Vox Import

Bowling!

Had a great outing today at Yerba Buena Bowl!  Here's a few highlights:

Bowling 03-2008

Scrabbel

My friend Dan has a band called Scrabbel (name altered to ward off evil lawsuits) that I've always loved to go see perform.  Their songs are thoughtful and poppy but never pretentious or sappy.  Recently, they had a music video shown at the SFIAAFF 'Music Video Asia' show that I went to on Wednesday.  I was really impressed with what they put together and I thought it was one of the best videos of the night.

Take a look for yourself on the (somewhat lower quality) youtube version of this video.  Make sure to wait for the finger break-dancing at the end!

"Emily, I" by Scrabbel

Spicy!

Goh

I went to the "Directions In Sound: Electro-Pop and Indie Rock" music event at the Rickshaw Stop for the SFIAAFF last night to see my friend Goh Nakamura play the Indie part of that show.  He's got a lot of talent as a solo guitarist, not only because he's a great guitar player, but also because the creative things he can do with pedals and audio effects to build layers of sound.  In some songs he'll sing the chorus into the body of his acoustic so that the string pickups become a microphone.  Run that though a delay pedal a few times and he's got a ethereal, melodic four part harmony.  Its things like this that make his music fun to listen to and fun to watch.

Mingandping

After his set I stuck around until the last band "Ming & Ping" who completely surprised me.  The first two bands were Indie and I hadn't read the tagline to the event about Electro-Pop.  Ming & Ping came on stage dressed in full Chinese Opera costumes and painted faces; Ming, the singer, two girls as dancers and the drummer (the only person with an instrument on stage).  Additionally, there was one person who was dressed as a monkey king complete with a monkey suit, painted face, small cymbals attached to each paw and big round ears.
They immediately launched into dreamy dance pop that got everyone the crowd on their feet.  The music was irresistibly catchy and something about watching the monkey king bounce around the stage flanked by two dancing opera girls made it impossible not to join in and dance.
Behind the stage was a synchronized video of Ping dancing along with Ming.  During the show Ming would talk with the video Ping and the audience in a soft and lightly accented voice; "Oh, that song was very spicy!  This next song is very cute!  I hope you are all feeling spicy tonight!"

It was probably the most fun I've had out in a while.  It reminds me why I like getting out and trying new things!

SFIAAFF!

Its time for the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival!  It looks like there some interesting films this year.  For any one interested in going, here's what I'm seeing so far:

• Death Note - Fri, Mar 14, 9:45pm - Castro Theatre
• Asians in the Claws of Neon Lights - Sun, Mar 16, 9:00pm - Sundance Kabuki 4
• A Gentle Breeze in the Village - Mon, Mar 17, 6:30pm - Sundance Kabuki 1
• Music Video Asia 2008 - Wed, Mar 19, 9:30pm - Sundance Kabuki 4

The music video showing I'm particularly excited about.  Seeing this program at the 2005 SFIAAFF is how I found  out about M.I.A. and Polysics, both of which showed really awesome videos.

If you decide to go to any of these shows, let me know!

Sundews

The sundews I bought a few weeks ago at California Carnivores are finally starting to open up.  With the low morning sun, they really live up to their name.  Here's a few shots of the newly unfurled leaves.

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D&D cocreator Gary Gygax now beyond scope of healing spells

Best title ever.  I've only played Dungeons and Dragons in its pure form a few times (sitting around in a basement with thick books, multi-sided dice and coke), but I've played countless video games who have borrowed its format for character building and game play.  Here's to Gary's 18 (00) life!

D&D cocreator Gary Gygax now beyond scope of healing spells

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/...

On March 4, Gary Gygax died at his home in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, after suffering two strokes in 2004 and being diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. He was 69. While the man may not be with us any more, the ideas that he popularized though his work on Dungeons and Dragons will guide the game world for a very long time to come. In many ways, Gary Gygax built the bridge (complete with trolls underneath and dragons flying above) that we walk across every time we play a role-playing game, whether it be with a pen and pencil, a computer, or a home console.

Lost in Shanghai

From "Oh hai" to Shanghai;  I am learning the pain of wanting bright shiny toys that happen to be manufactured in China:

Shanghaied

Three days in Shanghai ... I think it might be there to stay.