Distribution Buffalo, NY
Sep 27 Garfield Artworks Pittsburgh, PA
Sep 28 The Wire Athens, OH
Sep 29 The Legion of Doom House Columbus, OH
Sep 30 Beat Kitchen Chicago, IL
Oct 1 The Nomad World Pub Minneapolis, MN
Oct 2 The Red Rooster Cafe Aberdeen, SD
Oct 3 The Filling Station Bozeman, MT
Oct 4 The High Dive Seattle, WA
Oct 5 Le Voyeur Olympia, WA
Oct 6 ACME Portland, OR
Oct 7 The Wetlands Eugene, OR
Oct 8 Club Pow Sacramento, CA
Oct 11 Thee Parkside San Francisco, CA
Oct 12 Stanford University Stanford, CA
Oct 13 High Energy Constructs Los Angeles, CA
Oct 14 The Stockton House San Diego, CA
Oct 15 Dry River Collective Tucson, AZ
Oct 19 the Sound Pony Lounge Tulsa, OK
Oct 20 The NEW Treehouse Little Rock, AK
Oct 22 House Show Savannah, GA
Oct 23 The Art Garage Columbia, SC
Oct 24 NightLight Chapel Hill, NC
Oct 25 SPAZZATORIUM GALLERIA Greenville, NC
Oct 26 The Fortress of Solidness / RVA House Richmond,VA
Oct 29 The Depot Baltimore, MD

We need help in the following areas: HELP!

Oct.10/11 San Fran/Northern California
Oct.16-18 North Texas area
Oct.21 Nashville
Oct.27 Harrisonburg/Charlottesville
Oct.28 Washington DC

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.

» If you were a captive audience on SEPTA last week, you might have stumbled upon a Metro article about Her Jazz.

» The ever-awesome Doree Shafrir wrote this hilarious piece on dating dealbreakers, featuring quotes from my pal [and PW writer] Maggie Serota.

» Picked up the new issue of _Philly Mag_. Before I go any further: I realize talking about the craptacularness of this mag is old hat and totes obvs but seriously, this “Best Of” shit is awful. A whole “Kids” category? Kill me, now. Please. [note: i happen to like kids, even though i was a crap babysitter in high school.]

» Martha Coolidge, why?! Well, ever since those two episodes of _Sex & the City_, I should have figured this was gonna happen.

» OK, music talk: *Antelope*. Is this what happens when you cross CCR guitar economics with post-punk? Maybe, maybe not but all I know is that I like listening to this song over and over again.

Antelope, “Game Over”

I mention them because they are touring, with Joe Lally of Fugazi of all things! Here’s some dates for you, and oh, buy their records:

09/11/06 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.). $8. 7:30pm All Ages.

09/12/06 New York, NY @ The Knitting Factory (74 Leonard St.). $8. 8pm All Ages.

09/13/06 Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place (47 East Mohawk St.). $7. 9pm All Ages.

09/14/06 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom (15711 Waterloo Rd.). $7. 9pm All Ages.

09/15/06 Chicago, IL @ South Union Arts (1352 S. Union Ave.). $10. 9pm All Ages.

09/16/06 Dekalb, IL @ The House Cafe (263 E. Lincoln Highway). $6. 8pm All Ages.

09/17/06 Grand Rapids, MI @ Division Avenue Arts Collective (115 S. Division Ave.). $7. All Ages.

09/18/06 Detroit, MI @ Bohemian National Home (3009 Tillman St.). 9pm. All Ages.

09/19/06 Pittsburgh, PA @ Garfield Artworks (4931 Penn Ave.). $8. 8pm All Ages.

» Last things last: I realize that indie and punk rockers are not exactly the um, athletic types but I would like to play more tennis. James nonwithstanding [’cause he always plays with me], do any of you want to hit a few around? Who knows how long this weather will stick around!

Oh me oh my — it must be swamplike conditions of a Philadelphia summer that’s causing our bands to flee. Or maybe they’re getting tired of the 2 week rule of local promoters. Either way, more Philly bands are hitting the road and those of you who live elsewhere should go see them, support them, house them. All I want to know is — who’s going to fill our stages and crowds when they’re gone?

Cordalene
07-01 Chicago, IL - Bar Vertigo w/ Walker Lundee
07-05 Boston, MA - Lizard Lounge
07-07 Cumberland, RI - The Blackstone
07-12 State College, PA - Roustabout!

Dragon City

06-23 New York, NY - Club Midway (formerly Scenic)

Man Man
06-22 Houston, TX - Walters On Washington
06-23 Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon
06-24 Atlanta, GA - The Earl
06-25 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506
06-27 Philadelphia, PA - Theater of Living Arts w/ Fiery Furnaces
06-29 New York, NY - Webster Hall w/ Fiery Furnaces
06-30 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
07-29 Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Music Festival

The Teeth

06-22 New York, NY - The Delancey
07-03 Boston, MA - Middle East
07-08 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
07-28 New York, NY - Pianos w/ Bishop Allen

Walker Lundee

07-01 Chicago, IL - Bar Vertigo w/ Cordalene
07-02 Columbia, MO - Mojo’s
07-03 Lawrence, KS - Replay Lounge
07-06 Fort Worth, TX - Wreck Room
07-08 Dallas, TX - The Cavern
07-10 Shreveport, LA - Mias
07-12 Athens, GA - Caledonia Lounge
07-13 Columbia, SC - TBA
07-14 Chapel Hill, NC - The Cave
07-15 Washington, DC - TBA

The Yah Mos Def

06-22 Cambridge, MA - Lily Pad Gallery w/ Hawnay Troof, Big Digits, Squids
06-23 Asbury Park, NJ - Asbury Lanes w/ Hawnay Troof, Japanther
06-25 Washington, DC - Warehouse Next Door w/ XLIMPWRISTX

james is my tennis “coach” insomuch that he basically told me one day that i didnt totally suck in my return to the sport. i wanna know who im supposed to play with while he’s gone? [ed, art? where are you guys?] anyway, perhaps you need a spot of acoustic niceness in your daily dose of rock’n'roll? In addition to whatever caffienated bevarage product you’ll pick up at these coffee shops, that is.

And while you’re at it, ask him about that “Pitchfork Vampires” song.

I’m going on a short solo tour that begins June 23 and goes from New Jersey to Indiana and back. I’m promoting the upcoming full-length, and will have copies of a new AOD acoustic solo cd as well. Shows are as follows:

Jun 23 2006 Mechanicsburg, PA - Cool Beans Coffee & Candies
Jun 24 2006 Oakland, PA - CPOF House
Jun 25 2006 Pittsburgh, PA - Pittsburgh Cafe
Jun 26 2006 Kent, OH - Electric Cafe Co.
Jun 27 2006 Ft. Wayne, IN - Aspen Coffee
Jun 28 2006 Rochester, IN - The CD ExChange
Jun 29 2006 Cincinnati, OH - Afterdark
Jul 01 2006 Virginia Beach, VA - Jolt 180
Jul 03 2006 Annapolis, MD - Westside Cafe